#but god yes thank you for sharing!!! you absolutely put it to the right words

[squuote]

sits on the floor a casual space away from you. so I have this fun interpretation. it's called "the narrator made the bucket to matter to stanley in a parallel of what stanley actually means to him, and when he talks about how stanley talks to the bucket, it is him trying to emote to stanley how he feels--and, when he interprets the bucket telling stanley things, he is once again projecting his interpretation of stanley's actions." and i havent thought about it in a minute and I won't claim there's text to support it and I know people LOVE to say the Bucket is what the narrator projects onto but I've just loved the joke "Stanley is the Narrator's Emotional Reassurance Bucket" for a long time also the bit in the freedom ending "both of them wanted to start watching a film, then stop halfway through, go to the end and watch it backwards" > "wait, no, let's stay in the memory zone, let's go backwards, see how that feels!!!" like. that feels intentional to me. that link DOES feel on purpose.

VERY LATE TO ANSWERING THIS SORRYY been off the rails for the past few days but YES YES you put it to words so well!! the bucket definitely at least feels like its meant to reflect how the narrator feels to a large extent rather than just simply projecting onto it. the idea of him projecting onto the bucket is fun but I def think this fits better narratively and also with how some of the dialogue goes. the whole thing feels so much more like a reflection of his dynamic with stanley than the latter, it’s hard to imagine it as anything other than a reflection of their dynamic. it also makes me think of the bit from the Figley ending

which I feel like does add a lot to this too. more so concerning what stanley means to him. so yess very much agree with the sentiment of "stanley is the narrator's emotional reassurance bucket" in many ways. or at the very least as a companion as he describes, which the bucket is for stanley as well. as if in a way, stanley was made with that intent. or it at least feels like it more often than not when comparing dialogue

think its also worth noting that despite being a reassurance bucket, not all of the bucket's endings are fun or silly or even reassuring as intended (the elevator ending and the pit ending specifically comes to mind) which feels like it parallels the more bad endings between stanley and the narrator. not just a parallel to their good times but also an introspective on their bad times. or maybe im just reaching with that dfkkgfg either way, felt worthy of mentioning in terms of parallels.

AND YEAH THAT LINE DOES FEEL VERY INTENTIONAL like there’s no way it’s not purposeful. I love that so much of the dialogue in the game in general feels so purposeful or connected it’s so great

[chaussetteblanche]

and they were roommates pt. 3

pairing : Spencer Reid x fem!student!roommate!reader summary : life on campus with a killer on the loose, the FBI makes an arrest word count : 2k warning : canon-typical violence, swear words (one use of the f-word) A/N : thank you so so much for all the love on this story !!! I'm so glad you all enjoy it <333 I'll probably do a part 4, it may be the last part, idk yet :)

part 1, part 2, part 4

"Spencer, I realise your concern, but lots of women look somewhat like this." It wasn't lost on Spencer what Hotch was trying to do by calling by his first name. "Hotch, she- she could be right next to them. She fits his type right down to the colour of her eyes!" "Spencer, man, you need to think rationally." Derek placed a hand on Spencer's shoulder. "Lots of women have that hair colour and length, it's in style right now, right Emily?" "Yeah, definitely." "Look, I just- I need to make a call."

When Spencer had called you sometime in the evening, you'd been expecting him to tell you he was going to come home late and to not wait up for him. What you weren't expecting was for his voice to be the most serious and stern you'd ever heard it. "Don't go outside until I come home, okay?" He knew it was entirely irrational. The unsub only took women in broad daylight, you weren't facing any more risks than usual. But he couldn't take a chance. Not with this. Not with you. "What? Why?" "Just- I'll explain everything when I come home, I'll be there in a couple hours, but please, don't leave the apartment. And make sure everything is locked." "Spencer, what's going on?" "Can you just-" He paused, forcing himself to remain calm. "Look, do as I say, please. I'll explain everything later, I promise." You hesitated for a moment. Luckily for you, you weren't working at the bar tonight. Luckily for Spencer, you liked him enough to indulge him. "Okay." "Thank you."

"Oh my God, no, absolutely not!" "Y/N, it's for your safety, don't you understand that?!" "My safety? What about my life?"

This was the first real fight you'd ever had. You'd had disagreements, of course, he didn't like you leaving your empty cups and glasses all over the place. You told him off for waking you in the morning by making too much noise. Sometimes you'd get jealous if Geoffrey slept in Spencer's bed rather than yours. Yes, you'd had your fair share of arguments, but none quite like this.

"I'm not asking you to give up your life, you're being totally-" You scoffed loudly, interrupting him. "Spencer, you might as well! Do you realise what you're suggesting I do? You want me to give up on going outside, not go to any of my classes, not see any of my friends, not go to work, don't you see what bullshit that is? It's putting a cross on my social life, my education and my work!" You gesticulated angrily as you speak, feeling heat rising to your face. "I already told you, it's for your own safety." He sighed loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He wasn't even looking at you. A tiny, tiny piece of you wanted to slap him. "I will not stop living my life because some psycho thinks it's fun to kill innocent girls! I won't!" You crossed your arms over your chest and resisted the urge to stomp your foot.

"You're being incredibly childish right now." You hated how he managed to stay calm. You wanted him to get just as angry as you were, livid even. It wasn't fair that you were the only one getting upset. "Are you making all the girls who look like me give up everything for the sake of their safety?" Your tone was mocking and mean but you didn't have it in you to care at the moment. He met your eyes at last, lips turned downwards into a frown. Finally, some sort of emotion. "Don't do that, Y/N," he warned in a low voice. "No, I think it's a valid question. Is your boss making an announcement to the press that all the girls in Mary Washington University who look like the three last girls should stay inside? Is he?" you pushed. Spencer looked away from you again, shaking his head in disbelief at your attitude. "No, he isn't."

"Then why do you expect me to do that?!" You threw your hands in the air, beyond frustrated. For a logical person, Spencer's behaviour wasn't making any sense at the moment. "I don't expect you to do it. I want you to do it, I need you to do it." You could feel his calm facade breaking, piece by piece. "Why, Spencer, fucking why?!" "Because!" He finally exploded, jumping to his feet and slapping his palms onto the table. You didn't jump. "Because it's you, Y/N! I can't work this case if I know you're in danger every single day! If I know yours could be the next dead body students ogle at on the university's front lawn! If I know it's your picture they're going to hang up next to the other victims! I just can't do it!"

Oh.

You let yourself fall down on the couch, running your hands over your face. You were both stepping into uncharted territory. You'd tip-toed this line before but had never crossed it yet. And this was not the way to do it. You were not going to cross the border from friendship into something more by screaming at each other. Spencer seemed to read your silence as distress.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." He softly trudged over to the couch and sat down next to you. "No, it's okay, I- I kind of wanted you to. I'm sorry for getting so upset." You take his hand in your lap and intertwine your fingers. "I understand, I'm asking too much of you, it's selfish." He gives your hand a squeeze. "I just can't stand the thought of anything happening to you." You sit in silence for a little while, processing.

"I just can't hide while I wait for other girls to be killed, Spencer, it wouldn't be fair." Sometimes, Spencer hated how good of a person you were. If your morals and personal ethics were some of the things he liked about you the most, he couldn't help but curse them in this moment. "I don't care about fair," he mumbled, hating how puerile he sounded. You cooed and laid your head on his shoulder. "I know, I'm sorry."

"I won't promise you anything, but I'll try to always be with someone around campus. I'm usually with my friends anyway. And I can share my location with you all the time if that's reassuring for you." "I'd like that, thank you. And... what about when you're at work?" "I can ask Paul to walk me to my car." Paul was the manager at the bar you worked at, Quantequila. His past was a mysterious blend of prison, MMA fighting and crochet clubs. He liked you plenty and you knew he wouldn't mind walking you to your car for a while. "Thank you."

Over the next week, you did just that. Many students started moving in groups and avoiding being alone at all costs after the FBI released the profile and the pictures of the last victims.

"We're looking for a local white man, early twenties. He may have moved here a year ago, we figure he's either in his first year of BA or MA. This is someone you don't notice, he's shy and introverted, he doesn't participate in class and he won't talk to people if he can help it, especially not women. This man is a loner and does his best to be invisible. We think he stalks his victims for a while before attacking them, so if you start seeing someone you've never seen before in strange places, please notify us. My name is Aaron Hotchner and you'll find the hotline on the screen you're watching this on."

You always had at least two friends with you whenever you were roaming about on campus. Though no one really spoke about the situation, the energy had changed. People were becoming tense and suspicious. Friends were fighting over who should accompany who, when and where. A place which had once gathered so many motivated and joyous students now had those very people looking over their shoulder.

You hated it.

Truly, you didn't want to underestimate this killer, but you were getting tired of it all. You'd wish the BAU would just catch him, but, as Spencer had explained to you multiple times, they had incredibly little to go on. What you knew without him telling you was that they needed another victim to predict his next move. Still, you were a person who appreciated alone time and you had gotten none in the last 10 days. So, when two of your friends who were supposed to walk with you from your class to the subway bailed on you, you weren't that upset.

You put your headphones on, listening to your favourite song of the moment and started walking. You had a tendency of getting lost in your thoughts and didn't notice the sound of heavy footsteps following your own over your music. What you did notice though, was the reflection of someone walking close behind you in a cafe window. You looked over your shoulder, frowning. The sun was in your eyes, blocking your vision, but you managed to perceive an average-sized man with long-ish black hair which hung around his face in greasy strands. Not thinking too much of it, you continued on your way.

You didn't think too much of it when you saw him sitting a few tables away from you when you were studying one afternoon at the library. You were captivated by the Middle English poem under your eyes, wondering what the author had meant with the particular use of the kenning "earth-cave". When you looked up and caught his eyes, cold and unnerving, you didn't overthink it. There were some weird people on campus. Who were you to judge?

When you saw him at your grocery store, though, that was when you started worrying. You were picking up a box of After-Eights for Spencer when you saw him looking at oatmeal raisin biscuits. What really tipped you off was that no one really liked those, so he must have been pretending to look occupied. A chill ran down your spine as all the other places you'd spotted him came back to you. Your lecture hall, the cafeteria, sitting in the lawn under a tree, the main hall,...

You decided that the next time you would see him, you'd tell Spencer. You didn't want him to worry if this turned out to be nothing. Maybe the man was just an exchange student? Or had joined during the academic year?

Two days later, the FBI made an arrest. A man named Ben Colton fitted the profile exactly. In his dorm room, they'd found pictures of women who looked exactly like the last victims and of resembling women on campus, you were part of them. You didn't know that, Spencer had felt you didn't need to be aware of that specific detail. The only problem was that the BAU had no physical evidence tying him to the crimes yet. The arrest had been sanctioned by higher authorities while physical proof was searched for. Police dogs and officers had been tearing through all of his possessions while Garcia had gone through his entire online life. Nothing tying him to the murders had been found.

The general public knew nothing of this, of course. To them, someone getting arrested meant they could go on with their usual lives. The man you'd been seeing left and right had left your mind entirely as you celebrated your regained freedom with your friends.

Of course, Spencer had warned you. They were 99% sure this was the unsub, they just needed the evidence. That didn't eliminate the 1% chance it wasn't him. But 99% chances were good enough for you. You trusted the BAU. Specifically, you trusted Spencer. With your life.

So you started living your life normally again. You left for class a little later because you didn't need to walk with your other friends. You stopped sharing your location with Spencer. You put the volume of your music higher again. You started leaving your pepper spray at home. You started texting while walking again.

Needless to say, you were wholly unprepared for the violent blow to your head as you walked to class one morning. How ironic, you thought as you blacked out, that Mary Goldman had probably experienced the same thing exactly two weeks prior.

Taglist : (all of you who asked for a part three <3) @princess-ofthe-pages @usuck @theylovemelody @empressgraytea @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @lillianacristina @venomsvl @user-3113s-blog @pumpkin-cake @redros3y @faunrasthewinterelf @puppykinsthepotato @bookishnerd1132 @bonza-bear @teeshamcbeesha @hades-disappointment-child @princesssparkle2024 @darlingcharling-blog @yasmin12312 @khxna @jamieeboulos

[strandedtoodeep]

Poolverine fics rec' ✨

Yes, FINALLY.

So, basically what the title said: some poolverine's fics recommendation because i have nearly 100 bookmarks and sharing is caring so let's go!

I'll put title, link, tag the author (if they are on tumblr), numbers of words & chapters and probably silly summary or thoughts

I'll be adding some in the future with a red exclamation❗

The one without smut have a bunny emoji 🐰

My faves are on top

If you have some recs i'm happy to take them thank you 🤲

Faves

Come Hell or High Water by @farmhandler 84k, 11 ch. || love when a fic take mental health seriously and talk about it in a way that feel so right? (bonus the smut is *chef's kiss*

Promise Me We'll Be Back In Time by @back4destiel 108k, 17 ch. || 50 First Dates was one of my favorite movie when i was a preteen (yeah) so this fic fill me with nostalgia and happiness

where soul meets body by @edgebug 33k, 3 ch. || one of my first poolverine's fic and it sets the bar so HIGH (and tbh i cried so much reading it, it's concerning)

silence is what i do best (but still i hear it all) by @cainroses 25k, 3 ch. || feral! logan is very dear to me and the character's voices in it?? absolutely delightful (beware the smut is very good but spicy)

Until you get sick of me, honestly by @3koboldsinahoodie 121k, 23ch. (on going) || i love it so much i want to forget it and discovers it again, the peak of two idiots in love it's beautiful

whoever makes my baby cry (is gonna lose some teeth tonight) by @wickedscribbles 16k, 4 ch. || love some genderplay, bottom and protective logan, my dear, i love it but most importantly the writings is scrumptious

The Void by @rovingotter 115k, 23 ch. || i'm still trying to process what i feel with this fic, please please read this blindly and i assure you, you'll never be the same

The Soundtrack by @greatsnakestintin 39k, 14 ch. (on going) || love a good road trip fic, love music so it's absolutely perfect for me! and the plot is so?? fascinating???

Kaleidoscope by Space_wanderer 79k, 14 ch. || CHAPPELL ROAN REFERENCE! when Logan is such a idiot Wade need to go get him AGAIN in his universe

Don't you want me to run? by @decaying-lover 62k, 19 ch. (on going) || if you love angst, this fic will serve you ANGST! love their dynamics, the tension, their voices, everything

On going

Somewhere I belong by @terrasilvershade 24k, 6ch. || another girls dad AU but this one, my god!!! the feels?? it's so interesting to see Logan being envious and it's writing so well

Baby(girl) Don't Hurt Me by @peargreen-jellybean 16k, series with 4 works || 4 fics and i love them all! some good poolverine pining & domestic bliss + men in lingeries (my weakness)

In Another Life by @flash-bastardd 32k, 10 ch. || x-men origins but better! (bc it's gay) i have some feelings with this movie but this fic healed me and i love it!

call me when you’re ready to be real by @maroonmused 23k, 9 ch. || "and they were roommates" ofc like it's not absolutely obvious for EVERYONE except themself; a very good domestic bliss!

Don't Want To Be A Fool For You by @cuntylogan 45k, 2 ch. || bartender! logan who try to fight his addiction (and slowly fall in love) has a special place in my heart, you go boy

How To Pay For Rent 💸 by @fictionfeast 42k, 3 ch. || this fic feels like a fever dream, but a OH SO GOOD and well writing fever dream! (ngl as a french person Craig List scares me)

❗🐰 Christmas in Canada by @thatoneartyishperson 7k, 3 ch. || listen, Halloween is still my favorite holidays but Poolverine AU Hallmark Christmas Movies ? URGH i'm here for it!!

❗Synergy and Entropy by @artemis-pendragon 32k, 13 ch. || i was so sure that i'd put this fic here but no??? anyways, the hurt and angst in this fic are so astronomically good, so beware

❗🐰 make me into something sweet by @mothgardens 30k, 8 ch. || AU poolverine WITH MUSICAL CLASS? it's... it's beautiful! particularly love the dynamic between Logan and Wade in this one

Complete

🐰 the dollhouse by @kanashikute 4k, OS || love the fluffiness in this fic, love how Logan accept to love, be loved and doesn't left Wade behind UGH they're so cute in this one!!!

Girl Dads by @starburstsobsessions 40k, 16 ch. || AU poolverine's fic are fire and this one, THIS ONE, omg! this fic makes my dream (aka seeing dilf! logan) a reality

🐰 Glass Shards by greaserbabes 9k, 2 ch. || always love when Logan and Wade are SO STUPIDLY in love; ngl the scene with the glass shards make me cry every time

❗You Should Feel My Nature Too by sterlingstars 10k, OS || so uh, i love stripper! Wade okay? it's not really that with this one but it's as good AND wholesome (and spicy too) so yeah

🐰 The Folly Of Playing Gay Chicken Too Hard (Phrasing) by GayLord3000 3k, OS || the domestic fic where Wade is the stupid one, being so stupid in fact it's nearly cost him his relationship with Logan whoops

Love shot by lillygoeson 28k, 6ch. || another bartender! logan one, but AU no powers AND with a good "twist" in the middle; this fic is so bittersweet and good oml

look at you by @weedwilson 3k, OS || yes it's shameless smut and mirror sex, my beloved... and I LOVE when Logan worshipping Wade this much bc he deserves it

It's Just Chemistry by @farmhandler 37k, 5 ch. || in the same universe of Come Hell or High Water, there is so... so much angst but it's very good angst!!! still love this specific dynamic

🐰 We Should Just Kiss (Like Real People Do) by @nikaandtea 8k, OS || HOZIER REFERENCE! i'm still so happy when a fic talk about chronic pain combined with domestic bliss i'm totally sold

Night Terrors by educatedwish 50k, 13 ch. || love how Logan is written is this fic, how PTSD messed with his feelings in a serious way... my heart melt everytime i read it

second nature to me now by @edgebug 36k, OS || a investigation in a gay club??? with my two idiots in love?? and with old gay Logan? i giggled so hard reading this, i LOVE IT

🐰 It Feels Like Home by @twentyghosts 10k, 6 ch. || one of my favorite trope is the 5+1 and this one... my god, right in the feels! so much fluffiness, coziness, it warm my heart

❗a loaded gun, can't contain this anymore (i'm all yours, i've got no control) by @obihoebikenobi 6k, OS || i have nothing to say other than read the tag hehe! but yeah love the concept, the smut is spicy (always like some focus on the claws)

🐰 stuck by the glue (oh and you) by prngslvr 3k, OS || a good rewriting of (some scenes) from DP&W, and one of my first fluff and non-smut fic that i read after watching the movie!

Let Me Get Back to You by ratflavored 14k, 2 ch. || pls i want to read more fics with phone sex in it (i know it's specific) but in the meantime, this one is SO good (and full of feels too)

tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by signifier 10k, OS || i have a thing for time loop and this kind of fuckery, it's short but good and i love the title it make me chuckles

🐰 Take Me Through the Darkness to the Break of the Day by The_Colour_Yellow 17k, 10 ch. || a very good fic around hanahaki disease with my two favorites idiots??? sign me in! even with so much hurt and angst UGH

Oh, God, I Think I'm Fallin' by @slut-arc 15k, 5 ch. || the return of domestic poolverine and YES I KNOW but it's my weakness... and Logan is so emotionally constipated it's concerning

❗🐰 Little Reflection by @wickedscribbles 11k, 5ch. || poolverine + cute cat + Logan suffering from anxiety and i'm sold! because ofc Logan is a true and pure cat (and dog) dad

the bucket list by @kanashikute 33k, 4 ch. || read this one, please, really, it's so bittersweet BUT i promise there's a good ending (and i cried so much while reading it)

🐰 he’s the headlights, I’m the deer by NatalieK 7k, OS || it's interesting to see Logan's losing his healing factor for once instead of Wade! and seeing Wade taking care of him, my heart

❗when you get a taste, can you tell me what's my flavor? by @slut-for-a-good-latte 5k, OS || one of my favorite thing with poolverine is psychic/quantum thingy bond because of the Time Ripper and this one DELIVERS!!

🐰 holding out for a hero by @splinnters 6k, 3 ch. || once again, i have a soft spot for Logan trusting Wade so much he called him when something is wrong and this, THIS is good

🐰 I've got some color back (he thinks so too) by @mid13s 3k, OS || just a short fic with non-sexual intimacy because these two need comfort, hugs and a lot of affection (and the Hozier reference is chef's kiss)

❗who are you, really? by @edgebug 45k, 4 ch. || the sequel of where soul meets body and it's also an absolutely masterpiece! and still trying to process my feelings for this fic

[weneepie]

sunshine w/ deadpool rules | m.list

note. hi there! glad you liked my first post, so here I am with another one! I had this idea with wade for a while and I really wanted to do it so there it is!! feel free to request <3

You didn’t even remember how you ended up sharing an apartment with no one else than Wade Wilson, also known as Deadpool ; but God knows how chaotic it was. The man was a mess, there were no other words than that. Sleeping schedule, bad habits, ADHD undiagnosed ; oh yes, living with him was tiring. Yet, it wasn’t the worst thing you ever experienced. In fact, Wade was probably the best thing that happened in your life in a long time ; even if you would never admit it. 

