#christmas dinner catering
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ganisuk · 2 years ago
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Best Indian Food Catering Company in Leicester
For over a decade, Ganis has been a leading provider of Indian food catering services in Leicester and the East Midlands. We are dedicated to preserving the authenticity and traditional flavours of Indian cuisine and bringing them to your special events and occasions. Our experienced team of chefs uses only the freshest ingredients and time-honoured recipes to create a menu that is both delicious and memorable.
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Whether you're in the mood for classic dishes like biryani and butter chicken, or something new and exciting like paneer tikka and tandoori salmon, we have something for everyone. Our menu is designed to showcase the diversity of Indian cuisine, from original desi dishes to modern twists. We are passionate about creating a memorable dining experience for each and every one of our customers, and our team is dedicated to ensuring that every dish we serve is of the highest quality.
At Ganis, we take pride in our expertise in all types of Indian catering, from weddings and corporate events to intimate gatherings and dinner parties. Our commitment to using only the finest ingredients and preparation methods passed down through generations sets us apart from other catering services in the region. Whether you're looking for a caterer for your next event or simply craving the taste of authentic Indian cuisine, Ganis is the perfect choice.
For more information, Enquiry us at [email protected]
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cookedgoosecatering · 2 years ago
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The Best Christmas-Themed Brunch Restaurants in Pittsburgh
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Is it even a brunch if it doesn’t serve yummy food? If you are looking for a catering brunch near me, then look no further and book your next event with Cooked Goose Catering. We deal in the best brunch in Pittsburgh , Christmas dinner catering that includes the best range of dishes that will surely leave your guests mesmerized. Our Bonafede team of professionals can serve all your guests the best brunch in Pittsburgh. Contact us to know more details.
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gaywario420 · 2 years ago
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GOT A KING GIZZ SHIRT AND AN ANOMALOCARIS PLUSHIE FOR CHRISTMAS FUCK YEAAAAA 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HANUKKAH EVERYONE I HOPE YOURE HAVING WONDERFUL DAYS :]]]]
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kailashparbat1 · 21 days ago
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canapeuae · 2 months ago
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How Canape’s Live Cooking Stations Can Transform Your Event
When planning an event, you want every detail to stand out, and food is a big part of that. One of the best ways to add excitement to your next event is with Canape’s live cooking stations. These interactive stations not only provide freshly prepared meals but also entertain guests as they watch talented chefs create dishes on the spot.
Live cooking stations are perfect for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and more. Guests can choose from a variety of options, from sizzling grilled meats to freshly rolled sushi or even handmade pasta. The stations are a great way to bring the kitchen into the heart of the event, turning food preparation into a lively experience. Watching skilled chefs prepare delicious dishes in real time creates an engaging atmosphere that adds flair and fun to any occasion.
Aside from the entertainment value, live cooking stations offer the added benefit of ensuring each dish is prepared to the guest's liking. It’s perfect for accommodating dietary preferences or allowing guests to customize their meal exactly how they want it. Plus, the aroma of fresh food cooking adds to the overall ambiance of your event.
If you’re looking to impress your guests with not only great food but also a dynamic dining experience, Canape’s live cooking stations are the way to go. From gourmet grills to custom pasta stations, these interactive setups elevate your event and ensure it’s a memorable occasion for everyone attending.
Bring excitement and flavor to your event with Canape’s live cooking stations—where food meets entertainment!
Canape Website: https://canape.ae Phone: +971505159120 Address: Adel Mohamed Ali Jasim Almarzouqi Building, Plot Number 552-0, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, UAE Open hours: 24/7
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wellourgerdes · 1 year ago
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Corporate Event Chauffeur Hire
2023 SUMMER EVENTS The summer of 2023 will be one to remember, from the Rocket Man at Worthy Farm to Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. It gives us great pleasure to highlight some of the fantastic British activities taking place this summer. To avoid disappointment, make your chauffeur reservation right away. 20-24 JUNE Royal Ascot, Ascot Racecourse 21-25 JUNE Glastonbury Festival, Worthy…
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qatarsprint2023 · 3 months ago
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𝖻𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝗋𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋
businessman!rafe coming home after a long day at work — drabble, soft!rafe, sexual implications word count: 500
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Today was like any usual day of the week— Rafe had work, you had work and when you got home afterwards you took care of the house a little, made dinner, hung the laundry out.. all of that stuff.
Rafe, however, had a conference with some partners of the company and when he got home after working all day... God...
His hair was messy in all the right ways, his eyes a little tired looking, and that suit... God, Rafe looked way too good in suits...
"What?" he sighed, placing his bag down on the kitchen table when he noticed your lingering eyes as he entered.
"That suit looks good on you," you smiled at your fiancé in greeting as you finished sorting clean plates back into the kitchen shelves after emptying the dishwasher. "Is it the Armani?"
"It is, good eye," Rafe chuckled tiredly, loosening his tie and walking over to the refrigerator to grab some water.
"I mean, I did get it for you last Christmas," you replied with a shrug, turning away from the shelf to lean against the marble countertop and look at Rafe with his tie loosened, suit jacket off and now placed over the back of a chair.
"Right..." he hummed softly, rubbing his eyes in slight exhaustion.
His legs carried Rafe over to you where he set the cup down before resting his arm on the cold marble and leaning in above you, essentially trapping you between him and the counter.
You smiled in return, placing a gentle hand on your fiancé's broad chest as you leaned up to give him a soft kiss. Rafe’s hands rested on your hips, squeezing you softly.
"Good day?" Nod. "Was it stressful?"
"Very. Bunch of old corporate men..." he whispered, leaning down and burying his face into the crook of your neck, placing warm kisses against your skin.
You hummed softly at the gentle contact, allowing Rafe to pull you in and place soft kisses against your shoulder and neck. "Have you eaten?"
"Mhm," Rafe affirmed, peppering you with more kisses, moving up to your jawline until he got to your mouth. "Catering..."
Your fiancé grinned, pressing a chaste kiss against your mouth and pulling away with a little mwah. His fingers tapped a gentle rhythm against your hip, slowly sliding up underneath your shirt to give your waist an affectionate squeeze.
"You tired?" you hummed lightly as you reached up to gently run your fingers through his buzzed hair. A low hum came in reply, eyes shutting at your ministrations.
Your fiancé's arms wrapped around you, pinning you between his body and the counter; his head resting against your shoulder with a soft sigh.
"But I'm not too tired for you," Rafe murmured lowly, his hand sliding down lower to squeeze the back of your thigh. That drew a soft squeal of surprise out of you, making your husband-to-be chuckle cheekily as he buried his nose in your neck once more.
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whorekneecentral · 1 year ago
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Sous Chef
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Yuki Tsunoda x Chef!Fem!Reader
Warnings: yuki's got a crush, daniel plays match maker, cooking lessons, sexual tension, sex in the kitchen, oral (f!receiving), penetrative sex (p in v), cum play, finger sucking.
Word Count: 2,323
Author's Note: this is a random one, I won't lie to you. it's not very holiday based but it fit yuki so here we are :)) - also a very happy birthday to the queen of audios @2-fast-2-curious thanks for always being unhinged with me <33
merry smutmas series
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Yuki finds himself more fascinated by the woman cooking than the food on his plate for once. 
The holiday season was underway and Alpha Tauri was hosting their end of season holiday party for all of their staff.
Anyone that knows Yuki, knows his love and appreciation for food. If there wasn't any room in the budget, they got rid of some things to make sure they could fit in a chef. They didn't cater, everything was made to order - something Yuki greatly appreciated.
The younger driver could see into the kitchen from the little cut out they had, the same spot that the waiters would pick up their dishes. She was young, she moved quickly around the kitchen and it seemed as if she was in there alone. He never fully saw the woman behind the doors, just a glimpse of her here and there.
Dinner had wrapped up and thankfully for the woman behind the closed doors, dessert would be a spread, something she could take her time and work on.
Everyone was mingling and Yuki left his seat, making his way to his teammate, Daniel. "Hey man," Daniel smiled at him.
"Hi Danny," Yuki returns the smile, "do you know who the chef was tonight?" He asks, straight to the point.
Daniel nods, "that's y/n, she's a friend of mine. Why?"
"She's fantastic, the food was really good." Yuki tells him, a smile on his face. Daniel glances over at the opened window before looking back to his teammate. "Yeah it was, wasn't it? You know you can go back and tell her that yourself."
"No," Yuki shook his head, "I don't want to disturb her."
"Oh please, y/n cooks at my place with my niece and nephew running circles around her," Daniel slings his arm over his teammate, "I promise you won't be disturbing her, c'mon."
The Aussie walks his teammate towards the kitchen, bumping the door open with his hip as they walk in. You were in the middle of pipping the custard into the tart tins, not bothering to look up and see who was there.
"Don't even think about it," you say, not looking but you do see Daniel's fingers reaching for the Christmas cookies you had set out to cool.
He tsks, making a face at you when you finally look up. "You're no fun," he says, pulling you into a hug. You squished into your friend's side, the man kissing your forehead. "Dinner was great," Daniel says, letting you go.
"Thank you, Danny."
"I've bought a new admirer for you," he raises his brows, looking over at Yuki, the younger driver waving shyly to you. "I'll leave you two to chat," Daniel says, snatching a cookie off the tray before running out the kitchen.
You shook your head at your friend's theatrics, looking at Yuki now. "Please, help yourself," you tell him, nodding towards the cookies on the counter.
He smiles, picking one up and taking a bite. You had gone back to filling the custard tarts when you hear a soft moan. "Everything okay?" You looked up, brows furrowed.
Yuki blushes, "this is so.. wow. I don't have the words."
You chuckled, "thank you."
"I'm Yuki, by the way." He says, sitting on the bench as he eats his cookie.
You smile, "I know, Daniel talks about you all the time." You set the tarts in the fridge, turning around to face him again. "I'm y/n."
"I know, Daniel also talks about you."
The two of you share a laugh, the man watches as you move about the kitchen and set up the last pieces of dessert. "I just wanted to give you my compliments, the food was amazing."
"Yuki, thank you." You smiled, your hand pressed to your chest. "That's a massive compliment coming from you."
"I can't really cook but I do appreciate a good chef when I meet one."
"Well, I'd be more than happy to teach you a few things if you'd like. I'm in London until Wednesday, then we're closed for the holidays so why don't you come by on Tuesday ?"
"Are you sure? I don't want to disturb you if you've got things to do."
You shake your head, "I'm inviting you, it won't be a disturbance. Please say you'll come by. I have a new recipe I want to test out, so I could use the feedback."
"If you insist," Yuki smiles. You nod, "I do, otherwise I will have to fatten up Daniel again and I won't hear the end of it."
"Okay," he nods, "just send me the address and the time."
"I will," you smile.
--
It's late, the restaurant's lights have already been dimmed and the chairs were stacked up on the tables when he walks in. The hostess was on her way out but she let him in, knowing you were expecting him.
"Y/n?" Yuki calls for you, making his way to the back of the restaurant. "Kitchen!" You shout back, you back turned to the door as you stirred something in the pot.
"Hey," he smiles, walking in.
"Hi," you waved, not turning around just yet. "Can you pass by that jar, the one with the gold lid?" Yuki picks up the jar, opening it and passing it to you. the contents were red, and liquid, he read the label; chilli oil.
"What are you making?"
"It's a new recipe, I told you I needed a taste taster," you smile, setting the jar down as you let the sauce boil on the stove. "How was the drive over?"
"Fine." He smiles.
"Good," you wiped your hands on the towel, "I have a few things to finish up and we can eat. Do you mind helping?"
"That's what I'm here for," he gives you a smile, walking over to the sink to wash his hands before returning. In the meantime, you had set up a few things to cut. "Just the peppers and celery." You tell him, cutting a piece of the celery to show him how big you wanted it and you cut a bell pepper, showing him how to do it.
Yuki starts cutting the celery while you turn the stove off, stirring what was in the pot. You watched as he moved onto the peppers, struggling to get them to the same size you had shown him.
"Like this," you stood behind him, your arms wrapped around him as you held his own hand, showing him. Holding the pepper with one hand, you helped him move the knife slowly, up and down as he cut the peppers.
Yuki can't focus on the peppers, he should - to avoid chopping off a finger but he can't help it. All he can feel is your body pressed to his.
Your cheek pressed to his to watch as he cuts them, finally finishing. "Good job, Yuki."
The simple phrase shook him. "Thanks," he whispers as you let go of him, picking up the chopping board as you add the chopped veggies into the sauce.
Yuki sits, asking if there's anything else he can help with but you assure him that you've got the rest. It takes you a few minutes but you finish up, sliding a plate over the counter to him.
"What do we think?" You asked, handing him a fork. Yuki nods, looking down at the food on his plate. "Smells good."
You stand across from the driver quietly, elbow propped up on the counter with his chin in the palm of your hand, watching as he cuts the piece of chicken sitting on top of the pasta. Yuki takes a careful bite, his face going through 6 different emotions, you aren't able to gauge what he was feeling. 
Brows raised as you wait for the final decision. "Well?" You asked, eager to hear what he thought.
Yuki wipes his mouth on the napkin, a smile on his face when he moves his hand, nodding. "Holy fuck.. that is.. wow."
"Yeah?" You smiled, and he nodded. "So good."
"Okay good, I wanted to make sure. It's a new recipe and I wasn't sure."
"It's perfect.. more than perfect." He says, mouth half full as he takes another bite.
