#header a deal with the devil | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rocknrollbabe14 · 11 months ago

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Sad Eyes (Doctor!Joe x Nurse!Reader) Part One

Rating: 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.

Warnings: cursing, mention of medical procedures and illnesses, one-bed trope, a lot of unprotected sex (be smart folks), oral sex (female receiving), creampie, ex-lovers--if I forgot anything let me know.

**I have been working on this for a long time. I started with the present day and will be working my way back through their past, switching between the past and present-day as you'll soon learn their past (and present-day) is and will become very complicated!**

***Also special thanks to @josephs-quinns for making my header! I love you!***

Also inspired by the song I linked above.

It was hard to focus on checking the charts at the end of your shift, one of the vital steps of preparing for the next shift to come on. You kept hearing chattering about how Dr. Joseph Quinn, your ex-fiancé had been asked to speak in Boston for the John Hopkins award ceremony about his continued research of curing type 1 diabetes in children and even being nominated for the Lasker Award, which granted, was a huge deal. Especially for your hospital.

In a surprising twist of fate, you all had ended up in the same facility, working together. Once again. At the end of the day, you all made a great team but it was hard to be in the same room with him. You were one of the charge nurses. Lately, you had been working the night shift since you were so short, and waking Dr. Quinn up was like waking the devil up some nights. All your co-workers dreaded calling, leaving the unwanted task to you. You didn’t mind—any chance to get under his skin was fun for you.

And you’d only call if it was warranted. For instance, the child was not getting better regardless of your interventions. The ones you could do without the doctor’s orders. You knew what he liked, what he preferred for his patients. If the child continued to decline, you’d call. He’d come in, sulking as usual. He wouldn’t greet you. It pissed you off, but as long as the patient was taken care of, there wasn’t much you could say. Before leaving, he’d give you orders in a monotone before either leaving as fast as he came or sticking around to see if the child improved, charting his interventions.

He was a good doctor—a great doctor when it came to interacting with children, talking to them in a soft voice, and explaining things on their level. He’d make them laugh, and make small talk about their favorite toys. You hated to watch him interact with children because it made you want to forget how he wronged you. It made your ovaries hurt, reminding you at one point that could have been in your future. It pained you slightly, making you look away before continuing your work.

“Hey Y/N.”, a fellow nurse, Rachel got your attention.

“Please tell me a child is not crashing.”, you groaned, barely looking up from your paperwork.

“No—Dr. Quinn is asking to speak to you.”

You sighed, rubbing your face. “Where is he?”

“Doctor’s dictation.”

You nodded, getting up from your chair. He was here unusually early this morning. However, he was a morning person. He’d go for runs before work, coming home to take a quick shower. You remembered it well. Some mornings, he’d wake you up before his shower and it would end in sex. There was something about him being all sweaty and warm, his cologne from the night before mixed with the musk of his natural pheromones.

You knocked on the door easily.

“Come in.”

You opened it easily, closing your eyes and preparing for the tongue-lashing. “What did I do this—?”

“Nothing.”, he responded easily, getting up and closing the door back. “I have a proposition for you.”

“And what’s that?”, you crossed your arms, trying to refrain from rolling your eyes.

He smiled that charming smile, the one that he knew made you weak in the knees. “Well, I’m up for the Lasker Award. And I’ve been asked to speak at John Hopkins about my ongoing research regarding curing type one diabetes in children.”

“The whole hospital knows that.”, you groaned, grabbing the door knob.

You were clearly not in the mood to put up with this tom-foolery.

“But I need a plus one.”, he eyed you, putting his hand over yours.

You glared at him. “And you don’t have someone you could call? A charming, handsome doctor with money?”

“It would be a good team-building experience for us.”

“Did you finally get reprimanded for your behavior?”

You moved your hand from the doorknob, crossing your arms, and deciding to finally hear him out.

He laughed easily, brushing through his curls. “I just know there’s been a lot of tension between us. And I want to try and make it better.”

Was he serious? Where was the Joseph that had been here for weeks? You felt the slight tension in the air, pondering this idea.

“The hospital’s going to pay for everything. This won’t go against your paid time off.”

“Separate hotel rooms?”

He nodded. Were you really about to give in and do this? Part of you began to think you’re psycho and the other half was debating the free food, free room, and a small break from the mundane work of being a nurse. But you truly loved working with kids even if the doctor you had to deal with was your ex and an ass at times.

“Fine. When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

He nodded. “Go home and pack. Our flight boards at nine in the morning. Also, pack some dresses. One for the awards. Some for dinner.”

You nodded, giving him a confused look. “Okay.”

“Be at the airport at eight?”

“Yeah, see you then. Goodnight—well good morning, Dr. Quinn.”

“Joe.”

“Dr. Quinn.”, you looked back at him as you opened the door, closing it gently behind you.

All the nurses were waiting for you to start huddle. Trying to gain your footing was hard, especially after being riddled with the suggestions Joe had. You weren’t used to him being nice anymore. Lately, he had been an asshole. Especially when he had been on a date a month ago, you had to call and interrupt because one of the children was crashing and fast. He came right in, suit and all. You explained everything that had happened, keeping good notes and keeping up with the child’s vitals.

He decided to intubate on the floor, sending the child straight to the ICU. You helped with the intubation, giving him the medicine and supplies he needed. You both worked together like a well-oiled machine contrary to popular belief. He did at least tell you that you had made the right call even if you knew that already. He said his date was out in the car as if he was trying to make you jealous. It may have worked slightly, but you didn’t let him know that.

After giving a report to the dayshift charge nurse, you went home. You stripped out of your uniform before getting a quick shower and washing your hair. Wrapping yourself in a towel, you began to pack for this trip. Part of you was still in disbelief you had agreed to do this. This was going to be a long few days and you weren’t quite sure how you were going to survive.

Another pediatrician agreed to pick up Joe’s load of patients, another nurse covering your shifts. You knew there was going to be talk about you both going together, but right now you didn’t care. That wasn’t your biggest issue at hand. The next morning you caught a cab to the airport, still trying to wake up. A text popped up on your phone.

-On your way to the airport?

How did Joe have your phone number? Granted, you hadn’t changed it since you all had dated. But then you remembered you had to call him from your personal cell phone while the phone lines were down one night.

-Yeah, should be there in 10-15.

It was just a second before another message popped up.

-Brill. See you soon. X

You rolled your eyes lightly as you continued to make small talk with the cab driver. It wasn’t long before you arrived at the airport, unloading your suitcase before making your way into the airport. You checked which gate you were leaving from again on your phone. Dropping your checked bag off was the easy part. Moving through the crowd of people wasn’t the first thing you wanted to do in the morning but here you were. You checked the gate number on your phone again, making sure you were in the right spot.

Butterflies began to rise in your stomach, and the nerves beginning to set in. You scanned the airport for any signs of Joe but didn’t see him. You felt someone tap your shoulder, causing you to jump and turn around.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine.”, you brushed your shirt easily.

“I brought coffee. Your favorite, iced mocha latte.”

“Thanks, but you didn’t have to.”

“I know,”, he began easily, setting his bag near yours. “I thought it was a kind gesture.”

You knew you were giving him a weird look. Since when did he make “kind” gestures for you? It was something you weren’t used to. Not anymore. That ship sailed when he decided to leave and chose his career over his fiancee.

“Thanks.”

It was tense and quiet between you both as you stood there, waiting for the announcement that your group was able to board. You sipped your iced coffee in silence, the awkwardness taking over. It felt like an eternity before they finally called your group number, Joe allowing you to go first. You closed your eyes, moving with the cord of people. This was going to be a long plane ride. Yours and Joe’s seats were together, him letting you choose whether you wanted the aisle or the window.

You chose the window, instantly stowing your purse below your seat. Joe was up, still working on putting his carry-on and yours in the overhead compartment. Trying to divert your attention was hard. Joe was tall but he was stretching, his shirt riding up. You swallowed hard, looking away just as you gained a glimpse of his stomach and happy trail. Memories instantly rushed through your head—waking up with him in the morning, your head on his chest. He’d wake up and ask you how you were before you both shared a lazy kiss before he’d pull you on top of him, whispering for you to fuck him before work.

“Got them.”, Joe breathed a sigh of relief, bringing you out of your daydream.

“Great.”, you smiled widely, the awkwardness apparent.

You focused on the other passengers boarding the plane, focusing in and out on the small talk you were sharing with Joe. Once everyone was boarded, the pilot began to read off the usual flight instructions as he prepared for take off. It had been a while since you had flown on a plane. The last time for Christmas to see your parents for a few days after, considering doctors and nurses never had a holiday. Joe could tell you were tense as the plane soared down the runway.

“Feeling okay?”

As if he really cared about your feelings or fears.

“Fine.”

“You’re knuckles are turning white.”, he eyed them on the armrest.

“I’m fine.”, you repeated with a slight nip in your voice.

He threw his hands up easily, resolving and backing off. “Okay.”

Once the plane got in the air and the turbulence settled, you felt some relief. There was silence between you and Joe for a bit and you hoped if maybe you closed your eyes, he’d leave you alone. Somehow, you ended up falling asleep. All you remember was waking up to the announcement that the plane would begin preparing to land soon at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

“Get a good nap?”, Joe asked with a smirk, peering over glasses and up from his papers.

“Um, yeah. I was exhausted.”, you mumbled, sitting up and hoping you hadn’t snored or drooled all over the place.

“Didn’t you sleep?”, his voice was half condescending.

“Night shift sucks.”

He nodded. “So does getting woken up in the middle of the night.”

You glared easily, narrowing your eyes. “At least you get paid well.”

“Mhm,”, he agreed. “I just love being woken up by your voice at two a.m.”

You felt your heart drop down into your stomach, opening your mouth to give a sarcastic response but you were interrupted by the pilot announcing you all would be preparing for landing, the plane descending quickly. That was the worst part for you after all the ear infections and trouble you had with your ears as a child. Joe didn’t speak to you, just watching you plug your ears. Landing was miserable for you. You counted down the minutes until it would be over.

After what felt like an eternity, you landed successfully. Joe grabbed your all’s bags from the overhead compartment, letting you go in front of him. What a gentleman, was chivalry dead? The airport was busy, full of hustle and bustle.

“Want to grab something to eat or something before we grab our bags and head to the hotel?”

It had taken six hours to complete the flight from Portland to Baltimore.

“Fine.”, you agreed.

You seemed to be distant, not talking much while you all sat at the bar called Martini. He ordered his usual—a filthy martini while you opted for your usual, a pina colada. He watched as you took a bite of your sandwich before chasing it down with a sip from your drink. Your eyes shot over to him, causing him to look away. He could remember the mornings you’d make him breakfast on the days you were off, sitting beside him at the bar in the kitchen.

It was a kind gesture that always made his mornings better. He’d take a sip of coffee before you both leaned in for a kiss.

“Want another drink, Joe?”, you asked, springing him out of his daydream.

The waiter eyed you both attentively, waiting for a response. You both agreed to another cocktail before agreeing this would be the last one. You wanted to get to the hotel and get settled in before his dinner plans came about. This would give you the chance to freshen up, maybe grab a shower and a quick nap. The waiter brought the ticket, you snatching it up before Joe could.

“What are you doing?”

“Seeing how much my part is.”, you slurred lightly before opening your wallet and digging for your cash.

“Don’t worry about it. I got it.”, he wrestled to grab the ticket from your hand.

“No, you’re not paying for my stuff. Just because I’m a nurse doesn’t mean I’m poor.”

He eyed you, his brown eyes open in surprise. “I never said you’re poor. I’m just trying to do something nice for you.”

“Why? Because you talk to me like shit on the phone?”

You gasped as the sentence left your mouth, never intending to say it. You were thinking it, but the alcohol had decided that you would open your mouth and insert your foot. Drunk words were sober thoughts or some shit like that.

Joe eyed you, his brain trying to process everything.

“I mean—I know I’m kinda a jerk on the phone sometimes.”

“Joe.”

“No, you’re absolutely right. I’m an asshole.”, he chuckled bluntly before throwing back the rest of his drink.

You sighed, beginning to feel guilty for even saying it. If you could take your spiteful words back, you would have. Looking down at your phone, you began to feel awkward. Maybe you should have stayed in Portland, never coming with him in the first place. You knew better—you knew how this was going to play out. There were still deep-seated feelings of betrayal and hurt between you both. No small trip was going to fix that.

“I didn’t mean it.”, you said easily, fiddling with your fingers.

Joe chuckled to himself before looking up at you. “Those were real words. Your real feelings about how you feel that I treat you.”

You groaned. “I’m a little tipsy.”

“But tipsy enough to tell me basically you feel like I treat you like shit.”

“You do.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”, you eyed him.

“How?”

“Can we please just drop it?”, you groaned, grabbing your purse.

“Fine.”, Joe resolved, clearly looking defeated.

You all got up, Joe looking on his phone to get an Uber. Grabbing your luggage, it was finally time to go to the hotel. You bit your lip, trying to focus on the fact that soon you’d be in your own hotel room and you could decompress. You could be alone in your thoughts, maybe get yourself together. There was hardly any conversation between you both as waited for the Uber.

“What kind of vehicle is it?”, you asked, looking away from him.

“Um, black Toyota Camry.”

“I think this is it.”, you muttered as you grabbed your suitcase.

You and Joe opened the back doors simultaneously.

“Quinn?”, the driver asked.

“Yes, that’s me.”, Joe said easily, fixing his glasses.

He was super casual today, wearing glasses and a baseball cap. He looked good in his t-shirt and button-up, jeans, and tennis shoes. You’d never known he was a doctor by just looking at him. You closed your eyes, buckling up and mentally cursing yourself for thinking about how good he actually looked. There was no way you were going to be wrapped back up in this trap again. Not with him. You couldn’t do this. You could barely be civil at work.

You looked out the window, trying to avoid him at all costs.

“So traveling for work or pleasure? A couple getaway?”

“Um—”

“No. We’re traveling for work.”, you interrupted.

Joe shot you a look as the driver seemed to sense the tension between you both. There was some small talk as you all took the twenty-minute drive to the hotel you were staying at. You couldn’t wait until this car ride was over so you could have some distance and space. You needed a hot bath and maybe some wine. The wine sounded really good.

You all pulled up to the entrance of the hotel, the driver announcing you had arrived. Joe grabbed both of your suitcases, unloading them as the driver waved goodbye and drove away.

“I can take my stuff.”

He handed it to you without putting up any fight or argument. You walked ahead of him, anxious to get to your room. Joe couldn’t help but look at you, your jeans fitting tighter than your scrubs did. He swallowed hard, trying to distract himself and look anywhere else but your body. He could remember you coming home after work while he was on call. You in the scrubs that hugged your body just right, he’d instantly beg to fuck you. He’d feel up on you while you hung your coat up and put your purse away.

“We have reservations.”, you spoke, bringing Joe back to reality.

“Name please.”

“Joseph Quinn.”, Joe spoke up, standing behind you.

“Okay. A room with a king-size bed.”, the receptionist eyed the computer, clicking through a few things with her mouse.

“I’m sorry? There’s supposed to be two rooms.”, you spoke up.

The clerk stopped, looking up at you. “I’m sorry. We are all booked up. That’s what your reservation was for.”

You looked back at Joe, feeling as if he had lied to you. You weren’t surprised by this behavior. It wasn’t the first time he had misled you.

“I thought you said it was two rooms.”

“It was. The hospital must have made a mistake—maybe they thought I was the only one going. Are you sure there are no other rooms available?”, he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

“I’m sorry sir. This is the only room we have available.”

“But there was supposed to be one for me and one for my nurse.”

You rolled your eyes at him before turning back to the clerk. “Does this have a sofa sleeper?”

Your grip tightened on the handle of your suitcase. In the back of your mind, you knew there was an ulterior motive. He was trying to be sneaky—he knew this entire time that there was only one bed in the room. Closing your eyes, you could feel the anger rise in your chest. You were so over this damn trip already. What the hell were you thinking when you agreed to go with him?

“Yes, mam.”

“Fine.”, you agreed, looking at Joe before crossing your arms. “Just—let’s take it. I’m tired.”

“Are you sure?”, Joe turned to look at you.

“Yes. Where else are we gonna go? The hospital paid for it. Let’s just take it.”

“Okay, fine.”, Joe turned back to the receptionist, before taking the keys from her. “Thank you, darling.”

“Of course.”

Joe grabbed his suitcase at the same time you grabbed yours. Feeling infuriated, you walked ahead of him to the elevator. Pressing the button for the elevator, you let out a loud sigh. Joe noticed but chose to ignore it. He knew you were pissed off at him. Even though, none of this was his fault. The elevator dinged, arriving at the lobby. Stepping inside, you were the only two in the elevator. It was complete silence until you arrived at the sixth floor.

Exiting the elevator, you pulled out your key to unlock the door. Joe could tell in your body language you were angry with him. He had seen it one too many times while you both were together. You threw the door open a little aggressively. He followed behind you, carefully closing the door behind you both. Now, you were locked in a room with him. For how many hours?

“I’ll take the couch. You can have the bed.”, Joe said easily.

“Fine.”, you responded.

Joe eyed you, watching you open your suitcase and take out your clothes and toiletry bag before going straight into the bathroom and closing the door behind you. He sat down on the couch, feeling defeated. Somehow, he had still managed to fuck up and you all weren’t together. He leaned back against the couch as he heard you start the water. He closed his eyes, trying not think about you in the shower. How could you be so close yet so far away?

Squeezing his eyes tighter, he tried to shove the thoughts of water running down your body out of his mind. He groaned as he felt his cock twitch just at the thought of you naked. He couldn’t do this—not here, not now.

“Fuck.”, he hissed, palming the bulge in his jeans—anything to get it to disappear.

Trying to focus his attention elsewhere, he grabbed his papers from his briefcase while looking down at the copy of his speech. It was handwritten, several lines crossed out and rewritten. He had worked on it endless nights—perfecting it. Most nights, he had barely drifted off before you were calling him to come back to work. Continuing to hear the water run, he looked down and began to read his speech from the beginning aloud.

He managed to run through it three times before he finally heard the water shut off. The sound of you sliding the shower curtain across the metal rod reached his ear. He bit his lip, waiting for you to throw open the door. It was quiet for a few minutes before he heard you open the door, smelling the scent of your body wash and perfume waft out of the bathroom behind you. He was fighting the urge to turn and look at you.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”, you asked easily.

“Tell you what?”

Joe was surprised you were even speaking to him.

“There was only one room.”

During your shower, you had tried to talk yourself down before confronting him. You didn’t want to lose your cool on him. You had to work with him every day.

“I didn’t know.”, Joe said honestly as he looked up at you, his eyes over his glasses.

“I’ve heard this lie before.”, you laughed sarcastically. “Like when you said you had no idea you were going to have to relocate to Portland to be an attending in one of the most prestigious programs, becoming the head of pediatrics.”