Actually, you were the best thing that happened in his life too. He was acting like a fool all the time, like everything was always fine ; but when Vanessa left, everything became so hard for him. Until you arrived like the ray of sunshine that you were, showing him what it meant to be happy with someone again. Even if there was nothing official between the two of you, Wade knew his heart was all yours. 

That night, you forced him to come with you and the rest of the group to this bar, not so far from your place. You were alone at the counter to grab your drink when you heard a voice you didn’t know talking to you. Avoiding it was your best solution, but the man didn’t give you the chance to do so. He put his hand on your shoulder and you felt the cold shiver down your spine bringing you violent disgust. 

He didn’t have any spidersense, but Wade noticed that something was off almost immediately. It seemed that his own senses were made to protect you. He looked in your direction and saw how uncomfortable you were because of this random dude. He stood up in a second, coming closer to the counter. He wrapped his arm around your waist to bring you closer, forcing the stranger to let go of you. Wade left a kiss on your cheek, a smile on his lips. 

“Taking your sweet time, pumpkin,” he started to say before glancing at the man. The stranger cleared his throat, offering his hand to Wade. “I’m…” He didn’t let him finish. “Leaving, right?” And the silence fell strong. They looked at each other for a moment before the man left, mumbling something into his beard. Wade sighed in an exaggerated manner, before letting go of you and coming in front of you. 

“What a jerk! You’re okay?” He asked, and you slowly nodded as an answer. You were still feeling his hand on your waist, like it left a soft burn after his touch ; but you tried to act like nothing was happening inside of your head. You both got back with the rest of your friends, trying to forget about this. 

You were sitting next to Yukio, talking with the girl about who knows what. You had this bright smile on your lips while giggling, the one you were only showing when you were all together ; and Wade noticed it. He looked at you, simply taking note mentally of how pretty you were. There was no doubt, you were his sunshine ; and he was ready to do absolutely anything to be sure that you would never lose this smile. 

You were just the two of you, walking back home. You definitively drank too much, and Wade was glad that you were not coming home on your own. You were all giggling and smiling, talking to him about stuff he wasn’t understanding. At some point, he was carrying you on his back because your feet hurt too much. You didn’t have to ask for too long because this man couldn’t say no to you. Your face was hiding in the crook of his neck, mumbling some stuff he couldn’t get. 

“What is it, sweetpie?” He asked with a soft smile, waiting for your answer. It took you some time, before your voice got out in a soft tone. “You’re the best Wade… Thank you for being here.” He was sure he heard you wrong, because there was no way you were saying this, right? But when he felt your grip around him tightening a little, it simply confirmed everything. Wade took a few moments to think about what to tell you ; until he heard your breath getting heavier. You were falling asleep, and he couldn’t give you any answer. 

Anyway, it wasn’t like you would remember anything. He chuckled silently, holding you on his back. “I’m never leaving, pumpkin. Love ya too much for that.” His voice was barely above a whisper, and the silence after his words confirmed that you were asleep. So he simply walked you back to your shared apartment. He put you in your bed after taking off your shoes and your makeup. 

When he joined his own bed, a flow of thought ran in his mind. But he shoved them away and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. After all, you didn’t hear anything. Or at least, that was what he thought. He wasn’t aware that you were now holding your blanket tightly, heart racing in your chest because of his words.

thank you for reading!

[justnatoka]

Of crushes and marshmallows

Dwayne x GN! Reader

A/n: Yes, I know the setup is very similar to Love is in the air, but I couldn't care less lol.

Word count: 938

Prompt: "He's so pretty I think I'm gonna faint."

The smell of burnt sugar filled your nose as Paul yelped, then started cursing. He had been working on roasting the perfect marshmallow, carefully keeping watch to make it just right. However, when you looked over, his stick was tipped over, right into the campfire, his marshmallow lying sad and abandoned in between the charred logs. Paul himself was already further down the beach, chasing after a cackling Marko. His shout of “I’ll get you, you little shit” and his brother’s booming laughter flew back to you with the light summer breeze.

You just finished eating your own sweet snack, and thanked the gods – and Marko – for finding packs of marshmallows among the belongings of the unfortunate college guys you fed on for dinner. Ironically enough, they were also camped out around their own fire on the complete other end of the beach. You all figured it would be a shame to let those goodies go to waste. Morally questionable? Absolutely. But morals go out the window the minute you start tearing people’s throats out.

You noticed that the bag you’ve been sharing with Star had run out, so you motioned over to Dwayne. He was sitting across from you on the other side of the fire, the bag of marshmallows between him and David still half full. He took one out and tossed it over the flames, and you grinned as you perfectly caught it with one hand.

“Nice throw,” you commented.

“Nice catch,” he turned it right back at you. You would be lying if you said your stomach didn’t flutter at his words and the half smile that accompanied them. You averted your eyes in embarrassment, and busied yourself with securely putting your marshmallow onto your stick instead.

Yes, you had a massive crush on him. It was an undeniable fact that you tried to suppress as much as possible. You had no idea how it would play out if you confessed to him. If he rejected you, you couldn’t live it down. Not to mention all the teasing you would receive from the boys. So you kept it to yourself, swooning over him in your head like a lovesick teenager.

Paul and Marko returned and started to tell an elaborate story of some guy they saw on the boardwalk the day before as if nothing happened, the whole marshmallow fiasco quickly forgotten. The others watched them with amusement as they played out the whole scenario. Meanwhile, you were watching Dwayne.

The evening breeze caught strands of his hair, swaying them gently, and you felt a sudden need to run your fingers through them to see if they were as soft as you imagined. He looked positively majestic with the warm glow of the flames painting his skin a rich golden hue, their light twinkling in his dark eyes, giving them a playful glint. And then the edges of his lips turned upwards, breaking into a huge smile and laughter filled the air as the others cracked up at something Marko said.

He just so happened to turn to you at that moment, eyes still crinkling at the corners and the air left your lungs as you were struck by his beauty. It was hard to believe someone can be so effortlessly beautiful. You wished you could capture this moment with all of its sounds and smells, so you could come back later and drown in it; with him looking at you like that, all smiles and shining eyes, the echo of his laughter still in your ears.

“Dammit, he’s so pretty I think I’m gonna faint.”

It was unconscious. You didn’t even realize you said it out loud until you noticed Star turn to look at you from the corner of your eye. You turned to her, eyes wide when you saw her amused expression. In the next second, her smile turned mischievous. You knew what she was about to do, and you started shaking your head like crazy. Still looking into your eyes, she spoke up loud and clear.

“You know, if you stared at Dwayne any more, I would be concerned for your eyes falling out of your head.”

The silence was deafening. And the more it stretched on, the more you were sweating. In the end it was Paul who broke the tension.

“Finally someone said it! I thought I would go crazy if something didn’t happen soon,” he threw his hands in the air.

“Wait, what? You knew?” You were so surprised, you even forgot to deny it.

“You aren’t exactly subtle,” David commented while taking a drag of his cigarette.

“Yeah, dude, you were practically salivating every time you looked at him. It was pretty obvious,” Marko added and you wanted to die.

Hesitantly, you turned to Dwayne.

“Did you know too?”

He just nodded silently.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I figured you would tell me when you’re ready.” His eyes were so soft as he looked at you. It warmed your heart, and your embarrassment slowly started to die down.

“So, what now?” you asked.

A smile grew on his lips that was definitely flirtatious.

“We can start with you coming closer,” he said and patted the sand beside him.

You face felt hot as you gaped at him for a moment before getting up and plotting yourself down next to him. Dwayne immediately threw an arm over your shoulder, bringing you to his side and it just felt right. You couldn’t wash the dopey grin off your face for the rest of the evening, not even when Marko shouted at you two to get a room.

[forzalando]

💛 hi 🥹 CONGRATS ON 3K THAT'S HUUUUUGE !!!!

I am obsessed with this idea and also my favourite activity (as of recently lmao) is drunk karaoke and of COURSE my dream would be to do it with lando !!!!

drunk karaoke with Lando would, and i'm not exaggerating, mean everything to me. i am in love with just the idea of this.

thank you for supporting me through the many phases of this blog and for entertaining my every thought/idea. adore you, mel💛 i hope you enjoy this blurb that was meant to be 300-400 words but ended up being 800+ lol

celebration post: here

Drunk Karaoke with Lando Norris under the cut😊

You quickly downed the shot thrust into your hand – sambuca, which meant it absolutely came from Lando since he was the only one who knew of your preference.  

He was on your left, sweaty and somehow wide awake despite the fact you’d been out for hours. Oscar was on your right, slowly swaying to the music with his eyes half shut. Somewhere across the club Charles and Pierre were dancing on an elevated surface while George videotaped them like a suburban soccer mom at her son’s first game. Here in Monaco, everyone partied post-race as if they themselves had made it to the top step over the weekend.

Out of nowhere, Lando fell into you as he shouted in your ear – “Do you know what I’ve always wanted to do?”

Oscar caught you before you could topple over, steadying you on your feet before shooting Lando a dirty look.

“Sorry, sorry,” Lando giggled. He centered himself and then put his hands on your shoulders, looking the most serious you’d ever seen him. “Anyway, do you know what I’ve always wanted to do?”

“Win at Silverstone? Become world champion?”

“Well, yes, but think smaller, you lunatic. Something I could do right now.”

“Out drink Max?”

“What? No, I don’t care about outdrinking Max, where did that come from?”

“Well, I just thought since he usually wins every race that you’d want to beat him at something – ”

“Oh my god, you’re impossible,” Oscar interjected. “He wants to do drunk karaoke. When we went out in Miami he was practically on his knees begging me to sing with him.”

A giant grin spread across your face as you playfully swatted Lando’s chest.

“Why didn’t you just say so? I happen to be an excellent karaoke partner,” you boasted.

Lando clapped his hands and jumped around like a toddler at your remark – “So, you’ll do it with me?”

Instead of answering, you snatched his hand and pulled him through the club at an impressive speed. You weren’t in a karaoke bar, quite far from it, but you planted yourself in front of the DJ booth and gestured to Lando. Security immediately pulled you both into the booth, perks of having Lando at your side, and the DJ of the night asked what she could do for you.

“Hi! Lando Norris wants to do drunk karaoke and I’m trusting that you can make that happen. It’s very important to him,” you professed.

“I think I might have a couple instrumentals or could make some magic happen. Any specific requests? You won’t have any lyrics on screen, though. And you’ll have to share a mic.”

Before you could ask what your options were, Lando was shouting, once again, in your ear.

“DO YOU HAVE THE SPICE GIRLS? THAT ONE SPICE GIRLS SONG?”

“Lando, we won’t have the lyrics,” you reminded him.

“I don’t need them,” he declared, crossing his arms with attitude. “Maybe you need them, fake fan.”

“I most certainly do not,” you yelled back to Lando. “DJ, roll the track. Pretty please. You're amazing."

She chuckled and handed you the singular mic, Lando immediately snatching it from your hands.

“It’s my dream, I get to hold the mic.”

You rolled your eyes and fought back a smile, stepping into his side as he threw an arm around you.

The deafening bass from the speakers grew quiet as the DJ addressed the crowd of people – “we’ve got a special surprise tonight! These two lovely friends of mine up here are going to perform a special number for everyone. Please welcome – ”

She paused, waiting for you and Lando to introduce yourselves.

“LANDO NORRIS AND Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Please welcome Lando Norris and Y/N Y/L/N to my booth. Show them some love!”

The clapping and cheering brought the volume in the club back to an obscene level – the loudest cheers coming from a VIP table not far from the booth where all of your friends had gathered.

Before you had a chance to feel the slightest bit self-conscious, the infamous laugh rang through the speakers and Lando was scream-singing into the mic.

 “YO, I’LL YOU WHAT I WANT, WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT!”

The two of you in perfect sync, passing lines back and forth, singing (if you could call it that) in unison during the chorus. You could have sworn you heard George shout out that this was “his song” and Max was most definitely telling anyone who would listen that he personally knows Ginger Spice.  

You tore your eyes from the audience to look at Lando – the smile on his face rivaling the brightest sunny day. With his arm around you, squeezing you to his side, your closest friends cheering for you, your heart was sure to burst from happiness. There was no place you’d rather be in that moment than making a drunken fool of yourself with the most important person in your life by your side.

And if Lando was thinking the same thing, about how he was happier in that moment than he’d ever been, podiums and race win included, he’d keep that to himself for just a minute more.

[padfootagain]

Only An Almost (VII)

Chapter 7: Tender Bitterness

Hello!! Here is another chapter! So much angst in this fic, I’m sorry (no, I’m not).

I hope you’ll like this chapter! Please, tell me what you think!

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

Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader, friends with benefits AU

Warning: No explicit smut or nsfw content, but there are sexual themes and heavy make-out sessions (it’s a friends with benefits AU, I can’t really escape it), so 18+ only!

Summary: Andrew has been in love with you for years, and yet he has never confessed his feelings. But a night out celebrating the engagement of his best friend changes everything. However, you don't seem ready to be with him just yet. You make him an offer that he can't refuse... but will certainly regret.

Word Count : 1759

Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist

“Stop cheating!”

“I’m not cheating!”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m not!”

“You can’t use the same word twice.”

“Since when?”

“Since it’s in the rules.”

“You’re just a sore loser.”

“I’m not, you’re simply cheating!”

You gave him a toothy grin, the kind that made you absolutely adorable, that melted Andrew’s heart…

“It counts.”

“It doesn’t.”

You pouted, gave him your most adorable gaze…

God, you were so fucking annoying…

Andrew heaved a frustrated sigh, hiding his smile and reddening cheeks by grabbing the pen and paper set next to your game of scrabble and your cups of tea.

He counted in silence the points that belonged to you and wrote them down. When Andrew looked up again, you were grinning, clearly proud of yourself. You were so fucking annoying…

… he wanted to kiss that smirk off your face.

It was raining, you were both too lazy to go outside. You had eaten lunch with some friends, including Sam and Daphne who were being unbearably cute together, although the stress of the wedding was growing week after week. You were the one to offer Andrew to drop by to play some boardgame or just watch TV, or whatever. ‘Hang out’, that’s how you called it. You wanted to spend time with him. And Andrew hesitated at first, he thought you meant that you wanted to have sex. And it sounded crazy, knowing how he felt for you and how lovely you looked today and how he wanted to touch you right now… it sounded crazy to think that he didn’t want to have sex with you. And actually, he did want you. If you offered now, he would definitely say yes. But this conversation of yours during your hike was keeping him up at night. He didn’t know what to make of it.

You would never give him a proper chance, he knew that now. The only choice that remained was to enjoy having you by his side for as long as he could, or stop seeing you altogether. He wouldn’t be able to be your friend now. Not after losing all hope, not after learning what it felt like to be yours and for you to be almost his… he couldn’t do it.

So he tried to put more distance between the two of you this past week. It didn’t really work, for the friends part of your relationship. But the ‘benefits’ were down to zero. Andrew wasn’t sure whether he felt good or bad about it.

“Thanks, Andy!”

He mumbled some incoherent answer, playing off annoyance, when the words had simply remained stuck in his throat as you beamed up at him.

Yeah, he wasn’t doing too well…

You both grew quiet as Andrew was thinking, staring at the letters displayed before him. He was losing, by a lot, but then again, his head was everywhere but on the game at hand. It was fun though, you were fun.

He laughed at another stupid joke you said, and forgot the word he had thought of to play. You were laughing as well, and he bathed in the warmth of your smile, in your witty remarks, in how much fun he was having. For a moment, the weight of your relationship was lifted from his heart and shoulders. After all, you could have shared such a moment being friends, or even in a relationship. You could have laughed with him like this too, if you loved him…

“And that is how I will die of boredom… you’re no craic!” you complained, pouting dramatically to make him laugh.

And you easily succeeded, he giggled and it made him blush, the way his heart skipped a beat at how adorable you looked.

“If you stopped talking, maybe I’d be faster.”

“Are you blaming me for your lack of vocabulary?”

“Sorry, who writes lyrics here?”

“Sorry, Mr. Poet. I know your art demands patience and devotion.”

“Exactly, so please, be quiet from now on. I must summon the Muses.”

“If I shove the letters into your mouth, will that help, Virgil?”

“So violent…”

He was struggling not to laugh too loudly all the same.

“Feed the board. It demands your offering.”

“You’re fucking mad.”

“Says you!”

“Says me… here you go.”

He placed a word on the board, nothing too fancy, nothing that would allow him to win. You glanced over at the letters he had left and frowned.

“You could win more points if you moved your word and used the plural.”

“Really? I didn’t see it. Too late now.”

But you picked up the letter, moved his word around.

“Isn’t that cheating?” he chuckled.

“I’m just helping. You’re not focused today.”

Your voice was infinitely gentle as you spoke, there was worry tainting your tone. Andrew looked up at you with a questioning frown.

“I just… you look… you seem a little off these days, Andy,” you went on, clearly cautious in the words you chose. “Is everything okay?”

He struggled to swallow.

“’Course. I’m fine.”

“You know you can talk to me if something’s wrong, right?”

But Andrew shook his head, offering you a reassuring smile.

“I’m perfectly fine. There is no need for you to worry.”

The look you gave him pierced his heart. You looked at him like you… like you were hurting with him. How ironic, considering that you were the reason his body and soul were aching now…

“I’m worried about you. I hate seeing you sad.”

He let out a bitter scoff, he couldn’t help it.

“Like you care,” he spat with more venom in his tone than he meant to let out.

You looked at him with wide eyes, blinking in surprise.

“Of course, I care… why would you say that?”

“You…”

He heaved a frustrated sigh.

“Never mind,” he mumbled under his breath.

“What’s wrong with you? We’ve been friends for years, you’re… you’re one of the most important people in my life… how could you say that? God, we… we’ve slept together. And you think I don’t care?”

His jaw clenched, he struggled to blink tears away. He took in a deep breath.

“I… I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m a little lost. In my life, I mean. In… in everything… I don’t know what to do.”

You silently invited him to keep going. The rain was louder outside, the sky so dark you could have turned on the lights.

“I… I don’t know… I have a decision to take, and I don’t know what to do.”

“You don’t want to tell me the specifics?”

“No… honestly, no, I don’t want to.”

“Okay. Well… what would make you happier? I reckon that’s all you need to ask yourself.”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m gonna be on the losing side no matter what.”

Slowly, you nodded, but your frown was enough to tell him that you had no clue what he was talking about. You pondered his words for a moment.

“Y/N… I don’t think you can help anyway. I just have to figure this out on my own. Don’t worry about me, okay? I’m fine. I’m simply worried about something, that’s all.”

Slowly, you nodded, although you seemed unconvinced.

“Can I do something to make you feel better?”

You opened your arms for him.

“A hug?”

He chuckled fondly at you. Even if he tried to be mad at you, he simply couldn’t. You were too sweet for that…

“Sure, come here.”

You yielded easily, standing up to hug him. Sitting in his chair you were a little taller than him, for once. He breathed deeply your scent as he buried his face in the crook of your neck. He felt his bones melting under your touch as you stroked his hair, a palm splayed reassuringly across his spine, as if to support his frame. You kissed his forehead, and he almost cried with the tenderness of your gesture.

He held you tightly, more so than he should have, but you didn’t seem to mind, accepting the way he clung unto you.

“What if I ordered some pizza and we watched some disgustingly sweet movie together tonight?”

He hummed in approval.

“Sounds nice,” he answered in a sigh.

“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you have some of my favourite whiskey.”

“When am I ever not nice to you?”

“When you try to prevent me from cheating at scrabble?”

“It’s called being a law-abiding citizen. You should try sometimes.”

“Huh, huh…. No thanks. I’d rather remain a rascal.”

He chuckled into your neck, sending vibrations through your skin, and he noticed the way it made you shiver.

God, if you held him like that, if you reacted this way to him… it ought to mean something… despite his job and the odds, perhaps one day you would…

He looked up at you when you gently pulled on his hair to guide him away from your neck. He thought you wanted to break free from the hug, and he almost protested, but then both of your hands were gently cradling his face, your thumbs brushing his bearded cheeks. Before he could realize what you were doing, you were pressing your lips to his, in the gentlest, most tender kiss he had ever been given. It was loving. He was shocked by the intimacy of it, how much care and love you were putting into the gesture. Andrew couldn’t remember ever being kissed so lovingly…

When you pulled away, he had to blink a few times to force his brain back into action.

And you looked down at him with so much fondness in your smile, as if you felt the same adoration that coursed through every fibre of his being every time he looked at you, every time he as much as thought of you.

And what if he could change your mind?

