#escape room birthday party ideas

[justescaperoom]

Just Escape Room

Located in La Grange, IL, Just Escape Room is the premier destination for adrenaline-pumping and immersive escape room adventures. Offering a variety of themed rooms, each filled with complex puzzles, hidden clues, and engaging story-lines, Just Escape Room provides a unique and exciting challenge for all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re looking to enjoy a fun outing with friends, plan a memorable family activity, or organize a team-building event, our escape rooms are designed to foster collaboration and test your problem-solving abilities.

Each experience at Just Escape Room combines creativity, strategy, and time management, providing participants with an interactive and unforgettable adventure. From uncovering mysteries to racing against the clock, there's something for everyone at Just Escape Room in La Grange. Book your escape today!

Contact Us:

Phone: (708) 304-0007

Address: 512 W Burlington Ave #204, La Grange, IL 60525, United States

Website: https://www.justescaperoom.com/

Email: contact@justescaperoom.com

[exitgameoc]

this guy is a VIBE

[mimiiiiiiiiisstuff]

"Million Dollar Man"

Ok yall..... I know I said it was gonna be another chapter of "I bet on losing dogs" but @lilithquillete sent in an ask about Reader interacting with Harvey Dent and I couldn't help myself. This is the same AU as Older, and it's the prologue. Sorry if they dont make sense together butttt I couldn't stop myself, Hope yall like it!!!!

The Pink Pony Club was Gotham’s underbelly, dark, seedy, and full of people who either wanted to forget their past or embrace it. Jazz played faintly in the background, a vocalist crooning somewhere in the distance, as smoky air curled up toward the dimly lit ceiling. The dim lighting and murmur of conversation created a sense of anonymity. For you, this was heaven.

A place where you got on stage and no one knew you, your first taste of freedom outside your family. Here, you weren't Bruce Wayne's least favorite child nor were you the failed Batgirl or useless sister, here you were just you.

Your voice enchanted people and on stage in your heels, you were unstoppable.

Only a couple nights ago, you packed your things and walked out of Wayne Manor, as if the years of being part of that family never existed. It wasn’t just that Bruce and the others had been ignoring her for Tiffany all these years; it was the cruel realization that you was never important to them. Not like they were to each other.

You tried. You had given them everything. But Tiffany’s presence had overshadowed you since she came into the manor on your 14th birthday. It was as if you'd been erased, the little attention you got diverted and multiplied to someone who was more useful, more important.

You couldn’t even get a text from Duke anymore, let alone a casual chat with Dick or Tim. Forget about Damian or Jason, or any of the girls really.

So, you left. And now, you found yourself at the Pink Pony Club, a dive bar with no judgments, just an escape.

The club was packed tonight, filled with people who seemed to have their own agendas and distractions. You took a seat at the bar, watching the crowd. It was your first day off and you had nowhere else to go.

Tonight, you weren't singing, didn't want to be noticed, but Gotham had a way of drawing attention to its wounded.

You weren't sure what you were doing anymore. This was't you. You were never a party girl, you would never be caught dead in a place like this. Bruce would kill you, if he could look away from Tiffany long enough to see you here.

Maybe you were trying to spite you family. Maybe trying to drown the anger that simmered within you. Anger at the Batfamily, who had all but erased you from their lives. Anger at yourself, for allowing it to happen.

But mostly, the anger at Bruce. You had spent years trying to live up to his expectations, only to realize that Tiffany had took his love in a day.

But tonight, you weren't thinking about them. Tonight, you were here to forget.

As you sipped your drink, you noticed a familiar figure at the back of the room. Harvey Dent, the once-proud district attorney, now the infamous Two-Face, sat alone in a booth, nursing a drink. His face was partially scarred from the acid, and his expression, even now, looked like he carried the weight of Gotham's filth on his shoulders.

Selina Kyle, Cat Woman, Bruce's ex- lover who got you the job had mentioned he frequented the club. And if you were being honest, you couldn't help but be curious about him.

"Rough night, sweetheart?" a voice purred from beside you. Speak of the devil.

You didn’t even have to look to know who it was. You knew that voice too well. Selina Kyle. The only person who never treated you like a pawn or an afterthought. The only one who didn't care about the petty squabbles of Gotham's rich, the same Gotham she had spent most of her life trapped in. Your only friend in this god-forsaken city.

You half-turned in your chair, giving Selina a wry smile. “You have no idea.”

Selina perched herself next to you, crossing her arms, sizing up the tension on your face. "Let me guess. The Batfamily still ignoring you? Haven't even noticed you moved out? Too busy obsessing over the golden child?"

Your mouth twisted bitterly, but you said nothing, Selina always knew exactly how to get a rise out of you. Your eyes flickered toward the back of the bar again where Harvey Dent, still sat in the shadows, his burnt face half-hidden under his usual dark, grim expression.

Selina followed your gaze, the slight curve of her lips pulling into a mischievous smile. “You’re looking at him again, huh? You know, I never took you for the bad-boy type. Never thought you'd betray Superboy like that.”

"I'm not thinking of Clark tonight." You said, suddenly tense at the mention of your unrequited love.

A dark, playful smirk crossed your lips. You weren't looking for anything serious tonight. Just a distraction. And Harvey would be perfect for that.

Bruce would be pissed.

You slid off the stool and made your way toward the half-handsome man, the tension between them thickening as you approached. He looked up, his eyes scanning you for a moment before he smirked.

“Is there something I can help you with, sweetheart?” Harvey asked, his voice low and rough, the raspiness of his tone sending a jolt of heat through your chest.

You leaned against the table, crossing your arms. “Saw you sitting here all by yourself, thought maybe you could use some company.”

Harvey's lips curled into a dismissive grin, but his eyes were cold, calculating. “You think I need company?” His tone was sharp, sarcastic. “You're a little young for me, don't you think?”

You grinned, unbothered by his coldness. “A little age never hurt anyone, mind if I sit?” You asked, your voice dripping with feigned innocence as you slipped into the seat opposite Harvey. You could feel his sharp eyes on you, scanning your every movement, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he took a sip of his drink, his jaw tight.

“Sure, if you’re into wasting your time,” he said flatly, not even bothering to look up again.

Reader’s lips curled into a playful smile. “I don't think anything to do with someone like you is a waste.”

Harvey glanced up slowly, his sharp gaze scrutinizing you like a puzzle he couldn’t quite figure out. His eyes lingered on you for a beat too long, his lips tight with something unreadable. “You’re bold,” he remarked, his voice heavy with condescension.

You tilted your head, leaning against the back of the booth, watching him through half-lidded eyes, peering at him innocently through your lashes, “What, is that a problem?”

He didn’t answer immediately, taking a long sip of his drink, his eyes now trained on her lips before sliding up to meet her gaze again. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, little girl.”

You didn’t flinch, though a hot flash of insecurity pierced through your facade. You’d had enough of people underestimating you. “Maybe, but i've always had a thing for lost causes.”

Harvey smirked, his expression a mix of arrogance and indifference. “I’m not exactly your type, kid. You want a pretty boy, go back to playing in your Batcave.”

You scoffed, crossing your arms and pushing out your chest. “Did you just call me a kid?”

Harvey’s lips thinned, and you could see his eyes momentarily flicker to your chest. All men were the same.. “That’s what you are, sweetheart. You’re out of your league, go home to daddy and stop trying to play with the big boys. You don't belong here.”

You let out a low chuckle, leaning in just a little closer. This was a challenge now, he thought he was too good for you, too strong to give in, you'd show him how convincing you could be. “You think so? I’m not the one sitting in a dark corner of a bar brooding. Seems like I’m doing just fine.”

Harvey’s eyes darkened, and the tension in the air thickened. He took another sip, this time with a little more force, the sound of the glass clinking against the table ringing out. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

You shrugged nonchalantly. “I don't really care.”

He smiled, sharp and predatory, "This won't play out in your favor. You think you're in charge here, you're not."

The words hung between you, charged with something dangerous.

For the next hour, you exchanged glances, words, and cold retorts, every time Harvey tried to shut you down, you would respond with something even more bold and charming, pulling him in. The man was harder to read than a stone wall, but you knew one thing for sure: the tension was building, the air crackling with the kind of heat that made your heart quicken.

Finally, Harvey broke, leaning forward and offering you a sardonic smile. “Alright. What’s your angle, sweetheart?”

You leaned in as well, matching his intensity, never backing down no matter how hard he tried to intimidate you. “Just here for a good time. You’ve got your secrets, I’ve got mine. But I think we could both use some fun. A way to let loose.”

Harvey’s jaw clenched, but the flicker of interest in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed. “You’re wasting your time. I’m not interested. ”

“Then why do you keep looking at me like that?” You shot back, your voice low, sharp, and breathy.

Harvey’s lips tightened again, the words bitter in his mouth. “Because you’re trouble, you're a mess. And trouble’s what I wanted tonight.”

The words stung, but you didn’t let it show. “Then we're on the same page.”

For a moment, his jaw tightened, his face betraying a flicker of frustration. He reached for his glass, swirling it absentmindedly before taking a long sip. Then, after a beat, he placed the glass down with a deliberate slowness, his eyes narrowing.

“I don’t have time for games, little girl. Why don’t you take your flirtations somewhere else?”

But there was something in his voice—something that cracked, a faint whisper of desire beneath the tough exterior. It didn’t go unnoticed.

“I don't want much,” You replied, your voice low, leaning in slightly, your noses almost touching. “Just tonight. A distraction.”

He smirked at that. “A distraction, huh? You think you can handle me?"

The words were slow, dangerous, suggestive. The tension between them had become thick, charged with the weight of things neither of them was willing to admit.

“Nothing permanent. Just... for tonight. What happens after doesn’t matter.” You'd never fall for someone like Harvey Dent.

Harvey's lips twisted, amusement in his eyes. “What would your daddy think?”

A week ago, that would've mattered. Back when your life revolved around him and his stupid family. But now? Now, it didn't matter, nothing mattered other than getting Harvey Dent in her bed tonight.

You chuckled darkly. “I'm a big girl now Harvey, I choose who my daddy is."

His gaze sharpened, his grin widened, and you could feel him moving under the table. “Really? Do you now? Does that mean I have to prove myself?" He said his Gotham accent coming out as he swiftly slid out the booth and began walking away, only glancing back at you once in a silent invitation.

The night bled into the morning as you found yourself in your bed alone, the only evidence of last night being your scattered clothes and the rumpled side of the bed that smelled of a deep, earthy cologne. Harvey, nowhere to be found, though you're sure he stayed the night.

You found a note on your nightstand with a number and a single red rose. You threw them both away.

The intensity of the night, of Harvey’s dangerous allure, his cold, hard demeanor that eventually gave way to something more primal; had left you breathless. You hadn’t exchanged any promises, but there was no mistaking the way he’d looked at you afterward. There was an intensity that had simmered between the two of you, a powerful connection of mutual darkness.

Later that day, as you met up with Selina to apologize for ditching her last night, you couldn't help but notice the sly smile on Selina's face.

"So, how was it? Life altering? Mind numbing?" Selina asked innocently, but her voice had a knowing tone.

“Fun,” you replied smirking, “Just what I needed. No strings attached.”

Selina raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because I heard Harvey’s been looking for you. Asking around. Seems like you’ve left an impression on him. He's not the type to give up.”

Your chest tightened, but you pushed the feeling down. “He was just a distraction. That’s all. i just needed to forget Clark for the night.”

Selina knew of your childhood crush, she was the first you told. You approached her as an awkward, chubby 13 year old, asking how to make Superman your boyfriend.

Selina smirked, clearly unconvinced. “You tell yourself that. But I think Harvey’s not done with you just yet.”

You shrugged, "I'm done with him."

Selina faltered, her mischief giving way to concern, "I'm serious. You need to be more careful, men like that, men like Harvey Dent, they don't take kindly to being ignored."

As the days passed, you felt the weight of your choices, of the things you’d told yourself you could leave behind. And yet, you couldn't help but feel the pull of Harvey’s gaze every time you closed your eyes and went home with a different guy.

You were still angry at the Batfamily, still haunted by the echoes of Tiffany’s presence, but now there was something else. Something dangerous, something that wasn’t just about anger anymore.

A few nights had passed since the night with Harvey. You found yourself with a strange feeling, lingering like smoke on your skin. Like someone was watching you, following you.

It started with small things, when you sang at the club, you could feel his eyes on you. When you flirted with customers and they didn't look you in the eye anymore. When even your charms and seduction couldn't pull anyone in, Harvey was trying to put you in a dry spell. Punish you for ignoring him.

A week after the night, you came home from the club to your apartment exhausted and what you saw shocked you. Dozens of red roses were in your living room and kitchen, with notes and pictures attached to each boquet. Everyday you ignored him, your apartment would be flooded with red roses, by the 4th day you were sure there were no more red roses in Gotham. You would read the notes, each day a different one, more vague and kind of threatening.

“I see you every night, whether you want me to or not. - H”

“You think I’m going to give up? Not when I’m this close. - H.”

“You can’t hide from me. I’ll always find you. - H.”

You rolls your eyes, but can’t stop the flicker of something—danger, excitement, anticipation—from flashing through you. The usual defiance is still there, but now it has a slight edge. It’s hard not to feel compelled by his power, and you pick up a card that has his number on it, and you call.

Two months. Thats how long you've been something to Harvey Dent.

Since that night you called him, you've seen Harvey Dent everyday for two months. You either saw him at the club, he never missed out on watching you sing, or at your apartment, or he'd wisk you away for a candle light dinner. The only exception of his constant attention was the two weeks you were sick, and even then he called you and sent you flowers.

Thats why when he started getting distant it hurt, you were in love with him.

Like a fool, you fell for Harvey "Two-Face" Dent.

You wrote songs for him, stayed up on the phone talking to him, baked him cookies and cakes, you didn't care about his scars or his mood swings, you put up with his sometimes hurtful comments because you could feel his love for you.

It was in the little things. Little displays of affection like knowing how you liked your coffee, your favorite fruit, how he would play your favorite movie whenever you were down and watch stupid rom-coms all night, without complaint. How he would laugh at all your stupid jokes and help you with the dishes.

Everything changed when Selina dropped a bombshell. You were just finishing your shift at the Pink Pony when Selina came up to you, leaning against the bar, a rare seriousness in her voice.

“I'm sorry. I didn't want to have to tell you this” Selina said, looking at you with eyes full of love and concern. “But I think you need to know . You’re not the only one Harvey’s been after.”

You froze, heart dropping to your feet. “What are you talking about?” You asked, chuckling at the unfunny joke, Harvey would never. He loves you.

Selina’s gaze shifted toward the back of the club, where Tiffany fucking Wayne, was standing at the bar with Harvey. The way she leaned into him, the flirtatious, familiar touch on his arm, made your heart drop. That was all the proof you needed.

“When you lost your voice last month, Tiffany came here every night, working him over. She’s been coming in, feeling him, and leaving with him. She’s been playing him like a violin. And he's been two-timing you.”

Your stomach twisted. Tiffany. Your “sister”, the girl who always took everything from you, the girl who you cried to him about, who you told him stole everything from you, stole him too. The image of Tiffany and Harvey together was enough to break something inside you.

Your voice cracked. “I... he... he was mine.”

Selina raised an eyebrow, sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry. You know Harvey’s not the only one she’s after. She’s always tried to steal everything from you. She’s always been good at that.”

It hit you harder than you wanted to admit. Tiffany had taken Harvey, too. she wasn’t stealing brothers or sisters from you; she was taking the one place where you had ever felt wanted.

He loved you, at some point, you were sure. But could love be so easily swayed?

Before she came and stole him like she stole everything else in your life, Harvey Dent loved you

In the two weeks you were sick, Tiffany Maverick stole the one man who loved you.

The next night at the club, the weight of Selina’s words followed you like a shadow. You stepped onto the stage, singing as best as you could, but the usual thrill was gone. Tiffany was there again, standing too close to Harvey. Every laugh they shared, every touch, was like a knife to your chest.

You couldn’t help but notice how Harvey had changed. The way he looked at you now felt different—distant, colder. There was no longer that spark of attraction, just the lingering sense that something had shifted. That someone else had taken hyourplace.

Tiffany had won. Again.

You finished your set and stepped off the stage, throat tight. You caught Harvey’s eye as he turned toward you, but there was no warmth or love in his gaze, like there was two weeks ago, only disappointment. He was looking at you like you were just another face in the crowd.

You couldn’t do it anymore. You couldn’t stay. It wasn’t just the loss of Harvey—it was the realization that Tiffany had taken your spot in their world.

Her betrayal felt too familiar, like an old wound that never healed. It wasn't enough for her to have your family, she wanted everything.

That night you quit the club and broke your lease to your apartment. You wouldn't let Tiffany or Two Face run you out of Gotham, out of your city, but you couldn't stay where you and him shared all your memories.

You would forget about him. You would never mention Harvey Dent again, you would never even think of him again. Nor would you acknowledge that he was the first man that loved you. Harvey Dent did not exist anymore.

[suguann]

SAY YOU'RE MINE—GOJO SATORU.

✎.You shouldn’t elicit his attention more than any other Omega at the party—he doesn’t remember inviting that many—but he’s wondering how he let you slip by. | wc. 1.4k+

tags. fem!reader, age-gap, very shy reader, exhibitionism, reader wears glasses, a/b/o, 18+ only

masterlist

The big, awful truth nobody tells you about hosting your fortieth birthday is how the shine of the day wears off once you see your friends and acquaintances laughing with their loved ones, talking about their kids, showing off pictures of newborns swaddled in soft linens, and making plans for upcoming holidays. 

Gojo sips his drink, pretending to understand. He’s never given much thought to settling down, to take an omega as a mate and fill his big empty house with the sounds of pealing laughter and little feet racing down the many halls.

Forty years old, and he’s ready to admit that living the life of a bachelor doesn’t hold the same appeal as it once did. That returning from a two-week-long business trip might be better if there were somebody to go home to.

Forty years old.

Instead of cozying up in the living room with a family he longs to have, he’s going to spend the rest of his night picking up plates and champagne flutes after everyone leaves because he forgot to hire a cleaning company—all alone in his big empty house, wondering if his secretary remembered to pick up his dry-cleaning for the week.

An unmated Alpha—the reminder chafes as much as the fact he’s getting older.

He finally understands why his late aunt divorced and got married again twice in the same year, why people buy nice vacation homes on white sandy beaches that make the crow’s feet around their eyes worse, and spend too much money on sports cars even though they stay parked for three-fourths of the year. He gets it now.

It’s more or less an epiphany of a sad, pathetic truth that he swallows down with something cold and bitter.

In the middle of his backyard, standing between his neighbor and his pregnant wife, Gojo wishes he were anywhere else. Inviting everyone he knows within driving distance no longer seems like the well-thought idea he’d presumed it’d been.

He makes a few more rounds around the garden before sneaking inside, escaping another conversation about engagements and wedding dates to hide away in his study.

That’s until he sees you out of the corner of his eye, looking through the bookcases in his living room.

A pretty slip of a girl in your modest cocktail dress and wide-framed glasses slipping down the slope of your nose. An Omega, alone, just like him; your clean, sweet, floral scent sticking to the back of his throat like syrup until it settles in his stomach. Enough to make him dizzy.

You shouldn’t elicit his attention more than any other Omega at the party—he doesn’t remember inviting that many—but he’s wondering how he let you slip by. Not that it really matters because his back straightens, no longer wallowing in self-pity, and he studies you with interest.

After a few moments, you finally glance his way, only for you to hastily return your attention to the book you pulled down from the shelf. Cute.

Gojo adjusts the tie around his neck and feels his lips twitch.

“Sorry,” you say softly, long lashes fluttering against the top of your cheeks. “I didn’t mean—I was only—My friend invited me, and she—”

You are too busy working yourself up over an explanation that you don’t notice when he sidles up next to you and reads over your shoulder. "I have more in my office if you want to take a look.”

“E-excuse me?” You make this breathy, choked sound and peer up at him from under your lashes. This visibly timid type of girl who bashfully looks away at the sight of his smile. For some reason, that makes his mouth go dry—makes his teeth ache. 

It’s rare to be so driven by instinct and rarer to actually listen to that instinct.

“Books,” he says. “Do you want to see them?”

His words take a second to sink in, and he smiles when he sees liquid clarity in your eyes. You blink owlishly, scent spiking, pleased. He stands there patiently, finding how you start rambling endearing, a slight, private grin splitting across his face—silently amused.

He thinks you'd bolt if it weren’t for the fact that he’s probably standing much too close, trapping a mouse by the tail.

“I–I g-guess,” you finally stutter.

It’s too easy: You letting him usher you up the stairs toward his office. 

If Gojo were a better person, a less lonely Alpha—a better man—he might feel bad for how well it works.

It’s no small thing to work the tiny zipper at your back and watch your dress pool around your feet. He barely gets the top three buttons of his shirt undone before you are—delightfully, inexplicably—up on the tips of your toes, timidly pushing your hands through his hair, mewling into the hollow of his throat, close to where his gland sits.

By the time he has you pressed against his office window, you’re this flustered little mess with crooked glasses, fingers streaking the once pristine glass to keep your balance, and breasts sticky and wet with spit.

“Good girl,” he mutters, pulling back to look down at where he’s splitting you open. “Such a good little Omega for me, aren’t you?”

You don’t answer, and he crowds you closer to the window, grasping your chin and tugging your head up until you’re looking at him upside down. He squeezes your cheeks together, your pouty, supple lips pushed out, and kisses your mouth, tasting you—unimaginably sweet.

“Tell me—tell me what a good girl you are,” even though he knows you can’t with his fingers pressing into your cheeks, but you try anyway.

“U-uh but—people c-can see.” 

The base of his cock tingles as he catches a line of drool spilling from the corner of your lips. He makes a soft noise in the back of his throat, soothing, and you steadily melt against him when he slips that same finger underneath the elastic of your underwear, lightly nudging your clit with the tip of his finger until you’re shivering beautifully again.

“That’s it. Don’t worry about them,” he coaxes lightly, but it comes out muffled because he says it with his mouth wrapped around the gland at the base of your neck, teasing himself with something he’s never allowed himself to have. Not yet. “Just you and me, okay?”

Gojo doesn’t let up until your back arches and shoulders tighten, his knot caught inside your cunt until all he can do is grind the tip of his cock against that spot that makes you squirm and whine. 

