#he is so fucking dumb I love him so much ugggh

[running-in-the-dark]

watching episode 5 of almost paradise

every time this stupid stupid man does something, well, stupid, I fall a little more in love with him. and I like him wet. and when his hair goes curly.

so. him standing around outside in a typhoon because he wants to save his stupid gift shop? yeah that's gonna be a problem 😳😏

[campbell-rose]

Stupid fucking bitch Stolas ass ugly ass Stolas I hate him so fucking much he's so fucking annoying and a whiny little bastard what the fuck is his height so that I can measure his height of stupidity stupid hoe ass Stolas thinks he deserves love when in actuality he deserve to get thrown of a fucking cliff I want to call Striker so badly and give him all my life savings just so he can get rid of this prissy narcissistic cunt bird that I hate Blitzo may be a cunt too but he doesn't deserve to be with a gaslighting manipulative rapist whore like Stolas old ass man he doesn't even look cute he's ugly brother ugggh brother ugggh he's hideous and a little pussy because bro can turn people into stone but needs Blitzo to save him and doesn't acknowledge that he sent M&M to save him I hate this dumb bitch owl he ruined birds for me he's so bad as a character I wish Stella can just chop off his cock and shove it down his annoying pipes to shut his goofy ass up somebody tell me when this dickhead cunt shit excuse of a prince dies so that I can make it a reminder on my phone and do anything but pay respects to him his songs are good but that's it he's a pathetic waste of a fucking person and I hope he dies at the end of the season

Phew... Sorry just needed to get this off my chest.

PREACH oh my god

[herejusttosufferalong]

Ugggh what did I wake up to?

Seriously, is this drought making people to just go mad? Let me recap, if I got this correctly:

People desperately need N to not be single and happy, right? I mean, idk, maybe she is with someone, maybe not. But lately 256768 mentions a day, that she is engaged / married / gf with E. Because he posted a carroussel on his account, hat has her nowhere in it and that she liked? For sure. But can we even just entertain the thought, that N might be happy on her own, wildly successful, beautiful, busy af and content, all that single?

And JD. Fun little JD. 24 years old, very obviously gay and from what we can gather close to N and good at being her friend? I'm not even gonna say it, because for every "you will find him much more likely in the George in Dublin, than walking a woman 13 years his senior down the isle" I will get 256768 "but they are definitely together". Yes, sure honeys, they will get married, as soon as the divorce from E comes through.

And don't even get me started on A, R, S and whoever-the-f..ck else is there in the happy-little-buggers-creche. They are playing SM games, not even clever ones and they will keep playing, because the fandom is going crazy every single time. Have some decorum, I beg you. If that online-crazyness goes on, L will leave SM alltogether, is that what we wish for?

And people create accounts now, digging up all details of past A and of Ls HBS? Why???? How exactly is this helping L? Or N? How does that show them love and support from their fans? Making them wish to be more present online again? How is that even of interest to the fandom now? It's in the past, what benefit is it to anyone to rake it up again? We've seen that shit. Explain to me, I am so dumb, I can not figure it out.

Did I miss anything from yesterday?

Sorry to be the supergrump today. I am as unpleased as most people about the current state of LN ship, but all of this madness is not making it better at all. September will come. Found-again-closeness will come. The day of Polin 2024 photo will come. December will come. This is the summer we knew would be tough. Let's just buckle up and navigate through it with dignity.

If you wanna do something for LN, go and stream S3 again. And again. Show them some love and support where you can and ignore all insects, that might cross your way.

I feel like this is only the tip of the iceberg

Buckle the fuck up everyone

[chaos0pikachu]

Fwiw, The Eclipse was what got me into gmmtv! I will say that it is a highschool setting, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless bc it's got a bit of those "boarding school" vibes even though it's not truly that. Not to mention if you enjoy FK, they're absolutely phenomenal in the show. The plot was great until the last couple eps where it suffered a bit, but the FK chemistry alone CARRIED that show soo well. One look between them had so much. Plus the side pairing was also easy to get invested in!

Pt 2 of The Eclipse rec (sorry for rambling haha) but wanted to add, I watched 2gether & just couldn't get into it bc I struggled with the main characters chemistry and some of the acting. But none of those issues there with Eclipse! F&K are incredible talents and have a lot of awesome range. Plus having seen First in Not Me, it's wild how different his character is in eclipse but he still does so well! Plus the show covers a lot of themes about mental health, grief, class diff, etc.

Babydoll never apologize for rambling my ask box is open for a reason

I'll admit, I'm not a huge~~ fan of GMMTV shows like they're getting better, they're doing more and taking more risks and I'm hella happy for them. I'm def checking out Midnight Museum b/c supernatural horror is my fucking shit that hits every hot point I have I've watched some other GMMTV shows and they just....didn't hit for me.

2Gether was booooooooring it was so boring, the actor who played Sarawat couldn't act lord have mercy I'm sorry to that man but he couldn't he was so stiff I was like somebody lube up his face and joints a bit also the plot broke my brain like Tine just fucking tell Green you don't like him or don't wanna date him and if he keeps pressuring you report his ass to your uni dean like my god you couldn't find ONE girl to pretend to be your girlfriend ugggh so dumb and his friends were so ANNOYING anyways

I did love First in Not Me, and you bring up a reason why I like First in general; he's had a lot of screen partners (romantic ones) and that's only helped his acting imo. To the surprise of no one who's been following my blog for a minute I do not like Acting Pairs (I refuse to call them ships they're coworkers). Don't get me wrong I like different APs like I'm ready to see Nouel and Boss in another series together I freaking loved them as Rain and Payu it'd be dope.

BUT I'd 1000% be down to see Nouel and Peat in a series together as romantic leads too. And Boss/Fort too because why not?? Why not??? They all have great chemistry together let's mix things up! I've said for a while now I'd love to see Apo and Bible in a series together b/c they have awesome chemistry and they're both strong actors so why not?? I find it limiting to both the actors and the audience to constantly restrain them under strict Acting Pairs.

I saw someone on twitter say they thought they could never ship Perth (of SaintPerth fame) with someone else again but now they could and that's just bonkers thinking to me idk idk ANYWAYS

I guess I gotta give The Eclipse a try if only for First and Khao b/c I do like them individually and I just gotta ignore the knee shorts as ridiculous as they look. The show sounds pretty good conceptually ugggh it's on the list but my god high school settings First can't even pass for a high school my god lmao

[thesolotomyhan]

Narcos México: Dating Them Would Include: (1/7)

Alright,,, so I gave in and I just said fuck it. I was feeling bold when I decided to to upload this because I have so much doubt about this😅. This is my first time ever writing. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! I started off my with tontín and if all goes well, I’ll start writing the rest! :)

BTW: I’m sorry I couldn’t add a keep reading link, I’m using the mobile app as of right now because I’m in the process of getting a new laptop!

Warnings: NSFW! 

Amado:

Let’s start with El Señor De Los Cielos,

Amado is always one to flex, ever since your first date, it was his priority to end the date with you wanting more of him and leaving the impression that no one will treat you as good as he will

And although he did succeed in his goals, he was the one counting down the minutes until your next date, you had him in the nubes, girl

I shit you not, he went to buy you an engagement ring after your first date because he just knows that you’re the one he’s gonna marry and have kids with- I’m sobbing

So it obviously doesn’t take long for you guys to be official

He loves taking you out for dinner

You cannot convince me otherwise that he would not go all out for y’all’s personal dates, like roses everywhere, with mood lighting and a pinche serenata,,, like cmon, you make him SOFT

He would not do this for anyone other than YOU

If you wanted to go on a date or just go somewhere, he’s already dragging you along to one of his planes

Acosta probably roasts Amado so much but he does not care, not when you have him wrapped tightly around your finger

When he’s away on Juarez business, he’s calling you every night, just to hear your voice

Ugggh, you let him rant about the stupid shit everyone did that day because you just know your Amado is tired and needs someone to listen

When he comes back from business, he always brings you something just to see you smile

He gives you the softest kisses! Forehead kisses are a must

Ugggh,, I also see him stargazing with you, like you’re in between his legs with his arms wrapped around you and there’s times where he has Chalino Sanchez going on in the background

When Miguel throws any type of party or Amado just feels like going to the club, he’s taking you with him and always having an arm around you at all times

He HAS to be leading you around the party and introducing you to everyone, godddd, he addresses you to everyone like

“Mira, les presento a mi mujer, la reina de Juárez”

Like, damnnn

I can imagine , like you getting up to get a drink while he talks with the others and he’s pulling you back asking where you’re going with like worried eyes

“Voy agarrar una bebida”

“No, mi reina, yo te lo agarro, siéntate”

Everyone of the guys teasing the shit out of him but he’s just all like, “ustedes no saben que es el verdadero amor, hijos de la chingada”

But they’re not gonna lie, they all respect you and enjoy your presence

Even though he doesn’t like you knowing or being involved in depth about his business, he doesn’t mind you sitting with him during any kind of meeting talk inside of the clubs

Your just curled up into his chest with your drink, minding your own business

That,, or you’ll wander off but not before Amado orders a couple of his men to keep an eye on you

I’m swooning, can you imagine bringing him food to the construction site because you just know he hasn’t eaten all day

The fucking smile he has when he sees you because he literally forgets all the pendejadas and stress he has

LORd,, you know when Acosta was talking about retiring and living a normal life with Mimi,, can you imagine like he’s trying to convince Amado to do the same with you,,

I can’t,, and Amado just looking at where your talking with Mimi or something and just the fucking heart eyes he has because it does sound like a good idea

But, we all know, you can’t just retire from this business :((((((

Look, this man would triple your security after he learns what happened to Güeritos family because of the deal he made with Pacho and what if Miguel were to find out sooner

He’s gonna take his precautions to protect his queen alright, pero discretamente, he doesn’t want to alarm everyone especially Felix

Ooooh myyyy, why do I see him building you a home secretly, like he says he’s going to do handle some shit in Juarez on his day off but in reality he’s building a home for you two🥺🥺

The day he surprises it with you, he’s all like

“Es nuestra casa, mi reina, te gusta?”

Your just so speechless because you cannot believe this man would go all out for you.

“Mira, allá podemos construir un parquecito o cancha de fútbol para los chamacos o algo, no se, y acá te hice un jardín, ven”

GOD, he’s like a happy puppy showing you all the things he built and is still planning, and you just start crying because your so happy that he wants to build a family with you,, ok I’ll stop, my heart hurts, I’m so soft for Amado

Can you imagine the day you finally get preganant tho,,, just the fucking smile and adoration he has when he sees you doing literally anything

His heart is about to burst when he sees the curve of your belly grow because he did that, your carrying his child

Just the orgullo he has for you both and don’t get me started on how he overprotective he gets because he has a kid on the way-

Overall, your relationship is so cute and strong and just full of pure fucking love

NSFW:

Alright, here we go you nastys

This man LOVES blowjobs especially when he’s had a rough day, so naturally you welcome him home with a surprise

You’re wearing one of his favorite lingeries because he’s always buying you them

And, you know, once he walks in through the door, you’re already waiting for him

“Y Ahora, chula?”

“Te quiero ayudar a relajar, mi amor”

as you drag him to sit down by his belt

God,, I can just picture him on the couch with his head thrown back and one of his hands tangled into your hair as he desperately thrusts into your mouth

“Puta Madre”

As he looks down at you just full blown mesmerized

When he gets frustrated over the dumb things he has to put up with, like the time Miguel accepted to transport 70 tons of coke 👀,,,, you best believe he’s gonna take it out on you in the bedroom

You know like giving you rough and needy kisses as he picks you up and heads towards your bedroom

You’re working on unbuttoning his shirt as he’s basically tearing off whatever your wearing

I can see him wanting to caress your body and take his time but god damn his lust is getting the better of him and your only encouraging him more when you grind your hips on his OOOF

One of his favorite positions is having your legs spread as far as they can and wrapping one of his hands around your throat,,, he loves the sight of it

He does not go slow and soft ok, Amado is going in rough and pounding you into next week

When he’s feeling especially rough and dominant, he’s taking you from behind and pulling your own hair

Always scolding you if you try to keep quiet,,, he’ll do those slow but really rough thrusts just so you can whimper something out until he has you screaming

He once made the mistake of inviting Acosta to sleep over one day because of business and it was the first and last time Amado will ever do that

He had you screaming out his name as he fucked you into the bed that night,,

Amado had forgot he had guests over

So the next day when he’s having a drink with Acosta out in the patio in the morning, it’s the first thing Pablo brings up

“ cabrón, iba a llamar a los paramédicos anoche, pensé que estabas matando a tu mujer” he says it so irritated too

Amado is just like,, confused at first and looking weirdly at him because like tf is he talking about??

“ Será un milagro si no la dejas embarazada, tontín”

That’s when it comes together and Amado is trying to pathetically explain

“No cabrón, yo no quiero saber como se la metes” while he’s like laughing at Amados expression

You’re always pulling on his hair whenever he’s going down on you or pounding into you and he loves it because then he knows he’s doing a good job

He also loves it when your scratching down his back and leaving evidence of your night spent together

He’s always down to leave marks on you but in discrete areas, he’s not one to flaunt about your private lives

God, when this man takes you on vacations to places around the world, you best believe that he’s fucking you, either on the plane, at the place y’all are staying or even at the hidden beaches he’ll take you

He wants to make your vacations memorable and tbh, you two are like horny teenagers

THE CHAIN, y’all know the virgin chain he has on,, girl, he’s dicking you down and your holding onto that for dear life as you pull him down for a messy kiss,, yeah, I’m going to hell😅

He definitely has a thing for you when you wear his black shirts, whether it be the morning after or you just pulled it out of the closet and felt like wearing it

He thinks you look so beautiful wearing his clothes,,,,, he’s also had you wear only his shirt when you two have sex at times because, wow what a sight,,,, you, his reina wearing his things- ugh

He also makes sure to leave you satisfied before he has to go fly somewhere,

He has to have a fresh memory of his cock sliding in and out of you as your writhing below/above him

A refresh of what your moans and facial expressions are so he has them freshly engrained into his memory

Okkkk,,, Your just so damn perfect to this king

[bigskydreaming]

PS, for those loving the Old Guard on Netflix, the writer of the screenplay and the source material comic, Greg Rucka, is a long time comic book writer who’s written a ton of the major characters for Marvel and DC....in particular, he wrote Wonder Woman for about three years and the big reason he officially parted ways with DC and Marvel to work solely on creator owned projects was he was pissed cuz DC promised to keep him on as the WW writer after a big shake-up and then was like “oh yeah we lied though whoops, bye” and he was like “okay bye but for good though.” And he meant it. LOL.

(Much like he insisted on keeping Joe and Nicky’s romance and romantic speeches in the Old Guard adaptation, lol. Just saying, you know how I like ppl that can stick to their guns or whatever the fuck that phrase is. Its a dumb phrase. Quick somebody replace it with something better BUT I DIGRESS).

So I’m just saying, if you can see traces of WW in any of the Old Guard narrative, lol, that’s not remotely a coincidence, and you might find it worthwhile to check out his run on that book from back in the early 2000s. 

He’s also done a bunch of Batman writing, such as the Bruce Wayne: Murderer? and Bruce Wayne: Fugitive arcs, which I liked a lot of, particularly for how he characterized Dick and Cass in the latter (its one of the few times we’ve ever really even seen Dick and Cass interact in depth, and is like, literally WHY I mourn the fact that so few people write them playing off each other because they have so much potential they’re such good siblings ugggh).

He also wrote the novelization of the No Man’s Land arc, stuff like that, and his Eisner win was for his work on Gotham Central. Additionally, one of his other creator-owned series, Stumptown, is the source material for the recent ABC show starring Cobie Smulders. (Haven’t watched the show yet, tbh, but as far as I can tell its faithful to the core premise of being about a bi private investigator in Portland, with a gambling problem and the comic book is pretty good, I enjoyed a lot of parts of it).

I mean, the guy’s been around for ages and has worked on a ton more high profile series, and some of his other creator owned stuff have gotten a ton of acclaim as well, so I’m just saying, he’s worth looking into if you enjoyed The Old Guard and are into comics. Not everything he’s done is awesome, of course, lol, but like, I have no major issues with his work the way I do with the likes of Snyder, Morrison, Tynion, etc.

Which, y’know, given that its me, is basically the equivalent of OMG AMAZING, SUBLIME, GAME-CHANGING. 

Whatever.

[ericsonclan]

A Close Shave

Summary: Marlon freaks out on the day of his wedding and gets a little too close and personal with his electric razor.

Word Count: 2065

Read on A03:

Marlon paced back and forth in the guest bedroom of Sophie’s house, his mind reeling as he struggled to determine whether he had forgotten anything for the wedding back at his place. He had the dog bone cuff links for his suit that Sophie gave him on his last birthday, his suit was already on, his shoes were polished- the rings! Marlon’s hands rushed back to clasp his butt. Nope, the ring box was in his back pocket. Then what was it?

“Hey there, Groomeo,” Louis said, slipping into the room with a playful wink before his face fell as he saw his best friend’s distress. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I’m forgetting something, something big….”

“What?”

“That’s the problem! I don’t know!” Marlon clasped the sides of his head in frustration, pulling at his hair. “Ugggh, I never should’ve agreed to this!”

“You mean the… wedding?” The hesitance was clear in Louis’ voice.

“No! I mean, yes, but not like that. When I proposed, somehow I thought I’d be able to have enough saved up by the wedding to give Sophie the dream wedding she deserves, but here we are getting married in her parents’ backyard eating homemade burgers and I’m wearing my dad’s suit that I wore to my senior prom,” Marlon collapsed on the bed in defeat, his face wrought with utter dejection.

Louis took a seat beside his friend, placing a hand upon his shoulder as he gave a sympathetic smile. “You know Sophie doesn’t care about any of that stuff. She loves homemade burgers,”

“I know… but she deserves so much better. If we’re gonna be married, I should be able to provide for her. Yet here I am running the same deliveries I did years ago when I met her,” Marlon let out a perturbed sigh which blew a piece of lint off of his suit. The fuzz ball floated through the air for a moment before nestling within the blonde locks of his mullet. “Look at me. I got so frazzled during the wedding that my dumb old mullet grew out,”

“Soph says she digs the mullet though!” Getting to his feet, Louis tried to drag Marlon off the bed and out of his funk.

“She just says that out of pity,” Marlon mumbled, his face half buried under a pillow. “She hates it. You know how we started dating,”

“She told you to cut it as a joke! She told you that when you did it!” Louis pulled on Marlon’s arms, getting him to sit upright only for Marlon to flop back over face first. “This is just wedding nerves talking, dude. You gotta ignore them!”

“No,” Marlon croaked, one eye gazing up at his friend. “It’s the truth. I’ve just been in denial all this time.”

Louis rolled his eyes, his hands coming to rest on his hips. “This is ridiculous. Do I have to bring Ruby in here to talk some sense into you?”

“She always thought the mullet was stupid. She’d probably volunteer to shave it off…” Marlon’s voice trailed off, his eyes wandering to his duffel bag.

Louis followed his friend’s gaze. “Marlon?”

“The razor…”

“What was that?”

Before Louis could stop him, Marlon had jumped to his feet and was rummaging through his bag. He’d packed the razor in case he missed a spot shaving at home, but it could also work for shaving other things. Namely this embarrassment of a mullet. In seconds he had located the razor; his heart raced as he heard its steady thrum. Without hesitation, Marlon lifted it to his head.

“Marlon, NOOOO!” Leaping forward, Louis tackled his best friend to the ground, doing his utmost to wrestle the still buzzing razor out of his hands. “This is a terrible idea, man! Just drop the razor!”

“No! I’m gonna look like a dork in all the wedding photos! I can’t ruin the wedding!” Marlon grunted as he rolled over on top of Louis, trying to angle the razor toward his head once more.

“Hey guys, Sophie was wondering- what the fuck!” Violet stood in the doorway in bewilderment as she watched the pair struggle for ownership of the still buzzing razor. “What sick sort of male bonding ritual is this?”

“Vi! Grab the razor!” Louis yelled, his arms wrapped around Marlon from behind as the two wrestled on the floor, the razor moving ever closer to Marlon’s locks. “He’s freaking out!”

“They need to go!” Marlon cried, rolling back and forth wildly. His hands were white knuckled with how tightly he was gripping the razor.

“Just calm the fuck down, Marlon!” Violet snapped as she joined the fight, trying to yank the pair apart and stop this nonsense. “You’ll look like even more of a dumbass than you do now if you cut your hair during a panic attack so just give Louis the razor!”

“See?! Vi says the mullet’s dumb!!”

“I think every way you look is dumb! Now give it!”

Louis and Violet were trying their best to hold off Marlon’s mullet assault but making little progress. With Louis pinned underneath Marlon and Violet unable to get enough leverage from above to move Marlon’s hands, the razor loomed ever closer.

“Marlon, you’re gonna cut your face!” Louis warned, watching in horror as the razor hovered mere inches above them.

“Just… let me do this…” Marlon grunted, putting all his power into his arms. Violet got a hold of his wrists, pulling back as hard as she could, but it wasn’t going to be enough. With a forceful grunt, Marlon thrust the razor straight toward himself. Louis screamed and rolled them both out of the way. The razor hit the hardwood floor and skidded away, still buzzing steadily.

