#congratulations you have altered my brain chemistry

[driftwoodsix]

ONE MINUTE SHE WASN'T THERE AND THEN THE NEXT MINUTE THERE SHE WAS

ONE MINUTE SHE WASN'T THERE AND THEN THE NEXT MINUTE THERE SHE WAS

ONE MINUTR SHE WASNT THRRE AND THEN THE NEXT MINUTE THERE SHE WAS!!!

[exquisitesimp]

Celebrating PM's victory with Mori Ogai

A/N: Hello to everyone reading this! This is my first NSFW story here and it's going to be about the reader (F) and Port Mafia's leader Mori Ogai, filled with velvet sensuality. Now BEFORE YOU COME AT ME, I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this character (he is canonically twisted), but S4 altered my brain chemistry…I’m a simp after all, I kinda had to… And yes I will be discussing this with my therapist…Thank you so much for reading, it means so much to me! Stay healthy, eat well and drink plenty of water (and also go to therapy now that you’re here)! - Sam

Tags: Bungo Stray Dogs, Mori Ogai, smut, NSFW, 👀

Warnings: Mori (obviously), alcohol consumption, manipulation(?), fingering, vaginal sex

Word Count: 5.5k approx.

Ability: Granting indestructibility for 7 minutes, either to self or another individual. Could be applied to many individuals at a time, but the more individuals involved, the more energy is required from the user.

Condition: The user must have access to a DNA sample of the individual they use it on.

Ever since you discovered your ability, you’ve been doing everything within your power to keep it a secret. You were an orphan jumping from foster family to foster family, so it’s not like you had anyone to share it with. After reaching adulthood, you were completely abandoned, and you resorted to all sorts of misdemeanors in order to survive. Unfortunately, the nature of your ability was not particularly helpful in that regard.

A couple months ago, you happened to stumble upon “Mori’s corporation”, where you were invited for an interview. It was later on that you found out that this seemingly ordinary corporation was a front cover for the Port Mafia, an underground criminal organization run by ability users just like you. It was then obvious that you weren’t just randomly invited; they had been tracking you down for a while, after figuring out you were an ability user they could use to their advantage.

Your first reaction was to decline. These guys were too dangerous to even be around, and entering such an organization with zero battle experience was just like having a death wish. However, they kept reaching out, pressuring you – on the verge of threatening, actually – more and more with each time. And they were offering you a good amount of money too.

Eventually you realized that you didn’t have much of a choice, so you agreed, making the following deal; you would work for them, but you would not join the members in battles. Instead, you would stay at the headquarters during attacks and you would activate your ability upon request to any members that needed it, after taking a DNA sample from all of them.

Once you started working for the Port Mafia, your life instantly took a turn upwards. You were no longer this hungry, homeless kid struggling to survive. You had, instead, transformed into a healthy, dignified woman, who was valuable and could now take care of herself. And you were no longer alone, since you were surrounded by all sorts of people you had a lot of things in common with. In some sense, it felt like everything had fallen into place.

Each of your coworkers was interesting in their own ways, but Mori Ogai, the head of the Port Mafia, was especially hard to go unnoticed. He openly displayed particular feelings of favour towards you, always congratulating you and offering you gifts to reward you for following his orders. You’ve been asking him to stop, since you’re only doing your job, but he never seems to listen. That, as well as the way he treats Elise, you found quite… weird, to say the least. But he’s your superior after all, and it was in your best interest to maintain his preference for you.

Today the Port Mafia was facing a very challenging battle, and you were called to intervene with your ability quite a number of times. Once everybody made it back to the headquarters safe and Mori congratulated you with great zeal, you were dismissed and you made your way up to your room.

Upon closing the door behind you, you jumped at your bed and took a moment to rest from all the ability using and the stress of being alert all day. It was after a couple of minutes that you took notice of a moderately sized black box, waiting on your nightstand. Without thinking too much, you were quite sure what this was about.

You reached for it and removed its lid. It contained what looked like a dress, which you laid out on your bed, so you can have a better look. It was a long, satin, maroon dress, and it seemed to be pretty expensive.

You were quite impressed. Mori was generally extravagant with his gestures towards you, but this exceeded anything he has done in the past. Coming from a pretty poor background, such a luxurious gift felt a little out of place, but it was still a very welcome surprise.

“Wait, am I smiling? Because of that dress?”, you wondered. “No, I can’t be, it’s weird…”, you reassured yourself, trying to brush it off.

On the bottom of the box, there was a note in a little envelope. The note inside it read:

“Congratulations, Y/N.

Once again, the Port Mafia couldn’t have made it without you. This is your reward for doing such a wonderful job. I had it tailored to your measurements.

Please join me for some wine in my room after the sun sets. I’d also like you to wear your gift.

I’ll be waiting for you,

Mori.”

At this point you were at a loss for words, feeling very confused. You knew for a fact that he favored you, but for things to go that far…that you weren’t expecting it that soon. It’s not like his behavior didn’t give it away; quite the contrary, it was obvious that there was some sort of… sentiment on his part. You just didn’t think he’d make such a request yet.

Of course, you didn’t fail to notice your train of thought trying to go around certain words; “attraction”, “date”… And that worried you even more, because what could all this avoidance possibly mean…? You’d be lying if you said that Mori wasn’t a physically attractive man. And lying was exactly what you did.

“Nope, nope. He’s my superior”,you denied. “Not gonna happen. I’m not gonna go.”

You turned to look at the beautiful dress, which was still laid out in your bed. You took a breath, trying to reset your mind and stop it from rushing.

“What is wrong with me? How old is this man? And why is he treating Elise so weird…? It’s disgusting. HE’s disgusting for thinking I’d go. God, I know exactly what he’s expecting to do if I go… I’m not going. End of story.”

You looked at the dress again.

“Is this it? Is an extravagant gift all it takes for someone to get me to think about them? I don’t recognize myself… Oh what am I saying? Of course this is not just about the gift…”

You started pacing around your room, trying to sort out the thoughts that were bombarding your head.

“But he’s my superior! And he’s so much older! This is so wrong… But if it’s so wrong, why am I feeling… whatever this is?”

You spent a good amount of time going back and forth, all these “what-if”s coming one after the other, making you even more confused about the situation. You continued your inner conflict as you were showering, being moral and righteous one moment, then playing devil’s advocate the next.

You stepped out of the bathroom and tried on the dress he got you. And oh boy did it look stunning on you! The fabric was beautifully draped over your body, totally complimenting your figure and bringing out your best features. Its back was open, and there was a slit on the side. While it did remind you of what his intentions behind the gift were, every thought was suddenly overshadowed by a huge wave of self-confidence.

“You know what? I’m tired of this! I’m gonna shut my brain off and go. And if I change my mind, I’ll just get up and leave. What is he gonna do about it? He needs me. The Port Mafia needs me. I got this!”

The sun was already starting to set, so you went straight for your makeup, which was just mascara and a red lip, matching the shade of the dress. You sprayed some perfume on and made your way to the staircase that led up to his room. With every step you took, you consciously silenced every negative thought telling you to stay in your room, while also making sure that nobody else from the Port Mafia saw you on your way there - you didn’t want them to get the wrong idea…

When you arrived, you took a deep breath and reminded yourself, once again, that you could leave any time if you saw that things were going in a direction you didn’t want them to.

You knocked and waited for what felt like forever before you heard his smooth voice from behind the dark wooden door say “Come in, please”.

You slowly opened the door and quickly inspected his room, which was much more spacious than that of a regular Port Mafia member. It had a king-sized sky bed, and the walls were decorated with a petrol, patterned tapestry. A heavy, large, antique clock with roman numerals was hanging on one of the walls. In front of a huge window that took up the majority of the wall it was adjacent to, there was a small table and two armchairs, identical to the scarlet, velvet one in his office. They were facing each other, and Mori was already seated on one of them.

He turned his head to look at you walking towards the empty chair, a smirk gradually forming on his lips.

“My, my… look who’s here. Please have a seat”

“You literally invited me here…”, you responded.

“I doubted you’d show up”, he said, his eyes following you as you took a seat and crossed your legs.

“Well, here I am, I guess…”, you responded, briefly questioning whether it’s right for you to be there.

“You look mesmerizing in that dress”, he commented as he removed his gloves and placed them on the table between the two of you.

You just noticed that this was the first time you’ve seen his hands without gloves. You spaced out while looking at his fingers getting slowly revealed, but quickly snapped back to reality and regained focus.

“Well, you got it for me, what else would you say…” you replied sarcastically, causing Mori to slightly giggle, just like he does every time you talk to him that way.

“The tailor did a great job, it fits you perfectly”

“What can I say, it’s a lovely dress indeed”, you sighed, thinking that taking a compliment wouldn’t be that bad after all.

“It’s only fabric without the beautiful woman wearing it”, he said, and you hated yourself for getting nervous after hearing that. You had to collect yourself.

“So poetic…”, you responded, looking away and towards the window.

“Where there’s no wine, there is no poetry”, Mori said, getting up from his chair and his fingers holding on to the arms of the armchair for support, “I’ll get the best red for us” and he exited the room.

During the few minutes he was gone, you took turns glancing at his gloves, and then at his bed. Deep down you knew how this was gonna play out should he have his way, but you still didn’t know whether that was something you’d want. Something like that… it would definitely complicate things.

You heard his footsteps and turned your head to face the door. He walked in with a bottle of wine in one hand, and two wine glasses on the other. This time he returned without his coat, wearing only a white button-up on the top, with his plum tie loosely tied around his collar. Seeing him like this really had you questioning whether it would be prudent to have even a single drop of alcohol in your system.

“So, where were we?” he asked as he sat back down and placed the glasses on the table and started pouring wine on yours first.

“I wasn’t really planning on drinking tonight, actually…”, you commented slightly too late.

“Oh come on, Ms. Y/N, just a glass to rejoice the Port Mafia’s victory, our victory”, he whined. “Just one, for me”

You sighed. You didn’t want to drink and increase your chances of acting recklessly, but the man got you such an expensive gift - apart from the special treatment - it would be a shame to not even have a glass of wine with him. Besides, it wasn’t him you felt threatened by. What was truly scaring you was your blindness to your own feelings towards him.