He smiles to himself when you hide behind your hands after realizing you ruined his pants, and he carefully falls back into his office chair, pulling you with him so you’re both looking out across the garden, where his guests walk around wholly unaware of the breathtaking little Omega who made his birthday worthwhile.

“You’re a dirty little thing, aren’t you?” he muses, taking great pleasure in the way you start stuttering again.

On his forty-first birthday, he doesn’t throw his own party but still hides in his office, his pretty wife in his lap, flustered because he never turned the lights off this time. If anyone happened to walk by on this side of the house, they’d be able to see everything—his omega, soft and swollen from a piece of him taking root inside you.

Families are about making traditions, he thinks, and he’d like to start a few traditions of his own; leaving his party to fuck his wife in the quiet of his office being one of them.

[my-castles-crumbling]

worry - Jegulus Microfic - @into-the-jeggyverse - word count: 339

Regulus stood in the locker room and tore through his bag furiously, trying not to completely lose his mind. Anxiety and worry were making his heartbeat quicken, his palms sweat, his vision darken. He couldn't have lost it. Not now.

Not that it mattered. It was stupid. He wasn't superstitious, and the whole thing was silly, it was just a fucking string, and-

He swallowed, heaving a deep breath.

He'd worn the damn thing every day all year long. Ever since, on his birthday, he and James had escaped the chaos of the party Effie Potter had thrown him, and they'd ended up in the small sitting room where Effie liked to sit and knit.

And as they'd talked and laughed and shared a quiet moment together, James had stolen a few pieces of yarn and braided them together, tying them around Regulus's wrist.

"Just a reminder that I'm always thinking about you," he'd said softly, his warm fingers brushing over the inside of Regulus's wrist, his stunning smile making Regulus want to cy with happiness.

He'd treasured the damn bracelet ever since, only removing it for Potions class. Even in its current ratty state, he loved it for the reminder that he was loved.

And now, getting ready for the most important Quidditch game of the year, he was panicking. Because he'd removed it to brew earlier, and it had disappeared.

"Reg?"

He didn't even register Dorcas's voice as he tore through his things in earnest, worry eating a hole in his chest.

"Looking for this?"

A hand waved the piece of faded green, braided yarn in his face, and he felt himself visibly relax, his body sagging with relief. "Erm. Yes," he mumbled, a bit embarrassed by the way he'd been searching.

Dorcas just gave him a knowing look. "Remind me to tell James to buy you a real bracelet for your next birthday."

Regulus sniffed and tried to give her an innocent look. "I've no idea what you're talking about," he said loftily.

"Sure, Reggie. Sure."

[y3sterdaysproblem]

they said speak now - m.s.

summary: you and matt had been best friends since the moment you were born, rarely doing anything without him by your side. your families have always expected the two of you to end up together, but when matt gets a girlfriend that hates you and desperately attempts to destroy your relationship, you’re forced to confront the truth about your feelings for him. will your bond survive the test, or will the pressure of love, jealousy, and change push you apart?

wc: 1.8k

series masterlist

Part three

You guys had a tradition.

Your entire lives, the four of you would sit on one side of the table, excitedly lined up with party hats or sashes on, grinning from ear to ear while everybody sang happy birthday, a cupcake lined up in front of all of you with a single candle in each one, a large cake patiently waiting in the center of the table. Your birthday was so close to the triplets’ that you’ve always just celebrated together, sharing the most exciting moments of the year together.

This year, on your eighteenth birthday, Matt was sat next to you like he always was, except today he had Amber perched sideways on his lap as everyone sang, her back towards you so you could barely even see his face. It was annoying, and as much as you tried to keep your spirits high, it was hard when you saw the way Matt encouraged her to help him blow out his candle, both of them grinning at each other like they were the only people in the room.

You had to get away from them, shoving your chair backwards and grabbing your cupcake, making sure you didn’t look mad enough to draw attention to yourself, but huffing loud enough for the couple next to you to hear.

The last month that Matt and Amber had been seeing each other was hard. Hard to swallow the large pill that was the reality of never getting a chance with Matt unless they had split up, and as much as you hated being around Amber, you could tell she was really pulling him out of his shell and making him happy, and you could never ruin Matt’s happiness for your selfish wants.

It hurt, though, seeing him happy with somebody else. You wanted to be in her position more than anything, sitting on his lap while everyone sang happy birthday to the four of you, giggling and whispering to each other like you were the only ones in the room.

The party was at your house this year, switching off between families every year, which made it easy for you to escape to your room with your cupcake in hand without people thinking too much of it. You locked the door behind yourself and climbed into bed, sitting cross legged as you peeled the paper off of the tiny cake, sighing softly to yourself. You couldn’t help but think of how different things already were and how much worse they’d get. How distant would Matt become before you couldn’t even consider him your best friend anymore?

A small noise startles you out of your thoughts, your head snapping up to look at your jiggling door. There was only one person who knew how to shake the door handle a certain way to get your lock to pop, so when you heard the small ‘click’ of it unlocking, your heart sped up at the idea of seeing him right now, all alone in your bedroom.

Matt pushes the door open and peers around it, seeing you sitting by yourself on your bed, friends and family abandoned in the kitchen. “What are you doing in here?” He asks, stepping inside the room and shutting the door behind him, clicking the lock into place once more. You shrug your shoulders quickly, watching as he walked closer to you until he climbed onto your bed next to you. “Are you alright?”

You look back down at your cupcake, leaning forward to set it on your bedside table to save it for later. “Yeah, I’m alright,” you tell him, turning back to face him. “Just needed a minute to myself.”

He nods as he listens, not fully believing you but having no reason not to. “Listen, I… I wanted to talk to you about something,” he starts nervously, bringing his hands together in his lap to twiddle his fingers. Your heart speeds up at his words, unable to push away the way you wanted so badly for him to tell you he loves you, he’s in love with you. You hoped so hard for the best birthday present in your life.

You nod your head, shooting him a comforting smile. He grins back at you and releases a shaky breath, nodding his head back. “Okay, um… I wanted to tell you first because obviously you mean a lot to me but… I’m going to ask Amber to be my girlfriend later, when we all go out.”

You didn’t know Matt even could break your heart more than he already had, assuming he’d crushed every part of it simply by spending time with this girl you hated so much, but this… this took the cake. Fucking cake. Fuck this birthday.

You’re silent for way longer than you should be, staring into Matt’s eyes as your mouth drops open, desperately trying to find the words to answer him. “No,” is the first thing you say, a choked sound that bubbles out of your throat.

Matt’s eyebrows furry together when he hears you, not understanding your reaction. “What?” He asks breathily, scooting a bit closer to you. “She… she makes me happy. Can’t you just try to like her?” He’s practically begging you, hands instinctively coming forward to grab yours and pull them into his own lap.

You shake your head immediately, staring down at your intertwined hands as your eyes well up with tears for what feels like the millionth time in the last month. “How am I supposed to see how happy she makes you when you can’t see how miserable she makes me? She’s always glaring at me and pulling you away from me and taking up all your time, and I can’t even tell you how sad that makes me because you just call me jealous and it hurts, Matt.”

You were jealous, he wasn’t wrong when he accused you of the emotion, but what hurt more was watching someone who felt like your other half get pulled away from you and not even do anything to stop it. Matt’s quiet as you speak, his thumb rubbing over your hand gently as he listens, trying to soak in your words fully before he answers you.

“She’s just spooked by you. Me having a girl best friend is weird to her, but we’ve talked about it and I told her she has nothing to worry about.” Matt’s words strike you like a bullet, an actual cramp forming in your stomach as you listen. Nothing to worry about. So he really didn’t have any feelings, then. “Can you blame her for being so cautious? I mean, look at you,” he tries to joke, cracking a small smile, but all you do is meet his eyes again with a blank expression on your face. Complimenting you after breaking your heart was a new low for him, regardless of if he knew it or not.

You pull your hands out of Matt’s lap and into your own, your skin feeling cold in his absence. “Do whatever you want, Matt,” you say flatly, knowing it was a toxic thing to say, but not having any other words for him in the moment. “I can’t stop you. But you don’t get to act surprised when years from now you look in the mirror and think, ‘damn, when was the last time we talked?’ or ‘why haven’t I seen her in six months?’ because the reason will be the girl that did everything she could to come between us.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Matt groans, rubbing his hands over his face frustratedly. “She’ll get used to you eventually and… maybe you’ll even get along! Come on, can you just… please give this a chance?”

You move your body up your bed until you’re laying on your back, head resting against your pillow and staring up at the ceiling. “Why do you keep asking me, anyway? What does it matter what I think? If she makes you happy then that’s what should be important to you.”

Matt sighs and shifts onto his side, facing you and looking at the side of your face, his expression soft and annoyingly loving. “Because what you think and how you feel means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me.” You turn your head to look at him, meeting his sweet eyes that stared back at you. His hand immediately reached up to push a few pieces of hair behind your ear, revealing more of your face to him. “I won’t let her come between us. Look, I’m here with you right now while you’re upset, doesn’t that count for anything?”

His touch is soft and familiar, something easy to fall into, regardless of how angry and jealous you felt. You wanted to roll over and bury yourself in his chest, wrap your arms around his waist and fall asleep pressed against him, listening to the sound of his heartbeat as your lullaby. You stayed put, keeping your eyes locked on his as he pulled his hand away from your face, resting it between your bodies.

“Yeah,” you start quietly, nodding slightly. “It counts for something.” You shoot him a small, half hearted smile, sighing quietly as you hope and pray your heartbeat isn’t audible to his ears, pounding away like it was in your own. You wanted nothing more than to tell him how you felt, beg him to be with you instead of the girl that made you feel like nothing, the girl that was stealing what felt like the biggest part of you.

You suck in a deep breath, trying to gain the courage to speak, to tell him your deepest, darkest secret, but the loud knock on your bedroom door startles you out of it. “Matt, are you in here?!” A voice calls, and you’re relieved to hear that it’s just Chris on the other side looking for his brother, but the moment is still ruined.

“Yeah!” Matt yells back, turning his head so he’s not screaming in your ear. He tells Chris he’ll be down in a few minutes before facing you again and offering a sheepish smile. “We should probably get back downstairs, huh?” He suggests, lips quirked up cutely. You nod in agreement and stare at him for a few beats before turning on your side and scooting closer, satisfying the urge to feel him against you.

You press your face into his chest and wrap your arms around his waist, squeezing your eyes shut as his arms immediately enveloped you back, holding you against him tightly. “You okay?” He asks, his face buried in your hair, inhaling the scent of your shampoo after he speaks. “Yes,” you say back, the sound muffled by his shirt. “Just getting in as much best friend time as I can before… fuck, I just love you so much, Matt.”

His arms squeeze you tighter and he lets his own eyes flutter closed as he held you, his thumbs gently rubbing circles against your back. “I love you, too,” Matt whispers back sweetly.

The love he offered you wasn’t the same, but it was enough.

taglist

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[paxtito]

birthday girl

pairings: wednesday x reader

word count: 5.2k

warnings: none really, kissing and swearing here and there.

summary: wednesday was born november 13th, 2006, it’s her birthday soon so enid- being overly invested in your relationship- convinces you to plan a birthday surprise. you steal a very expensive book and put together an addams family themed escape room.

a/n: i’ve written quite a few fics since august so i’m just doing a little clear out of my drafts. apologies in advance for any mistakes. i’m no edgar allan poe expert, don’t come for me if the price is wrong.

MASTERLIST

It’s officially November. Wednesday’s birth month. You wasn’t planning on doing anything for it out of respect to her boundaries but Enid’s constant yapping in your ear brought you to the brink of insanity.

“Jesus! Fine, Enid… We’ll plan something, okay? Stop talking my ear off.”

Enid squealed excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Oh my gosh, yes! This is going to be so much fun!"

You rolled your eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at your lips. Enid's enthusiasm was infectious, even if her ideas were sometimes a bit... much.

"Alright, let's brainstorm," Enid said, plopping down onto your bed next to you. "What does Wednesday like? Besides death and darkness, I mean."

You chuckled. "Well, she seems to enjoy solving mysteries and puzzles. And she has a thing for creepy crawlies… Dead things…”

Enid wrinkled her nose in distaste but nodded. "Okay, so maybe not a spa day then. How about a murder mystery party? We could invite everyone and have them dress up in costume!"

You shook your head. "Wednesday doesn't really do 'parties' or 'people'. She'd probably just end up killing someone for real."

"Good point," Enid sighed. "Hmm… What about a private escape room experience? Just the two of you, working together to solve some kind of creepy puzzle. That way it's intimate but still fits her interests."

You considered it. That actually didn't sound half bad. "Yeah, I could see her getting into that. Let me look into it."

Enid beamed. "Perfect! Oh, and don't forget her favorite foods - bugs and gross stuff. You could make her a special birthday cake with... I don't know, worms or something?"

You made a face. "I have to draw the line somewhere, Enid. I may love her, but I'm not putting actual worms in a cake… I’m not touching worms.” You grimace, a shiver running down your spine at the thought.

Enid pouted but nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. I guess you could always just make it look like there are worms in it. You know, like those chocolate bugs they sell online? That might be more her speed anyway.”

You shake your head firmly. "No food. Definitely no bugs or anything gross. I'm drawing the line there."

Enid sighs. "Alright, alright. No bugs in the food. But we need to get her something, right? Like a present?"

You nod, considering Enid's suggestion. "Yeah, a present is a good idea. But what do you get for the girl who has everything? Especially when 'everything' is basically just death-related shit."

Enid taps her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... Maybe something personalized? Like a custom-made necklace with a little vial pendant that holds a drop of your blood or something."

You cringe. "Uh, no. Definitely not going to give her bloody jewelry. That's just weird."

"Okay, okay," Enid says, holding up her hands in surrender. "How about a book then? Like a rare edition of some creepy classic literature?"

You mull it over. Wednesday does love to read. "That's not a bad idea actually. I could look for a first edition copy of one of her favorite Edgar Allan Poe stories or something.“

Enid claps her hands together. "Yes! Oh, and you could inscribe it with a little personal message inside the cover. Something like 'To my darling Wednesday, may your days be as dark as your soul.' "

“Where would I get the money though?”

Enid smiles slyly, leaning in closer. "Well, you could always ask your parents for some birthday money. Or... you could sell some of your old junk online. I bet there are a ton of weirdos out there who would pay top dollar for your crusty gym socks or used toothbrushes."

You make a disgusted face. "Ew, Enid! That's gross. I'm not selling my dirty laundry to some freaks on the internet."

"Suit yourself," Enid shrugs. "But if you change your mind, I know a guy who runs a pretty lucrative online market for this kind of thing. He's always looking for new... supplies."

—

A week later, you and Enid are hunched over your laptop, scouring online bookstores for the perfect rare edition for Wednesday.

"Ooh, look at this one!" Enid exclaims, pointing at the screen. "It's a first edition of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' published in 1843. And it comes with a handwritten note from Poe himself!"

You lean in to take a closer look. The book does look impressive, with its aged leather binding and yellowed pages. But the price tag makes your eyes bulge. "$25,000?! Are you insane?"

Enid pouts. "C'mon, it's a collector's item! And it's not every day you find something this rare. Wednesday would love it!"

You shake your head. "I can't afford that, Enid. I'm just a high school student… I’ll steal it.. Where’s the store located?”

You lean back in your chair, rubbing your temples. Stealing a rare book from a specialized antique store sounds like a terrible idea, but you're desperate to impress Wednesday. Plus, you've always been pretty good at breaking and entering.

"The store is downtown, near the old theater district," Enid says, squinting at the screen. "It's called 'The Raven's Nest' - fitting, right? They specialize in rare horror literature and occult artifacts."

You smirk. "The Raven's Nest... I like it. Okay, here's the plan: we'll case the joint tonight, figure out their security system. Then tomorrow night, I'll break in and grab the book while you keep watch outside."

Enid looks nervous. "Are you sure about this? I mean, what if you get caught? What if there's some kind of magical protection on the book?"

You roll your eyes. "There's no such thing as magic, Enid. And I won't get caught - I'm the fucking master thief of Nevermore Academy.”

—

As you and Enid walk down the darkened streets of downtown, you can't help but feel a thrill of excitement coursing through your veins. The anticipation of pulling off this heist and surprising Wednesday with the perfect gift is almost too much to bear.

"Alright, here's the plan," you whisper to Enid as you approach the old brick building that houses The Raven's Nest. "I'm gonna scope out the back entrance while you check out the front. See if you can spot any security cameras or alarm systems."

Enid nods nervously, clutching her jacket tight around herself. "Got it. But be careful, okay? I don't want you ending up in jail or worse..."

You flash her a cocky grin. "Relax, Enid. I've got this. Nothing can stop me once I set my mind to something."

With that, you split up, each of you slipping into the shadows to survey the store. The back alley is dimly lit, with only a single flickering bulb casting a weak glow. You notice a rusty fire escape leading up to a second-story window - the perfect entry point.

Enid shivers, pulling her collar up against the chill night air. She scans the front of the building, noting the ornate iron gate and the dim lights from inside. There seem to be cameras positioned above the door, but no obvious alarms.

You quietly ascend the fire escape, each step sending a faint creak echoing through the alley. At the window, you peer inside, spotting rows of shelves packed with dusty tomes and strange artifacts. In the center of the room, a glass case catches your eye - and inside it, the priceless first edition of "The Tell-Tale Heart".

You carefully pry open the window, wincing as the old hinges let out a soft groan. With a deep breath, you hoist yourself inside, landing softly on the creaky wooden floorboards. The musty smell of old books and mothballs fills your nostrils as you creep through the shadowy aisles, your heart pounding in your chest.

As you approach the glass case, you can't help but marvel at the beauty of the ancient tome. The leather cover is worn and cracked with age, but the gold lettering still glints in the dim light. You reach out, your fingers trembling slightly as they brush against the cool glass.

Just then, a sudden noise from the front of the store makes you freeze. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, growing louder with each passing second. You glance around frantically, searching for a place to hide, but the open layout of the shop offers little cover.

Panic rising in your throat, you duck behind a nearby shelf, praying that whoever it is won't spot you. The footsteps grow closer, accompanied by the jingle of keys and the click of a lock being undone.

You hold your breath, pressing your back against the wall as the footsteps draw nearer. Your heart hammers in your chest, threatening to give away your position. The shop door creaks open, and a beam of light slices through the darkness, illuminating a section of the floor just inches from where you're hiding.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice calls out. "I know someone's in here!"

You remain perfectly still, barely daring to breathe. The light from the doorway sweeps across the room, and you shrink further into the shadows, praying that your black clothes will camouflage you against the dimness.

The footsteps move closer, the owner of the shop clearly searching for the intruder. You consider making a run for it, but the thought of being caught red-handed with the stolen book makes you hesitate.

The owner's footsteps pause just outside the aisle where you're hiding. Your palms are slick with sweat as you grip the edge of the shelf, preparing to bolt if necessary. The seconds tick by agonizingly slowly, each one feeling like an eternity.

Suddenly, a hand reaches around the corner, grasping at the air mere inches from your face. You flinch instinctively, but manage to hold your ground, not daring to make a sound. The owner steps into view, his thick-rimmed glasses reflecting the dim light as he scans the area.

"I've got you now, you little thief," he growls, his breath hot and rank as it washes over you. "Come on out, hands where I can see them!"

Your mind races, desperately trying to formulate an escape plan. You could try to overpower him, but he's significantly larger than you, and the risk of him calling the police is too high. No, you need to be smart about this.

As the owner takes another step forward, you make your move. Ducking low, you sprint past him, heading straight for the back of the shop.

The owner bellows in anger, his heavy footsteps thundering after you. "Stop, thief! I'm calling the cops!"

You don't dare look back, pouring every ounce of speed into your desperate flight. Your lungs burn as you race through the cramped aisles, dodging past stacks of books and leaping over precariously balanced piles of occult trinkets.

Just as you're certain the owner is about to catch you, you spot the back door. With a burst of adrenaline, you lunge for it, your fingers scrabbling at the handle. The door swings open, revealing the darkened alley beyond.

You tumble out into the night, the cool air hitting your face like a slap. Behind you, the owner's furious shouts echo from the shop, followed by the shrill ring of a phone - no doubt calling the police.

You don't stop running until you're several blocks away, your chest heaving and your legs burning with exertion. Only then do you allow yourself a moment to catch your breath, leaning heavily against a brick wall as you gasp for air.

You turn to Enid who’d been running after you, “you’re an amazing lookout..” You mumble sarcastically.

Enid looks absolutely terrified, her eyes wide and her face pale in the moonlight. She's breathing hard, her chest heaving with each ragged gasp. "I... I tried to warn you," she stutters, her voice trembling. "I saw him coming in and I ran to find you, but... but you were already gone."

You push off the wall, your legs still shaky from the adrenaline rush. "It's okay," you say, trying to sound calmer than you feel. "We got away, that's what matters… I got the book.”

You pull the book from your jacket, holding it up in the moonlight. The leather cover glistens, and you can't help but feel a surge of pride at your successful heist.

Enid's eyes widen as she takes in the ancient tome. "Wow," she breathes, "you actually did it. You stole a first edition Poe book!"

You grin, tucking the book safely back into your jacket. "Of course I did. I told you, I'm the best thief in town."

Enid shakes her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you just broke into a store and stole something. That's so... so..."

"Cool?" you suggest, raising an eyebrow.

Enid laughs nervously. "No, not cool. Crazy! You could have gotten in serious trouble."

You wave a dismissive hand. "But I didn't. And now Wednesday is going to have the most amazing birthday present ever."

Enid bites her lip, looking uncertain. "Are you sure about this? I mean, what if she finds out you stole it? She might be mad."

“She won’t. Trust me.”

—

After weeks of planning and anticipation, the day has finally arrived. You've managed to lure Wednesday out of the house under the pretense of a "special surprise", blindfolding her before she could ask too many questions. Now, as you guide her down the street towards the escape room, your heart is pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Where are we going?" Wednesday asks, her voice muffled by the blindfold. "This better not be some kind of lame party or something."

You can't help but chuckle at her grumpy tone. "Relax, Wednesday. It's nothing like that. Just trust me, okay? I promise you're going to love it."

Wednesday huffs but doesn't protest further, allowing you to lead her onwards. As you approach the escape room, you can feel a sense of anticipation building in your gut. You've put so much thought into this surprise, and you're determined to make it perfect.

The door to the escape room looms ahead, and you take a deep breath before pushing it open.

As you guide Wednesday inside, the blindfold is removed, revealing a dimly lit room decorated with eerie candles and macabre artwork. Wednesday blinks, her eyes adjusting to the gloom as she takes in her surroundings.

