#he sat down next to me all friendly. when i 'woke up' from the waiting he was at the counter eating a noodle bowl

[ibbity]

I took Preston to Diamond City and as soon as I was finished buying a noodle bowl from the ramen-bot, he started trying to order alcohol from it for some reason. He had quite a lot to say about his desired order. It didn't give him a drink (I don't think it can give drinks, as far as I can tell it only serves noodles), but when he finished talking about alcohol he immediately started telling me more details about his tragic past with barely a breath in between. A few seconds later he sat down like this:

Preston Garvey Drunken Moments I guess lmao

[moonlightspencie]

This Ain’t for the Best

Description: Mutual pining. Classic hunting scenarios. Sharing a bed. Wearing the other’s clothes. Confessions. Friends to lovers. Tswizzle title. Need I say more?

Pairing: Dean Winchester x gn!Reader

Warnings: a little bit of violence, me cramming in every cliché i can because i love the classic fanfiction tropes more than i love breathing

Word Count: 5.9k

A/N: i was kicking my feet and giggling as i wrote this, especially when i snuck in criminal minds AND taylor swift references. i love writing and never beta-reading or editing what i’ve written. catharsis.

Crashing at Bobby’s had its benefits.

First, we had the comfort of knowing where we were going to sleep at night. It was good to have a bed waiting that wasn’t in a motel room.

Second, there was almost always good food around. I had a knack for home-cooked meals, and it was much easier to be appreciated for it when I actually had a stove to cook on.

Third, there were boundless opportunities for Sam, Dean, and I to kick back and actually relax.

That’s how I ended up in the kitchen, laughing with Dean over old stories we’d told a million times before. He reached in the fridge, pulling out two bottles after we’d come down from the most recent remembrance of an old case. He cracked open the top of his beer, then my drink, sliding it towards me on the counter. Sam and Bobby strolled in st that moment, pausing when they saw us.

“You both woke up like an hour ago,” Sam said, unamused.

“6pm somewhere,” Dean and I said in unison.

We looked at each other with a small laugh, leaving Bobby and Sam rolling their eyes. I took my drink and stood a few steps away.

“We should really get going, though, Dean,” Sam stated.

“Where?” Bobby asked.

“We were planning on doing a run to the grocery story. I don’t want us to eat up all your food without repaying you, and we’re almost out of beer,” Sam said, pointedly looking at his brother.

“This one needs more of those little fruity drinks, too,” Dean teased, nodding at the bottle in my hand.

“Hey, it’s still a malt liquor. Just one that I like,” I said with a laugh.

They said their goodbyes, and I started walking into the front room. Bobby watched the door for a few moment after the boys left, then turned in the archway and locked his gaze on me as I sat on the couch.

I looked at the bottle in my hand. “I know y’all are all about beer, but I can’t help if I prefer something with a little flavor.”

“That’s not why I’m looking at you,” he grumbled, fed up with me already. “What in the world is goin’ on with you and Dean?”

“Huh?”

He furrowed his brow. “Don’t act all shy, now. You two have been flirting nonstop lately.”

“What’s new? We’re both pretty flirtatious in general.”

“Not like this,” he said with a shake of his head. “I don’t know the last time I saw that boy blushing, or you getting all flustered like a teenager.”

“I am not,” I scoffed. “Nothing’s happening, Bobby.”

“I’ve known your for five years, now, and I’ve known those boys since they were kids. You stayed in my house for a year, too. You can’t hide this kind of thing from me.”

“I’m not hiding anything. I’m an open book.”

Now, he scoffed. “Yeah, and I’m running for president.”

I rolled my eyes, taking another drink. He came closer, sitting down next to me.

“If you keep denying all this…”

I swallowed, finally resigning. “There’s nothing to do about it, Bobby.”

“Yes, there is. You could tell him.”

“It wouldn’t do any good. You know how he is, he doesn’t want to be tied down. If we don’t make any moves or promises or whatever, a lot less doesn’t get broken.”

He raised a brow. “I do know how he is. For you, he’d make an exception.”

“I don’t think so. Besides, it’s all just flirting for him. Doesn’t mean anything.”

“Are you blind?”

I looked at him, brows raising. He shook his head, picking at the label on his bottle.

“Sorry. I just— I know what I’m seeing, and I really don’t think it’s just a little friendly flirting for him, either,” he said, looking at me again. “I really think you should speak up while you’ve got the chance to. We don’t often get good things with lives like ours.”

“I know. I just don’t want to screw things up.”

“You’re gonna end up screwed if you keep pushing it down, anyway.”

I sighed. He took that signal as a time to change the subject, and for that I was thankful.

“Well, let’s find you the next case, huh?”

The next one was an easy find, and it would’ve been great to break the news to the boys when they got back, if not for a very clumsy Sam walking in the door with a twisted ankle.

“You what?” Bobby asked, incredulous.

Sam sighed, pouting. “I rolled it when I stepped in a pothole.”

Dean shook his head, clearly hiding his amusement as he helped his brother hobble towards a kitchen chair.

“So, no case, then?” I asked.

Bobby perked up. “No, you and Dean can still go. I can take care of Sam.”

“Bobby…” I warned, seeing through him instantly.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Dean said, cutting off my death stare. “When was the last time we went on a case, just you and me?”

I looked at him.

“Seriously, you guys can go without me,” Sam said. “It might be good for you, Y/N. You seem a little restless.”

“I am not,” I defended.

Bobby chuckled. “Sure, you’re not. But I’m not suggesting, I’m telling you. Get out of my house.”

I glanced at him, offended. “I am a delight.”

“You are, but I still want you out. You become much less delightful when you’re antsy.”

Dean laughed. “Come on, it’s only a state over, right? If we start driving now we can make it by sundown.”

I took a moment.

“Alright,” I nodded, heading towards the stairs to gather my things.

The case was a hot mess, to say the least. We couldn’t figure out what we were hunting to begin with, and the only true consistency is that the deaths were messy, leaving each victim with a missing liver. It wasn’t until we were at the most recent site of the death that things took a little bit of a turn.

“What do you think?” Dean asked, leaning in my direction.

I shrugged, looking around the house.

“It seems… clean.”

“I mean, I guess. We haven’t found hex bags or EMF readings—”

“No,” I cut him off, gesturing around the living room. “Like physically clean. Nothing is out of place. Look at the mantle.”

I walked over, using my gloved hand to wipe along the surface. I showed him my hand.

“Clean. Not even dust.”

He raised a brow. “And that matters because…”

“Because we’re supposed to be looking for some monster-unknown that never cleans up their messes. Every other scene we’ve been to has been a wreck, so why is the only thing out of place the blood stains on the floor? This is also the first time it’s been in the victims house.”

He paused. “You’ve been watching Criminal Minds again, haven’t you?”

I rolled my eyes, taking off the glove.

“That’s not important right now,” I shook my head, standing next to him again. “And, for the record, it’s helping our case.”

“Right,” he chuckled. “Well, profiler, why don’t you tell me more about what you’re gathering from the scene.”

“Don’t patronize me,” I said with a laugh.

He smirked, placing a hand on my back.

“Let’s get out of here and figure out why things changed.”

We followed dead-end leads all over town, until we hit a lucky streak.

“Check this out,” Dean said, calling me over to the table in our room. “Remember that dive bar our last vic was seen at? Look at this dude’s last social media post.”

I walked over, resting a hand against the table as I leaned in. I looked at the laptop, raising a brow.

“Same place.”

“Same place,” he confirmed. “Wanna check it out? See if anything suspicious is up?”

“You sure you don’t just want to hit the bar?”

He looked up at me with a quirked brow.

“What do you think I am? Drinking on the job. I’d never,” he feigned innocence.

I snorted. “Right. So not you.”

“Leave in ten?”

“Sounds good to me.”

We hit the road soon after, winding up at the bar with our eyes peeled for any suspicious activity. There was plenty for us to see in a seedy town like this, but there was only one interaction that truly piqued our interested. I nodded at the man who was paying a little too much special attention to a woman, drawing Dean’s gaze in that direction. He was equally skeeved out. We kept an eye out for another hour or so before the weird activity took another step into the creep category.

We followed out the man who we caught following the woman, all the way to a neighborhood just outside the city. We made our move as soon as the man walked up to her house.

I followed Dean up to the house, and we started to slink around, waiting for any sign of trouble. I first checked through a window near the front of the house.

“Nothing,” I said, motioning for us to move further.

He took the lead, and we came up on a window that looked into the dining room. He slowly looked inside.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be freakin’ kidding me,” Dean mumbled, pulling his head back from the window.

“What?”

“Well, do you want the chance to play out your little crime show fantasies?”

I raised a brow. He sighed, shaking his head.

“That’s not— well, it is a monster in there, but not our kind of monster,” he said, tilting his head.

“It’s a human?”

He nodded. “Looks like it. Nothing supernatural that I can see. She’s passed out now, but let’s get a move on before he starts in on her.”

He started walking towards the back of the house, but I stopped him before we got to the door.

“Can— How do we do this?”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s a human. We can’t just chop his head off or exorcise him.”

“We could still stab him.”

“But should we?”

He gave me a very unamused look, waiting for me to make my point.

“Can we attempt to just— Kick his ass and leave him to deal with life in prison? Only go for the shot if it’s necessary.”

He softened. “He killed people, Y/N, does he really deserve mercy here?”

“Do you really think the prison system is mercy?” I asked, earning a slight chuckle. “I just feel weird about killing humans unless our lives are in immediate danger.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “Okay, we’ll play it your way. But if anything goes sideways—”

“Then you feel free to shoot him.”

He nodded curtly, then we continued to the door. He opened it carefully, and we stepped inside, checking our surroundings before we headed towards the woman in the dining room. We saw the man first, his back to us as he sat across the table from her.

“Playing house? Really?” Dean quipped, causing the man to whip around.

My gun was pulled before the man had a chance to stand up and react. He looked between us, obvious annoyance on his face.

“You’re not cops,” he stated.

Dean smirked. “No, we are much worse news for scumbags like you.”

“Now,” I started, “you can try and fail to fight your way out of here, or you can sit still while my partner here makes sure you’re sitting nice and pretty for when the cops do show up.”

Dean moved before he had a chance to formulate a response, dragging him out of the chair. The man tried to put up a fight, but it was pretty quickly silenced by means of a fist to the face. Dean left him on the ground after a few minutes and a roll of duct tape.

“Nice,” I commented, then put away my gun.

I moved to the woman at the table who was still passed out. I checked for a pulse, and when I was sure she was still breathing, I started undoing the binding that kept her to the chair. Dean called in an anonymous tip to the police station as I finished up clearing her of everything. She started waking right as I was about to try and move her to the couch.

“Hey, hey,” I said quietly, trying to give a little comfort before her panic set in. “You’re safe now, alright? You’re fine.”

Her eyes opened, and she immediately clung to me when she saw the man on the ground incapacitated.

“What happened?” she asked with a quivering voice.

“Me and my friend Dean saw this guy creeping around your house. We wanted to make sure everything was okay, and when we found out it wasn’t, we found a way in. The cops are on the way now.”

She nodded. “Thank you. Both of you.”

I glanced back at Dean with the ghost of a smile on my face. He raised his brows at me.

“Why don’t we get you to the couch?”

“You’re not staying?” she asked, still in shock.

“No, we gotta leave,” I said, helping her to the couch. “We’ll stick around for a few minutes outside till the cops get here, though.”

“Okay,” she nodded along absentmindedly as she laid on the couch.

I walked back to Dean, motioning for us to go outside. He looked back down at the man for a moment who was still passed out, then followed behind me. We got back to the Impala and waited.

“Weird to be thanked,” I said, watching the house.

He hummed. “Doesn’t happen often, that’s for sure.”

“I can’t believe we were accidentally hunting a serial killer.”

He snorted. “I’m surprised there’s not more crossover when we hunt.”

I hummed in agreement. “I also wonder why things changed so much. From the murders messy and public to being more confined in the homes.”

“Who knows,” he said, shaking his head. “Monsters make a hell of a lot more sense than people do.”

“You got that right.”

Soon enough we saw flashing lights coming down the street. We watched some officers step out of the first car, and a few more get out of an SUV.

“Is that FBI?” Dean asked, looking intently.

“I mean, we just found them a serial killer. They’ve probably been on high alert,” I said.

He nodded, and we watched for another moment as they prepared to go inside.

“Man, those vests are cool as hell in real life, too,” I commented.

“Alright, that’s enough,” he wrapped up the conversation with a laugh.

He pulled off the sidewalk at that, and started driving in the opposite direction of the cops. We decided to stay the night at the motel, neither of us awake enough to get back to Sam and Bobby. He pulled into the parking lot, and we trudged inside.

“At least we aren’t covered in monster guts this time,” I said as I fell onto the mattress.

“Right?” He chuckled. “Cool if I take the first shower?”

“Of course. I’ll be here.”

He shut the door of the bathroom, and I let out a sigh. All of the teamwork bull crap we’d been doing certainly didn’t help my case, but I could at least be thankful he didn’t want to go the bars and find a hookup. I threw my arms over my eyes and sighed.

“Hey,” I heard Dean’s voice call out, his hand on my knee.

I uncovered my eyes. “Sorry. Must’ve dozed off.”

He smiled. “Go take a shower.”

“You sayin’ I need one?” I asked with a quirked brow.

“Yeah. You’re a mess,” he replied, a playful glint in his eye. “I don’t know how I sat in a car with you all day, to be honest.”

I scoffed, getting up. He moved enough for me to get by, but didn’t let me get far before he started talking again.

“Movie tonight?” he asked.

I rustled through my bag, pulling out my pajama shorts.

“Sure.”

“Any requests?”

“Uh,” I started, still looking for a clean top. “Maybe a comedy. We could use something funny.”

“Good point.” He stared for a moment as I kept digging. “You missing something?”

“I can’t find my t-shirt. I thought I packed three in here.”

“Do you want one of mine?”

I paused, considering the offer. One one hand, I wouldn’t have to wear a cami to bed and risk accidentally flashing him in my sleep. One the other, I’d be wearing his shirt and that would be a sure way to get me in my own head. The risks of the first definitely outweighed my lack of self control.

“That would be awesome.”

He walked to his own bag, pulling out a shirt that matched the one he wore and handing it to me.

“I still think wearing our outside clothes to bed worked just fine.”

“Did you ever feel rested doing that?” I asked.

He sighed dramatically. I laughed.

“Exactly my point,” I said. “Most of your well-being has to do with mindset, Dean.”

He grumbled to himself as he settled into bed, and I took that as my chance to get in the bathroom. My shower was quick, especially since Dean used up most of the hot water. I knew I should’ve gone first, but it forced me not to stay in forever. I pulled on his shirt and my shorts, trying not to let myself smile when I saw myself in the mirror wearing his clothes. I walked back into the room before I allowed myself to think too hard.

He looked at me as I walked out, a smile creeping on his face. I fought back my own to raise a brow as I lingered at the foot of my bed.

“What?”

He shrugged. “Funny seeing you in my shirt.”

“Looks better on me than it ever did on you,” I sassed with a smirk, crawling into bed.

“Can’t argue with that,” he noted, still watching me. He cleared his throat a moment later, looking at the TV screen. “Uh, I found something, I think. They had Step Brothers on demand.”

“Oh, perfect,” I said as he clicked play.

We settled into a comfortable silence for a while, and I cuddled into the duvet. After we were halfway through the movie, I gathered the blankets around me even more.

“Is it just me, or is it freezing in here?” I asked, looking over to see Dean still sitting above the covers.

“It’s a little cold,” he shrugged, then looked at me. “I can check the heater.”

I nodded as he got up and crossed the room. He held a hand out, a puzzled look on his face after a moment. He smacked it with his hand, and still felt nothing.

“Hm. Hang on,” he said, moving to the phone. “Hi, I think the heater in here’s broken.”

A pause.

“Ah, great. Okay, thanks.”

He hung up the phone, looking to me apologetically.

“They said the heating’s down in the whole place.”

I sighed. “That sucks.”

He sat back in his bed, looking at me for a moment before he spoke again.

“I know it’s been a while since we had to, but do you wanna come sleep in my bed tonight? I run hot, it might keep you warm.”

“I know. I had to sleep next to you in the summer, and it was like roasting in an oven,” I chuckled.

“See? It’ll work perfect when you’re cold,” he said, standing again.

He pulled the covers back, getting underneath and patting the mattress next to him. I cursed myself for finding this case in the first place.

“Just don’t complain if I kick you in my sleep,” I said, getting out of my bed.

He chuckled. “I’m not worried about it.”

I got into his bed, and he threw the covers over me. He then reached over top of me to grab the remote, pressing play and slinging an arm around my shoulders. I pulled the duvet up to my chin, leaning into his side.

This position put me in a delicate spot, and I found that to be true more and more with every passing minute. Every time he laughed, I felt it reverberate in his chest. Every time he talked to me, I’d look up to see his face inches from mine. Every time he moved, he held me a little tighter.

In short, Bobby was all too correct about me being screwed.

“Hey,” Dean said, voice soft. “You okay?”

“Mm?”

I looked at him, once again trying not to think about the proximity.

“You always laugh at this scene. You didn’t make a sound this time.”

“Oh,” I chuckled, looking towards the screen. “Sorry, I must be exhausted.”

“Is that all? Seems like there’s something on your mind.”

“Alright, Dr. Phil,” I joked.

“Seriously,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I think I just need some sleep,” I replied, glancing at him again with half a smile.

He quirked a brow, clearly not believing me, but willing to drop the subject.

“Okay. You know you can always talk to me?”

“I know.”

He smiled softly, then looked back at the TV as he shut it off. He settled into bed, still holding onto me. I snuggled into his side, using his chest as a pillow. I felt him breathe deep before he shut off the light.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Night, Dean.”

I woke up the next morning before he did, and decided there was little harm in remaining there. I shut my eyes, letting myself enjoy the fact that I was still snuggled against him. It gave me a moment to pretend he was mine, at least for the morning. I listened to his breathing, and wondered if he ever dreamt about me in the same way I did about him. As if on cue, his arm tightened around me a little as he stirred. His thumb brushed against my shoulder where his hand had snuck under the sleeve of the t-shirt, though I couldn’t tell if he was really awake until I felt a soft kiss against the top of my head.

At that moment, I decided it was probably best to continue pretending I was still asleep.

He stayed that way for a little while, his hand still against my shoulder, making little patterns with his thumb. It took everything in me not to move when I felt him brush a few stray pieces of hair away from my face, and even more when he let his hand linger against my cheek for when felt like a few seconds too long to be purely friendly.

I wondered if he was always like this when I wasn’t awake. Extra attentive, and sure not to wake me. Maybe that’s why I somehow remained asleep every time I fell asleep in the car that normally jostled me around like a rag doll with his driving. I wondered even more if Bobby was right about something else he’d said days ago: the unrequited feelings might not be so unrequited after all.

I nestled my head against his chest, trying to give him a warning that I was about to open my eyes, and he quickly pulled his hand away from my face. I took in a breath, blinking slowly as I let the light seep in for the second time that morning.

“Morning,” he greeted quietly, his voice still soft and raspy from tiredness.

I smiled. “Morning.”

“You hungry?” he asked, drawing my attention to him.

I nodded, leaning back a little to see him better.

“Very, and I saw a café on the way into town that looked good,” I said.

He smiled softly, shutting his eyes for a moment. Then, he yawned, finally sitting up. He turned and looked at me as I stayed laying.

“How’d you sleep? Warm enough?”

“Thanks to you, yeah,” I replied, stretching. “I’m scared to get out of bed, now, though.”

He patted my leg over the covers, “If you want food, that should be motivation enough.”

“Good point.”

I reluctantly climbed out of bed as he walked into the bathroom to get ready for the day. It was cold, but not unbearable. I decided to throw on some clothes in the room since he always took a while in the bathroom. By the time he was finished, all I needed to do was wash my face and brush my teeth, then we were off.

Breakfast was short and sweet, and we made it back to Bobby’s in record time. We strolled in the door, seeing Sam gimping around the kitchen as soon as we walked in.

“Still letting that ankle beat your ass?” I asked immediately.

He laughed. “Trust me, if I had any control over it, this wouldn’t have been a problem in the first place.”

“Maybe you just wanted out of the hunt,” I said in reply.

“Oh yeah, I loved hanging out and making Bobby bring me ice packs all day. Dream vacation, actually.”

Dean shook his head with a smirk. “You didn’t miss out on much anyway.”

“How’d it go?” Sam asked as he took a seat.

I looked to Dean who was already glancing in my direction. I shrugged.

“We stopped a serial killer, actually,” I noted.

Sam gaped. “And I ‘didn’t miss much’?”

“Just knocked him out and called the cops. Not much fun, anyways,” Dean shrugged. “Oh, we did find maybe the best pancakes I’ve ever had, though.”

I hummed in agreement enthusiastically, nodding.

“They were freaking incredible,” I said, then looked back at Sam. “And they had like, real, fresh maple syrup.”

“Unlimited stacks when you bought the platter, too,” Dean chimed in with a gleeful smile.

“You two sound like an old married couple,” Sam scoffed out with a laugh. “What, did you fall asleep together after reading the newspaper, too?”

“After watching a movie, actually,” Dean corrected, grabbing a beer from the fridge. Then, he looked at me. “Did you want anything?”

“I’m okay.”

Sam looked between us, a raised brow and an amused look on his face.

“You two actually fell asleep together?”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s what you choose to focus on?”

He smiled mischievously, then looked at Dean.

“Making moves on her, now?”

Dean swallowed, glaring at his brother with wide eyes. I furrowed my brow, about to see if I could prod Sam for information, but Bobby walked in before I had the chance.

“Hey, you two. How was the hunt?”

Dean let out a breath. “Not real eventful. I could use some sleep.”

He started walking out of the room, all of us watching as he left. Bobby turned to me first, a questioning look on his face.

“Don’t look at me,” I said with my hands up in defense. “I think Sammy pissed him off.”

“Real smooth, Sam,” Bobby commented.

Sam scoffed, shaking his head. Bobby merely sighed, going to take a seat across from Sam. I looked at them both, hands on my hips.

“Why do I get the feeling you two know something I don’t?”

“Did Dean not talk to you?” Sam asked, looking at me.

“We talk plenty.”

“That’s not what I mean. He said he was gonna talk to you when the next case was over,” he stopped, then looked at Bobby. “Case came and went, and still nothing.”

Bobby shrugged. “Out of our hands, Sam. Told you not to meddle.”

I sighed in annoyance. “You two are children, you know that?”

“Hey,” Bobby said, offended.

“I’m gonna take a walk,” I said finally, turning for the door.

The second I was halfway out, they started talking again, but I couldn’t bring myself to care too much about what they said. Clearing my mind sounded like the best option, and I was determined to do it.

I started walking around the yard, music blaring from my phone to keep me preoccupied as I watched the sky light up with a million different colors. I found an old car with a relatively clean exterior and decided to climb onto the hood. I leaned back, watching the sky as it turned darker, the stars slowly peaking out.

“Room for one more?” Dean’s voice asked from behind me.

“Come on up,” I said, scooting over a bit.

He came and sat next to me, looking up at the sky. He let out a slow breath, then looked at me.

“Taylor Swift?”

“You know it,” I replied.

He smiled, turning his head back.

“Stars are coming out,” he commented.

“They are. You should’ve seen sunset, it was gorgeous.”

He scooted closer, leaning his head against mine silently. After a moment, I let myself lean against his shoulder a little more.

“You okay, Dean?” I asked after a beat.

“Of course. Why?”

“I dunno. You just seemed a little off when we got back today.”

He sighed. “Yeah. It’s— It’s nothing.”

“You sound like me, now.”

He chuckled. “Guess we’ve got the same bad habit, huh?”

“Yeah, guess so.”

We stayed there until it got dark enough to really see the stars come out, not moving even when the chill of the night started creeping in. I readjusted my head against his shoulder, preparing myself to speak again.

“Did you really follow me out here just to look at stars?”

I felt him still. Then, after a moment, I sat up a little straighter and looked at him. He glanced back at me, clearly feeling caught out.

“Thought you could use some company.”

I raised a brow, and he smirked, looking away.

“Alright, you got me,” he said, “What gave it away?”

“First off, I’ve known you for years,” I started, nudging him in the arm. “Second, Sam and Bobby were all uppity about the fact that you apparently told Sam you had something to talk to me about.”

“I swear, he can’t keep a secret to save his life when it comes to stuff like this,” he said, rubbing at his face.

“Well, try me,” I said, unable to keep my eyes off of him. He was extra cute all flustered. “I’m a good listener.”

He let out a breath, then looked at me, scanning my face for a moment.

“I know I’ve got a certain type of reputation—”

“You?! No way,” I exclaimed with a smile, my eyes wide.

He laughed. “Exactly my point.”

“You know I don’t care about that, though. Reputations are a one-sided story.”

