#cove holden angst

[sugar-omi]

okay, so i've been doing some thinking. i've been scrolling through your blog and i stepped upon these "cheating on cove with Baxter and the other way around" scenarios. (i'm sorry, i wasn't able to read them, my heart couldn't take it ;-;) but!

what if mc was like, in a normal relationship with Baxter. you know, a couple, maybe married later and stuff, while of course still being besties with Cove. later mc and Baxter have a kid together, maybe still a small baby but! plot twist! Baxter gets into an accident or something and dies. (i'm sorry, he's my favourite man but i had to kill him for that scenario:'))

mc is completely devastated and also a little panicked, because what about the baby? and then Cove stepps in, deciding to help his best friend take care of the little one and basically becomes its father. i recently watched a video of a dog "helping" a cat take care of her kittens, and there you have it.

this one may be boring, so feel free to ignore, but i can't stop thinking about it.

ITS OK<333 I figured some ppl didn't read it bc angst n pain</3 trust me I skip over angst all the time

(I even have the tag blocked😬 sorry angst writers but I will read it and not be the same for months, I read a kiribaku angst fic years ago, and was devesated for 4 months afterwards LMAO)

okay i... I cannot expand too much on this bc OUCH

(eta now that I've finished. who am I fooling? I rlly said that like I haven't wrote a whole novel 💀 anyway <3 this clearly made me pop off more than I thought I would bc I read this at first n was devastated!!! I had no words!!!! well clearly I found them LOL)

ALSO BORING??? ANON PLEASE.. BORING WHERE<///3

n im gonna fix the format later but for now here is the bare minimum. I'm going to bed rn so nini everyone enjoy a bit of angst I promise its fluffy as well<333

tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

p/n = parental name, since I wanted to leave flexibility for all the readers here <3

but anyway yeah cove would so step up for you

will follow you to the end of the earth and do whatever you need to help you work through this and to adapt to this sudden and unfortunate change

if/when your relationship starts becoming something romantic, cove would absolutely put the brakes on everything and you'd go so slow...

I imagine he'd probably move in with you or you with him, and he'd stay somewhere else (if you're living in his house he will leave anyway, he's a gentleman like that fr) so that way you can figure out if it's not just bc he's doing all these things n you're mistaking admiration for love

you'd spend the first year going super slow, as if you've never known each other before

which technically you haven't, since you've never dated before. but cove would go so far as to find out your favorite color, song, animal, food.. all over again, even though he has it memorized and knows your likes better than his own.

once cove is sure you're ready for this (after much talk between the two of you and even with your therapist that yes you've made enough progress and are emotionally ready for this) does he finally put a label on it

now if you get married...

I imagine cove won't propose at all

like I think you'd have to talk n almost beg him...

in that case he would do a small but grande gesture to propose. or he'd propose to you before you've even left the bed for the day... no inbetween

but like 8 times outta 10, you're gonna have to propose to him

he'd cry and hug you n say yes of course.

and unless you want to keep this outta your wedding, I think cove would include baxter in your wedding.

first, ofc you'd have the picture to honor his memory

but I think he'd even go so far as to have smth in his vows. but to start, he'd say smth like:

"I know the reason we became closer was unfortunate, but I'm so happy to be able to call you and [Child] my family. and I hope I can be a good father and husband"

and "baxter will always have a place in our hearts. even though he and I didn't get along at first (watery chuckle)... I'm glad he got to love you, and I hope he trusts me to love and cherish you the same way as well.."

also if you don't want to give up your wedding ring from baxter, I think cove would even go so far as to suggest combining it with his.

!!! omg I was gonna say your and baxter's wedding bands would be black, but I have another idea

okay now, for YOUR bands, I imagine they're either black or silver and yk those infinity(?) bands? that has the 2 types of metal or whatever

that's what cove would suggest doing. and if you are worried abt people asking why your bands are different, he'd get the same twisted band but silver with say a black diamond or smth. just smth to make it look like it's intentionally different colors but same design or smth

(im overthinking a bit but it's an idea right?! I'm not crazy??<////3)

or if you don't wanna do that, I imagine you can just slip it on a necklace or leave it as is, whatever you want. he wouldn't mind even if you kept wearing it, cove would never ask you to get rid of baxter's image or memory in any way, not unless it was a real problem and your attachment to him/his things was unhealthy anyway.

now for baxter's band... well if you didn't bury it with him, I imagine you'd give it to your child

another thing I think you could do w your wedding band as well, and give them both your bands to do whatever they want with. or if they don't want it of course you're not forcing them to keep it

even though they didn't get to know baxter, the way you and cove still cherish baxter's memory does help them feel something of a connection.

I also imagine baxter would take lots of photo n video w the kid, even though they're young n just a babe, theres so many videos of baxter looking n acting so loving w them

and even a couple where he's teary-eyed n all "imma do you right by you. I love you so much.."

of course, if the kid doesn't feel that connected to baxter since they were too young to know or rmbr anything, and they don't feel anything much other than sympathy and the occasional sting when they see how much baxter loved them, you don't force it.

you both know that baxter was basically a stranger to them and even though they still respect baxter and he has a place in their heart, they don't feel like they're lacking anything.

"I don't really know what to say.. or how to feel... I see how much [P/N] misses you sometimes, and we have pictures of you, and they talk about you and stuff...

but I don't feel like im missing a dad. I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings, I wish I knew you too. sometimes I wish you were still here, so I got to know you as well, even though I'm still happy to have dad cove for my dad.

I just wanna know what you were like. I wanna experience what you were like. I... I wanna miss you like everyone else misses you too...

anyway, just know that dad is great! he takes care of me and [P/N] really well! he makes breakfast in bed, and he does/used to do this thing where he lifts me in the air before bed! he's so cool. I see how he makes [P/N] happy as well, so don't worry. although, [P/N] said you always thought cove was reliable and a good guy so maybe you aren't worrying anyway.

well... that's it I guess. i hope ill get to know you one day, and maybe you can tell me you're glad to see dad took good care of us. goodbye,

baxter."

pa."

cove happily listens to anything they have to say on how they feel abt baxter btw. he accepts any of their feelings, be it that they don't feel anything at all, sympathy for others, or they feel sad abt losing him.

if they do say smth like how even though it's unfortunate and they feel bad for everyone who mourns baxter (for example/especially you), they see cove as their dad and don't feel like they're missing anything and they're happy to have cove for their dad.

ofc he cries n hugs them n tells them he loves em and he's happy n he comforts them if needed of course

I also think cove is very scared abt being a father

especially in this way... even if the kiddo doesn't remember anything, or it's hazy at best, he worries about replacing baxter.

he'd probably worry abt not living up to baxter

baxter was always much more mature, at least it seemed that way most times. cove just worries about if he has the backbone and the ability to parent the child well and be someone they can look up to and/or appreciate for being a good father

cries if they call him dad btw

if they do it before you start dating, I imagine it's one of the catalyst that cause you to talk abt your feelings for each other. or if it's in the early stage..

cove prbly freezes and runs away to the other room n freaks out, definitely cries. if you don't talk to him like right after he calls his dad n cries n shares his worries n fear

either way, when you do talk he's biting his nails n trying not to pace around the room and he's like "if you wanna distance yourselves so that they don't call me dad any more I totally understand, I mean idk it's prbly weird for you-"

n he just rambles. like none of it makes sense n u have to physically shut him up. kiss him, yell, throw a pillow, hit him w the child's stuffed animal, throw a single lego brick at his back and watch him fall to the floor like he just got a nuke thrown at him

if it's later on n theres nothing to worry abt bc youve talked abt this or saw it coming or its just the otherwise most natural step, he cries of course

but he doesn't fall apart from being his in the back w a single fucking Lego as if it hurt 🙄🙄🙄🙄 (I hate this man he's DRAMATIC)

well... actually no he does

hit him, kiss him, hug him, run him over w a hotel wheels truck.... he just cries harder

adopts them like immediately basically

I imagine you do it soon, like maybe before the wedding just so that way you can have a private moment (just to save him some embarrassment from ugly crying in front of your families. in fact he just might faint fr)

n you + the kiddo surprise him w adoption papers (depending on how old the babe is at this point, they have like no idea what's going on but they know that cove is now officially recognized by the whole world (even by the unicorns n wizards n warlocks) as their daddy))

imagine laying in bed w cove n the kid in between you two

and when you wake up, cove is alrdy awake and was watching you two. he was petting the kids wild hair and he had pulled the two of you in and kept you under his arm..

and the sunlight is coming in, the day is just perfect. n the look on cove's face is full of so much love but also a bit somber this time

(cove feels awkward being here like this sometimes. during times like this you have to remind him it's okay, and you pull him back in. of course he does the same for you on those days.)

