#but in Joey's case she's coming back

[thethistlegirlwrites]

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Olivia Quintero has seen a lot of dead people. 

She never got a chance to see her mother’s body. As soon as they heard what had happened, Joey had bundled them all into the car and they’d run as fast and as far as possible before someone decided they were a loose end.

But she’s seen a lot of them since.

People died in the transient camps all the time, for one reason or another. Age, illness, violent fights, overdoses. She’d been the first to find two of them. It hadn’t really scared her, not like it scared some of the other kids.

She was pretty sure one day, it would be her. When the seizures kept getting worse, and the doctor in the camp kept turning up only half-sober, with shaking hands he couldn’t even be bothered to wash properly and coughing at the end of every sentence. 

But even after they got across the border, got Via into a good hospital, it hadn’t meant the end of death following her. She’d seen patients wheeled out of the building with white cloth over them. She’d watched the girl in the bed next to her in the pediatric ward lose her own battle with her failing body. 

And now, she’s looking at her own sister’s lifeless face in a coffin in a dingy cemetery. Her black dress itches her neck where the collar touches, and she already popped the button off one of the sleeve cuffs, but she feels oddly numb in spite of it all.

Maybe because Joey doesn’t look dead. 

Tía says it’s just what they do at the funeral homes to make people look nice for their families, but Via knows what people look like when cars hit them. She watched a boy playing soccer in one of the camps dart into the road after his battered ball and get run over by someone speeding by. They hadn’t even stopped or turned back to see if he was still alive. 

She can’t see any bruises on Joey’s face or hands at all. There’s a thick layer of makeup on her face that Joey would have hated in life, but Ramona across the hall covers up the times her boyfriend hits her the same way, and Via can always see the purple and yellow underneath. 

Joey just looks like she’s asleep. Almost peaceful, aside from the way her lips curl a little, like they’re pulling back from her teeth. 

Via chews on her own lip. She can taste the vanilla chapstick Tía is always smearing on too thickly, and the saltiness of blood from the spot where she peeled away a bit of the skin. She wonders if that will remind her of Joey now, the way the taste of ripe papaya makes her think of Mami, because it was what Via was eating when the phone rang and Joey went all stiff like she was the one having a seizure and then told them Mami was never coming home. 

Mauri presses something into her hand. Via looks down at it. The faded colors and crumpled edges of the picture of their family that Joey carried with them all the way from home. The only way Via still knows what Mami looked like.

She and Mauri both agreed, Joey should keep it. Maybe she’ll be able to look at it in heaven and think of them. Maybe it’ll help her find Mami if she’s forgotten her as much as Via and Mauri have. 

Via reaches into the coffin and tucks the photo in between Joey’s hands and the lining of the worn leather jacket she always wore when she went out at night. The edge of the photo sticks on a tear in the fabric, and Via pushes a little harder. 

Her hand brushes up against Joey’s. Joey’s skin is cool, makeup smoothing out the roughness in her chapped fingers and her chipped nails, now painted an overly garish red, scraping against Via’s thumb. She pulls back, blood welling up from the tiny gash, a single drop falling onto the corner of the photo, and shoves her finger into her mouth, sucking on the cut. 

Via doesn’t cry when they close the lid on the coffin.

She doesn’t cry when the men from the funeral parlor lower the whole thing into the ground, or when she and Mauri and Tía throw in handfuls of dirt on top, Tía sniffling into her black lace handkerchief the whole time and Mauri’s lip quivering.

She doesn’t cry when people flood their tiny apartment, bringing food and empty words and emptier cards, when the room is filled with so many voices it makes her head hurt.

She wakes up at five in the morning, when the last guests have finally gone, when the smell of spilled tequila has faded, when the moonlight slanting through her window turns everything a pale blue.

Somewhere, out in the darkness, the sound that woke her echoes back again.

A woman’s scream.

Via normally sleeps through those sounds. They’re as common in this neighborhood as barking dogs and crashing pans and breaking glass and angry arguments. But there was something high and harsh and terrified in this one that woke her.

She rubs her fingers against her thumb, slipping one blunt nail under the edge of the forming scab on her cut, and tugs it away again. 

Another drop of blood wells up, glimmers in the moonlight, and falls to her stained blanket. 

Out in the night, something howls. Clearer and sharper than a coyote, but just as mournful. Just as haunted. Via buries her head under her pillow, and lets the sob she’s been clinging to all day tear through her.

(You can read this story and others from this universe on my WorldAnvil here!)

@catwingsathena @nade2308 @the-one-and-only-valkyrie @telltaleclerk @ettawritesnstudies  @writeouswriter @the-lovely-wren

[yelenasbraid]

always a winner — joe burrow

summary — you’re at an away show and can’t make it to the game against the ravens. with the frustration of the loss, joe can’t help but be upset.

warnings — fem!equestrian!reader, major angst, arguments, fluff, sad joe, self-degradation talk

note — look 😭 i’m sorry for the horse lore, i got a bit crazy with it (kind of self indulgent since i used to ride horses lol) but i hope it’s not too crazy for you! if it is sorry in advance!!!

YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL to not let the silence scare you. the anticipation that sat in the air, eyes moving with the horses in front of them.

horse shows were both quiet and loud at the same time. the rounds themselves were quiet, all attention on the team below them. it was also because anything could spook a horse and derail the entire thing.

you liked the silence. it allowed you to think, to process the steps ahead of you. as you cleared another jump, you were 15 seconds away from snatching first place. as you rounded a corner, pushing your horse towards the final jump, you felt every move you made. your hips flexing, your thighs wrapping around your horse, your hands making room for your horse’s movements as you soared over the last jump.

“with a time of 1.15, y/n l/n snatches the first place slot,” the announcer speaks over the loudspeaker, cheers erupting from the crowd. you pumped your fist in the air, bringing it down to pat your horse. as you galloped around, wearing a bright smile, your thoughts wondered to your boyfriend, who played barely an hour away from where you were.

flashback

“oh, come on, i think you’re being a little dramatic,” you laughed on the phone, packing your riding gear up. joe was in his hotel room, prepping for the game that evening.

“i am not! i feel like a part of me is missing when you’re not here,” joe pouted, and you could hear the pout on the other side of the screen. you didn’t understand why players had to be in hotel rooms even when games were at home, but it was routine. you and joe were used to it.

“i wish i could be there,” you hummed, falling on your back onto your bed. you would leave for your show in about an hour, and by that time, joe would be getting on the field.

“me too, but you’re gonna do great. i want to hear all about it,” he smiled. he needed you there, though. he felt the loss in his chest, the ache of it all spreading across his body.

“oh you are,” you assured him. silence bred between you, unspoken words and topics fizzling into vision.

“on a serious note, joey, no matter what happens out there, i’m proud of you, ok? you’ve come so far, have done so well, and i am so so proud of you,” you reminded him. you knew that this season hasn’t been what joe wanted. the losses, the one win, he needed a win against the ravens.

“thank you, love. that means a lot,” he hummed. you were always in his corner, supporting him in the small and big ways. he just wished you were there.

end of flashback

you walked out, cheeks flushed and a proud smile on your face. a bright, blue ribbon was pinned on your horse’s bridle as you walked out. your coach came up and patted your horse’s neck.

“see what happens when i tell you to trust your gut?” she playfully smacked your thigh, causing you to let out a puff of air.

“yeah yeah,” you joked. your eyes met your friend’s, who came up to you with your phone in hand. you told her to keep tabs on the game for you, even though you’d watch highlights on the way home.

“it’s not good,” she started, which was a terrible start. your smile dropped, your heart rate increased, and the worst case scenarios started bombarding you. was it joe? is he ok? is he hurt? please tell me he’s not hurt.

“what is it?” you asked, dismounting. you held your reins in your hands as you looked at the score. 38-41. you were in disbelief. when you checked before your ride, they were in the lead. a good lead too, what happened?

your friend seemed to read your mind.

“evan missed the kick because the holder slipped his grip on the ball in overtime,” she answered. overtime? they went into overtime? you closed your eyes, pursing your lips. sorrow seeped into the cracks in your chest, bleeding down into your soul. you opened your eyes, fighting the tears that stung you. not here. people are going to ask.

you handed your horse to your coach, taking your phone from your friend. you knew joe was beating himself up. you knew he was going over every play, every single thing that went wrong. you knew that he was angry. he had every right to be. you couldn’t even begin to imagine what he was thinking, the defeat, the pain, all of it. he worked so hard to get where he was, and to lose 4 games didn’t prove to the world joe burrow was back. you saw beyond that stat, though. you saw other numbers, like his passing yards exceeded that of mahomes and lamar. you saw his dedication, his work ethic, and his commitment to the sport and his health. you were so beyond proud of him, but you knew that he wasn’t feeling any of that right now.

—

the show packed up from there. horses were loaded, saddles were put away, and you changed into something more comfortable. you sit in the passenger seat of the truck, your coach driving you home. she picked you up, explaining that she didn’t want you to have to drive home.

it was sweet, and it also meant you got to see joe faster.

the truck comes to a stop in your driveway, and you can see lights on in the house. joe was home. of course he was, the game ended around 4 pm, and it was now 6. you gathered your things before stepping out, thanking your coach for the ride. you huffed, walking up to your door, trying to be as quiet as possible.

game day joe was unpredictable. if he won, he was in a great mood, and you usually celebrate in more ways than one. when he lost, he hid himself away, lost himself in film and away from you.

you’ve mentioned it, and he’s worked on it, but it was hard for him to be close to someone else when he didn’t even want to be around himself. you just wanted to be there for him, to hold him and reassure him that he was still good, that you were still proud of him.

you walked in the door, the silence of the house deafening. you softly shut the door, locking it behind you as you walked into your home. it was cozy. blankets were neatly folded across the couch and folded in the basket, pictures hung on the wall, and small items of decor that had joe and y/n etched all over it. it was home, but you couldn’t ignore the forgotten water bottle on the island or the strewn shoes by the door. you flicked your eyes upwards when you heard shifting, signs of life from your boyfriend.

“babe?” you called, slipping off your shoes and neatly placing them by the door. you walked into the kitchen, dropped your bag in order to fill up your water bottle. you heard footsteps, and then descending steps. you turned to see your boyfriend walk into view. he looked exhausted. his face was sullen, eyes void of any light, and his hands hung loosely at his sides. his hair was wet; signs of a shower.

“how was it?” he asked. his voice was hoarse, and if he was honest, he didn’t want to talk. he wanted to be left alone, but at the same time he needed to see you. you weren’t at the game, you didn’t see him after he walked into the tunnel, or after the presser. no matter how often it happened, he was never used to it. why weren’t you there?

“it was good, stayed on and was safe,” you answered. telling him you won first place didn’t seem appropriate, but you knew he’d ask.

“did you place?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall. he knew you did, you always did. unlike him, you managed to win at your sport.

“i did,” you started, your eyes flicking over his form. he looked small, and not in the physical sense, in the emotional sense. he barely held eye contact with you, but he was standing there, with you. he looked like a little boy, dressed in a loose fitting black shirt and sweats. his expression was hard, his nose red and cheeks raw.

he nodded and turned away from you, starting back up the stairs.

“joe,” you called after him. his heart jumped in his chest; he didn’t want to talk about it.

“i don’t want to talk, y/n,” he told you, a little harsher than he intended.

“don’t distance yourself from me, please,” you stepped towards him, and he went rigid. you stopped, watching as he turned to face you, his eyes now full of emotions. anger, guilt, sadness.

“you’re telling me that?” he snapped. he didn’t want to do this, he didn’t want to go there. you didn’t deserve it. you were right, and he begged himself to stop.

“what?” your voice is small, confused.

“you’re the one who told me a week ago she was going to be at the game, you’re the one who spent all of her time at the barn this week, you’re the one who’s avoided me,” everything is crashing down on him, the loss, his failure, his undeniable need for you.

“i don’t go to the barn to avoid you, joey. you know that,” you reminded him, trying to keep some semblance of peace. his emotions were running rampant, and he was trying to control them.

“you’re there for hours, you’re not home when i get home, and i’ve ate dinner by myself for a few days this week,” he feels the familiar sting of tears in his eyes, the clench in his chest. joe knows you’re there for hours, and he’s never voiced having an issue with it. joe knew that he sounded like he didn’t make much sense, but nothing was making sense for him.

“joe, what-”

“you weren’t there! you weren’t there and i needed you there,” his voice raised, standing a few feet in front of you.

“joe, with my schedule and yours i can’t be at every game! i thought we were in agreement with this,” you defended. you watched as his face shattered, the wall coming down, the realization settling in. he thought he’d be winning by now, at least 2-3, but he wasn’t.

“but i needed you,” he whispered, but his anger was still present. he wasn’t angry at you, he didn’t blame you, but his anger at himself manifested into it being towards you. a single tear slipped down his cheek, his eyes red with the threat of more.

the silence between you was poison, seeping into your pores and creating the sour cocktail of anxiety. your eyes never left joe’s body, watching the rise and fall of his chest, the unshed tears, and the shattered look in his eyes.

you should’ve been there.

“i’m sorry i wasn’t there,” you started, fiddling with your fingers. joe shook his head, wiping his eyes and his nose.

“it doesn’t change anything,” he snapped.

“i know it doesn’t, but i can’t control my schedule, just like you can’t,” you told him. he knew you were right. he knew how it worked, yet his emotions betrayed him. that’s not really how it works. she just wants to have an excuse to not see you embarrass yourself.

he looked at you, his eyes puffy and red. his arms ached, desperate to be around you. his heart raced, chest heaving with every inhale and exhale. the more he met eyes with you, the more his body relaxed. he swam in your expression, the softness of it but also the sternness of it. you’d defend yourself even if he was being unreasonable. his hands hung at his sides, his chest still tight.

he needed you, and you were here. now.

you gingerly approached him, watching as his head dipped to avoid eye contact with you. his chest heaved, his breaths clawing at his eyes; don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry. your hand gently rested on his cheek, guiding him to look at you. his eyes met yours, and his heart lurched. he didn’t want to sob, but he couldn’t help it. a sob escaped his throat, and you pulled him for a hug. you cradled the back of his neck, fingers caressing his skin as he buried his face into your shoulder, tears cascading down his raw cheeks.

joe hated arguing with you. he hated it even more when he was the one to start it. joe knew you worked hard, he knew that your commitment to your sport matched his own, but with how vulnerable he felt, he just needed his safety blanket. he needed you to help put his pieces back together, to remind him of who he was. as his arms held onto you, keeping you close to his body, he felt his breathing settle and his heart rate slow.

after a few moments, joe pulled away, wiping the remaining tears from his eyes. when you first started dating, joe didn’t cry in front of you. he didn’t want you to think he was weak, or that he wasn’t able to handle the load. as time went on, you became the only person besides his parents he’d cry to. he felt safe with you, he felt like he could give you his emotions and you’d take care of them.

your hands cupped his cheeks, one of his hands resting on yours.

“i’m sorry,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. your shoulders sagged, a small smile gracing your lips.

“i forgive you,” you hummed, brushing an escaped tear from his eye.

“i know we’ve talked about it,” he sniffled, “and i have gotten better at letting you in, but it’s not always easy,” he confessed. you knew that, it wasn’t human nature to confess your deepest feelings, even to those closest to you. it was a protective measure.

“it’s not going to be easy, but the important thing is that you try,” you spoke softly, your hands falling from his cheeks.

“i want to win,” he whispered, his eyes glazing over with fresh tears, “i want to win so badly, for the team, for cincinnati, for you,” he continued, his voice breaking.

“and you will, trust me. you will win, even if you’re already a winner in my eyes,” you tagged a lighter tone to your words, which caused joe to break out a small smile. silence fell between you, unspoken words oozing out of joe’s skin.

“i am proud of you, i always will be, but i do want to bring home wins too,” he added. you chuckled, grabbing his hands and rubbing your thumbs over his knuckles.

“who has the trophy in the basement?” you joked, earning a chuckle from joe, “in all seriousness, you are going to bring home wins. we win together, not separately. when you win, i win. we do this together,” you gave his hands a squeeze, earning a bright smile from him. you leaned up and pecked his lips, then his forehead.

“i am proud of you, joe. every step you’ve taken, every yard you’ve thrown, i am beyond proud of you,” your words sunk into his skin, reminding him of who he was. he was joe burrow, joe sheisty, the quarterback that brought the bengals back to life.

“i love you,” he whispered, resting his forehead against yours.

“i love you,” you hummed. the warm moment was interrupted by the growling of joe’s stomach. you laughed, jokingly patting his stomach.

“is someone hungry?” you chuckle, pulling your head away from his. he laughed, nodding his head.

“i’ve not eaten dinner yet,” he confessed, earning a smack on the arm.

“joseph lee!” you scolded with a smile, “as much as you speak on eating healthy, you need to practice what you preach,” you teased as you walked into the kitchen. joe followed, watching as you opened the fridge. you had leftovers from the previous night, so you pulled those out.

“i do! most of the time,” he rebutted as he watched you place food on plates. as you stuck one in the oven, he wrapped his arms around you again. he melted into you, all 6’4 of him. you ran your hand down his back, then back up to his hair to run your fingers through his frosted tips. the microwave beeped, separating you two.

“we should watch a movie,” joe suggested as you put the second plate in.

“like old times?” you smiled, remembering the movie nights in college.

“yeah, except i won’t commentate,” he assured you. both of you were bad at it, especially marvel movies, which made it amazing when you two watched movies together. with friends? oh it was terrible.

