#even at their little guys christmas reunion last year

[moonwish]

turbulent events have happened tonight

[stsgluver]

𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐏𝐓.𝟒 — gojo satoru

synopsis. nobara can’t find the dvd anywhere and gojo has a decision to make

wc. 4k

tags. fluff, angst (kinda), reader is described as fem, possibly ooc gojo (my bad), cliffhanger-ish, any spelling mistakes blame on my cats, possible plotholes

a/n. several things to address: firstly my description of dvds and how they work ARE SO FLAWED IK DON'T JUDGE. secondly, look I get how rct works so not everything I say is accurate but like this is also about 2d men so who's to judge. finally I'm not too sure about this chapter so if its shit lmk BUT I HOPE YOU ALL LOVE IT THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT <333 ily all but I do have upcoming exams so the ending(s), won't be posted till possibly early February as I have to get back to studying :(

previous part / final part / series masterlist

“guys we’ve lost it.” nobara pushed up her mattress, phone pressed between her ear and her shoulder as she peered beneath the wooden slats. all there was was her suitcase and a bag from an expensive shop she’d convinced gojo to buy for her. “it’s gone. poof. here once and now it’s not.” the ‘it’ in question being the dvd they’d treasured for the last few weeks (well, yuuji and nobara anyways).

after gojo had taken the dvd – unbeknownst to the first years – nobara had ended up sleeping for the next fourty eight hours, and then afterwards spending several days catching up on the classwork she’d missed. she hadn’t had the time or energy to force her classmates into another movie night so now here they were, almost a week since it was last touched, finally realising its disappearance.

“do you want me and megumi to come help?” yuuji asked tentatively as he heard her curse as she dropped the mattress back down. nobara sighed, glancing around at the chaos she’d created. her room was a mess – drawers half open and half her clothes and books on the floor in case the dvd had slipped into a pile by accident. 

“it’s not in my room,” she said adamantly, pushing her hair back from her face in frustration as she struggled to piece together the final moments she had with the dvd. she could remember sending megumi away, beginning her little day of research and even some of the videos she watched (the arcade and the christmas reunion), but then she fell asleep and everything was hazy from there.

“when was the last time you had it?” megumi asked and nobara felt her eye twitch like she hadn't retraced her steps a million times already.

“the first day i was off sick. i was watching a few–”

“without us?” the pink haired sorcerer cut in with a gasp.

“what else was there to do?” nobara argued back with no bite but he quietened down nonetheless. 

a moment of silence settled between the three as each tried to figure out where it could have been misplaced or who could’ve accidentally picked it up. if nobara had dropped it somewhere outside of her dorm, could one of the older years taken it?

nobara was brought out of deep thought by yuuji flippantly asking: “did you watch any after sensei came to see you?” she froze at the implication of his words. at no point could she recall their teacher ever coming in to check on her – it had always been either yuuji, megumi or maki. 

“what?” 

several hours later, the three first years found themselves huddled on the benches, nobara in the middle and the boys either side of her. in front of them were the second years and gojo – the latter having said something to annoy maki as yuuta held her back from making a swing at their laughing teacher. the second year teacher was off ill today so the larger class meant that the three had a distraction as they tried to figure out what their next step was – if they even had one at this point.

the assumed facts were as such: the first years were no longer in possession of the dvd, and gojo had it. though there was little doubt that this was true, it didn’t stop them questioning the possibility – after all, megumi had pointed out, there’d been no alter in his behaviour whatsoever since the minute he’d checked on nobara. surely, even the strongest would be noticeably affected by a disk that immortalised a happiness and innocence he’d never be able to return to.

but then again, maybe this was just another thing that separated gojo from the rest of society. being the strongest came before all else, he didn’t have the time to mourn resurfaced memories.

“maybe he just doesn’t have it,” yuuji suggested.

“he has to,” nobara reaffirmed. at this point they’d exhausted all other options about where it could possibly be and surely they would have heard if one of the older years found what they had. “would he tell you if he had it?” she asked megumi.

“no,” megumi said quickly, shaking his head and leaning back on the bench as he looked over at gojo, “we… he wouldn’t talk to me about that. about them.”

“could we steal it back?” yuuji offered and nobara debated duct taping his mouth closed.

megumi scoffed, shaking his head, “he has six eyes. even if we tried, he’d know for sure it was us.”

“he already knows it was us,” nobara countered, not that she agreed with yuuji’s solution by any means. “which is why i don’t get why he hasn’t said anyth–”

“oi, you three!” the first years jumped apart from their circle, hearts pounding as gojo appeared before them with a smirk toying at the corner of his lips and his hands clasped behind his back. “whoever beats maki in hand to hand combat gets the day off tomorrow!”

“yuuji if you win, i’m taking your day off,” nobara called out as she trailed behind the aforementioned boy running to the centre of the field. 

“okay!”

unsurprisingly, all three first years lost against the second year. megumi came closest to winning but when he tried to use his cursed technique, gojo countered it, catching him off guard and giving maki the opportunity to sweep him off his feet with her staff.

gojo found himself still laughing over megumi’s shocked expression as he fell flat on his back as he stepped past the threshold of his office. even after all he’d taught the boy in combat, with no cursed technique it was hard to overcome the zenin girl’s strength and skill she’d mastered to take on her own clan.

he let out a small sigh as the door locked shut and, for the first time that day, he was alone with his own thoughts.

dropping down into his office chair, gojo crossed one leg over the other as he pulled open a drawer. on the top of a pile of unread paperwork for the higher ups was the dvd the first years were so fixated on. 

he wasn’t stupid; he knew eventually they would figure out he had it and, unlike himself, they’d been way less subtle once they’d put two and two together. yuuji’s speech had tripled in speed, nobara was way too keen on being anywhere but where he was and megumi… gojo couldn’t forget the guilt and hurt in the teenage boy’s eyes after telling him you were gone. it was here again, had been for several weeks, and it was only after stumbling upon the disk in nobara’s room that he’d understood why.

gojo gritted his teeth together as he held the disk up between shaky fingers. it was pathetic, he scolded himself, it was just a bit of plastic with memories lasered into divots in a never ending spiral. it wasn’t worth the heartache.

if he looked closely enough, he could see shoko’s name written on the centrepiece in faded black sharpie. after gojo had stumbled upon the old camera several years after graduating from jujutsu high, shoko had taken back the camera to transfer all of the old clips onto dvds and given him, herself, nanami and you your own copies. he couldn’t even remember where his and yours were anymore, in fact he’d pretty much forgotten about their existence until a week ago.

he wasn’t sure where shoko had lost the dvd for the first years to get their hands on it but he hadn’t worked up the courage to speak to her about it. he hadn’t worked up the courage to do anything more than just spin the disk between his fingers, cry about it for a bit, and go back to pretending he didn’t have the last remnants of his youth in his drawer.

gojo glanced between the disk and the laptop on his desk. it was the last step he needed to take to hear your voice again. it had been on repeat for the last week in his mind; you uttering his name and that innocent question, would you last beyond your teenage years?

he missed it, missed you so bad.

raising megumi was a lot harder without you there; you were his favourite after all, bridging the gap between the two when they bumped heads with their contrasting personalities. gojo was all rainbows and giggles and megumi was everything but. you were a happy medium, creating a balance that maintained order in the home you shared. it was a peace that megumi deserved after losing his parents.

gojo clicked his tongue, reaching across to press a button that opened up a space for the disk. slotting it in place, he clicked the device shut and held his breath as he waited. it took several seconds for the files to load and then there he was again, back in those fields under the large weeping willow that was your spot.

the video was paused, exactly where it had been left, except this time gojo could actually see the screen.

your face wasn’t in it, just his. his glasses were off – balanced on your head if he remembered correctly – as he used your lap as a pillow. one of your hands was holding the camera while the other was held over his eyes to block any sort of light. the only thing he could make out was your cursed energy.

you were nearing the end of your first year and whilst gojo was growing more powerful, he was also growing more and more reliant on his glasses to stop himself from becoming so overwhelmed with the constant information he received with his six eyes. he’d overworked himself that day, as he so often did, hence why you’d dragged him away from the school to the seclusion of the tree. 

your questions about the longevity of your relationship weren’t meant to hold deep meaning, you just wanted to take his mind off of the headaches. gojo would choose thinking about you over the searing pain in the back of his head any day. yaga said that once he had a better understanding of his reversed curse technique it wouldn’t be so bad but until then it was just about riding it out.

gojo snorted at the notion. his reversed curse technique only marginally helped. you were what got him through the days when he’d lock himself in his bedroom with blackout blinds pulled down, hiding under his covers till he felt like he could function in society again.

he didn’t unpause the video, however, instead clicking onto the main tab with all of the files stored. 

lifting up his blindfold and dropping it down onto the desk, gojo took a deep breath before he began scrolling. unlike when the first years were simply searching for the ones with their favourite thumbnail, gojo was specifically searching for the ones he knew focused on you.

he needed to hear your voice again, to play it on repeat until it became so ingrained into his skin he could feel your touch.

gojo halted the cursor over the familiar date of your birthday, clicking on it without a second thought as the video filled the screen. it buffered for a moment, giving him a view of the dorm he’d practically spent three years in (despite yaga’s constant complaints and reminders that dorms were segregated on gender).

in the corner of your room was a stack of plushies that he’d won for you at arcades, and your walls were covered in photobooth photos and polaroids of your group of friends. his personal favourite was the polaroid you had pinned just above your desk. it was the two of you on new years eve sharing your first kiss of the year, sparklers in hand and the faint pink of a firework in the background. on the bottom of the polaroid was haibara’s handwriting as he’d scribbled on the date and a small smiley face.

“happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you!” seventeen year old gojo sung in the video, swaying the camera side to side above a pile of duvet and pillows. you were somewhere in the middle, half asleep and trying to push yourself deeper into the comfort of your bed and further from whatever the screeching was in your room.

you’d never been a morning person whereas he, on the other hand, had a reserve of energy that never depleted. it was what made getting up at the crack of dawn on your birthday so much more entertaining for him. even as an adult, when the two of you lived together in the comfort of your own apartment, he would either force you to stay up until midnight or gently nudge you awake at 4am to tell you he loved you.

“satoru,” you whispered groggily when you gave up trying to ignore his awful singing, lifting your head up just enough to meet his eyes. he would have done anything to see you physically before him instead of watching you through the lens of a camera. to be looked at with love as you did and not a mix of fear and respect. “if yaga catches you–”

“i’m just singing happy birthday to my girl,” his younger self dismissed, plopping down onto the bed next to you. he preferred your bed over his, a softer mattress he used to argue when shoko would complain about him showing up at your shared dorm several nights in a row. that particular birthday, he was pretty sure she’d been sent on a training mission over in kyoto. gojo’s hand came into frame as he ran a gentle hand through your hair, giving it a little pat when you quietly hummed at the contact. “he can’t hate on me for that.”

“yes he can,” you retorted, rolling your eyes with a tired smile. gojo felt his chest tighten – two years without waking up by that very same smile after almost a decade of having it everyday.

“i’ll blame shoko,” gojo shrugged with a grin, kicking his legs up onto your bed, despite your small protest that he was taking up all of your space. like you weren’t just as clingy as he was.

you huffed out a quiet laugh, your elbow digging into your pillow as you rested your head in your hand to stare incredulously at your boyfriend. “shoko forced the strongest sorcerer of the modern day to enter the girls’ dorms? uh huh.”

“woah woah, i’m the strongest of all time baby, i don’t do second best,” he corrected, leaning down to give you a peck on the forehead. you scrunched your nose up at the contact, but even through the viewpoint of the camera, he can see how your eyes dropped down to his lips.

“i know you don’t,” you smiled and gojo dropped the camera down as he moved to give you your first real kiss of seventeen. present day gojo sucked in a breath, willing for himself to get through at least one several minute video of you until he started crying.

the kiss ended all too quickly as gojo shoved the camera back into your face, the flash causing you to squint and squeeze your eyes closed. “now smile and say cheese, you’re seventeen!”

“woo!” you cheered half heartedly, giving in to his infectious excitement. blowing the camera a tired kiss, you shuffled yourself back deep beneath your duvet. “now can i go back to sleep?”

“as long as i can stay.”

“fine,” you dragged out, though you both knew you wanted him to just as much. yaga be damned. the video ended several seconds later and an odd silence filled his office. 

he’d only ever watched several of these videos once or twice – back when he still had you to curl up into his side and reminisce with him and laugh at nanami’s old haircut. if he was being honest, he didn’t even remember he’d recorded that (though he was glad he did).

gojo was more confident this time when he scrolled, his hands no longer shaking as much as they had been as he smiled at the life he once had. a life with you and geto.

this time he stopped at a thumbnail with the three of you; gojo holding up the camera high as the three of you posed like it was a photo. it was at one of only a handful clan events you had attended together, with both you and geto as gojo’s plus ones. he and geto were in matching suits and you were in a floor length dress that he’d spent way too much money on (but you looked so pretty when you tried it on he couldn’t not get it for you).

“hi this is mtv,” you clapped your hands together, “and welcome to my crib.” his younger self waved his hands around in the background (geto was recording), showing off the spiralling architecture that cost more money than fathomable. 

gojo quietly laughed in his office. the politics of clans and these events were the last reason he’d ever chosen to attend them. seeing you all dressed up and running around buildings with a million rooms were right at the top. his favourite had to be when both the first years, shoko and utahime had also been in attendance, but after haibara’s death, hanging around with the clans that upheld the institution that killed their friend seemed distasteful.

“this is my in house art museum collection.” you led geto along one of the vast corridors, pointing into a room with dozens of framed canvases of art from all across the globe. “this is where i come in for inspiration and to truly just feel art you know?”

“i wasn’t aware you had skills beyond stickmen,” geto interjected and you raised both your middle fingers at him.

“art is subjective, di–”

“woah, i have standards to uphold here,” gojo cupped a hand over your mouth, stopping any expletive leaving you. you hummed in annoyance and the white haired sorcerer grinned, nodding his head over to a partially opened door. “we don’t need to argue when we have a whole cinema room to ourselves.” gojo remembered the stain of red lipstick you’d left on his hand when he let you go (you’d refused to kiss him all evening because of your makeup).

the cinema room was massive: rows and rows of sleek leather seats that looked out of place when compared to the aesthetic of the building. this was someone’s home, though it looked like anything but.

“this is my cinema room,” geto held onto the back of one of the chairs as he loosened his tie. he lowered his voice as he leant closer to the camera gojo was now holding. “we used to have two but daddy converted the smaller one into a sauna so now we only have this one,” he said with an upturned nose, and you could be heard giggling in the background at his faux disgust.

you nor geto were from the same wealthy background as gojo was and loved to poke fun at his high status background.

“oi!” an official that was supposed to be watching for any curses or curse users that tried to sneak into the event pointed a light into the cinema room. “you kids shouldn’t be back here!”

gojo laughed, throwing the camera to geto as he grabbed your hand and led you quickly down the stairs to another exit at the bottom of the stairs. geto turned off the recording once he’d grabbed a hold of the device in favour of focusing on not being caught. it wasn’t like there would be any real consequence – they were with gojo satoru after all.

the white hair sorcerer smiled as he thought back to the rest of the night. obviously, you’d all managed to get away – though he had suffered your wrath at the fact your legs weren’t as long as their’s were and you were running in heels. two strikes, but he’d made it up to you by taking you out for ice cream instead of going back to hear the speeches.

it wasn’t an exaggeration to say gojo would have done anything for you then. 

gojo swallowed a lump in his throat as your last interaction came to mind. you were arguing, as you had been in the weeks up until megumi’s birthday as he inched closer and closer to being old enough to enrol in jujutsu high.

the only wish he’d ever refused to fulfil: keeping megumi away from jujutsu.

“he’s our responsibility.” you were yelling at him, desperate for him to understand your point of view and he was walking away. dodging your anger by going wherever his legs took him – anywhere but where you were. “we need to protect him. we can’t protect him if he becomes a sorcerer too.” 

“i can,” he insisted, halting in his place to turn and look down at you. his cursed technique was activated, though there was no need for it to be, and all it did was frustrate you further.

“i nearly died today!” you countered, pointing to your neck with a faint scar. shoko’s reversed cursed technique was almost perfect, but not even that could fully erase the deep lacerations that had almost taken your life. “where were you? you can’t be everywhere and help everyone at the same time. it’s just not possible.”

“i can try.” his jaw was tight as he responded through gritted teeth.

“and if that’s not enough?” you didn’t need to see his eyes to know his were locked directly onto yours, daring you to continue. he wouldn’t hurt you, would never dream of it, angry or not, but how could you of all people doubt him? “what then gojo satoru?” you uttered his full name like it was an insult, “you may be the strongest but he’s not. i’m not. we’re mortals compared to you.”

“you’re my family,” his voice broke.

“yu and suguru were family once too.”

gojo clenched his fists at the memory, at the reminder he walked out after that. you were trying to get him to see your concerns, and he’d taken that as you blaming him for the outcome of your close friends. that was the last time he ever saw you; tears welling up in the corner of your eyes at his insensitivity, at his inability to admit that maybe, just maybe, he too was just a mortal. 

everything you said was logical and made sense – he had almost lost you that day, having not initially received the message that you had needed backup as he was preoccupied with his own mission. by the time he had arrived, the curse had its claws dug deep into your skin and it had taken everything in him not to use hollow purple and bring the entire infrastructure down in seconds.

despite all he’d done to save you that day, he’d still lost you. he’d only delayed the seemingly inevitable by mere hours.

megumi sat up in bed at the sound of two knocks on the door. he highly doubted it would be yuuji since the pink haired sorcerer had only left several minutes prior, saying something about needing to meet panda. 

to his surprise, gojo stood before him, hands in the pockets of his pants as he half smiled at the younger boy. 

“is itadori here?” megumi hesitated before shaking his head. “good,” gojo held up the missing dvd, “we need to talk.”

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[bluemooniegif]

Soukoku's first meeting could not have been written more perfectly. Allow me to explain

A quick note on the manga panels: these are fan translations from BSD Bibliophile. At one stage they refer to Dazai as 'the youngest boss in Mafia history,' and the executive meeting as 'a meeting of five bosses.' This is just a stylistic choice! All of the panels shown here are from chapters 8 (volume 2), 10 & 11 (volume 3)

I love this scene more than life itself, because it is literally the PERFECT introduction to Chuuya, his character, and his relationship with Dazai. Let's talk about it!

First: some context. Dazai seems to be in a bit of a predicament- he's walked right into a trap set by the Port Mafia, an organisation that we don't know much about at this stage in the story. What we do know, and what we can observe, is this:

Dazai is a former executive, and appears to have walked into the trap on purpose

He is now being held in a room that Akutagawa describes very negatively- the fact of being here is dangerous

Dazai reveals that Akutagawa was once his subordinate, and that he thought very lowly of him at the time. He claims to still think of him this way. Akutagawa has a violent reaction to this.

This is a PERFECT example of 'showing, not telling' within a story. Rather than making a bunch of asides, describing what Dazai and Akutagawa are feeling and why, Asagiri & Harukawa have plopped us into the middle of a rather awkward reunion. I feel like I've walked into my friend's Christmas dinner and am now witnessing family politics unfold real time. It's like watching a car crash.

Now, we move between settings a bit, jumping around to watch Yosano DESTROY Kajii, Atsushi rescue Kyouka, and subsequently be injured and kidnapped by Akutagawa. We watch the Agency fall into disarray when Fukuzawa demands that everyone go looking for Atsushi- interesting, considering that Dazai is IN THE BASEMENT OF THE PORT MAFIA RIGHT NOW.

I've had lots of discussions and arguments about the meaning and significance of this. I won't delve too deep into it for now, but the way I see it is this: something the ADA is really REALLY good at is splitting up Mystery-Inc. style and working to solve cases etc., together, but apart. Dazai is also something of a stray dog (... cat), regularly wandering off and reappearing of his own accord. He's been with the ADA for several years at this point, and they would understand the way he operates well. Even if there's no indication whether he explicitly told anyone what he's doing or where he's going (which honestly, does that matter, when Ranpo would know immediately anyway?), we can safely assume that this is more or less a regular thing for them.

Anyway, back to the point. the Agency is not fazed by Dazai's disappearance... and neither, for some reason, is Dazai. He stands chained to the wall in the PM's basement- the same one, we discover later, where he's brutally tortured countless victims and traitors, and he's humming a little tune to himself, smiling, totally relaxed. We as the audience know he's pretty unflappable, and Akutagawa's expression when he sees him confirms this, too.

But. BUT. This doesn't last.

With the ADA descending into chaos, we switch perspectives back to Dazai again. He's bored at this stage, and thinking to himself that they must be searching for Atsushi soon (an indication that he was riling Akutagawa up earlier, btw) when he hears it: A voice that makes his resolve crack. A look of panic on his face that, at this stage, we haven't seen yet.

He turns, and we see Chuuya for the first time! He's got this strange smug look on his face, something deeply vindictive. Here's a current mafia executive, and he's so happy to see Dazai chained to the wall of their Torture Basement that you can't help but wonder... is there something that Dazai did to him, personally, that makes him feel this way? Or is this guy just so deeply involved with the PM that the fact Dazai left is like a personal slight against him?

Now, we don't really have long enough to truly panic over this predicament, because almost immediately these two fall into their old habits. Dazai isn't PLEASED, but he isn't afraid. He goes right into bantering with Chuuya, who surprisingly meets him right in the middle. Their regular dynamic shines right through: it's quick-witted quips, inside jokes, and knowing looks. It's this odd relaxation in their posture. In all of this, we have an acknowledgement of what they were, and evidence to suggest that they still are... whatever that thing is. Whatever you wanna call it: partners, boyfriends, best friends, buddies. That much is up to interpretation; the only undeniable fact is that they once knew each other better than themselves, and still do.

Then, the fight. This, to me, comes across as more of a way to display how powerful they both are individually: Chuuya punches concrete so hard it shatters in several places, Dazai snaps his fingers and breaks out of handcuffs.

We have front-row seats to what is in my opinion one of the best action sequences in early BSD, not just for what physically transpires, but what it tells us: they deeply understand each other on multiple levels. They're constantly predicting each other's moves, and they know where each other's weak spots are.

But there's also been a lot of growth. Dazai surprises Chuuya a few times, and vice-versa. Despite their apparent closeness, it's still clear that they haven't been together like this for a long, long time.

Then, they reach checkmate. It appears as though Chuuya has won, and we're fed some more Dazai lore- he was the youngest executive the PM ever saw.

This is how Chuuya remembers Dazai. Again, I want to remind you that this is the first time so far we're seeing PM-zai, and he is worlds away from the Dazai we've grown to know so far.

Though Chuuya seems to have driven Dazai into a corner, the roles are quickly reversed when Dazai claims to know something about a meeting between all five of the Mafia's executives. Chuuya quickly realises this is one of his 'predictions,' further proving the depth of their mutual understanding.

With hindsight, we know just how big a deal a meeting of this scale is, and knowing a certain stormbro (who I won't reveal just in case of spoilers) will be there makes me lose my mind, personally. It clearly affects Chuuya, as well, which was undoubtedly Dazai's goal.

With the power balance disrupted again, they quickly fall back into that same bantering dynamic. The volatile nature of their relationship is so perfectly portrayed within this short scene that it actually makes me sick, I genuinely don't think it could have been more perfect

Anyway. Chuuya has realised, at this stage, that Dazai had multiple goals when he allowed himself to be kidnapped, and one of those was to piss Chuuya off (which is something I think he could've managed even if Chuuya wasn't physically there). This, in turn, pisses Chuuya off, especially when he realises the predicament Dazai has left him in- let him escape, or the Mafia suffers. A test of loyalty, Chuuya's greatest weakness. Do you understand why I am tearing my hair out and howling at the moon??? This is fucking insanity.