He hummed. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

He sighed, looking back at the sky for a moment.

“I just,” he started, giving a shrug, “I feel like it— Like it makes people feel like I never want anything but a hookup, you know?”

“It makes people feel that way?”

“I’m that easy to read, huh?” he asked, looking at me again with a faint smile. “You. I mean you.”

“I gathered that much.”

He laughed softly, as did I.

“How’d you know?”

“I had suspicions fueled by Bobby. Then you kissed me and started being all affectionate when you thought I was asleep this morning.”

His eyes widened. “You were pretending to be asleep? That’s so not fair!”

“Hey, I woke up snuggled into my own personal space heater, I didn’t exactly want to be up and at ‘em.”

He rolled his eyes, tugging me into his side with an arm around my shoulders once more.

“How long has it been for you?” he asked quietly.

“I don’t even know. I guess I started realizing it a year or so ago.”

“That’s embarrassing for me, then. I knew the second I met you,” he said with a laugh.

“Dean,” I said with surprise. “It’s been half a decade! No wonder Bobby got on my ass about it before we left.”

“Well, hey, Sammy’s been on mine for a couple years. You got off easy up till now.”

I laughed. “I guess so. To be fair, we were flying under the radar for quite a while, though. The incessant flirting the past few weeks is what got us in trouble.”

“Why did you start being extra flirty, anyway?” he asked, resting his cheek against the top of my head.

“I don’t know. I guess I was, like, subconsciously seeing a window. You haven’t been doing your normal bar hookups the past few months, so I thought maybe there was a reason for it,” I paused. “Though, finding out you’ve been crushing on me for five years kind of makes me question that.”

He snorted out a laugh. “Easier to keep my mind off you that way. That sounds terrible. I just— I never thought in a million years you’d think anything of me.”

“Well, when did you realize I might?”

He sighed. “You remember a couple weeks back when we were taking down that vamp nest? You easily could’ve died, and we hugged afterwards, but when I pulled back I… I saw that look in your eyes that seemed an awful lot like how I look at you when you’re not paying attention. I wanted to kiss you, and I didn’t doubt in that moment that you would’ve let me if I had.”

I paused. “Why didn’t you?”

“I was scared. We’ve been friends for so long, and we practically do everything together. I didn’t want to ruin anything on the off chance that I was reading those signs all wrong.”

“You weren’t.”

He fell quiet for a moment. I looked up at him, and he looked back at me as I did. He quickly wet his lips, drawing my gaze downward before my eyes flicked back up to his. His lips parted momentarily. Then…

“We should get back inside. It’s getting cold out here,” he said quickly.

I nodded curtly, pulling away to let him get off the hood first. He gave me a hand, helping me down next. We walked back to the house quietly, saying soft goodnights before we went to separate rooms.

I was all settled in for the night, cozy in my bed with a book in hand. Then, I heard a knock on the door. I grumbled as I got up, annoyed that I had to leave the comfort of a mattress that wasn’t a sure cesspool of germs I didn’t want to think about. I flung the door open.

“Someone better be dying or I’m gonna kick some ass for—”

Dean’s lips crashed into mine, effectively silencing me from my rant. I melted after a few seconds of mental delay, my hands gripping onto the material of his shirt as his cradled my face. I felt him smile into the kiss, drawing my closer with arms that snuck around my waist, holding me tight. He wasted no time in deepening the kiss once he was sure that the signs were all giving him a positive response.

We finally broke apart a few minutes later, breathing heavy with pounding hearts.

“I figured I should stop letting opportunities pass me up,” he said with a nervous chuckle.

I nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, good thinking.”

His eyes scanned over me, his chest still heaving.

“You wouldn’t happen to need another space heater for the night, would you?”

“I run cold, what can I say?” I replied with a smirk, and a spark in my eye.

He smiled, walking me into the room with his lips on mine, kicking the door shut behind him.

(EDIT: starting taglists now! let me know if you want to be on any!)

FULL MASTERLIST | BUY ME A COFFEE

[nastyaromatherapy]

More Ethan Landry smut plsssss🙏🏼 I love your work

Awkward (18+)

Sex with a mutual friend becomes regrettable.

pairing - ethan landry x reader

one shot length, 2.4k+ word fic

warnings: PIV, tbh for once this is super vanilla so nothing to say

“Holy shit, I’m gonna cum,” Ethan groaned, slowing his thrusts as he emptied himself into the condom. You whined, having already came about thirty seconds prior, being left extra sensitive as he reached his high. “Fuck that was incredible,” he sighed as he lowered his chest onto your back, breathing down your neck. You both let out a synchronized sigh when he pulled out. “Mhm,” was all you were able to get out, fucked out and tired.

After getting a call from Chad, he quickly put his clothes back on and kissed your forehead goodbye. This left you sitting on your bed alone with your thoughts. Once the feminine post nut clarity hit you, you were burying your face into your hands. 

Ethan? Landry? Seriously?

You were embarrassed. It wasn’t that he was bad at sex - that was too far from the truth - and he wasn’t ugly either. You just knew that if y’all ever went public about this you wouldn’t hear the end of it.

Wait, public? That wouldn’t be needed because y’all just had sex casually. Although it didn’t help that you had feelings for him. You hoped he wouldn’t make it a big deal and would just move on from this. 

The next day you sat down at the picnic table you and the rest of your friends always sat at during lunch in your designated seat. Chad sat in front of you, Ethan next to Chad, Tara next to you, and so on. Only today, Ethan came to lunch sooner than usual and stole the seat next to you. Chad didn’t say anything, so he must’ve been informed about this already. God, did Ethan tell Chad you two had sex?

“Hey,” he said, being friendly. You just wanted to crawl into a hole. “Hey,” you said, looking down at the wood of the table top. Luckily, Tara came at the right time to save you. “Ethan, get the fuck out of my seat,” she demanded. Ethan chuckled, “What, are you in middle school Tara? It doesn’t have your fucking name on it.” Chad couldn’t help but let out a snort and Tara threw her hands up in defeat, plopping down next to him in Ethan’s usual seat. “I hear we’re being mean to Ethan, what’d he do this time?” Mindy asked, always getting a kick out of teasing him, as she walked to the table with Anika following behind. “Oh you know, he’s just being his usual pain in the ass self,” Tara said, giving Ethan the fakest smile which he returned. 

In between a conversation, when Quinn was complaining about her relationship problems, you felt Ethan snake his fingers onto your thigh. You quickly packed up your food and then pried away his fingers that were mere centimeters from your crotch. “Um you know what, I think I’m gonna go for a walk. See you guys,” you said, swiftly removing yourself from the table. That was awkward as hell.

You were laying on the couch, watching tv to help the godforsaken day go by faster. Tara emerged from the hallway, opening up a cabinet to grab a bag of chips to join you. “Ethan was being weird today, right?” She asked you, which immediately woke up your thoughts. “Oh, um, what do you mean?” You asked in a weak attempt of playing it cool. “I don’t know the way he totally stole my seat today? I mean yeah, he’s right. It’s not my seat. But why does he wanna sit there? He totally likes you,” she said once she plopped onto the couch, holding out the chips to you. You denied both her claim, and offer of snack. “No he doesn’t,” you spoke, although you knew he did, and you were holding back your blush. “Oh come on y/n, wake up! Especially since Chad didn’t want to defend me.” You shrugged in response. “Or maybe Chad wanted to sit next to you. Think about it.” You practically saw a lightbulb glowing above her head, and she started to nod her head in agreement. “Touché.” 

Right when the show started getting good your phone chimed, and you looked down to see Ethan’s contact photo. You quickly opened it. “Hey, are you ignoring me?” It read, and your stomach dropped. Shit. You quickly excused yourself to Tara and walked into your bedroom. As you were typing your response he texted he would be coming over to your place. Well, time to find a way to kick Tara out and keep Quinn from coming. As you walked out into the living room Tara called out, “Hey y/n, everybody’s gonna be hanging out at Chad’s place. You coming?” Fucking hell. Chad’s in on it. Of course he was, Ethan couldn’t do it without his wingman. “No thanks, I’m gonna stay here,” you said. It didn’t take long for Tara to leave.

You felt your insides twist from anxiety as you heard a knock on the door. You reluctantly walked up to the door and opened it. “Hey Eth,” you tried to say in an upbeat tone, but sadly it still came out pretty weary. “Y/n, I know you’re ignoring me,” he stated. You looked at the ground as he walked in, closing the door behind him. ��Forgive me if I read shit wrong but I thought we had a good time and that we liked each other.” He said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “We do! And we did. It’s just,” you were at a loss for words. How could you tell him you would be embarrassed of being in a relationship with him without telling him? “You’re embarrassed of me,” he finished for you. You opened your mouth to protest and then you realized, he wasn’t lying. He sighed when he saw this, he had a little hope you would say something against it. “Well now that we’ve cleared the air,” he said as he started to walk out. “Ethan,” you sighed, which caused him to turn around. Before he could finish saying the word “yeah,” you were standing on the toes of his shoes, kissing him. 

He quickly got lost in it, picking you up slightly off the ground and returning it with equal need and lust. You found yourself on the couch on his lap, your cunt directly on top of his bulge that was poking at your entrance. His hands found stability on your hips and he guided you on his clothed cock, helping you grind against him. You felt his warm fingers inch up your shirt before you pulled away and said, “We can’t do this here. What if Tara and Quinn come home?” 

He wanted to say no, to take you here on the couch even with the risk, but it’s obviously not what you wanted. So, he had no choice but to comply and carry you to your room. He closed the door and locked it, and you giggled when he threw you onto the fuzzy comforter on your bed. “I guess it’s not so bad. Bigger surface, more ways to fuck you-“ He started to say before you threw a pillow at him. “Shut up,” you joked.

He climbed on top of you - hovering so he didn’t crush you - and kissed at the sweet spot on your neck. Your mouth went agape and you whimpered softly into his ear, the sounds rushing blood straight to his erection. He bit his lip as he let his hand trail down to your crotch, cupping it through your jeans. He couldn’t help but let out a groan when he felt the moisture in between your legs, he couldn't even imagine how wet your panties were, better yet your pussy. You were getting hot, so as he unbuttoned your pants, you removed your top, leaving your upper chest, glistening with sweat, exposed. You helped him kick off your jeans, leaving you in your underwear, which proved you weren’t planning on getting laid today. Your bra was well, a bra. Beige with slight push-up. Your panties were a navy blue and not the sexiest thing ever, slightly cheeky though. Point is, you were a little embarrassed, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. He was way more focused on the way your panties were dripping, tiny globs of white and clear residue collecting on the outside of your gusset. You were surprised he didn’t cum at the sight, noticing the way he was practically salivating and clawing to get your panties off.

He pushed your thighs aside, gaining sight of your needy sex. He spat onto your slit, noticing the way your hole fluttered open when he did so. “What, you like that?” He chuckled. Your face heated up. “Yeah,” you squeaked when he connected two fingers to your clit. “Y/n it’s fine if you don’t want anything serious. But just know all the amazing sex you’d be missing out on..” He started as he rubbed faster circles on your clit. “N-no Ethan, I want you,” you stammered. He hummed to himself as his fingers explored his parts, slippery yet sticky. It was easy for him to slip two fingers into your cunt, since you were already so nicely lubricated. He started thrusting his fingers slowly, and he smirked as he watched your pretty face sinfully contort. Your mouth formed into the shape of an o as your eyebrows pushed inward, your eyes squinting as well. “Is that right? You’re mine?” He asked as he curled his fingers against your g-spot, making you arch your back above the mattress. “Yes, fuck,” you moaned, which gave him a pleased expression.

He pulled his fingers out of you, and you silently groaned. He started to pull his shirt up above his head which you helped him with. You laid your hand on his toned chest, and he leaned down, interlocking his lips with yours. He groaned into the kiss, his hands reaching behind your back and unclipping your bra, throwing it aside. “Can I see your cock, baby?” You asked in that sweet voice that makes his mind go blank. He nodded, in a trance, before snapping back to reality and unbuttoning his pants. He stood from the bed, removing his jeans and tossing them to the side, long forgotten.

You crawled to the edge of the bed, laying on your stomach as you reached for that bulge in his boxers. Your fingers hooked his waistband and pulled them down, discarding them on the floor. You let out a soft moan as you watched his girth shoot up, free from its confines. He groaned as you wrapped your fist around it, stroking slowly from the base dotted in brown curls to the pink tip. You licked a stripe up his length, making his mouth falter open. “Fuck, stop. I need to fuck you,” he said impatiently, picking you up off the bed.

He held you in his arms, and you involuntarily wrapped your legs around his hips. Your cheek was pressed up against his pec as his hand snaked in between your bodies, grabbing his cock and pressing it up against your entrance. You inhaled sharply, preparing yourself for the stretch you had to experience yesterday. “Shit,” he grunted as he started to inch himself in little by little. You whined as your cunt widened to accommodate his size. “Pussy so fucking tight,” he panted into your ear before he pushed himself in entirely. You wrapped your arms around his neck for support as he started moving in and out of you, hands gripping your ass. He easily man handled you like a fuck toy, pushing you against him in time with his thrusts. “Ethann,” you whimpered out, turning your head to look up at him with glossy eyes. “Yeah baby? Wanna tell me how good I’m fucking your greedy pussy?” You nodded, letting out needy moans as he picked up his pace. “Mhm, so good.”

He smirked cockily as he watched you become cock drunk on his dick. He continued to hold you up with one hand, the other stroking your cheek as he leaned down to kiss you, but you could barely kiss him back, not when he was twisting every organ in your body. “Fuck you’re sexy,” he panted once he pulled away from your lips, staring down at your body that his cock found so much pleasure in. “Mmfph, please E. So fucking close,” you cried as you shut your eyes, getting lost in the pleasure. You whined as you felt pressure build up inside you. He sped up, pounding into your cunt relentlessly, helping you and himself reach an orgasm. You covered your mouth with your hand, just in case your roommates came home, and screamed into it. “That’s it, fucking take it,” he groaned before laughing to himself. You looked at him with a confused expression.

“I forgot the fucking condom,” he started to stop before you stopped him. “No keep going. Just, pull out,” you said. “Are you sure?” He asked skeptically, and you nodded in response. He started moving again, “fuck I’m close anyways.” You nodded in agreement. Your whines grew quicker, more excessive. And from the way you throbbed around his cock, he knew you were gonna cum. The second you squealed the words, “I’m cumming!” you convulsed, moaning curses as a trickle of clear fluid dripped from your cunt down your thigh. Remembering his instructions, Ethan pulled out  and came, groaning your name. His cum spurted onto your stomach and dripped down onto the floor. When the two of you’s breathing slowed down, he laid you on the bed and collapsed next to you. You both looked at each other and laughed, before leaning in for a sweet kiss. 

You got dressed, and so did Ethan, although the clothes did nothing to hide the sweat and must that radiated from y’all. On top of that, since the clothes were thrown so recklessly, they were far more wrinkled than when the day began. The two of you walked out into the living room, and you didn’t expect it to be a walk of shame.

Nevertheless, you found all of your friends staring at you in disbelief. Mindy mock gagged, and by reading Tara’s face alone you weren’t sure if she was happy or disappointed. Quinn was in shock and Anika just looked concerned. Chad however looked smug and held his hand out to Mindy who groaned. “Told you they were having sex. 20 bucks.”

[engeorged]

Harry's Stag - Part One

As I stepped out of the taxi, the cool Amsterdam air washed over me, and I couldn’t help but smile. The canals, the narrow streets, the lively hum of the city—it was just what I needed. A lads’ weekend with my best mates, a chance to unwind before I marry the man of my dreams.

I glanced at the guys, a wave of affection washing over me. Jim and I had been mates since we were kids, practically growing up together. Tall, lean, with that rugged, outdoorsy vibe and piercing blue eyes that seemed to cut through any nonsense, Jim was the steady one—the rock who always kept us grounded.

Banning and Noel came into our lives during university when we all played rugby together. Banning, with his quiet confidence and sharp mind, was always thinking a few steps ahead. He had this knack for coming up with a plan, making sure we stayed out of trouble and found our way home in one piece. Then there’s Noel—scruffy, blonde, and a bit shorter than the rest of us, but with a cheeky grin that could charm his way out of any mess he managed to get himself into. He was the joker of the group, ensuring we were never bored.

And then there’s me, Harry, the soon-to-be groom, the guy who’s somehow managed to land the most amazing man in the world. Jason is everything I’ve ever wanted—6’5, blonde, and brilliant, working in finance but with a heart of gold. He’s got this mix of confidence and kindness that makes me fall for him all over again every time I see him. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet, and I know it.

But right now, all I want is to forget about the wedding planning and just enjoy this weekend with the guys. We’ve been through so much together—high school dramas, university antics, and everything life has thrown at us since. This weekend is our chance to let loose, to celebrate before everything changes.

The morning light filtered through the curtains as I woke up, feeling the familiar buzz of excitement. Today was going to be one for the books. After a quick shower, I headed downstairs with the guys to tackle the hotel’s breakfast buffet. I’d always seen buffets as a bit of a challenge—something I’d perfected during our rugby trips in uni when the lads and I would try to outdo each other with how much we could eat.

The spread was impressive: stacks of pancakes, sizzling sausages, crispy bacon, eggs done every way imaginable, and fresh pastries that looked like they’d come straight out of a bakery. My stomach growled in anticipation, and I grabbed a plate, ready to dive in.

Jim, always the early riser, was already at the buffet, piling food onto his plate. “Morning, mate,” he said with a grin. “Hope you’re hungry.”

“You know me,” I replied, grabbing a bit of everything and then some. “Never one to turn down a good breakfast.”

We settled at a table, and I started working through my plate, enjoying the food and the banter. Before I could even make a dent in my meal, Noel appeared with a plate stacked high with more food. “Mate, you’ve got to try these pancakes,” he said, dropping them onto my plate without waiting for a reply.

I laughed, not thinking much of it. “Alright, alright, keep them coming.”

Banning, ever the strategist, chimed in as he sat down. “You’re missing out on the scrambled eggs. Here, have some more,” he said, adding a generous portion to my plate.

As we ate, the conversation flowed, and I found myself reminiscing about our old rugby trips. “Remember that all-you-can-eat steakhouse in Leeds?” I asked, chuckling. “I think I put away enough to feed a small army that night.”

Jim nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Yeah, and you still managed to play the next day. You’ve always had a hollow leg when it comes to food.”

They kept the food coming, and I kept eating, not really noticing how often one of them would toss something extra onto my plate. I was too caught up in the nostalgia, the friendly competition from our uni days, and the general excitement of the weekend.

But as I started on my third plate, I felt a familiar tightness in my stomach. The kind that crept in during those old eating challenges when I’d push myself just a bit too far. My belly was starting to feel heavy, the waistband of my jeans pressing uncomfortably against my skin. I shifted in my seat, trying to ease the growing discomfort.

Still, I wasn’t one to back down from a challenge—even a self-imposed one. I kept eating, even as my stomach began to bloat, pushing out slightly against my shirt. Each bite was a little slower, the food sitting heavily in my gut. I could feel my belly rounding out, the once-flat surface curving just a bit more with each mouthful.

“Feeling full yet?” Jim asked an innocent enough question, but there was a twinkle in his eye.

“A bit,” I admitted, patting my stomach, which was now firm and slightly swollen. “But you know me—never one to quit while I’m ahead.”

The guys exchanged quick glances, subtle but not lost on me. I shrugged it off, thinking they were just reminiscing about old times like I was. But deep down, I had a nagging feeling that they were up to something. Still, I was too focused on the food and the fun to really care.

As I polished off the last of my pancakes, the tightness in my belly became more pronounced. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my slightly rounded stomach, feeling the pressure building inside. Regret started to creep in—a familiar sensation from those rugby days when I’d pushed my limits a bit too far. My shirt stretched a little tighter across my middle, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I should’ve shown some restraint.

But then I caught myself. I’d eaten way more than this before, especially during those wild university days. This was nothing compared to some of the eating challenges I’d taken on—and won. A bit of bloat wasn’t going to slow me down. I could handle it, no problem.

With that in mind, I shrugged off the discomfort. It was just breakfast, after all, and we had a whole day ahead of us. “Right, lads,” I said, standing up and stretching, trying to shake off the heaviness in my gut. “What’s next on the agenda?”

Jim clapped me on the back, and I could feel the tension in my overstuffed stomach as he did. “Let’s head out and explore, mate. We’ve got a full day ahead of us.”

I nodded, determined to push through the fullness. I reminded myself that this was all part of the fun, and I could definitely handle more. With one last glance at the table, I followed the guys out the door, ready to see what the day had in store.

As we headed out into the bustling streets of Amsterdam, the food still sitting heavily in my stomach, I told myself I was just being paranoid. These guys were my best friends—they wouldn’t pull anything on me, especially not right before my wedding.

After finishing breakfast, we decided to take in some of the sights. Amsterdam was a beautiful city, and I was excited to explore it with my best mates. The weather was perfect—clear skies and a gentle breeze, making it an ideal day for wandering around.

We started by visiting some of the city's iconic spots, like the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. But as we strolled along the canals and through the narrow streets, I could feel the heaviness in my belly from the massive breakfast easing a bit. By late morning, we found ourselves at one of the bustling local markets. The place was alive with vibrant colours, delicious smells, and the chatter of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to local delicacies. It was the kind of place where you could easily lose track of time, wandering from stall to stall, sampling the best that Amsterdam had to offer.

"Harry, check this out!" Banning called out, waving me over to a stall where a vendor was selling fresh stroopwafels, still warm from the griddle. He handed me one, and before I could even think about whether I was hungry, I found myself biting into the sweet, caramel-filled treat. It was delicious, the perfect balance of chewy and crunchy, and despite the fullness I still felt, I had to admit it was hard to resist.

"How about some cheese?" Noel chimed in, appearing beside me with a small platter of local Dutch cheeses. He popped a piece into my mouth before I could protest, grinning as I chewed. The rich, creamy flavours melted on my tongue, and I couldn’t help but smile at how good it tasted.

As we moved through the market, the guys made sure I didn’t miss a thing. Every few steps, they’d find something new for me to try—a slice of fresh apple pie here, a handful of chocolate-covered nuts there. They seemed to be in a competition to see who could find the most delicious treats, and I was the unwitting contestant.

“Harry, you’ve got to try these!” Jim called out, holding up a tray of poffertjes, tiny Dutch pancakes dusted with powdered sugar. He handed me the tray, and before I knew it, I was popping the fluffy little pancakes into my mouth, one after another.

With each bite, my belly grew heavier, the tightness from breakfast now back and mixed with the new wave of food. But the guys kept bringing me more, their excitement and enthusiasm contagious. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, watching as I dutifully sampled everything they put in front of me.

At one point, I realised I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. “Guys, I think I’m good for now,” I said, laughing nervously as I held up a hand to stop another treat from making its way into my mouth.

“Fuck that!” Banning said, laughing. “We’re just getting started. You’ve got to experience everything, mate!”

Despite my growing discomfort, I couldn’t help but go along with it. After all, this was supposed to be a weekend of indulgence, and I didn’t want to be the one to spoil the fun. So I kept eating, letting the guys guide me from stall to stall, each new bite adding to the growing pressure in my belly.

By the time we were ready to leave the market, I could barely keep track of everything I’d eaten. My stomach felt impossibly full, a heavy, warm weight pressing against my waistband. As we walked away, I noticed the guys exchanging amused glances, but they didn’t say anything, and I didn’t push it.

As we left the market, I was feeling stuffed from all the sampling, but the guys weren't done with me yet. Just as we were about to head back towards the city centre, Banning spotted a stall selling fresh pastries. The aroma of warm, buttery dough filled the air, making my mouth water despite the heaviness already sitting in my gut.

“Hold up, lads,” Banning said, veering off toward the stall. “We can’t leave without taking some of these with us!”

Before I could protest, he was at the counter, ordering a large bag of assorted pastries—croissants, danishes, and something that looked like a massive cinnamon roll, all warm and fresh from the oven.

“Here you go, Harry,” he said, shoving the bag into my hands with a grin. “Something to snack on as we walk.”

I chuckled, trying to hide my unease at the thought of eating anything more. “You sure you guys don’t want to share these?”

“Oh, we’ll help,” Jim said, but I noticed the sly smile on his face. “But you’ve got to lead the charge, mate. You’re the groom, after all.”

With no real way to refuse without seeming like a party pooper, I sighed and reached into the bag. The croissant I pulled out was soft and flaky, practically melting in my hands. I took a bite, the buttery richness spreading across my tongue, and I had to admit—it was damn good.

As we walked, I found myself nibbling on the pastries, more out of habit than hunger. The guys encouraged me with every bite, grabbing a pastry here and there, but always making sure the majority of them ended up in my hands.