You folded your clothes from the day, your lace gown brushing above your thighs. You didn’t make eye contact with him.

“I—”

“Please just save it, Joe.”

Joe’s mouth dropped open, face crinkling in confusion. “Y/N.”

“No—you act like it’s such an inconvenience. Like your life is so hard. It must be so hard—such a burden to be a doctor. You have to worry about giving a speech about your ongoing research to cure type one diabetes in children. Oh—and be nominated for the Lasker Award. I’m so sorry your life is so hard, doctor.”, you spat bitterly.

Joe scoffed before laughing bitterly in return. “This is a huge deal for me—for my career. This could change children’s lives. It could change medicine as we know it. I’ve worked hard—so fucking hard to be here and you’re not going to downplay it and take this away from me. I refuse for it to happen.”

You turned to see the fire in his brown eyes, narrowing your own. You had struck a nerve in him. You felt the anger rising in your chest. He could and would never accept accountability for his actions. Why couldn’t he just admit he was wrong? His pride always got in the way.

“Right. I forgot. You always choose your fucking career. It’s the most important thing in your life, isn’t it? More important than the people you love.”, you placed your hands on your hips.

Joe groaned, rolling his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration and closing his eyes. This reminded him so much of fights you all would have at night once he got home from being on call. It was exhausting, he hated fighting with you. Your whole relationship was far from perfect, but he felt like you all were worth fighting for.

“Does it keep you warm at night?”

“Y/N.”, Joe said in a low tone, begging you to stop while you were ahead.

“Do you enjoy going to bed alone?”

“Y/N.”, he repeated, coming closer.

“Do you have a good fucking time jerking yourself off? That’s all you’re ever going to have. Especially if you continue to choose your career over the woman you supposedly loved.”

“For fucks sake!”, Joe snapped before grabbing your waist, pushing you against the wall.

You tried to protest, asking him what the hell he thought he was doing before his lips crashed into yours, you instantly melting into his kiss. You hated yourself for it, the old familiar feeling returning. It felt so wrong, but felt so right. Your tensed muscles relaxed as one hand found your waist, the other cupping your cheek. His hands were strong, large as your mind remembered they knew your body. He had memorized every curve, every freckle, every imperfection. But it was all perfect to him.

He pulled away, breaking the kiss as you looked up at him. Your eyes were locked into each other’s, neither one breaking contact.

Your face was crinkled in confusion. “Joe, what the—?”

He cut you off, his lips crashing back into yours. You didn’t fight it, part of you didn’t want to. It felt just like old times, the familiarity returning. It was like coming home after being gone for months. You had missed it whether you wanted to admit it or not. You had missed him. It felt like you both were miles away from each other even if you worked together on a daily basis. He pressed you closer against the wall, bringing his body closer to yours, eliciting a small moan from you. He chuckled lightly into the kiss.

Joe’s hands moved from your waist, trailing lightly down to the hem of your short-laced gown. You felt his fingers brush the midline of your thigh before he caressed your thigh, pulling the gown up in the same motion. He moved his hands until the gown was near your breasts. He wanted to squeeze them so bad—he was going to, if you’d let him. You broke the kiss momentarily, long enough for him to pull the gown up and over your head, leaving you only in your laced thong panties.

“Fuck—a thong?”, Joe eyed you, brown eyes gleaming in the low light.

“Yeah.”, your breath hitched easily.

“So sexy—I know you wear them at work.”

Your eyes narrowed. “And how so?”

Joe chuckled again, feeling you pull at the hem of his t-shirt. He allowed you to pull it up and over his head, careful not to knock his glasses off his nose. You admired his chest, tossing his shirt to the side before running your hands over his chest. He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes before you brushed your hands down to his abdomen. He had to have been working out, running or maybe the gym.

“Because,”, his breathing caught. “You wear tighter scrub pants and I can always see the line of the thong trailing up your perky, tight ass.”

“You look at my ass?”

He chuckled again before shrugging. “Yeah, I love to see you walk away. What can I say?”

You rolled your eyes, reaching for the button on his jeans. “You men are pigs.”

“No—I just admire the view. If you’re gonna wake me up in the middle of the night, I should get something out of it.”

You undid the button on his jeans, feeling them go slack. “Nice to know.”

“Look,”, Joe groaned as he felt you unzip the zipper, finding the rest of his happy trail. “Do you know how many times I have to bite my tongue because other residents, other attendings are talking about how they wanna get in your pants?”

You paused, meeting his eyes. “They say that?”

He nodded. “Yeah. And I have to bite my tongue so damn hard.”

His jeans fell to the floor, he held your arms as he stepped out of them. Using his foot, he scooted them to the corner with his t-shirt. His baseball cap was on the table as you entered the room, the first thing he had removed. You couldn’t help but swallow hard as your eyes wandered down to his boxers. He was so hard and just for you. Fingers fumbling and shaking lightly, you pulled the waistband of his boxers down, beginning to expose him.

He inhaled sharp as you slid them down his thighs, following them. His hands moved to your shoulders, supporting you as you became face level with his cock. He groaned softly as his hands moved to your hair, tugging it lightly. Just enough to make you moan a little. For a moment, you debated taking him in your mouth but that’d have to wait.

“If they only knew how much attitude and sass you had.”, Joe swallowed hard.

You found the strength to raise your body back up, glaring at him. “You bring it out of me.”

He chuckled before moving his hands under your ass cheeks, picking you up in one swift motion. You squealed easily as he carried you to the pure white king-sized bed. It wouldn’t be for long. He continued to kiss you as he eased you down on the bed, climbing on top of you. His cock dug into your thigh as if it were begging to enter you already. Were you really going to let your ex-fiancé fuck you? Inhibition was out the door, the voice of reason fading.

“You’ve been so bitchy at work lately.”, his brown eyes resolved, him towering over you in bed.

He kissed you before you could respond, his hands roaming over your body before stopping at your breasts, giving them a squeeze and causing you to moan in his mouth.

“I have—to be a bitch. You’re such—a dick—especially at night when I have to call you.”, you barely got out between kisses as he took your nipple, twisting it and working it between his fingers.

This was the moment he had been waiting for.

“You’re always the one who calls.”, he chuckled. “Do you like hearing my voice that much?”

Your eyes closed, your moan filling the hotel room. “No—the other girls are scared—to call you. Always—ask me to do it.”

“Oh,”, he said raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Well maybe I’m so irritable because I always have to take care of myself…and then I wake up alone.”

His head dipped, becoming flush with your chest. He took your other breast in his mouth, beginning to suck and nibble at your nipple causing you to dig your nails into his back. He groaned, mouth full of your breast. Truth was, he loved feeling your nails dig into his skin. It made him feel like you needed him—craved him. It was animalistic, your instincts taking over. You wanted—needed him to fuck you.

“Maybe—if you weren’t such an asshole—”, you hissed as he bit your nipple, the pain quickly turning into pleasure. “And chose your career over the people—you love, you’d have someone to wake up to and—fuck!”

He smirked, biting and sucking your nipple to get you off track or at least make it hard to finish your sentence.

“Take care of you.”, you whimpered, feeling his teeth ease up.

He leaned up, his weight lifting off of you. His broad, thick fingers found the side of your thong while you watched him with eager eyes. You cleared your throat easily, feeling the hoarseness beginning to sink in already. Your eyes wandered briefly down to his cock, his precum already oozing at the head.

“Just gonna move my panties to the side and fuck me?”

“Is that what you want? Wanna sass me?”, his brown eyes fixed on your vulnerable state.

You didn’t respond before speaking again. “Do you realize how much of a dick you truly are when I wake you up? It’s like you’re disappointed to hear my voice?”

“I have to come in and see you. I think I have a right to be irritable.”

He slid your thong down your thighs, legs, and ankles before cupping in his hands and bringing them to his face.

“What are you doing?”, you asked, face crinkled in confusion.

He put them to his nose, inhaling the scent of you, your cunt. “Fuck. Makes me wanna taste you.”

“Um—”, you tried to sit up slightly.

“Relax, lay back. Your scent arouses me.”

You laid back gently into the bed, just like he asked. Your hair was sprawled out behind you, and you felt yourself sink into the plush king-sized bed. After he was done getting your scent, he laid your panties to the side just in the event that he needed a reminder. You looked up at him, rubbing up his broad shoulders. He wasted no time in positioning himself, lining his cock right up with your throbbing, wet cunt.

Locking eyes, he asked you silently if you were ready for this. You gave him a light nod before he lined himself up again with you, brushing your cunt with his cock. He was teasing you, this was the calm before the storm. Your thoughts were interrupted as he shoved himself deep inside of you, splitting you open.

You gasped, gripping his arms while sinking your nails in his skin. “FUCK—you know I only—call if the child isn’t improving. And—we can’t manage it.”, you moaned the last of your sentence causing a smile to spread across his lips.

“Mhmm, you always have everything ready for me like a good little nurse.”, his palm brushed hair out of your face and back behind your ear.

You glared at him softly. “I just—don’t wanna hear your shit.”

He laughed while pushing deeper inside of you, his rhythm steady. A soft sigh escaped your lips, eyes fluttering shut. Your mind was overstimulated. If breathing didn’t come naturally, you would have forgotten to do that.

“I’m trying to compliment you.”, he groaned as he narrowed his eyes, glasses attempting to fog.

Your eyes opened, hands moving to his face. You brushed through his sideburns, hooking your fingers on the frame of his glasses. You slid them off his face gently and carefully, moving them to the pillow away from you both to prevent them from getting bent and twisted.

“Anything—to get in my pants, right?”

“Didn’t take a lot of effort.”, he grunted, rutting inside of you.

“Fuck—you.”, you moaned, turning your head while feeling him place aggressive, hungry kisses on your neck.

“Oh, we already are, love.”

You didn’t respond, the sounds of sex filling the hotel room. You could hear how wet he was making you, the sound of you both intertwined together. It was the perfect storm—the rush of knowing better, knowing you shouldn’t be doing this, and the fact that he was balls deep inside of you.

“Deeper—harder, please.”, you whined pitifully.

You shut your eyes quickly, realizing how pathetic you sounded. It made you cringe at how much power he had over you. Even after all he had done, all he had put you through.

“Anything for you.”, he brushed your face, causing your eyes to shoot open.

His rhythm changed, the effort he put in changed. He was determined to make you orgasm, he needed to feel you clench around his cock. He needed to feel your juices wash over his cock. The thought alone almost made him whine. You all stared deep into each other eye’s as he continued to thrust deep inside you, balls smacking against your ass. Joe might have been a dick at times, but he was good at two things—being a doctor and sex.

Joe pulled your right leg over his shoulder, allowing himself more leverage as he continued to fuck himself into you.

“Fuck—Joe.”

“What, love?”

There was love.

“Feels good.”

“Does it?”, Joe breathed, placing a small kiss on your leg.

Were you really going to feed his ego right now? It was going to be big enough when he won his award. You had a feeling he would win. And you knew that no one would shut up about it. Not at the hospital. Not

“Fuck—yeah, Joe. I’m getting close…..”

Your answer was long and drawn out in a moan. You could feel your release barreling towards you like a train. No matter how badly you wanted to ride this out or savor this feeling, your body wasn’t going to let that happen. The hot, aching feeling of your orgasm was rising in your stomach, causing it to twist and knot as Joe grunted with each thrust. You let out a few small, abrupt moans signaling you were ready to cum all over his cock.

The sounds you made were like music to his ears, the sweetest symphony that he had missed.

“Cum for me, please cum for me—all over my cock.”

“Fuck—Joe….”, you bucked your hips slightly.

“What is it, love?”

“I’m gonna fucking—cum. Like right now.”

“Oh fuck, love. Cum please.”

Your toes curled, one the surefire signs you were cumming. “Fuck….”, you hissed before digging and running your nails down his back. “Cumming now, Joe.”

“That’s right, love. That’s so fucking sexy.”

He felt the walls of your cunt tighten around his cock, drowning him in your juices. You whined, the tension that had built up finally breaking loose. He slowed his thrusts, allowing you to ride out your orgasm only intensifying it in the process. You cried out, going slack against him as he continued to fuck himself into you.

He bent down and planted a soft kiss on your lips. “Amazing, love.”

Your body began to feel relaxed as you began to come down from your high, the sensitivity of him being inside you causing you to writhe.

“I’m gonna cum.”, he warned as he looked into your hazy eyes.

“Cum, Joe. Cum deep inside of me.”, you begged.

You knew it was the lust talking. If you had been thinking rationally, you would have thought about the fact you were no longer on birth control. You would have realized the possibility of becoming pregnant. But right now, you didn't care.

“Oh—love, here it comes.”, he warned.

He went stiff, hips stuttering as you felt his cock pump his seed deep inside you. The warm cum filled your cunt as he allowed himself to ride the high of his orgasm. Your eyes rolled back as he held himself steady, fingertips sinking into your ass. He was gonna keep himself buried deep inside of you, making sure he was finished cumming. Your chest was heaving, knees trembling. The adrenaline high was still there.

Without warning, he easily pulled out, eliciting a whimper from you at the loss of contact.

“How—was—that?”, he breathed as he fell beside you.

“Good—really good.”

“Just good?”, he seemed offended slightly.

“I don’t want to boost your ego too much.”, you smirked at him.

He rolled his eyes before pulling you over close to him, beginning to slowly kiss your neck. In between kisses he was sucking on your neck, desperate to leave his mark on you. Your leg wrapped around his, giving into him. Your arms wrapped around his neck, gripping his shoulders. He wasn’t done with you yet.

“What are—you doing?”, you sighed between kisses.

“I’m not gonna stop until you tell me this was amazing, earth-shattering sex.”, he chuckled.

You sighed into him, feeling his cock becoming hard again. It was digging into your thigh as he sucked on your neck. He was needy, desperate to be inside you again. He hungered for you, only you.

“Joe….”

“Yes, love?”, he spoke against you, teeth sunk in the soft delicate skin of your neck.

“Fuck.”

As his teeth let go, you felt a stinging sensation in your neck. He had done it, you knew he had.

“Mhm, now you’re mine.”, he chuckled, admiring his work by rubbing over the hickey and causing it to throb.

He was being cheeky and if the truth was being told, you loved it. You loved when he playfully teased you. You could handle this Dr. Quinn a lot better than the one at work who was uptight, grumpy, and a dick.

“I have an idea.”, he spoke suddenly, beginning to kiss your neck again.

You twisted your arm to be able to cup his chin, running your hand through his hair. “Hm?”

It was clear that he was still pussy drunk, you were cock drunk.

“Why don’t you let me take you from behind?”

Your stomach twisted at his words, moaning slightly into his touch. “And why should I?”

“Mhm, you’ve been a bad girl. Need to be punished—and reminded who is your boss.”, he gave your breast a squeeze causing you to moan.

He leaned up, shifting in the bed. “So why don’t you be a good little girl and get face down, ass up?”

His brown eyes had a fire in them as they stared deeply into yours. Your stomach was knotting up at the thought of him doing you from behind. You leaned up, lips crashing into his. His hand brushed over your cheek, catching a handful of your hair. Every kiss with him was like magic, finally finding something you had lost.

“I’m—not gonna be so—soft.”, he moaned easily through kisses.

“Okay—fair.”

You broke the kiss unexpectedly, causing him to wear a confused expression in return. You smirked easily as you shifted in bed, giving him a cheeky smile before grabbing the pillow at the head of the bed and cuddling it before wiggling around. You nestled down into the bed, sighing as you did just as he asked—face down, ass up.

“Fuck, you’re so sexy. I swear.”, he groaned as his thick hands found your hips, sinking his fingertips in them causing your breathing to hitch and a small moan to escape.

“Tsk—tsk. So hard to work together when I have such a naughty, hard to please nurse.”

If he wasn’t going to fuck your brains out, you would have fought with him then and there. You felt his hands slide down from your hips down to your ass before squeezing it. You moaned out, gripping your pillow tight and preparing yourself for the onslaught of sex he was about to give you. He chuckled devilishly, knowing he had you right where he wanted you.

“I’m already so hard for you.”, he breathed as he leaned down to place a kiss on the small of your back.

“Yeah?”, you turned your head, gripping the pillow.

“Mhm, yeah. Can’t wait to be deep inside you and remind you who’s your boss.”

“What are you waiting—for then?”, you breathed.

“Someone’s ready for my cock to be buried deep into their cunt, hm?”, he teased, feeling his breath on your back.

“Yes.”

He chuckled easily while rubbing your hips, positioning himself to enter you. His cock brushed against your puffy, aching entrance. Yes? Were you really giving in to him? He was surprised that you admitted it so easily. He had been so used to you giving him a hard time, fighting against him.

“Fuck—still so wet.”, he inhaled sharply.

“Just came—can’t help it.”, you breathed.

“No—it’s a great thing.”, he reassured you.

You didn’t get a chance to respond before you felt him slip deep inside you, causing you to moan and grip the pillow so tight your knuckles turned white. This time, he didn’t give you a chance to adjust. Your eyes were wide, and it felt like he was splitting you wide open. You knew it was the fact that he was getting more leverage, able to go deeper inside you.

“Feeling okay, love?”

His question was almost half concerned, half taunting.

“Fi—ne.”

He chuckled, beginning to move inside you. He groaned as his rhythm picked up, sinking his fingers in the plush of your ass.

“Shouldn’t you—be perfecting your speech?”

“You want me to?”

You felt him slide himself all the way out of you, shocking you. You whimpered pathetically at the loss of contact.

“Joe…”, the plead in your voice was pathetic.

“What? I mean—you’re right. I should be perfecting my speech.”

“I didn’t—mean it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Sorry—I’m sorry.”

“You’re what?”, Joe grabbed your hips.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, love. I couldn’t hear you.”, his voice taunted.

You closed your eyes, knowing damn well he could hear you.

“I said—I’m sorry.”, you finally spoke up.

“One more time—sorry my doctor ears must not be able to hear very well.”

“I said—I’m sorry.”, you clenched your teeth, rolling your eyes and showing off that sass he talked so much about.

“Ah, okay. I guess I could accept your apology, nurse Y/N.”, he chuckled with arrogance and ease.

You rolled your eyes, a smile spreading across your face as he teased your entrance again. You felt your chest rise, a sharp inhale. He loved watching you fall apart under his touch. But little did you know, he would be there to pick up the pieces. Even it was just for the night. You couldn’t imagine how dumb this decision was—to sleep with your ex fiancé and have sex with him not once—but multiple times.

“You do?”

“Mhm, I do.”, he smirked as he slipped himself back inside of you causing you to moan loudly enough to fill the entire hotel room. “And that sound makes it so worth it.”

“I hate—you.”, you glared back at him.

“Do you? You have a bad way of showing it.”, his finger sank into your hips as he picked up his rhythm.

“Fu—ck!”

He chuckled, watching you come undone. His hands moved up and down your body in perfect rhythm while he fucked you out. It was as if all the tension and frustration from before was finally coming to a head. You were making up for lost time, for all those times you both were pissed at one another.

