#how do i still have screws left. i open tomorrow and my eyes were starting to cross so i'm installing the last hardware in the morning.

[eclipsecrowned]

hi, sorry i blinked out of existence for three hours, i was busy doing

this

[botnasty]

Part Four: No More Theory

Roommate!Bucky Barnes X F!Reader

Summary: Gone are the theories...

Words: 1,2K words

Warnings: ANGST, THIS IS ANGST CITY, then fluffy cheesiness :)

Note: All mistakes are mine and please tell me if I’m missing any warnings. Also sorry on the wait for this part, completely had a writers block.

Not proofread

Series Masterlist

Laying in bed, you never felt more defeated in your life. Your mind was screaming at you for being stupid for thinking what you and Bucky had was exclusive. You couldn’t be mad at him for going after someone else tonight, you two never talked and made what you had/did more than what it really was: two friends having fun without any feelings. You didn’t want to believe it, but what happened today at the Halloween party made you open your eyes. You were just his friend with benefits. 

You whipped the tears falling on your damp cheeks and pulled the duvet closer to you. You didn’t know how tomorrow was going to be fairing, but one thing for sure is, you were going to stop whatever that was happening between you two before you got hurt. Never once had you let a man hurt you before, it won’t start now.

You picked up your phone from the bedside table and you could see so many texts. 25 from Natasha, 3 from Sam, but none from the person that mattered the most. Whatever, he was probably busy with that girl. In your mind, you hoped she was taking good care of him, but your hurt was aching. Why did you have to screw your friendship with that “Theory” bullshit? 

You closed your lamp and purged you into the peaceful darkness that is sleep - when the door opened. Only one other person other than you had the keys to the apartment and - because you didn’t want to deal with it right now - you fastly put your head on your pillow and closed your eyes, trying your hardest to regulate your breathing as you could hear footsteps coming closer. 

“Toots?” Bucky whispered. “Are you awake?” The footsteps stopped. Why was it so hard to breathe normally in his presence?

You felt a slight touch on your cheeks. “My beautiful, beautiful, toots.” You could feel his breath on your forehead and the slight touch of his lips on your nose. “Wake up.” He  said softly. You didn’t want to. You feared what you were going to say or do if you did. A kiss on your forehead. “Wake up, beautiful.” On your eyelid - which you couldn’t help but move. “Come back to me, toots.” And lastly on your lips before you couldn’t take it anymore. Your eyes felt like burning from holding your tears.

You slowly opened them. He was kneeled down right at the side of the bed. Just his smile alone made you want to just forget it happened and continue whatever it is you had. You waked and pulled yourself into a sitting position, pulling your cover closer to you like it was some sort of shield for your emotions. You almost jumped when he cupped your jaw and kissed your forehead. “I missed you, toots.” You looked at the clock, it hadn’t even been 2h since you left the party.

“I’ve only been gone for 2 hours, Bucky. I’m sure you would’ve been able to find more important people to spend your night with.” You rubbed your eyes to remove any trace that you were about to cry. Not in front of him. Never. 

“Toots, look at me.” You placed your hand down your lap and looked at him, his eyes were still bloodshot from all the weed he had taken during the party. “I love you.” Your heart exploded. It was not what you expected and you were mad. How dare him.

How dare him!

Fucking flirting and using the same technic he did on you with someone else not even a few hours before he said those words to you. What a fucking fraud of a man you were living with. You fought yourself to scoff at his words. 

He placed his forehead on yours. “I love you a whole lot. That’s why I can’t bear not being in the same room as you. You make everything so much better, you know.” Now that was just high person talk. 

You let out a small smile. “Come sleep, Bucky. You are high right now and are saying a bunch of bullshit. It’s time for you to sleep.” You went from your bed to drag him to your room. You wouldn’t let him sleep in yours when you barely could stand him right now. 

But Bucky didn’t move one bit.

“You don’t believe me…” Is what he said almost to yourself. 

Now the scoff escaped your mouth. “No I do not, Bucky. For so many reasons.”

He got up and tried to get close to you, but you stopped him with your hand.” First, you are high. And you know how you get when you are high. You ramble about things over and over, tell everyone you love them and you hug them. So, this certainly doesn't make me special.”

“You know—”

“Second, we never established what we had. All we do is fuck. Sure, you sometimes kiss me, we cuddle, but we never specify what’s going on between us.”

“I thought it was—”

“And last, you were literally flirting and using that ‘theory’ bullshit on someone else two hours ago. How can I believe that you love me when all this tells me otherwise, Bucky?” He stayed silent, looking down. His eyebrows frowning. “Do you see where I am coming from?”

“What girl?”

“The girl at the party! The one wearing a nurse costume. After you went to the bathroom, I tried to look for you and I found you being all cozy with her.”

“Oh, her.”

You placed your hands on your hips. “Yes, her.” Anger was bubbling inside of you wanting to come out like a volcano. 

“I thought she was you. You know I am not wearing my glasses.”

You shook your head. “So you were wearing contacts, what does it have to do with anything right now, Bucky.” You said desperately.

“Yes, I was wearing contacts, but those that make your iris look red, for my costume. So, I could barely see.” Your arms falling beside your body. Bucky placed his hands on your cheek, your eyes directly looking in his and he was right, his eyes were completely red, not from the weed, but because of the contacts. All anger vanished and all you could feel was shame. Shame for thinking he was playing you, for thinking he was just like the others that had hurt you. “I thought she was you, toots. I genuinely thought she was. I love you and I don’t see myself with anyone but you. Do you seriously think that, after years of trying to get your attention, I would mess it up for a random fuck?” You shook your head. “Exactly, my love. So please, believe me when I say this : I love you. I have loved you since I met you and I will love you until you let me.” 

You placed both hands on his wrist and looked deep into his eyes. “I love you too. Maybe not as long as you did, but I love you and I want no one else but you.”

And you kissed as the moonlight shines upon the two of you.

Thank you so much for waiting and reading:)

[little-miss-dilf-lover]

Oh my god i just had to run overhere!

How are you doing? Holding up okey? Hows the mirror?

Inspiration you said....

Maybe something angsty?

Like in the terms of "I can't do this anymore!" ?

With Tangerine 🍊

Both are toxic people in their relationship?

I know, i know its kinda vague...

You do you bab 😘

Love ya 🫶🏻

hii honey!! im doing alright thank you! how are you? how you been? and you’ll never guess!? the day it broke I found one online someone was selling and it’s almost identical to the broken one??!? how crazy is that! and this idea scratches my brain so good, made it extra angsty bc I love it. thanks for requesting, hope you like it💌 love you

NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE.

tangerine x implied fem!reader — angst no comfort

word count. 718

Communication —or lack thereof—in your relationship with Tangerine was an issue. It was something both of you promised, though it was simultaneously something each of you failed to deliver. When problems arose, you both brushed it under the carpet: either far too tired or far too busy between work and other life things to talk it over.

And so these minuscule problems stacked up, and what would have been a simple fix had now become a mountain of resentment.

Tension was prickly, like you walked on eggshells around the other. Nothing ever got resolved. Nothing ever felt clear. It just left a giant looming question mark over things.

Maybe this was just a rough patch, and maybe it will smooth over soon. But you couldn't stick around with the thoughts of 'maybe's. You wanted an answer on the direction of your relationship, even if that meant talking over your apparent issues.

Tangerine was en route home from the pub after hanging out with his brother, almost two hours late to the dinner you had spent all afternoon preparing. And when you see the taxi pull up out front, Tangerine stumbling and slurring as he gets out of the car, you knew there and then nothing would get resolved tonight.

You walk over to the front door, pulling it open as he approaches.

"Screw you," you say softly, defeat and disappointment evident in your voice.

He inhales, shrugging as he drunkenly kicks off his shoes. "You said seven."

"I did. I said to be back for seven," you confirm, eyes narrowing in on Tan. "That was two fucking hours ago."

"Yeah, well," he murmurs, pushing past you and towards the sofas.

"Not even a sorry?" you follow after him. "We agreed on dinner. We said we'd talk," you remind him, voice growing louder.

"Don't shout at me, head's fucking spinning."

You scoff, the noise frustrated and unamused. "Are you kidding?"

He brings his hand to his face, his palm brushing down the bottom half of it. "Talk about it tomorrow. Can't be fucked tonight."

"That's what we always say. Now look at us," you gesture between the two of you. "This sucks—"

"Seriously," he warns, interrupting you. "I cannot be doing this tonight."

You ignore him, talking over as you finish your thought. "—and I hate it. We make each other miserable and... I can't and don't want to do this anymore."

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his spread knees. "What? That's it?" he straightens his neck to look at you. "Three years down the fucking shitter?"

You still, diverting from his stern eyes.

"Yes? No?" he prods for an answer, making you look back at him. "Hm?"

"We're not happy," you start, voice tired. "There's nothing here— there's no love. There's nothing left."

"No love?" he repeats.

"No," you squint at him. "You don't love me anymore."

He nods in defeat, the motion so gentle you could almost miss it. "Do you?" he pauses. "Do you still love me?"

You shake your head, and like Tan's, the movement is faint.

"Brilliant," he sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

You inhale raggedly, trying to stop yourself from crying in front of him. "While you were out, I uh... I arranged somewhere for me to stay. I'll come back in a couple of days to pick up the rest of my stuff," you say, false confidence in your voice.

He doesn't look up, instead keeping his face in his hands - elbows still resting on his knees.

Nothing else gets said, so you head into the hallway, picking up the bags you had packed earlier. You carefully close the door behind you and make your way towards your car - loading things in the back as you finally allow yourself a brief moment to be upset.

And as you reach for the driver's seat handle, you take a final look at the house, now seeing Tangerine standing in the frame of the front door.

You return his nod with a soft one of your own and get into your seat. Turning on your ignition, you roll down the drive - making your way to your staying arrangement.

You just had to see him again in a few days, and then that's it. It'll all be over.

[kaylinlmfao]

Dark ethan finding out you got pregnant and an abortion by reading a text mindy or tara sent you hoping your feeling better i think ethan would lose his shit

the abortion (1\3)

type of piece(s): imagine, oneshot, drabble, series

type(s) of writing: smut, angst, fluff, dark, suggestive

warning(s): swearing, mentions or abortion, mentions of sex, suggestive content, abuse, toxic and dark relationship dynamics

pairing(s): dom!ghostface!dark!toxic!ethan landry x shy!sub!reader

summary: after ethan finds out (y/n) aborted his child, he is furious

A/N: ohh my gosh I love this. thanks for requesting and keep requesting! (especially for dark ethan. im such a whore for him, Jesus)

I heard a short, quick knock on my dorm room door and I rushed to answer it, thinking it was tara and mindy to come hang and cheer me up. "hey tar-" I stopped abruptly seeing my boyfriend ethan standing there looking angry. "oh, hey ethan. what's going on? come in." I say, pushing the door open further and making way for him to walk in. "hi princess." he said, looking me up and down, his eyes dark and angry. it looked like he was looking more at my stomach. does he know? oh shit. but there's no way. mindy and tara are the only ones who know and they would never tell anyone without my permission.

"e, what's wrong?" I ask, scared. I love ethan but sometimes he gets violent and dark and I hate that. " you know exactly "what's wrong" " he says in a mocking tone. "no I don't. e?" he comes rushing at me, pinning me against the wall and gripping my throat tightly, almost to where I couldn't breathe. "don't fucking play stupid, bitch. this will go so much faster if you'll just tell the truth. hm, sweetheart?" I grab and try to scratch and pull his wrist off of my neck because I was starting to get lightheaded. "ethan" I choke out. "please" "please what? you want me to let go? you want to fucking breathe?" I struggle but I nod. "well guess what I fucking wanted? MY FUCKING BABY TO BREATHE" he yelled in my face as tears were streaming down my cheeks.

my knees buckle underneath me as I wane in and out of consciousness from the lack of air. ethan quickly let's go off my throat and lifts me back up, slamming me against the wall again. "eth-" I get cut off with a hard slap on my cheek and I let out a sob. "how do you know?" I breathe out gently. "think about when you left me alone with your phone."

last night

I sit on my bed, scrolling on tiktok when suddenly, ethan flops next to me. "hey gorgeous." "hi!" I say, giving him a quick kiss on the lips so he doesn't suspect anything. I stand and walk over to my closet as my phone dings with a message from the groupchat with tara and mindy.

"hey, y/n. how're you feeling?" tara's message reads.

"did the abortion go ok?" mindy asks.

"yeah, im fine. I feel alright except for feeling really guilty."

"it's ok, y/n. you did the right thing" tara says.

"you know that neither you or ethan are ready for a child. you wouldn't have been able to give it the life it deserves, y/n" mindy's message says

"yeah I know"

"how about we have a girls night tomorrow night? ice cream, popcorn, alcohol" tara voices

"and horror movie binges!" mindy adds

I smile widely and quickly type a fast response of yes as I hear ethan climb out of the bed. I grab a robe and walk out to my room. "im gonna take a shower ok?" I ask as I plug my phone up to my charger on my bed. "of course, pretty girl. you want me to come?" he asks and winks. I would say yes but I'm afraid that having sex might screw up the abortion. "no, it's ok." I smile and walk to the bathroom, closing and locking the door. I start the shower, strip, and climb in.

third persons pov

"she seems like she's hiding something. she's more distant. and she spent way to long in her closet just to get a robe" ethan thinks and glances toward her phone. he looks over at the bathroom to still hear the water running and quickly picks up her phone and types in the pass code. good thing he's snoopy and found out what it was. he opens her phone and the group chat with tara and mindy is still open. he scrolls up the night before and reads everything from the moment y/n told her friends that she was getting the abortion to the last text sent.

"yeah, let's do it! i'm gonna go hop in the shower. love you guys!"

all ethan sees is red. he was gonna kill her. he was gonna gut her from the inside out. she killed his child. he was fuming as he stood up, putting the phone exactly where it was before. he needed to leave before he hurt his little princess too bad to where she can't come back from it. he'll go take out his anger on someone else. he opens the door and slams it closed behind him, going to find his next victim.

now

the realization seeped into her slowly as she looks up at him with big eyes full of tears. he's much taller and bigger than she is. he could kill her. he could actually kill her and y/n is sure he'd get away with it. she listens to him breathe heavily and angrily full of fear. "ok. it's ok. I'm not mad anymore sweetheart, ok? we'll just keep trying until we make another one. and I won't let you kill it this time." he looks at you with dark eyes before throwing you over his shoulder and walking to your bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind him.

1.1k words (I got carried away)

hope you liked it! thanks for requesting and keep em coming! I'm open to write anything for anyone as long as they are over 18 and I know who they are. thanks! -kaylin ;)

[wolf-na]

wolf keum — eye twitch (the drabble series)

TWO. wolf sees you crying

ORIGINAL FIC. drabble #1

author’s note. second drabble!!!! hope you’ll enjoy that one! you can request a drabble if you want, my inbox is open!

Life feels dull and heavy on your shoulders. You don’t know why your heart clenches in your chest but you’ve been dragging your feet and soul all day, forcing yourself out of your bed and to school.

But for what? You’ve fought the tears and painful memories until you couldn’t anymore.

You crashed on your bed and cried, ignoring the list of chores your mother left on the fridge this morning. It wasn’t like she wouldn’t find something to yell at you anyways.

Life feels dull and heavy on your shoulders. What’s the point of school, all of the stress, the homework and tests when you don’t know how tomorrow’s going to be? What’s the point of trying when you don’t know what you want or even who you are?

You’re hating yourself for having these thoughts spiraling and tormenting your mind. How did it start? And why? You wish you could answer. But it isn’t the first time and it surely won’t be the last.

It’s like you feel yourself sinking lower and lower, unable to stop the intrusive thoughts and sorrow. But what sorrow? You feel stupid for crying when you have friends, a boyfriend and overall good grades when others have to survive through unstoppable trials and tragedies.

The headache in your brain is sickening and the simple action of blinking hurts and shakes your entire skull. The tears have dried on your cheeks and the tissues you used to blow your nose are abandoned in your trash can when your heart stops at the sight of Wolf knocking on your window.

You mentally curse yourself, of course Wolf would show up at your place. You quite literally ignored his texts all day, not feeling like lying to him when he asked how you were.

Except now he is right outside your window and his gaze is locked on you.

Wolf immediately notices the way you avoid his eyes, instead looking down when you step back, expecting the purple haired boy to get inside, "Hi."

Wolf stays silent, waiting for you to look up, and you know you’re screwed. You can’t even think of anything when he finally speaks, "What’s going on?"

You shrug, spinning on your heels to try and look at your reflection through the mirror hanging on your door. Maybe your eyes are fine and he won’t notice a thing.

You sigh when you feel Wolf’s hand wrapping around your wrist and forcing you to turn around. His other hand is quick to softly land on your cheek, your eyes inevitably connecting with his.

Wolf’s eyes twitch as he sees what you were trying to hide from him. Puffy, reddened eyes and salty tears melted into the skin of your face.

He can’t stop the clenching of his heart and the boiling of his blood, pulsing through his veins. "Who did this to you?"

You open your eyes wide, "N—No, Wolf. Nothing happened to me."

