#but u know. it was a little bit deep for me

[absfemme]

https://www.tumblr.com/absfemme/778302249262891008/anyway-send-me-more-fic-reqs-please-im-so-bored?source=share

ANYTHING ABT ABBY DICKING U DOWN PLEASEEEEEEE

cw ; meandomabby subreader. daddy kink. strap use. slight overstim. pussy slapping. face slapping. spanking.

“why you runnin', huh? take it. take this shit.”

a heavy slap lands on your thigh, the sting blooming into a red, abby-shaped handprint. not that you care—your poor hole is too full, too stretched and messy to give a shit. the sharp bite of pain only makes you shudder, you twitch in response.

she’s been at this for what feels like forever, keeping you spread out over her lap, making you take every inch of her. every time you try to squirm away (when did you start moving so much?), she yanks you right back in like it’s nothing.

"stay fucking still," she growls, delivering another sharp smack—this time against your dripping cunt. you jolt, a strangled cry ripping from your throat as heat floods your body. your clit throbs at the impact, sending another wave of slick dripping down the length of her as well as new fresh, hot tears down your face.

she rolls her eyes at your persistent cries, scoffing. you’re so fucking soft. it’s almost sad.

maybe you shouldn’t have begged for this—shouldn’t have pulled at her shirt, shouldn’t have whined in that needy little voice about how badly you wanted to be fucked while she was busy. please, abby. need your cock. please, daddy, please.

yeah, you asked for this.

"aw, you crying? is it too much?"

you nod, hoping for mercy, for even a little relief. but all that does is make her go harder. of course she does. fucking bully.

“but you were just begging for this dick a second ago, weren’t you?"

your nodding is frantic, desperate—like it’ll change anything, like she’ll ease up. but abby only snickers, fingers digging into your cheeks as she tilts your face up to hers. her thumb drags through the wet mess on your skin, not to wipe it away, but to spread it, smearing your own ruin across your cheek. a silent reminder of just how far gone you already are.

“nah,” she mutters, voice dropping lower, rougher. “quit with the tears. you wanted this, remember?”

her hips snap forward, forcing a choked gasp from you. your hands scramble against her arms, not to push her away—just to hold onto something. she’s so deep it’s close to unbearable, and yet your cunt takes it—likes it—clenching down like you don’t know whether to run or keep her right there.

abby laughs again, a low, mean thing. she leans in, pressing her lips to your ear, breath hot and warming.

“still wanna act like it’s too much?” she punctuates the question with another sharp thrust, dragging a broken sob from your throat. “c’mon, use your words, baby. tell me how bad you need it.”

but you can’t—you can barely even think, and she knows it. knows she’s got you exactly where she wants you.

her hand slides down, fingers wrapping around your throat—not tight enough to cut off your air, but just enough to make you feel it, to remind you who’s in control. her grip is steady, unshakable, even as your body jerks with every brutal thrust.

“thaaaaat’s it,” she grits out, watching the way your face twists. “take it. just like that.”

your nails dig into her forearm, desperate for something to hold onto as the pressure builds. she knows exactly what she’s doing, keeping you trapped between the deep drag of her cock and the bruising grip on your neck.

"gonna cum?" her voice is a pitch higher now, mocking you, teasing you, but there’s something hungrier underneath it. she wants you to. needs you to.

you nod again, gasping out something that might be her name, might just be a broken mess of syllables.

abby glances down, groaning at the mess between your thighs—the way your cunt drools around her cock, thick and sticky, leaving a filthy trail of grool smeared along her skin.

"fuckin’ do it," she growls, slamming into you harder, deeper. "cum all over this dick."

the last bit of restraint snaps, and your body obeys instantly, back arching as the pleasure crashes over you, raw and overwhelming. you swear you black out for a second, the sensation so sharp it’s almost too much.

abby groans at the way you squeeze around her, her pace turning sloppy, desperate, like she’s chasing her own high through the mess of you. she fucks you through it, dragging it out, making sure you feel all of it.

even as your body trembles from the aftershocks, she doesn’t slow, her grip unrelenting as she ruts into you with that same hungry intensity.

"can’t do it?" she mocks, dragging her lips along your jaw, breath hot against your sweat-slick skin. "you asked for this.”

⤷ tags ; @blackdykegirlblogger @caninecutiez @graciedollie

[bluebirdsfeathers]

Her Office

──────･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────

Relationship: Ceo!Wanda X Butch!Loser!Reader

Summary: Wanda tried to get to know you a bit better before you start working together but an innocent question bring out painful memories.

Words: 2.1k

Warnings: age gap relationship (R is early 20s, W is like 40), Past verbal and physical abuse, Slight hinted at homophobia, Mommy issues bc i have them too, power imbalance?

A/N: sorry this took so long. uni is really kicking my butt right now and just when i thought i'd have time to write my research supervisor gives me a 400+ page book to read.

Inspiration

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

──────･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────

──────･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────

“I can’t believe you’re abandoning me… and for my sister!” Pietro joked as he helped you clear out your desk. You’d made yourself at home over the past few months working for him. You were sad to be leaving but excited to be working for Wanda, also incredibly nervous, like throw up into the recycling bin near the printer nervous. Not that that had happened of course.

“But seriously, we are going to miss you down here. Don’t go forgetting about us.” He patted you on the back handing you the last of your stuff.

“How could I forget you? I’ll be down here like every other day wont I? Wanda visits all the time.” you reply with slight confusion. Wanda was always coming down to check on things, like she must do with all the departments. You assumed most of your job would be to accompany her many visits around the building. Staying close and taking notes on what she says like you’d seen Theo do.

“Yeah, she definitely was just coming down here for routine check-ins.” Pietro mumbled with the faintest air of smugness of someone who knows something you don’t has. Before you could register what he said, the doors on the far side of the room swung open and in came Wanda.

 Her stride exuded confidence as she made her way over to you and your now empty desk. Her hair was slightly messy, shirt untucked, and instead of her usual high heels she wore flats.

“Got everything?” She sounded short of breath, like she had just been running. “The elevator to my office is being inspected so we’ll have to take the stairs.” Without another word, Wanda started walking back towards the door pausing to look behind her when she sensed you hadn’t moved. “Come on those 15 floors won’t climb themselves.” Suddenly her slightly dishevelled appearance made sense. You took a deep breath and gave one last look at Pietro, who seemed to be going to great lengths to not laugh at his sister, before following Wanda.

The stair well was in stark contrast to the rest of the building. Tall grey brick walls and bright white lighting. It seemed to also double as extra storage space judging by the stacks of boxes and pallets back here. You only seen them briefly while getting your monthly fire safety talks from a very unenthusiastic Dr. Banner, who once again felt the need to remind the group he had much more important things to be doing than this. As much as you found the man funny, he’s short temper made him a little scary at times.

People yelling had always been something you weren’t fond of. Your mom had always been so angry with you for not behaving like she wanted. The constant being told to sit, speak, and act ‘like a lady’ throughout your childhood had led to so many arguments. Femininity was just something you never had an interest in and the pressure to fit in from your family only made you reject it harder.

This never made the yelling easier, instead it had only made you desperate to avoid that sort of conflict. Wanda yelling the other day had scared you in a way you hadn’t felt since you were a child, and you were now desperate to make sure you were never on the receiving of her rage.

“Y/n, careful.” You had been so lost in thought you’d missed a step and stumbled forward. Wanda who had been talking non-stop about how inconvenient the elevator maintenance was stopped to help you pick up some pens that had fallen from the box you were carrying. “Do you need some help with that? It looks heavy.”

You saw this a challenge.

“No I’m fine, I’m very strong.” Wanda gave you a smile as she placed the pens back into the box touching your hand as she pulled away before turning around to continue climbing the stairs. Your face immediately flushed red.

“Only 4 more flights to go.” Her voice echoed off the bare walls was she turned another corner. You let out a sigh, the box was actually really heavy.

Once in her office you placed the box on an empty desk in the corner of the room. It was pushed up to the window and gave you an amazing view of New York. It was only then you realised how high up you were.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Wanda came up behind you making you jump slightly, all this achieved was making the red head chuckle slightly. “You’re so jumpy you know that?”

“I’ve been told.” You gave a small smile. Being alone with Wanda was terrifying and exciting all at once. The reality of the situation hadn’t really sunk in till just now. It was going to be the two of you, alone, very often from here out.

“Can I ask you something?” You nervously asked fiddling with the hem of your shirt not daring to look Wanda in the eyes. Her beautiful green eyes.

“Of course you can, darling.” Her final word rattled about in your brain momentarily making you forget what you even wanted in the first place.

“What you said, before,” Finally a coherent thought, “about wanting me, from the start. Was that true?”

“Yes, why would I lie.” Wanda raised an eyebrow giving you a no-nonsense look that you couldn’t if it was fully serious or not.

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that! I just, why didn’t you? You know, pick me the first time?” It was definitely a word salad that came out your mouth, thank God you were better at writing than speaking. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to pry…” you added after Wanda took a second to respond.

“No, no, don’t apologies…” She took a deep breath as if debating what to say. “That first day, I thought you had potential,” she began, clearly choosing her words carefully, “I just wanted to, see if you had what it takes to you know, be mine.”

“Be… yours.” The words caught in your throat as swallowed hard, struggling to speak.

“Be my intern, my assistant.” Wanda rushed to clarify but something inside you felt like her previous words were more honest. Not that you would dare push her on it. “And being my intern comes with a lot of responsibility, so I hope you are ready.”

“Yes ma’am.” You say saluting the older woman, who found the action quite amusing. “What do you need me to do first?”

Turns out Wanda didn’t want you to do anything just yet. Instead the two of you sat across from each other in the strange living room area of her office. Wanda lent back into a large leather armchair while you sat on the edge of the couch, almost velvety, black sofa.

She offered you a tea or coffee but instead you opted for the remnants of the energy drink you had tried to chug on the train this morning. Your choice in beverage clearly wasn’t approved by Wanda but she did little to stop you besides remind you of their negative health effects.

She asked you questions about yourself, clearly wanting to get to know you better but you held back from answering her questions too honestly, scared of being fired or disappointing her which was somehow worse in your head. They were all basic questions, and you asked some back at her.

She wanted to know about your favourite meal, how to you travel to work, where are you staying, and when you were going to get some proper work shoes. Your real answer being when they made comfortable ones but instead you opted to say when you get your next paycheck.

Then she asked something that caught you completely off guard. “How is your relationship with your family?”

“My family?” You repeat to make sure you were hearing things right.

“Yes, your family, you are one of the only interns not from a known family in the city, you mentioned you aren’t from New York originally, they must be proud of you?” Wanda spoke with a warm smile.

You hadn’t noticed but during the conversation you had leant back into the couch. It was like she had given you permission to relax for a change. You didn’t understand why but talking with Wanda made you feel comfortable, almost too comfortable at times making you need to remind yourself she was your boss.

“They umm,” your mind went to the argument you’d had with your father when you told him you were going to university miles away, almost across the entire country, “can we talk about something else.” Your voice shook slightly at the memory.

How angry he’d been, how angry he always was. The same with your mother, always so resentful, never protecting you from him. You spent your first semester coach surfing with a black eye till you had enough money to afford to rent a shitty little apartment.

“Sweetie, it’s okay.” Wanda had seemingly caught on that something was wrong and moved to sit next to you on the couch. She placed her arm around you and pulled you into a side hug that made your whole body tense. “For what it’s worth, I’ve seen your grades and watched how hard you work. I’m proud of you y/n.” Her voice had the same warmth as earlier, it was sickeningly genuine to you.

All you wanted to do was melt into her arms, but you couldn’t this was your boss. She was just being nice, there was no way she would let you get that close to her under regular circumstances. You told yourself you wouldn’t let yourself get attached. You’d seen how ruthless she could be, and it terrified you to think of being on the receiving end. Catching feelings would just make your eventual fuck up ever worse.

Besides there was no way in hell CEO Wanda Maximoff, multimillionaire Wanda Maximoff, Old enough to be your mother Wanda Maximoff would ever have feelings for you in return.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” You stood up as quickly as Wanda grip on you allowed. “Sorry.” You hurried to the small bathroom in the corner of the room, locking the door behind you before allowing yourself a moment to cry.

Cruel words from you parents fought the gentle reassurance Wanda had given you. You took a moment to collect yourself. Taking several deep breaths and trying to get rid of the redness in your eyes with a little cold water from the tab.

The bathroom, like everything in Wanda’s office screamed sophistication. The mostly white tiles with the smallest hint of red complemented the plush red hand towels, and several well looked after plants littered a shelf above the toilet. Most surprisingly was the shower and clawfoot tub in the room. Did she actually use them? Or where they just there because they could be?

Finally you were ready to leave the bathroom, stepping out you saw Wanda quickly look away from your direction. Had she been watching the door the whole time?

“Y/n, feeling better?” you gave a weak nod. “Good, right back to business then, first order is sorting out… this.” She pointed towards you clothing. Since Pietro had never required you to dress professionally, you had never updated your wardrobe. You wore the same baggy, teen boy esc clothing you always did.

“Yeah, I thought that would be a problem, sorry about the way I dress. I just…”

“No I like the way you dress.” Wanda cut you off. “I mean, you dress fine, it’s just not… appropriate if you are going to be accompanying me to important meetings and such.” You couldn’t tell if you were imagining it, but you could have sworn you saw a small blush creep onto the older woman’s face.

“Right, there should be a measuring tape in the third draw of the left cabinet in my office. I have some work to get on with you can’t help with.” Wanda began quickly pressing the button of the, hopefully, now working lift.

“I want you to measure yourself and note it down. I’ll sort you out some more work appropriate clothing.” Before you could ask any other follow up questions the doors to the lift opened and she rushed inside, disappearing almost immediately.

Walking into Wanda’s office you looked out at the city, everything seemed so quiet, so still from all the way up here. Grabbing the measuring tape you sat down at your desk, getting your phone out to look up exactly what measurement you need to give her. You’d never had to think about measurements when buying clothes before. Your face flushed a bit think about the idea of Wanda choosing you some clothes. Hopefully she wouldn’t put you in a pencil skirt, or God forbid heels.

──────･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────

Tag list: @wandaslittlehorns @starfire1008 @mirage018 @viosblog112 @nebthetautora @ciaoooooo111 @cowboy-hunter @htinha157 @the-falling-avenger @reginassecretlover @canyonyodeler @mrsromanovaa @loneliestafterparty @imawandasimp @caramelcat123 @marvelwomen-simp @reginassweetheart @unadulteratedballoonduck @kei034 @coollemonsaresour 

[hereforuconnwbb]

Unexpected Halt - CHAPTER FIVE

paige x azzi (pazzi)

au fic!

~paige plays for uconn and azzi plays for stanford~

word count: 12.2k

hey yall heres chapter 5 !!! honestly felt that i kinda repeated some parts quite a bit in this and some areas might not add up just like ive said about chapter 4 but yur dont mind it 😓 anyways lemme know what u guys think !! enjoy 😽

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The early morning light crept through the hotel curtains, bathing the room in a golden glow. The air was quiet, still, save for the rhythmic rise and fall of their breathing. The sheets were soft, tangled between them, their bare skin warm where it pressed together. Paige stirred first, her arm still wrapped protectively around Azzi, holding her close like she was something fragile, something she wasn’t ready to let go of yet.

Azzi was still asleep, her face nestled against Paige’s collarbone, her breath warm against her skin. Paige barely moved, unwilling to disturb her, just letting herself take her in—the delicate slope of her nose, the curve of her lips, the way her lashes fanned against her cheeks. She looked peaceful, beautiful in a way that made Paige’s chest ache, and made her throat tighten.

Her fingers ghosted over Azzi’s back, tracing slow, absentminded patterns as she exhaled deeply, letting herself exist in the moment. Last night had been… everything. It wasn’t just the intensity of it, the way they’d melted into each other, but the emotion behind it. The unspoken promises, the silent confessions, the way Azzi had looked at her like she was her entire world.

Paige swallowed, her hand drifting up to cup Azzi’s cheek, her thumb brushing over her soft skin, just beneath the faint dimple Paige adored so much. She could feel it deepen under her touch as Azzi began to stir, her lips parting on a sleepy breath.

Dark eyes fluttered open, hazy with sleep, and when they met Paige’s, something flickered in them—something soft, something raw. A small, drowsy smile tugged at the corners of Azzi’s lips, and Paige felt the warmth in her chest expand, filling every inch of her.

“Morning,” Azzi murmured, voice thick and groggy.

Paige’s lips curled into a slow smile, her thumb brushing over her dimple again. “Morning, beautiful.”

Azzi let out a breathy laugh, her body instinctively curling closer, as if she needed to be even nearer. Paige welcomed it, tightening her hold, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of Azzi’s head.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, just basking in the warmth of each other, the weight of what had shifted between them. It was Azzi who finally broke the silence, her voice soft but laced with something playful. “You’re staring.”

Paige chuckled, not denying it. “Can you blame me?”

Azzi groaned, burying her face back into Paige’s neck, and Paige could feel her smile against her skin. “Don’t start.”

“I mean,” Paige continued, grinning now, “I think I deserve to stare a little. After last night and all.”

Azzi let out a small whine, squeezing her eyes shut, but the pink tint on her cheeks gave her away. “Paige.”