“I guess one glass can do no harm…”, you said, reaching for yours.

“That’s it”, he said, raising his, “To our victory, and to you”

You raised your glass, clinged his and took a good sip while trying to hide the smile that almost took control of your face.

Time flew by, and the colors of the sky faded to a subdued crimson before you even realized. The conversation was flowing pretty naturally, with him showing a great interest in your past and asking you questions he hadn’t asked during your undercover interview for the mafia. You tried to reciprocate, but the topic very masterfully turned back to you almost every time as he masterfully avoided most of your questions.

The wine was incredible, better than any wine you’ve ever tasted before. The bottle was soon empty, since every time he made you nervous, you took a sip. Mori had just as much as you, but neither of you were fazed at all.

As much as you hated it, there were moments when your hard, cold exterior broke, and you were warming up to him. But it was getting late, and you thought it’d be wise to call it a night.

“Well I think it’s time for me to go now”, you said, getting up from your chair. “Thanks for the wine, I had a great time”

“Oh no, Y/N”, Mori said, getting up from his seat as well, “Why don’t you stay a little longer?”

“I’d really love that”, you said as you slowly started walking towards the door, “but it’s getting late, and we both had our fair share of wine”

You reached for the door handle, but before you could open the door, you felt Mori’s warm hand completely wrapping your wrist. Before you could turn around to look at him, his voice from behind you made your body freeze and your mind go blank.

“Please stay…”

He gently moved his hand up your arm, all the way to your shoulder. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, as your fingers relaxed and eventually let go off the handle a few seconds later.

Mori took a step closer to you, his chest was almost touching your back. He touched both your shoulders with his hands, and slowly brought them down to your wrists again.

“Why are you scared?”

“I’m not scared…”

“Every time you give me a sarcastic comment and play it cool, I know it’s because you’re scared”

You really wanted to prove him wrong, but it didn’t take much thought to realize that what he said was true. That was quite uncalled for, you couldn’t think of anything to say to him to deny it.

“Is it me, or is it your own feelings?”

“I don’t know…”

“It’s so scary how you’re interested in me”, he said, bringing his hands on your waist and moving them up and down your sides, “you never thought you’d find yourself attracted to someone like me, did you? You almost feel ashamed”

Your heart was beating faster and faster.

“Truth is”, he whispered, letting his hands glide along the fabric of your dress, down to your hips, “there is nothing to be ashamed of. There is no shame in being attracted to someone and enjoying their attention. Everybody wants to feel special, wanted, desired…”

He paused for a little.

“At the end of the day, the door is in front of you, and the choice is yours” he said, taking a step back and making the distance between you bigger. “You’re free to go if you wish to”

He placed his fingertips on your nape and softly traced a line down the entire length of your bare back.

“But…if you choose to stay, I’ll take it as a ‘yes’ to proceed”, he warned, fiddling the zipper of your dress in his fingertips.

You felt your throat tighten, as if some invisible rope was wrapped around it. It was obvious to you what his intentions were for the night, and you couldn’t pretend not to understand anymore. His words were true, you really wanted him, even though you’d rather die than ever openly admit it to him — or anybody really.

As you felt time slow down in the room that was only minimally lit by then, you thought that maybe, it was time to let go of the shame. Maybe shame was the only thing holding you back from taking pleasure in something ridiculously simple; the fact that you were just two people that were attracted to each other. And maybe, everything else was nothing more than just complications you came up with to indulge in your self-disgust.

This was all becoming too much to process. It was about time you made things a little easier for yourself just once, it was about time you shushed your brain and let things take their natural course.

You stood there, but the tension you previously felt left your body like dirt getting washed away by the water, and you bet that Mori noticed that subtle change within you.

“That door you were about to walk out of”, he said, and you could hear his grin through his voice, “how about you lock it instead?”

You did as he asked and slowly turned the key that was already in the keyhole, while he was still playing with the zipper of the dress.

“Good…”

You wanted to turn around, but before you could even finish that thought, Mori had already taken care of that for you, and as he held your hips, your body mindlessly followed his hands’ commands.

Just as swiftly, he pulled you closer and buried his lips in yours with such desperation and hunger, as if he could only sustain himself and wait for you to fall into his arms for so long.

Your eyelids grew heavier as you gave in to the kiss, and once you were completely sunk in it, you wrapped your arms around his neck.

A few moments later, you found yourself pushed against the wall, where Mori’s knee was between your legs and a strap of your dress was patiently hanging off your shoulder. His hungry mouth was all over yours, and his teeth were pulling and biting on your needful lower lip.

His hands were wandering all over your curves in self-pleasure, until his fingers slithered through the slit of your dress and started brushing the hem of your underwear. He slowly pulled it down and moved his knee, so it could fall on the floor and get out of his way.

Your stomach tensed up as he grazed two fingers over your outer lips. It was as if everything suddenly went silent, and the only thing you could hear was your own heartbeat. What was going on? Were the two of you really about to take things to the next level? Was this really the right thing you were doing? God knows how much you’re gonna hate yourself afterwards.

He started rubbing your sensitive clit in circles, but he didn’t fail to notice that there was something bothering you, something that held your true reaction back. His hand stopped, and he brought his head next to your ear.

“Just let it go… there’s no need to be afraid anymore…”, he whispered and then resumed the movement of his fingers, while he reached down to kiss your delicate neck.

Waves of delight grew within you as he nibbled on your skin and as he gradually increased the speed and the pressure in his fingers. Mori was very amused by the sinful sounds that escaped your mouth as his fingers moved from your clit to your entrance and made their way inside you.

You felt a bit of pain at first, a pain which then marvelously melted into an immense feeling of pleasure, leaving you moaning and wanting more every time he pushed his fingers in.

“I don’t think you feel so guilty anymore…”, he smirked, keeping his hand moving at the same, unhurried pace, “mhm?”

“No”, you uttered in between strained breaths “no…”

“Beautiful… because we have all the time in the world”

Deeper and deeper moans emerged from your throat, causing Mori to slow down and eventually withdraw his fingers, because of course he wouldn’t want you to finish so fast. As you started catching your breath, you looked at him with a silent plea in your eyes, as if voicelessly asking him why he had to stop there.

His intense gaze was cast upon you, in a manner that reassured you that you were about to feel very good in just a little while. He took your hand and led you away from the door and towards the edge of the bed, where he embraced you in a passionate kiss once again. Undoubtedly, things were just about to get very interesting.

You reached for his belt and rapidly unbuckled it, moving on to the lower buttons of his shirt.

“You’re in… such a rush”, he chuckled in the middle of the kiss, as he loosened his tie with his index finger and took it off.

Normally you’d come up with some smart-ass response for this, but now you were clearly occupied with the noble job of taking off his shirt. Mori was fascinated by your impatience, so he let you have your way and assisted in your undressing too. That zipper that had been pleading to be undone since before this entire embroilment even began, he finally pulled it down, letting your dress graciously fall off your body.

As your lips got separated, he placed a hand on your shoulder and gently pressed it down, so that you lay on the mattress with your entire figure exposed before him for the first time. His eyes lingered over you as he spoke under his breath.

“Finally…”

Mori keenly climbed on top of you, and his eyes lit up with a sparkle you’d never seen in them before. He brushed your hair away with the knuckles of his fingers, so that he could easily kiss on your jawline. In the meantime, you made sure that his pants found themselves on the pile with all of your clothes on the floor, and shortly after, you let the entirety of his hair free to decorate the sides of his face.

After adjusting himself a little bit better on top of you, he brought both of his legs between yours and eventually positioned himself nicely above you. You could feel his erection rub against your sensitive area, and a certain type of agitation grew within you.

As he slowly started penetrating you, you experienced a thawed pain, a pain which you haven’t felt in quite a while. Ever since you joined the Port Mafia, you hadn’t gotten together with anybody, and sleeping around was definitely not part of your plans.

You swallowed the saliva down your throat and clenched your jaw while taking it in and getting used to the feeling. His breathing next to your ear grew heavier every time he went deeper, until it resolved into a seraphic, resonant groan once his full length made its way inside you.

He reached for your leg and brought it bent beside his hip, where he caressed your thigh and your calf. His other arm was wrapped around you, holding on to the back of your head. Soon enough, his lips found yours again in the fire of another long lustful kiss, as he started moving his pelvis again.

Your arms were wrapped around his shoulders, and your fingertips were digging into his pale skin. The pain you felt had already transformed into a rich delight as his painstakingly slow pace started growing moderate, but still remained as profuse. The heat of his body fully embracing yours turned your mind hazy, and both your moans fused beautifully in each other’s mouth.

After a while, you brought your other leg up as well and then wrapped them both around his waist, pushing him down deeper inside you. Sensing your neediness, Mori’s lips caressed yours with even greater zest, while his other hand slid underneath your waist and pulled it closer to him. As the intoxicating sensation overpowered you, you brought one hand on his head and entangled your fingers in the roots of his hair, clenching your fist with every ripple of electrifying bliss.

Slowing down and eventually pulling out, he broke the kiss and with his purple orbs staring into your soul, he whispered:

“Turn around for me”

You complied with his request and lied on your stomach, turning your head so that your cheek touched one of the silky pillows and letting your hands rest beside each of your shoulders. He brushed your hair to the side, and with a mischievous smile, he uttered:

“Good girl…”

His smooth, honeyed voice saying these words made your heart skip a beat. You felt his ardent breath just below your head as he planted kisses on your nape, while his hands softly moved up and down your sides. His mouth kept traveling downwards, leaving a trail of moisture all the way down to your spine.

Soon after, he wrapped one arm around your waist and lifted your hips slightly higher, while his other arm held on to the black, metal bedpost for support. As he pushed himself inside you once again, a pulsating, drawn-out grunt escaped his mouth.

“Ugh, fuck…”

You couldn’t help but moan in ecstasy when he resumed the movement of his hips. Watching you quiver underneath him and mercilessly grab the soft fabric of the bed covers, he enjoyed the moment just as much as you did. He loved seeing you in a state of complete frenzy, knowing that he was the one who got you into it.