"What is this place?" she asks, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Some kind of gothic-themed restaurant?"

You grin, shaking your head. "Nope. It's an escape room. And it's all for you, Wednesday. Happy early birthday."

Wednesday's eyes widen, a flicker of surprise crossing her usually stoic features. "An escape room? Seriously? You know I hate those tourist trap things."

You place a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know, but this one is different. It's tailored specifically to your interests. Mysteries, puzzles, all that creepy stuff you love. Plus, it's just the two of us. No annoying strangers to deal with."

Wednesday narrows her eyes, studying you intently. "Okay, I'll bite. What's the catch? There's no way you'd actually think I'd enjoy some dumb escape room."

You can't help but smile at her skepticism. It's one of the things you love about Wednesday - her sharp mind and unwillingness to be fooled by empty gestures.

"No catch," you assure her, holding up your hands in a gesture of sincerity. "I know how much you love a good mystery, and I thought this would be a fun way to celebrate your birthday. Plus, I may have mentioned to the owners that you're a bit of an expert in this kind of thing. They're really excited to have you try it out."

Wednesday's expression softens slightly, a hint of curiosity sparking in her dark eyes. "They know about me? How?"

You shrug, trying to play it cool. "I may have dropped a few hints about your... unique skill set. But they were sworn to secrecy. This whole thing is just between us."

As you and Wednesday enter the dimly lit escape room, you can't help but feel a rush of excitement. The space is decorated with an eerie attention to detail, filled with cryptic symbols, antique furniture, and a general atmosphere of macabre intrigue.

Wednesday's eyes dart around the room, taking in every detail with a keen curiosity. "Looks like they did their research," she murmurs, running a finger along the spine of an ancient-looking book resting on a nearby table.

You nod, grinning with pride. "I told you, I made sure it was the perfect fit for you. And trust me, the best part is yet to come."

Wednesday raises an eyebrow, but before she can respond, a low, ominous voice echoes through the room. "Welcome, dear guests," it intones, "to the Addams Family Escape Room Experience."

Wednesday's head snaps up, her eyes widening with surprise. "Wait, what?"

The voice continues, "In this immersive adventure, you'll navigate the twisted world of the Addams family, solving puzzles and unraveling secrets.”

The voice pauses dramatically before continuing, "Your objective is simple: escape the room before the clock strikes midnight, or risk being trapped forever in the Addams family's morbid mansion."

A sinister laugh echoes through the speakers, sending a shiver down your spine. Wednesday, meanwhile, seems entirely unfazed, her expression one of intense focus as she begins to examine the room more closely.

"Impressive," she admits grudgingly, running her fingers along the intricate carvings on a nearby bookshelf. "They've really captured the my family’s aesthetic."

Wednesday's eyes narrow as she takes in the details of the room, her mind already working to piece together the clues. The walls are adorned with eerie paintings and strange artifacts, each one seemingly hiding a hidden meaning or secret.

"Okay, let's start with the basics," Wednesday mutters, more to herself than to you. She begins to methodically search the room, her movements precise and purposeful.

As she works, you can't help but marvel at her incredible focus and deduction skills. It's like watching a predator stalk its prey, every action calculated and deliberate.

Wednesday pulls a dusty old book from the shelf, its pages yellowed and brittle. As she flips through the pages, her eyes widen. "Found something," she says, showing you a page filled with cryptic symbols and riddles.

You lean in closer, trying to decipher the message, but it's like reading a foreign language. "What does it say?" you ask, feeling a bit lost in the face of Wednesday's brilliance.

Wednesday's lips curve into a small, enigmatic smile as she traces her finger over the cryptic symbols. "It's a riddle," she explains, her voice low and conspiratorial. "A challenge, of sorts."

She reads the words aloud, her tone almost reverent:

"Seek the key that lies within

The heart of darkness, where the shadows begin."

Wednesday closes the book, her gaze sweeping the room once more. "Darkness, shadows... I wonder if that's literal or metaphorical."

She strides over to a large, ornate mirror hanging on the far wall. As she approaches, you notice a faint glow emanating from the frame, pulsing in time with some unseen heartbeat.

Wednesday reaches out, her fingers hovering just above the surface. "Interesting," she murmurs, her breath fogging the glass. "This could be it. The 'heart' of the room."

She turns to you, her eyes glinting with a newfound intensity. "I'm going to need you to do something for me," she says, her voice steady and commanding.

"I need you to stand behind me," Wednesday instructs, her voice low and authoritative. "And when I give the signal, I want you to push me against the mirror as hard as you can."

You blink, taken aback by her request. "What? Are you sure that's safe? I don't want to break it or hurt you."

Wednesday's eyes narrow, a hint of impatience flashing across her face. "Trust me, Y/N. I've done my research. This mirror is reinforced, designed to withstand pressure. It's part of the puzzle."

Still uncertain, you nevertheless comply, moving to stand behind her. Wednesday positions herself in front of the mirror, her stance wide and her muscles tensed. She nods once, a silent signal for you to proceed.

Taking a deep breath, you place your hands on her shoulders, feeling the firmness of her muscles beneath your palms. With a grunt of effort, you push, propelling Wednesday forward into the mirror.

As Wednesday collides with the mirror, there's a blinding flash of light and a crackling sound, like electricity surging through the glass. For a moment, you're blinded, your vision swallowed by the brightness. But as the glow fades, you blink rapidly, trying to clear your eyes.

When your vision returns, Wednesday is gone. Vanished. In her place, the mirror reflects an image of a dark, shadowy hallway stretching into the distance.

For a heart-stopping moment, you're frozen in shock, your mind struggling to process what just happened. Then, as panic starts to set in, you hear a voice echoing down the hallway, distant but unmistakably Wednesday's.

"Y/N! I'm in here!"

You lean closer to the mirror, your breath fogging the glass as you peer into the shadowy depths. "Wednesday?" you call out, your voice sounding small and uncertain. "Where are you?"

There's a pause, and then Wednesday's voice returns, sounding strained and urgent. "I'm stuck, Y/N. I need you to follow me. Quickly!"

"Hurry, Y/N!" Wednesday calls out, her voice echoing strangely in the shadowy hallway beyond the mirror. "I think I found the key, but I can't get it out."

Your heart pounds as you lean closer to the mirror, your reflection staring back at you from the darkened glass. The image of the hallway wavers and shifts, as if the shadows themselves are alive and moving.

Taking a deep breath, you reach out and press your palm flat against the mirror's surface. The glass is cold and smooth beneath your fingers, but as you apply pressure, you feel it beginning to give way, like a door yielding to a firm push.

With a grunt of effort, you step forward, feeling the resistance of the mirror against your body. For a moment, it's as if you're being pressed between two planes of existence - the real world behind you, and the shadowy realm ahead. Then, with a final heave, you stumble through, tumbling into the darkness beyond.

You land on your hands and knees, the floor beneath you cold and damp. As you push yourself upright, you see Wednesday standing a few feet away.

She's standing in a shadowy corridor, her face illuminated by the faint, eerie glow emanating from the walls. Wednesday's eyes widen as she sees you emerge from the mirror, relief and urgency flashing across her features.

"Thank god you're here," she breathes, her voice trembling slightly. "I was starting to think I might be trapped in here forever."

You take a moment to orient yourself, taking in the strange, otherworldly environment surrounding you. The walls seem to pulse with an inner light, casting shifting shadows across the floor. The air is thick and heavy, carrying an unsettling scent of decay and old secrets.

"What is this place?" you whisper, your voice sounding too loud in the oppressive silence.

Wednesday shakes her head, her eyes never leaving the object clutched in her hand. "I'm not entirely sure," she admits, her tone uncharacteristically uncertain. "But I think it's part of the escape room's final challenge."

She holds out the object for you to see - a small, ornate key, its metal surface etched with strange, twisting symbols.

Wednesday holds the key up to the flickering light, examining its intricate design. "The inscription... it matches the symbols from the riddle in the book. I think this is what we've been searching for."

She glances around, her eyes scanning the shadowy corridor. "But there's no lock here. We need to find where this key belongs."

You nod, following Wednesday's gaze as she begins to move down the hallway, her steps cautious and deliberate. The walls seem to shift and sway as you pass, the air growing colder with each step.

Wednesday stops suddenly, her head tilting to the side as she listens to a distant sound. "Do you hear that?" she whispers, her voice barely audible over the oppressive silence.

You strain your ears, trying to pick up on any noise. At first, there's nothing, but then you catch it - a faint, rhythmic thumping, like a heartbeat echoing through the darkness.

"It's coming from that way," Wednesday says, pointing down a side passage branching off from the main corridor. "We need to follow it."

As you and Wednesday move deeper into the shadowy realm behind the mirror, the atmosphere grows heavier and more oppressive with each step. The thumping sound grows louder, more insistent, echoing through the dark corridors like a macabre heartbeat.

Wednesday's brow furrows in concentration, her eyes scanning the walls for any clue or hidden passage. She moves with a predatory grace, her steps silent and purposeful as she navigates the twisting labyrinth.

Suddenly, she stops, her hand shooting out to grab your arm. "Look," she hisses, her breath hot against your ear.

You follow her gaze to where the wall seems to ripple and shift, like water disturbed by an unseen hand. As you watch, a shape begins to emerge from the shadows - the outline of a door, its surface covered in the same eerie symbols that adorn the key in Wednesday's hand.

Wednesday's grip on your arm tightens, her nails digging into your skin. "This is it," she breathes, her voice trembling with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "The final challenge."

Wednesday's hand trembles slightly as she raises the key, the metal glinting in the eerie light emanating from the walls. With a deep breath, she fits the key into the lock, the symbols aligning with a satisfying click.

As the lock disengages, the door creaks open, revealing the room they’d started in.

"That was... impressive," she says, turning to face you. "I mean, it was still an escape room, but at least it had some real challenges. Whoever designed this clearly knows their stuff."

You step forward, a mischievous grin playing at the corners of your mouth. "You're welcome," you say, pulling the carefully wrapped package from behind your back. "Happy birthday, Wednesday."

Wednesday's eyes widen as she takes in the small, rectangular shape of the gift. She reaches out tentatively, her fingers brushing against the smooth paper. "What is it?"

"Open it and see," you encourage, handing her the package.

Wednesday tears into the wrapping paper with gusto, revealing the pristine leather cover of the book underneath. Her eyes widen as she reads the title embossed in gold lettering: "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.

"Is this...?" she breathes, running her fingers reverently over the ancient binding. "A first edition? Y/N… How much did you spend-“ She begins, ready to scold you.

“-I stole it.”

Wednesday's eyes snap up to meet yours, her expression a mix of shock and awe. "You... you stole this for me?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, but there's an undercurrent of something else beneath the surface - something that sends a shiver down your spine.

"That's right," you confirm, stepping closer to her. "I knew how much you loved Poe, and I wanted to give you something truly special for your birthday. Something no one else could ever give you."

Wednesday's gaze drops back to the book, her fingers caressing the leather cover with a reverence that borders on obsessive. "This is... incredible," she murmurs, almost to herself. "I can't believe you'd go to such lengths for me."

You reach out, gently tilting her chin up to meet your eyes once more. "Of course I would," you say softly, your voice low and intimate. "You're worth it, Wednesday. More than worth it."

Wednesday's breath hitches as your fingers brush against her skin, her dark eyes searching yours for any sign of deception or ulterior motive. But all she sees is sincerity, and maybe something deeper - a longing that mirrors her own.

"Why?" she asks, her voice barely audible. "Why would you do this for me?"

You lean in closer, your lips nearly brushing against her ear. "Because I care about you, Wednesday," you murmur, your breath warm against her skin. "More than I've ever cared about anyone else. And I wanted to prove it to you, in a way that no one else could."

Wednesday's heart pounds in her chest, her body responding to your proximity in ways she didn't know were possible. She's always prided herself on her emotional detachment, her ability to remain unaffected by the whims and fancies of others. But with you, she feels herself crumbling, her carefully constructed walls beginning to fall away.

Wednesday's breath catches in her throat as your lips brush against her ear, your whispered confession sending a jolt of electricity through her body. For a moment, she's frozen, her mind reeling as she tries to process the intensity of the moment.

But then, slowly, she raises her hand, her fingers coming to rest gently against your chest. She can feel the steady thrum of your heartbeat beneath her palm, a reminder of the life and warmth that lies beneath your skin.

"Y/N," she whispers, her voice trembling slightly. "I... I don't know what to say."

You pull back just enough to meet her gaze, your eyes dark with desire and something deeper, more profound. "You don't have to say anything," you murmur, your hand coming up to cup her cheek. "Just let me show you."

And then, before she can react, you're leaning in, your lips capturing hers in a kiss that steals the breath from her lungs. Wednesday's eyes flutter closed, her body melting into yours as she surrenders to the sensation of your mouth moving against hers.

Wednesday's mind reels as the kiss deepens, her senses overwhelmed by the taste and feel of your lips against hers. She's kissed you before, of course - quick, furtive pecks stolen in the dark corners of school. But nothing like this. Nothing that makes her feel so alive, so utterly consumed by the other person.

Your hand moves from her cheek to the back of her neck, your fingers tangling in the silky strands of her hair. Wednesday lets out a soft moan, her body arching into yours as her hands come up to grip your shoulders. She's never felt so wanted, so desired, and it's both thrilling and terrifying all at once.

For a long moment, Wednesday is lost in the sensation of your kiss, her mind going blank as she succumbs to the heat of your touch. But then, with a sudden surge of willpower, she pulls away, her chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath.

Wednesday's eyes snap open, her gaze locked with yours as she tries to regain her composure. Her cheeks are flushed, her lips swollen from the intensity of the kiss, and she can feel a warmth spreading through her body that has nothing to do with the heat of the moment.

—

[inkedinshadows]

For the requests: "I would certainly take all night" with Eris, please. I would be forever indebted to you. Can be smut or not, write it however you want! :)

Held in Firelight

Pairing: Eris x f!reader

A/N: Hi! No need to be indebted, don't worry! I just hope you'll like this bc I really liked this idea but I wrote it after six hours of class so it might not be my best work. I also don't know how to label it because it's a bit fluffy with a tiny sprinkle of angst and allusions to smutty bits? Idk idk I really like it tho

Warnings: arranged marriage, cheating (but the parties involved are aware so idk)

Word count: 1k

“I think he has a new lover.”

Your words cut through the comfortable silence that had settled over the sitting room. Eris raised a brow, but you continued to stir the wine in your glass, your eyes fixed on the swirling red liquid.

The silence stretched, broken only by the crackling embers in the fireplace. Eventually, he asked, “What makes you think that?”

You shrugged one shoulder. “He spent every night out this week. He doesn't do that if he's just sleeping around. He still comes home.”

Eris hummed, as if contemplating your answer.

These were your favorite moments—when Eris didn’t have court duties to attend to and could spend hours talking and drinking with you. It was your favorite way to ease the stress and tension of the life you had been forced into.

“He was out even two nights ago?”

You looked up at him. The firelight flickered on the side of his face, turning his hair into molten copper. You felt a sudden urge to reach across the couch and run your fingers through it.

“Yeah,” you replied. “Why do you ask?”

“It was your birthday,” he stated simply.

“So?”

He looked startled. “You really don’t care that he forgot?”

You sighed, setting your glass down. “Eris, he hasn't remembered my birthday in years.”

He didn’t reply, but his jaw clenched. You couldn’t tell if the flames in his eyes were just a reflection of the fire or if it was that simmering power of his.

With another sigh, you pressed on. “Let’s say he remembers,” you said. “Then what? You really believe he would spend the whole night with me, taking his sweet time to make me feel cherished, at least on my birthday?” You shook your head, the mere thought making you scoff. “No, I prefer it this way. He doesn't care about me, I don't care about him, and there's no point in pretending we do.”

Eris remained silent, his gaze fixed on the fireplace, his fingers clutching the stem of his glass so tightly you thought it might break. You knew he cared about you, that he hated your situation as much as you did, but even he couldn’t change it. Maybe once he became High Lord he’d banish arranged marriages and spare others from this fate, but it was too late for you.

Picking up your glass again, you tucked your legs beneath you and settled back against the pillows. You took a sip of wine, hoping that its rich taste might offer an excuse to change the topic, but you came up empty. You’d already commented on the flavor when he opened the bottle.

“I would certainly take all night.”

His voice was quiet, almost thoughtful, but when you turned to look at him, he was still facing away from you.

“What?” you blurted out. Surely, you had heard that wrong.

Finally, his eyes met yours, determined and unflinching. “I would take all night with you,” he repeated, “I would cherish you. And not just on your birthday.”

Your breath hitched. There had been a few lingering touches, a brush of fingers, words whispered after one too many glasses of wine. But never like this—so plain and blatant, so unguarded.

“Don't say that,” you murmured.

“Why not?” His eyes bore into you, pinning you in place. There was no escape—not that you wanted one. “We both want it.”

He was right. There was no arguing with that. Yet you still shook your head. “Eris, we can't.”

He moved closer. You didn’t resist when he took your glass and set it on the small table alongside his. An empty bottle stood next to an unopened one.

“Why not?” he asked again, his voice gentler now. “Just because you’re married? How many other females has he been with?”

Countless.

Maybe Eris was right about that too. Maybe you didn’t owe loyalty to a husband you had never wanted—a husband who had never been loyal to you. If he could have all the females he wanted, then maybe you could have the one male you wanted. The one person who always understood you, who never judged or mistreated you.

“When was the last time someone made you feel cherished?” Eris’s hand covered yours, his slender fingers intertwining with your own, squeezing once. “Made you feel good?”

You had never thought about your marriage in those terms. You had never wanted that union in the first place, so you had clung to the small things. Time away from your husband was good. You hadn’t shared a bed in a long time, and your conversations were awkward and stiff enough that the thought of intimacy hadn't crossed your mind in years. And you’d told yourself that was good enough.

But deep down, it had never really felt good.

Eris was still looking at you, his expression soft and understanding. As if he could see your every thought.

You looked away, unable to stomach it. “I don't know,” you finally whispered.

“Let me be that person.” He reached out, gently tilting your chin. “Let me make you feel good.”

Your eyes met again, and your resolve wavered. Then he brushed his thumb over your lips and spoke in a barely audible whisper.

“Let me love you.”

That word.

Love.

Your husband had never uttered it to you, nor had you to him. But hearing it from Eris… you knew he didn't mean just now—a stolen moment to carry in your heart. And that realization was the final push you needed.

You didn't know who moved first. One moment you were staring into each other's eyes. The next, your lips met.

He tasted like a wish come true after years of waiting.

You were done longing and yearning in secret, done pretending you didn't know what you truly wanted.

And as Eris loved you in front of the fireplace, you finally felt good. You felt cherished. And he took all night to make sure of it.

Taglist: @mrsjna @navyblue-eternity @paintedbyshadows @highladyandromeda @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @azrielsmate3 @mollygetssherlockcoffee @mirandasidefics @tinystarfishgalaxy @cynthiesjmxazrielslover @anarchiii @readinggeeklmao @anneas11 @azrielslittleslut @lilah-asteria @lorosette @azrielsrealmate @pey2618 @mellowmusings @k8r123-blog @daughterofthemoons-stuff @minnieoo @saltedcoffeescotch @georgiadixon @quiet-because-it-is-a-secret @ivy-34

1k taglist: @onebadassunicorn @thegoddessofnothingness

[nightplvmes]

birthday cake

"i want to taste you," he murmured against your skin before sliding his tongue to your entrance. "it's my birthday present." ☆ sylus x fem!reader — smut, +18, MDNI! explicit content, oral sex ☆ sylus birthday special #3 | one (fluff) • two (fluff) – likes and reblogs are appreciated!! :) ★ masterlist here

Sylus slid into bed, his hands running up your legs to your thighs, where he placed small caresses before spread your thighs. you leaned on your elbows and looked at him confused. His party had ended almost an hour ago. you were about to clean everything up, but Sylus had stopped you, saying someone else would take care of it, so you had no choice but to go upstairs to your bedroom and flop down on the bed. you were exhausted. you'd spent the whole day running around trying to organize everything so it was perfect. even with Luke and Kieran's help, it had been exhausting. "what are you doing?"

Sylus placed a kiss on your knee and trailed a small path to your thighs. of course, you had an idea of what he was about to do. "I want to eat my birthday cake," he said nonchalantly.

you looked at him blankly. he'd eaten cake. you'd tried to figure out which cake he disliked the least so you could order it. of course, he'd eaten cake, but... you knew he wasn't talking about food the moment his fingers slid your dress up to your hips, revealing your black lace panties. he placed a kiss on the edge of your panties, you could feel the warmth of his lips and his breath hit your already heated skin. "Sy... that wasn't part of the deal." a gasp escaped your lips, but you only heard a soft mmmm from Sylus.

"do you want me to stop?" he looked up at you, but you quickly shook your head.

"no, go on." your gaze shifted to the clock on the wall of the room. "there are still 20 minutes left before your birthday is over." you didn't want to admit that you were actually already too wet to not continue, and besides, you weren't going to deny your boyfriend anything on his birthday.

he smiled before placing one last kiss on the hem of your panties and after a few seconds, his is fingers finally slid the fabric down your legs, removing your underwear. his hands lifted your dress, adjusting it around your hips for better access. a satisfied sound rumbled in his chest as he spread your thighs and took the time to place kisses along the skin of your thighs until he reached your center.

he didn't wait a single second before sinking his mouth into your core. a gasp escaped your lips the second you felt his tongue run all over your wetness. he first focused on circling your clit with his tongue, your hips bucked against his mouth, seeking more, but Sylus squeezed your hips to keep you in place and take his time. "I want to taste you," he murmured against your skin before sliding his tongue to your entrance. "it's my birthday present."

a snort escaped your lips when you heard his words because you had certainly already given him a birthday present. you'd always thought everything about Sylus was big, maybe because of his height or maybe because of the excessive exercise he sometimes did, but you confirmed it again when he slid one of his fingers inside you. It had only been one finger, and it had still been enough to make you squirm. "ah—damn... Sylus!"

heat began to build quickly in your body, and he still gently squeezed your thighs to keep you in place, tasting every part of you. you didn't know if he simply had a magic tongue, but you could never reach orgasm as quickly as he did.

"I'm going... I'm close—ah!" your back arched, and you felt him grip your thighs tightly to keep you still.

