#i did eventually call b and b's receptionist(?) said b is working on the final closing disclosure

[frogeyedape]

Holy fucking shit sending a wire to close on a property is intense

[meltwonu]

| caffeine |     [chapter 6]

pairing; fratboy!wonwoo x female!reader

this chapter’s notes; hair pulling, squirting, forced orgasm, overstimulation, degradation/dumbification, name calling, cockwarming????, face fucking, cum eating, sir kink, minor daddy kink, BUT SOME MINOR AFTERCARE BAYBEEEEEE🤣💕😭 kdjfhks this is more smut than it is plot which is rly the concept of this series but i really did get lost in the sauce on this one, so enjoy!💕💕

chapters; 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - x - x - x - x

“H--Hello?”

“Are you fucking Wonwoo?” Your sleepy eyes try to adjust to the morning sunlight seeping through your bedroom curtains as Mingyu’s eerily calm voice filters through the receiver. “Hello? Can you hear me? I asked you a question??” You can almost register the eye roll that’s surely on his face right about now.

“Wh--what? Wait, I--”

“I’m just asking if you’re fucking Wonwoo, it’s really a yes or no question.” How the fuck did he even know?

“I--I, how--but--” There’s a scoff on the other end as you sit up, checking the clock as it reads 8:51AM. Why was Mingyu even awake?

“I literally live with the guy and for the record, Seokmin’s a fuckin’ chatterbox. You don’t think his big ass mouth wasn’t spillin’ the beans last night? He practically threw himself at me last night after you left to tell me about your little rendezvous in the hallway restroom. Which I had to disinfect, by the way.” Fuckin’ Seokmin. It’s quiet on the other end as you sit and try to wake yourself up a little more before you reply.

“Well?”

“Mingyu, give me a fuckin’ second.” He laughs, a groan heard through the phone before you hear his bedsheets rustling. “Also for the record, I’m not mad or anything. We’re friends and I just want to know what’s going on with you. Wonwoo’s an interesting choice for someone like you though.” Someone like you?

“What does that even mean, Mingyu?”

“Oh, y’know, Wonwoo’s one of the quieter ones around here. He acts like a dad sometimes and keeps everyone in order. I dunno, that never seemed like your type to me. Unless that is your type? But hey, I’m not mad at it. Are you two dating or somethin’?” Haha.

“No.”

Something about your conversation with Mingyu makes you feel a little weird and you can’t shake the feelings even when you step past the doorframe of the campus library. Wonwoo catches your eye at the receptionist table, silently willing you to walk over to him when his eyes meet yours.

“Hi, Wonwoo.” You take in his features, watching as his jaw clenches slightly. He peers around the room, making sure everyone is out of earshot before he whispers over the table.

“Meet me in the empty study room at the end of the long hall. The very last room. 10 minutes.” There’s a blush on your cheeks as you turn away from him, weaving through the various bookshelves as if you were browsing. Something about his demeanor seemed off but you didn’t know what. Maybe he was upset that Seokmin had basically told everyone his business? Regardless, you knew the study room that was at the end of the hall was completely abandoned. The few times he had cornered you were in other study rooms that hadn’t been that far into the library, so you were curious and a little nervous as to why he’d ask you to meet him there in particular.

But you listen, watching other various students pass by as you slowly make your way through the aisles until you’re near the designated room where Wonwoo had asked you to go to; stopping periodically to sift through the books on the shelves, uninterestedly grabbing a few to make it look like you had an actual purpose to be there other than seeing the fox eyed male. Eventually, it draws closer to the 10 minute mark so you look in both directions before you put your hand on the doorknob and twist.

The light flickers on once you enter the said room, setting your things down onto the table that’s seemingly been cleaned prior to you showing up. Wonwoo is still nowhere in sight so you take a seat, getting comfortable as you pop open one of the books you picked off the shelf.

A couple minutes pass in silence before the doorknob rattles behind you; quietly closing the book as you turn in your chair to face the bespectacled male standing in the doorway.

“On your knees.”