None of you said anything. Andrew buried his face into your neck again, held you tight, and you welcomed him in your embrace with a pressing of your lips to his hairline. Not a kiss, just a resting of your lips onto his skin. You inhaled deeply enough for him to hear it, to think that perhaps you were committing his scent to memory too, the same he did with yours. And all the while, there was nothing sexual in your gestures. Only comfort and kindness and maybe even love, Andrew was foolish enough to think of the word.

There was no way you could have held him like this, and not feel a thing… right?

[holdmytesseract]

moodboard by @mochie85 divider by @fictive-sl0th <3

Summary: It's been a long time coming... But now the day for you and Loki to say 'Yes' and enter the bond of marriage has finally arrived. A covenant for eternity.

Chapter Three - Loki's Bachelor Party

Warnings for this Chapter: alcohol, partying, Scott as a stripper – kind of? also fluff

Word Count: 3,6k

a/n: I absolutely love the gif for this. Fight me. 😂

Once again goes the shoutout to @sagitternolunaspace for the Midgardian (pre-) wedding traditions! Thank you! And again a thank you goes out to everyone who helped me along with this chapter!

💍 Chapter Two °☆• Chapter Four 💍

You had been barely swept away from Loki by Natasha, Pepper, Jane and Wanda, when the god returned to the now empty apartment in the tower he shared with you. Once the door fell gently into its hinges behind him, he snapped his fingers; causing his Asgardian armour to melt away from his body - leaving him completely nude.

Loki ran a hand through his untamed raven curls, while he made his way to the bathroom. It was time for a shower. Time to get rid of all the stains which had left the mission on his skin.

The warm water massaged his muscles and helped him relax. It usually always did. The god loved a good, hot, relaxing shower after a mission - and if you'd join him, he loved it even more. If the girls wouldn't have stolen you away for your bachelorette party, Loki would've totally taken you with him, but well...

You had discussed this Midgardian pre-wedding tradition with him already a few weeks ago. It was something you were eager to have - and your friends didn't let this tell them twice, of course. They were more than happy to plan the party for you and surprise you.

As for Loki... The god wasn't sure about it. He understood the concept of this tradition. You had explained it, but he didn't know if he should like it or not. Alcohol, silly costumes - or well, T-Shirts and Strippers in the most cases? Tendencies to no. Hence, Loki didn't even know if his oaf of a brother would think so far to prepare something for him and he was convinced that the other male Avengers certainly wouldn't do it. Why should they?

Back when Thor married, he didn't have a bachelor party, but only because he did not know of such a tradition. When you gathered up Jane for her party, it was already too late - given the fact that you all were on Asgard at that moment in time. So, no Stark or Rogers who could saunter through the golden palace doors and pick up Thor for his turn.

Loki laughed to himself. As if Roger would ever do that... He would have to remove the stick up his ass first.

With a sigh, the god turned off the tab, reached for his towel and stepped out of the shower. Thick, hot steam had gathered inside the room; fogging up the mirror. Loki dried himself, went through his after shower routine and lastly put on fresh underwear. Then he cleaned everything up with his seidr and left the bathroom.

His next destination was the bedroom he shared with you, in order to get dressed - preferably casual. In the closet, the god found his favourite grey sweatpants (What a shame it was that you couldn't be here right now and admire the things this specific kind of trousers did to him.) and a loose black t-shirt - perfect for a lonely and lazy afternoon, evening and unfortunately night.

Loki then paid the little shelf in the living room a visit, which was stuffed to the brim with books. The chosen one was a old Norse romance - one of your favourites. Book in hand, the god made himself comfortable on the sofa; ready to get lost in a fictional world.

Unfortunately, he didn't quite get that far...

Barely ten minutes in, a loud knock sounded from the main door. Loki's eyes lifted. Another knock - followed by further knocks. "Oh for the Norns sake..." The god cursed; laid the novel aside and stood up. It knocked again. "I'm on my way!" He grumbled annoyed and at last opened the door for the impatient visitor - and once he did, his eyes almost popped out of his head; jaw slacking.

It was none other than his oaf of a brother, of course.

Thor had the brightest smile on his face which must be physical possible. Nothing very unusual. It was the dress up that shocked Loki... His brother wore black leather trousers and a emerald green t-shirt, on which stood in big golden letters: Loki's Bachelor Party. And the worst was the huge, very unfortunate taken picture of himself, which was printed on the t-shirt as well.

He couldn't be serious right now...

"Thor... What in Odin's name is that?" The blond god giggled and proudly displayed the t-shirt. "Do you like it, brother? I created it myself!" He boasted, but added seconds later in a whisper after Loki gave him a disbelieving glance: "Alright, alright... Jane helped me quite a bit, but... Shhhh. Don't tell the others." "Others?" The younger man asked; blinking.

Thor started to smirk again. "Of course, brother! We are not celebrating your bachelor party alone - if that is what you think." The black haired god looked once more incredulously at his older brother. "Bachelor party?"

Thor sighed and shook his head. "For somebody so utterly witty and clever, you are really stupid sometimes." The blond gestured towards his green t-shirt again, "You did see what it reads, brother, didn't you? 'Loki's Bachelor Party'!" before he reached inside his seemingly endless leather pocket and pulled out another emerald green t-shirt. "Now let's go, brother! Get changed! It's time to celebrate!" Thor threw the t-shirt at Loki, who caught it effortlessly.

"T-Shirt, black leather trousers and black boots. It's the, uh, dress code - like the Midgardians say. Five minutes, then you shall meet us outside. You will be awaited." Loki wanted to say something - anything, in order to protest, display his discomfort and especially ask his brother if he had lost his last remaining braincells, but before he could, Thor had already walked away.

Loki sighed as he closed the door shut; pinching the bridge of his nose. He clearly didn't want to do this. He refused to do this. After all, who knew who his brother had invited to this ridiculous Midgardian pre-wedding tradition party? Nobody of the male Avengers liked him that much to spend a great amount of time with him on a party for him.

At least that was what Loki thought.

The god wanted to call his brother; tell him that he would not attend this... bachelor party. He had already picked up his phone; thumb hovering over the green button beside his brother's name.

But then he remembered a conversation he had with you not such a long time ago...

"A what?" The raven haired man asked; eyebrows slanting. You giggled beside him. "A bachelorette party, babe. It's a Midgardian pre-wedding 'tradition'. The female friends of the bride organise a day - or a weekend, where they take her somewhere in order to celebrate the fact she is going to marry. Commonly - I'd say, it is an evening, where they party, have alcohol and mostly book a stripper." "A stripper?!" Loki shouted out; almost horrified. You nodded. "Yeah, it's, uh, I don't know... It's somehow a thing for such partys. After all, they are celebrating the bride's last days or weeks as an unmarried woman..."

"Yes, darling, I think I understood the concept, but... A stripper?" Your fiancè shook his head. "I don't want this. I don't want another man stripping for you."

You kinda saw that coming. You knew Loki was very... territorial when it came to other men. He always had been and you couldn't deny that you loved this about him. You were the only one for him - the only woman he'd ever lay his eyes upon, and it should be the same for you.

"If the girls really do that, I will refuse, okay? I promise, I won't watch that man strip for me." Loki shot you a relieved, almost thankful smile. "I appreciate this a lot, my love."

There was silence for a few moments, as you walked side by side, until... "The same usually goes for the bachelor party as well..." Loki wasn't stupid, of course. He could connect the dots quickly. "Female stripper?" The god asked; swallowing. "Almost, babe... I'm sure you heard of clubs with a lot of stages and poles in it? Seats and sofas where men - and women can sit, have a few drinks and watch half naked - or naked, who knows... Women dancing at those poles?"

Loki knew what you were talking about. He had been quite a few years on Midgard now; having definitely heard of such... establishments. Before he met you, such a thought would've peaked his interest, without a doubt. Beautiful ladies dancing at poles and showing off their curves? Which man wouldn't be intrigued? By the Norns, he would've probably spent various nights there already, if he was still the same god he was years ago - but he wasn't. Meanwhile, the thought of such clubs was everything but a turn on. It disgusted him, because if he went there, he would disrespect you. Yes, Loki would probably go as far and say he would cheat on you - and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Your fiancè scrunched his nose. "Love, alone the mere thought of such an establishment disgusts me. I am yours - and only yours. I don't want to see other half naked women dancing for me. They don't deserve my attention. I swear to you, Y/N, I won't ever set one foot in such a club. Not under any circumstances. Never." You blinked; were quite a bit... shocked? Sure, you never discussed that topic, because there hadn't been a reason, but... All your ex-boyfriends would've salivated at the mere mention of such clubs...

"You seem surprised, my love?" You blinked again. "I-I, no, I... It's not that, babe. I'd rather say I'm shocked about the fact that all my ex-boyfriends wouldn't have said no to such a club night and you..." Loki raised an eyebrow at you; a look of disgust on his face. "Pft..." He scoffed. "Mortal men... They never fail to shock and disgust me. It's almost embarrassing that they still don't know how to cherish, worship and appreciate a woman and the love she gives them."

You couldn't help but smile; feeling pure love pumping through your veins for the raven haired god walking beside you. You reached for Loki's hand; slipped your fingers through his and gave them a squeeze. "Have I already told you today how much I love you?" Your fiancè chuckled. "Yes, darling. I believe about five times." You shook your head. "That's not enough... I love you, Loki, with all my heart."

The god stopped abruptly in his tracks and reeled you in, causing you to squeak up and crash against his muscular chest. A strong hand kept you from rebounding and pinned your body against his. "I love you even more, my darling," Loki whispered and caught your lips in a feverish kiss; not caring the slightest that you two were actually on a walk - in public.

"Let's say the unthinkable happens and Thor organises a bachelor party for me... What am I going to do? I don't think I'm the right person for such things - and not really best friends with the other... men in this compound." You smiled gently up at Loki; once again giving him a loving squeeze. "I know what you mean, babe, but... If the boys, or just Thor - whoever throws a bachelor party just for you, I'd say it's a huge gesture. Give them a chance, please? See how it goes and then decide."

Give them a chance, please? Your words echoed through the god's head on repeat. He swallowed hard; pondering what to do, but in the end he closed the contacts app on his mobile and placed the little device on the sofa. With long strides, he moved to the bedroom to change his clothes - again.

A look in the mirror told him, that the decision he made was probably already not a wise one. The t-shirt looked... interesting. He didn't really like it, but if he wanted to participate in that game, he had to play by the rules, right?

Running a hand through his raven locks and collecting a few things he'd probably need on this 'party', Loki then closed the main door of your shared apartment behind himself. Taking a deep breath, the god made his way down to the first floor.

The moment the metallic doors slid open, he could already hear voices. His brother, of course; Laing, Banner, Stark... He fought the urge to roll his eyes and stepped out of the elevator.

Tony was the first to notice him. "Reindeer Games! There you are!" All eyes were on Loki now. "Man, I honestly didn't think he'd come...," added Bruce in a whisper, whereas Thor and Scott smiled brightly. "But my brother did come!" Thor boomed and made his way over to him; slamming his meaty hand on his left shoulder blade; causing Loki to grimace in slight pain. "He truly is here!" The blond continued. "No illusions!" "And he's wearing the t-shirt! Suits you, bro!" Scott smiled like a little boy in the candy store.

"Well, yes," Loki answered and adjusted the t-shirt - which everybody else wore as well; trying to stay cool. "Admittedly, I pondered to just call my brother and tell him I rather prefer to read, but... I thought I give this-" He gestured around. "-a chance."

Thor patted his shoulder once more. "Wise decision, brother. Now let us go. A merry time is awaiting us!" "Poetically put, Point Break." Stark commented; passing the two Asgardians by. The other two men followed. Loki watched them leave the building through the main doors, where already an all black bus - yes, bus, waited.

The god grimaced. He could've relinquished the sight of Tony Stark in black leather trousers.

Loki found himself in a so-called 'party bus' again. Like the name already said, it wasn't a normal vehicle with seats. The interior looked more like a disco than a bus... Loud music, tons of alcohol and bright lights. The god didn't really like it at first; was still reluctant and kind of mistrustful. He still couldn't believe that this - whatever it was or going to be, was for him. For his bachelor party.

While the others were already in party mode and having fun, Loki sat in a corner with a drink in his hand; observing - until Thor made his way over to him.

"Brother!" The blond shouted through the music. "Do you like our surprise?" Loki hesitatingly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I-" He got interrupted by Tony, suddenly shouting at the two Asgardians through the music as well. "Point Break, Reindeer Games, c'mon! We arrived!" And with those words the music stopped abruptly, just like the bus.

Loki frowned. "Arrived? Where?" Thor just grinned at him; the conversation he just started already forgotten and gripped his arm; pulling the younger god to his feet. "Let yourself be surprised, brother, but I can assure that you will like it."

And Thor should be proven right...

The building before the group of men stood now, wasn't just a building... It was huge and filled with dozens of different parcours; built for a game called Lasertag. Tony didn't need to explain much, since the game itself was kind of self-explanatory.

"Let's go, dudes!" Scott chirped like a little school boy; was totally excited and already made his way to the entrance. The others followed.

About twenty minutes later, after they all got a instruction and their attire, the Avengers decided which parcour to play first. Loki looked around. "Can we just choose anyone we like? I mean, what about the other people here?" The group started to laugh; giving the fact that the usually so attentive god didn't notice it yet.

"There are no other people here, today, Loki..." Bruce started to explain. "Tony rented the whole thing for us."

The god blinked. "The... whole thing?" He asked; quoting Banner. They all nodded. "Yes, of course the whole thing. Unless it wouldn't be fun." Stark shrugged his shoulders; looking around.

Loki blinked again. He was confused - but probably in the best way possible. "Why? Why would you all agree to celebrate this Midgardian tradition with me? For me?" The four other men exchanged a few looks, before Tony took a step closer to the tall, dark god; awkwardly placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Because you're one of us, Reindeer Games. You're an Avenger - even if we don't always get along and approve of this, but you are." Bruce nodded; agreed with the billionaire. "Tony's right. You earned your place. You proved us and the world wrong. You can be good - when you want." Scott nodded approvingly. "Yeah, man."

Loki swallowed hard. To hear such words had always seemed to be in far distance for him. He would've never... never anticipated or expected that the team would accept him one day. He thought they'd see forever the psychotic, maniacal killer they always had seen in him... Apparently not anymore...

"I..." Again swallowed Loki hard. "I don't know what to say, except... Thank you. Truly. I mean it."

The mood was on the verge of getting very emotional. But before that could happen, Tony eased the situation up. "Yeah, well, your soon-to-be wife played a huge roll in this all, but don't get too comfortable. You are still a pain in the ass."

Loki just smirked; gave the billionaire his best, mischievous smoulder. "Vice versa."

It was already pitch dark outside, when the small group of men emerged from the Lasertag 'arena' again; laughing and smiling. Loki would've never thought that he could have so much fun with Thor, Bruce, Scott and especially Tony in his 'free time'. Perhaps you could blame it on the small amount of alcohol running through their veins, but who knew?

"I did not know that this... Midgardian game was going to be so much fun!" Thor boomed; walking besides Loki and Tony. "I told you, Point Break, haven't I? Just like I said that your drama queen of a brother was going to like it." "Indeed, Stark." "You do know that I can hear you?" Loki threw in; causing them to snicker - almost like little school girls. The raven haired god just rolled his eyes in mock offence.

The group made their way towards the party bus again. Happy already waited in front of the big, black vehicle for them to return. Of course, Tony had hired him as a driver.

Only now did Loki realise, that Happy was dressed in the same clothes as the rest of the men; paired with black sunglasses.

"Happy! Are we ready to go?" The friendly bodyguard nodded; adjusting his glasses. "Sure, Mr. Stark. The bachelor party is ready to roll on." "What are waiting for then?! Let's go, Reindeer Games! Time to really celebrate the fact that someone is willing to marry you."

Loki wanted to give a snarky response, but a clap on his back from Thor caused all the air to escape his lungs and the words to die in his throat. "Come, brother! Stark is right!" Grumbling under his breath, the god followed the others inside the bus.

It took him a little while to get comfortable and especially to just let go and - he repeated your words in his head... Give this a chance.

And he did.

The music was loud; echoing through the whole bus. Alcohol was flowing and Scott had already reached the level where he was awkwardly dancing around a pole in the middle of the bus - much to everyone else's entertainment. One thing was sure, though... Loki had fun, was definitely a bit tipsy, but also the most sober one. He hadn't had a single break yet from the loud, deafening, colourful and amusing chaos around him. Well, he went outside for a moment to call you, since he saw that you tried to call him, but that was hours ago and didn't really count as a break, did it?

A look on his mobile told him that it was already way past midnight. Usually, at this time, the god laid curled up in bed with you, but you weren't here and the alcohol and adrenaline in his bloodstream kept him wide awake.

"Hey! Guys, guys, guys!" Tony suddenly turned down the music; causing all eyes to land on him. "I have 'n idea." He prompted; swaggering over to the others. "What 'bout we ask Happy to take us to a strip club, huh?" The other three men were way too drunk to think straight and so they all agreed - except Loki.

The god shook his head. "Stark, no." Tony raised an eyebrow; looking at the raven haired man in disbelief. "Sorry, princess, I think I misheard ya. Did you say no?" "Yes. I won't go to a strip club with you." Tony started to pout like a toddler. "But why not? Lots of pretty ladies, Reindeer Games! They're gonna be aaaall over you!" Loki swallowed the anger bubbling up inside him. "That may be true, yes, but I don't want that. Y/N is the only woman for me. I don't want or need others."

Tony groaned and theatrically steadied himself on Bruce's shoulder; almost causing the doctor to tip over. "You're such a party pooper..." The billionaire shook his head, before pressing a button on his watch. "Happy, escort us to the next bar. Not strip club - unfortunately." Then he turned to Scott. "I s'ppose your performance has to be enough. Show us what ya got, Thumbelina." Lang didn't let himself tell that twice and Thor turned up the music again.

The party went on till the first rays of sunshine kissed the summer sky and the amount of alcohol coursing through the men's veins catapulted them into a deep slumber.

Loki awoke late afternoon that day, with a thundering headache and Scott cuddled up against him. The god groaned and grimaced. It had been definitely a night to remember.

Tags: @muddyorbsblr @mochie85 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @jaidenhawke @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @multifandom-worlds @jennyggggrrr @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @fictive-sl0th @herdetectivetheorist @hisredheadedgoddess28 @chennqingg @princess-ofthe-pages @km-ffluv @brokenpoetliz @huntedmusicgardenn @lokiforever @stupidthoughtsinwriting @loz-3 @jaguarthecat @icytrickster17 @eleniblue @yourfriendlyslytherinhc @mypainischronicbutmyassisiconic @kimanne723 @lou12346789 @smolvenger @lokisrealpurpous @isaidoop @lokisgoodgirl @aagn360 @cakesandtom @alexakeyloveloki @glitchquake (continuing in the comments!)

[telvess]

RoR: Morning with them (Hermes, Hades, Qin) 🔞

I've finally defeated my writer's block, at least a bit. And I swear I wanted to write something fluffy. Then why - for the Helheim sake - I ended up writing NSFW context again…?

Hermes

You were wakened by a morning sunlight. You opened your eyes and immediately regretted it, covering your head with the pillow to find relief in the partial darkness. The empty space next to you - where your hand expected to find Hermes - alarmed you, so you forced yourself to peek again. The feeling of disappointment woke you up completely. — Why are you leaving so early? — you mumbled, seeing him getting ready in front of the mirror. He was putting on a shirt, so for the last seconds you could see his naked back, which you had kissed many times last night. — Duty calls. — You’re god, you know? — you jumped out of the bed and hugged him from behind — You have the right to take the day off! Even as you interfered, Hermes buttoned his dress shirt. — I’m afraid the gods don’t have that privilege. — Really? — you sighed into his back — Even we, humans, figured that out! You saw his reflection in the mirror smiling at you. After the shirt, the time had come for a tie. — Let me — you offered help. Without a word, Hermes handed you the tie, and as you placed it around his neck, you felt his eyes on you. Since you were standing naked in front of him, your cheeks suddenly felt warm, and the situation didn't get any better as you remembered what happened last night. — Is everything okay? — Yes — you replied, however you didn’t have enough courage to look up. Otherwise, you would have notice Hermes’ mischievous expression, because - as always - he knew exactly what was going on in your mind. As you were tying a tie, Hermes’ hands appeared on your waist. He was already wearing white gloves and was now caressing your skin with the soft fabric. As his touch was leaving burning trace on your bare skin, your sensitive body slowly began to wake up. Hermes moved his hands to your back, where he raised them along your spine to reach your shoulders, neck and finally your jawline. You bit your lower lip and without second thought, you let your hands slide over Hermes’ collar to touch his neck with trembling fingers. — Patient, silly goose — his calm voice brought you back to reality — Tonight you gonna untie that tie as well. Your eyes met his. Hermes seemed amused by your confusion, but beside that you didn’t notice any sign of lying. — Will you leave that early the next morning too? — you asked. Then, to your surprise, Hermes just leaned towards you. Your lips moved instinctively as he approached closer to yours, meeting in a deep, promising kiss. Every time Hermes and you shared an intimacy moment, you slowly lost yourself in his firm hug and skilled tongue, but over time you started to realize that he was the one who was overcome with passion much more than one would expect. As if his perfect, unshakable image had loosened slightly, as if Hermes had finally forgotten himself in the endless years of tasks assigned by Zeus. Then again, something - perhaps his divine control or just aversion to being late - forced him to stop. Hermes was the first to regain absolute control over himself. The only things that gave him away was his rapid breathing and the messy hair you gave him, which was also taken care of very quickly. — Yes — he answered, calmly. It took you a moment to remember what you had asked him, and once you did, a groan of disappointed escaped your lips — However, tomorrow we will wake up much earlier. You smiled at the hidden promise in his words. Hermes checked himself in the mirror one last time before touching your jaw again and forcing you to look into his eyes. — That’s a good knot. Thank you.