The trio looked round in shock. Marlon was the first to speak. “Shit, I didn’t mean to freak out like that. Thanks for pulling me out of the way, Lou. Are you…” He glanced back to see his friend sadly looking down at the floor. A mangled dreadlock lay there, cut clean through. “Fuck. Lou, I’m sorry,”

Sighing, Louis pulled his handkerchief out from the breast pocket of his suit. Opening it up, he laid the dread inside then refolded the handkerchief and tucked it back in place. “Rest in peace, little guy. I’ll miss you,”

“You can’t even tell the difference,” Violet lied.

Marlon groaned as he let his head fall into his hands. “I’m the worst,”

“No, you’re not,” Louis got to his feet and offered Marlon a hand up too. “You’re just freaking out. Everybody does on their wedding. We just need a way to calm you down before the ceremony,”

“Good luck with that. I’m a fucking mess,”

Violet looked thoughtful. “I think I have an idea on how to solve this. Lou, get Marlon to the end of the hallway in 5, the point right before you turn right toward the bathroom,” Without elaborating further, Violet left the room.

“Well ok then…” Louis quirked an eyebrow before turning back to Marlon. “You ready to head over there?”

“I guess,”

---

Marlon and Louis waited together at the corner of the hallway. Marlon wasn’t sure what sort of cure all Violet had in mind, but he desperately hoped it would work. The anxiety was driving him crazy.

Louis kept a close eye on his friend, making sure he wasn’t going to make a run for it or anything else crazy. “Vi should be here any second now. We just gotta wait and-”

“Marlon?”

Both men froze. It wasn’t Violet’s voice that had just said that. It was Sophie’s.

“Soph!” Marlon wanted to rush around the corner and hug her, but he knew it was bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony. He glanced back at Louis to see his friend already backing away, giving a thumbs up and an encouraging smile.

“Hey…” Sophie let out a low giggle from the other corner of the wall. “It’s good to hear your voice,”

“Same,” Maron wondered if Violet had told Sophie about his freak out. If she hadn’t, he didn’t want to be the one to mention it. He didn’t want his own stupid panic attack to hurt Sophie.

“Vi could tell I was freaking out so she told me to meet up with you for a few minutes, even though we can’t be face to face,”

She was freaking out? Marlon hadn’t expected that. Sophie was always so chill and easygoing about everything. That’s how she’d been the whole way through the wedding planning up to this day. “You doing alright?”

“Eh, I’ve been better. I have napkins tucked under both my armpits right now so my sweaty pits don’t stain the dress,” There was a pause. “Crap, I probably shouldn’t have said that right before the wedding, huh? Not very romantic,”

Marlon chuckled. “No, you’re good. I… had my own little freak out while I was getting ready too,”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I was thinking of cutting off my mullet cuz, y’know, you didn’t like it,”

“Marlon, that was years ago. That was before I knew you. I love you in whatever hairstyle you want. The mullet looks good cause it’s on you,”

A soft smile crossed Marlon’s face at those words. He wished he could hug Sophie, hold her close and tell her how thankful he was to have her in his life. He couldn’t see her in the dress, but maybe… Marlon extended a hand, sneaking it round the corner. “Thanks. I needed to hear that,” A warmth surrounded his hand as Sophie took it in her own.

“It’s good to hear your voice too. Makes all of this less scary. Not that marrying you is scary! But, y’know, the future,”

“Yeah,” Marlon gulped, feeling a lump well up in his throat. “Soph?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. I figure I haven’t helped make the future any less scary,”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I should’ve found a better job,” Marlon looked at the floor in dejection. “That way I could’ve been saving up for our future and then maybe things wouldn’t be so scary,”

“Marlon, it’s not that. We don’t have a lot of money sure, but I never expected that. I mean I choose a career as an artist for crying out loud! Money doesn’t scare me, it’s more like… kids and stuff. The big life changes,”

Oh. Marlon squeezed Sophie’s hand softly, wishing he could see her face. “You’re gonna be a great mom, Soph. But that doesn’t have to happen right now. It doesn’t have to happen anytime soon if you don’t want. We’ve got time. And shit… I don’t think I’m really ready myself to have kids and stuff,”

“I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I?” The wry smile she must have on her face right now was easy to picture. “Well, whatever comes our way with money and kids or whatever else is freaking us out, I know we can get through it. Cause we have each other. And that’s all I could ever want,”

Marlon felt tears pricking his eyes. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat that had switched from one of fear to emotion. “Yeah,” He paused, rubbing his thumb across his soon-to-be wife’s hand. “Hey, Soph?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,”

Marlon heard a little sniffle from round the corner. “I love you too,”

A chuckle escaped Marlon’s lips. “Look at us, a bunch of saps,”

“Crying before we even reach the altar,”

“Yeah,”

“But they’re good tears,”

Marlon smiled. “Yeah,”

A beeping sound went off and Sophie pulled her hand out of Marlon’s. The sound stopped a moment later. “Shit, I gotta run. That was the alarm for painting nails,”

“Better not keep Ruby waiting,”

“For real. She’s intense about the wedding schedule. I’ll see you soon then. I guess… at the aisle?”

“I’ll be waiting at the end of it,”

Sophie ran off down the hall, the sound of her squeaking sneakers following in her wake. Marlon leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as a smile covered his face. He was marrying the love of his life. He was one lucky man. Things might be scary, but knowing Sophie felt the same way made all the difference. Straightening his shoulders, Marlon went off to find Louis and figure out what was next before the ceremony. He was ready to get married.

[ayellowcurtain]

SKAM ITALIA S4 EP10

I’m not ready for this, we need a season 5! 

Why do I think this scene is so intimate and comfortable and perfect? Why do I need to live this scene as well? Lying in my bed, my lover drawing me, being so soft and sleepy and in love. Sign me up 

Once I got over how intimate and perfect this scene was, I realize: Silvia’s room is so pink...annoyingly pink

The way they tease each other saying “baby” 

I don’t really like her, but Silvia looks so pretty and happy and at ease. 

Luchino’s face when he read Sana’s text <33 

Skam and the dads, man...

GIOOOO! I knew his clip was coming, but I’m so curious to see his POV, the colors, the mood...

Elia’s face when Marti held him. So cute!!!! 

“We broke Luchino!” Marti’s voice during this, oh my god!!

“Is that in the end she gets to decide everything!” - and that’s how things should be, my friend. 

I mean, I would shut my mouth too after hearing Gio Garau, my ex-girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend ask me to get in line. 

The way I love this Dr. Spera! I feel like he’s one of the best adults in the whole skam universe 

He and Fede are friends now, awww <3 

Filo lying on the floor is very me 

I feel like Filo is the perfect character to show us how “young” the rest of the group is. They’re all teenagers, meeting their first loves, dealing with school drama, real life problems that mostly happen when you’re in your teenage years, but Filo is not exactly an adult either! Life is not like: you’re a teenager -> now you’re an adult! no more fuck ups, every decision is a life changing one! no mistakes!!!!!! Those years, the early twenties, I guess, you’re still very much very lost, not exactly knowing what to do and maybe you learn that this is life, you get smarter, but doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes. And now Filo is facing consequences to dumb decisions. And yet he tries to calm Ele, always worrying about others, about them being ok before he is. 

“I’ve definitely dethroned you by now.” Stooop being this cute!! I need more Marti and Filo in my life. 

Almost cried when he cried, fucking hell. 

Oh god...it’s Nico now...I’m not ready!!!

I have to agree with everyone...why would Niccolò, the guy that clearly knows how to make “big gestures”, give Martino a sweater for his birthday

Again, I love how Nico says “tutto”, it’s just so cute. 

Ugggh, I have to explain again that I’m not the most “woke” person ever, so I might be completely wrong here, but...my god, how I hate that Nico says “yes” and gives that weird smiles that’s sort of “yes...obviously”. 

I kept looking at Marti to see his reaction and I feel like he had a quick, but sad smile for a second. uuugh!!!!!!! 

The silence sort of lingers and I feel like it’s an “I’m sorry for wanting to have sex with him” and “I’m sorry for even asking” silence. And then they change the subject. 

“our place”, huh?  So Marti is not just visiting and staying for long periods of time, huh.

The way I internally screamed when I saw Elia and Filo...

“Well, after a while”. Yeees, Elia, you get it ;) During Christmas you can even hide inside Filo’s bedroom... 

I love how Gio yet again notices that Marti is not happy and he offers to go with him to talk with the boys.

It feels so odd though...suddenly going to Luai, out of nowhere and introducing himself... 

Oh my! Sana looks so beautiful!!! This shade of blue really fits her so well <3 

Elia looking around and eating in the back hahahaa 

Poor Elia, just watching from afar. I would give all my money for him to be a main after this season 

Emma is really everywhere, seeing everything, huh

The way he says the other two before himself. Interesting...

Gio is always so happy if Marti is happy 

I mean...it’s nothing new. Gio and Eva were always very...explicitly shown. So I don’t get the shock, it was always like this...just not in public, I guess. 

Eva’s speech is so, so good and perfect for them, but this way of thinking always feels bitter to me  

[ajoy3fanfics]

Childhood friends

Kagome sighed as she leaned back, her head lightly hitting the living room wall as she slumped down to a sitting position, all the while shooting daggers at the hanyou who was currently splayed across her love seat without a care in the world. Idly, he reached around for the remote, making himself right at home in her studio. She had planned on spending a quiet night in, watching a movie, maybe even starting to tackle studying for the math exam next week- really anything butsharing her space with the person who was currently the biggest pain in her ass.

“Quit glaring at me.” He said before he yawned. “It’s making it hard to relax.”

“Good.” She replied, her tone icy and calm, “who asked you to barge into my apartment and hog the couch in the first place? Go home.”

Inuyasha bit back a smile as he tucked an arm under his head. She’d been in a bad mood since yesterday- gods knows why- and she wouldn’t even return his texts or calls. Honestly, she left him no choice but to show up at her house and push past her when she made a show of trying to slam the door in his face.

“Don’t wanna. You should really work on how you treat your friends Kagome. If I didn’t know you so well I’d take offense.”

“Who’s my friend?” She snapped. “When I saw you at Starbucks the other day, you pretended you didn’t even know me.”

Ah, that’s what she was mad about. “Must not of seen you.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t sound like me to ignore my oldest friend.”

Kagome grit her teeth, “don’t give me that. We made direct eye contact dog boy. I was standing there waving at you and you told the girl next to you I was a crazy stalker! I looked like such an idiot!” Kagome brought her hands to cover her face, trying to get a grip on her frustration. It wasn’t the first time inuyasha had been rude to her- far from it- but she happened to be with a study group, and more importantly, Hojo- and thanks to Inuyasha she looked like a total fool. She was so embarrassed and irritated she barley was able to concentrate. Hojo had even asked if she needed to go to the drugstore to get some medicine.

“What’s the big deal?” He asked, sitting up to comb his fingers through his short silver locks. “So some strangers think your nuts. Who cares?” He stood up, stretching his arms over head and walked towards her kitchen cabinets. “Got any ramen left?” He called over his shoulder, not bothering to look as the enraged woman jumped to her feet behind him.

“Classmates, Inuyasha. I was with my classmates! I’m trying to make friends!”

“You’ve got tons of friends. And more importantly, you’ve got me.” He kept his eyes trained on the rows of canned foods, the conversation taking a turn he wasn’t liking. “How many damn friends do you need?”

“Oh, Yeah, I’ve got you.” She rolled her eyes, hands on her hips for good measure, “except when you pretend you don’t know me. Obviously I need more than just you!”

Kagome had always had an easy time making friends- well, femalefriends to be precise. And while she loved girl talk and the bonds of sisterhood, she really, reallywas tired of being single. The few times she managed to get a boyfriend in school, something always went wrong- they mysteriously ended up losing interest almost as soon as they started dating! Her friends were always quick to point out that it was probably the 6’2 Adonis -like hanyou that was stuck to her side like glue, all the while glaring at anyone that identified as male that scared potential boyfriends away, but Kagome always waived off that idea. She knew better than anyone that Inuyasha only thought of her as a friend, and nothing more.

There were times, of course, that she had thought differently- especially when they were younger- but after their disastrous 6thgrade kiss, Kagome knew there was no way he could see past their years of friendship. And that was fine-really!- She accepted long ago that he wouldn’t love her the way she loved him, and she loved him far too much to risk losing him. But if he could just stop scaring off potential boyfriends, it would make things a lot easier. It wasn’t as if he was living a solo life. He always had a flood of female companions around him… like the woman at Starbucks who now thinks she’s a stalker.

“You know how girls get around you.” He defended. “Once they find out that we’re best friends they get so fucking crazy. They blow up my phone, harass you on social media, pretend to be friendly to get close. It’s easier to act like we don’t know each other, especially if the girl isn’t sticking around for long.”

Kagome had to give him that. Inuyasha was no stranger to short lived love affairs- the man hadn’t settled down with a girlfriend in a longtime- but when he was younger he did have a few girls he went steady with; and each one of them had a problem with Kagome. Being childhood friends was a recipe for disaster, at least for a middle and high school relationship; the girls would get jealous, demand they stop hanging around each other and eventually Inuyasha would break up with them. He had little patience for the dramatics, and he always made it very clear that Kagome was someone who was staying put in his life. After a while, he started turning down every girl in school, choosing only to date girls who went elsewhere. Maybe that was when he started preferring to casually date; less trouble with the same end result.

“Then maybe be pickier about who you date.” She muttered, making the dog demon roll his amber eyes.

“I didn’t exactlylie.” He smirked. “You basically dostalk me.”

Kagome open and closed her mouth, any retort fleeting her brain at his ridiculous claim. “Oh, yeah, I totally stalk you.” She stepped closer to him, closing the gap and poked her finger into his chest. “Because I totallywas the one sneaking into yourroom at night through the window, waited outside your classes-“

“Exactly.” He smiled as he grabbed her offending hand, “Stalker.”

Kagome could feel her rage building back up. He could be so- so… irritating!  “Ugggh!”

Inuyasha couldn’t help but chuckle at her. She was so expressive; after all these years of being with her, he never got bored of watching her reactions. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze he apologized. “I didn’t mean to make you this upset. I just thought it would save you the headache of dealing with Yuki.”

“It doesn’t excuse how you treated me.” She scrunched her nose as she pulled away from him. “I looked so dumb in front of Hojo.” She groaned, lightly smacking her palm against her forehead. A silver ear twitched at the mention of a male name, instantly turning his mood. Hojo? “Hojo?” He questioned.

Kagome furrowed her brow and pursed her lips together. “J-Just a guy in my class…” She had trouble making eye contact with him, he looked so focused and intense.

Pushing past him, she opened the second cabinet door, easily finding the ramen and held it out to him. “Here.” She said, before walking back to the love seat and sitting down, a tense energy still radiating off of her. Inuyasha gripped the styrofoam cup and reminded himself that he needed to smile. Friends smiled at that kind of news right? Damn, he just couldn’t seem to do it. No matter how much she brought it up- and thankfully it wasn’t a lot- it always caught him off guard to know she was interested in men- well, men other than him. It left Inuyasha feeling unsettled, a heavy weight in the pit of his stomach, an instant sour on his mood, but he chalked that up their relationship. They were close- best friends as long as either one of them could remember- of course he would feel some sort of discomfort at the thought of losing her, of being replaced.

No, fuck that. She would never replace him. They were friends, that wouldn’t change. The rational part of him knew that one day she would find someone she liked, someone she loved. She’d date,really date- not like those wimps in high school that he could easily intimidate to break up with her, and then the bastard would become the most important guy in her life. He got that, the rational part of him really did. His rage filled emotional part however… well, none of that was acceptable. He pressed on, curiosity getting the best of him. “Do you like this Hoho?”

“Hojo. You literally just said his name a second ago.” She crossed her arms, watching as he set the ramen on the counter, long forgotten. He plopped down next to her. “Which one was he? There were a few guys there.” None of them had seemed like a threat, just ordinary college guys. Had he thought that one of them would potentially steal her away- well, this entire conversation wouldn’t be happening. Maybe he needed to keep a closer eye on the people around her. He laid his arm over the back of the couch as she turned to face her.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. “So you doknow what I’m talking about. You’re such a jerk!” She hit his arm, not exactly lightly, but not enough for any sort of discomfort. “I’m really mad at you.” She said, her voice lacking said anger. Her plump bottom lip began to stick out, the way it always did when she was upset, an old habit from childhood. He sighed, reaching his arms around her and pulling her small frame into his chest. She resisted at first, pushing her weight against him, not yet ready to forgive him for being such a rude bastard, but, like always, she gave in, and Inuyasha rested his chin on top of her soft black hair.

“Sorry.” He mumbled, stroking her silky strands. “You’re right. I’m an idiot.”

She nodded against him. “You are.”

He chuckled, the sound low and light, “Keh, you love me anyway.”

“Eh,” She shrugged “that’s debatable.”

The dog demon clicked his tongue but said nothing, letting silence fall over them, the quiet of the studio apartment and the comfort of the dog demon lulling her into a trace.

“Kagome?” He asked, the sound of his voice warm and soothing.

“Hmm?” She could feel her eyelids getting heavier, her mind going hazy as his chest rumbled against her. She idly wondered if all friends did this, wondered who hedid this with. She knew that in public he was aloof at best and had a tendency to be cold; she never saw him hold hands with a girl or kiss, although they always seemed to hang over him. Was he like this when he was alone? Did others know the playful side of him, the sweet side that hated to see her mad? Who would guess that the same Inuyasha who spent his time avoiding social contact would be holding his friendand stroking her hair.

“You gonna make me that ramen now?” He purred.

Kagome slowly sat up, her hands still resting on the hard plains of his chest and smiled at him. “Take it, Inuyasha. Go home.”

He frowned, looking more menacing than disappointed and refused to move. “Nah, I’m staying over. It’s late.”

“Uh, no, you need to go home. To yourhome.” She pulled away, but clawed hands were fast on hers, pulled her down against him.

“Why? Hoto wouldn’t like it?” He asked darkly.

“Well it could certainly give him the wrong idea. I told you once we graduated the sleep overs needed to stop-“

“-Never agreed to that-“

“-And I’m sure the girl you were with the other day would be less than thrilled if-“

“Fuck her. Who cares what they think?” He was sulking now, clearly in a bad mood because he wasn’t getting his way.

“You’re such a baby sometimes.” She hissed, “I’ll make you your damn ramen and then you really need to leave.”

Hojo. Yuki. None of them mattered. He liked their life the way it was. He liked being with her; if someone had a problem with him spending the night they could go fuck themselves. And to top it off he worried about her! She was living alone, away from the college- any creep could break in- she needed him there! Really, any excuse would work; he just didn’t want to leave her yet. Crossing his arms he leaned back into the cushions, a knowing smile on his face.

“Fine!” She said, throwing her hands up in the air, a clear sign that she had given in. “I’m going to take a shower. Do what you want.” She stood up, walking towards the bathroom, leaving the hanyou satisfied as he stretched out on the sofa once more.

“American Horror Story when your done?” He asked, turning on the TV.

“Obviously.” She answered, hand gripping the door.

“My spare clothes washed?”

He could hear Kagome sigh. “Top drawer.”

Shutting the door behind her, closed her. He could be so exhausting- nothing was easy with him.

But she loved him.

She really, really loved him.

[teacupcedes]

Love Overflowing

INVOLVED: Mercedes Jones and Samuel Evans (with Erica Jones and Alexander Jones) TIME FRAME: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 LOCATION: Evans-Jones Condo and Hospital; Atlanta, Georgia SUMMARY: After a long and trying pregnancy, Mercedes finally goes into labor and after 12 hours, Mercedes gave birth to their son. 

Mercedes laid in bed, staring at the TV idly. She was so tired but every single time she found herself drifting off to sleep, a stupid Braxton Hicks contraction would hit her, and she was withering in pain beside her fiancé who laid beside her knocked out. She tried to stay quiet and not move so much, not wanting to disturb him, but she was actually dying. Letting out a yawn into her hand, her heavy eyes fell as she looked at the TV. Slowly but surely her eyes drooped shut and she laid there, letting out soft breaths as she began to drift. Sleep was almost there; she could feel it.

Samuel laid sprawled out against the bed on his stomach, he was in such deep sleep until anything around him had fallen on death ears. He snored loudly as he usually did when he were this tired and he slept beside Mercedes with his lips parted open against his pillows.

Mercedes let out a soft snore as sleep overcame her and she rested there, hugged up to the body pillow, her back to Samuel as he slept away. She got about 30 minutes of sleep before she was startled awake once again. “Ugggh,” she groaned out clutching her stomach as she shifted in the bed. She puffed and huffed in pain, whimpering slightly as she managed to roll over to face her boyfriend. Tears filled her eyes as she placed her hand on his back, trying to shake him awake. “Sam,” she said in a strangled voice.

Samuel released another snore into the air, he shifted in the bed burying his face into the pillow even more. As he felt Mercedes hand nudging him in his sleep, he grunted a little shifting against her touch. “Hm,” he said in response to her as he fell back asleep.

Mercedes let out a harsh breath as the pain subsided and she continued to shake him gently. “Sam, wake up,” she said quietly. “I… keep having contractions,” she told him. “I… I’m not sure if they’re just Braxton Hicks anymore,” she said huffing slightly, her eyes shifting to the clock that read 3AM.

As Mercedes spoke Samuel got up opening his eyes. He licked his lips as he rolled onto his back now pulling the cover up over his chest. “Huh?” he said scratching his itchy ear a little as he got comfortable once more, he was going to go back to sleep.

“Sam!” Mercedes grunted, pushing his shoulder now. “Wake up,” she whined. “I think I’m in labor,” she said out-right as she carefully moved to sit up in the bed. She adjusted her tired body until she was sitting Indian-style on the bed with her back pressed up against the headboard. “I don’t know…” she admitted as her hands cupped her belly, rubbing tenderly.

