#but yeah it's actually really really lovely that he got to meet Paul

[good-to-drive]

I did a little concert for somebody in Hollywood. Paul McCartney was there. I've never met him before, but I'm a fucking fan of The Beatles. I'm in the back smoking, and they're like, "Sir Paul would like to meet you." I'm like, "For real? Hold on," and I put that blunt out. Cuh walk in the room like, "Don't put that down."

Snoop Dogg on meeting Paul McCartney

[silvermeww]

12. An unpopular character you like? (and why more people should like them)

asdfghjk THANKS FOR THE ASK I'M GIVING YOU SO MUCH <33 RN

Ooh, hmm, this'll be fun. there are so many examples in pokeani and honestly some are a little eh, but then I remembered how almost every comment I see about 'worse' characters seem to include Max and I just don't get it?? How can anyone hate him??

(fun fact, when I was first watching him - in dub mind you - I also really didn't like him much. but I was coming off from the end of the OG, which was pretty sad considering who we lost, and tbh especially in 4kids early seasons dub EVERYONE was pretty unlikeable. I think I hated almost everyone back in the early gens at some point lol; I can be real vindicative but I think watching the whole thing taught me to take my time before judging stuff :v)

But yeah!! I really don't get the hate. Oh, so he said that Ash sucked for getting 8th place in the Silver Conference - can we all remember that a) legit kid and b) he's seeing this guy lose to an evolved starter from his own region of the SAME type as Ash's. It's like watching a Venasaur lose to Meganium if you're from Kanto; you'll be feeling pretty patriotic and stuff too ngl, especially if you don't have any battle experience yet.

But he acts so smart - Yes, and?? I don't see anyone talk about how Gary was coming up in the first season spouting random facts only to lose in the prelims and get a lower place than Ash. Again, I wish that people remember that Max is the kid of a Gym Leader, who reads and watches Leagues to make up for not being able to watc the Gym Battles taking place under the same roof, who dreams of becoming as strong if not stronger than his father. He's going to have high expectations. He's going to think that knowledge is everything. He's going to show off as much as he can, to make up for the fact that he's the only one in the group who isn't a Trainer. And I love how he learns that you have to actually interact with Pokemon to learn what it's all about, that you can't replace experience, that you can still experience things now even if you are too young to start. There isn't a limit to going out and interacting with the world. He doesn't have to wait. He's allowed to make mistakes and own up and not know stuff and grow, now and in the future. In a way, he's learning the same things as May, and I think that's wonderful.

And while I wish that he could've gotten a Pokemon while on the journey (one that he could keep à la XY with Bonnie), I'm fine with what he had in Advanced. He got to see Gym Battles. He got to travel two (2) regions. He got to see different aspects of being a Trainer, as a Coordinator and as a Breeder/Doctor. He got the recognition of his father in the end and was able to get into the Gym business. He got to play and learn with so many Pokemon and just act his age for once, instead of having to grow up to make up the percieved difference (wrongly percieved, might I add). Dang it, he brefriended two Mythical Pokemon (Jirachi and that other Deoxys). I dunno, he's doing pretty well for himself. Sure he's snappish and remarks on a bunch of stuff, but AG is full of that (ugh Ash was on another level, especially in Hoenn) (we don't talk about flat Brock) and S1 Kanto was way worse.

Anyways everyone go out and appreciate this goober. He did not bond with this Ralts for nothing and I swear I did not cry in this ep just for everyone to hate him. His character growth was awesome and if we ever get a Chronicles 2.0 I need to see his journey (the kids that go with Ash legit get such powerful Pokemon I fear for the competition lol).

[endless-ineffabilities]

too soon to tell you I love you!

Ewan Mitchell x f!reader

a/n: another random Ewan oneshot, as a result of @seamaiden indulging my delusions 💛

main masterlist

It's not often that you bump into one of your favourite actors at the pub... or he bumps into you.

It is just another night out on the town, and your mates managed to convince you to have a couple of drinks out in Covent Garden.

There's a really good pub you haven't been to apparently, but you know your friends, and they would think a pub is stellar as long as there is free-flowing alcohol inside.

It's a pub, you typed in the group chat, what could be so special about it? I kinda want to stay in tonight.

It will be special cos we'll be in it, one of them replied.

And that was the end of it. No room for negotiation when a night out is involved, but you adore your close-knit band of rascals, so you're hardly fazed.

The three of you are snug in a booth, the first round of drinks already imbibed and wreaking havok in your livers.

"Another round, guys, c'mon," Paul says, slamming his hands down on the wooden table, ever the charming instigator.

"You want another, you be the one to fetch it," Gracie smirked, wagging a finger at him.

"But I got this one! Lay off me, mate. It's someone else's turn now, that's how the system is, let's be civil about this—"

"Oh my god," you cut him off with a teasing laugh, "you really will say anything to get out of getting another round, won't you?" You share a conspiratorial wink with Gracie.

Paul gapes like a blubbering fish. "Hey! But I got the first round—"

"Alright, alright, drama queen," you stand from your seat, patting his shoulder in a mock comforting manner, "I'll cover this round."

"Huzzah! I love you!"

You roll your eyes fondly. "Oh, get a grip. I'll be right back."

It's a Friday night, so traversing the cramped confines of the pub feels like walking into a battefield. You have to shimmy past patrons filing in and out, those standing around tables like flocks of flamingo instead of sitting as they should, lads too focused on the match on the telly to notice when you first mutter excuse me, pardon me.

Then someone, much to your increased annoyance, bumps right into you from behind. You're thrown off kilter when you feel an elbow shoved in between your shoulder blades, making you step on your own damn foot.

You turn sharply. "Hey, watch it—"

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"I... I..."

"Are you okay?" he asks. His sharp, angular face and intense, piercing gaze make him instantly recognizable. He has that quietly powerful presence, standing a bit taller than you expected, with striking cheekbones and the slightest smirk playing at his lips, framed by the littlest bit of dirty blonde scruff.

"Here, come on." He gently tugs at your arm, his other hand occupied with a full pint. You let him pull you away from the warm, inebriated bodies and into a more secluded corner to the side of the main bar. "Much better, eh? Sorry, I didn't think you could hear me back there. Pub's proper packed tonight, innit? But... yeah, I'm sorry for bumping into you like that."

"It's... not a problem."

"Really?"

You nod, forcing a smile, your throat so constricted you can barely form a coherent sentence.

"Well... I, uh... how about I make it up to you anyway, huh? I could get you a drink? And your mates too if they're around?"

"Yeah, they're..." You raise a hand and wave at your table, but they're already keenly watching you, intrigued looks on their faces. You'll never hear the end of this later. Or ever.

"Is that them?" He waves politely, smiling in amusement. He knows that they recognise him, and how could he not, when they're practically gaping in his direction.

And finally— "Oh, uhm, I'm... Ewan, by the way." You shake his extended hand, introducing yourself in turn.

"Nice to meet you," you croak, "and... uhhh... I actually—"

There's a spark in his eye, and either it's the ambient lighting or his cheeks turn flushed. "Do you watch the show?"

"Yes. I'm a huge fan of yours..." you exhale in relief, a weight off your shoulders as if some secret is finally revealed, but then you hear your words again. "...and the show! I mean, I love the show—"

"Thank you," he grins, saving you from blabbering on too much. He leans forward and nudges your upper arm in a friendly gesture. "Thank you so much, really. I'm glad to hear it."

"So can I ask what's it like to film—"

"You here with just mates or a boyf—"

"Oh, you go ahead," you quickly say, but he blurts out, "Sorry, what did you say?" at the same time. Again.

Just two cluckering hens unable to speak to each other.

Feeling your composure returning, you hold a finger up, telling him to listen for a moment. He laughs softly at your faux stern expression, and the sound is so warm and genuine that your attempted seriousness melts away instantly. You could so get used to that.

"I just wanted to ask, and I hope you don't mind, what is it like to film the show? To be Aemond?"

"Oh, it's an absolute dream," he starts, turning his gaze away for a brief moment as one does when they're tapping into a memory. His blue eyes are cast in another direction, and you're grateful for the momentary reprieve. You catch yourself letting out a shaky breath, no longer arrested by those magnetic orbs of his. But only a few seconds pass before you already miss gazing into them.

You get a hold of your thoughts, and tune in to his words as he continues, "Aemond has become very dear to me... Well, he's definitely a part of me now! And the cast is just the best group of people to work with and I couldn't be more grateful so... Who's your, uhh, favourite character then?"

"Well," you shrug, "you could say he's standing right in front of me!"

"Oh really? And why Aemond?" He places his pint down on the bar and takes a step closer, leaning against the varnished mahogany ever so casually. You have half a mind to chug his pint in order to deal with the intensity of simply being this close to him.

What can you say? Because he's the most beautiful boy you've ever seen? Because he's your tortured little war criminal who is precious and can do no wrong? Because you want to be his ladywife and consumm...

You decide none of those are usable.

So you jump into a brief explanation of how Aemond is a compelling character, a mix of ambition and vulnerability, constantly at odds with others and even himself.

All the while, Ewan stares at you intently. All the while, you pray that your heart won't stop.

When you finish, the smile that is already present on his lips stretches even wider. "You're not just saying that because I'm here, are you? Like, you wouldn't say Criston is your favourite if it were Fabien you bumped into tonight?"

You give a sardonic nod, a slight smirk playing at your lips. "Sure, Ewan. I can easily reuse everything I've said and apply it to Criston Cole. Is Fabien with you? Maybe he can bump into me, and we can start the whole thing all over again."

"No way," he says smoothly, "you're mine."

Your prayers didn't work. Your heart stopped.

He clears his throat, ears reddening. "I mean, you're on team Aemond, come on now. You must prefer him over Cole."

"Well, I do."

"So there, you are mine," he cheekily repeats. Shy then brazen. Embarrassed then flirty.

Just who is this man? You've seen dozens of interviews, heard many a tale of fan encounters, but with every passing second, you feel as if you're discovering someone new altogether.

And it's the type of exciting that stirs you at your core.

"Sorry, am I keeping you from company? I don't want to monopolise— "

He hurriedly shuts that down. "No, no, it's okay. I'm just here with my brother and..." A group of lads erupts in cheers at a goal. "...girlfriend."

"Oh," you mumble. Your heart did start working again, only to clench uncomfortably in your chest. "Well, you should get back to your girlfriend. It was really nice to meet—"

"Wait, hold on," he pleads, reaching for your hand to stop you from turning away, "Not my girlfriend. My brother's. I'm kind of third wheeling them actually. But he's only in London until tomorrow so he wanted to meet me anyway."

"Oh. Okay—"

"I don't... I don't have a girlfriend."

"Uhm, okay," you offer a small smile, unable to deny that his statement gave you some ease.

For no particular reason.

It dawns on you that his larger, rougher hand is still caging yours. When you finally lift your eyes to meet his, a gentle smile plays at his lips, his gaze unwavering.

He leans in, his voice dropping to a low, intimate tone meant only for you. "Listen, could I—"

Something flutters in your peripheral vision, distracting you, albeit you thought it impossible to have your attention diverted if you would ever meet Ewan.

But it was. You turn to see Paul waving an arm frantically at you, likely having waited far too long for his precious pint. Gracie, bless her, tries to get him to simmer down, reaching across the table to slap his arm. Her hand comes into contact with his skin, resulting in a smack loud enough to reach you across the pub.

"Ow!" Paul yelps.

"Leave her alone, mate!" Gracie snaps.

You can't help but laugh at their antics. When you turn to Ewan again, you lose track of what you were going to say, as he's watching you with an unexpected softness, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

"So..."

"Hmm?" How Aemond of him.

"I think I should do my duty and fetch those guys a round," you sigh, jutting a thumb at your table.

"Oh, I'll get it," he quickly offers. "Don't worry about it, darling."

"Are you sure? I really can—"

"Wait here," he murmurs, his voice so close to your ear that a shiver ripples through you, goosebumps prickling along your skin in response.

You watch as he effortlessly navigates the line, his steady confidence drawing your attention as he orders three pints when it's his turn. You can't help but wonder how no one else has recognized him yet. Luck must be on his side, the footy match on the screens rendering everyone oblivious to the presence of a celebrity in their midst.

Their loss, your gain.

The aforementioned celebrity gestures to you with a tilt of his head, and you weave through the crowd idling by the bar to reach him.

"Here, hold this for me, darling," he says, handing you his own half-empty pint. He balances a full tray with both hands, heading to your table, where Paul has most likely turned into a dry husk.

"Thank you for buying a round!" Gracie exclaims, bouncing slightly in her seat. "You are Ewan from House of the Dragon, right?"

Ewan smiles, shirking slightly under the attention. "Yeah, and hey, I'm just doing my part," he replies with a friendly shrug.

As they gush about House of the Dragon, you try your hardest to disappear into your chair, feeling your cheeks heat. Paul, however—of course—has other plans.

"So, Ewan, you have to know that my friend here—" He gestures dramatically toward you. "—has the biggest crush on Aemond. I'm talking full-on obsession, really.”

"Oh my god, Paul!" you groan, burying your face in your hands, mortified. "Why would you say that?"

Ewan chuckles, and you peer at him to find him leaning back, a smug yet handsome look on his face. "An obsession, you say?" he teases, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

You shake your head, laughing despite your embarrassment. "Okay, okay, that's a severe exaggeration."

Ewan says with a grin, looking between you and your friends. "I'll have to be on my best behavior, then, won’t I?"

"Oh, absolutely," Gracie replies. "If you mess this up, you'll ruin Aemond for her forever!"

Ewan raises his hands in mock surrender, laughing. "No pressure, then! But, I hope you don't mind if I steal her away for a while," he says, turning his gaze back to you, his tone softening. "I'd really like to sit and talk to her more."

Alys Rivers has got nothing on you.

"What about your brother?" you ask.

"Oh, I see him all the time," he says, all nonchalant, standing from the booth and offering his hand for you to take.

"Are you sure? I don't—"

"Oh my god, just go with him, mate! You know you want to," Paul groans loudly, then he throws Ewan a wink, adding, "You two would look so cute together, you know?"

You're about to chastise him for yet another pert remark, when Ewan replies, "Oh, yeah, I know."

As the night wears on, he recounts behind-the-scenes stories from filming, your shared laughter echoing in the back area of the pub. You lean in, captivated by the way he animatedly gestures, and by the absurd fact that you're casually talking to Ewan Mitchell.

Your Tumblr moots are going to have an absolute field day with this if they found out.

"You wouldn’t believe how many takes it took me to get that scene right with Vhagar," he says, shaking his head.

You can't help but laugh, picturing the scene. He watches you with a look that sends your poor heart fluttering.

The pub has just announced last call when he places his hand atop yours on the table. "Listen, darling... can I ask for your number? I would really love to see you again sometime."

Does he even have to ask?

"Uh, yeah, of course!" When you hand him his phone back, his fingers brush against yours, purposefully lingering for a moment longer than necessary.

"Brilliant," he says, glancing up at you with that charming smile. "I'll text you right now so you know it's really me."

True to his word, it doesn't take long before your phone buzzes in your pocket. You're met with a notification that an unknown number sent you a message—

Hey, beautiful. How about you let me take you out on a proper date tomorrow night? – your obsession, apparently

Your head shoots up, and you lock eyes with Ewan, who is already laughing to himself.

"Ewan! Are you kidding me?" you exclaim, but surrendering to the humour of the whole thing, laughing with him.

"Please say yes, darling?" he tilts his head, pouting adorably, drawing nearer to you.

Yes. Of course. Most certainly.

"Well... since I'm obsessed with you, I guess you already know my answer."

[f1cflcfic]

The Prophecy (SMAU ft. Lando Norris) Part III

pairing: lando norris x singer!reader (y/n)

summary: what happens after the break-up that noone saw coming? as Y/N L/N gears up to release her next album, each song reveals a little bit of the past, present and future of her relationship with Lando Norris. Inspired by a curated playlist built around "The Prophecy".

note: this is RPF and is obviously in no way, shape, or form reflective of real persons.

genre: social media au, angst, exes to lovers, happy ending

part i part ii

♥･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♡･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♥

Halloween, 2026

1st week of November, 2026

[Transcript of Y/N on the Graham Norton Show]

“Wow, Y/N L/N everybody, with “Jaded” from her new album “the Prophecy” that’s out next week - thank you, that was amazing.”

“Thanks so much, I was so nervous!”

“Nervous?” A giggle ripples through the audience at Graham’s incredulous expression. “Do you really still get nervous?”

“I do, yeah for special performances like this one, or Saturday Night Live in the States – it’s scary to sing on live TV!”

“Now, would you say that’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?”  Y/N doesn’t answer, just looks on warily. “Because it’s just been Halloween, and I heard that last year’s was particularly scary for you.”

“Yes, but only because I just wasn’t made for Halloween – I hate scary stuff, but have a very insistent slasher loving friend,” Y/N confesses, then moans in embarrassment, hiding behind her hands. “I can’t believe you’re bringing this up Graham, I’m gonna be so uncool after this.”

“It’s okay,” Paul Mescal chimes in from further up the red sofa, “I can’t watch horror or anything like that either.”

With a small, grateful smile, Y/N starts recounting a story. “Right?! But I have this friend who is obsessed, and she’s wanted me to go to a haunted house with her for ages. I fumbled my excuse last year, then got dragged into it. It was awful. I went in holding Sabrina’s hand, but then that traitor let go of me at the very first jumpscare, which was some type of room with this chainsaw guy and then a bunch of creepy people making creepy noises. I tried to grab her hand again and just made a run for it in a blind panic, only to realise halfway down the hall that the creepy noises aren’t stopping and I’m screaming and running even harder. Until there’s a tug on my hand and I turn around, only to realise that I’ve been running through this maze with a death grip on this poor actor’s hand. And he just goes “if I show you the exit, will you take a selfie with me?”, and that’s the one and only time I’ve ever made use of the celebrity card.”

Everyone laughs, which Graham seamlessly uses to pivot to the Red Chair stories. “Let’s see what other entertaining stories we have here today. Tell us, what’s your name and where are you from?”

“Hi, my name’s Vivian and I’m from Glastonbury.”

“Oh, that’s nice! The hallowed festival grounds – is your story related to that at all?”

“It does, actually!”

