#but also you really don’t have to do that

[plainclothesdisaster]

DPxDC Mechanical Engineer Danny

Danny caught the attention of Batman while studying at Gotham University for his alternative energy projects. He’s hired right out of college to work on the Watchtower.

He shows absolutely no tell of his abilities till there’s a dire situation- Flash’s electric discharge messes with one of his projects in progress and the whole base would have lost air pressure if he hadn’t done a quick fix using telekinesis and ice.

Of course Batman notices.

Batman assumes the worst- he suspects Danny’s a rogue of some kind, someone who has infiltrated the Justice League with an ulterior motive. But he can’t just fire Danny now- he’s the only one who knows how the new Watchtower energy source works. Plus, he’s not letting Danny go anywhere until he’s figured out his true motives.

Cue Batman subtly testing Danny- tossing things at him to trigger inhuman fast reflexes, having him lift too-heavy machinery, setting up convenient opportunities to steal or snoop or otherwise be up to no good. Danny does take advantage but only once, to use a computer terminal with unlocked clearance. He didn’t plant any bugs that Barman could find, and he otherwise kept up his powerless civilian act perfectly.

Still, Batman’s not satisfied. He brings an infrasonic sound emitter to Danny’s lab one day, and that, of all things, is what gets Danny to break.

“I know what you’re doing,” Danny admits with a sigh, finally. “If you’re really that suspicious of me, I can leave, but I kinda like my job so I’d prefer not to. The benefits are insane compared to what’s standard.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure. yeah. How about you turn off the freaking noise generator and we can talk?”

“Hm.” Batman obliges, and he takes the stool next to Danny at his gesture.

“Number one, I’m not a meta. Despite all the data and conclusions you’ve probably drawn otherwise. Number two, I’m on your side. I’m here to work on the base, that’s it. I follow your rules to the letter.”

“The-“

“The classified files I looked at? Yeah that was the one exception. You already know what I looked at, I’m sure, but maybe you haven’t figured out why. It goes back to point one- I may not be a meta, but I am something that organization, the GIW, cares about. I looked at your files on them to sus out your relations. Seeing as I don’t particularly love being the victim to twelve degrees of human rights violations if I can avoid it.”

“Hm.” The Ghost Intelligence Ward was one of many government agencies that the Justice League hadn’t worked closely with. But they also hadn’t been flagged for Justice League investigation. Danny’s comments made him doubt that call.

“Any other questions?”

“If you’re not a meta, what are you?”

“I’m an engineer. A pretty decent one. And I’d really, really like it to stay that way.”

Batman considers, and ultimately lets him stay. He likes Danny (everyone likes Danny), and it would be a massive pain in the ass to replace him. He really is a good engineer.

It’s only much later that his faith in Danny is repaid in spades.

Batman finds Danny on the Watchtower command bridge. Alarms are blaring, the station has been knocked out of orbit, out the window there’s shrapnel floating everywhere as a space battle rages around them.

On the station it’s chaos. Technicians run around, shouts from the med bay, sparks from the walls.

Batman and Danny stand at the main controls, watching the battle outside, stoic, unmoving.

Wonder Woman’s harried voice crackles through on coms: “We need backup.”

“There is no more backup.” Batman replies, while looking pointedly at Danny.

“What?”

Batman doesn’t move.

“What.”

“The impact from Darkseid’s initial attack should have sent this station on a terminal trajectory toward the planet.”

“Well. We aren’t currently plummeting to our deaths, so turns out it didn’t do that.”

“You did something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re lying.”

“Maybe Superman nudged us back on course in all the chaos.”

“I’ve been watching the trackers. No one else with the capability has come near the station.”

“Can’t you just be grateful we got lucky?”

Sounds of peril screech over the coms. Danny’s face scrunches.

“Luck had nothing to do with it. As it is now, we are going to lose this fight.”

“Isn’t there anyone else you can call?”

“I’m asking you. You can help, can’t you?”

The glare-off lasts a long moment more before Danny breaks.

“Fuck. Fuckity fuck.” Danny runs his hands through his hair. “Shit. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I’m asking you to save this and countless other worlds from a genocide. I’m also asking you to save my friends.”

Danny looks at him, hard, weary, and with a kind of deep resolve that feels far too ancient to be on the face of a supposed twenty-something.

“Fine. Fine. Okay.” He steps back and transforms. If Batman is surprised when he shakes off his human appearance like an old coat, he doesn’t show it. But what’s undeniable is the being in Danny’s place has the unmistakable presence of power.

“No one else can know.” His voice echoes in a way that’s sonically impossible, both sounding closer and further away than he should be.

He pulls a gear-shaped medallion seemingly out of thin air and puts it over his head in one motion.

“If I get in trouble for this, I’m blaming you.”

He vanishes. Outside, the shape of the battle changes instantly. The stars seem to glow brighter as the arms of the galaxy flash with the colors of the aurora. Then it’s like the void of space itself comes alive. It moves the spaceships back like they’re toys, plucking them from one side of the field to the other. It finds Darkseid at the heart of the chaos and massive arms of nothingness and darkness wrap around him. He’s screaming as it swallows him whole.

His armies scatter. The battle turns. The JL deal with the stragglers, but the air of relief is palpable.

Danny reappears next to Batman, once again donning his grease-stained coveralls. Arms folded.

“Happy?”

It took all of five minutes. Less, probably. Batman tamps down a thousand questions.

“Thank you.”

“I’m gonna need two weeks off minimum.” Danny snaps. “One to deal with the bureaucratic nightmare you’ve just caused me, and another to recover from the headache.”

Batman blanks. “Granted.”

Danny sighs. “And I’m not fixing the station until I’m back. It won’t fall out of the sky as is. Make up whatever excuse you want.”

“Done.” He considers. “I would prefer to tell them the truth. That you saved us.”

Danny glares. “I’m not supposed to save you. I made a pact not to use my power to influence the mortal realm.”

“A pact with who?”

Danny rolls his eyes. “The embodiment of Time. The concept of Justice. Among others.” He smirks at Batman’s confusion.

“And what, exactly, does that make you?”

He stands, framed by the space window, haloed by the stars. “I’ll give you three guesses.”

Batman frowns.

“Look. I like you guys. I like working on your base. I like supporting the work you do. But you can not go factoring me in to any of your plans or contingencies. This was a one time thing.

“So to answer your question again: I’m an engineer.”

[dailymothanon]

I redesigned my redesign a little bit; mostly the wings cuz they were awkward and for some reason I forgot bat wings are their fingers; anyways I do have more ideas for him this time so this is also what it’s about 😛

What I imagine is that his bat wings Could be screens! (Btw the Shockwave here is just a filler design I don’t yet have any redesign ideas for him) Either or both screens in general, and or holographic screens; more specifically could be attributed to Haptic Holography, in which it could be interacted with and be felt via ultrasonic waves (from Soundwave) which the person of contact could feel it tactically although it being a hologram;;

both handy for meetings (sensors could be used to make users be able to interact with the imagery) And combat if you asked me, like imagine thinking you’re fighting someone yet you really aren’t, you’re just punching air but you don’t know that, and you have no way of winning cuz you’re getting hit by sound waves that Soundwave is emitting at the right time and place yet you cannot hear but you assume it’s your opponent hitting back, and your opponent never falters cuz they’re not real

This is also just a concept of his bridging system he had in Prime 🤔 I figured he could utilize a more silent and stealthy space bridge instead of that bright and loud bridge that Prime had going on 🙄 essentially Soundwave ripping a hole in a space to get from one side of a pocket to the other; but likely he wasn’t forged with the ability like Skywarp’s warping is, and instead he had it implemented to him later on 😌 and also yeah he has his typical telepathy/intense hearing abilities; tho I have yet to consider if he’d be able to do echolocation 🤔 purely for the ultra sonic stuff and being a bat probably

[withwritersblock]

Calling After Me

~Calling After Me by Wallows~ Author's Note: requested! I have no idea what this is! Long time no see um here's this Lazar!reader fic that is um long. Summary: Luke pursues Curtis's younger sister Warnings: maybe implied smut? Word Count: 15,663 Luke Hughes x Lazar!fmreader

When his baby sister called him and asked for his help, Curtis instantly jumped on the opportunity. His baby sister, Y/N, was studying to be a teacher in New York and she was starting her student teaching. Which meant no income. Without any hesitation, he offered her to stay in his guest room for as long as she needed. He would also pay her to babysit so she would have some money. 

There was a nine year age gap between them and Curtis would do anything to make sure she was okay. He threw a welcome party for her, it was dramatic but he was excited for his baby sister to live with him. 

Since she was living in New Jersey, her school was able to give her placement there. She started her student teaching back in August and for the last two months, it’s been great.

Now that the regular season was right around the corner, Curtis was planning on having some of his teammates by to watch the football game that was on tonight. Curtis never really had to worry about his teammates liking his sister since she was nine years younger than him. 

Except now he has teammates that are nine years younger than him. It was his mission to make sure that his teammates keep their eyes and hands away from his baby sister.

She was sitting at the dining table with a handful of essays her students had written. Her mentor teacher let her grade the students’ work for the first time alone. Curtis climbed down the stairs to the house they were renting with his youngest son in his arms. 

“Y/N,” Curtis asked as he stepped into the dining room. She nodded as she lifted her gaze. “Can you take this upstairs? The boys are gonna be here soon,” he let out. She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked into her eldest brother’s eye.

“I can’t be down here when they come over?” she asked, a laugh climbing in her throat. 

“It’ll be–like–loud and stuff. Don’t you need to focus with–quiet,” he let out, trying to hide his other agenda. He failed. 

Y/N took a deep breath as she began to restack the papers in front of her. There was probably eighty essays that she still needed to finish. “Sure,” she drew out the word as she stood up from the dining table, pushing the glasses up on her face as she walked up to him. “You act like I haven’t met them before, but sure. I’ll stay hidden,” she teased as she poked the belly of her nephew before she walked past him towards the stairs.

Curtis paused as he took a deep breath spinning around, “Thank you,” he let out softly as the doorbell rang. His eyes widened as he walked quickly towards the front door. He glanced behind him to see his sister completely upstairs. He let out a long drawn out breath while he pulled the door open.

He smiled widely when he saw Dawson, John, and Tyler waiting outside of his door. “Hey guys,” he let out as he let the three of them inside. John waved excitedly towards Curtis’s youngest son. Curtis chuckled as he went to shut the door, only to see the Hughes brothers jogging up towards the door. “Hey!” he called out as they stepped inside.

“Holy shit, this place is nice,” Jack let out as his eyes instantly danced around the living room and the small view of the kitchen. 

“Thanks man,” Curtis offered as he glanced towards Luke, who was shyly shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. “There is alcohol in the fridge, food is on it’s way and the game will be on in like forty minutes. Make yourself at home,” 

Dawson and John didn’t hesitate as they instantly started walking towards the kitchen. Jack and Luke hovered by the door for a few seconds before they followed after the other two. Tyler took a spot on the couch as Curtis followed towards him.

“Where’s your sister?” Tyler asked as he looked around the room. Curtis chuckled as he tossed his head back as he glanced down towards his son. 

“Upstairs, grading some stuff,” he said, a grin on his lips.

“Hiding her from the Hughes bros?” Tyler teased. Curtis tossed his head back for a second. He leaned down and placed his son into the swing. He pressed the button, allowing it to rock slowly back and forth.

“And Dawson, kid’s got charm,” Curtis let out while laughing. Tyler chuckled as he shook his head slightly. “She doesn’t need to be getting involved with any of them,” he expressed.

“They’re not bad, you know,” Tyler let out teasingly.

“She doesn’t need to know that,” Curtis shot back as there was another knock on the door. 

Another hour later and the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings game was in full swing. Half of the roster was in the house and scattered all over the living room. Reanne came home with his eldest son and the wings they ordered. There was a giant tray of wings and the pizza they ordered were all over the dining table.

Reanne was in the process of putting both of their young sons to sleep while Y/N was still grading papers in her newly appointed bedroom. The boys in the living room were not as loud as she initially thought. But from the amount of cars sitting outside of the house, she assumed it was a lot of the players. 

The Lions scored a touchdown and a few of the boys cheered before they took long sips of their drinks. “How’s that league looking, Jacky?” Curtis teased from across the way. Jack tossed his head back while rolling his eyes playfully.

Luke smacked his hand against Jack’s shoulder, “Told you not to take Monty off of your roster, man,” Luke teased.

“Shut up,” Jack let out as the entire room started laughing.

Y/N began climbing down the steps, causing a handful of the guys to look towards her. She kept to herself, fully aware of the majority of New Jersey Devils roster was in her living room. 

“Hey Y/N, thought you were staying upstairs tonight,” Curtis offered before he brought his beer towards his lips. 

She lifted her head up to see them glancing towards her. Curtis was staring towards her angrily. His cheeks flushed red from the alcohol in his body. Luke tried to keep his eye off of her. But it was impossible. It was as if she was walking in slow motion as he watched her climb down the steps. Her body was covered with a tight blue long sleeve top and a pair of grey sweats. 

Luke’s body ran hot as he continued to stare towards her; as subtly as he could. She was stunning, absolute no discussion about it. He forced his gaze towards his lap while clearing his throat.

“I’m not Harry Potter. I’m not gonna hide and pretend I don’t exist when guests come over,” she let out teasingly as she walked passed the crowded living room towards the back door. The entire room started laughing. 

Luke’s head shot up as he looked back towards her direction as she sauntered away from the living room. His heart quite literally jumped into his throat. He couldn’t breathe.

They heard the door slam shut in the back. Curtis glanced towards the handful of younger guys in the group, “Don’t get any ideas,” he let out as he pointed a finger towards each of them. His gaze lingered on Luke, who’s cheeks were bright red. Luke dropped his gaze towards his lap as he took a deep breath while adjusting his body. 

“Is that your sister?” Jack asked as he smacked his hand against Luke’s arm. Almost out of habit. “When did she move here?”

Curtis nodded, “My baby sister moved here in August. She was in New York for school,” he explained before he brought his beer towards his lips. “She’s staying with us for a while.” he explained as he forced his gaze towards the TV.

Quickly, the boys all let it go and their attention went back towards the game. They all had a running bet on which team was going to win. The room was pretty split on who was going to take the game. Which meant the losing side would have to pick up the bill for any dinner the team has for the entire team. Basically, the losing team would take turns on paying. 

“I’m going to get more food,” Luke said outloud to anyone who would listen. Curtis nodded and a few of the others did as well. Luke stood up from the couch as he manuvered through the crowd towards the kitchen. He ran his fingers through his hair and walked towards the dining table to see Curtis’s sister eating one of the slices as she was sitting at the table.

His eyes widened as she looked towards him. “Hey,” she mumbled while keeping her gaze low. Almost afraid to meet his eye.

“Thought you left,” Luke mumbled as he took another plate and began to put some pizza slices onto his plate. He clenched his jaw as he avoided her gaze, his heart was still pounding hard against his chest.

“I tried, there’s like four cars blocking me in,” she mumbled before she took another bite. He chuckled as he glanced behind him. For the first time their eyes met for only a brief second before she shyly dropped her gaze towards her plate in front of her.

“Yeah one of those is probably mine, sorry,” he mumbled. She shrugged before she awkwardly met his gaze. He watched as her eyes widened slightly as she pressed her lips together.

“It’s okay, thought I’d steal some food before you all eat it all,” she expressed while chuckling. 

“Now that you’ve been spotted, you could join us,” Luke offered as he stepped away from the table. She looked into his eyes, a soft smile formed to her lips. 

Luke felt his heart jump into his throat as he saw her smile. Seeing her smile was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He’s never wanted to look at anything else. He took a shaky breath as he forced his gaze down.

“Rather not,” she mumbled.

“Why?” Luke asked, laughing softly. 

“Curtis may play for the Devils but not really the team I wanna be around,” she explained as she stood up from the chair taking her plate with her. She stepped towards him briefly while maintaining eye contact. Her stomach flipped slightly as she got closer to him.

“What team?” Luke asked solely out of curiosity. She pursed her lips forward as she fought off a grin.

“Let’s just say between you and your brothers, Quinn’s my favorite,” she offered teasingly before she walked back towards the living room. Luke dropped his head, laughing. He followed after her towards the living room to rejoin the team. 

Y/N didn’t stop as she walked straight towards the stairs. Curtis glared towards Luke as he sat back down. Instead of asking any questions Curtis let it slide. 

“Seriously Rusty, didn’t you eat an entire pizza already?” Dawson let out causing the room to start laughing. Luke chuckled to himself as his gaze lingered on the stairs where Y/N walked up. His heart started beating rapidly.

~~~

For some reason, she couldn’t get him out of her head. She barely saw him, barely spoke with him but that smile felt like a drug coursing through her veins. She was struggling to fall asleep since her mind kept replaying his smile. His grin that was ever so slightly lopsided. His eyes squinted slightly each time his lips curlced upward. 

The entire night she tossed and turned trying to fall asleep but her mind was so busy with his smile. She never paid attention to him before. All she knew was that he was the youngest Hughes brother and he was also supposed to be great. It wasn’t a lie that her favorite team was the Canucks, she loved hearing his laugh when she told him that. 

His laugh was like honey in her ears. It was everything and she knew she wanted to hear it more. She knew she needed to see him more. But she knew Curtis would be mad.

She sat in the parking lot of the school she was student teaching at and slowly scrolled through his Instagram. Specifically, looking through the photo collection he had posted back in July. She kept admiring each photo, craving to get to know him more. 

A sigh fell from her lips as she gone back to his main page, staring at the follow button. He probably wouldn’t even notice. She was a private account, it would seem like any random person was following him. She took a deep breath as she pressed follow. Quickly, she tossed her phone onto the passenger seat beside her with her entire body ran hot. 

Looking up at the time on her car radio, she realized she had to start heading inside or it would be too close to on time. Her mentor teacher preferred her to be early. Turning her car off, she reluctantly took a hold of her phone and shoved it into her bag. 

She was grateful that she didn’t have her phone on her because she would’ve been checking her phone nonstop to see if Luke requested to followed her back. Yet, she kept thinking about it throughout the lesson she was teaching throughout the morning. 

It was finally time for her to eat lunch since their free period started a few minutes back. She was in the teacher’s lounge, waiting for the other student teacher to join her. His name was Jacob and they were quickly becoming friends. 

“Girl, I swear to god, if I have to explain the difference between sin, cos, tan, one more time today, I may explode,” Jacob let out with a long drawn out sigh before he slammed his lunch bag down onto the table. Y/N smirked before she tossed some of the pretzels into her mouth.

“Are you sure you want to be a teacher?” Y/N asked softly, a smirk toying to her lips. She pulled her phone from her pocket. Instead of looking at it, she placed it down onto the table.

“I’ll let you know after we’re done with trig,” he let out before he zipped open his lunch bag. Y/N chuckled while rolling her eyes. “How are you surviving today?” he questioned.

“I am alive,” she let out as she took a deep breath, “Probably a little bit better than you,” she let out teasingly. 

“Clearly,” he let out chuckling before he opened up his salad. “How was your weekend?” he asked as he shoved salad into his mouth. She took a deep breath as her mind instantly went to Luke. Which didn’t make any sense, she spent only a few minutes with him last night. 

“My brother had a lot of his teammates over last night,” she explained as Jacob’s eyes widened with a smirk toying to his lips. 

“Oh my god was Nico there?” he asked excitedly. Y/N stifled a laugh, “–I mean how was that?” Jacob said while chuckling.

She rolled her eyes playfully, “I think he was there but I was shunned to my room,” she let out.

“What? That’s lame,” he let out. “I mean a bunch of hot professional athletes in your living room and you couldn’t say hi? Ridiculous.” 

“I did see them for like five minutes while I stole their food,” she chuckled softly. Her eyes widened as she took a hold of her phone and watched as her phone screen lit up. She swiped down and clicked notifications she missed with her phone on do not disturb. Slowly, she scrolled to see a notification from Instagram.

lhughes_06 requested to follow you. 2 hours ago

Her mouth fell open as she stared towards the notification. Her heart began to race while selecting it. Without hesistation she accepted the follow request with her hands shaking slightly.

“What just happened?” Jacob asked while chuckling nervously. Y/N lifted her gaze while she delicately placed her phone back onto the table. 

“N–nothing,” she mumbled, not so convincingly. Jacob’s eyes squinted as he looked over her frame for a moment. He hummed before he switched the conversation. 

Her phone buzzed on the table and flashed the home screen with another Instagram notification. Instantly, she took a hold of it and her FaceID showed her the DM from Luke. 

lhughes_06 : Thought Quinn was your favorite ;)

She bit her bottom lip as she stared at the message. Her cheeks flushed as she fought her grin. 

Was he being flirty? Was he just saying hello? Was it just an ice breaker? Instead of replying she placed her phone back down onto the table as she looked back towards Jacob.

“So I’m supposed to pretend that you’re not grinning at your phone, okay,” Jacob said teasingly. 

“Yes you are, and you’re failing miserably,” Y/N shot back as she began typing a reply. After she hit send, she placed the phone back on the table face down.

“Okay, so let’s talk about our plans this Friday,” Jacob offered, attempting to change the subject for her. 

“No plans, I’m babysitting,” she mumbled sadly. Jacob threw his head back.

“Oh come on! You’re always babysitting,” Jacob whined. Y/N laughed while rolling her eyes. 

“I’ll ask my brother if you can come hang out,” she offered while rolling her eyes playfully. 

~~~

Throughout the day, she was texting Luke when she could. It was basic small talk but every time she felt her phone buzz in her pocket she fought every urge to read it instantly. 

She was laying on the couch, staring towards her phone screen waiting for Luke to message her back. A sigh fell from her lips as she dropped her phone down onto her chest. Her eyes shut as she kept hearing her heart slam against her chest. It’s been overworking all day.

“Hey,” Curtis expressed as he flopped down onto the end of of couch. He shoved her feet off of the cushion. Her eyes jolted open as she saw her eldest brother sitting down. He took a hold of the remote and pulled up the Vancouver game that was on. Y/N glanced towards the screen for a second. 

“So um–” she began as she felt her phone buzz, she pulled it up to see another message from Luke.

lhughes_06 : can I get your number? I don’t get notifications on Instagram

She smirked; subtle, real subtle. She placed her phone back onto her chest as she looked towards Curtis. His gaze was solely on the game. 

“What’s the situation with Luke?” she asked nearly embarrassed to ask the question.

Curtis furrowed his eyebrows as he switched his gaze towards her. “Hughes?” he questioned harshly. She pursed her lips forward as she slowly nodded. “He’s my teammate, Y/N. You know teammates are off limits,” he let out while crossing his arms over his chest; pouting. 

“Are they?” she asked sarcastically, “I mean usually your teammates are like a decade older than me. Never really needed a rule like that before,” she let out jokingly. 

“Fine, making it a rule now. Do not get involved with my teammates. Especially a Hughes,” Curtis stated as he refused to look towards her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked while laughing. 

“Just stay away from my teammates, alright?” he said as he watched the game switch to a commercial break. Y/N pursed her lips forward as she nodded slowly. “I’m not gonna let them break my baby sister’s heart,” he let out. 

She clenched her jaw while rolling her eyes. Curtis always had the overwhelming habit of being overly protected of her. All over her older siblings were protective over her. It’s what comes from being the youngest. Especially with the older three being closer in age. Curtis felt like it was his job to take care of her. She hated that. 

She was twenty years old. She wasn’t a baby anymore, at least in her eyes. She was graduating college early in Decemeber. Her life was beginning and she was tired of being treated like she was a kid. 

“Okay,” she mumbled as she pulled up her phone to read the DM from Luke. Her cheeks flushed as she stared towards the message. What’s the harm in giving him her number? There’s nothing wrong with being friends. Absolutely nothing wrong. Her mind kept weighing the pros and cons of giving it to him. 

More she stared at the message, the more it became easier to believe that there was no harm in sending it. She sent it over to him and instantly dropped her phone onto her chest again. 

“Can Jacob come over Friday?” she asked softly. 

Shrugging his shoulders, “I don’t care, you don’t have to ask. This is your home too, you know,” he expressed as he finally looked in her direction. 

Her eyes widened as she scoffed, “Oh, I didn’t know since you’re acting like Dad right now,” she offered while she stood up from the couch; holding her phone tightly in her hands. 

“Oh come on,” Curtis offered while laughing. 

“I’ve got papers to grade,” she mumbled as she walked towards the stairs. Her phone began to buzz in her hand. 

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she stared towards the unknown number. Hesitantly answering the call, she brought it towards her ear. 

“Uh–hey?”

“Uhm–hey it’s Luke,” he let out shyly. Her lips curled upward as she jogged up the stairs faster.

“Usually when you give a guy your number, he texts first instead of calling,” she teased as she turned the corner to her room. She shut the door and walked towards her desk where there were only about fifteen papers left for her to get done. 

“I don’t like texting,” he said simply. She let out a soft chuckle as she sat at the desk. Y/N took a hold of her airpods and put them into her ear.

“What if we don’t have anything to talk about?” she questioned as she rested her phone down beside her as she stared towards the essay in front of her. There was a reference sheet beside her to assist in the grading process. 

“There’s always something to talk about with the right person,” he let out teasingly.

“And you’re the right person?” she offered as she tapped the back of her pen against the paper. 

“Oh definitely, I’ve been told I never shut up,” he shot back. She rolled her eyes playfully.

“Me too actually,” she muttered while glancing down towards her watch. He chuckled. “You know, I’m not supposed to talk to you,” she offered as she began to read the essay in front of her. 

“Ah right, the whole teammate thing?” he offered to her. 