And then, the final moment! The part we all know and love! Not only does Chuuya choose to err on the side of caution, allowing Dazai to escape- he also leaves with the repetition of another inside joke. And Dazai laughs- he looks genuinely happy, too.

That is all. I'm gonna go cry now ಥ_ಥ

read this original thread on twitter

[gyorouis]

𐙚 WHY I LOVE YOU - CSB.

— soobin had always known you better than anyone else, and it made the silence between you two more unbearable.

genre: fluff, slight angst but it's just because soobin loves reader sm! established relationship, romance, slice of life.

pairing: boyfriend!soobin x afab!reader

warning: emotional content, themes of self-isolation and self-sabotage, mild conflict, reconciliation, if i forgot anything pls let me know!

wordcount: 7.8k

now playing: orange & lemons — hanggang kailan ୨ৎ

“soobinie~” a sweet voice called out, effortlessly cutting through the hum of conversation that filled the room. soobin’s head turned instinctively, and as his eyes landed on you, his entire face lit up with a warmth that radiated from the depths of his heart. those eyes—bright and full of the same gentle affection that had captured his heart back in college—met his gaze, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“there she is,” taehyun whispered, nudging soobin with a knowing grin.

soobin’s smile softened, the corners of his mouth lifting in a way that only you could bring out of him. “love,” he greeted you, his voice tender. his soft hand made it’s way to your back to caress it.

you beamed, your happiness evident as you took in the sight of everyone gathered around the table. “how are you guys? i haven’t seen you all in so long!” you exclaimed, your voice bubbling with the joy of reunion.

beomgyu glanced up from his phone, a lazy smile playing on his lips. “yeah, i think the last time we all got together was christmas last year, right?” he chuckled, though his attention quickly drifted back to his phone. every now and then, his eyes would dart around the venue, as if he was searching for someone amidst the crowd.

you chuckled, shaking your head. “actually, i’ve been meaning to ask you guys to come over this weekend,” you began, a teasing glint in your eyes as you turned to soobin. “soobin’s been nagging me about how much he misses you all, and he practically begged me to invite you.”

soobin’s eyes widened in mock horror, his cheeks tinged with a hint of pink. “love, i told you not to tell them that,” he protested, his voice tinged with playful embarrassment.

you shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous smile tugging at your lips as you reached out to caress his shoulder. “why not? it’s exactly what you said,” you teased, watching the way he sighed in defeat, a soft laugh escaping your lips.

“you’re still like that? that’s adorable,” hueningkai chimed in, his voice laced with amusement as he watched the interaction between the two of you.

you turned your attention to hueningkai, grinning. “yeah, he’s still too easy to tease,” you confirmed, casting a loving glance at soobin, who now sat up a little straighter, a playful smirk beginning to form on his lips.

“and she still cries whenever we fight,” soobin shot back, his tone light, but the glint in his eyes suggested he wasn’t entirely joking.

“oh yeah! remember that time? soobin actually cried himself to sleep when you wouldn’t talk to him for days,” beomgyu added, his voice teasing as he finally looked up from his phone, a mischievous grin on his face.

soobin’s expression shifted as he shot beomgyu a sharp look. “just shut your mouth and focus on your phone,” he warned, though the laughter in his eyes betrayed any real annoyance.

you blinked, your curiosity piqued. “eh? when was that?” you asked, turning to soobin with a puzzled expression.

taehyun couldn’t resist jumping in. “it’s happened so many times, she doesn’t even remember,” he joked, and the entire table erupted into laughter once more.

leaning closer to soobin, you whispered softly, “when did that happen, love?”soobin’s lips curled into a fond smile as he let his mind wander back to that moment in time. his heart swelled with the memory, but before he could answer, he found himself pulled even further back—back to the very first time he had ever laid eyes on you. the memory was so vivid, so full of color and emotion, that it felt like he was living it all over again. the moment that had changed everything for him—the moment he realized that his life would never be the same because of you.

the clinking of glasses and the low murmur of sophisticated conversation filled the grand dining hall. soobin, dressed in a tailored suit that made him feel more like a stranger to himself, stood quietly at the edge of the room, his hands neatly clasped in front of him. these business dinners were a common occurrence in his life, but they never got any less daunting. the weight of expectations from his father and the high society crowd often left him feeling out of place, like he was wearing a mask that didn’t quite fit.

he scanned the room, his eyes sweeping over the sea of unfamiliar faces, until they landed on someone who stood out from the rest. you. you were dressed elegantly, yet there was something refreshingly unpretentious about you. unlike the other guests, who seemed engrossed in their conversations, you were gazing out of the large windows, your expression serene, as if you were somewhere else entirely. the way the soft lighting played on your features made you look almost ethereal, and soobin found himself drawn to you in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

it was as if the noise of the room faded, leaving just the two of you in that moment. summoning the courage that often eluded him in these settings, he made his way toward you, his heart pounding with a mix of nerves and anticipation. each step felt like it was taking him closer to something significant, something that would alter the course of his life in ways he couldn’t yet comprehend.

“hi,” he greeted, his voice a little softer than he intended. you turned towards him, your eyes meeting his, and the world seemed to stand still. there was a warmth in your gaze that made the formal setting feel a little less intimidating, a little more like a place where he could just be himself.

“hello,” you replied, a small, polite smile gracing your lips. there was something in the way you looked at him that made him feel like you weren’t just seeing the polished exterior he had to present at these events—you were seeing him.

“i’m soobin,” he introduced himself, trying to ignore the awkwardness that threatened to creep into his voice. “my father... well, he’s hosting this dinner.”

“i know who you are,” you said, your smile widening slightly. “i’m y/n. my father works closely with yours. i think we’ve seen each other at a few events, but we’ve never had the chance to talk.” your voice was calm, steady, and it put him at ease in a way he hadn’t expected.

he nodded, suddenly feeling self-conscious under your gaze. “yeah, these events tend to be a bit... overwhelming.”

you chuckled softly, and the sound of it was like music to his ears, a melody that he wanted to hear again and again. “they do. but it’s nice to finally meet you. i’ve heard a lot about you.”

“good things, i hope?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood, though there was an edge of genuine curiosity in his voice.

“mostly,” you teased, and the ease with which you responded made him relax, the tension in his shoulders easing. “i’ve heard you’re quite the scholar.”

soobin’s cheeks tinged pink at the compliment. “i try my best.” there was something endearing about how flustered he felt in your presence, something that made him want to impress you even more.

the conversation flowed effortlessly from there, as if you’d known each other for much longer than just these few minutes. you talked about everything from school to your favorite books, and as the night wore on, soobin found himself completely captivated by you. there was a warmth and genuineness in your words that made him feel like he could talk to you forever, like you were a breath of fresh air in the otherwise stifling atmosphere of the evening.

the way you listened to him, truly listened, with a soft smile and an occasional laugh, made him feel seen in a way that was rare for him. most people saw him as the polished, perfect son of a powerful businessman, but you... you saw something more, something deeper. and that scared him just as much as it thrilled him.

before he knew it, the dinner was winding down, and guests began to make their polite goodbyes. soobin realized with a pang of regret that the evening was coming to an end, and he wasn’t ready to let go of this connection just yet. as you both stood near the entrance, waiting for your parents to finish their farewells, soobin turned to you, a hesitant smile on his lips.

“i really enjoyed talking to you tonight,” he said earnestly, his heart pounding in his chest. “i don’t usually enjoy these events, but... tonight was different.” there was a vulnerability in his words, an unspoken hope that you felt the same way.

you looked up at him, your eyes twinkling with the same gentle affection that would one day become so familiar to him. “i enjoyed it too, soobin. maybe we’ll run into each other again soon.”

“i hope so,” he replied, and he meant it with every fiber of his being. the thought of seeing you again filled him with a quiet anticipation, a hope that maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something special.

as your parents called for you, you gave him one last smile, a soft, lingering look that stayed with him long after you walked out of the grand hall. soobin found himself watching you until you disappeared from view. he didn’t know it then, but that was the moment his life had truly begun to change—the moment he met you.

just a week after meeting you, the universe seemed to have more amazing plans in store for both of you. the university campus buzzed with energy during the university week. booths lined the pathways, each one offering something different—food, games, crafts, and a hundred other distractions that drew students in like moths to a flame. soobin wandered through the crowd with yeonjun, beomgyu, taehyun, and hueningkai, their laughter and banter blending with the lively atmosphere around them.

“i can’t believe you convinced me to skip studying for this,” taehyun muttered, though his lips twitched into a reluctant smile as he watched yeonjun try to win a stuffed animal at one of the game booths.

“come on, you needed a break,” hueningkai chimed in, nudging taehyun with his elbow. “besides, it’s not like you’re actually missing anything important. just think of it as a mental health day.”

“he’s right,” beomgyu added, his eyes scanning the various stalls. soobin chuckled at their playful arguments, but his mind was only half in the conversation. the vibrant colors of the booths and the excited chatter of students filled the air, yet there was something else that caught his attention, something—or rather, someone—that made everything else fade into the background.

it was you.

standing by a fruit stall, you were dressed casually, yet effortlessly chic. your hair cascaded around your shoulders, catching the sunlight and framing your face perfectly. you were smiling, a soft, genuine smile that reached your eyes as you chatted with the vendor, selecting a few fresh strawberries from the display. the sight of you—so natural, so unguarded—took his breath away. he had no idea you went to the same university, but now that he saw you, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed you sooner.

“soobin, you okay?” yeonjun’s voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. he blinked, realizing he had been staring.

“uh, yeah,” soobin replied quickly, trying to sound casual. “i just... i think i see someone i know.” his voice trailed off, his gaze drifting back to you.

the others followed his line of sight, their expressions shifting from curiosity to knowing grins as they spotted you.

“well, well, well,” beomgyu drawled, a teasing lilt in his voice. “who’s this mysterious girl that’s got our soobin all starry-eyed?”

soobin’s cheeks flushed, but he didn’t deny it. “i met her at one of my dad’s business dinners,” he explained, his eyes never leaving you. “i didn’t know she went here.”

“so what are you waiting for?” yeonjun urged, nudging soobin forward. “go talk to her. we’ll cover for you if anyone asks.”

“yeah, man,” hueningkai added with a grin. “you don’t get chances like this every day.”

soobin hesitated for only a moment before he nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. “okay, i’m going,” he said, his voice filled with a mix of nerves and excitement.

as he made his way through the crowd, the noise around him seemed to fade into a distant hum. his focus was solely on you, the way your eyes sparkled when you laughed, the way the sun highlighted the soft waves in your hair, and the way you seemed so at ease in your own world.

when he reached the fruit stall, you looked up, and your eyes met his. recognition flickered across your face, followed by a warm smile that made his heart skip a beat.

“soobin?” you said, a note of surprise in your voice. “what are you doing here?”

“hey,” he greeted, trying to keep his voice steady. “i, uh, didn’t realize we go to the same university.”

you laughed softly, the sound making his heart flutter. “small world, huh? i didn’t know either. it’s nice to see a familiar face in such a big crowd.”

“yeah, it is,” soobin agreed, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease as you continued to smile at him. “what have you been up to? enjoying the university week?”

“yeah, i’ve been checking out the booths and trying all the snacks,” you replied, holding up the small basket of strawberries you’d just purchased. “want one?”

“sure,” soobin said, accepting the strawberry you offered him. as he bit into the juicy fruit, he found himself smiling too. “these are really good.”

“aren’t they? i’ve been coming to this stall since they opened,” you said with a grin. “there’s just something about fresh fruit that makes everything better.”

“i couldn’t agree more,” soobin said, feeling more at ease now that you were talking. he glanced around the bustling campus, then back at you. “do you... maybe want to check out some more booths together?”

your eyes lit up at the suggestion. “i’d love that.”

the rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter and easy conversation. you and soobin tried different snacks, played games at the booths, and even got caught up in a spontaneous dance performance by a group of students. everything felt so natural, so right, that it was easy to forget about the world outside this little bubble you’d created together.

as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the campus, you found yourselves sitting on a bench near the fountain, the gentle sound of water mingling with the distant music from the celebration.

“this was really nice,” you said, leaning back and closing your eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the day settle into your bones. “i didn’t expect to have such a good time today.”

“me neither,” soobin replied, watching you with a soft smile. “i’m glad we got to spend it together.”

you opened your eyes and turned to him, your expression thoughtful. “couldn't agree more.”

over the next few weeks, soobin found himself increasingly eager to see you again. it began subtly. one evening, as you were heading back to your dorm after a long day of classes, you noticed soobin standing near the entrance, seemingly engrossed in his phone. his eyes lit up when he saw you, and he greeted you with that warm, familiar smile.

“hey,” he said casually, as if it were perfectly normal for him to be there.

“hey, soobin,” you replied, slightly surprised. “what’s up?”

“oh, just waiting for a friend,” he said with a shrug. “what about you?”

“just heading back to my room,” you said, trying to shake off the odd feeling. “care to join me for a coffee? it’s been a long day.”

“i’d love to,” soobin said, falling into step beside you as you walked towards the café.

this happened a few more times over the next few weeks. soobin would suddenly appear near your building, as if by coincidence, just when you were about to head out or take a break. each time, he greeted you with that same easy smile and casual demeanor, making it seem like he was always in the right place at the right time.

one day, as you were walking to the library, you saw him sitting on a bench, pretending to read a book. his eyes met yours, and he waved enthusiastically.

“hi again,” he said, his tone cheerful.

“hi, soobin,” you replied, trying to mask your curiosity. “you seem to be around here a lot lately.”

“yeah,” he admitted, looking slightly embarrassed. “i guess i just like this spot. it’s peaceful.”

you chuckled softly. “well, it’s nice to see you.”

the conversations continued effortlessly, and you began to enjoy these spontaneous encounters. the first time you noticed it, it was a chilly autumn afternoon. you had just finished a long day of classes and were walking back to your dorm, the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet. as you approached the entrance to your building, you saw him—soobin, standing casually by the front steps, as if he had just happened to be there. his eyes lit up when he saw you, and he waved.

“hey, fancy seeing you here,” he greeted with a smile that seemed just a little too perfect for a coincidence.

you raised an eyebrow, trying to mask your curiosity. “hey, soobin. what brings you here?”

“oh, just passing by,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly. “thought i’d see if you were around.”

you shrugged off the odd feeling, chalking it up to chance. after all, it was a big campus, and he could have been in the area for any number of reasons. but as the days went by, these chance encounters started to become more frequent.

one morning, as you were heading to the library, you spotted soobin in the distance, sitting on a bench, engrossed in a book, again. the same book that you’ve been seeing him read. he looked up just as you approached and smiled warmly.

“good morning,” he called out, his voice carrying through the crisp air.

“good morning,” you replied, your curiosity piqued. “you seem to be here a lot lately.”

“yeah,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “guess i just enjoy this spot. it’s nice and quiet.”

“it is,” you agreed, sitting down beside him. “do you come here often?”

“only when i get a chance,” he said, glancing at you with a look that seemed to say there was more to it. “it’s a good place to clear my head.”

the two of you chatted for a while, the conversation flowing easily as always. but what you didn’t know was that this was no random occurrence. soobin had planned it with his friends. they had been giving him tips on where you would be, thanks to their own observations and a bit of discreet information sharing.

a few days later, you were at the campus café, waiting in line for your coffee when soobin appeared at the counter, ordering the same drink as you. he gave you a friendly wave when he saw you.

“what a coincidence,” you remarked, raising an eyebrow.

“seems like it,” he said with a grin, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “mind if i join you?”

“sure,” you said, gesturing to the empty seat across from you.

they were always pleasant encounters, but the repetition made you wonder if there was more to them. you mentioned it to your friend, mina, who laughed it off.

“maybe he’s just really into the same places you are,” she suggested, though there was a hint of teasing in her voice.

then came a rainy afternoon. you were huddled under an umbrella, making your way to a small bookstore you loved. as you reached the entrance, you saw soobin leaning against the door frame, checking his phone. he looked up and his face brightened.

“again?” you asked, feigning surprise.

“again,” he replied with a chuckle. “you seem to have great taste in bookstores.”

“or you just follow me around,” you teased.

soobin laughed, shaking his head. “i swear, it’s just a coincidence.”

this was all part of a plan that had been set in motion by soobin and his friends. they had been working behind the scenes to make these “accidental” meetings happen. beomgyu and yeonjun, who had a knack for knowing your schedule, were often the ones feeding soobin with tips about where you might be. taehyun and hueningkai, always ready with a bit of distraction, made sure that soobin was always in the right place at the right time.

one evening, after another of these coincidental encounters, soobin and his friends gathered at a café near campus. the group was huddled around a table, laughing and chatting about their day.

“so, how’s the mission going?” beomgyu asked, sipping his coffee.

“it’s going well,” soobin replied, glancing at his phone. “we’ve managed to bump into her a lot.”

“it’s like magic,” hueningkai teased. “almost like you’re everywhere she is.”

“i just hope she doesn’t catch on.”

“she’s smart,” yeonjun warned, “but she also likes you. if you keep this up, you might just win her over.” soobin smiled, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

and as for you, while you couldn’t deny the growing affection you felt for soobin, you still couldn’t shake the feeling that these meetings were more than just coincidence. you just weren’t sure yet whether to laugh about it or confront him about it.

one afternoon, as you and soobin wandered through a park, the warm sunlight filtering through the leaves, you decided to broach a topic that had been on your mind for a while.

“soobin,” you began, a playful edge to your voice, “do you have some kind of magical power that makes you show up wherever i am?”

he looked at you, his eyes twinkling with a mix of surprise and amusement. “maybe i do,” he said with a grin. “or maybe i just really enjoy your company.”

“you know,” you said, teasingly, “if you keep this up, people might start talking.”

“let them talk,” he replied, his smile widening.

as the two of you continued your walk, the world seemed to shrink down to just the two of you. the laughter and chatter of the park faded into the background as you both reveled in the easy comfort of each other’s presence. it was in this quiet, stolen moment that you began to wonder if these coincidences might be leading to something more than you had ever imagined.

your curiosity got the better of you, and you suddenly asked, “i’m starting to think that you like me.”

soobin’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he grinned, that familiar, mischievous glint in his eyes. “you’re not so slow,” he said, his tone teasing. “oh, so i was right…” you chuckled, covering your face as a blush spread across your cheeks. “when did it start?” you added, still grinning.

“the business party,” he admitted bluntly, his tone carrying a mix of nostalgia and warmth.

“wow… just… wow. that long?” you asked, incredulous. “yeah. is there a problem?” he asked, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.

“yeah,” you said, your tone serious but with a twinkle of amusement. soobin’s face fell, panic flashing in his eyes as he avoided meeting your gaze. “w-why?” he stammered.

“because it took you too long to confess when i’ve been waiting for you to,” you said, trying to hide your smile.

soobin looked up at you, his eyes meeting your sweet gaze. “waiting, since?” he asked.

you rolled your eyes, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “i don’t know when exactly, but i probably started liking you when I would run into you ‘accidentally,’” you said, making air quotes around the word “accidentally.”

“am i obvious?” he asked shyly, his cheeks flushing slightly.

“too obvious,” you said with a laugh, “that I was starting to get frustrated because you wouldn’t just come to me and say, ‘hey, i like you, let’s go out.’ i mean, i would say yes immediately. you just have to tell me—”

but your words were cut off when soobin pulled you closer. his eyes searched yours for a moment, and then he asked, “would you mind if i kiss you?”

you were taken aback by his sudden courage, but you found yourself smiling warmly. “i don’t mind,” you said softly.

slowly, as if savoring every moment, soobin’s lips met yours. the kiss was gentle at first, a tender exploration that spoke volumes of the feelings that had been building between you. in that shared, quiet space, everything else seemed to melt away, leaving just the two of you and the promise of something beautiful unfolding.

as your relationship with soobin deepened, the two of you discovered so much about each other, learning the small quirks and habits that made you both unique. each moment, each discovery, only brought you closer. one of the things soobin quickly learned about you was your love for movies, especially ones with complex plots that made you think. every friday, you and soobin would settle in for a movie night, a bowl of popcorn between you, and a stack of your favorite films on the coffee table. it became a ritual, a quiet time that the two of you cherished.

“you always pick the best movies,” soobin remarked one evening, as the credits rolled on another mind-bending thriller.

you smiled, snuggling closer to him on the couch. “i just like movies that make you think, you know? ones that stay with you long after they’re over.”

soobin nodded, his arm wrapped around your shoulders. “i’ve noticed,” he said, his voice soft. “you always have that little furrow between your brows when you’re really into the plot, like you’re trying to solve the puzzle before it ends.”

you laughed, nudging him playfully. “you’re so observant, soobin. i didn’t even realize i did that.”

“it’s one of the things i love about you,” he admitted, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “you’re always thinking, always analyzing. it’s fascinating to watch.”

soobin also learned that you had a weakness for a particular type of snack: spicy chips. it wasn’t just a casual liking; it was an obsession. he noticed how your eyes would light up whenever you spotted a bag in the store, how you’d always grab one or two, even if you had plenty at home.

one afternoon, after a particularly long day from school, you came home to find a surprise waiting for you. on the kitchen counter was a small basket filled with all your favorite snacks, including a few bags of your beloved spicy chips. a small note was attached to the basket, written in soobin’s neat handwriting: just in case you need a pick-me-up. love, soobin.

you smiled to yourself, feeling a warm rush of affection for him. “you’re too good to me, soobin,” you said as you found him in the living room, leaning over the back of the couch to give him a kiss on the cheek.

he looked up at you with a shy smile. “i just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed. i know how much you love those chips.”

“i do,” you said, laughing softly. “but i love you more.”

as the months went by, soobin also learned the little things about your daily routines. he noticed how you liked to start your mornings with a cup of tea instead of coffee, how you always needed a few minutes to yourself after waking up, just to gather your thoughts for the day ahead. he made a habit of quietly making your tea for you in the mornings, leaving it on the kitchen counter for you to find when you came downstairs.

“you’re spoiling me like a child” you teased one morning as you took a sip of the tea he had prepared for you.

“i just want to make your mornings a little easier,” soobin said with a smile, leaning against the counter as he watched you.

“you always know exactly what i need,” you said, your voice soft with gratitude. “even when i don’t say anything.”

“i pay attention,” he said simply. “i like knowing the little things about you. it’s what makes us… us.”

soobin also learned about your fears, the things that made you anxious or worried. he noticed how you would get quiet whenever something was bothering you, how you would retreat into yourself, trying to work through your thoughts alone. it took time, but he gradually learned how to gently coax you out of those moments, offering comfort and understanding without pushing too hard.

one night, after a particularly stressful day, you found yourself overwhelmed by worries that you couldn’t quite shake. you were sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought, when soobin came in and sat beside you.

“what’s on your mind?” he asked softly, his hand resting on your back.

you sighed, feeling the weight of your thoughts pressing down on you. “just… everything,” you admitted. “sometimes it feels like it’s all too much.”

soobin nodded, understanding without needing to ask for details. “you don’t have to go through it alone,” he said gently. “i’m here, and i’ll always be here. whatever it is, we can face it together.”

you looked at him, your heart swelling with gratitude. “i don’t know what i’d do without you, soobin.”

“you’ll never have to find out,” he said, his voice filled with quiet determination. “i’m not going anywhere.”

soobin had always been observant, especially when it came to you. he noticed the little things—the way your eyes would dart away when you were avoiding something, the way your smile didn’t quite reach your eyes when you were trying to hide how you really felt. it was something that became more apparent as time went on, particularly when the stress of school began to weigh heavily on you.

one afternoon, as the two of you sat together in the university courtyard, soobin noticed that you seemed distant. you were both supposed to be studying for an upcoming exam, but while soobin’s notes were spread out in front of him, yours remained untouched. instead, you were staring off into the distance, your expression blank.

