#holiday lighting seattle

[theprocleanteamwa]

Types of Professional Cleaning Services (via GIPHY)

[christmaslightssalesman]

Pike Place Market, Holiday season 2023/2024.

[greenduvet]

happy december 🎄🌆

[samanthamalay]

Seattle Light Room is a community darkroom and gallery focusing on analog and alternative photography. Their December Market features work by 20+ local artists, including my beeswax-on-textile greeting cards, through December 24, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 5040 Wilson Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118 https://www.theseattlelightroom.com/

Play Right Away, from the Blue Hobby collage series by Samantha Malay; reclaimed fabric, beeswax, 1954 hobby magazine ads

[bevanne46]

ILLUMINATE YOUR HOLIDAYS with WILDLANTERNS at Woodland Park & Zoo in Seattle, WA

November 10, 2023 – January 14, 2024 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Last ticket is sold at 7:00 p.m.)

An immersive, interactive, larger-than-life experience unlike any in the Northwest! WildLanterns presented by BECU returns this winter with brand-new lanterns and themed zones, along with some returning fan favorites, that will “wow” anyone, no matter their age!

[cosperclick]

What's worse? Fireworks going off all week, or the Online Posters™️ complaining with righteous indignation in every local subreddit and hashtag they can think of?

[hoonieyun]

letter from: jongseong ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

on the fifth day of christmas, you asked me what's on my wishlist and i told you all i wanted was forever with my boo... -ariana grance "true love"

pairing: park jongseong x reader

genre: romance/fluff - marriage proposal

warnings: nothing really but always 18+

summary: jongseong proposes on christmas day

christmas herald masterlist ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

word count: 2932

The drive up to Jay’s winter family cabin up in Northern Washington was long but scenic. It had a lot of beautiful sights and fun pitstops that you’d never see back in South Korea. The two of you were vacationing in his home state for the holidays and after spending a few days in his hometown, your plan was now to drive up to his family’s winter cabin and spend Christmas there with just the two of you. 

You and Jay have been together for almost 3 years now, January 1st would not only be bringing the new year but also marking the 3rd year of you and Jay’s relationship. You two have known each other since Jay moved to Korea from Seattle and it just so happened to be that your mom was from Seattle but moved to Korea when she met your dad. The two of you have been inseperable since. 

Growing up together people would often make comments about how you two looked perfect for each other or just assumed that you two were dating and although you weren’t at the time, you couldn’t help but imagine a life where Jay was your prince charming– until about 3 years ago during your first year of University where Jay drunkely confesses that he’s had a crush on you since the two of you were 16. He embarrassingly tried to ignore it the next day but when you returned with a confession of your own, the two of you would spend the next few weeks dating and this eventually led to him finally asking you to be his girlfriend as the clock struck 12am on the new year. 

The last 3 years of your life have been magical and spending it with your best friend who just happens to be your boyfriend made it all the better. Both of your parents already knew the two of you would eventually end up together, the only question was when. 

“You doing okay, honey? We’re almost there.” Jay says, his calm voice pulling you out of the memories of the last 2 Christmases that you’ve spent together. When you first started dating you spent Christmas with both of your parents, then the next year only with your parents because Jay’s moved back to Seattle, and this year you spent a few days with his family before making the drive up to the cabin like you were doing now. 

“I’m alright, don’t worry honey.” you respond, giving him a warm smile, one that he returns with his own. Warmth. That was a word you could use to describe Jay: warm. 

Even on the coldest nights in Korea or here in Washington where it seems to be cold about 80% of the year, being around Jay was the warmth that you needed to forget about the freezing cold that threatened to nip at your skin, creating goosebumps that littered your body. Even when you weren’t feeling cold, Jay’s warmth was able to provide you with a type of serenity and solace that no one else could. Like he was this beacon of light that instantly soothed you whenever he was around. His kind, caring, and affectionate demeanor was what drew you to him. You truly were the luckiest person alive to be on the receiving end of Jay’s love and you wouldn’t trade him for anyone else in the world because he let you feel the love and warmth you deserved to feel in a world that seemed to be freezing over with an icy cold pandemic that caused people to be unkind and mean spirited. 

Jay glances over at you with that smile that you loved so much, grabbing your hand with his and pressing a kiss onto your knuckles, “I can’t wait to spend this time with you. It’ll be unforgettable.” he says before placing another warm kiss on your skin and setting it back down on your lap so he could drive with both hands on the wheel like the responsible guy that you knew him as. 

After another pitstop to use the restroom and taking photos of the snow covered trees, you arrived at the cabin just a few hours before the sun would start to set. It was Christmas Eve and you and Jay planned to just settle in and have a calm day when you arrive and on Christmas Day you would have a wonderful dinner cooked by Jay and spend Christmas cuddled up in front of a fire most likely watching a Christmas movie you’ve seen x amount of times. 

“We’re here!” Jay says enthusiastically, running out of his seat and over to your side of the car to open it for you but not before puckering up for a kiss as he helps you out of the car. The two of you unload the trunk of your things, just a few bags of clothes and food to last you the week as you’d be there until the New Year. The cabin was beautiful, it was surrounded by the tallest of trees that were covered in snow, several string lights were strung from different trees, and the cabin itself had its own charm. It had high reinforced windows, beautiful oak logs and panels that made up the cabin itself, and near the front of the door you found small footprints in the snow that you could assume to be from a family of deer somewhere in the snowy forest. 

As Jay brought your bags and his into the cabin, you quickly check the hidden compartment of the trunk that lifted and revealed a section that was hidden into the bottom of the trunk itself. There laid your Christmas gift that you hid from Jay before you left for the drive to ensure he didn’t see you pack it into the car. You shut the compartment back up when Jay called for you and decided that you’d bring the gift in another time when Jay was preoccupied with something, perhaps while he’s cooking dinner tomorrow. 

“Coming, honey!” you shout, closing the trunk and carefully skipping over to Jay who waited for you at the entrance of the cabin with his arms open. You quickened your pace as you got closer causing you to slip on the ice on the patio but of course, Jay, your knight in shining armor, was there to catch you before you could even come close to falling. A gasp leaves your lips but it leaves just as quick when you realize Jay has caught you with his strong arms wrapped around your waist. 

“My savior!” you say dramatically, acting like you were about to faint from the situation and Jay decides to play along; throwing your legs into the air and catching you bridal style. “Fear not my lovely maiden! Your knight in shining armor is here to save you from your cute clumsiness.” he announces, walking the two of you and plopping you down onto the couch that was in the living room just a few feet from the front door. “Hey! I’m not clumsy…” you say, pouting.

“Aww, honey– yes you are.” Jay responds, placing a kiss onto your pouty lips in the middle of his sentence. 

The rest of the day goes by fairly quickly as you and Jay spend most of it lounging around in each other’s warmth, laid up on the couch with his arms wrapped around you while you watch various Christmas movies. 

Soon enough, you’re yawning and looking out the window to be met with the big and bright moon gleaming into the cabin through one of the windows; the shadows of snow falling from the sky bleeding into the moonlight. “Sleepy?” Jay asks and you look up at him, head still on his chest before nodding. “Off to bed we go!” he says, picking you up again bridal style and taking you to the bedroom where he tucks you in goodnight with his arms acting as an extra layer of warmth to the fluffy blanket covering the two of you. 

“Goodnight honey.” Jay says with a kiss to your temple, his low and sweet voice almost lulling you to sleep. 

“Goodnight, my love.” you respond quietly, sleep soon taking over as yours and Jay’s light snores fill the room. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s Christmas morning and you’re awoken by the scent of pancakes, bacon, and eggs on the stove; an indicator that Jay is in the kitchen cooking up breakfast for the two of you– before you’re even able to throw the thick blanket off of your body, Jay is emerging from behind the bedroom door and walking over to your with bright eyes and a smile; holding a breakfast bed tray with the most delicious smelling and looking food. Eggs, just the way you like it, a stack of pancakes, crispy bacon, and a cup of hot cocoa in a mug that the two of you had made in a ceramic class one day when you first started dating. 

“Babe!” you say with a bright eyed pout as you watch him come closer with the tray of food, Jay’s smile only getting bigger. “Breakfast for my queen.” he says as he sets it down over your legs. “This looks so delicious, thank you my love.” you say, sharing a kiss as a thank you to him for his kindness. “Did you eat?:” you ask and he nods, “Just a bit, don’t worry I’ll bring myself a plate over, i just want you to have a bite first.” he explains and you scrunch your nose at him with a small smile. 

You soon take a bite of the pancake’s and it’s probably the best pancake you’ve ever had. Jay was a great cook but it’s the simpler foods that he cooks that is your favorite. It induces a nostalgic feeling like you’re 4 years old trying pancakes for the first time and it becomes your hyperfixation for the next month or so where that’s all you can ask your mom to make when she asks you what you want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Like Jay. You would choose him at any time of the day. 

You cut him a small piece of the pancake and he takes the bite before excusing himself to grab his own plate so the two of you could have breakfast in bed together. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s about 5PM when you’re doing the finishing touches to your hair and makeup for a Christmas dinner prepared by Jay. Your hair is done in simple voluminous curls that falls over your shoulders that hold up the black velvet dress you’re wearing with red bows and white fur accents. It’s cold but the warmth inside of the cabin allow for you to wear a dress so that you don’t freeze to death during your dinner with Jay. 

You could smell the food he’s cooking from your bathroom and you can’t wait to eat whatever delicious food he’s cooked up. 

“YN, honey! Dinner is ready, my love.” Jay shouts from the dining room and as if you teleported into the room, you’re walking in just as he’s finished setting up the table. He’s wearing a simple white button up that hugged his toned arms and physique and a warmth in your stomach begins to settle as you look at Jay, thinking about a life where he was your husband and not your boyfriend. 

“Wow, you look… wow” Jay says, truly at a loss for words at your beauty. 

“You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” you say, wrapping your arms around his neck as he wraps his arm around your waist; slowly dipping you into a kiss like you were in a romance movie of a lifetime. 

“Let’s eat.” Jay says, pulling out your seat and pushing it in as you sit down; always a gentleman. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

You’re just about done with dinner when Jay suddenly clears his throat. “I know we agreed to not get each other gifts, but I couldn’t not get you anything.” he says and you teasingly narrow your eyes at him as he grabs a small wrapped box from the cupboard in the kitchen. “Did you really hide it up there?” you ask with a chuckle. 

“Of course, I knew you’d never find it because you can’t reach up there.” he jokingly says and you pout at him as he puts the gift in front of you. Urging you to open it with his eyes, watching you with excitement as you carefully tear into the wrapping paper. 

The item inside leaves you speechless, mouth agape, as you pull it out. Inside was a glass snowglobe, a ballerina in a pink dress spins as you shake the snowglobe. “How did you find this?” you ask, looking up at him with teary eyes. Jay explains that he spent months looking for it and one day when you guys were in Seattle, walking around downtown, the snowglobe caught his eye. He urged you and his parents to continue while he sneakily bought it and rejoined you all at a food stand. 

It wasn’t just any snowglobe. It was the exact snowglobe you had when you were younger and dreamt of becoming a ballerina. Your dreams however, are cut short due to a knee injury, and the snowglobe was the last thing that helped you cope with your dreams as a child. You lost the snowglobe when you had moved cities for college and were devastated when you lost it in the move– and here you were now reunited with the beautiful object that reminded you of your youth and now also serves as a reminder of the kindness and love that Jay has for you. 

You give him a tight hug and endless kisses as a thank you that he doesn’t decline, returning with a hug even tighter and accepting all the kisses you wanted to give to him. 

“Well, I’m glad you ended up getting me something because I got you something too…” you confess and Jay raises his eyebrows with a little smile as you walk away to grab your gift. You had sneakily brought it inside from the car when Jay was in the shower. 

His gift was fairly large so he instantly ran over to you so that you didn’t have to carry it from across the room to where he was sitting; the two of you moved to the living room to open his gift. 

“Merry Christmas, honey.” you mutter and Jay gives you a smile before opening the box, mouth instantly open before he could even fully see the item inside of the large black box. 

“You did not…” Jay says, looking over to you and you’re just nodding excitedly as he continues to open it, pulling out a glossy deep blue guitar that had little white spots that fall into the consellation of taurus– Jay’s sign. 

He had been looking for this guitar for almost 2 years now and had no luck, luckily for you– you were able to find it one day when one of your friend’s was parousing around in the UK. They instantly called you to ask if that was the guitar and you nodded, telling them that you would send the money to purchase it and whatever cost the shipping would be, you’d paid for it. 

“I can’t believe you found it, oh my god…” Jay says, placing the guitar on his thighs as he slightly plays with the strings, a small tune rings through the cabin as he adjusts the tuning. “Thank you, baby. Oh my god I’m speechless…” Jay says, getting up to give you a kiss on the lips like it was the first time you two had ever kissed. 

He puts the guitar back in its case, “I’ve actually got one more gift…” Jay begins to say. 

“YN, you’re absolutely the best thing to happen in my life. I can’t imagine a life without you– you’ve taught me a different type of happiness that I wouldn’t find in anyone else. 

You’re the person I look for when I walk into a room. 

You fill me with love that I’ve never felt before. 

You allow me to make mistakes and encourage me to learn from them. 

Growing up our parents and everyone around us seemed to have this premade story that we would end up together and I held that story in my heart, knowing that it wasn’t just a story but it would eventually become the truth. 

Our story. 

You’re my best friend, my teacher, the love of my life…” Jay says, kneeling down on one knee and pulling out a small red velvet box. 

“YN, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?” Jay asks as tears are falling from your eyes. 

You’re saying yes before he can even finish the question, jumping onto him with a hug as he chuckles at your reaction; engulfing you into a warm hug. “100% yes.” you mutter into his neck as the two of you stand up onto your feet. He gently places the ring onto your finger and once again the two of you share a kiss in front of the fireplace, snow falling outside, and the moons shining into the cabin through the crystal windows. 

A kiss that feels like it’s your first kiss together and in many ways it is. It’s your first kiss as fiancés and you can’t wait to have your first kiss together as husband and wife. 

copyright 2024 - present © hoonieyun all rights reserved

all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3

[headkiss]

I LOVE THE WAY YOU WRITE HOTCH! ❤️ He’s so soft and I can’t ; -;.

For Christmas requests, can I request the team trying to set up Hotch and reader through either mistletoe or Secret Santa? TY!

hiii thank you so much!! i hope u like it <3 merry christmas and happy holidays! 🫶🎄 | 0.6k of fluff

Unbeknownst to you, the team has been trying to get you and Hotch together for ages.

They’ve seen the way you steal glances at him on the jet, when his head is bent and he’s focused on his paperwork, seen the way he steals glances at you, too. They’ve also seen the two of you grow close, a deliberate yet soft squeeze of the shoulder here, a shared smile there.

They also know that neither of you can tell that the other feels exactly the same. so they’ve decided to take things into their own hands.

“Hey,” Emily grabs your attention, your head lifting to look over at her.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you could ask Hotch for that file from the Seattle case for me?” She faux sighs, “I’m too focused on this report to leave it right now.”

“Okay,” you nod, pushing up from your desk. “No problem.”

You don’t suspect anything, partially because you’re just a little bit oblivious sometimes, and partially because you figure she’s just trying to get things done to get home quicker on the holidays, and you don’t blame her.

Christmas at the BAU isn’t the most festive one, except for the small tree that Garcia has insisted should be put up every year. Other than that, it’s business as usual.

Or, it should be.

You walk up the few stairs to get to Hotch’s office, knocking on the open door when you get there. Aaron stands from his desk when he sees you, meeting you by the doorframe.

“Hi,” you say, “sorry, Emily asked if I could-”

It’s then that you notice a piece of mistletoe taped sloppily—Derek’s work, probably—to the top of the door. Aaron follows your gaze upwards and notices it, too.

“Oh,” you look back to his face, “I had no idea that was there, I’ll just-”

Hotch catches your wrist as you turn to leave, gently tugging you into his office and closing the door behind the two of you, giving you privacy from the team that had been hoping their plan would work.

“I didn’t know, either,” he says, his fingers still around your wrist, warm and rough, but his touch is soft. “If they’re making you uncomfortable with this, I can talk to them.”

You shake your head, shuffling on your feet, far too aware of his hand on your skin, of his eyes kind and searching. “No, no it’s not that. It’s just- it’s silly, right? Them thinking that we’d, um, kiss.”

“Is it?” He asks, because he’s wanted to kiss you for a long time, and even though he’s afraid, he thinks it’s time you know that. Time the team gets off his ass about it, too.

“Hotch,” your voice has gone quieter, unsure that he means what you think he does, what you want him to mean.

“Aaron,” he corrects gently.

Your chest rises on your intake of breath, Aaron stepping a bit closer to you, your shoes nearly toe to toe.

“You don’t think it’s silly, Aaron?”

“No, I don’t.” His free hand pushes your hair away from your face, fingers staying on your jawline afterwards. “I’ve liked you for a long time, and they know it.”

“Oh, wow,” you shift so that he’s holding your hand rather than your wrist, fingers tangling easily. You think that maybe it’s the holidays that make you braver, the love in the air, “I like you, too.”

It feels so juvenile to say it that way, especially where Hotch—Aaron—is concerned, but it’s all you can muster with his hands on you and his gaze flicking to your mouth.

“I’d rather not do it here, but I do want to kiss you,” he says. “Any dinner plans today?”

“No. Not as of now, at least.”

“Have dinner with me?”

“Okay,” your answer is easy.

And that night, after dinner, when he does kiss you on your porch, Christmas lights illuminating your faces, you’re thankful for the mistletoe.

[theprocleanteamwa]

Types of Professional Cleaning Services (via GIPHY)

[wonnieluv]

I met you in the dark… you lit me up - p.js

Summary: The small cafe down the street became your safe haven from the busy life you’ve thrusted yourself into after moving to Seattle this past summer. It’s quiet, calm, warm… everything you could want until one day a cute guy with his guitar disrupts your peace and quiet

stranger!Jay x fem!reader,

warnings: none! mentions of loneliness but that’s about it

masterlist

June 2024 — you aren’t quite sure how everything happened… one morning you were chatting with your parents as they make you breakfast as they always did… the next thing you know you’re on a plane moving halfway across the country to a city you have quite literally never been to. You were never the adventurous type. Not in high school, definitely not in college, and, until now, not after college either.