By the time we reached our next destination, the bag was nearly empty, and I felt like I was carrying a lead weight in my belly. The waistband of my jeans was digging into my skin, and I subtly tried to adjust it to relieve some of the pressure. The guys, of course, were loving every minute of it, exchanging knowing looks as I dutifully finished off the last pastry. 

I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were up to something, but for now, all I could focus on was the heavy, bloated sensation in my gut. It was hard to believe I could still stand, let alone keep eating, but with the lads around, I knew there was no way I’d get out of it. 

After leaving the market with my belly full of pastries, we found ourselves wandering through the winding streets of Amsterdam again. The city was buzzing with life, tourists mingling with locals, and the smell of food and drink filled the air. My stomach was still groaning from all the food I'd packed into it, but when the guys suggested stopping for some beers, I figured it might help take the edge off.

“Let’s hit up a few local breweries,” Jim suggested, his eyes lighting up. “We can’t leave Amsterdam without trying some of the best beer in the world.”

I agreed, hoping that a few drinks might dull the ache in my overstuffed belly. The first brewery we hit was small and cosy, with wooden tables and an impressive selection of local brews. The guys ordered a round of pints, and I gladly accepted mine, taking a long, deep sip. The cold, bitter beer slid down my throat, and I could feel it spreading warmth through my chest.

The first pint went down easily, and for a moment, I almost forgot how full I was. The alcohol worked its magic, numbing the uncomfortable pressure in my stomach. The guys were in high spirits, laughing and joking as we finished our beers and moved on to the next brewery.

By the time we reached the third stop, I was starting to feel a bit more relaxed. The bloated sensation in my gut was still there, but the beer had taken the edge off. Each point seemed to settle on top of the food in my belly, adding to the warm, fuzzy feeling spreading through my body.

The guys were keeping pace with me, ordering pints at each stop and making sure I always had one in my hand. I knew I should slow down, but the alcohol was doing its job, and I found myself caring less and less about how full I was. Instead, I focused on enjoying the moment, the camaraderie, and the laughter of my best friends.

At the fifth brewery, the drinks started to catch up with me. My head was buzzing, and the bloated feeling in my stomach was returning, more pronounced than before. I tried to keep up with the guys, but I could feel my belly straining against the waistband of my jeans, each sip of beer adding to the swelling pressure.

I glanced down at my gut, now noticeably rounder and heavier than it had been earlier in the day. The fullness was almost overwhelming, but the beers had numbed me enough that I could push through it, at least for a while longer.

Jim noticed me looking at my stomach and clapped me on the back. “You alright, mate? You’re keeping up like a champ!”

I managed a grin, even though I could feel the tightness in my belly with every breath. “Yeah, just feeling it a bit,” I admitted.

“Don’t worry, we’re almost done with the tour,” Noel said, raising his glass. “Just a couple more, and then we can grab some food to soak it all up.”

The mention of food made my stomach churn, but I pushed the thought aside and lifted my pint in a toast. As we moved on to the final stop, I could feel the beers sloshing around inside me, mingling with the pastries and everything else I’d consumed that day. 

But the guys were right—the beers had dulled the ache, at least for now, and I was too buzzed to care about what might come next.

By the time we reached the final brewery on our tour, my belly had become an undeniable presence—both to me and, I suspected, to anyone who glanced in my direction. It felt like a boulder, heavy and firm, pressing outwards against the fabric of my shirt. The once-flat surface was now a taut, rounded dome, the skin stretched tight and smooth. Every step I took made it sway slightly, a reminder of just how much I’d eaten.

I rubbed my swollen middle, trying to ease the growing pressure. Suddenly, a deep belch forced its way up, loud and unexpected. The guys turned, grinning, and immediately erupted into cheers.

“There he is!” Noel laughed, clapping me on the back, which only made my belly slosh uncomfortably. “That’s the spirit, mate!”

Another belch rumbled up, and this time I didn’t even try to hold it back. The guys whooped and cheered even louder, egging me on as I laughed along with them.

“Keep ‘em coming!” Banning shouted, raising his pint in a mock toast.

I shook my head, grinning as yet another burp escaped me. The relief was temporary, though, as the pressure inside me continued to build. Every step made my belly jiggle slightly, and I could feel just how bloated I was becoming. The gas from all that beer wasn’t helping, either, making me feel even more stuffed than I already was.

I couldn’t help but enjoy the moment. The lads were loving it, and there was something satisfying about knowing I could still outdo them, just like in the old days. Even if my stomach felt like it was about to burst, the cheers and laughter made it all worth it.

Despite the discomfort, there was a part of me that was fascinated by how much my body had changed in just a few short hours. My normally lean frame had been overtaken by this massive, swollen belly, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer volume I’d managed to pack away.

The guys noticed, too. I caught Banning’s eye as he glanced at my gut, and he grinned, clearly impressed. “That’s one hell of a belly, Harry,” he said, his voice full of admiration. “You’ve really outdone yourself today.”

Jim nodded in agreement, raising his pint in a toast. “To Harry’s belly,” he said with a laugh. “May it keep growing!”

The others joined in, their laughter filling the air as I gave a half-hearted chuckle. I could feel my stomach stretching even more as I took another sip of beer, the pressure building to a point that was almost unbearable.

As we finished our drinks, I leaned back in my chair, trying to find some relief from the tightness. My belly was now a prominent, round sphere, pressing outwards with a fullness that I couldn’t ignore. It was a strange mix of discomfort and pride—I’d never seen myself like this before, and despite the ache, there was something almost amusing about the sheer size of my belly.

By early afternoon, I was starting to feel the effects of our beer-filled morning. My head was buzzing pleasantly, and my steps were just a bit slower as we made our way through the bustling streets. I was thinking about suggesting a quick stop back at the hotel to freshen up, but before I could, Noel was already leading us toward our next destination.

“We’ve got a special lunch spot lined up, Harry,” he said, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “Proper local place. None of that touristy crap.”

I was too relaxed to argue, letting him steer me down a side street and into a large, rustic-looking restaurant. The inside was all dark wood and heavy beams, with long communal tables and the rich smell of roasting meat filling the air. My stomach rumbled in spite of the heaviness I was already feeling, and I figured a good meal might help soak up some of the beer.

We found a spot at the end of one of the tables, and Noel didn’t even bother with menus. “We’ll take four of your specials,” he told the waitress with a wink, and she nodded, jotting it down before disappearing into the kitchen.

I leaned back in my chair, glancing around at the other diners. Most of them were locals, digging into plates piled high with food, glasses of cider clinking together in toasts. It was lively, warm, and exactly the kind of place that made you feel at home, even halfway across the world.

“So, what’s the special?” I asked, eyeing Noel suspiciously.

“Wait and see,” he grinned, taking a long pull from the glass of cider that had just been set in front of him. “You’re gonna love it.”

Moments later, the food arrived, and my eyes widened as the waitress set a huge platter in front of each of us. There, in the centre, was a whole roasted chicken, crispy and golden, surrounded by a mountain of fresh bread and a full litre of cider.

“Bloody hell,” I muttered, staring at the feast. It looked incredible, but there was no way I could finish all that. “You guys trying to kill me?”

Banning smirked, already tearing into his bread. “Consider it a challenge.”

“Come on, Harry,” Jim chimed in, pulling a hunk of chicken off the bone. “You said you were hungry this morning.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean all day,” I laughed, even as I reached for my fork. The smell of the roasted chicken was too tempting to resist, and I figured I could at least make a dent in it.

We dug in, the conversation flowing easily between bites of juicy chicken and sips of the strong, dry cider. The bread was warm and crusty, perfect for soaking up the rich drippings from the chicken, and despite my full stomach, I found myself going back for more, over and over.

The guys were relentless, though, nudging the bread my way whenever I slowed down, refilling my cider glass before I’d even finished it. Every time I thought I was done, Jim would carve off another piece of chicken and drop it onto my plate, or Noel would push the bread basket back toward me with a grin.

“You’ve got to try this with the cider,” Noel insisted, handing me a slice of bread slathered in the drippings. “Trust me, it’s worth it.”

I took the bread, biting into it with a mix of enjoyment and trepidation. It was delicious, of course, but I was starting to reach the point where every bite felt like a struggle. My stomach was stretched tight, the combination of beer, cider, and food weighing me down.

But there was something infectious about their enthusiasm, the way they kept the mood light and fun, and I couldn’t bring myself to say no. These were my best mates, and they were making sure I had the time of my life. What was a little discomfort in the grand scheme of things?

“Only the best for you,” Noel added with a wink, though there was a glint in his eye that made me wonder just how much more they had planned for me.

After finishing the meal, I leaned back in my chair, feeling utterly stuffed. My usually firm belly was now uncomfortably stretched, the tightness pressing against my shirt. The button on my jeans felt like it was about to pop, and I had to loosen my belt a notch to alleviate some of the pressure.

The full feeling wasn’t just in my stomach but seemed to radiate through my entire body. Every bite of the juicy chicken and every piece of bread had added to the bloated sensation, and the cider had only intensified it. My stomach was protruding noticeably, an unfamiliar softness replacing the tight abs I’d worked so hard to maintain. It felt heavy, like a weight pressing down from within.

I looked around at my friends, trying to ignore the discomfort, but the sight of their grins and the way they patted their own full bellies didn’t help. “I think I might have overdone it,” I admitted with a chuckle, rubbing my distended stomach.

“No way, mate,” Jim said, giving me a friendly thump on the back. “You’re just getting into the spirit of things.”

“Yeah, you’ve got to stay in top form,” Noel added, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “You don’t want to be the one to miss out.”

Despite the lighthearted teasing, I could barely move, feeling the fullness with every breath. I glanced down at my bulging belly, the fabric of my shirt straining against the roundness. It was a far cry from the trim figure I was used to seeing.

As we finally left the restaurant, I had to walk slowly, my steps deliberate and careful. Each movement reminded me of just how much I’d eaten, and I knew that if I didn’t get some relief soon, the discomfort would only grow. But with the guys still in high spirits, I knew the day was far from over, and whatever they had planned next, I’d have to muster the energy to keep up.

As we left the restaurant, the afternoon started to blur together. The combination of food and cider had left me pleasantly tipsy, and the usual sharpness of my thoughts had softened. My bloated stomach felt heavy, but the excitement of the city kept me moving, albeit at a slower pace.

After the epic lunch, I was convinced I couldn't possibly eat another bite. My stomach was so full and bloated that it felt like a lead weight was strapped to me, each step making my distended gut jiggle slightly under my shirt.

We started walking again, heading toward the canals for a leisurely afternoon tour. The sun was shining, reflecting off the water as we strolled along the cobblestone streets. I tried to focus on the sights—the charming, narrow buildings, the boats gliding by—but the heavy, stuffed feeling in my gut was impossible to ignore. Every step made me acutely aware of just how much space my belly was taking up, stretching my shirt tight across the firm, rounded expanse.

We hadn’t gone far before we passed a street vendor selling fresh Bitterballen. The savoury aroma of deep-fried goodness filled the air, making my stomach rumble despite the fullness. Bitterballen are traditional Dutch snacks, deep-fried balls filled with a rich, creamy beef or veal ragout, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re often enjoyed with a dollop of mustard.

Noel, ever the enthusiast, was already haggling with the vendor before I could even process what was happening. “Harry’s got to try these!” he said, handing over a few euros and grabbing a serving of the hot, golden balls.

“Mate, I’m so full I can barely move,” I protested weakly, but Noel just grinned and handed me a paper cone filled with Bitterballen.

“Come on, you’ve got room for one more,” he said, winking. “It’s part of the experience.”

I took the cone and popped one of the Bitterballen into my mouth. The crispy exterior gave way to a rich, creamy filling that was both indulgent and comforting. Despite the tightness in my belly, the flavour was irresistible. With each bite, I could feel the food settling heavily on top of everything else I’d eaten, adding to the relentless pressure in my gut.

We continued along the canal, and it wasn’t long before Jim spotted another vendor—this time selling churros dusted with cinnamon sugar. He practically sprinted over, eager to buy a bag for me before Banning could get there first.

“Here you go, Harry,” Jim said, thrusting the warm bag into my hands. “You’ve got to keep your energy up!”

I stared at the churros, my stomach groaning in protest at the mere thought of eating more. But the guys were watching me expectantly, their excitement palpable. I couldn’t let them down, so I forced myself to take a bite.

The churro was crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and coated with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar. It was delicious, but as I swallowed, I felt my belly swell even more, the tightness becoming almost unbearable. Each bite seemed to expand my gut further, stretching the skin to its limits.

“Harry, you’re a machine!” Banning laughed, clapping me on the back as I forced down the last of the churros. “I don’t know how you’re doing it.”

Neither did I. My stomach was now so full that it was starting to feel rock-hard, a firm, rounded dome that pushed out from under my shirt with every breath. The waistband of my jeans was cutting painfully into my sides, and I could feel my skin pulling tight over the swollen mass of my belly. I wanted to stop, to sit down and let my overstuffed gut settle, but the guys weren’t having any of it.

We passed another vendor, this one selling warm, cheesy croquettes, and before I could even protest, Banning had bought a handful and was offering them to me.

“Last ones, I promise,” he said with a mischievous grin, though I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was far from finished.

I took one, biting into the crispy, gooey centre, and immediately felt another surge of fullness. My stomach was now a tight, distended ball, and each bite made it feel like I was stretching it to the breaking point. But the guys kept egging me on, practically shoving the croquettes into my hands as we walked.

By the time we finally finished the canal tour, my belly was truly enormous—a swollen, overfilled sphere that jutted out in front of me, heavy and round. The tightness was almost unbearable, and I could barely stand up straight, the weight of my gut pulling me forward with every step. 

And yet, despite it all, I couldn’t help but laugh along with the guys, the absurdity of the situation hitting me. My friends were practically fighting over who got to feed me next, and I was helpless to stop them. My once-lean frame had been transformed into something out of a cartoon, my shirt now riding up to expose the pale, stretched skin of my bloated belly.

As we headed back toward the city centre, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was far from over. The day was still young, and the guys seemed determined to see just how much more they could cram into me. And as much as I wanted to protest, I knew deep down that I wasn’t going to stop them.

By the time the afternoon sun started to dip, I was struggling. Every step felt like a monumental effort, the heavy, swollen mass of my belly swaying in front of me, throwing off my balance. It had gone from feeling full and stretched to being outright painful, a tight, solid ball that was almost too much to bear. The guys were still in high spirits, laughing and joking as we walked, but I was finding it hard to keep up. 

"Guys," I groaned, finally coming to a stop and placing a hand on my distended gut. "I need a break. Can we head back to the hotel for a bit? Just a quick snooze, let my stomach settle."

I was expecting some pushback, but surprisingly, they all nodded in agreement. Maybe they could see the strain on my face, or maybe they were just ready for a break too. Either way, we turned in the direction of the hotel, and I started to imagine the sweet relief of lying down and letting my poor, overworked belly rest.

But of course, it wasn’t going to be that simple.

As we rounded a corner, we passed a small, bustling shop with a line of people snaking out the door. The smell of fried potatoes and various toppings filled the air, and Jim’s eyes lit up when he spotted the sign.

“Wait a second,” he said, grabbing my arm and pointing toward the shop. “This is the place I’ve been telling you about! They make these famous fries with all sorts of toppings. We’ve got to try it.”

I felt a knot of dread tighten in my already cramped stomach. “Jim, I’m seriously about to burst here. I don’t think I can fit anything else in.”

But Jim wasn’t having it. “Come on, Harry, you can’t come all the way to Amsterdam and not try this. It’s part of the experience! We’ll just get one big platter to share, no big deal.”

Banning and Noel were already nodding along enthusiastically, and before I could argue any further, they were steering me toward the door. Inside, the place was a fry-lover’s paradise—massive trays of golden fries, each topped with a ridiculous amount of extras, from melted cheese to pulled pork, jalapeños, and creamy sauces.

We ordered the biggest platter they had, a monstrosity as wide as the table itself, piled high with fries and every topping imaginable. It was the sort of thing meant for a group of a dozen, not four guys who had already been eating all day. The sight of it alone made my stomach lurch in protest.

I tried to push back. “Guys, seriously, this is insane. I can’t eat all this.”

But Banning grinned at me, eyes twinkling with mischief. “We’ll help, don’t worry. But you’ve got to at least give it a shot, Harry. Think of it as a challenge.”

I knew there was no way out, not with all three of them looking at me like that. So, with a resigned sigh, I picked up a fork and dug in.

The first few bites were delicious, the crispy fries and rich toppings a perfect combination. But with every mouthful, I could feel my stomach stretching further, pushing against my waistband and straining the limits of my shirt. The tightness that had been a constant presence all day was now bordering on unbearable, a pressure that made it hard to focus on anything other than the sheer fullness of my gut.

Still, the guys kept urging me on, and somehow, I kept going. They were making a show of eating their share, but it was clear that most of the food was ending up in front of me. Every time I slowed down, they’d shove another forkful of loaded fries in my direction, laughing and cheering me on like it was some sort of competition.

“Harry’s taking the lead!” Noel shouted at one point, and the others whooped in agreement. 

I felt like I was in a daze, barely able to comprehend what I was doing as I continued to eat. My belly was now so bloated that it was pressing against the edge of the table, a round, firm dome that seemed to be growing larger with each bite. My shirt was stretched tight across the distended curve of my gut, and I could feel the seams straining with every breath.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I dropped my fork, unable to eat another bite. The platter was mostly empty, but my stomach felt like it was about to burst. I leaned back in my chair, groaning as the pressure in my belly intensified. It was a strange mix of pain and satisfaction, the kind of fullness that made it impossible to do anything but sit there and let my body digest.

The guys, of course, were loving it. They were all grins and high-fives, clearly proud of themselves for pushing me to this point.

“You’re a legend, Harry,” Banning said, clapping me on the back with a laugh. “I don’t know how you did it.”

I didn’t either. All I knew was that my belly was now so swollen and distended that I could barely move. It jutted out in front of me like a solid, round ball, the skin stretched tight and smooth over the massive bulge. I could feel every inch of it, the fullness pressing down on my lungs and making it hard to breathe, let alone think.

As we finally left the fry shop and started heading back to the hotel, I could barely keep up, my gait slow and awkward as I tried to accommodate the heavy mass of my gut. It felt like I was carrying a bowling ball strapped to my stomach, the weight of it pulling me forward with every step.

And yet, as uncomfortable as I was, there was a part of me that couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer size of my belly. I’d never been this full in my life, never even imagined it was possible to eat this much. It was almost impressive in a way, and despite everything, I found myself laughing along with the guys as we made our way back to the hotel.

By the time we finally made it back to the hotel, I was exhausted. My belly was so full and heavy that each step felt like a challenge, and the thought of just lying down was the only thing keeping me going. As we entered the room, the guys were still buzzing with energy, laughing and recounting the day’s events, but I could hardly focus on their words. All I could think about was getting out of my too-tight clothes and giving my aching stomach some relief.

I headed straight for the bathroom, barely pausing to acknowledge the banter going on behind me. Closing the door, I leaned against the sink for a moment, taking a deep breath as I let the tension drain from my shoulders. Then, with a grunt of discomfort, I began the laborious task of peeling off my clothes.

First, I unbuttoned my jeans, which had been digging into my sides for hours. The moment the button popped open, my belly surged forward, free from its confines at last. I couldn’t help but gasp slightly at the sensation—the relief was immediate, but the sheer weight of my gut was startling. I tugged the waistband down over my hips, letting the jeans fall to the floor, before yanking off my shirt, which had been stretched to its limits.

Once I was finally free of my clothes, I turned to face the mirror, and what I saw stopped me in my tracks. My belly—normally flat and firm—was now a completely different shape, swollen and rounded out in front of me like a tightly inflated balloon. The curve of it was almost shocking, jutting out so far that it seemed impossible it was my own body. My skin was stretched taut over the massive dome, with the light fur that usually covered my stomach now spread thin and sparse across the smooth, distended surface. 

I reached out tentatively, running a hand over the swell of my gut. It felt solid and unyielding, the kind of fullness that left no room for anything else. My fingers brushed against the fine hair that coated my belly, usually soft but now pulled taut over the curve, emphasising the tightness of my skin. The fur seemed almost out of place on such a massively bloated belly, a reminder of how much my body had changed in just a few short hours.

I took a step back, turning slightly to see my profile, and my eyes widened at the sight. The curve of my belly was even more pronounced from the side, a heavy, rounded bulge that hung low and full. It almost didn’t look real—like something out of a cartoon, exaggerated and impossible. And yet, there it was, a testament to just how much I had consumed.

I stood there for a moment, just staring at myself in the mirror. I knew I’d eaten a lot, but seeing the evidence in front of me like this was almost surreal. I couldn’t believe how much I’d managed to pack away—how much my belly had expanded to accommodate it all. I looked like I’d swallowed a beach ball whole, my normally lean frame now dominated by this massive, swollen gut.

A mix of shock and disbelief washed over me. I’d seen my belly bloated before—college eating challenges had often left me stuffed, but never like this. This was on another level entirely. I could feel the weight of it, the sheer fullness pressing down on me, making it hard to stand upright. Every movement made my gut jiggle slightly, a constant reminder of how tightly packed it was with food.

Despite the discomfort, there was something almost fascinating about it. The sight of my body so utterly transformed, my belly swollen beyond anything I’d ever thought possible, was strangely compelling. It was as if I’d crossed some invisible line, entered a new territory where my body was no longer my own but something else entirely—something massive and insatiable.

I ran my hand over the curve of my gut one more time, feeling the tightness beneath my palm, the way my skin stretched over the fullness. Then, with a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror and headed back into the room, where the guys were waiting. 

I stumbled out of the bathroom, still in a daze from the sight of my bloated belly, and made my way to the bed. My legs were heavy, my body protesting with every step as the weight of my overstuffed gut dragged me down. As soon as I reached the edge of the bed, I let myself fall backward, the mattress groaning beneath me as I sprawled out on top of the covers. The sensation of finally lying down was a relief beyond words. My belly, round and tight, stretched upward, and I could feel the strain in my skin as it tried to accommodate the ridiculous amount of food I’d packed away.

I let out a long, contented sigh, resting a hand on the taut dome of my stomach. It was firm to the touch, barely giving under the pressure of my fingers. My eyes drifted shut, and for a moment, I was lost in the sensation of being so full, so heavy, so utterly stuffed.

The sound of laughter pulled me from my reverie. The guys were still buzzing with energy, moving around the room as they started to get ready for whatever was coming next. Jim was the first to strip off his shirt, revealing a flat but slightly rounded belly—nothing compared to mine, but still showing signs of the indulgence we’d all participated in today. He patted it with a grin, turning to show it off to Banning and Noel.

"Look at this," Jim said, chuckling. "I’m usually flat as a board, but today... man, I’m starting to show a little gut. Must have been all those pastries at the market."

Banning, who was already down to his boxers, laughed and flexed his own stomach, which was a bit bloated  than usual but nowhere near as distended as mine. "Yeah, I’m feeling it too. I think I’m still carrying around half that platter of fries we demolished earlier."

Noel joined in, lifting his shirt to reveal his own slightly swollen belly. "Same here. It’s like we’ve all turned into little food balloons, but I gotta say, Harry definitely wins the prize for the biggest gut." 

They all turned to look at me, sprawled out on the bed with my massive, bloated belly on full display. The contrast between their smaller, slightly rounded stomachs and my own overstuffed gut was almost comical. I looked like I’d swallowed a whole watermelon, while they’d only nibbled on a few snacks.

Jim grinned and gave his own belly another pat. “How are you even still conscious after all that? You’ve gotta be on the verge of passing out, mate.”

I could only groan in response, too full and too tired to form a coherent reply. My belly felt like it was about to burst, every breath a reminder of how far I’d pushed myself today. But despite the discomfort, there was a strange sense of camaraderie in the room, a bond forged through our shared gluttony.

The guys continued to joke and laugh, comparing their own bellies and teasing me about mine, but I barely heard them. All I could focus on was the heavy, aching fullness that filled every inch of my midsection. I rubbed my hand over the curve of my stomach, trying to soothe the tightness, but it was no use. I was beyond stuffed, my gut stretched to its absolute limit.

Even so, as I lay there, I couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of it all. I had no idea how I’d let myself get talked into eating so much, but in some weird way, it had been worth it. The guys were having the time of their lives, and despite my current state, I couldn’t deny that a part of me was enjoying it too.

For part two

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[winchesterwild78]

Austin part 2

Austin Master List

Chapter Warnings: Language, cheating, angst, Fluff, feels

A/N: Reader is new to the Austin area with her husband and teenage son. When a car accident brings her face to face with Jensen Ackles. Absolutely no disrespect to Jensen or his family. This is a work of fiction and does not represent reality. This chapter is a little long, but I needed to set up the story. I edited this fast so please overlook any mistakes. I’m trying to turn out chapters fast because I’m having wrist surgery in a few weeks. Enjoy! ☺️

All work is my own, don’t take it

18+ Minors DNI

***********************************************

The next morning you woke up later than you intended. You saw your husband was already gone so you crawled out of bed. You jumped in the shower and your mind kept drifting to Jensen and his smile. “Girl, stop it! He’s married and so are you. He’s happy with his wife.” You told yourself. You were confused when you felt a bit of sadness at the thought of him being happy with his marriage. You told yourself you were being stupid and projecting your bad marriage onto his.

