#especially autumn since it is not freezing but chilly in a nice way

[katiebug445]

All Along There Was Some Invisible String Tying You to Me

Jearmin week day 3: first meeting 

@twoboys-onesoul

Since he was a little kid, Armin had always found the park near his home to be the most romantic place he knew. It was nearly a mile walk from his small home he shared with his grandfather, but he didn’t mind. Especially not on days like this. 

Armin sat on his favorite bench that overlooked the large rose garden in the center of the park, the faint smell of the blooms hitting his nose and bringing a sense of calm over him. In his hands, one of his favorite books sat open with a small bookmark marking his page, and beside him on the cool iron sat a cup of steaming tea. Around him, people walked their dogs or with other people, but he couldn’t make out much of what was said. The noise faded into the background as he read, getting himself lost in the story spread out across three hundred pages. 

After a little while, he set his book down and brought the paper cup to his lips, taking a miniscule sip of the warm drink to make sure it was cooled down enough he wouldn’t burn his mouth, and sighed in contentment as the tea hit his tastebuds. This was perfect, he thought. Nothing could hope to get better than this. 

As he sat there, he caught movement from the corner of his eye, and a bubbly couple made their way down the path through the center of the garden, the gravel crunching pleasingly under their feet. The man took the woman right to the heart of it and spoke soft words that Armin couldn’t hear, but thought he had a good idea of what was about to happen. Sure enough, after another few seconds, he dropped to one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket, holding it out for his girlfriend. Armin set his cup down and focused his attention on the couple, waiting with bated breath to know what she would say. It took a moment, but eventually she nodded, and both he and the new fiance breathed a sigh of relief. He watched the two of them for another moment before going back to his book, a soft, happy smile on his face for having witnessed such a magical moment. 

-

Jean slumped against the counter, exhausted after a busy dinner rush. It was the beginning summer, the greenhouse’s busiest time of year, because every idiot in the city decided that June was the perfect time to propose or get married, and they always had a tough time keeping up with the amount of orders and walk-ins that came looking for flowers. He ran his hands back through his hair, his head propped up on his palms, and let out a deep, exhausted sigh. It wasn’t near time to go home yet, but part of him considered leaving early just so he didn’t have to deal with anymore people. 

Once the last of the stragglers headed out, he took the opportunity to tend to some of the newer plants, the ones that had just started to sprout within the last week. He picked up the watering can they left by the hose and filled it, walking it over to the buds in their pots, and gave them all a good drink. This was one of the best parts of his job. Jean had always been known in his neighborhood to have a bit of a green thumb, thanks to growing up with his mother and the blessing of a corner lot that was mostly a massive garden that she’d tended since she was Jean’s age, and had made sure to teach her young son how to care for the plants they grew. He always loved watching the flowers sprout up at work, offering them quiet encouragements that they would be perfect once they showed themselves to the world. 

He watered the sunflowers first, then moved the pots into the sun a bit more, dissatisfied with where they’d been left, then moved onto the roses. Those were his favorites to watch grow. He loved watching the sprouts begin to grow and climb the small trellises they placed in the pots once they were big enough, and always wished he was able to take some of them home to grow on the one he had at the house. He couldn’t, though, because roses were in such a high demand, there were never any left for the employees to bring home by the end of the wedding season. 

With a small sigh, Jean watered the roses and then took the can back to its usual place, just in time for the door to open and the cycle to start again. 

-

Armin sat near the window of the cafe downtown, the sun shining in and desperately trying to warm him back up. He was sat directly under the vent and cold air blasted him in the face, making him freeze despite his cardigan. It was the middle of summer, his favorite time of year, and he couldn’t wait to be outside watching the birds and listening to the people around him enjoying themselves. In his pocket, he had a small bag of seeds that he could feed them, and looked forward to hearing them chirp excitedly. 

A small smile crossed his face at the thought of it, and wrapped his hands around his cup, grateful for the hot tea that was quickly cooling thanks to the AC. Outside, people walked by, but Armin didn’t pay them much mind, preferring to get lost in the pages of his books or the podcasts on his phone. Today, though, he found himself glancing longingly out the window for something he didn’t know. The longer he sat there, the stronger the longing got, and eventually began to turn sad. 

He couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but the comfort he normally found in the cafe was just upsetting him now. His tea forgotten for the time being, Armin propped his head up on his hands and let out a long breath, trying to figure his own emotions out. 

-

Jean was enjoying a rare day off from the greenhouse and decided to stroll the town, even though the sun was hot and it was starting to get to him. He didn’t mind sweating, but he hated how suffocating the heat was on his back. It made it hard to breathe, and every step he took felt like it added ten pounds to him. He wanted to step inside one of the shops and cool off a bit and hide from the summer sun. 

He longed for the cool of autumn, the chilly breeze that knocked leaves from the trees and scattered them on the ground like a monochrome mosaic. Jean loved it. He loved the brisk morning walks with those same leaves crunching under his shoes, the air just beginning to nip at his cheeks and nose, and the flowers that would be in bloom: helenium, pansies, chrysanthemums, asters… it was always beautiful to watch them grow and compliment each other with their deep, rich colors. 

With a sigh, Jean pulled himself from his thoughts and back into the blistering heat, and sped up a bit when he saw the sign for the local cafe coming up on his right. Jean booked it, wanting to get into the cool air as fast as possible, and almost bumped into someone as he opened the door. 

They were wearing a cardigan of all things, and it struck Jean as so odd, he couldn’t help but watch them for a moment as they disappeared around the corner, perfectly comfortable in long sleeves despite the near hundred degree heat. With a shake of his head, he walked inside and ordered himself an iced coffee. 

-

It was a rare night for Armin, having been dragged out of his house by his friends, to let loose. Eren and Mikasa had talked him into getting dinner at the German pub downtown, and he found himself enchanted. Booths and a few tables made up one side, and a bar on the other, it was loud and boisterous and surprisingly a lot of fun. The walls were covered with photographs and maps of Germany, newspaper clippings in both German and English, and faded black and white pictures of men, women, and children from the 1800s on were scattered here and there, giving a quick glimpse into their lives from when they were taken. Everything else was covered in plows and tools from a simpler time, and beer steins with intricate artwork depicted on the bodies. 

While the others ordered food, Armin walked around, eyes scanning everything they could take in and finding a huge smile crossing his face and getting lost in the culture surrounding him until his friends called him over to their table. 

-

Jean collapsed on his couch after getting home from work, exhausted and ready to be off his feet. He could smell food from the kitchen and hear his mother bustling around, and a little smile crossed his face at the thought of getting to eat some of her cooking. He let himself rest for a moment before getting up and going to help her out. 

A half hour later, and they were sharing some käsespätzle and Jean was telling her about his day, and how busy the greenhouse was, and she listened with a proud smile. 

“It’s so nice to see you doing something you enjoy so much.” She said, clearing the plates and putting them in the sink, getting ready to do the dishes. 

“Mama,” Jean started, getting up and going up to her, “let me worry about it. Please?” 

She stared him down for a moment before finally relenting, letting Jean take over. “Thank you.” 

With a smile of his own, Jean got everything ready, and a silence fell between them for a moment before he spoke again. “You should come with me to Schmidts sometime to eat. It’s not as good as your cooking, but it would save you some work…” 

“Is that the place downtown?” She asked, giving him a curious look. “Maybe someday.” 

-

Armin was sat at his favorite bench once again with another book, the stresses of his day beginning to melt away in the warmth of the sun, and after reading for a little while, marked his page and closed it, setting it in his lap and closing his eyes. He didn’t know how long he sat there, but he knew he must have dozed in and out a few times, given how drowsy he was when he finally came to. Armin picked up his tea and blew on it before taking a sip, and really gave himself a moment to savor it. Jean decided to take a quick walk through the park before having to go to work, wanting to be out in the fresh air as much as possible since it wasn’t so hot. It was a beautiful day; the sky was light blue and covered in fluffy white clouds, birds chirped and sang and chipmunks scurried across the path and into the trees for safety, and seeing them made Jean smile. They were a rare sight, and he always enjoyed seeing the little critters running around. He was about halfway done when he caught sight of someone sitting on one of the benches with a cardigan on in the middle of summer. 

Jean let himself wonder about it for a second before realizing he’d seen this person before, and with curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to say something. He walked up to them on the side, seeing they had a book in their lap when he was close enough, and chuckled a little bit. “Hemingway?” He commented, and the man on the bench jumped, looking up at him in surprise. He was gorgeous, Jean realized quickly, with big blue eyes and fluffy hair that looked so soft he had to really restrain himself from reaching out to touch it. 

