#family fluff series

[gothamite-rambler]

Always ask the other siblings for this type of advice

Damian: Richard, how do you get blo- regular rust off a knife?

Grayson: Um... I'm not sure... Um... Ask Tim.

Damian looked over at Tim, was was drinking coffee and had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

Damian: Nope, not doing that. Not with the context. 

Tim (shrugging): That's fair.

Damian walked to the library knowing Jason would be there and went over to him, pulling the small switch blade out of his pocket.

Damian: How do you get blood rust off a knife?

Jason (while reading a medical text book): Vinegar, baking soda or lemon juice. Here's a sponge. The fridge should have all those products. 

Jason passed the young boy a sponge he carried in his pocket for this specific emergency.

Damian: Thank you very much. Don't tell father I asked you this. The bully is fine and I gave him warnings. I gave him ample warnings.

Jason: We never had this conversation? Got it.

Damian left, humming happily.

[lqveharrington]

My Wife | A.B.

summary: It was arranged for you and Anthony to marry for convince, but it seems as if the both of you find it much more than just a marriage of convince.

pairing: Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

includes: use of she/her pronouns, minimal use of Y/N, kissing, mentions of sex, some angst

a/n: i’ve been watching too much bridgerton and reading too much books to not write about him

After being wed and having one of the best wedding lunches, the new viscountess and Viscount Bridgerton found themselves with a dilemma. Although the two had known each other for quite some time before having to wed, they had not considered how they truly felt for one another. They merely saw each other as close friends through the years. So when their wedding night came — along with the added nights of their honeymoon — the newly wed couple did not know what was to come of them.

“You mustn’t leave us yet!” Hyacinth wraps her arms around your middle, smiling brightly toward her newest sister-in-law. “I still have so many things I need to ask you and so little time!”

“I’ll be back in a month, Hyacinth.” You press a kiss to her temple and squeeze her in your arms. You tuck one of her curls behind her ear and rub her cheek. “Besides, I’ve seen you grow into an amazing young woman so far, I doubt it’ll change in one month.”

She happily takes the compliment — albeit shyly — and took your hands in her. She swings them by her side and looks at you with all seriousness. “You must promise to be back in a month. No more and no less.”

“I promise.” You give her a soft smile. It wasn’t uncommon for Hyacinth to make you promise such things, she truly loved you even before you were betrothed to her eldest brother. You squeeze her hands gently, giving her a reassuring gaze. “But you must promise me that you’ll tell me all those stories of your adventures when I come back.”

“Of course.” She gives you a bright grin.

You give her an equally bright smile as she wraps her arms around you one last time before letting go, off to bother Gregory. The young Bridgerton boy gave you a hug, murmuring softly about how much he’d miss you before following his younger sister to stand by the front gates. They both were truly lights in the Bridgerton family, and you were happy that they both officially became a siblings to you. Even after practically raising them along side Anthony and Violet.

You move to walk over to the carriage when Eloise rushes over to you, eyes glazed and puffy.

“Eloise?” You stand in front of the young woman, catching her wipe her tears and sniffle. “Are you alright?” You bring a hand up to wipe her tears, giving her a look of remorse.

“I’m not bloody fine.” She sadly chuckled before pulling you into a tight hug. Eloise buried her head into your shoulder, sniffling loudly. “I can’t believe you married my prick brother.”

You quickly embraced the brunette, holding her close as her tears were soaked up by your white dress. You rubbed her back softly, murmuring a quiet response. “I can’t believe you’re crying for me and not Anthony.”

“Like I said, he’s a prick.” Eloise wiped her face with her bare hand, no decorum whatsoever. You handed her a handkerchief, nodding when she thanked you. She glanced back at the carriage awaiting you and Anthony before meeting your eyes again. “When I was younger, I thought that the easiest way for you to become my sister was to marry into the family.”

You listened intently, rubbing her shoulder.

“I didn’t think that you needed to marry after you helped raise us. You were practically family. I guess I never saw Anthony nor Benedict enough to marry such an amazing woman.” She fiddled with the bow at the front of her dress as she explained her thoughts for you. “When you came over one day and told us you were getting married to dear old Anthony… I think I was elated that you would really be our sister.” She looked up at you again. “I was happy that you and him came to your senses and that you would become the new Viscountess.”

Your eyes widened slightly. You forgot that no one else other than Anthony and your father knew that marriage was for convience. That the marriage was for the Bridgerton heir. Quickly, you mask your face. “I’ll let your mama handle being Viscountess for as long as she wants. I still have much to learn about that role.”

“Nonsense, you learned so much about it when you came over to help with Gregory and Hyacinth.” She nudged your side before pulling you into one last hug. “I won’t keep you long because Anthony keeps glaring over, but I truly believe you would be the best Viscountess the ton will ever see.” She pauses and looks over at her mother. “Well, besides mama.”

You shake your head with a playful grin, “I’ll see you in a month, El.”

She smiles softly as you step away to your carriage. You soften your gaze as you look back at her and the rest of the Bridgerton family. They were practically your second family and now they truly were family. You gave them a short curtesy for being a home to you when an arm wrapped around your waist. Without even looking, you knew who was next to you.

“Are you all done with your goodbyes?” Anthony teases, recounting how each of his siblings had a personal farewell from you. “I want my wife back.”

You scrunch your nose at his teasing words as he lays his hand out to help you into the carriage. “Jealous, Viscount Bridgerton?” You steady yourself as you enter the carriage, hand delicately placed in his. You adjust yourself in the carriage, pushing strands of hair off your face.

He squeezes your hand as he takes a seat next to you. He gave you a gentle look, eyes roaming around your face. “I would never be jealous of my siblings. Besides you’re stuck with me, Viscountess Bridgerton.”

You send him a soft smile at his words before waving toward the Bridgerton family once more as the carriage pulled away. You lean your head on Anthony’s shoulder like you usually did when you were younger, keeping your hand in his.

“You know, you don’t need to bow down to them.” Anthony gave a short peck to your head, rubbing his thumb on your hand.

You hum before speaking, “Your family has earned my respect over many years. I owe them at least one bow before I’m officially the Viscountess.”

He continues to rub your hand as he processes your words.

As the trek to Aubrey Hall began, you kept your hands intertwined with Anthony’s the entire time, occasionally one of you squeezing the other’s hand. You spoke mindlessly about the recent books you’ve read or how the visits to the modiste went with his sisters. You honestly did everything to keep your mind off from the impending wedding night that was to fall on the both of you.

And as if he read your mind, Anthony did the same. While he listened intently to your words, he added comments where he deemed it necessary and rubbed soft circles into your hand when he asked for more information. He would also tell his own tales, although they ranged from being drunk with his brothers to filing papers.

The tension between the both of you became apparent as you started to feel warmth lingering on your skin from his touch. It became even more ignited when you saw how he looked at you. He gave you such an amorous gaze, like you hung the stars up just for him.

You arrived at Aubrey Hall during nightfall, the lights outside just being lit by the staff already waiting for the both of you. No matter how many times you saw the place, you marveled at how beautiful it was.

Anthony stepped out of the carriage and dusted himself off before extending his hand for you to take. He led you through the house where the both of you would be staying, your things arriving well before your carriage came.

You let go of Anthony’s hand as you sat in front of the vanity, gently taking your earrings out and your jewelry when you saw him staring at you intensely. You raised a brow and opened your mouth to comment on it when he spoke.

The both of you quietly laughed at the unexpected mixing of your voices. You finished pulling all your jewelry off and stood to face him properly. He nodded for you to go first, taking your hand in his again.

“Anthony…” You say softly and thumb his pulse. “Can I ask you something?”

He hummed and met your eyes, creasing his brows when he saw the hesitation in them. “What is it?”

“I… You…” You pause, looking away and spinning your wedding ring anxiously. You rubbed your face before continuing, slowly meeting his eyes. “Did you truly only agree to marry me for convenience? For an heir to the Bridgerton name?”

Anthony let go of your hand and rubbed his jaw, sighing. “Yes… And no.”

You looked at him in confusion before he spoke again.

“I knew I had to marry someday. I thought it would merely be for an heir, but mother wanted it to be of love since Daphne found her true match.” Anthony chuckled softly at the fond memory of his sister in a now very happy marriage. “I wasn’t too sure how love with someone other than family was supposed to feel like. I wasn’t sure exactly how I was supposed to find someone to marry for love.”

The idea plagued your mind. You never knew what love from a significant other was supposed to feel like either. You knew love from your family and what the Bridgertons’ had shown you.

“I saw how mother was with father when he was still… I never really felt it.” Anthony gazed into your eyes with something you couldn’t place. “Not until recently. You,” He sucked in a small breath before continuing. “You lit up a room whenever you came by and my siblings adored you, I adored you.” He cupped your cheek softly. “There were countless nights where I couldn’t sleep because I knew you were available for any other man of the ton and you only saw me as a friend. A friend from childhood.”

You parted your mouth slightly at the confession, feeling the heat from his hands.

“When your father came up to me and proposed the marriage with you, I thought it couldn’t be bad. I would marry the woman who stuck with me my entire life. I accepted for the convenience of it all, but I truly felt more even before this arrangement was brought up.” Anthony brought his other hand up to your face and stared intently, rubbing the apples of your cheeks.

“What are you…” You trail off as he gives you a look to listen.

“I’m saying I love you, Y/N. With all my heart and soul. You showed me what love was and how it was supposed to feel.” Anthony says before pulling your face to his and capturing your lips.

You let out a small noise of surprise before melting into the kiss, letting your arms wrap behind his neck. He trailed a hand down to your hip and pulled you closer to him as you smiled into the kiss.

Panting, you part from the mind searing kiss and rest your forehead on his, eyes shut. “Anthony?”

Anthony slowly nodded, “Yes?”

“I love you too.” You kiss him again.

©lqveharrington - all rights reserved. do not copy, translate or share my work on other media platforms

[theysangastheyslew]

IT'S CHRISTMAS IN JULY BITCHES (yes I know it's almost over shh 🤫)

Now could this have been 4 panels with Hans just plopping down on the couch, patting Levi on the shoulder and saying ''Yo I'm knocked up'', and then carrying on with their evening?

Why yes, yes indeed. But where's the struggle in that ? :')

[caplanbuckybarnes]

In The Lonely Shadows (2/2) Dean W.

Summary: Crowely's always there to help convince you everything's going to be okay after Dean leaves with Lisa & Ben.

the first part of this was requested by my beloved wife @midnight-moonlight-and-mars sometime back in March.

Request: I've got a Crowley request! It can be platonic or romantic. It takes place the year Sam is resurrected and dean is living with Lisa. The reader was close with the Winchesters but after the fight with Lucifer dean abandoned the reader to be with Lisa and cas never answers ( unrequited love maybe?) so the reader teams up with Crowley and becomes like a bounty hunter for him for Lucifer loyalists. 

A/N: It's technically not Crowley x reader since she's pining for Dean. Oops, but I hope you enjoy this all the same, my love.

A/N #2: people were rabid about asking me for a part two. So please, enjoy!

WC: 1.7K

Warnings: mentions of loneliness, and blood, the reader feels abandoned and unloved, crowley’s nice, dean returns. sassy & protective crowley

[READ PART ONE HERE]

Read on Ao3!

--

Dean watched as your chest heaved up and down with every breath you took. The wind was howling outside, with rain pouring down. He was only partially soaked, having run for cover under teh pitiful awning above your hotel door. A suitcase was tucked into one hand and a backpack filled with supplies slung over the shoulder. He'd wanted to say goodbye before he left. But he couldn't. He was a coward, after all. He'd had a few visits from Castiel and Crowley, neither of them saying a word about you.

Though, he asked. He hasn’t spoken a word about Sam, either. The horror of watching Sam fall into the pits of Hell with Adam devastated him. So he ran away. He ran away to the person who would get him away from the hunter’s life, Lisa and Ben. He played pretend for as long as he possibly could.

Until he couldn’t keep up with the facade anymore. All he did was think about you, and the life the pair of you could have had. He’d find himself hovering over your name in his cellphone but never pressing the call button. Oftentimes, he’s stay up late at night, while Lisa laid peacefully next to him sleeping.  He knew he couldn’t lie to her forever about what - or who - truly had his heart.

Oftentimes, when he dreamed, it was about you, your face and your hands wrapped tightly in his as you started behind him on hunts. Thats what he loved about you the most, how much you trusted him to protect you.

So months after he departed, he located you in this dingy motel, where rodents and garbage littered the parking lot, and a few street lamps flickered dangerously in this damned storm. He’d gotten a replacement key to your room, claiming to the sketchy old man at the kiosk that he was your husband and you didn’t leave the key outside for him. So, on the threshold of the hotel room is where he stood, his fight or flight response kicking in the moment he laid eyes on you again.

He hadn’t seen you in months, far too long. But not long enough to forget the way your cheeks puffed out while you were embarrassed or the way your hair always fell into your face when you’d laugh at his stupid jokes. He couldn’t forget the way you would shuffle into his warmth at night, either.

God, did he miss the way you infected all of his clothing with your perfumes. 

He hesitantly stepped into the room, only to stop midway through in almost a panic. What if you moved on? What if you didn’t want to see him? What if you shot him? He wondered at that moment if you held any protection on you, or if you’d thrown all of it away.

But he took the chance anyway and stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind him quietly. He quietly toed out of his shoes and turned around before fully surveying the room. He couldn’t see any other person’s belongings in the room, so he assumed you were indeed alone.

Nervously, he tiptoed to the bed and studied your face for a long moment. He remembered everything about you-- your eyelashes, the dimple on your cheek. He wanted to reach out to you, nearly stopping himself as he felt his arm move without his command. He brushed his fingers against your cheek before he knew what he was doing and stepped back as your eyes had flung open in terror.

“Y/N,Y/N, it’s me, it’s Dean,” he said, reaching behind him for the pistol he always carried with him, though, he would never attempt to hurt you in any sort of way. “Hey, hey.”

“Dean?” you blinked through the darkness of the room. You must have been sleeping. Because you thought you heard Dean’s voice. And you thought you seen him standing mere inches away from where you slept on the bed.

Before he could get the chance to respond, another voice filled the room, a voice you’d come to recognize and acknowledge throughout these last few months.

“She doesn’t need you, Squirrel. She’s doing great without you.” Crowley’s voice echoed in the small room. 

Pulling yourself into a sitting position on the bed, you wiped at your eyes before switching your gaze between the pair in front of you. Crowley had been watching you over the weeks, which you had grown weirdly accustomed to, so it was no surprise that he had appeared out of the blue. What had startle you, was the other man standing mere inches away from you. If you just lifted your arm a few inches, you would be able to clasp your hands together.

“You left her high and dry after Moose had fallen into the depths of Hell, where, mind you, he’s been shacking it up with Lucifer. You should hear the agonies and woes from him.”

You could see the agitated twitch in Dean’s cheekbones, even in the poor excuse of light shining through the cracked window curtains.

“But now, back to the matter at hand, hmm?” Crowley snapped his fingers, and the two-night lamps turned on, casting the room in sudden brightness that none of you was prepared for.

“How’s Lisa and Ben?” Crowley smirked as Dean looked entirely uncomfortable at the jabs. “Didn’t want to be a family man anymore, huh? Did she decide she didn’t want your baggage?”

“It’s none of your business, Crowley,” Dean quipped. He snuck a look towards you and almost melted at the sight of tears in your eyelids. He wanted to erase the heartbreak he had caused you. He wanted to erase the pain away from you.

He only wanted you to forgive him. He wanted you and only you. He wished he hadn’t run off after Sam had gone to Hell, but he was broken and insecure. He was scared that you would leave him as well, so he did the only thing he could think of doing at the time: He ran away.

He begged for Lisa to forgive him, and she did. She took him in immediately, even after he explained all that went down with Lucifer and Adam and Sam. She took care of him. And for a while, he could forget all the pain. He could mourn the loss of his brother in peace. But there had always been a hole in his heart that Lisa nor ben would veer be able to fill.

He hadn’t known it at the time until he had sat up the night before and wallowed in misery after having nothing but dreams and nightmares about you for months.

“No harsh words, Not Moose?” Crowley taunted as he took a step toward you, causing Dean to nearly topple backwards onto the bed you were still sitting on. “No quips? Nothing? What do you have to say for yourself? Because while you were playing house, I was left to pick up the piece of her broken heart! How noble of you.  Leave her behind to wallow in misery, and now what? You expect her to swoon because you're back? Pathetic."”

You never thought you would see the day when the king of hell would be red in the face at the Winchesters. But here he was, pointing a threatening finger in Dean’s direction while the other man looked like a kicked puppy. 

You wanted Crowley to stop the insults at Dean. But the fact that he was protecting you in this way meant so much to you. You never knew how much Crowley actually cared about you. 

"I bet she’s just thrilled to have you back. Nothing says 'I care' like a good old-fashioned abandonment, right?" Crowley scoffed.

“Crowley, enough,” you sighed as you finally pushed the duvet away from your body and stood up, causing Dean to look at you with hope. With your request, Crowley quieted down, though he didn’t cease the glare or scowl on his features. Ignoring him, you took a breath, taking Dean’s height in stride. “So, what? You show up at my doorstep and nearly scare me to death, for what?”

“I was wrong,” Dean swallowed, blinking slowly as tears piled against his eyelids. “I never should have left you the way i had. You were mourning Sam as well, and I was a coward for leaving you. I never once stopped thinking about you. I never once let you out of my mind. Lisa knew it, Ben knew it.’

“I’m not forgiving you, Dean.” you held your ground, even as you had to wipe the tears away from your cheeks. “How could I forgive you? Do you know what the hell I’ve been through? You weren’t the only one to lose a brother, you know? Sam was my family as well.”

He opened his mouth, only for you to cut him off.

“It’s been fourteen months, Dean—fourteen long, terrible months. I celebrated Sam’s birthday without you. I celebrated your birthday without you. Crowley was the only one to check with me. Do you know he saved me from death on numerous occasions? That could have been you.”

He looked utterly defeated at the mention of the birthday celebrations. He could only imagine you singing to yourself with some cheap cake and a gas station lighter, wishing for the family you once held as you blew out the candles.

“Dean, I don’t know whether to hit you, kiss you, or put a bullet in you.” you scowled, pushing past him to walk over to the bathroom to wash your face. Leaving the door open, you heard Dean shuffle around Crowley to get to you again. 

“I can’t leave you, not again. Never again,” he watched your reflection as you grabbed for a hand towel and wiped the water from your face. 

Glaring at him momentarily, you sighed heavily before turning around and leaning against the counter. “Crowley will kill me for this. But I can’t help but think that I’m still in love with you. We can talk more about this in the morning. I had a long few weeks, and I’m absolutely exhausted.” 

Eagerly, Dean followed you out of the bathroom, barely noticing Crowley’s absence as he tucked you into the bed before he climbed in himself.

--

**totally up for a part three IF people want it. So please, please, please, if you enjoyed this reblog this & leave comments.

[silent-stories]

𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 - 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Summary: When Noah was left alone to take care of his daughter about two years ago, he never thought he would find someone else he would trust enough to include in his little family. But things can change.

Tw: abandonment issues, fluff

Series masterlist

You stirred awake in the middle of the night, a soft murmur escaping your lips as you blinked your eyes open. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the TV was still on, casting across the walls a flickering light. The movie that you and Noah had started together was long over, the screen now rolled through endless Netflix suggestions.

You had fallen asleep on the couch, nestled against him, and now, as the fog of sleep began to lift, you became aware of the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath your head, his warmth surrounding you in a comforting way.

You shifted slightly, heavy and sluggish from the deep sleep you'd fallen into. Noah's arm, laid across your waist, tightened fractionally, his body instinctively seeming to pull you closer.

The soft weight of his arms made you immediately smile, but the slight chill in the air reminded you that you’d been lying still for too long without a blanket.

You lifted your head and looked at him. His face was soft in the dim light, his eyes closed, lips parted slightly as he slept. He seemed peaceful, the usual intensity that he had about him was replaced by something so calm, so tender, in fact, that your heart ached in a wonderful way.

For one moment, you watched him, your heart swelling up in this quiet kind of happiness, welling up and overspreading across your chest. Being this close to him, seeing him this way, was something you were still getting used to, but it felt so right.

Carefully not to disturb him too much, you shifted again, trying to extend your legs out. Noah shifted slightly with your movement, blinking awake as his eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light. He groaned softly, his hand rubbing at his face as he woke.

"We fell asleep," you whispered, your voice barely louder than a murmur into the quiet room.

Noah chuckled low in his throat, his voice thick with sleep. "Guess we didn't make it through the movie, mh?"

You shook your head, smiling. "Not even close."

He sat up a little, still holding you against him, his hand coming to rest on your back as he glanced towards the TV. "Must've knocked out halfway through," he said with a sleepy smile running a hand through his messy hair.

A yawn stretched his lips, and he stretched slightly before looking back at you. His gaze softened, taking in the sleeping expression which lined your face, the half-lidded eyes still caught in the niggling haze of sleep.

"You cold?" he asked, one eyebrow arched as he caught the slight shudder running through you in the cool air of the room.

"A little, but I'm fine."

Noah stood, silent, his hand falling onto your shoulder for a moment in a reassuring touch, like to say he wasn't going anywhere. He vanished into his bedroom and reappeared with one of his oversized hoodies. It was black, "bad omens" written on it, and worn in that way that made it the perfect thing to wear when you needed to feel cozy.

"Here," he said quietly, extending it toward you. "This will keep you warm."

You smiled as you took the hoodie from him. It smelled like him, like fresh laundry with the hint of that cologne he always wore, that scent which had become so dear to you now.

You stood up slowly as you pulled the hoodie over your head. It was so big on you that it practically swallowed you whole, the hem reached down to your thighs, the sleeves falling past your hands.

"Better?" Noah asked, his eyes clinging to you with a soft, gentle smile. There was just something so tender in his gaze, something that has your heart flutters.

You nodded, tugging the sleeves up a little so your hands were free. "Much better. Thanks".

Noah's eyes trailed over you, his small smile dancing on his lips as he took in the look of you in his hoody. "It looks cute on you," he whispered, taking a step closer.

Your chest bloomed with warmth at the look in his eyes; your heart stuttered. You couldn't help but beam up at him.