She fixed one of the grammar mistakes before replying. “I can’t even ask about you or he gets mad,” she offered to him as she continued to read through the page. 

“You asked about me?” he asked softly.

“Maybe,” she let out fighting a grin on her lips.

“What did you ask?” he asked, an obvious smirk toying to his lips.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said through her own grin.

“Aw come on,” 

“Didn’t get an answer, doesn’t matter,”

“Maybe I can give you an answer,”

“Don’t think so,”

“No?”

“Nope,” she drew out the word as she felt her body cascade with heat.

“Ask me another question then,” he offered through a small chuckle.

“Like what?” she asked teasingly.

“Uhm–you could be like, ‘Luke, do you have any plans tomorrow night?’ and I’ll be like no I don’t, we should hang out or something,” he let out sarcastically. She rolled her eyes playfully.

“Did you forget the part where I am not supposed to talk to you,” she let out as she leaned back into the chair. He laughed so genuinely that she felt her heart literally skip a beat in the process. 

“You know, we could hang out as friends. There’s no rule against that,”

“Yeah, right–right,” she let out with a wide grin, “But–uh–let’s stick to the phone for now, okay?” she expressed with a nervous laugh falling from her lips. “That way we can at least nod along when my brother asks questions, okay?”

Luke barked out a laugh. “I’m good with that. Curtis is having another team hangout before the back to back this weekend. So I’ll see you then,” he let out, a tone in his voice she couldn’t quite detect. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked teasingly. 

She could hear him snicker on his end of the phone as she kept rereading the same sentence on the essay in front of her. Her heart was slamming against her chest, she was convinced that she would pass out from how busy her heart has been all day.

“You live there, so I’ll see you then,” he mumbled teasingly.

“Oh,” she mumbled as she tilted her head back, “What if I am shunned to my room again?” she asked teasingly.

“You’ll find a way to see me,” he let out while smirking.

Her mouth fell open as a soft gasp fell from her lips. Her cheeks instantly ran warm as she clamped her mouth shut. “I’m gonna hang up now,” 

“Why?” he asked softly.

“I have a lot of work to do and you are very distracting. I can’t focus with you–talking, so I’ll be hanging up now, goodbye Luke,” she offered. He let out another soft laugh.

“Goodbye Y/N, I’ll talk to you later,” he offered. She tapped the phone screen, hitting the red button. A huff of air left her lips, a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

Pressing her lips together, she stared straight ahead. Her mind picturing that beautiful smile on his lips. He had the most perfect smile, the most perfect lopsided smile. She pulled her phone back up to begin to play music in the background. Doing everything in her power to push him and his perfect face away from her mind.

She forced her gaze back to the essay her freshman student wrote. This time actually ready and comprehending what the student wrote. She kept breathing heavy trying to slow her heart down.

~~~

Something about today had her students off the walls bonkers. She was already exhausted from not being able to sleep last night. The entire night she tossed and turned while his voice replayed in her mind.

You’ll fine a way to see me.

What the hell did he mean by that? She couldn’t get his voice out of her mind. His voice was like silk against her skin, her body was overwhelmingly hot, thinking about it. 

She sat in the teacher’s lounge craving silence. Her head was pounding and the three Advils she took were not working. There was a slim second of sweet silence and it was instantly ruined by Jacob storming into the lounge.

“Best day ever! My students love me, Mrs. Bernard loves me and I love my job. Best day ever!” he expressed as he happily sat down beside her, slamming his lunch box onto the table. A huff of air left his lips as he shook his head slightly. “God, I love lunch!” he let out while he zipped his bag open.

“Why are you so loud?” she let out while shaking her head slowly.

“Are you hungover?” he asked in a hushed tone. 

“No, I am not. I am just tired,” 

“Is there a specific person–reason why you are tired?” he asked teasingly. Her mouth fell open while shaking her head slightly. 

“I am exhausted and all I have wanted all day was some quiet. You are not helping me,” she said with a soft dry laugh leaving her lips. Jacob  dramatically rolled his eyes before he took a bite of his sandwich.

“You didn’t deny that a person was keeping you up all night,” Jacob said with a mouth full. 

“If I tell you will you let me sit in silence for like ten minutes,” she offered. Jacob nodded encouragingly. 

She went in detail over the two minute long conversation she had with him. How he was stuck in her mind for the entire night. How intoxicating his gaze was and how his voice caused her heart to beat rapidly. How perfect his smile was and how it was impossible to push him from her mind. 

She talked about their texting they did all day yesterday. Y/N explained how Curtis was completely not on board with her even talking about him. She talked about how she gave Luke her number anyway. She explained how he was clearly flirting with her and Jacob was ecstatic hearing that. 

“Why not let him take you out!” Jacob asked while slamming his hands against the table. Her eyes widened while shaking her head slowly. “I mean he’s hot and he’s a professional athlete. He also seems charming and funny,” Jacob explained.

“There’s a bright red target on my forehead. There is no way I am getting involved with him,” she explained while glancing down towards her phone screen. A text from Luke waiting for her. 

“Oh but you want to, oh you want to so bad,” Jacob teased.

“Okay, I explained and now I deserve silence!” she offered before she took a hold of her phone to reply to Luke. Jacob’s mouth fell open before he began to fight off the grin. 

“You deserve silence, you’re right,” Jacob offered before he took a large bite of his food. “But you have to at least kiss him once–”

“Jacob, I swear to god stop!” she said while laughing. “We’re not going to be kissing, we’re not going to be doing anything other than texting.”

“Texting or–”

“If you finish that sentence, I will never talk to you again,” Y/N offered as she hit send on her message to him. She placed her phone face down onto the table before she met Jacob’s gaze. He chuckled as he pursed his lips forward while chuckling.

~~~

Over the last few days, she would spend at least an hour on the phone with Luke. Talking about anything and everything.  

He would talk about his life before he moved to New Jersey. How much he loved being at University of Michigan, his teammates. His life before the NHL, how sometimes he missed it. How he loved his new teammates and how welcoming they all have been. To her surprise, Curtis was one of the most welcoming. Despite being newer to the roster too.

She talked about her life at NYU. How she didn’t take a single semester off and focused solely on school. She’s graduating this fall since she took more credits than what was recommended for two years straight. She didn’t take a break. Student teaching was the closest thing to freedom to her. She was done spending every aspect of her life studying and attending classes. She was almost free and in her dream. 

Their conversations flowed so easily that it felt like they had been friends for years. There was a lot of flirting. A lot of flirting. It was easy. She’s craved something easy like that for years. 

She needed someone that was easy to get along with. Easy to think about, easy to want. Maybe even easy to need.

Yet he wasn’t supposed to be easy. Curtis made that perfectly clear. 

Except right now she was deciding what outfit to wear while the living room was getting crowded with more Devils players. She was staring between the two tops to go with the dark wash jeans. 

Tonight was yet another get together for the Devils roster and she was so nervous. Luke was right, she did find several reasons to see him. Meet his eye and occasionally talk to him. He loved teasing her about it over text, while he was still sitting in the living room. 

There was a loud knock on her door and she jumped back and instantly took a hold of the shirt on the left. Quickly, she pulled the shirt onto her body, adjusting it as she pulled the door open to see Reanne standing there. 

Reanne’s eyes widened as she scanned her sister-in-law’s frame. “You look hot,” she offered. Her mouth fell open as she pushed Y/N back into her bedroom. Reanne shut the door behind her. “Why do you look hot?” she let out quietly. 

“Oh my god, why do you look hot?” she said while bouncing slightly.

Y/N mouth fell open as she shook her head slightly, searching for words to explain. Feeling defensive out of nowhere. 

“I don’t look hot,” she offered. Reanne dramatically tossed her head back while rolling her eyes. “I look like I always do,” she defended.

“So this–” she pointed towards Y/N’s face covered in makeup, “And this–” as she waved her hand down her frame; over her outfit. “All of that has nothing to do with any of the boys down there,” she offered while pointing towards the carpet.

“Nope,” she replied while shaking her head side to side. She fought off a grin.

“Then why are you grinning?”

“I’m not grinning,”

“You so are!” 

“Okay fine! I’m trying not to grin because–you know what I’m not gonna tell you!” she expressed as she sat down onto the bed, crossing her legs. Reanne groaned as flopped down onto the bed beside her. 

“Why not?” she whined.

“Because you are going to make fun of me,” she offered as she squinted her eyes harshly. 

“Well obviously, but I’m your sister-in-law that’s what I do!” she teased as she happily smacked her hand against Y/N’s thigh. “You know I can figure it out right? I’ll start listing the roster and your face will just tell me!” she continued. 

Y/N rolled her eyes while shaking her head slightly.

“Nico Hischier? Dawson Mercer? John Marino? they’re older but I totally get it if–” Reanne teased.

“Will you stop! Oh my god!” Y/N let out awkwardly laughing.

“Jack Hughes?” she offered. Y/N’s eyes widened slightly as her smile widened. She shook her head slightly. “Oh my god it’s Luke isn’t it?!” Reanne teased as she happily smacked her hands against her leg.

“Shut up!” she said while laughing.

“Oh you so think he’s cute and you’re dressing all hot for him! You guys are gonna fall in love and it’s going to be so adorable!” Reanne spoke dreamlike. “I should’ve known, you love them a little–”

“Fine! Fine, fine, fine! I think he’s cute, okay?” Y/N let out while laughing.

“Curtis adores Luke, oh this amazing!” 

“I asked Curtis about Luke the other day and he shut me down instantly, are you sure?” Y/N asked while falling on her back. 

“You are his baby sister!” Reanne said while sitting up slightly. “And don’t you pull the whole I’m not a kid anymore blah blah blah. You will forever be his baby sister who he doesn’t want his slutty teammates around.” she explained while standing up from the bed. “But you know who’s not slutty? Who’s actually kind and sweet and cute and definitely so ready to fall in love with you!”

“We’re not going to fall in love!” she countered as she stood up from the bed, facing Reanne. 

“Oh you are so gonna fall in love with Luke Hughes,”

“I’ve known him for like a week!”

“That’s why I said gonna! You are so gonna fall in love with Luke Hughes!” Reanne teased while jumping up and down slightly. 

“I hate you,” Y/N let out as she took a hold of the door and pulled it open slightly. 

“Will you hate me less if I promise to keep this to myself,” Reanne whispered as she grinned widely. Y/N nodded before she began walking towards the stairs. Reanne giggled to herself as she walked towards her youngest son’s room. 

Y/N took a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her hair. It was loud in the living room as the entire roster was mingley in the living room. There was another hockey game on the screen but she couldn’t make out the teams since there were seven guys surrounding the TV.

Scanning the group, she was searching for him. Exactly like the last time the crowd was at the house. Her steps down the stairs turned a few heads. Notably, Luke was staring in her direction. As subtly as he could. His lips curled upward as she climbed down the steps. Meeting his eye, her smiled widened before she forced her gaze towards the ground.

“Y/N, food’s in the kitchen!” Curtis shouted towards her before he returned his gaze towards the screen in front of him. She nodded towards him before she manuvered through the crowd.

“I’ll be back,” Luke mumbled towards Jack and Dawson. Jack glanced towards the direction that Luke was staring towards. Noticing Curtis’s baby sister being Luke’s line of sight. 

“Careful Lukey,” Jack let out loudly. Luke waved his hand behind him towards Jack as he continued following after Y/N. 

Y/N stood near the table, staring towards the trays of food on the dining table. It was the same exact trays of food that Curtis always orders for every night he has the roster over. A sigh fell from her lips as she reluctantly took a hold of the paper plate. 

Instead of adding food to her plate, she put it back down onto the stack and spun around. Her eyes widened once she saw Luke standing on the other side of the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes. Her mouth fell open as she searched for something to say. 

A smirk formed to his lips as he glanced behind him. “Wanna get out of here?” he asked softly. Furrowing her eyebrows harshly, she shook her head slightly. “Do you want to go get out of here?” he asked again, taking a step towards her. He crossed his arms over his chest. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest. 

“What are you doing?” she asked softly. He took a deep breath as he pursed his lips foward.

“Curtis is busy watching my brother kick the Panther’s ass, do you want to go take a walk or go on a ride?” Luke offered as he took a few more steps towards her; closing the distance between them. 

A teasing smirk formed to her lips as she glanced towards the living room, “The Canucks are on? I’m sorta more interested in tha–” she offered as she slowly began to walk pass him. He chuckled as he took a delicate hold of her waist, pulling her towards him. Her eyes widened. “Bold move, do you know how many wandering eyes are here?” 

“Let them wander or let’s get out of here,” he whispered as he looked deeply into her eyes. 

“Bold move, we just met you know,” she whispered back. 

“We’ve talked on the phone for several hours every night this week, I feel like that excuse is out the window,” he expressed.

Her lips fell into a dramatic pout as she tilted her head to the side.

Looking behind him, he saw that everyone was preoccupied with themselves in the living room. He leaned down, “Let me get to know you then,” he whispered into her ear. Slowly, he pulled back; taking a few steps away. 

“What if they notice that you’re gone?” she teased as he walked towards the back door. She took a few steps after him. 

“Jack will cover for me,” he offered as he slowly pulled the glass door open. He stepped out of the door, maintaining eye contact. Taking in a deep breath, she followed after him. He stepped backwards, fighting a grin as she closed the glass door behind her. 

He pulled his keys from his pocket as he slowed his steps to walk beside her. “I was thinking we could go for a drive, grab some food or ice cream,” he offered as he looked down towards her. 

“Are you always this pushy and flirty with your teammates’ sisters?” she offered with a smirk toying to her lips. She crossed her arms over her chest as she met his gaze.

“Only the pretty ones,” he said while tilting his head to the side. She rolled her eyes playfully. “But I don’t usually go out of my way to talk to any girl, let alone a teammate’s sister,” he explained while he unlocked his car and pulled open the passenger door. 

She met his eye briefly before she climbed inside. She mumbled a thank you before she sat down. He smiled softly as he happily shut the door for her. He jogged around the front of the car and quickly climbed into the driver seat. He shifted his gaze towards her, smiling softy.

“You don’t go out of your way to talk to girls?” she questioned suspiciously. He nodded dramatically as he put his seatbelt on. “All you have to say is I’m Luke Hughes and I play for the Devils and girls will be all over you,” she offered while she put her own seatbelt on.

“Exactly,” he said as he began to click the dashboard, searching for a playlist to play. She chuckled awkwardly, “They see professional athletes and all the money that comes with it, The guys eat it up but I’d rather not,” he offered as he slowly began to pull away from the overwhelming amount of cars in front of the Lazar house. 

“Girls fawning all over you and you’d rather not?” she teased, a soft chuckle falling from her lips. 

“I would rather talk with you, are you fawning? I would rather you be fawning,” Luke teased as he kept his gaze straight ahead. 

“You are so ridiculous, you know that?” she teased while admiring the soft smile on his lips. He chuckled as he continued driving ahead. 

“You’re smiling,” he observed as he looked towards her. Their eyes met and she smirked.

“Just keep your eyes ahead,” she said while pointing her finger towards him. He pursed his lips forward as he stared in front of him.

“Ice cream or food?” he asked as he slowly turned the music up a few notches. 

“Isn’t ice cream a kind of fo–”

“Oh my god, will you just decide?” he asked while laughing. She tossed her head back while laughing.

“Ice cream, always ice cream,” she offered as he was already pulling into the local ice cream shop. He smirked as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the song.

“Noted,” he let out as he pulled up towards the long drive thru line. He shifted his gaze towards her. Their eyes remained connected as his lips parted slightly. She squinted her eyes slightly as she scanned his features. “What?” he asked softly as his gaze lowered towards her lips. She shook her head slightly as she dropped her gaze towards her lap. 

“You make me nervous,” she let out softly as she began to twist the bracelet on her wrist. He bit his bottom lip as he fought of a grin as he looked over her side profile. “I don’t get nervous, usually I make other people nervous. But you make me nervous,” 

“Why?” he asked barely above a whisper as he slowly pulled ahead in the drive thru lane. 

She took a long dramatic deep breath as she pursed her lips forward. “You are very flirty,” she let out teasingly. He chuckled softly. “Very flirty and very pretty,”

“I can’t tell if that’s a good thing,” he offered as he waited for her to look towards him. Instead she kept her gaze on her lap.

“It would be a good thing if you weren’t you,” she expressed as she lifted her gaze up to meet his eye. His beautiful blue eyes that were so bright even in the dimly lit car.

“Ouch,” he let out with a dry chuckle. 

“I meant–I mean if you weren’t my brother’s teammate,” she said while laughing. 

“Curtis loves me, you know,” he let out as he raised his eyebrows slightly. “I think he would be happy to hear that I think his sister is incredibly beautiful.”

Her smile softened as she continued to look into his eyes. “Maybe,” she let out barely above a whisper. He smirked as he pulled up towards the menu, right before the window to order. He looked over it, keeping his head against the headrest so that she has a view of the menu as well. 

~one month later~

Over the last month, if Luke had a free evening they would go for a drive and just talk. It was easy with him. Everything was easy with him. Conversations, flirting, eye contact that would lead to her heart slamming hard against her chest. 

They have been hanging out behind Curtis’s back and she was starting to feel guilty. In all honesty, she had nothing to be guilty about. They haven’t even attempted to kiss or even hug. He drives and she sits in the passenger seat. They sing along to the radio, they flirt, and she was happy with that. 

Until she had a dream. He was laying on her bed with only a pair of sweatpants covering his frame. She was sitting in his lap, with her hands trailing over his muscles. Her fingertips grazed over the curve of his biceps before she rested her hands on the base of neck. His hair was messily laid across his forehead as his hands were glided along her thighs. He was kneading the skin of the side of her thighs as she leaned towards him; kissing him urgently.

She hasn’t stopped thinking about it all day. Every time she shut her eyes, an image of his hands roaming her body flashed in her mind. She explained the dream to Jacob in grave detail and all he could tell her was that she should make her dream a reality.

She was sitting in her classroom, her mentor teacher sitting beside her. The students were gone for the day. Y/N’s gaze kept looking towards the clock, waiting until it was time to see Luke. Her mind was full of thought surrounding him. She couldn’t get him out of her head because of a stupid dream. A stupid subconscious thought that she couldn’t get out of her mind.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she quickly pulled it out to see a text from Luke. She grinned widely as she saw that he was asking if their plans were still set in stone. Her thumb hovered over the message as she tried to think of a clever way to reply.

“Y/N?” Mrs. Hansen said while keeping her gaze on her laptop. Y/N lifted her gaze, her eyes widened. “Who’s making you grin like that?” she asked teasingly. 

“It’s stupid,” she offered while shaking her head slightly.

“You are smiling so wide that your cheeks look like they’re about to pop,” she observed while chuckling softly. 

“Okay, so um–his name is Luke,” she began while finally meeting Mrs. Hansen. Her eyes widened as a smile formed to her lips. “And that’s all I will share,” she offered as she dropped her gaze back down towards her phone again. 

“No fun, come on,” she begged. “My life is so boring, you’re young, tell me something exciting!”  

Y/N tossed her head back and laughed, “Okay, okay. He’s my brother’s teammate,” she offered. Mrs. Hansen’s mouth fell open as a gasp fell from her lips. “I am not supposed to talk to him but I love talking with him,” she explained as a sigh fell from her lips.

“Of course you do because forbidden fruit is the best kind of fruit,” she expressed as she closed her laptop, shifting her attention fully towards Y/N. “Have you tasted this forbidden fruit?” 

“Oh my god! You cannot ask me a question like that,” she expressed through laughter. “And no I haven’t,” she let out quietly. 

“So when are you going to taste the fruit?” she asked while smirking slightly. She began to put her belongings into her bag. Y/N rolled her eyes as she took a deep breath. 

“I am not going to taste anything,” Y/N said while tilting her head back. “My brother said no teammates so all we’re going to do is hang out and talk,”

“Right because that grin means you just want to talk,” she teased, “You’re going to kiss him tonight and you will tell me the whole story tomorrow morning,” she explained while standing up. She tossed her bag onto her shoulder while smirking. 

“There will be no story,” 

“Oh there will be a story, I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she said while walking towards the exit, “Lock up when you leave,” her voice echoed from the hallway. Y/N leaned back in the chair as she shifted her gaze towards the ceiling. 

Her phone started vibrating and she looked down towards her phone screen to see Luke calling her. She chuckled dryly before pulling her phone towards her ear. 

“Instead of driving in a circle around Newark for hours, do you want to come over?” he questioned with an evident grin on his lips. Her heart started slamming hard against her chest. 

“Uh, sure? I can head over now if you want,”

“That would be absolutely perfect,”

“Okay, I need your address,” she let out while standing up and taking a hold of her laptop and placing it into her bag. A soft chuckle fell from her lips as he began to shuffle on his end of the phone. She could hear him shout on his end of the phone towards Jack.

“I’ll send it over in like three seconds, see you soon?”

She could hear the smile on his lips from his end of the phone. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there,” she offered before she hung up the phone with a grin on her lips.

The drive over to his apartment took only ten minutes from her job. Except it was the longest ten minutes of her life. Her mind was exhausted from all of the thoughts about him circling his mind. 

What was the apartment like? What was he like? What would he be like alone? Alone together in a room? In a room with a bed, of all places.

Her mind couldn’t stop thinking about what would Curtis think? He had to have an idea of what was happening. She was not exactly secretive. Y/N hasn’t deliberately stated who she was hanging out with but Curtis had to of had an idea. 

It was easier to just say, going out and not mentioning who she was going with. He wouldn’t ask questions, didn’t want to be called dad again. 

Here she was sitting in the guest parking spot, summoning all of the courage she had to go up to his apartment. She stared towards the text from her brother. Where are you? She pulled the phone towards her ear, listening to it ring slightly. She nodded as she waited for Curtis to answer.

“Did you crash or something?” he asked, instead of saying hello.

“I am going to Jacob’s, you don’t have to know my every movement,” she teased. He chuckled.

“Will you be back tonight?” he asked while laughing.

“Probably, I’ll be quiet to not wake the boys,” she offered. He let out a long dramatic sigh before ending the conversation briefly after that. She texted Luke that she was waiting in the parking garage, completely unsure of where she was supposed to go. 

Without any hesitation, Luke texted her that he was already waiting for her in the lobby. A wide grin formed to her lips as she stared towards the message. She took a deep breath while she collected her small purse and her keys from the ignition. 

There was a moment, she wanted to drive away. Right now she was playing a dangerous game. It was one thing when they were hanging out in his car. Limitations were there but now they were gone. She hated how much she liked him. It was something that she has been battling for the last few weeks but right now, she was excited. 

The walk towards the lobby was fast as she could see Luke pacing in the center of the large room. She chuckled to herself as she pulled open the glass doors. Lifting his head, he grinned widely once he saw her.

Nervously, he ran his hand across his jaw as he scanned her frame. “Hey!” he let out excitedly. She smiled as she took a deep breath.

“This place is nice,” she offered while meeting his eye. 

“Oh yeah, right?” he said while he pointed towards the elevator. She nodded while following after him. “How was work?” he asked softly while pushing the button several times. 

“My students were freaking out about this amazing goal this player had the other night,” she offered teasingly. His eyes widened as a soft smirk formed to his lips. The elevator doors swung open and he allowed her to step inside first. 

“What player?” he asked while pursing his lips forward. He side eyed her as he crossed his arms over his chest. She followed in pursuit as the doors shut and they began to climb to his floor.

“Oh this star rookie named Luke Hughes, have you ever heard of him?” she let out with a smirk. He dropped his head while laughing. 

“No I haven’t,” he mumbled as he tilted his head to the side to fully meet her gaze. “Star rookie, you say?” he offered. Y/N tossed her head back while laughing.

“That’s the word my students used,” she mumbled as the doors pulled up to the floor of his apartment.

“Right, right,” he teased while he began walking out of the elevator. Quickly, he spun around meeting her gaze with a smile on his lips. “C’mon,” he mumbled as he guided her towards his apartment which was several doors down. “Have you eaten?” he asked as he walked up towards the door and pushed it open. Luke leaned his body against the door allowing her to step inside.

Her eyes widened when she saw Jack sitting on the couch watching the TV screen. The small smile on her lips faltered slightly as she met Jack’s gaze.

“Oh my god, you were serious,” Jack let out while laughing. Y/N squinted her eyes slightly while meeting Luke’s gaze briefly. “You are so in trouble,” Jack muttered as he took a hold of the TV remote and shut it off. “Hi Y/N…Lazar,” he teased as he walked down towards his bedroom.

Y/N dropped her head while laughing. “Hey Jack,” she muttered.

“I’m sorry about him,” Luke said as he leaned against the countertop of the kitchen. She shook her head slightly, a teasing grin on her lips. “I can order food or I can make us some dinner,” he questioned as he met her gaze.

She took a cautious step towards him, “You can cook?” she asked suspiciously. He nodded while scanning her frame.

“I am a great cook,” he offered as he pulled open the fridge door and began searching for something to make for them.

She smirked as she shifted awkwardly as she watched him pull out a thawed out pair of steaks. She squinted her gaze. “Was this your plan all along?”

His eyes widened as he slowly placed the package onto the counter. He shook his head slowly as he walked up towards her; smirking. He carefully took a hold of the small bag she was carrying. Her eyes smirked as she watched him slowly walk towards the small bit of counter space next to the fridge.

“Maybe,” he let out teasingly before he returned to the fridge. He continued to rummage through it. “Sit down, gorgeous,” he said nonchalantly as he pointed towards the island with a handful of chairs.

“You can’t call me that,” she said while laughing. Slowly, she sat down in one of the barstool chairs. 

“Nope, you see I can actually,” he offered as he began to lay out everything he needed for his meal he was preparing. “Because I decided that I’m gonna stop pretending that we aren’t attracted to one another,” he offered, spinning away from her pulling out a comically large pan.