Hades

You were lying partially on Hades’ chest and were leaving a trails of small kisses on his exposed skin. Some time ago, a faint light started to seep through the curtains, but you were already awake. Watching Hades sleep was something you never expected to do and you really hoped now that it wasn't a dream. As you left another kiss, you saw how Hades’ head moved slightly. — Oh? — he looked so adorable: sleepy eyes, messy hair and a very lazy smile. You felt so lucky that you had witnessed this side of the king of the Underworld. — Good morning — you smiled back. — Morning, my queen — Hades ran his fingers through his hair, making them even more dishevelled. — Did you sleep well? — you asked, trying really hard to hide your laugh. — Yes, but it doesn't compare to the awakening. Hearing this made you want to kiss him again, but now your fingers also explored his skin, following a track of his sculpted muscles. — Well… I didn’t mean to wake you up… — you kissed him again — It’s just… — and again, — … you teased me. — Oh, really? — Hades grabbed you with his large arms and rolled over with you, so that you were now underneath him. You laughed at the sudden change. For a moment he just looked at you without any particular expression, and then he leaned towards your neck, where he placed a very gentle kiss. His warm breath on your skin, especially on that sensitive spot he found out about last night, made you moan. Hades lifted his head just for a moment to show you his triumphant smile before returning to leave more kisses just below your ear. — You are… aah-h… so… You couldn’t control your body anymore, but was that a reason to be angry? Because you felt so good right now as Hades continued his journey down your chest to your breasts. You ignored weak resistance of your pride and closed your eyes, enjoying the moment. Hades’ lips around your nipples sent shivers your lower parts and as he licked and sucked on them, more moans escaped your lips. You grabbed his hair and arched your back in a fit of passion. — Now, now, who’s the teaser here… — you heard his quiet, deep voice. — Hades… His lips were replaced by his hands now, which slowly massaged your breasts, and Hades' fingers poked your nipples from time to time. — Just look at you — he said slowly — Very naked and very… mine. You couldn’t help but smiled. You opened eyes just to find him watching you. He reached for your head to brushed your hair behind your ear. — I didn’t know you’re such tamer. Hades laughed, his finger was curling your strand of hair. — I didn’t know that either. Looks like you drew it out of me. — Oh, so now it’s my fault? — Well… — he pinched your cheek — What can I say, that’s your charm, dear. You giggled. — Woah, quality save. Hades leaned towards your lips, but stopped an inch before he reached them. — You know, y/n… — he whispered — I'm not a morning person, but you're on your way to changing that. — You seem to have a lot of energy, my king. — And even more ideas on how to use it. Hades wasn’t lying, he had plenty of them.

Qin Shi Huang

You were a light sleeper, so when Qin sat at the edge of the bed, your eyes immediately opened. — Don’t go! — you muttered, and in a sudden burst of desperation, you clutched to Qin’s back and wrapped your arms and legs around his waist like little child. — I’m expected to, my sweet lady — said Qin, but his tone indicated he was open to conviction. — Yesterday you said that you expected your empress to speak loudly about her needs! — you remained — And today I expect you to stay and entertain me! You left a few kisses on his centipede tattoo that ran down his back and smiled in satisfaction as you felt Qin’s body tremble. You pretended to shudder with the cold. — Ugh! I’m so cold! Qin froze for a moment, the sculpted muscles on his back flexed and then before you could blink, he turned around and gently pushed you onto your back. — Cold? — said Qin, outraged — In the presence of the emperor? Unforgivable! Then he lay down close by and he whispered with a smile: — I will handle this matter myself. You giggled as he covered both of you with the duvet, and then pulled you into his chest. He held you tightly in embrace, with his face buried in your hair you felt his warm breath on your neck. — You smell nice — his words made you blush. You started massaging Qin’s muscular arm, feeling his bare skin with your fingers and listening to his slow breathing made your body completely relaxed, to the point where you had to fight with yourself to not fall asleep again. — Qin… — you mumbled. — Yes? — I’m sleepy… — That’s good to hear. You frowned but didn’t open your eyes. — No! I don’t want to sleep again because… because I hate waking up alone! You felt his grip tighten, and then his lips whispered next to your ear: — I’m never too far away. You opened you mouth and closed it almost immediately, feeling ashamed of yourself. — Well… You’re right — you said and sat straight— You have your responsibilities. You should go. — Oh? — you couldn’t help but smile at his disappointed reaction — The duties are where I am! Your attempt of withhold a laugh was mediocre, and soon the huge bedroom you shared was filled with loud laugher from both of you. Qin grabbed your arm and forced you to lie down next to him. — Here I thought I'd rest a little longer… — he sighed. — Oh, so you tried to use me as an excuse then! Qin presented you his false smile that he usually gives to unwanted advisors, and you stuck your tongue out at him in the response, then grabbed his cheek and moved his head towards you, so you could place a kiss on his lips. His hand appeared on your back almost immediately and the other one hid itself in you hair, pulling you closer to his warm body. — It seems you have a new reason to stay — you said once you stopped kissing and looked at the bulge in his pants. — Yes, and it requires an immediate solution. Qin touched your jaw and turned your face towards him. You could drown in his pure, innocence eyes, even now, when he had such dirty thoughts. You giggled, feeling sudden surge of shyness. Qin smacked his lips. — You shouldn’t make emperor wait.

[auras-moonstone]

someone requested this but i lost it😫😫 the request asked me to write a story about reader being a streamer and jack and her meeting through one of mason’s streams. i hope you like it! 💖

locked up in your arms — jack champion

word count: 1,581

pairing: jack champion x streamer!fem!reader

summary: y/n’s crush gets exposed during her stream with mason, but luckily he feels the same.

Y/N HAD STARTED HER TWITCH CHANNEL PURELY FOR FUN, NEVER EXPECTING SO MUCH PEOPLE TO START FOLLOWING HER. She did pretty much everything—reactions to movies, music, chatting, occasionally gameplays. People were instantly drawn in by her charm, kindness and sense of humor.

And Mason Gooding had been one of them. He absolutely loved her channel, so when he saw Y/N was a huge fan of the Scream movies, he didn’t hesitate to reach out and asked her to do a stream with him. She, of course, said yes. The viewers loved their dynamic, and their shared streams became something they did weekly.

“You have gotten so much better at this game” Mason said as they finished playing Dead By Daylight.

Y/N grimaced “Sure, I still suck. I mean, my gaming experience starts and ends with the Sims”

Mason laughed, and was about to respond when the sound of his phone interrupted him. “Jack Champion just texted”

The girl gulped, hoping that the mic didn’t catch that. To say she had a crush on that actor was an understatement. Her face turned a dark shade of red, and prayed that it wouldn’t be that noticeable through the camera.

“He says, Mason tell the people I say you’re a sussy baka” the streamer read the text, trying not to laugh.

“Did he just say sussy baka?” Y/N pressed her lips together.

“Don’t make fun of my boy!” Mason warned her.

“I’m not! I thought it was ador- hilarious” holy shit she almost said he was adorable.

“And tell Y/N the Sims is a great game, and I bet she builds beautiful houses” Mason continued.

“I do build beautiful houses. Thank you, Jack!” she said, glad the stutter didn’t come into play.

oh god y/n is about to go into cardiac arrest

hey! don’t expose her lmaooo

girl is crushing hard

didn’t we know she had a crush on jack already??? have you seen her scream 6 reaction???

omg yes she totally thirsted over him for two hours straight.

Mason bursted out laughing at the comments. “I need to see your Scream reaction holy shit. Why did no one ever tell me?”

“They’re exaggerating” they weren’t. “And drop it! You’re not seeing the reaction”

“I so am” Mason said. “In fact, why don’t we react to your reaction?”

“Why don’t we end the stream and never talk again?” she frowned, acting annoyed.

“You’re so adorable!” he laughed. Mason actually thought she and Jack would make an excellent couple, and he was so going to make that happen. “Anyways, that was the end of an eventful stream. Now we gotta go, Y/N needs to put ice on her cheeks”

“I hate you” she said as she ended the video call.

Mason texted her a few minutes after the stream ended.

hey ur not mad at me, are u?

no, i’m not. i just am a little bit embarassed

now everyone knows about my crush

did jack say something? pls tell me he was not watching the stream anymore.

i don’t know. he didn’t say anything, so maybe he left before you exposed yourself

very funny

anyways he’s going to find out. people are for sure sending the clips 😫😫

why are you so worried?

it’s not like you’re going to meet him.

no i know

but idk, i don’t want him to think i’m a weirdo

for having a crush??

don’t be silly. he won’t, jack is the sweetest guy on earth.

okay fine

maybe you’re right

i’m overthinking as always :)

MASON ALMOST LET OUT A SCREAM OF EXCITEMENT WHEN THE TEXT ARRIVED. He had been pretty much hopeless about his plan, so he was caught off guard when Jack told him he was going to LA that weekend. Now, there was one last thing to do.

hey y/n/n

hey mason what’s up?

are you free this saturday??

yeah why?

devyn, jasmine and jenna are dying to meet you, so they told me to invite you :)

we’re doing a picnic!!

yess i’d love to!

GREAT I’M SO EXCITED

why?

BECAUSE😬😬

you’re so weird

thank you

see ya on saturday

Mason couldn’t shake the smile off his face as he opened the group chat he had with Jasmine, Jenna and Devyn.

she’s coming!!!

the ship is about to sail!!! 🚢

she’s going to hate me but it’ll be worthy

i still can’t believe how red she turned during the stream. she’s absolutely adorable

okay but can we talk about how smiley jack was when we showed him the clips???? he’s down bad too

that’s why i’m doing it. i wouldn’t if i weren’t sure they are attracted each other.

i can’t wait till saturday😫 they’re going to be so cute!!!!

he’s going to kill her with adorableness with his dad jokes

he already killed her with the sussy baka thing. i can’t believe he said that. he’s lucky he’s pretty

Y/N, AT THE SAME TIME MASON WAS TEXTING ON THE GROUP, OPENED THE MESSAGES APP. She had a huge smile on her face as she texted.

he really thinks he’s being a mastermind 😭😭😭 it’s so funny

i know 😭 i bet he’s planning everything on the gc with the girls. he has no idea. i feel powerful😎

you are so cute 😫 i can’t wait to hug tf out of you

cute? so, in your scream reactions you call me hot and say you’d be lucky to have been one of my victims and irl you call me CUTE? 🙄

you’re not ethan landry, jack

he’s top 1 on my love of my life list

what place am i in?

third

THIRD?? who’s second? 🥺

taylor swift

oh yeah. should’ve figured.

well, to make you feel bad, you’re in my top 1.

i don’t feel bad at all, jack

oh… well okay. i am totally fine being in your top 3, tbh. at least i made it.

NOW i feel bad😫

i really want to hug you, like the thought of it brings me butterflies

just a couple of hours left ❤️❤️

we have two entire days alone before we meet with the group

i can’t wait to see your pretty face in person🥹🥹

ughhhhhh

stop being so sweet when you’re not here😫😫

i’ll see you in exactly 8 hours :)

good night gorgeous 💕

night pretty boy 💖

Y/N STOOD IN FRONT OF THE METAL STAIRCASE, WITH A SIGN THAT SAID LOVE OF MY LIFE #3. She offered Jack to pick him up from the airport, so there she was, waiting anxiously for her boy.

She couldn’t believe it was actually happening. They had been talking for a while now—he sent her a dm only a few days after the stream, and had been talking non-stop ever since. Both of them have been open about their feelings for each other, as they were pretty obvious, and they basically acted like a couple. Even though that had never met in person, until now.

Jack’s heart stopped when he caught sight of the beautiful girl with the sign, which made him laugh a lot. He pushed through the people, muttering quick so sorry’s until he reached her. Y/N was looking up at him attentively, as if trying to take in every detail about him. The sparks in her eyes made his stomach go crazy.

“You’re real” he breathed.

“I mean, there’s this theory that we are actually characters in some big videogam-“

Jack grabbed her by the cheeks to pull her close to him, so their foreheads were touching. His smile could literally light up a whole town “You can tell me all about your interesting theories, which you know I love to hear. But right now I’m deciding if I should kiss you or hug you”

“In that order, please” she said, completely wonderstrucked by his close presence.

And so they kissed. Y/N found out Jack was a slow kisser, which she absolutely enjoyed because she never wanted that magnificent kiss to end. And Jack discovered Y/N was very touchy—her hands wouldn’t stay in just one place, but she explored every inch of visible skin.

“Now I want my hug” she said after a couple of seconds of trying to recover her breath. Jack threw his head back laughing before embracing her in the so awaited hug. “Yup, never leaving these arms” she squished her cheek against his chest.

The grip around her shoulders tightened “Thank god, cause I didn’t know how to tell you that you’re now forever trapped in here”.

“Um, could you please move?” one old woman said.

Y/N sighed as they pulled away “Taylor Swift was right when she said forever is the sweetest con”

“I’m sorry. You two are really adorable but I want to get home already” the woman said.

“No, it’s okay. We’re sorry” Y/N smiled kindly.

“Let us help you with your baggage” Jack offered, taking one of the suitcases while Y/N grabbed one of her bags.

“How long have you two been together?” the woman asked as they walked her to a taxi.

“Oh-uh…” Y/N wasn’t sure what to say. She wanted to think they were together even though they never said the word ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’.

“Three months” Jack spoke up. “We live in different states, but we talk everyday. We never made it official, but in case you were wondering, and this is for you too Y/N/N, I feel that we are a couple”

The woman looked at Y/N, waiting for her answer. The girl smiled brightly, feeling the weight of her heart evaporating “I feel that way too, Jack”.

[istoleyoursk1n]

Hii 💕 can I request where Gale,Wyll,Halsin,Astarion are cuddling with a female Tav in the middle of the night the owl bear cub walks up to them and stares before trying to cuddle her as well thank you💕 sorry to bug

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅

How would the boys react to Tav cuddling with them at night ft. The owlbear cub!

.

.

: ̗̀➛ ASTARION

“Gods, does it really have to join us? Yes? Oh, fine. But don't put the poor thing near me, darling, it smells! Don't give me that look, I said what I said.”

He likes the cub don't worry

It was a quiet night with you and Astarion, one which was spent with a couple of bottles of wine and the occasional silent laughter. All but him and you were awake at this time, bickering and bantering as the alcohol slowly sank in.

It started off with his usual snarky remarks in regards to your companions (Gale), then about the various foes you've both slayed and how they were absolutely hideous. Oh, and how he nearly broke a nail. He’s devastated.

Even so, the both of you were content with each other’s presence. a sudden warmth filling his otherwise undead heart.

Though he didn't admit it out loud just yet, he had never felt more alive in his life. Every moment he spent with you was making up for all the years of suffering he had been out through.

Who knew that one quiet night alone by the campfire could make him feel… hopeful. Hopeful that whatever you both may face, he wouldn't have to stand alone in fear. He has you.

And just when he thought the moment was right. Just when he thought he could finally lean in for the sweet kiss he’d finally come to initiate himself, that was when you both heard a sudden chirp.

The face he made when he suddenly saw his midnight snack the owlbear cub nudging against you was priceless, he couldn't decide whether he wanted to curse it or awe at the poor thing.

I mean. It was an adorable sight. But gods damnit this was supposed to be his moment! Nevertheless, he settled with cuddling both you and the owlbear (to his reluctance, he's still quite bitter about it.)

: ̗̀➛GALE

“Well hello there little one! I wasn't particularly expecting to have another join such a special night but how can I to turn away this fuzzy friend of ours? Perhaps I could put on another light show! Dedicated to the both of you this time. How does that sound?”

He was in the midst of conjuring a few light spells here and there as you two nuzzled up together, giving you a tiny little light show all for you.

He simply adored the twinkle in your eyes every time he began to show a few magic tricks here and there, anything to make you smile of course.

This man would light up the sky with the most brilliant of stars for you, but trust and believe that above all the comets and moons above, you will always be the most radiant thing he could have ever admired.

He probably would have tried to teach you a simple trick or two (assuming you aren't already a knowledgeable wizard such as himself), so both of you could light up the sky together.

He could have written a hundred love letters all in your name right then and there and still, each word could never have captured just how deeply he treasures you.

All his time studying and channeling the weave in all of its forms and yet all of the comforts and powers it may hold could never compare to the ultimate bliss he feels when he's with you.

He was a mere second from pulling you closer, a tiny inch closer from finally pressing a sweetened kiss against those spellbinding lips of yours, and he would have gotten it if it weren't for the damn owlbear pouncing atop him.

He nearly screamed He was all so good at pretending not to be startled. Despite the interruption, he could hardly remain upset for long, not when the cub was this adorable! However, he still managed to wriggle a quick kiss against the corners of your lips before you eagerly brought the owlbear closer to the both of you.

He was perfectly content with sharing you with the cute little thing, both of you felt so warm, and if he could, he’d be sleeping right then and there.

He did in fact fall asleep.

: ̗̀➛WYLL

“Oh! Well, won't you look at that! Perhaps our furry little companion would love a dance lesson of his own? No? Ha! Cuddling it is then, come here! Both of you! Nothing but another sweet thing to brighten up the mood.”

He had spent most of the night dancing away with you in his arms. In the bright glowing moonlight you looked absolutely stunning in ways dreams of his own could never compare.

While he wished for this intimate dance of yours to go on for longer, he was perfectly happy with cuddling up next to you too.

Amidst the silence of the night, he would whisper every sweet little thing he's come to adore about you, describing you in ways that could have made your heart swoon again and again.

You’d always find your own hand interlocked with his as if your hands were the only things he’d ever want to hold onto. His touch was always soft, no matter how smooth or calloused your own hands may be, he treated them as if they were the most fragile thing on earth.

The one thing that would shatter him completely is if, in the midst of cuddling, you decided to gently caress his horns or the ridges on his skin, kissing them would only take the words out of his lips. His heart is wholly yours, he couldn't ask for anything more!

If he could, he’d hum a soft tune, lulling you both into a peaceful rest where for just this night and hopefully many more, you both can be lost in a calming peace.

Everything seemed perfect, specifically the perfect time to finally plant a soft kiss against your lips. A kiss he knew would light his heart ablaze and scorch him completely, body and soul- but then he heard a soft little chirp.

He felt no bitterness at all the moment he saw those wide beady eyes of the camp’s lovely little owlcub stumble along to cuddle with you both. In fact, he practically lit up! He was already scooping up the damn thing as if it was his own child, already pulling the sweet cub into a hug.

The kisses he was going to give to you were given to the little bundle of joy, but don't worry! He does have some left reserved just for you.

: ̗̀➛HALSIN

“Hm, as they say, the more the merrier. Who am I to exclude one of nature’s own from a well-needed embrace. Isn't that right, my heart? Besides, the little one is far too adorable for me to simply ignore.”

He was already practically bear-hugging you from behind, capturing you in his arms so it was a tad bit difficult to escape. Though you could tell he was being as gentle as possible, a single tug and he’d let go of you if you so wished.

His head was buried against the crook of your neck, taking in your scent which he had come to grow absolutely obsessed with. There was always something about the way you smelled that made him all the more enchanted by you.

He wouldn’t say much, not when he was this relaxed, the sounds of nature around you both were enough to fill the silence.

You could tell that he was holding back, his hands trying their hardest to remain where they were rather than completely traveling all over your body. As much as he was able to hold himself back, it was always incredibly difficult to do so.

With your permission, his hands would go everywhere, worshipping each part of you as if you were a true deity. One that he was helplessly bewitched by.

There would be a subtle twitch from his fingers each time he touched another part of your body, almost as if he was resisting to urge to go further but he remained behaved. He would save the far more intimate nights for another day as this was supposed to be something far sweeter.