Wonwoo is mad, that’s for sure. Or upset? All you knew at this point was that he was surely over his break time by now.

He didn’t really explain anything.

But the way his hands pull on your hair hard enough to make you cry has you theorizing what could’ve happened.

Thankfully he’s kind enough to let you touch yourself; your lower half completely bare as your fingers drag across your wet folds, slowly inserting in a finger. You relax your throat at the same time, letting Wonwoo let out whatever frustrations he’s got by fucking your throat open.

“Fuuuuuck, your mouth feels incredible around me.” There’s a growl at the end of Wonwoo’s words and you can’t deny the way it sends a thrum of arousal through your body as you whimper around him. You try to look up at him through bleary eyes, cheeks already stained with drying tears. “Mmmph?” He chuckles lowly, thrusting his cock into your mouth until your lips meet the base of it. You swallow around him by reflex, fresh hot tears springing to your eyes when he holds you there.

“My dumb little slut wants me to fuck her ‘lil wet pussy, hmm? I can see how wet you are from here, princess.” He pulls you off of his cock; the air flooding your lungs as you sputter. “Get up from the floor, you cumslut. I want you bent over the table.”

You get up on shaky legs, sniffling and wiping at your tears with the back of your hand as you position yourself over the table.

“Let me see how wet you are, princess.” You reach behind you, spreading your folds open to let Wonwoo see how wet your pussy was. “Think your slutty pussy is wet enough for my cock?”

“Yuh--Yes, s-sir…” Wonwoo takes your word, positioning himself at your entrance before he bottoms out in one thrust, a loud moan cutting through the air as you clench around him.

“Ah, W-Won--Wonwoo…”

Your nails dig into the table underneath you as he starts an unrelenting pace, your eyes rolling back when he slams into your g-spot. “Fuh---fuck, s-sir!! Please, right t-there!!” He brings a hand down onto your ass, slapping the skin until it blooms into a pretty red.

“Does my cock feel good inside your tight pussy? Hmm? You dumb little slut, all you know how to do is take my cock.” You can hear his cruel laugh; drool dripping onto the table as your head starts to feel fuzzy.

“C-can I cu--cum, please?”

“No. And if you do, you’ll be sorry.” You whimper, trying to stave off the pleasure building up inside. And when Wonwoo feels you getting tighter around him, he pulls out, letting you catch your breath as he effectively edges you. You can feel a trickle of sweat down the side of your face, thankful that you’d at least stripped off some of your clothes. But you turn your head to the side, noticing Wonwoo’s still mostly dressed except for the stupid sweater vest he decided was too precious to get dirty.

You watch as he strokes his cock, his mouth open slightly as he lets out quiet moans.

“Mm, Won---s-sir, please put your cock i-inside of me…”

“Did you finally calm down?”

“Yes, sir…” The pleasure inside of you is still building when Wonwoo re-enters you, starting his quick pace again. The room fills with the sounds of your moans and skin slapping, the air feeling thick around you. He edges you 3 more times; pulling out when he feels you about to cum.

And after a few minutes, you can’t help but sob, knowing full well there wasn’t a chance you could stop your orgasm this time; legs shaking as you bite your lip hard enough to draw blood.

There’s a moment where you feel your body go slack, static going through your mind as you cum. You can barely register Wonwoo growling behind you, his thrusts becoming inconsistent as he fucks you through your orgasm. You feel your body twitching, feeling his cum filling up your pussy as you clench around him, milking his cock.

“Fuck, did you just squirt?”

“H-huh?”

“Filthy ‘lil thing, you got my work pants all dirty. How do you think I’m going to explain this one?”

Wonwoo slips his cock from inside of you, his cum trickling down your thighs as you whimper against the table underneath you. “I’m, mmh, s-sorry I--I didn’t r-realize I--”

“Sorry? I don’t think ‘sorry’ is going to cut it, princess. I’m going to have to punish you. But you’ll be good and take it, won’t you?”

“Y-yes, sir…”

Wonwoo slaps your ass once, watching as a drop of cum hits the floor. “Get up on the table and spread your legs.”