For a brief moment as he was looking at you from above, you slightly turned your head further to the side so that your eyes met his. The expression in your face was making it clear to him that you felt great, but that you also needed a little more: just a little bit more before he could have you climax.

Without exiting you, Mori lowered his body closer to you, his chest pressing against your back and the heat of his burning skin completely engulfing your upper body. He pushed your legs a little further open with his knees and took his arm from your waist, slowly pushing your hips with his all the way down so that they touch the mattress.

He brought his elbows outside yours and let his palms glide over your forearms and your wrists. Once they completely covered yours, he intertwined his slender fingers between yours and gave your hands a long, firm squeeze. His head was leaning next to yours, and he was licking and biting on your ear, from your earlobe all the way to your helix.

Everything about the situation was so overwhelmingly hedonic. His weight above you, his breathing against your ear, the sweet amber scent of his cologne filling up your nostrils in the most delightful way… it was all so much to take in. His thrusts were getting harder and deeper, and you succumbed all the more to this excessive, unyielding sensation and getting closer and closer.

Your mewls had become ever so profound and intense by the time you reached your limit. Mori followed a few seconds after he slowed down his pace, pulling out and releasing his thick, hot liquid all over your lower back. Even many seconds after it was all over, it felt as if his final silvery sounds of overindulgence were still echoing inside that bedroom.

After you both took a moment to catch your breaths, he rolled over to his nightstand and got a tissue to wipe his residue off your body. It was just about then that you were just starting to come back to your senses, and you silently wondered:

What the hell just happened?

As you were lying naked on your boss’s bed, all these thoughts were hovering in your head again, and it suddenly hit you: things can’t go back to how they were. Such confusion…on one hand, you couldn’t even in the slightest predict how it would all be from now on. You felt as though all control had been lost now that this happened, and guilt was creeping up inside you once again.

But on the other hand, you kept getting distracted by the fact that it was nothing like the way you thought it would be. You expected the calm, cold head of the Port Mafia to be rough and vicious in a setting like this. Especially the way he was trying to lure you in this entire time, the way he convinced you to stay… You couldn’t possibly imagine that there would be such a sensual and erotic side to him…

You quickly put a stop to these thoughts, knowing that nothing good could ever come out of you viewing your boss that way. Besides, you were absolutely sure that this was just a one-time thing, and that it would never happen again. And as your sense of time was slowly kicking in again, you took a look at the clock on the wall.

It read 12:20.

Time had flown by so fast, you couldn’t believe it. All of a sudden a sense of panic grew within you. What if someone was looking for you late at night, but found your room empty? What if they’ve noticed that Mori is not in his office either? What would they assume then? You had to get out of there as soon as possible.

You pushed yourself up from the mattress and rolled towards the side of the bed to make your way out, but you felt an arm wrapping your waist from underneath.

“Tsk tsk tsk, where do you think you’re going?”, Mori asked mischievously as he pulled you closer to himself.

“The Mighty Leader of the Port Mafia wants to spoon”, you chuckled, “now if that’s not a surprise…”

“You’re so cruel…”, he whined as he caressed your cheek from behind and lathered soft kisses all over the crook of your neck. Your body momentarily relaxed as he wrapped his other arm around your waist as well, feeling a mellow warmth that you haven’t experienced in so, so long.

“I have to go”, you sighed, “it’s past midnight…”

“So what?”, he asked and kissed your shoulder. “Spend the night here”

“So…” you said, your voice going slightly higher as you were thinking of what to say next, “someone might need me…”

Mori quietly laughed, and you felt his bare chest gently pump against your back a couple of times. “At midnight!”

“Uhh, yeah…?” you responded as if it was so obvious, but deep down you knew your excuse was pretty weak to begin with.

“Do you get bothered a lot at midnight?” he mocked.

“Ugh please, just-“ you said, rolling your eyes and lifting up his arm to get up. Mori’s eyes widened in surprise at what you just did, but they quickly relaxed as a sly grin morphed into his face.

“That’s no way of treating your superior, you know…”, he remarked as he was closely watching you put your clothes back on.

“Back to being my superior, huh?”, you mumbled, cocking an eyebrow, but without looking at him.

“Nothing changes that, my dear…” he answered in a gentle tone.

“You see, here’s the thing…”, you said as you put the straps of your dress and adjusted them on your shoulders, still avoiding eye contact, “Just because this happened once, doesn’t mean I’m ‘your dear’ or anything…”

“Of course…”, he responded with a chuckle, “Don’t be surprised that I’m still your superior then…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”, you asked, snapping your head towards him.

“Oh, nothing…” he said and paused for a while, slightly getting on your nerves, “Congratulations once again for today, you did a very good job”

“It’s literally all I do every single time”, you replied nonchalantly as you zipped yourself up and reached for your shoes.

“That doesn’t make you any less valuable ”, he said.

You didn’t really know how to respond to that, so you just remained silent. Whenever he talked about value, he was always referring to your work, but not you as a person… Could that mean something changed, or were you just overthinking it?

“Anyway…”, you muttered awkwardly after a short pause, “I’ll excuse myself…”

“As you wish”, he answered, watching you walk all the way to the door and unlock it. “Perhaps we’ll have wine again soon…” he added in a slightly louder voice, making sure you heard him from across the room.

“Perhaps…” you responded as you opened the door, “Goodnight, boss”

“Goodnight Y/N”, you heard his soft voice moments before you shut the door behind you.

You took a deep breath before you started walking quietly like a cat, all the way back to your room. Once you made it inside and locked the door, you threw yourself on your bed and stared at your empty ceiling. With all these thoughts in your head and everything that just happened, this was about to be a very long, sleepless night…

A/N: If you made it here, thank you so much for reading once again! I tried to make it as realistic as I could considering the whole… situation. Please don’t unfollow me, I promise I’m normal and I’ll be posting normal content again very soon! But yeah, if Mori p3rv3rt, why sexy…?

[komakesthings]

Hey there, i am absolutely OBSESSED with your muppets princess bride AU, and i want to congratulate you on your absolutely inspired casting choices- especially the swedish chef as the bishop! I was wondering who else you'd cast for other characters, like miracle max and valerie, the albino torturer, the ROUS (i'm just picturing rizzo just dressing and behaving like he normally does), the ancient boo-er, and Yellin the gate guard? Thank you for permanently altering my brain chemistry with this AU its brilliant

Thank you very much for the kind words! I'm glad folks are liking the casting choices. For every role there's usually a good 2-3 Muppets who would also be amazing in the part, so I'm glad that people enjoy the picks I went with. As for the roles you mentioned, right now in my head I have this casting:

Gonzo and Camilla as Miracle Max and his wife

Beaker as the Torturer (With Bunsen also assisting with the torture machine)

Statler and Waldorf as the Ancient Booer(s)

Fozzie as Yellin

And yup, Rizzo just has to be the ROUS (Which in this case I guess would be the Rodent-Of-Usual-Size?)

I'm hoping that eventually I'll have at least one illustration of each major character/Muppet in the film!

[tragedy-of-commons]

GWEN!!! I JUST WANTED TO COME IN AND WISH U CONGRATULATIONS ON UR MILESTONE!!! u absolutely deserve every single note and follower i genuinely shred my hair to bits everytime i read any of ur fics theyre simply TOO GOOD!!! CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AGHHHH

GASPS SCREAMS POINTS AT YOU LIKE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES AT THE ZOO HI NORA HI HIH IHIHIHIHIHIHIHI (^^ゞ RH9USDF9SDFFHASRRRAHHHHHHHHH

thank you,,, this ask has single-handedly raised me from my tomb of blankets and stuffed animals. tbh i think you were my first mutual that wasn't someone i knew irl (that's reserved for @/singularity-sam) so it's wild to hear u say that like seven months later! your support on my silly little rambles means more than you realize. oh god i'm getting sappy someone yank me from the sta💥

YOUR TAGS ON THE DAN HENG PROMPT???? ASCENDS. he alters my brain chemistry and rewrites the strands of my dna. more to come since cold grandpa young takes up a whopping third of the event requests, but i wouldn't have it any other way!

SORRY IT GOT LONG LOVE U NORA /P

[shyravenns]

I don’t think you understand how awesome your art is, or how it’s affected me

These three in particular

Have completely altered my brain chemistry.

Gaz’s big thick thigh? Soaps chest?

Don’t even get me started on the Simon drawing OR triple threat

I feel dizzy, congratulations, your art is gonna put me in the hospital 🥴

THANK YOU!!!! AHHH I'm so happy you like my art 🥺 literally, I love drawing these little guys so much. it's almost insane how much fun it is to draw these characters

[additiva]

Honestly the best fic i have ever read and it will stay in my mind for forever. Even in the back of my mind so i can always remember it. The characteristics of max and charles are very on point. Like i can see them thinking and speaking and acting this way.

You put so much effort and love into this fic so thank you ao much. You basically altered my brain chemistry.

I swear this fic now has a special place in my heart. I dont know how to recover after this.

The way that they slowly learn to express emotions and support each other is everything to me. The way max ends of up joining in the schemes charles does, and they way he just accepts it is just beautiful. Cuz thats what love is isnt it. Just accepting the perosn you were made to love. It very beautiful in my professional fanfic reader opinion.

The way you delve into topics that some are afraid to touch and the way you write about them is truly something special.

In all thank you for this fic. There are so many beautiful and wonderful things i could keep saying about it but im afraid that this message would never end.

You are a very respectable person for this thank you🫶🎀

Also congratulations on finishing this incredible fic xoxo 😘

Thank you so much 😖😖🥰🥰 it's so sweet of you to message it always makes my day. Im going to keep this message to reread it, it makes me so happy.

🤍🤍🤍

[imafraidoftomorrow]

So, it's Valentine's Day 😮‍💨

Normally this day doesn't affect me any, but it dawned on me this morning that I've been single for six years. Six years...

Those formative years when so many of my peers were finding their life partners, settling down, getting married, and even having children, I've spent them alone.

I look around and I see all manner of people - people with qualities no better nor worse than my own - who have found love, and when I see them, I can't help but feel my heart tighten in my chest and wonder: if them, why not me?