“hey,” soobin said softly, reaching out to touch your hand. “are you okay?”

you blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, and turned to him with a forced smile. “yeah, i’m fine. just thinking.”

he wasn’t convinced. “you sure? you’ve been really quiet lately.”

you nodded, trying to brush off his concern. “just tired, that’s all.”

but soobin knew better. he had seen this before—the way you would retreat into yourself when things got overwhelming. it was your way of coping, but it also meant shutting out the people who cared about you. he hated seeing you like this, carrying all that weight alone.

a few days later, the pattern continued. you’d been more withdrawn than usual, spending most of your time buried in your books, but soobin could see the tension in your posture, the way your hands trembled slightly when you thought no one was looking. it was obvious that something was bothering you, but every time he asked, you just shrugged it off with a half-hearted “i’m fine.”

one evening, after another long day of classes, soobin decided he couldn’t just let this continue. you were sitting at your desk in your room, your laptop open but your attention elsewhere. he knocked lightly on the door before stepping inside.

“can we talk?” he asked, his voice gentle.

you looked up, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. “about what?”

“about you,” he said, pulling up a chair to sit beside you. “i’ve noticed you’ve been really quiet lately. and i know you keep saying you’re fine, but… i don’t think you are.”

you sighed, closing your laptop and leaning back in your chair. “i’m just… stressed. school, everything. it’s a lot.”

“i know it is,” soobin said, his eyes soft with concern. “but you don’t have to go through it alone. you know that, right?”

you looked down at your hands, avoiding his gaze. “i don’t want to be a burden.”

“you’re not a burden,” he said firmly, reaching out to take your hand. “i care about you, and it hurts me to see you struggling like this. i want to help, but i can’t if you keep pushing me away.”

you felt a lump form in your throat, the weight of his words sinking in. “i just… i don’t know how to ask for help,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

“you don’t have to ask,” soobin said, squeezing your hand gently. “i’m here for you, always. whether you want to talk, or just need someone to sit with you in silence, i’m here.”

tears welled up in your eyes, the emotions you’d been bottling up finally coming to the surface. “i’m scared, soobin,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “scared of failing, scared of letting everyone down… letting you down.”

“you could never let me down,” soobin said, his voice soft but unwavering. “you’re doing your best, and that’s all anyone can ask for. and no matter what happens, i’ll be here for you, okay? we’ll get through this together.”

you nodded, tears spilling down your cheeks trying to let go of the walls you’d built around yourself. soobin pulled you into a gentle embrace, holding you close as you cried softly against his shoulder.

but despite his reassurances, you found yourself slipping back into old habits. the demands of school, the pressure to excel—it all felt like too much. and so you started shutting soobin out again, telling yourself that you didn’t want to burden him with your problems.

whenever soobin tried to talk to you about what was bothering you, you brushed him off with the same excuse: “i’m fine, really. just tired.”

he could see the exhaustion in your eyes, the way your shoulders slumped under the weight of everything you were carrying. it broke his heart to see you like this, but no matter how hard he tried, you wouldn’t let him in.

it all came to a head on the day of your second anniversary. the day was supposed to be special, a celebration of two years together. soobin had been planning for weeks, arranging a surprise dinner, getting you a thoughtful gift. he couldn’t wait to see the smile on your face when he surprised you.

but when he arrived at your apartment that evening, his excitement was quickly dashed. you greeted him with a tired expression, your eyes puffy and red as if you’d been crying. the room was dark, the usual warmth replaced with a cold silence that made soobin’s heart sink.

“hey,” he said softly, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. “what’s wrong?”

you shook your head, trying to force a smile. “nothing, just… had a rough day.”

soobin could see right through you, but he didn’t want to push too hard. instead, he pulled you into a hug, hoping to comfort you. “come on, let’s sit down. i brought your favorite.”

he led you to the couch and sat down beside you, pulling you close. “you seem to be forgetting something,” he teased gently, trying to lighten the mood.

you looked at him, confused. “what did i forget? oh my god, i’m sorry.”

“think about it,” soobin said, a playful smile on his face.

“just tell me already,” you said, frustration creeping into your voice.

“no, i won’t. guess it,” he teased, his tone light.

but instead of laughing, you felt a surge of irritation. everything felt overwhelming—the stress of school, the weight of your problems, and now soobin’s playful teasing. it was too much.

“soobin, just stop,” you snapped, your voice harsher than you intended.

he blinked, taken aback by your sudden outburst. “what’s wrong?”

“everything!” you burst out, the words spilling out before you could stop them. “i’m stressed, i’m exhausted, and i can’t handle it anymore! and now you’re sitting here teasing me like everything’s fine when it’s not!”

soobin’s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly composed himself. “i’m sorry, i didn’t know you were going through this…” he said softly, his voice filled with concern.

“how would you know when you never ask?” you shot back, tears welling up in your eyes. “i’m drowning here, soobin, and you’re acting like everything’s okay!”

“i always do, love. i always ask,” soobin said, his voice breaking slightly. “but you always push me away…”

the room fell into a heavy silence, your harsh words hanging in the air. soobin looked at you with such sadness in his eyes, it made your heart ache.

“let’s talk tomorrow,” he said quietly, his voice full of hurt. “come on, let me wash you up.”

he led you to the bathroom, his hands gentle as he helped you wash away the tears and the stress of the day. you were both quiet, the tension from your argument still lingering in the air.

as he wiped your face with a towel, he finally broke the silence. “i’ll leave something for you to eat tomorrow. please eat, okay?” his voice was soft, almost pleading.

you nodded, unable to find the words to respond. after sending you to bed, he caressed your face gently, his touch tender despite everything that had happened. “rest now. i’ll leave when you’re asleep.”

you felt tears prick at your eyes again as you watched him, his caring nature only making the guilt in your chest grow heavier. you wanted to apologize, to ask him to stay the night, but the words wouldn’t come out.

soobin leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to your lips, his touch full of love and understanding. “happy anniversary, love. i love you,�� he whispered.

as your eyes slowly drifted shut, exhausted from crying, you felt soobin’s hand gently brush your hair back. he stayed for a moment, watching you as you fell asleep, before quietly leaving the room.

later that night, soobin found himself sitting on a bench in a nearby park, the weight of the evening pressing down on him. he pulled out his phone and called beomgyu, his voice trembling as he explained what had happened.

“give her time,” beomgyu advised after listening to soobin’s story. “she’s going through a lot, and sometimes people just need space to process everything.”

“but what if she needs me?” soobin asked, his voice laced with worry.

“she does,” beomgyu replied, “but you can’t force her to open up. just let her know you’re there for her, and she’ll come to you when she’s ready.”

“i guess you’re right,” soobin sighed, his heart heavy.

taehyun, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. “you shouldn’t have left her alone in the first place. if you really love her, you should stay and support her.”

beomgyu frowned, disagreeing. “soobin’s here because he doesn’t want to push her too hard. he knows what she needs.”

soobin remained silent, torn between his friends’ advice. he knew they both had valid points, but he wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was.

when he returned to his apartment, he felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. he sat down on his bed, his mind replaying the events of the evening over and over.

meanwhile, you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. you felt a deep sense of regret for how you had treated soobin, but you didn’t know how to make things right. the weight of your responsibilities and the stress of school had been overwhelming, and you hadn’t meant to take it out on him.

soobin had always known you better than anyone else, and it was that knowledge that made the silence between you two even more unbearable. days had passed since your argument on your anniversary, and while soobin had tried to give you the space you needed, the emptiness in his chest grew with each passing moment without you.

he missed everything about you—your laughter, your warmth, the way your eyes sparkled when you were excited. but most of all, he missed the way you made him feel like he was the luckiest person in the world just by being by his side.

one evening, as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the city, soobin found himself walking towards your apartment, his heart pounding in his chest. he couldn’t wait any longer; he needed to see you, to hold you, to tell you how much he loved you.

when he reached your door, he hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the doorbell. he wasn’t sure how you would react, but he knew that he had to try. taking a deep breath, he pressed the doorbell, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway.

a few moments later, the door opened, and there you stood, your eyes wide with surprise. you looked tired, but beautiful as ever, and the sight of you made soobin’s heart ache.

“soobin…” you whispered, your voice trembling.

“hi,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “can we talk?”

you nodded, stepping aside to let him in. the two of you stood in the middle of your living room, the silence between you heavy with unspoken words.

“i’ve missed you,” soobin finally said, his voice thick with emotion. “i’ve missed you so much.”

your eyes filled with tears, and you looked down, unable to meet his gaze. “i’m so sorry, soobin… for everything. i didn’t mean to push you away. i just… i didn’t know how to handle everything.”

soobin stepped closer, gently cupping your face in his hands. “you don’t have to apologize, love. i’m sorry for not being there for you when you needed me the most. i should have tried harder to understand what you were going through.”

you shook your head, tears spilling down your cheeks. “no, it’s not your fault. i was scared, soobin. scared that i wasn’t good enough, that i was letting you down… and instead of talking to you, i pushed you away.”

soobin’s heart broke at the sight of your tears, and he pulled you into his arms, holding you close as you sobbed against his chest. “shhh, it’s okay,” he whispered, his voice soothing. “i’m here now, and i’m not going anywhere. we’ll get through this together, i promise.”

you clung to him, your fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt as if you were afraid he might disappear. “i don’t want to lose you, soobin,” you choked out, your voice muffled against his chest.

“you won’t lose me,” soobin said firmly, his hand gently rubbing your back. “i love you, more than anything in this world. nothing will ever change that.”

you pulled back slightly, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. “i love you too, soobin. i’ve never stopped loving you.”

soobin smiled, his eyes soft with affection as he wiped away your tears with his thumb. “then that’s all that matters,” he said softly. “we’ll take it one step at a time, together.”

he leaned down, pressing his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your skin. “i’ve been so worried about you,” he murmured, his voice filled with emotion. “i just want you to be happy.”

“i am happy,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “as long as i have you, i’m happy.”

soobin’s heart swelled with love, and he pressed a tender kiss to your lips, pouring all of his feelings into that one kiss. it was soft, sweet, and filled with all the love and devotion he had for you.

when he pulled back, he looked into your eyes, his own shining with tears. “we’re going to be okay,” he said, his voice full of conviction. “as long as we have each other, we can get through anything.”

you nodded, a small smile finally breaking through the tears. “together,” you echoed, your voice filled with hope.

soobin smiled, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days. he pulled you close again, wrapping his arms around you and holding you tight, as if he never wanted to let you go.

the two of you stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the world outside fading away. in that moment, nothing else mattered but the love you shared—the love that had weathered storms, faced challenges, and come out stronger on the other side.

and so, slowly but surely, you began to let soobin back into your life. it wasn’t easy, and there were still days when you struggled, but knowing that he was there for you made all the difference. he continued to support you, never pushing you too hard, but always reminding you that he was there whenever you needed him.

as the weeks went by, you began to feel more like yourself again. the weight of your responsibilities didn’t seem as overwhelming anymore, and you were able to focus on the things that really mattered—your relationship with soobin, your friends, and your own well-being.

and through it all, soobin remained by your side, his love for you unwavering. he never once made you feel like you were a burden, and he always reminded you of how proud he was of you, no matter what.

it was in those moments that you realized just how lucky you were to have someone like soobin in your life. someone who loved you, flaws and all, and who was willing to stand by you through the ups and downs.

“so you really cried that time?” you teased, a playful glint in your eyes.

soobin shrugged his shoulders, trying to maintain a nonchalant air. “they’re over-exaggerating everything.”

“sure, sure,” you said, grinning.

you both laughed together, the sound of your shared amusement filling the room. soobin playfully nudged you, and you nudged him back, each of you trying to outdo the other in a light-hearted battle of teasing.

the table filled with memories of youth, all of you continued to chat and laugh, the warmth of the evening filled with shared stories and laughter, a reminder of how far you had come and how much more you had to look forward to.

as the night drew to a close, you and soobin knew that no matter what the future held, you would face it together, with love, laughter, and a bond that had only grown stronger over time. taehyun on the other hand starts noticing beomgyu fidgeting on his seat, “you good man?” he asks. “how do i look?” he asks, touching his hair. “chill dude, have you seen her around?” taehyun’s eyes roamed around the venue. “oh fuck,” taehyun whispers. “why?” beomgyu panics, “she’s here, dude.” his voice was a little loud and it had everyone’s attention. “who’s here?” kai asks. “beomgyu’s heartbreaker.” 

gyo's note: heyyy, i'm sorry i didn’t get to post yesterday, and i might change the posting schedule for alumni homecoming. this will be the last post for the week; the rest will be posted next week, starting on monday. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ i kind of had a hard time writing this bcs i haven't had a healthy relationship before (ᵕ—ᴗ—) lol, but yeah, i hope you liked it! if you made it to this part, thank you so much. you will be loved, xoxo.

✮ 2024 gyorouis, all rights reserved.

[magics-neptunes-things]

Baby Sister

Hi guys!

This one is from resquets, lot of them actually. I hope you will enjoy this ficlet :)

TW : Jealousy, secret relationship, Reader is Jenni Hermoso's little sister.

PART 2 IS HERE!

_____________________________________________________________

Being Jenni Hermoso’s little sister has always been a great pride for you. You wear your last name with great happiness and you have always attended all the matches you could see. You have never missed any of his important matches, whether with the Barça team or the Spanish national team. This summer, you even made the trip to attend each stage of the competition, until seeing her lift the trophy at the finale.

What happened after and around this victory, you’d rather not talk about. This story makes you green with rage and you sincerely believe that if you had faced these men at the end of the summer, things would have gone very badly.

Jenni now playing in Mexico, it’s obviously harder for you to go and see her play. You watch her evolve on the other side of the ocean thanks to VPN, what you find ridiculous, it’s your sister for God’s sake.

But you’ve been used to long distance relationships for a while now. Because your girlfriend doesn’t happen to live in Barcelona either. Leila has been playing for Manchester City since the summer of 2022, a few months after you two started dating. The long-distance relationship is clearly not something easy to manage, but your reunions are incredible every time. Now that Jenni is no longer in Barcelona, it’s easier for you to fly to Leila for a weekend in Manchester.

Yes, because Jenni obviously doesn’t know that you’re in a relationship with one of her friends. Former colleagues at Barça and in the Spanish national team, there is no need to draw a picture to know how you met. It took some time for you to get closer, you were long persuaded that Leila only saw you as Jenni’s little sister. Baby Hermoso, like most of Jenni’s teammates like to call you.

It’s not a nickname that bothers you, you know it’s affectionate and again it’s not something pejorative for you to be compared to your sister. You love her. Even though she tends to be very protective of you, scaring away all your girlfriends pretty quickly. No one is good enough for you in her eyes and even if you know that her goal is to protect you and to avoid the mistakes that she made herself, you must admit that it’s for this reason that Leila and you decided to remain hidden.

Lying or hiding things from Jenni is really not easy for you. You are used to telling her everything and you have sometimes picked yourself up at the last moment when you want to tell her an anecdote about something you saw or did with Leila. Luckily, you didn’t make any missteps in a year and a half, almost two years.

But the secret is starting to weigh you more and more. Being away from the two most important women in your life is difficult for you and you regularly find yourself with lower morale than usual. When Jenni asks you about it, you just tell her you miss her. Which is true, but not totally. It’s easier for you to talk about it with Leila, even if you don’t want to impose your moods on her.

With Christmas coming, Leila is back in Barcelona, just like your big sister. You managed to establish a schedule in the rules of the art, juggling between family meals and stolen moments with your girlfriend. You even managed to set up an afternoon with Ona, Leila and other friends you have in common. You even asked Alba Putellas to join you, but she already had something planned.

So, when Ona and her brother went back to their parents, Leila offered to take you home, which you obviously accepted. Except she stayed at your place to end the night between lovers, catching up on all the kisses, hugs and love whispers you’re late for. You could spend hours with Leila, hidden under your sheets, exchanging confessions between two kisses.

********

It was between Christmas and New Year’s that Jenni asked you to have lunch and an afternoon with her. If her proposal obviously excited you, you found yourself hesitating when she told you she wanted to invite Leila to join you. It’s been a while since they met again and Leila apparently misses her. And since you two are getting along, Jenni thought it was a good idea to bring people together.

If only she knew how well you two get along…

From the exchange of messages that you had with Leila to talk about this, you realized that the situation seems to amuse your girlfriend more than anything else. It helped you see things in a different light. Maybe there’s no reason to worry, after all?

You’re the last arrived in the restaurant Jenni picked, both brunettes already sitting at a table. You have no trouble spotting them, it would have been difficult to do it anyway with Jenni’s great gestures. You approach Leila to hug her, giving her a stern look when her hand is dangerously low on your hip. Then you put a kiss on your sister’s cheek, which makes you sit next to her before grabbing a lock of your hair.

"Since when do you have red streaks?" laughs your sister

You shrug your shoulders and get rid of your jacket to place it on the back of your chair. The facility is already pretty full and people don’t seem to pay too much attention to your table. A good thing for you.

"Since yesterday"

"It suits her well I think"

Jenni looks at you for a few more seconds before smiling and nodding. Just like her, you have very dark hair, but your eyes are more on gray than on brown like those of Jenni. When you turn your attention to Leila, she winks at you and you find yourself blushing slightly while smiling.

The discussion between the three of you goes rather well in the end and after you go to choose tapas, you relax completely. The laughter burst and you spend a pleasant moment with the two brunettes.

Between two tapas, you grab your phone to open whatsapp and show a message from your mother to Jenni to show that you are right about something. Honestly, you can’t even say why it was, as the subject is quickly forgot when another conversation seems to have caught your big sister’s eye.

"Who is the lion?"

"What?"

You’re trying to quickly put your phone in your jacket pocket, because you know exactly what Jenni is talking about. Instead of saving Leila’s full name, you inserted a lion emoji and an emoji with a burning heart next to it. You find it cuter and it saves you a little today. But not as much as you would have liked.

No doubt thanks to her reflexes worked during training, Jenni managed to grab your phone before you put it away, hurrying to change her hand to get away from you.

"Jenni give it back to me" you half get up and try to take it back.

In front of you two, Leila looks at you with big eyes, without really knowing what to do. Luckily you never call yourself by your first names. And luckily too, you tend to send yourself photos through other apps.

"I miss you, I can’t wait to find you" starts reading Jenni out loud, frowning. "I count the days before I see you again… Who is this girl?"

When Jenni turns to you, you manage to take the phone out of her hands and put it away from her. Your cheeks are so red we could probably bake eggs on them.

"No one" you grunt carrying your glass to your lips.

"Well if that’s nobody, I don’t dare imagine what the messages with your girlfriend are" laughs Leila.

You almost strangle yourself with your drink and Jenni doesn’t seem to blame you to the point of letting you die on the spot since she gives you little pats on the back. On the other hand, you shoot your girlfriend with the look by seeing her drive the nail.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" asks Jenni, eyebrows still frowned.

You sigh softly and hesitate a split second before answering. After all, she doesn’t need to know who it is, right?

"Yes" you simply answer, giving her a look of challenge.

Jenni supports your gaze, obviously, and you feel the questions swirling through her head. You don’t know what you’ll get first.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" your older sister asks.

"Because you drove away all the last ones I’ve been with" you answer, rolling your eyes.

"Oh right away the big words…" sighs Jenni, even if her amused smile proves her guilt.

A few seconds pass and you naively hope that this will be enough for Jenni as information for the moment. Maybe the fact that you’re with Leila will hold her back from pushing things too hard and getting other information out of you.

"How is she?"

It’s Leila’s voice which resounds however and you return once again a dismayed look in her direction. She’s supposed to help you, not the other way around. However, when you answer that it’s not her business, Jenni insists by asking you the question in turn.

"She is kind, she is attentive and understanding" you end up answering, a deeply upset look displayed on the face.

"Is she pretty?" asks Leila

"Obviously" you snort.

In front of you, Leila seems to be having a great time. And if you think that you may laugh about it later, currently you can’t help but think that you intend to make her pay for it later.

"Is she a good kisser?" continues Leila.

"Wow no, I don’t want to hear the answer to that question" Jenni steps in with one hand up. "I can’t believe it, you’re still a baby."

You roll your eyes sighing, hearing the moan in the voice of your big sister. You’re almost eight years apart, but she sometimes has a hard time forgetting that you’ve been fifteen almost ten years ago.

"I’m 25, Jenni" you point out, but this information seems to fall on deaf ears.

"Wait, is that the girl from your job here? Aida?"

"Who is Aida?" asks Leila

This time, the fun left your girlfriend’s voice and face. This makes you shudder from the inside, the main flaw of the brunette being undoubtedly her jealousy. This has already highlighted some tensions between you, but you have always been able to communicate in order to avoid too much conflict.

"It’s nobody" you respond quickly to Leila, to whom you have already mentioned her existence, you are almost sure of it. "And no, it’s not Aida. Can we change the subject now, please?"

Groaning in her beard, Jenni finally accepts your request, even if she specifies that you pay nothing to wait. You roll your eyes again and peck the last crumbs on your plate while Jenni apologizes to go to the toilet.

As soon as she has her heels turned, you feel Leila leaning in your direction.

"Who’s Aida?" asks the brunette again.

You sigh softly and shift your attention to Leila. You’re relieved that your sister went to the bathroom quickly after that, or you know that your girlfriend would have had her blood blown out until you two were alone.

"One of my colleagues Babe, I already told you about it" you answer in a low voice, leaning mechanically too in her direction.

Leila answers nothing, content to look at you at length with her black eyes, arms crossed on her chest. She’s too far away for you to catch her hand, so you try to keep eye contact with her.

"Leila stop, we already discussed it. You have no reason to be jealous"

A few seconds pass during which Leila seems to pass you to the X-ray using her eyes. Time seems to last you a little too long, you end up arching an eyebrow in her direction.

"And excuse me, but if one of them should be jealous, it’s me. You’re the one who’s tactile with all your friends and you’re the one who’s got edits of your person on TikTok. Not me."

You see Leila’s face relaxing under the effect of her surprise. You’ve never mentioned these two things until now and this may not be the best time to do so since your older sister was reappearing next to you two. She seems surprised by your two sulky faces and your similar position, your arms crossed on your chests.

"Uh… is everything okay?" she asks while sitting next to you.

You nod your head while Leila just grunts for a simple answer.

"I have to go." You suddenly decide "See you before you go, right?"

Jenni answers yes, probably a little surprised by your quick departure. She stands up in turn to put a kiss on your cheek and take you in her arms.

"Do you need a ride? Where are you going?"

You know perfectly well that Leila’s question is not innocent but on the other hand the kindness and helpfulness of the brunette alone could explain the proposal. But, on your side, if you had to describe yourself in one flaw, it’s impulsivity. You prefer to talk about spontaneity, but that’s why you find yourself answering her sarcastically

"Seeing Aida, what else?"

The flash of anger and jealousy passing through Leila’s face is very fast, but visible to you. And apparently to Jenni as well.

Still standing, Jenni lets go of a surprise exclamation before pointing at Leila.

"It’s you!"

"Huh?" Leila replies, turning to Jenni, having forgotten for a split second her presence.

"The lion and the burning heart! It’s you!"

"She puts a burning heart next to the lion?"

Leila’s question makes you hit your forehead with your hand. It’s a disaster. She could have responded positively to Jenni’s question that it would have come back to the same thing.

Your sister remains silent for a long time, her gaze passing from Leila to you many times. She opens her mouth several times before finally finding the words that dare to suit her. For your part, your heart rate is so high that you wonder if your heart is not trying to come out of your chest.

"Why didn’t you tell me before?"

You sigh softly, leaning against the bench on which Leila is installed.

"I told you. You traumatized all my last girlfriends Jenni, I’m sure some of them even changed countries after you finished talking to them. I didn’t want this to happen this time."

You feel Leila’s gaze rise on you, you have after all just confided that this relationship is important to you.