"hold on a little longer for me," he murmured, taking a deep breath before sinking his mouth back onto you, his tongue swiping over your entrance, tasting your wetness before returning to your clit. Your hips bucked against his mouth, rubbing your needy clit against his tongue.

"I can't, I can't," you whimpered, tangling your fingers in his hair, pulling perhaps a little too hard, making him groan. you didn't even expect him to say anything; you came in his mouth without warning. Sylus savored every drop until your thighs trembled from the overstimulation. "Sy... ah!" you moaned, trying to move your hips away from him. you could swear he'd already cleaned you completely and now you were wet again.

when he looked up at you, his lips glistened with the remnants of your juices. a gasp escaped you as he ran his tongue over his lips; you could see that gleam in his eyes that told you he wasn't finished yet. "happy birthday," you murmured, gently running one of your fingers down his cheek until you reached his jaw, forcing him to raise his face towards you.

[loveesiren]

𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚍𝚊𝚢

Thanos (Choi Su-Bong) x American!Reader | Forever Masterlist

a/n: hiiii, I know I haven't updated this story in centuries lol. I actually wrote this part out a while ago but never posted it. Now that I'm rereading it I kinda hate it but I said I'd post it so here it is. It's better if you've read the whole Forever series but if you haven't you can stll get the gist of it. Link for my taglist at the bottom!

synopsis: It's the third birthday Y/n has gotten to spend with Thanos since they escaped the games. Now that they are engaged, she has the best gift to surprise him with.

warnings: fluff, smut at the end

wc: 4.8k+

It was your favorite time of the year again: Thanos’ birthday. A day he had grown up hating, shrouded in unpleasant memories and a disdain for celebration. But for the past three years, you’d been on a mission to change that. You wanted him to associate his birthday with joy, love, and the kind of memories worth cherishing. Slowly but surely, you were breaking through his walls.

The first year, it was just the two of you. You stayed in, baking him the perfect little cupcake with one candle perched on top. Thanos, stubborn and reserved as ever, refused to leave the house back then. But as he sat on the couch with you, laughing through cheesy rom-coms and licking frosting off his fingers, you could see something shift—a tiny crack in the armor.

The next year, you managed to coax him out of his comfort zone. A quiet dinner at a nice restaurant was a big step for him. He had been hesitant at first, but by the end of the night, he couldn’t stop smiling as he clinked his glass of wine against yours.

But this year was different. So much had changed.

You and Thanos were engaged now. The ring on your finger sparkled with the promise of forever. He had recently reconnected with his estranged mother, Choi Bong-Cha, a relationship that had taken years to rebuild. His new album, raw and brimming with emotion, had been a massive success, catapulting him to a level of fame he never thought he’d achieve. And soon, the two of you would embark on a three-month tour—your biggest adventure yet.

This birthday needed to be unforgettable.

Granted, Thanos had long since left his wild partying days behind. He didn’t want a rager or a night that would blur into oblivion. But that didn’t mean he’d get away with just another quiet evening. Not this time.

He was at the studio for most of the day, so you took full advantage of the time to prepare. The house was a whirlwind of activity as you decorated every inch with streamers, balloons, and glitter that sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the windows. The glitter was deliberate—Thanos hated the stuff, but you loved the idea of him muttering under his breath as he tried to clean it up later. You smiled at the thought, a mischievous glint in your eye.

Balancing precariously on a ladder, you stretched to hang a giant “Happy Birthday!” banner across the living room windows. You were so focused on your task that the sharp knock at the door startled you, almost sending you toppling off the ladder.

“Come in!” you called, steadying yourself.

The door creaked open, and Thanos’ mother, Bong-Cha, stepped inside, immediately gasping in horror.

“Get down from there this instant!” she scolded, hands on her hips. Her gaze shifted to your outfit—a pair of shorts and a snug tank top that showed just enough skin to earn her disapproval. “And what are you wearing? You call that appropriate?”

You climbed down, grinning sheepishly as you bowed in greeting. “Hi, Choi Bong-Cha.” you said and pulled her into a warm hug.

“You Americans,” she huffed, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless. “Always driving me crazy with your nonsense.”

You laughed as you took her hands. “I’ll change before the party, I promise. I was just finishing up the decorations.”

“Good. Now help me bring in the food before it gets cold,” she said.

The two of you worked side by side in the kitchen, unloading dishes and preparing the feast. Bong-Cha had embraced you as her future daughter-in-law with open arms. Seeing how happy you made Thanos had softened her heart, and she treated you with the love and care of a mother who had always wanted a daughter. She even helped Thanos pick out the engagement ring, a secret she loved to remind you of whenever she saw you wearing it.

As the kitchen filled with the smell of cooking food, you turned on a playlist from your teenage years. The nostalgic sounds of your 2007 emo phase filled the air, earning an exasperated sigh from Bong-Cha.

“This is music?” she teased, pretending to cover her ears.

“It’s art,” you said dramatically, twirling a spatula in your hand.

Before she could argue further, another knock sounded at the door. You hurried to answer, your heart leaping when you saw your grandmother standing on the other side.

“Halmeoni!” you exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Look at you, dressed like this! Aigoo!” she clucked, shaking her head as she stepped inside. “Go change before your friends and fiancé arrive. This is no way for a young woman to present herself!”

You rolled your eyes playfully. “I’ll change, I’ll change!” you promised.

As you made your way to the bedroom, you muttered under your breath with a smirk, “As if Su-Bong hasn’t already explored every inch of my body.”

Your cheeks flushed at your own boldness, but you couldn’t help feeling giddy. This birthday was going to be perfect, filled with the people Thanos loved most. And as you slipped into a new outfit, you couldn’t wait to see his face when he walked through the door.

For Thanos, this birthday would be more than a celebration. It would be a reminder of how far he’d come—and how much love surrounded him now.

-

The muffled hum of conversation filtered through the walls, a lively symphony of laughter and voices mingling in the crisp evening air. You stood in front of the mirror, inspecting your reflection one last time. The tight, champagne-colored dress hugged your curves in all the right places, shimmering faintly under the bathroom lights. It was a bold choice, one you knew would earn scathing looks from your grandmother and Bong-Cha, but you weren’t dressing for them tonight. This was Thanos’ birthday, and you knew exactly what he loved.

A spritz of hairspray, a swipe of gloss on your lips, and you were ready—well, almost. Scanning the bathroom, you caught sight of the chaos you’d left behind: makeup scattered across the counter, clothes piled haphazardly on the floor, and—your eyes landed on the drawer, partially open. Heat rushed to your face. Right. The toys.

Shaking your head with a rueful grin, you quickly tidied up, shoving away any evidence of the “unholy things” you and Thanos indulged in nightly. With nosy elders roaming around, the last thing you needed was for anyone to wander into your private space and find those.

Satisfied with your cleanup, you turned to the closet, reaching behind a row of purses. Your fingers brushed against the small box wrapped in shimmering blue paper, topped with a pristine white bow. You pulled it out, a flicker of excitement sparking in your chest. This was your gift to Thanos—a surprise you’d been planning for weeks. You could hardly wait to see his reaction.

Clutching the box, you stepped out of the bedroom and into the chaos. The house was alive with energy. In the kitchen, Thanos’ close friends and family gathered, chatting animatedly over trays of snacks and drinks. The air buzzed with anticipation.

“Se-mi! Min-su!” you called out, your face lighting up as you spotted two familiar figures near the counter.

They turned at the sound of your voice, and before you knew it, you were enveloped in their warm embraces.

“I’m so glad you guys could make it!” you said, squeezing them tightly.

“We wouldn’t miss it,” Min-su replied, his boyish grin reminding you of the shy, nerdy kid you’d first met years ago. Now, he looked at you and Thanos like older siblings, a bond that always filled your heart with gratitude.

Se-mi smirked, giving you a once-over. “That dress is going to send Halmeoni into orbit.”

You laughed, shrugging nonchalantly. “The night’s not about her.”

As if summoned by the mention of her name, your grandmother appeared, a flurry of indignation and disapproval. She scolded you in rapid-fire Korean, her voice rising with each word as she tried to pull your dress further down your legs.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” you waved her off with a grin. “T is calling. Everyone quiet!”

Stepping into the foyer, you answered your phone. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, Señorita,” Thanos’ deep voice rumbled through the line. “I’m on my way home. Be there in five.”

“Can’t wait!” you replied, your smile widening as you hung up. Turning back to the kitchen, you clapped your hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay, everyone hide! I’m going to throw on a robe so he doesn’t suspect anything. When I turn on the lights, jump out and yell ‘surprise’!”

The room erupted into quiet laughter and hurried footsteps as everyone scrambled to hide. You dashed back to the bedroom, slipping into the silky pink robe Thanos had given you during one of your more playful anniversaries. Its softness wrapped around you like a secret, concealing the tight dress underneath.

The sound of the front door unlocking sent a jolt of anticipation through you. You rushed to greet him, your heart racing as his tall frame filled the doorway.

“Hey, baby,” you said softly, pulling him into a kiss.

“Mmm, missed you,” he murmured against your lips, his hands sliding to your waist. His voice dropped, a low, dangerous whisper that sent shivers down your spine. “Can’t wait to be inside you…”

Your eyes widened as he pressed you against the wall, his hand slipping under the hem of your robe.

“Wait!” you gasped, squirming out of his grasp. “I have something to show you first!”

Thanos groaned, running a hand through his hair, but let you guide him toward the kitchen. “Baby, I just wanna—”

Before he could finish the sentence you knew would get him in trouble with his elders, you flicked on the lights.

“Surprise!” The room erupted with cheers and applause as everyone jumped out from their hiding spots.

Thanos froze, his eyes wide as they swept over the crowd, then landed on you. With a slow, deliberate motion, you let the robe slide off your shoulders, revealing the dress beneath.

“Happy birthday, baby,” you said, your voice brimming with excitement as you wrapped your arms around his neck, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

His hands found your hips, his grip firm as his gaze darkened. Leaning down, he whispered in your ear, his voice laced with both amusement and frustration.

“I was about to fuck you in the middle of the living room. This dress? Not helping. And there’s glitter everywhere.”

A playful smirk tugged at your lips. “When everyone’s gone, you can take all your frustrations out on me.”

“Deal,” he growled, before straightening and turning to greet his guests, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

As the night unfolded, filled with laughter, toasts, and the warmth of loved ones, you couldn’t help but steal glances at Thanos. The man who once dreaded his birthday now stood at the center of it all—happy, loved, and utterly yours.

-

The laughter and chatter around the room quieted as you emerged from the kitchen, carefully balancing the Oreo ice cream cake on its tray. It was adorned with little Marvel characters, each one meticulously placed—a miniature Iron Man here, a tiny Hulk there, and of course, Thanos himself standing triumphantly in the center.

As you approached the table, everyone cheered and clapped, and Thanos let out a sheepish laugh, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment. But you knew better. Beneath his playful groan, his lips curved into a smile, his eyes soft with gratitude. He’d chosen the name “Thanos” for himself years ago, and the cake was your cheeky little nod to that—a reminder of how far he’d come from the brooding, self-doubting man he once was.

“Make a wish, baby,” you said softly, standing beside him.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, he blew out the candles with one steady breath. The room erupted in applause, and you leaned down to plant a quick kiss on his temple.

After cutting the cake, you passed slices around the table, making sure everyone got a piece. The sound of forks clinking against plates and delighted murmurs filled the room as everyone dug in. But the festive mood only escalated when Bong-Cha and your grandmother started chanting in unison.

“Presents! Presents!”

You saw Thanos tense slightly, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. He had always felt awkward opening gifts in front of people, but you leaned in close and whispered, “Don’t worry, there’s just a few.”

He nodded, his shoulders relaxing just enough for you to gather the small pile of gifts from the corner of the room. The first one he opened was from your grandmother—a stunning pair of cufflinks, polished silver with delicate engravings.

“These are for the day you marry my granddaughter,” she said, her voice proud but thick with emotion.

Thanos bowed his head in thanks, his lips pressed into a grateful smile as he admired them.

Next came Bong-Cha’s gift. She handed it to him with a rare softness, her usually stern expression melting as he opened the small velvet pouch inside. His hands stilled as he pulled out the dog tags, their metal gleaming faintly under the lights.

“These belonged to your grandfather,” she said, her voice quivering. “He wanted you to have them one day. I’ve been waiting for the right moment.”

Thanos blinked rapidly, his eyes glistening. For a moment, it seemed like he might cry, but he quickly cleared his throat and placed the dog tags gently back into the pouch. He thanked her quietly, giving her a rare, heartfelt hug before moving to the next gift.

Se-mi and Min-su’s gift brought a genuine laugh from both him and you—a pair of small silver squid earrings, their diamond eyes glinting mischievously. Tucked alongside was a note that read:

"Your best and worst memory. You survived, and you found Y/N."

Thanos chuckled, his laughter tinged with something bittersweet. The four of you had never shared the full story with your families, but those earrings symbolized so much: the night you’d all met, the harrowing experience that bonded you, and the unbreakable little family you’d built ever since.

“Thank you,” he said simply, his voice quiet but brimming with meaning.

After a round of hugs and smiles, you stepped forward with a sly grin. “Wait! There’s one more…”

Thanos raised an eyebrow, his smile turning playful. “Señorita, you’re making me open more?”

“I think this one might be your favorite,” you teased, striding over to him and setting the small blue box in front of him. Leaning down, you placed a tender kiss on his cheek and whispered, “Happy birthday, my love.”

Thanos sighed, settling back into his seat as he opened the box. For a moment, he stared at its contents, his brow furrowing in confusion. Then his eyes widened, and he froze.

“You’re joking,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Inside the box was a pregnancy test. The pink plus sign was unmistakable, standing out starkly against the white plastic.

“You’re joking,” he repeated, picking it up to study it closer. His hands trembled slightly.

You smiled nervously, chewing on your bottom lip as you nodded. “No joke, baby.”

His head shot up, his wide, teary eyes locking onto yours. “Baby, y-you’re pregnant?”

“Mhmm.”

The room erupted in gasps and exclamations, but all you could focus on was Thanos. He stood abruptly, scooping you into his arms and spinning you around. His laughter rang out, joyous and unrestrained, as he pressed a deep, fervent kiss to your lips.

When he finally set you down, his cheeks were streaked with tears. He cradled your face in his hands, looking at you as though you were the most precious thing in the world. “I can’t believe it,” he murmured. “You’re giving me a family.”

“Of course I am. You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.” you whispered back, your voice cracking as tears welled up in your own eyes.

The rest of the evening was a blur of hugs, cheers, and endless congratulations. Bong-Cha cried openly, your grandmother held your hands tightly as she whispered blessings, and even Min-su and Se-mi couldn’t contain their excitement.

Eventually, you found yourself sitting beside Se-mi, who had been unusually quiet.

“You’re going to get so fat,” she teased, her tone light but her eyes misty.

“Don’t remind me,” you laughed, nudging her playfully. Then your expression softened. “Se-mi?”

“Don’t,” she warned, though her voice wavered.

“Se-mi,” you said gently, placing a hand on hers. “Will you be the godmother?”

Tears spilled over her cheeks as she tried to wipe them away quickly, failing miserably. Finally, she turned to you, her face breaking into a watery smile.

“Of course!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around you.

It was rare for Se-mi to show this kind of raw emotion, and you cherished every moment of it. She had been there through everything—your best friend, your sister in spirit, your rock.

As the party carried on around you, you looked across the room to Thanos. He was laughing with Min-su, the dog tags now hanging proudly around his neck, his eyes brighter than you’d ever seen them.

For the first time in a long time, Thanos wasn’t just celebrating a birthday. He was celebrating life. And the future had never looked so beautiful.

-

By 11 p.m., the house was finally beginning to quiet. Guests had filtered out one by one, their laughter and goodbyes still echoing faintly in the air. Min-su and Se-mi, however, had gotten far drunker than they’d intended. You had to practically guide them by the elbows to the guest rooms, their laughter sloppy and unfiltered.

Min-su flopped onto the bed with a groan, mumbling something incoherent, while Se-mi giggled uncontrollably, half-hanging off the doorway as you tried to steady her. “You guys are always the last ones standing,” you teased, tucking a blanket over Min-su.

“Not my fault your champagne tastes expensive,” Se-mi slurred with a grin, finally climbing into the other bed.

You rolled your eyes, smiling fondly. They were the only ones who ever occupied the guest rooms anyway. This was their second home, and it always warmed your heart to see them so at ease.

As you walked back toward the front door, your grandmother and Bong-Cha were lingering, still fussing over you. Your grandmother pressed her hands gently against your belly, murmuring prayers in soft, melodic Korean.

“Rest well, Halmeoni,” you said, taking her hands in yours as you kissed her cheek.

“Be careful, child. You must protect that baby.”

“I will. I promise.”

After her, you turned to Bong-Cha, who gave you an approving nod as she slipped on her coat. “You’ve made him very happy tonight,” she said.

You smiled at her warmly. “He deserves it.”

When the door finally clicked shut behind them, a heavy, contented silence filled the house. You turned the lock and exhaled, the weight of the evening finally settling over you. When you turned around, Thanos was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his dark eyes watching you.

“Do you hate me?” you asked in your cutest tone, prancing toward him with a teasing smile.

“Let’s see,” he began, his voice laced with mock annoyance. “You threw me a surprise party even though you know I hate surprises. You embarrassed me with a Marvel cake—cute, but still embarrassing. And there’s glitter everywhere. Everywhere.”

You smirked, swaying as you approached him, lifting the hem of your dress just enough to show a hint of thigh. “But?”

His expression softened instantly as his hands found your hips, pulling you flush against him. “But…” he said, his voice low, “I’ve never been fucking happier.” His lips pressed firmly to yours, tender but insistent. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours. “I can’t believe you’re giving me a child…”

“You’re going to be such a good dad, Su-Bong,” you whispered, your voice trembling with emotion.

He winced slightly, but not from discomfort—it was rare you used his real name, and hearing it fall from your lips like a caress always unraveled him. “Go run the bath,” he murmured. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

You nodded, your smile radiant, and skipped off toward the master bathroom.

Thanos stayed behind for a moment, his hand slipping into his pocket. He pulled out the pregnancy test, the little pink plus staring back at him. It was surreal. His breath caught as he studied it, his chest tightening.

“Fuck,” he whispered, his voice breaking as tears slipped down his face. A soft, overwhelmed laugh followed. He tilted his head back, his shoulders sagging under the weight of gratitude. Whatever gods or fate had orchestrated this, he thanked them silently—for you, for this life, for this second chance he never thought he’d get.

Carefully, he placed the test on the mantle above the fireplace. It was small, but it was everything. He wanted to see it every day—a symbol of the life you were building together.

When he stepped into the bathroom, the lights were off, and the room glowed with the warm flicker of candlelight. Steam curled lazily from the soapy water filling the tub, and there you were, nestled in the bubbles, your hair pinned up, lashes fluttering as you met his gaze.

“Join me,” you said softly, your voice inviting, your smile luminous in the candlelight.

Without hesitation, Thanos stripped out of his clothes, letting them pool on the floor before stepping into the tub. The water rippled around him as he settled in opposite you, taking one of your feet into his hands. His fingers kneaded gently into the arch, his touch soothing yet intimate.

He leaned back slightly, his dark eyes roaming over you, drinking in your beauty. “Thank you,” he said after a moment. His voice was soft but heavy with meaning. “For today. For everything.”

You smiled, your cheeks flushing faintly. “Did you enjoy your party?”

“It was amazing,” he said, his lips curving into a small smile. His hands moved to your toes, his lips pressing soft kisses against them. “Your gift…” He trailed off, shaking his head as if words couldn’t capture how he felt. “You were right. It’s my favorite.”

Your grin widened, your heart swelling with joy. “C’mere,” you said, reaching for him.

Thanos shifted in the water, moving to your side of the tub. He pulled you into his arms, cradling you against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat echoed in your ear as his hands gently traced patterns along your arms.

His hand moved gently beneath the water, his fingers grazing over your still-flat belly before traveling lower. The touch was tender, reverent, as if he was savoring every inch of you. His middle finger slipped through your slick folds, eliciting a soft moan from you that vibrated against his neck.

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he pressed a single finger inside you, his other hand sliding up to cup your breast, his thumb grazing over your sensitive nipple. The warmth of the bath surrounded you, but it was nothing compared to the heat building between your bodies.

“Mmm, fuck, T…” you murmured, leaning your head back against his broad shoulder. You floated in his arms, completely at his mercy, your body melting into his.

His lips brushed your temple as he added a second finger, curling them just right, sending waves of pleasure rippling through you. Your loud, unrestrained moan filled the room, your back arching as his fingers worked you with deliberate care. You could feel the press of his growing arousal against your lower back, a firm reminder of how much he wanted you.

“Feel good, baby?” he whispered in your ear, his voice low and intoxicating.

“So fucking good…” you whimpered, your voice breathy and needy as he curled his fingers again, hitting that perfect spot.

“T…” you gasped, your words barely audible, a desperate plea for more.

“Tell me what you need, baby,” he murmured, his lips trailing to the shell of your ear before placing a slow, teasing kiss on your cheek.

“From behind, please…” you begged, your voice trembling with anticipation.

His lips quirked into a grin. “As you wish, princess.”

Gently, he withdrew his fingers, bringing them to his mouth and sucking them clean, his dark eyes locked onto yours with a heated intensity. “You taste incredible,” he said softly before helping you stand, the water cascading off your body as he positioned you at the edge of the tub.

You leaned forward, gripping the porcelain for balance as he knelt behind you. His hands gently spread your legs, and then his tongue found you, his warm breath ghosting over your sensitive skin. He took his time, savoring every part of you, his tongue exploring your folds with a mix of gentle licks and firm strokes.

Your whimpers filled the room as he worked you, his lips and tongue driving you closer to the edge. “Fuck, T! You’re going to make me cum!” you cried out, your thighs trembling.

He smiled against you, the vibrations of his chuckle sending another wave of pleasure through you. He pushed his tongue deeper, moving in and out, savoring the way your body responded to him. Just as you felt yourself begin to tighten, teetering on the edge of release, he pulled back, his lips glistening as he stood.

“You’re going to cum on my cock, princess,” he said, his voice husky and commanding.

“Mmmkay…” you whimpered, your desperation evident as you arched your hips, needing him.

He positioned himself behind you, his hands gripping your hips as he lined himself up with your entrance. “Think I can get you pregnant again?” he teased, his voice playful but filled with desire.

“You can certainly try…” you replied, your words a breathy challenge.