"I like it," you said, tugging on the oversized fabric. "It's like a blanket."

Noah chuckled and reached out to delicately sweep a strand of hair behind your ear. His touch was so soft, so careful, as if he was afraid of breaking the moment. "You can keep it," he said softly, his thumb grazing your cheek. "If you want."

"Mh. Maybe."

He smiled and reached in to press a soft kiss against your forehead, his lips staying on your skin for a moment. "C'mon," he whispered. "Let's get some proper sleep."

He took your hand and led you into his bedroom; stopping briefly in the hallway, he glanced over at the door to his daughter's room, as if listening to make sure no noise was coming from inside it, that Luna was sleeping well, then entered into his own room.

The space dimly lit by the soft light from the window. Noah walked to the bed, drawing back the blankets and climbed in, holding them up for you to join him.

It was the first time you were staying over for the night but without hesitation you snuggled in beside him, immediately feeling the warmth of his body as he wrapped his arms around you again, pulling you close.

You nestled into him, your head falling against his chest, the light beat of his heart steady beneath your ear. His hand was laid on your back, tracing mindless circles upon the hoodie's fabric in a soothing way. You could feel his breathing against your hair, slow and steady.

"Comfy?" he asked low, his voice barely more than a whisper in the quiet room.

You nodded, closing your eyes and pressing youself even closer to him as your body molded against his perfectly. "Very," you murmured, your voice muffled slightly by his chest.

The only sound for several moments was the soft rustling of the blankets, the quiet rhythm of your breathing. Noah's hand continued to trace those gentle patterns on your back, his touch soothing you deep into a peaceful calm.

After a while, he tilted your chin up with his fingers in a gentle movement, to make you gaze into his eyes, soft and filled with something that made your heart ache with tenderness.

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. It was slow, sweet, and full of unspoken words, words that didn’t need to be said because they were already understood in the quiet between you.

His lips felt soft against yours, a lingering touch as if he willed this moment never to come to an end. Drawing finally back, his forehead fell against yours, his warm breath dancing across your skin.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me after Luna," he whispered, his hand reaching up to cup your cheek, his thumb tracing over your skin in the gentlest of touches.

Your heart swelled at his words, the quiet sincerity in them making you feel like you were precisely where you was supposed to be.

"I'm glad I can be part of your life," you whispered back.

Noah just gave you a soft smile.

You lay there in the quiet, wrapped in his arms as your eyelids began to drop, drifting back to sleep. His hand was still on your back, and the steady pulse of his heart beneath your ear was like a lullaby to you.

Soon enough, you were lost in the quiet comfort of the night and the last thing you remember is the soft press of Noah's lips against your forehead, his whispered words carrying you into the sweetest of dreams.

Noah woke up many hours later, morning light filtering softly through the curtains and casting a gentle glow over the room. Instinctively, he reached over for you, only to meet cool, empty sheets.

His heart stuttered in his chest.

At first, he didn’t fully understand, maybe you’d just rolled to the other side of the bed. But as his hand swept across the sheets, where you must’ve been, a sharp twinge of fear crept in. Noah sat up quickly, his pulse thrumming louder in his ears, his gaze darting around the dimly lit room.

You weren't there.

He knew you weren't like her, you were nothing like his ex, but still, that fear had managed to course through his veins, sharp and biting.

The bed felt too empty, the room too still, and his thoughts turned frantic. What if you left? What if, despite all the things unsaid but deeply understood between you, you had decided this was too much? A man who screamed on a stage as a job, with a kid—who could blame you for walking out? What if you woke up and realized this life wasn’t for you?

His stomach twisted, that sick wave of nausea rising as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. The pulse pounded in his ears, and before he knew it, he was up on his feet, quicky walking out of the room in bare feet and suddently, terribly anxious.

The hallway was too quiet, too still. He really felt like he was about to throw up.

A swell of panic rose in his chest, suffocating, his mind replayed those old, familiar fears despite knowing you would never leave like that.

He pressed onward, his body on autopilot as he moved toward the kitchen, his hands shaking as he pushed the door open.

And then there you were.

In an instant, as he saw you standing by the counter, setting a plate softly on the table, the tension in his chest released.

You were still in his big hoodie, softly humming to yourself as you moved around the kitchen, totally oblivious to the storm that had just raged inside him.

Noah didn't say another word as he just stood there for a second, his breath catching up while relief washed down his body. His heartbeat slowed down and the sick feeling in his stomach receded. You didn't leave. Of course you didn't.

He crossed the room in three quick strides without a second thought. As you placed some glasses on the table, Noah wrapped his arms around you from behind and whirled you to face him, and he just kissed you without a word, his lips moving against yours like he couldn’t wait another second.

You chuckled when you had to pull away in need of air, a little bit caught off guard. "Good morning to you, too," you said as you lifted your head to meet his gaze. "You slept like 10 hours. I was about to come wake you up."

His eyes softened, and he nodded, giving you a small smile, though something lingered in his gaze, something you couldn't quite place.

"Breakfast smells good," he muttered lowly, his hand resting lightly on your hip.

You smiled, stepping back from his hold as you returned to the pankakes cooking in a pan. "Almost ready. Just finishing up."

Noah hung around a moment longer, watching you, before finally stepping away. "I'll go wake Luna," he said.

He cast one last look at you in the kitchen as he walked toward Luna's room, all of the weight of his fears ebbing completely away.

Of course you weren't going anywhere.

You were standing at the stove, flipping pancakes, the sweet scent filling the air when Noah appeared again, his hand holding Luna's one. Or rather, Luna's hand was wrapped around two of Noah's fingers since his hand was five times as bigger than hers.

She was still in her pyjamas, in her other hand she was holding Mr. Flop and her hair was a mess from sleeping, but a little grin spread over her face as she looked at you.

"Hi!" She beamed.

"Hi Luna! You like pancakes?" You called over your shoulder.

"I love pancakes!"

"Great! What do you want on yours?"

"Chocolate!" she exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Coming right up!" You cut a piece of a chocolate bar you found in the fridge in smaller parts on top of a pancake just for her as they sat around the table.

Noah leaned back in his chair, his lips playing a teasing smile. "You're really spoiling her, you know," he said. "She is gonna ask for a breakfast like this every day now."

You smirked as Luna clapped her hands in excitement as you placed the pancake in front of her. "Yay! Thank you!"

Noah drizzled syrup over his own stack and turned back to Luna, who'd started cutting her pancake into bits with a little fork.

Luna took a big bite of her pancake, melted chocolate dripping down her chin. "Mmmh! So good!"

"Looks like someone needs a bib," Noah chuckled leaning over to wipe a bit of chocolate off her cheek with his thumb.

"I'm not a baby!" She protested, giggling and wiping her face on her pajama sleeve, which only made things messier.

"Noah, I think you should-"

The stack of three pancakes in Noah's plat fell down and syrup ended up splattered all around the table.

"-watch your own pancakes." You ended the sentence too late.

"I think being messy is a family thing" Noah said, holding up his syrup-covered hands, too. "We'll just roll with it."

You chuckled, shaking your head, and dug into your pancakes. "At least this is the funniest breakfast I had in a while."

Luna leaned back in her chair and looked around. "I love messy breakfast!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Messy is fun," you agreed, trying to not grin noticing the chocolate dribbling down her chin.

As you all continued eating, the kitchen was filled with laughter as somehow, Noah's face managed to get covered in sirup.

"Noah, I am pretty sure you are doing it on purpose now."

"You're silly, daddy!" Luna laughed.

"You should see your face!" he said, now grinning at her as you reached for a paper towel.

"Alright, alright, let's not make too much of a disaster," you said unable to suppress your smile as you cleaned Noah's face. "Let's save some for our plates."

After finishing breakfast, you set your plate aside and leaned against the counter, smiling at the chaos, but as you glanced at the clock, you realized you didn’t have much time left before you had to leave for work. “I should probably start cleaning up. I have to get to the café soon.”

Noah shook his head, pushing back his chair with a lazy smile. “You’ve already done a lot. I’ve got this, don’t worry.”

“But—”

“Nope,” he cut you off, standing up and starting to gather the syrup-streaked plates from the table. “You made breakfast. I can handle the mess.”

“Alright, are you sure?"

He glanced at his daughter, who was happily licking chocolate off her fork. “We’ll tackle it together, right, Lu?”

Luna nodded, though she didn’t seem too interested in helping, more focused on her chocolate-covered fork. You chuckled, shaking your head. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

“Don't worry about it,” Noah said, giving you a warm smile as you pulled your bag over your shoulder.

He walked you to the door, leaning in to press a quick kiss to your lips before you stepped out.

"Bye Luna!" You waved at the little girl now murmuring something to Mr. Flop sitting on her legs.

"Bye!" She smiled and you couldn’t help but think she definitely had his dad's smile.

“Have a good day at work.” Noah smiled.

Yeah, she really had his dad's smile.

“You too,” you replied, feeling a content warmth settle in your chest as you left for the café.

The café was bustling, a typical morning rush with people coming in for their caffeine fixes and breakfast.

The air smelled like freshly brewed coffee and pastry, accompanied by the soft hum of murmurs and chatter blending with the hissing from the espresso machine. You were halfway through making a flat white when your phone buzzed in your pocket.

You gave it a glance, since the client on the counter was talking with another woman sitting next to him.

Noah♡ : Luna's still talking about how much fun she had with you yesterday and this morning. Kept asking when you're coming over for pancakes again.

Noah♡: Thanks for everything, really.

Noah♡: I love you.

A soft warmth bloomed in your chest as you read his message.

You quickly hit reply, fingers flying across the keyboard.

You: She's such a sweetheart! I had just as much fun.

You: I'd love to make pankakes with you guys again sometime.

You: I love you too.

Just then, a tap on your shoulder pulled you from the screen to find Grace, your coworker, standing beside you, arms crossed, one eyebrow arched with a knowing look in her eyes.

"So," she started off, her eyes falling conspicuously to your phone as she tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear, "how is it going with your rockstar boyfriend?"

You laughed softly to yourself but shook your head and tucked the phone away in your pocket. "His name is Noah," you pointed out, finally giving the order to your costumer, "And it's going really well. We're taking things slow, but…it's good. It feels right."

"Mh..." She muttered, "I don't know if I'd be able to do it, you know? Date a guy with a kid, I mean. Seems like a lot of extra work. And a lot of pressure."

You frowned slightly, preparing for what Grace was going to say next, and before you could get a word out, she went on with: "I mean, come on. Wouldn't it be easier if, y'know, there wasn't a kid in the mix? You can't deny that makes it more complicated. At least with Jason, you didn't have to deal with that, right?"

The mere mention of Jason was a contraction in the stomach, something from the past that you really didn't like revisiting. You took one deep breath and let her words sink in before responding with calm conviction.

"My boyfriend's daughter's not a problem, Grace," you said firmly, making sure your gaze didn't drop from hers. "Luna is great and she's part of Noah's life. Jason? He was an asshole. So no, it's not even remotely similar."

Grace's eyebrows shot upwards as she raised her hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, okay. Didn't mean to hit a nerve. I'm just saying… it is a lot you're trying to deal with, right? Jumping into this whole family situation."

"Maybe," you replied running a rag over the already clean counter. "But to me, it isn't a burden. It's a part of Noah, and I like Noah. Different, yeah, but good different."

Grace was silent a second longer, her eyes softening ever so little. "Well, if you are happy," she said, but doubt was manifest in her voice. "I only hope it goes to your wish."

You smiled a little. "I think it will."

Grace rolled her eyes, for the first time sounding a little playful. "Alright, lovebird. Just don't say I didn't warn you when it gets messy. Beacause this whole rockstar with kid situation is gonna get messy."

You smirked, shaking your head. "Life's already messy, Grace. But I'm not afraid of it this time."

She laughed, her sharp blue eyes glinting with amusement. "You're braver than me. I'll stick to dating guys without kids, thanks."

The topic changed then, and the café remained busy. You and Grace fell into an easy rhythm, serving customer after customer, brewing coffee after coffee and serving some simple snacks such as pastries and sandwiches, passing banal comments to each other. Yet, your mind was back to Noah's texts, the sweet simplicity of them, and the warmth they oozed into you.

You were sure Grace was entirely wrong. Yes, it was different, dating someone with a child, something you never did before and certainly hadn't expected. God, you probably never even considered having kids.

But different wasn't bad.

You knew people liked to talk and gossip, too. They liked it a lot.

You’d started to notice it more often now, especially since you had been seen with Noah a few times around town, and the same old rumors about him had never really stopped. People loved to talk, and the truth often got twisted beyond recognition.

You’d heard it all. Some people said Noah was the one who’d left his ex, that he had taken Luna away and refused to let her mother see her, painting him as the villain. Others whispered that Luna had been the result of a one-night stand, the product of a fleeting moment in his life, and that he was too reckless, too irresponsible, to be raising a kid alone.

None of it was true. You knew that. You knew how Luna was born into a relationship that once held hope, but had crumbled under the weight of unmet expectations. And you knew how Noah loved her with all his heart, always putting her first, no matter how hard it was.

But people didn’t care about the truth. It was easier to believe the lies, funnier and entertaining, especially when someone as visible as Noah was involved.

His fame only made things worse. Online, where the rumors spread quickly, people picked apart every little detail of his life, turning his private struggles into something for public consumption. It made your stomach churn just thinking about it.

And now, since you'd been seen with him a couple of times, they were starting to talk about you, too. The same people who had speculated about Noah’s past were beginning to make assumptions about your relationship.

You could imagine the stories they were going around  now, that you were just another girl caught up in the excitement of dating a rockstar, that you were either using him for his fame or walking into a messy situation you couldn’t handle.

You were starting to understand his decision to delete all social media more and more every day.

Part of you wanted to be angry, to confront every single person who dared to say those things. But the bigger part of you... just didn’t care. Because you knew the truth.

You knew Noah, and you were starting to get to know him better everyday, the real him, the man who stayed up late playing guitar softly while Luna slept, the man who looked at you with that quiet tenderness in his eyes, the man who made pancakes and laughed when syrup got everywhere.

This wasn’t going to be easy, you realized that. You had known it from the moment you stepped into his world. Being with Noah meant accepting all of him, the father and the musician.

But love was never supposed to be easy, you reminded yourself. And maybe that was the point. It was the hard parts, the messy parts, that made it worth it in the end.

Time moved on in the afternoon at the café filled with monotonous work that kept your hands full, while your mind wandered back to the messages from Noah again and again. You were so glad Luna liked you.

You couldn't tell exactly where it was all going, but it was certain, you were right where you wanted to be.

(If you don't wanna be tagged in this just tell me, no problem at all!)

Tags: @anything-more-than-human @ladyveronikawrites @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @fadingangelwisp @xmads-omensx @iwasntstable @thisbicc @pathion @mathfairchild1 @flowery-mess @into-the-grey @lma1986 @tosoundlessdarkistare @stardustsirenmelody @thewrstinme

TBAF Tags: @aubrey-melinoe @klutzy-kay24 @mrscevans

[luxthestrange]

Cakes Mc Has Given the Humans!

Solomon:

Minhyeok:

Minhyeok: Platonic right?...

Mc*Starring at him full of affection*...

Minhyeok*Sweating and blushing, wanting it not to be platonic*P-Platonic right?

Kim Family:

The Kim's + Mc family game night gets intense...things get said-

...ok the actual cake you sent them-

Part 3 of:

[twice-inamillion]

A Surprising Christmas 

Fluff 

Chapter 242

3120 Words

(The members and the children celebrate Christmas at their new house. There are many gifts and new things for everyone. The children get to room together for the first time.) 

Two days before Christmas, you and Jihyo take a trip to the new house. Construction was completed three weeks ago, so the main focus now is on furnishing the property.

Luckily, you got help from your wife, Jihyo, who helped you pick out the furniture for the living room, most of the rooms, and the appliances for the kitchen. She secretly asked the members for their preferred rooms a few months ago to make it easier to move in a day.

The two of you decided to surprise the members, mainly the children, and host Christmas at their new home. “The babies are going to be so surprised!” says Jihyo enthusiastically.

“They deserve it, deserve the best,” as you pull in Jihyo and kiss her on the forehead. 

“I’m going to bring out the presents from the storage room.”

“Sure, I’ll stay and finish decorating the Christmas tree.” 

Seeing Jihyo decorating the tree makes you realize how much has changed during these past few years. Going from sneaking out with Jihyo to having children and even being married to her.

“I can’t wait to see the children’s faces.”

“They’ll be so happy when they see this giant tree. These past few days, they’ve been pointing to the small Christmas tree in the living room and even looking under it,” says Jihyo. 

“They’re going to go wild when they see all the gifts they get this year.” 

Jihyo smiles and says, “I really want to see baby Daeun open up her gifts; she’s been crawling and tearing up paper these past few weeks.” 

“Haha, Dahyun’s been taking so many pictures of her, too.” 

“Alright, oppa, let’s finish up so we can head back home and prepare!”

————

It’s Christmas Eve, and the members, alongside the children, are enjoying a meal that the older members and you helped prepare. They share memories that they’ve made these past few months while on tour and the goals they have for the future.

On the other hand, the children sitting next to each other give their bread to Daeun, who recently started eating on her own. 

They watch as Daeun waves the bread from her high chair before putting it in her mouth. Jisoo laughs as she sees Daeun lick the bread before offering it to Ari, who is looking at her. 

The mothers can’t help but find Daeun interacting with her sisters adorable. Dahyun, the proud mother, boasts about Daeun’s recent achievements over the past few weeks.

“Daeun has tried to stand up independently and can hold herself for two seconds!”

Jihyo Mina responds, “Savor the mementos because before you know it, she’ll start walking, and you’ll be chasing after her.”

The members laugh and look at Ari and Jisoo who are known to run around the house whenever they are playing with each other. 

You don’t want to interrupt their conversation, but it’s time to call it early, “Alright, everyone, let’s call it a night and get to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day; ensure you’re all in the living room by four in the morning.”

Chaeyoung whines, “Oppa, but that’s too early!”

“You can stay if you want, but you’ll miss out on the Christmas presents.”

“Fine, I’ll get up.”

A few hours later, most of the members are in the living room with the kids sleeping on the couch. You help take the suitcases into the cars while the mothers place their children inside the cars. 

With everyone ready, you head to the new house before sunrise, only stopping for coffee.

As you all pull up to the front gate of the residence, Jihyo presses the door remote, allowing the vehicles to enter your new home. 

The lights up as you pull up to the front of the house. Tzuyu seems to be the most excited out of the bunch as her eyes shine to enter. “It looks so pretty from the outside. Is it okay for us to explore a bit?” 

Jihyo responds, “Let's bring the kids in and the suitcases first; if we have time, we can explore a bit.”

With everyone in agreement, the members help bring in the suitcases while the mothers place a large mat in the living room for the children to sleep in.

Chaeyoung goes in, makes her way to the large Christmas tree in the living room, and turns it on. “So many gifts! Which one is mine?” 

“Chaeyoung yah, try to get some rest!”

Startled by Jihyo, she finds a spot in the living room and wraps herself in a blanket before falling asleep. The members continue afterward, forming a barrier around the children as they sleep.

Somehow, you’re woken up with a heavy presence on your chest; you open your eyes and see Jisoo sleeping on top of you. She’s drooling on your shirt, her arms extended. 

Suddenly, you feel someone grabbing your arm and a small little head. You turn around and see Hina trying to work her way to the side of you. Once she’s comfortable, you try to go back to sleep when you see a small figure under a large blanket. 

From under the blanket, you see Ari crawling; she then pokes her head out and smiles. Ari stands and begins to run towards you and jumps, landing on your stomach and waking up Jisoo. 

Jisoo lifts her head and shouts at Ari, who gets up and begins to run around. This results in Hina waking up teary-eyed and wondering what's going on. The members start to wake up and watch as you stop them by grabbing onto the back of their pajamas. Their bodies are suspended in the air, their arms and legs squirming as they try to get back to the ground. 

“Since Ari and Jisoo are having a hard time, maybe we should ask Santa to take back his presents?” says Jihyo.

The children look up, shocked, and say, “No! Santa, no!” and look at you. 

“Maybe if you two apologize, Santa will be okay with Ari and Jisoo keeping the presents.” They nod, and you put them on the floor. They run back to their mothers and say, “Sorry, mommy.”

Daeun wakes up a few minutes later, crawls to you, and sits on the mat with her arms extended. “Do you want me to pick you up?” Daeun smiles; you pick her up and place her on your lap. 

“Alright, since everyone is awake, we can start opening the presents.” 

All the kids raise their heads up by Jihyo’s words and gather around the presents near the large Christmas tree. “Unnie, is it okay if I pass the presents to the babies?” asks Tzuyu.

The mother's nods, and Jihyo replies, “Yes, of course.” Tzuyu smiles and sits next to the large pile of presents. She looks through the numerous wrapped boxes and asks, “Is it okay if I start with Daeun?” 

The babies look up at Tzuyu and nod, with Jisoo saying, “Yea… Daeun, a baby.”

“Aww, you three are such good older sisters.” 

Jisoo, Ari, and Hina smile and watch as Tzuyu gives Daeun the first gift. Daeun looks at the wrapped box before grabbing it and smacking it against the mat. Jisoo grabs the box and says, “Jisoo, help baby Da-eun.” She pokes a hole with her finger and rips the side of the box. Jisoo rips the remaining wrapping before giving it to you, “Open box, Daddy.”

You open the box, leave it slightly open, and give it back to Jisoo. She takes out the stuffed toy and hands it to Daeun. “Jisoo is open for Daeun,” and she hands her a white stuffed tofu.

The members clap at Jisoo’s willingness to help out the maknae of the family. “Jisoo is doing such a good job as a big sister,” says Nayeon.

Jisoo smiles and goes towards Tzuyu, “Jisoo help, unnie.” Tzuyu replies, “Yes, I’ll tell you who to give the presents to.” Jisoo nods and extends her hands as Tzuyu calls out names. She makes sure that each person receives their present in their hands before making her way back to Tzuyu. 

At the end, Jisoo sits on the mat, exhausted but satisfied with the compliments. She grabs her gift and opens it, ripping the paper and showing it to her sisters.