Graham looks delighted by that, and claps his hands, “oh yes – I can’t wait to hear this. Off you go Vivian”

“So I work as a police officer in Somerset, but I usually take time off for Glastonbury each year, whereas some of my colleagues work security for everyone attending. Y/N was actually performing that year, so I made sure to take time off to watch her set.” It makes Y/N smile, but when she leans in to get a closer look her eyes go wide all of a sudden.

Graham looks over at Y/N questioningly, but motions for Vivian to continue – his hand resting on the lever. 

“I remember showing up to work afterwards, only to find out that my colleagues had been the ones to escort Y/N to and from the festival grounds. I was really bummed about it, jealous they got to meet her. But then earlier this year, around September or so I was on patrol in the area – it was a fairly quiet day on country roads. Until we get closer to this small borough, and there’s someone quite clearly about to drive through a roundabout counterclockwise.”

Y/N sinks into the sofa, trying to disappear. “We signal for the driver to pull over, and when I go up to their vehicle to write them a ticket, I got my moment after all - it turned out to be Y/N.”

“In my defense – I hadn’t driven in the UK for three years, I’m sorry! I paid the ticket!” Y/N says weakly.

The audience laughs, and Y/N cheeks go red from humiliation, but Vivian is quick to corroborate. “She did, and even signed my phone for me.”  

“Alright Vivian, that’s a good story, you can walk, go on then. Reminder everyone tonight in London – be safe on the roads, Y/N is out there!”

2d week of November, 2026

2 week of November - release weekend, 2026

[Daily Mail excerpt] Lando No-Comment-rris refuses to answer questions about ex-girlfriend Y/N L/N as he parties it up in London

As the Formula One driver for McLaren turns yet another year older, the question if he's also gotten any wiser. Norris was photographed entering exclusive club Annabel's, before later making his way to a private afterparty with close friend Martin Garrix.

The driver has been having an eventful F1 season, with a very tight race for the championship that's seemingly going to get decided in the final race, as Norris battles it out to defend his current #1 ranking. The athlete has clearly reaped the benefits of his new and improved lifestyle, which seems to include a strict exercise and mealplanning regimen and very little distractions. However, Norris clearly made an exception for his birthday, as onlookers said he was "taking shots" and "enjoying himself" in the VIP section. Pictured below is Norris, together with friends Martin Garrix and fellow driver Max Verstappen.

Perhaps the night was much needed, as Norris has had to endure a very private break-up becoming very public after the release of Y/N L/N's latest album on his actual birthday. In fact, in a rare twist of fate, both the F1 driver and his ex were spotted in the UK capital over the weekend to mark the occasion. While Norris enjoyed Mayfair, L/N was spotted elsewhere in the city as she performed an acoustic set of "The Prophecy".

The two previously resided in Monaco, but since their break-up have not been seen much in public. Norris is believed to have moved his main residence back to the UK, while L/N is rumoured to have returned to her original residence as well.

Up until now, Norris and L/N have remained tightlipped about their relationship and ensuing breakup. When asked about his feelings on the album's release date, Norris refused to comment. Similarly, he did not want to answer questions as to whether the two had been in touch. In a recent interview on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy, L/N did seem to imply there were no hard feelings between the two. The two do still share mutual friends, as is evident by Martin Garrix congratulating Y/N L/N on her new album in his IG stories earlier this weekend.

We have reached out to their reps for comment.

3d week of November, 2026

♥･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♡･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♥

part IV can be read here

♥ likes, comments, reblogs are always very much appreciated ♥

taglist (open) : @charlesgirl16

[joeyfranchise]

𝟙𝟚 𝕕𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕗𝕚𝕔-𝕞𝕒𝕤: 𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕤𝕚𝕩

around the rink

bestfriend!joe x fem!reader

summary: the one where you go ice-skating with your best friend for his birthday 🤍 (and a surprise?)

warnings: none really… just cutesy ;)

word count: 2k.

note: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY JOEY B!! i thought you guys might like a cute cozy bestie joe fic! 🫶🏻 i listened to dorothea by taylor swift, here with me by d4vd, p.s i love you by paul partohap, and night changes by one direction (hehe also bc of the mv) :)

okay guys. it’s edited and parts have been reworked. i kept a lot of the jokes about girls in because this is fiction, and they are just jokes and banter. love you.

you slide your spare key into joe’s front door lock as quietly as you can, turning it gently and slowly pushing the door open. you step inside softly, toeing off your shoes and placing the small gift bag on the coffee table before heading down the hall.

when you texted joe last night to ask if you could come over he said it’d be fine but you assumed joe would still be asleep when you got here. as you made it further and further down the hallway you began to regret not calling him to let him know you were here. ‘what if he has a girl over. fuck.’ you thought, almost turning around and heading back outside to call him.

before you could take another step his bedroom door opened, and joe screamed with a bit of fright as he didn’t expect you to be standing there. “JESUS CHRIST, Y/N!”

you screamed back at him, you were spooked easily if someone else was. joe leapt forward slightly and enveloped you in his arms, your face pressed into his bare chest. you’d only just realized he was shirtless and…. ‘play it cool. play it cool.’ you told yourself.

“what are you doing over so early? i wasn’t expecting you til noon.” he asks, craning his neck down to look at you.

“well, i was actually about to go back outside and call because i quickly realized that just coming in could have been a bad idea since it’s so early. do you— is someone else here? i can go and come back?” you ask sheepishly, wringing your hands together.

“yeah, i have three girls in my room right now.” he tells you stone-faced. your eyes widen for a moment before you realize he’s just messing with you. joe laughs out loud before releasing you from his embrace and rubbing your shoulder.

“nobody’s here, goof. you’d know if i was seeing someone.” that part was true, you and joe shared everything with each other given that you’d been friends for so long. you hadn’t seen him in a while, but you always made time to call and talk to each other, so every detail of your lives were still shared.

“true,” you echoed, but your mind was still racing. “but like, it’s your birthday. you could’ve been rocking out to jeremih in there, you get me? like birthday sexin’ it up. nasty.” you shudder.

joe laughs at you again before running a hand through his hair. “shut up. i’m glad to see you, even if it is early as fuck.” he says softly, throwing an arm over your shoulder and walking toward the kitchen with you in tow.

joe opens the fridge as soon as he’s standing in front of it, grabbing out a jug of orange juice. he pops the top off and begins chugging it straight from the bottle.

“that’s so fucking nasty, joe!” you scold him, your face crinkled up in disgust. “nobody else lives here or drinks outta this. shut uppppp. you sound like my mom.” he replies.

you roll your eyes at him and walk to the living room to grab the gift bag you brought with you. joe meets you in the doorway, and you can see the excitement glaze over his eyes as he sees the bag in your hands.

“you got me a gift? you didn’t have to.” he assures you, his voice soft as a smile creeps across his face.

“i wanted to. it’s not much, but i thought you’d like it.”

he takes the bag from you slowly and pulls out the tissue paper, crumpling it up and throwing it to the floor. you shake your head and laugh at him as you pick it up, but you keep your eyes on joe as he pulls the gift from the bag.

you got him an ornament for his tree, which you were shocked to see he’d put up since he was currently living alone. you figured robin might’ve had something to do with that. the ornament was shaped like a snowflake, and it held one of your favorite photos of you and joe. it was one that another mutual friend took of you while you were out at dinner one night.

in the picture, your mouth was full of ramen noodles, the chopsticks still to your mouth as the noodles hung out of your lips mid-slurp. joe was next to you, his face turned toward yours as he pretended to go for a bite of the side of your head. your eyes were crinkled up and joe was visibly holding in a laugh. it was one of your favorites and you knew joe loved it too.

“this is… i love it!” he says, walking over and immediately placing it on the tree, front and center. he had a few other ornaments littered around, but he put this right in the middle. “that’s one of my favorite photos of us. thank you.” he says kindly, walking over to you. joe reaches out to wrap you in a hug.

“happy birthday joe!” you say, squeezing him back. he holds you close for a moment, and you love the embrace, you’ve missed him a lot. he missed you a lot, too.

you stay there for a few moments, holding each other, but the next thing you know is joe’s grabbing the back of your head and shoving your face in his armpit. you scream and punch him in the chest as he backs off and then runs away laughing.

“you’re so gross! what is wrong with you!” you shout down the hallway, chasing after him. he runs in his room and plops down on the bed, and you follow him. you jump onto his bed too and fall back against the pillows, both of you catching your breath from laughing.

joe finally regains his composure and rolls over to face you. “so, do you have plans today? or did you wanna hangout?”

you smirk at him. “i figured we could hang out. i have a surprise for you later.” you wink.

joe doesn’t question it, he’s learned to never question you or your antics. the two of you lie in his bed for a while, catching up and goofing around with each other before deciding to order take-out and watch a few movies.

your bellies are soon stuffed and the movies are lulling you both into a quiet, comfortable slumber. you don’t mind falling asleep beside joe, you’ve done it before on many drunken nights and even through a few fucked up heartbreaks. his soft snores fill the room and soon after you’re knocked out too, off somewhere in la-la-land.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

when you wake you check the time on your phone, 5:45pm. you let out a loud sigh of relief when you realize you didn’t sleep too long, and you and joe could still make your evening plans.

you shake joe awake, gently at first, but with more force when he doesn’t budge. “joseph lee, wake the hell up!” you shout, rolling over on top of him. he keeps his eyes closed but he smiles at you, his hands coming to rest on your hips.

you suddenly feel a little flustered, but when joe opens his eyes you try to play it cool. joe looks a little nervous too, but you aren’t sure why.

you hop off the side of the bed quickly, grabbing joe by the hand and pulling him up. “put on a hoodie and some shoes, we gotta go!” you say excitedly, running toward the living room to slip your shoes back on.

joe meets you in the living room, his body clad in an old high-school football sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. you smile softly at him before taking his hand and leading him out the door. he locked his front door as you unlocked your car doors, sliding into the drivers seat quickly.

joe opened your passenger door and leaned his head in. “oh hell nah, you’re not driving me around. get out.” he protests.

“yes i am, joseph. i’m not telling you what or where the surprise is. get your ass in the car.”

joe groans in frustration and reluctantly slides into the car, buckling his seatbelt with a noticeable attitude. “you’re such a grump.” you laugh, reaching over to shove his shoulder.

you put the car in reverse and back out of his driveway quickly. the drive is short, so you don’t bother turning any music on. joe keeps his eyes trained forward. he’s pretending to be mad, but you know he isn’t. he’s probably more nervous for where you’re taking him than anything else.

when you arrive you park and turn the car off, anxious for joe’s reaction. you’ve brought him to an ice-skating rink. he looks at you with wide eyes.

“you brought me ice-skating? i’m too valuable to the team, y/n. what if i get hurt?”

your smile drops, realizing you didn’t think this through. “fuck. just like dance moms when maddie couldn’t skate.” you said, turning to face away from joe.

“i’m teasing bub. we’ll be fine. i’m sure it’ll be fun.”

you shoot him a dirty look as you both exit the car. “i tried to get it as secluded as possible. i reserved a time and told the owners about it so… hopefully nobody will bother us.” you tell him as you both walk to the entrance. “if they do you can just flash ‘em that rbf and they’ll probably hit the road.” he laughs.

you and joe grab your skates and lace up, super careful when you take the blade covers off as you get to the ice rink. neither of you are pros at skating, but you both aren’t horrible either. you take it slow at first, doing a few laps before being confident enough to try and skate with joe.

you’re both laughing as you lock hands, gaining speed as you circle the rink together. there aren’t many people there, and the people who are don’t bother you at all.

“want me to spin you?” joe asks, wiggling his eyebrows at you. “do i look like kristi yamaguchi to you? hell no.” you say, giving him a stern look to stamp your point. joe continues laughing as you both skate a few more laps around the rink.

when you’re finished, you both quickly come off the ice to change your shoes, carefully putting the blade covers back on before turning your skates in. the cold winter air bites at your noses and ears since the rink is mostly outside, so you and joe order travel cups of hot chocolate, yours with extra marshmallows. he races you back to the car.

you get in quickly and start the engine, turning the heat up as high as it’ll go before sipping at your hot drink. the warm liquid seeps through you and you’re thankful that the cup in your hands is warming your frigid fingers. joe smiles at you softly before taking a sip of his drink, and then places his cup in one of your cupholders.

“did you have fun?” you ask him, you’re starting to feel nervous. he licks his lips before answering, and he seems nervous again too. you aren’t sure why.

“i had so much fun. you made my birthday so special.” he says, reaching across the console to take one of your hands. you have to put your cup down too, but you extend your hand to joe after.

his thumb rubs soothing circles into the back of your hand. his eyes meet yours in a fleeting gaze. you start feeling even more nervous.

“joe… is something wrong?” you ask, concerned at his sudden behavior.

“no, i was just wondering if i could…” he trails off, still not meeting your gaze. you know he’s looking from his peripherals. you cock your head to the side in question before he turns to look at you again.

it happens quickly. one moment you’re making innocent eye contact with him, the next he’s leaned across the console, his hand gently cupping your face as he presses his lips to yours. your brain has completely turned itself off. your eyes are wide in disbelief. you have to force yourself to calm down, to focus on this moment.

you close your eyes, kissing joe back with fervor. ‘holy shit. your best friend is kissing you. and you’re okay with it?’

joe pulls away slowly, keeping his eyes trained on yours to gauge your reaction. “thank you for today. it was so special.” he says. you nod your head yes, unable to form words. joe grips your hand, squeezing it softly before sitting back in his seat and facing forward.

the drive home was the same as the drive there, quiet. full of silent words and emotions that needed to be shared. but where should you start?

photos and dividers used are not mine. all cred to owners.

taglist: @slimshiesty @starsinthesky5 @kykysinlovewithafairytale @burrowdarling @joeyb1989 @loveyatopluto @toterry @unhingedfangirl @superheroprincess22 @burreauxsworld @definitelynotdomanique @samanthamark5 @superstarshitblog @fa1ry03 @wickedfun9 @xbriexx @venic-bxtch @burrowdarling @angels555 @idbe-theman @yelenasbraid @ladyluvduv @joeburrowshaircurl @joeybisbootiful @livinobx @blairsworld22 @jarring-behavior @joeyburrrow @yomamaslays4lyfe @gazebotori

[mywritersmind]

FOR THE PLOT - KA12

summary : A vacation, perfect timing, and their friends, bring Y/n and Kimi together on a tipsy adrenaline filled night.

listen up : KIMI ANTONELLI X READER! kissing and drinking! my first kimi fic which is super fun to write bc he’s the closest to my age. prob will make more parts!

word count : 1523

⋆｡‧˚⋆

Tan and in a mini dress is all I needed to feel myself again. When my friends said they were spontaneously going to the Maldives, I told them they were crazy and my parents would never go for it. Then they reminded me that I’m an adult and my parents had no choice but to say yes.

I sip on my pina colada, a hand in the air and dancing with my two best friends. Delilah giggles, her braided hair in two thick braids, she looks past me and giggles, “There’s a boy watching you!” A cool breeze blows past us, chilling my skin a bit under the humidity.

I laugh, “Couldn’t have made that less creepy?” Still, I turn around to see a boy indeed watching me. When my eyes meet his, he looks away, talking to his friend before glancing back and smiling softly.

He's cute and I’m surprised I haven’t seen him around the resort until now. He’s got a shorter brunette boy next to him, a tall dark haired boy, and a tall blonde boy dancing up to them with drinks.

I turn back to my friends and laugh, “Dibs on the blonde!” Cara says, pushing her light brown hair over her shoulder while checking the guy out as I laugh and frown down at my drink, empty.

I hop back over to the bar, seeing two of my guy friends, Micha and Jamie both flirting with much older guests. I give them a look to which they both smirk at before ordering another drink.

I hear laughter and what sounds like arguing, turning to see what is happening, I see the two boys pushing the cute curly haired one towards me.

He pushes against them, shaking his head. When he looks up at me and realizes I'm watching, his already burnt cheeks go pinker. “This is Kimi!” The blonde one says, slapping his friend on the shoulder before running off.

“I-” Kimi tugs on the collar of his dark blue button down, “Hi.”

I laugh, finding his awkwardness amusing, “Hi.”

“Sorry about my friends- they act like that a lot… more than you’d think.”

I raise a brow, “Pushing you to go talk to girls?”

He laughs, “Yeah. This is the first time I've actually wanted to, though.” I smile, the bartender handing me another pina colada.

I nod, watching the boy, “I’m Y/n.” He looks relieved when I talk, “I like your accent. Italian?”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Y/n. And thanks, I am italian!” He leans against the bar, messing up his order but laughing with the bartender. “How long are you here for?”

“Got in like two days ago… I’m here for another two weeks!” He seems to perk up at this.

“I got in today! I’m here for two weeks as well.” He takes his drink and the bartender shoos us away. As Kimi walks next to me, I realize that he’s a good bit taller than me.

As we walk away from the party, I see my friends meeting Kimis, they all see us but I can tell they’re pretending to not watch. I laugh a bit as we walk down the beach.

I find out Kimi is eighteen and I sigh in relief because so am I. “This is my first real trip without my family.” He laughs shyly, “So far it’s looking up.” He glances at me.

“I think this counts as mine too. I mean- I went to Monza for like two days while my friend went to a race but…” I notice him staring at me and stop talking. “You okay?”

“Monza as in the Italian grand prix?”

I nod, “Yeah! Were you there or something? I’m not really into F1 but my best friend is totally obsessed, she’s the brunette back there eyeing your blonde friend.”

He laughs out loud, shaking his head, “Paul? Yeah well I think she will love him when she finds out he’s an F2 driver.”

“No way!” I drink more, “Funny how things like that happen.”

He nods, running a hand through his curls as we step onto the trail of villas that are perched over the water. He invites me to his deck, I can tell that guys are staying here because there’s board shorts, sunscreen, and cups left.

We sit on the sunken couch, I put my legs under me and turn towards him, his arm around the back. “I really like your necklace.” His hand goes to the chain around my neck, a tiny shell and pearl in the middle.

I bite my lip at his closeness, his hand brushing my chest, “Thanks. I make them.” He looks up quickly as I say it.

“Really? That’s insane!” His hand drops and I smile, my cheeks heating and suddenly I'm very thankful for the lack of light.

“I made this one here actually! I do rings and bracelets as well!” I accidentally start rattling on about what I make and he just sits and listens like I've known him for years. I realize what I'm doing and stop suddenly, “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for being passionate.” His eyes are beautiful and makes me think this is dangerous. Not being out here with a random guy, but already wanting to kiss him.