He chuckled softly before pressing into you, inch by inch, the stretch making your eyes roll back. No matter how many times you’d been with him, his size always took your breath away.

He started slowly, his movements deliberate, as though he wanted to memorize every sensation. He watched as his length disappeared into you, glistening with your arousal, the sight nearly undoing him.

“You tired, baby?” he asked, his voice thick with affection as he noticed your head resting lazily against the tub.

“No… Just feels so good…” you whimpered, completely overwhelmed by the pleasure coursing through you.

His lips curved into a soft smile as he picked up the pace, his hips snapping against yours with more urgency. You felt the knot in your stomach tighten, your breathing shallow as you neared the edge again.

“Shit, baby, I’m close,” he panted, his grip on your hips tightening as he thrust faster.

The tension built between you until it finally snapped. You cried out his name, your body shaking as your release washed over you, your walls clenching around him. With a few more thrusts, he followed, groaning as he buried himself deep, his warmth flooding you.

He collapsed against your back, his forehead resting against your shoulder as he caught his breath. “Fuck, baby…” he murmured, his voice soft and filled with awe.

“You fuck me so good every time, T…” you whispered, a small laugh escaping your lips. “Guess that’s why we’re having a baby.”

He laughed with you, his arms wrapping around your waist as he kissed your shoulder. Slowly, he pulled out of you, both of you sighing at the loss. He reached for the drain, letting the water empty before grabbing a towel and carefully drying you off.

He took his time, rubbing lotion into your skin with gentle hands, his touch lingering with love. When you were dressed in your silky pink pajamas, and he had slipped on a pair of boxers, he led you to bed.

The moment your head hit the pillow, you sighed in relief, exhaustion pulling at your eyelids. Thanos climbed in beside you, pulling you into his arms and pressing a tender kiss to your forehead.

“Goodnight, jagi. Thank you for everything,” he whispered, his voice low and full of emotion.

“Love you forever, baby. Happy birthday,” you murmured against his chest, your words soft as sleep overtook you.

Thanos held you close, his heart full as he stared at the ceiling. He couldn’t stop picturing the future—a little one with your eyes and his smile running around the house. Tears pricked his eyes as he imagined the life ahead, a life filled with love, laughter, and the family he’d never thought he deserved.

He lay awake for hours, daydreaming about the life you were building together, until finally, sleep claimed him, his arms wrapped securely around you.

© loveesiren 2025 - do not copy, translate, transfer, or repost my work without my permission. if you find my work on sites other than through links i've provided, please notify me.

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[cassiesc0rner]

Impurities VI

Synopsis: You're the new girl at East Highland High, your only goal is to get through school. Until you come across Nate Jacobs

Genre: slight fluff, suggestive

Pairing: Nate x fem!reader

Warnings: manipulation, lying, jealousy, consumption of alcohol, mentions of weed, Imk if I missed something

Song rec: doin’ time - ldr I lauren - men i trust | the color violet - tory lanez | outwest - jackboys | private landing - don toliver

WC: +7,1k

Other parts: previous part, next part

A/N: Thank you guys so much for being so patient with me I really appreciate it, a special thanks to @lilyrachelcassidy for proofreading, and helping me with this part💋 and also thank you 💿 anon for the ideas you gave me in your asks ᥫ᭡

A few days have passed since Nate and Max's encounter, and to Max's dismay, Nate was now involved in the planning of his birthday. It wasn't only weird for you, because you felt like Max was scared of Nate, it was also extremely uncomfortable for Max, who felt like he was walking on eggshells.

The three of you sat together in a nearby café, as you went over the final details for the party. You couldn't help but notice that something was off. Something about the way Max avoided looking at both of you, and the way he sometimes stumbled over his words when he explained something.

He wasn't like this when you two met up alone. He was funny, constantly cracking jokes, talking to you normally and he was full of enthusiasm. He wasn't this nervous or quiet and reserved.

You tried to ignore the feeling, reminding yourself that this was for Nate's birthday, and that everything should be easier now that he's in on the plan. But you just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

You glanced at Nate, who looked as calm as ever. But something about his calmness made you suspicious, because you were sure that Nate was really perceptive, always paying attention to his surroundings and the way people behaved.

He wasn't oblivious, so why didn't he ask Max what's going on? Did he simply not care, or was he still mad because you met up behind his back? Did they have a fight you didn't know about?

You felt like, every time Nate said something or disagreed with something Max said, Max got quieter and agreed with him.

It made you feel weird, and you just wanted the meeting to end as quick as possible, so you could escape the tension and be alone with Nate. You remembered thinking about hanging out with both of them when you met up with Max for the first time.

But this is not how you imagined it.

"What do you think about that?" Nate suddenly asked, as he placed his hand on your thigh, the touch pulling you back to reality. You looked back at him, as you tried to remember what they were talking about.

When Nate saw the confusion written all over your face, he continued "Max and I were talking about who we should invite, and I said that we should only invite a few people from the team, the cheer squad and some of the other popular students."

You nodded along, trying to catch up "That sounds good.. but don't you think we should also invite those, that aren't necessarily popular?" you asked nervously.

The popular crowd always used to intimidate you.

No matter which school you went to, the popular kids would always make you uncomfortable. Whether it was because they saw everyone else as below them, or because they bullied everyone who dared to disobey them.

You didn't really interact with any popular kids yet, except for Nate, Maddy and Max, and you were absolutely scared about what the others might think of you.

You didn't dress like them, you didn't act like them, and you were well aware of the looks some of the girls gave you, when you walked hand in hand with Nate, not to mention the chuckles and giggles that would follow sometimes.

You weren't sure how you're supposed to spend more than five minutes in the same room with them. You didn't expect Nate to be by your side the entire time either, of course he would want to talk to his friends.

Nate pretended to think for a moment as his gaze sharpened "I'm not sure, baby.. I don't want a bunch of randoms at my party. I mean what if they cause problems?" he reasoned calmly.

You nodded understandingly before you responded "No, you're totally right.. It's just I really think, it might be a good chance for other students to feel included too, you know?" you explained carefully.

Nate didn't give a crap about the 'normal students' and he felt like you shouldn't either. Sure, some of them were your friends now, but he couldn't help but feel like you both were above them.

He couldn't tell you that though, you would get the wrong idea of him. "Fine.. I mean you can invite your friends too, it's just that I don't know the other students. I'm not.. excluding them or anything just because they're not popular. I just know the popular crowd way better, and most of them are cool." he explained

"Right Max?" he asked as his gaze wandered back to his teammate. Max nodded "Yeah, they're super chill." he quickly replied, as he looked at you –but not for long, way too scared that Nate might misinterpret it again.

You nodded understandingly "Alright, thank you for letting me invite my friends.." You smiled at Nate, who smiled back at you as his thumb rubbed over your thigh. "But there are some people who definitely aren't welcome, like Maddy and Cassie, and their friends.. They're just bad news." Max nodded in response.

"Are you sure they'd even consider coming in the first place, though?" he asked softly, to which Nate shrugged "I'm sure Maddy and Kat wouldn't, but Cassie... I mean fuck, she still used to text me everyday until recently." Nate scoffed.

That was new.

Why didn't he tell you about that? You furrowed your brows as you looked at Nate "What do you mean she still texted you until recently?" you asked, completely bewildered. Nate just shrugged nonchalantly "Why didn't you tell me?" you added.

Nate sighed "Because it's not important, I don't care about what she does." He reasoned. You nodded "Okay, but I think it's important. I mean, she's clearly harassing you.." you responded.

Nate wasn't sure how to feel about this side of you. He's seen you jealous before, but you never verbally showed it, so this was new to him. "Well, what am I supposed to do? I already blocked her, but she still calls me with an unknown number.." he defended himself.

The truth was, he didn't exactly block her.

He was seriously scared that Cassie would approach you one day, and tell you everything that happened between them, or him and Maddy.

That's why he was scared to block her at first. He even tired threatening her not to do it many times, but she had nothing to lose and he knew that.

"Maybe I should talk to her." you mumbled grumpily. Nate immediately shook his head "No absolutely not, you're not gonna talk to her, alright?" he declared, his tone more serious "Cassie's fucked in the head, you can't talk to her, who knows what she'll do.." he reasoned.

"Then it's even more important that I talk to her, because she clearly didn't listen to you." Nate sighed again "Y/n, please.. can we just not talk about this in front of Max?" he asked, his tone just the slightest bit annoyed. You shook your head "No, I'm actually glad he's here, I'd love to hear his opinion."

Max swallowed harshly. He was so glad he wasn't a part of this discussion so far, and now he had to give his opinion on something like this, while Nate was right in front of him.

"Um.. I'm sure if Nate says he handled it, you shouldn't have to worry." he shrugged. You sighed "He clearly didn't handle it if she still calls him."

Nate liked how much you cared about him, and how furious you seemed to get, just because another girl was texting and calling him. But he also felt weird because his girl was trying to take care of his business, when it should be the other way around.

Nate looked back at Max as you continued "I mean, calling your ex with an unknown or hidden number is so.. creepy. Especially if you bombarded them with texts for literal weeks." you explained.

"She's gonna stop eventually, it's really not that deep." Nate reasoned casually. "No, you don't get it. Do I have to remind you how angry you got when you found out Max and I were meeting up behind your back? How is this any better?" You suddenly blurted out.

Max was so sure he couldn't feel more uncomfortable at the beginning of your meeting, even when it became gradually worse, but now he was sure it was still possible.

He looked at Nate with fear in his eyes, sure that he was probably about to get mad at you, when he saw that cold look in his eyes for a split moment.

Nate looked back at you "You can't compare that. You literally lied to me when I asked you who you're meeting up with, I didn't lie to you about Cassie." he said, his voice slightly lower than before.

"Yeah, and instead of trusting me, and letting me handle something, you forced the truth out of me." you retorted sarcastically. Nate didn't like your tone at all, and he wanted to assert himself "Look, I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry for caring so much about you, and wanting to know the truth, jesus.."

You squinted your eyes at him, because that's exactly what your mother would say, when she tried to make you feel bad for something she did. You were sure that Nate didn't do it with any ill intent, and that he probably just did care a lot, but you couldn't help but notice the similarity.

And Nate seemed to notice that you were thinking about what he just said, just by the look on your face "That's literally something my mom would say in an argument." you pointed out, before raising your hand in defeat. "But, hey, I get it, you're worried and we both made mistakes. But please understand that I don't want Cassie to harass us."

Nate nodded understandingly, calming down just slightly, once he heard the sincerity in your voice. "I'll take care of it, don't worry, alright?" he said, as he stroked your cheek gently. Despite not wanting to let him go that easily, you couldn't help but smile and lean into his touch.

He knew this would work, it always did when you were to disagree with him.

"So, where were we?"

A few days had passed after you two met up with Max, and with the birthday party just two days away, you were more than glad the stress of planning everything was over.

You even found a birthday present for Nate.

You recently went to a jewelry store nearby, where you came across a silver bracelet. It was classy, but not too extravagant which meant he could wear it all the time. You even decided to pay some extra money to get the initials of your first names engraved into it, just to make it even more special.

You were sure you'd be broke after Nate's birthday, since you also had to buy something to wear to the party.

Which is why you were at the mall right now.

When Nate asked where you'd be going after school and you told him you'd look for something to wear to his birthday, he immediately wanted to come along, to help you choose.

But you wanted your outfit to be a surprise, and you definitely wanted to impress him and show him that your sense of fashion changed for the better.

You entered one of the many stores in the mall and immediately felt somewhat.. strange.

You were so used to going shopping with Nate, that it felt strange to enter the shop alone now. It felt like your social anxiety got even worse now that you were alone with all these people in the store.

You wished you were invisible.

It was hard to understand why you felt this way, because you were so sure that you missed going alone, with your earbuds in, trying to ignore everyone else around you. But now you wished Nate was here with you, holding your hand and almost dragging you along with him when he found something new for you to wear.

You didn't like how dependent you were on him, because you didn't want to burden him in any way. Just because you were together didn't mean you'd have to be glued to each other all the time.

But the urge to call him and tell him to come right now was immense. Especially because Nate told you that you could call him if you want him to pick you up from there.

You tried to calm down, and turned the volume of your music up, before taking one last deep breath, and walked further into the store, deciding to check the dresses out first.

Once you saw the rack of dresses, you instantly knew you had to get one since you were sure Nate would want you to wear one.

However, upon further inspection, you noticed that they were all either short, see through, or both. You were used to wearing skirts on the shorter side, so you decided that choosing a short dress wouldn't be that bad.

Not to mention, that you were sure the other girls would also wear something that would show a lot of skin. You didn't want Nate to look at them, and be sad that his girlfriend didn't dress nicely.

You took three different dresses, and made your way to the dressing room.

Once you closed the thick lilac curtain, you sighed feeling relaxed now that you were truly alone. You tried each of the dresses on, looking at each and every angle.

Then you finally decided to wear the last dress you put on: A sultry black satin dress, which had a more sexy look compared to the others. It was also rather short and contained two strings next to the waist, which you could use to adjust the length of the bottom.

You missed wearing darker clothes, and this dress was the perfect opportunity to do so, while also making Nate happy.

You made your way over to the cash register, trying to calm your nerves as you prepared what you were going to say to the young woman. Usually Nate always handled this kind of stuff, and you never had to say anything to the cashier, except for a 'bye' once Nate was done.

But you had to get used to it, you didn't plan on letting Nate do everything for you in the future.

"Where are you going dressed like this?"

You were just about to leave for Nate's party when your mother interrupted you.

It wasn't just the fact that you wore a short dress this time, no. You were well aware of the fact that you looked like you were about to go to a club.

You adjusted the length of your black dress on one side earlier, causing the dress to expose one of your thighs. You also decided to wear some simple, matching black heels, which you wore to one of your dad's company parties, as well as the YSL bag Nate bought you.

And yeah, maybe you also wore more makeup, and smelled like you bathed in perfume, but today was an important day after all.

"I'm going to Nate's birthday party.. I already told you." You rolled your eyes, not ready to have yet another discussion with her, just because of the way you dressed.

"Yeah, of course you are.. why did I even ask." Your mother scoffed, to which you rolled your eyes. "Your dad and I have to talk to you.. either now or when you're back." she announced.

You tilted your head and looked past her, your eyes landing on your father who was sitting in the kitchen. You gulped, scared of what they were about to tell you.

"Fine, just tell me tomorrow.." you said. Sure, you were curious about what they wanted to tell you, but in case it would ruin your mood, it would be better to find out after Nate's birthday.

You didn't want to be pissed on his special day. Also, you and Max worked so hard to make this day perfect and you wanted to enjoy yourself. Not to mention that you couldn't possibly hide your feelings from Nate.

Your mom nodded in response "Alright," she eyed you up and down in a disapproving manner once more, "have fun at Nate's party." she added coldly, but you didn't miss the undertone.

You subtly narrowed your eyes at her before leaving. Now you were sure whatever it was your parents wanted to tell you, would put you in a bad mood.

You were well aware of the fact that they disapproved of your relationship with Nate, and it was safe to assume that they were about to try to separate the two of you.

"Max, where are the balloons?" you shouted across the huge living room "Um.. I think they're still in my car, I'll get them just gimme a sec!" he yelled back.

You two were currently decorating the living room, since the party was about to start soon. You told Nate explicitly to let you two handle the decoration alone.

Which obviously irritated him again.

Not really because he was scared that you'd cheat on him, it was more the fact that Nate had no control over what the two of you would be talking about. What if Max would come clean with you, and tell you everything Nate said to him in the locker room?

Nate knew deep down that Max probably wouldn't do that, or that it might only happen if you would confront him about it. But since you didn't have any suspicions in the first place, he was sure you wouldn't ask.

Not to mention that Nate could –and would– ruin Max's life in return.

Once Max returned from his car, you started pumping them up together. "I'm so glad almost everything went well." you sighed. "What didn't go well?" Max asked as he furrowed his brows.

"Actually, the most important thing.. It's not a surprise anymore." You replied "But that was his fault, not ours." you added jokingly. Max nodded in return, contemplating whether to ask you about what happened or not. But his curiosity got the best of him.

"How did he find out by the way? You never told me, you just texted me that he knows." Max asked carefully, yet with a hint of a chuckle to keep the conversation as lighthearted as possible.

You sighed in return "He.. got mad at me. Apparently he saw me get into your car after school, and he thought I was cheating on him." you rolled your eyes.

Max chuckled nervously "Oh.." he was so glad that Nate didn't approach him first, because he definitely wouldn't have listened to Max. Hell, he'd be glad if he'd even still be alive afterwards. "Yeah, I was so sure he didn't see me.." you frowned.

Max was also sure he couldn't have possibly seen you.

Because when your lessons ended, Nate still had one lesson left. So how was he able to see you get into his car when he was sitting in his classroom?

The only possible time when he could've seen you two together, was maybe at the mall in case he rushed there after school for some unknown reason. Or... when he drove you home..

Goosebumps broke out on his arms at the mere thought of him following you around. Sure, Nate was possessive, but that possessive? "Yeah, same..." He added as he played around with the balloon.

"But.. why did he think you're cheating on him?" Max started again. "Probably because I lied to him about going to Mia's place." You explained, "He basically had to force the truth out of me." you joked.

Max suddenly looked up from the balloon in his hand. "He forced it out of you?.. How?" He asked hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to know what horrible things he put you through in order to get you to speak.

This time you looked down at the balloon in your hand. You didn't want to think about it, you knew he was just scared and acted out on it. "Oh he just... kinda lost his temper.." You responded softly.

Max cursed himself for actually caring. He shouldn't be this close with you, even if he had no romantic intentions with you.

Nate made that very clear.

But he just couldn't help but feel incredibly bad for you. "He didn't hurt you.. right?" he chuckled drily, his eyes scanning your expression.

You quickly shook your head, chuckling as well "No, Nate wouldn't hurt me.. he just got angry and hit the wall.." you trailed off.

Sure, that's what happened, but you definitely left out a few things. The fact that he said a lot of condescending things, and pushed you against said wall, for example.

Max noticed that there was more to the story, simply by the way you were fidgeting with the balloon. But he decided not to press any further, since he didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. Plus, he could already tell that Nate probably berated you.

"Jesus, that sounds pretty rough.. I hope you're okay now." Max responded to which you nodded "Yeah, everything is fine now, don't worry." you reassured him.

Just as Max was about to say something, you were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. You didn't pay attention to the time as you two decorated everything, so you didn't notice that it was that late already.

You looked at Max, as he stood up and went to open the door. You were praying that it was one of your classmates which you invited earlier this week. But once you heard multiple voices, which all didn't belong to any of your friends, you started to feel on edge.

Max came back into the living room with three other girls and two guys. You smiled at them as you greeted them. You noticed that the girls were part of the cheer team.

You haven't really talked to any of the girls from the cheer team before, but you were sure that Max was close to them. So the thought of just sitting there while they all chatted and laughed, made you feel extremely anxious.

But to your surprise, they were friendlier than you thought. Once they entered the room they greeted you, the girls even complimented your look, despite them looking just as good.

And as you chatted with them, the time seemed to go by so much faster. Until everyone arrived and it was finally time for Nate to arrive.

It wasn't a surprise party anymore, but you demanded Nate to only come once everyone arrived and you finished decorating.

You looked into the mirror in the hallway once more to check if you still looked as good as you did when you left the house.

You quickly grabbed your purse and refreshed your perfume before fixing your dress a little bit "Y/n, Nate just pulled up in the driveway!" Max whisper-yelled. "Coming!" you responded.

You asked Max if he could buy a cake for today and luckily he found one. He even refused to take your money when you wanted to pay for it.

You placed a few candles onto the cake, ready to welcome Nate with the cake in your hands. "Did you light the candles?" You asked as you quickly jogged into the living room. "I'm on it.." He said, as he and another guy from the football team lit the candles.

You heard the thud of Nate's car door, and looked back at the candles which were finally lit. Then you quickly took the cake into your hands while Max made his way to the door, opening it before Nate could ring the door.

Nate's eyes widened in surprise, as everyone said "Happy birthday!" in unison. But even despite the fact that there were about 40 people in front of him, his eyes landed on you, his beautiful, gorgeous girlfriend who smiled so lovingly at him.

And then his eyes were fixated on your dress.

And the way your current position allowed him to catch a glimpse of your chest "Make a wish!" you pushed him, as if the candles were waiting to be blown.

He chuckled, before closing his eyes and quickly thinking of a wish. Then he blew the candles out, and everyone cheered.

And still, he only spared them a quick glance and a smile before putting his focus back on you, and making sure to place a kiss onto your lips. This again caused some of the guys to roar once more.

"Thank you guys for coming, I really appreciate it," Nate finally spoke. "and thank you, for planning all of this with Max." he smiled down at you, as he cupped your cheeks. "Can we get a round of applause for my beautiful girlfriend?" Nate added, which caused you to shyly nudge him.

And as if on demand they started to applaud you.

It always fascinated you how much influence Nate seemed to have over almost everyone. No matter what it is, they'd literally do anything if he demands it. You couldn't help but wonder what caused everyone to just blindly follow him like that.

After a few minutes, the party finally got started. Hip-Hop music was blasting through the speakers, and some of the students already made their way to the kitchen, grabbing bottles of liquor and cups, ready to mix their drinks.

Some other students were simply sitting in the living room while chatting and laughing, some were outside smoking. And you were left with Nate who just smirked at you.

You chuckled once he stayed silent "Why are you looking at me like that?" Nate scoffed "Have you seen yourself? You look fucking amazing." he reasoned, as his hands made their way to your waist.

"Can't believe you chose that dress..." he added, as he paid attention to how the material felt under his hands.

"I'm glad you like it.." you smiled.

"Shit, I don't just like it, I love it." he confirmed.

"I wish I could take it off though.." he added as he looked down at your cleavage. You shyly glanced around, hoping no one saw or heard the two of you. "Can we go outside for a moment? I still need to give you your present." you smiled proudly.

Nate furrowed his brows. Did you really buy him something? After you must've spent so much for this party already. "What present? I thought this party was your present already." he chuckled.

You shook your head "Nope, I got you something." Nate blinked at you, seemingly at a loss of words. "Come on, I wanna give it to you!" you exclaimed as you grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

Nate was still dumbfounded, trying to guess what you could've possibly bought him. "Close your eyes and extend your hand." You grinned. Nate scoffed before he complied.

You quickly pulled the small gift box out of your purse, before softly placing it in his hands "You can look now.." you whispered. Nate slowly opened his eyes and inspected the gift box, before looking back at you "Y/n, you really didn't have to do this. I'm sure the party was expensive enough.."