“You decided?” she said while crossing her arms over her chest. He hummed dramatically, “Oh so is this a date, then?” she offered.

He smirked as he leaned forward on the counter, he looked deeply into her eyes while he scanned her features. “Do you want it to be a date?” he asked as he tilted his head to the side. She shrugged as she fought off a grin. “What does that mean?” he asked as he took a handful steps around the countertop. He walked up towards her, maintaining eye contact. 

“Do you want this to be a date or not?” he asked again quietly, slowly. He rested his hand onto the counter, directly beside her. Tilting her head to the side, she met his gaze. Her lips curled upward as she fought off another grin. 

“Luke,” she mumbled. He hummed as he raised his eyebrows, his gaze lowering towards her lips. She shook her head slightly as she scanned his features. His cheeks were flushed red slightly as he continued to admire her lips. “Luke,” she muttered. He hummed again while leaning towards her. Her breathing caught in her throat as she tilted her head back. 

Her lips curled upward slightly as she lifted her gaze and met his eye. Delicately, he raised his hand up and brushed a few pieces of hair away from her face. Their eyes remained connected as breathing felt impossible. This was the first time they’ve been this close to one another. 

Her entire body erupted into tingles as she watched him pull back slightly. He pursed his lips forward while taking a deep breath. He began walking around the counter towards the food he had laid out on the counter. He began to take the steaks out of the packaging.

She took a shaky breath as her posture straightened. “You’re annoying, you know that?” she let out breathily. 

“How do you like your steak cooked?” he asked, meeting her eye. He had a wide teasing grin on his lips. 

“So you’re gonna pretend like you didn’t just–” she trailed off as his cheeks flushed red. He simply shrugged as he began to apply seasoning to the steaks. “Medium rare,” she muttered.

“Amazing,” he let out as he continued to season the steaks. “What made you want to become a teacher?”

For the next two hours, they would talk about anything and everything. The dinner that Luke made was exceptional. It was definitely surprising with how good everything tasted. He was proud of himself, especially since she thought it was amazing. Jack was jealous that Luke didn’t make enough for him and left the apartment to get his own meal.

“I’ve never had a guy cook for me before,” she let out as she stood up and took a hold of her plate. He smirked as he stood up with her, taking a hold of his own plate. He pointed towards the sink and she followed him towards that direction.

“And how was it?” he asked as he placed his plate into the sink, she followed in pursuit. He began to rinse the plates as he met her gaze. 

“Really good, I’m expecting it every time I come over now,” she teased as she rested her hand onto the counter as she looked over his side profile. A small smile formed to his lips as he turned the sink off as he shifted his gaze towards her.

“Oh, so you’ll be coming over more often?” he asked teasingly. 

“Only if you cook for me,” she shot back.

“Absolutely,” he mumbled as he scanned her features. He took a deep breath as he bit his bottom lip as he stepped back. “What time do you need to be home?” he asked softly. She shrugged.

“Whenever you get tired of me,” she offered. He rolled his eyes dramatically as he began walking backwards. He waved his hand for her to follow him. She chuckled softly as she allowed him to guide her towards his bedroom. Her entire body erupted into goosebumps as she took a deep breath.

“I could never get tired of you,” he muttered as he pushed the door open, pressing his back against it. She met his gaze as she slowly walked past him into his bedroom. He followed after her, shutting the door; twisting the lock in the process. “We could watch a movie or a show or not watch anything,” 

She stared towards him suspiciously. His mouth fell open as he barked out a laugh.

“I meant–I didn’t mean–um–” he stuttered as he crossed his arms over his chest. His cheeks were bright red as he fought off a grin. She took a small step towards him, tilting her head to the side.

“What are you thinking?” she asked softly as she continued to look into his eyes. He shyly dropped his gaze towards the floor for only a few seconds. He bit his bottom lip as he shrugged his shoulders. “Do you want to know what I’m thinking?” she asked softly, taking another step towards him. 

He nodded as he slowly let his arms hang at his side. His hands hovered around her frame for only a second before they hung beside him. “I’m thinking that you should kiss me,” she offered as she took another small step towards him. Their faces only a few inches apart.

“I should?” he asked softly. A wide smile formed to her lips as she stepped back away from him, towards his bed. Quickly, he followed after.

She chuckled as she rolled her eyes playfully. “Are you all talk, Lukey Boy?” she teased as the backs of her legs hit the mattress. He squinted his eyes as he took a hold of her waist. His hands slowly glided along her hips towards the small of her back. Her eyes widened while her hands rested on his chest as she glided her hands along his chest.

He scanned her features as his cold fingertips dipped beneath her shirt, feeling her skin. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes dipped towards his lips. “All talk, huh?” he shot back as he tightened his grip along the small of her back. She hummed as her hands ran up his chest onto his neck. 

“I think so,” she said as she fought off a smirk. He nodded slowly as he slipped his hands away from her frame as he stepped back. His heart was slamming against his chest. He looked her body up and down as he took a deep breath. 

“Lay down,” he said simply as he pointed towards his bed. Squinted her eyes harshly, her mouth fell open. 

“What?” she let out softly, her cheeks ran hot as she stayed still.

“Lay down,” he said again as he stepped towards her. She fought off a grin as she slowly sat down onto the bed. She looked up towards him, her heart was beating urgently. She swallowed harshly as she kept looking up towards him. 

He smirked as he watched her slowly slide back on the bed. He ran his hands through his hair as he slowly walked towards the bed. Y/N leaned back on her elbows as she waited for him. 

“You think I am all talk, huh?” he muttered as he slowly climbed on top of her, resting both of his hands on either side of her head. She nodded teasingly as she smirked. He nodded as he stared towards her lips. 

“You’ve been so afraid of Curtis finding out that we even speak to one another. Let alone like this. I’ve been waiting for you to let this happen. But I’m all talk, huh?” he let out teasingly as he leaned towards her.

A soft smile on her lips formed as he delicately leaned closer and closer to her. Her eyes fluttered shut as he brushed his lips against her ear. “Let me show you,” he whispered. 

Delicately, he pressed his lips against her jawline, her cheek, teasingly pressing wet kisses along her skin. Slowly and purposely avoiding her lips; watching her squirm beneath him. His nose bumped against hers as he hovered his lips over hers. 

“Are you going to show me or not?” she forced out as her breathing was starting to get uneven. He chuckled as he pulled back slightly. Her hands took a hold of his neck, practically begging for him to kiss her. 

“Not very patient are you?” he teased with a smirk. She rolled her eyes playfully as her hands glided through his hair. 

Leaning towards her, he smirked as his lips brushed against hers. Her lips twitched upward into a soft smile. He pulled back, a smirk toying to his lips. “What are you doing?” she asked softly. He shook his head slowly as he pursed his lips forward slightly. “Are you trying to make me kiss you?” she asked softly as her hands continued running through his hair. 

“Trying to see if you really want it,” he whispered, fighting a smirk. 

She chuckled softly as she pulled him towards her, kissing him urgently. He smiled into the kiss as he giggled against her lips. Her hands tugged at his curls as she parted her lips. He deepened the kiss as he took a hold of her cheek as he ran his thumb along her cheek. 

“Does that work?” she mumbled against his lips, he chuckled as he pulled back away from her lips. Her eyes slowly opened as she ran her thumbs along his jawline. He smirked as he scanned her features. He hummed as he pressed his lips together. 

Slowly, he leaned down pressing his lips against hers softly as he continued to take a hold of her cheek. She’s dreamed about what it would be like to kiss him but nothing matches the actual feeling and desperation of his lips against hers. 

After a few seconds, he pulled his lips away from hers as he leaned back to take a hold of his shirt. He tossed it to the floor as he met her gaze again. He smiled before he climbed back on top of her, kissing her desperately. Arching her back into him, he took a loose hold of her t-shirt hiking it up her body. His hand took a hold of her waist, pinning her against the bed. 

Her hands glided along his chest and across his shoulders. Slowly, he pulled his lips away from hers, he watched her eyes slowly flicker open. Her hand glanded along his neck and into her hair. 

“What?” she asked softly. He pursed his lips forward as he scanned her features.

“You’re just–” he trailed off before he leaned closer to her, delicately pressing his lips against hers. A hum fell from her lips as her hands ran through his hair, tugging the curls every few seconds. 

~two weeks later~

She sat in the living room, a book for her class in her hand. She was reading it and highlighting important things to talk about with the students. Reanne and Y/N were watching the game against the Canucks. 

All day Luke was talking about how nervous he was about playing against Quinn. It was halfway through the second period and the goals had slowed down. The Devils were up by two goals and all of the boys were flying on the ice.

Reanne has noticed a change with Y/N over the last few weeks. Y/N hasn’t given Reanne any details but everything about her has changed. Curtis was not as observant as Reanne and had no clue.

“Suprised you’re not going to Jacob’s tonight,” Reanne said as she watched Luke on the screen. The broadcast was talking about his impact on the game, despite not being on the scoresheet. Y/N lifted her head from the book, meeting Reanne’s gaze. Y/N mouth fell open as she took a deep breath.

“He’s got a date tonight,” she let out. It wasn’t a lie, Jacob was out on a date with a guy he met the other night. Her time over the last few weeks was split between Jacob and Luke. When she didn’t have to babysit for the games she would be out in a bar with Jacob. But if it was a regular night, she would be at Luke’s. 

“Right,” she mumbled as she turned her gaze towards the TV, watching the camera follow after the puck. “Or is it because Luke is in Vancouver tonight,” she offered teasingly. Y/N’s eyes widened as her mouth fell open. 

“I’m not lying, Jacob really does have a date,” Y/N let out as she closed the book and placed it beside her on the couch. “But–uh–yeah maybe,” she whispered. Reanne shot up from the couch and immediately took fast steps towards Y/N. She took a deep breath as she tilted her head back against the couch.

“Details, now,” Reanne begged.

Y/N let out a long dramatic sigh as she looked into Reanne’s eyes. “What kind of details?” she asked softly. Reanne excitedly tapped her hands against Y/N”s thigh. “Okay, okay, okay!” she expressed while laughing.

“I went over to his place a couple weeks back and he cooked me dinner and then we–”

“He cooked for you!?” she asked with a wide smile. 

“He’s done it every time I’ve been over there since,” she offered as she twisted the silver charm bracelet. 

“That’s so sweet, Curtis still doesn’t know how to cook,” Reanne said while laughing. 

“He’s so sweet,” Y/N expressed while meeting Reanne’s gaze. 

“Are you guys together?” Reanne asked hopefully. 

Y/N took a deep breath while shaking her head slightly, “We’re just enjoying each other’s company,” she explained as a smirk began to form to her lips. Reanne’s eyes widened as she scooted closer to her. 

“We haven’t yet–if that’s what you’re thinking,” she trailed off as her gaze looked back towards the screen to see one of the Canucks players heading to the box with less than a minute left in the second period. “We’ve just been–”

“If you say enjoying each other’s company one more time,” Reanne teased, “Details! What’s the story?”

Y/N kept her gaze on the screen to see Luke wrist the puck towards the net and score. Her hands shot up in the air as a giggle fell from her lips. “This game is so awesome,” she mumbled quietly. Y/N watched the screen, her eyes widened as a soft smile formed to her lips as the camera followed after him.

Reanne watched her youngest sister-in-law stare so fondly towards the screen. The grin was soft yet wide. Her posture straightened as she tilted her head to the side. Reanne has seen Y/N fall in love at a young age but never like this. Never so soft and simple. Y/N’s eyes looked bright and soft at the same time. Luke disappeared from the screen and Y/N shifted her gaze towards Reanne. 

“What?” Y/N asked softly.

Reanne shook her head as she took a deep breath. “Just put your nose back into that book,” Reanne teased as she shifted her gaze back towards the TV screen watching the game head into the second intermission. Y/N chuckled softly as she took a hold of the small book and dropped the yellow highlighter into her lap.

The game ended in a beautiful win for the Devils and it was well past midnight as she was waiting for his call. Luke promised that he would call after the game ended; kept saying that he needed to hear her voice. 

Reanne was sitting on the other couch on the phone with Curtis, he was on speaker as he was trying to talk to Y/N too. But her mind was busy as she was trying to figure out why Luke hadn't called yet. She had finished the book she was supposed to read ahead of time since tomorrow they were starting it in the class she was student teaching in. 

She was waiting to tell Curtis and Reanne that they offered a full time position after her student teaching was done. Her mentor teacher had requested a second teacher and they found that Y/N would be perfect for the part.

“Y/N?” she heard Curtis say through the phone.

“Yeah?” she shouted towards it. 

“You’re normally out when we have away games, what are you doing at home?” he asked with a soft chuckle leaving his lips. Reanne’s eyes widened as she glanced down towards the phone in her hand; almost as if sending Curtis a warning. 

“Jacob has a date,” she let out simply, again since it was not a lie. Almost on cue, Luke started calling her. A wide grin formed to her lips as she shot up from the couch and jogged towards the stairs. “Hey,” she let out into the phone.

“Who’s she talking to?” he asked Reanne. 

“Not sure,” Reanne mumbled. She hated lying to Curtis but it wasn’t lying if she was pretending she didn’t know either. It was definitely lying but if he ever found out, he’ll get over it eventually. 

“Did you see my goal?” he asked shyly. She chuckled as she continued up the steps, slightly out of breath.

“It was amazing,” she let out as she shut the door and twisted the lock. 

“Yeah?” he asked. His voice was slightly muffled, like Curtis’s. She assumed they were all out at dinner. 

“It just so happened to be the only goal I actually saw without needing a replay,” she offered while laughing.

“That’s right, you had that book to read. Was it good?” he asked, quickly mumbling a thank you towards the restaurant staff; she assumed. 

“It wasn’t bad, what are you all up to?”

“Currently at dinner, just got our food,” he explained. 

Her eyes widened, suddenly aware of the fact that Curtis was definitely also there. “Oh wow, enjoy your night. I’ll call you tomorrow?” she offered.

“Can I call you when I get back to the hotel?” he questioned, his heart slamming against his chest. She took a deep breath, it was already late but she agreed. “Okay, perfect,” he mumbled before he hung up the phone; his cheeks were bright red. 

“Who was that, Rusty?” John asked teasingly as he nudged Luke’s shoulder. Luke’s eyes landed on Curtis who was only a few seats away from him. Curtis was looking towards him expectantly.

“Just–uhm–this girl I’ve been seeing,” he expressed before he quickly shoved a bite of food into his mouth. 

“Rusty’s got a girlfriend!” Curtis teased, causing the table to cheer along. They wanted to watch Luke’s cheeks go red and grin like an idiot. Which he was for more reasons than one. 

“Not my girlfriend,” he mumbled before he shoved more food into his mouth as he avoided Curtis’s gaze. 

“She’s been over at our place every night we didn’t have a game,” Jack offered before he shoved a bite of food into his mouth. Luke shifted his gaze towards Jack, his eyes widening as if it was a warning. Jack simply smirked as he met Curtis’s gaze.

“What’s her name then, Rusty?” John teased as he teasingly punched Luke’s arm. Luke raised his hand up and pretended to zip his lips shut as he smirked towards John. “Oh come on,” he teased. 

“A man doesn’t kiss and tell,” he let out with a teasing grin on his lips. The few teammates that heard him tossed their heads back and laughed. 

“You can say her name at least,” Jack teasaed as he met Luke’s gaze. Luke shook his head slightly before he shoved another bite of food into his mouth. “Her name is–”

“Jack, I swear to god,” Luke let out, causing the guys that were listening to laugh. 

“What’s so secretive, Rusty?” Curtis offered before he took a deep breath. Luke pursed his lips forward as he shook his head slowly. “Then what’s the name of the girl that’s got you all giddy,” he questioned again. 

Luke took a deep breath as he pressed his lips together, he kept his gaze on his food as he contemplated on lying. The longer he avoided the answer, the longer his teammates would question him about it. 

“It’s–uhm–Y/N, are you guys happy? Can we drop it?” he let out as confidently and as nonchalant as he could. 

Curtis froze as he lifted his gaze and looked towards Luke. Luke took another bite of food as he glanced towards Curtis; practically trying to pretend it wasn’t his sister. Jack looked towards Curtis expectantly, trying to see if he caught on. Jack had promised Luke to keep his mouth shut, but he didn’t promise to not tease Luke about it.

“My baby sister’s name is Y/N,” Curtis let out as he brought his water towards his lips, baiting Luke slightly.

“Yeah?” he let out, pretending not to know.

“Bit of a coincidence, huh?” Curtis offered as he kept the glass near his mouth. 

“Yeah definitely,” Luke countered as John sparked up a different conversation.

For the rest of the dinner, Luke kept to himself. His mind was circling on the best way to explain to Y/N that he may have let it slip that they were together but not fully together. He had a feeling she would be upset or scared. 

Luke knew that Curtis was all talk about his restrictions on the whole teammate thing. Curtis wanted Y/N to be happy and if Luke made her happy; he would get over it. Eventually.

Luke laid down onto the hotel bed with his phone in his hand. He took a deep breath as he began to FaceTime her. It took several rings before she answered. It was practically pitch black when she answered the call. He smiled once her saw the screen. He stood up from the bed and dramatically leaned against the light switch and turned off the light.

“Do you realize what time it is on the east coast?” she muttered out, her voice rasped slightly. He chuckled as he climbed under the covers, keeping his gaze on his phone despite the fact that he couldn’t even see her.

“You still answered,” he mumbled teasingly as he rolled onto his side. For a few seconds she didn’t say anything, Luke could still hear her steady breathing on her end of the phone. Almost as if she was asleep. He didn’t mind if she was, at least he got to hear her voice before he went to sleep.

“I’ve missed you,” she mumbled, her voice rasping slightly. His lips curled upward slightly as his eyelids started to get heavy. 

“Really?” he asked softly. She hummed. “I’ve missed you too,” he let out as he took a deep breath. “Do you have a busy day tomorrow?” he asked while pulling the blanket up to his chin as he stared towards the still blackout screen. She hummed. “I’ll let you go to sleep, I’ll call you tomorrow?” he let out.

“No, tell me about the game,” She mumbled, “I wanna hear your voice. Don’t be mad if I fall asleep, I’m really tired,” she said with a soft chuckle.

“Are you sure?” he asked quietly, she hummed as a reply. “Okay, so I was super nervous–”

~February~

She graduated college in December and started a full-time job at her school as a co-teacher with her mentor teacher. Mrs. Hansen had requested that Y/N be her co-teacher until the year finished out. Since it was her last year before retirement, Y/N would be taking Mrs. Hansen’s job. 

Luke and Y/N never put a label onto what they were doing yet it was mutually agreed upon that they were together. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Only four people knew about it. Jack, Jacob, Mrs. Hansen, and Reanne. 

Although Luke had a feeling that Curtis knew. Ever since that dinner where he told his teammates the name of the girl he was seeing; Curtis had to have known. But there is nothing different between them. 

This weekend was the All-Star game which meant that Curtis, Reanne, and their sons were on vacation in Flordia. They offered for Y/N to come with them but she wanted to stay back. More specifically, she wanted to stay back and be with Luke. 

She stood in the kitchen as she was preparing food for Luke. She was blasting music all throughout the house as she was stirring the sauce. She hummed along to the song as she waited for Luke to show up. 

This was the first time he was spending the night at her house. Usually, she would go over to his place to avoid Curtis finding out. But since he was out of town, it was time to finally let Luke stay the night. There was a loud knock against the door. A grin formed to her lips as she placed the spatula beside the pan. 

She took fast steps out of the kitchen towards the living room and the front door. After a few seconds she reached towards the front door and pulled it open to see Luke standing at the door waiting for her. He grinned as he tilted his head to the side. He awkwardly kept a hold of his bag with his clothes. 

“Hey beautiful,” he expressed softly. Y/N chuckled as she practically leaped into his arms. He wrapped his free hand around her, lifting her up from the ground. Slowly, he guided her into the house, letting the door shut behind them.

“Hey pretty boy,” she whispered as she pressed her lips against his jawline. Delicately, he placed her back down onto the ground. She pulled back, meeting his gaze as he tossed his bag onto the bottom step.

He smirked as he scanned her features, “Are you cooking for me?” he asked teasingly. She nodded slowly as she slowly walked backwards. “You didn’t have to do that,” he mumbled as he followed after her. Spinning around, she walked quickly back towards the kitchen. Singing along to the country song playing in the background. 

A soft chuckle fell from his lips as he followed after her. She swayed back and forth to the beat of the song and continued to sing. Luke leaned against the countertop as he watched her with so much admiration. 

She was the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. It seemed like every moment, every passing second she was getting more and more beautiful. He never liked the idea of falling for someone, especially someone who was off limits. He never wanted to keep someone a secret. Luke was the type of guy that wanted to shout it from the rooftops that he was in love. Especially with a person who was as extraordinary as her.

“Dinner should be done in twenty minutes but–” she explained as she spun around to meet Luke’s gaze. Her eyes widened with the way his eyes were looking over her frame. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked teasingly as she stepped towards him. He shook his head slowly while he held his hands out towards her. 

Y/N stepped towards him, allowing him to loop his hands around her waist. She rested her hands onto his chest as he pulled her closer to him. “Jacob wants to know if you want to go on a double date with him and Ryan to this trivia night thing,”

He squinted his eyes slightly while fighting a laugh climbing in his throat. “Trivia night? Really?” he asked barely above a whisper. 

She chuckled as she wrapped her arms around the center of his back. Her head was pressed against his chest as he tightened his grip around her waist. “I know but Jacob wants to meet you and he wants me to meet Ryan–so Jacob’s wonderful idea was trivia night,” she explained as he glided his hand through her hair for a moment. Slowly, she lifted her head to meet his gaze.

He raised one of his hands up and took a hold of her cheek. He leaned towards her, kissing her delicately. She hummed against his lips as she glided her hands along his frame towards his neck. Her hands rested on the base of his neck as he continued to pull her towards him.

“I’m fantastic at trivia,” he mumbled against her lips. She pulled back, her eyes flickering open slightly. Her lips curled up into a smirk.

“Really?” she asked teasingly.

“Definitely,” he nodded encouragingly, “Are we teaming up with Jacob and Ryan or are we going to be on our own?”

She chuckled, “I don’t know,”

“Jacob and Ryan better hope we’re in one big group because we will destroy,” he quickly spun her around by her waist, forcing her to lean against the countertop. Her eyes widened as her body was pressed against the countertop. 

“I forgot how much of a nerd you are,” she teased. He rolled his eyes playfully as he leaned towards her, kissing her desperately. His hands glided down her frame, taking a hold of her thighs. She jumped slightly, allowing him to take a hold of her legs and delicately placed her down onto the countertop behind them. He pushed her legs apart as he stepped between her legs. 

“My dinner,” she mumbled against his lips. He smirked as he stepped back, walking directly towards the stove. Instantly, he turned it off.

“We’ll worry about that later, come here,” he mumbled as he walked directly towards her again, devouring her lips in the process. A soft giggle fell from her lips as she ran her fingers through his hair. 

His hands loosely wrapped around her waist as he tugged at the shirt covering her frame. Tilting her head back, slowly he began to trail his lips down her neck. He began to suck against the skin of her neck. “Luke,” she let out barely above a whisper. He hummed against her skin as he began to ride the shirt up her frame.

She wrapped her legs around his frame as he took a hold of her thighs. He lifted her up from the counter and began carrying her towards the living room as their lips connected again. He carried her towards the living room. Delicately, he placed her down onto the couch. 

He glanced toward the window to see headlights driving up the driveway. “Is that Curtis?” he asked as he rested his hands onto his hips. She shot up, twisting her body slightly to see the car driving up the driveway. Her eyes widened as her heart began to slam hard against her chest.

“No, no, no, no, you have to go!” she let out as she stood up from the couch, pushing him delicately. “Not like this, no! He cannot find out like this,” she mumbled as she panickedly ran her fingers through her hair. “He wasn’t supposed to be home until Saturday, oh my god! You need to sneak out the back–”

“Y/N,” Luke took a hold of her waist, spinning her around to face him. 

“He cannot find out like this!” she mumbled. 

“I’m pretty sure he already knows,” he spoke softly as he rested his hands onto her hips.

“Curtis–”

“He knows what my car looks like, Y/N, he knows,” he explained while looking deeply into her eyes, trying to make her understand. Her eyes widened as she took a shaky breath.

“He’s gonna kill me,” she mumbled.

“He’ll kill me, not you,” he mumbled before he stepped back, awkwardly shoving his hands into his pocket.

It seemed like almost instantaneously the door was pushed open and Curtis stormed inside. Y/N spun around to see Curtis walking towards them. Luke pressed his lips together as he took a deep breath. 

“You have got to be kidding me!” Curtis shouted as he stormed towards the pair. Y/N stood in between them.

“Curtis, wait!” Y/N mumbled as she held her hand out towards him.

“No! No! I told you–both of you–my baby sister, Luke seriously?!” Curtis shouted again as he looked between them. 

“I–I know,” Luke muttered out as he looked between Y/N and Curtis. 

“You know?! You know?! Seriously?! So you still decided to fuck my sister behind my back!” he shouted as he waved his hands dramatically.

“Curtis! Stop!” she let out as she pushed him back slightly. “It’s not like that–”

“What so that’s not what’s happening here?” he shouted while crossing his arms over his chest. “You have a hickey on your neck, for fuck sake!” he pointed towards the mark forming on the side of her neck. “Oh my god, my baby sister has a hickey on her neck–oh my god!” He walked around and began to pace.

“Curtis, will you shut up and listen!” Y/N shouted towards him.