“Now, for the last present,” says Jihyo. She looks at you, giving you a slight nod. You go towards the garage and grab a slightly opened large box. You walk back to the living room and see that all the wrapping is cleaned up. 

“Now that we are living in this large house, we noticed that most of it is open space; we have a large background and even a small forest to the end. As you all grow up, we know how active you girls are going to be, so your daddy and I decided to give you something that will protect you all if you decide to explore.” 

You place the box in the middle and see the girls interested. They move slowly, with Ari touching the box, and it suddenly shakes. She yelps and hides behind Jisoo, who tries to act bravely in front of her younger siblings. She walks towards it and flips the top when a golden head pops up. The sisters look at each other and peek their heads inside the box. A small bark startles them when they see a puppy in golden fur jump, which causes them to laugh.

“Puppy! Puppy!” 

The puppy pushes the box, which causes it to tip over, allowing it to get out and run around the living room. The children laugh as the small puppy runs around, wagging its tail from excitement. Jisoo runs after it and manages to catch it; the puppy wiggles around as it barks.

Ari and Hina approach Jisoo, who is hugging it, “Touch, puppy?” Jisoo nods and holds the puppy so her sisters can pet its head. 

After petting it, Hina walks towards you and shyly asks, “H…Hina play puppy?” You look at Mina and Jisoo, who approves, “Yes, you can take the puppy outside, and I’ll go with you all to watch you.”

Hina smiles and hugs you with a quick kiss on the cheek. The members find it cute since Hina is usually reserved, so this is surprising.

With the children outside, the members decide to open their presents; most of them are clothing, makeup, or things they can use for everyday tasks. It is when they open the long boxes that they start to burst out laughing. 

“Fuck him! If he wasn’t with the children, I would give him a price of my mind,” says Jeongyeon.

“It’s just a joke,” responds Sana.

“Yeah, unnie. Take it easy and put it to good use instead,” says Chaeyoung as she waves a red dildo in the shape of your member.

Jeongyeon replies, “Disgusting, I can’t.” 

“If you don’t want it, then you can give it to me,” taunts Momo. “It even has veins and everything, I wouldn’t mind having two,” she says as she winks. The members laugh at Jeongyeon’s expression as they hold the dildos you gifted them in their individual colors. 

After having fun teasing each other with their dildos, Sana mentions wanting to tour the house. As you watch the kids playing with the play, they agree and pick everything up before leaving the living room. 

Jihyo, knowing the layout of the house, tells the rest that she will be in charge of the tour. They walk up the stairs to the second floor and see the first room when you come out of the hallway. “Most of the rooms are slightly furnished, and once you choose your room, you can decorate it however you want.” They walk in and notice how much bigger it is compared to their old room. 

“Yes, our own bathroom! Finally! No more sharing!” says Chaeyoung with much enthusiasm. The members laugh but also agree to the nice change. 

“This floor has both full rooms and half rooms. The full rooms have their own bathroom and walk-in closet while the half rooms only have the walk-in closet.”

“I want a full room!” shouts Nayeon.

“Me too!” says Momo.

“Relax, everyone is getting a full room. The half room is for the kids.”

They're surprised by the amount of space in the room and the walk-in closet, “I really like it. I think all my stuff will fit inside,” says Sana.

After exiting, they visit one of the half rooms, “Ideally, this would be for the kids or future kids you may have. If not an office space.” 

They continue to walk down the hallway and see multiple powder rooms throughout the different wings of the house, as well as a reading room. 

The third floor is the same; the only difference is the master room and one of the half rooms, which have three beds and closets full of clothes. “Aww, that’s cute; the kids get to be roommates this time around.” 

“Should I buy them a Lego set so they can decorate their room?” she asks herself. 

They then move to the basement floor, where three doors lead them to different areas. One door that has a label with areas such as theater, storage room, and panic room. The other two have a tunnel to the garage and a detached garage, and the other has a keypad with the label “Playrooms”.

“Is that what I think it is?” asks Momo as she stares at the door. 

“I can’t wait to use it, can I go inside unnie?” asks Chaeyoung.

“It’s not ready yet. Maybe in a week or two,” replies Jihyo.

Disappointed, they both go in the door that leads them into the theater. They look at the single couches and large sofas. Tzuyu runs to one of the sofas and jumps on it before commenting on how comfortable it is. They continue to the game room, which has multiple games and a large table and shelves of games. 

After viewing most of the basement floor, they work up to the first floor. Jihyo shows them the family room, library, laundry room, main kitchen, and secondary kitchen. 

After viewing most of the house, they decide on what rooms to use. Jihyo mentions that the rooms on the second floor are free while the rooms on the third floor are saved for the mothers and the children. Hearing that, the members run to choose their rooms. 

An hour later, Jihyo, Mina, and Dahyun take a walk to look at the daycare you asked for to be built. Jihyo drives the golf cart across the property to the center. They then see you and the rest of the girls playing on the play structure while the puppy sleeps in the grass.

“What are you all doing over here?” asks Jihyo.

“The girls and the puppy ran all the way over here, and since they saw the playground, we decided to have some fun.” 

Dahyun then walks towards you and greets Daeun, who is sitting inside the baby carrier on your chest. She dangles her legs as she watches her sisters going up and down the slide. 

“Daeun, where are you?”

She turns around and smiles at Dahyun, who is hiding behind you, as she tries to play peekaboo. Daeun laughs as she sees her mother appear from your side and extends her arms so that her mother can pick her up. 

The mothers enter from the other side of the building and into the hallway, where they see a line of cubbies and get a pair of sandals to change into. They tour each of the classrooms, beginning with the infant room.

Dahyun points at the crib and the toys to Daeun, “Look, Daeun, this is going to be your classroom. You’ll have lots of fun before you join your sisters.”

They then move to the larger room that the twins and Jisoo are going to use. Mina comments on the layout of the classroom and how cute everything looks. “It reminds me of my childhood when my mom used to talk me to school. I remember beating up all the boys,” laughs Jihyo. ”Aggressive as ever,” replies Dahyun, causing both Mina and Jihyo to laugh. 

Continuing with their tour, they finish it off by heading outside to the playground, where they see you and the girls resting on one of the benches. “Did you girls like the playground?” asks Jihyo.

The girls nod, “park, fun!” replies Jisoo. 

“That’s great. You three will be coming here more often.” 

The girls look at each other and begin to hop in excitement at the idea of playing together again. 

With everyone trying to unpack some of their belongings, Mina and Jihyo take their children to their new room. Immediately as they open the door, Jisoo and Ari run into the room and point at the three beds. 

“Do you like your new room?” asks Jihyo. 

“Jisoo’s room?”

”Yes, Jisoo, as well as Ari and Hina’s room.”

”Together?”

“Ari’s bed?” asks Ari as she points at one of the beds.

”Yes, you get to have your own bed. No more sleeping with mommy,” replies Mina. 

“Yay! Sleep, Jisoo and Hina!” 

On the other hand, Hina seems a bit nervous as she holds onto Mina’s pants. Mina sees Hina’s reaction and picks her up, “Are you nervous?” 

Hina nods, “Want to sleep with mommy” and buries her head to her chest. 

“Aww, you’ll be able to sleep with me whenever you want; I’ll only be next door.”

”Yeah?”

”Of course, if you want you, I’ll tuck you in every night and read you a story. Does that sound good?”

Hina nods and says, “Hina down.” Mina puts Hina down and watches as she follows her other two sisters and climbs her bed. “Hina, sleep here.” 

Eventually, night comes, and all the children are washed and ready to go to bed. All three girls are tucked into their beds and looking at Mina as she sits in front of them with a large book in her hand. 

“Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a young girl named Cinderella…” 

Mina continued to read the story in Japanese until all three of them fell sound asleep. She ensured everyone was tucked in before giving each a good night kiss on the forehead. 

“Goodnight, little ones, sweet dreams,” as she slowly closes the door. 

Layout of property

[deepinsonder]

Simple Man, Dean Winchester x reader

Pairings: Dean winchester x female!reader

Warnings: Cuteness

Tags: Fluff

Summary: Dean never thought he’d be one to appricate the small touches you give him, but he loves it more than he cares to admit.

10:00 am

You were tired, not for any reason but the cold air around you. You exited you and Deans shared room, with a blanket folded on your arms and your computer.

You weren’t sure where Dean was but at least you knew Sam would be huddled at the table, researching cases to wits end. Making your way through the brick laid bunker, your feet padded on the cold concrete floors.

“Sam,” you said in a sing song voice, before you came to the library area. As you looked up, you met eyes with a tired looking Sam, you knew he wasn’t sleeping well but you also knew he took care of himself better than anyone could.

“Hey,” He said, before turning his eyes back onto the screen in front of him.

“Where’s Dean?” You asked, placing your laptop at the table across from Sam and your blanket on the chair.

“Kitchen,” Sam said, still clicking away on his computer, you sighed and made your way to the kitchen, the chills were getting to you, perhaps you should have layered up more.

As you arrived in the kitchen, you noticed a hunched over Dean staring at a book in front of him.

“Hey handsome,” you said walking up to him, he turned around and gave you the same smile he always did - the one that reminded you how lucky you are to be loved by Dean Winchester.

“Morning, Sweetheart,” Dean said, turning his body, anticipating the hug you always gave him in the mornings - Dean never thought he’d be the type of man to like being hugged but every morning when he would wake up before you, he counted the minutes until you eventually found him and wrapped your arms around his shoulders.

You walked up to him, and pressed your body against his, breathing in the scent as you lifted yourself by the tiptoes and held him - Dean wrapped his arms around your back and mumbled a quiet “i love you” into the nape of your neck.

“What are you up to today?” You asked, lightly pulling yourself away from him to look up into his eyes, his smile caused the lines around his eyes to crinkled as he looked down at you.

“Was waiting for you to decide,” He said, bringing his face in to kiss your lips. Your soothing hand touched his cheek as he continued to smile against your lips.

“There’s a farmers market, half an hour from here - we could go check it out?” You said, breaking away from your embracing and picking up a glass cup to get a drink of water.

“A farmers market?” Dean asked with a small groan.

“Yep,” you said with the pop of your lips, leaning your back against the kitchen counters, the cool metal pressed through the fabric of the t-shirt you were wearing.

“Okay, I’ll get ready,” he said, with a nod as he began to clean up the mess he had made on the counters. You giggled at how quickly he agreed to go with you, normally you’d have to plead but today he was in a good mood you figured.

You came up beside him and placed a small kiss against his upper arm before turning around and walking toward your room.

11:00 am

You were glad you layered up because the cold air hit you like a brick. You breathe turned cold as the air froze around you. Dean opened the car door for you before opening his own and taking a seat, turning up the heater.

You took a seat and turned the radio on, blasting his favourite Led Zeppelin song. He smiled at you before turning around to back out of the garage.

“I need to get some ugly sweaters,” You said, turning your body to face Dean, bringing your you legs to cross on the seat.

“What why?” Dean asked, scrunching up his face him faux disgust.

“For Sam- he’s been working really hard, lately,” You said, taking Dean’s hand from the gear stick and onto your lap, you held his cold palms against your own, rubbing them together to warm you both up.

Dean chuckled at your remark, the thought of Sam in a stupid sweater made you both smile.

He wrapped his fingers through yours giving them a little squeeze as his smile grew, silence consumed the car as you played with his fingers. He would occasionally turn his head to look at you as you met eyes with him and smiled back.

11:45 am

You and Dean stepped out of the car, the cold air wondered around you as you made your way over to him. You took his hand in yours and huddled up close to him, to keep you both warm. You wished the scarf around your neck was thicker as you walked toward the stalls with a glint of anticipation in your eyes.

Picking up the first green and red sweater you saw, you decided it was perfect. Dean pulled out his wallet and handed the shop owner at 10 dollar bill before placing an arm around your shoulders.

“We should get some fresh eggs,” You said, leading you and Dean toward the chicken coups, where there were cartons of eggs displayed.

“Two, thanks” Dean said to the shop owner as he paid and you watched him bag the cartons.

“You look handsome today,” You said, admiring his face and furrowed eyebrows.

“I always look handsome,” He mumbled, with a coy smile playing on his lips. You brought your lips to his as you kissed the smile of his face, “and you always look beautiful,” his comment made you blush - your cheeks turned more red than they already were.

“What else do you need,” You asked, wrapping your arms around his waist.

“Let’s just look around,” He smiled against your forehead.

For the remainder of the market, Dean watched, lovingly, as you bought things and picked things up. He hadn’t had many perfect days but today was probably the best he’d had in a long time. He would never admit it to you but when you touched him, his hands, his face - he felt more loved than he had in a long time.

He didn’t need much to be happy but you gave him so more than you would ever know. He was a simple man, he didn’t need much but he knew he would always need you.

[s0urw00lf]

Twisted luck

Woman in white

Sam Winchester x reader ALL INCLUSIVE

Summary: when Sam and dean show up in your living room telling you that you mother and john were missing you couldn’t leave them hanging. Besides it was only one hunt, one hunt can’t hurt right?

AN: I'm actually super proud of readers addition to the story. I hope everyone likes it!!! Also if you see any mistakes please let me know, I went over this 4 times. Twisted Luck master list

Next chapter

You usually slept all through the night when your boyfriend was home, the comfort of his presence behind you gave you the constant reminder that you aren’t alone anymore usually helped you sleep better, but recently you couldn't shake the feeling of doom that settled deep in your gut.

So you sat awake with the t.v. on low hoping that the soap opera playing would lull you to sleep, but you were the furthest from it and really wanted popcorn but you knew Jason would wake up if you were gone too long.

‘I'll just be quick’ you thought to yourself before carefully removing his arm from around your waist and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door so that if you made too much noise it wouldn’t wake him.

You walked to the kitchen rummaging through the cabinets in search of the popcorn, until you saw a glimpse of it on the third shelf, “Jason you ass” you muttered to yourself, climbing onto the counter reaching for it.

Your fingertips barely brushed the box before you found yourself pausing when you heard one of the floorboards creak, immediately you tensed from instinct.

Looking over to the bedroom you saw that the door was still closed so it couldn’t have been from your boyfriend.

You slowly climbed down off of the counter and bent down below the counters, opening up one of the lower cabinets you reached in feeling the top for the gun you had hidden before your boyfriend moved in, silently cursing to yourself when you realized it wasn’t there.

You looked around for another efficient weapon and your eyes landed on the rack of knives Jason insisted on buying for the kitchen. You grabbed the one that Jason had just sharpened the day before and began moving towards the sound.

It was as if the person you’d tried to bury for three years was seeping back out through the cracks. Your breath was even and your heart was beating steady. You knew whoever was in your home would regret even laying eyes on it when it was all said and done.

Your trained ears picked up the hushed whispers coming from the living room, you long ago memorized every nook and cranny of the apartment, down to which parts of the floors creaked and avoided them easily.

You peeked into the room and saw two tall figures one towering over the other immediately you knew who they were.

You placed your knife on the floor before you swiftly ran towards the shorter one wrapping your legs around his neck before twisting your body, causing his body to flip over and landing on his face. “Told ya” he groaned.

You stood up placing your hands on your hips and let a sly grin take form on your face “Hiya Dean” you said, then looked over to Sam who held an impressed expression. “I see you haven't lost your touch” he teased, moving to help Dean up.

“Over my dead body” You said, moving to flick on the lights and motioning for them to have a seat.

You sat on the couch in front of them crossing your legs out of habit from your job “so what's with the family reunion?” You asked, looking between the two of them.

Both Dean and Sam glanced at each other having a silent conversation that you completely understood. “Our parents are missing. They were on a hunting trip” Dean started. “And?” You questioned urging him to get on with the story.

“And that was about a month ago, haven’t heard from ‘em since” he continued. You eyed him “okay, well what were they hunting” you asked leaning forward.

Dean pulled out an article from his jacket pocket placing it on the coffee table “ they were checking out this two lane blacktop just outside of Jericho California. Around the time they left this guy-“ he pointed to the picture of a young guy “they found his car, but he vanished. Completely MIA”

You skimmed over the article before glancing back up at the brothers “so what was he kidnapped?” You questioned, finally Sam spoke up, “that’s what i thought too but check this out, there was one in April, another one in ‘04, ‘03, ‘98, ‘92” he said as he handed you more articles of missing men. “Ten of them over the past twenty years” Dean said. “All men, all the same five mile stretch of road”.

”i'm guessing it got worse” you said and Dean nodded “so they went to dig around, I haven’t heard from them since. Then I got this voicemail yesterday.” He says as he pulls out a tape recorder before pressing play. The audio was scratchy and breaking up but you could make out John’s voice almost perfectly.

“Dean...something big is starting to happen...I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may... Be very careful, Dean. We're all in danger.”

“You check it for EVP?” You asked, Dean gave you a grin telling you that he had “not too bad sweetheart” Dean shakes his head before “I slowed it down, ran it through a gold wave, took out the hiss and this is what i got” he said pressing play again

“…. I can never go home”

Dean sets down the cassette tape and they both look at you expectantly. You sighed rolling your eyes, knowing your answer before they even ask ‘once a hunter always a goddamn hunter’ you thought, rolling your eyes. “So what do you think?” Sam asks, eyebrows pinched together as if he was trying to read you.

You looked back towards the bedroom, surprised your boyfriend hadn’t come out in search of you even through all the ruckus ‘it’s just one hunt. Right?’ You thought. “I think… we got ourselves a hunt boys”

At that a smile slipped on both boys faces and Dean let out a loud ‘whoop' causing you to let out a laugh before pausing, “just this one. I have a… life here” you explained, and just as quickly as it came it was gone, well for Dean at least. “Wha-“ he was cut off by the bedroom door creeping open and out walked Jason, his hair was messy from sleep but he looked confused at the two men you were so comfortable sitting with in the living room.

“The hell,” Dean muttered as he stood up. Before anyone could do or say anything you stood up “uh Jason this is Dean and Sam. I grew up with them.” You explained as Jason got closer a look of realization set on his face “uh nice to meet you” he said as he stepped to give the brothers a handshake, Dean eyed him but surprisingly shook his hand, and then he moved to Sam who gave you an unreadable look as he shook Jason’s hand.

You then decided to break the silence, looking at Jason “uh i need to talk to you” you said, he looked between you and the boys confused “sure okay” he said with a slow nod.

You glanced at Sam and Dean, giving them a look that meant ‘beat it’. Sam immediately picked up on it and cleared his throat “we’ll wait in the car” he said, stepping past Dean. Dean gave your boyfriend one last look as he followed Sam.

Once the boys were gone Jason gave you an expectant look, you sighed trying to think of the best way to tell him about the situation.

You’d never talked about your life before leaving hunting, especially not to your clueless boyfriend, no matter how annoyed it made him that you knew more about him than he did you. “I'm going on a trip with them, just a… family thing.” You began.

Jason scoffed “so you just decide at what-“ he paused to check his watch “four in the morning to go on a family trip?” He asked, tilting his head.

You slowly nodded her head “yeah, just family stuff” you shrugged, Jason rolled his eyes at you “babe the most I’ve ever heard about your family were their names. You don't visit them during holidays, or birthdays. To be completely honest I thought they didn’t exist.” He said rubbing a hand through his hair.

You scoffed, taken aback by his comment, walking away from him and going to your shared room to pack. “Where are you going?” He called, following after.

“To pack my stuff, so I can go on a roadtrip with my ‘imaginary’ family” you sarcastically remarked, grabbing your old hunting bag and subtly placing the box full of your old hunting gear in it before moving to pack some clothes.

Jason sighed “look babe, I didn’t mean it like that. All i'm saying is it's a little weird they show up randomly at four in the morning and demand a road trip” he defended himself.

You threw her head back in irritation. Not at him but more so that you’d been born into such an odd, unexplainable family life, “can you at least tell me where you're going” he asked defeated.

You put your head down, clenching your eyes shut hoping that this moment would end already, “my mother is missing.” You stiffly admitted.

Jason let out a scoff, when you looked at him he looked about ready to lose his mind because you’d lost yours. “Your mother is missing and instead of calling the cops you go on a road trip?” He asked, not really being able to believe what he was hearing.

You paused “you wanted to know my family? Here’s a glance into my world.” You said, zipping up the duffel bag. Looking at Jason you could see the confused and helpless look on his face, sighing as you walked towards him and pressing a kiss to his lips, before pulling away, brushing the stubble on his chin with your thumb “i'll only be gone three days tops, ‘kay? Then when i get back you can ask me anything and i'll do my best to answer” you promised

Jason looked like he was studying your face for the last time “okay” he said, you nodded leaning in to give him one last kiss before you departed “ill see you soon, i lo-“ you cut yourself off before you could even start.

Jason nodded again, giving your hips a squeeze and pressing a long kiss to your forehead, before you backed away.

Sometime after getting in the car your body finally allowed you to sleep, maybe it was the sound of baby’s engine lulling you to sleep like it used to all those years ago, or maybe it was the sense that nothing would hurt you while you’re with Sam and Dean and that allowed the feeling in your gut to settle.

When you woke up, the sun was up and the car was no longer moving. Sam was sitting half way out of the front seat looking at the box of cassette tapes Dean inherited from john. “Where’s Dean?” You asked, catching Sam’s attention.

He gestured to the old looking gas station. You took in the surroundings and grimaced “charming” you muttered to herself as you got out of the car, to stretch your legs.

You were finally able to take a good look at Sam and suddenly a wave of nostalgia hit you like a truck.

Though he’d gotten taller and more lean since the last time you saw him, you felt like that nineteen year old girl on the road with her boyfriend and best friend, and a sense of longing filled you quickly seeping into her chest, but you shut it down before you could dwell too much on it.

You had a new life now, better, safer, and a boyfriend you couldn’t wait to get back home and see. Though you weren’t excited for the ‘ghosts, goblins, and vampires are real’ talk.

You moved towards Sam and leaned over him to peek into the box to see the same old cassette tapes he had when you left. Not one more or less.

“He seriously needs new music,” you joked, pulling out a cassette labeled ‘AC/DC’. “Tell me about it,” Sam laughed, causing you to smile. “Hey” Dean called from behind the car, catching you and Sam’s attention. He held up some snacks he bought while in the gas station. “Want breakfast?” He asked

“No thanks” Sam said, returning his attention back to the tapes. Dean then looked to you questioningly “im fine, but i will take that” you pointed to the drink in his hand. He tossed it to you and you caught it effortlessly. “So how’d you pay for that stuff? You and dad still running credit card scams?” Sam asked. You snorted “you’re surprised?”