Wolf frowns, unsure. He knows when you lie to him. But, right now, he doesn’t. Scenarios run wild in his head as he tries to come up with a reason for your tears and glossy eyes.

Did something happen to you at school? Seems unlikely. Or you would’ve just dealt with it. After all, the students praise and fear you just as much as they do with him.

Did something happen with the Union? No, it can’t be. Donald still wants to recruit you, subtly asking Wolf to share some of his tasks with you to slowly convince you to join. And you always turn him down.

Did you fight with your parents again? It seems like the most plausible scenario since he doesn’t spot any fight injuries on your skin. But what could’ve your parents said to make you cry?

Gently, you put his hands away, taking a few steps back until you’re sitting on your bed, "I just… it’s stupid, really."

Your words are not enough and Wolf finally climbs your window, kicking off his shoes and kneeling in front of you as he drops his bag next to him on the floor.

"I just… I freaked out over life and… stuff," you explain shyly, sometimes sneaking glances at your boyfriend only to look away every time.

You’ve always felt so small under his eyes, especially whenever you spoke. There is just something in his eyes, a depth you’ve never seen before. Maybe it is because you’re not used to having someone listening to you so carefully before.

"I guess I just felt… anxious all day," you continue, "I just needed to cry it out."

You gulp when you notice how Wolf’s eyes are still locked on yours, feeling his burning gaze traveling on your face for any sign betraying a lie or a deeper meaning behind your tears.

Why did you even worry in the first place when Wolf is right there, ready to throw away anything just to make sure you’re okay? You can’t even count all the times he dived into fights only because someone threw you a dirty look. And he did way before you both started dating.

One of your fingers fix his glasses up his nose as your other hand plays with the strands of hair falling over his forehead. A tiny smile stretches your lips, "I’m okay, Wolf. I promise."

He releases a long breath, closing his eyes and leaning against your hand for a few seconds before he stands up and leans forward, capturing your lips in a kiss.

You melt against his touch, the way he knows how to kiss you is addictive. Sometimes, it’s rough, needy and passionate. Sometimes, it’s chaste, innocent, almost as if Wolf doesn’t believe himself that he is allowed to kiss you.

This time, it’s intimate, a perfect mix of passion and gentleness. You can feel it in the way his hands are framing your face, thumbs slowly caressing the spots of your cheeks that were once covered in tears. And his lips move slowly against yours but he tastes you like he was starved for days, barely breathing until he connects your lips again.

When you break the kiss, you can see his flushed cheeks and a slight fog covering his glasses. You let out a tiny chuckle and tug him into the bed, patiently waiting for him to sit against the headboard before you wrap your arms around him.

Wolf doesn’t wait before doing the same, securing his own arms around your waist, "You could’ve just said you wanted a kiss, there was no need to cry about it, princess."

You roll your eyes, smacking a hand on his chest, only causing him to chuckle in response.

You spend the rest of the evening cuddled up together, watching a random show on your laptop but you don’t really remember what it’s about as you find Wolf’s lips more interesting.

[nickfowlerrr]

Bella !! I just realized I submitted a req to the wrong acc 😭😭 by any chance—are you up to writing Drabbles or request for your PWYC series? I just reread it and omg I very much miss our dirty rough and tough biker Bucky ✨😭 anyways! Here is my silly lil request:

Imagine this: reader stumbles across a specific kink, (praise kink, daddy kink, degradation kink, knife kink, chase kink, whatever one you can come up with!) but she’s too nervous to bring it up to Bucky! Though, she forgets that Bucky can feel/sense her emotions through the ✨soulmate bond✨. When Bucky figures it out—he’s a lil pissed/sad that his pretty girl didn’t just tell him. So—he starts to do little things to trigger her new secret kink. He just can’t help it! He loves the way she blushes (when he calls her good girl, does shit with knives, you get it!) But suddenly Bucky can’t take it anymore—he pounces! Next thing ya know our lovely pair of soulmates are screwing!

I know it’s a bit long but I just desperately love this series ! Keep up the great work lovie!! ~🐰🎀

the thrill of it all

pretty when you cry series masterlist

pairing: pwyc!bucky x curvy!reader (dark!soulmate au)

warnings: 18+ ONLY. smut. chase kink, choking, primal play-ish?. probably forgetting stuff, please let me know if you come across something that should be added.

words: 5.5k

notes: thank you for sending this in, and sorry it took ages. it’s not exactly what you asked for 😓 but i hope you enjoy it! 🖤🖤🖤 i didn’t reread this bc i’m about to pass out but i promised i’d post it tonight so it’s going up rn and i’ll go over it tomorrow to fix anything i think needs fixing lol. fingers crossed it’s cohesive 💀 as always, reblogs and comments are very much appreciated! thank you for reading.

Getting home from the grocery store, you were surprised to find your laptop sitting half open on the table in the kitchen. You remembered you’d been reading on it this morning as you ate breakfast, but you could have sworn you’d shut it when you left. You set the bags down and went to the table, opening the computer the rest of the way. It was still on the story you had been reading earlier and you felt yourself warm up not only at the idea that you left it open so carelessly, but also at the content itself. Smut.

A reader being chased through the woods by her boyfriend who also happened to be a demon. You’d had to leave before you got to the inevitable, the part where he’d stop toying with her and finally catch her. To have his way with her on the forest floor, the moonlight shining down on them as he took her apart.. You were getting flustered just thinking about it.

You’d have been mortified if Bucky had seen it and you were grateful he wasn’t home to have stumbled upon your latest reading material.

It was so…kinky. And you hadn’t talked to him about any of your new self discoveries or ‘interests’ so to speak. You hated it but you were truthfully a little ashamed. Embarrassed. You knew it’d probably be in your best interest to talk to him about it, but you kept talking yourself out of doing so. Convinced yourself that it wasn’t that big of a deal. Though if it wasn’t, why were you so concerned with keeping your fantasies to yourself. If you knew Bucky, you knew he’d want to help you fulfill any fantasy that crossed your pretty little mind, but still the thought of having to bring it up yourself was just too daunting. You were fine just reading your kinky erotica and not having to ask Bucky to act it out with you. Really. Though your occasional daydream about doing just that was popping up more and more frequently, you didn’t bring it up. How weird would it be to tell him you essentially wanted him to hunt you, chase you, pin you down and just completely ravish you…God, the thought of it was getting you hot all over again.

You had closed your laptop and set it aside as you started taking the groceries out of their bags and putting them away. Your eyes went wide as you heard Bucky’s footsteps, the ones you only heard when he wanted you to, coming down the stairs. How long had he been home? And did he happen to have come into the kitchen..did he open your laptop? Immediately you worried that he had at the very least looked at it. You swallowed hard but kept focused on your task, putting the food away where it belonged. You would just wait and see if he said anything, no way you’d bring it up first and make yourself seem suspicious. He came into the kitchen without a word and leaned back against the counter as he watched you put the last few items away, his arms crossed over his wellbuilt chest.

“Hey,” you greeted, throwing him a quick glance over your shoulder. “Thought you said you had a meeting with Stark today?”

“Something came up, we had to reschedule.”

“Oh. So, when’d you get home?” you asked, hoping you sounded nonchalant.

“Not that long ago,” he answered vaguely. You narrowed your eyes at his avoidance of a real answer before you turned around to look at him.

“I didn’t see your bike when I pulled in,” you alluded.

“It’s in the garage. I’m about to give it a tune up.” He kept his eyes on you, his gaze heavy and slightly unnerving. You hummed in response as you stared back, trying to suss out why he was being so weird. There, of course, was an obvious answer, but you wished he’d just come out and tell you what he was thinking.

“You left your laptop down here,” he said, nodding in the direction of where it laid on the table.

“I saw. Did you..were you on it?” you asked, again trying to sound like you didn’t care one way or the other.

He shook his head vaguely as he rubbed the stubble along his jaw.

“Just saw it when I came in earlier,”

You subconsciously let out a breath of relief, nodding at him.

“Why?” he questioned, his eyes never leaving you, even as you looked down. “You hiding something from me, sweetheart?”

Your eyes shot up again at his question. “What?” you laughed nervously. “No.”

He pushed off the counter and started to walk toward you as you stayed in your spot and watched him.

“Good,” he said as he got closer, closing the distance between you. His hands came up to cup your face, taking you by surprise as he suddenly pulled you in for a fervent kiss, eventually breaking it to look you in the eyes again. He kept your face in his hands, forcing you to hold his gaze as your hands found his wrists. “I don’t want you keeping anything from me, got it?”

You swallowed hard before you nodded lightly.

“Got it,” you breathed.

He looked at you a moment longer, his thumbs brushing the soft skin of your cheeks gently before he slipped away. His gaze was even more heated now and you had a renewed sense that he was clearly lying when he said he hadn’t been on your laptop. Why else would he have been acting so weird? Telling you not to keep things from him. He had to have seen something.

You weren’t sure why you were so embarrassed by him finding out about your newly realized kink, but you were. Bucky had seen you at your most vulnerable countless times at this point, in as many compromising positions as you could think of. But you’d never really been entirely comfortable talking about or asking for specific things from him when it came to sex. He certainly loved when you were vocal, crying for him, and he loved hearing you ask him for exactly what you wanted, but you were usually forced to verbalize those things lest he just continue torturing you with tantalizing but unfulfilling touches until you used your words, face hot even as your neediness tried to overpower your mortification. You were still relatively inexperienced and even morso when it came to the kinker side of being intimate.

You really never even thought of yourself as kinky, but since Bucky, you couldn’t deny the dirty thoughts that would run through your head, or the tags you’d go searching through when you’d look for new erotica to read.

You knew in reality that Bucky would love it if you came to him with ideas for things you’d want to try with him, but you just couldn’t get past the embarrassment to bring it up. Hell, you’d only very recently started to even just initiate sex with him and that took a helluva lot to get comfortable with.

It took constant reassurance from Bucky that any time you found yourself getting worked up for him, all you had to do was let him know. Weeks of finding yourself flustered and wanting when you’d catch him working on his bike or on a car in the garage… in the kitchen cooking dinner for you… even just cuddling you tight on the couch... or fresh out of the shower as he was getting ready.. You often forgot he could so easily tell when you were turned on. He could feel the way your heart would flutter and the change in your breathing. He’d shoot you a cocky smirk and you’d go wide eyed and make yourself scarce before he could really call you out on it.

Though half the time he’d catch you before you could get far and you’d find yourself naked and full of him in no time at all, always ending the night with him reminding you that anytime you wanted him all you had to do was ask. It took awhile for you to do so uninhibited, but when he finally pleaded for you to just tell him, you realized not only how badly he needed you to, but also how freeing it felt to not stifle your need for him, either.

That day had been a big eye opener for you, and you thought back on it in vivid and arousing detail as you stood in the kitchen. That was the day you’d realized exactly what it was that got you so worked up. It hadn’t been the first time you’d felt cornered or caught by him, but it suddenly clicked that that was what made certain memories stand out in your mind when you thought back on the most memorable times you’d been intimate with Bucky.

The uninhibited passion. Raw desire for one another. The possession. The chase.

He’d just gotten out of the shower and you were admiring his form as he walked toward the closet while you were folding your laundry across the room. The way his muscles flexed as he moved, looking through his shirts for something to put on, was distracting to say the least. All of him was distracting. He was just so beautiful. You knew you were staring, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. That was until you were pulled out of your head by his blue eyes shooting to you as he turned around suddenly. You quickly looked away and finished putting your panties in your drawer before you took the empty basket and made to leave the room. You avoided his eye as he neared you, trying to just go get the next load of your clothes from the dryer and act like you weren’t just ogling him and longing for his attention. He got closer still and stepped right in front of you, blocking you from moving. You took a step back as you found the nerve to look up at him. His eyes were set on you and you couldn’t look away from his heated gaze. You tried to move around him, but he moved insync with you, continuing to block your way. You huffed before trying again, but he followed your steps and this time took the basket from your hands as he threw it to the side. You were taken aback at the swift action, and froze as he took a step closer.

“What are you doing?” you tutted.

He didn’t answer and only took another step toward you, as you took one back. You felt cornered. You felt like prey. You eyed the door and narrowed your eyes at him before you made to run for it. It was futile, you knew it would be, but you screamed none the less as he took you off your feet, grabbing you by your waist and pulling you back against his chest. His lips were near your ear as he spoke, “Where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?”

You couldn’t keep yourself from leaning back into his warmth as you placed your hands over his still holding you. You wanted him even more now, the thrill adding to the desire that was already there. He spun you around and pushed you up against the wall. His eyes were filled with desire, much the same as yours, you were sure.

“Need you to tell me you want me, princess. I need to hear it, I need to hear you say it.” He nuzzled against you as he spoke, keeping you pinned against the wall of your shared bedroom, nothing but his towel on as he stood before you. You nodded softly against him in turn.

“I want you,” you whispered before repeating yourself with more confidence, assuring him, “I want you. Right now.”

He crashed his lips against yours, his hunger for you evident in his kiss. He was going to devour you and you longed for nothing more as he kept you caged against the wall. You continued making out as Bucky pulled at you and removed your clothes in a fit, like he couldn’t get you bare to him fast enough.

He lifted you up and you instinctively wrapped your thick legs around him, your arms winding behind his neck. He carried you effortlessly to the bed where you spent the rest of your afternoon, completely consumed by him.

From then on, you'd made more of an effort in initiating things, and it was nice, you couldn’t lie. Owning your desires and letting Bucky know when you were feeling frisky was kind of empowering. You just weren’t sure you were ready to own and speak aloud your kinkier desires just yet. You were still learning and exploring what you liked on your own, and though you’d occasionally consider talking to Bucky about some of these things, you’d always get shy and end up too nervous to bring it up.

You found yourself almost hoping that he had seen what you were reading and that he’d bring it up so you wouldn’t have to. It wasn’t the most mature way to go about things, but at least you’d get it over with sooner and stop feeling like a teenager trying to hide porn from their parents.

Bucky didn’t make the connection right away. Sure, he’d noticed you would get more turned on when he’d corner you and cage you in, and the times you’d try to avoid him and put on a little game of cat and mouse, you would be damn near dripping for him when he’d finally get his hands on you. But he hadn’t ever put two and two together. It wasn’t until he stumbled upon your laptop you’d left in the kitchen. Was it an invasion of privacy? Maybe. But he was curious as to what you had been doing on it. You’d been glued to the screen all of last night until he was finally getting into bed. Your laptop had snapped shut and you set it on your bedside table in a flash like you’d been waiting for him all night. You crawled over to him the second he sat on the edge of the bed and he was pleasantly surprised when you looked up at him, lust swimming in your eyes as you tentatively moved to palm him through his sweats. He raised an eyebrow at you, his lips parting, but didn’t say anything as he leaned further back onto the bed. You pulled down on the top of his pants and he helped you get them down just enough for his cock to slip out past the waistband.

You wasted no time and took him into your mouth right away, moaning as you felt him stiffen further in your mouth. You took your time pleasuring him, bobbing up and down while twirling your tongue around his length as best you could, his hand fisted in your hair and grunts and curses were falling freely from his lips as you sucked. He almost came before he pulled you off of him and you gave him a pout at the loss, wiping some of the spit off your lips as you looked up at him.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” he panted. “Where the hell did that come from? Not that I’m complaining,” he smirked dopily.

You shrugged as you stared up at him, “Just want you.” Your words brought a proud smile to his face and with that he pulled you up and smashed his lips to yours, meanwhile you shimmied off your shorts and panties as quickly as you could while he held you to him.

You were near insatiable last night and he knew whatever it was you’d been doing on your laptop had something to do with it. He could sense you getting flustered even before he’d entered the room, your heart racing faster, a sense of anticipation and excitement taking over you. He’d let it go the first time he noticed, got more curious the second, but after last night, he decided he needed to see what it was that was getting you so worked up, since he knew you wouldn’t be the one to tell him.

It was really just a coincidence that Stark had to reschedule the meeting they had set and he got home early. But one that worked in his favor. You weren’t home and your laptop was just sitting there, like it was begging him to take a look at what was on your screen. It was closed, sure, but easy enough to open.

He typed in the password he knew you used for everything and got in on the first try.

His eyes scanned the text on the screen, trying to get a sense of what exactly you’d been reading. There was another tab open and when he clicked on it, he was brought to a blog page. Your blog page apparently. All the posts were story after erotic story. Just reading the warnings some of them had he quickly realized these were what had been getting you so hot.

There were a lot of kinks littered along your page, but the one that stood out the most was the chase kink. It also appeared the most. And when he thought about it, he wasn’t surprised in the least. Though he was a little disappointed that you felt the need to keep it from him. He was always happy to get kinky with you, and now knowing what you were into, it gave him a few ideas. If you weren’t going to come out and tell him, he’d just get it out of you himself.

He went back to the tab your laptop had been on and sent himself the link to what you’d been reading. He shut the screen but didn’t close it completely as he was distracted by pulling up the page on his phone. He went upstairs to give it a read and figure out what he wanted to do with this new information.