You’ve seen his posts and heard him talk about Danneel. He’s head over heels for her. Who wouldn’t be. She’s absolutely gorgeous and she gave him three adorable children. You turned off the shower and got out. You realized just how sore you were from the accident. You smiled because you told Jensen you would be. Walking downstairs you called out for your son but he didn’t answer. You looked at your phone and saw you had some texts.

Jacob: Hey Ma. You were sleeping so I didn’t want to wake you up. Meeting some friends and going to the lake. Love you. I’ll have my phone if you need me.

You sent a reply back.

You: that’s great you’ve found some kids to hang out with. Have fun at the lake and be careful. Love you too kiddo.

The next text took your breath away.

Jensen: Good morning Y/N. I’m just seeing how sore you are today. I hope not too bad.

You smiled and felt your chest warm. You replied back.

You: Hey. Good morning to you too. Yeah I’m sore this morning but nothing I can’t handle. Thanks for checking on me. 😊

You bit your lip and smiled. You grabbed your coffee cup and started to make yourself a cup of coffee when your phone went off.

Jensen: I’m sorry you’re sore. Let me take you out for some coffee and maybe brunch if you’re feeling up to it this morning.

Your breath hitched in your throat and your heart beat wildly in your chest. This is just a friendly gesture. He’s a great guy WHO IS MARRIED! You yelled at yourself. Still you couldn’t help but feel a little excited.

You: Sure. That sounds great. Where would you like to meet?

Jensen: Great 😊 meet me at the coffee shop across from the ice cream shop. Can’t wait to see you. Meet you there in 20?

You: That sounds great. See you in 20.

You finished getting ready and paid close attention to your hair and put on light make up. This isn’t a date, it’s brunch with a friend. You told yourself to help with your nerves.

You drove to the coffee shop and saw him standing outside leaning against his beautiful 1967 Chevy Impala. Baby looks even better in person and damn did he look hot. He was wearing a t shirt that hugged his body, jeans, a backwards hat and sunglasses. It should be a crime to look that damn hot.

You parked and got out. When Jensen saw you he pushed off the car and smiled. “Glad you could make it” he said touching the small of your back. His touch ignited a fire on your skin. His hand guided you in. The hostess greeted you and sat you two at a table near the back. You were thankful it was away from people. Jensen pulled out your chair and you sat down thanking him. He smiled and nodded. He sat across from you and the air was filled with anticipation. The waitress came over and took your order and left.

There was a silence that fell over you two. Jensen broke the silence by asking “ Y/N are you sure you’re okay. You don’t think you need to go to the doctor do you?” You smiled softly and shook your head no. “I’ll be fine. Just tensed up too much during the wreck. I’ll just take some medicine and apply heat and ice.”

He smiled and said okay. “So was your husband upset about the accident. I’ll be happy to talk to him if he wants to talk.” Jensen said. Before you could reply the food and coffee came and you started to eat. “I appreciate you offering to talk to him. He wasn’t too concerned about the accident or anything. He was more concerned about talking to his girlfriend.” You blurted out without realizing.

Jensen’s eyes grew wide and he coughed choking on his coffee. “I’m sorry what” Jensen asked. You looked at him and then dropped your head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I told you that.” Jensen reached for your hand “Y/N, please look at me. Is your husband cheating on you? Please talk to me.” You looked at your hand in his and your heart sped up. Tears pricked your eyes and you shook your head yes. “That’s why we moved here. To save our marriage and get away from her. Little did I know he’s still seeing her. I overheard them last night and she’s moving out here to be with him. I feel so stupid. I honestly thought he was going to fight for our marriage. I was wrong. She’s about ten years younger than me, skinny and beautiful.” You looked at Jensen and you saw sadness and something else in his eyes. “You’re beautiful and you deserve someone who loves you and treats you like you’re the only woman on earth.” You smiled softly and took your hand back wiping your eyes. “Thank you Jensen”.

“So tell me about your family” you said as the two of you continued to eat. Jensen talked about his kids and his wife. His eyes sparkled when he talked about his kids. “So you met your wife years before you dated. That’s pretty cool.” You said.

A pregnant silence fell between you two again. You looked up at him and he looked at you. Time stood still. His eyes pierced your soul and your heart beat fast. You bit your lip and watched him mirror your action. His hand brushed yours and a spark shot through you. You knew he felt it too. You swallowed hard and excused yourself. As you stood so did he. “I’ll be right back” you said as your face blushed. “Okay” Jensen said softly.

You went to the bathroom and stood in a stall. Your heart beating so fast and loud it was ringing in your ears. You could feel the heat on your face and the warmth filling your soul. You can’t feel this way about him. He’s happily married and he’s just being nice. You took a really deep breath and walked out of the stall. You washed your hands and left the bathroom.

As you walked back to the table you saw Jensen’s face and he looked really upset. He was looking at something on his phone. You walked up to the table and he looked up. His green eyes filled with tears. “Oh my goodness Jensen. What’s wrong. Are you okay” you asked full of concern. He shook his head no. You started to panic. Thinking it was something you did.

The waitress came back and asked how everything was and you said great and asked for the check. Jensen wiped his eyes. You took his hand and told him you were there if he wanted to talk. When the check came Jensen paid even though you tried to protest.

The two of you walked out of the restaurant. His hand found its way to the small of your back again. He walked you to your car. “Jensen, thank you for a lovely morning. The food and conversation were wonderful. I really hope I didn’t do anything that caused you to get upset.” “Y/N, it wasn’t you at all. You’ve been amazing. Today has been amazing. I just received some pretty devastating news while you were away. I’m not sure how to process it. I’m sorry if you felt like it was anything you did. I really enjoy being around you.”

“Can I hug you” you asked Jensen. He wrapped his arms around you and hugged you tightly. God his arms felt amazing around you and he smelt incredible. As he pulled out of the hug he stopped and looked in your eyes. Instead of pulling away he started to lean back in. You froze and you saw his eyes trace your lips. Jensen took his hand, lifted your chin and placed a soft kiss on your lips. At first you didn’t know what to do. Jensen’s tongue licked your lips and you parted them. The next thing you knew your tongues were fighting for dominance. The kiss was amazing and sent chills through your body. You moaned into his mouth and his hand reached around into your hair.

You hadn’t felt this way in a really long time. Then reality came crashing down on your head. He’s married and so are you. You pulled away placing your fingers to your lips. Jensen looked at you “I’m sorry Y/N. I don’t know what came over me.” “It’s okay. I um I should go. Thank you again for brunch. Goodbye Jensen” you said as you got in your car.

You started the car, took one last look at him and drove off. Your heart and mind were racing. That kiss was incredible and you didn’t regret it. You just didn’t understand why he kissed you. On your way home your phone kept going off. In your hurry to leave you didn’t connect your phone to the car so you had to wait until you got home to check the messages.

You pulled in your driveway and noticed Rob was home early. It was a little strange but you didn’t think too much about it. You checked your phone and it was Jensen. He apologized for overstepping and told you he really did enjoy today. The next message said he didn’t want you to be uncomfortable but he doesn’t regret kissing you. Then the last message made your heart skip.

Jensen: Y/N. I’ve wanted to kiss you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I’m sorry your husband doesn’t see how amazing you are. If you were mine I’d make sure you never questioned your worth or my love for you.

You smiled and wanted to reply but you weren’t sure what to say yet.

As you walked in the house you heard a weird sound. You put your stuff down and followed it. Standing at your bedroom door you saw what the sound was. Cindi was bouncing up and down on your husband. You stood there frozen. Then rage filled your whole body. They hadn’t seen you. “What the actual Fuck?!” You shouted. They stopped and Cindi screamed covering herself. You walked in the room and told them both to get the fuck out. Rob tried to plead with you and you told him to fuck off. Your marriage was over. You left the room going downstairs and a few minutes later they came down the stairs. Cindi hid behind Rob. You stood up and walked over to him. “I want a divorce. You lied to me. You told me this was over and it’s obviously not. Now you’re free to have her. I’m keeping the house and Jacob is staying with me. You will continue to support this household and once I find a job we will discuss child support. Now get out and leave your key.” You stood your ground while inside you were crumbling.

After they left you collapsed on the floor. Sobbing and cursing his name. Not thinking straight you picked up your phone and called Jensen. He answered but all he could hear was you crying. “Y/N? What’s wrong. What happened?! Where are you?!?” Panic filled his voice. You told him you needed him and gave him the address.

About 15 minutes later there was a knock on the door and Jensen came in. He saw you on the floor and ran to your side. He sat on the floor and held you. “Shhh it’s okay. Take a deep breath. Come on Y/N. Breathe with me sweetheart. (You took a deep breath with him) That’s right. Just like that.” He rubbed your back helping you calm down. “Whenever you’re ready tell me what happened” he said softly.

“I came home and saw Rob’s car. I thought it was weird. I came in the house, heard a noise and found him screwing his girlfriend in our bed. I lost it. Kicked him out and told him I wanted a divorce. I really am stupid. Thinking he would want me over her.” You sobbed again. “He’s a fool. An absolute fool to not want you.” Jensen kissed your head. “Oh Jensen, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have called you. I don’t know why I did.” “Yes you should have. I care about you and you shouldn’t be alone right now. Where’s Jacob” he asked you. “He’s at the lake with some new friends. I don’t want to bother him right now. I’ll talk to him when he gets home.” You sighed.

“Then I’ll stay here until he gets home. I don’t want to leave you alone” Jensen said helping you off the floor. “Jensen you don’t have to do that. Your wife and kids need you at home. I don’t know when Jacob’s coming home.” You protested. “The kids are spending the weekend with Jared and his family and Danneel, well she’s packing. She’s moving out.” He said softly. You looked at him shocked. “What? Was it me, us?” You asked. “No. It wasn’t you. When we were at the restaurant earlier, she told me she wanted to leave. She said she didn’t love me anymore that we had drifted apart and she had met someone.” He whispered. “Oh Jensen, I’m so sorry.” You wrapped your arms around him hugging him.

You met his eyes and he looked so broken. It broke your heart more than finding your husband in bed with someone else. You cupped his face and ran your thumb over his cheek. He leaned into your touch.

You leaned towards him and he towards you. Your breath hitched “is this okay?” He nodded “more than okay.” Your lips pressed softly against his plump pink lips. His hand found its way to your hair and your’s ran into his hair. Jensen pulled you deeper into the kiss. Your mind was racing. You both were still married but the marriages were over. Did that matter, could you two be together, did you care if it was wrong? All these things running through your head.

You moaned into his mouth. Jensen’s hands started to move around your body and he pulled you closer. You knew he could feel how fast your heart was pounding. The two of you parted to catch your breath. As you two parted you looked in his eyes. There was that look again. The one you saw earlier. There was no longer sadness in his eyes. No, the sadness was replaced with want. Jensen Ackles was looking at you with want and need in his eyes. He wanted YOU!

You smiled and laid your head on his chest. You wanted him too. More ways than you probably should. You could feel excitement through your body and slick pooling between your thighs. He pulled your body flush to his and you could feel his arousal press against you. You swallowed thinking about his body intertwined with yours.

As he lifted your face to kiss you again the front door opened. The two of you separated quickly and you looked up and saw Jacob. Jacob looked at you and then over at Jensen. His jaw hit the floor. “Um, mom. Why is Jensen Ackles standing in our living room?” He asked.

“Well, (you cleared your throat) Jensen is the one who hit my car yesterday. Honey go get cleaned up. There is something I need to talk to you about.” You said looking at your son. “Oh yeah, sure Mom. Um, Mr Ackles, I’m Jacob. It’s nice to meet you” he extended his hand. “Hello Jacob, please call me Jensen. It’s nice to finally meet you too.” He shook his hand.

Jacob left to go get cleaned up and you sat on the couch with Jensen. “Do you need me to stay with you” he questioned. “No, I’m okay. Jacob is a great kid. He’ll be here for me and I’ll be there for him. I’m more worried about you. I can’t believe she wants to split. It seemed like everything was okay.” You said holding his hand. “I’ll be okay. I have a great new friend that understands how I’m feeling. I appreciate your concern. How about we be there for each other. No expectations just friendship and a shoulder to lean on.” He whispered.

You smiled and nodded yes. “Can we at least talk about the kiss we shared. I’m not going to lie. It was amazing and I wanted it. I just want to know what it meant to you.” You whispered shyly terrified of the answer. “I wanted it too, Y/N. God you’re so beautiful and I really like kissing you. Right now our feelings are so raw I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not comfortable with. I know we need time to figure us out, but I’d really like to get to know you more if you’re up for it.” Jensen cupped your face making you look him in the eyes. “I’d like that very much, Jensen. More than you know” you whispered. Like two magnets being pulled towards each other, your lips landed on each others again. This time the kiss seemed more needed and deeper. It reached your very soul and ignited a fire you thought was long extinguished. Jensen felt it too. He whispered “Call me later and let me know how it goes with Jacob”. He kissed you one last time before he left.

About ten minutes later Jacob came back downstairs and sat on the couch. “Hey Mom, what’s going on” he asked. “So I need to talk to you about something. I came home today and saw your dad was home. When I came in I found him in bed with his girlfriend. I kicked him out and told him I wanted a divorce. I told him you were staying with me and he would support this house until I find a job. So he’s not coming home.” You sighed. Jacob sat stunned and then looked at you. “I’m so sorry mom. I’m glad you kicked his ass out. You deserve so much better than that. I wouldn’t want to leave you so you’re stuck with me. Now, can we talk about why Jensen Ackles was here hugging you.” He laughed. “He’s just a friend. He really did hit my car yesterday and when everything happened today I needed someone to talk to. He hugged me because I was crying so hard. If anything develops between us you will be the first to know.” You reassured him. Jacob smiled at you “hey I wouldn’t mind having him as a stepdad.” You laughed and playfully hit Jacob’s arm. “Jacob Andrew, we aren’t dating let alone getting married.” You laughed. Jacob laughed and said “Mom, you’ve been out of the game too long but that man has it bad for you.” You smiled and told him to stop being silly.

You couldn’t help but wonder if he was right though. Could Jensen really want you. You just met him. There is no way he already developed feelings for you, but that kiss. Man it was amazing.

Tags: @nescaveckdaily @kr804573 @k-slla @jackles010378 @jawritter @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @roseblue373 @cheynovak @jassackles @chriszgirl92

@n-o-p-e-never so sorry I forgot your tag 🤦‍♀️

[iamyoubutcuter]

marks // Kylian Mbappe

warning: english is not my first language :’)

Kylian was in training today, or rather they had already finished it. He and Hakimi were returning to the locker room from the field. He noticed that Kylian was yawning during the entire training session, and besides, he was late for it. Although often came before everyone else.

When Kylian yawned again, Achraf got tired and decided to ask: “What did you do last night?” – your boyfriend was drinking water at that time and choked after this question. Achraf tapped his back, laughing.

 "Why do you think so?" – Kylian couldn’t  look into his eyes, because he didn’t like to talk about things like that. For Kylian, personal life is too intimate. Plus, he didn’t like the prospect that the person to whom he would tell something would begin to represent you in a non-friendly way. So he tried to stay away from it. Especially to keep you away from it.

"You're late for training, and you've been yawning all day, which is already annoying, to be honest," – he said and hit Kylian on the shoulder. Kyky also laughed and simply shrugged his shoulders, pretending not to know.

He went to his seat in the locker room and began to take off his jersey. Hakimi raised his eyebrows at his back. Your boyfriend's back was covered in scratches. Of course, he put two and two together and understood everything. Achraf looked around, everyone was busy with their own affairs. Someone was on the phone, someone was also changing clothes, and someone was in the shower. He abruptly turned Kylian back to the wall.

"Bro what are you doing?" – Kylian smiled and sat down, he saw that Hakimi was worried about something. He sat next to Kylian. He just moved closer to him. 

"You know that your whole back is scratched, as if you got a kitty and fought with it all night yesterday," – Hakimi said, Kylian covered his face with his hands, then also looked around at everyone. He took out his sport bag from under the bench, which contained a clean white t-shirt, and put it on. He didn’t know you left it there, but he felt a burning sensation all night, and in the morning he forgot about it.

"This is the reason why I didn't get enough sleep. Kitty, yes," – they both laughed at it and nothing else. For this he loved Achraf, no unnecessary questions and jokes.

You were supposed to pick up Kylian after training because you agreed to eat something unhealthy together. You arrived a little earlier and went outside to get some air. It was very hot, so you were wearing a tank top and shorts. You saw how everyone was leaving, Kylian and Achraf were coming towards you. You waved at them and they waved back.

"Hello, long time no see," – you crossed your arms over your chest. Kylian put one arm around your waist and kissed you on the lips. He stood next to you.

"I agree," – Hakimi smiled and continued. "How long are you waiting?"– he automatically glanced at your hands and saw a couple of bruises on the wrists and on the right shoulder. Kylian followed his gaze and closed his eyes, sighing.

"Not really, I thought I would make it on time because I woke up late," – Kylian and Achraf looked at each other and laughed out loud.  You frowned and hit your boyfriend in the stomach with your hand.

"What’s so funny?" – he just shook his head, grabbing your shoulders.

 "Let’s go, I’m hungry," – Kylian began to turn you around to the car and said goodbye to Hakimi.

"Are you aware that my back is covered in scratches? – your shook your head and looked at him. "Here I am, not until Achraf told me about it," – he finished the sentence and began to rub the bridge of his eyes.

"And…?  Ohh, that was the point,"– you giggled. "I'm sorry, babe, I honestly didn't mean to," – you ran your hand over his shoulder. He looked back at your hands.

"I understand it's summer and it's very hot outside, but if someone sees your hands, they will think that I'm hitting you," – you noticed them when you put on makeup, but you didn't have any terrible thoughts, since they are not a lot and not very visible. At some point, a frame appeared in your head that Achraf saw them when the three of you were standing.

"Everyone now knows your horrible secret…" – you said in a whisper. "…that you slept with me," - you’d said it out loud and jokingly clutched your heart with your hand and looked at your boyfriend. Unable to bear it, you laughed as the expression on his face showed how badly it was played.

"I won't do it again, I promise," – you said, keeping both hands on the steering wheel. Kylian took your hand in his.

“I'll be glad if you do it again tonight,” – you gave a theatrical gasp and turned your head briefly towards him. "Are you thinking about taking acting classes?" – you both laughed and he brought your hand to his lip and gently kissed.

[rizlowwritessortof]

Remember Me - Part 5

Michaela’s mundane life takes a strange turn when she has a random encounter with a very attractive stranger in her local bar. It must be déjà vu – or maybe it isn’t.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x OC Michaela

Word Count: 4438

Warnings: There be smut here 😉

Dividers by @talesmaniac89

“Yes, Dean, I’ll pick up the pizza before I head out. Okay, and some licorice, and yes, I’ve got the popcorn,” Mikey responded to Dean’s requests with amusement. “Anything else, sir?” She laughed at the raspberry she got in return. “Okay, I’m on my way. Better have some cold beer, mister.”

She had settled into a friendly give and take with the brothers, occasionally meeting for drinks in town, and this was their second movie night at the bunker. The awkward stress between her and Dean had given way to a playful friendship with an edge of sexual tension that neither of them would acknowledge, and Sam had become the friend and confidant that she had never had before – at least not that she could remember.

Sam met her at the door and relieved her of some of the things she was carrying before they headed down the stairs. “Where’s Dean?” she asked as they dropped everything on the table.

“Oh, he’s waiting for you with a surprise – follow me,” Sam grinned, leading the way down the hall towards the bedrooms. They stopped at the room next to Dean’s bedroom, and Sam swung the door inward, stepping back to let Mikey enter.

“Surprise!” Dean shouted, his arms flung wide and a bright smile on his face. Mikey’s eyes widened as she took in the former bedroom, which had been transformed into a living room of sorts. There was a medium-sized TV on a stand next to the door, chairs, end tables and footstools salvaged from other rooms in the bunker, and a huge overstuffed sofa in a hideous shade of green against the far wall. “No more sitting on somebody’s bed when we wanna watch a movie. What do you think?”

Mikey walked over and sat down, sinking into the soft cushions with a smile. “This is the ugliest couch I’ve ever seen – and I love it!”

Dean beamed back at her like he’d won the lottery. “Well, let’s get some food and beer and get this party started.”

A couple of hours later they had laughed their way through Tommy Boy, and Dean was trying to coax them into staying for Caddy Shack. “I don’t know, I should really go home,” Mikey answered, avoiding Dean’s persuasive smile.

“Come on, Mikey – no work tomorrow, you have all weekend to do whatever you need to do. Sam, tell her.”

“It’s true,” Sam grinned. “But I’m going to bed. You two have fun.”

“Sam, seriously? Traitor.” Mikey tossed a pillow at him as he left the room, his laugh trailing behind him.

“You can’t leave now, let me watch this classic all by myself.” Dean’s tempting little smirk and the playful gleam in his eyes were too much to resist, and Mikey settled back into the cushions, shaking her head with a helpless smile.

“Fine. You’re ridiculous, but fine. Bring it on.”

Sam glanced in on his way from the shower to his room, grinning to himself at the sound of Mikey’s laughter at Dean’s imitation of the gopher dance. He continued on his way, happy with his decision to leave the two of them alone. His brother’s resistance was breaking down, and maybe – eventually – he’d actually let her in.

Mikey woke the next morning snuggled into a soft blanket, still on the ugly green couch. It took her a minute to get her bearings, remembering vaguely how Dean had convinced her to stay. “It’s late. Just stay here tonight, you can go home tomorrow. I’ll make you breakfast…” he had teased in a sing-song tone, waiting until she had finally sighed and given in. She had already fallen asleep halfway through the movie anyway, so why not?

“With bacon?” she had asked, laughing softly at his victorious grin.

“Well, yeah. That goes without saying.”

“Okay. I’ll stay. Thanks.”

“I’ll grab you a blanket.” He had gone to his room and brought her back the fluffiest blanket he could find, and she had mumbled, “Good night, Dean,” as he had headed for the door. And she was sure she had heard him respond with a soft, “G’night, sweetheart” as he had left the room.

She swung her legs over to sit up just as Sam stuck his head in the door. “Left you a spare toothbrush on the counter in the bathroom, if you want one,” he smiled, and she thanked him. “Just going for a run, see you later.”

Dean hummed to himself as he cooked, starting the bacon frying and then mixing pancake batter. He had talked Mikey into staying the night, but he was determinedly pushing away thoughts of how the night could have gone if he had just picked her up and carried her to his room the night before instead of tucking her in on the sofa.

By the time he had a short stack of pancakes done, Mikey walked into the room, sniffing the air appreciatively. “Smells great in here,” she commented, and Dean returned her smile with one of his own.

“Coffee’s ready, help yourself,” he responded. “How many pancakes?”

“A couple is fine – thank you. I can’t believe you really did this.”

“Hey, I always keep my promises.” He handed her a plate of pancakes with a large side of bacon, and then sat down at the table with his own plate. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“I slept great, that couch is amazing,” she laughed.

They chatted while they ate, and then Dean got up, going to the stove to make up a plate for Sam. “I should probably get going,” Mikey said as she took her dishes to the sink. “Thank you, last night was really fun.”

She moved to Dean’s side, stretching up to place a kiss on his cheek at the same time he turned to look at her, and her lips landed squarely on his. They froze for a moment in surprise, but before she could pull back, his hand was on her shoulder holding her in place, his lips gently exploring hers. She leaned into him with a soft sigh, then jerked away as if she���d been burned at the sound of footsteps entering the room.

“Uh… sorry,” Sam mumbled, smothering the smile that still teased at the corners of his mouth. “Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

“I was just – umm – heading out. Thanks for last night, I had a great time,” Mikey said in a rush and all but ran from the room.

They heard her footsteps on the stairs and then the door closing, and Sam turned back to look at his brother. “So…”

“It was an accident,” Dean snapped, shoving the plate of food across the table to Sam.

“You ‘accidentally’ kissed her?”

“Yes. Shut up. Just – eat your breakfast.” Dean turned and stalked out of the room, and Sam heard his bedroom door slam. He chuckled to himself, then dug into his stack of pancakes.

Dean paced for a minute, then sat down on the foot of the bed, closing his eyes. What the fuck was happening? He had been determined since the beginning of this whole erased-past fiasco that Mikey would continue her life free from the baggage that came from a relationship with a Winchester. And yet one touch from her and his resistance had disappeared. He had wanted so much more – to tease at the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened to him, to pull her body close and feel her softness against him, to fit himself between her thighs and let her feel how much he wanted her. “Fuck,” he swore softly, standing to reach for his robe and head for the shower.