"I love you two. so much..." he whispers, tears sticking to his lashes

the kid flips over, curling into cove and they stop their sleepy mumbling now that they're tucked into cove's chest, feeling warm, happy, and safe.

you whisper equally as tender. "we were meant to be like this too."

also!! smth I just thought of...

imagine the kid looks mostly/very much like baxter. they act very much like cove's kid

like you would think cove n baxter had a kid together LOL

(if the resemblance is too much, they ask if you're the step parent </3 pls Ik it may not make sm sense but I just think it'd be so fuckin funny)

[coveholdenenjoyer]

I just finished up a Cove fic!!

I hope you all enjoy!!

[kunimilktea]

Hiii im doodle dumping again heree

And heres some more family au stuff cause i cant get enough of it

Here are the adopted holden twins mer and mar! Have them and a bunch of kai doodles i did

More silly doodles of them

[qwee206]

So I've been in a mood for angst so

How cove would react if MC dies headcanons (angst)

I feel like Cove wouldn't talk to anyone and just lock himself in his room all day

I also feel like he would stop eating for days to

If Cove even tried to do something he used to like he would think of you and just be depressed again

Cove would probably snap at people easily or he'd be very quiet and non-responsive

Cove would probably feel I lot of guilt thinking he should have been with you more or thinking that it should have been him

Cove would cry a lot and more easily

Cove would often cry into your pillows, blankets, shirts, anything if the sort

Would often stare at old photos with you and him

Would often sit in silence with his dad

Cove would develop a habit of saying "I love you" to people when they leave or go to bed in fear that they would be gone

Would often go to text you or vist out of habit only to remember that your gone

Would often look twice at things thinking he saw you and that you're still there with him

Anytime he would want to say anything about you he couldn't because of how overwhelmed he would feel

I don't think he would do anything that would harm himself or others aside from not talking to anything and sleeping all day

Would get a body pillow or many pillows and would cuddle with them pretending that they were you cuddling him

My next post will probably be some fluff headcanons, these have just been on my mind all day

[differenteagletragedy]

— Baxter is a vampire, is actually very old but miserable, moves to Sunset Bird for the novelty and falls in love with MC. He’s never been in love before, not really, he doesn’t know he could feel like this. But MC is a human and gets old and dies and he has to live for the rest of forever grieving them.

— Derek is a werewolf. He’s desperately in love with MC but even more terrified of accidentally hurting them when he transforms so he keeps them at a distance. Will not listen to any advice that he could go somewhere else on the full moon, far away from MC. He won’t risk it. So he spends the rest of his life yearning and hating himself for being a monster.

— Cove is a mermaid. He met MC because they would always come to the beach to play as a kid, and he became very close to them. Eventually he realized he had fallen in love, but what kind of love story could they have when he can’t even hold them unless they go for a swim? He can’t go anywhere with them, do anything with them but talk and swim, and no matter how much they tell him that that’s enough, they just want him, he wants better for them. So he breaks up with them and moves on to a new spot in the ocean, never to visit the beaches of Sunset Bird again.

[rainesrants]

California & Me

Pairing: Cove Holden/Reader, Baxter Ward/Reader

Word Count: 2.4K

Tags: Angst, Unrequited Love

Summary: Cove, your best friend, sees you as more than just a friend. When a certain someone returns to Sunset Bird, how will he react? Inspired by California & Me by Laufey

A/N: I hope you enjoy! Sorry if it was too short, I wrote this in about an hour. I might edit this in the future, though.

When Cove first heard you'd be going out of state for college, he didn't know what to say. After all, this was the first time he'd heard you change your plan. It was rather spontaneous, especially considering your original idea was that you'd be remaining in California, continuing your studies and volunteering there.

When he saw the worry on your face waiting for his reaction, he felt a piece of his heart crack. Forcing on a smile and a "Congratulations!" he watched you let out a sigh of relief. He knew he couldn't make you stay; who was he to deny you of your dreams? Little did you know, the moment he went back to his home, he began crying. He didn't even bother to go to his bed, collapsing on the ground as soon as the front door closed.

You tried your best to hide it, but he knew deep down why you had decided to leave. Baxter Ward, your "suitor for the season," had left, his absence leaving a hole in your heart. You insisted that you were fine, but it was noticeable to everyone the way the light in your eyes disappeared, your smile following it. The memories were too much, the feeling of heartbreak raw in your chest.

He tried his best to be there for you, entering through your window even more frequently to check on your condition. He didn't even bother to try "sneaking in" anymore, your moms seeing his parked car in the driveway even though he was supposed to be at his new apartment.

He could only watch as the bags under your eyes got darker and darker, neglecting the need for sleep as you scrolled through all your old messages and photos. It was as if everywhere you’d look, you would still see the memories of Baxter there.

On the day of your big move, everyone who still lived there had gathered outside of your house: your parents, Mr. Holden, and Cove. This time, you would be the one leaving. First it was Derek, then Liz, then Terry and Miranda, and finally, you.

Cove had agreed to drive you to the airport, and your parents hadn’t protested driving in a separate car. They knew you both needed your space to say your farewells to each other.

As you both got inside, your luggages in the trunk, he felt the thickness of tension in the car. The only sound that could be heard was the familiar lapping of the tides fading and the sound of the road underneath as he drove farther away from Sunset Bird.

The two of you remained in silence for what felt like hours, neither speaking a word as he parked in the airport’s garage. He was thankful your parents had ushered you to leave early, allowing you more time to speak with each other before you had to check-in.

The sound of your sniffles is what caught him off guard, and as he turned to face you, he watched the tears pour from your eyes. Without a second to spare, you unbuckled your seatbelt and practically leapt across the car to pull him into a hug. The feeling of your face in his neck was something he was used to, but the way your tears dampened his shirt wasn't.

“I’m going to miss you so much. I wish I could take you with me.” Your words were muffled as you spoke into his shoulder, squeezing him tighter as if he was going to be the one leaving. At your words, he felt his own tears begin to follow, and he wrapped his arms around your torso.

Choking back a sob, he slowly rubbed his hand soothingly in circles around your back. “Hey, it’s never too late to open a pretzel stand.”

You let out a small laugh at his joke, and as you finally pulled away, you rubbed the tears from your eyes into your sleeves. Then, gently pulling him closer, you grabbed ahold of his face, wiping the tears from his cheeks. It was to no avail, the waterworks continuing to spill from both of you. This time, you both laughed.

The taste of salty tears reminded him of the ocean, and as he looked at you, all he could imagine was the sun. He didn't know how he would function without your warmth, your comforting hugs, and your caring heart. He didn't know how to function without you.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” he whispered. He didn’t know what else to say, but as you began to sob even harder, he felt his heart break.

“Cove, please tell me this isn’t a bad idea. I want to leave, but at the same time, I’m going to miss everyone so much.” You said, reaching out to hold his hand as you spoke.

He felt his throat tighten as he realized what you were asking: “Should I leave?”

He was right, it was never too late to stay. You could just unpack all of your things again and stay there with him. Maybe you could take college, get a job, and do whatever you wanted to do in Sunset Bird. He wouldn’t have to hold onto the memories he had with you. Instead, he could be making new ones with you at every single moment.