“B--But I’m--”

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

You find it in your best interest to listen to Wonwoo, urging your tired legs to work as you turn around so you can sit on the table somehow. And your eyes catch the wet droplets all over his work chinos; thankfully not super visible due to them being black.

Once you manage to get your tired body onto the table, you spread your legs wide, holding them open with whatever strength you have left.

Wonwoo drops to his knees in front of you, licking the stripes of cum off of your thighs as a blush grows on your face. Something about him licking his own cum off of you was undeniably… hot. And he continues this, kissing and licking at your skin until it’s clean, his tongue lapping at your folds.

“Push my cum out.”

You whimper, body already exceedingly sensitive as he laps at your pussy, catching the cum that spills out of you on his tongue. And when he’s had enough, he stands, tangling a hand into your hair as he tilts your head up to meet his in a sloppy kiss.

His tongue licks at the seam of your lips, your mouth opening in a moan at the feeling. Wonwoo pushes his cum into your mouth, smirking against your lips after he’s pushed all the sticky substance inside as he silently waits for you to swallow it; only pulling away when he knows you have.

“You’re such a good little slut for me. But we’re not done here yet.” He lets go of your hair, adjusting his glasses a second later before he wraps a hand around his cock. You were surprised he was still hard even after cumming once, but you also couldn’t deny how much you still wanted him to fuck you more.

The two of you were clearly having a bit of an off morning, so you were honestly thankful Wonwoo was in a bit of a mood.

“Ready for my cock again, princess?”

“Y--yes, sir…”

“Spit on my cock then, cumslut.” The angle is a bit awkward but you manage; a glob of spit and remnants of his cum landing on his shaft before he smears it all over his cock. And he doesn’t wait another second, thrusting into you in one swift motion as he bottoms out.

“I want you to be a good little slut and cum on my cock just like this.” Shit. You mewl, wiggling your hips slightly. “But--But…”

“What’s wrong? My dumb ‘lil princess can’t cum unless I’m fucking your cunt? Just having my cock inside you isn’t enough?” You clench your jaw, clenching around his cock. A few minutes pass like that, small whimpers leaving you the entire time Wonwoo watches you.

10 minutes pass, feeling like it’s been 30, when you can’t take it anymore. The head of Wonwoo’s cock is snug against your g-spot and if he just moved a little bit, you were sure you could cum. But he gives you a harsh glare, daring you to disobey him.

“S--sir, can y-you please touch my--my clit?”

“If you wanna cum, you can do it yourself.”

You nod shakily, keeping one hand on your leg and trailing the other towards your swollen nub, drawing circles around it as you cry out. “I---I---Mmh!”

Your thighs tremble as you cum, Wonwoo’s hand batting yours away as he rubs your clit harshly, milking your orgasm as your walls flutter around him.

“See? I knew you could cum just from my cock inside of you, princess.” The cocky lilt in Wonwoo’s voice has you mewling, small cries of his name leaving your mouth as the oversensitivity really sets in. He lets you catch your breath for a second before he pulls all the way out, only keeping the head of his cock inside before he thrusts all the way in, slamming into your cervix.

“Such a greedy little slut. Squirting all over me and cumming three times? I fuckin’ spoil you and your fuckin’ pussy don’t I, princess?”

“Mmh…yuh---yes, daddy...” A smirk graces Wonwoo’s lips, his hands gripping your thighs as he pulls you towards him. “Daddy, huh?” He scoffs, digging his nails into your skin as he grinds into you.

“D--daddy, I, ngh, I--ca--can’t…”

“You will. Your ‘lil pussy is still so tight around me, princess.” You feel breathless and like your brain has turned to mush. But he wasn’t wrong. Despite how tired you already were, you could already feel another orgasm building up inside of you.

“Da--daddy!”

“C’mon, princess. Cum on my cock. Isn’t that what you know best? Getting daddy’s cock wet?” You nod feverishly, letting your back meet the table as the tiredness takes over. Wonwoo keeps your legs spread open, watching his cock disappearing into your pussy.