Mikey had raced out of there so fast that he had no idea of her reaction, other than being embarrassed by Sam’s interruption. Maybe he’d just text her later, find out if she was okay.

Mikey drove straight home, her mind racing. After all the talk of forgetting about their past, about moving on, the kiss had taken her completely off guard, and she was sure Dean was feeling the same way.

She went about her to-do list, performing her tasks mindlessly, unable to stop thinking about the way his lips had clung to hers, his hand keeping her near as if he had been afraid she’d pull away. If Sam hadn’t come in – her imagination ran wild with scenarios of Dean taking her right there on the counter top or carrying her off to his room, of her mouth on him as he desperately clutched at her hair, of him teasing her, driving her insane with his fingers or his mouth. She was a distracted mess all afternoon, finally going out to mow her lawn, working hard and fast to exhaust her body and relieve the tension.

She was sweaty and weary when she made her way back inside, hitting the shower and then dressing in her comfiest old shorts and tank top before collapsing on the sofa with a cold beer. She reached for the remote, turning on a random sitcom, leaning her head back against the cushions with a sigh. Her phone pinged, and she grabbed it to see a message from Dean. “Hey – are we okay?”

She stared at his words for several minutes, searching in vain for something witty and finally typing back, “Yeah – of course, we’re good.”

“Ok, good,” he responded. “Hey, we’re heading out on a hunt in the morning – so we’ll see you when we get back.”

“Be safe,” she answered, and blew out a relieved breath. At least he hadn’t reverted back to avoiding contact with her, so that was progress. Maybe, someday – she closed her eyes and laid her head back again.

Dean pulled up in front of Harley’s Bar a couple of weeks later, finally back in Kansas after the longer-than-expected hunting trip, and Sam shot him a curious look. “We’re not calling Mikey?”

“Yeah, I figured we’d just call her from here,” Dean answered, exiting the Impala and pulling his phone from his pocket. He called her number as they walked in and grabbed a table, looking up startled as he heard her voice nearby as she answered. She was behind the bar, and her face lit up with a bright smile as she spotted them, heading for their table.

“Home safe and in one piece, that’s what I like to see,” she greeted them. “What can I get you?”

“What – why are you working here?” Dean asked, confused.

“Oh, I’m just helping Harley out – his waitress quit. Ran off with her best friend’s husband, actually, so she won’t be coming back. Kind of left him in a bind, so I offered to help out a couple of nights a week, at least until he finds somebody else.”

“Wow. Well, I guess you won’t be having a couple beers with us, then, huh?” Sam asked, and she smiled his direction.

“If it’s not busy, Harley won’t care. He’s a teddy bear. And he likes me.”

Dean laughed. “He might be a teddy bear if he likes you – he’s a grizzly if he doesn’t.” She grinned and nodded in agreement, glancing over at her ex-biker boss behind the bar. “Couple of beers, please - and come join us if you have time later.”

Mikey dropped off their beers and stopped to chat with them a couple of times, but the bar was moderately full since it was a Friday night, and she was kept pretty busy. Dean’s eyes followed her as she worked, watching the confident, graceful way she navigated between tables, and he smiled at the sound of her voice as she joked and laughed with the customers.

“Dude, you’re staring,” Sam jabbed at his brother, and Dean shot him a glare.

“Shut up,” he said between clenched teeth as Mikey approached their table with two beers.

“On me,” she smiled, “sorry I haven’t had time to hang out.”

“Not closing time yet,” Dean answered. “We’re not in any hurry.”

The guy from the next table gestured to her, and she shrugged. “No rest for the weary.” She headed to his table, took the man’s order and was turning towards the bar when he reached out and grabbed a handful of her ass.

Dean swore under his breath, but before he was halfway out of his chair, Mikey had the side of the jerk’s face smashed against the table top with one hand, his arm twisted painfully behind his back with the other. She spoke quietly, but there was steel in her tone.

“Okay, let’s get something straight. Drinks are on the menu. Food is on the menu. My ass? Not on the menu. Touch me like that again, and you’ll find your balls somewhere up between your ears. Are we clear?” He mumbled a reply as well as he could manage, and she released him, letting him sit back up. “Good boy. Enjoy your beer,” she quipped as she walked away.

“Badass,” Dean grinned, glancing over at Sam, who was doing the same, and he nodded in agreement. Mikey had just moved behind the bar when the drunk swiped his arm across his table, sweeping his beer to the floor where the bottle shattered.

“Fucking bitch,” he spat, starting to stand, but a loud crack resounded through the room, silencing the entire bar. The barrel-chested bartender stood there glowering with his fist clenched around the blackjack he had just slammed to the bar top.

“Get the fuck out of my bar,” he growled, and the asshole scrambled for the door. Harley turned to Mikey, putting a hand on her shoulder, speaking to her softly before she came back out from behind the bar and headed for Sam and Dean’s table.

Dean looked up at her, a concerned frown on his face, reaching for her hand. “You okay?”

She smiled a little shakily. “I’m fine. I – I have no idea how I did that, but I’m fine.”

He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “Well, you kicked ass. Guess a little hunter instinct survived your years in Ohio.” She blushed a little at the admiring gleam in his eyes.

“Harley said I should take the rest of the night off. I’m just gonna make the rounds one more time, then I think I’m heading home.”

Sam turned to Dean. “Why don’t you take me to the bunker quick, then come back and give Mikey a ride home.”

She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that – I’ll be okay.”

“I think you’d feel better if someone stayed with you for a while, right?” Sam asked softly, his eyes searching.

She gnawed at her lip a little, then nodded. “I don’t want to be a pain.” She glanced up at Dean, and he shook his head as they rose to their feet.

“You’re not. Just finish up and I’ll be right back.”

Dean pulled up in front of Harley’s after dropping Sam off, but before he could go in, Mikey came out, her jacket in her hand. She climbed into the passenger seat and smiled over at him. “Thank you, Dean.”

“Any time.”

They drove to her house in silence and Dean parked in the driveway, leaving them momentarily in the dark as he shut off the headlights. “I don’t have to come in if you don’t want me to,” he said. “I mean, if you’d rather…”

“Actually – can you stay for a while? I know it’s dumb, but I really don’t want to be alone right now.”

“It’s not dumb,” he said, lowering his head to look her in the eye. “Besides, you have frozen pizza, right? Kinda hungry.” She laughed softly, nodding, and they headed inside.

They went straight to the kitchen, and Mikey turned on the oven to heat before walking to the fridge. “Want another beer? I need one.”

“Sure, why not,” Dean agreed, and she handed him one, opening hers and leaning back against the counter. Dean parked himself against the kitchen island across from her, taking a long pull from his bottle and watching Mikey as she drank from hers. “So – supreme, pepperoni…?”

“I have both, whatever you want,” she smiled. They stood there silently for a few minutes, then Mikey spoke up softly. “So – about that kiss the other day…” Dean tensed a little, but she fixed her eyes on the floor and continued. “I didn’t mean… I mean, I know you really want to get past all this,” she waved her hand between them, “and I wasn’t trying to push.”

“I know. You weren’t the one who kept it going, that was on me. If Sam wouldn’t have walked in…” She looked up at him, waiting for him to finish, the vulnerability in her eyes more than he could take in, so he averted his eyes and went on. “I didn’t want to stop. I, uh…” he paused, his teeth gnawing at his lip. “I’ve still been dreaming about you – about us. And not memories or stuff from our past. I’ve been having dreams about us like we are now.” He hesitated for a moment, then set his beer down on the counter behind him and moved closer to her, looking directly into her eyes, his hands moving to rest at her waist as he bent to touch his forehead to hers. “I can’t get you out of my head,” he said, his voice soft and desperate, his breath warm on her lips.

She tilted her head up slightly, and his restraint dissolved as he captured her lips beneath his, her fists clenching handfuls of his shirt as she pulled him closer. He stopped for a second, looking into her eyes again as she whispered, “Me, too,” and Dean groaned as he kissed her again, their hunger for each other finally set free.

He tightened his grip on her waist and lifted her to sit on the counter, and she opened her legs to bring him closer. He slanted his mouth over hers, and she moaned as he deepened their kiss, his hands drifting down to her hips to pull her in tight against him.

He finally lifted his head as they both panted for air, staring into her eyes as he began to work the buttons of her shirt free. When he pushed it from her shoulders, he finally let his gaze move down, and he swore under his breath before kissing her again. His lips left a trail of fire along her jaw line and down, nibbling just below her ear. “Bedroom?” he whispered, and she nodded, letting him step back and slipping down off the counter to her feet.

Dean reached over and shut off the oven before taking her hand, letting her lead him to her room. She turned on the little bedside lamp, washing the room in a soft glow before she let her shirt drop to the floor. “C’mere,” he rasped, taking her shoulders and turning her back to him as he undid the clasp of her bra. He slipped his fingers beneath the straps, sliding them down her arms until the garment joined her shirt on the floor.

He moved in close behind her, his hands gliding up over her ribs and cupping the underside of her breasts, his thumbs stroking over her nipples as she leaned back into his chest. “Dean,” she whined, her legs trembling, her head rolling back on his shoulder. “I gotcha,” he murmured in her ear, his hands moving to her waist, turning her to face him and pulling her with him towards the bed.

He sat down, pulling her down to perch on one thigh as he dipped his head down to tongue one hard nipple into the warmth of his mouth. A frantic little sound escaped Mikey’s lips as she jerked, the firm muscle of Dean’s thigh providing the friction her body so desperately craved. Dean moved to the other breast, sucking and nipping at her, driving her to wrap her arms around his neck and rut against him, whimpering against his shoulder as he shifted his hands to her hips to help. He bent his head to nibble at her earlobe, his voice low and seductive as he spoke. “Is that what you need, baby? Something hard and warm?” She whined, and he traced a tongue over the shell of her ear, “You get off like this, and you can have something hard and warm to fill you up inside, you want that? Because I do. I wanna be inside that sweet pussy so deep…” The rumble of his voice, the words he was breathing in her ear, the exquisite pressure from the seam of her jeans as she rode him set her off as she continued grinding into him with a loud cry of his name.

He shifted her away from his chest far enough to take her lips in a forceful kiss, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she rode out her orgasm, finally parting from him with a gasp of much-needed air and dropping her head to his shoulder again. She went limp as he wrapped his arms around her, whispering as his hands smoothed over the soft skin of her back. “That was so fucking hot.” After a moment or two, she sat up, her eyes glowing, shoving his button-down off his shoulders and reaching for the waist of his t-shirt. He laughed softly, mumbling, “Okay, okay,” as he shed himself of both, pulling her against him with a groan at the sensation of her breasts against his skin as he kissed her again.

She finally moved away with a push on his shoulders, rising to her feet and kicking off her shoes. “I believe I was promised something, and it ain’t happening with your pants on.” She smirked at him, and he stood up with a grin as they both rushed to remove the rest of their clothes. He scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed, and she giggled, shifting herself to the middle as he climbed up to join her, fitting himself between her thighs and bracing himself up on his hands. She sucked in a startled breath as his cock nudged up against her sensitive clit, his teeth dragging over his bottom lip as he watched her expression with hunger in his gaze.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, you know that?” he said softly before kissing her, sweet and seductive, gently lowering himself down. “So wet,” he moaned, thrusting against her several times before dipping down to catch at her entrance, and she wrapped her legs around his hips with a needy whimper. He pushed in slowly, drawing out every bit of pleasure from the sensation of pressing into her tight, trembling cunt, pulling back from their kiss to grit his teeth as he finally entered her completely. “Fuck, Mikey…”

“I don’t know how I could ever have forgotten this,” she said breathlessly.

“Me, either,” he panted, looking into her eyes. “You feel like fucking heaven.” He pulled back, watching her mouth drop open and her eyes drift shut as he pushed forward again, grinding a little as he bottomed out.

“Fuck, you did promise me deep,” she rasped out, hands reaching to grasp at his biceps.

“Always try to keep my promises,” he answered, pulling back and thrusting in faster, and her nails dented his skin as he reached the limit. “So hold on.”

He began to drive into her hard, ramping up speed until her head was rolling back into the pillow, her thighs gripping him tight as she met every bruising thrust. Their gasps and moans filled the room until Mikey threw her arms wide and arched her back, coming with a wordless, wavering shout as she clawed desperately at the sheets. Dean swore, fucking into her wildly, the spasms of her climax driving him on until he exploded, holding himself deep inside her, never wanting it to end.

Almost an hour later, Mikey stirred, her eyes fluttering open, a little disoriented at first. Dean hadn’t moved, his face still buried against her neck, and her lips curved in a gentle smile. She moved one hand up to softly scratch her nails through the short hair at his nape, her other hand gliding over the muscular expanse of his back. He let out a quiet little groan as he shifted, and Mikey shuddered as he pulled away and rolled to his back beside her.

“Hey,” he rasped, his voice gravelly with sleep. “Sorry, didn’t mean to fall asleep and crush you.”

“Not complaining,” she answered, accepting his wordless invitation into his arms. He pulled her close, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as she laid it on his chest, her arm clinging to his waist. “I’m really glad that you showed up in that bar in Ohio. At first I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to me, but it turns out it was the best.”

Dean’s hand moved to her face, tilting it upward for a sweet, gentle kiss. “I doubt if getting mixed up with me is the best thing to ever happen to you – but going into that bar was one of the best decisions I ever made.” His fingers stroked over her cheek as he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry for the shit you went through, and for keeping my distance for so long. I was just – I wanted you to be safe, to be free from the shit storm that being part of my life always seems to be.”

Mikey stretched up to kiss him, her lips clinging to his for a long moment. “I hate to break it to you, Dean Winchester, but I think being a part of your life is worth any shit storm that might happen. And since I’ve actually lived through one, I think I’m entitled to my opinion.”

Dean’s chest vibrated with a low chuckle. “You think so, huh?”

She traced a finger over his chest, smiling as his muscles clenched when she brushed over his nipple. “Well, I supposed you could try proving it to me a little more, if you insist.”

He grinned, making her gasp softly as he reached over to roll her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “You have anything in particular in mind?”

“I’ll let you use your imagination,” she teased.

“Oh, honey, I’ve got one hell of an imagination,” he growled, rolling her to her back and taking her lips in a searing kiss. “And I’ll give you all the proof you want.”

Tags for my lovelies: 

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@suckitands33    @ej13928    @lmhf1

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not saying goodbye to my husband’s friends from childhood?

I (24F) am a white American, my husband (25M) is a black immigrant from a country in the Caribbean. Where we live, there aren’t many people from his country and he has few opportunities to speak his native language. But a family friend from his childhood came here recently and he invited the friend over for dinner. The friend and his wife said they’d come over a few days in advance and I was excited and made plans for dinner, but the day of, they canceled. I was a little annoyed because I already had all the food and everything but I was like “ok whatever.”

Well the following Saturday, I was stressed about work and stuff and in a bad mood, and was looking forward to catching up on a show I liked. When I finally sat down to watch, my husband said his friends who canceled the week before were going to be here in an hour and asked me to clean up. I was annoyed bc they canceled when I was planning on them and rescheduled last min when I wasn’t planning on hosting or spending the evening with anyone, but I helped clean up and prepare. They got here, and I tried to be a good host, but I admit while I wasn’t rude, my attitude wasn’t super warm and friendly. They didn’t want dinner so we offered juice and stuff. I tried to be present in the conversations but 1) I’m very shy and 2) they were talking about 60-40 their native language to English, so I didn’t know what was going on more than half the time. (I do love that language and am trying to learn on DuoLingo but it’s hard. I’m also glad he has people to talk it with, it just leaves me unable to participate much). Also, tbh most of the conversation was suggestive jokes and joking about each other’s sex lives and as an ace person I don’t really feel comfortable with that kind of conversation particularly with people I don’t know very well. So I kinda just zoned out, and I kind of have an RBF so I guess I looked not happy to be there. Anyway, we watched a James Bond movie I wasn’t interested in so I was on my phone a lot, then I went upstairs to get ready for bed because it was almost midnight and I was tired.

After I was ready for bed, I wanted to say goodnight to the friends, however one of them had to record a video for an online class and send it in before the deadline in like an hour. So he got on the computer and went into the stairwell and his wife got on her phone and went to the kitchen so they could record the conversation and submit it. Which meant I was stuck upstairs (unless I wanted to pass the guy in the stairwell and show up on his video) and I’d have to wait for them to finish recording the call before I could go to bed. Well, I was tired so I just lay in bed and ended up falling asleep. Around the 12:45, my husband woke me up by coming into the room and turning on the light to give the friends a tour of the house and I grumpily growled “I’m asleep! Turn off the light!”

The next morning, my husband was livid at me. He said the way I treated them was horrible and rude, I wasn’t paying attention during the movie, I didn’t even say goodbye (which greetings and goodbyes are a big deal in his culture), I growled at them when they came into the room for the tour, I was “acting like a bitch” to them the whole night, and he felt like he invited them to his house only for me to act racist and like I’m better than them. I feel terrible that my actions could be perceived that way when in reality I was just tired, shy, a little grouchy because these plans were sprung on me last minute, and out of the loop (because I didn’t understand a majority of the conversation). But I think the whole cancelation and then last minute rescheduling and expecting me to be a good, present host late into the night wasn’t cool. If it had been last week, I would’ve been prepared with dinner and also mentally, since I’d be planning on hosting people. Also would’ve been nice to be made aware beforehand that we would be entertaining guests until 1 AM, so I could be planning on it.

So AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[shizzlepianist]

“good morning, dr. spengler..”————————————————-

a/n: WOOOOO my first EVER oneshot! excuse how terrible this may be, the last time i remember writing anything related to oneshots/fanfics was when i was about 11? soo if this is terrible then my sincerest apologies 😭

this is essentially an introduction between (Y/N) and Spengs, after you call for a Ghostbuster to come check out a paranormal experience happening in your home, and it just happens to be Egon.

FYI: This story uses the title ‘Miss’, when the character is being addressed, so just putting that out there first! Also, as I’m sure you’ll already know, (Y/N) and (L/N) refer to your first and last name.

There is also a usage of the word ‘God’, used in an expression-y sort of way, so if that offends anyone then please do let me know so I can change it for next time!

enjoy!! :)

———————————————————————

An abrupt clattering coming from your kitchen was what woke you up at nearly 4 a.m.

Thoroughly disturbed, you sat bolt upright and turned on your bedroom lamp, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and slowly moving out of bed to go investigate the mysterious noise.

Another bang.

You jumped about a foot off of the floor, before continuing and not letting your downright fear get the better of you.

Eventually, you reached the kitchen, and turned on the light. Three china plates had ‘mysteriously’ fallen out of the cupboard and smashed onto the floor. Little pieces of plate were scattered all over, much to your disappointment. As if on cue, a growling noise came from your pantry door. It took you less than a second to fling the door open and investigate what the noise was.

A vast, cloudy setting appeared in front of you, and an ancient building could be seen in the distance. “Z U U L”, cried a demonic voice.

That was it. The pantry door was slammed, the kitchen light was turned off and you were running back, screaming. Once you reached your bedroom, you wrapped yourself in the covers and tried desperately to fall back to sleep. No luck.

A few hours passed, and it was now a reasonable time to get up. You didn’t dare go near the kitchen, so you stayed in your apartment living room and turned on the TV.

You didn’t pay much attention to the TV for long, as you had your head stuck in a magazine you had found at the local newsagents. That was, until, you heard an advert on television.

“Are you troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night?” questioned a friendly-looking man, whose name tag read “STANTZ.”

A second man, named “SPENGLER”, asked, “Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic?”

“Have you or any of your family ever seen a spook, spectre, or ghost?” inquired the third, “VENKMAN”.

Stantz continued, “…if the panswer is yes then don’t wait another minute. Pick up your phone and call the professionals.”

“GHOSTBUSTERS,” they said in unison.

“Our courteous and efficient staff is on call twenty four hours a day to serve all your supernatural elimination needs,” Stantz informed.

“We’re ready to believe you!” was the final sentence of the advert, but even before that you had already picked up your telephone and dialled the number on-screen.

Within seconds, a Long Island accent spoke down the phone.

“Hello, Ghostbusters, how can I help you?”

“Uh… t-… there was some strange noises coming from my kitchen this morning, like bangs, and.. and clatters, and then when I checked, three of my plates had been thrown on the floor and smashed. And then, and then… I heard snarling coming from my pantry, and there was this creature in there saying “Zuul.”Could you send someone to come check it out?” You said in one long, quick sentence.

“Absolutely, just let me know the address and I’ll send someone straight to you,” the lady replied.

Sure enough, you gave her your address. “Thank you!” you chimed, before putting the phone down and tidying up a little before the Ghostbuster arrived. Playing back the advertisement, you looked at the man whose name was “SPENGLER”.

He is incredibly handsome, you thought. You were hoping on the inside that Dr. Spengler would come and analyse the scene that had occurred in your-

Knock, knock.

Jeez, how close is the Ghostbusters’ office?

You opened the door to meet a tall, bespectacled man with a charming smile and slightly curly hair.

He held his hand out and smiled, “Dr. Egon Spengler, nice to meet you.”

“Good morning, Dr. Spengler,” you replied, your tummy filling with that butterfly feeling.

“Where was the ghost activity that happened this morning? Janine, our receptionist didn’t tell me anything except your address and that you needed some help,” he chuckled, making your heart skip a beat again.

“In there,” you pointed to the kitchen door.

“Okay, has there been any more phenomena since you called?”

You shook your head.

Egon held a device in his hand that had little arms protruding out of it, slowly lowering and then getting higher, then lower, and so on, and made his way into the kitchen.

“Oh, jeez, it seems you really did need our help,” claimed Dr. Spengler, directing his eyes to the pieces of china plate laying on the floor.

“What is that thing?” you asked, motioning to the thing he was holding.

“This is a PKE meter, we use them pretty often. It helps us detect how much supernatural activity there is in an area. If the arms are at a low height, then there’s little to no activity and no need for a full-blown bust. If the arms are right at the top, then it’s serious and we have to deal with it immediately. At the minute, the level of paranormal activity in your kitchen is just over halfway, which obviously isn’t ideal but not the worst.”

“Ohh,” you responded, nodding slowly.

Shuddering, Egon turned his attention to some gooey green slime that was collecting on the edge of the plate cupboard.

“Great. Ectoplasm,” he collected a little bit in a small plastic tub, before asking, “…would you mind coming back to the firehouse, just to run a few tests and to further investigate your phenomena?” questioned Spengler.

“No, no, I wouldn’t mind at all,” you smiled, leading Dr. Spengler out of your apartment, locking the door and heading down the building stairs to the Ghostbusters’ car.

When you arrived at the firehouse, the three scientists you had seen on TV, Venkman, Stantz (who had both introduced themselves to you as Ray and Peter) and Spengler were all asking you questions and running tests. Sticky pads wired up to a machine were attached to your temples, and you could see it was being managed by Dr. Spengler.

“What do you think it was that caused your plates to smash, Miss..?”

“(L/N). (Y/N)(L/N). Uh, I mean, I think it was a ghost or a spirit that did it, hence why I rang up this morning. I think it’s something like a… a.. poltergeist? Isn’t that a ghost that throws things?”

“You are absolutely fantastic, Miss (L/N). Absolutely phenomenal, that’s correct,” called Dr. Venkman, smiling and applauding you.

Egon rolled his eyes. “Venkman, will you quit trying to chat up our clients, please?” he remarked, while adjusting the tabs on your head and looking at the screen to his left.

Both you and Ray laughed, while Venkman’s facial expression was stone cold.

“I don’t think he found that very funny,” you laughed, which made Stantz roar with laughter again, and Peter leave the room.

“Alright, so your tests all seem to be normal, so that means whatever paranormal entity is in your apartment hasn’t reached you, thankfully,” concluded Egon, gently removing the testing tabs from you.

Picking up your bag and coat, you thanked the boys for their help, and made your way down the firehouse stairs.

You were swiftly followed by the Ghostbusters, who waved goodbye to you and asked you to call back if anything else happened.

As they turned away to walk back up the stairs, you called out,

“…Dr. Spengler?”

He turned on his heel quicker than he had arrived at your apartment. “Hm?”

“I- I’d like to give you this,” you slid a piece of paper with your number written on it into his hand, and smiled.

He looked down at it through his glasses, lifted his head up and smiled back.

“Thank you, Miss (L/N). I’ll make sure to give you a call at some point. Thanks again for calling this morning,” he put his hand on your shoulder, failing to wipe the smile off of his face. He was smiling like an idiot as he removed his hand from your shoulder and walked away.

When you had finally left the firehouse, you let out a sigh of relief mixed with infatuation.

God, he was handsome.