"Your ex-girlfriends were selfish first-league idiots" grumbled Jenni rolling her eyes at her turn. "I know Leila isn’t"

You pout a little before shrugging. You’re not sure that if she hadn’t faced the fact her reaction would have been the same. If you had told her about your relationship with Leila when it took place, you are convinced that things would have been different.

"How long has it been?" keeps asking Jenni.

"A year and a half" answers Leila for you.

The information seems to surprise your sister as she bows her eyebrows at you. You mumble an excuse and shrug.

"Well, it doesn’t look like I have a something to say anyway" sighs Jenni as Leila pulls you by the arm to make you sit next to her.

You let yourself be willingly, the revelations of the last minutes making you forget that you managed to argue while Jenni went to the toilet. Jenni sits down again, looking at you carefully, before pointing again at Leila.

"You’re my friend Leila. But I swear to God, if you hurt her, you’re still six feet under."

[lostloveletters]

Human Touch (Gale Cleven x OC)

Summary: By 1954, Gale Cleven's a widower, and Leona Spinelli's a divorced single mom, but a reunion brings the two lonely hearts together, thawing a mutual longing that had been on ice for over a decade.

Note: I’ve been wanting to write for Buck for a while and thought a post-war dynamic would be an interesting place to start! I hope I did alright with his characterization...Leona was featured briefly in Crimson and Clover. Title comes from the Bruce Springsteen song, but in all honesty, I listened to the I'm On Fire intro loop a lot. Do not interact if you're under 18, terf or radfem, or post thinspo/ED content.

Word count: 3.8k

Warnings: Inevitable historical inaccuracies (I know flavored lip balm wasn't invented until the 70s but let me have this one thing). Some canon divergence. References to death, grief/loss, guilt, and period-typical misogyny. Brief mentions of past sex.

1954

Gale glanced across the bar in the hotel ballroom, and though Leona had no good reason to be looking at him, he hoped she was. Couldn’t exactly tell who she was talking to by the back of the guy’s head, but her hand reached for her conversation partner’s shoulder as she laughed. Gale took a sip of his ginger ale. With the distance, he wasn’t able to tell if her wedding and engagement rings were gone. He had heard as much from Holly, but wanted to see it for himself.

Leona’s profile always made his eyes linger on her longer than they should have. Two thousand years contained in her cupid’s bow lips and strong Roman nose. Whenever he walked into a museum, her face echoed in the clay and marble statues on display. She’d find the complement undoubtedly strange, but she had a knack for making him feel that way.

Like how his stomach flipped when she caught him staring, her dark eyes lighting up at the sight of him. He heard others say making eye contact with her was uncomfortable, a little too intense for their comfort, as if she could see something in them that they weren’t even aware of. In this instance, as he held her gaze, it made him feel awake, whereas for the past few hours, he’d been stumbling around the reunion in a haze of condolences and pitied glances.

She brought her attention back to whoever she was speaking with, said something accompanied by a parting kiss on the cheek. He quickly pulled the toothpick from his mouth and placed it on the cocktail napkin next to his drink. The room fell to a hush as she walked over to him. Or maybe it was the blood pounding in his ears.

“Hi Buck,” she said, giving him a hug, her lips gentle against his cheek. Her hair, the same dark brown as her eyes, brushed the tip of his nose with the gesture and he could smell it—gardenias, lighter and fresher than he remembered, but it’d been a while.

“Good to see you, Leona,” he said, squeezing her lightly against him. She felt almost plush beneath his fingers. Must have gained weight since the last time he held her so close. “Missed you last year.”

“The divorce was a mess. I just couldn’t make it out here.”

His gaze fell to the hand wrapped around her wine glass, the stripe of pale skin on her ring finger nearly matched his. He’d only just stopped wearing his own wedding band two months prior. Felt almost naked without it. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Can’t have it all, huh?” she sighed. “How have you been holding up?”

“Just…taking it day by day.”

“That’s the most you can do sometimes.”

He cleared his throat, placing the toothpick back in his mouth. “Seat’s open, if you want it.”

“Sure, thanks, Buck.” She smiled. “I’m gonna see if I can wave down the bartender from here.”

When she turned beneath the low bar lights, strands of gray shimmered in her dark hair like Christmas tinsel. His mouth went dry for a moment, and he brought his glass to his lips, drinking his watery ginger ale.

She looked good. Really good. About as good as she did in the summer of ‘43, when she basked in the sun the way her cat-like eyes almost implied she would—taking in the rays, her honeyed skin glimmering with a sheen of sweat whenever he saw her sunbathing, her blouse unbuttoned, black heels kicked off in the grass somewhere impossibly quiet. He wondered if, at the time, he had subconsciously gone out of his way to wander to one of her usual spots just to catch a glimpse of her.

He almost slunk into himself when she brought her attention back to him. He knew he looked rough. Bags under his eyes, sometimes would go a day or two before remembering to eat. Going through the motions did him no favors. But he came out for the weekend, if only to placate Bucky and Holly. He was trying.

The bartender refilled Leona’s wine glass, and she took a sip before turning back to Gale. Maybe not exactly liquid courage, but something to loosen her up a little before they actually got into a conversation. From the first day she met him, she thought he looked like an absolute dream, almost acted just like one, too, and the years had been kinder to him than to her. Thought the scars he returned from the Stalags with added a layer of rugged intrigue to his poster-perfect flyboy look.

Barely able to take the time off of work and find a babysitter for Luke, Leona was aware her appearance left much to be desired with the limited time and budget she had been working with. She decided painting her nails and waxing her eyebrows and upper lip took precedence over dyeing the grays that’d been popping up in her hair ever since the divorce. 

He motioned to her drink. “How’s your—“

“Merlot, and this is my second and last glass of the night,” she said. “I don’t even drink around Luke.”

“How is he?” he asked. “Luke’s gotta be three, now, right?”

“He’s actually turning five in October.”

“He’s that old?” Gale smiled. “Shoot, I remember when you showed us his baby pictures.”

“I still have the little hat Marge knitted for him, with the ducks on it and the ribbon,” she said. “Before he got too big for it, I put it on him all the time, especially back when we’d go to the Shore.”

“She was always making things like that. She really appreciated it when you sent the photo of him with it on. Probably still have it around the house somewhere.”

Leona sent a card when she heard from Holly that Marge died. Wasn’t even sure she had the right address at that point, but was surprised to get a response from Gale. A simple thanks, and good wishes for her and her family. Funny to receive in the middle of filing for divorce, but it had been nice to get something in the mail that wasn’t from a lawyer.

‘Best wishes to you, your husband, and Luke’ like he couldn’t remember Will’s name but wanted to be polite. The envelope was addressed to Mrs. Leona Deguire, so she suspected that had been the case.

But Luke. He remembered Luke. She had named her son after the Gospel, the news of her pregnancy the greatest she’d ever heard. The second best day of her life after the day he was born, followed closely by his baptism. 

And she wasn’t even allowed to take communion anymore.

She could forget about that for a few hours, though. Gale was more than good for that, had plenty of stories in his pocket that made her nearly howl with laughter. She noticed, though, that while she accidentally peppered in mentions of Will, however dismissively, Gale didn’t really bring up Marge. Made her wonder if she misstepped in mentioning the hat, if she simply shoved her finger into an open wound instead of sharing a fond memory. She nearly scoffed at herself. Of course she had. His wife had died suddenly and tragically. It wasn’t a contentious and bitter divorce like she had.

Luke was a safe conversation topic. Gale at least seemed interested in her little anecdotes about her son and his antics. In the middle of a story about Luke and some of his friends, the opening notes of an all too familiar song began playing, and a cacophony of groans and heckling was directed toward Bucky.

“Oh god,” Gale groaned.

Leona laughed. “Can’t say I missed that last year.”

“Do you wanna take this conversation somewhere else?” he asked, his voice nearly drowned out by Bucky’s off-key singing.

“That sounds perfect. Let me close out my tab.”

She got up from her seat to wave down the bartender. 

Gale’s attention turned to Bucky, half-serenading a giggling, blushing Holly—until Bucky nodded toward Leona and winked at him. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to thank or strangle his best friend in that moment, but Leona rejoined him before he had time to do more than shoot a playful glare Bucky’s way.

“They’re so funny,” Leona said, a slight smile on her face.

“If you mean funny–weird, then yeah, they’re funny.”

“Well, where are we off to now?”

“Is my room alright?” he asked.

She nodded. “Sure.”

Walking side by side to the elevator, she wondered if the heat radiating off of him was real, or just the buzz she had after two glasses of wine with barely anything else to eat or drink for the past few hours. Christ, she couldn’t hold her alcohol as well as she used to. Things looked almost sideways until she leaned against the wall on the far side of the elevator, watching as Gale pressed the button for the seventh floor. Her room was on the fifth.

“You okay, Lee?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said when the elevator doors finally opened. “I–I think I just need a glass of water or something.”

Almost felt like a sunburn, his hand on the small of her back, leading her to his hotel room with concern etched across his handsome face. She nearly insisted she was fine, but knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he knew for sure.

He sat her on the edge of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom for a few moments. Her gaze fell to her hands as the faucet ran, her nose crinkling in disappointment when she noticed her cheap drugstore nail polish already chipping. Should’ve dyed her hair instead.

Gale emerged from the bathroom with a glass of water before she could sink too far into the depths of self-consciousness. “You’re probably dehydrated.” It seemed he'd thrown away his toothpick while in there, too. Almost odd to see him without it.

He sat down next to her, rubbing comforting circles on her back as she drank. It was almost too overwhelming. She hadn’t been taken care of in so long, but she felt like her head was back on straight with something other than wine in her.

“Thanks,” she said, setting the glass down on the nightstand and wishing he hadn’t pulled his hand away from her when she did. “I really don’t drink. Especially not around—I already told you that, didn’t I?”

He smiled sympathetically. “Who's been watching Luke since you’re out here?”

“One of my neighbors in the building. He likes going over there anyway, they have a television and their son is about his age, so they play cops and robbers, or superheroes.”

“It’s good he’s made friends.”

“He sees—maybe sees isn’t the right word since he refuses to wear his glasses,” she half-joked. “Everything's an adventure to him. He hasn’t started asking a lot of questions yet—not the heavy stuff, anyway—so it gives me time to think of answers.”

“Must be hard on your own.”

“I manage. It took a while to find a job that paid halfway decent, but the alimony helps,” she said. “I think once we settle down somewhere, I’ll buy a television. Not that anyone in their right mind would give me a line of credit, but I can save up for one if I’m careful. I think he deserves it after everything.”

“He’s lucky to have you as a mother.” The sincerity in his voice made her breath catch in her throat. “You’re doing a lot for him, more than most people could handle. You’ve always been pretty tough, though.”

She couldn’t acknowledge the compliment or she’d start crying. Wasn’t something she heard very often, typically the opposite over the past year or so.

In Newark, the first day she showed up to work without her rings on was her last, as her boss brought her into his office and told her that as a family business, he simply couldn’t abide a woman separated from her husband working there. Humiliation and rage initially blinded her through the first few hundred miles of the drive to Nevada to establish the six-week residency required to file for divorce from Will. Making the move with Luke in tow, the reason she was certain divorce was the right choice in the first place, replaced those feelings with determination to make the messy situation work.

Money was inevitably tight on her lone income until the court finally ordered Will to back pay alimony. But she had a chance to really start over, without the judgmental stares and whispers from the people she’d spent her whole life around. Outright condemnation from her oldest sister, a nun, disapproval from her parents, and varying degrees of skepticism from the rest of her siblings. How could they expect her to grin and bear it, to allow her son to grow up in a home where his own father barely acknowledged his existence, hardly bothered to even pretend he gave a damn about him, so complacent in the casual cruelty. She felt almost sick thinking about it again.

“I don’t know if I’ll stay in Reno forever, especially with Luke starting school next year. It’d be like raising him in Atlantic City,” she said, quickly waving her hand as if to dismiss her own worry. “But I’ll figure it out, maybe go to a few different places and see where he likes best.”

“I’m back in Wyoming for a while. You two are more than welcome to visit if you want to make the trip.”

“How long is a while?”

“Till the end of the summer, at least.”

“Are you sure, Gale?” she asked. “I mean, Luke’s a good kid, but he can be a little wild sometimes. I just don’t want to put you out or anything.”

He smiled. “I’m sure he and I will get along just fine. I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.”

“Reno to Wyoming…I’ll have to drive through Utah or something, won’t I?”

“We’ll find Croz tomorrow and get him to map it for us.”

She laughed. “Come on, I made it from Newark to Reno on my own, and I only got lost twice. Maybe three times, but that last one was because Luke had to go to some miniatures museum in Oklahoma.”

“Oklahoma?” He raised an eyebrow. “What were you doing driving through there to get to Reno from Jersey?”

“We mapped out a road trip ahead of time. I wanted to make it fun for him, not like he was stuck in the car for a week because…” she trailed off, sighing softly to herself.

“It sounds to me like you did the right thing.”

“That means a lot coming from you.”

His light scoff held a hint of nervousness. “It shouldn’t.” 

“Why not?”

“Come on, Lee.”

Her lips twitched a bit. “You were far from my worst, Gale.”

“The way I acted after was horrible.”

“You were scared,” she said. “We all were.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

“I’ve barely even thought about it since then,” she lied.

“That’s funny. It’s always…been on my mind, somehow,” he said, fidgeting with his watch. “Maybe—maybe I made it out to be more than it was.”

“What was it to you?”

“Back then?” He hesitated. “Everything.”

Leona was silent for a few moments, her feline gaze sizing him up. “I would’ve never guessed.”

He only ever lingered, made himself known to her one time. The space had been murky, there was no other way for him to put it. Blindsided by a letter in which Marge expressed the desire to end things despite all of her promises otherwise, Gale spent hours pouring over her previous letters for some indication of her discontent, a tell he had foolishly missed. It wasn’t until Bucky pulled him from his cot, telling him moping wouldn’t do him any good, that he should embrace his singleness, as if he weren’t already head over heels with Holly.

Gale embraced Leona instead. He’d always liked her. Interesting, nice to talk to, but most of all, he wanted her to see him, really see him, and know for certain that deep inside him there was someone worth wanting, maybe even loving, despite everything else. 

Her buttery skin shimmered with sweat which lent a salty tinge to her usual gardenias, the foreign name of her perfume whispered softly in his ear when he sat next to her in the grass and mentioned it. Made him feel dizzy, her proximity and his heartbreak mixing into a heady impulsiveness that saw him placing a hand on her knee, and then a bit higher when she smiled at the gesture. Felt that smile against his own lips, fingers digging into her tender thighs in an attempt to steady himself. In that single sweltering afternoon, he fell a little bit in love with Leona Spinelli, and never quite fell out of it. 

And it did scare him, how quickly the taste of her cherry-balmed lips and sounds of her moans seared in his memory.

The sleepless night that followed found him scrawling an impassioned letter to Marge imploring her to give them another chance, to not give up on them (not as easily as he seemed to, though he never whispered a word of it to her in shame—perhaps not so much for doing it, but for finding pleasure in another woman so easily). She was worth fighting for, that one last desperate cry for the woman who was his one and only.

An alien sickness filled his gut when he confronted Leona after bringing the letter to be sent back Stateside. It was a mistake, he told her, he should have never taken advantage of her kindness the way he did, so intimately and impulsively. Her gaze cut through him like shards of glass, though her voice was cool when she assured him she understood and they could still be friends.

Miraculously, she didn’t hate him. He was almost certain she would. They didn’t speak much again after that, but just as everyone else had, she embraced him upon his escape from the Germans, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek and a ‘Welcome back, Major’ , his knees almost giving out at the gesture.

“Leona, I should’ve—“ 

Except she was asleep, lying on the bed like she did on the blanket she’d taken from the women’s barracks back then, during his last summer as a free man for nearly two years. 

He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before lying down on the other side of the bed, a respectable amount of space between them. When he closed his eyes, he fell into a dreamless sleep for the first time in weeks.

The following morning, Leona awoke to a dimly lit room, a top sheet having been thrown over her at some point. Good thing, because her skirt had bunched up, and she awkwardly pulled it down before pushing the covers off. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw Gale standing in front of the nearby mirror.

She realized she hadn’t seen him in anything besides a uniform, as like Bucky, he continued his career in the Air Force following the end of the war instead of returning to civilian life like so many others.

“Do you own any other clothes?” she asked, her voice hoarse and judgment lacking from drowsiness.

He snickered. “Yes, I do, and good morning.”

“Morning,” she said, sitting up. The glass on the nightstand was full again, and she smiled softly at Gale in thanks before taking a sip of water. “What time is it?”

“A little after eight. You fell asleep around midnight.”

“Oh, you could’ve kicked me out.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Lee. Besides, there was plenty of room.”

She got up from the bed and made her way over to him, feeling a bit awkward standing beside him in her wrinkled clothes. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Better than I have in a while,” he said, adjusting his tie in the mirror before turning to her. “How about you?”

“I just have a little bit of a crick in my neck is all.” 

She tilted her head to the side slightly, trying to relieve the tension that had built up overnight but winced when she pushed it too far.

He placed his hand on the side of her neck, his fingers pressing tenderly against her skin. “Here?”

“Yeah.” She knew he could feel it, her rabbit pulse thumping beneath his touch.

His gaze fell to her parted lips. Each breath she took gently beckoned him closer, to close the distance between them. Either her sighing or his imagination rang in his ears with a whisper-quiet plea—‘kiss me’. 

She didn’t leave him any room for doubt or hesitation, kissing him back as soon as his lips met hers. Different from how she remembered, the combination of experience and longing made her a little weak in the knees. It’d been so long since she’d been kissed, and kissed so well, at that. She nearly whined when he pulled away.

“My address is the same,” he said quietly, his nose brushing hers.

Her brows furrowed. “What?”

“From when you sent the card,” he said. “I really wanna see you again, Leona, and I don’t wanna have to wait another year for that to happen.”

She hesitated, letting his words settle in her mind before responding. “Are you sure it’s not too soon?”

“Rather it be too soon than too late. These things…you never know.”

“Oh Gale,” she whispered, caressing his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t—don’t pity me. You weren’t doing that last night,” he said. “It was the first time in a while that I felt like I was having a real conversation with someone besides Bucky.”

“Okay,” she said. “Okay. I have to square some things in Reno first, like telling Luke, most importantly. If you give me your phone number, I’ll call you when I get home and have a better idea of when we can visit.”

He nodded. “Anytime, Lee. I’ll be waiting there for you.”

“Maybe we should make it a surprise, then,” she joked. “Keep you on your toes.”

He smiled, pulling her closer and kissing her again.

She felt almost sorry when she reminded him that she still needed to go down to her own hotel room to shower and change clothes. Ten minutes of gentle coaxing and half a dozen kisses that were supposed to be the last before she slipped out, but not without swollen lips, hopelessly mussed hair, and the ghost of his hands squeezing her hips. 

In return, she had his phone number written neatly on the hotel stationary and folded securely between her fingers, and the satisfaction of finally knowing what he sounded like when he moaned without holding back.

[rogueddie]

The entire group hadn't been back to Hawkins, all at once, in nearly 20 years.

The last time they were truly all together was the Christmas before Eddie left for Chicago and Nancy left for college, back in 87, the first to 'escape'. Though, it didn't take many years for everyone else to follow their lead.

Steve is the only one who stayed behind. But he didn't think it was all that bad. Robin had moved back to Indy city once she finished college, so she visited often. He's not truly alone, even if it does feel like it... most of the time.

2007 is a good year though. It's the first year that Eddie comes back to Hawkins. They've been having little reunions with as many of the group as they can, every Christmas. But there's always a few people too busy- Eddie is always one, always on tour or writing or recording.

Not this year though. And Steve is finally excited, looking forward to something so much that it buzzes under his skin.

The others are already there once Eddie arrives, the last to arrive. Steve reluctantly hangs back, trying to downplay his excitement as he watches Dustin and Erica shove their way ahead of the others, trying to greet him first.

He looks great, Steve notes. Healthy.

"And Harrington," Eddie finally greets, already saying his hellos to everyone else. "I see the crows feet only add to your charm, shame on you."

"Yeah, it's good to see you too."

Eddie laughs, eyes scrunching up, dragging Steve into a hug. Steve is happy to note that he lingers, forehead pressing down against his collar for a moment before he steps back.

"Come on, it's Christmas Eve! We're all together, at long last! Put some music on, get the alcohol!" Eddie snaps.

Everyone does as asked and, soon, Steves usually cold, empty house is full of music and laughter. The burn of cheap alcohol warming his stomach and the smell of Eddie and Argyles weed filling the air are an old but familiar comfort that he hadn't realized how much he'd been aching for.

Steve sits in the corner, on his own.

For a moment, he just wants to watch everyone else. To look around his living room, so full of people that Mike, Robin, Argyle and Lucas are sat on the floor. So full of people that Max had grabbed El with shaking hands, pulling her onto her lap, coaxing her into sharing her wheelchair.

As soon as Eddie wiggles out of the corner he'd squeezed himself into, Mike and Lucas are fighting for the space. Mike only wins, sitting down on the sofa with a smug grin, before Will helps him.

Eddie sits down on the little side table, next to Steve.

"How've you been holding up?"

"I've been good. Not as good as you, though. The Rolling Stones, huh?"

"Oh, uh, you saw that?" Eddie smiles a little sheepish. "Yeah, it's... it's been getting crazy. I don't know how it happened. One day we're a small, underground thing and the next, we're almost mainstream."

"Underground," Steve parrots, snorting. "Your first single was played on the radio. You guys have always been big."

"You listen to us, Harrington?"

"Of course. And, you know, I have a first name."

"Really?" Eddie gasps, throwing a hand to his chest. "By the Gods!"

"I know, crazy!"

They fall silent, watching the new little fight breaking out. By the yelling, Steve guesses that Dustin stole one of the pieces of candy that Mike is eating.

"I missed this," Eddie quietly admits. "I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner."

"Nah, you were busy with-"

"I wasn't. I wasn't busy. I lied to just... avoid this. Avoid Hawkins. And it's... it's not good being back, I won't lie. But it's... seeing the kids again, seeing- seeing you... it's..."

Steve waits a moment. "What?"

"It makes it worth it. It makes me wish I never left."

"You had to. Corroded Coffin was your dream and you made it happen."

"I know, I just... sometimes I wonder. You know, maybe I could've been happier here. Maybe I could've... I don't know."

"Maybe. But you're happy now, right? And you're so successful! You're doing everything you said you dreamt of doing."

"Mhm..." Eddie hesitates again, for another long pause. "Robin said that you... you're bi."

"Yeah?" Steve frowns, turning to face him a little, wondering where he's going.

"I keep thinking that, I don't know... maybe if I'd stayed..."

Steve nearly presses a hand to his chest, so sure that his heart must have missed a beat. "Wh-what? We... we could've..."

"Yeah, maybe," Eddie whispers. He tugs a strand of hair in front of his face, eyes peaking out at him. "It's just a thought. Or something. I don't know."

"I mean... you're here now."

"What, you wanna give it a shot?" Eddie laughs, shaking his head. "We're going on tour again, in a couple weeks. There's no point in-"

"There is. I mean... if you want to try, I'm willing to, like, put in the effort. We could make it work."

Eddie laugh turns into more a sigh, an almost dreamy look taking over his face. "You're sure?"

"I am." He reaches over, grabbing his hand. "I really am."

"Steve Harrington... Merry fucking Christmas to me, huh?"

[vanmarkus]

2023 Writing Round-Up 💫

• 15 fics / 138.6k words posted; out of which 8 fics / 67.8k were buddie

Phew, it's been such a productive year, especially the second half, thank you for everyone who tagged along for the ride!! 🤗

(also I'm doing it in reverse order because... well if you know, you know 😪)

•December•

we’ve got something permanent (i mean in the way we care) [buddie, 7.1k, Explicit]

Buck has baby fever and it’s Eddie’s job to give him what he wants. Kind of.

