#i asked my roomie to grab me some since hes going tomorrow morning :(

[rox-reads]

guess whos back from grabbing groceries and only realized after getting home she forgot to buy tea again :) :) :) 

[talesofarcadia78]

Beneath the Stars || Douxie x Reader || One Shot

The soft sound of plucking of guitar strings filled your ears. It made your heart melt and feel warm inside, making you forget the cold. Your boyfriend started softly singing a song. He suddenly stopped playing, making you frown and turn your head towards him. 

“Why’d you stop?” you asked, closing up the book you were reading. 

“Well, I noticed what the time was and saw it’s nearly 6,” he said, gesturing to the clock on the wall behind him. 

“So?” you asked, still confused. 

“Remember, you promised me something…” he hinted. 

You looked at him blankly. 

“You promised me you would make me hot chocolate with marshmallows,” he said. 

“Oh! Sorry Doux, I forgot about that,” you apologised, getting up from the couch and heading to the kitchen. 

You grabbed a mug from the drawer, placing it on a counter. You then got sugar, and added 2 tablespoons of it. You walked over to the pantry and tried to get the cocoa powder, but it was on the top shelf. You weren’t that tall, so you struggled a bit. You felt a hand brush yours. You turned around to see Douxie grabbing it for you. 

“I could’ve just grabbed it myself, you know?” you said, crossing your arms. 

“But it would’ve taken you longer, so that would delay your making of my drink, which means I would have to wait longer,” Douxie whined, handing you the cocoa powder. 

You rolled your eyes at his whining. He had to learn to be patient… well, at least for his food. 

You continued to make Douxie’s hot chocolate. You felt a pair of arms wrap around your waist as you were mixing the sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Douxie put his chin on your shoulder as he whispered into your ear, “How much longer do I have do I have to wait? You know I’m hungry.” 

“Well, if you let me go to the microwave, I can heat up your drink and then you’ll be able to drink it,” you replied. 

“But I love doing this!” Douxie whined. 

You chuckled at him. Even though he was a bit impatient with his food, you loved his whining. You gently pushed him back and walked to the microwave, putting the mug inside and turning it on. You walked back over to the counter to clean up your mess. 

As you were cleaning up, Douxie was leaning over the other side of the counter, staring at you. He never took his eyes off of you. You noticed his staring from the corner of your eye. You blushed a little and giggled. 

“Why are you staring at me, Douxie? Do I have something on my face?” you asked. 

He shook his head, eyes still on you. 

“Then?” you asked. 

“You’re just… so amazing. I’m very lucky to have you,” Douxie expressed. 

“I’m flattered,” you said, walking over to the microwave and getting out the mug. 

You set the mug onto the counter and grabbed a bag of marshmallows, and plopped a few in. You handed Douxie the mug, putting the marshmallows away. You then looked at the time, it was 6:30. You had to get going or else your roomie, Zoe, would freak out. 

“Doux, I go to go,” you shouted, grabbing your bag and opening the door of his apartment. 

“Wait!” he shouted, running to you. 

“What? You know Zoe will freak out if I’m not back soon,” you reminded. 

“I know, I know. I’ll be at your door tomorrow at 9 a.m. sharp. So you better be ready and have your things packed,” Douxie explained. 

“Why?” you asked, wondering why he wanted to you to have your bag packed. 

“It’s a surprise and surprises aren’t supposed to be told,” he said. 

“But--” you started, but were cut off by a kiss. 

The kiss wasn’t as long as Douxie wanted. You pulled back and smiled at him.

“Sorry, but I gotta pack and Zoe might be having a heart attack right now,” you apologised. 

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, my love,” Douxie said, giving you a two-finger salute. 

You laughed at his gesture and walked out the door. 

As you were walking through the streets, you noticed a bunch of kids gathered around something. You went over to check out what it was. You looked at what everyone was looking at. It was Toby doing some magic tricks. Currently, he was holding a sock in his hand and saying some words, you didn’t quite hear, and then the sock disappeared. Everybody started clapping at his trick. You were impressed. He actually pulled off a magic trick, unlike the other times. 

You walked away and continued making your way to your apartment. As you continued, you felt a bit more colder than earlier. You hugged your arms and quickened your pace. 

You were about to open the door to your apartment, but someone from inside already did. 

“Y/N! Where were you? I was worried sick! You know I don’t like you staying outside after dark!” Zoe scolded. 

“Sorry, Zoe. I got hung up. I was making Douxie some hot chocolate,” you apologised. “And you know that you could’ve just called to check where I was.” 

“I did! I called you 10 times!” Zoe exclaimed. 

You checked your phone to see 10 missed calls from Zoe. 

Oops. 

“My phone must’ve been on silent,” you shrugged, walking in. 

Zoe closed the door and plopped onto the couch, turning on the TV. You put your bag away and sat on the couch with Zoe. 

“What are you gonna watch?” you asked. 

“I don’t know,” she replied blandly. 

She then turned off the TV and turned to you. 

“So? What do you want for dinner? We’ve got some left over lasagne. Or we can just order something,” Zoe asked. 

“I’ll have the left over the lasagne, you can order something for yourself. I’ve got to pack,” you replied, getting up and walking into the kitchen. 

You warmed up the lasagne and quickly ate it. 

“Woah! Hold up. Pack? Where are you going?” Zoe questioned. 

“I actually don’t know where I’m going. Douxie just said to pack my bag and that he’ll be at the door at 9 tomorrow,” you answered. 

Zoe smirked. 

“Are you two going on a little lovey dovey holiday by yourselves?” Zoe teased. 

“Zoe!” you groaned and rushed into your and Zoe’s room, wanting to avoid her and start packing. 

You heard a laugh but you didn’t say anything, you just wanted to pack and go to bed. 

After about half an hour, you zipped up your duffle bag and put it at the door of the room.

Crash! 

Uh-oh! You rushed out to the kitchen to see broken glass all of the floor. Zoe was standing there, her hands behind her back, as if she didn’t do anything. 

“Zoe, how did this happen?” you asked, grabbing a broom and cleaning up the mess. 

“I was just tryna practice my magic… but, it didn’t go so well,” Zoe admitted, helping you. 

“Next time, go somewhere where you won’t break anything,” you advised her. 

“I will,” Zoe said. 

“Ok, I’m heading off to bed. I’m beat,” you said, walking into your and Zoe’s bedroom and jumped in, not bothering to change. 

The light got turned off. You looked to see Zoe heading over to her bed as well. You wished each other goodnight and fell asleep, well at least Zoe did. You couldn’t stop thinking about what Douxie’s surprise was.

The next morning, you were ready and drinking f/d on the couch. You heard the bell ring and hurried up to open the door. You opened the door to be greeted by Douxie, a big smile on his face. 

“Ready to go, love? I don’t want us to be late,” Douxie asked. 

“Yup, just let me get my phone and bag,” you said, rushing to get your things. 

“Okay, got everything. Let’s go,” you said, walking out the door. 

Douxie put your bag in the back seat of his car, where his bag and a whole bunch of random stuff was. You sat at the front of the car, waiting for Douxie.

“So, where are we going?” you asked, trying to find out where you were going. 

“As I said yesterday, it’s a surprise and surprises aren’t supposed to be told,” Douxie repeated, driving away from Arcadia. 

“Pleeeeeeease,” you begged. 

Douxie shook his head. You groaned and looked out the window, gazing at the scenery. 

“You can listen to whatever music you want,” Douxie suggested, giving you his phone. 

You smiled and put on some music. 

The two of you enjoyed the drive, singing and telling each other jokes.

It was around 1 when Douxie stopped the car at a diner on the side of the road. The two of you headed in and sat at a table, ordering two sandwiches and two milkshakes. 

“How much longer until we get to this mystery place?” you asked. 

“We’ll get there just before sunset, I think. We’ll have enough time to explore the place,” Douxie replied. 

The two of you chatted as you ate your food. You two spent a bit too much time at the diner, so the two of you rushed to the counter to pay. You pulled out your card, Douxie doing the same. “So, you guys splitting the bill or is just one paying?” the clerk asked. 

“I’m paying,” both of you replied. 

The both of you turned to face each other. 

“No, y/n, I’m paying for this whole trip. Not you,” Douxie said. 

“Oh, no, no, no! You’re not paying. I’m the one who’s going to pay since you’re already taking me to who-knows where,” you argued. 

Then you quickly tapped your card onto the eftpos machine, paying for the food. 

You smiled at Douxie, who gave you a frown. The two of you left the diner and continued the journey to the place Douxie was taking you. The drive was silent, no chatting, no music. You started to get worried if you had upset Douxie by paying. 

“Doux, you okay?” you asked. 

He just nodded at you. 

“Are you upset about the bill?” you suddenly asked. 

“What? No, I’m just hoping that we get there before sunset,” he explained. 

After 3 more hours of driving, you had a arrived at the place. There was a beautiful lake in front of you, surrounded by pine trees. In the distance, you saw mountains that looked like it had recently snowed. You got out of the car and saw a bunch of cabins in front of you. Douxie got out of the car and handed you your duffle bag. The two of you headed to a slightly bigger cabin where a lady was at the reception typing away. 

“Hey, Margaret!” Douxie greeted the lady. 

“Hello, Douxie! I have your cabin keys ready to go. You and your lovely lady are in cabin 919. It’ll be easy to spot out,” Margaret said, handing Douxie a key. 

Douxie thanked her and the both of you headed to find cabin 919. 

After going around the woods for a few minutes, you spotted a cabin that had a sign that wrote 919. Margaret was right, it was easy to spot out. 

“Hey, is it just a coincidence or did Margaret give us the cabin that was the same age as you?” you asked, putting the key into the key hole and opening the door. 

You stepped inside, taking in the cabin. In front of you were two couches, one shaped like an L. In front of the couches was a fireplace and a large TV above. Next to it was a small kitchen and a dining table. You walked around and saw a door that led into the bedroom. 

The bedroom was not to big or not to small. It was just right. It felt cozy and smelled like rosewood. To the right, there was a queen sized bed, with a bunch of pillows, pastel green and pink with a few plain white pillows. There were two armchairs in front of the bed, surrounding a round glass coffee table. At the back of the room was another fireplace. On each side of the fireplace were two big windows that almost went to the floor. Dangling above the bed was a chandelier with individual cone shaped lights that sat on a wooden ring. Overall, the bedroom was beautiful. 

You walked outside the bedroom to see another door in front of the bedroom, which probably would be the bathroom. You walked in to see Douxie taking out his toiletries and placing them on a shelf. 

“So, did you like it?” he asked, placing the last of his stuff on the shelf and walking over to you. 

“I don’t like it...” you started, seeing Douxie frown, “I love it!” 

Douxie playfully punched your arm, “You gave me a lil heart attack there, Y/n!” 

“Well, I’ve explored the place. What do we do now?” you asked. 

“I have a good idea on what we should do,” Douxie smirked. 

He led you to the back, where there was an amazing view of the snow covered mountains you saw earlier. On top of that, you could see the sun disappearing at the horizon. The sky was now a mix of orange, purple, blue and pink. 

“Douxie... this is so...” you stumbled, trying to look for the words, “I’m at a loss of words.” 

“This place is quite breathtaking, isn’t it?” he said. 

Both of you took a seat on the ground, watching the sunset. 

“Wanna see a trick?” Douxie suddenly asked. 

“Sure,” you replied. 

Douxie transformed his watch into a bracelet, scrolled through his runes and tapped on one. He waved his hand and sky blue magic roses started forming around you. You stared at them with awe. He magicked a few birds as well. 

“Douxie, where did you learn all this?” you asked as they faded. 

“I’ve been learning over the years. Master Merlin taught me, but only after my nonstop begging. He only taught me how to magic the castle in Camelot, the rest I taught myself,” Douxie explained. 

“Wow. Can you teach me? Please?” you requested. 

“I’ll teach you tomorrow. I have plans for us for the rest of the evening,” Douxie responded, getting up and lending you a hand. 

You took it and he pulled you up to your feet, only to be swept off of them by Douxie. He carried you in his arms, bridal-style. 

“Doux, you know I can walk myself back into the cabin, right?” you said. 

“I’m fully aware of that, but this is more fun,” he grinned, walking back into the cabin. 

He set you down on the couch and plopped himself next to you.

“So, what are the plans?” you questioned. 

“I’m not telling you, it a surprise. For now, you can go freshen up and get changed,” Douxie said, getting the TV remote and started to scroll through the channels. 

You headed into the room and got a pair of black jeans and a black hoodie, since it was starting to get a bit chilly. You walked into the bathroom and quickly took a shower. 

While you were getting freshened up, Douxie called Archie. 

“Hey, Arch! How’s it going over there?” Douxie asked. 

“Mostly good. Tobias here has ate most of your supply of popcorn, Jim is making pizza, Claire and Blinky are arguing over what movie to watch. Other then that, everything is cool over here. What about you?” Archie explained. 

“Good, just going to--” he started when he heard someone knock on the door. "Sorry Arch, I got to go. Oh, and tell me if anything and I mean if anything goes wrong." 

"Don't worry about it Douxie, you just enjoy your time with y/n," Archie reassured him. 

Douxie playfully rolled his eyes and disconnected Archie. He got up from the couch and opened the door to see Margaret. 

"Hey Margaret! What's up?" he asked. 

"I just came here to tell you that your special requested dinner is ready. You and your lovely lady can start heading over there," Margaret said. 

"Thanks Margaret!" Douxie said, as she walked away. 

Soon after, you came out of the bathroom, all freshened up. 

"Okay Douxie, I've freshened up, as you had requested," you said. 

"Great! Just wait five minutes and we'll be out the door," Douxie said, running into the bathroom. 

Exactly five minutes later, Douxie came out the bathroom. He was wearing the exact same thing as you, the only difference was that he had a plain hoodie while you had some type of pattern on the front. 

"Ready to go?" he asked. 

"You're the one who made me wait for five minutes."

"Oh, right." 

The two of you then headed into the woods, you having no idea why. Then you reached a clearing where there were fairy lights hanging around the trees, a small round dining table in the middle. There was food already set out on the plates, making your mouth water from the aroma. 

"Quick, we should probably start eating the food before it gets cold," Douxie whispered in your ear and pulled you to the table. 

Douxie took out the chair for you and you sat down. 

The two of you ate f/f while Douxie and you chatted away under the moonlight. While you were chewing, Douxie spoke, "Even if gravity didn't exist, I'd still be falling for you." 

You choked on your food, grabbing the glass of water in front of you and gulped it all down. After calming down a little bit, you fell silent.

"What made you want to use a pick up line on me?" you suddenly asked Douxie. 

"Cause I felt like it. Plus, I wanted to know how you would react," Douxie admitted. "Now, I know how you react to pick up lines." 

He burst out laughing while you were groaned at him. 

"Haha, very funny," you retorted. 

"Okay okay. I'll stop laughing. So, you done?" he asked. 

"Yep," you answered. 

"Okay, 'cause we're going now," Douxie said, getting up. 

You also stood up. 

"I know that I'm not going to get an answer, but we are we going?" you questioned. 

As you had guessed, Douxie didn't answer. He just said that it was a surprise, yet again. 

After about 10 minutes of trekking, you arrived at a cliff where you could clearly see the night sky. You could even see the Milky Way. That's how far the two of you are from the city lights and pollution. 

"Wow, Douxie, this is beautiful. I can see the Milky Way here," you commented, as the two of you sat down at the edge of the cliff. 

"Yeah, we're that far away from the city. I always knew that you took an interest in space, especially constellations and stars," Douxie said, wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him. 

"Thank you for bringing me here, Douxie. This place is amazing," you said, resting your head on his shoulder. 

"Anything for you, my love," Douxie said, planting a kiss on your hair. 

The two of you spent the rest of the night stargazing. 

Credit: Gabby - IG: itsgabby.2021

[writer-ish]

φόβος, or the persistence of fear

prompt: to shower with my muse / for sex on a table/counter/desk / for our muses to try a new position + words: “make me” pairing: mason x detective (grace bennett) word count: 5.3k words | rating: super E!!! (minors dni) summary: φόβος (FO-vos) Greek. “fear”. Post-Book 3 Final Demo, Mason and Grace have some trouble overcoming their individual fears.

author note: i know you said “or”, lovely @detective-sweetheart , but to my eyes you were issuing a challenge as to whether or not i could do them ALL. i didn’t quite succeed, but hopefully it doesn’t disappoint. 😘 and, uh… *side-eyes the word count* ...yeah. really should get that ao3 account up and running huh?

warning: this smutty lil fic immediately follows the end of the final demo for book 3 (bobby route) so if you don't want any inkling of what that's all about, stay away.

XX nsfw prompts

X X X X

Saying that it had been ��one of those days” would not only be an insult to days but to the concept of singularity itself.

By the time they roll into the warehouse, it's just after nine-thirty in the evening. The sun has already dipped beyond the horizon almost entirely, but there remains an eerie summer glow of light that seems to permeate the atmosphere. Not quite day, not quite night, but instead some liminal moment that feels almost otherworldly. Familiar, yet not.

Grace shivers.

Mason, sitting beside her in the roomy black SUV, turns towards her as the almost-imperceptible tremor runs through her body.

She meets his gaze, taking in his expression – tight and concerned, the grey of his irises stormy and conflicted – before she feels his hand reach across her lap and cup her outer thigh, tugging her closer to him.

They wait in silence as Adam parks and the rest of Unit Bravo gets out, Felix patting her leg reassuringly from beside her before exiting on his side. Mason gets out as well and turns to her, hands now shoved deep in the pockets of his leather jacket.

It's Grace's turn, so she gingerly exits, the weight of the day finally revealing the toll it's taken on her body. The fifteen minutes of inactivity in the car were, apparently, all it had needed as a reminder of what she'd endured in the last sixteen hours or so. All of a sudden she feels exhausted, weighted down, frustrated, and in desperate need of a shower.

"You good?" Mason asks as they walk together towards the entrance of the warehouse, shoulders brushing, a bit behind the others.

"Just tired," she responds, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Can't wait to shower and just lie down."

"Need any help with that?" The drawled reply is rife with a familiar irreverence, but there is something heavier in his tone that makes Grace glance up.

He's looking down at her, telltale smirk on his lips. But his grey eyes are dim and there's a furrow between his brows that isn't normally there.

"Yes."

Her quick response seems to surprise him; he stops walking and turns to look at her with an inscrutable expression. She can understand why—she isn't normally so brazen when it comes to his advances and she knows he revels in her shyness sometimes. Mastering the art of getting a rise out of her, making her flustered, teasing her and watching her blush.

But this time she doesn't care if her response feels bold or unlike her. Since dawn that morning, the litany of things she'd experienced were enough emotional and physical turmoil to last a person a lifetime, never mind a period that's comprised of less than twenty-four hours.

And now she wants Mason and she wants a shower and she wants to sleep. In whatever order she can have them.

Instead of saying anything flirtatious or sarcastic, he lets his eyes roam over her face for a moment and then he just nods and drapes an arm over her shoulders, leading her inside.

Upon entering the Warehouse, they’re greeted by Adam, Nate, and Felix, who appear to have been waiting for them. All three agents turn when they see Mason and Grace walking in, and Grace feels a pang of guilt, knowing that Adam will probably want to coordinate a meeting of some sort to go over the events of the day as well as next steps.

Sure enough, he intercepts them as they attempt to walk by.

“We should be debriefing on everything that just occurred." Adam crosses his arms and peers down at Grace. "And Detective, have you gotten a hold of Agent Bennett? I can’t seem to—“

Grace opens her mouth to reply, and perhaps Mason can feel the way her body leans away from him, already attempting to gear herself up for the meeting Adam has planned for them all, because he tugs her closer and begins dragging her away, speaking over her before she has a chance to respond.

“The Detective,” he announces, forcing her to keep pace with him, “is currently unavailable."

She can feel Adam's disapproval radiating at her back and she looks up at Mason helplessly.

"Stop," he commands her, then says over his shoulder: "She's had a rough day, okay? We'll meet in the morning."

Adam grumbles his reluctant acquiescence and Felix shouts after them: "Don't forget how thin the walls are!"

Nate splutters, as Mason throws back: "They're concrete!"

Nate’s splutters turn into a groan as Felix responds: "With you two it doesn't seem to make a difference."

Grace groans as well, feeling the heat surge up into her cheeks as she buries her face in her hands. Mason just laughs and continues to drag her along.

As soon as she gets to her room, she lets him in and then closes the door firmly behind them, leaning on it heavily with a deep sigh.

Mason is already walking around the small room, inspecting the current aesthetic. When the room had been set up for her, cues had apparently been taken from her own apartment. So there’s a vibe that can definitely be considered “cozy”, like her style – long white curtains, a plethora of pillows, a down comforter – while also being weirdly unfamiliar. It’s like a Sims version of her own place in some Bizarro universe. She isn’t sure if it makes her feel more at home—or less.

“What did you bring from your place?” His voice breaks her out of her reverie and she looks at him in surprise.

“Oh, uh—” Taking a look around, her brow furrows. “Honestly, not much. After what happened this morning, I didn’t have the wherewithal to grab anything that I really needed. Thank god there’s some stuff here. But I’m going to have to go back tomorrow and sift through the damage. See what can be salvaged.” She shrugs, then to her horror, she can feel her eyes inadvertently well with tears.

“Hey, hey—” Mason is in front of her before she can blink, tilting her chin up. “What’s that for?”

“Ugh, just—” She rubs her eyes frustratedly. “What a fucking day.”

“Yeah, you’ve been through it,” he agrees, before roughly pulling her into his arms. “One for the record books.”

His arms around her provide more comfort than he could probably ever understand and she feels her whole body wilt into his strength and his heat and his scent.

“I’m so sick of days ‘for the record books’,” she mumbles into his chest and she can feel his chuckle more than she hears it.

“Why don’t we see if we can make this one a bit better, hmm?” She looks up just in time for him to capture her lips with his.

Letting out a little sigh, she twines her arms around his neck and allows him to kiss her slowly, leisurely, taking little sips from her mouth, stroking her tongue with his own, stoking a slow fire that always seems to be maintaining a low burn in his presence. She presses her body closer, enjoying the feel of her breasts against his torso, his growing hardness pressing into her stomach.

He glides his hands down her back and cups her bottom, squeezing it appreciatively, before pulling her even closer still.

Moving his mouth to her neck, his teeth glide against her pulse point, and her heart skips a little beat when she feels the sharpness of his canines against her sensitive skin.

“Relax,” he whispers, kissing her softly right in the place where his teeth had just scraped. “This isn’t where I want to taste you.”

She lets out a little whimper and brings his mouth back to hers, kissing him fiercely, feeling the points and ridges of his teeth with her tongue crowding his mouth. He pulls her tightly to him, dragging her body up so her feet leave the ground, and then he drops her backwards on the bed, his knee already down on the mattress with her, poised to pounce.

“No—” she protests and before she can blink he’s off of her and standing at the edge of the bed.

“What is it?” His voice is calm, with none of the frustration she would assume he’d be feeling in that moment.

“No, it’s just—” She pauses and glances at the door to the ensuite bathroom, teeth digging into her bottom lip. “I really need a shower, before any… tasting happens.”

He blinks and then in a flash he’s on her again, his body pressing her deep into the soft mattress.

“For what it’s worth, sweetheart,” he says, nipping at her lips, “I’ll taste you whenever, however.”

“Reassuring,” she laughs, “but trust me when I say a shower is needed.”

“Then let’s get you wet.” She laughs again with a groan, allowing him to hoist her up.

He tugs at her shirt and she raises her arms accommodatingly, allowing him to lift it up and over her head. Piece by piece, he undresses her, hands grazing her skin with each article he removes, discarding the item as quickly as it comes off her body, until she stands in front of him fully nude.

Self-consciousness at her nudity is a forgotten pastime now that she’s with Mason. It’s something about the way he looks at her —he’s always just so pleased. With her or with himself she can’t tell, but either way it does wonders for one’s self esteem.

Even now, she can almost feel the heat emanating off of him, a hungry smoulder of pure energy as his eyes roam up and down her body.

“Shower,” she squeaks, not sure who needs the reminder more.

Instead of answering, he lifts her up effortlessly, dragging her thighs around him until she can cross her ankles behind his back. She feels the fabric of his clothing rubbing every inch of bare skin it encounters – the leather of his jacket against her nipples, his jeans between her legs – and he settles her onto a dresser that she literally hadn’t even noticed before that moment.