———————————————————————

ending a/n: help i feel like this is gonna be a flop with a capital F loool , if you enjoyed this let me know and i’ll make more ig?? have a great day/night everyone 😌😌

[short-black-diamond]

A new spectacle?

A @littlegremlinflower has requested something and who am I to deny her request?

warnings/summary: fluff, nearly getting caught by the whole circus, and Anthonn and reader make out :}

word count:

---

It shouldn't have happened at all. No, not like that, I mean, the old lady told you you'd have a great live ahead of you, meet the love of your life as well, so why were you drowning?

Why did you feel like you couldn't swim up anymore? was it because the ice cold water pireced into your skin and bones, making them numb? Was it because one of your bullied pushed you?

was it because you maybe didn't believe the old woman, and didn't move because of that? Because you didn't believe in a happy ending for yourself?

I mean, sure, you had food, a roof over your head, but that was not everything. You didn't have enough clothes to go where girls your age would normally go, you didn't really go studying, only finishing highschool and having to help your mother and father earn money to bring food to the table.

But...why?

Why were you always the one with the worst of luck?

You tried moving your body, but nothing. you tried telling your heart to beat, beat louder, faster. You tried telling yourself to not give up, you tried to gain at least some willpower, a little push-

"Hey, are you alright?!" "I don't think she can hear ya, she's blue."

Yes, you actually took in a blue-ish skin color, the snow falling into your frozen face as you just laid there, limp, in another man's arms.

The guy who held you sighed sadly. Then he took you more in his arms before he carried you bridal-style into a warmer place. The guy next to him looked the the first guy with a smirk.

"Really?"

"Wh-what?", the first man asked who carried you. He had a slight pinkish colour on his cheeks and ears as he looked at his companion.

"You're not gonna let her rest in piece?", the other boy said as he gave him a knowing look. "But, you do you. Maybe she'd be a great woman for you-"

"I-I wasn't thinking about that, Sahed! I-I just thought that she was very young, and that we'd be able to take her under our wing is all!"

"Sure, whatever you say, Tonny."

...

"Huh? Where am I?", you asked yourself as you looked around. You woke up in a small room, where you found yourself laying in a bed with pastel-pink sheets, and a rosy smell.

You felt like you had the best nap ever, if only you hadn't realized what you didn't do before.

Or better said, what happened to you before you "slept".

A sudden knock made you flinch as you quickly looked at yourself. 'Wait, what am I doing? Shouldn't I be dead?', you asked yourself before the door opened without your consent and a shy looking blonde man poked his head inside.

"Ah, you're awake...may I come in, miss?", he asked with a friendly smile.

You were taken aback by how handsome he was, how sweet his face looked, and all while keeping his boyish youth, he also looked like a grown up. you couldn't however guess his age or where he was from, but you felt connected to him, as if you two've been knowing each other from somewhere.

"Yes..? Um, where am I?", you asked instead, hoping for an answer from the gentleman who sat himself down on a nearby stool.

The guy in front of you rubbed his neck sheepishly as he looked to the side with a small grin. "Well, you're in a circus, which is moving from town to town."

'A moving circus? Is that even possible..?', you thought before you hugged the blanket closer to you. "So...um... I don't know if I may sound crazy or something to you sir, but um...I think I'm actually dead, like I think I died? But why would I be alive still, you know what I mean?", you explained and asked, and as you moved your hands for more insight.

You looked at the stranger then with hope. He only frowned at you sadly. "...promise me you won't freak out.", he only said before he stood up and approached you.

You sucked your legs close to your chest as his figure neared the bed. You gulped when he came to you, placing one knee after the other before you were caged against the wall, his hands on either side of your shoulders.

"Please promise me.", he spoke softly, looking down at you softly. you could smell his cologne, and it was rather sweet and flowery than rough and, I don't know, these weird colognes men nowadays wear?

The blonde smelled nice. He looked nice. You only hoped he was nice, too. And you also felt a little intimidated by his bigger body. His hands and arms looked like they had been through a lot, but why was his face still so...young?

he reminded you more of a man now, instead of a boy your age. He reminded you of a guy who had seen stuff he saw way too early for his age, with the way the man sitting in front of you looked at you. Eyes filled with...sorrow? fatigue? sadness?...but from what?

"I...promise...?", you mumbled with a red face, because the stranger was no less than a few inches away from your face, his eyes looking right at yours. He nodded.

then he nodded again, as if to reassure himself.

"Okay....okay, um. you actually are- no, were, sorry, you were dead.", he spoke, and you smiled at him.

"...Pardon?"

"The thing is...you got murdered, miss. Your...uhm...some other woman, maybe around your age or older, had pushed you into a small lake. And it was winter. You were drowning, a-and I tried to save you!...", he exclaimed with wide eyes, his hands finding themselves holding your shoulders as these rised when you remembered what happened.

Then he sighed. "But you froze to death in my arms..."

You watched him. His face, his underlip slightly quivering...in regret? anger?, his throat, the slight wobble of his addams apple, and felt his hands slightly crumble your nightgown.

"then...how come I am alive now?", you asked, and you put your hands on top of his. The guy gulped when he felt your hands on his, a slight blush coating his ears and cheekbones.

"Please tell me, um...?"

"Eh! Ah, uh, m-my name is A-Anthonn Gremminger!", he introduced himself nervously, and you felt his hands get warm. Sweaty hands?

"Anthonn Gremminger. My name is ____ _______. Could you please tell me what happened after my death? How come that I can breathe a-and talk to you? Is this some sort of magic circus?"

He started to slightly massage your shoulders, but he looked deep in thought when his thumbs softly pressed into your body. You sighed at the feeling, and your body relaxed. your hands loosened their gentle grip around his wrists and went down to his elbow slowly but stopped mid-way.

that movement snapped Anthonn out of his thoughts as he shook his head slightly before he looked at you with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I've just been thinking on how to answer that, you know?"

"You can just say yes or no. I don't think I'd understand anything regarding magiv if you told me, anyway."

"Well, okay then...yes. This is a magic circus.", Anthonn answered after a short moment of silence.

You sighed. "My god...and because of that...I'm alive again?", you asked, feeling scared that something like that could have actually happen.

Anthonn pulled you close to him. Slowly, as if he'd give you all the time in the world to push him away any second if you'd like.

You didn't.

You just let yourself get leaned against his chest, but you heard no heartbeat. "Not even a beating heart..?", you asked softly, and Anthonn forgot he was dead.

"S-sorry about that..I-I actually wanted to calm you down with my, um, heartbeat, b-but it didn't work, and I forgot..!", he tried to reason, feeling embarassed of himself. You huffed.

"It's alright. It...still calms me down.", I say softly, and Anthonn sighs in relief.

and you two stayed like that, with you getting calmed down and comforted in Anthonn's arms, and after that, you got introduced to the circus.

You still couldn't believe that you lost your loved ones, or that you were about to travel the world like that. You also couldn't believe that Anthonn was blushing around you.

Madly so.

Fast forward, Anthonn confessed shyly, and it was the sweetest confession you've ever heard. And a sweet relationship blossomed. You loved Anthonn dearly, with him loving you back twice as much.

But...that's where the hormones kicked in.

...

"mmh, __- *kiss* -__! Please *kiss* gimme *kiss* a break!", Anthonn tried to say, panting as he did so, but you were too drunk on his lips to listen. Too in love to stop. Too determined to make himself and yourself feel good, as you just kept kissing him fevereshly.

"Don't wanna", you whispered before you angled his head to your liking and licked at his lips, wanting him to part them. And who was Anthonn to deny his lover?

However, there was another problem besides your onslaughter of affectionate physical love which was taking the air out of Anthonn's lungs.

You guys were right behind the stage as Anthonn started to part his lips for you, and he became a goner when your tongue went into his mouth. You were just...so...skilled! How come he couldn't do that?

Anthonn couldn't help but close his eyes in bliss when you lazily let your tongue explore his mouth, all the while your hands travelled around his body -even private parts- and he blushed intensly.

He didn't stop though. He didn't tell you to stop, nor did he push away. He actually pulled you closer because he didn't like the distance. (Anthonn please you guys nearly have your tummy's touching.) He was hugging you now, with you kissing him softly but passionately, and he could hear the cheers.

He imagined having a wedding with you, where they'd cheer louder than that, right at the moment where he'd kiss you after the guy would say: "you may now kiss the bride".

He whimpered at the thought, but you mistook it for something else. You immediately parted yourself from him, looking him in the eyes.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry if was going too harsh on you...", you spoke softly, caressing his red face. He looked to the side, embarassed.

"n-no, I'm alright!", he said quickly, and that was where a worker of the circus showed up. "C'mon Thonny, you need to make another announcement for who is going up next!!!"

But, the worker raised their eyebrows upon seeing Anthonn's red face, with lipstick marks adorning mostly his mouth, and then all over his face and neck. He even had your lipstick stains on his hands.

"...nevermind, we'll just do it ourselves...", the worker said with a knowing look, smirking at you and Anthonn before they left.

Anthonn whined at that. You huffed in amusement. "Hey, at least the whole circus didn't see us makingg out.", you mused, laughing when Anthonn groaned at that, while covering his face shyly.

you then took his hands away from his face and stared at him lovingly. "Wanna stop?", you asked, grinning at him.

Anthonn averted his eyes before he took you to a more secluded area, and you guys went back on your ministrations.

---

Heyyyy how was that? Pretty short, but I did my best! Sorry, but I didn't really know how to keep going and..yeah.

read you in the next post!

[joey-marvel14]

A friendly neighbour...(part 1)

!Civil war! Bucky Barnes x Reader

Author’s note: hello this is my first fanfic. I hope you enjoy it :)

Summary: Your a university student and you live in a cheap apartment block, rarely anyone moves in due to the living conditions. Until someone moves in across the hall from you. He looks familiar.

*** = time skip.

———————————————————————————

I trugded up the long flight of stairs and finally reached the door of my apartment, I sighed in relief, feeling the exhaustion hit me. All I want more is too go to bed and sleep. I search my jacket pocket’s to find my keys. I found them in my right pocket. I grabbed them and unlocked the door the very unstable door. I stepped into my small apartment and dropped my bag to the floor.

I’ll pick that up later…I thought.

Although my apartment was very small. It was manageable. I looked around and took notice of how actually small and crooked it was. The kitchen was a walk-in and it was right next to me. The small closet to which I converted to my “bedroom”. My singular wore in chair next to a cheap TV. The bricks were starting to erode in the wall. And the tiny bathroom, that needs a good clean. Oh yeah this is home.

Eventually I slowly walked to the kettle to make myself a herbal tea and ramen noodles. The best dinner a university student could have. I turned on the kettle and walked to my bedroom to get changed into something more cosy. Until I heard the large echos of footsteps coming up the stairs.

Odd, there’s only 2 other people here and they barely come out of there apartments.

I couldn’t help but snoop. I walked to door and looked through my peephole. I saw a man, tall, muscular, longish hair, stubble, and beautiful blue eyes….and a metal arm? The man was holding a small box and a wore-out black backpack. It was strapped to him tightly. Whatever’s in there must be precious to him. He unlocked the door to the apartment across from me, before he entered he cautiously looked around the small hallway and then shut the door behind him.

I shrugged it off. And continued on with my evening.

***

I woke up feeling groggy, I appeared over to my clock and it read.

2:00am

I sighed to myself, rubbing my eyes, I pushed back my hair and decided to get up. I turned on the kitchen lights and began searching in my small cupboards, I found cookie dough. Thats when I had the great idea to spontaneously bake cookies. I did everything I could to be quiet as the walls hear are thin and not very sturdy.

As I brought over the tray I tripped over the mop I left out from a week ago, I accidentally dropped the tray, the bang echoed through my apartment and what seems like the other rooms too. I bit down on my knuckles and cringed at the sound, I hoped and prayed that didn’t wake anyone. I swore to myself. I picked up the tray and continued on. Soon I put the cookies into the oven. I turned towards my clock, it was quietly ticking in the background.

3:45am

I set a timer for when the cookies would be done, I sat on the counter side. I swung my legs waiting paitently, I let my mind wonder off.

The guy I saw earlier, he looked familiar, like I’ve seen him before in real life. Mmm. I wonder what the metal arm is for, maybe he got into an accident? Or maybe he was attacked by those alien creatures from a few years back? Who knows. He looks like he’s seen alot maybe he served in the military? His eyes look so tired bless him. Mmmm maybe I should give him these cookies and introduce myself, like any good neighbour would do.

I smiled. Suddenly the loud noise of the alarm shook me out of my thoughts and back into reality. I rushed towards the alarm to turn it off before it gets louder. I grabbed a glove and took out the cookies, I could smell the declious scent of the chocolate chip cookies. Yum. My eyes went over to the clock.

4:30am

What’s the off chance that he might be awake?

I shrugged and decided to give it ago. I softly grabbed the cookies and packed them into a small takeout tub. I opened the door to my apartment, I looked around first before I stood out fully. The hallway was dark and weirdly eerie. I let out a quiet breath and walked towards his door. I stood infront of the wooden door and softly knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again but this time slightly louder.

No answer

I propped my ear to the door. I could hear movement from the inside.

I decided to try one last time. I knocked and this time I felt someone coming towards the door. The door click open, I could see the silhouette of his head appear around the corner of the door.

“Um. Hi, sorry to disturb you but I saw you moved in yesterday evening and I thought I would come and introduce myself. I- um- brought cookies” I felt a tad nervous now, as the realisation hit me that I’m doing this at 4:30 in the morning and this man was probably trying to get some sleep.

“Thank you.” His voice was slightly rough and monotone.

The door closed. Oh. I was about to walk off in defeat until I heard the jangling of the door fully unlocking. I turned back to the door. As it opened so I could see his silhouette a tad better.

“I’m Y/N, i live the apartment directly across from you. What’s your name?”

“James.”

“Nice to meet you James” I smiled

———————————————————————————

Here is part one of the mini series 😊

Hope you enjoyed :)

[awkward-tension-art]

Puppet on a String Chp.10 (Fives x Reader)

Chapter 9. Chapter 11.

ARC trooper Fives

CW: Fives x Reader, Reader is a medical practitioner, angst, swearing, Death mention, Running from authorities, Mentions of dead characters, Inhibitor chip arc, Lying, Drugging, confusion, disorientation, Major character death, Palpetine being a bastard

Tag list (Thank you!): @notgonnaedit @amazonian-bae @spicydonut25 @bimboshaggy @tentakelspektakel

You sat next to Fives, head on his shoulder and eyes closed. His arm was wrapped around you, keeping you close. The ride to Coruscant was long enough to cause you to doze off. The hum of the ship relaxed you, giving a sense of calm over your body. Frankly the only reason you woke up was from the announcement through the transport ship. 

Attention. Please be advised we have arrived at Coruscant and will be touching down at our destination shortly.

“This’ll all be over soon…” you mumbled, sitting up. 

Your lover kept a loose hand at your waist, “Yea…” He nodded, “Can't wait to go back to the front and shoot clankers again.”

You laughed softly, “I’m sure I have patients who are going to be very upset with me when I get back.”

The next few minutes were filled with a comfortable silence. The ship hummed and whirred as it lowered through Coruscant’s atmosphere. It landed easily on the Grand Republic Medical Facility’s landing pad. After the aircraft settled, Shaak Ti turned back to speak with you both. 

“After you both speak to the Chancellor, you will come with me to the Jedi Temple.” She said, “And from there, you two can put all of this behind you.” 

You nodded, interlocking your fingers with Fives. Put all of this behind you…

It was nice, in theory. But Tup was dead. A friend was gone. Not to mention Dr.Mila, nurse Rino. and all the other healthcare workers that had been killed. 

The doors of the transport ship opened, revealing Mas Amedda, Vice Chair of the Senate. He gave a polite bow as Shaak Ti led you and Fives off the ship, “Greetings, Master Jedi,” His tone was friendly and welcoming, “The Chancellor had an emergency meeting and he will join us shortly. In the meantime, we can wait inside.” 

You remained silent, finding the lack of activity unsettling. Most likely patients have been moved to the lower floors, for security reasons. Still, the quiet of the GRMF set off red flags. 

This was never supposed to be a quiet hospital. 

You tried not to let it bother you as Mas Amedda walked with you into one of the doctors lounges. You were greeted by a droid holding two fresh cups of caf. One of which you grabbed immediately began to drink. Fives did as well, though he sipped much slower than you.

You were no soldier. You weren’t made for the long marches and fighting for days like the ARC trooper was. You needed all the caffeine possible before you inevitably crashed.

Your lover remained standing, even when you sat down and put your face in your hands. After a few moments to breathe, the lightheadedness hit you like a truck. You groaned, “fuck…” 

“Mesh’la?” Fives put a hand to your back, “Are you alright?” 

“I think…I think the exhaustion has gotten to me.” You took a shaky breath, looking up at your lover, “I’ll be alright…” There was a small sense of dread that settled in your stomach. You tried to push it down, but it only got worse. 

You managed to shoot to your feet when the doors opened, revealing Chancellor Palpetine. He had a small smile to greet you, and a part of your mind thought he looked like a friendly grandpa, “Master Shaak Ti, it is good to see you again. I trust you've kept this matter extremely confidential.”

The Jedi gave a polite bow to return the greeting before standing straight, “Of course, Chancellor.” 

“Ah good,” He nodded and approached you and Fives, “So this is the clone and doctor who have caused so much alarm?” The older gentleman offered his hand and you shook it first. 

It alarmed you that your fingers were tingling. You turned to look at Fives. His pupils had shrunk to pin points, and his eyes were bloodshot. His fingers were shaking, probably losing feeling, just like you. 

You glanced over to the droid that gave you the caf. You hadn’t noticed before but the droid brandished the symbol of Kamino. 

Nala Se.

“S-sir…” You tried to speak, but were cut off. 

“My, Doctor, you don’t look well.” Chancellor Palpetine put a steady hand on your shoulder, “Perhaps you should go, get some rest. Don’t worry, I’m sure this brave soldier here can explain everything.”

You swallowed, trying to speak again, “I think…we…she drugged us,” your mouth refused to cooperate fully, only coming out in a whisper. However, it seemed Fives understood you, as he whipped his head to look at you. 

He tried to second your statement, but his own voice came out slow and breathless, “No…No…she…drugged us.”

Horror and realization hit him all at once as well. Both of you seemed to be unable to speak over a gasp and the General seemed to have her attention taken by Vice Chair Amedda. 

“There, there, you two. Don't strain yourselves.” The older gentleman patted your shoulder, “Vice Chair Amedda, why don't you go with the Doctor to get checked out? I can stay here and speak with the trooper.” 

“That's a good idea, Chancellor.” the politician motioned and two guards approached. 

It seemed finally Shaak Ti noticed you two were unwell, “Doctor, Fives are the two of you…”

“Not to worry, Jedi Master,” the Chancellor waved her off, “I’m sure it’s just some exhaustion. After all these two have been through quite a trial.” He was reassuring and kind, “The Doctor can go rest, and we can speak to…ARC trooper Fives, was it?” 

“N-no, sir…please…” Your thoughts were jumbled. As if there was a disconnect between your mind and your body, “F-Fives…wait, Fives…” The confusion and disorientation only got worse. You looked back at your lover, eyes wide and afraid. He stared back, sharing your same look of anxiety. 

The door closed behind you, cutting you off from the ARC trooper. You weren’t even entirely sure when you had been dropped onto a patient's table. Time melted off into nothing by the time you had an IV in your arm. At some point, your blood was taken and analyzed, and the medical droid confirmed your suspicions. 

Drugged.

Nala Se must have slipped her droid onto the transport ship. It most likely snuck off the ship when you and Fives were distracted after landing.

You were about to speak to the politician next to you when a loud alarm began blaring through the medical facility. The guards watching the door tensed, rifles ready. You recognized the sound echoing through the entire building.

Code Grey. Lockdown. Code Grey. Lockdown.

“W-what…?” You tried to sit up, but Mas Amedda kept a hand on your shoulder.

“Now now, no need to worry,” He had a smirk despite the situation, “Everything is going to be over soon.” 

“No…Fives! Where is Fives!?” Maybe it was adrenaline, stress or the IV in your arm, but it felt like your mind snapped together again. Everything sounded like you had cotton in your ears, and your fingers still tingled, but your brain was processing information properly again, “Get off me!” You tried to shove the Vice Chair off of you. 

One of the guards held you down, and you tried to fight back, “Let me go!” You demanded, “Where is Fives!?”

The door opened, but you couldn’t see who walked in. It was only until Shaak Ti’s voice cut through the air that you calmed down, “Enough!”

The guard as well as Mas Amedda let go and you scrambled to sit up, “General Shaak Ti!” Your breath had escaped you in your struggle, “Nala Se…the droid. She drugged us!” You hurried to explain, “Fives…where is he?” 

“I wanted you to tell me, Doctor.” Her lavender eyes held no kindness or patience, “Fives tried to assassinate the Chancellor.” 

“W-what!?”

She stepped over to the window in your room, looking out over Coruscant, “I do not know exactly what happened, but Chancellor Palpetine was questioning him when he attacked. If the guards were not present, the Chancellor would be dead.”

“N-no…” You gasped, “No, Shaak Ti, Fives would never-”

“And then he ran.” She turned back to face you, cutting you off, “You know him best, where would he go?”

Immediately, there was distrust. 

What if you were wrong. What if it was Shaak Ti who had drugged the both of you? What if she was working with Nala Se? She had played you and Fives. Got your guard down and set you both up. 

“I don’t know,” you lied, “Maybe…Maybe my apartment?”

The Jedi looked to Mas Amedda. The Vice Chair of the Senate nodded once and left with the guards. You and the togruta woman were now alone. 

“What if he isn’t there?” She asked, turning back to stare outside, “Where else would he go?” 

Find a brother in the 501st. Rex most likely. Or Jesse. Even Kix or the field surgeon. If they were on leave, they’d be at 79’s. If not, lay low until they were.

“The military barracks?” You offered, lying again. If Fives was on the run, he'd stay away from heavily guarded areas to avoid getting caught. 

The Jedi took a deep breath and closed her eyes, “Thank you, Doctor.” She turned to leave, “Get some rest, I will need to speak to the council about this.”

“A-alright…” You murmured, watching as she left. Once she was gone and you were alone, your gaze roamed the patient room. Sterile white, standard for medical facilities. Empty countertops save for a sink, disinfectant soap and a hand towel. 

You were being watched by the medical droid. Only the medical droid. It hovered around you, continuing to watch your vitals.

You hadn’t seen your colleagues. Your fellow doctors or nurses. Did they even know you were here? Slowly and carefully you got up from the bed and peaked your head outside. The halls, dark and empty, were not those of the lower floors. 

No, you were still on the top floor. 

Alone. 

Without another second to waste, you stepped out fully to the top floor and found a fellow doctor's office. Your head was absolutely throbbing, but you pushed past it and swiped their holo. You felt bad stealing from a colleague but, there was a single goal in mind, one your clouded mind clung to. 

Fives…you needed to find Fives. Or a way to contact him. 

Your steps were hurried to the emergency stairwell and downward. You needed to leave. You needed to find your lover. By the time you got outside, your legs burned, but you continued onward. Hailing a hover-cab was easy enough, and you only let yourself breathe once you were seated inside. 

“Where to?” The driver, a rather gruff looking besalisk asked. 

“79’s. The clone bar.” You answered, trying to get your racing heart and severe anxiety under control.

“Yea Yea, I know what 79’s is.” He huffed, beginning the journey.

Your first stop, find someone in the 501st. You hoped against all odds that Fives’ brothers were there. If you were exceptionally lucky, they’d even be sober.

If the gods of the galaxy were gracious, you would find Rex.

Your lover trusted the Captain. With everything. Even knowledge of your relationship. 

But what would you say to Rex now? ‘The Republic you fight for put a tumor in your brain. Oh and it’s most likely a Separatist plot’? How would he even handle that?

You weren’t entirely sure how you were handling it. 

The ride was over much quicker than you anticipated. Once the hover-cab came to a stop outside the bustling bar, you opened the door and tossed a random amount of credits to the driver, “Keep the change!” you called back to him, rushing through the crowd of clones. 

You lightly pushed against the armored bodies that mingled around you. Your steps were careful but hurried, weaving between drunks, dancers and the like. Someone shoved you, and you nearly stumbled, hand bracing against the wall to stabilize yourself. 

The disorientation was suffocating. You lasted long enough keeping yourself together, but the drug in your system continued to ravage your senses. You couldn’t think much and your body refused to fully cooperate.

“Hey, you alright?” There were kind hands on you, helping you stand, “It’s pretty crowded in here-” his voice was patient, and friendly. His eyes were bright and warm. Instantly, you recognized him.

Kix!

Realization dawned on him at the same time as you. However, you didn’t give him time to talk, because you grabbed his gloved hand and pulled him to a fresher. It was empty of people, allowing you to speak. 

“Have you seen Fives!?” You questioned instantly, “Something happened and, and he’s missing.” 