However, if you begin to touch him back? He’d be on the verge of losing himself entirely. Perhaps even a soft warning would slip out of his lips, attempting to both calm himself and stop you from pressing even further less this was what you truly wanted.

In the middle of all his resistance, he’d eventually lose control, his body once more transforming into a bear just as he always does when things became far too overwhelming for your sweet Druid, it was only the sound of a tiny chirp that managed to bring him back to his senses.

He’d calm down the moment he made eye contact with the owlbear cub, his bear form smiling down at the little creature as if he was truly pleased to see the small creature. What was going to be a rather intimate long night between you two soon became a happy little snuggle pile with you, bear Halsin, and the lovely owlbear cub.

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅

[nyctophiliq]

your upcoming vale + laswell threesome got me thinking, thinking real hard

welcome to ep 2 of 🪭's depraved thoughts!!

cw: dacryphillia, overstim, praise, light degradation? good cop/bad cop domme dynamics (?) /////////

you're sat on kate's face, ass facing her with your face stuffed into a pillow resting on her thighs as she suckles and licks and laps at your clit like she's a woman finding a desert oasis, her hands wrapped firmly around your waist. occasionally she mumbles little praises into the tortured bud, pressing gentle kisses right to the tip of it after every word. you're too far gone to understand what she's saying.

"so good for me, mhm, yes you are"

"just like that, yeah, buck your hips, just for me"

and vale's there behind you, her strap sliding in and out of your messy little cunt, groaning like she can feel you through the silicone. she's holding onto your hips, the complete opposite of kate beneath you with the wickedest smirk on her face. she's ignoring every single mewl and plea and sob for her to go slower, to let up the absolutely punishing pace, reveling in the way you claw and grip onto the sheets with knuckles whiter than paper.

"what was that, querida? i couldn't hear you with your face pushed into the pillow." "c'mon neña- oh no, is that a tear I see? too fucked out to respond? tsk tsk, I should punish you for that"

-🪭 (screaming into my bed currently)

and i once again bow down before 🪭 anon because OH MY GOD THIS MADE MY MORNING also a big thank you for keeping my blog alive with this juice post 🪭 anon

the bad cop, good cop dynamic between kate and valeria would be such a real thing in a way that they would mock each other during too, but that would be their game yk? two very powerful women sharing poor little, oh so helpless you.

laswell is such a caring woman, pampers you like a little kid, and is very much the person to spank you if you did something bad because no matter how much she hates to see you crying, the more she likes hearing you sobbing. sit in her lap, burry your face into her shoulder and let your tears fall, murmur nonsense and you will have her so eager to have her fingers in you, or start moving your hips so your cunt rubs against her thighs. oh poor little you, don't worry, mommy kate is here and everything's gonna be alright. she wants to hear you cry, so she pinches and twists your skin but soothes you soon after, just to rub it into valeria's face when she steps inside the room that she couldn't hear your sweet cries.

the two of them are equally as powerful, but valeria loves to show it not by just the way she makes you feel but how she handles you. she is the top of the food chain, the ultimate predator and you are her prey. she will hunt you, lurk behind you and catch you off guard just to drag you to the bedroom and gloat to laswell about what a stupid little girl like you were so easy to catch. overstimulation, taking all the scratching and biting, putting up with you fighting back when you're so overstimulated you are on the verge of passing out but still have that one little sliver of energy to try and escape her hold.

it's no secret that they would have a silent competition between themselves about who can tear you apart the fastest.

[callsignspark]

change your ticket home

a top gun maverick AU

pairing: Bradley Bradshaw x Sherrie McHone (fem!OC)

summary: After a successful business trip on the West Coast, two Wells Corporation engineers have problems getting back home. Thank god for Bradley Bradshaw, a man who is determined to make their hours waiting in the terminal as enjoyable as possible. And if he and his pretty travel companion (and colleague) get closer along the way? Well that’s just a bonus.

warnings: difficulties of being a woman in a male-dominated field, minor misogyny from coworkers, yearning, pining, Bradley being an absolute sweetheart, it's vaguely alluded to but Sherrie is named after the Steve Perry song, American Airlines bashing bc this fic is based on a real and horrible experience I had a few years ago. and yes, the title is from the one direction song.

word count: 9.8k | masterlist

note: happy saturday! this has been in the works for almost a year and I'm so thrilled to finally be sharing it! this is dedicated to @gretagerwigsmuse, who gave so many wonderful ideas and has continually been a cheerleader for this fic. happy birthday!

Friday, July 15, 2016 | 06:36 AM PST | San Diego, CA

“If I fake a heart attack, we can get out of this meeting, right?”

She looks over at Bradley sprawled in the uncomfortable café chair in his navy suit, his arm slung over the back of her chair. He’s down to just his crisp, white button-up, jacket, and tie abandoned within the first ten minutes of the call.

“Suck it up, we’re almost done.” She rolls her eyes. “And Martin knows you’re a supremely healthy thirty-two-year-old, so no, I don’t think that will work.”

“Sherrie…” His whine is cut off by her hand covering his mouth as she unmutes her microphone and mentally praises his decision to sit so close to her. Not having to pull out both laptops was just an additional perk on top of her ability to silence him.

“That’s correct, Sean. We got them to agree to a small batch trail run for the connectors. We’ll be working together on running them through environmental testing before committing to a full contract.”

“And why are they agreeing to that? Because frankly, it makes no sense to me why they would want to do that.”

Bradley straightens up, his eyes narrowing at the Teams box showing the older man’s initials. “Well, Sean, as Sherrie explained before. Harris hasn’t produced connectors like this before, and they’re interested in the test results, specifically the shock data. So they agreed to take on half the burden so they can use the information for their own use. If this works how we think it will, this will be a huge boost for their business, even if the patent is shared.”

She looks at him, half admonishment and half appreciation, always a little bit amazed when he had her back, no matter how many times he had done it. “The contracts team is drawing up the final agreements and negotiating with their team next week, so best case scenario is we have reports with usable data by the end of the summer. Worst case, it’ll drift into the middle of Q1.”

“That’s great work you guys did out there, thank you. Alright, I think that covers everything we had to talk about today. McHone, Bradshaw - have a safe flight back, and everyone have a good weekend!” Martin ends the call before anyone can add anything.

Bradley laughs. “God, he’s just as sick of Sean as I am. I can’t wait until he retires.”

“He’s not that bad; you’re just grumpy because you had to dress up for the staff meeting, and then Martin said cameras off today.”

“I am upset about that! I will be logging yet another suggestion that we should have casual Fridays and casual travel policy. But I’m more upset because he talks down to you all the time! Like you haven’t been carrying this department on your back since we started ten years ago!”

“Carrying is an exaggeration, Bradley.” She looks up from where she’s putting her laptop away. “I think you have time to change into something comfy before we board.”

“American Airlines Flight 2307 from San Diego to Charlotte, Boarding Group A can now board.”

“Or not.” She giggles as he groans, reaching over to pull her other air pod out of his ear. “Come on, it’s a long flight; you can sleep on the plane. Just be thankful you’re not wearing an underwire bra and heels.”

“I don’t know how you do that.” He mutters, shooing her away when she tries to pick up her carry-on, throwing it over his shoulder alongside his own.

“I don’t either. I’m going to get a massage when we get back to Boston.”

“Ohhh, a massage sounds nice.” He subtly sticks his elbow out for her grab, which she gratefully does, letting his tall frame guide her to their gate. “You know you didn’t have to wear heels, right?”

“You should shut up while I’m still thankful you yelled at Sean for me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sherrie leans her head on his arm as they wait in the priority boarding line, one of the perks of traveling on the company’s dime. Normally, she would worry about being more professional while carrying her work bag that had the Wells Corporation logo embroidered on it, but she can’t bring herself to care. Yesterday’s meetings ran late, and the following client dinner had kept them out until almost midnight. After packing, going to bed late, and having to get up at 3:30AM to get to the airport, she was exhausted.

She takes her bag before they scan their tickets, not fighting when he grabs it again on their walk down the jet bridge.

“Where are you sitting again?”

“I’m in 16C.” She snorts at Bradley’s pout. “What? You knew we weren’t going to be sitting together.”

“But I’m going to be bored all the way back in 21D by myself.”

“Bud, you’re going to fall asleep in the first 30 minutes like you always do, and then I would be stuck for the next four hours with you leaning and drooling on me.”

Bradley whips his head around, “That is a baseless accusation. I do not drool!”

“You 100% definitely do drool, I’ve seen it.” Her smirk widens when his attempt to fight back is cut off by the flight attendants greeting them.

He ushers Sherrie on first, politely nodding to the flight crew before following her down the aisle, ducking down to whisper. “I do not drool.”

“You absolutely do drool. You also snore.”

She can feel eyes on them as they shuffle down the aisle, making eye contact with an older woman who raises her eyebrows in appreciation at the hunk of a man behind her.

This happens everywhere they go.

Bradley is such a gentleman, always opening doors and carrying her bags, that people never believe the two are just friends and coworkers. She’s had complete strangers fight with her when she says there’s nothing between them. Unable to accept that it’s just platonic.

As much as she wishes it could be more.

After years of learning all the little details of each other, she knows they would be good together. Their decade-long friendship allowing her to thoroughly analyze how well their personalities would mesh. They share the same beliefs and have the same interests; they even have overlapping friend groups. They’re made for each other.

On paper.

In reality, it will never happen.

She won’t let it.

“Is this good here?” Bradley’s question interrupts her weekly internal spiral; his big brown eyes blink at her over his shoulder as he puts her bag into the overhead compartment.

“That’s fine. Can you grab my water bottle out of the side pocket?

“Here ya go, ma’am. I’ll meet you by the water foundation when we land, okay?”

She nods, smiling as he hustles back to his seat to avoid a family almost flattening him in their haste to get to their assigned seats.

Her seat neighbors haven’t arrived yet, so Sherrie sits down without bothering to buckle, tucking her work bag under the row in front of her after pulling out her plane kit. Her pencil case from college that she’s repurposed to hold her headphones, phone charger, gum, hand sanitizer, and a few other small necessities.

Her phone buzzes as she’s storing her water bottle and the little bag away in the pocket of the seat in front of her.

Bradley is woken up by his seat neighbor hitting his arm as he reaches to grab a drink, nodding at the guy’s apologetic face before trying to get comfortable again. Alan talked way too much at dinner last night, and it was a struggle to stay awake during the project manager’s third round of gushing over how brilliant and profitable Sherrie’s proposal would be for both companies.

“Sir? This is for you, do you want it?” The muffled question is accompanied by someone shaking his shoulder. He peels open his eyes to see the flight attendant holding out two packets of Biscoff cookies.

His face must be confused enough for the short woman to take pity on him. “Your friend up there said these are your favorite and asked me to give hers to you.”

His heart warms up, taking the treats and saying thank you. He enjoys the cookies, washing them down with the ginger ale he also got, thinking about how well Sherrie knows him. He forces himself to wait for them to finish snack service before he gets up to use the restroom.

“Thank you.” Bradley revels in the way Sherrie jumps when he pops her headphone out, purposefully brushing his lips against her ear. “Hmmm, you were right, your seatmate is cute.”

She glares up at him, a smile threatening to break through. “Isn’t he? He fell asleep five minutes after take off, just like you.”

“Yet, another baseless accusation!”

“I heard you snoring.”

“You shouldn’t lie in front of small children.”

“His mom said he’s seven months old; I don’t think we have to be concerned about teaching him to lie while he’s still in a car seat.”

“Probably shouldn’t chance it, though. Say I don’t snore.”

“You just said I shouldn’t lie. Should probably go to the bathroom before you start holding up traffic.” She puts her headphone back in, wiggling her fingers at him before going back to reading on her phone.

It gives him the strangest sense of déjà vu.

Tuesday, March 25, 2005 | 10:43 AM EST | Charlottesville, VA

“…and he said you had already-” Bradley cuts himself off, realizing she can’t hear him. He chuckles; he should have known better than to just walk up and start talking.

He doesn’t know Sherrie McHone very well. They had taken all the freshman intro to engineering requirements together, and this year their classes had split into their chosen disciplines. His mechanical, hers electrical. But he knows her well enough to know that she can pretty much only be found without her headphones during class.

He remembers the first time they spoke last semester after he accidentally walked right into her. He had told Danny it’s because she’s so much shorter than him, but it’s really because he wasn't paying attention.

Sherrie had only taken one earpiece out to make sure he was okay before continuing onto her class, seamlessly weaving between upperclassmen as she shoved her headphone back in.

“Sherrie?” No response.

He lets out a tiny huff and checks his watch. Normally, he wouldn’t care that she’s clueless to his existence even as he’s right beside her, but he’s got a class soon, and he’s still two buildings away. So he does the only thing he can.

He pops her headphones out and steps back for fear of getting smacked.

Her head whips up, narrowing in on him freakishly fast. “What the fuck, Bradshaw?”

He’s surprised to learn that she knows his name.

“Sorry, Sherrie! I’ve been trying to talk to you for like five minutes, and you somehow haven’t noticed, but I’ve got class in 15 minutes, so I needed to get your attention.”

“Oh…” Her green eyes widen in surprise, the apples of her cheeks turning a light pink. “Sorry about that. What did you need? Wait. How did you find me?”

A fair question.

“Khondker told me where you sit.” He partially fibs.

All semester he had been watching her disappear after EE221, the one class they shared. It had taken him a while, but he was pretty sure he had found her secret study nook in the electrical engineering wing of the building. Their TA had only confirmed Bradley’s theory of where he could find his fellow sophomore.

“I don’t understand this last section we’ve been learning, and Khondker said you had already finished the homework and could help me. So could you?”

“He didn’t help you?” Sherrie raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

“He tried.” Bradley scratches the back of his head, remembering how frustrated the patient man had been after his third attempt at explaining. “I just really don’t understand circuit loops. And he thought having a classmate explain it to me would make it stick. That or he was just so sick of me, he’s pawning me off.”

He watches her think, her pencil rapidly tapping against her notebook, making him nervous.

“I don’t want to be rude, but if you don’t understand current loops, I’m not sure how much help I can be. I understand the material, but I’m not a miracle worker.”

Her bluntness makes him smile. “I’m not expecting miracles, just help with the homework. If you have time.”

“Okay, just as long as you don’t get your hopes up too much.” She grabs a bright pink notebook and opens it up. “So, I’m usually free-”

“I don't want to interrupt, but I do have to get to class, so could we figure out a time later today?”

“Sure, I’ll be here until my class at four. Feel free to sit down if I’m not here; it just means I’m grabbing food.” He nods, backing away. “Wait! Bradley! Go down this hall and out the side door. You’ll be like halfway there already.”

“Awesome, thanks!” He starts to jog down the hallway, looking back to see her putting her headphones back in. Waving back when she smiles and wiggles her fingers at him before going back to her homework.

Friday, July 15, 2016 | 3:16 PM EST | Charlotte, NC

“Our flight got delayed, and I’m hungry.”

Sherrie jumps, not expecting Bradley to get that close to her face three seconds after she exited the bathroom.

“Okay, I could eat. Where do you wan-”

“Auntie Anne’s.”

He’s walking away before she can even process what he said. She allows herself one second to appreciate the way he looks, walking through the concourse - navy slacks fitting his legs perfectly and all their bags thrown over his broad shoulders - before she’s clicking along after him.

“Bradshaw!” He freezes and turns, almost taking a lanky teenager out with her backpack. “Oh my god, Bradley! Be careful! You almost took that kid’s head off.”

His smile is sheepish as she shuffles them over to the wall. “I did not do that on purpose.”

She giggles and takes her backpack from his shoulder. “Yeah, I kinda figured. But you should have seen his face. His life flashed before his eyes. All sixteen years.”

“I can carry that Sherrie.”

“That’s okay, I got it. No! Bradley!”

He ignores her, smiling at her frustrated little stomp when he hands over her tan, cross-body purse out of her work bag. “You just carry that and make sure I don’t take out any toddlers or old ladies.”

“How am I supposed to do that if I’m ahead of you?” She snarks as he steers them toward the food stands.

“You’re smart; I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Bradley laughs when she mocks him under her breath. “I can hear you, smartass.”

“You were meant to, Bradley.”

His heart flutters at the teasing wink she sends over her shoulder. It’s been twelve years since they became friends, and he still feels like that 20-year-old kid who was nervous to talk to the pretty red-headed girl he had a crush on.

He can feel eyes on them as her heels catch people’s attention, and he finds himself glaring at men who are shamelessly staring. Her shoes aren’t loud as they click along on the tile floor, but it’s hard to ignore the beautiful woman striding along in business casual.

It happens everywhere they go.

Sherrie has always been beautiful and painfully unaware of her effect on men. It never matters where they are - at work, the rare baseball game he forces her to attend, happy hour with their friends from school - she always catches attention. It doesn’t bother him because she never reciprocates, and he’s always the one to give her a ride back to her apartment.

Even if he wishes it was their apartment they were going to.

He’s watched her change over the last decade, seen her grow as a person. He’s risen through the ranks with her professionally, the two of them matching each other step for step with each promotion and raise. He’s publicly assured her that her hair still looks good as it’s deepened color with age, now less red and more auburn. He’s privately appreciated the way her body has changed, softer and curvier than when they were kids. Her wide hips are a frequent star in his daydreams.

It's the only place where they’ll ever be in a relationship.

He knows they’d be perfect together. Old friends who know each other so well they don’t even have to talk to communicate sometimes. Whose attitudes fit together like puzzle pieces, perfectly in sync with each other. He knows it won’t happen. Can’t happen.

“Grab us a table, and I’ll get the food.”

“Okay.” He doesn’t fight her about paying, knowing this will be covered under their per diem. “Don’t forget my-”

“You’re frozen lemonade, I know!”

Bradley rolls his eyes at the hand that waves over her shoulder, settling their bags at a table and keeping an eye on Sherrie while sending an update to Mav.

His thumbs hover over the keyboard. He wants to tell his uncle the whole situation - that he’s not afraid to flirt with Sherrie.

“Everything okay?”

Bradley looks up to find her eyebrows furrowed as she sets a tray down.

“All good. Just sending my family an update that we’re delayed.”

She nods, sitting in the chair across from him. “Here’s your mini pretzel dogs, with mustard and a frozen lemonade. This is my pretzel nuggets, cheese sauce, and Diet Coke. Oh! And I got us these cinnamon sugar pretzels to share!”

“Thank you for remembering the mustard.”

“Bradley, when have I ever forgotten the mustard? Here, take some napkins.”

He shoves an entire mini pretzel dog in his mouth in lieu of answering her question, which they both know the answer to. Never. She has never forgotten his love for pretzels with mustard.

They eat in comfortable silence, the way only two friends can, occasionally dunking into each other's sauces as they scroll through their phones.

“Hey, how is your da- oh Bradley! You got mustard on your shirt!” His head snaps down to his shirt, groaning when he sees the yellow blob on his white button-up.

“Fuck! This is new, too!”

Sherrie dives into her bag, muttering about a stain stick, a triumphant noise escaping when she comes up successful. Scooting closer to him, she’s hit with a wave of nostalgia as she helps him clean his shirt.

Friday, April 6, 2007 | 10:12 PM EST | Charlottesville, VA

“You should’ve been gone, knowing how I made you feel!”

Sherrie’s head pops up from the lab reports she’s grading.

“And I should've been gone, after all your words of steel!”

She knows that voice.

“Oh, I must've been a dreamer! And I must've been someone else!”

She knows that voice very well.

“And we should've been over!”

She rushes for the front door, hoping and praying that the idiot she’s become close friends with this year isn’t actually outside her townhouse.

“Oh! Sherrie, our love holds on! Holds on!”

She whips the door open and, sure enough, drunkenly singing to her neighbor's house is Bradley Bradshaw.

“Bradley!” She hisses at him, ignoring the flutters in her stomach when he points his big, goofy grin towards her and not the tulips the soccer girls next door planted in front of their bay window. “What are you doing? It’s 10 PM!”

“You didn’t come.”

“First man to ever care about that.” She mutters, snorting at her joke.

“What’s funny?”

“Nothing. What are you doing here?”

His puppy dog eyes are vicious, and she has the urge to slap her hand over her eyes so she doesn’t succumb to their power. “You didn’t come to the party!”

Sherrie sighs, she thought he might be disappointed she didn’t come to the annual Sigma Chi Easter Bash, but she never thought he would actually notice her absence. Or that it would result in a drunken serenade.

“Bradley, I told you I had a lot of grading and might not make it tonight.” She gently reminds him, stifling a laugh when he trips over his own feet while standing still. “You okay?”

“I have to pee. Can I come in?”

She’s pretty sure he’s just making excuses but lets him in any way; she doesn’t need to deal with him getting a public indecency charge on top of everything else. “Shoes off, Bradshaw. Bathroom is right here; I’ll be in the dining room.”

“Yes, ma’am!” He sloppily salutes her, losing his balance and thunking against the wall, one shoe still on.