Paige laughed, tilting her head down to press a slow, lingering kiss to Azzi’s temple, her lips brushing softly against her skin. “What? I’m just saying…” Her voice dropped slightly, turning softer, more sincere. “It was perfect.”

Azzi pulled back slightly, just enough to meet Paige’s gaze, and for a moment, she just looked at her—really looked at her. Paige felt like she was being seen in a way she hadn’t been before, like Azzi was memorizing every piece of her, tucking it away somewhere safe. Then, finally, she smiled. “Yeah,” she whispered. “It was.”

Paige didn’t hesitate, closing the distance, capturing Azzi’s lips in a slow, tender kiss. It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t urgent—it was deep, full of everything they hadn’t said out loud yet. And when they finally pulled apart, foreheads resting against each other, hands tangled beneath the sheets, Paige let out a breathless chuckle.

“You’re something else,” she murmured, her fingers tracing the curve of Azzi’s back.

Azzi hummed, pressing herself closer. “So are you.”

—-----------

As they lay there, wrapped up in each other, Paige realized—she didn’t want to be anywhere else. The thought echoed in her mind, as if it had always been true, as if she’d been waiting for this moment, this connection, for so long. She let out a soft sigh, eyes still closed, feeling the weight of the night press against her chest. But there was something more now, something deeper than before. A clarity, a realization that this was more than just a fleeting moment.

Azzi was the first to break the comfortable silence between them, her voice quiet but steady. “So… where do we go from here?” she asked, her hand gently tracing patterns on Paige’s arm.

Paige lifted her head slightly, meeting Azzi’s gaze, her heart beating a little faster at the vulnerability in Azzi’s eyes. “I don’t know,” she admitted, the words heavy with truth. “But I know I don’t want this to end.”

Azzi smiled softly, a small, shy smile that had a warmth to it, a flicker of something in her eyes. “Yeah… me too.”

“Are you… are you sure about this?” Paige’s voice was tentative, the question out of nowhere, but it felt necessary.

Azzi’s expression softened further. “I’ve been sure for a while now, Paige.” She paused, letting her fingers trace the edge of Paige’s jaw, making her breath catch. “I just didn’t know how to say it… not until last night. But… I’ve never felt anything like this before. What we have, it’s not just some… thing that happens overnight. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

Paige smiled, her heart warming. “I feel the same. Honestly, I never thought it would happen like this… Us, I mean. But I think, from the first time we talked in that elevator, I felt something. Like it was always meant to be. And then these past few weeks… getting to know you… it’s just made me realize how much I want this. How much I want you.”

Azzi’s breath hitched, and for a moment, neither of them spoke, just letting the weight of the confession settle in the space between them.

“Paige,” Azzi murmured, her voice softer now, a quiet vulnerability in it that made Paige’s heart skip. “You’ve been everything to me. I don’t know how to explain it, but… these past few weeks, when we were apart, I just couldn’t stop thinking about you. And not just… as a friend. You mean more to me. I think you always have.”

The words hung in the air like a sweet, unspoken promise. Paige’s heart swelled, her chest tight with emotion as she leaned forward, gently kissing Azzi’s forehead. “I’ve been thinking about you nonstop too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before… You’re it for me, Azzi.”

Azzi smiled softly, and Paige could see the rawness in her eyes, the sincerity in the way her lips curled upwards. “Then we’re on the same page,” she said with a quiet laugh.

Paige hesitated for a moment, then, gathering her courage, she looked directly into Azzi’s eyes. “Azzi… will you… will you be my girlfriend?”

The words hung there, suspended in time, as Paige’s heart raced, waiting for Azzi’s answer.

Azzi’s expression softened, and without a moment’s hesitation, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Yes. Of course Paige.”

Paige grinned, her heart nearly bursting with happiness. “But let’s keep it between us for now. Just… between you and me.”

Azzi laughed, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Of course. We don’t need the whole world to know just yet.”

Paige leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Azzi’s lips, the sweetness of it lingering long after they pulled apart.

After a beat, Paige rolled over and stretched, a playful glint in her eyes. “Alright, how about I make us breakfast?”

Azzi smiled, nodding enthusiastically. “You better. I’m starving.”

Paige chuckled, shaking her head as she stood up from the bed, stretching her arms over her head. Azzi’s eyes instinctively followed the movement, the toned lines of Paige’s stomach distracting her for a second before she quickly looked away, hoping Paige hadn’t noticed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Paige teased, reaching for the hoodie she had discarded the night before and pulling it over her head. “I’ll make something, but only if you promise not to fall in love with me over my cooking skills.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, pulling the sheets closer around her before Paige turned toward the dresser. “Pretty sure it’s too late for that,” she muttered under her breath.

Paige paused, glancing over her shoulder with a smirk. “What was that?”

Azzi turned red, shaking her head quickly. “Nothing.”

Paige grinned, but she let it go for now. Instead, she grabbed a hoodie from her bag and tossed it to Azzi. “Here, put this on. I don’t need you distracting me while I cook.”

Azzi caught it, unfolding it to pull it over her head. As soon as she did, she paused, fingers gripping the fabric as she inhaled lightly. It smelled just like Paige—fresh, warm, and undeniably her.

Paige raised an eyebrow. “What? You good?”

Azzi quickly nodded, shaking off the feeling as she finished putting it on. “Yeah, it just smells like you,” she admitted before she could stop herself.

Paige’s smirk widened. “And that’s a bad thing?”

Azzi shook her head, avoiding her gaze as she climbed out of bed. “Didn’t say that.”

Paige just laughed, heading toward the small kitchen in her hotel room. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Azzi trailed behind her, watching as Paige pulled out what she needed to make pancakes. She leaned against the counter, arms crossed as she tilted her head. “Didn’t take you for the breakfast-making type.”

Paige scoffed. “Excuse you, I’m a five-star chef.”

Azzi bit back a laugh. “Oh, really?”

Paige grabbed a pan, setting it on the stove before flashing her a grin. “You’ll see.”

Azzi watched as Paige moved around the kitchen with ease, cracking eggs, mixing batter, and heating the pan. She couldn’t help but admire how natural she looked—like she had done this a hundred times before.

Paige glanced at her. “You just gonna stare, or you wanna help?”

Azzi smirked. “I think I’ll just watch.”

Paige rolled her eyes playfully. “Figures.”

As Paige focused on pouring batter into the pan, Azzi reached for her phone and snapped a quick picture. Paige heard the camera sound and turned with a raised eyebrow.

“Did you just take a picture of me?”

Azzi shrugged, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Maybe.”

Paige groaned, flipping the pancake. “You are so obsessed with me.”

Azzi laughed. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Bueckers.”

Paige just shook her head with a grin, finishing up the pancakes. She grabbed a plate, setting a stack on the table before walking over to Azzi and pulling out a chair for her. “Sit,” she said, leaning down slightly.

Azzi raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so now you’re being a gentleman?”

Paige smirked, leaning even closer. “Always.” Then, before Azzi could respond, she pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Azzi blinked, caught off guard for a second before a smile crept onto her face. “Smooth.”

Paige winked, pulling back. “I try.”

Azzi shook her head, sitting down as Paige took the seat across from her. Just as they started eating, Paige’s phone lit up from where it was on the counter. She glanced at it, seeing KK’s name flashing on the screen.

She groaned. “Why is she calling me this early?”

Azzi smirked. “Guess you better answer.”

Paige, still chewing, pointed at her. “You do it.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but reached for the phone, swiping to answer the FaceTime call.

“Yo, P, why are you—” KK stopped mid-sentence when she saw who had answered instead. “Wait. Azzi?”

Azzi froze, eyes wide for a moment before she quickly plastered a smile on her face, trying to play it cool. She glanced quickly at Paige, who was still focused on eating her pancakes, completely unbothered.

KK’s grin grew, her eyes flicking between the two of them, taking in the scene. “Wait, hold on,” she said, her voice dripping with mischief. “You’re at Paige’s hotel room? Is that where you’ve been all morning?”

Azzi’s face flushed a little, but she quickly shrugged it off. “I’m just here for breakfast. Nothing weird about it.”

Paige, still chewing, turned to look at Azzi with a smirk. “Yeah, nothing weird. Just, you know, breakfast.”

KK leaned in closer to the screen, clearly amused. “Breakfast, huh? Well, that’s… sweet. But, like, did you spend the night too?” She raised an eyebrow, waiting for Azzi’s reaction.

Azzi’s face turned even redder, and she quickly shook her head. “No, I didn’t spend the night,” she said too quickly, her voice a little shaky. “I just came over to eat, that’s all.”

Paige snorted at Azzi’s response, clearly trying to hold back a laugh. “You’re a terrible liar, Azzi.”

Azzi shot Paige a glare, but KK wasn’t letting up. “Hmm, right, okay. So you two are just… chilling together, huh?” She leaned in further, clearly trying to make them both squirm. “Seems a little cozy for a ‘breakfast hangout,’ don’t you think?”

Azzi opened her mouth to respond, but then something caught KK’s eye. She squinted at Azzi’s neck, her grin widening. “Wait a minute…” she started slowly, her gaze shifting to the spot on Azzi’s neck where a faint mark was visible just below her jawline. “Azzi, what’s that on your neck?”

Azzi’s eyes widened in horror, and she quickly reached up to cover the mark with her hand. “What? There’s nothing there,” she protested, trying to laugh it off. “Must be some shadow or something.”

But KK wasn’t convinced. “Really? A shadow? That looks a lot like—” She paused, staring at the mark with exaggerated interest. “You know, maybe like a hickey?”

Azzi’s face turned bright red, and she shot Paige a pleading look. “Paige, tell her it’s nothing. Please.”

Paige, clearly entertained, stood up from where she was eating, walking over to Azzi’s side. She set her plate down next to her before sitting down and leaning back in her chair with a smug smile. “It’s nothing, KK. She’s just being dramatic,” Paige said, her tone teasing.

KK wasn’t done, though. She leaned closer to the camera again, her voice playful. “Uh-huh, sure. But I think we both know what it really is.” She squinted at Azzi’s neck again, then at her own phone screen. “Wait a second…” Her eyes flickered between Azzi and the camera. “If that’s a hickey, then why don’t you just tell me who gave it to you?”

Azzi’s eyes darted around, her mind racing. “I—I didn’t—”

But KK wasn’t finished. She caught the glint of something on Azzi’s neck that was unmistakable. “Hmm, I think I’m starting to put the pieces together here. And, oh look, you’re at Paige’s hotel room, alone… and this mark just so happens to be on your neck? Coincidence?” She raised an eyebrow, giving Azzi a teasing look. “So, you did spend the night, huh?”

Azzi’s embarrassment only grew, and she quickly shifted the camera towards Paige, hoping she could help her out of the situation. “Paige, you gotta back me up here,” she whispered urgently, looking at her with wide eyes.

Paige glanced at Azzi for a second before leaning in and taking another bite of her pancakes, completely unfazed. “It’s just a… really weird coincidence, I guess,” she said with a playful shrug.

But as she did, KK’s eyes flickered down to Paige’s neck, and a victorious smirk spread across her face. “Oh, wait a second.” She leaned in, eyes narrowing. “What’s that? Paige, are those marks on your neck too?”

Azzi’s heart skipped a beat as KK’s teasing got more intense. “No, no way,” Azzi stammered, her voice cracking. “That’s… not what you think.”

Paige didn’t even try to hide her smirk this time. She shrugged nonchalantly, still chewing. “What can I say? I’m a very affectionate person.”

KK burst out laughing, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Oh my God. I knew it. You two are totally something.” She shook her head, practically snickering to herself. “I’m not even mad. Just… wow, this is hilarious.”

Azzi groaned, burying her face in her hands, while Paige leaned back in her chair with a smug grin. “It’s not a big deal,” she said casually, trying to downplay it. “I mean, who hasn’t left a mark on someone, right?”

KK just shook her head, still grinning. “You two are terrible at hiding things,” she teased. “You’ve got the whole ‘secret couple’ thing down, huh? Too bad it’s not so secret anymore.”

Azzi shot Paige a glare, but Paige just laughed. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. You’ve got nothing on us, KK.”

KK’s teasing continued for a few more moments, but Azzi and Paige, while still a little embarrassed, were both laughing now, the tension easing as KK finally relented. “Alright, alright. I’m just saying, you two are adorable,” KK said with a wink. “But seriously, next time, don’t make it so obvious.”

Azzi sighed, her cheeks still red but with a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re unbelievable.”

Paige shot Azzi a playful look, still not ready to back down. “Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t suppress her smile as she let out a soft laugh. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

Paige smirked, giving her a wink. “Nope. Never.”

Azzi let out a dramatic sigh as the call ended, her pout deepening. “You didn’t even help me,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her chair. “You just sat there, looking smug the whole time while I was about to implode from embarrassment.”

Paige chuckled, setting her fork down before leaning across the table towards Azzi with a teasing grin. “You didn’t need help. You were doing just fine, princess.” She took another bite of her pancake, clearly unfazed by the whole thing. “Besides, you were making it pretty obvious. Kinda hard to keep a secret when you’re glowing like that.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but the pout didn’t leave her lips. “You’re supposed to back me up, not egg her on.” Her voice was playful, but there was a slight whine in it that made Paige’s heart flutter unexpectedly.

Paige shrugged nonchalantly, resting her elbow on the table. “Hey, I’m not one to hide things. Besides, you can’t expect me to pretend like I don’t know what’s going on here.”

Azzi huffed, but her eyes softened as she glanced at Paige. “You’re terrible,” she said with a small smile, clearly teasing but also just a bit embarrassed.

Paige’s smile faltered for a moment, her eyes glinting with affection. “I know. It’s one of my many charms.” She grinned, looking down at her plate. “You can’t blame me for being so obvious when you’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

Azzi’s eyes softened as she looked at Paige, the teasing tone in her voice giving way to something warmer. “You really like to get under my skin, huh?”

Paige’s grin softened into something more tender as she reached across the table, gently brushing a strand of hair behind Azzi’s ear. “Only because you’re adorable when you’re pouty.”

Azzi’s cheeks pinked, and she leaned back in her chair again, crossing her arms but now with a softer expression. “I’m not pouting,” she muttered, but it was clear she was trying to hide a smile.

Paige couldn’t help herself. She leaned in closer, her eyes lingering on Azzi’s lips. “Sure you’re not,” she murmured, her voice low and playful. “But if you’re really not, I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you.”

Azzi blinked, eyes widening slightly as Paige’s face came closer. Her breath hitched, and she instinctively leaned in just a little too, unable to resist the pull between them. “Prove it, huh?”

Paige grinned, leaning in the rest of the way until her lips brushed against Azzi’s in a soft, fleeting kiss. Azzi’s breath caught, and she instantly melted into the kiss, her lips parting slightly to meet Paige’s. The kiss was gentle, but it carried an undeniable weight, the warmth of it lingering long after Paige pulled back with a satisfied smile.

Azzi blinked, her face still flushed as she stared at Paige, trying to process what had just happened. “That… wasn’t what I meant.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Sure it wasn’t,” she teased, settling back into her chair but keeping her gaze locked on Azzi. “But you were definitely pouting, and I had to make it better.”

Azzi let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re so smug.”

Paige leaned back with a grin, completely unbothered. “Guilty as charged.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. “I don’t know how I put up with you.”

Paige smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, I think you know exactly how.” She reached for her pancakes again, feeling satisfied with the way things were going. “Now, stop pouting, okay? We’ve got breakfast to finish.”

Azzi shot her a playful glare, though it was clear she was no longer upset. “Fine. But you’re still terrible,” she said, though her voice held no real heat.

Paige just grinned, taking a bite of her pancakes and watching Azzi’s face as she did the same. The tension in the air was gone now, replaced by the easy, comforting presence of being in each other’s company, the quiet affection between them settling into something unspoken but undeniable.

—-------------

As they finished their pancakes, Azzi let out a satisfied sigh, leaning back in her chair. “Okay,” she admitted, pointing her fork at Paige. “Those were actually amazing.”

Paige smirked, stretching her arms out lazily. “Told you. I don’t just cook—I create.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but smiled as she stood, grabbing their plates. “Well, since you made such amazing pancakes, I’ll wash up.”

Paige raised a teasing brow, resting her chin in her palm. “You? Doing the dishes? Am I still asleep? Is this a dream?”

Azzi scoffed, carrying the plates to the sink. “Shut up,” she muttered, shaking her head as she turned on the water.

Paige just chuckled, watching her for a moment before leaning back. “So… when are you heading back to Storrs?” Azzi asked over her shoulder.

Paige let out a soft exhale, twirling her fork between her fingers before setting it down. “Tomorrow night.”

Azzi paused, her hands slowing under the stream of water. “That’s soon.”

“Yeah,” Paige said quietly. “Don’t really wanna leave, though.”

Azzi bit her lip, nodding as she rinsed a plate. “Me neither.” Her voice was softer this time. “I’ll miss you.”

Paige smiled, warmth settling in her chest. “I’ll miss you too.”

Azzi rinsed another plate before glancing down. “But… thank you,” she murmured, like she was still taking it all in. “For the crazy surprise. And for last night.”

Paige’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “Last night, huh?” she teased.

Azzi scoffed. “Don’t.”