“Slow down, Yea, I’ve seen him.” The medic looked spooked, “He was…well, he gave me coordinates and-”

“Where!?” 

The clone medic raised his holo and gave them to you, once you had them, he asked you quietly, “What is going on? They say Fives tried to assassinate the Chancellor, and he’s been infected with the virus that killed Tup.” 

“That’s not what happened!” You snapped, instantly defending your lover, “There’s…a tumor. A chip in every clone,” your explanation was rushed and broad, “Look, I-I have the data. I have scans. I just…I need to find Fives. Something is deeply wrong here.”

“You and him both sound crazy,” He sighed, shaking his head, “Seriously, what-.”

“We’ve been drugged. You can check my records at the GRMF.” You whispered once the door opened. A drunk clone stumbled inside but didn’t pay much mind to the two of you. 

The medic put his hands on your shoulders, “Look, if you’ve been drugged, I can take you to Doc and you can explain-”

“There’s no time!” you shoved him off and stepped back, “Just…just know this…” Your arms waved, motioning around you, “There’s something seriously wrong. With everything.” You didn’t wait for his reply because you turned and hurried from the fresher. 

You looked at the coordinates, double checking the numbers. They practically swam around your vision, making it hard to read, but you managed to give them to the next cab-driver you hailed down. 

“You…ok?” The green twi’lek looked back at you as you went inside her hover-taxi, “That's a rather…unpleasant part of town.”

“I’m good.” You responded, thought your voice was shaky. Quickly, you gave her the rest of your credits, “You never saw me, ok?”

She smirked and nodded, “Right, I got you.”

The driver most likely assumed you were a junky getting your next fix, or making some shady deals with crime lords. She could assume what she wanted, it didn’t matter. 

You needed Fives. 

Double checking the coordinates, you exited the hover-cab and stepped onto the platform. 

Hangar 18…It was on one of the lower levels of Coruscant. There were abandoned crates breaking away from rust, and a transport ship in complete disrepair. No one was around, so you stumbled your way inside. 

The door screeched as you shoved it open and called into the storage area, “Fives!” you walked deeper into the facility, calling his name again.

Immediately you were met with the panicked voice of your lover, “Mesh’la!” he ran out from behind a stack of broken, rusted boxes. Once the two of you saw each other, you ran to him. 

“Fives!” You cried, wrapping your arms around his armored chest, “the Chancellor…what happened?”

The ARC trooper pulled you back to cup your face in his trembling hands, “He told me. He told me everything. He’s the one who's doing this!” 

The…Chancellor?

Your eyes locked with his and your blood turned to ice in your veins. 

He was telling the truth. 

Somehow, it all made sense. In your drug-addled mind, everything fell into place.

Palpetine would have the reach to do everything. He’d have the power to kill all of your colleagues and pay a bounty hunter to kill you. He had the reach to hide his involvement afterward, and make himself seem innocent. He had his claws inside Kamino from the beginning. 

He put the chips inside the army. Chips that had orders to kill the Jedi. 

He drugged you and Fives. And to add insult to injury, he was the one who separated you and your lover, fracturing information and isolating you.

“What…do we do?” You asked, fear flooding your system. Your heart was racing. Despite everything, your body still refused your mental commands. 

That damn drug wouldn’t leave your system!

“I asked Rex to find me,” he answered, moving his hands to your shoulders, “and, and the General.…He can help. They both can.” it was clear the clone was still being affected as well. His words were jumbled, and he was unsteady on his feet.

You nodded, though the movement of your head made you feel dizzy, “o-ok…what can I do?” 

“Evidence.” The ARC trooper mumbled, “Get the evidence. You have the scans…right?” 

The original scans. 

You had them. On your tablet in your apartment. But chances are Palpetine had ordered someone to break in and destroy it. But Dr.Mila had them as well, on her work datapad. It might still be in her office…

Out of grief, no one had gone in it since she perished..it was a gamble, but you had to try.

“I do.” Your answer wasn’t the most confident. Knowing that the two of you discovered a plot to kill Jedi created by the fucking Chancellor had stripped you of your resolve. “I can…what do I do after I get them?” 

In any other circumstances, you’d be able to figure things out. But your thinking process was still sluggish.

“Give the scans to the Jedi.” Your lover answered you, “and…and the 501st. If Rex and the General don’t believe me, they can still get the evidence.”

Your response was cut off by the door screeching open again. The both of you fell silent, keeping hidden behind crates and boxes. There were voices coming from the direction of the entrance and you listened intently with Fives until the newcomers' words became more clear. 

“Fives?” the voice of General Skywalker echoed through the abandoned hangar, “Fives, we're here. Come on out. We just want to talk to you.” you could see the glow of the blue lightsaber over the tops of the crates you hid behind.

Your lover visibly relaxed. Relief melted into his gaze. Fives held your face and planted a sweet kiss on your lips. After he pulled away, he called out to the Jedi and Captain, “General Skywalker, thank you. Thank you for trusting me.” He leaned out from behind the crates, eyes roaming the storage facility, “Now, have you come without troops?”

“We have,” Skywalker confirmed. He and Rex were getting closer to your position. 

Fives began trembling, eyes becoming hard. He was clearly trying to work on instinct. The drug in his system was still clearly affecting him though, “Put down your weapons, then.” He spoke loudly, voice echoing around the dark building. 

“I don't think so, Fives.”

“Please, sir!” He begged, looking desperate, “Please, I'm unarmed.” His hands squeezed your shoulders, keeping you close. 

After a few moments, Captain Rex answered, “All right. I'm putting my pistols down.” You couldn’t see the clone from your position, but you assumed he just put his blaster on the nearest crate. 

“What are we here for, Fives?” Anakin asked now. He sounded concerned, yet focused. And possibly a tad impatient.

“We need your help,” The ARC trooper stated. 

“Whose ‘we’?” The General responded, “I thought you wanted us alone.”

Fives grabbed your hand and pulled you to a console. He typed rapidly with one hand, and then hit a large red button. The console activated a ray shield. The white sheet circled the Jedi and Captain, trapping them inside. 

“No!” Skywalker pounded a fist against the shield. 

“I just need you to listen to us.” The ARC trooper stepped out from behind the crates where you both hid out of view, “Please…” 

The General crossed his arms, “I'm not really sure we have any other choice.” behind him, Rex’s eyes were wide and full of worry. 

“I was framed because we know the truth... the truth about a plot, a massive deception.” You followed your lover as he stepped over to the two. He motioned with his arms wildly as he explained. To anyone else, most likely even Anakin and Rex, he looked like a mad man. 

“By whom?” The clone Captain stepped forward. 

“Well, there's a sinister plot in the works against the Jedi,” Fives responded, “w-we have proof of it. We can prove that everything that I know is true beyond a shadow of a doubt!”

General Skywalker didn’t seem convinced, “Show me the evidence!” he demanded, having enough of the situation. 

The ARC trooper gripped his head, “The evidence is in here. It's... it's in here.” He moved his hand, pointing to the surgical scar, “It's in all of us, every clone!”

“What is it!?”

“Organic chips built into our genetic code to make us do whatever someone wants, even kill the Jedi!” Your lover desperately tried to explain. He was trembling horribly, from stress and the drug. 

This time, you spoke, getting their attention, “I have…The scans!” You informed them, panicking now, “Dr.Mila..my colleagues, everyone who's dead also had them! This plot…they were killed to keep this plot hidden!” You wanted to be more clear. You desperately wished your mind and body would listen to you, but everything came out a jumbled, incoherent mess.

Anakin lowered his arms, eyes wide, “You know who's behind all of this?”

“The Chancellor!” You cried, “He told Fives! He’s orchestrated all of this!” 

Fives put a steadying hand on your shoulder. He nodded in confirmation, “He did. He told me! In the medical bay.”

The Jedi looked at the both of you, confusion very clear on his face, “The Chancellor!?” his tone melted to anger now, “You have gone too far, Fives. The Chancellor isn't capable of what you claim.”

Dread and despair filled your body. You were losing the two of them, “He is!” You tried to reason with Rex and Anakin, “Please! Just listen!”

There was movement out of the corner of your eye. A flash of red and white. Your brain was working as fast as it could to process the information. But once you did, fear slammed into you.

Coruscant Guard.

Fives saw them too. He whirled and grabbed you, shoving you back, “Run! Now! Get the evidence! The scans!” 

You stumbled back, eyes wide. You wanted to argue. You wanted to fight. But your lover was right, you had to get the scans. The proof of the inhibitor chips. “I love you!” you called before turning and running out of sight. You got behind a stack of rusty metal boxes, staying behind just to watch and make sure you weren’t followed.

Commander Fox came into view, followed by other armored clones. All of them had their weapons ready, “Stand down soldier!” 

The guard charges, blasters aimed, causing the ARC trooper to panic and raise his hands, “No! No! Stay back!” 

You couldn’t watch much more, turning and fully sprinting away. As you ran through the storage facility, you continued to hear the chaotic shouting. However, you had to ignore them, get to the door and get the datapad. 

“Stand down! Get on your knees!”

“Don't do it! Don't do it, soldier!”

As soon as you made it to the door, you could hear your love shout, “Get away from me!”

Then the sound of a blaster shot.

[fridamoss]

Is This The Love (That I'm Feelin'?) | Bob Floyd X Loot (PART 3)

Archive of Our Own // Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

Summary: Bob & Loot get to know each other, in a closet.

Warnings: Curse words.

Word count: 2,128

It was midnight. Your eyes stung in the bright light of your phone screen. You had been texting Bob for the last couple of days on and off and he was being so incredibly sweet. Each time your phone lit up with a message, you got a little flutter in your stomach.

Tapping out ‘good night Bob :*’ with one eye open, you didn’t even drop the phone before you fell asleep.

That evening after work, you’d been determined to hit the gym. One of your favourite things to do was get into your cutest workout outfit, smash out some reps with your headphones on (absolutely no one should utter one syllable in your direction). Focusing on yourself for 45 minutes a day was the least you could do, especially with how busy work had been lately. Rolling over in your sleep you felt the ache run down the back of your legs and into your butt, jolting you awake. Your first thought was Bob, his hair blowing about from the wind rushing through the open windows in your car. Sleep found you again, wrapping you up in its comforting arms. Arms that turned into Bob reaching for you, holding you against him while he stroked your hair, telling you it was so pretty.

You woke up smiling but frustrated. Sweet, sexy dreams made you horny. And you were real fucking horny for Robert Floyd. You had a half hour to get ready for work, no way you’d fit in any kind of self pleasure. Another long day at work while sexually frustrated, your vibrator was well loved but it was no match for what you imagined Bob doing to you.

Waiting for the water to heat up in the shower, you looked through last nights conversation with Bob. It was just a regular conversation, absolutely nothing sexy at all which made you hotter for him. He was respectful, never pushing you for anything. You couldn’t count the amount of guys that ask for a nude photo right off the bat.

Honestly, you couldn’t wait to get to that stage with Bob. You let out an exasperated moan at the thoughts of his cheeks flaming red when he caught sight of the imaginary underwear selfie picture you’d send him while he was at work. Whoo boy. You and he needed to talk face to face real fucking soon.

*****

Bob checked his phone about 20 times in 1 minute. Phoenix glared at him across the table. ‘Just text her, you loser!’

‘I can’t! She didn’t reply to my last message, I don’t wanna be a jerk.’

Phoenix sighed, feeling bad for her back-seater, he had it bad for this girl.

‘Give me your phone and I will send her a message,’ reaching over to make a swipe at his phone. Bob held it back, flummoxed, ‘what would you say?’

Gosh he really was clueless.

‘I’d say “Hey Loot, fancy grabbing lunch with me today?”

Rolling his eyes, Bob mumbled ‘That’s not bad actually…’ trailing off as he heard the chair next to him scrape against the floor.

‘You asking me on a lunch date, Nat?’

Bob looked at you, mouth agape before swallowing hard. You could see a flush in his cheeks already. How has this man made it so far in life?

‘Nah, but Bob is.’ Phoenix nodded toward him and settled back in her seat, thoroughly pleased with herself.

‘Morning Bob,’ you said softly, one side of your mouth lifting into a smile the way he liked so much.

‘Yeah lunch. Wanna do lunch?’ He sounded so unsure.

‘Totally, I’m in the mood for a burrito today.’

Bob nodded, smiling from ear to ear before turning back to face the front of the class.

*****

Bob felt his stomach rumbling as he sat at an empty table waiting for you. Scanning the room for anyone he might know, he picked out quite a few familiar faces. None of them yours. You were only a few minutes late. Checking his phone again for a new message, he was a little disappointed.

Loot: I’m caught up here, can you grab me a burrito and I’ll meet you there asap x

That little ‘x’. It was friendly, not necessarily romantic.

You’re overthinking every little thing, he thought. Now your nerves are shot!

Bob didn’t curse a whole lot but he felt he needed to right now. He hadn’t eaten at all day, he’d been too nervous.

When you walked through he door, his stomach did a somersault. You looked around until you spotted him, giving him a little wave and a smile as you made your way to the table.

‘Thanks for the burrito. So sorry I’m late.’

Bob waved the apology away. ‘You look nice today.’

‘So do you.’

‘Oh and extra guac on the side! Bob you are a dream.’

‘You said you liked things on the side for dipping,’ he nodded, remembering your animated monologue about lubricating your food with dips.

‘Handsome, smart and a good listener. I like having you around.’ You got right into that burrito. Bob watched you until he decided he looked a bit creepy.

‘You not hungry?’ Quizzically pointing over at his untouched lunch.

‘I am, I am.’ He forced down a mouthful. ‘Listen, I enjoyed our time together last week.’

Bob could see your face fall a little, ‘but?’

‘But?’ Bob repeated your question. ‘No, no but. I’m trying to ask you out again. You know? The boat idea?’

You sat back in your chair, relieved. ‘Why my mind go to rejection immediately?’

‘It’s usually me as the rejectee, not the rejecter.’ Bob shrugged.

A silence sat between you for a beat, you were both smiling at each other.

‘We can skip the boat date and go straight to making out in the supplies closet down the hall.’ You said it so casually that Bob glanced around to see if anyone had overheard.

‘The supply closet just down that hallway?’

“mmhmm,’ you kept eating.

Bob had seen people sneaking in and out of that closet, he was no fool, he just never thought it would be him sneaking in there.

Bob stood suddenly, towering over you in all of his 6 foot glory. He nodded his head toward the exit, face unreadable.

There was no mistaking what he was insinuating. You widened your eyes in response, squeezing your legs together in anticipation.

It was less than two minutes that Bob had been standing in the closet, neatly stacked shelves of cleaning products up to the ceiling, the chipped linoleum was spotless, he kicked at the worn out spot beneath him with the toe of his boot. Were you coming or was this a joke at his expense? It wouldn’t have been the first time a girl had told him to meet her somewhere and never show up.

Bob knew you weren’t like them, you weren’t mean. You were sweet. You and your bright smile, soft hair and wet mouth.

He looked up startled when the door was flung open, he almost expected to see a superior officer standing on the threshold, demanding to know why he was standing in a closet alone. But it was you. A breeze of your perfume came in right along with you, pulling the door closed, you kept your hand on on the knob. ‘You look surprised. But…you did invite me here, right?’ Voice like smoked caramel, that’s all he could think as he watched your mouth. He was hardly listening to what you were saying. He just wanted your mouth on his.

‘C’mere.’ Bob reached out a hand, placing it at the back of your neck, pulling you toward him. Lips meeting a crash. Soft sucking noises turned to heaving breathing, tongues moving against each other hesitantly.

Bob’s free hand grabbed at your waist, pulling you impossibly close. He had been making ‘mmm’ noises frequently enough to make you smile.

‘What are you smiling about?’ His voice muffled in your mouth, kissing down the column of your throat to let you answer, Bob just wanted to keep you close, keep kissing you. Hot skin under your collar turning damp as he sucked a little bruise right where no one but you would see when you took your shirt off.

‘I’m smiling coz I’m kissin’ you Bob. I’ve been thinking about you and me and doing this. And you make these sweet sounds when we’re making out.’ You had your head tipped back, eyes closed, both of your hands were now pulling at the back of his shirt, hoping to feel his skin, even just a sliver would do.

Bob’s mouth left your collarbone, he looked up at you through those birth control glasses, his lips moving like he was saying something that you couldn’t hear. ‘I…I…what?’ Cheeks pink under the horrid fluorescent light. His eyes were dazed, like he was waking up from a sweet dream.

‘You make these happy sounds in your throat,’ finger tips reaching out to touch his adam’s apple. ‘It really fuckin’ turns me on.’

Bob swallowed hard, not sure what to say. So he said nothing, he grabbed your chin and brought his mouth to yours in a desperate kiss.

‘How long we got left before lunch is done?’ Tongues meeting, hot breath fanning across your faces. You slipped your hands out of the white t-shirt Bob was wearing under his khaki shirt. He whimpered. ‘Probably cutting it close right now.’

Bob pressed his forehead to yours, making an effort to slow his breathing. Blood was rushing in his ears, cock straining against his zipper. He was dying to ask you to grab a hold of him but here was not the place and now was not the time.

It was you that moved first, holding your hands against his shoulders, ‘as much as I’d love to continue, we definitely need to get out of here and pretend like we weren’t sucking the face off of each other.’ A small laugh was shared between you.

‘I’ll go first, see if the coast is clear.’ Bob nodded in agreement, he needed a sec to adjust himself. He reached out for your hand, giving it a little squeeze. You squeezed back in a silent promise, ‘I’ll talk to you real soon.’

Your lips were a little swollen, your love bite only partially visible before you did up your button. Turning to say goodbye, you watched for a moment as Bob stuffed the back of his shirt back into his pants. If it were at all possible for you to be more horny for this man right now, he winked at you. He fucking winked at you.

Knees like jelly and a tide of arousal hitting you between your legs, you stuck your head out of the door and nodded.

‘Later Floyd.’

‘Yeah, see you later, Loot.’ Bob whispered, heart in his throat, wishing that you were still here.

You had been sitting at your desk for twenty minutes, sipping an impossibly hot coffee when your phone buzzed in your pocket. Deciding to ignore it, you were really trying to concentrate on the words on the screen, but your phone buzzed again.

Sighing, you took it out and saw two messages from Bob. A smile came easily, but you tried to keep your face neutral.

Bob: Ok, I rented a boat for Saturday, a row boat.

Bob: I’ll wear a sleeveless shirt so you can see my rippling muscles.

If there was no one else around, there would be some serious squeals of excitement filling the room. But you were a professional, so you smirked as you thought about how daring he must have felt to flirt with you over text. How bold he was to organise another date.

Loot: Perfect. But, I’ll only go if you don’t wear a shirt at all.

Bob: But then you’ll see my nipples.

You couldn’t help it, you giggled, causing your uber-serious desk neighbour to scowl at you.

Loot: Would you feel better if I didn’t wear a shirt either? That way our nipples could meet.

Bob saw your message and his throat dried up, Fanboy leaned over his shoulder, ‘hey who are you texting? Is it Loot? Tell her I said hi!’ Fanboy was forever cheerful.

‘Not the right time for that,’ Bob grumbled, moving his phone away from his friends view.

He’d never been good at flirting and he certainly had never been pursued by a woman like you, he wanted to get this right.

Bob: Whatever you wish, ma���am. I’m game.

His heart fluttered when you sent back a kiss emoji. He would row that boat naked for hours if it got him another make out session with you.

[finkinthisfrew]

Anything (Pt.4)

A Matty Healy Fanfic

Chapter 4

The next morning I woke to the sound of a doorbell. I looked at my phone surprised to notice that I had slept past my alarm. I rubbed my eyes groggily as I threw on a hoodie to run downstairs and answer the door.

For the rest of the day yesterday, I nursed my now much-improved burn in between daydreaming about Matty. I'd say his name out loud and let the sound of it linger on my tongue, loving how it felt. I thought about the curls that fell across his forehead, the vision crystal clear, as if my heart had memorized his every hair. I felt giddy and inspired, drawing sketches late into the night of pieces I wanted to make that felt the way he had made me feel. 

As I lay down in bed, ready for another couple hours of tossing and turning until I finally could fall asleep, I finally let the fear seep in- what if I was reading into things too deeply? What if I'd made it all up? Maybe he was just a friendly and kind man- that couldn't be too unreasonable to imagine. After all, there was a photo of him kissing the other man. What seemed more unreasonable was the idea that this man could be single- how could someone so sweet and handsome not have a partner? After ruminating on the thought, I finally accepted that I had probably let myself read into his body language too much- I must have imagined him leaning in. After all, I had been the one to lean into him for a kiss. He probably was just waiting for me to leave, not watching the montage of us falling in love as I had been.

The doorbell rang again as I yanked on Matty's hoodie and ran down the stairs in my socks. Skidding to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, I opened the door to find a postman holding a box. The man asked me to sign for the package, and I told him it must be a mistake- I hadn't ordered anything online since I first moved in, and I wasn't expecting any packages from my family or friends.

But I looked down and saw that it was addressed to Anna Burn Victim. I would have laughed if I hadn't been so shocked. My hands shook as I signed for the package and I forced myself to act casual until the door was safely locked behind me and I could bolt up the stairs to rip open the box.

Inside the heavy box were a second box and a small envelope that said Anna in charmingly messy handwriting. I opened the envelope to find a letter in the same handwriting.

Anna,

I hope you don't mind that I stole your address from my Uber history to mail you your apology gift. I know this isn't enough, but I hope it's a start. I also wanted to ask you if you'd like to meet me for a drink at Florence's- it's halfway between both our places. I can't see myself finding anything worth giving you that can even begin to make up for what I did to you, but I don't think a drink at an overpriced pretentious wine bar could hurt. Would tonight at 7 pm work for you? Here's my number: +4479754328967. Let me know.

x Matty

I sat down on my bed in complete shock. I couldn't believe what I had just read. I reread it once more, then again, and again. I let the words sink in, scanning for anything I could have missed that made me misinterpret his letter. When I couldn't find anything I stared out my window, stunned and in silence.

He wanted to see me again. 

I immediately flipped over onto my bed, scrambling towards my phone, too distracted by my excitement to consider playing it cool and waiting a few hours to text him.

Hi Matty, you're just in luck. My burn victim's support group ends at 7 pm tomorrow night, so I'll be free to torture you a little longer with this joke 😘

I could see him start to type his response right away, thankful that he also wasn't interested in playing things cool.

Considering I've had to wait a full 24 minutes since the courier left my place to hear back from you, I think I might also do with joining a support group of sorts- do you know if they have any for lonely and impatient arsonists? 

I giggled out loud and before I could type my response, he'd started typing again.

Btw, don't gorge yourself too much on your treats. Florence has the best charcuterie board in the city.

I scratched my head in confusion. "Oh!" I exclaimed, remembering finally about the box he'd sent with the letter. 

I reached over to pick up the hefty box. Lifting the lid, I gasped at the contents.

There had to be at least 50 cookies from the coffee shop inside. The cookies I'd told him were my favourite. The same cookies that sell out early in the morning every day. The same cookies that the shop doesn't take bulk orders for. 

After staring at the box for too long, I came to, remembering I hadn't responded yet to Matty's text.

WTF HOW DID YOU GET THESE?

I tapped my toe impatiently on the ground as I watched him type. 

I have my connections 😉

Anyways, unfortunately, have to run off- my meeting got rescheduled to today and I should've left a few minutes ago for it. I'll see you tonight, and please make sure to grab me any burn-enthusiast's anonymous pamphlets you see. Enjoy the cookies  x

I was so grateful I'd been sitting because my legs felt like jello. I fell backward onto my bed, my brain spinning. I couldn't wrap my head around what he'd done- what he'd said. This beautiful man had somehow gotten his hands on 50 of the most coveted cookies in all of London, written me a letter by hand, couriered it over to my house, and asked me out. The fact that he'd thought about me at all since yesterday was already enough to send me over without all the other things he'd done.

I lay like that trying to process everything for a long time before noticing that I was ten minutes into my booked studio time. I threw on some jeans, slipped on some splattered Crocs, and grabbed an old crewneck to replace Matty's hoodie with, not wanting to soil his sweater with the clay I'd be working with. I pulled the crewneck over my head and grabbed my keys to run out the door, lost in the thought of what I should wear to my date later that night.

[trin-gvf]

soft days - S.F.K

sam x fem!reader

2.4k words, minors DNI

WARNINGS: oral sex (fem rec), unprotected sex

pls lmk if i missed any!

When you had awoken, you rolled over, seeing your fiance, already wide awake staring at the view outside your window. When he realized you were awake, he smiled at you, placing a kiss to your lips.

“Good morning, lover.” he softly spoke, not wanting to ruin the energy of the morning. You let a hand brush through his messy morning hair, slightly combing it out with your fingers. He looked so pretty in the newly dawned light. He looked quite literally like an angel on earth.