Bucky had been outside working on his bike before he went upstairs for a shower. You had been in the kitchen baking pumpkin bread, making loaf after loaf until the can of pumpkin puree was empty. You figured you could take one to Eva, and maybe bring a couple to the shop for everyone, too. You’d figure it out later, you just wanted to finish up baking them. You were so caught up in mixing the last batch of batter that you didn’t even notice Bucky enter the kitchen until you turned around to grab your wisk, yelping at his unexpected appearance. You placed your hand over your heart as if it would help settle the beating as you steadied your breath.

“Jesus christ, Bucky, why do you do that?” you admonished. He smirked in response.

“You look so cute when you’re all helpless and scared, I can’t help myself.”

You swallowed hard and felt your face grow warm at his words, turning back around to combine the dry ingredients into the wet.

“‘M not helpless,” you argued.

He was behind you in an instant, you gasped at his metal hand on your throat forcing your head back so you could look up at him, eyes wide.

“Aren’t you?” he leered down at you. “Don’t you wanna be? You’ve been keeping secrets from me, pretty girl?” he purred in your ear. “You should know by now I’m always gonna find out what’s going on with you.” You whined pathetically as he tightened his hand around your neck, pulling you closer as he leaned down, your breathing shallow as he kissed your lips, taking advantage of your lips parting again as he flexed his fingers around your throat once more, slipping his tongue inside the warmth of your mouth.

You reached up and grabbed his hair, trying to pull him even closer. His hand slipped from around your neck and slid down your chest, groping your breasts as he breathed into you. His hand drifted lower and made its way under your dress, cold metal grazing the soft skin of your thighs, sending chills up your spine. You moaned into his mouth as he began rubbing at your clothed folds. The sound of the timer going off on the oven made you jump, but Bucky held your waist tight as you reclined into him, his lips moving to your cheek as you breathed deeply.

“I have to get that out,” you breathed as you pushed his hands away from you, reaching for the oven mits before you turned toward the oven. Bucky blocked your way and fixed you with a look.

“Ah-ah,” he tutted. “You’re not gonna get out of this, so might as well talk.”

“Get out of what?” you said, playing dumb. “It’s gonna burn, Bucky, I need to take it out,” you whined.

He turned and opened the oven door, grabbing the loaf pan with his hand.

“Buck,” you gasped before realizing he was using his left hand. “God,” you muttered, shaking your head.

“Worried about me hurting myself, sweetheart?” he teased as he set the pan down on the stove.

“I have to finish this,” you avoided, gesturing to the batter still sitting in the mixing bowl.

“Oh, don’t you worry, princess. We’ll definitely finish this,” he said. You looked up at him from the bowl, biting the side of your tongue in your mouth as he left the room

It was almost two hours later when you’d taken the last loaf out of the oven, the dishes washed and the cooled loaves wrapped, packed, and stored away to give out tomorrow.

You washed your hands, grabbed the load of towels you’d washed earlier from the dryer and headed upstairs.

You entered the bedroom and didn’t find Bucky, but you didn’t think much of it as you went to the bathroom to put the towels where they belong in the cabinet.

As you were on your knees, sliding the folded towels onto the lower shelves, the lights in the bathroom went off.

You bristled at the loss of light and called out into the room, “I’m in here, Bucky!”

No response. You rolled your eyes and got up with a huff. The light switches were by the door leading from the bedroom to the bath so you had to walk across the room to switch them back on. You were stopped in your path as you saw a figure standing across from you in the dark. You screamed in fear at the sight, stumbling back on instinct before your rational mind came back into play.

“Fucking hell, Bucky! It’s not funny,” you cursed. He stayed silent, his face still concealed by the dark, as he took a step to you. You stayed still, breathing heavy as you tried to discern him in the darkness. You pushed past him and got to the door of the toilet, flicking on the switch in there, giving you enough light to see Bucky now.

He kept inching closer and you kept backing away, eyeing him warily. His continued silence was perturbing and the look in his eye was intense and sure.

Every step he took, deliberate. Methodical. Like he was leading you into a trap of some kind.

“Bucky..What are you doing?” you asked. “You’re freaking me out.”

As you made your way back into the bedroom, you realized he had turned the lights off in there, too. “Can you say something, please?!” you snapped. You hadn’t been looking where you were going, and even if you had the light from the bathroom wasn’t giving much of any illumination that far into the bedroom. You tripped over something and only barely caught yourself from falling back on your ass.

“Better watch your step, sweetheart. You’ve read enough scenes like this, I’m sure you know how it goes. One wrong move and it's over. And you wouldn't want it to be over so soon, where's the thrill in that?”

You didn’t know how to respond. You had been pretty sure he’d seen your laptop, but now knowing he really had, you didn’t know what to feel. Though you were thoroughly embarrassed, you were also relieved. And growing more and more excited… He knew and he was playing into it for you already. And he was doing a damn good job, too.

He was nearly on top of you now, backing you into the closed door of your room. You felt that familiar thrill come over you. Your heart picked up speed and you were sure he could tell how aroused you were getting at his predatory gaze.

“Now we both know I can catch you in a heartbeat, so I'm gonna be nice and give you a little head start,”

“What are you-”

“If I were you, princess,” he said as he got closer, your back flush against the door, “I’d run.”

You turned quickly and threw the door open, cursing at the darkness encompassing the whole house. The only light afforded to you were the small night lights at either end of the hall and the candles still burning in the living room down the stairs. As fast as you could without falling, you hurried down the stairs, Bucky’s voice counting down from ten sounding from the bedroom.

You didn’t really think through where you were going, you just went. Instead of heading to the living room, you headed down the hall across from it. You were walking slowly, desperate not to hit your toe on a corner or walk into a wall, the hall pitch black, no lights left on. When you got to the doors leading to the den Bucky mainly used as his office, you saw light coming from inside.

“Boo,” he whispered in your ear just as you moved to reach the handle. You jumped at his voice so close and when you were suddenly pulled back into him, being lifted off your feet as he carried you away from the door, a la texas chainsaw massacre, you shrieked in fear.

“That’s the best you can do? I thought you wanted a chase, pretty girl. Didn’t even try to make it outside. No one else out here but us,” he mused. “Noone’ll hear you scream.”

You were thrashing against him, pushing at his arms, trying with no avail to get him to drop his hold, whimpering as he only tightened his arms around you.

“Mmm,” he hummed against you. “There’s always next time.” He changed his hold on you, lifting your legs into his left arm, holding your back up with his right, essentially cradling you in his arms. You tried to wiggle out of his hold, but he just threw you over his shoulder instead, slapping your ass as he took you to the living room, dropping you unceremoniously onto the couch. The light from the candles glowing and allowing you to see him as he pulled his shirt over his head. The clinking of his belt and the sound of his zipper filled the air as he removed his jeans before he straddled you. You were breathing shallow and you knew you were dripping for him by now as he leaned his face into yours and took your lips into his own, gently nipping your bottom lip before he drifted to your neck. His arms went under you and pulled the zip of your dress down, getting it as much off of you without your assistance as he could. He was impatient and decided to just tear it the rest of the way down the seam as you gasped.

“I’ll get you a new one,” he gruffed as he pulled the sleeves off your arms and threw the dress to the wayside. “You’d forgone a bra, granting him access to your heavy breasts the moment he got the dress off you. His lips descendeded on your pert nipple, his hand squezzing your breast as he pulled and tugged at your other nipple.

“Buck,” you moaned, your hands flitting through his hair, his stubble tickling your sensitive skin. You spread your legs around him and he ground down against you, his hard length throbbing through his underwear. You tugged at his boxers before he pulled away from you to get them down the rest of the way. He tore your own off and before you could complain, kissed your sweet spot and murmured, “Sorry, princess.”

His lips traveled back up your neck before landing on your lips again, tasting you as you parted your mouth for him, wrapping your leg around his waist and whining at the lack of contact you felt.

“Tell me what you want,” he said. You huffed in annoyance but knew you’d have to answer to get what you wanted.

“Want you to fuck me,” you pleaded.

“Whatever you say,” he smiled against your skin.

He took his cock in his hand and ran his tip along your wet slit, spreading your slick around and rubbing himself against your puffy clit, eliciting a moan from you. He teased you for a bit before he slid his tip inside of you. Your eyes closed in pleasure. “Feel good, baby?” he asked.

You nodded fervently as his lips returned to your neck. “More,” you pleaded, your fingers pulling at his hair. He pushed further into you and groaned at the feeling of your silky walls gripping him tight. He rolled his hips against you, setting a rhythm as he rocked into you repeatedly. His cock was rubbing against you in the most delicious way and he was stimulating your clit with his every move. Moans falling from you both as he fucked into you. His hand found your hip as he held you down into the couch, thrusting up into you harsher and harsher the closer he got to his release. The way he was pounding into you had you sliding up the couch with each powerful thrust.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he groaned into your ear as he held himself up above you, his rhythm faltering ever so slightly. The hand he had on your hip traveled to your clit and he expertly rolled it with perfect pressure as you cried out at the heat building hotter and hotter in your core. You felt your body tense as he slid against your g-spot repeatedly.

“Always so fucking tight, goddamnit,” he cursed, fucking you harder. You were unintelligible as you moaned and mewled at the pressure growing until you finally came undone around him. “Fuck,” he roared near your ear, burrying his face in your neck as he let himself go right after you.

You whimpered as his hips stuttered against you, your arms wrapping around him as he laid his weight down on top of you, placing soft kisses along your neck. You were breathing heavy as you ran your hands up and down his back, his weight a comfort as you shut your eyes.

Bucky pulled out of you gently, grabbing tissues off the coffee table to clean you and himself. He sat back on the couch and pulled you against him, kissing your head.

“I need you to know, sweetheart. You don’t need to keep anything from me. Ever. Especially stuff like this. I just want to make you happy. I want to make you feel good.”

“I know,” you murmured. “You know you’re the only person I've ever been with. I just - I didn't know how to approach it. I guess really I was just embarrassed. Maybe a little ashamed. I’d never..even thought about any of this stuff,” you laughed nervously. “It feels..dirty?”

“It’s a kink, princess. They’re pretty common. You’re not fucked up for wanting to be chased around before you fuck. It’s just a turn on, doesn’t say anything about your morality.”

You leaned your head against him as he rubbed your arm.

“You come across any other kinks you wanna try, you just let me know. You know I’ll do anything for you, pretty girl.”

You smiled softly at that. You knew he would, but it was always nice to hear him remind you of that fact.

“Thank you,” you whispered.

He tilted your chin up so you were looking at him. “I love you,” he told you, leaning down to kiss you softly.

“That was pretty hot,” he said when he pulled away. “We’re definitely going outside next time.” You couldn’t help but smile, a small laugh leaving your lips as you looked at him. “I love you,” you replied, hand coming up to stroke his cheek. “‘M tired,” you mumbled. He lifted you up as effortlessly as ever and moved to carry you up the stairs.

“If you drop me, I swear to god,” you warned him, earning a laugh in return.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sweetheart.”

[t-0ne25]

“I can’t sleep until I feel your touch.” — Option B1.1: Amethyst

[Make sure to please read Chapter 25 of Red Lights first, before you continue.]

As soon as you take another glimpse at the amethyst necklace again, you get thrown back to last afternoon. The purple dress. How he told you about his feelings. The kiss the two of you shared. Nothing comes close to that moment you had together. Fuck. You could have and should have realised so much sooner.

He was the first one you chose on this show, so he for sure will be your choice in the end, too. You head towards the cash desk, bringing the amethyst jewellery with you.

“This one, please,” you tell Lia while reaching for your wallet.

“The colour suits you,” she compliments you, while letting you pay and carefully putting the necklace into a small paper bag.

“Chan said the same,” you say, not really thinking about it.

Lia chuckles, “Are you guys finally a couple?”

“W-What?”

She rolls her eyes, finding it adorable that you don’t quite catch what she means, “Come on, when you entered the store with that bridal attire I thought you were running away from a spontaneous wedding into the arms of Chan. You’ve always had this certain chemistry that you usually only see in movies.”

Is this a sign? This is for sure a sign, right?

You grab the paper bag and put your wallet back into your purse.

“You’re right. I have to go, thank you, Lia.”

Rushing out the store, you almost stumble over your own feet and the ridiculously long white dress.

“Uhm, yeah sure, have a nice day!”

Half an hour later, you find yourself at the company Chan works at, knowing he will be there. Your expectations turn out to be true, when one of the assistants allows you entrance. Opening the door to his studio, you see him inside of it, big headphones covering his ears.

Still, he notices your presence, as he lays them aside, “Y/N… is everything alright? Why are you here?”

“You’re gonna be a lucky husband one day, Chan,” you boldy announce.

He looks at you confused, “What do you mean?”

“As long as you make me your wife, of course,” you add, shrugging your shoulders.

Chan gets up from his seat, shaking his head in disbelief. Long strides bring him closer to you. He’s a little puzzled why you’re in a wedding dress but he guesses it must be because of the show. Shit—did you really come to the studio right after quitting? You didn’t stay there till the end, right? It’s way too early for that. You were supposed to come back to Seoul tomorrow.

“Are you playing with me?” he asks, blinking twice.

“I would never, baby,” you reply, tilting your head.

His mouth falls agape, “Fuck… How… Why?”

“I made the wrong decision,” you admit. “I shouldn’t have let you go. No, screw that—I shouldn’t have said some shit like ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ when our moment hasn’t left my heart since then.”

A bright smile appears on his face, when he listens to your words, simultaneously pulling you closer as he grabs you by the hips.

“We’re idiots, aren’t we?”

“Absolute idiots,” you giggle. Your eyes flicker down to his lips and his gaze does the same with yours. “Just kiss me, Christopher.”

His mouth crashes into your own then, when he starts kissing you. A thousand fireworks are shooting through your veins, when he’s with you like this. You wonder if you would have made different decisions if you allowed him to kiss you that night in Vegas, but this doesn’t matter now anymore. All that counts is that you’re together with him.

“It’s always been you, baby, all this time,” Chan says in between kisses. He guides you towards the sofa inside his studio, before he sinks down and pulls you with him. You land on his lap, your lips staying connected with his throughout all time.

“It’s always been you, too, even before that night,” you confess.

“If that stupid red car appeared at the first try, you’d already be my spouse, hm?”

You keep kissing him, when he has you in his hold like that. It feels good to be with him. It feels as if it’s meant to be, after all.

“We’ve got all time now, baby,” you reassure him.

Chan adores it when you use that pet name for him—it makes his heart melt and his knees all wobbly. Although, you manage to have that effect on him at all times, really.

He suddenly changes the course, when he picks you up by the hips and lays you onto the couch. Now hovering above you, his lips travel further down. The irony that you’re wearing what looks like a fucking wedding dress, is insane. When Chan pulls the fabric over your head, revealing the red lingerie underneath, another thing gets spotted by his eyes.

“Is that an amethyst?” he asks.

You giggle, placing the gemstone between two of your fingers, “Hm, same colour as the dress you chose for me.”

“You’re insane,” he lets out, once again in disbelief. This all feels like a dream except for the fact that it isn’t. It’s all real.

“Insane for you, yes,” you chuckle.

Chan helps you out of your bra next, before he hovers his black sweater over his head. The contrast is almost hilarious—the elegant white dress that’s by now discarded somewhere on the floor and his simple but comfy clothes on top of it. 

His kisses enlighten on your skin again and he wanders further south, brushing over your breasts, taking one of your sensitive buds into his mouth, while the other one is pinched between his fingers.

“Let me get a taste of you, yeah? How’s that sound, babygirl?” he asks.

“Fucking perfect,” you reply, parting your legs for him.

“Make yourself comfortable, hm?”

You nod, as you allow him to take your panties off of you. A whiff of your scents enters his nostrils and he feels himself drooling at the thought of finally having you under him like this. Oh, how much he wanted to eat you out that night. Do even more. And start right again when the two of you woke up the next day.

His fingers spread your pussy lips apart, giving his tongue better access to your clit. A string of saliva hits you, although this isn’t even necessary—you’re already drenched for him, absolutely soaking wet because he’s so close to you.

The kitten licks soon turn into Chan making out with your pussy, as two of his fingers gently push into your hole, all effortlessly. He stretches you out perfectly, scissoring you open. Shit—you’re not gonna last long, that’s for sure. You should have done this back then, should have waited for another stupid red car to drive around the corner and then spread your legs for your best friend in that hotel in Vegas.

When Chan curls his fingers unexpectedly, you already envision yourself seeing stars very soon and when a few more encouraging words leave his lips, you cum all over him, coating his fingers and tongue in your juices. Your best friend helps you through your high, before he takes his time to lick both your pussy and his fingers clean.

“That was… unbelievable,” you say in between heavy breaths, trying to calm down a little.

A gentle kiss gets placed on top of your forehead, before you watch Chan walk towards his backpack that’s at the other side of his room.

“What are you doing?” you ask, balancing yourself on your elbows.

“Grabbing a condom,” he lets you know.

You gulp, “Uhm… you know, we don’t have to use one. I’m on the pill.”

Chan knows you’re on birth control. He’s your best friend and usually has to remind you to take it on time thanks to how forgetful you can get, especially when being stressed. But this is insane. The fact you’re gonna let him fuck you raw, lets him fear that he might just cum in his pants.