You let Yuki finish eating as you tidy up. The man asks if you'll sit down to eat and you let him know that you already ate; you had a bad habit of eating bits and pieces there, never actually sitting down for a full meal.
Despite not helping to make the mess, Yuki offered to help you clean up. You two cleared up the trash and the leftovers, taking them into the fridge and making a bag for Yuki to take home. You decide to wash the few dishes left over from dinner and Yuki decides to hang around for a bit.
Yuki standing behind you, leaning on the counter as he watches you wash the dishes. Your hips bouncing from side to side along to the beat of the music you had playing
There's a tension in the kitchen, you wouldn't be able to cut it with your sharpest knife.
You ignored it, hoping it would go away but it doesn't. You know where it's come from but you aren't sure how to go about it.
Turning to face the man, he reacts before you could.
The man pins you against the counter, his lips find yours as his hand cups your jaw. Yuki's hands wandering across your body, tugging on the shirt you had on. 
Pulling and pushing, little by little the clothes end up on the floor. 
He lifts you onto the counter, your legs on either side of him as he steps between them. Rubbing up your thigh with one hand, the other pulls you by your chin to look at him.
Your eyes find his, watching as he sinks to his knees in front of you. 
Your hands are flat on the cold counter as you feel his tongue against you. His arms hook around your thighs, pulling you closer to him. Your hips jut forward when you feel his tongue against your clit, your hand gripping on his black hair. 
He glances up at you and you’re like an angel on earth to him right now; head tossed back, skin glistening under the white light of the kitchen, his head buried between your legs. 
Yuki mimicked his actions again until he can feel your legs shake, your grip on his hair tighter than before, his name strung along with the explicits leaving your mouth. 
He gives you a minute to catch your breath as he kisses his way back up to your face. He smiles as he stands, kissing you and you're even more ready than you were before. 
“This is wrong,” you whisper to him, eyes fixed on his hand that was wandering across your chest at the moment. 
His lips follow his fingers, kissing and leaving little marks as he goes along his way. His tongue brushes over your nipple, your back arches involuntarily; your body betrays you. 
“We can stop,” he says, a hand slipping between your legs.
You stop talking and pull him closer, kissing him once more; your way of telling him yes. He pulls you toward the edge of the counter a little more before he pushes into you. One ankle is over his shoulder and the other hooked around his hip. 
And once again, you were a sight to see; back arched off the counter, eyes closed and your head tilted back, his name tumbling from your lips for what felt like the millionth time.
Yuki has never seen a prettiest sight.
He feels you clench around him, the hand on his shoulder digs in, your nails leaving behind their own set of marks. His hand reaches between the two of you, his fingers finding your clit once again. 
“Oh my god,” your hips bucked, his fingers matching the pace of his hips, your body rocking back and forth to get the most out of him.  
“Yuki,” you groaned, eyes pleading with him, “please.” You beg, your hand wrapped around his wrist.
“Hold on baby, patience.” He tells you, hooking your leg on his hip instead of resting it on the edge of the counter. His lips met yours, a hand resting on your hip to keep you up as he fucked you. The further he pushes, your body just keeps welcoming him like he belonged there.
He can feel you squeezing his cock, your eyes fluttering closed. Yuki smacks your jaw lightly, “look at me,” he tells you. “If you want to cum, open your eyes.”
You give in, your eyes opening a little and Yuki's thrusts are sloppy, you know he’s just as close as you are. A few more thrusts and you’re over the edge, calling his name as you do.
“Where?” He asks, his head on your shoulder and you know it’s not gonna last. 
Your chest is heaving, barely able to hold yourself up, "anywhere."
It’s not long after, followed by a few sloppy thrusts, that Yuki cums too. The tip of his cock brushing between your folds, spreading his cum all over your pussy. He pulls away, smiling at the whimper he gets from you. His fingers replacing his cock, covered in his cum when you roll over, he sticks his fingers in your mouth and he doesn’t have to tell you what to do.
“Good girl,” he hums, watching as your tongue laps over his fingers. Yuki pulls his fingers away, leaning down to kiss you. A mess of the two of you, not sure where one of you starts and the other ends.
You take a minute to catch your breath, falling back against the counter. Yuki smiles, kissing you once more.
"I should cook you dinner more often." You whispered in the quietness of the kitchen.
Yuki laughs, "I'll thank you like that every time."
--
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reigningqueenofwords · 6 months ago
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Losing Her
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Pairing: Bucky x Reader Word count: 1,156 Request: Anonymous. Love that you’ve jumped on the chubby Bucky train 🤗. Maybe reader is planning a party for a recent promotion or something and she has to be secretive so he gets super duper worried she’s leaving him because he’s gotten chunky?
Read on AO3
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Bucky had gotten a promotion that he’d been hoping for finally, and you were so proud of him. He’d worked hard, and it had finally paid off. You wanted to show him just how proud, so you took it upon yourself to start planning him a part. That he would have no idea about. Conspiring with Tony, Nat, and Steve, the four of you worked to make it perfect. They’d help you make sure all your friends were there on time, and that everything was how you wanted it to be.
The phone was between your shoulder and ear as you worked on dinner for that evening when Bucky walked in. “That’s perfect! And it’s in my budget?” You asked. “Tony, just because you make a lot of money, doesn’t mean the rest of us do.” You teased. Hearing the door shut, you quickly worked on ending the call. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Night.” You hit the red button and put your phone on the counter before turning to see Bucky standing there, eyebrow raised. “How was work?” You smiled. 
“It was work. What did Tony want?” He asked, curious. 
You waved it off. “Working on Christmas presents early this year.” You told him. 
“It’s May.” He noted. You simply shrugged and went back to cooking, confusing him. 
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Crawling into bed that night, you got a text as you got comfortable. Bucky was already waiting to cuddle you, but you quickly grabbed your phone. It was Nat, talking about catering. You replied, chatting with her for a few minutes before putting it face down on your nightstand. “Girl from work wants to grab lunch tomorrow.” You pecked his cheek before wrapping your arm around his waist, which had grown since the pair of you had moved in together. Putting your head on his chest, you didn’t see the look of worry on his face. 
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“I don’t know what to do, Stevie.” Bucky paced his office while on the phone with his younger brother. “I feel like I’m losing her.” His heart ached. “I’ve put on weight, I get that. I’m not as fit as I used to be. I work, and so sue me I’d rather enjoy my girl’s cooking over spending an hour at the gym.” He half whined. 
Steve sighed, trying to ease his worries without giving anything away. “She loves you, Buck.” He assured him. “So much.” Being in the middle was hard, but Steve understood why you’d asked him to help. “How long have you felt this way?” 
He sighed. “It really started maybe a week ago?” He shrugged, even though he couldn’t be seen. “I come home and she’s talking to Tony. Something about a budget. She tried to play it off as wanting to work on Christmas presents already. I pointed out it’s May. Then she gets into bed, and instantly starts texting someone. She said it was a girl from work, but why would she be texting her so late?” 
“Honestly, you are dating someone who likes to plan.” He pointed out. “She honestly could be planning Christmas presents. Last year she took over a month just for your birthday present, remember?” 
“Yeah, I remember.” He mumbled. It had been a good present. 
Steve smiled to himself. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’ll all blow over, and you’ll laugh at yourself for every thinking she’d want to leave you. She probably has bridal magazines stashed in your apartment somewhere, Buck.” He saw the two of you making it in the long run. 
Bucky’s cheeks turned a bright red at that. “You think?” He asked, now a bit worried for a different reason. Were you hoping he’d propose or something? “Wait, do you think she’s planning to propose?!” He felt slightly panicked. He loved that you were independent, and didn’t care about ‘gender roles’, but he wanted to get down on one knee for you! 
Chuckling, Steve was amused. “Calm. Down.” He said gently. “Breathe. Just get back to work, okay? I’ll see you for our usual dinner Friday.” He told him. 
“Yeah…yeah…” 
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Throughout the next few days, Bucky’s worries went back and forth. From him thinking you were leaving, to thinking you’d propose and he wouldn’t get to surprise you with that. By the time Friday rolled around, he hoped that dinner would help. Every Friday night, your group of friends made their way to Tony’s for a nice dinner. It was something to look forward to when the weeks were long and hard. 
“Tony never sends a car.” Bucky noted when you told him your car was there. 
“Guess he wanted us to feel special.” You smiled, lacing your fingers with his as you led him outside. There was a nice black car waiting for you, the driver there, ready to open the door for the two of you to slide in. 
Once in, his eyes watched out the window. “This isn’t the way to Tony’s.” He looked to you, noting how the lights from outside hit your face just so. “Where’re we going, doll?” 
You grinned over at him. “You’ll see.” You teased, making him furrow his brows. 
Twenty minutes later, the door was opened again. Bucky got out first, and then offered you his hand. He looked to the building, and noted it was a very nice hotel. Bucky allowed himself to be led by you, his mind trying to grasp at the most logical outcome. He stopped you, making you look at him. “Babe, I love you, and I wanted to be the one to propose. I don’t have a ring, or I’d do this the right way. But, I have to ask before you do it.” He rambled, making you stare at him. “Will you marry me?” He blurted out, making you giggle. 
“I will, but I wasn’t proposing.” You cupped his cheek gently. Motioning to the two large doors that had opened, showing your friends, the room behind them set up for a party. A banner that read ‘CONGRATULATIONS’ was hung up. 
“I guess we have two reasons to celebrate now!” Tony beamed. 
Bucky’s eyes went wide, looking back to you. “Uh…” His face felt like it was on fire. 
You pecked his lips. “We can go ring shopping tomorrow. We’ve been putting together a party for your promotion, babe.” You explained. “That ‘budget’ I told Tony to stick to, that he didn’t….” You shot a fake glare at the man. “Was for the venue, and supplies. That text I got was Nat. She was in charge of food. I worked with them, and Steve, to pull this off in about two weeks.” You wrapped your arms around him. 
“That…didn’t even cross my mind.” He admitted. “I thought you were leaving me because I gained weight, or proposing. Then I saw this place and…well…” He said bashfully. 
“I love your extra weight.” You grinned with a wink. “Now, let’s celebrate!” 
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alwaysshallow · 5 months ago
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gorgerous, part 8
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Simon Riley x f!reader
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READ ON AO3
You're a vet with a pretty simple life. One day though, things change, when a big guy with a skull mask enters your clinic with a small, ginger kitten in his hands. (4,5k)
A/N: ....guess who's back??
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Christmas is usually celebrated with someone you love. Someone you respect, someone that will cherish the moments with you because there’s not only a lot of things to prepare in a sense of duty, the feeling that you have to do this. There's a lot of things that you can genuinely enjoy.
Gifts. You love to think of something special for every person that is close to you, just for the pure satisfaction of seeing a smile on their face and a "How did you know?" question that makes you giddy every time you hear it. 
What’s more, everyone gets something personalized, something that is from you, carefully picked amongst the hundreds of choices. You'd hate to give a present that looks like it had been picked at the last minute at a gas station; so, you spend a lot of the time buying and wrapping your gifts to some corny playlist that you made when you were eighteen, and you play it every year. Just for the vibe. 
Meal, where you think of everyone. Their favorites, dislikes, something sweet for later, when the meal will be just too boring and the craving for chocolate would hit. 
It’s good to note that most of the dishes aren't cooked by you (you don’t have time and skills to do so much), it's catering, but, it's the thought that matters, you think.
And it's like that… normally. 
This year, you feel like all the holiday spirit is dead. Your mom and dad already planned the vacation—without you, which upsets you, but you don’t allow yourself to show that—and your friends go to their families. You’re gonna be alone in the most wonderful time of the year, so for some reason, you start to understand the Grinch. 
You received an invitation from your friends, but you politely declined it. Feeling it would be either awkward, or you'd feel alienated in a family that you don't really know well. Besides, pity isn’t really your thing, so you prefer to watch Bridget Jones with cookies and milk, instead of being a burden.
Or, you preferred to watch Bridget Jones, before someone showed up in your life and made a little mess.
Before Simon came into view.
Maybe it's his aura, or maybe it's your high expectations and mindless dreaming, but you think it would be right to ask him. Even if he has plans—you think that a man like him doesn’t have plans—it's something that you want to do.
Just out of pure curiosity. Because based on the dinner you had with him, evening that you spent together, you think he'd be a good company. In your mind, you already see the banter between you and him. You already see how he argues with you that you shouldn't really put on a Grinch movie, or any Christmas movie because it’s tacky to think of a Hallmark movie and a meal together. You see how he rolls his eyes, when you hit “play” despite his protests.
How he tries to seem uninterested, but he’s more invested into the movie than you are, commenting out loud stupid choices of the heroes, sighing audibly, as you laugh in the background. How he absolutely devours cookies that you made, so you need to bake another batch of them because he's eating so much—rightfully so, for such a monstrous man in the military. He probably relies on his weight to stay in form. 
It's hard not to drool, when you imagine it. His body under all of the clothing, his muscles, body fat. How he looks, how comedically bigger he is, compared to you. Fuck, you’d give a lot to see him without all of those clothes. Compression shirt leaves too much to your imagination to be satisfied with that only.
It’s even harder to maintain a calm face, when he asks you about something from the bathroom, and you jump in place, like you were just caught on something illegal or watching porn. You can’t even recall what he was saying, so with a frown you ask him to repeat the question.
If he’s not dense, he should know by now that you like him. Very much. Maybe too much, considering how far your imagination goes, and it only took… a few months, to fall into this mindset with a man that is rather known for being quiet. A man that did a horrible first impression in that weird mask, yet you’re still interested.