Why am I not worth loving, too? What's so wrong with me? Why does no one notice me? Why does no one want me?

This isn’t a pity post, rather, a lamentation that being alone is really hard. It's really fucking hard, okay? And it's not just days like today that I'm reminded of how lonely, of how loveless, I am. I'm reminded of it every single day. When I have to stand there awkwardly while other people gush about their partners. When I can't relate to the life experiences of others my age. When I have to constantly congratulate everyone else for their engagements, their anniversaries, their pregnancy reveals. When I realize I'll never be able to afford my own home (or even life itself) on one income. When I realize I might not ever get to be a mother.

There's not a single day that I don't feel how alone I am. How different I am. How unloved I am in this world.

And I don't know why. I certainly never imagined this would be my fate. Maybe it'll change someday, but I've long since given up hope that it will.

And I know they say that you have to be happy with your life and yourself, but how can you do that when there's nothing to help anchor your self-worth? When there's no one to affirm that yes, you are loved. Yes, you are wanted. Yes, you are enough as you are.

Being so alone has fundamentally changed me as a person. I'm so unaccustomed to touch that if someone pats my shoulder I practically leap out of my skin. I'm positive that the chemistry of my brain has been altered from a chronic lack of the serotonin and dopamine you get from intimacy. I honest to god can't feel happiness or joy anymore. At all times, I am empty. I am numb. I haven't felt alive in years.

But anyway. Happy Valentine's Day, I guess.

[ollieflopkins]

Hi, Ollie. I am in love with your domitrent fics. You're so freaking good at putting words together and creating a beautiful sentence resulting in an amazing fic. I have no words 😭 also I rarely read rare pairs but your ugarte/darwin fic my GOD THAT ALTERED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY. I did not expect it to be THAT GOOD. Like hello, I just wanted to read domitrent but you slapped me across the face with this incredible work and now I want more but IT IS A RARE PAIR 😭 congratulations on making me sob over two random dudes on a Wednesday afternoon like???? You're amazing.

first I am so obsessed that you called me Ollie. even though that is the name of my son (Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa fame, my @ is a joke based on his name) and my actual first name is Lacey, it made me smile so big.

also I read this message so many times, it made me feel so good. THANK YOU! you know I've never gotten so many messages about any of my fics as I have for my manu/darwin and that is so incredible because I made that pair up from nothing and was like "no one will care about this" lolol. I worked SO HARD on that fic and the fact that you enjoyed it so much makes it all worth it.

I appreciate all of your kind words about my writing so much. Thank you for reading my fics. And I will never say never re: more manu/darwin :)

[lxclerc]

insta au - carlos sainz + going to a premier with actress!reader

pairing: carlos sainz jr x reader INSTAGRAM AU

Liked by charles_leclerc, landonorris and others

carlossainz55 you are the brightest star, cariño

View all 5,729 comments...

yourusername muchas gracias, mi amor. te amo ❤️

carlossainz55 mi corazón

user1 he's her biggest fan 🥹

user2 congrats to y/n! she absolutely deserves it and more ❤️❤️

charles_leclerc you look smashing, mate!

carlossainz55 it'd be embarrassing not to dress up when i'm next to her

user3 carlos bf duties

landonorris why wasn't i invited?

yourusername it was a no kids allowed event i'm afraid

user4 she didn't have to do lando like that 😭

Liked by landonorris, danielricciardo and others

yourusername can't even blame him from stealing the spotlight when he looks like that

View all 3,462 comments...

carlossainz55 no one can ever steal the spotlight from you, mi amor

landonorris you two make me nauseous

yourusername ay get off my page, landito

user1 carlos and y/n parenting lando will always be my favorite

charles_leclerc he does look very good

yourusername our boyfriend looks hot, doesn't he?

user2 charles and y/n sharing one boyfriend

user3 the second picture altered my brain's chemistry

charlottesiine congratulations, mon bébé! so proud of you 🤍

yourusername i miss you, please come over soon!!

Liked by landonorris, charles_leclerc and others

yourusername the after party and the hangover the day after

View all 4,639 comments...

user1 they are literally the hottest couple to ever exist 😭😭😭

user2 no one has the right to look that good hangover

charles_leclerc i thought i get him this week?

yourusername sorry, will have to extend his stay with me till next week

charles_leclerc 😡😡

user3 charles and y/n sharing custody of carlos 😭

user4 fuck romeo and juliet, i want what these bitches have

carlossainz55 tan hermosa ❤️

yourusername no, you

landonorris 🙄🙄🙄

yourusername🖕🖕

user4 y/n always fighting with charles and lando over carlos 😭

[monsterfucker-sex-ed]

im just here to announce that me and my werewolf husband are officially starting a family <3

We’ve found out that they’re gonna be triplets, are there any things i should expect while carrying werewolf children?

also.. my husband has been much more touchy and clingy than he already was.. i woke up to him eating me out this morning (all consensual)

he said it was normal for werewolves to be clingier with their pregnant partner.. but didn’t really have an explanation, would you happen to have one?

First off: congratulations!

The clinging is because of the deep-rooted parental instinct that werewolves have, paired with the scent of pregnancy. A werewolf that can smell a werewolf pregnancy will immediately have their brain chemistry altered to be protective and feel good. Since they get their feel-good hormones, they tend to stick close to pregnant people! This is just a natural adaptation that has helped the species to survive.

As for the pups... it depends on what kind of werewolf your hubby is! If he's a shifter (changes form at will) or a turner (turns during the full moon), then the pregnancy - and kids - are going to be just like human children until puberty! If he's a permalycan (constant state of wolf-human hybrid) however...

Permalycan babies are a little bit hairier than human babies. The only risk for you here is if any hair gets stuck inside of you. Make sure to report any itching to a medical professional! When the pups get older, expect more energy than from human children. It will be difficult to handle three of them, but I'm sure your husband's pack-mates will gladly help out with raising them! Werewolves are pack animals after all, and it is proven that being raised within the pack is healthier for lycanthropic children than for them being raised as humans!

I wish you the best of luck, and the smoothest birth,

The Night Queen

[eleanorbloom]

When You're Ready Ch. 25

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x f! MC (Eleanor Bloom) x Ethan Ramsey.

Word Count: 6.3k

Warnings: Mentions of panic attacks, innuendos and Spanish dirty talk (with proper translations 😂) oh and lots of fluff   Rated: T

Taglist: @utterlyinevitable @binny1985 @shanzay44 @choicesficwriterscreations @starrystarrytrouble @lahellacute @lucy-268 @cinnamonspongecake @romewritingshop @freckles-spangledvampire @mercury84choices @curiousconch @thegreentwin @openheartfanfics

----

Chapter 25. 24 Hours

It's a little soon

But I wanna come home to you

It had been forty days since she last put a foot in Edenbrook. Forty-six since the incident.

Memories of that day floored her mind as she was standing in front of Edenbrook Hospital looking for the strength, the bravery to come in.

The trauma about that place wasn't as big as it was in the first days when she couldn't even conceive being alone in a hospital room, worried that something could happen and she would be trapped there alone again; but was still there, leading her to catastrophic thoughts from time to time.

What if something happens again?

Eleanor couldn’t stop that question from popping up in her mind over and over again, but she’d reassure herself, over and over again, that anythingcould happen anywhere. It could've perfectly happened at the airport, on her way to Ohio, on her way back to Massachusetts. On her way to the hospital, even.

Anywhere.

So after a long, deep breath and ignoring her mind trying to trick her for the umpteenth time, she headed toward the entrance.

The hospital inside was with its usual hustle. People in and out at every moment; nurses, doctors, and other professionals deep in their work, some of them recognizing her and stopping to greet her, some others just giving her curious glances when she'd walk by their side.

Despite feeling overwhelmed by the amount of prying eyes and people inquiring about her state, she felt content with being back at Edenbrook. She’d been missing the familiarity of that place.

Banerji was as welcoming as she thought and happy to see her back at the hospital, though he didn't hesitate to tell her she could take more time if she needed. Eleanor thanked him for being so understanding during her time away but assured him that she was ready and therapy would help her in case things take a turn for the worse.

After chatting with Banerji about the hospital and life in general, Eleanor sauntered towards the Diagnostic Office, hoping she’d find Ethan to inform him personally about coming back to work the next day.

When she reached the glass walls, she found Ethan alone, deep in concentration reading something from his computer.

Her heart felt weird at the sight of him. The man she used to be in love with. It seemed almost impossible to think her heart belonged to him two months ago.

“Hello,” she said softly, standing at the entry.

His blue eyes widened by the sudden appearance, but quickly softened into a warm look when he recognized her, “Eleanor, what a surprise,” he said, standing and walking towards her, “How are you?”

“I’m doing better,” she shrugged, and both stared silently, awkwardly, unsure what to do next. But after everything had happened, there was no need to pretend anything, nor accentuate fondness when there wasn’t such or conceal coldness to not expose her feelings.

She wanted to believe they were already past that point, even if they only had two, almost three (normal) days to deal with the aftermaths of the end of them, and forty days apart seemed a good amount of time to do some healing.

So, she simply went for it and gave him a friendly greeting hug. They hadn’t seen each other in a while, so she greeted him just as she greeted her friends, just as Naveen greeted her that morning. Ethan was also her friend, despite everything, and maybe this was a way to show him she’d buried the hatchet after everything had happened between them.

Briefly stunned by the gesture, Ethan returned the embrace patting her gently in the back, "Are you visiting?" He asked while both were taking a seat at the circular table.

“Not really, I came to inform Naveen, and now to you, that I’ll come back to work tomorrow.”

“That’s good to hear. The Team hasn’t been the same without you.”

There was a tint of sadness in his voice and eyes when he said those words. There was more to it than the explicit meaning. It wasn’t just the Team, it was him he hadn't been the same without her, but that information didn’t mean anything to her. Maybe in another time, or another life, that would make her change her mind, would make her quiver and see hope in the hidden messages.

But not now.

At this point in her life, she was completely over him, and head over heels for Bryce Lahela and nothing could change that.