“What’s wrong with Hemingway?” Armin asked, looking up at the man with a little bit of a blush in his cheeks, feeling a bit defensive for his taste in literature. 

“Nothing, if you like a snooze fest.” Jean said, unable to help himself from teasing a little. “Aren’t you hot in that thing?” 

Armin looked down at himself, realizing then that Jean was talking about his cardigan, and tugged self consciously at his sleeve. “No.” He admitted. “I barely notice it, honestly.” 

“Well, looking at it is making me hot. You realize this is summer, right?” 

Armin just nodded, a bit embarrassed to have so much of himself called out by a total stranger. 

Jean saw the blush in his cheeks and thought to himself that he’d never seen something so cute in his entire life. Taking the plunge, he decided to sit down with him on the bench, gently moving his tea a little closer to him so he didn’t spill it. “I’m Jean.” He introduced. 

Armin hesitated, looking the man up and down and trying to gage what he was getting at in telling him his name, but after a few seconds, he decided to give in, and took a breath. “Armin.” 

“Armin…” Jean repeated, smiling a little when he said it. He really liked the sound of it. “Well, Armin, can I ask what you’re doing sitting in the park with Hemingway for company, and a cardigan on when it’s so damn hot?” 

Armin thought about it for a moment, running his fingers over the well worn spine of his book, and shrugged. “I’m just enjoying the day.” He said after awhile. “What are you doing going up to a complete stranger and just sitting down uninvited?” 

“Do you want me to go?” 

“I didn’t say that.” 

Now it was Jean’s turn to think. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Just wanted to talk to the weirdo boiling himself to death.” He chuckled. 

Armin chuckled, too, unable to help himself, and turned a little so he was facing Jean more directly. 

They sat there together most of the day, Jean calling into work and explaining that he couldn’t come in, just talking and getting to know one another. Jean was German, as it turned out, and loved the same pub that Armin was becoming obsessed with. Armin loved sitting and smelling the flowers while he read, and Jean invited him to come visit him at work sometime so he could give him a tour. They both loved the cafe where Jean had first seen him, and after an hour or two, both decided to go get something to drink from there. 

As time wore on and Armin found out more and more about Jean, it felt like more than just a coincidence that they’d met there. When he thought about it later, he would almost say it felt like fate, that a single thread tied them together and got shorter and shorter as the days went by, until it was finally small enough that they had no choice but to run into each other. That was fine in his opinion, given how much he really did find he liked Jean, and wondered if that little string would be strong enough to bind them in each other’s lives forever. 

,

[retirementhomecollab]

☾ the witching hour

☾ decision: balcony

☾ warnings: f!reader, swearing, sfw shirtlessness

☾ word count: 1.6k

You push the glass door to the side, into the almost winter night. The chilly air that nips at your cheeks seems closer to the frigidity of December than the tailends of fall. Behind you, the buzz of the party burns, like a smattering of fireflies in an autumnal glass globe, protected from the frost. Leaving October behind you, you choose the night.

You’re not alone in wanting a little cold from the chitter chatter. His figure is dimly lit, but you’d recognize the jersey-clad back and soft black hair anywhere. You’d spent many classes last semester daydreaming of this view from behind, his broad back a total eclipse of any other light in your universe.

You begin to call to him, but he turns around first. And you choke.

What the fuck is he wearing.

“What the fuck are you wearing?”

“Oh, hey.” He holds up a hand, unsure of whether to put down the red solo cup he’s holding in the other.

“Why…” You struggle to find the words. “Why are you like that?”

“Like what?” He looks at you blankly.

You gape at him. Does he not know what he’s wearing? Sometimes, he’s a bit absent in class but he’s never this much of an airhead.

“Kageyama,” you enunciate every syllable, “you are shirtless.”

This most blatantly conspicuous statement hangs between the two of you. You stand there, not entirely sure of what else you could say.

Red blooms across Kageyama’s face like the midnight frost. At the same time, almost impossibly, he pales. If you weren’t in such a situation, you would tease him. But you are in such a situation, so you use the social skills in your arsenal — which always bleeds dry in front of this man — and try to salvage the situation.

“I mean, you’re wearing a jersey.” That’s definitely the wrong way to go about this. Neither of you need a double-spaced, Times New Roman twelve-point font, MLA formatted report on his current state of undress. But then again, in the battle between brain and tongue in these situations, your mouth usually runs you straight into trouble. “But, like, you know — I mean I’m sure you know — it’s quite unzipped, you’re rather naked— sorry, I meant undressed — underneath it, and I can see your very successful abs.”

Very successful abs. What the fuck.

Your brain smothers your mouth at that.

To your partial credit, a switch finally flicks on inside Kageyama’s head after your ending thesis statement. He slams the cup down onto the balcony ledge and scrambles to pull the zipper up.

As your mind’s eye watches your audacity in horror, your eyes are enjoying their newfound independence from your rational. They follow the zipper in disappointed fascination as it hooks into the lowest teeth, clicking in slow motion until it hits the highest, tippiest-toppest teeth. Your eyes damn your mind for even mentioning anything about his state of undress, and your mind damns your eyes for being correct.

Meanwhile, in Kageyama’s own head, he runs through the two-and-a-half excuses he can come up with to explain how he could even forget that his jersey was unzipped in this weather. But the most blatant truth is that his one brain cell had been too focused on how good you look in your costume. And right now, that brain cell is so absorbed in thinking up ways to salvage the situation in his own manner that he doesn’t notice your expression changing from an unabashedly appreciative stare to an embarrassed effort to meet his eyes.

“Sorry,” is what he settles for, gaze truly apologetic. “The senpai thought it would be great for us to match.”

“‘Us’? As...what…?” You frown.

“The Karasuno first years.” Oh, right, his high school buddies. “As some stupid characters from some stupid swimming show.”

You look at him, eyes widening by the second, mouth hitting the ground for the umpteenth time in the past five minutes.

“So you mean you’re…?”

Kageyama nods reluctantly.

“And Hinata is…?”

He hangs his head low.

“And Tsukishima…?”

He smirks a little at this.

“That makes Yamaguchi the cute, friendly softie.”

Kageyama’s eyes narrow a little but he nods.

You stare at him, needing a long moment to process this.

Kageyama looks like he wants to throttle someone. Namely his former vice-captain for suggesting it.

And then the stupider two of this party’s hosts for supporting it.

And then his second former vice-captain for hyping it up.

And then his third captain (aka the ‘cute, friendly softie’ you seem pretty friendly with) and his third captain’s girlfriend slash former second manager for accepting this stupid proposal on all of their behalves.

But when you burst into belated laughter at the absurdity of it all, Kageyama’s face hesitantly moves on from the pinched, murderous look he had on and compromises for a nice bewildered confusion.

“Kageyama,” you catch your breath as you lean a hand on his arm for support, “you have to help me find them later.” He nods questioningly but it’s not like he can say no, not when you have a warm hand pressed against his chilled arms, eyes crinkling in the exact way that had Hinata constantly making fun of him for staring at during group projects.

You grin at him as you explain, “I want pictures next to my new favourite cosplayers. Especially Yamaguchi.”

Man, this really is the devil’s hour.

“Do you like Yamaguchi’s type?” He blurts out before he can stop it.

“Huh?”

Leaning against the railing, he looks back at the apartment filled with friends conversing and couples generating warmth. By the couch, Yamaguchi has his arm around Yachi, laughing at something an upperclassmen friend of Bokuto said.

“The cute, friendly softies.”

You laugh casually, looking out at the expanse of the city before you, not quite understanding the weight of his question.

“Sure, why not? Warm personality, cute face. Nothing to not like about them.”

Or maybe you do understand, since for you, the qualities that make a “cute, friendly softie” most definitely applies to your love interest, who is standing out here in the freezing cold with you, dressed in nothing but swim trunks and a sports jersey.

But Kageyama stays silent.

Feeling that you might have said something wrong, you look at him haltingly. Kageyama continues to look into the apartment for a while, and you think that maybe, with the faraway night sky blue of his irises, he’s not really looking at the apartment. And then you catch your own reflections and his sharp blues staring straight at you through the reflections, and your maybe is now a certainty.

It’s so warm.

“Yeah.” He finally turns to you, the real you. On this cold, frigid night, Kageyama takes your honest, heartfelt words positively, a spark of hope on this Hallows Eve. “I like them, too.”

You wait for the magic to finish casting.