As she shoved him again, Samuel opened his tired eyes looking at her wildly. At the mention of her being in labor, he shifted in the bed again looking up at her stupidly, the boy was honestly half asleep. “What we need to go to the hospital or something?” he asked her tiredly.

Mercedes could just strangle him sometimes. God! He worked her nerves. Looking over at him as he sat up in the bed, giving her a dumb expression, she let out an exasperated sigh before she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth. “I don’t think so, not yet,” she said quietly before she looked back down at her belly, rubbing it still. “I think we should call the doctor,” she told him, slowly lifting her eyes to him once more.

Samuel rubbed his eyes releasing a loud yawn into his hand and he finally sat up right in the bed. Damn, he was tired as fuck. As she went on to explain even more details to him, he nodded his head at her. “Okay,” he breathed. “Where is your phone?” he asked assuming he was supposed to get it and call the doctor himself.

Eying Samuel as he finally sat up in the bed, properly adjusting himself, Mercedes continued to rub her stomach. “If it’s not over there on the charger,” she said pointing towards their dresser. “I might have left it in the living room on the coffee table,” she said to him, breathing deeply. She wasn’t in pain at the moment nor was she having a contraction, but she was so out of breath and tired.

Samuel climbed out of the bed without another word, he moved in the directions she told him to scout out the phone. When he did find the phone, he moved to her handing it over.

Mercedes continued to breathe deeply, thinking things over in her head. She had been in pain since before she laid down for the night to sleep, but it was mild. Over the course of a few hours, her pain had grown and grown. Licking her dry lips, Mercedes reached out, taking the phone from Samuel. She held it up to her face, for a few seconds before it unlocked and she handed it back to him, her eyes closing as she rested against the headboard. A yawn escaping her tired body.

Samuel waited for her to unlock her phone and once she did, she handed it back to him. He moved to her contacts and scrolled until he found the doctors number before he called the guys number pressing the button and he held the phone up to his ear waiting.

Mercedes rested there with her eyes closed, just trying to remain calm and collected as her fiancé, she loved calling him that, called their doctor. Rubbing her belly in soothing circles, she opened her eyes to look at him as the phone rang. She shifted slightly stretching her short legs out in front of her.

The older man grabbed his phone in the dark, quickly lifting himself out of bed as to not disturb his wife. “Hello,” he said as he stumbled into the hallway of his home.

Samuel waited for the man to answer the phone and when he did, he said “hi, I am Sam,” he breathed “Mercedes Jones, boyfriend,” he added before he sighed. “Mercedes thinks she’s in labor,” he said in a very dry tone as he sat down on the bed.

Dr. David stood in the hallway of his house and he rested his back against the wall. “May I speak with her?” he asked Sam.

Samuel nodded his at the man though he could not see him, and he licked his lips. “Sure,” he said as he handed the phone to Mercedes. “Here...”

Mercedes took the phone from Samuel as he handed it over to her and she sighed out tiredly. “Hi doctor David.”

“Hi,” David said back to the girl gently. “How are you feeling?” He asked a subtle yet important question.

At the question, Mercedes let out another deep sigh. “I am so tired,” she said honestly. “I haven’t been able to get much sleep,” she said as she pulled the phone away from her ear and put it on speaker for Samuel to hear too. “Before I laid down to sleep, I was feeling some pain in my back, but it came and went,” she explained to the doctor. “Then it just kind of grew and spread,” she told the doctor, looking at Samuel. “It’s like the pain would subside and I would start to drift to sleep, then boom all over again,” she said into the phone. “Meanwhile Samuel was drooling and snoring beside me…” she said glaring at her boyfriend slightly.

Samuel looked to Mercedes as she placed the phone on the bed having turned it onto the speaker setting. At her sly comment about him he looked to her and then looked away, forgive him for being tired he guessed.

Dr. David listened to the young girl trying to be attentive to her considering she was simply a teen after all. He nodded his head and said, “do you know how long these pains you are feeling are lasting?” He asked her. “How far apart is one pain from the next?” He breathed. “If you think you are in labor Mercedes. Don’t hesitate to get Sam to take you to the hospital,” he reminded her. “If only just to make sure you are or aren’t in active labor…”

Gazing at her boyfriend, Mercedes huffed at his expression. He got all the sleep. Always. At this point in her pregnancy she was lucky to get 4 hours, while he laid around all of the time sleep. Listening to the doctor, Mercedes responded, “Uh, I’m not sure maybe 2 or so minutes,” she guesstimated. “I think they’re like maybe 30 or 45 minutes apart, I can’t tell, I’ve just been trying to sleep,” she just about whined out, sadly. “I think I might be,” Mercedes said honestly. “Don’t Braxton Hicks usually settle by now?” she asked the doctor as she still rubbed her belly.

The man continued to listen to her, and he nodded his head. If she was in labor, she was definitely in the early stages and had some time to go. “Well in that case Mercedes I would suggest keeping me posted,” he said to her. David licked his lips and said, “that sounds more like labor then Braxton Hicks contractions, yes,” he said with another nod. “But with them that far apart honestly, if you all go to the hospital now, they are just going to send you right back home and tell you to wait it out like I am,” he told her. “When they start to get longer and closer apart Mercedes that is when you should get going,” he told her.

Listening to the man, Mercedes nodded slowly, looking around their dark room. Hospital bag, check. Car seat, check. Back up chargers, check. Shoes by the door, check. She knew that inside the bag they had clothes for themselves and the baby, snacks, basically everything they could possibly need. She knew because she had packed it and double checked it every night before going to bed and every morning when she woke up. “Okay,” Mercedes said with a hum as she nodded slowly. “What about the pain? Do I just push through and try to get some sleep?” she asked him honestly. She had tried before, but she would try again if he told her to.

The man nodded. “That’s the best I can suggest,” he told her honestly. “I know it sounds crazy but you just have to push through the pain to find yourself some rest,” Dr. David offered.

Frowning up her face, Mercedes looked at Samuel and blinked tiredly. “Okay, thank you doctor,” she said softly. “We’ll give you a call back if anything changes,” she said with a deep exhale. Hanging up the phone, Mercedes gazed at Samuel before she let her head fall back against the headboard gently, her eyes closed. “So… we wait…” she said as she reached for his hand, placing it on her stomach gently.

Samuel listened to the man as he spoke and when she hung up, he said, “I’m sorry,” to her instinctively. He wasn’t being an ass. He was just sleepy to be honest, school and work, combined with her neediness equaled an exhausted him. As she rested his hand in her stomach, he let out a yawn and said, “yeah,” with a head nod. “You gotta get some sleep,” he told her as he moved to rest his tired head against her belly gently. He practically hugged her stomach as he closed his eyes. “What can I do to help?” He asked her caringly.  

Lifting her head, Mercedes looked at him sadly. “It’s not your fault,” she mumbled. As he rested against her belly, she shifted some, stretching her short legs out before her. “I know,” she said, “I tried,” she told him honestly. “Soon as I started to drift, another contraction would come,” she breathed out. Her hand rested in his hair as he laid against her and she shrugged. “Just hold me?” she asked him softly, prepared to lay back down in the bed.

Samuel nodded his head; he didn’t know the first thing about labor and delivery outside of the books and movies. But he also knew each woman was different in all of this. He leaned up and pecked her lips gently. “Okay,” he told her sweetly as he shifted and moved to his side of the bed. He’d hold her, that was easy. The body pillow did most of the work, he mused, in his mind as he smirked.

Kissing Samuel’s lips back, Mercedes smiled softly, her plump cheeks rising. Carefully she adjusted herself in the bed with her giant body pillow. Once she was good and comfortable, she reached back for Samuel. “He’s coming…” she said sweetly, placing his hand on her belly once more.  

Samuel slid up behind her, resting his hand on her stomach and he cupped it protectively. “Yeah,” he breathed with a bit of a smirk and new profound realization. “Damn,” he said as he rubbed her belly in slow circles. He pecked the side of her neck. “We are going to be parents; I can’t believe it babe,” he told her. Samuel cupped her belly again, once he was out he’d have to protect him from everything, she no longer could with him tucked safely inside.

Mercedes closed her eyes, letting Samuel’s soothing rubs of her belly take her away. “We are,” she said with a yawn as she grew more and more sleepy from his rubbing and his warmth. Before she knew it, she was asleep, resting comfortably with Samuel snuggled up to her.

Samuel nuzzled himself in her neck, he continued to rub her belly soothingly. Surprised their son was unmoving but he assumed with everything going on inside of there that was why. He looked at her and saw her eyes closed, he smirked. Kissing the side of her neck again he laid his head back down in his pillow, but he never stopped rubbing her round belly.

Three hours later, Mercedes woke up squinting around the room as sunlight began to peak through their window. She placed her hand on Samuel’s arm gently, turning her head slightly to look back at him before she gripped his arm tightly as a contraction hit her and she let out a harsh breath as she tried to breathe through it.

Samuel groaned in his sleep; he released a soft snore before he felt Mercedes shift next to him. She gripped his arm and he opened his eyes looking at her. “Hm,” he said, if she had said anything, he missed that within his sleep. “You okay?” he asked her as he let out a yawn, his hand rubbing her stomach where it had been resting.

Huffing out, Mercedes closed her eyes as she continued to grip Samuel’s arm tight. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, her hand holding onto him firmly until the pain subsided. At his question, she took a moment to really catch her breath before she said, “I’m okay, just another contraction,” she explained. Looking at the clock now, Mercedes was happy that she had at least gotten three hours of sleep. She felt a bit more refreshed and rejuvenated. But God, she had to pee. “Can you help me to the bathroom?” she asked him. She could go on her own, but she wasn’t sure how far apart her contractions were now, and she didn’t want to chance it and hurt herself or the baby.

Samuel nodded his head at her as she explained that it was just another contraction hitting her. He leaned up in the bed and stretched out his limbs before he nodded his head. “Yeah, of course,” he said to her with a nod of his head, he climbed out of bed stretching quickly again before he moved towards her. At her side, he grabbed her hand and pulled her forward with him. He pulled her up onto her feet to assist her with getting to the bathroom.

Mercedes bit her lip softly as he agreed to help her, and she waited until he moved around to her. Taking his hands, she grunted softly as she stood to her feet. She leaned into him her arm wrapped around his side as he helped her to the bathroom. When they reached it, released him slowly, moving for the toilet. She pushed her pajama bottoms down, sitting on the toilet.

Samuel hugged her close to his strong body, as they moved to the bathroom and once she was inside, he let her go. As she moved to sit down on the toilet, he asked her as he turned his back, “want me to wait in here… or go?” he asked her softly.

Sitting there, Mercedes dropped her head back as she peed, her eyes closing as she relieved herself. At Samuel’s question, she opened her eyes, looking at his back. “You can wait, I’m almost done,” she told him even as she continued to pee. About a minute later, she reached for the tissue, cleaning herself up. With a hum, she carefully stood up and pulled her pants up, flushing the toilet. Moving for the sink, she leaned against the counter slightly. “I don’t know how far apart my contractions are…” she told him softly as she dried her hands. She dropped the tissue in the trash before she placed her hand on his arm.

Samuel nodded his head as he slid his hands into his sweatpants pockets. As she finished, he nodded his head at her grabbed a hair tie and putting half his hair up in a ponytail. Once he did that, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and nodded his head. “Okay,” he said, “we will see,” he said moving back into their room.

Mercedes nodded her head as he hugged her close. She moved with him towards their room, climbing back into the bed when they reached it. Looking at the time, she sighed out, it was almost 7am. Licking her lips, she rested on her hands and knees in the bed, arching her back a little, trying to stretch her body. She let out a groan before she turned over, sitting down on the bed. “Should we call the doctor again?” she asked him.

Samuel sat down beside her on the bed, licking his lips as he watched her. He scratched his bare chest again and he shrugged gently at her “I don’t know babe; do you think we should?” he asked her curiously. “I mean we don’t have anything to report really….”

Mercedes nibbled her lip and she shrugged, hands on her belly. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. At his words, she nodded. He had a point; they didn’t really have anything to tell the doctor at this point in time. “Are you hungry?” she asked him softly. If her contractions were still 30 minutes apart, she could maybe whip them up a quick breakfast before the next one hit.

Samuel watched her and tilted his head. “Yeah, I could eat,” he told her, before he shifted in the bed. “We could order something,” he suggested, there was no way she thought she was going to cook and he sure as hell didn’t know how to.

As Samuel said he could eat, Mercedes nodded and held her hands out so that he could help her out of the bed. “I’ll make something,” she told him easily, her face scrunching a little. “Just something quick and small,” she told him, “and I’ll sit at the counter while I prep.”

Samuel looked to her giving her a knowing look. “Are you sure?” he asked, her squinting slightly because he wasn’t sure himself. “Babe,” he breathed even as he got up and helped her to her feet again. If she felt that she could do it, he would let her, but he didn’t think it was a good idea.

“I’m sure,” Mercedes told him sweetly as he helped her up. She stood to her feet, letting out a hum, her ankles were killing her. She leaned into him for a moment, her stomach pressed against his until she let out a breath and began to waddle towards the kitchen. Before she could reach it, she stopped at the couch and dropped down on it. “Okay,” she said gently. “We should order…”

Samuel nodded his head, God, she thought she could do everything but that wasn’t a fact. She needed to slow down and she couldn’t even realize it at all. As she left the room, he moved to make the bed up before he heard her calling out from the living room. Samuel quickly made the bed before he grabbed his phone and moved into her direction. “What do you have in mind?” he asked her as he moved to sit down beside her again.

Mercedes waited on the couch for Samuel, looking down at her stomach with a bite of her lip. They were actually going to be parents, really, really soon. As Samuel approached, sitting beside her, she leaned into him. Before she knew it, she was gripping him tightly as she hissed out, her eyes closing. She breathed deep and hard, huffing and puffing through the pain.

Samuel looked to her before he took note of what time it was, and he wrapped his arm around her hugging her close to him. He pecked her forehead and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Just breathe babe” he told her quietly.

At his coaching, Mercedes breathed in and out harshly, her small hands gripping his shirt balling her fists. She whimpered quietly, her body trembling a little in pain until it all subsided and she let out a pant.

Samuel continued to rub her arm before his hand moved to her back and he rubbed there as well. “You okay?” he asked her licking his lips slowly as he sat his phone aside. He looked at the time on his phone one more time before he grabbed her hand, loosen her grip of his shirt and he kissed the back of it.

“Mhm,” Mercedes breathed out, opening her eyes to look at her fiancé. “I’m okay,” she told him. As he kissed her hand, she shifted on the couch. “My back hurts so bad,” she told him truthfully. “I heard bouncing on the ball helps,” she said thoughtfully, “with labor,” she added.

Samuel looked to her and he gripped her side lovingly before she let him go, standing up on his feet, he nodded. “Okay, I’ll go get the ball for you baby,” he told her as he moved to the nursery where they were housing it. He grabbed it and brought it into the living room. “Here,” he told her as he picked his phone back up. “In the meantime, what do you want to eat, what should I order?” he asked her.

“Thank you, baby,” Mercedes said to him sweetly, her hands on her knees as she learned forward a bit. As he went to get the ball, she sat there, leaning forward slightly, her legs parted as she let her belly just breathe. When he returned, she lifted her head, taking the ball. “Uh,” she grunted as she shifted from the couch to the ball, bouncing gently. “Denny’s?” she asked him softly.

Samuel nodded at that “okay” he said as he began to look up the website once on it he navigated it to place an order for them. “What do you think you want?” he asked her curiously as he sat back down on the couch near her. Samuel tapped his foot lightly as he managed to think of something that he himself wanted to eat from Denny’s.

Thinking it over, Mercedes shrugged. “Eggs and waffles with the red skin potatoes,” she said thoughtfully as she bounced, her hands on her hips. “We have orange juice in the fridge, right?” she asked him gently.

Samuel nodded his head at her, taking note of what she wanted, and he added it to the order before he got up, his eyes still glued to the phone. Moving to the kitchen, he opened the fridge and looked inside. “Yes, we do babe,” he told her truthfully as he moved back towards her. He finished the order up, moving to grab his wallet and placed all the card information in before he placed the order. “Okay, did that” he told her as he moved to sit back down next to her.

Nodding as Samuel ordered for her and checked the fridge, Mercedes bounced up and down, up and down carefully on the exercise ball. Moving her hands from her hips to her belly, she rubbed gently. When Samuel sat down beside her, she reached for his hands, placing them on her stomach lovingly. “He’s moving a little,” she said pressing his hands against her belly a little harder.

Mercedes placed his hands on her stomach, and he felt their son as he pressed them harder into her belly. “He is,” Samuel confirmed as he leaned down and pecked her stomach gently with his lips. “You okay baby boy?” he asked her belly sweetly before he kissed it again gently.

Mercedes smiled as Samuel leaned down kissing her stomach before she gripped his hands tight, her face contorting in pain. She let out a harsh breath through her nose, squeezing his hands, a soft whimper escaping her as she balanced herself on the ball, not wanting to fall over.

Mercedes gripped onto his hands and like before he reminded her, “breathe in and out slowly baby,” as his hands rested pressed against her stomach. He shifted only slightly mindful of her and their son as he looked at his phone to check the time again. Samuel shifted back towards her still allowing her to grip one of his hands. “Babe, I think they are like 20 minutes apart,” he told her guessing, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact time her last one hit giving how much he’d done in that time but he knew the rough time estimate. He just wanted to make sure she knew since they hadn’t been taking note before.

Mercedes grunted hard, trying to follow his instructions of breathing deeply and slowly. She thought she was doing that but maybe not. She inhaled harshly, trying to hold it for a second before she exhaled slow. As the pain subsided, she looked at him, her eyes wide with exhilaration and pain. “They’re getting closer,” she said. “I think they were like 30 to 45 minutes apart before… when I couldn’t sleep,” she told him. “Maybe we should double check our bags and everything just in case,” she said thoughtfully before her phone began ringing in the bedroom.

As she breathed her way through the pain he nodded alongside her proudly. She was doing so well; he knew she would, but it was still refreshing to see it as so. At her next comment, he nodded his head at her and smirked. “Yeah,” he confirmed calmly. Samuel shifted against the couch and he nodded it was just a maternal thing he guessed but these last couple of weeks she’d been on edge, so he quietly nodded his head and said, “I’ll check it,” quickly. He heard her phone and he got up and moved for it, picking it up and moving back towards her. “Here,” he said thoughtfully. “I will check the bag,” he added before he went to do so.

Slowly Mercedes began to bounce on the ball once more, nodding at Samuel. “Thank you baby,” she hummed out sweetly. “How long did they say before the food arrive?” She asked curiously. As he got up to check their bags, she looked around the house. It was a mess. She wished she had the time to clean before they had to leave for the hospital, but she knew Samuel wouldn’t allow her. Frowning slightly, she took the phone from him with a quick, “thank you” as she checked the caller ID before she answered. “Hey Doc,” she began easily, looking at the clock. It was teetering in 8am now.  

Samuel picked up the bags and he checked each one, what was he checking them for, he didn’t know. She’d checked, rechecked, and so forth and so on so many times he knew they weren’t missing anything at all. Licking his lips, he shifted things only slowly looking before he closed them back and moved to stand up. Checking the email in his phone and seeing how long they had to wait on the food, he moved to sit down beside her again as she bounced on the ball.

Dr. David smiled, now fully dressed and ready to start his day. He figured Mercedes had been mustering through, considering if she had gone to the hospital, he would have gotten a call from them as well through the night. “Hey, I am checking in,” he said to her politely. “How are you feeling? Any updates?” He asked her curiously.

Placing the phone on speaker, Mercedes sat the phone on the couch. “I’m alright…” she said biting her lip. “Just waiting… I guess…” she said with a bit of a shrug. “My contractions are about 20 minutes apart now,” she informed him. “I got a few hours of sleep, so I feel okay,” she added. “When should we start to head to the hospital? What signs should we look for?” She asked him curiously as she looked at her boyfriend.

Dr. David nodded his head at her though she couldn’t see it, he listened to her quietly as she explained. “It’s good that you got some rest, that’s important,” he told her. “So, you’ve made some progress,” he noted, “usually some women go once they feel too uncomfortable to sit at their home, when their water breaks, when they get around maybe perhaps 4 minutes apart and lasting a minute or so,” he said. “Things are different for every woman and in every situation,” he informed. “If the pain is unbearable Mercedes, if your water breaks, bleeding, lack of movement from the baby, vaginal bleeding, anything that happens that isn’t of the norm,” he told her.

As the doctor answered all of her questions, Mercedes nodded slowly, her hands idly rubbing her belly. If she was counting from 3am, she had been in labor for about roughly 4 hours now. However, it was probably longer because she was feeling pain on and off before she had gone to bed so maybe about 7 hours? “Okay…” she said gazing at Samuel with sweet eyes. “Outside of the contractions… I feel fine…” she explained. “I can feel him moving…” she added. “Uh, yeah, so I guess… we’ll call you or head to the hospital if anything changes,” she said shrugging a bit. Her tongue rolled over her lips and she shifted, her feet planted firmly on the floor as she bounced up and down on the ball. “Thank you, Doctor.”

Nodding his head at her, he repositioned his phone and said, “sounds good,” he told her softly. “I’ll see you all at the hospital, eventually,” he added with a grin. “No problem,” Dr. David told the girl as he hung the phone up.

Samuel looked to Mercedes as she spoke to the man and he rested his head in his hands resting there. Once they were finished discussing what they had to say he sat upright and said, “about 30 minutes babe,” responding to her about the food. “Do you need anything in the meantime? Water?” he asked her curiously.