Sherrie just blinks at him before returning to her spot at the dining room table, holding in the laugh threatening to escape. She settles in her chair, focusing on the mediocre reports her students had turned in.

“I washed my hands!” Bradley’s abrupt entrance startles her. “Can we have a snack? I’m hungry?

She watches in amusement as he shuffles to her fridge, riffling through the shelves before opening the freezer and gasping.

“I love pretzels. Can we make these? Please?”

The box of pretzels belongs to her roommate, but she’s not strong enough to deny Bradley’s big brown eyes two times in a row so she makes a mental note to buy Amna a new box the next time she goes to the store. “Yeah, we can. But no touching the oven when you’re drunk. Go sit down.”

“I’m not drunk!” He argues even as he follows her directions, plopping himself at the table and nosily leafing through her done pile. “Wow, lots of red here.”

“Bradley! Don’t look at those!”

“Why not?”

“Would you want some random student looking through your homework?”

His rebuttal gets cut off by the oven beeping, announcing it’s up to temp. After she pops the tray in the oven, she turns and catches him appreciating the pj shorts riding up her shapely legs.

“What?” Her head cocks in confusion.

“Nothin'… cute shorts.”

“Thank you.” He watches in fascination as she snips at him even while her cheeks turn pink. “It’s almost like I was dressed for comfort and not planning on being interrupted.”

“But you’re glad I’m here, right?”

“I’ve had worse company on a Friday night.” She nudges him out of her chair. “While those are baking, go find something to watch, and I’m going to finish grading this report.”

“Such a responsible TA.”

Pride fills his chest as Sherrie snorts at his joke and goes back to work. They’ve officially been friends since last year, but he still tries his hardest to make her laugh. She's always so busy and stressed, and she does the cutest little snort-laugh when he catches her off guard.

He puts on a random movie, just grabbing a VHS case with the Disney logo on the side, before plopping on the couch. “Is there a reason you have so many kids movies?”

“Those are Jayla’s, she collects them.” Sherrie answers, never looking up from the table. “What did you choose?”

“It’s a surprise!”

“You don’t remember, huh?”

“Nope! I’ll be quiet now.”

She hums a thank you in his direction, and Bradley keeps his promise, watching her work and staying quiet until the timer goes off. His chin hooked on the back of the couch; he follows her movement through the kitchen as she pulls the pretzels out and transfers them to a plate.

“Can I have mustard, please?”

“Sure can.” Sherrie smiles at his dopey smile as she makes her way to the couch. “Here, take these, then we can eat.”

He gulps down the painkillers she drops in his hand, chugging the rest of the apple juice after they’re gone, smiling when she absentmindedly praises him for listening. He shoves a bite of pretzel in his mouth and mashes the play button, and is pleasantly surprised to find A Bug’s Life was the mystery choice.

“I love this movie,” he garbles through a pretzel. “I love how Flick wins over the princess just by getting a chance to show off his true self.”

“That was shockingly wise for the drunk man sprawled on my couch.”

Bradley thanks her, already a bit more sober but not enough to pick up on her teasing. “So, why didn’t you come? Grading really couldn’t wait?”

“It probably could have, but I’m not a partier, Bradley. You know that.” She dips a piece of pretzel in the mustard. “Besides, I really didn’t think you would notice I wasn’t there, Mr. Popular.”

“You’re the only person I invited; of course, I noticed when you didn’t show up.”

“Really? No one else? Why?”

“I know it’s almost finals, but I wanted to hang out without any books in front of us; that’s all we do lately. Study. Plus, you’ve been extra stressed about something that you don’t want to talk about, and I just wanted you to relax since you won’t talk to me about whatever is bothering you.”

“That’s sweet of you, Bradley. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you; it’s just that my family has been…” She waves a hand through the air, a deep sigh escaping. “It’s complicated. I’m trying not to think about it too much.”

“Well, I’m here if you do want to talk.”

“Thanks bud. How about you? How’re your parents?” She takes one last chunk before nudging the plate in his direction and settling back into the corner.

“Mom is good; she’s close to being considered cancer-free. I think we’re gonna throw a party when she gets there.”

“That’s awesome, Bradley! I’m glad she’s doing so well. How’s your dad?”

“Mav isn’t my dad.”

A record scratch plays in Sherrie’s head as she freezes. She knows she’s heard Bradley talk about his dad, and she’d seen photos of his parents the one time she had visited his frat house last year. He had specifically pointed the photo out, telling her it was his parents. She had even been next to him when he was on the phone when he said “dad” to the person on the other end.

“My dad died when I was three. Mav is- was his best friend. I call him dad sometimes because he’s the closest thing I’ve got.”

Sherrie feels her heart break as Bradley sniffles and sadly shoves a mustard-covered pretzel in his mouth, unshed tears clumping his eyelashes. She’s never seen her friend like this before; she’s experienced many other emotions - frustration, joy, confusion - but the pain creasing his brow is new.

Comforting crying people has never been her forte, but instinctively - almost like they moved without her permission - Sherrie’s fingers run over his hair. Gently stroking the sun-streaked waves as a few tears escape down his cheeks and she scoots closer, letting her body press into his side and hoping the proximity helps.

“I’m sorry for crying on you.” He quietly apologizes after a few minutes of tears.

“S’okay. Family can be hard sometimes.”

“Complicated.”

“That too.” She hums, not moving as he swipes at his eyes and leans against her more, his head resting on her shoulder in a slouched position that can’t be comfortable.

“I love Mav; he’s my dad in all the ways it matters. It just sucks that my actual dad won’t be here for graduation. Like, I know he’s missed so much of my life already, but something about him missing college graduation is worse than everything else. It’s just so unfair; I barely remember him, but I just- I just miss him so much, Sherrie.”

Her heart cracks in half at the whispered confession. She can’t even imagine the pain of losing a parent at such a young age. The inability to remember one of the people responsible for giving you life, all memories fuzzy and most built from second-hand recollections of those who can remember. So she says the one thing she would want to hear.

“Tell me about him.”

Sherrie knows she said the right thing when his red-rimmed eyes brighten, and he immediately launches into a beloved story detailing his father’s love of pranks. She listens dutifully — laughing at the right moments and asking questions when Bradley gets carried away, forgetting that she doesn’t know all the people in his story — and feels her heart warm more and more. She’s always liked Bradley, probably more than she should, but it’s hard not to like him. He’s considerate, smart, and funny, not to mention handsome.

Thankfully, before she gets lost in thoughts of broad shoulders and strong jawlines, a big glob of mustard drops on Bradley’s t-shirt, abruptly cutting him off. The two stare in silence at the yellow condiment sitting on the black cotton shirt, somehow surprised at its appearance, before breaking down into giggles.

“C’mon Bradshaw,” Sherrie grabs his hand, pulling him off the couch. “I have a Tide pen we can use on that mess.”

Bradley follows her up the stairs and into the bathroom, teasing Sherrie about the way her tongue pokes out when she focuses. She takes the gentle taunts, grateful he’s focusing on that and not on her pink cheeks or the way her eyes keep darting to his toned stomach. She’s not sure it was completely necessary for him to strip his shirt off, but she won’t be complaining.

“Well,” A few minutes later, she interrupts his rambling story about a slip and slide. Or she thinks that’s what it’s about; she missed the first part. “I think this is as good as I can get it.”

“That’s okay; it’s not like it’s new or anything. Thanks, Sherrie.”

She steadfastly ignores the pounding heart in her chest as miles of golden skin gets covered back up, trying to not feel too disappointed by its disappearance.

Friday, July 15, 2016 | 3:56 PM EST | Charlotte, NC

“Oh, this is ridiculous!” Bradley complains a bit too loudly, ears going hot when several pairs of eyes curiously dart toward him, but his focus doesn’t stay on that for very long when he catches the face Sherrie makes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!”

He squints suspiciously as she avoids eye contact. He usually takes her at her word and doesn’t push, but the frown pulling down the corners of her pink lips sets off bells in his head. “Sherrie, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Bradley. I’m fine.”

He grumbles at her lack of response but settles again in the spot they had claimed after finishing their snack. The gate was still packed, but they had found a prime location with outlets; the only downside was having to sit on the floor, something that is getting harder the older they get.

Bradley scans the area, trying to scout out some open chairs for them to grab, while Sherrie goes back to the movie they’ve been watching on his phone. His eyes drop away from the chairs in surprise when she scoots closer and leans on his shoulder. It’s not uncommon for them to sit close like this at home in Boston, sides pressed together, but she makes a point to be professional when they’re on travel.

“Hey,” he gently nudges her side, concern rising when she doesn’t lift her head, choosing to tilt her neck back, looking up at him with tired eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Panic grips his chest when tears start forming, clouding her green eyes. “Sherrie?! What’s wrong?”

“We were supposed to be halfway home by now, and I’m so uncomfortable. I’m sorry, Bradley, I’m just so tired.” She whimpers, hiding against his bicep.

It hits him like a glass of cold water. Of course, she’s uncomfortable. She’s been walking around in heels and her pantsuit since 4AM California time after getting maybe three hours of sleep. His suit and shoes are comfortable and easily wearable for twelve-plus hours, not to mention the jacket and tie that were ditched sometime after the mustard incident.

“Oh, Sherrie, it’s okay. Let’s go change, yeah? Then we’ll find a quieter place so you can close your eyes and maybe get some sleep.”

“But the policy…”

Bradley resists the urge to roll his eyes at her insistence on rule-following. “In the nicest way possible, Sher, fuck the policy. You’re uncomfortable, and I care about that way more than I could ever care about a stupid, archaic policy.”

He stands, unplugging their phones and gathering their bags on his shoulder before turning to his best friend, who is still on the floor. “C’mon, we’re putting comfy clothes on.”

“But Bradley-”

“No arguing.” He interrupts, helping her off the ground and directing them back towards the restrooms. “We’re not going to sit in our suits for god knows how much longer.”

“But Bradley, I don’t have anything to change into. We had such a packed schedule I didn’t bother to bring normal clothes.” He ignores the thumping of his heart when her hand grabs his forearm, warm fingers slipping under the edge of the rolled-up sleeve as she tugs to slow his pace. At that information, he slides them out of the flow of traffic and over to the wall, Bradley pressing her against one of the columns lining the concourse atrium.

“You don’t have any regular clothes? What about your pajamas?”

“I have a pair of leggings because I was going to do a training run in the gym last night, but that’s it. I can’t wear my pjs because… well, they’re not appropriate for public.”

“Your leggings are clean, though, right?” He asks, ignoring the thoughts of what non-public appropriate pajamas might look like.

“Well, yeah, dinner went so late I barely had time to sleep before we had to be up. I guess I could buy a shirt at one of the SmartShop- what are you doing?”

Bradley peers up from his knees, where he had started digging in his bag. “I’m grabbing one of my shirts for you. Would you prefer a t-shirt or a sweatshirt? Actually, you’re definitely gonna get cold, sweatshirt for you.”

He pulls the worn, gray crew neck out, shaking it out before handing it over.

“You still have this?” The disbelief in her voice makes him laugh.

“Of course, I still have that! Relay was always my favorite event of the year. And that year was my favorite one.”

As the philanthropy chair of Sigma Chi, part of his job was to sign the brothers up for volunteer events and fundraisers. With his mom’s diagnosis, he ensured their schedule included the campus’ annual Relay for Life event, pouring as many resources as he could into the fundraiser that directly helped advance cancer research.

“Wait, but why was junior year your favorite?” She asks, brushing her fingers over the cracked, screen-printed logo.

“Because that’s the reason we became friends, Sher.”

Surprised green eyes meet sincere brown eyes, a thousand words said in the silence of their stares, both remembering the lead-up to that day in April so many years ago.

Bradley’s eyes widen in panic as everyone at the gate starts moving as a herd. They had finally found seats to relax in after changing, the group of passengers waiting with them shrinking as time went on. And now, with only ten minutes until boarding, their gate has changed again.

“Sherrie, wake up!” He feels bad shaking the snoozing woman off, but they have to move with the group to make it to the new part of Terminal A in time for their flight. “C’mon, honey, they changed the gate again — we gotta go!”

“What are you- again?! Shit!” She wipes the bleariness from her eyes, slinging her bags over her shoulder and grabbing the hand he holds out.

The two coworkers, along with fifty of their fellow passengers who have stuck this out, speed walk down the first branch of the terminal. The entire group picking up the pace when turning the corner towards the second branch where the new gate lives. By the time they hit the second branch, everyone is practically running — time ticking down to boarding — no one wanting to miss this flight.

As if the blob of Flight 1121 passengers racing toward the end of the terminal didn’t garner attention from other gates, the entire terminal is staring by the time they reach gate A28, and several people start yelling in frustration.

“This is unbelievable!” An older gentleman’s unhappiness is interrupted by three simultaneous updates pinging everyone’s phones.

Bradley’s head drops back in disbelief, wrapping his arm around Sherrie when her head thunks against his chest. He doesn’t even get a chance to comfort her before the gate agents are making announcements about getting people on other flights, providing hotel rooms, and the vouchers that will be shared.

“Again, we apologize, but if you have flexible travel plans, we ask that you please go to the end of the line so those with time constraints can be taken care of first. Thank you for your cooperation, folks!”

“Well, that’s us, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Sherrie blows air out of her lips, a mischievous smile taking over her face. “Hey, at least this means extra per diem money.”

Bradley laughs as they move to the back of the squiggly line that’s forming, letting her take the bags so he can step away to call to update their supervisor and then his pet sitter. It only takes a few rings for his boss to pick up. “Bradshaw! What’s up? You okay?”

“Hey Martin, all good. Just wanted to let you know that our flight has gotten supremely delayed. We won’t be home until tomorrow morning sometime.”

“Jesus, do you guys need anything?”

“Nah, we’re good. The airline is putting us up in a hotel for the night and giving vouchers for a bunch of stuff. Just called to let you know and for a heads up on the expense report.”

“Well, that is the most important part!” Martin’s honking laugh makes Bradley chuckle as he glances to check on Sherrie’s progress in line. “How’s Sherrie? She good?”

“Yeah, she’s good. She’s holding our spot in line for getting new tickets and stuff.” And it looks like she’s made friends already, he silently adds, smiling at her interacting with the elderly couple in front of her.

“Good. Alright then, I’ll see you on Monday, but let me know if you guys need anything. And hey! If you two end up in the same hotel room — remember what I said on your first day!”

The line goes dead, and so does Bradley’s smile, his stomach churning like it does every time he remembers his first day at the Wells Corporation.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 | 11:15 AM EST | Boston, MA

“Will you calm down?”

“I can’t, Bradley. What if no one likes me? What if I fuck up?!” She hisses, working to appear calm as they wait for their supervisor to show up, but failing.

“First of all, we’re starting together, so you have at least one person that likes you. And you’re great, everyone will like you. Second, there will be mistakes, but we just graduated — they’re not going to let us do anything alone because we don’t know anything yet.”

Sherrie nods, tucking her hands under her legs and trying to breathe. Bradley’s words are encouraging, but he doesn’t know how difficult her internship was last summer. The older engineers she shadowed treated her like a glorified coffee girl and secretary. Even when she had pointed out a mistake they all had missed, there was no change — just the addition of making her type their reports to see if she could catch something the non-engineer tech writers would miss.

This is a brand new company, but misogyny wasn’t unique to Waite Green Construction. Every woman has to work twice as hard to prove her worth and intellect, no matter her age or experience. She’s just hoping her onboarding mentor will be the only other woman in the department; it would be the perfect way to gain a professional mentor once she’s out of the probation period.

“Good morning, kids! How was orientation?” Mr. Teresi walks into the conference room.

Bradley shakes his hand first, “It was good, sir. Nice to see you again.”

“Good to hear! Learn lots of new things.”

“Yes, I think we can be considered experts on trade secrets now.” Sherrie jokes, focusing on making sure her handshake is firm but not too firm.

“Wonderful. So, I’m guessing you two have been introduced, but just in case you haven’t. Bradley, this is Sherrie McHone; she’s an electrical engineer. And Sherrie, this is Bradley Bradshaw, a mechanical engineer.”

“We actually went to school together, sir.”

“We’re friends,” Bradley adds, the two of them exchanging small smiles.

“Oh, great! Well, that makes things easier getting started. Now let’s go over my plan for the two of you, and then we’ll get lunch, my treat for your first day.”

Their supervisor talks for half an hour, going over things they’ll need to be trained in and their first assignments. By the time he’s done, several notebook pages have been filled and highlighted with things that need to be looked up.

“Alright!” The older engineer claps, rubbing his hands together. “I’m sure your brains are overloaded with information, so go drop your things at your desks, and we’ll head to lunch.”

The recent graduates gather their notes and head for the door, quietly talking about a training they’ll be attending next week when he stops them. “One more thing, guys. They never mention it during R&D orientation, but I feel it’s necessary to mention it to new people. Here at Wells, there isn’t a fraternization policy among non-management coworkers or between any employees in different divisions. But we are a fairly small department, so keep in mind who you interact with and what impacts that may have at work.”

Sherrie feels the blood drain from her already pale face as her brand new supervisor stares at her the entire time he speaks, ignoring Bradley completely. She’s going to be sick. Less than four hours into the first professional role of her career, and it’s already happening.

This is the moment it starts, she thinks, her heart pounding in her throat as she robotically nods. It’s never the men that get these warnings. It’s always the women. Always us. Always me.

“I don’t care about that. But there are some people who will, even though they shouldn’t. And I want you guys to have the best experience here you possibly can. You’re both extremely bright, and I’m excited about your futures. I don’t want you to get bogged down by the opinions of others. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” They answer in unison before filing out of the conference room.

“Sherrie, don’t worry about that. He’s just-”

“Trust me, Bradley. I know exactly what he was saying. I’m going to use the restroom, and then I’ll meet you guys at the elevator.”

“Sherrie…”

But she ignores her friend, shrugging her purse over her shoulder and keeping her face neutral as she heads for the single-stall ladies’ room. Fighting to hold the tears back until she’s inside for fear of being perceived as emotional. A quality no woman can afford to have in a professional setting.

Friday, July 15, 2016 | 8:05 PM EST | Charlotte, NC

“Hey, everything? Martin says hi.”

“We’re good! This is Mr. and Mrs. Ludden; they’re going to visit their newest granddaughter. How’re Sophie and Louis?” Bradley smiles at the excited way she introduces them, putting a steadying hand on her back when she bounces up on her toes.

“Oh, congrats! They’re good; Marie can watch’em one more day, problem.”

“Good, we’ll have to get her a thank you present for the short notice.”

“You didn’t tell us you guys had kids!”

Bradley and Sherrie freeze in place, eyes widening in surprise at the older woman’s words.

“Oh- uh- we-” Sherrie giggles awkwardly. “Sophie and Louis are our cats; we don’t have kids.”

“I’m so sorry!” Mrs. Ludden gasps, hand covering her mouth in shock while her husband groans her name.

“Louise, how many times do we have to do this before you stop making assumptions?”

“It’s okay, innocent mistake,” Bradley assures them.

“Well, they’re such a cute couple. I just thought they would have adorable children, too!”

“Actually… we’re not…”

“Oh, lord. Let me guess. You’re not dating. You’re just friends.”

“Coworkers too, but we were friends first.” Sherrie suppresses a laugh when the older gentleman rubs a hand over his eyes in exasperation.

“Don’t even start, Clayton!”

“I wasn’t going to, dear.”

Bradley can’t help the laugh that escapes at the comfortable ribbing they give each other; it reminds him of his friendship with Sherrie. The easy way they tease, never going too far.

“Would you two like to join us after we get rebooked?” Bradley asks. “We’re going to use our food vouchers tonight to grab dinner before we head to whatever hotel they put us up in.”

The four adults move through the line, chatting about small things and comparing pictures of grandkids and cats. It’s a nice way to spend the time, especially when they get to share judging looks when a woman throws a tantrum and yells at the gate agent. But soon enough, they’re walking back to the main concourse and deciding what food to get.

“No, stop. You just sit here with the bags, and I’ll grab the food.” Bradley gently pushes Sherrie back into her chair, rolling his eyes as he talks over her protests. “I know. You want mac and cheese, Diet Coke, and whatever pulled pork flavor looks best.”

“He’s sweet,” Louise says, watching the two men make their way over to the BBQ place.

“He’s annoying.” Which makes her companion laugh. “Yes, he’s very sweet. I’m lucky to be such good friends with him.”

“Can I ask why the two of you aren’t together? He even knows what food to bring you.”

“It’s just never been like that between us. We’ve always just been friends. And he’s annoyingly smart, so he always remembers what I order.” Sherrie half smiles, pushing down the pain in her chest at the harmless curiosity, watching Bradley laugh at something Clayton says as she remembers the first time he remembered one of her favorites.