Her breathing escalates in anticipation and yearning, waiting for wherever his mouth or his tongue or his teeth go next, but instead he remains quiet and still, before leaning forward and resting his forehead on her shoulder.

She freezes, unsure what he wants or even what she should do. And then she feels it.

A light tremor, scarcely noticeable, running through his body.

Before she can react, his arms tighten around her in a crushing hug and she instinctively hugs him back fiercely, running her hands up and down his back, pulling him closer with her legs.

“Mason,” she whispers. “What—?”

With a growl, he lifts his head and captures her mouth with his own, teeth and tongues clashing in a hungry, desperate kiss. His fingers tangle in her hair as his thumbs caress her cheekbones in a juxtaposition of rough and gentle.

She kisses him back, trying to keep up with the shift in his mood. Pulling away with a gasp, she attempts to catch his eye.

“Are you—?”

Groaning, he leans in and kisses her again, hands running over her body in frantic strokes, as though memorizing the shape of her with his palms.

When he lifts his head again, she sees the conflict in his narrowed gaze, the grey irises stormy with anger and desire and another, less discernible emotion that causes gooseflesh to rise on her bare skin.

“Just look at you.” His voice is harsh, almost angry, and her jaw slackens in surprise at his tone. He tilts away from her as he speaks and she registers the absence acutely as cool air hits bare skin that now feels on display, her legs still spread open around him.

Shyness overcomes her as she becomes truly conscious of her nudity for the first time. She makes to close her legs and he grips them tighter around his hips so she can’t move them, his eyes flicking between hers, seeking answers and absolution.

“You’re so soft, so small,” he continues, his voice still rough with shades of anger, even as his words feel hollow and almost somehow reminiscent of—grief? “This skin, this body you’re in—it’s so weak.”

“Mason!” She finds her voice finally, confusion and indignation at war with one another in her mind as she tries to coincide his expression – which can only be described as tortured – with the hurtful things he’s saying.

“How can we let you go back out there?” His voice is raw now, the anger appearing to slowly fade away, leaving him worn-out and desperate in its wake. “Unprotected? Out in the open for any fucker to grab, to take. To hurt?” He gives her a little shake and she gasps. “Huh? How?”

Understanding dawns. Yes, it had been a rough day for her. One of the worst.

But it looks as though, maybe, it had been a rough day for him, too.

Immediately, her hands begin to move of their own volition, running up his chest and over his shoulders. His whole body seems to sag, the fight draining out of him completely, and he closes his eyes, turning his head away from her.

“I have the Agency,” she murmurs as she tries to soothe him with her touch, her tone, her words. She tucks her hands under his jacket and pushes it off until it drops on the floor. Smoothing her hands back up his arms, she doesn’t stop until they cup his face. “I have them to protect me.”

She turns his head and waits until he opens his eyes, his gaze still narrowed, but with a telltale furrow in his brow.

“And I have you,” she adds, softly. “To protect me.” She pauses, watching the creases in his forehead smooth even as his eyes drift away from hers once more. “I’ll be okay.”

He reminds her now of a beast being soothed; a wolf, perhaps—hackles still up, but with the understanding that the threat has passed, for the time being, at least.

She knows not to look too much into it; loyalty is intrinsic to Mason’s being. His defence of her would be his defence of any of them.

But she kisses his brow anyway, just in case. His cheek, too, even as he stiffens in her arms.

“I’ll be okay,” she repeats, “unless I don’t get a shower in the next thirty seconds.”

His expression shifts back to a familiar one: arched brow, lips curled up on one side, white teeth showing one sharp canine. He seems almost relieved, though at what she’s not sure – the reprieve? Her unspoken forgiveness? Her assurance?

Regardless, she knows she won’t get the answers she seeks and, sure enough, he says nothing, only lifts her back into his arms and carts her off to the bathroom.

She can’t help but laugh against his neck, although her heart still thumps an erratic beat at the odd moment they’d just had.

Depositing her by the sink, he peels off his shirt, dropping it unceremoniously onto the floor as he reaches inside the shower to turn on the water. He then strips out of his pants and underwear just as quickly, appearing more comfortable in his nudity than he is clothed—a fact that she’s come to realize is true.

She can’t help but take him in, flawless and muscular, a constellation of freckles across his upper body and arms. Unruly onyx waves tumble towards his shoulders and her fingers itch to run through them. His chest is covered in short, curling hairs that stretch across his pectorals and down, over his defined stomach and even further still. His prominent erection is unselfconsciously on display, flushed and waiting, apparently, for her.

Feeling the colour rise in her cheeks as she stares, she hazards a glance back up to his face.

He’s regarding her quietly, a growing smile on his lips, his gaze half-lidded and pleased.

“Like what you see, sweetheart?”

“Always,” she responds before she can lose her nerve, her face heating even more.

He chuckles softly, taking a step towards her, stroking his knuckles down her cheek. “The feeling is mutual.” He nods towards the running water. “Feel that and tell me if it’s okay.”

Hopping off the counter, she reaches her hand in. The water is scalding and she hisses out a breath, before adjusting it slightly cooler. She waits a beat until it runs at a suitable temperature on her palm and wrist. “That’s good for me. You?”

She finds herself craning her neck to look up at him. He’s standing tall in front of her, looking down without really tilting his chin. He has a half smile on his face as he watches her and she feels herself redden again under his gaze.

“I’ll be fine,” he says eventually, before crowding her until she has no choice but to take a step in.

Entering the shower fully, she allows the water to run down her back, tilting her head to wet her hair. He follows her in and runs his fingers softly down her chest, snagging on her nipples, already distended and aching.

“Beautiful,” he murmurs, tracing over her lightly with his fingertips, playing and stroking. One finger circling a nipple before going down further until it grazes between her legs.

She bites back a moan as her eyes shut briefly, her palms pressing back against the cool tile of the shower for some sort of purchase.

He loops an arm around her waist and brings her to him, kissing her wetly, open-mouthed and demanding, their bare skin slipping against one another.

Swiftly, he turns her, pressing himself into the cleft of her ass. She can feel his hardness wedged deeply between her; a new sensation, but not entirely unpleasant, either. She wriggles experimentally and gasps at the titillating pressure.

“One day,” he murmurs in her ear, reading her mind, and she knows from the way he chuckles that her cheeks have gone truly red this time.

He strokes down her forearms, linking his fingers overtop hers before pressing them onto the tile so that her body is forced to tilt forward slightly. Then, he adjusts the spray of the water so it’s not hitting them directly.

“Open.” His voice is a gruff command and she can’t help but obey, her feet slipping slightly in her haste to spread her legs.

She feels his hand course over her wet skin, erection still pressed against her bottom, as his fingers move across her, teasing and playing, until they settle into the warm, liquid centre of her.

She lets out a protracted moan, her legs shaking, the relief of finally having him touch her right where she needs him to almost more than she can bear.

He strokes her masterfully, a finger delving into the wetness her body is producing just for him, for his touch, and then circling at the apex of her thighs. Her clit throbs with his attention and she can’t help but cry out as he applies steady continuous pressure. The shaking in her legs increases and his body presses against her even tighter, his other hand coming up to cup her breast, thumb strumming her nipple at the same pace as his other finger works her clit.

“I want you to come,” his voice grinds out next to her ear. “I want you to come all over my hand. I can already feel you dripping all over me, all over yourself. Let go, sweetheart.” He bites her neck lightly and she feels the sharp prick of his fangs on her sensitive flesh. “Let go.”

The pain and pleasure intertwine into a blinding flash of white light, her body convulsing as she cries out, her shout echoing throughout the small room. Her legs give way and he holds her steady against him, his arm the only barrier between her and the tiles.

She comes down slowly from her climax, her shaky breath echoing around them, trembling fingers still scrabbling for purchase on the wet tiled walls of the shower.

Before she can fully catch her breath, he turns her around wordlessly and crushes his mouth to hers again. She matches his fervour, opening her mouth and allowing him to consume her. Their kisses feel hungry, desperate, and she whimpers against his lips. Tightening his hold, he lifts her up into his arms, pressing her against the cool tiles. She can feel his hands splayed across her back, cushioning the impact, and she tightens her legs to draw him closer.

His erection is notched between her legs, stroking hotly up and down the teeming wetness there, both from the shower streaming between them and also, she knows, from her own body’s response to him, his nearness, and the promise of what’s to come.

She reaches between them and grips him, running her hand up and down his length as he tilts his head back and groans.

“Jesus, Gracie,” he bites off, and she can feel his fingers digging into her where they rest on her upper and lower back. “You gotta stop that, sweetheart, before I—”

“Make me,” she teases, revelling in these small, rare moments where she has the upper hand.

His head snaps up and she feels her heart skip a beat at the expression on his face, those silvery irises as thin as crescent moons against the deep black of his dilated pupils. His lips curl in a familiar smirk as he bounces her up higher in his arms. Laughing in surprise, she loses her grip on him and has to put her arms around his neck instead for balance.

At the new height he has her, she can feel the tip of his cock nudging into her liquid centre.

She lets out a breath that extends into a moan, feeling him enter her as she opens for him further. He holds her steady, hands cupping her ass as he guides her down, then back up, then down again, allowing her body time to accommodate him comfortably.

“Oh,” she whimpers, the sensation almost too much for her to bear. “I can’t—I’ve never—”

“Shhh.” He shifts and one hand goes to the back of her neck, drawing her head down his shoulder, while his other arm grips her around her hips. “I got you.”

Slowly, slowly he thrusts and pulls back, thrusts and pulls back, shallow and fluid movements, her body giving and giving some more, until he holds her tightly against him, their pelvises notched together, him fully seated within her.

There is never a moment in which she feels so vulnerable as the moment when they’re connected like this. Her body trembles with emotion, the full weight of the day finally crashing down on her. She tightens her thighs against his hips and her arms around his neck, tilting her head to kiss his wet, freckled shoulder, neck and jaw, happy that the steady stream of water from the showerhead prevents him from noticing the tears streaking down her cheeks.

She can’t do this right now, she can’t allow herself to succumb to this moment, these feelings, because if she does, she’s going to say something she regrets. Something that will ruin everything.

So she distracts herself with the physicality of what they’re doing and with the pressing need for release.

“Move,” she begs with a sob that hopefully he believes is impassioned rather than emotional. She rocks her hips against him, needing the moment to end just as much as she needs it to last forever.

He quickly and silently obeys, using her body to create a rhythm that matches his own, crowding her against the corner of the shower, holding her securely in his arms. She can feel his heart pounding against her body and without thinking, she digs her teeth into the soft skin where his neck meets shoulder, not hard enough to draw blood but certainly enough to leave a mark.

The sudden action, fierce and uncharacteristic of her, almost possessive in its intensity, clearly surprises him. His hips stutter against hers and his hands grip her tightly—so tightly that she knows she’ll be seeing the bruises in the morning. He lets out a hoarse shout and she can feel his release inside her and that’s all it takes to send her hurtling over the edge with him. Letting out a cry that matches his, she rides the wave of her own climax, her body holding tightly to his, inside and out.

They stay like that for a beat, hearts pounding, Grace’s breath echoing shakily against the tiles. Gently, Mason disentangles her from him and sets her down, still holding her against him firmly. He strokes her back until she can get her breathing and pulse under control.

Once she’s steady, he pulls away from her. She inadvertently lets out a whimper as the water, now lukewarm, causes goosebumps to rise on her skin, the heat from his body too tempting to be taken from her. She has no reason to be concerned, however, because he’s back on her almost immediately, this time with a soft, soapy cloth in his hand that he begins to wash with her with.

Long, languid strokes down her back, her arms, the backs of her legs. Gently between her legs as he washes away the intermingled essence of what they’ve just done, rinsing and rewashing, in light, soft strokes.

She allows him his ministrations, feeling sleepier and more languorous by the moment, enjoying the feel of him caring for her. She registers that the soap has a light scent, inoffensive to her own nostrils, but she can’t help but wonder if it bothers him.

Reaching up lazily, with an arm that feels sluggish and heavier than usual, she brushes the damp hair back from his forehead.

“The soap—?” she tries, taking the wash cloth from him and allowing it to drop between them. She steps back slightly and rinses herself with the water streaming down.

“It’s fine.” He shrugs. “I can only smell you.”

“Me—?” She realizes belatedly he means her arousal, and the evidence of their union, and her face flares up with heat once more. His smirk turns into a full fledged grin.

“Oh, sweetheart, if I could make you blush like that forever, I’d be one lucky son of a bitch.”

The word forever seems to hang between them and the smile drops quickly from his face at her sharp intake of breath.

“Turn around,” he says gruffly and she obeys quickly, reluctant to allow the moment to be shattered completely.

She hears the sound of another liquid dispenser and the telltale coconut scent of her favourite shampoo fills the humid space – when the Agency does something, they really do it right, she thinks, impressed and a little weirded out – before she feels Mason’s hands in her hair.

If she’d expected impatience or roughness from him in this endeavour, she’s pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. For all his brusqueness and usual lack of desire to perform acts of service for others – outside those related to sexual pleasure – he takes his time with her hair, leisurely massaging in the shampoo, fingertips expertly pressing into her scalp and lathering the wet strands.

She tilts her head back and closes her eyes, a hum of pleasure escaping her lips. The warm water streams over her body and she’s convinced she’d be able to fall asleep standing if she let herself.

After a few more moments of quiet bliss, Mason places his hands on her shoulders and turns her back around. He gently tilts her chin up until the water is streaming over her hair now and she brings her own hands up to assist in rinsing out all the shampoo.

As she gets the shampoo out of her hair, his hands idly tease and caress her, his fingers running over her body once more in light strokes. The touch doesn’t seem to be intended to reignite anything; instead, it appears to be for the simple pleasure of just touching her.

They’re both quiet, the need or the desire to speak seemingly sapped out of them, and she allows him his touches, until all the soap is out of her hair and off her body. Then, she languidly opens her eyes and just watches him—watches how his eyes follow his hands as they move over her body, tracing her with his gaze as well as his fingers.

“Your turn?” she asks, finally, her voice a quiet echo in the small space.

He shakes his head and gathers her close to him, kissing her soundly on the mouth. “I’m good. Ready to come out?”

Instead of answering, she wraps her arms around his neck, stroking down his back and into his damp hair, the unruly waves curling around her fingers more than usual. She kisses him again, then nods against his lips, her eyes dropping closed of their own volition.

The rest is a blur. She feels him towel her off, remaining completely boneless the entire time and succumbing to his ministrations with nary a physical protest. He must dry himself as well, but who knows, because next thing she feels is him carrying her to her bed. She snuggles even more securely into his arms and she can swear she registers his lips against her forehead.

When he settles her on top of the covers she doesn’t even bother to do anything except burrow herself underneath them, still naked, hair frizzing and damp.

Her eyes are still closed, but she knows he hasn’t left, can feel him like a physical ache. Hovering but not touching or sitting. She doesn’t know if he’s in the process of dressing or stark naked. Doesn’t know if his intent is to stay or to go.

The need to keep her feelings inside, to not...ruin things, or push him away, is so, so strong. She could ask him to stay and he could go anyway, taking her heart with him. She could stay silent and wait for him to make his own decision, knowing the outcome would likely be the same.

As she wars with herself, feeling time ticking past, feeling him slowly slipping away, an image arises in her mind unbidden.

It’s his eyes.

She thinks of how they’d looked that morning, clouded with worry and not a hint of lasciviousness, even though she knew she’d been about ninety-nine percent see-through as she’d squelched up the drive.

How they’d looked when he’d apologized to her for his harsh words at Haley’s the other day, contrite and a little bit confused.

The way they’d held anger and, more than that, hurt when Bobby had spoken about kissing her.

And then she thinks about the look she’d seen in them as they’d all been overrun by Trappers and, immediately afterwards, as she had faced certain kidnapping by a supernatural he knew he could not defend her from.

He’d been terrified.

Those storm-grey irises, so familiar and already so dear, had been filled with abject terror and fear.

Fear for her.

The images fade as she hears him rustling, collecting his things.

She thinks again about how he’d been scared for her. Scared of losing her.

She’s scared, too.

She’s scared that all of this might be for naught. That she’ll fall deeper and deeper in love and he’ll soon be looking for a way out.

But tonight isn’t for fears, she decides. Tonight, they’re safe. Tonight, they’re together.

Tonight, he's hers.

“Mason?” Her eyes remain closed, but she hears his movements stop. She lets out a shaky breath, releasing the final bit of her trepidation, before speaking with conviction:

“I want you to stay.”

X X X X

👀 tags: @utterlyinevitable , @ethansramsey , @otherworldlypresents , @worldoffandoms , @raleighcarrera , @ejunkiet , @starrystarrytrouble , @terrm9 , @openheartthot , @octobereighth , @campsearchlight , @coldshrugs , @kelseaaa , @homeformyheart , @intothestrawberryjar , @magebastard , @kodysteach , @newfangledsoul , @silma-words , @lalizah , @detective-sweetheart , @lem-20 , @ifshebreathes-shesathot , @takemyopenheart , @v2itbwstct (if you want to be added/no longer want to be tagged, pls let me know!)

[collecting-stories]

3am Friend - c. 01 - Topper Thornton

Summary: Topper and y/n have been in a “friends with benefits” relationship since September but the line between friendship and something more are already starting to blur. 

A/N: This is basically four chapters: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Also it’s going to be a bit of a practice run at writing more smut for me lol. Also it’s smut like, right under the cut lol. 

Sophomore Year Masterlist | Outer Banks Masterlist

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

What were you doing with your life...

You bit down on your bottom lip to stifle a moan as Topper’s tongue pressed against your clit, the cold tiled wall of the shower stall pressing into your back had your skin erupting in goosebumps, a contrast to the almost burning water that was hitting you. It was futile to bother concealing whatever noises Topper managed to pull out of you, the curtains of the shower stalls did little to shield their occupants from the rest of the communal bathroom, the plastic more often than not creating the perfect outline of whoever decided to use the showers. There would be no mistaking you, pressed against the wall, one leg tossed over Topper’s shoulder, his own figure silhouetted, kneeling in front of you with his hands digging into your hips.  

If anyone did find you there was a 90% chance that they weren’t just going to let you off with a ‘sorry for intruding while some guy eats you out in the shower’ but any concern you actually had about the consequences of your hookup had died the minute Topper had joined you in the shower stall. Technically he’d texted you to come over to his dorm, he lived right off the main campus, close to your building, in a still operational fraternity house. He split a room with some guy who liked to stare but never actually talk when you came around. Yours was not a relationship of anything substantial. You’d hooked up with Topper at a party and exchanged numbers and, two days later, responded to a very obvious booty call at one in the morning.  

“Holy shit!” You cursed, your voice coming out an octave higher than usual, fingers gripping Topper’s short blond hair. You could feel every muscle in your body tense as you tried to keep yourself upright, your other hand grabbing hold of the dial on the faucet in a desperate attempt to not completely fall apart as Topper sucked on your clit. He had moved one of his hands at some point, middle finger now moving rhythmically in and out of your entrance, working you through an orgasm.  

When you came down, your muscles relaxing and you pushing back against the wall to keep yourself steady, leg slipping off Topper’s shoulder, he stood up. He caged you in almost immediately, moving as close as possible in the stall and kissing you, the salty taste of cum still there on his mouth. “That pad really comes in handy,” he teased, referring to the silicone mat you’d bought two weeks earlier to scrub your feet without trying to do a yoga pose in the shower.  

You hummed, “I’ll leave that in my review on Amazon. Great for not bruising your knees.” When he kissed you again you smiled, eyes fluttering closed for a split second. This was the worst part. The part when you ran out of things to say and he would untangle himself from your arms and leave, promise to text you later.  

It was the thing that your roommate had warned you about in the beginning that you had ignored.  

“That’s like, not even friends with benefits though.” She had admonished when you told her for the first time that you had started this bizarre relationship with Topper. “I mean, you’re literally having casual sex with some rando guy that you hooked up with at a party. At a frat party. Do you even fucking know anything about him?”

“I know his name,” you had replied, rummaging through your closet to find something to wear to class, “and his phone number so I can booty call him.”

“Brilliant.” She snapped, “he could be some fucking weirdo axe murderer preying on college girls.”  

You rolled your eyes, “he’s the same age as us.” You had never been one for casual sex in your life until this point and you weren’t sure why it seemed enticing now but you wanted to branch out a little. You’d gotten your first boyfriend in ninth and you’d stuck with him until August of this, your sophomore year of college. He broke up with you, claiming the distance between your school and his was too much for him to deal with.  

It was your roommate that had dragged you to the party at the fraternity house, claiming that it would get your mood up after the guy you’d been with for the last five years decided he couldn’t do the 2 hour commute between your school and his. Three shots of tequila later and the blond you couldn’t take your eyes off of asking if you wanted to ‘go somewhere quiet’ were all the motivation you needed to put the past behind you and stop groveling over a guy who wasn’t even there.  

Still, the fact remained, even now as Topper put his hands on your hips, looking at you through the mirror and kissing the back of your head, you knew that casual sex was not your forte. Not simply because you had never done it before but because you found yourself craving those small, just after when the bubble had broken yet and there was still some lingering affection, moments as much as you craved the sex. But you had both agreed, casual. Something to take your mind off school for a few hours, a stress relief. For you it was more than that. You’d never been the most confident when it came to sex or your body, all that self-love/self-care crap was wasted on you and your gnawing insecurities. Having casual sex was like constantly challenging yourself to be your most exposed and most intimate with someone who was still relatively a stranger to you.  

“You know I think it was technically supposed to be my turn,” you mentioned, running the wide-toothed comb through your hair. You should’ve detangled in the shower except that wasn’t really top priority. What would you even say, ‘oh, would you mind not eating me out for a second so I can brush my hair’…you’d live with the awkward waves that dried in.  

“I thought we switched.” Topper shrugged, pulling his sweatpants back on. His shirt went over his head and you involuntarily pouted at the mirror, there went the view.  

“No, I said…this doesn’t technically count.” You replied, referring to the party three nights earlier and the head you’d given to avoid having actual sex on your period. You were at the tail end and you’d contemplated not going to the frat house at all but changed your mind at the last moment.  

“Hey, if you’re offering, I’m not gonna turn you down.” He joked.  

You turned to look at him, the mirror not sufficing as you stuck your tongue out playfully. “I have a test tomorrow, I have to study.”  

“Come over, you can study in my room. We’ll hang out.”  

“We are incapable of hanging out Topper.” You replied, grabbing your shower caddy and heading for the door. He walked right out after you, both of you ignoring the rather appreciative stare of one of the other girls on your floor.  

“Not true,” he’d suffered a nasty break-up in high school that he gave no more background to other than to say she had cheated on him extensively. Casual seemed to be the best he could allow himself to do though you weren’t sleeping with anyone else and, as far as you knew, neither was he.  

Your roommate looked up from her desk, rolling her eyes at the sight of Topper following you into your dorm. In the beginning of September, when this first started, it felt like you only ever disappeared at night. You saw Topper when he texted you and you might smile in the café but you never actively sought each other out. Now it was creeping toward November though, with Halloween right around the corner, and Topper felt like an accessory. He was always right there wherever you were, not that you were complaining. To anyone on the outside you looked like a couple but you both maintained the friends with benefits story.  

“Oh look who it is.” Almost two whole months of him and your roommate still greeted Topper with a disdainful glare. She was fervent in her belief that the guy you thought was damn near perfect (if only he’d actually date you) was hiding some deep-seated flaw.  

“Hey G,” Topper greeted, taking a seat on your bed as if he couldn’t tell just how annoyed your roommate was.  

-

Geena and you had been thrown together after enduring a freshman year from hell. Her roommate from the year prior had been awful, like caging yourself in with some 00’s mean girl who only found satisfaction in watching you suffer. Your own freshman roommate had been neurotic about the dorm and constantly scrutinized whether your cleaning methods were sufficient. Geena was a blessing, you got along well, hung out all the time, had become fast friends in the short time since the beginning of the semester. Topper was the only thing you didn’t agree on. She thought it was unhealthy, that it would only lead to heartbreak.  

“You can’t have casual sex with a guy for three years…people already think you’re dating. Some girl I don’t even know asked me if I could get her into a Phi Sig party next week cause my roomie is dating one of the guys.” There was a new reason almost daily with Geena, like she tore away a new page on the calendar and it offered up cons to your relationship with Topper in lieu of a word for the day.  

“I can ask for her.”  

“Oh my god, that is not the point.” She snapped.  

You sighed, “I don’t really care if people think we’re dating.”