“No, no because I told you that this is off limits! How long have you been fucking my sister?” He pointed his question directly towards Luke. Luke’s mouth fell open as he took a deep breath. He glanced towards Y/N for assistance. “How long have you been fucking my sister!”

“It’s not just sex, Curtis!” she let out while crossing her arms over her chest. She glanced behind Curtis to see Reanne walking inside with their youngest son in her arms. Their older son was climbing up the stairs towards his bedroom. 

“Then what is it?” Curtis asked, throwing his arms to the side.

“She’s my girlfriend,” Luke let out cautiously. Y/N whipped her head around, meeting Luke’s gaze. A soft smile on her lips for only a brief moment.

“Oh please,” Curtis let out dramatically as he tossed his head back.

“I’m falling in love with her, okay? I have been since the first time I saw her coming down those stairs! We didn’t tell you because you told her that I was not good for her because I am a Hughes or whatever! But I am good for her and I am falling in love with your sister so please be happy!” Luke expressed while taking a deep shaky breath.

Curtis shifted his gaze between Y/N and Luke for several seconds. Leaving Luke’s words up in the air. Luke looked towards Y/N and saw the smile on her lips.

“How long has this been going on?” Curtis asked as he pointed a finger between Luke and Y/N. Luke and Y/N awkwardly shifted closer to one another. They didn’t say anything at first while trying to decide the timeline.

“Since October!” Reanne shouted as she climbed down the steps, her youngest son still in her arms. Curtis spun around, looking towards his wife.

“You knew? You knew and didn’t tell me?” Curtis let out dramatically. 

“If you didn’t know you chose not to see this happening,” Reanne teased as she walked up towards Curtis. “I mean how often did he disappear when he was over for team bonding? How often did Luke drive Jack to our house and then suddenly needed a ride home? You chose not to see it,” She explained while handing her son towards Curtis. 

“I mean I practically told you but you didn’t listen,” Luke offered as he took a deep breath while he took a loose hold of her waist. Y/N grinned as she leaned her back against Luke’s chest. Reanne grinned as she rested her hands onto her hips. 

Curtis bounced his son on his side as he looked towards Luke holding his sister close to his body. “When?” Curtis questioned while letting out a long sigh.

“When Johnny teased me about talking to her on the phone in Vancouver,” he began. Curtis’s mouth fell open while his cheeks pinked up. “I literally told you,” Luke teased as he dramatically pressed his lips to the top of her head.

“Yeah, I guess you did,” Curtis mumbled as he looked towards Y/N. She was running her hand across the top of Luke’s hand that was looped around her waist. “Does this mean you’ll be here all the time?” Curtis asked, scrunching his features up in disgust.

“Probably,” Luke let out with a wide grin. 

“Wonderful,” Curtis let out teasingly.

“I’m going to go finish making what you were making,” Reanne offered as she began walking towards the kitchen. 

Curtis looked towards his sister while taking a deep breath, “Can you at least not leave those in my line of sight,” he muttered as he pointed towards the hickey on her neck. Y/N tilted her head back as she let out a chuckle.

“No promises,” Luke teased as he pressed his lips against Y/N’s cheek.

[thejujvtsupost]

It’s Always Been You

🍎F!reader, pet names: (pip/squeak, my girl, sweetheart,) suggestive but not smut, fluff, hurt/comfort, brief miscommunication and lots of groveling but it works out.🍎

Notes: I struggle with editing. This is totally separate from canon bc I’m heartbroken. It’s also my first lads fic, I’ll ALWAYS be a Sylus girlie but Caleb broke my brain for a minute 😭

Caleb joining the DAA wasn’t the problem at hand…No, it was the fact that you were going to be separated. Spending his last night before he leaves wrapped around each other like you always did when things were tough was the best comfort you could get.

“I’m gonna miss you so much, do you really have to go?” This was going to be the longest you’ve ever been apart since you were kids, and even worse, he wasn’t allowed to have his phone.

This wasn’t any easier on him but he couldn’t just back out. “I’ll be home before you know it, don’t worry too much.” Caleb brushed the hair from your eyes and held you closer, “plus, you get to have six months free of my constant nagging.”

That was absolutely the wrong thing to say, the tears you were holding back finally fell. Your hands that were originally wrapped around his waist were now at his chest, between your bodies and fisted tightly in his shirt. “But I love you and your nagging!” You inhaled like you were suffocating. Perhaps you were, under the weight of his impending absence.

“Shh I know, I love you and being a pain in your ass.” That earned him a wet chuckle. “I swear, as soon as I’m home I’ll fulfill my promise and I won’t leave your side. You’ll never have to worry again, about anything.” A soft kiss to your temple solidified his vow.

It took you a few long moments before you were able to get in a proper breath and process what he said. “You made a promise?”

“Don’t remember? Hm that won’t do. Think back to when you were 18, and that boy you had a crush on rejected you and broke your heart.”

“I’d prefer not to remember that, actually.”

“But remember after? When you still hadn’t come home by dinner and I found you alone at the park?” Large hands ran down the length of your back to help soothe you while he spoke.

You’re still lost but it’s coming back to you. Confessing to your crush in the park was supposed to be perfect— except he not only rejected you, but he made fun of you. You could respect rejection, but the way he humiliated you and made a scene wasn’t something you wanted to think about. “That day was awful.”

“You were so upset. I wanted to beat him to a pulp but you didn’t want to be alone. Remember what I told you? The pinky promise we made? It’s only been four years you know, I’d hope your memory isn’t that bad yet.”

The moment flooded you then with a gasp, ‘You’ll never be alone as long as I live sweetheart, and when it’s time, when I finally graduate and become a pilot, I swear I’ll marry you myself to prove it.’ And at the time it made you giggle, because surely he was just joking to cheer you up, right? “You meant it?”

Caleb chuckled and lifted your chin to look at you directly, “of course I did, it’s always been you and me. Don’t you know that?”

A fresh wave of tears formed as you surged forward to meet his lips with yours- and stopped out of embarrassment before you could make contact. “Sorry, I didn’t- I think I’m just being emotional—”

But the space between you closed once again and before you could overthink it, Caleb was kissing you the way he’s wanted to for years. His lips were all consuming and tender. His palm cupped your face like it was glass and you couldn’t resist running your fingers through his hair. Kissing Caleb felt like home, like everything was right.

He tried to break away to bring you both air but you refused to let him, instead pulling him closer and closer until he was on top of you, spreading your legs to accommodate his size. “Slow- slow down, you still need oxygen.” You shook when he started dragging his kisses down your throat, letting out soft moans when gentle sucks were left behind.

“C-Caleb…”

He pulled back and grew tense as if he was afraid he scared you away, “what’s wrong, you tired?” He was trying to give you an out if you wanted it.

You were certain your cheeks were flushed, you shook your head. “I want… more…”

Caleb groaned and buried his face in your neck “you’re killing me, Pip.”

Had you said something wrong? “Sorry- I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable… I’ll just-” you loosened your arms from around him, thinking you somehow embarrassed yourself yet again.

He stopped you. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart. You’re killing me because you have no idea how badly I want you; how long I’ve wanted you.”

“Really?” Having someone like Caleb love you was the best feeling, but him being attracted to you left you wanting him even more.

Deciding to just show you, he ground his hips into yours. And god, it felt good against you. Just that little bit of contact felt better than anything you ever achieved on your own. “You’re-” hard went unsaid. He grunted when you spread your legs wider for him. “Yeah, I am. And if you want me, then you have me. But you can’t take it back, so if you’re not ready for that commitment…”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“This really isn’t the time for that—”

“Shut up, it’s important.” He sighed and let you continue. Your arms dropped from his neck to hold his face in your hands, brushing the stray hairs from his face. “That guy I had a crush on? I only liked him so much because he reminded me of you. So I’m yours, too. If you want me, then you can take me.”

Words were lost on him so actions took hold, “are you sure?” His kisses resumed their path after meeting your lips, the room grew hotter with each new brush against your skin.

“I trust you, Caleb,” you had no idea your neck was so sensitive, your gasps talking for you. “but I should let you know I’ve never done this before.”

“I’d kill anyone who ever touched you if you had”

“Isn’t that hypocritical? Should I hunt down your past lovers?” You worked his shirt over his head, the dog tag necklace you gave him mere hours ago dangled in front of your face.

He chuckled and discarded your top, your sleep shorts were next. “It’s funny how you think I’d ever want someone that isn’t you.” His revelation hit you full force: he loves you so deeply, there’s truly no doubt to have. “I’d never do this with anyone else.”

Two things happened that night: your bond was solidified, and unbeknownst to you, a life was created

The goodbye was brutal the next day, already missing him terribly before night fell again.

You managed to fall into a routine, though. You would go to work, occasionally spend time with friends— Tara spent the night with you at least once a week to keep your mind off of things; and the days she didn’t you laid in bed desperately wishing he would be by your side.

Your routine was solid, until a month into your separation when you were sick almost every single day. You were fed up by the time a week passed and the day after that you made your way to visit Zayne- who congratulated you because in his words, ‘he and his wife were expecting as well, perhaps they’ll be friends, too.’ Finding out you were pregnant without Caleb with you was difficult, there wasn’t a way to reach him and share the news.

But you weren’t alone anymore. You spent the time you felt lonely talking to your baby now, who definitely couldn’t hear you yet but that didn’t matter. You were kept company with a perfect blend of you and your Caleb.

According to the official statement released last week Caleb would be home any time today, any minute, any second.

The anticipation left butterflies in your tummy, your baby moving with your nerves. It didn’t occur to you that he might not be happy to be a father, that you might’ve been presumptuous that he’d be ready to care for another life so soon.

And when the door flew open, as much as you wanted to jump into his arms (carefully, of course,) you held your breath and waited for him to notice. And of course, because he was your Caleb, it was right away. His happiness and relief fell away to shock and— was that anger? You didn’t expect anger…

“Welcome home, I—”

“Who else has been here?”

“What? I mean Tara has been keeping me company a few times a week but that’s it.”

“What man has been in our home, pipsqueak.” He didn’t phrase it as a question, just a demand. He’s never been so terse with you…

His tone made you anxious, “No one, other than Zayne and his wife for dinner occasionally— Caleb what are you talking about?”

Caleb dropped his bag on the floor with a thud, still not moving from his spot. “I’m talking about the fact that I came home after six months and you didn’t seem to miss me at all, nothing like the way I missed you. How else would you be pregnant? So who is he? Someone from the Hunters Association?”

Oh… he thought… “Oh my god how could you think- I’d never cheat on you Caleb— EVER how could you even think—”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t have knocked you up in the time I’ve been away.”

A knife cut through you at his words, the accusation, the betrayal of thinking you’d ever be with anyone else. And how vulgar it was… Did your first time mean so little? Was it something he just wanted to get out of the way before he left? A sob escaped you, tears spilled over. “You’re an asshole, Caleb.”

His eyes went wide, “I’m the asshole here?”

“Yes! You’re a fucking asshole! I expected you to be shocked but accusing me of cheating on you? Thinking that night was nothing? That’s low. I can’t believe you!”

“That night means everything to me!”

“Ask me how far along I am! Go on, fucking ask!”

That stopped him short, “you mean?”

“SIX MONTHS!” Standing there while he dropped to his knees was barely satisfying. “God I can’t stand you right now! You must’ve lost your damn mind and all your common sense!”

His silence was angering you further, stomping off to the kitchen for a drink of water and trying to calm down was a better use of your time; crying from this much stress wasn’t good for you.

Once he gathered himself he followed you, “Sweetheart�� you’re telling me that night…”

“Finally used your brain, did you?”

“I’m so, god I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” His hand reached out to bring you in for a hug but you denied him.

“Do. Not. Touch me.” His audacity made you seethe. No way were you going to give in so easily no matter how much you desired to be in his embrace and reassured.

“Sweetheart—”

“You’re sleeping on the couch. We can decide what to do later.”

His emotions began to overflow, the guilt crushing him; the ring in his pocket practically burning into his flesh. “Decide what?”

“Decide if I should even let you stay.” Your throat felt tight but you continued to hold your sobs back. “Your dinner is in the oven by the way, it’s your favorite so I suggest you don’t let it burn.”

A few hours rolled around before he couldn’t hold himself back anymore hearing your sniffles. You hadn’t eaten dinner, who knows if you had any water, and no matter how (rightfully) mad you were, you still needed to eat.

Grabbing a few of your favorite snacks with a glass of juice instead of the untouched dinner he put in the fridge was his safest option, unsure if seeing the meal would upset you further.

“Pip squeak? I know you’re awake.” Crouching by your side of the bed and setting the snacks on the nightstand, “please talk to me?”

“Go away.”

“You know I can’t do that, you have to eat something.”

You poked your head from the blanket, “oh so you care now that you know it’s yours?”

The jab was deserved but it still earned a wince. “I’d still care even if they weren’t.”

“How noble of you. Sticking around to raise a kid that’s not yours before I even have a ring.”

“Who said I didn’t have a ring?” This time you accepted the comfort of his hand brushing your hair behind your ear and gently cupping your cheek.

Curiosity was a bitch, but you weren’t ready to forgive him yet. “You were really mean.”

“I know, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. So sorry. I can’t imagine you being with anyone else but I didn’t expect to come home to a family either— and I’m beyond happy to be a dad. It’s not an excuse though, never okay to talk to you like that.”

A few leftover sniffles came before he pulled a tissue from the box on your nightstand, opting to dry your tears himself. “Blow,” He said, holding the tissue to help you blow your nose; then offering you the straw of the juice so you could hydrate.

“I missed you so much, I thought you’d still be happy to see me.”

“I’m over the moon, actually. But I hurt my girl, gotta make things right. Think you can forgive me? I’ll earn it forever.”

“Caleb if you ever, I mean ever, speak to me like that again I won’t hesitate to let you talk to the front door. You’ll be out.”

“I’ll cut my tongue out myself.”

“So dramatic as always.” You rolled your eyes, “you mentioned a ring?”

A smile lifted the corner of his mouth, “there’s my girl. You sure you still want it? Or should I earn it first?” He dug into his pants pocket to show you anyway.

“It wouldn’t hurt your efforts.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle fully before presenting the velvet box to you, “I’m pretty close to the ground but if you sit up for me I’ll get on one knee.”

Sitting up to stretch was good for your back anyway, “I think I’ve waited long enough.”

The velvet box opened and your jaw dropped, “picked it out in Skyhaven. Gideon and I helped the elderly owner of a small shop with some boxes he was struggling with in front of his door. Knew it was perfect right away, gorgeous and one of a kind like you.”

“You’re ridiculous, but I love it.” He slid it on your finger and sealed it with a kiss, and you fell into his arms like you’ve wanted to for the last six months.

Pulling away after many minutes of hugs, ‘I love you’s’ and kisses wasn’t welcomed by you. “Now, how ‘bout some dinner? I don’t think snacks are enough, they were backup. Gotta keep you healthy.”

“Did you like it?”

You were pulled to your feet and carried out of the room. “Didn’t eat without you, sweetheart. Having dinner without you and the baby felt empty.”

“Good. You can reheat it then.” You waited for the perfect moment to drop your bombshell, which happened to be when he was carrying a full glass pitcher of water for the table. “We’re having a daughter, by the way.”

The pitcher fell so fast his evol barely managed to catch it before glass hit the ground. It left you feeling smug.

You couldn’t help but cackle at his shocked spluttering, “A WHAT?”

I’m so flattered, I’ve never had so many people interested or had a taglist this long: @pixelcafe-network @kentochronicles @sashisuslover @lunia-likes-pomegranet @elli4ever @mysssticc @kaemaybae @kamisatoaiko @midiplier @jamseashell @llamabois @boba14 @crimsonspring @angrychinchillanoises @ali-shiii @kazbae95 @ifistoptherain @c-I-stinnett @nephelesthoughts @etherealzi @jjoppees @keithkoganeirl

All divider credits to me @thecutestgrotto

[moonstruckme]

hai lovie!!! im not sure of youve written something like this for emt!marauders yet but could you write something where they come home from work to reader lying on the floor on the hallway due to having low blood pressure and shed tried to go get something to eat or something but had started feeling faint and had to lie down? and then when they come up to reader she starts to cry because being unwell makes her anxious (im not fussed if you dont add that last part up to you <3). i had really low blood pressure the other day and bad to lie on the floor for a good two hours and it really stressed me out :< anyway thanks lovie i hope youre doing well !!!!

Thanks for requesting <3

cw: mention of dizziness, nausea, worries about being alone when unwell and also being unwell in general

emt!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 1k words

You’re half propped up with your elbow on a step when you hear the front door open. 

“Hello?” 

“Hello!” comes James’ chipper reply, followed by Sirius’ groan and the clunking of shoes as he no doubt kicks them off, beelining for the couch. After a moment of you not appearing to greet them, James asks, “Where are you?” 

“I’m—here.” You soften your voice when Sirius walks by the stairs, his step faltering as he locks eyes with you. 

His eyebrows bunch, concerned before he really knows why. “What’re you doing?” 

“I’m…” You shrug limply, trying on a helpless smile. Tears threaten to spill over from the way your eyes squish up. “I don’t feel right.” 

Sirius has only taken his first, slow step toward you, bemusement written across his features, before James and Remus are behind him at the base of the stairs. 

“Oh. Hi, angel.” James’ voice matches his expression, all gentleness, and worry hidden beneath counterfeit cheer. “Having a little lie down?” 

“Yeah,” you say. Sirius’ touch is a relief as he reaches you. He cups your face and feels your forehead, brows stitched together. You’re happy to be in capable hands. “I started to fall, so I just laid down here. I’m a bit dizzy.” 

There’s only so many of you that can fit on the stairs. James makes it to you next, crouching beside Sirius to take your hand in his and press his fingers to your pulse, so Remus is left peering over them both. He frowns, looking conflicted about his inability to help and worried in general. You try another smile for his sake; unfortunately, this time, the tears do spill. 

“Hey, don’t do that,” Sirius says, no real chiding in his tone as he knuckles them from your cheeks. 

“Sorry.” You force yourself to breathe, but new ones come anyway. It’s a slow sort of cry, the result of a good long while feeling sorry for yourself. “I just, I felt sick, so I tried to go upstairs to the toilet, but then I started to faint and I didn’t think I could make it back down to my phone, and I didn’t know when you would be home, or if anyone would find me…” 

“We’re here now, though, sweetheart,” Remus stops you gently. “It all worked out alright. You’re okay.” 

“Yeah.” You wipe underneath your eyes. “I think my blood pressure just dropped all of a sudden or something, but I still feel weird. It was scary.” 

“I think you’re right,” James says. He runs his thumb over your wrist. “I mean, I’d like to think it’s just because we’re home and you’re pleased to see us, but your heart’s going pretty fast, m’love. How long ago did you lie down here?” 

“I don’t know,” you reply, sniffling, feeling silly. “I don’t have my phone. Less than an hour, I think.” 

Remus hums. “That’s still a long while.” 

Honestly, you feel better just having your boyfriends here with you. Partly because of the security, of course, that you know you won’t faint and hit your head with no one to help you, but also, perhaps, there’s a small part of you that enjoys their fussing. The concerned set of Sirius’ brow, the way Remus’ mouth puckers thoughtfully, how James keeps rubbing his thumb over your wrist like he can soothe your heart back into its regular rhythm. 

“Well, then.” Sirius pats your hip, rising from his crouch. “Not much point in figuring it all out here, is there? C’mon, pretty girl, that step has to be killing your side.” 

It’s true; you think the edge of the step probably leaves an indent in your waist after you let Sirius haul you up, supporting you down the stairs and over to the couch. 

“I don’t feel as dizzy as I was expecting,” you admit. “Maybe I was overreacting.” 

“You?” Sirius exclaims, feigning astoundment. 

“Better to be safe,” says Remus. He claims a spot next to you quickly, as though seizing his opportunity. It makes your lips tug. “I’m glad you were careful, love.” 

You lean your head on his shoulder in a silent plea for coddling; he appeases you, pressing his lips to your hair while Sirius pinches the skin of your forearm gently. You watch him with mild interest. 

“When was the last time you drank water?” he asks. 

“Um…” You think back. 

Sirius lets go of your skin and tuts. “Yeah, seems like it’s been long enough for you not to remember.” 

“On it,” James announces, coming back from the kitchen with a large glass of water. He passes it to you over the back of the couch, and it’s so full a tiny bit spills over the rim onto your wrist, making you shiver. “It’s more common than you’d think for dehydration to do that to you. Gotta be careful.” 

“Yes,” says Remus drily, though his arm comes around your shoulders. “Rather easily avoidable.” 

You shrink, mumbling, “Sorry,” into your glass. 

James awws and bends over the back of the couch to plant a kiss on your head, his good cheer restored, genuinely now. “We all forget sometimes, lovie.” 

“Don’t enable her,” Sirius tells him. He cradles your arm in his hand, stroking the skin he’d pinched as though in apology for his treatment of it. “Don’t listen to him. It’s a grave oversight and you must repent forever.” 

“Forever?” Your smile still feels weak, but you’re coming back to yourself some. “How will I do that?” 

“Mm,” Sirius takes to kissing your arm instead, mumbling with a sternness that borders upon silly, “start with filling your water bottle every day before leaving the house, and at least three times after that.” 

You go quiet, gaze sliding to Remus skeptically. 

He raises an eyebrow. “What?” 

“Is that…really how much I’m supposed to have?”

His other eyebrow lifts, too. “Yes.” 

“Every day?” 

“Yes.” Remus laughs, exasperated. “Yes, that’s the water intake your body needs.” 

“There’s no way everyone’s doing that.” 

“They’re not,” James agrees. “Instead, everyone is getting dizzy and calling us so we can go pick them up from halfway up the stairs.” 

You bring the glass back to your lips, muttering, “I didn’t call, you just found me.” 

James kisses your head again, fiercely. “And we always will, lucky girl.”

[webbluvrsugar]

earlyseasons!spencer making you squirt.

cw: doesn’t mean sub!spencer, it’s more like eager Spencer experimenting on reader, written mostly for funsies.

Every since you and Spencer have been messing — fucking — around, you’ve noticed that he’s been a little shy, at least at first, his touch has been gentle but also… experimental, the way he looks at you when you’re under him and pushes you just a little harder almost makes you feel like like he’s studying you, testing something on you. But he’s a profiler, he’s learned that you don’t mind, so when he comes with the proposition of trying to make you squirt, you’re doubtful, specially as he pushes you down on your bed — already naked.

“Spencer, you don’t really need to do this, I —“ you try to speak but he’s quick to interrupt you, his hands running down your thighs.

“I know, I just.. I just want to try something new, just for a bit,” he hushes, eyes looking up to you for approval as he puts away his glasses and when Spencer says ‘just for a bit’ he is indeed just… lying, lying to your face.

His tongue licks a fat strip up your folds, it’s bold, something that he’d at first would hesitate to do, gently circling your clit before he attaches his lips onto it, gently sucks and his fingers go up to spread you further.

Spencer’s tongue feels good, but by now, you know that he would’ve already tried to stick a finger or two in you, but he doesn’t, it almost seems like he’s trying to reach this personal goal of his all with his mouth, and he’s doing a good job at it, because his tongue prods at your entrance and you arch your back, softly moaning, head throwing back and meeting your pillow.

“How does that feel?” He questions as if you need to answer for him to know it.

But still, you nod again, “Good,” you whisper, hand going down to grab at the sheets.

“Yeah, I can tell.” He grins, cocky, before his mouth latches onto your cunt again.

He devours you, nose bumping into your clit as his tongue precisely chooses where to run through, your breath being taken from your lungs when it caresses your insides one more time, the warm tip of the muscle moving within you.

“Spence,” you whimper, your knees struggling to keep themselves in place as he pulls back and pays attention to your swollen pearl one more time.

“Close?” He asks, tongue licking up a few more times through your folds, trying to get all up in there.

“Mh — Mhm,” you moan, a pleased sigh following suit.

“Did you know that —“ he pauses, “statistically, only thirty-five to fifty percent of women have experienced squirting mid sex—“ he presses an open mouthed kiss to your cunt. “But it depends on the method, I’ve read about it, we can try and see if this will be the one for you.”

And for someone who’s so used to talking, Spencer finally goes to quiet after a while and focus on your pussy, paying extra attention to what you like, guiding himself with your moans and gentle curses.

“Spence—“ with that, he thinks this really might be his chance of getting you to do it the first try, so his lips wrap around your clit one last time, only letting go when he hears a hushed cry of his name escape your lips— “Spencer!” A stream of fluid expels from you, and he watches in awe, slightly tilting his head as your body shivers and writhes right before him.

His hands gently caress your thighs, fingers letting go of your folds, his eyes finally meeting yours when you take a breath and before you can speak, he notes;

“Let’s do it again, maybe you’ll do it quicker if I actually use my fingers…”

[anarchistabsol]

This is pretty good advice, but it seems you didn't read your own source. The doctor being used as a source for information says multiple times that there is no true, perfectly safe way to bind. He also says that there are not any medically created nor regulated binders. So commercial binders like these are often all people have.

Towards the bottom:

With that in mind, and so little other research available, Dr. Ng says there’s no data that says conclusively whether it’s better to use commercial binders over other methods.

“We should look at commercial binders as a potential tool but approach them like other health and wellness products that aren’t fully tested — like, for example, vitamins and supplements, which aren’t regulated,” he says. “Binders might do the job and provide a desirable outcome, but they’re currently not regulated, so we just don’t know yet whether they cause long-term problems.”