Saturday, March 4, 2006 | 1:34 PM EST | Charlottesville, VA

“Thanks for meeting me on a Saturday, Bradshaw. It’s just such a busy semester.”

“No problem. You know you can call me Bradley, right?”

“Oh, sorry. Do you not like being called Bradshaw?” Sherrie blinks when a bottle of Diet Coke and a small bag of Skittles is set on the table in front of her. “What’s this?”

“Your favorite snack.”

“Right… but why?”

“Because you have that about 50% of the time when we meet up to work on this project. Now, I finished transcribing the interview with Commander Buck last night. Did you want to- Sherrie?”

She shifts her focus from the food to the boy across from her in the study nook they’ve claimed as theirs for the semester. “Why do you remember my favorite snack?”

“Because we’re friends?” Brown eyes look into hers, equally confused.

“We’re friends?”

“I hope so; otherwise, this is gonna get awkward when you hug me in a minute.”

“Why am I going to hug you?!”

Bradley laughs at her flabbergasted expression, but it doesn’t hurt her feelings like it does when other people laugh at her. Something about the tone of the laugh makes it feel like he’s laughing at her, but rather with her, and she just doesn’t know the joke yet.

“Because as team captain, I am happy to announce to the Relay Chair that Sigma Chi has officially raised $5,000 thanks to your idea.”

“Bradley, that’s incredible!” She doesn’t feel silly when she bounces around the table to hug his neck, rocking them back and forth in excitement.

“Well, if you think that’s good - let me show you what we’re anticipating to raise this month…”

Friday, July 15, 2016 | 10:12 PM EST | Charlotte, NC

“I just don’t understand how we’re having such bad luck!”

Sherrie rolls her eyes as he unlocks the door. “Bradley, breathe. You’re being very dramatic right now.”

“How is “we’re out of rooms” a legitimate reason for the hotel to give? Not that I mind sharing with you, but like how is that possible? The airline specifically works with them to book rooms for things like this! And the airline! That gate agent who wanted to book us to fly into Hartford and then drive the rest of the way to Boston! That's insane!”

“I don’t know, the Bradley flying into Bradley joke was pretty funny.” She mutters, clicking the lights on as she checks the cleanliness of the room.

“It wasn’t.” Bradley pouts, flopping onto the bed closest to the door. “Do you want to shower first?”

“No, go ahead, but I’m going to wash my face first so I can do a face mask. I’m so dry from the airport air.” He listens to the sounds of water running and the quiet humming as she carefully applies the drenched sheet to her skin. “All yours!”

“Thanks, Sher. I won’t be long.”

He showers quickly but takes extra time cleaning his teeth, his mouth feeling gross after the long travel day. When he comes out, he’s surprised at how cozy the room feels. With only one lamp on, the air conditioning set low to keep the fan running, and an old movie on the TV, it almost feels like they could be at home in his living room. They silently move around each other, Sherrie heading to the bathroom with a pile of things while Bradley organizes his things for the morning, wanting to get as much rest as possible before their early alarm.

He scrolls through emails and texts while he waits for her to shower, turning the television off since he knows there’s a small chance of either of them making it five minutes after they kill the lights. He's updating Mav on tomorrow’s travel plans when Sherrie comes out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel. Bradley sees her packing things out of the corner of his eye, not fully paying attention until he plugs his phone in.

“That’s what you wear to bed?”

“Bradley!” He laughs at how she jumps, her hands coming down to cover her shorts.

“What? They’re cute! Very pink.”

Her face goes as pink as the pajama set she’s wearing. “Stop making fun of me!”

“I’m not! You know, I love strawberries.” He can’t help the way his eyes roam up and down her body, admiring from the spaghetti straps on her smooth shoulders to the scalloped edge of her shorts. “I see why you didn’t want to change into those at the airport.”

“Oh my god…” She huffs, climbing into her own queen bed and stuffing herself under the sheets. “You set an alarm, right?”

“Yes, ma’am. Want me to turn the light off?”

“Please. God, this day cannot be over soon enough.”

He chuckles and turns the lamp off, listening to her shuffle around in the sheets as she gets comfortable. It’s quiet for a few minutes, and he can hear her breathing leveling out, but he can’t keep quiet; the conversation at the airport running through his mind.

“Sher?” It takes a second, but she quietly hums in response. “We have to talk about it again.”

“No, we don’t.”

“Sherrie-”

“No, Bradley. We talked about this two weeks ago. Nothing has changed since then.”

“Yes, things have changed since then. You interviewed for that principal engineer position. Which if you get-”

“I’m not going to get it. They’re going to pick Trevor.”

“They’re going to pick you. You’re the best person for the job!”

“That’s not how it works, and you know it.”

He’s silent, the crushing weight on his chest feeling heavier when he hears her sniffle.

“Oh, Sherrie…” He slips out of his bed and into hers, wrapping the woman he loves in his arms. He lets her cry, knowing she’s frustrated and exhausted, only speaking up again when she’s calmed down. “I’m sorry, honey.”

“No, I’m sorry, Bradley. It’s not fair that we’ve been dancing around this for so many years, and I keep saying no. You deserve someone who isn’t afraid to be with you. Not a coward like me.”

“You’re not a coward; you’re one of the bravest people I know, Sherrie Anne McHone. I know how critical people are of women, in this field especially. And I love you, so I don’t mind waiting until we’re in a position that you’re confident won’t jeopardize your career. So, we’ll wait to hear about the job, and once you hear that you’ve gotten it, I’m treating you to the nicest dinner in Boston.”

“Bradley, we don’t know-”

“I know we don’t know. But think about how it would be if it does. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“But what about-”

“Doesn’t matter, honey.”

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say.” Sherrie mumbles, cuddling further into his side, making it clear that he wasn’t allowed to leave.

“I know, but it doesn’t matter, whatever it is — we’ll figure it out.”

Saturday, July 16, 2016 | 10:32 AM EST | Somewhere over Virginia

“She’ll take a ginger ale; thank you so much.” Bradley balances his apple juice, the two packets of Biscoff cookies, and the bubbling soda he got for Sherrie. The smiling flight attendant moves past their row as he turns to his row companion.

They’re finally on their way home after waking up to more delay announcements. The additional time meant there was time to get coffee and some fruit from the hotel before their taxi back to the airport arrived, and the Luddens had even stopped to chat for a second at the gate, excited that they had gotten bumped up to first class since the flight was nearly empty.

All things considered, it had been a good morning even though Sherrie was insisting on working during the flight. Bradley is sure it’s an attempt to ignore their talk from last night, not wanting to dwell on the emotional moment when things are still so up in the air.

He looks over at the woman he’s known since he was eighteen, overwhelmed for a moment by how little things have changed since the first time he ever noticed her. Bradley fondly watches as she furiously types, hunched over her laptop with headphones, playing what he knows is eighties hair bands.

Her nose wrinkles in frustration, and suddenly it’s 2003 again, and he’s trying to get the attention of the red-haired girl whose table has the only empty chair left, something he desperately needs since this book can’t leave the library. He’s unable to get her attention and resorts to knocking on the table, heart skipping a beat when the prettiest green eyes he’s ever seen blink up at him. Bradley gestures at the empty chair, silently asking if he can sit, and is grateful when she nods because her smile is making his knees wobble. For the next hour, he tries to take notes for his paper, but he keeps getting distracted by the beautiful girl across from him. Bradley isn’t sure if he’s upset or happy when she packs up her stuff and leaves, giving him a little wave when she notices him watching her.

That had been thirteen years ago, and her intense focus still distracts him, but he’s not afraid to interrupt her this time. Fingers rub her arm that is covered in his sweatshirt again, but this time, he knows it smells like her shampoo instead of his cologne. Her smile still sends his heart skipping when she looks up at him, her pretty eyes widening in joy when she catches sight of the red snack packaging and the plastic cup holding her second favorite soda.

“Thank you!” She whispers, leaning across the empty middle seat in their row to kiss his cheek. “Oh, and we should go out to lunch when we get back! I want to try that new noodle place that opened in Southie.”

He just smiles when she immediately gets back to work; cheek puffed out from the cookie she stuffed in her mouth.

Maybe she’s not avoiding our talk from last night.

Thursday, August 11, 2017 | 2:15 PM EST | Boston, MA

“You got a minute?” Bradley knocks on the edge of her cubicle. It may be a different floor of their building, but all of the office space is the same dated stuff from decades ago.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“First of all…” He ducks down and presses a swift kiss to her plush mouth, still trying to make up for all those years he couldn’t. “And don’t say anything because I already checked before I did because I wanted to kiss my girl.”

He chuckles at the pink spots that shine on her cheeks. It’s been a year since Sherrie snagged the promotion, and they officially became an item, but she still turns a little red whenever he says something sweet.

“Second, you are all packed, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“I was gonna swing by the apartment and get our bags so we can head straight to the airport after work.”

“You took the afternoon off? Why?”

Bradley was expecting this question and smoothly fibs. “I worked the hours out with Martin for this week so I could run a few last-minute errands. Do you want me to grab snacks?”

“Okay, Mr. Secrets. When you’re at home, could you water the ivy? I forgot this morning, and I don’t want it to die while we’re gone.”

“Of course! Need me to do anything else?”

Sherrie hums, staring at the ceiling as she thinks. “One more kiss?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Bradley happily complies with her request.

“Okay, now you have to go. I have to finish prepping for this meeting where I get to yell at Sean.”

“That’s my girl. I’ll pick you up later. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Have fun with your mysterious errands.” Sherrie teases, and Bradley smirks back, knowing how much she would be freaking out if he knew what he would be doing while she professionally reamed out their least favorite colleague.

“Thanks, honey. Text me if you think of something.” Sherrie waves over her shoulder, already zoned back into her work.

Bradley doesn’t dare look at his buzzing phone until he’s safely on the elevator, pleased to see confirmation texts from their hotel and the airline. Would it be cheesy to quietly propose in the airport that was a catalyst in their relationship? Maybe, but he knew Sherrie would love it. He’s just hoping the TSA didn’t call out the ring that would be hiding in his carry-on.

#deltasupremacy I also want to give a special thanks to @sometimesanalice, who gave so much encouragement through the texts despite having no idea what I was writing - you're the best! tagged some friends and most those who interacted with the original announcement post for this fic all those months ago!

tagging: @gretagerwigsmuse @sometimesanalice @laracrofted @theharddeck @hangmanbrainrot @hangmanssunnies @thesewordsareallihavetogive @princessphilly @katieshook02 @atarmychick007 @kmc1989 @a-court-of-roscoe-and-baby @misfitpeach @luckyladycreator2 @scarlettwidow19 @mini-bee-bee @midnightstarqueen @shamelessghostwagonwobbler

divider credit

[kitthepurplepotato]

Chapter 10 (2/2) - Kirishima’s “roomies forever” party!

Summary: Is it gay to sleep in the same bed as your bro? What about getting married to him?

Warnings: Swear words, KiriBaku centered chapter (NOT platonic)

First Chapter Master List

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

“Did you fuck before coming here?!” Katsuki yells right as you two stumble through the door. You thought you did a good job at putting Izuku together after your shenanigans but it’s not like you can magically make his swollen lips disappear.

“Kacchan! No! Uhm… we just… kissed a little bit, that’s all.” Izuku’s face is red as the tomato in your little garden thanks to the fact that Katsuki’s yelling made every single person in the room look towards you two.

“Oh my god, is it finally official? You and Y/N?” Mina perks up right away.

“Took them fucking long enough.” Katsuki rolls his eyes and you can’t help but notice that these guys have their own version of “smart casual” because… well…

Katsuki’s dress shirt is messy and his shirt is only half buttoned. Eijirou’s shirt is literally used as a cape. Kaminari looks like a mafia boss. He even has a fancy fedora. Shinsou didn’t even bother to put a dress shirt on he’s just chilling in his hero suit, clearly still on the call. Momo went all out and she looks absolutely stunning in her black dress, Todoroki is wearing the same style as her. He looks like a prince from another era. You don’t need to ask how their first date went after the camp to know those two are a thing now. Those are just a few examples.

“Let them be, Katsuki.” Eijirou puts his hand on Katsuki’s shoulder to calm him down. “Now that everyone is here, let’s start the celebration!” Kirishima yells and the whole gang sits down on the massive sofa.

Okay, let’s stop here for a second. Let’s talk about Katsuki and Eijirou’s place a little bit.

First of all, this place looks absolutely amazing and you can certainly tell who was in charge for decorating the different rooms because the open kitchen is minimalistic and super clean while the living room is full of pictures, knick knacks and colorful little things. There are pictures about their friends, their family but it’s mostly about the two living here; there are Polaroids all over the place, probably taken by Izuku on their camping trips then there is one long strip of them, probably from a Photo Booth - Eijirou is kissing Katsuki’s cheek while the other rolls his eyes annoyedly.

Wait…

“Ahh, you haven’t been here before! Let me give you a tour.” Eijirou literally pulls you away from the picture with his cheeks tinted pink. He puts a glass of champagne in your hand and ushers you to the other end of the room. “So this this is the living room and the kitchen, obviously. The door in front of you leads to the garden and the sauna which is a separate little building on the side. Then you have the gym room here, guest room here…”

“Wait, that’s Kacchan’s bedroom.” Izuku jumps into Eijirou’s sentence, utterly confused.

“Oh, we made it into a gym a few months ago, I was out of space in my bedroom.” The redhead retorts like it’s no biggie.

“Where does Kacchan sleep then?”

“In my room or the guest room. Depends if he’s grumpy or not.”

You can barely conceal your shit eating grin as you look at your boyfriends defeated face.

“Oh, so you… redid your room with two beds and stuff? Is Kacchan okay with sharing his personal space like that?” Izuku tries to save himself but by the confused look on Eijirou’s face, he’s not gonna win.

“Uhm, no, he kinda slept in my bed all the time anyway so his room was never really used…”

“Okay, stop gossiping.” Katsuki takes over as Eijirou starts to stumble over his own words out of embarrassment. “Yes, I sleep in the same bed as Ei. Then what? That room was fucking cold.”

“Oh, that’s why you cuddle me so much?”

Izuku almost chokes on his drink. This is the best day of your life.

“Duh. You are a fucking furnace. Perfect for my needs.”

“You okay, man?” Eijirou pats Deku’s back a few times to help him with out.

“Yeah, uhm… I just didn’t realize you have such a… close relationship… uhm, do you mind if I have a moment with Sweet Pea in the garden? I think I need some fresh air.” Izuku literally runs out the door before even waiting for an answer.

~•🥦•~

“Okay, did you guys talk about this behind my back? Is this a prank? And if not, how did I miss this? Actually, why did they not tell me? Am I not Kacchan’s friend? Am I not important enough to…” Izuku starts to mutter right away.

“Izuku, calm down.” You giggle as you pull him closer. “No, I did not tell them anything and I swear I have nothing to do with this even if it is actually a prank. I’m just as surprised as you are. Not about then sleeping in the same bed but about the fact that they admit it.”

“Oh my god, I feel like my whole world just turned upside down, Sweets. They are my best friends…”

“Calm your pretty tits, maybe they just sleep in the same bed to save some space. Don’t think too much about it for now.”

It’s so hard not to yell “I WAS RIGHT”. So fucking hard.

“Did you really need to comment on my tits? I know this shirt is a little bit too tight…”

“I had to. I like it. Now let’s get back, it looks like Eijirou is about to make a speech.”

~•🥦•~

“I’m so glad so many of you managed to get the night off. I know Hitoshi, Ochako and Iida has to go soon so I’ll do this now instead of waiting until the end of the night.” Eijirou starts his speech in his now buttoned shirt. He even managed to get a tie from somewhere. He looks weirdly anxious compared to his usual, bubbly self. “Katsuki and I have been through a lot together… hell, we’ve all been. We fought a war, we got hurt, we lost people who were close to us, we cried, we smiled, we re-learned how to live a normal life together.” The whole team nods at that, their faces already teary as Eijirou goes on. “Katsuki saved me from myself. I hated who I was, I hated my quirk but Katsuki slapped me in the face and made me believe that even I can achieve big things if I try hard enough. Uhm… how was it again?” Eijirou pulls out a little paper from his pocket to take a look and the whole gang laughs. “Duh, of course I had to memorize this, I ain’t a fucking Coelho. So back to what I was about to say… yeah, so… it has been 7 years since we moved in together and I still remember the day Katsuki told me that I have no choice but to move in with him after graduation. I was terrified but also so fucking happy because while I was extremely excited to be a hero and love my own life I just couldn’t see myself without him by my side. I was afraid that I’ll loose contact with all of you. But here we are, the Bakusquad, still together. But… Kats, can you come over here?”

Katsuki looks like a deer in the headlights as Mina ushers him to stand up and go over with a knowing smile on her face. Katsuki stands right next to Eijirou who looks at him like he’s the most precious thing he’s ever seen.

“Uhm… I fucking forgot what I was about to say but you know what, fuck it.” Eijirou mutters with tears in his eyes. Izuku looks mortified. “I feel like I have everything I wanted as a teen; I have a beautiful flat I’m sharing with my best friend, I have the greatest friends and the greatest job. But there is one thing I don’t have; a partner who I know will be with me until death pulls us apart.”

The whole gang goes silent. Izuku chokes on his drink again.

“The fuck are you…” Katsuki is about to yell at him, offended, but Kirishima stops him by putting his palm on his mouth.

“Katsuki. We’ve been living together for 7 years and while I know I’m being selfish right now but…” Eijirou GOES DOWN ON ONE FUCKING KNEE. “Can you promise me you’ll be my roommate forever?”

Mina cries like a baby while the rest of the gang gawks at the two bozos, completely dumbfounded. You have no idea how to react. Izuku.exe has stopped working completely next to you.

“Eijirou, what the actual fuck are you doing right now?!” Katsuki mumbles with a red face.

“I’m asking you to be my roommate forever? Is that weird? I thought it’s really manly…”

“Eijirou, you just went down and one knee and proposed to me. Look at Iida’s confused fucking face! Deku is having a stroke!” Katsuki yells at the puppy eyed redhead who looks so gobsmacked you kinda want to hug him.

“That wasn’t my intention, but like… I do have a ring too…”

“You have a what.”

Momo gaps dramatically in the background. You try your best not to laugh.

“A ring. A roomies forever ring.” Eijirou takes out a really expensive ring box from his pocket with a sad face. Katsuki is about to explode. So is Deku.

“Well, first of all, fuck you.” Katsuki yells at the poor guy again. “Because I also have a fucking ring. So now we have two.”

Well, that’s a fucking plotwist, innit?!

“What…?!”

“… And it’s not like I’m gonna get a fucking boyfriend or a girlfriend if I sleep in your fucking bed so we might as well just get fucking married.”

“OHMYFUCKINGGODIMHYPERVENTILLATINGIFUCKINGKNEWIT”

Uhm, that was Mina. You didn’t really understand a single world but she’s clearly fucking excited.

Katsuki fucking Bakugou gets down on one knee too. He takes out an even more expensive ring and he doesn’t even wait for Eijirou to get out of his stupor before he shoves the ring on Eijirou’s finger. “You are stuck with me now. For fucking ever just how you wanted. I hate you for doing this right in front of everyone by the way, I wanted to do this after everyone leaves.”

“Kats…”

This is when Izuku absolutely loses his shit. You can see it in his eyes.

Because the next moment, Eijirou jumps into Katsuki’s arms and kisses him on the lips right in front of everyone. And the kiss doesn’t look like it’s the first one they’ve ever shared.

You don’t have the heart to be giddy about being right because Izuku looks absolutely heartbroken by the sight.

“Let’s go home.” Izuku stands up abruptly. You try to pull him back on the sofa but he’s relentless.

“Don’t make a scene. I know you are mad, but don’t ruin this for them.”

Katsuki, being the perceptive guy he is, looks up at you two right away. He doesn’t need to say anything to Eijirou because just as he takes a look at you two he lets Katsuki go, probably knowing this conversation is a must.

“Izuku, come with me. You too.” Katsuki sighs while the others make their ways to congratulate Eijirou for staying alive after all the shit he just pulled.

You really want to congratulate the two and tell them you shipped them before they went official but seeing Izuku’s face right now, half a second from crying, you decide to just go after Katsuki, pulling the frozen greenhead after you. You two end up in the garden and Katsuki sits down on the bench with a frown on his face; he’s clearly trying his best to choose his words properly and not make the situation worse.

“Look, I’m sorry.” Katsuki murmurs with his hands deep in his hair, clearly just as frustrated as Izuku himself. “You know I’m not into the whole… love thing and this… this is new. Well, almost… ah fuck, this is so awkward.” He sighs. “5 years ago… We… did some stuff. I was telling Eijirou about me not understanding what’s the big deal about kissing. I was twenty and still a virgin and I was just… fed up. And it escalated. Then we never talked about it ever again… until you called us, crying about how you don’t want to loose your Sweet Pea and then Eijirou told you the whole story and said he… he loves me and honestly, I was feeling the same or whatever so we… decided to… just be together and stop pretending that we are not… attracted to each other. Honestly, not a lot of things has changed since then, I used to sleep in his bed for years anyway. We were… a couple without even realizing it.”