Looking at Samuel, Mercedes nodded slightly. “Okay, that’s not a long wait,” she said with a hum as she reached for him once more. She just wanted to be close to him right now for some reason. She shuffled closer to him, the ball moving with her as she bounced and she rested her head on his chest, her body leaning forward. “No, I’m okay,” she mumbled. “I just… I wanna be close,” she told him truthfully, nuzzling her face in his chest, her eyes closed. “I don’t think we should call our parents until we get to the hospital.”

As she shuffled towards him, he met her the rest of the way not wanting her to do the bulk of the work. Samuel rested a firm hand on her back as she leaned into him nuzzling her face into him. “Okay,” he told her at her confession. “If that is what you want then that is fine,” he told her simply as she sat there on the ball.

Mercedes just leaned against him, unmoving on the ball. Her eyes were closed and she breathed deeply. She had fallen asleep. She rubbed her face against his chest, letting out a pur. It wasn’t until a contraction hit her that she opened her eyes, letting out a low moan of pain. “Baby,” she whimpered, her arms wrapping around him, holding him tight as she huffed and puffed.

“It’s okay mama,” Samuel coached, she’d fallen very quiet for a moment and he heard her release a noise that told him that she had fallen asleep. However, now she was doubled over in pain again and he rubbed her back. “Breathe,” he told her once more, she was doing pretty good, but she wasn’t breathing evenly each time. Which would help her better than straining and holding her breath. Samuel grabbed his phone and looked at the time difference, it was about the same as the other. So, she was having contractions every 20 minutes or so and they were lasting her a minute or so as well.

Listening to him and following the rhythm of his own breathing and the rise and fall of his chest, Mercedes breathed in and out deeply as he told her to. Slowly but surely the pain subsided and she let out a breath, lifting her head to look up at him with a sheepish expression. “I wasn’t sleep…” she mumbled as their son shifted and moved inside of her.

As she followed along with him, he smiled at her tenderly. Pecking her forehead sweetly; they were young, but they seemed to have this pretty figured out already, didn’t they? At her comment, however, he chuckled at her, squeezing her gently against his hard frame. “Yes, you were,” Samuel said sweetly to her before he pecked her forehead again. “But it’s okay, I’m sure Dr. David would agree that you need your rest for this babe,” he told her. “If you want to lay, I could bring the body pillow out here on the couch or do you want to keep bouncing?” He asked. “I just want to make sure you are comfortable and that I am doing all that I can,” he said resting his hand on top of her belly. She had a lot of extra room up there that she didn’t have before, was that a sign of something they didn’t know?

Mercedes giggled softly as Samuel squeezed her. “You don’t know,” she said playfully, her face scrunching at him sweetly. “Okay, maybe just a little,” she admitted. “I want to keep bouncing for now, but can you still get the body pillow?” She asked him. She might want to lay in a bit. So, it was better to be prepared. “Your perfect baby,” she told him truthfully as she began bouncing once more. She leaned up, resting her hands under her stomach where their son now rested. “Is he sliding down?” She asked him with wide eyes. She knew that’s how it worked but she felt maybe it was too soon.

At her confession he smirked widely at her rubbing her back some. If she wanted to bounce, she could bounce, nothing wrong with it. He noted her wanting the pillow just in case however and he pulled away from her slightly. When she stated that he was perfect he hid his admiration behind tucked lips, he really was trying. Not only to be a good support system for her and the baby but an overall better person. There would be a little boy watching him from his day forth and he didn’t want his son to end up like him at all. At her question he shrugged looking back at her with a shocked expression. “Maybe,” he told her quietly, “they do have to shift into place at some point,” he said knowing that only from the books he read. “Is it a lot of pressure and discomfort?” He asked as he moved to grab one of the books that he had hidden from her to this day, he cracked it open and flipped the page before he sat Indian on the floor for the moment as he found what he was looking for. “Says, it can happen a few weeks before or when labor starts babe,” Samuel told her softly. “He’s probably worked his way down into your pelvis,” he said, flipping a page. “You might feel a little more pressure and stuff,” he said thoughtfully before he closed the book and set it aside. “I’ll be right back,” he told her as he moved to their room and grabbed her body pillow. Once he had it, he sat it on the couch and then moved to grab himself some water to drink. He looked at the time, their food should be around the corner now.

Letting her weight move up and down on the ball, Mercedes smiled softly at him, her eyes moving back to her stomach quickly. As he spoke about having read his books, her eyes lit up with amusement and adoration. He was really excited about being a father and it showed. He was genuinely being helpful and resourceful. “Not really,” she answered his question. “I just feel… well… full…” she admitted with a shrug. “I can feel him moving and stuff, I hadn’t really noticed he’d moved down further until now. I guess he’d been moving all morning,” she said as she thought about it. As he went to grab his book, she giggled, looking at the page with a nod. “Okay baby,” she said as she continued to bounce on the ball. When Samuel laid her body pillow on the couch, she smiled at him, her hands now on her hips as she just bounced. Looking at the time herself, she figured the food would be there soon. With that in mind, she carefully transferred herself from the ball to the couch, sitting sinking into the cushion.

“Yep, guess he’s doing his part in all of this,” Samuel said back to her as he watched her move from the ball to their couch. Looking at his phone, he opened up the app and looked to her. “I will be right back,” he said as he moved to grab their food. He practically met the guy in the hallway for their things and he moved back into their condo closing the door with his foot. He sat the food down and said, “breakfast is here,” to her before he locked their front door. “You wanna eat over there?” he asked.

Nodding her head, Mercedes held her belly now. “Okay, baby,” she said easily as he left. She sat there, stretching her short body out some. She placed her feet on the coffee table and slouched down on the couch some. When Samuel returned, she nodded. “Please.” She absolutely did not want to get up at the moment.

Samuel nodded as he moved the food towards her, sitting it down on the coffee table. He removed the items from the bag, taking out her food first, he removed the lid to the container and handed it over along with the plastic fork and knife in the bag. “You need anything extra?” he asked her curiously. Samuel walked away only for a moment, as he grabbed a glass and filled it up with some orange juice for her and he sat that on the table too.

As Samuel stood before her, gathering the food and handing it to her, Mercedes smiled. “Thank you baby,” she said lovingly. Taking the fork and the knife, she dug in immediately, mouth full of food when Samuel asked if she needed anything. “No thank you,” she mumbled around her fork as she stuffed her face with eggs and potatoes. “Syrup?” she asked Samuel, eyeing the bag in his hand.

Samuel nodded his head as he removed the rest of the content in the bag onto the table. At her question, he nodded as he opened up the syrup container and he poured it over her waffles for her before he sat the empty container in the empty bag. After that, he moved to sit down with his own food and he began to eat the steak and eggs he ordered, with a side of cheese grits. He used the plastic fork and knife to cut the steak far too lazy to get a real one.

Watching Samuel pour the syrup over her waffles, Mercedes let out a moan softly. It looked amazing. Before she knew it, she had basically inhaled the entire waffle before she returned to her eggs and potatoes. Looking over at Samuel as he opened his food, she eyed the grits and her eyes grew wide as she asked around her mouthful, “can I have a bite of your grits?” she asked him sheepishly.

Samuel stuck a piece of his steak into his mouth and he ate hungrily, moving between it and his eggs. He didn’t even need steak sauce. The meat was seasoned well enough on its own. At her question, he looked to her for a moment before he looked at his bowl of grits and he picked it up, holding it out for her to get some.

As Samuel allowed her to eat some of his grits, Mercedes beamed. She dug her fork into his bowl, scooping some into her mouth before she did so one more time. She hummed out happily before she relented and she sat back, eating more of her eggs and potatoes. Quickly, she finished her food before she sat the container aside, rubbing her stomach as she grabbed her juice, sipping some down.

Samuel watched her as she dug into his bowl twice before he sat it down once she was done. He moved back to his food tasting the grits himself before he ultimately finished his entire plate. Samuel finished off his bowl of grits scraping the container before he sat the empty containers in the bag he was using for trash. Samuel grabbed his water bottle and cracked it open taking a sip from it finally, and then guzzling it down until it was empty.

Sipping from the glass, Mercedes shifted on the couch slightly, a small moan passing her lips. She sat the glass aside, rubbing her belly and then her thighs. “Uh,” she said gently. “Can you help me up?” she asked him as she shifted once more, another moan passing her. She was definitely feeling some pressure now.

Samuel licked his lips and then he wiped them with his hand moving for the remote when he looked over at Mercedes. “Yeah,” he said as he moved to stand up on his feet and Samuel grabbed her hand and helped her up.

Mercedes gripped Samuel’s hands as he helped her up and she grunted out, lifting her body from the couch. As she stood up fully, the pressure she felt in her belly releasing with a whoosh as her water broke and the liquid spilled from between her legs, gushing out and pooling into the floor. Her eyes grew wide and she groaned out, dropped her head to Samuel’s chest as it happened. “Fuck…” she whispered.

Samuel moved his arm to her back as she stood up, he looked down, hearing the trickling of water and he knew what had happened without her saying it. Oh shit, he thought to himself as she leaned into his chest. He held her for a moment before he said, “babe,” softly. “I think… we need to go now,” he said for the first time in all of this, the books told him that her water breaking would change everything drastically. This happened to be a big deal in this whole birthing process. “Can I pull away?” he asked with sock-soaked feet. He needed to clean up this mess, grab their things, and get her to the car as quickly as possible; he may even need to get her cleaned up and into some new clothes as well.

Standing there, Mercedes stared down at the liquid on the ground as she nodded slowly. “Yes, we have to go,” she said quickly, lifting her eyes to look at Samuel. She was clearly alarmed, and it showed on her face. Her eyes wide with bewilderment. At Samuel’s question, Mercedes nodded slowly. “Yeah,” she told him cupping her belly. She couldn’t see herself, but she knew her bottoms were ruined. “I’m sorry…” she said biting her lip hard.

“Okay. I am going to clean you up, get you on some new clothes, then clean this up,” he said pointing as he spoke to her. He licked his lips and then said, “after that I am going to grab our bags and the baby bag,” he said counting off on his hands. “We go downstairs, you wait in the front lobby, put them in the car, pull it around so you can get in,” Samuel told her having thought the plan up on the spot and he moved to help her back into their room. “It’s okay, don’t be sorry,” he told her, “we should have put something on you just in case. We weren’t thinking,” he coached as he moved her into the bathroom.

Mercedes stood there her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as Samuel spoke. “O-okay…” she said softly. “Okay,” she said once more. Nodding along to Samuel’s words, Mercedes just stood there in shock. Their son was really coming today. As Samuel guided her into the bedroom, she moved with him, holding into him tightly. As he spoke, she nodded once more holding him close.

Samuel moved into their bathroom and he grabbed a washcloth and a small amount of soap, he let the water run in the skin and sat the cloth aside. Moving back to her; “step out,” he instructed as he pulled her pants down along with her underwear. Once they were at her feet, he took them off all the way and pushed them aside as he moved to the warm water. He grabbed the cloth and dipped it into the water, lathering it up and moving to clean her thick thighs off of the sticky liquid and whatever else came from the broken water. Once he cleaned her legs up, he moved to grab her some more yoga pants and some more underwear. He came back to her but moved to the cabinets swiftly and grabbed a menstrual pad, it would work for what he needed. Samuel moved to help her step back into the new pair of panties and once he pulled them halfway up, he opened the product. Looking it over, he did what he thought was to be down with it, he rested it in her panties and removed the pieces of paper over the adhesive. He folded the flaps over and tilted his head to see if what he had done made sense. Afterwards he pulled her panties up all the way and then he grabbed her yoga pants, “almost done,” he breathed softly.

Allowing Samuel to move her as he pleased, Mercedes stood there, stepping out of her bottoms as Samuel instructed her to. He cleaned her up and she stood there, her hand resting on his shoulder. She blinked slowly, her mind running a mile a minute. Before she knew it, she was stepping into her fresh pair of panties, her eyes slowly looking down at Samuel as he got her situated with a pad, for what reason, she had no idea. As his head tilted, she said, “it’s right…” to him softly, her hand still resting on his shoulder. As he pulled her panties up the rest of the way, she bit her lip.

“That way you won’t leak through these,” Samuel said, he thought he was a small genius right now. It was clever though; he’d read that her water could continue to ‘break’ essentially and that fluid would continue to leak from her body. Samuel placed her yoga pants over her feet one at a time before he pulled them up her thick thighs and up over her hips, however he left them up under her belly instead of over it. He wanted her to be comfortable after all. “Okay mama,” he said to her patting her hips as he moved her back into the bedroom and he grabbed her some shoes to put on her feet. “Here,” he said letting her step into them as he grabbed himself some shoes. He placed his feet into his slides and then grabbed himself a graphic t-shirt. “Alright let’s get the bags and go,” he said grabbing her hand and moving with her. He grabbed her purse and other bags, his phone, her phone, the keys and made sure he had it all before he moved with her for the front door. “Oh!” he said as he moved to their son’s nursery and grabbed his car seat, “need this,” he said coming back with the car seat and a ton of bags hanging from his buff body. “Let’s go,” he breathed moving her for the door once more to walk out of.

At his logic, Mercedes nodded her head slowly. It made sense and she gazed at him with loving eyes for thinking it up. “Thank you baby,” she said softly. Stepping into the pants, she held into him as he pulled them up over her hips and thighs. “Okay daddy,” she said back to him as they moved back into the bedroom. She leaned against the wall slightly as Samuel grabbed her some shoes. Stepping into them, she watched as he grabbed some himself and put on a shirt. “Okay baby,” she said quietly, holding her belly as she moved slowly but surely towards the bedroom door as he collected their things. She moved at the pace that was comfortable for her as Samuel rushed back to grab their son’s car seat. She reached the door and stepped into the hallway. She just began slowly but surely waddling down the hallway making her way as Samuel locked the door behind them. She wasn’t trying to leave him, she was just honestly trying to keep up because she knew once he got to moving, he was going to be dragging her along.

Samuel got her out the door and he sat the car seat down for a moment as he used his keys to lock the door behind him. He tucked his keys in his pocket, picked up the car seat from the ground, and moved to catch up with Mercedes grabbing her hand. He moved at her pace, nice and slow though he was in a bit of a rush to get her there just in case. “You okay?” he asked her as they moved for the elevators.

As Samuel caught up with her, moving at her pace, Mercedes looked at him sweetly. “I’m nervous,” she admitted, her hand on her belly and her other holding his. As they reached the elevators, Mercedes pushed the button before she let out a moan growl of pain as a contraction rippled through her body, her knees buckled slightly and she slapped her hand against the wall. “Uggggh,” she groaned out hard, dropping her head as she squeezed Samuel’s hand tightly in her own. This being the strongest contraction yet as she bent her knees slightly, trying to power through it.

Samuel nodded his head. “Don’t baby, we finally get to hold him and see him,” he said excitedly. Samuel wasn’t nervous one bit, she could clearly power through on her own, he was more happy to see their baby finally. It had been such a long pregnancy. As she bared down in pain, he reminded her. “In and out, slow and deep,” he breathed as he pulled her to him a little as she crushed his hand. He looked at the elevators as they waited, one needed to surface quickly so that he could get her off her feet and into the car.

Mercedes gritted her teeth, breathing harshly through her nose as she slapped the wall once more, her hand holding into Samuel’s tightly. She breathed in and out harshly until she pain left her and she groaned out. “Fuck,” she whispered. Lifting her head slowly, she looked at Samuel, still holding his hand tightly. “I…” she began before she loosened her grip on his hand. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she said panicked as the elevator doors slid open.

Samuel pulled his phone out and he looked at the time quickly for himself before he tucked it away as she continued to breathe harshly. At her words he looked to her wildly and moved her into the elevator. “What do you mean babe?” he asked as he pressed the lobby button and shut the doors.

Mercedes looked at Samuel just as wildly. “I don’t think I can have this baby,” she said as fear began to settle over her. “We’re kids!” she exclaimed as the elevator doors shut and she looked at him, her eyes wide and frantic. “Oh God,” she said as she began to fan herself with her hand. She was grade-A panicking. “We’re having a fucking baby,” she said looking around the elevator bewildered.

As she began to ramble off about her feelings right now, Samuel raised his brow at her. Well they couldn’t undo this now, so what were he to say. “Well, I should just take you back into the condo and we can pretend like he isn’t coming and that he doesn’t exist. Want to do that?” he asked her. He wanted her to understand that she sounded nuts right now, she’d been begging for the kid to come already and now that he was, she was unsure?

At Samuel’s words, Mercedes shot him a stank look before she wrapped her arm around his waist and sighed out deeply. She knew that she sounded ridiculous. “Hush,” she mumbled, dropping her head. The elevator moved down to the lobby and she stepped off with Samuel as the doors opened, moving to sit down beside the entrance so that he could bring the car around.

Reaching the lobby, he looked to her again, she was tripping hardcore right now. As they walked out, he sat her down before Samuel moved for the parking garage for their complex. He moved for their car, essentially jogging over to it and he placed their bags in his truck, before he placed the car seat on its base. Locking that in place, he climbed in and moved towards the lobby entrance to get Mercedes.

Sitting there waiting for Samuel, Mercedes stared down at her stomach in shock. Their son was coming. Actually, factually coming and she was freaking out. She was a mother. An actual mother. It blew her mind. She was excited to meet him but she knew that he was safer inside of her, and the two thoughts were conflicting.

Samuel moved to the front entrance of the complex; he put his car in park and climbed out of it. Moving to where she sat, he helped her up discreetly and helped her out of the building and towards his car. He opened the door and assisted her inside of the large truck before he closed her door and moved for the driver’s side again. He got situated and moved for their hospital where she was set to give birth.

Wrestling with her thoughts, Mercedes looked up at Samuel as he helped her up and she moved with him as he guided her to the car. Climbing inside carefully, Mercedes got situated, pulling the lever, letting the seat back quickly to release some tension. “God,” she whispered out as she buckled up.

Samuel looked at Mercedes as she adjusted her seat in his car, he moved down the road thinking about calling his father, but he didn’t. He bit down on his thumb nail as he cruised down the road, lucky for them the hospital was only 15 to 20 minutes away give or take Atlanta’s traffic at this time of day.

Sitting back, Mercedes began rubbing her belly once more, really focusing on her lower belly where their son rested, trying to sooth him and herself. Her eyes closed and she breathed in and out deeply. She reached over now, placing her hand on his arm gently.

She was calm for now which worked in favor; Samuel drove both diligently and carefully. Her water had broken but that didn’t mean she had dilated any by now, if so, not by much. “You should call your mother as soon as we get there,” Samuel told her as he moved back to biting his thumb nail. She gripped his arm and he looked over. “Do you need my hand?” he asked her.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, Mercedes nodded. “I will…” she looked at him, “your dad?” Her hand rested softly on his arm and she nodded. “Please,” she said quietly, sliding her hand down his arm to his hand, lacing their fingers as she held it. She wasn’t in pain or anything right now. She just liked knowing he was right there, always.

“I’ll call him,” Samuel said to the girl quietly as he dropped his hand from his mouth. He switched hands and drove with his other as he allowed her to hold his hand. He pecked the back of it asking, “have you calmed down yet?” sweetly.

Nodding, Mercedes just gazed over at Samuel and she said, “your brother?” At his question and kiss of her hand, she smiled sheepishly. “YES!” She exclaimed part of the way though the word as a contraction hit and she let out a groan, dropping her head back as she squirmed in her seat. She squeezed his hand tight, her nails digging as well as she breathed in and out hard.

“I’ll send him a text,” Samuel replied to her easily as she asked about him. At her response to his question, “breathe mama,” he said as she dug her nails into skin. “We are almost there,” he told her as he laced their finger letting her squeeze his hand as hard as she wanted that way.

Squeezing Samuel’s hand forcefully, Mercedes growled out, her eyes rolling slightly from the pain. “Uuuuh,” she huffed and puffed trying to breathe. “It hurts,” she whined out, squeezing his hand tighter as she panted. Shifting in the seat, she placed one foot on the dashboard, whimpering softly until the pain went away and she let out a harsh breath, dropping her foot.

As she continued to speak, Samuel nodded his head at her looking between the road and her. As she lifted her foot up on his dashboard, he furrowed his brow for a moment before he turned the corner. Samuel continued to ride down the road as she breathed through the contraction harshly and he licked his lips. “You good?”

Mercedes breathed in and out deeply, panting as her chest rose and fell. Her contractions were increasingly getting stronger and stronger. At Samuel’s question, she looked at him, her ears ringing as she nodded. “They’re getting worse,” she told him breathlessly.

Samuel looked to her again as he pulled up to the hospital, he moved to find the parking that they were supposed to use. He found a spot and parked before he moved to get out and moved for the trunk grabbing the bags, dropping them on his shoulders. He moved for her side of the car and opened the door, “come on,” he said reaching for her hand.

As they pulled into the hospital lot, Mercedes let out a relieved sigh. As Samuel was grabbing their bags, Mercedes unbuckled her seatbelt and sat up in the seat. Taking his hand, she groaned as she climbed out of the car, leaning into him for support. She let out a low moan. “My back,” she whined out as they made way for the entrance.

A nurse saw them approaching and quickly grabbed a wheelchair for them. As they entered, she offered the chair to the couple.

“You’ll be in a bed in no time,” Samuel told her as he closed the door and locked it behind them. He moved for the entrance with her pacing himself, alongside her as he held the straps of the bags on his arm. As the nurse moved to them with a wheelchair he said, “thanks,” quickly before he helped Mercedes sit down in it. “Labor and delivery?” he asked the woman questionably. He didn’t know what direction they needed to go in and he knew the woman could help with that.