“And I’ve been missing using my brain for more than follow plots in my series,” she teased, trying to conceal the fact that she still could read him like a book, “I suppose I have a lot of journals to catch up with, too.”

Ethan chuckled, seeming a lot lighter than a few seconds ago, “Oh, yes you certainly have to.”

After catching up for an hour with Ethan about the team’s work, Eleanor headed to the cafeteria to have lunch with Bryce and some of her friends.

*

Late in the afternoon, after cleaning up last night's party and unpacking her suitcase, Eleanor took the T to Bryce's apartment.

There was still one person she needed to talk to.

When Eleanor stood outside the apartment door, loud music was heard inside, and a really passionate voice reciting a rap song with perfect speed and lyrics. Chuckling, she waited until the song was over to knock the door.

“Are you practicing for America’s Got Talent? 'Cause girl, you’re killin' it” she asked when Keiki opened the door, wearing Bryce’s red Stanford hoodie and a messy bun tied over her head.

“Ella!” she sighed before engulfing Eleanor in her arms, “Ohmygod, hi! What a surprise!”

"Hey, Keiks…" Eleanor replied, fighting back the tears. She didn't expect such a warm welcome from her at all, much less another spontaneous hug from her, but she returned it enthusiastically, "Oh, I missed you, kiddo, how are you?"

“I’m doing fine,” she assured, inviting her to come in, “I’m finishing my homework before studying for my history test tomorrow.”

“Woah. Bryce told me you had a test today too.”

As both approached the living room, Keiki grabbed a mix of notebooks, papers with concepts and diagrams, and some flashcards scattered all over the couch and piled them in the coffee table to let Eleanor take a seat beside her, “Yeah, Chemistry. Next week I’ll have my last two exams and I’ll be up to date with my curriculum.”

“Keiki, that’s amazing!” Eleanor congratulated, sitting on the couch, “And really impressive. Doing two months of exams in three weeks it’s a lot, I hope you get to learn well, though.”

“Oh, yeah. I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it, but I’ve got mostly As, so it was totally worth it the hard work.”

“It clearly paid off, you must be so proud! And Bryce too!”

"Yeah, he is, though it annoys me sometimes that he's so… nosy, like, he sits beside me to know what I'm studying, and he starts questioning me, and argh, you know how he is."

“Aww, but he’s trying to help you!”

“I know, it’s just…” she sighed, looking a bit conflicted, “My mom never sat beside me to study with me. Never. Only to ask me if I was doing good at school, etc, but she never actually cared about my… learning process, so I guess the whole thing it’s kind of new for me. I know I said I wanted him to show he cares about me, but sometimes it’s like.... too much…”

Eleanor nodded, encouraging her to keep talking. She knew how contradictory her confession was, even Keiki seemed to see it that way, but it was understandable. It wasn't easy to adjust to a new life where she had attention and genuine care, and that amount of worry, considering how independent Keiki was for being a fifteen-year-old, was certainly too much for her.

But she was happy for what that implied. Keiki was openly recognizing Bryce cared about her and was trying to give her as much time as he could, and that was progress compared to what she had felt a month ago.

She also felt happy Keiki still trusted her to share those things with her.

When Bryce arrived home, he was beside himself with happiness for having the two most important people in his life together again, joking with each other as Eleanor was finishing making dinner, and Keiki was setting the table.

He knew Keiki was over with whatever conflict she had with Eleanor, but seeing it materializing was different.

However, Bryce and Eleanor took things slow. She just stayed for dinner and before Keiki went to bed, she returned home to prep for her first day back at work. And the following weeks she didn’t spend more than two nights a week with Bryce to not alter the dynamics Bryce and Keiki were establishing since she started school.

Apart from the whole ‘over-worried Bryce about her studies’ thing, and the typical fights every adult has with a teenager, things ran smoothly between the Lahela siblings.

Both were doing their best to make it work.

Keiki had found a good group of friends at school with whom she used to spend her free time, and who had her back when some classmates tried to bully her when they found out about her family name. The first time it happened, she didn’t let them get under her skin and called them out and stood up for herself instantly, because there was nothing, and no one, who could ruin her peace now that she finally had a place to call home and people to call friends. She was done with the bullying.

One day, though, that attitude turned into suspension because she punched a boy who crossed the line with her, but Bryce, instead of scolding her, congratulated her by inviting her dining out for being so badass.

No one dared to talk about her after that day.

*

The first day back at work wasn’t easy for Eleanor. Nor the following days. From time to time certain things would trigger her trauma, making her remember painful details about that day, and consequently, cause panic attacks that would force her to lock herself in supply closets until the irrational fear was over. Luckily for her, some of those times happened when Bryce wasn’t in the OR, so he would sit on the floor with her to try to ease her mind or at least distract her until she was feeling good enough to come back to work.

Sometimes it happened out of nowhere, but most of the time it happened when she was walking outside the DT's patient room, or when she saw Danny attending his therapy sessions.

It overwhelmed her to see how weak he still was compared to her and even compared to Rafael, but Danny reassured her that he was doing fine, that he knew recovery would take him some time, but he was thankful for being alive and having another chance.

Sienna was happy with this second chance too.

Therapy helped her a lot, though. It helped her to unload the baggage she'd been carrying for so many years, and to not let her most recent trauma do more harm than it already had done. She was fighting hard to have her life back but to also be able to let all those fears in the past and give Bryce everything he deserved in their relationship.

She wanted to give him everything she once promised.

Between work, therapy, and trying to find ways to save Edenbrook, weeks happened in a blur, and before knowing it, the first days of snow arrived, and with that, the gift of a night of celebration with her friends, the Hopeful Hearts Gala.

“Why the smug smile on your face?” Eleanor asked, her arms locked around Bryce's neck as their bodies swayed to the beat of the music.

“Are you kidding? I’m the luckiest person here, dancing with the most beautiful woman in the whole world,” he said, grasping the fabric of her astonishingly beautiful red gown before lifting a hand to swirl her in one swift motion.

“Aw, mi amor. I have to disagree with you,” she said, placing both hands over his chest, feeling his warmth through the silky fabric of his blue floral button-up shirt, “I am the luckiest for calling the most handsome and loving man in the world my boyfriend, beat that.”

Bryce grinned before biting his lower lip “Okay, that’s really hard to beat, lots of people would kill to have your position.”

“Oh, I know, but you’re worth the fight, though I’d prefer not to fight at all, you know?”

“You don’t have to. I’m yours forever,” he whispered, and not missing a beat, Bryce leaned to brush his lips in her ear and added in a sultry voice, “and I’m counting the seconds until I take this dress off you and I make you mine.”

Eleanor lolled her head to the opposite side reflexively, feeling as a shiver was electrifying her entire body.

More than intoxicated with his innuendo, she turned to him and gave him a suggestive smile, “A couple more rounds with donors, and I’ll be all yours. Well, I am already yours, but I’ll allow you to use your prerogatives on me.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you could do fancy dirty talk too.”

“It comes with the dress,” she purred before drawing her face an inch away from his lips, her eyes still fixated on his, “Once you get rid of it... te hablaré sucio como tanto te gusta.” (I’ll talk dirty to you just as you like it.)

“Oh, please stop it,” he growled, pressing her body against his, his now dark eyes gazing hungrily at her cherry lips.

“Cállame,” she challenged, arching a brow and parting her lips invitingly. (Shut me up)

“Gladly.”

Bryce didn’t hesitate a second and captured her lips on his, kissing her with eagerness for a brief two seconds. The place didn’t allow for more, but it was enough to leave her cheeks flushed and her eyes ignited with desire.

“Stop it or I’ll drag you outta here and we won’t get to talk with more donors for the entire night. I mean it.”

“Alright, seré una chica buena,” she said with her best angel face before taking his hand and leading him to a group of philanthropists standing by the drinks table. (I’ll be a good girl).

Suddenly, she felt his hand pinching her waist with deliberate force, “You’re gonna pay for this, Andrea,” he mumbled discreetly in her ear as both were walking between attendees and colleagues with perfect smiles on their faces.

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said sweetly, before extending her hand to a posh couple debiting with a glass of champagne in their hands, “That’s precisely the point.”

*

When Eleanor opened her eyes the next morning, Bryce was already looking at her, his bare arms loosely tangled over her body.

“Good morning,” she said sleepily, tilting her head to kiss him.

“Morning gorgeous, how did you sleep?”

“Amazing, but…” A yawn interrupted her words, making her stretch between his arms, “I wouldn’t mind staying with you for another three hours.”

“Mmmmh, me neither,” he said softly, smiling pensively before embracing her.

After a minute of silence, Eleanor narrowed her eyes, stranged by how oddly quiet he was that morning. Bryce normally was noisy and chatty rather than pensive, much more considering the amazing and well-spent night they just had.

“Is something the matter? You’re kinda quiet this morning.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Love…” she stared at him, serious, waiting for his answer.

Bryce looked at her silently for a second, stroking her hair before answering, “I was thinking… Ok, I know this might be too much but I…”

Yeah, something was definitely happening because Bryce didn’t use to babble.

“I watched you sleeping for a while, you know? And I couldn't help but think how beautiful it would be to wake up like this every morning.”

She felt her chest swelling with a very well-known warmth at his words and the yearning smile he gave her.

“Oh, I see” she sighed, grinning nervously at him.

“And go to sleep every night with you by my side…” he continued, his hand now resting over her face, his thumb caressing her cheek, “And go to work together and… just live with you, babe.”

And her stomach fluttered with the images that started forming in her mind with every idea he was disclosing, and her whole body felt like melting, melting with that familiar warmth Bryce used to cause on her. With wonder.

As she wasn’t able to say a word, Bryce's smile faltered instantly, “Oh, babe, I’m sorry, it was just an idea, I didn't mean t-”

She shook her head, “It’s not that, I’d love to live with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, that would be… god, perfect.”

“Then why don't we do it? I spoke to my landlord the other day because I wanna move to a bigger apartment with Keiki, and he let me terminate my lease early if I move between Christmas and New Year… ”

“Bryce… ”

She didn't know what to say. She loved the idea but a part of her was terrified about it. It terrified her she could screw it up again with Keiki. Or with Bryce.