Y/N L/N. In school, you weren’t the valedictorian, you weren’t even salutatorian. But you were smart. Just smart enough to pass under everyone’s radars in high school but get on the radars of some of the best schools in the country. After finally graduating with your masters, you’re now in your way to Seattle to start your first big job out of college at a major tech company. You were excited for the job but moving to a new city where you knew no one… it’s not an easy thing.

♡♡︎♡︎♡︎

November, 2024 — it’s been 5 months since your life was put into high gear. After you settled into your apartment you immediately started up wanted to get acclimated to your job as quick as possible. Your coworkers are nice and your boss is nice enough but the workload… it’s nothing you can’t do. In fact it’s actually pretty easy. So why are you so burnt out?

The real reason is you’ve been going on autopilot, working deadline to deadline. It felt robotic really but you don’t want to admit you’d fallen victim to the capitalist tech workforce. You brushed it off, it’ll go away eventually… right? (Spoiler alert it did not)

One random Sunday you decided you needed to stop spending your days off rotting in bed when the sun is actually shining (a rarity for Seattle in the winter you’ve come to discover). You found the quaintest little cafe down the street from your apartment. Entering the space, you hear the chime of the bell above the door and you’re overcome by the aroma. It’s coffee, of course it’s coffee, but it’s coffee and something else. It’s coffee with the perfect amount of cream and sugar and it’s so welcoming. The space isn’t very busy surprisingly so you head to the counter to make your order.

Ever since that day you began to come to the cafe every Sunday. You’d sit at your spot by the window next to the fireplace. Bathing in the aroma of the cafe and shamelessly watching the people as they pass the on the street and as November turned to December, you started spending more time there. It was always peaceful and never crowded, nice and quiet. A good contrast to the noise that seemed to always be populating your mind.

♡♡︎♡︎♡︎

December 15th, 2024 — You did it! You survived to the holidays, well… almost. Next Thursday you’d be flying home to spend Christmas and New Years with your family getting a nice break from work. This fast approaching break definitely reflected on your mood. You had an extra pep in your step and a smile on your face as you walked into the cafe for the last Sunday before you return home.

As you settle into your comfy seat by the window, you begin to hear light strumming on a guitar. You try to ignore it as it’s not super loud at this point and you prefer to just watch people outside with little to no noise from elsewhere. I mean… that’s what drew you to this quiet cafe anyways.

You were pretty successful in your attempts to tune out the guitar until the most honey-like voice drifted into your ears. Soft and warm, with a slight rasp to it. You couldn’t help but turn your head to face the voice.

The second you did your eyes were met with the face you weren’t expecting but you were entranced. You’d never seen this man in the cafe before. He had a strong jawline with fierce eyes that held a soft light to them that matched the words he was singing. There were maybe 3 other people in the little cafe besides you, but it felt like he was staring into your soul as he sang the song. You couldn’t pull yourself to look away.

As his song needed his eyes lingered in a prolonged eye-contact with you before he looks away

“Thank you” he says into the microphone before beginning his next song.

For the first time since you entered the cafe you didn’t stare at the window the entire time you were there. You kept your focus on the beautiful man playing his guitar with his beautiful voice. Without your knowledge, an hour had passed until he finally put his guitar down and got up. Him accepting a coffee and talking with the workers. You saw this as your cue to leave and get on with your Sunday.

As you pass their table to head for the door you try to eavesdrop on their conversation. Any clues to hopefully tell you more about this singer. You didn’t know why you wanted to know but you just had to figure out something.

“I was surprised to hear you were coming Sunday, the Wednesday night crowd wasn’t enough anymore?” You hear the owner chuckle as you pass

“Well you know how it is…” His response gets lost as you exit the cafe head full of thoughts

Wednesday nights huh?

♡♡︎♡︎♡︎

December 18th, 2024 — You were never the adventurous type. Not in high school, definitely not in college, and, until now, not after college either. You liked routines, you liked schedules. Knowing where you had to be and when. It was easy to plan your life around a schedule. Wednesdays were your nights where you’d get takeout and watch some shitty romcom in the solitude of your apartment as a celebration for getting halfway through the week.

So why were you standing outside the entrance of the cafe hoping a certain brown haired boy the chiseled jaw and beautiful honey voice would be inside?

You couldn’t even answer the question yourself…

As you entered the cafe, you’re shocked by the amount of people inside. The normally empty cafe was bustling. It wasn’t completely full but almost every table had an occupant with everyone chattering amongst themselves.

You forgo your coffee this evening and decide to plop down and the open table you saw. It’s towards the back, not your usual spot by the window but it’s in that general area.

Just as you settle into the atmosphere the crowd dies down a bit as you see the cafe owner head onstage with his microphone

“Welcome everyone! I’m so glad you could all make it out this evening” As he rambled on about the bad weather and the holiday spirit, you’re eyes wandered looking for the specific boy you sacrificed your romcoms for.

“Without further ado, the guy you all came here for, please welcome Jay”

Jay, So that’s this name…

You think to yourself as he walks onto the makeshift stage with his guitar in hand.

“Good evening everyone…” he begins softly.

“I know I’m here every week but it’s still touching to see how many people show up.”

All these people… are here for him…?

It’s almost mind boggling to you that that many people would gather in this quiet coffee shop to hear him sing but at the same time you understand it. He’s irresistible.

You’re brought out of your thoughts as he begins strumming his guitar. It’s not the same as any of the songs he played last Sunday. You zero in on him wanting to fully focus on him but to yourself surprise… you’re eyes meet his as he begins to sing

I met you in the dark, you lit me up

You can’t look away. He’s mesmerizing. His beautiful dark eyes are pulling you in

You made me feel as though, I was enough

You’re memorizing his facial features as if this is the last moment you’ll see him. His voice is so soft, it’s as if he’ll disappear at any moment

We danced the night away, we drank too much

I held your hair back when, you were throwing up

You look away for a moment needing to catch your breath. You’ve never met this man so why is he staring you down as if you’ve known him your whole life? Like he can see write through you. Like he can read your thoughts…

I knew I loved you then, but you’d never know

As his voice continued you opt to close your eyes and lightly sway in your seat

Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold

You’ve never been at peace like this. His voice was like a ray of sunshine streaming through the window in the evening as the sky is the mist beautiful shades of orange and pink.

Just say you won’t let go, oh just say you won’t let go

As he finished the last few lines, the guitar begins to fade out you open your eyes again to clap with the rest of the crowd. You look around at all the warm smiles gracing peoples faces. You look back at him in awe. But to your surprise he’s already looking at you with a warm smile on his face. As your gazes meet he holds your gaze for a long second before looking around the rest of the crowd

“Thank you…” he says

The next 30 minutes continue with him gracing the audience with his beautiful voice. The small crowd cooped up in the little coffee shop shielded from the cold and rain of Seattle in the winter. Every now and then looking in your direction for a couple seconds but not like he did during the first song.

He finishes his last song with an applause from the audience. It’s now going on 9PM and you know realistically you should get going home but you can’t get yourself to move from your seat at the back of the cafe. You watch as the people begin to leave the cafe exchanging their goodbyes with friends as they part their separate ways. It almost brings a sense of loneliness.

You haven’t really connected with anyone since coming to Seattle. Your coworkers are nice but you can’t see that much of a friendship stemming from the business relationship you’ve got at the moment.

Maybe that’s why you’ve enjoyed the cafe so much. You’re around people again but you don’t have to worry about talking to them past the cashiers taking your order.

You’re so lost in your thoughts you don’t notice a presence next to you.

“Excuse me ma’am. We’re going to close up now” you turn to see the barista smiling at you. You take a second to look around seeing as you’re the only person left besides the workers and Jay

“Oh of course! I apologize. Have a good evening” you smile at the barista as you collect your things and head for the door.

You spare one final look at the man packing up his guitar before stepping out into the rain.

Did I say rain? Oh sorry. I meant thunderstorm. It seems in the quiet hour you spent within the cozy walls of the cafe, a thunderstorm had rolled in despite the fact that there was no rain practically all day.

You sigh as you put your arms up in a futile attempt to cover yourself from the never ending rain. Your apartment is maybe a 10 minute walk from the cafe so you aren’t worried. More annoyed than anything.

You step out from the overhang as you begin your walk home but for some reason, you feel no rain. Your hands are dry above your head, you don’t feel any droplets fall on you.

With a confused expression you look up to see yourself covered by an umbrella. As you look down at the hand holding it, you trace your eyes to meet the face of the owner and before you know it you’re eyes are locked onto those deep eyes that had you mesmerized just moments ago

“I- ummm. Thank you..?” It almost comes out as a question. Internally face palming yourself for letting your nervousness show

You hear a chuckle in response “Why are you trying to walk without an umbrella in this weather?”

“I forgot mine at home I guess…” you respond a little embarrassed

“You aren’t from here are you”

“That obvious?” You playfully ask

“Almost…” he starts “I also think I would’ve remembered a face like yours if I’d seen it here before”

You’re eyes shoot back up to his face in surprise but once you lock eyes again you look away in embarrassment

“Let me walk you home…” he asks softly. “The rain won’t be letting up soon and you’ll get sick without an umbrella”

“You don’t even know my name” you counter his offer

“Well that can be changed can’t it” he holds out his other hand that’s not holding the umbrella for a handshake

“Jongseong Park. But everyone calls me Jay”

“Y/N…” you shake his hand as you look into his eyes

“Well then… lead the way Y/N” You nod. Hesitate to turn away from his face and let go of his hand but you do anyways

The short walk to your apartment consists of you telling Jay your story and why you live in Seattle now and your plans to go got for the holidays and him telling you his story. He was born and raised in Seattle and currently works with his father but likes to sing on the side. It’s only 10 minutes but if felt like half and hour as you couldn’t stop smiling in his presence.

You stop outside of your apartment complex backing out from under the umbrella to stand under the overhang.

“Thank you… for sharing your umbrella and walking me back” you smile sheepishly at him

“No problem” he offers a soft smile

The two of you stand there for a moment neither wanting to walk away

“Give me your phone” you blurt

“Why…?” He hesitantly asks but pulls his phone out nonetheless

“I need to repay you for letting me use your umbrella but I can’t reach you without your phone number now can I” you reason. Trying your very hardest to play it cool but inside you’re dying as you hand his phone back.

“You make a point but I have to warn you” he begins “I drive a pretty high price” he teases.

“Well then… I guess I’ve got my work cut out for me” you tease back

You fall into another comfortable silence the two of you glance into each others eyes.

“I’ll see you around Jay…” you say softly

“See you around Y/N…” he responds with a soft smile as he watches you enter your building before heading on his way home.

As you enter your apartment you giggle to yourself feeling giddy about this new character you’ve just brought into your life.

Jay…

You say his name to yourself with a smile on your face. The rapid beat of your heart tells you that the boy who entranced you at the small local cafe may become something a lot bigger in your life soon.

And all of the sudden, you want to take the risk…

Part 2 is now up! Read here :)

[christmaslightssalesman]

Christmas in Seattle.

[gamergirl929]

Going Under the Knife (Emily Sonnett x Kelley O'Hara x Reader)

You knew surgery was a big deal, which is why you'd did your best to hide it from your teammates, particularly Emily Sonnett and Kelley O'Hara, two women who were currently dating and two women you were desperately in love with. However, a single phone call draws them to the hospital, and to your bedside, where everything changes.

Your heart clenched roughly in your chest, your anxiety spiking as the IV punctured your skin, resting within a vein that would be used to lull you to sleep so the surgery could begin.  

You knew your teammates would be livid when they realized you’d hidden your injury from them, but if there was one thing you didn’t like, it was to be fussed over.  

You’d assured them time and time again that the slight limp you developed after a rough tackle during the World Cup was nothing to worry about, that the grimace on your face when you walked was nothing, and that the groan when you pulled your cleat off was in relief and not excruciating pain.  

You stare at the white ceiling above you, glancing at the empty seat resting at your bedside.  

You knew you should’ve told someone, anyone, that you were about to face a four-hour surgery, but again, you didn’t want to be fretted over.  

Despite that, you knew you should’ve told THEM specifically, knowing that once they found out you were in the hospital and hadn’t told them, they would be far from happy.  

Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnett had been dating for well over a year and considering this had been the first actual holiday they had together, you didn’t want to intrude on that.  

Your heart again clenches in your chest, the surgery the furthest thing from your mind when you think about the couple.  

It didn’t take long for feelings to develop between you and the couple, the light caresses, and the flirty retorts making you fall harder and harder for the pair.  

No matter how hard you fell, you knew that they would never be interested in you, how could they when they already had each other? 

You’re pulled out of your thoughts by the sound of a clearing throat, your eyes widening when you see your doctor standing before you, the man wearing blue scrubs. 

“Are you ready Ms. Y/L/N?” He asks and you inhale deeply, your eyes fluttering shut as you nod reluctantly. 

“I’m ready.”  

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

Alex Morgan rolled her eyes playfully as Servando chased her daughter around the living room, Charlie giggling wildly as he caught her, swinging her up into the air and kissing her face over and over again.  

Alex’s brows furrow when her phone, which was resting on the counter begins to ring, the woman making her way across the room to pick it up. 

She hums at the sight of the unknown number stretched across the screen, a number starting with, what she knew, was the area code for Seattle, Washington.  

She clears her throat before answering, ducking into the kitchen to escape the noisy living room.  

“Hello?” She asks.  

“Is this Alex Morgan?” The woman on the other end of the phone clearing her throat.  

“Ye-Yes, this is her.”  

“Hello Ms. Morgan, this is UV Medical Center, calling in regards to a patient of ours, Y/N...”  

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

Considering you spent your early years on the Orlando Pride alongside Alex Morgan, she almost immediately took you under her wing, the woman becoming not only a mentor to you, but something akin to an older sister.

It was soon after that, that she became your emergency contact, the woman the only one you trusted to handle an emergency.  

Thankfully for her, she had yet to receive a call concerning your health, unfortunately, this was the day everything changed.  

The second she’d hung up with the receptionist she immediately called the first woman who came to mind, her longtime friend and teammate Kelley O’Hara, who she knew was in Seattle with Emily Sonnett.  

“Hey Al, what’s--”  

“Did you know Y/N was in the hospital?” Alex cuts her off, noting the hitch in Kelley’s breath.  

“N-N-no, what happened?!” She asks anxiously, her voice quivering, her distress alerting the blonde who’d just made her way back from the bedroom and into the living room.  

“What’s wrong?” She asks, Kelley waving a dismissive hand in her direction, the defender listening intently to the woman on the other end of the phone.  

Without warning, Kelley leaps to her feet before rushing towards the door, stuffing her feet in her shoes before grabbing her jacket, the anchor holding her into place being Emily Sonnett, the woman’s hands resting on her back.  

“Kel, what’s wrong?” She asks nervously, the woman turning towards her, her brown orbs wide.  

“Y/N’s in the hospital, we have to go.”  

And with that Emily too begins rushing to grab her things, the pair slamming the apartment door shut behind them as they rush to UV Medical Center, and to your side. 

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

Despite the fact that UV Medical Center was MASSIVE it didn’t take them long at all to find where you were, Kelley rattling off what Alex had relayed to her on the car ride to the hospital.  

You’d gone under the knife for ankle surgery over 5 hours ago, the extent of the injury you’d entered surgery for becoming much more prominent the deeper the doctor’s dug beneath your skin, which eventually resulted in a call to your emergency contact, that being, Alex Morgan.  

“While we’re here, we’re getting added to the Emergency Contact list.” Kelley had mumbled as they rushed through the hospital towards the waiting area outside of the surgery suite you were currently located in.  

Seemingly, the receptionist knew who they were, considering the second they spoke their names, she’d waved someone over, that someone leading them out of the waiting room towards a nearby elevator.  

“The surgery went on longer than we expected, there was more damage to the ankle than we anticipated.” He explains as the elevator doors slide shut.  

“Is she awake?” Emily asks, the man shaking his head.  

“We had to increase the amount of anesthesia we used, so we’re having a hard time getting her to wake up.”  

Kelley turns to Emily nervously; the nervousness Kelley is feeling conveyed right back at her from Emily’s hazel orbs.  

“Do you know how long it’ll take for her to wake up?” Kelley asks, her fingers tangling with Emily’s, the blonde giving her hand a squeeze.  

“We don’t know.”  

The second the elevator door opens the man is leading them down the hall and into a nearby room, that turns out to be a secluded waiting room, offering the pair privacy.  

“We’ll inform you immediately when she wakes up and leaves the recovery room.” He smiles softly, leaving the pair in the empty room, a TV hanging in the corner playing softly as the pair sit side by side on a small couch.  

"Do you think she’ll be okay?” Emily whispers, resting her head on Kelley’s shoulder, the woman taking her hand, giving it a squeeze.  

“She will be.” She whispers, unwilling to put her anxiety and worriedness into words, choosing to remain hopeful for the sake of the blonde beside her.  

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

As the time ticked away, the anxiety and fear within both women began to grow, and after an hour had passed, that anxiety was near teeming over, that was until the door clicked open softly, the man from earlier giving them a small smile.  

“Ms. Y/L/N is in her room; I’ll take you to her.” He smiles, the pair jumping to their feet and rushing down the hall behind him.  

“She may be in and out, she’ll DEFINITELY be groggy thanks to her pain medication, but she’ll be back to herself in no time.”  

It doesn’t take long for the pair to be ushered into a room, the two immediately zeroing in on your ankle, which hangs well above you, your ankle wrapped tightly in bandages.  

Kelley glances at Emily, seeing her own concern written on her face, the two slowly making their way hand in hand to your bedside.  

A soft whine draws their attention to your face, your face which is currently scrunched up as you tiredly survey your surroundings before your eyes again flutter shut.  

Silently, the doctor makes his way out of the room, the door clicking shut softly behind him, the three of you now left in complete silence.  

You hum, turning towards the two, your eyes remaining shut before you peek between your eyelids. 

“They must’ve really given me the good shit if I’m hallucinating.” Your tired eyes darting from Kelley to Emily and back.  

“I’ll call and tell you guys later.” You whisper tiredly, your eyes fluttering back shut.  