Paige laughed but didn’t push—just watched her, something tender in her gaze. After a few moments, she got up, walking over to where Azzi stood at the sink. Without saying anything, she slipped her arms around her waist from behind, pulling her in close.

Azzi let out a small, surprised breath, her hands pausing under the running water.

Paige leaned down, resting her chin on Azzi’s shoulder, her fingers slipping underneath her hoodie that Azzi was wearing tracing slow, lazy patterns over her stomach. “You know…” she murmured, her voice dropping into that soft, teasing tone. “I’m really gonna miss you, baby.”

Azzi felt her heart stutter. The word sounded… different coming from Paige. Different in the best way. Her cheeks warmed, her fingers gripping the edge of the sink.

Paige smirked, feeling the way Azzi tensed slightly under her touch. “What?” she hummed, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to Azzi’s neck. Then another. Right over the marks she had left last night. “You don’t like being called that?”

Azzi swallowed, shaking her head slightly. “I never said that.”

Paige grinned against her skin, kissing the same spot again, slower this time. “Good,” she murmured. “Because you’re mine, baby.”

Azzi’s breath hitched. The butterflies in her stomach were relentless now, fluttering wildly as Paige’s words sank in. It felt weird—new, unfamiliar—but good. Good in a way that made her chest ache.

She turned her head slightly, just enough to meet Paige’s eyes from the corner of her vision. Paige was already looking at her, her expression softer now, filled with something warm and deep.

Azzi exhaled, tilting her chin just a little more until her lips met Paige’s.

The kiss was soft, slow—like neither of them wanted to let go just yet. Paige sighed against her lips, holding her even closer, her fingers grazing the hem of Azzi’s hoodie.

When they finally pulled apart, Azzi turned back toward the sink, her lips curling into the smallest smile. “You’re distracting me,” she mumbled.

Paige grinned, resting her chin on Azzi’s shoulder again. “That’s the point, baby.”

She stayed close, her arms still wrapped around Azzi’s waist, enjoying the feeling of her warmth. She pressed another soft kiss to Azzi’s cheek, then pulled back slightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“So…” Paige hummed, resting her chin on Azzi’s shoulder again, her breath warm against her skin. “You got anything on today?”

Azzi paused, feeling a little flustered as she glanced sideways at Paige. “Uh, not really,” she replied, her voice a bit unsure. “I mean, I was planning on just hanging out… why?”

Paige smirked, eyes twinkling with playful curiosity. “Well, I was thinking maybe we could do something. You know… together.” She leaned in just a little closer, letting her lips brush against Azzi’s ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

Azzi swallowed, the warmth of Paige’s breath making her heart race. “What did you have in mind?”

Paige grinned, her fingers gently tracing circles on Azzi’s waist. “I don’t know, something spontaneous,” she teased. “Maybe a walk, a lil restaurant date… Or we could just spend the day here. No distractions.”

Azzi turned her head slightly, enough to meet Paige’s eyes. The way Paige was looking at her made her feel like the only person in the room. “That sounds nice,” she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips.

Paige leaned forward again, pressing a quick kiss to Azzi’s cheek again before pulling away, giving her some space. “Good, because I don’t really want to leave you,” she confessed, her tone more serious now, though still carrying that warmth.

Azzi’s heart skipped a beat at her words, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. “Me neither,” she said quietly, her voice betraying the quiet vulnerability she was feeling in that moment.

Paige smiled, a little more sincere this time, and she pulled Azzi’s hand gently to her lips for a soft kiss on the back of it. “Then it’s settled. We’re doing whatever we want today.”

Azzi nodded, feeling a little giddy at the idea. She never imagined she’d be this happy just spending time with someone who made her feel so right. “I like the sound of that.”

Paige finally let go of Azzi, giving her some space to finish up the dishes. She smiled to herself, watching Azzi move around the kitchen. She was so at ease here, and Paige couldn’t help but feel a little giddy at the thought of spending more time with her.

Azzi finished washing the last dish, wiping her hands on the towel before pulling her phone out of her pocket. She quickly sent a message to Caroline to update her on her plans for the day.

Azzi: hey carol just a heads up i wont be coming home today im staying here till tomorrow morning for practice 

She hit send, then set the phone down on the counter before turning to Paige. But before she could say anything, her phone buzzed with a message from Caroline.

Caroline: oooooh okay first you tell me ur staying the night and be back today 👀 and now ur staying another day??? 😏  Paige must’ve been some real good company last night huh? 🍆💦

Azzi’s eyes widened as she read the message. She quickly shot a glance at Paige, trying to hide the growing flush on her face.

Azzi: shut up 😂 nothing happened it was just pancakes 🥞

Caroline: mmhmm sure sure i’ll believe it when i see it 🤣 enjoy your lil day out tho 😜

Azzi let out a quiet groan, shaking her head in embarrassment. “Caroline’s a mess,” she muttered, tossing her phone on the table.

Paige chuckled, walking over to her with that smug little smile she loved so much. “What’s the matter? Caroline giving you a hard time?”

Azzi rolled her eyes. “She’s just teasing. You know how she is.”

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I know. She’s definitely one for the teasing.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes playfully, nudging Paige. “You’re just as bad, you know.”

Paige smiled, wrapping an arm around Azzi’s waist again. “Guilty as charged,” she said with a wink. “But you’re stuck with me now.”

Azzi leaned into her side, shaking her head with a smile. “Guess I am.”

—-------------

After spending the entire day wrapped up in each other’s company, Paige and Azzi had finally settled into the cozy rhythm of their late-night plans. They’d spent the day lounging on the bed, surrounded by blankets and pillows, sharing playful teasing, kisses, and a marathon of Disney movies. Naturally, Frozen was the first on the list, as Azzi couldn’t get enough of it, especially with Paige joining in on the sing-along parts. The two of them were far from perfect singers, but that only made it more fun.

The movie marathon was interrupted by a late lunch break, where they ordered takeaway—pizza, fries, and all the comfort food that came with it. They’d laughed, talked about everything and nothing, enjoying each other’s presence without any rush. Time seemed to melt away in their little bubble.

As the night stretched on, Azzi looked out the window at the calm, starry sky, and a sudden idea sparked in her mind. “Hey,” she said, glancing at Paige, who was curled up next to her. “What if we went for a walk? I think I could use some fresh air.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “A walk? Where?”

Azzi smiled, eyes gleaming with excitement. “There’s a park nearby. We can walk around, just take it slow.”

Paige’s face softened, and she nodded, offering her hand without hesitation. “Sounds perfect. Let’s do it.”

Without wasting another second, Azzi took Paige’s hand, and they walked out of the hotel, the night air cool but not too cold. The city was quiet, with only the occasional car passing by. They strolled side by side, hands intertwined, as they made their way to the nearby park.

—-------------

The conversation flowed effortlessly between them, as it always did. They talked about little things—how they both had missed moments like this, how their seasons were going, how much they’d grown as players—and then the conversations shifted to more personal things, like their childhoods, their hopes for the future, and the way they felt about each other. With each step, the world around them seemed to fade away, and it was just the two of them.

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?” Azzi murmured, glancing up at the starry sky. “Everything’s so peaceful out here.”

Paige nodded, squeezing her hand gently. “Yeah. It’s like we’re the only ones here, just… existing in this moment.”

Azzi smiled softly. “I like that. Just us, no distractions. Nothing else matters.”

Paige smiled back, her heart fluttering at the way Azzi’s words made her feel. She leaned a little closer, brushing her shoulder against Azzi’s. “I’m glad you feel that way,” she whispered.

The two of them kept walking, stealing little kisses here and there—brief pecks that felt like stolen moments of happiness. The simplicity of it all made Azzi’s heart swell. She never thought a walk in the park could feel so significant, but with Paige beside her, it was perfect.

After a while, they found a pair of swings in a quiet corner of the park. The area was bathed in soft, golden light from a nearby streetlamp, and the swing set looked almost magical in the stillness of the night. Azzi smiled, pulling Paige toward it.

“You wanna swing?” Azzi asked playfully, her voice light.

Paige laughed softly, following her over to the swings. “Sure, why not?”

They both sat down, their hands still intertwined. Azzi kicked off gently, the motion of the swing making her feel like a kid again. Paige followed suit, her feet skimming the ground with a small, contented laugh.

“So,” Paige said after a few moments, her voice soft but teasing, “when was the last time you were on a swing?”

Azzi thought for a second, a mischievous grin forming on her lips. “A long time ago, actually. Maybe when I was, like, seven?”

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Seven? You’ve been deprived of swings all these years?”

Azzi laughed, her face lighting up with joy. “Apparently. But I’m making up for it now.”

Paige chuckled, the sound soft and warm. “Glad I could help.”

They both swung back and forth in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sounds the creaking of the chains and the soft swish of the wind. The cool air brushed against their faces, but they didn’t mind—being close to each other was all that mattered. Every now and then, one of them would slow down and push the other a little higher, just to make it more fun.

Azzi leaned back, her head resting against the seat as she glanced at Paige, her heart full. “You know, I never thought I’d find someone like you,” she said, her voice soft, vulnerable in the way it always was when she let her guard down.

Paige’s eyes softened, her gaze meeting Azzi’s. “What do you mean?”

Azzi shrugged, her smile a little shy. “Someone who just… gets me, you know? Who doesn’t try to change me, and just wants to be here with me, no matter what.”

Paige’s heart swelled at the words, and without thinking, she reached out and gently squeezed Azzi’s hand. “I feel the same way,” she admitted. “I’ve never felt more at home than I do with you.”

Azzi’s breath caught in her throat, and she turned her head to meet Paige’s eyes. The intensity between them was undeniable, and she couldn’t help but feel a warmth spread through her chest.

Paige leaned over, her lips brushing against Azzi’s cheek in a soft kiss. “You’re my favorite person, you know that?”

Azzi smiled, her heart fluttering in her chest. “I think I’m starting to realize that,” she whispered.

They stayed like that, holding hands, sharing quiet kisses and embracing the moment. It was simple, it was sweet, and it was everything they both needed—just two people, in the stillness of the night, finding comfort in each other’s presence.

—-------------

The night felt like it could stretch on forever, and neither of them wanted to break the spell they’d woven around themselves. They continued swinging slowly, the rhythm calming them both. Every now and then, Azzi would glance over at Paige, a soft smile on her lips, before looking back at the sky. There was something peaceful about the way everything seemed to pause when they were together.

“I’m glad we did this,” Azzi said, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked over at Paige. The night felt too quiet, too perfect, to ruin with anything too loud.

Paige turned her head slightly, her eyes catching Azzi’s in the dim light. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, her fingers tightening around Azzi’s. “I didn’t know I needed it until we came here.”

Azzi’s smile widened, and for a moment, she stopped swinging, her feet lightly brushing the ground as she leaned closer to Paige. “I think you’ve been planning this,” she teased, raising an eyebrow. “You always know how to make moments like these feel like magic.”

Paige chuckled, her heart swelling at Azzi’s words. “Maybe I’ve learned a thing or two about creating the perfect moments.” She leaned in closer, her lips brushing Azzi’s ear. “But this… this is just you and me, no magic needed.”

Azzi’s breath hitched slightly, and she turned her head just enough to meet Paige’s gaze. Their faces were inches apart now, and the warmth of their connection felt like it could ignite the entire park. The quiet between them stretched out, filled only by the soft sound of their breathing and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.

“You’re right,” Azzi said, her voice soft and full of emotion. “I think I’m just starting to realize that… we don’t need anything but each other.”

Paige’s heart fluttered, and she leaned forward, brushing her lips against Azzi’s softly. The kiss was gentle, filled with all the tenderness and affection they’d built over the last few days. When they pulled away, it felt like they were both holding onto something they weren’t ready to let go of.

Azzi tilted her head, giving Paige a playful look. “What else do you want to do while we’re out here?”

Paige thought for a second, then grinned. “How about a race to the park bench?”

Azzi’s eyes lit up, and she stood up from the swing, pulling Paige along with her. “You’re on!” she laughed, her competitive spirit shining through.

“Alright, you better be ready to lose,” Paige teased, already moving toward the starting point, her legs ready for action.

Azzi winked at her, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “We’ll see about that, Paige.”

The two of them took off, running across the park in a burst of energy, laughing the whole way. They reached the park bench in no time, both of them breathless but grinning like they hadn’t had this much fun in ages.

Azzi leaned on the bench, trying to catch her breath. “I think… I think you may have cheated,” she said, grinning widely.

Paige raised an eyebrow, hands on her hips. “Cheated? Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said with a playful smirk.

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the way her heart was racing—not just from the run, but from the way Paige made her feel. Every moment they spent together felt more significant than the last.

“Fine, maybe I just have to admit it,” Azzi said with a dramatic sigh. “You’re the faster one.”

Paige laughed, stepping forward and tugging Azzi back to her. “That’s right, I am,” she said, her voice low and teasing. But when she pulled Azzi into a gentle hug, her tone softened. “But you’re always my favorite person to race with.”

Azzi’s heart melted at her words, and she hugged Paige back, her arms wrapping around Paige’s waist. The two of them stayed there for a moment, just holding each other, as the cool night air swirled around them. There was nothing else in the world that mattered right then.

As they finally pulled apart, Azzi leaned up, brushing a soft kiss against Paige’s lips once again. “I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow,” she murmured.

Paige smiled gently, her fingers brushing a strand of hair out of Azzi’s face. “Yeah, I know,” she exhaled. “But… we’ve got a lot of memories to make, right? So I’ll be back before you know it.”

Azzi nodded, her chest tight. “I’ll be counting the days,” she whispered, leaning into Paige. “And I’m gonna miss you so much.”

Paige smiled, the kind of smile that reached her eyes, warm and sincere. “I’ll miss you too, baby,” she said, the words coming out so naturally now. “But I’m not going anywhere, not really.”

—-------------

Azzi stretched out on the bed, letting out a content sigh as she looked up at Paige, who was standing by the window. The soft glow of the streetlights outside painted a calm, peaceful ambiance in the room.

“Thank you, babe,” Azzi said softly, her voice full of warmth and gratitude. “For today. I really don’t want it to end.”

Paige turned around, her heart swelling at Azzi’s words. She walked over to the bed, crawling in beside her and pulling the covers over them. “I don’t want it to end either,” Paige murmured, gently brushing a strand of hair from Azzi’s face before tucking it behind her ear.

Azzi smiled, her eyes fluttering shut as she snuggled closer to Paige, her head resting against Paige’s chest. “I’m really glad you came. This was perfect.”

Paige pressed a soft kiss to Azzi’s forehead, wrapping her arms around her to pull her closer. “Me too,” she whispered. “Goodnight, baby.”

Azzi smiled, her eyes still closed as she nuzzled into the warmth of Paige’s embrace. “Goodnight, Paige,” she whispered back, her voice a little drowsy.

They stayed there, tangled up in each other’s arms, the quiet of the room surrounding them. Paige’s steady breathing soon matched Azzi’s, and before long, the two of them were sound asleep, their hearts in sync.

—-------------

The morning light seeped through the curtains, soft and golden. Paige stirred first, blinking at the quiet, peaceful room. She glanced at Azzi, who was still curled up next to her, breathing softly and peacefully. Paige smiled, her heart fluttering at how serene the moment felt. She didn’t want to wake Azzi just yet; she wanted to do something special before the day got busy.

Carefully, Paige slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Azzi. She stood up, stretched, and quietly made her way to the small kitchen area in the corner of the hotel room. Her mind raced with the desire to surprise Azzi with something before she had to leave for practice. Paige pulled out ingredients from the small fridge and got to work.

She moved around the kitchen quietly, cracking eggs and sizzling bacon in the pan. She hummed to herself, enjoying the simple joy of preparing breakfast for the person she cared about. A cup of coffee brewed in the corner, and soon, the delicious scent of warm food filled the air.

It didn’t take long for the breakfast to be ready. Paige set the plates on the table, glancing back at the bed. Azzi was still asleep, her face relaxed and peaceful. Paige smiled softly and walked back over to the bed, bending down to place a gentle kiss on Azzi’s cheek.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she whispered, a playful grin on her lips. “Breakfast is ready.”

Azzi stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open as she groggily smiled up at Paige. “Mmm… you’re up early,” she murmured, still half-dazed by sleep.

Paige chuckled softly, brushing a lock of hair from Azzi’s face. “I couldn’t sleep in, not when I could be making you breakfast.”

Azzi blinked sleepily, then sat up, rubbing her eyes. “You really didn’t have to…”

Paige winked. “I wanted to. You have practice, and I didn’t want you to leave without a proper breakfast.”

Azzi’s heart melted at the thought, and she couldn’t help but smile. “You’re the best,” she said, leaning forward to kiss Paige’s cheek.

Paige grinned, standing up and extending her hand to Azzi. “Come on, before it gets cold.” They walked over to the table, where Paige pulled out a chair for Azzi to sit.

They shared a quiet, peaceful breakfast together, the soft glow of the morning light filling the room around them. It was a perfect, simple moment—one they both wanted to last just a little longer before they had to face the reality of the day ahead.

—-------------

As they finished their breakfast, the conversation flowed easily, like it always did between them. Azzi leaned back in her chair, feeling content, her hand resting casually on the table as she looked at Paige.

“So, after practice,” Azzi began, a little smile playing on her lips, “we’ll meet back here at the lobby?”