“They’re easy to be around. They’re comfy,” he elaborates, face softening. “They’re really warm.”

With a small, beaming smile, you cling onto that magic. Kageyama returns your smile with an equally bright one of his own. You turn to face the city lights again as he shifts his gaze back to the glow of the apartment. He might’ve moved closer — or was that you? — but you two stay in silence, simply there.

You could get used to this, his warmth besides yours in the chilly night. The fireflies fade straight into the background with the heat and comfort that Kageyama generates. For you, this is enough magic for now.

A delicious buzz runs through you, comfortable against the cold night.

You grin to yourself when you feel him flinch beside you as well.

But when he shivers again, practicality hits you.

“Oh shit, Kageyama!” You whip around to look at him. “Aren’t you freezing in that?”

He looks at you, eyes wide and blue in the night.

You make a move to untie your cloak.

His face starts to glow red once again.

“I’m fine!” He protests as you hold the cloak out to him. “I’m really warm!”

A chuckle erupts from you as you roll your eyes.

“Yeah, you are,” you grin, a teasing glint in your tone. “I was a bit chilly coming out here, but you’re pretty warm, Kageyama.”

The blush that engulfs him has Kageyama believing that you truly are a witch — and not just on this devil’s night.

He knows next to nothing about this stupid swimming show, but he, as Kageyama Tobio, cannot be outdone by a mere witch.

“I guess I am a bit cold,” Kageyama admits with a lopsided smile.

You huff out a satisfactory grin, passing him your cloak, victory in hand. Kageyama throws it around his shoulders, and you watch with barely-concealed admiration as his form dwarfs the cloak.

As you stand there, beaming up at him as if you could successfully ignore the cold, he barks out a short laugh.

Grinning at you slightly, Kageyama opens up his borrowed cloak.

“You look a bit cold.” His eyes hold all the impish blue magic of the hour. “I have a borrowed cloak from a cute friendly softie that we can share.”

You almost choke on the chilly air as it’s now your turn to flush red. He laughs, quite embarrassed at his spurt of gusto, and pulls you close, enveloping you in both the cloak and his body heat. As your city and friends come together for the last of October, you’re here to take on the wintery night, embraced in the magic of December’s warmth.

Pick a different room: > Go to the closed bedroom. > Go to the open bedroom. > Go to the kitchen. > Go to the hallway. > Go to the bathroom. > Go to the living room.

[bosspigeon]

74. Kisses Where One Person Is Sitting In The Other’s Lap for Mason/your Detective (I have a goldfish memory, I can’t remember his name sorry).

Pairing: Mason/M!Detective Word Count: 1559 Summary: Literally just self-indulgent nonsense. A chubby detective with anxiety being loved on by our favorite grumpy vampire. Yeehaw.

I know this was originally intended for Chase, but I got inspired to write Juni instead, because I thought it would be cute, and I’m in the mood for cute lately. Mild CW for allusions to body image issues.

Mason perks up the second the Warehouse's hidden door slides open with its distinctive rumble. They all do, really, attuned to the sound at this point. Adam, of course, for "security reasons." Nate and Felix because they both love visitors, especially since they only ever have two.

Mason smells Juniper coming. He smells like outside, crisp cold air and fallen leaves, and the weird air freshener in his car that makes it smell like a goddamned bakery. His soft lavender laundry detergent, the spiced tea lattes he drinks to stay alert because he claims coffee makes his chest hurt-- he did drink it once that Mason recalls, because the new barista mixed up his order and he was too polite (read: anxious) to correct her. It made his heart beat hummingbird fast, and it took Mason snatching the cup and dumping it for him to stop drinking something that was hurting him out of some misplaced sense of propriety.

He shakes off the thought and sprawls himself more languidly across the chair, slinging one leg over the arm and looking towards the door from underneath a curtain of loose, dark hair.

Felix, sitting on the sofa across from him playing with some old handheld gaming console Juni's let him borrow, looks up and snickers. "You're so obvious."

Mason stretches out to kick his knee before hurriedly retaking his position.

"Juni!" Nate says cheerily when the human comes puttering in the door, windswept and chilly. "Welcome!"

Juni always seems startled by that enthusiasm, but pleased nonetheless, and he beams. "Hey! No missions today?"

Adam, tucked as close to Nate's side as he can be without being on top of him, grunts his annoyance, but otherwise keeps his focus on his book.

"I'm afraid not," Nate tasks, nudging Adam in the side reproachfully. "Which is why this one is so grumpy."

Felix chokes a little laugh at the choice of word, and Adam glares at Nate, who smiles glibly back. God, they've been sickening lately. Another thing to blame Juni for.

"I just got my sixth gym badge!" Felix crows while Juni is taking off his coat and scarf and tossing them over a chair. He hasn't even looked at Mason yet, and he’s trying not to be annoyed by that.

He smiles, freckled nose scrunching. "Oh, awesome! That means you can use Fly now!" Underneath his jacket, he's wearing a shapeless, dark sweatshirt that shrouds his body completely. Mason clicks his tongue, and that finally gets the detective’s attention.

His soft eyes drift to the chair, and his mouth quirks in that way that means he's about to get sassy, even if his ears are going pink and Mason can hear his pulse quicken. He smirks.

"Oh, and what's the problem now?" Juni asks loftily.

"No problem," Mason drawls, stretching his arms over his head so the bottom of his shirt rides up. Predictably, Juni's eyes flick down, breath hitching. Got him.

"His problem is you're not paying enough attention to him," Felix scoffs with a hearty eye-roll. "He posed himself all pinup for you, and you care more about Pokeymans than about poking him."

Mason growls, and Juni squawks out a sharp, involuntary laugh that shouldn't be nearly as charming as it is. He claps both hands over his mouth to stifle it, and, as if to apologize, he inches his way over to the chair and nudges at Mason's knee with his hip. He does try to keep his expression neutral when he pulls his hands away, biting his plush bottom lip, the corners of his eyes crinkled with the effort of not smiling. In retaliation, Mason snakes a few fingers into his waistband and tugs sharply, which is enough to overbalance him and send him sprawling. He flails a bit, and Mason wraps an arm around his waist to hold him still, but his body stays tense and he braces one hand on the arm of the chair, keeping his weight from falling onto the vampire completely.

"Wait, don't!" he blurts, pushing himself up a bit. His cheeks are bright red, eyes wide. Mason raises his eyebrows. "I don't want to squish you!"

"You won't," Mason says with a shrug, tugging again now that he knows it's not an issue of Juni not wanting to be close.

"Mason," he protests, "I'm like twice as wide as you are! You're all… lanky!"

Felix snickers. Mason ignores it.

Juni's getting fidgety, looking away and shifting like he’s trying hard not to squirm. Mason pushes his glasses back up his nose for him, and he mutters a quick thanks, but still won't look at him, and he's still bracing his weight so he won't fall across Mason's body.

Mason scoffs and stands up. The sudden motion dislodges Juni entirely, and would send him toppling to the floor if Mason didn't scoop him up and lift him like a sack of potatoes. Juni yelps anyway, which makes the vampire roll his eyes.

Adam and Nate are looking at them both, Adam entirely unamused, and Nate smiling with that usual fond indulgence he gets when any of them are acting up. Felix is cackling now, his game forgotten. Juni is covering his face with both hands, until he finally peeks between his fingers and notices that Mason is holding him effortlessly, no sign of strain, no shortness of breath, no trembling.

"Christ," he breathes, and the heat radiating off him makes Mason smirk.

"Do you believe me now?" he sighs, making an effort to sound as annoyed as possible.

"Um, yeah," the detective squeaks.

"Great." Mason flops back down, and Juni makes another sharp, startled sound, but doesn't try to escape. It takes him a bit, but he does relax slowly, settling against Mason's chest and draping his legs over the arm of the chair. He still seems shocked, a little antsy, as if Mason's going to start wheezing out of nowhere, but he doesn't protest.

Mason pinches his hip, making him jump. “Hey,” he murmurs, nosing his way into the soft, autumn-scented curls hanging over Juni’s face. “Relax. I may be lanky, but I’m stronger than I look. You weigh practically nothing to me.” He wraps an arm around the human’s waist and squeezes, using the coverage provided by his hair to nip playfully at his ear. That gets the blood rushing, and he squirms some more, but this time it’s less about his worries and more about the heat between the two of them. “And you’re so soft,” he purrs, slipping one hand underneath his sweatshirt to find bare skin. Juni wriggles some more, and it just makes Mason chuckle. “Keep doing that and we’re gonna have a bigger problem than you being all shy.”