Your polar opposite. 
While you love to talk, he rather avoids it. You love crowds (moderately), he does not. He probably prefers to sit alone in the cafe, reading away from the crowd, while you almost every time find someone to talk to, either if it’s a client or a barista that is glad someone doesn’t complain about the coffee. You talk, he’s more of a listener. 
Fire and water; ice, even. Something that is on the opposite sides, something that shouldn’t work in the first place, but for some reason, it works perfectly well—for you, at least. You’re more addicted with the passing hours of your weird friendship with Simon, more curious to know him. Trying to adjust to the slow pace that he set in.
The slow dance around the topic is the thing you know Simon likes the most. It’s maybe the only thing that you’re sure he loves to do. Taking his time to observe, pounce and eventually attack, if he feels up to it.
It’d be easier that he’d ask you to spend Christmas with him, but you can’t have it all easy, no?
You bite your cheek and observe how he plays with Sparkles. The cat is invested in catching his fingers with her paws, gnawing on them, when he tries to take them away from her to take a sip of his tea. With a view like that, it’s easy to melt into a puddle and forget about everything that bothers you. It’s also very easy to have a prospect of you three spending holidays in your apartment. Wouldn’t be far from what you have now—big “bad” military man spending time with a tiny kitten, while you try to think of a proper breakfast. 
It would be the best reward to have him around, when it’s your favorite time of the year. 
But, it’s up to him, if he agrees.
And, for many reasons, unbeknownst to you, you want him to agree.
“You have somethin’ in mind,” he breaks the silence. Deep brown eyes are already scanning you from the bottom to the top of your head, curiously. Challenging himself if he’s capable of knowing what bothers you, before you’ll say it to him.
You’re not gonna make it easy for him, that’s for sure.
“I don’t,” you huff, like it’s supposed to convince him. “It’s just… I don’t know what to make for breakfast. That’s really it.” 
Simon’s quick to accuse you. “Don’t lie.”
“I don’t lie?” You raise your eyebrow, like he just didn’t tell you the truth; he scoffs at your high-pitched tone, taking a few steps towards you.
“You bite your cheek, and stomp like a bunny. What is it if not lyin’?” He mimics you, raising an eyebrow too. If it would be anyone else, you’d be slightly offended.
Rather than that, you’re amused a bit. “Like a bunny?”
He shrugs. “Yeah. From Bambi, or whatever that was.”
It takes everything in you to not laugh right this second. “You watched Bambi?”
“With Soap,” he murmurs, almost in shame because of the confession. “Doesn’t matter, what do you have in your little head?”
One confession leads to another, you think. It seems inevitable to say this right now, as finding a lie would be the worst option ever in front of a human lie detector. 
Besides, there’s no point in lying when you want him on Christmas. 
“I thought that, you know, you could spend Christmas with me. Sparkles would be included, too,” you say, out of breath when you’re done. 
In theory, this, telling him what you have in mind, should help you to get rid of that feeling in your chest. Feeling that makes you go back to being a kid, when you felt there’s nothing you can do about certain situations. When you could just wait for the mercy of the other person.
And that’s exactly what you’re doing right now. You’re waiting till Simon says something; a few minutes ago, you felt like it’s just a formality. 
Right now, you feel that the ache got worse just by seconds. His blank stare doesn’t help you with anything, it just makes you wonder what is in his mind right now. Is he just so shocked that he doesn’t know what to say? Or is he trying to find the words to politely decline the invitation?
“So, you want to celebrate with me,” he speaks up. You don’t know if there’s been five minutes, ten minutes, or an hour since you’ve asked him, but nonetheless, it makes you mad how he asks another question, instead of answering yours.
Although, you don’t show it; you just chuckle, nervously. “Is that really weird?”
“Kind of? Masochist type of way, if I’m being honest,” he hums, tilting his head. You have this specific feeling behind your head that he’s not taking you seriously, but you try to push it away. You don’t need it, not now.
“Well, masochist or not,” you swallow the saliva, thinking it would give you courage to continue the conversation, “I really mean it. I’d love to have you here.”
He sighs, shaking his head, and you know you’re screwed. “We’re not quite here, bird. Nothin’ personal, but that’s probably the dumbest idea out here.”
“Dumbest… idea?” You raise your eyebrow, laughing at first, but then you look at him in disbelief. “Like, spending time together on Christmas is dumb?”
It looks like he doesn’t even want to hear what you are saying. Riley puts Sparkles to the transporter, getting ready to go, while you still want the answer. “So? That’s… it?”
“I don’t want to spend Christmas with you.” He shrugs, looking at you. “Simple as that, I don’t know what is so hard to understand.”
And then, he leaves. 
Not only without breakfast, but without a word that would help you understand why he reacted like that. 
As you can imagine, the following days are kind of rough. 
Simon isn't a texter or a caller, doesn't have a reason for it anyway, so you're anxious all the time at work. You make more hours than you should just to stay in work and keep your mind occupied with something other than him because it still feels like he was at your place minutes ago, not days. 
It doesn’t help. The unnerving wave of shame is overwhelming, so you can’t even enjoy your work the way you normally would. Because normally, work helps you with your inner peace, feeling like a hot shower after a long day. Relaxing your muscles, bringing your mind elsewhere.
Right now, work is just pouring more problems to the already full cup.
Maybe it’s a mistake, but you don’t really share it with anyone; what happened with the British guy. Too ashamed that you even thought it would be a great idea to invite Simon, you bottle the feelings instead of letting them out on a random girls night, when you’d be too drunk to remember what you’ve said. You don’t mention it to your best friend, in case she’d spill it to Soap, you don’t mention it to your parents, in a fear of being judged. Or, Simon being judged in that case, they don’t know him. 
You feel like you don’t know him either, but he has to have a reason to not to come, right? It’s not like he decided that just out of spite, right?
Not only you feel bad, but the whole thing feels pathetic. Everything reminds you of him. A damn jar of peanut butter in your apartment (that you hide deep, as you don’t want to even look at that), cat toys at your workplace, LEGO, just because he said that it seems like the stupidest, yet the most interesting “puzzle thing” ever. If this isn’t enough, you catch yourself thinking of him at the gym, when you feel too fatigued to continue the training. Wondering if he’d push you to do the last set, what’d he say. Him, helping you with the exercises, seems like something inevitable. Something that could happen.
You need a cold shower after that.
These days, people tend to get on your nerves too. Your calm clients become someone that you don’t want to see, not even mentioning talking to them for more than it’s necessary. Happy couple in the shop irritates you enough to skip the aisle that they are in because if you don’t get to be happy, you don’t want to see other people happy like that. Not when you thought you’re gonna spend the holiday with someone special to you.
God. If one of your best friends would behave that way, you’d convince them they deserve better because no boy should make you feel like crap. 
Now… yeah. 
Now you should be the best friend to yourself, but it’s not going well for you. It’s way easier to try to lose yourself at work, watch rom-coms and eat ice cream, rather than face the truth.
You eventually come to the conclusion that spending Christmas would be a scratch on his emo reputation, so it’s better for you to ignore him completely from this point. If he hates this day so much, he could tell you in a different way than humiliating not only you, but your feelings.
It’s the night before Christmas when you see him, as you come back from the shop with your groceries.
He looks... fine, as always. Unbothered, as always.
Walking like the whole world belongs to him, loudly and clearly intimidating everyone who would even think of crossing his path. It's something that you, right now, envy him for. How heartless he seems, which definitely helps him not only with the job he’s doing, but for the moment like this one. 
Where people, normally, feel ashamed. 
The big guy facade fades just for a single moment—and you hopelessly think it's the moment he sees you, the last droplets of human decency speaking to him. He stops, looking at you from head to your toes and back. Estimating if you’re worth a while.
And when he decides that you’re in his circle of interest, he walks up even closer to you. Not a single emotion on his scarred face, and if you wouldn't know him, you'd be scared that he wants something malicious.
Maybe he does.
"Hi." 
His voice feels like he’s under the water. Deep, unreachable, but for some reason, it reaches you. Simon’s presence floods your lungs, making it hard to breathe, or to do anything at this point. You have to take a shallow breath before you’ll do anything.
You can't quite reach out to yourself to bring anything other than "Fuck you", so you don't speak after the "Hi." A nod in acknowledgement of his existence is all you give him; because if you would try to speak, you'd be either aggressive or hysterical.
And it's the last thing you want to give him: emotions. Because he seems to love that you're the emotional one here; he can read people like a book, and you're tired of being one. Tired of being on his shelf, so he can grab you whatever he wants, and you have no control over it. It simply doesn't feel right to you, doesn't seem fair at any chance.
His tone snaps you back to reality. "Dove."
You sigh. "I have a meal to prepare. Can't really talk right now, Riley.”
"Ouch." He theatrically puts a hand on his heart, tilting his head to the side. You can't really say if he's surprised by your sudden change in behavior towards him, or amused. Maybe both, knowing him. 
So, you do what you do best: you just start walking to your place, completely ignoring his presence. Pretend like you don’t care about this stupid Christmas, like you forgot what he said to you on that disastrous morning.
He grabs your arm, forcefully. You’re not even sure when that happens, when he jerks you towards him and you can see how he purses his lips in a thin line, looking at you with something resembling remorse, at best. Or something quite close to it, it’s hard to name it.
"'m not gonna let go."
"And I'll start screaming. You know I will. Like, actually, who would believe you that you just wanted to talk to me? You’re big, mean and generally speaking many people would—"
"If the invitation is still on the table, I'd take it, if we're bein' honest."
Like a fish, you open your mouth and close it a couple of times, dumbfounded. You can’t really tell if he means what he said, or if he actually said what you’ve heard; because there’s a possibility you just misheard something. You raise your eyebrow. "What?"
"Your hearing abilities amaze me."
"You told me a few days ago—"
"Changed my mind." He shrugs. So casually, like he didn’t actually make you freaking out about him, thinking you’re imagining things between you two because he rejected your invitation. 
You repeat his words mindlessly, barely believing in them. “What changed, then? The big “I don’t spend Christmas” guy thought he’s gonna do it this year? Or something changed between us and it’s not that casual anymore? Or it’s not the dumbest idea?”
He grits his teeth. It’s not rocket science to see that he’d rather you just take his apology, but you’re not like that. At least, not after feeling so humiliated for a couple of days, thinking that you’re the stupidest woman on the entire planet. For what it’s worth, you need to make him regret his decision a little.
You want him to say something, but he doesn’t. Instead, he stands right in front of you, the royal brown staring into your soul. It’s not like you will budge, and Simon seems to know it, when he rolls his eyes. 
Fire and water. Maybe something that is not meant to be, and you started to slowly accept it after those days without contact. Sometimes people have different views on life, relationships and that’s okay. It’s not like you can change how he feels about you, but right now—
—right now, he closes his arms around you. Before you know it, he places his chin on the top of your head. Trying to isolate you from everything but him.
You try several times to leave his embrace, to punch him hard enough, but he doesn’t let go, and by that alone, you understand that somehow, you needed it. You just shoved it under the rug because it was easier.
Needed him, in general. Needed the reassurance that he probably doesn’t hate you so much. Your anger seems at lower levels right now, tamed, understanding towards him. It’s a stark contrast between you now, and a few days ago, when you wanted his head to be chopped off.
“I thought you passed on the party,” comes out quieter than expected. Like you’re actually afraid to say that, and he seems to know it when he tightens his arms around you for a moment. 
“‘s not a party though, is it? Only us three,” he murmurs, shrugging. You could think he doesn’t care coming from the tone, but the look in his eyes, the small glint in them, says otherwise. 
You scoff, pretending to be offended. Truth is, you’re far from offended right now. “Two is already a party.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.”
“Not a really reliable source, dove. But s’alright,” he says, tilting his head. He looks down at you and then kisses the top of your head. Not even bothered that a few minutes ago you wanted to punch him. “Let’s go already, hm? Probably you’d want to make some shit or else.”
“Or else,” you say. You have a lot to do, that’s true, but right now your focus is elsewhere—and that’s on his heart. You can hear how hard it is beating, the only indicator (besides the eyes) that he really wants to be here with you.
And If you doubted he has heart, now you really can see that, indeed, he has. Beating for no one else but you.
“You… can’t do that,” you say, without even looking at him. Your eyes are focused on the lantern nearby, the yellow light brightening the surroundings. “You can’t just say shit like that and expect I’ll be okay.”
“Listen—”
“—No. No, you should listen. I don’t want you to feel that you can say anything to me, to just come back without the consequences. Just promise me. It’s not hard, it’s not complicated, you know? Communication is actually easy, if you just try hard enough.”
For a few seconds, he’s quiet. Just like he was quiet on that accurst day, when everything got fucked up. You’re quick to open your mouth, but then, he answers, “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You lost your hearing or somethin’?” He tilts his head a little to the right. If Sparkles wouldn’t be in a transporter in his hand, you’d smack the shit out of him. “Maybe you do need a doctor’s visit.”
“I said so much and you—”
“There’s nothin’ for me to say. I know, and I acknowledged it,” he says, abruptly, his gaze hardening. “I fucked up. Not denying that, but right now, I want to make it right. That clear?”
That is clear, and as he’s seemingly a man of his words, you go to your apartment without any other word about the past. 
You learn that he’s more of an observer than a doer. He waits for your sign, for whatever that gives him a clear message about what he should and shouldn’t do. The effect of the military gets to him even in mundane tasks like hanging the lights or tossing around a few decorations there and there. Simon doesn’t speak until he finishes, and then he just stares at you, until you’re gonna give him the next instructions. 