I think that's a much more nuanced and better way of saying things in general. During the "how to safely bind" segment, Dr. Ng says a myriad of things to address safety issues. The most important (imo) are the ones along the lines of "get breathable binders, because the alternative traps moisture, which can lead to bacterial infections," and "dont get binders which are too tight, as they can worsen breathing conditions, and cause rib/shoulder pain or injuries."

The moral of the story isn't "dont buy binders from Amazon, they're guaranteed to not be safe." It's "research the company and options available before purchasing your binder."

In my experience (buying for my boyfriend), Tomboyx was high quality, but very loose. Alternatively, gc2b was a very average experience, not completely flattening his chest, but at the same time, saving his ribs from damage. We have yet to try other larger brands like WIVOV or something, but making blanket statements like "Amazon binders are unsafe" is really not helpful. Binding can be so important and helpful for trans men, although I'll let someone more qualified say their piece on that. I feel as though I'm unqualified.

Hey, PSA for younger/newer transmascs:

Tumblr has been showing targeted ads for "FTM binders" off Amazon. They look like this:

Do not buy these.

A binder is a piece of medical equipment. If you use one incorrectly, or use a poorly made one, you can really fuck up your ribs. This article from the Cleveland Clinic talks about how to bind safely.

A $14 binder is guaranteed not to be safe. There's a reason reputable companies charge more- sometimes a lot more. They have to carefully design binders so they don't crush your ribs or make you sick.

You know how everyone says Don't Bind With Duct Tape? Don't bind with Amazon binders.

[voxslays]

NSFW ALPHABET — THE SALESMAN

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

✧ Very doting. Is calm, but not in the psychotic way he usually is when recruiting. Will go run a bath while you lay on your shared bed trying to catch your breath. After that, he will just hold you in his arms as you fall asleep.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

✧ For Gong Yoo, it’s his hands. He loves the way they wrap around your neck during steamy time. On you, Gong Yoo can’t choose. He just loves all of you too much to pick. However—although he will never admit it—it’s probably your eyes.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

✧ Pretty average amount wise…and he prefers to not pull out. He just likes seeing his seed spill inside you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

✧ He so desperately wants to see you pregnant and carrying his legacy (possibly the next salesman). He’s been hinting at it for months, but you just haven’t gotten it yet.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

✧ This man is VERY experienced. I just get that vibe from him. He’s attractive and he knows it, and he knows how to make his partner feel good.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

✧ Doggy or any other position that lets him bend you over a surface that isn’t a bed. When he’s feeling Vannilla though, probably the breeding press or missionary.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

✧ Like in his every day life, the recruiter is pretty calm and focused, although every once in a while he will make a corny dad joke—which he will straight up deny once the morning comes.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

✧ Perfectly groomed. What more must I say?

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

✧ I don’t think he’d put your needs before his, per se, but he will definitely make you feel good. Will kiss you and hold your hands above your head as he pounds his length into you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

✧ This man doesn’t jerk off. He has you, so why bother? Even before he met you—he is attractive enough to basically have anyone he wants.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

✧ Breeding and bondage kink. He really wants to have a child (which he will train to be the next recruiter from a very young age) and he just loves seeing you all overstimulated and tied to the bed posts.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

✧ The bed or over his desk.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

✧ I don’t think he minds either way, but he is pretty skilled with his tongue (and long fingers).

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

✧ 99% of the time, Gong Yoo is fast and rough, mercilessly pounding into you, but the other 1% (usually during weekend mornings) he isn’t opposed to going slow to wake you up.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

✧ Absolutely not.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

✧ Oh boy…he can go for literal hours. Maybe 6-7 rounds if he’s extra energized.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

✧ The salesman is such a damn tease, it’s quite unfair. He will edge you for hours, not letting you come—before he finally does anything.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

✧ Not loud, but not quiet either. He will make little grunts as he plows into you.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

✧ Bro could go every night if he wanted to, but usually once or twice a week.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

✧ He does not sleep. This man is a light sleeper and you cannot convince me otherwise.

[prettyboyeddiemunson]

guilty as sin?

summary: eddie and y/n watch a special movie and get up to things.

word count: 3.9k

warnings/notes: smut, watching p*rn, masturbation (m & f), fingering, oral sex (f receiving), unprotected sex, squirting

a/n: this is a blurb that ties in with my gods & monsters series on ao3! as usual, reader is 18+! also this was supposed to include her touching herself a little longer than i originally planned, but this thing took on a life of its own as soon as i started writing it. i hope you enjoy!

————————————-

“are you excited for this, baby?”

y/n was sitting on her parents’ bed, waiting for eddie to get the movie ready. she had never seen it before—something called “porn.” she knew what that was, of course, but she had never seen it. she and eddie had been having sex for a month, and he had suggested it to her one night as they lay together. she was open to it, even if she was a little bit nervous about it. she watched as eddie tinkered with the vcr, her legs dangling off the edge of the bed as she swung them. 

“a little,” she answered, sitting back on her elbows. “is it going to work?”

“yeah, it should,” he said. “this tape sometimes likes to be eaten, which I find ironic, considering..”

she giggled, couldn't help it. “oh yeah? is there a lot of that in it?”

“a fair amount,” he said. “it has your favorite.”

“which one?” she asked. “I have a lot of favorites.”

“eating out after being creampied,” eddie said, hitting play. “i think it’s going to work, baby. let’s lie back and watch it.”

she lay back with him, falling into his arms. she snuggled against him, watching as the movie began with a disclaimer. she looked up at eddie, who was looking down at her with a grin. she leaned up and kissed him, and he returned the kiss feverishly. she whimpered against his lips, biting at his lower lip as he growled into the kiss. she chuckled and kissed him harder, her fingers tangling in the ends of his hair. he drew back after a moment, his grin widening as he stroked her cheek.

“save it,” he said. “i want to see how you act when we start the movie.”

“is it gonna start yet?” she asked. “I didn’t think these kinds of movies had this many credits.”

“yeah, it’s about to start now,” eddie said. “see?”

she started watching the movie, snuggled up against eddie. the movie started off like any normal movie would. a woman answered the door in lingerie, greeting the repairman as he ogled her. y/n rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it, but kept watching. the woman led the man in to where the hot water tank was, showing him the problem and leaving him to fix it. as he was doing so, the woman went into her bedroom, laid back on the bed, and started touching herself as she moaned loudly and in exaggeration. y/n wasn’t fazed yet, but kept watching. eddie was looking at her for a reaction, and she smiled at him as she kissed him again.

“what do you think so far?” he asked.

“i think this is really weird so far,” she said. “people enjoy this?”

he chuckled. “yeah, but it gets better. you should keep watching.”

she did, watching as the man came to find the woman. the woman was still touching herself and moaning, and the man found her and dropped his toolbox. y/n giggled and kept watching, the man walking into the room and watching the woman on the bed. the woman opened her legs wider for invitation and the camera did a close up of her pussy. y/n looked away then, blushing and shy. eddie chuckled, kissing her hair and drawing her tighter against him. she kept watching; it was like a trainwreck she couldn’t look away from. 

“it’s about to get good, baby,” eddie said, squeezing her tighter. “just watch.”

“I hope so,” she said. “i'm bored so far.”

he laughed, shaking his head. “you really don’t have much patience, do you?”

“hmm, no,” she said. “is the good stuff about to happen?”

“yep,” he said. “watch.”

she kept watching, and eddie had been right. soon the man was eating her out, messily and noisily over the music. y/n watched, fascinated, as he worked, her eyes big and her mouth hanging open. eddie saw her awestruck expression and laughed, kissing her deeply as she pressed her body against his. she tangled her fingers in his hair, lifting one of her legs over his hip and grinding against him slightly. eddie moaned low in his throat, his hand coming down to squeeze her ass. she whined, pushing herself against him more urgently before he drew back to look down at her. 

“fuck,” he said. “already getting desperate, huh?”

“just because it’s you,” she said. “i’m always desperate for you.”

“so i see,” he teased, poking her nose. “i think it’s adorable.”

“let’s keep watching,” she said. “i wanna see what happens next.”

the man kept eating the woman out, y/n watching as eddie kissed her neck. she giggled, still watching the movie as eddie’s hand came up her shirt. she swatted it at away and he did it again, squeezing her breast and playfully biting at her neck. she let him that time, knowing that it was a losing battle, anyway. she turned to kiss him as the woman’s moans grew louder, and he tugged at her lower lip with his teeth. she gasped, pulling at his hair before she allowed him to take her shirt off. he kissed her breasts over her bra, exploring with his mouth and hands. she mewled, pressing her body against his and tugging at his hair as he, too, moaned. 

“you’re the eager one now,” she said, giggling. “you’re all eager for me.”

“I always am,” he said, smirking. “just like you are for me.”

“I can’t help it with you,” she said. “you’re just so hot.”

“you’re the hottest woman in the world, baby,” he said, tracing her nipple through the fabric of her bra. “can i take your clothes off? i have an idea.”

“what’s your idea?” she asked.

“i want you to touch yourself for me,” he said. “while you watch the movie.”

she blushed. “oh…”

“do you want to?” he asked.

“mmm hmm,” she said. “even though i’m a little nervous.”

“it’s okay,” he said. “i can talk you through it, if you want me to.”

“okay,” she said, standing up to take her clothes off. she laid next to him fully naked, her cheeks hot. “i’m here now.” 

“good girl,” eddie said, smirking as he studied her nude body. “you’re so beautiful.”

her cheeks heated more, and a giggle passed her lips. “you think so?”

“I know so,” he said, taking her hand and guiding it between her legs. “be a good girl for me now.”

she started slowly running her fingers through her folds, a whine passing her lips. she watched the movie for a moment, but it wasn’t doing much for her anymore. the man went from eating her out to fucking her, but it seemed so fake that it was almost laughable. she turned her attention from the movie back to eddie, who was watching her with hungry eyes. she giggled and kept going, her fingers massaging as eddie licked his lips. 

“I wish you would touch me, too,” she said.

“I will later,” he said. “for now, I just wanna watch you do it. rub your clit for me.”

she kept going, swirling her fingers through her folds as she felt herself getting more wet. she moaned as she rubbed her clit, looking over at eddie to see what he was doing. he had pulled his cock out and was jerking himself off, his mouth slack as his fist moved slowly over his erection. she looked back at the movie and saw the man still fucking the woman, absolutely drilling her as she moaned exaggeratedly. y/n had to suppress an eye roll; it was so over the top that it was almost laughable. she didn’t want to hurt eddie’s feelings, though, so she kept herself under control. 

“just like that,” he said, groaning as he kept going. “that’s my good fucking girl.”

“it feels so good,” she gasped. “but I want you to touch me now.”

“not yet,” he said. “soon, though, I promise. finger yourself for me.”

she did so, inserting two fingers inside of herself as she moaned. her back arched and she pushed them deeper, down to the last knuckle. eddie watched her, the movie forgotten by both of them as they watched each other work. she moaned as she fucked herself, her fingers working quickly as her thumb swiped at her clit. eddie kept watching her, his gaze never wavering as he stroked his cock. he didn’t speed up, but instead kept a steady pace that was more in tune with her own movements. 

“please,” she begged. “I want you to touch me.”

“oh yeah?” he asked, smirking. “you can’t stand it any longer, can you?”

“no,” she said. “please..”

he took her hand and guided it, pushing her fingers in and out of her pussy as he rubbed her clit. she whined, allowing him to do it as he leaned down to suck on one of her nipples. she moaned, fingering herself deeper as her stomach began to tighten. she grabbed his hair and pulled, arching her back as he moaned against her skin. his free hand kept stroking his cock, his movements getting faster as her orgasm approached. 

“i’m getting so close,” she warned, bucking her hips to meet her own touch. “i want to cum on your tongue.”

“oh?” he asked, smirking. “that’s what you want, huh?”

“yes it is,” she said. “please.”

“well…since you asked so nicely…” he said, withdrawing his hand from her and from himself and kneeling in front of her. “i guess we’ll have to do it then, won’t we?”

“please yes,” she begged. “please, i don’t like begging so much.”

“poor thing,” eddie said, kissing her inner thighs. “you poor thing.”

“don’t tease me,” she said. “you’ve done enough of that already.”

“why not?” he asked, smirking at her. “i think it’s fun to watch you squirm.”

“because i just want you to do it already!” she said with a roll of her eyes. “it’s been too long!”

“okay, okay,” he said, licking a stripe up her pussy and moaning. “fuck, you taste so good. so sweet.”

she mewled, and eddie dove in. he ate her out feverishly, as if he were a man starving. she grabbed hold of his hair, her thighs already quivering as he worked on her. he looked up at her over her mound, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he pushed his tongue inside of her. she moaned, bucking her hips slightly as he smirked against her. she wanted to slap his head for that, but she was too engrossed in what he was doing to give it much more thought. he gripped her thighs tightly, as if he were a man drowning and was clinging to his only salvation, and she welcomed the thought of the bruises it might leave behind. she did love being marked up by him, after all, and he was doing a good job of that tonight.

“your parents would be so pissed if they could see us right now,” eddie said. “especially your dad.”

“fuck him,” she said. “i don’t care what he thinks about us.”

“neither do i,” he said, sucking on her clit for a moment as she gasped. “was that good?”

“mmm hmm,” she hummed, tugging at his hair as he pushed two fingers inside of her. “please keep going.”

“i really need to fuck you soon,” he said, chuckling against her as he sucked on her clit again. “i’m about to burst.”

“come here, then,” she said. “fuck me.”

“yeah?” he asked, smiling at her. his face glistened with her juices, and he didn’t make any effort to wipe it away. “you don’t wanna cum on my tongue first?”

“hmm, okay,” she said. “i am pretty close.”

“okay, baby,” he said, diving back in. “i’ll give you what you want.”

it didn’t take much longer. a few more sucks of her clit and fucking her on his fingers and she was letting go, crying out his name and cumming all over his face. he smiled, sitting back and watching as she experienced her high. when she came down from it, he kissed his way up her body and sucked on each breast before smashing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. she whined, kissing him back and tasting herself on his lips & tongue. he kissed her deeply, lining himself up with her pussy and slapping his dick against it. she giggled, pushing her hips forward in invitation. he sought her consent with a look and she nodded, giving him permission. he slid inside of her with ease and she moaned, clinging to his back as he moaned low in her ear.

“christ, you feel so fucking good,” he breathed. “you’re so goddamn wet.”

“all for you,” she said. “just for you.”

“yeah?” he asked. “just for me, huh? no one else?”

“nope, no one else,” she said. “please fuck me now.”

“how do you want it?” he asked, giving one shallow, slow thrust as he looked down at her. “fast and hard or slow and soft?”

“fast and hard, please,” she said, clinging to his back and looking into his eyes. “i want you to be rough like they’re being in the movie.”

indeed they were. in the movie, the man had taken to fucking the woman from behind as hard and as fast as was humanly possible. y/n didn’t think it WAS possible; he was going almost like a jackhammer. she wondered if they used special effects even in those kind of movies, and found that she didn’t much care one way or another. she was focused on her own pleasure right now, not some imaginary, fake pleasure in the movie. the woman was moaning and yelling on the tv and y/n had to suppress another eye roll at how fake it all sounded. surely she didn’t sound like that, did she?

“eddie,” she said, moaning as he pushed himself even deeper inside of her. “do i sound like that woman?”

“hm?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at the tv before shaking his head. “no, baby, you don’t. your moans are so much hotter because yours are actually real.”

“really?” she asked, hooking her legs around his waist and pulling him in as deeply as he could go. “maybe you should start fucking me then so you can hear them.”

“wow,” he said, starting to thrust as he smirked down at her. “i’m impressed, y/n. you went from this good catholic girl to my own personal porn star. when the hell did that happen?”

she giggled, digging her heels into his ass. “it happened as soon as you started fucking me. i was really missing out, but i honestly never wanted to do it with anyone until you came along. the thought of it kinda grossed me out before.”

“oh yeah?” eddie asked, groaning as he began to pick up the pace a little. “all those good catholic boys and steve turned your stomach, huh?”

“well, steve was okay, i guess,” she said. “but the other ones were all gross and i think they were secretly doing it behind their parents’ backs.”

“just like you’re doing now, huh?” he teased, leaning down to kiss her neck. “you’re so funny sometimes.”

“i’m gonna get really funny if you don’t shut up and fuck me,” she said.

“so bossy,” he said, leaving a mark on her neck and laughing. “oops, you might have to wear a scarf for a little bit.”

“i don’t care,” she said. “please.”

“alright,” he said, looking down at her again as he began to move faster.

she gasped as he began to ram directly against her sweet spot, her eyes rolling back for a moment as she clung to him tightly. he moaned in her ear as he thrust deeply, making sure to rail her with every thrust inward. he kissed her sloppily, their tongues meeting before their lips, their moans lost in each other’s mouths as she dug her nails slightly into his back. he groaned at the contact, drawing back to look down at her as his movements increased. she could feel her stomach tightening already, and she opened her mouth to tell him she was close. before she could tell him, though, she was cumming hard, her nails scratching hard down his back as he moaned deep in his throat. she soaked the bed below them, her mouth agape as her head was thrown back. eddie was kissing her neck again, dipping low to get what he could reach of her chest, smiling against her skin as he did so.

“that’s my good girl,” he said. “there she is.”

“don’t stop,” she begged. “please don’t stop.”

“i wasn’t planning on it anytime soon, baby,” he said, kissing her gently on the lips. “i’m gonna make you cum again.”

“are you?” she asked.

“yes i am,” he said. “i’m going to make you scream this time. louder than that woman on tv.”

she had largely forgotten the movie until then, and she looked over his shoulder to see what was happening. it seemed as if it were pretty much over; the man was slowing down and the woman had quieted some. she focused her attention back to eddie, smiling up at him as she pulled him down for another kiss. he kept going, and she whined as he pushed against her sensitive sweet spot, but it still felt so good. she felt dizzy, exhilarated, and as if she were on top of the world. she clenched around him once, twice, and felt him twitch inside of her. that was a bad idea, then; she didn’t want him cumming too soon, after all. she ran her hands down his back to soothe the scratches she left, and was surprised to see that his back was sticky. she drew her hands back and saw a little blood on them, and she looked up at him in alarm. he chuckled, shaking his head as he kissed over her face.

“nah, it’s okay,” he said. “i like it.”

“but doesn’t it hurt?” she asked. “i would think that it would hurt.”

“not really,” he said. “i think it feels good.”

“oh,” she said, her own skin slick with sweat as his, too, became wet. “are you getting close?”

“yep, i’m getting there,” he said, rubbing her clit in fast, hard circles. “how about you?”

“i think so,” she said. “i want you to cum inside of me.”

“you do?” he asked. “usually you don’t want that.”

“i do now,” she said. “please, i don’t care. it’ll be fine.”

“are you sure?” he asked, his hair hanging down as he gazed at her. “i don’t want you to get pregnant.”

“i’m fine right now,” she said. “i promise. i’d tell you to use a condom if i wasn’t.”

“are you going to go get on birth control like you said?” he asked.

“yep,” she said. “i made the appointment for next week.”

“good girl,” he said, moaning as he kept going. “fuck, i don’t know how much longer i can hold off.” 

“me either,” she said, gasping loudly as he rubbed her clit again. “fuck, this feels so good!”

“yeah?” he asked, smirking. “i’m glad you think so, baby.”

“i really do!” she said, clenching around him again. “you’re so big.”

“and you’re so fucking wet,” he said. “the wettest pussy in the whole world and it’s all mine.”

“all yours,” she echoed, her mouth agape as he started absolutely pounding her. “eddie!”

“let go,” he said, rubbing her clit harder and faster. “go on, baby.”

she didn’t need to be told twice. a few minutes later she came hard again, squirting all over eddie and the bed, her eyes rolled back as she screamed his name. she scratched him hard again, more blood being drawn as he growled in her ear. her own orgasm was followed by his own not even a minute later, and he came deep inside of her with a moan of her name. he rocked his hips to a stop, pulling out of her and collapsing next to her on the bed. he reached for his cigarettes, lighting one and offering her a drag. she took it, giggling at the thought of her parents smelling cigarette smoke in their bedroom. she would air it out as best as she could before they got back, but it was still hilarious to her that her dad might blow his top over it. normally that would have bothered her, but not now. the movie had ended, she and eddie were content, and that’s all that mattered to her.

“i love you,” he said, holding her with one arm as he used the other to smoke. “i love you so much.”

“i love you, too,” she said, snuggling up to him and kissing over his tattoos on his chest. “i really love you so much.”

“i’m so glad that you do,” he said, taking a long drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaling the smoke. “you’re everything to me, y/n. everything and so much more.”

“i think you’re the best,” she said. “i couldn’t have asked for a better boyfriend.”

“and i couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend,” he said, kissing her hair. “i truly mean that.”

she giggled, kissing his tattoos again as she looked up at him. “i kinda wish we could go again.”

he laughed as well, shaking his head as he kissed her sweetly. “give me about an hour and maybe we’ll talk. i could use a shower, though.”

“me too,” she said. “maybe we could take one after you smoke your cigarette.”

“yeah, we should,” he said, trailing his fingers down her back. “y/n?”

“yeah?”

“your dad is going to kill me for this.”

“i’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

“you don’t mind that i’m doing it?”

“no.”

“good.”

they lay in silence for a little bit, until eddie stamped out his cigarette and got up. he held his hand out for her and she took it, walking to her parents’ bathroom and starting the shower. before they stepped in, she was silent, looking down at the floor as eddie looked at her in concern. 

“what is it?” he asked. “are you okay?”

“yeah,” she said, looking up at him with a smile. “i was just thinking.”

“uh oh, that’s dangerous,” he teased.

she rolled her eyes. “never mind.”

“no, tell me,” he said. “i’m sorry.”

“i was thinking about how i’d like to watch more movies like that,” she said. “i had fun tonight.”

“oh yeah?” eddie asked. “well, i’ve got more. maybe we can watch another one tomorrow.”

“i’d like that,” she said, pulling him toward the shower. “come on, let’s get in.” 

[astonmartinii]

other side of the moon - chapter six | formula one imagine

chapter six: fireproof

pairing: fem retired formula one driver reader x ??? fem retired formula one driver reader x platonic!kimi antonelli

testing is finally here and after the car launch, y/n is not looking forward to the mercedes garage

MASTERLIST | TIP JAR | SERIES MASTERLIST

the day and a half after the car launch before max was called into the factory by red bull was a slice of peace y/n had longed for for three years. but also one she couldn’t help think would be the last bit of peace she would be afforded this season.

the pair woke up the morning after the launch, bundled up together and hair sticking up in every direction.

“good morning” y/n said, words smothered by max’s chest. the dutchman grumbled to himself as he wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

“max, your phone won’t stop vibrating - please tell whoever it is to fuck off”

max groaned, flipped over and grabbed his phone. with his eyes shut, max jammed a couple buttons and suddenly the gravely voice of helmut marko rung out.

“max! where are you? the team have just informed me that you left early and are not at the hotel?”

the dutchman finally opened his eyes. he pulled y/n back into his side and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“helmut, it’s too early for this many questions.”

“i asked you one, very straight forward question, max.”

“i’ll be at the factory tomorrow, don’t worry.”

helmut sighed down the phone, “wherever you are, make sure you’re not late and not spotted doing anything untoward.”

“me? untoward? helmut, i didn’t know you thought so low of me.”

“the only reason i believe you is because you’re on your best behaviour with y/n back, maybe we should add her to our payroll as well.”

y/n couldn’t stop herself before she burst out laughing. she smacked a hand over her mouth but it was too late. helmut hummed.

“i see. good morning miss y/ln. make sure he’s in top condition for tomorrow.”

“will do, helmut.”

max hung up as soon as he could and threw his phone down the bed. he smiles down at y/n, “that’s not exactly how i pictured my first morning in bed with you.”

“so you’ve pictured this?” y/n questions, raising an eyebrow.

“no? yes? maybe? i definitely have but i don’t want to creep you out so what do you want to hear?”

y/n laughs as he buries his head in the pillow, whining in embarrassment.

“maxy…” she sings and pokes his back.

“don’t look at me! i’m a freak!” max yells, muffled in the pillow.

“but you’re a freak for me?”

“isn’t it obvious?”

y/n finally gets max to lessen his grip on the pillow and look back up at her. there’s a dusting of pink on his face and a concerned look in his eye.

“don’t worry, i like it. as long as you’re only a freak for me.”

max ducked his head again, “as happy as i am to hear that, can we refrain from saying it like that? i was proud i managed to wake up without morning wood and you’re really testing that resolve right now.”

y/n’s laugh reverberated around the room. without the needy meows of brando, the pair could stay snuggled in the bed for much longer than usual.

“max?” y/n asked, the dutchman had rearranged them so that he could be the little spoon and had his head resting on her chest, “please don’t be sorry for your feelings. they don’t make me uncomfortable and unlike others you didn’t just assume i reciprocated. i like what we have and i want to see where it could go, but i want to take it slow. i don’t want people butting in and adding their two pence. i just want you - and our furry babies.”

y/n could see the smile breaking out on max’s face before he even lifted his head from her chest.

“i said i just want to exist with you,” max said, “that will never, ever change.”

the dutchman’s eyes flicked down to her lips and the blush returned when he realised he wasn’t too subtle about it. y/n gives him a small nod and max leans in.

“can i?”

“please,” y/n whispered as max’s lips connected with hers. it was a small peck, just a press of lips, but it was enough. both pulled back and smiled, happy to breathe the same air for a while. y/n’s hand wrapped around his nape and pulled him in for another one. this kiss lasted longer, the pair pouring their years of pining into it, communicating something words could not describe.

for a moment y/n wished that she hadn’t returned to formula one. she wished that this would be her life. happy in her coop in west london with her and max’s cats waiting for the dutchman to come home, far away from her past ghosts and the sport that nearly killed her.