But as he looked for your reaction, he paused. You needed his support at that moment, so despite his selfish thoughts, he mustered enough energy to say, “You know what you want to do, so follow your dreams. After all, we’ll always be here. I will always be here.”

At his words, he watched the way you seemed to relax, letting out a small sigh of relief. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

He wondered what would’ve happened if he had told you to stay, to remain with him. Instead, all he could do was wipe his tears as you finally left the car, grabbed your luggages, and headed to check-in. Both your parents and Cove’s dad were already waiting for you, and for once, they didn’t seem to tease how red and puffy both your eyes were. With a final hug, he watched as you entered security, turning back one last time to wave goodbye.

You had promised to keep in contact as much as possible, and you did. You called each other at every possible moment: when you landed at the airport, when you started your first day at school, when you were offered your first job, and everything in between. He was always there for you; it was the least he could do since you were always there for him.

Of course, he'd try his best to see you in person too, but it was more difficult than he thought to travel all the way across the country. Who knew one of the tallest people you knew would be afraid of flying? He didn't either, until he looked down from the window 10,000 feet in the air. He'd chant the words "this will be worth it" to himself over and over again, gripping the sides of his chair tightly. In the end, it really was worth it.

The knots in his stomach would disappear at the sight of you waiting for him, looking down at your phone to check if he had landed yet. He stood still, waiting until your eyes met. He could never forget the way your frown shifted into a smile at just the sight of him, the way you practically leaped to greet him, and the familiar feeling of you in his arms as you pulled him into a tight hug.

So when he heard you'd be coming back to California for Jude and Scott's wedding, his heart leapt out of his chest. This would be your first time visiting your hometown in a while, your new job restricting you from coming over too much. He was more than upset when he realized he was busy and wouldn't be able to see you until the actual ceremony, but he was even more upset when he heard a familiar name fall from your lips.

“Baxter Ward.”

“Huh?” Cove said, confused. You had been silent for a few minutes, despite you being the one to call him.

“It’s… Baxter. Can you believe it?” You let out a breathy sigh, as if in disbelief.

“Baxter who?” He forced out a laugh, acting clueless, but deep down, he knew exactly who you were talking about.

How could he forget your first kiss, your first date, and your first partner? Cove was supposed to be your first, but no, Baxter took that opportunity from him. He was only supposed to be a fling, so how come after five years, he had come back?

“Liz used to describe him as an “emo Victorian man.” He’s Jude and Scott’s wedding planner. What a coincidence, don’t you think?” The sound of your laughter rang through his ears, and he struggled to understand.

He felt his mouth dry, not knowing how to respond. Oh, how he regretted taking all his vacation days to visit you. Otherwise, he would be there in a heartbeat to see whether or not you were telling the truth. He knew you had no reason to lie, but the thought of his reappearance made him begin to worry.

“Hello? Cove, is everything alright?”

The sound of your voice is what snapped him out of it. Desperately trying to come up with an excuse, he began to panic. “Yeah, I’m fine! Sorry, I just dropped Cove Junior’s food.”

“Oh, sorry for distracting you.” You mumbled, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Forcing out an awkward laugh, he said, “It’s okay, really, but what about Baxter? Tell me more.” He knew it would hurt to hear it, but what else could he do?

As you spoke, he recognized your tone of voice. Retelling the events of your day, he noticed how you dreamily sighed, and although it wasn’t a video call, he could imagine the way your cheeks turned red with just the sound of his name. His final straw was the day of the wedding. When he saw your face, he was so happy to see you that he almost didn’t remember Baxter. Almost.

During the entire ceremony, he would only catch a couple of glimpses of him, as if he were entirely avoiding the two of you. He could see how hurt you were, but you continued to smile so as to not ruin Jude and Scott’s happy day. That was when his resolve snapped, and he excused himself from the table. You looked at him in curiosity but went back to talking with Terry and Miranda after he lied saying he needed to go to the restroom.

Looking around, he searched the room for a person wearing a purple suit. That’s when he finally saw him in all his glory, standing in the corner of the room watching the others party with a sad look on his face. Although Cove couldn’t say he liked him, he felt pity on the man. When Baxter finally turned his head and saw him, he put on a polite smile.

“Cove. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said, almost as if he had rehearsed it.

“Yeah, you too.” Awkwardly putting his hands in his pockets, he slightly rocked back and forth.

“Have you enjoyed the ceremony so far?”

Cove simply nodded, and as he finally got the courage to confront him, he took a deep breath. “We don’t have to do this, Baxter. I’m sure you know why I’m here.”

He looked taken aback by his bluntness but quickly attempted to regain his composure. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Perhaps you’ve misunderstood.”

“You know they’re in love with you.”

He didn’t even act surprised, just looking away with a guilty look on his face.

Cove continued with his statement, fighting back tears as his hands formed into fists. “They’ve always loved you, even after your disappearance. I don’t know if anybody has told you, but after you left, they were heartbroken. I had never seen them so hurt before.”

“I apologize, but there’s nothing I could’ve done for them.”

Cove could feel his temper start to boil, his eyebrows scrunching in frustration. “You could’ve been there for them, responding to their texts or calls.”

“We were both doing our own things. I was finishing my education and became a wedding planner, they were off in college becoming successful. It was… for the better.”

“For the better? After you left, they were a mess. I’m sure they haven’t told you, but the reason they went to school in New York was because they missed you so much they couldn’t bear to handle walking through Sunset Bird and the memories of you.” Cove was out of breath, and he realized he had raised his voice. Thankfully, no one was paying attention, continuing to party. Trying to calm down, he fidgeted with his hands. “Anyone could tell they like you. The way they look at you is the same way I look at them.”

Baxter's smile disappeared for a moment but he quickly put it back on, as if it were a mask. “To be quite honest, I’m a little surprised you’re the one telling me this. Even when I first arrived in Sunset Bird, I noticed your affinity for them. Why help me?”

Cove was trying his hardest to hold back on the waterworks, looking out the window to avoid his gaze. “They only see me as their best friend, nothing more. I’m not sure if they’ve ever noticed, but I do know one thing-they deserve to be happy. You make them happy, happier than I’ve ever seen them. So please, if they approach you at the party, at least listen to them.”

Baxter didn’t respond, and Cove quickly turned around, leaving him to his thoughts. He had a lot of regrets, but losing you was his biggest one. What if he had insisted you didn’t date him in the first place? What if he had insisted you stay in Sunset Bird? What if he had been the one to ask you out first?

When he finally watched you approach Baxter, kiss him, and return with a cheery smile on your face, he knew his answer. No matter how much Cove loved you, he would always lose to Baxter Ward.

[justalittlelilac]

My brother and his wife just welcomed another bundle of joy into the world, throwing me into the esteemed ranks of aunthood for the third time (cue the confetti and party horns! 🎉🎊)

Anyway, this got my brain running wild about how each of the love interests in OLBA might react to you having baby nieces or nephews (or 'niblings' for a more gender-neutral term) if you don't already have children:

Cove:

Ugh, Cove. Our adorable beach bum. Much like all of my headcannons for this man, his reactions shift depending on his age. The younger the Cove, the more nervous he'd be around the tiny one. However, regardless of age, I can picture him approaching the situation with all the caution of a skittish cat.

When asked if he wanted to hold the baby, he'd likely stammer a quick "No, thanks!" before immediately backpedaling with guilt. Eventually, he'd cave and accept the precious cargo, muttering something like, "They're so small... Are they supposed to be this small? Were you this small?"

Bless his heart, Cove would treat the baby like a Fabergé egg—utterly convinced that one wrong move could shatter the little one into a million pieces. He hasn't been around babies, and because it's an unfamiliar situation, he's unsure of himself. But fear not! As time passes, our surfer boy gradually realizes that babies are surprisingly resilient little creatures, capable of surviving the occasional awkward hold or accidental bump.