Keep My Heart Warm In Yours [buddie, 18.5k, Mature]

Christopher decides that he wants to go skiing, Buck makes it happen and the cabin at the foot of the mountains turns out to be quite the romantic backdrop for their little getaway.

Of Love, Hospital Jitters And Christmas Lights [buddie, 6.3k, Teen + Up]

Eddie and Buck end up in the hospital waiting room a few days before Christmas.

You Ring, I Drool [buddie, 8.6k, Explicit]

5+1 times Buck reminds Eddie of a dog // alternatively; the one in which Eddie accidentally conditions Buck to beg for treats

If This Is What The Season Is Bringing [buddie, 2k, Teen + Up]

Buck and Eddie made a promise after Eddie decided to leave the 118 and they finally make good on it this Christmas.

•November•

Out Of Order, Still In Line [buddie, 6.2k, Explicit]

When Buck finally gets to the Clinic, the long awaited release doesn’t seem to come; cue Eddie to the rescue.

'Cause I'm still seeing colours that are red (If I close my chest and let it take me) [steddie, 11.4k, Explicit]

Ever since they came back from the Upside Down, Steve has been struggling on rainy days, but Eddie’s there to provide support and a maybe even a little more than that. - Project #182 of Steddie Bigbang 2023

How It Was Meant To Be [steddie, <1k, Gen]

Steve's casually calling Eddie 'baby' all the time, without even registering what he’s doing.

•October•

I Was Betting On Forever (But Forever Comes And Goes) [buddie, 4k, Teen + Up]

Eddie gets a call from Buck in the middle of the night and it’s about as bad as one would expect.

It gets better, it gets worse [steddie, 52.7k, Explicit]

Steve tried to tell Eddie how he felt, only to get shut down immediately. Now meeting for the first time in a year, they have to figure out how to be around each other.

Coming On Ever So Strong / Coming Off Ever So Soft [buddie, 14.7k, Explicit]

They get drunk, Eddie makes a move and then there is the next morning.

•July•

But where they lay, they cannot stay [radskier, 4.3k, Explicit]

Jaskier comes to Tretogor and meets Radovid for the first time in months, but their reunion is bittersweet given how much everything has changed since they’ve last seen each other.

•May•

Helping hands (are better than praying lips) [steddie, 5.5k, Explicit]

Eddie breaks his arms and Steve is on nurse duty. [cw for watersports]

•February•

Who we are in the dark [steddie, 3.4k, Explicit]

It's their first anniversary and they go to the cinema.

•January•

It might walk like a duck [steddie, 10k, Explicit]

Eddie Munson is a busy man, busy enough to have a planner. Steve misses his friend so he hijacks said planner, learning something unexpected in the process.

Aaand that's all, folks! 💛 Now, here are some tags:

I was tagged by the lovely @wikiangela and @jamespearce9-1-1 thank you~ 💛

(these guys went in so early and I left it for the last minute lmao but just in case you missed their round-ups, you can read them: here and here)

✨tagging (if you've already done it, no worries and still no pressure otherwise either): @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @jeeyuns @eddiebabygirldiaz @hippolotamus @daffi-990 @disasterbuckdiaz @nmcggg @thewolvesof1998 @watchyourbuck @theotherbuckley @fortheloveofbuddie @ladydorian05 @rainbow-nerdss

[blue-disco-lights]

One Year as a Beta!

@gallavich-fic-club said Sprinkle Some Joy on our writers this month, so I thought I'd compile all the incredible stories I've had the chance to help beta over the last year! It's been such a great experience and I've loved meeting and working with all of you!

✨ === ✨ Fics Below! ✨ === ✨

🌟 Miss_SnowWhitePink ~ @look-i-love-u

Puppy Love: People say nothing good happens after two a.m. Mickey's life experiences have told him that this rumour is very much true. At least till now - Enter a cute puppy which turns Mickey's life upside down and changes it for the better...

Sirens: Being an EMT during the holiday season is bad enough without having a TV crew watching his every step, so Ian hates everything about his superior`s new project. Including the members of the crew. At least till he sees the guy manning the huge camera as if it weighs nothing and isn't afraid to speak his mind...

🌟  IanGalagher ~ @ian-galagher

Africa: When Ian lands himself an internship with famous wildlife photographer Mickey Milkovich he can't believe his luck. Spending one month traveling through South Africa with his big hero is a dream come true. The two are off on a wild adventure but there's something mysterious about Mickey who seems to be holding more to his chest than just the tricks of the trade Ian had hoped to learn from him.

🌟 Pink_Ink ~ @palepinkgoat

The Ink is a Witness to This: six chapters about the stories tattoos can hold and hide.

🌟 tooschoolforcool95 ~ @too-schoolforcool

Ghosts of a South Side Christmas: After a fight on Christmas Eve, Mickey and Ian spend some time apart. Mickey gets a little hope and learns to be brave while Ian learns more about his crush.

🌟 sam_writes_fics ~ @sam-loves-seb

you make my dreams come true: post-canon: ian and mickey host their first thanksgiving

🌟 sweetbee78 ~ @sweetbee78

The Reunion: ... The ski resort that the reunion is held at looses power, Ian and Mickey are then sharing close quarters. Ian does tell him what had happened after high school; they agree to start over. Mickey finds out Ian was originally planning on hooking up with someone else...

Not So Secret Santa: Ian and Mickey are co-workers and are each other’s Secret Santa. Mickey is a manager at a financial company while Ian is a temp who was hired to work in the call centre.

🌟 NotAWriterButITry

What If?: What if Mickey was released from prison in season 7 instead of escaped? What if Ian found out because he got a call to the Milkovich house and Mickey turned out to be their patient? What if Ian has to choose between his new life with Trevor, or his old life with Mickey?

🌟 commonthugs ~ @stocious

lava java: He's being really unprofessional. Mickey might not even be gay. He might be hitting on a straight man through takeout cups.

🌟 MaySunshine ~ @honeyvanillin

Apple Tart and Salted Caramel: Stoneridge is a small but very picturesque town on the edge of the state. Surrounded by majestic mountains to the north, icy ocean waters to the west and impenetrable forests to the east, it is safely sheltered from tourists and GPS....

All Roads Lead to Rome: This story is about the breath of life with the berry aftertaste of Passito di Pantelleria wine, about the transience of time with lemon notes of magnolia blossoms, about the thrill of first kisses with the cool sweetness of creamy Gelato.

Lead the Way, Jedi: "Me?" the mechanic exhaled, mostly surprised that the Jedi had chosen to entrust him, a throwback from the filthy depths, with his droid buddy. "I'm sure you, proud droid dad, can handle it just fine. It's no big deal."

🌟 Itsuki59 ~ @shinygalaxyperson

Where is my Jell-O?: A conversation about the past makes our boys horny.

On His knees: Day 11 - “Open your mouth.” Ian definitely wants to try the glory hole. (Gallavich Kinktober 2022) Home at last: Day 29 - punishment X “Suck on my fingers and get them nice and wet for me"Ian wants to spend some quality time with his husband (Gallavich Kinktober 2022)

You are Mine: Usually, I don’t care about humans. I hunt them, bite them, kill them and throw them away in some sordid place. But not him. I don’t know what makes Mickey Milkovich so special.

🌟 roseapothecarys ~ @babygirlmickey

Designs on You: At twenty-four, Ian has just moved out of his family home to live on his own for the first time. Working as a paramedic, he’s finally happy, stable, and moving forward with his life. But first, there’s one last remnant of his past self that he needs to let go of: his accidental porn tattoo of his late mother. It’s nothing but a reminder of all the bad decisions he’s made. At his best friend Mandy’s behest, he makes an appointment with her brother who has just opened a tattoo shop nearby. Upon arriving for his consultation, he meets Mickey: intimidating, foul-mouthed, overall living up to the Milkovich name, yet somehow running a clean, professional, and legal business.

[poledancingdinos]

Soundtrack of Debauchery - Part 2

Pairing: Young!Syverson X OFC (Jessie) X Mike (Hellraiser)

Word Count: 11 591 words

Warnings: SMUT, Alcohol, Drug Use, Oral Sex (M and F receiving), Vaginal Fingering, Anal Fingering, Sex Toys, Vaginal Sex, Anal Sex, Threesome (F/M/M), Difficult Family Dynamics

Taglist: @raccoon-eyed-rebel @amberangel112 @utterlyhopeful-fics @marantha @kebabgirl67 @littleone65 @omgkatinka @luclittlepond @elizabetharegina @enchantedbytomandhenry @narnianaos @geralts-yenn @peaches1958 @avengersfan25 @sillyrabbit81 @lena-banena @mrsevans90 @confessionbrain-writings @eclecticfashionbookszipper

A/N: I am so excited about this. I didn't think I would write something longer than the first part but I had a lot more to say about these three.

Story Masterlist

Masterlist

Mikey was practically vibrating. He hadn’t seen Jessie in a month because of finals and he was going a little insane. All he wanted was to enjoy his three weeks of Christmas vacation in the company of his favorite girl.

Sy had gone back to base as usual and neither Mike nor Jessie had seen him since July. If things worked out, however, he would make it to Georgia during the week after Christmas. Mike and his mother had also been invited to spend their vacation with his aunt and uncle.

Apparently his mother had mentioned to them that she suspected Mike had a girlfriend because they had extended the invitation to Jessie without even knowing if he was really seeing anyone. He hadn’t mentioned it to her yet but he was planning to. He just didn’t know how to ask Jessie to spend her reunion with Sy with the parents of the two men who were secretly dating her at the same time.

It would do Jessie some good to spend some alone time with Sy. She was worried that maybe the chemistry they’d felt at the festival had been purely physical and that things would be different once they’d spent some time together outside of the excitement of it all. Well, she was mostly worried Sy wouldn’t feel the same. She was clearly crushing hard on Mike’s older cousin.

Mike and Jessie had both kept in touch with Sy while he was away. He would never admit it but Mike missed having his cousin around. Sy was the one person who had always stuck by his side no matter how badly he fucked up.

Mike’s mother was flying straight to Georgia but he was going to drive to Jessie’s first. If she agreed to go with him, then his plan was for them to do the last part of the drive together. The three of them still lived in three different states but at least Baltimore was on the way to Georgia. Actually, if Mike and Jessie spent a bit of time alone first, they could pick up Sy at his base and the three of them could drive to Georgia together for New Years. He liked that idea.

Jessie lived with Mel, Keith, Brody and Tom, who he had seen at the festival, in a three bedroom apartment off campus. It was a tight fit when he was around for the weekend but it was better than a tiny dorm room with a narrow single bed.

When Jessie buzzed him into the building, he ran up the steps two at a time until he reached her floor. She was waiting for him in the doorway and it was the sweetest sight he had ever seen.

Jessie had apparently gotten dressed up in anticipation of his arrival. Maybe dressed up wasn’t the right word. She was only wearing a sexy little apron and a babydoll.

“The guys better not be home. I don’t have the ability to fight for your honor the way Sy would.”

Jessie giggled, letting Mike walk her backwards into the apartment before shutting the door.

“Just you and me,” her hands slid up his leather covered arms and shoulders before tangling in the soft strands of his shaggy hair. She pulled him down to meet her lips in a hungry greeting.

“I don’t mean to fuck up your meal, Sweetcheeks,” he whispered as he kissed down her jaw, “but with you looking like this, I don’t think I can wait.”

“I guess it’s a good thing that I just put supper in the oven on a ninety minute timer.”

“Fuck, you are brilliant. You truly do think of everything.”

Feeling confident that he wouldn’t incur Jessie’s wrath for ruining the meal she worked so hard on, Mike grabbed her ass and lifted Jessie up.

“You look so fucking sexy, Babe. Will you let me take a picture?”

Jessie didn’t need to look up to know that they were heading to her bedroom. She had been the one to request the no sex in the common areas rule, it would be hypocritical of her to ignore it at the first opportunity.

“You wanna photograph me like one of your French girls, Mikey?”

She was gently deposited on the mattress and she stretched out. Mike took a step back, pulling his cell from his pocket. 

“I want Sy to know what’s waiting for him if he makes it home during break.”

It was the first time Jessie was hearing about Sy possibly coming home but it immediately got her attention.

“I’ll give the details later, but Sy might get some leave time. You want to help motivate him to suck up to whoever is in charge?”

Jessie bit her lip, looking up at Mike through a hooded gaze. “What do I need to do?”

Mike unlocked his phone, pointing the camera at the gorgeous woman in front of him. “Just keep looking like sex on legs and you’ll have Sy going AWOL in no time.”

He snapped a few pictures, acting like he was putting into practice everything he’d learned in his elective photography class.

“Okay, now get on your knees and lose the apron.”

Jessie moved like a feline tracking its prey, crawling to the edge of the bed where she held herself up on her knees. Her eyes never left Mikey’s as she untied the apron behind her back then around her neck, letting it fall to the floor.

Mike groaned, filming without really looking at what he was doing. Why would he look at the screen when the real thing was only a few feet away?

“Look at you all wrapped up like the perfect Christmas gift. Anything you wanna say to Sy, Sweetcheeks?”

“I miss you,” she spoke into the lens, “I’d be really happy to see you but I’ll wait for you if you can’t come home yet.”

Mike gave Jessie a fond smile before quickly sending Sy a few of the pictures and the short video with strict instructions to look at everything once he was alone. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over the desk chair and putting his phone in the pocket.

“Just you and me now, Sweetcheeks,” he said, facing Jessie again. “Did you miss me too?”

“Fishing for a compliment, Mikey?”.

“Maybe a little,” he admitted, bridging the gap between them. His hands traveled over her ass and thighs, holding her tight against him. She, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I missed you, Mikey,” she said earnestly. “Want me to show you how much?”

Mikey nodded eagerly, letting Jessie pull away. While she worked on getting his pants off, Mike pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside. Jessie lowered herself down onto her stomach, licking her lips as she admired Mike’s cock which stood hard and proud against the light happy trail on his stomach.

She began by placing kisses up Mike’s inner thigh. She loved to tease him with how sensitive and responsive he was. He released a shuddering breath when she finally wrapped her luscious lips around the head of his dick.

Mike brushed the back of his fingers down Jessie’s cheek almost reverently as she worked her magic on his length. He couldn’t get over how gorgeous she was. Her pert ass was peeking out from below this sheer fabric of her babydoll, giving him visions of all the filthy things he wanted to do to it over their upcoming time together.

Jessie had one hand wrapped around his shaft, moving in time with her mouth but suddenly she snuck it between his legs and teased his balls.

“Oh fuck, do that again,” Mike gasped, tangling his fingers through Jessie’s hair.

Lost in the feeling, Mike’s hips moved almost of their own accord, thrusting forward and taking over the pace. He had just enough awareness left in him to drag her off his dick before he came down her throat.

“As much as I love that wicked mouth of Sweetcheeks, I’m not gonna make it much longer if you keep going.”

Jessie pushed her bottom lip out, making her displeasure known with an innocent little pout.

“Aw, don’t be like that, gorgeous, you’re gonna like what happens next.”

Mike leaned over, pulling open the bottom drawer of Jessie’s bedside table. He knew exactly what he was looking for and where to find it.

“Get on your knees. Face down, sweet cheeks up.”

The smirk came back to her lips and Jessie turned around, presenting her ass to Mikey with an enticing wiggle. She yelped when Mikey placed a sharp spank on her lace covered flesh. The fancy panties that she’d bought just for this occasion were soaked, leaving a dark patch on the powder pink fabric. Jessie could feel the wetness smearing on her inner thighs as Mikey slowly dragged them off.

“Which color do you want?”

“Red.”

Mike’s warm fingers trailed up the inside of her thigh until it reached her waiting core. He pushed two fingers inside and Jessie immediately clenched around them.

“Are you sure?” He was a little surprised by her answer and he needed to be certain that she wasn’t just saying what she thought he wanted to hear.

“Yes.”

Pulling his fingers from her wet heat, Mike slid up to Jessie’s puckered hole. With gentle pressure, he circled the tight ring of muscle, coating her in her juices. The bottle of lube clicked open and the coolness of the gel was added to the mix of sensations.

With his free hand, Mike worked open the felt pouch that contained the metal butt plug. It came in a set, each one having a different colored jewel on the end. He and Jessie had been using them for a few months. It had been her idea. She wanted to be able to take both Mike and Sy at the same time.

It would be their first time trying out the one with the red jewel. It was the biggest one of the set but at its thickest point was still not as wide as either man’s sizeable girth.

“Ready?”

Jessie folded her arms under her cheek, finding Mikey’s gaze over her shoulder.

“Ready,” she confirmed.

Mike started with one finger, easily slipping in with the abundant lube. He continued to work her open until he was able to add a second finger. Wanting to ensure the least amount of discomfort possible, Mike dipped the plug into her core, getting it nice and slick before adding more lube to the smooth metal.

“Breathe for me, Sweetcheeks.”

Jessie obeyed, taking a deep breath in and slowly letting it out. Mike withdrew his fingers, replacing them with the tapered tip of the plug. She clenched unintentionally from the contrast of the cool metal and she had to concentrate on relaxing her body.

With carefully controlled pressure, Mikey began to sink the plug into Jessie’s opening. She pressed back against it, helping him along.

When he began to feel more resistance, Mike paused, stroking a hand soothingly up and down Jessie’s back.

“You’re doing fucking amazing, keep breathing for me.”

He moved the plug out then back in again, slowly working more of it in with each thrust. Jessie’s whole body jerked a little when the last of the plug sank in but the sting faded quickly as the heavy plug settled within her.

“Sorry.” Mike quickly cleaned his fingers with a wet wipe. “Does it feel okay?” he asked, blanketing her body with his and placing gentle kisses across her shoulders and nape.

Jessie’s eyes fluttered open, her breath coming in pants. She tested the sensation by moving her hips against Mike’s pulsing manhood.

“Yes.” It felt more than okay though she didn’t quite know how to put it into words.

Mike wrapped an arm around her front, helping her upright. His hands were everywhere, roughly groping at her tits and thighs until Jessie snapped and pulled him down onto the bed.

She mounted him, rubbing her dripping folds over his shaft as she captured his lips in a feverish kiss. Her soft hand wrapped around the base and she was about to sink down on him when Mike’s panicked hands found her hips.

“Hold on, Sweetcheeks, still need to get a condom.”

Jessie’s eyes went wide, realizing what she’d been about to do.

“Shit, I’m sorry.”

The box of condoms Mike had bought the last time he visited was already on the bed next to the lube. With the protection situation quickly rectified, Jessie finally impaled herself on Mike’s gorgeous cock.

“Jesus, I can feel the plug rubbing against me from inside.”

It was a good thing the both of them were equally worked up because neither of them was going to last. Jessie’s head was tipped back, her eyes closed and her mouth agape.

Mike couldn’t tear his eyes away as she worked toward her rapture. He helped her along, pinching and twisting her nipples before slipping a hand to her clit. Her body shuddered violently when she exploded around him, her walls pulsing and pulling him into his own rapture.

Jessie collapsed on top of Mike, pressing her face into his neck. He wrapped both arms possessively around her, nuzzling into her hair.

“What do you say to taking however much time we have left before your timer goes off to take a hot shower?”

“I think that might be a necessity at this point.”

Trailing his fingers down her spine, Mike gently cupped Jessie’s ass. “Tell me if it starts getting uncomfortable.”

“I will. I just wanna lay here a little longer.”

That was fine with Mike. The girls he used to hook up with always told him how different he was from their other booty calls because he used to stick around and cuddle after they’d finished. They thought it was to give him a better shot at a repeat visit but the truth was, he just needed the closeness.

Holding Jessie always felt different though. It not only satisfied the part of him that was touch starved, it satisfied the part of him that craved to be loved. He’d been biting his tongue whenever the words threatened to spill out, too afraid that if he said it first, she wouldn’t say it back. He didn’t think he would be able to handle that kind of rejection so, instead, he just held her a little tighter, hoping one day she would say the three little words he longed to hear.

Though she had initially been unsure about meeting Mike’s mother and Sy’s parents, Jessie did agree that if Sy got his leave, she would go with them to Georgia. On Christmas Eve, Sy called to say that he would be able to leave the base on the twenty-sixth, solidifying their plans.

Not wanting to waste any of Sy’s precious off time, Jessie and Mike slept through Christmas evening and hit the road before dawn.

At twelve o’clock on the dot, the two of them waited outside Sy’s base with breakfast sandwiches and coffees in hand. They were both pretty tired after the nine hour drive but Sy would be able to take over if ever Mike couldn’t make it through the last stretch.

There were a dozen other cars around with parents, siblings, husbands, wives and children eagerly awaiting their loved ones. Mike held Jessie as he leaned back against the hood of his car. Her leg had been bouncing up and down for the past hour. At first, Mike thought it was because she was getting restless from being cooped up in the car but he could tell now that it was the nerves of seeing Sy again after so long.

The first group of soldiers made their way out and the lot filled with excited chatter. Jessie studied each face as they came into view, searching for her man, but was disappointed to find that he was not amongst them.

“He’ll be here, don’t worry,” Mike whispered in her ear, squeezing her hip.

She tried to remain calm as the second, larger group came out. After a few of the men dispersed, she spotted one of the guys she’d seen that summer at the festival. Sure enough, Sy was not far behind.

She darted out of Mikey’s hold, sprinting towards him.

“Incoming!” Mike bellowed across the lot, immediately catching his cousin’s attention.

Sy grinned, dropping his pack and bracing himself as Jessie jumped into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist so tightly that it almost made it hard to breathe but, to Sy, that just meant that she was really there with him.

His lips found hers in a hungry kiss that was probably bordering on pornographic but he couldn’t care less about anyone seeing. It was his confirmation that Jessie still wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

When her lungs began to burn, Jessie reluctantly broke their kiss, gazing into Sy’s stunningly blue eyes. Someone beside them cursed, drawing both her and Sy’s attention. They turned their heads just in time to see Sy’s friend, Gabe, tearing a twenty dollar bill from someone’s hands.

“What is that about?” Jessie asked, turning her eyes back to Sy.

“They thought I was lyinʼ about ya goin’ out with both me and Mike. They thought it was my way of hidinʼ that you’d chosen him over me in the end.”

“And with a kiss like that you just won me twenty bucks,” Gabe beamed.

Jessie didnʼt recognize the other soldier so he hadn’t been at the festival that summer. If he had, heʼd have known she was equally crazy about both men.

“Come on, Nate,” Mike shouted from the car. “Youʼll have plenty of time to feel her up on the road. The faster we leave, the faster I can join in.” 

Jessie giggled as Sy set her back onto the ground, picking up his bag and throwing an arm around Jessie’s shoulder.

“Bye, Gabe!” 

“Nice to see you again, Jessie!”

When they finally parked outside Sy’s childhood home four hours later, the nerves found their way back to Jessie’s stomach.

“So umm, we need to talk about something before we go in,” Mike said as he shut off the car and turned to face Sy and Jessie who sat in the back seat. “Jessie got invited because my mom told your mom that she thought I had a girlfriend.”

Jessie and Sy both nodded. They already knew that.

“What do we tell them when we get inside? Do we tell them straight up that you’re dating the both of us and get it out of the way?”

“It’s what we did with my mom,” Jessie pointed out.

“Yes, but your mom also offered me a hit from her joint as soon as we walked through the door.”

Jessie’s mom was definitely unique, that was true. She was a gender studies professor who believed in female empowerment and embracing one’s sexuality. Her only question had been when could she meet Sy.

But she really wanted to make a good impression with Mike and Sy’s family and that didn’t involve being branded a whore from the moment she set foot in the house. What if they didn’t understand?

“Maybe it would be best if we didn’t tell them right now,” she eventually admitted, looking down at her shaking hands.

“It would probably be easier for them all to accept our relationship if they got to know you first,” Sy agreed though the words tasted awful as he said them. “If we tell them now they’ll make up this idea of who you are in their heads and it’ll be really hard to break it afterwards.”