Mercedes sat down in the chair gratefully with Samuel help and she placed her feet on the petals as Samuel got situated as well.

“Fourth floor,” the nurse said easily to the couple. “I’ll take you up,” she said to Samuel. “Here I’ll push and you can just carry the bags,” she said trying to be helpful as the stepped behind Mercedes chair, rolling her along.

Samuel nodded his head. “Thanks,” he said as he held Mercedes purse in his other hand. “Her water broke already,” Samuel informed the woman, keeping her informed of what was going on with the girl before her. “Her contractions are like 15 to 20 minutes apart,” he said.

Mercedes sat there, allowing herself to be wheeled around as Samuel explained the situation to the nurse. She rested her hands under her heavy belly, letting out a deep sigh of pain as her back cramped up even more. “Uh, were patients of Dr. David,” she threw in there.

The nurse nodded as she stepped into the elevator with the couple, taking in all the information. “Okay we’re going to get you into a room, changed into a gown, and hooked up to your monitors, and I’ll have another nurse call Dr. David for you, he’s already here with another expecting mother I believe,” she inform as she stepped off the elevator onto the 4th floor and wheeled Mercedes to one of their empty rooms, notifying a few of her co-workers as she passed and everyone began to spring into action to help and prep.

Samuel continued to walk alongside Mercedes and the nurse nodding his head at her. “Okay,” he breathed softly to her as he looked down at Mercedes to make sure she was okay at the moment before he licked his lips. Once they made it to the elevators, he pressed the up button for them all as he readjusted the straps onto his shoulders from all their bags.

XXXXXXX

Mercedes laid in the bed, dressed in a hospital gown, hooked up to various monitors and machines, to keep track of her vitals and the babies. Resting there, she laid eyes closed as she tried to get a bit more rest, gathering strength and getting her mind right. As she rested there, she held Samuel’s hand in her own, their fingers laced.

Erica moved with her husband, rushing down the hallway towards Mercedes’ hospital room. Mercedes had called about 45 minutes ago explaining that she was in labor and she sprang into action, almost leaving the eye on the store lit as she rushed out of the house. Hitting the door, Erica slowed down, gazing at her daughter in the bed, laying sleep. “Hi,” she whispered to Samuel.

Alexander moved with his wife, keeping stride with her easily as she essentially ran down the hallway. Their baby girl was about to give birth and he was nervous as all get out. As they reached the doorway, he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder, looking at Samuel, giving the boy a nod.

Samuel sat next to Mercedes having text both his father and brother, his dad was busy at work and didn’t know if he could make it up to the hospital anytime soon and his brother was off doing his usual, well, their usual thing. He looked over at Mercedes as she rested with her eyes closed and he continued to hold her hand in his. He looked up at her mother as she came into their room and approached Mercedes. “Hey,” he said to them both looking at her father and nodding his head.

Mercedes could faintly hear her mother’s voice in her light sleep-like state and she opened her eyes slowly, blinking a bit as she lifted in the bed carefully, resting up on her elbow. “Hi mom,” Mercedes said, her voice soft. She had been in labor for about 8 hours now and she was just tired. Her entire body was tired. “Nothing’s really happening yet,” she said just as quietly as she rested back down in the bed.

Erica smiled softly at Samuel, moving further into the room. She dropped a kiss on Samuel’s forehead before she gently wiped it, removing the lipstick she placed there before she kissed Mercedes forehead as well. “I know baby girl,” she said softly, carefully sitting down beside Mercedes on the edge of the bed as she stroked her wild curls. “How are you feeling?”

Alexander moved in further beside Erica and he placed his hand on Samuel’s shoulder, giving him a warm squeeze before he moved around to the other side of the bed, placing his hand on Mercedes’ shoulder lovingly. “Hi baby girl,” he said in his deep rumbling voice as he rubbed her arm.

Samuel smiled at her mother as she came over and kissed his forehead lovingly. He watched as she shifted towards Mercedes to greet her properly as well. Samuel looked to her dad and licked his lips; he gave the man a respectful smile. Samuel still didn’t really feel that the man liked him and thought he was good enough for Mercedes even to this day. He shifted in the chair he was sitting in and he blinked long and hard, he was tired now. Very sleepy in fact and he didn’t know why, maybe from all the excitement and adrenaline which was now nowhere to be found considering not much progress had been made.

Mercedes shifted in the bed slightly, smiling as Erica kissed her. Looking back at her dad, she smiled at him as well. “I’m tired,” she said looking back to her mother. “I’ve been in active labor for about an hour and before that I think I started labor last night,” she admitted. Looking at Samuel, she squeezed his hand.

Erica nodded slowly, still stroking Mercedes’ hair. “How many centimeters dilated are you?” she asked, looking between Mercedes and Samuel.

Alexander slowly pulled away from Mercedes, moving to stand in the corner out of the way until he was needed. He still felt very guilty about putting Mercedes out of the house and he was still trying to make it up. Right now, he honestly felt it would be best to just be seen and not heard.

As mother and daughter spoke, Samuel sat back in the chair a little and nodded his head. “The doctor says she’s 4 centimeters dilated,” Samuel replied to her mother, looking at Mercedes when he did. He didn’t know where their son was going to come at this point and that worried him, because he didn’t know how many more hours Mercedes was going to last.

Mercedes looked at Samuel and nodded along. “I’m pushing through though,” she said softly, closing her eyes as she squeezed Samuel’s hand once more. “I’m okay,” she whispered before she squeezed Samuel’s hand even tighter, a growl coming from the back of her throat as a contraction ripped through her. She shifted in the bed, moaning lowly as she held Samuel’s hand for dear life, breathing in and out as she and Samuel had practiced through her previous contractions.

“Just 4?!” Erica asked, shocked. “Wow,” she breathed out. Erica knew that first children always took the longest, but Mercedes had already been in labor for 8 hours and at this rate she was looking at, at least 5 or 6 more. As Mercedes began moaning and groaning, Erica knew it was a contraction and she coached, breathing in and out properly. “In for 5 seconds, out for 5,” she explained. “Don’t hold it, just in and out,” she said, rubbing her back and shoulder now.

Samuel looked to his future mother-in-law as she spoke to Mercedes about her labor process. He looked between the two of them until a contraction hit Mercedes and she gripped his hand. Samuel was fully prepared to coach her through it before her mother jumped in, great, maybe her mother knew more than he knew and could help her better than he was.

Mercedes held Samuel’s hand tightly in her own as she withered from pain in the bed. At her mother’s words, Mercedes opened her eyes, gazing at Samuel as she tried to breath in and out deeply, but it hurt so much that she honestly struggled to do so. As the contraction subsided, she looked at her mother breathlessly. “I’ve been trying to breath properly, but it takes my breath away,” she said as she loosened her grip on Samuel’s hand a bit.

Erica nodded slowly. “I know baby, once you get the epidural, it’ll be a lot easier,” she explained to her daughter. “I remember those first couple of contractions without it, they can be tough,” she said from experience, “but the epidural helps tremendously. One more centimeter and they’ll offer it to you,” she said with a hum gazing down at Mercedes.

As Mercedes finally released his hand, loosening her grip he pulled it away for a moment flexing it. She was killing him, but he wasn’t saying anything because well she was the one in pain and not him technically. Samuel licked his lips at her mother’s words and he looked back at her to see what she would say or what she was thinking.

Listening to her mother, Mercedes shook her head. “I’m not getting an epidural,” she explained. “I’m going all natural,” she told her mother truthfully as she shifted slightly in the bed, looking over at Samuel watching as he flexed his hand and she frowned, “I’m sorry,” she muttered gently before she looked back to her mother, placing her hands on her belly rubbing gently.

Erica’s neck jerked at Mercedes’ words. “What do you mean you’re not getting an epidural?” she asked her daughter shocked, looking over at Alexander with wide eyes. “Mercedes if you think you’re in pain now, you need to get an epidural because… it only gets worse from here,” she said gently, trying to reason with her daughter.

As Mercedes said she wasn’t Samuel looked down for a moment; he had suggested it, but he didn’t think she was actually going to go through with it. He didn’t know how she would, this was a lot right now for her as is and she had far to go. At her mother’s words Samuel looked at her quietly tucking his lips, oops, what had he done?

Mercedes looked at her mother, shaking her head. “Samuel and I talked about it and we decided against it,” she said gently. “Research shows that it’s not really the best and I know I can do this without it,” she said to her mother, “yes, I know but I am fi-” she stopped short, growling loudly, gripping the sheets and the railing as she fought through another contraction. “Uuugh,” she groaned out, wiggling in pain in the bed, her eyes closing as she did.

Erica looked at Samuel, squinting at him briefly before she looked back at Mercedes. “Girl,” she said waving her off. “You need an epidural, I do not care what you think,” she said shaking her head. As another contraction hit the girl, Erica shook her head even more as she rubbed Mercedes side, trying to soothe her through it. “If you don’t want to get one, you’re going to be in for a very rude awakening,” she said knowingly. She didn’t have time for an epidural when she got to the hospital with Tahj and she was very regretful.

Samuel looked to Erica as she gave him a squinted expression, he bit his lip again before he shifted in his seat. When Mercedes continued to express her thoughts, he stayed quiet and to himself. However, when the contraction hit her yet again, he shifted towards her, grabbing her hand and he said, “breathe babe,” quietly, she wasn’t really proving her point to anyone right now.  

Mercedes took Samuel’s hand as he grabbed her own and she squeezed it as she groaned out, turning onto her back now, her legs spread as she whimpered out. She breathed harshly, letting out another growl until the pain went away and she opened her eyes looking at her mother. “I can handle it,” she said breathlessly. “I don’t want it,” she said truthfully. “It hurts but I’m strong,” she said before she looked at Samuel.

Erica rubbed Mercedes' side until she settled in the bed and she pulled the sheet over her lower half, looking at her husband as he now stood facing the wall since Mercedes had exposed herself to him by accident. Nodding slowly at Mercedes, Erica sighed, “you’re a warrior,” she said gently, knowingly.

Samuel looked to Mercedes as she rested, once more after her bout with her contraction. He finally spoke and said, “it’s okay to cave in if it’s too much…” softly. Just adding that in there as he rested back in his chair falling quiet again.

Mercedes licked her dry lips and she nodded slowly, looking between her mother and her fiancé. “I know,” she whispered softly, closing her eyes for a moment before she looked at her dad facing the wall and she scrunched her face before she realized what she had done. “Sorry daddy,” she mumbled.

Erica noticed Mercedes lips were a bit dry and she reached into her purse, pulling out a lip balm and she gently rolled some into her lips before she said, “I’m going to go get you some ice-chips,” she said gently as she stood up from the bed carefully, exiting the room.

Alexander turned slowly, dragging his hand down his face. “It’s okay,” he said as he walked over to Mercedes. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before he said, “but I think I’m going to go wait in the lobby,” he told them both gently before he left the room.

Samuel looked to Alexander and then to Mercedes before him as her mother gave her chapstick and then got up to get her ice. He stood on his feet, the man had removed himself from the room and Sam watched him go. Just standing there beside her now, wanting to wake himself up a little considering he felt like he wasn’t doing such a very good job helping during her laboring.

“Okay,” Mercedes said to her father as he exited the room and she looked at Samuel as he stood up. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand lovingly. “Lay with me,” she said softly. There was more than enough room in the large bed for the both of them and she just, she needed him there with her right now. “Please,” she whispered gently tugging his hand before she said, “I love you so much,” her eyes filling with tears as she was suddenly overcome with so much emotion. “You’re being so great and helpful,” she said sniffling softly. “Thank you,” she breathed out, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Samuel shifted on his feet gently and he looked down at her as she begged him to lay with her. He didn’t know about this, what if he wasn’t supposed to? “I love you too babe,” he said as she got emotional and he lowered himself on the bed to please her. Still very nervous and concerned as to if he was supposed to or not. Licking his lips, he toed his shoes off and he moved to rest beside her delicately. As she went on to compliment him, he grinned a bit. “Thanks,” he told her sensibly. After all she entrusted him and he was living up.

Mercedes’ eyes shined with tears as Samuel climbed into the bed with her and she scooted over a bit more, making room for him. She kissed his lips, her eyes closing as she laced their fingers once more, her head resting on his chest. “You’re so amazing,” she whispered emotionally, sniffling a little as she blinked, more tears falling dampening his shirt. “I just want to hold him,” she cried now. Gripping his shirt on her hand.

Samuel wrapped an arm around her as she continued to cry and he kissed her back sweetly. “Shh,” he told her softly, he really wasn’t doing much in comparison to her and he knew that to be a fact. He held her close to him as she cried and he pecked her forehead sweetly. “I know, I do too,” he told her. “In time, this will be all over, it will just be a memory and he’ll be here,” he told her, rubbing her back as he cradled her. “If you need the epidural babe, get it. I don’t want you hurting,” he said softly. “If it’s too rough, forget what I said,” he breathed.

Holding onto Samuel, Mercedes cried as he tried to sooth her. She listened to his words of encouragement and she nodded against his chest, trying to suck up her tears. “I know,” she mumbled, her plump bottom lip trembling as she pulled her head back, looking into his eyes. “I don’t want it,” Mercedes told him. It wasn’t just him asking her not to get one anymore. Mercedes truly didn’t want an epidural. She knew the risks of getting one and she knew that she was strong enough to endure the pain without it.

Erica returned, holding a cup of ice cups and a cup of water for Mercedes. As she entered the room, she smiled softly at the couple, sitting the cup of water down as she gently leaned over Samuel in the bed to feed Mercedes a few of the ice cups. “Excuse me,” she said to Samuel as she did.

Samuel looked to Mercedes and he nodded his head at her. “Okay,” he said simply. She had made up her mind and he wouldn’t force her into either direction, he wanted her to do what it was she wanted to. As her mother returned with water and ice, he nodded to her and drew back from Mercedes a little allowing her the access she needed to receive the ice.

Mercedes looked at her mother as she re-entered the room and she opened her mouth, accepting the ice thirstily. She crunched on the pieces, the simple act giving her a relief that she had never known before. She sighed out, closing her eyes as she ate the ice, her hand still clutching Samuel’s shirt. “Thank you,” she said to her mother before she began to pant and grunt through another contraction. She turned into Samuel; her face pressed into his chest as she groaned out.

Mercedes seemed to find relief in the ice and that made Samuel feel a lot better knowing that. As another contraction hit her, he licked his lips and reminded her. “It’s okay, breathe, it’s almost over,” easily as his hand rested on her bare thigh.

The young nurse made her way towards room 410 taking easy strides as she did. Honestly, this kid amused her because he simply wanted to take his time and there was nothing they could do but watch and wait. It had been an hour or so since she last checked on the teen and she now made it her top priority. She needed to know how she was progressing. Knocking on the door the woman entered. “Hey,” she announced to the small group, “here to check up on you,” she said easily grabbing some gloves and putting them on. Jackie moved towards the girl’s monitors checking those first before she moved alongside them, “excuse me dad” she told the large boy moving closer to Erica as she prepared to check Mercedes cervix.

Mercedes inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to work through the pain as best she could. She continued to grip Samuel’s shirt as he soothed her with his words and she nodded slightly, huffing and puffing until her pain went away. She let out a sigh of relief and loosened her grip on his shirt as the nurse moved through the door. She looked at the woman, carefully rolling into her back knowingly.

Jackie looked to Mercedes as she positioned herself on the bed. “Let’s see,” she told her as she moved her gloved hand between the girls legs gently. It took no time before she removed her hand and her gloves. “You are exactly 5 centimeters now,” she said. “So, about a centimeter an hour seems to be the new pattern,” she told her. She moved to look at the contractions the girl had, had while she was gone, holding the long piece of paper out and she asked her. “Did you want an epidural sweetie?” tearing off a portion of the log and taking it with her as she stood at the foot of the bed, folding the paper accordingly.

Mercedes allowed the woman to check her dilation and when she finished, she immediately turned back over, rolling into Samuel as she did. Her large belly rested against him as she listened to the nurse, nodding. “So, in 5 more hours I’ll be ready to push?” she asked, that was a long time. She was going to have to get more sleep. At the question, Mercedes shook her head. “No, thank you,” she told the nurse as she looked at her mother, reaching over Samuel to get the cup of ice.

Samuel shifted sitting up on the bed, he wanted to move however the nurse had done so and went to the other side. She checked Mercedes and stated that she was now 5 centimeters, they were closer than before. Which was good.

“Are you sure?” Jackie asked Mercedes. “Look, this is a serious topic, once you move past a certain point you can’t have it. There will be nothing we can do to alleviate the pain for you,” she said trying to reason with the young girl. Girl’s her age couldn’t handle the pain and the ones that tried just ended up screaming up and down the hallway all day and night. She was trying to help her, help herself.

“I’m sure,” Mercedes said after she listened to the woman try and talk her into getting one. “I’ll be okay,” she said with a bite of her lip as she looked to her mother for a moment. She then closed her eyes and rested her head on Samuel’s chest once more.

Samuel looked to Mercedes as she shifted against him again and he rubbed her arm idly.

Jackie looked to the girl, biting back a bit of remorse for her because honey she’d be begging for it later. “Okay, no problem,” she said happily however, “if you need me you know what to do. I am going to update Dr. David,” she breathed before she scurried off.

Xxx

Several more hours had passed and now Mercedes laid screaming in pain as she withered in the bed. She gripped Samuel’s hand hard in her arm as she hollered at the top of her lungs, sweat pouring down her body. “I have to push,” she begged. “Please!” She cried out looking at Samuel pleadingly as she crushed his hand.

Samuel looked to Mercedes wildly, she needed the damn epidural and she turned it down. He knew she needed it, he felt it in his gut and now here she laid a sweaty mess who stopped at no end to let the entire floor know she was dying apparently. He pulled his eyes away from Mercedes and looked at Erica with large eyes, pleading with her silently to help him because Mercedes had ultimately lost her mind. At her words he looked at her. “Babe, I-I-” he stuttered, “I can’t get the nurse because you won’t let me go baby,” he stressed to her as she crushed his hand and by this time Samuel couldn’t take that anymore either. “Switch hands,” he begged her as he tried to pull his current one away.

Mercedes clutched Samuel’s hand as she panted and groaned out. She could actually feel it. Their son was ready to come out but she knew she couldn’t push until someone was there to catch him. “Fuuuuuuck!” She screamed out as she fought the urge. She looked at Samuel, then at her mother as she allowed Samuel to switch his hands out and she gripped that one tightly now as she cried.

Erica stood up from her spot as Mercedes screamed and cried and she marked her place in the magazine. She moved before Mercedes, lifting the cover to see that she was indeed crowning and her eyes bulged. “Okay, Samuel it’s really time,” she told him as she reached for Mercedes call button and sat the magazine aside as she moved to Mercedes other side, brushing her hand over Mercedes forehead gently. “Okay, you’re going to need to breathe,” she said.

Samuel got her to switch hands and he offered the other one to her. Exhaling and inhaling deeply he was so irritated himself right now. However, he allowed her to use him at the punching bag she needed until all was said and done.

Jackie moved down the hall, Mercedes call button had been pressed. She smoothly walked in, though you could hear the girl from the hallway. She was trained to keep calm so that’s what she did. She walked in the room and grabbed some gloves. “You rang?” She asked them as she watched the girl. “Oh momma,” she told her sweetly as she rested her hand on her thigh. “You are ready to rock and roll huh?” She asked her as she lifted the sheet covering the child’s legs. “Yep,” she said to herself, “let me page Dr. David, Mercedes and then I can get you going okay,” she told her as she did so quickly. Once that was done, she moved to near Sam. “Dad may I,” she said parting their hands herself for a moment as she moved to situate Mercedes the way she needed her on the bed. “Come down a little for me,” she said assisting the girl as she shifted the pillows and moved the setting on the bed around.

Mercedes held Samuel’s hand tightly as the nurse came into the room. She looked at the woman, biting her lip hard as she gloved herself and double checked. She nodded slowly, her nails digging into Samuel’s hand as she clutched it. As the woman separated their hands, she gripped the nurses arm, sliding down the bed as she assisted her. She moved her hips down the bed carefully, whimpering as she did.

“You gotta breathe girl,” Jackie told her. “You told me you got this and that you were strong,” she reminded, giving her a knowing look. “Don’t coward out on me just yet, his head isn’t even out,” she smirked. As she got Mercedes where she wanted her, she asked “stirrups?” Softly, these days women gave birth in all kinds of positions. Jackie didn’t leave it to the hospital to control that for them, she preferred comfortable mothers. She moved to place some more bed pads down before she tossed Samuel some gloves and Erica some gloves smoothly. “Just in case,” she said knowing people had all kinds of weird requests like catching the child themselves, which she wasn’t opposed to. However, she was very hygienic in the matter. “Push girl,” she told her easily as she moved the doctor’s chair before Mercedes, his head in no way would come out the first or second push, this she knew. So, she’d take the time to finish, however, relieving her was also on her to do list. “Dad, Mom,” she said looking to them both, “you can hold her legs back, less work for her,” she suggested.

Mercedes exhaled harshly at the woman’s words and she nodded her head. “I am strong,” she groaned out as she continued to fight the urge to push, it was literally killing her on the inside to do so. “No, no stirrups,” she panted out, looking over at Samuel with fresh tears in her eyes. She laid there, trying to catch her breath and calm herself down as one contraction rolled into the next and she growled out, loudly as the woman told her to push. She bared down with all her might, screaming out from the pain as she flexed, pushing as hard as she could as she now gripped into the railing as her mother and fiancé held her legs.