You heard his grunts as he rutted himself into you. “Like that?”

“Love—it.”, you moaned honestly.

Your sexual desire was overtaking you. It had been a long time since you’d been fucked. Months—almost a year. A lot of the sex you had was trying to forget him. Like near holidays or his birthday. You weren’t proud to admit it, but it was the truth. And no one you seem to fucked could compare to him. They weren’t him. It was that simple. The news of other doctors liking you was no surprise, but you had no interest in them.

“God, you’re so fuckin’ tight.”, he groaned.

In the back of your mind, you knew there was no way he had abstained from sexual activity. You were sure there were countless women he had fucked since you. Your brain immediately tried to send the thought away.

“Joe….”, your mouth was becoming dry.

There was no doubt he was an attentive lover during sex, always asking if you were okay and praising you—making you feel good.

“Yes? Ready to cum?”, his hands found your ass, squeezing the globes of your ass in his thick, broad hands eliciting a moan from you.

“Ye—ah.”

“Hm,”, he hummed in satisfaction. “Cum for me. Cum all over my fucking cock.”

The closer you came to a release, the dirtier his talk became. He was an educated man inside of the hospital, using proper medical terminology. But here in the bedroom, he was sexually charged with desire and lust.

“Fuck, Joe.”, you hissed through a moan as his speed picked up lightly, the sound of his balls smacking against your ass filling the room.

As badly as you hated to admit it, he knew your body better than anyone. He knew exactly what he needed to do to get you across the finish line.

“What, love? Ready to cum for me?”

You nodded breathlessly, gripping the pillow for dear life as if it would provide you any tangible support.

“Answer my question.”, he grunted as he rubbed your ass.

You knew what would follow.

Your brain and mouth weren’t doing a very good job coordinating, failing you at this very moment. Joe rarely saw you at a loss for words, but here you were.

“Are you gonna answer me, love?”

“Try—ing.”, you squeaked.

“Not hard enough.”, he teased back.

That was the last thing you heard before he drew his hand back, feeling it make contact with your ass and causing you to jump slightly, jarring his cock inside of you.

“Easy, love.”, he chuckled. “Don’t wanna hurt this pretty cunt of yours. Would love to go again tonight.”

“What was that—for?”, you choked out.

“Just reminding you of who’s your boss, here.”

You groaned while rolling your eyes, settling back down into the bed and making it a point to wiggle your ass at him. It was dangling a piece of meat on a string to a starving animal. But it also felt so good with his cock inside of you, him never losing his hard-on or accidentally slipping out of you.

“You love to hold it over me—don’t you?”

“What’s that?”

“The fact I answer to you.”

“Maybe, you’re the only one who puts up a fight with me. Never meek like you used to be. Kinda turns me on if I’m being honest—hearing your sassy little mouth in the middle of the night.”

You felt your stomach do a flip. He was referring to when you first became licensed as a registered nurse. You preferred not look back at those days, only looking forward.

“Do you want me to cum or not?”, you hissed.

“Oh fuck, do I? It’s all I’ve wanted.”

He went back to that rhythm, the one he knew would make you cum within minutes. He wasn’t going to be mischievous anymore—not this time.

“Tell me more.”, you breathed.

“About what?”

“Me…what turns you on about me.”, you breathed.

“Um, well…”, he began. “For starters, it’s super sexy when you already know what I want when I get there—you’ve already got things ready for me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah—makes me want to take you to an on call room and fuck you…after we stabilize the kid, of course.”

“Of course.”, you hummed in agreement.

“Just didn’t think you’d be up for it. So, I always go back home and jerk off in bed under my silk sheets.”

Your breathing hitched. “You never asked.”

He moaned lightly before resolving to a sigh. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Pain had long melted into pleasure, your stomach knotting up. It always seemed like the second time you released was easier, and faster than the first. But Joe knew what he was doing, especially when it came to you.

“Tell—me—more.”, you pleaded through a moan, the sound of sex filling the room.

“Okay,”, he swallowed, hands roaming your body. “I find it really sexy when I watch you interact with kids—like the one who was scared to go to surgery for his appendix last week. You gave him one of the little blue teddy bears and reassured him. He hugged you, I imagined what you would have been like as a mother. If we had stayed together.”

Your heart dropped into your stomach at his admission. “You did?”

“Yeah, made me want kids again.”, he groaned as he hit the spot that made you forget your name.

Your thoughts went out the window, brain now focused on your sexual release. You dropped the subject entirely, moaning as you gripped the pillow tighter.

“Joe…..”

“Yes?”

“Gonna cum—like right now—can’t wait.”, you moaned out as you closed your eyes.

“Mhmm, cum for me. Want me to fill your cunt full again?”, he groaned as he became flush with your body, placing a lazy kiss on your shoulder.

“Fu—ck. Oh my God.”, you hissed.

You felt your cunt tighten around his cock, juices washing over his cock. He was barely moving inside of you now, giving you a chance to ride out your orgasm. His slight movements inside of you intensified your orgasm, your eyes rolling back in your head. This was the earth-shattering sex he was talking about, the one you had missed. Even when you had slept with someone else, it wasn’t as good. No one compared to him and they never would.

“That’s it, love. Feels so good on my cock.”

Your legs began to shake, feeling the aftershock of your orgasm coursing through your body.

“God, I missed your cunt.”

“That all you missed?”, you moaned into your pillow lightly, brushing your hair out of your face.

“No.”, he kissed your shoulder again, pausing his movement.

“Whatever.”, you smirked easily. “Are you gonna cum or not?”

“I want to.”, he chuckled. “But you never answered my question.”

“Which one?”, you sighed, beginning to come down off your high as you snuggled into your pillow.

“If you want me to cum inside of you or pull out.”

“Just cum in me. You already have.”

“Okay. Are you sure?”, he breathed as he began tp pick his rhythm back up, gripping your hips and pulling you back to him slightly causing you to squeal lightly.

“Mhmm, don’t ask again—I might change my mind.”

You snuggled into your pillow, eyes beginning to become hazy. It felt like you were floating, but you weren’t complaining. His hands wandered to your ass, squeezing it and making you moan even if he had already taken care of you.

“I love to see you all fucked out.”

“Yeah?”, you hummed, chills cascading down your body at his choice of words.

“Mhm, it was always my favorite thing.”

“Thought you said you wanted to go again.”

“We don’t have to right after this.”

You nodded easily, letting him have his way with you. You wanted him to cum—you wanted to feel his hot, sticky release. It was even better when it was running down your thighs.

“Fuck—I’m gonna cum.”, he hissed.

“Cum, Joe. Fill me full, please.”, you begged, helping him cross the finish line this time.

That was all he needed to hear. You felt his hips stutter as he sank his fingertips into your hips, a loud groan escaping him as he warned you of his release just seconds before you felt his cock pumping his seed deep inside of you. The warmness flooded through your cunt, causing a smile to spread across your face. He was trying to catch his breath, holding himself steady as he made sure that none was wasted. Not that he was trying to get you pregnant, he wasn’t. But for right now, the thought wasn’t such a bad idea. It made him feel like he had a purpose for staying in you so long.

A sigh escaped you, finally feeling relaxed that you both had a release. Half of you was debating asking him to stay inside you and cuddling you. It wasn’t such a bad idea, plus you needed a little aftercare, right?

“Ready for me to pull out?”, he asked, bringing you out of your fantasy.

“Yeah, just please be easy.”

“Oh I will, love.”

With that, you braced yourself by tightening your grip on your pillow. He eased himself out of you, leaving his seed buried deep inside. You whimpered at the loss of contact, causing him to rub your shoulder easily and give it another gentle kiss. He laid in bed beside of you, pulling you towards him. He pulled the sheet up and over you.

“Want to cuddle and go to sleep?”

“Oh, we can’t cuddle.”, you were beginning to come to your senses and out of your cock drunken state.

“Why not?”

“Because.”, you sat up easily, feeling some of his release run down your thigh. “We just can’t.”

“Relax, it’s just aftercare. You always liked when I cuddled you after sex.”

“When we were together.”, you corrected, grabbing an extra plush pillow from behind you and placing it inbetween you both.

“Oh come on, Y/N.”, he groaned. “Not the pillow divider.”

You glared at him. “Yes, the pillow divider.”

“I just came inside of you.”, he breathed, running through his curls. “Is cuddling really the worst thing we could do?”

“Joe.”

“Come on, I just want to show you I’m not always a dick.”

“No. Now, let’s just go to sleep, please.”, you rolled your eyes, pulling the sheet over you and turning away from him before grabbing the lamp.

You heard him sigh from the other side of the bed. You instantly felt regret swelling up in your chest. There have been a lot of mistakes you made in life, but this was a huge one.

“You’re just sexually frustrated.”, he spoke up, turning over in bed.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”, he began, resting his hand on the pillow divider. You felt his warm breath hit your neck, knowing he was only inches from you.

All that was separating you was a plush pillow.

“I’m not sexually frustrated.”

“Really?”, he teased, his hand moving from the pillow and finding your waist causing you to swallow hard.

You hated him. You hated him so much.

“Really.”, you choked out.

“How long had it been before tonight?”

“None of your business.”, you rolled your eyes.

“Well, judging by how tight you were—it’s been a while. You’re busy, right? A night shift pediatric nurse. Working long hours and a lot of overtime. You’ve not been able to move on from me, have you?”

“Fuck you.”

“You already did, love.”, he smirked as he chuckled.

Man, was he testing your patience. You didn’t respond to his snide comment, thinking maybe if you ignored him, he’d give up and leave you alone.

“You know what always made you relax?”

“What?”, you groaned.

He smirked as he tossed the pillow to the side, breaking the barrier between you both. Your eyes went wide as you flipped over to face him.

“Joe, what the fuck?”

“I’m jogging your memory.”, he smirked as he pulled the sheet up, dipping his head underneath. “Can you lay flat?”

“What do you think you’re doing?”, you asked as you subconsciously carried out his request.

“What does it look like I’m gonna do?”

“No, no—no way you’re doing what I think you’re gonna do.”

“Just relax.”

You felt his fingers grip your thighs, spreading them apart. He began placing innocent kisses on your thigh and you knew what he was planning.

“You’re not going to eat me out, are you?”

You felt his tongue take a swipe up your thigh, licking the release that had ran down your thighs while shifting in bed. “Looks like I am, unless you don’t want me to.”

Goosebumps appeared all over your skin at the sensation of his tongue, imagining what it could do—what it was about to do. It was like he was waiting for you to protest or tell him to stop. But you weren’t going to, no matter what your head was telling you—no matter that it was telling you how wrong this was. Your breathing hitched as you felt him begin to place gentle kisses on your thighs.

“Want me to at least pull the sheet down?”, you sighed, hands traveling to find his curls.

“Up to you.”, he breathed through kisses that were inching their way up your thighs to your cunt.

You groaned at his decision to leave it up to you as he placed your ankles on his shoulders. He parted your thighs further, dipping his head between your legs. You braced yourself because you knew what was coming, what was going to follow.

“Can you breathe?”, you rolled your eyes, fluttering them shut.

“Of course I can breathe. Now, just relax, and let me remind you how I can relieve your stress.”

“You just came inside of me, though. Is that okay?”

“Yes, now relax.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”, he repeated as you felt his breath on your cunt before his tongue took a long swipe up your wet fold.

He was immediately met with the familiar taste of you mixed with him. It drove him crazy, he loved it—he loved knowing he had come inside of you. It was just one more way he marked you. You moaned lightly as you ran your hands through his curls.

“See? You’re already loving it.”, he breathed against you.

Whether or not you would ever admit it out loud, you had imagined Joe going down on you before. Even after you both started working together again. It was a thought you had some nights as you laid in bed, your own hand between your thighs as you took care of yourself. It was pathetic, but you needed something. You had imagined Joe having his head buried between your legs, dragging his tongue up and down your slick folds. Now, it was becoming a reality.

It was worse when he had shaved his beard at first, leaving his baby face showing. It reminded you of when he was only a resident. He knew you hated it when he shaved his beard completely off. Unless he had forgotten. You wondered if part of him had done it out of spite. But then not long after, he was letting his beard come back and that made your fantasies even worse, spiraling them out of control. You loved the feeling of his stubble between your legs. You wore his beard burn like a badge of honor.

Without warning, his tongue took another swipe between your wet slit. Your back arched instantly at the sensation, letting out a moan to let him know you were enjoying this. Instinctively, you parted your legs as far apart as they’d go, allowing him full access to you. You eyed him, resting your head on the pillows at the head of the bed. He wanted you to be as comfortable as possible while he fucked you with his tongue.

“Like my tongue, love?”

“Shut up, Joe.”

His tongue entered you without warning causing you to jolt, almost jumping out of your skin. It was unexpected, but you knew this was punishment for your sass. You gripped his curls, giving them a tug and causing him to groan against your cunt. But it felt good and that was the bad part.

“Fuck—we taste so good.”

You just knew he had a smug grin.

“We?”

His tongue swirled in and out of your cunt, teasing you. “Mhmmm.”

“Such a naughty little nurse”, he cooed as he moved his mouth back to your folds, flicking his tongue over your folds.

Your eyes rolled back in your head easily. Joseph took his hands, moving your legs up to his shoulders, allowing him more leverage. It was hot. So very hot. Your hands continued to grip his curls with each flick and swipe of his tongue, you not being able to hold back your feral moans.

“Fuck Joe—dammit.”

“What? Feeling good, love?”

“No.”, you stammered.

You were never a good liar.

“I’ll just have to try harder then.”

You rolled your eyes this time from frustration. In your head, you were so focused on cumming that your brain wasn’t registering the sensation on your thighs from his beard. The stubble burning, rubbing against your thighs. A hiss escaped your lips before moaning, a sign you were in fact, enjoying his tongue buried deep in your cunt.

Holding your breath, you waited for a smart remark. But it never came, he was too focused on making you orgasm all over his tongue, dying to taste your sweet release. He had been deprived of it for so long.

After he was finished tasting the mix of both your releases, he popped his head out from under the sheet to look at you, admire the work he had done. Your chest was heaving, eyes fluttered shut. You had moved your hands from his curls to the sheets, still clearly reeling from your orgasm. Joe wore a smirk on his face, looking up at you. Even in the minimal light, you could see the glisten of your juices on his chin as he licked his lips.

“See? Told you I could jog your memory.”

You didn’t respond at first, still trying to come down from your high.

“Felt good, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.”, you finally breathed.

Joe fell beside you in bed, taking a deep breath before releasing a sigh. “Gonna build your pillow wall again?”

You glared at him.

“Just asking. I mean, are you gonna let me cuddle you and give you some aftercare or not?”

“No. Just stay on your side of the bed and I’ll stay on mine. Can we do that?”, you asked as you grabbed the sheet and comforter and pulled them up and over you.

“Not even a goodnight kiss?”, he pouted playfully. “So you could at least taste how good we are?”

You rolled your eyes. “Couples give goodnight kisses. Not exes who decided to fuck. Now, go to sleep.”

You finally found the strength to turn over in bed, away from him.

“Fine. Suit yourself.”, he sighed as he turned the opposite way, snuggling down into his pillow.

You weren’t sure how it happened when you blinked your eyes open hours later. For the first time in a long time, you had managed to sleep through the night. Coming to your senses while yawning, you felt two strong arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you towards them. There was also the sensation of something poking you in the ass. Your eyes widened as you shot up in a panic while wrapping the sheet around you to cover your breasts, coming to the realization of what had happened last night.

“Oh shit.”

Joe was slowly waking up, unlike you. “Is everything okay?”, he rubbed his eyes, sitting up with you.

“We had sex. Last night.”

Joe’s lips curved into a smirk. “Multiple times.”

You glared at him.

“I’m just stating facts, love. It was good—for the both of us.”

You rolled your eyes. “And you were cuddling me this morning. Didn’t I say specifically not to cuddle me?”

Joe shrugged easily, his sexy voice still apparent. “I can’t help what I did after you woke me up this morning around three.”

“What did we do around three?”

“Oh.”, he smirked. “We had sex again. You initiated it, rubbing your ass against my cock and begging me saying, ‘Please fuck me, Joe’, remember?”

“No, I definitely don’t.”, you laughed nervously.

There was a moment of silence between you both but this allowed your brain to begin remembering exactly what he was referring to, realizing you had indeed initiated sex with him again.

“Is it coming back to you, love?”

“Joe, please just stop. We can’t do this.”, you jumped out of bed, giving him a chance to admire your naked body, already making him hard again.

He groaned as he palmed the bulge under the sheets, trying to make his hard-on go away but he was filling miserably.

“Why not? It was great sex—amazing sex. We both liked it, both enjoyed it. It was relaxing for the both of us.”

“Because we work together.”, you sighed.

“So? Never stopped us before.”

You turned to look at him, a soft glare in your eyes. It was hard to be mad at him. But you had managed to be mad at him before—for a long time.

“Isn’t tonight the night you find out if you won or not?”

Joe nodded before sighing. “Yeah.”

“Are you nervous?”

Joe watched you as you got up, letting the sheet fall. You could feel his eyes on you, admiring your naked body. What would it hurt now? He had seen everything you had through the night. Plus, you all had been engaged before. It wasn’t like a huge secret.

“Kinda.”, he breathed, running a hand through his curls. “This is a big deal.”

“So you’ve said.”

“Can we not do this right now?”

“Do what?”

“Argue. I need you to be on my side—be on my team, please. Can you do that?”, he asked as he grabbed your arm easily in an attempt to get your attention.

You stared at him, looking into his pleading brown eyes. “It would have been easier had I been your fiancé still.”

He sighed, rubbing his face. His beard needed a little trimming but you didn’t prefer him to be clean shaven. “I know.”

You could have said no when he asked you to accompany him. But something inside of you didn’t want to refuse. Somewhere, you had feelings rooted. Even if you didn’t want to admit it.

“How about we go sightseeing or something? Grab some breakfast?”, you suggested, clearing your throat as you slid a t-shirt on and some jeans.

The weather in Baltimore was much different than the weather in Portland. It was near fall and you were thankful you had packed a thick winter coat. Joe had packed a peacoat, never straying far from his Londoner roots. His parents continued to live in London and mysteriously, you didn’t learn a lot about them even while you all were in a relationship—even being engaged. He left his mom and dad out of things. You had went to London with him on a few occasions.

“Okay.”, he breathed as he got out of bed and you bit your lip, trying to ignore his physique.

He wasn’t ashamed of his body, not even bothering wrapping the comforter around him. He was standing in the room with his bare ass showing. You felt your breath catch in your throat, trying to direct your attention elsewhere as he slid his jeans and boxers back on.

“Hey,”, he began easily. “Wanna run by the pharmacy while we’re out?”

“And get what? A little late for condoms.”, you smirked as you fixed your hair in the mirror.