“Dumb little cockslut. Letting me fill your slutty ‘lil pussy with my cum. So good for me, princess.”

Hot tears spring to your eyes as you feel your third orgasm come to a head; the tension in your body snapping as your back arches off of the table. Wonwoo fucks you through your orgasm again, unloading his cum inside of you for the second time with a groan.

You momentarily black out, garbled noises leaving your lips and body going weak as Wonwoo slips his cock from your body.

When you come to after a few minutes, Wonwoo’s got you laying down on the floor cleaned and dressed; his book bag underneath your head as a pillow.

“Fuck, I thought I fucked you into a coma.”

“Ugh…”

“Are you okay? Drink some of this water, sweetheart.” He helps you sit up, bringing a water bottle to your mouth. You hadn’t realized how raw and sore your throat was, the cool liquid soothing you almost immediately. “Maybe we should’ve had a safe word.”

You clear half the water bottle, a satisfied sigh on your lips afterwards. “S’okay… I wanted you to be rough with me… But I do have a question?” Wonwoo nods, tucking a stray hair behind your ear. “Shoot.”

“What got you so… upset? I, um, I mean Mingyu called me this morning to ask about u-us and it kind of put me in a weird mood so…”

“Oh, no, princess I’m not mad about that. They were going to find out eventually, it was only a matter of time.”

“Oh.” He chuckles, sitting on the floor next to you. “Actually, I signed up to go on an excavation trip with one of my archeology professors and I was rejected. He told me before I applied that I was overqualified so I was a sure fire choice to be included and I wasn’t. He didn’t really have an explanation for me either.”

“Wonwoo, I’m sorry…” You place a hand on his forearm, squeezing it in comfort.

“It’s whatever, I’m the one that should be sorry, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you like that. Guess I was angrier about it than I thought.”

“It’s okay… I think we’ve both had a weird day.. Oh my god! Wait, shouldn’t you be working!?” The panic is clear in your voice as you attempt to stand up, shaky legs folding underneath you as your butt hits the carpeted floor.

“I told Joshua I was leaving early, nobody even knows we’re back here.” He adjusts his glasses, running a hand through his silver locks. You settle back down, playing with the hem of your shirt as the two of you settle into silence.

“Um, I’m--I’m glad your pants are dry?” He scoffs jokingly, eyes glancing downward at the now drying material.

“Yeah, you’re lucky I decided to wear my black chinos to work today or else you would’ve really been in some shit.”

[sleepybutwriting]

Are you okay? | Fatherly!Yamada

_____

Pairing: Fatherly!Yamada x Reader

Summary: Hizashi sees that you, his favorite student, was attacked on the news and immediately goes to check up on you.

Request: “P1. Hizashi's favorite student lives alone and she fights a dangerous villian on her way to go home. She eventually gets out because the police shows up. Hizashi finds out through the news, (please capture his reaction) she goes into her apartment to find him sitting there, looking stern and worried. He's basically like a protective dad to her (just so it doesn't seem weird and inappropriateish) she's all battered and bruised and she tries to aviod the subject by nervously making jokes. P2. He confronts her about and she nervously tries to leave the apartment saying she had a thing going on because she didn't want him to worry about here and he basically cages her/traps her (again, not in a weird way, in a 'you're not going anywhere until you tell me what happened' dad kinda of way) Please make it long.I've requested this to other accounts and I kid you not, people refused to write it because it they didn't read/understand it right and insulted me then called it inappropriate. - Anonymous”

Notes: I had a difficult time keeping Hizashi in character, but I hope this is an okay end result.

_____

You were staying late after school to get extra help with English. It was your worst subject. And even though you hated the class, you loved your teacher. Yamada Sensei was always eager to help you when he saw you struggling. And you would stay after so many days that the two of you naturally grew close.

Your parents had died when you were young and of course, you had mentioned this to him. He was caught off guard at first, but it explained why you were so mature when compared to the rest of the kids in your class. He was ecstatic when you decided to share the information with him, it only succeeded in strengthening your already growing bond. At that moment he had unknowingly taken it upon himself to become your stand-in parent.