“You don’t have to tell us anything Y/N, we’re right here.” Emily says, giving your hand a squeeze.  

“Alex called us.” Kelley says, shaking her head when you start to sit up.  

“Well, I better call her back then.” You grumble, glancing around the room, your eyes still shut as you search for your phone.  

“Sit still Y/N.” Kelley whispers, placing her hand on your shoulder to hold you in place.  

“But I have to call Alex, she called me.” You mumble, completely unaware that the woman had indeed NOT called you.  

“No Y/N, she called us.” Emily says, unable to bite back a smile when you turn to her in confusion.  

“She called me, she didn’t call you, you’re not real.” You slur, the older defender on the opposite side of the bed cupping your cheek.  

“But we are real.”  

You shake your head.  

“No, Kelley and Emily are on holiday together, because they love each other, not me, they wouldn’t come visit me.”  

Kelley and Emily share a glance, Emily tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.  

“What do you mean Y/N?” She asks softly and you growl.  

“Just what I said, they don’t love me, not like I love them.”  

The pair stiffen, hearts stalling in their chests as the stare at one another in not only shock, but elation.

“What do-- 

Kelley’s cut off by a loud snore, the pair turning their attention back to you, realizing you’re again fast asleep.  

Kelley gently caresses your cheek as Emily runs her fingers through your hair.  

“Looks like we have a lot to talk about when you wake up, huh?” She whispers, ducking down to kiss your temple, Emily following suit moments later.

The blonde reaches across the bed, covering Kelley’s hand with her own, the pair sharing soft smiles before turning back to your sleeping form.  

It didn’t take a genius to see that Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnett were absolutely smitten with Y/N Y/L/N, the moment they met.  

The pair had been fearful when it came to their feelings for you, fearful it may end their relationship, but when they came to the realization that they both felt the same way about you, both had attempted to pursue you, something you were unfortunately not aware of.  

However, with the sudden realization that you too felt the same, they knew everything was about to change.  

“Do you think she meant it?” Emily whispers and Kelley smiles, glancing across the room at your sleeping form.  

“I think she did, high mouths speak sober thoughts. I guess we’ll just have to ask her when she wakes up.” Kelley smiles, turning abruptly towards Emily when she sniffles.  

“What if she didn’t mean it?” She asks, voice barely above a whisper.  

Kelley cups her cheeks, resting for forehead against the younger woman’s before she presses a kiss to her lips.  

“We’ll just cross that bridge if we come to it, okay?” She whispers, and Emily nods, the blonde unable to bite back a smile when Kelley kisses the tip of her nose.  

“Okay.”  

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

It’s well into the afternoon that you begin to stir, pulling Kelley and Emily’s attention away from one another and onto you, the two leaning forwards in their seats, which they’d taken residence in beside your bed.  

Your eyes crack open, your teeth clenching in pain, the overhead lights making your head throb.  

Despite that, you keep them open, Y/E/C orbs darting from Kelley, to Emily and back.  

“Wh-What are you guys doing here?” You ask, your voice rough and raw.  

Kelley grabs a nearby cup and holds in to your lips, letting you take a greedy sip before she speaks.  

“Alex called us.”  

Your brows furrow.  

“Alex?”  

Kelley nods.  

“The hospital called her, they found more damage to your ankle then they first thought, they wanted permission to continue the surgery.”  

You hum, glancing sadly at your ankle, which is still hanging high off the bed.  

“Looks like you’re going to have a lot of down time.” Emily smiles sadly, caressing the back of your hand, causing your cheeks to flush.  

“Yeahhhh...” You sigh, leaning back, your eyes fluttering shut as your head rests against the pillow behind you.  

“Why didn’t you tell us Y/N?” Kelley asks and you sigh.  

“I didn’t want you guys to worry, I knew you planned on spending the holidays together, and I didn’t want to ruin it.”  

Emily scoffs.  

“You could NEVER ruin our holiday, honestly, we were going to come see you anyway.”  

Kelley’s hand rests on top of yours and Emily’s.  

“We really wanted you to be a part of it.”  

Your eyes double in size, your heart skipping a beat in your chest as you glance down at your joined hands, your cheeks flushing.  

“You had some things to say when we got here...” Kelley starts, and your brows furrow.  

“I-I did?” You stammer and she nods.  

“You did.”  

You swallow roughly, your heart racing wildly in your chest, the thought you may have confessed your feelings making your palms go clammy.  

“Wh-Wh-What did I say?” You stutter, eyeing your blankets nervously.  

“Well, you didn’t think we were real.” Emily smiles and you chuckle, shaking your head.  

“What else did I do?” You ask Emily and Kelley sharing a glance, which goes unnoticed by you.  

Kelley clears her throat.  

“You said we didn’t love you.” She whispers, your head snapping upwards, your eyes locking with her dark brown orbs.  

“Wh-What...?” You stutter, sliding your hand out from beneath there’s only for Kelley to catch your hand before you can rest it in your lap.  

“You said we didn’t love you, like you loved us.”  

You mouth falls open, your eyes darting between the two women as your cheeks redden, the tips of your ears beginning to burn as your gaze falls to your lap, tears prickling at the corners of your eyes.  

“I-I-I'm so sorry... Y-You weren’t supposed to find out... I-I-I... I mean...” You mumble, unable to look at the two women.  

Unbeknownst to you, Kelley glances at Emily, who nods, the woman cupping your cheek before turning you towards her, your eyes glassy as they meet her brown orbs.  

“I don’t know where you got that idea.” She whispers, your eyes widening dramatically when Emily glances at Kelley.  

“What idea?” You ask, your voice quivering, Kelley tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear.  

“The idea that we don’t love you like we love each other.” 

Your heart stalls in your chest, your eyes darting from brown orbs, to hazel orbs and back, your breath hitching when Kelley’s brown orbs drop to your lips, her tongue running along her lips before she begins leaning in.  

Your breath catches in your throat, the thought that this may still be a hallucination still prominent in your mind, that is until Kelley’s lips meet yours for the first time, her hands gently cupping your cheeks.  

All thoughts of this being a hallucination leave your mind as the woman kisses you softly, your bottom lip trapped between hers as the two of you kiss, parting with much reluctance.  

Kelley’s forehead rests against yours the woman smiling softly.  

Moments later she’s pulling away, her forehead being replaced by Emily’s her hazel orbs locking with yours as she leans in, her eyes fluttering shut as her lips too, meet yours.  

You cup her cheek boldly, your fingers tangling in her hair as you kiss, the woman sighing against your lips.  

Again, you part, the blonde pulling back, only to turn your head, kissing your temple softly, the older of the pair resting her head against your own as well.  

“So, what do you think now?” Kelley whispers and you chuckle.  

“I’m thinking I REALLY hope I’m not still hallucinating.”  

Kelley chuckles as Emily giggles, their laughter contagious despite the pain you’re currently feeling.  

"How can we convince you that this is real?” Kelley asks and you grin.  

“I mean, a few more kisses might help.” You shrug, unable to bite back a grin.  

Kelley and Emily share a glance, the two grinning before Kelley leans back in.  

“I think that can be arranged.”  

[justagalwhowrites]

New in Town - Ch. 9: Second New Year

Ringing in the New Year after you and Joel's first year together. The last chapter of New in Town, found in its entirety on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Best Friend's Dad!Joel Miller x Female Reader

CW: Smut :D. No use of Y/N. Age gap (reader is 35 Joel is 47, not a focus of the fic). Minors DNI, 18+ only

Length: 6.3k

AO3 | First Chapter | Previous Chapter

“Sarah, if you don’t stop fucking with that it’s never going to stay,” you said, glaring at her in the mirror as you drew on eyeliner. 

“It’s driving me insane,” she groaned, leaning so close to the hotel bathroom mirror that she was fogging it with her breath, adjusting the false eyelashes for what had to be the millionth time. 

“Yeah, because you keep fucking with them,” you said. “You have to give yourself time to adjust to them. Or just take them off because I’m not spending half the night fixing them for you, drawing the line in the sand now.” 

“You are absolutely no fun,” she said but she smiled all the same. “It’s New Year’s Eve, I want to look extra good. Plus Nick thinks the long lashes are hot and I am ready for hotel room sex.” 

“I didn’t hear that,” Maria called from the bedroom where she was putting on her dress. 

“Hotel room sex, hotel room sex, hotel room sex!” Sarah called back. 

You laughed, picking up your mascara. 

“I don’t think it works like Beetlejuice where you say it enough times it just shows up.”

Sarah laughed back. 

“Fuck I hope not,” she said. “Really don’t want to manifest hotel room sex in front of my aunt and my mom.” 

She said the last word with a drawn out teasing edge and you had to pull the mascara wand away from your face so you didn’t end up with makeup in your eye from laughing so hard. 

“Swear to God if you don’t stop calling me that I will marry your dad just to spite you,” you said once you calmed down again. 

“You’re basically already married anyway,” Sarah said. “For the record, I would be fine with it.” 

You paused for a second, putting more mascara on the wand and looking at her in the mirror. 

“Yeah?” You asked. 

“Yeah,” she smiled at you in her reflection. “But don’t expect Mother’s Day gifts from me if it ever happens.” 

You snorted, returning to your makeup. 

“Better get a bouquet, box of chocolates, the whole nine for holding your hair when you get drunk.” 

You couldn’t believe it was already New Year’s Eve again. The last year had gone by so fast it didn’t seem like it could have contained quite as much as it did. But you’d spent almost the entire time so blissfully happy that it made sense that the time felt so damn short. 

Things with Joel had been going so well before Sarah found out that it was hard to believe it could really get better, but it did. Not feeling like you were hiding from the most important person in both your lives was like losing a weight you didn’t even know you were carrying. Neither of you were dancing around talking about how you were spending your time now, not being careful about what pictures you sent her and not having to just pretend like a huge part of your life didn’t exist when talking with her. 

When she went back to Seattle after Thanksgiving, the three of you started having weekly FaceTime calls, you and Joel sometimes on your couch or at his kitchen table or even in a hotel room in New Orleans once when you decided to get away for your first trip together as a couple. 

That Christmas had been the best you’d ever had. Not that there was much competition but Joel and Sarah both had completely brought you into all their holiday traditions. The driving around to look at Christmas lights with a thermos of hot cocoa, the annual trip to Mi Tierra in San Antonio so you could properly appreciate the Christmas lights that apparently were up year round. When Sarah came back to town a few days before Christmas, she dragged you and Joel to the mall and made the three of you take a picture with Santa. You got some funny looks in line - three full blown adults with nary a kid in sight - but Sarah whispered something to woman getting ready to take the picture and she smiled and nodded, helping the three of you get arranged for the photo. You sat lightly on one of Santa’s knees, Sarah on the other, Joel leaning against the side of the large chair. Joel insisted on getting the actual printed photo and, when you picked it up, they also handed you a candy cane and a small Santa figurine. You frowned at it for a second.

“First Santa visits should be commemorated,” the woman behind the counter smiled. “Merry Christmas!” 

You looked at Sarah for a second, worried you might cry and she smiled. 

“You have a Christmas decoration now,” she said. “But if you really don’t want it at your place, we can add it to the Christmas village at Dad’s!” 

You just hugged her and she laughed, hugging you back. 

That Christmas, the figurine and the picture sat on the book shelf in your living room, right where you could see them from your couch. The perfect image of the kind of life you’d always wanted to have, one that was filled with people who loved you. 

This year, the figurine and picture were at Joel’s because you were, too. 

Your lease was up in the fall and, by that point, the two of you were having a hard time remembering the last time you’d slept apart. You were wondering how to broach the subject with Joel - did you just ask if you could move into his house? Was not quite a year of knowing each other too soon? Did you just find a new apartment and never mention it? - when he brought it up one night over dinner. 

“Your lease is comin’ up soon, right?” He asked and you froze for a second, a bite of enchilada on your fork half way to your mouth. 

“Yeah,” you said when you remembered how to move and respond again. “Six weeks I think? They want me to decide whether or not I’m staying within the next two…” 

“Have you thought about if you might want to move in with me?” He asked, his jaw tense but his eyes soft. “Only if… you know… you thought you were ready for that. Just figure I’m at yours or you’re at mine most nights anyway and…” 

“Joel,” you smiled, setting your fork down and leaning on the table with your arms crossed in front of you. “Are you asking me to move in with you?” 

“Only if you wanted,” he said quickly. “Not tryin’ to… I dunno… put pressure on you or something. Never tried to do this before so…” 

You pressed your lips together, trying not to laugh. More at yourself than at Joel. Because of course he was thinking what you were thinking. Of course you were in the same place on this. Of course you were both nervous about bringing it up to each other. 

“I’d love to move in with you,” you said once you were sure you had yourself together. “As long as you’re offering because that’s what you really want and not because you think you should.” 

“Oh I want it,” he was smiling now and leaning toward you across the table. “Was considering just taking stuff from your place and moving it to mine, get you in the door before you even knew it was happening.” 

“That what happened to my sexy underwear?” You teased. 

“Nah,” he waved you off. “I stole those to jerk off with when you’re not there because you don’t live with me yet. Can have ‘em back when we unpack the moving truck.” 

You moved in a few weeks later. Joel cleared out most of his closet, his jeans and button downs taking up only a small corner of it to begin with, and built you shelving for your purses and shoes. He made space for your things throughout his home, for your favorite pots and pans in the kitchen, for your decorations in the living room. Setting aside the bits and pieces of his life to make sure it could hold yours, too. If he’d asked you to marry him in that moment, you’d have said yes in a heartbeat. 

“Oh shit,” you sighed, rifling through your makeup bag. “I think I left my fucking lipstick in my room…” 

You went to get your room key from your clutch but Sarah plopped a tube of lipstick in front of you first. 

“Use mine,” she said. “I’m almost ready and I don’t want to waste time with you up down three floors and all the way over to your room before we go to the party. I want cocktails, I want music and I want to flirt with my hot boyfriend while I wear a slutty dress.” 

“Maria is still getting dressed, I’ve got five minutes…” 

“No you don’t!” She called from the bedroom before coming to the bathroom door and turning around. “Zip me?” 

You laughed and obeyed, Maria adjusting the dress a bit before turning back around. 

“Hey sexy mama!” You whooped at her. “That looks like it was made for you.” 

“Right?” She flung her long braids over her shoulder before admiring herself in the full length mirror on the bathroom door. “My pregnancy boobs have shown up but the bump is still in hiding. It’s the perfect dress moment, had to take advantage of it.” 

“Hear that little one?” Sarah said, looking toward Maria’s lower stomach. “You’re making your mom look hot!” 

“Hotter,” you corrected. “They’re making their mom look hotter.” 

You settled for Sarah’s lipstick and the three of you headed for the elevator to go meet up with the guys. 

Your first New Year’s Eve with Joel had been far more low key. Sarah was in town and Joel invited Tommy and Maria over to watch the ball drop. You’d ordered pizza and gotten drunk and played charades with your boyfriend’s family and, at midnight, kissed Joel so deeply that you could taste the champagne on his tongue. 

This year, you had plenty to celebrate. It was Maria and Tommy’s last one before they became parents - you highly doubted they’d be up until midnight next year. Sarah had gotten promoted and you’d gotten her a job at the Austin branch in August. She had moved back to town just a few months before you moved in with Joel and the three of you had found a comfortable - if unusual - dynamic as a family. And it felt like you had finally found everything you’d ever truly wanted. 

Instead of staying home this New Year’s Eve, you all decided to go to a party at one of the nice hotels in Houston. You’d all gotten hotel rooms so no one had to drive and the boys had all gone on ahead to the rooftop bar to hold a table while the three of you got ready to go. 

“Crap, one sec,” Sarah said, frowning at her phone as the three of you went for the elevator. “Left something in the room, wait for me, OK? I don’t want to try to find them on my own!” 

You and Maria watched her run back to her room - where the three of you had been getting ready - and you frowned as she tottered on her high heels. 

“Is she acting weird?” You asked as Maria leaned against the wall. 

“Sarah?” Maria laughed. “She’s always weird.” 

She came back a few minutes later, tugging her dress down as she went and a little breathless when she got there. 

“OK,” she smiled and took a deep breath. “Now we’re good!” 

You were almost giddy as you rode the elevator up to the party, feeling the thud of music through the elevator doors before they opened. 

It was hard to say why you were just so excited. It wasn’t like you’d never been to a party before - you and Sarah had rung in the New Year at a party a lot like this one that your office had handled the advertising for in Seattle one year - but it felt like something new. Like you were stepping into the first year of your life where everything had finally fallen into place. 

“Hey!” Tommy yelled, standing and waving his arm over his head as he saw the three of you leave the elevator. You could barely hear him over the thud of the bass. “Over here!” 

“How many beers do you think he’s had?” Maria asked conspiratorially and you laughed. 

“Probably the same number mine has,” you replied, smiling at Joel as he craned his neck to get a better look at you. 

“Holy hell woman,” he said, getting out of the round booth as you got to the table. He pressed a kiss to your cheek and dropped his voice low. “Not sure I’m gonna take that dress off you later, might need to leave it on.” 

You smiled as he gave you a squeeze and you sat down, Joel sliding in beside you, one hand of his going below the table to the inside of your thigh. 

One thing that hadn’t changed in the last year was just how insatiable the two of you were for each other. You kept waiting for it to calm down a bit, to stop looking at him and immediately start thinking of how to get him alone and naked as quickly as possible. But Joel was still the single sexiest man you’d ever seen and was still far and away the best in bed. You couldn’t help but want to fuck him all day every day. You were just thankful he seemed to feel the same way about you. 

One of your favorite things about living with Joel was your after work routine. When you managed to make it so you left the office around the same time Joel left his job site, you’d join him in the shower, your hair in a knot on top of your head to keep from getting too soaked, Joel still a little sweaty and dirty from a hard day’s work. Sometimes, you just enjoyed each other. You loved the quiet intimacy of it, of being in such a private space together in just your skin, helping him wash the day from his body before he pulled you against him under the water. Other times, Joel pressed you against the cool tile and fucked into you, hard and fast and eager, making your back arch as your leg wrapped around him, the heat of his mouth and the steam filling you when you kissed him. 