“Why?” She asked the question so smugly you already knew where she was going with this. And you knew why it didn’t bother you that people thought you were dating, why you sometimes even fanned that flame.  

“G-“

“No, tell me why? People usually keep that shit quiet so they can hook-up with other people too. So why don’t you care?”  

“Because if people think we’re dating…they won’t try to date him.” You shrugged, practically mumbling the last part. You hated that she knew that off the bat, that she could tell that you liked him so much in such a short span of time. And you knew she had a point to all her antagonizing. You had been in too deep since two weeks into September when he told you that you looked pretty in something your ex always said made you look fat.  

-

You held the seam of your towel shut as you rummaged through the set of plastic drawers underneath your bed. Geena had done the bed on risers thing for optimal storage and you had followed along, semi grateful for the added space since both of you seemed inclined to transport your entire bedroom with you. Topper’s foot nudged your side as you got closer to him and you looked up, matching his smile when you caught him staring at you. You were sure Geena was sitting behind you rolling her eyes.  

“Guess I’ll go grab something to eat.” She announced, as if your very presence had worn her down.  

“I’m just getting changed, I think we’re heading over to Topper’s.” You replied, looking back over your shoulder at her.  

Geena scrunched her nose and stood up anyway, “still would rather not be here while you got dressed so I don’t have to pretend like I can’t see this one leering at you.” She shot Topper a look of contempt as she passed. If it was real, if he asked you out and he was really, actually, your boyfriend, Geena was positive she’d have no problems with him. He seemed like alright and he certainly made you happier and more confident than she’d seen you in the beginning of the year. But she hated the thought of you getting hurt and didn’t want to be just sitting on the sidelines watching it happen.

“I don’t leer.” He joked, turning back to you once she was out the door, “I don’t leer.”

You didn’t answer, instead grabbing your underwear out of the top drawer and pulling them on once the door was shut. The first time you had ever gotten dressed with Topper around you’d made sure that you were obscured from view, still too bashful and self-conscious of the way that you looked without clothes on. There was still that split second moment when you doubted yourself, when you thought about maneuvering your towel to hide your body from view, as if after two months Topper might suddenly look at you and decide he didn’t like the softness of your stomach or the width of your hips or any other imperfection you could find.  

You pushed through the voice though, dropping your towel and getting dressed. When you reached for the bralette your tossed on the bed beside him you realized he was looking at you. “G might have a point, maybe I should turn around.” You teased, his eyes snapping up to meet yours.  

“I’m admiring the view.” Topper replied, not at all embarrassed at being caught.  

You rolled your eyes, pulling your bralette on and adjusting your boobs until it sat right. “I don’t even know why I’m putting this on,” you mentioned, grabbing his sweatshirt to pull on over it, “I should just stop wearing underwear to your room and then I won’t ever lose it.”  

“You lose stuff? Whose wearing my hoodie right now?” He asked, grabbing the edge of the hood to pull you closer to him.  

“Your room has swallowed three of my bras...the nice ones too. Or Will like, took them.” You said.  

If there was some kind of formal set of rules that you and Topper had ever thought to draft, kissing outside of actually having sex with each other should have qualified as a major no. But nothing of the sort had ever been discussed and now, Topper leaned over, stealing a quick kiss before he got off your bed. Maybe now didn’t count as a ‘just friends’ moment though since technically you were heading back to his room, presumably to have sex. To finish what he’d started when he showed up seconds before you got a shower.  

“What would Will need your bras for?”

“To masturbate over? Who knows...all I’m saying is, I wear bras to your room, I never seem to leave with them.” You replied.  

“I promise I will find all your missing bras today, okay?” He grabbed your lanyard off the hook, keys and wallet all in one place, pulling the door open for you. “Wanna grab pizza later?”  

You chewed on your bottom lip, waiting a beat to answer him. Grabbing pizza meant, inevitably, hanging out after. Becoming friends was unavoidable, there was no way that either of you could have navigated sleeping together without some sort of relationship forming. So far it was only friendship, or at least that was all either of you were willing to let it be. Anything more than that meant an actual romantic relationship forming, something you wanted but were determined not to let yourself even entertain the idea of.  

“Fine but not from that place by Barnaby's.” You replied, pushing the door open and stepping out into the quad with him. The local bar was always teeming with college students and the last thing you wanted was someone recognizing Topper, because everyone always seemed to recognize Topper, and invite the two of you in.  

“We’ll just get it delivered.” He shrugged.  

The first time you met Topper, enough to tequila to not make you totally embarrassed as you danced with Geena in the main room of the Phi Sig frat house, you had laughed when he told you his name. It was a combination of the heels you borrowed from another girl on your floor and the alcohol that had you losing your footing, catching yourself in time not to smash your whole body into a coffee table, and landing on the couch beside Topper. He was taking a sip of beer and looked relatively startled when some almost drunk girl fell into the spot next to him.  

“Sorry!” You’d shouted over the bass as you tried to undo the straps of the heels that you were sure were also guilty of twisting your ankle.  

When he introduced himself two sentences later, “I’m Topper” you couldn’t resist a good dad-joke and smiled at him, “but I hardly know her!”

“Amazing.” He had been less amused by the joke than you were though he didn’t really seem bothered by it, at least not bothered enough to move on because he stayed on the couch for three more turns of the conversation before asking if you wanted to talk elsewhere. You were sober enough to know exactly what he meant and obliged because you were still kinda pissed at your ex and you didn’t want this year to pass the same as last year had, with nothing but school work to show as a passing of time.  

At least you’d have a good story to tell.  

Highschool you had a healthy apprehension of frat houses and the people who lived in them. You’d seen enough episodes of CSI, Law and Order, Veronica Mars, and any other crime show that existed in the early 00’s to know that frat houses were breeding grounds for terrible things. Your parents had even attempted to sway you from going to your first-choice college simply because the greeks still existed on campus. You could only imagine what they’d think now, knowing that you had spent more time in Topper’s room than you had in your own in the last month at least.  

Frat houses might’ve been sordid in your mind but so far, your reality of this one was exactly what it looked like on the surface, a bunch of guys living together with limited supervision. You still stuck to Topper whenever you were inside but you’d never had a problem with anyone in there and you rightly assumed that most of them just figured you were his girlfriend.  

“Will told me he wants that TA position next year, with Prof Berkley.” You mentioned, flopping back onto Topper’s bed and tilting your head so you could look over to the empty other side of the room that belonged to his roommate. Aside from staring at you too much and possibly stealing your bras, you still had a hunch that Topper was just messing with you and had them stashed away somewhere, Will was alright. You were both in the same area of study, pre-law, and he had told you days earlier that he was gunning for the same TA position with your advisor as you were.  

“I don’t know anything about it.” Topper replied, kicking his slides off and climbing onto his bed with you. The countdown in your head started now, hopefully soon you would be naked.  

“Yes, you do because I literally told you about it at breakfast.” You pointed out. He’d texted you that morning to get coffee with him and you ignored Geena when she told you that sex-friends don’t get coffee together. “I said I was applying for the TA spot because it’s a massive opportunity.”  

“Sounds like something I don’t have an opinion on.” He said, rolling over so that he could kiss you. “Enough chit-chat.”

“You’ve got a one-track mind Thornton.” You joked, moving your arms above your head as he pulled his sweatshirt off of you.  

“Well can I interest you in getting on that track with me?” He replied, lips brushing over your neck as he spoke. You hadn’t bothered to put on any makeup before you left your dorm, you hadn’t even bothered to dry your hair all the way. But who were you to worry about things like that when Topper was pushing your bralette up over your head.  

You jerked slightly, wriggling around on the bed when the fabric got caught half way up your arms, binding them above your head and covering your face, Topper taking advantage of the moment and sucking one of your nipples into his mouth, tongue swirling around it as you arched your back into him. “Topper!” You whined.  

He hummed, pulling away from you to take the bralette the rest of the way off and tossing it off the bed, “sorry, couldn’t resist.” He said, smiling at you as if he truly couldn’t resist. The thought made butterflies erupt in your stomach.  

You didn’t let yourself have the moment though, pulling him in for a kiss the moment he had untangled you, hand on the back of his neck as you ran your tongue against his bottom lip, biting gently as you pulled away. Topper held himself up on one elbow, his other hand pushing passed your sweatpants.  

“Always right down to business,” you teased.  

“What do you want me to take you out first?” He was joking, you knew that, but the way he said almost sounded like he truly would take you out if you wanted him to. But then what would this be, if you had dinner before you hooked up.

“Some foreplay would be nice.” You kept the conversation light, the way you always did, and he laughed.  

“I thought the shower was foreplay.”  

You would’ve answered, thought of something witty to make him laugh again, but he had pushed your underwear to the side, fingers pushing passed your folds to brush your clit. He made the same satisfied hum that he always did when he realized that you were wet, like a quiet pat on the back. His middle finger circled your clit, a barely there shudder of nerves setting off in your stomach as you moaned.  

“I was supposed to,” you managed as he shifted further down the bed and you realized what he was doing.  

“We have plenty of time.” He promised, pressing a kiss to your stomach.  

Topper hadn’t seriously dated anyone since his break-up with Sarah. Kelce told him constantly that he was putting too much on that relationship, as if it was the holy grail by which to rate every other relationship that he had. And maybe he was allowing himself to be too scorned by something that lasted little more than a summer but he couldn’t help it. Topper was nothing if not a hopeless romantic and that had felt like such an idealistic time in his life until it all inevitably crashed around him.  

He tried casual hook-ups before you. A few girls from high school that he knew that made it practically impossible for the casual to still exist alongside the hook-up. College was easier but freshman year had been mostly dedicated to rushing the fraternity that his dad and grandfather and great grandfather had all rushed before him. Then he met you at a party in the beginning of sophomore year and he told himself it was casual but he knew that this was far from it.  

You weren’t anything like Sarah and maybe he had done that on purpose. Specifically slept with someone that didn’t remind him of anyone back home as some way to separate himself from that part of his life. To fully embody the frat boy, jock, life he was trying to live through. He figured it would just be a onetime thing and then maybe a sometime thing but now it was most definitely an all the time thing. Kelce told him that he should just ask you out but Topper felt like he was in too deep already.  

This was supposed to be strictly friends with benefits, if he crossed that line and you said no he would be crushed.  

“Topper,” you moaned, bringing him back to the moment. You shuddered as he pulled his fingers out of you, placing a kiss just below your belly button. When you tugged at the short blond hairs at the back of his head he shifted, letting you lead him back up so that you could kiss him.  

You had told him specifically that it was your turn, as if he really cared about taking turns at all. “That’s the whole point, isn’t it? You don’t have some fussy girlfriend bitching about giving you head.” Rafe’s colourful comments about the situation had been largely ignored but Topper knew, less crudely, he was right. The whole reason the two of you had started this was for sex of any kind and you had been the one to suggest taking turns.  

“My ex wasn’t very forthcoming with praise. He always told me I was kinda shitty at sucking dick so, maybe it’d be kinda nice to practice.” It’s been a colourful sentiment, one you had felt oddly comfortable sharing with Topper when the two of you first sat in his room discussing the arrangement.  

And while he wholeheartedly disagreed with your ex-boyfriend, Topper just liked being the one to give. He liked that moment when everything overwhelmed you enough that you let go and stopped worrying about if you looked attractive in a certain position or if your thighs were too big or if you had any unwanted rolls. That split second between overthinking and not thinking at all was powerful and Topper liked being the one who caused it. He liked the way you looked in his bed, biting your bottom lip to keep quiet so other guys in the house didn’t hear you. The way your hair tangled just from laying on your back. He could list a million things, every one more obscure, less noticeable, than the last because he felt like when you were around all he could do was pay attention.  

“Hey, quit daydreaming about Hailey Bieber-“ you teased as Topper’s movements slowed down, his lips brushing languidly against your collar like he was in some lethargic trance.  

He squeezed your side, baring his teeth to nip at your neck, scraping them across your skin and making you laugh as you turned your head towards his. That lazy smile you got was there, eyes hooded as you watched him, the moment passed and he leaned in to kiss you again. When he broke away it was only to grab a condom from the box on his dresser.  

Topper pushed your legs apart, settling between them. He slipped one hand beneath your back, guiding it into an arch to bring your chest closer to him, mouth finding one of your breasts. His tongue pressed against your nipple, swirling around it as you dug your nails in the sheets beneath you. He looked up at you, eyes hooded, as he pushed you back down against the bed. “God,” he breathed out, “you’re so fucking gorgeous.”  

You grabbed the back of Topper’s neck, pulling him into a kiss, slower than the ones before, more tender. Your other hand moved down between your bodies, finding his dick, enjoying the way he moaned against your mouth as you guided him in. Despite the orgasm he’d given you in the shower you still felt that stretch as he pushed in, kissing across your jaw and sucking a bruise into the space just behind your ear.  

You would never tell Geena but somewhere between quick hook-ups and longer nights together your ‘just casual sex’ had turned into something else, something far more meaningful though neither of you would acknowledge it.  

Instead you just held onto him, nails scratching a trail down his back as he found a rhythm, Instead, you just held onto him, nails scratching a trail down his back as he found a rhythm, hips snapping against yours. The sound of your panting breath and his grunts filled the room; you bit your lip to stop yourself from moaning when Topper’s fingers dipped passed your folds to massage your clit.  

“Oh god, Topper,” you whined, turning your face enough to press your cheek into Topper’s pillow, the faint smell of his cologne hitting your nose. You breathed in, always a fan of the subtle musk.  

“Does that feel good baby?” His lips brushed your ear as he spoke, words barely registering over the sensation of him. You opened your legs a little further, lifting your knee and hooking your leg over his back. The angle seemed to give more depth and his movements picked up speed. His fingers circled your clit faster as he continued to whisper words of encouragement to you. A quiet “come on baby, I know you’re close”.  

“Are you?”  

His comment had seemingly brought you just out of the haze enough to ask him if he was close. You knew you were, he knew you were, and you wanted him to be there too, just on that edge with you. As he pulled out you clenched around him and when he pushed back in it felt deeper than before, that all too familiar groan of satisfaction leaving his lips as you guided him back into a kiss. He didn’t answer your question, instead taking the opportunity to kiss you, tongue working it’s way into your mouth and dragging across your teeth. You found your grip on his hair, tugging hard enough that he jerked his hips in retaliation, hitting so deep you felt yourself go off that edge, his motion become erratic as he followed, smoothing your scream with another kiss, biting your bottom lip as he pulled away.  

There was always a moment of frenzy in the beginning when you first started hooking up. You would rush to grab your clothes, partially because you felt the need to leave when the act was done and partially because you didn’t want him to linger too long on your body. You were a temporary fix for a problem he didn’t feel like dealing with on his own, he wasn’t responsible for making you feel good about yourself. He wasn’t your boyfriend, he wasn’t obligated to tell you that you were beautiful or lavish any compliment onto you at all, not that your ex had ever been willing to either. You didn’t stay, for the first few weeks you trudged back across the lawn from the frat house, back to the dorms, and snuck in. But things had changed by mid October and what was once a booty call at one in the morning when he couldn’t sleep was now you going over for pizza and a study session that turned into an afternoon spent in his bed.  

“What time is Will back?” You asked, sitting up as Topper came back into the room with two water bottles. There was still that awkward moment just after sex, as if neither of you knew how to leave behind the intimacy of the act and return to normal life. Like you were both waiting for the other to admit that maybe just friends wasn’t really what you wanted at all. So he disappeared downstairs to get water and you pulled your underwear and his sweatshirt back on, leaving the bra somewhere on the floor.  

The empty other side of the room served as a poignant reminder that time alone was only ever temporary.  

“Not sure,” he shrugged, “he’s been talking about some girl on campus that he’s dating. Won’t reveal her name apparently, he’s convinced Fitz will try to fuck with them if he finds out.” His fraternity brothers were not the same as hanging out with Kelce and Rafe every day but they weren’t the worst substitutes for entertainment. Fitz was the head of the house, a senior whose greatest claim to fame was being party to a wildly controversial radio-show that amounted to nothing more than some white guys imitating Rush Limbaugh and the Douche from Parks & Rec. He said dumb shit just to piss people off and had an unappreciated proclivity for trying to ruin any relationship one of his brothers found themselves in.  

Will was always an easy target for him though he’d set his sights on you a few times, assuming like others did, that you and Topper were dating. You had never mentioned it to Topper, Fitz was gross and you were looking forward to his inevitable graduation at the end of May.  

“Fitz totally would,” you replied. Last year you existed on no one’s radar. You hadn’t so much as gotten an offer to go out on a date with someone and yet this year, all because of Topper, you were sure, it felt like everyone in his circle seemed to pay attention to you in some way. “He told me he prank called Will’s mom two weeks ago pretending to be the on campus nurse for a bit on his radio show.”  

Topper looked up from his phone and the pizza he was ordering, frown etched onto his features. “When did you talk to Fitz?”  

“His econ class is right down the hall from my 12:30 poly sci class…he always ‘walks with me across campus’ in case I get mugged apparently.” You laughed, “I think he just does it cause he knows we hang out.”  

“I didn’t know he was talking to you.”  

You shrugged, Fitz had been goading you for weeks but it wasn’t anything that felt harmful. Just some mind-numbingly dumb conversation about parties and girls and his radio show and how hot he apparently thought you were. “It’s not a big deal, if he was bothering me I probably would’ve said something.”  

“Right,” Topper still looked miffed despite having no reason to be. You weren’t interested in Fitz and, even if you were, what say did he have over it. That old familiar feeling crept in though, the one he recognised as the same one that the plagued him after Wheezie told him that Sarah had cheated on the boyfriend before him only to find out that she had cheated on him with John B. When he looked over you were pouting at him, “what?”

“Your room is so cold.” You replied, pulling the sleeves of your sweatshirt over your hands as if that was an indication of the frigid temperature. The old house lacked insulation in most of the rooms, Topper’s being one of them.  

He rolled his eyes, climbing back into bed with you, the momentary worry subsiding. You weren’t his girlfriend but in that moment, as he pulled the blankets around the two of you, guiding you back down to lay with him under the covers, he could have fooled even himself about the relationship. He held his arm out in front of both of you so that you could see his phone and the menu for the pizza place.  

“I’ve been really in the mood for pepperoni.” You mused, not bothering to look at the screen and opting instead to tuck your face into his bare collar. Your hand slipped down from his chest and Topper grabbed your wrist before you could make it to his briefs.  

“Pizza first,” he said, “you’re already getting sleepy.”  

“It’s cause I’m cold.” You insisted.  

He turned to place a kiss on your forehead, “pizza.” He reminded you again.  

-

Halloween weekend creeped up and, before you knew it, Phi Sig was decorated and advertising a Halloween haunted house party for everyone on campus. Geena was going home on the actual night of to trick or treat with her sister but she agreed to go to the party with you that weekend. She loved a good party and any excuse to dress up.  

When you weren’t spending time with Topper, and sometimes when you were because he had a tendency to hang out just to hang out (the friends side of the benefit), you and Geena marathoned episodes of Supernatural. And it was at  her coaxing that your Halloween costume became an homage to the show and your favorite character. A semi-loosely interpreted Dean Winchester, complete with a flannel over your black tank top and the mark of Cain crafted by Geena using her best fx makeup skills. You wore cut-off jean shorts with your hiking boots, showing off the legs that you were usually self-conscious about. Geena was Cas, sticking a little closer to the actual costume though she made a few alterations.  

“I gotta ask…” Fitz said, coming up to the two of you the moment you were in the door, as if he was the greeting committee.  

“I’m Dean Winchester.” You explained, “G’s Cas.”  

“You dressed like a guy for Halloween?” Fitz clarified. “I was hoping for something that showed a little more…” he made a motion with his hands to indicate that the little more he wanted to see were your boobs.  

“I have the obligatory sexy cat costume but that’s…” you looked passed Fitz’s shoulder, eyes landing on Topper down the hall chatting with some friends, a smile instantly lighting up your face, “that’s for his eyes only.”  

Fitz looked behind him, catching sight of his frat brother and rolling his eyes before turning back to you, “yeah well, if Thornton’s not appreciative then you know where to find me.”  

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you laughed, stepping around him. Geena had broken off already, heading for the keg that had been set up in the corner. When you started down the hall Fitz found someone else to antagonise, leaving you to vie for Topper’s attention, not that it took you much. Just walking up had him breaking his concentration to look at you, the smile automatic. “Hey,” you greeted as he hugged you, keeping his arm around your waist as he brought you into the conversation.  

“Hey, you look great.” He praised, offering you some of his beer. Topper’s costume was best described as JFK yachting in Hyannis. He looked like a preppy New England white boy and you suspected it was all clothing he already owned thrown together differently. There was always that slight air of prep to him though college and a growing collection of hoodies were slowly eating away at that.  

“Thanks, I feel a little out of place,” you joked, noting a girl down the hall that was wearing a mock up of Amanda Seyfried’s bunny costume from Mean Girls. “Though I do have a costume change saved for later.”  

“Oh yeah,” that smile was a full blown mischievous grin and you wondered for a split-second how down he would be to ditch the whole party and take you to his room. “Does it involve these clothes on my floor?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” You teased.  

You had been stressing over the purchase of a costume that could’ve been more accurately described as lingerie since it arrived at your dorm a week earlier. Did friends with benefits buy lingerie sets specifically for showing off? You weren’t sure where that one fell on the line but you were positive you were crossing into territory that was reserved for girlfriends. But even with those doubts, just the thought of Topper seeing you in something that was just for him to see you in somehow made you unable to pass up the opportunity.  

Topper groaned, pulling you closer to him so that he could press his forehead into your neck, “baby,” his voice sounded almost close to whining and you ran a hand through his hair. He nipped at your exposed collar before lifting his head again to look at you. “How long am I supposed to wait?”  

“One track mind, I’ve said it before…I’ll say it again.” You laughed, trying not to think about the way this felt so much like a relationship, pulling away from him but taking his hand, “come on, I wanna get a drink.”  

He followed you to the makeshift bar set up by the keg, refilling his beer while you ladled a generous helping of jungle juice into your cup, trying to fish as many sour patch kids as you could to add to it. You were drinking mostly to calm the nerves that were bubbling up. Geena would be gone Halloween night and the whole next day because she didn’t have classes and you were thinking of inviting Topper to stay over. Regardless of the hour or the amount of time you spent together afterward, the post-coital bliss always came to an end and one of you always left the other. Even if you got breakfast the next day there was a stretch of time that existed between the night before and the morning after where you were nothing to each other but bodies.  

“So, Geena’s going home on Halloween, I thought maybe you could come over,” you suggested. That part was a given.  

Topper looked almost confused that you were asking, “yeah, figured we’d end up hanging out anyway.” He replied.  

“Well…” you worried your bottom lip between your teeth for a moment, “I was thinking, she won’t be back til the next day…like, at night, and I thought, maybe you’d wanna stay over.”  

No. There was a voice in the back of his head, the logical one who knew that crossing the most obvious line, the one where he stayed and you woke up together, was a turning point that he wouldn’t be able to come back from. It was bad enough that he had let this become something that bordered on being a relationship to anyone looking in on it, but letting himself pretend like it was…he wasn’t sure he could come back from that when this all ended.  

“Yeah,” he said, quieting the logical side of his brain, “as long as you wear this ‘something else’ for the duration of my stay.” It might be a bad idea but who was he kidding, he was so far gone he’d accidentally referred to you as his girlfriend when he was on the phone with his mom just the day before.  

That smile returned to your face, the one that was so sly yet excitable at the same time, the perfect juxtaposition of innocence and deviousness, “Well, I was gonna wear nothing but-“  

“Nothing works for me.” Topper replied, using his free hand to hook his fingers through your front belt loop and pulling you toward him so that he could kiss you. Definitely not friends with benefits, but you’d both keep pretending until one of you cracked.  

-

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[tbzhours]

coffee and sleep

sunwoo x you, friends to lovers au, college au, fluff

[summary] sunwoo is losing sleep because of you  [words] 2.4k [a/n] i tried to add a pinch of angst… i hope you like this one ♡

“Hey, Sunwoo… Why are you walking with your eyes closed?” 

“I can still see.” Sunwoo claimed, peeking his drowsy eyes, just a little so he wouldn’t suddenly walk onto a pole. You chuckled at his side, taking a sip of your coffee and shook your head. He slapped your shoulder weakly, frowning. “And I can hear you.” 

“So what?” You stuck a tongue at him. 