You’d need a good hot shower before the gala. Part of you was nervous, never doing these kinds of things with Joe before. You didn’t know if you would fit in with the affluent hospital crowd. These were doctors who had done a lot of research and written in medical journals. Where did you belong in this mess?

“Plan B.”, he breathed easily as he threw his baseball cap on.

“Oh.”, you widened your eyes, slightly surprised he’d bring that up.

He had a point though, you weren’t on birth control and you all didn’t use any condoms. Things just happened so fast. Part of it still hurt, however, because there had been many discussions while you all were still together about your future children.

He watched you for a response.

“Yeah, that’s great.”

He nodded before grabbing his wallet and stuffing it in the pocket of his jacket. “I’ll pay for it.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“No, I insist, love.”

You both paused, looking into each other’s eyes.

“Joe, you don’t have to do this shit for me.”

“I know. I just—it just takes two to tango, you know.”

You nodded. “Right.”

He grabbed the doorknob of the hotel room door, opening it and revealing the hallway. “We could always buy condoms if you plan on more sex. Maybe celebratory sex tonight?”, he smirked.

You rolled your eyes, trying to shift from the hurt back to playfulness. “We’ll see. You actually have to win first.”

You all wasted no time in exploring the city, quick to find a small diner for breakfast. It was quiet, off the beaten path. Joe chose to read the newspaper while drinking coffee. They had tea, but unless it was close to what they had back home, he wasn’t a big fan. You ordered an omelet with a side of hash browns and fruit, taking a sip of your orange juice.

“Who knew Baltimore had such a high crime rate?”, Joe asked, sipping his coffee.

“Not surprising.”, you stirred in your hash browns, smothering them in ketchup before taking a bite.

“I’d say their ERs are swarmed every night—gunshot wounds, mugging, car accidents.”

“Yeah, for sure.”

Joe opted for eggs, bacon, and a waffle. There was a lot of silence between you both as you both quietly ate your breakfast. You were chalking a lot of Joe’s silence up to being nervous about his speech and potentially winning the Lasker award. You did a lot of people-watching while you both were in the diner, anything to distract your attention from him. You didn’t want him to know he had as much power as he had over you.

You all finished breakfast, going around the city. Joe liked to sight see in new places. Even while you both were together, you all took a lot of trips. Joe also took a lot of pictures, pulling his iPhone out and snapping pictures while you all toured the city. The last stop was the pharmacy, Joe bedside you. You went to the family planning aisle, immediately finding the Plan B pill.

“Why do they lock this shit up?”, you groaned as you grabbed it from the shelf, noticing its near fifty-dollar price tag.

“I assume women steal it. If you’re stealing Plan B, you probably shouldn’t be having sex.”, Joe shrugged easily as you immediately began your walk to the cash register, him trailing close behind.

You rolled your eyes. “Some people make mistakes, you know.”

“Is this all for you?”, the woman at the register asked.

You could read on the woman’s face that she knew you all had sex. It felt like the entire world knew at this point.

“Yeah, how much is it?”, you asked.

“52.95 with tax and all.”

You went to dig through your purse bit before you even had a chance to finish looking, Joe had already pulled out his debit card and paid for it. You glared at him, watching him shoot a cheeky smile at you before he grabbed the bag and receipt, shoving the receipt in the bag. Exiting the pharmacy, Joe held onto your bag. It wasn’t surprising as seeing this was the man who didn’t care to go buy your pads or tampons when you were having your period.

It was always comfortable with him, never feeling shamed for being a woman and having womanly functions.

“Want me to carry that?”, you asked as you all walked down the street.

Joe had lit up a cigarette, a habit he wished he could break—and he had tried. “No, I’ve got it.”

“You know smoking is bad for you.”, you teased. “Coming from a nurse.”

He smirked before releasing a light chuckle, taking a draw from his cigarette. “We all have to cope in some way, don’t we?”

You shrugged. “I guess so.”

Arriving back at the hotel, you fell on the bed that you all had made a mess of. It was an instant reminder of the events that had transpired between you both. You were already exhausted and you still had to attend the gala with Joseph.

“I’m gonna shower first if that’s alright. Unless you want to join me.”, Joe cocked his eyebrows seductively.

Part of you wanted to take him up on his offer, eager to feel him again. But you knew that would just prove his point further.

“I’m sure you don’t want to smell like my girly body wash and perfume.”, you smirked back at him.

He smirked, undoing his jeans in front of you. He stepped out of them easily, folding them before laying them on the back of the chair near the desk. You felt your heart skip a beat, swallowing hard. Joe noticed but you didn’t want to believe he had.

“It would be worth it to stick my cock in your cunt.”

His words sent chills cascading down your body, your breathing instantly hitching.

“Can’t use condoms in the shower.”

“Ah, we’ve got your Plan B pill. What’s one more time before you take it? You still have roughly fifty hours.”

You sat up, mouth dropping open before you began laughing. “Aren’t you a doctor? The sooner you take it, the better.”

“True.”, he agreed. “We could take our chances.”

“Do you know how dumb you sound right now? Like a lovesick teenage boy who is horny.”

He laughed lightly while he stripped his shirts, leaving him only in his boxers. “I mean after the amazing sex we had last night, it’s hard not to be. If you want to say no, you can. It’s your choice. There’s some bottled water in the fridge to take your pill with. I’m really just kidding.”

You bit your lip, your common sense leaving you. “I’ll shower with you.”

“Sorry, love. What was that?”

“I said—I’ll shower with you.”

“Yeah?”, he smirked. “Need another dose? It’s just what the doctor ordered, isn’t it?”

“Oh my God. You’re unbearable.”, you laughed, elbowing him. “Shut up before I change my mind.”

You all had subconsciously got closer, looking into one another’s eyes. Locking eye contact just seconds before your lips crashed into one another, him backing you up against the wall. You moaned into his mouth easily as he reached for your jeans, once again undoing them. It was almost a repeat from the night before. It hadn’t taken him long to memorize how to get your clothes off in a hurry. Within a minute, you were down to your bra and panties.

“Don’t you feel like a dirty girl?”, he hummed, sticking his fingers down your panties.

“Yeah, I do.”, you admitted with a sigh.

“We’re gonna get all cleaned up. Promise.”, he breathed against your skin, kissing your neck.

“Mhm, can’t wait.”, you took in a sharp inhale as he pulled your jeans and panties down to the floor.

He tugged at the hem of your shirt, pulling it up and over your head, leaving you only wearing a bra. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around your back, carefully undoing your bra and allowing it to fall to the floor. It was clear this wasn’t his first time undoing a bra from the front. He was skilled in undressing and for a brief moment you wondered how many other women he had done this to, but the thought was quickly interrupted by him kissing you, sending you into oblivion.

“Ready—for—the shower?”, he breathed between kisses.

All you could do was nod in response.

He picked you up again causing you to squeal in his mouth, shushing it with a kiss. His fingers squeezed your ass causing you to moan into the kiss. He had missed feeling your body, it was a work of art in his eyes. He had already managed to turn the water on, warming it up for you both. He had left the bathroom door open, the steam rolling out. He easily shut the door with his foot, setting you down on the floor and allowing you to gain your balance before pulling away.

As he opened the shower door, you were biting your lip and admiring his physique. How had your mind been changed from just this morning—seeming to regret the decision you had made to sleep with him. He motioned for you to enter the shower first, reaching his hand out for you. You grabbed it, allowing him to pull you towards him. He placed several kisses on your neck causing shivers to cascade down your spine, allowing you to sigh into him.

“You get in first.”, he breathed.

“Okay.”

He helped you inside the shower, following close behind. So close you could feel his cock pressing against your ass. Your eyes fluttered shut, biting your lip while imagining what it would feel like for him to be inside of you again. Was it smart to not use condoms? No, but the feeling of him without one was something you couldn’t put into words. Maybe it was just you being cock drunk, but you couldn’t help it. You’d never tell him but he was an amazing lover, always trying to please you.

The hot water rushing over your skin brought you of your thoughts as Joe grabbed your waist from behind, bringing you flush against him. He began kissing your neck, hands roaming over your breasts before giving them a gentle squeeze.

“Fuck—you’re so sexy.”, he breathed, water dripping off his curls and onto your shoulders while running down your body.

“You cuss a lot around me.”, you smirked easily, leaning back against him.

“Can’t help it—need inside of you.”

“You’ll get to be soon.”, you sighed, allowing him to kiss all over your neck.

“I know and I can’t wait.”, he hummed, hands finding your breasts before giving your nipples a pinch causing you to moan loudly.

You hummed in agreement, letting his hands roam your body. They were thick and broad, feeling you up. He wasn’t gross like most guys were when they were touching your body. He made it all about you, giving you small compliments about how sexy and beautiful your were, how much he wanted you, and things that just made you feel good.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The room was thick with steam that poured from the shower. Your pulse quipped and your mouth was dry. You could feel his cock digging into you.

“Remember when we’d have shower sex when I came off a nineteen hour shift?”

Your breathing hitched. “Fuck—yeah, I do.”

“It was such good sex—then we passed out in bed.”, he chuckled.

“Mhm.”, you hummed, chills covering your body.

You remembered it well. Those days felt like so long ago even if they weren’t. Ever since Joe had left for Seattle, time seemed to pass slowly. It was hard to live without him at first—even calling out of work for a few days to mentally and emotionally try to get a grip on life. The sun didn’t rise and set in him, you knew that. But he had been a huge part of your life. It was hard to know he was gone.

After he left, you learned to live without him—even feeling like you hated him some days. You hated him for making you love him. You hated him for leaving. You hated him for making you wake up alone. You hated him for choosing his career over you. You hated him for making you have to learn to live without him. But yet, here you were—having shower sex with him.

Without warning, he spun you around in one quick motion making you face him in the shower, water dripping off your faces. Joe moved his hand to the back of your neck, tilting your head up to give you a warm kiss. You thought about the power those hands held. He was a doctor, skilled with his hands. You lost your words when it came to him, he still had that power over you. He knew what you wanted and he wasn’t going to make you wait long.

He picked up your thighs, bringing them to circle around his waist as he pushed you against the wall of the shower for support. Your all’s shower was long forgotten, for the time being, something better in place of it. Joe wasted no time in slipping inside of you, his thick cock filling you and splitting you open in ways you couldn’t describe. A small moan escaped your lips, Joe releasing a grunt from the back of his throat. He was working soft strokes into you. If he was holding you, you were sure your legs would have given out by now.

“Can we both admit we missed this?”, he grunted before you both shared a soft kiss.

You scoffed playfully as he rutted himself further into you. “As if.”

“I know you missed me when I left for Portland.”

“What—does it matter?”, you moaned back.

“Because—I missed you too. If I’m being honest. There—wasn’t a day I didn’t think about you.”, he grunted.

“Don’t—lie. Please don’t lie, Joe.”, you begged, swallowing hard.

“I’m not lying. I debated calling you every day. I—typed texts I never had the courage to send.”

“Can we please—not talk about this right now while—you’re inside of me?”, you hiccuped.

“Fine—I won’t,”, he began as he continued to steadily fuck you. “Maybe after I win?”

There it was—his cockiness was back and in full force. It was hard to ignore, making you want to roll your eyes. But there wasn’t much else you could focus on other than him fucking himself into you. You felt your heart melt a little more.

You let out a whine and nodded your head. “If you win.”

Joe smirked as he sank his fingertips into your thighs, knowing he was going to leave marks. But you loved it—secretly, you loved anything he did. You felt your lower half tense, Joe continuing to help you towards your orgasm. You could feel every inch, vein, and tweak of his cock—all helping to add to your sensations and sensitivity. Joe put his lops back to yours, your moans going straight down his throat. He wanted you so badly, he wanted to swallow every little sound or hiccup you made.

“Joe….”, you moaned into his mouth.

“Hm?”

“Gonna—cum—now.”, you moaned, the sound muffled as it filled his throat.

He didn’t beg or coerce you to cum, a slight surprise to you. But it wasn’t stopping the fact you were going to cum. Without further warning, you came. You juices spilled all over his cock, causing him to moan in response. Joe didn’t immediately follow, in fact his cock felt even harder than before.

“Fuck your cunt is gripping me so tight.”, he grunted, breaking the kiss.

Your body was still shaking, reeling from your orgasm and Joe seized the opportunity to start fucking you faster. His hands pulled you off his cock only to slam you back down on it, moving your body like it was nothing. Your body couldn’t stop shaking, your stomach twisting and aching but you knew you had more to give him. Your hands gripped his neck tighter, trying to hold onto his fast-moving body. He was fucking you so fast and so hard that you didn’t even have time to catch your breath. No need to when he would just take it again anyway.

You felt his cock twitch and you both knew he would cum soon and you couldn’t wait for him to fill you full. Even if you knew the risks associated with it. All that filled your ears were moans worthy of the big screen and whines coming from you. Joe’s moans and grunts added to the music you both were creating. The steam from the bathroom wasn’t helping you think straight. You were beginning to feel dizzy and disoriented. All you knew at the moment was that you needed Joe’s cum immediately.

“Please—Joe….”, your pleading was cut short with abrupt thrust. “Please give me your cum, please cum deep inside of me.”

“You want it? It’s all yours—all fuckin’ yours.”, Joe coos.

Within a second, you felt his warm cum deep inside of your cunt. His hips stuttered as he let out a long groan, almost matching the pace he was using to spill inside of you. You couldn’t help it, you followed him and came again—a loud whimper coming out. It was euphoric—more than either of you could have ever hoped or dreamed for.

“Really want to stop this? Go back to work like none of this happened?”, he breathed, chest heaving up and down.

“We don’t have time to talk about this right now, we have to get ready.”, you breathed, trying to compose yourself.

“Fine. But I’m gonna convince you before this trip is over.”, he smirked as he slipped out of you, some of his cum spilling out and mixing with the water.

“We’ll see.”, you smirked back as you both began to quickly shower.

________________________________________________________________________________

As you stood in your bra and panties, you looked in the mirror while making sure every part of your hair was perfect. You were wearing it up, a few loose curls out but it made it look more elegant—something you didn’t do often. The dress you had brought, ultimately didn’t make you happy for this event. Joe offered to get you a new dress, even remembering your size as he called a local formal shop. Even through many protests, Joe didn’t listen to you. You didn’t want him doing this for you, it was something you weren’t used to.

A knock came to the hotel room door.

“I’ll get it.”, Joe said easily.

You tried not to pay any attention to the conversation he had with whoever was delivering the dress. You put some finishing touches on your makeup, taking your mascara brush over your eyelashes one more time before spraying some make up setting spray. You heard the door close gently before hearing Joe’s footsteps grow closer.

“Here’s your dress—even if I do like seeing you in your bra and panties.”, he laughed lightly.

You didn’t immediately turn around to view him. “Thanks.”

“What’s wrong?”, he sighed. “You should be happy.”

You scoffed lightly before turning around. “You bought me a dress. Quit doing nice things for me, please. You’re making it harder to hate you.”

“Maybe that’s my intention—though I don’t think you hate me at all.”

You rolled your eyes. “Just show me the dress.”

He smirked as he unzipped the garment bag, revealing a black dress with crystals decorating the slender straps with mesh insets at the waist and a sultry side slit.

“Joe, it’s—”

“Don’t say it’s too much. Just please wear it—I insist.”

You glared at him. “I was going to say beautiful.”

“Oh.”, he chuckled softly. “Can we get you in it?”

"Yeah, we only have two hours to finish getting ready and to get to the venue.”, you looked back at him.

“Alright, turn around and I’ll get you into clothes instead of getting you out of clothes.”

You rolled your eyes before following his request. He took the dress out of the garment bag, instantly admiring how beautiful it was—just like you. He knew you were going to look amazing in it.

“Okay just step into this for me.”

You did before he slid it up your body, admiring how it fit perfectly around your curves as he fixed the straps on your shoulders, the crystals flickering in the light. He zipped the dress up, it finally taking full form on your body. Looking in the mirror, you could tell on his face that he loved the way it looked on you. You noticed him look you up and down in the mirror.

“God it fits you like a glove.”, Joe breathed.

“It does.”, you agreed. “Now, I need to put on my heels. Shit, and my earrings.”

You left him standing in front of the mirror as you walked over to grab the dangle earrings, putting them in your ears. Turning away from the mirror, you noticed him putting the finishing touches on his suit. He looked good—so good. You slid your heels on before grabbing your clutch, quickly slipping your morning-after pill inside. You’d take it after the awards. You knew it could cause severe nausea, cramping, and maybe even bleeding.

“Ready to go?”, you asked easily.

You could tell Joe was becoming nervous.

“Yeah.”, he began. “You look beautiful.”

He was deflecting, something he had learned to do very well while growing up. There were a lot of secrets you didn’t know about your ex-fiancé.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”, you joked softly.

He smiled, forgetting his problems for tonight. “Let’s go.”

“Lead the way.”

To your surprise, a limo showed up to chauffeur you and Joe to the gala. You all sat in silence on the ride there, being offered champagne to kill the nerves. You sipped yours slowly as did Joe, the silence lying between you both.

“Nervous?”, you asked easily.

“No.”, Joe lied, taking a sip of his champagne as he cleared his throat.

“You’re a bad liar.”

“I’m not lying.”, he defended. “I was maybe nervous when I took my USMLE to be a doctor….I’m not nervous now.”

He didn’t make eye contact with you as the ride continued, you nodding lightly even though you didn’t believe him even in the slightest. You all continued to sip your champagne until it was gone and you all arrived at the gala. The driver got out, opening the door for you both as you thanked him.

“Can we at least act like we like each other?”, he whispered.

“Are you going to admit I’m just one of your nurses?”

He rolled his eyes again. “You’re more than just one of my nurses—you’re my best nurse.”

“Whatever.”

“It’s true—you know what I like—how I like it. I’ve been hard on you lately. It’s not fair to you.”

“Joe please—can we not do this before your speech and stuff?”

“What are we telling people? I can call you my date and then if they ask your profession, tell them we met working together—which isn’t a lie.”

“Sure—tell them the truth.”, you agreed.

“Fine, we will. It’s not like I’m ashamed of you.”, Joe responded.

You both continued inside, classical music instantly filling your ears. The lights were down low, the noise of people chatting and glassware clinking joining the music. You swallowed hard and the nerves began to sit in and you weren’t even the one up for an award and delivering a speech. Joe nudged you easily in hopes you would link your arm with his and at least make it look like you enjoyed one another’s company. Glancing up at him, he stared ahead and didn’t bother glancing down at you.

“Dr. Joseph Quinn.”, a voice spoke, causing you both to turn around.

A hand was held out, Joe clearing his throat and taking it.

“Dr. Thomas Snider.”

“And who’s this beautiful woman on your arm?”, his eyes glanced over to you.

You and Joe eyed one another before Joe responded.

“Y/F/N Y/L/N.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/N. Can I call you that?”, he outstretched his hand.

“Yes, nice to meet you, Tom.”, you took his hand.

“Why don’t we all have a drink? It’s a big occasion—I heard you’re up for a Lasker award.”