“will you still find me attractive in mercedes kit?”

“that’s a stupid question. you’re the most beautiful person in the world. yes, i would prefer if it were my number and my colours, but i’ll live with it if it means seeing you at every race.”

y/n giggled, the dutchman pressed another kiss to her lips because he could.

“i know you’ll be rooting for kimi this season, but i’ll win every race for you. even if the red bull is a shit box, i’ll fight everyone to bring that trophy home to you.”

“my singular monza trophy is a little lonely,” y/n said, “but your wins are yours, not anyone else’s”

y/n pushed back the duvet and started to get out of bed, much to the chagrin of max. despite his attempted puppy-dog eyes, y/n shuffled into her slippers and made her way to the kitchen.

“find something good to watch, i’ll cook up one last cheat meal for you,” y/n’s voice called from the hallway. max stayed led in the bed, a dumb smile on his face. it all felt a bit too good to be true and he hoped those in the paddock who had already caused some trouble would stay out of this.

despite another night of snuggles, max did not want to leave for milton keynes the next morning. y/n had made him a breakfast sandwich for the ride, but it did little to console the young dutchman even though the pair would be apart for just two days before they’d reunite in monaco and fly out to bahrain.

“i don’t wanna go… i want to stay here, you’re so much nicer to look at than christian!”

max was dragging his feet as he made his way to the hire car. he even tried to delay his departure by roping frank into a conversation but y/n had thought of that and rung down to reception in advance.

“it’s like you want me gone!” max cried as he put his bags in the car.

y/n laced her fingers in his, “you know i’ll miss you, but i don’t want to hear helmut’s voice any more than i have to, so you have to go. i’ll see you in monaco.”

max pulled her into one last kiss and reluctantly got into the car. y/n waved him off as he disappeared into the streets of london.

“finally!”

a yell boomed out in the garage, making y/n jump and stick her keys out as a makeshift weapon. frank stood at the entrance of the garage with a huge smile on his face. y/n calmed down when she saw the older man.

“frank! that scared the shit out of me! how long have you been there?”

“long enough.”

frank looked very smug. y/n made her way to the entrance, pointedly ignoring the older man.

“don’t be mad, i won’t tell anyone. i’m just glad you finally realised what was right in front of you.”

did everyone see it before her? it certainly seems that way.

“we’re taking it slow, so i’d appreciate if you kept this under your hat, frank.”

“of course, miss y/ln. would you like me to arrange for another parking spot for your flat?”

y/n tried to keep a stern look but she just couldn’t help it and smiled at the older man.

“that would be lovely, thank you.”

her apartment was quiet without max. she didn’t want to say she missed him just yet, but she had to busy herself with something before she fell down that hole. she needed to pack and get a flight back to monaco so she could spend a little more time with the cats before pre-season testing kicked off the season.

y/n’s phone buzzed with a message.

kimi: y/nnnnnnnn huge favour to ask! george can only give me a lift back to london before we go to bahrain so could i maybe get a lift to brackley???

y/n: if you buy my coffee at each stop you’ve got a deal.

kimi: yes, yes. i know your order - THANK YOU !

she better get to packing.

the italian stood on the side of the road, wrapped up in two coats, a hat and a scarf. ollie stood beside him in just a t-shirt, some shorts and a pair of flip flops, showing off his british aversion to the cold.

y/n pulled up beside the pair and winded down the window. “don’t you know hitchhikers are dangerous?”

kimi smiled and gave ollie a quick hug, popping the boot and shoving his small suitcase in. the italian slipped into the passenger seat and waved at ollie.

“why didn’t i have the idea to ask you to be my mentor?” ollie whined, “esteban is great and he has already given me a ton of lifts but you’re you!”

“snooze you lose” kimi said, poking out his tongue.

“esteban is great ollie, don’t believe all this shit about him being a bad teammate. he’s lovely and will be more than happy to help you out. however, we do need to go because i need to drop off this princess and get a flight to monaco. ciao!”

y/n stood on the gas and flew off down the street. from the corner of her eye, y/n could see kimi studying her. this wasn’t too strange for the italian, he often just stared at her, amazed that she had even agreed.

“i can feel you staring kimi, do you have a question?”

“why are you so happy?”

y/n laughed at the bluntness. the italian sputtered, “i mean i’m happy you’re happy, but i can’t help but be suspicious. i haven’t heard a peep from you since the car launch… and a little birdy told me you left with a certain someone.”

“it’s been two days, kimi!”

“you’re still smiling, you can’t stop and considering you smiled maybe twice in the first couple days i knew you - this means something!”

“fine! you caught me. i did go home with max. i’m not saying anymore than we’re happy and we’re taking it slow. i’m telling you because i believe for a good mentor relationship i should be completely open, as should you. also you’re like a quasi-son to me so there’s also that. do not tell anyone else, i’m serious. not even ollie.”

kimi whined at that, “but i tell ollie everything!”

“well not this. you saw how some of the people, including your teammate are with me and max, i do not want to give them any ammunition, okay?”

kimi hummed to himself, his brain whirring so loudly that even y/n could hear it over the music and the road. “speaking of those who WILL be without ammunition because i WILL keep my mouth zipped shut… how are we actually planning on tackling george this season?”

y/n was making the turn off of the motorway and towards brackley as she chuckled, “aside from physically tackling him at testing? i am joking, by the way. kimi, i don’t want you to worry about george anywhere but the track. he talks a big talk, but he’s very easy to frustrate when he’s not winning. don’t give him the rise he’ll want, okay?”

the tension rose in the car, it had all been fun and games up until this point, cocktails parties and car launches. but now it was getting real. y/n had the voice in the back of her head that worried that her off-track drama with the other drivers could impact kimi’s career.

“please stop worrying, y/n. i know what you’re thinking, but i am capable of handling it myself. i may only be eighteen but i’m not afraid of anyone.”

y/n pulled up outside of the mercedes factory and turned to kimi. she grabbed his hands, “promise me, kimi. promise me that if the drama with me gets too much, you will say something. i know it’s your dream to work with me, but make sure i do not interfere with your career.”

kimi scoffed, “them being afraid of you will never be your fault, you know-”

“it doesn’t matter if my fault or not, if their pettiness fucks with you, i won’t be able to forgive myself…”

just as they spoke, george pulled up beside them in his mercedes. the brit wasn’t alone in his car however. a brunette woman sat in the passenger seat, and much like george, her eyes narrowed at the sight of y/n.

“that’s carmen, george’s girlfriend. she doesn’t usually come to the factory with him?” kimi gasped, “maybe she’s here to stake her claim on george, as if you’d want him anyway…”

y/n laughed as kimi got out of the car. the italian grabbed his stuff from the boot and walked round to the window. y/n rolled it down and the two did their handshake.

“enjoy the prep, bunny, don’t make too much mess. see you in bahrain!”

the moment was cut short by someone clearing their throat. carmen had rolled down her window and was looking at kimi, less than impressed. the italian squeaked a quick goodbye and shuffled towards the entrance.

y/n tried not to make eye contact with carmen as she inputted the airport’s address into her gps. she was baffled by the news that george even had a girlfriend, not that she wanted kimi or the couple to know that. how long had they been together? did she know about y/n and about george’s weird feud with her? too many questions and not enough answers.

george and carmen made their way past y/n’s car and stopped just in front of the entrance, pointedly in y/n’s eye line. the two kissed, messily for people their age, and just to sum up her return so far, george kept eye contact with y/n the entire time, his hand wandering lower and lower on carmen.

2025 was the year of psychological warfare it seemed. y/n could work with that.

she sped out of the car park with new vigour. if psychological warfare was what george was ordering, y/n needed to know everything about everyone. she had stayed away from the drama surrounding formula one in her three years away from the sport, but it was time to go full gossip girl.

it’s crazy how much you can find in an hour in an airline bar about your former colleagues. y/n’s phone started ringing loudly, earning her some dirty looks in the lounge.

“maxy! did you know that george dated nyck’s sister?” y/n said, shovelling the free nuts in her mouth, “and that lando and pierre once liked the same girl in dubai?”

“why oh why are you telling me about this?” max said.

“because that prick wants psychological warfare, so i have to know everything!”

max hummed, not convinced. “am i like missing something?”

“i took kimi to brackley this morning and was treated to a lovely show from george and carmen. the weirdo kept eye contact with me the entire time! so if he wants to play it like that, i gotta know my enemies.”

“as weird as this all is, i’m glad to see you’re so into all of this, miss detective.”

y/n laughed, “i know i’m reading way too much about all of this, but i swear to god if he tries to fuck with kimi or you, i’ll play dirty if i have to. i mean i just don’t understand why he’s being such an asshole now about everything i supposedly did when he has a girlfriend - insecure much?”

max laughed down the line, they really were so much more alike than people would think. hearing her now, max wished she was back in the paddock for qatar and abu dhabi last year just to see what kind of revenge she could’ve thought up.

“anyway, maxy, are you still at the factory?”

“yeah, we’re just on a break, i’m outside getting some air and i didn’t know whether you were on the plane yet or not - you know you could’ve taken air max if you wanted to?”

y/n smiled, “i didn’t need your plane for a trip to monaco, silly! i’ll only be on the flight for a little while anyway and i’m only going because i’m having withdrawal symptoms from my babies!”

“why would you say this, now i want to see them!”

the boarding sign popped up, “ah! i gotta go maxy, i’ll text you when i’m back at yours - what time does the cat sitter go?”

“she will have left like an hour or so before you get back. stay safe, i -”

there was chatter in the background, “i gotta go, bye!”

max hung up quickly. y/n was left to her thoughts again and just how much life can change. this time three years ago she was making notes about the season coming, turns to watch and previous first lap incidents and now she’s compiling gossip on the grid’s personal lives? part of her wanted to be ashamed, but in the same vain, she knew that her adversaries hadn’t spared a moment for introspection.

max’s apartment in monaco was alight with the impatient meows from brando, sassy and jimmy. the cats yowled like they hadn’t been fed in days, although clarissa, the cat sitter, had sent max and y/n nearly hourly updates on them.

“oh my babies! momma missed you so much!” y/n said, abandoning her suitcase at the door and ushering the cats towards the couch. once she was sat, brando bullied his way onto her lap, his spot, and jimmy and sassy snuggled up beside her as closely as possible.

she pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture of herself and the cats and sent it to max.

max: all my favourites in one place, you’re making listening to christian drone on even harder

y/n: you better keep listening, maxy, don’t want anyone else winning this season do you?

max: i do hate losing…

y/n smiled to herself, there was no lying to now, this place with the cats and max felt like home. the most at home y/n had felt for years.

“right, momma needs to shower and cook, babies!” brando did not look impressed but consoled himself by going back to grooming an equally unimpressed jimmy.

y/n rustled around max’s wardrobe trying to find a smaller towel for her hair. max wasn’t the most organised, especially with a wardrobe where he could just shut the door and forget the mess behind it. she finally got the towel loose, but with the last yank, a small book came flying out of the wardrobe.

the book was a small leather-bound book, clearly loved, bursting at the seams with use. y/n flicked open the book, scanning a couple of the pages. she could recognise the handwriting anywhere, was this max’s diary?

y/n flicked through a couple more of the pages before she landed on a page that boldly stated “fuck lando” in bold capitals. oh? the page was dated for a day in january 2020, just before she started her formula one career.

she knew this was a massive invasion of privacy, but max had never mentioned having a bust up with lando around that time - her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

i don’t know what lando’s problem is? i was on a discord call with him, george and alex this evening and he was in such a mood with me. it was all about y/n as usual with him, he’s being proper weird about her. of course we’ve already started training and discussing racing lines? we’re best friends. it’s almost like he knows i have feelings for her? but i know i haven’t been THAT obvious, at least not as bad as him and george. they think i don’t know, but they must think i’m dumb or blind (or both). he’s going to ruin his friendship with her if he’s not careful. i have loved y/n for as long as i can remember, but i don’t ever intend on making that her problem - why would she ever want to be with me? they assume because they’ve known her so long that they have this weird claim on her. i don’t know - i have a bad feeling about how this might all play out… i’ll just be there for y/n, she’s going to need it…

y/n slapped the book shut, feeling guilty about just how much she had read. max had liked her for that long? even when she was a jittery rookie with hormonal acne and way too much to say. and lando has always had this problem? there was never any chance of them being good teammates was there?

it feels like there’s a surprise around every corner since y/n reopened the pandora’s box that is formula one. how much was there left to reveal? to hurt her? can she handle what other secrets the sport has waiting for her?

but on the other side, if she had stayed in the shadows, y/n would’ve never known about max’s feelings and would never have the opportunity for what she feels right now.

y/n tucked the book back in the wardrobe and tried to wash the guilt off in the shower.

bahrain international circuit

testing was a boring affair for everyone that wasn’t in or working on the car. y/n was on her third coffee of the morning just out of pure boredom. kimi was in the car for the morning session and despite him paying her salary, toto did not seem like he’d make good conversation based on the frown on his face.

y/n saw sky making their way back down the pit lane and ducked back into the drivers’ rooms. because timing and fate loved y/n, george was leaving his just at the same moment.

it took a concerted effort not to roll her eyes as she forced out a quick good morning. george stopped in his tracks.

“good morning to you too?”

y/n gave him a nod and continued to kimi’s room, george grabbed her hand.

“are we going to have a problem the entire season? all of kimi’s career?”

“why would i have a problem, george? is there a reason i should have a problem?”

george huffed, “listen to me. we used to be so close… i wasn’t the one who crashed into you, why are you treating me like this?”

“george i’m not treating you like anything! 19 other drivers didn’t hear from me, you’re not special.”

y/n took a sip of her coffee, trying to school her heart rate, “you may have not crashed into me, but you hardly said much afterwards. you didn’t even come and visit me in the hospital? you didn’t post or say a single thing about me? you barely could bring yourself to say my name, so please spare me the lecture.”

george opened his mouth to respond but stopped, he tried to make eye contact with y/n but she avoided it.

“i didn’t think you wanted to see anyone to do with formula one! and you’re you! you hate dumb shit like instagram dedications and all that stuff…”

“you and your little partner in crime seem to be baffled about how max was the one who slipped through the cracks and stayed in my life. well read between the lines, idiot! his dedication to me is still pinned on his account, my number is on his helmet and he made the effort after the crash! you did nothing and you still expect me to coddle you?”

george tried to interject, “no! i think you’ve said enough already, george. you say all of this shit about how i led you on, but now you’re bringing up old drama when you’ve been in a relationship for years? so what’s the real reason? because so help me god, you fuck with kimi and i burn this whole place down.”

just behind george, y/n saw toto come into view. the austrian’s face told her that he had heard everything.

“well wasn’t that just great, thank you, you two. next time you have a domestic at track, please lower your voice, the entire garage now knows your business.”

“toto, i can assure you i will be nothing less than professional this season. winning with mercedes is my top priority, y/n will learn her place in this garage.”

even toto seemed taken aback by george’s words. y/n turned, her shoulder knocking george’s on the way past, “i think toto is well aware of who he hired and i know my place, just like kimi knows his… don’t crane your neck too much looking up at him on the podium.”

y/n shut the door to kimi’s driver room, and slid down to the floor. it was only the first day of testing and she’s exhausted. just outside the room she can hear george and toto still talking.

“i’m just saying i think it’s insane and honestly a little disrespectful that you hired her to begin with, toto.”

“i hired her because she was a talented driver and is willing to mentor kimi. i was not aware you two had a problem, and the fact that i’ve heard so much about it now without knowing what it actually is makes me think that the problem was in fact YOU. now calm down and get ready for your session.”

okay, maybe not all hope was lost. but y/n knew that this was just the start, the real racing had yet to begin and who knows how far george could take it, especially if the mercedes is competitive and especially if he finds out about her and max.

y/n popped open her laptop to keep track of kimi’s times on track but found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. by the time her impromptu nap had finished, kimi was making his way back into the garage, finishing the morning session. y/n made her way back into the garage to greet him as he made his way out of the car.

the session looked positive for the italian, but the pair were still anxious to see how george would perform, considering both were on the same program for the day. when kimi lifted his helmet, the two made eye contact, the italian’s eyes were so expressive that y/n could already hear the excited chatter.

“oh my god, y/n that was amazing! i know i’ve driven f1 cars before but knowing it’s actually mine for the season? wow!”

“well i’m glad you enjoyed it, let’s get some electrolytes in you before we sit down to analyse everything.”

the pair headed for the mercedes hospitality, with the other morning drivers doing the same throughout the paddock. during y/n’s nap she had missed the only real incident of the day, but a certain spaniard was about to make sure she knew.

“hey! antonelli!”

kimi’s head whipped around to see an angry carlos sainz charging towards him. the spaniard was clearly taking advantage of the lack of media outlets allowed at testing, getting in kimi’s face.

“you might be a rookie, but you’ll stay out of my way, got it? impede me like that again and we’ll see what happens!”

y/n pulled kimi behind her and jabbed her finger at carlos’ chest. “you self-important asshole, he didn’t impede you it’s testing. i know you’re at williams this season, so you’re going to have to invent a storyline for yourself, but trust me, this is not the one you want.”

“stay out of this y/ln, why don’t you stick to hopping into whoever’s winning’s bed, huh?”

y/n let out a sarcastic laugh, not caring about the small crowd forming around them. “your glory days, well whatever you call being stuck in charles’ shadow, playing politics with daddy to get given wins at ferrari only to be cast aside when you got a bit too big for your boots, are over. don’t be the bitter old bitch that makes rookies’ lives hell? oh wait, you’ve always been that way haven’t you?”

“you are a perpetual victim, y/n. that was years ago, get over it.”

“and yet you still act the exact same way. telling, really.”

carlos stayed quiet this time and y/n took that as the chance to guide kimi to hospitality. with their backs turned, “she won’t always be there for you, rookie! she can’t sleep with all of the stewards and she won’t be in the office to bat her eyelashes. so watch your back.”

y/n kept walking despite kimi tugging on her arm, wanting to retaliate. “stop. let him make a fool of himself.”

despite y/n trying to de-escalate the situation, max was less willing to do so. the dutchman had only heard a fraction but that was enough to rear the head of mad max.

“you think you’re so cute with this shit don’t you, sainz,” max said, looming over the spaniard, “you people never change, it’s pathetic.”

“the only thing that’s pathetic here is you, being her lap dog - and we’re meant to be scared of you? all we gotta do is flash an ankle or raise a hand and you’ll be eating out of our palm.”

max’s hands were shaking by his side and it took everything inside of him not to lunge at carlos. y/n’s grip on kimi tightened when jos was brought up, the crowd around them tensing as well.

“i don’t know what she does for you, but you surely can’t still be falling for it all these years later. i remember at toro rosso when you’d wake up the whole camp screaming in your motorhome and you’d call her crying. a four-time world champion and you still go crawling back to her.”

“she’s worth more than you could ever wish to be. i don’t know what propaganda your dad or lando has been feeding you, but you’re a grown man, you’re too old to be falling for it. now leave her and kimi alone. i’d threaten you, but it’s unlikely that williams will be anywhere near me this season.”

max gave one last look to y/n before running back towards the red bull garage. the crowd that had formed chattered amongst themselves and started to disperse. carlos looked enraged but backed off, not without one final glare towards the italian.

“i didn’t know formula one was just this dramatic,” kimi said, “i need to work on my insults!”

y/n laughed, but a voice from behind her stopped her dead in her tracks.

“always the centre of drama, aren’t you y/n? always looking for trouble.”

zak brown.

fin.

note: wow this took me so long to write and i kinda hate it! i am in such a rut rn idk what to do ? but i hope you guys enjoyed it anyway!

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[scriblesandbits]

So god created us in his image, right? And that’s cool and all but what if it turns out god, like, hates his own image??? What then????

[luvyeni]

DRUNK LOVERS GAME 𝕼. ( 박원빈 )

𝓲𝓲 ㅤ𓈒ㅤ𓈒𓈒 ( 박원빈 x fem!reader )   ─── ❛ genre ⸝⸝ smut. content warning. sexual tension, drinking, language, unprotected sex, strangers to lovers word count. 3.6k 「 req? ⦂ yes/no 」 library  !

synopsis … playing a sex drinking game with … even though this is the first time yall met.

𝕼 ㅤ𓈒ㅤ𓈒 yeni’s note .ᐟ based on a card game i saw on tiktok shop 😭

‘We’re hosting a sleepover , tonight and since you’ll be here you have to participate’ should’ve been a red flag , why as college students would you have a sleepover?

correction; sleepover meant your roommate’s were inviting their boyfriends over to spend the night and they had a friend who was single and your roommates had the bright idea of setting you two up for the night. “come on , he’s super cute.” isa stood in your doorway. “don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“yes , but i also have eyes and i can see that wonbin is super cute.” she flopped down on your bed. “and you’re hot too , and you’re both single.” she said. “you two are a perfect match.” you turned around in your chair to face her. “im not having sex with him just so you can have sex with yours without feeling bad that i have to hear how loud you are being.” you turned to your other roommate chloe who was now standing in your doorway. “you either.”

“we never said you had to have sex with him.” isa said. “just don’t be a bitch to him, be nice and make him feel welcomed.” both of your roommates now sitting on your bed. “does he even know he’s about to be set up?” they looked at each other. “well sorta , seunghan felt bad leaving him alone in the apartment , so we told them to invite him over and we’ll introduce him to someone.” chloe said. “you being that someone.”

you sighed , you really didn’t want to do this; but where were you gonna go? it’s 10:30 and all your friends are gonna be occupied so you can’t go drink. “fuck it , fine i’ll entertain the guy my friends and their boyfriends sold me to for the night.” you said standing up. “okay now go get changed.” you stared at them. “and why would i do that?” you looked down at the fresh pajamas you just put on. “these are clean i swear.”

“yn you’re wearing minion pajama pants and a shirt 7 sizes too big for you , who’s shirt is that?” isa said. “it’s my dads , i think.” you said. “it has holes and stains on it.” chloe scrunched up her nose up in disgust. “you said i didn’t have to seduce him.” you stood hand on your hip. “yeah you also don’t have to run him away purposely ; take the damn thing off and change into a shirt little appealing and with less stains and holes.” your grumbled , going into your closet. “im keeping the pants on.” you turned around showing them the tank top. “appealing enough?”

“perfect that tank makes your boobs look nice and plump.” you rolled your eyes; taking your shirt off throwing it to the floor. “my comfy shirt replaced by this tank all in the sake of a boy i’ve never met.” you put the shirt on. “good.” they both gave you a thumbs up. “the pants are terrible , but he won’t be paying much attention to those especially when your boobs are literally all perked up like that.”

you helped set up the the food and blankets up for the movie. “these blankets here; yeah throw them away in the morning i want nothing to do with them after you all use them during the movie.” you shook disgusted. “don’t think like that yn.” isa said. “yeah , we’re all adults we’ll just get up and go into the room.” they both smirked while you looked mortified. “im gonna throw up.” you said; just as someone knocked on the door. “oh yn go get that ; isa is still doing that over there, and i have to go to bedroom to get some more things.”

you got up from the chair; going over to the door, opening it , the three boys standing in front of you; you’ve met sungchan and seunghan in passing , but you’ve never fully hung out with them. “hi.” seunghan said. “yn right?” you nodded. “yeah , they don’t have another roommate that i'm aware of so that would be me.” the one behind them chuckled. “come in, they're finished setting up.” you said , stepping to the side to let them in. “hannie!” you watched isa stop what she was doing to run over and hug the boy, chloe coming out to greet sungchan. “what’s that?” you pointed to the bag in her hands. “oh nothing , just something for later.” she said ominously. “oh that’s frightening.”

wonbin was fine with staying home; he really was, but his roommates had other ideas. “it’s just for one night.” sungchan said. “and yn is a nice girl.” seunghan said. “you just said you’ve only said hi and bye to her.” he said. “yeah and she was nice each and every time.” the younger boy said. “they don’t want her to feel left out in her own apartment , and it’s not like you have anything to do.”

and that’s how wonbin found himself in your apartment; staring at a girl in minion pajamas. “nice pajamas.” you looked down , back at him. “thank you.” both your friends forget about the both of you. “im yn.” you held your hand out. “you can shake it , i don’t bite.” he smiled , taking your hand shaking it. “see , unharmed , come on.” you said guiding him to the living room. “sorry my friends pushed me on you.” you said , chloe slapped your shoulder. “yn don’t say it like that , be nice.” she said , wonbin laughed; you were funny he had to admit, blunt but funny. “that was being nice , it wasn’t an attack on him.” you shot back. “she’s not always this bad.” she said. “she’s 10 times worst.” isa said sitting on seunghans lap. “trust once she’s had a drink she’ll soften up.”

“well let’s hope she does.” he said, staring at you as you walked; you were cute, talking to yourself in the kitchen as you prepared the drinks for everyone. “go help her.” sungchan said , he nodded , sitting his bag down following you into the kitchen. “do you need help?” you turned around to face the boy. “sure , you can be useful.” you handed him the bottles of soju , you held the cups , walking back into the living room. “thank you yn.” seunghan said , you nodded , sitting on the floor to give them space on the couch; wonbin sat down next to you.

the six of you sat around the table; eating food, drinking and joking around together. it was all fun , and wonbin wasn’t bad at all either. he was super nice and sweet , he poured your drinks , and got you food. he ever laughed at your horrible jokes when your friends didn’t. “he’s a better friend than you two are and i’ve known him for 3 hours.” you said, your friends rolling their eyes. “he even complimented my minion pants.” wonbin laughed next to you, you really did soften up once you had a drink. “he’s my new friend you two can go.”