The new routines had just given you more reasons and opportunities to fuck, it seemed, instead of sex getting lost in the monotony of daily life. Sometimes it was in the middle of late night TV when you were both getting tired on the couch. Sometimes it was when you were putting away laundry. Sometimes it was when you were making dinner. 

It was just that, sometimes, it required… additional boundaries. 

Sarah had a key to Joel’s place, of course, but she quickly learned that she needed to announce herself before just coming in the door when she wasn’t expected, her walking in the house without warning when he was deep inside of you while you were draped over the kitchen counter was a little too close for comfort for all three of you. 

“I have literally never wanted to know less about your sex life,” she shuddered a few hours later when you were sitting in Joel’s back yard, fully clothed with a beer in your hand. 

You laughed. 

“Never wanted you to know less about it so that works just fine for me.” 

You, Joel and Sarah all had dinner together at least once a week, another routine you’d come to love, and you got Sarah all to yourself most days over lunch, happy for the chance to laugh with your best friend.

You weren’t sure life could get much better. 

“Oh sweet!” Sarah said as the waitress came by the table, tray of drinks in hand, passing a cosmopolitan to Sarah. “Who knew this was just what I wanted?” 

“Happy to take credit for that,” Nick smiled, kissing her cheek and you smiled at him. He was a relatively new addition to Sarah’s life but he seemed promising. You’d never seen her quite so giddy over a guy before and you were trying not to mention it so you wouldn’t jinx it. 

When she finally owned up to being hung up on the man, though, you were going to start teasing her as relentlessly as she’d been teasing you. You were getting double wedding jokes lined up and ready, waiting for the perfect moment to hit her with it. 

But it was a holiday. You’d take it easy on her for a little while longer. Assuming she stopped calling you Mom. 

Joel had been paying attention too, it seemed, and the server handed you a mojito. Appropriate, since you’d just been lamenting the fact that you didn’t have fresh mint at home just two nights before. 

“How often are you really gonna muddle mint for a drink?” Joel asked, barely contained smile on his face. 

“At least once in a while!” You laughed. “Come on, we could do a whole herb garden in the yard…” 

“You are not gonna keep a garden alive.” 

“Yes I will!” You protested. He raised his eyebrows at you, incredulous. “If I have the motivation of cocktails I will.” 

“Fine,” he sighed but still smiled, kissing your forehead. “In spring I’ll build you a garden and you can kill as many herbs as you want, Beautiful.”

“Is this supposed to bribe me into you not making me a garden?” You teased, taking a sip of the drink. 

“Baby, I will make you whatever makes you smile,” he kissed your exposed shoulder. “But if I’m saving the lives of some poor, innocent plants by ordering you a cocktail…” 

You laughed and kissed him, the scratch of his facial hair on your skin comforting and familiar. 

The party really picked up not long after you got there and you, Sarah and Maria went to dance while the guys hung back to talk for a bit. 

“You don’t think they’re being too hard on him do you?” Sarah asked, watching the table. 

“Oh I’m sure they’re being super nice,” you said. “Joel and Tommy have never been protective of you, not once.” 

“Oh God,” she groaned but she smiled. 

“Wouldn’t worry too much,” you laughed. “It looks like he’s weathering it well.” 

“Hold on,” Maria smiled and shook her head. “We can get him some help…” 

She started waving to Tommy, who clapped Nick on the shoulder and got out of the booth to join his wife on the dance floor. You looked at Joel, eyebrows raised, until he met your gaze and you saw him sigh and smile before heading your way. 

You put your arms around his neck and kissed him, pressing tightly to him and feeling every line of him through your clothes. His hands went to your waist, pulling you closer. 

“You tryin’ to distract me?” He asked when you pulled away. 

“Trying to get you to play nice,” you teased. 

“Always play nice,” he said as you turned around in his hold, your ass going back against his hardening length. He lowered his lips to your ear, his breath hot on your skin. “Except when you ask me not to.” 

You resisted the urge to drag him back to your hotel room right that second. Instead, you pressed yourself harder against him, moving your body in time to the pulsing, thrumming rhythm. His hands slid to your hips and you couldn’t help but think of how they felt on your bare skin. 

But you managed to keep it together for a few songs, dancing until you were breathless and you really couldn’t take it anymore. You draped yourself around Joel again, pressing your lips to his ear. 

“Order me a water and another mojito,” you said, your hand sliding into his pocket, brushing his half hard cock through his jeans, as you grabbed your phone. “And check your texts.” 

You didn’t give him a chance to respond, just meeting his wide eyes for a moment before slipping into the crowd. You went around to the pool area of the rooftop, far quieter than the bar and the dance floor, the lounge chairs all stacked up next to a storage space that looked like it would provide the perfect cover from the dance floor. You took a selfie with just a glimpse of the thudding party in the background and texted it to him. 

“Come find me.” 

It didn’t take him long, coming around the corner while glancing back over his shoulder, looking nervous. You grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him into you, your back against the storage room. 

“You are up to no good,” he said, pressing you back against the wall, his mouth covering yours, his body warm against the cool night air. “Tryin’ to get us kicked out of the damn hotel?” 

His hand went to your breast, anyway.

“We can keep our clothes on,” you panted against him. “Be very well behaved. Like that time in the bathroom.” 

“Fuck, Beautiful,” he groaned, putting his thigh between your legs, your skirt covering part of his jeans. He rocked his hips against you, his hands going to your waist, the outline of his hard cock against your stomach. “Wanna make me come in my pants like a fucking teenager?” 

“Don’t think we’re making it to midnight any other way,” you were needy, aching as you ground your pussy down on the straining muscle of his leg. 

“Still gonna let me fuck you later?” He kissed down your neck, rutting harder against you, your hands on his shoulders, grip tightening. 

“You think I’m starting a new year without you inside me as soon as possible you’re insane.” 

He laughed a little and nipped at your collarbone before pulling you tighter against his leg, making you moan. You started working yourself harder and faster against him, pulling him tighter to you, your wetness soaking your panties. 

“You’re close, aren’t you, Baby?” He asked, voice dark. Your motions stuttered but you nodded frantically against him. “Gonna come all over my fucking leg aren’t you? Come from just riding my fucking thigh?” 

You were close enough that you’d lost the ability to speak. You just nodded again and he kissed you, hard and messy and deep and you pressed yourself firmly against his leg as you fell apart, the tight coil inside yourself snapping as your clit throbbed against him. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He gasped as he pressed his cock hard against you and you felt him throbbing there, spilling into his jeans before slumping against you. His nose brushed yours for a moment and you smiled, kissing him lightly. 

“You’re going to kill me,” he laughed a little breathlessly. “More than a year into this and you still want me to fuck you so bad you’re dragging me away from a party?” 

“That’s nothing,” you teased. “Wait until we’re really old and we’re finding ways to sneak around the nursing home.” 

He laughed and kissed you again. 

“Love you so fuckin’ much.” 

It was easier to focus on the party after that. Tommy gave Joel a look when you made it back to the table and Joel told him to mind his own business and you laughed and drank your mojito. 

By the time midnight rolled around, you’d been pleasantly tipsy for more than an hour, draping yourself over Joel at every opportunity when you weren’t dancing with Sarah and Maria. As the countdown started, the six of you crowded onto the dance floor with everyone else, champagne in hand, Joel’s arm around you as he held you to his side. 

“Three, two, one!” 

Joel turned you to him and kissed you before you’d even had a chance to yell happy New Year and you sank into him, almost forgetting about the drink in your hand until some of it dribbled down your wrist, making you laugh against his lips. 

“Couldn’t let a second of the year go by before I kissed you for the first time,” he said, his lips still close to yours. The knot of heat and wanting that had eased after your antics earlier was back with full force. 

“Good,” you said quietly, drinking in the hungry look in his eyes. 

“It’s supposed to be a toast, you insatiable weirdos,” Sarah laughed and you laughed back, separating from Joel far enough to raise your glasses and toast with your new found family. 

It wasn’t long before all of you made your way to the elevators, piling into one with a handful of strangers, you happy for the excuse to stay pressed tightly against Joel. 

“Good luck!” Tommy said, a teasing edge to his voice when the doors dinged open on your floor. 

You frowned at him, confused, as the doors closed and you laughed a little as Joel led you back to the room. 

“Why do you need luck? Is Tommy under the impression that you have to work to get sex out of me?” You teased. “Because it’s sweet that you’d protect my honor that way but we both know that’s a damn lie.” 

“Tommy’s just a dumbass,” Joel replied. “Ignore him, that’s what I do.” 

You laughed, the tail end of your buzz waning. 

“Thinking we should take full advantage of that jacuzzi tub,” you said as Joel unlocked the hotel room door. “And use it to research the investment of a hot tub in the back yard…” 

“You’re insatiable,” he teased, opening the door for you. 

You laughed and were so busy looking at him - his thick, dark hair that was flecked with gray; his plush lips; his soft eyes - that it took you a second to realize there were roses and petals all over the room, a bottle of wine chilled in a bucket on the small table. 

“Joel?” You looked back at him and he just shrugged, smiling. 

You went further into the room and realized that it wasn’t just flowers and wine. There were framed pictures of you and Joel from the last year of your lives together. One of the two of you on Bourbon Street, another from when you decided to actually take those wine tasting classes you’d talked about, one from your second Longhorn’s game. There were at least a dozen, each one making it look so, so obvious that you made each other happy. That you gave each other the lives you wanted. 

You picked up the picture by the bedside, the first selfie you’d ever taken together. You were hiking and you’d held your arm out far enough to try to capture some of the view behind you. You were smiling hugely at the camera, hair grimy with sweat, Joel’s arm around your shoulders. But he wasn’t looking at the camera. Instead, he was looking at you. Looking at you like you were the only thing worth looking at. Looking at you like you made him happier than just about anything else on Earth. 

“What…” You trailed off, looking up from the picture to see Joel, on one knee with a box in his hands at the foot of the bed. 

You gasped and jumped, your hands covering your mouth on instinct, eyes wide. Your feet moved before you really realized what was happening and it seemed sudden that you were right in front of him.

“Joel,” you breathed, trembling hands slowly leaving your face. 

“For a very long time,” he said, his voice assured. “It felt like I’d gotten the only good thing I was going to get out of life. I had Sarah and seemed wrong to ask for more than that so I wasn’t lookin’ for it. Wasn’t lookin’ for you. But then I found you - or you found me, anyway - and I realized just how good life could be as long as I got to live it next to you. 

“You are the single best person I’ve ever met. You’re so smart and funny and creative and kind and the most fun I’ve ever had and I can’t imagine anything better than getting to live the rest of my life with you. Will you make me the happiest man on Earth and marry me?” 

***

Joel wasn’t sure his heart had ever beat this fast. Maybe when Sarah was first born and there were the torturous few seconds of silence before she started crying, not sure how anything about pregnancy or babies worked. Definitely never since. 

But the silence between you seemed to drag on for an eternity even though he knew it could have only been a second or two. That didn’t stop his heart from racing. 

“Yes,” you nodded, your voice thick, tears in your eyes. “Yes, yes, yes, yes yes!” 

You damn near tackled him and he laughed, catching you and holding onto you as he lowered the two of you to the ground on a bed of rose petals. 

Joel, Tommy and Nick had been in here getting everything set up while Sarah and Maria kept you busy in Sarah’s room. There was a brief moment of panic when Sarah texted that the three of you were headed to the party and Joel had to ask her to buy at least two minutes because they were walking to the elevator themselves. 

“I’m so happy for you, man,” Tommy said, clapping Joel on the shoulder as they headed up to the party. “You deserve this, you really fuckin’ do.” 

“She ain’t said yes yet,” Joel said, feeling the nerves all sudden and hot under his skin. “Don’t jinx it.” 

“She’ll say yes,” Tommy said, sounding so confident. “Don’t ask me WHY but that woman adores you. She’s gonna love it.” 

He hoped you did. He hoped you loved the idea at all, that you loved the proposal, that you loved the ring. Sarah had helped pick that part out so he was more confident of that, finding a piece that was elegant without looking dated, something that he hoped you’d like wearing for the rest of your life. 

Because that’s what he wanted. He wanted you, wanted to make you happy, for the rest of your life. 

He slid the ring onto your finger, the diamond catching the light as he did. 

“Are you serious?” You asked, looking from the ring to him. 

“Serious about spending the rest of my life with you?” He asked. “Can’t think of anything better.” 

You threw your arms around his neck and kissed him, hard and needy. He leaned into it for a moment before he pulled back from you. 

“Should move to the bed,” he breathed. “Gotta treat my fiancee right.” 

You just nodded quickly and Joel got up before helping you to your feet. 

He tugged your dress up and over your head - as much as he wanted to fuck you in the sexy little thing you’d been tempting him with all night, the need to feel your skin was too great - and eased you down onto the bed. 

You moved to the middle of it and Joel got undressed, his eyes watching you hungrily, the glint of his ring on your finger making him somehow even harder. You removed your bra and cast it aside before you slipped your panties down your legs and tossed them to the side, leaving you exposed and bare. You were everything it seemed like he’d ever wanted and you were his, the proof of it right there on your hand. He fisted his cock, pumping himself once, twice, as he climbed between your legs. 

He wanted to make this last. He wanted to go down on you and swallow your pleasure until you were screaming with it. He wanted to kiss every inch of your skin. He wanted to tease you with his fingers until you were begging for his cock. But he wasn’t sure he could, not that moment. He had a feeling you wouldn’t be leaving the bed for a few days after this.

“Joel,” you panted, watching him, pupils blown and back arched. He smiled. For some reason, you wanted him like he wanted you. 

“Yes, Mrs. Miller?” He breathed, settling between your open legs, the apex of your thighs hot against his skin. You moaned and rocked your hips up against him, your needy little clit pressing into his skin. 

“Fuck,” you moaned, closing your eyes, fingers gripping his bicep tightly. “Love the sound of that…” 

“You have no idea, Beautiful,” he said, kissing you, grinding his cock against your dripping slit. You moaned, the movement of your hips stuttering for a moment before you adjusted the angle so the tip of him was catching on your entrance with ever pass, just enough for the most sensitive part of him to be enveloped in your tight, wet heat. 

“Need you,” you were almost gasping with it, desperate and wanting. “Please, please, need to feel you, I need…” 

“Always going to give you what you need, Baby,” he said, his cock dipping further into you this time before he pulled back and pushed himself against your clit again. “Always gonna take care of you, always.” 

He pushed into you then, firm but not to fast, your breath catching on your throat as he did. Joel kissed you, trying not to think about how damn good you felt, how it seemed like he belonged right there, deep inside you. 

“Fuck,” your nails dug into him but he held on. “Fuck, you feel so fucking good how do you feel this fucking good?” 

He could only moan in response, fucking into you, feeling you open up to him, your walls gripping him tight. He stayed still inside you for a moment, savoring it, the feeling of you around him while he was over you, the way you held onto him. 

But he couldn’t last that way for long. You - his fiancee. His fiancee, no one else’s, you belonged to no one but him - felt too damn good for him to last too long inside of you and he had to move, he had to. 

So he did, starting a little slower but still firm, pressing his hips into you so your hot little clit was against his skin. 

He could feel you starting to tighten around him, like your body was trying to pull him deeper somehow, your lips messy and desperate when they found his, trialing little kisses over his body when they don’t. 

“That’s it, Beautiful,” he panted into you. “Come for me, can feel how close you are, just let go for me, let me feel you. Need to feel you…” 

You gasped his name and pressed your whole body tight against him as you came around him, your pussy fluttering around him, working his cock, all warm and soft trying to pull him as deep as you could take him. He fucked you through it, hardly able to hold off his own orgasm, the aftershocks of yours still rippling through your tight channel when he emptied himself into you until he didn’t even have the strength to hold himself up anymore, collapsing on you, his head over your shoulder so he could smell your skin and your hair. Fuck, he loved that smell. Fuck, he loved you. 

After a minute, he adjusted the two of you so you were draped over his chest, your arms all soft and pliant, close enough that he could feel your heartbeat on his skin, feel your soft, little breaths on him. You held up your left hand, turning the ring back and forth in the light. 

“You’re sure about this?” You asked, glancing up at him as you fidgeted with the ring. 

“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything,” he said. “Would make you Mrs. Miller tomorrow if you’d let me.” 

You laughed a little at that, putting your hand down on his chest and taking a deep breath. 

“Doesn’t seem fair,” you said softly. 

“What doesn’t?” 

“You’ve given me so much,” you said. “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted - everything. Feels like I’m not holding up my end.” 

“You kiddin’ me?” He scoffed. “You’re so perfect I have to remind myself that you’re real sometimes, that I’m not just imagining you. You make me the luckiest man on Earth every damn day by just breathing in the same room as me. If anything’s not fair, it’s that I got too greedy asking you to marry me. Should know to quit when I’m this far ahead.” 

You laughed and pressed your lips into his chest, looking at the ring again, twisting it this way and that with your thumb. 

“Make you a deal,” you said, adjusting your head so you were looking at him. 

“What’s your proposal?” He asked, teasing. 

“You take care of me,” you said. “Make sure I’m not getting too overwhelmed or overdoing it at work or just getting too in my own head. I’ll take care of you, make sure you take time for yourself, make sure you relax, make sure you know how great you are. Deal?” 

He smiled a little. 

“Deal, Mrs. Miller.” 

You smiled bigger. 

“Excellent, Mr. Miller.” 

He kissed your forehead. 

“Don’t have to change your last name, you know,” he said, giving you a squeeze. “I can always just call you that for my own damn enjoyment without making it official.” 

You laughed a little. 

“No, I want to change it,” you said. “Sarah was right all along. I think I’m going to make a great Miller.” 

A/N: Ahhh! I hope you all loved reading the story of Joel and Sarah's best friend as much as I loved sharing it! These two are so fun and so sweet, I'm so glad I got to give them the happy ending they deserved.

Thank you so so much for being here, for following along with this little story that started as a one shot based on a request that came in after I wrote another one shot as a request. I so appreciate that you're here, that you've spent your time with this fic and these characters and all of your support. This corner of the internet means everything to me and it's because you're a part of it <3 Love you!