He freezes, practically vibrating, and the heat radiating off him is delicious. Unfortunately, he can’t enjoy it long, because Felix has been distracted from his game long enough to decide they’re his entertainment now. He leans over the arm of the sofa, elbows braced and chin in his hands, making kissy faces at the two of them.

“You’re both so cute, it almost makes me not feel bad about being such a fifth wheel.” He glances back over his shoulder when Adam makes a disgruntled noise at the comment, but Nate just laughs and mumbles something about whatever they’re reading to distract him.

“You could always leave,” Mason growls back, while Juni hides in his neck and tries to pretend he’s not laughing.

“Nah,” Felix laughs, kicking his feet gleefully in the air. “It’s funny watching you get all annoyed. You want to be all cute and schmoopy, but you can’t when everyone’s around. Newsflash, Grumpypants, you’re being so stinkin’ cute right now. Cuddling and whatnot.”

Mason shifts with the urge to stand up and put the brat in a headlock, but freezes the second he realizes that would dislodge Juni. Juni, who is warm, and soft, and--

“Fuck,” he mutters. He glares at Felix, who looks entirely too smug, thinking he’s won. Mason’s going to have to get him back later, but for now, he’s got a human in his lap that is quietly radiating happiness, and when Mason returns his attention where it ought to be, he’s pleasantly surprised by a soft peck catching his lips, quick and sweet. It leaves him blinking, blindsided, and Felix starts snickering again, but he can’t even be bothered to be upset.

Juni doesn’t initiate kisses often, and warmth blooms deep in his gut at the unexpected, easy intimacy of such a small gesture. It doesn’t help that Juni is smirking. It's weak, still edged with his usual shy “is-this-okay” worry, but when he chuckles, “Good boy,” teasingly, Mason’s done for.

You’ve fucking ruined me, he almost says aloud, but stifles it at the last second by returning the favor and snagging the detective by the chin, kissing him with a little more force, more intensity. Juni melts instantly, going boneless and pliant, and Mason can’t even be annoyed by the slightly chilly fingers curling around the back of his neck with the pride pulsing through him.

And, while the detective is nicely distracted, Mason snags a throw pillow and chucks it blindly at Felix, and, judging by the sharp yelp that follows, it strikes true.

The victory is almost as sweet as the mouth against his.

[sserpente]

A/N: Here’s to the first Halloween Imagine this year! I can’t believe September is almost over already. Request from @amaru163​, @primestefericirea and anon. Enjoy, everyone! ♥

Words: 2262 Warnings: brief mentions of attempted rape

Moaning, you shut off the TV and then threw the remote on the empty spot on the sofa next to you. Hocus Pocus was a classic Halloween movie and perfect for cuddling up with pumpkin spice tea and Halloween candy… but at the end of the day, the boy got the girl and they kissed and lived happily ever after.

It wasn’t even Christmas yet—you forbad yourself to sulk away and cry over being so lonely; and going out on Halloween, dressed in an uncomfortable costume, wasn’t really your thing either, even if your friends had insisted you came along to meet someone. Since the incident with your spiked drink and the two American men who had tried to rape you in the backyard before your friend found you and stepped in, you hardly felt like partying out in public anymore.

You’d rather spend the day giving out candy to costumed children and then curl up in bed with a good book, wishing you would not have to spend the spooky day alone. With a sigh you closed your eyes, the clock striking midnight. 31st of October… well… Happy Halloween to me.

It was time to go to bed anyway.

-

The next morning started unspectacular, even though it was a perfect October day. Fog crept through the streets, the cold autumn air uniting with a grey sky. The wind was chilly—you were glad to be too old to go trick or treating. You would have been freezing today, especially in the witch costume you used to wear.

Humming to yourself, you poured yourself a cup of coffee and then prepared a bowl of treats which you placed next to the door. You had a few more hours until the first children would excitedly ring your doorbell and until then, decorating a bit surely wouldn’t do any harm. You always left your Halloween decorations up until mid-November anyway.

It was then somebody knocked on your door, making you frown. It was way too early for trick or treaters. You suspected it to be the postman but even he usually did not stop by before twelve—one of the disadvantages living in a small and secluded house in the suburbs. But that also meant that visitors were a rarity. Only the children knew that they’d collect a lot of candy here.

You heard the knocking again, this time more urgently, ferociously even. Almost as if somebody was sliding down your door after being beaten up…

Quickly, you threw on your bathrobe and hurried to the door, eyes darting around to find a suitable weapon—just in case. The metal shoehorn would have to suffice; but what you saw when you opened the door made you gasp.

There was a man, panting and barely conscious. A tall man with long black hair and the most beautiful face you had ever seen, cowering on the ground like a parched traveller in the desert. Your eyes met—his of a stunning blue—then, they flattered close.

Your first instinct was it to call an ambulance, the police, anybody. But something held you back. This just didn’t make any sense. Where did he come from? The passed out man before you had, apart from a few minor cuts on his face, no visible injuries and he did not look drugged either. Just very tired and exhausted, like he had just returned from a war and now the weight of what he had seen and done was taking its toll both on his body and mind. It could be a trick, too. A burglar using his acting skills and then overwhelming you once you dragged him inside, practically inviting him to rob you.

Still… you couldn’t just leave him out here to die. It was cold… and it was Halloween. Perhaps your wish had been heard and you wouldn’t have to be alone after all. If the stranger woke up, that was.

 -

He was heavier than he looked. You had barely heaved him on your sofa when he opened his eyes again, seemingly appreciating the soft surface you were attempting to steer him onto. As soon as his body hit the fabric, he fell asleep again.

For a moment, you simply stared down at him, blinking. None of your friends would believe you if you told them what was happening here right now. What if he was severely sick? Should you call an ambulance after all?

Biting your lower lip, you decided against it and instead hurried to the bathroom to empty your medicine cabinet, returning with some gauze and antiseptic.

You longed to find out his name, who he was. But for now, you would tend to the wounds on his face. There was a cut on his forehead that, by the looks of it, didn’t need stitching, another one on his left cheek. He had a split lip, too.

He looked so peaceful and innocent. Like a boy who had been forced to grow up too soon and at the same time… like a dominant man who took what he wanted no matter the cost. Like a man who would hide his true feelings and protect his heart because it had been broken one time too often. You couldn’t deny he looked familiar too. And those clothes… so old-fashioned and… otherworldly. He was wearing green and black leather armour combined with golden accents and plates. Probably just a Halloween costume.

The stranger took another hour to come about again. Time which you made use of by finally getting changed into proper clothes. You had just sat back down on the sofa with him, watching him intently and checking if his wounds had started to bleed again when his eyes fluttered open and your gazes met.

His widened, as if something occurred to him. Sitting up so fast his vision must have gone black for a moment, he grunted when a stinging pain cursed through his head. He hated to admit that his unexpected fall from the Bifrost had drained him completely and now, being far away from a realm sizzling with magic, his energy would take a lot longer to replenish. He was tired, hungry and worn out. Well… he shouldn’t be surprised. Coming to Midgard had never been a joyful experience before.

Your house had been the only one in sight and he needed a safe place to recover. He would positively kill Thor once he found a way back to Asgard. It wasn’t the first time he had been banished to Midgard, after all.

The mortal was staring at him like he was alien. He was, technically. But Loki was certainly not in the mood for explanations. He had to admit you were rather beautiful though—for a human that was.

“Who are you?” You heard yourself whisper.

The stranger sighed. “I am Loki, of Asgard. You may have heard of me.”

Then it dawned on you. Loki. Asgard. Of course you had heard of him—and of the incident in New York. You had taken in a known criminal and treated his wounds. Your heart started beating rapidly at the realisation.

When you said nothing, he spoke up. “And who might you be?”

“I… (Y/N). My name is (Y/N).”

“(Y/N),” he nodded. A pleasant shiver went through you when he spoke your name with his smooth and velvety voice. “It looks just like I will be keeping you company for a while.”

Standing, he took in his surroundings. “It will suffice.”

“Excuse me? You can’t just make yourself comfortable here. I didn’t invite you!”

“Technically, you did when you helped me inside your home and took care of my wounds. I heal faster than mortals.” He said it like it had been an unnecessary and pointless action.

“I was just trying to help.” You glared at him, unable to believe what you were hearing.

“Thank you very much for your hospitality,” he replied dramatically, slightly rolling his eyes in the process. “Where are your kitchens?”