But she knew she had to be braver than that. She’d been working on that in therapy and this was her first test.

“This could be our chance...” he persuaded, careful not to sound too insistent.

“Love, it’s not that simple.”

“Babe, if you don't want to do this just tell me, I won’t get mad because you don't feel ready.” His tone was earnest and there was no doubt he meant it.

“Listen, it’s not that I don’t want to, I do, but there are a lot of things we should consider before making that decision. The most important of all, Keiki. Have you even asked her what she thinks about this?”

He shook his head.

“Then you should start there. It took you a long way to get along with her, and making a decision like this without asking her could really damage her trust in you.”

"Mmm, you're right. Not because everything is okay now, it means she'll be okay with you moving in."

“Exactly. But even if she agrees, don’t you think it’s kind of… weird that we move together considering Edenbrook is closing and probably we’ll have to finish our residencies somewhere else, probably in different cities?”

Bryce furrowed his lips, thinking, “Not really? I plan to stay in the area, mostly for Keiki. I wouldn't like to force her to start over again in a new place and school. Salomon Kenmore and Mass Gen have great surgical programs so I’ll send my applications there as my first options. And… well, you told me the other day you were planning to apply to Mass Gen and BWH because those were your second and third options if you hadn't got admitted to Edenbrook. ”

“It's true. But what if I'm not accepted? If I end up, I don't know, in New York, or Cleveland?”

"Who cares? I mean, of course, it would be sad if we had to go to different cities, but is it really a reason to not take the chance now? We'd still have full five or six months ahead of us. Whether we end up here or not, we could enjoy this time while we can, and if in the end we both stay in Boston, much better."

Bryce was right. It didn't make sense worrying about something that wouldn't happen in several months when they had the chance now to live together for at least five months. All this, in the hypothetical case Keiki would agree to Eleanor moving with them.

“You’re right. It’s better five, six months than nothing.”

“Exactly, it’s making the most of our time together.”

Eleanor bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with excitement as new ideas started popping in her mind, unleashing all kind feelings and plans, "Awww, that would be so amazing! Having breakfast together before going to work, making groceries list, planning menus for the week…"

“And fighting who does the dishes or cleans the bathroom,” Bryce added, with the same excited tone Eleanor was using.

“Oh, and I’d yell at you every morning because you’re taking too much time in the shower.”

“And I would yell at you that you could join me instead of complaining.”

“But you can’t do that! Your sister’s here!”

“But it’s just a shower!”

“We both know it’s not just a shower, Bryce Lahela.”

“Damn, that’s true, but if we move to a bigger apartment with an ensuite bathroom,” Bryce gave her a mischievous smile, pressing her tightly against his warm body, “She wouldn’t even notice.”

Eleanor rolled her eyes, suppressing the smirk forming on her lips at his insinuation, “You’re impossible.”

Ignoring her feigned glare, he continued, “And we’d have dinner the three of us every night, and we’d brush our teeth together before going to sleep, and then you’d snuggle up to me every time you have cold feet…”

“My love...”

The sole idea was enough for her to say yes, but she knew, she knew she had to think about it seriously, even if Keiki agreed. Moving together carried a lot of responsibilities, with their relationship and also with Keiki, so she couldn't make the decision lightly.

“I’ll talk to Keiki about this,” he assured as he saw the mix of hope and concern in her eyes.

“And I’ll think about it and… probably start my applications to secure a spot here in Boston.”

“Deal.”

They sealed the agreement with a soft, lingering kiss before getting up to start the day.

The proposal kept ringing in her head for several days. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to move in with him, but she knew there were a lot of obstacles to make that come true.

Keiki was one, but also the uncertain future about where she’d be next year. But even without the idea of moving in with Bryce, it was about time she did something about her residency.

She started looking for places besides her two first options. New York and Baltimore had good programs too so those could go in third and fourth place considering closeness with Boston. Cleveland was another, but mostly because it was in Ohio.

Once she had a secure list of hospitals, she decided to discuss her options with Ethan and see if he could write a recommendation letter to incorporate in her application.

However, part of her was worried he would question her choices, probably the fact that her first two options were unmovable partly because she wanted to stay close to Bryce and Keiki.

With the whole hospital working for the free clinic, it was hard to find free time, so as soon as she saw Ethan was taking a break to have lunch, she followed him to his office and explained the situation.

“Your list of preferences is fine in my opinion,” Ethan said after both discussed the programs she had chosen, “but I don't understand why you're so adamant with Mass Gen and Brigham in the first places. They are great, but John Hopkins has a better Diagnostics Department.”

“I know, but I'm trying to prioritize options that let me stay in the city. Good options. Mass Gen is second nationwide.”

Ethan nodded, his gaze pensive. He was fighting hard the urge to ask further, but he did it anyway, “Are you doing this for Lahela? Because I assume he’s planning to stay in the area for his sister.”

Eleanor was expecting the question, but that didn't make her feel any less startled. She knew that 80% of her decision was professional, that she chose those places because they were her options two years ago, and still were one of the best options in the rankings, but for a moment, his words made her feel like she was actually making it just for Bryce.

Was that inherently wrong? Probably so, but she knew herself enough to tell she'd never make a professional decision onlythinking about someone else.

“I’m not, but what if I was?” she asked, trying to placate her defiant tone.

“I just want to make sure you're making the choice that's best for you.”

Eleanor begged internally he wasn’t going to come with his paternalistic attitude as always.

“And this is, Ethan. As I said, I came up with my first two options because those were the places I would've gone if I hadn't been accepted here. But yes, I also have personal reasons for wanting to stay here. Bryce and I are considering moving in together, so it would be ideal if we stayed in the same city.”

Ethan looked baffled for a brief second. At the next, he was the same stoic Ethan she knew.

“If you're sure that's the best for you, I support your decision.”

But she could tell it was hard for him to say those words.

“You really mean that?”

He sighed.

"Look, if I have to be honest, I don't agree with you at all. Personally, I would never let anyone or anything interfere in my career, so my choices would be different from what you made…"

“But that's you…”

“Exactly, that's me, so it doesn't matter what I think. What matters is what you want, and if you're telling me this is important to you, that these are the best options to you, I have to respect that.”

Eleanor was agape. That was something Eleanor would've never seen it coming in a million years.

Ethan chuckled, amused by her reaction, “I know I spent a lot of time questioning your decisions, both professional and personal, but that time is over. As a colleague and friend, I can tell you're doing what's best for you, so I cannot do anything but support you.”

Yeah, it seemed the time apart, and all the time they had been spending since her returning had done something to mend their relationship. Three months ago Ethan wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to question and criticize her decisions and would’ve mocked her for taking Bryce into consideration, but instead, and for the first time, she was surprised in a goodway by Ethan.

"Thank you, Ethan, it makes me really happy knowing you're on my side."

“You’re welcome, Eleanor.”

Eleanor left his office, happy and more sure than ever about her decision.

When she was expecting the worst, ready to set boundaries and fight for her decision- even if she knew she didn't owe him any explanations about her decisions-, Ethan was surprising her with empathy and support.

They'd come a long way and finally, they were finding the balance.

*

A couple days later, the morning of her birthday, Eleanor was clocking out after a long shift. The idea of going home and having a nap before getting ready for her lunch date with Bryce was the only thing on her mind.

However, as soon as she got out of the hospital, the figure of a familiar teenager approaching made her stop in her tracks.

Keiki.

Eleanor almost didn't recognize her as her face was hidden under a light-blue parka and a white scarf tied around her neck. It was freezing outside.

“Keiks? Hey! What are you doing here? Bryce isn’t working today.”

“I know, I came to see you actually. Happy birthday!”

"Oh my god, Keikiii! You're too sweet! Thank you!" she squealed as Keiki was crushing her with a warm hug. "Aw, you might not want to hear this but you're almost as much of a good hugger as your brother."

Keiki blushed, “As long as you don't tell him, it's okay.”

“It'll be our little secret.”

“Great, now come with me, I have a surprise for you,” she said in a confidential tone before taking her hand and leading her to the parking lot.

“A surprise?”

“Yes, but it’ll take us a while to get there, so you have to be patient.”

After a short walk, they found Bryce waiting for them in the car. As soon as Eleanor sat shotgun, Bryce wrapped her in his arms instantly, peppering her with kisses over her lips and cheeks and down her jaw, “There's my birthday girl! Happy birthday again, beautiful.”

“Mmmh, you’re in the sweetest Goldie mode today, uh? I love it.”

“Hope this day is as good as you dreamed.”

“Well, with Keiki's surprise visit and the surprise that's coming, I'm sure it will be!”

Bryce stared at her silently for a moment, his gaze charged with hope and something hidden she couldn't quite decipher, but it made her more excited about the surprise.

Suddenly, the door of the back seat opened, “Are you two done? I’m freezing out here.”

“No, but you can cover your eyes if you can’t stand watching some innocent kisses,” Bryce teased, kissing Eleanor once again.

“I’ve seen more than enough between you two too many times.”

“It’s not like you’d get a disease if you watch us, you know?”

“Bryce!” Eleanor giggled, “Leave her alone! We are done, Keiks. Get in here! I cannot wait to see my surprise.”

After a ten minutes ride by the snowy streets of Boston, Keiki tied her white scarf around Eleanor’s head, covering her eyes as Bryce started slowing down the speed, “Okay, we’re closer to your surprise.”

“Oh man, I’m getting nervous now.”

“Don’t be, it’s safe and I’m sure you’ll like it,” Keiki assured softly, a tone she rarely used, as she helped her get out of the car.

As they began walking, Eleanor hooked her arm around Keiki's so she could lead her to their destination. Keiki didn't let her go any second, guiding her through the entry of a -she guessed- building, helping her to get into and out of the elevator, and then leading her through a hallway until a door closed behind them. Seconds later, Keiki untied the scarf.

“Surprise!”

After trying to adjust her eyes to the bright light, Eleanor found herself and Keiki alone in an empty room. It was an empty apartment, actually. White immaculate walls, big windows, a new, shiny kitchen, and a spacious living room.

“Keiki, wha...?”