Paige nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “Yeah, I’ll check out, then we can grab lunch together. I don’t want to waste a single minute before I leave.”

Azzi’s heart swelled at the thought. “That sounds perfect. I’m really glad we got this time together. It’s been… crazy, but in the best way.”

Paige smirked. “You’re welcome for the surprise. It was fun, right?”

“More than fun,” Azzi replied softly. “I loved it.”

They sat there for a moment, letting the conversation flow into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed the peaceful moment together. Azzi then tilted her head slightly, as if remembering something. “After lunch, I’ll take you back to my dorm. We can hang out for a little bit, just relax before you have to leave. Then, I’ll drive you to the airport.”

Paige smiled, her heart heavy with the thought of leaving but also warmed by Azzi’s words. “I’ll hold you to that. I really don’t want to go, you know?”

Azzi smiled sadly but with understanding. “I don’t want you to go either. But we’ll make the most of the time we have left.”

Paige reached across the table, taking Azzi’s hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. There was a brief silence, but it was comfortable. Then, Azzi’s phone buzzed on the table, and she glanced at it, seeing the reminder for practice.

Azzi sighed, looking up at Paige. “I should get going. I need to head back to my dorm to get ready for practice. But I’ll be back to see you later. I promise.”

Paige nodded, a playful smirk crossing her face. “Only if you give me a proper goodbye kiss.”

Azzi laughed softly but leaned forward, pressing her lips gently to Paige’s, lingering for a moment before pulling away. “I’ll see you soon. But I have to run now, babe. Don’t make me wait too long.”

Paige grinned, standing up and walking Azzi to the door. “Go get ready for practice, superstar. I’ll be here when you get back.”

Azzi turned around, her hand on the doorknob, and smiled at Paige one last time before heading out. “See you later, P. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Paige watched Azzi walk down the hallway and then closed the door behind her, feeling the quiet of the room settle in. As much as she dreaded the day’s end, she knew they had made the most of it, and that made all the difference.

—-------------

Azzi stood in front of the mirror, gently patting foundation onto her skin, carefully covering the faint marks on her neck. She hadn’t expected them to be so visible, but they were a reminder of the night before—a reminder of how everything had shifted. Paige had kissed her there, soft and heated, and the night had taken a turn she’d never seen coming. Now, she had to make sure they weren’t noticed, especially with her teammates around. She winced as she touched the marks again, remembering the passion of the night before. It was crazy how everything felt so right, and yet so new and overwhelming.

As she was finishing up, applying a bit of concealer to her neck, the door to her dorm creaked open. Caroline strolled in, her usual teasing smile on her face.

“So,” Caroline started, sitting on the edge of Azzi’s bed, “how was the last 24+ hours with Paige? I’ve seen the way you two have been acting lately, and it seems like you’ve got that girlfriend glow.” She leaned in, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “I’m dying to know, spill. Was it really as good as it seemed?”

Azzi froze for a second, the makeup brush in her hand halting mid-air as Caroline’s words hit her. Girlfriend glow?

“What do you mean?” Azzi asked, trying to sound casual, but there was a slight shift in her voice. Caroline was always good at reading her.

Caroline narrowed her eyes, her smile widening. “Oh, don’t even try to play coy. You’ve been acting different ever since Paige got here. And I see those marks on your neck, girl,” she teased, grinning. “Care to share how that happened? We all know how your first night went. You’ve been quiet about it, but I’m dying to know if it really lived up to the hype.”

Azzi’s cheeks flushed, and she immediately looked away from the mirror, still holding the concealer in her hand. She didn’t know how to respond, especially with Caroline’s teasing. It was all so new, and the last thing she wanted was to be the subject of her friend’s endless questioning.

“Well…” Azzi began, laughing awkwardly, trying to avoid Caroline’s direct gaze, “it wasn’t… exactly how I expected. But it was good, alright?”

Caroline raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying herself. “Good, huh? I think you’re selling it short. You’re glowing, Azzi. Never seen you like this before. So, are you gonna admit that you and Paige are, like, officially a thing now?”

Azzi froze, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. She hadn’t meant to say it, but before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “You’re not wrong.”

The words hung in the air between them, and Azzi’s heart skipped a beat. Caroline’s eyes widened in shock as she leaned forward, a mischievous grin appearing on her face.

“Wait,” Caroline said slowly, as if savoring the moment. “Did you just say that you and Paige are… together?”

Azzi’s face turned crimson, and she quickly stammered, “I—I didn’t mean to—”

Caroline burst out laughing, clearly enjoying Azzi’s discomfort. “Oh my God, Azzi, you did just slip up, didn’t you? I knew it!” She waved her hands dramatically in the air, teasing her relentlessly. “You two are a thing. I’ve known it all along!”

Azzi floundered for words, trying to backpedal. “No, no, I didn’t—okay, yeah, we are, but you’re not supposed to know yet!” She sighed, looking at Caroline, who was absolutely loving the fact that she’d gotten Azzi to admit it.

“You don’t have to be so embarrassed, Azzi,” Caroline said with a wink. “But, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret’s safe with me—for now.” She raised an eyebrow teasingly. “But I gotta say, it’s about time you admitted it to yourself. Look at you two, all cutesy and sneaky. How was the first night, huh? You were acting all innocent the other day, but you’ve got that glow. And I see the marks. So, don’t make me really ask for details.”

Azzi let out a frustrated sigh but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She hadn’t expected Caroline to be so relentless, but she couldn’t really blame her. “We’re just… figuring things out, alright? Nothing crazy.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow again, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Sure, I bet.”

Azzi shot her a look, a small smirk creeping onto her face. “No more details. It’s none of your business.”

Caroline’s eyes twinkled with amusement, but she leaned back with a sigh. “Fine, fine, I’ll let it go for now. But you’re definitely gonna owe me the full story later.”

Azzi shook her head and laughed softly, “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Caroline just shrugged, not even a little bit sorry for teasing her. “It’s what I do best. Come on, let’s get going to practice. You’ve got a big day ahead of you.”

Azzi nodded, trying to shake off the embarrassment, though her heart was still racing from the slip-up. She grabbed her bag and glanced at her phone for a second, seeing a text from Paige: Can’t wait to see you after practice.

With a soft smile, Azzi quickly typed a reply: Me neither. See you soon, babe.

Turning to Caroline, Azzi shrugged. “Alright, let’s get to practice.”

As the two of them headed out, Azzi couldn’t shake the feeling of warmth bubbling inside her. Caroline had teased her, but deep down, Azzi couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement about what she had with Paige—about the secret, the newness, and everything they were building.

—-------------

Azzi finished up practice feeling a little drained but excited to see Paige again. As soon as Coach wrapped things up, she grabbed her bag, said quick goodbyes to her teammates, and headed back to the dorm with Caroline.

The moment they got inside, Azzi went straight for the shower, letting the warm water wash away the exhaustion from training. Her mind, however, was elsewhere—on Paige, on how they’d spent the past day together, on how it still didn’t feel real that they were finally something.

Once she was done, she wrapped herself in a towel and made her way to her dresser, pulling on a pair of soft sweatpants and a tank top. Without thinking much, she reached for the hoodie draped over her chair—Paige’s hoodie. The one she had kept without Paige knowing, the one that still smelled like her. Slipping it on, she felt an immediate sense of comfort.

When she turned around, she caught Caroline watching her with an all-knowing smirk.

Azzi groaned. “Don’t.”

Caroline held up her hands in mock innocence. “I didn’t say anything.” Then, after a pause, “But you really just put on Paige’s hoodie like that, huh? No hesitation?”

Azzi rolled her eyes, adjusting the sleeves. “It’s comfortable.”

Caroline hummed, still smirking. “Mhm. Sure.”

Shaking her head, Azzi grabbed her phone and sent Paige a quick text before looking up at Caroline. “I’m gonna go get Paige from her hotel and grab lunch with her. Then we’ll come back here for a bit before she has to leave.”

Caroline grinned. “Oh, I can’t wait for you to bring Paige over. You know I’m gonna have a field day teasing the two of you.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “Please, for once in your life, be normal.”

Caroline laughed. “Oh, Az, where’s the fun in that?”

Azzi sighed but couldn’t stop the small smile from forming on her lips. “I regret telling you anything.”

Caroline just waved her off, plopping onto her bed. “No, you don’t. Now go get your girl before she starts missing you too much.”

Azzi rolled her eyes again but felt a rush of warmth at your girl. Grabbing her bag, she tossed one last look at Caroline before heading out to meet Paige.

—-------------

Azzi drove to Paige’s hotel, her fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel at a stoplight. The day felt like it was slipping away too quickly, and she hated knowing that in just a few hours, Paige would be on a flight back to Storrs. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye—not yet.

Pulling into the hotel parking lot, she let out a small breath before turning off the engine. She grabbed her phone to check if Paige had texted, but there was nothing yet. With one last glance in the mirror, she adjusted the hoodie—Paige’s hoodie—around her and got out of the car.

The hotel lobby was quiet, the usual morning rush already dying down. Azzi spotted a few people milling around, but her eyes immediately landed on Paige, sitting on one of the couches with her suitcase beside her.

Paige was scrolling through her phone, but the second she looked up and saw Azzi, a slow grin spread across her face. She stood, stretching a little before grabbing her bag.

Azzi shook her head as she approached. “You could’ve texted me that you were ready, you know.”

Paige smirked. “I knew you’d be here soon. Plus, I wanted to see if you’d show up in my hoodie.”

Azzi felt her face heat up, but she masked it with a small eye roll. “Shut up.”

Paige chuckled, stepping closer until their hands brushed. “Not a chance, baby.”

Azzi hated how easily Paige could make her flustered, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she grabbed Paige’s suitcase handle for her. “Come on, let’s get lunch before you go making me regret picking you up.”

Paige laughed, nudging Azzi’s shoulder playfully before following her out. “As if you’d ever regret me.”

Azzi didn’t respond, but the small smile tugging at her lips said everything.

—-------------

Azzi drove them to a small café nearby, one she’d been to a few times with her teammates. It was quiet enough to enjoy their last bit of time together, and Paige had insisted on something chill instead of anything fancy. They found a table tucked in the corner, ordering their food before settling into easy conversation.

Paige played with the sleeve of Azzi’s hoodie—well, her hoodie—between her fingers, a smirk forming on her lips. “You know, that hoodie looks really good on you.”

Azzi raised a brow, taking a sip of her drink. “Yeah?”

“Mhm,” Paige hummed, leaning forward on her elbows. “So good that I think you should just keep it.”

Azzi scoffed. “Oh, so now you’re saying I should keep it? What happened to ‘stealing is a crime, Fudd’?”

Paige grinned. “I changed my mind. Plus, it looks better on you than it does on me.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but the way her heart flipped at Paige’s words was undeniable. “You’re just saying that so you have an excuse to leave your stuff with me.”

Paige tilted her head, acting innocent. “Maybe.”

Their food arrived, but neither of them was in any rush to eat. Paige kept sneaking bites from Azzi’s plate despite having her own, and Azzi didn’t even bother stopping her—she was too focused on savoring their time together.

At one point, Paige nudged her foot against Azzi’s under the table, shooting her a teasing look. “Admit it—you’re gonna miss me.”

Azzi sighed dramatically, tapping her fork against her plate. “Unfortunately.”

Paige gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “Wow. I pour my heart out, and that’s what I get?”

Azzi laughed, shaking her head. “You know I will.” Her voice softened, eyes meeting Paige’s. “I already do.”

Paige smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze Azzi’s hand. “Good. ‘Cause I’m definitely gonna miss you too, baby.”

Azzi felt the butterflies in her stomach go wild, but she didn’t let go. Not yet.

—-------------

As they finished up their lunch, the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky. The cozy warmth of their time together was slowly turning into the bittersweet reality that Paige would be leaving soon. Azzi kept glancing over at her, trying to memorize every little detail of the way she smiled or how her eyes sparkled when she laughed. They were quiet on the drive back to the dorm, but the peaceful silence between them was comfortable, like a shared secret that neither of them wanted to break.

When they reached the dorm parking lot, Azzi pulled into a space, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel as she glanced over at Paige. She knew they were about to walk into something, and she needed to give Paige a little heads-up before they went inside.

“Hey,” Azzi started, biting her lip nervously. “I kinda have to warn you about something.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, turning toward her. “What’s up?”

“Caroline knows,” Azzi said, a hint of concern in her voice. “I—I kind of slipped up this morning. And now she’s going to tease us about it. She’s been on my case ever since.”

Paige blinked, surprised. “Wait, so Caroline knows… about us?”

“Yeah…” Azzi rubbed the back of her neck. “I wasn’t thinking, and I said something that tipped her off. She’s been hinting all day that she knows something’s up. So, just… brace yourself, okay? She’s probably going to make a scene.”

Paige’s lips curved into a grin, and she chuckled. “Great. Just what I need—Caroline’s teasing. Should I be scared?”

Azzi shot her a playful look. “You should be very scared.”

Paige laughed louder now, glancing out the window. “Well, as long as she doesn’t bring out the blackmail material, I think we’ll be fine.”

Azzi shook her head, leaning back in her seat. “Don’t give her any ideas.”

As they got out of the car, Azzi felt a flutter of nerves in her chest. She’d never exactly been good at hiding things—especially when it came to Paige. And now with Caroline knowing, she wasn’t sure what would happen next.

Together, they walked into the dorm, hands brushing briefly before they opened the door, already anticipating the teasing they were about to face.

—-------------

As they stepped into the dorm building, the sound of laughter and chatter filled the air, but Azzi’s mind was focused on one thing: Caroline. She had to brace herself for the playful teasing that was sure to come, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it.

When they entered their shared dorm room, Caroline was sitting at her desk, scrolling through her phone. She looked up immediately when they walked in, her mischievous grin widening as she noticed the way Azzi and Paige were acting around each other.

“So,” Caroline started, her voice dripping with amusement, “how’s my favorite couple doing?”

Azzi froze, and Paige just raised an eyebrow, looking at Caroline. “What are you talking about?” she asked innocently, though a slight smile tugged at her lips.

Caroline tilted her head and smirked, clearly enjoying this. “Oh, please. Azzi slipped up this morning before practice. I know you two are more than just friends now.” She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

Azzi sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean to say anything,” she muttered, avoiding eye contact. “Caroline, you’re insufferable.”

Paige laughed softly at how flustered Azzi was. “Well, I’m glad someone’s observant around here,” she teased, looking at Azzi with a wink. “But if Caroline’s gonna tease us, we’ll just have to deal with it, right?”

Caroline snorted, giving them both a knowing look. “I can’t wait to see how this plays out. You two are way too cute together. Anyway, I’ll leave you guys to it, but don’t think I won’t be asking for details later.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the faint smile that played on her lips. “You’re unbelievable.”

Caroline shot her a grin as she walked out of the room, still chuckling. “See you guys later. Have fun!”

Once the door shut behind Caroline, Azzi let out a sigh of relief. She turned to Paige with an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. She doesn’t know when to stop.”

Paige shook her head with a smile, taking Azzi’s hand and pulling her toward the bed. “It’s fine. It’s cute. Besides, I think I’m the one who should be apologizing for making things… complicated.” She gave Azzi a teasing smile, sitting down on the bed and patting the spot next to her. “Come here, you.”

Azzi grinned, crawling onto the bed and snuggling up to Paige, who immediately wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Azzi sighed contentedly as she nestled into the crook of Paige’s neck, the warmth of her body providing the perfect comfort. Paige adjusted, letting Azzi settle against her chest as her fingers gently traced circles along Azzi’s back.

The soft rustling of the sheets as they shifted was the only sound in the room, and Azzi felt a peacefulness settle over her, the world outside momentarily forgotten. Paige’s breath was warm against her ear, the steady rhythm of it calming and soothing. They both shifted, Azzi stretching out her legs to tangle with Paige’s. The warmth between them was nearly overwhelming, but it felt so right.

Paige leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Azzi’s head, her lips lingering there a little longer than usual. Azzi smiled, her heart fluttering, as she tilted her head up slightly to meet Paige’s gaze. The closeness, the intimacy of the moment, was almost too much to process, yet she didn’t want it to end.

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the whole world seemed to fade. Without a word, Azzi leaned in, pressing her lips gently against Paige’s. It started as a soft kiss, a tentative brush of lips, but it quickly deepened as Paige responded, her hand sliding up to cup Azzi’s cheek, holding her in place. The kiss felt like it was full of unspoken things—things they didn’t have to say aloud because they both knew.

Azzi’s heart raced in her chest, and she felt a rush of emotions, the closeness with Paige feeling more intense than ever before. They stayed like that for a few moments, letting the kiss linger, savoring the warmth of each other’s presence. When they finally broke apart, both were smiling softly, faces flushed.

Azzi tucked herself back into Paige’s embrace, feeling the steady beat of her heart against her ear. The feeling of her arms around her was grounding, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was exactly where she needed to be. Paige kissed the top of Azzi’s head again, her voice soft as she murmured, “I could stay like this forever.”

Azzi smiled, her hand resting over Paige’s, squeezing it lightly. “Me too,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut as they both settled deeper into the comfort of the bed, the quiet stillness of the moment wrapping around them like a warm blanket.