Joe looked at you as he fixed his suit as if he was asking your permission. You nodded lightly as you both followed Tom over to the bar area. You sat beside Joe, laying your clutch on the table as you were careful to sit down in the chair in your dress. A waiter was quick to come over to the table and ask for your drink order. Tom asked what you all would have—Joe wanted a martini while you opted for a Cosmo. You listened to Joe and Tom’s conversation lightly while waiting for your drink. Maybe in an hour or two you could sneak off to the bathroom and slip your morning-after pill. You needed to take that. It had been almost over twenty-four hours at this point, nearing day two.

The sooner the better—that’s what their slogan was on the website and all healthcare professionals knew that to be true. It was either take the pill or leave it up to fate. But you didn’t exactly want to get pregnant with your ex-fiancé’s baby. That wasn’t on your bingo card and this was your best bet. It had a ninety-five percent effectiveness rate after twenty-four hours—eighty-five percent after forty-eight hours. But that was better than not taking it at all and hoping for the best. This wasn’t something you could hope for the best for—that often ended tragically as evidenced by your life.

“So how did you all meet?”

The question from Tom brought you back to reality.

“Um, we actually work together.”, Joe smirked over at you.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”, you agreed, looking back at Joe.

“What do you practice?”, he asked.

“I’m sorry?”

“Like are you pediatrics, ortho, cardio?”

“I’m a nurse.”, you said bluntly.

“Ah, the doctor and nurse trope. Nice Joe.”, he elbowed Joe playfully, causing Joe to smirk lightly as he took a sip of his drink.

You glared at them both lightly, fire beginning to burn in your eyes.

“She’s a peds nurse. My best one.”, Joe smirked at you, laughter resolving as he noticed you didn’t think his joke was as funny as he did.

You felt your heart soaring in your chest, causing you to almost immediately perk up. But you quickly reminded yourself that he was just putting on a front. It was what he was best at doing. He was a smooth operator and only told people what they wanted to hear.

“I’m happy for you, Joe. Hold on to her or someone might snatch her away.”

Their cordial laughter ripped through your thoughts and you cleared your throat lightly. Your drink was almost gone but it wasn’t helping you.

“I’m gonna grab another drink.”, you responded lightly.

“Okay.”, Joe spoke up easily.

You gave him a half smile as you got up, abandoning the conversation. Wasting no time, you marched up the bar counter and ordered another Cosmo. You put your wallet on the bar, beginning to think about the Plan B pill that was inside of it. You couldn’t help but think about that as each second clicked off the clock, your timer was running out. You shook your head as the bartender slid your Cosmo to you, distracting you from your thoughts.

“Hello,”, you heard someone tap the microphone in an attempt to gain the audience’s attention.

You turned around in your bar seat.

“Thank you all for attending our annual award ceremony. Doctors and other medical professionals alike across the United States are nominated for the Lasker Award for their continued groundbreaking research in this field. We will be beginning in the auditorium shortly if you all want to go ahead and take your seats. Again, thank you all for coming.”

Chatter began to pick back up amongst the crowd. You swiped your drink from the bar, thanking the bartender before making your way back over to the table only to find Joe sitting there alone. He was checking his cell phone before he noticed you had made your way back over.

“Hey.”, he spoke softly.

“Hey. Your friend leave?”

He scoffed lightly before it turned into laughter. “Not exactly my friend. Just an old acquaintance.”

“He’s blunt.”

Joe nodded, already knowing he wouldn’t be your cup of tea. You weren’t used to that even if you were a nurse. The medical field brought along a lot of emotions. Joe remembered vividly being a resident and not being taken seriously. He always had to ask permission from his fellow and you never dared question an attending. Even though he had pushed the bill before when it came to the outcome for his patient. At first, he wasn’t respected for it—he was chastised for it. He had come to America for a fresh start. Meeting you was never in the cards and neither was leaving you. But he couldn’t think about that right now.

“Yeah.”, Joe began, sipping his drink. “Always has been. Don’t let it get under your skin.”

“That’s a little impossible.”

Joe laughed lightly. “I know.”

“Are you nervous?”, you attempted to change the subject.

“Kind of.”

“You’re gonna do fine. You always do. You have charm and charisma working out of your ears. It’s what a lot of women love about you.”

Joe’s brown eyes panned up to meet yours. “Funny. I can’t find any women who love that endearing quality.”

He was trying to make jokes, a soft smirk across his lips.

Rolling your eyes, you responded. “You just haven’t met the right one.”

“I did. And I fucked it up.”

You looked at him, confused. It was like time was in slow motion and you couldn’t wrap your head around what he had said. Was your brain tricking you?

“Dr. Quinn.”, a woman who was dressed very elegantly interrupted your all’s conversation. “They’re ready for you.”

He gave you a soft smile as he raised up from his chair, brushing his slacks. You eyed him, opening your mouth to speak but no words would come out. You wished you could have forced words of encouragement but what would you say back to something like that? He looked back at you as he walked away, following the woman who came to get him. You hurried and downed your Cosmo, leaving the empty glass and almost running towards the auditorium—except you had heels on and you couldn’t “run”.

#eddie x reader #joseph quinn imagine #joseph quinn #joseph quinn x y/n #eddie imagines #eddie munson imagine #joseph quinn x reader #eddie munson hc #eddie munson

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inkymoonbunny · 19 days ago

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A year after the fall of the Elderbrain, the tiefling vampire Astarion seeks to walk in the sun once more. His quest leads him to break into the vault of a powerful wizard, finding not some fabled artifact to steal, but a woman branded by an Infernal curse. Flare is used to devils stealing what they want; her body has been a bargaining chip for her master's deals when he wasn't busy experimenting with her blood. Despite his appearance, Astarion proves he's nothing like her tormentors. He spirits her away to live with him and the druid Halsin while his companions hunt through Avernus for the incubus that marked her. Astarion kindles desire within her, but her upbringing has taught her pleasure is never without pain. Astarion knows the path to healing is a long and difficult one, that the terrors of the past creep back. Together, they explore intimacy, the tenderness and gentle touch that they were once forbidden from.

A slow burn romance between two souls once broken, featuring tiefling Astarion and many batstarion cuddles.

Read on AO3

Header & footer by love of my life @xxnashiraxx , check out her BG3 isekai fic With Stars to Fill My Dream for an even steamier Astarion romance 😘

#Branded Blood #new chapter coming out today #revamped (hehe) my summary #tiefling astarion #tiefling #tiefstarion #tieflings #batstarion #astarion #astarion x tav #astarion smut #astarion x f!tav #bg3 astarion #bg3 fanart #bg3 screenshots #bg3 fics

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owlight · 2 years ago

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Trafalgar law x Gn!reader [reptiles are cool]

Summary: law is trying to get much needed sleep,but unfortunately to him ,(y/n) got other plans for the evening

Word count: 842 (: short but sweet

Tags: fluff,reader likes reptiles,Law is very sleepy but trying to be a supportive boyfriend , fun facts about reptiles,adhd coded reader ngl, not fully read proof

Also Thank u @nekomacheercaptain for listening to my lizards rant and for the the headers pics ily 💞🦭

Law lay on his bed, exhausted after a long few days of having to travel in Wano ,fight big mom and Kaido then having to deal with more mess after,he can't believe he is finely back on the polar tang for some actual rest. He closes his eyes, humming himself to drift off to sleep, but his thoughts kept wandering back to the events of the big fight,the last meeting with Luffy and his crew...tch he will secretly misses them....Just as he was about to slip into unconsciousness, he felt the bed shift as his lover climbed in beside him,With The energy of a rabbit for some reason

"Hey Law, are you awake?" his lover asked, their voice full of excitement,unlike everyone else,(y/n) time at Wano county could been described as a whole adventure of their dreams,they really enjoyed the country and they were so fascinated with Kaido Dragon form,they almost didn't move away from the fight and law had to room Thier ass to safety ,ever since the crew came back to the polar tang,(y/n) occupied themself in the library...law should have Guessed there was a reason for that

Law sighed, knowing that sleep was now out of the question,since (y/n) was clearly as awake as Luffy high on Sugar"What is it?"law asks as he keeps his eyes closed, perhaps hoping his lover would see him trying to sleep and have mercy on him

"I was reading about reptiles today and I wanted to tell you all about it" they said, bouncing with enthusiasm , clearly not noticing law trying to sleep,law almost snort at Thier enthusiasm it's so...giddy to witness,he open one eye to look at them,seeing Thier face basically glowing ,Law raised an eyebrow, not particularly interested in the subject matter but he wanted to humor them for now "Do you have to do it now?"he asks,voice sound bit too sleepy to his taste

"Yes, I have to tell you now! Before I forget" they exclaimed, grabbing Law's hand and pulling him into a sitting position,law groans as he sits ,he looks at his partner with as much as focus as possible"Did you know that some snakes can sense infrared radiation?"they tell law with so much excitement it threw law off his sleepiness for a moment,he blinked, trying to process the sudden burst of energy "No, I didn't...I didn't know that" he mumbles

"It's true ! It's so... interesting! Do you think a snake devil fruit user can do that too-actually and And did you know that most lizards can change color to match their surroundings?,that's why sometimes you see them looking colorful then out the blue they are kinda dim as they move around ,it's so cool that's chameleon are not the only ones in that aspect " they continued, their words tumbling out at a rapid pace ,law sleepy mind trying to catch up with them as best as he can,they continue "And some Some species of lizard will go their entire lives without drinking water! That's why there's so many lizards in alabasta living so freely!"

But you know Law couldn't help but be amused by their excitements about the subject Despite his exhaustion, he found himself smiling at their enthusiasm as they spoke,so much spirit and excitement, it's adorable in his opinion.."That's fascinating" he said with humor in his voice.

"I know, right?" they said, settling back against the pillows,law himself watches them laying down on the bed "There's so much to learn about them, I'm going to start a journal to write all about them from now on,from each island we visit,I have already few pages written down... it's going to be awesome" they tells him with excitement lacing Thier voice

Law leaned back against the headboard, then he moves to lay in bed,head hitting the pillow, he was feeling his eyelids droop as he spook"I'll have to take your word for it, let's talk more about it tomorrow shall we?right now I need to sleep before I end up speaking non Sense" law mumbles with tiredness in his voice

(Y/n) pouted, but reluctantly settled down beside him and Started cuddling him, Law wrapped an arm around them, feeling their warmth and the gentle rise and fall of their chest as their breath slowed down, showing they are going to be good for him for now and let him sleep,law closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep holding them tightly to him as they smiles gently closing Thier eyes as well joining him to sleep, law last thought and feelings was him feeling grateful for the presence of his lover, even if their interests were vastly different most of the time,he can't help but love them for how they are.

#one piece #one piece x reader #trafalgar law #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar law x reader #law x reader #one piece fanfiction #trafalgar d law x reader #trafalgar d. water law #trafalgar one piece #trafalgardwaterlaw #trafalgar law x y/n #trafalgar law x you #owl writes

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rizlowwritessortof · 1 year ago

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A Little Rowdy

Laney Marcus returns from a leave of absence to a new boss - Sheriff Beau Arlen. From day one she finds out that easy Texas charm is hard to resist. But maybe resistance isn’t the way to go...

Pairing: Beau Arlen x OC Laney Marcus

Word Count: 6032

Warnings: Non-graphic talk of abusive relationship, fluffy smut

HUGE THANKS to my beautiful friend Michele (@editsbymichele on IG) for making the lovely header!! And thank you so much to @firefly-graphics for the dividers!

Laney opened a drawer to stow her bag, eyes scanning over the top of her desk. It felt good to be back, although she was dreading the possible backlog of emails she had waiting for her. Now that Sheriff Tubb was gone, she’d have to acclimate to a new boss, too.

“Laney, you’re back!”

She turned at the sound of Poppernak’s voice, instantly enveloped in a bear hug from the big man. “Hey, Mo,” she said, muffled for a moment in his chest before moving back to grin up at him. “Good to see you, too.”

“How’s your mom?”

“She’s doing great now, thanks for asking. She said to tell you hi.” Laney moved back to her desk and sat down while he perched himself on the corner. “So, how’s it going with the new sheriff?”

“Great! He’s a good guy, I think you’ll like him. Hard not to.” Mo turned his head as the front door to the office opened, and grinned. “Speak of the devil. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

She stood, trailing behind the big deputy as he met the sheriff on his way to his office. “Morning, boss. Someone here you should meet.”

“Hey, Pops. Well, how did I miss you?” he smiled, sticking a hand out towards Laney. “Beau Arlen.”

She shook his hand, his grip firm and warm. “Hi, sheriff. I’ve heard good things. I’m Delaney Marcus, everybody just calls me Laney. I’m the office manager.” He looked a little confused, so she continued. “I’ve been on a leave of absence. My mom was sick, and then had surgery, so I’ve been in Bozeman helping her out. Just got back this morning.”

He nodded in understanding. “She’s doing okay now?”

“She’s much better now, thanks.” She smiled up at him. He was tall. And extremely good-looking. And he had the most beautiful green eyes, eyes that were focused entirely on her as she spoke. “If you have any questions about what I do here…”

“Yeah, why don’t you grab yourself a cup of coffee and come on into my office, we can get to know each other a little better.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a completely disarming way, and she nodded.

“Sure, I’ll be right in.”

A half-hour later, she was still in his office, put at ease by his effortless Texas charm. “So, you run all the basic supply/vendor aspects of the office, help with phones, correspondence, sometimes dispatch, and you’re like my political bullshit shield?”

Laney laughed. “I’m more like a buffer. If there’s a report or something being requested by the City Council or Mayor - or from the City Police Department - that doesn’t need your direct involvement, I take care of it so you don’t have a pile of time-wasting crap on your desk.”

“Sounds like a political bullshit shield to me!” he grinned.

“Well, anything I do have to handle, I will be running it past you for your approval before I respond, but other than that, I do what I can to free you up to take care of the important stuff.”

“Well, I don’t know who’s been filling in for you while you were gone, but I haven’t had to deal with much of anything like that.”

“I’m glad you weren’t bombarded while I was away.” She stood up with a sigh, and he rose to his feet as well. “I suppose I should get out there and actually do my job now. If you need anything from me, just let me know.”

“Same here. Welcome back, Laney.”

They exchanged smiles, and she left his office, settling herself behind her desk and preparing to tackle her email. Those green eyes and stunning smile still had the butterflies in her stomach fluttering, but she had work to do. “Come on, Laney. Focus,” she muttered to herself, opening the first email and digging in.

Several weeks later, things had calmed down to a routine. Beau (he insisted on her calling him ‘Beau,’ not ‘Sheriff’) was incredibly easy to work with, but he was haunting her thoughts way more than was comfortable. The man was too charming for his own good, attractive as hell, and the timbre of his voice sent heat zapping through her at the most inopportune times. She found herself avoiding all the invitations to after-work drinks with her co-workers, not trusting herself with the combination of alcohol and attraction. She would glance up and find his eyes on her often, as well, and that was not helping the situation. Even when she filled in at dispatch, she found herself forgetting to breathe as his voice came back to her over the radio. She had to get a handle on her infatuation, or it was going to drive her crazy.

Jenny Hoyt came to plop down in the chair next to her desk one day, a friendly grin on her face. “We’ve barely had a chance to talk, girl. Good to have you back. But we haven’t gone out for a drink together in ages. Is everything okay?”

She smiled at her friend, leaning back in her chair. “I just – I don’t know, haven’t been really ready to hit the bar yet, I guess.”

Jenny’s smile widened knowingly. “Avoiding someone?”

Laney closed her eyes and sighed. “Is it that obvious?”

Jenny laughed quietly. “Probably only to me. I know, because I was there myself for a hot minute – I recognize the look.”

“So you and…”

“No. Nothing ever came of it. He was still pretty wrapped up with his ex, and my mom was back, and everything was kind of a mess. And then I met Matt, and… our moment just kind of passed. We’re good friends, and he’s a great guy. And now Carla’s finally out of the picture. I think he’s kinda got a thing for you, too. I mean, maybe you should just give it a shot.” Laney wrinkled her nose, doubt in her eyes. “Seriously, Laney. just think about coming out with us some night. I think it’d be good for both of you.”

“I’ll work on my nerves.”

“Good. Do that.” The blonde rose to her feet. “Guess I’d better get to work. Talk later.”

Laney sent her friend off with a smile, turning back to the letter she’d been typing. The thought of letting her guard down around Beau was terrifying. Or maybe exciting. Probably an equal measure of both. She glanced up to see Jenny and Mo finishing a quiet conversation, and his eyes landed on her. She looked down at her desk with a rueful smile. Those two – they were conspiring. She should have known.

Laney shut down her computer and shifted gears, heading over to the dispatch area. Marvella, who usually worked this shift, had needed to come in late, so she was filling in for a few hours. She took over for the previous dispatcher, who had just sent Beau and Poppernak out for a domestic disturbance call a few miles outside of town.

“Okay, have a good night,” she said, slipping into the chair and putting the headset on. She looked at the information on the screen and stopped breathing for a moment when she saw the familiar address. She hit the button to transmit, her heart pounding. “Base to Sheriff One.”

“Sheriff One, go ahead.” Poppernak’s voice cracked back on the radio.

“What route are you taking to the scene?”

“We’re on Highway 29 going west.”

“Alternate route. You should turn north on Patterson Road.” She could hear Mo as he relayed the instruction to Beau, who was driving. A few more seconds passed, then Mo came back.

“Okay, we’re on Patterson.”

“Go two miles, turn west at the Weichman Dairy sign. Then 3 miles, and right after the third intersection, take a left. That’s a back drive into the place. You may be able to get in without him seeing you coming. The back door of the house is usually unlocked.”

“10-4, Base. Thanks for the heads-up.”

Laney listened, every muscle tense, responding as they reported themselves on scene and waiting, almost afraid to breathe, for any news. Domestics were always touchy, and this one – this one had the potential to be bad. It seemed like forever before Beau’s voice came over the radio stating suspect in custody and requesting that she dispatch an ambulance. She breathed a sigh of relief that Beau and Poppernak were safe and called it in. Apparently he’d managed to do some damage before they arrived, but hopefully his victim would be okay.

It was a while before the scene was cleared, the ambulance on its way, and the sheriff and deputy on their way back to the station. Marvella had arrived, and Laney gladly surrendered the chair to her, filling her in on the pertinent information and chatting for a few minutes before heading back to her desk to grab her things.

The front door opened, and soon Beau and his prisoner came into view. She turned, watching with arms folded, a little knot in her stomach. The handcuffed prisoner’s eyes drifted her way and he stopped, his mouth in an ugly snarl. “You fucking bitch!” Laney glared back at him, her chin raised a little in defiance.

“Hey!” Beau’s voice echoed through the room, and he roughly shoved at the man’s shoulder. “Shut your mouth and move your ass!” Laney stood there unmoving as he steered his prisoner to the back room where the holding cell was located.