“Yeah well hunting ain’t exactly a pro-ball career” Dean replied as he put the gas pump back where it belongs. “Besides all we do is apply, not our fault they send us the cards”. You raised your eyebrows in agreement “can't exactly argue with that” you said, getting back into the car. “Yeah, and what name did you write on the application this time?” Sam re-adjusted himself in the seat before closing the door.

Dean paused before he got in the car “uh Bert afframnian, and his son hector. Scored two cards out of the deal.” Dean smiled proudly. Sam laughed “sounds about right” he said. “I swear man, you gotta update your cassette tape collection” Sam said, causing Dean to frown “why?” He asked.

“Well for one there cassette tapes” you interjected putting your head in between theirs, Sam began to pick up singular cassettes and list the names “and two, Black Sabbath, motor head, metallica” Sam finished as Dean snatched the tape from his hand looking very offended.

“It’s the greatest hits of mullet rock, Dean there’s a whole world of music you’ve left undiscovered. You’d love Avril Lavigne” you teased causing Sam to laugh. Dean placed the cassette in the player “house rules Sammy, driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole, and you stay in the back seat” he said pushing your head back so you were sitting correctly before starting the car.

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother ”Sammy is a chubby twelve year old, it's Sam” he tried to correct. You laughed “good luck trying to make that stick sammy” you said before Dean turned up the music. “Sorry I can't hear you, the music’s too loud,” Dean said before pulling off. The sound of the engine giving her another wave of nostalgia, maybe you had missed this more than you let yourself believe.

“Okay thanks” you said before closing your phone, “so there’s nobody at the morgue matching mom or john’s description, so that’s a start” you tell the boys. Sam nods at the information while Dean pulls off to the side of the road, his attention set on the bridge just ahead crossed off with yellow tape.

“Check it out” he said before opening the glove box and pulling out another box filled with fake ids, he smirked at you and Sam before getting out of the car “let's go”. You and Sam looked at each other with worry, both of your carriers were on the line if you got caught, you tilted your head “we have to” you said, before following Dean out the car, Sam not too far behind.

You, Sam and Dean walked onto the crime scene taking in every piece of information you could. “I’m guessing that’s the sheriff”, you pointed to a man looking over the bridge before moving to talk to another officer who looked to be dusting for fingerprints inside the car.

“No sign of struggle, no footprints, fingerprints spotless, it’s almost too clean” the officer said to the sheriff. The man sighed at the information “so this kid Troy, he’s dating your daughter isn’t he? How’s Amy doing?” The sheriff asked the officer.

“She’s putting up missing posters downtown” he answered. Dean walked toward them interrupting their conversation “you fellas had one like this last month didn’t you?” He spoke loudly, catching the sheriff's attention. “And who are you?” He asked, causing Dean to flash his fake badge “federal marshals” Dean answered.

The man did a once over at the three of them, none of them looking a say over 20 “you three are a little young for Marshall’s aren’t you?” You and Sam smirked at each other while Dean laughed “thanks that’s awfully kind of you” he said before moving on quickly “you did have another one just like this correct?” He asked. The sheriff nodded “yeah that’s right, about a mile down the road. There’ve been others before that.” He said.

You walked over to the car leaning down to get a closer inspection “do you mind if i uh…” you asked, gesturing to the car, the sheriff nodded “go ahead, but there’s nothing there. We swept it from top to bottom” he said. You smiled “I’m sure, I just want to get a good look myself” you said. You began to inspect the car making sure not to touch anything or leave any kind of DNA just in case.

Sam and Dean continued questioning the sheriff while you inspected the car, and so far you came up with nothing. The car’s clean, eerily so. Maybe some small part of you began to believe that whatever was here took your parents, that maybe they didn’t skip town to lead their kids on a manhunt for them, but then again they were too stubborn to die by the hands of something as little as a pissed off spirit.

Dean walked over beside you “anything?” He whispered, you shook your head “nothing, almost like he was never even here” you told him, standing up. “So what's the theory?” Sam asked, walking over to where you and Dean stood. The man shrugged “Honestly? We don’t know, serial murder, kidnapping ring” the sheriff answered.

“That is exactly the kind of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys-“ Dean was cut off by Sam stomping on his foot. Your eyes widened but you covered it with a smile “please excuse us, we're done here” you said, pushing Sam and Dean to walk past the confused man “thank you for your time” Sam said giving a quick smile.

Sam walked ahead of you and Dean and she could tell he was irritated just by the way he was walking. Dean looked back to see if any of the police were looking before he slapped the back of Sam’s head. “Ow!” Sam whispered with clenched teeth.

You rolled your eyes at their antics, not in the mood for their arguing, you walked ahead of the both of them, somehow being the only one to catch the three men walking towards the three of you.

Two of whom were real FBI agents, you paused your walking backtracking a few steps and turned to both Sam and Dean who had his back toward you, you caught Sam’s eye over Dean's shoulder and gestured to the men behind her. Sam cleared his throat trying to send the message to his brother. Dean turned just as the men reached them.

“Can I help you kids?” The local officer's demeanor was a lot more authoritative than the others. You gave the men a charming smile “oh no sir, we just wanted to know what happened, we were just leaving” you said, not dropping the innocent act.

You led the brothers away from the bridge and back to the car, shaking your head the whole way.

When they all got back in the car you spoke “i say we go talk to that Amy girl”

Downtown

You, Sam and Dean walked downtown in search of Amy for about five minutes until all of your eyes landed on a girl putting up ‘missing’ posters. “I bet you that’s her” Dean said, you and Sam agreed.

The three of you walked up to the girl “you must be Amy” Dean said, the girl nodded as she taped up a poster. You stepped in front of Dean “yeah Troy told us about you, I’m y/n, this is Dean and Sammy were his aunt and uncles”, Amy eyed you weirdly, Sam and Dean could pass but you not so much.

Dean must’ve noticed because he nudged you toward Sam’s side and you caught on pretty quickly, wrapping your arm around him.

You couldn’t see Sam’s face but you were sure it was something along the lines of shock, then a look from you to Dean then quickly covering it with a tight lipped smile as he stiffly tugged you in closer.

Amy must’ve accepted the facade as she returned to putting up the posters “he never mentioned you to me” she said before turning to walk. The three of you followed and you and Sam let Dean take the lead in talking “yeah well that’s Troy i guess, we’re not around much we’re up in Modesto” he lied.

Sam broke away from you making you frown a bit, watching him move in front of Amy bringing her walk to a halt. “So we’re looking for him too and were kind of asking around-“ Sam was cut off by another girl stopping next to Amy asking her if she was okay, you assumed she was her friend.

“Do you mind if we ask you a couple questions?” You asked to which Amy agreed.

Amy and her friend led the three of you to a cafe, it was dark inside no thanks to the lack of sunshine outside, you sat between Dean and Sam whilst the two teenage girls sat on the other side.

Amy began telling you about the last time she and Troy spoke “I was on the phone with Troy. He was driving home. He said he would call me right back, and...he never did.” She said.

Sam leaned forward, more intrigued. “He didn't say anything strange, or out of the ordinary?” He asked. Amy shook her head, a frown painted on her face “no. Nothing I can remember” she said.

You glanced down at Amy’s necklace. It was a pentagram “i like your necklace” you complemented. Amy glanced down at the necklace and smiled “thanks, Roy gave it to me. Mostly to scare my parents with all that devil stuff.” She laughed at the memory.

Sam huffed out a laugh beside you “Actually, it means just the opposite. A pentagram is protection against evil. Really powerful. I mean, if you believe in that kind of thing.”, you raised your brows not expecting Sam to go full on encyclopedia. “Okay. Thank you, Unsolved Mysteries.” Dean said earning a bitch face from Sam

Dean took his arm off the back of the seat and leaned forward. “Here's the deal, ladies. The way Troy disappeared, something's not right. So if you've heard anything” Dean trailed off noticing the look Amy and Rachel give to each other “What is it?” You ask, tilting your head slightly.

“Well, it's just... I mean, with all these guys going missing, people talk.” Rachel started “What do they talk about?” The brothers say in unison, creeping you out just a little bit “It's kind of this local legend. This one girl? She got murdered on Centennial, like decades ago.” Rachel continues to explain.

Dean gives you and Sam a look you returned with a glance while Sam continues to listen to Rachel’s story “Well, supposedly she's still out there. She hitchhikes, and whoever picks her up? Well, they disappear forever.”

Sam and Dean looked at each other. “We got a lead,” you muttered under your breath to the brothers.

You sat in a chair to the side watching as Dean typed on the computer, coming up with nothing every time he pressed enter. Sam tried to take over the computer “let me try.” He said, but Dean smacked Sam’s hand away, “I got it,” he grumbled.

Sam sighed, pushing Dean's chair out of the way and scooted his closer, “dude!” Dean says hitting Sam’s shoulder, though the younger Winchester didn’t even spare him a glance “you’re such a control freak” Deans says and he scoots closer.

You smiled at their bickering, you didn’t miss the blow out fights you all used to have but you did miss the moments like these that you found yourself thinking about often causing a comforting feeling to spread in your chest.

“So angry spirits are born out of violent death, right?” Sam asks.

“Right” you confirmed, scooting closer to get a better look at the computer. “Well maybe it’s not murder” he says replacing ‘murder’ with ‘suicide’ in the search bar then pressing enter, an article popped up titled ‘suicide on Centennial’.

“I think he's got you beat Dean-o” you sarcastically remarked, earning a glare from Dean.

Sam opened the article dated back to April 25, 1981. “This was 1981. Constance Welch, twenty-four years old, jumps off Sylvania Bridge, drowns in the river.” Sam reads, Dean leaned forward “does it say why she did it?” He asked.

“Yeah” you answered, “what?” “Says an hour before they found her, she called 911. Apparently her two little kids are in the bathtub. She leaves them alone for a minute, and when she comes back, they aren't breathing. Both die.’” You read, sympathy settled in your gut for the woman.

Sam continued reading “‘Our babies were gone, and Constance just couldn't bear it,' said husband Joseph Welch." Sam says as he scrolled, a picture of the bridge you were at before showed itself on the screen “that bridge looks familiar to you?” Dean says.

SYLVANIA BRIDGE

By nightfall you, Sam, and Dean were back walking down the bridge, you all stopped to look over the railing down into the rushing river, “so this is where Constance took the swan dive” Deans said, before continuing on walking.

You and Sam followed “so you think they would’ve been here?” Sam asks Dean, Dean looks back at the two of you “well he’s chasing the same story and we're chasing him” Deans answered.

You sighed, continuing your walk. “Okay, so now what?” You and Sam simultaneously ask. You could tell Dean was purposefully not looking back at you and Sam “Now we keep digging until we find him. Might take a while.” Dean answered slowly.

You and Sam stop, glancing at each other before looking at Dean. Sam sighs “Dean, I told you, I've gotta get back by Monday-“ Dean cuts Sam off as he turns around “Monday. Right. The interview” he says, cutting a glance at you.

You shrugged, while you didn’t have any important plans like Sam, you still had to get home to Jason “i gotta get home Dean” you said.

“You're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're just going to become a Lawyer? Marry your girl?” Dean asks, and something struck your heart, the thought of your first love marrying someone else, you pushed it away. “Maybe, why not?” Sam answered.

Dean looked at you “you gonna marry that guy hmm? Knowing he can't protect you? Being normal while knowing the truth about the things that come out at night?” He asked, stepping towards you.

You shrugged, getting irritated. “If that's what happens, yeah Dean, why is that so bad?” You questioned, you thought when you left Dean was happy for you, supportive at least but you could see now it was a facade.

“Do they even know the truth, i mean do they know about the things you’ve done?” Dean asks. Sam steps forward “ no and she’s not ever going to know” “that’s not gonna happen” both you and Sam said at the same time.

Dean paused, raising his eyebrows “Well, that's healthy. You can pretend all you want. But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are.” Dean said as he turned and kept walking.

You sighed, knowing that Dean was just upset. He wanted things to go back to how they were with you, your mom, Sam, John and him. He wanted his family back and you couldn’t fault him for it.

But the way he was going about it wasn’t the right way. Sam however feeds into it “and who’s that?” He asks. “You're one of us.” Dean answers, making Sam rush to get in front of Dean.

“No. I'm not like you. This is not going to be my life.” Sam finalized, Dean rolled his eyes “You have a responsibility to-“ Sam cut Dean off “To our parents? And their crusade? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what Mom looks like.” He said before pointing to you, “she’s been on the receiving end of y/m/n’s anger about y/f/n’s death her whole life” he continued, your chest tightened a little at his words, you’d never admitted it to anyone other than Sam when you were barley thirteen.

“And what difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, they’re gone. And they aren’t coming back.”he finished. Dean grabbed Sam by his collar and shoved him up against the railing of the bridge, making you step forward “hey! Calm down” you shouted, Dean ignored you.

“Don’t ever talk about her like that”Dean warned before releasing Sam from his grip and continuing on his walk. Sam looked at you seeing your expression “y/n i-“ you cut him off “don’t, just don’t.”

You walked past him, it wasn’t what he said about your father that upset you, you’d accepted it a long time ago, but him telling Dean something you admitted to him after he found you crying, hit a nerve.

When you looked ahead your heart skipped a beat, not far ahead of you was Dean, but what caught your eye was the woman in the white dress standing on the ledge of the bridge.

“Sam.” Dean called, not taking his eyes off the woman, Sam moved to stand next to Dean and the tree of you watched the woman look at you before stepping off the ledge, you immediately sprint towards where she was, but when you got there she was gone “where’d she go?” Sam asked, “I don't know,” you said looking down at the river for the second time that night.

The sound of the impala starting immediately caught you and the brother’s attention, the headlights shined bright and the engine revved loudly. “Shit” you muttered. “Who’s driving your car?” Sam asks. Dean pulled the keys out of his pocket and you glance at them and roll your eyes “great”.

As soon as the words slipped past your lips the car began speeding towards the three of you, you didn’t waste any time taking off in a sprint, Sam and Dean weren’t far behind you and you could hear one of them yelling “go go run”.

They caught up to you fairly quickly thanks to their long legs, Sam grabbed your wrist pulling you with him as he jumped over the railing after Dean. Luckily he hadn’t let go because your foot slipped off of the side leaving you dangling over the river, holding on to nothing but Sam.

“Don’t let me go!” You shouted over the loud rushing of water below you. “It’s okay i got you” Sam said, pulling you back up, and this time you were careful with your footing.

You let out a breath “thanks” you huffed, Sam smiled “no problem”. His smile warms your heart and you fight the blush threatening to show on your cheeks. You looked back over the railing to see baby parked as if nothing happened.

Looking around you couldn’t spot Dean anywhere “where’s Dean?” You asked Sam. The both of you looked over the ledge, shouting Dean's name. After two calls you saw something crawl out of the water covered in mud “what!” It shouted.

It was Dean, “are you okay?” You shouted, Dean put up an OK sign with his hand “I’m super” he said. You and Sam smiled glancing at each other before climbing back over the railing.

Not long after Dean closed the hood of the impala “car alright?” Sam asked. “Yeah whatever she did to it, seems alright now. That Constance chick, what a bitch!” Dean shouted into the distance.

You came up beside him “well she doesn’t want us digging around that’s for sure” Sam said, and you hummed in agreement “So where's the job go from here, genius?” You asked Dean who just flicked the mud off of his hands in response.

Just then the wind blew and your nose caught the smell wafting from Dean making you cringe. You saw Sam making the same face before looking at Dean “you smell like a toilet” he said, you smiled, holding your laughter at the look on Dean's face.

“One room please” Dean said, dropping the card on the guest registry list, the old man at the front desk picked up the card eyeing Dean's muddy attire, before looking at you then Sam.

“You guys having a reunion or something?” The clerk asked, your brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” Sam asked, speaking your mind. I had another guy, Burt Aframian came in with his wife. He came and bought out a room for the whole month.” The man said. Dean turned and gave you and Sam a look.

You stood beside Dean completely blocking the view of anyone looking while Sam picked the lock to the room your mother and John stayed in. The door creaked open and you followed Sammy into the room.

You looked around in shock and Sam yanked Dean into the room and closed the door. “Woah” was all Sam could muster up. The room was a mess as if they just vanished, a suitcase thrown over the bed, food wrappers were still on the nightstand.

And papers were still thumb tacked to the wall. You stepped over the ring of salt and further into the room not paying any attention to Dean sniffing the day's old burger. You moved to pick through the discarded suitcase that was unmistakably your mothers, not listening to the conversation Sam and Dean were having.

Your heart sped up feeling as if you were about to commit a crime when you opened the suitcase, you would’ve never heard the end of it if your mother ever caught you going through her personal belongings.

Her clothes were inside neatly stored in rows of shirts, pants and whatever else, however nothing could’ve prepared you when you pulled a knife out of the bottom. The blade was covered by a white sheath.

You pulled the knife out of the sheath to take a look at the blade. It was long about the size of a ruler, and the brand new white leather on the handle made your breath hitch.

It looked exactly the same as your mothers, the one your father had gifted her the day of your birth, you turned the knife to look at the bottom and your initials and a date was engraved in a small font. “Hey Sam?” You called, catching him and Dean's attention. “Yeah?” He said moving towards you.

“What’s today’s date?” You asked. Sam’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion but still pulled his phone out to check “it’s November second, why?”. You turned to face the brothers showing them the knife.

Dean opened his mouth to speak “is that-“ “no, it looks like hers but it has my initials and today’s date. What does that mean?” You asked. Sam and Dean looked at each other unsure themselves.

You excused yourself from the motel so you could call Jason and update him a bit, the phone rang a few times before Jason’s cheery voice greeted you ‘Hey Jason here, I couldn’t come to the phone. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you when I can’. Voicemail.

You started to feel that feeling settle in your stomach again. So you called again, and again voicemail. Every time. “Son of a bitch” you said tilting your head back. After a few more tries and still no luck you re-entered the room again.

Sam looked up at you from one of the two beds in the room. He turned off his phone, he must’ve been calling Jessica and had just about the same amount of luck as you.

You plopped down on the other bed letting out a breath, you and Sam sat in a comfortable silence until you broke it. “How’s college life treating you?” You asked, looking at him. Sam looked back at you from his seated position and smiled, “it’s great, yeah. Normal” he said.

You smiled, “I bet, can't imagine Sam Winchester at a college party” you laughed at the thought, Sam laughed along with you shaking his head “yeah no it’s not really my scene” he said. You smiled, “so, what have you been up to since you left hunting?” Sam asked you. You paused, huffing out a laugh i uh- I’ve been looking to join the FBI. Behavioral analyses specifically.” You admitted.

Sam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “The FBI? Y/n that’s great! I mean what-“ Sam cut himself off with a scoff.

You smiled “yeah i know i uh got into Yale, not long after i left and majored in criminal justice and psychology. Got through it pretty fast, thanks to hunting I mean it was pretty easy to grasp.” You shrugged.

“Y/n this is big! Does anybody know-“ Sam was cut off by Dean swinging the bathroom door open “know what?” He asked, grabbing his jacket off of the coat rack. “Uh nothing” you said before Sam could say anything.

Sam picked up on your hesitance and sent Dean a tight lipped smile. He looked between the two of you weirdly before shrugging it off. “Anyway, I'm starving. I'm gonna go grab something to eat at that diner down the street” Dean said “want anything?” He asked.

“No thanks” “no” you and Sam said. “You sure? Aframian’s buying” he said, both you and Sam declined again. Dean shrugged and stepped out of the door.

When the door closed you turned back to Sam “I haven’t told anyone. Just you.” you said, Sam looked at you with understanding. “Well maybe we’ll work together on a case,” he said with a smile. “You bet law boy”.

After the conversation ended, Sam began to fill you in on the woman in white legends that you missed earlier, but he wasn’t able to get very far in because your phone began to ring.

You picked it up hoping it’d be Jason, it wasn’t it was Dean. You sighed, answering “yeah?” You answered.

“Dude, five-oh take off.” You whipped your head to Sam “what about you” you asked standing up “they kinda spotted me. Go find our parents” he says then he hangs up.

“We gotta go, cops. They’ve got Dean already” you said. Sam moves to look out of the window but quickly backs away when he sees the cop start towards the room.

After you and Sam escaped you both split up, Sam went to speak to Constance’s husband and you went to figure out a way to get Dean out of the hole. Which wasn’t too hard, all you had to do was shoot a few rounds and then call it in, waiting for the cops to leave and let Dean do his part.

While you were waiting Sam called you “got anything?” You asked, “so the husband was unfaithful. We are dealing with a woman in white. And she's buried behind her old house.” He said.

You looked at your surroundings, you weren’t far from the old Welch house “okay, how bout i meet you there?” You suggested, eyeing the small blue car you were passing. “Wait, what about Dean?” He asked

you smirked “Deans fine, trust me”. Sam nodded, though you couldn’t see “and uh, how do you plan to get there?” He asked, and just as he finished his question he heard a car alarm go off, he scoffed with a smile “you're stealing a car?” He said.

You shrugged “what can i say Sammy, old habits die hard”. Sam rolled his eyes “okay meet you there”

While you were driving your phone rang again, the id wasn’t one you knew but you answered none the less. “Hello?” You said.

“Sam’s in trouble” Dean's voice rang out. Your eyebrows furrowed “what how?” You asked, speeding the car up a little. “No time to explain, just get to the Welch house” he said before hanging up. “Damn it Sam” you said driving way past speeding limits.

When you arrived you started to hear gunshots, telling you that either of them beat you there. You stopped the car seeing Dean holding his shotgun, shooting at Constance’s spirit with a�� salt round?

You shook off your confusion before getting out of the car and running towards him. But before you reached them the impala took off and crashed into the side of the house. Suddenly the voice rang through your head ‘I can never go home’ you almost laughed to yourself. He took her home.

Hurriedly you ran towards the passenger side beside Dean. “Sam! Sam, you okay?” Dean asked, Sam groaned, causing relief to spread through you “I think..” Sam said.