The teenager bit her lower lip as she started to shorten the distance between Eleanor and her, “Bryce talked to me the other day about the idea of you moving in with us. I must confess at first I didn’t like the idea, thinking I’d feel the same I felt… well, you know when.”

Eleanor nodded silently.

“But then I thought… There’s nothing wrong with you, or with me, or with Bryce. We only had problems communicating, and thanks to you and the way you’ve cared about Bryce and me, we could solve those problems and now we’re both trying to make this work.”

“I’m glad you can see it that way now.”

“I know we never talked about it after what happened, but… I wanna apologize for being so unfair with you, for kind of blaming you when it wasn't your fault, and…”

Eleanor could sense Keiki it wasn't easy for her to speak so earnestly, but it was clear she meant every word and every feeling.

She breathed in deeply.

“And at the same time, I wanna thank you for always taking care of me. For always taking me into consideration and trying to do what's best for me, since the first day we met. You… You've become like a sister to me, Ella, the sister I didn't know I wanted, so thank you for being there for me.”

“Oh, Keiki, please, you’re gonna make me cry.”

“Sorry not sorry,” she teased, her cheeks profusely blushed.

Her heart was so warm, she thought it would melt any second. And she was so happy, she thought she could fly any instant.

“Keiks… I had no idea you feel that way about me,” Eleanor hugged her, “Thank you for telling me.”

"Everything is true. I know I'm not the kind of person who says these things, but I really mean it. And I'd be so happy if you move in with us. And of course, my brother would be happy too. The happiest, actually."

Eleanor grinned broadly, her eyes glistening with joy. “You're like a sister to me too”, she confessed, throwing her arms around her again.

As if he knew it was the right time to get in, Bryce opened the door, and poked his head inside, “Can I come in now?”

“Yeah, weirdo, come in,” Keiki allowed, as Eleanor freed her from her embrace.

After drying her tears of joy with the back of her hand, Eleanor turned to Bryce, who was looking at her, expectantly.

“So, what do you think? I hope you don't mind spending the morning of your birthday looking for the perfect apartment to move in.”

Eleanor looked at Bryce, his eyes charged with hope and possibility. It was a possibility what she couldn't read early that morning. But she could now because her head and her heart were full of possibilities too, full of plans and a beautiful, bright future together with Bryce and Keiki.

And when she turned to Keiki, her smile was welcoming and her eyes sparkling with the same possibility. For once in her life, she wasn't hiding any of her emotions.

She thought about the things that had been holding her back. Right there, there was none.

Her heart wanted this. And she hadn’t realized how much she wanted it until that moment.

She was ready.

Ready to fully commit and take this new step with Bryce.

Ready to take this new responsibility with Keiki and try to give her the love and care she'd been lacking her whole life.

Ready to be part of this pretty little family.

Feeling an outburst of joy, Eleanor ran and clung to Bryce to smooch him sweetly, “I love it! I love it, I love it! And I love you!”

Bryce encircled his arms around her to lift her from the floor, his gaze devastatingly tender, “And I adore you, baby,” he whispered.

She rested her forehead against his, feeling the warmth of his breath before kissing him one last time. This was a moment she was sure she’d remember her whole life.

“Fun fact number one about domestic Eleanor,” Bryce said once Eleanor’s feet were back on the floor, “She’s actually a koala.”

Keiki, who was looking at the windows resisting the urge to laugh at the clingy scene, turned to her brother, “Oh, just as you’re a Goldie?" she retorted, mischievously.

“Exactly, Keiks! Exactly!” Eleanor said, chortling at the remark.

Grinning, Bryce approached his sister and rested an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side “Keiki needs a pet name.”

“Oh, no, no, no no, you leave me out of this,” the girl said, trying to get rid of her brother’s grip, to no avail.

“I agree with Bryce. You cannot be the only one in this family without a pet name.”

Keiki’s eyes widened at the mention of the word family. Forgetting completely the annoyed act, she smirked fondly at her and then to Bryce, realizing what she had in front of her.

Her family.

“Keiki is totally a cat,” Bryce stated seconds later, “She likes to be left alone, and only likes love when she asks for it, but not when you give it to her, and she hates me, just as cats hate dogs.”

“Oh my god yes! You'll be Kitty, then!”

“No, no way you’re gonna call me Kitty, anything but that,” she refused, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Grumpy Cat then.”

Eleanor cackled, and even Keiki couldn’t help the laugh.

“Love, Grumpy Cat? She’s not that grumpy.”

“If Bryce’s around, I am. So, as you'll only call me that way when we’re at home, it will totally suit me. Anything is better than Kitty at this point.”

"Grumpy Cat, Koala, and Goldie, quite the zoo, uh? Does this apartment allow animals?" Bryce asked.

“Bryce, don’t start with your dad jokes already!” Keiki scoffed, finally freed from Bryce’s arms, and sauntered towards one of the bedrooms, leaving Eleanor and Bryce alone in the empty living room.

Sharing a hopeful smile, Bryce took a few steps towards her and rested his hands over her hips, “Did you like the surprise? I hope this isn’t forcing you to make a decision.”

Eleanor encircled her arms around his neck, thoughtful.

“No, no, love, it was perfect. I’m actually… still a bit incredulous about what Keiki said and… well, that she agreed.”

“There's no way she wouldn't feel that way about you, babe. You've been so supportive and just… good and caring with her.”

“She's a good kiddo too, a girl that has been through a lot and didn't deserve any of what she had to live.”

“Lucky for her, her brother's girlfriend has the biggest, warmest heart this planet has ever seen, so she'll get all the love she deserves.”

Eleanor gave him a sweet peck on the lips before looking softly at him, eyes conveying nothing but adoration.

“Just as you will.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yes, my love. Every morning and every night of every day.”

-----

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. With the mess book 3 has been, this kind of fluff has been really therapeutic to write. Even the bit with Ethan helped me to recalibrate, because he's been insufferable in this book. Luckily, here I could portray him more as he actually is.

A big hug to everyone of you, and thanks again for reading ❤️

[books]

Writer Spotlight: Marie Lu

Marie Lu is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Legend series, The Young Elites trilogy, Batman: Nightwalker, and the Warcross series. After graduating from the University of Southern California, Marie jumped into the video game industry, where she worked as an artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare hours reading, drawing, playing games, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in the traffic-jam capital, Los Angeles, with her illustrator/author husband, Primo Gallanosa, their Pembroke Welsh corgi, and their Chihuahua-monster mix.

What is your favorite part of New York Comic Con?

The energy of the attendees. I love seeing so many people congregate who are genuinely passionate about books and art and media. It reminds me for whom I’m writing and how much I enjoy entertaining others.

How does it feel to go back to the Legend series after 6 years?

At first, weird and a little scary. I realized over time that I wanted closure for my own characters, but I didn’t know if I could execute what I envisioned for them. Now that the book is out, I’m excited to share with readers what finally happens to Day, June, Eden, and the gang.

Out of all the characters you have brought to life, who do you see yourself most in?

There are pieces of myself in every character I’ve written, but I’d say Tess (Legend) and Emika Chen (Warcross) have the most in common with me. Tess is very much who I was in high school—shy, insecure, searching for what she believes in. Emika is the much cooler version of myself and shares my fascination with colorful hair, art, design, and technology.

What do you do when you hit writer’s block?

I usually step away from my writing for a while, for days, sometimes weeks. I let my conscious mind rest so my subconscious can work out the problems that are keeping me roadblocked, and often, an answer will suddenly come to me.

Has becoming a mother (congratulations!) changed your approach to writing, or the content you write about?

Oh yes. It has permanently altered the chemistry of my brain. Now, no matter what, there’s a constant buzz of thoughts in the back of my head, like: Is my baby okay? What is he feeling? How is he doing? What does he want? I’ve had to learn to concentrate on my writing despite this new presence in my mind. I also can’t bear certain stories now; I have trouble watching horror movies or writing about bad things happening to young children.

Do you feel that Rebel is the final chapter of the series, or will there be more?

I feel like I’m going to jinx myself saying this! But I truly believe Rebel is the definitive end to the Legend story. I got the closure I wanted from it, and I hope my readers do, too.

Thanks, Marie! You can follow her at @marielubooks, and for those of you attending New York Comic Con this year—check out Marie’s panel discussion Saturday, October 5th in room 1A18!

[justanotherloveaffair]

After Midnight (Chadwick x Reader)

This week I wrapped up the Just Say Yes series and was thinking a lot about the flirting/interactions between Chadwick/Reader that would have gone on prior the events of the story. 

I guess you could call this a Just Say Yes prequel, but I think it also works as a one shot - you don’t have to read the series to read this.

No smut or anything, this is more of a slow burn on the tension building front. I just couldn’t get this damn scene out of my mind and had to write it. 

Also I feel like Chadwick throws LEGENDARY parties. That’s my headcanon and I’m sticking with it. lol

Summary: You are invited to an exclusive wrap party at Chadwick’s, who you’ve got a major thing for.

Warnings: No smut, just unresolved sexual tension

Word Count:  2,395

Your name: Submit (what is this?)

My Masterlist

Taglist: @afraiddreamingandloving, @stevesthot, @kumkaniudaku, @nah-imjustfeelinit, @tchallaholla, @a-heretic-child, @simplyyamberr, @wildaboutchrisevans, @fullonfrenzy, @h-challa, @theunsweetenedtruth, @ljstraightnochaser, @90sinspiredgirl, @maverickabull, @big3gocandykahn, @sarahboseman, @airis-paris14, @tacohead13, @blackmissmarvel, @big3gocandykahn

Somewhere around midnight, you came to the realization that you were having one of the best nights of your life and by 1:00 in the morning the party was far from slowing down. 

Chadwick’s huge outdoor patio was packed and the entire space had become a dance floor. Even the guys working the makeshift bar were dancing, joining in on the infectious energy of happy people and throbbing music. Almost all of your favourite people were there, everyone buzzed on alcohol and good vibes as they all celebrated the end of a long shoot at a very private event thrown by the King himself. 