You can’t help but laugh, when you do. He seems so lost when you do that, irritated at first, but he probably gets the message.
"I don't... do, this," he says, when he's busy rolling the dough with his rough hands. For a man like him, he's very tender with how he does it. Caring that you've told him how to do it, not using all of his power.
“Do what?” You look at him, tilting your head to the side. You know exactly what he means, but for what he put you through, he deserves to have a little struggle, to be more vocal about what he feels. He seems to know it, assuming that he pushes the dough to the surface a little harder.
“This stuff,” he explains. His way of explanation is a little different than yours, but you’ll take what he gives you.
“Baking?” 
“That too,” he mutters. “It’s weird to do this.”
“But, are you having fun?”
He nods, and you take it as a final answer. As you smile under your nose, you move on to the next step. You think you’re going to make everything on time, with help like him.
“My parents died on Christmas day.” 
Or not.
You drop your eggs a second later; it’s the first, genuine reaction at his sudden words. His quick reflex is the only thing that saves them from going to waste. “Christ, dove, just watch it.”
“Simon, I—”
“—Well, everyone died. Tommy, his wife, kids.” He shrugs, continuing the monologue. You don’t know if it’s a coping mechanism, trying to make it seem like it’s the most normal thing in the whole world, but in some way, it is concerning. “That… well. I just don’t do anythin’ on this day. Or before, really. I pretend it’s nothing special, so I don’t summon whatever that shit was years ago.”
To say that you’re shocked would be an understatement. You have to fight your tears right now, to completely not fall apart right in front of him. “How young were you?”
“Twenty two, I think.”
You put your hand on his—trying to console him, give him some support, even if he doesn’t look like he needs one. “I can’t tell you—”
“—No shit like this.” He looks up, crossing his gaze with yours. Despite his words, you see something in them. Something that quietly says thank you. “I’m a magnet for bad things, and for what it’s worth,” he looks at you, “I didn’t want to get you involved, if something would happen. Everyone around me dies, if I let them get too close.”
“You do know that it’s bullshit, right?” You look up at him; the choice of words isn’t exactly the best, but he seems to know that you mean, when his eyes cross with yours. “I’m so close, and I’m not going anywhere, Simon.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do know that. See?” You put one of his hands on your waist, the second on your face. He doesn’t move them.
Simon’s eyes darken, second by second. They’re not a dark chocolate anymore, they resemble more of a dark ocean at midnight. It’s hard to find anything light in them. “I see, but you don’t seem to understand what I mean.”
You raise your eyebrow. “Then, explain it to me.”
“It’s a one way ticket. No backin’ out after this—”
“—I don’t want to back out, so.” You mimic his careless shrugging from earlier. It’s hard to ignore how he rolls his eyes at your act. “What?”
“You’re a brat. Should listen to the elders when they talk, not interrupt them.” He mutters, taking your chin so you could look at him better. “Maybe I could teach you some manners.”
You gulp. “Maybe you could.”
Maybe this interaction is something that needed to be said or done. Maybe Simon needed to reject you at first, and then come to you, so he would tell you part of his story, no filter. Maybe. 
You do not care about that, not right now.
“Stay… still,” he sighs right to your ear, his big hand going under your t-shirt. 
If you’d tell yourself that Simon Riley is going to be one of the most important people for you, the past you probably wouldn’t believe any of that. The first impression wasn’t the best, you were interested in him only because of the mystical aura surrounding him.
Yet, when one of his hands is under your t-shirt, the other on your throat, you couldn’t ask for a better place to be.
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bumblesimagines · 9 months ago
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do you believe in soulmates?
i compare anyone i ever date to you. is that weird?
Love Quinn
i compare anyone i ever date to you. is that weird?
do you believe in soulmates?
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs, GN!Reader
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"And here we are." Love cooed, two plates of deliciously smelling pasta in each hand. You smiled automatically at the sight of her and the food, watching her set the plates down and take a seat beside you. She reached over for the wine bottle, popping it open and pouring wine into each glass cup. "All done!"
"We could've had takeout, Love. You didn't have to cook for me." You told her, picking up the glass and swirling the wine inside before taking a sip. 
Truthfully, being an amazing hostess was just one of Love Quinn's many skills. She lightened up like a Christmas tree whenever she hosted at her place or catered for a friend, soaking in each compliment and groan of delight with a bashful yet gleeful smile. She enjoyed taking care of others, even if it'd all she'd done since the moment she and Forty could walk. Being a nurturing caregiver came naturally to her, something you'd noticed when you first met her at a birthday party. Your parents had enthusiastically introduced you to the Quinn siblings and the then-teen Love flocked to your side immediately. And ever since that fateful day, you had the luck of calling her one of your closest friends. 
Love clicked her tongue and waved you off. "Don't be silly, (Y/N)! You know I like making your food." She smiled widely, that big toothy genuine smile of hers. She picked up her fork and twirled some pasta around it, bringing it to her lips and humming at the taste. "You know, if I had it my way, we'd be living together. I'd make you breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. You'd never go hungry."
"Sounds tempting." You chuckled. "I wouldn't want to intrude though. A little birdie's been groaning about your dating life being... stale ever since Milo left to do... whatever it was he was doing."
"Ugh, dating here is just there's a Milo every five feet, you know? It doesn't help that I compare anyone I ever date to you. Is that weird? I mean, you're my best friend. You're like... I don't know. You mean a lot to me. You do a lot for me. You've raised my standards."
"Good." You snickered into your cup when she slapped your arm lightly. You'd never truly thought about Love's dating life, especially after James's death after his long battle with cancer. She'd dated anyone as long as James, hell, she married the guy. Milo had always flirted, made moves, and done things that she'd roll her eyes at and talk with you about. Then, he left and she never spoke of anyone again. 
"Do you believe in soulmates?" Love asked suddenly, taking a sip of her wine. "I thought James was my soulmate. I thought he'd be the one I'd stay with forever. But... looking back on it, I'm not so sure anymore."
"I mean," You licked some sauce off your lips. "I think some people are destined to meet, to be in each other's lives. I'm not sure about soulmates but a lot of people meet and remain together for a long time, even just as friends. Why do you ask?"
Love smiled. "Sometimes I think you're my soulmate."
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valleyof-goldenlilies · 11 months ago
Text
The Fuss About the Christmas Gala - Modern! Rhaenyra Targaryen x Reader
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Summary: Rhaenyra faces a small crisis regarding the planning of the Targaryen Corporation's gala.
Pairing: Modern! Rhaenyra Targaryen x Fem! Reader
Warnings: profanity, angst, slight talks of Rhaenyra self harming (biting her fingernails), fingering, lots of kissing, mentions of dom Rhaenyra, slight dom reader
Word Count: 2.3k words
A/N: hoe hoe hoe! a very merry late Christmas and Happy New Year in advance from me to you :) this is for all the Rhaenyra girlies out there! I hope you enjoy :)
lovely dividers credited to @firefly-graphics !
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If there was one word that was the antithesis of Rhaenyra Targaryen right now, it would be the word calm. 
For two days now, you had watched your girlfriend rush about like a madman caught up in a whirlwind. Unsure of what to do, you usually just sat on the couch, concernedly sipping a glass of water as you watched your girlfriend work herself to death. 
Today was no different, and the stress had only multiplied by a dozen. Since the Targaryen Christmas Gala was this weekend, Rhaenyra was rushing around, calling up caterers, decorators, florists, to make sure that the weekend would go as perfectly as possible. 
“Ugh, those fucking dim-witted imbeciles!” Rhaenyra raged, slamming her phone down on the couch where you were sitting. You looked up from your work, concern furrowed in your brow, as Rhaenyra sank into the couch next to you and began ranting. “Can you believe that the caterers had to cancel at the last minute? Said something about having to attend to the President’s dinner party for all his cabinet at the fucking Red Keep!” Rhaenyra was positively vibrating with fury, and if her anger could sprout wings, she would have flown away by now, probably to kick the head of the caterers’ ass. 
“Nyra,” you tried to calm her, but she continued on with her tirade. “And the florists! No one can do their jobs right.” rhaenyra buried her face in a throw cushion, making a distressed noise. “I knew I should’ve accepted Alicent’s offer of connecting me to the florists she previously used at the other Targaryen events. But I’m just-” 
“I know,” you said, hands going to rub Rhaenyra’s shoulders soothingly. Rhaenyra’s dislike for her stepmother was legendary among your social circles, and with how bullheaded Rhaenyra was, you can’t say you were surprised when she vehemently turned down her stepmother’s offers of connecting Rhaenyra to her contacts, preferring to do it on her own. 
Rhaenyra’s anger soon turned into a crack in her voice, as she felt small tears slipping down her cheeks, seeping into the velvet of the throw cushion she was using to hide her face. She didn’t want you to see her like this. But the stress was really getting to her, and she soon broke, like a dam that had caved at long last. 
Mortification and sympathy immediately filled you when you heard your girlfriend’s strangled sob, as you moved to take her into your arms. “I just-” Rhaenyra choked out, “I wanted to do this on my own. To prove that I could. This is the first event that Father asked me to plan on my own as future CEO to Targaryen Corporations, and I’ve-” Rhaenyra sniffled noisily. The snot from her tears was getting into the blouse you were wearing, but you could care less, only continuing to stroke Rhaenyra’s silver-blonde locks, trying to mollify her. “I’ve screwed it up completely. I’m such a fuckup.” 
“You’re not a fuckup, Nyra,” you said softly, heart breaking as you watched her shoulders shake with sobs. “Don’t lie to me, Y/N,” Rhaenyra spat out, though the venom in her voice was weakened by how much she was crying. 
“I haven’t finished yet,” your voice was chiding, but gently so. “A fuckup, absolutely not. Bullheaded? Stubborn? A little idiotic? Definitely so.” A choked laugh bubbled up in the midst of Rhaenyra’s tears, and you smiled at that, satisfied to have elicited a response apart from cursing or tears. 
“What do I do, my love?” Rhaenyra sniffled, her tone stained with despair. “How am I supposed to face Father tomorrow and tell him that the caterers and florists have both cancelled? I barely can keep the rest of the event’s logistics from spiralling out of control too.” Rhaenyra barked out a jagged laugh. “Seven Hells, the only thing I actually managed to get done was secure the venue and the musicians. He’s going to be so disappointed in me, isn’t he?” You hummed, softly curling a strand of Rhaenyra’s hair around your index finger. “You know, love, I did offer my help a few weeks ago. The offer still stands.” 
An exasperated sigh burst from Rhaenyra’s lips. “And I said no. I don’t need help…” Rhaenyra’s voice slowly trailed off, as the absurdity of words began to sink in. “Oh,” she spoke, voice sounding defeated.“I really am an idiot, aren’t I?’ 
“Oh, darling,” you spoke affectionately. “You are, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start amending that.” You kissed her on the forehead tenderly, wiping her tears away with your thumb. “Let me help you. Please, Nyra. You can’t keep insisting on doing everything yourself, you know.” Your voice was gentle, yet firm. “You need to let go of your pride. Capeesh?” 
Rhaenyra grumbled a little, but she melted under the warmth of your embrace. “Fine. Capeesh. But maybe hold back on bruising my ego, why don’t you?” You chuckled, kissing her on the lips. “How else am I supposed to get you to learn, dearest?” 
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In all honesty, managing an event was definitely way harder than you imagined it was when you had offered your help. While the lack of a budget certainly helped, there were a lot of things the both of you had to consider. Such as the table seating arrangements, the order of the performances (who knew there would be so much fuss over whether the ballet-contemporary dance trope should come before or after the string quartet performance?), the approval of the various menus for guests with special dietary restrictions and the like. 
Rich people truly never ceased to amaze you with their elaborate whims and fancies. 
Even with your help, Rhaenyra still occasionally flew into anxious fits while the both of you were sorting out the details for the event, and you had to stop all work to comfort her when that happened. You also noticed her bitten off fingernails, an old childhood habit Rhaenyra was fond of doing. When confronted, Rhaenyra only sheepishly admitted that the stress often blinded her from doing anything else. 
While it made your blood boil that Rhaenyra was neglecting her own well-being for the sake of the godsforsaken gala, you also felt an uncomfortable, crawling sensation under your skin, and that little voice in your head, telling you that you were to blame for this whole mess. 
‘Why weren’t you more insistent on helping her out?’ it whispered, taunting. ‘How could you let your girlfriend stress herself to this point until she would mistreat herself?’ 
Still, you managed to wave the thoughts aside, wanting to just focus on Rhaenyra now. Gradually, as the plans for the gala became more and more concrete, Rhaenyra became noticeably more relaxed, the perpetual frown that was present on her lips slowly dissolving into a less tense expression. Although Rhaenyra still bristled at the thought of bringing in additional help, she reluctantly acquiesced when you mentioned asking Alicent, who was more experienced in hosting these events, to take a look at the event timeline. It was no easy feat for a Targaryen to set aside their pride, but you were very glad that Rhaenyra could. 
As the night of the Targaryen Christmas Gala rolled around, you were in Rhaenyra’s dressing room, lips pursed in concentration as you fastened the delicate clasp of Rhaenyra’s diamond festoon necklace around her neck. 