“Can you move?” You asked. Sam nodded his head “yeah, can you help me” he asked, and Dean helped Sam out of the car.

When Sam was out of the car you noticed Constance holding a frame, most likely of her family, until she looked up at the tree of you and dropped the frame, stepping out of the way and pushing you guys against the car with the dresser.

You groaned when the dresser hit your hips and it was for sure to leave a bruise, even with you and the boys combined strength you couldn’t move the dresser.

Constance stepped towards you with malice in her eyes, but stopped when the lights started flickering. You looked around in confusion at her confusion.

Then water began flowing down the stairs and you saw shadows of two small children at the top. ‘You’ve come home to us mommy’ the children said, sending goosebumps down your spine.

Suddenly the children were behind Constance, she turned and looked at the children who embraced her in a hug causing her to scream, soon enough all three spirits were reduced to a puddle on the floor.

The hold on the dresser disappeared and you guys were able to push the dresser off of you. You walked over to the puddle with Sam and Dean in tow “ So this is where she drowned her kids.” Dean said.

You and Sam nodded “that’s why she could never go home, she was too scared to face them” Sam replied.

You frowned “it’s tragic what heartbreak can do to someone” you said. There was a silence before Dean slapped Sam’s chest “you found her weak spot. Nice work Sammy” Dean complemented proudly. Sam winced at the impact but shrugged it off with a laugh.

“Yeah, I wish I could say the Same to you. What were you thinking shooting Casper in the face, you freak?” Sam joked “Hey. Saved your ass.” Dean replied, moving to look at the car. “I'll tell you another thing. If you screwed up my car?” Dean turned around to look at Sam. “I'll kill you.” He pointed. You and Sam looked at each other with huge grins

And just like that you were back on the road headed home. Sam in the passenger seat held a flashlight so he could see the map “okay, here’s where they went. It’s called black Water Ridge, Colorado” Sam said.

You leaned forward looking over his shoulder “how far?” You asked. Sam glanced back at you before looking at the map “about six hundred miles” he answered. You hummed, sitting back in your seat.

Dean nodded along to the music “Hey, if we shag ass we could make it by morning.” He said. You and Sam paused glancing at each other. “Dean-“ you started but was cut off by Dean “you’re not coming” he said nodding. “The interview's in like, ten hours. I gotta be there.” Sam says, Dean looks back at you through the rear view mirror.

“I have a job Dean… and Jason’s expecting me-“ Dean cut you off “yeah whatever, I’ll take you home” he said, you could hear the disappointment in his tone. You sighed

laying your head against the headrest.

When you got to Sam's apartment you waited for him and Dean to say their goodbyes before you got out of the car calling his name. 

He turned around and you wrapped your arms around him. He hugged you back with a laugh, “it was good seeing you sammy” you said, pulling away. He nodded “yeah, you too… see you at work?” he asked. 

You smiled, nodding “see you at work” you confirmed. Before getting back in the car, the front seat this time. Before pulling off, Dean looked at you with a smirk causing you to roll your eyes. “Knock it off Winchester,” you joked.

 Dean laughed before pulling off. You weren't able to get very far before your stomach began burning like molten hot lava in your organs. 

You whimpered, holding your stomach in pain. The sound caught the older Winchester's attention as he began shaking you and saying something you couldn't make out. 

But what you could make out were the flashing images in your head. Blood and fire. It was everywhere like a massacre. 

When the images went away the pain faded slightly and you were finally able to say “Dean, go back, we have to go back.” the look in your eyes must've scared him because he didn't waste any time swerving the car around.

When you got back to sams apartment it was already on fire and before the vehicle was stopped you were out ant running towards it

Dean wasn’t far behind you and it didn’t take any time for you to reach his apartment, Dean kicked down the door and you both ran in. Sam was on his bed staring up at the ceiling in shock shouting Jess's name.

As much as you wished you could save the girl she was already gone so you and Dean dragged Sam out of the apartment, it wasn’t an easy fight given Sam’s height and strength but you did it nonetheless.

However getting Sam out didn’t stop the burning feeling in your stomach, the ambulance arrived on the scene officially announcing Jessica dead, and you saw the emotion drain from Sam’s face, it was as if a switch flipped inside of him, he walked off leaving you with Dean.

You looked at the older Winchester with teary eyes “Dean you have to take me home. Please.” You begged. Dean looked at you with sorrow as if he already knew. You both knew what it meant but you wouldn’t believe it. No you wouldn’t accept it. He saw the inner turmoil in your eyes and nodded “okay, let’s go.” He said, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

He led you back to the car where Sam had been putting a shotgun together with tears in his eyes. He looked at you then Dean, before shaking his head, throwing the gun back into the trunk. “We got work to do”

On the drive Dean quietly filled Sam in on what happened with you, though you weren’t too sure he was listening. You weren’t listening either, you were busy calling Jason’s phone over and over and over.

Every time the call went to voicemail the burning sensation got worse. When Dean parked outside of your apartment building you wasted no time getting out.

You heard both of their doors open as well and Dean called your name. You turned around to look at him, eye’s nothing but teary. “You want us to come with?” He asked. You looked between him and Sam, who looked like he couldn’t handle much more tonight.

You shook your head not trusting your voice enough to speak. Dean nodded “we’ll be right here if you need us” he said. You nodded, before turning around and continuing your walk.

The whole way to your apartment you held your new knife in your hand, when you reached your door you paused, not sure if you really wanted to enter, however you pushed the feeling down and opened the door.

Immediately the smell of blood hit you, the metallic smell seemed so strong it almost gave you a headache. Tears began to freely fall down your face when you saw the puddle of blood leaking from the other side of the kitchen counter.

Carefully you stepped over the pool of blood and walked further in, that’s when you saw him. He was on the floor, his face bruised and neck slashed.

Your heart shattered, and you began to hyperventilate as you dropped to your knees, not caring anymore about his blood staining your clothes.

You placed a soft hand on his face, it was still warm and your tears dripped onto his cheeks “please, Jason please im sorry. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have left. I could've protected you. I'm so sorry” you sobbed.

The longer you looked at him the more it hurt. You began to shiver from the feeling of your clothes soaked with his blood and the heartbreak that was crushing your chest.

But you didn’t care “no, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen to you.” You laid your head against his chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat.

But it was silent. Your sobs filled the air around you, until you heard footsteps enter the apartment.

You picked up the previously discarded knife with shaky unstable hands ready to fight whoever, but it was just Sam and Dean.

You saw Dean first, he stopped in shock and Sam wasn’t far behind. They took in the scene, your bruised bleeding boyfriend, and your completely broken state.

You seemed to be covered in his blood which made it worse. Neither of the brothers knew what to say or do and Sam looked on the verge of crying again too.

Dean moved to pick you up out of the bloody mess until he saw bloody writing on the wall ‘you were too late’.

Sam saw what his brother was looking at,and you turned to see. The bloody letters dripped down the wall as if it was still fresh.

Dean shook his head, picking you up from the ground. You hardly made any effort to fight him off and Dean thanked God for it because even though you were now a grown woman, he still saw you as that little girl he always protected. And you need that now more than ever.

[throughparisallthroughrome]

“Got The Blues Back In Boston”

Chapter 2

Pairing: Modern!Anakin Skywalker x Reader

Description: Leaving behind an incompatible college and profound heartbreak on the Virginia Coast, you find yourself home again in Brookline, Massachusetts. A new opportunity presents itself to you at MIT, joining your brother ben and childhood friends/ neighbors, Anakin and Ahsoka. Despite the familiarity, you discover just how much of a difference 2 years away can really make between the people you once considered family.

Warnings: f!reader, angst, jealousy, pining, smut, masturbation, mentions/descriptions of domestic abuse, cursing, drinking/drug usage, academic obsession, general obsession, hardcore partying, frats, general college bullshit

DISCLAIMER!!! READ BEFORE PROCEEDING: I've never been in an abusive relationship- I've only witnessed them. I'm an aspiring psychology major and have done a lot of research on the topic of domestic abuse/violence. This series deals with this topic HEAVILY, so be warned.

Word Count: 8.3k

A/N: I am so sorry this update took so long! This chapter wasn’t actually supposed to end like this but if I ended it the way I wanted it to, it’d be like 15k words. I decided it’d be best to split it up, so if things are a little weird in between that’s why. Thank you so much to everyone who’s been reading and keeping up! Life’s been a mess lately but I’m so excited to put my work out there. Please enjoy! and let me know if you wished to be tagged. As always, requests are open and feedback is welcome! :)

series masterlist. main masterlist.

To you, there was nothing more magical than the fall in Boston.

Everywhere you go, the streets are painted with vibrant colors and rich textures. It’s warm, inviting, and the most magical time of the year. Winter was a very close second, but nothing beat autumn. The Tudor-style homes on your street looked straight out of a fairytale, and the yards were covered in beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow. The air was crisp, and there was always a faint smell of burning leaves from somewhere. It always stayed under 65 degrees but never dropped below 46. It was perfect.

As you grew up, you had always taken the same path to the diner, watching Tuesday night come every single week as the seasons and the neighborhood changed. There was a building on the corner of Maple and Main that never stayed occupied, and you could always count on Francis walking her poodle around the same time. Whether or not you liked it, Boston would change, with or without you.

In Hampton, you hated watching the seasons pass by, especially in autumn. It made you long for those wintry days in Brookline, listening to the boys cheer on the patriots while your mother and Shmi prepared dinner over some wine. You and Ahsoka always did “homework,” watching the game from a distance and mostly gossiping. You’d attempt to watch the game from a distance in Hampton, craving that little piece of home you missed the most. Still, it was always shut down by some “extremely important soccer game” Nick just had to watch. But you knew he hated you for longing for something other than him- what was he made for then?

But as the weeks went by, you really began to notice just how much you missed. You joined Ahsoka and Padme in the library most days, cramming as much information as possible- wanting, well, desperately needing an A. Yes, an A was good, but it was more to make you feel in control of your life once again. You needed the satisfaction- and the distraction.

It would be hard to say you didn’t notice the way Padme and Ahsoka would look at you when they thought you didn’t notice. So much pity. You hated it. They’d have these ‘knowing glances’ with each other and you felt that they were always talking about you the second you walked away. That part of high school you did not miss- but these were your friends, your best friends, and they shouldn’t be treating you like this- making you feel like this. When you asked them, they swore up and down it was nothing, they weren’t keeping secrets, and everything was okay. But the second you looked away- there was that knowing look between them. And it was driving you crazy.

And then there was Ben too, he was just so- not himself. Sure, Ben was always a nice guy, and he was a great person- but he was your older brother. And he always gave you a hard time, just for shit’s and giggles, and of course you always gave it right back. That’s what siblings are for. But after that first night back, things were so different. He was so soft towards you, so kind. He kept checking up on you, asking if you needed help with school, insisting on doing everything for you. It was nice- but it wasn’t him. And it just made you hurt more. All you wanted was for things to be normal.

Despite everyone being different- you had only hoped Anakin was the same. And not to your surprise, he wasn’t. In fact, Anakin was worse than everyone else. But he carried a certain burden with him- almost, guilt? It didn’t make sense to you- none of it did. And you tried so, so hard not to let it bother you, but it seemed impossible. So, maybe pushing them away was the best option. You hated the way everyone was making you feel- including yourself- but only you had control of yourself, so maybe that was your best option.

And so the study dates became solo dates, the family dinners were eaten in your room, and your weekly diner travels were now just a tradition that only you seemed to care about keeping up with. It was fine- you were fine. You didn’t want to admit that you were lonely- but you were, and you definitely felt it.

You pushed open the door to the diner. The sweet smell of apple pie filled your senses and calmed you simultaneously. The same regulars were lined up at the bar, playing darts and betting on football games. At least if Boston and your friends were always changing, Dex’s would stay the same.

“What’ll you have sweetheart, long time no see?” Dex winked at you while cleaning a glass before sliding some napkins and silverware your way.

“Just a diet coke, maybe a slice of pie.” You mumbled out, tracing out the details of the countertop with a cocktail straw. Time had just flown by, and you’d give anything to be in high school at Dex’s after Anakin and Ben’s football games. They swore for the longest time they’d go pro- I suppose engineering is better. Less painful.

“What’s got you so down, kid?” Dex leaned against the counter, grabbing the cocktail straw and throwing it at you to get your attention. You stifled a chuckle.

“I don’t know, Dex.” You sigh, mashing your fork against the pie he gave you ‘on the house,’ “Things have just been so weird since I got back. Not sure what went wrong.”

“It’s a mess up there, huh?” He smiles, and you quirk a brow.

“Up where?”

“Up in that brain of yours.” You scoff.

“Gee, thanks.” You roll your eyes, setting your head down on the bar and huffing.

“Okay, but in all seriousness, have you talked to anyone about this? You’re not yourself, kid. Maybe Anakin could help?” He raises his brows playfully, and you roll your eyes.

“Heh. Yeah, right. Anakin’s been praying on my downfall for years. Well, maybe not. We’ll see.” You shoot a wink at Dex, and he smiles, hitting his hand on the counter.

“You know I’ve always been rooting for the two of you; I’m sure whatever is going on will work itself out.”

Dex had known all of you since you were children, which made going to his diner a familiar, comforting routine. It stopped when you left. Yet, when you came back, it only strengthened the urge to revisit. He had offered a job again, but you declined. When you worked for him before, you occasionally found that money mysteriously didn't make its way to you. He was sweet and kind and had brilliant advice, but reliability wasn’t exactly his nature.

Regardless, you got a job at a local bar in downtown Boston. Anakin and Ben were not enthusiastic about the idea. But the staff was kind, the uniforms were a bit skimpy, and you had gotten to know some regulars. On your first night, you made $400. You didn’t plan on leaving it anytime soon. MIT wasn’t exactly cheap, and neither was Boston.

A mere 10-minute drive from the house, Mazzy's stood out as the most disreputable dive bar in the vicinity. You had done a lot of your underage drinking there, pretending to enjoy the various sports as you drank $3 Bud Light and played beer pong. They had a different drink special every day of the week - $5 margaritas on Mondays, tequila shots on Tuesdays, wine on Wednesdays, and karaoke + Vegas bombs on throwback Thursdays (which was always your favorite). So, it was fitting for you to work there; the manager knew you since you were a kid with a fake ID. He wasn’t exactly fond of the idea that he served you underage- but you had open availability, and they were desperate.

And you were a hard worker, staying late most nights and offering to cover shifts when you could. College was hard, and you didn’t necessarily need to work as much as you did, but the distraction helped, and the money was a nice bonus, too. Plus, there had to be something fun in it for you, too…

That’s how you ended up a champion at pool, beating all the regulars and making more money off your bets than you did tips.

Anakin heard about your little side hustle from one of his coworkers at the shop, talking about the “Kenobi girl who’s undefeated.” He felt the wrench falter in his grip and wiped the excess oil off his stained jeans as the smile spread on his face. Kenobi girl has a side deal? Oh, he’d never get over this. How the mighty have fallen.

On that note, Anakin immediately decided to pay you a visit later that night, not being able to resist the idea of breaking your winning streak. After all, who do you think taught you to play?

Upon entering the door, the loud music and dim lights assaulted his senses, and the pungent smell of smoke and rowdy laughter almost overwhelmed him. This was where you worked? What a dump. Scanning the dance floor, his eyes moved swiftly from one dancing body to another, hoping to catch a glimpse of you. The walls were adorned with pictures and writing, the chairs and tables were in disarray, and the bar was surrounded by numerous cups and beer bottles that caught his attention.

It didn't take him much time to track you down, guided by the sound of your laughter resonating in the crowded space as you approached a lively bunch of guys playing pool, holding a tray brimming with shots. Awesome. Now he was going to have to kick your ass at pool, as well as kick some asshole's ass, and then kick your ass again for entertaining it. Cool. Cool, Cool. He could do that. Yeah, he was cool.

“You cool man? Looking for the bar?” Anakin quickly broke out of his trance, looking at the older, distressed man before him—definitely the manager.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m good. Just taking it all in-“

“Cool, bars over there, man.” The older man pats his back, sending him towards the bar. Anakin shakes his head, furrowing his brows at the interaction. The fuck?

As he approached the bar, his eyes scanned the stools and calculated where he’d get the best view of you while remaining out of sight. He was still a little annoyed and didn’t want to make a scene so quickly, you know? Plus, he needed to study your strategies. How did the little one get so good at pool that she’s running a ring? Interesting.

“What’ll you have, hun?” The older redhead leans across the bar, wiping down the icy surface with a bar rag as Anakin settles into his seat.

“Uh, just a Modelo for now.” He quickly pulls out his wallet and flashes his ID, his eyes barely leaving your figure.

“Uh huh,” Her eyes flicker at Anakin, trailing them towards you as her lips upturned in a smile, “I’ll be right back with that.”

Anakin slides onto the stool, quickly propping his head on his hand as he keeps his gaze locked on you, while also trying to look as un-creepy as possible (it’s not working). He observes you giggling at one of the guys, playfully aiming your pool stick at his chest like a gun, threatening to shoot. The men all completely feed into it. You little slut. Next thing he knows, you’re leaning down to make a shot, your innocence showing as you stick your ass in the faces of 4 frat guys as they whisper. Your pigtails bounced onto the table as you focused on your shot, one eye closed and your tongue sticking out in concentration. His pants were suddenly so tight. What the fuck do you think you’re doing? What could have-

“You know, I’m pretty sure she’s taken.” The redhead pushes the beer towards him, “Otherwise, with the way you’re looking at her, I’d tell you to ask her for her number. Keep it open or close it?” Anakin’s eyes widened.

“Taken?” He stutters out, his mouth hanging open.

“No, your tab, dumbass.” She laughs, picking up a bottle out of the well and cleaning it. “You look like you need to keep it open. And yeah, she’s taken. She talks about him all the time, actually. He’s a family friend- they grew up together. Think his name is Andrew or something.”

“Andrew, huh? Interesting.” Anakin’s smile widens, taking a swig of his beer. You were talking about him. And everyone thought you were his? He might have to play along.

When he looked back at the table, you had disappeared. Anakin tilted his head in confusion, his gaze sweeping the room until it landed on you at the opposite end of the bar, where his eyes locked onto yours as the redhead tried to talk to you.

“Anakin?” You laughed, not noticing redhead’s brow raise and sudden attention towards the two of you, “What are you doing here? I-” You cocked your head in confusion. Something about Anakin’s unwavering smile was so unreadable.

“Heard about a certain Kenobi girl’s pool bets from the guys. Had to see it for myself.” He turned towards you, subconsciously spreading his legs as his finger traced the rim of his beer glass. His pride grew as the redness spread on your face.

“Didn’t- Uh- Didn’t think word was getting around that fast. Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck is right.” Anakin starts, and redhead approaches, pretending to clean bar glasses as she eyeballs the interaction in front of her. “No wonder you’re making so much money. Afraid I’m gonna have to end this streak of yours, though.”

You scoff, crossing your arms and rolling your eyes, shaking your head at the audacity of the man before you. One beer, and he felt like he was God? He desperately needed to be humbled.

“So that’s what this is about? You just hate to see me beating you at something? Didn’t think after all these years you were still so desperate, Anakin. I- fine, but what’s in it for me?” You hop up on the stool next to him, narrowing your eyes as your gaze runs over his lips, the honey of his laughter sweet in your ears.

“What do you want, sweetheart?” He smiles, moving closer to you as his eyes trace your lips back, the grin growing on his face.

“Don’t look at me like that.” You swallow, sitting up straighter and pulling away from him.

“Like what, Y/N?” He grins, mimicking your actions as he leans back and takes another drink of his beer.

“Anakin-“

“How about, if you win, I’ll be your DD for a month- AND- and- I’ll finally join you for karaoke. And if I win, well, I know I never want to see that outfit in public again, I want you to stop entertaining every guy you serve.” You roll your eyes at his protectiveness, sighing at his request.

“Fine, but only because what I get out of this deal is so much better than what you might get. Now come on.” You stand up, offering your hand to him as you pull him off the bar stool, “Amy, would you be a doll and keep an eye on my section?” Ah, so Redhead does have a name.

As you led him to a table in a dark corner away from everyone, he shot the other men a smile. A boastful smile. He may not have known that he wanted you just yet, but he knew he didn’t want others to have you. It was just him being protective, right? Besides, what’s really the difference between those two things…

“After you, sir.” You lined up the colorful, numbered balls and invited him for 8 ball, handing him a stick to make the first move.

“Are you sure, madam? Ladies first, you know. Chivalry isn’t dead.” He shot you a wink, tossing you the pool cue as you rolled his eyes. He was definitely tipsy. And you were definitely taking him home tonight. Not like that.

You started the game off strongly, hitting two solid shots right into the pocket, the satisfying *clink* echoing between the tension. You grinned. And shockingly enough, so did Anakin. His eyes cold and calculating, he struck the cue ball, the sharp *thwack* followed by the soft, almost silent roll of the red-striped ball across the green felt until it finally sank into the hole. If there was one thing your families took seriously- it was a bet.

You kept the game going, sharing plenty of shit-talking and shots, making sure to feed him a few more (which, in hindsight, was probably a mistake). You hit in your 3rd and 4th balls, your eyes catching the men at the other table. But, as always, your eyes immediately went back to Anakin. You flashed him an innocent smile, not feeding into his small touches that made you dizzy and the way his eyes flicked down to your lips. It’s okay. He was only drunk- and that couldn’t happen again.

Eventually, you beat him. While completely intoxicated, Anakin stumbled, his hand a blur as he somehow knocked the 8-ball in on his third try; the cue ball spun wildly, a final, chaotic movement before settling. You gave him a pass, a condescending smile playing on your lips as you told him you'd happily give him a rematch, though the outcome wouldn't change. Unfazed by your comment, he simply stared, his blown pupils swimming with an unsettling, well-known emotion. A palpable tension hung in the air, heavy with more unspoken words. A sudden chill raised the hairs on your arms, your breath catching in your throat as an unnatural silence filled the air between you. You cleared your throat and smiled, shaking the thought out of your head.

“C’mon drunkie- let’s get you up here.” You held your arm under his shoulder, guiding him back to the bar through the dwindling customers. He wasn't exactly being easy, his laughter echoing in the air as he teased you relentlessly, his hand dropping lower and lower on your waist with each step. You tried not to pay attention to the strange way it made your heart pound in your chest. But you could divert your focus to work- finally.