Taglist: @fanficismydrug

[theseshipsshallsail]

IN LEAVES NO STEP HAD TRODDEN BLACK

There’s an ungodly rendition of Tárrega’s Gran Vals stemming from the bathroom counter; his mobile, he realises, deliberately ignored within the double-breasted confines of his tuxedo jacket. An emerald-green cummerbund dangles accusingly below the overhead light fitting: a fate reminiscent of the silken boxers draped over the dresser mirror. His agent would be appalled at his lack of designer révérence, but Oliver’s pin-striped suit is likewise discarded on the Holiday Inn’s carpet, and Elio…

…well.

Elio couldn’t care less for wrinkled pocket squares when the other man’s clutching his sweat-slick waist like his life depends on it.

When the rhythmic creaks of the querulous mattress are all but smothered by his hiccupped moans.

When the searing heat gathered at the base of his spine is a sure-fire indicator he’s about to come untouched: the relentless drag of Oliver’s cock against his screaming prostate making his balls draw tight in preparation.

And perhaps he says some of that out loud, because Oliver surges upright with a shaky nod, a mottled flush extending from his hairline to his beautifully bare chest as he crushes their mouths together. Tongue delving rough and possessive: claiming him twice over.

It’s been weeks since the West Coast stretch of his album tour began. Since they found themselves in the same city, let alone the same bed. Elio needs him like he needs his next breath - juvenile as the thought may be - and starved of such contact by dint of their heavy schedules, a constant stream of inventive text messages and late night phone calls only served to fan the flames. 

The connection they forged that long-ago summer refuses to fade. Understandably so, when they’d both fallen irrevocably: hard and heedless; regardless of the pain. They were a part of each other, no doubt. Yet strived to be the best part, also. And here and now nothing remains to stand between them. Nothing else beyond magnolia-painted walls and generic prints of the Seattle skyline. 

Elio’s entire world hinges on the salty tang of Oliver’s collarbone - the scratchy stubble tickling his temple - the dizzying gallop of blood hurtling through his racetrack veins, and for all that he finds himself drowning in the full-spectrum intimacy, it in no way prevents him from craving more. 

It never does.

Never will.

That said, a musician’s lot is one of flexibility: adapting to the changing tides. Inspiration strikes on a dime, and flashing a rakish grin Elio reaches behind him, snagging the crisp, cotton Oxford he’d stripped from Oliver’s body not twenty minutes earlier; sighing in bone-deep contentment when the lingering scent of Sandalwood shampoo and Acqua Di Gio envelopes his arms and shoulders in a familiar, homely embrace.

Saccharine, maybe, but when Oliver shook his hand in the villa’s gravel driveway - straw hat, sunglasses, a frayed pair of espadrilles on his size fifteen feet - the quirks and insecurities he’d spent years repressing soon blossomed into being. 

Free. 

Accepted. 

Valued and explored. 

Half the pleasure is knowing what this does to you. Knowing you like seeing what it does to me, Oliver told him once - drunk on the build more so than the wine - so it’s no surprise when his amante simply smirks in return: brows knit in fond amusement as he straightens his star of David amidst the shapeless collar.

“Don’t think I’m complaining,” he murmurs, the raw, post-concert urgency of before notably absent. “But what happened to pants off, mon chéri: no clothes ‘til checkout?” 

He has a point. 

A damned good one, at that. 

Yet -

“I want to feel you surround me, even when you’re inside me,” Elio replies, leaning forward to kiss him for all the times he couldn’t. “I want to smell you on my skin, even when we’re apart...”

“Fuck…”

“You’re mine,” Elio says, wrapping the unbuttoned cuff around his sensitive glans. “And I’m yours,” he declares, turning it translucent with the sticky beads of excitement. 

Oliver’s eyes grow glassy as he clocks his intent, and keeping him pinned by cock and stare alike, Elio proceeds to pick up the pace; the onyx engagement band adorning his ring finger glinting handsomely in the gossamer strokes of moonlight. 

[japril12]

never felt like this

Bridget slammed her hands on top of her desk in frustration which made Dennis jump from his napping position in her desk chair. She winced in apology but when he screamed and fell off his seat after looking at his face she rolled her and slumped further down, miserable in her defeat.

She checked her reflection on her phone screen and a small scream left her lips.

Her morning makeup was more than worse for wear at this time in the evening, dark rings of black mascara were smudged around her eyes and her lipstick was smeared from pursing and biting her lips every time she hit a dead end.

They were entering the holiday season and the show needed more buzz to fit around their planned segments and puff pieces. She had pitched a few ideas at their morning meeting but Karen was not enticed and neither were the higher-ups. They wanted to keep chasing that ratings high and were sure that a certain couple held the key to that but she had no idea how to persuade them or even contact them to deliver a proposition.

“You have no idea how difficult my job is or how hard it is to find some contact information on these two.” Bridget raked her fingers through her hair to try and tame the matted coils.“They’re cute but all of this hoopla is a little…obsessive.”

Dennis laughed as he pulled himself up using Bridget’s new oakwood desk as leverage.

“I would say just go down to Seattle Grace Mercy West but they do not take too kindly to drop-in appointments.” Dennis shook his head as he rounded the desk to get a better look at her computer screen.

He remembered the swift manner in which the hospital chief and head trauma surgeon Owen Hunt had him escorted from the premises. 

He leaned over her chair as she clicked away at her keyboard.

“You know the surgeons that work there are all distractingly good-looking. This one guy was kinda scary but he was so-”

“No way!” Bridget gasped, effectively interrupting him gushing over some random trauma surgeon. Dennis had the strangest taste in men. 

“What?”

“We have a japril sighting!” Bridget exclaimed and spun around in her chair. “Look at these babies! This is gold.”

Dennis peered at the pictures on her work computer. It was the infamous couple alright but they were completely oblivious that their pictures were taken. There were only six in total that were posted in an array on someone's Twitter account.

Standing at the check-in desk of some hotel in the first one. His arm was securely around her back as they leaned on one another in the second. The rest seemed to be in a club or restaurant of some sort. They secluded themselves in a booth. It was dark and out of the way but the glowing smiles on their faces were clear as day. 

Dennis’ jaw dropped at the amount of likes and retweets on it. 

“Ugh, we need them on the show pronto,” Bridget said. “One appearance from japril and I'd get promoted in a second.”

“Wow, you're really calling them that now.” Dennis giggled, gauging her expression. “You're drinking their Kool-Aid.”

“No, I'm not.” Bridget gasped this time. She held onto her desk to stop her celebration.

She was not a crazed fan or stalker like some of these people on the Internet seemed to be. She didn't know how this person got the pictures but they obviously had been following them.

“Uh-huh. So how are you gonna get them onto the show?” 

“I don't know. They've ignored every message I've sent them. You have to wake up. They don't want to talk to us.”

“That's unacceptable!”

“Do you realise this sounds a little crazy?” Dennis said after he had been kicked out of the hospital for basically stalking them he had seen the light. “They don't have to talk to us if they don't want to.” 

“Fine. If they don't want to talk to us then we'll have to speak for them.” Bridget grinned deviously.

“Did you find them yet?”

“Give me a second, will ya!” Jackson called back and when she walked past his open door to see what he was doing she caught sight of his body hanging out of the storage closet. “This might take a little longer than I thought.”

April chuckled under her breath as she finished organising her stack of books and placed them on her desk in order of size. She heard some more shuffling from his bedroom, a dull thud and what sounded like muffled yet frustrated cursing.

With surgical board interviews coming soon in the new year, April was already thinking ahead to the exam period. In a matter of a few months, their class would be travelling down to the Golden State to test their skills in a hypothetical sense, but the stress would be authentic.

Just thinking about the exam made her stomach somersault. However, if she and Jackson started to prepare now by locating their study materials and coming up with a plan then at least they’d feel like they had a fighting chance at such an unpredictable test.

After another clunk against the wall April decided to find out what was going on in there.

“What the heck?” April gasped at the amount of stuff on his desk.

Jackson turned her way, her presence was enough of a distraction to break his concentration from his search for what he needed. The sudden movement caused some of the papers to fall to the floor. 

“Oh…” Jackson bent down to collect the papers and slapped them on top of his textbooks without a care of how they looked. “Hey, April. What’s up?”

She released a surprised-sounding chuckle and took some more steps forward until she was stood by him and opposite the desk. “Did you keep every test you ever took and bring it with you to Seattle?”

“No, this is just from my last year of med school and intern year…” Jackson described as she flipped through the pages.

April skimmed the first few lines of his notes which were scribbled but concise; classic doctor’s handwriting she noted. It was a helpful reminder to know that Jackson was organised when it came to studying and that was probably why they made such good partners. 

Rooming with Karev was enough of a task so there was no way that she would indulge in spending more time with him. Asking Cristina to join their small group crossed her mind, she even approached her yesterday before their shift had started but Yang had already started her study group with Grey and wasn’t sure if either of them could keep up.

She didn’t take it too harshly, everyone had their techniques and special things they needed to do to prep for exams. Furthermore, the more she thought about it Cristina had the right idea because sometimes it was like she and Grey had a secret language that nobody else understood. 

It could also work much better for her and Jackson being a smaller team of two; they could get through all their material faster and since they already had a close history of working alongside each other they knew the other’s strengths and quirks. 

“Aw, you kept my note,” April said when a smaller note card popped out from amongst the white pages. From its position in between the pages, the card was perfectly kept without a bend or crease.  When she gave it to him all those years ago, it was just a token of pure friendship but it was nice to know that it had made an impact on him.

She reached out and lightly tapped his shoulder. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a keepsake kinda guy.”

“I don’t know, I guess that I…” Jackson shrugged and tried not to think about why he kept the handwritten note from April Kepner during their intern days so pristine and tucked away for safekeeping.

“I knew that it had a little magic behind it,” Jackson replied when he finally found the words with a half smile while resting his palm on the desk. “Got through the intern exam.”

“Yeah we did,” April responded and without even meaning to found herself falling into a trance just staring into his eyes. She’d come to rely on him more over the years probably more than her own family and after going through their storms together.

The events had ended pushing them closer in ways she couldn't have predicted. Now she couldn't remember a time when she didn't feel close to him.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts just like when they were back on the Christmas tree farm. “Okay, uh why don’t- we should get started”

“Right, yeah.” Jackson agreed, shaking his head and collecting the materials off the desk. When he looked back up she was sitting on his bed with her notepad, ready to work.

“Come on,” April patted the empty spot next to her. “We need to get started.”

Jackson nodded and approached the empty spot on the bed unsure if that was the best place to nurture his concentration towards the books at the moment. 

“Okay, if we want to be serious about the board examination prep then we should probably compile a list of topics first,” April started and pushed her hair out of her face. Her expression had switched then with her brows lowering so a pinch of skin folded on her forehead. She clicked her pen and jotted down a few things so they could start studying.g

An hour into their session, he leaned over slightly to read the list over her shoulder but as he raised his head, Jackson saw her phone screen flash as she had a few messages that had come through in the past few minutes they had been hanging out.

Jackson raised an eyebrow at what he was seeing but kept his voice in an even tone despite being confused about what he was seeing. “Uh, why is Lexie texting you?”

“Oh,” April turned around and picked her phone up, her thumbs hovering over the keyboard as she was about to reply. “I said I would get back to her about the reservations.”

“Reservations for what?” 

“Oh,” April blinked when she realised she hadn’t told him yet. “So during our last surgery, I might have accepted a double date invite from her.” 

“She invited us on a double date?”

April squinted at him as she tried to gauge his reaction; she couldn’t tell if the lack of notice was boring him or if it was the Lexie Grey of it all. He couldn’t still be into her after all this time, could he?

“Yes.”

“Lexie Grey?”

“Yes,” April laughed nervously at his need for confirmation that she did indeed invite them out on a double date. Why was he so focused on that little part since for the record they both only knew one Lexie Grey?

“Why would she want to do that?” Jackson asked to moreso himself and April eased off the bed, moving the study materials to the side so they no longer cluttered his bed.

“Well we did miss her Thanksgiving dinner although according to Torres we might have dodged a bullet with that one,” April shrugged and began to second guess herself. “But I’m not sure she seemed enthusiastic about it. It could be fun. I haven’t spent that much time outside of work with Sloan but you two get along well. I mean I can cancel if it’s-”

“Nah, no don’t. It’s fine, just took me by surprise that’s all,” Jackson answered her but he didn’t exactly want to hang out with his ex, even if she was dating Sloan. There were no residual feelings or anything but he had to admit he didn’t keep in touch with his ex-girlfriends.

However, since their dating pool consisted of their coworkers by default Jackson didn’t have any excuse. 

Jackson scratched his chin and walked over to the desk. “Just uh we haven’t hung out for a while.”

“Oh, okay well she booked us a table at Whitney’s for 8 o’clock,” April stared at the back of his head, waiting for him to say anything else but he only fixed the papers on his desk. 

What the hell was he thinking about? 

Did he think the dinner invitation was weird on Lexie’s part? She seemed more flighty than usual but April thought that she was just upset about her Thanksgiving dinner going wrong. As far as she was aware, Lexie and Mark were as happy and loved up as ever. 

And she and Jackson were…

What were they?

She still hadn’t told him how she felt and wanted to kick herself right now!

She should have told him when they got back to Seattle or even after he started to feel better but definitely before she invited him to an intimate diner with his ex-girlfriend. 

What the hell was she thinking? 

Far too busy in her head as usual instead of living in reality. 

Why would he care unless he was still into her? Now that she thought about it, whenever Lexie showed up Jackson would always pull her along or make himself scarce. Yet, if that were the case then it would mean that he wasn’t comfortable around Lexie and Sloan or their relationship and he did break up with her after all…

April slid off the bed since their study session was over and she wasn’t in the mood to think hard anymore. 

“Alright, that’s enough for today,” April announced.

“We did good.”

“We’ll get through all of these topics in no time.” April smiled and lifted her hand to high-five him.

Jackson chuckled at the sight of her enthusiastic grin and slapped her palm with his but when he brought his hand down it caught on the sleeve of the shirt she was wearing.

His shirt.

“Are you ever gonna give me back my shirt?” Jackson asked as he packed his textbooks and set them back on the desk. 

“What shirt?” April slowly looked up at him while protectively hugging the shirt closer to her chest. The action hardly made her look innocent but she hoped he’d take pity on her and let it go.

“My shirt,” Jackson folded his arms and lowered himself to the edge of the desk so he was sitting down on it. “You know, the one that you’re wearing right now.”

April only raised her brows, playing it as innocently as she could but her eyes kept shifting to the open door like she was contemplating making a break for it.  

She cleared her throat and started tugging on the left sleeve. “I don’t…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He gestured at her then and raised his arm weakly because it seemed like he was going to have to beg for his shirt back from her which was ridiculous. She basically stole it and was wearing it right in front of his face. 

It didn’t even make sense as to why she’d want it anyway. The hem fell to the tops of her thighs and the sleeves were too long so for most of their reviewing she had them rolled up her forearms. 

“That’s my favourite shirt!”

“I just borrowed it!”

“It’s been several days.” He folded his arms again but a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. “And I’m pretty sure I saw it in your laundry.”

“Well, it’s comfy to sleep in,” April argued and even if she washed the shirt, it still smelled like him.

Jackson snorted at her reasoning. “It’s not for sleeping.”

“I know that and I was gonna return it but-”

“But…”

She shrugged feebly as she looked him in the eye. “It's soft.”

He scoffed again and approached her. “Not a good enough reason, Kepner. Give me the shirt.”

April stepped up as he came to stand in front of her, blocking her path to leave. “You can’t be serious? I’m leaving and I’m taking this shirt with me!”

“What?” Jackson doubled back as she tried to push past him. It might have been simple and soft but if she knew how much that shirt cost then she’d probably faint. 

“Yup,” April confidently stood her ground and jutted her chin defiantly. “Do you know how much laundry I’ve done for you and Alex since we’ve met? How many disgusting jerseys I’ve smelled after those pickup games? I’ve earned it by this point.”

“Okay,” Jackson had entertained her for long enough. “If you’re not going to give it back then I’m just going to have to take it.”

“Yeah right,” April shrugged and folded her arms but as soon as she stepped around him she felt herself fly backwards, her feet high in the air until she landed flat on her back with him on top of her. 

“Are you gonna return it?”

“Nope! Get off me!” April squirmed around with defiance and he chuckled, amused by her resistance.

April thrashed back, trying to push him off of her but she was effectively pinned on the mattress underneath his solid frame. She tried bending her arms to slide out from underneath him but he was already ten steps ahead of her.

“Don’t even think about it,” Jackson used the overhanging material on the sleeves of his shirt to disarm her and pulled her arms over her head while digging his knees into the mattress.

“Ah!” April laughed partly frustrated but mostly because of the wild look of determination in his eyes due to her not giving up so easily. Using his surprise to her advantage, she hooked her legs low around his waist to flip him over. 

“You have like a million shirts and could definitely get a million more.” April laughed with a proud smirk at the sight of him sprawled out on the mattress below her.

After the shock wore off, Jackson eased up onto his elbows as he admired April in their new position which she held quite well. Her beautiful face framed by the light was focused on only him with a bright expression while her soft thighs cradled his hips and he could feel the 

“Like I said rather have this shirt,” Jackson said and pushed himself up even further so they were face to face. “Even more so the woman wearing it.”

A faint gasp passed her lips when his whispered words coincided with the gentle caress of his hand under the shirt and across her stomach. As with previous times, the playful energy that had been brewing between them suddenly turned into something more potent.  

April raised an eyebrow in reply baiting him even as she bit the inside of her cheek in anticipation. She adjusted position sitting on his lap as she waited for him but the increase in pressure broke his last bit of restraint. 

His lips crashed onto hers within an instant, cupping her cheek to hold her close to him as her head reared back with the force of his passion. This time she gripped the shirt on his body as she chased the addictive taste of his tongue when he lapped at her mouth. 

“Oh, baby,” April moaned breathily as he left her lips in favour of her neck and dug her nails into his shoulders when he pulled the neckline wider to nip and suck along the edge of her collarbone while his hand crept higher up her torso.

“You feel so good, April,” Jackson murmured against her warm skin. 

She started shifting her hips over his, making it clear with her actions what she wanted to do and tugging at the hem of his shirt. 

More focused on lavishing her neck, his shirt was more than halfway up his body before he helped her to remove it completely.  