“yeah? wonbin you agree with this?” seunghan said , his arm around isa. “of course.” wonbin responded , his knee bumping against yours, you both hadn’t even realized how close you’ve become. “so you both wouldn’t mind coupling up for the night to play a game?” chloe said. you both turned to each other. “are they trying to trick us?” you asked. “what game.” wonbin said , taking a sip of his drink. “it’s a drinking game.”

isa pulled the box of cards from the bag you saw earlier, you stared suspiciously at the box as she sat them on the table. “drunk lovers drinking game?” you read the box. “are you serious?” you scoffed. “why do you buy such nonsense?” your friend smiled. “late online shopping with a bottle of soju , now we have this.” she said. “let’s play.” everyone agreed , wonbin turned to you. “you wanna play.” he asked , you shrugged. “what’s the worst that could happen?”

“lick your partner below the waist or drink twice.” your eyes widened as you watched sungchan lift up isa’s shirt , licking right below her waists. “what the hell is this game.” you snatched the box off the table , reading it off. “what does it say?” wonbin said. “there’s two decks of cards , the pink ones are more tame and the black ones are….” you trailed off. “dirty.”

how the hell were you and wonbin gonna play this game? “chloe it’s your turn.” your friend picked up a pink card. “share your thoughts on an open relationship or drink once.” she read , sungchan sat up. “don’t you dare pick that drink up. “what !? i wasn’t.” she said. “don’t you two start fighting.” isa said. “go on.” sungchan said. “obviously i hate it , if you ever think of asking to go open it up , the cops will only find your ear.” she said turning to her boyfriend. “and what do you think about them?” she said , wonbin watched you look at the couple on the couple who clearly were in love with amusement , he then looked at the card game — which one was he supposed to pick , the pink one was based on relationship questions; he hardly knew you , as sweet and attractive you were , he’d only known you for 3 hours.

and he couldn’t pick up the black one; once again he knew you and what if he gets a super dirty one. “okay yn , you go.” you looked around the table; the pink ones were the obvious safe choice. “just chose the pink one.” wonbin said; you picked the card up , reading off it. “maintain intimate eye contact with your partner, first one of you to laugh had to take a drink.” you read , okay it’s not so bad. “oh yn is laughing first forsure.” isa said.

you and wonbin faced each other; you could already feel your face heating up, wonbin was extremely attractive and his eyes were naturally sensual and intimate. “i don’t know wonbin looks like he’s gonna break first , his hands look a little shaky.” it felt like forever before you just couldn’t take it anymore , you let out a shaky awkward laugh , looking away. “told you.” isa said , wonbin smirked , watching you take a shot , fanning your hot face. “yn you need a minute?” chloe smirked , you gave her the finger. “wonbin your turn.”

he went to reach for a pink card , when sungchan put his hand in front of it. “come on switch it up man , they already did two pinks.” he moved his hand over to the black deck , praying he didn’t get something drastic. “read it.” seunghan said; he turned the card around to red , his face turn it red. “what does it say?” you asked , he showed you the card , your eyes widened. “we can’t do that.”

“what does it say?” chloe asked , everyone looking interested in the answer. “recreate your partners favorite sex position.” wonbin said. “well.” isa said. “yn what’s your favorite position.” your eyes widened at the sudden invasion of your privacy. “we-well.” you scratched the back of your neck. although he was just as floored as you , he still was curious. “it’s missionary , but that’s not the point we can’t — lay back.” wonbin said , everyone turning to him. “huh?”

“yeah huh?” sungchan said; it might’ve been the alcohol talking , or maybe it was you being all flustered; but he just said fuck it. “i said lay back.” he repeated. “bu-but —if you don’t you have to take five shots of soju.” isa threw at you , the group on the couch oohing in a dramatic way. “what , the card says two.” you shot back. “my game , my rules.” you were gonna kill her. “go on.” chloe said. “you can do it.”

you couldn’t; you really couldn’t — but you did , you laid back on the floor. wonbins hands came up to your calf’s , pushing your legs apart , slotting himself in between; his hands on both sides of your head, he was now hovering above you; his gold chain dangling in front of your face. “how long do we have to do this.” wonbin asked. “the card says a minute.” he looked down at you ; taking in your face, your eyes were shut tight , hands in little fists. you could feel his lower half pressed against yours meanwhile he was thinking about ever unappealing thing he could think of so he wouldn’t get hard. you finally opened your eyes , and he prayed the time would finally come before you could feel him. “okay , times up.”

the two of you quickly unattached yourselves from each other. “wow both of you are extremely flustered right now.” chloe laughed. “shut up , just go.” you said , unable to look at anyone; especially the boy next to you who was the exact same way.

the rest of the game was not easy; in fact it seems like the game got even worse; the cards got even raunchy, even the pink ones seemed too much for you. “okay yn that’s the last card and it’s yours.” sungchan said , and it was a black one. you turned to wonbin who was already missing a shirt due to his last card pick , now that you weren’t complaining too much about , but you could already see his skin beet red; the godforsaken gold chain laying on his bare chest. “hey yn stop staring and go.” isa teased , making them laugh. “shut up.” you picked the card up. “give your partner a hickey.”

wonbin felt like he was going through the wringer already with this game; and this , your lips on his neck — how the hell was he gonna get through the night with a fucking hard on? the soju was gone so you couldn’t drink. “it’s the last card , let go out with a bang before we watch movies.” chloe said , wiggling her eyebrows. “o-okay.” you turned to wonbin. “how the hell do i do this?” you said to yourself. “just , come here.” he pulled you into his lap. “oh look how fast they’re moving.” seunghan said tipsy from the alcohol. “shut up.” wonbin said. “you’ve given a hickey before?”

“of course.” you said , just not to a boy you met five hours ago , and especially not a boy this attractive. “move your head to the side.” he felt your lips on his neck and he swore he almost let out a moan; and both your friends were cheering you both on. he clenched his fist to keep himself from letting out a noise as you sucked on his neck. after like 2 minutes of you sucking on his neck you finally pulled away, a red blotch appearing on his skin , you quickly climbed off the boy. “okay , game over.” you said. “let’s watch the movie.”

you grabbed all the empty bottles; running into the kitchen to throw them in the trash. wonbin grabbed the extra trash following behind you to leave the couples to clean up the card game. “you okay?” he said , you nodded , not turning around. “i-im fine.” you stuttered out , you finally turned around. “put your shirt back on.” you said. “why are you flustered still.” he smirked. “no , it’s cold.” you said , running past him back into the living room, he laughed to himself throwing the trash out, making his way back into the living room.

“you’ll thank us later for this.” isa said. “will i? how will this benefit me?” you said. “look at wonbins eyes and tell me he doesn’t want to fuck you , that’s how it will.” you two broke up your little circle , making your way back to the floor. “here.” he sat down next to you , handing you a blanket. “you said it’s cold.” he said. “i said you’re cold.” you mumbled to yourself. “yeah , i am.” he said, moving closer to you , putting the blanket over both of you. “but now im not.” he smiled , just as the lights went out.

you could feel the warmth of his body against yours as you watched the movie , you could barely keep your eyes on the tv instead your attention was on wonbin. you felt a pillow to the back of the bed which made both of you turn around; isa and seunghan making their escape. “where the hell did chloe go?” you said. “oh they left like 30 minutes ago; you two were too busy watching the movie.” seunghan said. “more like watch each other.” isa said. “good night.” you waved them off , standing up. “where are you going?” wonbin spoke up. “im going to my room.” you said. “no stay.” he said , grabbing your wrist. “the movie isn’t over.”

you sat back down on the floor next to him; looking forward at the tv ; but you could tell he wasn’t looking at the movie — he was looking at you. “i know you can feel me staring at you.” he whispered. “i-i can.” you said. “why-why though?” you finally turned to him. “why are you looking at me?”

“because i think you’re pretty.” he confessed; your heart skipped a beat. “thank you; you’re not to bad yourself.” you tried to sound confident , that was until he leaned in , his face close to yours; his eyes traveling down to your lips. “because i think you want to kiss me right now.” he said , you gulped nervously. “i want to kiss you.” he said. “so bad.” he whispered , his lips practically ghosting over yours. “so fucking mnph.” you closed the short gap between you two; you didn’t know what came over you; maybe it was the alcohol or the game , but you couldn’t hold back anymore. “shit.” he pulled away with a chuckle. “that was a real desperate kiss.” he teased. “almost like you’ve been waiting for it.”

“get up.” he said , moving to the couch. “come here.” he beckoned you over. “take these off.” he said. “you take them off.” you gathered all the confidence you could to say that; he smirked , sitting up from his manspreading position. “okay.” he pulled you closer towards his face , planting a kiss on your waist. he slowly undid the tie on your pants; he stared up at you as he pulled your pants down your legs. “such cute pants , but you’re wearing these slutty panties underneath.” he said , you bit your to contain a moan as he teasingly pulled back the elastic of your panties , letting it snap against your skin. “such pretty noises.” he pulled your panties down. “and an even prettier pussy.”

he pulled you down; you straddled his waist. “you showed me your favorite position right?.” his thumb on your clit , rubbing figure eights. “wo-wonbin.” you moaned , but he shh’d you. “we gotta be quiet,” he said. “can you be quiet?” you nodded. “good , now let me show you mine.” he held your waist , and he stood up lightly to pull his pants down just enough to free his cock. “fuck it’s so hard.” he groaned , his tip was red. “been feeling this way since i felt your little pussy throbbing for me earlier,” he said. “is that what you wanted?” he cock pressing against your hole. “for me to feel how desprare your pretty cunt was for her to be filled up.”

he guided you down on his cock; your cunt gripping him like a vice. “oh fuck.” he leaned back against the couch , head thrown back. “that’s it -fuck- work my cock.” you began to move your hips , grinding your hips back and forth. “won-wonbin fuck.” you grabbed his shoulders to steady yourself. you weren’t planning on going this far with him but here you were , both of you struggling to keep quiet as his cock dragged along your walls. “fuck baby , we gotta speed this up.” he groaned , his hair stuck to his forehead. “shit , let me take over.”

he grabbed your waist , bouncing you on his cock. “oh my god.” you gasped , your head falling in between his neck where you left the hickey. “mhm , fuck leave some more.” he moaned as you suck on his neck. “fuck , your little cunt feels so good.” the slapping noises drowning out the movie. “keep doing that.” you moaned against his skin , you felt so good bouncing on his dick. “fuck , wanna feel you cum around me.” he said. “you gonna cum for me?” he brought his fingers where you two were connected , rubbing circles. “m’gonna cum.”

“cum for me.” he pressed his lips against yours to swallow up your moans as you came around him. “oh fuck.” he pulled away. “fuck im gonna cum.” he said in a hushed tone. “sh-shit.” he lifted you off of him , his load shooting from his thick cock , covering your thighs; your body fell against his chest as you came down from your highs. “hey.” he whispered. “we gotta clean up.” he said. “let’s go to my room.” you said , you wanted more. “you want more?” he smirked , you nodded.

“well then you’re gonna explain to them in the morning , cause i don’t care how much noise you make , i wanna hear how good im fucking you.”

“how did you have a better night than we did?” isa said the next morning. “you two were at for 2 fucking hours , our couch yn on the couch we sit there.” chloe shrieked. “you two couldn’t make it to the room , you were on the floor when we left.” isa said. “it just happened , don’t blame me.” you threw your hands up in defense your phone buzzing , wonbins name popping up you smiled. “look at you , who’s fault is it then if not yours?” you shrugged , picking up your phone to answer.

“soju and drunk lovers game.”

[bitchy-craft]

PICK A CARD: Your most effective manifestation method

Hello and welcome to this new reading! I will tell you the most effective manifestation methods that work for you. I hope you all enjoy it!

FREE READING: if you subscribe to my patreon no matter the tier before February 7th you will get a free question of choice.

Masterpost > Paid Readings > Subliminal Channel > PATREON masterlist [NEW]

Extended version is found on my patreon, the link of which is here

~pick a card~

Pile 1:

Writing affirmations. Any form of writing down affirmations is going to be the manifestation method that works best for you. In order to really understand what you want you have to write something down in order to really imagine it. As you write down your affirmations you put energy into the thought of said manifestation, you essentially lock your wishes, wants, and needs into said affirmations. You put the energy into the text, into the physical display of your intentions. That in itself makes things very clear for you; you can not only feel it but see it as well.

Pile 2:

The shower method. The best way for you to manifest things would be with the shower method. Essentially you look at something that would show your manifestations come to life (your phone for example, if you want a text, email, a notification etc.). You assume that you see it, put it down and go and take a shower (or a bath). As you do so you imagine how you will react or respond to this message as if it were real. You make yourself believe by thinking beyond the actual manifestation that the manifestation has already formed. Once you’re done you look at that thing you saw your wishes on, and they will be there.

Pile 3:

Vision board / scripting will be the manifestation method that would work very well for you. Essentially you will put your wished outcomes into the physical. Not only will you be able to let out your creative freedom and get incredibly excited about what it is that is going to come into your life, you will also be able to see what it is that you want to accomplish. Visuals help you realise and believe what you want is actually possible to accomplish, because you can physically see it already. Scripting and writing down all of your manifestations can also do that whenever you read it back, yet it will strengthen your imagination and make you see it in your mind’s eye better than before. You train that eye when you write things down, and as you write you don’t write it down as a ‘what if’, you write in the present, as if it’s already happening. This strengthens your belief in your manifestations being fact.

[joy-haver]

To do anything with intention is faggotry. To be kind in a way that’s unexpected, or cruel in a way that breaks the common pattern. To dress with any thought at all, to have any sense of self expression. All of this is norm breaking in a way that is seen as edging on perverse, and it must be corrected.

Overtime, however, as enough norms are broken, the norms shift. To stick to what was in any earnest way would itself be too much intention, and so it cannot be done.

The fear that underlies conservative and upperclass senses of dress and decor is always to be one among many. Some small innovations, yes, some variation within the set. But talk to an upper middle class person about how the house they just moved into is “outdated” and you will see a reaction of intense fear.

All of this serves to keep the markets churning in a never ending supply of fresh consumerism with narrow, mass produceable options. Once the basic need to survive has been surpassed, the need to conform replaces it. “If we dress to queerly, too poorly, we will lose what we have”. Your salon will have a less rich clientele if you don’t drive a Lexus. Your home value might fall if you don’t continually update it.

The process of becoming a good citizen in this system is the process of hollowing out the self. You no longer have preferences, not really. You have no taste, no sensibilities. Instead, you have to keep up with the pack - not so far ahead or outside as to be a faggot - but also not so far behind as to be perceived as out of touch, or perhaps sliding into poverty.

This is why the culture of the upper middle class is the culture of cruelty. They constantly reinforce strict systems of norms to try to maintain their position.

Those who rebel are simply making way for new trends and mind market, constantly being reabsorbed into the system and the fashion only once they have abandoned their own senses.

cleared so hard

[shy-writer-999]

1-800-LONELYCHEF . ₊ ⊹ .

Summary: The same man calls you every Friday at 11:30PM. It seems like he has nothing better to do. After months of the same routine, you've started to take a liking to him, which is a problem, considering that he's your client... and you work at a phone sex hot line. WC: ~7k. CW: NSFW content! ANGSTY! Afab reader w/gendered language (she/her pronouns). Masturbation, oral sex. MDNI plz!

“Hello?”

You’re very familiar with the caller on the other end of the line. He calls you once a week—every Friday, after his shift at the bougie restaurant he works at, 11:30PM on the dot.

He must be very attractive, or at least that’s what you’ve garnered over talking to him for many months.

At first, he was evidently too shy to make use of your more… explicit services. This is a phone sex hotline, after all.

He honestly sounded like he just needed someone to vent to. So, you listened, as was your job. After the first few months, you both got more accustomed to one another. His shyness melted away. He got friendlier.

It’s been six or seven months since he first called. You’ve become very fond of him, but you have no idea what he looks like. So, one day, you decide to ask.

“Your voice is so sexy,” you start, giving him a line that you gave everyone, except this time you mean it. “I can’t help but wonder what you look like, Sanji.”

With other callers, you’d have to check what their name is before you say it. But you’re far past that point with him, and every time you say his name it makes his heart flutter.

“Well,” he says. “I’m blonde. And my eyebrows have a little… curl to them. I’m a decent height and I have a bit of a goatee.”

“And what color are your eyes?” You ask, trying to get the full picture.

He notes that question. It’s a thoughtful one. You’re thoughtful, in general. He knows that you are just being nice to him because, well, it’s your job, but also… he can’t shake the feeling that you have a soft spot for him. Do you talk to everyone like this?

“My eyes? Hmm. It depends on who you ask. I don’t know, really. Some people say they’re black, other people say grey, I’ve had a few tell me they’re blue. I’m not sure.”

You hum in response. There’s a beat of silence.

“What sort of eyes do you like?” He asks. He’s cheeky like that. You have the feeling that he has a real soft spot for you, too. Why else would he call you every week? There are plenty of others he could call. But he just sticks with you every time.

You respond. “It depends on who you ask. But historically I have liked guys with black, grey, or blue eyes. Do you happen to know anyone who fits the bill?”

He can tell that you’re smiling. He finds himself blushing, getting giddy for a few moments before he realizes that oh, right, you are at work, and oh, right, he is paying you to talk to him, like the loser he is.

His voice falters a bit the next time he speaks, a couple of seconds later. You know the exact thought that just went through his head. It’s something you are well aware of but… it does make you a bit sad with him. You like him far too much for your own good.

You wonder if you would like the look of him in real life, painfully single as you are. You wonder if he would like the look of you.

You might have a teeny tiny crush on this guy you’ve never met. Teeny tiny is a massive understatement. Just because he’s so consistent—you’ve never met a man as consistent as him—and so kind, and such a gentleman, even on the phone.

But tonight, the call ends earlier than usual. It seems that your open flirtation was a bit too genuine for him. Hit a bit too close to home. He finishes the conversation and dodges your attempt to take it farther.

“Thank you as always, beautiful. It’s a pleasure to talk to you. See you next week.” The phone hangs up abruptly. He’s gone now.

He always calls you beautiful, like everyone else does, but… it just means something coming from him. Maybe because he’s the only caller who has ever wanted to truly know something about you. And every time he hangs up, he says ‘see you next week,’ even though you never see each other. It’s cute.

You find yourself wishing he was still on the line. You’re a bit bummed that he hung up this early, not because you’re going to be left wanting for money (he always overpays), but because you always look forward to talking to him.

When you take the next caller, you’re quickly reminded that Sanji is by far the youngest and kindest of anyone who has ever called you.

---

“Hello?”

He’s on the line again. It’s Friday again, 11:30PM sharp.

You respond, tone warmer than it needs to be, given that you’re speaking to a client. “Hi.”

You’re glad to talk to him. Very realistically, this is the only interesting thing you have to look forward to—it’s not like you can afford to go out and party on the weekends. Or any day, for that matter. He’s your Friday night date every week. That doesn’t escape him.

“How was your week?” He asks, like he always does. He’s the only client who has ever asked you that.

You respond as frankly as you can without overstepping. “Hmmm. It was alright. Pretty boring, in general. It could have been better. How was your week?”

He pauses for a moment. “It was pretty good.”

“Tell me about it.” You prompt, and he begins detailing his week for you, as is your routine.

The things you know about this man’s life are random and vast, among them, you know that he lives in the city next to yours, he eats oats every morning for breakfast, and that he chain smokes as often as he can get away with (which is almost 24/7). You’ve been privy to him trying to cut back on his nicotine intake more than a few times, and he has never forgotten that you cheer him on every time he tries.

Among other things, this week he had to go to work on his usual day off (Wednesday) because the sous-chef called out (again). You can hear him roll his eyes when he says that. You roll them too, even though he can’t see.

He vents about that, and you hear him out.

“The sous-chef sounds like a real asshole,” you say. “Always has. Didn’t he call out a couple weeks ago?”

He laughs out loud at your honesty. “I fucking know, right? And yes, he did. It’s ridiculous.” Then his heart skips a beat. You really do pay attention to what he says.

“They don’t appreciate you as much as they should, Sanji. I bet I could talk some sense into them.” You say, and you both chuckle for a moment.

“What else happened this week?” You follow up, genuinely wanting to know. This man fascinates you. With how charming and sweet he is, it’s a wonder to you that he’s single. Also, the life he lives is quaint. He is a man of routine, a hard worker, and he’s driven. He has a strong and warm personality.

When he replies to your question, you can’t quite make out the tone of his voice—is that reluctance? Hesitation? Shyness? Or awkwardness? It’s hard to tell.

He responds to your question. “Well… I went on a date last night.”

Before you can wonder why, your heart starts to sink. Fuck. You really do have a crush on this guy, don’t you?

You regrettably (internally) acknowledge your disappointment. You do have a massive crush on this guy. And he’s your client. So, get a grip.

Your acting skills have to be excellent for this job. You make good use of them now. “Oh, a date?” You emanate the pinnacle of excitement for him. “How was it?”

This has happened maybe half a dozen times before. The dates always go well but the follow through rate is bad. Obviously. Or else he wouldn’t be here. But every time it has happened, your heart always sinks. Not a fun feeling.

“It went really, really well.” Sanji’s voice is happy. “Might have been the best date I’ve ever been on.” You know he’s smiling right now. Positively beaming. Your heart breaks a bit before you reprimand yourself. You have no right to like this man the way that you do.

He probably wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot-pole if he met you in real life (you tell yourself this, and you know it is a lie, but you try to say it to make yourself get a grip… needless to say, this strategy doesn’t work.)

“How was she?” You ask because you know he wants to talk about it.

“She was thoughtful, kind, and considerate. Very sweet. Kind of like you, actually.” He says, not realizing how much those words make your smile fall. “One of the cooks set us up. Like a blind date. I had no idea what to expect but she was gorgeous. Wow. So funny, too.”

His voice trails off. It’s your turn to talk.

“Awh, Sanji, I’m so glad. You deserve some attention.” Your voice is sugar coated like usual and his heart patters.

The conversation wanders into various topics. The woman he went on a date with is a veterinarian. That sours your mood. She must be real swell. Caring for sick animals and all that stuff. Ugh. The whole topic is forcing you to accept the fact that you like this guy wayyyy more than you should. You have no business having this intense of a crush on him, having this intense of a crush on a man who is, ostensibly, and for all intents and purposes, using you as his rent-a-girlfriend.

The pair of you then talk about relationships—has he ever been in one? (Yes, ages ago.) What is his love language? (Physical touch and acts of service.) What’s his type? (Essentially, you.) You ask him questions and he asks you them back. It’s a nice conversation, an intimate one, one that would have you feeling better if not for the fact that he just happened to have an amazing date.

After a while, the conversation dwindles. You know that he’s in the mood to do what this whole thing is really about—phone sex. When Sanji is in a really good mood or a really bad mood, he takes advantage of your expertise in this area. Tonight is the former.

“Is there anything else on your mind, handsome?” You ask, gauging what he’s up to tonight.

“Mmmm, there is. What are you wearing, gorgeous?”

You smile. He’s cute. Usually, you lie when men ask you this question. But with Sanji you tend to be a bit more truthful. Maybe it’s the fact that you feel like he’s going to get taken off the market soon and never call you again one day, or maybe it’s something else, but you’re getting the urge to be more candid and flirtier with him than you’ve ever been before. Real flirty, not work flirty. You’re getting the urge to step out of whatever character you put on when you pick up the phone.

“Do you want the regular client answer, or the Sanji answer?” You say, bold and not giving a fuck. Why not? He can have the real answer, hell, he can have some realness because you’ve talked for so long, and because you like him so much. Like you said, he deserves some attention.

“Oh. How about both?” He’s tickled and intrigued. “I’m flattered that I have my own option.”

“You always do. Well, the regular client answer would be that I’m wearing a babydoll slip dress made of black mesh… with a black lace thong and thigh-high black stockings. Do you like that?” Your voice starts to transform; it starts to drip pure lust, candied in honey and flattery. It’s a well-trained skill. Sanji gets hard almost immediately, tenting his pants and widening his thighs.

“I like it very much.” His voice is getting huskier, thicker. You love it when he sounds like that. His voice really is sexy. He continues. “Now, tell me the Sanji answer.”

“It isn’t nearly as glamorous. Do you still want to know?”

He nods, but it’s not like you can see him. “Of course.”

“I’m wearing a black tank top and blue plaid sweatpants. No bra, but I actually am wearing a black lace thong.” You laugh. “Very sexy, right?”

His voice comes out raspier this time. “It is, though. I much prefer the Sanji answer.”

“You’re sweet.” You say, and he can tell you mean it. “Now, what are you wearing?”

Sanji blushes and his erection strains against the fabric of his boxers. “Do you want the regular client answer, or the You answer?”

You laugh again. “How about both?”

“Well,” he continues. “The regular client answer is that I’m in black slacks and a white button down. A few buttons are undone and my sleeves are rolled up to my forearms. I’m wearing black loafers and black socks. Now, the You answer isn’t nearly as glamorous. Do you still want to know?”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t have a shirt on and I am coincidentally wearing blue plaid sweatpants as well. Can you believe that?”

“No way. Really?”

“Yep.”

“Anything underneath?” Your voice is coy and his erection pulses.

“Yep. I have boxers on. Boring black ones.”

“And what’s going on underneath of those?”

He dryly chuckles and reaches down to rub his hard on for a second. “A lot.”

“Just what I wanted to hear.” You practically purr and he runs his palm over his bulge in response.

He lets out a soft groan that make you feel some sort of way. “Oh yeah? Y’know, even though I don’t really know what you look like, I just know that you’re looking sexy in your pajama outfit right now.”