“i’ll believe that when i see it,” you replied. with your plates of food, you walked over and sat on the couch, turning on a movie. joe sat next to you, leaning his shoulder on you. you didn’t mind how clingy he was, you embraced it. you sat, ate dinner, and watched a movie. a comforting and familiar experience.

with dinner done, plates on the coffee table, the movie still going on, joe nestled himself against your chest. his cheek against your chest, listening to your stead heartbeat, it was putting him to sleep. your hands combing through his hair didn’t help either. joe eventually fell asleep, his face tucked away in your shirt and his arms around you. you kissed the top of his head, a smile on your face.

“sweet dreams, my love,”

rushed ending so sorry about that! i will say though, as work picks up for me i might not be writing as much. there’s also some other stuff going on too so that’s fun 🤪 so i will post when i can! hope you guys enjoy the writing before i get burnt out lol.

tags — @wickedfun9

[midnight-els]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the West Wing would have been even better if they'd had a White House cat. Some headcanons bc I was thinking about it today:

Jed gave the cat a very grand, biblical name. Everyone else has shortened it to something very stupid.

Obviously all of the press and the public adore the cat. There's a minor upset in a polling themed episode when Joey confirms that once again the cat has higher approval ratings than the president. Josh is cross that they are polling on this at all.

There is one chair in the Oval Office that is The Cat's Chair. The staff know not to sit there as you'll get a. covered in fur and b. screamed at by an irate cat trying to force you off. They never warn any of their least favourite congresspeople about this.

The cat wanders around in the background of episodes, often being chased or petted by the extras.

The cat is not allowed in the situation room. The cat is always in the situation room. They had to come up with a special bug detecting protocol for the cat in case anyone tried to take advantage of this.

Ripped from the headlines plot about a congressional investigation into something related to the cat, based on the incident about Clinton's cat's postage.

The cat LOVES Air Force One. The Secret Service do not love having to get him on board or captured to get back off.

Leo and the cat are best friends. They're basically this meme. Leo's the grandma. Jed is the mom.

Aside from Leo, the cat loves the secretaries best. They always have lots of treats for him in their desks. Debbie is the only one he doesn't get on with; she has resorted to using a plant mister to spray him when he tries to get on her desk.

Josh thinks he and the cat are archenemies. The cat hasn't paid more than 2 seconds notice to Josh in his life.

CJ and the cat are archenemies. CJ was very pro-cat until she caught it fishing in Gail's bowl one day. Now she's at war to keep it out of her office. She's still trying to convince Danny to write a piece exposing the cat's dark side to its adoring public. Carol is very tired.

Sam wants so badly to be best friends with the cat. The cat thinks he's trying too hard. Will ends up exactly the same way.

Toby and the cat have never properly interacted and both are very happy to leave it that way.

The cat is supposed to stay in the residence during big events. Abbey stopped enforcing that after he got out and scratched Lord John Marbury when he picked him up against his will.

The cat has a secret service code name. One time, the code names are changed and an overenthusiatic reporter tries to break a story on the first lady's 'unusual activity' by following what he thinks is her code name. It's the cat's. CJ dines out on this for weeks.

The cat occasionally goes missing. The secretaries and Charlie have a recurring B-plot where they have to go and recover him. Somehow, the cat has always ended up somewhere relevant to the A-plot.

The cat properly goes missing after the incidents with the Thanksgiving turkeys and the goat in CJ's office (aka prime cat territory). Each time she claims she'll be nicer to the cat when it returns. Each time it lasts about two days.

Margaret thinks the cat has psychic powers and frequently provides warnings based on her interpretations of 'the signs'. Usually she's right.

The cat somehow makes off with the final edits for the state of the union one time (of course they were only handwritten on one piece of paper). Chaos ensues.

Jed tries to send the cat to Manchester partway through the series. After large-scale outcry from the staff, press and public he is returned to the White House. Unfortunately, after a couple of months as a barn cat he is even more badly behaved than before.

The cat is in both Jed and Abbey's official portraits.

[straykidsftw]

Daddy Daycare | dad!bang chan

genre: fluff

summary: chan looking after his kids for the first time as 4

ages: joey = 8 / leo & dan = 6 / jemima = 2 months

warnings: none (purposeful use of lower case cause i cant be bothered with capitalisation anymore)

______________

“are you sure you’re going to be okay?” you asked, cupping chan’s face in your hand, his sleepy eyes blinking back at you; the time on the clock too early for him to properly register the words you were saying.

you were leaving for a weekend away with the other skz wives, all flying over to jeju island, as paid for by your husbands. and that meant leaving early to make it to the airport (so you could make the most of your time).

chan swatted your hand away, making a ‘pshh’ noise, “it’s fine, y/n. i’ve been a dad for 6 years, i think i know what it takes.”

“yes but you’ve never looked after four kids, chan. i’m telling you, it’s a level up,” you pleaded with him.

chan rubbed his eyes before getting out of bed, placing his hands on your shoulders and walking you to the door of your shared bedroom. “y/n, please. i know what i’m signing up for, i know our kids. now go, have fun, and stop worrying.”

you smiled, turning round and hooking your arms around his neck, chan’s hands holding onto your waist firmly as you pressed a kiss to his lips.

“okay, go,” he mumbled into the kiss, “you’re gonna be late.”

“okay,” you smiled, getting your bag and beginning to walk down the stairs, waving to chan as you went, “bye kids!”

the kids, who chan hadn’t known were awake, all responded with choruses of goodbyes from their respective rooms, chan’s eyes widening at all four of his kids being awake at 5:30.

“oh god,” he grumbled, hearing jemima’s cries start up as the front door slammed behind you.

he walked into the nursery, now forever jemima’s room, to see his little girl stood up in her crib, gripping at the bars and bouncing up and down slightly, laughing happily now that she’d gained someone’s attention.

“hello princess!” chan cooed, running over and pulling her out of the crib, cradling her in his arms, pressing kisses all over her face, “oh my little girl, how did you sleep? hmm?! hmm?!”

jemima’s screaming laughter bounced off the walls, chan chuckling alongside her as he got her out of her pyjamas and put her on the potty. potty training was almost done, but jemima still had to be put on the toilet routinely, in case she forgot to ask.

“good morning dad!” joey yelled, chan barely seeing a flash as he ran out of his room and down the stairs.

“woah! woah! woah!” chan called after him, trying to keep an eye on jemima at the same time. he could hear banging and crashing happening downstairs, wincing every time another loud noise echoed.

“i done daddy!” jemima smiled up at him, chan grinning and bringing her off the potty, cleaning her up and putting her in a fresh set of clothes, before carrying her downstairs. “i don’t need carry, daddy! i walk!”

“okay, okay,” chan laughed, placing her on the ground, jemima immediately starting to run to her older brother, who was still zipping around the kitchen. “woah, woah. joey, bud, please. what’s happening?”

“i’m making something!” joey exclaimed, gathering bits from all over the kitchen up into his arms before beginning to make his way back upstairs, chan catching him before he could.

“hey, hey. i could really do with your help today, buddy. do you think you could continue this project at the dinner table? then we can both keep an eye on your sister as i make breakfast, hmm?”

joey smiled with the big brother responsibilities, nodding firmly, “i just– i– i need a few bits from upstairs, okay?! i’m coming back!”

“okay,” chan laughed, peering into the living room to find jemima perched happily on the sofa, her mop of curls a mess atop her head. “mima, do you want some milk?”

jemima looked at him and nodded with sharp motions of her head. chan smiled, nodding back before heading to the kitchen to prepare some formula in a bottle. as he stood against the counter, stirring the bottle sleepily, he suddenly felt a rush of air as someone ran past him again.

“joey!” chan stopped, looking at his twins running round the back garden. “huh, not joey.”

“i’m here dad!” joey exclaimed, his grin displaying a couple of lost teeth, as he sat at the dining table and continued his arts and crafts project.

“yo! leo! dan! come here,” chan called, standing at the back door, “what’s happening here?”

“we’re pirates, dad!” leo yelled, shoving his pretend sword up at his dad, “argh!”

chan played along, pretending to be afraid as he backed off, going back to jemima’s formula. the little girl in question now stood by the dining table, watching her brother in curiosity.

“do you want to sit in your high chair, mima?” chan asked, beckoning the little girl over as he put her milk on the tray. he lifted her up with a fun noise, sitting her in there as she happily drank her milk and watched her brother. “what do you guys want for breakfast this morning?”

chan was mindlessly asking as he looked through the fridge at all the banchan and regular ingredients stacked up. he gasped, “wow, mum left us some beef from last night! and some kimchi jeon, do you guys want that with some banchan?”

joey nodded, jemima staring at her dad with an amused look. chan pulled a face so she started giggling, her feet swinging back and forth.

“joey what this?” she asked, her attention going back to her older brother.

“its for mummy,” he smiled, whispering the words as he glanced to his dad, chan too pre-occupied with cooking to hear him, “she’s away for two days so i’m making her a sign for when she gets back.”

“mummy gone?!” jemima exclaimed dramatically.

“hmm?” chan called, absentmindedly, “yeah mummy’s away for the weekend, mima. but we’re gonna have fun, aren’t we?! yay!”

“what are we doing today, dad?” joey asked, his colouring pencils scribbling against the page.

“um, i thought we could meet up jiyoung and haein today,” chan said, “me and your uncles have a little bit to do but we don’t have to go to the stud—”

“oh please can we go to the studio?!” joey begged, looking up at his dad with a pleading look in his eye.

chan laughed, shocked, “yeah, of course we can, bud! wasn’t expecting you to want to, but of course!”

“just more to do there, you know,” joey shrugged.

chan nodded, “yeah, i’m sorry you don’t have any cousins your age, joe.”

“it’s okay,” he hummed, “it’ll be fun when we’re older.”

chan smiled at his son’s maturity, plating up the food, “yeah, it will. and at least you know they all look up to you, right?”

joey smiled bashfully, not looking up from his work. chan placed a plate down in front of him, as well as two more for the twins, placing a plate of extra banchan in the middle of the table. he pulled up a chair beside jemima, starting on his own food while keeping an eye on the littlest member of the family.

“twins! food’s on the table!”

the boys, still in pirate mode, ran into the kitchen, crashing into the table as they started eating.

“thank you for the food,” joey said, before tucking in, the rest of his siblings following, despite the food already bulging in their cheeks.

“you’re welcome, babies,” chan cooed, playing with dan’s hair gently, “see? we don’t need mummy, daddy’s got everything covered.”

[poppadom0912]

Hi, Would you make a Halstead!sister where she is a teen and have her very first boyfriend and when she decides to break up with him he hits her. She wants to hide it from her brothers but they found out anyway

Warnings: Abuse and violence, swearing, canon-typical injuries.

A/N: Okay, this fic will be the last one for a while and I mean it this time. Writing this was so random but I got sudden inspo when I found this half written soooo please do enjoy!!

You swear that this wasn't supposed to get as bad as it did.

You were still in high school and it might've been your first boyfriend and it definitely took too many tries to convince your brothers to give you permission to date but somehow, you got it in the end.

Several times, both Jay and Will but mainly Jay, warned you of abusive, manipulative and toxic partners which you knew existed but never thought you would date someone as such.

Joey was nice at first. After inviting him over for dinner a few times, your brothers began to be more lenient towards him though they would never admit it aloud.

Yes, they were still quite wary considering you were both still young and in school but over the course of a few months, you were finally allowed to go on a date alone without them acting as chaperones.

Then, it came to your break up.

During school, you and your best friend found Joey and another girl in your year locking lips against her locker without any shame at all. It was there and then you decided that evening you were going to break it off with him.

The two of you met up in the school car park where he would usually drive you home but unbeknownst to him, you had different plans for that today.

You hated how he was acting so nonchalant, the biggest smile on his face when he noticed you walking up to his car. You felt sick, desperately wanting to smack that smirk off his face.

"Y/N! Baby, I missed you at lunch. Where-" Joey started, opening his arms to embrace you but was cut off.

"Don't call me baby." You said sharply, your tone showing you were being completely serious. "We're done Joey."

Joey blinked, tilting his head to the side in confusion before laughing. "Oh Y/N, you're hilarious! Come on, we're going to my house-"

Once again, you cut him off, harshly shoving his hand off your elbow. "No, I'm being serious Joey. We're breaking up."

His face immediately fell at your words. All of a sudden, with the flip of a switch, he changed completely. It was so fast that it started scaring you.

Before allowing him to get a word in, you turned around so you could walk away and go home on your own but you were held back. A hand was suddenly tightly gripping your wrist, pulling you back towards Joey.

"What the hell!?" You exclaimed, trying to rip your hand out of his but he wouldn't budge.

"Joey, you're hurting me. Let go." You said, trying to reason with him but nothing was working.

You tried to calm him down, Jay's voice in the back of your mind explaining step by step what to do in cases like this but you found yourself frozen, unable to defend yourself alike to how you were taught.

It was all so sudden. One moment you were angrily staring up at Joey and the next you were looking to your left, your right cheek burning as it tingled with numbness.

Both of you were shocked at his actions. Using his shock to your advantage, you pulled your wrist out of his hand, ignoring the burning sensation you felt and ran.

*****

Unfortunately for you, it was a friday night and that meant both your older brothers were at home. Typically, on the weekends, you swapped and went to Will's before going back to Jay's for the weekdays. So that meant Will was at Jay's apartment to pick you up.

You were still breathing heavily as you entered the house, unintentionally slamming the front door shut as you came to your senses.

You were home. You were safe.

"Y/N, are you okay?" Jay shouted from the living room. He heard the door slam and was confused since he knew he specifically told you to never slam doors.

"Uh- yeah." You hesitated, licking your lips as you answered. "I'm, I'm good."

"You're red and sweaty- did you run all the way here?" Jay asked after a moment of studying you, taking note of your red cheeks and sweat collecting forehead.

"Yeah I did, I'm bursting for the toilet." You quickly thought of an excuse, lying about why you ran home.

Before he could reply, you dashed past him towards the bathroom to keep up with said lie.

"Hey Y/N-Oh..." Will words were lost as he watched you disappear as quick as he saw you.

"What's up with her?" Will asked, looking confusingly at Jay and down the hall where you disappeared.

"I'm not sure."

****

Joey went back to disturbing you as soon as monday came. The weekend seemingly getting on his nerves because he was buzzing monday morning to the point that you turned back around whenever you saw him.

But you could only run so far from him because at the end of the day as you waited for your best friend, he was grabbing you way too hard.

This process only repeated itself for the next two weeks, becoming almost routine where you only missed him for two days overall.

Three weeks since he first laid hands on you, you were now covered in an amalgamation of redness, bruises and finger-shaped marks.

Today though, today something changed.

It was friday, nearly a month since you broke up with Joey and you were walking to Med. Will was supposed to pick you up but his latest patient was causing problems and asked for you to walk to the hospital only ten minutes away.

So you and one of your friends who lived near that area walked together, departing as you reached the ED doors and she walked home.

As you waved her off, your smile bright and hurting still from how much both of you were laughing, you weren't paying too much attention to your surroundings. You didn't think there would be much danger outside a guarded ED but alas.

One second your waving your friend off and the next, your on your hands and knees on the floor. It happened so fast you couldn't comprehend what even occurred.

"What the-"

Someone harshly pulling you up stopped your trail of thought, their grip so tight that you couldn't focus on the burning in your palms and knees.

"Joey! Let me go you dickhead!" You shouted at the boy as soon as you looked up at the perpetrator.

Pulling your wrists from grasp, you grunted when his grip didn't let up, instead it did the opposite and tightened to the point that your hand was starting to go pale.

"Please Joey- Please just let me go and we can talk this out, I promise." You pleaded with him, eyes going glassy when he started pulling you away from the hospital entrance, panic finally setting in.

You tried pulling yourself away, heels digging into the ground to stop him but he was too strong, his height and build giving him an advantage along with being on the football team while you barely even participated in gym.

"Joey your hurting me-" You were cut off when he shoved you up against the wall head first and then repeatedly shoved your head back when you kept talking.

"Shut up bitch!" He almost screeched, hand on your forehead to prevent your head from moving, ensuring your eyes remained on him.

Your vision blurred, head banging with what felt like the worst headache in the universe. Your reply was simply a whine, no words possible due to the pain he inflicted.

His elbow was digging into your torso, your lungs and ribs restricted from any movement because of the pressure.

"J-Jo..." Everything of his increased, his grip, his shouts, the pain he caused.

Your breathing was taken away from you when he suddenly brought his fist to your torso repeatedly.

All of a sudden, he disappeared and you were falling, your legs unable to support you.

Before you could meet the ground, you were caught and being hauled into an embrace you hadn't felt in a decade. The familiar cologne one you bought with your own pocket money and a voice you'd known since birth.

"I've got you Y/N." Will whispered to you, cradling you gently in his arms.

"Ethan, you got him?" Will called out to his colleague but you were so out of it you couldn't see the other doctor.

"I'll handle him, get her inside." Ethan replied as he restrained Joey, his past military training helping him plenty.

The last thing you remembered was Will's reassuring words before everything went black.

*****

"We have to wait for her to wake up to determine how bad the concussion is but besides that, she's okay." Will finished explaining to Jay the prognosis who arrived five minutes ago.

"She's also got old bruises." Jay finally looked up from your face to Will's, anguish clear on the latter's face. "This has been going on for a while now."

Jay was speechless.

He was at a crime scene when Will called him, something neither brother did when they knew the other was at work and despite trying to anticipate what was going to happen, he could never guess it would be this.

Will explained that he and Ethan were taking a quick breather outside together after the death of their last patient when they heard a man shouting and though they couldn't see you, Will easily recognised Joey.

While Ethan subdued Joey, Will wasted no time in getting you to safety and inside the ED where Connor treated you.

There would be no long lasting effects from any of the injuries but they were bound to stick around for a while and they would definitely hurt.