Poppernak came in, stopping for just a second to ask, “You okay?” and moving on as she nodded. She was still standing there, her arms clutched around herself, when Beau came back, concern on his face, leaving Mo to book their suspect.

“Laney? You all right?” he asked softly, and she nodded, gnawing at her lip and staring straight ahead. Beau put a hand on her shoulder, and she finally lifted her gaze to his.

“Yeah. I just – yeah, I’m fine. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen him.”

Beau opened his mouth, then closed it deliberately and nodded. “Okay. Story for later on, I think. After a couple of beers maybe.”

She avoided his eyes, asking softly, “So – is she going to be okay?”

“Thanks to you. We went in quiet, just in time. He had a gun on her. She’s got some injuries, but nothing life-threatening. If we wouldn’t have been able to surprise and disarm him, she’d be dead. You saved her life.”

“No, you saved her life. I just gave you directions.”

“Directions we wouldn’t have had without your help. You did good, Laney.” He looked down at her steadily until she finally met his gaze. “So… I know you’re not big on going out for drinks after work, but – Pops and I, we’d really like you to come along. Have a coke if you don’t want to drink or whatever. But we were a team tonight, and we saved somebody, got the bad guy. It’d be good for you to celebrate a little.”

She smiled, then let out a little sigh. “Okay.”

Beau grinned. “Good, meet you at the Boot Heel.”

“Right behind you.”

The waitress couldn’t help but smile as she brought the next round to the table, the laughter was contagious. Laney was in the middle of a story about herself and Poppernak from their days in high school. “We literally skipped the last day of our senior year, and then we were stupid enough to drive around the school to wave at everybody still sitting in English class. Mr. Claussen stared at us out the window, pointed at us, then down, like ‘get your asses in here.’ Busted.”

Beau shook his head, still laughing. “I can’t believe two straight-laced employees of the sheriff’s department would pull a stunt like that!”

Laney shot him a look. “I’m sure you’ve got a few stories from back in the day, mister.”

He smirked. “More than a few. But Laney, I just pictured you the type to be studiously doing your homework every night and running for homecoming queen.”

She snorted. “I was not the homecoming queen type. At all.”

Mo geared back in his chair with a grin. “You know, her nickname our senior year was ‘Rowdy.’”

Beau cocked an eyebrow, looking at him expectantly. “Okay, this I’ve gotta hear.”

The deputy turned his head, looking at Laney, who was shaking her head, eyes closed. “Go ahead, Mo, you’re dying to tell him,” she said with a sigh, and Mo grinned.

“So, our senior class – we had a lot of parties. Usually out in somebody’s pasture with a keg, music blasting from somebody’s pickup. One night Laney was – pretty wasted, and the party was kind of dead. Some country rock song came on, and she hopped up on a picnic table, yelled ‘Let’s get rowdy!’ and started dancing, like Coyote Ugly style. Pretty soon a couple of her friends jumped up in the back of a pickup nearby and joined in. Once the guys stopped standing there with their mouths hanging open, they started chanting, ‘Rowdy! Rowdy! Rowdy!’ That was her name from then on!” Mo chanced a glance Laney’s way. “And then later I found her making out with some football player in the back of a pickup, had to drag her away and tell her it was time to go home.”

Beau looked at Laney’s blushing face, his eyes shining. “So there is a wild child in there. I knew it. Hell, I would’ve voted for you for homecoming queen!”

Laney laughed, hiding her face for a moment before grabbing her beer and taking a swallow. “That was a long time ago,” she retorted. “But yeah. I used to drink too much and get a little crazy. Too crazy sometimes. That night is kind of a blur.” She laughed, shaking her head again. “Wish I had a more embarrassing story about you right now, Poppernak.”

Her friend laughed, grabbing his phone from the table as it lit up. “Hey, Mom. Oh, damn. Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right there.” He stood, stuffing his phone in his back pocket and grabbing his jacket. “Mom’s kitchen sink just turned into a geyser, gotta go help her get the water shut off and clean up.”

“Do you need help?” Laney asked. “I can come…”

“No, no, we’ve got it. You guys stay, finish your drinks.”

Beau piped up. “Call us if you do need help, Pops.”

“Thanks, boss. See y’all later.” The big man headed for the door, and Beau turned back to smile at Laney.

“So, any more good stories I need to hear?” he teased, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I think you owe me one, now.”

“Ok, but we’re gonna need another beer.” He waved the waitress over, launching into a description of his first run-in with the law when he was 16, and the run-in with his dad afterwards.

After a couple more beers and more reminiscing, things quieted down, and for a moment they sat there silent, sipping at their drinks. Beau toyed with the label on his bottle for a second before raising his eyes to hers, searching. Finally, he took a breath and spoke. “So – what’s the story between you and our new prisoner?”

Her lips quirked into a cheerless little smile, and she stared at the table for a minute before looking back at him candidly. “I lived with him for a little over two years. At the place where you arrested him tonight. That’s how I knew how to get in there the back way.”

Beau nodded. “Did he…”

Laney shook her head. “No. He wasn’t physical with me, not until the end. But he just kind of slowly took control of my life, a little at a time, and I guess I didn’t really see it. Not until I wanted to apply for the job at the sheriff’s office.” Beau was listening intently, so she continued. “We fought about it all the time. One night, after we’d been at the bar, I told him to back off, that I was going to interview and take the job if it was offered, and he blew up. Slapped me. I locked him out of our room, told him to fuck off.”

“Asshole.”

“Yeah. Next day, of course, he was apologetic, ‘I’m so sorry, it’ll never happen again, blah, blah, blah.’ So I gave him another chance. But a few nights later, we got into it again, and that time he backhanded me, split my lip. I grabbed my jacket, told him we were done, and left. Stayed with Mo that night, and the next day he took me to the house and we packed up my stuff and moved me out. That was that.”

“Well, I wanna go back to the holding cell now and punch him in the face. Glad you got out of there when you did. Otherwise, it might have been you instead of that girl tonight.”

“I realized after I got out of there just how much control he had taken from me, how much he ran my life. Felt really good to be free.” She blew out a breath, looking down at the table again. “That’s the reason I don’t go out much. Sometimes I feel like if I’d stayed out of the whole bar scene with Garrett almost every night, I might have been clear enough to see what was happening, to see that he was just – erasing me.”

Beau reached across the table, putting his hand over hers. “He didn’t erase you. You fought back and you’re strong enough now to know what you want and what you don’t.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. It’s been a couple of years now. And I feel good about my life and where I am.” She looked up and smiled at him, and he squeezed her hand.

“You should.”

Beau’s green-eyed gaze was making her feel warm, and she slowly pulled her hand back, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear before she picked up her beer and drained it. “Well, I suppose…”

“Yeah. Probably that time. Had a few more than I planned on, but it’s been a good night,” he responded, finishing his beer as well. He left a tip on the table for their waitress and they sent her a little wave as they headed for the door.

Beau followed her out into the cool night air, eyes scanning the sky as distant lightning backlit the heavy clouds that had gathered while they were inside. Laney came to a sudden halt right in front of him, causing him to stop and take a half-step back to avoid a collision.

She turned to face him, looking up at him with an unreadable expression, then stepping up close on tiptoe and kissing him, her arms curling up and around his neck. His surprise wore off quickly, his response welcoming, one hand on the small of her back and the other gently cradling her face. When they parted slightly, he looked down at her with a one-sided smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his green eyes warm and inviting.

“Well, hey there, Rowdy.” Beau’s arm tightened around her as he bent to kiss her again, his fingers buried in her hair as he held her close, his tongue gently tangling with hers. They lost track of time and place, finally pulling apart as a rumble of thunder brought them back to reality.

Laney took a step back with a soft little laugh. “I suppose we shouldn’t be standing out here making out like teenagers where the whole town can see us. I mean, you are the sheriff.”

Beau grinned. “No, we should make out like teenagers in private like normal people, I guess.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, neither one of us should be driving, though. So I guess I’m either hoofin’ it back to my place – or we could call Pop for a ride.”

“Or… you could walk a girl home. My house is about two and a half blocks that way,” she pointed, watching as he raised an eyebrow and grinned even more.

“Lead the way.”

They headed in the direction Laney had indicated, walking quickly, the air growing heavier with the approaching rain. They were getting close when a loud thunderclap resounded around them and the first fat raindrops began to fall. “Come on!” she laughed, grabbing Beau’s hand and running towards the little white house with green trim one house over. She fumbled with the keys, the two of them almost falling inside as the sky opened up, and Beau swung the door shut as they laughed breathlessly. “That was close,” she said, smiling up at him. That smile slowly faded as she stared at him, the hair falling down over his forehead, his eyes crinkled in that irresistible way, and she moved closer, reaching to touch his face as she kissed him.

She stopped quickly, taking hold of his shirt to pull him farther into the room, then tugging until it was free from his jeans, working the buttons open as she went. Once his shirt was completely undone, she stepped back and peeled her shirt over her head, dropping it to the floor as she let him surround her with his arms and pull her close, his lips sealing over hers in a searing kiss. ‘Shit, he’s good at this,’ she thought to herself, and she lost herself in it, let it consume her. His hands roamed over her skin, squeezing at her waist, pressing her against him as a hum of appreciation vibrated in his chest.

They parted for a breath, and Beau stared down at her lacy lavender bra, his fingers tracing down the strap. “You always wear things like this to work?”

Laney dropped her gaze with a smile, looking back up at him through her lashes. “I like pretty lingerie.”

His fingers continued their path across the swell of her breast, his voice soft and low as he answered. “Well, I’m gonna have one hell of a time not thinking about this when I see you at work, wondering what kind of sexy things you’re hiding under your clothes.”

She reached to push his shirt off his shoulders and he let it fall to the floor. She trailed her fingertips slowly down to his waistband, slipping her fingertips inside, tugging. “Let’s move this somewhere more comfortable.” She turned, trying to move forward, but Beau wasn’t following her lead.

“Whoa.” Laney turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, confused, then ducked her head a little with a shy smile at his open-mouthed stare.

“My tattoo?”

“Yeah.” He moved closer, touching her back lightly here and there as he examined it. “I need to see the whole thing.” Laney took a breath, then reached behind her to unclasp her bra, letting it fall from her shoulders and drop to the floor. Beau was silent, his gaze scanning over the art work of a phoenix in flight. The flaming bird’s wings spanned Laney’s upper back, the tail trailing down and over her hip. “That’s really beautiful. Impressive.”

“It was kind of my – declaration of independence, I guess.”

Beau traced the path of the phoenix’s tail to where it disappeared into her jeans, his fingertips lingering just under the edge of her waistband. “So, where’s that tail go?”

She laughed softly. “Well, if you come with me, maybe you’ll find out.”

He followed her into the bedroom, waiting for her to turn and face him, his eyes roaming over her breasts. He dropped to one knee in front of her, looking up at her expectantly, waiting for her answering smile before he reached for the button on her jeans. He slid the zipper down and pulled the denim apart, his eyes following the flaming feathers below her navel and across to her opposite hip bone, where they faded into a shower of sparks. One section was still hidden from his view beneath lavender lace, and his tongue darted out over his lower lip as her abdominal muscles tightened at his whisper-soft touch. “Looks like we’re gonna have to get all the way naked,” he teased.

Laney caught her breath a little as he stroked his finger along the top of her panties. “I will if you will,” she responded. “It’s only fair.”

Beau nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on her as he slowly pulled her panties and jeans down, letting them fall to her feet. The final feather laid just above her pubic bone, curling up slightly at the end as it tapered off. He let out a low whistle, letting her steady herself with a hand on his shoulder as she stepped out of her clothes.

“I hope it’s not a turn-off for you – the tattoo.”

He rose to his feet, his eyes glowing as he looked into hers. “It’s sexy as hell.” He unfastened his jeans and finished undressing, then stood still as her gaze roamed over his body.

“Wow. They do grow you big in Texas.” She blushed profusely, her hand flying to her mouth for a second before she continued. “I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”

Beau chuckled, his cheeks flushing a bit in the dim light of the bedroom. “Well, don’t worry, darlin’ – you’ll fit like a glove.” His expression changed as he looked into her eyes again. “Speaking of… I don’t suppose you have condoms?”

Laney shook her head. “I don’t. But I trust you. I’m on birth control, and I – I’m healthy. I haven’t been with anyone since…” She trailed off, looking away from him, teeth playing at her bottom lip.

“Hey.” He put a hand beneath her chin and lifted her head until she looked into his eyes again. “Nothing wrong with that.” He bent to kiss her gently, taking hold of her hand and resting his forehead on hers. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. Just say the word, it’s okay.”

She tilted her face to kiss him again, squeezing his hand. “I want to. I’m just – a little nervous.”

He guided her to the edge of the bed, gesturing with a nod of his head for her to lie down. He laid down beside her, pulling her to her side to face him and kissing her, his hands caressing her face, her hair, her shoulder, not touching her anywhere else. When she sighed and put her arm over his waist, pulling herself closer to press her body against his, he let his hand roam farther, over her back and hips, then up to cup her breast as he moved his lips to her neck, humming against her skin as she moaned softly at his touch.

He coaxed her over to lay on her back as he kissed his way down until he could tease at her nipple with his tongue, moaning a little as she gasped and arched her back, her hand grasping at his hair. He let one hand roam between her thighs, his cock jumping a little as she let them fall open, her head rolling back as he explored her with his fingertips, dipping slightly inside her and then moving to rub gently over her clit. When she breathed his name, her hips raising to meet his touch, Beau growled softly and sucked her tingling nipple into the heat of his mouth, tugging at it gently with his teeth. He glanced at her face as he moved to the other breast, watching her as he slipped a finger, then two inside her. “Damn, Laney, you are somethin’ to see,” he said, his voice low and rough, then bent to tease at her other nipple, his fingers stroking deep inside her.

“Beau, please…” she begged, raising her head a little to meet his eyes as he lifted his gaze. “Please, I want you inside me, now.”

He moved up to kiss her, groaning as she sucked on the tip of his tongue. “How d’you wanna do this, darlin’?”

She stared up into his eyes, her fingers combing through his hair. “I want to see your face. I want to be able to kiss you.”

“Sounds perfect to me,” he answered, kissing her once more, then shifting his body to move over hers, fitting himself between her legs. She whimpered a little as the head of his cock nudged at her, teasing at her entrance before he pushed forward, swearing softly as her body yielded to him and surrounded him with wet, velvety heat.

He stilled, lowering himself over her to kiss her, then raising his head a little, his eyes searching hers. “Like this?” he asked, grinding into her gently and watching her eyes flutter closed for a moment before she smiled up at him and nodded.

“Just like that,” she murmured, moving one foot gently up the length of his thigh before clasping her legs around his hips. “Only… more.”

“Oh, you got it, darlin’,” he growled, bracing his forearms on either side of her head as he kissed her again, their bodies rocking together in a sensual rhythm, their moans and sighs swallowed up by their kiss.

When she turned her head a little, soft little whimpers escaping her lips as she began to tense up, Beau slipped one hand beneath the small of her back, shifting a little and making her moan at the increased friction on her sweet spot.

“Beau…” she cried out, her fingers now clutching desperately at his shoulders, her legs clamped tight around him as she began to quiver. He began to move harder and faster, cursing softly as she began to pulse and squeeze around him.

“Fuck… Just let go, Laney.”

The sound of his desperate voice was the trigger, and she came hard, bucking up beneath him, their bodies colliding as Beau swore again and hammered into her faster yet. The swelling and throbbing of his cock inside her as he filled her with heat sent another wave through her as they thrashed together, chasing every second of pleasure before she went limp underneath him and he collapsed, spent, his breath hot against her neck.

Laney sat in her car in the parking lot, scrolling on her phone, trying to work up the nerve to walk into the office. Not that she regretted what had happened with Beau, because the weekend had been – well, amazing. But was it going to cause issues with work? And was it just a weekend fling for him? She was definitely in deeper than that after what had happened, she had to admit to herself. But if he wasn’t… She sighed, impatient with herself, getting out of her car and heading for the building, telling herself to stop stressing and just go face whatever was going to happen.

She walked in, heading for her desk, relieved that Beau wasn’t in yet. Neither was Poppernak, or Jenny, or anybody she had to hide her awkwardness from, so she took a breath and sat down at her desk, diving into the day’s work.

Beau walked in a little while later, his eyes immediately seeking her out. She was at her desk, absorbed in a phone call, occasionally jotting down a note, completely oblivious to his entrance. He greeted a couple of people on his way to his office, heading inside and taking a seat. He couldn’t see her from behind his desk and he frowned, momentarily contemplating rearranging his office. He abandoned that fleeting thought, shaking his head at himself.

He worked for a while, going over reports, catching up on paperwork. Finally he couldn’t take it any longer and walked to his door, looking over to make sure Laney wasn’t on the phone before calling her name. “Hey, Laney – when you have a minute, can I see you in my office?”

She looked up in surprise, trying valiantly to keep her expression in the range of normally pleasant, not schoolgirl crush giddy. “Sure, I’ll be there shortly.” Just the sound of his voice saying her name sent her heart pounding, and she took a deep breath, trying to convince her body to calm down. Finally she locked her computer and stood, grabbing a file from her desk to take with her, internally rolling her eyes at herself for trying to manufacture the appearance of an excuse to go to his office.

“Hey, Beau – what’s up?” She asked cheerfully as she stepped through his door. He motioned to her to close it, and she did, looking at him nervously as he rose to his feet and approached her.

“That’s a really awkward question right now, Laney,” he said quietly, crowding her against the wall next to his door and kissing her, his hands braced on either side of her head. She let out a soft moan, the file folder in her hands hitting the floor as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers grasping at his hair as he pressed the full length of his body against hers. He finally lifted his head, both of them panting a little for air, and a slow smile curved her lips.

“I see what you mean,” she teased, thrusting her hips just a little against his evident erection.

“You are not funny.”

“A little. I’m a little funny.” She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief as he smirked down at her.

He bent for one more kiss, then stepped back, blowing out a tense breath. “Damn it, woman. I told you I wouldn’t be able to look at you at work. Just tell me one thing – what color?”

She giggled softly, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt and opening it enough to show him the red and black lingerie beneath her clothes. He swore softly, turning to go back behind his desk and sit down. “Will there be anything else, sir?” she asked, an innocent expression on her face as she buttoned back up.

“Oh, don’t push your luck, darlin’ – this is hard enough the way it is.” he growled, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement.

“We did establish that, yes,” she retorted, then clamped her lips together to keep from grinning. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”

He shook his head. “I’ll deal with you after work. Right now – I think you’d better get back to your desk before the whole office figures out what’s going on.”

She nodded, bending to pick up the scattered contents of the file she had carried in with her. “So then – I’m seeing you after work?”