Once comfortable, Cove would transform into the ultimate cool uncle. I can just picture him and Elizabeth locked in a heated debate about the appropriate age to introduce the baby to surfing. "What do you mean two is too young? They'll be walking by then... right?" He'd whisper to you, panic in his eyes, "That is when babies start walking, right?"

Later that night, you'd find Cove hunched over his laptop, furiously Googling "baby milestones" and "safe surfing for two year olds."

His favorite pastime would become riling up Elizabeth with outrageous statements like, "Someone's gotta teach this kid the finer points of life. We can't have them growing up preferring some stuffy mansion over the sweet, sweet sound of crashing waves like someone we know." Elizabeth would roll her eyes so hard you'd worry they might get stuck, insisting there's not a snowball's chance in Hawaii of that happening.

And when he sees you with baby? Well, we can just say that the warmth that spreads through his chest is undeniable when he looks at you with so much love. Whether or not you are planning for children, it just makes him happy to see you happy with the new member of your family.

(My Cove route MC would be handing the baby back to Elizabeth, making some excuse that she and Cove had to leave early if she caught him staring like that 😏)

Derek:

Fine gentlepeople of the audience, I present to you: Derek in Uncle Mode. He has run the gauntlet and can't help going into helper mode as soon as you both walk into the door. Swooping in like a superhero, except instead of a cape, he's holding a casserole dish and wearing a "World's Best Uncle" shirt he was jokingly gifted but wears like a badge of honor.

Derek's already firing off questions like an interviewer on caffeine. "How's the baby sleeping? Do you need help with laundry? I brought a casserole! Oh, and I've memorized some lullabies and learned some baby sign language if needed!"

It's only when you, Elizabeth, or one of his family members (if the baby belongs to one of his siblings) tells him to slow down that he finally stops to meet the baby. He is immediately taken with them.

He offers to hold the baby so parent can rest or get anything done. He's cooing and making faces that would be embarrassing if they weren't so darn endearing. "Look at those cheeks! And that hair! Man, it's crazy how small they are! Y'know, they look a lot like me//you. So cool."

His enthusiasm is infectious. Of course, he involves you, asking if you want to hold the baby, saying how guilty he feels for hogging them. Total natural. Are we even surprised? This man loves his family, both his and yours, and having this time with you and his family will never get old. It fills him with a contended happiness he can't find anywhere else.

Prepare yourself for Derek to become a fixture at every family gathering, armed with a camera and a determination to document every sneeze, giggle, and adorable baby fart. He's already wanting to help plan the kid's first birthday party, complete with a petting zoo, bouncy castle, and a cake bigger than the baby.

When the little one gets older, don't be surprised to find Derek passed out on the couch after an epic play session, covered in glitter glue and sporting a tiara. It's a look that screams "Best Uncle Ever," and he wears it with pride. (I'm going to pass out from how cute that looks in my head help)

Baxter:

Now, Baxter's reactions are much trickier for me to pin down. At first glance, you might mistake him for a casual observer, watching from the sidelines, uninvolved, with that trademark soft smile of his. Very similar to the way he is in groups. It's not that I think Baxter wouldn't like babies; I'm just not convinced if he would have a tremendous outward affection for babies that are not his own, y'know?

But don't let it fool you — where Baxter would shine is in any outing. The man is on top of it. A Swiss Army Knife of baby preparedness. By nature of his profession, he would be keyed into many different things event-oriented.

Need to know the best time to visit the zoo to avoid crowds? Baxter's got a color-coded chart for that. Looking for a family-friendly restaurant that won't turn up their noses at a screaming infant? Baxter's already made reservations at three different places, just in case.

When it comes time for a family day out, Baxter shows up with a backpack that would put Mary Poppins to shame. Diapers? Check. Snacks? Check. First aid kit, portable fan, and a small library of children's books? Triple check.

I'm talking itinerary, scheduled bathroom breaks, and located family area so baby can be fed. He probably scoped out the location during his workday to know where everything was. He can't help working off the clock, it seems.

Now, he'd try to be subtle and respectful with all of this, not wanting to step on toes or upset your sister. He'd make sure to offer his services and back off if he was told no, but it's useless to try and get him to relax if it's just the two of you.

As the baby grows into a toddler, Baxter's true colors start to shine through. Leave him alone with the kid for an hour, still having that slightly interested, amused smile on his face, and you'll come back to find him covered in stickers, wearing a makeshift cape, and fully committed to his role as "Sir Baxter, Knight of the Pillow Fort."

It turns out that your niece or nephew has unlocked a side of Baxter that even he didn't know existed – his inner child. In these moments, you catch glimpses of the carefree childhood Baxter never had. A kid at heart who didn't really get to be a kid, and your niece or nephew gives him that space to be one with abandon.

And there you have it! Now, I'm gonna go brush my teeth, because I now have cavities from how sweet these three are in my head. (I need someone more skilled than me to draw these scenarios omggg)

[buried-in-autumn-leaves]

In the fathers day moment there's a line where Cove tells off Cliff for trying to act like mcs dad, and when you give him the fathers day card, Cove is like oh i didnt mean anything bad, we can totally share dad.

But im thinking about the angst opportunities for if you decide to not give it to him after Cove says that. If he's saying that, he must not WANT to share his dad, giving him the card would be pushing his boundaries, that kind of thing.

[burplewrites]

thoughts | cove james holden

𓆉 | fandom: our life: beginnings & always

𓆉 | characters: cove holden, reader

𓆉 | word count: 1,547 words 8,375 characters

𓆉 | a/n: this has been in my notes for so long i got disgusted by it and i wanted it gone (the ending sucks i cant make conclusions)

from a young age, y/n has experienced happiness. they had loving parents, even though they were adopted. their older sister, who was a brat when they were younger, loved them unconditionally. they had amazing relatives and friends and were always surrounded by positivity since they were a child. although from a young age, they always felt like this feeling would be temporary.

their moms wouldn’t love them anymore, cove wouldn’t care, derek, terri, and miranda wouldn’t care, baxter…. well, they were right about baxter. but baxter left, making everything they thought would happen a reality… that terrified them.

normally when it was just thoughts, that’s all it was. thoughts. their mind was fucking with them, making them feel horrible for no reason. but it’s been those thoughts that have been brought into the world, that possibility was a real one. baxter had left three months ago and y/n was still stuck in that moment when he closed the door to their relationship.

no calls, no texts, no anything. y/n saw the signs, they were right in front of their face. baxter always thought of his stay here as temporary. but it didn’t have to be. they could have remained friends. but he chose to cut contact with everyone in sunset bird, with them.

maybe baxter was different, a messed up variable. they had only known each other for a summer, but if he could do it, what was holding everyone else from doing that too? what is everyone waiting for?

when was everyone going to leave them too?

it was a summer fling, just a short little thing. nothing too serious. that was said from the beginning. y/n felt hard though, which made it hurt even more. what was that whole relationship to him anyway? did he truthfully like it, did he like them as much as they liked him?

he had always been so distant, a barrier was always there, separating them from really getting to know the real baxter ward. if they knew the real him, would they still have been attracted to him? would everything be the same? would they still have entered that fling, would baxter be willing to ask them out, would they accept… what would be the outcome, the reactions, how would life be right now, three months after that summer?

y/n laid in bed, their mind taking all the energy that would otherwise be used to go do random stuff with their family and friends. their eyes were closed, with the cover over their head as they tried to control their breathing and get out of this spiral they were trapping themselves in. they didn't even notice when cove came into their room.

their window was always left unlocked due to cove's unwarranted but not unwanted visits, so he was never locked outside on the side of the building.

"y/n, it's like 1 pm." cove said gently before sitting on the side of their bed. y/n sat up, and faked a yawn, before smiling at cove. they didn't want to burden him with their thoughts again. they did that the day baxter left, and even though cove didn't seem to mind, they didn't want to put him through that again. "y/n, what's the matter? you can't lie to me with that fake yawn. i know you better than that, and i know you know that too."