His head tilts against his arm, looking up at me with his brown eyes. I have a realization then. It's my last bit of summer, I'm eighteen, I'm alone with my friends, a cute boy is in my grasp.

We sit there for what feels like hours but I'm pretty sure there is only one. He’s so easy to talk to that I don’t know what time it is. I hear the footsteps of people going back to their rooms but after a while, everything is pretty quiet, except for the far away club music at the bar.

I sit up and grin, “Do you wanna go swimming?”

He raises a brow, “Now?”

I glance at the dark water that surrounds us, “Yes!”

That’s how I end up in the private pool that each villa has. It’s lit dimly from above and I'm even more grateful because I'm in my bra and underwear.

For the plot, I remind myself.

Kimi shirtless makes me doing things out of my comfort zone 100% worth it. He’s fucking ripped and I feel my face heating as I eye his abs and arms while he stands outside the water in just boxers. He didn’t change into swimming things because he didn’t want me to feel alone.

He turns around and does a backflip into the water, “Wow!” I laugh, feeling my drinks in me now, “Talented!”

“Ah, love, you have no clue!” He swims towards me, dunking his head and shaking his curls out like a dog. I ignore the nickname and laugh.

“Hey!” I yell, splashing him. He grins at me, his smile is ridiculously attractive.

“You’re cute.” He says quickly, swimming backwards. I laugh and watch him dive under the water.

I feel a hand grasp my ankle and suddenly I'm getting pulled under the water. I kick him and get back to air, laughing so hard that I start to cough.

“Shit are you-” I push him under the water, my hands on his head. We play around, he laughs and splashes me one last time as the back of my head hits the side of the pool.

He floats closer, his hand going to my face scares me at first, but then he softly rubs his thumbs under my eyes, wiping my clearly smudged mascara.

I smile, one hand still on my cheek and the other next to my head, holding himself up. Water is dripping from his curls onto his face but he only seems to notice me.

I bite my lip softly, his eyes going to them. When his eyes meet mine again he starts to speak, “Can I-” I know what he’s going to say.

I kiss him first, my hands on his neck as one of his goes to my waist, holding me up.

He kisses me back immediately, my head hitting the wood behind me and his hand tightening on my waist, slipping down a bit.

The creek of the floors makes us both look up to investigate, the tall brunette from before is like a deer in headlights, “Give a guy some warning!” He says in a British accent.

Kimi just drops his head to my shoulder, shaking it with his eyes squeezed shut, “Ollie!” At the yell, the boy hurries away and Kimi takes a second before looking up at me regretfully, “I’m so sorry.”

I laugh, “Honestly don’t worry.” I pull my hands away from him, “I should go though, need to find my friends.”

His eyes dim a bit but he nods and backs up, “Hey uh- think I can see you tomorrow?”

I step out of the water, stealing a towel and smiling wide with my back facing him. I breathe and turn back to him casually, “If you can find me.”

[httpiastri]

I'm begging for smut with Paul my man with "teach me" and "is this ok?" maybe it's the first time they get that far and they are both kinda inexperienced and super soft, I'd you can make Reader the one that "teaches" that would be amazing

love your works have a great day 💕💕💕💕💕

thank you for requesting sweets!! esp thanks for requesting paul <3<3 my brainrot is so real. i had so much fun writing this and i rlly got too into it lol. hope u have a great day too!

18+ content below, minors dni!!

the feeling of his lips on yours is familiar. the way he tilts his head as he presses himself harder against you, the way his teeth sink down into your bottom lip, the way he licks into your mouth; it's nothing new, it's yesterday's news, such a comforting feeling.

but it's still never been quite like this before. there's never before been this eagerness, this impatience, this amount of lust. your hips don't usually roll down against his this hard, and he doesn't usually let out these kinds of moans. there's something new in the air, a new type of greediness, and none of you complain.

your knees are settled on either side of his lap, your arms resting on his shoulders as his large hands squeeze the top of your hips, thumbs drawing absent-minded circles into the skin. you're both left in your underwear by now, after an awkward but giggly stripping session, and you're sure the cute floral panties you're wearing have a damp spot already. however, the way paul is poking up at you from under the thin layer of his calvin kleins makes you realize you're not the only one who's pent up. paul's hands make their way up your sides, dipping inside your flowery camisole top, the pads of his fingers swiping along your upper ribs. his touch makes you sigh into the kiss, arms wrapping around his neck to pull yourself further onto his crotch.

you've never gone this far before. sure, you'd seen each other in just your underwear a few times, while getting changed together or when you went swimming together. and you'd made out plenty of times, with his hands all over your body and you gasping for air as he left bitemarks down your neck and along your collarbones. but you'd never gone further than some grinding and kissing, so this was definitely a new feeling.

paul eventually parts from the kiss, leaning back slightly to take in the sight before him. your flushed cheeks, your perked nipples poking through your top, your red and swollen lips. your eyes open and they meet his gaze, a bit questioning as to why he's stopped. his gaze is scanning your face, analyzing your features and looking for even a tiniest hint of uncertainty.

"are you sure about this, sweetheart?" his voice almost cracks when he speaks, too flustered and excited to keep calm.

you're nervous. you aren't exactly the most experienced – far from it, actually – and just the thought of this situation brought you chills whenever the possibility flashed through your mind these last few weeks. thinking about it has been a kind of common occurrence recently, as you figured this was approaching, but your mind never really got accustomed to the idea.

you can tell paul is a bit nervous, too. he's more tense than usual, muscles stiff under your touch and fingers trembling slightly as he holds you. he doesn't have a lot of experience either, and there's something special about being here with the girl he likes so much, in a situation where you're both so exposed and so raw, with so much trust in each other. it makes him tingle in a way he's never felt before.

"yeah, i'm sure," you finally get out, fingers moving to play with the hair on the nape of his neck. "you?"

he gives you a quick nod. then, he leans in to press another kiss to your lips, more gentle than before. when he parts this time, his fingers move down your front, fingers grazing your stomach. "what makes you feel good?" his touch moves down to the lace of your panties, fingers dragging along the edge. "teach me, love."

you take a deep breath, gathering all of the courage you have in your body. just do it, you tell yourself.

and then you reach down to take one of his hands in yours, pushing it into your underwear. you fold his fingers to only leave the pointer and middle out, dragging them back and forth along your wet folds while your eyes flutter closed. you position his fingers on your clit, pressing them down and drawing circles onto your sensitive bud as a you moan lowly.

paul's jaw drops. you've never been this bold around him before, and now he's watching his always oh so innocent girlfriend basically fuck herself on his fingers. he wasn't sure if this day would come, but he is definitely happy about it.

the circles increase in speed and your head is spinning already. you guide one of his fingers to your core, slowly pushing it inside you as a shiver shoots down your spine. you take him all the way down to his knuckles, pulling him in and out of yourself a few times before adding another finger. he stretches you out, and it's painful but also so good, and you never want it to end. after a while, the buildup gets too strong and you lean your forehead onto his shoulder, your grip on his hand easing.

paul takes your helplessness as a sign. this time without your guidance, he continues pumping you with his fingers, adding a third one when he deems you ready for it. "is this okay?" he asks, thumb brushing your clit every once in a while.

"yeah- just-" your breath hitches in your throat as you try to speak and he grins at the sound, so satisfied and content with himself and the way you're reacting to his touch. your hand lets go of him completely, instead coming up to rest around his neck as a string of sweet whines spill past your lips. paul grows uncomfortably hard as he hears you, craving you even more.

and when he pushes you to the top, helping you reach your high, you're left a shaking mess in his embrace. you clench around his fingers and the noises you let out are like music to his ears, ones he could never get tired of. he's still pushing in and out of you to help you ride it out, your hot breath against his skin so sexy to him. paul loves the way you're curled into his chest, with his free arm slung around your body to keep you close as you twitch and shudder occasionally. it makes him feel proud and thankful that you let him do this to you, that you came undone like this to him.

a warm feeling spreads in his chest when you finally lean back, drowsy eyes finding his. you slowly blink up at him, taking in the sweet grin of this godlike man in front of you, and your heart flutters when he presses a kiss to your forehead. "you alright there?" he asks.

"so good." your hand curls in the hair at the back of his neck and you pull him down to you, tasting his lips again. "so good i think we should... you know..."

the chuckle that vibrates from his chest makes you shove his shoulder, but you are not nearly strong enough right now for him to even budge. "i do know." his hands land on your waist and he flips you both over, laying you down on the covers as he climbs on top of you. "are you really sure about this?"

his gaze is genuine and caring, and you get the feeling that he'd be totally alright with stopping here and now if you wanted to. but instead, you nod your head. "for the hundredth time, yes."

he presses his lips to you one final time, mumbling against your lips. "thank you. i love you."

"i love you, too."

[biapascal]

Childood Besties.

Request: hi! how are you? if you're taking requests i would love one with paul mescal <3 him and reader were childhood friends and always had feelings, but they stop seeing each other because life, collegue happens (the usual) and when the both are adults the meet again during the holidays and it's so cute, pleasee!!! thanks, have a lovely day <3

Hi love! 🤎🫧 Hope you like this!

Summary: reader name is Millie. Childood best friends. Fluff fluff fluff 🪶

Warnings: loss of a parent.

You met him at the playground. Your hands were covered in dirt and he was playing with toy cars next to you. You didn't even bother to ask him to join you: you were building your fort and didn't want any unwanted visitors.

"It's going to fall" he said. "What?" You tilted your head and he pointed to your construction. "It's going to fall." You found it annoying. "No, it's not" you replied. He smiled softly. "All right then, can my cars come by, they need gas."

"Yes, I have gasoline in there."

🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧

You didn't want to get this tattoo. You hated the idea of the ink taking root in your skin, you would have felt damaged. You spent the night before scrolling through Pinterest looking for inspiration. You chose the seahorse because it reminded you of the days you spent with him at the beach. You didn't even like it that much, but you were tired of searching. Your father died and you felt the need to get a tattoo. You thought it was stupid, but you felt it was the right thing to do. They had just opened a tattoo parlor in your own city. A friend recommended it, and you didn't have the time or inclination to look elsewhere. Gia got a tattoo there: A small gerbil on the collar bone. It was cute, and that was enough for you to understand the skills of the tattoo artist. You arrived with the picture ready to be shown, and seeing Paul was unexpected. The two of you were childhood buddies until eighth grade: he started playing soccer and you didn't care about his hobbies anymore, so you found other friends. You didn't leave him with hatred, but over the years you wondered what your teenage years would have been like around him. You even had an innocent crush on him during seventh grade, but you never told him because you felt he already knew and didn't say anything so as not to break your heart. After high school he disappeared from your sight. You followed him on social media and saw that he got a girlfriend. She was hot and he seemed happy. You weren't jealous, but you couldn't help but wonder what he would be like as a boyfriend.

When you saw him that day, he was single and in great shape. "Mills!" He greeted you. "Damn, I didn't expect to see you” you chuckled. "Yeah, me neither." He was cleaning a table and seemed relaxed and happy to see you. You'd be lying if you said he wasn't a fine man. "How are you??"

Shitty: Your father just died and you got a college degree in marine biology while working at Starbucks. You managed to smile despite the horrible feeling inside you. "Well" you didn't even want to lie. "My father just died..." his eyes widened in shock. "Jez Mills, I'm so sorry” you nodded, used to those words. "I was actually going to get a tattoo for him, it's stupid and clichéd I know..."

“Well, I don't judge. If you feel it's something you want to do to remember him, that's fine.” He said. He was always good at drawing and for years he had to choose between following his soccer career or an artistic path.

The seahorse was perfect.

You smiled. "Thanks, it's really cute" he got up from his seat. "I know I shouldn't ask, but why a seahorse? Did your dad introduce you to marine biology?" you shook your head. "I actually picked a seahorse yesterday” you admitted, blushing a little. He smiled amused. "Really?" you nodded. "I was thinking about my memories with him, and I remembered him teaching me how to swim, and then, you know... I just picked a sea creature". You were about to put on your jacket and leave when he stopped you. From the look on his face, you could tell he wasn't sure what he was going to say, and you felt strange. "Look, I know it's been a while..." he began. "More than a while, we were kids then" you added. "Yeah, but I just got here, my old buddies don't live here anymore, the town has changed. Wouldn't you like to have lunch together, talk a little and get to know our grown-up versions of ourselves together?" It was an interesting way to ask someone out. "Yes" you nodded with a warm feeling in your chest. "Sure. Monday is okay?"

You didn't know if this was a date, but you still had to look nice. During the holidays, the city embraced your Christmas spirit with comfort and cute decorations on the streets. You waited for him outside the pub, and when you saw him, you couldn't help but feel attracted and wished this was a date.

Christmas music was playing in the background, but the atmosphere was gone. Paul must have noticed your discomfort and asked you if you were okay. "Yeah, yeah, it's just” you looked around. "It's loud" he nodded. "We can go somewhere else if you want” you shook your head. "No, I really want a beer” he chuckled. "Okay, okay."

He has always been caring since he was a child. He seemed genuinely interested in how you felt. So when he started asking you about your family, work, and friends, you knew he wanted to know that everything was really okay.

"Yes, Mom got better and now I can say that the awful feeling of grief is slowly becoming less painful, but please, I want to know about your life” he felt uncomfortable and you wrinkled your eyebrows. "Sorry," he blushed. "It's just... I dropped out of college. Soccer was stressing me out and I was looking for a job" there was nothing to be ashamed of. "Hey, you have your own tattoo studio" he took a sip of his beer. "Why are you ashamed?" he sighed. "Well, all my friends went to college, even you..." you rolled your eyes. "Who cares, I have a degree and I work at Starbucks.” You raised your eyebrows. "Nothing against Starbucks, but after all those years of studying, it's not exactly what I wanted."

The lunch was great. It gave you a warm feeling. You felt comfortable around him and now you really wanted to get that tattoo.

When you arrived at the studio, he asked you where you wanted it. You blushed because you weren't sure. "Uh, how about the wrist?" he suggested. You nodded. "Is that a nice spot?" you asked. "Yes, it would look cute on you."

It was painful as hell, and when you got to the end and had the seahorse on your skin, you sighed in relief. He was there the whole time, working carefully and asking you about your pain. You wanted to stay in that chair with him for a little while longer, even if you didn't want to have another pain session. he noticed, and you both blushed. "How was it?" He asked. "Terrible, but the drawing is adorable," he smiled softly. "Glad you liked it."

You started to date shortly after. The first time he asked you out, he went to Starbucks and you felt embarrassed, but were happy to serve him and say yes. You have met several times. One day you were walking through the park and noticed that the playground had disappeared. "That's sad” he looked at you confused. You pointed to the place where you and him used to spent your childhood together. "The playground...they got rid of it" he looked surprised. "Oh" he started to walk and you followed him. You both tried to remember where the objects of your past were, pretending to see them. You were on the "swing" when he suddenly stopped and stared at you seriously. "Hey, what's going on?" He remained serious for a few seconds and then smiled, giving you a warm feeling in your stomach. "Nothing, just thinking” you scowled. "About what?" He chuckled. "Nothing, it's just... this place reminded me of when you had a crush on me" he admitted. You blushed and looked down. "Oh, so you knew then..." he nodded. "I was waiting for you to tell me" you widened your eyes in surprise. "Too bad you didn't and I was too cowardly to say anything myself". "So you... you had a crush on me?" he chuckled, obviously embarrassed. "Yeah." You both remained silent. "But I don't want to be a coward now, too” your eyes brightened. "Do you have a crush on me?" You asked. He nodded. "Yes, Mills, I like you and I'd like to kiss you if I that’s okay”you took his hand, colder than yours, but when your lips melted together you realized that the warmth was the same.

[queenjunothegreat]

HELLO EVERYONE GUESS WHO'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (•̤̀ᗜ•̤́๑) I've got another @pjo-equinox-solstice-exchange fic for you, this time for the darling @lavndvrr who asked for Valgrace, so OBVIOUSLY that's what I went with. We also got a wee lil bit of hurt/comfort in there for some spice. I hope you like it!

The title comes from Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "Good-Night" because I am clinging to my title of Most Pretentious Bitch In This City with pride.

And with that, here is And ease thy soul with slumber bright.

Piper chewed her bottom lip while she studied him. Eventually, she spoke. “Leo… doesn’t like sleeping.” “I’ve gathered that much,” Jason confessed. “Is there any reason for that? Any way I can help?” “I dunno.” Piper’s gaze drifted over to where Leo was still sitting, enjoying the breeze Jason had called for him. “He doesn’t like being exposed. There’s not really anything you can do, other than wait for him to feel okay around you.” She hiked a challenging eyebrow at him. “You willing to do that? You ready to wait?” For Leo? Anything. Jason shrugged. “Yeah, of course.” *-*-* Leo's not sleeping, and Jason is concerned. Unfortunately, there's only one thing Jason can do to help, and that's to simply love him.

Jason would freely admit that he was more than a little concerned about Leo. Beyond the usual levels of “mother henning” that Leo and Piper liked to accuse him of, that is. And it was all because he’d been in the middle of a really boring meeting, eyelids heavy, when he realized something unsettling.

Leo didn’t sleep. Well, that wasn’t quite true. He did sleep. Obviously he slept, even if he made it abundantly clear that he would give just about anything to avoid it. But he didn’t do it often, always the first one on the ship awake in the morning and the last one up at night, and Jason could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Leo asleep, and they were all during the quest to save Juno when they’d been stuck together on the back of a giant metal dragon together with nowhere to hide. Since that realization, Jason hadn’t been able to focus on anything but that, and now he was just sitting there staring at Leo with a crease across the middle of his forehead while Leo sat with his legs dangling over the side of the boat, tinkering with some complicated bits of bronze and wires. 

“Are you, like, actually gonna talk to me, or should I go hang out with Hazel instead? She said she could teach me how to paint my nails without making a massive mess. Because as much as I hate painting my nails, it would be better than this.”

Jason blinked in shock and turned to see Piper looking at him with her eyebrows up near her hairline and a half-smirk on her lips. He chuckled softly and scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, I was, uh, distracted.”

“You don’t say.” She cocked her head to the side. “What are you thinking about?”

“Leo.”

“Well, you are breathing, so I had assumed that much.”

Jason felt his cheeks flame and he scowled at her. “Shut up.”