And he really meant it.

He knew that Max also paid for some of the stuff, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't want you to spend that much money on him. He was the man in the relationship, and he should pay for your things, not the other way around.

He already planned on paying you back, giving you princess treatment, taking and eating you out, the list was long.

"I know, but I don't care if I spend money on you for once. It's your birthday after all, and today should be your special day." You smiled, and he couldn't help but lean down and press a slow, loving kiss onto your lips.

You kissed him back softly, before Nate looked down at you and caressed your cheek "I don't deserve you.." he whispered softly as he frowned.

You shook your head in response "I don't deserve you, Nate." you responded, as your hand stroked Nate's. "You've done so much for me, it's only right I treat you good too for once."

Nate knew he was right. He didn't deserve you.

But he just had to be selfish and keep you all to himself. He was sure you two were meant for each other in a way, and he'd try his best to make you happy.

"Come on now, open the present!" you urged, excited to see his reaction. He chuckled in return before finally turning his attention back to the box in his hand. He lifted the top and looked at the bracelet inside.

Then he removed it from the box and inspected it further. "Do you like it..?" you asked nervously. When Nate didn't respond and just continued to inspect the bracelet, you added "I actually... engraved something into it."

Nate looked at the silver rectangle-shaped charm, which indeed had their initials engraved. Nate swallowed harshly as he just stared at it for a moment.

While his silence was a sign of adoration and appreciation, you took it as a negative sign, maybe he didn't like it, or it was too much that early into your relationsh- "Y/n..." he said softly.

You looked up at him "Y-yes?" Nate averted his gaze from the bracelet back to you "Fuck.. I don't even know what to say..."

Nate recently thought about buying promise rings for you two, but he didn't want you to think things were moving too fast, so he decided to wait.

But your present just showed him that you felt the same way about him. He couldn't help but feel proud as he looked at you "That's probably the best present I've ever received. Thank you so much.."

He opened the bracelet and tried to put it on, as fast as possible. When you noticed how he struggled however, you chuckled "Come on, let me help you.." Nate held his hand in front of you, and you instantly closed the bracelet. "I'm so glad you like it." you finally squealed in excitement.

Nate chuckled before wrapping his arms around your waist and leaning down to press kisses all over your face, and neck.

God, he needed to be inside you.

"I love you so much, princess," he whispered into your ear. "Can't wait 'til we're all alone later, so I can show you just how much I appreciate you," he rasped, which caused your eyes to widen in both excitement and shock.

"Is that a promise?" you asked shyly "Of course it is." He smirked in return. "Let's go back inside, and get something to drink, yeah?" You nodded in return, as you followed him back inside.

Nate made a beeline towards the kitchen, your hand in his as he pulled you through the crowded living room. "So... I assume you never really drank any alcohol before, right?" he asked as he opened Max's fridge.

You nodded slowly "I had like.. one glass of champagne at one of my dad's company parties.." you stated, hoping he wouldn't think you're too boring "Cute." he chuckled "But I'm gonna show you the real stuff now, I'm sure you'll like it."

Nate placed a cup in front of him before he grabbed a bottle of bacardi, and poured some of it into the cup. Then he placed the bottle back onto the cabinet and grabbed some pineapple and coconut juice, also pouring some of it into the cup.

He himself grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured it into his cup, not bothering to mix it with anything. Once he was done, he handed you your cup and smiled at you. You excitedly looked into the cup, and took a sip of it.

You furrowed your brows, since you expected it to taste a lot like alcohol, but for some reason you could only taste the juice. "Wow.. you're a pro at mixing drinks." You smiled "It barely tastes like alcohol, right?" he smirked, to which you nodded.

Nate took a sip of his cup as well, his facial expression barely changing as he drank the vodka. "Can I try yours?" Nate smiled in return "You can, but I'm not sure if you really want to." he held his cup invitingly towards you, before you grabbed it and took a small sip.

Your face almost immediately contorted as you shivered. Your stomach started to heat up, as you felt the hard liquor run down your throat. "Ugh.. How can you even drink that with a straight face?" you asked.

Nate couldn't help but laugh at how innocent you were as you looked up at him, completely confused. "You just get used to it when you attend a lot of parties." he reasoned.

You shook your head "I don't think I can attend enough parties to make this taste fine.." Nate chuckled, as you took a few large sips of your own cup, to make the taste go away.

Then you placed your cup down onto the counter "You want me to mix you something new, before we go back to the living room?" Nate asked, once he noticed your cup was almost empty.

You contemplated for a moment before finally nodding "Sure, as long as it's not just vodka.." you joked. Nate smiled before reaching for your cup.

While he was busy mixing you a new drink, you couldn't help but think about what he said earlier. You were anticipating whatever Nate would do to you later. No matter what you two did so far, it always felt good and he paid so much attention to your pleasure.

You noticed however, that he was holding back sometimes, maybe because he was scared to hurt you, or afraid you'd judge him. You weren't sure.

You were hoping that Nate would let go tonight, and fully trust you. But no matter what would happen, he promised to appreciate you tonight.

And you knew that Nate always kept his promises.

Nate and you made your way back to the crowd as the loud music blasted through the speakers. some students were dancing, some were chatting, and some were downright making out.

Nate walked over to the couch, before plopping down next to one of his teammates, who was clearly in another world judging by the look on his face.

Nate smirked, as he patted his lap invitingly. You shyly sat down, not putting your full weight on him until he pulled you closer towards him. The smell of weed filled your nose and you scrunched your nose in return.

"Yo.." he slurred, as he held what you assumed to be the source of the smell in his hand. "Is that your first one tonight?" Nate nodded towards the joint in his hand. The other guy shook his head "Nah, probably my third." He mumbled before taking a drag.

Then he held it towards Nate, offering him a hit as well. Nate hesitantly took the joint out of his hand before taking a drag.

He wasn't sure how you'd react to him smoking, maybe you'd think bad about him, or dislike it. But once he noticed you were just raising your eyebrows at him in surprise, he was sure you didn't.

"Didn't know you smoke." you said teasingly, which caused him to chuckle. "Yeah, I mean I don't do it regularly of course.." Nate defended himself before taking another drag, and passing it back to his friend.

"Why? Do you mind?" he asked nonchalantly, wanting to make sure you really didn't mind. You shook your head "No, as you said, you don't do it everyday." you replied.

To be honest, you were curious about what it felt like to be high, but you were way too nervous to try it. Everyone perceived it as something dangerous, and your parents warned you, telling you it’s a dangerous drug.

It was already exciting enough to drink properly for the first time, and so far you didn't really feel much. You just hoped nothing bad or embarrassing would happen to you.

Nate paid close attention to your cup, encouraging you to take a sip from time to time. And whenever it was empty he'd ask if you wanted a refill.

After your third refill you started to notice the effect of the alcohol. You were currently sitting next to Nate, since his friend decided to get up at some point.

Nate observed you well enough to notice that you were starting to get tipsy. He was surprised it didn't happen earlier since you were so new to drinking.

But it didn’t bother him, he knew there was enough alcohol left to get you absolutely drunk. "Everything alright?" he asked, placing his hand on your thigh to get your attention.

You slowly looked over at Nate and nodded with a content smile "Yeah.. what about you?" you asked, visibly tipsy. Nate chuckled "Yeah me too. Is your cup empty? You haven't tried malibu one yet." He added.

You chuckled in return "Malibu.. sounds fun, I'm in." you quickly emptied your cup, and hummed afterwards. Then you held your cup towards Nate, your moves uncoordinated.

"Don't you wanna come along?" he asked as he got up. You pouted and shook your head "I like the couch, it's comfy." you mumbled before leaning your head back onto the headrest.

Nate actually would've preferred it if you would've come along with him. He didn't want to leave you on your own in your current state.

He didn't trust the other tipsy or drunk guys around you, who knows what kind of ideas they might get. He sighed "Alright, I'll be right back. Stay here okay?" he said sternly, but the tone didn't reach you "Yeah sure.." you smiled, as you closed your eyes.

As Nate rushed into the kitchen, you lost yourself in the music which was blaring through the speakers, as the bass vibrated through your body. And before you knew it, Nate already returned with your cup in his hand.

"Wow, you were so quick." you exclaimed as you tried to sit up straight again "Yeah, didn't want to leave you alone here." he explained, trying to sound neutral.

Your eyes followed his every move as he sat down next to you again. Your gaze completely fixated on your boyfriend. You still weren't over the fact that you got so lucky to be dating him.

You couldn't help but stare at him as the dim party lights illuminated his face. He looked so pretty while he took a sip from his cup, before licking his lips. Everything about him was mesmerizing.

Your eyes trailed down from his face to his shoulder, then to his muscular arm which held the cup in his hand. You wanted nothing more than for Nate to manhandle you. You blamed it on the alcohol, as if you didn't also have these thoughts when you were absolutely sober.

"You still there, Princess?" Nate asked, as a smirk threatened to make its way to his lips. Nate felt your gaze burn into his side, and when he looked at you he instantly knew what kind of look that was.

"Mhm, why?" you asked before taking a sip from your cup. "Mhh, is this the malibu drink you were talking about?" Nate smiled as he nodded "You like it?" you took another large sip before answering "Yeah, this might be the best drink I've had tonight." you said.

Nate chuckled before leaning back against the sofa. When you remained quiet for some time, Nate glanced over at you, noticing that you were still staring at him "What's wrong, hm?" he asked as he turned towards you.

You giggled in return before averting your gaze back to the cup in your hand. "Nothing 's just.." Nate waited patiently for you to continue "You just.. you're really hot.. you know?" you finally responded.

Nate chuckled in response, "That so?" he asked before leaning in closer "What's so hot about me, hm?" You swallowed, because even that was hot.

"Where do I even start," your speech seemed to have become more slurred by now "you're so, so tall, your voice makes me feel things I didn't know I could feel."

Nate raised an eyebrow at your bold confession, not used to you being so open about your thoughts with him, but also loving every second of it. Then your free hand moved towards his arm, slightly squeezing at his biceps "And your arms.. hmm.. so strong." you giggled.

The way you talked to him made him want to ditch his own birthday party, and take you home to have you in every way possible. Nate leaned in even closer "My arms huh?” he teased, slightly flexing the muscle below your hand. “What else, Princess?” He asked, his tone almost teasing as he was genuinely curious.

You smiled, your heavy lidded eyes glued to his face. “Everything about you is hot.” you confessed, the alcohol clearly loosening you up. “Your jawline,” you breathed “your eyes– the way you look at me sometimes.”

You felt a shiver run down your spine once you noticed, that Nate was giving you the exact look you just mentioned. “The way I look at you.. How exactly do I look at you?” he asked, “I don’t know how to explain it, it’s like… you only have eyes for me,” Nate hummed in response.

“like you own me.” you pointed out, too amazed to stop the words from slipping out. Nate raised his eyebrows ever so slightly, pleasantly surprised by your words. “Like I own you, huh?” he murmured, his voice low enough to make your stomach flip.

He leaned in, his lips nearly brushing the shell of your ear “Maybe that’s because I do.” he whispered, his hand slowly moving to rest on your thigh, and his grip firm enough to make you gasp.

You felt a wave of heat wash through your body. The alcohol in your system seemed to make things even more intense than they were already, everything around you felt blurry, but his touch and his words were crystal clear.

He pulled back slightly, just enough to meet your gaze “Do you like that? Knowing you’re mine?” he asked, as his thumb stroked over your exposed thigh. As if on autopilot you felt yourself nodding.

“Yeah?” he pressed, loving the way he clearly affected you. Before you could answer his hand slid further up your leg “Good,” he said, his voice low and commanding.

“Because you’ll always be mine.”

✎Holy shit this took way too long, but here it is. I’m currently working on the next part and hope that I can finally add hyperlinks again since it hasn’t been working for a week now. As always I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I’d like to thank you all for reading and supporting me throughout this truly awful time.♡

- Cassandra

Taglist:

@lilyrachelcassidy, @endless----love, @sophsss867, @jennnsthings, @digitalpup444, @vividfleur, @tsofo26, @lunalvrsblog, @sunshinedaisy21 @cc13723things

[milkbobatyun]

breaking point

pairing: reo mikage x reader

genre: angstober, events

summary: sticks and stones may not break your bones, but his family's constant snide comments and degrading remarks were chipping away at your resolve.

word count: 922

a/n: i love when family trauma is able to finally play its part and allow me to write a decent fic and give me ideas LMAO

with a sigh, you unlocked the door, one hand cradling the stack of legal files before taking off your shoes at the doorway and relishing in the quiet of the penthouse. next to your shoes sat a pair of male dress shoes. it seems that reo had arrived home early.

with a crisp clatter, you dropped your keys on the shelf, padding into your study down the hall and releasing the heavy stack of files onto your desk. leaning against your arms, you planted yourself against the table, taking in a steadying breath.

steeling your resolve, you slipped the letter from the top of the pile into your bag.

walking into the kitchen, you found reo, sitting at the high kitchen island, scrolling through his phone.

wordlessly, you slid the letter across the marble surface, watching as reo’s attention shifted from the phone to the letter, before his piercing gaze turned to you.

“what is the meaning of this?” reo asked, turning the letter to you. the words glared back at you, clear as day.

divorce papers.

you sighed, defeat flooding through your body.

“i have nothing else to tell you.” you muttered, head turned away. you couldn’t meet his eyes, otherwise your tears would flow. “i’m tired of this marriage, of everything.”

loud silence filled the room, its tension so thick a butter knife could cut it. you raised your eyes, watching as confusion, hurt and despair chased across reo’s face, before it settled into a mask of mocking disbelief.

“why?” he whispered, voice wavering, anguish colouring his tone.

your heart clenched, the brave face that you tried so hard to maintain crumbled, words tumbling out of your mouth before you could stop them.

“you don’t understand, reo,” you began, tone thick with guilt and exhaustion. “ever since i married you, into your family, they have placed enormous burden on me. did you even know, that they were pressuring to resign from my job as a lawyer, to bear the son that they so desperately want, just so he can inherit the company in the future? time and time again, they paint me as the villainess. they say that i’m the one controlling you, controlling your freedom!”

your voice rose at the end, breaking through the tranquility of the penthouse.

“i...i didn’t know,” he muttered feebily, voice barely audible. but you could see, in his stance, there was defensiveness, a reluctance to believe that his family had made such demands. “why didn’t you tell me?”

your laughter was a bitter echo in the spacious kitchen.

“how could i tell you that your parents were doing something so scandalous, something that would ruin your family’s pristine, picture perfect image?”

reo broke the eye contact, guilt flashing across his face before defensiveness quickly overtook it. “maybe there’s some other way, some way to fix everything.”

your shoulders slumped, exhaustion weighing down every word as you stared at him.

“you say that now, but you weren’t the one they interrogated, asking me when we would plan on having a son, enduring the snide remarks about marrying into the family for the money and power.”

you paused, taking in a steadying breath. “you would think that grown adults know when the right time to ask such questions would be, but clearly your parents didn’t, since they decided to ask at your five-year old daughter’s birthday party.”

reo opened his mouth to respond, to retort or make an excuse on his family’s behalf, but no sound could escape. you were right, he remembered when he heard snippets of family dinner conversations, how uncomfortable you had looked. silence fills the room, as the weight of realisation settles between the two of you.

“is there no other way?” he whispers, voice raw and strained.

you looked away, your soft heart aching at the plea in his voice. before you can respond, you hear a small quiet voice call out for you.

“mama?” a quiet voice whimpered from the doorway. “are you and papa fighting again?” your daughter stood, clad in her pjs, one small hand clutching her little rabbit plush by the ear, the other blearily rubbing at her eyes.

reo lifted his head up, face contorting into a mask, pretending that everything was ok.

“hello love,” he cooed, voice gentle, the tension in the room dissipating. “no, we’re just talking…about grown-up stuff.”

your daughter took a step forward, bottom lip quivering.

“but you were yelling,” her face scrunched with concern. “mama was crying.” her eyes turned glassy with unshed tears, a pout forming.

you try to hold back the sting of tears as you scooped her into a tight hug, forcing a smile.

“oh my darling, i’m fine,” you assured her. “we’re trying to figure some things out.”

releasing her from your hold, you place your hands on her shoulders, as her head swivels between the two of you, far from convinced, but she slowly nodded her head.

“you’ll be ok, right?” she whispered, as though to assure herself. “we’ll be a happy family!” the innocence in her words twisted the guilty knife in your heart. you couldn’t bear to shatter your daughter’s dreams over the snide comments of reo’s family.

“yes,” reo’s voice was thick and husky with emotion. “we’ll be one happy family!” he echoed, flashing her a soft smile.

the promise lingered in the room, filling the loud silence. for her sake, you would try to keep that promise, but the pressure and hurt his family inflicted on you would never heal over.

taglist (open): @leehanscorydora, @pastelmitzuki

∧,,,∧ ( ̳• · • ̳)  © curated with love by milkbobatyun 2024 / づ ♡

[mother-above]

All the Time in the World

Azriel x Reader

Summary: Azriel and his family are reminded that even fae don't have all the time in the world.

*I've made some edits! (nothing major)

Warnings: fluff, angst, death, swearing, grief (this is my formal apology to you all)

*masterlist*

Everything happens for a reason.

Those are five words people say to cope and rationalize why bad or good things happen. Azriel, Rhysand, Cassian, Morrigan, and Amren are no strangers to those five words. They thought about it daily, sometimes it was their first thought after waking up. You were always in their dreams, sometimes frolicking in a meadow, they wouldn’t see your face, but they knew your body, how your hair blew in the wind, how your arms lifted to feel the sun's warmth. Sometimes you were the main character of their dreams. So vibrant and full of life while tugging their hands to make them hurry and keep up with you whether it was running errands in Velaris or on a mission.

Sometimes, they would whisper, “Everything happens for a reason” before they slept. They would go about their day and even if it were filled with love, happiness, and laughter there was always a missing piece, a void that could never be filled. 

You were an enigma. So powerful, so enchanting, the nobles in Hewn City knew to keep you hidden away. But someone like you could never go unnoticed, especially when you could manipulate the elements. You’d been surrounded by earth and rock all your life. You just knew there was something more, you felt it when you touched the granite walls, the stone told you of the sun beating down, of the wind and water that battered the outer layers of the mountain. 

Fae with your powers could never be contained for too long, the Court of Nightmares was a prison you were bound to escape. The nobles trained you like a warrior, Keir hoped to use you to usurp the High Lord, but he acted too late, your power had grown.

When Rhysand became High Lord, he caught wind of your presence, a flourishing beacon of power trapped underground. Rhysand, Azriel, and Cassian took it upon themselves to investigate where this power was coming from. When they landed on the mountain, they were met by a female who paid no attention to the Illyrian warriors. 

Your head was thrown back as you savored the hot kiss of the sun for the first time. Around you was granite rubble, and when they looked fifty feet to the right, a gaping hole came straight from the mountain's depths. You had dug yourself out and the Illyrians had no idea how.

Finally acknowledging the three brothers, you eyed the male with violet irises. “They told me your name is Rhysand. That I have to kill you.”

Azriel and Cassian’s siphons flared as they drew their weapons and pointed them menacingly toward you.

That was the first time you met the young High Lord and his brothers. All it took was for Rhysand to read your unguarded mind to see what you are and how you’ve been raised. To Azriel and Cassian’s surprise, Rhysand invited you to live with them. Shortly after that, you were acquainted with Morrigan who you’ve seen around before, and this ancient creature named Amren. The six of you became a family that supported each other through thick and thin. Under their care, you developed your powers and could manipulate nature's elements in any way you could imagine. 

Your type of power has never been seen before and you were dangerous only when you needed to be. Despite your rough upbringing, you were good, you were the sunshine that graced every room you entered. The only unstable part of you was how your moods could sway the environment around you, like the time that idiotic male cheated on you, and landslides affected the mountains around Illyria. On your 250th birthday, the inner circle threw you a surprise party and you were so happy, the next few days were unusually warm and sunny for the middle of winter. There was also that time Cassian pissed you off during training for pushing you too hard, a bolt of lightning and thunder cracked right above the House of Wind’s training ring. You don’t think you’ve heard Cassian scream like that before.

One would think the High Lords of the other courts hated you, but they didn’t. Yes, you were a threat because you were another powerful individual who was loyal to Rhysand, but they couldn’t hate you, it was impossible to. Amren credited you for being the reason the other courts haven’t waged war on the Night Court, your presence was soothing, and you had a way to compromise like no other. You were such a good courtier that Beron tolerated you. It also didn’t help that your laughter was infectious, Thesan and Helion made sure you were invited to every big event.

You were accomplished, sociable, and a capable elemental manipulator but you always thought your greatest achievement was bringing Azriel out of his shell. At first, the shadowsinger was apprehensive about you living with them but that quickly changed, his shadows found you interesting and you coaxed him out of the shadows. In a way, he felt obligated to help you, all your life was spent in Hewn City and even then, you were more isolated than Morrigan. He knew you were stuck in the darkness, and he wanted to show you the light. At the time, he didn’t know he needed you more.

Azriel loved to replay the memory of taking you on your first flight tour of Velaris, you gripped his neck and shoulders as you shrieked in glee. He would never be able to forget how your scent overwhelmed him that day, pine and cherry blossoms forever embedded in his consciousness. He landed by the Sidra, and you leaped from his arms and headed straight to the water. You slipped the sandals off and dipped your toes into the cool water and a wide grin spread across your face. 

“Azriel! Come here!”

He obliged, he found it difficult to say no to you. He stood by the bank and found comfort from the sound of rushing water. All was calm until water splashed his shirt, and his eyes snapped open to see you with a mischievous smile, perfect spheres of water floated above your hands. With a flick of your wrist, they collided with his body, the water sticking his black shirt onto his muscular torso. You had approximately 2 seconds to admire him before a large splash headed your way. Azriel grinned as he watched you stand there in shock. 

“Don’t start things you can’t finish,” smirked Azriel. 

Then the water fight started and the two of you never gave up, it was elemental magic versus a strapping warrior. You called a truce and both of you walked to the townhouse soaking wet, Mor wouldn’t let you into the house till you stopped dripping so you and Azriel sat on the front steps and watched faeries of all kinds pass by. Azriel caught himself smiling at you whenever you talked, he felt safe with you, like you would never judge him for his scars or dark past. He found it easy to talk to you, you never pressured him to talk like his brothers and Mor would do. Over time, one glance was all it took for you to understand what he needed.