“It sucks that my mom blabbed about us. This probably would have been easier if they got to know you as Sy’s girlfriend first.”

Jessie didn’t have time to ask him why before he was pushing his door open and climbing out of the car. Sy and Jessie did the same just as a man and two women came down the house’s front steps.

The older of the two women went straight for Sy, greeting him with a warm embrace. Mike on the other hand didn’t hug the woman who Jessie guessed was his mother. He said a quick hello then shook hands with Sy’s dad.

After releasing her son, Mrs. Syverson gave Mike an expectant look and he smiled sheepishly as he approached her.

“Hi Aunt B.”

Aunt B hugged Mike just as tight as she did Sy, albeit not as long, while Sy hugged both his dad and Mike’s mother.

“It’s good to see you two boys here together again,” Aunt B said before turning to Jessie. “I take it this is your mystery lady, Mike?”

Mike came to stand by Jessie’s side, taking her hand in his. “Yes. This is my girlfriend, Jessie. Jessie, these are Sy’s parents, Barbara and Robert, and this is my mother, Jill.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Jessie said with a shy smile.

“Welcome to our home, Jessie,” Sy’s mother said. “We are so very glad to have ya with us. Come on in!”

They hadnʼt even taken the bags out of the car but they seemed to think that it could wait until later.

“When we heard that Nate would be home today, we decided to delay our Christmas dinner. I know you boys are probably already starvin’. I made all your favorites.”

Though Jessie knew Sy was a military nickname, it was weird to hear his family refer to him by his given name. She made a mental note to ask him which one he wanted her to use.

The group made their way inside where a table of snacks had been set up in the living room. Mike immediately shoved a piece of cheese in his mouth but his mother slapped his hand away from the plate as he reached for another.

“Where are your manners? Offer your guest something to drink before you stuff your face.”

“I just got here, I don’t even know what there is to drink!”

Mr. Syverson shook his head, addressing Jessie himself. “We have white wine, beer, juice and soda in the fridge and Mike can show ya the liquor cabinet if ya want to make yourself a drink. Lord knows he raided it enough times as a kid.”

Sy was faster, walking over to said cabinet and shifting the bottles aside until he found his favorite bottle of whiskey and a bottle of spiced rum for Jessie. During their virtual dates, Sy had paid attention, learning a few of her likes, dislikes and habits. She drank rum and cokes as a cocktail but preferred wine with food. She always had a blanket nearby just in case she got cold or sometimes simply because she wanted to be cozy. His favorite thing he’d learned was that when she yawned, she made this sound—almost like a little squeak—that reminded him of a puppy.

Not wanting anyone to question why Sy already knew what she wanted to drink, Jessie dragged Mike to the fridge to get the bottle of coke. She could have gone alone but she felt uncomfortable serving herself. Mike grabbed a beer before guiding her to a cabinet to choose what size glass she wanted.

“Thank you,” Jessie whispered to Sy, setting the glasses on the table for him to fill.

“My pleasure, Sweetheart.”

Mrs. Syverson checked on the turkey in the oven, filling the room with the delicious aroma and making Jessie’s stomach grumble.

“See, we should have started with the food,” Mikey muttered under his breath. Jessie poked him in the ribs for his comment but leaned up to place a chaste kiss on his cheek.

Drinks in hand, the three of them returned to the living room where Mike and Jessie sat on the loveseat, and Sy took the folding chair that had been added to provide the missing seat.

“Did the drive go well, Mike?”

“Yeah, it was fine. There was no traffic at four in the morning so that definitely made getting out of the city less painful.”

“Why on Earth would ya have been on the road that early?” Mr. Syverson asked in a tone that made Jessie feel like a child being scolded. By the look on Mike’s face, it had the same effect on him and she felt the need to stand up for him.

“It made sense for us to pick up Sy on the way here and we didn’t want him to have to wait for us all day.”

“That’s very considerate of you, Jessie,” Aunt B said, shooting her husband a sideways glance. “We are very grateful that you two could pick him up. We hadnʼt seen him in almost a year since he moved to that base.”

Sy knew his mother hadnʼt been thrilled that he spent his summer leave with his army buddies instead of coming home. They’d grown used to him coming home on weekend leaves but that hadnʼt been possible since heʼd started Special Forces training.

“Ya know I would visit more if I could.”

“I know, dear. Itʼs not as if ya lived only twenty minutes away yet hadn’t stopped by in months.”

The not so subtle dig had very clearly been meant for Mike. Whenever he had a spare weekend where he wasnʼt working or studying, he was with Jessie. He hadn’t seen his mother in three months and apparently she had shared that fact with his aunt and uncle.

Mike had become so used to hiding his life from his mother that he didn’t really know how to share it with her anymore. It had been that way ever since the time his school had called his mother to say that they suspected he’d been smoking weed on school grounds. The only reason they hadn’t expelled him was because they couldn’t prove it because he’d dumped his stash. She’d looked so disappointed. Not wanting to ever see that look in her eyes again, he had stopped sharing things with her altogether. Good or bad.

“Iʼve been busier than usual this last semester.”

“I know, honey,” Jill reassured her son, patting Mike’s knee. “But it’s your final year, you’re almost done!”

“Have ya started lookin’ for jobs for after ya graduate?” Mr. Syverson asked, reaching to pile a few pieces of cheese and some vegetables on a little novelty napkin.

The house was not fully decorated for the holiday season but there was what looked like a handmade table runner under the plates of appetizers and various seasonal figurines on the fireplace mantle.

Next to a ceramic reindeer was a picture of two young boys who had to be Sy and Mike. They were standing on a pier each with their arm over the other’s shoulders and soaking wet from head to toe.

If she had to guess, Jessie would say Sy was around thirteen and Mike was around ten. There was no difficulty distinguishing between the two boys with Sy being a fair bit taller than Mike. And there was no mistaking that always perfectly ruffled head of hair for anyone else’s.

“I haven’t really thought about what I’m going to do once I graduate.”

“Why not? I’m sure most of the students graduatin’ next summer have already found their future employer.”

“Well, it’s hard to look for a job without knowing where I’m going to live after graduating.”

Jessie frowned, looking at Mike then at Sy. It was the first she had heard that Mike would be moving after graduation but Sy seemed unphased.

“Maybe havin’ a job lined up would fix that. Ya might not have the luxury of being picky. When it’s your first job, ya go where the work is, ya don’t wait until it finds you.”

The oven timer went off, saving Mike from having to come up with an answer to that statement. Seeing that he was a little frazzled, Jessie took Mikey’s hand as Jill, Barbara and Robert stood to help put the finishing touches on their meal.

Sy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You didn’t tell her, did you?” he spoke in a low voice, glancing over to make sure his family in the kitchen couldn’t hear.

“Tell me what?”

Mike pulled Jessie into his side, placing a kiss on her temple. “I was going to ask you if you wanted us to get a place together after graduation but Rob let the cat out of the bag before I got anything really figured out.”

“In Baltimore?” Jessie didn’t want to assume anything but Mikey did say he wasn’t sure where he would be living.

“If that’s what you want. Or maybe somewhere a little further south that Sy could call home too.”

Mouth agape, Jessie looked to Sy for confirmation before she allowed herself to get too excited.

“I’ve been tellin’ him that I shouldn’t influence your decision about where to move because I could be shipped out at any time but he’s been pretty insistent that if that was what you wanted, he would do it.”

Mikey stood, holding his hand out to help Jessie from the couch.

“Let’s talk about that later. We still have an entire meal of awkward small talk ahead of us and we need to save our strength.”

Unfortunately, he was only half joking about needing strength. Jessie finished her drink and Sy exchanged her empty cup for a glass of white wine.

Sy’s parents sat on one side of the table with Jessie and Mike across from them. Once again, Sy was the odd one out, sitting at the end of the table across from his aunt. At least Jessie was between him and Mike which allowed Sy to brush their knees together under the table without anyone noticing.

Everyone’s plates were filled and they all eagerly dug into their meal.

“I’m glad we could all be here together, it’s been so long,” Jill said. 

“It really has,” Aunt B agreed with a warm smile.

“And I’m really happy you could join us, Jessie. I’ve never had the opportunity to meet any of Mike’s girlfriends.”

“There’s no time to meet them when they change every other week.”

It was the truth but Mrs. Syverson still gave her husband a pointed look. Not everyone could be so lucky as to find the woman they wanted to marry on the first go. 

“What about you, honey?” she asked, turning her attention to her son. “Has anyone caught your fancy?”

Sy froze halfway through a bite of turkey, his eyes finding Jessie for all of half a second before fixating on his food again. He took his time swallowing the food, putting a hand on her knee below the table before he answered his mother.

“You could say that.”

“I see the military hasn’t changed ya. It’s still like pullin’ worms, the pair of you,” Mrs. Syverson gestured to both boys with her fork.

“That’s because they got so used to covering for each other whenever they got in trouble,” Mr. Syverson said.

“Thick as thieves those two used to be,” his wife added more lightheartedly. She had a fond smile on her face, as if she was picturing them as two young troublemaking boys again.

They still are, Jessie thought.

“Mike mentioned that he used to spend most of his summers here with Sy.”

“Yes, well, as I’m sure you have guessed, Mike was an energetic little boy. At first we wanted to give Jill some time to breathe but then the boys got so attached to each other that we figured it would keep them both busy through the summer boredom.”

It wasn’t at all hard to imagine that Mike would have been a hard child to care for all alone. Mike had said his teachers wanted him to get checked for ADHD but they hadn’t had the money for the evaluation or for the expensive medication so nothing had ever come of it.

“I missed not having my baby with me but it did give me two months of night shifts every year which helped pay for his first year of college.”

Jill sounded so proud that she had been able to do that for her son. It must have been quite the sacrifice to have to choose between keeping her boy close and helping him pay for his future.

She remembered Mike mentioning that Mr. and Mrs. Syverson had contributed the remaining tuition money from his grandparents’ inheritance.

“So what do you do, dear? Are you in school with Mike?” Mrs. Syverson asked Jessie.

“Not exactly… I’m a double major in English and writing at Loyola university.”

“You live in Maryland?” Jill sounded shocked. At least it helped explain why she hadn’t met Jessie yet. “How did you and Mike even meet?”

“We met at a music festival in Virginia.”

The adults nodded. Well, technically they were all adults but judging by the looks on Mike and Sy’s faces, they felt the same way she did; like they were children sitting at the grown-ups table.

“So you like that headache inducin’ music too, I take it? That I don’t miss hearin’ around the house.”

“Yes, ma’am, I do,” Jessie confirmed with a small laugh.

“So the two of you have been together since July then? Must be getting serious.”

Mike groaned, “Mom, we’ve literally been on like six dates, could you hold off a little before you start picking china patterns?”

Sy struggled to hide his frustration that all the attention was on Mike and Jessie. To him, Jessie was as much his girlfriend as she was Mike’s. Just because he had fucked her in the last six month didn’t mean he was more of a boyfriend than Sy was.

Of course Sy wanted his parents to get to know Jessie. He wanted them to grow to care for her as much as he had, but he wanted them to do so as his girlfriend. He was damn proud to be with her and he didn’t like keeping her a dirty little secret.

He managed to hang on until the empty plates were cleared before he couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’m a little beat from the drive, I think I’ll call it a night.”

A disappointed look fell over Jessie’s face as she gaped up at Sy. He couldn’t bring himself to meet her eye while he moved around to kiss his Mama goodnight. Jessie wasn’t the only one to be disappointed by the situation.

“I think we’ll follow you up,” Mike said, putting his hand on Jessie’s lower back and looking to her for a subtle nod of agreement. “We’ve been awake since way too early. I know where the sheets are, I’ll make up the bed.”

“No need. Mike you are sharin’ with Nathan, Jill is already set up in your room and Jessie will take the second guest bedroom down here.”

“What?” Mike’s head whipped to his uncle as he scoffed. “I’m not fifteen, you can’t tell me that I’m not allowed to share a room with my girlfriend.”

His uncle stayed firm, jabbing his finger down on the table.

“As long as you’re still under my roof, as far as Iʼm concerned, the same rules apply. No girls behind closed doors. I have no intention of watchin’ ya face the same choices my brother did and he was a year older than ya which proves that age has nothing to do with responsibility.”

“Pop—” Sy’s attempt to calmly placate his father was interrupted when Mike hastily stood from his chair.

“Don’t fucking compare me to him!” he growled.

“Mike! Language!”

Mike ignored his mother’s admonishment.

“And what the fuck do you mean having to face the same choice?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Jessie didn’t have a clue what was going on beyond the obvious “no sex under my roof” rule and her eyes went back and forth between Mike and his uncle as they stared each other down. Mike never talked about his dad and Jessie had never asked not wanting to reopen old wounds. By the direction of the current conversation, it seemed that her choice had been wise. Beside them, the two other women remained completely silent but Barbara put her hand over Jill’s on her lap.

“It’s nice to see you think so low of me that you actually believe I would hesitate for even a second about what to do.” To the untrained ear, the bite in his words might sound like anger but Jessie knew that was only to mask the hurt he was feeling.

“That’s because no matter how hard I tried, ya still turned out like him! Ya party all the time, you’ve slept with damn near half the girls in Nate’s year—yeah, I know about that—and from last I heard, ya barely show up to enough classes to scrape by. You’re a good kid Mike but ya make stupid decisions. Ya may not like to hear it but you’re just like your dad.”

Sy was furious. His father had gone over the line. Apparently he’d chosen that particular moment to give Mike some tough love. What he didn’t realize was that Jessie was the exact reason why Mike didn’t need that anymore. Mike wanted to be more responsible. He was trying really hard to be the kind of man he thought Jessie deserved. His cousin, who had never earned above a B in his entire academic career, had gotten an A on not one, but two midterms. Sy couldn’t be anything other than proud because he knew how much effort and work had been needed to get those grades.

Now, however, Mike was working hard on maintaining his last shred of self-control. His fists clenched so tightly at his sides that Sy was afraid he might draw his own blood but rather than lash out, Mike stormed out through the back door without another word.

“That was uncalled for,” Jill said quietly.

“You wouldn’t be sayin’ that if ya ended up a grandmother by age forty-five.”

“You don’t know that that would happen.”

“Ya don’t know that it wouldn’t.”

Jessie’s gaze fell to her lap where she was wringing the cloth napkin in her hands. Shame burned at her cheeks. Had she suddenly turned invisible? These people were debating what would happen if Mike got her pregnant as if she wasn’t there to hear it.

“I’m goin’ to go find Mike. Don’t expect any of us back tonight.”

Sy walked around the table, helping Jessie up and leading her towards the mudroom where Mike had escaped. Outside, Mike’s car was gone and that was the last straw. Jessie burst into tears.

“Fuck, Sweetheart, come here.”

Sy pulled Jessie against his chest, holding her close as she sobbed.

“Why did your dad say all those things to Mikey?”

“Because my dad never forgave Chris for abandoning his son. It don’t make anything he said right but in his mind, he was protectin’ ya from goin’ through the same shit aunt Jill did. Neither of us had tried to bring home a girl since we finished high school so I guess we both just assumed that old rule wouldn’t apply anymore.”

“What about you? Why were you so eager to go off to bed?”

With a sigh, he released Jessie, cupping her face so she looked up at him.

“I didn’t think it would be this hard to watch you and Mike together. The best I got in the last six months was a Skype call so I got a little jealous watchin’ him touch ya the way I’ve been wishin’ I could. And I kinda wished that my mama would’ve been tryin’ to get to know ya because she wanted to, not because she was bein’ polite to a guest.”

A wave of guilt washed over Jessie.

“We didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m so sorry.”

“I know, Sweetheart. Thank you.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead then another to her lips.

“What do we do now? Where would he go?”

Sy gave her a small smile, looking every bit as handsome as Jessie remembered in the evening light.

“I already know where he is. For now, we give him a bit of time to cool off, then you go show him that whatever you heard tonight didn’t change what you think of him.” Sy hesitated for a moment. “It didn’t, did it?”

“Of course not!”

“Good.” He gave a determined nod then took Jessie’s hand in his. “Now come on, I need your help with something, then we can go bring Mike home.”

The woods behind the creek hadn’t changed since the last time Mike had been there. It did seem that the newer generations had found a different place to hangout and get drunk because it was devoid of the normal empty beer cans. Or maybe teenagers had gotten better at clearing their trash in the last few years.

A big tree had fallen over years ago and it served as a bridge to cross over the water. It made the hideout more secluded but it was also a bitch to cross once the alcohol hit and everyone had to go home.

The rocks that they used to use to form their fire pit were still there and Mike rearranged them in a circle around the hole in the ground. He cleared the dead leaves and dug it out a little more before collecting some broken tree branches and taking some bark from a nearby Birch.

Building the base of his fire was almost meditative. It gave Mike something to think about besides how horribly dinner had ended. No matter how angry he had been, he shouldn’t have abandoned Jessie there. At least Sy was around to take care of her. Sharing seemed to have some advantages.

Mike took hold of the joint he had placed behind his ear before getting out of the car and lit it, taking a long drag. He held the smoke in his lungs until they burned before slowly letting it out and moving the lighter to the Birch bark. He fed small twigs to the flame, progressively adding bigger wood until he no longer needed to nurture the flame to keep it alight.

“Still a closet pyro I see.”

Mike whipped around at the sound of Sy’s voice. Jessie stood by his side, one hand in his and the other clutching his bicep.

“Are you okay?” she asked even if she knew he wasn’t.

“Don’t worry about it.” Mike turned back towards the fire, finishing off his joint before throwing the butt into the fire.

“Don’t do that,” Jessie pleaded, letting go of Sy to sit beside Mike and resting her head on his shoulder. “Don’t pretend like you aren’t hurt.”

“I’m sorry I bailed. I figured it was better to get out of there before I flipped over a table or something. Aunt B worked hard on her meal and she didn’t deserve for it to be sprayed all over the floor.”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize for leaving. If you need to calm down and clear your head before you can talk things over then that’s what I want you to do.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he lied.

“Isn’t there?” Sy challenged, dropping down on Mike’s other side. “I know you, Mike. Fire is what ya do when your thoughts get too loud. So what are they yellin’ about?”

Mike closed his eyes, letting his head fall back. His thoughts were yelling about so many things. Useless, waste of space, unworthy. He was already working through twenty-one years worth of insecurities and twenty-one years worth of hatred and resentment for his father before his uncle said what he’d said.

Mike knew nothing about his dad except for the few breadcrumbs his uncle or his mother had dropped about him over the years which were by no means flattering. Those breadcrumbs could be summarized in three words: girls, drugs, crime.

“Maybe you’re better off with Sy.”

“What?” Sy and Jessie spoke simultaneously but with very different tones. Jessie sounded shocked, looking at Mike with wide eyes. Sy’s voice was a low, angry growl.

“I mean, everything Rob said was true. You deserve better than a fuck up like me.”

“You think that acting like a teenager when you’re in high school makes you a fuck up?” Sy asked, pulling Mike’s attention away from the look of pure hurt on Jessie’s face. “And what makes me more deserving of Jessie than you?”

“You’re the golden boy. Graduated early, free ride to college on a football scholarship, promptly moving up the ranks and now you’re Spec Ops.”

Sy stayed quiet for a long moment, taking in Mike’s words. He’d never known Mike felt that way about him. There might have been a time when they were kids where Mike followed him around trying to be like him but he’d just chalked that up to normal childhood behaviors. He never thought that Mike would be… what? Threatened? Insecure? Jealous? He didn’t really know but that sounded like the kind of conversation the two of them should have on their own.

“I was only the golden boy because I was better at not getting caught.” Sy gently shoved Mike’s head aside, earning him a fleeting smile from the younger man. “You know none of that makes me better than you though, right?”

Mike shrugged as pulled his knees up, wrapping his arms around his legs and clasping his hands together. “Why shouldn’t it?”

“Because you’re your own person with your own skill set. You can’t compare yourself to me and pop should never have compared you to Chris because you’re not him either.”

Jessie nodded emphatically. “He’s right,” she said, putting a hand on Mike’s cheek but he didn’t dare turn his face to look at her.

“I love you both just the way you are, Mikey.”

That caused both men to fix their gaze on Jessie.

“You what?” Mikey spoke almost inaudibly.

Jessie pulled her hand away, scrambling to get her feet under her. “Nothing!”

Mikey didn’t let her escape, instead catching her wrist and drawing her back down to his lap.

“Say it again,” he whispered with his forehead pressed against hers.

Jessie’s breath hitched as she looked into Mike’s vulnerable eyes. She hadn’t meant to pick such a moment to make her admission but he needed to know exactly how she felt.

“I love you, Mike.”

She’d been thinking about it for a little while now but she hadn’t wanted to say it over the phone.

“I love you too, Gorgeous.”

Mike placed a tender kiss on her lips, holding Jessie close to his body. Mike would have loved to stay that way all night but he could sense Sy shifting awkwardly by his side.

He placed one more kiss on Jessie’s cheek before nudging her towards Sy who happily moved her to sit astride his lap.

“It’s okay if you need more time,” Sy said, as if that would make it hurt less if she didn’t say those three little words to him.

Jessie shook her head, wrapping her arms around Sy’s neck. “I don’t. I love you.”

“And I love you, Jessie.”

He took his time as he kissed her, making sure to convey just how much he loved and cared for Jessie.

“As much fun as we had the last time the three of us spent a night outdoors, I think our bed is calling our name.”

“I don’t think I can go back tonight, Sweetcheeks.” Mike didn’t want to make his girlfriend spend the night out in the cold with him but he wasn’t ready to face his uncle and there were no motels within an hour’s drive. 

“Hmm… Well, I guess it’s a good thing that Sy and I have a surprise for you, then.”

Mike squinted suspiciously as Jessie and Sy shared a conspiratorial look.

Jessie drove Mike’s car through town, following Sy back to their home for the night. He was uncharacteristically quiet by her side but he kept a hand on her thigh the whole time which helped reassure her that though he was still lost to his thoughts, he was holding on to her rather than pushing her away.

“If the trailer is a-rocking…” Mikey said when the car came to a stop in front of the motorhome.

“Don’t come a-knocking,” Jessie finished. “I thought you might like this. It was Sy’s idea.”

“You know this isn’t much of a step up from the tent, right?”

“It has electricity, a tiny bathroom with running water, a king sized bed… How is it not a step up?”

“Wait seriously? A king bed?”

Jessie smiled, seeing her fun-loving and easygoing boyfriend slowly crawl his way out of the pit his sour mood had thrown him in.

“Come on. Sy’s waiting for us.”

Jessie pushed her door open but Mikey didn’t move. He looked down at his hands, fiddling with his old zippo lighter.

“I was supposed to give you guys a night alone.”

“I’m sure we’ll find a way to make it up to him.”

Mike exhaled a slow breath, nodding once before following Jessie out of the car. After pulling their bags from the trunk, they made their way inside the trailer where Sy had already set out three beers on the dinette table. Sy took both their bags and brought them into the bedroom, while Mike pulled Jessie into his side, kissing her cheek before he guided her to take a seat on one side of the table while he sat on the other.

When Sy returned, he paused for a moment but followed Mike’s lead, sitting beside Jessie who snuggled into his side like a cat.

“How much did you smoke tonight?” he questioned as he studied the younger man.

He assumed by how buzzed Mike looked, that the joint he’d seen him finish was not his first but they’d only left him for forty-five minutes at most—just enough time for them to tow the trailer to the campsit then go find Mike. Sy hoped Mike hadn’t opted for chain smoking as a coping mechanism when he could have talked it out with either him or Jessie.

Mike’s eyelids drooped, partially concealing the redness behind them. “Just one joint.”

Sy was tempted to call bullshit but he didn’t want it to sound like an accusation instead of the concern he actually felt.