“I’m gonna drop your coffee if you keep laughing at me.” He said nonchalantly with a sigh blowing after. You glared at him but he turned to his head, yawning for the twentieth so he wouldn’t smell the spiteful coffee that was running through his nose. “I’m gonna need a nap later.” 

“So much for waking your ass up this morning.” You sighed, about to take another sip.

He turned to you, eyes trying to stay closed from the sun coming from your way. His hand curled up from his sleeves when he argued, “Yo-you need to tone it down a bit.” 

“You need to tone down your legs too.” You chuckled, pulling his arm back when the crosslight turned red. His face was pale from the chilly morning but his cheek flushed, as if he had just woken up from his sleep. Your smile distracted him when you sneaked in close to snicker a soft “I caught you.” 

That night after all of your daily classes, you were listening to Sunwoo’s nightly complaints about his classes. They always come out randomly after studying all night together but he always enjoyed your avenges and advice afterwards. You were still at his place, lying on the couch while he was on the floor beside you, your legs at each other’s head. Sunwoo laughed when you looked down at him because your double chin was showing after it suddenly got quiet. 

“You look kinda ugly just now.” 

You couldn’t help to join him laugh because that was something you had always wanted to do for him when he’s tired from school. Even though it seems like he didn’t do anything, he’s always thinking. 

As you shook your head, he wrapped his arms over his chest and snuggled his shoulders close to his hooded head. His eyes closed and he sighed. “I’m getting sleepy.”

“Hey, coffee helps.” 

“Nah, I’m gonna end up craving it every day like you.” He shook his head slowly with a finger point up. “I will not attempt to change my life like that.” 

“It might not taste good but it can wake you up.” You leaned your head down from the cushion while on your side, a smile peeking. 

“Sure.” Sunwoo opened his eyes and all of a sudden, there’s a bug flying around him. He screamed as you got up, wondering what was going on with him. You watched him jump, looking back before he hid behind the couch. You called his name a few times, trying to hold in your laugh when he popped up. 

“You okay?” You asked. 

“No.” He quickly took your hands, pleading along his face. “Tell me you won’t leave me. I mean- You know how much I hate bugs! Don’t leave until you kill it please?”

“I’m not killing anything tonight.” You laughed when he had his palms pressed together in front of you. You got up and grabbed your backpack but Sunwoo blocked your way and he pouted sadly. 

“Please? Just this one time?”

After much fighting, you both ended up sleeping on the couch together, heads on each end with your legs curled against each other. Before you could fall asleep, Sunwoo kept looking around for the bug, as if it was still around to bother him. You reminded him that it was dark so it can’t find him but he still jumped, making you wake a few times when you fell asleep.

Morning came quick and after turning your alarm off from your phone, you kicked him to wake up. After several attempts, he nodded and turned the other way as he fell back asleep. You got up, rolling your eyes but you set a sweater, one of his roommates’ that was lying around, over him before going into the bathroom to wash up for class and to head back to your dorm. 

It wasn’t until you came out of the bathroom when he suddenly got up because of the same bug. When you saw him standing there with his arms protecting his face, you covered your lips with the towel around your neck to hide your laugh. 

“You didn’t kill it yet?” He fussed with his arms dropping quickly. 

“I said I wasn’t going to. It’s literally just a bug-” Your words got cut when he stomped to you and curled his arms around your waist with his head crawling onto your chest. Your arms were up beside him, your cheeks unknowingly blushing at the warm hug. You held onto your breath and slowly looked down. Why was he so afraid of a harmless bug? You couldn’t guess it because you had to leave right now. “Sunwoo, I got class. Let me go?” 

“No! I can’t defeat a bug alone!” 

“Yes, you can! You can ask Eric to help, okay? I have to go!” You managed to push Sunwoo away and got your things before leaving him there, crying for you. 

While in class, your phone exploded with texts from sunwoo being mad because you left him alone. You rolled your eyes and replied to him, “you got your roomie!” 

Despite that, you let him know that you’d be studying at a nearby library so he wanted to tag along because of this one test that he kept complaining about. It wasn’t working out when Sunwoo was falling asleep again. 

“Sunwoo, your book is upside down.” 

“Oh, really?” He got up quickly, his elbows slipping back from the table. He set the book down and wiped his saliva and just smiled at you tiredly. 

You smirked at him before looking back down at your book. “You might as well sleep right now and let all of the words imprint in your brain.” 

All Sunwoo did was rub his eyes. Now you wondered, why is he always so sleepy? Midterms were coming up but you were sure that wasn’t the reason. You set your pen down and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“What did I tell you about getting enough sleep?” You reminded him. “Have you not gotten enough of it?” 

“I-” Sunwoo looked up and paused as soon as he saw how concerned you looked. “I don’t know. There’s something that’s keeping me up at night.” 

“Well, what is it?” You asked, almost curious when tilted your head with a weirdly stretched smile. 

He couldn’t say it. Nothing was coming out of his mouth other than a chuckle. He waved his hand and smiled, “It’s really nothing. It might just be the workload I’m getting from my classes.” 

“Well,” Your lips moved from side to side then you smiled back at him. “How about a round of basketball then? It’ll keep you up.” 

Sunwoo loved the idea of it, not because it was keeping him from studying but of something that was tugging at his heart. He couldn’t pick it out but somehow, looking at you, he knew he could trust you with anything. 

You finished gathering your stuff and quickly helped him before taking his hand, “Come on, let’s go!” 

At the court, there were a few other people playing but you both got your own hoop as you both played. The night was pretty cool and being warmed up shooting shots had Sunwoo staring at you. 

You were pretty good at it, knowing how much you both would always sneak out of class back in high school just to shoot your stress out. Two years went by and you were better than him now. 

You caught his smile when you turned around after getting the basketball. 

You walked up to him when his blooming lips shined from the nearby floodlight. He had his hands on his hips, as if he was already tired. “Thanks for all you do to keep my ass in the game.”

You could feel, he was hesitant but you smiled back at him. “Of course, I can’t get through college without you, you know.” 

“I know.” He giggled softly. “I’ll treat you to some coffee tomorrow.”

“Good, I’m tired of instant coffee already.” You exaggerated then you shouted at him when he swiftly stole the basketball from your hands and dribbled toward the hoop to make a shot. 

You head to his place the next day, knocking on the door. Sunwoo’s roommate, Eric stood there, not surprised.

“For some reason, Sunwoo isn’t up yet.” Eric informed, pointing a thumb back. You could see Sunwoo from the door and thanked Eric before he let you in. 

Eric went back into his room while you walked up to Sunwoo, almost sneakily. He was already up since he heard the door so when he heard your footsteps coming near, he lifted his head to check on you. 

“You’re already here?” 

You sat on the floor to be at his face level with your arms crossed. “Because I knew you weren’t going to get up on time for the coffee.” 

He groaned and buried his face into the pillow. You messed his hair up even more when you continued. 

“Seriously though, why are you always up late at night and not sleeping earlier?” You asked, tilting your head the same way as his. 

“I don’t know, I just can’t sleep at all.” He mumbled, turning to face you. His eyes were still closed and you couldn’t help to smile madly at him. 

“Yeah, does that mean you’ve been secretly drinking coffee? Might as well get two for us later, huh?” Your hand rubbed through his hair too rough that he groaned again. 

Right then, Eric came out of his room, watching the scene in almost disgust. 

“Yo, go take it outside,” Eric pointed at you both then he scratched his head, “but get me some too?” 

Sunwoo finally got up, brought you coffee as promised, and dropped you off at your class before he headed back to his dorm for Eric. You hadn’t entered your class yet but you glanced back just in case Sunwoo was looking too. You exchanged smiles before you walked into the room. 

The day went by without you seeing him the whole day. You almost forgot there was this kind of a day every week so you’d always find yourself walking to Sunwoo’s dorm after your evening class. 

Oddly, Sunwoo was also heading there. He was only a few feet in front of you when you ran up to him. 

“Hey, Sunwoo!” You greeted once you got to his side. He almost jumped at your appearance and you noticed how lost he looked. “Why do you look like that?” 

“Oh! It’s nothing.” He grinned awkwardly then he pointed back. “I’m not supposed to be here right now but I just found my way here.” 

“You’re skipping class. Amazing.” You joked. He wasn’t the type to do that, even though he hates studying. 

“It’s not like that, actually.” He confessed but he left his mouth opened for a second before he continued, “Actually, it is.” 

He sighed, watching your feet walking in sync as you tried to peek at him. 

“You’re not getting sleepy, aren’t you?” Your pursed lips moved from side to side again, hiding your cold hands in your pockets. “Should we go shoot some hoops again?” You suggested. 

“No, it’s just-” Sunwoo’s cheek burned up at your quirky move. He took a deep breath, breathing out all of the feelings he had started to have for you. His eyes were soft though they stayed stuck at your feet. “Have you ever feel like we’re more than friends?”

You couldn’t make a sound as your cheeks started to turn red.

He noticed, laughing through his words. “I mean, it’s not like I don’t like you, I really do and-” 

He paused quickly, hearing his own confession before he slowly turned to look at you. 

“Well um, Sunwoo… I-” You started but he was looking at you with his puppy-like eyes and slightly pouted lips. Your face flushed in red. “Stop looking at me like that, oh my god.” 

“Hey, you know this is how I look when I get shy.” He argued, still pouting afterwards. 

“Y-you get shy?” You pretended, your eyes obviously avoiding him. 

“Hurry up, I’m getting sleepy again!” He insisted, stomping like a child. 

You scoffed, turning to him when you asked, “Why do you keep losing sleep?” 

“Because you keep me up all night… stealing all of my thoughts and sleep.” You both stared at each other when he caught your eyes, blushing then he broke the silence with an embarrassed laugh. “You don’t have to tell me yet if you don’t want to. I just hope you won’t look at me differently after all of that.” 

“I won’t.” You closed your eyes and slapped a palm onto your forehead. “I mean, yeah, I feel like I’m looking at you differently because of how I’m feeling about you now.” You were slow with your words and Sunwoo was still listening. He waited until you took a deep sigh. You were hopeful that he’s going to take your words well when you confessed back, “So, I like you too, Sunwoo. And what are we going to do about it?” 

“Nothing. That's all we need to know.” Sunwoo smiled, the sun seeming to beam heat against his cheek. “Can I?” He pointed at his cheek, blushing his way to you then he planted a kiss on your cheek. You blinked at his every move, somehow each of them warmed you up more than the sweater you were in. He took your hand from your pocket, holding onto it out naturally, then a cheeky smile played against his face. “You’re still up for studying?” 

“As long as you’ll keep up with it.” 

He hummed and almost winked at you. “I don’t know about that.” 

“Man, you really need some coffee in your dorm.” You shook your head, holding his hand tightly. 

“It’s all good because I got you.” He smiled after the bicker. The walk was sweet when all of a sudden, he shared, “You know, you kinda remind me of the bug from the other day. You keep bugging my sleep so maybe that’s why it kept bothering me.” 

“Did you just compare me to a bug?” You stopped him in his tracks with an eyebrow curving up. 

Sunwoo air kissed you then you ran after him to his dorm building after he let your hand go. 

[firemblem-fics]

teacher. | felix fraldarius

-> Pairing: Felix Hugo Fraldarius x Fem!Reader

-> Genre: Slight Angst, Fluff

-> Warnings: Sexual Innuendos, Sword Fighting

-> A/N: i really don’t know if i’m back back but here’s a little something lol. it’s frfr comp cheer season so my schedule is now even more packed than usual. i should be back after december? idk it depends because then it’s ✨pageant time✨but yeah thanks for being patient with me i’m sorry

“You’re absolutely ridiculous.”

“What? What did I do?”

“You’re holding the sword wrong. One hit and your wrist will break.” The man scolding you, Felix, scoffed.

You were a magic wielder, specialized in white magic and healing. You figured that you could hold your own rather well on the battlefield, but you still felt a little uneasy about your skills at times. This feeling made you pursue the art of swordsmanship, with your teacher being the one and only Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

You should have known that training with Felix wouldn’t be easy, but you still were shocked every time he reprimanded your technique or fighting strategies harshly. You considered yourself to be his friend, but it was obvious that such a title held no power when it came to training.

“Hold it closer to the hilt. Thumb on top- no, no, not that close- Goddess, Y/N, are you even listening to me?”

Furrowing your brows, you tried once more to correct your grip on the weapon. You really didn’t think swords would be this difficult and you considered quitting in favor of the lance, but those thoughts were shoved aside when Felix huffed and walked towards you, grabbing ahold of both the sword and your wrist.

He took your fingers and wrapped them correctly around the hilt, absentmindedly closing his own over them for a split second. Not long enough for anyone else in the training hall to notice, but enough for the both of you to feel sparks shooting up your arms.

Too soon, Felix let go of you and raised his own training sword. “Try to block my attacks. If you touch your blade for a stronger block, make sure not to actually grab the sharp part. Just use your palm to push. It’s a training sword, but it can still hurt you-“

“Hey, hey, hey, Felix and Y/N!”

You watched as Felix visibly deflated. He rolled his eyes and dropped his stance, but his fingers still danced dangerously against the sword.

“What do you want, Sylvain?”

“I just wanted to come ask this sweetie here for dinner and tea later on.~” Sylvain’s arm wrapped around your shoulder and he squished his cheek against yours.

You grimaced. Ever since Sylvain began suspecting something going on between you and Felix, he’d been trying nonstop to make the man jealous enough to snap. To any other outsider, it just seemed that Sylvain wanted a little fling with you and Felix just despised Sylvain, like normal, but the red-headed man knew his childhood best friend well enough to know that he was reaching his limits.

“She’s training with me after dinner.” Said man responded coldly.

“Please, Fe~ Give me an evening with her, you’re always hogging her time.” He turned to you and jokingly pressed a chaste kiss against your cheek, reveling in the fire that began to burn brighter in Felix’s eyes. “Y/N, c’mon. You won’t regret it, especially if you decide to spend the night-“

“Enough!” Felix raised his voice and everyone in the training hall turned their heads. Your face burned a bright red from the attention of both Sylvain and everyone else. “Y/N, let’s go train somewhere where imbeciles can’t interrupt.”

Sylvain laughed heartily. “You are unbelievable.” He said to Felix, before turning to you. “The offer’s always on the table, darling.”

“She’s not taking it.” Felix seethed, grabbing your arm and pulling you out of the hall.

He led you behind the stables, where a rather roomy alleyway was located. Not many students took this route on their way to places, so you expected to be alone for a while. You wiped your hands on your shirt before readjusting your grip on your sword, suddenly nervous about being alone with the handsome fighter. However, you didn’t have much time to dwell on it before Felix raised his sword and came charging towards you.

Your eyes widened and you quickly parried his swing, stepping to the right and jabbing your sword towards his side. Felix was able to predict your movements- they were that of a beginner, of course- and he swiftly deflected your blade with his own, pushing it away.

Felix was fully offensive, rapidly swinging his sword down on you. You were able to deflect, parry, and block most of his attacks until his foot swept across your ankles, knocking you to the floor. You winced as you fell onto your elbows. Felix stood above you, ready to press his sword into your throat to claim victory, but you grabbed your own weapon and thrust it up, your arms shaking as you tried to counter the weight of his attack.

Felix leaned in, getting close to your crossed blades, and smirked. “You’re doing better.”

You finally let go of the breath you were holding as he relinquished his attack and stood up, allowing you to join him and recover. “You absolutely did not have to go that hard on me.”

“It was beneficial for the both of us. You won’t improve unless the lessons are hard and I needed to let off some steam. It’s a win-win, so why are you complaining?”

“Because you suddenly attacked me! Whatever steam you needed to blow off should not pertain to me. You’re my teacher in this, I’m not your little dummy to beat up!” You nearly cried. You felt as though you were being a little unreasonable, but you had literally started studying the blade a week ago. You weren’t ready for such an intensive fight.

“It did pertain to you, idiot!” Felix snapped back, but suddenly shut his mouth and clenched his jaw. He turned his back to you, beginning to walk away. “We start again tomorrow morning.”

“Wait- wait, Felix, what do you mean?” You followed behind him, but he never answered. You didn’t want to push him so much, but he was nearly out of the alleyway and you probably wouldn’t get another chance to talk to him alone like this. “How is it about me? What did I do?”

Felix stayed silent again, so you grabbed his wrist. He harshly yanked it away and faced you. “It’s about what you didn’t do, Y/N.”

You looked at him, confused. He sighed and rolled his eyes, but continued.

“Sylvain was obviously flirting with you. And you let him! Are you attracted to him or something? Goddess, if you are, I won’t ever understand how.”

“Wh-?” Slowly, but surely, some pieces were coming together for you. You just wanted to hear Felix say his thoughts out loud. “I feel nothing for Sylvain. I thought he was just joking. Is that why you got upset at him? Because he was flirting with me?” Felix nodded. “Why?”

“You’re- you’re ridiculous. I can’t believe I have feelings for such a stupid girl.”

You both flushed red, unable to say anything for a few moments as you let it all sink in. Finally, you stepped forward and reached for Felix’s hands. He let you, and you held them gently in between your own.

“And I can’t believe I have feelings for my own teacher.”

“Professor?!”

“Oh my Goddess- No!”’

[myelocin]

the candid photos from amber eyes | kuroo tetsurou

synopsis: in which you find yourself traveling with a group, thinking about the reasons of what it is that makes you love traveling, and meet a photographer with a kind smile whose eyes glowed under the bumps of light on a bus ride home. 

characters: kuroo tetsurou, you

genre: fluff, travel!au

wc: 1400+

a/n: this is req #20 for stories in passing, for @haiikyuuns <3

-

You met Kuroo Tetsurou after answering the tour guide’s question of “what do you like most about traveling?”

This was one of your favorite parts of traveling with a group, you realize. Listening to stories and experiences about the world alike.

“I like to experience culture,” one said, and you noticed it was the younger looking blonde from the front of the group. She seemed to be just staring out. A heavily highlighted bullet journal, a roomy looking backpack, and the telltale DSLR with the extra big lens hanging from her neck.

You smiled; you could recall when you were just starting out and craved to capture the smallest details. Photographs were one of the best souvenirs, after all.

“My favorite part is the documentation,” the boy across you chimes in, raising up his camera with a laugh.

He smiles in a way that had you a little blinded.

“If you want some good photos, feel free to hit me up,” he finishes, smiling when the middle aged ladies standing next to him clapped him on the shoulder, undoubtedly planning to take him up on his offer.

“You okay with me taking random pictures?” he asks the crowd, who nods at his question before he turns to you, his smile still intact.

“And you?”

Shrugging at his question, you offer the expectant gazes a sheepish smile as a response. He didn’t seem to do any harm; plus, you always forgot to take photos during your travels, so you look at him and nod.

“Just make sure you take photos of the pretty stuff,” you laugh.

Across you, he beams. You suppose you’d have to hold him on to his promise as well.

-

It isn’t until a few hours into the guided tour that he takes the seat next to you on the bus ride home and strikes a conversation.

“Kuroo Tetsurou,” he smiles, holding out his hand for you to shake.

“(y/n),” you reply, shaking his hand.

“So,” he begins. “Has your answer from the question earlier changed at all?”

You stare at him, a little confused by what he meant until you eventually recall the tour guide’s words from earlier. Kuroo doesn’t stare straight at you, but rather right past you. You can tell he’s staring at the passing scenery on the window from the way his fingers hover over the shutter button of his camera that’s shut off.

Smiling to yourself, first, you recall his words. He liked documentation the best, apparently.

So with that thought in mind, you let yourself stare at his profile and begin to ponder.

“What’s your favorite part about traveling?” the question echoes in your mind. And you grin, softly, because you’ve always felt like you had an answer.

But in your case answer was more of a feeling instead of a statement. Traveling was something you’ve personally enjoyed doing—from the struggle of writing itineraries, the experience itself, and most importantly, to the tiny moments of serendipity that comes along the way.

At the same time, it was the people that made you want to seek more edges of the world to walk across. The locals and travelers alike—they made immersing yourself in the foreign sense of normalcy interesting at the very least.

There was something oddly intimate about creating connections with those you know may not be lasting. Then again, that was a case for every connection you’re bound to make in every lifetime—consistency is never promised. But when you travel, meet, then connect—the sense of yearning is only amplified.

You come to a realization that you seeked for that.

So as you stare at Kuroo, a stranger you just met at the tour some hours ago, you think about the question again and again willing yourself to form words for the feelings you know serve as your answer.

“You’re staring,” he laughs, then runs a hand through his hair when his question passes you.

Kuroo knows that look.

He sees it in every candid portrait he takes of every muse that’s caught his eye in the foreign cities he’s traveled to. He describes it as the look you have when you lose yourself in a state of just awe.

He’s well aware he’s had that same look on his face too. At every ancient pillar he’s standing in the presence of, in front of every shrine he’s only ever read about in travel magazines in his youth, and at every epiphany that’s struck and stuck with him over the footprints he leaves across continents.

“You have an answer don’t you?” he asks, and offers you a smile when you mutter a quick apology.

Laughing, you turn to face him instead of the window with the running image of scenery. The light hits him well, you think. The amber in his eyes almost look like solid gold, and it gleams of something unspoken.

So you smile. And almost immediately as the bus turns and the light’s angle changes, you see the words form in your mouth as Kuroo grins with the momentary burst of light that flood in the bus from your side of the window.

“I travel because the people I meet show the most beautiful stories,” you say like you’re exhaling a breath you’ve long held on to.

“Fitting,” Kuroo responds, leaning back to his seat and facing the front.

“So you leaving for home tomorrow?” he asks, breaking the short bit of silence between the two of you.

Nodding at his question, you respond, “Yeah. Packing up tonight. Early flight tomorrow.”

Beside you, he huffs lightly, knocking his shoulder against yours. ”We just met today, we didn’t get to bond enough.”

“See you in the next country, maybe?” you laugh, smiling at him when he laughs at your response.

“That sounds like a line a character says when they break up with someone they meet abroad,” Kuroo comments, laughing.

“I mean, you never know!” you exclaim.

“So I guess I guess after today we should, we should just say goodbye forever?” he says, nodding to himself like he wasn’t directing his question towards you.

“Social media exists,” you chime, rolling your eyes jokingly.

“Ah, is this your way of slyly asking for my contact info?” he teases. “So you can, as the kids say, slide into my DMs?”

You laugh at his choice of words; he seems to be rather proud of them too by the way he’s closing his eyes and nodding to himself.

“You talk like you’re not in your twenties,” you laugh, rolling your eyes. “Also, I was only going to ask for them because you did say you were going to take pictures. I always forget to take photos when I travel, so I figured since you offered might as well leech off of yours.”

“Is this the feeling of just being used?” Kuroo beside you groans, one hand on his chest in mock sadness.

Moments later, he laughs when you hand him your phone, telling him to save his contact details.

“But seriously,” he starts, after he hands you back your phone.

The bus turns again and the angle is bending the light in the way that hits the amber in his eyes again, and it looks so ethereal that you find yourself subconsciously holding your breath when he locks his eyes with yours.

“If we see each other in another corner of the world, then maybe we could grab dinner or something?” he finishes, grinning.

You smile, feeling a little bold.

“We’ll see.”

-

It isn’t until you’re at the airport early in the morning at 6am sipping a cup of something hot that always does the trick and perks you up for the day where your phone chimes with a message.

Kuroo’s face flashes on the screen and you smile at the message pinned with the attachments of what you could guess were the photos he took. Opening them, you laugh when you notice a huge majority of them were mostly candid shots of you, along with the scenic photos you asked him for.

Not once did you look at the camera too; always just looking somewhere far off. But the expression on your face was the same: one where your mouth was a little parted and your eyes twinkled with something you could only guess was awe.

“I thought I told you to make sure to only take photos of the beautiful stuff,” you text him next to the thank you for the photos.

Kuroo’s text comes in a lot sooner for someone you expected to still be asleep during this hour, but his response has you smiling none the less.

“I did :)”

To him, the candids of you were the most beautiful in his camera roll that day.