Samuel watched as the woman took over, she was so tiny and small, yet she dominated the three of them with ease and she couldn’t be any older than 22 in his mind. The woman commanded Mercedes to push and Samuel looked at her crazily. “Dr. David?” he questioned looking to Erica before he moved to Mercedes ounce more. However, he did as he was told and he held her legs back as she pushed their son out before him. “Do you need my hand?” he asked her softly.

Jackie looked to Samuel. “Here,” she said as she placed Mercedes foot in Samuel’s hand, “let her push against the both of you,” she said easily as she used a cloth to pat Mercedes face dry. “Oh, you came to show me huh?” she asked with a smirk, “that’s a good push momma,” she coach easily before she told Samuel, “he’s down the hall, I can feel it,” before she moved back between Mercedes legs. “He’s right there,” she said eyeing the child, she stuck her hand out. The boy's head was right there for the world to see but Mercedes hadn’t even begun the ring of fire process yet. His head hadn’t begun to stretch her yet, he’d have to come further down.

Mercedes panted now, that pushing taking a lot out of her. She laid back, her chest rising and falling rapidly as they held her legs open wide. Mercedes closed her eyes, nodding at Samuel before she opened them, taking his hand as another contraction hit her. She screamed out, the back of her throat burning as she pushed, lifting up in the bed some as her legs trembled from the force. “Fuuuuuuuuuuck!” she cried out at the top of her lungs her eyes closed as she crushed Samuel’s hand with a strength she had never known before.

Samuel watched Mercedes and he even looked to the nurse before he saw her doctor rushing into the room. The woman was right somehow, how did she know that? Anyhow as Mercedes screamed again, he looked down at her. “Babe you aren’t breathing,” he stressed as she continued to do nothing more but scream in his opinion. He licked his lips as she bared down again.

Jackie shifted leaning back up. “Hey, hey,” she said looking to Mercedes. “Stop screaming,” she said softly, “you have to breathe through them, count to 11 with me,” she said easily. She began to count down as the girl began to push “1, 2, 3, 4...” she said slowly as her doctor began to dress himself.

Dr. David finally reached Mercedes room and he grabbed a mask placing it over his mouth, before he washed his hands dressing himself all up before he sat down before Mercedes looking to Jackie as she coached. He finally exhaled after moving down the hallway as quickly as he could, you couldn’t miss her room because the whole hall heard her.

Mercedes looked at Samuel as he told her she wasn’t breathing and she growled at him before she looked at the nurse and she growled at her as well, dropping her head back. She finished pushing as her contraction subsided and she panted hard now. “2… 4…” Mercedes huffed and puffed as she stayed raised up on her elbows as the doctor walked in and she let out a sigh of relief as she wiped some sweat, plopping back down on the bed as she loosened her grip on Samuel’s hand, her thumb stroking over the back of it now.

Samuel watched Mercedes as she growled at him and his eyebrows threaded together. Before the nurse told her the same and she obliged counting with the woman as she instructed. “You are doing good,” he said despite his true feelings.

Jackie nodded her head at Mercedes. “That’s right,” she told her as the girl leaned back. She walked around the doctor and she began to set up the child’s little station off to the side. The next push to hit, she’d be back at the girl’s side to help her through.

Mercedes continued to count as she breathed hard, catching her breath a little. “6…8… 10… 12… 14…” she counted as her eyes shifted to her mother, who was right by her side, rubbing her arm and whispering to her that she was a warrior and that she could do this. She turned her head to look at Samuel once more, giving him a small curl of her lips before she groaned out as another contraction rippled through her body and she grunted, fighting the urge to scream as she pushed hard, breathing harshly. “1… 3.... 5… 7…” she tried to count as she pushed trying to remember to breathe as he did. “Uhhhhhhhh,” she ended up screaming anyway.

“Very good Mercedes,” Dr. David said to the girl encouragingly. He used a gauze to clean the child’s head of any gunk. As she began to crown fully, here came the uncontrollable burning and ripping feeling she’d experience as the experience what most call the ring of fire. “Keep pushing, big pushes,” he said using his finger to widen the hole for the child knowingly.

Jackie heard the girl restart her counts and she walked over, draping a blanket over her still rounded stomach. “Good, good,” she said, “work through the pain, keep breathing,” she told her. “You are going to feel a lot of pressure Mercedes, he’s right there. He’s close,” she told her as she grabbed the girl’s hand ushered it between her legs, allowing her to feel her own son’s head. “He’s right there keep pushing,” she told her. “8, 9, 10, 11…” she said with her, like most did she pressed down at the top of Mercedes stomach helping the child and the mother as she pushed.

“Ohhh myyyy Gooooood,” Mercedes cried out as the pain seemed to intensify beyond imagination. All of the counting and trying to focus on breathing went out of the window as his tiny head began to really push through, stretching her wider. She screamed out, bearing down hard, her body jerking as she squeezed Samuel’s hand even harder. She pushed and pushed, tears spilling from behind her closed eyelids as the nurse grabbed her hand and guided it down. She felt the top of her son’s head and her eyes sprung open, wide and red with tears as she looked at the nurse, still groaning, growling, and screaming in pain as her chest heaved.

Jackie looked to Mercedes and she said, “shh,” to her silencing her screams. “Mercedes,” she said with a stern voice, if her mother wasn’t going to do it, she was. “Breathe!” she commanded as she felt the boys head for herself. “Screaming isn’t helping momma, calm down,” she said trying to reason with the child. “Tell her,” she said looking at Samuel as she moved to see how close they were to the child actually arriving.

Mercedes stared at Jackie as she felt the infant's head before she looked at Samuel huffing and puffing. Switching hands, she brought their intertwined hands down between her legs so Samuel could feel it too as she breathed hard, calming herself as Jackie told her too. She began counting once more, her chest rising and falling as she stopped pushing, her head falling back as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

Samuel looked to Mercedes, Jackie had parted their hands again and thank God for it. It gave him a break as Mercedes felt the top of their son’s head. However, as his girlfriend snatched his hand up, he felt the top of their son’s head, well mainly all the hair he had and he smirked. “He’s almost here babe, it’s going to be over soon,” he told her, trying to encourage her to stay steadfast and strong.

Jackie looked to Mercedes as she quieted down and she moved from her spot, she finished the last of what she had to set up off to the side. Once she did, she moved back against the bed and she smiled at Mercedes as she counted.

Dr. David allowed Jackie to run the show, that is what she happened to do in the delivery rooms in this hospital. She was young but fiery and he didn’t mind her at all. She kept the mother in line. Despite their hands the man was more than capable of doing his job and honestly if she gave him one more big push, his head would be out. Every time she stopped it prolonged his arrival. “One more big push Mercedes, all your might,” he suggested easily.

Erica stood there, holding Mercedes leg back with one hand, the other stroking her daughters hair silently because she had gone and purchased some ear plugs from the gift shop hours ago. She couldn’t hear much of anything but it wasn’t like anyone knew that because her full hair hid the fact. She had endured Mercedes screaming until she just couldn’t anymore. She had told the girl to get an epidural, now look at her. She went through the motions, her eyes watching everyone as she stayed silent.

Mercedes cried, tears rolling down her plump cheeks as she felt all their hair on top of their son’s head. She was exhausted but feeling him for the first time made it all worth it and re-invigorated her to finish strong. At the Doctors orders, Mercedes geared up, feeling the contraction building and as it hit, she pushed hard, breathing in and out, panting a little as she did. She grunted and groaned but she continued to breath as she growled out, pushing with all that she had.

Jackie watched as Mercedes continued to push and she stood at the foot of the bed, this was it. After this push she may need to supply another, but the little boy was going to be born in just a few seconds.

Samuel watched as she cried and he used his free hand to wipe her tears idly, she was in so much pain. He hated it. He moved his hand only to grab her leg as he were supposed to and he watched as she pushed. “Good babe, just like that,” he told her knowingly. Their son was going to be born any second he couldn’t wait to see and hold him.

Mercedes pushed harder and harder until his little head was out and she felt a moment of relief, the stretching had stopped now that his head was out but she was completely unprepared for his shoulders and she screamed for a moment before clamping her lips, breathing harshly through her nose.

Dr. David looked to the little boy as his head finally appeared, he moved to unwrap his umbilical cord form around his neck. It had been wrapped around twice and he noticed that his body was not budging even as his mother pushed. “Stop pushing,” he told Mercedes slyly as he grabbed a suction and cleared the boys nose and mouth. The boy must have been stuck.

Mercedes stopped mid-push as the doctor commanded her too and she looked down at the man, huffing and puffing as she did. Once again, the urge to push and not doing so was killing her. She blinked slowly, looking at the man in a daze. Was he out? Was her son born? She looked over at the nurse as she stood there before she looked at Samuel and her mother, “w-what’s happening?” she asked.

Jackie looked at the little boy and then Dr. David, she shifted breezing past Erica. She moved in place with the woman. “It’s fine,” she said to the girl. “He’s just having a little trouble coming on down baby girl,” she breathed out to her gently. Her demeanor changed; they had a short period of time to get him out considering he was not breathing at all. “Momma look at me,” she said to Mercedes. “Dr. David is going to shift him; you are going to push and so am I,” she said seriously. “Push with all you might Mercedes ignore the pain, we need to get him out,” she said. “We can count again, okay, let’s go. 1, 2, 3, 4,” she said as Dr. David did his deed and she pressed her hand against Mercedes stomach harshly to assist.

Samuel looked to the doctor pushing was a good thing, so what was happening? He looked down at the blueish tint baby and he swallowed hard, shit, they didn’t come this far for something to happen to him right? He looked at Mercedes and then the nurse, he was nervous now for the first time as his heart began to race.

Erica noticed the change in the mood in the room and she looked at the expression on Mercedes face before she discreetly took out the ear plugs and caught onto what was happening, finally she spoke, “stay calm and just push,” she told Mercedes looking down at the baby as he turned a little blue. “Just push,” she repeated again, growing a little panicked herself as she looked at the child’s face.

Mercedes looked at Jackie as she explained that he wasn’t coming out and she panicked slightly before her mother told her to stay calm and she tried her best as she looked at Jackie nodding slowly. She was scared, tired, and most of all, she just wanted to hold her son. She began pushing as Jackie told her too, breathing in and out deeply as the doctor rotated the baby, causing her excruciating pain but she bit back her scream as she turned her eyes, focusing on Samuel as Jackie pressed hard against her stomach and she huffed and puffed, crying out as she pushed harder and harder, “UUUUUUUUUUUGH!”

Dr. David looked up at Jackie as she assisted him and he was quiet as he shifted the child. Something he did plenty of times before, it was an easy medical emergency for him however other parties involved, not so much. Once he did so, he watched the little boy as he moved into his hands slowly, leaving his mother’s body fully as she screamed out. “Alright,” he said as he placed him on top of the blanket and he smiled, “a boy,” he breathed, “a big boy,” he added as she moved to finish his work. The child didn’t cry right away, and he noticed that, as he looked to Jackie again, clamping off the umbilical cord. “Cry big guy, I know you want to,” he said to the child. He nudged Samuel handing him the scissors to cut the cord, rather breathing or not the child had to be separated from Mercedes so that they could assist.

Jackie pressed against Mercedes stomach as hard as she needed to until the child was out. “Good girl,” she told the girl as Dr. David rested him against Mercedes. He didn’t cry, which was okay. She used the blanket to clean him up a bit and turned him slightly as he got his color back. She spanked his little bottom gently to kick start his cries. The sooner he cried meant the moment his lungs would fill with air and push out any other fluid though his mouth and lungs. “You gotta cry” she said tilting her head at him as she continued to clean him off for the couple roughly until the baby finally cried and she smirked. “Thank you,” she said before she looked to Samuel, “cut dad,” she said.

Samuel eyebrows rose as they tried to work the child out of Mercedes, when they finally did, he watched him. He wasn’t crying still and no one said why. As their nurse tried to make him cry, Samuel grabbed the scissors but he didn’t use them because he was shaking with fear. Once the child cried, he sighed heavily and did as Jackie told him to, cutting where the doctor instructed before he moved back to their son. “You did it and he’s okay,” he said to her kissing her forehead lightly, his other hand resting on their son’s tiny back as he laid against Mercedes chest.

Mercedes let out a deep grunt as the child body slid from her and she panted softly, dropping back on the bed exhausted. She closed her eyes, trying to gather herself as their son was cleaned off slightly and laid on her chest. She brought her hand up, resting it on his little butt as she held him close, eyes still closed until he finally began to cry. She opened her eyes, looking at Samuel then down at their son on her chest and she let out a deep sigh of relief as fresh tears began to fill her eyes. “Oh, he’s perfect,” she whispered emotionally as Samuel kissed her forehead. “I did it.” She breathed out looking down at his tiny body wiggling against her chest as he cried. His cries made her chest tighten and she shifted his little body, cradling him in her arms. “It’s okay,” she whispered to him, gazing into his wide gray eyes.

Samuel smiled down at Mercedes, nodding his head, the kid was perfect and they managed to make him. He was shocked. He reached for his fingers, holding them as long as the squirming boy would let him. He took in his features. his hair, and his eyes for a moment before he noticed how long the little boy was and he smirked. He was a big boy just like their doctor said.

Jackie looked at the little boy one last time, he was a cutie pie if she ever saw one. She assisted Mercedes doctor in the removal of the after birth, the newborn baby was always a great distraction when it came to that. She took some cord blood and she began to clean up the small area they occupied. “I’ll give him right back,” she told Mercedes lovingly as she gathered the boy, taking him over to the bassinet where she took his temperature, checked his respiratory system, heart rate, weight, and length. Once she was done with that, she cleaned him up a little more; baby's first bath they call it. She cleaned the area around his cord making sure it was clamped off properly, she made sure to clean his eyes and she smiled, they were grey and bright. He was alert, she placed a small amount of ointment on both before she logged his time of birth, the day, and she made prints of his little feet. She cleaned his feet off once more, placed a little hat on his head for warmth, placed a little diaper on his bottom before she placed his wrist and ankle bracelets on. Such a crucial and important step if she wanted to keep her job. She grabbed a fresh blanket for him and she hoisted all 8 pounds and 10 ounces of him up before she brought him back to Mercedes. She placed the little boy on her chest, shifting ever so slightly to give them some skin to skin contact before she draped his blanket over him and tucked it into his sides for warmth. “You did it girl, all natural. How do you feel?” she asked her as Dr. David stitched Mercedes up gently. There wasn’t too much damage done, only about a stitch or two on both sides where needed. “Think your good?” she asked her. “Need me to get you something?” she asked her. “I want you to rest a little before we try to get him to latch on for his first feeding,” she said as she placed his name card on his bassinet and scribbled on the board in the room.

Mercedes couldn’t help but to smile at Samuel, despite how tired she was. They had a child. An actual baby. Wow. She looked down at their son as Jackie took him and cleaned him up more. She laid there, closing her eyes once more. He was a long, slightly chunky little boy and had taken so much out of her, but she wanted to stay awake to enjoy him. At this point she was so numb she didn’t even feel the doctor stitching her up. As Jackie placed the baby boy back on her chest, she placed her hand on his back gently. “I am exhausted,” she admitted. Looking back at Jackie, she nodded. “I am fine,” she said looking down at the boy as he rested quietly on her now. She looked at Samuel, her freehand reaching for his. “Look at what we created,” she said sniffling a little.

Samuel stroked Mercedes hair and when Jackie moved to leave their side with the boy, he couldn’t help but to follow her. He pulled his phone out his pocket and he snapped photos of their baby boy as he watched him get cleaned up. After he got some footage for himself, he moved towards Mercedes again and smiled at her. Her doctor finished his deed and he moved to leave them be, he figured her nurse had everything covered. Samuel watched as their son was placed back against Mercedes chest and he held her hand in his. “I know,” he said looking into his son’s eyes again. “Hey,” he said to him stroking his cheek lightly, Samuel leaned down and pecked the boys cheek before he kissed Mercedes. “So proud of you babe,” he said lovingly, “thank you,” he added confidently.

Closing her eyes once more, Mercedes felt at peace with their son on her chest and she shifted slightly, her hand still holding him protectively. As Samuel kissed his cheek, the infant cooed softly. “Do you want to hold him?” She asked opening her eyes to look at Samuel as she offered up the child to him. “Thank you,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without you by my side.”

At Mercedes words he nodded his head as he rested against the bed a little. “Yeah I do,” he said, very eager to hold their baby boy. He wanted to wait for his time but honestly, he couldn’t wait. Samuel looked at her and he smirked. “You did good babe, I’m glad I was some kind of support for you,” he told her honestly.

Mercedes smiled gently, handing the infant over to Samuel carefully, making sure Samuel was supporting his little head as she gave him over. Slowly she laid back, closing her eyes once more. “You’re always going to be my rock,” she said softly as she shifted in the bed slightly, wincing a little as she did. She looked over at her mother, then at Jackie before she asked, “how long will I be sore?” before she reached for her mother’s hand.

Erica brushed her fingers through Mercedes’ hair and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m so proud of you,” she told Mercedes truthfully. “A little warrior,” she confirmed kissing her forehead once more before she reached over and grabbed a damp cloth wiping around Mercedes’ face, cooling her down some.

Jackie looked to Mercedes and she unhooked monitors and tucked them away. She checked Mercedes vitals and heart rate before she looked to her, “give it a couple hours momma, he had to stitch you up a little,” she said as she rounded the bed carrying on with her task.

Samuel shifted, accepting their son and he wrapped him up in his blanket watching him closely and he held him as delicately as he could. He felt like he could break him, he was big but small and he fit comfortably in Samuel’s large hands. He pecked his forehead gently and watched as he closed his eyes. “He must be tired,” he chuckled gently, “I don’t blame him,” he said to looking over at her.

Nodding slowly at Jackie’s answer, Mercedes laid there, eyes closed as her mother wiped sweat from her face. She was sure that she looked a mess. However, she had a baby, she had the right to look a mess. As she laid there, eyes closed, she began to feel the exhaustion full force and before she knew it, she was asleep.

[larriefails]

I was scrolling thru ur blog & I just read that post u made about Harry being more 'palatable' to Larries but that they don't really love the real him, could u elaborate on that a little more? Ur one of the only antis that's willing to accept Harry's sexuality instead of pushing it aside & only focusing on him & women & I think it's impt to bring that to the discussion as well. Ls really pushed Harry to be open about smth he probably wasn't ready for so early, that & the biphobia, whew chile

I’d written so much and tumblr just ate it up ugggh

Okay, here we go again. There’s so much to unpack

First of all, I want to clarify, because this has happened before, that I’m not comfortable with you implying I’m the “Not Like Other Girls” of antis. Don’t compare me. I like those blogs, so..