A few hours passed, and the peacefulness of the room began to settle into a soft melancholy. Both knew their time together was running short. Paige’s flight to Storrs was approaching, and Azzi felt a tightness in her chest just thinking about it. They stayed there, content, but the inevitable reality of departure loomed.

Azzi shifted slightly, propping herself up on one elbow, looking down at Paige. Paige smiled softly, her gaze softening as their eyes met. They both knew the time was coming, but neither of them wanted to leave the comfort of each other’s arms.

“I guess we should start getting ready,” Azzi said quietly, the words hanging in the air between them. “You have a flight to catch, and I—”

“Yeah,” Paige interrupted, her voice low. She sat up slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind Azzi’s ear, her fingers lingering against her skin. “I don’t want to go.”

Azzi’s heart squeezed at the look in Paige’s eyes, and she leaned forward, cupping Paige’s face in her hands as she kissed her softly, a tender, lingering kiss that conveyed everything they couldn’t quite put into words.

But before they could deepen the kiss, the door to Azzi’s room suddenly opened with a soft creak. Caroline walked in, holding her laptop bag, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the two of them.

“Oh my god, you two are disgusting,” Caroline groaned dramatically, throwing her hand over her mouth and making a gagging noise. “Seriously? The PDA? Please, I was just getting my laptop charger!”

Azzi pulled away from Paige, her face flushed with embarrassment, but there was a soft laugh in her voice. “Caroline, you seriously couldn’t knock?”

“Why, so I wouldn’t be able to witness this cuteness overload? Nah,” Caroline teased, still making exaggerated gagging sounds as she walked over to grab her charger from the desk. “You two are just… ugh. So sweet it makes me sick.”

Paige rolled her eyes but grinned. “Thanks for the support, Caroline,” she said dryly, but there was no real heat behind the words.

Caroline just smirked, clearly enjoying herself, before she looked at them one last time, shaking her head. “Well, good luck with the whole airport thing, you two. I’ll leave you to your adorable mess.”

She grabbed her charger, winking playfully at Azzi before leaving, the door clicking softly behind her.

Azzi shook her head, laughing softly, and then turned back to Paige, her smile returning. “Well, that was fun,” she said with a chuckle, a playful glint in her eyes. “Guess we better get moving before Caroline has more to say.”

Paige grinned, pulling Azzi into one last quick kiss. “Yeah, we don’t need to give her more ammo.” She stood up from the bed, stretching a little, and made her way to the door.

Azzi followed, walking behind her as Paige went to grab her things. “I’ll just say goodbye to Caroline really quick,” Paige said, pausing at the door.

Azzi nodded, leaning against the wall as Paige knocked lightly on Caroline’s door before walking in.

Caroline looked up from where she was sitting at her desk, eyebrows raising as she saw Paige. “What, did you forget something?”

Paige smiled, giving her a small wave. “Yeah, just wanted to say thanks again for helping with the surprise. It really meant a lot to me.”

Caroline waved it off with a grin. “Of course, you’re lucky I wasn’t too busy. You guys deserve this, though.” Her teasing tone softened for a moment. “Hope you have a safe trip, Paige. And don’t let her keep you away for too long.”

Paige smirked, crossing the room to the door. “I won’t,” she said with a wink. “Thanks, Caroline.”

Caroline just rolled her eyes playfully, before finally going back to whatever she was doing, dismissing them with a chuckle. Paige turned to Azzi, who was already waiting by the door.

Azzi smiled as they walked out of the dorm together. The drive to the airport was peaceful, with both of them content in the silence, the hum of the car’s engine the only sound as Azzi focused on the road.

The airport was just up ahead, and Paige could feel the bittersweet reality of leaving sinking in. She glanced over at Azzi, her heart tightening a little. Even though they hadn’t said it aloud, there was a quiet understanding between them.

—-------------

Azzi parked the car in a nearby spot, and as they both got out, she quickly made her way around to Paige’s side, ready to help her with her things. Paige, however, gave her a small shake of her head, smiling softly. “I’ve got it, really,” she said, glancing down at the bags. “But you can stay with me for a bit?”

Azzi nodded eagerly, holding Paige’s gaze for a moment before following her into the terminal, their hands naturally finding each other. They walked in silence, a comfortable, warm feeling between them. Every step felt more like they were savoring their last moments together than rushing toward Paige’s departure gate.

They found a quiet spot near the windows, where the noise of the airport seemed distant and faint. Paige set her bags down and they sat together, hands still intertwined. The sound of distant announcements and the buzz of busy travelers filled the air, but none of that seemed to matter to either of them in this moment.

Azzi gently squeezed Paige’s hand, leaning her head against her shoulder, breathing in the familiarity of her presence. Paige wrapped her arm around Azzi, pulling her close, resting her cheek on top of Azzi’s head. Time seemed to slow, both of them simply existing together in this brief, precious pocket of time.

After a few moments, the familiar voice of the airport announcer rang out through the speakers, cutting through the peace between them. “Attention all passengers on flight 213 to Storrs, Connecticut. Boarding will begin shortly.”

Azzi’s breath hitched at the sound of the announcement, and she pulled back a little, looking at Paige. The reality was sinking in for both of them. Paige gave a small, forced smile, trying to hold it together.

“I guess that’s my cue,” she said softly, though her voice cracked slightly.

Azzi looked at her with tear-filled eyes, her fingers brushing against Paige’s. “I don’t want you to go.”

Paige swallowed hard, trying to stay strong. She could feel her own tears threatening to spill. “I don’t want to go either, Azzi.” She squeezed Azzi’s hand gently, her heart aching in her chest.

They both stood up, lingering for a moment longer before they embraced tightly. The warmth of each other’s bodies and the steadiness of their hold felt like a bittersweet comfort. Neither of them wanted to let go, but the reality of it all was setting in.

Azzi pulled back just slightly, her eyes searching Paige’s face, and before Paige could say anything else, Azzi whispered, “I love you, Paige.”

The words hung in the air, and Paige’s heart swelled. A rush of warmth spread through her, and she felt as though time had stopped entirely. She let out a shaky breath, her emotions flooding her. “I love you too, Azzi,” she whispered back, her voice thick with emotion.

Their lips met, slow and sweet, the kiss carrying all the unspoken things between them. When they finally pulled back, both of their eyes were glistening with the mix of emotions they couldn’t hide.

Azzi’s hand lingered on Paige’s cheek, her thumb brushing across her skin, a soft smile tugging at her lips despite the tears. “Take care of yourself, okay?” she said quietly.

Paige nodded, her voice soft as she replied, “You too. I’ll be thinking about you every second, Azzi.”

They shared one last kiss, a tender, lingering touch of lips, before Paige slowly turned toward the gate, feeling the weight of the moment.

Azzi watched her go, a few quiet tears slipping down her cheek, but she knew that this wasn’t goodbye. Not really. It was just the beginning of something even more beautiful.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nathanbatemanfucker]

REMY!!! REMYYYYYY

"Beyond Misconceptions" is EXACTLY what I needed today oh my GOD my anxiety has been acting up and this was such a tonic 🥹

The fact that Joaquin is the kind of lover to truly and selflessly go "if you'd be better off with someone else, then I want that for you even though it would break my heart" but then he is so comforted I'M CRYING I LOVE THEIR DYNAMIC SO MUCH

Also, bc you said requests are open, if it's not too much to ask... could we maybe get something where Joaquin is very serious about reader and wants to introduce her to Sam and has a convo w Sam about how he feels? Idk if that's too sappy ofc you don't have to im just swooning thinking about it 👀 - ips anon

Between Sips

about this: wc: 658, characters: joaquin torres, sam wilson (f!reader mentioned), contents: alcohol mention, canon typical injury, joaquin’s a simp, SAMBUCKY if you squint, an: hope u enjoy this my sweet love & as always thank you for your support! <3

danny ramirez characters masterlist

Joaquin stands up from his desk, walking across the room to plop down on Sam’s. “Hey, come get a drink with me.”

“Man, I’m going home. To bed. You see this?” Sam points to the sling his arm is in.

Joaquin raises a brow at him, “What if I add in pizza?”

“Dude—“

“I wanna tell you about my girl. Please?” He presses his palms together, pleading. 

“Oh now you wanna tell me about your girl? After I’ve got a couple of broken ribs?”

Joaquin tries to bite away his grin but can’t. “You getting the shit beat out of you kinda made me realize I want you to meet her.”

“Little shit— you’re getting me dessert too,” Sam grumbles, grabbing his bag and heading toward the door. 

“That late night cookie place is right across the street,” Joaquin calls after him.

—

Sam watches Joaquin fidget with a smirk on his face. He’s never really seen the man like this, he’s always overly confident. “So, you gonna stall until the food gets here to stall again or—“

Joaquin’s grip on his beer tightens as he gazes down into the amber liquid. “Nah, man. I just, I don’t know— I’ve never met anyone like her before.”

Sam sobers a little bit, realizing how serious Joaquin is. Sitting up, he leans in a little, curious.

“Tell me more.”

Joaquin takes a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “It was kinda random, y’know? One of those things where you meet someone and think, this person might change my damn life.”

Sam raises a skeptical brow, waiting.

“I met her on a mission—nothing crazy, just some intel work. She clocked me right away, which should’ve been my first clue she was special.” Joaquin huffs a small laugh, shaking his head. 

“She’s got this way of looking at me, like she already knows what I’m gonna say before I say it. And she’s funny, man. Not just funny—sharp. Quick with it. Keeps me on my toes. But she’s also… sweet. Kind in a way that doesn’t ask for anything back. And when I’m with her, it’s like—” He stops, searching for the words.

Sam tilts his head. “Like what?”

Joaquin’s grip tightens on the beer again. “Like I don’t have to be anyone but me.”

Sam lets out a low whistle. “Damn.”

Joaquin laughs, feeling a little shy. “Yeah. Damn.”

“Can I see her?”

“Yeah, hold on,” Joaquin fishes out his wallet, pulling out the photo booth film strip he keeps there. 

Four photos, all of them where he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you— not when you were looking so angelic. Looking at the photo along with Sam makes him miss you more right now. 

“Oh, she’s got you wrapped around her finger.”

“I…I would do anything for her. I think anything, for real.”

“Would she do the same?”

“In a heartbeat.”

Sam nods, taking a pull of his beer. “And have you told her yet?”

“Told her what?”

“That you’re in love with her.”

Joaquin’s cheeks warm. He scratches at the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “Was hoping you could give me some pointers?”

Sam sighs. “Maybe I can finally give you some after this weekend.”

“Finally gonna tell him, huh?”

“Yeah, I think it’s about time. He’s got a weekend off appearances, we don’t have a mission. I don’t know,” Sam shrugs, letting his eyes drift to the mounted tv screen playing an old sports game. 

“It’ll be perfect man. Just be yourself.”

Sam scoffs playfully, his eyes returning to Joaquin. “How’d you end up giving me pointers?”

Joaquin shimmies his shoulders. “Must be the natural leader in me.”

“Yeah, yeah. So when am I meeting her?”

“I don’t know, let me pull up our calendar,” Joaquin starts to type in his password, scrolling through the date. 

“Our calendar? As in your shared calendar with her?”

“Fuck off.”

Sam can’t stop laughing. “I can’t wait to tell Buck.”

lmk if you'd like to be on the sfw (or nsfw for 18+) joaquin taglist!

sfw joaquin taglist: @magikdarkholme, @plan3t-plut0, @mewmew222, @linnygirl09, @ezhz444, @karmaswitch, @badbishsblog, @glader13, @how2besalty, @happypopcornprincess, @hiireadstuffsometimes, @lisiliely, @spider-steve, @nolita-fairytale, @hrlzy, @faretheeoscar, @giuliahowlett, @abriefnirvana, @fanboyswhore9 , @sidkneeeee, @sophreakingfunny, @heartbreakgirlism, @peachyxlynch, @lomlbuckybarnes, @a-randomscrub, @ajcs150, @glimodejun, @isuckatmath, @arsonhotchner, @moonymeloncholymoney, @sidkneeeee, @galaxywannabe, @retrosabers, @marchingicenotes7

[binisainz]

lucky taps ⸻ 𐙚 ⸻ carlos sainz x reader

word  count.   2.8k feat.   established  relationship,  fluff,  semi-long  distance,  labubu  hate author's  note.   binisainz  finally  having  a  cs55  fic  up  ??  i  never  thought  i'd  live  to  see  the  day  !!  anyways,  this  is  based  on  this  photo  of  carlos  carrying  a  popmart  bag  in  shanghai  and  i  was  like.  ok  bet.  i  am  exposing  my  love  for  popmart  blind  box  figurines…  i  have  spent  too  much  on  these  mfs  so  i  might  as  well  make  a  fic  out  of  it  !!  dedicated  to  the  lovely  kae  ( @tsunodaradio  ) because  they  suggested  the  ending  and  i  was  like…  no  ure  right  …  ure  so  right  . anyway qotd what do u think carlos sainz is collecting check out the rest of my work !!

carlos comes home the same way he always does— keys clattering into the dish by the front door, a deep sigh like he’s clocking out of being carlos sainz and back into being just yours.

“mi amor?” his voice drifts in, laced with just the slightest bit of confusion.

“yes?” you don’t look up from your phone, lazily stretched out on the couch, one leg bent at the knee, fingers absently tapping at the screen.

you hear him step closer, the shift of his weight across the hardwood, the quiet pause that comes before— “why is there a little… scarecrow on the coffee table?”

that makes you glance up, just in time to see the small furrow in his brow, the way his mouth presses slightly at the corners. you shift, propping yourself up on your elbow to follow his gaze.

“that’s my hirono,” you say simply, as if that explains everything.

carlos blinks at you, then at the figurine, then back at you again. “your what?” he asks as he bends down, takes the figurine in his hands, turning it over carefully, examining the details. he treats it like something delicate, like maybe it’ll break if he looks at it too hard.

“hirono,” you repeat, dragging out the syllables, already predicting the conversation to come. “it’s a blind box figurine. you buy it without knowing which one you’re gonna get.”

his brows draw together, deeper this time, the gears in his head visibly turning. you can see the exact moment it clicks— there’s a small flash of realization, the barest twitch of his lips. “so you just… pay for it and hope you get the one you want?” he asks, skeptical.

you grin, shrugging. “pretty much.”

he huffs out a laugh, shaking his head as he sets the figurine back down with the same measured care. “you could just buy the one you want,” he points out, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“where’s the fun in that?” you shoot back, sitting up fully now, tucking your legs beneath you. “it’s about the thrill. the suspense.”

he looks at you, the soft tilt of his head betraying the fact that he’s still trying to wrap his head around it. “so you like not knowing?”

you hum, considering. “more like… i like the moment before, you know? when it could be anything.”

carlos watches you for a beat longer, then shakes his head again, a small, affectionate smile tugging at his lips. “you are impossible,” he mutters, but there’s no real exasperation in his tone, only fondness. then, without hesitation, he leans down, cupping your jaw gently as he presses a soft, lingering kiss to your lips, as he’s done a thousand times before.

a few days later, you come home with two more boxes, setting them down on the kitchen counter with a flourish. carlos, sitting at the island with a half-eaten banana in one hand, eyes them with mild suspicion.

“again?”

you huff. “yes, again. but this time, you’re doing it with me.”

he chews slowly, watching you like you’ve just presented him with some grand experiment. then he swallows, licking a bit of banana off his thumb. “what am i supposed to do?”

“first,” you say, grabbing a box, turning it to its side where twelve colorful iterations of the same character are drawn, “we have to pick which ones we want.” you tap one illustration, and then the next. “i want the mantel clock or the circus one.”

he barely glances at the options before pointing decisively at the secret figurine.

you snort. “that one has, like, a one in a hundred forty-four chance.”

he shrugs. “so?”

so, nothing. he’s already made up his mind. and you know him— you know he’s stubborn enough to manifest his own luck, to tilt the universe in his favor through sheer force of will.

“okay, but now we have to do lucky taps,” you say, passing him his box.

his brows furrow. “what?”

you demonstrate, tapping your fingers rhythmically along the sides of your own box. “it’s for good luck. you have to do it.”

carlos stares at you for a moment, unimpressed, then down at his box. he exhales, then mimics your movement, albeit a little clumsily, his fingertips drumming against the cardboard. “this is silly.”

“yeah, but now you’re invested. committed, even.”

you grab your phone, setting it up to record. “okay, let’s do this.”

the sound of crinkling plastic fills the space as you both peel open your boxes. you pull yours out first. a tiny alien stares back at you. your face immediately drops.

“ugh,” you groan, sagging against the counter. “literally the only one i didn’t want.”

carlos makes a sound, half-laugh, half-smug amusement, as he inspects his own. you glance at him, then do a double-take.

he’s holding the secret figurine.

you jaw drops, eyes quickly darting from looking at him, at it, at him again. “are you kidding me?”

his expression shifts slowly into that familiar smugness, the kind that makes you want to shove him. he inspects the figurine like it’s some grand prize, turning it between his fingers, lips curving into a grin. “i thought this was supposed to be rare,” he says, all false innocence.

“it is,” you grumble, crossing your arms. “but of course you would get it.”

carlos sets his box down on the counter, hand reaching out to pull you closer. “mi amor,” he murmurs, his voice dipping just enough to make something curl in your stomach. his hands find your waist, fingers pressing lightly, teasing. “don’t be upset.”