“Kitchens? I only have one.” He waved it off. “Straight ahead, you can’t miss it.” You followed him when he turned on his heel and began to search your kitchen like a cat hoping to steal a piece of meat or a slice of ham and soon, unceremoniously, practically ripped open your fridge. There were leftovers from yesterday’s dinner as well as some yogurt and carrots. You had planned on going shopping today. Loki grunted at the pitiful selection and took it all without asking. Then, he slammed the fridge shut again, grabbing the bag of bread rolls on the counter too.

“Of course, help yourself.” You murmured contritely. When he only rolled his eyes in response and barely managed to find some cutlery to dig in still standing, you threw your arms up, desperate for someone, anyone to explain this bizarre situation to you.

“What on Earth happened? Why were you knocking on my door like somebody tried to murder you? How did you even get here?”

Loki swallowed a big bite. He glanced at you in such a menacing manner, you took a step back. Perhaps you should have called the police, after all.

“Do you have hot chocolate? And coffee?” He suddenly asked. You blinked.

“I… yes. I mean, no.” Loki raised an eyebrow at you. “I mean, yes I do but not for you. Answer my questions, Loki.”

Loki dropped the cutlery onto the counter with such force the ear-piercing sound made you flinch.

“I was banished, if you must know. Thor had me leave Asgard because he no longer trusts me… and the people urged him on too…” He trailed off. “I refused. Believe me, my unfortunate fall and inelegant landing on Midgard was not planned.”

“Thor? Out of all places, why would he send you to Earth? You tried to subjugate us!”

Loki’s blue eyes locked with yours yet again, thousands of unspoken words reflecting in them. There was a story behind it—a story which he was not quite willing to tell you.

“Sorry… I just meant…”

“Midgard was not the final destination.” He interrupted you sharply—but not before smirking weakly but mischievously. “This place is void of magic. I will need some time to recover in peace. I assume you have chambers for me to rest in?”

“I don’t have chambers, I have bedrooms. And there is a guest room upstairs.” There was no point in kicking him out. Surely, Loki would simply take what he wanted if you denied him. At least this way, he was asking nicely… more or less; and besides, you had hoped for a miracle to happen so you wouldn’t be alone on Halloween.

He wasn’t so bad… apart from being outrageously handsome, he was by far as charming as arrogant when he smirked at you like that. And for some reason… you doubted he would seriously threaten or harm you.

You almost giggled at trying to explain trick or treating to him.

“Now, what about that hot chocolate?”

“Oh, fine then.”

-

After slurping down the cocoa you made him and eating up almost all of the food you had had left in your house, Loki retreated to your guest room and did not return until noon. You were quite surprised he only needed a few hours of sleep for some fresh energy, which is why he completely caught you off guard when he suddenly appeared behind you in the living room, watching you with his head tilted how you balanced on a chair to hang up some spooky pumpkin lights.

“I am dreading to ask but what are you doing?”

You screeched, almost falling off the chair as you turned around to face him. “Couldn’t you clear your throat or something? And now don’t tell me you don’t know what Halloween is…”

Loki frowned in response, waiting for you to speak on.

“It’s today. People dress up in costumes and celebrate and children go from house to house to ask for candy to scare away ghosts and evil spirits. I’m decorating. Jack-o-Lanterns are the most common item you’ll find around houses on this day. Don’t you celebrate Halloween on Asgard?”

He shook his head. “What we celebrate towards the end of autumn is Álfablót, to worship our ancestors and honour the life force of a family. It does not involve carved pumpkins though.”

“Must be weird for you…” You muttered sarcastically, attempting to stick a piece of tape around your curtain rail.

“It is by far not the strangest thing I have seen mortals do during all the times I visited Midgard.”

“The first children will be here soon, I need to have decorated until then. You could help me instead of standing around. Consider it paying your rent.”

Loki smirked, making your heart jump; almost as if he meant to say challenge accepted. With but a wave of his hand, the pumpkin lights stuck to the curtain rail on its own.

“Huh.”

But it didn’t end there. You let out a scream when you suddenly felt the orange and black tinsel from your Halloween decorations box slowly creeping up and curling around your leg like a snake.

“Loki!”

This time, the God of Mischief actually chuckled. He dropped the spell when you threatened to lose your balance and fall off the chair yet again. When you turned back around, he was leaning against the threshold with his arms crossed in an amused manner.

He certainly was going to have his fun while he was here. You were quite adorable, after all.

-

A/N: Check out my blog to find more Imagines and take a glimpse at my first novel! Also, if you enjoyed this story, I would appreciate so much if you supported me on Kofi! ko-fi.com/sserpente ♥

[albionscastle]

Rainy Night

I am on a weird kind of roll right now. I blame it on the photoshoot posted the other day...you all know the one. Lowden in a jumper I mean......it’s like porn.

Anyway this is just a oneshot, a girl with a crush gets caught in the rain, queue knight in woolly jumper. 

FIC MASTERLIST

RAINY NIGHT

There were tears in your eyes as you gathered your things, waiting until you were sure that everyone else had left before you chanced opening the door. You didn’t want them to know that you had overheard them talking, not that it would matter in the slightest. In fact they would probably get even more pleasure from knowing that you had heard what was being said about you.

The lights were out down the hall and even your own people weren’t here this late. You could meander out, take your time and say your silent goodbyes. It was a shame, you thought sadly, you’d actually liked this job, even if it was only a temporary gig. Cutting it short a few weeks would hurt your bank account, but it would save your pride. Maybe.

You considered leaving your resignation on the counter, but no, your boss deserved more than that from you. You would show your face once more, tomorrow and hopefully have come up with a better excuse for quitting than ‘mean girls’ for leaving her in the lurch.

A noise startled you into jumping, spinning around with a yelp. The man standing in the doorway was the absolute last person on earth you wanted to see.

“Shit, sorry luv, didnae mean tae scare ye.”

Your heart was hammering in your chest as you levelled him with the blandest scare you could muster.

“I thought everyone had gone home for the night.” you managed to splutter.

“A few o us stayed back tae go over some lines.”

A few of us no doubt meaning his two co-stars, Tweedlebitch and Tweedlebitchier, the gossips who apparently lived just to make others miserable.

“Anyways,” Jack stepped further into the kitchen, his head tilted, frowning as he looked at you. “I came tae see if I could steal a piece o cake from the fridge. I didnae realize ye were still here.”

You’d had a feeling that he was the one who’d been doing just that, pretty much every day. Any other time it would have amused you to no end, catching him out like this.

“It’s on the third shelf.” you murmured instead, turning away and pretending to rifle through a folder. “Are ye ok lass?” his voice seemed closer and you took a deep breath to hold back your tears.

“I’m fine, long day.” you ground out, refusing turn around.

No way was anyone going to see you cry, least of all him.

His hand came to rest on your shoulder, just as it had a dozen times before. This time you shrugged him off roughly, still refusing to turn around, tears pricking at your eyes.

“Ya can talk tae me if ye need lass.”

You couldn’t help but hear the hurt in his voice which made you feel even worse. What was  happening to you wasn’t his fault, he’d done nothing but be friendly.

“I’m just really tired,” and this was the last time you would ever see him, “I’ll be fine, I promise.” Not a chance, but he didn’t need to know that.

You held your breath until you were sure that he was gone, waiting even a few minutes after that to pull your shit together. Not a chance you were going to tell him what had upset you, he would know tomorrow anyway, rumors had a way of spreading fast. At least you wouldn’t be around to see his reaction when he realised the truth to it.

Your car was parked almost half a mile away and the walk in the chilly autumn air gave you time to think about what you’d heard. Jack’s co-stars also happened to be two of the most stunning women in the world. Playing sisters, they were both young, tall, blonde and perfect. They were also two of the rudest people you’d ever had the misfortune to deal with, and you’d been in customer service for years. From day one they’d fixated on you, the most inexperienced of the catering team, but it had mostly been stupid shit. The usual demands and complaints of the entitled. If you were honest,  you’d enjoyed the looks on their faces every time that you’d been able to say no to them.

Jack, on the other hand had been a delight, charming everyone with his warmth and humor. The man had made the catering area his second home and there wasn’t a day that he was on set that he couldn’t be found there, usually begging for cake. He’d just been friendly, and since you did the baking, it was usually you that he was trying to charm.

It wasn’t his fault that you’d developed a huge crush, who wouldn’t? Even your boss, a robust matron, happily married with grandkids, sighed dreamily whenever Jack was around. You’d done a pretty damn good job of hiding your feelings, or so you’d thought until tonight. You shivered in the cool air, wrapping your arms around yourself as you trudged through the gravel, remembering what you overheard. You’d been cleaning up after a service, alone in the room when you’d heard them tittering, not realising you were still there.