Will couldn't get it out of his memory - seeing your ex boyfriend continuously punching you with no remorse and almost strangling you with the death grip he had. Will saw it every time he blinked and felt like puking.

Jay had walked passed Joey when he entered the ED and to say he felt like throttling the boy was putting it very, very lightly.

But Jay had plans for little Joey, he was more than confident that Voight would let him have a few words with him later. Especially if it involved you - his boss seemed to have a weak spot whenever you were involved, everyone did.

"I need to find Goodwin and get off shift early, I'll be back." Will said. Maggie could only do so much for so long.

Jay hummed. "I've got her, she's not going anywhere don't worry."

Will hadn't been gone for long when you started coming back to. Jay was messaging Hailey, asking for updates on what they were doing with Joey when he felt your fingers twitch in his other available hand.

Jay waited patiently, forcing himself to let you take your time and not rush you just in case. Will mentioned a concussion that they weren't too sure on the extent on its damage.

Your whimpers had his heart in your control, a lump in his throat at you clearly in pain and his inability to cure and rid of all your ills.

Seeing your eyes, the colour so bright under the hospital lights and because of the fear you felt so vividly, Jay found himself unable to breath for a moment.

"Is he gone?" You whispered, voice hoarse as you squinted up at your older brother.

"Yes he is." Jay nodded, ignoring the burning that randomly enveloped his eyes and brushed your hair back with such a feather light touch that you didn't register the gesture. "He's never going to touch or bother you ever again, I promise."

The only response you could formulate was tears, the waterworks instant as soon as the words came out of Jay's mouth.

"Will and I will make sure nothing happens ever again, we promise."

[tavolgisvist]

Paul and drums

Our kid was first in a group with John called Quarrymen, and apparently, I’d forgotten the set of drums fell off the back of a lorry, as we say in Liverpool, and landed up in our house. So I was learning drums, and one of the Quarrymen came back and said, ‘I remember you’re coming down the house, and it was great when you played drums for us.’ I said, ‘Did I?’ I’d totally forgotten. But then I realized why I forgot. It’s because I broke my arm in a scout camp, and this hand dropped. It was dead, paralyzed. So it took several years to get it back, and at that time, those drums that I was learning on, first of all, my brother, no wonder the drums on the band on the road are good. That’s where he learned it from my drums. But I couldn’t play anything then. So I’d forgotten that I was even the drummer, and Ringo got the job.

(Mike McCartney)

Mersey Beat Founder and Editor, Bill Harry wrote a guest column for Beatle Fan Magazine in 2019. He stated “For their August 7, 1961 gig, the Litherland Town Hall classified advertisement in the Liverpool Echo carried the message: ‘Hear Pete Best Sing Tonight.’ Best had been talked into performing the song “Pinwheel Twist,” which Paul had written for him to sing. Pete recalled in a conversation with Spencer Leigh: ‘Paul wrote the song and asked me to do it. He coupled it with Joey Dee’s hit “The Peppermint Twist.’ I used to get up and do the twist onstage and Paul played my drums. It was a little novelty act and it went down well with the fans. When The Beatles performed it, Paul took over on drums, George played Paul’s left-handed bass right-handed and Pete sang.”

(Source)

I used to get on Pete’s case a bit. He’d often stay out all night. He got to know a stripper and they were boyfriend and girlfriend. She didn’t finish work until four in the morning, so he’d stay up with her and roll back at about ten in the morning and be going to bed when we were starting work…

(Paul McCartney, Anthology, 2001)

Q: When did you first play drums? A: My first recollection is in Hamburg. You’d get behind the kit to try and show the drummer what you wanted. That gradually grew to messing around on other people’s kits, which were lying around because there were a lot of groups playing in the places we played. You picked up the simplest beats very naturally. I remember one evening when Tony Sheridan’s drummer didn’t show up, so Tony said, “Come on, man, sit in!” I said, “No way! I can’t do this.” And he said, “Yeah, you can.” So I did it and then I was thinking, “Well! I’ve actually done a professional drumming gig!” Later, with The Beatles, there was a period where John, George, and I operated as a trio and picked up little bits of work. I remember playing in an illegal club in somebody’s basement on Upper Parliament Street in Liverpool’s Caribbean Quarter. One day this guy called Lord Woodbine, who ran the club, asked if we’d come in and accompany this stripper called Janine. We said, “Wow! Yeah, man! There’s a job.” He even paid us money. Q: It sounds like you would have paid him for that gig. A: Exactly [laughs]. So she came in and said, “Okay, I need you to play Ravel’s Bolero.” We said, “Oh, gee. Sorry, luv. We don’t read music. But we’ve got ’Raunchy.’ That might do.” I had somebody’s old drum kit, and I sat there with a broomstick between my legs, with a microphone tied to it so I could do a bit of vocals and drum at the same time. It was hilarious.

(Paul McCartney, interview with Robert L. Doerschuk for Drum!Magazine, 2005)

Q: When Ringo joined the band, that must have interrupted your emerging career on drums. A: Yeah, I was completely redundant. We loved Ringo so much. He was our favorite drummer in Liverpool, and when he joined the band, it was an explosion: Every song sounded new and fresh. He could pass what we felt was the true test for drummers, which was to be able to play “What’d I Say” — the cymbal work and the toms.

(Paul McCartney, interview with Robert L. Doerschuk for Drum!Magazine, 2005)

We did do a few little bits and pieces together before we all went our separate ways. John and I and Yoko did ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’. He enlisted me for that because he knew it was a great way to make a record. ‘We’ll go round to Abbey Road Studios. Who lives near there? Paul. Who’s going to drum on this record? Paul. Who can play bass? Paul. And who’ll do it if I ask him nicely? Paul.’ He wasn’t at all sheepish about asking. He probably said something like, ‘Oh, I’ve got this song I want to record. Would you come round?’ And I probably said, ‘Yeah, why not?’

(Paul McCartney, The Lyrics, 2021, about Dear Friend)

Steve Miller happened to be there recording, late at night, and he just breezed in. ‘Hey, what’s happening, man? Can I use the studio?’ ‘Yeah!’ I said. ‘Can I drum for you? I just had a fucking unholy argument with the guys there.’ I explained it to him, took ten minutes to get it off my chest. So I did a track, he and I stayed that night and did a track of his called My Dark Hour. I thrashed everything out on the drums. There’s a surfeit of aggressive drum fills, that’s all I can say about that. We stayed up until late. I played bass, guitar and drums and sang backing vocals. It’s actually a pretty good track. It was a very strange time in my life and I swear I got my first grey hairs that month. I saw them appearing. I looked in the mirror, I thought, I can see you. You’re all coming now. Welcome.

(Paul McCartney in Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, 1997)

I really had to ask myself, “Do I want to give up music, or keep going?” I got a four-track Studer recording machine, like the Beatles used for Sgt. Pepper, put it in the corner of the living-room at my house in London and tried a very simple technique of just plugging directly into the back, not going through a mixing desk. It’s a cool way to record because it’s pure. If, say, I was doing a drum track, I’d play the drums, record it with one microphone, listen to it back, move the mike a little if there wasn’t enough hi-hat or cymbal, and then re-record. Then I’d add bass by plugging the mike into track two and overdubbing while listening to track one through headphones. I’d do that with all with four tracks. It was very hands-on, primitive way of working. <…> It was funky, and still sounds good to me.

(Paul McCartney, “Wingspan” documentary, 2001)

We did not see Ringo until the next night when he arrived at the session. He walked in and went straight to his drums…fiddled with them, then fiddled with them some more. “Somebody did something to my snare drum,” he said irritably. “Paul was here last night. He played them,” explained John. “He’s always fucking around with me things!” It sounded as though Ringo were back in Liverpool and all of them were still teenagers and nothing in their lives had changed. I realized then, that no matter what might happen among them, this was the way they would always relate to each other.

(May Pang, Loving John, 1983)

(Krla Beat, pic by lisamarie-vee)

So, I got into my studio in Scotland and started working, doing the drum track. I normally start with the drums. I sometimes use drum machines, but I like to redo it with real drums. I enjoy drumming. Then I put some bass on it. I was just doing an experimental thing. I was messing around and experimenting. Slowing down tapes, or speeding them up.

(Paul McCartney, The Lyrics, 2021, about Coming Up)

Paul and I were in England, having dinner together [along with our wives]. I told him I was making an EP, and I said, “Why don’t you write me a song?” He wrote the song [Feeling the Sunlight] and put bass on it, he put piano, he put the drums on — and I had to take the drums off. [Laughs.]

(Ringo Starr, interview with Rob Tannenbaum for AARP, Nov 2023)

George was the first one to make a solo album [Wonderwall Music], and I was the drummer. John started the Plastic Ono Band, and I was the drummer. Paul likes to play drums himself, or I would’ve been on his albums too.

(Ringo Starr, interview with Rob Tannenbaum for AARP, Nov 2023)

Q: As strong as you are on bass, keyboards, guitar, and as a singer and writer, is it frustrating to play your drum parts at a more limited level? A: That never intimidates me, though it probably should. I just have so much enthusiasm when I do things that I don’t even consider it. I’m lucky, because some people would wrack themselves with doubt, but when I came to this project I was like, “Man, let’s just have a bit of fun!” It didn’t occur to me that I was some idiot jumping on the kit. I know that a lot of drummers can play rings around me, but as long as I keep it simple and don’t get too flash, I can play with a steady, swampy feel, and that’ll do the job.

(Paul McCartney, interview with Robert L. Doerschuk for Drum!Magazine, 2005)

@i-am-the-oyster, I hope you will enjoy :)

+ this

[persevereforahappyending]

A Beacon in the Dark |9|

Pairing: Joey x Reader

Summary: Joey likes helping people, it's what she's best at. Hunting down the monsters of myth and legend might be the best way to save people.

Warnings: Death, Killing, Shooting, Stabbing, Kidnapping, Violence

Word Count: 5.2k+

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12

Joey ran through the woods, she knocked branches out of her face, jumped over a few fallen logs, doing everything in her power to not lose speed. She didn’t even bother glancing back, she didn’t want to lose focus, but she also didn’t know if she’d like what she’d see if she turned around. She lifted the device you had her grab out of your pocket and pressed the button, trusting that it would alert Grace like you said, though she didn’t know what good that would do. She slid to a stop; her body froze when a thunderous roar ripped through the woods.

She slowly turned her head and scanned her surroundings. She didn’t hear anything, not even so much as a crunch of the leaves. She kept her eyes searching for a flicker of gold staring back at her. She was sure by the time she got a glimpse of those yellow eyes it would already be too late. She was still frozen in place, she wasn’t sure if moving would signal where she was, as if you didn’t already know.

You. Joey released a shaky breath; she couldn’t get the image of you out of her head. She knew there was something off about you, she pegged it during your first meeting at the diner. She dismissed you as a vampire, but she didn’t even consider you would be a werewolf. She felt stupid, it all made sense, you refused to talk about what happened to you, all you told her was werewolves. The way you talked about monsters at times, it almost sounded personal, Joey wrote it off as just a hatred for the supernatural, but it was hatred for yourself.

She wondered if that’s why Grace worked with you, because you hated what you were. It was clear Grace knew what you were, the two of you were close and had been acting particularly weird earlier. You didn’t seem thrilled by this case because it was a on a full moon, it was why Grace stressed that it needed to get done quick. Everything about you was finally clear.

That didn’t stop the conflict within Joey though. You were a monster, something she was hired to help fight. You had been nice up until this point where it was clear the beast had full control. Joey couldn’t be working with you if you were what could tear her apart, that was assuming she’d even survive you this time. And lastly, you lied, you and Grace kept this secret from her, she didn’t think she could ever trust either of you again, if you kept something like this a secret, something that literally could put her life in danger, there was no telling what else you would try and keep hidden.

Joey was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone running towards her, someone running fast. She felt around for her gun and silently cursed when she realized the witches must have taken it. She looked around and grabbed a decent size branch, it wasn’t the best, but it might at least be able to buy her some time. She raised it like a baseball bat and narrowed her eyes, waiting for whatever was coming towards her to come out of the shadows.

One of the witches came barreling out of the darkness, her eyes widened upon seeing Joey and fell backwards. Joey continued to hold the branch up, but she hadn’t even moved a muscle before the witch was scurrying backwards, tears quickly filling her eyes.

Joeys’ eyes widened, she froze, the branch she was holding even stopped moving because of how still she was standing. Joey felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She slowly turned her head, glancing back to see a large wolf, black fur, bright yellow eyes, teeth that were probably once white but now dripped with blood, and claws that were as big as Joey’s forearm and would have no issue tearing through her flesh. The beast was on all fours, but it slowly rose up until it was towering over Joey on its hind legs.

Joey whipped around only to fall to the ground from the abrupt movement. She propped herself up on her forearms, her eyes never leaving the beast. It dropped back down on all fours and let out a loud roar right in her face. Joey flinched, turning her head as she felt the saliva and bits of blood spray out of the creature's mouth. This was how she was going to die; she was going to get eaten by a fucking werewolf, in the middle of the wood, and her son would never know. It would never come out how she died, her body would never be found, if there was even a body left, she would written off, everyone assuming she just abandoned her son again. Her eyes filled with tears, not at the thought of her death, but the thought of knowing Caleb would never know how much she loved him, that he’d go forward in life thinking she once again broke every promise she made him.

Joey felt a rush of air then there was a loud thump that shook the whole ground. She opened her eyes and no longer saw the monster in front of her. A scream pierced the air and Joey turned around to see the beast had jumped over her and was now ripping into the witch. She slowly slid away, making sure her eyes never left the beast, her eyes not able to look away as it tore through the witch’s flesh, keeping her alive so her screams were the only thing that could be heard for miles. Joey rose to her feet, and she made eye contact with the witch, seeing the pain written all over her face, the silent plea for death to take her, then Joey turned and ran.

She didn’t know where she was going, she didn’t have the GPS, you were the only one that had that. She didn’t care where she ended up, she just needed to put enough distance between her and you. It was you. The beast was you. Joey knew that but when her eyes met the monsters, she didn’t see any of you in there. There was nothing of you behind the yellow eyes, it was only the wolf. You were about to kill her, you could have killed her, she didn’t see any sort of recognition of your face, it wasn’t why you spared her, you just went for the greater threat in the moment. Joey knew that she would need to survive you until the sun came up because if she came across your path again you would certainly kill her.

Joey ran until her foot got caught on something and she was sent tumbling to the ground. She groaned as she crashed hard, she rolled over, intending to push herself up when she was met with the sight of a body. Joey scurried back, sitting up once her back was against the nearest tree. Her eyes widened as the sight before her, eight of witches lay dead, scattered around the clearing. They were all killed within seconds, none of them having time to escape, only a few it seemed were able to turn around, as if they were going to attempt to run.

Joey brought a hand to her mouth. The job was to stop the witches, and you certainly did that. Not having to worry about the witches, on top of you, was definitely a plus, she just never imagined you’d go through them so quickly. If there was no one else left to fight it was only a matter of time before you found her. The eight bodies here and the one Joey just left you with meant nine witches were dead and there was still three out there, assuming you hadn’t killed them yet.

Joey slowly pulled herself to her feet. She hadn’t heard you when you appeared behind her, she wasn’t sure if it was her fear or the natural predator in you that made you so stealthy. For all she knew you killed the witch and then came after her, you could be circling the area right now, waiting for the perfect time to make your move. She slowly lifted her foot and began walking across the area, she wasn’t sure where she was going but she needed a place to hide or a way out, it was dark, the area was vast and unfamiliar, and you were hunting her, she didn’t stand a chance trying to run back to your car, that was if she could even figure out the direction to run in.

Joey stopped and searched each body as she passed them. Not a single one of the witches had anything useful on them, not even a weapon. She guessed if they had magic there wasn’t really a need for weapons but a lot of good that seemed to do them. None of them had keys or a phone of any sort, she wondered how they possibly got there without a vehicle and how they communicated without a phone, if they didn’t use any sort of modern technology at all, or if they did where they tucked it away if it wasn’t on their person.

Joey came to a stop at the area, in front of her was nothing but darkness, the fire only illuminated so far. She wasn’t sure if it was better to trek into the unknown or stay by the light. She looked around, seeing no movement from anything, she couldn’t even hear bugs, it was just the crackle of the fire. With a shaky hand she reached into her pocket, feeling around for the candy wrapper she knew was in there. When her fingers finally brushed against the wrapper, she pulled it out and popped it into her mouth, instantly letting out a relieved sigh. She stood there for a moment, her eyes closed as she soaked up the cherry taste.

She opened her eyes with a new determination, turning around she walked straight to the woods and broke off a decent size branch, not even flinching at the loud crack that surely would have alerted everyone to her location. She slid off her jacket and ripped the sleeve of her shirt, then began wrapping it around the top of the stick. She held the stick over the fire and almost immediately the scraps up her shirt caught.

When she pulled it away, she couldn’t help but smirk at her torch, she spun around on her heel and marched off into the darkness. She didn’t know a lot about werewolves, only what she’d seen in movies, she had no idea how to know what was fact and what was fiction, but she knew that when someone was burned by fire it hurt, and she never heard of a werewolf being immune to fire.

Joey had only gone a few feet when she slowed down, tilting her head, it sounded like there were screams. She furrowed her brow and looked off to her right, the direction the screams seemed to be coming from. It couldn’t be campers; it sounded too muffled, like something was trying to block the sound from getting out. She also didn’t believe it was the remaining wishes, there were at most three of them left and the screams sounded like they were coming from more people.

Joey turned her foot, the leaves crunching beneath her boot as she slowly inched towards the noise. She knew she shouldn’t be going towards unknown screams in the middle of the woods, at night, while a werewolf was after her, but curiosity got the best of her. She couldn’t ignore the fact that the whole reason they came out to the woods was because witches were doing human sacrifices, and she had yet to see any humans. Even when you and her were chained up she never once saw another human, which meant the witches had to have some place to store all the girls.