It was now 2:30. And you needed to get out of there. You carefully propped him up against the sticky, mahogany bar, your finger stabbing emphatically at his chest as you barked, "Don't move!" before turning to whatever remaining side work you had been neglecting. With a shake of your head, you freed your hair from the uncomfortable low pigtails, the strands falling around your shoulders. Okay, you had silverware, trash, bathrooms, sweeping, and-

“Y/N? Can you come here?” You heard Amy call from the bar as you swept, and you turned around, only to see Anakin passed out on the bar. His head lolled against his crossed arms, a soft rhythmic snoring emanating from his relaxed body.

“Fuck,” You mumbled, setting down the broom and running over to the bar, shaking the sleepy man awake. His eyes fluttered open, a soft smile playing on his lips as you rolled your eyes, a sigh escaping your lips.

“Hey, beautiful- you gonna take me home?” A raspy mumble escaped his lips as his fingers, warm and slightly damp, caressed your cheek, lingering just a moment too long. Attempting to ignore his continuing advances, your eyes are drawn to Amy; a subtle arch of her eyebrow and a slight nod toward the door provide your much-needed escape.

“C’mon, sleepy- let’s get you home.” You helped him up again, mouthing a quick thank you to Amy before taking him to the back door.

“I just- I- I can’t believe you’re so good at pool! I mean, I’m soooooo proud, yknow? I taught you so well. The guys were talking about it at work, and I just had to come see it for myself. So adorable.” He mumbles through the parking lot, laughing at his own jokes, and it’s clear he knows he’s not making much sense.

If this was anyone else- you’d be a little pissed off. But there was always a certain tenderness in your heart reserved for Anakin, a weakness you couldn't deny. Taking care of him when you knew you could just, well, made things better. He usually never let you get the chance, but right now, it felt like you were getting your old life back.

With a grunt, you pushed him into the passenger seat of his car; the smell of stale coffee and old leather filled the air, and you figured he’d take you to get your car the next day—payback, of course. You plug your phone in and turn the volume up for Mazzy Star, letting the softness of her voice fill the emptiness of the car. Anakin's head rests on your shoulder, his soft snores a gentle rhythm against your neck as you drive down the familiar streets, the houses blurring into a comforting stream of colors.

You pull into his driveway, the harsh cold biting your face as you open the door. Anakin slumped down further, his head resting on the center console. You bit your lip, the metallic tang of blood filling your mouth, as you weighed your options, watching his body move slowly as he inhaled and slowly exhaled, his brows furrowing in his sleep. What could he be dreaming about that was getting him so worked up? You didn’t have time for this- it was cold, he was asleep, and you needed to make a decision.

You couldn’t just tell him to get out of his car and go to bed- he didn’t deserve that, even if he did get wasted at your job. Well, you kinda got him wasted. And if you did take him inside, there was a chance you’d run into Shmi or Ahsoka, and that wasn’t really a conversation you wanted to have, especially considering how this looked. And if you took him inside, got away with not running into anyone, there’s the chance that once he gets in bed, he’d ask you to stay. That would be awkward. And even if you did stay, there’s only a 50% chance you’d have sex again and make it all weird. The question is- were you willing to risk it?

“Fuck,” You watched him sleep, knowing what you had to do. You got back into the car, shutting the door behind you and turning it on. The heat kicked up again, the sound of “blue light” filling your ears as you watched him next to you. You didn’t have to wake him up just yet. Sure, it was nearing 3:30 in the morning, but you knew he was tired and probably not feeling well.

You let out a soft sigh, sinking into your seat, and slowly reach your hand to cup Anakin’s face, gently stroking his cheek as you felt the warmth of his skin. You didn't notice the subtle, almost imperceptible twitch of his lips under your touch, a drunken smile masked by his feigned sleep.

“You’re frustrating, you know that?” You mumble to him, knowing he won’t respond. “But I still love you. It’s okay. I just know I won’t hear the end of this tomorrow. Which- you owe me. I need my car at some point. But- fuck- I know I’m gonna have to get you up in a second, and I really don’t want to. I’m so tired. Fuck.”

You glance over at him, noticing the grin on his face, and your heart drops slightly. “Fuck off- are you pretending?”

He opens one eye slightly and bursts into laughter, his head hitting the back of the seat while he practically slaps his knee.

“I-I’m so sorry-“ He manages to breathe out, his face hot and red, “I actually was sleeping, but you started talkin,g and I just- I got invested.”

“Uh-huh. Well, parties over. Time for bed.”

“No-“

“Zip it.” You grin, your finger against his lips to shut him up. His eyes glance down to your finger, a mischievous glint forming in his pupils as he presses a soft kiss to your finger.

“Anakin, come on. We gotta go. It’s so late.” You grab his face to get his attention, your stare firm and unwavering against his giggles.

“Okay, okay. We’ll go. Basement’s unlocked.” He kisses the top of your hand, turning towards his car door and attempting to open it.

“Wait- Anakin- I got it.” You turned the car out, rushing around to his side and opening the door for him.

“Here, hold my hand.” You hold your hand out for him, and he smirks, quickly taking it in his hand.

“Gotta buy me dinner first, sweetheart.”

“Anakin, we’re way past dinner. Now come on.” You pull him alongside you, draping your purse on his shoulder as you walk around the side of the house to the basement door.

“God, it’s fucking cold.” He mumbles, his hand slipping from yours and meeting your waist again, “Might need you to warm me up.” You scoff.

“No, Anakin- just need to get you to bed.” Mumbling, you avoid his eye contact and open the door, practically pushing him into it.

“Alright, alright, I’m going Y/N/N. Jesus.” He stumbles through the mudroom, kicking off his shoes and attempting to shimmy off his jacket.

Behind him, you sigh and mutter your help, your fingers slow and deliberate as you peel away the brown leather, noticing its softness and the faint, earthy smell. You hold the jacket under your arm, leaning into his back and resting your head on his shoulder. Anakin leans his own head back, his fingers dancing around to meet yours again as a smile spreads across his lips.

“I missed you.” He mumbles, his voice smooth and raspy. You subconsciously squeeze your legs together a little tighter. “Just hasn’t been the same. Just need to make sure you’re okay. And safe. God, I needed you to be safe.”

Your body shakes from behind him as your breath suddenly hitches in your throat. Afraid he’ll see your wet eyes again, you squeeze his hand a little tighter, feeling the rough texture of his skin against yours. But you know he can feel your tears through his thin shirt. And you hope he chooses not to comment on it. He doesn’t. Anakin's sudden turn sent a jolt through you as his arms pinned yours, his brow a deep furrow, pupils dilated with alarm.

“Stay with me tonight. Please.” He begs softly.

“Anakin-“

“Please. Just tonight. I don’t want to be alone.” You sigh.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep, okay?” You tear your eyes away from his, leaning closer to his chest as he wraps his arms around you. “I can’t stay, Anakin. I’m sorry.” You mumble against him, but he doesn’t respond; he just rubs your back and drops his head to your shoulder.

“Let’s go to bed.” You break the hug, tearing away from him as you lead him to his room.

Stepping into the familiar space, the soft glow of the lamps and the comfortable quiet bring a smile to your face—it never changes. The posters on his wall, the messy drawings near his desk, the random clothes on his floor.

“M sorry it’s messy.” He mumbles as he walks behind you, kicking random things out of the way as he stumbles to the bathroom. “Make yourself comfortable.” The door clicks behind him, and you fall back onto his bed and close your eyes.

How the fuck did you end up here? You squeeze your eyes, attempting to navigate the night somehow. Nothing ever made sense with Anakin- but it always, always made sense. You let your purse drop to the floor as you kick off your sneakers.

“Ben’s gonna kill me.” You groan as you rub your eyes, not caring about the makeup under your fingers

“No, he’s not.” Anakin’s bathroom door practically slams open as he stumbles out of it with nothing but some low-hanging sweats. You shouldn’t look- but you do. And, of course, he smirks.

“Like what you see?” He asks before jumping on the bed next to you and practically putting you into a headlock. You scream in response, giggling at his childish antics. It was well past 4am at this point. Anakin had to be at work at 9.

“Let me go!” You squeal in protest, the feeling of his arms around you a mixture of panic and exhilaration as he holds you tighter, his laughter echoing. He pulls you up, his strong hands gripping your arms, then throws you gently to the other side of the bed next to him.

“God, I’m tired.” He yawns and rolls over to face you, his fingers moving toward your chin while he stares at your lips. “Need some rest.”

“Yeah.” You hiccup.

He leans in, the warmth of his breath a whisper against your skin, his eyes glued to your lips. At this point, mere inches separated you, your heart pounding a frantic rhythm against your ribs as butterflies did somersaults in your stomach. And just as his thumb meets your chin, you break into a coughing fit. You roll over and grab his pillow, coughing aggressively into it. Was it on purpose? Maybe.

His hand meets your back, rubbing gentle circles while you continue to fake your coughs, each one more excruciating than the last.

“Mm- sorry.” You mumble, coming up from his pillow- your face red and eyes watery. “Better get to sleep, Ani.”

“Yeah.” He whispers, his eyes gently drooping as they never leave yours. “Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”

“Sweet dreams, Ani.” You hold your breath momentarily and close your eyes as you press a soft kiss to the top of his head. His skin was soft and warm underneath your lips, and you realize it probably lingered a lot longer than it needed to.

You lie on your back, staring at the ceiling, listening to his soft breaths as he scoots closer to “get comfortable,” his arm brushing against yours. He pulled you close, his legs a comforting weight against yours, arm securely around your torso, his hand resting lightly but possessively on your shoulder. If Anakin could find any possible excuse to cuddle, he would- especially when he was drunk.

Once you heard the soft, rhythmic snores leaving his lips, you carefully began to extract yourself from his bed, moving as slowly as you could to avoid waking him. You sat up slowly, his arms falling into a comfortable position, the quiet stillness of the room broken only by the gentle rustle of the sheets. Unfortunately, his bed was against the wall, and he was the closest to the edge. That would be something else you had to work around.

You shimmied your feet away, slowly inching closer to the wall and out of his grasp. Before scooting further from the man in his bed, you took a second to study his sleeping form, noticing the rise and fall of his chest and the peaceful set of his jaw. In the dim, orange glow of the salt lamp on his nightstand, Anakin's face appeared almost ethereal, his features softened by the soft light. His lips parted slightly, his brows furrowed in a deep frown, his cheek squished into the soft, downy pillow. It’d be difficult to not want to stay.

You finally slid off the bed, your sock-clad feet hitting the cold, smooth wooden floor, the chill seeping into your toes. You snatched your shoes and purse, the leather cool against your skin, then tiptoed to the door, desperate to avoid waking him. The door creaked under your touch, a rusty groan that echoed the finality of your action as you looked at him one last time before sighing and shutting the door. You leaned against the door, squeezing your eyes shut in frustration.

The light turns on. Fuck.

At this point in time, you have 2 seconds to get out of the basement door before Ahsoka, Shmi, or Cliegg confront you about this.

So, you run. Thank god the alarm system had been deactivated (they hadn’t put the new one in). You open the back door and shut it quietly behind you as fast as you could.

“Anakin?” You hear Shmi asked, muffled by the sound of the door.

You raced up the hill beside his house, the bright moonlight reflecting off the wet stones of the path as you pushed through fragrant, moonlit bushes. The fragrant jasmine blossoms brushed against you as you walked through the trellis, then around the corner to your driveway, a sense of calm washing over you. Weaving through the cars, the cold seeped into your socks as you unlocked your front door, but the warmth of your house enveloped you as you slipped inside.

You sank to the floor behind your front door, the weight of the day lifting as you finally caught your breath, the quiet of your home surrounding you. You checked your watch; the faint glow of the numbers illuminated the dark, 5:03 AM. Could be worse. At least you managed to find a secret, third option tonight. No sex, not caught, and you stayed with him long enough he was asleep.

However, little do you know, a certain someone’s younger sister happened to be watching from the upstairs window the whole time. She would save that conversation for later, of course.

The faint sounds of birds chirping signal the rising sun as you finally settle into bed. You’re absolutely determined to sleep in- and so you do.

As the sunlight poured in under your sleep mask, it was too bright to be deemed morning light. You stirred slightly, waning out if your dream-filled haze as images of Anakin warming his hands over a fire began to leave your eyes. You reach up, a fingertip brushing against cool silk, and poke an eye out from under the mask, surveying the bright, sunlit room.

One shoe lay near the vanity, the other by the bathroom door, while your clothes were strewn across the floor in a chaotic pile near the bed, a silent testament to a restless night. Your purse was lopsided on your chair- perfume, coins, and miscellaneous gift cards spilling out of it. The kirkland makeup wipes were left open, a couple dirty ones caked with various shades of lipstick and eyeshadow from the previous day were resting comfortably near the trash can. At least you remembered to unplug your curling iron this time; the scorch marks on the carpet from the last incident were still a fresh reminder of your near-disaster.

With a long, slow stretch, you extend your arms over your head, feeling the tension ease from your shoulders as the mask drops to your neck. Rubbing your eyes and letting out a small yawn, sleep was still taking control of you. With a groan, you flip onto your stomach, the mattress springs protesting beneath you, and grab your phone. The time was 4:36 PM and you had slept the day away. This was what Sundays were for- it didn’t matter. Your eyes glanced down to the 14 messages you had received since you fell into your late slumber.

Ani- 8:46 AM: Thank you for last night. I owe you. Hope you got some sleep. I’m glad we spent that time together. And, Y/N- I’m serious if you ever need anything. I’ll always be here for you.

Mom- 10:32 AM: Honey, I left a quiche in the fridge for when you wake up. Just take your time, everything’s okay. I hope you can rest today. Love you.

Shmi- 10:45 AM: Was that you leaving the basement late last night?

Mom- 10:48 AM: I’m so sorry I texted you- hope I didn’t wake you honey. Just want you to be happy and healthy. I’m worried.

Dad- 11:15 AM: Are you awake? Mom’s acting strange again. She’s worried about you.

Soka <3- 12:05 PM: hey, if you’re feeling up to it we should catch a movie tonight- maybe some mexican food and margs after. lemme know. it’s all totally up to you- whatever you feel comfortable with.

Ani- 12:24 PM: Need me to get your car later?

Harvard’s Elite Scholar- 12:49 PM: Hey Y/N/N, been thinking about you lately. Hope you are doing okay today. If you need absolutely anything I’m always here for you- especially if you need some time away from the family. If you ever want to talk- I’m here. I love you girl- hope this weekend was good for money!

Mom- 1:43 PM: Need anything from the store?

Mom- 2:17 PM: I got you some ice cream. It’ll be good for you.

Dad- 2:46 PM: I just got home. Are you awake?

Benny- 3:05 PM: Can I borrow your calculator?

Benny- 3:07 PM: Nevermind. Found mine.

Ani- 3:53 PM: Hey, got off work early. Need car yet?

“Fuck,” You chuck your phone onto the side of your bed, running a hand through your hair as memories of last night filled your mind.

Anakin’s ‘innocent’ touches, his eyes never leaving yours- unless it waa your lips, his soft snores in your car. And he really begged you to stay with him- telling you that he needed you. The soft glow of his lamp, highlighting every little thing you adored about the man. How could you even begin to think about those text messages?

You leaned back into your pillow and groaned, rubbing your eyes as the sun attempted to find its way into your line of sight once more. Did everyone know your secret? Did Anakin tell them? Why was everyone and everything so fucking weird in Brookline.

With two taps on your bedroom door, you groan even louder as you pull the covers over your head. You eyes were heavy, the yawns persisted. You were still exhausted. The taps continued.

“Who is it?” You croaked out as the door opened slowly.

“Hey- woah. Are you okay?” Ben asked as he welcomed himself into your room, plopping onto the bed beside you.

“Yeah,” You bring the covers up further on your chest, eyeing your clothes on the floor. “Just tired.”

“Y/N-“

“I know it’s well past 4. I had a late night.”

“Are you okay?” Ben scoots closer, his brows furrowed as he surveyed your face for any hint of injury or sadness.

“Ben- I’m fine. Anakin came in last night and got wasted while we played pool- well, it was kinda my fault. Anyways, I had to take him home and I didn’t get to sleep until around 5ish. And this weekend was long. I’m exhausted. I still have to study, do some laundry, pick up my fucking car-“

“Slow down.” Ben smiles, “Everything’s going to be okay. You don’t need to be worried anymore, you’re okay.”

You squint your eyes at his words, an undertone behind them you can’t make out.

“What do you mean I don’t have to be worried?” You lean closer, cocking your head slightly to the side.

“Nothing.” Ben avoids your gaze, moving back and bouncing his knee. “I should probably get going.”

“Ben, wait-“ You attempt to hop up after him- but your eyes dance back to the clothes on your floor. Fuck.

“I hope you rest today. Love you.”

The door shuts, the latch clicking softly in the sudden silence. You aggressively throw yourself back down onto the bed, grabbing the pillow and squeezing it against your face, muffling the scream that rips from your throat. You were beyond frustrated with everyone and everything. You needed to go for a hike, get a coffee, or something. But, of course, you didn’t have a fucking car.

A long, hot shower was just what you needed; the steam filled the bathroom, and the heat soothed your aching muscles. With a few candles casting a warm, gentle light and the calming strains of soft music filling the air, you washed the memories and bad thoughts away. With each stroke of soapy water, the gentle friction a welcome sensation, your mind wandered to those mesmerizing deep blue eyes. The feeling of his rough hands in yours, the way they would feel on your waist, traveling down to your hips.

His fingers would dance on the tops of your thighs, while his calloused fingers kissing the exposed skin on your lower back as he lightly pressed you into him. He’d lean closer, his soft pink lips meeting your collarbone, licking and biting while his fingers finally met the inside of your thigh. You could practically smell his cologne at this point, your knees growing weak at the thought, your thighs squeezing together.

Your eyes shot open at the next song. Mazzy Star. Your breath hitches, a gasp caught in your throat as your hand, still resting gently on your hip, lingers; the soap is long gone. You bite your lip at your thought, the guilt eating you alive as your heart pounds.

Your hand moves lower- it’s not like he’d know. He’s your best friend- and surely he’s thought of you like that before too, right? And it absolutely doesn’t mean anything- you just need that ache between your legs to disappear. Post nut clarity, right? It'll slip your mind; you won't even think about it again. You won’t. Nope. Inch by inch, your fingers make their way down until they reach your clit, and a small gasp escapes your lips. You’re too far gone.

You turn the water off, the shower's warmth still clinging to your skin, and open the curtain to a cool breeze that raises goosebumps on your arms. You grab a towel and some lotion, drying yourself while moisturizing. That Boston dry air was no joke. When your body and hands are dry, you pick up your phone from the counter and check.

Mom- 5:12 PM: Dinner’s almost done.

The time was 5:20. They’re definitely waiting on you.

The sound of your feet pounded on the wooden stairs as you swung into the kitchen, hair dripping and shirt on backward. Your mom raises a skeptical eyebrow, tossing the salad with a practiced flick of the wrist, the scent of vinaigrette filling the air. Your dad's laugh cuts through the quiet, drawing your attention to the table where he and Ben are animatedly discussing some sports nonsense, their words punctuated by the occasional thump of a fist on the table.

“The Celtics are on an amazing run is all I’m saying. We Wouldn’t be anything without Jayson Tatum.” Ben takes a sip of his beer, turning around and eyeing the time on the oven.

“Yeah, but he’s no Kobe, Ben. And the Nuggets are doing so much-“

“Fuck Denver!”

“Ben!” Your mom scolds, putting on her oven mitts and pulling out the steaks that have been searing. “Stop it with that! I personally like Denver, I think Jokic is entertaining.”

“And this is why Dad and Ben won’t talk to you about basketball, Mom.” You reach for the white wine, pouring yourself and your mom a glass while she temps the steak. Your fingers shake around the glass a little, your shower thoughts finding their way back into your mind.

“They’re absolutely perfect! I’ve done it again!” Your mom cuts you out of your trance as she squeals. “Bon appetit, my little ones.” She sets the table with dinner, and you awkwardly take a seat next to Ben.

As you begin to serve yourself and eat, the hair on your arms raises as your eyes dart between the people around you, noticing their hushed whispers and judging stares. Dinner felt oddly quiet without the Skywalkers; the missing laughter and familiar banter hung in the air, but you remained silent. The feeling washed over you again, and you glanced up to find your family silently communicating with exaggerated expressions and hand movements, certain you weren't listening. Your mom motions to you, her red lips forming a tight frown as she looks pointedly at Ben, her eyes narrowed. His eyes went wide, a silent plea in their depths, and then he shrugged, the movement dismissing whatever she had tried to convey without words. Your dad furrows his brows at Ben, rolling his eyes at the audacity of his son.

“So,” Your mom starts, setting her fork down as the loud clatter rings through the unusually silent room. “Y/N, we wanted to- well- as a family, we wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing since you’ve got back. We have been worried.”

Your eyes darted to Ben. He avoids your gaze, his fork pressing checkerboard patterns into his mashed potatoes.

“I-I’m fine. I don’t understand. Is this an intervention for a problem I’m not even aware of?” You giggle slightly, staring down at the tomatoes in your salad. The table does not reciprocate your humor.

“We disagree, honey.” Your dad speaks up, and your breath hitches in your throat. “Did something happen in Hampton?” Your heart drops.

“No. Nothing happened. And I don’t know why you’d think that. And I don’t even know why the fuck we’re having this conversation!” Your voice raises, your knuckles turning white around your fork, “In fact, even if something did happen- which it didn’t- I don’t see how it’s the business of anyone sitting at this table! Can we just eat this fucking food? Mom worked hard. Drop it.”

The table goes silent. Your mom picks up her wine glass and takes a long sip. Ben and Dad glance at each other, their silent conversation infuriating you.

“Fuck this.” You push your plate to the center of the table, getting up and leaving as fast as you could before your tears caught up to you.

The door slammed shut behind you, and you scrambled under the covers of your bed, the cool sheets a welcome relief. The darkness of your room provided solace within your panic. Your heart was heavy, weighing down your chest with each ragged breath you took. Getting air under your covers wasn’t exactly easy, either. But within your panic, your survival instincts had vanished, and you remained where you were.