Second of all and in the same vein, I don’t think I’ve seen any antis that are not willing to accept Harry’s sexuality. None of them are out there calling him straight, if that’s what you’re implying (at least none that I’ve seen)

Third of all, I think you don’t realize how hard it is to maintain a line with a blog like this one, where people come discourse about Larries (especially when you yourself are bisexual). I was ecstatic when Harry expressed those parts of his sexuality because I’ve been a fan of his since my early teens and it’s just really cool to see yourself somewhat represented in someone you’ve loved so dearly for so long. But I understand that I have a responsibility to not project my own feelings and desires onto him, and especially not doing it in a public forum where it has the potential of snowballing

Also, Larries abstractly accept Harry’s attraction towards men (I say abstractly because they turn vicious at the idea of him with any man that isn’t Louis, and any potential boyfriend Harry could get in the future would definitely get attacked). So there isn’t really much of a point in mentioning it in most of the posts I make. I’ve shoehorned it in in several that didn’t really call for it and realized after posting, and that’s most likely because of my own projection. If that’s what you feel makes me “Not Like Other Antis” then that’s not really a positive trait of mine, so I wouldn’t really praise it

It’s much comfortable and easy territory to talk about Harry’s attraction to women because it’s been piling on for years. No matter how many times Larries try to claim all of it is a stunt, reality says differently. Harry has talked about girlfriends in interviews and on stage, he has expressed attraction towards women, often bringing it up himself, has written songs about women. And the point is that Larries refuse to accept it, attack all the women linked to him, attack his team for “forcing him” to talk about it, even go on to say that he didn’t really write a majority of his album, so it becomes important to say that’s not the case in blogs like ours

When it comes to attraction to men, it’s only recently that Harry’s been more concrete (if you can call it that) about the subject, and there really isn’t much of a solid ground for us to feel like we can discuss it as openly as we do with his attraction towards women. Not without verging on projecting (and sometimes tinhatting) territory. I’m not here to discount Harry’s expressions of his sexuality, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like I have to be a little more vague about it, because Harry has been a little more vague about it. I just want to follow his lead because ultimately, it’s really none of my business. Sure, he made jokes before, and as non-straight person myself they pinged to me. I’m not gonna pretend they didn’t. But at the time, I really didn’t feel comfortable doing more than acknowledging he’d made them because it just wasn’t enough to go on. Straight men joke about that too, sadly (and I say sadly because I don’t like it when straight people joke about not being straight). And it could’ve also been jokes that weren’t even meant to be taken that way. Obviously now in hindsight they ping even more loudly to me, but I still don’t think they’re “proof” of anything, just something that gets me “okay... so this happened.” They could totally be the typical “testing the waters jokes” that most non-straight people do when they meet new people, they could even be the dumb jokes you just can’t help yourself making that could out you if you hit the wrong tone but narrowly avoid it because you’re being funny. But they could also just be jokes with no ulterior meaning

The bottom line is that, personally, when Harry said he didn’t label his sexuality, he knew how many of his fans thought he wasn’t straight. He knew of all the rumors. And when he wrote Medicine and chose to sing it on tour after saying he didn’t label his sexuality and all those years old rumors, he knew what he was doing. I don’t think for a second he’s stupid enough not to realize what those two things would cause, and I don’t think for a second he’s malicious enough to queerbait. So to me, it’s another thing about himself, he has green eyes and dimples, trips over his own feet, has annoyingly good reflexes, likes tattoos, is attracted to men in some capacity, is attracted to women, likes rock music, and has a half silly/half dry sense of humor. I don’t feel comfortable making more definite statements than that or putting a label on him when he’s explicitly rejected them before, and I definitely don’t have headcanons about him with men

If in the future he decides to share more, then I’ll gladly accept it and discuss it, but I will go as far as he wants to go and nothing more than that. I don’t think that’s “pushing it aside” I think it’s just being respectful

With your last two points I DO agree but I don’t think other antis shy away from that, and I actually don’t think I’ve talked about either of those things, at least not as main subjects of anything

The biphobia among Larries is rampant and disgusting. Anything that isn’t 100% gay is labeled as “het”. Larries have called him saying “I mess around with THEM” instead of “HIM” in Medicine “het” which is ABSURD because “them” includes “the BOYS and the GIRLS.” But to Larries he’s a gold star gay and “them”, by including women, would “legitimize his past relationships” and that’s “het”. That and Harry making statements on his sexuality when Louis is “still forced in an iron closet” made their heads explode. This is why I feel it’s important to highlight that Harry isn’t in the closet. He hasn’t come out, but I actually have a feeling that he would never do that. I think he’s just living his life and expressing himself for who he is and it just so happens to include that part of himself, like it happens to include his quirky sense of fashion or other aspects of his personality. He’s not actively trying to hide it, his girlfriends aren’t beards, his song lyrics aren’t stunts or coded metaphors for the burden of his fame. He just doesn’t fit the definition of a closet. It’s just that society tells you that there’s an actual drawn line between those two states, when for a lot of people that’s not the case. And I think Harry is also very idealistic and would love for that to be everyone’s reality. Like when he said he doesn’t feel equality should be political. No, my child, it shouldn’t but it is. And no, people shouldn’t have to come out and make statements on their sexuality, but society is still very into boxing people anyway. Sorry, I lost my train of thought

Anyway, Larries can’t just have Harry and Louis in this idyllic romantic relationship that never broke up in nine years. They also have to have them both being 100% gay and allergic to women. I think it’s part of their insecurity in their own conspiracy, but also, a lot of internalized misogyny and a fuckton of biphobia. If they acknowledged Harry’s attraction towards women, then he’d be a flight risk because the bi stereotype is cheating (not calling Harry bi, btw, it’s a stereotype applied to everyone that’s attracted to more than one gender, but it’s simplified as a bi stereotype). It’s easier for them to rationalize that all of Harry’s expressions of attraction towards women (and there’s been A TON) are just jokes or stunts or things he was forced to say and do. It soothes them and makes them believe in their ship with more ease

And the last point of how they pushed Harry to be open about something he wasn’t ready for so early. I mean, I don’t think Harry started being open about it before he was ready and I don’t think he lets himself be pushed by fan entitlement. He might be a “fluffy cupcake” but he’s very assertive when he needs to be. He draws a line and doesn’t let you cross it. So I think he expressed himself how he wanted and when he wanted. But Larries did TRY to push him. They made assumptions very early on, used a ton of stereotypes, analyzed things he probably didn’t even realize he was doing, and were all around disgusting. We don’t know how Harry’s journey with his own sexuality has been. I know people that didn’t even think they could be anything other than straight until they were well into their 20s. I know others that knew it as children. Once again, I don’t feel comfortable having headcanons or analyzing how Harry’s specific case was/is because it’s none of my business, but yeah, it’s totally possible that a lot of the shit Larries have said and analyzed has caused him harm. Having someone speculate on that sort of thing when you’re not fully conscious of it yet can fuck you up. Having people making definite statements about such private matters when you’re not ready to make them yourself can definitely fuck you up. Larries think all this speculating is them being fantastic allies and showing support, um, no? The opposite?

Do you know how you show support? By supporting the LGBT community and openly LGBT artists. By donating time and money to LGBT charities. By being welcoming and loving towards LGBT individuals. It’s definitely not by speculating on the sexuality of an artist you think might not be straight when they haven’t said anything themselves. That’s the shittiest thing you can do

[missjackil]

Miss Jacki’s top 30 SPN Episodes

#1 Who We Are 12x22

For me, this was as close to perfect as an episode can be!! Both Sam girls and Dean girls should have enjoyed this, and it was bibro Heaven!! Hellers probably still talk about it as the worst episode ever or something hehe.  For starters, we have the boys trapped with Toni Bevell in the bunker. Locked in, no electricity, water, and the air is being pumped out, so of course theres pending doom. After trying to reset the machinery with a spell that failed, the bros try bashing down a wall. This was an awesome scene!! Whats not to love about Sam and Dean in single layers, being all strong and macho??  Exhausted, they sit together, dirty, sweaty, and tired. What an absolute beautiful sight!! When the boys sit together talking, you always have my full attention. Theyre feeling a little hopeless. This really could be the end. Sam opens up, maybe he feels more than a little guilty that things got to this point. Of course, its not his fault really, he didnt know the BMOL were brain washing mom, or had plans to exterminate the American Hunters, he just wanted to help make the world a better place. Sam gives a confession, that once he was in, he just followed, because it was easier than leading. Dean nods in agreement. They both probably liked just being told where to go and what to kill much more than telling others what to do.  So now the boys think theyve lost, and its not the “blaze of glory” theyve always imagined... until.... THE GRENADE LAUNCHER!!!  Toni thinks the boys are lunatics, and well... they are :D Big Beautiful and Dumb!!  They couldnt care less that the whole building might fall on their heads, If they go out, theyre going out with a bang, and on their own terms!! The exchange of looks Sam and Dean gave each other was nothing less than priceless. The grenade explodes, Sam instantly goes looking for Dean. Theres a big hole in the wall,, and no Dean, so he must have gotten out!! But oh shit, the hole collapses!! Sam goes into instant panic mode!! DEAN??? DEAN!!???? He can barely see, the air is thin, and he collapses on all 4s as he sucks all the oxygen thats left by hyperventilating. Just then the door opens and Dean walks in with a bloody busted leg and Sams face lights up. Dean greets him with “Hey Lunatic”” and all order in Sam’s life is restored. We fast forward to Jody’s house where Mary is tied up for attacking Jody. Sam calls other hunters to come help them take out the Brits. Atypical of Sam, he has a pretty long speech, but, he finally gets a good tag line. For years, all we had were things like “I lost my shoe” or “Im a whole new level of freak” but now we have “I want you to follow me” it hits me in the feels when I hear him say this. He’s come so far and grown so much in the last 12 yrs, that he can say these words in confidence. Dean was so proud! This lead to one of my favorite brohugs, that tied in a little bit with my 2nd fav episode, Swan Song (which Ill talk about tomorrow) In Swan Song, Dean was letting Sam go to do his quest on his own. Sam told him “If I do this, and triple lindy into that cage, you know Im not coming back” and Dean says “I know” but this time, Dean is sending Sam off on his quest and hugs him, and tells him “You come back” and Sam says “Promise” (ugggh my heart) seal that with a Winchester “I love you” which was “Bitch” “Jerk” and just the pause and the sweet grin on Sams face when Dean said it, you knew he knew Dean just told him he loves him <3 So Sam goes off.... meanwhile, Dean is now trying to talk to mom while in her head. My heart was flipping seeing chubby happy baby Sam, cooing and playing with his blanket. When Dean goes over to see him, he just seemed so happy to show big grown up Dean his blanket!! The only thing that would have made me feelier, is if Dean picked baby Sam up and cuddled him, and maybe kissed his head (but then I woulda just died and couldnt write this so...)

Sams battle with the brits, was a little lack luster, but its ok because Dean’s scene was awesome. He’s laying it out to Mom, this is whats what.... and instead of making it all about him, he made it about Sam. Basically “you left me with a responsibility I couldnt handle and look what it did to Sam???” I was full on sobbing when he told Mom that Sam was posessed by Lucifer, Tortured in Hell and lost his soul. Some of you got angry that Sam wasnt the one to tell her, but hello... this is Sam we’re talking about. Its never his thing to lay his load on someone else. Sometimes, maybe a little with Dean, but he just wouldnt give all this to his mother. But Dean would for him. She needs to know and Sam wont tell her, so Dean will. He tells Mary he hates her... he says it more than once. I feel it, it comes from his gut. Not just a knee jjerk reaction to anger. He IS feeling this. And Dean Winchester has the most open, and honest moment hes had in a long time, maybe in the whole series “I hate you.... and I love you. I cant.. I cant help it... youre my mom” and without a word of lie, Im crying as I write this. I may be 100% in love with Sam, but Dean is my buddy. Hes messed up and too violent sometimes, but he is so full of love it hurts me, and him too aparently. I know he and Sam have felt exactly this for each other a number of times. It reminds me of what Jared said about Sam and Dean at SDCC2017 “Sam and Dean love each other as much as its possible for two people to love each other... even when sometimes they hate each other a little”:True love is huge and confusing and uncontrolable, and everyone does stupid stuff when they love big. If youre one of those people waiting for and expecting a love that wont ever hurt like hell, you wont ever really experience love.  *ehem* where was I? Oh yes.... ok so, Where Sam and Dean both are at this point, is kind of a role reversal, Sam is doing the fighting and Dean is doing the curing. And this is really cool IMO. And I dont know if youve noticed, but they both had to stop being “them” for a second, and be the other instead. Dean has to get mom out of her head, Sam has to finish off the Brits in the US. if Sam were standing were Dean is right now, what would he do? He would forgive mom, and this is what Dean needs to do. If Dean were standing where Sam is, what would he do? He would trust himself, Sam and his friends, and tell the Brits to fuck off... and this is what Sam did. Sam has issues with second guessing and not trusting his own instincts... but this time he becomes Dean and just says “pass” shoots the computer and Jody kills Hess. (Sam shoulda but oh well) Back at the Bunker, Toni is dead YAAAY and now the fight with Ketch, and mom wakes up and kills him (ish) big win for the Winchesters!! But then comes maybe my favorite moment ever. Dean and Mom are talking, and Dean tells her theyre gonna start over and do it right. Mom is worried, “What about Sam? Im scared.... what if he cant forgive me” Sam walks in, the man  that just took out the big bad BMOL is so soft, and so sad “Mom... you dont have to be scared of me”  OMG FUCKING KILL ME!!! Dont be scared of this huge hulk of a man that kills bad guys and monsters every day and scares the hell out of demons... dont be scared Mom because he loves you. Your deal made his life a living hell, but he forgave you a long time ago. You didnt know what would happen, and hes done the same thing himself. He knows as well as anyone what stupid things we might do for love.  Mom hugs Sam and Sam just looks like the biggest teddybear ever. And if thats not enough, Dean comes in “Im glad youre back man” and hugs him too. Sams face while being wrapped in all this love. All for him!! The whole damn series could have ended there and Id be happy!!  This is why Who We Are is my favorite episode ever!!

[literallyprentissstwin]

Week 7: Monday, June 25th to Sunday, July 1st 2018 

bonjour y´all and welcome back to a new week of my reading list. it´s tuesday when i´m typing this and i already have like 18(!) up until now, so prepare for an ass long list hahah. 

as usual, i picked out my fav stories i read over the week. please don´t be sad if you didn´t make it on the list. it´s just a little sneek of what i read in a week, this is far from everything i read during one week, these are just the fics i loved the most. every writer is unique and awesome in their own way, so shoutout to all of us writers!!! 

i really hope you´ll enjoy the list & don´t forget to leave some love and feedback to the authors! 

- aileen 

1.) Secrets Don´t Deserve Funerals II JJ by @alittlelessthanfandomimagines 

cute perfect ugh. i don´t have any words bc i´m speechless. thank you for adding a new part, i´m in heaven. i love emma´s and jj´s relationship a lot & i really hope spencer gets his sh*** together! great work :) 

2.) Survivor - Chapter 6 & 7 by @docspencerreid 

ugh okay part 6 hurt me so so good and i just love penelope with my whole heart. it´s so so heartbreaking, but so so good. spencer broke my heart as well. and then, part 7...holy shit. why are you doing this to me? like they finally “confessed” their feelings for eachother and then BOOM. i´m crying. can´t wait for the second part :) great job :) 

3.) It Should´ve Been Me by @tenaciousarcadeexpert 

this was a fabulous fic for my challenge :) and wow wow wow my poor heart, i mean who needs a heart anyway? the angst oooooooo god, i was at the edge of my seat. SO.GOOD. i´m beyond speechless. great work & well done! i loved evrey second of it :) 

4.) Petrichor by @dontshootmespence 

cute as fuck. i love when he talks facts and statistics. beautiful, just perfect. my ice cold heart is happy. also RELATIONSHIPGOALS. 

5.) Nightmares by @doctor-daddy-spencer-reid 

this was so beautiful oh my gossshhhh. the emotions, the angst, hurt/comfort = perfectly combined. spencer is such a good boyfriend ugh and you´re so talented, i´m gonna brb crying. 

6.) When We Were Young - Spencer Reid by @playlist-reid 

aw aw are you all trying to kill me with your fics? it´s only tuesday and i already died multiple times (i wrote this part of the list on tuesday hahah). perfect, golden, a must read. 

7.) Later // Spencer Reid by @spencerthepipecleaner  

ANGST OH YES!!!!! but death ugggghhhhh....it´s still so so so good and i loved reading it so so  much! you are all so talented! 

8.) Losing Faith and Family by @alittlelessthanfandomimagines 

this is another fic for my challenge thihi. god this was so good, like you really had me. the angst was def there and i was so sad but then i read the end and ugh awww my heart. great work! 

9.) What are You Doing? (Luke Alvez x Reader) by @dedeimagines 

cute cute cute. adoreable. i love me some good Luke fics and this was a really good one. also Garcia was pretty amazing in it :) well done! 

10.) Drowning by @moonlit-martyr 

masterpiece. i mean it. masterpiece. you are so so talented, this fic was so well written & so good! every emotion was covered. god, so good! 

11.) A Secret Rival by @abcreid 

the end = savage. also i loved how spencer always interrupted her = jealous????? the team was hilarious. great job! 

12.) Sleepless Nights // Spencer Reid by @itsmeedee 

DAD!REID!!!!! *runs around screaming in 20 different languages* this was everything & more. cutenesss overload. though the flashbacks make me sad, please tell me you didn´t kill off the baby´s mom ugh. 

13.) Article of Faith - Chapter 16 & 17 by @dontshootmespence 

aw it´s still so underrated, GO READ THIS SERIES I BEG YOU. okay so part 16: this moment between PG and Pretty Boy was everything. also the relationship between Billiw and Reid makes me happy; they are so cute fml. part 17: he goes to visit the team ugggh. and also the reference to the donuts and when emily came back omg. i like how he continues to support her and how he nevertheless shows interest in what she is doing although he might not like it. such a good bf. i love it so much! great work! 

14.) Chinese Takeout by @inkstainedfanfics 

i loved this fic. it was so so cute and so well written. the end tho :) great work! 

15.) Coffee by @therealtrashhere 

cute cute cute. also, the team was hilarious. can I have someone in my life who also brings me a cup of coffee everyday? maybe spencer himself? thank you! loved it a lot :) 

16.) Number One by @ionlyreadfivebookslastweek 

you had me at angsty. like i´m always there for angst. no matter what. this was so good, like for real. but please don´t fight babes :(((((

17.) Infiltrated: Part 7 by @stunudo 

i think it was beyond time that i add this series to my list. i just needed to do some catching up first, before adding it and let´s just say that this series deserves an award. it only gets better and better from part to part. it sometimes gets confusing but just bc i am so dumb, but it´s so good. go read it! 

18.) question for question by @uncomfie 

you are literally the queen/king of the derek morgan fics. you´re so so good and talented, it hurts. teach me please! i loved it so much ugh. i love a protective derek morgan and i miss him a lot. great work :) 

19.) I´m Sorry by @xocriminal-minds-imaginesxo 

this was a fic for my challenge and i loved it so so much. the angst, omg. my heart ugh. aaron boi ugh what are you doing? but seriously, this boy is too precious for this world. he always wants to protect everyone from this cruel world. you can only love him. the end holy shit. i did not expect this. i hate scratch. well done! 

20.) target - part two, three & four by @uncomfie 

ok folks, if you´re looking for a really good series, this is it! recommend 10/10. this is giving me life istg. one of the best angst series i read so far. they are one hell of a couple, i´m in love. it breaks my heart to see derek so devasted and lost and helpless, my poor baby. but the end was making up for everything. the suspense, and angst, i´m in heaven. def gonna reread it soon. go check it out. it´s so good! well done! 

21.) Long Day? (Spencer x Reader) by @ourhappylies 

cute cute cute. i loved the relaxed reactions of the team & how they all already knew. profilers ahahahhaa. also spencer is so cute, it hurts. well done :) 

22.) Broken // Emily Prentiss by @itsmeedee 

this has been an entry for my challenge. i gave you my fav prompt i had on this list and you used it so well. omg you played the ian doyle card. when i read it, i swear my heart stopped for a minute. my heart broke for emily omg, how could you do this to my baby? preach you for an amazing fic. i loved reading it a lot. the end was soo goood! recommend 10/10!!!

23.) Happy Ending by @xocriminal-minds-imaginesxo 

cramps are shit, worst part of these special weeks yk. but it was so cute and aww spencer, how are you a genius hahahahhaha. also this convo between emily & Y/N and the sarcasm, i´m loving it. the end was so cute, my heart melted. 

24.) Thalassophobia I Matt Simmons x Reader by @youvebeenwinchesterd 

yes, an amazing matt fic <333 there was a little bit of angst, a lot of suspense and some cute shit at the end. the perfect mix. my emotions were in overload. this was so good. i really liked it. matt is so cute. well done :) 

25.) Please be okay (Spencer Reid x Reader) by @dedeimagines 

angst & fluff = AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. my poor spencie. he´s so scared :(((( but the end turns out to be happy thank god! it was a shorty, but really good !:) 

26.) High School Rom-Com by @xocriminal-minds-imaginesxo 

angsty stuff omg. i´ve been blessed this week. the team is so adoreable and caring and comforting omg. also, I loved Luke a lot in this fic. the end made me swoon :)))))

27.) Have It All by @ionlyreadfivebookslastweek 

relationship goals, for real. the reader is so understanding & supportive. caring. this was so freaking cute. i can´t cope. 

28.) Redamancy Pt. 3 by @xocriminal-minds-imaginesxo 

i love this tension between Ella and Luke. and i also love penny in this story a lot. also protective luke is my religion. this is so good! 

29.) I Love You >> Spencer Reid by @eideticreid  

wtf this was so freaking cute???? i´m shook. like really. was this even real? i also cried happy tears while reading this. well done! very well written:) 

30.) A Reunion // Aaron Hotchner by @literallyreid 

another fic for my challenge, y´all are blessing me with your talent. okay, this was really good. like really really. i loved reading it a lot. it also made me miss Hotch an extra lot more, but that´s okay. great work :) 

31.) eleven blocks by @uncomfie 

she did it again. another awesome derek fic. why are you so good at this????? i loved reading this a lot. it was perfect ugh. the end was everything! well done :) 

32.) Alive or Not by @abcreid 

and another fic for my challenge yey :) this was so perfectly angst holy hell. the open end, omg really???? btw i think i swear too much but i can´t help myself. oh and btw your english is really good, so don´t worry!!! :) 

33.) Jealousy by @boywondxrreid 

this was so good. i love how blind reid is. the team was so cute and supportive, understanding and caring. also reid at the end, worrying about the reader. but i´m happy everything turned out well :) 

okay, this has been this weeks list! i really hope you liked it! leave some love to the authors and their stories. we´ll see each other again next sunday! have a good week!

- aileen 

[superlepato]

Harringrove Incubus Au SFW

This is the second part and possible end. I want to thank again a @billyandsteve and @abouttwocats without them this Headcanon wouldn’t be what it is now.

PART 1/NSFW

PART 2

• This is a continuation but exposing other aspects of their relationship. So Steve stays with Billy as his housewife/maid in exchange for sex and lessons on how to be a player.

• Steve becomes friends or at least is in friendly terms with the rest of the tenants in the building. “When did you buy pie” “Mrs. Henderson give it to me for babysitting Dustin” “WHO?” “Your neighbor? They live below you” “…” “They have an orange cat? Dustin is one of the kids that always run on the stairs? For hell Billy, you threw his bike because it was blocking the exit of your car!” “Ahhh…you mean the cat lady and the toothless kid” “BILLY”

• Steve knows more about Billy’s building than Billy, the landlord likes Steve so he gets soft with the rent, which pissed Billy a bit since the landlord never did that to him.

“That’s because you are rude”

• This can’t continue forever. Steve was supposed to a quick job and return so when he didn’t return like he supposed too, his father came to him.

• While Billy is out Steve’s father shows up and tries to take Steve home. Disappointed of his son - @abouttwocats

• He would be really, really disappointed and asks what the hell was he doing all this time? Steve starts to sweat metaphorically because he knows that if he tells his father the truth it’s only going to get worse, let a human train him. His father would kill him for bringing shame to the family.