Joey kept going until her foot kicked something hard and metal. She furrowed her brow, whatever it was had been heavy. She crouched down and began brushing the leaves off the area she kicked. Underneath was a metal cover, made to look like the bark of a tree. Unless someone took a close look or kicked it like Joey had they would just walk right past it, never knowing it was a secret hatch. She switched the torch to her other hand and gripped the handle on the cover with her dominant hand then began to lift.

She gritted her teeth as she tried to lift the cover with only one hand, it was a lot heavier than any sewer cover, that was for sure. She would bet money the witches used their magic to lift it, the weight was probably a way to deter prying eyes, if someone actually happened to stumble upon the passage. Joey finally lifted it up enough to slide it to the side, it was just like a sewer cover. She held the torch over the cover, trying to illuminate as much as she could. There was a rather rusty ladder and that was it, she couldn’t see the bottom and wasn’t sure how far it went.

Joey looked up and smiled to herself before scouring her surroundings until she found a little rock. She kept hold of the rock as she got her watch ready. She pressed the side button to start the timer on her watch and dropped the rock. She listened for the rock, silently watching as the seconds ticked by. When she finally heard the rock hit what sounded like a hard surface, she paused her watch, seeing hardly any time passed. She smiled to herself, the passage wasn’t super deep, just several feet, the torch probably just couldn’t reach that far, if she had a flashlight, she would have been able to see the bottom.

She stood up, looking down at the passage below. Going down without backup and without knowing what she was getting into was a terrible idea. Staying above ground where you definitely were was a terrible idea, it was a guaranteed death sentence. She steeled herself before turning around and slowly lowered her foot onto the first bar of the ladder. She had half her body down the tunnel when a roar ripped through the air. Her blood ran cold as her head snapped up, searching for the direction it might have come from.

She took a few more steps down, lowering herself further until just her eyes were barely peeking out of the hole. She glanced to the side at the cover, it was hard enough getting off and she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to push it off again if she closed it. Her internal debate was interrupted when she saw a witch run out of the darkness, headed directly for her. The witch spun around and as she raised her hand a stream of fire shot out. She moved her hand, directing the fire to create a wall in front of her. It seems you were right behind her as you came out of the same darkness a second later, sliding to a stop before you could hit the wall of fire.

You snapped and growled at the fire as you paced back and forth. Joey watched with wide eyes, holding her breath as she feared if she so much as breathed you would hear her. The witch stared at you for a second, seeming to silently taunt you before turning and making her way directly for Joey again. Your pacing got more impatient before you turned around, quickly circling back around and getting a running start as you jumped through the flames. The witch didn’t even have time to look back before your jaws snapped around her neck and flung her body in the air, not even giving her the chance to scream.

“Shit,” Joey whispered.

She wrapped her arm holding the torch around one of the rungs of the ladder and used her other hand to grab the metal cover. She kept glancing at you, watching as the witch’s body fell back to the ground, only for you to catch it and whip your head back and forth, before finally dropping the body to the ground. Joey gritted her teeth as she lifted the cover with all her strength, leaning her entire body forward to try and get it to budge. The cover grated against the ground, barely moving.

You lifted your head from the witch’s body, licking your chops as blood and flesh continued to fall out of your mouth. Joey let out a shaky breath as her eyes met yours, without a second thought she dropped the torch and used both hands to pull at the cover, making sure to lean her body against the ladder so she didn’t fall. The cover seemed to move an inch each time she lifted it. When you started walking towards her, she moved faster, she could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest. The cover was about halfway over the hole when Joey took a few steps down, finally losing sight of you. She pushed up with both hands, trying to bring the cover over the rest of the way. The cover just fell back into place when she caught sight of your teeth snapping at it.

She had the ladder in a death grip, listening as you growled and scratched at the cover. The cover groaned but never moved. With shaky legs she slowly began to descend into the darkness. She had no idea where she was or what she would find but going back up wasn’t an option. When her feet finally hit the ground, she could feel concrete, not dirt. She held out her hand, feeling around in the darkness until she finally came in contact with a concrete wall. She felt around her pocks, finally remembering she had a phone until she pulled it out, the witches hadn’t taken it. She held it up to see she had no signal, no way of getting in contact with Grace, she had to hope the device worked and Grace was on her way, she wasn’t even sure how much time had passed since she pressed that button.

Her phone might have been useless for calling for help, but she could still use the flashlight. She held it up, using the little light to guide her way. The entire tunnel stretched forward, for she didn’t even know how far, she heard the echoes of screams every few seconds. The tunnel itself was all concrete, cracks spread throughout, a section crumbling from years of wear and tear.

She furrowed her brow when she saw light at the end of the tunnel, she knew it wasn’t from sunlight though. She slowly lowered her phone as she approached the end of the tunnel, there was a large opening, the walls were lined with torches. She nearly dropped it when she saw twelve cages lining the far wall, each holding a girl, all of them within the age range Grace talked about.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. She didn’t hesitate to run towards them, searching the cages for any sort of lock.

“The-there’s a key,” one of the girls said, pointing across the room.

Joey ran across the room and grabbed the key off the wall. It was a rusty metal key connected to a ridiculously large metal ring. She ran back to the cages and began unlocking each one, letting the girls out. The girls huddled together, whispering thanks as Joey released them.

“I need to get you out of here,” Joey mumbled more to herself.

“There’s an exit down there,” one of the older girls spoke up, pointing to an opening on the side of the room, similar to the one Joey had come out of. “It’s how we were brought in.”

“The tunnels stretch throughout the woods,” another girl said. Joey nodded, it all made sense, the witches used interconnected tunnels under the forest, to get around and to hide what they’ve been doing all these years. “It goes back to the surface.”

“Do you think you’re able to find the way out?” Joey asked. The girls nodded. “Okay,” she whispered and looked around the room. Her eyes widened when they fell on a familiar duffle in the corner of the room. She ran for it, dropping to the floor instantly. She unzipped it to see all the weapons still in place. She dug around until she pulled out two flashlights. “Take these,” she handed the flashlights out to the girls. The two oldest, who seemed to be doing the most talking, each took a flashlight. “Stick together and don’t stop until you’re out of here.”

They nodded and one girl moved to the front of the group while the other girl fell to the back of the line. “You aren’t coming with us?” the one asked.

Joey shook her head. “Unfinished business.”

“Be careful.” Joey couldn’t help but smile, she appreciated the gesture but telling her to be careful when she was going to be facing a werewolf, and witches was rather comedic. “What’s your name?”

Joey opened her mouth and then paused, smiling to herself. “It’s Joey.”

“Thank you, Joey.”

Joey smiled and watched as the group of girls slowly made their way down the tunnel that was supposed to lead them out. Joey crouched back down at the bag and dug around, pulling out a pistol and instantly putting it in her waistband. She continued to dig and pulled out a large hunting knife, the silver glinting in the flames of the torches, before she strapped it to her side.

“Well, haven’t you made quite the mess,” someone said, making Joey whip around to see the last two witches, the one who spoke being the one that was talking to you while you were chained to the tree. She had never been more disappointed at being right that they were still alive. “Your pet,” she snarled. “Killed the rest of our coven.”

“You were the ones that captured us,” Joey snarked.

The witch was on her in the blink of an eye, gripping her tightly by the chin as she pressed her up against the concrete wall. “You came into our territory,” she snarled.

“You were sacrificing girls,” Joey gritted out.

“We’ve been doing it for centuries.” She ran her sharp nails across Joey’s chin and down her neck, somehow not breaking the skin. “All you had to do was mind your own business.”

“They’re innocent.” Joey stared into the witches’ eyes, not caring she would probably be struck down in a moment. She couldn’t see a way of getting out of this alive and if she was dying then she was going to go down fighting.

“So, much strength.” The witch let go of Joey and looked at her with something she could only describe as admiration. “I see why they like you. Too bad they’re still going to kill you.”

The witch turned Joey around, gripping her by the hair as she forced her to walk forward. “Go,” she ordered the other witch, pointing down the tunnel Joey had come out of.

The other witch led the way. Joey stumbled in the dark, neither witch using any sort of light to light the way. She couldn’t help but wonder if they could see in the dark or knew where they were going from constantly walking it. Every time Joey stumbled the witch only gripped her hair tighter. She didn’t let go of Joey’s hair until they reached the ladder.

The other witch began to climb the ladder, with Joey behind her, and the other one behind Joey, leaving Joey trapped between the two. They came to a stop when they reached the top of the ladder, the witch moved her hand, effortlessly sliding the cover off the opening. Almost as soon as there was enough of an opening the witch was yanked out of the tunnel. Joey tried to take a step down, but the other witch was there, keeping her in place. Joey’s entire body shook as the screams of the witch echoed throughout the tunnel, you were there, waiting for them as they came up.

“Damn mutt,” the witch grumbled. “Go!” she ordered Joey, giving her a hard shove to force her to keep moving. As Joey got closer to the top the witch did a spell, sending the cover flying off the top.

Joey slowly peeked her head out of the hole, seeing you ripping apart the witch a few feet away. She quickly scrambled out of the tunnel, the other witch right behind her. Joey didn’t even have time to pull herself to her feet before she was gripping Joey by the back of the hair again. She held Joey up, making sure her head was pulled back so she could see everything. She whistled, getting your attention. Joey moved her feet, trying to pull away from the witch as your yellow eyes focused in on her.

Joey fumbled around until her finger brushed against the knife. Her gaze hardened as she tightened her grip around the handle before yanking it out of the holder and stabbed back, stabbing the witch in the side. The witch hissed as she let Joey go, making her stumble to the ground.

“You bitch!” the witch said, holding a hand to her bleeding wound. She raised her hand as if to do another spell, Joey’s eyes widened, her entire life flashing before her eyes, everything she didn’t get to do, Caleb, everything she didn’t get to tell him.

Death never came though. One second the witch was raising her hand towards Joey and the next you were digging into her hand, ripping it off before ripping into the rest of her. Joey wasn’t sure how much of your memory you had, if any, but it seemed like you remembered something because you were making this witch suffer more than the others. Her once-youthful face couldn’t be identified after you got done with her. The only way Joey would have been able to know who the witch was compared to the other was from her black braid.

Joey scrambled back as you looked over your shoulder while you were still crouched over the witch’s body. You turned around and stood to your full height, towering over Joey even when she wasn’t lying on the ground. She continued to scramble back, reaching for her gun as she did so.

You slowly stalked towards her on two feet, clearly not seeing her as a threat, not like the witches. Joey raised the gun and fired, the bullet sailing right past your head from how much her hands were shaking. She fired again and again, missing each time. You were nearly right in front of her, probably the easiest target she ever had, and she missed again. She dropped the gun, tears spilling out of her eyes as she accepted her fate.

A bright light filled the area, making Joey turn away, she thought she might actually be dead now but a second later a large truck came out of nowhere, hitting you, making you fly across the clearing. The truck spun around before parking. Joey raised her hand, squinting as the headlights were still shining on her, she saw someone hop out of the car and then a shot was fired.

Joey flinched her eyes widened as her vision cleared. Grace stood in front of her, a determined look on her face as she held up a shot gun, and began firing at you every time you stepped forward. Each shot found a home somewhere on you, whether it be your shoulder or your leg, you eventually went down. Joey could tell it wouldn’t kill you though, the wounds were healing, just not as fast as Grace was shooting. Grace fired a shot at your leg, sending you to the ground, then shot out your other leg, making you collapse fully.

She let go of the shot gun, letting it hang at her side as she lifted something Joey couldn’t see and pressed a button, dropping a ramp at the back of the truck. Joey got a better look at the truck, the wheels were huge, meant for off-roading, there were two seats up front and then the back was a giant metal trailer with no windows. As you pulled yourself to your feet Grace pressed another button and a large metal spike connected to a wire shot out of the trailer, impaling itself in your shoulder. You let out a roar just as Grace pressed another button, sending another spike into your other shoulder. You roared and thrashed around but the spikes never budged. Grace pressed another button, and the spikes began to retract, dragging you into the trailer.

As soon as you were in the trailer the ramp flipped up, sealing you inside. The entire trailer shook as you thrashed around on the inside. Joey wasn’t sure how strong you were, but she was surprised you hadn’t ripped a hole through the side yet. Joey furrowed her brow as Grace pressed another button, she couldn’t see anything happen but your thrashing around slowly got quieter, until there was none at all.

“We need to get moving,” Grace said, turning around and holding a handout to Joey. Joey took the hand, allowing Grace to pull her up without a word. “They’ll be out for a little while, but we need to get back home as quick as possible.”

Graced put her foot up, preparing to step into the truck again when she looked back, seeming to notice Joey hadn’t moved. Grace dropped her foot back down and walked over to Joey. “Hey,” she whispered, gently brushing her fingers against Joey’s arm, though Joey still flinched at the touch. “We need to move.”

Joey looked at Grace, tears still falling from her eyes. “You knew,” she rasped out. It was the only thing she could say, she didn’t know what else to say, what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry,” Grace said, her voice the softest it had been since she arrived. “I promise I’ll explain everything, but we need to go.” Joey looked past Grace and at the trailer where she knew you resided. “They can’t escape.” Joey directed her attention back to Grace. “You have my word that you will be safe.”

There was no reason for her to trust anything Grace said after what just happened. Grace and you had been lying and keeping this secret from her since the beginning. Both of you willingly let her come on this mission knowing it was a full moon and what would happen to you. There was absolutely no reason to take Grace at her word again, but Joey did. Joey nodded and followed Grace into the truck. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, where this left her, she wasn’t sure what she even wanted anymore.

Taglist: @thinking1bee @so-to-aqui-pelas-fic @alexkolax @thatshyboy1998 @chxrry-lov3

@bella423 @morganismspam23 @pianogirl2121

[joeys-babe]

Joey B Imagines: Welcome To The Jungle

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summary: even nine months pregnant there’s no way you’ll miss the bengal’s first real game of the season, though joe is completely against the idea even if you’re with his family in the box.

warnings: fluff, pregnancy, birth.

pairing: joe burrow x reader

imagine universe: into the mystic

————————————————————————

"you're 9 months pregnant baby, i don't think it's a good idea for you to go to the game.." - joe

"joe there is no way i'm missing your first game of the season." - you

"you went to all the preseason games so you'll be fine to sit this one out." - joe

"you didn't play during preseason. joe i'm going to the game." - you

"what if you go into labor and i miss it." - joe

"i'll hold them in. but i'm not due for another week." - you

"i don't know about this..." - joe

"i'm on maternity leave right now so i'm gonna be in the suite with your mom and dad. i'll have people with me just in case, not taking pictures on the sidelines." - you

"okay, just please if you do go into labor, call me. i'll run off the field mid-play if i have to." - joe

"i will, joey." - you

"i put the go bag in the car just to be safe." - joe

"you're the best." - you kissed him

"okay, let's get going." - joe

he helped me into the car, along with putting his bag in the back seat next to the baby’s car seat. if only you two knew you weren’t coming back home with that empty.

right before we arrived to the facility joe called his mom down to help me up to the suite since he wouldn't be able to.

when joe pulled in the back entrance and drove to his normal parking spot we both saw his mom was waiting at the elevator.

"y/n, you are about to pop!" - robin

"shhh don't say that around joe, he'll drive me back to the house." - you

"no he won't, don't worry." - robin laughed

"yes, he will." - joe

joe turned to me, i felt a speech coming on.

"if anything happens. and i mean anything, call me okay. i'm not missing anything." - joe

"okay, joe listen to me okay. good luck today, it's the first game of the season and i want you to know i'm so proud of you. i love you so much, baby." - you

joe smiled and placed a kiss on my lips.

"i love you too, mamas." - joe

when we pulled away, joe checked the time on his phone before sighing.

"i have to get inside, thanks mom." - joe

“you're welcome, joey." - robin

joe took a glancing look back at me, his eyes wandering down to my bump as he anxiously licked his lips. he looked away and closed his eyes for a second, trying to still his racing thoughts. once he collected himself he gave me a brief hug.

"bye, guys." - joe

"bye, baby." - you kissed him one last time

joe grabbed his bag and i watched him walk towards the players entrance.

robin encouragingly rubbed my back as we walked into the elevator. she was fully aware that if joe was nervous, you were nervous as well.

once we reached the burrow suite his brothers and their girls were already there.

codie, joe’s older brother jamie’s wife, went wide eyed when she caught sight of you in her peripherals.

"y/n, girl! what are you doing here?!" - codie

"here to watch joe!" - you laughed

"you are about to pop!" - codie

"i know.. but there is no way i'm missing the first game of the season." - you

"i don't know what joe did to deserve such a supportive wife." - jimmy laughed

i sat down on the couch and leaned back against the couch, trying to get comfortable.

"joe’s just as supportive jimmy. i think he's more nervous about me being here than he is about the game." - you

jamie was standing up next to the glass and he could see joe anxiously looking up at us after the team ran out.

"y/n, joe keeps looking up here." - jamie

i practically rolled off of the couch and walked over to the glass, holding up a thumbs up.

when joe saw me, and his anxieties were eased just a little bit, he focused back on warming up.

the fact that joe was more anxious than normal was evident to the whole family, and it went silent till joe’s other older brother, dan, spoke up.

"you can tell his nerves are up." - dan

"yeah that’s obvious, but i know he'll still do amazing." - you

*time skip*

it was after the second quarter and the bengals were up 25-12 against the bills.

it was halftime so i decided to get up and walk around to grab some food from across the room.

but when i stood up, i felt and heard a splash.