“Alright then,” he says, before letting the wrapper fall somewhere on the ground, out of sight now. You chuckle because of his excitement, waiting for him to come back.

“Chan…” you whisper, while he’s busy getting rid of the rest of his clothes.

“Yeah, baby?” he asks, back on the couch now.

“I need you… so much…”

“Sure, darling,” he chuckles. “Can you turn around for me?”

You do as you’re told, getting on all fours for him. Chan places a pillow between your head and the armrest for a little bit of comfort, before he aligns his hard cock with your entrance. He pushes himself inside, centimetre after centimetre. Due to his size, you’re glad he’s prepared you so well.

Chan starts with slow movements but once he hears you moaning his name, drooling all over the soft cushion underneath, he picks up his pace a little. One of his hands is placed on your ass cheek, spanking you whenever you clench around him. The other one is at your neck, keeping you in the position he wants you in.

“Fuck– Chan–“ is all you’re able to let out. His hand wanders away from your ass, sneaking between your legs from the front instead—he starts playing with your clit, chuckling right into your ear, when he feels you get closer so soon again.

“Come on, be a good girl and give me another one,” he whispers.

“Chan– I can’t it’s–“ your body feels possessed by the sensations he’s giving you. 

“Oh, you can. I know you can, darling,” he encourages you, while fucking ever deeper into you, railing you into oblivion.

You hastily nod, “Yes– okay, God, right there, please, please, please–“

A few seconds later, your second orgasm takes over you. You drown out your noises, when you scream right into the pillow. Chan has different plans, though, when he slowly pulls you away from it, wanting to listen to your sinful noises.

“Let me hear you, baby.”

He helps you through your high, feeling himself getting closer. Your name slips from his lips like a mantra, before he pulls out of you and his seeds land on your ass and lower back. He is quick to bring an old shirt to clean you, before he hands you some fresh clothes that he has at the studio as well as a bottle of water.

“Uhm… the… the microphone was still on,” Chan says, when he takes a look at all the equipment, seeing a little red light blinking.

“I think we’re used to that by now. Feel free to use it for one of your songs,” you tell him.

He’s gonna faint anytime soon, if you keep going like this.

“God, you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Chan slips into his clothes, too. “Let me turn all the devices off and then I’ll take you out for a date, okay?”

“Okay.”

⬅️ GO BACK TO LEAVE FEEDBACK

© j-0ne25 2023 | copying, translating or stealing my work is prohibited

[sortofanobsession]

Roy/Jamie prompt: Everyone goes crazy when Zava invites them to his house for a “Wellness Gathering". Everyone goes but Jaime. Fed up with his "attitude" Roy goes to Jamie's and confronts him. Instead of getting angry Jamie just deflates and looks incredibly sad. " Happy fookin' birthday to me then." He says actually tearing up before he shuts the door in Roy's face. Roy can only go back to Zava's in a daze and reveal this massive screw up. Everyone is guilty, even Zava. Can they fix this?

A/N: I wanted to get this out today so bad I neglected doing my actual job, but that's not as bad as it sounds. I have all day tomorrow to do it. But I loved this prompt.

I changed one thing. Roy starts out dazed but then gets very angry very fast. But hopefully I hit every other note right. And I snuck in some Roy/Jamie at the end because my shipper heart doesn't know how to NOT write that.

Ao3

Ted Lasso Masterlist

Word count: 6k+

Paring(like last time): Roy Kent/Jamie Tartt, Roy & Keeley (platonic), Jamie & Keeley (Platonic), the afc Richmond himbos being themselves.

Content warning: neglect, self-esteem issues based in years of abuse and neglect, anger, swearing, angst/comfort, depression, anxiety, exhaustion

The team forgets, but twitter doesn't

Zava had invited the whole team over for a wellness gathering. Roy would rather punch himself in the face than go, but Ted had said it would be good for the team, like some team bonding shit. When Jamie didn't show up, Roy was pissed. If he had to sit through this, so did that little prick. Jamie had wanted back on this team. He should be acting like it. Not acting like a baby that just had his favorite toy taken from him. Fucking childish, even by Tartt's standards. He needed an attitude adjustment, and it seemed Roy was going to have to do it because clearly, Ted wasn't going to. So he left the team and went to Jamie's flat. He pounded on Jamie's door until he answered. 

"Thought you were all about being a team player. The fuck is wrong with you?" Roy asks as soon as Jamie opens the door. He doesn't even really look at Jamie until after he does. "Too busy for team bonding now or just too good for it?"

Roy didn't know what he had been expecting, a snarky comeback, a half-meant apology maybe, but not the reaction he got. Jamie seemed to curl in on himself. 

"Happy fuckin' birthday to me," Jamie mutters with a sniffle. Roy is horrified to see tears not only in Jamie's eyes but trailing down his face. Jamie just closes the door in Roy's face. Roy is too stunned to even react. Normally he would be livid if someone did that. But that felt more like a sucker punch than an insult.

Fuck. He took his phone out and looked at his calendar and then at the team calendar. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. There it was in black and white on the calendar Ted insisted they make after that first birthday celebration for Sam. Back when Roy was still a player. When he was captain. How had they fucked this up? Was Zava really that much of a fucking distraction? He looked up from his phone back to Jamie's closed door. Yeah, Roy was going to raise hell on this. Fuck! He rushed back to his car and drove back to Zava's. He ignored all the questions and odd looks he got until he found Ted. 

"Give me your fucking phone," Roy demanded.

"Well, you don't look like you are-"

"FUCKING PHONE NOW!" 

"Okay, here," Ted says, unlocking his phone and handing it to a very angry Roy Kent. Ted wasn't sure the last time he had seen Roy this mad. Roy opened up Ted's calendar and found the same thing he had on his own. Jamie Tartt's Birthday as an all-day event. He does his best to ignore Zava's complaints that Roy was not being very mindful or zen right now. And Roy wanted to punch him in the face, but he kept his focus on Ted. 

"What is the fucking point of a team calendar if you all FUCKING IGNORE IT!" Roy seethes as he throws Ted's phone back at him.

"What?" Ted scrambles a bit to catch his phone. He looks at the calendar and realizes Roy is right. They'd missed something very important.

"Oh no," is all Ted manages at first. 

"FUCKING RIGHT OH NO!" 

"What did we miss?" Sam asks. 

"See for your fucking selves!" Roy shouted before putting his own phone to his ear. "Fucking fix it if you want half a chance at having a fucking team next match." Roy winces. "Sorry, Keeley," he says into his phone. "I need your help-" is all the team hears as Roy heads back outside. 

"Oh shit," Colin says when he looks at his phone. "How does half of Twitter remember it's Jamie Tratt's birthday, and we didn't."

"Because we are terrible teammates," Isaac says what they are all thinking. 

"Poor Jamie," Sam says. He felt like a terrible friend. Jamie had worked so hard to be a team player, especially after the protest, and they failed him. Jamie had stood with him then, even when he did not understand what Sam was feeling. But Jamie had stepped up. And they all had forgotten him. He would never forgive himself. "We have to make this right."

"You what?!" Keeley wishes she could reach through the phone and smack Roy. "Not only did YOU forget his birthday, but the whole team also did, AND Ted. AND you all went to Zava's. On Jamie's birthday. Then you fucking yelled at him! ROY!"

"I know!" Roy growls. "I fucked up. We fucked up."

"I didn't. I texted him happy birthday and offered to take him out on his next off day because I couldn't get away from the office today. You spend every day with him, Roy. I'll call him, but you guys better fix this."

"We will. I will."

"Good."

"Why isn't he answering his phone?" Dani asks as he tries to call Jamie again. 

"Because he was fucking devastated, you fucking twat," Roy grits out as he rejoins them. "Fucking tears in his eyes when he slammed the door in my face. And I fucking deserved it. Because I followed you fucking idiots here. Acting like you have a new fucking god-king. Well fucking brilliant job. We fucking broke the new and improved Jamie fucking Tartt. Fucking cheers!"

"He was crying?" Guilt seems to hit Dani Rojas like a brick. "Our Jamie? That's bad. We are bad."

"Zava did not know it was Tartt's birthday. Do you usually do something for birthdays?" Zava asks. 

"We do," Isaac says. "And Coach is right. We are idiots."

"Then Zava says fix it."

"We're trying, but he won't answer anyone."

"Then try harder."

"How is he?" Roy asks when Keeley calls him. 

"A fucking mess, Roy. What did you expect?" 

"How bad?"

"Like I had to call him twice before he picked up. He barely said anything and probably crawled into his bed and hasn't gotten out since you left. So go back over there and make it up to him. And he might still keep a spare key in his cubby. I told him it was probably not safe, but he has locked himself out of his own flat too many times."

"Thanks, Keeley," Roy says earnestly. 

"Don't thank me, just fix this. Jamie has been doing so well. This could really set him back."

"I know," Roy admits. 

Roy finds the key exactly where Keeley had told him it would be. And she was right. Anyone could have taken it at any time. Roy might actually keep it himself or at least lock it up in his office. But that was something to think about later. He headed back out to his car. He had picked up a few things and was headed over to Jamie's.

He knocked a few times but wasn't surprised when Jamie didn't answer. When it was clear, Jamie wasn't going to answer. Roy used the key. He felt bad doing it, but the little voice in his head was terrified that Jamie was in worse shape than he had let on when talking to Keeley. He knew the little prick would try and be the least burden to her since she was busy. 

"What the fuck?!" Jamie says when he sees Roy fucking Kent in his kitchen. "Did you break into my house?" 

"Keeley said you kept a key in your cubby," Roy says.

"For emergencies!" Jamie shouts at him. "You're lucky I didn't call the police. Or bash your head in with a bat or something!"

"And you'd have every right to do it," Roy tells him. "Because I fucked up, Jamie. We all did. I see that now and-"

"You broke into my flat because of my birthday?"

"Because I should have known. I'm your fucking coach."

Jamie doesn't know what to say. Part of him doesn't like the fact that Roy actually looks more sad than mad. And that was something Jamie just didn't know how to handle. He has to fight the urge to comfort Roy. And that is an impulse he has not had. Ever. And that frustrates him because he is already miserable. And now he is standing like an idiot in his own kitchen in a t-shirt and boxers having confusing feelings for his coach. Could the universe hate him more? 

As if Roy could read his mind. Or maybe just the way Jamie's fists were now twisted up in his shirt, and he was glaring a hole into his counter. Roy stopped, setting the takeaway he was unpacking down, and went over and just hauled Jamie into a hug as he had after that disaster of a Man City game the last season. Just like in Manchester, Jamie tensed violently at first.

"I'm sorry, Jamie. I really am. You deserve a good birthday. You have done so well. And we fucked up. You didn't deserve this. Don't deserve to be alone on your fucking birthday." Roy said with a gentle tone Jamie had never heard directed at him, and something inside shattered completely. 

Jamie went absolutely weak and just cried. He cried because he missed having someone that cares. He missed having someone touch him. Hug him. The team was so busy swooning over Zava that he didn't even get celebratory hugs. Because what had Jamie done to deserve a hug? Zava did all the work, according to Zava. And it twists Jamie's stomach in knots to think about. He just cries harder. And Roy is mostly at a loss, but he does grip tighter to keep Jamie from falling now that Roy had taken the younger man's weight. And Roy did not mind one bit. He would ignore the slight ache in his bad knee. It was a punishment he would endure for the turmoil he and the others had put Jamie through. 

"It's okay," Roy says into Jamie's hair. "I got you." After a few minutes like that, Jamie seems to have cried himself out and pulls away with an embarrassed laugh. He can't look Roy in the eye as he scrubs at his face.

"Sorry," Jamie mumbles. His hands went back to his shirt.

"Nothing to apologize for," Roy says as he goes back to unpacking the food.

"My birthday, and I'll cry if I want to, innit?" Jamie tries to laugh it off, but his attempt at a grin doesn't actually reach his eyes. But Roy does grin. That was at least closer to the Jamie he knew.

"Yeah," Roy says as he sets a cupcake Keeley had insisted he brings even though Roy isn't sure he ever saw Jamie eat sweets. He knew Jamie kept a stricter diet than most of them, and Roy had theories on that. He was pretty sure it had something to do with his dad insisting he be the best. That he not be a soft baby child. And that had something twisting in Roy's chest. Between that thought and the fact Jamie was standing there awkwardly half-dressed with his hand doing that ridiculously adorable thing in his shirt that he always does in his kit because he doesn't have pockets. And hold the fuck up. Did he just imply Jamie was being adorable? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Nope, he cannot be thinking that about one of his players, especially Jamie fucking Tartt. Fuck no. But dammit Jamie looked so fucking vulnerable standing in his own kitchen with tussled hair, red-rimmed eyes, and tear tracks on his face, and whatever walls Roy had built up came crashing down. Fuck. Focus. Don't be a fucking prick. Jamie was vulnerable because Roy fucked up. Jamie was in tears because Roy didn't pay enough attention. This was Roy's fault. 

Jamie looks between Roy and the cupcake. 

"Happy Birthday, Jamie," Roy starts. "I know it isn't much, but-"

He is cut off by a very different type of hug. This one wasn't about Jamie needing someone to comfort him. This one seemed more like Jamie wanted to show how much he appreciated the gesture but didn't have the words for it. And it had caught Roy off guard, earning a huffed half laugh, half grunt from the older man.

Roy had to pull away this time because the hug had gotten ridiculously long, and Jamie was still just in a shirt and boxers, and there was a line they were both dangerously close to crossing. 

"Go get some clothes on, and we can eat and watch whatever rubbish you usually watch on that TV of yours."

Jamie laughs and actually smiles as he nods. 

"Put on whatever," Jamie starts, but a mischievous grin appears as he continues. "As long as it's not some ol' war documentary that you granddads love so much."

"Fuck off," Roy says, but he is betrayed by his own grin. He balls up a paper bag from the takeaway and throws it at Jamie. "Put on some fucking trousers, Tartt, before this goes cold."

"Okay, coach," Jamie heads off to his room, and Roy lets himself relax. Roy finds what he needs to make tea and then sets to plating the food. But he was only half focused on the physical tasks. His mind was a mess of his own making. Fuck he was glad to see some normalcy return to Jamie's behavior. Roy would put up with every old man joke. He'd endure every barb and dig Jamie would send his way today. Because he just wanted his Jamie back. His Jamie. Fuck. Roy was in a bind here. Because he was right. Jamie hadn't been himself since Zava joined the team, and Roy had chalked it up to jealousy that Jamie wasn't the star anymore, but now Roy knew otherwise. Jamie wasn't jealous of Zava being the one people cheered for. No, this was team player Jamie losing his team. His friends. If the fact even Sam and Dani dropped the ball on this means this is a much bigger problem than just forgetting his birthday.

Roy had to bite his cheek to keep from doing anything stupid when Jamie came back in comfiest looking pullover and trackies. Roy mentally smacked himself at the thought of just wanting to snuggle right in there with him. And fuck, that was a ridiculous thought. So instead, he slid Jamie the food he had plated for him while he was getting dressed. 

"For the record, this may not be the kind of emergency you kept a key in your cubby for, but it was important enough for Keeley to tell me."

Jamie winces between bites. "I bet she had some very choice words for you when you called."

"She fucking did," Roy set a cup of tea in front of Jamie before going to get his own food and sitting down. "And it was deserved."

Jamie just nods, and it is quiet for a bit as they eat. When Jamie was done, Roy slid the cupcake toward him again. Jamie looked between it and Roy.

"Hope you don't expect some sort of birthday song because that is not fucking happening," Roy grunts. 

Jamie laughs. "I don't usually eat sweets, but well, it's my birthday…split it?"

And how could Roy say no to that? He grunts and nods. Jamie grins as he hops up and gets a knife, and it's a messy split, but he manages. He gives Roy half. Roy grunts again because his brain might actually have short-circuited as the younger man licks frosting from his own fingers. And Roy had not expected that to do things to him, but it does. So he focuses on his half of the cupcake. 

"Happy Birthday, Jamie," he manages to say. 

"Thanks," Jamie says with a smile that was almost too soft for what he was used to seeing from Jamie. And Roy had to look away and focus on his own half of the cupcake again. They end up watching Neverending Story because Jamie had never seen it, and Roy was worried it might be a bit much and hit too close to home but despite a few more years from Jamie. Jamie had loved it. And Roy was glad. 

"I meant it earlier when I said we fucked up. Ted takes this shit seriously, and he knows he fucked it this time."

"You…you told Ted?" Jamie is not sure if that's a good thing or not.

"Told them all," Roy tells him.

"What?" Jamie asks. And Jamie looks like he might be sick, and that sets off alarms in Roy's brain. 

"Jamie-"

"Just one more thing for them to hate me for," Jamie laments and begins to close himself off again. And fuck no, that's not happening on Roy's watch. 

"None of that," Roy grunts. He reaches over and pulls Jamie across the cushion that separates them on the sofa. He doesn't stop until Jamie is tucked tight against his shoulder, under his arm. "Don't fucking cut yourself off like that, you fucking prick. I'm trying to help you."

"Didn't ask you to," Jamie states.

"Didn't fucking have to. That's what friends do."

"So we're friends?"