Your witty reply is stopped short. He’s the only one who is this real with you. Most of the men on the other line tend to be creepy, old, and just downright weird. This is a dying profession, after all. Sometimes the other clients are rude and dismissive, too. But Sanji… you know he really means what he says.

“You’re adorable, Sanji,” you say. “I’d venture a guess that you look pretty good right now, too.”

“Mmmm.” He hums, heartbeat rising as he continues to palm himself. “I wish I could see you right now.”

You can’t tell if this is part of the fantasy. You really did wish you could see him, though.

“What would you do to me…” your voice is smooth as silk. “If I peeled off my tanktop and shimmied out of my sweatpants?”

Sanji’s breath hitches. Something feels realer than usual about this—knowing what you’re wearing right now, what you’re really wearing, is turning him on beyond belief (assuming that you’re telling the truth, but he always chooses to believe that you are).

“If I was there, I’d kiss you, actually.”

His answer catches you off guard. You’re not sure he’s said something like this before.

There is silence for a second. You don’t know how to respond, really. You decide to just respond honestly, without appearances. Fuck it. He’d probably be off the market soon if his amazing date was anything to tell for it, so might as well.

“Wow, that’s really sweet. I’m not sure anyone has said something that nice to me in years.”

He tuts. “That’s my lowest bar of sweetness. I can go much sweeter than that, my love.”

He’s never called you that before, either. You’re starting to forget that this is a work call. It feels distinctly different than one.

“I’d like to see how sweet you can get, Sanji.”

His cock twitches again. Fuck. You really have a way with words. You get him more riled up than anyone he’s ever met before.

You continue. “After you kiss me, what would you do to me?”

“I would kiss every inch of you.”

Your heart melts. Fuck. Is this guy a saint? Where does he get off being so suave?

“Mmmm. That sounds nice. I’d like to return the favor.” Your tone, to Sanji, is effortlessly erotic. The thought of you kissing every inch of him—yes, even those inches—has him grinding the palm of his hand over his cock.

“Sounds even better. Then, if you let me, I’d go down on you.” The blonde is starting to get worked up. You can tell from his voice—when it gets all husky like this, you know he’s about to start touching himself, if he isn’t already.

Also, the fact that he said ‘if you let me’ really struck you. No one had ever said that before in your line of work. He has the tendency to say things you’ve never heard before, and he always surprises you.

“Of course I’d let you go down on me,” your voice gets softer. “What exactly would you do?” You wonder if he’d be any good. Maybe his answer will be elucidative.

“I’d start by kissing up your thighs, one at a time. Then I’d very slowly, very gently kiss your clit. Hopefully it would feel good. After a while, I think I’d be able to tell if you liked it. I’d run my tongue downwards and taste you. And tease you as much as you’re willing to put up with.”

“Mmmm. I think I could put up with a lot.” You let out a breathy sigh. You’re starting to warm up between the legs. With that voice, and those words, and that mental image… it sounds divine. You’re about to let yourself get carried away. It’s tempting.

“Is that so?” Sanji decides to keep going with the fantasy as long as you’d let him. Frequently, this happens the other way around. You usually describe to him, in great detail, what you would do to him. Apparently tonight it would be the other way around.

“In that case,” Sanji continues, “I’d take my time with you. I’d push my tongue inside of you delicately at first, then harder, and switch between that licking your clit.”

You can feel that you’re getting wet. It has only ever been with Sanji that you’ve actually gotten aroused while talking to a client. Usually, you’re as dry as the Sahara when talking to clients. But this man does things to you. Sinful things.

“What else?” You ask, biting your lip and sneaking your hand lower. You decide that, just this once, it’s okay to get carried away.

He can hear it in your voice. The synthetic, sugary (but still very much erotic) tone is dissipating and he’s hearing, for the first time, your voice bathed in genuine arousal. Your breaths are quicker than usual, your tone is less composed, and he can tell that you’re hanging onto his every word.

At the same time that his hand goes under the waistband of his boxers, yours goes under your underwear. He starts to stroke himself, relishing the first ripples of pleasure from his hand, and you do something similar. Each movement of your fingers is accompanied by his voice, by some filthy image he puts in your head.

“When you’re moaning loud enough, I’d press my middle finger into you slowly, to make sure you’re comfortable. After a moment, I’d move my finger and caress you inside a bit, and if it seemed like you liked it, I would press my ring finger into you.”

You start to mimic what Sanji is describing. It feels dangerously good. A barely audible sort of gasping sound falls out of your lips and Sanji hears it. His fist goes faster. He hasn’t ever heard you make that sort of noise before—he’s heard fake moans, sure, they were still hot (and he always told himself they were real). Anything you did was hot. But this sort of noise was the sort that could only be caused by one thing—pleasure.

Sanji’s fist goes a bit faster when he concludes that you may be touching yourself. The idea makes him feel like he’s on fire.

“I’d curl my fingers inside of you and find your g-spot… draw circles around it and press it while I place some kisses on your clit. Would you like that?”

His question catches you off guard—you’re getting lost in the act of fingering yourself.

“Mmmm. I would like that, Sanji.”

“How would I know that you liked it?”

“I’d, fuck,” another soft moan slips out of your lips and Sanji squeezes his cock tighter. “I’d run my fingers through your hair and pull you closer. Buck my hips into your tongue so you, ah, get deeper.”

“What would you say?” His voice is low now, and you can hear a faint sound in the background. He’s fisting his cock to your conversation, which is nothing new, but it brings you more of a rush than usual right now because you’re touching yourself too. “What would you say if you liked how I ate you out?”

“Don’t stop,” you shudder, and it sounds like it would if he was actually eating you out. The noise makes his heart flip. He can hear wet sounds from your end of the phone, too. He can hardly believe his ears, but sure enough, he can make out the noises of you bringing your fingers in and out of yourself.

“I wouldn’t,” Sanji says and then groans. The obscene noise goes straight to your aching core. You’re going to orgasm soon. “I wouldn’t stop until you came all over my face and I licked you clean.”

“Fuck,” you mewl. “That sounds, ah, sounds like it would feel good, Sanji.”

“Does it feel good?” He counters, twisting his hand over the head of his cock. His fist brings down the precum that has been beading at his tip, and the sensation makes his hips rock up inadvertently.

“Mmmmphhh, I—yes, it feels good, Sanji. Feels so good.”

You curl your fingers inside, searching for the spot that Sanji mentioned before. You press on it as you speak. You know he’s going to love the noise you make.

He grunts and throws his head back. He’s going to cum soon. He’s going to cum if you say his name some more. He wants it. “Say that again.”

“Fucckkk, Sanji. Feels so good.”

“I love hearing you say my name. I’m—hah—‘m gonna cum if you do it again.”

“Sanji. Sanji. Sanji, fuck, Saannnjjjiii.” On repeat, you moan his name through your orgasm, which you finally allow to wash over you. He can hear it in your voice, can hear you trying to force his name out of your mouth between keens.

Your voice has never sounded so good. He’s sure now, sure sure, that you’ve been touching yourself this whole time and that you just came. It’s a first for him. He’s suspected your arousal at other times, but this time, it’s a confirmed fact. In an instant, the fantasy fades and he can see the moment for what it is—you’ve thrown away the pretenses, acting skills, and flattery, and, for a handful of minutes, you’ve been 100% yourself with him, more so than ever before.

That’s what makes him cum. Your unreserved sincerity and desire. It’s the hardest he’s cum in a long time—and that’s a high bar, considering the fact that any time he broaches these activities with you he cums hard.

When you’re both panting in the euphoric aftershocks of your orgasms, Sanji whistles. “Damn.”

You hum in agreement. “Wow.”

He cracks a joke. “So, am I supposed to send you an invoice after this one?”

He’s hilarious in general, and this one makes you laugh. “I might allow it.” Your tone is uncharacteristically bashful. You’re about to say something you’ll later regret. “I think you’re the only person who has ever gotten me off over the phone.”

Sanji is taken aback for a second. “Really? I’m honored. And surprised.”

You almost instantly regret oversharing, chuckling awkwardly before you realize that this is a work call, and you should act accordingly. But it’s hard to pull yourself out of the intimacy of this moment and you don’t want to. So… against your better judgment, you don’t.

“I’m impressed, Sanji. Maybe we should do this more often,” you say, and Sanji’s heart thumps again. “You don’t have to only call me once a week, you know.”

“As long as you won’t get sick of me, I would love to. And we can do this again any time, gorgeous. It’s seriously my pleasure. You don’t know what you do to me, it’s only fair that I return the favor.”

While he’s saying the last part, Sanji realizes that this isn’t a favor, really. He tries to brush off that sad feeling for a moment but finds himself wondering what you really think of him.

It’s time for him to go to sleep, he concludes. He’s exhausted after a long shift and a hard orgasm.

“So, same time next week?” His voice is chipper.

“Mhm. I look forward to it, Sanji. See you later.” When the words leave your mouth, you wonder if he feels butterflies, too.

“See you later, sweetheart.”

Sanji hangs up the phone.

In your respective bedrooms, you’re both wondering what the fuck just happened. This call was full of lots of firsts and, little do you two know, the other feels elated.

But Sanji thinks about it more. He weighs his feelings for you against the practical understanding that he is, presumably, nothing more than a client to you. His heart aches at the thought.

And then he looks at his phone. The person who he went on a date with texted him while he was on the phone with you—she’s asking for another date. She says she looks forward to seeing him.

---

A week passes.

It’s Friday again.

11:30PM comes and goes. No call from Sanji.

In a span of over six months, this is the first time he hasn’t called you.

As you sit and wait for him, passing off other phone calls in case he decides he wants to speak to you tonight, your heart starts to sink.

Was last time a mistake?

Ten minutes go by.

Twenty minutes go by.

Many minutes go by. The time is now 12:30AM.

You’re left to conclude that last time was, indeed, a mistake.

You decide to take the night off. Your tears are making it hard to get any work done. You can’t put on that sultry voice and moan at old men in your current state.

There’s no denying it—his absence hurts you. Bad. Especially after last week. Especially after you admitted to him that you had never orgasmed over the phone before, and that you wanted to talk to him more often.

Why hadn’t he called you?

You wrack your brain for possibilities, but one major thing stands out. That date he went on. Maybe he went on another one and decided he liked them better.

Liked them better? You ask yourself after realizing what you just thought. He’s paying you to talk to him on the phone. Get over it. He isn’t going to keep calling you forever. What did you expect after last week? That he would just confess his love, offer to pay all of your bills, and that would be it?

You frown harder, hurting yourself deeper with your own rhetoric. The tears won’t stop.

It’s excruciating to realize that you like Sanji this much. You really like him. You know almost everything there is to know about him, too. And as much as you generally try to avoid giving out personal information, he knows a large chunk about you. Maybe that’s why it hurts so bad.

No, you tell yourself. Don’t kid yourself. You know it hurts this bad because you were hoping he liked you for real. You were hoping that this man, who you had never truly met before, who you had never seen, would, against all odds, decide that he wants you, even if he hadn’t seen you.

Fat chance, you tell yourself. Never do that with a client again, and this will never be a problem again.

---

Sanji does not call you back the next week.

Or the next week.

Or the week after that.

Or the month after that.

You are over it by the time the second month rolls around.

It’s pretty good timing, on your behalf. You think you’re really over this huge crush on a man you’ve never seen before. By the fifth month, you’re still telling yourself that you’re over this “crush”.

But that’s a delusion—any time you’re in public and there’s a blonde man, you find yourself scanning his face. Does he have a goatee? Could those eyebrows be considered curly? What color are those eyes?

When you see one that you think might be him, you always work up the courage to speak to them. But it never is Sanji. You would recognize that voice anywhere.

You wonder what you will say to him if he ever calls you again. Or if you see him in person. You decide that if he ever calls you again, you’ll either curse him out or break into tears.

In your most down-bad-hour, you contemplate showing up at the restaurant he is the chef at. You contemplate asking if you can see the kitchen. You just want a glance at him. A glance will keep your heart quiet.

But the joke’s on you—his restaurant is too expensive for you. Truly. You couldn’t afford a drink there if you tried. Okay, maybe just one. But you refuse to stoop to that level of desperation.

You’re a call away from him. He just has to dial your number.

You, on the other hand, have no way of calling or texting him. The service you work through scrambles client numbers before they’re patched through to you. The only way you know it’s Sanji is when he calls, at 11:30PM on the dot, on Friday nights. That’s Sanji time.

But it seems like Sanji time has come and gone.

You can’t shake the feeling that he did you dirty—but then you remember that he doesn’t owe you anything. This is your line of work. Phone sex. And that’s what you had. You just stepped over a boundary that you usually stay far away from. Whose fault is that?

No amount of logic can shake that feeling, though. You develop a little grudge against this man who you will never meet.

That’s what you tell yourself—that you’ll never meet him. But there’s a nugget of hope inside that, someday, he’ll call you. Someday he’ll kiss you. You try to obliterate that nugget though, as it is antithetical to the remedy to your lovesickness that you’re seeking.

Which will come first, him calling you, or you quitting this job that you’ve been meaning to quit for months at this point?

You hate to admit this to yourself, but he’s the only thing that was keeping the thoughts of quitting at bay. Maybe you really will quit this time around.

---

It is a Saturday night and you’re working again. It’s an unfortunately slow night, which sucks, because you really could use the money.

You’re scrolling on your phone, waiting for the next call to come in. It has been three hours with no calls. Guess all the creepy old men have plans tonight, which is such a shame because you need to pay rent soon. Sigh.

Time passes. You check the clock. It’s almost 11:30PM. The time doesn’t remind you of him anymore (well, much).

Maybe if you channel some of your good karma, ask the universe to cut a check of it right now, someone will call you for one long, lengthy conversation. You can help get them off as many times as they want. Five times in a row. You’ll break that record and go for six times if they just pay you. No questions asked.

Sure enough, a call comes through. You check the clock again. It’s been moving at a snail’s pace tonight. It’s 11:35PM. Hopefully whoever this is feels like talking.

“Hello?”

Your heart stops.

It sounds like Sanji for a second. But there’s no way. It’s been five fucking months.

“Hi.” You respond in your sugared up, sultry voice.

“It’s been a long time, gorgeous.”

It is Sanji.

Your heart flutters and your stomach flips. You’re speechless.

Don’t forget your game plans: curse him out or cry. But you can’t bring yourself to do either now that he’s waiting on the other line. You’re about to hang up the phone. You owe this man nothing and he owes you nothing—it’s that simple.

As you go to press the end call button, he speaks again.

“I’m sorry.”

The tears start now. The dam inside of you breaks. Hot tears pour out of your eyes and down your cheeks.

You didn’t think that hearing his voice would have this strong of an effect on you. But the heartbreak that you once thought faded away is now back in full force.

He’s waiting for a response before he hears shuddering breaths from you as you cry. Your tears are all the confirmation he needs—he knows that he was right months ago when he worked up the courage to confess to you. He should have done it. He knows that he was wrong to take the coward’s way out. And he knows he was wrong to tell himself that you didn’t care about him and wouldn’t care when he disappeared, because he was just a client to you. He was so terribly wrong. The sound of your sobs shatters him.

“I should have called you before. I’m so sorry. And maybe you hate me for waiting this long to call you again. I understand if you do. I just couldn’t keep it inside anymore, I—”

“Where the fuck were you?” You cut him off. Your anger is starting to seep through the tears. Maybe the first game plan can still happen. “I waited for you, Sanji.”

He doesn’t even try to think of a comeback or excuse. He tells you plainly what happened and, even though it breaks your heart some more, it makes sense.

“Well… I finally found someone. Last time, after I hung up, I had another date with that person I mentioned, and it went really well. So, we just kept going on dates. It didn’t feel right to keep calling you when things with her were progressing so quickly. We got together, and—”

“I understand, Sanji. That’s all I wanted to hear. Thanks.”

You slam your finger down on the hang up button. Your heart is broken enough as it is. He can keep all that yapping to himself. Good for nothing heartbreaker.

So what, he was with whoever that was. So what, they love each other and have been together almost half a year at this point. So what, he was just a client the whole time and you had gotten your hopes up for nothing and—your catastrophizing is stopped in its tracks when your phone starts to buzz again. You feel like it’s Sanji.

You pick up the phone. It is.

“Wait, wait, don’t hang up, please let me finish, please.”

“What, so you can tell me how much you love your girlfriend? I get it, Sanji. You paid me to talk to you for so long that of course you got sick of it and finally got what you had been after the whole time, a loving, very real partner. I understand that I’m just a service to be used and discarded later. That’s fine. Goodbye.”

“No. Listen to me.” Sanji’s voice is stern and harsh, a tone you’ve never heard from him before. “We got together and then she very quickly dumped me. Do you know what she kept saying to me? She said I was too absentminded. She thought I was thinking about someone else. Dumped me after two months because I couldn’t give her what she wanted. Absentminded.”

His words hang in the air for a few moments while you try to process why the fuck he’s explaining any of this to you and why it matters. He continues. His voice is emphatic, hurried, and nervous sounding.

“And if I’m being honest, I was absentminded. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I know this sounds fucking ridiculous because we’ve never met, and I understand if you tell me to go fuck off because I’m sure this happens to you all the time, but… I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve tried to for months. Three months. I told myself that I was an idiot for falling for someone out of my league. And the crazy thing is, I don’t even have to see you to know you’re out of my league. The way you act is out of my league. YOU are out of my league. You’re thoughtful, and kind, and considerate, and you pause before you respond whenever you talk because I can tell you’re really thinking over your response. And you’re funny. And witty, and charming, and you never once made me feel weird or less than for calling and finding solace in you. I’ve been lonely for years. I make the first move all the time, but it never works out. And I know I fucked this one up, and I know I didn’t have a chance in hell with you to begin with, but I just, fuck, I had to get this off my chest. I love you. I fell for you the first conversation we had. Now please tell me to fuck off.”

You can tell that every word he is saying is sincere and earnest. You can hear the emotion in his voice. While you wipe your tears dry and mend your heart together, you take deep breaths. He can wait for your response. Like he just said, you’re intentional about your responses to people. Every word matters. Especially with Sanji.

“Do you know how bad it hurt after our last conversation to not hear from you again?” You start.

He winces. He knew that was coming.

“I’m so so sorry. I’m so sorry. It was disrespectful of me, and callous, and if you hang up and never want to speak to me again, I understand and I deserve it.”

“You do deserve it.” You say, regaining some composure. “You really do, Sanji.”

“I’m sorry.” You can hear his frown. It’s a cute one. Fuck. His cute words are playing back in your ears too. So, he loves you?

Should you tell him how you feel? How you’ve felt for a long time?

One part of you is screaming at you to get a grip. But the other part—all the other parts—are finally, finally hearing what you’ve been wanting to hear for around a year at this point. That he likes you for you. That he sees you as you, and not some dolled up object of affection that’s only there to get people off and talk dirty to them. It has never been like that between you.

“If I accept your apology, Sanji, what then?”

“I—I actually didn’t think I would make it this far. But if you accept my apology, my next step is to ask you out to dinner with me. And to ask for your phone number. Your real phone number.”

You let out a long, deep sigh. “Sanji. My love. You could have told me these things months ago. It would have saved both of us so much heartbreak. I was devastated. Do you know that?”

You know that he already profusely apologized but you feel like driving it home a bit more. He deserves it. But while you talk, his hopes start to rise. You’ve never called him ‘my love’ before. Maybe that bodes well?

“I’m so sorry. I really am.” He sounds like he means it. You trust him enough to know that he does. Well, fuck it.

“Don’t think I’ll just forget about this because I’m head over heels for you, okay?”

“You—what?” He’s caught off guard. “You are?”

“Sanji. Yes. And you could have found out ages ago. Now, when are we going to dinner? You can apologize to me again then, too. And even if you don’t like what you see, you have to pay for everything. I’m getting an appetizer, an entrée, a dessert, at least two drinks, and whatever else I want. Okay?”

He laughs in relief. “Yes, okay. Yes. Holy shit, I didn’t think you would say that. I wish I could kiss you.”

“Wait—one last thing. If you decide you don’t like me after our date, Sanji, you have to tell me there on the spot. You can’t leave me waiting for another five months. You just can’t.”

“I promise, I won’t leave you waiting. I promise.”

When you hang up the phone a few minutes later (after more twisting the knife), you’re so thrilled that you can hardly breathe.

You can’t believe this is real life. You also can’t believe how quickly you just forgot your dignity, but you’ll unpack that later.

Dinner is set for tomorrow night. 7:30PM on the dot. Sanji is calling out of work, and he’s taking you to the (second) nicest restaurant in town (his is the first, obviously, and he wants to save that for a night where he can really plan ahead and spoil you).

---

When you get to the restaurant, Sanji is already there, waiting outside with a large bouquet of flowers.

He’s more handsome than you could have imagined. Of course he is. You do have great intuition, and you knew from the start that he was sexy. But… goddamn, he is sexy.

It makes sense now what he meant by curly eyebrows. He’s dressed well, too. He’s wearing black slacks and a white button down. A few buttons are undone, and his sleeves are rolled up to his forearms. He has black loafers and black socks. And he smells good. And he smiles good.

He’s so nervous he could puke. He hopes that when he sees you the nerves will melt. But they get 20x worse because he’s enamored with you. You’re beyond his wildest dreams—no number of fantasies could have led him to guess that you look like this.

He’s so obsessed that he starts to stammer before you tell him to calm down, and that he’s making you nervous.

Over dinner, you catch up on everything you’ve missed in the past few months of silence. You fill him in on details in your life that you previously kept to yourself, and he sees a whole new side of you.

At the end of the date, he tells you that he still loves you, that he loves you even more now, and that he’s so so sorry. He says that he’s mesmerized by you, that you’re more than he could have ever dreamed of, and that you can count on him for anything.

You seal the night with a kiss. A long one. It’s so romantic that you feel a bit disturbed with how happy you are after.

And it turns out that yes, this is your big happy ending. You make a perfect pair.

Epilogue: The day that Sanji finally shows off the techniques he told you about long ago, you’re more than satisfied. In fact, it seems like he was actually underselling himself there. You always knew he was the modest type.

thanks for reading! this was inspired by a whole lot of laufey! i hope you liked it. i love sanji so much it hurts me ;(

here's my masterlist if you're interested!

divider courtesy of @cafekitsune tag list @eggrollforyou

[fangdokja]

Yandere royal guards plot twist: reader was isekaid into their world and has no idea wtf they’re saying, so thinks being nonchalant is safest when it’s actually making them insane lmao

You got isekai’d. Now three murder machines think your blank stares are divine wisdom.

♡ Yandere! Royal Guards who don’t realize their beloved Sovereign is just some random girl from another world with no clue what’s happening.

♡ Yandere! Royal Guard who prowls at your feet like a starving beast, ears twitching, tail lashing, his grin full of sharp promises. “Sovereign, I’ve torn out the tongues of the palace spies. Their screams were... exquisite.” His voice purrs, expectant, waiting.

You stare blankly. “Ah.”

His pupils dilate. His breath shudders. “...Your restraint is incredible.”

♡ Yandere! Royal Guard who kneels before you, his wings folding like a dying swan’s. “Sovereign, forgive my forwardness, but do you love us?” His angelic eyes shine with desperation, manic with devotion. “You need only say it, and we shall set fire to the world in your name.”

You blink slowly. He is sweating.

“…Sure.”

His breath hitches—his body trembles—his fingers dig into his chest as though holding his heart inside his ribs. “Such… modesty,” he breathes. “To hide your love beneath cold indifference—your restraint is divine.”

♡ Yandere! Royal Guard who glowers from the shadows, a hulking wall of destruction. “Fight me.” His voice grinds like crushed bone, deep and sharp. “Your fists. Now.”

You shake your head. “No thanks.”

His nostrils flare. His hands twitch. “...You are waiting,” he mutters. “You want me to earn it.” His eyes gleam with lethal reverence. “I will not disappoint you.”

You sip your drink. He goes outside. The walls tremble. The ground shakes. The screams of unfortunate trainees echo into the sky.

They don’t know that you, a confused isekai victim, have no idea what they’re saying. They think your apathy is an unfathomable test. Every blank stare fuels their madness.

And the worst part? You’re just trying to stay alive.

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♡ Note. This is NOT canon. Reader is canonically genetically equipped, capable in her position despite the chaos of the Yandere! Royal Guards, and her apathetic personality is really made to be that way. This is a what-if fanfic to the main story. Character banner art belongs to “inplick” and can be found in Instagram. But, it it also official art from a collaboration between Link Click x Sanrio.

♡ A/N. Anon, my request box is closed even for short requests (this isn't an ask, but a request). Also, please read the RULES before making requests. I only allowed this since I do plan on opening Anon requests; but, I haven't made the official announcement. My request box will officially open 2-5 months from now. But... since this can be used for drabbles anyway, fine. Don't expect me to spoil you guys though! I'm already swamped with a lot of long project requests alongside other works. Also, I don't like doing canon-divergent works of my OC's usually, but fine. Short, attempt at humor idea. Seriously. Please read the Rules, I don't like repeating myself.

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If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, just comment on the MASTERLIST of Whispers in the Dark (WITD): Subtle Devotion, Lingering Shadows. Thank you.

General TAG LIST of “Whispers In The Dark”: @keisocool , @elvabeth , @elloredef , @mjsjshhd , @lem-hhn , @yuki-istired

❤︎ Fang Dokja's Books.

♡ Book 1. A Heart Devoured (AHD): A Dark Yandere Anthology ♡ Book 2. Forbidden Fruits (FF): Intimate Obsessions, Unhinged Desires. ♡ Book 3. World Ablaze (WA) : For You, I'd Burn the World. ♡ Book 4 [you are here]. Whispers in the Dark (WITD): Subtle Devotion, Lingering Shadows.