"oh… no…" - you

"did your water just break?!" - codie yelled

"oh my god! we need to get you to the car, we're going to the hospital!" - robin

"no no no! i can wait till after the game, i can't make joe leave now, they're winning!" - you

"y/n, you have to go. do you know if joe will answer his phone?" - jimmy

"no, it's off in his locker for sure." - you

"i'm calling zac." - jimmy picked his phone up

as i was being rushed out of the suite by codie and robin i felt a sharp pain in my stomach

"owww!" - you

"contraction?" - codie

"yeah" - you hissed

*zac's pov*

i was talking to the team during halftime when my phone started ringing and the name "Jimmy Burrow" popped up.

knowing that y/n was nine months pregnant with twins and at an nfl game i figured it was probably about her so i answered immediately.

"is everything okay? is it about y/n?" - zac

i tried to whisper but when i said her name, joe’s eyes shot up to me and he speed walked over to me.

"everything is okay. just please tell joe that y/n went into labor. robin and codie are taking her to the hospital. let him know she’s in safe hands, i don’t want him to worry." - jimmy

"okay, will do." - zac

before i even put my phone down joe asked what was wrong and who it was.

"taylor, what happened? who was that? is it about my y/n?” - joe

"it was your dad and he called because y/n went into labor, codie and your mom are taking her to the hospital." - zac smiled

"i- i have to go with her! can i go?" - joe

"yes, joe you can go. good luck!" - zac

joe pretty much sprinted to his locker and grabbed everything he needed before running out the door in full uniform.

"joe where are you going?!" - tee

"y/n's in labor!" - joe smiled

the whole locker room heard and erupted into cheers as joe ran out of the locker room.

(joes pov)

i ran at full speed out to the car and saw my mom and codie shutting the back seat door.

"joe, you're here!" - robin

"of course! you think i'd miss this?!" - joe

"get in the back with y/n. she needs to see your face right now." - codie

when i slung the door open and dipped my head down inside the car, i watched y/n's face lit up.

"joe!" - you

"hey baby, are you ready?" - joe smiled

"as ready as i'll ever be!" - you

"OWE" - you

as soon as i was sitting down i grabbed her hand, rubbing the back of it in a way that told her i was there for her.

"you didn't even change?" - you

"nope, i ran out before even thinking about changing." - joe

"i'm sorry for making you leave your game." - you

"you and those twins are way more important than a football game.” - joe

“i love you.. so much.” - you

“i love you more, y/n.” - joe

joe pulled his shoulder pads off, leaving him in just his tight compression shirt.

he grabbed a pair of his nikes when he had ran over to his locker so he also took his cleats off.

"i'm so happy you're here joe. i was worried we wouldn’t get ahold of you." - you

"i'm happy too, but you know i'd drop anything to be here with you." - joe

"i know." - you said before a contraction hit and you squeezed joes hand

"ouch, my hand." - joe

all three women in the car looked at him with faces that said nothing but shut up.

"joe, i love you, but shut up!" - you

"okay, yes ma'am!" - joe

*time skip 2 hours later*

(joe’s pov)

when we got to the hospital we were taken to a room which is where we would be till transported to the delivery room.

i finally got the rest of my uniform off and put on sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

y/n was laying in her hospital bed as i sat on the couch.

"joe, it hurts.." - you

i stood up and walked over to her bed, taking her hand in mine and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

"i know baby, you're so strong. i'm so proud of you." - joe

"i love you, joe." - you teared up

"i love you too baby, more then you'll ever ever know." - joe

i leaned down and kissed her forehead, when i pulled away a nurse walked in to check on y/n.

"how far apart are your contractions?" - nurse

"uh-" - you went to answer

"8 minutes." - joe answered

"uh okay, thank you." - nurse

the nurse asked a few more things and then left the room.

(y/n's pov)

"joe." - you

"mhm?" - joe

"i could've answered those questions." - you

"sorry.. i got a little excited i guess." - joe

"it's okay." - you smiled at how cute he was

joe kissed my head and then walked back over to the couch.

"joe, turn the game on." - you

"what?" - joe laughed

"turn the game on." - you

"wouldn't you rather watch like the office or new girl or something?" - joe

"no. it's the first game of the season, put the game on." - you

"okay.." - joe shrugged

he picked the remote up and turned the game on.

it was the last quarter and the bengals were still winning. it was 37-25 with 3 minutes left.

3 minutes later i was clapping my hands and cheering as the boys celebrated their first win of the actual season and ran back in the locker room.

i got a text from my best friend alexa, who was dating ja’marr, that's said where are you? so i decided to tell joe to facetime her with my phone.

"y/n where are you and why did joe leave- oh hi joe." - alexa

"hi alexa!" - joe

"where are y'all?" - alexa

joe flipped the camera and showed me in the hospital bed.

"holy crap are you in labor?!" - alexa

i nodded my head and gave her a thumbs up.

"oh my god!!" - she excitedly squealed

"y'all should be proud of me! i didn't tell her that y/n went into labor!" - ja'marr

"bro do you want a cookie?" - joe joked

"are you guys excited?!" - alexa

"i am, what about you baby?" - joe

"i'm thrill-" - you started but a contraction cut you off

"that's 6 minutes after your last one!" - joe

"thanks for the observation joe!" - you fought through the pain

"i guess the mood swings don't go away during labor." - alexa laughed

"yeah i think we established that.. i'm gonna go. bye guys" - joe

"bye mom and dad!" - alexa

after joe hung up he stood up and walked back over to me.

he kissed my forehead again and grabbed my hand.

"you can squeeze my hand during your contractions." - joe smiled

"stop being so cute, i'm supposed to be mad at you for causing me this pain." - you

"hey it's not all my fault, you participated in the process just as much as i did. don't act like you didn't enjoy that process either." - joe quipped

"go back to the couch." - you rolled your eyes and dropped his hand

"you sure?" - joe

i was about to say yes when i got another contraction and grabbed joes hand, squeezing as hard as i could.

"please don't leave!" - you choked out

"im staying right here. don't worry, my love." - joe

*time skip*

"you're ten centimeters dilated, ready to start pushing?" - the nurse smiled

i looked at joe, a sudden rush of panic and excitement falling over me.

he gave me an encouraging smile so i turned back to the nurse and nodded.

i was transported to the delivery room and joe never left my side.

*time skip*

long hours of labor later i heard a baby crying and a loud gasp from joe.

a couple nurses rushed over to a corner, holding the first twin.

"be careful with him!" - you cried

not even 20 minutes later another set of cries were heard.

"oh my gosh.. they are so tiny. look how tiny they are, joe." - you basically sobbed

"i know.." - joe smiled back to you

once the babies were cleaned off just a little bit the nurses placed both of them on my chest.

"oh my god, you guys are so cute." - you cried

joe snapped a picture of me holding both of the babies.

"joe, we made them." - you smiled up at him

"we did didn't we. you did amazing by the way, i'm incredibly proud of you baby." - joe

"i couldn't have done it without you by my side, baby..." - you

joe kissed my sweaty forehead before i pulled his face to mine, kissing his lips.

after a few more minutes of bonding with the twins, they were taken away to be weighed, measured, and various other things like that.

"joe can you get in bed with me?" - you

"what?" - joe laughed

"can you lay down with me? please?" - you

i scooted over slightly and joe laid down next to me, my head leaning onto his shoulder.

"i can't believe we made life." - you

"i know, and thank you." - joe

"thank you? for what?" - you chuckled

"for carrying the babies for 9 months, and giving birth. you're a strong woman y/n." - joe

"you make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world every day joe. you're the best husband ever." - you

one thing about our relationship is that we were deeply appreciative of the other, and how amazing they were.

i wrapped my arms around joe and moved my head from his shoulder to his chest.

i took a little nap till joe woke me up when the twins were given back to us because i was utterly exhausted.

my parents flew down as soon as joe called them and said i was in labor so they arrived shortly after the babies were given to us.

joe was holding a baby, and i held the other.

"you're so tiny... i love you." - joe

"you look really really good holding a newborn, shiesty." - you smiled

"look at him, he's so stinkin cute!" - joe

"we need to establish names, we can't keep calling them him and he." - you

"okay well.. we know the names so now we can just pick which ones which." - joe laughed

"okay... uhm. i think i know." - you

"i think i do too." - joe smiled

before we could even say anything the door opened and at least 4 people walked in.

it was my parents and alexa and ja'marr.

"oh my gosh!" - alexa gasped

"my baby is a momma.." - your mom teared up

"aww, momma." - you smiled

"my baby girl had twins.." - your dad also started to cry

"what are the names?" - your mom smiled

i whispered into joe’s ear for confirmation about which twin was being named what name.

he nodded and i went on.

"i'm holding Tyson Lee" - you smiled

"lee is joe’s middle name right?" - your mom

"yeah, it was really important to me that one of the twins was going to be named after one of the most important guys in my life." - you smiled

in the corner of my eye i could see joe looking at me and when i returned the look a tear fell down his cheek before a huge smile appeared on his face.

it seemed like neither of us could stop smiling.

"this is so sweet.." - alexa

"what's the other name?" - your mom

"joe, baby you can say." - you

"the baby that i'm holding is named Miles Anthony." - joe smiled at ja'marr

"wait-" - ja'marr

alexa looked at the two confused before it clicked, and her hands covered her mouth.

"you named your kid after me?" - ja'marr

"ja'marr anthony chase.. meet miles anthony burrow" - joe

ja'marr walked closer to joe and looked down at miles.

"damn bro." - ja'marr sniffled

the whole room laughed at ja'marr being somewhat emotional; a side no one sees of him.

once everyone stopped crying the twins were passed around and everyone got to hold them before they were returned back to joe and i.

when ja’marr was holding miles and alexa was holding tyson, ja’marr cleared his throat and faced joe.

“i mean we got our next qb’s they just need a wide receiver.” - ja’marr

“if you have a boy in the future we gotta train em. we gotta keep the ‘burrow to chase’ connection going.” - joe

“it’s a good thing we won’t have to wait too long.” - ja’marr looked at alexa and smiled

“what do you mean?” - joe

one of my hands went over my mouth as my other slapped joe’s arm in shock.

“i’m pregnant. with a boy, too.” - alexa smiled

“no freaking way!” - joe

“how far along are you?” - you grinned

“3 months.” - alexa smiled

“congratulations guys, that’s awesome!” - joe

they stayed for awhile longer, we talked about all the things we wanted to do with our boys once they were older before they left.

the twins were back in joe and i’s arms and soon after there was another knock on the door.

when the door opened, joe’s parents with wide grins on their faces.

robin let out a small gasp as she walked closer to joe and i.

"oh my gosh… they're so perfect. jim look, they look so much like joe.” - robin

“sorry guys.” - joe whispered to the twins

“don’t listen to your daddy guys, he’s the most attractive man in the world and a total heartthrob. tons of women have eyes on him.” - you smiled

in my peripherals i could see joe roll his eyes but the blush on his cheeks told me that he appreciated the compliment.

“the only women’s eyes i want on me are yours, baby.” - joe kissed your cheek

jimmy and robin both got to hold each of the babies before the nurse came in and said that i could leave tomorrow morning.

it was around 9 pm when everyone had left and it was just joe and i.

the babies were in their bedside bassinets and joe was laying on the couch, giving me "personal space" in the hospital bed.

"joe you can go home if you want, i know you'd like to shower and wash your hair with your fancy shampoo and conditioner." - you

"are you crazy? you think i'm gonna leave this hospital?" - joe

"i don't know, i just figured you'd want to go home eventually." - you

"the only time i'm leaving is with you tomorrow morning." - joe

"are you sure?" - you

"absolutely sure, now get some rest baby. if the twins wake up i'll take care of em', you just need to rest." - joe

i shut my eyes and fell asleep extra grateful. i had an amazing husband, and beautiful healthy twin baby boys.

————————————————————————-

authors note: fluffy imagine for friday 🫶🫶

hope you enjoyed! ❤️

[kaleldobrev]

Jennifer Love Hewitted (6) — The 15 Year Problem Series

Pairing: Dean Winchester x F. Reader

Feat. Character(s): Reader, Dean Winchester, Joey Baxter (Ghost!OC) & Dr. Falko (Ghost!OC)

Series Summary: Needing help on a poltergeist case, you ask fellow hunter Sam Winchester for help. Despite having a broken arm, Sam agrees to help you. But, just as he’s about to head out and meet you, Dean tells him that he’ll take his place and help instead.

Word Count: 3.3k

Warnings: Cursing (2x), Age Gap (15 years), Emotional Bonding, Vulnerable Dean, Vulnerable Reader, Misogynistic Comments & Sexual Tension

Authors Note: Get ready for some traumatic reader backstory of why she got into hunting | One more part after this guys! | Takes place a few days after Dean is cured from being a demon in 2016 (please read this post for reasonings why it’s 2016, not 2014) | As always, thoughts are in italics and the “POV’s” switch between Dean & Reader | If you liked this, don’t forget to like & reblog. I really appreciate it! Feedback is always welcome ♡

⋆ The 15 Year Problem Masterlist ⋆

⬸ Go Back & Read Chapter 5

Dean took over driving for you, as you looked out of the passenger side window; tears still slightly in your eyes. You were almost done telling the story of how you started hunting, but yet, there was still so much to tell. But even with the small amount you had told Dean, it was an amount that people rarely got — it was basically the extent of the knowledge your parents were given.

“Can I ask you something?” Dean asked, breaking the silence.

You turned to him, and nodded. “Of course.”

“It’s about Joey,” Dean began. “And I’ll preface this now, you don’t have to answer. I just wanna understand.”

“What about Joey?” You asked.

“Is the reason your speciality is in poltergeists, is because Joey was one?” He asked, and you felt your heart almost sink, and your face slowly dropped into a frown.

“Y-yeah,” you mumbled. “Yes,” you answered again, but more prominently. “His…his spirit was attached to his dog tags but…not anymore. I um…I was able to put him to rest.”

“Without burning them?” Dean questioned, slightly intrigued. “Huh,” he said, tilting his head.

You nodded. “When his parents got his dog tags and the flag, they told me that if I ever wanted to come over and just sit in his room, I could. And for the longest time, I just…I couldn’t do it. I felt like if I did, I would break down, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to just sit in his room and stare at all the pictures of him and reminisce about all the memories we had together. But, that changed when I overheard his mother talking to my mom about how things in his room wouldn’t be where they used to be. Or how randomly certain objects would be broken.” You sighed, thinking back. “I asked her if I could sit in his room for a while, and when I did, it felt…weird. Weird in the sense of, there was this energy that was there that was confused.”

“And that was Joey?” Dean asked, and you nodded in response.

“When I was sitting in his room, I…saw him. And, it’s weird because…I wasn’t scared. I would have been I mean, normal people get scared when they see ghosts but…not me…I was…happy in a way because I didn’t properly get to say goodbye to him.”

5 years ago…

As you sat on the floor thinking about all of the memories you had with Joey, and the moments that you knew would never happen with him, your heart felt crushed, and your stomach felt like it was in knots. You had lost a person you had known practically your entire life, someone that you had loved with all of your being, and you never got to say goodbye to him; and never got to tell him how much he truly meant to you. Yes, Joey knew how much you had loved him, but he (at least you thought), didn’t know the extent in which you did.

Your parents and his would often joke that the two of you would end up together; and what started out as a joke, was something that sounded like a strong and real possibility to you, it was something that you didn’t dislike by any means. He was kind, funny, and made you feel safe. He was someone that you could talk to about anything, and would always listen to you ramble on about anything. You loved him, and even now, you weren’t entirely sure if it was romantic or platonic love — you just knew that you loved him, and loved the idea of spending the rest of your life with him, no matter what that looked like.

“Oh Joey,” you mumbled, hugging your knees close to your chest, staring down at the floor.

“I miss you so much,” you heard a male voice say; the voice sounding scarily similar to Joey’s. “I wish you could see me.”

You felt like you should be scared hearing his voice, but you weren’t. Everything in your entire body was giving the exact opposite — you were glad, glad to hear the sound of his voice.

As you started to look up from the floor, you noticed brown boots with legs attached to them, that weren’t there previously. Your heart was rushing, but you felt calm at the same time. When you had looked up, the legs that were attached to those boots were Joey. He wasn’t solid, but he was solid enough that it felt like he was actually standing there. “Joey,” you said, and smiled briefly, trying to contain the tears in your eyes.

“You can see me?” He asked, his tone mixed with happiness, confusion and relief.

“Yes,” you nodded. “And I miss you too.”

Present Day…

“I was able to put him to rest by telling him that I loved him.” You stopped picking at your cuticles and looked up at Dean, who was now looking back at you. You couldn’t tell what look he was giving you, but it was far from pity; and you were extremely thankful for that, because the last thing you wanted was for him to pity you. “And I think that’s all he wanted to hear, because as soon as I said that, he said he saw a woman that wanted to take him.”

“He saw a reaper,” Dean stated.

“He did,” you replied back. “And that’s why my specialty is in poltergeists, and why I got into hunting the way I did. I wanted to be able to not only help people but…monsters that might have lost their way.”

“You’re the only person besides me that knows the full story,” you stated.

Dean didn’t know what to say, but he was intrigued to say the least, hearing how you got into hunting so young, and how you viewed monsters compared to other hunters he had met over the years. When he first started out, he didn’t view it the way you had viewed it, nor did he view the way he did now. He was raised to believe that hunting was black and white and there was no gray area. There was either good or evil. But over the years, he had come to realize that hunting wasn’t as black and white as his father had led on; that there were so many gray areas he didn’t realize were there. And besides Bobby, brother, and Garth, you were one of the first hunters to have that point of view. It was refreshing.

“Thanks for telling me,” Dean said. “I know it must of been hard to. Getting into this line of work ain’t easy, that’s for sure.”