"Fuck off," Roy grumbles but pulls Jamie in tighter. "But yeah, get fucking used to it." Jamie just laughs and nods and focuses on whatever was on the TV now. Not even caring about it at all because Jamie was warm and comfortable, and he didn't want it to end.

Roy wasn't surprised that Jamie seemed absolutely drained by 10, and somehow Jamie didn't fight him on getting him to go to bed. What shocked him was when Jamie told him to stay, and every alarm was going off in Roy's head again, telling him it was a very bad idea, but he still stayed. Roy told himself it was because they had hurt him so badly and that Jamie was vulnerable and didn't want to be alone. It wasn't anything bad. It was just making sure Jamie got actual rest because, from the look of him recently, he hadn't been sleeping well.

Jamie slept great for the first time in what felt like ages. And he woke up warm and actually comfortable, and without even thinking, he snuggled closer to the warm body that was wrapped around him. And then he remembers what had happened and who the other body was. Roy fucking Kent. His childhood hero had crawled into his bed when Jamie had begged him not to leave. And Jamie was now very worried about what was going to happen when Roy woke up.

"Whatever you are thinking, you can fuck right off with it," Roy grumbles. Jamie goes to pull away, and Roy doesn't let him.

Jamie still feels tense against him.

Roy figures they already crossed a line. "It's a fucking cuddle, Tartt. Consider it your actual fucking birthday gift, and go back to sleep. Training isn't for hours." 

And Jamie does because when is he ever going to get this chance again? A morning lie-in with Roy fucking Kent! 

Jamie radiated nervous energy from where he sat in the passenger seat of Roy's car when they got to Nelson Road. He'd taken convincing to let him drive that he was already there and didn't mind one bit. Would be stupid to both drive. It was easy enough to drop Jamie back home at the end of the day. No problem. But now Roy was wondering if this was how Jamie was every morning since Zava joined. 

"Hey," Roy reaches over and puts his palm on the back of Jamie's neck. He feels some of the tension release as he rubs at the right muscles of the younger man's neck. 

"Hmm," is all he gets from Jamie. 

"I know it has been shit recently, but it's okay. I'll take care of it."

"There's nothing to take care of," Jamie tells him.

"Jamie…"

"The team needs Zava. I get that. It's fine. We're winning. That's what matters."

Roy wants to fight him. Tell him that he's fucking wrong. That him being happy fucking matters. It matters to Roy. But he isn't even sure Jamie will believe him. Not yet, at least. 

"Okay," Roy relents. He gently squeezes the back of Jamie's neck again before he pulls away. He just hopes everyone else kept up their end of the deal and did what they were fucking supposed to. "We should head in." 

Jamie silently nods before mentally bracing himself for another shit Zava-filled day. 

Jamie froze when he walked into the locker room, and everyone yelled surprise! Even Zava did. Rebecca and Higgins were there. Even Trent Crimm. The room had been decorated with streamers and balloons. The kind of decorations He would have killed for as a kid. There was cake and gifts. He didn't even know what to think. He jumped a little when Roy's hand found his shoulder in the doorway. He looked back at Roy. 

"It's okay, go on," Roy nodded and assured him,  "Right behind you." 

Jamie nods and goes into the room. He sets his bag on the bench and looks around at the others. They all seem almost as nervous as he does. 

"Uh…thanks," Jamie manages to say with a tense smile when Roy squeezes his shoulder again. That earns him a pat on the back as Roy pulls away. And Jamie misses the reassuring warmth instantly. He looks back at Roy. Roy just nods for him to keep going. Beard tosses a party hat at Roy, and both Ted and Beard stare at him until he begrudgingly puts it on like the others. Jamie just goes with it when Will gives him a crown. "Coach Lasso insisted," Will whispers. Jamie doesn't put up a fight. Still somewhat confused about why this was happening now. 

"Did you do this?" Jamie asks, looking at Roy. Roy shrugs but says, "Do you really think I'd be wearing this if I did." He points at the ridiculous hat.  

"Fair enough," Jamie mutters and looks over as Ted approaches him.

"I cannot even begin to express how deeply sorry I am that we missed your birthday," Ted starts. "But I'm going to try."

"Of fucking course you are," Roy grunts. Earning a chuckle from Jamie and a few of the others. Ted spent the next few minutes telling Jamie how sorry they all were and that it would never happen again. That Jamie was too important to the team to be treated like that. And Jamie had repeatedly told him it was fine and that he knew they were trying. He didn't tell them he was honestly used to his birthday being a letdown. Sure, his mum and Keeley called. And his dad had left him alone for once instead of taking the opportunity to insult him. But Roy had made sure it wasn't a totally depressing day. He looks up when Rebecca takes a picture. He looks at her, confused.

"For Keeley," Rebecca says. Jamie nods. He was sure Keeley insisted they prove they did something to make it up to him. Rebecca continued, "I am sorry if you have not felt like you are part of the team. I never did apologize for what I did to you the first time you were on the team, and I know that nothing will ever be enough to repair the damage done when I sent you back to Man City. I am sorry, Jamie. It was unfair to you. To Coach Lasso. To the team. Especially after learning about your father-"

"Didn't want anyone to know. Embarrassing, innit?" Jamie says. "And I was a prick then."

"That makes two of us," Rebecca admits. "Happy belated birthday, Jamie Tartt."  She hands Jamie an ornately wrapped gift. "We're glad you trusted us enough to come back."

"Thanks," is all he manages to say before Rebecca goes back over to Higgins and Ted.

"Going to open it?" Trent asks.

Jamie just looks around at all his teammates just watching him. He looks at Ted. "What about training?" He asks.

"Roy will put them through the paces this afternoon. You just enjoy your party." 

Jamie opens up a bunch of gifts. 

Rebecca had given him a framed paper from their first win after Jamie rejoined the team. It was shockingly sentimental, and he wondered if Keeley or Ted had helped with that one. He genuinely thanked her. 

Trent gave him a watch that didn't seem too pricey, but it was something that Jamie might actually wear. Trent had better taste than Jamie had realized. He thanked him. Because, let's be real, Trent didn't do anything to him. He was a bystander for the most part. A silent observer that offered a kind word now and again. Jamie could appreciate that. And he really did. It was nice to have someone like Trent on their side. 

Zava gave him a book on mindfulness or something Jamie had zero interest in, but he had thanked him anyway because he had not expected Zava to get him anything. And then Zava gave him a set of gloves because Jamie always had his hands in his shirt or pockets, and Zava figured he must be cold. That had thoroughly shocked Jamie. And he let Zava know he appreciated that Zava would care enough to notice. Ted and Beard give a new book he says he'll actually try and read this time. Beard had slipped a code for a copy of the audiobook, and Jamie thinks he might tear up because, damn, did that make him feel seen. He wasn't the best at reading, and his coaches clearly knew him enough to still want him to try, but they'd made it easy on him.  

The rest of the team had gotten him more Jamie-style gifts. A new set of boots that just screamed Jamie Tartt Van Damme insisted. Hats they knew he wanted. Colin and Isaac got him a pullover he'd been meaning to get himself but hadn't gotten around to. Dani got him a vinyl copy of an 80s band he had found that he figured Jamie would like because Jamie had an odd taste in music compared to most of the team. Sam had given him a card and a larger envelope that shocked Jamie. It had tickets from every game that Jamie had helped them with every goal listed down to the minute. 

"You might not think we remember, but we do," Sam tells him, and Jamie hugs him. He doesn't know how he had all those tickets, but it was probably the most thoughtful and elaborate gift ever. 

"One more," Roy says. He hands Jamie a bag that was multicolored and had bows. Jamie looks at Roy with amusement. He also wanted to say he thought the dinner and cuddles were his gifts. Roy rolls his eyes. "Phoebe sent it." 

"Oh," Jamie laughs. "Yeah, that makes much more sense." He opens the gift to find a very bright and silly jumper that clearly a raining cats and dogs joke on it, and Jamie genuinely grinned. Leave it to an 8-year-old he barely knows to pick the most outrageous gift. 

"You don't have to-" Roy starts to say.

"Oh, I'm gonna," Jamie insists. He had taken his crown off, followed by the pullover he had on, and proudly dawned the one with cartoon animals on it. "How do I look? Wait, don't tell, fucking fit, right? I can make anything look good."

The room devolves into laughter. Partially from the ridiculousness that was Jamie Tartt wearing a pastel-colored hoodie with cartoons on it and saying he looked good in it. Partially with relief because clearly, Jamie was not mad at them. He was more like his usual self than he had been in weeks. They took a bunch of silly pictures, and Jamie posted most of them on his Instagram, including a very proud one of the jumper Phoebe gave him. And Roy had a hard time not looking like he was happy in the few pictures he was in. He was happy. He was happy Jamie was seemingly back to his confident self. Jamie actually ate a piece of cake, or at least part of one. He pawned the other half on to Dani, and Roy was sure Dani might have gotten emotional over it, not because he had found out that Jamie had actually missed spending time with Sam and Dani since Zava joined, but because Jamie hadn't batted an eye at talking to him. Acting like it was just a normal old day for them. Roy may have sent a very expletive-filled text to Dani the night before. He told him to cut that shit out and be there for the people who actually like him for more than their egos. Because Jamie was lonely, and it was the team fucking fault. But Dani knew better and was better. So he should be fucking better. And Roy had been right. So when Dani had hugged Jamie before he gave him his gift, he had looked over at Roy, and Roy had nodded when he saw Jamie practically melt into the hug. Roy had trusted Sam would see how much he messed up without Roy having to verbally berate or rather lecture via text. And Sam had come through. Roy had actually smiled when he saw how Jamie reacted to Sam's gift. Roy stepped out into the hall when his phone rang. 

"Keeley," he greeted when he answered.

"So it went well?" She asks without pretenses.

"Seems that way," Roy says.

"He seemed happy in the pictures he and the lads posted," she says. Roy thinks he can almost hear her smile in her voice.

"He did. Loves that fucking jumper you helped Phoebe pick out. Won't take the bloody thing off."

"And Zava gave him a genuine gift?" She asks.

"Shocked the hell out of all of us. He's more observant than I figured," Roy states, his tone darker than she expected.

"I know that tone…" Keeley says. "You don't trust it."

Roy grunts. "Of course I fucking don't trust it. It means he sees the shit that's been going on and doesn't actually give a fuck. He might just be realizing that Jamie isn't as easily overshadowed because of Jamie's history. Zava may not know Jamie's history, but I think he has an interest now. And-"

"And it scares you that Jamie's going to get hurt and worse than this time, aren't you?"

"Fucking exactly," Roy grumbles. "And it was hard enough getting him back this time."

"But you did, babe."

"He was a fucking mess. Didn't want to be left alone. He was so broken."

"And you held him and put him back together," Keeley said in a tone that was so soft and understanding. "Because you care so much about his happiness and his well-being. More than you want to, and it frustrates you."

She chuckles when he just grunts. He almost hated how well she knew him, how she could see through his bullshit and gruff guise.

"You know he wouldn't accept it from anyone else, yeah?" she adds. "He might accept the praise and encouragement from Ted, but he doesn't let anyone in as much as he does you. Not even me anymore. Try not to get stuck in your head and muck it up. You two are so cute together, and we both know you aren't holding back because of what people will think."

"Fuck off," Roy grimaces. Why had he ever told Keeley about the fact he cared about Jamie fucking Tartt? Oh, right, because he needed to talk to someone, or he would do something stupid. Roy frowns. "I slept in his bed last night," he admits. 

"Just sleeping? Or like…"

"I did not fuck Jamie Tartt," he says in a harsh whisper, looking around to make sure no one heard any of it. 

"But you did more than sleep?" 

"He spent half the night crying and fucking vulnerable. Like some sort of fucking baby deer or something. Those fucking eyes of his."

"I know. They are like traps," Keeley agrees. "So what now?" 

"I don't fucking know," Roy admits. 

"Well, maybe put your big boy trousers on and tell him you want to make more than just his birthday happy," She smirks. "You're too old for schoolyard crushes. You're Roy fucking Kent. Tell the man you want to choke on his dick and fucking do it."

"What the fuck?" Roy says, his tone less confident than usual because that fucking visual was now in his head and sent most of his blood south.

"Goodbye, Roy," Keeley laughs before hanging up. 

Roy has to will his body back into submission before he goes back into the locker room.

"All good, yeah?" Jamie asks almost instantly when their eyes lock. And Roy had to remind himself that they were at work, and this was not the time for his body to want to drag the striker into the boot room and fucking destroy him in the best way possible. Nope, cannot happen. Fucking Keeley and her notions. But Jamie is looking at him with that curious fucking look he gets. And Roy knows he'll have to actually talk to Jamie about his fucking feelings eventually, but not now. So he nods. 

"Just Keeley checking in. She's glad you're feeling better." It's not exactly what she said, but Jamie didn't need to know that. And Jamie smiles and goes sort of soft and happy for a second. Roy wants to see that over and over, but again, not the time or place. 

"That's nice of her," Jamie says.

Roy just grunts because, of course, Jamie goes all fucking soft over Keeley Jones. He loves Keeley. 

The party winds down, and Will gets stuck cleaning up as everyone else is told to get ready to actually train. Jamie looks happy to anyone that might be looking, but Roy could see the tension starting to return to Jamie's shoulders. Roy pulls him into his office after he finishes lacing up his boots. 

"Don't let him get to you, okay?" Roy says. Jamie looks at him bewildered. Roy fights the urge to sigh. "You're getting in your head again, yeah?" And Jamie was surprised anyone noticed. But of course, Roy did. It was his job to notice. 

"Can't exactly help it," Jamie admits. His hands bunched up in his kit. 

"I know, but," Roy starts. "You not fucking alone in this, got it? You have one advantage here. He doesn't fucking know what you can do anymore. He knows the shit you used to be known for. He has seen you at a loss the past few weeks. But fuck that. You are fucking Jamie Tartt. Show him more of that prick that we saw back when you could play for any team and fucking kill it. You don't have to be the old you, but you are still very much you. And you know you are good. Don't let that twat forget it. Got me?" 

And Jamie felt fucking fantastic. Roy thinks it's like looking at the fucking sun with how Jamie was looking at him right now. Like Roy could tell him to fucking fight the world, and Jamie would. And Roy slips up because he is a weak and needy bastard. He grips Jamie's face and pulls him in until their lips meet. And Jamie doesn't miss a beat. He kisses Roy back with an enthusiasm that is almost manic. And if that isn't just the most Jamie fucking Tartt thing ever, Roy didn't know what was. Roy pulls away, and Jamie whines. Fuck this was not the place for this. So Roy refocuses. 

"You fucking got this," Roy says, still gripping Jamie's face. And Roy thinks he was wrong before. Now Jamie looks like he'd burn the world to ashes if Roy asked him to. There was a power in that feeling that Roy didn't realize he needed. 

"Yes, coach," Jamie grins, and Roy lets him go. 

"Then fucking get to it," Roy says, and something in him shifts when Jamie gives him a quick peck on the lips before he heads to the pitch.

"Fuck," Roy curses himself and texts Keeley what just happened. Her reply is a bunch of emojis, and Roy rolls his eyes. He shakes it all off as best he can and heads out to the pitch. He can't help it. From the moment he reaches the sidelines, his eyes seek out Jamie's. And when he finds him, his stomach swoops because Jamie has an easy smile on his face. He nods at Roy, and without hesitation, Roy returns the gesture. If the corners of his usual frown tick up into the slightest of grins, well, no one says anything. And if they did, he'd fucking deny it.

[t0kidal]

If you knew them as Kids!

You, a little noisy nomad, lagged behind your clan pretty often. Rarely were they in the position to wait for you but you loved them and they you, rather, this was a solo adventure! And you were always up for seeing, hearing, and eating new things!

Maybe this time you’ll be able to meet some new friends. 

Let’s see....

Who’s first?

You were bored, so so bored. Your clan was on the move again and you took a rest stop in a cave for the time being but... this left you with nothing to do, no friends, no money, no books.

So really, who’s fault was it that you somehow scaled the cliffside and the castle walls of the Naberius clan’s manor. 

They probably knew you were there, you didn’t much care but you still utilized what little mana you had for safety’s sake, and once you were in, you were golden. The terraced garden with a turbulent ocean view was impeccable, and you were dizzy out of your six year old mind, running alongside luxurious petals, laughing to yourself like you were straight out of a mad house.

You don’t notice a certain Naberius staring at you, distracted from his studies, from a window.

~~~

“Hey! Who do you think you are?!”

You groan, your nice nap was interrupted so you roll away from the figure standing over you, “Five more minutes mom...”

But you immediately start swinging when a stick pokes your face.

“Bwuh!”

“Get up! And get out! This is my house.”

You sit up. “So rude!”

“You’re ruder! What are you doing here!?”

“Taking a nap, stupid!”

“In my house!?”

You just yawn and rub your eyes uninterested. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“Tch. I’m only saying it once, I’m Naberius Kalego. Be lucky it was me who found you and not my big brother.”

“Yeah yeah yeah, I’m Y/n. ... Wanna play with me?”

Ah yes, the attention span of 0.001 seconds.

“Play?” He’s confused, asking to play is super effective.

“Yeah! Let’s go!” You grab his hand and drag him all around the garden. He’s seen it a hundred times before but as he goes along with you it seems a little different this time around.