‘Poor Jack,” Sonia, the eldest of the two, “I don’t know how he puts up with it, every day.”

The other one had murmured in agreement and your ‘spidey senses’ started tingling.

“I mean it’s just pathetic the way she moons over him when it’s so obvious to everyone, no shame whatsoever.”

“She’s totally clueless, and Jack tries so hard to be nice, it must be exhausting.”

You had frozen, white hot dread washing over you as they continued.

“Why she thinks he would even look at her is beyond me, not with the size of her ass.” Sonia giggled.

Your face had burned.

“Everyone is starting to notice, the silly cow is only going to be a laughing stock if she keeps this up. I mean, she makes those cakes every day just like she’s his mother.”

“She’s too ugly to even be a mother, who’d want to sleep with that?”

They’d dissolved into laughter as they left the room and you’d finished out the rest of the day in some kind of numb shock. You refused to leave the kitchen again, putting yourself on the much loathed dish duty until everyone left you alone.

You were so humiliated.

That it was apparently so obvious you had a thing for Jack was sickening, especially when you’d worked so hard to act normal around him. It was awful knowing that everyone knew, even worse, to feel like he’d just been taking pity on you this whole time.

In fact that was probably the worst part, if you were honest. You would never be able to face him again if all he felt was pity for the poor little fat girl with a hopeless crush, and you didn’t want him to be embarrassed. Jack had been so kind to you and the least that you could do was not put him in this position. It was better for him too if you just disappeared. Your heart would get over it soon enough. You hoped.

By the time you reached your car you were freezing and dying for the hoodie that you’d foolishly left on the front seat along with…..

“Son of a bitch!”

Your car keys at on top of your sweater, glinting mockingly at you through the locked door. Rummaging through your purse you looked for your phone, even though calling the lock out service at 8:30pm on a Sunday would take hours and cost a week’s pay if you were lucky. The memory of stuffing it in the front pocket of your sweater came at the exact moment you realised it wasn’t in your bag.

“Seriously!?” you yelled at the Universe. “What the fuck else could go wrong?!”

The Universe responded with a cold, fat raindrop hitting you in the nose, swiftly accompanied by several million of his closest friends. Within seconds you were soaked through, shivering and glad the rain was hiding the tears that ran down your cheeks. If you started walking now you might be able to hail a cab in town, in about an hour. Until then you were on your own, cold, wet and crying your way into a hysterical pity party.

At least your purse was waterproof.

So caught up were you in your misery that you missed the headlights coming toward you until the last minute, groaning when you recognized the vehicle.

Of course it was Jack, who else would just happen along at your worst moment? The Universe was officially a bitch.

“Y/N?” the passenger side window rolled down while Jack leaned over looking dry, warm and concerned.

“I’m fine Jack. I’m waiting for the lockout service.” you tried to smile, as if all was well, knowing you looked like a drowned rat.

Jack’s eyes narrowed.

“Bullocks Y/N, get in the car. I’m no leavin ye like this.”

“Really Jack, I’m fine.” you jumped at a loud clap of thunder, and then you saw the look on his face.

He wasn’t buying it, you could see his jaw twitching.

“Get in the car Y/N, before I throw ye over me shoulder an force ye in.”

His voice said it all, he was livid. You blinked once, trying to decide if he meant it. The look in his eyes said it all and you sighed before stepping over to the door and pulling it open.

“It’s too wet Jack, I’ll just ruin your seats.”

He stared at you, then undid his belt, hand on his door to open it. With a squeak you jumped inside, squishing into the seat and hanging your head.

“The fuck were ye thinkin stayin oot in the rain in this cold, are ye daft?”

He fiddled with the heat while he ranted at you, turning it on full blast and aiming all the vents at you. You couldn’t even answer, your teeth were chattering so much.

“Ye’re turnin blue woman!”

From the corner of your eye you saw him shrug out of his woollen jumper and holding it out to you.

“Put it on before ye freeze tae death.”

You looked at the jumper like it was offensive, it was bad enough that you were dripping all over his car. This was. No.

“I’ll be fine till I get home.” you managed through clenched teeth, hoping he wouldn’t notice you shaking.

He simply sat, brows raised until you sighed and took it from him. Aware you were acting like a spoiled child you started to pull it on.

“Is no goin tae do ye any good if ye donnae take off tha wet shirt first ye numpty.”

No way. There was not a chance in hell you were going to take off your shirt in front of him. Even if he did have a very valid point, damn him. Jack, naturally noticed your hesitation. “I’ll close me eyes an turn away if tha helps.” he shrugged, doing just that. “Is no like there’s anythin left tae hide anyway.” he muttered.

You looked down at yourself and groaned loudly, realising your white shirt was completely translucent. Jack chuckled under his breath as you quickly peeled it off, your soaked bra doing almost nothing to cover you in the cold. The heat of embarrassment flooded through you and you pulled on his jumper, wishing you could literally be anywhere than with him right now. Tears filled your eyes again as the warmth from his body and the smell of him eveloped you. He was by far the nicest man you’d ever met and, as usual, you’d managed to make an arse of yourself around him. You knew what you were, and what people thought of you, especially men. That Jack now had a taste of how unattractive you were underneath your clothing was just humiliating. You could only hope that he didn’t think any of this had been a lame attempt to lure him in.

“Where’s home luv?” Jack finally spoke up, looking at you as you slowly stopped shivering.

“Just take me to the nearest hotel.”

“House keys too huh?”

“Yup, when I decide to fuck up I like to make sure that it’s a complete disaster.”

Jack laughed, pulling the car onto the road.

“Ah’ve seen worse, fuck in school I did worse. Donnae sweat it yeah.”

“Easy for you to say.” you muttered under your breath.

“Seriously lass, we’ve all had shite happen, ye canna let it derail ye.”

Too late, you thought bitterly, watching the landscape through the rain. If it had just been the keys it would have been a completely different kettle of fish.

“There’s a Holiday Inn up there.” you responded instead, seeing the lights up ahead.

“Aye, I see it.” Jack murmured, completely missing the exit. “I’m no leavin ye at a strange place wi no phone and no clothes.”

“It’s a motel Jack, not a crackhouse.”

“Doesna matter, I’m no goin tae leave ye stranded like tha. Ye can stay at my place and we’ll call the lockout in the morning.”

The tone of his broked no opposition and inside you panicked, even though you simply nodded tightly. You were swiftly learning that there was no arguing with this man. Instead you spent the rest of the drive in silence, squishing uncomfortably in your wet jeans and feeling more guilty with every passing minute.

“Shite! I didna even think tae ask if ye needed tae call anyone tae let them know ye won’t be home.”

“Like who?” you laughed.

“I dunno, yer man mebe.” Jack shrugged, turning to look at you as you burst out laughing.

“Yeah ok Jack, funny. Do you think if I had a boyfriend I would have asked you to drive me to a motel?”

“Well, no, but still I didna wan tae step on any toes.”

“Fat chance of that.” you muttered, looking out the window again.

There hadn’t been a boyfriend in….well ever if you were honest. Of course there had been a couple of...you didn’t even know what to call them, but you’d learned early on that they weren’t boyfriends, no matter how much you’d hoped otherwise. You had come to terms with it long ago.

Of course Jack didn’t know that, but since you’d apparently been so obviously fawning all over him it should have been quite apparent.

“Why do ye say it like tha?” Jack sighed, pulling into a small parking garage.

“Huh?”

“Nevermind. Home sweet home!”

You followed Jack to the lift, cringing at the squeaky, wet noises you made as you walked and the mess you were inevitably leaving in your wake. Jack stopped in front of his door, opening it to step inside and turn on a light. One look at the immaculate and shiny hardwood floor had you hesitating. “Come on in lass, I promise ye is no a trap, unless ye wan tae be my prisoner. In which case the cuffs are in the bedside drawer.” he said with a wink that stopped you in your tracks.

You knew it was a joke, deep down, but a part of you still jumped in excitement at the subtle flirt. Just as it always did when Jack flirted, which was pretty much any time he opened his mouth. On a better day you would have countered him with a preference for scarves, but not now. Not knowing that he would probably think you were really flirting with him. Your bantering had taken on a whole new meaning now.

Offering him a weak smile instead, you stepped into his flat, closing the door behind you and standing there in your puddle. You watched as Jack walked around, gathering some things from the dryer and moving them to the bathroom.