The two of you danced around each other for decades, neither of you brave enough to take the next step. You saw Rhysand and Cassian as your brothers but when it came to Azriel, it felt different, there was unspoken tension, a different love that ran deep and made you blush. Every time he brought a female home, jealousy filled you and the clouds became grey and stormy. Azriel felt the same way when you started dating. No one ever stuck for more than a few months, but he hated every one of the males, they would never be good enough for you. What stung the most was Azriel didn’t think he was good enough for you either. 

One day, you and Morrigan were sitting at the table having breakfast. She remembers this day so clearly because she had never seen you blush that color red. Azriel stopped by to eat a banana before training, Morrigan watched you not so discreetly check Azriel out in his Illyrian leathers. When he was done eating, Azriel threw you a wink before he bounded up the stairs to the training ring.

“Have you guys fucked yet?”

You choked on the yogurt causing you to have a coughing fit. “Mor!” you hissed. “Why would you ask that?”

“The two of you work well together, you understand each other.”

You shrugged as you drank water. “He’s my best friend, how else am I supposed to act around him?”

Mor looked at you incredulously. “Do best friends check each other out? Give each other massages after a long mission? Lay their heads on each other’s laps when they read? Kiss each other on the cheek constantly? Fall asleep together on the couch? Do they-”

“Okay!” you exclaimed. “You’ve made your point!”

Your cheeks and ears were cherry red, they burned as you stared at your breakfast.

“The two of you are single right now. I think you should tell him how you feel. Azriel… is Azriel, I think he’s too scared to make the first move, he’s always been more insecure,” said Mor. 

“What if he says no and I ruin our entire relationship?”

Mor looked at your beautiful features and softly laughed. “He would be lying to himself.”

A week later, you finally dared to talk to Azriel about your feelings. He was standing on the balcony nursing a glass of whiskey, staring at the distant storm clouds. You leaned against the railing and looked at him, your heart pounding.

“Are you okay?” Azriel focused on you, his eyes scanning for anything amiss. 

You breathed deeply and fully turned to him. “Azriel… you’re my best friend and I wouldn’t want to change a thing, but I want more and… I think you do too.”

Azriel stared at you, his eyes wide as he tried to convince himself that this wasn’t a dream. 

“Oh, gods. You don’t feel the same way and I just ruined everything, haven’t I?” Your hands covered your face as you spun around to make a run for it.

Scarred hands clamped down on your shoulders and moved you to face him. Gently peeling your hands away from your cherry-red face, he smiled as his hands cupped your cheek. “You didn’t give me time to process.” 

Your lips parted in shock. “So you want more?”

Azriel leaned closer to you, his breath blowing across your face. “I want to be with you.”

Going on your toes, you met him halfway. He remembered how soft your lips were, how you tasted like the wine you had been drinking to gather your courage. Your arms wound around his neck to pull him in closer, his large hands grabbed your waist and lifted you to sit on the railing.

A giggle stopped him from kissing you. “I might fall!”

Azriel’s arms wrapped around your body. “Then I’ll catch you.”

You beamed at him and Azriel’s heart felt full, you were the light he had been chasing all his life. He pressed his lips against yours and you melted against him, a small moan of contentment escaped your lips and Azriel grinned. He needed to hear that sound from you again.

“Ahem.”

You leaned to the side to see Amren smirking at the two of you. “Fucking finally. I thought we’d have to wait two hundred more years for this to happen.”

Azriel growled. “Is there a reason why you’re interrupting us?”

“High Lord Kallias sent out a distress message, I don’t know what kind of emergency so be prepared for anything. We leave in 5 minutes.”

Azriel let out a frustrated sigh and laid his head on your shoulder. “Such bad timing.”

Your fingers went to stroke the hairs on the nape of his neck. “I know,” you purred. “We can finish this when we get back. We’ll talk more about our future and what we want.”

Azriel lifted himself and looked in your gaze, so warm and full of life. The pad of his thumb ran over your bottom lip and that’s when he felt it. That golden thread unraveled itself and snapped into place. He was startled as he looked at you, your features oblivious to the mate bond.

He blinked as he realized it had yet to snap for you. You looked at him with so much adoration that for once in his life, he didn’t doubt your feelings. Your eyebrows scrunched when you noticed a shift within Azriel.

“Nothing,” he said as he pecked your cheek and helped you down from the railing. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Okay, we have all the time in the world,” you said as you tugged his arm to get ready. 

How the enemy was able to transport a Middengard worm to Winter Court still made faeries scratch their heads to this day. There were also enemy soldiers to worry about, but Rhysand ordered you to help with the monster. According to Rhysand, it was the largest he had ever seen, and its skin was thick and impenetrable. It was getting closer to the city and no matter what the courts shot at it, it never faltered. You joined Kallias and the other fae with ice-manipulation powers to do anything to get the worm away from the city. You slammed a foot down onto the ground and the frozen earth shot upwards hundreds of feet into the sky, creating a barrier for the city. 

Kallias grinned at you, and you threw him a wink, you loved using your powers. Running full force toward the worm, you conjured large razor-sharp spears from the snow and made them jut out in the ground in hopes the Middengard would impale itself. It turned out you all severely underestimated the creature, it grew in height and then slammed itself onto the earth allowing it to burrow and move underground. Your jaw dropped in horror as it quickly made its way to the city, the wall you built would not be able to withstand its power. You looked at the gleaming lights of the city and your heart dropped. There were millions of faeries in danger. 

Your mind whirred as you looked at all your options and the only thing you could think of didn’t look too good for you.

Rhysand could still remember the panic he felt when his Daemati talons slammed against your thoughts. You were so concentrated; your mental walls were halfway down. 

Please don’t do that! It’s too dangerous, there must be another way.

Rhysand’s fae sight let him see your soft smile, your eyes already lined with silver tears.

That’s a whole city, Rhys. you would do the same. Thank you for everything. Tell Azriel I love him.

Rhysand started screaming your name but that didn’t stop you from sprinting toward the Middengard and getting as close as you could. The moment you could detect the worm underneath you, you let out a strangled scream as you used every ounce of your power. Your arms were lifted and when your hands tightened into fists, the earth around you and the worm caved inwards. The giant earth wall that blocked the city crumbled down as you used all the materials available to bury yourself and the Middengard into the depths of Hel. 

High Lord Kallias will never forget the sounds of your family screaming for you, he could still hear it in his nightmares. He remembered Morrigan throwing up and the spymaster dumbfoundedly staring into the soil you disappeared in. 

*** 

Your death shattered the inner circle’s life, they were never able to recover your body making them feel even worse. It was too deep into the earth; the High Lords couldn’t even sense the Middengard worm.  Amren had stayed behind to guard Velaris, so she was the last one to find out. No one had ever seen Amren cry but when her family winnowed in without you, looking shaken and pale, she crumpled onto the floor and let out a wail that shook the townhouse. Rhysand built a beautiful memorial for you by the edge of the city, and upon Azriel’s request, it was placed near the Sidra. 

Everything had turned upside down. It rained for a whole month, and it certainly helped no one's mood. The day you died became a court holiday, the people of Velaris mourned you, even some in Illyria and Hewn City. Every year on your death anniversary, the High Lords came to visit your memorial, they brought flowers or expensive bottles of wine that you liked. Tamlin never showed up, but he always sent a courtier to deliver an extravagant wreath made of spring flowers bursting with color. You had once complimented the peonies that lined his estate and he never forgot about it. 

Every time Azriel opened his eyes in the morning, he wished for sleep because, in his dreams, you were still alive. Your favorite phrase in the world was “Everything happens for a reason”, it helped you cope with your childhood and the inner circle had adopted it as their mantra. Azriel hated it. He refused to believe that what happened to you was written in the stars. He hated that you had to sacrifice yourself. Why you? Why his mate? He had loved you for so long yet so much time was wasted on others when you could have been together. The pain he felt when the golden thread disappeared was unlike anything he had felt before. Azriel thought he was dead until he saw the earth cave in with you in the middle of it. His shadows were screaming but he was numb, he couldn’t believe you were gone just like that.

Azriel swore the birds had stopped singing in Velaris, his family thought he was crazy but then they noticed it too. There were these songbirds that sang every morning and if you heard it, you whistled back and they’d respond. It was like the natural world knew you were gone. Life without you was dull, the stars didn’t shine as bright, and the sky wasn’t as blue as it used to be. 

Like most things, time was the only remedy. With each year that passed, the pain slowly became bearable. Azriel was encouraged to see other people after a hundred years had gone by but nothing went past the first date, no one was ever going to compare to you. He couldn’t touch another female without feeling sick.

The inner circle had gone through so much since you died, and like clockwork, Cassian went to your memorial to sit and give you updates every week.

 ‘Rhys is stuck Under The Mountain. Azriel is being a pain in the ass about going to Illyria. Rhys came back from Under The Mountain. Azriel misses you. Rhys found his mate but she’s with Tamlin. Feyre threw a shoe at Rhysand. He met Feyre’s sisters. We miss you. A war with Hybern was coming. I have a suspicion my mate is Nesta Archeron. The High Lords are having a meeting and we all wish you could be there to contain everyone. I was forced to see Bryaxis, again.’

Sometimes Cassian came with other members of the family but most of the time, it was just him talking to you. 

One day, Rhysand brought Feyre to your memorial, and she gasped at how beautiful it was. Using his Daemati powers, he showed his mate his most precious memories of you. You had befriended a beast in the mountains of Illyria. It was a horned creature and Rhysand had almost obliterated the monster but your delighted laugh stopped him. Yes, the beast was running at you but Rhys failed to notice your outstretched arms and bright grin. You were never scared. 

Feyre squeezed Rhy’s hand as she admired the fresh flowers and gifts that were placed around.

“She was so beautiful and so kind-hearted. I wish I met her.”

“Me too,” he whispered. “You would have loved her.”

The war with Hybern was brutal. If you were still there, you would have tipped the scale and Prythian would have been winning from the get-go. Amren had to unbind herself from her body to save everyone, she was scared in her last few moments but then remembered how selfless and brave you were. The war was over but then Rhysand passed as well, sacrificing himself for the greater good, your last words to him ringing in his ears. 

Feyre begged the High Lords to revive her mate and they did, her anguish reminding them of the loss they all felt when a certain Night Court member had passed. With Rhysand alive, he nodded toward the Cauldron, telling them that Amren was there too. Morrigan and Varian fished her out and Amren came out sputtering and desperately trying to gain control of her body. She kept coughing up water, so she furiously pointed to the Cauldron. 

“What is it?” cried out Morrigan.

Silver tears started streaming down Amren’s face as she attempted to crawl. “I saw her, she’s in there!” she said desperately. “Get her out before she drowns!”

Every faerie looked at her like she was crazy. Who else would be in there? 

Her head swiveled around until she locked into Azriel’s gaze. “She is in there.”

Azriel’s legs carried him toward the Cauldron and not a second later, Morrigan joined him as they blindly reached in. Morrigan started swearing as she felt a limp arm in there, finding the torso, Azriel helped heave the body out of the Cauldron. The female's body thrashed as she coughed out all the water she had swallowed. The High Lords and their courts burst into chaos when Azriel brushed the female’s hair off her face.

Still dressed in Illyrian leathers, there you lay sprawled and gasping for air.

a/n: thank you for reading! please let me know what thought in the comments! xoxo

Part 2

[billiesbabygirleilish]

Hey could you do one where the reader is the princess of whales and ran away to the states and soon right after her 18th birthday and and meet Billie at a Party and they have been dating for a while and Billie wants to meet the readers parents but the reader doesn’t want Billie to know that she is part of the Royal family because she scared that Billie won’t want to be with her anymore

an: ok this is crazy bc I STUDIED WELSH SOOOO yay for me. ALSO I really love the idea of royalty running away

Royal Escape

𓆩:¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨::¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨::¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨:𓆪

𓆩:¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨::¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨::¨༺✧ ♛ ✧༻¨:𓆪 The California sun felt good on your skin, a far cry from the grey skies of London you'd grown so accustomed to. Here, in LA, you were just you. No titles, no protocols, just you, chasing a life that felt… real.

And then there was Billie.

You met her at some industry party a few weeks after you'd turned eighteen, a kaleidoscope of flashing lights and deafening bass. You, awkward and trying to look like you belonged, and Billie, effortlessly cool, her sleek black hair glowing under the strobing lights. You’d traded numbers, then texts, then dates at hole-in-the-wall diners and spontaneous drives down the Pacific Coast Highway. You fell hard, and you fell fast.

Now, six months later, you were perched on the edge of your couch, nervously picking at a loose thread. Billie was due any minute, bringing takeout from your favorite Thai place. The air crackled with anticipation, but also with a growing sense of dread.

"So," Billie said, setting the bags on the coffee table. "I was thinking… Maybe it's time."

You knew what she meant. She'd been dropping hints for weeks. "Time for what?" you asked, stalling.

"Time for me to meet your parents. I really dig you, you know? I wanna be a part of your life, all of it.” Her eyes, that mesmerizing shade of blue, searched yours.

Panic clenched your stomach. Your parents. The King and Queen. You could just imagine their reaction to Billie. Not that they were snobs, exactly, but they certainly had a… specific idea of who you should be with. And Billie, with her edgy style and unapologetic attitude, was the antithesis of that.

The truth was, you were petrified.

"It's just… complicated," you mumbled, avoiding her gaze.

Billie frowned, her brow furrowing. "Complicated how?"

"They're… busy," you offered weakly, already hating yourself for lying. "Really busy. With work and stuff."

"Okay," Billie said slowly, her voice laced with uncertainty. "But eventually…?"

You swallowed hard. "Eventually," you promised, the word feeling like a lead weight in your mouth.

The next few weeks were a blur of anxiety and elaborate excuses. You constantly deflected Billie's casual mentions of meeting your parents. You concocted elaborate stories about fake family emergencies and international business trips. You even considered hiring actors to play them, but quickly dismissed the idea as too ridiculous, even for Hollywood.

But the weight of the secret was suffocating you. You loved Billie, and you hated that you were keeping such a fundamental part of your life from her. You just couldn't shake the fear that once she knew the truth, everything would change. She'd see you as Princess Y/N, not just you.

One evening, you were at Billie's house, sprawled on her living room floor, listening to records. The air was thick with the comforting smell of incense and old vinyl. Billie was humming along to the music, her eyes closed, her face relaxed.

You watched her, a wave of affection washing over you. This, this was what you wanted. This simple, genuine connection. And you knew you couldn't let fear ruin it.

"Billie," you said quietly, interrupting the music.

She opened her eyes, her expression soft and questioning. "Yeah?"

You took a deep breath, your heart pounding against your ribs. "There's something I need to tell you."

The words caught in your throat. You started, stopped, started again. Finally, you blurted it out.

"My parents… they're not just busy. They're… they're the King and Queen of England."

The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Billie stared at you, her face blank. The silence stretched, agonizingly long.

"What?" she finally whispered, her voice barely audible.

You launched into a rambling explanation, your voice trembling. You told her about running away, about wanting a normal life, about being terrified of her reaction. You confessed your fears, your insecurities, your deep-seated belief that you weren't worthy of her.

When you finally finished, Billie just sat there, silent. You watched her, your stomach churning with dread. You had ruined everything.

Finally, she spoke. "So… you're a princess?"

You nodded, miserable.

Billie blinked. Then, a slow smile spread across her face. "That's… actually kinda badass."

You stared at her, dumbfounded. "Badass?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "Like, you ran away from royalty to live your own life? That's cool as hell."

You couldn't help but laugh, a shaky, relieved sound. "You're not… mad?"

"Mad? No way! A little surprised, sure. But mostly just impressed." She reached out and took your hand, her fingers intertwining with yours. "Look, I don't care if you're a princess, or a plumber, or a potato farmer. I like you for you. The you I know. The you who loves bad movies and sings off-key and steals all my hoodies."

You leaned forward and kissed her, pouring all your relief and gratitude into the kiss.

"So," Billie said when you finally broke apart, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Does this mean I get to wear a tiara when I meet your parents?"

You laughed again, feeling lighter than you had in months. "Maybe. But you have to promise to curtsy to the corgis."

The future was uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, you felt hopeful. You were still a princess, yes, but you were also you. And you had Billie, who loved you for exactly who you were, tiara or no tiara. And that, you realized, was more valuable than any crown.

[rs-hawk]

My Brother’s Hot Friend: Week One

FtM Reader x Dragon

Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four

Your brother got a new best friend when he was in high school. You always had a bit of a crush on him, but he was older and cold. When your friends were over at the same time as him, you’d all joke about him being reptilian. As the years went on, your brother and him stayed close. Even after they both went off to different colleges. Even after you ended up going to college.

One summer, your brother and you had come back to visit your parents. Staying in your old childhood rooms reminded you of what high school was like. Especially when he came back to visit his parents as well, so your brother and him ended up hanging out a lot. You couldn’t help but notice how tall he was-had he always been so tall? Had he always been towering man with eyes that cut through you?

Your brother was invited to a party, and to your surprise, he invited you along too.

“You’re too uptight. Every time we talk, you’re always studying. Do you even have any friends on campus? I mean, come on Y/N. You have a single dorm and you don’t even have a boyfriend to have over. It’s kind of a waste,” he teased you right after he invited you.

“You don’t have to try to pressure me. I was going to say yes anyways,” you muttered. “I’m gonna to get ready.”

“Good! You’ll have a lot of fun, and I’m bringing Drake,” he announced before running off like a little kid to his room.

You don’t know why the idea of Drake being there made you so nervous. It took you longer than you thought to get ready because of the way your hand was trembling. By the time you’re done, your brother was impatiently in the car, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.

“Finally dude. Come on. We’re already late. All the hot girls are gonna be taken and all the good punch is gonna be drank. I’m going to be pissed if I’m stuck drinking beer all night,” he told you, speeding out of the driveway before you were even buckled up.

When you got to the party, you recognized the house as one of your brother’s old friend’s house. You’d gone for a birthday party a couple times when you were younger. So, you slipped to the bathroom to double check your appearance before you ran into Drake.

Your hair was slicked back and pulled into a tight braid that snaked down your back. The black button up you’d gone with was fully buttoned, so you took a second to unbutton the first two. It wasn’t a job interview. You knew you shouldn’t look like such a prude. Your plain jeans and boots you knew were fine, so after hyping yourself up for a moment in the mirror, you rejoined the party.

Drinks were pushed into your hand, and you got pulled into random conversations. You didn’t see Drake, but the more you drank, the less you cared. It wasn’t until some guy was chatting to you about how hard his Computer Science degree was to get that you finally spotted Drake, glaring at you from across the living room.

A laugh escaped your lips. Even when everyone else was having fun, he was cold and unmoving. The guy you’d been chatting with you acted offended, but you didn’t care all that much. Your body was warm from the alcohol, and you had a confidence you’d never had before. You apologized and slipped away from him so you could make your way to Drake.

“Hey loner,” you said with a smirk as you plopped next to him.

“What do you want?” he muttered, folding his arms over his chest and turning away.

His annoyance only made you more insistent on talking to him. You touched his arm at one point, making him reel back as if you burned him. It hurt a little bit, but you swallowed it down. Eventually, your brother came to find you, and was surprised to find you red faced and slurring drunk.

“Man, I really wanted to run Y/N home real quick so I could go home with this girl, but getting him anywhere is going to take forever,” he groaned.

“I’ll take him home,” Drake offered, though you could tell from his tone of voice he was still annoyed.

You yawned, resting your head on Drake’s shoulder. “I’m good. Seriously. Drake’s such a buzz kill that it’s not like I’m putting a damper on his night. You should go have fun though.”

Your brother laughed, ruffling your hair and fist bumping Drake. Drake muttered something you didn’t catch through the blood pounding in your ears. A few minutes after your brother left, Drake pushed you off of him.

“Come on Y/N. You can stay over with me for tonight. I don’t want to wake your folks up this late and there’s no getting you to bed quietly,” he said as he grabbed your hand, tugging you to your feet.

“Okay,” you said in a tight voice, your skin tingling where he was touching you. Your entire body was on fire.

He led you through the party, his fingers interlocked with yours to make sure you didn’t get lost. Once outside, he tugged you closer to him, wrapping his arm around your waist to keep you pressed against his side. You took the opportunity to nuzzle against his arm, almost burrowing there. You felt like you were on cloud nine.

Drake groaned and you were worried he was going to push you away, but he didn’t. Instead, he clung tighter to you, his nails feeling almost like… claws.

[myshadowsbackstage]

Repercussions | Suna x Reader.

Summary: Everything was fine until Rintarou decided to say that. And you get him, you really do, so you try to do him a favor. You're doing Rintarou a favor, so why does he feel like he wants to punch Atsumu anytime he sees you two together.

College! au, gn! reader, platonic! Atsumu, angst with a happy ending (I think). Inarizaki is a college team because why not.

W/c: 5,5k

a/n: Hello! I really hope you enjoy your reading. English isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. Also, this is -literally- my first piece of fiction in like... at least 6 years, so any *constructive* feedback is highly appreciated.

You were doing your way to the kitchen when you heard him.

Suna and you went to a birthday party of a friend of yours, and at some point during the night you and him got separated. You went to play with some of your friends while he stayed talking to a group of guys he met that night that really seemed to like him. 

After dancing and fooling around you felt the need for a glass of water, so you went to the kitchen looking for something to satiate your thirst. 

You heard a masculine voice. "It's like once you start a relationship, any sense of freedom it's just gone". Laughter, and another voice "Like when they cling to your arm or something, and it's like, God, just let me breathe for once"

His voice. 

And you swear, a punch to the gut would have been less painful. Still, you didn't stop walking and went to the kitchen anyway. A sudden silence filled the room and that seemed to make the voices in your head louder. 

Should I say something? Confront him. Go away. Say something. How could you act like nothing happened? What the fuck do I say to that. I want to cry. I wanna scream. Punch him. Fucking punch him. How could I? How could he?

God, you were dizzy.

"Hey, y/n" His voice was shaking, you could almost see his face just by hearing him. Twisted in an uncomfortable grimace "Everything alright?"

"Yes" You didn't dare looking at his face, working on autopilot while taking a bottle of juice to serve yourself. 

"Cool... Cool, are you having fun? Do you need anything?" And that switched something inside of you because how could he dare to play dumb like that.

You looked him in the eye and seeing the unshed tears burning in your eyes finally shut him up.

"No, I'm fine"

Without wanting to spend another second in that place, you left the bottle on the counter, fighting not to squeeze the vase in your hand while you got away from that place.