He scoffed at the question.“Hell, yes, you’re seeing me after work. We should talk anyway. Among other things - like maybe gettin’ a little rowdy again.” Laney giggled softly, and he grinned, a dangerous glint in his eye. “Damn it, get the hell out of here, would ya, before my self-control disappears completely?” Laney grinned back at him, feeling like a weight had lifted from her chest. He wanted to see her again. This wasn’t just a one-time thing.

She reached for the door, swinging it open with a, “Yes, I’ll take care of that,” for nosy coworkers’ benefit and heading back to her desk.

It was mid-afternoon before Poppernak showed his face in the office after spending most of the day in court on a case. Laney called him over to her desk, a stern look on her face. “So, your mom called today. I asked her if you got her sink fixed. She said her sink wasn’t broken. Explain that one, Mo.”

Mo shoved his hands into his pockets, guilt all over his face. “Yeah, ummm… sorry. I just thought that, maybe, you and the boss should have some time to, you know, get to know each other.”

“You and Jenny thought that, right? I saw you two whispering the other day.”

He shrugged. “Well? You needed a little push. Jenny thought so, too.”

“Mo Poppernak.”

He looked at her with a sheepish expression. “Yeah?”

Laney grinned. “Thank you.”

Tags for my lovelies: @saenalife @deanscarlett @jensensgotyoudean @jinkieswouldyoulookatthis @deansdirtylittlesecretsblog @geeklibrarian @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid @mrswhozeewhatsis @littlegreenplasticsoldier @sleep-silent-angel @winchesterprincessbride @ellen-reincarnated1967 @eyes-of-a-disney-princess @deanslittleangel2y5 @melanie451 @bookchic20 @jodyri @selma-jean-blog @savingapplepie-eatingthings @kittenofdoomage @masked-maiden42 @lean-mean-deanwinchester @ericuhlorain @ceeceewinchester @typicalweirdbookworm @callmesweetheartifyoumeanit @youtoldalie @tanithlowisabamf-blog @deandoesthingstome @jxackles @nerdwholikesword @soivebuiltupaworldofmagic @kreweofimp @gabavaldman @chaos-and-the-calm67-blog @darkx143 @disassociativedogma @ioanashalala @jencharlan @deansthirstblog @dorky-and-i-know-it @mischief-maker1 @winchestersandwordprocessors @percussiongirl2017 @bringmesomepie56 @akshi8278 @torn-and-frayed @sandlee44 @wingedcatninja @evansrogerskitten @emoryhemsworth @peaceinourtime82 @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior @sarcasmqueen74 @maliburenee @mrsjenniferwinchester @yeehawbitchs @emily-winchester @hobby27

#a little rowdy #beau arlen fic #beau x laney #beau x oc #fluff #smut #happy ending

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saiyanprincessswanie · 1 year ago

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SaiyanPrincessSwanie - Reading List Week 159 & 160

Welcome to Week 159 & 160

Sorry the reading list is a little short. I had 3 surgeries in 7 days. So I fell behind in reading. I will carry over the remainder fics to my next list.

As always these will be listed in no particular order. None of these stories are mine. I’m just signal boosting them. Author is listed next to title. My goal is to signal boost writers and spread positivity in the community. 💜💜

Click HERE to see what I will or won’t read. This is very important.

Click HERE for past reading lists.

My Masterlist click HERE

Please make sure you’re reading the warnings on every story. They range from dark to fluff. Do Not Read if you are under 18 years old. These stories are meant for adults only. You’re responsible for your own media consumption.

Page-break by @whimsicalrogers & header by me

If you can, please reblog these lists so they can reach more people on Tumblr.

I love you 3000 💜 Missy

You Will Love Me - (Steve x Reader) - @saiyanprincessswanie

Clairvoyance - Part 1 - @talia-rumlow

Clairvoyance - Part 2 - @talia-rumlow

Clairvoyance - Part 3 - @talia-rumlow

Clairvoyance - Part 4 - @talia-rumlow

Stucky Oneshot - @biteofcherry

Dark Desires - (Bucky x Reader) - @jobean12-blog

Kiss the Cup - (Jake x Reader) - @drabblewithfrannybarnes

Bucky Oneshot - @tuiccim

A different celebration - (Wanda x Clint) - @nekoannie-chan

Bucky Oneshot - @itiswormtimebaby

One Look At You - (Stucky x Reader) - @sidepartskinnyjeans

Where's My Love - (Bucky x Reader) - @flordeamatista

No More Last Chances - (Cole T x Reader) - @georgiapeach30513

Deal with the Devil - (Robert P. x Reader) - @stargazingfangirl18

five minutes - (Bucky x Reader) - @witchywithwhiskey

Weird place - (Steve x Reader) - @nekoannie-chan

Clairvoyance Part 5 - @talia-rumlow

Nrfth (7) - Shattered dreams - @holylulusworld

Nrfth (9) - Faded memory - @holylulusworld

Affectionate gesture - @nekoannie-chan

If I Can't Have Everything - (Andy x Reader) - @writing-for-marvel

Steve one shot - @imyourbratzdoll

Mark My Territory - (Steve x Reader) - @georgiapeach30513

Shreds of Flannel - (Bucky x Reader) - @jobean12-blog

Bucky oneshot - @angrythingstarlight

#saiyanprincessswanie #recommended reading #missy reads #missy reblogs #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #stucky x reader #jake jensen x reader #cole turner x reader #robert pronge x reader #andy barber x reader

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ckhalloween · 1 year ago

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YOU THOUGHT YOU BEAT IT...

YOU THOUGHT IT WAS DEAD (TWICE)....

YOU WERE WRONG...

WELCOME TO WEEK TWO OF COBRA KAI HALLOWEEN FELLOW MIYAGI-VERSE FANS! THIS WEEK IS DEDICATED TO THE STRANGE GIRLS... THE ONES WHO ALWAYS FELT THAT THEY WERE WERE... DIFFERENT SOMEHOW -

Witches: rituals, spells, deals with the devil, wicca, familiars, curses and transformations growing up weird…

You can make fanart, fic, edits, playlists, meta and rambles, drabbles, and anything else you desire. Remember to tag it #ckhalloween23

If you're uploading to AO3, please add them to our collection or anonymous collection

Check out our FAQ and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask

On Saturday October 14th we'll be watching The Craft at 10am (EST) and again at 9pm (EST) for maximum availability across the world (we hope). Stay tuned for more information!

This week's prompt art was created by @cookietastic

Main header and icon created by @hunkydorkling

Happy Halloween 🎃🐍🥋

#ckhalloween23 #prompt: witches

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arcanarubinaito · 1 year ago

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Apocalyptic Vesuvia

I edited the Colosseum pictures to match how I imagined Vesuvia to look when Lucio takes over in Muriel’s route.

I also edited the header lol.

As The Devil!Lucio lingers in the mortal realm, a red mist begins to cover the landscape. It darkens the sky, a miasma that traps the heat of the sun. Vesuvia begins to mirror The Devil’s realm.

Scarlet clouds swirl in a perpetual sunset during the day, and at night the moon is the only visible object in a starless sky. The mist is toxic, slowly sapping away the life of anything that isn’t demonic or arcane in nature. Thicker clouds of smoke can be enough to suffocate a grown man in a burning, blistering heat that leaves only a husk behind.

The weak citizens of Vesuvia are quickly culled, if they cannot escape with the rest. They’re repurposed to become Lucio’s undead army, the shades that wander aimlessly throughout the decaying city. The nobility that remain with their Count slowly waste away, pushing them to either flee or make deals with Lucio himself to extend their lifespans.

#arcanarubinaito #rubin’s writing #the arcana #the arcana game #the arcana lucio #count lucio #lucio morgasson #the arcana muriel #muriel of the kokhuri

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charleslelurk · 1 month ago

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charleslelurk Fic Index

(In order how recently they were posted with unposted WIPs at the bottom)

Death Bloom Norstappen ABO

Lando once described what that first bit of skin contact feels like as an omega, the relief of it, the way all of the sickly feelings of his heat slip away once an alpha touches him, leaving just the want. Max thinks about it all the time, even when Lando isn't in heat. Even when he's not with Lando.

four week wedding The Charlos Vegas wedding and divorce fic

The marriage was four weeks long; no one has time to get divorced during a triple header.

The Winner Takes It All (tag) Ongoing winner's room one shot series

Maiden Voyage Carlos wins Silverstone in 2022 and picks Lando for his winner's room

for the team After the tense sprint and their 1-2 finish at Circuit of the America's, Charles picks Carlos for his Winner's Room.

sigillare il destino Carlos wins the Mexico GP and picks Lando for his winner's room, much to Charles's dismay

Borderline of a Bad Idea (tag) WIP the Carlando toxic fraternity au

The one in which Lando finds himself in an extremely homoerotic situationship with a fraternity brother named Carlos Sainz

God Hunting (tag) WIP Maxiel 2023 season exes to lovers fic

Are you sure? He wants to ask. Are you sure you want to bring me back after three seasons with only one win to show for it? Are you sure you want this sack of bones? Daniel knows he must leap back into the maw of the beast that he ran from, even if he's exhausted and rail thin and has a Zoloft prescription. “Yes, I'll sign." He offers his hand to Christian to shake. Before their hands even touch, he knows it is a deal with the devil.

running rosso corsa Lestappen time loop ficlet thing

Did you let me die in your arms in the time loop?

In the Silences (tag) the Carlando summer break breakup fic

Lando is just so much to Carlos; best friend, lover, partner in crime. It is because Carlos loves him so much that Lando slowly but steadily pulling away scares him deep into his bones, puts a chill there that he can't warm from.

Erosion (tag) Lestappen childhood friends to estranged to lovers au

Charles has measured his life in summers. There is life–Monaco, school, September through May–and then there is living–Italy, summer, premature birthday parties, and Max.

Unposted Untitled girl!lestappen (tag) WIP Max and Charles debut in F1 the same year, the first two women to race in the modern age

Unposted Keep the Car Running (tag) WIP 80's Palm Springs sugar daddy/baby Carlando au

This is what has Lando coming back again, to get fucked out of his mind, and then held like a thank you. This is why he will take time away from his art. There is something about Carlos that clicks with Lando. He never imagined himself in a situation like this, essentially putting out for travel and luxuries, but Carlos makes it so easy. It's easy until it isn't.

link to my ao3

#my fic

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thetentaclecommander · 11 months ago

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Teaching the Devil

TtD: Prologue

The fic that started everything. It started as a one shot and my attempt to take the ship ‘seriously’ after a few gag attempts. It turned into a well over 10+ year journey into lore building, canon picking and just making something that didn’t exist…exist. So, whenever you go hunting for fics with a rare pair and see nothing – do it yourself. It's fun. ________________________________________________

((Header Pic for the series done by Lil-Chilo)) Teaching the Devil Rated M; has adult/heavy themes Fandom: Resident Evil Main Ship: Nemesis/Jill Valentine Secondary ships: implied Chris Redfield/Sheva Alomar, past Chris Redfield/Jill Valentine, implied Albert Wesker/Jill Valentine Chapters: 11/11

CW: graphic depictions of violence, unhealthy relationships (implied growing codependency), mental instability, psychological trauma, implied/referenced torture, attempted rape/non con, implied cheating (full tag list on AO3) Summary: "…No man can tell What has come stealthily creeping over his life Until too late Hot ashes and pain…"

The first arc in The Devil's Saga.

Based on Dante's Inferno (the inverted significance will become clearer during the ending of a mostly Jill centric fic - she will be a bit OOC even crossing the moral event horizon, but it'll be warranted)

An AU fic set a year after the events of RE5. Deals with the finding of an apparently revived then abandoned Nemesis in a forgotten underground Umbrella lab. In recovery, it was determined his directives were irreparably damaged giving him 'free will'. Whether that is good or bad is questionable.

Jill is still dealing with the aftermath of her part in her forced servitude to Wesker - making her darker and at times mentally and emotionally unstable. Despite her hangups, she still works with the BSAA and was suddenly entrusted with the care and 'training' of a restrained Nemesis.

What results of such an arrangement is documented here. This will explore darker themes and topics: it will basically not shy away from nor sugarcoat the violent or suggestive situations within. ________________________________________________ Excerpt from TtD: Prologue- Her voice had dipped into a hiss, her repressed anger coming unbidden. "And maybe, just maybe you'll be able to kill something half your size...cause", her voice dipping low, "we don't cater to failures here." He sat up now, staring plainly at her, the cracking of the bed frame audible. She rises from the small chair, a smirk crossing her pale face. "Keep looking at me…it's your fault I look this way you know." She shifts the chair aside staring directly into his face. "I hope you at least do a good barking impression. That S.T.A.R.S. bit got old the first hour, you fucking bastard!"

As the last syllable came from her lips she found herself pinned against the wall, the Tyrant easily having three feet on her. He bent lower, his face level with hers, letting out a deep, angry snarl. Jill stood her ground. "I can see it. You want to finish the job, don't you? Don't you?!" He stood over her, palms flat against the wall trapping her head between them. "Do it." He narrowed his eye at her. "Do it. Be a good monster and finish what you start…it’s only fair since I lost two years of my life because of you! Do it!" She openly laughed at him. Enraged the Tyrant went to punch her face in…and found everything flashing white as the feeling of being electrocuted racked through him. It felt like every fiber of his being was being rent apart, the only sound in the room was of her laughter and his pained scream. As soon as it began, it stopped, the monster gasping for air, drool freely trailing from his gaping mouth. She walked to him, letting a soft hand trail his stapled scalp. "See things never changed for you. But I have just as dirty hands now. And I won't show mercy, just like you." The monster only snarled weakly upwards at her, wanting to strike but knowing it futile. "School starts, now." The only sounds now were of his labored breathing, and her walking out of the room. (Continue reading the prologue of Teaching the Devil on A03)

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pagerunner-j · 11 months ago

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Still jumping around a bit randomly through old DW episodes. Tonight I watched the double-header of The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit. I always liked these episodes, in large part because they go for some pretty intense deep space horror, centered around a doozy of a villain this time, because what the hell (no pun intended): we've had evil mannequins and farting aliens and evil lunch ladies so far, so why not raise the stakes about as high as they'll go for some contrast and put everybody up against the actual Devil?

When this show decides to go balls to the wall, it really goddamn goes for it.

I also appreciate, really, that these episodes had the nerve to (albeit very, very carefully) touch on matters of religion and faith, because it's pretty hard not to when you're dealing with this topic. Ultimately, though, it's mostly concerned with people, both the good and the bad: equating hell with the evil men do, and coming down squarely on the side of the most powerful belief being faith in each other to do what's right instead. And of course Rose is right smack in that column. She gets the classic companion role here of bonding with the episode's guest cast and getting the best out of them at every turn she can. Meanwhile, the Doctor's solution to the biggest conflict at the end depends entirely on faith in her, which of course pays off.

And those two spend both episodes acting so blatantly in love with each other that it's r i d i c u l o u s and apparently after seventeen years my heart has still not yet recovered from this.

I mean: the mortgage conversation, and nervously stumbling over the idea of living together somewhere? The way Rose kisses his helmet? The hugs, plural? Rose's attempt at reaching him over the comms, and desperately trying to stay behind for him even while the crew's trying to drag her to safety? That wistful conversation between Ida and the Doctor as they're both preparing for probable death, he's slowly disconnecting his cables over the chasm, and he can't get out the words for what to tell Rose, except for, "Oh, she knows"? (Fourteen would say it. Fourteen would say every damn word. Ten just kept breaking our hearts about it for multiple seasons in a row.) And then there's the foreshadowing but they're in denial about it and they don't know what they're in for in four episodes' time and he won't be able to get the truth out then either and she'll cry and break everyone's hearts and he'll cry and break mine and goddammit I have a problem.

Anyway. Have I ever mentioned I'm one part exhausted cynic and one part hopeless romantic sap? Because the latter is winning out here, kids.

Footnote about something I enjoyed at the time: Shaun Parkes, one of the key guest cast members in this, also co-starred with David Tennant in Casanova on the BBC (also written by RTD). I haven't watched that in a long damn time either, but I recall it as being entertaining, which, well, I mean: it's David Tennant as Casanova. Think that one through for a second and then go find it somewhere and see for yourself. (I'm pretty sure it's kicking around the Tube that is You unofficially, but you didn't hear that from me.)

#doctor who

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scuderiaspringsteen · 4 months ago

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bro hulkenberg 6th did he like. make a deal w the devil before this triple header ??

#nh27 #gbr24 #t

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wordsandrobots · 6 months ago

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This is a pinned post

I thought it might be useful, for me and for you, dear reader, to have some sort of index for everything that's populated this blog over the past few years. Thus, here is a list of links to the musings and ramblings of one bi Englishman.

(I am of the generation taught to be extremely leery about sharing personal details on the internet but I fear the cat is out of the bag on at least these aspects of my positionality.)

This may be spun off into multiple posts because I think I have discovered where Tumblr's limit on 'number of links in a post' lies.

Wishing on Space Hardware

I started posting on Tumblr primarily to host the header art accompanying my Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans fanfic series Wishing on Space Hardware. So let's start with that.

Fic header posts

A Handful of Rusted Petals

The Grandmaster

To Catch a Falling Star

Fragments of You/Pieces of Me

Let Sleeping Angels Lie

Between Family

The Ares Affair

The Haunting of Takaki Uno

Frozen Sunlight

Of Obsessions and Erotemes

Revolution for Beginners and Polyamory for Dumbasses

Under a Crescent Moon

Eugene Sevenstark and the Hesperus Treasure

Hope Against Hope

Love, Death and Cannoli

Fata Morgana

We Three Kings

History of a Catastrophe

Ragnarök in G Minor

A Day in the Light

Ancillary material

IBO reference notes on … original(ish) characters

IBO reference notes on … actual, proper original characters

Section breaks master-list

The Wishing on Space Hardware playlist (story edition) v1.0

The Riden-Go II

Graffiti

Iron-Blooded Orphans

My obsession with this show is extremely deep and I have written a lot of words about it.

Fanfic and visual poetry

System error

I've been thinking about smiles

Why are you crying?