It didn’t take long until the two of you became a well-known pair. He was your favorite teacher. And you were his favorite student, and pretty much all of UA knew it. He always hyped you up before matches and cheered you on during. Even when you begged him to stop because it drew unnecessary attention. He even stayed late whenever you needed extra help on an assignment to make sure you understood everything.

“Okay, so which one of these sentences is incorrect?” He questioned, pointing over to one of the questions. They all seemed right to you, but ‘B’ stood out as being slightly odd so you just went with it.

“Yeah! All right, I think you got this down. You keep this up and you’ll rock next week’s test.”

“That’s perfect. I could really use another good grade if I’m going to get my average up.” 

“You’ll do great! Now all ya gotta do is rest up.” He encouraged, glancing down at his watch slightly before speaking up again “Come on, I’ll drop ya off. It’s kinda late.”

“Nah, I’m good. I could use the fresh air.” The two of you often stayed late so it wasn’t uncommon for him to offer you a ride home. He always slept easier knowing that you made it home okay. It stressed him out sometimes knowing that you were home alone with no one to look after you.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Yamada Sensei, I’m sure.” You assured him. But he still didn’t look like he was ready to give in. “I’ll go straight home. No shortcuts, no scenic routes, just from here to home.” He seemed to ease up slightly at your statement. And after making you promise to go straight home he agreed.

You had made it home fine. It wasn’t until you got there that you remembered that you didn’t really have enough food for dinner. You had forgotten to go grocery shopping earlier in the week and were surviving solely off of takeout. Not sure you could stomach another day of it, you decided to just go grocery shopping now, rather than putting it off for another day. What was the worst that could happen right?

~

After a long day at work, Yamada’s favorite thing to do was just cook. Working three jobs was always stressful. From being a radio host, to being a hero, and teaching, he barely had a moment of free time. But he loved all of it so much he would never give up any of it.

“Our top story tonight…” the news anchor cut in, successfully interrupting the quiet atmosphere in the kitchen, “villains attack.”

“Not this again.” Hizashi sighed, just about ready to change the channel. The one thing he hated more than villains was the media. Villains attacked everyday. And every day, without a break, the media constantly blows it out of proportion. 

Hizashi was just about to change the channel before he saw your picture flash across the tv screen. Immediately stopping him in his tracks.

“Local UA student is believed to have gotten caught in the middle.” 

The remote that was once in his hand had crashed against the floor. His mind was in a panic. Hundreds of questions were swarming to the point where he wasn’t even sure what to ask.

Always working, meant that he never had a personal life. And with no personal life, it meant that no room for a girlfriend or a family was ever able to be made. But he had always seen you as his daughter. You struggled more than the rest of the class to keep up, but that never stopped you from giving it one hundred percent all of the time. He adored you. And the thought of you possibly being injured was enough to just about stop his heart.

He needed to know that you were all right.

~

The police questioning had taken hours. You had been asked the same questions a million times.

“What were you doing out so late?” 

“What did you witness?”

“Did you notice anyone else involved?”

And your personal favorite: “Are you okay?”

That small question had come up more times than any other. From the officers who were the first to arrive on the scene, to the paramedics who you assured that you weren’t badly injured, to even the receptionist at the police station.

By the time the interrogation process was over. you were barely able to tell them your own name. Realizing that they had gotten all that they could out of you, they finally let you return home. One of the officers being kind enough to give you a ride.

But when you opened the door to your apartment, you had really wished they had kept you longer. You would have preferred being asked a hundred more questions to what was about to follow, when you came face to face with a panicked looking Yamada.

He thought that seeing you face to face would calm himself. If he was just able to see you, then he could prove to himself that the media just blew it out of proportion as usual and everything would be okay. But one look at you proved that that wouldn’t be the case.

Barely any part of your body was left without a mark. From small scrapes and markings to bigger bruises. Even your face was littered with them. You had a small cut in your bottom lip, as well as some slight discoloration on your lower eye. Even the way you stood, told him that you were in pain, due to the stiffness in your stance.