April slowly ran her hands over his chest as he took measured, heavy breaths to regain his composure. She felt his heart and the warmth radiating under her open palms. He squeezed her waist as she moved further up his lap and softly traced his bottom lip with her tongue as she went in for another kiss.

Jackson moaned loudly, something inside of him snapping at the sound of her breath catching in her throat when their lips touched again.

With his hands still securely planted on her waist, Jackson flipped her over onto her back and held her hands over her head on the pillow. 

April smiled into the kiss, elated at how quickly he'd taken charge. She'd quickly grown to appreciate the heavy weight of his chest on top of her breasts and his pelvis eagerly grinding against hers. 

She wrapped her legs around his calves and gripped the top of his shoulders as he started to slip his shirt up her body. His blunt nails leaving trails of heat at each pass up her sides felt like the sweetest torture.

He rolled his hips slowly so she could feel every inch of him. Her hips twitched against him, locking her legs tighter when he pressed against her swollen clit.

“Mmmm, yes,” April sighed when he finally pulled the shirt over her neck and returned to kissing her neck.

He lifted the shirt over her head but didn’t carry it all the way up her arms. Instead, after the material passed over her head, Jackson pushed it further up her arms but stopped where they bent at the elbow so her arms were trapped above her head in his shirt.

After swiftly pulling on the long sleeves, he tied the lengths to the metal bed frame in one tight knot so her hands and arms were essentially locked within the material of his shirt.

His eyes slowly scanned her body as she squirmed underneath him, trying to get closer. She shivered when he placed his hand on her stomach  Jackson lowered his lips to hers and she welcomed him with an opened-mouthed kiss that grew needier and breathier with every pass of his lips.

“What are you doing? Take it off me…” April said, her voice sounding slightly strained as her eyes flickered open. 

“I'm trying something a little bit different,” Jackson smirked, his eyes glinted mischievously when her arms shook rather vigorously but the tie didn't budge. “Since you wanted to wear my shirt so bad.”

“That's not… what I meant,” April replied, biting her lip as she struggled against the makeshift restraints. She was surprised she was able to get out of it easily since it was just a t-shirt not some elaborate tying of ropes. 

“Ugh, how did you do this?” April glanced behind her to see better and then turned to him with a scowl. “I know you were taking cotillion classes and not in the Boy Scouts back in Boston!”

Jackson laughed heartily since he had her right where he wanted her now. He ran his hand over her bent thigh and leaned forward, trailing his hands up her body and it betrayed her by shivering under his hands. He heard her breathing become shallower as she watched his every move.  

“Oh, never underestimate an Avery, baby.” Jackson buried his face into her hair and his lips grazed her ear. “Especially this one…who knows… exactly what you want. ”

April couldn’t argue with that and whimpered softly when he groped her breasts and continued to tease her ear lobe. She sighed his name before turning her head and seeking his mouth once more.

She gasped for breath when he broke the kiss in favour of sucking on her neck. 

“You took such good care of me. It’s only fair that I return that kindness,” Jackson said 

“Okay…Oh-h…yep, I think so too,” April complied easily after that which was quite serendipitous since he was already pushing her shorts down her legs.

He laughed into her neck, inhaling the scent of her conditioner as he hid his face in her hair.

“Don’t laugh at me.” April groaned, dropping her head back onto the pillow.

He lifted his head, smiling. “I can’t help it. You’re really cute when you're flustered.”

Unable to bring him closer with her hands, April wrapped her legs around his waist and he gripped the comforter but couldn’t stop himself from bucking against her.

“You were saying…oh,” April moaned loudly when he bit down on her neck and placed his hand between her legs. She pulled at her restraints with more force. She wanted to touch him so badly but that wasn’t happening. 

“I’d rather go back to not talking for a while,” Jackson said, using his fingers to spread her folds which made her sigh.  “You don’t mind, do you?”

“No, I’m so… so on board with that,” April replied softly.

Jackson chuckled at her answer especially when her eyelids started to flutter like she was trying to concentrate. He continued kissing her inner thighs, gazing intently up at her as her chest rose and fell while she lost herself in how he made her feel. With his left hand, Jackson gripped her thigh to keep them apart and make more room for himself.

"You make such sweet sounds for me, sweetheart," Jackson said, his face buried between her thighs, his lips moving against her throbbing heat. "Making me want to lose my mind. Is that what you want?"  

“Yes!” April whimpered, her voice high-pitched and airy while he sunk his fingers into her.

With her hands in his hair, she bucked against his face when his tongue slid inside her and he circled her clit once before pressing down with two fingers. He groaned as he watched her jaw turn slack and her body grow taur from his actions. 

Jackson stroked himself with one hand while he played with her with the other. 

She reached for his free hand as 

However, he was able to make sense of her weak protests despite her thighs being clamped around his ears since she was all but pushing on the back of his head with her hands.

“Jackson… Jacks-Ah!,” 

He crawled back up her body until he made it to her face. Jackson nuzzled her neck and she immediately lifted her leg over his back to keep him close to her. 

She reached for his face, holding his head between her hands so when he raised his head she rubbed the tip of her nose against his and lifted her head to capture his mouth.

Jackson moaned when she began to nibble on his lower lip, as her tongue deliciously moved over his and his hold on her intensified. 

She wrapped her other leg around his waist and broke the kiss to bite down on his ear lobe at the same time he slipped inside of her. 

“I’m never gonna get tired of how that feels,” Jackson groaned over her skin and she seemingly reacted to that by tightening around him and he buried his face into the side of her neck. 

“Fuck,” Jackson muttered and April turned her head which made their noses bump when the side of her face landed on the pillow.

April sought after his mouth and he immediately obliged her, swallowing her sharp gasp when he rolled his hips. 

“Untie me, baby,” her softly spoken request came soon after and Jackson fell into a trace as they looked into each other's eyes. “Please.”

With his lips moving over hers,  Jackson did as she asked him and once her hands were free they settled on the back of his head, playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck and allowing him to get comfortable before confidently flipping him onto his back.

April dug her knees into the mattress and finally removed his shirt. She tossed it to the floor behind her but the shirt was the last thing on Jackson’s mind when started to stroke his erection while she dragged the tip of him along her entrance.

He dug his nails into her hip, “Stop teasing me.”

“I’m not…” April said and then twisted her hand around his shaft much slower this time, blowing a stream of warm air from her lips as she did so. 

April laughed when his eyes rolled back and he moaned loudly, the sound did little to dissuade her. 

She was ready to hear it again. 

He flashed her a grin as he glanced her way again while his other hand crept further up her leg. “You’re not?”

“Okay, maybe just a little bit,” April said coyly, her shoulder dipping inward as she repeated the action.

He smacked her butt, much harder than he ever had previously and she enjoyed that more than she anticipated. 

“Oh!” April bit her lip, her head dropping forward as the stinging subsided and morphed into a pleasurable tingling feeling. She let her hips drop lower and the head of his dick finally slipped through and then she was moaning for a different reason.

Jackson smirked, raising his knees slightly. “I get it. I’m working with a lot.”

She rolled her eyes, a staggered-sounding laugh and smacked his chest as she raised her head. 

“Ah, the real reason… why you wanted me to untie you.” Jackson quickly took hold of the hand when she squinted at him. “You’re only mad because I’m right.”

She fully lowered herself onto him and rocked her hips just once. “No…”

“Mm, yes,” Jackson grunted and squeezed her thigh, urging her on.

“No…oh god,”  April moaned and closed her eyes, tight. Feeling slightly overstimulated from before but took all of him as deep as she could. Jackson’s responding laugh was so rich with satisfaction. 

April hummed when he raised her arm, softly kissed her hand and made his way behind her wrist. 

Jackson murmured his appreciation over her pulse point. 

“You do too. Always.”  She took both of his hands, flattening them out so she could run them up her thighs and over her stomach until they reached her breasts.  

“You gotta admit it’s different when you can use your hands.” April gasped when he flicked his thumbs over her nipples and then squeezed. “You can really feel your way, you know?”

“Yeah…I know. Aw fuck me,” Jackson agreed, watching her face change as he played with her breasts. “You’re so beautiful, baby.”

April moaned and threw her head back, pressing her hands on top of his chest. She straightened her back to grind and rock against him faster. Jackson dropped his hands to help guide the desperate movements and lifted his hips so he was thrusting up her. 

The tips of her nails scored marks on his chest as she pressed further into him and he mapped her body with his hands, touching every inch of her.

Jackson grunted in response, massaging her breasts as he rocked his hips against the rhythm she had set. April was fully in control now and he couldn’t complain about the change of pace. Seeing her like this, going after the pleasure that he was providing her sent him into overdrive. April gently rocked and rubbed against him watching her have an orgasm while patiently building up his own.

Suddenly, he stretched his arms out to reach and pull her down on top of him so they were hip to hip and her breasts to his chest. He tangled his hands into her wild, messy hair and tilted her head upwards to meld their mouths together. 

April leaned over him, pouring everything into the kiss and he groaned, holding her even closer and her body started to taut over his.

“Oh god, oh go- Jackson!”

He flipped her onto her back and lifted her legs over his arms. Until she screamed his name and didn’t stop until he collapsed on top of her.

April clung to him even afterwards, trying to catch her breath. His body was heavy over hers but she welcomed the weight.

She mapped the muscles in his back with her hands, slowly tracing his skin and he snuggled further into her as much as she could allow. However, when his stubble started scratching her neck she couldn't hold back a reaction.

“Stop laughing,” Jackson murmured as he kissed her neck. “I'm trying to seduce you.”

“Oh, like you didn't already,” April continued to laugh. When he finally reached her face he didn't waste any time and kissed her giggling mouth. 

April smiled into the kiss, stroking his cheeks. She spoke in between warm breaths and soft kisses. “You should shave before dinner.”

“I’ll consider it,” Jackson chuckled. He stared into her eyes and felt something stirring in his chest. 

The last thing on his mind was going to dinner. Free evenings were rare in their field, he'd much rather spend alone time with April. 

She started to sit up and he moved back to accommodate her, thinking she was about to leave the bed when she reached for the sweater. However, instead of putting it on right away, she held it to her side and stared at it.

“Maybe you should keep it,” Jackson said jokingly. "It's my favourite shirt for an entirely different reason now.”

She didn't react much and when she finally looked up at him. It was clear in her eyes that she had something to say.

“April?”

“Mm?”

“What is it?”

“I want to be with you, Jackson.” April suddenly confessed and it stunned him into silence. But that didn't stop her, she finally had the confidence to admit what had been swirling around in her mind for the past few weeks. “I was scared to admit it to myself at first because it's terrifying to put yourself out there but if I can survive the world seeing vulnerable then I can tell my best friend how I feel about him, right?”

Jackson was too stunned to speak. He had been stressing and struggling to find the exact words to say, and April beat him to the punch. She felt the same way about him. He had been worried about how to move forward or what to say to her for weeks, which put a lid on his words and emotions. Instead of them spilling out from the confrontation, iit was like they burrowed back inside.

“Oh...”

“Oh? You don't feel the same way of course you don't. What was I thinking?” April slipped out from underneath him before he realised what was happening. “Of course, it was just fun, casual sex to you.” 

She was so embarrassed. She had to get out of his room now.

April scrambled off the bed but once she was upright she was slightly unsteady on her feet and fatigued in her muscles. A good ache between her legs that reminded her of how amazing she and Jackson could be together but she would not be the one to back track.

At the very least, April hoped to leave here with a dramatic yet strong exit. Yes, she would at least get out of here with some dignity….and Jackson’s shirt.

Jackson couldn’t even revel in the way April hobbled around his bedroom to redress in his clothes because he was insulted by her insinuation. Did she really think that he didn’t have feelings for her? At one point, he thought he'd been too obvious but it seemed like she didn't care to find out. 

“Is that what you really think?”

“Well, why not?” April questioned, turning to face him with hurt in her eyes. “You only came up with this idea because you were so focused on, your ego and ‘winning the stupid break up’ and-”

April began to stutter but he was hot on her heels.

“Hey, you agreed to it!” Jackson pointed out. “You were begging me to help you because you could even leave the apartment.”

April scoffed and folded her arms, unappreciative at the sentiment. “I did not beg you.”

“Not then. Now a couple of minutes ago…”

She scowled at him but was sure she had turned bright red at him even mentioning it. 

“Whatever! The point is I was crazy to even think that this could be something more or that you were capable of being vulnerable enough to say how you feel or not feel I guess.”

“What do you even know about- ” Jackson cut himself, now he was really upset with her. He had shared more with her than he had with anyone else in his life. 

He cared for April more than he had any other woman. He was sure he was in love with her now more than ever because she had fiercely pissed him and he was still standing here ready to argue with her.

“You know what? You’re selfish.” Jackson accused her, pointing his finger angrily.

“I’m selfish?” April gasped.

“You can’t see anything else because you’re so wrapped up in your own head.” Jackson elaborated, fired up now as well. “If you even stepped out for one second outside of yourself-”

“Me? You're the one who's so caught up on what people think. Your mom, your grandfather. God forbid you defy their expectations.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Jackson asked, 

“Did you tell your grandpa about Tulane yet?”

Jackson faltered and swallowed thickly. April was the only person he'd told about applying to their plastics department for a fellowship. “It's not like I have an interview.”

“But you want to go, don't you?” April asked and then answered for him. “But you're still letting him believe that you’ll eventually take that place at Mass General.”

She was still embarrassed but that didn't change the truth and she knew Jackson's talent wouldn't thrive under the critical voice of Harper Avery. He might have given him a name but there was so much more that Jackson was able to give to a patient that Harper would always overlook. 

“Just like your mom thinks you'll come back to Moline and work at the local doctor's surgery?” Jackson fired back.

“That's not the same thing and you know it!” April yelled. 

Sure, her mother had mentioned it a few times throughout the years but Jackson was only using it as a deflection tactic.

“I don't want to talk about this.” Jackson threw his hands up. 

“Well, I don't want to talk to you at all!” April turned abruptly, her messy hair flying behind her as she went and stormed out of his bedroom and into the hallway towards hers.

That only ticked Jackson off more. Why would she walk away from him when they were in the middle of an argument? 

There were still so many things that were unresolved between them and yet the first words that came to mind and forcefully came out his mouth when he stepped into the hall after her were nothing to do with their fight.

“Well...what time are we meeting up for dinner?” Jackson yelled and within a few seconds a red-faced April popped her head out of her bedroom to reply.

“My shift ends at six. I'll make my own way!” April shouted and then slammed the door again. 

A year ago, April wouldn't ever believe she'd be thankful to deal with a hectic emergency room and Dr Owen Hunt barking orders at the barely broken-in intern staff but she welcomed the distraction from her messy personal life. 

“Look alive, people. Incoming is in less than a minute!” Owen yelled and clapped a firm hand on an unsuspecting Dr Ross’ back.

The young doctor stumbled and held onto April for support. 

She barely budged, too focused on the imminent sirens of the oncoming ambulances but he thanked her anyway. 

This was where she was truly in her element. Her hands didn't shake when she applied stitches to an almost fatal laceration on a patient's hip. Or when their pressure suddenly bottomed out and it was a race to get them into an emergency room. 

It was touch and go for a while but she managed to save and stabilise the woman in the operating room. April was on her feet for most of the day dealing with the rest of the intake from today, her usual rounds and the predicted intern crash out. 

“So another one bites the dust, huh?” Lexie suddenly bumped into her in the hallway after an extremely late lunch. 

“What?”

“Intern Jacobs throwing up all over Dr Hunt’s scrubs.”

“Oh. Yeah, that.” April replied, in a daze. She didn't even realise Lexie had come up to her. 

Now that the rush of dealing with multiple incoming traumas had worn off, she was back to feeling deflated. She hadn't interacted with Jackson since their fight or seen him at work for the day. He said he was still coming to their date with Mark and Lexie but she felt weird being at odds with him. 

Fighting with the fake boyfriend you accidentally fell for was a cruel punishment, especially since she couldn't confide in her real best friend as they were the same man.

“Sounds so embarrassing,” Lexie laughed with little sympathy. “I can't believe you didn't catch it. 

“I think that I'm maxed out for embarrassing moments for the year,” April muttered when the image of Jackson's non-response flashed through her mind. 

“What?”

“Nothing,” April shook her head and pushed on with a smile. She didn't know how she'd been able to make it through dinner this evening without bursting into tears. “I’m just really excited for dinner tonight. I could use a break so thanks for inviting us.”

Lexie smiled too but she wasn't as excited as she made out to be either. Everything had to be perfect for this dinner since April and Jackson were also going to be there. 

First, she had made reservations at the most exclusive restaurant in town. Osteria di Lusso had stunning views of the Seattle cityscape and three Michelin stars. She wouldn't make the same mistake of cooking a five-course meal herself again. 

Secondly, though a much harder task, she had been buttering up Mark for the last several days. This wasn't as easy as booking a table since it seemed that Mark was already suspicious of her behaviour since Thanksgiving.

If the buttering up didn't work then a dress with a plunging neckline might save her. 

“So what do you plan on wearing tonight?”

“Oh, I hadn't really thought about it,” April replied as she flipped through a chart and laughed. “I suck at shopping. I have two dresses in my entire wardrobe and one of them is from Catherine. Can you believe that?”

Lexie’s smile cracked just slightly but April already had her head buried in her chart again and didn't notice. 

“Oh, really. His mom took you shopping,” Lexie grumbled to herself, picking at a worn-out service sticker on the side of the printer. “Practically shipped me away when we were a thing.”

“Huh?” April said and looked up at her. 

“Nothing,” Lexie coughed, feigning like she had a frog in her throat. She reached for the bottle of water she kept behind the desk and chugged it down before answering. “A casual dress is fine, it’s a trendy place but it’s pretty lowkey from what I’ve heard. One of the best Asian fusion restaurants in the city.”

“Don't worry, we weren’t going to bail on you guys,” April promised and she meant it. It would make for an awkward dinner with her and Jackson in a fight but they were mature enough to get through an evening with their friends. “You went to so much trouble. Asian fusion, huh? I love Chinese food.”

Lexie brightened, tucking the chart in her possession underneath her chin. 

“Oh good,” Lexie took her phone out of her back pocket and started swiping through the pictures she had saved online to show her, including a video of a trained chef cooking right in front of the customers. 