Piper didn’t look apologetic in the slightest. “So, what, specifically, are you thinking about Leo?”

Jason sighed and let his eyes trail back over to Leo, who had put away his little project, and was now just staring out over the sea, the sun beaming down on his cheeks. Without thinking about it too hard, Jason called a tiny little breeze to blow over Leo, the wind gently tugging at his curls and making him smile in easy contentment. Jason shook his head and turned back to Piper. “You roomed with Leo at Wilderness, right?”

Piper’s brow puckered, clearly not expecting the question. “Uh, yeah. For, like, three months. Why?”

“Did you ever see him sleep?”

Immediately, Piper stiffened, and she bristled up defensively. It was a stance Jason was more than familiar with, seeing as both Piper and Leo fell into it the instant someone asked a question that touched a little too close to those sensitive parts of their pasts. Jason had learned by now that the best way to handle these moments was to just sit back and let them scowl at him suspiciously. He couldn’t get his feelings hurt and push at them or try to desperately backtrack what he said, he just had to sit there and wait until their hackles went down and they approached him like a hesitant alley cat of their own volition.

As expected, Piper’s shoulders relaxed and her brow smoothed out and she instead went to chewing her bottom lip while she studied him. Eventually, she spoke. “Leo… doesn’t like sleeping.”

“I’ve gathered that much,” Jason confessed. “Is there any reason for that? Any way I can help?”

“I dunno.” Piper’s gaze drifted over to where Leo was still sitting, enjoying the breeze Jason had called for him. “He doesn’t like being exposed. There’s not really anything you can do, other than wait for him to feel okay around you.” She hiked a challenging eyebrow at him. “You willing to do that? You ready to wait?”

For Leo? Anything. Jason shrugged. “Yeah, of course.”

“You sure?” Piper asked. “It took, like, two months for him to get comfortable with me and we literally lived together.”

That was a startling revelation. The idea that there had ever been a point in history when Leo didn’t implicitly trust Piper was almost ridiculous. Still, he just shrugged in easy acceptance again. “Yeah, sure. He can take however long he needs. I’m not going anywhere.”

Piper gave him a beaming smile, and Jason knew he’d said the right thing. “You really aren’t, are you?”

Jason quirked his mouth up in a smile, and let his gaze settle comfortably on Leo again. This time, though, Leo glanced over, his eyes bright and his lips curled up lazily. Jason gave a little tiny wave and Leo tipped his head back with a laugh that Jason couldn’t hear, but still made his heart thump heavily in his chest. 

Yeah, I’m not going anywhere.

*-*-*

After that conversation, Jason had somewhat forgotten his observation. Piper had told him to wait for Leo to come to him, and he was more than willing to do just that. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Leo would eventually turn around and see Jason standing there with arms outstretched and allow himself to be wrapped up and squeezed tight. Metaphorically, that is. Literally, Leo was already more than comfortable with Jason’s proclivity for physical contact and his love of proximity, which Jason was glad for. If he hadn’t been allowed to fold his favorite people tight to his chest and give them gentle headbuts and rub their cheeks together, he’s pretty sure he would have started ripping his hair out. 

Piper didn’t exactly love all of Jason’s physical affection. She was happy to receive hugs and she’d hold his hand or press kisses to his cheeks, but she liked to keep it brief. She didn’t like being tangled up and held in place so Jason could show her just how much he appreciated her existence, and that was just fine with him. She still gave him those blinding smiles and spoke to him in that kind tone and would sit in silence at his side for hours at a time. Jason knew Piper loved him, she just needed room to breathe while she loved him.

Leo was an entirely different story, though. For as much as Jason wanted to tuck Leo into that little spot behind his ribs and beside his heart where he knew Leo would be safe forever, Leo seemed just as eager to crawl right under Jason’s skin and live there. There wasn’t a moment where Jason and Leo were relaxing together when Leo wasn’t all but plastering himself to Jason’s side. Not that Jason made it all that easy for him to do anything else, seeing as he was immediately reaching for Leo with grabby hands the moment he’d made himself comfortable on the couch. Piper liked to laugh at them, but Leo would always scoff and accuse her of jealousy from the comfort of his and Jason’s cuddle pile.

They were in the middle of one of those cuddle sessions when Jason was forcibly reminded of his conversation with Piper. The whole crew was piled up in the living room, having a Percy-mandated movie night. Annabeth had pulled the short straw (Jason wasn’t about to accuse anyone of cheating, but he highly suspected it) and she’d chosen Wizard of Oz of all things. Percy had gone completely red and bashful at her choice, which Jason didn’t understand until Piper leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper and told him and Leo that Wizard of Oz was the first movie Annabeth had ever seen, and it was a movie Percy had watched with her. Leo had snickered, but Jason confessed he found the gesture very sweet and more than a little romantic. Leo accused him of being a sap, his gaze soft and his smile fond.

Unfortunately, for as romantic a gesture as the choice was, the movie itself wasn’t exactly entertaining. Percy and Annabeth were obviously enthralled, and Hazel was still fascinated with any and all color film, but Frank was zoned out and playing with a Chinese finger trap, and Piper was actively snoring from her place on the floor in front of Jason and Leo. 

Beside him, Jason heard Leo huff and felt him burrow even closer to Jason’s side. He smiled softly and tugged Leo impossibly closer. “Tired?”

“Bored,” Leo corrected. He shifted around until he could grumpily squish his cheek up against Jason’s chest. “This movie is a snooze fest. Can’t believe this is how Percy introduced Annabeth to cinema. I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

Jason chuckled and rested his chin in Leo’s dark curls. “Don’t worry about it. If you do fall asleep, I’ll wake you up, if you want.”

Leo went stiff as a board, and Jason cursed himself, furious that he’d gone and drawn attention to the matter. Still, he deliberately kept his breathing slow and even, like he hadn’t said anything at all. Leo didn’t speak, but his fingers were tapping out Morse code messages on Jason’s chest so fast a professional decoder would have trouble keeping up, and Jason was half-certain Leo was going to hop to his feet and flee. 

Yet he remained still. 

“You’ll wake me up?” Leo asked softly. 

“Of course,” Jason promised without a second’s hesitation. “I’ll keep an eye out, make sure nothing interesting happens.”

Leo chuckled and settled back against Jason’s chest. “I’ll hold you to that, Superman.”

Leo never did fall asleep for the rest of the movie, or even the one they put on after. But he remained at Jason’s side, and his breathing was slow and even and his eyes drooped heavily. A sharp tension that Jason had never noticed before was suddenly absent from Leo’s shoulders, and Jason realized that for the first time ever, Leo was completely and totally relaxed. Leo wasn’t asleep, they hadn’t gotten there yet, but this felt important. 

Jason couldn’t help but press his giddy smile into Leo’s curls. Take as long as you need. I’ll be here. 

*-*-*

Jason was on night watch the next time he thought about Leo’s sleep issues. In all honesty, he liked the night watch, especially when the Argo II  was in the air, rather than the water. He liked prowling around the deck, empty other than himself, and getting lost in tracking the way the air flowed around the ship, keeping it aloft with a breathtaking combination of engineering and magic. Leo’s work in bringing the ship to life from nothing but a twelve-year-old crayon drawing had always impressed Jason, but there was something about getting to actually feel the way Leo’s work cut through his element that left him near breathless in wonder. 

Plus, if he was on the night watch, that meant none of his crew members were, and there was a little part of his brain that insisted he take care of them that he couldn’t ignore. If he was on night watch, that meant that all of his friends were safe and asleep in their beds, resting easy with the knowledge that Jason was awake to protect them.

Well, most of his friends were asleep.

“Leo?” Jason called softly. “What are you doing up here?”

Leo jerked upright with a sharp gasp, and he whipped his head around, eyes wide. When he saw that it was Jason looking at him, he sagged in relief and let his eyes slide back shut. “Hey, Jason.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Jason accused, keeping his tone gentle. He lightly stepped into the crow’s nest from where he’d been flying moments before, and took a seat at Leo’s side. He snaked his arm around Leo’s waist and tried not to feel too pleased when Leo slumped into his side and thunked his head down on Jason’s shoulder. “What are you doing up here?”

Instead of answering, Leo fiddled with the hem of Jason’s shirt for a moment. “What are you doing up here?”

“Feeling the air flow,” Jason answered easily. “I can sense it when I’m grounded, but it’s easier up here. If I focus, I can almost see the air currents and the wind moving around the ship.”

“Huh,” Leo said softly. “That’s neat.”

“It is,” Jason confirmed. He smiled over at Leo then. “I know I’ve said it before, but you really did a good job making this thing, Leo.”

Leo shrugged half-heartedly. “It’s not that great. Besides, it’s not like I built it by myself.”

Jason was shaking his head before Leo could even finish speaking. “No, it’s more than that. This ship is yours. Even if other people helped build it, you’re the one who made it, and everyone except you would agree. And it really is that great. I told you I was feeling the air, right? Do you know why I like doing that?”

“I figured it was some Sky Boy thing.”

“It’s not.” Jason closed his eyes and smiled softly, losing himself in the airflow again. “I like it because it lets me feel the ship in a way no one else can. I can feel the way you made it all work. I can feel the way the engine manipulates the air, I can feel the magic that it uses.” He chuckled quietly. “It’s all very Leo.”

“That’s, um–” Jason heard Leo swallow heavily. “That’s neat.”

“It’s amazing,” Jason corrected. “The work you did is amazing, Leo. You’re amazing.” He opened his eyes to see that Leo was already staring at him, cheeks vermilion, and he smiled. “This ship? It’s beautiful, Leo.”

“I-” Leo cut himself off with a choked noise and tucked his face into Jason’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

Jason huffed out a quiet laugh and pinched out a few of the tiny flames that had sparked to life in Leo’s curls. “You’re welcome. I mean every word.”

Leo swallowed heavily enough for Jason to hear again. “I know you do.”

Jason hummed, content with Leo’s response and started combing his fingers through Leo’s hair. He curled each lock around his finger before pulling it taught and releasing it to watch it bounce back in place. Every now and then another little fire would spark to life, but he’d smother it just as quickly as it formed, delighting in the way the flame would dance over his fingers for just a moment.

Then, Leo broke the silence. “Do you still wanna know why I’m up here?”

Jason hummed softly, considering. “If you wanna tell me, yeah. If not, I’ll live with not knowing.”

“Okay.” Leo was back to tugging on Jason’s shirt hem, picking at the loose threads with his bitten-off fingernails. Jason said nothing, and just waited until Leo cleared his throat. “I, um, had a nightmare.”

Jason’s attention immediately piqued and he frowned. He wanted to ask so many questions. Was it a nightmare about the quest? Was it a message from a god? Or was it a nightmare not related to any demigod stuff at all? Was he dreaming about his past, or was it a classic teenage nightmare like showing up to school in his underwear? Did he want to talk about it? Was there anything Jason could do to help? Would he be content to sit back and let Jason fix everything that was wrong in his life or would that be too much to ask? 

Instead of any of that, he just nodded in sympathy. “So you come up to the crow’s nest after nightmares? Can’t sleep?”

“Don’t want to, more like,” Leo muttered. “I just– I hate that moment when you wake up, you know? That moment when you’re not in the dream any more, but you realize that you’re still in danger because you were just asleep. Makes me sick. So I come up here to get as far away from everyone as possible.”

Jason didn’t understand that feeling. Not fully, at least, but he doubted Leo expected him to. So, he just hummed softly. “I get it, man. You want some company, or do you wanna be alone?”

Leo’s fingers fisted in Jason’s shirt like he was worried Jason would leave, but his tone was light and teasing when he said, “You know I’ll never say no to your company, Superman.”

“Alright then,” Jason agreed easily, feeling like his chest was going to burst from pride. “You’ve got it for as long as you want it.”

They fell into silence after that, neither of them speaking a word until the sun rose up over the horizon and Piper called them down for breakfast. Leo just stayed curled up next to Jason, playing with his shirt hem and tracing patterns on his chest and tapping out messages Jason had no hope of deciphering. He didn’t sleep, but he did rest, and Jason was more than content to keep watch over him as he did so. 

*-*-*

Jason hadn’t been sleeping well. Not since Percy and Annabeth– Not since Rome. Every night he laid in bed, perfectly still like he’d been called to attention, and with a few practiced deep breaths, he was asleep, just like he’d been trained. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter how many hours of sleep he got, he woke up the next morning just as exhausted as he had when he’d gone to bed. Every day he woke up and gritted his teeth through whatever the gods threw their way, before collapsing into bed and falling asleep so he could do it all again the next day.

But that wasn’t happening tonight. For some reason, Jason couldn’t sleep. He’d done everything he knew how to do, but there was something keeping him awake. Something gnawing at his consciousness that told him he couldn’t sleep. Something that said he had to stay awake. That there was something he needed to do. 

He growled softly and threw himself out of bed, storming (almost literally) down the silent halls. Coach hadn’t been enforcing the curfew recently, and even if he tried, Jason wasn’t in the mood to listen. He was at the end of his rope. He needed to get rid of this energy. He needed to find one of the training dummies and slash and hack at the thing until it was nothing but a sad pile of straw and Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. He needed to–

He froze suddenly, all the tension and aggression draining from his body in an instant. 

He wasn’t quite sure how he’d gotten there, but he realized he was outside of the engine room door, and he heard something that he couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t the sound of tears, but it was careful, even breathing, each inhale and exhale counted and measured out. It wasn’t the sound of tears, but instead the sound of fragile refusal of them. Considering where he was, there was only one person who could be on the other side of that door. 

Jason crept into the engine room, and as expected, Leo was there. He had his back to the door, his forehead pressed to the superheated metal of the main boiler, and he was breathing deeply, counting softly in Spanish with every breath. His hands were clenched in tight fists on either side of his face, and Jason could see the way he was visibly trembling from head to toe. Jason bit his lower lip for a moment before he called out in a hushed whisper, “Leo?”

Leo gave a full-body flinch and spun on his heel, eyes bright with fury. “What the heck, Jason?” he snapped. He roughly scrubbed one of his hands over his face to get rid of his scowl. “Don’t you know not to scare stressed-out demigods? Very good way to get skewered.”

“You don’t carry a weapon.”

“Charbroiled, then.”

Jason didn’t respond, he just furrowed his brow in concern. “Are you okay?”

Leo gave him a look. “Just peachy, dude.”

Jason sucked his teeth for a moment before he spoke. “I know Nico’s been spending a lot of time in the crow’s nest. Is this where you’ve started going after nightmares?”

Leo snorted derisively. “No nightmares here. In fact, I’m the least likely person on this ship to get nightmares.” When Jason made a questioning noise, he got a rueful grin in response. “You gotta sleep to have nightmares.”

Jason’s brow furrowed, and he swallowed around a lump in his throat. He looked at Leo a little closer and realized that the ever-present bags under his eyes were even darker and puffier than usual. “I’m a little scared to ask, but when was the last time you slept?”

Leo shrugged casually. “Rome.”

“Leo,” Jason breathed. He felt sick. “Leo, that was almost two weeks ago. How are you even still alive?”

“So long as I have a project to work on, I physically don’t need sleep,” Leo explained like he was walking Jason through another simple math problem. “It’s a gift from dear old dad.”

Jason squeezed his eyes shut and took in a few deep breaths to calm himself. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to shout or cry, but he knew both would only make things worse. “Why?”

“Hm? Oh, I dunno. I guess since he’s the god of making stuff we get, like, super hyperfocus. I bet you the Athena kids can–”

“No. I mean, why are you doing this?”

Leo’s teeth clicked shut and he looked away from Jason. “Someone’s gotta keep this ship running.”

“You didn’t have to do this before.”

“Things are different now.”

Jason clenched his fists at his sides. “Leo, you need sleep.”

“Don’t you get it? I can’t,” Leo snapped, his fury from before returning. “I can’t sleep, Jason! I can try all I want and I’m never going to! It’s just never going to happen! At least this way I’m not being useless! I told you, I don’t need sleep.”

“You said you don’t physically need sleep,” Jason corrected. “Sleep is more than just physical. Everybody needs sleep to function. Good sleep.”

“I bet Percy and Annabeth are getting some really good sleep down in Tartarus.”

The air went tense between them and Jason couldn’t breathe. “Is that what this is about?”

Leo jerked his head away again. “No.”

“Liar,” Jason accused immediately. He stepped forward and gently took one of Leo’s hands in both his own. “Do you… Do you think you don’t deserve sleep? Because of that?”

Leo still wouldn’t meet his eye, but his hand twitched in Jason’s hold until he had his fingers wrapped around Jason’s pinky and he squeezed. “I– No, that’s ridiculous. I just wanna make sure the ship stays in one piece so we can rescue them. That’s all.”

Jason ignored him and stepped closer, staring at Leo’s face as hard as he could to make his point clear. “It wasn’t your fault, Leo.”

Leo squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes, it was.”

“It wasn’t,” Jason insisted. “I don’t care what you say. You’ve told me about the cookie already. You did that to save Frank and Hazel. Percy and Annabeth wasn’t your fault any more than it was mine or Piper’s or Nico’s or anyone’s. If it had anything to do with that fortune cookie, then it would be Nemesis's fault. Not yours, Leo. Never yours.”

Leo was shaking like a leaf in winter now, and when he looked up at Jason his eyes were wet with tears. “Jace?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m tired.”

Jason felt his heart shatter right into a million pieces. He dropped Leo’s hand, but only so he could hold open his arms in invitation. “Then sleep, Leo.” Leo stumbled forward the few steps between them before he crumpled into Jason’s chest with a sob. Jason squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped Leo up in a hug so tight it made his shoulders ache. He slowly lowered them both to the ground until he was leaning against a wall, and Leo was curled up against his chest in his lap. He pressed his trembling lips to Leo’s forehead. “Just sleep, Leo. I’ll take care of you.”

It took a long time for Leo’s tears to run dry, but eventually they did and his gut-wrenching sobs trailed off into the softest, gentlest snores Jason had ever heard in his life. Jason didn’t sleep at all that night. He stayed awake, arms wrapped securely around Leo and eyes boring holes in the door, daring anyone to come in and disturb the fragile peace that had fallen between them. Jason didn’t sleep that night, but Leo did, and that was all that mattered. 