~~~

Eventually, it was time for him to go back inside for dinner. He was all smiles, lighting up his face with childlike wonder and glee. A start contrast from the stern scowl forming early wrinkles on a youthful face.

“Master Naberius!” 

Though the servants were in awe of how cute he was, they solemnly knew...

This would have to end.

Eventually.

The voice who had called out was the head butler, but they weren’t referring to Kalego... no...

They were addressing the appearance of Kalego’s older brother...

Naberius Narnia.

Kalego sees him watching from his window... before Narnia retreats back either to come out himself or to get their parents...

Oh please just go get the parents...

Kalego whips back to you, where you lay lost in the clouds, and sternly says, “You need to go.”

“Huh?”

He stands, dragging you up with him and turning you away from him, gently pushing, “Get going! Get out of here!”

“Wha- Why!? I thought we were having fun!” You whine in response, really not what he needed right now.

“So? That was a nice distraction, but it’s time to go!”

Getting a little frustrated...

“Get Lost!”

Where his eyes were screwed shut, he opens them to see your hurt expression.

...

The damage is done, “Leave, you can’t stay here.” And he turns away from you.

You, who were typically ready to dip at the first sign of trouble, hesitated before you understood. There, was an angry but slightly older version of your friend and several adults headed your way. 

So you take off, running as fast as you could before using your wings to boost yourself over the wall.

“LET’S PLAY TOMORROW THEN, KALEGO!”

“WHO SAID YOU COULD COME BACK, MORON!?”

~~~

You really shouldn’t have...

But you did.

This time, you go to where you think the front gate is, with a gift.

The guards standing there ignore you till you open your mouth, wide enough to fit a shoe in there and yell,

“K A L E G O O O O O O O O O !!!”

Said guards drop to their knees and cover their (probably) bleeding ears. 

They knew children could be loud but you really took it to a whole new level there...

~~~

Your cry could be heard all across the manor and drew a number of passing servants and guards to the windows to see just what kind of beast could release a cry so fierce. 

Only to see a little child, sitting in front of the gate! REFUSING to move!

Were you crazy!?

Absolutely.

What was even crazier, however, was that aforementioned ‘gift’.

Just what exactly is that and where did you even get it?

As it turned out, while the garden had lovely and luxurious flora of all variety, what they didn’t have were a lot of succulents. 

You were walking along looking for an ‘appropriate’ gift when you came along this feisty plant that was the complete opposite to the Naberius gardens you played in before. And while it wasn’t the prettiest, you thought it looked cool enough.

Took a few punches for you to wrangle it into a makeshift log pot but you got it in the end. 

Yes, a few “punches” that’s what I said.

This cactus stretched to about twice your height, thick fronds covered in decorated strands that dripped with sweet yet yet boozy scented substances, and was very noticeably carnivorous. If the fact that it ate a passing bird was any indication. As, once the bird had flown into the sticky drippy substance, the fronds immediately coiled around it and retreated into the center of its mass.

Luckily for child you, you had noticed that the fronds were only one sided and those non-sticky ‘blind spots’ allowed you to beat it into submission.

What you couldn’t have possibly known was that those sticky dewdrops made for a pleasant light wine, textured yet fully bodied with booze and flavor. 

A most appropriate gift indeed as, (as we know) the Naberius clan enjoys their liquor. 

Though a bit crude... it passed and you were let in. 

~~~

They ended up letting you in but told you to wait some more... maybe they were hoping you’d get bored and go away. 

NOPE.

Instead, you leave the waiting room they left you in and ran off to look for your friend.

As a below average self proclaimed pro stealth-er, you utilized your mana to the best of your ability... but still, a wing here, a foot over there, it wasn’t hard to find you, but most were busy with other tasks and brushed off such instances in order to focus. 

Eventually, you came across a hall that was filled with music. 

While Kalego was still learning the basics, to a fellow child who had absolutely no idea how to play, you thought that he was the coolest. But before you could track which door he was behind, you noticed tw- no... three figures. A father, a brother, and a butler... and was that your ‘gift’?

They enter a room at the other end of the hall and the music ends.

Rushing over, you manage to interrupt just the tail end of that conversation.

BAM, door’s open.

“LEGO’!” 

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...!? The hell are you doing here!?” 

Ignoring the warning look from his father you enthusiastically reply with. 

“I’m here to play!” Then, remembering your manners, before you rush over to kidnap your friend, you pause and cover your horns, then your fangs, and bow.

“Sorry for the intrusion! I’m here to play with Kalego-kun!”

“Right, I believe that’s been made adamantly clear.”

“Thank you!” (I don’t think that was a compliment dear child) “I hope my gift was well received!” 

You raise your head. “Let’s go! ‘Lego!”

~~~

It should be considered a win that you managed to leave unscathed. 

But a crushing victory would be more accurate.

Now, you and Kalego would be able to play for the day, at least until dinner. 

Seizing the opportunity, you choose to show him your cave, your rock, and your river.

Suffice to say, the young Naberius was baffled. 

“How the hell do you feed yourself!?”

You tilt your head, “Easy,” you walk over to the river... and... in Kalego’s eyes, you do a funny pose over the water...

“Oi-” A hand shushes him, and in the blink of an eye you reach in and grab a fish by the gills. 

“Like this. This is how I feed myself.”

When you ask if he’s hungry, as it was approaching noon soon and you didn’t want to be a bad host, he reluctantly nods... and you smile in return.

In addition to child like play and wonder, you show him your world, all the tips and tricks you learned over time to survive on your own, but to keep moving in order to keep in pace with your clan.

You don’t normally talk about it, but when you walk him home...

“I... need to leave soon, Kalego.”

You both knew, you had to go catch up. Your parents could stall only for so long.

“When are you leaving?”

“... Tonight...”

“Why?”

Why were you going, why didn’t you just stick around, why not just stay close and live with them it would be so much easier than in the wild.

You, gently interrupt his train of thought... and when he’s older he’ll briefly wonder just how many times you had to make friends only to leave them right after... but for now...

“Kalego. It’ll be ok, ‘Lego.” You give one last smile, fond, and a little sad.