“Go take a shower luv, there’s dry clothes fer ye and I’ll throw yer wet ones in the wash.”

The thought of hot steam and warm clothes was too strong to offer him any resistance and you soon found yourself standing under the hot water trying to figure out exactly how you’d managed to end up here. The events of the day seemed so far away, almost as if they didn’t happen. It  was only when you had dried yourself and reached for something to wear that it all hit home for you again. Even fresh from the wash, Jack’s clothes smelled like him and despite your extra pounds, they somehow still hung on you. The flannel pants were too long and you had to roll the waistband until they barely perched on your hips. Same deal with the jumper he’d given you. He’d also given you a t-shirt and you probably would have been warm enough with it alone but that did not fit well enough across your chest for comfort. No way were you going out there in that with no bra on.

Eventually you gathered the courage to exit the bathroom, wet clothes balled up in your hands.

“And she lives!” Jack was grinning at you like a loon from the kitchen. “Let me take those fer ye.”

Before you could refuse, he’d lifted your clothes from your hands, shaking them into the washing machine. Your cheeks felt hot when you saw your underthings in his long fingers, and not just because you’d been wearing what you called your ‘utility’ bra. Any underthings able to keep your ‘assets’ in check seemed to lack any kind of feminine embellishment.

Boring and uninspired and not even close to being sexy. Just like you.

It seemed that Jack’s flat was much like him, attractive but unassuming, warm, inviting and comfortable. Despite yourself it was easy to relax into the soft couch and eat heartily when he brought you a sandwich. Jack hunted for something to watch, settling on some dancing reality show, while you gradually felt more comfortable. It seemed he wasn’t aware of the rumors and since you were still determined to walk away, you decided to enjoy this while you could.

“Why’d ye let those two cows upset ye so much?” he spoke suddenly, causing you to choke on your food in shock.

His hand thumped your back a few times while you coughed and sputtered trying to catch your breath again.

“What are you talking about?” you managed between coughs, aware that his hand was now rubbing your back gently.

“Don try tae act like ye donna know, Y/N. Ye weren’t the only one in the room.”

Oh. Holy. Fuck.

“Who else heard?” you whispered, trying to physically curl up into yourself, anything to escape.

“Jus me, no one else. I didnae hear all of it, but I heard enough. They knew ye were there.”

“Of course they did.” you muttered. “I’m not stupid.”

“Aye, but ye are a bit daft luv. Ye canna let them get tae ye like that.”

“Easy for you to say Jack.” Suddenly you were angry at them, at yourself and at him, how could he just brush it all off like that?

“Did it ever occur tae ye tha they only said any of it tae upset ye? They’re just jealous.”

You scoffed, knowing it was all true.

“What reason would they have to be jealous of my fat arse? Get into the real world Jack.”

“Why do ye talk about yourself like tha?”

“Like what? I have a fat arse, it’s not like anyone can miss it.”

“I’ve spent enough time looking at yer arse tae know it’s perfect just the way it is.” That stopped you. Staring at him wordlessly you saw him shrug matter of factly.

“Tansy is jealous because she’s built like a piece o wood, and Sonia? Suffice tae say she’s a right bitch when she doesna get what she wants.”

“What?” you swallowed hard, still stunned by his bald statement about your rear end. “What didn’t she get?”

“Me, lass.”

“Why would, what, I’m confused.”

Jack laughed, his hand moving to tousle your hair before standing.

“Let me get us a drink an I’ll tell ye the whole sordid tale.”

He came back to the couch with a couple of beers, waiting until he’d taken a few gulps before he spoke.

“Now then, where were we?”

“Sordid tale.”

“Righ, ok so ye remember the first day on set yeah? All the introductions an the like?”

“Vaguely, the catering staff weren’t really a big part of that.”

“But I met ye tha day, remember? I kept buggin ye fer another piece o cake.”

“I seem to remember being following around by a child whining about thirds.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed at your small smirk.

“Yer cruel lass, tha day too. Ye told me I needed tae watch my figure.”

“Eh, I vaguely remember something of the sort.” you shrugged, enjoying his small chuckle against the bottle at his lips.

“Anyway, I took my poor, bruised ego off tae my trailer tae get settled an it turned oot I wasna alone.”

Your eyes widened.

“Sonia had managed tae get in an was jus sittin there in heels, ye ken?”

Oh you kenned, the thought of it made you cringe.

“What did you do?” Did you even really want to know.

“I told her tae get dressed and leave, tha I wasnae interested. Believe me when I say she didna take it well.”

You just stared at him blankly.

“Well first she tried tae change my mind, an well,” his cheeks reddened, “when she couldna get a…..rise, she left me alone.”

Awkward.

“But I don’t understand what her striking out with you has to do with me.”

Jack looked at you, confusion evident on his face.

“Wow, ye really don’t do ye?”

“Perhaps someone should explain it to me?” you ground out.

“First, tell me summan. Is there any truth tae what they said?”

“Which part?” you squeaked, gulping down your beer, hoping to avoid the question.

“The part where ye haf a thing fer me.”

Please, you thought, please just let the ground open up and swallow me up. Right now. Please.

You sputtered rather than answering, eyes darting around the room, looking anywhere but at him. For a second you actually thought about denying it, but really, what was the point? He already knew, everyone already knew and it wasn’t going to make things any better if you denied it.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath you met his gaze, shoulders slumping in defeat.

“I’m sorry.” you whispered. “I thought I was doing a better job of hiding it. I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable.”

And if you could just be struck by lightning right now and put out of your misery that would be great, you thought as Jack remained silent.

“You don’t have to worry about it. I won’t be back on set. I’m resigning. It was never my intention to cause this much drama.”

“Are ye oot of yer mind woman! Why would ye do tha? Can ye no think fer one second why Sonia would focus on ye like this?”

You were so startled by the harshness of his tone that you didn’t know what to say.

“It’s ye she’s jealous of.”

The laugh you emitted was sharp even to your ears, but you couldn’t help yourself.

“She’s got absolutely no reason to be jealous of me, Jack.”

Jack sighed, putting down his beer before wiping his hands on his jeans.

“She’s go every reason tae be jealous o ye Y/N. Ye’re smart, talented, kind, funny, lovely and, well hot.”

Your head spun toward him, not believing your own ears. Jack turned, inching closer on the couch, his hand reaching out to brush damp hair away from your face.

“But the number one reason why she singled ye out Y/N is because it’s you I want, no her.”

Your heart beat erratically in your throat, eyes wide in disbelief as Jack’s fingers traced along your jaw. You shivered as he touched you, your fingers twisting in the wool of your jumper. This had to be some kind of mad hallucination, probably brought on by hypothermia. Ten to one you were laying in a rainy ditch somewhere this whole time.

Jack’s eyes caught yours, bright blue and intense as he tilted his head toward you. Keeping his eyes on yours his lips brushed against the corner of your mouth, the rough bristles of his beard scraping against your tender skin. He smiled against you, your eyes finally fluttering shut as his mouth pressed firmly against yours. His hands cupped your cheeks, tongue taking advantage of your gasp to snake across your teeth and into your mouth. An arrow shot of heat travelled down your spine, stabbing into your lower belly. You shuddered, hearing him chuckle as he broke away.

“If tha doesna make ye understand then nothin will.”

You opened your eyes to the sight of him in front of you, his cheeks flushed pink, lips slightly swollen and damp, his eyes both soft and wanted. He was right, you were convinced, even if you didn’t understand why. You felt a surge of confidence, a lightness unlike any you’d felt before and your lips spread into a smile. Your usual good humor had returned.

“I’m not sure I’m there yet, I’m super hard to convince.”

“Is tha so lass?” Jack’s gaze turned positively wicked. “Lets see what I can do about that shall we?”

You yelped as he moved lightning, dragging your body to straddle his lap. He looked up you now, fingers threading through your hair before sliding down your back to your waist.

“Remember when I said tha Sonia couldna get a raise?”

“Mmmm hmmm.” you murmured, your fingertips exploring his face.

His palms slid down over your rear and for a moment you felt self conscious, until he caught your eye and you saw the heat there. With a grin he pressed you closer until, with a gasp you were pressed up against him completely, the hard length of him between your thighs.

“As ye can tell I donae haf tha problem wi ye. In fact, half the time it’s all I can do tae hide this.”