*-*-*

Jason groaned as he shuffled down the hall, trying desperately to stretch out the ache in his back. He’d slept a little funny the night before, which meant, of course, that his whole body was going to be in pain all day. He once again found himself cursing sixteen-year-old Jason for doing, well, everything that he’d done, leaving thirty-year-old Jason to deal with the mess. Sixteen-year-old Jason may have been the one getting attacked by monsters and nearly dying on a bi-weekly basis, but thirty-year-old Jason was the one with a job, a caffeine addiction, and semi-chronic back pain, so who really had it worse, hmm? 

But for as much as some parts of getting older sucked, Jason couldn’t, and more importantly wouldn’t, say he hated it. He loved getting older, and he was keenly looking forward to every ache and pain and discomfort that came with getting to live the years ahead of him. Getting older meant sorting through junk mail and paying bills and long, frustrating phone calls with his internet service provider, but it also meant home. It meant deep breaths, knowing he was allowed to just be. It meant a house he’d helped pick out and a mattress that needed to be replaced after years of use and a coffee pot given to him for his birthday that was too fancy for him to properly use but still made a fantastic pot every morning. It meant knowing he was safe and happy and loved and that nothing was going to change that. 

It also meant a much more rigorous shaving routine, he thought to himself, scratching at the prickly fuzz on his cheek. He’d have to go to the bathroom and shave as soon as his coffee got started, otherwise he wasn’t going to get kissed.

He was suddenly interrupted by a very sharp nose being pressed hard in between his shoulder blades and thin arms being wrapped around his waist. He chuckled softly and squeezed the hands laced in front of him. “Good morning, Leo.”

“I was sleeping,” Leo complained in his sleep-thick slur, pressing even closer to Jason’s back like he was trying to fuse with his spine. “Woke me up.”

“I did not,” Jason protested. “I was very careful. You stayed asleep the whole time I was getting out of bed. How is this my fault?”

“You left,” Leo said simply. Jason turned around in Leo’s arms and Leo thumped his cheek down on Jason’s chest to scowl up at him. His hair was a mussed up mess, and his eyes were puffy and a little crusty with sleep, and his face was all smooshed up and covered in crease marks from their sheets, and his brow was furrowed in a furious pout. 

He was the single most beautiful thing Jason had ever seen.

“I’m sorry I left you,” Jason teased, stooping over to press their foreheads together. “I promise I was planning on coming back.”

“You better,” Leo mumbled. Jason leaned forward just a bit more to press their lips together and Leo let out a soft sigh of contentment. Then he lifted his hands to cup Jason’s cheeks like he always did, and he suddenly recoiled, flapping his hands around like he’d stuck them in something disgusting. “Bleh! Gross! Go shave your face!”

Jason laughed before he used his hold on Leo’s waist to drag him closer, and he started rubbing his hairy jaw all over Leo’s neck, just to hear him squeal. Once Leo resorted to smacking, Jason relented and just pressed their foreheads together again with a grin, delighting in the blotchy red beard-burn that was already starting to form. “I love you.”

 “Yeah, well, I actually hate you,” Leo informed him with a huff. To prove his point, he pressed a kiss to the tip of Jason’s nose. “Now, come on. I wanna go back to sleep.”

“Oh?” Jason’s eyebrows flew up near his hairline. “Am I allowed back in your bed? I thought you hated me.”

“I’ve decided that I love sleep more than I hate you,” Leo informed him. 

“And you can’t sleep without me?”

“Duh. Don’t ask stupid questions.”

Jason chuckled softly, love blooming bright and warm in his chest. He pressed a kiss to Leo’s forehead, ignoring Leo’s gagging at the feel of his stubble. “Okay, I’ll be there. For as long as you want me, yeah?”

Leo grinned then and hugged Jason, eyes shining as he looked up at him. “Get ready for a very long day in bed then, Mr. Valdez.”

“I think I can live with that,” Jason smiled back, running his fingers through Leo’s curls. “You go back to bed and I’ll be there as soon as I get my coffee.”

“Ugh! Fine!” Leo groaned like the most put-upon man on Earth as he slumped out of the kitchen. When he was out of sight, he shouted down the hall, “And get that gross stuff off your face before you come back!”

Jason laughed then, loud and bright and filling the home he’d made with Leo. Still, he dutifully made his way to the bathroom to shave, though he did deliberately miss a tiny little patch under his jaw for Leo to pet and complain about later. Then he filled up his biggest coffee thermos, knowing he wouldn’t be given permission to leave the bed for several hours, and made his way to the bedroom, where he was welcomed in with lazy smiles and jaw-cracking yawns and luxurious, cat-like stretches. 

As always, Leo curled right up against Jason’s chest with a contented sigh. He didn’t fall asleep immediately, but he did completely melt, fiddling with the buttons on Jason’s shirt and tapping out I love you on Jason’s chest, which he returned each time with a kiss to Leo’s hair. But then he did fall asleep, right there in Jason’s arms, pressed right to Jason’s heart. In his sleep, he snored, the sound loud and grating like a chainsaw in need of a tune-up, and he drooled, and his face twisted up in weird expressions, and he managed to pin Jason’s arm in a way that kept him from drinking his coffee and almost immediately made it go numb. 

And he was beautiful. 

[honeyjars-sims]

Part 2 1.02 The Insider

10 Years Ago

Falling in love with Paul was a slow process. After all, I had no idea I was anything but straight. But I definitely felt a pull towards him that I didn't quite understand.

At first, I thought it was jealousy–but as we got closer as friends and I started viewing him as a flawed human, I realized there was more than envy at play.

A big part of moving past my initial perception of Paul was getting to know his inner circle. I'd met Danica before, but I didn't get the full Danica Experience until I moved in with Paul. She was getting her Masters at Sequoia State and she was at the townhouse all the time. It seemed like she didn't have a life outside of Paul. 

She was over one day when she invited Paul to go out with her and their friends, whom I hadn't met yet. 

“I don't know,” Paul groaned. “Who's going to be there?”

“It’s just going to be me, Wesley and Nasir, and Deshawn…oh, and I guess he's bringing Other Paul, so we get to meet him.”

“Wait,” I interjected. “Other Paul? Who's that?”

“He's our friend Deshawn’s new boyfriend,” Danica explained. “We've been calling him Other Paul.”

“Just not in front of Deshawn,” Paul added.

“Hmm, okay,” I said.

“I don't know,” Paul sighed. “I guess I can go.” 

“Where are you going?” From the lack of enthusiasm Paul had, it sounded like they were going to get root canals. 

“Roy G. Biv's,” Danica answered.  

“Oh, my dad works there,” I told her. “He's actually Valerie Galloway.”

“Really? That's so cool!” Since my dad was on the show, people were always excited to find out about our relation.

“Yeah, it's been interesting. I help out at RGB's sometimes when things get busy.”

“Well, you should join us, then,” Danica offered. “It'll be nice having an insider with us.”

“C'mon, Danica,” Paul chided her. “John doesn't want to spend his Friday getting used for perks.”

“Oh, I don't mind.” Truth be told, it was kind of fun feeling special and getting free drinks for my friends.

“Well, if you're okay with it,” Paul replies hesitantly. 

So we all got ready to go out. In addition to giving my guests the VIP treatment, I was looking forward to meeting more of Paul’s friends–and seeing what the deal was with this Other Paul.

Previous | Beginning of story | Beginning of chapter | Next

[m1ssunderstanding]

Get Back Rewatch 55 Years On: Day Nine

Here’s the thing. Like, on one hand, Paul loves teaching. But on the other hand, I honestly think he’d be a terrible teacher. He’s genuinely trying to explain songwriting to this kid, and all I’m getting is that I should be able to just look at a piano and it’ll give me whatever I want. “So it’s really just . . .” *plays Martha My Dear* “. . . and from there, you know, like, um, there’s no – unless you stop yourself – there’s no stopping yourself.” Yes, thank you, Professor McCartney. Very informative. Good thing you’re a gorgeous genius because not a word of that lecture made any sense. 

Seriously I am BEGging someone to write Paul and Ringo in the 20s as a cabaret duo! With Paul’s talents being songwriting, slutting it up, piano, and vocals and Ringo’s talents being tap-dancing, ventriloquist dummy impersonation, with the occasional piano, vocals, and sly winks. Maybe they meet George and John through organized crime, idk.

“They don’t just sort of come in your head, kind of thing?” “Yeah, sure. Fact, I had one this morning.” You know. As one does.

See, even Ringo’s on board with my plan. “Let’s make a silent movie.” And Paul. “In a club. That’s it. We’re in a band. We’re in a band, but we sell drugs.” And now they're stringing Paul up just for kicks. Maybe they could join the circus!

Literally the minute John starts being silly, Paul gets this fond look on his face and you can see the wheels turning like “quick, think of a way to get close to him.” And John’s into it. But they keep doing this seesaw thing and I can’t help but think how reminiscent it is of their dynamic as a whole. 

“I see you’ve given up smoking, Richie.” “Yes, I have.” Reminds me of that classic, “I don’t even smoke,” thing. Seems like five-hundred years ago.

PLEASE tell me Peter Sellers and Ringo had a torrid love affair during the filming of The Magic Christian. The way Peter touches Ringo’s hair and his face! Ringo being a gentleman and getting Peter a chair! And I mean there’s plenty of queer coding between them in the film.  

But also laughing my ass off at Peter’s reaction to their song-titles/lyrics/gibberish/other references code.

Yoko, you’re stone-cold and hilarious. “Or what we haven’t.” I honestly have mad respect for her complete disregard/disdain for the Beatles and their art only because that’s how they treat hers for the most part. But girl. You’re married to one of them. He genuinely does love them and what he does with them and you’ve got to respect that or go find someone else, you know?

Also, Paul does Not appreciate the attitude. “Or we’ll just sort of sit here and allow ourselves to be embarrassed. ‘Number nine . . .”

Aaand, just like that, Peter Sellers “must be off.” He lasted all of 1 minute 26 seconds. Weak. George and Ringo lasted fifteen years. 

MLH is literally that annoying person that asks you a serious question about yourself just so he can use you as a segue to talk about his problems.

John: just recovering from the day, you know. Yoko: from the night. John: embarrassed (you have no right, dude, you literally played your sex tape for everyone like two weeks ago) Paul: Did not want that image, thanks very much. 

It actually KILLS me though that we’ll never understand their code. Paul and Ringo will take it to their graves and no one else knows it and any footage like this we’ve got, and any code songs, will just be mostly uninterpretable for all time. 

Okay these few minutes here are soooo special to me. It’s John at his peak lovely, sweet, gentle, kind self. He makes a joke at which Paul can only nod darkly which makes John realize just how bad of a place Paul’s in. 

Paul wants them to get to work “achieve something every day.” But John knows he’s not in a good headspace to work and it’ll be shit and then Paul will spiral even more. So, he turns up the humor until Paul is sufficiently cheered. 

And then, he says. “Guitars? I thought that’s what they do.” And Paul’s stammering. “Oh, that is what they do, but–” John stands up, does a little head-tilt toward the instruments. “Come on, I’ll even show you about half a song I was writing. Come on.” That last in the tenderest, most coaxing voice. It’s just soooo. Like. We talk a lot about Paul ‘handling’ John, and he did. But John sure knows how to handle Paul.

I SO wish they’d have done something with “Madman”. It’s so fun!! Every single song in this era I will go to bat for, no question. 

Ringo’s little hug for Paul!!!! I can’t.

[therealcocoshady]

Recovery - Chapter 14

Eminem x FemReader (Y/N) fanfiction

Summary : Em and Reader fly to NYC for a day.

Tags : Little bit of angst, FLUFF 🥰

CW : -

In the following week, you and Marshall hung out together as much as possible, whether it was to watch a movie, have dinner or simply hang out at the studio with everyone. Except for the two of you, as well as Talia and Jamal, no one knew about your argument. The others simply figured out that you were busy with uni, which was great, because you didn’t really want anyone to be involved in any type of drama. Being back as a team was great, and you were elated to have your best friend back. You were also ecstatic to go to New York with him. You had never been there and you couldn’t wait to discover the city. After all, when they visit the US, most people from Europe go to California or New York. If you were completely honest, the reason you had ended up in Michigan in the first place was because of the partnership between your former university in France and MSU, as well as the fact that Detroit was actually a cheaper place to live. And then, you stayed because you fell in love with the place and met amazing people. Ever since you had moved to Detroit, you hadn’t visited a lot of places. You were either on a budget or too busy. So when Marshall offered for you to fly to NYC with him and it matched your schedule, you saw it as an amazing opportunity. Plus, you were going to spend some time, just the two of you… and Paul. 

When Marshall told you that Paul was going to be there, you were a bit disappointed. Of course, you understood that it was his role as manager to be there whenever Marshall was going on a work trip or giving interviews, but his presence made you feel a bit uncomfortable. Ever since the pictures of the two of you exiting the party had been published in the press, Paul had made no secret of his disapproval of your presence in Marshall’s life. You got along with everyone else, from beatmakers to sound engineers, but the manager was something else. It seemed like he hated you and it was making you a little sad. Marshall shrugged it off though. The day before, you were in his closet, picking his outfits for the photoshoot when you decided to talk to him about it. 

Are you sure that me coming to New York is a great idea ? You asked. 

You don’t want to come anymore ? He asked back. 

No, of course I do, you said. But is Paul ok with me being there ? 

I don’t know. I didn’t ask for his opinion, he shrugged. 

He hates me, you sighed. 

No, he doesn’t, he chuckled. I mean, it’s Paul, he’s an ass, sometimes. It’ll be fine, though. He’s just going to be there for the interview and then, he’s having meetings of his own. He won’t even be there when we fly back. 

So it’ll be just us, then ? 

Pretty much. You, me and… well, security, he said. 

On the next day, when you boarded the private jet for the flight, Paul was already seated. He greeted you curtly. 

Are we sure it’s a good idea for her to be here ? He asked Marshall without so much as a look at you. 

Yeah, Marshall replied. I need her opinion on outfits for the shoot and she’s never been to NYC, so it works out pretty well. 

Are we working here, or are we turning into a travel agency ? Paul sighed. Seriously, Marshall, we could have worked with a stylist… 

Just relax, Marshall shrugged as he rolled his eyes. It’s no big deal. 

To you, maybe, Paul groaned. But I swear, if I have to deal with anything she does… 

Marshall didn’t even bother replying. He just sighed and sat next to you during the flight, as you both watched a movie on your iPad. Shortly before you landed, Paul decided to talk to Marshall about the day’s events, still ignoring you. 

So, the photoshoot will last about two hours and then the interview, he recalled. 

Good, Marshall said. This afternoon, I’m taking you to cool places, Y/N. You’re going to like New-York ! 

Actually, Paul said, I know you wanted your afternoon and evening free, but you’re doing a radio interview in the afternoon… 

Are you fucking serious ? Marshall groaned. That wasn’t planned. I’m not doing this. I made plans with Y/N already. 

Well, here’s the thing… They sort of announced your presence on the show already… But Y/N doesn’t mind. Do you, Y/N ? 

So, now, he was talking to you when he was trying to convince Marshall ? Great. It took you a lot of effort not to give him the biggest side-eye. 

It’s fine, you said with a forced smile. I’ll enjoy the city on my own. 

Are you sure ? Marshall asked. 

Of course. You have work to do, it’s ok, you replied. 

Plus, it’s probably for the best, Paul said. If the two of you were to be spotted together… 

Whatever, Marshall said as he rolled his eyes. 

You landed and got to the suite the magazine rented for the day, where the photoshoot and interview would take place. As you unpacked and organized the outfits that Marshall would wear, you heard him talk to Paul. 

So, are we taking questions about your relationship with Y/N for the interview ? Paul asked. 

You already know the answer, Marshall sighed. 

I’m merely asking to protect you, Marshall, the manager explained. It’s my job. 

I know, Marshall said. But my personal life, my daughters, my ex, my friends outside of the industry and any rumored girlfriends… It’s not something I’m discussing. We’ve decided on that nearly fifteen years ago, I don’t see why it would change now. 

Because the two of you were spotted together, Paul recalled, that’s why. You should know this could change everything. And as manager, I have to remind you that it’s all about the control we have over that type of thing. Plus, obviously, with everything that happened recently… people are certainly wondering. 

Why the fuck would they even care ? Marshall groaned. I make music, I’m not a fucking reality show celebrity… 

Fine, the manager said. Lucky for us, things seem to be dying down. Let’s hope this stays this way. No offense, but I have enough work as it is. 

Once they were done with their conversation, Marshall came to find you and took a look at the outfit you had chosen in his wardrobe. 

So, what did I pack with utter blind trust in you ? He mused. 

Three different outfits. One is more typical of what you usually wear for photoshoots, the two others are a little more “you”, you explained. 

Meaning ? 

Meaning you’ll look like Eminem in at least one of them, don’t worry, you said with a wink. Do you trust me ? 

I guess, he chuckled. They send us the pictures before publication beforehand anyway, so I’ll pick the pictures I like the most. 

I wonder if this is why you never smile on pictures, you chuckled. Is it because you ban them from publication ? 

No it’s not, he said with a grin. I mean, people can catch me laughing on camera and stuff, I don’t really mind that much. But most of the time, it’s because I’m not really at ease. And I’m not really myself either, you know ? 

Not really yourself ? You asked with a raised eyebrow. 

Well, if my daughters take a picture of me, I might smile, but if it’s someone I don’t know and it’s for the media… They’re taking Eminem’s picture. Not mine, he shrugged. 

Well, the two other outfits I have planned are definitely “Marshall-coded”, you chuckled. Is that ok ? 

I guess, he said with a smile. 

The team from the magazine started to arrive and set up things for the shoot. You let him change into the first outfit. It was a simple, classic one. Black jeans, black sneakers, white tee-shirt and Saint Laurent jacket, accesorized with silver chains that were on the daintier side, as well as a ring, a nice statement Rolex watch and a bracelet. When he came out of the room, he looked a bit perplexed. 

You didn’t pack any hat, he pointed out. For any of the outfits. 

That’s intentional, you said with a smirk. 

Why ? He asked. 

Because you’re getting the picture taken. The point is for people to see your face, you chuckled. 

What if I don’t like my face ? He chuckled. 

Well that’s your opinion, but your opinion is wrong, you replied with a smile. I like your face. 

Do you ?  He asked as he furrowed his eyebrows. 

Of course. 