And like all children you two could only hug and say goodbye.

~~~

Now older, smarter, stronger, he worked in Babyls and would work there till the day he died.

Which, if he was worked any harder, might be tonight.

He was finally coming up on the last house for his door to door PTA meetings.

And it was the door he dreaded the most... sucking it up, he knocks.. but instead of Opera or that damn chair demon, or even that punk Iruma...

It was you.

Between the two of you, your shock melted much quicker than his. And you smile fondly... just like all those years ago.

“Hello, ‘Lego. It’s good to see you.”

(fin)

[invisibleraven]

listening to music together while they both take the day to clean around the house (maybe even getting a little distracted to dance instead) for Rulie?

Reggie and Julie took in the house in front of them, hands on hips as they surveyed all the work they would have to do. "She's a fixer-upper all right," Reggie whistled. "You sure this is the one?"

Julie nodded, smiling wide. "I've just... got a feeling. This is it. My future home."

Reggie rolled up his sleeves, sharing a glance with her. "Then let's get to work."

They went into the house, gingerly avoiding the musty carpets, the peeling paint, and dust covering so many of the surfaces. Reggie took out his tools, and a small portable speaker, letting his playlist of rock music keep him motivated for this gargantuan job. But Julie had hired him to help get this house ready to live in, and he never turned down a job. Even if he already knew this one was way more massive than Julie had planned.

They started by taking out the carpets, the padding underneath it, delighting when the hardwood floors lying under that were in excellent condition. Julie went to scrape the paint from the walls, dusting whatever surface she came across.

Hours later, they had made good headway, but the job was nowhere near done. "Tomorrow?" Reggie asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Bright and early," Julie replied, waving as she headed off to her car. Reggie watched her go, shaking himself as his eyes followed her for much longer than they should. Sure, Julie was beautiful and had a vibrant personality to match her looks, but he couldn't afford to fall for a client. So he shook himself again, grabbed his stuff, and headed home.

So it went, every day they would meet up, and put the hours in to restore Julie's house to it's once former glory. They would work to Reggie's playlist, often singing along to the songs they knew, turning it down to chat over their brief lunch breaks. Reggie knowing he was falling even further, but the job was near it's end. Then he could nurse his aching heart and try to move on.

Finally, the house was almost finished. Fresh paint on the walls, the floors gleaming, the appliances all stainless steel and new. Julie was washing the windows while Reggie added hardware to the cabinets when a slow song came over the speaker.

"Oooh, I love this one!" Julie exclaimed, dropping her rag, and held a hand out to Reggie. "Dance with me?"

Reggie put down his screwdriver, and even though he knew it was a bad idea, he took her hand, twirling her around the kitchen. Bringing her in close, inhaling the scent of her shampoo as her cheek rested against his heart. He hoped the traitorous organ wasn't beating wildly in Julie's ear, giving away his feelings.

The song petered out, transitioning to something faster, but still they didn't let go. Only stepping back a step, Julie glancing up at Reggie. She uttered his name in a whisper, her eyes fluttering closed. Reggie was about to lean in, let himself taste her lips, his whole mantra about not kissing a client flying out the window.

But the front door flew open, Julie's family streaming in and yelling out for her. The two of them broke apart, red faced and stammering, Reggie hiding his face behind the cabinet door, probably stripping the screw to avoid looking at Julie.

He showed himself out soon afterwards, sending one last longing look at the house. He had come to love it, especially given how much love and care he had poured into it. But most of all he loved the woman who inhabited it, a woman he knew he would never forget, and one he doubted would remember him.

He only returned the next day to turn over his key, whistling as he took in all the personal touches that Julie had added in the past few hours. "Looks great Jules."

"Couldn't have done it without you," she replied. She bit her lip, and then handed him over his speaker. "You left this here yesterday. But... I was wondering if maybe you could bring it back sometime? We could have another dance?"

"I-I'd like that," Reggie stammered.

They made plans for a date before he really did have to go off to his next job, but this time, Reggie left knowing he would be back.

And by this time next year, he would be calling it his home too.

[romikawai]

Joel's Alpha

Two

Joel opens his eyes to see what was another morning in that house where he lived. The only difference is that I couldn't help but know why Brad did the rest and…

"Oh, you're awake" says cash

"Good morning" says Joel smiling.

Joel notices something in Cash's eyes and sees how he entered his room to close the door and turn to look at him again.

"Something's wrong with you, you can tell me" he sits on the bed

Joel bites his lip but he knew he could trust him as he stood there by his side.

"I… feel pain here" he points to his chest

"Brad I reject you" looks at him

"How do you know" he is surprised "he's my friend and the first alpha that I fell in love with but he doesn't feel the same as me and…and… It hurts because he doesn't want to risk it"

"He told you the reason" doubt Cash

"He said that we will find our destiny and we will be happy there because if he had accepted my feelings, we would both suffer" looking at his hands "I… It hurts because he's right but… It could have been differently and…

"Sometimes I think he wants to take care that you don't get hurt by him or any other fool"

"How do you do it" looks at him

"What thing?" Doubt

"You are alpha, but you are married to another alpha" he doubts too

"We both decided and we are happy, of course I like to dress like that because… It activates the flame of love" he smiles "but, it was never easy… I didn't want to harm him when I found out that he was destined for me and he took the decision for us, we left our old place and moved here where we are happy"

"They didn't think of…

"Son" he smiles softly "yes, always but we know that I can't and it's still not allowed to adopt couples of alpha men and no one wants to be with an Omega for that… So, we're just happy like that"

"And… Why don't they adopt me" she looks at him

"what" is surprised

"Yes, well… My family told me all that and I said I wouldn't follow their plan…" He thinks "I think they would sign those papers without any problem"

Joel was thinking about it, in those few days that were and that was the last communication with Brad. I just hoped it wasn't too much to ask for them while I was still on vacation and school didn't start.

When he looked around, he saw that Cash was crying and his door was opened at that moment by Tango. He felt that something was wrong and he preferred to stay close to the wall while…

"Honey" says Tango worried

"Yo…yes" he wipes a tear "oh little one" he stops and approaches Joel ignoring tango "don't be afraid, what you said didn't make me sad but happy" he hugs him

"What did he say" says tango watching the whole scene

"He… he said that we could adopt him as our son, since his family thought he was dead and they wouldn't have a problem signing those papers" she says while hugging him and caressing his hair

Joel could tell he had screwed up by the way Tango was looking at him and getting up to leave the room. He felt how Cash slowly let go of him and smiled at him to assure him that he was going to talk to Tango.

Meanwhile, he stayed a little longer in the room. He felt like he went too far, they were just being nice to give him a home until he started college but…

He felt the love and that's what he wanted until he could find his alpha or he could heal his wounded heart without brad's intention

He heard the door ring again and knew that he should be afraid, because he would surely ask him to leave for having ruined everything.

"Joel" says Tango

"I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean…

"You told a lie." He raises an eyebrow.

"No, I meant everything else…" She looks at him "but if I messed up, I apologize and…

"We just need your signature" he says

"what" is surprised

"Yes, I already stopped by your house… That's why I left those days and I only need your signature so that part of our family can sign" he smiles

"Tango" says Cash happily

"Only my signature" he says and takes it to read

"Yes, they already signed the rest and only yours to take it tomorrow and it would be official"

"Okay" he says and signs it "I…

"Thank you, now you are a Tango/Cash" he smiles

"Your last name is tango and yours is Cash" he is surprised

"Yes, Ray tango and he is Gabriel Cash" he smiles "but we call ourselves that because we like it"

[not-alien-girl-v]

Vampires Will Never Hurt You (Harry Styles)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

One day since I had the base of the spell, one day until my interview. The first thing that was on my agenda was to create a vampire, and I was determined to do it in one day.

Donna was away that day visiting her family, or what was left of it. Her parents were dead, but he had a sister with kids who had kids who were around her age, and she was spending the whole day with them and coming back tomorrow morning.

That left me alone with the house the entire day to do whatever I wanted, and let's just say it wasn't going well.

I was trying to make pancakes but the beeping smoke alarm told me I was unsuccessful, so I ended up giving up the pancakes and settled for a granola bar.

I walked to the living room and sat down next to my grimoire. I opened it up and skimmed through my latest spell to refresh my mind, and remembered I still needed to find a test subject for the spell to complete it.

I sat back in my cushy chair and daydreamed about vampires. What would I even do with them? Create an army? Create a vampire boyfriend? Or even better, a vampire cat! I hadn't really thought this far into my plans, would vampires be able to create other vampires? Or would it just have to be me with my spell? Can vampires have kids?

I shook my head and got out of my thoughts, looking around the room for something to spark my interest. My eyes stopped at a plump little bird sitting in the windowsill. I smiled kindly at him, feeling like Cinderella already, just more sinister.

I crushed up some of my granola bar, hoping the weird ingredients in it wouldn't kill the little fellow, and held my hand out filled with granola and other various shit they put in it. The bird hopped closer to my hand and bent it's head down to look at it, and eventually pecked at it.

After a minute of this, the bird jumped into my hand. I quickly grabbed the dagger and made a small cut on the bird's leg. It seemed very alarmed and started violently flapping its wings. I traced the sigil into its head and whispered an incantation I had found in the grimoire.

The bird suddenly halted it's actions and stood still and calm. Did it work? How the hell do I test it out? I carefully let the bird out of my hands and trusted it not to move away. I went to the kitchen to get a container, grabbed the dagger, and sliced my hand open. Not the first time I've done a blood pact, just the first time I did it by myself.

I let myself bleed into the bowl then grabbed a paper towel for my hand. I excitedly turned back to the bird only to see the bird was gone.

Shit. I left the window empty, like the dumbass I am.

A wave of panic suddenly rushed over me, it had just occurred to me that a possibly bloodthirsty chunky little bird is on the loose in Los Angeles, and can only be killed one obscure way.

Goddamn it!

I couldn't ask Donna, so I would have to ask Charlie because he's the only one I know who knows about the spell. However, I try to refrain from contacting Charlie two days in a row; he likes his personal time. Screw it. He can give up his free time to help save Los Angeles from a deadly bird.

What kind of horror movie am I living in?

I pulled my phone from my pocket and hastily dialed Charlie's number.

"Didn't we just talk yesterday?" Charlie grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah I know, but this is really fucking important Charlie, so listen," I paused for him to process my words, "so I was responsible and I tested the vampire spell on a bird and everything was going well and stuff and I turned my back to get it some blood and the fucker flew out the window. So, I kinda need help? You down?" I rushed.

"What!? I swear to God, Faye, this is why no one trusts you with big spells. You've been alive for how long now? And you still pull this shit? You're lucky Maude and Jane are at breakfast right now," Charlie fumed.

"500 years or something, and I know, I know. But can you come over and help me look?" I pleaded.

"Yeah, I'll be over in 10."

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

"So what does this bird look like?" Charlie asked me as he tightly gripped the steering wheel with both hands.

"Um, fat little fellow, really small and round, long black tail, white head, with some orange and black on the wings," I tried to pull the description from my memory, regretting not taking a picture of it or anything.

"Faye, those birds are everywhere! How do you expect to find one in particular?" Charlie sounded so disappointed in me, and I didn't blame him. I was quite disappointed in myself.

"Well, if you see a trail of dead animals drained of blood, I'd assume we're on the right path," I joked. Charlie didn't enjoy it and just sent me a glare then turned his head back to the suburban neighborhood we were driving through.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, with Charlie constantly sighing, I decided to turn on the radio. It started playing some strange pop song that I'd never heard before, but it was catchy.

I decided to go on my phone to search for what kind of bird we were looking for. After a few seconds, I found the answer thanks to reliable old Google.

"Long-tailed tit, that's what we're looking for," I turned my phone so he could see the picture I had pulled up.

"Right, now does this bird have a name? Or are we just calling him Vampire Bird?" Charlie scanned his eyes around more intensely now that he knew what the bird really looked like.

"I'm thinking Jorge, but it could be a girl," I did the same with my eyes and tried to keep the conversation going.

"Jorge can be a girl name," Charlie reasoned. I swear he took every chance he could to fight with Donna but he just kindly gives his opinion to me when we're at a disagreement.

"If you say so," I said, and then we both heard an ear-splitting scream. I gave Charlie a look and he gave me the exact same look in return and turned the car to head towards the scream.

We ended up in a trashy-looking alleyway, strange for such a cute little neighborhood. At the end of the alleyway, there was a fully grown man being brutally attacked by a little bird.

"Jorge!" I screamed at Charlie and we both got out to run towards the man.

I went forward and grabbed Jorge and held him tightly between my fingers while Charlie grabbed the man and pulled him away from us. I put him in a little plastic container (don't worry, I poked holes) which contained my blood and closed the lid quickly.

I looked up to assess the man, only to find it was none other than Harry Styles. I sort of stopped and stared in shock. As soon as Charlie realized who it was, he had the same reaction.

Eventually, Charlie turned Harry to face him. He snapped his fingers in his face and said, "this didn't happen."

This seemed to make Harry have a faraway look in his eyes as he repeated the enchantment Charlie had cast, "this didn't happen." Charlie took the plastic container holding the monster I created and carried it back to the car.

I ran off as quick as I could, eager to get away from him. I sat down in the passenger seat and Charlie placed Jorge on my lap, who's container was now blood-free. At least the spell worked.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

"So, the world's first vampire bird, huh?" Charlie more said to himself while crouching in front of Jorge's birdcage that I found in the attic. "I know I'm going to regret this, but I honestly think you should keep the little sucker as a pet."

"I was thinking that too. But what if our sisters come over? They can't know that Jorge is anything but a regular old long-tailed tit," Charlie snickered, clearly only concentrating on the last word I said.

"Grow up, I'm serious!" He finally sobered from his laughter and shook his head.

"I know, I am too. Just tell everyone Jorge's aggressive or something and he bites a lot, so it's best if no one pets him,  it's that easy," Charlie suggested without a care in the world, as if we were talking about a minor little inconvenience.

And for the life of me, I couldn't find a fault in his plan. That's why it's dangerous for us to hang out without Donna, she's the voice of reason, we're just the voices of treason.

"Alright, I'm sold. Wanna order food?" Charlie was eager to my suggestion in return and I grabbed my phone to place my order. One of the things I missed most about living with Charlie. He was the best at not caring what we eat. I love Donna but all she ever wants is some fancy expensive shit when I just want boring old pizza.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

Donna got back earlier than expected because she didn't spend the night, so she was back around 10 pm. When she opened the door, all she saw was Charlie and I sitting on the couch watching TV, with Charlie asleep like the old man he was (he's only 27, physically, but that's old to me).

Although I could have sworn he was dead asleep as she lightly placed her purse on the kitchen table, he still managed to speak up, "hey Don." I don't think I'll ever understand how he does that.

"Charles," she greeted formally, "so, uh, what's with the bird?" She referred to Jorge who was casually situated in the bay window.

"That's Jorge, he's our pet," I said without even moving my eyes away from the screen.

"Oh, he's cute!" Donna exclaimed as she got dangerously close to the cage.

"He's a vampire bird, he attacked Harry Styles today," I said just as casually before.

"Oh, geez! Give a girl a warning next time!" She jumped back from the cage. Once she composed herself, she came and sat in the middle of Charlie and me on the couch. "So, I take it the spell worked?"

"On a small bird. I'm going to have to use a lot more power than that to get it to work on a human," I replied, this time taking my attention from the TV to place it on Donna.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't just hear that," Charlie chimed in, causing Donna and me to giggle. He smiled softly with his eyes still closed.

"Oh, Charlie, my interview at IHOP is tomorrow morning, would you mind driving me or letting me borrow your car?" I spoke to him over Donna.

"Why don't you get your own car?" He sat up and opened his eyes now.

"Because do you think I know how the hell insurance works?" I reasoned with him.

"Donna's only," he paused to count on his fingers, "71 years old! She's gotta know, right Donna?" He turned to her to get her on his side.

"No comment," Donna responded nonchalantly while preoccupied with her phone.

"Alright, I'll get one. But in the meantime, what do you say Charlie? Help a sister out?" I whipped out my best puppy eyes, although I knew he didn't care if I did or didn't.

"Fine. But for the record, I do way too much shit for you girls," he shook his head in anguish and turned back to the TV.

"Love you too, Charlie," Donna smiled gratefully at him, and in return, he sent her a playful glare.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

[butterfi]

Danger

I wake to chatter from outside. Getting up, I walk out and drum my hand on the door and crack it open.

"Pyria! It's about 7 o'clock, you might want to get up." She starts to wake up and mutter an ‘alright’, so I leave her, leaving the carved wood slightly open.

The house is eerily quiet, I brush it off. Looking outside the magpies are about, it's not spring so we're fine, there are other bird calls out there, like the willy-wagtails, it's how it always is.

Those people outside were still loud, what were they doing? It's better not to look or ask.

"You alright Ryllae?" My sister asks, bringing me out of my daze.

"Y-yeah nah, I'm fine, just thinking," I reply, started by her sudden appearance next to me. I start making our lunch for later.

"Looks like rain, we should stay inside today," Pyria remarks, glancing outside.

"What abou-"

"Oh, it's fine, I'll call and say we can't go." She walks off leaving me by myself.

I brush it off, better not to continue this conversation. Through the windows, I could see shadows of people, and the banksia trees do screw my sight up. I should continue lunch, even if we don't go outside today.

"Yep.... y-yes will do. Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow... everything is fine." I could hear parts of her call. I shouldn't interfere or listen in; I've learned from my mistakes before.

"If we're not going out, I'll go and do the work I need to do in my room!" I holler out to her, she's finished her call so it's fine, I think. I walk up before she can say anything else.

The chatter can still be heard.

I should go check it out, maybe see what's going on, maybe a festival is on, or a rally, a march perhaps. I shouldn't though, I need this work done. I sit at my desk, staring at the craft tools laid out on the workbench.

I look up, it's been hours, maybe three or four, those people can still be heard, and the birds are quiet now. I get up from my desk, I can't hear Pyria, I doubt she would have left, she said we weren't going out, perhaps we don't have bread or milk, though I swear we had enough this morning.

I look at the old clock hanged on the dark wooden wall, it’s been about three or four hours since I sat down. The house is quiet, thought Pyria would be carving, or making some noise at least. The birds who were loud, are silent.

I need to walk; I want fresh air. It couldn't hurt to go outside, maybe the backyard will be fine, I should still check with my sister though.

Circling the house, she is nowhere, with no noise or any indication she is there. It’s too quiet.

Stopping by the front it's so empty, it's only me and Pyria so why did I think there was more? Outside is a mess of trees, bushes, and weeds, all overgrown. Someone has deal with this it’s out of control, maybe Pyria or I should send something to the council about it.

There's still no sign of her. Stepping quietly through the house we share, as if there would be someone inside, the mirrors are dusty, the whole house is, it feels like it's been abandoned.

I step outside, the backyard a mess, a desolate place that shows no care put into the placement of the plants and trees, them both being overgrown, moss growing on the once intricately designed stone paths. It won't matter if I chose to neaten this up, I'm supposed to stay inside, the clouds on the other hand, show no sign of rain and I can clearly see the sky, it’s clear just like the ocean.

Chirp, chirp.... Chirp, chirp...

Those sounds continued kind-of like a bird, and they got closer. I could go back inside. I turn around seeing those beady eyes staring, making those chirps, and other small noises.

The weird thing is, it looks elvish, has it tricked people, does it think it can trick me, and maybe it has?

I walk closer, no longer thinking, although I'm not walking, it's pulling me. I look down at my abdomen, vines and roots entangled themselves around me.

"Oh... No, you c-can't le-eave." It chokes out, I didn't dare to look into its eyes as I tried to rip those vines from me, "You already left, y-you can undo this... mistake." Its voice barely made any incoherent sentences, it could atleast choke out the last word, 'Mistake'.

Chirp, cracking followed, as it tries to move closer, as is gets closer.

I try moving backwards, just to keep my eyes on it but failing those roots from before tripping me, I bring my head up to look at this thing in its eyes.

It's already staring, I look behind there's more behind, why wouldn’t I move?

Those eyes, the hair coloured like the fire burnt trees and their pointed ears, maybe it was my imagination. I don’t think it would be, but I can’t take any chances.

"Pyria..."

[dzpenumbra]

12/15/22

Today started rough. I went to the vet and they... didn't have Max's prescription food. I don't know if I just... forgot something the vet told me... but I swear she said I can swing by whenever to pick it up and they were open until 7, I remember that shit. But yeah, it was a bit embarrassing to just show up and be like "hey, I'm here for my cat's food that isn't here." Well, maybe just more stressful than embarrassing. Because she hadn't eaten yet, and she was really hungry before I left. So I just got back and got her some of her regular food.

Then I ordered GrubHub because fuck it. And I paid for it, because it ended up arriving an hour late. It was dank so I didn't care too much about it being cold or whatever, but like... I was on an empty stomach until 5:15pm. That really fucked up my rhythm.

I brought some boxes up to the recycling room on my way up, huge boxes from moving. I couldn't get the door, and this dude came with me and actually got 3 doors for me, it was really chill of him. And then I went to the main lobby to get my delivery and ran into him there too. That shit was awkward, he wasn't really chatty and I was like... running on fumes and caffeine so... it wasn't like I was making eye contact or anything. It was still cool, awkward but cool of him.

I worked on another fluorite (?) piece and this one is coming together really nicely. I put a few hours into it, it needed a lot of shaping. Eyeballing the beveled edges and sanding it by hand is a herculean task, but I like the challenge and I'm willing to pay the price for fucking up. It's very rewarding, so much so that I'm actually not sure if I'd want to learn how to use tools to do this. I mean, it would kinda just be like... a different skill set, right? Like with what I'm doing now, I'm kinda calculating angles in my head and trying to make sure opposite edges are symmetrical. With tools, I feel like it's going to be more like following a recipe while cooking. Mount the stone on a dop stick. Set it in the thingamajig. Turn it to X degrees. Lock it. Sand it. Turn it to X degrees. Lock it. Sand it. Yes, it's much faster. Yes, it's much more precise. Yes, it makes a result that's probably visually more consistent. But like... isn't there something more impressive about a piece that was done by hand? And, for me, the process is very slow, but rewarding. Even if I go ahead and try to apprentice with someone to learn how to do the whole modern approach to cutting gems, I'd still like to keep doing this hand-sanding approach, if for nothing more than just the process itself.

After that, I decided I needed to go snowskate. See, there's a rotary (we call them roundabouts, for some reason) a block away from my house, and the entire middle of it is a park. It has 4 4-sets, a 2-set, an 8-set, a tight 6-set, a big 2 block and a smaller 2 1/2 - 3 block. It's pretty nuts. And it was all covered in about an inch of snow. I decided to say fuck it and go.