“Hey,” Rhaenyra said softly, looking at you through the mirror. “Mmm?” you hummed inquisitively, smiling widely as you finally managed to get the clasp buckled together. She grabbed your hands as she turned around, leaning her forehead on yours. “Thank you.” Love and gratitude laced her voice. You squeezed her hands in yours, leaning in to kiss your girlfriend on the lips. “It’ll be alright,” Rhaenyra felt a warm feeling seep into her muscles, extinguishing the tension she had been feeling all evening. “Don’t worry too much, hmm? It’s Christmas after all. Tis’ the season to be jolly, you know.” A light giggle burst from Rhaenyra’s lips, before she leaned in for another kiss. “I’ll do my best, love.” 
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Hours had stretched on, and it seemed the gala was going swimmingly. Though Rhaenyra had roped you into attending the gala with her - her reasons being that you were her beloved girlfriend and that she wanted every single one of the Targaryen family’s business associates, as well as all her family to see that you were the woman she loved - she had been noticeably absent for some time now. 
Anxious footsteps thumped across the floor of the ballroom, as you politely manoeuvred past the gala’s attendees, trying to find the familiar figure clad in red. 
When you neared one of the endless amount of balconies in this massive building, you breathed out a sigh of relief when you caught a glimpse of white-blonde hair. Standing out at the terrace, surrounded by the night and glowing under the shimmer of a thousand stars, Rhaenyra leaned on the balcony balustrade, her back to the door, as you admired her from behind. 
“You look like a goddess from this view you know,” Rhaenyra smiled as she felt your arms encircle her waist, planting a soft kiss on her neck. “Oh no, you found me,” her tone was filled with teasing. She relaxed into your arms, seeking your warmth. “I found you,” Rhaenyra’s breathing grew heavier as you continued peppering kisses on her neck. “Why are you out here all by yourself, gorgeous? The party’s going well, isn’t it?” 
“Yeah, it is,” Rhaenyra sighed, tilting her head up to give you more access to her neck. “It just…still makes me a bit disappointed in myself, you know? That I couldn’t take charge of a simple event like this.” 
“You’re belittling yourself again, my darling,” you murmured, lips grazing along the sensitive curve of her shoulder. “This event is far from simple, and you know that. Besides, it’s alright to accept the help of others when you’re overwhelmed.” 
Rhaenyra closed her eyes, her hair falling into her face slightly as she cast her gaze downwards. “And I know. It’s just still hard to accept.” You purse your lips, wanting to comfort her somehow…
Rhaenyra felt her breath hitch as your fingers slowly made their way up her thighs, all while your lips still remained on her neck. “Where are those fingers going, hmm?” she murmured. 
“I just want to make you feel better, my dear.” You trailed your kisses to the top of her spine. Do I have your permission, love?” 
“Yes,” Rhaenyra breathed out, gripping the balcony railing tighter. “Fuck yes.” A wicked grin graced your face as she said that, as your fingers skillfully slid aside her panties, grazing them gently against Rhaenyra’s sweet spot. Her answering moan was a cry from the angels themselves. 
“Wet already, hmm?” You murmured, the pad of your finger collecting the wetness of her slit. Rhaenyra groaned, “That’s usually my line.” You smirked in response, fingers playing with her folds with deliberation. “I know you’re always on top, darling. But isn’t it nice to have me take charge for a change?” 
“Definitely no-” Rhaenyra had to bite her tongue as you plunged the first finger inside of her, pleasure coursing through her veins. “Oh, darling,” she moaned your name huskily as you added a second finger, beginning to move faster. A strangled cry rose from her throat as your thumb went to rub at her clit, her skin feeling feverish as she felt you tug off her furred shawl so that you could have access to her bare back. Your soft lips followed the curve of her spine, while your other hand went to trace patterns on her heated skin. 
“Dominance is a good look on me, isn’t it?” You teased, adding a third finger, curling it in a come hither motion. Rhaenyra felt like she was about to faint, as a familiar budding sensation in her abdomen began to bloom. “I should do it more often, love. Who knew you could be a pliant mess under all that tough exterior?” 
“Oh, you are so going to regret this later,” Rhaenyra growled, head already filled with the ideas she would do to punish you later when she got home. In response, you only rubbed her clit harder, making her let out a cry of needy pleasure. 
“Nah,” you smiled, not fazed in the least. “I don’t think I will, dear.” The speed of your fingers quickened, and Rhaenyra let out a final wanton moan as she came, legs turning weak. You had to grip on tightly to her waist with your other hand that wasn’t buried to the knuckle in her so that her knees wouldn’t give in then and there. 
“You okay, darling?” you asked teasingly, as your fingers gradually slowed their pace and you planted a kiss onto the crook of her shoulder. Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes, though her breathing was still unsteady after the orgasm she had. “Don’t act so smug just because you’re in charge for once. You’re going to get it when we get home, darling.” 
“I’m looking forward to it,” you continued challenging her with that teasing tone of yours, retracting your hand from under Rhaenyra’s skirts. “Do me a favour before that, and taste yourself, darling?” Rhaenyra looked a bit miffed at that, though in good spirit. Still, she gave in with a dramatic sigh, as you lifted your fingers to her lips, making her suck her essence off of them. A light moan burst from your lips at the sight, and you leaned in to kiss her, threading your fingers in her white-blonde locks to pull her closer to you. When she abruptly broke away, you frowned, thinking that you had done something wrong, but she only pointed up and said with a sort of childlike delight, “Look, it’s snowing, darling.” 
Caught off guard, you directed your gaze upwards, noting with wonder the white furls currently dancing in the sky. Rhaenyra laughed as a snowflake got caught in your eyelash and you let out a small yelp, flicking it off with her fingers. “Merry Christmas, darling,” Rhaenyra murmured, capturing your lips with hers again, her hand cupping your cheek. You smiled back, gazing adoringly into her eyes. “Merry Christmas, Nyra.”
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let me know if you wish to be added to a general taglist for rhaenyra related works, or just my works in general in the comments or through this form! :) 
thank you for reading! if you liked it, likes, comments and reblogs are highly appreciated! merry late xmas guys 😘🎄
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rainydayandmondays · 11 months ago
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Secret Santa is Coming....
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Summary: Time for the Secret Santa gift exchange and Andy knows you deserve only the best gift. And who says it can’t be a gift for both of you.
Pairing: Andy Barber X Reader, Jake Jensen
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: 18+ only. Explicit language, explicit sexual content, male masturbation, female masturbation, voyeurism, Daddy kink, slight non-con
Author’s Note: A follow up to the Thanksgiving Potluck. I don’t think Andy is okay with just a one-shot with his sweet girl.
“Mr. Barber.”
Andy looked up to see you standing just inside his doorway. Your hands dropping to be held in front of you, he watched as you momentarily shifted from foot to foot. You were uneasy and that should never be how you feel around him. He dropped the affidavit he had been reading back to his desk, before rolling his shoulders, and sitting back in his chair. Something had you skittish and he wouldn’t have that.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
You bow your head at the nickname, your bashful reaction to it would never get old with him. However, he did try to use it sparingly. Waiting until you two were mostly alone, he would softly say it and watch you smile before catching yourself.
“Can I talk to you about something?” You looked at him, your brow furrowing as you waited for his response. Something was wrong. He could feel his own unease build up the longer he watched you, your fingers now fidgeting in front of you.
“Is that even a question? Of course, you can,” He gestured to the seat in front of him.
You seemed to loosen up at his response, your hands dropping the gripped hold you had them in. Turning to close the door behind you, you gave him a small hopeful smile before taking the offered seat.
He continued to sit back, despite wanting to inch closer to you. You were calmer now and he didn’t want to break you from that peace that you had regained, “What’s going on?”
You took a quick inhale before asking your question, “Are you the one leaving coffee on my desk every morning?"
The coffee. You knew about the coffee. After Thanksgiving, he hadn’t wanted to give up the feeling he felt watching you enjoy him so much. He embraced the flashes of you licking your lips after finishing his potluck offering. They would keep him busy popping up over the long holiday weekend.
Laurie had ordered in catering for their family meal. Things were starting to pick up for her at work as they entered the holiday season. Buying everything and then cooking the turkey dinner wasn’t something she was willing to take on. Instead, they had pulled the plastic containers from the takeaway bag, quickly heating them up before sitting down to the saddest Thanksgiving meal. Thoughts of you were the only thing that pulled him out his funk to start pulling down Christmas decorations from the attic.
He decided that weekend that he would find a way to share that with you again. Your friend may have thrown out that thinly veiled threat, but he would find a way around it. Returning to the office after the holiday, he decided to keep his ritual to his nightly shower. No more parking garage camera feed for your noisy friend to make noise about. He found if he worked late enough, by the time he got home, there would be no one up to ask why he took a tumbler with him to shower.
Filling up his trusty tumbler every night, he would grab it from the refrigerator each morning as he waved goodbye to a wife and son who seemed to be more enthralled with their phones than anything he was doing. Heading to the local coffee shop after his morning swim, he would sit in his car adding his special ingredient to the small light roast brew with double espresso shots and half and half.
Making sure to get in as early as possible, he would leave the cup of coffee on your desk before hustling to his office. He had done so for the last week, a smirk lighting up his face when you brought the cup to the weekly team debrief for the latest cases. But now you knew it was him. He should have known you would figure it out.
Trying his best to not react to your question, he pulled on all his skills to keep the best poker face. He could come up with a reason for it that wouldn’t return you to that ball of nerves that had stood in his doorway.
He cleared his throat before responding, “You caught me. I know the late nights you have been putting in. That can’t be easy to do and then only to go home and help your parents. Figured you might need something to look forward to.”
You hummed at his explanation, looking down before returning your gaze to him, “That’s very kind, Mr. Barber. Sweet even. It’s just…people like to talk. I’ve worked so hard. And I don’t want anyone to think that I got anything because of…because of anything else other than work.”
Your eyes had continued to flit between him and your hands in your lap as you spoke. He could tell that you had thought through your small speech, probably even prepped yourself on your drive in. He also knew that one of the office gossips had gotten to you. He was selfish and he wanted the moments with you but not at the risk of you feeling uncomfortable.
Leaning against the desk, he looked at you straight on, expressing as much empathy as possible, “Understood. No more coffees.”
Your shoulders finally came down from around your ears and you sighed, nodding back in thanks.
“Thank you, Mr. Barber,” you replied before rising to walk towards his office door. He wanted to correct you. Remind you to call him Andy. However, he figured it was best not to push his luck. Watching you push the wrinkles from your skirt as you walked away, he called back to you, “I don’t want you worrying about this or what anyone may say, okay?”
Stopping to look over your shoulder, you reached to grab at your necklace, “I won’t.”
“Promise me?” He smirked as you continued to twiddle with the gold chain.
“I promise,” you answered as he nodded for you to leave.
With the click of his door closing, he looked down at his desk, saving your promise to his memory. He’ll use it later tonight.
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Holding the slip of paper in his hands, your name neatly scrawled across it, he smiled to himself. A couple of people in the office decided to put together a Secret Santa exchange. Apparently, the Thanksgiving potluck was such a success when it came to team building, the higher ups agreed to the next holiday activity. Even had HR sign off on it.
Andy had been in court when the bag of names had been passed around. He didn’t give it much thought. Since your stop in his office a week ago, he had kept his distance. It wasn’t something that he wanted in the slightest. But he was willing to respect your genuine worry about office gossip. No more tumblers, no more early coffee runs. The research requests still happened but always through the weekly team huddle.
However, now seeing your name chosen for him, he had to smile to himself. Of course, it would be you that he would get. Of course, him trying to keep his distance would mean you finding a way back to him.
He sat down, leaning his chin in his hands, “Okay, sweet girl. I understand.”
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The office had pretty much cleared out with most people starting their holiday vacations. The last few streamers from the small Christmas luncheon had been balled up and chucked in the bin, when Andy made his way out to the bull pin. You were waving off the last of the other paralegals as you collected your stuff to make your own way home.
“Hey sweetheart,” he saw you jump a little before turning to him.
You had worn a red Christmas sweater with a white bow handstitched along the collar. Your normal pencil skirt had been replaced by a pair of black slacks. And although not his favorite, the pants had done wonders for your ass. He had watched as you moved around the office putting up the last-minute decorations, only to take them down.
“Hi Andy.” You replied turning and looking up at him from your office chair. He caught the small smile that wanted to break free at your utterance of his name. That was good, you were comfortable around him again.
Clearing his throat, he brought the gift bag from behind his bag, presenting it to you, “Merry Christmas.”
“So, you were my Secret Santa,” you smirked looking at the packed gift bag he had hastily bought from the Walgreens down the street.
“It’s a three-part gift,” he answered, nodding towards it and urging you to open it.
Taking the stuffed tissue paper from the top you reached in pulling out a pink tumbler. You let out a small giggle, “For my coffee?”
He fully smiled this time, before shrugging his shoulders and pointing to the remaining items in the gift bag. Putting down the tumbler, you turned back to the bag, reaching the bottom of it, you pulled out a wooden paper weight. Carved into the center was the seal for Boston College Law School. Your brow creased as you tried to piece together the meaning of the gift. He watched as you finally looked back to him, your look pleading for an answer.
“That’s the second part. An old college buddy of mine is the registrar. I told him about a paralegal that had aced her LSATs, had helped on numerous high profile ADA cases, but hadn’t had the chance to enroll yet.” He looked on as the puzzle started to come together in your mind. Your brow creased further as tears started to line your eyelashes.
“They have grant funds set aside every year for students that display great potential. He took care of everything. You can enroll whenever you’re ready. There will be a space for you. That’s the third part.” He whispered the last of his explanation. The tears that had been threatening to fall now ran fully down your cheeks.