“i’m not upset,” you huff, but you are pouting, and you know it, and he knows it, and he’s enjoying this far too much.

“you can have it,” he offers. “would that make you feel better?”

you exhale, slow, exaggerated. “it’s not as good as pulling it myself,” you admit, just a little petulant, but then you soften, leaning into him despite yourself. “…but okay.”

he laughs, pressing a kiss to your temple, and just like that, the loss doesn’t sting quite as much.

at first, it’s funny. cute, even. carlos, for all his teasing, starts showing a little too much interest in your blind boxes. it begins small—offhand questions here and there, the way he lingers just a second longer when you’re opening a new one, watching your reaction like he’s pretending not to care. but then it escalates.

he gets way too into it. concerningly into it.

it’s not long before you catch him scrolling through an online store at breakfast, staring at the thumbnail images of different collections with a furrowed brow like he’s analyzing race data. another time, you hear him mutter something about “box weight ratios” under his breath while holding one up at a shop.

the moment you call him out, he waves it off, says he’s just doing it for you. “you like them, no?” he says, kissing the side of your head like that’s the end of the conversation. “i just want you to get the ones you like.”

except, somehow, the ones you like aren’t the only ones he’s getting.

the 2025 season starts, and it doesn’t take long for fans to catch on. one race weekend, he’s photographed carrying a popmart bag in the hotel lobby. the next, someone spots him in the paddock, a tiny figurine peeking out from his backpack. the internet is quick— memes start to circulate, threads pop up analyzing every single one of his figurine choices. he keeps claiming it’s for you. he really does. but you know better.

“mi amor,” he complains one night, sprawled out on the hotel couch beside you, scrolling through a list of upcoming releases. it’s one of the rare times you join him for a grand prix. “all your hironos look the same.”

you gasp, smacking his arm. “excuse me?”

“they do,” he insists, grinning when you glare at him. “little hats, little sad faces… no difference.”

you roll your eyes. “okay, mister ‘i only buy these for you.’”

he huffs out a laugh, still very much pretending he’s doing this entirely out of love for you. but you bide your time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

and it comes, two weeks later, when he’s japan, and you’re on a late-night video call together. he’s lounging in his hotel room, hair still damp from a shower, dressed in one of his old team shirts. you’re curled up in bed, listening to him ramble about his day when something on his bedside table catches your attention.

a fucking labubu box.

your eyes narrow. “oh, so you say my hironos all look the same, but you like labubus now?”

carlos freezes, eyes darting to the box behind him like he forgot it was even there. then, without missing a beat, he leans forward, grabbing it and holding it up to the camera. “but, mi amor, look! they have different colors!”

“oh, and my hironos don’t?”

he shakes his head, clearly enjoying himself. “not like these, no.”

you let out an exaggerated, scandalized gasp, dramatically flopping back against your pillows. “i can’t believe this betrayal. all this time, i thought you were supporting me, but now you’ve chosen a side— and it’s the opposing side, mind you!”

carlos chuckles, setting the box back down, his voice dropping just slightly—playful, teasing. “you love me anyway.”

and, well. he’s right.

it turns into a thing. somehow.

your comments section floods with people asking for your favorite figurines, demanding to know which sets you’re into. you give them a list, thinking nothing of it, just casually mentioning your favorites. but by the next race weekend, fans are already showing up with those exact figurines, handing them to carlos at every turn. multiple people. at different times.

there’s a video you find later of him grinning, holding up one of the boxes, murmuring a— “thank you! mi corazón would love these…”

the last part, the way his voice drops into something softer, something warm, plays on loop in your head as you scroll through tiktok later that night. you hover over the like button for half a second before giving in, adding a comment:

yourusername   i do like it! please make sure he doesn’t hog it all to himself 😀

the internet, as per usual, goes crazy.

carlos is in miami, and you’re in monaco, which means the time zone gods are, once again, are against you. it’s late— too late— but your phone rings anyway, and you already know what this is about before you even pick up.

you rub at your eyes, propping your phone up on the pillow as carlos holds up his latest haul to the camera, grinning. “look, mi amor,” he says, adjusting the lighting so you can properly see. “i found peach riot!”

you squint. “you don’t even like peach riot.”

he waves you off. “sí, sí, but they had them at the store, and i had to try.”

you groan, shifting deeper under the covers. you know exactly what this is. it’s not about the figurines, not really—it’s about the thrill, the rush of unboxing something, the chase for the rarest one.

carlos digs through the bag, holding up a single box. “okay, i’ll open just one.”

you sigh, heavy with sleep. “baby, it’s almost 2 a.m. for me. can you please just open it?”

he gasps, offended. “well, no! i have to do lucky taps first!”

of course he does. he’s fully committed now.

you watch, exasperated but endeared, as he taps the sides of the box in that almost ritualistic way you taught him— except he’s exaggerating it, dragging his fingertips along the sides with a level of precision that is, quite frankly, unnecessary. he’s doing too much. and yet, you can’t bring yourself to stop him, a soft, tired smile on your lips.

“okay, okay,” he murmurs, hyping himself up before finally peeling off the plastic wrap and tearing the foil packet open. you blink, barely able to keep your eyes open, as he peers inside. his expression shifts—eyebrows jumping, mouth parting slightly before curling into an all-too-smug grin.

he flips the figurine around to show you. the secret. your smile immediately drops.

you let out a long, suffering groan before immediately hanging up the call.

curse you, boyfriend luck!

he calls back not even a minute later.

you answer, squinting at him through the screen, still burrowed under your blanket. carlos, barely holding back laughter, holds up the figurine again. “corazón,” he coos, all sweet and coaxing. “do you want it?”

you glare. “it’s not the same if i don’t pull it myself.”

he pouts, tilting his head. “but i’ll give it to you.”

you bury your face into your pillow, groaning again.

monaco feels different when carlos is home. the apartment, normally so quiet when he's away, hums with the warmth of him— his shoes by the door, his jacket slung carelessly over the couch, the scent of his cologne lingering in the air. it’s a race weekend, and for the first time in what feels like forever, you’re both in the same city again.

it also means carlos is finally seeing, with his own eyes, just how out of hand things have gotten.

a small corner of the living room— what used to be an empty space, clean and minimalist— is now home to a shelf. a full - on shelf. dedicated entirely to the growing collection of figurines you and carlos have amassed over the past few months. rows and rows and rows of figurines now meticulously arranged by series.

you stare at it, arms crossed, lips pursed. carlos, standing beside you, mirrors your stance, rubbing his chin like he’s assessing a piece of fine art.

a long silence stretches between you before you finally say it: “…are we addicted?”

carlos tilts his head, considering. then, without missing a beat— “no.”

you shoot him a look.

he grins. “just committed.”

the blind box obsession wanes, thankfully, though it's not out of disinterest but out of practicality. the season is in full throttle now, the races stacking up one after another, and you’ve been following carlos around the last few stops, which means any new purchases would just be another thing to stuff into an already overpacked suitcase. there’s no time to carefully stack boxes into the shelf back home.

which is why, when you open your eyes on your birthday in your las vegas hotel suite and find a blind box set sitting in front of you, you burst out laughing.

carlos, kneeling in front of you on the couch, looks incredibly pleased with himself. “feliz cumpleaños, mi amor,” he says, watching you with that warm, expectant gaze of his.

“oh my god,” you breathe out, picking up the box, flipping it over in your hands. “carlos.”

it’s not just any blind box set. it’s custom. you look at the packaging, the familiar yet unfamiliar design, and then you see it—your name, carlos’ name, and little illustrated versions of you both printed on the side, mimicking the style of an official collection.

upon closer inspection, the potential figurines include versions of you in your favorite outfits, carlos in his williams race suit, casual wear, even one of him holding a miniature trophy from when he finished p1 in barcelona. there’s even a secret edition, blurred out in a question mark like a real chase figurine.

you blink at it, overwhelmed, before looking up at him. “you got us made into blind boxes?”

carlos grins.

“how?”

“i have my ways.” he shrugs.

“you have a full racing calendar.”

he shrugs, like organizing a fully custom blind box production in the middle of a title fight is just a casual side project. “i planned ahead.”

you shake your head, flipping the box around in disbelief. “you’re actually insane.”

“open one.”

you tear into the packaging, ripping the foil open with probably more force than necessary. the little figurine falls into your palm, and when you turn it over, you nearly lose it. it’s you, down to the details of the outfit you wore the first time carlos ever took you to the paddock, your hair styled just right, the tiny features painstakingly accurate, even if it's just a stylized version of you.

you stare at it, and carlos leans in, nudging your shoulder. “cute, no?”

“carlos.”

“hmm?”

you exhale, shaking your head, but you can’t stop smiling. “this is insane.”

he leans back against the couch, smug. “you love it.”

you narrow your eyes at him. “don’t act like you didn’t make yourself the secret edition.”

his expression doesn’t change. “i am a rare find.”

you shove him, and he laughs, catching your wrist, tugging you into him. “okay, okay,” he concedes, pressing a kiss to your temple, his voice softer now. “but i wanted to give you something special. something just for you.”

you glance down at the box, the tiny, perfect versions of you both, and something warm settles in your chest. you shake your head, exhaling through a smile. “you really are addicted.”

carlos grins, tilting his head. you’re already leaning in, just slightly, like he’s some gravitational pull you’ve long since stopped resisting.

 he meets you halfway, his breath fanning against your lips as he murmurs— soft, smug, as he goes: “eh, just committed.”

[torawro]

royal knight!caleb & princess!reader.

cw ━━ ! minors, ageless, and blank blogs DO NOT INTERACT. reader is written / portrayed as a curvy, thick black woman but you do not have to imagine it that way ! anyone and everyone is welcome to read <3. historical / medieval au so there will be use of language & rhetoric relative to that era ( i.e., aye = yes or indeed . . . . i did my best doing research ). caleb is a high ranking knight in the kingdom they live in and is referred to as 'sir' because of his status. reader is a princess of royal status. mentions / descriptions of blood and injuries, and contains violence sprinkled with a little bit of gore (???). depictions of murder / character death. a liiittleeee bit of religious imagery & references, not sure but adding it just in case. hints at caleb having psychological issues and / or mental instability. kind of yandere(ish) behavior if you squint; caleb is obsessed with & in love with the reader. he is also a wee bit condescending ( not to reader ). instances of caressing ( groping? ) and slow, sweet kisses. veryyy subtle manipulation (?) via intentional omission of the truth. sorry if im exaggerating with these tags lol. directly based off this post i saw a few weeks ago. i tried my best to proofread at 1am pls excuse any errors. let me know if i missed anything!

word count ━━ ! 3.9k

notes ━━ ! man…..🚬🚬🚬 i can’t believe i wrote this lmaaaoooooooooo like what. where did this come from even.....anyway hi everyone i’m back with another (short-ish) fic <3 my apologies it's been another two months since my last published work, you know what it is: it takes longer for me to put things out and i wanna make sure i put my best foot forward every time >< but whoop whoop here's to my second fic of the year! as u can see i have gotten into lads during this past month and some change....... and i swear, i really had no intention of writing for any of the guys any time soon, let alone the newest one..... i took a pause from working on my longer projects to write this LMFAOOOO. i honestly thought that if i really did have a burning desire to write about them, my first lads fic would have been about sylus cause he.....anyway i won't go on a tangent about him, but i sincerely hope u guys enjoy this one!!!!!! obviously this is my first time writing for any lads character so pls be kind to me. i also want to apologize if this characterization of caleb is weird or ooc, i haven't unlocked him yet but i have seen a lot of content of his story in relation to the mc, his lore, his voicelines, etc so i hope i did him justice!! reblogs + commentary are HEAVILY appreciated ♡♡♡.

THE SKY REMAINED DARK, BUT a deep navy hue began to seep into the heavens, soon giving way to the dawn; the early hours of the morning was nigh. The castle was silent— obviously, but still eerily so despite the hour. There was a draft that seeped through the miscellaneous cracks of the stone, the shutters, and the windows of the castle that had not been properly shut, and the brisk breeze that flowed inside caressed the walls with a whisper— quiet but forceful enough to sway the small flames of the candles. The unsteady flickering of the flames grazed and dimly illuminated the walls behind them. Upon its surface were fresh stains, which would permanently seep into the stone if not cleaned in time. The stains were red.

It was blood.

In the many corridors of the castle was a figure, trudging through the halls like a corpse that had risen from its resting place, exhaustion weighing down his every step down to the marrow of his bones. He was injured— not gravely enough to make him lose consciousness but enough to reopen the wounds he so haphazardly patched himself before returning to the kingdom.

His chambers in the keep, along with all the other higher-ranked Knights, was on the other side of the castle grounds. He should have made a left the moment the portcullis closed behind his heels so he could at least get patched up again, get some water, and something else for the pain. Instead, the soldier walked straight ahead, onward to the main structure of the castle, down the stretches of its veins, up the stairs– a path he had memorized after spending many a moon traversing it, sometimes without your knowledge.

But he needed to see you, and he was unsure if he would be able to wait until the sun’s ascension in just a few hours time to do so.

The knight was tired, and that slowed him down, but eventually he made it to your private quarters. He made sure to quiet his labored breathing and footsteps as much as he could; the king would have his head before he even made it to your chambers if he were to be discovered.

You laid underneath a thick blanket, the warmth of the fur against your clothed skin protecting you against the brisk cold. As comfortable as you were, however, tonight you had trouble staying asleep. It would greet you kindly, only to slip away from your embrace if you held it too tightly. Your eyelids were half-open, finally on the verge of drifting close again, when an abrupt but muffled thumping noise resounded on the wood of your door.

The sound caused your eyes to snap open with alertness, any waves of sleep that were about to wash over you retreated at the sound. You laid still, absently wondering if you were hearing things, but the noise reverberated in the air again, then three times— it was soft, as if the source of the sound was being careful not to be too loud.

As the sleepiness of the late hours continued to melt away, you began to remember what day it was, and your pulse quickened as a result.

He should have returned today, you thought. But could it be? It cannot possibly…

And yet, that possibility is what tugged your body forward to sit up and straight, and slide your legs out from underneath the layers of blankets. That possibility is what led you to slide your bare feet into your slippers, and move to swing the long, woolen robe on top of your nightgown. That possibility is what pulled you to the thick door of your chambers, and opened it by an inch to peek through the cracks.

The relief and subdued elation you felt when you saw the familiar features of Sir Caleb’s visage on the other side washed over you.

But that feeling faded as quickly as it came when you noticed the state Sir Caleb was in. While it wasn’t abnormal for him to have a deep scratch or a bruise somewhere, he looked . . . worse, somehow. And whatever it was seemed to reach deeper than just his physical injuries.

Without exchanging any words or outwardly questioning him, you carefully— for he winced at nearly every graze of your fingers on certain areas— led him into your room, allowing him to use your body as a crutch. Caleb let out strained puffs of air, both in relief that he didn’t have to carry the weight of his own body alone anymore, and with increasingly dwindling self-restraint. 

He had hardly stepped foot in your bedchambers before; only about four steps past the threshold of the doorway at most, out of fear that his mere presence when he visited in your absence would become a noticeable, tangible thing. Like you’d be able to sense if he ventured too far in for too long, too many times.

Everything smelled like you. Your unique flowery scent was almost palpable with how it clung to every surface of your living space, even the air itself. The contrast between the fleshy softness of your body pressed against the cold, angular ridges of his armor was enough to make his breath catch in his throat and his pulse to miss a beat. 

“M…milady.” Caleb croaked, his throat significantly lacking moisture to the point it almost ached to speak. At this point, the remaining strength in the knight’s body had become completely nonexistent; the sword he didn’t even have the strength to place back in its scabbard tumbled from his loosening grip onto the ground, the sound sharp and uncomfortably punctating. 

“Sir Caleb”, you gasped, your grip tightening on whatever area of his stocky, towering figure you could reach. Both the suddenness of the sound of metal colliding with stone and your delayed realization of how serious his injuries were pulled your nerves all the more taut, the worried furrow in your brow growing more prominent.

Caleb’s legs gave out next, all while his heavier form still partially hung from your sleep laden frame. His arm slipped from around your shoulder as he descended to his knees, the movement clumsy enough to slightly throw you off your balance. The room was still dark enough that you did not readily see nor notice the blood that now permeated the folds of your nightdress. 

The honorable knight— who did not quite look so on his knees like this— absentmindedly grasped at your calves, pulling another surprised noise from the back of your throat. It was as if making physical contact with you would steady his mind that swirled endlessly with fragmented thoughts, stained with the dark horrors that crawled from the depths of his subconscious, and keep him tethered to the plane of consciousness. The blood loss would soon catch up to him.

Silence descended upon your room, save for Caleb’s ragged breathing and your quiet, frayed inhales. He still held onto your lower legs like it was his lifeline, the mesh underside of his metal gauntlets sending a subtle shiver with each miniscule movement he made, but you did your best to silence any hitch in your breath or twitch in your muscles. Worry still festered underneath your skin, so much so that you were afraid if you moved, or even spoke, that Caleb might fall apart at your feet, considering his current state. 

“Milady…” Caleb tried again, his voice still rough but a muted veneration was present underneath his words, as if your title was the beginning of a prayer. It was a thought that spurred another shudder to crawl across your flesh. “Milady, I have returned. The war with the kingdom to the east—Havencroft—  is over now.”