Mike seemed to already know what he was thinking though, not needing to hear the words aloud. “I haven’t been smoking much lately. I lost my tolerance,” he shrugged, leaning back into the corner of the bench and throwing his leg over the seat.

Sy suspected—as he did with most other changes in Mike’s life lately—that Jessie was the cause of his reduced consumption.

“So, Nate,” Mike said, changing the subject, “you never told us what you thought of that little early Christmas gift I sent you.”

“Meaning that video? Which I opened in a room filled with senior officers, thanks for the heads up by the way.”

Mikey had the audacity to look smug, causing Sy to roll his eyes while shaking his head. In his defense, he had said that Sy should open it while he was alone. Sy turned his attention to Jessie instead.

“Pink is sexy as hell on you, Sweetheart,” he whispered against her neck as he held her close.

“I’ll have to give you a live show sometime.”

Jessie’s eyes closed, her head tipping to the side to give Sy better access. If the table hadn’t been in the way, he would have pulled her onto his lap as he began kissing down her throat.

“Don’t need anything more than you, right here, to get me hard as fuckin’ steel.”

Mike watched with rapt attention as Sy slowly teased Jessie. His hands roamed over her breasts before moving downwards. Unfortunately, the table obscured his view of what he did once they reached the waistband of her pants but Jessie’s gasp told him all he needed to know.

“Missed that sound. I hear it in my dreams,” he confessed.

“Must make for damn good dreams,” Mike smirked, shifting in his seat.

Jessie’s breath hitched as Sy’s fingers circled her clit over her panties with just enough pressure to work her up without really giving her any satisfaction.

“Why are we talking about dreams when we could all have the real thing right here, right now?”

Neither man argued, moving to stand from the table. Sy pulled Jessie up, revealing her jeans which were wide open and the bright red panties below. Mikey had picked them out before they left but he’d been shooed out of the room before Jessie slipped them on and it had been driving him crazy not knowing how they looked on her and whether she’d worn a matching bra.

Sy tossed Jessie on her stomach on the bed and dexterously stripped her of her skinny jeans. Mike had been right, Jessie’s ass was to die for in those panties. It seemed Sy shared his opinion because he gave her a sharp spank and bit the meat of her juicy ass so hard there was no doubt she’d have a mark afterwards.

Jessie groaned with a mix of pleasure and sweet pain, reaching back to place a hand on Sy’s scruffy cheek. She tried to guide him to her center but instead, he moved away, kissing down the back of her legs. Once he reached one ankle, he flipped her onto her back and kissed back up the other leg.

Mike removed Jessie’s shirt—happy to find that she had indeed worn the matching bra—before settling on the bed with her between his legs and her head on his lap. The position gave him the perfect angle to play with her tits while Sy dragged the naughty red lace down her thighs.

“I’ve waited a long time to do this,” he said almost reverently before burying his head between her legs.

Jessie cried out and the sound made Mikey’s cock jerk in his pants. He reached down, undoing the zipper to relieve some of the pressure. Jessie’s hands frantically pulled at Sy’s shirt until he ripped the thin barrier over his head and his warm skin was bared to her.

Mike kept his eyes on Jessie’s face while she was hypnotized by the sight of Sy tongue fucking her cunt. Mike had always heard the gossip about Sy’s skills but seeing Jessie lost in the pleasure cemented that it wasn’t just a high school rumour. Did she look that blissed out when he was the one going down on her?

As if Jessie could read his thoughts, her hooded gaze found his and she pushed herself up on her elbow while pulling his head down to crush their lips together. The awkward spider-man position didn’t really allow them to deepen the kiss but he felt her feverish need all the same. Her need for him, not just Sy.

Mike moved down the bed, propping Jessie up with her back to his chest. He removed her bra and his shirt, and when she leaned against him again, skin touching skin, she let out a satisfied sigh. It was all too easy now to paint her neck in deep hickeys as he pinched her nipples.

“Think you can take us both tonight, Sweetcheeks?” Mike whispered too low for Sy to hear. He didn’t want to get his hopes up in case Jessie didn’t feel ready yet. Not that Sy would let deception show in front of Jessie—if he felt deception at all.

Jessie gave him an eager nod, earning her an appreciative groan. The bed dipped as Mikey climbed off, moving to riffle through Jessie’s bag. Her head fell to the side, watching him move. Why was it so hot when a man was shirtless with open jeans hanging low on his hips?

Sy curled his fingers into her G spot, pulling Jessie’s focus back to the man feasting between her thighs. They quivered from their position above Sy’s shoulders as her hips bucked upwards. Her hand flew down, cupping the back of his head and holding him in place.

“Right there.”

Sy opened his eyes, watching Jessie’s blissed expression. The hand that held her hips down moved to her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. His own hips moved unconsciously against nothing, his neglected cock desperate for the slightest bit of relief.

“Come for him, Gorgeous. Give him what he wants,” Mike commanded. She could do nothing but comply, coming all over Sy’s face.

She lay boneless as the boys moved around her, stripping off their remaining clothing. Mike tossed the items he’d retrieved from her bag onto the bed before pushing his pants and boxers down.

“I thought you’d gotten an IUD,” Sy commented when he noticed the box of condoms beside Jessie.

“Mikey kept the mandatory condoms rule.”

Sy looked at Mike over his shoulder. The younger man looked almost guilty as he pulled his eyes away.

“You do what you want.”

He might have been satisfied with Jessie being on birth control but he didn’t mind the extra protection. Especially since he knew that the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy was a big sore spot for Mike.

“No, I’m good with that.”

It was almost imperceptible but Mike’s shoulders relaxed at Sy’s words, like all he’d needed was a little validation. It’s not like things would be easier if it were Sy getting Jessie pregnant. What if he got shipped out? It would still be Mike staying behind and taking care of Jessie. There was no doubt in Sy’s mind that that was exactly what Mike would do.

They both stalked towards Jessie, each stretching out on one side of her. Sy took Jessie’s lips while Mike kissed his way from her neck to her breasts. His fingers found her dripping folds, slick from both her earlier release and Sy’s enthusiastic pleasuring.

He gathered some of the moisture before his fingers dipped lower, finding her back entrance. When he gently pushed inside, Jessie gasped into Sy’s mouth. The hand that had been teasing Mike’s nape tightened around his wavy locks and he shifted to study her face for any signs of discomfort.

“Mike? Are ya doin’ what I think you’re doin’?”

The younger man pushed in deeper, looking up at Sy with a smirk when it caused Jessie to moan.

“Since you’ve been stuck with your hand since last summer, you get to choose. You want her hot pussy or her tight ass?”

Sy’s gaze darkened as he realized the implications of the choice being offered to him.

“Is that what you two have been up to while I was away?” he asked Jessie.

“Not yet. You want to be my first?”

The sound that rose from his chest was damn near animalistic. “As appealin’ as that invitation is, that’s not what I was thinkin’ about whenever I had a moment to myself. Besides, it looks like Mike has been doin’ the work, he should get to reap the rewards first.”

“Then get on your back, soldier.”

Amused, Sy did as he was told, laying on his back in the middle of the bed. Mike pulled away long enough for Jessie to straddle Sy’s waist and lock him in a fiery kiss. Jessie was thrilled for her hands to finally roam all over his body. He seemed to have the same idea because Jessie was sure his touch was going to leave its mark.

“This is gonna be cold, sorry.”

Mike was right, the gel was cold from the evening in the trunk of the car but her boyfriend’s hands were warm as he continued to work her open. Below them, Sy blindly reached for a condom, rolling it down his shaft. He placed his tip at her entrance and she eagerly lowered herself down until he was sheathed to the hilt.

It was Mike’s turn to suit up and add a coat of lubricant over the latex.

“Nate, hold her for me.”

For a moment Sy looked unsure, seeking confirmation from Jessie.

“I accidentally jerked forward once and it hurt more than all the other times combined.”

Jessie lowered herself down, bringing her chest flush against Sy’s and busied herself with sucking deep bruises into his collarbone. He wrapped his thick arms around her, holding her in place while the blunt head of Mike’s cock found her entrance.

“Tell Sy your safeword, Sweetcheeks.”

“Homesick,” she whispered, her nose brushing against his ear.

A hopeful warmth bloomed in Sy’s chest. Homesick. The name of the album on which their song was released? At least, what he considered to be their song. They’d never discussed it or anything. Maybe he was reading too much into it, but if he was right, she’d thought about him as much as he’d thought about her.

A hand moved into Jessie’s hair, pulling into a languid kiss. She melted into him and Mike took the opportunity to push inside her.

The first inch was easy enough but when he reached his full girth Jessie’s breath hitched.

“You’re doin’ so well, baby. You tell us when ya wanna keep goin’.”

“I’m good, it’s just… a lot.”

After adding a bit more lube, Mike continued to work his way deeper until he was fully inside Jessie. All three of them were breathing heavily, all three of them feeling like they were on a hairpin trigger.

It took a moment for Jessie to adjust to the feeling of being so completely and utterly filled but she eventually pushed herself up onto her hands and knees.

“Somebody please move.”

After a bit of shifting and adjusting, the three of them found a steady rhythm. Sy would pull out of her pussy as Mike plunged into her ass then they would switch. Together they worked Jessie until she was teetering over the edge but she forced the sensation away. If she was going to come, she wanted to do so as they both exploded inside her.

“Fuck, I can feel you clenching my cock, baby.”

“Are you close, Sweetcheeks? Do you like being full of the both of us? Are you gonna come for us?”

“Oh yeah, she loves it. Can’t you tell by the way her greedy little holes are trying to milk our cocks?”

The dirty talk was going to be the death of her. She couldn’t hold off any longer and she cried out their names as she shook between them. Sy groaned low and guttural while curse after curse fell from Mike’s lips, both of them following her over the edge.

Fingers dug into her hips with a bruising grip. She wasn’t sure if they were Mike or Sy’s or maybe even both. Her eyelids felt too heavy to lift as she melted further into Sy’s chest. The happy little bubble enveloping them was broken when the warm body at her back pulled away, letting the cool air hit her sweat-slicked skin.

Jessie whined, blindly reaching back but Mike was already out of reach.

“Don’t worry gorgeous, I’m just getting something to clean you up.”

Sy wrapped his thick arms around her, smoothing his hand up and down her back while Mike disposed of the condom and cleaned the excess lube from between Jessie’s cheeks. Once he was done, he handed Sy the shirt Jessie wore to bed every night—Sy’s shirt— while he found clean briefs for himself before crawling up the bed and pulling Jessie into his chest. Sy reluctantly sat up, taking his turn and cleaning himself up the same way Mike had.

Just then, Sy’s phone went off, a muffled ringing sounding from the back pocket of his jeans that were still on the floor. Checking the caller ID, Sy paused before sitting on the edge of the bed and accepting the call.

“Hi pop.”

His father ignored the greeting, getting straight to the point. “Telling Mike that he couldn’t sleep in the same room as his girlfriend was not an invitation for you to go off and let them use the trailer.”

“Why not? By your own definition ‘my roof, my rules’.” Sy’s grandparents had left the trailer to him in their will. They knew he liked camping but they figured that he deserved a decent bed instead of the hard ground after so many nights on army bunks.

“And what is your plan, Nathan? Are you just gonna sit outside and listen to them go at it all night?”

Sy’s father was speaking loud enough that the three of them could hear his words clearly. After sharing a silent exchange, Jessie and Mike both nodded at Sy.

“Actually, I’m going to enjoy an evening of catching up with my girl who I haven’t seen in six months.”

“What are you talking about? Are you saying Jessie is your girlfriend not Mikeʼs?”

“No. Mike and I both met Jessie this summer, we both hit it off with her, and we are both dating her.”

“You’re being ridiculous, you can’t both be dating her.”

“We can and we are. Whatever you think of that…” Sy trailed off, looking between Jessie and Mike again. “We both love her. Whatever you think doesnʼt matter and it wonʼt change anything so if you don’t like it, donʼt bother sharinʼ your opinion.”

Syʼs father didn’t say anything for a long time before the dial tone informed Sy that he had hung up.

The silence weighed heavily around the trio until Mikeʼs phone buzzed in his bag. Against his better judgment, Mike picked it up, already knowing it was his mother. Sensing he wouldn’t have the mental clarity to repeat anything important, he answered it on speaker. If she was going to talk about the three of them then the three of them should hear.

“Hi mom.”

“Mike? Mike, where are you?”

He winced at the hint of panic in her voice.

“I’m with Nate and Jessie.” It wasn’t a location but it was as good as she was going to get. If they really wanted to track them down it wouldn’t be all that hard, they didn’t need any help.

She released a relieved sigh. “So they found you then? I wasn’t sure, all I heard from Rob was that Nate said you two were both dating Jessie.”

“They did, and we are.”

“Do you really love her?”

Mike locked eyes with Jessie. “I do.”

“Can you put Jessie on the phone, please?”

Jessie’s eyes went wide, waiting for Mike to tell her what to do. He took the phone off speaker and pushed it towards her.

“Jill?”

“Don’t break his heart, okay?”

Jessie was stunned, almost speechless as she clenched the phone in her hand. “What?”

Jill sniffed on the other end of the line. “If Mike says he loves you then he really means it. I haven’t heard those words from him since he was a kid. Don’t break his heart. You can’t just string him along because you need someone around while Sy is away.”

It would be stupid to make any sort of promise after only a few months. So much was going to change for them in the next year and so much was still uncertain. Despite that, she found herself speaking the words and meaning them with all her heart.

“I won’t,” she vowed.

“Rob is just scared. He loves them both like sons, he doesn’t want to watch another member of his family spiral down the rabbit hole. He’ll calm down. Me and Barbara are going to be at the diner tomorrow at nine. The boys will know the one. You three should join us for breakfast.”

“I’ll tell them.”

With a quick goodbye, Jessie handed the phone back to Mike.

“I think… I think she’s okay with us. Your moms want us to have breakfast with them tomorrow morning.”

“You can’t expect me to be anywhere earlier than noon,” Mike joked, attempting to hide his relief.

“We both know your stomach is going to be growling so loud that we will all be awake by seven,” Jessie teased, nudging Mike with her foot.

“I guess that means you’ll have to give me something to eat to tide me over.”

Jessie bit her bottom lip as her cheeks flushed and her smile grew. Sy drew Jessie back into his side, brushing his thumb over her arm while he placed a kiss to the side of her neck.

“Agreed, he gets cranky when he’s hungry. I should know, I used to have to drive him to the store whenever he had midnight munchies.”

Mike switched off the light and the three of them burrowed under the covers. She nestled into Mike’s chest with Sy pressed against her back and his leg tangled between hers. This felt right. Jessie couldn’t begin to imagine having to choose between the two men. Sy was all rugged and mysterious while Mike was outgoing and playful. They were two puzzle pieces that fit with her so perfectly. She needed both of them. They completed her in different ways and she was not going to let anyone make her feel ashamed of that.

Part 3

[winderlylandchime]

I feel like I have to keep you updated for these last few days and 70% of that is because I unfortunately made you all aware of my brothers existence and the other 30% is because he bullies me into telling stuff to his new ‘homies’. But also soooo much happened that i immediately thought to myself ‘i know a few people that would like to hear all this’ and my brother shared the same thought. So I apologize in advance for any spam that will happen in the next few days but I will also try my best to put it all into one message.

So first of all: MY BROTHER IS OFFICIALLY CLEARED UP TO GO HOME!! His tests all came back amazing so he is officially going back home on Sunday. Ngl the feeling is bittersweet because who is going to wake up half of the neighborhood with Sandstorm now and get stuck trying to climb a fence and force 50-60 year olds into watching qaf with him? And he’s taking the cat with him as well. Rude.

Anyway! I wish you guys could’ve seen him go into his lasy check up, he brought chocolates for everyone and got them each a card with personalized messages to say thanks for taking care of him. He was all happy and sweet, it was like a kid on Christmas. And then towards the end of the check up, one of the nurses was like ‘hey (his name), we actually wanted to give you a little something, to remember us by and also as a goodbye since you’re going home’ and they gave him a gift and guys, this shit was so freaking cute! They first got him some snacks he loves (he always came to the check ups with snacks and was offering them to all of the staff), but they also got him a penguin plushie (context: when he first came for the surgery, they told him to bring his pajamas from home since he will stay for a few days and he rolled up with two different penguin pajamas cause it’s his favorite animal..again this man is a grown 36 year old) And the plushie has the exact same scar on his chest/stomach as my brother does from his accident. And the surgeon goes ‘i made sure that they were identical, that way you’re no longer one of a kind’ because after the surgery when they showed him how it looked he was all high on meds and went ‘not gonna lie, this looks badass but fuck now i really am one of a kind and all alone.’ So the surgeon sewed the plushie to make it look the same. It was actually adorable as fuck! And my brother was all teary eyed about it. And then!!! the nurse goes ‘there’s one more thing inside and you have to check it now.’ And she explained that the nurse who knew about qaf (from when he ripped his stitches) is also a big part of this last gift. And it was a card and on the front it said ‘you’re cool but we really hope to never see you again’ (its kinda like a thing they say there bc it’s trauma department or whatever). Also sidenote: Did you guys know there’s a greeting/birthday card you can buy online that allows you to record a message and design the cover? So when you open it, it starts saying the message or whatever? Me neither. But apparently the nurses knew about it. So he opens the fucking card and Lover’s spit starts playing and all that is inside is a picture of Britin from the end of 3x14 where everyone is celebrating and they hug (Brian is like hugging Justin but he’s looking over him somewhere). And they go ‘you talked so much about that episode we figured it was fitting.’ And then they explained that the nurse who knew about the show helped them find the photos and everything and even fought them to make sure Lover’s spit is used since originally they wanted to put Cue The Pulse. And that nurse eventually won the “fight” because they remembered that my brother went on a whole speech when he watched 3x08 about the reunion scene. And my brother on the verge of tears goes ‘thank fuck cause this is way fucking cooler. No offense’ And that’s literally all there is in the card (well and all their signatures on the opposite side from the photo).

And then after the check up as we are leaving, the surgeon goes ‘well I think I can honestly say, that i will never ever have a patient like you ever again’ and my brother obviously took that as a compliment and went ‘well duuh, every other patient is boring compared to me’ and guys!!!! We were leaving, my brother is almost out the door, I’m already outside the office and the fucking surgeon goes ‘oh (his name), by the way, you were right. That proposal was ridiculous and the finale really did suck. In fact if it was up to me? I’d erase the entire last season.‘ and he’s like smirking at my brother and my brother (and me too ngl) is SHOCKED! And he starts stuttering and goes ‘you..you knew the show this whole time?’ And the doctor goes ‘don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t even know it existed but after your 3rd spiral over it, I had to check it out to see what the big deal was about it’ and then my brother was like ‘why didnt you say anything? We could’ve been buddies over it this whole time’ and the doctor walked up to the door and goes ‘Exactly’ and then he just slowly closed the door while waving to my brother and my brother was just standing outside the door not moving for so long, i had to drag him away. And he walked past the nurse and goes ‘he watched it!’ And the nurse goes ‘oh yeah, he came in one day and was like “you know that show (his name) is always talking about? Well my wife and i watched it and holy shit’

The whole car ride home, we were both in absolute shock. Him more but that’s because only one of us was giving full speeches and rundowns about episodes to the doctor. And as for the card? You know that scene in Easy A, where she keeps opening and closing the birthday card to hear the song? That’s what half of my Wednesday looked like.

Dear sweet anon and brother anon! I am so happy he’s cleared and discharged. That makes me so happy!

I am beyond surprised that the doctors and nurses all got him presents. Admittedly, any surgeries I’ve had have been done outpatient except for when I was 8 and 13, and with follow up only with my doctor so I don’t know what is common these days. But their presents! Those weren’t generic, we give these to all the patients, gifts. The penguin! With the matching scar! The card with the photo and Lover’s Spit! I’m dying.

And. The. Surgeon. Watched. Qaf. Like all 5 seasons. I am deceased. Ofc he didn’t tell your brother until the end. (Your poor brother has all these people doing things behind his back while he’s watching this show. He’s going to develop trust issues.) But he has all correct opinions.

Wait. As I’m typing this I realized. A trauma surgeon (if I understand correctly) watched prom and 201. He must have opinions about Justin’s injury and recovery. Wait. I have some questions. How comfortable does your brother feel calling up the surgeon and saying “so I’m tumblr famous and this rando girl who is equally obsessed with QAF wants to know what you think the long term effects of the bashing would be on Justin.”

I am just as shocked as both of you about this turn of events. What a way to start my Thursday.

[huckleberrykai]

Imagine being Soobin’s first love and him being yours :((

Meeting each other in high school though beomgyu, dating the whole senior year 🩵😔🩵😔🩵😔🩵 just being all lovey dovey

But then parting ways due to college; you moving to another country and not keeping in touch–except for beomgyu.

Beomgyu who arranges a meeting after all of you graduate and you move back in and soobin wants to murder him, he’s so embarrassed.

Despite everything, though, he has never stopped loving you and neither have you!

Soobin, who had a few more drinks than he can take it, mumbling if you’re taken and if you have ever thought about him on those past 4 years and Soobin, who texts you next morning apologizing for his behavior but gets so blushy and excited when you tell him you’re willing to give it a try once again <3

warnings: mentions of alcohol

HI ANONNN u r so big-brained for this i love first love soob <33

i feel like he'd be so so shy at first, just rly wanting to be your friend n researching stuff you like just so he had something to talk to u about. i don't think he even Realises he likes you until beomgyu is like.. "yeah it's obvious u like her bro. ur officially the last to know ."

and so he probs convinces you to hang out a bunch during the summer before your senior year and asks u to be his girlfriend in some cute cafe, giving you your latte that he made the barista draw a foam heart on :')

he'd be crushed when you broke up for college, he'd try dating other people but nothing was ever serious,, and beomgyu scolded him for comparing everyone to you. "she's funny, but not as funny as Y/N... her hair isn't as soft as hers either."

he was Sick of soobin pining over his lost love like a lovesick puppy.

so!! if you want something done right do it yourself!!

he sets up a reunion party, all of your friends from highschool or rather just the people that he liked / could bear to talk to for a few hours while you fixed your relationship

soobin was already a little tipsy when you arrived, and the poor guy nearly fell to his damn knees the second he saw you. he was perfectly content just.. watching you all night.

until beomgyu called him a creep and pushed him forwards, bumping directly into your shoulder. "soobin!" your eyes were wide, he thought you were even prettier than you were when you dated.

"you're beautiful."

"huh?"

"nothing."

long story short, you ended up in beomgyu's room somehow with a tall lanky man wrapped around you, begging for forgiveness when he didn't do anything wrong to begin with 😭

he rambles So Much.

"do you have a boyfriend? god i hope not. you're so pretty. please take me back Y/Nie.. i never got over you" :(

eventually, he fell asleep, and you had to leave. you weren't going to just say yes since you'd much rather hear it all from him sober, but you weren't sure when you'd see him again. before you left you unlocked his phone with his sleeping face ID and put your number in, putting his own into yours.

soobin was mortified.

his memory was hazy, but he knew he did something when he saw the text on his phone.

Y/N: sorry i unlocked your phone while you slept, i just wanted to be able to contact you

Y/N: we should talk

Y/N: you still look cute when you're rambling :)

and so he called you. a few tears and confessions were shared from both sides, and he learned that you never stopped thinking about him either. he looked like a kid on Christmas with the grin on his face when you told him you'd like to try again - and within 5 minutes he'd already planned your perfect date <3

and your wedding but you didn't need to know that

absolutely shoves his face in the pillow and flails his limbs about in excitement once you end the phone call, squeals and all >.<

takes you back to the same cafe and gets you a heart latte, just like before, asking for another chance at being your boyfriend <3

and when you officially got back together beomgyu Definitely took credit for it

[rocknrollsalad]

Stranger Things Writers Guild Daily Prompt 1/18/24

Little Bird

This snippet of something won't leave me alone. It's totally silly (sorry) and short but first thought, best thought?