But who were you fooling, you were never good at pushing your feelings away. You wore your heart on your sleeve. Even if you didn't want to, the tears escaped, so you just left the vase on a table on the way to the bathroom, praying for it to be empty.

In the kitchen, Suna stood up, not knowing what to do. The silence kept stretching, and he was a moment away from tearing his hair with his own hands.

What possessed him to say such a thing, he had no idea. He didn't mean it, of course he didn't mean it, but the guys were joking, and being received so easily by a group of people wasn't something that happened to Suna a lot, he just wanted to be a part of it.

But not at the expense of you. Never again at the expense of you. Seeing the betrayal in your eyes made him realize what a stupid thing left his mouth just to be seen as cool by a bunch of random guys whom he would probably never see again.

So he went after you.

He knew you enough to know that you would look for a quiet place to let loose, and considering that this was supposed to be a party, he knew there weren't a lot of places to do that, so he went for the most obvious place to go in this situation.

He knocked on the door three times. "Hey, y/n, are you there?" The music and laughter around the place almost didn't let him hear it, but there they were. Soft sniffles coming from the other side of the door. He kept knocking and calling your name a few times, until he thought that it would be better to let you have your space for a while before trying to do anything about it.

He came back to the kitchen, where the group was still dealing with the tension in the air. When they saw Suna's face, they gave up. 

"Hey, you okay?" Asked one of them.

"I think so... I don't know" Another tsked and awkwardly patted Suna's shoulder.

"Give them some time"

"Yeah" another interjected "They're gonna get over it in no time"

And if you asked him at that moment, he wouldn't have been able to pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was the look on your face when he saw you, the tears dwelling on your eyes, the way your voice strangled in an attempt not to waver, or your sniffles through the door, maybe the image of you, hiding in a bathroom sobbing all by yourself, or maybe that it was all his fault, but something snapped inside of him.

"No, you see? That's the problem. I don't have to wait for them to move on, I can't wait for them to move on. That's not the way you treat a partner. If you fuck up, then you make up for it, you don't get to continue your life as if nothing happened. I mean, if you really prefer to get away with being an asshole, and not suffer the consequences of that, rather than speaking to your partner, why the fuck do you have one in the first place?"

Most of the guys averted their eyes. Some were pretending to drink, while others suddenly picked an interest in the room's decoration, but not one of them could look Rintarou in the eye.

"Chill, dude, we we're just trying to–" 

"Save it"

After that, Suna got up and went wandering around the house, ignoring everyone and wondering  Now, what the fuck do I do now? 

He tried, he really tried, but his own body was reacting to the guilt, and he was sure his stomach were not gonna be able to handle another minute of being on your bad side, so he came back to the bathroom.

He could still hear you. Softer. Calmer. But still going. He knocked again.

"Y/n?" 

Silence.

"I know you probably don't want to see me right now, but... I really regret saying that, if you could let me...  Please, just hear me out, I can't–" Suna's own voice staggered "I can't bear to be like this. Please. Let me fix this"

The lock clicked, and the door barely opened. Enough to let him know that he could enter, but not enough to even see inside. He still pushed, and once inside, closed and locked the door again to not be disturbed.

Then he saw you.

Curled up, hugging your own knees, hiding your face in them while trying to control your breathing. Suna wanted to hold your hands, your face, touch in any way to reassure you. Somehow. However, he knew better. You barely let him inside, going straight to physical touch would be anything but the smart choice, so he put his back on the door and slid to the floor. Giving you some distance.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it. Really, I didn’t” Ashamed, he cast his eyes to the floor, picking the skin around his nails. “I just… the guys were joking, and I didn’t want to be left out like I always do, and I know it sounds absolutely dumb to use that as an excuse, because it is. But…” He crawled a little, getting closer, still not daring to touch you. “I promise, I love whenever you hug me, or take my arm, or anything, just anything really. I adore how you are so unapologetically you, and just show your love the way you want to, and I would have never accepted being your boyfriend if that weren’t the case, okay?” Just then he made his first attempt, putting his hands on your knees, caressing in little circles, and getting gradually closer to your head, aiming to take off your face from its hiding spot “Please, don’t do that. Don’t hide from me, I want to see your–”

“How am I supposed to believe that?” Suna went silent, and it was that which made you look up to him. “How am I supposed to believe that my boyfriend isn’t sick of me when he speaks like that so easily to a stranger? Was it because they wouldn’t snitch on you? They don’t know me, don’t own me anything, why would they tell me about it?”

“No, no, it wasn’t like that–”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure!”

Another silence filled the air. Both of you looking at each other’s faces, panting. Suna was the first to sigh, trying to lower the volume of his voice.

“You don’t believe me, I get it. Which is why I need you to look me in the eye when I say this” At that, he held your face, forcing eye contact “I did not mean it. Just wanted to belong to that shitty group for an hour, and it was one of the worst mistakes I have ever made, only surpassed by that time I chickened out on asking you on a date, so I had to watch fucking Omimi shooting his shot instead, thank God that really didn’t go anywhere, because I swear those were the worst six months of my life” You couldn’t help to laugh a little, remembering that messy time for you and your relationship with the Inarizaki team. “And now I got to be the person you should rely on, and I fuck it up.” Suna laughs humorlessly “Forgive me, please. I know it may be too much to ask, but give me the opportunity to show you I really care”

You fell back, away from his touch and wiped out your tears before answering. “I want to, I really want to, but Rin…” A nickname. Suna thought there might be hope after all “What guaranteed do I have of this not happening again? Hell, how do I know you won’t be trash mouthing me anytime we get separated?”

“I won’t”

“But how do I know that?”

“You’ll feel it”

“What are you talking about?” You were sure Suna hit himself in the head at some point during the last 10 seconds of your conversation, but then he took your hands, his grip was firm, a bit harsh even, desperate. 

“I’ll be the best boyfriend I can be, I’ll let you feel how important you are to me, you’ll feel how much I love you, and your hugs, and kisses, and pats, anything you give me. You’ll never doubt yourself again. You hear me?”

Part of you still was unsure about the situation, but Suna had that look on his face. The one where his eyes opened up just a little bit more, and his lips parted. Lowering all of his defenses to show that his intentions were true.

“Okay”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” At that, he couldn’t restrain himself anymore and enveloped you in a hug, caressing your hair with one of his hands, allowing you to rest on his chest, smelling that perfume you adored so much.

“I am not disappointing you again.”

Truth is, Suna was true to his word. After getting out of the bathroom, he spent the rest of the night with you, just talking, drinking a little bit, even dancing for a bit when you asked him to under the pretence of atoning for his sins.

However, something inside you still felt unsure. Suna swore up and down that something like that would never happen again, and it got you wondering, if something like that were to actually bother him one day, would he tell you?

Because it wasn’t a lie when you said he wasn’t the most touchy person before he got with you, and that was something you both knew. Part of you still thought that maybe, just maybe, part of what Suna said at the party was true, and he felt uncomfortable with you being glued to him any chance you got.

And since he did his part in showing you how much he cared for you, you decided to do him a favor.

You would do it gradually. Suna is a perceptive person, any abrupt change would startle him immediately, and you would also allow yourself some things. You wouldn’t compromise hugging while sleeping, or napping, you liked that way too much, but perhaps holding his hand when you were sitting at some table on campus wasn’t that necessary. Nor was holding his arms when you were watching movies, for a few scenes maybe, just not the whole thing. Hugging his back when he was cooking was kind of uncomfortable, but you still could do it while waiting for the water to boil whenever you made tea.

Yeah, you could do it. 

The smell of the gym was something you were long accustomed to. The humidity in the air by sweaty bodies jumping and running non stop was something that didn’t make you flinch anymore. Not that much, at least.

Suna and you were holding hands when you entered. Some of the guys were warming up, others chit chatting here and there. Atsumu was about to enter the court, ball already in his hands when he saw you.

“Y/n!”

“Tsumu!” You let go of your boyfriend’s hand and run to hug your best friend. Atsumu and you used to be aware of each other, seeing one another on campus a few times, but you didn’t get close until you started your thing with Suna, when your company during practice became part of the routine. At the beginning, it was a bit awkward, you could tell Atsumu didn’t like your presence very much, thinking you were going to be a distraction for the middle blocker, but if anything, Suna wanted to impress you, so he stopped lacking off any chance he got, and suddenly Atsumu thought that maybe having you there wasn’t so bad after all. He started being nicer to you and the rest was history, you two connected in a way you haven’t with any other person in university.

“You okay? How’s Sunarin treating you? Had he done something to punch him?” You laughed, not letting go of him.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to keep waiting”

“Damn, when is the universe giving me an opportunity to smack the guy?” You heard Suna letting go of a sigh at Atsumu’s antics.

“If anything happens, I’ll let you know”

“Please”

You let go of him and went to your usual spot on the bench. The guys started practice and you used the time to read.

This was all part of your routine. The guys knew you would always be there during practice , and since you would be sitting in silence, without distracting any of the guys, the coach allowed it. Every break you would seize the opportunity to go and pamper your boyfriend, or even better, pester Atsumu. Neither the guys, nor Suna said anything about it, you didn’t want to let them know. To let him know.

Two weeks pass by, and something in the back of Suna’s mind starts to nag at him. He can’t tell what it is, but there is definitely something different between you two. You keep accompanying him to practice, he stills waits for you at the station so you can go to class together, you two still wait for the other, depending on who finish class later that day, you two still go to each other’s houses and sleep hugging each other, you still talk, and message the other when you’re not together, then what is it?

You two enter the gym, and before he can process it, you let go of him to go say hi to Atsumu. When he sees you two, his stomach does something. He knows it’s not jealousy, because he would trust his life to you, and even if he would never say it out loud, the truth is, he trusts Atsumu too, he knows nothing romantic would ever happen between the two of you. So why? Why does he feel so aware of the way your arms are wrapped around each other, noticing how you just don’t let go, which of course you don’t, you never do, you love too much to do that, that was one of the reasons he fell in love with you in the first place. That never ending love that made everyone around you feel seen.

He doesn’t have the energy to keep thinking about it, he doesn’t want to, so he just puts out his phone and scrolls on social media while you talk to Atsumu on the court, waiting for practice to officially start. You don’t get to see Atsumu that much outside of practice, so he doesn’t intend to ruin that for you. Not now, not during breaks. Not last week, not this week, and he doesn’t do it either the next week. He just takes his phone and sets his eyes on the screen, nothing but the screen. He knows if he allows himself to go with any of the guys, he would inevitably see the two of you, and if he sees you, then he has to think about what makes him so… he doesn’t even know what he is feeling right now, a sense of loss he doesn’t know where is coming from, that started only when he was in practice, but 3 days ago, it started to plague his mind during the rest of the day, and he can’t bear to feel any of that.

When it comes to you, the truth is, you don’t realize what you’re doing. In your mind, your plan to give Suna his space is going on with flying colors. He has not said anything, and looks as calm as ever, so you must be doing it right. The problem is, you love to be touchy, you just can’t help it, you love to hold and be held, give and receive, you need it. And if your body can’t have your boyfriend, then somebody else needs to fill that need.

Osamu does realize it though. So does Kita, and Aran, and Ginjima, and the whole team really. 

Yes, even Atsumu.

He hasn’t asked about it, because he knows that if something bothers you that much, you would tell him, but lately things seems to have spiraled in this weird setting where the moment you step on the gym, Suna ceases to exist, and he looks absolutely unbothered by it, burying himself in his phone, and not speaking with anyone on the team. Even the coach went to Kita asking if everything was alright, or if he should intervene. Shinsuke reassured him that they would handle the situation.

“How’s it going?”

“Nothing”

“Should we intervene?”

“I’m not sure” Atsumu replied. Osamu was across from him, arms crossed, pretending to look at the court while actually having an eye on Suna, who was playing something on his phone while you were in the bathroom.

“It’s been almost three weeks”

“I know, but I’m not sure how to approach it. They hadn’t told me anything about it”

“Well, ask, then.” 

Atsumu growled. “It’s not that easy”

“Yes, it is”

“You do it, then”

“Okay, but what if…” At that, Atsumu looked at his brother, interested. “You talk to y/n, and I go talk to Rin, how’s that?” Atsumu sighed, thinking about it.

“Okay”

Another three days pass by before the perfect moment to have that conversation appears. Coach called for a short break, yet Osamu noticed how he picked up a call and after asking who was he walking to, his face changed and he went away for a bit of privacy. Surely the call would take a bit of time. He sees Atsumu talking to you on a bench, while you play absentmindedly with his hair. Atsumu feels the drilling look of his brother and as soon as Osamu gets his brother’s attention, he makes a quick nod at Suna and a thumbs up. Atsumu gives a quick wink at his brother, acknowledging the situation, and as Osamu makes his way to Rin, he sees how Atsumu takes your hand and guides you to a quieter corner of the gym.

“Hey”

“Hey” Suna doesn’t take his eyes away from the screen.

“How’s it going?”

“Good. You?” Osamu laughs and nudges the middle blocker.

“Nah, don’t bullshit me, I know you better than that and you know it”

For the first time in what feels like forever, Rintarou takes his eyes away from the phone. “I don’t know”

“You don’t know?” Osamu was at the verge of teasing him, but as soon as he sees the troubled look on his friend, he decides against it.

“Honestly, I don’t know, it’s just…”

Osamu tries to help him, tentatively. “Does it have to do with y/n?” Suna looked down.

“Yeah” There was silence for a moment. Osamu didn’t dare press any further. “I… I really don’t know how to talk about this, everything seems fine, but… but it doesn’t feel fine. It’s… something’s been off for a while, and I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Haven’t you tried to talk with them about it?”

“No. I mean… It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that… I don’t know what would I say to them. ‘Hey, I feel you’re mad at me, even though you act the same as always’ doesn’t seem to cut it” Osamu plays with his fingers, wanting to play dumb as much as he can.

“I mean, if it has you feeling like this even at practice, maybe they haven’t really been acting the same as always.” Suna hums and Osamu decides he may need to pick a bit deeper if he wants to get something out of Rin. “Does this have to do with my brother?”

Rintarou sighs and puts his phone aside, putting his feet on the same table as his, and letting his elbows rest on his knees. “Is it that obvious?”

“You want me to answer that honestly?” They both laugh softly, and Suna seems to relax for a bit, knowing Osamu wouldn’t judge him for being honest.

“Yes, it has to do with Atsumu, but at the same time… no? Ugh, I don’t even know what I’m saying”

“Tsumu, what are you doing?”

“Just wanted to have a conversation without any monkey interrupting us” You would have laughed, but the implications of that sentence put you on some kind of edge.

“A conversation? Atsumu, is everything alright?” 

“I don’t know, you tell me” There is a beat of silence, the confusion written all over your face.

“What?”

“God, I didn’t want to ask like this but… I can tell something has been bothering you, and you know I don’t like to pry, and I trust you would tell me if anything serious is going on, but I know there is something you aren’t telling me, or anyone for that matter. What is it?” You put on a facade a second to late, he noticed the way you tried to evade his gaze before giving him a little smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

“Yes, you do”

And it was the look on his eyes. The way his voice was so assertive without being accusatory. Not judging, not attacking, just stating a fact. And it could have been any other of the guys, you would have kept pretending, but this was Atsumu. Atsumu who managed to win you even after giving you the cold shoulder the first time he saw you. Atsumu who would always make sure you were feeling comfortable and welcomed anywhere as long as he was present. Atsumu who would take your side anytime you had a fight with Suna even if he knew you were in the wrong just because you needed the support. This was your friend.

“It feels like he’s getting all the attention” Getting those words out of his mouth felt as if rocks made their way slowly from Suna’s stomach to his mouth. He felt absolutely embarrassed. “In private I still get the hugs, and… that stuff, but whenever we’re here it’s just… I become a background character or something, a fucking npc or whatever”

“Does this happen only with Atsumu?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think so, even if he’s busy they manage to be with someone else, being all touchy and fuck, it sounds so shitty, but I swear, it doesn’t bother that they are doing it, it’s just…” The sentence hung up in the air, but Osamu got perfectly what  Rintarou was trying to say.

It was messy, but he knew his friend enough to know he would rather drink a bottle of vinegar in one go before admitting that he just wanted physical touch.

“When was your last fight?”

“Our last fight?

“Yeah, or a discussion, anything really”

“Uh… I don’t know, like three months, maybe”

“What was it about?”

“It was about…” Osamu looked at Suna’s face, trying to recall when was the last time you had an actual fight and not a discussion about what show you would be watching before sleeping, and he could swear he saw the exact moment the gears in his friend’s mind started to work. “Motherfucker”

“What is it?”

“That fucking party” Osamu waited “We got separated, I was mingling with a bunch of guys, we were just talking, but they started speaking about how annoyed they felt at their partners sometimes, and…stupid me, just because I wanted to say something, I basically said that I would get annoyed by them hanging onto me any chance, or something like that. Doesn’t matter really.” Suna sighed, “Thing is, they heard me.” Osamu stayed there, suddenly very aware that they were supposed to still be in practice and praying to all the gods for the coach not to come back yet. Not when the conversation got that serious. “I apologize, we spoke about it, I told them I didn’t mean it, I just wanted to… participate, I guess.” Another moment of silence, Suna’s gaze glued to the floor “Now that I think about it, this has been going on ever since”

“I see…”

“You’re not gonna say anything else?”

“I want to say a lot of things, but most of them aren’t very nice, and ultimately, I think you already know them” Suna let out a bitter laugh.

“I guess you’re right”

They both let another moment pass, settling their emotions.

“Well, at least you solved the mystery, now you can say you want their attention without looking like you are constipated”

“I did not look like that”

“Yes, you did, but it’s okay, because now you have an actual argument to backup that feeling”

“I guess… Fucking Atsumu, getting all of the attention”

“Of course, you know he would never reject them”

“You think y/n told him anything? He seems pretty oblivious about it” For Suna’s sake, Osamu chose not to point out that, in fact, Rintarou hasn’t looked at anything his teammates has been doing for the past weeks. 

“Judging by his expression, I think he found out about 5 seconds ago” Rintarou followed the gaze of Osamu and found Atsumu holding both of your hands. He couldn’t see your face, but he could see Atsumu’s clenched jaw, and his overall tense posture.

Suna sighed again “Considering this may be my final moments, just so you know, you were always my favorite Miya” Osamu lets out a laugh so deep, it reverberates throughout the gym, gaining the attention of some of the members as the coach came back.

“I already knew that”

“Okay, guys, sorry for the tardiness, let’s come back, come on!”

Both guys got up, and before entering the court, Osamu squeezed Suna’s shoulder.

“I’m here whatever happens, okay? Don’t forget that”

Practice finished with… a sort of tension. Suna could tell Atsumu was trying to pretend everything was normal, but he has always been shit at acting, so every person in the gym could tell something was up with him, while Osamu was the only one ignoring his twin’s antics and actually acting like everything was fine. To Suna, that made the situation even more disturbing.

Once the coach signaled the end of practice, Suna almost ran for his things. When he got out of the lockers, he saw Atsumu talking to you, doing gestures with his hands and moving his mouth at a speed that made Suna dizzy even through the distance. When Atsumu saw Rintarou, he stopped abruptly, making you turn away and give him a tight smile. If he wasn’t so nervous already he would have burst his ass laughing at Atsumu’s cartoonish ways.

While he made his way to you, Atsumu gave you a quick hug and just a wave to Rintarou as he made his way to his brother.

“Do you want to go for some ice cream?” He asked suddenly. You looked at him a little confused, yet seeing his face, a sort of mutual understanding passed through both of you.

“I would love to”

Shyly, you extended your hand. He took it, intertwining your fingers, and giving a soft squeeze. 

As you walked to your favorite ice cream shop, the streets seemed to have a little more color, the air felt a little more fresher, the neighbourhood was a little bit quieter.

“Rin…”

“Yes?”

“I’d like to talk to you”

“I’d like that too” Both of you squeeze the other’s hand “Would you like to begin?”

“Yes.” He gave you your time. “I know I haven’t been the best to you lately, I’ve been acting weirdly, and I know you noticed, and we just haven’t addressed the situation, and god, I hate we let it get to this point. We should’ve… I should’ve talked to you sooner” Suna nodded his head a little, showing he was listening “To be honest… I’ve been feeling insecure because… well, I… You…”

“Y/n” He interrupted softly “Does this have to do with what I said at that party?” You let the air you were holding out, relieved that he was willing to address the situation.

“Yes.”

“Okay” Suna kept quiet again, waiting for you to elaborate from there.

“To be honest, I still feel insecure about it. I know you told me, and even insisted that you didn’t mean it, and whatnot, but it made me think perhaps there were times where you didn’t want to be touched all the time, but you didn’t tell me just so you wouldn’t hurt my feelings. And Rin, I would hate to make you feel uncomfortable, or that you need to suck up with things you don’t like just for my sake. I thought… I wanted to do you a favor by giving you space, because I know that is something you appreciate.”

Suna bit his lip, nodding “I’m sorry”

“What for?”

“Because you shouldn’t be feeling like this. I told you that day I would make you feel appreciated and it looks like I failed again. Even worse, I knew there was something, I didn’t talk to you about it sooner ‘cause I haven’t figured it out yet, if you had asked me before, I wouldn’t have known what to say. But I knew there was something, and maybe I should have tried to figure this out with you, not wait for it to be something so big, and drag you through this feeling for so long.” At this point, Suna stopped walking and took both of your hands, facing you. “I’ve been such a shitty boyfriend, and I hate it.”

“Don’t say that”

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” He held your face with one of his hands, tender, while the other held your hands firmly “I love so much, and you let me show it to you any way I want. I always thought that I would do the same for you, and I’ve been doing anything but. Just stop this. I want it. I want all of you. Hughes, kisses, pats, cuddles, everything. I’m sorry it took me losing that to appreciate it, I really am. So, please, if it’s something you want to give me, if you are still willing to give it to me… I would really appreciate that.” In that last sentence, Rintarou’s voice broke a bit, and it was all that it took for you to slide your arms around him, giving gentle caresses on his head, encouraging him to nuzzle in your neck.

“I would love to, Rin” You stayed there for a bit, just holding each other. Drinking on that moment of intimacy at plain sight.

“I don’t deserve you”

“Oh, stop it” You let go, laughing. He gave you a little yet relaxed smile in return. Everything seemed to fall into place again. “C’mon now” You took one of his hands, and started walking again “I really could do with some ice cream right now.”