"it's nothing, i was just thinking. don't worry." they got out of bed and stretched, not registering how upset they looked, or how their mannerisms were so drained. from the bed, cove was watching them do random things, like pick things up, and put them away in a completely different place, arrange their desk, all while trying to start a conversation with cove. they gave up midway though, and just started humming a song under their breath.

cove didn't know what to do. he realised that something was upsetting y/n, it was clear to see, but he didn't know what. he didn't know what he could say or do to help them feel better, since they weren't talking about it but cove could tell it was eating at them. so he did the only thing he thought of in that moment. he stood up and engulfed them in a hug. y/n's body tensed up in shock before relaxing. their back was to cove's chest, and cove was holding them tightly.

"ok space cadet, what's up with this?" y/n said with a chuckle. "you know back hugs barely count, right?"

cove sighed and loosened the hug, which gave y/n the chance to turn around and be engulfed in a normal hug. y/n knew cove wanted to say something, and was prepared to stay in this hug until he did. it was a thing they came up with that happened randomly.

"y/n, you're still upset about baxter, aren't you?" cove said softly. y/n's breath hitched, which was an answer in itself as they sighed.

"i- was it that obvious?"

"no, i just know you. we're kind of connected, remember?" cove chuckled before pulling away from the hug. he pulled y/n back to the bed before sitting beside them. they made eye contact, and cove began.

"talk to me y/n. let me lend an ear."

"it's fine cove, i'm getting through it. you don't have to listen to this." y/n said with a smile, betraying the tears building up in their eyes.

cove stared at y/n softly, before holding their hands. "i know i don't have to, but i want to. i want to be there for you y/n, because you're someone that i truly about and that's never going to change, so let me be there. let me carry some of your worries."

at those words, the dam opened. tears started dropping from y/n's glossy eyes, and more came as they tried wiping them. their breathing shallowed as they sobbed on the side of their bed, cove holding them, offering the comfort he could at that moment.

"it's not supposed to hurt that hard. we barely knew each other cove. we dated for the summer, i'm supposed to be focusing on the future, not remembering this!" y/n started, more tears bubbling up with a pause in their words. "but he left. he didn't even care, he just dismissed it, and i'm trying to understand but it hurts so much."

y/n cried in cove's arms a little, not caring how messed they looked. cove was one of their rocks. a constant. yes, they doubted it sometimes, but it was hard to find even the smallest part of cove wanting to abandon them. cove was always there, cove was family. y/n always felt the safest when he was there by their side.

"i knew it wouldn't last forever, but it set everything in stone, that everyone is going to leave and i'm just going to be stuck here, without anyone. miranda and terri, derek and you… moms, liz.. everyone is just going to leave. they wouldn't need a reason to stick by me anymore. i wouldn't mean much to them anymore, and i-"

y/n was spiralling, and cove squeezed them hard in the hug to get them to snap out of it, without 'interrupting' them. y/n turned to look at cove with a confused look and cove looked at them wiping his own tears from his aquamarine eyes.

"we aren't going to leave you behind. we never would do that. we love you, i love you. i can confidently speak for miranda, and terri, and elizabeth, and your moms, as well as myself. we would never even think of abandoning you. you have such an important effect on out lives y/n, and we wouldn't change it for anything."

"so why did he leave, cove? why didn't he want to stay friends, why didn't he want to keep in contact with me? am i that unlikable and unlovable-"

cove shook his head, making y/n's face wrench with more tears, as their head faced the ground.

"i don't know what was going through his head, but him leaving does not make you unlovable and unlikable. he liked you enough to want to be your friend, he liked you enough to want to start dating you, he liked you enough to help you out, to form memories with you, and to be there with you for as long as he could. i couldn't tell you why he couldn't stay friends, but i can tell you that he's probably going to regret losing someone like you in his life." y/n smiled a little and leaned their head against their best friend.

"thank you cove.. i love you too."

"i know." cove said gently, reaching over and passing y/n some tissues. "y/n anytime you need to talk, anytime you have doubts about anything.. you have to tell me about it. or your moms, or liz, or our friends, but don't just keep it locked inside. isn't that what you taught me?"

y/n chuckled.

"yeah, i guess i'm just not good at following my own advice."

"i can see that." cove teased, making y/n glare at him playfully. cove sat there, as a pillar for y/n letting them lean against him, as they sniffed and calmed down, giving them all the time they needed.

[potatoesenpaii]

I’ll be with you on Every Step

Comission made by my lovely @marycecilyy

Cove Holden x reader

Word count : 1,611

Theme : we got angst, we got fluff

Special mention to Kit - Kit shall live on forever in your writings Ceci 💙

It was your birthday. You had invited your closest friends to your apartment in a small celebration. You didn't like huge parties, nor had the means to throw one at the moment.

You and Cove were going through tough times. It had been a while since you last published a book, now you were facing a huge creative block, and couldn't even finish the first draft of your next novel.. Cove’s work had been compensating the down of income on your end but his salary wasn’t large enough to keep you from worrying about paying your bills. Not to mention your dog, Kit, was recovering from a surgery (which had taken a huge portion of your savings) and still needed a lot of care.

Because of that. you and your boyfriend hadn’t been able to travel back to your hometown for your birthday, or even plan a bigger party than you had managed to throw.

It had been two hours since the guests started to arrive. You were talking to Lany, one of the closest friends you made since you moved there. They worked with Cove, but you were introduced to them very quickly and were inseparable ever since. Your boyfriend had his hand placed on your thigh, drawing circles on the fabric as you both listened to the story they were telling you.

The doorbell suddenly rang, which startled you since everyone who was invited had already arrived. You got up, but before getting to the door someone put a hand on your shoulder. It was Alex. You met her through the internet, you two were active in the writers niche and, after finding you lived in the same city, you started hanging out.

"It 's Erik. I forgot to tell you beforehand that I invited him. Sorry, I hope you won’t mind.”

In fact you did mind, but you wouldn’t tell her. Alex was sweet when she introduced Erik, her cousin, to you in hopes that he would meet new people. The only thing you knew about his recent divorce was that it devastated him and that he needed to get out of the house he used to live in with his wife. That was the reason Alex introduced him to you, getting him new friends and lifting his spirits. However there was an issue that she couldn���t have predicted (nor did she know of).

You were pretty sure that Erik was into you.

You didn’t mind at all talking to him, it was nice to have a new friend, but your gut told you that he’d rather be more than friends with you. You didn’t welcome his affection, nor did you reject him because he actually never did a proper advance. He was subtle. You didn’t even know if he wanted you to become aware of his crush on you as he knew you had a boyfriend.

That thought made you remember this will be the first time Erik meets Cove. Thank you Alex, you thought. You knew she hadn’t done it with bad intentions as she didn’t even know of what was going on. To her, she was inviting her cousin and your friend. She could have refrained from doing it? Yeah she could, but now it was already done.

With all of that in mind, you smiled politely at Alex and went to get the door. There was Erik. You felt glad when he, after hugging you and wishing you a happy birthday, went straight for the appetizers. At least you wouldn’t have to think about awkward conversation for a while.

An hour passed and you were enjoying yourself a lot. You played some card games with your friends, ate a lot of snacks and stayed close to Cove the entire night. You knew that, even if he wasn’t as close to all of them, he was happy to see you having fun. And he was enjoying the night as well, in his way. You could see it.

A few of the guests had already left when Erik went to talk to you.

“MC, I had a lot of fun tonight. I hope you didn’t mind that Alex invited me.”

You darted your eyes from him and fiddled with your hands. You had to find a change of subject quickly.

“Oh, what a fool I am, I haven’t introduced the two of you!” What a great idea, MC… “Cove, this is Erik, Alex’s cousin. Erik, this is Cove, my boyfriend.

You noticed how his eyes lost a bit of spark. Still, Erik smiled and greeted him. Then, he held between you a package that you didn’t even notice that was with him the whole time.

“Happy birthday, MC”

You weren’t expecting that, it was kind of him. Even if he knew that he was only there because Alex invited him, not you, he bought you a gift. It was very generous of him.

“Erik…! You didn’t have to. Really.”