His look softened a bit and he kissed your cheek before sitting in the makeup chair. It seemed like he knew everyone already. From what you gathered, he was used to working with this particular team of people whenever he was doing something with this magazine. He politely greeted everyone and even made small talk, though he seemed more distant. You could tell he was putting on a persona, but probably wasn’t too comfortable. You chuckled as you saw his annoyed look when the makeup artist applied makeup on his face. He noticed and instantly flipped you with a smirk. You silently watched from the side as he went in front of the camera and posed as the photographer directed. He looked good, for sure, but the whole thing felt unnatural. The person in front of you wasn’t Marshall. It was Eminem. And although it was his job, you weren’t sure you liked it too much. After all, you had never been an Eminem fan. The reason you appreciated the music was the man behind it, the real person you had befriended. You shook your head and smiled as he posed in what you assumed to be a stereotypical rapper fashion : not a smile in sight, dark expression, serious demeanor… When the set was done, he walked to you. 

I see you making fun of me, lady, he smirked. 

I would never, you said innocently. 

What’s wrong ? He asked. 

Who said there was anything wrong ? You mused. 

I know your pretty little face, he chuckled. You can’t lie to me. 

Mmmh… I’m just not used to seeing you like this, you said with a smile. But, yeah, you definitely look like a rapper. Almost like it’s your job ! 

Come on and tell me what outfit is next, he said as he grabbed your hand and led you to the bedroom. 

The second outfit consisted of the same jeans, different sneakers, another white tee-shirt (slightly less fitted) as well as his Detroit Lions jacket, with no accessories, except for a watch. You thought it would be cool for the outfit to make a nod to his passion for football. In the months you’d known him, he’d spent countless hours trying to convince you to learn more about football, though you always replied that “actual” football was soccer and that the US version didn’t make any sense. It was more simple, more him. 

I like it, he said as soon as he got dressed. 

I like it too. The blue really brings out your eyes, you replied. Especially when you’re not wearing a hat. 

You really hate my hats, don’t you ? He sighed. 

I like them, you shrugged. I just like being able to look at your face… 

The comment made him smile and he gently stroked your cheek. 

You’re the boss, after all, he said with a wink. 

Am I ? You asked cockily. I like the idea of being the boss… 

Only for today, he replied as he rolled his eyes. And only for the outfits. 

Too bad I can’t voice my opinion on makeup, you whispered. 

What’s with the makeup ? 

It’s too much, you chuckled. It’s going to clog your pores… You can’t see your actual skin underneath those layers ! 

Wait until they airbrush my face on Photoshop, he grinned. 

That would be a heinous crime, you said with a smile. 

Gotta hide those lines, he said with a wink. 

I like the lines, you said softly as you stroked his cheeks, trying to get rid of some excess of makeup that made his skin look a bit cakey. 

Do you ? He asked. 

Yup, you whispered. I really do. They’re part of your face. 

He chuckled and planted a kiss on your cheek before going back on set. For the whole duration, you looked at each other and you tried to get him to relax by making faces whenever the crew wasn’t looking. His look had softened a bit, although he still looked serious. You believed in miracles, but it would probably take a little more than that to get him to smile. You were leaning against the wall, watching him work, when the makeup artist settled next to you. 

Hard not to stare, right ? She chuckled. 

Mmmh ? You asked, as you weren’t really paying attention. 

I’m just saying… The man is really attractive, she said. I’m Jenny, by the way. I’m in charge of makeup. 

Hi, you said. I’m Y/N. I’m in charge of the clothes. 

Are you his personal stylist ? 

Just filling in, you chuckled. 

Anyway, you did a great job, she complimented. He looks really good. 

Thanks, you said, your eyes still focusing on Marshall. 

You’re going to think I’m crazy but… You look just like that girl in the magazines. The one he was spotted with, a few weeks earlier, Jenny said. 

Do I ? You asked as you feigned surprise. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that outfit, you added with a grin. 

Anyway… She’s a pretty lucky girl… I mean, I’d definitely sell a kidney to be in her place. 

You chuckled softly. You were indeed lucky. Sure, there was little truth to the story in the news, but you were definitely in luck to have Marshall in your life. However, you found yourself to be a little frustrated : ever since the two of you had rekindled your friendship, neither of you had made a move. Sure, you hugged all the time, sometimes held hands, and were overall really close. But he hadn’t mentioned the two of you “hanging out more” again. When you weren’t speaking, you mostly missed the friendship, but now that he was back in your life, you weren’t really against the idea of his kisses and his hands all over your body. In fact, you were all for it, and the memories kept you warm at night. 

When he was done with the second set of pictures, he went to change and your heart skipped a beat when he emerged from the room. This final outfit was the most basic, but it was your favorite. He was wearing black jeans that were a bit washed out and a gray hoodie, matching shoes and no accessories. You had chosen these clothes because these were the exact ones he wore the day you met. You remembered thinking he was attractive when you first saw him, but somehow, he seemed even hotter.  Everything in this outfit screamed “Marshall” in your opinion : no brands, comfy, nothing flashy, but still fitting to his style. The gray color definitely brought out his nice complexion and his eyes. He smiled as soon as he spotted you. 

What do you think, boss ? He asked. 

You look great, you said as you couldn’t smile from ear to ear. That’s my favorite look, right here. 

Is it ? He mused. 

Yeah… Definitely. Also, that’s what you were wearing when we met, you added. 

Really ? He said with a smile. And you like it ? 

Definitely ! You replied. I think it’s the look I associate with you the most. Simple and understated, but the sneakers give an edge. 

I don’t remember my outfit of that day, he chuckled. But I do remember yours. I thought you were really pretty. 

You chuckled and blushed lightly, not really knowing what to say. You were nervously playing with your sobriety pendant when you had an idea. You took it off and placed it on him. 

I think the outfit is complete now, you said with a smile. 

He chuckled and placed a kiss on your cheek before going back on set. Jenny touched up his makeup before going back to you while he posed. 

You’ve done such a great job with these outfits, she said. You know, I’ve worked with him a few times, but I think it’s the first time I’ve seen him this relaxed. 

I’m glad, you said softly. 

How is it to work for him ? She asked. Must be pretty exciting… 

It is, you chuckled. Not to make you jealous, but he is pretty great. 

God, you’re lucky, she said dreamily. 

You glanced at Marshall and noticed he was looking at you. The look on his face was soft and he was playing with the pendant in between takes. You couldn’t help but smile at him. That’s when it hit you : you were in love with Marshall Mathers. You would have expected such a realization to make you panic, but it was the contrary. You were almost overcome with joy and emotion. After all, you were lucky enough to have fallen in love with someone who had become your best friend in the past few months. And you knew for a fact that he found you attractive. In that instant, you knew you had to tell him. Oddly enough, you were more confident than ever. Last time, he had been the one to make a move by suggesting that you hung out more, so maybe the universe was letting you know that it was your turn. 

The shoot ended and Marshall walked up to you as the crew was packing their stuff, except for the journalist who was patiently waiting for the interview. You both went to the room so that you could start packing the clothes and he could get changed. He sat on the bed as he watched you pack. 

You did a great job with the outfits, he said. 

Really ? You asked with the biggest smile. 

Yeah. I like them. I felt confident, he chuckled. Doesn’t happen too much. Especially when I’m not wearing anything on my head. 

I like it better that way, you said softly. 

What’s wrong with Kangol ? 

Nothing. Come to think of it, they might be the best thing you’ve worn on your head, except for beanies…, you said. I liked your beanie era. But the durags…? 

I know, he chuckled. But, back then, it was pretty stylish… 

You’ll have to find someone else to convince, Mathers, you grinned. Aren’t you changing clothes ? 

Nope. Apparently, I look good in those, so… 

You giggled and let him take off the makeup before doing the interview. You thought about the best way to confess your feelings to him. You didn’t want to be cheesy and corny and overdo it, but you wanted to do it in the right conditions. You figured you’d wait for a moment when the two of you would be alone. When the interview was done, people vacated the room and you were left with Paul and Marshall. The plan was to have something to eat delivered in the suite for lunch and then, they would head to the radio station while you went out shopping, waiting for Marshall to be done. 

You did a good job with the interview, Marshall, Paul said. Especially dodging the questions on your personal life. 

Let’s hope it goes just as well on the radio show this afternoon, Marshall shrugged. It’s going to be live, so I can’t really make a mistake on this one. 

I already laid down the ground rules, Paul explained. I think you should be fine. So, I arranged what you asked for, for tonight and afterwards, you have your flight back to Detroit at 10 PM.. 

Are we staying that late ? You asked. 

Yup, Marshall said with a grin. I have plans for us ! I think you’re going to like it. 

Any clues ? 

It’s not funny if you guess before we get there, he chuckled. 

Now, you were definitely curious. You ate and everyone went on their way. You had a couple of hours to spare before meeting with Marshall back at the suite, so you decided to go visit the city, maybe find a couple of cool libraries and cafés. You were ecstatic to discover NYC. You had grown up watching Friends and you had always dreamed of visiting the city one day, maybe even living there. You were like the typical tourist : you took pictures of every cool building or anything remotely interesting that you saw. You also posted a few pictures on your Instagram page, that you had made public again since the rumors had seemed to die down. You would have loved to have Marshall with you, but you decided to make the most of it anyway : if he were around, you’d have security following you and it would be a whole thing. At least, if you were alone, you could just explore in peace. In true bookworm fashion, you entered the first cool-looking bookstore you saw and ended up spending way too much time there, as well as a big chunk of your paycheck. Obviously, you were a sucker for books, in whatever kind or form they came in. You didn’t even see the time, only being reminded of it when your phone buzzed. It was Marshall calling to tell you he was running a little late because of an impromptu selfie-taking session with fans waiting outside of the radio station. You told him it was ok, as you had lost track of time and weren’t too close to the hotel. 

I’ll pick you up with the car, he said. Don’t move, just text me the address of the bookstore. 

It was a blessing in disguise : you had been so reckless in your spending on books that there was no way you’d be able to carry that to the hotel. When you got to the car, your arms were full of books, almost causing you to stumble. 

Thank God we’re not flying commercial, Marshall grinned. Otherwise, you’d spend a fortune on checked luggage. 

I may have gotten a little carried away, you confessed. But this library was so cool ! There were pride flags everywhere, and they have such a great selection on intersectional feminism, like this book on bi-representation in TV shows, as well as this one on body positive issues, and there’s another one on gender identity in the era of social media…

You went on to blab about your purchases for a minute, causing him to chuckle. 

Sorry, you said as you realized you probably got carried away. That’s not really interesting… 

You’re so adorable, he said with a smile. You’re such a cute social justice warrior ! Stevie would love you ! 

Your youngest ? You asked. 

Yeah. She’s really interested in stuff about gender identity. Came out as genderfluid a while ago, actually, he explained. 

Oh. Are “she/her” her preferred pronouns ? 

Anything works, he said. To be honest, it’s making life a little easier for me. I think I'd be stupid enough to make mistakes, so… 

It’s great that you’re supportive, you said with a smile. 

Not gonna lie, I didn’t even know what non-binary and genderfluid meant before she came out to me, he chuckled. But I’m glad she felt comfortable enough to do so. I love her so much, you know ? 

This comment made your heart melt. He was definitely too sweet when it came to talking about his kids. 

Well, you can definitely recommend these books to her, then, you said with a smile. You’d score some feminist points with her. 

I could use that, he chuckled. 

You’re also welcome to borrow them from me, if you want to do some light reading, you added. 

That’s light reading ? He scoffed. Yeah… Thanks but uh… I’ll stick to comic books ! I’m not a big reader, you know ? But if I ever have to fill in a gap in a wall or prop up some furniture, I’ll definitely borrow them ! 

You chuckled and nudged him with your elbow. 

Anyway, I think my girls would really love you ! He said. 

You’ll have to introduce us, then ! So, where are you taking me ? You asked. 

Bergdorf Goodman, he said with a smile. We’re going shopping ! 

Aren’t you afraid you’ll be disturbed by fans if you’re in such a public place ? 

We’re getting the VIP suite, he said with a grin. No one will bother us. 

You opened your mouth but no sound came out. When you thought about living your TV show fantasy in NYC, that wasn’t what came to mind… But you liked shopping and looking at nice clothes as much as the next girl, so you were all for it. When you went to the VIP shopping suite, you were like a kid in a Candy shop. You were offered drinks and a sales assistant came to see Marshall immediately. 

What do you need today, Mr Mathers ? She asked in a sweet voice. 

Ask the boss, he chuckled. She’s the one in charge of my closet. 

Really ? You asked giddily. 

You did a good job styling me for the photoshoot, he said. Plus, last time I checked, our deal still stands, so you might as well choose what I buy, if you’re going to raid my closet… 

You squealed and chose the pieces you wanted the sales assistant to buy from the iPad she presented you with. You were thoroughly enjoying this shopping experience. It was unlike any other. Even when you went shopping with Cassie, it hadn’t been that fancy. Marshall tried on a few things and picked the ones he liked the most. You tried to get him to wear a little more color, but he was a bit reluctant. He also ended up picking a few pairs of sneakers to add to his collection. 

Now, my turn ? He asked with a devilish grin. 

What do you mean your turn ? You chuckled. 

You pushed me out of my comfort zone, I’m doing the same, he said with a smirk. I’m getting you to try on some stuff. 

Oh really ? You asked. Are you turning me into a rapper ? 

I could, he said with a laugh. You like my closet. You’d love it. 

I’m a girl, you pointed out.

So ? Gender is a social construct and clothing has no gender, he grinned. What ? Am I too feminist for you now ?  

Don’t get cocky, Mathers, you joked. I’d like to see you in a dress… 

Well, I’ll have you know that I have worn a few in some music videos, he said with a smirk. I played my own characters. 

You did ?! You exclamed. 

He used the iPad to get on YouTube and show you excerpts from music videos. He was, indeed, wearing dresses, as well as wigs and makeup. You were a bit shocked. 

You’re basically a drag queen, you shrieked. That’s so awesome !!! You need to do that again ! 

I don’t know about that, he chuckled. I got over it, you know ? Plus, with the beard, it’s just not the same. 

I’d like to see that, though, you grinned. Look at you, deconstructing gender ! 

He chuckled and looked proud of himself. It seemed to remind him of fun times. However, he did not lose track of his goal and picked items for you to try on. A far cry from your usual style, definitely more street-wear. On the rack that the sales assistant brought for you, you spotted a jacket similar to the one you had borrowed from him, that you loved so much. 

They have a women’s version, he said with a smile. I thought you might enjoy it. 

Oh my God, you said. It’s so beautiful !!! 

Try it on, he said. 

It fit like a glove. It was absolutely gorgeous. The fit was better than the one you got from him, seeing as it was tailored for a woman’s body. 

What do you think ? He asked. 

I love it, you shrieked. 

Good, he chuckled. Now, try the rest. 

He had picked out some great clothes, namely jeans, hoodies, chains and, of course, Jordan sneakers. He had you dressed from head to toe in a typical Eminem outfit. You were feeling a bit ridiculous, but you did enjoy the jacket and the sneakers. 

I’m getting those for you, he said. 

You’re not, you replied as you shook your head. 

Come on ! Let me have fun ! He pleaded. 

It’s too much, Marshall. 

Please ? He asked. That’ll be your salary. If I’d hired a stylist, I would have paid them. 

You already got me on the flight, you pointed out. 

Whatever. I’m getting these for you or you’re going back to Michigan on foot, carrying those huge books by yourself, he said. 

Fine. Thank you. You’re the best, you said before hugging him. 

You ended up spending quite a bit of time in the store, but you had a lot of fun. You also ended up treating yourself to a nice handbag, to congratulate yourself for remaining sober for a whole month. It was fancy and definitely one of your biggest purchases ever, but you felt like it and could easily afford it, since you were saving a lot of money on rent thanks to Talia and Jamal’s refusal to let you contribute. When you exited the store, your chauffeur was waiting to take you to another destination. 

Where are we going now ? You asked giddily, having the time of your life. 

I would have loved to take you to some touristic places, but I’m afraid it’s going to be complicated if we don’t want to be bothered, he said. But I’m taking you to a really iconic monument in New York. 

After a bit of driving, the car parked in front of the Empire State Building. You were a bit flabbergasted.

Isn’t this place supposed to be highly touristic ? You wondered. Plus, it’s nighttime, so it’s probably closed…

Well, yeah… Except that I know someone who knows someone and I got us dinner in a private room on the highest floor, he chuckled. That way, you will be able to admire the city ! 

You immediately jumped in his arms. 

You’re the best. Seriously, you have no idea… I always dreamed of coming here, when I was a teen and completely broke ! I could cry right now, you said. 

Don’t, he chuckled. Let’s go ! 

You entered the building, escorted by security, and took the elevator to the highest floor. A nice table was waiting for the two of you. The view was absolutely mesmerizing. The city lights were glowing. It was like a dream come true. You jumped in his arms and he made you twirl. You couldn’t believe you were feeling like such a princess. If it wasn’t for the presence of waiters and security, you would have made your move and kissed him. Instead, you just hugged him. 

You’re the greatest, you whispered. 

Happy one month sober, he chuckled. I’m so proud of you, Y/N. 

A waitress came and handed you flutes. You were about to refuse when Marshall stopped you. 

It’s sparkling non-alcoholic wine. And it’s from France, he explained with a smile. Shortly after we met, I remember you telling me you missed French wines, so… 

You’re amazing ! 

He kissed your temple and you toasted to your sobriety. In that moment, you felt good in his presence, and you couldn’t help but think that this man was single-handedly ruining any other men’s chances of ever impressing you. He was just the best at making gestures. You also had a nice dinner and enjoyed the view a little more before going to the airport and boarding the plane. You were both tired on the flight home, and you were about to fall asleep in your seats when the aircraft began shaking. Marshall immediately took you in his arms and you held each other as the captain informed you that it was turbulence. You knew they might not be a big deal, according to the science behind it, but your brain was freaking out. Neither Marshall nor the security people seemed too relaxed either, mind you. Eventually, though, you landed and you couldn’t be happier to be home. As you exited the plane, Marshall got a phone call and you waited for him on the tarmac. He came to you about ten minutes later. 

Is there anything wrong ? You asked as you were wondering why someone would call at almost midnight. 

Oh, that was nothing, he said. It was Nicole, she just got off her shift. 

Nicole…? You asked, not really knowing who he was referring to. 

Yeah, the nurse you met in the ER the other day, he said. I mean, you probably don’t remember, with the painkillers and stuff…

No, no, I know who she is, you said, still not really getting it. Is there anything wrong ? 