“It sure isn’t. My parents didn’t want me to do this obviously but, they know that there is nothing else I’d rather do than this,” you said, and he could hear a slight smile on your lips. “I feel, I feel like hunting is what I was meant to do.”

Dean couldn’t help but agree, as much as he wanted to disagree. For years, he had mixed feelings about hunting. He’s loved and hated it on and off. At times, he felt that this was the only thing he could see himself doing, but at others, he saw himself doing a variety of other things than this. Mechanic, firefighter; those were his top two. Hell, even rock star at one point.

Multiple times, he had tried to have a normal life away from all this; but each and every time, he always managed to get roped back in. He knew, that as long as he was alive, this is what he was going to be doing, whether he liked it or not. He was meant for this like you were.

Arriving at the university, Dean didn’t pull into the lot as when the two of you were doing some reconnaissance on the place, you had found that the university parking lot (mainly the medical building) had a crap ton of cameras; and the last thing either one of you wanted was to have your truck or his Baby tracked by the police. You have never been on the police’s radar, but Dean on the other hand, had been on the FBI’s Most Wanted list more times than he could count at this point — an impressive yet not so impressive feat in itself.

Walking to the back of the building, you managed to find a dumpster that was conveniently below a window that the two of you could jump on and use as a way to get in. “Jack pot,” you grinned. “Lift me up?” You asked Dean.

As Dean lifted you, you couldn’t help but notice how gentle he was weirdly being; and you weren’t quite sure why. “Now’s not the time to be gentle,” you said, and you heard Dean let out a small chuckle.

“Kinky,” you saw him wink, and you rolled your eyes at his response.

Getting on top of the dumper, Dean followed you up, and you opened up the window; thankful that it was weirdly not locked, and shimmied your way in; followed by Dean, who had a little bit more of a struggle getting into the window than you did.

Compared to your graceful fall to your feet from the window, Dean on the other hand…not so much, as he practically fell almost face first onto the floor. Hearing the loud thud, your heart started to beat wildly, praying no one else was here that could have possibly heard that. You turned to Dean, who was currently getting up from the floor, wiping his jeans off as he stood up. “You okay there Spider-Man?” You joked, smirking at him.

“You okay there Spider-Man?” He mocked, mumbling.

Finding the medical instruments was the easy part, but the not so easy part was them being behind some glass. “Okay MacGuyver, you have anything to break this?” He asked. “Because the only way I see breaking this glass is with my gun.”

You gave him a confused look. “Shooting the glass is your first instinct?” He shrugged. “Interesting,” you said, tilting your heard. “I have this.” You went into your pocket and pulled out a large hunting knife, handing it handle first to Dean. “Would you like to do the honors?” Dean looked at the knife for a moment, eyeing it up and down. “Take it, it won’t bite,” you said.

Taking the knife from your hand, Dean held it in his for a moment. “This fit in your pocket?” He asked. You were intrigued that, that was what he was most interested in, not the fact that you had a large hunting knife like that in your pocket to begin with.

“Yeah. You can never be too prepared,” you said, shrugging.

“Couldn’t agree more,” he grinned, as he started making clean cuts on the glass.

He was impressed by how sharp this knife was, and how easily you had managed to fit this in your jacket pocket given the length. What impressed him even more was the fact that you didn’t even have anything covering the blade; it was simply just protected by the pocket inside your jacket.

The more time he spent with you, the more he didn’t want to spend without you. In the short amount of time he had spent with you, he had felt a sense of peace and comfort; something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Yes, he felt a sense of peace at the Bunker, and sometimes around Sam and Cas; but, with you, it was a different kind of peace and comfort, like he could be more himself around you. And he guessed that you may have felt the same way, as you told him the story about Joey, a story that you never really told people, but had told him. You even cried in front of him.

Holding you in the truck while you were crying, he didn’t feel bad for you, and he didn’t pity you; he understood the hurt that you were feeling, and understood the kind of pain that you were feeling. So many times in his life, he has had to say goodbye to the ones he loved; and it always felt like a knife to the chest or a bullet to the heart. It reminded him of the feeling he experienced when the Hell Hounds ripped him to shreds before he went to Hell.

Once Dean cut the glass, he handed you back your knife, and he started to remove the instruments one by one. The both of you exchanging looks of confusion. “Why does this feel like it’s too easy?” You asked him.

“If it’s too easy, we’re probably missing something,” Dean suggested. “It’s never this fucking easy.”

As if that was some kind of cue, Falko appeared in front of you. The look on his face wasn’t one of anger, it looked almost confused. “What are you doing?” He asked, and you and Dean exchanged looks again before looking at Falko.

“Please tell me you’re seeing that too?” You asked Dean.

“I sure am,” he said, continuing to make eye contact with the spirit.

“Do I need to repeat myself?” Falko said, this time, his tone was angrier; his hands behind his back.

Dean looked at you, and gave you the look. “What?” You whispered to him.

“Do the thing,” Dean half whispered.

“What thing?” You whispered back.

“That poltergeist sixth sense shit you did with Joey,” he said.

“What makes you think it’s gonna work on him?” You whispered through gritted teeth.

As if Falko was tired of you and Dean going back and forth, he snapped his fingers, and both you and Dean were on the other side of the room, pinned against the wall. “I don’t like when people touch my equipment,” he said calmly. He tried to touch his own equipment that you and Dean had removed from the glass, but it was useless, his fingers just went through them. “All I want to do is finish my work, and I can’t do that if people keep taking what’s mine,” his voice was starting to get angry now.

“Are you sure you can’t do the thing?” Dean asked, looking at you, the two of you still pinned to the wall.

You rolled your eyes. “No Dean, I can’t do the thing.”

“Can you try?” Dean asked, his voice almost begging, but not fully; it almost sounded a tad desperate.

You rolled your eyes again. “For the love of,” you mumbled. “Hey doctor Falko,” you said, and Falko looked at you. “I know how you can finish your work.”

He tilted his head and walked toward you; the smell of blood and rubbing alcohol hit your nose. “How my dear?” He asked. “Are you going to let me continue my work on you?” He reached out his hand toward your hair, and much like the instruments, he couldn’t touch you.

“No, but, I can do you something better,” you began. “You may not like the sound of it but, it’s the only way you’ll be able to finish your work. You just have to trust me.”

“Trust you?” He asked, and he let out a small chuckle. “But you’re a woman my dear. Why should I trust anything a woman has to say?” Wow, misogynistic much? You thought, trying your best not to roll his eyes.

“Fine don’t trust me. Then you’ll never know how you can continue on with your work,” you said. “Your life’s work, might I add.”

Falko looked between you and Dean, and it seemed as though Falko was starting to get frustrated with you. You were teasing him, and his ego wouldn’t allow someone like you to do that to him. That’s when Falko looked over at Dean. “Do you know what she is talking about?” He moved close to Dean, and it was his turn to smell the rubbing alcohol and blood in his nose now. “Huh, what’s this?” He asked, and reached out toward Dean. Part of his sleeve had fell down his arm, revealing the Mark. “Never in my years have I ever seen such a thing.” Again, Falko couldn’t touch what he wanted, and both you and Dean were starting to see him getting more and more frustrated.

“I’ll make you a deal —” Dean began.

Falko chuckled. “You’re in no position to be making deals with me, son.”

“Fine. Don’t make a deal with me. Then you’ll never know what this beauty can do,” Dean teased, grinning at the doctor.

“The both of you are infuriating,” Falko mumbled harshly. “What’s the deal? I need to finish my life’s work. I’ll do anything to be remembered.”

Jackpot, Dean thought. “I’ll tell you what this can do if you listen to her first. If you don’t listen to her, then no deal.”

“I could always just kill you both,” Falko said, as he started pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.

“You could but, then you’ll never know the things that him and I know. We’re the only ones that can tell you how you can finish your life’s work without interruption and all of the resources you could ever dream of,” the words you spoke rolled off your tongue with ease. How many times have you done this before? Dean wondered.

Falko was starting to get more angry, items in the room you were in were starting to shake, and shake violently. “Last chance doctor,” you said. You had no fear in this situation, and Dean was impressed at how calm you were right now. The items kept shaking violently, and you were still calm as could be. “Five…four…” you started to count down, and the more you counted, the more violent the shaking got. “Two…”

“Okay!” Falko shouted, and everything stopped shaking, you and Dean fell to the ground. “Tell me,” he said, as he stood over you. Dean couldn’t help but start to tense up, seeing how close the doctor was to you. He didn’t want anything to happen to you; he would never be able to forgive himself if something did. But he knew deep down, that you could handle yourself — he needed to trust you in this moment like you’ve trusted him this far.

You got up, and the doctor towered over you. “May I?” You asked him, his facial expression not happy in the slightest. You were the last person he had wanted to trust right now, but he nodded.

You walked over to his instruments, and picked them up, placing them in a small metal bowl on the table. You made sure to keep eye contact with the doctor so he could see every single one of your movements. You bent down just enough to grab the rubbing alcohol from below the table and started to slowly pour them onto the instruments. Falko was about to open up his mouth, but you started talking before he could say anything. “I’m cleaning them. Once I clean them, I’ll be able to show you,” you reassured him. His hands quickly turned into fists. “I’m going into my pocket to grab my lighter.” You slowly went into your pocket and grabbed your lighter, Falko watching your every move. You didn’t know how this was working, but for a doctor, he was incredibly naive.

Quickly, fire appeared from it, and you placed it into the bowl, Falko’s face changed instantly. “What…” he mumbled. And he looked down; flames starting to appear at his feet and moved upwards towards his torso. “What did you do? You stupid girl!” He screamed.

You smirked. “Showing you how to continue your life’s work. I thought that’s what you wanted?” Your smirk continued as both you and Dean watched Falko disappear into flames, listening to him scream in an agony that you were strangely used to when it came to a salt and burn.

Within minutes, Falko completely disappeared, and the instruments started to blacken. “You full on Jennifer Love Hewitted him,” Dean said impressed.

⤑ Move Forward & Read The Epilogue (Not yet available)

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[writing-rat]

Professionalism At it's Finest

Pairing: Joey x Reader, minor Sammy x Reader but not established

Content: 18+ Content, Thigh riding, masturbation, Sammy watching

Summary: Joey needs you to be professional after she caught you masturbating. She knows what she needs to do now.

WC: 720

Joey was a professional. Or she was meant to be? That was when she caught you in the bathroom. “Jesus, fuck. Sorry,” she apologised immediately before she went to leave. That was when she saw what you were doing though. You were masturvsting. “Aren’t you meant to be checking all the windows in case they missed one?” Joey asked with a raised eyebrow. You, blushing madly, nodded. 

“Yes ma’am, sorry ma’am,” you immediately responded, embarrassed about being caught fingers deep in yourself. Joey raised an eyebrow as she glanced behind them, checking no one seemed to be about before she kicked the door closed. 

“If you really need pleasure I can help. I don’t expect to see any more fingerings,” Joey grunted, pinning you against the wall as you nodded. You had just pulled your fingers out too as you were both flustered and embarrassed. Joey smirked. “Words baby girl,” she teased. 

“Please mommy,” you begged, feeling your need rise. She nodded and smirked at how you were acting around her. “God, you are a slut, huh?” she teased. “Lambert said no grab-ass but here you are, wanting me,” she added.

“Aren’t you meant to be a professional?” you bit back. 

“You play dangerous games don’t you Star?” she teased. She was ready to fuck you. “I can be professional. This is so you stay professional,” she finished. You nodded before she suddenly grabbed you by the neck. “I found a bedroom, we can use that,” she explained. You were nodding. 

“Yes ma’am,” you responded, barely able to breathe as she was choking you but it turned you on more.

Soon enough you were in the bedroom and she pushed you against the bed, kissing you deeply. What you both weren’t aware of was Sammy in the corner, looking out the window. She was about to say hi but you already were kissing. Joey kept holding you, having you pinned down as she was groping at your chest and your hips. “God, you have to be one of the hottest people on the team,” she commented. “Those tight jeans look good against your ass too,” she stated. 

“They really do,” Sammy finally chimed in, having that little smile that she did when Joey said she came from money. You looked up in shock as Joey smirked. “You want her to watch?” Joey asked, her eyes dilated. You blushed, nodding.

Sammy was excited as she sat down on the bed, Joey sitting up as she was against the headboard of the bed, setting you on her thigh. “Grind,” she commanded. Doing as told you started to ride her thigh, moaning while doing so. “I caught Star here masturbating. Thought she would need this to be more professional,” Joey stated with a smirk. Sammy nodded as she kept watching, Joey soon pulling her shirt up. She still didn’t feel comfortable revealing her arms to anyone just yet. “Suck,” she demanded. You nodded, then sucked as you wanted to be good for Joey. You knew she could be a good punisher if you needed to be punished and you didn’t want that. Sammy meanwhile watched. 

“She seems to be doing good at least,” she stated, hearing how Joey was practically moaning. Joey nodded.

“She is talented with her mouth,” she commented as she was holding you, glancing down as you were leaving wetness on her jeans. It was getting more and more visible. Sammy couldn’t help but get excited over it too. 

“After this job, is it ok if we fuck together?” Sammy asked. Joey nodded, watching as she saw how you were soon stuttering your hips. 

“You close baby girl?” she teased. You nodded, moaning.

“Come for me,” she spoke. Under her command, you came instantly. Joey smirked as she was panting, you still sucking on her nipple. She admittedly came just from that as Sammy was excited. Safe to say, you knew you would get more after the job if you were professional. It was proven soon after. “If both of you are professional during this mission then yes, we may fuck after this. But be professional,” she spoke, slowly getting you off as she got herself ready, her jeans were still wet but she didn’t care. You nodded and glanced at Sammy, more excited. You would be good for Joey.

[screamintoad]

Silanche kid-Alaric Vanrouge

I liked both vers so take em. RSA pride and Diasomnia pride

“I was hoping to attend NRC like my sister but…maybe I fit in better here.”

Voice claim: TBA

Character info

  Alaric is a quiet and sometimes timid young man. He prefers his own company unless he’s around people he likes. Sometimes others will find him curled up somewhere taking short naps in between longer classes. Sometimes the third year students will poke fun at him because they know his sister went to NRC but he always brushes them off, until they find a snapping plant in their dorm rooms a few hours later. Despite that though he’s a straight A student, he’s quiet but he’s learned a lot from growing up in Briar Valley and around the royal family. He actually talks a lot to his roommate, especially about books they’ve read or are reading. 

  His household is quite large since it’s him, his older sister, his parents, grandpa, and great grandmother all living together. Not including the animals. But, he wouldn’t have it any other way. His mom told him about when it was just her and her grandma living together with their old dog and he’s always thought about how lonely they both must have been. At home in Briar Valley he’ll be all over town, from helping at his mama’s bakery, to his granny’s flower shop, to hanging out at the castle when Silver is on duty. 

Fun facts: Aroace icon. Certified mama’s boy. He doesn’t want to become a knight but he would be around his sister when she was training so he learned some things that way. Blanche and Granny Primrose made sure to teach him all about plants and botany, y’know, just in case. When he visits home, him and Fleur have a tradition of going on a trail ride past a waterfall that they’ve dubbed the “Fire Fall” because at sunrise the water appears golden-orange, then they’ll race back home and the winner chooses their next activity. 

Basic info

Age: 16

Height: 173cm/5’6 during first year, 185cm/6’ at graduation 

B-day: February 2nd (Aquarius) 

Dominant hand: left

Family: Blanche and Silver (Mama and Dad), Fleur (sister), Lilia (grandpa “old man” for funnies), Granny Primrose (great grandma “granny”)

Nickname: Lil bat (by family), Ricky (by friends)

1st year

Class B

Club: Horseback riding club

Best subject: Botany

Hobbies: Gardening, reading, baking

Pet peeve: People who can’t mind their business

Favorite food: His mama’s cooking

Least favorite food: His grandpa’s cooking

Talent: Tending to plants

Character dynamics

Fleur: Thick as thieves, they’re inseparable when either of them comes home. Even as kids he would always follow her around. If he’s busy with something then she’ll be the one to find him and hang out until he’s finished. 

Jane: Opposites into best friends. He doesn’t encourage her late night visits but he always hints that it’s okay. 

Luna Howl: If he has bite marks they’re from her. Somehow she always drags him into her and Jane’s shenanigans, yet he never complains. 

Joey Howl: Big bro. But seriously they’re close as well, he helped push him into confessing to Fleur. 

Mika Bucchi: Roommateee. They spent the first week at RSA in complete silence, until Alaric saw him reading one of his favorite books and got so excited he asked about his thoughts on it. Ever since then they’ve talked to each other a lot more. He still forgets to warm him when Jane visits. 

HOWL SIBS BELONG TO @blood-red-bumblebee AND MIKA BELONGS TO @twtysevapr

anddd extra tags: @gimmeurmoneyagh @babyghoul138 @bunniehunn @angelwishess @moonyasnow

@skibidibabygirl @justm3di0cr3 @midnightmah07 @beneathsakurashade @4necdote

@theolivetree123 TELL ME IF YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED OR NOT

[starryredpandawrites]

Siblinks Turkey Shenanigans

In honor of the holiday, I have this silly Thanksgiving scenario stuck in my head that I want to get out that I might turn into a Bendy Bite someday. There's so much shenanigan potential I'm having trouble deciding what to keep and what to laugh about and move on from, so there's a poll at the end so y'all can help me decide.

Anyways, there are three ways I picture this scenario happening:

Option 1:

Audrey has been having a lot of fun introducing Bendy to all the holidays, and decides to surprise him with Thanksgiving. Big-little man loves to eat (both forms) and she knows he’s gonna love it. She’s also really looking forward to celebrating it because she hasn’t celebrated it since Joey died. Like, she was the type of person to be annoyed/sad that they were given the day off and wished that she could work instead because she had no-one to come home to. Now, she does! She doesn’t tell him she has the day off either, and is just hoping he sleeps long enough to get most of the cooking done so it’s a proper surprise.