[yamithediaperdork]

Baby of the family OR Birthday wishes are tricky pt 1 (Power pack)

Baby of the family OR Birthday wishes are tricky

It was Alex's 15th birthday and while he found the party his parents were throwing him to be a little cheesy and childish. He did understand though at a certain level this party wasn't just for him even though it should of been. Being the oldest meant his needs were put on the back burner for Julie or Jack's or Katie's needs, and toss in Katie was STILL wetting the bed at 8 years old (and wearing pull ups for longer car trips) and well, he'd basically had to become a mini adult. it was Katie and Jack who drew his attention now, watching them run around the living room with Jack having apparently stolen Katie's stuffie again. 'You know, for someone who so desperately wants to be man of the house..he needs to stop being such a bully.' Alex thought and went to move over to stop him. "Don't worry Birthday boy, I got this." Julie said, holding up a hand and marching over. his oldest sister and still younger then him, Alex smirked as he watched Julie snag jack by the ear and march him over to say sorry to Katie. having a big sister like Katie would of been sooo cool growing up, he watched Julie interact with Katie and Jack lots and while her and Jack didn't always get along, she tried. "alright everyone, to the table. time for the birthday boy to blow out the candle!" Came Mr.Parker's voice. His parents just knew of him as a nice guy who had recently moved into the neighborhood to help look after his aunt but of course Alex and the others knew the truth. Mousey gentle Peter Parker was really spider-man. And he wasn't even the only superhero at the party! of course with the kids being the hero team known as power pack one would expect a few heroes to show up but mom and dad were actually STILL clueless about the powers. That said Jack being best friends with Franklin Richards, AKA the son of Reed and Sue Richards meant that not only Franklin but Johnny and Sue had a excuse to come over. (the thing while loving birthday party's had excused himself apparently upset when he was told he couldn't go in the bounce house this time, while reed who Alex had hoped would show up had gotten busy with a experiment.) Mix in the other kids who'd been invited and a whole lotta people were singing happy birthday to Alex as his barbie princess cake (He'd made the mistake of asking Katie to pick out a cake for him) was carried over and he closed his eyes and thought of a wish. 'I wish I could be the baby of the family for once. see what it's like to be like Katie.' he thought, then blew.

The party went on for awhile longer but soon guests were excused and some of the family had to get ready for bed.  and by some of the family that meant Katie on her back in the living room, both hands on a sippy cup of warm milk and watching the last of a cartoon movie as Julie got her tapped up in her thick bed time diapers. Of course they didn't WANT to put the 8 year old back in diaper diapers, but without how much Katie flooded the bed there was no choice. heck, the car trip Pull up's were starting not to be enough. the sippy cup was because once it got close to her bed lately Katie seemed to zone out and as funny as seeing her dump a drink on her face was, the clean up was awful and she had started asking for warm milk before bed and no one wanted her to burn herself. "hey Alex, I know your the birthday boy and all, but my show is coming on and if I don't claim the tv now Jack will put it on something stupid and say he was there first just to tick me off...you mind?" Julie asked, scooping up the almost asleep now padded Katie and offering her to him. "heh, I got this." Alex said and took Katie who oddly..seemed heavier then normal. 'must be from all the sweets she packed away.' Alex thought and struggling to not show he was having a little bit of trouble, carried her up the stairs.

with Katie bear in bed, Alex yawned big time and headed for the bathroom. it was only going on 8 pm but he felt just wiped as he paused to look in the mirror. 'no bags under my eyes and I look ok..maybe it's just sugar crash.' Alex thought and shrugged. Normally one to put off his shower till right before bed, Alex started the water running and heating up as he stripped and answered natures call, then got in and started to wash himself. on a silly whim he made use of one of the pink extra soft cloths they used on Katie because of her baby soft skin and also used some of the fruity smelling princess shampoo she had, giggling and picturing a old bugs bunny cartoon as he lathered up his hair.

Downstairs Julie and Jack exchange puzzled faces as the water started up for a shower. Mom and dad were a few doors down meeting aunt May and Alex never went for a early shower unless forced too. heck, you could set a clock to his shower time! "..Maybe Katie sprung a leak already and he's cleaning her?" Jack suggest and shrugged a little. "no way! those new diapers are MASSIVE! even a little pee princess like her couldn't make them leak THIS fast." Julie said shaking her head. "welp, that's all I got. Maybe he just wanted to cover up the sound of his taking a massive dump. you KNOW how much he blushes when we tease him." Jack laughed. "Pffft yeah..mister gruntzilla. I think the whole block knows when he's going he grunts and whimpers so loud. " Julie snickered. "Remember when Katie knocked down the bathroom door convinced he was being attacked because he kept going..oh god..what was it.." "Oh! 'please god please god Oh oH oHHH!'" Julie said, mimicking Alex's whimpers of despair. "Bwhahahaha yeah! That was when he took too much diarrhea medicine because he had to give a speech to the whole school and kept getting the runs." "then couldn't unload for five days. yeah. Mom and Dad were gonna take him to the ER if he hadn't of gone when he did." the middle siblings laughed and shared more embarrassing stories about their respective roomies as the TV show was forgotten.

Alex was swaying back and forth on his feet, having fallen asleep standing up in the shower and only woken up when the cold water hit him. He was shivering a little from that but mostly moved as if drunk he was just sooo tired out of the blue and hauled himself out of the shower and turned it off and grabbed a large white towel and started to dry himself but was doing a worse job of it then Katie had when she was 5. shrugging it off he just wrapped it around him like a damp clock and made his way into his way into his and Jack's room, and headed for his dresser. deciding to go with a KISS solution since he was so tired, Alex just tugged on a pair of old white briefs (he'd been avoiding them lately despite liking their cut better then boxers because Jack kept calling them toddler pants) Tossing the wet towel in the hamper Alex stumbled over to his bed and plopped down, face first and was out like a light before he could even cover up.

around 9 was Jack's bed time and their parents where back, having asked where Alex was and Julie and Jack told them as far as they knew, he'd gone to bed. Making his way upstairs Jack had 'somehow' managed to put off taking his shower and gosh, would just have to get it in tomorrow. It wasn't that Jack didn't care for showers or liked being stinky, just there was ALWAYS something better to do then take a shower. Coming into the room he shared with his dweeb of a big brother, Jack noted that the light was still on which meant Alex had to of been super tired since he was super OCD about turning off lights if they weren't being used. Looking over Jack snorted at the site of Alex on his back, legs and left arm sprawled out in his bed while he was sucking on his right thumb, in just his toddler pants. 'what a doofus.' Jack thought and shook his head. Doofus or not, he was still his brother and Jack didn't want the dork to get a cold.  with that in mind he tugged Alex's Blanket up over him, then as a after thought grabbed one of his own old stuffies (that he was keeping around because they'd be worth money some day. not that he still totally needed ot loved them!) and held out Mr. Fuzzy wuzzy , having it brush on the blonds arm. Alex reached out with his free arm in his sleep, coming out from under the blanket and whined around his thumb. "whoa..too much cake and pop and Alex goes baby brained! awesome!" Jack thought with a grin but then let the big toddler have the stuffie and huggle it. 'I'm going soft in old age.' Jack thought to himself then after changing into just his boxers got the lights and climbed into bed.

In a universe where a god of Myth fought alongside with a world war 2 hero, a man who had built his own battle armor and well, any number of different heroes and villains and forces exist, it was amazing that random wishes weren't picked up by more cosmic being's who might just answer them. and for the most part, it's a good thing that most of these are ignored because Alex was about to learn what happened when a simple wish can get granted, at least to a degree.

Alex hung his head in shame as he showed his parents what had happened the next morning. Having always told Julie, Jack and many many times Katie that they should be honest with their parents if they have accidents, it had been Alex's turn to practice what he preached when he'd woken up this morning in a very soggy bed. Thankfully it didn't smell THAT bad and mom and dad were going to open the windows and air out the mattress in the back yard, but Alex was still SUPER ashamed. He'd of course gone and gotten washed up but came back to find the others in his and Jack's room, and two out of three of them were being less then nice with no mom or dad in site to call them off. "Sheesh, and I thought I dodged having to deal with anything worse then you with a milkshake in you!" Jack said, holding his nose and waving a hand. "Oh puh-lkease. you think this is bad? try waking up in a diaper pail everyday because of pee princess here." Julie said, and jerked a thumb at Katie. "H-hey! don't be meanies!" Katie huffed and then turned to a mortified Alex, patting his leg. "It's OK Alex, accidents happen. but worse case you can come into my room. as Julie said..it uh..kinda smells.." "Kinda?" Julie asked and then shuddered. "and that's all i need, twin pee fountains going off in stereo." "I-it's not that bad!" Alex whined. "and really? Little miss farts rainbows is gonna start giving lip about sleeping arrangements!?!" Katie added as Julie's cheeks flared red now. "we talked about that,m you're not su-" "and YOUR not 'pose to complain about me either. fair's fair." Katie said and nodded her head. Alex gave Katie a weak smile. "heh, thanks for coming to my defense..kinda, Katie bear." Alex said and gave er a hug. He was sure this would prove to be a just one time thing, and as such, tried to put it out of his mind as much as he could when a look out the window showed his mattress being set up in the back yard.

[emmy-writes-sometimes]

Lost Time

Chris becomes your temporary roommate. You think all he sees you as is a little sister, but when the rest of the world starts to notice how close you are, you can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there.

-

           “You look like you’ve been through hell,” you pointed out as Chris took a seat in the makeup trailer beside you. His makeup artist was on the way, and he looked like he needed it. His eyes were exhausted, his body was slumped over slightly, and you could tell that his head had nothing in it.

           “Yeah, you’re telling me,” he sighed. “The house flooded last night in that storm. Insurance guys have been there since sunrise.”

           “Ouch,” you responded.

           “And they said it’ll be a week before they can get me back in there. If not longer.”

           “You can stay with me,” you volunteered. He scoffed, rubbing his eyes. “Really, Chris. I have a guest bedroom that I don’t even use. Don’t pay for a hotel or something. I’m right down the street, too.” He looked at you, thinking you were joking, but you weren’t. You were completely serious.

           “Are you sure?”

           “Yeah. Just take my key and get settled in since you finish before me today.” You reached for your key ring and handed him the apartment key. This was a definite role reversal; it was usually Chris that was taking care of you, making sure you ate, helping you move furniture around or helping you fix your car, because you were all but his little sister when it came to things like that. But this time, he needed you, and you’d be there.

           “Thanks, Y/n,” he said. “You’re a lifesaver.” You looked at the time and saw you were due back on set, so you stood up and walked out of the trailer. You sent Chris your address, even though you knew he already had it, and the code to get into the apartment complex. He said he was heading over soon so you just went on about your day.

           When you got home that afternoon he was already settled in – you could see that he’d brought a few bags over, just enough to get him through until he could go home again, and he was cooking in the kitchen you’d used a total of three or four times.

           “I honestly didn’t even know that oven worked,” you remarked as you saw him pre-heating it. You were only half joking. “What are you making?”

           “Lasagna. I got groceries. I figured the least I can do is cook for you.”

           “Why didn’t I get another roommate?” You wondered out loud. Chris chuckled. “I’m going to take a shower.” You went into your bathroom and took a shower, then headed back out to the kitchen.

           “You really need some more plates,” Chris said as he watched you emerge from your bedroom. “And some silverware that isn’t plastic. And you should probably have more than one pan, too.” You rolled your eyes.

           “I’m 22, Chris, people in my generation don’t cook. I have three plates, that’s enough.”

           “People in mine do,” he replied, “and while I’m here you will never starve.”

           “My hero.” You reached into the fridge to see that he had gotten groceries, and that most of them would be absolutely no use to you after he left. He had gotten you some more beer, thankfully, and you grabbed two of them. You’d had a long day of stunts and the only thing you wanted was some food and alcohol.

           You set the table with two sets of plastic everything, further proving Chris’s point that you needed to get some real silverware, and helped him bring the food over. You talked mostly about his house and the fact that it was a few thousand dollars worth of damage, but luckily he’d gotten home in time to move the more valuable stuff up to the second floor. He had just picked out his backsplash three months ago and was having to do it all over again. You felt bad, really bad.

           “I’m sorry I’m being such a bummer,” he said as he handed you a plate to start washing in the sink. Conveniently, your dishwasher was broken. “But thanks for letting me stay here. It means a lot.” He gave you a little smile and you just made it a point to hit his shoulder with yours.

           “That’s what friends do,” you said with a shrug. You finished doing the dishes and with a friendly hug, he was excusing himself. “By the way, the water knobs in your bathroom are switched. Use the cold for hot and hot for cold. I’ve been meaning to get it fixed.” He shrugged.

           “I’ll take a look at it over the weekend. Thanks.” He put a hand on your back and you watched as he walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. You finished putting the leftovers up for lunch tomorrow, putting the few clean dishes you had away, and went to bed on your own.

           You quickly grew used to having Chris around. You had someone to drive to and from with, you had someone to watch stupid movies with, and you had someone to cook dinner. It was nice. Really nice. So nice that even when he was able to go back to his house, he stayed with you an extra nice. And then he asked you if you wanted to split hotels during the press tour, since most of your interviews were scheduled together, and of course you said yes. You loved hanging out with him. And as you did, you slowly realized that you had a crush on him. You knew he obviously didn’t feel the same way about you, and you definitely weren’t going to confront him about it. You assumed he just saw you as a little sister – that’s what you really would be, anyway, with such a dramatic age gap. So when he came out in just a towel your first night there, you couldn’t help but scan up and down his chest as he reached for clothes in his bag. You just kept scrolling through your phone, looking at some of your mentions on Twitter.

           “Good news and bad news,” you said eventually as he finally emerged from the bathroom for the last time.

           “Ooh, do tell. Bad news first.”

           “Bad news is that I didn’t realize how bad the zit on my chin was until someone posted about it,” you started. He chuckled. “And the good news is that the internet loves our friendship and wants to see the rest of the press tour.”

           “What, were you worried about it?” You shook your head.

           “Not really, no. I think we’re friends.” Chris smiled at you, his award-winning, nominated for the sexiest man alive smile, and took a little bit too long to answer you.

           “Besties, right?” You rolled your eyes.

           “Are you done in the bathroom?”

           “Yep.” You stood up, only realizing that your shorts were shorter now that you’d been sitting, and they literally exposed almost your entire ass. But Chris wasn’t looking, thankfully, so you didn’t mention it. You just shoved the shorts in the bottom of your bag the next day, hoping they wouldn’t make an appearance.

           You and Chris only continued to get closer over the course of the press tour – you would gradually sit close to each other until his arm was around your shoulder during interviews, or he would always put a hand on your back to let you walk in front of him. He would always introduce you to interviewers first, or let you get into the car first. He brought you coffee and he knew exactly how you liked it, and if you tried to Venmo him for it he would just give it right back. The last interview of the press tour was a night on Jimmy Fallon, and it was safe to say that you were nervous as hell.

           “You’re going to be fine,” Chris said to you as the stage assistants hooked a microphone to his waist. “You look beautiful. And you’re a natural, you’ll be fine up there.” You looked down at the heels you were wearing. They were far too expensive to be your own, but you liked them. They made you almost tall enough to touch Chris’s shoulders without standing on your toes.

           “I’m just so nervous still,” you replied, “I’ve never done a talk show before.” Chris walked over to you when they finished him and pulled you in for a quick hug.

           “You’re gonna do amazing. Just look at me if you need help, okay? We went over most of the questions earlier in the car, remember?” You nodded. His large hand splayed across your back, trying to make you feel better. “You want me to hold your hand on the way out?”

           “Chris!” You laughed.

           “I’m serious!”

           “CHRIS EVANS, Y/N, ON IN A MINUTE! PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE STAGE!” The intercom said loudly. Chris offered you his hand, and you took it. He walked beside you, not in front of you or behind you, and that was your first indication that maybe you weren’t crazy and maybe he liked you too. He held your hand all the way until you were walking on stage, when he just smiled at you and said you’d be fine. He let you go first, and like you had in interviews before, you ended up so close to him that his arm was behind you on the couch.

           “You two are kind of mortal enemies to begin with in the movie, do you think that speaks true to your relationship at all when you were filming?”

           “Oh, God, no,” Chris replied, “from the moment I met her I knew she was going to be one of my favorite people. And my house actually flooded a couple months ago so we were temporary roomies there and we’ve been together on the press tour mostly just because it’s so much cheaper and easier on the studio, so I’d say we’re pretty good friends.” Jimmy smiled.

           “Well, now that you think you’re pretty good friends, I’ve actually got a game for you. Chris, you’ve played this before, only you knew it as Know Your Bro. For the two of you, Y/n, if I could just get you to put these headphones on…” You aced the game, as you expected, and Chris only got one question wrong. It finally ended and as soon as you got back to the hotel you were staying at, you passed out. And you woke up the next morning, the morning of the premiere, to a million or so Tweets and tagged posts.

           You rolled over to see that Chris was still in bed, scrolling on his phone. He smiled when he saw you.

           “I’m Postmating some coffee in, do you want the usual?”

           “Thank you.” You sat up a little, starting to go through your phone. Oh, no. People really took what Chris said to heart. As in, they thought you were together. The entire world thought you were together, citing multiple interviews, the way Chris was always holding you somehow, the way he was always talking about you, and what he’d said last night on Fallon. Even your sister texted you asking if you were dating.

           “Oh, my God,” you said out loud.

           “What?” He asked.

           “People think we’re together.”

           “Yeah, I figured that might happen. Just ignore it and we’ll say something about it tonight at the premiere, alright?”

           “Chris, you’re literally my date to the premiere.” He shrugged.

           “So? Let people think what they wanna think. And, besides, would it really be that bad to pretend like we’re dating? You’re breakin’ my heart here.” You laughed.

           “No, I guess not.” Chris’s phone chimed about the coffee.

           “I’ll be back up in a minute.” Chris got back with the coffee, handing you yours, and you watched a quick episode of what was on TV before starting to get ready. You were being put in separate suites at a different hotel to get ready, and you had to admit that you were having not only regular anxiety but separation anxiety. It was the first time you’d been without Chris to tell you to calm down in months. And he evidently couldn’t stay away, either, because he made an excuse to bring you another coffee before they started on your makeup.

           “Thank you so much,” you said as he handed it to you. You made grabby hands toward it until the straw was in your mouth and you were tasting the sweetness of the milk and espresso mixed together.

           “Anything for you. I’ll pick you up at six and we can walk down together,” he said. “I’ll see you then, sweetheart, alright?” You nodded, smiling, and with a wink he left the room and you were alone. You couldn’t help but squeal on the inside. You knew there was still no way he probably liked you the way that you liked him, and the way that the internet seemed to think he did, but you were still giddy. You loved spending time with him, even if it didn’t count as a date. You met him outside the hotel suite at the exact time he told you to – and, like you’d picked out previously, your dress matched his suit. If this didn’t fuel the rumors, nothing would.

           “You look so gorgeous,” he said as he approached you, smiling at you as he looked at your dress.

           “You look pretty handsome yourself,” you responded. He did. His beard was finally tamed, his jacket and pants a burgundy velvet that matched the color of pink you were wearing. “Shall we?”

           “We shall.” He took your arm and pressed the button for the elevator. He helped you in, too, making sure you didn’t slip on your dress train or the heels that were far too high for you. The elevator was ridiculously slow to shut the doors back, so much so that Chris had pressed the button to get the doors to close. “This elevator hates us,” he said.

           “Yeah, it was doing that earlier,” you replied. The doors finally creaked shut and you could feel it starting to move. You stood toward the back, in case someone else got on, and Chris was looking through his phone. And then the elevator stopped. Just stopped. Just straight up fucking stopped.

           “Oh, no,” Chris said quietly. He pushed the emergency stop button, then the call button. The hotel confirmed that the elevator was stuck, and that they’d call someone to help get them out.

           “Oh, God,” you sighed. “This is the worst thing that could have possibly happened. We’re going to be late to our own movie, and then people will probably think something else happened, and then…” Chris looked back at you.

           “Why are you so stressed out about what other people think of us?” You shrugged, blushing, and realized that the air in the elevator was much colder than the rest of the hotel. Chris must have noticed, because before you even answered he was putting his jacket around your shoulders.

           “Because,” you sighed, “I just do, okay?” He looked you up and down before shaking his head.

           “I don’t believe you. There’s another reason.” You looked at him and then looked away again, looking down at the carpet on the floor.

           “Because I don’t want you to think that there’s any truth to it. Because it would basically be career suicide for you and I don’t want to do that to you.” He scoffed.

           “Career suicide? What? It doesn’t matter if we’re friends or we’re dating, that has absolutely nothing to do with anything.”

           “But it does. I’m 22, Chris, I’m basically still a kid, and it doesn’t matter if I have a crush on you or not. It just matters that the rest of the world would judge you and me and they already do and I just…” You sighed, watching as realization took over his face.

           “That’s why you care so much,” he understood. “Because you like me.”

           “No, I…”

           “Don’t try and turn it around now, you already said something so now we have to talk about it.”

           “Or we could just forget about it. Because it could ruin things, and that’s why I didn’t tell you, because I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.”

           “What if I don’t care if it ruined anything?” He asked. You looked up at him, tilting your head to the side. “What if I like you? Did you ever think that might be a possibility?”

           “No, not really,” you admitted. “Because you’re… You.”

           “And you’re you. And what if I want the world to think we’re together because I want to be together and I just didn’t know how to tell you because I was terrified it would ruin everything?” Your heart sank a little. Did he really think that? All this time?

           “We really wasted all that time, didn’t we?” You asked. He nodded, a little smile coming over his face. “I’m sorry, Chris. I was so stupid.”

           “No, Y/n, I was the stupid one.” He walked forward to you, closing the distance between you, and looked down at you. The elevator call was still on, you realized, and whoever was on the line could hear you. You cocked your head at it.

           “Mr. Evans, the elevator will be manually brought down to the first floor in the next few minutes.”

           “Thank you,” Chris said. The call cut off, this time actually leaving you with Chris and only Chris. His eyes turned back to you. “I really want to kiss you right now.”

           “Then why aren’t you doing it? We have to make up for lost time, remember?” He smiled, taking the edges of the jacket that he’d wrapped around your shoulders, and pulled you into a kiss. Your characters had kissed in the movie, once, but this was different. He actually meant this. His lips were rough but soft at the same time, and you realized you would have to stop before his beard brushed against your skin any more.

           “Makeup,” you reminded him as he pulled away.

           “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” You took his hands in yours as you felt the elevator start moving again. “So what do you say you be my actual date? Dinner after the movie? And we can give this thing a try?”

           “Of course.” His lips pressed against your forehead as the elevator moved so slowly that you could barely feel it. By the time the doors opened, he let you out of the elevator first, hand on your back like he always did. This time, it was slightly more confident as he led you out to the limo.

A/N: I hereby volunteer myself to get stuck in an elevator with Chris Evans. I hope you guys like this as much as I do!

[ivyglow]

up all night | Mat Barza NYI

Author notes: So it’s my first piece here, hope you guys like it. If there are some grammar mistakes please tell me so I can fix it. Feedback always appreciated and requests are open.

Word count: 2.580 -sorry, I always get carried away- 

Summary: y/n is the new and loud neighbor at the building, what can you expect from someone who listens to music like she does? Well, Mat Barzal wasn’t expecting too much until they start talking...

Opposite.

She was the opposite of everything people usually expect from a psychology student. 

Y/n wasn’t even close to being a calm and centered person. In fact, she was agitated and always talking, still, she knew exactly the time to listen and pass some safe sensation to people around her, something that her friends loved. 

She used to share an apartment with a British Music major but he had to go back home and so, Brianna, one of her classmates/best friend, suggested y/n move in with her and another friend. Share space with two girls would be amazing, especially since her last roomie was cool, but it’s not the same experience life with a man and with two girls between the same age. 

That’s how Mathew Barzal, a professional hockey player, found himself trying to sleep while the neighbor was listening to music in a not so social volume. This was odd since he knew the two college students that lived next door (and by knew he meant he used to say “good morning” to them every time they bump at the corridor or the elevator. He didn’t even remember their names). It was a Thursday night so they probably have class in the morning, something that demands a good night of sleep in the same way that having to work as a player does. 

When Mathew notice that all the pieces of music played was from Bon Jovi he was ninety percent sure that whoever we’re listening to that loud sh*t was going to listen to the whole album or the whole music career from the rock star. Convincing himself that they would not stop, he got up, put a shirt on and headed to the corridor, having to click twice the doorbell to be heard through the loud screams of You give love a bad name. 

It took y/n more than expected to notice someone was at the door and when she finally did, her first action was to run and open the door. Probably it was Brianna pissed cause she lost her keys or something, she thought.

“God, calm down, I’m going!!!!” she finally opened the door. 

“I’m not God” Mat answers when the door was finally pulled open.

It took y/n only three seconds to reply “I see, but you definitely look like one” and five to realize what she just said. 

“Fuck, just kidding, sorry.” not the best apologize, actually Mat would laugh (if he wasn’t mad with the noise) cause it wasn’t even something to really apologize for, she was just...involuntary flirting (?). 