“I know this place! Kinda. Well, I overheard Dr Altman talking with some of the other attendings. Henry took her on their date night,” April said with a wistful grin. Henry was always so chatty whenever he came in for a check-up or just to bring Teddy lunch so they could eat together since he had enrolled at the community college nearby soon after recovering from his final surgery. “Wow, they really do cook the food right in front of you!” 

“Yup, going all out.” Lexie smiled anxiously. Maybe she hadn't thought this plan through well enough.  

“This looks kinda pricey but it sounded like a special night for them.” April summarised thoughtfully. “Dr Altman said everyone has to try at least once so why not take her up on it.” 

“Oh, cool yeah. And h-how much is that exactly?” Lexie questioned, trying not to panic. In her pursuit to outdo, she had neglected to check the prices. 

It was easy for Henry to foot the bill for some lavish date night. He was smart with the money he earned while playing major league baseball before retiring and could easily afford it. She was still paying off medical school debts. 

April collected the chart she had been working on a few more that had just been handed over. 

“I dunno,” April shrugged, not thinking too much of it. “But it sounds amazing. Thanks for doing this Lexie.” 

“You're welcome,” Lexie replied and tried to stop her eye from twitching as April walked away. 

If his fight with April last night was supposed to be any indication of how horrible his work day would be then Jackson wouldn't have even bothered getting out of bed this morning.

He had a terrible night's sleep. He'd become so used to sleeping beside April that it actually felt uncomfortable to be in an empty bed for once. 

The uneasy night melded into a hectic morning as he tried to get ready for the day but forgot that most of his belongings were inside April's bathroom. She had left for work and locked her door before he even had woken up. 

The biggest downgrade in the history of his life was going from sharing a bathroom with April to stepping into the one he used to share with Alex. 

Although a rising star amongst the residents, Karev hadn't grown up past his fraternity days in other aspects and this showed up in how he kept the bathroom. His dirty laundry was scattered on the bathroom tile the usual but the floss strings around the sink were new and equally disgusting. 

However, Jackson quickly discovered that this new disgusting habit belonged to someone else when she stepped out of the shower with a satisfied and squeaky clean Karev in tow. 

“Dude! Don't you knock?” Alex barked as he secured a towel around his waist. 

The woman was better off than him since she was still in the shower and covered by the condensation on the glass. 

“Oh hello,” she waved and popped her head out as Alex tossed a towel in her direction. 

“Hey,” Jackson nodded with an awkward smile in return.  

“What are you doing here?” 

“I need to take a shower,” Jackson answered like it was obvious. 

“What gives?” Alex scoffed as the mystery lady stepped out of the shower. “You finally ditch Kepner.” 

“Shut up,” Jackson grumbled as Alex pulled his companion out the door. 

Unlucky for him too, Alex and his latest fling had used up all the hot water which made for a glacial shower experience for him. 

By the time he turned up for his shift, he was late, irritable and just about everyone knew to steer clear of Dr Avery.  Everyone except for an informed intern who had taken a stab at doing stitches on his patient unsupervised.

“What the hell is this?” 

Mark whipped around to see Jackson scalding the younger Dr Harris, who had been previously bragging to the other interns on his service today. 

“I-I did the stitches on Mrs Wykes,” Dr Harris cleared his throat, his voice taking on a more gravelly tone to sound brave in front of his friends. Although, that didn’t matter much because as soon as a more senior doctor came onto the scene they scattered and left him to fend for himself. 

“You were specifically told not to touch the patient. Now I have to fix your mess!” 

“I thought I was here to practice medicine.” Dr Harris answered snarkily which pushed more of Jackson’s buttons. 

“I’m supposed to teach you and I would be able to do that if you didn’t already think that you knew everything!”

“Okay,” Mark mumbled under his breath before making his way over to break up the confrontation. “Dr Avery, may I speak with you for a moment…. in private.”

Mark led him to a nearby trauma room that was luckily unoccupied after the flurry of action earlier this morning. 

“So are you gonna tell me what your problem is or am I gonna have to wait for that intern’s picture to show up on the five o’clock news?”  

“I’m fine. It's just a bad day.”

“Yeah, we can all see that. What's going on with you and why did you bring it to work?”

“Sorry,” Jackson apologised, realising that he overreacted. “I fought with April. It was a bad one.”

Mark shrugged. “It's not exactly abnormal for couples to fight.”

“We're not a regular couple.” Jackson laughed and scratched his forehead. 

“What does that mean?” Mark frowned as he placed his hands into his pockets.

Jackson paused and debated in his mind whether or not he should speak up. When they came up with this plan he didn’t expect anyone to ever find out. However, he needed some actual advice because he really wanted to fix things with April. 

It was time to admit the truth and he knew above all else that he could trust Mark to keep this secret safe.

Sloan had years of life experience and kept a level head in times of crisis. 

Jackson cleared his throat and squinted. “We've kind of been…faking a relationship.” 

“What?” Mark yelled which the entire floor happened to hear. “You’ve got to be kidding me with this, Avery!”

“Me-” Jackson looked around and saw that people were staring at them. No doubt due to Mark’s outburst. 

He stepped closer and ducked his head. “Would you lower your voice?”

“Oh, you’re embarrassed now?” Mark placed his hands on his hips. “Imagine how I feel!”

“Okay,” Jackson scoffed and quickly dragged his disgruntled mentor over to a less populated hallway. 

Once they were out of prying eyes, Jackson ran a hand over his face and released a stifled laugh. 

He had chosen to tell Mark because of his level-headedness. Unfortunately, at that moment composure seemed to go out the window. 

“Think you can be calm now? I told you because I need some advice.”

“Sorry, but what do you mean you've been faking a relationship,” Mark threw his hands up but spoke much quieter this time. Jackson peered around the corner to check if anyone was about to come by.  “Everyone thinks it's real. You won that People's Choice couples poll!”

Jackson turned to face him, brows furrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Mark suddenly developed a pinkish hue to his cheeks. 

“Apparently, kids these days don't like to call,” Mark scratched the back of his head and sat on top of the empty gurney propped up next to a wall. “I wanted to have an easy way to keep up with Sloane after she moved out of the state so she set up some kind of social media account for me.”

“Right,” Jackson raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. 

He vaguely remembered Sloan mentioning that he had an older daughter, from a previous relationship, that he has recently reconnected with. By the sounds of her personality being reminiscent of her father's, her mother naming her Sloane was appropriate. 

“Twitter or something. I didn't use it much besides to talk to her. But we all saw when you went viral.” Mark chuckled and Jackson did too this time. 

“That wasn't part of the plan,” Jackson said with a sigh but when he thought about the night they’d come up with the proposition, deep down in his mind it felt like more. “Neither was falling in love with her.”

“I knew it!” Mark exclaimed and hopped off the gurney to shake his shoulders. “I knew it was the real deal between you two. Altman was so off, ha!” 

“What does Altman have to do with this?” Jackson asked in confusion.

“Don’t worry about that. Just know that I’ve got my boy and his girl’s back,” Mark said proudly, dusting off the invisible lint from his shoulders. “Plus she now owes me $100.” 

“That’s great. I’m happy for you,” Jackson responded sarcastically, nodding his head before lifting his hand to gesture to himself. “How does that help me?”

“I thought that was obvious. Come on, Avery. Just tell her how you feel.”

“Because that worked out so well the first time,” Jackson scoffed.

“Only because you waited so long.” Mark laughed but soon stopped when Jackson glared at him. “So you said some things that you didn’t mean. I’m sure she’d take back whatever she said too. Just tell her how you feel and get on with it!”

“I tried-”

“What do you mean you tried?” Mark said, pulling back with a disappointed expression. This was not what he wanted to hear. Not at all. “You forgot how to speak, Avery?”

Jackson stammered, which didn't help his cause, taken aback by the sudden attack. He thought that Mark would be a bit softer in his approach. 

“She beat me to it and then ran off!” Jackson answered but Mark was still waiting to hear more. “And I don't know, I was so worried that she didn't feel the same way when she said it. I just blanked out.” 

Mark sighed and leaned into a more sympathetic angle, practising his best fatherly stance.

“Take it from someone who also knew a thing about wasting time, you don't need to do any more of it.”

Jackson found himself spilling his guts after a while.

“It was just to get those Internet weirdos off her back after that video went viral. She didn’t want to go anywhere and I wanted to help her out,” Jackson said band smiled. 

“I don’t know when but before long it wasn’t pretend to me anymore,” Jackson said with a slow realisation. “And then things kind of got…complicated.”

For Mark, that didn't need any further explanation. 

He laughed and raised his eyebrows. “You had sex.”

“I didn't say that,” Jackson replied evasively. 

“You didn't have to.” Mark grinned and Jackson sighed. 

“Glad you find this so entertaining,” Jackson rolled his eyes. 

“Entertainment? Please,” Mark scoffed and folded his arms. “This is what I like to call sweet vindication.”

“Vindication for what?” 

He winced like a teenager caught sneaking back into the house after curfew. 

“I may have mentioned,” Mark cleared his throat and straightened his spine. “I may have suggested to Kepner once that you two would make great...partners.”

"What?"

"Don't make that face," Mark straightened his collar. "Clearly, I was onto something."

"You could have stayed out of my personal life, like I asked." Jackson reminded him.

Mark seemed dumbfounded by this. "But where's the fun in that?"

Jackson sighed but had to find out more.

“When?”

“After you and Lexie broke up.”

Jackson snorted. “You're crazy.”

“Yes. Well, maybe for a bit of fun at first,” Mark chuckled since he didn't take it so seriously initially but after seeing them together there was no doubt that there was something more between them. “You two already get along so well. I thought I had taken the initiative and gone there but now I'm kinda disappointed.” 

“Yeah, well you’re not the only one,” Jackson answered with a heavy sigh. “That one is on me though. I lost my chance.”

“Lost your chance- Do you hear yourself?”

“What?”

“She's here. And you're not going anywhere anytime soon. You know she feels the same way as you and you’re saying you lost your chance? Now is as good a time as any.”

“And make a fool of myself again?” Jackson laughed. 

“Why not?” Mark said easily and left the gurney to stand in front of him. “For the right one, it's worth it.”

He didn’t have to think too long about his answer. “She is.”

“Good. Then that's all that matters,” Mark said, folding his arms as he pager beeped in his pocket. 

He checked the number quickly but it was non-emergent. 

“I can't believe you were just going to let her go,” Mark scoffed and straightened the lapels on his white coat. “Where would you be without me, Avery?” 

“You’re saying this as if I didn't choose to be lectured daily by you,” Jackson reminded him.

He pursued making a career out of plastics with Mark as his mentor. It was what was best for him, his family expectations be damned. When it came to the important things, Jackson had to stand up for himself. It was the main reason why he branched out and came all the way to Seattle in the first place. 

He had to go after the things that mattered. So even if April took it all back, she would know.

“Now, I gotta get back to work and then prepare for this dinner. Did Lexie mention anything about where we are going?”

“Not a thing.” Jackson shook his head. “I think April said it was a last-minute thing, so I'm thinking low-key.” 

“This is not low-key.” Jackson whistled under his breath. 

Jackson should have realised on the drive over the Montlake Bridge that Lexie had picked a more lavish place for them to dine for the night. 

The restaurant was situated on the Elliot Bay waterfront, hidden from view by the industrial cityscape during the daytime but at night was beautifully illuminated by the lights bouncing off the water. 

The exclusive spot had a longer waitlist that held a particular clientele, mostly young and trendy people who seemed to be more concerned about posting their presence here rather than eating their meals. He thought it was an odd choice by Lexie considering that this was supposed to be a quiet night out. The high-profile location meant that there would be more eyes on them than if they went somewhere else. 

Lexie was jittery with her own anxiety, dancing on the balls of her feet as they walked into the restaurant. She looped her arm around Mark’s while Jackson trailed close behind them. 

“I wish you hadn't worn that,” Lexie whispered so Jackson wouldn't overhear them. 

“Why?” Mark questioned and looked down at his clothes, frowning. “It's my favourite shirt.”

“But it doesn't match my dress,” Lexie pointed out, through gritted teeth.

She had picked out a long cerulean slip dress to wear herself and Mark was supposed to wear a charcoal suit with a matching tie. 

He had forgone her choice and had chosen something completely different to wear. He looked fine but didn't stand out in the way they would have if had worn what she had picked out.

“What does it matter if I'm wearing this shirt?”

“Because I- because it just does,” Lexie reiterated. 

Mark's face crumpled. A clear sign he was starting to become irritated and Lexie took a deep breath. 

She didn't want to get into a fight with him. Especially in front of Jackson and April, that would be the total opposite of the point of tonight. Everything had to be perfect to show them that she had won this break-up.

“Where's Kepner?” Mark asked, changing the subject. Something had been off about Lexie for weeks but she never gave him a clear answer. 

“She’ll be here,” Jackson confirmed.

“Are you sure?”

Jackson was about to answer despite not knowing what to say. He should have called her and even reached down into his pocket to get his phone but a familiar but breathless voice halted his actions.

“Here I am! Sorry, I'm late.”

He heard April running up behind them and turned to face him. At least she didn't leave him to be an awkward third wheel tonight. 

“Hi,” April greeted him with a tight smile wearing a simple, pale lilac dress and her hair tied up and out of her face with a clip. 

“Hey,” Jackson replied expectantly, his hands moving to her but then stopped at the last moment. He wasn't quite sure where to put them now they were at odds. 

“You uh look great. New dress?” Jackson complimented her but that didn't seem to work and she stiffened once more. 

“From the back of my closet, uh yeah,” April said dryly and then turned to their companions for the night. “Apologies for being late, everyone. Car issues…among other things.”

Jackson sighed as Lexie looked between them both at a loss for words. 

“That's not a problem,” Mark said and stared pointedly at Jackson in a way that said, “fix this”. “Why don't we get our table?”

Mark and Lexie went ahead while they followed but with some distance between them. Jackson glanced at the couple ahead of them speaking to the maitre d’ and lowered his voice. 

“Can we talk?”

“Now?” April whispered harshly, facing forward. “You want to drag my humiliation out more?”

“Humiliation? What. No?” Jackson stepped forward when the line moved ahead. Mark and Lexie were in front now, representing their group. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you and you know what? You didn't even give me a chance to explain-”

“I didn't have to. You made your feelings perfectly clear.” April sniffed, her head quickly whipping around to face him.

She noticed his wounded expression and it seemed to soften her. “Let's just have a nice dinner and then we can go back to the way things were. Before.”

This time he reached for her hand, fingers stroking her knuckles. After everything that they had experienced together, there was no chance of him thinking that they could honestly return to being just friends. He’d never felt like this like anyone before but the feeling hit him like a tonne of bricks.

Jackson had given himself far too many excuses at this point but he wouldn’t any longer. 

“You really want that?” Jackson said, pleading with her to look at him and this time he was rewarded 

Her voice faltered. “Jackson, I…” 

“Ah yes, reservations made under Grey. Table for four. My name is Bruno and I’ll be your host for this evening. This way please.”’ 

Bruno effectively ruined their moment and they all followed behind him to where they were seated for the evening. 

He led them around the larger tables until they reached the far left side of the room on a riser which looked out over the rest of the room. Their smaller and more intimate seating arrangement was settled under the well-lit, extravagant and unusually moulded metal and glass lighting structure.  

Off centre to the table, a younger man dressed in chef’s attire, matching in all white as he sharpened a large knife repeatedly. 

Gentle piano music filtered through animated conversations from the next table over along with the smells of the food already on the table made their small party eager to get started.

“I’ll let you get acquainted with our menu for a few moments. Our special tonight is the prawn laksa.” Bruno turned and patted the young chef’s shoulder.“I’ll leave you now in the very talented hands of James - your personal chef for the night. Enjoy your evening.” 

Bruno left with a chorus of “thank you’s” as everyone sat down at the table, there was an awkward pause when April went to sit in between Lexie and Mark instead of next to Jackson. 

April flushed with embarrassment and moved to take the empty seat by Jackson. “Sorry, I uh I’m just really hungry.”

“Well, good thing you’re in the right place,” James chuckled and the rest of the table seemed to be put at ease by his amusement. “I know Bruno championed the laska but you look like a woman who’d appreciate a good pho.”

“Uh, thank you. I would love to try it!” April smiled and breathed a sigh of relief that her misstep hadn’t completely ruined the moment. 

“Alright.” James clapped his hands together. “While I get started with the Pho for your friend, take a look at the menu and tell me what you’re in the mood for.”

Mark opened his menu as James began cooking. “Wow, everything looks great.” 

“Bet you don’t regret choosing the Italian restaurant down the street,” James chuckled. 

He looked over to Lexie and waggled his eyebrows. She smiled coyly in reply.  “I don’t know. I’ve always been partial to those who speak the language of love.”

“That would be French,” Jackson corrected.

Mark bit back a laugh but ended up scoffing into his water glass as he took a sip. “You should know, loverboy.” 

A swift kick to his shin under the table put a stop to Mark’s teasing for the moment. However, Jackson could tell by his lingering smirk that commentary from Mark wouldn’t be ceasing any time soon this evening. 

Of course, at this pivotal moment of his life, he’d have Mark Sloan ad-libbing in his right ear. Although, it could have been worse. His mother could have been in his place taking notes and adding her two cents.

“Jackson?”

“Huh?

“James wants to know what you’ve decided on?” Lexie prompted. 

Jackson looked up to see a smartly dressed waiter, his arm raised with a pen to his notepad.

How long had he zoned out for?

“Oh. I’ll have the mackerel.”

“Ah! An excellent choice.” James complimented them as he took the rest of their requests and cooked their dishes in front of them which was a show within itself.

Just like Teddy had described and April retold earlier, James explained with each step what he was doing and performed each action with an artistic flourish from slicing the onions to grilling and flipping the fish. His most ambitious trick involved purposely setting the grill alight, tossing the food through the flames, and receiving applause in response to the show he had put on. 

“How’s that Pho treating you?” James asked as they were finishing up the first course.

“Delicious. You were not wrong,” April smiled, pressing her hands together in appreciation. “What are your dessert recommendations?”