“Oh my God. Thank you.” You jumped from your chair, throwing your arms around his shoulders.
Initially taken by surprise, he hesitated momentarily before letting his body relax into your hold. His hands landing on your back as you sniffled into his dress shirt and whispered quiet thank you’s in his ear.  He threw up his own thanks at the office being empty. Something tells him that you may have restrained yourself more with an audience.
Starting to feel you pull away, he resisted the urge to cling to you. It had been a while since Andy had a genuine hug. He had been mostly regulated to side hugs with Laurie. Every once in a while, it would include a kiss to the cheek. And Jacob, well he was fully rooted in his teen years and any idolization that he might have had for his dad had been long gone. He would only get quick nods of recognition from over the top of the phone from his son. But now with you, he could feel the heat of your body, the small catches in your breath as you tried to regulate your outburst. This was something he couldn’t give up.
“I’m so sorry. That’s not very professional of me. It’s just…this means so much to me.”
Your tearful smile at him tempted him to bring you back into his embrace. To just hold you as all the happy tears flowed out of you.
You giggled again, shaking your head, “I have to tell my parents. I have to…”
He nodded at you, seeing all the possibilities run through your mind. He had opened doors for you. Had given you a better future. Had put that delighted smile on your face. He had done that. You quickly began to pack up your remaining things, yesterday’s brief stuffed in with your laptop. Turning to him again, you smiled again grabbing onto his forearm and squeezing.
“Merry Christmas sweetheart.”
“Merry Christmas Andy.”
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“Can you believe it, Jake? I can enroll whenever I’m ready. There’s a space just waiting for me.” You talked animatedly to your best friend as you placed the carved paperweight on your bookcase. It would sit perfect with your old undergrad books and picture of Jake and you from your graduation.
“That’s amazing, Ace! So, he just called a friend and got this all sorted out?” Jake asked facetiming you from his room.
He had suspicions about your kind of boss since before meeting him Thanksgiving. You had mentioned how many late nights you had been spending at the office recently and how walking out at night gave you the heebie-jeebies. The protector within him woke up immediately at that, ready to offer to pick you up if he needed to. You would never ask him to do that yourself. That’s when you brought up Andy Barber and how he started walking you out.
It hadn’t taken Jake long to dig up information on the ADA. He had the white picket fence life, although there wasn’t too much about his past listed. That was the first red flag. Hacking into the courthouse’s camera feed had been relatively easy. These older government buildings never bothered upping their security.
Andy Barber always parked in one of the garage’s blind spots. That would be the second red flag. After you left, Andy wouldn’t be seen exiting until half an hour later. What could he possibly be doing in a parked car for thirty minutes? That was the final red flag.
“His friend is the registrar at the school. He was able to work it out. What?” Sitting down on your bed, you leaned back looking at Jake on your phone. He was making his slightly worried puppy dog face.
“It’s just that’s a lot to get coordinated so fast.”
“Why can’t you just be happy for me, Jake?” You asked only to see Jake’s face immediately deflate. The worried puppy dog look morphing to kicked puppy. His eyes widening behind his glasses.
“Of course, I’m happy for you Ace. It’s just that you’re too trusting sometimes.”
“I’m not a child,” you grumbled back, and Jake wanted to jump through the phone and ease your anger.
“You’re not. You’re a person with a good heart that wants to believe the best in people,” he saw the crease in your brow ease as he spoke, “And that’s why I gotta look out for you.”
Rolling your eyes, you tried to hide your small smile at Jake’s statement. From the first moment he had run into on his skateboard, knocking both of you over in the quad in college, he had looked out for you.
“When do you come back?”
“Why? Do you already miss me?” You watched Jake wiggle his eyebrows suggestively, causing a round of giggles to erupt from you. He pretended to be hurt by your outburst before continuing, “Probably not until the new year.”
You hummed, sitting back up, Jake and you sat in silence as he watched the disappointment take over your expression. He searched for a way to get you to smile again when he heard the knock at the door. Quickly looking back at the door, he breathed a sigh of relief seeing he had locked it.
“I gotta go, Ace.” He watched you nod a short okay, before finally getting up from your bed.
“I miss you.” “I miss you too, Jake.”
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Andy sat down at the desk in his home office. Neck stretched back along the back of the chair, as he thought back on the last couple of hours since getting home. Walking in, he noticed all the lights were off, not even the Christmas tree in the den was lit. Disengaging the alarm, he made his way into the kitchen to see a sticky note stuck to the fridge. Laurie had to go back into the office to finalize the preparations for the end of the year gala, while Jacob spent the night at a friend’s. So much for family time.
Putting an order into the local Italian place, he went upstairs to change out of his work clothes. He contemplated jumping in the shower, until he heard the doorbell ring with his takeout. Turning on the tree in the den, he ate his pasta dish with only the twinkling Christmas lights on. What had his life become? What had his family become?
Dropping the to-go containers in the trash, he wandered back to his office. He thought about powering up his laptop and finishing the closing remarks for one of his cases, when he found the holiday favors that you had passed around the office this morning. Your red sweater on, you greeted everyone with such joy for the upcoming holiday. He couldn’t help but smile up at you, as you left the favor on his desk.
You were a sweetheart. His sweetheart. His sweet girl. He rubbed along his bottom lip as he remembered your reaction to his gift. The hug had surprised him. But fuck if he hadn’t loved every minute of it. He didn’t even mind the soft sniffling you made as your tears stained his tie. He had made those tears.
Opening his iPad, he logged into the recently downloaded program. Would you have already told everyone about what he had done for you? Would you have passed around the carved seal of your new school for everyone to admire? Would you have put it in a place of pride? He wasn’t sure, but it couldn’t hurt to check.
Finishing entering the credentials, he watched as his screen came to life and he saw your bedroom space. It was cheerful like you, with multiple pillows adorning your bed and bursts of color in the pictures you hung on your walls. He devoured the scene, greedily taking in everything he could see, when he heard the click of the bedroom door. The small camera was powerful and could zoom 10x but was stationary in the middle of the school seal.
He waited, hearing you hum a Christmas song along the with opening and closing of drawers off camera and the tossing of a bath towel on the bed. Finally making your way into view, he saw your silk two-piece set. The navy-blue pajama top with white piping along seams hugged your tits. Your free tits, there’s no way you were still wearing a bra with the way your nipples poked through. And the shorts that accompanied it, covered the curve of your ass, but he watched as they inched up as you started to turn down the bed.
He shifted in his seat as he set the iPad to lean against the monitor stand on his desk. Widening his legs and easing back into his chair, he adjusted himself. He hadn’t had a chance for his nightly ritual. But seeing you now, he was happy to see he would have new things to add to his memory. You always knew how to take care of him. His sweet girl.
After setting most of the pillows aside, you climbed into bed, reaching over for your earbuds and phone. He couldn’t tell what you were listening to but judging by the content smile on your face, it must be good. He watched as you closed your eyes, listening to whatever was piping through your earbuds. Reaching down, he rubbed himself through his pajama bottoms. Nothing too aggressive, just softest of touches. The kind he always imagined you would give him. Always delicate and soft at the start.
He sighed to himself as he watched you, “My sweet girl.”
Lost in the moment, he didn’t catch you shifting at first. However, looking back at the screen, he saw your hand move to your top. You let out a small sigh as your fingers started to flick at your nipple, rolling it between your fingers. He frantically sat up, engaging the zoom function to watch up close. Your nipples were amazing, and he knew given the chance he would lap at them, giving them little bites to see you squirm. Your eyes were closed, breathing harsher, as you played with your tits.
“Play with her tits, sweet girl. Show me how sensitive they are,” He whispered as he took full hold of himself. After hitting his fist on the underside of the desk, he pushed back from it to make room for his hand as he continued to slide up and down his shaft.  
He could hear the little sighs you were making as they started to get louder. He knew you would be vocal. You would tell him everything that made you feel good. Both your hands covered your tits while the buttons of your shirt lay open from where you had torn it open to get your hands in.
“Jesus, you’re going to be the death of me.” He squeezed around the tip before breaking contact with the screen to spit down onto himself. At feel of his warm saliva, that winking eye dribbled out onto self.
Hearing shifting, he looked back to find you grabbing one of the pillows you hadn’t bothered to put aside. Now, what were you doing now? He watched as you grabbed the forgotten towel still at the foot of your bed. Placing the pillow in the middle of the bed, you draped the towel over it before swinging a leg over and straddling the setup.
“Fuck me. Take what you need, sweet girl.” He grunted as you started to rock back and forth on the pillow.
Your hips started a natural rhythm, one hand still pawing at your tit while the other held you steady on your perch. As he looked on, the more he dribbled out on his hand, and he finally reached down pushing his pants and underwear off. His ass was momentarily cold on the leather of the seat, but he couldn’t be bothered to care as you kept humping your pillow.
“Daddy.”
Andy nearly swallowed his tongue when he heard your whisper. Your bottom lip now caught between your teeth as you whined.
“Daddy is here. Fuck, I’m right here.” He fisted himself, finally dropping to grab onto his balls and rolling them in his palm.
“Daddy, please.” You mewled out your whimper and he had to grab tight at his base to avoid blowing his load right then and there. You were close, but fuck him, if he missed it by losing it first.
“What do you need, sweet girl? What do you need from daddy?”
“Daddy, I can’t.”
How could you answer him? You had to know. His sweet girl was so smart, she could figure anything out. You had to know he was here. That he could see you. That he was watching you. You were doing this for him.
“Yes, you can. Daddy says you can. I’ll even count down. Five.”
You stuttered slightly before picking up your pace again.
“Four.”
He tightened his grip, corkscrewing his hand on each trip up.
“Three.”
Your breathing was getting harsher as you brought down your other hand, using both to steady you as your hips rolled.
“Two.”
He was almost there. His balls had already started to pull up as he planted his feet to thrust into his fist.
“One. Come on, my sweet girl. Come for daddy.”
He nearly lost it, as you threw your head back, mouth gaping in a silent cry, and the rest of your body spasming. Fucking his hand, he watched as a gush of liquid flew out of you, wetting the towel beneath.
“Oh fuck. Such a good girl. Such a good, fucking sweet girl.”
Standing up, he aimed for the screen as he lost it on the image of his sweet girl squirting for him. He twitched and continued to rub out every ounce he had for her. For once, he didn’t think about it going to waste. It hadn’t, not with what you had given him tonight.
Bracing against the edge of the desk, he flopped back into his chair, as you rolled off your pillow completely drained.
“Thank you, daddy.” You gave one final whisper before peeling off your pajama shorts and grabbing the covers to go to sleep.
“You’re more than welcome, sweet girl. Rest now.”
Andy watched you snuggle into bed, returning to the woman he knew from the office. No longer the horned up, little one that just needed her daddy to take care of her. Taking a tissue from the console behind him, he wiped himself down before wiping the screen and desk. Pulling his boxers and pajama pants back up, he started to log out of the camera’s app, when a dialog box popped up, asking to save or delete recording.
He hesitated only for a moment, before clicking save.
Maybe these work holiday functions weren’t the worst thing in the world.
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canapeuae · 2 months ago
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russellsppttemplates · 11 months ago
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could i request the scenario where pregnant reader gets injured quite badly and one of the drivers is really worried and protective over her! like she badly burns herself at a christmas party trying to help one of another drivers kids or she trips over really badly? just some hurt/comfort !! 🪼☀️
Note: since I've already done the one where she trips, I went with the other one! Also, I'm not sure how it works in other countries, but when my mum had something similar happen to her, the lady at the pharmacy was enough to take care of it!
Cw: reader accidentally burns herself, pharmacy visit, medications
The McLaren Christmas party was in full swing as you felt someone tug on your dress, looking down to see who you could only pinpoint to Oscar Piastri's carbon copy, "hey Lucas! You look very handsome today!", you complimented the little boy, seeing him immediately blush. Like his father, little Lucas Piastri was also a shy boy, but in the buzz of the whole team, he managed to befriend you when he went up to see the races when his parents weren't around, "I want to bring some tea for mummy. She's at the table with my little brother and daddy is talking to a man who won't stop talking", he snickered, directing his eyes. Truthful to his word, Lily was holding her youngest son on her arms while Oscar spoke to one of the sponsorship representatives, so the conversation naturally grew long.
"Of course, darling. I'll carry the pot for you, it's very hot and you might burn yourself", you said, praising his request for help as you grabbed the pot with boiling water from the table. Because not everyone likes the hot drink, the catering team opted to have people get the teapots themselves if they wanted the drink.
You weren't sure how it happened as you had been steadily walking to the table while keeping and eye on Lucas, maybe a little tap from someone and your newly found need to adapt your center of gravity almost daily made you trip slightly, the pot losing its lid and leaving the scalding hot liquid to fall on your arm. While you were able to protect Lucas from being affected, your arm and wrist stung as two older men came to your help, "here, here!", one of them pulled the tray away from your hand as the other checked your arm, pulling you to sit on his chair.
"What happened?", you heard your husband's voice, worry etched in his voice as he looked at the reddening skin in your arm, "tea, she was carrying it for me", Lucas pouted, sitting next to you, "I'm sorry, auntie Y/N, I didn't mean for that to happen", he apoligised.
"It's not your fault buddy" you sighed, squinting as someone held bottle of cool water on either side of your arm, "but I think i need to get this checked out, make sure the skin isn't too burnt and needs something else", you looked at Lando, sending him a quiet signal to get Lucas to his parents and take you somewhere.