A couple days before Thanksgiving, she sets the turkey in the fridge to thaw. She doesn't explain it to Bendy because she doesn't want to ruin the surprise and doesn't even think about it being necessary because who in the world would eat a raw turkey? (she recognizes her mistake later)

Problem: Bendy is a hungry boi, and often gets late night munchies as the Ink Demon. He sees the turkey in the fridge and is like, "A snack? For me?" and just eats the whole damn thing raw and partially frozen. In this scenario, he might leave Audrey a leg behind or something like that to be considerate (she's probably talked to him before about leaving her some when she's brought home big meals like this before).

Audrey wakes up, goes to work, gets home to find the turkey being gone and is, like, where tf is the turkey?!? until she remembers she's living with a demon and is surprised but not surprised because he used to eat whole people raw. She tries to goes out to buy another one but either the stores have already closed or they already ran out of turkeys. Also, it would have been too late to thaw it by then anyway. She might buy a ham or a chicken or something to replace it or she might just go home in defeat, saying they'll just celebrate it some other weekend.

However, Bendy feels really guilty for eating the turkey, even though Audrey told him it was partially her fault for not telling him what the turkey was for. So, that night, he sneaks out, and when Audrey wakes up she finds another surprise in her fridge. It's filled with dead birds. Pidgeons, sparrows, a duck or two and maybe even a pheasant.

Audrey freaks out and confronts Bendy, and he explains that he caught them to replace the turkey he ate. Audrey has another talk with him about not putting dead animals in the fridge but decides to go ahead and try using one of the larger birds for the dinner.

New problem: she has NO IDEA how much work goes into cleaning birds and this is back when the internet wasn't a thing. She sets Bendy on plucking duty to make up for his theft while she works on the other thanksgiving dishes. Bendy is a little miffed she doesn't want to try any of the other birds he brought home, but stops complaining after being given plucking duty (he hates it/finds it super boring/tedious and doesn't want to pluck anything else) Back to the bird, she tries to clean and prepare it the best she can, but it's gonna end up super gamey and weird, so she just eats a little and lets Bendy have the rest and focuses on the other dishes and her singular turkey leg.

They still enjoy the day together just by hanging out and watching all the thanksgiving/christmas themed shows on TV so the day is still a success. Audrey just makes a mental note to buy an extra turkey the next year just in case.

Option 2:

Audrey does tell him about Thanksgiving and they're both hyped about it. When Audrey sets the turkey out to thaw, she is very clear that it's for Thanksgiving, but doesn't outright tell him not to eat it because, again, most people wouldn't need to be told that. Bendy is not most people.

This time, however, he knows the turkey is for thanksgivng and he knows it's off-limits. The first night, he keeps opening and closing the fridge, walking away then walking back, over and over again while berating himself for being so weak. He stays strong through the first night, but halfway through the second night he gives in and just devours it.

On Thanksgiving Day, Audrey wakes up and is weirded out because usually Bendy likes to sleep in the same room as her, and he’s nowhere to be seen. Then, she realizes he must have done something he feels guilty about, and just runs to the kitchen to discover the missing turkey. This time, he's left nothing behind.

She chews him out, he's super guilty, she feels bad because it is his first Thanksgiving. She goes out to try and get something but all the stores are closed (this is before Walmart normalized being open all year). She comes back empty-handed to an empty apartment and is about to panic until Bendy comes back just in time with, you guessed it, more dead birds!

Again, Audrey chews him out for sneaking out in broad daylight but he excuses it since she explained to him earlier that almost everyone is home for the holiday and they needed a replacement bird.

Situation ends like the first, with Audrey trying and failing to cook one of the random birds and they just enjoy the rest of the day.

Option 3:

In the other two versions I imagined the Ink Demon going ham on the turkey late at night, but there's another option that's possibly funnier

Yanno how in my fic there's a memory disconnect/blurr of Bendy between his Ink Demon form and his Baby Benders form? Let's say Audrey sets the turkey out to defrost while the Ink Demon is watching soap operas or smg and tells him it's for Thanksgiving. Ink Demon kinda waves her off because he really wants to know if Missy is cheating on Peter with Austin, or if Austin is actually her long-lost brother like she claims.

They go to bed, Bendy wakes up as Baby Benders with midnight munchies, opens the fridge, sees the turkey and thinks, "A snack? For me?" and eats it as Baby Benders.

This scenario proceeds to play out like the other two OR

He goes to bed and wakes up early as the Ink Demon again, or he switches before going back to bed, realizes he screwed up, and immediately goes out to replace the turkey so when Audrey wakes up to not only a missing turkey, but also a bunch of dead birds in her fridge.

Now, I wanna know which one YOU guys (gender-neutral) think is more likely to happen, plus a couple bonus options because funny.

Bonus thought: After the first thanksgiving and seeing how much Bendy can eat, she decides to buy two turkeys and only cooks one of them/the other one is for Bendy. The year after that, she buys three. The year after that, she buys five. She could keep going but decides more than five is excessive and Bendy will just have to deal.

[melanieph321]

Kenan Yildiz x Reader - Thick Part 3/8

+ 18

Part 1 Part 2

Kenan and Reader share the same high school friend group. As graduation is near, Reader sets out to pass her drivers license test but ultimately struggles to. Thankfully Readers friends agree to help her with driving lessons and take turns doing so. It is during one of Rader's lessons that it becomes clear that Kenan likes her. A chock to Reader, who has a crush on someone else in their friend group.

Enjoy!

"He called you what?"

"Fat. Or Not skinny, to be exact."

"Stronza." (Asshole).

You enjoyed driving with Rebecca. She wasn't as instructive or patient as Maria, and it was nearly impossible to communicate over the loud music playing in her car. But after your experience driving with Kenan, you could withstand a couple of false notes sung by her. 

"Do you want us to talk to him, maybe ask Gio to give him a slap upside the head?" She was also very sympathetic to the incident involving Kenan, naturally taking your side.

"Tempting." You chuckled. "But no, I'd rather let it go and ignore him for the rest of my life."

"That will be a hard thing to do."

"Trust me, I've managed to block out a couple of fat-shamers in my life, Kenan will be no different."

"Yes, but what about our road trip to Bari? I imagine it'll be difficult ignoring someone for ten hours straight while confined into a cramped car."

"Right." 

Just the thought of the road trip with your friends triggered an unpleasant feeling in your gut. It had more to do with the fact that you still didn't have a driver's license, and judging by the way things were going, you wouldn't possess one any time soon.

"How about we try the roundabout again? It should be more crowded at this hour."

"Yay."

Rebecca took you back to the roundabout that you and Kenan had tackled the week before. But unlike Kenan, she wasn't one to talk you through things, assuming that the actions needed were as obvious to you as they were to her. It resulted in you having some trouble finding the right gear for the approach into the right file, and unlike Kenan, Rebecca's hands weren't on the wheel, ready to spot you in case you'd need the assistance.

"Check your mirrors Y/N!" She shouted in panic.

The car swirled in the lane on your attempt to get it out of the roundabout. It swirled before coming to an abrupt stop. 

"My car!" Rebecca cried. 

Smoke rose from the hood of it. You had bumped it straight into the sidewalk. The car had to be towed and taken to the nearest mechanic shop right away.

"I promise to pay for all the damages." You assured.

"Of course you will. And I want compensation for the trauma that was inflicted on me. You're not a bad driver Y/N, you're a basket case."

"Ladies, ladies, please." Gio entered the small garage. He was wearing stained overalls, a plaquet with the name Joey on it. Joey, or Josef, was Gio's dad, owner of the shop. "There's nothing that yours truly can't fix. So please, no catfighting in my garage, as tempting as that would be to watch."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Just fix my car Gio, or else we won't have a ride to Bari this summer."

"Judging by the way Y/N is driving we might not even make it to Bari with her behind the wheel."

"Hey?" You hissed.

"Kidding, just kidding." 

Gio approached the vehicle, taking a good look at it. It was clear that he was better with his hands than his brain. And he didn't seem to mind following in his father's footsteps, taking over the shop and running it one day. "Yeah, this is gonna take some time fix it and it's gonna cost you." He nodded. "It's gonna cost you plenty."

"Well, what are you waiting for, get started on it."

"Sorry Beck's, but I'm closing the shop at six."

"Six, why so early?"

"Didn't you hear, Luca and his band have a gig in town. All of us are invited, no?"

"Right, I totally forgot about that. Are you going Y/N, I'd rather just go home."

"Erm....I think I'm gonna go." You blushed.

"Alright, then you can ride with me." Gio said. "I'm picking up Kenan once my shift is done. The guy is probably still asleep as we speak."

"Kenan's coming?" You asked.

"Yeah, why?" Gio turned to Rebecca who made a grimace similar to yours. 

"You know what, perhaps I should go." She said, "The more the merrier, no?"

"Right?"

"I'll call Maria and tell her to meet us there."

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

You have seen many bands play live before. It always fascinated you how brave and care free the artists seemed on stage, going off on their instruments. Luca was no different, letting down his hair while rocking out on stage. It wasn't often that he let the world see what hid beneath the strings of his man-bun, — oh but when he did.

"Thank you everybody, I hope you've had a goodnight!"

"Go Luca!" 

The crowd, including yourself, shouted his name at the top of your lungs. You weren't the only girl who had eyes for the band's lead guitarist, however, you were one of the few people who knew him personally.

"Great set man. You were awesome." Gio said, as your friends gathered backstage at the end of the night. The five of you had danced the night away like maniacs, influenced by an unhealthy amount of cheap alcohol. 

"Thanks alot for coming guys, it means a lot."

"The night isn't over man, we're having drinks back at my place, aren't you coming." Said Gio.

"Sorry guys, gotta help the band pack up. But I'll see you guys at school on Monday. Y/N?" He said, stunning you with a smile.

"Y...yes?"

"I'll pick you up in the morning. You can drive my dad's Cadillac to school."

"It's a date." You grinned. It was really nice of Luca to want to stay and help his band. "He's so kind." You blurred out, during an intoxicated rant at Gio's house. Only you, Kenan, Gio and Maria made it back. Rebecca had her dad pick her up at the bar.

"So if you had to spend the night with someone in our friend group, it would be Luca." Gio nodded.

"Yes, but don't tell him I said that." You blushed. It was a messy game of truth or dare. The four of you were too drunk to perform any proper dares, which resulted in the majority of you choosing truth.

"Kenan, truth or dare?" You asked. It was your turn and you only asked him since it became obvious that you were ignoring him.

"Dare." He said.

"Okay, I dare you to make out with Maria for one minute."

Kenan grinned, but did not hesitate to scoot closer to Maria who sat next to him on the sofa. The two of them shared seductive glances before leaning in and engaging in the sloppiest make out session you've ever seen.

"My turn." Kenan wiped his mouth with a swipe of his tongue. "Gio, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Which girl in our friend group would you rather spend a night with?"

"Maria. My turn. Kenan, same question, which girl in our friend group would you rather spend a night with?"

"You guys are so annoying." Maria sighed, although you couldn't help but to notice the soft shade of pink that had blossomed on her cheeks. It might have been the aftermath of her make out session with Kenan, however, you noticed how she and Gio would throw glances at each other when they thought that no one was looking.

"Y/N."

"Huh?" You turned your head, noticing how all eyes were on you now, how Gio and Maria were holding back their giggles. "What's so funny?" They refused to answer you, drunk fucks. However, that's when you felt a hand on your thigh, with Kenan leaning in to whisper in your ear. "They're made for each other, don't you think? Almost like true love."

"What do you know about true love?" You shrugged his hand away.

Kenan's expression faltered. "You're still angry with me."

"Hah!" You laughed, but did not intend to sound as cruel as you did. "Try humiliated."

"Y/N, what happened during our…"

"Save it Kenan, I'm over it."

"You don't seem over it."

You turned to him, surprised by the way his eyes glowed beneath the dimmed lights of Gio's living room. "If there's anything I can do or say to make you forgive me...."

"You can't and there isn't."

His shoulders withered. "I never meant to hurt your feelings. I just....I get so tired after training. Sometimes I just can't help but run my mouth because I am so exhausted."

If this was Kenan's attempt to make you feel sorry for him you weren't buying it. Although it did strike your heart earlier, when Gio had gone to pick Kenan up at his house, revealing that he was missing a lot of days at school due to his commitments to Juventus. It was clear that Kenan lived a life different from all of yours. But surely he will go on to do great things in the future.

"Y/N?"

"Huh?" You had tuned out of the conversation for a second. But apparently a second was enough for Gio and Maria to have snuck upstairs, leaving you and Kenan behind. He stared at you with big eyes, the alcohol on his breath strong but sweet. "Can I kiss you?"

"What?" You snorted, however, Kenan had already closed his eyes, leaning into you, his lips pressing against the corner of your mouth.

You flinched. And as your hand went to push his weight off of you, the kiss deepend, Kenan's tongue seeking entrance to your mouth. It was granted as you gasped for air, his hand snaking behind your neck, railing you back in to kiss him again. It was unexpected, how good it felt. How a drunk kiss could be laced with so much passion, persuading you to make a series of bad decisions.

"Let's go upstairs, I brought condoms." Kenan traced his lips at the edge of your jaw, nipping at the skin. 

"Okay." You whispered, however, your need for him became urgent, your legs wrapping around his hips, pulling him down to lay on top of you. Kenan's mouth moving down your neck tickled like feathers. His hands found their way underneath your shirt, stopping to cup the swell of your bra. But in a moment of indecision, like a child in the buffet line, his hand slipped down your tummy, to your thighs.

"What?" You giggled, seeing as he stopped to stare at you, eyes foggy from the alcohol.

"I don't want you to regret this."

"What is there to regret?"

"I'm serious Y/N, I want you to want this. I want you to want…me."

Your eyes widened. "Kenan." Your brain was clouded from the alcohol but not smashed enough for you not to recognize the change in his voice. Your hands went to this face. "I want this." You nodded. "I want you."

It was all the reassurance he seemed to need. Kenan leaned into kiss you and the tenderness of the kiss flared a swarm of butterflies to invade your stomach. He squeezed your thighs not minding the size of them. He was almost obsessed, eager to strip you of your skinny jeans. He did so promptly and you helped by raising your hips. However, you were not as comfortable during the next phase. The liquid courage in your veins ceased to flow once the realization hit that you were about to see Kenan naked for the first time and he you.

"You, okay?" He asked, noticing how your hands weren't running down his body anymore.

"Kenan I…?" 

A fear sprung his eyes, A fear that you may have come to the conclusion that this was a mistake.

"I'm not as confident about my body as people think." You said.

"Your body?" He frowned, and shamelessly stared at what lay beneath him. 

"Yes, my body." You sighed. "You said so yourself, I'm not skinny and guys like you like skinny girls without belly pouches and what not. "

"Guys' like me?" Kenan repeated, and if he was planning on playing dumb, you were grabbing your things and heading out the door. "Y/N, I don't know who's made up such lies about me, or if it's just you who likes to have a guy repeat how fucking sexy you are?"

"Pardon?" It felt like being hit by a brick. A brick that snapped you out of any cloudiness you previously felt.

Kenan smiled and broadly so. "I meant it the first time I said it, I like you Y/N, all of you."

It was as if a vail unraveled before you, revealing the beauty that was Kenan. His smile, his dimples, the cocky way that he arched his splintered brow, it was all offered to you, all you had to do was accept. A few minutes later you were going at it again, tongue deep, your bodies grinding against each other as if you were trying to start a fire. It was the wildest thing that you had ever done, to ride someone on a living room couch, not holding back on the moans, a pure reflection on how good it felt to have Kenan inside of you. He was merciless, shameless even. And after the first round he had you spread your legs while he went down on you for twenty minutes, refusing to let back to back oragsms stop him from making you squirm. You would certainly regret it in the morning and the near future, but for now you let yourself go under.

Part 1 Part 2

[pensat-i-fet]

More Gavi (Pablo Gavi x Reader)

**Another cute request. It was fun writing this one and adding a bit of Spanish. I never want to put too much because some people might find it annoying but it obviously makes sense here. Let me know your thoughts about that. And enjoy reading ❤️**

Word count: 2328

Masterlist

Wattpad

"Hey".

"I need your help", he said, getting inside the house without looking back.

"Hello to you too, mister rude".

You walked to the living room right when Gavi turned to look at you, expression serious.

"What's going on?"

"I have to do an advert for Nike".

You couldn't help but hit his arm when he said that.

"Don't come into my house talking as if something horrible has happened and then say that, you idiot. You scared me!"

"I have to speak English!!", he said, raising his hands as if that explained everything.

"So?"

"I don't know how to. You do. So you need to help me".

“Alright then. First lesson. How do you say por favor in English? Easy one to warm up?”

But as much as you wanted to tease him, when you saw his worried face, you knew you would help him. Of course, you were going to. You’d do anything for him.

“I’ll help you”, you said, rolling your eyes.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

When he hugged you, you sighed. You didn’t need to ask him how to say that you were the stupid girl who fell in love with her best friend and that kept getting friend zoned because you knew that one already.

“What do you need to say?”

“I’ll show you the script they gave me”.

You cleared the table you had been using for work and picked up a notebook just in case you needed it at some point.

“Here”.

A quick look at the list made you frown. “That’s it?”

“Yes”.

“Pablo, it’s just a couple of words that are almost the same as in Spanish”.

“But I pronounce them weirdly!”, he complained again.

“Because you’re Spanish!”

“So are you and you can speak English well”.