“I didn’t even know you are gay, Katsuki.” Izuku mutters with tears in his eyes. You really want to hug him.

“Don’t fucking call me Katsuki! And it’s no one’s business! I haven’t told the hag either. I didn’t think I’ll ever be in a situation when it matters. Also, I don’t think I’m gay. I’ve never cared about anyone this way except for him. Never. I already said sorry so stop looking at me like I pulled Auntie Inko’s hair and be my best fucking man when this shit escalates.”

“Oh my god.” You mumble in a high pitched voice. Oh my god, this is happening. Oh my…

“Me?” Izuku freezes, for the third time today.

“What the fuck? Who the fuck else? You are my fucking nerdy, annoying brother from another mother, of course it needs to be you.”

Izuku cries a river. Literally. You decide to leave these two alone after seeing Deku moving into Katsuki’s personal space and hugging him, because even though you know the two don’t mind your presence when it comes to emotional stuff, hell, Katsuki literally opened up to you on the first day, but somehow, this felt so intimate you started to feel like an intruder.

You make your way back inside and Eijirou clocks you right away; he smiles from the other side of the room, his face so happy it makes your heart melt just from looking at him.

“Talk about surprises, right?” He scratches the back of his head self-deprecatingly.

“Don’t flatter yourself, I knew this the first moment I’ve met you two. I’ve been teasing Izu with it for ages.” You give him a cheeky grin back.

“Will he be okay?” The conversation is suddenly turning serious; Kirishima’s smile disappears for a second, worry etched all over his face as he waits for your answer. Katsuki not telling Izuku is one thing but Eijirou? You have no idea how the guy managed to keep this a secret for so long. It must have been terrible, Eijirou is all about gossip on a usual day and he wears his heart on his sleeves every single second.

“I’m not going to lie, he was really upset, but Katsuki just asked him to be his best man, and now he’s crying like a baby in his arms, so…”

For your surprise, Eijirou starts ugly crying just as you finish your sentence.

“That’s so manly, goddamnit!” It only takes him half a second to crush into you, suffocating you with his massive body, absolutely not bothered by your terrified yelp as you try to breathe and fail.

Well… today was full of surprises, that’s for sure, but you are so happy to be able to live such a wonderful and exciting life, a life full of surprises and love and oh fuck, how did you get so lucky?

It’s really hard not to start stressing about what comes next; life has been way too kind to you and everything is so perfect but… life can’t be this is easy, can it? Something must be on the way, something bad, something dark and menacing but you decide to hide this terrible thought under the hypothetical rug in your mind palace for now, knowing that whatever comes your way, if these people are still by your side, it can’t be that bad.

… this is what you thought back then. That it can’t be that bad… but life had other plans for you two.

The pink clouds shattered with the static of the TV, with the constant buzz of your phone. With Eijirou’s trembling voice, trying to stay strong for you.

You didn’t know there is a New Era coming your way, one that will probably be called a horrific name in the history books, something dramatic, something easy to remember, but terrible nonetheless.

Something like… the falling of the Number One.

… Next Chapter!

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Potato ramble:

- Mina was wearing an extremely short skirt and a tank top that barely hid anything. In case you wondered. She’s cool like that.

- Why did they remake Katsuki’s room into the gym and not the guest room? Because they literally came up with that idea after they officially got together so they knew that room won’t be used anymore. There is an extra I have half-written if you guys want to know the full story behind those two so please leave a comment if you want me to post it in the future!

- In the original script they didn’t actually engage in this chapter, or at least not in front of everyone. Katsuki was supposed to pull Eijirou into his room and yell at him about his “easy to misinterpret” actions but he would’ve said yes to the proposal anyway but play dumb through the whole night and deny it, making the whole gang confused about what the fuck is going on but then as you know, my characters have a mind of their own and this happened. I remember making a dramatic gasp when Katsuki pulled out another ring because I genuinely didn’t know that’s gonna happen lol should I see a doctor? I probably should. 😂

- While I have the next chapter written already it might be a bit late and the reason is that I want to have the next one ready so you guys don’t need to wait for longer than a week for it because uhm… it ends with a massive cliffhanger. So get tissues and book an appointment with your therapist if you have one. If not, find one. Or don’t read it until the next one is out. That’s probably cheaper. I’m sorry in advance. My bestie @porusuniverse already read the chapter and I’m quite sure she almost had a meltdown by the end of it. 😂😇

If you like this story, please leave a comment! Likes and reblogs are also appreciated! 🥦

TL: @garfieldthomas @porusuniverse @stickygumchewer @sixxze @mily-moo @aei-sedai-moiraine @aymasakusa @katsuari @kenzie-deadly @shiviwrites07 @lukerycyja-reblogs @cloroxisadelectabletreat @coffeent @kisskissshutmydoor @bobcar1 @yazminetrahan @cringefan @ronimacaroni77 @thekookiecorner @dangerousluv1 @emperatris-rinaka @shotos-angelic-whore @angelsdemonsmonsters @norvacaine @rei165 @unofficialmuilover @yao-ai @happydragonfrog @eeerreehhh @vinivave

[mykoreanlove]

hardships

„Come on, tell me!“ Minho pouted. Out of the blue he started asking random questions about your past in order to get to know you better. “I don’t want to!” You crossed your arms in front of your chest scathingly. “Why not?”, he started to whine, side-eyeing you.

You let out a long sigh. “Because it’s embarrassing.”

The gorgeous man in front of you tilted his head, looking at you guessingly. His eyes, even though they were piercing right through you, still held so much compassion in them that you decided to be sincere with him. “Min, I don’t like to talk about it because I didn’t have much luck in love so far. You see, I met a lot of dicks. I was left, betrayed, abandoned, ghosted – don’t you get that I don’t want to talk about that - with you of all people?”

Even though all of those heartbreaks happened a while ago, you still felt the hurt in your bones. Minho noticed your discomfort right away and grabbed your hands into his, smiling at you reassuringly. “Kitten, I won’t think less of you. If any, I’d think more of you. Trust me.” He squeezed your hands lightly, giving you the chance to open up to him.

And you did. You told him everything. Stories about boyfriends that turned into strangers, stories about crushes that did nothing but crush your heart and stories about potential soulmates that only used you for sex and attention. It felt nerve-wrecking and empowering to share your past with Minho at the same time. Were you afraid of him judging you? Yes. Were you afraid of him thinking less of you? Absolutely. Did he? Not at all.

In fact, Minho was paying a lot of attention, hanging on to every word that left your pretty lips. His eyes widened in shock as you told him about your first love breaking up with you via text, his jaw dropped to the floor as you told him about your crush leaving you because he was not ready for a relationship only to commit to another girl a week later and his eyes filled with tears as you told him about all the boys that blocked and ghosted you once they fucked you over – literally. He put his strong arms around you and held you closely to his chest. He often put up a tough front, being sarcastic and snappy and all but he was in fact very sensitive at the core. “I can’t believe that this has happened to you. I can’t believe that guys like this exist. You know what, no, they don’t deserve to be called guys. Demons, yeah, I had no idea that demons like that existed.” You chuckled against his chest, enamored by the vibration of your laughter. “Y/N, why are you laughing about this? I swear to god, you have so much willpower. I would have slaughtered every single one of them. Like how dare they?!” 

You looked up into your boyfriend’s outraged eyes, cautiously smiling at him. “I thought about that, too, actually. But I decided that they had messed with me enough, you know? What good does murdering them bring me?” Minho’s lips turned into a giant smirk: “Peace of mind, obviously!”

You laughed again and this time Minho joined you. He held you for a long time, trying to make up for all the hurt you had to endure during your younger years. You felt him hugging you tighter as he spoke again: “You know what, kitten? I am glad that you had to go through all that. In fact, I am very thankful to all those demons.” You shot back, looking up at him offended. “What now?”

He had not anticipated that reaction, so it took him a moment to recollect himself. He took your hand and guided you to sit on his lap. “I am happy that it didn’t work out with all the guys before me. I mean, I am even thankful for all the hardship you had to go through.” You wanted to jump off his lap when he grabbed you by the wrist, pleading: “No, wait. Please, hear me out, Y/N.”

You shot him a glaring look but stayed put on his lap, curious about what he had to say. “Those challenges, even if they had to be painful as fuck, turned you into the person you are today. They made you, you. And I love you so much as you are today. Maybe even tomorrow, who knows?” He smirked at you seductively. You rolled your eyes at him but felt deeply relieved that he confessed to you like that.

Minho put the long strands of hair behind your ears and looked into your eyes lovingly. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to look into your piercing eyes and tell you how much you mean to me.” Just as he did you took a long glimpse into his eyes – his brown pupils almost shimmering reddish in the afternoon sunlight, his gaze so intense that you had to turn your head, not daring to look at him for too long.

Minho grabbed your chin and turned your face back to him. He put his index finger on your plush lips and whispered: “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to kiss your pink lips all night long.” He leaned in for a kiss which you gladly reciprocated. His soft lips cautiously on you, his tongue asking for entrance added by his firm hands on the back of your neck. Kissing him always felt exciting but today it felt like more, it felt like devotion.

He broke the kiss and gave you a chance to breathe, smiling because of the effects he had on you. You broke out of your trance as you noticed his big hands travelling down your body. You shot him a surprised look, getting slightly nervous as well.

“Kitten… if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to squeeze your cute, little tushy all day long!” And with that he slapped your ass, squeezed your buttocks and made you jump in the air. Minho threw his head back and laughed like a maniac. You turned around as you didn’t want him to see your embarrassed expression. But before you could even take a step, he was pulling you back onto his lap.

You looked at each other, studying every expression and movement like a wild animal observing its prey. It was Minho who broke the staring contest as he grabbed your head into his hands and flashed you his warmest smile. Almost inaudible he whispered: “I really mean it, Y/N. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have you.” He kissed you, long and tender before he smothered your face with little, sloppy kisses. You freed yourself laughing and hugged him tightly. “Thank you”, he whispered into your ear. “What for?”, you asked surprised. Minho hugged you even tighter before answering: “For never closing your heart, for not shutting it off. If I were you, I would have been devastated and decided to live alone with my cats. But you didn’t. You are so strong, kitten. Thank you for letting me into your heart. I promise I won’t make you regret it.” His words touched your heart, making you love him even more. “Promise?” Minho placed a kiss on the crown of your head. “Promise!”

______

auther's note: damn look at him in green

[ivystoryweaver]

On My Knees Part 2

Based on this request by @whatthefishh: “are you sure? once i start i don’t think i’m able to stop” + Steven Grant 🙈❤️

previous | miniseries masterlist | my masterlist | next

In which you are a simpering mess for this adorkable man

Content: f!reader, Part 2: nsfw, cursing, fluff, pining, dry humping, kissing, some other fun stuff, food, not beta'd

Word Count: 2.1k

Taking you literally, he holds his hands up for inspection, turning them over adorably before thrusting them out toward you. "These hands won't let you down, boss."

God wouldn't you love to put those hands to work, really bossing him around. Or he could be the boss - you didn't really care at this point. Just...anything involving Steven's hands and his willingness to please. Every time you close your eyes you can almost imagine those brown eyes gazing up at you from between your legs...

Focus.

Steven is still holding out his hands so you extend your own for a professional handshake. "Welcome to the team. Or - welcome back, rather."

The warmth of his palm enveloping your own sends a wave of desire surging through you.

Steven holds on a bit longer than most people would, his gaze falling on yours. "Thank you. Really. You don't know what this means to me."

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

Steven promised you his hands wouldn't let you down, and he does not disappoint. His deep love for, and knowledge of, Egyptology, combined with his somewhat theatrical presentation makes him the most popular tour guide on staff.

Every day that passes makes you more proud of him, thrilled for him, even. He's flourishing, and you played a small role in it. The last thing you want to do is discredit his success with a fling. He's earned this job, so you keep your crush to yourself...to your utter, ongoing frustration.

"Knock, knock."

The very voice that floats through the Egyptian wing, tormenting you daily, causes you to glance up from your computer screen.

"Steven, hi! Come in," you warmly greet, rising to meet him.

His dark eyes glint with mischief as he holds his hands behind his back. "I have a surprise for you."

"For me?" You innocently ask, your skin heating up simply from his presence in your office.

He reveals the surprise, presenting it to you like an offering. "It's Jenna's birthday, so...I got you a corner piece. You like strawberry, right? Your favorite?"

Steven saved you a piece of birthday cake...with extra frosting...that just so happens to be your favorite flavor? You thank him profusely, closing your office door in the process.

"Share it with me," you offer, shivering as his fingers brush against yours when he hands you the small paper plate.

His eyes darken and his lips part. "Oh, it's okay. I'm vegan, so - got you my piece."

"Oh, right. Thank you." Fighting a twinge of disappointment, you take a seat on the nearest chair. "Will you sit with me then?"

He nods, his handsome face relaxing into a soft smile. "Love to."

Now you're stuck eating a decadent dessert with your crush watching you - an absolutely terrible idea. But you know Steven well enough by now. He'll always talk, if given the chance.

"So tell me about the birthday party. I'm sorry I missed it."

You chomp away at your corner piece as he rattles off some museum gossip, but you notice, after a few sentences, his speech slows and his breathing increases.

Feeling self-conscious, you set your plate and fork down on the edge of your desk. "Is something on my face?"

"Yeah, sorry, um..." The tip of his tongue darts out to wet his lips. Then he leans forward, into your personal space.

Oh god, oh god...

Extending his thumb, he sheepishly smiles. "May I?"

"Y-yes," you murmur, releasing a trembling breath as he uses the pad of his thumb to swipe a smearing of frosting from the corner of your mouth.

That touch alone sends a wave of heat down to your core.

"There now," he whispers, dark eyes fixed on your mouth a moment too long. "Just a little mess." Easing back, his eyes flicker from the glob of frosting to your eyes, and back again.

Then he puts his thumb into his mouth and sucks it clean.

"Oh god..."

Brown eyes snap back to yours, wide with surprise. His mouth is still wrapped around his thumb. Now you realize you moaned out loud.

Pulling his thumb out with a pop, a dusting of red sprinkles his cheeks. "You alright, love?" His voice comes out a little choked.

You don't answer. You can't, afraid your voice might betray you again.

"I'm sorry 'bout that," he hastily offers, shifting back in his chair and running his palms over his thighs. "Just a bit taken with you, is all. Not very professional, I suppose. Don't tell my boss?"

The pitch of his voice ascends cutely as he echoes the night you hired him - the night he hugged you, and the last time he touched you until today. You suddenly realize that Steven Grant is a bit of a smooth talker.

He just bounded right into your office in the middle of the work day, touched your face every so casually, got you all worked up and is now joking and smiling his way out of it, his eternally long lashes brushing pink cheeks as if his actions are innocent?

Clearing your throat, you decide it's now or never. Folding your arms over your chest, you lean back in your chair smugly, mirroring his pose. "And what if I tell your boss?" You tease. "What would I tell her?"

Shifting slightly, Steven exhales shakily, but he's ready to answer. In fact, he fires right back, as if he's been waiting to say the words. "That's she's beautiful. And kind. Bloody brilliant. And I think about her all the time."

Before you can respond, or completely short circuit, his gaze fixes on yours. Easing out of his chair, he kneels in front of you. "Then I'd get on my knees and beg her not to fire me."

"She's not going to fire you," you whisper, your legs falling open to make room for him as he inches closer. "But she needs you to beg a little longer."

"Does she now?" His eyes dance over your parted lips, down the column of your throat to your heaving breasts, neatly tucked in your work blouse. Drifting lower, his gaze lands on the core of you.

Lifting his hands, he grazes the inside of your thighs with his knuckles, smiling to himself as your breath hitches. So responsive, and he's barely done a thing.

"Could I touch you? Please," he rasps, turning his hands over to spread his fingers across your thighs, palms pressing down possessively.

Even through the fabric of your trousers, the heat of his strong hands set you on fire as he inches upward, dangerously high.

"Yes," you gasp, leaning forward. Stretching out your fingers, you thread them into his curls. "Please touch me."

"I thought I was the one supposed to be begging," he roughly whispers, one hand finding the center of you, cupping your mound.

"God, Steven," you moan, your hips canting forward wantonly.

"Look at you," he marvels, "Wanted to touch you for so long. Never thought you'd let me."

He pushes his middle finger between your clothed folds, watching your face contort with desire, feeling the heat of you but desperate for more.

"Why wouldn't I let you?" You choke out, tugging on his curls to get him to look at you. "I thought I was being so obvious, wanting you like this."

He groans, releasing his scandalous hold on you. "If this is what you want, you hide your feelings quite well, actually." Sliding his hands up your arms, he pushes up on his knees and pulls your face down to his. "Can I kiss you? Please."

The solid warmth of his chest nestles between your spread legs as his lips brush yours. Sucking gently, one at a time, with agonizing tenderness, he parts the seam of your lips with his tongue.

You’ve wanted Steven Grant for months, but this? Him kissing you, holding you - this, you were not expecting. This is romance. This is absolute heaven.

His fingertips dig into the nape of your neck as he licks hotly into your mouth. Just the heat of his breath has you arching into him, tugging his dark waves and moaning into his mouth.

"Love the sounds you make," he pants, even as you lose your balance, tumbling down into his lap.

Your legs spread across his thighs and this is the first look - or rather, the first feel you get of the bulge in his pants.

Somehow he manages to ease you down right on top of him, here in the middle of your office floor - the core of you pressing against the heavy, straining length of him. What you feel is not small and you groan at the thought of seeing it with no clothing to hinder you.

Attempting to steady yourself, you grip his shoulders, mouth going dry at the hidden strength of the defined muscles there. Once you get a grip, you hoist yourself forward, grinding down.

His cock twitches as you tug the corner of your lip between your teeth, lashes temptingly fluttering.

Strong hands grip your hips, dragging you forward, pushing you back - then again, and again, and you wriggle until he hits that perfect spot.

"Steven, fuck, that feels good," you gasp, your head falling back, exposing the skin of your neck.

"Can't believe you're lettin' me do this," he pants against your throat, the two of you rocking in a steady rhythm. "Want you so bad. All this time."

His mouth finds yours again and he pushes his hands up the curve of your back, pulling you down hard as he thrusts up into you faster. Not a shred of clothing has been discarded, but the delicious friction - the drag of fabric against your clit - the heavy, hot weight of his cock has you so close.

So you tell him. Or you want to, anyway, but he's kissing you and you're struck by the duality that is Steven, finding that you're not at all surprised that he has you dry humping him on your office floor while giving you what is definitely the best kiss of your life.

His words are honey sweet and sexy and a little wrong. This is wrong - you both know it, and you can't care.

"Want you too, Steven," you mewl, "I'm so close."

A sound unlike anything you've heard from this sweet, beautiful man rumbles deep in his chest. "You're gonna come for me like this? God. Haven't even touched you."

Your eyes drift close in rapture, the pace between you quickening as you chase your release.

Then you feel a strong grip on your jaw. "Open your eyes," he commands. "Wanna see you when you come." His free hand slips around the curve of your ass, squeezing possessively and pushing you even harder against him.

"S-Steven," you pant, wrecked by the expression on his face - cheeks flushed, eyes dark, a drop of sweat rolling down his temple. Curls wild and loose, falling over one eye. Kiss-swollen lips, parted, panting right along with you.

It's enough to send you right over the edge. You come with a breathy moan, months of tension releasing as wave after wave of pleasure washes over you. You gasp Steven's name as he talks you through it, your body going limp in his arms as your movements slow and finally pause.

He kisses you again, catching your breathless pants in his mouth and you feel him smile. Smoothing his hand over your cheek, he touches his forehead to yours and tells you how beautiful you are.

You realize, then, what a mess you must be - clothes disheveled, makeup smeared - there's probably still frosting somewhere, and now there's a damp, delicious mess between your legs.

You're still draped across Steven's lap, and he's so hard, but waiting patiently for you to come back to yourself.

"God, Steven, that was..." You gulp in some air, soothed, rather than embarrassed by the way he stares at you.

"Good, yeah?" He questions, cheekily.

"So good," you breathe, surging forward to kiss him again. Your hands slide up the sides of his neck to tangle in his hair and you press yourself back down on his erection.

He groans, thrusting lazily as you break the kiss.

"I guess I better get on my knees and beg you not to get me fired," you whisper, your nose crinkling with a smile.

He gasps as you climb off his lap, kneeling beside him. You reach between your bodies to tauntingly stroke him before your fingers find the buckle of his belt. "Can I?"

"Oh god, yes, please," he quickly nods, working with you to get his pants open.

Meeting his eyes one more time, you ask, "Are you sure? Once I start I don’t think I'll be able to stop."

next

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