Leaving the dinner abruptly, you kept touching your skin, hissing when you hit a particularly hurt spot, "baby, don't do that, you might hurt yourself more", Lando said as he drove to the nearest open pharmacy.
When you got there, your husband was a mother hen, asking the lady who was taking care of your skin, applying a cooling cream and then doing a loose bandage, "until you get home, keep it bandaged up so it feels secure, but then you should air it out so it heals properly. It's not a deep burn, but you were wise to come and get it treated", she tranquilized, "there's no need to worry about mummy or baby, you'll be just fine", she stated, taking off her gloves and taking care of the creams and medications you needed to take home.
When you arrived home, Lando helped you take off your dress, careful with the tender skin as he placed kisses everywhere he could, "Oscar just texted me a drawing from Lucas wishing me a speedy recovery, look! It's a Formula One car by the word speedy, at least I think it is", you said, noticing a frown on your husband's face, "I'm sorry this happened", you attempted, hoping it would cease the crease on his forehead.
"It's nor your fault, and it's not Lucas' either", he explained, "I don't like seeing you hurt. You were being brave for him, but I saw the tears when the lady put the cold water bottles, and how you hiss everytime you move your arm. I don't like seeing you hurt, and little one doesn't either, she's been kicking non stop", Lando pouted, caressing your bump as he helped you put on your pyjamas pants, "if it's any consolation, I'm going to need you to be glued to me so I can do some daily things", you teased as if he hadn't been glued to your side since he heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time.
"How bad does it feel?", he asked, looking for your honesty, "it's okay. The local anesthetic cream is helping, but I could do with some cuddles", you said, allowing yourself to be sorry about the situation for a little bit, "cuddles it is, then".
(Thank you for you submission ✨️)
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kueble · 11 months ago
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I Just Need You By My Side, Cause I'm Warmer in the Winter With You
Another very self-indulgent Christmas fic.
Teen. Warnings: Mentions of torture. 5,600 words.
Ghost/Soap
---
“Shouldn’t you be packing up?” Ghost asks him from where he leans against his doorway. Soap shrugs and sets down the pencil in his hand. He’s been sketching for about an hour now, trying to wind down at the end of a hectic day. Everyone on base is giddy at the thought of going home for the holidays, and the energy is almost overwhelming..
“Sorry, but you’ll have to get used to my ugly mug around here. I know you’re one of the only ones here most Christmases, but I don’t have anywhere else to be this year,” he explains, hoping years of interrogation techniques pay off and Ghost doesn’t call him on the lie. Though it’s partially true, since there’s nowhere he’d rather be then in the barracks with him.
“Don’t you usually have a big family celebration? Remember you rambling about nieces and nephews and being forced into midnight mass by your mother,” Ghost asks, eyes narrowing behind the black balaclava he’s chosen to wear today.
“Glad to know you actually listen to me when I shoot my mouth off,” he laughs out.
“Never miss a word, Johnny,” Ghost tells him evenly.
“So any other year, yeah I'd be home, but things are out of sorts this year with my sisters traveling to their husband’s families, and me Ma and Pa planned a little trip of their own,” he says. Sure, the little trip was right down the road to his brother’s house where everyone would be gathered like every other year, but no need for Ghost to know that.
Last year it was excruciating to leave Ghost on the tarmac, saying goodbyes as everyone else went home to their families. He doesn’t know much, but it’s clear Ghost no longer has anyone waiting for him back at home. They’d all joked about him haunting the base, probably maskless with the skeleton crew left behind and any other puns they could come up with. Still, there was a bleakness in Ghost’s eyes that he never wanted to see again.
Thankfully he’s never been able to hide his feelings from his parents, especially his mother, and she didn’t even bat an eye when he told her his plans. She’d said something cheesy about the magic of the season bringing them closer together, which he’d quickly scoffed off. He wasn’t doing this with any ulterior motives in place. It was a simple fact that his best friend shouldn’t be alone over the long holiday break they were lucky enough to get two years in a row.
If he happens to be completely ass over tits in love with him, he’s smart enough to keep it to himself.
“Guess it could be nice to have some company, even yours,” Ghost teases with a snort. Soap rolls his eyes, but he’s smirking still.
“Do you cook anything for it or rely on the mess hall for Christmas dinner?” he asks, already planning how to make things nicer for him. They may be stuck on a mostly empty base, but there’s no reason why he can’t make it as comfortable as possible.
“Sometimes I make a pot of soup for the week, but nothing special for the day itself. Tend to keep to myself,” he says softly. And that just won’t do.
“Happy to help sample anything you cook, but since I burn water, I’ll order us something nice from town. It shouldn’t be too late for a small catering order. You like lasagna?” he asks, already thinking of the perfect little Italian place near here.
“Wouldn’t say no to it, but there’s no need to get fancy over me,” Ghost mumbles. It only makes Soap more determined to bring a little Christmas magic into his life this year.
“I’ll take care of dinner and you just bring the good company,” he says to settle it. He’ll place an order first thing in the morning, already planning to buy way more food than they need. Ghost deserves to be spoiled, and leftovers are a rare commodity around here.
“Not sure I’ll contribute much in that regard, but yeah, I can show up,” he agrees.
“No one else I’d rather spend the day with. Honestly,” Soap admits, but Ghost just huffs at him.
“Piss off, Johnny,” he says with a laugh. Before he can figure out a response, the man is already gone. It may just be the hardest thing he’s ever done, but he’s damned sure going to make sure Ghost knows how much Soap likes being around him, especially now. Likes, not loves, because he has a feeling that’s something he’ll take to his grave. Being around him will just have to do for now.
The poster fell off the wall for the three thousandth time, and Soap barely managed to keep himself in check. Price would have his head if he blew up the base, but it’s getting more and more likely. It’s a stupid thing, really, just a fake Christmas tree by a fireplace, but he bought it to cheer up their rec room. He grumbles under his breath, reciting every swear he knows and probably inventing some new ones along the way.
“Problems, Sergeant?” Ghost asks from his spot on the couch. There’s a hint of laughter on the edges of his voice, and Soap spins around to glare at him.
“There is in fact,” he spits out before taking a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. No use in pissing off the man he’s trying to decorate for. “These walls are apparently covered in fifty some years of filth, and I can’t get the damn tape to stick. Seriously, it’s like teflon and I’m actually afraid to think about what could be coating this wall right now.”
“This that important to you?” Ghost asks, head tilted like he’s studying him.
“Aye,” Soap sighs out. “Just wanted to brighten up the room a bit. We can’t have a real tree, and I’ve been banned from open flames on base, but I thought this stupid fucking poster might work. Wanna sneak off base and burn it with me? Might raise my spirits.”
“How about I fix it instead,” Ghost says, standing up to stomp over to the wall.
“You’re more than welcome to try, but not even sure duct tape will hold the damn thing at this point,” he says, scowling at the wall. Seriously, he was going to beg Price to get the room deep cleaned as soon as he was back on base. Can’t be safe.
Ghost shrugs before bumping him out of the way with his hip. He holds the poster with one hand and reaches into the back of his jeans with the other. The knife he pulls out is on the small side, but it does the job when he stabs it through the poster and into the wall. Nodding proudly, he slides another knife out of his sleeve and buries it in the other top corner. The final blade is tucked in his boot, and he takes a few steps back before flinging it at the wall.
It lands perfectly in the bottom center of the poster, and Soap chubs up in his sweats at the display of skill.
“Guess that works, too,” he murmurs, actively avoiding Ghost’s gaze. No need to show off how fucking gone on him he is, and he knows there’s hearts in his eyes right now. He’s bound to be suspicious just based on how desperate Soap is to make things perfect, to give him a better Christmas than year past, and he should try better to keep his feelings hidden. Not looking to get his heart broken over the holidays.
“Anything for you, Johnny,” Ghost tells him as he strides back to the couch and picks up his book again. Soap can feel his cheeks heating up and blurts out some half-assed excuse before making a tactful retreat.
He debates waiting until morning, but Soap is too curious about the package in his hands to wait that long. His box of gifts from his family arrived today, but he didn’t bother unpacking it until after dinner. Everything was neatly labeled - or scribbled by his nieces and nephews - with his name except for one.
To Ghost, From Ma MacTavish. Open Immediately.
Not one to disobey his mother, Soap raps on Ghost’s door and hopes this isn’t something too embarrassing. Lord knows his entire family is annoying enough already over his little crush, and he doesn’t need his mother stepping in to help him. There’s a rustling from behind the door before it’s swung open by a brooding Ghost. Anyone else might not see how moody he is, but Soap can tell just by studying his eyes.
“What do ya need?” he asks, voice cracking from disuse.
“Got a special delivery for you and instructions for you to open it right away,” Soap informs him, holding up the package like the peace offering that it is. Ghost eyes it suspiciously but steps aside and lets him into the room. While he’d love a chance to look around, Soap keeps his focus on Ghost out of respect for his privacy. He knows just letting him into the room was a big step for the other man.
“Your mum sent this?” Ghost asks as he takes the parcel from him. Soap nods and smiles warmly as Ghost’s eyes widen. “Better not keep her waiting then,” Ghost mutters before sitting on the edge of his bed. The package looks huge, even in his large hands, and Soap really wonders what it could be.
He tears the paper at the seams, carefully working a finger down the edge of it. It’s gentle in a way that hints of Christmases past and perhaps being yelled at to keep the wrapping for next year. Soap’s grandma used to do that and iron out each crease to save money.
When Ghost finally removes the paper, soap breathes a sigh of relief at seeing the present isn’t anything to worry about. Trust his mother to try and take care of someone she’s never met. Ghost holds up the blanket, blinking slowly at it. Soap supposes he isn’t used to getting many gifts, especially not something handmade. The blanket itself is a mix of blank and white granny squares, no doubt crocheted with love by his mother. Everyone in their house has at least one of these piled at the foot of their bed, and his heart warms at the thought of Ghost having one on his.
“She made it?” he asks in a whisper, and Soap wants to cry about it. There’s no reason a gift should put him in such a state of awe, and he vows right then and there to spoil him as much as he’s allowed to under the guise of friendship.
“You’re looking at a Ma MacTavish special right there. Everyone in the family has one, and it looks like she thinks highly of you,” he confirms.
“Never even met me.”
“Well, I suppose I’ve entertained her with a tale of two of the man who saved my life so many times. Besides, how else do you think she’d know the perfect color scheme for an emo bastard like yourself,” He says in an attempt to lighten the mood. The corners of Ghost’s eyes crinkle up, and he knows there’s a smile beneath the mask.
“You’ll have to thank her for me. No, wait! I’ll get a thank you note together for the next time you send mail home. That alright?” he asks almost timidly, which isn’t an emotion Soap’s sure he’s ever shown before.
“She’ll love that. Sorry to barge in on you so late at night, but I’m glad I did. Should probably be heading to bed, though,” Johnny says with a pout. Dreams of being asked to stay, to tuck himself against Ghost under that very blanket flash through his mind and he has to get out of here quickly before he shows his hand.
“Me too. Night, Johnny,” Ghost says, and he understands it for the dismissal that it is. The last thing he sees as he ducks out the door is Ghost spreading the blanket across the top of his bed and smoothing it out. He’ll have to send his mother a thank you note as well.
There is absolutely no reason for them to be in Soap’s room instead of the rec room, but he wasn’t about to say no when Ghost suggested it. Currently they are sitting on his bed - which is way too small for two grown ass men - with their backs against the wall and his laptop propped on top of their thighs. Ghost is a constant warm presence at his side, and he’s pretty sure he would be completely lost if he hadn’t seen this movie so many times.
They each have a glass of their preferred poison in hand, and Ghost has his mask tucked up over his nose while he purses his lips at the screen in front of them. He is so fucking stunning with the light from the laptop highlighting the planes of his face, and Soap would be weak in the knees were he standing. Not that Soap is abusing his trust just to watch him more than the movie. Absolutely not. Still, the sight of Simon’s sharp jawline is a rare one and he can’t seem to stop staring. He longs to scrap his teeth over the scar that curves around it and has to hold himself back from scooting even closer to him.
“I don’t get it,” Ghost says, breaking him out of his dangerous thoughts.
“How so?” he asks, eyes already turned back to the screen to see what part of the movie they’ve reached. Nearly done at this point, but the silly plot has been a fun distraction. They don’t often get downtime, time totally free of responsibilities, and he hopes he can go without this once everything is back to normal.
“This just seems so improbable. His family forgot to bring him to the airport and they don’t have a single family friend they can call in the meantime? The police are actively searching for these two assholes and yet a child is the only one who manages to take them down? Gotta admit some of these traps are pretty awesome, though,” Ghost rambles out.
“One, I can’t believe you’ve made it this far in life without watching this. Two, this film is a masterpiece because it makes you suspend reality. Three, I’m pretty sure this is why I ended up in demolitions anyway. Do you know how many things I blew up after seeing this? I thought my Pa was going to murder me just as an example for my brothers and sisters. One time I rigged a frying pan to hit my brother in the face and it broke his fucking nose,” Soap says, unable to hold in his laughter. “Pretty sure he was about to pack me off and make me Nan deal with me, but my Ma couldn’t let her baby go.”
“You’re a real piece of work, Johnny,” Ghost tells him softly. He brings his glass up to his mouth, and Soap watches him swallow slowly, desperately trying to remind himself how they’re friends and nothing more. “Glad it brought you to me, though.”
“Yeah,” he breathes out, heart pounding in his chest.