“Umm... I’m pretty sure breaking and entering is illegal, but since you gave me an ‘A’ on the last English assignment I’ll let it slide.” You grinned, fidgeting slightly while hoping to break his attention away from your injuries.

“How’d this happen?” he whispered, more to himself than to you. 

The softness in his voice had caught you by surprise. Never had you seen your teacher so quiet and at a physical loss for words. He was always so happy-go-lucky, and you didn’t like the change in emotion, that your state brought him too.

“I was just jogging through the park when some killer squirrel came at me,” you joked in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

He didn’t seem to find your joke funny. All he did was frown at your attempt to make light of the situation. “How can you even joke at a time like this Y/N? You could have been seriously injured. Do you realize that?”

His scolding was making you nervous. You pretty much raised yourself, having grown up without parents. So this whole ‘father’ vibe he was giving off was something that you didn’t know how to react to. You had never been in this situation before where you made someone worry about you like this.

It made you feel sad. Seeing the worry in his eyes, and the slightly disheveled look of his hair and clothes that were usually kept so well tame. And knowing that you were the cause only added to the unease of this foreign feeling growing inside you. All you wanted to do now was leave before you embarrassed yourself even more by crying in front of the man before you.

“Hello? Y/N, answer me. Do you realize what time it is? What were you thinking going out on your own this late.”

Your hand began frantically searching for the doorknob as you maintained eye contact with him.“On no! The time, I really need to go. I’m late for… meeting… I promised to meet someone so…” Unable to even finish your half-assed excuse, you tried to open the door and leave before he was able to question you further. But he caught on to what you were doing and walked over to you, quickly placing his hand over your head, and closing the door before you could leave. Successfully caging you in, eye to eye, so you were forced to talk to him now.

You were expecting him to continue on with his lecture even angrier than he was, but he surprised you when you heard his voice crack, almost like he was also fighting back tears. “I was so worried when I saw…”  He paused for a second, taking a deep breath in, in an attempt to calm himself. “I don’t know what I would do if you had…” Once again he trailed off, not even able to finish his sentence at the thought of you dying. “Are you okay?”

“Yamada Sensei, I’m fine. It looks worse than it is.”

“That’s not what I mean, Y/N. Are you okay?” He repeated this time with a slight emphasis. The more he repeated the question, the more you felt as if you would break.

“I said I’m fine!” You responded slightly harsher than what was intended.

The weight of everything was slowly coming down on you. You were scared. You were so scared that you weren’t going to make it. And if it hadn’t been for the police coming when they did, you probably wouldn’t have. You felt sick as those thoughts passed through your head. You’d never see your friends again. You’d never see your teachers again. You’d never become a hero.

“Y/N, you’re trembling,” Yamada whispered, slowly bringing his arms down and enveloping you in a hug. Allowing you to cry into his chest as he held you.

No, you weren’t okay. But Yamada would make sure you would be.

[gildedmuse]

Yes, please. More ZoLaw... How about AU ideas?

Oh, I have ton of AU ideas. Some of which I have like 11 pages of co-brainstorming, some of which I've written up summaries roughly the length of some of which are just two words: [blank] Zoro / [Blank] Law. Here's the best list I can put together while on my way to work.

Okay, Hear Me Out. A ZoLaw Fic Where....

Zoro Is Law's Marine Bodyguard....

After Corazon dies, the navy does some digging. Years later they learn about Law and insist he is in danger as Doflamingo has located him as well. A young marine, Zoro, is assigned to guard him

Law Is A Marine & Roronoa Zoro Is His Obsession...

Or Law follows in Corazon's footsteps and becomes a marine. He sort of takes Tashigi's place as Smoker's sidekick second in command. So he's there in Lougetown when the Strawhats breeze into town. and the two develope an... Intense rivalry in which Law is determined to hunt down the cocky young swordsman (mostly because he feels like a fool... Why in the world would be agree to a fight without using his devil's fruit? What kind of argument is "it's cheap" anyway? Why the hell had he been thinking?) while Zoro enjoys taunting the handsome, moody marine he kicked the ass off back in Lougetown (or totally would have if they hadn't been interrupted).