Welp, it wasn't exactly that simple. I did yoga, I used the foam roller to loosen up my shoulders, back and hips. I stretched my legs and then... I talked myself out of it. I went "what if it's not lit well?" Then I scoured google for pictures of it at night, to see how well lit it was, and I couldn't really tell. I ended up going... "screw it, I'll go tomorrow during the day and scope it out."

I was really upset with myself with that. I went through all this prep and everything. Then I grabbed my board and actually just stripped off the tundra grip on it. I honestly didn't like it last year. Yeah, it's really grippy, but like... it feels like I'm trying to skate in soccer cleats. And I skate in skate shoes, so I can feel every one of those studs and they tear up my shoes and shit. Basically, I wanted the feeling of skating my old board, I don't mind scraping snow off the grip every now and again. I got used to how the grip felt for flicking and everything. So after I got the grip off... well... now I have to go test it out, right? So, I went.

I ollied the 2-set. Big whoop I guess, but it was the first real stairset I've ollied in years, probably over a decade honestly. I even tried one of the 4's. That didn't go quite as well. I tried to shuvit the 2, but I was just... not locked in. I kept popping it too wide, I didn't keep it attached to my front foot the way I trained myself to. Mind games. I landed a ton on flat, really smooth too, but the second I needed to clear something it just wasn't there. I'll get it next time, I'm sure. I got a few kickflips on flat, it was nice to know that's still there. I think I got one moving too. I even got a frontside 180, which is a lot harder on snowskate since you don't have wheel friction grip on your pop, and it was really clean. I couldn't get it down the 2 though.

So the park has the stairsets all on the left side of it, but the right side is all handicap-accessible ramps/paths. Right? So for my "last" run, I went all the way to the top and bombed the whole thing. There are even little flat sections that turn into tiny bumps you can get some air off of. I didn't get as much speed as I wanted, next time I'll haul ass down it. My lungs were just killing me at that point. But that section was really fun. Then at the bottom, I stuck a 3-shuv. Which was cool, I used to have that trick completely locked down, it took a few tries and I landed pretty sketchy... but I stuck two of them, which was a cool feeling. All-in-all, not bad at all for a first session of the year!

And we've got a winter storm coming in tomorrow night, they're saying 4-7 inches, so that's pretty sick.

I wish I had people to skate with. I might see if I can post on Reddit for my local area, see if anyone around wants to skate with me. It was a bit weird having people walking by on the sidewalks, and driving all around me, and living in the buildings all around me... I'm so used to skating in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, where I'm not "bothering" anyone. Where I'm alone. And I just constantly had this feeling of being watched. It's really hard to get used to. I don't know if anyone else can relate, I guess it's a country mouse in a city situation kinda thing. I just... even though it was like 10pm, I had to push past anxiety and a feeling that I was being constantly watched just to like... skate. And that's a tough one. It didn't paralyze me or anything, it was just a factor I'm not used to juggling, and the mental gymnastics can put me in my head, when I kinda need to be not in my head to land shit. I'm sure I'll get used to it in time, with practice and exposure, the learning curve is weird though. Another isolation thing, I guess.

So yeah, that was basically my day. Late dinner after I got back and here I am. My social worker wrote me back, he recommended I find a Primary Care (which I really should do anyway...) and get officially screened for ADHD. So, we'll give that a go. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do if that comes back negative, to be honest. It's weird, but like... yeah. I'm nervous because of that. If I have it, it explains a lot about my current place in life, and my story so far. If I don't have it? <blank> I guess I'm just lazy or "weird" or something? I don't know. I don't really want to overthink this, because I know if I start, I'll somehow work my way around to talking myself out of all of it, and I'm not doing that. I'm going to link up with my mom tomorrow and come up with a plan.

For now, I'm fucking e x h a u s t e d. I'm gonna wind down with some videos of some kind and then pack it in for the night.

[eminems-skittles]

beware

--------------------------- pairings: ex!hangman x ex!reader; rooster x reader warnings: cheating, breakups, swearing, vague allusions to sex, angst, heartbreak, it hurts, mentions of wanting kids word count: 2.3k your call sign: hotshot inspired by: beware by big sean a/n: requests are open until tomorrow :) also thank you to @yelenasdog for being my guinea pig on the writing ---------------------------

when he ended things, jake seresin never thought that he would see you again. he was well aware of the cruel way he shattered your heart. he held seemingly no regard for your feelings as he plowed through your life like a bull in a china shop.

he had scared himself. you scared him. he had never been committed to someone before you. the voices of everyone around him claiming he couldn't commit did not help either. they got in his head, convincing him that he was going to screw you over no matter what. he loved you. at least he acted like he did. at least you thought he did. hell, he proposed to you. was it all a lie? he didn't know. you didn't know. how could you know with the way he ended things?

two years earlier

he knew you were going to be home early. you had texted him this morning that training was going to end earlier than you expected and that you couldn't wait to see him. he knew.

that didn't stop him from inviting over some girl. a girl he didn't know. you caught them in your bed. your day moved in slow motion. you were so excited to see jake, to surprise him with the vacation you had been working on planning. today was the today you finally got approval for the both of you to have time off. you were not prepared for what you would find when you opened up your bedroom door. how could you even prepare yourself for the sight of your fiance, the man you had loved with your entire being, on top of some girl you had never seen before.

like the glass mug that had been in your hand, your heart shattered on the floor right then and there. all you could do was whisper "jake?" as tears filled your eyes. he froze. his head whipped around to look at you before pushing himself off of the girl. you had ran out of the room, trying to find your suitcase as fast as you possibly could. he wrapped a sheet around himself before chasing you around the apartment.

"y/n it's not what it looks like-" he starts to plead.

"really? because to me it looks like you were fucking some woman in our bed, jake," you spoke, an eerie calm tone in your voice. you looked over his body. "go put some clothes on and get this woman out of our apartment. then we will talk."

jake nodded and scrambled back to the bedroom. you watched as the girl scurried out of your apartment, an embarrassed look on her face as she stopped to tell you that she really didn't know he was engaged. you didn't say anything, your lips pressed in a thin line. after she left, you sat on the couch waiting for jake. tears rolled down your cheeks when you thought of what you had just witnessed.

finally, jake emerged from the bedroom. he stood in the door, assessing the situation. he didn't rush to comfort you. he just stood, wordlessly, almost hidden in the shadows of the hallway. he froze when your eyes landed on him. he had never seen such rage, especially not from you.

"why? why did you do this jake?" you whispered. "was i not enough?"

he crossed the room, still managing to keep his distance. "this wasn't your fault. i just...i can't commit, y/n. you hear what everyone says. i don't have it in me," he failed to try to convince you to see his side.

"are you really blaming other people? you cheated on me because other people said that you couldn't commit? are you fucking serious?" your voice raised in volume. "i'm leaving."

"y/n, we can work on this!" jake pleaded. he still hadn't tried to comfort you. he still kept his distance. tears were in his eyes but they didn't fall.

"can we, jake? you were worried you couldn't commit, so your solution was to bring a stranger into our house, into our bed. i can't even believe you right now. i can't even look at you," you spit. it was becoming increasingly hard for you to speech, your sobs getting caught in your throat.

"you don't understand, y/n. it was all i heard. i thought i was destined to fuck up this relationship-"

"so you thought why not take preemptive measures, right? ruin the relationship before we get married, is that it? take responsibility for your own actions, seresin." the use of his last name stung him.

"y/n, please-"

"no, jake. we are done. i can't be in a relationship with you if this is your solution to things. i'm going to go to natasha's. don't call me or text me or show up. stay away from me," you sobbed. he didn't say anything, silence overtaking the room as he watched you throw your stuff into suitcases. when you were packed you stood across from him. "i'll have payback, bob and rooster swing by and get the rest of my stuff."

"okay," he mumbled. "are you sure this is what you want?"

"are you sure this is what you want?" you fired back. "if we ever want this to work in the future, you need to reassess what you want."

with that, you left, the glimmer of the engagement ring still sitting on your left ring finger catching his eye. the next day, you were gone. phoenix told him that you requested to transfer to a different base but wouldn't tell him where you went. he was faced with scowls from his friends. when payback, bob, and rooster came to collect your things, they barely said a word to him, shooting him disappointed looks every chance they got.

present day

jake didn't hear from you or see you in the two years that passed. his friends never brought you up, something he knew you asked them to do as you were still very much their friend. as far as he knew, you had dropped off the face of the earth. well that would be true if he didn't hear about every single accomplishment of yours. in the past two years, you had built quite a reputation for being the best of the best pilots. every time he heard about you, a secret pride would dwell in his chest before he remembered that he wasn't allowed to feel that way about you now.

it was no surprise that you would be one of the pilots called back to top gun. just as it was no surprise that he was also called back. you two were the best of the best, after all. he just didn't expect to see you arrive with rooster. his heart broke at the sight of you under his 'rival''s arm and wearing one of rooster's signature hawaiian shirts. he wanted to throw up.

"this is how i find out your both stateside?" phoenix asked, pulling you into a hug. you laughed as you hugged her back. god he missed your laugh. instinctually, his eyes drifted down to your ring finger. he didn't know what he was expecting but finding another ring in his ring's place was not it. when you separated from phoenix, the glimmer of the light bouncing off of the ring caught her eye. "so first you don't even call to tell me your back and now this is how i have to find out your engaged?"

phoenix's question caught hangman off guard. engaged? you were engaged to rooster? he didn't even know the two of you were together, or that you were even dating anybody. but why would he? his friends-your friends made sure that they never spoke about you around him.

your eyes wordlessly glanced at hangman, looking back at phoenix as soon as you realized he was already looking at you. rooster's arm went around your waist when he felt you tense up. he knew going back here was going to be hard for you. he held you tight against him, smiling down at you.

"well, we know how much you like surprises," rooster laughed. phoenix bent down to shoot her ball with the pool cue, jabbing it into rooster's stomach.

"so tell me everything," phoenix said after her turn was over. rooster hung close by. jake hated that. he hated that he hovered with his hands around your waist and head on his shoulder. he hated it because that should be him.

he turned to coyote, asking "did you know they were together?"

"yeah, but she swore us all to secrecy," he replied. "and you know what they say."

"what?"

"beware of a woman with a broken heart. she's scary, man. no way i was breaking her trust," coyote laughed. hangman shot him a tight lipped smile before turning his attention back to you and rooster.

"do you wanna tell her, roo? or should i?" you asked, laughing as rooster kissed your neck repeatedly.

"you can tell her, baby," rooster whispered against your neck.

"we had some time off, so he took me to this little beach town that i used to go to as a kid," jake knew the town. he had almost proposed there. "we were talking about how it would be nice to some day buy a house there and take our kids for summer break."

kids? you were already thinking about kids with rooster? the thought crushed jake.

"and then i looked at her, and i knew i wanted it all with her. the kids, the house, the growing old," rooster added. jake could see the satisfied smile on her face. he knew that smile very well and he could still feel how it felt to have it directed at him.

he knew in that moment, even though it hurt him, rooster was better for you than he could ever be. sure he had thought of the future with you but it scared him to even consider what having a family would look like. he knew that was one of your priorities. he knew then that he could never give you the life you wanted, the life you deserved. if rooster could, then he could get on board with the idea. not like he had much of a say in anything, since he was no longer a part of your life. but it did make him feel just the slightest bit better to know that you were with someone who wasn't terrified of the future or of commitment.

"he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, dropping down to one knee, and asked me right then and there if i would marry him. he didn't even have the ring yet," you sighed happily.

phoenix congratulated you, making you promise that she would be the maid of honor. rooster laughed, kissing your forehead before going off to mingle. you decided it was time to get something to drink. you went over to get your usual order, greeting penny when you saw her.

"still engaged?" she asked, an eyebrow quirking as she spotted the ring.

"well...i'm engaged but to bradley," you mumbled.

"right. i thought i heard something about you and jake splitting up," penny added as she slid the drink across the bar. "i'm happy for you, sweetheart. he treats you well, right?"

"yes, of course," you confirmed.

"how did you two get together?" she inquired, leaning on the bar to listen to you over the chatter of the busy bar.

"he was there for me after jake and i split up. just always making sure i was okay. and you know, we were a thing in college. and i don't know we just fell back into a rhythm of being with each other everyday. it just felt...right," you explained to her, sipping your drink as you spoke.

penny told you that she was happy for you before something behind you caught her eye. she quietly warned "jake is coming over" before making herself busy elsewhere.

"hangman," you greeted, when he slid into the spot next to you.

"hey hotshot," hangman smiled. "congrats to you and bradshaw."

"thanks," you said sheepishly. "i have something for you."

"a present? you shouldn't have," he almost joked but his words died in his throat when you slid the ring he had given you across the bar.

"this belongs to you," was all you said. "give it to the next girl. just don't screw her over and make sure you actually want the commitment."

jake nodded solemnly. he followed your gaze over to where rooster was playing pool. "does he treat you right?"

"the best," you smiled.

"i'm sorry that i couldn't," he apologized.

"i know. but thank you," you looked him dead in the eye.

"why?"

"it led me back to him," you motioned over your shoulder to where rooster was. you caught rooster's eyes. rooster abandoned the game to waltz over to the bar.

"hey baby," he said, kissing your head. "hangman."

"rooster," hangman greeted. "i'll leave you to it. congrats again."

"thanks," you said with a sad smile. hangman got up and went back to whatever he was doing before he came over to talk to you.

"did you give him the ring back?" rooster asked, standing between your legs to hug you. you nodded against the crook of his neck. "how do you feel?"

"better. like a weight has been lifted," you whispered.

"good, good. c'mon, i was about to go play a song," rooster said trying to cheer you up. he knew how much seeing hangman and giving the ring back was stressing you out.

you allowed him to lead you to the piano, standing next to phoenix as you watched your fiance begin to play the song that everyone in the bar knew.

you turned your head to locate hangman, to see how he was, but he was slipping out the back door. your attention was ripped from him when you felt rooster pull you down onto the bench. and the feeling of belonging that you never quite felt with jake but always felt with rooster overtook you.

the feeling that this is where you were always supposed to be and who you were always supposed to be with. the feeling of permanence and content.

[cambria-writes]

welcome to honey and the hatchet! I started writing this in like, 2015 when i was first binge watching the series. and obviously because i have a thing for older rogueish men that i can absolutely fix…

pairing: jane x named reader word count: 1,666 rating: PG13 warnings: description of murder scenes, blood, trauma

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𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕺𝖓𝖊: 𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡

You sit patiently at a stainless steel table a the the CBI headquarters. It’s nearly midnight, and you wish you could think of better things to do. Think of other things at all, actually. Clear your mind of the corpse that had been lingering in it for the past several hours was something you desperately wanted.

“Miss Benraft?” A woman enters the ceiling-less room. You can’t help but notice how much confidence she exudes as she walks. You perk at the mention of your name and sit straighter. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting so long,” the agent apologizes and takes a seat in front of you. “I’m special agent Lisbon, this is Patrick Jane.” She gestures at the man who follows behind her.

He deposits a cup of tea in its saucer in front of you before sitting himself next to agent Lisbon. You incline your head in acknowledgement and cautiously bring the cup of tea to your lips. You’re pleasantly surprised; it’s sweet and doesn’t actually scorch your mouth. There’s the tell-tale sign of honey, what you’re sure is green tea, and a fruity note you can’t quite place.

   “Can you tell us what happened, Miss Benraft?,” agent Lisbon asks quietly and patiently. She seems like a wonderful person. Honest, patient, very strong. You keep your eyes downcast, attempting to stare through the bottom of your startlingly yellow teacup.

   “Tommy’s a local favourite,” you start slowly, trying to calm yourself to better recall the series of events. “I was walking home from a café and his house is on the way. His wife passed a few years ago so we, uh, you know. The other people my age. We make a point to make sure he’s okay, right? So when I noticed the front door was open I didn’t think much of it? Someone probably popped in to say hi, or something, no one really locks their door in that neighborhood.    “When I noticed the driver and passenger doors to his car were open, I got a little worried? So I walked up to touch the hood and it was cold. Um. That’s… the car had been off for a while, right? So I guessed he wasn’t bringing in groceries, and, um.”

   You paused uncomfortably and closed your eyes. Terrible idea; you could see the blood in the living room. You took a shaky breath and put the teacup back in its saucer. You flattened your hands against the cool table and screwed your face. This day could not be over fast enough.

    “It’s alright, Skye,” Lisbon offers softly, placing one of her hands on the table as well. Leans forward. Bless this woman, you think. She’s great at her job.

   You don’t see Mr Jane’s hand moving to cover your left one. The warmth startles you. Knee bangs against a table leg, teacups rattle in their saucers. You mutter a quick panicked apology. Notice that the hand still covers your.

   “You’re safe with us, Miss Benraft,” Mr Jane says quietly, his thumb barely rubbing yours. You look at both your hands on the table and frown. It’s the only expression your face seems capable of, right now. “Just breathe, slowly. In, and out. Just focus on your own breathing. In… and out.”

    He continues that way for a moment, and you’re acutely aware of what he’s doing. You breathe as he tells you regardless, feel the tension ebbing from your muscles. Flowing out. Shoulders slump with a stuttering sigh. Apparently satisfied, Jane removes his hand and leans back in his chair, crosses his legs. Looks at Lisbon. Oh, yeah, that’s self satisfaction all over his face.

   You continue forcing yourself to breathe steadily. “Right, sorry, it’s just…”

   “We can do this tomorrow if you need to,” agent Lisbon offers helpfully. You shake your head. “Alright. Take your time.”

  You don’t quite laugh; the sound is choked and probably sounds more painful than intended. You clear your throat. Steel yourself, and continue.

   “So. The car hadn’t been on for a while, the doors were open and the front door was open, and I got worried.”

  “Why didn’t you call 911 right away?” Lisbon’s tone is soft and inquisitive; you don’t read the accusation in your voice that you think is there.

   “He’s ninety… Tommy was 93, he was old. Old people tend to uh. Well, forget? Things? So I thought, maybe he just got distracted, and I didn’t really want to deal with upset first responders because I called emergency services for no reason, so I mean. I waited to see if there was actually something wrong.    “So, I went up to the front door and noticed that the frame was busted at the handle and I just. I, um.”

  Take a deep, steadying breath. Warm hand on your again. Jane’s face is so impassive. He barely seems disturbed by any of this. Lisbon seems far more upset by this murder than he does.

   You remember to think about it later.

  “I dialed 911 when I saw that. I was calling out for him when I walked through the door and that’s. That’s, uh. The kitchen’s down the hallway when you come in and the living room’s just of to the right and that. That’s… jesus christ.”

   You stop yourself when you feel a lump rising in your throat. Down the rest of the tea, hope the heat will help dissolve the anxiety and fear. You’re so close to being done, to being able to go home. Though, really, you’re not sure you want to. It doesn’t feel nearly as safe right now.

   “That’s when you found him,” Jane completes, helpfully and thankfully. You nod and screw your eyes shut again. Not vomiting while recalling the image is hard. You manage, somehow.

   “Yeah. Yeah that’s when I saw the body. He was white a snow and there was. Just, there was so much blood, and his eyes were open? And he wasn’t… it didn’t look like he was breathing so I, I just… What happened? After that? I don’t remember.”

   You place the teacup back in its saucer with a slightly louder clanging of porcelain than you’d like. Agent Lisbon and Mr Jane look at each other with a look that probably holds an entire conversation that you’re blissfully unaware of.

   “Did you see anything, before going inside the house?,” Lisbon asks, with a hint of hesitation that you don’t miss. You shake your head slowly. “Nobody, no cars around?”

   “I don’t think so, no. What happened? You two look like you know something I don’t,” you try again, wringing your hands in your lap and leaning forward.

   Jane clearly his throat and leans on the table with his elbows. His posture feels conspirational. You can’t quite figure out what’s bothering you about it.

   “Well, Skye, the 911 recording has you on hysterics on the phone and then just, nothing.” He motions vaguely in front of him before clasping his hands together. “EMTs found you in Thomas’ kitchen looking into the sink and kind of muttering to yourself.”

   Don’t look at him directly, and frown at his hands. “...was the sink full?” You repeat yourself; you’d asked too quietly the first time.

   Lisbon frowns at Jane before looking at you. “Yeah, it was. Did you do that?”

  “I don’t…” You shake your head. “I don’t know, I can’t remember what I did after dialing 911. Do you know what I was saying?” You grab the edge of the table in front of you, look at the agent.

   “EMTs said they couldn’t make out what you were saying,” she replied, although it feels uneasy.

  “Something about a hatchet and a river,” Jane adds. Frown deeper. A hatchet? There’s no river near your neighborhood either? “Does that mean anything to you, Skye?”

   Shake your head again. Haven’t seen a hatchet in years; haven’t had the need for one, really. The sink, though, it still bothers you. Silence hangs for a moment after that. More and more people start milling around. A skeleton crew to staff the early hours of this investigation is your best guess. You run a hand down your face. Through your hair.

   What a shitty day.

   If you hadn’t gone for coffee, maybe…

   “Well, Miss Benraft, I think that’ll be—” agent Lisbon begins, but you interrupt her.

   “Sorry, uh, was the sink—the water in it, was it clear? Was it like, dishwater? Or something?”

  Lisbon frowns. “It was clear,” Mr Jane replies smoothly. Ah, there is is. Some kind of facial expression on him that doesn’t look forced. He looks genuinely intrigued, if not a little confused.

   You nod to yourself. “One um. One last thing? I don’t really feel safe going back home. I mean I live close by so is. Is there anywhere..?”

  You leave the question hanging, but agent Lisbon seems to get the gist of it. “Sure, of course. I can see about booking a room at a nearby hotel for you and have someone stand guard, if that’s okay?”

    “Oh nonsense Lisbon,” Jane pipes up. The eagerness in his voice does nothing for the tension back in your body. “She can stay here, can’t see? I wouldn’t mind talking with her more.” He turns to you, and there’s something not quite right between his expression and what’s in his eyes. “Would that be alright with you, Miss Benraft?”

   Off guard, you flounder for words. “Um, sure? I mean I don’t mind? Is that really okay? I mean it’s not like I saw anything and I really don’t want to get in the way—” You turn to agent Lisbon but she seems to be nearly as confused as you are. She’s about to reply, but gets waved off by Jane.

   “Of course it’s fine. You said you can’t remember what happened after the call, right? I can help you remember.” He stands and take both your teacups and offers his elbow to help you up. “Come on, I’ll make you another cup of tea."