No, nothing, he said. She was calling me to confirm our date night tomorrow. 

You looked at him in shock. At that moment, you felt something break inside of you. The plane might not have crashed to the ground, but your heart definitely had.

[blurglesmurfklaine]

OKAY SINCE LITERALLY ONE (☝️) PERSON WHO IS NOT ALEX ASKED! Here are some more Texas!Buddie Thoughts:

When Eddie first joins the 126 (years before Buck arrives in SA) Paul looks at him, turns to TK and says, “Egg.” TK looks confused for a second, then gets it and asks, “Really? Your team or mine?” and Paul really isn’t sure, but DOES know there is a certain Queer Air about Eddie Diaz

I have decided that this is all happening post season seven

I have also decided Buck’s daughter’s name is Alicia, pronounced the Spanish way (Ah-Lee-See-Ah) because her mother is an old flame from Peru

Sometime between seasons 7 and 8, a social worker calls Buck and informs him that he has a biological six year old daughter and he has to choose between accepting his responsibility as her legal guardian or waiving all parental rights. He says “Of course. Yes, I’ll do that” and the social worker says, “Yes to which one?” bc they need a clear confirmation either way but Buck doesn’t realize because it’s not even a question, he has a DAUGHTER of course he’ll take her

Buck absolutely falls in love with this little girl from the get go. He’s wrapped around her pretty little finger like a blue ribbon babeyyyy!! He would move heaven and earth for this child! Go to hell and back!

He, however, isn’t the only one. Because after she’s living with him for about six weeks, Buck gets served with papers. Alicia’s grandparents are suing for custody.

Buck can’t bring himself to risk losing this fight. So he moves to San Antonio (where his old flame and her parents migrated to from Peru right before Alicia was born) so Alicia can see her grandparents as often as they want and Buck can still be her legal guardian

When Buck starts at the 126 (yes it’s still the 126 even though it’s set in San Antonio now) it’s sort of the inverse of Under Pressure—the whole house is all “Yeah yeah, Eddie ‘Pretty Boy’ Diaz, we all know you’ve got the calendar in the bag” and because he’s Eddie he’s like “Aw don’t say that, Mateo, at this point it could be anyone’s game!” All humble and shit but then TK spots Buck The New Guy and says “Idk I think Cali over here might give you a run for your money” and Eddie is just like. 🙃 McFuckingScuse Me?

Of course Eddie forgets any and all jealousy/insecurity the SECOND he finds out Buck has a kid

The first time Alicia meets Eddie she is incredibly shy about it, until Eddie hears Buck call Alicia some cute shit like “mi amorcito” (internally Eddie fucking MELTS )and is like “Oh you speak Spanish?” And Alicia’s eyes go bright and she immediately opens up and starts talking Eddie’s ear off in Spanish and loves him on the spot

This is post season seven so Buck knows he’s bi and knows there’s ✨something✨ between him and Eddie, but based on everything he’s learned from the rest of the 126, no one really knows much about his dating life or preferences. A few failed flings with girls, but that’s all he really knows.

The first time Chris and Alicia meet, Alicia assumes Chris knows Spanish because his dad does. She tries talking to him and he’s like ????? She then calls him a No Sabo kid and pledges to teach him better

Alicia loves Bluey. Chris complains when she comes over and puts it on, says he’s too old for little kids shows, but doesn’t make any effort to change it.

There comes a point in Buck and Eddie’s relationship that it’s clear they… well—their kids play together. Buck packs their lunches (since his captain at the 118 turned him into a pretty damned good chef). Eddie walks them to the bus and gives both of them hugs and kisses. Buck and Alicia spend more nights at the Diaz residence on the pull out couch than in their actual apartment. It’s all disgustingly domestic.

It’s not like Buck and Eddie are dating. But they’re also Not Not Dating.

Of course, neither of them are the ones to realize it. Marjan is. She says something along the lines of, “Well, yeah, now that Buck and Diaz are together.” And both of them proceed to freak out like “WOAH WOAH WOAH NOW THAT WE ARE WHAT NOW”

And Marjan is SO confused because, “What? Are you two seriously going to try and pull one over on us? You’re attached at the hip. Even your kids act like siblings.” And then she watches their faces change and realizes, “oh my gosh, you really have no idea do you?”

The rest of the 126 make a BEELINE for the exit when their shift is up, leaving Buck and Eddie alone to discuss.

So they go out, maybe get dinner, go two-stepping because it’s Texas and it’s A Thing. BuckFigure out What They Are. Maybe not all of the questions are answered by the end of it, but they definitely had a great time with one another! Eddie is an absolute gentleman and walks Buck back to his place.

Where Tommy is waiting for him in the front lobby. Because i can do whatever I want ❤️

[aamy2100982]

I just read All New Venom, so SPOILERS

So we start at this lady's trial.

I really have no idea who she is, I don't read any comics other than Venom 👉👈. I don't suspect her, because if you've seen the design of the All New Venom, you'll notice that they're not skinny and doesn't have a noticeable pair of boobs. It could be her anyway, but I don't know, I didn't get the vibe during the comic.

Then we have Luke and Robbie

They are the characters that give me the most feeling that they are Venom. Because they have the most suspicious body and behave throughout the comic.

I admit I'm even starting to think Robbie is more suspicious than Luke.

and then there's this other guy. Ricky Jones

That yeah, can be... maybe... why not? But I get this dissonance with the final design, and I don't know. I think he could have acted more suspicious, but my direction is still on Luke or Robbie.

Especially Robbie, he's just too CONVENIENT all the time, before and after the courtroom was attacked.

But then AGAIN

Fucking Luke was thrown out of a window

And then All New appeared through the same fucking window

what a COINCIDENCE

I don't know if Luke can survive long falls.

But when he reappears he doesn't have a single scratch on him, so I doubt that a multi-story building actually fell.

What about the new Venom? I must admit that I'm making peace with the design... NOT COMPLETELY, but I promise not to call you pissed Venom anymore. But I hasn't even gotten over their teeth yet, ew

But at least it seems that the new host and the symbiote are getting along.

He or she don't say "I am Venom" but rather they refer to themselves in the plural. I think they went back to the no-kill rule.

Unfortunately the symbiote didn't speak in the whole issue, but it's understandable, because its interactions with the host probably make it more obvious who it is.

I love how they made this seem super mysterious, never seen before.

And they do the most basic ass pose there can be xd

I'm sure I've seen all the Venoms do the same pose at some point. Anyway, they defeated the villain.

And I lied, Luke does look like he fell... I don't know if from that high, but he looks a little dusty. And Robbie back there looks way too mysterious.

But let's get to the point! Dylan and his new adoptive parents!

woohoo... sigh...

They never explain how or when Dylan got there and I don't like Paul's attitude.

Dylan is literally looking for his parents, he's obviously doing an exhaustive search.

And in fact, it seems that MJ does want to have a family again with Paul. But does it have to be with Dylan?

Marvel really couldn't stand my happy gay family and gave Dylan a conservative nuclear family

He doesn't even have his Woke Dog! (Sleeper)

WHERE IS SLEEPER!?

Well, that's pretty much where the issue ends. It was... interesting? They didn't reveal the new host, so it was also like reading absolutely nothing.

We don't know who the new Host is, we don't know how Dylan got to Paul and MJ's house, Sleeper and the rest of Dylan's team just didn't appear in the comic, and we probably won't hear anything about Eddie for another two months.

I don't know if they will reveal the new host during this volume or if all the issues will be this mysterious. I hope not, I want the symbiote to talk xd

Honestly, I don't have much to say. They introduced New Venom and their villain, which I honestly didn't pay much attention to, but it's there and I'm sure they'll meet again.

I hope the plot is good. And I would like to see more interaction between the symbiote and the new host, because it seems that they got along relatively quickly, and I say relatively because we don't know how much time has passed since Venom War.

[foxintheferns]

Imagine/Fic Request!

Paul Lahote x Reader Imprinting

@baylexxxx this is WAY longer than you were probably expecting but I got so into it! please enjoy. I’m totally down to add a part 2 to this…perhaps a very spicy one…

The Imprint

Jesus, (y/n), you really gotta slow it down next time

Jacob’s surprised and slightly exasperated voice filled your thoughts.

You were still struggling with the concept of constantly having another person’s thoughts in your mind. Hell, you were still getting used to being a shapeshifting werewolf, for crying out loud.

You had accidentally tackled Jacob in your process of shifting into a wolf, it being only your fifth time ever shifting. You were struggling with controlling your impulse and intentionally shifting on purpose, as the first time you’d shifted had been unexpected - and quite painful.

You ran through the trees, following behind Jacob who was several hundreds yards ahead and leading you to the top of the cliffs where the wolves often came together for pack meetings. You felt your massive paws hitting the mossy forest floor with great force, and it felt so effortless. Your strong canine body moved without resistance, muscles pushing you forward in ways you’d never experienced in your human body. It was addictive.

You were living with your father, Jack, down at La Push, who’s been estranged from the rest of your family for quite some time. He never wanted to leave La Push due to his familial and tribal ties, and your mother took you with her when she left him, never truly understanding or caring for your father’s heritage with the Quileutes. After years of a rocky and bitter relationship with your mother, you left New York three weeks ago to reconnect with your father, only to be met with the shocking reality of your genetic inheritance. Your mother had hid much of your father’s past from you, never telling you where he was, and never wanting you to reconnect with him. You had done months of searching online, and finally found distant relatives, eventually leading you back to your long-lost father in La Push. Now, you knew what she was so afraid of. And you despised her for it. Embracing your true identity had brought you to the happiest, albeit confusing and shocking, place you’d ever known.

Sorry Jake, think I’m still getting used to the feeling…you thought back in response to his complaint about your less than perfect shifting.

Don’t worry, (y/n), we’ve all been there! Seth’s sweet and calm voice filled the silence, and you could feel Jacob getting annoyed with the fact that Seth had phased in order to tag along with you on your patrol.

Seth, aren’t you supposed to be at Leah’s engagement party? Jacob thought back.

Psh, they won’t even know I left! Leah’s still drooly over Kai, she doesn’t notice anything else around her half the time.

You started pondering the idea of Leah being so head over heels for her recent fiancé, and due to the boys being able to hear your every thought and feeling, Jacob picked up on your questions quickly.

Imprinting does that to you, (y/n). It’s weird for us to see her so mushy too. We didn’t even think Leah COULD imprint.

Yeah, she finally has someone to put all her love into who actually wants it, I sure am happy for her Seth’s sweet tone and emotion filled the space, and you could feel the brotherly love he had for her emanating from him.

Huh…you thought to yourself, interesting how you and Leah were the only two female wolves in the pack. And here Leah had imprinted, something they were unsure she’d ever be able to do. You wondered if that meant that you could ever…

You bet your ass you can. Jake’s thought broke you from your internal dialogue.

Ugh. I REALLY don’t enjoy having a couple of men in my head and knowing my every thought. Now I get what Leah meant when she said she was grateful to have another girl around here now.

Oh, please. Jacob thought back sarcastically as he began slowing down his pace in front of you. Light broke through the trees and you could now hear Seth’s heavy paws hitting the soft ground behind you as he came up from lower on the mountain. Jacob shook out his russet fur and huffed, stepping into the clearing in front of you. You looked down at your paws, and wondered if you looked as cool as Jacob did as a wolf. Silly to be self conscious even in wolf form, but you were still you…

Don’t worry (y/n), you’re a pretty sick lookin wolf Seth thought in response to your pondering.

Embarrassed at the boys hearing your mind’s vulnerable worries, you tried changing your train of thought.

Yeah, honestly, you are kinda badass looking… Jacob thought, amused at your attempt to backtrack.

Jacob’s compliment peaked your curiosity and you huffed at him, poking his thick furred side with your muzzle playfully as you now came up beside him at the edge of the cliff face.

Jacob’s rich brown wolf eyes met yours, and you saw the familiar boyish, impish, twinkle in them that was so prominent in his human form. You thought back to the first time seeing yourself in wolf form after your second ever shifting, in the reflection of the large living room window of the Blacks’ house in the backyard. Your fur was a soft pearlescent white, with a rich black undercoat, causing your fur to look multi-dimensional and to change tone in different lighting. Your ears were black-tipped, as if they’d been dipped in paint, and your golden wolf eyes glowed against the stark white backdrop of your face.

You flirting with me, Black? You thought back jokingly, trying to deflect from the compliments.

Jacob barked an unbothered laugh in response, shaking out his massive head and flicking his large muzzle towards the cliff face, directing you to keep moving.

Seth was right behind you now, and you were getting a hang of recognizing each of the wolves’ personal scents. Seth’s was musky and sweet, sweeter than Jacob’s, who had more of an earthy note to it.

Hear that, Jake? A girl thinks I smell better. Ha!

You rolled your eyes at the boyish mocking and tried to focus on the task at hand, memorizing the lay of the land around La Push.

You spent the next few hours with Seth and Jacob, running through the trees and taking in new scents, exploring this new world of beauty and heightened senses that you would’ve never thought possible before.

Later that evening, at the Blacks’ house:

The boys had shifted back first, leaving you to be in your wolf form by yourself for a few minutes as they headed into the house, so that you could shift without worrying about being naked in front of them. Maybe one day you’d be able to do it like Leah, without freaking out. You focused and closed your eyes. You began to breathe evenly and intentionally, urging your body to return to its natural state. You shuddered and gasped as your body transformed and phased back to your human form, your body tingling and burning with the sensation. It truly was a bit painful and jarring, and you wondered if that would ever really go away. You grabbed the loosely stacked clothing that was folded up at the bottom of the big pine tree by the edge of the yard, and hid behind the tree as you swiftly put the soft black sweatpants and hoodie on, eager to not be ass naked in the middle of the woods anymore. You shook your long hair out and grabbed the brown utility boots sitting on the pine-needle blanketed forest floor, pulling them onto your feet and jumping slightly as you gathered your balance on one foot to do so.

Finally, you felt put together enough to be able to join the others. With a huff, you stuffed your hands into your front hoodie pocket and walked across the vast yard towards the house, out from the tree-line. The Blacks’ house was glowing with warm light from within, string lights hanging down from the beams over the back porch. You smiled to yourself as you thought of how beautiful your new home was, here in La Push. Your Dad’s house was only a few houses down from the Blacks’. It was so different from New York, and you were grateful for that. Greenery and trees were everywhere you looked. You breathed deeply, letting the smooth and clear mountain air fill your lungs. You’d never get tired of that. You looked over to the Blacks’ driveway and saw your Dad’s blue truck, causing a smile to light up your face. You skipped more eagerly towards the back door of the house, happy to see your Dad after the exhausting day. After years without a father in your life, and only the crappy flaky men your mom brought around, having your dad in your life was incredible. He had missed you so much, and had been searching endlessly for you, too. Your mom had blocked his number and taken you without much notice, knowing that his loyalty to the tribe would ensure he never strayed too far from La Push to search for you. He had lived alone for years, until only two years ago when he had met and imprinted on his wife, Nayla. You were glad he had someone, and were even more grateful that he was ten times the parent you had ever expected him to be. He was your guiding light when you first arrived to La Push three weeks ago, and when within days you had developed an intense fever that had knocked you on your ass, causing you to be bed-bound for a week. He had explained the stories of the tribe to you, stressing the importance of not resisting the natural changes your body was going through, and trusting in yourself to remain calm. Your dad was in his fifties now, and had left his days of shape shifting behind a few years ago, leaving the wolf duties to the several twenty-something’s and teenagers that were rapidly joining the pack after the Cullens came through town.

You pulled open the old, heavy wooden backdoor and stepped into the warmly lit kitchen.

The scent of something savory filled your nose, and your mouth watered. You hadn’t realized how hungry you’d been after adventuring through the mountains all day.

“Hey, there she is! What’s up kiddo?,” your Dad entered the kitchen through the large entryway to the living room, a wide grin on his tan face.

You smiled back, pausing in front of the sink to turn to him.

He strode forward to hug you, swinging you back and forth slightly. It still amazed you how large the Quileute men were, and you smiled at how your height made so much more sense to you now; being 5’10 and lanky never really added up, your petite mother only 5’5 and shrinking at that. Knowing your height was something your dad gave you genetically caused you to feel a pride in it you’d never quite felt before.

“Hey, Dad,” you said back lightly, hugging him in return and groaning out a strained, “Okay- Too! Tight!”, when his massive arms became a bit too restrictive. He pulled away, standing back and putting his hands on your shoulders, eyeing your face from a distance.

“Well, now, how was your first patrol, huh?,” he said with another toothy grin.

You rolled your eyes and smiled again, trying to avoid letting your Dad see any of your new-pack-addition anxiety.

“It was, ya know, pretty cool,” you said with a nonchalant shrug.

“Yeah, right, you were lovin it (y/n)! Sniffing all over the place and running around like a rocket. Just admit it, you think it’s super cool,” you heard Jacob’s taunting, booming voice come from the living room, and several different laughs echoed into the kitchen along with his.

You felt heat flush to your face, and turned toward the counter to see where the good smell was coming from. You heard your dad’s low chuckle from behind you.

“Listen, kid, I’m glad it’s going well. If anything’s ever bothering you, let me know, alright?,” Your dad said casually, clearly trying to play off how much he loved finally playing a parental role in your life. His hand gently squeezed your shoulder. You turned to shoot him a warm, grateful smile.

“Thanks, Dad. I will,” you replied.

He gestured toward the oven, “Warm lasagna in there for ya, too,” He said before bending down to grab a beer from the fridge and heading back with a content sigh towards the living room, cracking the can open loudly.

You piled a double serving of the deliciously aromatic lasagna onto your plate, feeling more ravenous by the second. You took your plate and a fork and headed into the living room where Jacob, Seth, Billy, your dad, Sam & Emily, and Leah & Kai were lounging and eating as well, all surrounding the large tv and a crackling log-fire in the fireplace. You eyed the room, looking for somewhere to settle in. Seth met your eyes and grinned from across the room. He scooted over on one of the dark green couches and moved his plate of lasagna into one hand so that he could pat the spot next to him with the other. You felt yourself flush pink again and headed over to the couch, gratefully taking the spot next to him and starting to chow down on your dinner.

You spent the next couple of hours laughing and chatting with the lot of them, and after a while your Dad said his goodnights and headed home, Billy went to his room, and Leah and Kai were in the kitchen baking multiple batches of brownies. Your interest was immediately spiked when Sam mentioned the rest of the pack’s return.