So he took his time scanning the -apparently- funny girl in front of him. He hasn’t bumped in her in the corridor or said ‘good morning’ in the elevator if so he would remember cause she had these big eyes and the corner of her lips looked like she was always about to say something comic. Y/n seemed like some character from a rom-com movie wearing sleep shorts, a polka dots t-shirt and face mask color blue, which made Mat smile and lose focus. 

“I...I’m the neighbor next door” 

Yeah, but what about the noise?! his mind beats him. 

“Nice to meet you, I guess?” Y/n stretches her lips forming a smile. 

“You’re not from here, are you?” 

“By here you mean the planet, the country or the apartment?” she jokes. 

“I mean the planet since I never saw blue human beings” he tries to sound as funny as her.

“Fuck!!! I forgot about the face mask!!! I thought my cheeks were burning cause I was shy or something” and just like that y/n runs inside the house letting the door wide open while Mat stands there and Bon Jovi sings Misunderstood from her loudspeakers.

I stumbled like my words, did the best I could

I 'm hanging outside your door

I've been here before

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not as blue as I seemed to be five minutes early” and there she was joking again. This time a towel hangs around her neck while some strands of her hair are wet from the water, the rest of it in a messy bum at the top of her head. 

“Still look pretty, to be honest”

“These dark cheeks are not from you flirt just so you know, they’re from the face mask” y/n points to her cheekbones and gives Mat a funny smile.

“Am I flirting with you?”

“I don’t know, you tell me” she raises her brows. 

She was smart, he pursed his lips. Y/n knew exactly how to take the truth from someone. 

“First you gotta turn down the music, I’ve been trying to sleep for hours…” he scratches his cheeks and old habit of his. 

“Omg, sorry!” she took her phone from her back pocket and stopped the music turning to him again. “I used to share space with a music major so our apartment had these really really good soundproof walls. I guess I’m gonna take some time to get used to the fact that they’re not the same here.” 

“No, no, don’t bother, it’s just...I guess my room is really close to the area where you had the music playing so it seemed extremely loud for me.” he purses his lips again, Mat didn’t want to look like these annoying neighbors who would only complain about anything, especially to the new girl in front of him.

How old was she? 20? 21 maybe? He wondered. In fact, he caught himself questioning a lot about her inside his mind, like what kind of chocolate she likes, if she was a heavy sleeper or if she would listen to something besides Bon Jovi.

“Yeah, I get that. I usually listen to loud rock music when I have a long day, it gets me calm again...don’t know about the magic these music have” 

“Nice way to handle the stress, I would probably skate around the ice until I felt like the ground and my feet were the same thing.” He does not know why, but all he wanted to do was keep talking to her.

“Healthy way to handle stress, I would do the same if I knew how to skate” she states, her friends said she couldn’t even walk properly without dropping or hitting something. Clumsy. 

“My friends used to say I’m a good teacher...”

“I guess I should take my own impressions then.”

They both smile at each other, the silence between them being nothing but comfortable. Y/n thought he had this kind of eyes that says a lot to you when there’s nothing left that the mouth could translate. 

“I should...get back to end my assignment for my class tomorrow…” she points behind her back and he nods.

“Good luck”

“You too, in your sleep I mean”

“Thank you…” he scratches his cheeks. “I didn’t get your name.”

She stretches her hand. “Y/n. And yours?” 

“Barzal, Mathew Barzal.” 

“It was nice to meet you, Barzal” the shook hands. 

“Good night, y/n.”

“Night, Barzal” 

…

They bump into each other somedays along the week, always exchanging more than the simple ‘good morning’, usually Mat would ask how was university and she would take the whole elevator ride with her long reply full of jokes. 

Next week, on a Friday night, that’s when Mathew finds himself in her door again. This time she wasn’t listening to Bon Jovi but Arctic Monkeys. So he grabbed a shirt and his car keys. 

“Hey, Barzal” it was not y/n who answers the door, that was probably Bridgit if he were correct witch he was not. 

“Hi...umm...Is y/n home?” maybe this time wasn’t her listening to rock out loud after a rough day, it could be any of her roommates...he felt stupid for some seconds. 

“Yeah, she’s the only human being in this house to handle rock music this loud. Are we bothering you?!” Mat shakes his head no “Thank God, so let me get her for you…” the blond smiles and turns back inside the house.

The music doesn’t stop even when y/n reaches the door. Her lips curled but the smiled didn’t reach her eyes if Mathew could guess right. 

“Hey, Barzal, I’m sorry, I’m going to turn down the volume...told you I would take some time to get used to the walls here.”

“No, no...I-I didn’t come to ask you to turn down the music, I was actually wondering if you wanted to walk around and talk since you told me that only listen to rock in this volume when you had a bad day.”

She pondered for a minute before grabbing her slippers and closing the door. Tonight she was wearing sweats and this groovy beige t-shirt, her hair falling around her shoulders into soft curls and a pair of glasses.

They walked to the elevator in silence and stayed this way until entering the car. 

“I may not be the funniest person tonight, sorry, my day was really really long…”

“It’s okay, we can talk about it if you want to or we can just listen to loud music together...if you don’t mind the company, of course”

“I don’t” she smiles small and reaches for the seat belt. 

Y/n looks for the radio this time while Mat starts driving. Mean It by Lauv starts playing and she chuckles.

“My music taste is not as sophisticated as yours, sorry” he glances her way and she shakes her head no.

“I like it, it’s okay”

“Oh, so you into pop music?” 

“I’m into almost every kind of music” she states simply. “What about you?” 

“I usually listen to pop and what comes next into these random Spotify playlists.”

“Can I follow your account?” she asks out of the blue and he smiles.

“Yeah, sure” Mat hands her his phone that has in the center console.

“I asked cause music says a lot about people, some aren’t too much into sharing it. I mean, I usually am very specific with my playlists so, yeah, not everyone has my username” she unlock her phone as well and opens the app.

“I never thought in that way…”

He keeps driving while the music rolls and y/n sits comfortably beside him.  

“Where are we going?” 

“There’s this really cool ice cream shop I like to go when I want to be alone…”

“Oh, you’re showing me your secret place” she smiles and he rolls his eyes jokingly. 

It was ten more minutes until Mathew park the car and undo his seat belt. 

“Sooo we’re here” he looks at her and her glasses are reflecting some of the lights from the shop in front of them. 

“Looks cozy,” y/n says simply.

“Take this” he reaches for the backseat and hands her a hoodie. 

She was overwhelmed with the day and Mat’s invitation sounded like a good way out so she ended up forgetting her sweatshirt. 

“Thank you.”

They walked in and y/n felt a little warmer at the place, the tables in the wall, the beige and brown color giving it some calm message while the colourfull decorations like the menu or the spoon holder told people it was an ice cream shop.

“Not only look but feels cozy” he smiles at her while they stop at the freezer, Mat going straight to the bubblegum flavor something that didn’t pass unnoticed by y/n. 

“I mean you got amazing flavors like chocolate, mint and even strawberry but you choose bubblegum?!” she furrows her brows and he shrugs holding back a laugh. 

“Did you at least give it a chance?” 

“No, thank you.” she shows him her tongue and goes to the spoon grabbing a handful of chocolate chip mint and another of peanut butter.”

“C’mon, you’ve got to be kidding me…”

“What?” she looks up at him knowing exactly what he’s talking about. 

“Peanut butter?! You don’t have the right to talk about bubblegum when you eat that...I didn’t even know it was a flavor” 

“Now you know” they walk past the cashier and Mats hangs the teenager a 20 dollar bill while smiling. 

They sitting side by side while y/n tells him about her day and eventually eats her ice cream, they get into a discussion about which flavor was the most “normal” one and end up exchanging some spoons and laughing about how silly that was. 

Mathew was able to talk about his own day too, while y/n gave him the space to speak and fell comfortable. 

“If you could choose some music to play now, what would be playing?” that was a way of asking if she felt better and she knew it, so she smiles. 

“Probably fallingforyou by the 1975” and she had this mysterious look in her face. Before Barzal could ask what’s the meaning of the song she’s speaking again, “what about you?” 

“What do you mean, Justin Bieber?!”

“There’s actually some meaning behind your choice of song or are you just trying to ask about the meaning of mine?” she uplifts her brows and he shrugs with a little smile in the corner of his lips.

“Have you heard my song choice at least?” he shakes his head no.

They keep talking about random things until their bodies ask for some rest. The way back home was with more talk while Mat showed her some pop music he had in his favorite playlist to drive to. 

Just when the car came to a stop y/n puts fallingforyou to play. Mat probably wouldn’t notice it was the song she told him about. That was the kind of music she would listen to after a moody day, she would be more relaxed and slightly happy. 

He undid his seat belt turned to look at her.

“Thank you for the night” 

“Anytime” he smiles “you sound more relaxed.”

“You’re sound correct” she undid her seat belt too and gives him a toothy smile. 

“I think we should do this more” Mat clicks the button to call the elevator and y/n nods with her hands in the pockets of the hoodie. 

As they walked in the corridor she could only think about how spending time with him was comforting and knowing about him was as fun as her dance playlist. Mathew seemed like the mix of all of her favorite tapes that she never ever gets tired of. 

“So...see you tomorrow?” 

“See you tomorrow, thank you for the talk and the ice cream.”

He leaned for a hug and she holds him by the neck breathing in his perfume. They stayed in the hug for more seconds than the socially considered normal before y/n let go, but Mat keeps the hold on her waist.

She appreciates his face this close and smiles, incapable of keeping her hands to herself and reaching for his cheekbones. 

“I wanna kiss you” he states simply holding her tight against his body. “Can I kiss you?” 

She smiles reaching for his neck again and pulling him into a kiss. His lips tasting like bubblegum, cold and soft against hers just like his hands were now in her waist. 

“You taste like my favorite ice cream flavor” he jokes pecking her lips again and y/n holds him closer.

“You sound like my favorite song.”

[wemayhavestartedthefiresorry]

“Six or Seven what? Beers? Shots? Gallons?”

pairing: reader x tony stark 

summary: Peter brings you to Tony’s house after a frat party. You’ve been drinking a lot and you drunkenly confess your crush on Tony. (AU where Tony is still alive after the snap and Pepper isn’t in the picture lmao.)

warnings: age gap, PTSD from the snap, mentions of alcoholism, angst, fluff, angry Tony, drunk reader

note: This one shot doesn’t really fit into the series in cannon. Reader is assumed to have helped the avengers with Thanos. I’m LIVING for angry Tony >:) I’m not a fan of Pepper Potts so lmao shes gone BYE

Tony sat in his workshop working on something that you had no chance at understanding. Especially since you were blackout drunk. Peter held your arm as the both of you walked down the steps. His music was loud but Tony often had it that way. So he didn’t notice as you stumbled down the stairs. 

“Mr. Stark?” Peter tried to speak over the music but with no luck. Tony was facing the other way. You looked at him in your drunken stupor, he was terrified. “Mr. Stark?!” He yelled again, but to no avail. You couldn’t help but giggle. You wiggled yourself loose from Peter’s gentle grip and ran over to Tony. He was working on something that looked small, maybe a microchip or something smart. You carelessly wrapped your arms around him, giving him a back hug and effectively scaring the shit out of him. He looked over his shoulder with his eyebrows furled. 

“FRIDAY, pause my playlist.” He called out. The music ceased almost instantly. 

“Hi Tony!” you smiled widely, still hugging him. 

“Who let you in here? Was it FRIDAY?” He looked at you, then Peter. “If you haven’t noticed, I have a strict ‘no children’ policy in my workshop.” 

“I know, I’m sorry Mr. Stark. It’s just-” 

“I’m not a child! I’m twenty three and 4 months old!” You blurted out. “Maybe you’re just older than dirt- no, older than dinosaur bones.” You laughed at your own joke, no one else did...

“You’re two hundred and eighty months old, you’re essentially an infant. Are you going to get off of me anytime soon?” Tony said. 

Peter began to ramble. “We went to a party at a frat house and (Y/N) was doing shots and I was trying to get her to stop but she kept going and I didn’t know what to do and I can’t remember where she lives and she wouldn’t tell me because she didn’t want to leave the party and then she kept saying she just wanted to see you so I brought her here and I’m really sorry Mr. Stark-”

“Were you drinking too?” He interrupted.

“No, I wasn’t. I swear Mr. Stark I didn’t even look at any of the alcohol-” 

“It’s okay, kid. I believe you. But you better keep it that way or I'm taking the suit.”

“No, sir. I mean- yes, sir.” 

“How did you get here?”

“I took an uber.”

“FRIDAY, get the kid a ride back home.” Tony called out.

“Yes, sir.” FRIDAY responded. “A car will be out front for Mr. Parker.” 

“It’s Friday Friday, gotta get down on Friday-” You began to sing off key. 

“Thank you Mr. Stark.” Peter said. 

“Yeah, we’ll talk more about this tomorrow...” He trailed off, looking down at the leech  attached to him. Peter made his way back up the stairs to catch his ride. Tony was so warm, you didn’t want to let go. Usually you’re reserved in the way you act in front of your crushes but you were too drunk to care. 

“So are you going to let go or am I your new life source now?” He asked. You peered up at him with a goofy smile but you got the hint and decided to let go. He turned around to face you. “My god,” He sniffed the air. “You smell like a distillery, and that means a lot coming from me. I literally own a distillery.” 

“That’s weird,” You cocked your head to the side, “I haven’t been to a distillery.” you slurred. But something across the room caught your attention; the bar. You walked towards it to make another drink. Tony caught on to your plan quickly.

“Oh no you don’t,” He quickly stepped in front of you and crossed his arms. “I think you’ve had enough.” 

“C’mon Tony, have a drink with me. I’d much rather drink with you than with some stupid frat boys anyway.” You turned away from him and took a seat in one of his desk chairs. “You’re more my speed. I don’t like hanging out with people my age, they’re too immature.” 

“Yep, you’re definitely the poster boy for maturity right now. How much exactly did you drink?” He asked.

“Hm” You started to count on your fingers and mumble to yourself. You couldn’t remember how much you had actually drank. You took a guess. “Six- maybe seven.” 

“Six or seven what? Beers? Shots? Gallons?” 

“Maybe eight,” You got distracted and started to play with the spinny chair. 

“You’re going to make yourself dizzy- Y/N, stop that.” You didn’t listen to him. “If you throw up on my floor I’m sending you the dry cleaning bill.” He said, but you still didn’t listen. He gave up and walked over and stopped the chair from spinning by grabbing the armrests. Leaving you and him face to face. For a moment you got so lost in his eyes that you forgot where you were.   

“You know, you’re kinda cute when you're angry.” You reached out and pinched his cheek. You giggled, he wasn’t happy. 

“That’s it, sport. You’re going home. FRIDAY-” He called out, but you cut him off before he got the chance to send you home. 

“Jeez, Tony,” You whined. “Don’t be such a party pooper. I thought you were supposed to be the fun one.” 

“Oh, I am.” He raised his eyebrows. Suddenly he seemed very annoyed, oops. “What’s not fun is taking a high schooler to a college party, getting blackout drunk, and making him take care of you.” His anger was subtle and masked with sarcasm but it sobered you a little bit. Your smile began to fade. 

“I-” You were at a loss for words. Tony had never expressed anger at you before. “I’m sorry…”

“What you did tonight was at best irresponsible and at worst dangerous.” His temper was rising, you could tell he was reaching his boiling point. “What were you thinking? You know what, don’t answer that.” He held his finger up. “You” He pointed, “are going home.” 

“Tony, I'm sorry. I mean it. It was a stupid mistake.” You began, getting more and more upset by the moment. Tears started to sting at your eyes and your voice trembled. “I won’t do it again. I just can’t be alone after everything that happened. Drinking is the only thing that makes me feel okay and I just-” You felt a tear drip down your cheek. For the past few months you had been having trouble with your PTSD from the Thanos snap. Even though it was all over, the trauma still scarred you. You used alcohol to cope. 

“Shhh,” Tony’s expression softened. If anyone understood that struggle, it was him. “It's okay.” 

“Please don’t be angry at me, I can’t-” you choked out as you tried to hold back your tears. “I can’t handle you being angry at me. I can handle when Steve is mad at me, I can handle when Clint is mad at me, hell, I can even handle when Nat is mad at me. But you? Not you.” Tony pulled you into a hug, petting your hair with his hand. You let yourself cry onto his t-shirt. 

“I’m not angry at you. It’s okay…” He cooed. “I understand it more than anyone, trust me.” His chest was soft and warm, you loved the way his expensive cologne smelled. It seemed like a mix of pine and spice. It smelled like home. You pulled back to look him in the face. Through your dizzy drunkenness, you could feel the tension between you two. Looking into his eyes made your stomach flutter, you were sure that he felt it too. After a momentary pause, you leaned in and kissed his lips. He barely kissed back, but he didn’t reject it either. The kiss was quick, kind of like an experiment. You pulled back and stared at him, waiting for a chemical reaction. He stayed confused. 

“I’ve always wanted to kiss you.” You said, breaking the silence. “I’ve liked you for a while but I’ve been too shy to say anything.” You anxiously awaited his response. 

“(Y/N), I’m old enough to be your father-”

“I don’t care.” You cut him off. “I like you. I want to be with you. You’re the only person that truly makes me feel safe and that’s why I wanted to come here. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want to be with you.” There was a long pause. Tony seemed to be thinking very carefully about what to say next. He looked at you with a mix of confusion and sympathy. 

“Let’s talk about this tomorrow. I think we should get you to bed.” 

“Okay…” You said, slightly disappointed but understanding that he didn’t want to talk about it. You walked up the stairs with him and he brought you to the guest room. You peered in through the open door as you stood in the frame. It was roomy and looked comfortable, but the whole reason you didn’t want to go home is because you didn’t want to sleep alone. 

“You can sleep in here. I’ll just be right down the hallway, okay?” he said. 

“Okay.” You replied. He began to walk away but suddenly you got the courage to speak up. “Tony?” you called to him and he turned around. “Can I sleep with you tonight?” You asked timidly. He paused for a moment. 

“Sure, just for tonight.” you smiled. “But if you throw up I’m kicking you out.” He teased, you giggled as you walked towards his room.  “I’m being completely serious.” You waltzed into his room and flopped down on his bed. He turned around and started rifling through his dresser. 

“You can borrow my clothes to sleep in,” He said with his back turned. “I’ll probably have to incinerate them tomorrow to get the smell of whiskey out of it but here-” He turned around to look at you, but while he had been looking for pajamas you had already fallen asleep. 

The next morning you woke up with a pounding headache. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes and sat up, groaning with exhaustion. You looked around at the room. Tony had fallen asleep on the comfy chair on the other side of the room, he was passed out. You looked down at your clothes. You weren’t wearing what you left the house in last night. Suddenly nausea overcame you and you ran to the bathroom as quickly as you could to throw up in the toilet. You leaned over the porcelain bowl and yacked for a while, but you felt better afterwards. You took a deep breath, washed your face and mouth out in the sink, and walked back into Tony’s room. Clearly you stirred him with your vomiting because he had already woken up and left the room. You crawled back in bed wearing Tony’s oversize t-shirt and no pants, you covered your legs with the soft plush blanket. Tony walked in.

“Good morning, Dionysus. How’s your head?” He sat at the end of the bed with a glass of water and an aspirin. You winced in pain.

“It’s just peachy, thank you.” 

“Here, take this.” He handed it to you and without hesitation, you took it. 

“What happened last night?” You asked, your memory was still hazy. 

“Peter brought you here after you went to a frat party and you refused to go to your own home. You passed out on my bed but not before confessing your crush on me.” He stated very matter-of-factly. You could tell he was basking in the fact that you were reaping the consequences of your actions. Your stomach dropped. It all came back to you… the crying, the kiss, the confession.

“Oh no,” You shut your eyes tightly.

“Oh yes, and I believe you mentioned that I’m older than dirt. Or was it ‘older than dinosaur bones’?” You cringed. You couldn’t believe you said that to his face. “You’re quite the flirt when you drink.” You looked down at your clothes and suddenly a big question hit you.

“Oh my god, did we…?” 

“Absolutely not, you came in and passed out on my bed. I figured you didn’t want to sleep in a leather skirt so I changed you…” A moment of silence hung in the air. “Don’t flatter yourself, I didn’t look.” He avoided eye contact. 

“Thank you…” You felt bad for being such a pain when he was being so kind to you. “I’m sorry for um, saying all that stuff to you last night. But also for the kiss...” You took a deep breath trying to build up the courage to talk about your feelings. “I’ve had a crush on you for a while…” You awaited his response.

“I know,” He said to your surprise. 

“You knew?” You said in disbelief. 

“I’ve always known, Y/N. I see the way you look at me, I’m not stupid.” 

“W-why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“You’re half my age, I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Tony, that doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care about how old you are.” You assured him.

“Your drunk alter ego seems to care.” He teased. 

Are you saying you feel the same way?” You asked, trying to make sense of everything.

“Yeah-” Before he could finish his sentence you cut him off with a kiss, a sober one this time. You felt him lean into you, caressing your face in his hand. Despite the age gap, it felt right. You felt safe. As your lips disconnected, you locked eyes with him. He sighed. 

“What?” you asked. 

“I need to find you a toothbrush,” You cracked a smile. “You smell terrible too. I’ll turn on the shower for you.” He stood up and walked out of the room. Although your head was pounding, your heart was full with joy. Tony was finally yours.

[let-me-love-you-loki]

Welcome to Oblivion--Ch. 24

Chapter 24

           Spring semester classes picked up amid a foot of snow and temperatures well below freezing. It was so odd being back in the dorm. I’d spent most of my winter break crashing with Roman and Dean at their apartment. Of course, I’d driven back home to see my parents on Thanksgiving and then for a few days at Christmas. Luckily, those days had coincided with Roman’s trip to Florida to visit his family. Seth dipped out to Iowa to see his folks. Dean put off his trip to Ohio as long as he could, but he ended up leaving the same day that I did.

           Sonya’s stuff was dumped on her bed when I dragged my suitcase into our shared room. A box of donuts sat on my desk, a note propped in front of it. Welcome back, roomie. Schedules showed up. Looks like we’ve got a class together!

           For the first time, I noticed the envelope beside the box of sweets. I smiled ruefully, realizing that Sonya had opened it for me. Students at Grand Mountain took some kind of active elective, but since I was working with the Poms, I’d gotten a waver from the requirement. But Sonya had talked me into signing up for a kickboxing course with her. I guess we’d both gotten a spot.

           A loud banging on the door that lead to the bathroom we shared with our suitemates drew my attention. I yanked the door open, unsurprised to find Ember on the other side. The yellow and orange streaks in her hair were brighter than before break. She must have redone them recently.

           “Come on in,” I said, grinning. She threw her arms around me and hugged me hard.

           “We didn’t think you’d come back,” she said calmly, pulling out my desk chair and plopping down in it. Ember propped her feet up on the edge of the desk, but not before stealing a chocolate-frosted donut from the box.

           I stopped, right in the middle of tossing my suitcase up on my bed. “Who didn’t? Did you think I was going to drop out or something?”

           Ember rolled her eyes and spoke around the huge bite she’d just taken. “Sonya and Drew had a betting pool going,” she mumbled. “He figured you’d be shaking up with Ro and Dean.”

           The way she said it made me suspicious. “Ember, how many people know about that? About me, Ro, and Dean?”

           She waved her hand in the air as if it wasn’t a big deal. “The entire hall. All the way up.”

           I sank onto the edge of the bed. My heart skipped a beat. “Jesus. If the entire hall knows, the whole campus will know by the time classes start tomorrow.”

           “Don’t worry about it. It’s nobody’s business.” She watched me with her preternaturally bright eyes. I could never quite get a fix on their color. “You don’t have to tell anyone anything. But I can’t lie… a lot of us are curious about how… it’s not every day that you know someone who’s dating two people at once and it’s all out in the open.”

           “It’s not really out in the open, Ember.”

           “You know what I mean,” she replied, snatching another donut. “You guys aren’t going around behind each other’s backs. Everybody is on the up and up.”

           I rolled my eyes and flopped back on the bed, narrowly missing cracking my head against the wall. “It’s weird. Like, when we’re together—just us… well, sometimes Seth is hanging out with us, too… it all feels pretty normal. It’s not a big deal for me to go on a date with Ro or with Dean, but the thought of going out with both of them at the same time… it frightens me. It’s not that I’m ashamed of it, but I’m afraid of what people are going to say about them. Ro has a strong position on the team. I don’t want campus gossip to mess that up for him.”