The knight turned his head slightly so that his cheek was resting on the fat of your thigh, your nightdress being the only barrier between his skin and yours. Another stain of crimson leapt from the side of his face that rested on your leg to your clothes, but you could not see it from this angle. Caleb almost resembled a wounded animal, marking the territory that was once his after enduring an attack– not much for your sake, but purely for his own, as a reminder of sorts.

Even through the linen, you could feel the uneven puffs of warm air from his mouth fan across that small area on your thigh. Like a magnet attracted to a metal of the opposite affinity— a force yet to be explained or explored— your palm gravitated towards the knight’s armored shoulder. Whether it was an action of acknowledgement and commendation, to silently urge him off his knees, or as a means to steel yourself was unclear even to you.

“The enemies… have been defeated.” Each syllable felt delayed, each word tumbled from Caleb’s lips like a wispy trail of smoke from burning incense, and the casual hold you had on his steel shoulder imperceptibly tightened when you felt his gloved hands trail up the back of your legs. His movements were slow—almost reluctant and experimental— but deeply rooted in reverence, as if this was the first and last time he would be able to touch you so boldly.

The knight below knew better. He was well aware that his actions more than just bordered on bold, they fully reveled in it– embraced it, even. But he was having a significant amount of  trouble caring enough to stop himself. It was always a difficult task reasoning with the thing that resided in the folds of his unconscious— especially and specifically when it came to you. 

Caleb awaited you to halt the soft caress of his palms, either verbally or by action, but neither came. You were rendered silent, breath slightly restrained as you stared down at him from on high, your palm still resting upon his armor. A part of you was swayed by the currents of curiosity to see what he’d do next, just to see what might happen you allowed this moment to persist a bit longer. 

And the other part…might have enjoyed this. It might have enjoyed the sight, the sound, the sensation of his iron skin, the subtle yet unknown metallic aroma that washed over your senses, mixed with his signature musk.

So he resumed, both his movements and his speech, which were languid and slowed. “Those that wished… to do harm to the kingdom, to you…They have been slain.”

The way his head shifted against your leg was like a cat nuzzling itself against its human companion. The weight of his body pressed upon you like this was even a bit endearing, and it began to melt your heart. Caleb’s hands glided from the backs of your knees down to the base of your ankles, only to carefully ascend back up the valleys and shores of your legs. In his ascent the hem of your dress got caught in between the gaps of his fingers, causing it to steadily rise like a curtain and expose the bare, supple brown skin hiding beneath it. 

His touch was so gentle, like dragging the sharpened edge of a knife against one’s skin in fear of accidentally cutting it. As someone who has done so much damage and has scarcely been shown this kind of gentleness, it was a bit jarring to see himself embody it so naturally.  “...The lot of them. I made sure of it.”, he continued, the knight’s noble heart raced so frantically about his chest, he thought it might reverberate and echo against his chest plate if it were to beat any more intensely.

Even with the sizable gauntlets weighing down his hands, Caleb was still able to tell just how delicate and cushiony your flesh was, and he released a barely-there, shaky exhale of his own when his fingers lightly clenched around it. If he didn’t know any better, he might have thought he was on the brink of death and was kneeling before the gates of heaven.

It was nearly impossible for you to distinguish the sensation of the carmine substance being smeared against your bare skin with each inch Caleb caressed, because your nerves had put all its effort into focusing on his breath fanning across your legs and the cold surface of his armor. At some point, the hand laying on his shoulder levitated to rest atop his head instead, the area unadorned without his helmet; a shiver rolled down the knight’s spine at the gesture. Sweat dampened the rich, umber strands of his hair, and the heat radiating from the crown of his head rivaled the one building underneath your face and chest.

“The army of the east kingdom, boasting numbers of over eight-thousand men, have all…. fallen. All of their strongest knights…”

Caleb’s words sounded a bit muffled as his mouth was slightly pressed against your leg, his pillowy lips continued to trail across the expanse of increasingly exposed limbs, “...their battalions, their village militia units…”

By this point, Caleb’s strong sense of rationale, his logical consciousness that usually never steered him wrong had finally caved in on itself. The void that it left in its absence would now be filled and controlled by the iniquitous thoughts that plagued him day in and day out. Such immoral, perhaps unhealthy, thoughts that always had you at the front and center of it all.

“...Even the gentry. Witnessing them …attempting to wield a polearm was almost pathetic. I would have pitied them, but one way or another, they would have attempted to harm you and our kingdom in some way, at some point…” 

There was a brief pause, the surface of his parted lips and that of his artificial armor took turns savoring the feel and smell of you, even being so brash as to place tender almost-kisses across your thigh. You gasped silently at that, and the reflexive clench of your fingers in the tufts of his hair brought forth something of a purr that vibrated in the back of his throat. Embedded within that imperceptible purr in his deep voice lurked something more dangerous you did not notice— sharp, like having a dagger pressed against one’s jugular.

“And I cannot allow that.” 

Caleb continued to murmur about his achievements of war into your chestnut-tinted skin as if he were talking directly into it and not you— as if it were actively listening. And with the way your nerves sparked and crackled with each syllable he pronounced, you could easily become convinced that it was.

Aye, he could not even pretend to spare an ounce of compassion for Havencroft’s  gentrymen, or their local militia, their skilled battalions and armies, nor their most honorable knights. Not after their plans and intentions were discussed amongst the king’s council just months prior, which served as the reason why he and the rest of the kingdom’s army were dispatched there in the first place.

Swine, the lot of them.

The same could be said for his own king’s council members— your father’s most trusted political companions and advisors— that had the gall to speak ill of and scheme against the king and his realm.

The balls to speak ill of you when they believed there were no listening ears around; about how your future ascent to the throne would be this kingdom’s downfall, about how His and Her Majesty should have tried for more children in hopes of a young lad.

He could only thank the gods that he returned from his knightly travels when he did, for the dark-haired soldier knew within seconds of overhearing such idiotic arrogance what his next course of action should be.

Like some kind of cunning animal whose only purpose was to hunt and kill, Sir Caleb watched and waited for the opportune moment to present itself before closing in to strike. And that moment arrived when he realized the two men were making their way to the western-most side of the main castle, where the kitchen and laundry rooms were located. He sneered at how clever they thought they were being, choosing that specific place because they were aware most of the help and servants had retired for the evening.

Without a moment’s hesitation, when he had heard enough drivel, he attacked, administering two swift but fatal slashes to their vital points— one for each man. The pain from moving like that when his injuries had been previously reopened nearly caused his legs to buckle, but he remained steady and quick. This had to be quick, for it would be troublesome if they made noise or if he was too sloppy with his timing and execution. Blood splattered on the nearby walls from the sheer force of his swing, the blade cutting through the councilmen like a cleaver cutting through a slab of tender meat. He made a note to himself to come back and clean any remnants that remained later.

The councilmen fell to their knees, staring and cowering from Sir Caleb in confusion, shock, and unadulterated fear at the realization that their lives might end that very night, and that someone might have heard them.

Surely they blathered on in hushed voices, demanding to know the meaning behind his actions, begging for the knight to spare their lives, frantically questioning him if he had heard them say anything particularly controversial. But Caleb paid no mind and did not bother responding. All he did was stare at them, his eyes as empty as a weathered piece of parchment with no ink on it, his salmon-colored lips resting in a straight line that spoke nothing of his true thoughts. 

Caleb’s gaze alone deeply unsettled them, for they had never seen him look like that before.

On his honor as a knight, Caleb would die before he let any harm— relative or distant, real or perceived, indirect or direct— fall upon you if it was in his power to prevent it. Because not only did he pledge his allegiance to the ruler of this land, but to you as well. And in performing his obligatory duties as a knight— guarding you from near and far, being graced with your kindness, your wit, your smile—it was inevitable that he would fall in love with you at some point along the way. 

And wasn’t it a good thing, a true virtuous thing, a normal thing to do what you can for the one they loved? To keep them safe?

And so, with that resolve embedded in his heart, the knight Sir Caleb would do what he could, and did what he must when the steel of his blade at last collided with the mens’ uvula. The last thing those so-called loyal councilmen saw was his void eyes, and the slightest upturn in the corner of his lip.

But you need not worry or be privy to the gritty details. All you needed to know was that he fulfilled his duty in protecting you, in protecting this kingdom you loved dearly and would govern someday. He would see through this role until the day he could no longer.

Aye, you did not need to know that the blood that had now seeped into the fabric of your pretty lilac nightgown and smudged on his face was fresh; you did not need to know that in some other part of this very castle, two people that had been around since your youth had drawn their last breath, never to be seen again; you did not need to know that the faintest hint of guilt and regret for his actions was snuffed out the moment his eyes met your visage. You did not even need to know of the tender affection that he harbored for you– at least, not yet. A separate time for that should arrive soon, he would pray on it.

And now, all Caleb needed was to hear it from you. That you were proud of him.

“I hope my efforts in battle were satisfactory to you, milady. That my efforts …in keeping your safety and interests of the monarchy at heart pleases you.” 

The knight's lips continued to drag across your skin in a lackadaisical manner, its touch at some point turning into undeniable kisses— pecks so light and fleeting you could have imagined it.

But you weren’t. You knew it to be so because the phantom sensation that was left behind after each one was as real as the ground you stood upon.

You were indeed proud of the knight before you, on his knees revering you with his mouth like you were some kind of holy thing that might disappear into thin air. For all of his years here, you have seen the scrapes, the faded scars on his ungloved hands, a limp in his gait or a straggle in his step, and you felt sympathy for him. You sympathized with him for having to sustain a number of different injuries in the name of your kingdom and its values. But seeing him hurt also inspired a great deal of gratitude within you, and you always made sure to take time at night before you fell asleep to thank the Lord above for uniting your paths– even though the two of you were on slightly different social standings. You secretly hoped that one day, that fact might change.

This is why you had no problem in saying that, “From what you have told me, Sir Caleb, your endeavors in battle are indeed quite….satisfactory to me,” Your words were momentarily interrupted with a sound that sounded suspiciously close to a pleasurable sigh, your fingers absently combing through his hair as you continued to speak, “So I must thank you, for doing your duty so well, and apologize that you were so badly wounded in the name of this kingdom. I truly appreciate all that you do.”

The words of sincere gratitude that spilled from your plush lips only excited the muscle beating wildly in Caleb’s chest, and they were enough to spur his heavy hands to glide higher underneath your gown, moving to the backs of your thighs once again. As his lips persevered in its affectionate assault of your legs, his palms mindlessly cupped the full roundness of your buttocks and gave it a slight squeeze, effectively losing himself in the suppleness of your curved body.

His name, without the proper prefix, was about to fall from your tongue, but you swallowed it down in exchange for something else. “This kingdom is— I am quite fortunate to have someone so capable…so strong and valiant at our disposal. Thank you, Sir Caleb, you have done well.” 

And that was all it took for a quiet groan to be pulled from Caleb’s throat. A part of him hoped you didn’t hear it, he was already behaving so shamelessly.

But another part hoped that you did, so maybe then you’d realize without him having to potentially embarrass himself how much he cared for you, craved you, and impacted him so deeply.

“Thank you, milady. You are too gracious to me. I am unworthy of your praises, but will humbly accept them.” One palm resumed its directionless roaming to map out your lower body while the other remained on buttocks, interrupting his own reply by offering your skin doting, airy kisses in between. His reddish violet eyes were somewhat hooded when his gaze flickered up to look at you once more.

“I will continue to do my utmost…to serve you and your kingdom.... to the best of my ability.”

( # ) @smiley-babe @ramonathinks @dollwrites @valentineluvu @rinsko . my apologies if u did not want to be tagged. let me know if you want to be tagged in my future works!

[johnwickb1tsch]

bittersweet + ch 48

a yandere!John Wick x fem!reader sunshine/grump coffee shop AU... all chapters

WARNINGS FOR THIS FIC: NSFW, SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, YANDERE SH!T. Minors DNI. Plz take care. I luv u all. 😘 (Thank you Scarlett for uploading the beautiful don John gifs, you're so amazing!! ❤❤❤)

48.  hostile takeover

You find yourself stuck in the middle of a fuck ton of drawn weapons, both crime syndicates distrustful of the other. The paranoia of the group is surely only made worse by the party tray that made its way around the circle, and you sense the room is one wrong twitch away from erupting. 

“What the fuck was that?” demands don Juan, clearly expecting a double cross. The drug kingpin has his arm around your neck, using you as a human shield with a gold plated gun gripped in his other hand. 

“I could ask you the same question?” demands Dante, clearly shaken by the explosion, his eyes saucer-wide. 

“You think I blew up my own boat? When were you going to tell me you pulled the tail of the fucking Baba Yaga?” snarls Juan beside you, fierce as a cornered jaguar. “You took his woman? Are you loco?”

“It wasn't your business,” Dante insists, and the lie so infuriates Juan that he squeezes you in his strong hand, hard enough to bruise. 

“Ow, hey, watch it motherfucker,” you protest through gritted teeth. 

“Shut up, puta,” snaps the jefe. “Or I'll do worse.”

That's when Juan’s head explodes beside you, and the room erupts into chaos, broken glass showering all around.

Everyone's first instinct is to dive for cover. Splashed in blood and you fear, bits of Juan’s brain matter, you snatch up the golden gun and do the same. Unclear on what is transpiring, the two organizations start shooting at each other. Under a hail of bullets, you keep your head down, and fire at anyone who presents you with a target. 

John’s here. 

You believe it to the marrow of your bones. He's out there somewhere in the darkness, maybe even on the boat. If you could just get outside…

Can you make a run for it? Ironically, you think that maybe this was the best fucking timing to try a lil’ Columbian bam bam–if your heart doesn’t explode first. You have plenty of energy, so much that it's hard to sit still and wait, even if deep down you know your survival depends on perfect timing.

Somehow, you have to make it all the way across the lounge, past several heavily armed trigger-happy people, to the door outside–or the broken window–or the staircase that will take you down a level. 

The good thing is: you feel invincible. 

The bad thing is: you feel invincible. 

Fuck.

One of Dante’s thugs sticks out his head and you fire off a round, only clipping him, your aim fucked by shaking hands. He retreats with a string of curses and a trail of blood. Someone tries firing over the couches at you, and it’s your turn to use every blistering bad word you’ve ever known, plastering yourself to the floor, trying to make yourself as small a target as possible. You hear it when their gun clicks empty, and you hope it's your chance. You slip off your ridiculous shoes so you can run, and you make to scramble past. 

Someone tackles you to the floor, knocking your gun from your hand. Your training with Mariko finally kicks in, and you fight to hurt, throwing your head back in a vicious headbutt as hard as you can. You feel his nose crunch against the back of your head. “You little bitch!” 

You realize it's Luca again, and you fight twice as hard, biting his arm that he tries to get around your throat. You grapple on the floor, and a wildness rises in you like nothing you’ve ever known, fueled by drugs and all your pent up rage. Not even when Dante’s commandos raided John’s cabin, did you feel this feral determination to survive at any cost. 

All you can think is that John is out there, and you want to see him again.    

You manage to get on Luca’s back like a spider-monkey, your arm latched around his throat and your legs locked around his middle, squeezing as hard as you can. He’s bigger than you, so much stronger, and in a ditch attempt to dislodge you he stands up. 

One of the cartel soldiers sees a target, and puts three bullets in his torso. Somehow the bullets miss you–at least you think they do–and Luca collapses back to the ground. Your gun is in reach, and you grasp for it. When he tries to prevent you with a hand on your ankle you twist to put a bullet in his head. 

As horrified as you are relieved, you hunker down to catch your breath, your heart racing.

That's when you see him. 

Through the bank of floor to ceiling windows, you watch the man you love mow through mafiosi like blades of grass on the outer deck. He is savage poetry in motion, shooting, kicking, striking–he blocks a punch, uses the momentum to turn to get off a shot, uses the first attacker as a human shield, before moving on to the next. One by one, they all fall down. 

Mesmerized, you watch, unable to look away from the carnage. You witness him commit murder, again and again, and your heart is filled with nothing but unadulterated love for that man. He is your monster, and now these fuckers get to feel his wrath. 

Unfortunately, you’re not the only one watching him through the windows. Someone opens fire with some kind of submachine gun, and John throws himself over the side in a quick bid for cover. 

“John!” 

He doesn’t climb back up, and all you can think is the worst. Was he hit? Did he fall to the deck below? Or even into the ocean? You have to get to the lower deck, and without any more thinking you run for the aft staircase, laying down cover fire as you go. Bullets rain all around, but somehow none find you. 

A cartel man is just making his way up the stairs, and you launch yourself with two feet forward and a battle cry, knocking him down and landing on his ribs with all your weight. You’re both stunned upon landing, but you get your wits first, and you empty the rest of your clip into him. 

You take his gun before running to your next point of cover. 

In your manic state you almost feel like you are stuck in a video game, as you duck around corners and shoot at Dante’s men, hyper-focused on your task. How many fucking bodyguards did he bring on this yacht? 

He definitely broke the twelve passenger rule. 