Did Anakin betray your trust? Could your best friend- your confidante- betray you like this? It didn’t seem possible. But everything began to connect. The glances when they thought you weren’t looking- the constant texts and “whatever you want”, “whatever makes you comfortable”, “as long as you are happy”. Was this all just pity?

The thought hung heavy in the air: they had to know, you concluded, a shiver tracing your spine. Whether Anakin told them, or someone else heard- they knew. They knew and that was bad and they were going to be ashamed of you. They knew and they’d never forgive you for leaving them for a piece of shit like Nick. They knew and they’d hurt you like Nick-

“Y/N?” Ben cracked your bedroom door open, the small sound of your sobs filling the dark space.

“Can I please just get some fucking time to myself?” You croak out, throwing the covers back over yourself.

The moment your tear-filled eyes locked with his, a wave of nausea washed over you; your stomach dropped. His eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot, his hands shook uncontrollably, and his hair was a tangled mess. Ben was the type of person to make you feel unproductive and gross. He smelled immaculate, his hair always long but perfect- smooth and shiny. At one point you went to him for hair advice. He was consistently 15 minutes early for everything, always well rested and read. He prepared for anything and everything.

But right now, Ben looked uneasy- he never looked uneasy. And that terrified you.

“Ben- I’m serious-“

“And so am I. You’re not being honest-“

“Neither are you!” You shout, standing up from your bed and walking towards him, “I don’t understand what you all think is going on.”

“Y/N-“ He cuts himself off, rubbing his chin and shaking his head, “You’re not yourself.”

“What do you mean I’m not myself? What the fuck does that even mean, Ben?”

“Y/N you know exactly what I’m talking about! For fucks sake!” You freeze and Ben stops, letting himself take a deep breath- clearly choosing his next words carefully. “Y/N, you don’t need to hide from me. I know.”

A sickening lurch in your stomach throws you off balance, the intense nausea overwhelming you. Any hint of saliva has vanished from you mouth, your breath caught in your throat as you gaze upon your older brother.

“Ben, I don’t-“

“Fuck, Y/N,are you really going to make me say it? Anakin told me. I know. You don’t have to hide and you could’ve told us for fuck’s sake!”

Ben pauses, his breath catching in his throat as he looks upon your face, your glossy eyes blazing with a newfound rage, hot tears streaming down your cheeks. Your fingernails dug into your palms so hard they were close to bleeding.

“A-Anakin told you?”

“Y/N, wait-“ Ben grabs your arm as you stomp towards the door, his eyes filled with concern, regret, and worry.

“Ben- let me fucking go. This was not Anakin’s place-“

“Y/N, he was fucking worried!” He pleads, his grip tightening on your arm.

“And I don’t give a fuck, Ben! Now fucking let go of me!” You dig your nails into his arm, prompting him to let go.

The second he does, you’re out of there and down the stairs. You don’t even bother to put on shoes, your mind fuzzy with anger. You throw open the front door, your parents behind you watching, probably concerned. You let it slam behind you- hoping that it keeps them from following.

The rough, uneven stone path dug into your feet as you ran, each step jarring you up the driveway and into the side yard. You wiggle the rusty basement door, its cold metal chilling your fingers. Locked. Fuck, this wasn’t going to be pretty. But, alas, you turned the corner and walked to the garage.

Your hands trembled, fingers fumbling on the keypad; the button clicked, and the heavy door groaned open before you. You ducked under it, not even bothering to wait for it to fully open, and walked into the house. Shmi and Cliegg were never ones to say anything- this was typical for you and Ben to do. You turned the corner, the worn wooden banister cool beneath your hand, and ran up the creaking stairs, throwing open the study door to find Anakin exactly where you expected.

“Y/N!” He shot up from his textbook, a yellow pencil tucked behind his ear, “Are you okay? What are you-“

“Anakin, what the FUCK is your problem?” You shove him forward, his brows furrow and his hand grab both of your wrists, holding you in place in front of him.

“Y/N, what-“

“Anakin, how could you? I trusted you?” Your hands shake under his grasp, choked sobs escaping your lips while your eyes search his.

He bites his lip, his eyes fixated on you, a dull ache settling in his chest. At what he caused. His hand finds its way to your back, pulling you close as the sobs wrack your body, the warmth of his touch a stark contrast to the chill of your tears. You freeze under his touch- he told them. Everyone knows.

With a gasp, you shoved him back, a blur of motion, furiously wiping the tears that streamed down your face.

“Fuck you.”

“Y/N, I was just trying to help-“

“Trying to help? Trying to help, huh? Do you really think I’m that fucking incapable? That I can’t tell my own family and friends what happened? No, you had to do it fucking for me! I fucking hate you.”

“Y/N, you don’t mean-“

“Anakin! Will you shut the fuck up-“

“No!” he yelled, his fingers digging into your wrists as he pulled you back. You knew he was seeing red- and you knew he cared. But by god you’d be lying if you said you weren’t terrified at that moment.

“Y/N, you need to shut the fuck up. I know you. You weren’t going to tell anyone and you were going to let it tear you up inside until you were a fucking shell of yourself. You need help- you do. Everyone fucking knows it- and not just cause of me! Yes, I told Ben and Ahsoka, but I’m not sorry. I only care about you.” His grip loosens on your wrist as he searches your red eyes for something.

Your hand swiftly meets his cheek. It stings upon impact and he gasps.

“Fuck you, Anakin. You’re dead to me.”

———————————————

Tags: @w0rsh1psells @ursogorgeous13 @tommyvelvet @mistress-amidala @queenofnigthdarkness @nikkissecretlibrary @doblasftcisco @ann4zw @catachlysmicjedi @googie-jeon @xoxo-hayden-fangurl-xoxo @anakinstwinklebunny @sunnytotheend @malinadbbdh @ladyanaschmidt @endiara06 @hearts4sammonroe @roryheartz

[gothamite-rambler]

Enchantress and Jason chatted lightly just before she prepared to leave.

Jason (anxious to talk to a cool witch): I, um, really like your suit and everything—the green really works for you. If you don’t mind my asking, how did you get your powers?

Enchantress (nonchalant): I was possessed by a witch, and it took a serious toll on my mental health… I even died once because of it, but I’m okay now.

Jason (nervously): You died? What was it like, if you don’t mind sharing?

Enchantress smiled gently, giving Jason a reassuring pat on the arm.

Enchantress: It’s absolutely fine to ask. As for my death? Well... have you ever truly tasted death only to be brought back to life? It’s not exactly a pleasant experience.

Jason (honest response): I can relate to that on a spiritual level.

Enchantress (surprised): So you did die, huh? Not just some zombie like your friend over there claimed?

Jason (nodding slowly): Yeah, I was dead for a bit. Had magic swords for a while because of it, but honestly, I prefer guns and fighting with my fists.

Enchantress (smiling sweetly): Smart boy! That’s a great perspective, you're all right kid. If you ever need help again or want to get a drink together talk to Harley and we can set something up.

She patted Jason on the head before striding off in search of Killer Croc. Jason beamed, covering his face as warmth flooded through him. Bruce, however, sighed in annoyance.

Bruce: So two-face and a woman possessed by a freaking witch make you happy, but I don’t?

Jason: You really need to step up your game, Bruce.

Bruce stormed off, grumbling angrily under his breath.

Duke (wincing slightly, an ice pack over his eyes from Jason’s earlier punch): He just doesn’t get it. Kids view their parents so differently, and Bruce has his walls up all the time.

Jason nodded, chuckling lightly at the truth of Duke's observation.

[imyourbratzdoll]

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲

She was a good mother and a good wife. She always made sure to be there for her husband and son. Yet, he still left her, and the months of adjusting weren’t good. Especially when he treated her like shit, and her son would rather be with his father. Leaving her to slowly drift away, losing herself and hope. Pieces of her slowly dying, as she realises no one would miss her if she were gone.

18+ only please, do not copy, repost or translate our works. You are responsible for your own media consumption. headers are made by me.

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

!warning! This series will include heartbreak, divorce, assumptions of cheating, thoughts of suicide, mentions of drinking, feeling alone and unloved, being treated badly, and maybe smut?

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

𝐅𝐢𝐜𝐬:

part 1 - 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞

೫˚👩��👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

part 2 - 𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

part 3 - 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐦

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

part 4 - 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝?

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

part 5 - 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧

೫˚👩‍👦❀ *ૢ💔೫˚👨‍👦

[taijuslegalwife]

Restart ⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

chapter one.

imaginary friend!Baji x child! Reader

warnings: female reader, usage of female pronouns, bit of angst at the beginning, description of wounds/gore, fluff, rushed again lol

(e/c) = eye color (y/n) = your name

“I’m good, I promise.” 

Those were Baji’s last words before he tiredly shut his eyes for the last time. Almost immediately his senses focused on the way he started to feel himself slip quickly away from life, feeling his warm thick blood gush out of his gaping wound in his abdomen at an alarming pace. It pained him to be forced to listen to his friends mourn and weep for him as he felt himself die. He began to feel colder and colder despite so many warm hands holding him and attempting to squeeze some life back into his body. 

The last thing Baji ever had heard were sirens blaring loudly coming closer to his location and the sound of many men fleeing the scene; the feeling of one pair of hands letting him go was replaced by another who he almost immediately recognized as Kazutora’s. Baji sighed his last shallow breath before the darkness of death consumed him whole.

────── · · ୨୧ · · ──────

When Baji heard sounds of a child playing he immediately opened his eyes, expecting to see a flashback of his life. Instead he was met with the large doe-like (e/c) eyes of a little girl. Baji immediately was stunned at how friendly this strange little girl was when he didn’t even know her. His eyes lit up in pure shock as Baji hurriedly craned his head down towards his abdomen—where his stab wound should be, but he was met with no blood, no wound, no scar even. His hand felt around where he was stabbed but felt nothing, skin as smooth and perfect as if no harm had ever come to it. Baji didn’t even realize it but he had exhaled deeply, resting his worried hand back down onto his lap as a tentative smile crawled up onto his now relaxed face.

Baji then froze again and immediately drew his attention back to the mysterious little girl. Before he could stop himself he accidentally murmured out in a confused tone, “Who the hell are you?” The little girl took no offense to Baji’s rather aggressive word choice and instead happily giggled out, “My name is (y/n)! And you are Mr.Squiggles!!” 

Baji’s brows furrowed a bit as he sweat-dropped at his silly nickname this girl had given him. He blankly pointed to himself and laughed out, “Nah, that doesn’t sound like me. How about you call me by my real name? It’s Baji.” Baji doesn’t tell the random girl his first name since he didn’t expect to get close enough to her for this girl to be able to use it. She frowned for a bit before shuffling closer to him across the large fluffy pink rug resting on the brown wooden floors, grabbing hold of his hands and looking up at her new friend, “I guess I should use wrong names, huh? I hope you like being my first best friend..” He paused a bit awkwardly as the little girl grabbed hold of his cold ghostly hands; he softly eyed her for a moment before verbalizing his current thoughts bubbling inside him, “You do realize I’m dead right? I can’t be your friend.”

(Y/n) froze entirely while her large head slowly moved up as her large doe eyes focused on Baji’s face. She stopped moving entirely as she instead opted for staring at him with wide unblinking eyes and her knees tucked up to her chest as the little girl questioned him despite her increasingly pounding heart being all she could hear, “Are you haunting me? My mom talks about ghosts haunting houses all the time..” Baji’s breath stopped for a moment as he began to internally panic, not wanting the random child to begin crying. He moved his thin pale hand over to her—starting to gently stroke her hair like how his mother used to when he would throw a fit at her young age. He stopped talking for a moment as he only chose to speak when (y/n) looked more at ease with him, “Why would I haunt you? Didn’t you say I’m your friend?”

────── · · ୨୧ · · ──────

chapter 2

omg I hope this doesn’t flop this took forever to come up with!! Anywho let me know if you want to be a part of my tag list lol

REQUESTS FOR ONE-SHOTS/ HEAD-CANNONS ARE OPEN!!

╰┈➤ taglist: @fullmoonblood6 @petuniasmd @tr-mha-fan

[rangerbarbz]

What Are We?

Disclaimer: Welcome to the third part of my series! I am so happy that this story has been receiving love. It means so much to me <3

Summary: As the reader and Ford have their first kiss since admitting feelings to each other, they must answer some questions about their relationship

You struggled to put your keys into the lock of your dorm room door. Ford was peppering kisses along the side of your face as he held you from behind. His strong arms were wrapped around your torso, and his chest was pressed against your back. It was so comforting to be in his arms. The height difference made you feel even cozier.

“Ford, I can’t focus on unlocking this door if you keep doing that,” you chastised him playfully.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to continue this in the hallway then,” he murmured in your ear. As he said that, you pushed open the door, and you two entered your room. Thankfully your roommate wasn’t there because as soon as that door closed, you were pinned against it. He had put his hands on your hips and swapped positions with you so that he was facing you before pressing you gently against the door.

His lips quickly found yours and kissed them passionately. His hands moved up your waist to cup your face in his hands. You ran your hands across his muscular arms to his shoulders and into his hair. It was so soft. You tugged at it slightly earning a small moan from him.  

Dear Lord.

Ford separated from the kiss to look at you. “I’m so sorry if that was forward. I just can’t get enough of you,” he breathed. His face was flustered, and his hair had been severely ruffled. His pupils were dilated again. You were starting to get bashful from the way he was looking at you. His eyes were filled with desire. “You have no idea how long I wanted to do that,” he said, a grin forming on his face.

You smiled. “You have no idea how long I wanted you to do that to me.”

He chuckled. Then, his face turned serious. “Was that a good kiss? Was I too forceful?” You could tell that he was genuinely concerned as to whether he did good or not. (You made sure to make a mental note of that.)

You laughed. “Ford. That. Was. Spectacular.” He smiled at you, the skin around his eyes making the cutest crinkles.

“I’m so glad you thought so, Y/N. I don’t know what took over me. I guess I was just too eager to be kissed by you,” he said, putting his hand behind his neck.

You giggled as you climbed on your bed. You patted on the blanket next to you, gesturing for him to sit down. “Park it, cutie, I have some questions to ask you.” He gave you a toothy smile and sat criss-cross applesauce across from you. “I love answering questions! Ask away.” Ford placed his elbows on his thighs and set his head in his hands.

“Okay, well, how was Ford Pines’ official first kiss?” you asked wiggling your eyebrows. “Was it what you hoped it would be?” Hopefully it was good. You were a bit rusty on kissing since the last guy you kissed was your high school boyfriend.

“Oh, Y/N, it was phenomenal,” he responded dreamily. “How do people not kiss all the time? I want to kiss you every second of every day now.” He inched closer to your face and gave you a quick peck. “That means you’ll be getting 86,400 kisses, so be prepared.”

You couldn’t help beaming back at him. He made you feel like a schoolgirl with a huge crush. “Alright, I’ll make sure to buy a life supply of ChapStick if that’s the case.” You took a deep breath. Now you were getting into the more complicated questions. “So,” you said, intertwining your hands with his. “What are we?”

His eyebrows furrowed back at you in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we have confessed our feelings about each other, went on a date, and had a wonderful first kiss…”

“Yes, we did,” Ford sighed, kissing you on your forehead.

“Okay, so…Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?”

Ford pulled back and looked at you. “I mean,” he started, “I will be whatever you want me to be, dear. If I can be near you, I am content. However, if you don’t feel the same, I will give you the space you need. I am your clay; mold me how you want me to be. I will be okay.” His response was so sincere it made your eyes start welling up with tears.

“Oh, Ford.” You threw your arms around his neck and peppered kisses all over his face. “I want to be with you. I want to be your girlfriend.  I want to tell the world about us. I want everyone to know how in love I am with Ford Pines,” you declared. Ford used his thumbs to wipe away your tears and held your face in his big hands. You leaned into his left one and planted a soft kiss against his palm.

“Then that settles it. We are boyfriend and girlfriend,” he responded, kissing you on your lips. It was a sweet, tender kiss. You were no longer crying and could only focus on how his lips felt against yours.

“I am so glad you feel the same,” you said looking into his big brown eyes. You sat up straight again. “Okay, so I do have some more questions for you.”

“Shoot,” Ford said, listening intently.

“Am I your first girlfriend?” You were afraid to ask the question because you didn’t want to embarrass him, but you wanted to gauge his romantic experience. You figured there wasn’t a lot.

“Ah, yes,” he mumbled. “Never have been smooth with the ladies, unfortunately.” He laughed awkwardly. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way because I’m honored to have you as my first everything.” He smiled fondly at you. You just wanted to smother him in affection.

“You are just too cute,” you giggled. His face grew red. “I wish I could say the same. I dated this dude in highschool for two years. He broke up with me before we graduated because he wanted ‘the real college experience,’” you mocked, putting up air quotations.

Ford chuckled dryly. “That is his loss completely,” he said. “Were you upset?”

You sighed. “Yeah, he broke my heart. I thought he was going to be my forever person,” you replied looking down at your hands. Ford was rubbing his thumb against the back of your smaller hand. It was comforting. “The first day of freshman orientation, I was not excited. That is until I saw you; it was magnetic. I just felt it in my gut that you were going to be in my life.”

You looked into his eyes, and now Ford was the sappy one. He wiped away a single tear. “Oh gosh. I’m sorry. I’m normally not this emotional.” You shushed him and wrapped him in a hug, pressing a kiss against his temple.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart,” you reassured him. “I do have one more thing to ask you, though. I’m like 99% sure I know the answer, but I just wanted to make sure.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you a virgin?”

His face went bright red. “Yes,” he squeaked out.

“Ford, that is nothing to be ashamed of. I figured that. I mean I was your first kiss and girlfriend. I just wanted to make sure. There is nothing wrong with not having sex,” you told him. “I will tell you; I am not a virgin. Does that bother you? You can be honest.” You were a bit anxious about his answer.

“No, of course not. It doesn’t bother me that you’ve had sex. I just hope I live up to your standards,” he said meekly.

You were baffled. “Ford, you could have the sex skills of a trout, and it would still be better than my ex.” Ford busted out laughing, and you began laughing with him. “So don’t feel bad if it takes time for you to get used to sex. It’s all about communication and what feels good to you. My ex was a very selfish love maker and did not care about my needs,” you explained.

“That is such a relief. Thank you for being patient with me, Y/N,” he replied. “I promise you I will cater to your every need.” He began kissing along your jawline. “A body as divine as yours deserves to be worshipped,” he whispered in your ear. A throbbing sensation started in your lower half.

This was going to be a good semester, alright.

Author’s Note: Be prepared for Ford Pines munch bf

[silent-stories]

𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 - 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Summary: When Noah was left alone to take care of his daughter about two years ago, he never thought he would find someone else he would trust enough to include in his little family. But things can change.

Series masterlist

Noah had been texting you all morning, starting with the apologies the moment you woke up and while you were getting ready to go to work.

Noah♡: Fuck

Noah♡: I’m so sorry about last night

His messages came through fast after that, each one more panicked than the last, like he thought you might ignore him entirely or you could never forgive him.

Noah♡: I didn’t mean to fall asleep

Noah♡: I feel like such an ass

Noah♡: Actually, I am

Noah♡: Fuck

Noah♡: Please don’t be mad

He was clearly rattled. You thought he might feel a little guilty about missing dinner but his desperation to make things right surprised you.

Noah usually was the kind of person who could laugh things off and move on. But today, he seemed to be so terribly scared you might be mad at him.

You reassured him right away, telling him that it was fine, that you weren’t upset, but the texts kept coming.

Noah♡: I really wanted to see you

Noah♡: I feel like I screwed this up

Noah♡: I'm so sorry

The more he apologized, the more you started to realize there was something else underneath his words. It wasn’t just about last night, there was a fear there, something deeper. The more he texted, the more you started to piece it together: he wasn’t just scared of messing up the "date", he was scared of losing you.

And you knew that this behavior of his stemmed from the fact that a few years earlier, he had returned home to find it a bit too empty.

Maybe that’s why he was so afraid of screwing things up now: he didn’t want history to repeat itself.

Now, you stood behind the counter of the café, phone buzzing in your hand, trying to figure out how to get him to relax.

You: I’m really not mad

You typed for what felt like the tenth time. But it seemed that, no matter how much you reassured him, he didn’t seem to believe you. He was convinced that this one slip-up would be enough to drive you away. It made your heart ache a little, realizing just how much weight he was putting on this.

You: Everything's fine, I promise. I was just worried something bad happened.

You: I'm glad everything's fine. I'm not mad.

You: What about you come to my place for dinner tonight?

You: Just us and Luna this time.

No new texts appeared on the screen for a moment, then he answered.

Noah♡: Yeah, I'd like that.

Noah♡: We'd like that*

Noah♡: thank you

You: No need to thank me

You: I love you.

The answer this time, came really quickly.

Noah♡: I love you too.

That’s when the bell above the door chimed, and you looked up to see Jolly and Folio stroll in. You smiled, recognizing them immediately as they wandered over, glancing at the menu as if they hadn’t already memorized it.

Jolly caught your eye and grinned. “Hey, thought your favorite costumers would stop by for a caffeine fix,” he said, already pulling out his wallet.

"Hey." Folio waved at you with a small nod in agreement, scanning the pastry case like he hadn’t already tried everything in there.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, my fave is Noah."

"He is not here now. You can stop lying." Folio laughed.

Soon, Folio and Jolly were sitting at the counter, the two of them quietly sipping your coffees.

Nick glanced at you over the rim of his cup, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You know,” he began, his voice casual, “we’re really glad Noah found you.”

You blinked in surprise, but before you could respond, Jolly chimed in, nodding. “Yeah, man. It’s been great seeing him this way. He’s… different now. Definitely happier.”

You smiled softly, feeling warmth bloom in your chest at the thought. “Really?”

“Definitely,” Folio repeated, leaning back in his chair. “You know, after everything that happened with Luna’s mom, he just sort of… I dont know, he blamed himself. He thought it was his fault she left. You are just doing good to him. He's happy now. He's happy when he's with you.”

Jolly nodded. “He felt like he failed. As a father, as a partner. And now... he's just happy."

You listened, realizing more and more how Noah must have felt when he thought you were mad at him.

Jolly took a slow sip of his coffee before setting the cup down with a thoughtful nod. “It’s been really cool to see. I mean, we’ve known Noah for years, and he’s always been the type to just keep going, no matter what’s happening in his life. But since you came around, it’s like he’s more at ease. You can tell he’s genuinely happy. And I know you are taking things slow and you have known him for like... a year? And he's still getting used to the idea that someone actually loves him and is not gonna leave him again. But he is happier now.”

You couldn’t help but smile at that, the thought of Noah feeling that way making your heart lift. “I guess I didn’t realize how much things had changed for him.”

Folio shrugged, his grin widening. “He’s not exactly the type to make a big deal out of it. But we can see it. The way he talks about you, or when he’s just hanging out with you and Luna. The man is just in love."

You nodded, your fingers tracing imaginary drawings on the counter. “I’m glad. I really care about him, and Luna.”

Folio smiled, giving you a knowing look. “We can tell. And honestly, it’s been good for him to have someone who gets that being a good dad is really important to him. You fit into their little universe in a way that just… works.”

Jolly agreed, his tone easy and genuine. “Yeah, it’s like you’re part of the family now. Noah’s happy, Luna’s happy, and, well, we’re happy for him. For both of you.”

You couldn’t help but feel a little lighter at their words, the reassurance settling in. You hadn’t doubted how much Noah cared about you, but hearing from his closest friends made it feel more real, more solid.

“Thanks,” you said quietly, smiling at both of them. “That really means a lot.”

Folio waved it off with a grin. “Hey, no need to thank us. We’re just telling it like it is.”

The conversation shifted after that, naturally flowing into stories about the funny things Luna said recently and the band’s new ideas. The three of you laughed as you served a couple of costumers and they kept sipping their coffees, enjoying the calm of the morning.

After many hours, you finished tidying up the café as the last customer left. It was strange to think it had already been almost three years since the café first opened. Every inch held a memory, from the faint coffee stains on the counter to the tiny plant you’d been struggling to keep alive since day one.

Grace grabbed her bag from behind the counter, giving you a quick, almost begrudging nod. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” you replied, locking up as the two of you stepped outside. The crisp late afternoon air hit you, a refreshing change from the café’s warmth.

You both walked toward your cars in the dimly lit parking lot, and as you did, Grace suddenly spoke up. “Three years, huh? Hard to believe.”

You nodded, smiling a little. “I know. Feels like we should celebrate or something, right? Three years is a pretty big deal.”

She glanced over at you, raising an eyebrow. “You really think people will care?”

“Sure, why not?” You shrugged, already imagining a little celebration. “We could do something small but nice. You know, like a free cookie with every order, or free candies, maybe put up some cute decorations to make it festive.”

Grace tilted her head, her mouth curving into a smirk. “I’ll admit, I’ve seen worse ideas. Might actually bring in some new people.”

You laughed softly, not entirely surprised by her pragmatic approach. “Well, I thought it could be nice to show some appreciation for the regulars too. They’re part of why this place has done so well.”

She crossed her arms, considering it. “Alright, free cookies and some decorations. But nothing too cheesy, okay? No bright streamers or those glitter confetti things that get everywhere.”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Deal. I was thinking about simple things, maybe a few extra plants or flowers around.”

Grace nodded approvingly. “Sounds reasonable. Let’s go over ideas tomorrow, though, after the morning rush.”

You agreed, feeling happy at the idea of adding a little extra warmth to the café. This place had become a second home, and celebrating that felt right.

As you each unlocked your cars, Grace gave you a rare smile, albeit a small one. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah,” you replied, returning her smile. “See you, Grace.”

With one last wave, you climbed into your car, thinking that before deciding what to do for the café anniversary you wanted to get ready for a perfect dinner with Noah and Luna.

That evening, in the kitchen, you prepped a simple but warm meal, setting the table with a couple of candles to make things feel a bit cozier - and because you always loved candles. You wanted everything to feel comfortable, something that would make Noah happy and put Luna at ease, being her first time at your house.

When you heard the soft knock at the door, you could already imagine Noah on the other side, probably looking a little nervous, one of his hands stuffed in his pockets, the other holding Luna's one, trying not to show just how much he had worried himself into knots all day as you knew he did.

Taking a quick breath, you opened the door to find Noah standing there with Luna next to him. She was clutching her little stuffed bunny, her eyes lighting up the second she saw you.

"Hi!" She waved at you, and you smiled.

“There they are,” you said softly, smiling as you stepped forward.

Noah’s eyes met yours, and he looked almost hesitant, as though he were still unsure if you were really okay with everything that had happened. Before he could say a word, you stepped closer, standing on your tiptoes and wrapping your arms around his neck in a warm, reassuring hug. He held on to you, his relief almost palpable as he relaxed against you. Leaning up, you pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Hey." He smiled.

“Hey. I know its been only two days but I missed you,” you whispered, pulling back just enough to look at him.

He looked down at you, a small, relieved smile finally spreading across his face. “I missed you too. I’m sorry again, I really—”

You placed a finger over his lips. “Don't be stupid and stop apologizing. Come in.”

You stepped aside, holding the door open as they walked in, Luna looked around with curiosity, and she waved her plushie around as if introducing him to the house too.

After setting her down, Noah glanced around, still looking a little uncertain, but with each second, he seemed to relax more and more. The smell of dinner filled the room, and he raised his brows, sniffing the air with an appreciative grin. “Something smells amazing.”

“I tried my best,” you said, leading them both to the dining table where you’d set everything up with warm dishes and cozy candlelight.

Luna, always observant, tilted her head and pointed a tiny finger at the flickering candles. “Look, daddy, magic lights!”

Noah chuckled, a soft laugh you hadn’t heard in only a couple of days and you realized iu missed more than anything. He leaned down to her level, nodding. “Yeah, they are. Careful though, okay? We don’t want to get too close.”

She nodded, her eyes still on the candle.

The three of you settled at the table, and Noah helped Luna into her little chair beside him. As you began to serve the food, Noah glanced at you, his gaze filled with appreciation and something softer, deeper.

For a while, you just ate, comfortable silence settling between bites, the clinking of cutlery and Luna’s occasional little gasps of excitement over the meal filling the room.

At some point, Luna’s face lit up with excitement as she remembered something important. She turned to you, her eyes wide and sparkling.

“Guess what?” she said, bouncing a little in her chair.

“What?” you replied, grinning at her enthusiasm.

“We’re going to the zoo tomorrow! With everyone from class! Daddy says there’s gonna be giraffes and elephants and…” She paused for dramatic effect, leaning closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. “And unicorns.”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, glancing at Noah, who was stifling a smile himself. “Unicorns, huh?”

Luna nodded, her expression serious. “Yes! I’m gonna find them. They’re hiding, but I’ll see them for sure.”

“Well, then, I guess you’ll have to tell us all about it tomorrow,” you said, giving her an encouraging nod.

She nodded eagerly, taking a determined bite of her food, clearly already planning her adventure. Noah reached over, a warm smile on his face as he ruffled her hair gently.

As you all continued to eat, Noah glanced at you, his hand resting on yours. “I was thinking,” he began, giving you a soft smile. “Since I’ll be dropping Luna off early for her big zoo day, maybe I could pick you up and drive you to work? Stay a bit and grab something? If your coworker is not gonna kick me out.”

Your smile widened, warmth filling you as you met his eyes. “That sounds perfect. Thank you. And I'll protect you from Grace, don't worry.”

Noah laughed.

“Daddy always puts his music in the car!” Luna added, rolling her eyes a little.

You stifled a laugh, glancing at Noah with a playful smile. “Oh, I see, someone’s got a bit of an ego, huh?”

Noah chuckled, giving you a mock-offended look. “Hey! I'm just trying to raise her with the right music taste, thank you very much.”

You all laughed together, the table filled with easy warmth and conversation as Luna continued sharing all the animals she’d meet.

Noah caught your eye, his smile still lingering as he shook his head, clearly taken by his daughter’s antics. It was a simple moment, but it made everything feel… right. Like this was exactly where you both were supposed to be.

After dinner, Luna clambered down from her chair and, wandered into the living room, where she promptly set herself up in front of the TV. She leaned back, her little legs crossed as you offered her the remote, and she started pressing buttons until her favorite cartoon appeared. Soon, her laughter and excited chatter filled the room as she became absorbed in her show, completely at home.

You started gathering the dishes, but Noah stood up, gently placing a hand over yours. “Hey, let me help.”

You gave him a soft smile, nodding as the two of you worked together. Once the dishes were done, you both found yourselves in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, a quiet calm settling between you.

He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck with that same, slightly awkward expression he always wore when he was working up to saying something important. “I don’t think I can say it enough, but… thank you. For tonight. And… for not being mad.”

You shook your head, reaching up to brush a few stray locks away from his eyes. “Noah, stop it. For real. You don’t have to thank me. I understand. You are a dad, a singer, a songwriter and a boyfriend. And sometimes you are just tired. I understand. That doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. You are great at all these things.”

His shoulders relaxed as he let out a soft breath, finally letting the guilt slip away. “I just… I keep thinking that I’ll screw things up somehow. And I know I shouldn’t. But I do.”

“I know,” you replied softly, your fingers tracing light circles on his arm. “But I’m not going to leave over one missed date, okay? You’re stuck with me. And it was not even a date. Nick would have probably kept talking about the first time he went to the coffe shop and I poured a whole cup on him by accident.”

He chuckled, his gaze softening. “Good. Because I don’t want to mess this up. You mean… you mean a lot to me.”

You stepped closer, slipping your arms around his waist as you looked up at him, your face inches from his. “I’m here, Noah. For you and for Luna. I’m not going anywhere.”

He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. You could feel his heart beating steadily under your cheek, his warmth seeping into you.

As the two of you stood there, wrapped up in each other, Luna’s cheerful laugh drifted in from the living room, and Noah glanced in her direction, his eyes softening with the quiet pride he felt whenever he looked at her.

He smiled down at you, his voice low and filled with a quiet sincerity. “You know… I like this. The three of us. Like now.”

You squeezed his hand, giving him a gentle smile. “Good. Because I like it too.”

The rest of the night passed in a haze of warmth and laughter. You joined Luna on the couch, letting her explain every plot twist of her cartoon to you with animated hand gestures and gleeful expressions. Noah sat beside you, his hand resting comfortably on your thigh, his thumb gently brushing against it.

Eventually, Luna’s eyelids started to droop, and Noah carefully scooped her up, cradling her against his chest as she mumbled sleepy goodbyes to you. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, murmuring soothing words as she settled into his shoulder with a content sigh.

Before he left, he turned to you, his face illuminated by the dim hallway light. “Even if you said I didn't have to thank you...thank you.” he whispered.

You nodded, pressing one last soft kiss to his lips before he stepped out into the night, Luna sound asleep in his arms.

As you closed the door behind them, you felt a sense of warmth settle deep within you, a sense of home that lingered long after they had gone.

The next morning, you waited by the door until you caught sight of Noah’s car pulling up in front of your place. The second you got in, he leaned over to give you a quick, gentle kiss, his eyes soft and warm, the early sunlight making the messy hair poking out from under the hood of his hoodie look even softer than usual.

"Good morning," he murmured with a smile.

"Morning," you replied, leaning in for one more kiss before he started the drive. You felt completely at ease, like the night before had cemented something new and wonderful between you.

“I wonder if Luna found the unicorns yet” you teased, breaking the comfortable silence in the car.

He let out a soft chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh, definitely. She was up all night practicing her ‘unicorn call’ just in case she needed it today. I think half the house is covered in glitter now.”

“She's dedicated, I’ll give her that,” you laughed.

As Noah pulled into a parking spot near the café, you noticed some activity across the street, where the old bookstore had been vacant for years. A couple of large moving trucks were parked out front, and people were carrying in boxes, furniture, and various pieces of equipment, and you couldn’t help but stare, wondering what might be going in there.

“Look at that,” Noah said, nodding toward the trucks as he put the car in park. “Guess someone finally decided to put that old place to use.”

“Yeah… wonder what it’ll be,” you mused, squinting to try and catch a glimpse of something that would give you a clue.

“Another cafè. To give you competition.” he joked, raising an eyebrow with a grin.

You rolled your eyes. “It’s a pretty big space, maybe it’s a gym or something.”

“Oh, please. This area’s too small for another gym. Maybe… a little art studio? Some kind of gallery, even?”

“Ooh, a gallery would be nice. You could go all broody, stare at abstract paintings, and pretend you totally understand what they mean,” you teased, nudging him.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Or, I could bring you along and make you explain the art to me. I’ll just stand there, nodding like I know what I’m talking about.”

“I’d pay to see that,” you replied, chuckling. “Though, I wouldn’t mind a new bookstore. I always liked the smell of all those old books in there.”

“Now that,” he nodded, “would be amazing. We could take Luna, let her pick out her own books.”

You could both easily imagine it: a cozy bookstore, shelves filled to the ceiling with everything from children’s books to novels. For a moment, you both stood there, imagining it.

Then, he glanced at you, a soft smile lingering on his face. “Whatever it is, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

With that, the two of you headed into the café. As you stepped inside, you flicked on the lights, taking in the familiar warmth of the place.

You moved behind the counter as you started getting things ready for the morning crowd. “So… I was thinking about an idea for the café’s anniversary. It’s been three years already, and Grace kind of agreed to a little celebration.”

Noah leaned on the counter. “Yeah? What did you have in mind?”

“Well, something simple. I was thinking free cookies or little treats, some decorations, maybe some plants or flowers around the place to give it a warm touch.”

He nodded, his gaze thoughtful. “Sounds perfect, honestly. And if you need help with anything, I’ve got some stuff I could bring to add to the decorations. Old fairy lights, purple and pink, they were in my bedroom once, and some stuff we don’t use anymore.”

You perked up at that. “Really? That would be amazing. I think it’d add a lot. This place could use a little extra magic for the event.”

He smiled, reaching out to squeeze your hand. “Consider it done. I can bring them tomorrow, and we can figure out where to put everything.”

“Thank you,” you said softly.

He shrugged, his thumb brushing lightly over your knuckles. “Anything for you. For this place too. It’s part of us, you know? It's where we met. If this place hadn't existed maybe we would never have met.”

You looked down, smiling softly as he held your hand, thinking about his words. “I don’t know about that,” you said, glancing back up at him. “Have you ever heard of the red string theory?”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Yeah. I haven't heard of it since I was a kid though.”

You nodded, leaning on the counter a little closer to him. “It's about people who are meant to meet—soulmates, if you want to call them that—that are connected by an invisible red string. No matter where they are in the world, that string brings them together eventually. No matter what happens.”

Noah’s expression softened as he listened, his thumb absently tracing gentle circles on your hand. “So… you’re saying that even if this café wasn’t here, or if we’d missed each other somehow, we’d still end up meeting? Just… somewhere else?”

You nodded. “Exactly. Maybe it would’ve been a random bookshop, or in line at the grocery store, or at one of Luna’s school events. But, one way or another, we would’ve crossed paths.”

He smiled, a warm, almost awed look in his eyes. “Mh. I like that."

“I like that too,” you said softly. “And I think it’s true, you know? Like, we may not see it, but I believe there are little connections and coincidences all around us, nudging us in certain directions, bringing us closer to the people we’re supposed to know.”

Noah glanced around the café, as if seeing it with fresh eyes. “So, if it wasn’t this place, it would have been somewhere else… but, somehow, we’d find each other. I like that,” he repeated, his voice a gentle murmur, "I like thinking I would have found you anyway. And you would have found me."

Your smiled at that, nodding.

Then, you started getting ready for the day, giving Noah his usual tea and changing the little sign on the door from "closed" to "open".

A few people came in as the morning rolled on, and every now and then, someone would recognize Noah, offering a friendly wave or a shy smile. He didn’t mind, casually greeting a couple of fans and even pausing to take a quick photo with one, all while chatting with you as you worked.

The thing you were sure of was that the days at work you spent with Noah sitting at the counter next to you were always the best.

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[bellarkeselection]

1 - Long Time No See

Part 2

The Sheriff’s Daughter

Tag list ( send an ask to be added ) @child-of-of-the-sunshine @hcwthewestwaswcn

Pushing the main door opened that belonged to the Sheriff’s department of Montana. I walked past the front desk to my fathers office door lightly kicking it open rather than knocking. “Morning daddy, so what cases do we have to work on today?”

“Nothing too serious for now, honey. I mostly just have paperwork needing to be filled out.” My father said leaning forward in his chair at his wooden desk. A stack of papers was in front of him from previous cases needing to be documented.

I sit down in the seat on the other side of his desk. “Well I can help you with some of the paperwork.”

“You don’t have to do that. Trust me you do enough here already. Much more than your mother or sister care for.” He raised a hand grabbing a pen beginning to fill them out.

From my junior year of high school I knew that I wanted to help my father and be in the police department like he was. My sister Debbie and our mother weren’t big fans of the concept and still aren’t to this day. Only difference is now I am old enough to do whatever I want regardless of their approval. “Daddy, from the day I turned 16 I knew I wanted to be like you. Let me help you please.”

“Honey, I just don’t want you to be missing out on life cause of this job. You’re a great help but remember to live your life outside of work too.” My father removed his hat, sending me a smile.

Sending him a smile back. “I know that, daddy.”

“Excuse me, sir.” We both turned our heads seeing his front desk assistant standing in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt your conversation. But Mr. Dutton is here to pick up his updated gun permit paperwork.”

My father Donnie raised a brow. “John?”

“No, sir. It’s his son Kayce.” She answered his question.

I nearly jumped up where my head hit the ceiling and I knocked the wooden chair down where it clattered to the floor. “Kayce’s back in town.” She stepped out of the way when I bolted past her down the short hallway.

“The boss should have everything already filled out for you.” The other front desk assistant spoke towards someone.

I rounded the corner halting in my tracks and the boots I was wearing shrieked against the ground. I gasped slapping my hands on the sides of my hips not expecting to see him back here. “Well I’ll be. Look who the horses and cattle dragged in.”

“Y/n! Hey, long time no see.” The younger Dutton turned his head in the direction of my voice, noticing me standing there in some ripped blue jeans and a deputy jacket.

I pushed part of the hair of my ponytail out of my line of sight. “I thought you’d skipped town years ago, Dutton.”

“And leave you permanently to entertain yourself, that'd be a crappy friend of me.” Kayce strides over to me holding open his arms and we embrace the other in a warm hug. Kayce and I had been ready close back in school. Not exactly what you would call a best friend but we were almost close to being that until he got a girl pregnant and we lost touch after that.

I remember the last time we were really close with one another…I’ll always remember it.

The school bell rang and everyone came rushing out of the local Montana high school with me heading outside looking for my father’s truck. That afternoon was very important for my father since he would find out if he had become the new sheriff or not. Sitting down on the metal bench outside I put my backpack down at my feet. “Y/n, what are you still doing here?”

“Waitin’ for my father to pick me up.” Whipping my head around I saw Kayce come out of the back door of the school carrying his duffel bag on his left shoulder.

He gestured with his freehand to the side of the bench that I wasn’t using. “Can I sit?”

“Sure.” Scooting over I made room for him where we sat down next to each other.

He leans back on the seat. “I’m surprised to not see Bridget or Marlowe with you.”

“Marlowe is at home sick and Bridget has cheerleading practice. What about you, cowboy. What are you doing?” I asked him with a curious look on my face.

The son of a rancher answered. “I was heading home. My father and I need to talk about something…something that might change quite a few things depending on how he reacts.”

“Hopefully your father won’t be too angry with whatever you did. And don’t worry if things go south I’ll have your back.” I nudged his shoulder with mine chuckling lightly at him.

Kayce ran a hand through his curly brown hair. “So you’re really gonna work for the sheriff’s department?”

“If I’m lucky enough, yes.” Clasping my hands together in front of me, shifting my gaze up to meet his deep brown eyes feeling my face turning red. “Kayce, can I tell you something?”

He nodded his head simply yes. “Anything.”

“Kayce, I have been thinking lately and I…I think I might be starting to have feelings for y-” I get cut off short when a truck horn honked and we both turned our heads towards the sound.

My father’s truck was parked there with him rolling down the window. “Y/n!, are you ready to go?”

“Uh coming dad.” Snatching my bag off the ground and on my back I waved bye to the rancher. “I'll see you later, Dutton.”

Kayce waved bye to me. “Bye Haskell.” Shutting the passenger truck door I slumped down in my seat glancing back at him outside my window as we drove off considering that was the day I realized I should have told him how I felt sooner.

Kayce and I separated from each other still holding the same familiar smile after seeing the other years later. Kayce stared down at me about to say something before someone came around the front desk. “Dad, when are we going back to the ranch?”

“Dad. You have a kid?” Knitting my brows together I couldn't fathom the words.

He nodded seeing a boy that had similar hair color to him but his eyes were a darker brown. “Hi, I’m Tate. What’s your name?” The kid waved standing beside his father’s hip.

“I’m Y/n. It’s nice to meet you.” I waved to the little boy.

Tate moved his head up tugging his father’s sleeve. “Do you want to come see the ranch with us?”

“Oh Tate, I don't think she’s free. She’ll probably have to get back to work.” Kayce trailed off sending me a half smile.

Shrugging my shoulders I cut him off. “I’m not busy at the moment. My father - the sheriff is just filling out paperwork for the afternoon. If he needs me he’ll call me through my radio.”

“Okay then let’s go.” Tate spun around on his feet, he grabbed my wrist trying to drag me outside the door with him.

I gently yanked my wrist from his gesturing my head down the hallway I had come from. “I’ll just double check with my boss and I’ll meet you two out at your dads truck okay.”

“Sounds good. Come on, kid.” Kayce pushed Tate towards the door, sparing a glance at me before I went around the corner back to my father’s office.

Knocking on the sheriff office door, creaking it open slightly, seeing my father was still working on his paperwork. “Dad, I’ll be back later. Heading to the Dutton ranch.”

“Be careful out there. The Dutton’s are known to be trouble.” He sent me a look.

I sent him a military salute without another word to him. “Don’t I know it.” We had to cover up more of their problems then any other ranch family, but I respected what they did to keep their land.

Comments really appreciated ❤️