The gift was a book. Not any book, actually, but a rare edition of your favorite novel. You had no idea how he managed to find it. There were few places who sold it and it was very expensive.

You didn’t know how to feel about that. Of course you were happy, but it was too expensive for a friend’s present.

“After all you’ve done to me, this is the least I can do. You helped me get through a tough time and never complained when I wanted to vent. You are a dear friend.”

Even if the word friend had a bittersweet tone as he said it, you felt he was being sincere. You hugged him tight and said goodbye to him.

After Erik and Alex left, you turned to Cove, who remained silent through most of the conversation. He looked strange, you noticed.

“It’s a really nice gift. Erik’s a good friend.”

He avoided your eyes and tried to walk away, but you stopped him beforehand, asking if he was alright.

“It’s fine, I just need some time alone.” He gave you a fake smile and disappeared into his bedroom. You felt uneasy. What was wrong with him? Your instinct told you to run to him, but you gave him the space he needed.

During the last hour of the party, you kept thinking about your last conversation. The obvious conclusion was: he was jealous. It was so hard to believe, though. You had never seen him jealous before. It was really weird.

But the thought that the last conversation had been, indeed, weird convinced you that that was it. There was no other explanation to his behavior.

As soon as the last guest left, you went to your bedroom. You had given him some time, now it was time to understand exactly what was going on.

Cove was sitting at the edge of the bed, petting Kit’s belly. She was clearly enjoying the caresses on her hairless abdomen (the surgery required no fur on that area). Kit looked at you immediately and left her post at the bed to come greet you. Your boyfriend, on the other hand, didn’t budge. You were becoming more upset each minute.

You sat beside him and took his hand. He didn’t retreat, on the contrary. Cove entwined his fingers with yours and brought your hand to his lips.

“I’m sorry, I overreacted.”

“To what, exactly? What happened?” When he didn’t answer, you continued “Did you get upset because of Erik?”

Cove chuckled.

“No, I’m not jealous if that’s what you’re asking. There’s no reason for that. I trust you. I just-” He made a pause. You stared at his eyes. “The book he gave you. It’s difficult to find. It’s expensive as well. But even so, I got it.”

Cove took a bag that was on his lap and handed you. As soon as you opened it, you saw it. Your favorite novel.

“Oh, dear…”

“I guess I felt bad because all of the effort I had didn’t matter. Erik’s wealthy, I’m sure it was no sacrifice for him to buy that. And I wish I didn’t envy him, but in some sort of way I do. And I feel even worse, because I don’t want that kind of feeling in me.”

You kissed his forehead, his nose, cheek, lips. You told him it was fine, that you understood what he was feeling and that it was valid. It broke your heart seeing him like that, but at least with your reassurance he felt better quickly.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you. Not only for the gift, which I loved, but also for the wonderful day you gave me today. It was special, really. My first birthday without my family around and you managed to fill me with joy during every second of it. Cove Holden, you’re the best boyfriend ever.”

He kissed you tenderly, holding your face with his hands. You turned your head, breathing him in. He smelt so good.

After giving you a few pecks to end the kiss, he kissed your neck with affection. “Why don’t you open the book?” He said with his lips still close to your skin.

You took the book and looked at the first page. There was something written but before you could read what it was you felt something drop on your lap.

A ring.

You gasped and looked at Cove, who had the brightest smile on his face. Tears instantly reached your eyes and fell from your face. He took the ring from your lap and held it between you.

“Mc, will you marry me?”

There was only one answer possible.

“Yes!”

Special tags to my lovelies : @dreamtydraw @otomes-and-tears @saladzz

[b4ts1e]

▀▄▀▄▀▄His Jealous Heart▄▀▄▀▄▀ (𝚏𝚎𝚖!𝙼𝙲)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍: 𝙲𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝙷𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙱𝚊𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚍 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍) 𝙻𝚎𝚎 𝙻𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝙽𝚘𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚒 𝙻𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝙻𝚊𝚜𝚝 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍) 𝙼𝙲 𝙻𝚊𝚜𝚝 (𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 ���𝙻:𝙱&𝙰) 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝:

Sticking with the canon Step 3 ages, so both MC and Cove are 18. Making the MC demiromantic for this one for plot purposes, but please know that this doesn't make her straight or gay.

(𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗)

Sunset Bird was known to have many tourists during the summer due to it's beautiful beaches, scenary and the temporary lavish lifestyles everyone wants to have at least once in there lifes- living in a villa on the coast side is the American dream after all. However for some- that very dream was a reality. This was true for two specific families- the Last family and the Holden family. Sure one was more recent then the other- but that doesn't mean the kids who grew up side by side cared about that symantic.

Everyone knew who MC Last and Cove Holden were- the two love struck kids who have grown up closer than most, the two kids who were now 18 and openly in a relationship with each other. The two were made for each other, people would say- they technically aren't wrong. But every relationship has it's ups and downs, especially at this moment.

This was the third time Cove had gotten upset this summer, the third time he was upset at MC- his girlfriend. He had caught them hanging out with Baxter, alone. He was jealous, of course he was. His girlfriend. Alone. With a flirt. The thought upset him, especially since they were alone on the beach- no sign of anyone else around. Sure it was common for that side of the beach to be relatively empty since it was so close to the residental area, but still- the two should've broughten someone else with them.

"Cove I swear we weren't doing anything! We literally just ran into each other on the beach and chose to hang out, it wasn't planned! I would've invited you to go with me, but you were busy today with your dad's shop!" MC defended herself, but Cove wasn't listening- not properly anyways. "So? You could've brought Lee or any of our friends with you! You have to understand what it looks like to see your girlfriend with another guy, alone!" He replied without thinking, silently accusing her of cheating- his own insecurities blinding him.

"Are you serious right now Cove?" MC started, visibly hurt by the accusation. "I'd never do that in a thousand years, you should know that by now! I'm allowed to have other friends and I don't feel that way towards him! We just met him not even a month ago Cove! You remember how long it took me to fall for you? Years Cove. Years. Not a couple of days. And it hurts that you think I'd let someone I barely know take me away from you." she said, tears in the edges of their eyes. She was on the brink of crying- and that's when he realized just how stupid he was being.

"I-" he started, before being cut off by the girl in front of him. "No. Stop. Just. Leave me alone. I need some space." she said before walking away- going home, leaving the boy standing on his own outside of his doorway. As her front door closed across the street everything just clicked in his head- he had completely let it slip from his thoughts, MC is something called demiromantic. Aka a person who doesn't feel romantic attraction quickly, a person who needs a genuine connection to be able to feel romantic love towards another person. He screwed up, and he knew it.

Dejectedly, he turned to go inside- where he'd reflect on the big mistake he just made, trying to figure out how he could apologize to MC and how to make it up to her.

(𝙼𝙲'𝚜 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎)

I went up to my room, shutting the door quietly- sliding my back down against it until I was sitting on the floor as tears slowly escaped my eyes. I love him, of course I do- but sometimes...sometimes he says the wrong things. Quietly I cried for- I don't know how long, before being interupted by a few sets of gentle knocks. The pattern was Lee's. "Lee? How was the mall with Liz?" I said, getting up slowly- trying to make it less obvious I had just been crying.

"MC...let me in please." she said softly, obviously she knew I was crying- why wouldn't she? We've been best friends since she was born. Shamefully I opened the door, just enough for her to enter the room before closing it behind her. Lee looked at me with sympathy, sitting on my bed before opening her arms and offering me a small smile. Quickly I rushed to hug her tightly, knocking us both over- her back to the bed as she played with my hair carefully.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" she asked, her voice softer then the white poppies outside on the hill. She always knew when I needed her, I don't know how- but she always does. Just like a moment earlier this summer when I found out about my parents- about their accident. "Me and Cove faught. Again. He thought I was cheating on him with Baxter." I explained quietly into her shoulder- tears rolling down my cheeks slowly.