Everyone was sweaty and hot from dancing and more than a few took solace in the pool, even with their clothes on. It was that kind of night. Nobody cared how they looked, how much skin was showing, how bad their dancing was or whether they even knew the lyrics they were screaming out. The music was masterfully curated to hit just the right height-of-summer, beach-party vibe that made you all feel euphoric. Everyone was free to leave their inhibitions at the door, helped along by Chadwick’s strict no-phone policy, a staple of all of his events that ensured there were no fears of anything going on social media, which would have altered the whole dynamic and free pass to just have an amazing time. 

The only thing that nagged at you and held you back from true bliss that night was your agonizing crush on Chadwick. 

Crush wasn’t even the right word. Maybe it was, at first. But over the past few years it had bloomed to so much more and you were convinced it wasn’t returned no matter what your friends insisted. No way in hell could he be interested, you staunchly repeated every time you heard “he’s looking at you right now” or “Chadwick asked if you’re coming to the party.” You could always explain it away somehow. “Well I’m in his line of sight” or “He probably just wants a number count for the RSVP.”

The truth was, it would have killed you inside if you took a shot at him only to be rejected. You would rather dig your own grave and climb inside than experience it. It was unthinkable.

Still, you stressed for days about what you were going to wear and felt knots in your stomach whenever you thought about seeing him. 

To you, Chadwick was perfect, too gorgeous to even look at with his panty-dropping eyes and smile. Making him laugh out loud fed your soul for days. Lord help you if he brushed your arm casually… you’d obsess about it as if he’d shown you his dick and it would be on instant-replay for weeks. You couldn’t figure out what it was exactly about him that scrambled your brain and made your body chemistry go haywire. Obviously he was attractive, but so were a lot of men. Was it the laidback, confident-without-being-cocky attitude? The way he spoke? His sly smile whenever he made a smartass comment?

God only knew. Whatever it was, it turned you into liquid goo and was ruining your life by making you distracted and stupid in his presence and even out of it.

Getting ready the day of the wrap party was full of difficult choices. Understated outfit or bold and eye catching? Bright lipstick or nude? Would he even notice you and care? Since you held your feelings for Chadwick so close to your heart, and outright denied otherwise, there was no friend to call and ask for help. Your turmoil was something that had to be endured alone.

If anyone would have understood, it would have been Penny, who was the whole reason you knew Chadwick in the first place as he’d come into her circle of friends, and ultimately yours, once she started dating Captain America himself. You loved her goofball boyfriend like a brother and became a part of Chris’s world as he and Penny absorbed you into their lives and friendships.

Which is how, a few years later, you found yourself riding in a car with Chris and Penny to the ultra-private invite-only event at Chadwick’s house in Los Feliz to celebrate the wrap of filming Infinity War, something that would have seemed crazy at one time, but now was just another fun night you were looking forward to hanging out with your friends.

A text message from Chris once the car pulled in alerted Chadwick to your arrival and you anxiously sucked in your breath as he appeared at the front door in faded jeans and a light cream t-shirt. 

You plastered on what you hoped was a natural-looking smile as you exited the car, immediately hearing the sounds of laughter, chatter and thumping music coming from the patio. You were last to step out into the evening air and watched as Chadwick enveloped Penny and Chris into a hug. You noticed him peering at you and smiling over their shoulders and he seemed to be rushing through the motions in order to get to you faster. 

As they finished their hellos, he advanced towards you and your heart caught in your chest. He was simply gorgeous and being the recipient of his focused, warm attention made the earth drop several inches below your feet.

“Y/N, so glad you could make it,” he smiled in earnest, putting his arms around you before you were ready for it and you hoped he couldn’t feel the rapid-fire beating of your heart as your bodies pressed together. Your nose and lips grazed his neck where you stood on your tip-toes to get to and when you came away from him, it was with his dizzying scent and warmth tingling along your skin.

You savoured his wide smile as you pulled apart, tucking it away into your mind to think about later along with other details you could only admire up close. Long eyelashes. Dewy, glowing skin. Groomed curls with a widow’s peak. The scent of shea and cocoa butter. His soft expressive eyes that you wanted to let roam all over your body and pierce into your soul while he took you.

While you stood there staring, a whole conversation was happening around you and you snapped back into it halfway through, and nodded pretending as if you’d been there the whole time. Oh yes, Chris’s Broadway show. Chadwick was congratulating him and Penny was complaining about the time it kept him away from home. You looked between the three of them pretending as if you weren’t completely absorbed in Chadwick’s mesmerizing presence.

Lord. You thought for the millionth time about his muscled arms, those long fingers, his veined hands…

“You good, Y/N?” Your eyes shot to Penny at the sound of your name and only then did you realize, not only had you been staring at Chadwick’s hands in intense silence, but when your eyes came back up, he was watching you with a little smile. 

“Head on through, drinks and food are outside,” Chadwick flicked his head backwards, “and you know the rules, don’t forget to leave your phones.”

As you dutifully handed over your phone, Chadwick’s fingertips brushed yours and his penetrating eye contact made you question whether it was intentional. As you always did anytime you felt his touch, you had to work to breathe properly again and thankfully Penny began dragging you towards the patio and the bar.

You danced. You drank. You mingled, drifted from one group to another, the music and alcohol making you horny and unsettled whenever you spotted Chadwick in the crowd.

You didn’t cross paths for hours. He was busy playing host and you became absorbed in the magical night, where hours passed like minutes.

At around 11, the music coming from the speakers nearly doubled in volume and once the dancing really started it left no prisoners. Moving, wreathing with other bodies tightly packed around you as if you were one, euphoria crept over the crowd, creating a feeling only music was capable of. All around you, faces and bodies blended together. It was sweaty and hot and you’d lost your voice singing but you couldn’t stop moving, couldn’t leave the gyrating crowd if you tried.

You had no idea what time it was but it must have been long after midnight as song after song took you to another plane and you never wanted it to end. 

A Weeknd song started just as you were swivelled facing Sebastian Stan and you began singing the lyrics cheesily to each other, paired with terrible dance moves. You laughed as he went to reel you in and you pretended to be the fish, swimming towards him, moving your hands like fins while he cackled. 

In front of you were Chris and Penny, their silhouettes nothing more to you than moving shadows in the laser lights blasting out over the crowd with their arms around each other, foreheads together as they danced. You smiled wistfully and looked back at Sebastian who had shifted to sandwich his body behind Chris’s, cupping his friend’s butt who threw his head back in laughter and moved his hands from Penny’s hips back to his as they moved together in sync, making a chain of three.

Your clapping with amusement was interrupted as a body shifted in behind yours, pressing into your back and butt and you looked down at Chadwick’s unmistakable fingers curling around your stomach. 

There was no time to react. His body demanded your movement along with his and you had no choice but to give it. 

His hips swiveled side to side to the beat and at first you stuttered, overwhelmed with surprise at his closeness, but he held his hands to your hips and guided you, back and forth, side to side, easing you into his rhythm. 

Your eyes closed as you gave yourself over to the perfect feeling of his body as you moved together. His nose and lips buried in your neck, fingers gripping your hips, and the feeling of him behind you, his crotch bouncing against your ass as you moved, made your soul transcend to heaven. The way he was touching you, moving with you was beyond something friends would do and at that point in the night, there was no mistaking the blistering heat between you or even the bulge you felt against your butt as you arched back into him.

Suddenly Chadwick swiveled you, using his arms to easily move you and, breathless and gasping, you succumbed to his strength, following his lead to find yourself face to face with him.

There was no hiding now.

The music continued to compel you to move together and you easily returned to your rhythm, fitting perfectly together as Chadwick’s thigh pressed slightly between your legs and you bit your lip as his hands went back to your hips, pulling your crotch to his while your upper bodies moved side to side. 

Your arms curled around his neck as you shared intense eye contact, just barely flirting with what was decent for friends as sweat dripped from your foreheads from hours of dancing and the red-hot, suggestive grinding of your bodies. 

You were sure he could feel your steamy heat against the firm contact of his leg, could hear your moans and sighs in his ear.  

He held you tighter. 

It wasn’t until much later that you could think rationally about what happened in those three minutes. 

The connection went beyond something physical, something you could put your finger on, or describe. You were acting on unspoken, wanting lust with the simple act of moving to rhythm, the release of energy bursting from you with wild abandon, with no thought to consequences or anything outside of the feeling you were exchanging without words.  

It was a perfect moment that ended too soon.

When the song came to an end, you felt the absence of his warmth and touch as he removed himself from you, slipping away as quietly as he came.

You whipped around to search for him but he was gone, swallowed up amongst the crowd. 

The loss of him was immediate on your psyche and on your body, still hot and throbbing from his touch. You were dazed, trying to comprehend what just happened and you noticed Sebastian looking at you, mouth agape, having witnessed the whole exchange. “Holy fuck,” he mouthed, and leaned in closer to your ear to be heard over the music, “Are you pregnant now?”

You laughed giddily, feeling high, bursting with energy and sure nothing so good could ever happen to you again. 

You danced for another hour or so but it soon became clear the party was winding down as one by one, people started to leave and you, Chris and Penny gave each other an unspoken look of agreement that you were ready to go. 

As you walked towards the house your eyes shot around for Chadwick, and after some searching you spotted him talking to the DJ, clearly too engaged in conversation for you to interrupt, although you had no idea what you’d say. 

Before you left the patio, you paused for one long last look at him, hoping he would turn around and see you but he was too wrapped up and you sighed, following Chris and Penny back through the house. 

While you sifted through the pile for your phones, you were quiet, but buzzing with barely concealed bliss and Penny kept shooting you looks. 

She nudged you, a curious glint in her eyes. “What’s up with you? You’re glowing.”

You knew then that she hadn’t seen your moment with Chadwick, so for now, it was a memory of yours to cherish and as you looked back at her, biting your lip, you decided to keep it that way.

“Nothing,” you shook your head, deliberately hiding the euphoria buzzing in your veins with a serene smile. 

Penny gave you a long look, having known you long enough to know when you were acting strange, but she didn’t press, instead taking your hand and squeezing it as you walked out the door. 

“Did you have a good night?” 

You let out your breath, doing your best to hide the shaking in your voice as you answered,

“The best.”