• They are like top class demons, very respectable in hell. His dad is an incubus and his mother a succubus, usually, two different types of demons don’t mix but there are exceptions.

• Like Steve has always been a bit on the weaker side, and now having a human train him. Steve was wearing the little maid outfit when he was questioned - @abouttwocats

• He would play with the edge of the dress while his father throws lasers with his gaze.

“This human like a little of roleplay before sex, Dad” “So you DO are having sex with him” “Yes” “then why haven’t you return?” “…” “show me your form”

Steve changes and his father see that there isn’t enough development according to the time he is been living with the human. His dad gets so angry that he changes too and is scary, his horns are large and have more than a pair, his skin is dark purple almost black, yellow eyes and fangs sharp like a snake.

• Steve’s whimpering. “I’m sorry, I just like spending time with him. He’s teaching me so much” - @abouttwocats

• Billy returns only to find this big demon terrorizing his babe, and quickly positions between them.

“Stay away from him” “Billy, don’t..” “Why” “That’s.. that’s my dad” - @abouttwocats

• Steve’s dad hates when Steve cries for something that isn’t pleasant, it makes him look weak and soft. Ugggh pure.

• Billy is shocked, this is how his baby should look like? he prefers him the way he is. Takes a mental note of to not feed him with cum for a while.

• After the confrontation with his dad, Billy’s like “you gotta spit”. From there on Steve has forbidden swallow his cum, it took time for him to get used to the idea.

Billy holds Steve’s face in his hand, squishing his cheeks, “spit”. The come dribbles out of his mouth. - @abouttwocats

• Now, we all agree that Steve is expelled and can’t come home ever again, but I did imagine how I would like the scenario to be played. (I didn’t have the time to share this in discord).

• Billy tries to defend him but he is only human and Steve didn’t want him to get hurt, in the end, his father took him to hell. He is in house arrest waiting to see what the other demons are going to do to him when is obvious his parents have lost any hope for him.

• They decided to expel him instead of exterminating him or turning him into a slave but only because it was found that technically it wasn’t his fault the way he was, it was just his nature.

• Apparently, there was a reason why two different type of demons doesn’t mix apart from chemistry, is because the spawn of such union could come with side effects.

• He was born as an incubus, his body function that way but his mind perceive things as a succubus. Two natures clashing, living in contradiction, that’s why he was such a submissive incubus and how he couldn’t feed as a succubus.

• He is happy to return to Billy even though a small part of him is sad that he won’t be able to return to hell, the place might be… hell but it was all he knew.

• Now with Billy, he has to face the reality that he won’t be tasting cum for a while.

Steve would have to beg and throw tantrums for Billy to let him eat his cum. One time he tried to be sneaky and give a blow job while he was sleeping. Billy didn’t find it funny at all, he was punished. “BILLY, please I’m hungry” “There is food in the fridge, I think it is Chinese” “I DON’T WANT CHINESE” “Steve, what I said about yelling?” warns him behind his book “That is rude and good boys aren’t rude” “Damn right” “…

…” “BUT I’M HUNGRY”

• Imagine that one time they came across with one of Steve previous lovers. Nancy, they break up in good terms especially because demons don’t go searching for stability (billy is an exception the same way Steve is an exception to Billy)

Nancy is with Jonathan and they have a small talk, she is happy for Steve and his new boyfriend. The point is, in a way or another she tells Billy about the whole “HARRINGTON EXPERIENCE" (Harrington is the fake last name he uses with Nance)

• Later Billy is like “why is that you never try to woo me and buy me stuff?” “Why would I, the first thing you did when we meet was give me a handjob. It seems pointless to do that when you were so eager to fuck me”

Billy would never say it because it’s dumb and he isn’t the soft one in the relationship but that kind of hurt him.

• Billy wants his Harrington experience, he doesn’t like to be left aside.

Steve notices that Billy is sulking, he doesn’t get the reason but wants to cheer him up and bakes a giant cake and dolls up, making a surprise! with flowers and candles (he gets the idea from human TV) - @billyandsteve

• Billy is so happy that let Steve suck his dick.

• I think he would like food with strong flavors, like spicy food and sweets. I mean he could eat everything, but he would love those flavors no in between. Billy would gross out seeing Steve eating noodles with kimchi and later chocolate pancakes with whipped cream and three toppings of ice cream.

• He can out eat Billy “Where are you keeping that princess”- @abouttwocats

• I mean since he can’t drink his milk, he has to fill himself with other stuff.  He loves human food, there isn’t any food in hell, everything they take is from the humans or other creatures.

• The only time Billy tasted Steve’s cum he burned himself in the throat, he didn’t know that sex demons cum runs hot like HOT TEA HOT. Steve feels guilty for burning Billy’s throat, now Billy has to have a liquid diet or solid food with mushy texture.

Billy is grumpy the whole time, thank God is just for a few days.

• I can’t believe I almost forget to put this part, when Billy punish him he has to punish him making use of his soft side. No cuddles, no kisses, no hugs, no share shower, no more borrowed clothes and stolen sweaters, no more movie nights, no more praises.

•  Steve gets so upset :( he nearly cries and begs Billy to forgive him “Please, I will be good, pretty please Billy” - @billyandsteve

“I promise not to ask for your cum and-and I will not lick the sheets or floor” starts to sniff “Also I pro-pro-promise not to try…to suck your dick while asleep” “I’m sorry Billy, please” big fat drops roll from his cheeks.

• Billy can’t be mad at his Bambi’s eyes and scoops Steve in his arms “That’s my good boy” He pats Steve head gently “Did you learned your lesson?”  - @billyandsteve

• Later everything gets better with Makeup sex.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael After Midnight: The Killing Joke

The Killing Joke is a pretty damn good comic. Considering how much I resent Alan Moore, this should tell you a lot about the overall quality; it’s a fantastic tale of the Joker, featuring a potential origin and an incredible monologue and one final, actually pretty funny joke at the end. It asks the question: can one bad day drive a man to be as evil as Joker? It also is incredibly controversial because Joker pops a cap in Barbara Gordon, shattering her spine and leaving her in a wheelchair. People have long argued that this is some offensive shit, a true “women in refrigerators” moment, a horribly offensive use of the character that turns Barbara into a helpless victim, and honestly, I have to say… these arguments are really fucking stupid. What’s the title of the comic again? Oh, right, The Killing Joke. This comic isn’t about Barbara; hell, it’s not really even about Batman. This is the Joker’s story, first and foremost, so why do people act like it should have focused a bunch on Barbara’s suffering here? There were plenty of stories after that focused on her, and it’s not like she was an undeveloped character here, it’s not like she was created solely for this one moment. Really, this comes across as an occupational hazard more than some evil, misogynistic plot device designed to ruin Barbara.

If you want that, just watch the movie version!

God, how do you fuck up one of the most interesting and fascinating – if not the best – Batman tales ever written? In ways so mind-boggling that I just have to tell you about it, though let’s be real: you already know what they did wrong here. You’ve heard just how poorly they handled this. I’m just here to throw my two cents in.

The tale is, well, The Killing Joke: the Joker tries to drive commissioner Gordon to madness to prove a point, and we get to see what MIGHT be the Joker’s origin. But here, we get an extended prologue! We get to see Batgirl develop, and see her fight a criminal named… ugggh… Paris Franz. He is a creepy rapey pervert with a sick Batgirl obsession. This stuff was clearly put in to alleviate all the “stuffed in the fridge” crap the comic got, and so really doesn’t amount to anything, so you might as well just skip this part. Anyway, can Batman stop the Joker or whatever? I mean, this is kinda rhetorical, you already know the answer.

Let’s just get the prologue part out of the way. How is it? It fucking blows. Moving on.

...Okay, fine, to be fair to this I will explain exactly WHY this blows. One of the biggest problems is Paris Franz himself, a villain so dumb, creepy, and uncharismatic that it makes any scene he’s in a chore to watch. There’s no gimmick to him, no Batman villain colorfullness, he’s just a creepy stalker with a name stupid even by the standards of a universe where there is a guy named Edward Nygma who became a villain called “The Riddler.” I may go so far as to say Paris Franz is the worst Batman villain ever seen in a movie, edging out the awful Bane in Batman & Robin by a bit of a margin, but here’s the thing: if he were the only bad part of this section of the movie, I could forgive it. He’s not. He’s not even the worst part.

No, the worst part is, depressingly enough, Batgirl herself. In their attempts to make the story less sexist by giving Barbara focus, they somehow made the film exponentially more sexist than if they had just done a straight adaptation. Remember when I said The Killing Joke is Joker’s story? This is the kind of thing that happens when you try and make it someone else’s story too. In this, Batgirl is reduced from a kind, badass protege of Batman who decided to fight crime out of her own sense of altruism to a hotheaded young woman who is pretty much obsessed with Batman in an uncomfortably romantic sense. You read that right. In trying to make a story that is already mildly sexist AT WORST less sexist, they turned the badass, capable woman who does what she does because she’s into a good person into a whiny, bitchy moron who does what she does because she wants attention from Batman. It doesn’t take a feminist to tell you that’s fucking sexist.

And, of course, there is the infamous cherry on top of this sundae… a cherry that is popped, by Batman. Batgirl and Batman fuck. I’m not even going to dance around this, this is fucking abysmal and ruins both of the characters and fucks their motivations in the ass. Look Bruce Timm, I get it, you have this weird, creepy desire to ship Bruce and Barbara, I remember the vague allusions to it in Batman Beyond, but for fuck’s sake can you keep it out of The Killing Joke? This leads to Batman being characterized as a creepy pervert, Barbara to being motivated by penis, and this movie being an absolute embarrassment. This is like the most fascinating and spectacular backfire I have ever seen. They so clearly thought the original story mishandled Barbara and treated her in a sexist way, and then they just… make the most misogynistic Batman story put to film. It’s a disrespect to every character involved, except Paris Franz because he blows anyway. And you want to know what the worst part of all this is?

As soon as it’s over, it’s never mentioned again.

Yeah, remember how we’re watching an adaptation of The Killing Joke? Well, as soon as this movie gets past this bullshit and into the adaptation part, it kind of ignores this whole first hour of the film save for a couple of vague allusions. So, ultimately, nothing that happened matters, and it only serves to sully the shit people actually came to see. Are you really going to be kind to the actual adaptation after having to sit through a bunch of boring, pointless filler that does nothing but turn a character into a sexist caricature, make Batman into a creep who fucks the people he’s training, and basically just exists to fill screentime? It’s even worse because, when all is said and done, the actual adaptation of the comic is actually really good, save for a couple of bumps here and there.

Hearing Mark Hamill finally get to read the Joker’s monologue, something he’s wanted to do for years, is just oh so gratifying, and seeing all the insanity of the page come to life on screen, from the Joker’s carnival to the flashbacks of his possible origin, is all so good. Even the final joke, the “killing joke” if you will, is done well. Like this is what we came for! This is what we wanted to see! And yet the lingering problems of the prologue remain, and come to a head in a single line of dialogue.

One of the creepy things about the comic is Joker stripped Barbara naked after shooting her, and showed the pictures to her dad. It’s not outright stated or really implied, but you can come to the not totally unreasonable conclusion that Joker stuck his funny bone into Babs without consent. It’s fucking creepy to think of, and it’s not how I personally interpret it, but it’s there and open to be seen that way if you choose. Now, here, it’s outright stated Joker visits hookers after getting out of jail, and the hooker who says this wonders out loud if he found a new girl since he hasn’t visited them. And so, what was a possible interpretation has gone from an interpretation to basically outright implied. It’s hard not to assume that Barbara was raped with this information given to us, and so the ugly issues of the first half rear again, and suddenly the adaptation we’ve all come to see has become as misogynistic as its detractors have always claimed it to be. Even without the opening part, this would still be gross, creepy, and far worse than what happened in the comic, but in the context of the already sexist chunk of the movie that focused on Batgirl, this just becomes so much worse. This is why the story should never have been about anyone but the Joker, because ultimately nothing Batgirl did in the first part really mattered except to set her up as a wholly unlikable protagonist by the writers smearing her image and turning her into a bimbo who does nothing but crave the Batdick.

Still, ignoring that… the adaptation is good. If you just skip through the whole opening part of the movie, you’ve got a solid adaptation on our hands, with the voicework of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill bringing this infamous story to life. If I recommend this, it’s only for the actual The Killing Joke part; for the love of god, just skip that bullshit with Batgirl in the opening. You’ll have a much, MUCH better experience. As it stands, though, this is an adaptation sullied by well-meaning idiocy, proving once and for all that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

I can’t help put think this movie was some sort of “Springtime for Hitler” ploy; they set out to make the most ass-backwards, unprogressive, misogynistic take on The Killing Joke as possible with tons of awful characterization and terrible decisions, all in an attempt to prove that the original comic isn’t nearly as misogynistic as it’s claimed to be, especially in comparison to this. I mean, if that’s the case… it sure seems to have worked. I definitely don’t think the original comic is a flawless masterpiece or anything – it is something made by Alan “Harry Potter Dick Lightning” Moore after all – but all of its problems are inflamed and exacerbated here, turning it into an offensive caricature that drags the name of its heroes and villains through the mud. In the end, the biggest joke of all isn’t the one Joker tells Batman, but the movie itself. What a waste.

[guys-chill]

My Demons are PTA Moms

Hey so as you know, I love PTA mom jokes and like making names for my friends ect. Well sometimes, when shit hits the fan and there are lots of negative thoughts, so I address each thought as if it were some stuck up lady from the PTA. Here’s my “convo” that happened last night ( I was talking to my friend and basically texted her my thoughts) bc I think it’s funny. If you wanna skip the buildup and go straight to moms, skip the first bit and start where I say YOOT. Theres alot.. yall dont gotta read i know that its alot alot

TW for mentions of rape

Set the scene: My mind is wandering, open to passing thoughts

Me: I wonder why sometimes your brain thinks about nothing. Like, there are so many things to think about, yet I stare at the ceiling thinking about nothing just kind of floating in empty mind space

Me: Now im thinking about [ex bf.] and how i want to work through my [ex bf.] memories with you and [friend’s boyfriend who is also my friend] and how that’s unfair bc its like, yall dont exist to listen to my problems and im thinking i need to face them and get through that wall of pain. Like they’re motly breaking up memories atm. Im trying to avoid them because its hard

Friend: He and I are your friends and part of our job as friends is to listen

Me: :^)

Me: Ye but like no i feel so selfish when we are about me

Friend: But you shouldn’t

Me: You know that meme that’s like “I feel uncomfortable when we are about me”. Mood

Friend: No I don’t

Me: Rip. Yeet bc i wanna face them but i know it’s gonna have me breaking down and I want a hug and like yall aren’t responsible for me or like i j feel bad

Friend: It’s ok dude we’re here for you

Me: But i know i gotta face them but im putting it off rn bc i don’t wanna fall asleep breaking down but why cant i just do it like UGGGH. Like with opening up my feelings door I’ve opened up remembering that i blocked kinda or avoided ahhh lol my mind is riptastic and sad rn but my heart is only mildly and i dont wanna be sadddsdddddd and i avoid my shit. [Her bf] is right that its hard to face your shit. And I feel dumb for not. And its like just let the suffering commense, you’ll be fine later

Friend: I’m sorry

Me: Why am i so FUCKING needy. Lol sorry im like this

Friend: You’re not needy my dude!

Me: My brain is like !OOh idea! Lets want someone to love you and hug you and all this shit to be really extra even though it doesn’t even matter that much bc who gives a fuck yo people have they’re own lives but you know I think it sounds like a GREat way to make things difficult haha fuck u

Me: Lol i said i wasn’t gonna get into this but look at me goooooooooo. YEET

Friend: Oh boy you’re ok

Me: Yo its fine god im im a messsss yoot AAHH YOOT THATS SO FUNNY

Friend (Prolly like oh boyyy at this point): You’re gonna be ok I’m sorry

Me: Wanna hear my inner dialouge lol YOU KNOW WHAT IM GOOD AT MEMES YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT

Me: Ye thank you I appreciate that

Friend: If you want to share

Me: I appreciate you listening to me

Friend: Any time

Me: Why is my mind just like saying rando shit its like Haha you fucking psycho kill yourself, and its like no Pam, that’s not even what were talking about rn. Like who invited you. Yeah I know no one invited me to my own party haha funny jan. Why am I a mess. But HeY at least we’ve gotten distracted

Friend: Oh boy I’m sorry

Me: “Lol im gonna kill you” thanks maureen

Friend: Why all the suicidal thoughts

Me: Im thinking of that vine of this kid awkward dancing to like trap music and his mom walks in and you can hear her mouthing like turn it down wtf. I dont even know I dont even wanna die my mind is so unoriginal. Good to know Jan, youre worthless too

Me: Like im doing that thing where i make everything a joke to not have it hit as hard

Friend: Im sorry. You’ll be ok

Me: TW rape “Lol no he didn’t rape me in the butt you insensitive bitch (me @ Clarissa)” Haha im gonna fucking kill myself. That one was a bit more real. I suppose both but like the kill yourself bit

Friend: Oh boy

Me: I wanna die im a mess. Tw again Youre so ugly why the fuck would he even wanna rape you haha dumb bitch got raped you dummy couldn’t even get him off lol you got him off tho...SHUT UP. lol no Way hunny this is too fun you vulnerable cunt haha fucking ill whip out any insult that has to do with sexually explicit shit come at me slut

Me: Haha im sorry

Friend: Oh boy, don’t be sorry. You’re ok. What he did was on him, it had nothing to do with you it wasn’t your fault

Me: Why they gotta say rape so much like i get it gerryanna; you’re shitty at sales pitching sell me something i dont know. God i love these moods (sarcastically)

Friend: Oh boy

Me: Haha you dumb bitch like they’re not even original. Im calling the superintendent of my mind and having them all taken off the PTA board of trustees. Fuck you Helen. Not you though [Friend] your name susan helen does not apply during breakdowns

Friend: Oh boy. Is there anything i can do

Me: Im just laying here with a pained smile on my face its not even a breakdown its a roast sesh. Nah not atm besides listen and hear the dumb shit they say

Friend: Oh boy, does it help to get it out like would writing help

Me: Yeah. God you cant even type right. Yeah you’re a secretary Jan sorry I dont have a crumbling marrage and an English degree like you. Oooooh im throwing sick burns. Im not even funny im just sad. I hope you’re laughing. Genuinely I hope its a bit funny because im a piece of trash. Ok yo you didn’t need to say that last part margaree.

Friend: Omfg

Me: God hell yeah you can take me out on trash day fucking Mmm yeah you bet id like that feeling of powerlessness and suffocation of my voice please, expand uponthis trash bag fantasy joann. Ill sit on the curb and cry myself to death you right. Fuck you got me lol I guess ill just give up now. Fool im not done yet get PUNKED Pamela. Im still here to shit on your bad insults. I hate myself, yeah i hate you too Mary Sue. Go fuck yourself; I think i might give it a shot from what i’ve heard its best in the shower and i was gonna take one tomorrow...

Friend: Oh boyyyyyy

Me: Lol yall are dumb; When they try to make their voices sound like mine but you can tell the yall is just you and the’re throwing shit at you but you see it. Im great fuck you pam

Friend: Oh gee

Me: This is good, like genuinely its like a throwdown and they’re bloody on the floor (the pta council). Fuck em, yeah fuck you too janice. “I hadta do it to em”- me at my future kid asking why i did this. Yeah i beat up Suzanne but she was a bitch anyway. Ok now stop trying to get all on my side pauleenI know you’re with them. Go with the rest of em. I bought you a luxury cruise well actually yall did bc yall are selfish and feed off sadness go drink some martinis and come back but you bet ill be fucking waiting for you, yeah ik were not done donna, but ill still be there and... “I love you”- I love you too higher sweetie who sounds like [my friend’s spirit guide] no now its my higher self but also [her]? Yeet ok bye yall

Friend: Oh boy

Me: Fuck um, Patricia decided to stay behind and keep me company. Lol im a mess. How are you things have relatively chilled. And now im being told “I love you” from someone i think me a higher power that believes in me

Friend: Eh im alright. How are you

Me: Im better. Did you enjoy that little skit my ego wants to know so it can make a production and Pam can bring her friends back and then my higher self is saying just say you love me and you’re here, “and i love you”- higher bee thank you I love you too. Idek, yes I know i’m a mess pam. I know

Friend: “Higher bee” oh could you imagine if god was just a fluffy bumble bee wanting us to love ourselves. I’m sorry you’re going through this

Me: But im a mess of glitter, spilled but pretty and not going away yeah ok no pretty is not my only worthy reason for existing but thanks. Im also friendly. Awwww thatd be so sweet. Thatd BEE so sweet. She’s beautiful

Friend: Ba dum tss

Me: Its ok i find it mildly funny. “I cant drown my demons, they’re in a pta meeting atm and dont have their pool passes handy”

Friend: Lol

Me: Haha im livingg. I love you. Thank you for listening

Friend: I love you too and any time

Me: “I love you so much” thank you giant sky bee, God thank you giant sky bee godbless. Bless yourself. How are you. Im feeling loved. I faced part of the wall yoot lol

Friend: I’m glad you’re feeling loved I’m ok

Me: Like i faced something, im here and it matters. I love you. Im glad you’re ok. What have you been doing how long was that. 12:46 to 1:20. 35-40 min. Average breakdown cycle. Nice good to know. See, its all chill after 40 min

----

And thats that my guys uhh yeah i keep track of how long i break down for and it really is only about 45 minutes until your body wears itself out. I love you all