As James recounted the dessert options, Mark watched the interaction with an uneasy glare. James might have been a talented chef, could cook a delicious pho and make a pyrotechnic show using food but he was not right for April and no amount of knife flipping would change that.

Mark leaned over and cleared his throat in Jackson’s ear. “If there was any time to confess it would be now.”

“I tried earlier,” Jackson told him but Mark’s brows drew together, sceptical. “I did. It just wasn’t the right moment.”

“Can now be the right moment?” Mark questioned but it was really more of a hint and jutted his head discreetly to his left. “Because the chef is interested in more than just the food.”

Jackson looked over to see James and April chatting away. They were discussing the menu and cooking techniques which wasn’t exactly flirtatious behaviour. James seemed to really enjoy his job and April loved cooking. She was most likely asking for recipe tips.

There couldn’t be anything further going on between them. And yet, the more he watched them, Jackson couldn’t shake the feeling that Sloan was onto something…maybe.

“Uh uh, no I know when April is flirting and that’s not it,” Jackson laughed uneasily. 

“And? He’s definitely interested in her,” Mark scoffed as he watched them talking and Kepner was quite animated which pleased the chef and irked them both.

“‘ You look like a woman who would appreciate a good pho’ ?” Mark repeated his line but with an obvious veil of distrust. “Please if I could cook, I’d use the same routine.”

“You…you don't think she’s interested, do you?”

“Maybe, maybe not but Kepner looks great tonight. You said that technically you weren’t even together. She has no ties…” Mark shrugged casually leaning back in his seat.  He had to admit that watching Avery squirm was amusing. He just needed that little extra push. “Are you willing to take that risk?”

Mark’s words swirled around in his head until Jackson couldn’t take the torture anymore

and shot out of his seat so fast his chair hit the back wall with a dull thud and startled a waitress carrying a tub full of plates.

“Ah!”

Luckily his quick reflexes allowed him to catch the tub at the same time her hands let go of the ray so the plates didn’t go crashing to the floor.  “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

“I’m okay.” She muttered a quiet apology before dashing off.

Jackson plopped back into his seat as the interest from the onlookers slowly dissipated and people returned to eating and chatting instead of looking their way. 

“Uh, are you okay?”

“Yeah, uh I-” Jackson pulled at the collar of his shirt. He was being ridiculous.

Jackson leaned over to speak to her. “I need to talk to you. Outside.”       

April frowned and watched him get up from the table to go out into the hall. He expected her to follow him which made her even more annoyed. 

What was his problem now?

“Excuse me.” April tossed her napkin down onto her empty plate and left the table mid-conversation.

“Alright!” Mark clapped his hands, smiling with glee as April followed behind Jackson. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

“Why are you so invested in them?” Lexie barked and Mark turned to her in confusion at witnessing genuine irritation marring her features. “Why is everyone so invested in them?”

….

“Did you really have to bring me out here to say the same thing again?” April interrupted before he could even speak. “Let’s just go back and have a nice dinner.” 

“If you were going to ignore me all night then why did you come?”Jackson demanded.

“Because I promised our friends and didn't want to stand them up.” April stopped him just as they came outside the dining room. “Avoid disappointment. You should know all about that, right?”

“Can you stop with that? Listen, I’m sorry that you felt embarrassed but you said some pretty harsh things to me too,” Jackson said and her eye contact faltered for a moment. He knew he had her with that one.

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” April apologised softly. “I shouldn’t have said those things and I’m sorry. It’s your life and your career.”

“You weren’t- You weren’t completely wrong. I do want that fellowship at Tulane and to make a name for myself,” Jackson said and she nodded. 

“You already are,” April said with a small smile. “And you don’t need me to tell you that.”

Jackson shook his head. She had no idea how much he actually did need to hear that from her. 

“I was wrong to say that you were selfish,” Jackson said, shaking his head when she tried to stop him from talking but he had to.

Jackson had really regretted that one. April Kepner was the furthest thing from selfishness. 

“Jackson-”

“No, you’re a hundred per cent the opposite of selfish,” Jackson continued, taking a step closer and smiling warmly. “That bone broth literally brought me back from the dead.” 

They both laughed, relaxing for the first time that evening.

“Now I know how all of your patients feel.”

“Thanks,” April tucked her hair behind her left ear. “And you should apply to Tulane. They’d be lucky to have you in their programme, seriously.”

She’d miss him, no doubt about that but they only really had one shot at their boards and final year. She had gotten off to a shaky start but she was giving her all into her career and he should too.

From the uncharted waters at Mercy West to the uncertainty of the merger, she’d always had his back and he promised always to have hers. She remembered feeling bright; April was hopeful about their new surroundings and what it could all mean for everyone. 

However, their colleagues were anxious since so many of them had been cut before the absorption to allow it. Who was to say that they wouldn’t be next? And yet, Jackson didn’t let their pessimism shake him, he was so sure that they were both going to make it. It gave her the motivation that she needed.

He was right since she did end up acing her first day on the esteemed Dr Shepherd’s service and he was there right afterwards to comfort her too when Lexie’s jealousy had gotten the best of her.

There were far too many moments attached to him; it was easier said than done to just push them aside and move on.  

Her next words broke her heart a little bit as she said them. “You deserve to have everything that you want.”

“Everything?” Jackson asked carefully, taking a step closer now he was sure she wasn’t going to go anywhere. She looked at him quizzically and he felt his pulse quicken in his throat but his voice was clear. “If you had waited for a second last night then you would have heard me say that I want everything with you.”

“You really mean that?” April asked cautiously. 

“I knew that I was falling for you that night at the hotel back in Ohio. I should have said something but I was scared,” Jackson confessed and now that he was talking it all came spilling out. “I thought that if I told you I’d freak you out and it would ruin things between us.”

“Well, I'm still standing here so…” Her palms itched to touch him and she released an unsteady breath, fighting through her nerves. It was hard to speak all at the same time. “I didn’t think that you felt the same way.” 

“You seriously think that we could just go back to being just friends after all of that?”

“Not at first,” April worried her lip and Jackson also couldn’t help his eyes dropping to them either.

He sensed that she was still anxious and he wished she wouldn’t be because he was desperate to know if she still wanted more with him. 

“What do you mean not at first?”

“Because it actually annoyed me that I couldn’t get to talk to you all day,” April said, “I realised it kind of sucked when you're in a fight with your fake boyfriend and real best friend and they're the same person.”

“How about we scrap the fake part and do this for real instead?” Jackson asked hopefully. “On both fronts.”

“Yeah,” April smiled and the skin around her eyes crinkled. “I'd really like that.” 

Jackson felt the last weight taken from his shoulders when she finally wrapped her arms around him, hugging his body close to her chest. Cradling her face with both hands, Jackson covered her mouth with his within an instant and her body melted against him as she sighed over his lips. April pulled urgently at the lapels of his suit jacket and he secured his hold on her so their chests were heaving, flush against one another.

Their tightly pressed bodies were hidden away by the wall as they lost themselves in each other for the moment. It had only been a day but she missed the feeling of his All the words that had been left unsaid between them had finally been spoken. April could feel her heart beating faster in her chest and even hear it in her eardrums over the audible conversation of the guests dining mere metres away from them.

April broke away from the kiss but didn’t move an inch from his embrace. “We should get back.”

“One more minute,” Jackson murmured against her cheek, holding onto her tight. 

April laughed, turned into him again and her left hand on his cheek as she passionately returned the next kiss.

Feeling light on her feet, she laughed and hugged his waist.  “They’re probably wondering where we are.”

“Let them wonder,” Jackson said, turning her face his way so their lips could meet. 

However, they only brushed this time as seemed more amused than aroused this time by his antics. 

“But I wanted to ask James about which market was best to get the ingredients to make an authentic pho from.”

Jackson laughed lightly when he noticed the determined expression on her face. Deep down, he knew that he was lucky that April had absolutely no interest in James but it didn’t mean that he was keen to go back to their table.

“I’d rather be alone…with you.”

“Why?” April grinned and slipped her hands under his suit jacket  “Are you jealous?”

He grumbled lowly, eyes lifting to the ceiling while he bit the inside of his cheek. Jackson would have liked to hold onto his resolve a little longer but her amused giggles melted him more quickly than he would have liked to admit.

“Yeah…” Jackson admitted and April looked satisfied about being right, jumping on the balls of her feet and he pulled her further into him. “Don’t make it a thing.” 

“Oh, it became a thing when you barely touched that mackerel,” April revealed and he gasped, not realising that she had noticed that. “I know it's delicious.” 

“It was kind of hard to concentrate on anything else,” Jackson said and she pressed a quick kiss onto his lips.

He rested his forehead on top of hers as she rubbed his back. “I can assure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Come on.” 

April smiled and looped her arm through his and they walked back to their table together.

“You guys took your time,” Mark said and cleared his throat uncomfortably, noticing them finally approach. 

Jackson frowned when he noticed that and even Lexie had her mouth downturned and tried to hide it by taking a sip of her champagne. 

“Yeah,” Lexie forced a laugh. “I thought we were going to have to call and send out a search party for you both.”

“Are you sure there's not anyone else you'd want to call first, Lex?” Mark retorted which seemed to tick her off.

“Would you just let it go?” Lexie spat.

“Maybe take your own advice next time.” Mark chuckled sourly which caused April and Jackson to look at each other with question. 

“Is everything alright between you two?” April asked before they had a chance to sit down at the table. 

“It’s great. Why wouldn’t it be?” Lexie replied quickly which raised more questions than it actually answered. 

“Okay,” April answered carefully, narrowing her eyes. Everything was fine between them before they left.

“James took a break but he should be back to start our desserts,” Mark added to move things along. 

“Good. That’ll give me time to introduce you all to my girlfriend, April Kepner,” Jackson answered proudly as he pulled out her seat for her.

April blushed as her back hit the plush rest of the chair, locking eyes with Jackson when he unfolded his napkin over his lap and winking at her discreetly.  

“Ah,” Mark caught on immediately to his words and the announcement seemed to have lifted his mood. “Dr Kepner, is it? I’ve seen you around the hospital. Nice to finally meet you.”

The three of them laughed lightheartedly at the joke he made, except for Lexie who was out of the loop which soured her mood further. 

“Bradley! Look out!” A startled-sounding voice sliced through

They all turned behind them to see the cause of the commotion. There was a flurry of movement at one of the bigger tables, men and women dressed in black tie and fashionable gowns. A balding man sat at the head of the table let off a blood-curdling scream and pressed his hands to his face. 

“Help him!” Someone else cried through the screams.

“What should I do?” The woman placed her hands on her face, gasping in shock. 

“Pull it out!”

“It just flew right through the air!”

“Oh my god!”

“Pull it out, Lola!”

“Don’t do that!” April was there within seconds, placing a forceful but firm hand on the woman before she could dislodge the utensil from Bradley’s face and cause more damage. 

“Are you crazy? There’s a hot fork sticking out of his face. I’m taking it out.” Lola shrieked, turning up her nose in April’s direction and trying to shake her off all the while Bradley screamed in agony. “Let go of me!” 

“You need to listen to her,” Jackson said and April glanced to see him right behind her, backing her up. 

“And why should I?”

“Uh, nerve damage, muscle damage. A possible haemorrhage, maybe tamponade.” April said, taking on a more serious tone and looked between her and Jackson. “You could take your pick if you’d like but I’d rather just be focused on making sure neither of those things happen, ma’am.”

“We’re doctors.” 

Her grip loosened and she gulped, slowly shrinking backwards. “Oh, uh I didn’t - I didn’t know.”

Bradley’s eyes bulged out and his complexion grew redder and angrier as his breathing turned into a desperate wheezing.

“Someone call 911!”

“I already did!”

April remained calm and took over the previous spot held by Lola and get a better look at Bradley’s injuries.

“Don’t worry, Bradley, is it? We’re going to help you.” April assured him and quickly held onto her out of fear.

He tried to say something but when his mouth opened he could only cough up a mouthful of blood. April kept the pressure on the wound and directed him to sit down with his feet elevated. He needed to save his strength.

Since he was gasping for breath, April was able to check his airway, the bright lights from above them provided enough light for her to see into his mouth but blood soon began to trickle out of it.

“Can you hold your head up for me, Bradley?” April asked calmly but the man only whimpered and clutched her arm so Jackson stepped in. “Try not to talk, okay? Focus on breathing. More help is on the way.”

“There we go, Bradley.” Jackson placed two hands on Bradley’s head, properly securing his neck to ensure no further injury before looking to April. “What are you thinking?”

“His airway is filling up with blood. We need something to stabilise these things.” April said, referring to the forks sticking out of his neck. “They move with every breath he takes.”

She looked around to see what they could utilise in the absence of proper medical equipment. When her eyes fell on something that she could use as a substitute she breathed a sigh of relief. Her intensive training in trauma with Dr Hunt relied heavily on adaptability. Some thought his methods were too unconventional and at one point even she was taken aback by it but she’d come to appreciate his ability to drastically think outside of the box. 

She wouldn’t be in the hospital but there would always still be a patient that needed help.

Knowing that Jackson was doing his best to be useful by holding his head in place, April dashed over to the table where Bradley’s dining party sat looking on in both awe and fear but April tuned them all out. She collected the clean, unused napkins from two place settings and scurried back to them.

Jackson’s eyes darted up to see her ripping the napkins and tying them into place around the two pieces of impaled metal in Bradley’s face and neck. The material held strong and steady around them preventing further injury and distress.

“Good thinking,” Jackson complimented.

“That should hold until the paramedics get here,” April replied with a tight smile but luckily for Bradley, she could hear the ambulance sirens in the distance.

The crowd that had formed soon parted to make way for the paramedic team to take Bradley to the hospital as soon as they saw the small team of Nicole and her new partner, Matthew.

“Kepner and Avery,” Nicole chuckled when she noticed them standing with the patient. “What a way to interrupt your date night, huh?” 

“Definitely memorable,” Jackson remarked.

Seeing a small team they were familiar with, the pair quickly updated them on Bradley’s injuries while they fitted him with a neck collar and transferred him to a gurney.

“Sounds like Bradley was lucky, y’all were here tonight,” Nicole said as they loaded him into the rig.

“Guess so,” April nodded slowly as the adrenaline started to dissipate. She’d be wondering what the outcome would be since she couldn’t actually operate on him since they’d all been drinking with their dinner.

“Want a ride to the hospital?” Matthew asked suddenly, the question directed to both of them but Jackson noticed his eyes were stuck on April.

“We can’t operate so there’s really no point,” Jackson replied, draping an arm around April’s waist and Matthew visibly deflated.

“Thanks though. I wouldn’t mind being kept in the loop but we won’t hold you up,” April spoke up soon after. “And we came with other people so…”

“Will do,” Nicole said agreeably and they both hurried to close the vehicle doors and get onto the road. 

April pressed her hands to her face as they watched the ambulance drive off. “I hope he makes it out, okay.”

“They’re taking him to SGMW.” Jackson moved behind her, rubbing her bare arms and kissed the top of her head. “He’s in good hands.”

“You’re right.” April nodded, sucking in a breath. “It just sticks in my mind when I have to pass a patient along to someone else.”

“When we go in tomorrow we can find out first thing. I-” Jackson’s suggestion was interrupted by the sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket. 

April turned around to face him. “Who was that?”

“Sloan,” Jackson said and although he was incredibly grateful to him for all his help he was more thankful for this early exit as he read his text message. “Looks like we’re free for the night.”

April mirrored his smile, reading his mind. “Let’s go home.”

…

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Brooks whined while staring at her phone. “I really liked them together.”

She sat with a couple of other interns from her class in the locker room, hiding from the on-call attending for the night.

Clarke scoffed. “I knew they wouldn’t last, are you kidding me?”

“You’re just saying that because you’re jealous as hell,” Tennyson added. “Dr Avery would never fuck you. You’re an intern.”

“It’s not that far-fetched. Shepherd married Grey.”

“And now he’s living in a trailer.” Tennyson reminded her and they all laughed. 

“Excuse me!” Dr Bailey’s voice cut through their gossipy laughter. 

“Dr Bailey!” 

They all hopped up from the benches they were previously lounging on and straightened the wrinkles from their lab coats. 

Dr Bailey walked up to them. They each all had about a foot on her in height but their spines all straightened as she sized them up. “What are you all doing in here?”

“We were- I…” Brooks scrambled for an answer but she held an arm out to silence her.

She walked down the line and pushed a heavy chart into their stomachs. “I specifically designated to you a patient to watch for the night and you’re hiding out in here discussing the personal business of your colleagues.”

“Mine’s stable.”

“Uh, mine too.”

“Uh huh,” Bailey squinted at her, eyeing the phone in her hand.

“Oh!” Brooks jumped back in surprise at being caught on her phone while at work. 

“What is this?” Bailey clicked on the post and read it aloud. “ Y’alls fave couple broke up. Thank God .”

Underneath the caption was a video, the content was inaudible but the picture was clear enough for her to recognise Jackson and April in what was clearly a tense but hushed argument. 

Bailey liked to uphold her image of a seasoned and stern attending but as Jackson stared April down, willing her to look at him she found herself far too invested. She felt like she had been transported back years into the past when she used sneak romance novels in between readings of sci-fi epics and the latest medical journals.  

“Uh, Dr Bailey, I-”

“Shush!” Dr Bailey hushed Brooks and clicked play again when the clip ended. She wondered if she might have missed something. 

When April finally looked at him, she only lost herself in his gaze for a moment before something seemed to snap her out of it and she snatched her hand back. She walked past him into the unknown building and left Jackson behind and that was where the clip cut off. 

She played it again several times while the interns just watched her with amused smirks on their faces.

“Um, how long is she going keep doing that for?”                          

Her eyes didn’t leave the screen. “Get back to work!”

The rest of the interns scattered but Bailey held onto the phone a little bit longer, scrolling through the thread to read the comments and find out more information, despite the protests from Brooks. 

“You too, Brooks. Back to work.” Bailey said tapping her foot. 

“Right,” Brooks nodded and ran behind the others but stopped just short of the exit, turning around. “I just…c-can I get my phone back?” 

“Oh, right sorry.” Bailey handed the phone back to her.

Brooks exited the locker room to carry out her orders while behind her Bailey surreptitiously pulled her phone out to find the video for herself.