           The door opened just then, and Sonya spilled into the room with her girlfriend Peyton in tow. My roommate grinned and stepped back out into the hallway. Her voice echoed through the entire hall. “Pay up, McIntyre! She’s back!”

           Groaning, I lifted my head to look at her. “Seriously? I thought Ember was joking.”

           Sonya practically shoved my suitcase to the floor before bouncing up on the bed beside me cross-legged. Peyton hopped up to sit beside Ember on my desk. “Nah. Scottie owes me a hundred bucks.”

           “So, what’s it like?” Peyton asked, curiosity in her bright, wide eyes. “Have you guys…?” She wiggled her eyebrows and held up three fingers.

           “No!” I exclaimed, not sure whether I was insulted or intrigued by the idea. “That’s not how… we haven’t…”

           Ember gave Peyton a playful slap on the knee. “Ignore her, Addy. She’s got her mind in the gutter all the time lately.”

           Sonya grinned. “That’s why we’ve been having so much fun.”

           Peyton pulled a face that made me want to crawl under the bed and never come out. “Ew. Both of you. Shut up.”

           “But come on,” Peyton cajoled, her Australian accent becoming a bit more pronounced. “You can’t say you haven’t thought about it.”

           My immediate response was to shout an emphatic no. But I couldn’t. Because she was right… I had thought about it. More than once. And apparently, my silence was answer enough.

           “I knew it,” she exclaimed, pointing at me. “And I guarantee that they’ve thought about it, too.”

           While it wasn’t easy to see me blush, I was sure that there was heat rushing beneath my skin. I ducked my head and tried very hard not to focus on the images that were already playing around in my head.

***

           “What’s up, Addy?” came a familiar voice behind me in the coffee shop line. I turned to see Seth Rollins standing just over my shoulder, dressed in a grey hoodie, black leather jacket, and a black beanie. He had his hands tucked into his pockets, a grin on his face. His cheeks were bright red above the line of his beard.

           I huddled further into my coat, which I’d tugged on over Roman’s Pirates hoodie. “Not my body temperature, that’s for sure.”

           He laughed, and I noticed the fact that there was a gap between his front teeth. “You think this is bad? It’s what… twenty-eight degrees outside? Ha!” He rocked back on his heels before pushing me a few steps forward. The line was moving. “It was nine degrees in Iowa this weekend.”

           Smirking, I looked him up and down. “And yet you’re bundled up like you’re going to the Arctic.”

           “Cold is still cold, Addy.”

           I shrugged and smiled. My turn came, and I grabbed Seth by the wrist. “Come on, your caffeine fix is on me today.”

           Seth grinned. “Far be it from me to turn you down. Ro and Dean would kill me for making you unhappy.”

           “Bullshit,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Just order your damn coffee.”

           I was impressed by his order—it was almost as insane as mine. Maybe Roman was right. Maybe I was a bigger caffeine addict than Seth Rollins. Still, the barista looked strangely at both of us when we ordered four extra shots of espresso in our already caffeine-laden concoctions. Once we had them, we wound our way past the line that had stretched out the door while we waited.

           We found a spot in the student center and stepped out of the way of people pouring in and out. I cupped my hands around the cup and tipped it carefully up against my lips. Seth didn’t bother. He took a big sip and sighed, as if all was right with the world.

           “So, what do your classes look like this semester?” he asked, leaning back against the wall.

           I dug my schedule out of my bag. While I’d picked up my books the day before, I hadn’t really paid attention to timing. “Let’s see, I’ve got history of post-Roman Europe, pre-calculus, astronomy two and the lab, kickboxing, English composition, and intro to international politics.”

           His head nodded toward the paper in my hand. “When do you have the politics class?”

           I glanced over the schedule one more time. “Tuesday and Thursday at eleven with Dr. Depaul.”

           “Me, too. Nice!” He held up his hand and I gave him a high five. “Maybe I won’t fail polisci this semester!”

           I rolled my eyes, checking the clock. “I’ve got English in ten. See you around, Rollins.”

***

           At noon, I practically ran across campus to the student center. Not only was I desperate for warmth, but I was starving. I’d gone through English and pre-calculus that morning, and I had history at one. I was desperate to get some food in me before I had to sit through lectures about the Visigoths and the unification of the Franks. Plus, practice started again this afternoon, and I wasn’t going to get anything to eat until well afterward.

           I ran up the steps to the second floor, surprised to find the line ridiculously long already. I caught sight of a familiar face near the front of the line. Thank God for football players, I thought just as I shouted, “Hey, Highlander!”

           Drew turned around, a smirk on his face. When he saw me, he waved me up. No matter what people said, college wasn’t entirely different from high school. Athletes still ruled the place. And I suppose it didn’t hurt that Drew was six-foot-five and looked like he could bench press a full-grown grizzly.

           He wrapped me in a warm hug and tucked me in front of him in the line. “You cost me a hundred bucks, Addy,” he said playfully.

           “Oh, ye of little faith,” I replied, scanning my ID card as we slid in the door. I was overcome with the sweet scent of lasagna and garlic bread. “Dear sweet baby Jesus, that smells good.”

           Drew laughed out loud. “Go on, then, lass. I’m not getting beaten to a pulp in practice because you fainted from malnutrition.”

           “Why does everyone think Ro and Dean are going to hurt them because of me?” I asked, walking backwards toward the main line.

           “Because one is a big ass football player and the other is an insane cage fighting shmuck?” I knew that voice. I swept around, grinning. Dean stood there in a leather jacket and beanie, backpack over his shoulder. Roman wasn’t far behind, balancing a tray loaded down with food.

           “Come on, princess,” he said, grinning. “We’ve got lunch handled.”

Tag List

@mox-made-me-do-it​ @vebner37​ @lilred91​ @not-that-kinda-gurl08​ @maelleoute​

[misssophiachase]

Klaroline AU Week - Day 3: Crossovers/Fusions

He’s the new hotshot recruit at the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School and unbeknown to him, she’s his new instructor (you know how this goes).  Lines from the movie in italics (because I’m no aeroplane expert).  

Take My Breath Away

Sunday 20:45: Raised By Wolves Cocktail Bar, San Diego, CA

“I start my new job tomorrow, Kat,” she insisted. “I should be home in bed preparing.”

“You do that every night, roomie,” she shot back by way of response. “And drinking wine and watching the Notebook for the millionth time doesn’t count as an activity.”

Caroline was an Astrophysicist and had been working in DC for the past ten years. She’d recently moved cross country to take a contract position at the  Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego and had reunited with her best friend Katherine who was a Professor at the University of California in La Jolla.  

It made sense for them to move in together, but Caroline was realising that Katherine was one of the nosiest roommates ever. 

“This is a completely new role for me,” she argued. “I need to be on my game, these officers are some of the best in the Navy, Kat. They don’t call it Top Gun for nothing.”

“I’m jealous that you get to work with gorgeous men in uniform and I have to lecture children.”

“I never understood that. What is it with everyone’s obsession with men in uniform?”

“Well, maybe you just haven’t seen one in the flesh yet?” His crisp but attractive English accent wasn’t enough to stop the rolling of her eyes. 

“And I suppose you’re going to remedy that situation,” she drawled, turning in her chair and meeting his dark blue eyes for the first time. 

She wanted to deny it but she couldn’t. This guy was hot, with or without the white, naval uniform.  Sexy stubble, sinful, crimson lips and dirty, blonde hair that curled teasingly over his ears was only the beginning, he had a pair of rogue dimples that she swore had superpowers they were that disarming. 

“Alright, love?” Caroline felt Katherine nudge her subtly in the ribs. She needed to retain what composure she still had. 

“I think you got the wrong location, the fancy dress party is on campus,” Caroline teased.  

“Cute,” he shot back, licking his lips teasingly. She should have been repelled but this guy had the opposite effect and Caroline knew it had nothing to do with the uniform. 

“I need to apologise for my friend,” a fellow officer, also in head-to-toe white offered. “He can’t help himself, he was dropped on his head as a baby.” 

“Oh, I know what this is,” Kat realised. “This is your little, two-man act to try and pick up poor, unsuspecting patrons.”

“Gee, tough crowd,” he murmured in his friend’s ear, although they could still hear him. Officer Number One’s gaze hadn’t wavered, it was still firmly trained on Caroline. 

“I’m Lieutenant Klaus Mikaelson, this is Enzo St John,” he offered by way of introduction, his eyes slipping lower and perusing the low-cut, black top Katherine insisted she wear. Caroline could feel an unmistakable blush forming in that region and hoped he wouldn’t notice. He was an arrogant ass for sure but her body obviously didn’t care about that. 

“Lieutenant?” She asked, wondering if this cocky guy was one of her students because if so this was going to be really awkward come morning. 

“We’re Naval Aviators,” he said it slow like she couldn’t understand the concept. “At Top Gun.”

“Impressive,” Katherine cooed, her voice laced with sarcasm, not that Officer Number Two noticed. 

“I go by Lucifer though,” he shared, they both looked at Enzo curiously. 

“Did your mother not like you?” Kat asked, mouth agape. Unlike her friend she hadn’t been around the Naval culture Caroline had.  

“It’s his call sign, like a nickname,” Klaus explained, again slowly. Caroline had to stop herself from telling him where he could shove his mansplaining.   

“My surname is Saint, get it?” The girls just looked at each other thinking that was just weird logic. 

“And what is your, call sign is it?” Caroline bluffed. 

“The Original,” he smirked, knowingly, tipping his hat in her direction. 

“The Original what?” She asked, unable to help herself.  

“Well, how about we get to know each other and I’ll tell you all about it, love.” 

“Wow,” she muttered, Caroline was surprised there was any oxygen left in the bar his ego was that inflated. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to pass. In fact, we were just leaving, right Kat?”

She picked up her purse and grabbed Katherine’s hand. She might have wanted to be there but Caroline had no interest in staying any longer.

Monday 05:45: “The Strand” Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA

“Tully! Tully, come back here, girl!” He heard a melodic voice before he saw her. 

Running along Pacific Beach was his rare downtime these days. Flight school was intense, not that Klaus minded. He was a fighter pilot first and foremost and he was living his dream.

He liked to think he was confident, most people considered him arrogant but Klaus could practically fly in his sleep it was that deeply ingrained in his life, so too the Navy. 

The first time he’d faltered since arriving was the previous night. Klaus considered himself good with women but his performance at the bar was woeful. If he wasn’t aware, Enzo had been reminding him ever since. He’d never had a woman literally leave a place because she didn’t want to talk to him.  

Klaus knew he’d acted stupid, peddling those tired lines but he had a habit of doing that when he liked someone. And he liked this girl, that much was clear given he’d been thinking about her ever since. Not that he’d probably ever see her again.

The golden retriever bounded over to him, rubbing against his bare legs and almost tripping him in the process. Klaus stopped to lean down and give her a pat. “Hey, girl.” 

He looked up into the familiar, blue eyes of the woman from last night. Dressed casually in form-fitting jeans and a white t-shirt, those blonde waves hanging loose over her shoulders, Klaus didn’t think she could look any better than the previous night but he was wrong. 

“Lose something?” He asked, noting just how adorable she looked flustered, her creamy cheeks tinged pink from the exercise.  

“You again?” she asked, obviously only just realising who he was. “I didn’t recognise you without your costume.”

“There’s that sarcastic wit I’ve missed,” he chuckled. “I take it this is a friend of yours.” Caroline eyed the dog in frustration as she rubbed up against him lovingly.

“Traitor,” she muttered. “Tully is my friend’s dog and as I’ve discovered this morning has a mind of her own and enjoys flirting with strange men.”

“I’m not a stranger,” he drawled. “You know my name but I never caught yours, love.”

“That’s not my name,” she shot back. Klaus felt his muscles going cold so started stretching on the spot, his shorts riding up even higher. He could see her checking him out like she had last night. He still had it. 

“Well, if you told me then I wouldn’t have to call you that,” he grinned. 

“I better get going, don’t want to be late,” she replied, hooking the leash to Tully’s collar. 

“Late for what? Or is that just another excuse to get away from me?”

“I start a new job today, I need to be on time.”

“Well good luck, love,” he offered. She didn’t bother to argue about his endearment and just shook her head. Everything in Klaus wanted to ask her out again but knew it would probably be pointless. 

Monday 09:45: Miramar Naval Air Station, San Diego, CA

“Civilian specialists are here because they are our very best source on enemy aircraft. One of our very best is Caroline Forbes. She has a PHD in astrophysics and is a civilian contractor so you do not salute her. But you better listen to her because the Pentagon listens to her.”

“Good morning,” she greeted them. Klaus was seated in the front row with Enzo not quite believing what he was seeing.

Turns out her new job just happened to be him. He was torn over whether it was a good development or a bad one. Hooking up with your boss was obviously frowned upon but at least this way he knew where to find her. 

The way she looked in that fitted, black, skirt suit with her wavy hair pulled back into a bun at the nape of her creamy neck was messing with his composure and looking around the room he could see his fellow students thought the same thing.

A ripple of jealousy came over him and Klaus didn’t like it one bit. 

Somehow he’d managed to lose track of what she was saying, something about F5 and MIG 28 Aircraft but he’d been too busy to really take much notice. 

“However, the MIG 28 does have a problem with its inverted flight tanks. It won’t do a negative G pushover,” she explained. 

Enzo nudged Klaus. Only a few weeks ago they’d seen a MIG 28 do exactly that during a training exercise which had attracted enemy aircraft and nearly killed them for their trouble. They continued to discuss it between them.

“The latest intelligence tells us the most it will do is one negative..” she paused mid sentence.”Excuse me, Lieutenant, is there something wrong?”

“Yes ma’am, the data on the MIG is inaccurate,” Klaus replied, noting her adorable but puzzled look. 

“How’s that, Lieutenant?”

“Well, I just happened to see a MIG 28 do a...”

“We,” Enzo interrupted. 

“Uh, sorry, Lucifer. ‘We’ happened to see a MIG 28 do a 4g negative dive.” 

She cocked her left eyebrow, almost like she was trying to work out whether he was telling the truth or just messing with her. 

“Where did you see this?”

“Uh, that's classified.”

 “It's what?”

 “It's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.” 

He sent her his very best smirk and given her less than impressed expression, Klaus knew he was going to have to do a lot more work to win her over. 

But he was more than willing to try. 

10:45

“Ma’am? Excuse me!” He called out. She continued walking towards her car, choosing to ignore him not interested in a discussion right now, it was already extremely awkward enough. “Caroline!”

She finally turned, realising he was going to continue to make a scene until she acknowledged him. Of course she’d expected him but what transpired after she hadn’t. Caroline was trying to work out if it was all arrogant bluster or something entirely different. 

“Yes, Lieutenant?” She answered officially, trying to ignore just how good his khaki uniform brought out his Californian tan. He came closer, and even though he wore Aviators she could tell his eyes were trained on her with that same intensity she remembered from the previous night. 

“You tricked me.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You knew I was at Top Gun, you knew I was your student but yet you didn’t feel the need to tell me, why is that exactly?”

“I felt that it was inappropriate to disclose my identity at that time.”

“But yet it’s okay to just show up in class like that? What if I’d said something in front of everyone.”

“I knew you wouldn’t,” she murmured. “You want to be here just as much as I do because we love what we do and this, whatever this is, doesn’t factor into that.”

“This? You rejected me last time I checked,” he replied. “Twice.”

“Is that why you did that before in class? Was it some form of petty payback?”

“It wasn’t petty,” she gave him a look which clearly said she didn’t believe him. “Okay maybe a little bit petty but it did actually happen, Enzo has this great polaroid you’d love.”

“But apparently it’s classified though right?”

“How about we go out for a drink and I’ll tell you the redacted version?”

“I am not going out with you, I don’t know how many times I have to say it.”

“Why not?”

“I’m your teacher, you’re my student. This can’t happen because it is all kinds of wrong, Lieutenant .”

“I don’t like to take no for an answer and, just so you know, I don’t give up easily, love.”

“Is that so?” He sent her his best smile and finally removed his sunglasses, those blue eyes roaming over her body before eventually landing on her face. Caroline was trying to pretend he had no effect on her whatsoever but she could feel her resolve fading fast. 

“I’ll see you in class tomorrow, ma’am.” He walked away, the spicy scent of his aftershave hovering in his wake. 

Caroline had no idea what she’d gotten herself into but at the same time it excited her too. It had nothing to do with men in uniform, just one man in particular. 

[alitaimagines]

request: “angst with my boy Ryou!! i’ve been in a daiya mood the last few weeks and I actually forgot how much I loved ryou and harada. this has a lot of timeskips so bare with me here. ”

character: ryousuke kominato, harada masatoshi. 

fandom: ace of diamond / daiya no ace

song recommendation: i dont fuck with you - big sean. 

it was the end of your third year and you looked at Ryou with loving expression. it wasn’t a mystery to see you looking at him with love eyes. the two of you got together at the begging of both of your second year. you managed to fight your way through his heart and at first, he thought you were just going to be some high school girlfriend but once Ryou realize that he actually loved you, it all changed.

the two of you would sneak off at night to enjoy an impromptu date night. there was a few times where Kataoka seen you but he minded his business and turned the other way. he knew that outside distractions did benefit a player as it kept them from over working themselves.  

it wasn’t until the end of the year when everything took a turn for the worst. you had applied for a few universities in Japan but the one you were aiming to attend was Hokkaido University. You didn’t think you were actually going to get in but when you checked your mail and seen the acceptance letter, you let out a scream of happiness. 

“FUJIWARA GUESS WHAT!” you screamed as you slammed the door to your shared dorm wide open, “what are you screaming for?” she asked as she noticed your excitement. 

you slammed the letter on the desk as she smiled, “me too!” she screamed showing you the same letter she received. you gave her a smile before tackling her into a hug, “roomies?” you screamed as she laughed before agreeing. 

“I can’t believe we actually got in!” you exclaimed, “I wonder if Ryou got in. having my boyfriend and my best friend attending the same school would be a dream!” you flopped down on your bed, holding your letter to your chest. 

-

“what do you mean you’re not going to Hokkaido?” you asked as you looked at Ryou with tears pricking your eyes, “did you not get accepted? or are you just denying it?” 

Ryou showed you the plethora of acceptance letters he received and although he did receive an acceptance to Hokkaido, he was denying it to go to Osaka. 

“we’re not attending the same school.” you whispered, “Ryou, you do realize that, right?” he nodded as he grabbed all your acceptance letters and seen that Osaka was not one of your choices. 

he sighed, “did you even apply to Osaka?” you shook your head no, “you knew I wasn’t. I told you that my top choices were the Hokkaido, Kyoto, and the University of Southern California.” 

you jokingly took an entrance test for a school in America and once you got your results back in, you realized that you did get in. your parents pushed you to attend it but after looking at the tuition, all of you agreed it was too much. 

“what are we going to do?” you asked as he mentioned long distance. you knew you could do long distance but that was more work for a relationship that wasn’t promised, “no, I don’t think that would work.” 

Ryou gave you a look, he sensed what you were going to tell him. taking a break or worse, completely breaking up. 

“our only choice is breaking up.” 

you muttered the words he feared the most. he didn’t want to break up with you but you had dreams in Hokkaido and his baseball dreams relied in Osaka.  

“are you serious?” he asked. you gave him a dumbfounded look, “I told you since the beginning of our third year all my choices and all the schools I took entrance exams for. it’s your fault for not telling me you were attending Osaka.” 

Ryou scoffed, “my fault?” he asked rhetorically, “how is this all my fault?” you rubbed your temples, “I just told you why. I told you my choices and you didn’t tell me any of yours. how were we supposed to coordinate schools when you didn’t tell me?” 

Ryou knew you were right but his damn pride didn’t want him to lose the argument, “you could’ve asked, you know?” you let out a sarcastic laugh, “we’re not children, Kominato!” shit, you were pissed. Ryou knew that you when you called him by his last name, you were serious. 

“you knew this was going to come up and if you knew that you weren’t giving Hokkaido an option, I wouldn’t have applied. I’m not the one at fault here, you are.” 

you wanted to cry, you really did, but when it came down to it, you realized how ridiculous it was to feel upset about this. it wasn’t your fault and you weren’t going to cry about a relationship that Ryousuke, in a sense, threw away. 

“so this is it? we’re done?” 

“you’re attending Osaka and I’m going to Hokkaido so yeah we are.” 

-

moving out of Seidou and instantly going to Hokkaido was a relief in one hand but stress in another. both you and Fujiwara found a cheap apartment in the Hokkaido area and moved in only a few weeks after graduating. 

after the break up with Ryou, you returned all of his things except his baseball sweater. not really out of memories but because the sweater was extremely comfortable and that was the only Seidou merch you kept. 

Fujiwara wanted nothing more than you kick Ryou’s ass after finding out what happened but you realized that everything happened for a reason and there was no point in dwelling on a relationship that Ryou seemingly didn’t care about. 

once you settled into the apartment and managed to find jobs that fit around your class schedules, you both knew it was time to get out on the town and explore Hokkaido. 

“hey, there’s a baseball game tonight. want to do that?” you asked. Fujiwara thought about it, “sure, I don’t mind. as long as it doesn’t end too late. I work tomorrow morning.” 

you nodded as you purchased a two front row tickets for the seven o’clock game. outside of being with Ryou, you didn’t care too much about baseball. you did find the game interesting but you didn’t actively seek to watch it. both you and Fujiwara knew going to a game only gave you a reason to leave the house and actually do something. 

the both of you purchased a Hokkaido jersey as soon as you arrived to the stadium but you had completely forgotten was that Harada had gotten drafted to the team at the beginning of the summer. 

“hey, I’m going to buy us some drinks before the game, once you find our seats, text me so I can go ahead and find you.” 

Fujiwara nodded as you went up to one of the stands and bought the both of you coffee. being that it was already August, most days were extremely hot but today, there was a slight breeze in the air. 

after ordering the coffee, you hadn’t realized you weren’t watching where you were walking and ran into someone. 

“oh my god, I am so sorry!” you exclaimed. although it was your fault, you were the one who ended up on the ground, “oh Harada, I didn’t realize it was you!” you exclaimed. 

Harada chuckled before giving you his hand and helping you back on your feet, “what are you doing in Hokkaido?” he asked. you scratched your head nervously, “oh, I go to university here. both Fujiwara and I just wanted to come to a game just so we wouldn’t be trapped inside the house all day.”

 Harada hummed, “where are you sitting?” you showed him your ticket, “players get to have family members sit in the box seats. do you guys want to take the seats tonight?” Harada asked. 

you immediately denied, “no we couldn’t. we wouldn’t even know how to repay you.” Harada chuckled, “no need to repay me. it’s my pleasure hosting you.” your face immediately went warm as you ultimately agreed on taking his seats. 

once you texted Fujiwara and told her everything with Harada, she couldn’t help but smack you on the arm, “I haven’t seen you with a smile like that since you were still with Ryou.” you didn’t say anything back but you knew she was right. 

the seats that Harada had given you were amazing. you were able to see everything from the top and Harada even gave you a discreet wink all the way from the bottom before the game started. 

from the game that Seidou had against Inashiro, you never remembered Harada being so confident but you guessed personalities changed when it came to on and off the field. 

halfway through the game, someone came in with plates of food, “box members get dinner on the behalf of Hokkaido players.” was all the person said before setting the plates down on the counter and leaving. 

you grabbed the small note that was on the tray as Fujiwara grabbed her plate and ran back to the seat to continue watching the game. 

“I figured a way you could repay me. here’s my number, call me so I can properly take you out.” 

you hid the paper in your pocket, deciding not to show Fujiwara until the game was over. you put his number into your cell before grabbing your plate of food and sitting back down. 

“harada❤︎” 

-

once you finally fessed up to Fujiwara about Harada giving you his number, it was the same day Harada planned on taking you out. he picked a cute restaurant in a neighboring city and was on his way to pick you up. 

Fujiwara didn’t take no for an answer and put you in some of the cutest clothes she owned. it was a black skirt that reached your knees, a plain white blouse, and left you to do your own hair. 

“you look great! are you excited?” 

you gave her a nervous smile, “I’m fucking nervous! I’m going on a date with Hokkaido’s catcher! do you know how many girls would kill to be in my spot?” you exclaimed. Fujiwara laughed, “yeah but you’re the one in that position so fucking be excited about it!” 

you nodded as you heard a knock on your door, “I’ll answer it!” Fujiwara screamed as she ran to the door. you ran to the bathroom to make sure you looked okay before going back out. 