She gasped softly, her hand haulting it's movements through my hair. "Aren't you demiromantic? He knows that right?" she asked before her hand contiued to move through my hair, slowly detangling the hairs. I nodded into her shoulder, hugging her just slightly tighter- not wanting to hurt the shorter girl. "He loves you y'know that right? Cove is- he just gets lost in his emotions sometimes. Like the times he tried running away from home, trying to get back to his mom." she says, making me laugh lightly. Remembering the first time we met, and then that very same summer trying to run away with him- getting caught at the Sunset Bird sign.

"I know, but that doesn't stop the hurt y'know? I love him with my whole heart, hell I've been thinking about proposing to him now that we've graduated- but it's times like this that make it difficult." I explained, slowly moving to let her go- wiping my eyes as we both sat up. "Y'know- maybe you two need something like that. Like a promise ring or something. A cerficiation that the love you share is endless, something physical you both can look at when having doubts or far away from each other." My cousin smartly suggested, my eyes widened and I grinned- the idea becoming something increditably pleasing to me. "Y'know what? Let's go talk to Ma about going back to the mail really quick, she'll most likely want to come with- but that promise ring thing is very tempting."

Lee grinned and stood up, dragging me up as well with an enthusiastic nod. "I'll go ask her, you clean yourself up!" she said before rushing out of the room- excited to be going back to the mall. I smile softly before going to my mirror to make myself look I hadn't just been crying- so I don't raise any concern from Ma or Liz.

Once I was ready I went down stairs, seeing Lee and Ma sitting at the bar counter chatting- waiting for me. "Alright let's go."

(𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚙)

I stood at the poppy hill, looking down at my phone- I had just sent a text to Cove to meet me here. My leg was shaking due to nerves, which only elevated when I heard his heavy, rushed footsteps approaching the tree I stood behind. I put away my phone before revealing myself- I was more dressed up than before- this moment was important. But I froze when I saw Cove standing there wearing a dress shirt- holding a bouquet of my favorite flowers. He blushed brightly, seeing we both had dressed up for this.

"MC. Before you say anything I just want to say I am so sorry for accussing you of something so stupid earlier. I know you love me, and I love you just as much- but what I said was super uncalled for. I hope you can take these flowers and forgive me." He said, holding the flowers out to me- to which I took delicately, a blush blooming across my cheeks. "Cove- my sweet boy. I'm not mad at you, I know you can get lost in your emotions- just as I can. We're all human, we make mistakes. I forgive you, but please- hold onto these for a second alright?" I said, handing him back the flowers- pulling out an easily hidden box from my pocket.

"I spoke with Lee earlier, she gave me a really good idea." I started, him looking at me confusedly- tilting his head to the side a bit. I put the box in his line of sight, holding up- between the two of us, making him gasp. "This isn't a proposal, but a promise. A promise to love you to the ends of the Earth. A promise to never let something pull me from you. A promise between us that we will communicate better with each other. And a promise that I will someday marry you." I say slowly, tears bulbing in the corners of his eyes as he brought a hand to his mouth- covering his grin.

"Will you make this promise with me?" I finish, opening the box to reveal two necklaces. One had a white poppy charm and the other had my favorite flower charm- it was expensive, but worth it. He stood there shocked, but I waited patiently for him- like I always have. "Yes." he said quietly, nodding slowly- tears slipping from his eyes. In the distance I hear several people whoop and cheer, looking towards my house I see both mine and Cove's families there- watching us like a telenovela.

Cove put down the flowers and grabbed my hands shakily- closing the box for the mean time. He grinned shakily, it was obvious what he wanted at this moment, and I happily gave it to him. I pulled him closer and kissed him softly, pulling apart slowly and putting our noses together. "I love you MC. So much." he muttered. "I love you too Cove. Forever and always." I say quietly, not parting from the current closeness between us- enjoying the gentle and love filled embrace.

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 1,706

[sugar-omi]

Saw your last ask about the eloping and then was just thinking if the MC left with Mr. Wedding planner considering some of his lines in the DLC and the Taylor Swift song (and I am so sorry Cove I love you too but oof this went straight to my brain from all the angst and wanting on both sides)

ahhhh im,,, assuming youre thinking what im thinking n that is MC leaving cove to be w baxter bc that angsty idea came into my mind in the middle of writing that request and i have some ideas on it :(( listen to this playlist for the full effect 👍👍 ik a lot more songs i could add but i left it w olivia rodrigo n conan gray

tags : Angst (with happy ending for cove lol), (emotional) cheating, breaking up, your family n friends ar upset w you to say the least, your fam and friends goes low/no contact

synopsis : you leave cove to be with baxter, this is how everyone reacts.

[this is based off this post: "eloping with baxter", where alternatively you leave cove for baxter.]

*edited because i forgot to add derek's reaction.

please break it off before the wedding. if you leave him at the alter, cove would be thoroughly destroyed and your immediate family would prbly end up disowning you and/or going very low contact.

breaking off the engagement was and is a really hard thing, but you do it anyway to be with baxter

i wanna touch on how your family n friends reacts to the break up first...

well lets just leave it at cove's parents don't talk to you anymore and you are not welcome even near their house

in fact cliff even moves out of sunset bird because he's so distraught and if cove comes to visit, which he does and even moves in with his dad, he sees how sad cove is and it kills him

he regrets ever moving to sunset bird and asking you to be his friend.

cliff never forgives himself for this, even though it isn't his fault, he feels like it is and even if (and when) cove gets over this betrayal, cliff hates that this happened anyway.

cliff doesn't send you any text, he just blocks you

but if you send a text before he can do so, which is possible since he's busy comforting his son

then he responds like this..

"please don't text this number anymore. and leave my son alone. you've really betrayed him.. me too. i thought you were a good person y/n. i hope you're happy with him"

kyra leaves you a very scornful message and then blocks you

she refuses to waste her breathe or time on someone who hurt her baby

she starts by saying how much she loved you and everything you did for cove, but ends it with how she can never forgive you for leaving cove like this

"don't bother apologizing. everyone had their faith in you to love and take care of cove but you've really blindsided him. you're no longer family to us, leave us alone."

your family is very disappointed

even though they don't cut you off, you're distant and if you marry baxter, they don't come celebrate with you

your mom is surprisingly very tender about it and she is the one who misses you the most

she cries over your pictures when you were growing up, and when everything was perfect

she knows you're an adult and things happen, this is the way the cookie crumbles sometimes but the holden's were like family too and everything is just hard

she can't even look at cove when she sees him

once she even broke down crying in front of him, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and yet he still smiled at her and gave his best "hello"

cove ends up comforting her in the middle of the grocery store parking lot...

she doesn't leave the house for awhile. she's so ashamed and embarrassed because she can hear the whispers of the townsfolk

"i wish they were kids again..."

your ma calls to yell at you.

ma doesn't ever get mad, if anything mom was the "bad cop" growing up and did most the iron fisting

but your ma can't believe you'd do this. she understands that sometimes you fall out of love with someone or have deeper feelings for someone else but.. you knew cove for 15 years and you leave for someone like baxter, who hurt you?

shes just blinded with rage and sadness, even thought she's yelling she ends up crying

she tells you not to come around for awhile, she can't bare to look at you and look at cliff (and cove) the next day

"please don't bother coming home, you're not welcome here for the foreseeable future. i thought we raised you better than this."

your sister doesn't know what to do

she never expected this from you

she hugs you while you cry, you're still her sibling but she also can't forgive you so easily

she and cove weren't close, but definitely closer than baxter and she saw how much he loved you. and she sees how much he's hurting, as he's slowly gathering all his stuff out of your shared house.

she helps him pack his stuff and gives him a hug, lets him cry and tells cove that he's always been like family, and will always be

she watches him cry in his car before finally driving off and suddenly liz is so mad

all this upset and upheaval for what? a traumatized, flirty victorian-emo man who stayed for a summer and told you to fuck off and then came back 5 years later?

she doesn't yell, but between the quiet and half empty house, liz scolds you and flies back home the same night...