The sun was causing his skin to glow and his vibes to thrive. You cherish mornings like this, when you could lay in silence with each other, just soaking in each other's company.

You wrapped yourself in Sam’s arms, your legs wrapping around each other. You could’ve stayed like this all day if you could.

“I was thinking, can we walk Rosie and Salem today? Then stop by the coffee shop and then the pet shop and get some of those treats that Cosi really likes.” He said, closing his eyes, hiding them from the light.

“That sounds like fun.” You smiled, looking over his features. 

You nuzzled into him even closer. He was so warm, all of the time. He was the polar opposite of you and you two fit like pieces in a puzzle. Sam wrapped his arms around you and you stayed like that for at least another 30 minutes until Rosie came in to give you good morning lovings. 

While Sam said good morning to Rosie, you got out of bed and gave your Cosi good morning kisses. She was old, almost as old as you, but she was your baby and you’d love her until the end of your time. You woke her up from the doggie bed that was placed next to yours. She did a big stretch and followed you to the living room. She slowly trudged behind you as you opened the sliding glass door to the backyard. As she did her business, your beloved Salem came to give you her daily “hello mom!” 

You gave her, her very deserved pats and loves while slowly getting ready for your walk. You put on some sweatpants, a cropped tank top, a sweater and a baseball cap. You put your favorite sneakers on and walked out of your walk in closet. Sam was ready too, he had on a pink long sleeve, sweatpants just like you, a fanny pack and some slides. You tried your best to not laugh at the fanny pack, he would always complain to you when you did. He called it fashionable.

“Ready to go?” He asked, putting Rosie’s leash and collar on. You nodded while you put Salem’s on. As you walked out the door, you gave Cosi a kiss to her forehead.

“You be good, Cosi, we’ll be back.” You cooed. 

She laid on the doggie bed you had in the living room and you were off. You admired your garden of different flowers and plants, laughing when one of the dogs would stop to sniff them.

You and Sam took your time on your walk, taking in the sights of the city and pointing out different cars Sam thought were cool. 

You eventually reached your local coffee shop. It was your favorite, they were animal friendly and gave you a free pup cup for each coffee you bought when you brought your pets in. The staff had known you two very well, you two always came in on saturday mornings with Salem and Rosie. 

“Hi guys!! The usual?” The barista asked, getting ready to put the order in on her computer. 

“Yup.” You smiled at her, watching her coo at the dogs.

You sat at a table as you waited for your drinks. The view was nice from the coffee shop window. 

“I love days like this.” Sam spoke over the lower murmur of the other people in the shop. 

“Me too, they’re my favorite.” you responded, petting Salem on the head. 

Soon enough, the barista sat down your drinks and two pup cups for your babies. 

“Here’s a caramel iced latte with oat milk for you and an iced americano with salted caramel creme. And as per usual, two pup cups for the girls.” 

You both thanked her, taking a couple sips of your drinks before allowing the dogs to lick up the whipped cream. Once the dogs were done with their treats, you threw the trash away and picked up your drinks. 

You started to walk to the pet store when you saw a group of three girls walking towards you, giggling into their hands. 

“Um- so sorry to like totally invade you but we were wondering if we could get a picture?” One of them asked, holding her phone up with shaking hands. 

“Oh my god! Yeah of course!” Sam answered with a smile. 

“Everyone get in!” You said, holding the phone. You took the picture and the girls squealed.

“I love you and the band so much we’ve been listening forev- is that a ring? Oh my god are you guys-” another girl started to speak before noticing the rings on your guys fingers. 

Oh shit.

“Oh- these? They’re just- just promise rings really.” Sam tried to play it off. No one was supposed to know yet. 

“Don’t worry, we can keep a secret.” They laughed. They all gave you hugs before parting ways.

You both would have rather not talked about it, so you talked about this and that until you made it to the pet store. It would have been a short trip but Sam wanted to look at all the fish they had in the back of the store. You, being the sucker for Sammy that you are, couldn’t deny him. 

You had fun looking at the different fish, seeing the colorful ones, the black goldfish and even some that would glow under blacklight. Salem and Rosie started to get bored in the store, whining every so often and huffing. You finally checked out and got the treats for your baby back home.

The walk home was much shorter but by now it was almost 12:30. You didn’t have plans for the day but you did want to be able to relax in the comfort of your bed most of the day.

—

You were finally home and were greeted by Cosi, her little paws tapping against the floorboard when she noticed you were finally home was one of your favorite things ever. You sat your drink down, grabbing the treats out of Sam’s fanny pack. You gave 3 or 4 of them to her, smiling when you saw just how happy they made her.

“Hey babe! I’m going to do skin care, wanna come do it with me?” You heard your fiance shout from the bathroom. When you heard the question, you smiled wider than you ever had before.

“I’m coming!!” You responded, running to the bathroom. 

Sam had some of your favorite products out. You did his skin care and he did yours. He placed the creams on so delicately, not wanting to get any in your hair, or even worse, your eyes. You guys moisturized, exfoliated, cleansed, anything you had in your bathroom cabinets. You took goofy pictures of Sam with face masks on, almost immediately posting them to your private snapchat story.  You both laughed at the stupid comments that his brother made in response to the post. Everything felt perfect. 

When you finally put your last lotion on, you were sat on the counter by the sink. You brought Sam in for a kiss when you finished rubbing in his lotion. Your arms wrapped around his neck and his went straight to your waist. 

What was supposed to be an innocent kiss, turned to much more. You were pulling Sam closer, feeling as if he was too far even though his body was flush against yours. You couldn’t stop yourself from grinding onto him. You’ve had sex almost every night since he’d got home from tour and it never ever seemed to be enough. You couldn’t get enough of him. 

Every bit of him was captivating your senses. You were breathing him, seeing him, tasting him. He was fucking perfect in every way. 

You were so in your head about him that you barely realized that he was carrying you into your shared bedroom. You were dropped onto the bed and he removed your sweatpants, along with your panties within seconds. He couldn’t help himself from diving into your cunt. He closed his eyes as he put his hands over your thighs, scratching at the skin below his fingertips.

Your hips were fucking themselves up into his mouth as a hand flew into his hair, pulling and tugging on it. 

It was soft despite the energy in the room telling you otherwise. The vibe was heavy and dark but Sam felt as if it was just right to go slow. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head before closing. Your mouth was left hanging open as you let out soft moans. He barely gained speed, just enough to push you over the edge. Although he’d been down on you for less than ten minutes, you were already so close, you were somehow still sore from the previous night of sinful actions. 

“Don’t fight it, sweet girl, let it happen.” He said, looking up at you through his eyelashes. You did as he said and let your pleasure wash over you. It felt like heaven, you were in complete awe. 

When you came down from your high, you were dizzy, needing to catch your breath. As you watched Sam kick off the lower half of his clothes, you felt more and more needy. You could already feel the sinfully delightful stretch of his cock. 

You almost cried as you watched Sam’s cock hit against his stomach as it was set free from his boxers.

“You love it that much? You’ll whine just seeing my cock? Tell me, baby. Tell me how much you love it.” He ordered as he slowly pushed into you. 

“I love it so much. It’s so perfect for me. Fuck it’s so good!” The longer you went on, the louder you got due to him speeding up and hitting deeper inside you. 

“You feel so perfect around me. So warm and tight around my cock.” He grunted.

He looked fucking beautiful, his hair was sticking to his face and his eyebrows were furrowed, god was he a sight to see. He buried his head into your neck, softly kissing and biting at it. You took the opportunity and lifted his shirt up, leaving scratches on his back. He moaned out particularly loud when you did so. 

You smiled at the action, doing it once more.

“Shit don’t do that or- fuck- I’m going to cum.” He said between moans. 

“Do it for me Sammy, cum for me.” You whispered in his ear, you being on the verge once again. 

He listened to you and let his cum paint the inside of your cunt. 

“Oh fuuuck!!” He moaned out, trying to get as close as possible to you. You were experiencing your own orgasm, this one being much more powerful than the last one you had. You were seeing stars and the only thing keeping you grounded was Sam pushing his body up against yours. 

You finally came down when Sam had pulled out and watched his cum spill out of you. It was one of his biggest guilty pleasures. 

He helped you clean up, getting you in new pajama pants and back into bed for a much needed nap. When Sam got to his side of the bed, he cuddled into you, breathing your perfume in. 

‘I love you so much, baby. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He softly mumbled to you.

“I love you most, Sammy.” 

“Not even possible, love.”

[protector-of-tinies]

ROOMMATE WANTED, PART 2

Part 1

The next day found Joe at work, hanging his head and hunched over in front of his computer screen. No closer to finding a solution for his pest problem at home. The period before he had left for work in the morning had been surprisingly quiet and uneventful (even fairies needed their sleep after an all-night party), although the apartment had looked like a disaster area. It was amazing how a group of women that tiny could create so much clutter and mayhem. Half of Joe's consciousness was grateful to be going to work, looking forward to the respite provided by good old-fashioned mind-numbing labor and glad to be leaving before the little trolls woke up. The other half was what kept him from being able to concentrate on the job. He was just waiting for the phone on his desk to ring with an angry landlord giving news of some disaster at home.

Lunch break couldn't come soon enough. When it mercifully arrived, he walked next door to the restaurant that he frequented at this time of day. A couple of his coworkers were already there and they gave him a cheerful wave before returning to their meal together and politely ignoring him.

Joe ordered the usual and sat down at a nearby table—alone, as always. He brooded and picked at his food for awhile, almost failing to notice another of his coworkers sitting across the room.

Her name was Rachel. She was the only woman—or person, for that matter—who ever seemed to notice him in the workplace. Certainly the only person to really give him the time of day and to engage in any unnecessary conversation with him. He didn't even know her well at all, and the two had talked only rarely and briefly, but she seemed friendly and open.

Surprised, he noted that she was looking at him…or maybe at someone sitting near him? She smiled and waved in his direction, though her expression looked a bit concerned. Mustering a weak twitch of the lips, he waved back awkwardly with the look on his face probably approaching a grimace. Was she just being polite, he had wondered before, or was she actually interested in getting to know him at all?

Staring at his food instead of at her relieved a bit of the tension, so he quickly became a wholehearted follower of this new doctrine and peered at his plate as if contemplating the mysteries of the universe.

"Excuse me? Hi."

The voice sent a jolt through his system and his head jerked up to see Rachel standing beside his table, her long black hair lustrous under the cheap lighting.

"Mind if I sit with you for a moment?" she went on, before his brain had even caught up to her first statement. This latest turn of events was too much for him to process.

Not wanting to discourage her, he made an affirmative noise that came out somewhere between a squeak and a gurgle.

She sat down across from him and he was struck by how graceful she looked in performing such a simple, mundane act. Her eyes were big, her cheeks rosy, and she wore her hair tied back in a ponytail…professional, but not too stiff. She was nice-looking, but not a knockout by most people's standards. Her natural warmth made her much more attractive than she seemed on first glance, though.

"I hope I'm not intruding," she went on, "but you just seem really upset about something today. I thought you might need some company."

He gaped at her as if stricken, his facial muscles temporarily forgetting how to form a verbal response.

She didn't seem to notice. "Is it anything you want to talk about? Maybe it's none of my business--"

"Okay!" Joe croaked-a bit louder than necessary-as the dam broke free and the words finally began to pour out. He was horrified as he was unable to stop himself from babbling for the next ten minutes about his...uh, old rowdy college roommate named Keel--no, Kevin--who had come to visit and now wouldn't leave. She listened sympathetically as he went on about his place being trashed, his landlord possibly throwing him out if things got much worse, and his fear that the fire department might eventually have to be called in to rescue a smoldering building.

"That's awful!" she breathed when he was finally done. "Can't you just call the cops and get him out?"

"No! Uh...that is, he's a cop himself. Who are they going to believe, me or him?"

Rachel's eyes were positively brimming with empathy. He could have kissed her for it. "That's just unfair!" she said. "There's got to be something you can do!"

"Meh," was all Joe could manage. His previous outpouring of speech had used up most of his supply of words for the week.

They were both silent for a moment, until Rachel's face took on a determined look. "Why don't I come home with you after work and have a talk with him? I'll go in and make him see how selfish he's acting!" She suddenly looked a bit embarrassed and shyly added, "If that's all right with you."

"Eep!" Joe's soaring eloquence saved him once again.

***

The apartment door creaked open ominously. Joe sighed. His own apartment had never seemed ominous before, but knowing what tiny terrors awaited him inside made his heartbeat quicken. He took his key out of the lock and hesitated before stepping inside.

"Is something wrong?" Rachel asked, standing next to him. She caught herself. "Well, you already told me what's wrong, but you look terrified!"

You have no idea, Joe thought as he wondered again how he had let himself be talked into this. He knew the answer: because he was desperate and Rachel was a woman. Women always seemed to have some weird telepathic understanding of each other...didn't they? If anyone could make Keela listen to reason, it was probably Rachel.

What was Rachel doing here anyway? Why should she care enough to help him with this?

He finally got up his nerve and stepped inside the apartment. "Keela, I'm home! And I brought someone over!"

Rachel looked confused. "I thought you said his name was Kevin."

"Oh, you'll see in a minute," he assured her. "Keela! Someone wants to talk to you."

As he expected, there was no answer. The fairies seemed to pretty much ignore him most of the time, so this was no surprise. He made his way to the kitchen as Rachel gasped at the apartment's condition. There was a two-foot-wide burn mark on the carpet, the ceiling fan was partially unattached and hanging precariously, the place looked even more cluttered than before, and Chuck would have been glaring at him if plants could master such a feat.

"Just stay here in the living room for a second," Joe cautioned Rachel. "I'll go find him...her...IT!...and prepare him for our little talk."

A quick venture into the kitchen revealed that the little women were taking a break from their raucous troublemaking and had turned the kitchen counter into a mini day spa-complete with real mud masks. Joe suspected the mud had come from Chuck's flowerpot.

"Excuse me...ladies? If it's not too rude of me to break up this little retreat..." Joe was getting a bit feisty. He had a woman on his side now! He was unstoppable.

"I've got someone I'd like you to meet," he continued, smugly.

"Is it another one of the giant folk?" Keela piped up as she cheerfully adjusted her towel-well, actually it was a piece of a paper towel. "I say fine, as long as 'tis a waiter or a masseuse!"

"Even better!" Joe suppressed a surge of wicked glee as he pictured a human-sized masseuse prodding a fairy on the back. Splat! Hehehehehe.

"Well, be on with it and show the hulking brute in, then!"

Joe found Rachel in the living room waiting on the couch--part of which was soaked in something that smelled like gasoline--and led her to the kitchen.

"Brace yourself," he whispered to her, as they entered the room.

She gave him an odd look, but the look became much odder when she caught a glimpse of the kitchen counter. It resembled nothing so much as the look on an eight-year-old's face right before going down the big drop on his first roller coaster ever.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!" she screamed, instinctively grabbing on to Joe for protection with the force of an industrial clamp. Embarrassed, she let go and backed away; then she closed her eyes, gave a second look at the counter, and resumed screaming.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"

Keela looked dubious. "I see. Well, I suppose she will do. Myself, I would have gone for a more maidenly 'Eeeeeeeek!' rather than an 'Aaaah,' but whatever tickles your liking."

Rachel was hyperventilating. "Joe...you have...tiny...people...in your kitchen?"

"So, you brought this somewhat-less-large one for entertainment, now, did you?" Keela's skeptical look intensified. Her lip screwed up into an expression that would have been cute on someone who looked less like the Antichrist.

Rachel looked at Joe intensely, her eyes pleading for proof of her sanity.

"Rachel..." he began weakly, "This is Kevin...Keela. She's the one I was telling you about. And she brought friends."

She stared at him.

"You wouldn't have believed me if I had told you the truth," he finished miserably.

"The truth?" Keela's eyes widened in mock horror. "You cannot mean..."

She looked around at the other pixies on the counter, then down at herself. "It is true! Fairies do exist!"

The rest of the fairies whooped and joined in celebrating Keela's epiphany.

Joe sorely wished he could push her into her own sar-chasm.

***

After Joe had taken Rachel into the living room, sat her down, made her a cup of coffee, and done his best to calm her, she finally started to come around.

Keela fluttered over and sweetly asked, "Is there any small thing I may get for you, love? Cream? Sugar? Some cyanide?"

Rachel stared at her wordlessly, eyes still wide. She looked over at Joe like a scared little girl seeking support from her daddy.

He cleared his throat hesitantly. Some of his earlier confidence had faded after seeing Rachel so shaken. "Actually, Keela, she...um, we...were hoping to talk with you about this whole living arrangement."

He cursed himself mentally. Don't seem so wishy-washy, like some sorry wimp asking for permission! Lay down the law! Let her know whose turf this is.

"Ah, yes!" Keela smiled. "The arrangements of living are most agreeable here, excellent host!" She said the "excellent host" part in the same tone she would have used to say, "Good dog!"

Joe steeled himself and set his jaw like Clint Eastwood in a Wild West standoff. "We're going to have a woman-to-woman discussion...or at least, that was the original plan...about you. In my apartment. Getting out. Now."

"Oh dear, this is muchly troubling!" She made a show of pondering it for a moment, then abruptly flew back to the kitchen.

Joe and Rachel sat in silence for a few seconds.

"I guess that means no," Joe sighed.

He heard whispering and giggling from the kitchen, soon followed by uproarious laughter. Evidently, the fairies were "considering" the proposition.

The laughter continued. Finally, Joe spoke up loudly and said, "All right, Rachel, I guess there's nothing we can do to save this building. We'll just have to leave and go buy some matches for the big fire later."

Rachel looked at him questioningly. He motioned for her to play along.

"Looks like we're going to torch the place!" he continued.

A dozen fairy heads peeked out at him from the kitchen.

Keela fluttered toward him. "What did the giant say, now?"

"Oh, I was just saying we have to burn the building down," he said matter-of-factly. "It's a human custom...you wouldn't understand."

"What, now?"

"Whenever a building becomes unsalvageable and needs to be torn down, we just burn it. It saves on the cost of a wrecking crew."

He acted dismissive, then gave Rachel a slight nudge and a pointed stare.

She was a bit startled. "Oh...yes! We have another human custom called 'insurance.' We burn the buildings down to collect money from them. Everyone does it...it's nothing personal, you understand."

Keela was biting her lip, speechless for what--Joe assumed--was probably the first time in her life.

"Come on, Rachel," he said, getting up from the couch. "Let's go to the store, like we were about to do."

Keela grumbled loudly. "Fine, then...if fairy gold 'tis not good enough for you..." The rest of her sentence was lost in a string of angry muttering. The words "bullying titan" might have surfaced a couple times. She went into a brief huddle with her comrades, then gave the two humans a hard look. "We will speak with the smaller giant in the food-habitat portion of the domicile."

"In the refrigerator?" Joe balked.

"In the kitchen, you great dunce! And no boy-giants allowed in the meeting! We have most important female-type matters to discuss."

"Fine." He shot Rachel a glance before leaving. She gave him a brave, forced smile as he went down the hall to his bedroom and shut the door gruffly.

While lying on his bed waiting for the all-clear, it was all he could do not to congratulate himself with gusto. He was very glad right now that he had gotten a woman to vouch for him. It didn't even matter that they had ejected him from the meeting...they could talk about hair and nails for all he cared! As long as this whole cohabitation business reached its inevitable end.

A scream and a scuffling sound from the kitchen made him shoot upright and dash out the door like a bolt from heaven. He reached the kitchen and looked around wildly. Rachel was nowhere to be found. Had something happened to her?

"Oh, boy-giant!" He heard Keela's voice from above.

His head snapped up to the overhead kitchen cabinet. At first, he only saw several fairies standing on the shelf. Then he gasped.

Keela and a few others were holding Rachel captive. A tiny, two-inch-tall version of Rachel.

This must be some kind of trick! Some illusion spell, maybe...

Keela smirked imperiously. "Methinks I have a few words for you, generous benefactor: Ha. Ha. Ha. We have taken your lady friend! Now, I think you will not want to burn this lovely place down, will you? Not with her in it, I expect."

Joe's throat tightened in dread. He lunged forward to grab Rachel out of the fairies' clutches. With a resounding boom, the cabinet doors slammed shut, almost trapping his fingers. He tugged on the handle with all the fervor of a pursued wildebeest, but it wouldn't budge. Almost like it was somehow locked from the inside! He couldn't even see how they had shut the enclosure so quickly. Telekinetic powers? It occurred to him that he had no idea what they were capable of. What else could they do besides flying and shrinking people?

He let out a good long scream, then put his head in his hands. Silence overtook the kitchen as he just stood there for a long time. After several minutes, the very, very faint sound of hushed voices from inside the cabinet made him carefully put his ear next to the sealed door.

"I tell you, Keela, you think 'twas a splendid idea getting the big bonecrusher angry at us? Very angry?"

"Myself, I care not a whit," came the smug reply. "He is a right clumsy oaf, anyway. We must defend what is ours, mustn't we?"

"You think Mother Nature will be upset with us for leaving the...the big green thing...how do the wingless behemoths refer to it?" said a timid voice.

"Park, recreation area, woodland?"

"The park, yes! Do you expect she will be?"

"She will be what?"

"Upset with us...for leaving?"

"Well," Keela replied absently. "We will not need to find out, will we? We have our cubical fortress made of tree, here."

Mother Nature? Joe's ears perked up. Were they fleeing from someone? They couldn't mean the actual Mother Nature, could they? Was she a living person? And they had mentioned coming from a park...he only knew of one nearby: a big one with plenty of trees and wooded areas. He would have to check it out. It was the only thing he could think to do at the moment.

"Say, our new captive is actually rather cute when she is not so towering!" a high-pitched voice was saying.

"Humpf." Keela's voice again. "She is not as pretty as us, but we will not be cruel to her, of course."

"Yes, let us have fun with her!"

Joe's pulse quickened. What did the word "fun" mean to them? What were they going to do to Rachel?

"Play dress-up with our new sister? Anyone?"

"Makeover! I have a kit here!"

"I have a darling little dress for her!"

Joe exhaled a profound sigh of relief. Then he rolled his eyes equally profoundly.

***

Twenty minutes later, he stood at the edge of the woods in the nearby park, just a few blocks away from his apartment. He looked around nervously, but was gratified to see that no one else was hanging around this area of the grounds. It was a relatively out-of-the-way corner.

Clearing his throat and feeling utterly moronic, he said, "I'm here to see Mother Nature. Can anyone tell me where to find her?"

There was only silence. Until the crickets started chirping...probably laughing at him with their fiendish little bug mandibles. What had he been expecting, anyway? Was one of the trees supposed to start talking to him? Maybe a cute little talking squirrel, bounding out of the forest with acorn in hand, was what he had wanted?

"Is anyone there? I don't mind talking to trees!" he tried desperately.

He let out his breath and gave it one last shot. "I'm here about the fairies that I think used to live here!"

There was a sound of someone coughing in startled surprise. He turned to look, and suddenly it was like someone had flipped a light switch on inside his head. Off to the side, he could now see what had been hiding in plain sight but had somehow escaped his notice. Probably because he wasn't meant to see it until now.

A three-foot-tall man with rough, brown skin and mossy, green hair approached him with an amusingly quizzical look. "The fairies, you said?"

"Ahhhh...uhhhhh..." Good gosh, Joe thought. This "meeting mythical creatures for the first time" business never gets any easier, does it? He wrestled with his mouth to make it work intelligibly after the jolt to his brain.

The brown man graciously saved him from talking. "What do you know about the fairies?"

"They're...uh, living in my apartment. And they won't leave. And they've got my, uh...my friend held captive. In the cabinet."

The small man's jewellike green eyes glittered with excitement. He turned around. "Tell the Mother we've found them! She'll definitely want to see this guy!" he yelled to the seven-foot-tall brown man standing further back-who had also been unnoticeable until just a few seconds ago, although he was hard to miss. He looked a lot like the smaller man, but much more muscular and somewhat less human. The bulky humanoid nodded his assent and disappeared into the trees.

"Come on!" the small, brown man called, grabbing Joe's hand and leading him forward with enthusiasm.

"What was he? That guy that just left?" Joe's daze hadn't worn off yet.

"Oh, him? He's a hobgoblin. One of the caretakers of the forest. We all are. The hobgoblins do most of the heavy lifting and that kind of thing."

"And...what are you?"

"I'm a smaller version of a hobgoblin, essentially. The others like me are known as hob-bits."

"So you're like the miniature cousins of the hobgoblins?"

"A bit."

"Wow," Joe said. "Hob-bits." He tried and failed to wrap his head around everything.

"I'm Bill, by the way. Bill Beau. I forgot to introduce myself earlier."

Joe groaned. Perfect, he thought. Just perfect! Out of the frying pan and into the Shire.

"This way!" Bill Beau yelled as he led Joe deeper into the leafy green madhouse that could only be likened to an environmentalist's acid trip.