Just wait until Law follows him all the way to Dressrosa. He's been avoiding meeting The Heavenly Demon since he became a marine, so why they hell is he willing to follow this green haired pirate hunter into the devil's own home?

Zoro Hates All Doctors (Except Law) (And Also It's A College AU Because Why Not?)

Modern AU where Law is an overworked med student filling shifts at the student clinic and Zoro is a at University on a kendo scholarship, preparing for the olympics. He has a knack for getting injured (it doesn't help that his coach, Mihawk Dracula, doesn't believe in pulling punches... Or whatever the sword equivalent is). Still, he absolutely hates going to the clinic. One day Law is taking out some tension at the gym practicing with his own blade when Zoro gets badly hurt. Law rushes over to help, and since Zoro isn't really in a position to say no he has to let the young doctor help him.

After that whenever Zoro gets injured he still refuses to go to a doctor. What he does do is lurk outside the student clinic (typically with Luffy in toe to keep him company - even if your injured and tired, you can never get too bored with Luffy as your best friend) until Law gets tired of it and makes him come in so he can fix up whatever he's managed to injure this time.

The clinic receptionist - Perona - doesn't find this cute at all. Mostly because Zoro is typically sweaty and gross and the Monkey boy is just annoying. His fellow student interns Shachi and Penguin are just impressed Law has put up with him this long (they did ask if the Kendo scene attracted a lot of girls, but Law's blank stare pretty much answered that one) while Assistant Professor and Physician Marco thinks it's adorable but is kind enough to only tease Law about it occasionally (he doesn't ask about fangirls in the kendo scene since he's pretty much certain that's not Zoro's scene either way).

Of the two tenured professors who officially oversee the clinic, Dr. Crocus has never said anything to Law about the whole situation except for letting him know when Zoro is waiting outside. He does, however, sometimes bring Zoro and Luffy by snacks or something to drink and has even kept them company an few times. No need for the two of them to wait out there with no one looking out for them (and, yes, they clearly need someone looking out for them). On the other hand Dr. Kureha has never believed in cuddling her students. The exact opposite actually. She started by telling Law he'd best take his pet home since he couldn't have it here all day ("Pet? What pet? Whoever it is, it's not mine, Dr. Kureha-ya." / "So that green haired stray and his little monkey friend don't belong to you?" / "Green hai- Urg."), Which eventually evolved to her telling him this was a clinic not a dating service ("He's not... *Sigh*") and finally came to the point where she just snips st Law for not being able to control even a simple minded athlete then how does he plan to deal with actual problem patients? She's also made a point of telling Zoro off - it pretty obvious that even when he does come by the clinic he only does so after either accumulating multiple injuries or continuing to push one until it gets far worse than needed. Is the boy an idiot? Why wait until things are so bad, and why is he wasting the time of one of her top students? If he wants to stalk one of the postgrads he could at least pick a less talented one. There are plenty to choose from.

Marco tried to make up for this lecture (after which Zoro stayed away for three months until he almost lost an eye) by offering to let Zoro and Luffy wait in the actual clinic to wait. (To which Luffy helpfully announces, "Zoro isn't waiting for the clinic, he's waiting for Toroa." Which kinda makes Zoro want to strangle his best friend but since he's currently holding a towel up to his eye and feels pretty sick at the thought of not making these games because he's an idiot, he only managed an apologetic smile and mentally promises himself to pinch Luffy later. Marco is totally unsurprised by this answer, for what it's worth.)

(Also, it turns out Kendo does attract at least a couple of girls, at least at the Olympics level. It's probably more accurate to say that Dracule Mihawk and Roronoa Zoro attract attention, which Law only learns because he was heading home after his shift and saw a bit if activity around the gymnasium and wandered over purely out of curiosity and somehow accidentally ended up watching Zoro's match. And that randomly happened a couple of times. