#genuinely i just drew too much angst

[justanotheryellowsoul]

Loop tells Siffrin they ate a star once and Siffrin gives it a go too (pictured offscreen is Loop chasing them around camp)

[todayisafridaynight]

the elderly and their matching gloves

[tbaluver]

Hi ree 🤭

Can I request y/n flinching during an argument when the boys make a sudden movement. Give it a happy ending pls.

I'm craving some angst with fluff on the side.

Has to be served by u tho 😭🌹

Flinching During An Argument- The Love And DeepSpace Men

parings in order: Xavier x Reader, Zayne x Reader, Rafayel x Reader, Sylus x Reader genre: slight angst with some fluff/ comfort ! a/n: HIHI TEE !! ily (∩˃o˂∩)♡ i hope this was okay and i hope i served and if not im soso sorry and this doesn't exist ദ്ദി ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ ) any likes and reblogs are always appreciated! enjoy!

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Xavier:

It was your first argument with Xavier and you’d never seen this side of him. His usually warm, soft eyes narrow into a piercing glare, losing their usual kindness and sleepiness to it. You had always believed that you and Xavier would never argue, yet here you were, caught in a heated argument. Frustration had clouded both your minds, leaving both to forget what the initial problem even was. The emotional exhaustion was palpable and you both were weary from the conflict.

In an attempt to reconcile, Xavier reached out to pull you closer and offer an apology. His sudden gesture was unexpected and made you flinch. The movement was too abrupt, causing you a momentary surge of anxiety. You recoiled back slightly, your body tense.

His eyes widened in shock at your reaction. Instantly, he withdrew his arm, staring down at his hands as if they had betrayed him. Hurt and confusion on his face were palpable, as if he committed an offense. “Are you okay?” He asked softly, “I’m so sorry if I scared you. Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

The frustration that had marked his earlier expression melted away and was replaced by the tender, sincere face you knew and loved. As your mind began to process the sudden shift and the context of his actions, you realized that his outstretched arm had been an attempt to offer comfort.

“I’m sorry you thought I’d hurt you,” Xavier says, his voice weighted with sincerity. “I promise I will never do that. I don’t know what I did to make you feel this way, but I’m committed to doing whatever it takes to be a better boyfriend.”

Seeing the genuine remorse in his eyes, you stepped forward closer to him, your heart aching for him. Gently, you cupped his cheek in your hand, feeling the warmth of his skin under your palm. “You’re not a bad boyfriend,” You reassured him, your voice soft and soothing. Xavier nuzzled into your hand, a small grateful small forming on his lips. "I know you would be the last person in this world to hurt me. It was just out of instinct, I’m sorry.”

The tension between you began to dissolve, bridging the gap that had formed during the argument. "Then let’s promise to never argue ever again,” He says, locking your eyes with yours. “I didn’t like it one bit.”

You nod with a soft smile as he reaches out to take your hand in his, holding it close. “We’ll find a better way to handle things. I love you too much to let anything come between us.” You both drew closer, wrapping each other in an embrace. He presses his lips gently on your forehead to remind you.

Zayne:

Zayne loves you very much. He may not always express it in words, but his actions always speak volumes and the way he takes care of you shows how deeply he cares. Most of your arguments tend to revolve around your wellbeing and the way you don't take care of yourself properly. When you're stubborn and brush off his concerns, it frustrates him further.

Tonight it seems like the frustration built up and Zayne who usually speaks with a gentle tone towards you, finds himself slightly raising his voice for the first time. It was out of a mix of desperation and concern for you. He raises his hand to fix the collar of his button up shirt. He tugs at the collar and tries to smooth it out, adjusting it. However, the sudden movement is mistaken by you in the heat of the moment. Seeing Zayne’s hand come up, your heart skips a beat and a rush of panic comes through you. At the moment, the gesture felt threatening as if he was trying to strike you. But deep down you know Zayne would never hurt you but rather the fear of the unknown makes you flinch. You take a step back, your eyes wide and your body tense.

Zayne notices your reaction and his face falls. The realization of his innocent gesture was misinterpreted and hits him like a wave. His throat tightens and he struggles to find the right words as he tries to reassure you. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” His hand lowers and he swallows hard. His eyes were a mix of regret and exhaustion. The tension in his gaze is palpable, clear even without words. “I’m sorry,” He says, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I was just fixing my collar. I would never hurt you. Please, don’t think that. Forgive me my love.” His eyes lock onto yours, pleading for you to see the truth in his expression.

You can see the pain in his eyes, his usually composed demeanor has cracked under the weight of your misinterpretation. The fear in your chest slowly begins to disappear as you recognize his genuine remorse and the depth of his feelings.

As you speak, your body relaxes. "I'm sorry. I don't really know why I did that" You admit, letting out a sigh. You blink a few times, trying to prevent the tears that threaten to spill.

Zayne watches you with a soft, concerned look. He takes a deep breath, stepping closer to you. "May I?-"

You nod, and he closes the distance between you, enveloping you in his arms. He pulls you in a little tighter, his hands resting soothingly on your back.

"It's alright you do not have to know." He sighs, pressing a kiss at the top of your head as he rubs soothing circles on your back. "I promise you, I would never do such a thing. Please let me make it right my love."

Rafayel:

Usually your arguments were nothing more than just playful banter, something that was brushed off with laughter. But today, something was different about this argument. The conversation escalated into a heated argument, with both of you frustrated. The words you threw at each other were sharper, the silence afterward heavier.

Rafayel’s hands lifted to ruffle his hair out of frustration but it seemed to heighten the tension. You backed away, closing your eyes and turning your head, trying to shield yourself from a possible hit or a burn.

Seeing your reaction, Rafayel’s expression immediately softened. His hand dropped to his sides, and felt the sting of regret and concern pierce through his frustrations. He realized the impact of his actions so he steps forward with a sense of urgency, his heart pounding with a mix of worry and desperation. Without hesitation, he pulls you into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around you to reassure his need for you.

You nestled into his chest but your body remained tense from the argument’s intensity. “Cutie…You know I would never hurt you, right?” His voice was a mix of hurt and worry, trembling slightly as if his worst nightmare came true—losing you again. The thought of having you scared of him, after losing you once before, made him desperate to keep you in his embrace to prevent you from ever leaving him ever again.

He gently pulls away, his hands cupping your face with tenderness. His fingers stroked your cheeks softly and his gaze filled with a mixture of relief as he saw you relax against him. “You don't need to be scared,” He murmured, “I’m here to protect you. I promise I'll make it up to you.” The sincerity in his eyes and the gentle caress of his hands were a silent vow to ensure you felt safe and loved.

Later on that day he apologized in Glubglubnese, Popoposh, and Blublublun to start off by making it up to you.

Sylus:

You and Sylus had your fair share of arguments and you both always managed to talk things through and reach a compromise. This time, however, this disagreement delta relentless back-and forth that seemed to stretch on forever.

His scowl and the tone in his voice was unsettling. The room fell into an uneasy silence until Sylus brought a hand to his forehead, massaging his temples. At that moment, you made a mistake. To his hand raised, you flinched, fearing it was to use his evol on you or something worse. 

Instinctively, you crouched down and shielded yourself with your arms, overwhelmed by a wave of shame and fear. You knew deep down that he would never hurt you, but your  reflexes were too strong to ignore. With your face hidden, you missed the hurt and regret that clouded Sylus’s eyes. He took a deep breath, his voice softening as he stepped closer to you.

“Sweetie….” He says, his tone filled with sorrow. “Please, look at me.”

When you finally dared to meet his gaze, the intimidation was gone. He crouched down to your level, his expression soft and tender. He reached out, gently cupping your face and tucking a stray hair behind your ear. He sighed in relief knowing you didn’t flinch this time when he approached you.

“I would never hurt you,” He extends his hand, helping you up to your feet. As you stood, he pulled you into a heartfelt embrace. “How could I ever do that to someone I love so deeply? I would never forgive myself.” You rested your head against his chest and the familiar scent of him enveloped you, soothing your nerves. Sylus’s hands moved gently through your hair and traced comforting circles on your back that offered a silent apology and reassurance. In that moment, the argument was forgotten and replaced of a sense of tenderness.

[reidmarieprentiss]

Finding Home Again: Part One

Summary: Y/N meets Spencer Reid when she is 11-years-old, her older brother, Adam, is his classmate and friend. They reconnect at Adam's wedding.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Category: fluff, angst, one bed trope

Warnings/Includes: mild bullying, name calling, bisexual spencer reid (it's canon to me), wedding activities, swimming in underwear, alcohol consumption, reader wears a dress, suggestive content (16+), commitment issues, emotionally unavailable parents, bad relationship with parents, confrontation

Word count: 12.4k

a/n: part two is here!!

main masterlist

Spencer Reid was a terrified 8-year-old freshman in high school. As he navigated the crowded hallways, his small frame was easily overlooked, but his presence still drew strange looks and whispered comments. He felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place, his heart pounding with every step. By the end of the day, he still hadn't had a single student offer any help or kindness to him. 

His last class of the day was Algebra 2, and he felt a flicker of hope. Math had always been his sanctuary, a place where numbers and equations made sense when nothing else did. When he walked into the classroom, he noticed that there was assigned seating. Relief washed over him; at least he wouldn't have to struggle to find somewhere to sit.

As everyone got settled in, Spencer found his assigned seat next to a tall, friendly-looking boy. Before he had a chance to take out his notebook, the boy turned to him and smiled warmly.

"I'm Adam," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.

Spencer looked at the hand and then back up at Adam, feeling a wave of anxiety. "Hi, I'm Spencer, and I don't shake hands," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Adam laughed, not in a mean way, but with genuine amusement. "Hi, Spencer who doesn't shake hands. It's nice to meet you."

Spencer felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. For the first time that day, he felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, high school wouldn't be so bad after all.

— 

Y/N had spent the past few years immersed in the bustling streets and rich culture of Paris, attending a prestigious boarding school that promised to refine her language skills and broaden her horizons. Yet, despite the allure of the City of Light, she often felt the sting of loneliness, her parents' distance echoing even across the ocean. Now, at age 11, she was returning home a month earlier than the American school year ended, her heart a mix of exhaustion and anticipation.

As the chauffeur-driven car pulled up to the grand but cold mansion in the suburbs of Las Vegas, Y/N's heart sank. She had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that her parents would be there to greet her. Instead, the familiar figure of their chauffeur, Robert, was the one to open the car door.

"Welcome home, Miss Y/N," he said with a polite smile.

She forced a smile in return, hiding her disappointment. "Thank you, Robert."

Dragging her feet along the paved path, she entered the house, its opulence doing little to warm the cold emptiness she felt. She made her way to the living room, hoping to find solace in the familiarity of home, but instead, she was met with the unexpected sight of her brother, Adam, and a group of his friends, hunched over textbooks and notebooks.

"Hey, Y/N!" Adam greeted her with a grin, looking up from his textbook. "Welcome back!"

"Hi," she replied, her voice flat. She was too tired and too upset to muster any enthusiasm. Her eyes scanned the room, seeing the familiar faces of her brother's friends that she’d seen in pictures he’d sent. When her eyes finally landed on a boy who was clearly much younger than the rest, with tousled brown hair and a slightly awkward demeanor. He looked up, meeting her gaze with a mixture of curiosity and shyness.

“Who are you?” Y/N hadn’t meant to be rude, she was just slightly shocked to see someone her own age among the older boys.

"This is Spencer," Adam introduced, gesturing to the boy. "Spencer, this is my sister, Y/N. She just got back from Paris."

"Hi," Spencer said softly, offering a small, tentative smile.

"Hi," Y/N replied, her frustration momentarily forgotten as she took in the boy who seemed as out of place in their luxurious home as she felt. "Nice to meet you."

"Sorry we're invading the living room," Adam said, noticing her weariness. "We're just cramming for finals. Spencer here is a genius when it comes to math and science, so he's been helping us out."

Y/N nodded, her exhaustion catching up with her. "It's fine. I just need to rest, so please, no screaming about fractions."

She turned to head upstairs, her feet thudding against each step as she climbed. She couldn't help but feel a pang of envy towards the study group, wishing she had that kind of camaraderie during her time in Paris. They didn’t take well to American’s, no matter how long she was there nor how fluent she spoke. But more than anything, she wished her parents had cared enough to be there when she came home.

—

The summer before his senior year stretched out long and hot, with the air thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and the hum of cicadas. Adam, now balancing a job cleaning pools and the pressures of preparing for SATs, ACTs, and college applications, found his days filled to the brim. He wasn't working for the money; his parents' wealth ensured he never had to worry about that. But he wanted to break free from the golden cage, to carve out a future where he wasn’t reliant on his parents.

Y/N watched from the sidelines as her brother’s schedule became increasingly packed. She missed the days when they would goof around together, but understood that Adam had his own life to lead. Meanwhile, Spencer Reid found himself spending more and more time with Adam. Spencer wasn't old enough to work yet, but his days were equally busy with preparations for the same academic hurdles.

One hot afternoon, Adam and Spencer were sitting on the back porch, textbooks and notes spread out between them. Adam was explaining a particularly tricky math problem, his hair falling into his eyes as he spoke. Spencer listened intently, his eyes occasionally flicking up to Adam's face, a subtle admiration in his gaze.

"Got it?" Adam asked, looking over at Spencer with a friendly smile.

Spencer nodded, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "Yeah, thanks. You're really good at explaining things."

Adam laughed lightly, clapping Spencer on the back. "No problem, buddy. We make a good team, huh?"

Spencer's heart skipped a beat at the casual touch, his mind racing with unspoken feelings. "Yeah, we do."

Their interactions were always like this—simple, friendly, but with an undercurrent of something more for Spencer. He couldn't help the crush that had developed, even though he knew it was impossible. Adam was older, focused on his future, and saw Spencer as a friend, maybe even a little brother.

One day, as they were packing up their study materials, Adam glanced over at Spencer. "Hey, thanks for helping me stay on track this summer. I know I’ve been busy, but it’s been cool hanging out with you."

Spencer smiled, the words warming his heart. "It's been cool for me too. I’ve learned a lot."

"You're gonna ace those tests, no doubt," Adam said with a confident grin. "And who knows, maybe we'll end up at the same college."

Spencer's eyes lit up at the thought, but he quickly tempered his excitement, not wanting to seem too eager. "Yeah, that would be great."

As Adam slung his bag over his shoulder and headed inside, Spencer lingered on the porch for a moment, watching him go. He knew his feelings for Adam would likely never be reciprocated, but he cherished these moments of closeness, however fleeting they might be.

Y/N observed all this from her bedroom window, a quiet observer to the crush Spencer clearly had on her older brother. She felt the green monster of jealousy coil up inside of her. Why doesn’t Spencer look at her like that? Is she not as smart as Adam? Not as funny? Maybe he only likes older people.

One particularly warm day, Spencer was over to help Adam revise an application essay. They were hanging out by the pool, both to Spencer's excitement and frustration. He didn't want to take his shirt off in front of Adam; he was so scrawny compared to the man Adam was becoming. He didn't even have hair under his arms yet! Spencer found himself getting worked up over the muscle Adam had put on while cleaning pools, feeling increasingly self-conscious.

"Hey, I'm going to grab some lemonade," Spencer said, trying to keep his voice steady as he got up from his lounge chair.

Adam looked up from his notes and nodded. "Sure thing, grab some for me too, will ya?"

Spencer nodded and walked briskly into the house, his thoughts a whirl of admiration and insecurity. As he poured himself a glass of lemonade, having kindly turned down the offer from one of the kitchen staff to do it for him, Y/N walked into the kitchen in a swimsuit. She knew what she was doing; she wanted to see if Spencer would look at her like he did her brother.

"Hi, Spencer," she greeted, her voice casual but her eyes searching.

Spencer almost dropped the pitcher, startled by her sudden appearance. "H-hi, Y/N..."

"How’s it going? Is it hot out there?" she asked, leaning against the counter with an air of nonchalance.

"Mhm, it's hot and, uh, yeah, good. You?" Spencer stammered, trying to keep his eyes on her face and not let them wander. Stupid hormones.

"I'm good, bored. Think I'm gonna go for a swim," Y/N replied, giving him a pointed look.

Spencer swallowed hard, feeling his face heat up. "Oh, cool. Swimming sounds nice."

Y/N nodded. "You should join me sometime. It’s a good way to cool off, especially on days like this."

"I, uh, maybe," Spencer managed, his voice cracking slightly.

She smiled at him. "Well, I'll be out there if you change your mind."

With that, she turned and walked out towards the pool, leaving Spencer standing there, his heart racing. He couldn't help but feel a confusing mix of emotions. He liked Y/N; she was kind and funny in her own way. But his feelings for Adam were something different, something he couldn't quite understand or control.

As he walked back outside with the lemonade, he caught sight of Y/N cannonballing into the pool. Adam looked up and waved Spencer over, oblivious to the tension Spencer was feeling.

"Thanks, man," Adam said, taking the glass from Spencer. "You should take a dip too. Y/N's got the right idea; it's a great way to beat the heat."

Spencer nodded, trying to smile. "Maybe later."

He sat back down, trying to focus on the essay in front of him, but his mind kept wandering. He glanced over at Y/N, who was swimming leisurely, and then at Adam, who was scribbling notes in the margin of his paper. Spencer felt like he was caught in the middle of something he didn't quite understand, struggling to find his place in the dynamics of this family that had become so important to him.

—

The day of Adam's graduation was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. Adam, ever the unexpected, had committed to Florida State, a decision that had shocked and horrified many. Spencer could hardly believe it when he heard the news. Florida State, a school notorious for its party culture, seemed an odd choice for someone who had always been so focused on academics. But Adam was a party boy through and through, and now, with the immense college fund his parents had set up for him, he had the freedom to choose his own path.

That night, Adam's family mansion was abuzz with a grand celebration party. The opulent rooms were filled with friends, family, and well-wishers, all toasting to Adam's future. Spencer, though trying to be happy for his friend, felt a gnawing sense of sadness and anxiety. Graduating at only 12-years-old and moving away to college meant leaving behind the only family that had ever felt like his.

As the party continued, Spencer found himself feeling more and more overwhelmed. Seeking solace, he looked around for Y/N. He found her standing by the grand staircase, looking as though she was taking a brief respite from the festivities.

"Y/N," he called softly, and she turned to him, her eyes filled with concern at his slightly panicked appearance.

"Hey, Spencer," she said gently, sensing his turmoil. "Do you want to go outside?"

Spencer nodded, grateful for her intuition. She led him out of the mansion and into the expansive garden. The night air was cool and soothing, and the garden was a haven of tranquility away from the noise of the party. They walked in silence for a while, the stars twinkling above them like scattered diamonds.

Y/N finally stopped at a secluded spot, a bench under a large oak tree. She sat down and patted the space next to her. Spencer joined her, taking a deep breath as he looked up at the sky.

"I can't believe he's going to Florida State," Spencer said, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of sadness.

Y/N nodded. "Yeah, it's a surprise, but it's his choice. He’s an adult now."

Spencer sighed. "I know. It's just... I'm going to miss him. And you. This place feels like home, and now I'm leaving."

Y/N placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll miss you too, Spencer. But you'll do amazing things, I know it. You've always been great."

He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. "It's just... scary, you know? Moving away, being on my own. What if I don't fit in?"

Y/N smiled warmly. "You will. You always do."

They sat in comfortable silence, gazing up at the stars. The night was calm, the garden a peaceful contrast to the lively celebration inside. Spencer felt a sense of peace wash over him, comforted by Y/N's presence and her words.

"Thank you," he said softly, looking over at her. "For being here. For understanding."

Y/N squeezed his shoulder gently. "I’ll always be here for you, Spencer."

As they sat together, the weight of the impending changes felt a little lighter. The stars above seemed to shine a bit brighter, and for the first time that night, Spencer felt a glimmer of hope for the future.

—

24 years old now, Spencer Reid hadn't thought about Adam in years, but when the invitation arrived in the mail, it brought back a flood of memories. He held the ornate envelope in his hands, his heart pounding with a mix of nostalgia and nerves. The invitation was to Adam's wedding, an event that promised to reunite old friends and acquaintances. Spencer couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation to attend. Adam had always been kind to him during those tumultuous high school years.

Despite his apprehension, Spencer decided to go. He meticulously planned his trip, ensuring he had everything he needed to make a good impression. The journey to the wedding venue in Napa Valley, California was a blur of anxious thoughts and memories of the past. As he arrived at the grand hotel where the event was being held, he felt a knot of nerves tightening in his stomach.

Meanwhile, Y/N was also preparing for the wedding. She couldn't help but feel excitement and trepidation at the thought of seeing Spencer again, Adam informed her that he had RSVP’d yes. She had always harbored a silly little crush on him, one that had persisted through the years despite their long separation. The idea of seeing him again, older and perhaps changed, was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

The wedding weekend began with a flurry of activities. The hotel was abuzz with guests arriving, mingling, and catching up. Spencer found himself lost in the crowd, his nerves making it difficult to relax. As he checked in at the front desk, the receptionist handed him a key card with a polite smile.

"Here you go, Dr. Reid. Room 212," she said.

Spencer thanked her and made his way to the elevator, his mind racing with thoughts of what the weekend could entail. He arrived at the door to his room and swiped the key card. As he pushed the door open, he was met with an unexpected sight.

Y/N was standing in the middle of the room, her back to him as she attempted to pull up the zipper of her dress. Upon hearing the door open, she spun around with a scream, holding the dress to her chest.

“What the fuck!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

“I’m so sorry!” Spencer stammered, equally startled.

“Spencer?” she said, her expression shifting from surprise to recognition.

“Y/N?” he replied, still trying to process what was happening.

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded, still clutching the dress to her chest.

“I don’t know, this is the room I was told I'm staying in. My key opened the door…” he explained, holding up the key card as if it could somehow explain everything.

“Shit. Okay. Something must have gotten messed up. I'll check it out as soon as I'm dressed,” Y/N said, her tone calming slightly.

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll just leave you be,” Spencer said, starting to back out of the room.

“Actually… Spencer, could you help me with the zipper?” Y/N asked, her voice softer and a bit embarrassed.

Spencer paused, his face flushing. “Uh, sure. Of course.”

He stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him. Y/N turned around, holding her hair up to give him access to the zipper. His hands trembled slightly as he grasped the zipper, carefully pulling it up the back of her dress.

“Thank you,” she said softly once he had finished.

“No problem,” Spencer replied, stepping back and trying to keep his eyes respectfully averted.

She sighed, shaking her head. “Well, let’s go sort this out. Maybe the front desk can figure out what happened.”

As they left the room together, Spencer couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of awkwardness and nostalgia. Despite the initial shock, there was something oddly comforting about being in Y/N’s presence again. 

—

"So you're saying every single room in the entire hotel is booked? How is that even possible?” Y/N asked, her frustration evident.

“Well, miss, your wedding party is not the only group staying here. It is a very popular vineyard, especially at this time of year,” the receptionist explained calmly.

“So what you’re saying is we have to share this room?” Y/N pressed, trying to find a solution.

“You could stay with someone else, but yes, there are no more rooms available,” the receptionist confirmed.

Y/N sighed deeply, rubbing between her brows. “Okay. Thank you.”

Spencer and Y/N walked away from the desk, both trying to process the situation. Spencer broke the silence with a lighthearted joke. “Hopefully this is the worst thing that will happen this weekend.”

Y/N looked at him, a mix of apology and stress in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Spencer. I didn’t mean to make you think I’d hate to share a room with you… it’s just, this weekend is already going to be stressful.”

“Hey, no, I’m sorry for teasing. It’s okay. It will be like the sleepovers we had as kids,” Spencer said, trying to reassure her.

“You mean where you and Adam slept in the game room and I stayed as far away as possible?” Y/N responded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

“Exactly,” Spencer bubbled with laughter, the tension between them easing a bit.

They made their way back to their shared room, Spencer couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic, thinking back to those simpler times. Y/N, too, found herself feeling a bit more at ease, her initial worries about the weekend beginning to fade. 

—

Once they were back in the room, Y/N looked over at Spencer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I was going to pretend to be courteous and ask what side of the bed you prefer… but I have to sleep next to the window,” she announced, a playful smile on her lips.

“Oh, well, thank you for almost considering my feelings!” Spencer laughed, his tension easing. “I don’t mind either way, but if you snore half as bad as your brother, I’m putting a pillow over your face.”

“Oh my god, that man could cut down trees with that chainsaw he keeps in his mouth!” Y/N exclaimed, her laughter filling the room.

They shared some giggles, the awkwardness between them dissolving into familiarity and warmth.

“It’s really nice to see you, Spencer,” Y/N said sincerely, her eyes softening as she looked at him.

“You too, Y/N. You look so grown up,” Spencer replied, noting the elegance and maturity in her appearance.

“Well, 12 years will do that to someone,” she said with a chuckle, her gaze lingering on him.

“Not me, I still look the same,” Spencer said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

“Yeah,” Y/N tilted her head to the side, studying his face. “You really haven’t changed at all.”

“Okay, easy now,” Spencer protested lightly, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Did you ever grow armpit hair?” she teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Hey!” Spencer exclaimed, trying to defend his dignity.

“Oh, come on, Spencer! Show me!” Y/N teased further, taking a playful step towards him.

“No, Y/N. Hey, get away from me!” Spencer laughed as Y/N chased him around the room, her determination to see his armpits turning into a playful game.

With a burst of energy, Y/N ended up tackling him to the bed, sitting successfully on his stomach. “Give it up, Spencer, I win.”

“Nope!” he yelled triumphantly before using all his strength to flip her, pinning her down and tickling her.

Y/N cackled and shouted, “Uncle! Uncle!” between fits of laughter.

When Spencer finally pulled back, they both noticed the precarious position they were in. Spencer was between Y/N’s thighs with his hands by her head, both of them panting in each other’s mouths. The laughter faded as they locked eyes, the weight of the years apart and the sudden closeness creating a charged moment.

“I need to get ready for the rehearsal dinner,” Y/N whispered.

Spencer took the cue and got off of Y/N and the bed. “Mhm, yup. Me too.”

“Um, I showered when I got here. So, uh, I’ll just go get ready in the bridal suite. You can have the room,” Y/N said as she gathered the things she would need to get ready.

“Y/N… you don’t have to leave, I’m sorry.”

“What? Nothing to be sorry about. Just giving you your privacy. See you later, Spencer.”

“Yeah, see—” but she had already shut the door behind her. 

Spencer ran his hands over his face, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion. What had he been thinking? The sudden intimacy had caught him off guard, and now he felt a pang of regret for how awkward things had become. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and began preparing for the rehearsal dinner, hoping the rest of the evening would go more smoothly.

— 

Y/N was not a bridesmaid, but she was fine with that. She wasn't all that interested in the responsibilities and duties that came with it anyway. She was still very close with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and it was no problem for her to get ready in the bridal suite. Once she explained the mix-up with the rooms, Elizabeth was extremely apologetic and understanding.

At the rehearsal dinner, Y/N’s seat was, of course, next to Spencer’s. He had arrived before her, which meant she spotted the back of his head before she sat down, giving her time to make a run for the open bar before making her way to the table.

As she sat down, Spencer looked over and his breath caught at the sight of her. Y/N looked absolutely radiant in her rehearsal dinner attire. The outfit suited her perfectly, complementing all of her assets and making her eyes shine. Maybe he had been silly to waste all those years alongside her chasing after her brother when she was right there. Although, he figured it probably would have been difficult to maintain a long-distance relationship at 12 while he was in university.

“Hey,” Y/N greeted him, her smile warm and genuine.

“Hi,” Spencer replied, still a bit breathless. “You look... amazing.”

“Thanks,” she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “You clean up pretty well yourself.”

Spencer chuckled, feeling more at ease. “Thanks. It’s nice to be here. I mean, it’s been so long.”

“Yeah, it has,” Y/N agreed, taking a sip of her drink. “It’s crazy how time flies.”

As they settled into conversation, the initial awkwardness from earlier seemed to dissipate. They talked about their lives, their work, and the memories from their youth, finding common ground and shared experiences. The laughter and joyfulness that had once defined their friendship began to resurface, making the evening feel less like a reunion of strangers and more like a gathering of old friends.

Throughout the dinner, Spencer couldn’t help but steal glances at Y/N, marveling at how she had grown into such a beautiful and confident woman. The realization that he might have missed something special by focusing so much on Adam gnawed at him, but he tried to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the present moment.

After all the speeches were given and the eating was rehearsed, the youngest and oldest of the crowd turned into their rooms for the night. The bridal party and groomsmen left as well, all needing to be up very early. This left the young to middle-aged adults to the complimentary after-dinner party. There were free drinks, a dance floor, karaoke, and dimmed lighting.

Y/N looked over at Spencer, not knowing if this was his cup of tea or not. “Do you want to stay for a bit?”

The idea of cutting the night short didn't sit well with him, especially not with how Y/N was looking at him. “No, no, I'd like to stay if you do.”

“Sure,” she smiled. “I’ll stay.”

The two walked over to the bar to get a drink. Spencer had very rarely indulged in alcohol. Gideon had tried to introduce him to scotch, which he hated. Hotch had shown him whiskey, which wasn’t as bad but still too strong. Derek ordered him a Sex on the Beach that he really liked but was too embarrassed to order on his own. So he didn't know what he was going to do when the bartender looked at him.

“What will you have, miss?” the bartender asked Y/N.

“Just an appletini, please,” she replied. The bartender nodded and turned his attention to Spencer.

Spencer could feel his palms sweat as he ran over every drink he knew of. Y/N leaned over and asked, “Do you want me to order for you?”

Spencer nodded gratefully and whispered his order in her ear. Y/N pulled away, absolutely delighted. She told the bartender his drink before looking back to Spencer and saying, “At least ask me on a date first, you men are all the same,” teasing the poor red man.

Spencer blushed furiously but couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you,” he said, his embarrassment mingling with amusement.

The bartender soon returned with their drinks—Y/N’s appletini and Spencer’s Sex on the Beach. Y/N handed Spencer his drink, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Here you go, pervert. Enjoy.”

Spencer blushed even more, laughing despite himself. “Thanks,” he said, taking a sip and feeling the sweet, fruity flavors calm his nerves.

They moved to a small table near the dance floor, the music a pleasant background to their conversation. Y/N sipped her drink and looked around, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

“So, Dr. Reid,” she began, her tone playful, “what’s your favorite part about weddings?”

Spencer thought for a moment, a small smile forming on his lips. “Honestly, I’ve never been to a wedding before. Have you?”

Y/N nodded, her smile softening. “Yeah. I think my favorite part is the dancing. I’ve always wanted someone to swing me around the dance floor at a wedding, it looks so romantic.”

Spencer took note of what Y/N was saying, thinking that maybe he could be the one to dance her around tomorrow at the reception. “You know, I never said thank you,” Spencer said.

“For what?” Y/N tilted her head.

“For being nice to me, you and Adam both. You never laughed at me or made me feel weird for being so young and advanced.”

“Spencer…” Y/N said with a hint of questioning in her voice. “Why would we make fun of you for being smart? Oh ha ha, look at this guy, he knows way more than us.”

Spencer chuckled. “I know, but still, thank you.”

Y/N smiled warmly, reaching across the table to give his arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re welcome, Spencer. You’ve always been special to us.”

Spencer felt his heart grow ten sizes at her words, 'us,' and the fact that Y/N remembered his aversion for touching hands. Screw Adam and Elizabeth, he’d marry Y/N tomorrow. Now, that might be a little dramatic, but whatever.

As Spencer and Y/N continued to catch up and enjoy each other's company, they also consumed more drinks. The alcohol birthed an idea in Y/N’s pretty head, quite a good one if she says so.

“Spencer,” she leaned in, her voice playful.

“Yes, ma'am,” he responded, also leaning in until their foreheads pressed together.

Y/N giggled before sharing her idea, “We should go swimming.”

“What? Where?” Spencer asked, bewildered.

“The hotel has a pool!” she exclaimed, her excitement infectious.

“Isn’t it closed by now?” Spencer asked, skeptical but intrigued.

“Nuh-uh,” she shook her head against his, her movement causing his glasses to brush against her eyebrows. “It’s open 24/7.”

Spencer was nervous; he knew Y/N liked to swim, but he wasn’t very good at it, not having done much swimming since his last summer with Adam. But he couldn’t say no to her, it would appear.

“Okay, let’s go,” he agreed, the decision making his heart race.

Y/N squealed in delight, grabbing Spencer by his bicep and dragging him behind her. She squeezed the muscle in her hand before wiggling her eyebrows at him and saying, “Wow, doctor, did you put on some muscle?”

Spencer blushed something fierce. “I had to, I’m in the FBI.”

“Ohh good, I’m gonna need a big strong man in case we get into danger,” Y/N teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer felt like he already was in danger, but a kind he was willing to face.

—

Once at the pool, they were both relieved to find no one else there; it was pretty late after all. As they approached the water, Spencer suddenly realized a flaw in Y/N's plan.

“Y/N, wait,” he grabbed her arm. “What about swimsuits?”

She smirked at him and pulled her arm away before grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling it off. Spencer's eyes were as wide as saucers, hilariously magnified by his frames.

“Close your mouth, doctor. Wouldn't want you to catch flies,” she teased, and with that, she jumped into the pool.

As Y/N resurfaced, Spencer noticed her makeup was impressively intact, probably some of that new waterproof stuff they make. She swam over to the edge in front of Spencer before looking up at him with a gaze not unlike a siren luring in prey.

“Come on in, Spence. The water feels amazing,” she coaxed, her voice soft and inviting.

Spencer, under the influence of something much stronger than alcohol, started shedding his clothes down to his briefs. Y/N wolf-whistled once he had his shirt off, causing a full-body flush to take over him. As soon as he was down to his last article, he jumped into the water to avoid her staring any longer.

The cool water enveloped him, a refreshing contrast to the heat he felt under Y/N's gaze. He surfaced, pushing his hair back and adjusting his glasses, which had miraculously stayed on.

“There you are,” Y/N said, swimming over to him. “Isn’t this nice?”

“Yeah,” Spencer admitted, feeling a bit more at ease now that he was in the water. “It’s actually really nice.”

“Are you ready?” Y/N asked, her voice low and taunting, getting very close to Spencer in the water, their bodies almost touching.

Spencer felt like he was going to pass out. “Re–ready for what?”

“Race ya!” she exclaimed, and with that, she was off, swimming away with powerful strokes.

Spencer blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden challenge. Then, with a determined look, he launched himself after her, his competitive spirit kicking in despite his nerves. The cool water rushed past him as he swam, his strokes becoming more confident as he pushed himself to keep up with Y/N.

She reached the far end of the pool first, touching the wall and turning to see Spencer still making his way towards her. She laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet night air.

“You’re slow, Dr. Reid!” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer reached the wall, panting but smiling. “Not all of us are part fish, Y/N.”

“Hey, I’m not that fast,” she said with a playful pout. “You did pretty well for someone who has never won a swimming race, ever.”

“Thanks,” Spencer replied, catching his breath. “But next time, I’ll beat you.”

“Oh, is that a challenge?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” he said, feeling bolder. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“I like when you get cocky, it suits you,” Y/N said, her voice dropping to a flirtatious purr as she swam closer to him, their bodies almost touching again.

Spencer's heart pounded in his chest. “Oh really? I didn’t know I had it in me.”

“There’s a lot you have in you, Spencer,” she replied, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made his breath catch. “Maybe you just need the right person to bring it out.”

“And who, um–who do you think that person is?” he asked, his voice trembling and nervous.

“Someone who,” she whispered, her lips just inches from his. “Would have se–”

“Hey! What are you two doing in here?” a security guard called out.

“Nothing!” Spencer yelped.

“Just leaving!” Y/N added quickly.

They scrambled out of the pool, grabbing their clothes and running down a hallway towards the elevators. Once they were safely inside one, they looked at each other and started laughing.

“I thought you said it was open all night!” Spencer exclaimed between breaths.

“I may have told a fib to get you to come swimming with me,” Y/N admitted, giving her best puppy dog eyes. “Are you mad at me, Spence?”

Spencer could see her hard nipples poking through the soaking wet, thin material of her bra and couldn’t find himself to be anything but aroused. “Uh, no, no. Not mad, that was fun.”

Y/N caught him looking but didn’t say anything. What man wouldn’t look at wet breasts right in his face?

“Yeah, it was,” she agreed, smiling. “Thanks for going with me.”

As Spencer looked up at the ceiling to avoid staring at Y/N’s half-naked body, she took her opportunity to glance down at his scantily concealed half hard bulge. She could see the entire outline through his wet, hot pink briefs.

“Never took you as a pink guy, doctor,” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Spencer blushed fiercely, trying to cover himself with his clothes. “They were a gift,” he mumbled, embarrassed but unable to keep from smiling.

“Well, I think they suit you,” she said with a wink.

The elevator dinged, and they stepped out, making their way back to their room, still dripping wet and grinning from ear to ear. Once inside, they both burst out laughing again, the adrenaline from their escapade still coursing through them.

“Here,” Y/N said, grabbing a couple of towels from the bathroom and tossing one to Spencer. “Dry off before you catch a cold.”

“Thanks,” he replied, wrapping the towel around himself. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

“Me neither,” she admitted, toweling off her hair. “But it was worth it.”

Spencer nodded, his heart still racing. “Yeah, it was.”

They both stood there for a moment, wrapped in towels and basking in the afterglow of their impromptu adventure. The tension between them was palpable, but so was the camaraderie and affection.

“Well,” Y/N said finally, breaking the silence. “I guess we should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Spencer agreed reluctantly, not wanting the evening to end. “Uh, do you want to shower first?”

“Thanks, Spencer,” Y/N nodded her head and grabbed her things.

The next 10 minutes were the hardest, literally, of Spencer's entire life. Knowing Y/N was naked and wet on the other side of the door was pure torture. He could hear the water running, imagine the steam filling the room, and envision her silhouette behind the shower curtain. When Y/N cracked open the bathroom door and peeked her head out, Spencer sat up faster than ever before, super not obvious at all.

“Sorry… I kind of forgot to bring any clothes in, so I need to come out in my towel. Is that okay?” she asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“Ye–yeah. Mhm,” he cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant. “That’s totally fine, no big deal. Why would I care?”

“Okay, weirdo,” Y/N looked at him skeptically, a playful glint in her eye. “Bathroom’s all yours.”

Spencer nodded and waited until Y/N was facing her suitcase to make a break for it, sprinting to the bathroom so she didn't see his very prominent boner tenting his pants. Y/N turned around quickly at the sound of the bathroom door slamming, finding his behavior odd.

In the shower, Spencer turned the water to cold and willed his erection away. The icy water was a shock to his system, but he needed it to calm down. He had not indulged much in self-pleasure and had certainly never seen as much of a woman as he saw today, let alone been touched by one. Eventually, it did go down, and he got out, only to realize he hadn't brought a towel. Of fucking course.

Spencer was now the one sticking his head out of the crack he made in the doorway, “Y/N��?”

“Yeah, Spencer, what’s up?” she called back, now sitting in the bed.

“I, um, forgot a towel,” he admitted, feeling his face heat up again.

“Oh shit, let me grab yours,” Y/N replied, getting up and walking over to his bag to retrieve the towel.

“Thanks,” he muttered, trying to make himself as small as possible behind the door.

When Y/N walked over to hand the towel to Spencer, she couldn’t help but immediately break into giggles.

“Oh, that’s what every guy wants to hear. What is it?” Spencer asked, mortified, his head barely poking out from behind the door.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped between laughs, “it’s just that I can see your butt in the mirror.”

Completely horrified, Spencer slammed the door shut and banged his head on it. “Can we please forget about this?” he groaned, his face burning with embarrassment.

“Absolutely not! You have the cutest ass I’ve ever seen!” Y/N called out, her laughter echoing through the room.

Spencer felt his face burn even more as he dried off and quickly dressed. When he emerged from the bathroom, he avoided eye contact with Y/N, who was still chuckling softly, a wide grin on her face.

“Ready for bed?” she asked, a playful glint in her eye, clearly still amused by the situation.

“Yeah,” Spencer mumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment as he climbed into his side of the bed.

They settled into their respective sides, the awkwardness from the bathroom incident lingering but slowly giving way to a more comfortable silence.

“Goodnight, Spencer,” Y/N said softly, turning off the bedside lamp and snuggling under the covers.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he replied, settling into his pillow and trying to calm his racing thoughts.

As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, Spencer couldn’t help but smile. Despite the awkward moments and his own nervousness, he felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn’t felt since that last summer. This weekend, for all its surprises, was turning out to be something special. And as he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

— 

When the room’s phone began ringing with a wake-up call in the morning, both Y/N and Spencer groaned at being woken up. Y/N stuck her arm out, grabbed the phone, and hung it up to stop the sound rattling in her head. Much to her surprise and gratitude, she was not hungover, just very tired. She went to roll over to go back to sleep when she noticed her body was being restricted by multiple different body parts, none of which belonged to her.

Spencer had one arm around her waist, his other beneath his head, one leg on her hip, and the other between both of her legs. The man had wrapped himself around her like a human octopus. He was also awake, not having slept through the wake-up call, but was paralyzed out of fear or embarrassment, maybe both.

Y/N felt him tense up and his breathing grow rapid, signaling that he was awake. “Well, good morning to you too, Dr. Reid. Or is it Doc Ock?” she teased, her voice still heavy with sleep.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Spencer mumbled, his face burning with embarrassment.

“I know I am, thank you,” Y/N said, a smirk playing on her lips.

They lay in silence for a few more moments, both of them thoroughly enjoying the feeling of the other's body pressed against their own.

“So, not that I'm complaining, but were you planning on letting me go anytime soon?” Y/N asked, amusement evident in her tone.

“Oh god, yes. I'm so sorry,” Spencer said, hurriedly trying to disentangle himself. In his haste, he managed to rub his morning wood against Y/N’s ass.

“Jesus, Reid! Any of your other body parts you want to touch me with?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“No, nope. Actually, I think I'm just going to open the window and jump out. I think the 15 floors will kill me,” he said, his voice muffled from behind his hands that were hiding his extremely red face.

Y/N laughed softly, reaching out to gently pull his hands away from his face. “Hey, it’s okay. It happens,” she said, her tone reassuring. “No need to jump out the window.”

Spencer looked at her, still blushing but grateful for her understanding. “Thanks, Y/N. I’m really sorry about that.”

She shrugged, giving him a playful smile. “It’s all part of the fun, right? Besides, I’d miss having you around.”

Spencer managed a small smile, feeling a bit better. “I’d miss you too.”

They lay there for a moment longer, the initial awkwardness giving way to a comfortable silence. Until Y/N, unable to resist tormenting Spencer, said, “Did you want a hand with that?”

“What??” he half-squeaked, half-screamed.

Y/N threw her head back, laughing hard in the early morning light shining in.

“You’re so mean,” Spencer muttered, his face a deep shade of red.

“Aww, did you really want me to?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I’m not answering that,” he replied, trying to sound stern but failing miserably.

“All in good time, young grasshopper,” Y/N said, patting his arm playfully.

Spencer, rolling his eyes and unable to stand Y/N’s antics any longer, got out of bed to get ready for the day. He needed coffee, and maybe 50,000 shots of alcohol. What he failed to consider was that he was still hard, in loose gray sweats, and that he was sharing a room with Y/N, the worst person, ever.

“Whoa baby! I didn’t realize you were holding out on me! Get back here!” Y/N called out, patting the bed and laughing even harder.

Spencer, mortified, ran to the bathroom, his face burning with embarrassment. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, trying to calm his racing heart. The cold shower earlier had been nothing compared to the icy plunge he felt now, thanks to Y/N’s relentless teasing.

Inside the bathroom, he took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. He couldn’t deny that a part of him enjoyed the playful banter, but another part of him was utterly overwhelmed by the intensity of his feelings. He needed to collect himself and face the day, starting with a much-needed cup of coffee.

Back in the room, Y/N was still chuckling to herself, thoroughly amused by Spencer's reactions. She began getting ready, her thoughts drifting to the upcoming events of the day and the unexpected pleasure of Spencer’s company. Despite her teasing, she was genuinely glad he was there.

As Spencer emerged from the bathroom, now somewhat composed, he glanced at Y/N, who was busy with her morning routine. “Truce?” he offered, a tentative smile on his lips.

“Truce,” Y/N agreed, smiling back at him. “For now.”

They both laughed, the tension easing as they continued preparing for the day ahead. The morning light filled the room, promising a day full of possibilities and perhaps, a few more moments of unexpected connection.

—

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the vineyard as Y/N and Spencer wandered through the charming village, the scent of grapes and fresh earth filling the air. They didn’t have much to do in preparation for the wedding, so they decided to venture out in search of coffee. The village was picturesque, with cobblestone streets, quaint shops, and inviting cafés.

As they strolled, chatting about old memories and catching up, they suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a woman Y/N recognized all too well. Christa, one of the girls who used to bully Spencer in high school, stood before them. Adam had warned Y/N about all the mean girls and boys, just in case they had any younger siblings at the school.

“Oh my god! No way! It’s the baby freak and boarding school!” Christa exclaimed, her voice dripping with mock surprise and disdain.

Spencer immediately tensed, the old nickname hitting him like a punch to the gut. He hadn’t been called that in years. Y/N, feeling a surge of protectiveness, stepped forward.

“Christa!” Y/N exclaimed with a bright, exaggerated smile, moving in for an overly enthusiastic hug that left Christa visibly uncomfortable. Christa awkwardly patted Y/N’s back, clearly thrown off by the unexpected embrace.

“Uh, hi,” Christa muttered, her confidence wavering.

“How are you? What has it been, 15 years? You don’t look a day over 40,” Y/N said cheerfully.

“I’m 30,” Christa replied, her tone icy.

“Oh… well, sunscreen is your best friend!” Y/N said, her voice dripping with false innocence.

Christa’s face twisted in offense, while Spencer struggled to hide his laughter behind a cough.

“Baby freak… you look exactly the same. Still scaring everyone away with your freaky genius powers?” Christa sneered, her eyes narrowing at Spencer.

“I–uh, no, I–” Spencer stammered, the old insecurities rushing back.

“Spencer, here,” Y/N said, emphasizing his name, “is not a baby, maybe compared to the looks of you. And he is not a freak, unless you want to talk about more private matters, but judging by the turn of your nose and the stick up your ass, I’m going to go ahead and assume you have no idea what I’m talking about. How long has it been since a real human touched you?”

Christa was speechless, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to come up with a retort. Finally, she sneered, “I bet Spencer’s never been touched by a human ever.”

Spencer looked down, his face turning red with embarrassment, feeling like the insecure 12-year-old all over again.

“Really? Like this?” Y/N said, pulling Spencer down into a kiss before Christa could say another word.

The kiss was brief but intense, and when Y/N pulled back, Spencer’s eyes were wide with surprise, his cheeks flushed. Christa stood there, stunned and utterly speechless, unable to come up with a reply.

Y/N turned back to Christa with a triumphant smile. “Awe, Christa, you look like a fish. Never speak to me or my boyfriend ever again, okay? Okay, sweetie. So good to see you!”

With that, Y/N took Spencer’s arm and led him away, leaving Christa standing in the middle of the street, fuming and defeated.

As they walked away, Spencer glanced over at Y/N, his heart still racing from the unexpected kiss. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Y/N squeezed his arm gently, a warm smile on her face. “Anytime, Spencer. You deserve better than people like her.”

They continued their walk, the tension from the encounter melting away as they enjoyed each other’s company, feeling closer than ever before. The weekend had taken another unexpected turn, but this time, it was for the better.

—

After grabbing their coffee, Spencer and Y/N realized they still had plenty of time before they had to start getting ready for the wedding. The charm of Napa Valley beckoned, and they decided to indulge in one of the region’s finest offerings: wine tasting. The idea seemed perfect, a way to enjoy the beautiful vineyard and create some new memories.

They made their way back to the vineyard and signed up for a tour. As they strolled through the rows of grapevines, Y/N kept her hand looped around Spencer's arm. It felt natural, a comforting closeness that neither of them felt the need to mention. The guide led them through the process of winemaking, from grape to glass, sharing interesting tidbits and answering questions.

Once the tour concluded, they were led to a private table on one of the many balconies the vineyard’s main building had to offer. The view was breathtaking, with rolling hills and endless rows of vines stretching out under the clear blue sky. A tasting flight of wine was set before them, each glass glistening with rich, inviting hues.

Y/N took a sip from the first glass, savoring the flavor before turning to Spencer. “So… about earlier,” she began, her voice soft.

Spencer nodded, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. “Yeah. That was… unexpected.”

“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” Y/N said, looking at him earnestly. “I just couldn’t stand her talking to you like that.”

Spencer shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “You didn’t overstep. It was… nice. Surprising, but nice. No one’s ever stood up for me like that before.”

Y/N blushed slightly, taking another sip of her wine. “Well, you deserved it. She was horrible.”

Spencer glanced at her, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the wine. “Thank you, Y/N. For everything. It’s been a long time since I felt… protected.”

Y/N smiled, her eyes twinkling. “You’re welcome. And for what it’s worth, you could have handled it really well all on your own. I just… wanted to make sure she knew she couldn’t mess with you.”

Spencer chuckled, relaxing more as he took a sip from his glass. “You definitely made that clear.”

They continued their tasting, discussing the nuances of each wine, but the earlier conversation had brought them even closer. The view, the wine, and the company made for a perfect moment, one that felt both nostalgic and new.

As they moved through the tasting flight, they found themselves laughing and reminiscing about old times, the tension from the earlier encounter long forgotten. The vineyard, with its serene beauty, provided the perfect backdrop for reconnecting, and they both felt a sense of peace and happiness that had been missing for too long.

Y/N looked out over the balcony, her hand still resting lightly on Spencer's arm. “I’m glad we’re here,” she said softly. “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too,” Spencer replied, his voice equally soft. “It’s like coming home.”

They clinked their glasses together, a silent toast to new beginnings and cherished memories. The weekend held more surprises, but for now, they were content to simply enjoy each other’s company, letting the wine and the moment carry them away.

“Speaking of home… do you think you’d ever come back?” Y/N asked, her voice tinged with vulnerability.

“To Las Vegas?” Spencer replied, looking at her curiously.

“Yeah,” Y/N said, feeling somewhat hopeful.

Spencer took a moment, thinking it over. “I’ve never thought about it, really.”

“Oh, I guess if I left, I wouldn’t want to come back either,” Y/N said, a hint of sadness creeping into her tone.

“Y/N… it’s not that. There’s just nothing there for me anymore.”

“Yeah, nothing,” she said bitterly, sipping her wine.

“No, no, no. That’s not what I meant,” Spencer said quickly, his eyes wide with concern.

“It’s okay, Spencer. You don’t have to pretend. We haven’t talked in over a decade. I can’t blame you,” Y/N said, looking down at her glass.

“Y/N–” Spencer began, but she cut him off.

“I’m going to head back and get ready. Can you give me an hour alone, please?” she asked, her voice strained.

“Yeah, of course,” Spencer said softly, his heart sinking.

Y/N stood up, giving him a small, tight smile before walking away. Spencer watched her go, feeling a pang of regret. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and now he felt the weight of their years apart more heavily than ever. He sat there for a moment longer, staring out at the vineyard, before deciding to take a walk to clear his mind.

The serene beauty of the vineyard provided some solace, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Y/N. He realized how much he had missed her, how much he had missed having someone who understood him. The years had created a distance between them, but he hoped that this weekend could be a step towards bridging that gap.

As he wandered back to the room an hour later, he knocked softly on the door, giving Y/N the space she had asked for. He hoped they could find a way to reconnect, to rebuild the bond they once had. The weekend was far from over, and he was determined to make things right.

— 

By the time the ceremony rolled around, Y/N and Spencer hadn't talked yet but took their seats next to each other. Spencer tried to apologize again, but Y/N brushed him off, telling him it was okay. The ceremony was beautiful and didn't drag on too long. Y/N cried, and Spencer put his arm around her shoulders, letting her cry on him.

They took their seats for dinner after, being seated again with her parents and close family. Though her parents weren't there for the rehearsal dinner, they were now. Spencer was extremely nervous, having never gotten a good read on Y/N and Adam's parents before. All he knew was that they shipped their young children off to boarding school and then left them home with hired staff more often than not.

As the first course was being served, Y/N's mother eyed Spencer with a mix of curiosity and disapproval. “Y/N, who is this man you brought?” she asked, her tone sharp.

Y/N took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Mother, this is Spencer Reid. He grew up with us, don’t you remember?”

Her mother pursed her lips, shaking her head. “No.”

“I’m not surprised,” Y/N muttered under her breath.

Her father, catching the exchange, leaned in. “Watch your tone, that’s your mother.”

“I’m 24,” Y/N said, her voice steady but strained.

“And you’re still our child,” her father retorted.

“I’ve been financially independent since I was 18. What are you going to do? Take my salad fork?” Y/N shot back, her frustration evident.

Her parents rolled their eyes in unison. “No wonder it’s your brother getting married and not you,” her mother sneered. “You were always so bitter. Determined to hold grudges.”

Y/N’s mouth dropped open, ready to fire back, but Spencer quickly intervened. “Actually, Y/N and I have been together for what, 2 years, darling?” he said, his voice smooth and confident.

Y/N was momentarily stunned, but then a wicked smile crept across her face. “Yes, baby. And that present you gave me for our anniversary was so… sensual. I can still feel it,” she said, biting her lip for effect.

Spencer tried to contain his laughter, his eyes dancing with amusement as he looked at Y/N. 

Her mother’s face turned a deep shade of red. “Y/N L/N! You are incorrigible.”

Y/N shrugged, unfazed. “I don’t care,” she said, a defiant glint in her eye.

The table fell into an awkward silence, but Spencer felt a sense of triumph. He had managed to diffuse the situation and even brought a smile to Y/N’s face. As the dinner progressed, they exchanged knowing glances, each feeling a little more at ease despite the tension surrounding them.

As soon as people were encouraged to get up from their tables, Y/N and Spencer shot up. Their first stop was the open bar, both needing a drink after enduring a whole dinner with her parents.

“Can we get an appletini and a sex on the beach?” Spencer ordered, his voice only shaking slightly.

“Spence!” Y/N yelled, hitting his arm playfully. “I’m so proud of you!”

He smiled to himself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. They stood at the bar, sipping their drinks as they observed the crowd. The lively atmosphere was a welcome contrast to the tension they had just experienced. Y/N’s eyes were on the couples dancing, and Spencer remembered what she had said earlier about wanting someone to swing her around the dance floor.

“Do you want to dance?” Spencer asked, turning to her.

“Oh no, it’s okay. I know you don’t like to dance,” Y/N replied, her gaze lingering on the dance floor.

“Y/N… I want to dance with you. Do you want to dance with me?” Spencer asked, his eyes earnest.

“Yes, very much,” Y/N said, her face lighting up with a smile.

Spencer set his drink down and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. The music was a soft, romantic melody, perfect for a slow dance. As they found a spot, Spencer placed his hands gently on her waist, and Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed to the music, the world around them fading as they focused on each other.

“I can’t believe I’m finally doing this,” Y/N said softly, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Me neither,” Spencer replied, his voice equally soft. “I’m glad it’s with you.”

Y/N’s eyes were shining. “You’ve always been special to me, Spencer.”

He smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You too, Y/N.”

Her heart raced at his bold gesture, not expecting such a move from Spencer. They stayed on the dance floor for a few more songs, enjoying the moment and the connection that had been rekindled. Eventually, Spencer took Y/N's hand and led her away from the floor.

“Spence… you’re holding my hand,” Y/N said, glancing down at their intertwined fingers.

“I am,” Spencer replied, his voice steady.

“You don’t do that,” she pointed out, her heart still fluttering.

“I don’t,” he agreed, looking at her with a small smile.

“But you are,” she continued, her eyes searching his.

“Right again,” Spencer said, his smile widening.

“Why?” Y/N asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Because I like you,” Spencer admitted, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity she hadn’t seen before.

Y/N felt her breath catch, her heart pounding in her chest. “You… you like me?”

Spencer nodded, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. “Yes, Y/N. I like you. I guess I was just too afraid to admit it before.”

A smile slowly spread across Y/N's face, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I like you too, Spencer. I always have, since we were kids.”

Spencer's face lit up with relief and happiness. “Really?”

“Really,” Y/N confirmed, squeezing his hand.

They stood there for a moment, the noise of the party fading into the background as they gazed at each other. The years of separation and unspoken feelings seemed to melt away, leaving only the warmth of their rekindled connection.

“Do you want to get some fresh air?” Spencer asked, his voice soft.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Y/N replied, her smile never wavering.

They walked hand in hand out to the vineyard’s garden, the night air cool and refreshing. The walk through the garden was very much reminiscent of the last time they saw each other. The path was lined with twinkling lights, casting a soft glow over the grapevines and flowers.

“Did you really not know I liked you all those years ago? I was so obvious. I did everything to get your attention,” Y/N said, breaking the comfortable silence.

“No, I really didn’t know. I just thought you were really nice!” Spencer replied, his brow furrowing in surprise.

“And you liked Adam,” Y/N stated, a hint of a teasing smile on her lips.

“I–I, what??” Spencer stammered, caught off guard.

“It’s okay, Spence, he doesn’t know,” Y/N said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Spencer let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “You knew?”

“Of course I knew. I could see it in the way you looked at him. It’s fine, really,” Y/N said, her voice gentle.

Spencer looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and relief. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things awkward back then.”

Y/N shook her head, her smile softening. “You didn’t. I just wish I had known how to tell you how I felt. I was always so nervous around you.”

Spencer smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him. “I was nervous around you too. I didn’t know how to handle my feelings. I guess we were both a bit clueless.”

They laughed together, the sound carrying through the quiet night. As they continued their walk, the memories of the past seemed to blend with the present, creating a sense of closure and a new beginning.

“Do you think things would have been different if we had talked about it back then?” Spencer asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Maybe,” Y/N said thoughtfully. “But we were just kids, and you had so much ahead of you.”

Spencer nodded, feeling content with her answer. They reached a bench under a large oak tree and sat down, the stars twinkling above them. Y/N leaned her head on Spencer’s shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

“I would move back home,” Spencer said softly.

“What?” Y/N asked, her voice filled with warmth and curiosity.

“I would move back home,” Spencer repeated, his voice steady. “If it meant being with you eventually. I’d come back to Las Vegas.”

Y/N lifted her head to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise and emotion. “Spencer, you don’t have to do that for me. We aren’t even dating.”

“I know,” he said, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. “But I want to. You were always like home to me, Y/N. Being with you feels right.”

“I would never ask you to give up your job; you worked so hard to get there,” Y/N shook her head.

“But I—”

“Stop,” Y/N interrupted, pulling away from his touch. Her heart raced, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her. “This is too much, Spencer. We’ve just reconnected, and now you’re talking about uprooting your entire life for me. It’s overwhelming.”

Spencer’s face fell, his hand dropping to his side. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I didn’t mean to pressure you. I just wanted you to know how important you are to me.”

Y/N took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. “I appreciate that, really. But we need to take things slow. I need time to process all of this.”

Spencer nodded, though the disappointment was clear in his eyes. “Of course. I understand. We’ll take it slow.”

There was an awkward silence between them, the weight of their conversation hanging heavily in the air. Y/N felt a mix of guilt and relief, unsure of how to navigate the intense emotions swirling inside her.

After a few moments, Spencer spoke again, his voice soft. “I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you. I just care about you a lot.”

Y/N managed a small smile, her heart aching. “I care about you too, Spencer. But let’s just see where things go, okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed, though the tension between them remained palpable.

They spent the rest of the evening in a subdued silence, both lost in their thoughts. Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, and she wondered if she had made a mistake. But she also knew she needed to follow her instincts and not rush into anything that didn’t feel right.

That night, the walk back to their room was a silent torture. Each step felt heavier than the last, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering tension. Spencer desperately wanted to fix things, but he didn’t know how.

When they finally reached their room, Y/N wordlessly grabbed a pillow and placed it between their bodies on the bed, creating a physical barrier that mirrored the emotional distance between them. The gesture was small, but it felt like a chasm had opened up.

Spencer lay on his side, staring at the wall, his heart aching. He wanted to reach out, to hold her, to reassure her, but he couldn’t bring himself to cross that line. The fear of pushing her further away was paralyzing.

What was far worse, was when Spencer woke up to an empty bed and an empty hotel room. Panic set in as he called out her name, hoping she was just in the bathroom or getting breakfast. But there was no response.

The reality of the situation hit him hard. Once again, he had managed to lose one of the only people who ever felt like home. The weight of that loss settled in his chest, making it hard to breathe. He sat on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands, trying to make sense of what had gone wrong.

The silence of the room was deafening, and the loneliness was overwhelming. Spencer knew he had to find a way to make things right, but at that moment, he felt utterly lost and alone.

—

Downstairs, Spencer was checking out when he heard a familiar voice call his name. He turned around to see Adam bounding towards him.

“Hey buddy!” Adam, as broad as ever, swept him into a hug, picking him up in his excitement.

“Whoa! Hi!” Spencer laughed, caught off guard by the enthusiastic greeting.

“How are you? Thank you so much for coming. I’m sorry it’s been so crazy, I can’t believe I almost missed you!”

“Yeah, hah. Glad I ran into you,” Spencer replied, trying to keep his composure despite the turmoil inside.

Adam, unaware of Spencer's inner turmoil, continued with a big grin, “So, I heard you had to bunk with old Petit Chou.”

“Y/N? Yeah, I did,” Spencer replied, the nickname bringing back a wave of memories.

“How was it? Was it like old times?” Adam asked, his tone cheerful and curious.

“Um, no, not really. We got along a lot better,” Spencer admitted, a small, sad smile forming on his lips.

“Oh, you dog! Did you sleep with my sister?” Adam's tone was teasing, but he looked extremely pleased.

Spencer's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that. We just... caught up.”

Adam laughed, clapping Spencer on the back. “Well, I’m glad you two reconnected. She always had a soft spot for you, you know.”

Spencer forced a smile, trying to push away the sadness. “Yeah, me too. She’s... she’s great.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Adam teased in a big brotherly fashion.

“So, I thought you’d be gone by now on your honeymoon?” Spencer asked.

“Oh no, Lizzie wanted to have some time as newlyweds in our house first. You know, get settled in, put all the presents away and such before we leave. She really thinks everything through,” Adam explained, love evident in the way he talked about Elizabeth.

“She sounds wonderful. I’m so happy for you, man,” Spencer said sincerely.

“Thank you, little dude. Are there any lucky ladies in your life? Lucky lads?” Adam asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.

“Huh, no,” Spencer replied, shaking his head.

“Dude, you should have totally made a move on Y/N! She yapped about you for years after you left. When I told her you were gonna be here, she practically threw away her suitcase and bought all new clothes, wanting to make a good impression or something,” Adam said with a grin.

“What?” Spencer choked, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Yeah, man, she had it baddd. It was kind of cute,” Adam chuckled.

“Oh, I had no idea,” Spencer said, feeling a little bit of shock and regret.

“Well, if you’re ever in Vegas, you know who to call,” Adam said, clapping Spencer on the back.

“Yeah... where are you living nowadays?” Spencer asked, trying to shift the conversation.

“Georgia! Met sweet little Lizzie at Florida State and followed her home after graduation. Never left,” Adam replied, his eyes shining with happiness.

“That’s great, Adam. I’m really happy for you,” Spencer said, genuinely pleased for his friend.

“Thanks, man. And seriously, don’t be a stranger. If you’re ever in the area, you’ve got a place to stay,” Adam said, giving Spencer another friendly hug.

As they finished checking out, Spencer’s mind raced with thoughts of Y/N. He needed to talk to her, to clear the air and understand what had gone wrong. But for now, he was grateful for the brief distraction that Adam had provided. It gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make things right.

—

Y/N went back home, feeling the weight of the weekend pressing heavily on her. She barely had time to sit down and process everything when her best friend and roommate, Billie, showed up at her bedroom door, armed with snacks and drinks.

“Hey, thought you could use some company,” Billie said, giving Y/N a warm hug as they entered.

“Thanks, Billie,” Y/N replied, her voice tinged with sadness.

They settled on the couch, surrounded by an array of comfort food and drinks. Billie opened a bag of chips and handed it to Y/N. “So, tell me everything.”

Y/N sighed, taking a deep breath before recounting the events of the weekend. She told Billie about reconnecting with Spencer, the intense emotions, and the difficult conversation that left her feeling lost and confused.

“I feel so silly,” Y/N said, heaving a big sigh. “Mourning something I can’t have. We live on opposite sides of the country. How would it ever work?”

Billie reached over, giving Y/N’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not silly at all. Feelings don’t follow logic. You’re allowed to feel sad, even if it seems impractical.”

“I just... I really thought maybe we could make it work,” Y/N said, her voice breaking.

“Hey, you never know what the future holds. Maybe things will change, or maybe you’ll find a way to be together despite the distance,” Billie said, their tone comforting.

“But what if we don’t? What if it’s just not meant to be?” Y/N asked, her eyes searching Billie’s for answers.

“Then it's not, you can't control what's out of your hands,” Billie said, offering a comforting smile.

Y/N nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. They spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. While the ache in Y/N’s heart didn’t completely disappear, she felt a sense of peace over the situation.

— 

Spencer wanted to reach out to Y/N, knowing he couldn't even use the excuse of not having her phone number—one of his best friends could hack the Pentagon for fun if she wanted. But he didn’t want to face the rejection he had a feeling would be coming his way. He knew it was impractical: his job was demanding, they lived nowhere near each other, and on top of that, they didn’t even know if they would work. Maybe the magic between them only existed in the air of the wedding.

They went weeks in radio silence, both resigning to move on. They had gone 12 years without each other; they could handle some more. That is until Spencer found something in one of his luggage pockets. He was repacking his go-bag after returning from a case when he opened a pocket that he did not often use, planning to put a fresh pack of gum in there.

He quickly took the note out and opened it, seeing it was in handwriting that he didn’t recognize. His heart skipped a beat as he began to read:

Spencer,

I’m sorry for leaving unannounced. I truly loved seeing you this weekend. It was wonderful to catch up after so long apart and to see that you are still the same sweet, loving guy. I hope you never change.

I left without saying goodbye because of my own issues, not because of anything you said or did. Please understand that. You mean so much to me, and I would hate to jeopardize our friendship over something silly like this.

If you’re ever in Vegas, you always have a place to stay.

Y/N

[nativegirltapes]

https://www.tumblr.com/42angelgirl/759618404922621952/i-feel-like-angel-and-drew-would-get-in-like-a

write this as a one shot pls

warnings / notes ; angst 🤔 + drew being kinda mean :( based on this post !!! i kinda just jump right in lol sorry

࿔*:･ 🎀 ღﾟ

"when will you realize i'm trying y/n?" drew scoffed, throwing his arm in the air. "i'm fucking trying here."

he didn't even have to explain himself and you already knew what he was talking about. and he was right. so for once you couldn't argue back, you just looked at him, hoping that this conversation wouldn’t hurt too bad.

"i love you." drew sighed. "do you love me?" he rubbed the back of his buzzed head. "tell me. do you love me?" he asked again, but this time more demanding.

of course you loved him, why couldn't he see that you'd love him no matter what? with a stupid ring or not.

"yes." you stared at him with glossy eyes. a singular tear falling down your face.

"do you?" drew paused, hoping that you'd elaborate a little more. "it doesn't feel like it." drew nervously chuckled. "i'm crazy about you. like fucking crazy about you. and you're making me feel stupid for wanting to marry you." drew furrowed his eyebrows. "is it really that stupid of an idea? that i want to marry the girl who i'm fucking crazy about?"

"no." was all you could say, for once you couldn't bring yourself to say anything else. you had so much you wanted to say, but none of it would have made sense.

"then why are you making me feel that way?”

“i don’t mean to,” you said softly, so soft it was barely audible.

“i know,” drew loosened up his tone a bit, feeling bad for making you cry. but to be honest, he should’ve been the one crying. “i know you don’t mean to but,” drew heisted. “but i need to know if i’m wasting my time.”

there was no other way to describe what he said other than your heart literally shattering. wasting his time? he couldn’t have meant that.

“i’m sorry,” tears were falling down your face faster and faster. why would he say that to you?

“you don’t have to apologize.” drew came closer to you, embracing you in a hug. it didn’t feel genuine though, it felt like a pity hug. “we can talk more about this tomorrow, kay?”

“okay.” you pulled away from the hug, looking up at drew with your red puffy eyes.

wasting his time?

[jianwon]

the weight of unspoken words

synopsis. y/n grew up enduring se-mi’s relentless teasing, unaware it hid deeper feelings. years later, they reunite and old emotions resurface. when jealousy forces a confession, their relationship changes forever. well... if they’re brave enough to face it.

content— fem!reader. modern au. enemies to lovers trope. minimal angst. happy ending. pinning. high school to college time skip.

a/n— this is my first story with se-mi! my constant yearning for her is what made this story possible. we miss you se-mi..

wordcount. 2.7k

you and se-mi had been rivals since junior high school. you didn’t know what exactly drew her to you, but it seemed like from the moment you crossed paths, she made it her mission to make your life as difficult as possible.

every single day, se-mi would find ways to get under your skin, whether it was mocking your attempts at sports, laughing at your grades, or finding subtle ways to point out your flaws. she had this knack for making everything seem like a competition.

“y/n, i’m surprised you actually remembered to show up for this” she’d say during history class, smirking over her shoulder at you. “don’t worry, i’ll make sure your part isn’t too hard for you to handle.”

you didn't like the way she treated you, how she never gave you a moment’s peace. but no matter how much you tried to ignore her, it seemed like se-mi thrived on getting under your skin.

on the other hand, se-mi couldn’t help it. the way her eyes lingered when she thought no one would notice. when she managed to catch you off guard, she would soften up. not exactly kind, but… gentler somehow. it was subtle, but se-mi could feel it, that flicker of something in her chest that didn’t quite align with the playful barbs she threw your way.

sophomore year only made things worse, or maybe.. it just evolved. se-mi was still the same, confident and naturally drawing all eyes to her (mostly girls). she had a way of effortlessly fitting in, always surrounded by people. and you? you stayed quieter, content to be a background presence in most cases.

it didn’t take long before you realized that se-mi’s teasing had only gone worse. every day seemed like a competition to prove you weren’t good enough, whether it was class discussions or school events. and if you tried to say something, she’d always have something to say.

“oh, y/n’s got a bold idea” she’d say one time, leaning in with that familiar smirk. “i think you might want to rethink that.”

you clenched your fists at your desk, gritting your teeth. “why do you care what i say anyway?”

se-mi chuckled. “i don’t care. but you’re fun to mess with.”

and you knew better than to get too involved with her, too close. she was a headache, someone you tried to avoid whenever possible. but sometimes, you couldn’t help but notice those moments, when she wasn’t mocking you, it felt… subtle.

one day, after school, she approached you in the hallway when you were packing up your things.

“hey..” she said, almost casually. “you missed the group study session yesterday, didn’t you?”

you blinked, surprised by her tone, genuine concern, not teasing. “yeah. i had to go home early.” se-mi tilted her head slightly, stepping a little closer. “..you okay?”

you frowned, unsure how to respond. “i’m fine.”

there was an awkward silence between you both, and for once, se-mi didn’t follow up with a snide remark. she just stood there, watching you quietly as you leave.

it was during the senior year when everything started to change, though. the little moments between you both seemed to hold more weight, like they were bubbling beneath the surface, too close to ignore.

the school was buzzing with news of the upcoming senior year dance, and of course, se-mi had already made plans, which involves you.

you tried to avoid her whenever possible, keeping your head down, focusing on your classes. but then, she came up to you, her tone a little different than usual, although less teasing, more genuine.

“you’re not thinking of skipping the dance, are you?” she asked, leaning casually against your locker. you frowned. “why does it matter to you?”

“i just… thought it’d be fun if you came,” she said, tilting her head. “i mean, it’s the last big event of high school.”

you scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “you really care about that?”

se-mi shrugged, but there was a slight edge to her smile. “maybe i do. it’d be nice if you showed up for once.” you were quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say.

“why do you care if i'd come or not?” you asked again, more softly this time.

se-mi’s smile faltered for a split second. “look… it’s the last time we’ll all be together. don’t you want to have fun for once?”

you looked at her. really looked at her, and it was like she wasn’t the same person you’d always known. there was something different, something behind her words that felt too real to ignore. but you weren’t sure if you could trust it.

by the time you graduated high school, you had finally escaped se-mi’s relentless teasing.

college reshaped you in unexpected ways. at first, you struggled, but soon found your rhythm. discovering passions, building confidence, and redefining yourself. you felt like a different person.

the timid girl faded away, replaced by someone who stood tall and self-assured.

a few years have passed, and the high school reunion was finally here. you weren’t particularly excited about it, part of you dreaded seeing old faces, reconnecting with people you hadn’t thought about in years.

your old friend group had convinced you to come, promising that it would be fun, and before you knew it, you were standing in the familiar gymnasium where so many high school memories had been made.

the place was transformed. lights strung up, decorations that brought back memories of dances past. as soon as you walked in, you were hit with a flood of nostalgia. old friends were everywhere, laughing, sharing stories, catching up.

but what caught your attention immediately was someone you hadn’t seen in years.

se-mi.

she was standing off to the side, laughing with a group of familiar faces from high school. and as soon as she saw you, her expression shifted. a flicker of surprise crossed her face, quickly replaced by a smile, a real one this time.

“i didn’t think you’d actually show,” she said, walking toward you.

you blinked, surprised to see her here. “yeah… i thought i’d give it a shot.” se-mi’s eyes lingered on you, and for a moment, you both just stared at each other.

“you’ve… changed,” she said softly, her gaze trailing over you.

you tilted your head. “i could say the same about you.”

she had changed so much physically. if anything, she seemed even more confident now. her hair was much shorter, styled with effortless ease but still perfectly suited her, and those unfamiliar piercings on her nose and bottom lip gave her a striking edge that oddly made you feel tingly inside. and yet, beneath it all, those same mischievous eyes still held the same familiar glint you remembered. teasing, captivating, and unmistakably her.

“so, how’s life been treating you?” she asked, her voice casual, though you could sense a shift in her tone. “good,” you answered cautiously. “you?”

“same old,” she said, laughing. “busy with stuff, you know.”

you were about to say something else when a few other friends from high school joined you, and the conversation shifted. but even as the night wore on, you couldn’t shake the feeling. se-mi was still watching you.

a few hours into the reunion, you were engaged in conversation with a group of old friends, laughing and reminiscing about the past. the evening felt warmer, easier than you had expected. but then, something caught your attention.

you didn’t notice it at first. too caught up in your own world. but then your eyes moved, and you saw her. se-mi, standing at the beverage corner, her posture tense, her eyes fixed on you.

and next to you, one of your classmates, a familiar face from high school, was leaning in, laughing a little too close to you, his hand lightly resting on your arm.

it shouldn’t have been anything. just friendly. but when you looked back at se-mi, you saw it. something dark flashing across her face. her face faltered, her eyes narrowing slightly.

you didn’t understand why, but it felt strange.. unsettling, like something had shifted. you swallowed hard, unsure what to do.

a little while later, se-mi was still alone, spacing out while sipping on her drink, and you found yourself making your way over cautiously. her expression was guarded, tension radiating off her.

“hey,” you said softly, a bit unsure whether it was a good idea. she looked up at you, surprised but wary. “o-oh. hey.”

you sat next to her, your brows slightly furrowed. “you looked… bothered earlier. everything alright?” she sighed, swirling the drink in her glass. “just… seeing you here after so long. it’s strange.” you frowned, puzzled. “yeah… it is.”

another silence fell between you both, but this time, it felt different, heavy. you glanced back across the room, back to your friend still laughing with others, his gaze briefly flicking in your direction.

and that’s when se-mi saw it too.

her eyes followed yours, and she stiffened.

“what is he to you?” she asked, her voice low, guarded, and for the first time, something unfiltered slipped into her tone, jealousy.

you blinked, caught off guard. “a friend… why?" she turned toward you fully, a smirk playing on her lips—but it didn't seem playful. “friend? really?”

you raised an eyebrow. “yeah, why does it matter?”

“i just… i don’t like the way he’s looking at you,” se-mi said, a hint of anger in her voice now. you frowned. “what does it matter to you?”

se-mi sighed, shaking her head. “forget it.”

but you couldn’t. because you knew, there was something there, something real. the way she had reacted wasn’t normal. it wasn’t just annoyance. it was jealousy.

later that night, after the reunion had wound down, you found yourself outside of the gymnasium. you couldn’t shake the way se-mi had looked at you earlier, how she had seemed… possessive.

and then, you saw her. se-mi, walking outside alone. her eyes found yours immediately, and she hesitated for a moment before coming over. “mind if i join you?” she asked softly.

you shrugged, trying to keep your voice neutral. “sure."

she sat down across from you, her posture stiff at first. then, she let out a long breath, playing with the rim of her glass. “i need to… talk to you.”

you frowned. “talk?”

“yes.” she looked up at you, her expression serious. “earlier, when i saw you with that guy… it didn’t sit right with me.”

you blinked, caught off guard. “again, why does it matter to you?” she sighed, shaking her head. “i-i don’t know. i shouldn’t care.”

but you saw it. there was more behind her words. and when you looked closer, you could see it, something raw, something honest.

“what’s going on, se-mi?” you asked quietly.

she hesitated, fiddling with her her lip piercing, before finally speaking. “this may be sudden but i can't keep hiding any longer. y/n.. i-i liked you. i’ve liked you for years."

your eyes widened in shock. “what?”

“i’ve liked you,” she repeated, her voice soft, barely audible. “ever since we were in junior year. but i didn’t know how to tell you… and i didn’t want to ruin things between us.”

you sat there, stunned. you couldn’t process it, this was the same se-mi who had always been a thorn in your side, the one who made your life more difficult. and now she was telling you… this?

“and i was scared,” she continued, her voice filled with sincerity. “scared that if you knew, it would make everything worse. scared you’d hate me for how i teased you all these years.”

you swallowed, still trying to absorb her words. “you liked me? for that long?”

se-mi nodded. “yes, and i still do. after graduation, i couldn’t figure out which college you went to, and your friends wouldn’t even share your social media with me, knowing how bad i treated you. i couldn’t get in touch with you.. not a single update, nothing. it drove me crazy. you make me crazy."

and for a moment, everything felt still, like the world had stopped turning.

“you…” you whispered, heart racing, unable to believe what you were hearing.

“i know i messed up,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “but i just couldn’t keep pretending i didn’t feel this way. honestly, i was planning to confess to you during the senior year dance, but turns out you didn’t show up. i guess persuading you didn’t work. i was so scared i had missed my chance."

you looked at her, really looked at her. and suddenly, everything began to make sense. the teasing wasn’t just meant to push you away. it was her own way of showing affection, even if it was twisted in its delivery. she wasn’t mocking you, she had been scared to show how she truly feels.

and maybe… maybe you had felt something too.

se-mi reached out, tentatively taking your hand. “i know this might be too much, too soon… but i don’t want to let you go again without telling you how i feel.”

you stared at her hand, then slowly, you placed your own hand over hers. “se-mi… i’ve always wondered about you. wondered what it would be like if things were different.”

her eyes softened, hope blooming in her gaze. “so… you don’t hate me?”

“i never did,” you admitted quietly. “i just didn’t know how to process it.”

se-mi gave you a small, hopeful smile. “maybe… we can start again.”

and as you sat outside, with her hand in yours, you realized that perhaps, just perhaps.. you were ready to give her a chance. to rewrite what had been so difficult between you both for so long.

and maybe, just maybe, you’d found something in her that you hadn’t been able to shake all these years.

a/n— i hope you enjoyed reading as much as i enjoyed writing this! if you have any suggestions, or any scenarios that you'd like to read from me, feel free to send me requests in the ask box! i'd love to write more stories for se-mi :D

[aventurineswife]

HEYY!! I just wanted to start off by saying i absolutely ADORE your work 🫶 also i have never requested before so i hope im doing this correctly lolol 😭

Could i please request a teen reader with parental figure! Aventurine?? I was thinking maybe the reader could be like Ratio's student but they don't like him all that much, so when they meet Aventurine they sorta cling to him instead. The reader follows him around, loves to give him hugs or presents, just very affectionate overal.

I feel like that'd be sooo cute. The whole Dad!Aventurine thing has been stuck in my head for days now.

Anyways, thank you!!

The Gambler’s Heart

Summary: Disillusioned by Ratio's cold, clinical demeanor, you find yourself drawn to Aventurine, one of the IPC's enigmatic Ten Stonehearts. Captivated by his charisma and warmth, you begin following him everywhere, showering him with affection, hugs, and small gifts. Though caught off guard at first, Aventurine grows into a reluctant yet protective parental figure, finding solace in the bond you share. As you help him confront his own vulnerabilities, Aventurine realizes that sometimes, the best gambles are the ones that involve the heart.

Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Teen!Reader, Parental Figure Aventurine, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Mentorship, Emotional Vulnerability, Protective Parental Figure.

Warnings: Mentions of past trauma (Aventurine's backstory), Light angst (themes of self-worth and vulnerability), Mild language and references to intense emotions.

A/N: OMG THANK YOU!! 🤭💖 ALSO, DON'T WORRY YOU DID PERFECT FOR A FIRST REQ, AND I HONESTLY LOVED THIS AND I HOPE YOU TOO!!💕

The first time you met Aventurine, it was like stepping onto a stage where the lead actor suddenly took notice of you. He was magnetic, his voice weaving through the room with a charisma that demanded attention. But what caught you wasn’t his charm—it was the warmth in his gaze, a flicker of something genuine beneath the layers of practiced bravado.

Ratio had introduced you as his “protégé,” though you hated the label. Ratio was cold, clinical, and calculating in a way that left you feeling more like a pawn than a student. His mentorship, if you could call it that, felt transactional—like he was shaping you into a tool for his own ends. So when Aventurine strolled into the room, all flair and easy smiles, you latched onto him like he was a lifeline.

“Ah, Ratio’s ward,” Aventurine greeted, his eyes glinting with intrigue as he looked you over. “Tell me, do they teach you how to smile in his classroom, or is that considered extracurricular?”

You couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of you, surprised by his wit. Ratio scowled, but Aventurine only winked.

From that moment on, you decided you liked Aventurine far more than Ratio.

Weeks later, Your affection for Aventurine blossomed quickly, and to everyone’s surprise—his included—you made a habit of sticking to his side whenever he was around.

“Gambler, you’ve got a shadow,” Ratio remarked one afternoon, his tone clipped as he gestured at you trailing after Aventurine through the IPC’s marble-floored halls.

“I don’t mind,” Aventurine replied, grinning down at you as you walked beside him. “Every gambler needs a lucky charm, after all.”

You beamed at that, practically skipping to keep up with his long strides.

It wasn’t just his charisma or the way he made you laugh that drew you to him. Aventurine had a knack for making you feel seen. When Ratio barked orders or critiqued your every move, Aventurine would swoop in with a sly quip or a kind word, diffusing the tension with an ease that left you in awe.

You started bringing him small gifts—things that reminded you of him. A shiny card-shaped pendant you found at a market. A peacock feather pen. Once, you even baked him cookies, though they turned out slightly burnt. He ate them anyway, ruffling your hair as he said, “Risky move, kid. I like it.”

But your favorite moments were the hugs. You weren’t sure why you started hugging him—it just felt natural, like he was a safe harbor in a stormy sea. At first, Aventurine seemed caught off guard by your affection, his body stiffening slightly before he returned the gesture. Over time, though, he grew accustomed to it, even leaning into your embraces.

“You’re gonna spoil me, kid,” he teased one evening after you wrapped your arms around him in the middle of the crowded mess hall.

“Good,” you replied, grinning up at him. “You deserve it.”

At first, Aventurine wasn’t sure what to make of you. He’d never been anyone’s role model—not intentionally, anyway. His reputation as one of the Ten Stonehearts painted him as a man of ambition, not affection. But you… You were different.

He saw pieces of himself in you—the yearning for connection, the fear of failure lurking behind your determined eyes. It was in the way you hesitated before speaking up, as if bracing for criticism, and in the way your shoulders relaxed when he offered a kind word.

You reminded him of a younger version of himself, before the world had stripped him down and rebuilt him into something harder, sharper. Protecting you, in some small way, felt like protecting the part of himself he thought he’d lost.

It was late in the evening, the halls quiet as Aventurine worked in his office, poring over the latest reports from Penacony. He barely noticed when you slipped in, carrying a steaming cup of tea you’d made for him.

“Hey, kid,” he greeted without looking up. “Burn the midnight oil too often and you’ll end up with bags under your eyes like Ratio.”

You set the cup down beside him and leaned against his desk. “I wanted to check on you. You’ve been working a lot lately.”

He paused, finally meeting your gaze. There it was again—that unwavering concern you always showed him, as if you truly believed he was worth worrying about.

“I’m fine,” he said, but the words felt hollow even to him.

You frowned, crossing your arms. “You don’t have to pretend with me, you know. You always say I’m your lucky charm, but you’re mine too.”

Aventurine stared at you for a moment, the weight of your words settling over him. Slowly, he reached out and placed a hand on your shoulder, his usual smirk softening into something more genuine.

“Thanks, kid,” he said quietly. “That means more than you know.”

That night, as Aventurine watched you doze off on the couch in his office, wrapped in a blanket(aka his coat) he’d draped over you, he felt something he hadn’t in a long time—a sense of peace. For all the gambles he’d taken in life, this one—letting you into his heart—felt like the best bet he’d ever made.

[chleem]

Flashing lights prologue

Series; actor Drew x actress reader

Summary: Drew gets involved in the worst scandal of his career. One way to solve it? Proving to the whole world that he’s the sweetest lover to exist. Who better to help than the one person he can’t stand? You, an A class actress with an alcohol addiction. So, will Drew clear up his reputation, or leave with a bigger mess to clean up?

Genre: fake dating, enemies to lovers(?, slow burn, angst, smut,

Warning: mentions of alcohol, swearing, mentions of k!lling oneself, mentions of rape & sa, mentions of drug usage, smoking & vaping, (read at own caution

⋆.˚ please dont copy/translate my work!

⋆.˚ this is entirely fictional, if uncomfortable then don't read

♡⸝⸝ chapter 1 | index

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Talk about a scandal. 

‘Drew Starkey, rising star from OBX, impregnates girl and refuses to take responsibility.’ ‘Drew Starkey impregnates girl and forces her for an abortion.’ ‘All to know about OBX star that SA a girl.’

Even an interview starring a random girl that claims to be pregnant with Drew’s child. 

If Drew knew going to the club a week ago would cause such big damage to his career, he would have never stop foot in there. But being stubborn and a sucker for fun, he just needed the relaxation that clubbing would offer. 

His PR manager Henry, who Drew’s only sees once a year, is surprisingly quiet. He sits across Drew, staring at his laptop. His typing makes up for the quiet and tense (at least for Drew) atmosphere in his manager’s office. 

“I’m sorry,” Drew starts, genuinely, his eyes shifting between his manager Jeff and Henry. “Look, I don’t know who that woman is. She’s lying, alright? I didn’t even talk to any strangers last night. Just my friends. And I was careful with how much I drank-”

“Calm down, we didn’t accuse you of it,” Jeff chuckles, also surprisingly calm and not scolding Drew. Normally, Jeff would scold Drew so hard that it took Drew back to the days of being coached by his dad. “I’ve worked with you for almost ten years, I know you wouldn’t do that.”

Hold up. Was this a dream? He fucked up real bad, why were his managers so forgiving? So… calm? This felt way too strange. They should be furious right now, thinking of a solution and threatening to kill Drew. So why were they so gentle with this situation?

Drew adjusts his hat, pocking his tongue against his cheek. Without thinking, he simply says, “What?”

Jeff glances at Henry, who nods, looking up from his laptop. Drew furrows his eyebrows at Jeff, who simply looks away as Henry starts. “Fine, Drew. We’re all fucking pissed at your mistake. Do you know how many sponsors have asked to break up your contract? Even after we’ve came up with a clean statement? For fuck’s sake, Drew. You’re fucking thirty now, and you still act like a fucking child!”

Drew licks his lips looking away. Okay, this was the Henry he saw yelling at other artists, and what he expected when he walked into the office this morning. But now that he was yelling at him, it felt horrible still. After all, who likes to be yelled at? 

“I’ve had to pull multiple strings to help you, to clear your name up. So you better hope this is your last mistake,” Henry continues. 

Drew couldn’t help but ask, “what did you do?”

“We’ve come up with a plan,” Henry says, walking over to the printer. He grabs the paper, taking a quick look before placing it on the table in front of Drew.

Drew’s eyebrows furrow, sensing something really strange. 

And he was right. On the top of the paper, it read, “Fake dating Proposal.”

What the fuck. He reads through the first sentence in his head, with widen eyes, “In order to save Drew Starkey’s career, he must conduct a year-long fake relationship with Y/n Y/l/n.”

He falls back in his seat. “You’re not fucking serious. This is the strings you had to pull? This is fucking ridiculous! How is this-“

“Drew!” Jeff yells, making him shut up. His face was slightly red, sweat dripping down his forehead. “Drew, trust us. We wouldn’t cause more harm. This, this will save your career, save you.”

“but out of anyone-“ Drew adjusts his hat once again. “Out of anyone, and you chose her?”

“She’s the best choice of right now, and the only one who even agreed. Drew. You’re not in the place of choosing. You sign, and you accept it. Or it’s the end.”

He couldn’t believe himself right now. Literally. Out of every solution, every person, it had to be you. You, the one person he can’t stand. You, the one person that gets him worked up and annoyed. It was like the end of the world for him. 

Worse, his manager seems to agree with this solution. As if he doesn’t know how much Drew despises you. Jeff places the pen next to Drew. “I hate to say this, but Drew, you’re screwed unless you do this. We see the vision, and in a few years, you’ll see it too. Just, just treat this as another acting class, okay?”

Do I have a choice anyways, he thinks. Drew rubs his face in annoyance. Fuck. Damn you and damn himself. Getting into this stupid situation in the first place. 

He looks at the contract again. Sees your name again. And his head hurts a thousand times worse than a hangover. 

He reads through the contract terms, cringing at it. 

‘Must show up at five or more public evens together.’

‘Must show PDA at public events, such as touching, holding hands, kissing etc.’

‘Y/n Y/l/n must talk sweetly about Drew Starkey, and steer away any negative comments.’

‘During the course of this fake-relationship, being seen with any other costar of the opposite sex is forbidden.’

Much more was listed, at least twenty terms were on this contract alone. So this is the real thing. 

And at the bottom, Drew sees what was offered. Wow. You get offered millions of dollars, while all Drew receives is a clear to his scandal. 

He should at least get half the amount you’re earning, considering that he has to put up with you. “How can she get so much cash?” Drew asks, curiosity killing him. 

“Because she’s got nothing to gain from being with you,” Jeff states matter-of-factly, that hurt Drew’s ego more than it should have. He also noticed how much money this was, almost all the money he earned from acting in OBX. Wow. So not only were you a moody bitch, but a greedy one as well. 

Drew rubs his eyes aggressively, a frustrated yawn coming out. He so is going to regret this. The worst decision he ever has to make. 

You better be the savior to his career, or he was going to kill himself. 

Drew signs, pushing the paper away as if it had some kind of disease. 

Henry forces a smile, grabbing the paper. Drew gets ready to leave, but Henry stops him. “Where are you going?”

“Home. I- that was enough for me.”

“No, no. You’re going to Y/n’s filming set.”

“What?”

“Yes, you heard me. Her manager gave the green light, so you’re going.”

“Fuck, it’s only like, a minute since I signed.”

“Hey, I’m saving you right now,” Henry says. “Now, you want your sponsors back or not?”

Drew curses under his breath, never wanting to punch a wall as much as right now. “Fine. I'll go. But I can’t promise that I’m hugging or touching her or anything. She’s a complete stranger to me.”

“We just need a couple of photos to leak out,” Jeff says, grabbing his jacket. “I’ll drive you there.”

“Fucking hate you Jeff,” Drew says, walking out the office. “Henry you asshole.”

Either his managers heard and said whatever, or they didn’t care. But cursing at people who's helping him ‘save’ his career was the least of his worries. His head is just consumed with meeting you again, the brattiest bitch he's ever known.

-------------------------------

word count: 1.2k

ִ ࣪𖤐 a/n: i'm sooo happy for the support and how much people liked the teaser! i was giggling seeing the reblogs and likes.

anyways, thought i should release a prologue first, to give drew's pov of this situation. apologies in advance for y/n's character and anyone who can't handle her! but i'm so excited for you guys to read ch1, which will be released later this week! like or comment to show support, really appreciate it <3

other | index | ch1

[arcanefox207]

The Wolf You Feed (Part 1)

Pairing: Joel Miller x female reader

Rating: Explicit, 18+ MDNI

Word Count: 8k

Part 1 / ? (Ongoing Series) A O 3 | M A S T E R L I S T

Summary: Set in fictional New England town, you fall for your handsome, intense and outdoorsy neighbor while renting out your parent's vacant summer home during a brutal winter.

Warnings: No Outbreak, AU but with TLoU characters, Large age gap (Reader is 29. Joel is 50). This chapter includes smut with fingering and cum eating. Dominant Joel. Eventual Angst. Drinking Alcohol. Pet names but no use of Y/N. Reader is smaller than Joel and has hair he can grab. 

A/N: Please hang in there. This chapter has a lot of setup and is a bit of a slow burn. Its also my first fic and I am pouring my heart and soul into it.

A O 3 | M A S T E R L I S T | N O T I F I C A T I O N

“Remember, if you need anything you can ask Joel. He knows his way around the house” your mother reminds you. 

“Thanks, I will be fine but I’ll keep that in mind.” You appease her but have no intention of bothering her neighbor.

“Love you, honey. Talk later!”

“Bye mom. Love you.” You end the call and slump back against the couch. This was going to be your home for the next few months. Your parents had gone south to avoid the brutal New England winter and had offered their summer vacation home in Kineo to you in the interim. No rent and plenty of free time to figure out what to do with your life next. All you had to do was pay the utilities and keep an eye on things.

The offer was genuine but also came from a place of concern. You had spent the last few years living a more-or-less nomadic life and poorly indulging your dreams of adventure. Your bachelors degree in Liberal Arts proving to be as useless as everyone told you it would be. It got you jobs easy enough but nothing that felt like a long term career. It all felt directionless but you also had been hell bent on proving everyone else wrong and keeping up the appearance that you were doing just fine. 

Your past relationships were nothing too exciting either. Months of casually dating someone and it not really going anywhere or random hookups that you regretted the next day. One or two guys you were getting serious with but ultimately scared you off when they started talking about a family in their big picture. You were starting to get cynical about any compatible prospects.

You are only 29 and wonder if a midlife crisis before your 30’s is normal. At least, that is what it felt like was happening. You had been treading water for too long and felt like you were too tired to keep swimming.

Your mother finally wore you down enough when your lease was up at your Boston apartment and you had no real obligations. You hated your current job, your roommates were little more than acquaintances and the busy city life scene was starting to lose its charm especially when it was astronomically expensive to live there. It was getting harder to say no so you agreed to her offer. 

You had to admit living in the country sounded like a nice change. You had a few months to figure stuff out and the thought of something new was exciting to you. Even if it meant continuing to endure the bitter winter, you had a chance to start fresh somewhere new. Something different. 

You didn’t grow up here and spent most of your life living in suburban homes with slightly warmer climates. Your parents had bought a small one bedroom vacation home in a sleepy New England town that they mostly only enjoyed in the prime summer months. The home sat mostly vacant otherwise. They would rent it out for weeks at a time but in the winter months no one from away wanted to go there. Too far from ski resorts and civilization to be of interest to a casual vacationer. It had a lake that drew much attention from outsiders only when it wasn’t frozen. The town was reduced to just the year-round locals in the coldest months.

Your new residence was outside the main populous of Kineo and nearby the lake. In fact, you could see the lake peeking through the thick pine trees out the front window if you looked hard enough. 

The closest and only neighbor in sight was the handyman your parents raved about across the street. He kept an eye on the place while they were away. You had never interacted with him on your occasional summer visits, but knew he had been kind to your folks and heard about him often enough. You occasionally saw him out in his yard from afar and he would give a lazy wave to your parents in passing. You never really got a good look at him up close but from what you could see he looked rugged and fit and always wore jeans and work boots. He had a modest waterfront cabin across the street and seemed to keep to himself.

You had arrived just a few days ago and already had a job lined up at the local coffee shop, Grind. You were getting your caffeine fix and saw a help wanted sign in their window and you had no trouble securing the job when you chatted with the owner. She hired you on the spot and seemed desperate but grateful that you actually had enthusiasm for coffee and knew your Americanos from your Lattes. Grind Coffee House was on the main drag along with some other quaint shops. It was charming enough and an easy 10 minute drive from your house. The pay was pitiful but would be enough to get by. Things seemed to be lining up perfectly.

You went to bed early that night and felt optimistic that this was going to be good for you. This was going to be the reset that you craved. A new adventure. It was like nothing you had experienced before and maybe that was exactly what you needed.

–

Shit. Your first day working at Grind and you can’t even get the car to start. 

It was freezing cold. The kind of cold that hurts when it touches your exposed skin. You turn the key in the ignition again and the engine makes a pathetic attempt to turn over. Nothing. Fuck. 

You turn the key again. Nothing. Fuck fuck fuck. You pull out your phone and realize you have no idea what to do other than call your new boss and make a horrible first impression. No, that wasn’t going to do. You look in the rearview mirror and see across the street that lights are on at your neighbors house, despite the early hour. As quickly as the thought crosses your mind you push it away. No. No way were you going to bother him at this hour. You hadn’t even officially met the guy yet.

You pull up Google on your phone and scan the first few results for “car won’t start” and narrow it down to engine troubles or dead battery. Either outcome is something you are not equipped to handle. 

A few moments pass and you reluctantly weigh the options. Would a garage even be open this early? How long would that take to get someone out there? You were wasting time and had to do something. You curse to yourself and go back inside the house.

You walk over to the fridge where a note is hanging front and center “Joel Miller” with a phone number neatly printed. Your mothers careful handwriting to contact the poor neighbor that she probably harasses all the time. You sigh and open your phone to dial the number.

It rings a few times, and then you hear a gravelly voice that catches you off guard. 

“Hello?” A deep and thick, unfamiliar accent answers. Not what you were expecting. 

“Hi, Mr. Miller.” a long pause and you stumble over your words. “I uh, I’m sorry to call you so early. I'm Rick and Linda’s daughter.” and mumble your name. Another pause. 

“Ah, right. Whatcha need, kid?” He asks with little expression in his tone. You can’t tell if he is annoyed or just sounded that way. 

“My car won’t start and I–” you pause, not too sure how to ask for help from a stranger. “I don’t know what to do...” Your voice trails off with uncertainty on how to ask for help or what you are even expecting. 

You hear a long exhale on the other end, like he is letting all the air out of his lungs while he is thinking on it. 

“Dead battery most likely… on a day like this. I’ll be right over.” He hangs up the phone before you can say another word and instead say thank you out loud to yourself and let your voice trail off. You instantly regret making the call.

You zip up your coat, pull your knit hat snug over your ears and head back outside when you see a black Ford pickup truck ease into your driveway. A tall man wearing a brown suede jacket approaches. The morning light is faint but you can make out that he is much older and has some silver streaking his hair and beard. He looks weathered and rugged but also has a warmness about him that is hard to reconcile with his rough exterior.     

“Joel Miller, I presume?” you nervously laugh and awkwardly introduce yourself for the second time. You attempt to be extra friendly and maybe penetrate his bristly wall. It seems to help when he notices you are a young woman and not some bratty teenager that your parents probably made you out to be. He takes a step forward and reaches a hand out towards you, nodding. He firmly shakes your hand and you are taken aback by how his grasp seems to engulf you.

“Pleasure to meet you, darling.” His voice is smooth and polite and has the tiniest hint of playfulness in his tone. You can’t place his accent, but you know it isn’t from around here and only someone from away would say ‘Darling’ so casually to a stranger. 

His dark brown eyes hold your gaze for a moment and he has the faintest smirk as he subtly scans your body. It sends goosebumps down your spine. You are grateful that you made an extra effort to look cute for your first day of work. You realize your hands are still embraced and nervously laugh as you pull away. He gets right down to business, but not before stealing another peek of your body when he thinks you aren’t looking.  

“Lets see what we got here.'' He climbs into the driver's seat and in no time confirms it's the battery when he hears your car's engine protest. He walks over to his tailgate and brings back some jumper cables. 

You stand there with your arms wrapped around your body trying to hold in as much warmth as possible. Your bare hands clenched in a fist and tucked in as far as they could in your jacket sleeve to shelter from the cold. Your teeth chattering as you try to stand out of the way but want to be nearby too. At least give the illusion you can be helpful if he needs something. You regret your first meeting being a clueless damsel in distress, but maybe he liked that sort of thing. His tune did seem to change once he saw you. 

Joel returns and leans over the edge of the seat leaving the door wide open, his large palm dragging up slowly from the floor to the steering column, searching for the hood release. His finger catches on the button and he pops the hood. It’s hard not to stare at him while he slides his expert hands with reckless abandon.

His eyes find yours and the corner of his mouth raises slightly. You question if you are mistaking his caught you watching me look for more than what it was. He seems to enjoy you watching him work. He steps away from the seat and pulls a pair of work gloves from his back pocket as he works to connect your car to his truck with the jumper cables. He starts his truck back up and approaches you. Your breath and his making little frozen clouds as you exhale. 

“You can sit in my truck if you want, it’s plenty warm in there.” He gestures with his thumb over his shoulder. “This will just be a minute.” You thank him and take him up on his offer and climb into his passenger seat. He has a classical rock station playing on the radio. A thermos sitting in the center console. You glance in the back seat and see some neatly organized tools and miscellaneous junk on the floor. It smells metallic and leathery. 

You outstretch your hands to the vents that are pouring warm air into the cabin and relish the heat.  

A few moments pass and you don’t see much of what’s going on with the hood of the truck blocking your view. You doom scroll on Instagram to keep yourself busy but your mind keeps thinking about Joel. You were in no way prepared for your neighbor to be so fucking handsome. It felt absurd to be so turned on by him.

He’s too old. You tell yourself. Don’t even think about it. 

Your thoughts are interrupted as the hood slams shut and Joel opens the driver's door. He reaches his arm out to grab his thermos while he climbs into the seat with a groan. The door shuts hard behind him and a blast of cold air invades your space briefly.  

“Damn cold one today” He says it with a huff as more of an observation than a complaint. He takes a sip of his coffee and looks over to you. You nod in agreement and find yourself caught up in what to say to him. He pulls off his gloves and tosses them in his backseat. He rests his arm along the back of the seat and it is nearly touching your shoulder. The way his body takes up the space makes you feel small and helpless. Then, you remember you are small and helpless compared to him. He doesn’t feel threatening towards you but you certainly does give off the aura that he could be intense in the right circumstance. You find that undeniably attractive.

“Your folks called me last week. Told me you were gonna be staying here a while.” His eyes are back focused on you. “Meant to come over this weekend and introduce myself.” he seems a little nervous and takes another sip of his coffee. “Didn’t wanna bother you, though.” 

You feel a small smile start to grow on your face. The thought that he shared the same reservations brought comfort. Joel rests his thermos between his legs while still holding it with one hand. He looks like he is hesitating to say something but does it anyway. He looks over at you with tender eyes, 

“Didn’t expect.. You know...” He makes an unreadable expression as he is searching for the words and scans your body up and down. “Someone like you.” You were not entirely sure what he meant by that, but his smoldered stare on your body made you feel hot inside and your cheeks flush. He looked at you with intrigue and it made you feel good. It made you feel wanted. It had been too long since you felt that way.  

In fact, it has been too long since you had any sort of relationship. Even a casual lay.  

“You really saved my ass this morning. Thank you.” You pause and feel yourself giving a sultry gaze back at him. “I owe you one.” Joel makes a no big deal gesture with his hand and a cocky smile as he chews the inside of his cheek. In that brief moment you feel something between the two of you. The desire to flirt; tempt a man with at least 20 years on you. An unexpected but undeniable magnetic pull. A curiosity to learn what lies beneath. A forbidden fruit that is ripe and beckoning for you to take a bite. Something different. Something exciting. Something you know you should stifle before it even begins.  

His eyes reflect the same sentiment but also harbor concern and restraint. It’s a bad idea. The brief silence between you looms loudly. The elephant in the room. 

“Where ya’ off to so early anyways?” he asks, eager to change the subject. He takes another sip of his coffee while you reply.

“Oh, first day working at Grind. You know it?” Joel's demeanor changes in a subtle way that you may not have seen if you weren’t so focused on trying to read him.  

“Oh. Yeah..” he chides and looks down, pensive in thought as he brings his hand to the back of his neck and rakes it through his hair. “I know the place.” He glances back up and avoids eye contact. The bite in his voice does not go unnoticed, but you don’t pry. 

An uncomfortable subject; noted.   

“Better coffee than this I reckon” he says as he places his thermos back in the center console. He attempts to lighten the tone and then glances at his watch.

“I gotta get to work, sweetheart. Keep your car runnin’ for a bit and you should be all set. Probably get that battery replaced.” His tone is more serious now, more business-like. You realize you had been waiting in his truck longer than necessary. You really have to get to work anyways. 

You thank him again and return to your car. He waits for you to get in and raises his fingers off his steering wheel in a lazy wave to signal he was leaving. He backs out of your driveway and heads down the road towards town.

You take a deep breath and adjust the knobs in your car. Joel had put everything on high heat and full blast for you and your car was now unbearably toasty. You tune your radio and ease into the road and on your way to work. 

All the while your mind can’t stop thinking about your charming, handyman neighbor. 

So that's Joel Miller. You smile to yourself and faintly feel butterflies in your stomach. Anxious thoughts that excite and frighten you.  

–

It took Marlene all of five minutes to become your new work bestie. She was efficient and smart and knew her way around the place. She was the only one working when you arrived and despite the line of customers she was friendly and teased you for arriving late on your first day. 

Marlene had great rapport with everyone. It was apparent that the customers were all regulars and she wasted no time introducing you to them. She had a somewhat forward style but it was well received because she knew exactly what she was doing and didn’t waste time being flowery and over the top. It reminded you of the brashness of Boston.

After the morning rush things were relatively calm. You had time to chat and get to know her a little more while she was showing you the ropes. It wasn’t complicated and you were a quick study.

By mid afternoon it was time to close up shop. The hours were a perk. You were scheduled to work weekdays from open till close and would have to occasionally help out on Saturdays. Marlene worked the same shift and the weekends were mostly covered by high schoolers. 

It was just after 2 o’clock when the owner, Tess, stopped by. 

“How did it go?” she asks you both as she takes a seat and rests her bag on the counter. Marlene had no intention of telling her you were late and talked you up, pleased with your presence. Tess had a few other properties she owned so her time at the coffee shop was only as needed and Marlene you learnt was more or less the one who ran things day to day. 

You recap the day and thank her again for the job. You did genuinely enjoy the work. It was easy. Simple and straightforward. You got to know lots of town folk and everyone was curious and interested in meeting the new girl in town.

Tess seemed pleased enough and was quick to head out. She was friendly but brief and gave the impression she had other responsibilities that demanded her attention. She joins you behind the counter briefly and pours herself a black hot coffee in a to-go cup. Another perk of the job was indulging in all the free coffee. 

“Let me know if you guys need anything!” She says energetically as she collects her bag and heads out the door. She flips the sign to “closed” as she leaves. 

“Tess is cool. She doesn’t interfere too much and we only see her a few times a week, if that.” You nod to acknowledge Marlene. “Lets finish cleaning up and get out of here.”

It was nice leaving with the sun bright and warm. Winter meant shorter days, so getting out of work with a few hours of daylight felt luxurious. The bitter cold from the morning had made its departure. 

You had been so focused with work it wasn’t until you got back to your car that you allowed yourself to think about Joel again. You know you shouldn’t but can’t help feeling turned on at the thought of him. He was handsome in that brooding, mysterious way and he emanated competence. It was refreshing and welcomed. 

You decided to send him a text message. You had his number in your recent contacts after all and you were curious if he would play along. You were certain that there was something sparked between the two of you, but unsure if he would act on it. Unsure if there were too many obstacles between you.

You keep it simple and friendly.   

You: Thanks again for your help! 

Your car starts up with no issue and you head home. When you arrive you glance down to your phone to see a simple reply. 

Joel: Anytime

It was brief but you couldn’t help but read it with that low, southern drawl. His voice was so distinct. Polite but stern. You add him as a contact in your phone and wonder if he did the same. 

You take a shower, make some dinner and get comfortable in your bed. It’s early and you watch some TV when you hear your phone chime. You glance at your phone and see Joel Miller has you on his mind as he revives the conversation with you. 

Joel: So how did it go? 

You smile and recount this feeling like you were a teenager talking to your crush. You want to gush about your first day but you play it cool and brief. 

You: Went good, I think I’ll like it there

A few minutes pass. Against your better judgment you start to go into details but delete it before you hit send. You recalled his strange reaction earlier when you brought up Grind. This man has you second guessing yourself and you don’t want to blow it before it even begins. He replies instead before you elaborate.

Joel: Glad to hear. Thought you would. 

You: I’m exhausted though, getting to bed

You decide to be playful and see how he reacts. 

You: Goodnight, Mr. Miller.  

Joel: Just Joel. 

Joel: Goodnight darling

Darling. Even if it was just a typical Southern phrase it made you wild. It was uncommon to hear in the north and felt so endearing and warm. The knots in your stomach return as you struggle to fall asleep. Your mind is too excited to see where things go from here. You knew he was interested in you enough to keep talking. It would have been easy for him to end the conversation there and keep things formal and neighborly. 

Your mind wanders thinking about how truly handsome he is. How badly you want his manly, rough hands on your body. How his voice makes you melt. How his domineering  presence makes you tingle in your core. You feel yourself starting to get wet just at the thought of his body and what you wanted to do to it. What you wanted him to do to you. Sinful thoughts.

You slide your hand between your legs and feel yourself already wet and wanting. Your delicate fingers tease circles over your clit and it doesn’t take long before you get off. You feel ashamed to be lusting over an old man you barely know, but nevertheless wish it was Joel’s rough hands on you.   

You wonder if he is doing the same thing and sharing the same thoughts about you.

–

A few uneventful days go by and now it’s Friday. You haven’t seen much of Joel other than his truck occasionally driving off, but he had been stuck on your mind all week. Lonely nights accompanied by dirty thoughts of Joel that only fueled your yearning to get closer to him. Your inhibitions regarding age and disapproval of your parents were blinded by your building desire. It still weighed on you though. Your parents would be appalled and probably disown you if they knew. It would just be another tick on the disappointment list.   

Work is busy and the day flies by. Just a few hours to go. You are taking a break, sitting at one of the tables by the front window and snacking on a blueberry scone. You reason with yourself that tonight is as good as any to try to make something happen. 

You: You doing anything tonight?

An agonizing hour passes and no reply. Your message is on read. Marlene takes notice of your change in demeanor. When things finally slow down and its just the two of you waiting around to close up she presses you.

“So.. whats going on? You look distant.” 

“Just trying to… make friends here.” You pause. “A friend in particular.” Your voice trails off. Marlene catches on quick and she had suspected you were starting to fall for someone. 

“Anyone I know?” Marlene knows everyone. You don’t want her judgment on the matter so you keep it vague.

“My neighbor. He doesn’t seem the type to come to a place like this though.” Your phone chimes and you try to play down your excitement as you look down and see it’s from Joel. You can barely contain a smile. 

Joel: Just got done a job. No plans

Marlene searches your face and rolls her eyes.  

“Just go over then. Easy enough.” she was right. 

“Yeah, I think I will.” 

The rest of the shift goes by quickly and you are both out the door by 3 o’clock.

You sit in your car and decide to just call him already. You were craving to hear his voice again and you wanted to put him on the spot. He answers quickly.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Joel. I still owe you, you know for helping me out earlier.” Joel sighs in defeat. 

“I see you aint lettin’ that go. What did ya have in mind?” 

“Can I come over tonight? I’ll bring over drinks.” Your offer was more forward than you intended, but you went with it.

“Yeah, ok. Sounds good.” He pauses and has a counter offer for you. “Come over for dinner first?” You melt at the thought and realize you haven’t responded and there is a silence while you are getting lost in your thoughts. “Grilling steaks. Nothin’ fancy.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.” You can feel your smile spilling into the phone. That sounds more than good. It sounds really fucking good.  

“Alright. Come over ‘round 7.” 

“Ok. See you tonight.” You end the call and take a deep breath. Your heart is beating out of your chest in excitement. 

–

Getting ready for the night you attempted a relaxed look. You wanted to look nice, but approachable. You had some worn jeans that tucked neatly into your Bean boots. A button down flannel that you left undone over an intentionally low cut, fitted shirt. It accented your chest just right. You wore your hair down and went light on the makeup. You threw on a light leather jacket and grabbed the six pack of beer as you head across the street. 

Joel opens the door and leans in the doorframe with a casual figure, taking you in while he bites his lip,

“Evening' sweetheart” He steps back and holds the door open for you and gestures to come in. He was definitely a gentleman. You normally are not a fan of the pet names, but he worked them into his vocabulary so smoothly it was welcomed. 

You step inside and turn around, holding up the six pack of beer.

“Sam Adams. That ok?” He shuts the door and nods in approval. “Figured I’d bring some Boston culture over.” You step further inside. His kitchen is just off the main entrance and has an island with some bar stools at it. You make your way over and take a seat and rest the case on the countertop. 

Your eyes scan the room. His kitchen is tidy, save the spot where he prepped the steaks. You see an empty whiskey glass. Evidence that he had at least one stiff drink before you came over. You panic a little and regret not doing the same.  

“That where you lived before this?” He interrupts your thought as he stands across you at the island. His crossed forearms holding him up as he leans towards you with intrigue. He is dressed plainly in a pair of worn jeans and a plain navy blue t-shirt that hugs his arms just right. His biceps bulge as he is leaning forward and your mind is now preoccupied with just how broad his shoulders are. You almost forgot he asked you a question.

“Yeah, for a few years anyways.” You briefly recount, distracted when Joel takes a beer bottle from the case and effortlessly pops the cap with his large, calloused hands. A satisfying hiss escapes the bottle followed by a clink as the cap falls to the countertop. He slides it over to you and repeats the motion again for himself.

“Oh, wow.” you say out loud, without realizing it. Joel has that cocky side smirk again, well aware of his impressive party trick. He holds the bottle up and towards you and you do the same, clanking bottle necks together and taking a sip. Your eyes are locked on each other for a moment; trying to read each other's intentions.  

“Make yourself comfortable. I’m gonna put the steaks on.” he gestures his head to the back door that leads onto the deck. He grabs his suede jacket off the back of a chair and walks towards the back entrance. You trail behind and this was the first time you really noticed just how beautiful his home was. 

His open living room and kitchen had a vaulted ceiling with massive windows lining the whole back side of the cabin. It faced the lake and you could imagine how serene it would be to watch the sunrise. The cedar walls and flooring made it feel cozy and inviting. There was a large wood stove in the center of the living room and an open loft above the back of the living room. The deck seemed to wrap along a good part of the home. 

“Your home is beautiful.” It had looked so much more discrete from the road; tucked behind some pines and a long driveway. The backyard was a short distance to the lake and sloped slightly down to a dock. Joel probably had a boat parked there in the summer. The cabin was perched perfectly with a breathtaking view; isolated and private from the world.

“Thank you. I built it myself. Me and my brother Tommy.” 

“Thats… impressive.” 

“Eh, just comes with being a contractor. Made more sense to build my own place the way I wanted.” There it was again, that feeling in your core that excites you. Joel likes to be in control, and he has the skill set to back it up making it all the more alluring. 

Its a cool night, but not uncomfortably cold to be outside for a few minutes with a jacket. In fact, you are grateful to have the crisp air to help ground you and calm you down. It was embarrassing how easily Joel could work you up. You lean over the railing and gaze out over the lake while he tends to the grill for a moment and then joins you at the railing.

“I spent a few years there myself. Boston.” This was news to you, but you were still curious about his Southern accent. 

“And… before?” 

“Texas.” He takes a sip of his beer. “Most my life.” You smile and give a slight laugh. 

“Well, that certainly explains things. You don’t exactly sound like a New Englander” you tease him. Joel laughs and looks a little distant. Something you have come to realize about Joel is that he has a lot on his mind he doesn’t say out loud. His mysterious demeanor was something you found as attractive as it was frustrating. 

“You like it here so far?” He asks.

“I do. Its simple and peaceful. Life is easy here.” you realize while saying this out loud that you mean it. You really are enjoying your time in Kineo more than you ever had expected. “And… my neighbor isn’t so bad.” You tease. Joel rolls his eyes and returns to the grill, pulling the steaks off.

“Mine is a pain in the ass.” He jokes as he closes the grill. He wasn’t wrong. You were persistent if anything. 

–

Dinner is laid back and enjoyable. He has a small dining room table but you choose to sit next to each other at the island drinking your Sam Adams and enjoying your ribeye steaks. Joel cooked them to perfection. You stay seated long after you are done eating, getting carried away with conversation. Your bodies are facing each other and knees knocking into his as you get animated with your storytelling. 

Joel mostly listens while you ramble on. The more you drink the lower your inhibitions get. You are a lightweight to begin with and it doesn’t take much. You don’t even notice that he isn’t really listening to you anymore. His focus has left your well intended words and shifted to your body. He’s looking at your low-cut shirt teasing him. The way you brush your hair out of your face when you laugh. How your neck looks so inviting when you tilt your head back to take a sip of beer, You don’t register that he is eyeing you crudely like you are a piece of meat. That he is fighting every urge inside him to just lose himself with you. 

He inches his hand along the countertop closer to yours until he is grazing your wrist with a light touch and dragging his fingers back across yours. It sends a shiver through your body as you become aware how he is looking at you and how painfully reserved his touch is. It is polite but intrusive. He watches how it makes you feel. How you start to come undone. 

Your pent up feelings are starting to overwhelm you and you excuse yourself reluctantly. Your heart starts to race and you wonder if he can hear it beating. 

You get up and bring your plate over to the sink to wash it. It is a distraction more than anything while you gather yourself. Joel watches you from behind for a moment. You can feel his gaze burning into you and brace yourself against the counter. You like the way it feels. The way he makes you feel wanted. 

That loud silence returns. The air in the room feels heavy. He joins you at the sink and you can feel his heat envelop you as he approaches you from behind. His broad body boxes you in and makes you feel small and vulnerable. 

Joel takes his hands and dances his fingers down your arms lightly. His touch starts a fire inside you and you crave a heavier hold. You need him like you need air in your lungs. He presses a gentle kiss behind your ear and another one drags to your jawline and to the soft meat of your neck. His coarse beard scrapes against your skin and makes you shudder. You press your ass into him and feel him hard against your lower back. He responds by pressing into you firmly and brings his mouth to your ear. 

“You feel what you do to me, beautiful girl?” He asks with his low, gravely voice and presses another kiss into you. His heat is searing into you. 

He agonizingly slides his hands down to your hips and turns you to face him. He pushes your body gently against the countertop and moves one of his hands up to caress your face. He presses his hips into you and holds your chin gently between his thumb and finger. He stares down at you with a thirst in his eyes. He narrows his focus to try to get a reading on you. Your mouths are just inches apart. There is a hunger he is resisting but the wolf inside is slowly starting to win over reason. 

“I want this, Joel.” You stare up at him and make sure he can see the desire in your eyes and that you are serious. You want to remove any hesitations he has on your account. You try to rock your hips into him but he has you pinned. He can feel your needy attempt.  

“We shouldn’t…” Joel pleads, but his words are empty and not speaking the same language as his body. 

Your age, your parents, your unfamiliarity with one another all should be reason enough to quelch this flame, but it just makes you want it that much more. He has wanted you since he first laid eyes on you that morning he came to your rescue. He wants to be respectful but fails, instead teasing you with how much he wants you. The hesitance is an illusion that he has kept up until that moment. Your body is trapped against his and he is looking at you like you are prey in his clutches. You had suspected and even hoped that Joel was a dominant lover with how confident he carried himself.   

You seize the opportunity to show him just what he is doing to you. 

You push your tongue into him and taste him; sweet and malty. His warm and wet mouth is inviting and intense. All reluctancy fades away as he gives in to you and takes control with his tongue. You can feel his cock is hard and straining against his jeans as he rocks into you. Your arms hang around his neck and tangle into his hair as you grind against each other. The friction of both your bodies sending each other into a frenzy.

He drags his mouth away, biting at your lower lip as he moves along your jawline to the soft skin at your neck. You stretch your head back giving him full access to your bare neck as he nips at you hungrily. His scruffy beard rubs roughly against your supple skin and feels so good. One hand roams up your shirt while his mouth traces lower and lower down to your collarbone. He thumbs and circles over your nipple. He can feel it harden through your bra and engulfs your breast with his large hand. His touch is brazen but you welcome it. You can feel just how badly he wants to devour you and it makes you moan.   

He slides his expert hand from your breast and drags it down to your jeans. He unbuttons them hastily with force and works his hand slowly inside. Your underwear is already wet from your arousal. He pulls his mouth away from you and has a devilish grin as he grabs at your pussy and narrows his eyes on you.

“You’re so wet for me.” He says breathlessly with anticipation while he has you in his grasp. 

He slides his hand inside your waistband and teases your clit as his hand slides against you. You want to reply to him but your words are trapped beneath the moans caught in your throat. He brings a finger to your opening and slowly pushes the tip inside you. The pressure from his large, calloused fingers makes you buck into him. He rubs his thumb over your clit as he slowly teases your entrance with his finger. He takes it slow and when he thinks you are ready he slips another one inside.

You can feel your walls clench around his obscenely thick fingers and he pushes deeper. Twisting and playing at your entrance and thrusting in. Your hips writhe in his grasp. While one hand is busy with your cunt the other has an iron grip on the back of your neck. His mouth messily returns to the soft skin above your collarbone and into the crook of your neck. You are completely at his mercy and can’t imagine any other place you’d want to be. 

You are so tight but he stretches you open artfully. Moans escape your lips as you gasp when his fingers dip further into you, reaching that perfect part deep inside. 

“Come for me.” He pants into you with a snarl as you convulse on him.  

He doesn’t let up and fucks you relentlessly with his fingers until you are coming and moaning his name. Incoherent expletives escape you while you soak him.   

You ride the wave of pleasure for as long as you can. It has been too long since you had fucked around with someone. However, no one had ever so masterfully gotten you off with just their fingers. The way he handled your body and worshiped you with his mouth was intoxicating. 

As you come down from your high he slides his wet fingers from inside you and pulls his mouth away with a final ravenous kiss on your swollen lips. He places a kiss on top of your head and pulls you in close for an embrace. The hard protrusion against your body makes itself painfully known.   

Joel presses his forehead against yours as he works to unzip his jeans and free himself. His fingers are wet with your slick. He smirks at you as his hand glides over his swollen cock and rubs your wetness all over his length. His breathing shallows as he strokes himself with one hand and braces his body on the countertop with the other. His swollen head grazes your belly with each thrust into his fist. 

You watch him wantonly as he palms himself with more vigor. Joel’s cock is thick and intimidating, but you crave it in the worst way. It is by far the largest you have ever seen. It glistens in your slick and the precum that was beading at the head. A desire builds inside you and you yearn for more of Joel. Want him in your hands, your mouth, your cunt.  

“Let me, please?” your voice comes out barely above a whisper. His hand slows and comes to a stop. He stretches out his arms to hold him up against the counter as he hovers above you and lets you take over. 

You reach out and grab on to him. You marvel at its size and how weighty it feels in your hands as you start to rub them up and down. His skin is hot and velvety smooth and pulled tightly. Your pace is much slower but more precise. You feel the veins bulge under your grasp as your fingers glide up and down his length.  

A moan hitches in his throat as you rub your thumb over his sensitive tip. You do it again and again. Teasing Joel Miller feels dangerous. You can feel how ragged he is and how close he is to coming. You want to make him come undone.  

“God, damn it.” Joel grunts under his breath. He peels back your hand and painfully pulls it off of him. His cock twitches at the loss of your touch. He stands up straight and towers over you as you shrink back.  

“Get on your knees.” He commands with his hand firmly on your wrist as he pulls your face closer to his. It sends a shiver through your body and you oblige. Any warmth in his eyes has been lost and he is staring at you; dark and menacing. He throws your wrist away and grips his hand along the side of your neck. His touch is rough and urgent. His fingers snake around to the back of your neck as he pulls you closer to him while you drop down. They twist into your hair and he has a hold on the back of your head. It doesn’t hurt, but his grasp is firm and might if you tried to fight it.  

He takes his cock back in his grasp with his other hand and pumps it. His movements are jerky and his breathing is labored. You can tell he is so close. He roughly pulls your head back by your hair to look up at him.

“You gonna’ finish what you started?” he asks with darkened eyes. “Then open up.” He commands you through clenched teeth. 

You respond with an uncontainable smirk. You part your mouth slowly and let your tongue hang out, never taking your eyes off his. You sit back onto your knees so that you are slightly under him and wait patiently. He widens his stance. His hand slides to the top of your head and tangles in your hair. You can feel him slowly starting to lose control and come undone before you while he strokes himself. You brace yourself, hooking your fingers into the back of his thighs and clawing at his jeans. You can smell his sex and feel his heat but he holds you just out of reach and makes you wait while your thirst grows. 

Finally he taps the head of his weighty cock against your tongue and you lick at his slit, sending him over the edge. He groans as his thick spend coats your tongue and drips messily onto your chin. You close your mouth around him as he begins to stall out and swallow, pulling the final drops of cum from him while you choke his cock with your mouth. 

“Good girl.” He rasps at you. “So fucking good.” His grip on you loosens and he tenderly drags his hand along your jawline. You relax your mouth and let him slide himself out. He groans when your tongue licks the underside of him as he pulls out. 

He thumbs over some of his mess that falls out of your mouth and curls his thumb over your bottom lip. You lick him clean and he moves to hold your face in his hands while you look up at him.

“My good girl.” His words shoot straight to your core and make you weak. He brushes your hair behind your ear and helps you up. He places another kiss on your head and wraps his arms around you. His hot and heavy body feels so good against yours. You tilt your head up and press your mouth into him one more time.

“Are we even now?” you joke. Joel smiles. Everything about him feels warmer. He peels himself away from you and steps back, leaning against the island. You adjust your clothes and zip yourself back up while he does the same.

“Actually… think I might owe you now.” Joel says with a playful tone. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and shakes his head at you like he can’t believe his predicament. You like the idea of Joel owing you. 

–

You don’t spend the night. He offers to walk you home but you opt to go alone. It felt good to get some fresh air, to clear your head and recap the night. You also wanted to leave him wanting more.

You weren’t sure what would come from this situation with Joel, but you knew you barely scratched the surface with him. He was rough around the edges but you liked that about him. You liked that a lot. 

(Continue to Part 2!)

A/N: More to come! Undecided how many chapters but I have quite a bit mapped out. Please be kind. This is my first fic and it is nerve wrecking to post! If you loved it, PLEASE let me know. I'd love to know your thoughts so far! What did you like? What do you want more of? How much angst can your heart take? I aim to test it in future chapters. Comments/Reblogs are appreciated so much. Thank you all

Also special thanks to @magpiepills for the lovely cover photo (and her mood board inspirations she helped with along the way!) and to both her and @legendary-pink-dot for reading my first draft and giving their feedback AND courage to post this.

If you wish to know when I post the next chapter, please follow @ArcaneFoxFics and turn on notifications!

Love to my friends who give me the courage and support to do all the things @magpiepillsjunior @legendary-pink-dot @exquisiteserotonin @youandmeand5bucks @redhotkitchen @sparklefarts38 @pink-whiskey-woman @for-a-longlongtime

[ellieputellas]

puppy love | ona batlle x reader

headcanons — Ona Batlle as your first love You and Ona Batlle have been best friends since childhood, always knowing each other better than anyone else. But as the years pass, hidden feelings begin to surface, and what once felt like innocent puppy love starts to bloom into something more.

contains: 10k+ words, firstlove!Ona, artist!reader, fluff, childhood best friends, friends-to-lovers, longterm yearning, some angst... not too much i promise, occasional use of y/n, cursing masterlist | please do not repost or plagiarize this.

firstlove!Ona and you met when you were both 7 years old. She was a new student at your school. At first, she was quiet and reserved, which made you want to take her under your wing; something about her drew you in. So, you would hang out with her during recess and sit beside her during class. It took her some time to open up but you were determined to be her friend.

firstlove!Ona wasn’t sure what to think of you at first. She was used to being alone, content with her own company—until you came along, full of sunshine, with that gummy smile and endless yapping. You were the sunshine she needed in her life. She decided that maybe it wasn’t so bad having a friend.

firstlove!Ona admired everything about you. She loved how you always took charge of class activities, acted so mature and polite to your teachers, and did so well in art class, teaching her different coloring techniques. You were her idol, and she wasn’t shy about letting you know.

firstlove!Ona grew fiercely protective of you. You were sunshine and always full of smiles and giggles. You also loved dressing up to school, with big bows and multicolored clips all over your hair which, for some reason, meant all the lame, insecure boys in your school loved to pick on you. Ona decided that as long as she was around, no one would dull your sparkle.

firstlove!Ona kicked your bully in the nuts after he stole the new pretty, blue ribbon clips out of your hair, calling you lame and girly. He was older than Ona, taller than her too… but that didn’t stop her. She chased him to no end with the most frightening expression an eight-year-old could have.

You watched as the nine-year-old boy keeled over in pain as Ona stood close by, panting after she had run after him. The boy cried out as Ona smirked in satisfaction. "Don't ever mess with her again." She barked at him.

You rushed over to Ona. "Are you okay?" To which she just smiled at you genuinely and said, "Of course, I got your clips back."

firstlove!Ona would draw only two things in art class: you, or you and her together. The teacher would ask everyone to draw dinosaurs. She would draw you two as dinosaurs. Cat? You two riding a giant cat. Her family? Her family… with you inserted there somehow. A rainbow? You two underneath a rainbow.

firstlove!Ona didn't have a concept of a crush or romantic love back then. But all your teachers noticed just how much the little girl admired you.

firstlove!Ona would often insist that you play house with her. Your favorite part of playing house was cooking “food” with her, which was just the two of you mixing soap, coins, and loose beads in a large bowl. But, Ona’s favorite part of playing house was being the husband while you were the wife. She’d brush your hair and hold your hand because, to her, that’s what husbands did. And, whenever other kids tried to tell her that she couldn't be your husband because she was a girl, she'd threaten to kick their balls too.

firstlove!Ona loved your movie dates at her house, especially when you two watched Disney princess movies.

"Ona, you can be Princess Belle and I'll be Princess Ariel!" You said, playing pretend after watching Beauty and the Beast on one of your play dates. Ona frowned. "Ew, I don't want to be Belle!" You frowned back. "Why? She's so pretty, just like you!" You teased. "I don't want to marry a beast," She exclaimed. "And I don't want you to be Ariel 'cause that would mean you'll be a fish and I can't swim that well yet." You laughed. "Then what princesses do you want us to be, then?" "We should just be our own princesses with no fish and no beasts and no princes." She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and you looked at her like she was crazy. "No prince?" You frowned. "Can we be princesses with no prince?" "Yeah, duh! It's better to have no prince so we don't have to spend all our time kissing them and we can just play all day!" She exclaimed proudly.

firstlove!Ona was already very competitive at an early age. She was the best at playing tag in the playground, never letting anyone beat her. Well, except you. Even if you were almost twice as slow as she was, she would purposely slow down her pace just so you could catch up and tag her.

"It's so unfair when you two play." One of the kids in the playground said. "Ona always just lets you win." Ona frowned at her. "You're just bitter 'cause you run like a grandma." "Well, we still don't want you to join us anymore." The kid said, crossing her arms. "You're not our friend anymore." "Good! We'll go ahead and find friends who can run faster." Ona shouted.

firstlove!Ona loved to play football. She would move so well with the ball that the parents in the playground would think that she was older than she was. (You weren't as good as she was, but that was fine. You were more than happy being her cheerleader.)

firstlove!Ona hated it when the boys she played football with would say they had a crush on you. The more they said you were cute, the more she was determined to be better than them just so you would focus on only her and not on them.

firstlove!Ona's parents quickly realized how skilled she was in football and decided to enroll her in some basic classes near your school. She was excited but quickly got disappointed when she learned you weren't joining her.

"But why can't she join me?" One complained. Her parents sighed exasperatedly. "Ona, your best friend has other interests; you can't expect her to do everything you want to do." They tried to reason out to the eight-year-old. "And her mom already told me that she isn't interested in football." "But she likes being with me when I play football." She pouted. "She can just sit in the side of the field and watch me play." "Ona, her parents are not going to let her sit around all afternoon at the side of a field to watch you play. Besides, her mom said she's taking some art classes nearby so you can visit her after, okay?" Her mom explained to which Ona just scoffed.

firstlove!Ona started playing with local boy’s leagues in your town since there wasn't a local girl's team. She was starting to get more and more popular in school due to her football skills but she never wanted to hang out with anyone else except you.

firstlove!Ona secretly hated your new friends from art class. She hated how you had inside jokes that she never understood. She hated how you had matchy bracelets with some stupid girl named Carla. She hated how she saw Carla brushing your hair after your art class. She basically hated Carla ever since Carla bid you goodbye with a "Bye, Bestie!" which was off-limits to her. She was your best friend, not this stupid girl.

firstlove!Ona tolerated your art friends just so she could be around you. All the other girls tried to be nice to Ona too but they always did think she was kinda gross for always being covered in grass and mud, and that she was too clingy and possessive of you.

firstlove!Ona was invited to her first group sleepover for your ninth birthday. She hated it; it felt like your art friends were suddenly invading activities you used to do only with each other but since you liked them, she was forced to suck it up. They made you happy, at least.

"Let's play Truth or Dare!" Carla exclaimed. "I'll spin this bottle and if it lands on you, you choose truth or dare." All the girls chuckled and yelped, making Ona roll her eyes. She hated how shrill and loud your friends were. Much to Ona's surprise, the bottle spun to face her. She groaned, unwilling to play with her clueless nemesis Carla. "Truth, I guess." The girls all thought of their question. Your other friend Julia finally asked. "Who is your crush?" Ona looked confused. "My crush?" Julia nodded. "Crush means someone you like." “Oh yeah, I forgot what it meant.” Ona just shrugged. "I guess, then it's Y/N." The girls laughed as you awkwardly looked away from Ona, feeling a little bit shy and embarrassed. You didn't know why but her answer made you a bit flustered. Ona looked confused. "Why are you laughing?" "Crush means like-like, silly. Like someone you wanna marry or someone you wanna kiss." Carla explained. “Not just your best friend.” "Oh," Ona frowned. "Then it's still Y/N." The girls laughed again and you hid your face in your hands as you grew red at your best friend's answer. "It has to be a boy, Ona! You can't have a crush on a girl." Carla exclaimed, still chuckling. The other girls laughed, thinking Ona was stupid. But Ona genuinely met what she was saying. Ona gave her a stank face. "Then I don't have one, I guess."

firstlove!Ona felt shy after the whole Truth or Dare game. She decided to stay silent for the rest of the night, conscious of what she said around your friends. They already looked at her weirdly whenever she hung out with you after your art class with her muddy boots and grass-stained shorts. She didn't like how she felt like she had given them another reason to find her weird.

firstlove!Ona also felt shy about her gift after she had seen all of the drawings and friendship bracelets your friend had made for you. All she was able to prepare was a letter about how much she loved being your friend even if you liked drawing and she liked football. She tried to make it fancy with glitter and stickers but compared to your friend's gifts, it looked so messy.

"Ona, are you still awake?" You asked as you saw the girl standing by her overnight bag instead of beside you and the other girls, who were already drifting to sleep. You walked over to her to see the letter with purple glitter and Hello Kitty stickers all over it. "What's that?" Ona looked down shyly at it. "It's my gift... but I don't know if I want to give it to you. It's so ugly." You frowned. "No, it's not." You pouted. "Well, it's my birthday and you have to obey everything I tell you to do and I want you to give me your gift." Ona hesitated but decided that she wasn't one to go above birthday law so she handed it over. She watched you genuinely smile as she read your letter. It made her feel less insecure about it. You smiled at her, holding the letter to your heart, not caring about the glitter getting on your favorite unicorn pajamas. "Ona, this is my favorite gift ever." Ona beamed in joy. "Really?" "Well, duh! It's so sweet and I like the Hello Kitty stickers, especially this one where she has flowers." You pointed it out. You paused before continuing. "Also, I'm sorry my friends laughed when you said I was your crush. Honestly, I think you're my crush too." Ona felt her face get warm as you said it. "Oh... that's nice." She smiled. "Does that mean you're my girlfriend?" You thought about it, not sure exactly how it would work out. You’ve only heard about girlfriends and crushes from TV shows, and you've only ever seen girlfriends with boyfriends. "Is that allowed?" Ona frowned. "Why would it not be allowed?" You shrugged. You couldn't argue with that top-tier argument. "Okay, I can be your girlfriend."

firstlove!Ona went home after that sleepover, beaming to her parents that you were her girlfriend. Her mom tried to ask if she meant “girl-SPACE-friend” but Ona got mad, insisting that she actually meant girlfriend with no space and that you were going to get married.

firstlove!Ona grew fond of kissing your cheek and holding your hand. She was too giddy over the fact that you were her girlfriend. Even if she had no clue exactly how girlfriends worked, she was just happy because that meant you liked her more than you liked Carla, which was more than enough for her.

firstlove!Ona frowned when you tried to tell her that your parents said you were too young to be girlfriends and to understand what a relationship was.

“That’s stupid,” Ona complained. “We watched Hannah Montana. We saw her have a relationship. We totally get it!” You sighed, shaking your head in disapproval. “Yeah… but my mom said I have to wait until I’m in high school before I even think about dating.” “Fine, just as long as I’ll be your bestest friend, over anyone else.” She pouted, making you promise.

firstlove!Ona was getting so much attention for her football skills. By the time you were 10, there was not a single person in her age group in your town — boys and girls — that was on her level. It didn’t take long until everyone was talking about the tiny girl who played like a beast.

firstlove!Ona learned about different celebrations she could do online. She thought of which creative one she could do just in case she gets a goal. While watching a teen movie, she saw some guy playing basketball wink and blow a kiss at a girl he liked. Ona somehow decided that that was the coolest thing to do. So, she started being greedy with the ball and the goals, just so she could do her little loser-ish celebration and blow you a kiss.

firstlove!Ona naturally caught the attention of La Masia scouts. They would watch her games, taking several notes. Suddenly, football got serious for Ona. She would start training more and there was more pressure for her to perform well. It was more than the twelve-year-old girl could handle.

“What if I just give up?” Ona’s voice was barely a whisper, muffled by the blankets you both huddled under. Her words seemed to hang in the air, heavy and uncertain. You moved closer to her in the bed, resting on your side so that you would be facing her. Ona was resting on her back with her arm resting on her forehead. “I’m scared... I’m scared I’ll disappoint everyone, even if I train all day and barely get any rest. It feels like I’m not enough. Maybe this isn’t meant for me.” You frowned, feeling a knot tighten in your stomach. This wasn’t the Ona you knew; the Ona you knew never doubted herself and was confident almost to the point of cockiness. All the pressure seemed to be getting to her. “Quitting… but you love football? How can you possibly give up on it when you love it more than you love me?” You joked to lighten up the mood but Ona took it seriously and lightly smacked you as if to reprimand you. Ona turned on her side to face you and now you were both face-to-face. “But now… I don’t know. It feels like I’m not enjoying it anymore. I feel insecure.” Her voice shook a bit. It was hard seeing Ona like this. You had never seen her so… small. It was weird because Ona’s energy and passion was never small. Not even quiet, seven-year-old Ona acted like this. It hurt seeing your best friend struggle with something that she did so well. You reached over to gently touch her face. “Ona…” You started. “I know it’s hard… but everyone just has their eyes on you right now because of how good you are. These scouts and coaches from all over… they’re here because you are worth it. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t believe in you.” ”And… even if they don’t pick you or even if you do decide to quit, I will be there. I’ll still be your number one cheerleader — on and off the pitch.” You smiled at her. “I’m here for you, no matter what.” And for the first time that evening, Ona gave you a small smile. It wasn’t the usual huge grin that was accompanied by a sparkle in her eyes, but it was something. And that was enough.

firstlove!Ona did the best she could in her next games and it showed. She was dynamite on that pitch and everyone just knew then that her future was secured.

firstlove!Ona started training in La Masia just before you two entered high school. She was still studying at your school but she was taking fewer classes and doing more training, which she didn’t mind. She was learning so much and improving exponentially, completely thriving on the pitch. Off the pitch, she was also doing pretty well. She made a bunch of friends from La Masia who she would enthusiastically tell you about whenever you got time together. The only thing Ona hated about being in La Masia was that so much of her life was now occupied by football. She'd wake up early to train, then it was class, then it was more training. She barely got time to be around you.

firstlove!Ona was so busy that she was one of the last people in sophomore year to find out about Pascual.

"Who the fuck is Pascual?" Ona asked your mutual classmate and friend, Julia. "Where did she meet him?" Julia rolled her eyes, realizing quickly that Ona had been busy for a while. "He's our classmate, Ona." She answered. "He's been our classmate since we were 10." Ona frowned. She never paid attention to the other people in class that much. She spent most of her time with you, after all. So, naturally, this Pascual guy was never on her radar. "And now what is it that I'm hearing that he's pursuing her? Who does he think he is?" Ona said loudly, not giving a fuck if anyone in the school hallway could hear. “Bet he’s like some lazy dumbass, just like everyone who has a crush on her.” "He's actually really nice and pretty smart. I know he even volunteers…” Julia went on and on talking about Pascual, seeming to approve of the guy for you. Julia noticed Ona clenching her jaw and frowning, causing her to roll her eyes. “He’s actually great, Ona. You're just too in love with your best friend for you to see that." Ona didn’t bother denying. She just rolled her eyes.

firstlove!Ona always knew she enjoyed being close to you, relishing the time spent together. She always knew she loved you… a lot… as a friend. But when the whole Pascual situation came to light, something shifted in her. She started to see you in a new light. Thoughts of you consumed her more and more, and with them came feelings she hadn’t anticipated—jealousy, possessiveness, clinginess. It was as though her obsession with you, something she’d always brushed off as just what best friends felt, was now much more intense, more undeniable. What once felt natural, and familiar, had become charged with a different kind of energy. It just felt… different.

Ona and you sat side by side, eyes glued to the screen as you both watched the new MTV show your friend had recommended. Ona shifted uncomfortably, clearly awkward about watching a show centered on two childhood best friends who’d started dating, especially with everything running through her mind lately. “Karma’s kinda annoying, not gonna lie,” you said, crunching on a chip. “Like, Amy’s so obviously in love with her, and Karma still doesn’t get it. How can she be that oblivious?” Ona’s gaze flickered toward you for a moment. She bit her lip, her expression thoughtful. “Yeah… so clueless.”

Later that night, Ona and you lay cuddled up in bed, updating each other about each other’s lives. You’d both been pulled in different directions by your hectic schedules, but you always made the most of the time you had together, finding ways to stay close even when things got busy. “And, my friend invited me to volunteer as an art teacher at the orphanage where he volunteers at. So, I might try to do that soon.” You shared, humming thoughtfully. “I’m thinking of doing it soon. He said I’d be really good with the kids.” The words hung in the air, and Ona’s mind immediately went to what Julia had said about Pascual. So, is she hanging out with this guy? Does she like him? “Hmm? Which friend?” Ona asked as she knitted her eyebrows together as she tried to keep her voice casual. You noticed the change in her expression immediately. You two had been friends for so long that you could always tell when something was on her mind. “Pascual, from class,” you replied, keeping your tone light. “You should come too, teach football and stuff. The kids would love it.” Ona nodded, but her gaze remained distant, still thinking about that Pascual guy. You chuckled to lighten the mood before reaching out to touch her arm. “I’m sure the kids would love to be around a future football star.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled, all thoughts of Pascual fading away. “You think too highly of me.” She responded, trying to play it cool but the pink on her cheeks gave her away. “But sure… I’d love to volunteer.” ”Look at us both, a couple of philanthropists.” You joked. “Who would have thought the same Ona that kicked kids in the nutsack would be volunteering?” Ona smiled and sighed. “You know, I have this new friend from La Masia who would be so into volunteering too.” She brought up thoughtfully. “Maybe I should invite her to join us.” “Ooh, is she the girl you said who plays really well?” You asked and Ona’s eyes sparkled. Ona nodded. “Aitana’s like next level on the pitch. She literally plays like Iniesta,” She gushed. “And even outside the sport, she’s so amazing. She’s, like, their class top student and she reads so many books…” You hummed, thinking about how Ona used to gush about you like that before. Now, it was some girl named Aitana. So, now, it was your turn to be jealous.

You lay on your side with your back turned to Ona, trying to drift to sleep. But no matter how much you closed your eyes, your mind was still buzzing with thoughts: the show you’d watched, the conversation about volunteering, the conversation about Ona’s new idol from La Masia, and just... everything. You haven’t done a sleepover with Ona in a while and all these thoughts paired with her proximity were just making your hormones go haywire for no reason. “You awake?” You turned around, surprised to find Ona’s eyes wide open, staring up at the ceiling. She looked over at you, her expression soft but thoughtful. You gave her a small smile. “Yeah…” She hummed, eyes flickering in consideration before she finally spoke. “How about you cuddle up to me? You always said my warmth makes you feel drowsy.” She offered nervously. “I could use some of your warmth too.” Her offer was light and casual but Ona was actually feeling nervous as she said it. Ona’s arms had been craving your presence ever since she got to your house but she was afraid it would be too awkward to just hug you or cuddle with you. She knew she was being ridiculous because you two used to literally live in each other’s hugs. Lately, though, everything felt different. The emotions and feelings swirling inside her were more intense and mixed with the strange rush of puberty, it made her feel shy and unsure. But she still couldn’t resist it; she missed having you pressed against her. You nodded, beaming. “I’d love that.” You shifted closer, resting your head against her chest. Ona wrapped her arm around you, pulling you in, and you instinctively placed your hand on her stomach. It was a simple gesture, but it made her acutely aware of the connection between you both—each touch felt loaded with meaning.  Once she had gained enough confidence, she started brushing your hair with her hand, her gentle fingers soft against your scalp. “Remember when we used to be girlfriends…” She asked with a light tone. “We had no clue what we were talking about but I genuinely was so into it.” You laughed at that childhood memory. “Yeah, my mom was so confused when I told her.” You recalled. “She really had to sit me down and explain what the difference between girl friends and girlfriends was.” Ona chuckled at that, the sound warm and relaxed, but then fell quiet for a moment. You could feel her hesitating like she was choosing her words carefully. “Do you think you’d ever have a relationship? Like, with a boyfriend or... a girlfriend?” She asked it so casually, but you could sense the weight behind her question. Especially with the way her voice trailed off towards the end. You’d never really talked about your sexualities, and the last time crush you had, as far as Ona remembered, was on the lion from Lion King from when you were both seven. So, it always left her curious but afraid of asking you about it… afraid that it would make her have to talk about her own sexuality which she never really wanted to think about. ”Hmm, I don’t know. There isn’t really anyone I like.” You responded vaguely. “Why? Do you like someone?” You waited with bated breath. You didn’t know for sure what you wanted to hear but it still made you anxious. Unbeknownst to you, Ona was sharing the same nervous feeling that you felt. She wondered if you could hear her heartbeat against her chest. “Uh…” She started, her voice faltering. “No one.” She sounded unconvincing which you took note of but you didn’t push any further. Huh, could it be that Aitana girl? “But I’m glad you’re my first relationship, even if it wasn’t a real one,” Ona said, going back to your conversation about your childhood memory. “That just means whoever comes next is still the second.” You rolled your eyes, the slight jealousy you felt fizzling out. She was the same, old possessive best friend you had, and somehow, that brought you comfort.

firstlove!Ona felt annoyed whenever she would see you with Pascual. She hasn’t felt that jealous and possessive over you since Carla from your art school. It was obvious to everyone how much Ona hated Pascual, bullying him for seemingly no reason. Well, obvious to everyone but you.

Ona seethed when she saw you sitting with him during lunch. Without a second thought, she stormed over to your table, where you were laughing with Pascual and the rest of your friends. Ignoring everyone, she fixed her gaze on him, her jaw clenched. She tilted her head slightly to the side, gesturing for him to move, as if the space beside you was her birthright. “Move,” She ordered in a low voice. “That’s my seat.” Pascual was used to Ona’s possessiveness. He knew how clingy she could be, and to be honest, he never minded when she wasn’t around—because that meant more time to get to know you. But when Ona was around, he knew he would not have the opportunity to get a word in without Ona basically glaring daggers at him. He sighed, trying to keep his cool. “I got here first.” “Tell it to someone who cares,” Ona shot back. Pascual muttered under his breath, but he gave in, scooting over to the other side of the table with a resigned sigh. Meanwhile, you were oblivious to the silent war playing out just inches away. You smiled at Ona, wrapping your arms around her in a warm hug. “Ona, I missed you,” you murmured, completely unaware of the charged atmosphere. Ona, however, didn’t take her eyes off Pascual. Her lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smirk as she raised her eyebrows, silently daring him to say something. It was clear she wasn’t just competing for a seat.

On another occasion, Ona leaned uncomfortably close to Pascual as he tried to focus on drawing you. Pascual automatically stiffened up to Ona hovering around him again. She was always like this whenever she was around — too intrusive, too intimidating, too there. What made it worse was that Ona had just come from training, her freshly showered hair still damp, and the droplets were slowly dripping onto Pascual and his sketchbook. Each drop seemed to drive him a little mad, the cold wetness only adding to his growing irritation. Pascual looked up at Ona and gave her an incredulous look. “What, Ona?” “Huh,” Ona said, eyeing the drawing with exaggerated curiosity. “Who is that supposed to be?” Pascual sighed, exasperatedly as he pointed at you who was sitting across the table too focused on your own drawing. “Isn’t it obvious?” Ona huffed, pretending to think. The drawing was pretty decent — better than she could ever do — but she was never going to let him know that. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at the sketch and loudly asked. “Why’d you give her a fivehead? You hate her or something?” You looked up curiously, previously oblivious to the exchange. Ona was giving you an innocent smile while Pascual was trying hard not to snap at your best friend as he muttered. “It’s just the angle.”

The poor guy liked you so much, even though you were completely oblivious to his advances. And despite your best friend making his life a living hell at every opportunity, he still tried—harder than anyone could’ve expected. Ona skipped obnoxiously to where you were sitting in the front of the class, beside Pascual. It didn’t help that he always ended up next to you. That was another reason Ona couldn’t stand him. She was always a little late to class because of her training, so the seats were usually already taken by the time she arrived. And today, of course, you were stuck with him. “Congrats on getting the best grade!” Ona chirped, throwing her arm around your shoulders before plopping herself down in your lap. "You're so smart. I’m so proud to be your best friend.” Pascual couldn’t help but roll his eyes at her usual attempt to rattle him. He was used to it by now, but that didn’t make it any easier. Ona caught the eye roll, and a mischievous spark lit up in her eyes. She glimpsed at the paper on his table, snatching it without his permission. "Huh," she said, examining the grade with exaggerated interest, "87... that's nothing compared to my best friend’s 95." She flashed a knowing smile at him. "Guess she’s too smart for you, huh?" Pascual frowned but grew flustered by the comment. “I distributed the papers and saw you got an 83 so…” He wanted to snap back but it came out softer and meeker than he intended. Ona just smirked, taunting him. “And what about it?” Pascual opened his mouth, ready to fire back, but stopped himself. He could’ve said something—he could’ve retorted—but he didn’t. Instead, he looked at you, your smile more than enough to make him swallow his pride. He knew better than to engage in one of Ona’s little mind games, especially when she was already enjoying herself. He had been working so hard on making his slow courtship of you for a year and there was no way he was going to blow it now.

firstlove!Ona was pretty content with how clueless you were with Pascual. At first, it did anger her whenever he was around, always so desperate for your attention. But now, it brought her happiness whenever she’d go to you and he was around because that meant it was another opportunity to embarrass him in front of you. Although, you never really minded their interactions, chalking it up to just banter, even going as far as to cluelessly think they were starting to be friends.

firstlove!Ona was practically seething when she got to school and saw Pascual hovering over your locker, presenting you with a red rose. She looked at your face with your doe-eyed expression and your cheeks flushed, shocked by a friend’s sudden confession. Ona had to take herself out of the scene, knowing she would react badly if she let herself watch it unfold.

firstlove!Ona finally stopped running from her thoughts, forcing herself to confront the feelings she’d been denying for so long. She’d always laughed off the jokes about her being in love with you. She never really thought too much about it, chalking it up to just banter. But now, seeing the way he looked at you—seeing how she felt when he did—it hit her harder than she expected. She wasn’t just annoyed that some guy liked you. She was hurt. And it wasn’t just about friendship jealousy—it was something deeper, something that made her feel exposed, vulnerable, like a part of her she’d never wanted to face was staring back at her, undeniable.

firstlove!Ona decided that tormenting the guy who liked you wasn’t going to be enough. This time, she actually wanted to show you that she could be better was better than him. She wanted to splurge on a bouquet of flowers but she had already blown her allowance on new football socks. So, instead, she hopped the neighbor's fence just to pick flowers from their large garden. She could get in trouble but she didn't care. She wanted to give you a bouquet of flowers that would put Pascual’s rose to shame.

The first thing you noticed when Ona came over to your house for your study date was the beautiful array of flowers she had tied together with a ribbon. You gushed at the different flowers — lavenders, marigolds, poppies. They were so stunning. “W-what? These are so stunning! What is this for?” She'd smirk and shrug, nonchalantly as she unconsciously tried to hide the scratch on her arm she got from scraping it on the fence after the neighbor's dog chased her out of the garden. “Just wanted to show my appreciation for you.” The blush on your cheeks grew and you quickly turned around to hide it from Ona. “Let me put this in a vase. Hold on.” You said as you scurried. Ona casually followed you to the kitchen, looking around your house to see if you had a rose displayed anywhere. “So, I heard Pascual gave you a rose the other day.” You paused, feeling odd that she was suddenly bringing it up after she had brought you a bouquet. “Yeah, it was weird.” You said, shivering from the recollection of the awkward interaction.” She practically beamed at your response. “Yeah?” “Yeah, I had no clue he liked me. I genuinely thought he was just around me because he was sad and had no friends.” You responded honestly as you filled a vase with water. “I had to give the rose to Julia just cause I felt weird bringing it home with me.” You sighed. “Anyway, I don’t wanna talk about it. I just feel bad for the poor guy but also… grossed out, y’know.” You said frankly. Ona couldn’t hide her smile, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe how clueless you were with him but she was still happy now that she knew Pascual was finally out of the picture.

firstlove!Ona moved out of your school during your junior year, a decision driven by her desire to focus more on her football career. She was fully immersed in the La Masia system now—training with some of the best, living and breathing the game. At first, it felt like a punch to the gut, not seeing your best friend every day. But you quickly realized it wasn’t all bad. If anything, it meant Ona was on the rise, becoming a bigger deal with each passing day, and that was something to be proud of. Besides, no matter how packed her schedule was, Ona always made time for you. The moment her training sessions ended, she’d sprint to your school, barely taking a breath. firstlove!Ona was slowly becoming a football celebrity in your community. Now, whenever she’d visit school, there were people always hovering around you to get a glimpse of the U17 Spain player. It made you proud. But… you didn’t like how girls were always fawning over her. They would be running to you in school, asking you if Ona was single. Whenever you two were out, there was always someone making eyes at your best friend. It was amusing, at first. Then it got repetitive and annoying, always leaving you feeling uneasy.

“Hi, Ona. My friend is, like, a really big fan.” A girl said to Ona, completely not even acknowledging your presence. She pointed back to their table across the restaurant where a bunch of other girls were giggling. “She was wondering if she could ask for your number.” Ona looked over to the table and saw a pretty girl with long brown hair waving back at her. It was undeniable she was stunning but Ona just... wasn’t that interested. She was here to have dinner with you after all. And to her, there wasn't anyone else more stunning than you. Ona shot a look at you, gauging your reaction. But to you, it read differently. You thought Ona didn’t want to give her number out because you were there. You shrugged awkwardly at her. “Go ahead, Ona. She looks cute.” Ona awkwardly chuckled, not sure how to feel about it. She was honestly kind of disappointed that you even encouraged her to do it. “Oh, uh okay…” She said, causing the girl to smile widely and jump up. You looked down at your salad bowl, suddenly losing interest. "Here, I'll write it down and tell her to text me that she's the girl from the restaurant or whatever."

Ona was driving you home after the dinner. After she gave out her number, you grew quiet, not wanting to talk much about anything anymore. She was confused as to why you were suddenly acting out when you didn’t seem to be affected by it initially. Could she be jealous? Ona looked over to you. You were staring out of the window, silent. But, why would she be jealous? “So…” Ona said cautiously, drumming her fingers on the driver’s wheel. “I assume the salad was bad?” You just hummed out a response, not even bothering to look at her. You sighed. “You should have just let me go ahead,” You said, shifting awkwardly in your seat. "I told you I could have just taken the bus." She frowned. “Why would I let you take the bus?” ”You could have stayed and chatted with those girls.” You muttered under your breath. “That would have made them real happy." To your shock, Ona chuckled. You turned to her and saw the expression on her face. She looked amused. You looked at her questioningly and she just shook her head, smiling. “What?” “Nothing,” She smiled, locking eyes with you. “You’re just being cute right now." You blushed and looked away, feeling your heart thump faster at how she looked at you. Ona chuckled at your reaction and said. "Glad to know I'm not the only jealous, possessive one..." And just like that, you knew that she knew.

firstlove!Ona knew at that moment that you shared the same attraction she had for you. She didn’t know how serious it was on your end but it was just satisfying to know that her feelings (or at least, her attraction) were somehow reciprocated. A year ago, she had finally come to terms with the truth: she had a crush on you. At first, the idea of being in love with her best friend had felt confusing, almost impossible to process. But over time, she stopped fighting it. She had always loved you and that never seemed to get in the way. Why should it now? firstlove!Ona was just pissed off that you have avoided her ever since that night in the car. She didn’t say anything other than you were cute for being jealous but the feeling of being caught was too much for you to confront; you hadn’t even fully accepted the fact that you were down bad for your best friend and she was already figuring out?!

Julia laughed as you told her the story about that night, clearly amused by your confusion. You hadn’t known who else to turn to; you figured your mutual friend of nearly a decade might have some valuable insight. She shook her head, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, we all saw this coming. Honestly, I’m surprised it took you two a decade to figure it out.” She shared. “I was going to push your heads together if it took any longer.” You groaned, frustration creeping into your voice. “What does that even mean? How could you know when I’m not even sure myself if I have a crush on Ona, or if it’s just some weird version of best friend clinginess?” Your friend raised an eyebrow, leaning back on the bed’s headboard. “Did you feel this way about me when I had to spend a semester in Granada with my grandmother?” She challenged your theory. “And were you suddenly jealous when I came back and started dating Carla?” You paused. “No…” “Then obviously, it isn’t just some sort of friendship clinginess.” Your friend explained it to you. “I’ve known you two since we were children and I genuinely think I learned the concept of crushes because of you and Ona.” “What do you mean?” You asked, falling backward on your bed and covering your head with a pillow. Julia’s voice softened, but there was a certain conviction in it. “Ona practically walked around with heart eyes for you. And you—well, you ignored every boy who liked you. You just wanted to be around Ona. All the time.” She smirked, though there was a hint of exasperation in her tone. She reached over to grab the pillow off your head to stare you down, making sure every point she said was heard. “I seriously reached a point where I was fed up with you two. It felt like I was third-wheeling 24/7.” You knit your eyebrows together as you listened to your friend. “But what do I do now? I obviously can’t go to my best friend and tell her I like her? I don’t even know that for sure.” ”Look,” Julia said, looking you straight in the eyes. “You have to realize that there has to be a reason that, after all these years, after all of the boys who courted you, you never seemed interested in any of them. You always just wanted to be around Ona. All the time” You fell quiet, thinking it over. Everything she was saying was true. You never had a crush in your life. You never showed interest in anyone. Whenever someone asked where you’d see yourself years from now, you often would mention still being best friends with Ona. It had to mean something. Julia squeezed your hands gently, her voice earnest. “There’s a reason for that, you know?” You stayed silent for a while before sighing. “But… what if I’m wrong? What if I tell her I like her, and it turns out it’s just some kind of puppy love? What if I lead her on?” Julia sighed, the sound filled with both frustration and understanding. She took your hands in hers, her grip firm. “It would break Ona’s heart, yeah. But honestly…” She paused, looking you dead in the eye. “I think Ona’s always been preparing for that possibility. She knows what’s at stake, and she’d rather give it a chance than keep guessing. I’m sure she doesn’t want to spend another 17 years second-guessing herself.” Your heart ached at the thought of breaking Ona’s heart, but Julia’s words carried a certain truth that you couldn’t ignore. Judging by Julia’s statements, Ona had more to lose in this; you could easily break her heart. But that didn’t mean it was exactly riskless for you. Julia’s gaze softened. “You owe it to both of you to take the chance. You need to allow Ona to love you without that barrier of friendship between you two. If it doesn’t work out, at least you tried, right?” You nodded, making it a silent promise to yourself that you would take your emotions seriously and that you would be honest with Ona once you got the chance. You looked up at your friend. “Julia, promise not to tell her... while I'm not ready yet, at least?" "Ugh, fine but if you two get married, I get to tell everyone how dumb you two were," Julia said with an eye roll.

firstlove!Ona was clueless about your emotions, second-guessing herself after the whole interaction. Did she make a mistake in thinking you were interested in her? Did she completely fumble the bag? She had no clue how to go about it until she realized she could bait you into revealing yourself. firstlove!Ona started sharing more and more photos of her and Aitana, trying to see how you would react. She would post photos of them in training, eating ice cream after school, hugging each other after a game. She’d try so hard to get a reaction but you never seemed to mind. In fact, it felt like you were back to your clueless self, oblivious to what she was trying to do. It was obvious to everyone just what Ona was trying to do, even Aitana called her out on it, saying she was done with being used as bait for her crush. It probably would have worked for someone who wasn’t you. firstlove!Ona didn’t know that it was working but not in the way she wanted to. You did get jealous but instead of thinking that Ona was trying to make you jealous, you thought that she was moving on. You thought she had finally found someone who liked her and wasn’t afraid to admit it just at the very moment that you were gearing up to confess. You started avoiding her, restricting her from all your social media just so that you would see less of her with her new crush. You decided that you would only reach out once you’re ready to talk it out with her. But for now, you had to shut her out. firstlove!Ona got an angry call from Julia as soon as she woke up, one random day.

“Are you and Y/N seriously still not talking?” Julia’s voice blared through the phone, loud enough to make Ona wince. Ona blinked away the sleepiness, squinting at the clock beside her bed. “Julia, it’s three in the morning,” she groaned, rolling over and burying her face in her pillow. “I’ve got training in two hours. Couldn’t this have waited?” Julia groaned back. “Do you even remember what day it is today?” Ona blinked, trying to shake off the fog in her mind. “Uh… Tuesday?” ”ONA BATLLE, IT’S YOUR FRIENDSHIP ANNIVERSARY.” The frustrated girl shouted over the phone, causing Ona’s phone speaker to crackle at the volume. “And you two haven’t said a word to each other in A MONTH!” Ona winced, groaning into the phone. “Great. Thanks for the reminder.” She let out a long sigh, dragging herself upright. “But, how is it exactly my fault? She’s the one who has been dodging my calls? Why should I try to make the first move in greeting her when she hasn’t even reached out to me at all?” Ona rubbed her forehead in frustration, trying to calm herself down. Once she spoke again, her voice was quieter, more defeated. “I’ve tried, Julia. I’ve been trying for years. But… I’m tired now.” “I’m just… trying to adjust with being okay with being just friends again.” Ona continued silently. “I can’t chase after nothing forever, Julia. I don’t have it in me anymore. It’s been ten years. I can’t keep chasing after her anymore. At some point, I have to stop.” Another long pause. Ona thought maybe Julia had hung up, but then, her friend spoke again—quiet, almost reluctant. “I promised not to say anything but obviously, I was stupid for promising that.” Julia muttered, the words heavy with something Ona couldn’t quite place. “But… it’s not nothing, Ona.” Ona furrowed her brows, feeling a pang of confusion. “What are you talking about?” Julia groaned, exasperated. “Ugh, I’m done dealing with both of your oblivious and mopey asses. I’ve done my part and it’s too much already. You two figure it out yourselves.” Before Ona could respond, the line went dead. Julia had hung up.

firstlove!Ona couldn’t get Julia’s words out of her head. It’s not nothing. She had no fucking clue what Julia meant exactly but there was a part of her that couldn’t help but wonder if that meant that you… No, we’re not going through another round of what-ifs, Ona. She said to herself. Focus on training now and berate Julia to be more clear later.

firstlove!Ona couldn’t keep herself focused no matter what. In the morning, she practically missed every instruction her coach said. In class, she spaced out during Spanish lessons that she hadn’t noticed the teacher was already growing red in the face, trying to catch her attention, until Aitana basically kicked the back of her seat. It was so bad that her coach sent her home, refusing to include her in afternoon training until she sorted herself out.

firstlove!Ona headed home that day, feeling defeated. She thought about you the entire day but still couldn’t come to a conclusion as to what Julia meant, and what she wanted to do with your relationship now. Sure, what Julia said gave her hope but that quickly fizzled out every time she would check her phone and there was not a single notification from you. She obviously was misreading the situation yet again. Was this the end of the line for the two of you?

firstlove!Ona stormed into her house, practically stomping in frustration.

“Ona?” Her mother called from the living room as Ona slammed the door behind her. “Why are you home so early?” Ona sighed, already feeling the weight of the day pressing down on her. “Coach sent me home,” she muttered, not bothering with any excuses. “Didn’t do well in training. Couldn’t concentrate.” Her mom looked at her sympathetically. “Aw, my baby.” She started toward Ona, arms open for a hug, but Ona remained rooted to the spot. “Does this have anything to do with—” ”Let’s not talk about her right now, please.” She cut in, her voice low but firm. Her mom pouted, looking at her daughter with careful eyes.“You two are best friends. It’s really sad that you’re not talking anymore, especially when I practically raised her like my own.” She smiled wistfully. “I even know what kind of juice she likes and doesn’t like.” Ona winced at the memories. “I… I don’t wanna think about her for now.” She said with a strained voice. There was a long pause as her mom considered her words. Then, after a beat of awkward silence, she hesitated before speaking again. “Hmmm, well, then you might not want to go upstairs to your room.” Ona’s eyes widened. “Mom… what did you…” Her mother’s eyes softened, but there was a hint of guilt there. “If you don’t want to talk to her right now, I can just send her home, sweetheart.” She offered gently, but her voice carried a subtle note of apology. Ona groaned, rubbing her face with both hands. The last thing she wanted was to confront this right now, but she knew she couldn’t keep avoiding it. She needed to face the situation head-on. “No, it’s fine,” she said, her voice quieter now, resigned. “I’ll… talk to her.” Her mother nodded, her face filled with understanding. “You know I’m here if you need me.” She gave her daughter a soft smile before walking away. Ona stood there for a moment, collecting herself, steeling her nerves for what was coming. She wasn’t ready, but maybe she never would be. She still had to face the situation eventually. Might as well get it over and done with.

firstlove!Ona didn't know how to talk to you. She didn't know how to face you after you two haven't talked in a month, which was basically centuries in best friend time. She didn't know how you'd react to seeing her again. Were you pissed off? Sad? She sighed, knowing she wouldn't find out until she opened that door.

The door creaked open and you nearly jumped off of the edge of Ona's bed. You waited with bated breath for her to enter, feeling yourself grow anxious. You finally see her. You didn't know why but you expected her to look different even if it had only been just a month; she still looked like the same Ona you knew, except maybe a bit tanner. You cleared your throat, feeling uneasy as she entered, closing the door behind her. "Hey…" You said with a soft voice. Ona leaned her back against the door, crossing her arms across her chest. "Hey." She responded with a cold voice, avoiding eye contact. You bit your lip, hesitant about what to say. "I haven't seen you in a while…" You started. "Julia told me you were doing even more training since you're gearing up for some big game." Ona just nodded, keeping her eyes on the floor. Again, you two fell silent, filling the room with words left unsaid. "Ona…" You started again, choosing your words carefully. "I'm really sorry I haven't reached out in a month. I really should have said something instead of just disappearing on you." Still, she didn’t respond. You exhaled shakily and pressed on. “I just… I didn’t know what to do.” Ona’s brow furrowed slightly at your words, but her eyes remained distant. “That night we had dinner…” you hesitated. “Even before that, I’d already been feeling weird... no, not just weird... insecure.” Her gaze finally lifted, confusion evident. “Why?” You rubbed your arm nervously, your words faltering. “I felt like we were drifting apart. You were spending so much time away from me, and then… then you were giving girls your number.” You paused, your throat tightening suddenly. “I know it sounds stupid, but I felt upset. I thought maybe you were going to forget about me when you got famous or that we wouldn't be friends anymore.” Ona’s jaw tightened, and she muttered under her breath, “Bullshit.” “What?” you asked, blinking in surprise. “You can’t even tell me what you’re really feeling,” Ona said, shaking her head. “Besides, I don’t know why it’s such a big deal that I gave someone my number. You told me to do it. And then, when I realized and pointed out that you weren't being genuine about wanting me to give my number, somehow I became the bad guy.” You sighed, feeling the guilt twist in your chest. “I wasn’t upset with you.” “Then why?” She looked at you with an almost pleading look. “I was upset with myself,” you admitted. The words felt heavy. “I hated how I reacted, how I got upset that you had realized what I was feeling... and I hated that I didn’t understand why I did react like that.” Ona tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “And why did you?” You hesitated, biting your lip. Then, softly, you confessed, “I was jealous. I didn’t even know why at first… I just was.” Her expression shifted, cautious but curious. “And it wasn’t just that,” you continued. “I felt the same way whenever you talked about Aitana. I know how ridiculous it sounds, but I couldn’t help it." You sighed, running a hand through your hair. "When you started posting all those pictures of you two, I felt like I was being replaced. And instead of talking to you, I just… shut down.” Ona sighed, her voice quieter now. “Look, about Aitana—” You cut her off, shaking your head. “No, I got it. Instantly got it." You said. "And, I saw you two playing online last week. She’s amazing. I’m happy for you both." Ona laughed dryly, catching you off guard. “I’m not dating Aitana.” “What?” you asked, completely thrown. She shifted uncomfortably, rubbing her arm. “I only posted those pictures to get your attention. To make you jealous.” Your brows furrowed in disbelief. “Why would you want to make me jealous?” Ona scoffed, her lips curling into a small, bitter smile. There was a moment of silence before she looked at you again, locking eyes. “I think you know why.” Her voice came out low and quiet as if she didn't want you to hear.

Silence stretched between you, thick with unspoken feelings. “I mean,” you stammered, trying to piece your thoughts together. You were just stumbling with your words. “If you had started dating, I would’ve congratulated you. Aitana seems like a great person, and you two would—” “Are you trying to push me toward someone else again?” Ona interrupted, shaking her head as she looked down with a dry laugh. You raised your hands defensively. “Sorry, sorry. I’m just… I’m still figuring all of this out.” You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “I’ve thought about us a lot over the past month—how I feel about you, about us.” Her eyes softened, but her guard didn’t drop. “Then, why didn’t you answer any of my calls?” “Because I was scared,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. Her stare was making you nervous. “I thought if I talked to you, I’d lose focus. I wouldn’t be able to sort out my feelings and I'd just fuck up. But I'm glad I took my time...” “And what now?” Ona asked, her voice cautious. “I realized that I like you,” you said, the weight of the confession lifting slightly from your chest. "I like you beyond just as friends." Ona’s eyes widened, but she stayed silent, waiting for you to continue. You took a deep breath, letting the words spill out. “I feel so stupid for not realizing sooner. You’ve been so obvious about it, but I was clueless. And worse, I didn’t even know my own feelings.” You laughed bitterly. “I’ve always liked you, Ona. But I never thought of it as a crush because… well, we’ve always been so close. It felt like we were already together. I never thought I’d have to say it out loud.” You swallowed the lump forming in your throat before continuing. "And, I was scared that if I had said something, it would do more bad than good." You confessed, being completely vulnerable. "We already were there for each other all these years. I was scared that if I had said anything before, it would drive you away and I would lose you. And I didn't want to lose you." Ona stepped closer, her expression unreadable. “And now? What are you trying to say?” Your lips trembled as you laughed nervously, tears stinging your eyes. “I’m asking if you still want to be my best friend, even after everything I said." Ona’s face fell, disappointment flashing in her eyes. “Oh.” “But—” You reached for her hand with some hesitation. “I also want you to know that I think I might be in love with you." Her lips parted in surprise, her breath catching. Slowly, Ona stepped closer, her eyes searching yours. A smile grew on her face as she took your face in her hand. Without another word, she leaned in, her lips confidently capturing yours. It felt firm and sure as if answering you without using words. Just like that, your insecurities melted away. Suddenly, everything was back to before. No, it's even better than before. It was what you've always wanted, even back when you didn't know that you wanted it yet. When she pulled away, her lips curled into a small, teasing smile. She looked at both your eyes and you gazed into hers, taking in the moment between you. Ona chuckled. “Took you long enough.”

a/n: my first fluff fic <3 please be nice. i appreciate reblogs, comments, likes and messages or requests! i'm open to following this fic up if i get enough inspiration later on <3 taglist: @allaboutnayeli @shayepe @tsaynsp @acrypa24 @iliketozoneout @yapileon @kelseyaparker19 @wosocity @pitchsidestories @micaluvssoccer @lenorelovesgirls @marialife03 @jana22188

[taffycandyqt]

hey so how badly do you think the rottmnt boys would be easily persuaded into things by their s/o? Who has self control and who throws caution to the wind for their s/o? Like their s/o is not manipulating or anything. Just like “No! I’m not joining”. “*genuine sad understanding doe eyes* If you’re sure, I wanted you to be the one to come with me though since I love you so much and I’d feel better with you there, but if you’re uncomfortable, it’s ok” if their boyfriend changes their mind, s/o is confused at the sudden change but look ecstatic? Or like they make their boyfriend angry and s/o is like “I did that? I’m sorry. I didn’t realise *genuine sad doe eyes. Makes it very hard to stay mad at*”?

Honestly, the rise boys are all so hungry for affection in their own ways. I feel like they are all pretty weak to their sweet little s/o. Also the one shots aren't exactly the best example of the headcannons but I was STRUGGLING so this is the best I got.

Weak in the Knees

Rise turtles (separately) x reader

How easily can you persuade them using your irresistible charm??

Warnings: Mentions of shooting as a hyperbole to emphasize a point. Not explicit. No deaths. Only in Donnies. Angst? ends happy so its fine

Established relationship

Fluff, crack

Donnie:

We all know Donnie is a sucker for praise.

You ask him to do something stupid or dangerous with you it will be a no.

You want him to step away from his work for a break? absolutely not.

You want him to accompany you to Witch town. ARE YOU CRAZY?

Buuuuuut. If you just so happen to have thrown out a couple compliments his way beforehand.

It will almost immediately be a yes or a "Sigh! I suppose!"

Let's be honest here too, there is a lot to compliment Donnie on.

You praise him for his work, a gift he gave you, helping you, or for literally anything he is already wrapped around your finger.

But if you praise him and then add a little kiss on the cheek or hand. Maybe a small hug?

He would literally let you shoot him if that's what you wanted.

Bro is so in love with you it's not even funny.

Not to say he doesn't draw the line somewhere. No bees. No spiders. And NO BEACH BALLS.

Oh and nothing that could phically harm you in any way.

He ain't about to let you get hurt on his watch.

It doesn't matter how many times you call him the most handsomest genius boy and kiss his nose, you are not diving off the empire state building for him to catch you mid air.

"Donnnnnnnniiieeeeeee!" you slumped towards him as you drew out his name. After you got to him you rested your head on his battle shell. Your hands were positioned on either side of your head laying flat on his shell as well.

"Yes my dear?" He chirped. He wasn't very good at initiating physical touch. Don't get me wrong, he tried, he just let his Donnie overthink get the best of him more often then not. So when you initiated, it was very welcome.

"I looooove youuu." You answered him, "your the sweetest boy I've ever met, did you know that?"

This got Donnie to set his tools down real quick. You always liked to compliment him at random times. At first he thought there was a reason behind it. You wanted something, you wanted to get away with something, you wanted him to forgive you, ect. But no matter how many times he conducted the experiment. No matter the duration of time it took. The results were always purely random. You did it simply because you wanted to tell him how much he meant to you.

And honestly, it was his favorite thing in the world. The only problem was that it would always catch him off guard. There was no consistency to your charming onslaught so it was always left as a surprise till the very last minute. His face burned red as he proceeded to just stare at his work, trying to look like he's trying to figure something out.

"I'm not sure. You say I'm a lot of things," he tried to keep his voice even as he spoke to you.

"Well it's true! Your the sweetest, smartest, and most perfect boyfriend ever and your my absolute favorite."

At this point Donnie was trying to hard not to happy stim. Not because he's not comfortable stimming around you, infact he does it all the time. The thing is, even after all this time he still wanted come off as a cool, emotionally unavailable bad boy. What he conveniently doesn't remember is that he's already willing done things that counter that image. You don't need to tell him that though.

"Thank you dear. You're quite lovely yourself," he told you. He folded his arms and sat stiffly trying to keep his stimming under control, eventually opting for some speedy finger tapping.

"Awwwwwww, thank you my love!!" you said as you finally lifted your head off his back to lean over and kiss his cheek.

This caused him to jerk in his chair and mess with the weight distribution resulting in him tipping and falling right on the floor. Instinctively he reached for the table in an attempt to break his fall. Unfortunately, he ended up grabbing his current project instead. As Donnie fell a component of his invention was ripped from it's position and landed on the floor beside him.

"Oh mi gosh! Are you okay?!" you rushed to Donnie's aid and helped him off the floor.

"I'm alright, thank you," he smiled at you softly and went to pick up his chair.

"I was just caught off guard is all," he told you, but as he bends down to grab the chair he noticed the crucial piece of his latest invention laying off to the side of it.

"GASP! Nonononono!" he picked up the piece and scrambled to his work desk to inspect the damage.

"Nooo!!" He wined in frustration. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index as he tried to calm himself down.

"Donnie? What's wrong?" You asked as you inched your way to his side.

"THIS!" he exclaimed shoving the broken piece in your direction before dropping his arm and turning away from his project to pace around the room.

"I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR WEEKS AND NOW I HAVE TO BACKTRACK AND REDO DAYS OF WORK! ALL BECAUSE YOU-" he stopped talking immediately when he say your face. He had originally turned to look back at you in order to emphasize his frustration. Seeing the look on your face though, made him instantly regret letting his frustration get the better of him.

"I- I'm sorry. I- didn't mean for that... I just wanted to... um..." you were on the verge of tears and couldn't think of anything to say that would fix the issue. So you just clasped your hands together and looked to the floor.

"I'm sorry," is what you eventually settled on.

"No! no, I'm sorry," Donnie told you as he approached and grabbed your shoulder while placing the other in his chest. He leaned his head down in an attempt to catch your eye as you kept your eyes locked on the ground.

"I shouldn't have yelled like that, and besides it wasn't your fault anyways. I was the one being careless in the first place." He eventually placed his and on your other shoulder and leaned down more, practically begging for you to look at him. When you did, your eyes were big and glossy with tears that streaked on your cheeks.

"I shouldn't have distracted you," your responded and you looked back to the floor.

"No, hey, your not a distraction," he told you in a gentle voice. He stood up straight and pulled you into a firm hug, burying his snout in your hair.

"Your the best thing that happened to me. Your never a distraction," he was really hoping this got through to you.

"Really?" You sniffed.

"Really really. Two reallys," he told you. With that you adjusted to wrap your arms around him and then lay you chin in his plastron.

"Do you think ice cream would make you feel better?" you asked.

"Me feel better?" he questioned. You were the hurt one, you were the one crying. Why were you concerned about his feelings?

"Even if you think it's not my fault, no doubt you're still upset with the amount of work you have to redo," you explained, "and ice cream always makes me feel better. So would ice cream make you feel better?"

He gave you a small laugh and traded the hug to hold your hand.

"Firstly, it's not your fault," he spoke matter-a-factly while waving his other hand around dramatically, "And secondly, ice cream sounds delightful."

So with that you both made your way to the kitchen. Donnie ended up not eating any ice cream at all and instead opted for flavorless juice. He was happy enough watching you eat your ice cream with a big smile plastered on your face.

Did he have a lot of work to redo? Yes. But as long as your there it might not feel as long. He might have to make a 'no flattery while one is working in the lab' rule though. For safety.

Leo:

Remember how Donnie had a line? Yeah, no Leo doesn't have that.

Due to this, and his already mischievous nature, you can already get him to do pretty much anything just by asking.

However he does have a responsible mood. If he's in that mood nothing will work.

you know what I mean. Like how he acts in the movie while their driving in the turtle tank?

like that, just without the internal and external issues clouding his judgment.

It's s not a bad mood, it's just not good for getting what you want.

Lucky for you he's not usually in that mood, and if he is it's usually not so bad that you can't bring I'm out of it.

That being said Leo, like the rest of his brothers, needs praise so badly that it's kinda sad.

Any praise will work but if you want him to do something absolutely idiotic to the point that even he thinks so? Your gonna need to make him feel ✨special✨

Your gonna need to pull out the my man, my champion, special man, and perfect baby.

Names like that, that make him feel like a million bucks.

If he's showing off to you, one compliment will butter that sucker up like you wouldn't believe.

He would literally do anything for you, it's not even funny, bro has no standards.

"Y/n! Hey! Hey! Y/n look! Look at this sick trick!" Leo called to you from atop their indoor skating ramp. You were on the floor below talking with April while Leo skated.

"Okay sweets I'm watching!" You call back to give him the go ahead.

With that Leo was off down the ramp. As he came up the other side and was propelled in the air he flipped the skateboard from beneath him and then landed perfectly on top as gravity pulled them back to the surface. When he came back up the other side Leo jumped off the board and looked down at you with a big grin on his face.

You and April clapped and he came down to meet you.

"What did you think??"

"I think that was awesome. Your my talented man for sure," you told him sweetly as you kissed him on the cheek. Leo blushed slightly at this before puffing his chest out and holding his skateboard all cool guy like at his hip. He used his other hand to point at himself with his thumb.

"Well not everyone can be as skilled as ah-THIS!" He boasted while punctuating his sentence with a dab.

"Okay, Mr. Talented," April teased, "If your done I'd like to tell you the reason I stopped by today."

"What?" Leo said with fake shock, "You visited for a different reason other than admiring my rad skills?"

"Impossible I know," she snarked to play along with him.

"So what's up April?" You asked.

"I was working my new job as a part time graveyard day guard and I saw this totally creepy and totally abandoned house right outside my post!"

"April if you're about to tell us you saw a ghost," Leo told her.

"No! But I DID want to find out if there COULD be ghosts in there."

"Why are you telling us this?" You ask.

"Because, I'm not gonna trespass on abandoned property by myself. That's just asking to be kidnapped," she answered while folding her arms.

"I don't know April, I better stay here and keep practicing my skating skillzz, right y/n?" Leo said.

"Well I think it sounds cool April! I'd be so down to go with you!"

"Heck yeah! Girls trip!"

You two high fived and right as you hands made contact Leo popped up in-between the both of you and clasped yours and April's hands together with his own.

"Though I suppose it would be unbecoming of me to not do my chivalrous duty to you both and tag along as a safety precaution."

April looked unimpressed at Leo's forced attempt to be cool in front of you whilst also begging for your attention. As you and April let your hands down Leo's went with them and you took his empty palm in yours shooting him a soft smile.

"So what time did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I was thinking like right now if y'all aren't busy," April told you.

"Sounds good to me, come on Leon!" You said as you dragged Leo to the Lair exit.

-

Apon getting to the building it was abundantly clear that it was very abandoned and very illegal to trespass. A rusted chain link fence surrounded the building with warning signs plastered all around it. Though, it was to dark to clearly read them without a flashlight.

"Uhh, guys?" Leo started, "Are you sure we should go in there? There are way too many signs around this place for them all to be just 'no trespassing' signs,"

"Do I hear someone who is scaaaaared?" Teased April. This prompted an offended gasp from Leo who put a hand to his chest.

"SCARED?! HA! I'll show you who's scared," he snarked at her before opening a portal to bypass the fence straight to the front door. He gestures for you and April to enter first. Before you followed April in you turned to Leo.

"Everything will be fine, and if something does go wrong I know you could bail us out," you smiled sweetly at him and then stepped into the portal. Leo straightened up and blushed, then sauntered confidently through the portal after you. It felt good to know you trusted him so much.

As all three of you stood at the front door you heard the sounds of the house creaking on the inside. The old wood constantly fighting to stay upright. April pushed open the door with a loud creak and shinned her light into the entry. It was dark and messy. A brownish carpet greeted you along with a broken sidebar cabinet. stairs leading up to the second floor were covered in dirt and old enough to be one big splinter. Next to the stairs was an entrance to a different room. There were also different rooms on either side of you as well. As you all shines your lights to get a better look you could see the dust particles littering the air.

"I'm gonna go investigate upstairs!" April told you before disappearing to the second floor. Leo had gravitates towards the right side entryway before turning to you and gesturing for you to follow him.

"I think this is the kitchen," he said, turning his head back. You filled him as you both inspected the room. You broke looked around and noticed some light scratching sounds coming from what you assumed to be the pantry. As you opened the door the smell of rotten food and crap hit your face and you immediately gagged. You plugged your nose with your hand and you used the other to direct the flashlight. You didn't look around for long though as you saw a small, fast moving figure rush past your foot. You let out a short yelp as you stumbled backwards and out of the pantry slamming the door shut.

In an instant Leo was by your side.

"What?! What happened?! Are you okay?!" he gave you a once over looking for any injuries you could have procured.

"Yes! Yes," you sighed out patting his shoulder, "I'm okay, just a... rat. Or something,"

"Okay. Umm, just stick close to me for now ok?" He asked you. He was clearly a little nervous, about what exactly though you couldn't say. He grabbed your hand as you both made your way out of the kitchen.

"You've been hearing those sounds too right?" He asks as he turns to you. You both stop under the archway separating the kitchen and the entryway.

"W- what sounds?" This was, admittedly, making you a little nervous yourself now.

"The scratching. Like something's in the walls," he said in a hushed voice as he squoze your hand. You didn't at first but as you sat and listened, sure enough. Scratching. Or... Scurrying? It wasn't consistent but it happened often enough.

"Yeah," you answered in the same muted tone.

"I think we should leave," Leo told you, "Whatever this houses issue is it's not gonna be ours. Let's grab April and VAMINOS."

Before you two could take more that a stepp up the stairs you hear a loud crash and the house starts to rumble. April begins to scream and you can hear her rushed footsteps against the floor and as you both try to find her you ended meeting her at the top of the stairs.

"RUUUUN!! GO GO GO!" she yelled at you. She pushed you both aside and grabbed Leo by his mask tails to pull him along. Before you two started running though, you see what April was running from. I giant hord of mutant silverfish. They took up the entire hallway from floor to ceiling and they did NOT look happy.

As Leo was being tugged along by April you were tugged by Leo who still hadn't let go of your hand. In trying to position his body to run forward easier and April still holding on to his mask tails, it ended up turning his mask on backwards and obscuring his view. As all three of you exited the house Leo tripped out the door on top of April causing you to fall on top of him.

"LEO PORTAL! PORTAL NOW!" April yelled at him.

"I CAN'T FIND MY SWORD!" he told her frantically trying to fix his mask so he could see.

"HERE TAKE IT!" you said handing it to him. The silver fish where almost in top of you by the time Leo took the sword in his hands. With a swift swing of his sword the portal was opened and all three of you stumbled through it closing right as the silverfish burst out the door.

All three of you lay on the ground between where the two skate ramps met, panting and trying to gather yourselves.

"Everyone okay?" April asked out of breath.

"Yeah," you breathed out.

"All good here," Leo puffed.

"Great..." April sat up sluggishly, "I'm gonna head out then, see ya."

And with that she stood up and left the lair. You both waved her off best you could from the ground. You both just laid there for a while catching your breaths.

"Let's never do that again," Leo said after a while.

"I don't know, I kinda had fun," you told him.

"You have got to be kidding me," he looked over at you unimpressed.

"Ya know... I saw this abandoned processing plant a couple days ago," you said turning your head to look back at him.

"Y/n. We almost died."

"And now we know to be prepared for hords of mutant silverfish," you looked at him, "Please?"

"Uuugggg. FINE. But not for a while, I need a break from whatever the heck today was," he told you.

"Sounds good to me!" You chirped and cuddled into his side.

"Yeah yeah," he playfully rolled his eyes and wrapped a lazy arm around you.

Mikey:

Oh he is just the sweetest little buttercup to you.<3

Surprisingly though, he also is the hardest to persuade.

I mean come on, doctor delicate touch loves you but he will be quick to tell you why a certain idea is....... not so great.

That being said if you get really sad about him saying no he will do everything in his power to make you happy.

He'll make your favorite food, watch your favorite movie, play your favorite game, whatever you want that isn't the first thing that you wanted.

Out of all brothers, Mikey is the one who need praise at the most normal amount.

You guys will probably have compliment competitions while cuddling.

So safe to say praise isn't going to get this dude to do stuff for you.

However, Mikey is able to see how his brothers feel like they can't fully express their feelings and wants them to feel safe enough to do so.

Frankly he wants everyone to feel comfortable enough around him to express their true thoughts and feelings.

So if you are the kind of person to emotionally shut down or pretend like everything is fine when it's not?

He will be a bit more willing to do stuff for you.

Again, there is a line. A straight cut no exceptions line.

Buuuuuut he might be willing to find a couple loop holes just so that his darling can feel better.

Piece of advice tho, don't push it. If he feels like you don't respect his boundaries that's gonna be a whole other issue.

"Hey Mikey!" you chirp as you enter his room, "What'ca up to?"

Mikey looked up at you from the floor, you could see the canvas in front of him and got increasingly excited to see what he was putting together.

"Oh just paintin', like one does," he tells you with a cheeky smile.

"Okaaaaay," you smile back, playing along, "What'ca paintin'?"

At this Mikey looked to his right and then his left, like he was scoping out the area for spies. Except it made less sense since it was his room. Then he looked back up at you and gestured for you to come join him with his hand.

You sat down on the floor and cozied up next to your boyfriend to which he revealed his masterpiece. It was a family portrait of Splinter and his brothers from when they were younger.

"We took this picture a couple years back," he handed you a small photo, "it was always dads favorite so I'm painting it for his birthday!"

"That's so sweet Mikey!"

He smiled and blushed at the compliment. You turned back to the painting. It was beautiful. It was the same picture but Mikey had taken some creative liberties with the colors. They were bright, vibrant, and harmonious. The painting felt like it was buzzing with energy because of it. It felt warm and inviting and at the same time unpredictable. The way the lines, colors, and textures went together, it almost made the painting feel alive, and it was hypnotizing.

"It looks like you've finished, right?" you ask, turning back to him.

"Almost!" He perks, "I just have to add a few finishing touches and it will be done!"

"Weeeeeeelllll," you said mischievously, "Since they're just finishing touches, maybe I could help."

One of the first things that people find out when they meet you is that you suck butt at art. When you met Mikey he tried SO HARD to teach you but no matter how hard you tried it just never clicked. You always saw it as a cute 'opposites attract' sort of thing honestly. The proficient artist and the one who couldn't draw a dot right it they tried. How romantic.

So when your little tease entered the space Mikey knew exactly what you were trying to do.

"Oh no no no my dear," he played along, "You see, I feel your artistic talents are needed else where."

"Else where?" you questioned with big doe eyes feigning innocence.

"Yes. Else where," he told you again, still with his playful expression.

"You mean," you picked up one of his used paint brushes, "HERE! you said as you lunged forward attempting to pin him down in order to paint his face. Attempting.

"NO NOT HERE!" he giggled trying to keep the paint brush from making contact with his face. He had been mostly successful but you still managed to land a couple good swipes.

You both continued to wrestle and giggle as time went on. At one point Mikey flipped you both so he was the one pinning you and reached for a paint brush of his own. You managed to wiggle free in the nick of time and this led to you both running around his room with paint brushes in hand. Every now and again one of you would corner the other, but the other would always manage to escape leading to the chase once again. At one point you realized that you might be able to catch Mikey off guard. You see, outside of cornering each other, all you guy have really done is chase the other and try catch them.

So in a moment of what you deemed to be 'brilliance' you took an abrupt stop and made a sharp turn on your heel to face him. However, that resulted in Mikey crashing right into you and you both falling straight to the floor.

"OH ME GOSH! Are you okay y/n?!" he scrambled to get off you quickly and inspect any possible damage to your person.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I think. Just landed on something hard," you told him as you picked yourself up.

When you looked back at him there was an expression on his face that could only be described as soul crushing horror. You were so confused, and concerned until you followed his line of sight and saw exactly what you landed on.

His painting.

His super sentimental and lovingly handcrafted painting meant as a GIFT FOR HIS FATHER. and now, there was a hole straight through it. Not a small one at that. Not to mention some of the paint was still wet and had gotten smeared and smushed at the impact. There was absolutely no salvaging this painting.

"Oh Mikey I am so sorry," you were horrified at what you had caused. Mikey didn't look at you, he didn't respond either. He walked towards to ruined canvas and slowly knelt down to pick it up.

"I- I didn't mean for this to happen Mikey I'm-" he cut you off.

"Can you please go? We'll talk later, I just need to be alone right now," still without looking at you. You were so heartbroken you had to hold in your tears.

"Okay," you told him in a shaky breath. You left the lair that night, and for the first time since you've known the guys, you left in a considerably worse mood then what you had when you got there.

The look on Mikey's face haunted you that night. You hate to think that you were the one to cause that pain. You were the one that hurt him. You wanted to make it up to him but you didn't know how. It's not like you could remake the painting for him. Heck you couldn't even paint!

You decided it would be best to stay away from the lair until Mikey invited you back. Fortunately for you, it only took about four days for that to happen. Unfortunately for however, it was through a very distressing text that read 'We should talk'. Eeeee 😬

Before you went you baked some cookies to hopefully help lighten the blow. You may not be able to... 'art'... BUT YOU COULD BAKE. When you met with Mikey it was in a secluded area of Todd's Puppy Land, or whatever its called.

"Hey y/n," he said giving you a weak smile and finally looking at you. He looked tired. Like he hadn't slept since you both last talked.

"Hey Mikey," you responded, "I uh. I brought cookies." You gave and awkward smile and his expression softened. He motioned for you to sit next to him on the bench. As you did you placed the cookies between you both as to give him some space.

He sighed, "I'm sorry y/n, I didn't mean-" you cut him off.

"YOUR SORRY?! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BE SORRY ABOUT?!" you were exasperated.

"Well I-"

"NO! I ruined your painting that took you forever to make that you made for your dads birthday! If anyone should be sorry it's me!"

"Thank you," he told you, "and I accept you apology, but it wasn't really your fault. It was an accident due to us both being reckless."

"But I started it!"

"And I didn't stop you, *sigh* listen. I didn't mean to scare you like I did. I just get very emotionally attached to my art so I was having a lot of feelings that day. I want to make it very clear that I don't want to break up with you and I'm not mad at you."

At this, you let out a sigh you didn't even know you were holding. When he looked back at you he was shocked. Your eyes were glassy with tears and your cheeks were red. You looked so sad. And so sorry. Oh, if he didn't already regret what he said to you that day he sure did now. How could he had asked you to leave?

"I still feel bad about it," you told him looking down at your hands. He moved the cookies behind him to close the gap between you both and pulled you into a hug.

"Hey, I get it. But if it makes you feel any better I was able to fix mistakes I made the first time and clean up areas I had previously messed up. On top of that I'm pretty close to being in the same spot with its progress that I was last time," he said, trying to console you. you pulled back to look at him.

"You mean you repainted it?"

"Well yeah. It's pops birthday gift, I had to," he smiled at you.

"Didn't that take you weeks to do?!"

"The first time yeah. But I kind couldn't sleep until I was back to were I was before sooo"

THATS WHY HE LOOKED SO TIRED! HE HASN'T SLEPT IN FOUR DAYS!

"Alright well someone's going to bed right now," you told him, picking up your cookies and dragging him by the wrist. He happily complied and followed you back to the lair. Not before thanking Todd for letting you guys use his space.

Overall, you both were just glad that everything was back to normal.

Raph:

Oh bb. He's so soft for you.

Bro will kiss the ground you walk on.

He's also the most responsible.

However most responsible does not mean least chaotic.

I mean the dude tries to lift a bus and ate a literal phone.

So honestly, I can see him being pretty open to a lot of stuff as long as your safety isn't jeopardized.

Notice how I said 'your safety'?

Yeah. Again, remember the bus incident? I refuse to believe that he wouldn't do something stupid for you as long as he's the only one with a possibility of getting hurt.

That being said, like Mikey he has a line. Unlike Mikey that line is drawn with chalk and is very easily swept away.

Now Raph does not like crossing this line. I mean who likes compromising their boundaries?

But he will do it.

Raph is very susceptible to peer pressure and if it's coming from you of all people? He'll do it.

He won't be happy about it after though.

Like he's happy your happy but he will being to feel like his feelings don't matter to you the same as yours matter to him.

So for the sake of this poor boy please don't press further if he said no the first time.

It makes him feel like a bad boyfriend. :(

You and Raph were cuddling on the couch watching Jupiter Jim movies. As per the usual when you both are bored and have nothing better to do. You were positioned on his lap knees pointing to the side so you could rest your head on his chest.

"Hey Raphy?" you said grabbing his attention.

"Yes?" he said looking down at you.

"You wanna crash a wedding?"

"What?!"

"Do you. Want to. Crash a wedding. ... With me."

"And why are we crashing a wedding?"

"Fun," you told him, "but also I'm bored."

He giggled at you. You were such a little cutie and he could never get over it.

"What would we be doing?"

"Oh ya know, dancing, eating the food, photo bombing. The ushe," you shoot him a cheeky smile.

"Okay, one question though," you nodded at him, "how are we gonna do that with... this whole situation," he told you gesturing to himself.

"Sweets, we're in New York. You put on a suit jacket and act like 'this whole situation' is normal, most people will chalk it up to eccentricity," you told him.

"You sure bout that?"

"I've never been so sure about anything in my entire life."

"Well I guess we have a wedding to prepare for," he said nuzzling his snout into your cheek.

"YESSSsssssssssss!!" you exclaimed.

---

After a quick social media search you found the perfect wedding to crash. You and Raphael dusted off your best wedding attire and set out on a mission to have a good time.

You guys had made it to the reception so you just walked in and pretended like you belonged there. Raph was obviously still a little worried about walking in full green skin and three fingered but you assured him it was fine. And you were kinda right. He definitely got weird looks but he tried his best to follow your advise and pretend like was nothing was wrong. So for a while now body bothered you guys.

"See? What did I tell you, no body even cares!" You smiled at him as you pulled him to the dance floor.

"Yeah, I guess," he told you a tad nervous. He smiled at you regardless and you're both began to dance.

It was a fun, up eat song so you and Raph jumped along in your own little world. Twisting, turning, and shimming to the beat, it felt like you both were walking on air.

After dancing for a couple of songs straight you guys decided to try some of the refreshments. You took some lemonade and the little cheesecake bits and found a vacant table. You both chatted about little things, telling jokes and having a good time.

Eventually someone from the party approached you. She was a skinny old woman. Not old enough to be grey haired and senile but just old enough that she had plenty of wrinkles.

"Excuse me, I don't believe we've met," she told you as she sat down her to you, "what are your names?"

"Oh, I'm y/n and this is Raph," you gestured to him and he gave a small wave.

"Well it's nice to meet you. I'm the brides aunt Tina."

"Well in that case, congrats! I'm sure your so happy for her!"

"I am, Oliver seems like such a a nice man. He treats Sara so well. On that note, who are you here for? The bride or the groom?"

Raph sweat dropped, he didn't like lying and it made him nervous that he might have to if you both wanted to stay.

"Oh we're not," you told her honestly. Raph was relieved for about half a second before he realized that now you guys might cause a whole other scene.

"I'm sorry, not what?"

"Here for either the bride or the groom. We don't know either of them, we were just bored and wanted to dance."

"Wh-," her face showed her absolute disbelief, "This is a family and friends even you can't just waltz in uninvited!"

"Well I mean. You can. We just did. Wether or not that's a respectful thing to do is an entirely different debate though."

Tina's face was starting to turn red.

"Well! I'm going to have to ask you both to leave!" she demanded raising her voice while she stood and pointed to the exit.

"Hey, what's going on Tia?" the bride asked putting a hand on her aunts sholder.

You leaned back in your chair resting your arm over the back of it while you took a swig of your water.

"These two hooligans weren't invited! They don't know anyone here!"

"Well that's hardly fair Tina, I thought we formed a connection over the last five minutes," you teased which prompted Raph to shoot you a disapproving look. Tina looked absolutely appalled by you attitude.

"What?" you questioned Raph with a giggle, "Come on this is kinda funny."

"Your making her upset!"

"Eh, she would have been upset anyways,"

"DONT IGNORE US GET OUT! SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!" Tina was full on screaming now, which prompted Raph to shoot out of his chair. He apologized quickly and picked you up by your sides and ran you both out of the wedding.

"Awwwww I wanted to grab some more of those cheesecake bites before we dipped."

Raph shook his head and smiled.

"Your unbelievable."

[cosmopretty]

Little Sister Part Two

Nika Mühl x fem

warnings: angst, smut

Part one: little sister

✦•〰〰〰〰〰〰•★•〰〰〰〰〰〰•✦

“WHAT THE FUCK”

Nika hold her hands up in surrender “Yo Paige let me-“ your older sister lets out a breath and walks towards Nika sizing her up pointing her finger in her face. “She’s my baby sister Nika what the fuck is wrong with you” Paige holds her fists so hard her knuckles start to turn white.

You stand in front of Nika and look at Paige “It’s not her fault” you say. The air in the room shifts and the tall blonde looks down at you.

“She’s twenty two and your eighteen she’s my age Y/n what the fuck” Paige says trying her hardest not to yell at you. She hated hurting you in anyway since you both didn’t argue much at all.

Nika looks down at you before looking back at Paige “She’s old enough to make her own decisions it’s none of your business” the second those words leave her mouth Paige snaps. You watch in shock as Paige shoves Nika before punching her in the face. You shove Paige then Ice and KK run in grabbing Paige by the waist and dragging her outside away from you and Nika. You look down at the girl on your bed and rush to her holding her face in your hands. You caresses her cheek “Are you okay my love?” you ask your voice filled with concern.

Nika nods and bringer a hand up to rub her bloody lip “It’s fine it doesn’t hurt that bad” she says getting up and pulling you with her.

“Are you sure? I’m going to kill Paige I swear she can’t just hit you it’s crazy-“ Nika puts her finger on your mouth shutting you up. You look at her confused “I don’t blame Paige I would do the same thing but at least we don’t have to hide us” she says looking down at you.

You furrow your brows “Yeah and what is us? What even are we?” you ask genuinely confused. Nika shrugs “I like you and you like me so first I take you out on a date then we figure it out because I want you to be mines” she smirks. You roll your eyes at the girl and pull her into your bathroom. She sits on the floor laying her hands on her knees looking up at you as you find things to use to clean her face. You wet a towel with warm water and turn your head before bending down next to Nika and start gently cleaning her bloody lip.

The bathroom is silent as you help her out neither of you knew what to say to one another.

Meanwhile Paige sits in the couch with the girls trying her hardest not to get up and run back into your room. KK looks at Paige “Well at least Nika is better than all the other people Y/n has dated” she shrugs.

Paige looks at KK slowly turning her head just blinking at the girl. Caroline rolls her eyes “Paige let’s be real it was obvious Nika liked her I mean she was more protective of Y/n than you were and you know Nika won’t hurt Y/n so don’t blame her” Paige nods at her words before putting her head in her hands pulling her blonde hair.

“Yeah but that’s my little sister the fact that she’s dating my twin is just weird” she groans not wanting to think about you both together.

Ice rubs Paige’s back “You punched her in the face, the least you could do is apologize but think for a second Nika wouldn’t hurt Y/n and she would be good for her and you know it your just too hard headed to accept it”

You walk into the living room playing with your hands holding a bag of ice “Paige” you say in a quiet voice scared of what’s gonna happen. She looks up at you from her seat on the couch and motions you to sit next to her. The girls walk out of the room and go outside to the backyard where Drew was playing to give you guys some privacy.

You grab her hand and lay the ice over it slowly “I’m sorry” you apologize not knowing why or what you were even apologizing for. Paige looks at you shaking her head before wrapping her other arm around you pulling you into her “No I’m sorry I shouldn’t of hit her just please explain to me what’s going on” she says.

You nod and lay your head on your older sister’s shoulder “I liked Nika for a while now but we didn’t do anything before today I swear. She told me how she felt about me and we kissed for the first time today and I really like her Paige and I think she really likes me. She’s good for me and if you don’t want us together we won’t be but please support this for me” you lift your head from her shoulder and look at her.

Paige thinks for a moment before shaking her head “Fine but no kissing in front of me or any of that lovey dovey shit please” you squeal and hug her thanking her over and over. She laughs and pushes you off her gently before getting up. Both of you walk into the bathroom and Nika gets up when she sees you both walk in. Paige groans “You can date my sister but if you hurt her twin Ima hurt you” Nika nods and daps Paige up and your older sister walks out of the bathroom to go outside with everyone else.

Nika looks down at you smiling “So now what?” you look at her confused “What do you mean?” You ask.

She walks towards you causing you to walk back into your bedroom. You watch as Nika closes your door locking it before looking you up and down. You grab her shoulders and bring her down to kiss you. She kisses you grabbing your waist and you whine into the kiss. She pushes you down onto the bed again your body falling onto the soft comforter as she got on top of you not breaking the kiss.

Nika's hips rolled against yours and a groan fell from both of your mouths. She watched your head dig into the pillows and she leaned forward. Her lips landed next to your ear, her accent coming out strong “So pretty bebo”

Her head moves down you kissing your neck leaving warm opened mouth wet kisses. You grab her neck urging her to keep going. She sucks on the sweet spot on your neck and you accidentally let out a moan.

You cover your face with your hands groaning out of embarrassment. Nika pulls your hands away “Don’t be shy baby I wanna hear you” she smiles holding the bottom of your shirt in her hands “Can I take this off? Please” you nod and she pulls your shirt off your body.

Nika straddles your hips and looks down at you “Your so beautiful” you smile at the girl above you. Your body heating up as you breath heavily “Your the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen Nika” you say honestly looking up at her.

She pulls her shirt off of her body and pulls your pants off leaving you in only your black bra and lacey panties. You thank god that today you wore cute undergarments and not granny panties. Nika goes back down kissing your chest leaving hickeys in places only you would see. She moves her hands to your back clipping your bra off before pulling it off. She looks down at your chest “Jebi se, dušo, ne znaš što mi radiš” she mumbles before latching onto one of your nipples sucking and biting.

You grab her hair and moan as her tongue swirls around you nipple her other hand coming to play with the other one. She kisses down your stomach before hovering over your pussy. She blows on your cunt and your whole body shivers.

“Please Nika I need you” you whine and she moves her hand to rub your cunt over your panties. She nods her head at you “Yeah? What do you want me to do?” She teases you.

She loves how sensitive you were to her touch how your eyes glossed over and all you needed was her and her only.

You groan “I need you to touch me please before someone walks in on us” Nika rolls her eyes and moves her head into your pants rubbing your folds. You bite back a moan at her movements “Your so wet is this all for me bebo” she says her voice husky.

You nod “All for you Nika all yours” you moan as she slides one finger into your hole. She watches your every move and she moves her finger in and out of you slowly before adding another one. Your cunt squeezes around her fingers “F-fuck baby” you moan out trying to stay quiet but your body doesn’t want to be quiet.

You moan loudly before Nika puts her other hand over your mouth “Shh baby we can’t have people hear you can we” you nod and she keeps her hand over your mouth before moving her fingers in and out of you. Her thumb starts to rub your clit in circles and your body jolts at that moment. Nika moves her head down and starts kissing behind your ear “ želiš li svršiti princezu” she asks forgetting you don’t understand her.

She moves her hand form your mouth and kisses your slowly before repeating her self in English “do you want to cum princess” she asks pouting at you. You nod your head fast and she starts moving her fingers impossibly faster.

Your head falls back onto the pillows behind you and Nika looks down at you brushing your hair from your face. You whimper at the feeling building up in your stomach ready to snap. Nika feels you tighten around her fingers “Come on baby let go for me” she whispers.

Your body jolts and she holds your hips down as you cum. She watches your mouth open without any sound coming out of it. You breath heavily and look at Nika who flopped down to lay beside you “Fuck that was wow that was” you don’t finish your sentence not knowing what to say to the girl.

Nika smirks “speechless huh I did good” she says proud of herself. You shove her and turn your body to face her “Want me to make you feel good?” you ask.

She shakes her head no and moves her big hand to cup your cheek “No today was about you bebo but I do expect you ti return the favor soon” she bites her lip looking at you up and down “Did I mention how beautiful you are?” She asks.

You shrug “Maybe once or twice” you laugh getting up in wobbly legs. You Change into a new outfit and hand Nika one of your hoodies. She puts it on and walks over to your wrapping her strong arms around your waist “I really like you” she whispers in your ear. You turn your head and kiss her cheek “I really like you too ma” you whisper and lay a soft kiss on her lips.

“Be my girlfriend? Like officially” Nika asks nervously bitting her lip. You nod your head “Yes of course dumbass” you jump into her arms and kiss her again. She holds you up by your thighs “Don’t get me started again bebo I won’t hold back” she says after she pulls away from the kiss.

You jump down from her arms before turning and fixing your hair in the mirror. You grab her hand and the both of you go outside to hang out with Paige and everyone.

[sojumica]

Killer neighbor toji. | toji fushiguro x f! reader

warnings: 17+, smoking, killing obviously, angst?, fluff.

Busted down apartment building from the late 90’s to early 2000’s is where you reside now for some months since you moved here.

The showers were sometimes cold, especially during the winter, so you'd boil water on the stove and take hot baths to feel some warmth, but cold showers felt nice during the scorching heat of the summer months.

You just recently got a neighbor you genuinely terrified when you were taking the trash out one morning.

He was super tall, buff, green eyes and dark black hair. Almost bluish by how dark it was. He was super quiet but rude when you two would speak.

You assumed he did some sort of assassintion job, you figured this out when you two were the only ones in the laundry mat down stairs and he was pouring bloody clothes in the washer.

He looked at you after he did that to see your reaction, all you could do was shrug “we all have to eat” you say walking off.

You didn’t care, In this day in age you had to do what you had to do to get by. Even if that meant murdering for a living he was the one who was going to be damned, not you.

After that you saw him a bit more everyday, maybe he was paranoid and afraid you were going to snitch or maybe you were his next victim.

You found life quite meanlessing in a sense where you just lived to live and get it over with, you were happy with the little things. It’s all you needed.

He seemed like he always wanted more and never could stay still. You’d see him some days and sometimes not even for the next few weeks.

One day at the laundry room once again you spot him. “You know I'm the one who mops up the dried blood you leave on the floor outside our doors.” you commented as you placed your white clothes in the dryer.

“oh.” is all he said not even glancing at you, you didn’t care yet again. It was just nice to have a short conversation with someone.

Working from home kept you sorta isolated so you’d take what you could get, it really didn’t matter from who may it be from the old ladies who walk early in the morning or your killer neighbor.

A week later, as you were on your way to take out the trash you saw a note on your door. “gone for the next two weeks- Toji” it read.

“Ah, so that’s his name.” you spoke out loud before pocketing the note, you thought it was weird he was letting you know when he’d be gone, maybe he was scared he was going to die and wanted to let someone know.

Two boring weeks had passed but it reminded you of how life was like before toji had come along, life was quiet, simple, meaningless, and now it was the same but more eventful with seeing him.

He had become your muse, you drew him occasionally or wrote about him in your diary, you couldn’t exactly pinpoint if it was a crush or not but you hated thinking too deeply into things so you rather not dwell on it.

He finally came back. This time knocking at your door he shoved something in your hands.

“A new mop?” you questioned him holding said mop in your hands.

“Yeah i know how much blood stains stuff so you can use this one for your house and the old one for my trail of blood.” he spoke with a straight face

“K. Thanks i guess” you looking at him as you place the mop to the side

“bye.” he said walking into his apartment.

The thing about you and toji was you both didn’t care to be outspoken or force anything. To you both it was just things neighbors did for each other.

The next week you left dinner at his door, not on purpose simply just because you had extra that you didn’t want to eat.

Your note read “bring back my tupperware- yn”

The next day you saw your tupperware by your plant outside your door, cleaned surprisingly. You still cleaned it again though because ew.

Three days later you saw a note on your door “going on another “trip” need anything from osaka?” it read.

“cigarettes.” you wrote back.

Surely enough a week later cigarettes on your doorstep with another note “my personal favorite.” it said

You found yourself later that night smoking them outside on your balcony with a book that you found at a second hand store earlier that week.

“I smelt the cigarettes last night, did you like em?” he turned to you as he was waiting for his clothes to finish up.

“Yeah they're good, thanks.” you nod as you fold your jeans.

Later that night you found yourself making extras again, instead of just packing it and sending it to him you wrote a note on his door “dinner in 10 come or starve” you placed on his door with a soft knock.

5 minutes later he arrived, he looked freshly showered smelling of tea leaves. Dinner was quiet, you didn’t mind he didn’t either.

“You want me to do the dishes?” he asked looking at you once again with no expressions

“Sure, I have some cookies I made a couple days ago. Do you want some?” you looked up at him from the fridge.

“Do you have milk?” he questioned as he started on dishes.

“Only oat milk.” you replied after staring back down into your fridge.

“I’ll bring my milk after this, what normal person doesn’t have REGULAR milk.” he said, staring at you as if you were crazy.

“well i ran out when i was making THE FUCKING COOKIES TOJI.” you emphasized just like him.

“That's the first time I've ever heard you say my name, you know.” he looked at you with a laugh coming from his stomach.

“Oh yeah huh, do you remember mine?”you stared at him with your hands on your hips with a quirked brow

“yn.” he spoke firmly and so naturally.

The cookies were shared on your balcony with a cigarette, talking about all of toji’s missions the rest of the night till the late AM’s.

Maybe life wasn’t so boring after all you thought as you and him sat there in silence overlooking the city on the more shitter part of town. It was ugly and rundown but it was home, it got a little bit better now that he was here.

idk this could have a part two or a longer part but not rn.

[twistyfish]

prompt~ rafayel fluff -> angst where he’s rude and apologizes after. requested by anon!

“Why did you paint my acne scars so clearly?”

“Because they’re on your face!”

While you were normally impressed by Rafayel’s attention to detail, today it was making you very self conscious. “Was there really a reason to include them, though? They’re temporary marks that aren’t a part of me. And you literally drew the individual pores on my nose- Raf, this is so unflattering.”

“Quit micromanaging me. Art isn’t supposed to judge itself, you know.”

You huffed at his response. “But art is supposed to be pretty. This is not pretty. It’s uncanny. It looks too much like me, I don’t like it.”

He chuckled. “You don’t like that the portrait I’m painting of you looks like you? You’re so interesting, cutie.”

“Stop, you know what I mean.”

He didn’t turn his head, but his gaze flitted to meet yours before returning to the canvas. “Just trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

You watched the brush flutter around the canvas like moth wings, leaving intricate strokes in its wake. As Rafayel became more engrossed in his process, you left him to work and went out with a few girls from your team.

You had a nice time catching up with them and getting coffee. Well, two of you got coffee and Tara got hot chocolate.

When you returned a few hours later, he was staring at the painting with a look of intense scrutiny. You walked up to him quietly.

A little too quietly, because when you put a hand on his shoulder, he tensed and his paintbrush created a small splotch on the canvas mid-stroke.

“Oh! I’m sorr-“ you started, but he cut you off.

“Are you kidding me? I just finished painting that section.”

Your heart sank a little. You felt genuinely apologetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“I don’t care what you meant to do. You ruined it. There’s a huge smudge over the nose.” His shoulders were tense, and he was holding himself more rigidly than he had been when you left.

“Raf, I think you should take a break.”

“Oh, so just because I’m upset that you interfered with my painting, I’m being irrational?”

“That’s not what I-“

“Don’t think I didn’t notice. The spot where you made me mess up is right on top of the part you didn’t like. If you’re that insecure, you shouldn’t have asked me to paint you.”

Your mouth opened slightly. “What?” You said harshly.

“You heard me. Why ask me to paint your face if you’re going to criticize me every step of the way?”

“Stop. I accidentally startled you and you made a mistake because of it. Are you seriously accusing me of sabotaging your painting because of that?”

“Maybe.”

You stared at him blankly. “I can’t believe you.”

“I can’t believe you either.”

You shook your head and picked up your bag, walking toward the exit. You weren’t going to argue with him like this.

Your mind spun. Why was he acting like this?

Fortunately, he seemed to come to his senses fast because you didn’t even make it halfway home before the phone rang. You accepted the call half heartedly.

“Hey,” his voice rang through the phone.

“Hi,” you said with a flat tone.

“I’m a dick.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have called you insecure and I shouldn’t have accused you of anything. I’m the one who messed up.”

“It’s not a huge deal, but yeah, you shouldn’t have.”

“No, it was unnecessary. And what I said about me not painting you? That was stupid. I love painting you. I would paint you all day if I could. I can’t capture your likeness perfectly, but trying to recreate that radiance makes me so, so happy.”

Your lips spread into a smile hearing that. “Really?”

“Really. I got too defensive over my art of you, but that wasn’t cool because I snapped at the real you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Raf. I forgive you.”

“Yay!”

[kinetic-chaos]

How do you overcome something as powerful

as sin?

More below the cut, including old art this is a redraw of.

Tmom has been part of my life for a very long time, and few fan comics have been able to capture my interest as much as it has. (More than likely my angst enjoying ahh speaking there tbh.) But it's genuinely helped me a lot, especially when I was younger.

Tmom was something I could look at and say "yeah, life is shit, and there's very little to find joy in, but hey, these three are managing to to it and they're going through The Horrors too." There's something very weirdly comforting about the themes of loss and grief present in the comic, which are things I find myself grappling onto as someone who has a hard time letting go of people. It's something to look forwards to.

Everything I care about may be gone one day, but there's always going to be new people out there. New bonds and relationships that I may just stumble into completely on accident. It might hurt, and I may never be the same again, but I'll be okay.

I'm infamously not very eloquent when I'm rambling, so I'll stop there. As promised, this was the original piece I drew back in 2017. I remember distinctly sending it to the old Zielo Cave Discord server (back before the "Zielo Cave" name had even been implemented? I think?) It's wild seeing the difference 7 years has made regarding my art.

My heart goes out to Gigi, and I wish them all the best. Thank you for sharing your creation with the world. ❤️

[esmedelacroix]

Gorgeous

when miguel o'hara has a fat crush on f!reader but thinks he's out of her league⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

cw: just some tooth-rotting heart-warming fluffy sweetness, low-key a bit of angst and low self-esteem

a/n: Hey lovies, this story is inspired by "Gorgeous" by Taylor Swift. This is the first time I've ever written something like this, hope you like !🐰🫧

wc: 2.4k

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊˚

Ever since you had arrived at the spider society there was this unspoken attraction that drew anyone in. It was the way you treated everyone around you with kindness. You were genuine, funny, and not to mention drop-dead gorgeous.

It didn't help that you picked things up so quickly that you were on all of his missions. It's not like he arranged for them to be like that or anything. You were so eager for his approval and were so efficient. When Miguel geeked out about the scientific reasons why certain things affected the multiverse and Hobie would mimic a yawn, he would turn to you and you were always listening intently.

Parties were often held on the roof in celebration of all the different spider people's birthdays. Today's party was Peter Porker's birthday celebration. Everyone was chatting it up, sipping their cocktails, and eating the rather brutal horderves of 'pigs in a blanket'(one of them was probably another one of his uncles).

You were sitting with Miguel, Peter B, and Gwen with Mayday in your lap trying to take a sip of your drink. Miguel was glad to see everyone having fun and letting loose so he decided to have a few extra drinks himself.

♪ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝚑𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑡𝚑𝑎𝑡 I 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝚑𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘 ♪

You and your group were all talking about the most random things. You were feeling a bit tipsy and started dragging out your words and slurring them. You talked like what many of your friends called a 'valley girl voice' when you were drunk.

While you were explaining to Gwen and Miguel about the time when you got so drunk you swung into a birthday cake. It was a good thing it was an eight-year-old's Spiderwoman-themed birthday party. You may or may not have been the reason for the Spider Society's "Don't drink and swing" Campaign.

You continued blabbing off and you couldn’t figure out why Miguel was laughing at what you were saying when you weren't even trying to be humorous. "What's so funny?" you asked.

"You've said 'like' 80 times in 10 minutes," he said, fascinated with your complete change in speech when you were drunk.

"So, what?" you said hiccupping between each word.

Does he think I'm weird like everyone else does? You asked yourself.

Does she know how cute she is? He asked himself as he simply shook his head and helped you leave after having too much to drink.

He put you on your bed in your dorm and helped move your hair out of the way wishing you a good night. He knew you couldn't hear him but he couldn't help but say, "You even look beautiful when you sleep, are you even real?"

♪ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝚑𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝚑𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝚑𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 ♪

There were never days when Miguel could be spotted eating in the cafeteria. Until you came around. He was a little shy to sit with you at first until you noticed that he was constantly sitting alone so you sat with him.

You had a certain sad feeling when seeing people eat alone and you would hate to eat alone yourself. The first day you sat with Miguel, the two of you sat in silence as you ate. The second time you both began to warm up to each other and others would even join you.

He wasn't a fan of this because he looked forward to speaking to you alone and getting to know you. But, you had this way about you where you just made people want to be around you. You had an allure that pulled people in and Miguel found himself being one of those people.

But he hoped and prayed he wasn't just 'one of those people' to you. He hoped you were as interested in him as he was in you. But he didn't have your charm, he thought himself to be a bit boring. He didn't have that pearly white contagious smile. He didn't smile often at all, unless he was thinking about you, a joke you made, a compliment you gave him, or the way your hand brushed his hand when you both reached for the same pear in the line for lunch.

Pulling people in with your wit and your naturally gorgeous looks, you also attracted men that liked you too. He hated that other people couldn't see how much he liked you. He hated that you possibly wouldn't choose him in a room full of people.

Jealousy wasn't a feeling he experienced very often. But it consumed him when other people tried to hit on you. It was taking a real toll on him how different he acted when it came to you. He started looking forward to lunch with you although he had to scare some people off to be alone with you.

♪ 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠, 𝑖 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡𝚑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒, '𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 ♪

It was a slow lazy day at the Spider Society so you went back to your universe. Miguel was lazing around in his little lair doing anything to distract him from opening his files of his daughter and falling back into his hole of despair.

Miguel spontaneously pinged your watch asking what you were up to. He never used them to communicate anything but missions and you knew that, so you found it rather cute that he was using his watch to ask you about your day.

[I'm just chilling at home, super bored] you replied.

[Well maybe I should come visit you] he suggested.

[That would be great] you replied, turning off your watch and sighing while squealing and kicking your feet on your couch in celebration. In minutes Miguel was outside of your balcony tapping on the screen door to garner your attention.

You looked up from the snacks you were preparing for the two of you. You scurried to the door and opened it moving the screen giving Miguel a good look at you. Your hair was in an updo but wisps of it stuck to your neck that was glistening with sweat and framed your face.

He forgot how hot it was in your universe and wished that he had worn something lighter. You took notice and offered him some shorts and a T-shirt. He could barely get the words out because he was too busy noticing everything about you.

The way your beautiful skin glowed with the sunlight hitting your face. The way the sweat on your body added to your usual glow and your soft glossed lips. The way your smile lines became more prominent when you spoke to him.

Indicative that you were a truly smiley person, who loved to tell jokes and laugh. "Did you want to say something?" you asked, looking up at him with those beautiful eyes of yours.

"Nothing, I just hope your boyfriend doesn't mind me borrowing his clothes," he choked out. He couldn't help but assume that you were in a relationship. How could you not be? If you have a boyfriend he's jealous of him, but if you were single that would be worse. Beautiful women like yourself deserve to be in loving relationships.

"I don't have a boyfriend, those are my brothers," you giggled.

"Unfortunately he is not nearly as muscular as you are so they might fit a little tightly," you said as you turned your back to him and continued preparing the snacks after directing him towards the bathroom.

He caught a glimpse of your bikini top under your open-back dress realizing it was a swimsuit coverup. Your universe had tropical weather and lots of beaches. You often wore bikinis under your outfits and you had gone swimming that morning and your coverup didn't exactly cover up the bikini you were wearing underneath.

He was so mesmerized by your face he didn't even realize the outfit that you were wearing. You made your clothes look like they were crafted for a Greek goddess.

The two of you spent the evening talking while watching Love Island Australia. Afterward, you spent the night on the beach, watching the sunset with a fireplace keeping you warm. For the first time, the two of you told each other your deepest thoughts in the dead of night instead of telling the moon. Instead of listening, the moon illuminated your skin causing you to glow even at night making Miguel trip over his words stunned by your beauty.

♪ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖'𝑚 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑡𝚑𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑦. 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝚑𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑖 𝑠𝑎𝑦? 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 ♪

After spending some time with you in your universe bonding with you, Miguel couldn't bring himself to be around you. You knew so much about him. He was afraid that maybe you thought he was weak. He had told people about losing his daughter before but he never in depth talked about how it made him feel. He never told anyone how many times he thought of her.

Or how many random things reminded him of her. He never told anyone about the pink and teal version of his suit that he made just for her because those were her two favorite colors. He made sure to never show people the side of him that was mourning his daughter because he thought it was weak.

He started subtly avoiding you because he was ashamed and embarrassed. He was glad that you both knew such intimate things about each other but it was hard for him to not feel embarrassed.

He returned to his usual habits of locking himself in his lair during lunch and all throughout the day. He only left for missions that he made sure you weren't on. He didn't know why was acting this way. I made him angry at how his brain was forcing him to stay away and it felt like a string was pulling his heart to yours.

He wanted to be with you so badly that you consumed his thoughts. It was only an hour later when he realized that instead of writing a mission report, he was writing your name repeatedly. 24 pages of just you. That was how much was in his mind.

He decided to hit the gym to try to get you off his mind. It was packed as always, he scanned the room and didn't see you there. His heart sank a little but his mind convinced him to be at ease because he wouldn't have to face you.

♪ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝚑𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝚑𝑎𝑡 𝑖'𝑚 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝚑𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ♪

He did a pretty good job of avoiding you. Until he couldn't. Peter B had invited him to dinner and failed to mention that he had also invited you. He was mutual friends with the two of you and immediately pieced together that you two were perfect for each other but too self-conscious to realize that the feelings were mutual.

Dinner was okay except for the fact that Miguel wouldn't even speak to you at a social gathering. You could feel his eyes on you but he still would talk to you.

Meanwhile, Miguel was a nervous wreck bouncing his leg under the table. He was rehearsing what he should say to you, and figuring out ways to join in on the conversation to speak to you.

The moment he looked your way he was anxious. You were so stunning it was hard for him to think straight. You thought maybe he was completely done with you after you revealed some of your deepest thoughts and secrets to him that night. It was a shame because after hearing about Gabi you sympathized with him and wanted to get to know him better and just be around him.

Peter B picked up on this and found a way to usher the two of you out to the dimly lit porch that outlooked his backyard with little fairy lights hanging above accompanied by fireflies flying above your heads. He was pretending to tidy up and do dishes but he was truthfully analyzing your body language with MJ and Mayday trying to figure out how the conversation was going. "So we haven't spoken in a while," he started.

"Can we not beat around the bush? Can I just ask you a question straight up?" you asked.

"Yes, of course," he replied, stumbling on his words a bit as you found his eyes.

"Do you not want to be around me because of the things I told you that night at the beach?" you asked, looking at him with an almost worried expression.

"What? God, know that actually made me respect you even more than I already did before," he chuckled.

"Then why haven't you been speaking to me?" you asked, sighing a bit thankful that he didn't dislike you.

"I thought you'd think I was weak after I told you about Gabi and everything," he revealed.

"You're kidding. After you opened up about that I only thought of how strong you were and how much I wanted to get to know you more," you admitted.

"Oh wow, I wish I had communicated better," he said.

"I wish I tried harder for you," you admitted.

The heat rose to Miguel's cheeks and he looked forward and he looked at the starry sky.

♪ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝚑𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝚑𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝚑𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐𝚑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑦 𝚑𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝚑𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚 ♪

The two of you sat in a comfortable silence listening to the lullaby nature was creating around you with the rustle of leaves, creaks of frogs, screams of crickets, and whos of owls.

In the melodic chaos of the night, Miguel's hand inched closer and closer to yours. He was almost holding his breath from the tension and suspense he felt as he slowly inched his hand closer.

He hoped that when his hand brushed yours you wouldn't pull it away or shudder but hold his hand too. Little did he know you were doing the same. From the inside of the house, Peter watched the two of you slowly intertwine hands and he saw you lean against Miguel's broad shoulder.

Miguel's heart skipped a beat when he felt you intertwine your fingers with his. Nothing could have made him happier than the confirmation that you felt the same way about Miguel. The two of you stayed outside for a while staring at the vast sky enjoying each other's comfort.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight"

. . .

the end <3

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