You are a hero

Falling for a fool (20 part post series, link is to part 1; Afterword)

Contact

Meta and analysis

Concerning Mika and Orga

Concerning Mika/Orga

Concerning the Bauduins

Concerning pilot strengths

Concerning character consistency

Concerning the Dort pilots

Concerning Barbatos

Concerning the timeline

Concerning McGillis

Concerning Tekkadan's flaws

Concerning Gaelio

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 1)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 2)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (corrigendum)

IBO reference notes on … three key Yamagi scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Shino scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Eugene scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Ride scenes

IBO reference notes on … the tone of the setting

IBO reference notes on … character parallels and counterpoints

IBO reference notes on … a perfect villain

IBO reference notes on … Iron-Blooded Orphans: Gekko

IBO reference notes on … an act of unspeakable cruelty

IBO reference notes on … Kudelia’s decisions

IBO reference notes on … the aesthetics of the mobile frame

IBO reference notes on … mobile suit designations

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 1)

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 2)

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 3)

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (Addendum 1)

IBO reference notes on … the Turbines, or ‘Tekkadan done right’

IBO reference notes on … deals with the devil

IBO reference notes on … odds and ends

IBO reference notes on … pilot ability

IBO reference notes on … queerness

IBO reference notes on … the lie of Agnika Kaieru

IBO reference notes on … the battle at the low-orbit station

IBO reference notes on … spacesuits

IBO reference notes on … the economic blocs

IBO reference notes on … spaceships

Other stuff

An Iron-Blooded Orphans playlist

An off-the-cuff McGillis Fareed playlist

IBO reference notes on … assorted head-canons

Gjallarhorn logo replicated

Index for Iron-Blooded Orphans G summaries and analysis

Gundam franchise stuff

Managing multiple Gundams (conversation with @gremoria411)

Why I really like Gundam X

Definitive Gundam rankings (per my enjoyment levels)

My opinion on Witch From Mercury (extends above)

Detailed and accurate summary of the Gundam protagonists

Doctor Who

A short essay about Cybermen

Why I'm not currently active in Who fandom

Writing and fandom

Me vs romance (conversation with @caparrucia)

On silliness

20 years writing fanfic

The 'not your pub' approach to entitlement

#index #organisation #fanfic #meta #reference

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prolestariwrites · 2 years ago

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Between Goddess and Demon by lickitysplit

Nanatsu no Taizai | Melizabeth | AU | Rated T

Summary: A powerful demon banished for centuries. A lonely goddess trying to find her place in the world. When she accidentally sets him free, their fates entangle—which will bring either peace or turmoil to Britannia.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Guess who's back? Although I never really left! With the end of NNT I went on to write for some other fandoms, although I still wrote a great deal about my faves on the side for fun. But here I am in 2023 writing Melizabeth again so we're gonna party like it's 2018.

This is an AU based on Love Between Fairy and Devil. There are lots of changes though to make it canon-aligned, so if you've seen the show, hopefully you'll still be surprised by a few things! I'm posting the first chapter below for any new readers, and the rest will be up on my AO3 (which is linked in my header). If you like what you read you can let me know with a comment or reblog. Finally, shout out to my writing group at the Old Forest for their help and support!

Elizabeth slowly walks towards the Celestial Palace, clutching a small silver box in her hand. The lands that surround the palace are made to look like the plush forests of Britannia below, and she enjoys the cool air of the morning as she draws closer. It does wonders to settle her nervous stomach and keep her fingers from trembling.

She is nearly feeling confident by the time the trees and grass give way to the marble walkway that leads to the palace, until she spies the group of goddesses that are already waiting at the entrance. For a moment she hesitates, wondering if she should just turn around; already she can spot several girls she knows, with powers and status well above her station. But this will be the first glimpse of the archangel since his triumphant return, and perhaps the last time she will have the chance to see him indefinitely. Screwing her courage, Elizabeth raises her chin and tries not to stumble as she approaches the crowd.

Several of the girls turn and titter when she comes in earshot. "Elizabeth, are you lost?" one laughs.

"No," she murmurs, dipping her head. "I am visiting the palace today."

The tallest of the group walks over with arms folded. "Is that gift for Lord Mael?" she asks loudly.

Elizabeth's cheeks go pink as she nods. "I brought some violet cake. I had heard that he—"

She is cut off with another round of laughter. "Elizabeth," the goddess clucks with a smile. "Lord Mael is the god of war. His brother is the head archangel who rules in the queen's stead. Do you really think the most powerful goddess in the realm wants cake as a present?"

She presses her lips together, eyes darting down to the little box. "I thought a bit of home would be a welcome comfort to him."

The goddess rolls her eyes. "I'm sure he'll love it," she grins before rejoining her friends.

Elizabeth turns away, lifting her head and trying desperately to ignore the others. There is a lingering shame at not having a better gift—the others probably have gold and jewels to present—but Elizabeth knows that Mael likes this recipe.

Her mind drifts to their last meeting, when he had said goodbye to her on the steps to the temple of fate. Mael had smiled at her warmly and wished her luck with her new position. At his urging, her master took her on as an apprentice, effectively saving her from ending up a lowly servant in one of the sky palaces. "How can I ever thank you?" she had pleaded.

"This is payment for all you've done for me," he had said.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No! All you've done for our clan, for Britannia... and now to help someone like me? I must repay this debt."

Then Mael had chuckled and replied, "Then wrap me one of your cakes to take with me back to the Celestial Palace. I find I miss them when it is cold."

Warmed by the memory, Elizabeth is nearly jumping with the sound of the approaching entourage. The goddesses start to chatter excitedly when the flags are spotted. Several rows of soldiers in brilliant regalia lead the procession, the white and gold colors on the flag shining brilliantly in the sunlight. In the middle walks Mael himself, still wearing his golden armor, a long white cape flowing behind him.

A cheer goes up at his approach. Elizabeth hurries to the edge to wave, but she is knocked back by the other goddesses jostling for position. Mael nods in greeting as they call his name, and Elizabeth quickly tries to move through the crowd to catch him before he enters the palace. Others with gifts lay them along the road, and Mael offers thanks to each one as one of the soldiers picks it up to carry as they continue their way. Those lucky enough to have gotten a personal thanks squeal happily when he passes.

The group is nearly at the gate, and so in a last-ditch effort Elizabeth pushes through two shouting goddesses to offer her gift. An elbow catches her in the back and sends her sprawling, the silver box falling from her hands and nearly getting trampled as the soldiers pass. With a cry she scrambles up to her elbows, but by the time she stands, Mael has passed through the gates, her gift laying unclaimed in the dirt.

She picks it up dejectedly, her heart sinking. Not only did she fail to give it to Mael, but it is now ruined, the cake inside half-crushed.

The others dissipate slowly as they compare notes on the procession. Alone, Elizabeth turns to head back to her home, ignoring the chatter and laughter around her.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Her master is having tea with her sister when Elizabeth returns to her home. Jenna eyes the broken box as she walks past to set it on a table. "I assume his lordship returned safely?"

Elizabeth only nods, trying not to show her disappointment as she tidies the room. "Would you like more tea?" she asks.

"Who came back?" Zaneri asks. "I don't remember hearing about this."

"Lord Mael is back from the battles," Jenna huffs. "You know, for the guardian of memory you certainly can't retain a single thing in that head of yours."

The two sisters bicker, and it is almost comforting to hear their familiar arguments. She waters the plants and sweeps the floor, but before she can head into the library to check on the books, Jenna calls her to join them.

Elizabeth sits across from the two sisters. They are identical twins, except for the hair: Jenna is blonde, nearly white, while Zaneri is black as midnight. They each guard the past and future, keeping the lines of fate intact and organized so that destinies do not get mixed up and cause chaos. Jenna is her master and tutor, who took her in at Mael's suggestion; as her apprentice, Elizabeth tends to the books, fixing pages that fade with time and organizing the volumes in the ever-growing library.

"Elizabeth, Zaneri and I are going on a trip," Jenna says.

The goddess frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I need a break, quite frankly," she sighs. "We've been looking after fate for thousands of years. And I haven't had a single day off since."

Elizabeth looks between them, thinking of the many afternoons Jenna has dozed on her hammock as Elizabeth sat hunched over pages needing repairs. "Yes, I can... see how taxing it all is."

"Well you have been performing admirably, so I am pleased to leave the library in your care."

With that, the two sisters stand, and Elizabeth scrambles to her feet. "Wait! You're leaving now? Just like that."

Zaneri gives a loud, impatient sigh, but Jenna just laughs. "You know what to do. Fix what is broken, maintain the new threads. Most importantly, no reading. You can close the library to visitors if you'd like."

They head towards the door with Elizabeth on their heels. "How long will you be away?"

"Just a millennia or so. Maybe less if Zaneri annoys me."

"Hey!" Zaneri protests.

"Wait!" Elizabeth slides in front of them, between the sisters and the door. "But..." Her brows draw together as she twists her hands. "I just stay here? Alone?"

Jenna gives her a comforting pat. "Don't worry so much. Follow the rules and you'll be fine. We won't be gone long."

Elizabeth stammers a protest after them, but the sisters do not pay her any heed. She stands at the door and watches them head down the path before blinking out of sight.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

A year passes, then another. The library grows several new shelves to hold the new books that appear in random order. The pages of those who have lived for thousands of years grow brittle and yellow with age, needing careful reconstruction into fresh leather binding. Ink fades and paper tears, covers are bent, and tomes get shuffled out of order. Visitors come to request a peek at theirs or another's fortune, only to be served flower tea and a gentle denial.

Elizabeth holds fast to her duties in an otherwise boring existence. Her days are filled with one task after another as she falls into a routine of cooking, cleaning, repairing, shopping, tending the garden, repeat over and over and over again. The solitude can be lovely at times; she particularly likes to sit on the uppermost balcony among the vines that twirl along the railing and soak in the sun as the clouds roll by lazily. But on nights when a storm blows through, she huddles under her blankets and wishes for someone, anyone, to keep her company.

Her weekly trips to the market are a bright point, although most of the goddesses treat Elizabeth with a polite indifference. Her status as a lowly apprentice keeps the merchants from wanting anything other than her coin, and her shy and awkward nature stops her from anything more than a passing conversation with the other young women. Life is peaceful and lovely in the Celestial Realm, and they travel freely between the sky palaces that are under the protection of the archangels.

One day at the market, Elizabeth notices a flurry of activity as the goddesses crowd around and talk excitedly to one another. She wanders over to see the commotion, her eyes going wide when she spots Lord Mael.

He is speaking quietly to one of the soldiers, and when he is ready he raises a hand for attention. The square quiets down and he gives a nod of greeting. "My dear kinsmen," he says. "I've come to announce that the royal guard is seeking new recruits."

There is an excited buzz in the crowd. The royal guard only takes new members as necessary, an incredible honor with the added bonus of serving directly under Mael. Elizabeth's chest tightens with excitement. Anyone is eligible to take the trials, even a low-ranking apprentice like herself. As he goes on to describe the skills and duties of a guard, she pictures herself at his side, fighting against the evil in the world. Surely he would notice her then, and she would become his favorite?

"The trial is in three weeks' time," Mael announces. "Best of luck to all of our warriors."

The crowd applauds excitedly, but Elizabeth frowns. Warriors? She looks at her hands with a sigh. Her magic is healing-based, and she has never been in combat. Does she even have a chance at this?

These troubled thoughts remain as she heads home to the library. Elizabeth takes the longer way home, deciding a walk through the woods will help settle her mind. Can a goddess with healing magic have any hope of becoming a guard? Would she ever have the chance to get closer to the archangel?

So lost in her thoughts, Elizabeth doesn't see the tree root in the ground until she is stumbling. A firm hand catches her before she falls, and her face heats when she looks up to find Mael gazing back at her. "Are you alright?" he asks.

"Lord Mael!" she gasps. Then she quickly gets herself together, smoothing her dress and laughing nervously. "Yes, thank you. Lost in my thoughts."

"I hope they were good ones," he replies warmly.

Elizabeth smiles at him, unsure of what to say. He is just as handsome as she remembers, and now being right next to him, she finds herself a bit overwhelmed. As one moment after another stretches on, however, the air between them grows awkward.

Before she has the chance to respond, Mael gives her a nod and moves to continue walking. Quickly Elizabeth says, "Lord Mael! Please wait a moment."

He looks at her expectantly and she swallows against a dry throat. "I... I brought you a cake when you returned."

"A cake?"

He frowns in confusion so she hurries on, "Yes. But I was unable to get it to you." Mael tilts his head, still clearly not understanding, so Elizabeth squeaks, "Do you remember? You said you liked them. At the library."

There is a beat before recognition dawns on his face. "Oh! You're the goddess that became an apprentice. Yes, I remember." He chuckles lightly. "Well, I thank you for your kindness anyway."

Elizabeth beams. "I was just in the market when you made your announcement."

"Oh? Will you be entering the trial?"

She bites her lip nervously. "I'd like to... but I don't know if I can. I fear it may be too difficult."

Mael smiles warmly. "I remember when I faced my own trial. I was incredibly nervous."

"You were?"

The goddess nods. "Yes. But as long as you believe in yourself, it is possible."

Elizabeth sucks in a deep breath. "Thank you," she sighs.

"Best of luck to you," he says.

Mael gives a short bow, and Elizabeth returns the gesture with a curtsey. Then he turns and heads towards the palace; she watches him go, wishing that they could keep talking.

"Lord Mael!" she shouts. He pauses and turns, and Elizabeth waves her hand. "I'll do my best and pass the trial and become a royal guard!"

He nods with a grin and gives her a little wave before continuing on. She watches a few more minutes before hurrying back to the library, excitement blooming in her chest.

However, by the time Elizabeth returns to the library doubt has settled in once more. She keeps herself busy with some sweeping and preparing lunch, but her nerves has her mind wandering again and again to the trial. What if she is asked to fight a monster, or a demon? She has no experience with weapons and has never used her magic for anything other than healing. If she were to be faced with an enemy, she would surely fail, if she survived at all.

Mael had said that he was nervous for his own trial; Elizabeth tries to picture the confident archangel as nervous and fails. How did he overcome it, she wonders? Once more her mind wanders as she moves among the bookshelves, absentmindedly placing volumes in their spots. If only she knew more about his experience.

Of course, there is a way... Elizabeth bites her lower lip, a shiver going down her spine. Looking at a soul's book is not allowed. But a peek? At things that have already happened? Surely that wouldn't be too bad.

Before she can talk herself out of it, Elizabeth makes a beeline for Mael's book. She finds it on a shelf with the other great archangels, needing a ladder to climb to the stack and clutching it tightly as she hurries back to the desk. Her heart races as she settles in the chair and traces her fingers over the cover. It is a silver leaf, reminding her of his hair, the intricate patterns in the binding indicative of the many feats he has accomplished.

With her eyes closed, Elizabeth opens the book. Normally when fixing a page she can only see a portion, and is trained to not pay attention to the words as not to read them accidentally as she fixes the tears and smeared ink. But now she must try to find the right page, so she cracks open her eyes just a bit to peek, skimming along the story of his childhood.

Another few pages brings her to his schooling. The trial must be next, but a noise outside catches her attention first. Elizabeth jolts upright, staring at the doorway in alarm. "Hello?" she calls, her voice shaking slightly.

No one answers, and when another noise sounds she realizes it's the wind. "Calm down, Elizabeth," she chastises herself, pressing her palm to her chest. "Just find what you're looking for and go."

She swallows nervously and lifts the back cover of the book, intending to skip ahead a few pages. But she tilts at a sharp angle and nearly the entire book's worth of pages flitter in a rapid cascade until they land with a thunk. With a gasp she tries to stop it, but too late: Elizabeth is now at the end of the book, losing her place.

"Oh no," she breathes. Her brows draw down as she quickly scans the page; how far did she go? Mael has so many accomplishments that it is hard to pinpoint where in time the pages landed. Quickly she starts scanning, no longer trying to keep herself from discovering any secrets. Was this a year ago, or a hundred? She winces, trying to remember.

With a huff she starts turning pages, wanting to find her spot quickly. When the words start blurring together, she flicks the pages in frustration before slumping over onto the book. She has pressed her luck enough going through the pages, and needs to stop this dangerous game.

Sighing, Elizabeth slowly sits up when a passage catches her eye. The demon king, sealed in his dark realm, breaks through...

"The demon king?" she says aloud.

In confusion she continues reading. The demon king is just a legend: a fierce warrior who lived a thousand years before, leading his ten unbeatable soldiers against the other clans to take over all of Britannia. He ridded himself of emotion in order to take possession of a forbidden power, until the first archangel used all her power to seal him in Purgatory, to remain for all time.

But it isn't real, just a story told to children when they are naughty. Not only that, Elizabeth knows it isn't real because there is no book for the demon king. The demons themselves have waned in power and number, their destinies gathering dust in volumes on high, forgotten shelves masked by cobwebs.

So how can this be in Mael's book? She continues reading: ...the king of demons threatens the goddess' life, taking his future for his own.

With a cry Elizabeth snaps the book shut. What could this mean? She dashes a few tears from her eyes, her hands trembling as she presses them into her lap. If there really is a demon king, could Mael be in danger? Would he break the seal and take his life?

"I need to warn him," she whispers, quickly scrambling to her feet. The consequences for looking at Mael's future does not matter any longer. Only if she can get to him and explain somehow, if his life is saved, it will be worth it.

She finds the Celestial Palace in disarray. The wind that had thumped so loudly against her library windows has picked up into a fury, and the gates are barred as soldiers assemble together. "Please," she says to the porter, "I must see Lord Mael. It's an emergency."

"Lord Mael is on the battlefield," he replies. "Go home, little goddess, and lock your doors. There is evil rising in Britannia."

She takes a step back, her breath catching. Could today be the day? Elizabeth turns and hurries away, following the storm clouds and the bands of soldiers to try to find Mael. She takes the doorways between the palaces, jetting among the clouds as she seeks the source of the storm. The sky grows darker and blacker, lightning strikes in the distance, but Elizabeth pushes on.

At the very edge of the realm is a tower that serves as the last outpost of the Celestial Realm. Beyond is a sea that ends at the horizon, that legends say leads to where the demons once lived. Below is Britannia, home of the other clans. Elizabeth had never been this far before, but there is no mistaking that the source of the storm is coming from that direction. Hurrying as fast as she can, she finds the goddess army assembling, and high on the tower, Mael stands in shining armor, his sword drawn.

"Lord Mael!" she cries, but her voice is drowned out by the wind. Trying to stay hidden, she uses her magic to mask herself as a soldier, running between the groups to reach the tower. A few call for her to stop, but she pays them no mind, pulling her helmet down to not be discovered.

At the base of the tower Elizabeth stops in terror. The sea beyond is dark and choppy, a swirl of black clouds gathering as the center of the storm. But it is not a storm, she realizes, but a seal, and the way the lightning strikes it, it is clear it is breaking. "All goddesses to arms!" Mael cries from above. "Prepare to defend the realm!"

Elizabeth pushes past the rushing soldiers and runs inside the tower. A curved staircase takes her up and up to the highest balcony, the goddess nearly out of breath by the time she arrives. "Mael," she pants, leaning heavily against the doorway. "Lord Mael, please stop!"

He does not hear her, turning to the angels Tarmiel and Sariel at his sides. "I will seal the demon myself," he says, his great wings unfurling.

"No!" Elizabeth cries. She can see the scene play out in her mind's eye: Mael will fly to meet the demon king, and too late to stop him, the king will emerge and kill him. With no other choice, Elizabeth rushes forward, knocking Mael aside and climbing onto the railing before jumping off the side to whatever doom awaits.

#nnt #nanatsu no taizai #meliodas #demon meliodas #nnt elizabeth #goddess elizabeth #fan fiction #between goddess and demon #slow burn #enemies to friends to lovers #fantasy au #based on lbfad #my return to nnt fic!

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