He swiveled his hips against you, his lips and tongue smothering your moan as his hardness rubbed against your aching center. The kiss grew rough as you rocked against him, fingers tugging at his hair, his hands guiding you into a rhythm that had you panting into one another’s mouths. Jack’s hand slid up under your jumper, breaking the kiss long enough to yank it off over your head before returning to bite at your mouth and jaw. The pressure between your legs was almost unbearable, the layers of clothing failing to provide the friction you needed.

Desperate for breath you broke away, chest heaving as you dragged air into your lungs.

“Fuck love, ye are incredible.” Jack growled, staring at where the thin cotton of his shirt strained over your breasts. Another body part that you were particularly sensitive about and Jack noticed. He liked his lips, mouth open as he continued to stare, raising a hand to palm your breast, his thumb stroking your nipple to life. You sucked in a breath, your hips grinding against him as he ran both hands over you, scraping and pinching, every touch a dart of want into your belly.

“Jack!” you hissed, his teeth scraping you through the fabric.

“Ye haf no idea how much I’ve wanted ye, luv.” he muttered. “I know ye didna know it, but every time I saw ye I had tae try so hard tae hide it. I dreamed of touching ye here…” His hand cupped your breast gently.”....every where Y/N, I’ve dreamed o touchin ye everywhere.”

A brief and unwelcome thought flashed into your mind, was he just the same as the rest of them? Only interested in one thing from you? Jack must have seen it in your eyes because he stopped everything, his knuckles stroking your cheek.

“I’m mad fer ye darlin, and it’s no jus fer this. I need ye tae know tha, I didna intend fer this tae happen. I was actually working up the courage tae ask ye out tonight, till those two bitches fucked that up. Nothin is going tae happen tonight…” Jack smiled ruefully. “..well nothin more than this. I wan tae at least go tae dinner a few times before we jump intae bed. I’m pretty sure that neither one o us  are lookin fer a one-time or casual thing.”

“Right.”

“Obviously, when the time is right….” his eyes swept hotly over you. “You and me are goin tae be dynamite.”

“You seem pretty sure of yourself.” you arched a brow at his smug grin.

Which quickly turned into a look of panic.

“I mean….if ye wan tae go out wi me tha is….”he stammered for a moment.

“I meant about us being dynamite you goob.” “Ohhhhhhh.” he looked abashed for a second before his eyes glinted wickedly again. “I can give ye a preview if ye wan.”

You leaned down, your nose brushing against his.

“I wan.” you whispered, mimicking his accent. “Then we can talk about dinner.”

He sucked in his breath with a hiss as your teeth bit at his neck.

“Ye’re goin tae be the death o me aren’t ye lass?”

“I’m going to try very hard.”

“Speakin o hard.” his mouth was hot against your ear as he grabbed your hand from his hair, guiding until your palm rested against his length.

“I would say that qualifies.” you agreed, tentatively squeezing him through his jeans, just enough for him to throw his head back and moan.

His hips bucked under your hand, thighs shaking beneath yours. Every slide of your hand gave rise to a new noise ripped from his throat. The sight of him below you, his teeth biting his lip, fingers gripping your hips as he jerked and sighed was almost enough to finish you off. You wanted his mouth again, brushing your lips over his until he pressed back. His head surged forward, one hand cupping the back of your head as he almost devoured you. His other hand slid over the front of you, his fingers dipping just under the rolled waistband of your pants.

Jack’s mouth left yours long enough to mutter, “Jus a preview, right?”

He waited for your nod before kissing you again, his hand moving to cup between your thighs, his fingers rubbing gently along the center of you. Your cry was swallowed by his tongue, his hips grinding against your hand. You could feel him throbbing through his jeans, the knowledge that it was your touch getting him off pushing you almost to the edge. His fingers moved against you, your hips rolling against them until they were exactly where you needed them.

Your whole body shuddered as your movements feel into matching rhythms, his fingers, your hand, your hips all moving perfectly. So close, you were so close and you couldn’t breathe, your head falling to rest on his shoulder. His ragged breath was hot in your ear, his free hand tangling in the hair at the back of your head, yanking your head back so he could run his tongue up the front of your neck. “Now imagine mah mouth instead of mah hand, or both,” he gritted his teeth as your nails scraped over him through his jeans in response. “I’m good wi both.”

His toungue flicked out against your mouth as his fingers dipped and stroked the center of you. I was almost enough, and yet you still wanted so much more. You whimpered, hips rolling against his hand, feeling him twitch under your fingers.

“Look at me.” he said roughly, tugging your hair until you met his eyes. “I wan tae see yer face when I make ye come.”

Your body jerked, the heat in your belly boiling as you felt the telltale ripple inside you.

“Yes, jus like tha darling. I’ll be right behind ye.”

You were so ready, but you didn’t want it to end, you had never felt this good, no one had ever worked your body this skillfully. Certainly no one had ever made you orgasm without even touching your skin, this was, just…….

You wailed at the moment his thumb pushed in as far in as your clothing allowed, just that tiny penetration was enough to make you fly apart. Your thighs clenched around his hand as your body writhed and shuddered on his lap, whimpering as his fingers keeping rubbing, drawing it out longer than you’d ever experienced before.

“Christ love, tha was gorgeous.” he grunted as you started to breathe again. Your hand still had him in a vice grip, his length jerking and swelling under your fingers. As he had done you watched his face as his head fell back, gasping for air as you slid your other hand down, cupping and scraping his balls, matching the rhythm of your hands.

“Fuck! God, that’s good, I’m so close….” his neck and face were red, sweat on his brow as his whole body strained against you. His hips started jerking uncontrollably and he let out a yell as he came, his back arching and his hands gripping the couch.

You watched as he shuddered back to Earth, his limp arms reaching up to wrap around you, pulling you against him as he breathed into your hair. Long minutes passed as you burrowed into one another’s necks, your heart finally beating at a normal rate, his breath now calm. Pulling back you ran your eyes over his face, still pink and sweaty, his hair sticking up all over the place. He looked…

“Well tha was satisfying. In fact tha was fucking incredible Y/N.” Satisfied was the word you’d been looking for. It was perfect, you could only imagine how satisfied you would feel when he was finally inside you.  

You could barely form a coherent thought, let alone articulate one, which led to a self assured gleam in his eye. He knew exactly how good he had made you feel and he certainly wasn’t ashamed of it. Or of you.

He proved it all night when every time he woke his mouth would brush against your neck as you snuggled against him. It felt amazing and unreal to wake up to his alarm, his arms tight around you until you both absolutely had to get up. For the first time you didn’t feel self conscious changing in front of him, in fact you enjoyed the frustrated grunt he gave when he watched you pull off your shirt leaving your chest bare to his hot gaze.

“Do me a favor today?” he came up to you as you tucked your t-shirt into your pants, all clean and dry now.

“What’s that?”

“Wear this over your shirt.” he handed you a button down shirt, specifically one that was uniquely and obviously his. Everyone would know it was his and the thought made your cheeks feel hot. “It will make me very happy tae see ye in mah shirt all day, and it will show everyone I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Had he put it any other way you would have refused. Instead you pulled it on, tying it at your waist, knowing the buttons wouldn’t meet in the middle.

“Better?” you spun in front of him with a giggle.

“Perfect.”

He held your hand in the car all the way to work, constantly reassuring you that it was fine, that you were precious to him and that he would personally destroy anyone who hurt you. It didn’t take much thought to realise who he meant, you knew they would probably think you had stolen his shirt like a creepy stalker. That thought worried you.

Sure as shit, the two of them were right there as Jack pulled into the lot, tapping away on their phones as they waited for him, he’d told you that they did it every day. You gained satisfaction from the look on their faces as you stood up to close the car door, Jack coming around to take your hand. “Hey luv, I know it’s childish but….what do ye say we put them in their place?”

You nodded your agreement, barely managing a smile before his body pressed yours up against the car door, his hand holding the back of your neck. His lips were on yours, surprisingly gentle and your arms wrapped around his waist. He took your breath away, softly, sweetly and thoroughly, taking his time and kissing you slowly. It was the kiss of a lover, of a man who believed you were something precious to behold.

“That wasn’t just fer show, jus so ye know.” he smiled, brushing your nose with his. “The show is jus a perk.”

“I know what you’re doing Jack, if you think kissing me like that is going to get you an extra piece of cake today well….”

He cut you off with another kiss, short but just as sweet, leaving you feeling all wonky.

“You’re absolutely right.” you finished, enjoying his cheeky grin.

“Course I am, now let’s get tae it.”

“Get to what exactly?”

He slung his arm over your shoulder, neither of you even remembered that anyone else was there as you walked inside.

“The rest of our lives darlin.”