Pinned down behind a bar, you trade fire with someone ahead. You’ve lost count of how many bullets they fired. Your mind feels like a tilt-a-whirl, hopped up on cocaine and adrenaline. They let off another salvo of shots, and you scream as loud as you can, going very still in hope of baiting them into leaving their cover. You wait…and you wait, your heartbeat like a snare drumroll in your ears.  

Finally, you hear footsteps crunching broken glass, and you prepare to fight again. 

You hear a squelching sound, and the thump of a body hitting the ground. 

Confused, you watch the puddle of blood seep across the floor, fixated on the spreading pool of crimson. Then, you see a foot cased in shining black patent leather. Your gaze travels up a long suit-clad leg, and by the time your eyes reach his face they are filled with tears. 

“John!” 

He seizes you, dragging you into his lap behind the cover of the bar, his arms like bands of steel around you and his ravenous mouth on yours. He kisses you like you are the oxygen he needs to live, licking into your mouth, eating you, consuming you. Gladly you take the fury of his passion, even as your lips become sore and your teeth clash and he grips you so hard it hurts. 

This is the truth of your love with John Wick. It is pain, and pleasure, not always in equal parts, but you know more than ever that you would pay any price to have him, and maybe you wouldn’t even change a thing. 

Every fire you have walked through to get to this moment has tempered your love into something hard, sharp, and unbreakable. This man is your alpha and your omega. 

He is the reason you breathe.  

“Are you alright? I saw that fucker hit you,” he demands when at last he surfaces for air, holding your face in his blood-stained hands. His thumb traces the spatter on your cheek, all that’s left of don Juan’s head. 

Crying and laughing, you nod rapidly, your words spouting like automatic fire. “I’m fine. Everything is fine now. I knew you’d find me. Jesus Christ I missed you!” 

Through the shadow of his chagrin he seems amused by the delivery of this tirade. “Not as much as I missed you.” Then his eyes narrow, looking at you in a way that has never failed to make your tummy flutter. “Young lady, you are in so much trouble.” 

Once, this might have scared the piss out of you. 

Now? You’re not sure if it’s the drugs or the pure elation of being reunited with him, but all you can do is laugh. “Am I?” 

“Yes. I should bend you over my knee right here.” His big hand caresses your bare thigh, up to trace the high high hemline of your sparkly blood-spattered dress. He glares down at it with a fixation that could start a wildfire. “What the hell are you wearing?” 

“I think it’s a bedazzled napkin.” 

“Hmm,” he growls, unable to stop himself from groping your ass under the dress. “Somehow I hate it and like it too much.” 

You whine, clutching his lapels desperately as the tips of his fingers drift towards your center, his lips on your neck. On a scale from one to ten, how bad an idea would it be to fuck during a firefight? You’re having a hard time talking yourself out of it as his middle finger tests your aching hole, finding you wet and wanting. 

“Fuck, baby.” He forces himself to draw back to look at you, his eyes blown midnight dark with desire. From this close he studies you again, sweeping over your features, your eyes, to your mouth, to your eyes again. You're not the only one having trouble remembering where you are. “Your pupils are huge. What are you on?” 

“They made me do a line of cocaine to test the product and I’ve never tried it before,” you say quickly, unable to stop yourself. Your heart is a neutron star, spinning, spinning, burning bright. Now that John’s here, you’re not half as scared as you should be. 

John lifts his eyebrows, smiling wryly at you, the source of your high-energy revealed. 

“It probably won’t last much longer. You’re going to be fine, honey. Where’s your necklace?”

“They took it. But I swallowed the tracker. How long has it been? I’ve barely eaten anything in days, I was afraid to.” 

“My clever girl. It’s been over a week.” He continues to inspect you as you talk. When his search reaches your hand he frowns, regarding the damage with an excruciating regret shining in his dark eyes. “Kitten, I am so sorry.” 

However, you just shrug tearfully, buzzing inside like a happy hive of bees. You didn’t know it was possible to feel so happy, as you do reunited with John. You don’t think it’s just the cocaine that’s making you feel like you’re made of pure dopamine.

 “I’m ok. I’ve got nine more.” This wins you a huff of laughter that is a balm for your soul.

“I brought you something.” He reaches into his breast pocket again, producing something small and shining. 

Your ring. 

“Oh John…” More tears spring up in your eyes, clouding your vision as you offer him your right hand, knowing it won't fit any other fingers in your left. He slides it on, and maybe it's silly, but it does feel like a crucial piece of yourself has been restored again. “Thank you.”

Again, he holds your face in his hands. You know you must look like a wild creature, wide-eyed, wind-blown, spattered in the blood of your enemies. And yet he still looks at you like you’re the most precious thing in the world. 

“God, I love you.”

You feel like the richest woman in the world. 

“I love you too. Can we go home now?” 

The corner of his mouth pulls in that rueful smile, and he nods. “Yeah.” 

Naturally, that’s when a fresh wave of combatants arrive, someone shooting your way from the corridor whence you came. “Go,” says John, draping you with his kevlar-lined suit jacket, pointing towards the front of the boat. “I’ll be right there. If you see a Chinese man in a suit killing gangsters, don’t shoot him, he’s with me.” 

“What?” 

“Caine. He’s on our side. Go. You’ve done so good, baby. It’s almost over. Go.”  

You don’t really have time to think about what he’s told you. He shoves you in the right direction, and you run, ducking low, trusting John to cover you. When the enemy starts shooting at you he picks them off ruthlessly with deadly precision. You don’t see the aftermath, because you make it down a hallway and then out to the deck again. 

The chaos feels more distant there. You hear people shouting in Spanish and Italian, fighting over the other smaller boats that arrived with Juan’s flotilla. You hope John has his own secreted away somewhere on the dark ocean. You creep along, not really knowing where you should go, waiting for John to catch up to you. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck. 

You hear fighting around the curve of the deck ahead. Gripping your gun, you move forward to get a look, ready at this point to mow down any mobsters or narcos who might get in your way. 

But someone’s beating you to the punch. A Chinese man in a suit, as John so aptly described him, is making mincemeat of five men [attempting] to stand against him. His deadly movements are poetry in motion. He has a gun, but he barely uses it, opting for the lethal grace of a sword cane instead. As you watch him you realize he is pulling this off blind, and your amazement skyrockets. 

You cannot look away from the carnage, and this proves to be a very big mistake for you. 

You feel something hard poke you in the back. “You stupid puttana.” 

You recognize Dante’s voice as one of Caine’s opponents falls at his feet. 

As you try to turn he shoves the barrel of the gun into your ribs again. “Don’t fucking move.”

------------------

all chapters *loco - crazy *puttana - bitch, whore

[angrygirlromero]

SHOOTERS SHOOT

(feat. Charlie Bushnell x fem¡oc)

@angrygirlhayek Following

@cbushnell15 come home the kids miss you 😣

11:31 p.m 19/03/25 105.5k views

💬 111k 🔁 50k ❤️150.3k

@malachiDiBarton

noooo baby don’t do this to me 😭😭😭

@AryanSimhadri

brooo that’s crazy time to man up ig @cbushnell14

@cbushnell15

I guess dreams really do come true 😳😳😳

@elianamarkella

I thought you were joking about posting it to twitter 😭😭😭

@user1078

HUHH?? WHO TF IS CHARLIE BUSHNELL?!!!

@likemyballs69

there’s no way bro puller Alejandra Hayek

@crasybitsh101

Nepo baby much? 🙄

-

dior

guyss have you seen twitter?

aryan

Charlie literally manifested her

wtf

He was crying like two days ago to a tik tok she posted

Cause he said she’ll never know him

Are we in some type of fairytale I don’t know about???

walker

What’s twitter? I don’t know that app

I only know x 😉

dior

Stfu

If u don’t have anything relevant to say, just sush

charlieeee why aren’t you relying

leah

He’s probably still in shock

Or possibly crashing out rn

charlie

…

dior

use your words dummy

Charlie

W T F

HOW DOES SHE EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?

WDF DO U MEAN THE KIDS MISS ME I NEVER LEFT!!!!!

OMFFFGGGG

aryan

there it is

Leah

Oh lord…

dior

Deep breaths

Charlie

wtf do I say after something like that??

dior

Dm her? Ask for her number

Charlie

She doesn’t even follow me

wait

Aryan

What?

Charlie

SHE JUST FOLLOWED ME

On insta and tik tok

Omg omg

my repost are like 90% edits of her she’s gonna think I’m a fucking weirdo 😭😭😭

dior

HAHAHA

Charlie

tf u mean haha?

HELP ME

Aryan

just calm down bro I’m sure it can’t be that bad

Leah

Trust me it’s bad, level 100% obsessed with the poor girl

How does she even know you?

walker

I have something relevant to say

Leah

What is it?

walker

It was me.

Dior

What do u mean it was you? Huh?

Leah

???

Aryan

???

Charlie

???

Walker

I met her yesterday in nyc, she was very nice btw she invited me for doughnuts, anyways I asked if she had seen Percy Jackson

Which btw she had

And she mentioned that Luke Castellan was the best thing to ever happen to Disney

So I told her that Charlie is obsessed with her work

Charlie

Idk if I should thank you or kill you

Walker

What? I’m literally the best wing man every tf u mean kill me?

Leah

Language

Walker

Sorry 😔

Aryan

I was not expecting that

dior

Me either, I though those fotos of u with a girl in nyc were edited

I didn’t know it was her

Why didn’t you tell us?

Walker

You never asked

🤷🏼

Charlie

this mf

-

Charlie Bushnell sat in absolute shock on the bench of his local gym, mouth gaped fist clenched and heart bounding, as he stared at the notificación on his Home Screen from tik tok @alehayek mentioned you in their video. The nervous boy took a deep breath before clicking on the notification it soon leading him into the app where the logo appeared before the app loaded the video.

On the screen appeared a short tik tok video, there she was Alejandra Hayek on the beach in god knows which part of Mexico, she lounged lazily on a beach chair with pretty doe eyes staring into the camper lens from behind her think sun classes, she laid beautifully displaying the setting of the beach infront of her with the sun set. Her tanned skin and glossy lips smiled at him, god he could die a happy man just simply looking at her.

Soon enough the tik tok audio rang throughout the empty gym, “like my **** tall and brown, and mixed with a little bit of ugly” she lip synced, with a cute smile allowing the dimples in her cheeks to form, as her hand moved forward for form the gun motion “uh, uh-huh, they say shooters shoot” she smiled while tilting her head, long wavy hair falling into her face slightly, “uh, uh-huh, @CharlieBushnell, what’s up with you?”

In that moment Charlie couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot, his face was red, his cheeks hurt, his heart raced and his palms were sweating, he shook his head in his flustered state before liking the video, adding it to his favorites and reposting it. He rewatched the video once more before opening the comments.

-

Dior Goodjohn • following

@charliebushnell where you at my guy come get your girl

McKenna grace • following

That’s crazyyy

Aryansimhadri • following

get your man girl

Walker scobell • following

This was my doing btw

Liked by creator ❤️

Malachi Barton •following

😔😔😔

Eliana Kalogeras • following

Yeah Bushnell what is up with you and my girl? 🤨

🎀Piper Rochelle🎀 • following

ITTT COUPLEEEE

Vinnie • following

🤨🤨🤨

Alex Warren • following

Can I preform at the wedding??!!

replied by creator

omg yessss!! (If there is a wedding 🫢)

Charlie Bushnell • following

Well it appears I’ve been shot, right in the heart

Liked by creator ❤️

-

a/n: thank you for reading! Sorry for any grammar mistakes you may have encountered English isn't my strongest language, hope you enjoyed. This is one hundred percent inspired on a tik tok I saw the other day!

PLEASE READ!!!

It has come to my attention that many people seem to get disappointed after realizing that my stories are x femjoc, I'm so sorry for the confusion. I'm not very good at writing my character without much details or descriptions, so I find it much more difficult to write x reader fics as much as l'd like to. As for my tags please don't come for me but as some tumblr users probably already know the algorithm here isn't the best and I have to put as much tags associated with my fic as possible for it to get put on the right fandom's fyp, if you'd like me to formally remove or change anything just let me know, I write strictly for fun and entertainment of other I'm just trying to share my hobby

(IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS FICS DON'T BE AFRIAD TO COMMENT YOUR QUESTIONS, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THIS DONT FORGET TO LIKE AND REPOST!!

[daddy-n-bigbrothers-toy]

ksjcjsfh idk if u do reqs ..??;₱; mayhaps a chubby little sister w her big brother?

cuddling with her, telling her she looks pretty… so pretty… groping each part of her body and telling her why he prefers her this way, then fucking her to show how cute she really is, filling her little head with how much she loves her ^q^

[Hii! I hope this is good!]

Chubby little sister who is a bit insecure about how she looks.

Chubby little sister who notices how her big brother has been staring at her a lot lately.

Chubby little sister who wears bigger sized clothes to hide her chubby body, thinking her big brother is looking because he dislikes it.

Chubby little sister who soon finds out that her big brother loves everything about her and her body.

Chubby little sister who doesn't hesitate to cuddle with her big brother whenever he asks.

Chubby little sister who lets out small whines and whimpers when her big brother starts to grope her while cuddling, telling her how pretty and perfect she is.

"The perfect little body to grope and fuck~" He whispers.

Chubby little sister who sees her big brother hanging out with his friends, one of them being a pretty girl.

Chubby little sister who starts to get insecure again. Will her big brother change his mind about her body after hanging out with that girl.

Chubby little sister who quietly cries in her room only for big brother to immediately come in and fuck her.

"Look at you, so perfect~" He says, pumping into her faster. "You think I want her? Her over you? Hell no." He grabs onto her love handles.

"Tell me who's a pretty girl." All he gets out of her is moans. "I want words, little sis." He grunts.

"M-me..." She says, a bit unsure.

"No, I want confidence. Who's.A.Pretty.Girl?" He says sternly.

"M-me." She says a bit more confidently.

"And this body belongs to me, right?" He stares right into her eyes.

"Y-yes." She blushes shyly, wanting to look away, but she just can't.

"Mm, good girl." Good girl...that makes little sis clench around big brother. He notices, teasing her a bit.

"You like that, good girl? My good girl? Who's a good girl with the prettiest body, hm? You are, little sis. You always will be."

Little sis clenches around him again, cumming hard on his cock. Big brother pumps into her a few more times, cumming deep inside her cunnie. He pulls out, grabbing her panties, putting them back on her, trapping his cum. "Don't want you wasting any of it."

"And.." He points a finger at her. "If I ever catch you being insecure again, I won't be so gentle, got it?" Little sis nods her head. "Good. Freshen up, mom and dad will be home soon. Can't have them knowing how much love I showed my little sis." He says before walking out of her room to go freshen himself up too.

[the-knife-consumer]

While im thinking about women characters being assigned their fandom roles the way the pikmin fandom outside of tumblr treats brittany is fucking horrible. Whats wrong with you people its a children's videogame character.

[katierosefun]

my cancelled-able trait from the queer community would be that i really apparently love messy endings. i love u happy endings and i also love u such sad, messy, ambiguous endings . . . i love u endings where u have this weird pit in the bottom of your stomach because you know that there's love here but u have no idea what to do with it and u just have to deal with the fact that someone is profoundly affecting your life and you're not gonna get closure from it anytime soon . . . i love u queer love stories where it's really just "u don't always get to see the sunshine and rainbows at the end of it . . . sometimes all that's left is just one big question mark and the quiet hope that they get their shit together" . . .

[bmpmp3]

Getting into stuff that has a lot of pre-announced release dates is really good for me like vocal synthesizer products and new love live etc franchise music releases....I'll be lying in bed at like 2 AM with ur usual 20-something's fear and existentialism over time and the future and then I'll remember a piece of singing software or a new song related to cartoon characters I like is gonna come out like next month and I'm like 😌

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

HI HI MAC. I JUST WATCHED THE NEW GEMINI VIDEO (was going 2 watch it this morning but i forgor 💀) HOLYYYY SHIT i am so creeped out EAUGH it was so good. creepy faces fuck me up AUGHHH. many thoughts head full. also i apparently love drawing characters as teru vash plush bc i started drawing teru vash and then realized oh iam just. drawing patton. so then i drew el woowoo 2 keep him company!! holds out my hands and places these guys in ur palm <3

OH FUCK LITTLE GUYS...... ohbtheyre so perfect. squeezing them like stress balls. <3333

UGH THE GEMINI HOME VIDEO. GOD. I KNOW. i rewatched it like 3 times this morning. that bit after it says the deal is broken with the body that gets progressively more shriveled up made me feel soooo fucking crawly. also the comeback of the jack dialogue. fuck yes. jack do you see me... i have become something else... im still in here dont leave me you bastards..... god that bit was so cool. the face jn the window at the end was what absolutely broke me last night tho like holy fuck thay shit gets me so bad

[defectzim]

See the thing THE THING IS. is that I have so many thoughts about iz characters BUT IDK HOW TO PUT THE WORDS IN A WAY THAT GETS IT. I don't have words but i have SOSO SO many SO MANY thoughts about literally every character.

[hetamata]

[ID: Digital painting of Falin Thorden from Dungeon Meshi. She is looking over her left shoulder with a blank/resentful expression while laying on her stomach with her elbows propping her up. She is nude, and covered and surrounded by large chunks of raw meat from the waist down.]

[phagodyke]

man I think I fucked uuuuppppp a little 😭