But then they fall into an easy silence, and he’s forced to turn back to the movie. They both finish their drinks as the plot winds down, and he’s about to offer another when Ghost grabs his wrist to stop him from standing up. He looks down, worried that he’s overstepped somehow, and the tightness in Ghost’s clenched jaw startles him.
“We’ve had a good week, yeah?” Ghost asks quietly.
“Loved every second of it,” Soap blurts out before he can stop himself.
“Might not love this so much,” Ghost says with a sigh. “I’ve…I’ve never been this close with anyone, barely even shared this with Price, but I’d like to give you some sort of explanation for why I keep to myself at Christmas. If you’ll listen, that is.”
“Ghost, I will always be here, no matter what you want to tell me. Thank you for trusting me so much, but are you sure you want to do this while we’re drinking?” he has to ask, needs to be sure his friend won’t regret this come morning.
“You think I just keep bourbon and scotch on hand? That’s kinda the reason why I brought it with me. I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while now, but I needed a little courage to do it. Just, just don’t say anything until I’m done, ok? If you do I might not be able to finish,” he warns him, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Sensing how important this is, Soap sets both their glasses on his bedside table and closes the laptop. His desk lamp is on, so they’re not totally in the dark. He knows rumors of Ghost’s past, has heard a bunch of shit about his time in captivity, but every scrap of information is dear to him. He longs to know the man beside him better than he knows himself. He leans back against the wall and angles his body towards Ghost before saying, “Course. I got you.”
“When I was little, the only person I cared about was my mum. She kept me safe, kept my dad and brother away from me the best she could. I know now that my brother was only doing what he could to avoid my dad’s rage, but it still hurt back then. I won’t lie, I had a real shitty childhood and ran into the service as soon as I could. After that, things started improving. I came back home, kicked my sorry excuse for a father out of the house, and got my brother off of drugs. Hell, I stood beside him as he married the love of his life, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything, but the memories threaten to crush me sometimes.”
He trails off and palms the back of his head, chewing at his lower lip. Soap stays silent, unwilling to break his promise even though Ghost looked on the verge of falling apart. They sit there for a long moment while he regroups and continues his story. Soap longs to reach out, to offer some sort of physical comfort, but he knows better than to act on it. Simon doesn’t enjoy being touched on a good day, and he’d absolutely hate it while letting himself be this vulnerable.
“Things were going well until I got betrayed and snagged by Roba. Fuck, Johnny,” he breaks off, swallowing thickly before pressing his fingers to his mouth. “It was bad. I won’t go into details, but you can only be tortured for so long before you start to doubt yourself, start to go mad instead of trying to fight it. I have no fucking clue how I managed to survive after being left for dead, but I eventually made it back home.”
Ghost shifts his legs, twitching as he picks at the fabric of his sweats. He takes a few deep breaths and stares ahead at the wall, shoulders tense as he continues. “They died on Christmas, and it was all my fault. Roba still had his hooks in me, and couldn't let me go since I escaped with my life. One more betrayal led me back to my mum’s house that only hours before had been full of celebration and Christmas cheer. When I got there, the whole house was up in flames. The fire was so hot, but I had to save them. Only it was too late, because they were lying dead near the doorway. They even put a bullet through the forehead of my nephew. He was so small, so fragile, and I couldn’t even save him.”
He falls quiet, and it seems like he’s finished. Soap knew it was bad, but wasn’t expecting something so tragic. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he just lays a hand on Ghost’s shoulder and squeeze it gently, deciding to risk the touch at this point. It seems to shatter something inside of him and he slumps over to lean on Soap’s shoulder.
“The men involved?” he asks quietly.
“Killed them all. Didn’t bring back my family, though. So yeah, Christmas fucking sucks, but at least I’m not alone this year. Didn’t know it would be easier with you here, but you always manage to help me stay calm. Should have expected it,” he says. His voice is tinged with exhaustion, and Soap knows he’s worn himself out.
“Thank you for trusting me with this. I, it’s, well it’s fucked up that you had to experience that. I know nothing I say can help make it much better, and I’m honestly not sure how you managed to get through it, but I’m grateful you did. I can’t imagine being here without you,” Soap says after a long moment. He knew Ghost has a shitty past, had heard about him digging himself out of his own grave, but this is a whole new level of horrible. If it happened to him, he can’t say he would still be here to talk about it.
“Price helped a lot. Pushed me through it and then kept me around,” Ghost says, turning to stare at the wall. Soap isn’t sure what he can offer at this point, but he has the feeling Ghost might not want to be alone after unloading all of this.
“Stay with me?” he asks, watching as Ghost’s shoulders rise up. He still isn’t looking at him, so he keeps talking. “I mean, you don’t have to, but I can’t imagine wanting to be by myself after such an intense conversation. Would feel bad if I let you go back to your room, really.”
“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually sleep with the mask on,” Ghost says with a chuckle. And ok, he can work with that.
“So let me freshen up and get myself ready for bed. You can go after me, and I’ll just sleep on my side. I can keep my eyes shut, give you your privacy,” he suggests. Ghost finally turns to look at him, and there’s a telltale hint of red around his eyes. If Soap was still religious, he’d offer up a prayer that the other man agrees. He clearly needs comforting tonight.
“Yeah, ok,” Ghost mumbles. “Gonna change into my sleep stuff, though. I’ll get ready in my room and be back in a few.”
He practically leaps out of the bed, and Soap hopes he holds true to his word. He goes through his nightly routine on autopilot, not even aware of it until he’s crawling into his bed. He leaves the side of the covers up and turns onto his side to face the wall. It’s only just catching up to him that he invited Ghost into his bed, but tonight isn’t about him. He’d be offering the same closeness to Gaz if he shared something as horrific as Ghost just did.
If anything, this only proves how amazingly strong Ghost is. He had to reinvent himself twice, the second time with no one to support him. They’ve all seen and done some really horrendous things in the name of queen and country, but he can’t fathom coming home to find the burning bodies of his family at his feet.
He’s yanked out of his spiraling thoughts by the sound of the door opening and shutting. The clunk of Ghost setting down his boots seems impossibly loud in the silence, and he holds his breath waiting for Ghost to come to bed. He hears the muffled sound of Ghost removing his mask and setting it on the bedside table and fights the urge to turn around and look at his gorgeous face. He’s here as a friend tonight, and his feelings don’t matter right now.
The bed dips behind him, and the covers shift as Ghost settles in behind him. There’s an awkward few seconds where they both shuffle around trying to figure out how two large men can fit in such a small bed, but then Ghost sighs and rolls onto his side to frame Soap from behind. He slings an arm across Soap’s hips and presses his nose against the nape of Soap’s neck. The last thing he hears as he drifts off is a soft, “Thank you, Johnny.”
Unsurprisingly, Ghost is gone when he wakes up. The bed is still warm, though, so he knows he spent the whole night. He wishes he could have woken him up with a Merry Christmas, but understands his need for time to himself. Chris, last night had been a lot. Hopefully he can still provide a little holiday cheer tonight, but even if they eat in silence he’ll have a great time. Every second spent at Ghost’s side is a better gift than anything he could ever fine underneath the tree.
He spends the morning in the gym, working out his frustrations. Life wasn’t fair, but it has been exceedingly rotten towards Ghost. He knows there isn’t anything he can do to change his past, but he’ll damn sure be here for his future. It feels like they crossed a line last night, but he’s not sure which one. Nothing romantic happened, but he feels closer to Ghost than anyone before. He’s willing to bet Ghost hasn’t opened up this much to many people, probably just Price, and he’s ashamed at how giddy that makes him feel.
They might not ever be together, but they’ll always be solid.
After lunch and a long, self-indulgent shower it’s easy to keep himself busy by running through last minute preparations. They hadn’t said anything about exchanging gifts, but Soap kept finding the perfect things for him.He knows Ghost will love the aged bourbon, even though it hurt his Scottish heart to buy it. There’s also a new knife that came highly recommended by their armorer and a deck of cards with holographic skulls on them. Wrapping was never his strong suit, but he managed to slap some paper onto his gifts. Sure, it looked like they were wrapped by a small child, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
He just finishes heating up the catering he picked up the day before and is about to text Ghost to hurry up and join him when his phone goes off. It’s an incoming FaceTime from his mother, and he decides there’s plenty of time to take it before Ghost swings by. He’s been missing his family all day, but they promised to call at some point.
“Ma! Happy Christmas!” he shouts, laughing as his entire family tries to crowd into the camera view.
“You’ll each get a turn, back off,” his mother says, already throwing elbows at his siblings and their kids. His dad stands next to her, silent as always but with a huge smile on his face. He lifts his glass in cheers, and Johnny waves back in response.
“We’re about to eat dinner, but It’s good to see you all. Make sure everyone gets hugs from me, even though I’m not with you this year. And pass out my presents! Make sure the kids know how much Uncle John spoils them. I want photographic evidence!” he says, laughing as one of his nieces tries to jump into the view again. His dad picks her up and wanders off, no doubt about to bribe her into behaving with cookies.
“I hope staying away is worth it,” his mother says, but she doesn’t look mad, just nosy. She’s been on him for months to bring his boy home, no matter how much he tells her they aren’t dating. Ghost is one hundred percent his boy, though, even if he hasn’t realized it yet.
“It’s worth every second away from you all,” he answers honestly, “I’ll be home as soon as we get more downtime, but you know why I have to be here. Thanks for understanding.”
“Anything for my baby,” his mom says, snorting when he scowls at her.
“You ever going to stop calling me that?” he asks, knowing full well she never will. He isn’t mad, not really, just likes to give her grief about it.
“If you didn’t want to be my baby, you’d have been born higher up the chain,” she tells him with a smirk.
“We can argue about it later. Let me get dinner on the table and then we’ll chat again later, yeah? We can pass around the phone so all the kids can show me everything they got,” he suggests, and his mom nods in response.
“Go feed your boy,” she tells him and ends the call before he can quip back at her.
“Not my boy,” he mumbles to the empty room.
But then someone clears their throat from behind him, and his heart sinks into his chest. Fuck. He spins around with a fake smile on his face to find Ghost standing there with his arms crossed.
“I’m assuming you heard all of that?” he asks with a grimace.
“You lied about your family not being together,” Ghost says, though he knows it’s a question.
“Aye, I did. And I don’t feel bad about it. I couldn’t leave you here alone again. Like it or not, I’m here for you,” he says with a sharp nod. He’s already gearing for a fight, ready to be stubborn as hell about it, but what Ghost says next throws him off his game.
“Because I’m your boy,” he asks, and Johnny can hear the fucking smirk in his voice. He has a plain balaclava on today, which is as dressed down as Ghost seems to get.
“Don’t suppose you’d be willing to let that one go? We can forget about it,” he offers quietly. Because who is he to keep dreaming, right? He’s been dropping hints for at least a year now, and Ghost hasn’t taken the bait. He teeter-totters between thinking the man returns his feelings to thinking he barely tolerates him. Regardless, he meant what he said and he’ll be standing by his side as long as Ghost lets him.
“And if I don’t want to forget it? What if I wanted to be your boy? Though I’d prefer man, if we’re being honest here,” Ghost says, and he freezes while his brain catches up.
“You fucking with me?” he asks, just because he needs to know, needs to be sure before he makes a fool of himself. Well, more of a fool than he already has.
“No, but we could fool around later if dinner goes well,” Ghost tells him, laughing as he reaches up and pulls the mask off. He tosses it onto the table, barely missing the salad bowl.
And fuck, he’s a bonnie lad. Soap can’t even speak, just stands there staring at him, eyes trailing over every exposed inch of his face, committing it to memory in case this is the last time he sees it for a while. “You’re stunning,” he whispers in awe. Then he has the pleasure of watching Ghost’s face darken, the apples of his cheeks turning pink and making the freckles dotting them stand out even more.
“Shut up,” he murmurs before stepping closer. “But yeah, I’m all in if you want this too. Want me. I’m sick of wasting time. Maybe next year we can be with your family instead of me keeping you stuck on base.”
“I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life,” he says truthfully. “And I’d rather be stuck here every single year if you prefer it. But you heard my Ma. She wants you home with me.”
“Let’s make sure we make it to next Christmas, then,” he jokes, but there’s a hint of worry in his tone.
“Never letting go of you now,” Soap warns him with a laugh. Ghost chuckles and moves in so close the toes of their boots touch.
“Hard to let go if you haven’t even touched me yet,” he points out. And fuck if his smirk isn’t as lovely as Soap had imagined. It’s crooked, a scar bisecting the left side, but it’s perfect to him.
“Better fix that. Can I kiss you, Ghost?” he asks softly.
“Simon. Call me Simon when we’re alone,” he says breathily, and Soap knows how out of his comfort zone he is right now.
“Simon, can I kiss you? Please?” he asks and Simon just nods at him.
And so he does. He cups Simon’s cheeks, brushing a thumb across the constellation of freckles there, and leans in to press their mouths together. It seems almost anticlimactic after all their flirting, but the feel of Simon’s chapped lips against his is one of the best things he’s ever experienced. He can almost feel the tension leave both their bodies as they melt into each other. He keeps things light, pulls back before thinking better and darting back for another quick kiss.
Kissing Simon isn’t a burst of fireworks, but it’s like coming home which is even more perfect.
“Would now be a good time to tell you I’m really fucking in love with you?” he asks teasingly.
“Only if I can say the same,” Simon says, chuckling as he palms the back of Johnny’s head and drags him into another kiss.
And if they stand there kissing in the middle of the rundown rec room, lost in each other long after their dinner has gone cold, it’s no one's business but their own.
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