Eddie doesn't keep much in his wallet. Not just because Steve won't let him have the credit cards. Okay, maybe because Steve won't let him have the credit cards anymore. They're expensive to replace or something responsible like that but it's not Eddie's fault wallets are so loseable.

A few business cards and coupons keep his driver's license company. Sometimes there's money in there and always a blank check for "emergencies" because he "married" a boy scout, prepared for anything. Of course, when you've faced the actual apocalypse carrying a check is the least of their precautions.

Stuffed in the middle are six plastic pages stuck together and attached to something to insert them perfectly where his credit card should go. A traveling photo album because nothing says being over thirty like a wallet full of pictures to subject strangers to. Eddie isn't sure when he became that kind of guy but he doesn't really mind.

The first, naturally, is a picture of the whole family. Not Steve and their two kids but the family that faced down the end of the world together and came out (relatively) unscathed. From a fun little reunion they had last year, the whole gang was there with kids and spouses. Jonathan was smart enough to get them all together for this picture and kind enough to send copies in a variety of sizes. The same picture hangs in the hall just outside Steve and Eddie's bedroom.

After that, it's Eddie's family. Posed in the living room on Christmas Eve. The girls are in fancy little dresses, Steve is wearing a tie, and there are smiling faces all around. If it were any more perfect, it'd look like it came with the wallet. Again, it was thanks to the foresight of someone else. Auntie Robin took the picture before the girls ate and ruined the look. Even though she said she was doing it before Eddie ruined his clean shirt with dinner, he knew what she meant.

Max and Lucas's engagement photo (took them long enough), Steve and Robin, the girls from that attempt to have JC Pennys wrangle them into a few good shots filled up the pages.

It was all the usual stuff, until the last picture. Eddie's favorite picture. He'd trimmed it himself from something they had the drugstore develop. No attempts at good lighting or someone squeezing them together and forcing a moment. An award-winning picture he was lucky enough to capture himself.

Steve is sat in a lawn chair in their backyard, and their oldest is running through the sprinkler (though not in the photograph). The youngest, in her frilly little swimsuit that made Eddie laugh for days. They aren't supposed to be this small! And that's what Eddie was trying to capture. His precious daughter in a baby swimsuit and sitting with her dad in the summer sun.

The important tidbit Eddie always tosses in is they were blaring the new Megadeth album. Something to both polish away some of the perfect suburban life sheen and to add extra meaning to the tiny middle finger held up by their youngest.

She hasn't a clue what she's doing, deep down Eddie knows that, but with metal music playing as she's held hostage by Steve and her sister is having the time of her life, it's such a perfect gesture. And it is held up. Held out like she's expressing a lifetime of anger she doesn't yet have the words for.

So Eddie ignores the logic and keeps this picture with him everywhere he goes. A proud papa whose hardcore little baby Is flipping her sister the bird. Deservedly so. How dare her sister not take her to frolic through the water. Not being able to walk isn't an excuse to leave her on the sidelines. If only she had two hands to fully express this rage but the other was dutifully holding onto the stuffed animal she took everywhere.

Steve won't let Eddie enlarge the picture and hang it over the mantel - where it belongs. No matter how much Eddie begs. He does, however, carry the same picture in his wallet.

[trashboatprince]

As is tradition since I think I started this account in 2012, I tend to do a post about all the more interesting things that happened in the year and what I hope happens in the next so...

Yeah.

Here we go.

Met David Tennant and got not only my photo taken with him and his signature, but I also got three hugs from him. He is a very lovely man, and gosh is he pretty in person. <3

Met Rhys Darby in person and made him burst out laughing when I told him I recognized him as the freaking Pistachio King from Milo Murphy's Law. He wasn't expecting that role of all things.

Last day of my trip for the con I discovered a lump on my chest that really hurt and for two and a half months I was stuck in a constant state of anxiety because they thought it was inflammatory breast cancer. Turns out it was just a really bad infection that had very similar symptoms.

Lost our oldest dog in October :(

My mom did get a pug puppy a few months beforehand tho, as she had been wanting a pug for years

Had probably one of the most absolutely obnoxious family reunions this year, but was able to go up into the mountains and had a lovely time in nature. And I got to pick huckleberries, which I've never done before. That was nice.

Went to Colorado and sat the Monsters of Metal tour's last show there, with Mastodon (third time seeing them) and Gojira (first time seeing them)

Had a fucking experience listening to The Chant live at that showing and it was just... impossible to describe. It was beautiful.

Went to the Devil's Tower on the way to Colorado, it was pretty dang cool. Lots of alien shit everywhere, the area really loves to play up on that. Also went to the Denver Zoo and Meow Wolf, both of which were delightful. :D

Went to my little brother's high school graduation, cannot believe he's out of high school.

Experienced season two of Good Omens and am still recovering.

I was there when EVERY happened, in just ten minutes it was known and then quickly NO LONGER SPOKEN ABOUT. That was a fun hour of panic from the fandom. :)

Watched OFMD season 2 and... eh.

Watched all four of the new Doctor Who specials when they dropped and now Fourteen and Fifteen are my favorite Doctors. I love them.

Had probably some of the most stressful months I've ever had with my job because we were down to just three people for a staff that is meant to run a home that is 24/7. I'm still dealing with the stress from it even after we got more people hired. My paychecks were beautiful tho, so much overtime...

Apparently I got a stress fracture on Thanksgiving, happened in my sleep. I should be out of the boot officially next week.

Participated in a David Tennant-themed zine

Absolutely dumb thing to add, but my mom got me a DT cutout who now lives in my room. He's wearing a paper crown from a Christmas cracker because he's a king Plans for the next year:

Going to see Hozier in August

Probably going to go back to Colorado, I want to see the aquarium

Going to ECCC for the third year in a row, going to get Jodie Whitaker's autograph

Hopefully I'll get to see my girlfriend again

Hopefully I'll get to finally see my best friends irl (We need to plan this better, guys!)

See if I can finally get my second tattoo

[invisibleraven]

17. Julie introduces Reggie (and maybe Luke if you wanna go PeterPatterLina) to their family, plz?

The first year the three of them get together, they don't really discuss the holidays. Their relationship is a bit too new to really get into all that, so they have a tearful goodbye as they all leave campus. Luke is spending his time up in Canada with his grandparents, Julie here in LA with her family, and Reggie is off to Georgia to have a quiet winter break with MeeMaw and Pops.

They have an even more tear filled reunion, grasping each other tight, murmurs of "I missed you", "Together next year", and very tentative "I love you's" that lead to them having some quality time together before classes start up again.

The next year, Julie floats the idea of the guys coming home to meet her family. Luke's parents are staying in California this year, so he's cool with it. Reggie is a bit more hesitant as staying here means staying with his parents, something he doesn't exactly relish. "Nonsense," Julie says, "you can stay with me, my dad won't mind."

Reggie is fairly certain that Mr. Molina will mind, but Julie calls him right then and there, telling him that she's bringing guests for the holidays, and could they stay?

"The more the merrier mija!" Ray replies. "Just let me know about any diet things, and I'll make up the guest room."

After the phone call, a thought comes to Luke, and he has to ask. "Does... does your dad know you're dating us?"

"Do you really think I keep stuff like that from my father?" Julie asked. "I told him months ago, when I knew it was serious. He took some warming up to the idea, but he's cool with it now. I'm sure he knows I meant I was bringing you both home with me."

"Do your parents know?" Reggie asks Luke.

Luke rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, they aren't crazy about the idea, but they'll have to get used to it. If you wanna meet them over the holidays we can, but staying over is definitely not going to happen."

Neither of them ask if Reggie's parents know, because they've already had the uncomfortable discussion about the type of people his parents are, and how little of a role they play in his life. "I told MeeMaw and Pops last Christmas," Reggie admits. "They can't wait until we have a chance to come visit them in Georgia."

"Maybe over the summer?" Julie suggests. "I'd love to go horse back riding."

Plans set, they start getting together their things for the drive to the Molina household. It's not a long trek, but Julie had wanted the full college experience of dorm life, so she lived on campus, though she and the guys were debating finding a place come the new year.

She was almost bouncing as Reggie pulled the truck up her street, pointing out the neighbours who had put out the luminaria, then gasped as she saw her house. Her father had seemingly gone all out this year, all the trees in the yard were covered in lights, and the house was almost blinding from how bedecked it was. And there on the porch, beaming widely, was her papi.

As soon as the truck was in park, Julie leapt from the cab, dashing up the drive and jumped into her dad's arms, the two of them embracing fiercely, talking to each other quietly in Spanish. Luke and Reggie shared a grin, unloading their bags. Luke was going to stay for a few nights, but had to come home for dinner on Christmas Eve and stay until all the family left the next day. His parents had also demanded the three of them come over for a meal before the holiday madness, so that was planned for the next day.

Finally, Ray puts Julie down, and tries his best to look like a big intimidating dad, though he's sure after that display he comes off more as a teddy bear. Julie rolls her eyes at him, then waves at the boys standing before her, the both of them looking a little shy and apprehensive. "Dad, these are my boyfriends, Luke and Reggie. Guys, this is my dad."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Molina," Luke says, shaking his hand, wincing when Ray squeezes, just a little. He then steps back, the polite smile never leaving his face.

Reggie bounces over, all smiles, though Ray can see a tinge of fear in his eyes. But Ray doesn't think he's the cause, so he softens his expression just a little. Gives Reggie a gentler handshake, which Reggie returns with enthusiasm. "Hi Mr. Molina, I'm Reggie. Thank you so much for letting me stay here over the holidays, I really appreciate it."

"We're happy to have you Reggie. You too Luke. Now let's go inside, get some hot chocolate and snacks on the go before we watch a movie together. Heads up, it's Carlos' turn to pick, so we're probably watching Die Hard again."

"It's still not a Christmas movie, I don't care what anyone says!" Julie exclaims as they come into the house. Ray directs Reggie to the room he'll be staying in and give Luke the option to have an air mattress in the guest room or sleep on the couch. "I will be checking beds too," he says, looking at the three of them sternly. Look, he knows they sleep together at school, and Julie has already confessed they are looking for a place to live, but under his roof, it's his rules, and they maintain that no unmarried couples share a bed. He'll have to readjust that rule should these three ever decide to do some sort of commitment ceremony, but until then-separate sleeping arrangements it is.

As the holidays go on, Ray finds he really likes Julie's boyfriends. They come back from dinner with Luke's parents a little stilted and stiff, but soon enough Reggie had them laughing, and then playing an uproarious game of Scrabble. Ray looks the other way when they spend time out in the studio, seemingly checking out the piano. He was young once, and rules were meant to be bent.

On Christmas Eve, they have to split up, as Luke did promise his parents his presence, but he vows to return on the 26'th, and they'll all be staying there until after New Years. Ray finds the house a little quieter without him, even if Reggie and Julie try to find ways to distract themselves from missing him. Ray sees how they function as a unit, and he must admit, the missing member makes all the difference.

When Luke returns, he smiles at them like he's been away for years, not two days, and Ray turns his head at their reunion, biting back a smile. During a quiet moment, he pulls Julie aside. "I like them."

She beams up at him. "I knew you would. They like you too. Neither one of them have great relationships with their families. Luke is trying with his, but Reggie.... let's just say that we all appreciate how nice you've been to him."

"Well they can both come back any time," Ray promises.

And they do. Every year without fail, the three of them return for the holidays. Some years Luke stays with his parents, but most times he just visits for dinner and comes right back. Julie and Reggie go with him some years, but not all the time. They never talk about Reggie's family aside from his grandparents, who they've visited a few times, and Ray has video chatted with. Between them and the Patterson's, they're all just waiting for the engagement announcement once school is done.

Ray relaxes on bed checks after it comes, and by the next Christmas, they're unnecessary anyways.

Plus once Danny and Luna come along? Well those two are prone to walking in on their parents all the time, so Ray just chuckles, and lets them. He considers it payback for all the time Julie did it to him.

That year, Ray sits back, watching his family open gifts around the tree, and thinks back to that first holiday together with Luke and Reggie. How he knew right away that they were special, and now he couldn't imagine a Christmas without them.

Julie smiles at her dad, then her husbands, loving her family, as unconventional as it was. And smiled as her kids shouted about the bikes they got from Santa. Reggie pressed a kiss to her temple, Luke squeezed her shoulders, and Julie relaxed back into their hold. Their arms were her home, and she was so glad that they always had been, and always would be.

[vinbee631]

Welcome to the Family

day 3!! thank you guys for all the support on the last two works, it really means a lot! (and keeps me motivated to actually do these lol)

listen this doesn't completely fit the prompt but it's too late not it's already here :)

i used the day four (winter) prompt today, so day 3 will be tomorrow actually!!

enjoy! <3

Roman’s family was absolutely massive. Roman himself had a twin and four other siblings, and that wasn’t even taking into account his parents’ siblings and niblings. 

So, family reunions were entirely chaotic.

Roman loved it, the loud, exuberant voices of relatives seeing each other for the first time in a year or two, kids excitedly weaning through his feet and playing little games that could keep anyone entertained, and his Abuela, the head of the house, gathering everyone together like a flock of sheep that moved at the speed of a hurricane.

This year, however, he was a bit more worried about the chaos. Not worried for himself! No, he always knew he was going to have a fantastic time!

This year, he was bringing Logan along.

Logan’s family was tiny, just his mother and grandfather had been available to celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other accomplishments. 

Roman thought that sounded incredibly boring, but Logan’s small family made him happy. 

Except, after Logan had made it through college and received his degree, he’d decided to come out to his little family, thinking that, after all the time they’d spent, just the three of them, they would be nothing but supportive.

He was very wrong about that.

It had been a year since they had last spoken, and this was about to be Logan’s first Christmas ever, completely alone. 

Not if Roman had anything to say about it.

Of course, he gave Logan the option to decline, but after seeing how excited Roman was about the opportunity for his family to meet one of his closest friends, it was almost impossible for him to say no.

Roman knew that if at any point Logan felt uncomfortable or unsure, he could simply leave, and there wouldn’t be any problems. He just… he really wanted things to go fantastically! And he was going to make sure he did everything in his power to make it so.

Logan was only coming for the last day of a week-long event. His entire family would drive, or fly, to his grandmother’s house, some staying there, some scattered in other relatives’ houses or in hotels. 

The week leading up to the holiday itself was packed full of family activities, chaotic dinners spread out at a comically long table, and so much love Roman’s heart was full to the brim and it stayed that way for about a month after he left.

He wouldn’t trade these holidays for anything. 

When he told Gram, the head of the whole shebang, about his plans to bring a friend, she was ecstatic. It had been a few years since any more grandchildren had come along (although one of Roman’s aunts was expecting). They were due for another new face at the table. 

He’d gotten quite a few excited texts when he announced the news to the rest of his family. 

(And a few teasing ones asking about a potential boyfriend, but he was used to brushing those off that this point.)

It was a good thing he’d texted them, too, because he’d almost forgotten about the all important gift exchange. He hadn’t been planning on making Logan participate, but once he heard about it, his friend practically refused to not join in.

“It would be a bit awkward if I were the only one there with no gift. Besides, I can’t say I’ve ever participated in one before, other than the normal Christmas presents I gave to my family, so I suppose this will be a fun new experience,” Logan had reasoned.

Once Roman found out it was his first gift exchange? Yeah no, he wasn’t getting out of it. 

Soon, but not fast enough, winter break finally arrived. Roman and Logan drove up to Georgia together a week before Christmas. Logan didn’t have to participate in anything other than the celebration the day of, but it gave him a chance to explore the area (and it saved the boys some gas money if they were to travel separately).

Roman really hoped everything was going to work out.

…

Although, in hindsight, maybe he shouldn’t have given Logan the aux cord.

It was not Logan’s first road trip, fortunately. Roman would have been insufferable the whole way if it was. Their friend group had driven down to California one year to visit some of Janus’ family and sightsee. 

Logan had sat in the back for that trip, but he had still been goaded into many road trip “traditions,” most of which were only slightly annoying.

He hadn’t gotten the chance to handle the music, but now that he had the chance, he could tell Roman was regretting his choice. 

“Does it have to be podcasts?” Roman groaned, only half an hour into their four-hour drive. 

“You were the one who put me in control here, and you never said it had to be music. You only instructed that I not ‘pick something cringey,’ and I believe I’ve accomplished that.”

Roman just groaned again, ignoring Logan’s gentle and unnecessary reminder to keep his eyes on the road. “But I’m the one that has to drive us there! If I fall asleep at the wheel from sheer boredom, you are completely to blame!”

“If you think this is boring, I can’t imagine what monstrosities of music you are going to subject me to on the way home.” Logan shook his head, trying to keep the teasing smirk off his face.

“Oh, whatever. I suppose I’ll live. It better not be podcasts the whole time, though. I know you do actually like music. I’ve seen your playlists.” 

“Oh, whatever,” Logan mocked, “the music will come when I feel like it.”

“Never let anyone convince you you’re not just as childish as I am,” Roman huffed, reaching over to flick Logan on the arm. 

“Keep both your hands on the wheel!” Logan complained, but he was smiling, so Roman considered that a win. 

Despite so readily agreeing to come with him, Logan had been genuinely upset about the holiday season. Roman knew just how much his mother and grandfather had meant to him, and they threw their relationship away with him very quickly. 

It made him sick to think about it, and he couldn’t even imagine how it made Logan felt. 

Now, it served as a reminder that he really needed to make things perfect. Logan was likely already in a bit of a sour mood, and the whole reason he was going was to avoid that. If his family made things worse, Roman would never forgive himself. 

“So, is there anything you’re planning on doing other than spending time with me?” Roman questioned, getting antsy in the silence, even with the podcast droning on silently in the background.

“And your family,” Logan tacked on, “but yes, I suppose there are a few things in the area I would enjoy checking out this week. Although, I haven’t thought to put together any sort of itinerary. I figured your family would also have plans I may want to join you for.”

“You know, you don’t have to spend the entire week with my family. I know I invited you to spend time with them, and me, but this is also about you. They can be… well I mean, there are a ton of us. I understand if it’s too overwhelming to throw yourself into at first.”

“Roman, really, I’ll be alright. I’m sure it’s going to be… different than most of my other experiences with family, but I’m prepared for it. You don’t have to worry.”

“Well, I’m going to anyway,” Roman huffed, but the two exchanged a smile, and he was already starting to feel a bit better about this thing.

“Now, keep your eyes on the road!” 

…

The rest of the week passed in an incredibly joyful (and incredibly chaotic) haze. Logan and Roman had booked a hotel room about five minutes out from Roman’s grandma, but that really didn’t matter much. They spent basically the whole day, every day, out doing something.

One day it was aquariums, yes, plural! The next, Roman’s uncles were inviting them to wine tastings and restaurants, and whatever else. 

Roman had been consistently worried that something was going to overwhelm Logan, but everytime he checked in with him, he was so unashamedly happy. 

Roman was more than a little proud his plan was working. 

After a crazy long week, and yet far too soon, the very last day came along. Roman spent almost the entire day running around with the kids and keeping them entertained. While he would have enjoyed the company, he was ecstatic to find Logan had stuck behind with his Gram to help with cooking. 

And getting to see his face when Logan actually got to eat all the food they made? 

Yeah, this was maybe the best Christmas ever.

And then, as soon as dinner was over, a flurry of movement rose from the table as the enitre family, Logan included, huddled into the living room for the gift exchange.

When Logan made his way in, he was pleased to find Roman had saved him a seat. He smiled gratefully, settling down onto one of the couches to see what was going on.

He caught the tail end of a growing argument between the sea of kids. Seriously, Roman had a ton of niblings. How did he keep track of all of them? Logan admired him for it.

Oh, right, screaming kids. That was still going on. They were all crowded around the tree, some holding presents, some simply jumping up and down and waiting for the main event to get started.

“No, no, no! It was your turn last year!”

“But I’ve never gotten a turn! You’re big, you’ve already had two!!”

“You’re not even holding your present! That’s Auntie Gabby’s!”

“What if we let our new guest have the first turn this time?” The children all went silent simultaneously (good going, Gram), one of them rushing over and selecting a gift to place in Logan’s lap. “That one says you!” They exclaimed with a bright smile.

Logan accepted the parcel gratefully, although the stares that accompanied it were not as pleasant. Roman gently squeezed his shoulder in that comforting way of his. 

Before he moved to open the thing, he suddenly realized he still had no idea what was going on. Was he even supposed to open this?

One of the older kids, sensing his overwhelming conclusion, took pity on him and caught everyone’s attention so they could explain. Or re-explain, for everyone else.

“So! As everyone here knows, except our special guest-” the kid (Bristol! Logan suddenly remembered) sent a wink in his direction- “for the past couple of years, as the family has gotten bigger and bigger, the yearly gift exchange has gotten… a bit complicated. 

“Instead of giving people normal gifts, because of this problem, we decided to have a little… I guess it’s kind of a competition, to see who could get someone the goofiest gift they can find! Ro, I figured you would have told him about this, since we added him to the gift pool and everything!”

Roman shrugged helplessly. “I forgot he wouldn’t know what was going on! I did make him actually buy his present, though, so I hope you picked something good, Logie,” he teased lightly.

“Considering the person Gram picked for me was you, I think I got something perfect,” he shot back, smirking a bit at the betrayed expression Roman shot his grandma. 

“Oh, so when I ask to be his gift exchange it’s a no, but him having me is perfectly fine?” Gram laughed, boisterous and loud in a way that reminded Logan so clearly of his friend. “Oh come on, let an old woman have her fun. I was perhaps cutting Logan a bit of a break since this is his first-ever Christmas with the Rey-os Incarnate family. But you’re used to this, you’ll live.”

Roman huffed, folding himself back into his chair. “Fine. I’ll bet my gift’s cooler than yours, though. Also, that was not your best pun.”

“Alright, enough, enough! I wanna see Lo-Lo open his present!” Elliot cut in, the little one practically bouncing in excitement along with his cousins. 

“I don’t know why I let you convince them to call me that,” Logan grumbled, but he did comply and opened up his present. 

The wrapping paper revealed a flimsy, clothing box, which Logan folded open to find a large, chunky sweater. Like, obnoxiously chunky.

“I didn’t have very much time to make it, so there might be a few loose ends. But, everyone in the family has to have one,” Gram explained with a smile. She made this for him??

Logan stared at the item in his lap, the sweater hiding his legs completely. It was fairly simple, a plain sweater with a large letter “L” on the front. 

But it was his. And she’d made it for him.

“I- I was under the impression these were supposed to be comedic gifts.” Logan realized, quite mortifyingly, that the thing had nearly reduced him to tears.

“Oh, trust me, it normally is. Everyone here’s got one, and some of them are quite the creations. But, I suppose it does seem a bit more sentimental to you. I hope I’ll get to make you some even weirder ones in the future, honey.” 

Logan, by some miracle, kept his composure enough to keep his cheeks dry through the entire hug Gram gave him. “Welcome to the family, Logan.” 

Okay, that wasn’t fair. Now he was crying. 

Suddenly, he was enveloped in warmth as the entire family tried to cram themselves together for a massive group hug. They didn’t all fit but the thought, the effort they provided for someone that they hadn’t even met until this morning, touched Logan’s heart completely.

He understood now why Roman had been so worried. He’d wanted everything to go perfectly because he didn’t want Logan to miss out on this, this incredible outpouring of love and acceptance, something he realized he’d never really had in this amount before.

As much as he had teased Roman for his mother-henning earlier, there was no amount of thanks he could provide that would make up for the experience Roman had given him.

He got a pretty comfy sweater out of it, too.

aaaand that's it! can you tell i'm a sucker for logan angst and hurt/comfort lmaoo, i promise i will make one more roman centered too, I just have a hard time writing him and i had very little time to write today <3