“I’m the exception”, you joked, flipping your hair.

Gavi groaned and hit his head against the table, making you laugh. He was so extra.

“How do you say mi amiga es insoportable? (My friend is unbearable)”

“My friend is the most beautiful girl in the world”.

“Hilarious!”

While he still looked at you, pouting, you picked up the notebook and wrote the words down.

“Ok. So we got intensity, which is intensidad”.

“Yeah”.

“So repeat: in-ten-si-ty”.

“In…tensi…ty”.

“You sound like you are afraid of the word when it describes you perfectly”.

“I’m afraid of saying it. Did I do well?”

“Could have been worse. Let’s just say it again but a bit faster”.

You kept practising until he felt confident and you could move to saying the whole sentences in one go.

“Ok, precision now”.

“What?”

His confused face made you laugh. He was so adorable…and you needed to stop thinking about him being adorable.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“The way you said it was funny”.

“Also, the correct way. It’s almost like precisión. Come on…”.

“It’s nothing like precisión”.

“We’ll go slowly with this one then”.

You wrote the syllables down and pointed at each one so he could repeat after you.

“Pre”.

“Pre”.

“Ci”.

“Ci.”

“Sion”.

“Sion”.

“Precision”.

“I can’t!”

This time, instead of putting his head against the table, he put it on your shoulder. One of his hands went to the back of your chair, but the other was on your thigh. You knew he’d always been like this but ever since you were aware of your feelings for him being so strong, it became hard to deal with him touching you so much.

“You know what this reminds me of?”, you said, moving so he could go back to his chair and changing the subject to distract yourself.

“Of what?”

“That episode of Friends in which Phoebe is trying to teach Joey French and she talks slowly and he’s doing fine. But then he has to say the whole thing and says some gibberish. That was you, literally”.

“I’ve never watched Friends. I don’t know”.

You were shocked. How could you have known him for so long and not know this dark secret?

“We can’t be friends, then”.

“Why?”

“I love Friends!”

“We can watch it later. I’m not leaving until I know how to do this so get the guest room ready. Or maybe I’ll fall asleep in your bed again if I convince you to keep teaching me until you literally fall asleep”.

Yeah…that wasn’t going to happen. That was something that happened “before”. Not now.

“You’re doing really well. We’ll be done soon”.

“Really?”, his happy face always made you smile. “How do you say eso es porque tengo la mejor profesora?”

“That’s because I have the best teacher. And yes, that's exactly why".

You continued working on his pronunciation until it was time for dinner. Teaching was exhausting and Gavi run from training straight to your house so you were both starving.

“You don’t have to cook after all you’ve helped me. Let me order something”.

Before you had time to move, Gavi was right behind you, hugging you and putting his chin on your shoulder to look at what you were preparing.

“It’s just pre-made stuff. Move back so I can put it in the oven”.

The way you took his arms off you made him frown. You’ve never reacted like that to him hugging you.

“Are you ok?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”, you asked, putting the food in the oven and avoiding looking at him. Too afraid he’d noticed the reason why you didn’t want him to touch you. “Should I make a salad too?”

“Sure”.

Once the food was ready, you took your plates to the sofa and you found online the episode of Friends you were talking about before. “The one where Joey speaks French”.

You loved screening movies and shows for people. You would look at them whenever you knew something interesting was about to happen and most were annoyed by the spoiler, but Gavi never minded. Especially with horror movies. You saved him from being scared so many times.

“I’m cold”, he said suddenly, and you took your blanket and gave it to him.

He moved closer to you so it could cover both of you and you tried to just focus on the show. No longer interested in looking at him because he was too close and your heart was beating fast enough already.

“I’m still cold”.

“I’m not turning the heating on in March”.

“Cuddle me, then”.

It was too dark, thankfully, for him to see your face at that moment. “I can get you a hot water bottle if you want”.

“Or you could just cuddle me like we have done a million times”.

“My back hurts. I’m comfortable in this position, sorry”.

“Really? Is that why you pulled away from my hug earlier?”

Now you did turn to look at him. Not only had he noticed but he was worrying about it.

“Yeah”.

“Do you need some medicine? Or I could buy some pomade and help you apply it”.

Why was he coming up with the worst ideas?

“I’ll take some paracetamol later, don’t worry. It’s nothing”.

Even though he wasn’t convinced, he didn’t talk about it more. At least he had an answer now for your weird reaction when he hugged you. It had hurt him so much to feel rejected by you…by the best friend he was in love with.

                                    **

Having Fridays off was a blessing. You got to sleep in after a week of early mornings…except for when you got calls at 8.30 am.

“Who on Earth is calling me…”, but then you say the name on the screen and answered immediately.

“I need you!”

Oh God…

“And I need sleep, Gavi”.

“You have to come to film the advert with me, please. I’ve forgotten everything you taught me”.

“No, you haven’t. You’re nervous. And I’m sure they have people there who can help you”.

“But I don’t want them. I want you”.

How you wished he was saying that in another context.

“I’ll be there. But you owe me one. Well…another one”.

“I love you!”

“Yeah yeah yeah”.

Getting out of your warm bed was hard but knowing you were going to spend the morning with Gavi made it a little easier. Even if it was getting harder and harder to just be his friend.

By the time you got there, everyone was getting a bit impatient about having to wait for “a friend”.

“Sorry, traffic was bad”.

“Can we start now?”, said one of the guys with the cameras.

“Yes”, told him Gavi, side-eyeing him. “She has to come with me so she can help me read the lines”.

“As long as we can start working, I don’t care if she wants to be your foot stunt double for the shoots”.

The guy’s grumpy tone made you laugh.

“You don’t want me to kick the ball”.

“I know”, laughed Gavi, kissing your cheek and telling you to follow him.

It was hard, but you managed to resist the urge to touch the area where he had kissed you. You could still feel his lips there. He was making it so difficult…

Gavi was actually way more nervous about speaking those few English words than you expected. He was criticised so much for his on-the-pitch behaviour that he didn’t want this to be another reason for people to make fun of him. So you took this even more seriously than back at your place.

Finally, after some struggling, he was done. And you could tell the crew was so happy to be done with this advert. Something so simple had taken so long.

“More Gavi, yeah…just what the world needs”, you joked when he was going back to where you waited for him.

“It’s what you need, don’t lie. How do you say cuanto más Gavi, mejor?”

“The more Gavi, the better. But that’s a lie so don’t say it to people. Your mum taught you better than that”.

He laughed and put his arm around your shoulder, bringing you closer to his side. And even if you knew this wasn’t helping, at all, you let him. Putting your arm around his waist, you let him hold you because it felt so good to be that close to him. Better than it should.

“How do you say…”, he wasn’t going to stop now, “te como la cara?”

You snorted at that. “I wouldn’t recommend you telling people you want to eat their face. It sounds weird”.

“It doesn’t sound weird in Spanish”.

“That’s because we are weird. So one weird cancels the other”.

“I want to do it anyway”, he said, pretending he was going to bite your cheek and making you move away from him.

“Stop that!”

“But I’m hungry!”

And you kept bickering on the way to your car, not realising once again that the feelings were mutual. That you moved away from him to protect your feelings or that he wanted to be always as close to you as possible because there was no one else that made him feel the way you did.

                               **

Pablito ❤️: the ad is out. I posted on IG. Go see it!

You: compliment your teacher on my behalf. Brilliant job she did.

Pablito ❤️: I’m on my way.

You: I didn’t mean literally!

The doorbell alerted you that Gavi was already there. This boy…

“What is that?”

“Your favourite cupcakes as a thank you”.

“You still owe me but thank you for always enabling my sugar addiction”.

He stayed in the living room while you went to the kitchen to get some napkins and plates for the cupcakes.

“Ok, the one with all the fruit for you and the one with all the chocolate for me”.

“Can I have a bite of your one?”

“Sure”.

You watched the ad while you ate, laughing at all the moments you knew had to be redone more than 20 times.

“You really made that crew earn their salary that day, Pablito”.

“I don’t think they’ll ever want to work with me again”.

“Who could blame them?”

Seeing you laugh was always special for Gavi. It was while you were laughing at one of his jokes that he thought, for the first time, about how beautiful you really were. He always knew you were but…he fully noticed what that beauty meant to him. The sound you made when you laughed was music to his ears, but it was the way your face lit up that hypnotized him.

“What?”, you asked when you saw him staring at you. “I have chocolate on my face?”

But he couldn’t talk, so he just shook his head.

He was tired of hiding his feelings. Of pretending he wasn’t in love with you for fear of you turning him down. It could ruin your friendship and he knew that. He feared that could happen. But living in fear was painful too. He had to do this.

“Can we have another lesson?”

“Sure”.

You didn’t look very convinced because he was worrying you a bit.

“How do you say te quiero?”

You swallowed. He should know that. Why was he asking? “I love you”.

He nodded. “And how do you say te quiero pero no quiero quererte solo como un amigo?” (I love you but I don't want to just love you as a friend).

“Pablo…”.

“Or should I just say it in Spanish so nothing gets lost in translation?”

“Do you mean it?”, you asked, full of hope.

“I do”.

Seeing you’re reaction gave him the final push to get closer to you. He held your face with his hands and spoke quietly.

“You’re the best friend I could ask for. And a pretty good teacher too. But I want more. Do you want more?”

“More Gavi?”

You both laughed and then you kept leaning forward until your lips finally connected. Finally showing each other how much you really wanted this. And kisses had no language. Everyone could understand what they meant.

[zeroducks-2]

People hating evil characters is weird to me. I guess the only characters I actually hate are annoying ones cause usually that’s not a point of their character in the story, they just happen to be infuriating. Like Slade being a bad guy is cause he’s a bad guy, that’s like his whole point as a character. Yeah he can be nuanced and worse at times but he exists to be an antagonist. It completely makes sense to me that the Tara thing makes people uncomfortable but he’s still a fictional antagonist, it’s not really a moral failing on the part of the creators.

Tbh if you've experienced these characters in any way (read TJC or watched the more recent animated movie or read Deathstroke 2016 or watched Teen Titans 2003, or whatever else features their interaction) and you don't like Slade, that's fair enough.

Loving and hating characters (and every other emotion) happens all the time and it's part of the experience. HOWEVER, I do take issues when it's people who do not know the character, who have barely ever seen them and just heard "stuff" from other fandom people, who go on crusades against said character because "they did bad stuff".

You see it in people who hate Tarantula "because she raped Dick" and they have not read one single comic in which she appears - they have no idea what she even looks like or what's her real name, but they "hate her" because they read a post in which the sexual assault was mentioned and since she "did a bad thing" they "hate her now". This has to be the most shallow fucking thing, but it's convenient because if you hate on the "bad guy" it must mean you're morally pure and upstanding and you're one of the good ones.

Back to your point, hating on a character without any kind of reasoning or nuance only because they did "bad things" is the death of critical thinking. But people out there act like characters who do shit that's even vaguely considered unethical or morally reprehensible irl need to be hated, and like their existence is some sort of moral failing from the writer's part, and it's so fucking annoying and childish.

Which leads me to my second point which is a tad more controversial, but hey I'm a bitch with insufferable opinions so here we go I guess.

I'm bothered by people who pick a character and use them as their scapegoat, and I mean collectively as a fandom. It kind of is the case with Slade but he isn't the perfect example, however the principle is the same: hating on the villain, especially when the villain is very human and makes very human mistakes, using them as the only person who is capable of doing evil and therefore acquitting every other character of anything they ever did.

With Slade it becomes that Slade is the only bad guy of his story, who hurt Grant and hurt Adeline and hurt Joseph and raped Tara and killed and maimed and tortured, and therefore Grant has no blame in what he did to himself, and Adeline is just a poor innocent woman who was hurt by her unfaithful husband, and Joey did nothing wrong and everything that happened to him is solely Slade's fault, and Tara wasn't already a mercenary hitwoman for hire who lied and cheated and killed - rather she was just a poor innocent girl who was manipulated and corrupted by the Big Bad Guy.

I don't know if you see what I mean with this, but it's very much a thing in a lot of fandoms, especially when it comes to horror media where there is a cast of controversial, "imperfect" characters. One example of this is Mouthwashing, in which (spoilers ahead of course) there is a cast composed of people who range from being downright horrible to having very human but very noticeable flaws - every single one of them is "guilty" of something, and the protagonist in particular is also the one with the most prominent antisocial behaviors. But he's not benefiting from them - Jimmy isn't someone whose life is made better by his piece of shit behavior, rather this is a person with issues and who struggles with mental health (he's suicidal and has very strong delusions), giving him a very hard time keeping his life in order. Which of course doesn't make any of the horrible shit he does less horrible, but I think it's interesting how he's (mostly) not acting out of convenience, rather he's acting out his own demons. And what the fandom did was deciding that this guy is the only one to blame, and that his shitty behavior absolves everyone else of their sins. He's effectively the scapegoat and everyone else - it doesn't matter if they act selfishly, childishly, violently, cowardly or anything really - is guileless and has never done anything wrong in their lives. Jimmy is the only one who's to blame, and the rest of the cast is made of pure perfect angels.

I've seen this happen in many many cases. And it sort of turns into a mob of people whose only fandom personality is to hate on this one guy and gather Upstanding Morality Points, and of course the natural consequence of this is bothering or even outright harassing people who instead are fans of such flawed characters.

I hate it. I'm not saying anyone should have to like a character in particular, but the way people hate on the "easy to hate" guy instead of trying to understand them, especially when it's a complex character whose action make them suffer as much as the people they're hurting, distances me from fandom spaces. People will see a feral beast of a character with their leg caught in a bear trap hissing and growling while in the process of chewing their own limb off, and will toss stones at them and call them disgusting and weird. It's so unkind and I hate it so much.

[lanawinterscigarettes]

Heyyy, i saw your ficmas post and i was wondering if you would write about gn reader helping monica geller wrap presents

absolutely I can! thanks so much for the ficmas request <3

Ficmas Day 3: gn reader helping Monica Geller wrap presents

Warnings: Monica's a bit of a control freak but we stil love her, lots of fluff

The holidays were known as one of the most stressful times of the year, and that was certainly the case when you had Monica as your girlfriend. Everything always had to be done just so, and that included wrapping the presents.

"You're not doing it properly," she lightly scolded as she took the package and wrapping paper from you. "See, you want to keep everything lined up properly so that it's even when you go to wrap it."

"No, Mon, you want to keep everything lined up properly. I want to do this," you replied while taking a bow and sticking it to her forehead. It was definitely worth it despite the look she gave you afterwards.

"Every year," she muttered with a slight eye roll as she took the bow off and stuck it on the freshly wrapped gift. "See, doesn't it look so much better when it's perfect?"

"Maybe, but I kind of like it when some gifts are wrapped funny. It gives them character," you commented while moving on to the next present, not missing the second look she shot your way that was even worse than the one before it. "What?"

"I want everything to be perfect. If it's not perfect, then it has to be done again until it is perfect," she stated firmly, talking less to you at this point and more to herself.

"Who cares about it being perfect? The whole point of wrapping gifts together is that it's an activity that's supposed to be fun, not stress inducing," you reminded while watching her sort through the different colored ribbons.

"This isn't stress inducing!" She protested with a slight scoff, seeming almost offended by your words. "Last year it was stress inducing because Joey got tangled up in the tinsel and I wasn't able to get everything wrapped until the last minute."

You certainly remembered that happening all too well. While you, Monica, and Phoebe had been trying to get gift wrapping done, Joey had been left unattended with the Christmas decorations, which resulted in several boxes of tinsel getting somehow wrapped around him until he could barely move.

"Why don't we come up with a system, then? That might make this a bit more easier to get through," you suggested, fully aware of just how much she loved it when things were organized.

Just like you'd expected, she perked up at your words immediately, seeming intrigued by them. "I'm listening," she said, which prompted you to continue.

"You wrap the gifts, and I'll hand the stuff to you when you need it. That way everything gets done exactly the way you want it to be, but I'll still be helping and you won't have to do it all by yourself."

She thought it over for a moment or so before responding. "Sweetie, have I told you recently just how much I love you?"

The corners of your lips turned upwards into a bashful smile at her words. "Maybe, but tell me again anyway," you replied in a teasing manner, to which she cupped your face and pulled you in for a loving kiss.

"So, so much," she murmured softly, kissing you again before letting go of your face and turning her attention back to the stack of gifts that still needed to be wrapped. "Hand me that one at the top," she ordered while pointing at it, having gone from sweet and loving to authoritative and bossy in an instant. The sight was almost impressive to see.

You spent the rest of the afternoon working in perfect harmony with each other as you finished getting the rest of the gifts wrapped, thankfully not having a repeat of last year with Joey and the tinsel as him and Chandler were at a Knicks game.

"Now all we need to do is find a place to hide them so nobody can peek," you mused as Monica stood back to marvel at her completed work.

"I know what we should do," she suddenly blurted out in excitement. "We should organize them. The question is, should it be in the order of biggest to smallest, or the order that we got them wrapped?"

"Why don't we take a break from the presents for a moment and have some hot chocolate first?" You gently offered instead, knowing if you didn't stop her now she was going to be up for the rest of the night.

She sighed in disappointment. "Aw, man. I was really looking forward to it, though," she whined like a petulant child.

"I know you were, but you can't organize them properly if you aren't well rested," you countered while taking her by the hand and guiding her out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I guess you've got a point there," she reluctantly agreed as she began to pull out the stuff to make hot chocolate. "But now I get a chance to use my new pot for melting the chocolate! I got it on sale," she gleefully added while you simply shook your head in amusement. It was endearing how excited she got at something as small as that.

Maybe the holidays wouldn't be nearly as stressful this year as you initially thought.

End notes: I hope this is good but idk if it is lmao

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