“Yeah, the guys should be getting back pretty shortly now,” you heard Sam mumble to Emily and Jacob as they sat on the floor in front of the fire.

You had been told when you first became aware of your newfound family that several of the pack’s members were away, in their human forms and traveling up to Canada. Jacob had told you that the pack had come across some news of other wolfpacks living up in the Northern Yukon area, and they had wanted to see if the stories had any validity to them.

You looked up as you heard Sam’s comment. He was already glancing toward you, as were Emily and Jacob.

Suddenly, Leah’s face popped around the corner from the kitchen. “Oh great, (y/n), you’ll be meeting the rest of the pack tonight. Get ready for that,” Leah said with an eye-roll, leaning through the doorway to peek in at you. Her hands were covered in flour and she had the white powder dusted across her blue shirt. Her fiancé, Kai, appeared next to her in the doorway. He chuckled and threw his large arm around her shoulder, tugging her against him, causing her exasperated expression to soften and turn into one of warmth and devotion.

“That bad, huh?,” you responded with a laugh.

Jacob shook his head, his mouth full of a bite of his third brownie of the night, “Nah. You’ve already met Jared and Quill, can’t get much more annoying…,” He cocked his head to the side then, narrowing his eyes and thinking, seeming to second guess his own words, “Well, actually, now that I say that-”

Seth interrupted Jacob to scoff and exclaim, “Oh please, you think Quill has anything on the wrath of Paul? She’ll wanna leave the pack by the time she gets a load of him….”

Jacob snickered in response, shoving the rest of the brownie into his mouth.

Sam’s stoic voice filled the room then, his normally wise tone laced with amusement now, “Cut it out, guys. Don’t scare her off.”

His gentle gaze turned to your face now, seemingly trying to gauge how seriously you were taking the boys’ warnings, “It’s just Embry, Paul, and Collin. They’re all fine. Embry and Collin are nice kids,” he finished.

Seth chuckled, and muttered under his breath, “See how he didn’t put Paul under that nice guy description?”

Sam’s eyes darted to Seth’s face, clearly having heard his comment.

“Paul’s got a… a temper, sometimes, that’s all. Easily provoked into phasing. He’s a rough around the edges kinda guy; we all put up with it,” Sam said curtly, shooting a look at Seth. You saw Emily crack a smile, her eyes flicking to yours. She had been so kind to you since your arrival, expressing her gratitude that more women were joining the pack, as she didn’t have many girlfriends in the reservation, and also liked the idea of some levelheaded females balancing out the testosterone-filled wolf pack. You gave her a warm and slightly timid smile.

Suddenly, a low and deep rumbling sound could be heard coming up the dirt road outside, and the rumbling could even be felt through vibrations in the floor of the house. You glanced over towards the big window next to the couch, and could see a large black pickup truck pulling up alongside Jacob’s Volkswagen Rabbit outside the house.

“Speak of the devil,” Jacob muttered under his breath, picking up the fire poker to adjust the logs in the fireplace with a sigh. The ringing sound of a timer going off flowed out from the kitchen.

“Brownies are done!,” Leah called from the kitchen, and Seth grinned at the announcement of the second batch of brownies of the night being almost ready.

“Jeez, wolves really can eat,” you mumbled, slightly annoyed at your own massively increased appetite since your transformation. Sam chuckled deeply.

“Gotta keep up with these bodies, (y/n),” Sam replied gently, patting his stomach, “It’s a blessing and a curse.”

Just then, the rumbling engine cut off, and the sound of a truck’s doors slamming and deep voices alongside heavy footsteps could be heard coming up the walkway towards the back door. You felt your heartbeat quicken, and internally wondered why you were feeling so nervous. Maybe it was because you were meeting more members of a pack you’d be part of for many years to come. Maybe you felt anxious to be good enough, one of the only two women in the male-dominated pack. You were going back and forth with your inner dialogue when the back door loudly swung open, creaking and slamming as the three massive men entered the small house.

“Yo, yo!,” You heard a baritone voice coolly ring out from the other room, and the sound caused goosebumps to raise across your arms. Two other male voices announced greetings, one of them commenting on the delicious brownie smell.

The backdoor of the home entered directly into the small kitchen, and you heard Leah and Kai greet the three boys. Although you could not yet see them due to the separation of the two rooms, they sounded like they took up a considerable amount of space in the tiny kitchen.

“Aw, damn it! I was hoping you’d stay in Canada forever,” you heard Leah’s playful voice exclaim.

A rough, deep chuckle sounded out from the kitchen, and again your body had an involuntary response, a twitch running through you and a shiver hitting your spine.

“Yeah, yeah, save it Leah. You missed me,” the same rough voice responded, and you almost gasped out loud at the odd familiarity the sound held. The voice was like velvet to your ears, and you felt a pang run through you, as if you had been shocked by a small electric sensation.

Seth glanced over at you from his spot next to you on the couch, eyeing you for a moment, before he hoisted himself up off the couch and casually walked over to the wide entryway into the kitchen. Sam and Emily stood up as well, eager to greet the boys. Jacob sat in front of the fire still, stoking the fire. He shot a glance over to you, and his eyes widened slightly.

“You good, (y/n)?,” He asked curiously, his voice quiet and slightly alarmed. You locked your eyes with his. You must’ve looked a little off, judging by Jacob’s brow suddenly furrowing in confusion and concern. You felt extremely comfortable with Jacob; he was one of the pack Alphas, and he had helped guide you through your first few phasings with such calm leadership and praise. He made you feel inherently safe due to his confident and empathetic presence. Maybe it was for that reason, or due to the fact that he’d already been inside your brain and known your thoughts and feelings for days on end now, that you felt the ability to speak your mind.

“I-… I’m not sure, I- I feel kinda… weird,” You whispered quietly, feeling your hands begin to sweat and become clammy. Jake’s eyes narrowed, and he stood up, brushing the ash from the fireplace off of the seat of his pants. He seemed to be about to speak again when the muffled and upbeat conversation in the kitchen suddenly mentioned your name, and you both paused.

“Yeah, the new addition. (y/n). She’s right in there, with Jake. Seth and him have been showing her the ropes,” Sam’s gentle voice rang out. There was silence, then a few muffled responses.

“Hey now, you didn’t tell us the new one was a girl, Sam! - So old man Jack does have a daughter? Damn, I always thought the guy was crazy when he said he had a kid somewhere and couldn’t find her…,” a new voice responded, a younger sounding and more upbeat tone. Collin, maybe? - you wondered to yourself. The voice didn’t have nearly the same effect that that first voice had just had on you, and you were anxiously waiting to hear it again, your subconscious desperate for the sound for some reason you couldn’t justify in your mind.

The muffled laughs cut off suddenly, and silence again fell across the house, this time filled with a tension that you felt oddly hyperaware of as you stared past Jacob at the lapping flames of the fire. A few brief moments passed, then Sam’s gruff voice sounded slightly alarmed, causing you to glance up from the fireplace. “You alright, Paul?”

You and Jacob both looked up at the same time towards the entryway to the kitchen, where a massively tall, well muscled and extremely handsome man stood, his impossibly large frame practically filling the wide doorframe.

He was holding a brownie in his hand, which within seconds was on the floor, his hand seeming to slip and not even register that it had dropped something, his fingers still outstretched as if the brownie remained within them.

His dark eyes were locked directly on you.

The moment your gaze met his, his expression became impossibly soft. It was filled with warmth, his cheeks suddenly flushing and his features smoothing. His lips parted slightly, and a huff of air escaped from his mouth.

Your heart and lungs felt like they no longer knew how to function. You heard a small, sharp gasp, and it took a moment before you realized it had come from your own mouth.

A familiarity surged through you, coursing along your skin and underneath your flesh, an entirely foreign feeling pumping along your nerves. It felt as though this man was…. not a man, but a soul, standing before you. A soul you knew. A soul that had been waiting for you to come home this entire time - this entire time you’d been somehow existing without it. It felt as though you’d truly, really known him.

As if you’d known him since the beginning of time, though you had never laid eyes on him before. Logically, you knew that. You knew that you didn’t know him. And yet?

“Holy shit,” You heard Jacob whisper from across the room, as he stood still in front of the fireplace. It was clear he was witnessing the two of you, although you couldn’t really register that. You couldn’t feel your body, or the couch beneath you anymore. You couldn’t feel anything other than the reunion of your soul with his. You felt, for the first time, like a seedling, who had been stretching up through packed dirt for its entire existence, searching tirelessly and endlessly for the sun, never knowing why you were growing and reaching upwards without end, but knowing there must be something up there - something just for you. It was as if your entire being had been yearning for its own self, its missing half, and you’d had no idea. You yearned for him, you felt like you had missed him. Like you were reuniting with a love you’d known many forevers ago.

And here he was, standing before you.

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.

.

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A/N: pls why is this my favorite story so far 😫

let me know thoughts, & I hope you liked the plot! I’m incapable of writing short imagines, my brain is too overly detail oriented and it drives me insane but it’s so satisfying to bring it to life! I’d love to expand on this little imprinting and see where it goes ;) muahahah

Love u bye!

-Ro

[totally-a-different-person]

The paultryk stans are dying for some nsfw content aka me just me I beg for more 🫧🖤

I love writing for Paul and Pat man they're so underrated, we really need more characters that so fucking silly, we need more goofy idiots, more absolute fools. So I'm always happy to provide! (Nsft past this point, proceed at your own risk)

Paul pretty much ran back to his quarters once he got back, he didn't care how it looked or what the other soldiers would think if they saw him. He had been out getting supplies with Yuu when he got a call from red leader. Patrick also worked today but he was on an actual mission instead of just maintenance jobs. Their cover got blown and Pat didn't know at first so they were able to spike his drink with an aphrodisiac. It was likely just an attempt to make it harder for him to be a threat, but thankfully they made it back fine.

Tord didn't give him much information over the phone, just that he should get back quickly. He'd done the examination himself, after all Patrick was one of his most important soldiers and a close friend, he wanted to make sure he was alright.

Paul tried to be quiet as he opened the door to their bedroom, their living quarters were nicer than most of the others simply because they were high ranking. They didn't even have to have any bunkmates if they didn't want to, Paul and Pat just liked sharing a room though.

Pat was laying in the bed but he wasn't asleep, just shifting and trying to get comfortable, but honestly it felt impossible like this. He was happy to see Paul though, the shorter shutting the door behind him and walking up to the bed to put a hand on his lover's face, mostly to check if he was warm. "Hey, I'm here" he spoke softly, Pat smiling a bit and leaning up to meet his lips in a gentle kiss.

One thing Patrick would always appreciate so much about his boyfriend was that while he was often silly and more laid back in a way that helped Pat balance out some, he also knew just how to be serious when it mattered. The kiss was short, and incredibly sweet and tender, Paul breaking the connection but not moving away from the other "So what's going on? Are you gonna be ok?"

Pat swallowed thickly and nodded "Y-yeah, I'm gonna be fine, Tord said it was some kind of aphrodisiac, but there's nothing we can do to stop it" his already rather flushed cheeks just went more red as he explained, again shifting his legs under the covers. Paul nodded sympathetically, he wanted to hug his boyfriend and squeeze him, but didn't know if that would make it worse, it was so nice to know he was ok though.

"alright, good, is there anything I can do to help then?" He offered with a little smile, but the taller just blushed deeper, ears bright red at this point "Uh, well... Tord said that as far as he knew there would be no harm in... Indulging" obviously it was terribly embarrassing, but he was so hard it hurt and felt like he was on fire, desperate to have his boyfriend's cool hands on his body. Paul laughed softly, getting on the bed as well, on his knees over his boyfriend who stared up at him with his beautiful green eyes.

"You want me to touch you? Do you think it will help?" Patrick nodded quickly, and in truth sure he had absolutely no idea if it would but his body was begging for it. Paul shifted some and sure enough he could feel the taller man's erection under him in the blankets. "Why don't you say please then?" He smirked slightly as he started gently removing the covers from Pat.

The look he received from his lover told him right away that it was not the fucking time, and he backed down right away, doing his best not to laugh "alright alright, I'm sorry. But you shouldn't act so proud, you know you'll be begging later, I bet I won't even have to tell you to" he smirked as he spoke, gently running his hands down Pat's ribcage making him shudder as he mumbled "sh... Shut up"

Paul's rough hands squeezed and caressed the taller's hips for a moment before gently taking his leaking cock in one hand, giving a little sigh and mumbling "oh sweetheart..." an expression of sympathy settling on his features before glancing back up to Pat's face as he started carefully stroking the shaft "will you hand me the lube love?" The other soldier didn't say anything, just quickly reaching into the drawer next to their bed and handing Paul the bottle.

Paul knew that he likely wasn't in the mood to be toyed with, laughing softly and getting comfortable between his legs once the covers were out of the way. The shorter leaned in to place a kiss on Pat's chest, said man turning a deep shade of red. He didn't say anything, but his lover had a sneaking suspicion he just didn't wanna admit that Paul had been right

He was thanked with a kiss on the cheek, which doubled as an apology for having to let his dick go for the moment. Sure enough Pat seemed very sad, but just gave a sad desperate huff and laid down completely again. The shorter opened the lubricant, pouring some on his fingers, then some directly onto his boyfriend's cock making him jump a bit.

"Calm down, don't worry, I'll take care of you~" He spoke sweetly, using his clean hand to take Pat's twitching member again to start stroking again, much more comfortably now with the lube. "O-oh, oh Paul~" He breathed, biting his lip and moaning softly, seeming beyond relieved to finally receive the stimulation he was so desperate for.

"That's right" Paul said softly, having the other spread his legs a little more before slipping two fingers in which earned him a very happy sounding gasp. He stroked Pat with the same pace that he moved his fingers, gently stretching him and opening him up as he moaned and buried his face and the pillow next to him, gripping it tight with one hand. He was even more responsive than usual, it was cute though.

The lanky soldier melted when he added a third, it felt so unbelievably good but the pressure from before wasn't being released, if anything it felt like it was building up more. "F-fuck... Paul, more, please" he requested softly, peeking out of the pillow to give his lover a desperate look that was impossible to refuse.

Paul was searching for the man's prostate as he curled his fingers and received a loud moan. He felt Pat's cock twitch in his hand as he found the little bundle of nerves, the polish man nearly screaming into the pillow as he bucked his hips. The shorter only got to press against it once more before Pat came, blowing his load all over the pilots hand with a sweet and shaking moan.

He was breathing heavily, staring at the ceiling with hazy eyes before gently letting them flutter shut. He could feel feel his fantastic lover gently stroking him through his orgasm. Though the dull green eyes shot open when he felt the fingers pull out of him and Paul's hand let his dick go. He quickly sat up a bit, urgency in his eyes as he did "w-wait don't st-" "I know, I know" Paul quietly hushed him, having only taken his hand back to take his own pants off.

"I've got you..." The mumbled as he pressed his completely hard dick against Pat's hole, watching as he calmed back down, nodding quickly and spreading his legs more. The shorter took that as a sign that it was fine, pushing inside of him relatively slowly and watching as Patrick threw his head back.

"Oh fuck- P-Paul more, please" he was panting, and Paul didn't hesitate to comply with the request, pushing it the rest of the way in moving right away, holding his hips as he gave a few long hard thrusts. Patrick arched his back and squeezed his eyes shut, one hand grabbing desperately onto the blanket and the other coming up to hold Paul's shoulder, gripping tight and pulling him a little closer.

The soldier moaned and cried out every time Paul shoved it inside of him. He whimpered and spread his legs further, not looking his lover in the eyes as he panted, sheepishly asking him to go faster. The shorter felt his heart flutter in his chest listening to the sweet tone of Pat's voice. Paul just thought he sounded so cute, he sped up right away, earning a loud, gorgeous moan with his name comfortably laced in.

He felt his lover's legs hook around his waist, only encouraging him to go harder. Patrick felt like his skin was on fire everywhere his boyfriend's hands touched him and it was the most addicting feeling in the world. He needed it to survive, if he couldn't breathe Paul in for one second it would surely kill him.

As Paul set his brutal and rough pace that he stayed consistent with Pat just allowed himself to melt. He gave desperate, whiney moans every time it was pushed into him, voice starting to get slightly hoarse as he felt his peak approach again, not really used to being so loud. But he hardly cared.

The feeling of his orgasm building was so much more satisfying with Paul inside of him. Being able to hear the pleasure in his boyfriend's voice as he huffed and grunted, his fantastic cock pounding into Pat's warm tight hole. This was perfect. This was what he needed. And then he felt it pull out, and his previously half lidded eyes that were glazed over with bliss shot open.

He tried to sit up some to look at Paul alarmed "What are you doing?? Y-you said you wouldn't-" he was cut off as the shorter flipped him over, putting him on his knees then slamming back into him causing him to nearly scream as it pressed right into his sweet spot. It was embarrassing, but Patrick kind of forgot how easily Paul could toss him around like that just since he was taller. But really he was very light, and the soldier had pretty great upper body strength so it should have been no surprise.

The sub didn't think it could possibly get better, but now he could stuff his face in a pillow, and it was so much deeper, and Paul had the mobility to fuck him even harder. The shortest of the two was starting to get really close as well, one hand tightly gripping Pat's hip as he jammed it into him, and the other came up to grab his hair, the man's eyes shooting open as he realized what was coming.

Paul got a good grip on the dark locks then tugged hard enough to lift Patrick's head out of the pillow as he pushed it as deep as he could. Pat screamed, loud enough that the other soldiers could definitely hear them if it was quiet enough, and came pretty much right away, making a mess of the bedsheets beneath him.

The pilot didn't let go of his hair, but stopped pulling and just shoved his face into a pillow. He thrusts were getting sloppy and inconsistent before finally pushing as deep as he could and releasing inside of his lover, the man giving a pleasant little whimper. They stayed put for a little while, and Pat couldn't have been happier. He felt so much better now. Paul pulled out, affectionately rubbing his hips before guiding him to properly lay down. He cleaned the other up gently with tissues on their bedside table before throwing them away and coming to lay down with him.

He wrapped his arms around Pat from behind and rested his chin on the man's shoulder and feeling the way the other leaned into him. "You feeling any better?" He asked, looking up at him. The green eyed man nodded with a little smile "Yeah, a lot better, thank you"