"i love you but i can't believe you threw this all away for someone you knew for ONE summer 5 years ago... i'm so disappointed in you."

lee is the one who comforts you the most when you cry

but you can see the disappointment in her eyes

she calls you a lot less, and she doesn't scream in excitement at you anymore. especially if you're with him.

one night, she even whispers into the dark room, having thrown a blanket over you and thinking you are asleep.

"i thought you were better than this..."

your friends are so surprised

they never saw this coming at all

im (not) sorry to say but you are now friendless :)

miranda is the one with the greatest fury

she leaves several voice messages where she is yelling and cussing you out...

"lose my number! i can't believe you'd leave cove for your wedding planner! someone who hurt you 5 fucking years ago!" "you need to get a grip on reality if you think you're gonna live happily ever after. screw you, you-"

terry is with miranda at the time so she cut off the last message before she could share her new nicknames for you

terry's disappointment is immeasurable.

he tries texting you and asking whats going on before he asks you to meet him for coffee

thats the last time you see him before he sends you on last text...

"i hope you're happy y/n... i really cherished our friendship but i can't trust someone who did this to their partner and one of my best buddies... goodbye."

derek is ready to fly over to cove immediately, and he does.

derek helps cliff get cove settled and calmed down, he even makes dinner while cliff helps cove at least get a grip on reality again...

"i'm so surprised you did this y/n... i thought i knew you better but i guess not... listen, i gotta finish dinner, cove hasn't eaten in a couple days. i'm sorry but cove is my best friend, i hope you're happier now.. goodbye."

cove is ruined, to say the least.

somehow he expected it though..

you were dating cove when baxter came that summer, but he saw how you looked at him... it was with a sense of longing. he supposes it was only a matter of time before you decided you wanted a taste of baxter ward, he just hoped it would never come...

you dated baxter that summer, and he saw how distraught you were when he left you so brutually.. cove thought you really loved him, that you finally got over baxter. but apparently he was wrong, you were just patching your wounds until baxter could put you back together...

you never dated baxter, but cove saw how you looked at him with longing and cove always wished you would look at him like that. i guess you just turned your eyes to him until you could finally have the one you wanted...

cove loved you so much, and now that you've broken up he feels like he'll never recover

cove's personality does a whole 180

if he was "warm", he's not anymore. he can't bring himself to smile and laugh and socialize when his chest feels so hollow yet like he's been stabbed with pins and needles...

if he was already "cold", i need you to imagine him being even colder...

he still says his "please and thank you"'s whenever its necessary, but anything other than a hum when affirming to the cashier that he found his groceries okay

or telling the fast food worker what he wants to eat, which he usually orders online in that case, then he doesn't really talk too much

everyone can see how distraught he is even though he tries to distract himself

he cooks meals from scratch, he even learns how to make bread just to keep his mind away from it all

he tries to surf or look for shells but it just ends up hurting more because he as so many memories of those things with you

his whole childhood was with you... you gave him a childhood and you're the reason he enjoyed life so much, you made him so happy...

cove really tries to keep his head above water but even with the love and care from his parents, he's drowning...

its like when he was a little kid all over again but this time he's the one going through the break up

sometimes he snaps at his dad to please leave him alone and he runs off to the guest room crying.

he's so overwhelmed, overstimulated in every way and hurt.

he feels like he'll never recover from this one

when he does "get better", its still a total change from who he used to be

he definitely keeps his friend circle tight and dating isnt even on the table, and wont be for a long time.

fuck it probably takes him another 15 years to get over you.

all he knew for the last 15 years of his life was you, and now he has to do without you so its hard.

some days he falls apart again, because things are so much harder now that he has to take care of himself in every way possible

you reopened his trust and abandonment issues...

he has a date with olivia rodrigo and conan gray (see above for playlist)

when everyone finds out you eloped with baxter they lose their fucking minds

your ma doesn't even text or call you. you can't even hear her in the background when your mom calls because she can't believe you'd elope to him after all this, no matter how much time goes by...

your mom feels hurt again. it just makes everything so real and she feels sick thinking that baxter is now her son-in-law

your sister calls to yell at you. its less than a 5 minute phone call, she just can't believe you married him...

lee doesn't bother sending any congratulations, doesn't even like your pictures on social media. the next time she texts you she blames it on work, and thoroughly avoids talking about baxter

you better hope miranda and derek don't see it.

derek was certainly the most peaceful when the break up happened, but he would definitely unblock you just to tell you how disappointed he is and he definitely cusses at you.

""i can't believe we were ever friends.""

terry is angry too, but he cries more than anything

he misses having all of you together, this just reopens the wound of how things turned out...

if and when cove finally sees or hears the news, if this happened soon after your breakup he would lose his shit.

if you elope soon after breaking up: it takes everything for him not to throw his phone.

he definitely goes to the gym for a bit to work out some energy. he's so sad but most of all he's angry

that should've been you getting married but you're with him instead.

if you elope later after breaking up: it hurts for awhile. but it doesn't tear him up as long as it did when you broke up

but the first night he does look at your smiling face and he misses you.

in the morning he's talking to his dad and he does realize that its better like this

that you just decided that baxter had everything you needed, and its not cove's fault

he hopes you're happy with yourself

unfortunately, this isn't a bad bone in cove's body to wish you ill.

but he does hope you aren't as happy with baxter as you were with him <3

if he runs into you for any reason, maybe because your moms finally let you come over or you happen to be in town or something

cove smiles at you...

it's unsettling

especially since this is the first time you've seen him since the breakup and its been years

you start talking a bit, you with very big eyes and a shaky voice

cove used to be so sensitive but now that he's in front of you again he seems so unaffected...

"y/n." "y-yes?" your heart is jumping in your chest... "i hope you're happy now." you pause, looking down and twisting your wedding band on your finger. "i dont know... some days i'm happy enough, but most days i.. i think about the what if's...." cove nods. somehow he feels satisfied hearing that, but he'd never admit it. "well i hope you can get over it, you made your decision so you need to make it work. goodbye y/n..."

in the end cove is so much stronger, of course he's still vulnerable with people, he's still a crybaby but the walls he's built around himself are high and it took a lot of therapy for him to get over the betrayal

when cove does start dating again and if he gets married especially, your mom's are in the pictures...

he looks so happy, so does cliff and kyra

if your mom's are in the pictures, especially the wedding pictures, it saddens you because you have no pictures of your family with baxter, it doesn't matter how many years go by.

hopefully you're happy with your decision <3

[sheynchankawaiiuwu]

me realizing that the hanahaki disease trope fanfic is very much available for this franchise..*my honest fking reaction*

Context: I was scrolling through Ao3 looking for Cove x reader fanfics that I'll like(as any normal person) then I came across one that was titled "I'm Dying", I looked at the tags and it had Angst and Unrequited Love.

And as the p*ssy that i am, I didn't read it(or the other tags) bc I don't wanna go through another heartache, then thought "Oh god, what's gonna happen if Our Life had a hanahaki trope.. everybody be dying left and right(mostly Derek, like I'm sorry but you can't deny that I'm right)...

Then I stumbled on a tumblr post that said "what if Cove didn't reciprocate your feelings?" And everything just spiraled from there.. if we left Cove hanging and we get a sad The End where the Lasts(mostly Liz and Lee) yell at Cove over and over about losing us and Cove ridden with guilt and Derek with the thoughts "Why not me? I could've treated you so much better than he did!" And sht like that..

Okay.. I'm now depressed.. I'm just gonna play OL2 today..

Edit: i know damn well this post didn't make sense, but I just woke up and was wasted from doing nothing the last 7 days

[cove-simp]

Seeing all the ppl posting about the Baxter dlc beta has me thinking about all kinds of ways the summer of step 3 could go…

[rekkamaiden]

I made some angst between Cove and Mel.

I think I started this to accompany a short piece I was writing, but that story has changed drastically since then, but I was also so far into this piece that I wanted to still finish it.

[differenteagletragedy]

I only have three achievements left on Steam before I unlock them all but friends, I must ask ...

Is it worth it?