“ah, Harada! how are you! she’ll be out in a minute. she just had to use the bathroom.” 

Harada nodded as he sat down on your couch, “would you like some tea or anything?” Harada shook his head no as he gripped the flowers he brought you. 

you took one final breath before leaving the bathroom and walking outside to your living room. Harada’s mouth dropped as he felt himself blushing, “you look beautiful.” you smiled as he handed you the flowers, “they’re beautiful, Harada.” 

Fujiwara squealed, “if there’s any single players on your team, she has my number so you can give it to them.” Harada laughed as you set your flowers on your kitchen table. 

“leave, you don’t want to be late! have fun! make sure everything is consensual!” 

you felt embarrassment rush over your face at what Fujiwara said, “we will,” Harada responded before taking your hand and walking out of your apartment. 

-

after a few months of dating Harada, you felt like everything was back to normal in your life. you had an amazing boyfriend, your education was going great, and Fujiwara managed to get find someone who played for Hokkaido to take her out. 

Harada was everything Ryou wasn’t. Ryou tended to hide his affection in front of everyone while Harada didn’t mind showing you off to the team. you understood that Harada traveled a lot but some how, the two of you made it work.

the off season finally came and you were in your apartment with Fujiwara and her boyfriend. being that her boyfriend was few years older than the two of you, he managed to buy a few cases of beer and two bottles of wine. 

“where’s Masa? he should be here by now.” you asked Daiki. he shrugged, “I think he was rearranging his apartment. at least that’s what he told me.” Daiki brushed off your comment before continuing the coversation he was having with Fujiwara. 

they both knew what he was saying was true but there was more to the story than that. Harada was planning on asking you to move in with him and he was making space to make room for your things. Harada was a traditionalist and he felt it was right in his heart to ask you to move in with him before things got even more serious. 

it had been a few days after that day when you were with Harada in his apartment. you were laying on top of him, adorning one of his shirts as he rubbed your sides. 

“you know I love you, right?” 

you nodded as you gave Harada a peck, “of course. what makes you say that?” you asked. Harada twiddled his fingers as readjusted yourself. you wrapped your legs around his waist as he huffed, “well, we’ve dating for a while and you know with my line of work, I was wondering if you wanted to move in. it would make everything a lot easier.” 

you could tell how nervous Harada was, “of course. is that why Daiki told me you were rearranging your apartment a few days ago?” Harada nodded. you smiled before giving him a kiss, “we can start moving my things in tomorrow.” 

Harada nodded as he seen a smirk play on your face, “we should celebrate tonight. lets call Fujiwara and Daiki and go to a club!” you asked, “but before that, we should celebrate another way first.” 

Harada knew what you meant by that as you took your shirt off and pushed him back on the couch. 

-

it had been a few months since that night. Ryousuke didn’t really pay attention to the news surrounding players as a lot of the news was mostly rumors. or he hoped they were rumors. 

Tetsu had messaged Ryou with a video that Fujiwara had sent him. it was of all four of you singing to “I Dont Fuck With You” by Big Sean. Ryou seen how Harada was holding you as you sang to the camera. he could tell you were a bit drunk as your words were slurred a bit. 

“I guess it’s time for you to move on.” was all Tetsu said in the message. there was a part of him that hoped he could rekindle what the two of you had. he didn’t believe the video and just hoped that the next time he seen you, you were as single as the day you left Seidou. 

-

“Masa, Seidou is holding a gathering and they want alumni to attend. you should come with me!” you exclaimed. he gave you a look, “I don’t think it’s safe for a retired Inashiro player to attend that.” 

you pouted as you wrapped your arms around his neck, “please? I want to show my fiance off!” Harada couldn’t deny your puppy eyes, “fine!” you smiled before giving him a kiss, “it’s this Friday so we could make it a trip to see our families!” 

-

you arrived to Seidou and looked at the campus. it was exactly the same way you left it. you squeezed Harada’s arm as you ushered him inside the gym. you gave the person at the front door the invitation and seen all of your old schoolmates. 

“Jun! Masuko! Tanba!” you exclaimed as you ran to them. they turned around in surprise as they seen you running towards them, “it’s felt like forever!” you whispered as you gave them a hug. 

they returned it before pointing behind you, “uh, is he with you?” Tanba asked. you nodded, “Masatoshi? of course, why wouldn’t my fiance be here?” they all gave you a bewildered look. 

“you’re engaged?” Jun screamed. you nodded happily as you them your ring. they gawked at how huge it was, “my god. congrats!” they all said awkwardly before congratulating Harada. 

they all held your hand to see the ring up close, “it’s fucking huge!” Jun muttered as you laughed, “I know. he’s the best, isn’t he?” you joked as you held Harada’s hand. 

“I know I’m the best.” 

you felt yourself stiffen Ryou’s voice. you turned and seen Tetsu, Ryou, and Chris standing behind you. Ryou with a smirk playing on his face as Tetsu and Chris gave you smiles. 

“hey guys! how are you!” you tried to say as unawkward as possible, “great, how are you?” Tetsu said, “I see the rumors about you and Harada being together are true,” Chris muttered. 

you nodded as you seen your favorite running towards you, “Haruno! Yui!” you screamed pushing everyone out of the way. they tackled you into a hug as you tried to remain standing. 

“you made it!” Yui screamed as she let you go, “of course. I really came here only to see the two of you!” you said as you hugged them again. they smiled as they let you go and noticed the rock on your hand. 

“you’re actually engaged! that’s awesome!” Haruno exclaimed as she held your hand up to see the ring, “holy shit, it’s huge! is that him?” Yui asked as she pointed at Harada. you nodded as they brought you over to the rest of the group, “did you guys see? she’s engaged!” Yui exclaimed as she showed all the boys your hand. 

you felt a blush rise as you tried to take your hand back, “we see that! that’s awesome!” Tetsu muttered as he looked at Ryou. everyone knew that you were engaged but they were all hoping that it didn’t get brought up. 

“well, Fujiwara and her boyfriend Daiki should be here soon. we’re going to find a table for us to sit at. we’re here all weekend so we should all meet up if we can and have dinner tomorrow.” 

they nodded as you waved them goodbye and grabbed Harada by the hand, “well, how awkward was that?” you exclaimed before the two of you let out a belting laugh. 

Ryou felt his eye twitch as he watched the two of you laugh. Ryou got the confirmation he needed. you were in fact engaged and he knew he couldn’t compare to Harada. no matter how hard he tried. 

“sorry bro, maybe it’s better this way.” 

Ryou gave Tetsu a look before turning around to look at you. he seen you give Harada kiss before going back to talk to Yui and Haruno. maybe Tetsu was right. maybe it was better this way. 

ALITA

[angst-fairygodmother]

@ficsandcatsandficsandcats since this is a part 2 of your request I’m tagging you in it. I give up on trying to reblog it onto its original post; this blue hellsite wins. A/N: “*Cries in Douche Prince*” you say? Well, part two is more prince than douche I think, but we all know Valdo is a soft, goopy marshmallow deep, deeeeeeep down. Word Count: 1770

“We could egg the place?” Valdo suggested as he buttered a slice of toast.

“That would make it my problem too,” you rolled your eyes, pouring yourself a cup of tea.

“We could egg her car?” He reached around you to grab the milk, shoulder bumping yours jokingly.

“She doesn’t have a car. She takes the bus or carpools everywhere. Or gets me to drive.”

“I’ll hide in the bushes and egg her on her way to her next date with this guy.” He gestured at you with a jam-covered spoon as he spoke, grinning like it was the best idea he’d ever had.

“Why do you want to egg someone or something so badly?” you laughed.

“I don’t know. You see it in the movies and it just seems like the thing to do. I’ve always wanted to egg something in revenge. She doesn’t deserve something with effort to get back at her.”

You found yourself glancing up at the ceiling as if asking the universe what you had done to get saddled with such an idiot for a best friend, or worse to be cursed into falling in love with him.

“Fine, no eggs. What’s your idea then?”

“Suffer through the next seven months,” you said scrunching your face in annoyance. “Hope she breaks up with the guy or is willing to be the one to break lease to get away from me.”

“There’s no arguing you out of that is there?” He sighed, sagging against the counter as you shook your head stubbornly. “You deserve better you know.”

“She’s my friend. Things are just weird lately, it’s not…it doesn’t really…she doesn’t mean it.” You cringed at how much your tone sounded like you were trying to convince him, or yourself and even more at the knowing quirk of his eyebrow.

“Let me drive you to work?” he offered, pointedly changing the subject.

You smiled at him. “That’d be great.”

~

You stepped off the bus, feeling better about everything now that you had some distance and walked down the block toward your building. A pile of boxes on the porch made your heart lurch. Deciding to ignore them until you’d had a chance to talk with Karla (and not wanting to pry in case they weren’t your things), you tensed your shoulders and walked past.

When you reached the third floor, you frowned at your door. Something seemed off but you couldn’t quite pinpoint it, until you tried your key and found that it would not fit in the doorknob.

Your fist pounded on the cheerful blue polymer, fuming while you waited. When Karla opened the door, she took one look at your face and stepped out into the hall, arms crossed over her chest defensively.

“What the hell?” you snapped.

“I had the super change the locks,” she said with a shrug.

“Yeah, I got that. Why?”

“This living arrangement isn’t working. And you have like, a higher paying job or whatever so you can find a new place easier than I can. I told you last night that I was going to do it. I figured since you didn’t come back you didn’t care.”

“You can’t just kick me out of our shared apartment and have the locks changed while I’m at work!”

“Well I did. I’ll talk to the leasing company, totally take the blame, if you just…go.”

“You’re being completely unreasonable,” you sighed, all of the anger leaving you in a rush. “Look if you really don’t want to live together we can work something out but can you please let me back in until then?”

“Nope. The boxes downstairs are your clothing and stuff that you probably need sooner than later, and I mean if you want to come by with movers or whatever to get the rest of your stuff that’s cool, just let me know when.”

“Karla, come on.”

She shrugged again. “Sorry, Y/N.”

~

You thought the day could not leave you more shocked, until Valdo came walking around the corner.

“So that’s taking a bus huh?” he asked, shoving his sunglasses back up so they vanished into his messy curls. “Novel.”

“Who are you and what have done with Valdo Marx?” you teased as you carried over the first of your boxes to place in the trunk of your sedan.

“Don’t worry, I hated it and will not be doing that ever again,” he joked back, grabbing a second.

His smile dropped as he saw your lip wobble in barely-contained emotion. Quickly he wrapped you in a hug.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

You scoffed. “I just got kicked out of my apartment and will probably be sleeping in my car until I can find a new one. It doesn’t exactly feel like that right now.”

“Don’t be silly, Y/N. Just move in with me.” He waved it off like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What?”

“It’s not perfect, I know, but it’s a sight better than being technically homeless.”

“You’re serious?” you stared at him incredulously.

He shrugged. “Yeah, why not. We’ll have to work out a schedule for who gets the bed and who gets the couch, but there are worse arrangements. It’ll be one big sleepover.” He grinned at you as he hefted another box.

“We’re not working out a couch sleeping schedule,” you said, stuffing the last box in and slamming your trunk shut.

“Fine, fine. I shall be a gentleman and let you have the bed.”

“I’m not kicking you out of bed either.” He smirked and waggled his eyebrows at you suggestively and you blushed at your accidental innuendo.

“Guest sleep on couches,” you explained. “This situation is why the term couch-surfing was invented.”

“We’ll fight it out later,” he said, slinging an arm around your shoulder. “It can be our first big roomie argument, which you definitely won’t win. For now, let’s get food.”

“Pizza?” you offered.

“Sounds good. You’re buying.”

You stuck your tongue out and shoved him teasingly. “Jerk.”

~

You felt yourself drifting off as you leaned against Valdo and he belted out all six parts of “Cell Block Tango” (or tried to anyway). You jerked back awake, again, and then heard the sound of a remote clacking onto the coffee table and silence fell over the room.

“Oh, I’m sorry Y/N, am I boring you?” he pouted.

You tried to assure him that of course not but the words blended into a huge yawn.

“I’m sorry Valdo, I know we said marathon and this is only the second movie but…”

“It’s been a long day? You’re a lightweight after two glasses of wine?” he rested his cheek on his fist on his folded knee. “You find me terribly dull?”

You stuck your tongue out at him impishly, mind sleep-fogged enough that you couldn’t formulate an appropriately cutting response, and fought back another yawn.

He chuckled and shook his head ruefully. “Alright, to bed with you. We’ll resume right here in the morning.”

“If I’m going to sleep, you need to leave. Your bony ass is currently occupying half my bed.”

“Excuse me! I am sitting right where I’ll be sleeping and you are going up the hall to the proper one. And I am not bony! It’s called lithe.”

You scowled at him. And then your exhausted mind came up with an idea and you blurted it out before you could think it through.

“You have basically the biggest mattress in existence. There is no reason we can’t sleep together.”

“Watch those words angel,” he said, voice low but with surprising softness. “A less chivalrous man might take them the wrong way.”

“Or the right one,” you muttered, flushing and immediately grateful that he had (at least seemingly) not heard as he busied himself cleaning up from your movie night.

~

After a few minutes of awkward shuffling and blanket sharing negotiation, the pair of you finally settled into the bed together. You found yourself staring at his peacefully resting face in the darkness and had the overwhelming urge to reach out, to bury your fingers in his curls and kiss him and be held by him.

“Valdo?” you whispered, not wanting to wake him but equally unable to contain the feeling.

“Yes, Y/N?” he cracked an eye open with a raised eyebrow to look at you.

You took a deep breath. “Will…will you kiss me?”

You could have cut the silence that fell between you, suffocating and foreboding. Just when you were beginning to think you couldn’t take it anymore, he sighed.

“Y/N, you have no idea how much I want to say yes right now. But,” he reached out to stop you gently when you shifted closer, “it’s been a long day, and you’ve been through a lot and are emotionally vulnerable and I won’t…I can’t,” his voice broke on the word, “when I’m not absolutely sure, for both our sakes, that it’s not just a balm to soothe that ache.”

You felt tears welling up in your eyes as you stared at him, choking up at the gentle passion in his tone as he continued.

“And more than that, I have been drinking and you have had a few glasses and I can hardly think straight with you so close to me and you have always said that we shouldn’t do anything important impaired.”

“It figures,” you interrupted, sighing in mostly mock frustration. “You finally start listening to me at the most inopportune moment.”

“If you ask me that again tomorrow…” he did not want to admit how easily he would surrender to your every request.

“Will you at least hold me then? Please?”

He smiled and pulled you in, tangling around you as if you were built to fit together. The embrace was full of promise for long discussions and change and tenderness. You smiled softly as you buried your face in the hollow of his throat, falling asleep surrounded by his familiar smell and the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.

If in the morning, you woke up alone and walked out to find him folded awkwardly under a single thin blanket on the couch, in front of an email to an old friend in Transit Authority which contained a promise of an elaborate steak dinner in return for revocation and banning of your ex-roommate’s bus pass, it was a sight so oddly enduring that you would treasure forever. And if he secretly noticed you press ‘send’ before moving to the kitchen to prepare a pancake wake-up call and it warmed his heart, he would certainly never tell.

[justthehiddleswrites]

The Reluctants | Chapter 9 | The Reluctant Hostage

Pairing: Adam (OLLA) x OFC (Charlie Bock)

Summary:  Charlie can’t believe her luck when she lands an apartment all to herself in Quincy, Massachusetts in a decaying triple decker. But life gets more complicated when someone moves into the basement. Specifically her landlord, Adam, who also happens to be a vampire. As life collapses around Charlie, these two forge an uneasy and unlikely relationship. But is their relationship as doomed as the building they live in?

Chapter:   Charlie and Adam take the new couch for a spin. And their bliss is disturbed.

Warnings: Violence, Smut, Frottage, Dry Humping, Teasing, Coming In Pants, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex. Couch Sex. Kidnapping. Stalking. Non-Graphic Violence, Character Death

-

That next evening, Charlie and Adam took the new sofa for a test spin.

“It is more roomy for sure.” Charlie sprawled out along the couch. She took to, at Adam’s request, wearing little more than a t-shirt or Adam’s spare dressing gown. Her wardrobe thanked her, although she was getting good at replacing buttons.

Adam smirked as he caged her against the cushion.

“I much prefer this.” Adam kissed her lips. Charlie’s arms wrapped around Adam’s neck. “And I very much prefer your attire.”

His hands slipped under her baggy shirt to cup her bare breasts. Charlie chuckled.

“My seamstress skills are limited.” She nibbled at the base of his ear. “I am running out of pants.”

“So my plan is working.” He used his thighs to push Charlie’s legs open.

“Oh, you have a plan? I assumed this was just your animalistic lust or some weird vampiric libido?” Her nails ran up and down Adam’s back before tugging open the dressing gown.

“Who says it’s not both?” He pressed his weight against her as his lips and tongue explored her body. Charlie arched her back as Adam pushed her shirt up and suckled upon her breasts.

“Ahh…” Charlie sighed when Adam swiped his fingers along her folds.

“I would expect you enjoy the attention, my darling.” Adam purred as he teased the tip of his cock along her.

“I don’t know what you are—” Charlie’s retort cut off by Adam pushing into her.

“You always grip me so tight.” Adam rolled his hips against her.

Charlie pulled Adam down to crush her lips against his lips, hungry to taste him. He pushed her knee towards her chest, allowing him to thrust deeper. Charlie whined and whimpered as Adam continued to thrust, eliciting those sounds.

“I’m close, darling. Can you come for me?” Adam asked, his blue eyes lust-blown. His pubic bone grazed along her clit and Charlie came undone, digging her nails into Adam’s biceps as she screamed. Adam soon followed, spilling to her.

Adam fell to the side and snuggled Charlie into the crook of his body. He pushed her hair back, exposing the skin. His lips ghosted over the skin.

“Are you hungry?” Charlie hummed.

“Maybe later.”

-

Charlie groaned as the ringing of a cell phone disturbed her slumber. She forgot to switch the ringer off. Her hand clawed at the nightstand, knocking over a stack of books Adam left there the other day.

“Shit!” she hissed, fumbling to answer before it went to voicemail. “Hello?” she groaned, not bothering to check the caller ID.

“Charlie? It’s 10:30 in the morning. Are you asleep?”

“Elise?” Charlie sat up and she moved to the living room so as not to disturb Adam. “Why are you calling?”

“I asked first. Why in the hell are you still asleep? You never sleep in.”

“I’m at my boyfriend’s. He works nights.” She lied, sort of.

“You have a boyfriend!? Since when?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Fine. Keep your secret. I hope you are having amazing sex.”

Charlie blushed. “So back to my question, why are you calling?”

“Right. Have you seen Jason lately?”

“Not since I got fired.” Charlie left out the part about Adam breaking his arm and the whole almost sexual assault. “Why?” Her stomach flipped.

“He hasn’t been into work for days. The cops stopped by asking about his whereabouts. And Nicole, his skanky girlfriend, hasn’t been seen.”

Charlie gulped. “I will keep an eye out for him.”

“Be safe, Charlie. And we need to have lunch to catch up. Especially about this new man in your life. Must be someone special to get past your walls.”

“Thanks Elise. I will call you later in the week.”

Charlie hung up the phone and stared at the wall for a while. Elise’s call made Charlie uneasy. Should she be worried? Jason was harmless, right? She pushed the troubling thoughts aside and headed back to Adam’s bedroom.

In her absence, Adam spread out in the middle of the massive four poster bed, Charlie still wondered how he got it into the basement. She lifted his arm and snuggled into the crook of his body.

“Who was that on the phone?” Adam groaned, pulling her into him.

“Elise from Legal Aid.”

“What did she want?” Adam’s thumb skimmed along Charlie’s breast, earning a small gasp.

“Just catching up.” She didn’t want to worry Adam. He broke Jason’s arm during the last encounter, and that was before they started sleeping together.

Adam nuzzled into Charlie’s curls. “Have I mentioned your hair is impossible and I love it?”

Charlie smiled. “No. Most people comment that it looks unbrushed and wild.”

“Exactly why I love it. Free and unhindered.” He turned her body to face him, taking her into a deep kiss and embrace.

-

“I’m just going to put this new shipment in the back, Mr. Simmons.” Charlie hefted a gigantic box.

“Sounds good, Charlie. Put them next to those guitars that came in and you can take off for the day.”

Charlie nodded and disappeared in the back as the front door bell rang as a man entered the shop.

“B-Side. How can I help you?” Mr. Simmons asked the man who leaned against the glass display case.

“Does a Charlie Bock work here?”

Simmons narrowed his eyes. His eyes darted from the man to the door to the back room. “Who’s asking?”

“I’m her cousin. I wanted to surprise her tomorrow. The family made a special trip just to see her. It’s her birthday.”

Simmons’s eyes sparkled. “Oh well isn’t that lovely? She is off for the rest of today. She is back here on Wednesday.”

“Thank you very much, sir.” The man gave a small salute, revealing a dingy cast.

“How did you break your arm?”

“Fell down a flight of stairs.”

Simmons nodded, and the man headed out of the store. “Hey, I didn’t catch your name, young man.”

“Jason.”

-

Charlie slinked out on Wednesday morning without waking Adam. She left a note, explaining she would be back after work.

As she walked to the bus stop, Charlie smiled like a fool, even giggling to herself. It had been a long time since she was… content, happy, dare she even say loved and wanted. She pondered at the absurdity of finding her peace with a vampire of all people. She was a morning person. By the time Charlie made it to work, she was damn near skipping.

-

“Charlie?” Simmons popped his head around his office door.

“Yes Mr. Simmons?”

“Can you come here and help with these?” He heaved several large leather cases onto the glass display.

Charlie set down the cassettes she was alphabetizing and headed to the front. She grabbed one end of the heavy case and pulled it towards her. She repeated the motion until all three cases laid across the entire counter.

“I see the estate sale was fruitful.”

“Dilettantes and idiots all of them, my dear.” Simmons muttered. “But I knew. I saved them all.” His knobby spindle fingers moving along the edges of the tattered cases. With shaking hands, he undid the latches and lifted the lid.

“An excellent Stratocaster.” Charlie commented. Her fingers skimmed the neck.

“You are a smart one, Charlie.” Simmons smiled. “Or perhaps you are spending more time with that landlord of yours than you care to let on?”

Charlie gasped and blushed, quickly turning her attention to the next case. Simmons didn’t say a word and instead continued on.

“I don’t recognize this one.” Charlie commented., she eyed the green guitar.

“Hamer Special Greenburst.” Simmons responded, his smile growing wider at Charlie’s care at examining the instrument. “From the 80s. They came in red, blue, and yellow too.”

“Wow. What’s the last one?”

“I have said the best for last.” He fumbled with the latch. “A 1905 Gibson.”

Charlie hissed through her teeth, taking in the rich tone of the wood. It was a thing of beauty. She remembered Adam going on about a 1905 Gibson destroyed years ago.

“Could I bring the guitar home to show Adam?” Charlie twiddled her fingers. “He is always going on about a 1905 Gibson.”

Simmons narrowed his eyes at Charlie. She put on her best “you can trust me, I’m a lawyer” smile. “I might convince him to buy it.” She added.

Simmons closed up the case and spun it in Charlie’s direction. “Be careful. And tell your boyfriend if he breaks it, he bought it.”

“He’s not my—” Charlie stopped herself. “How did you figure it out?”

“I’ve seen that man more than a dozen times and until the other day when he came to pick up, I have not once seen him smile.” Simmons smirked at Charlie. “I can’t blame him. If I was twenty years younger.”

Charlie blushed. “You would still be too young for me.”

“You know how to make a man feel special.” Simmons grumbled. His eyes sparkled.

“If I make you feel that special, can I leave early to take the Gibson home?”

“Well, just this once, I think I could let you go…” Simmons capitulated.

Charlie leaned across the counter and squeezed his shoulders. “Thank you!! I will come in early tomorrow to finish up the cassettes.”

“I know you will. Now shoo before I change my mind.” He winked at Charlie.

She grabbed her coat and purse from underneath the counter and hustled out into the cold New England dusk. The guitar swung heavy at her side.

Heavy footsteps fell behind her. The rough texture of a cast scratched at her face as the street faded to black.

Sometime later, Charlie woke in a strange room, her mouth dry and her head pounding. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. Two voices argued in the next room.

“This wasn’t part of the plan!” A shrill female voice rang out.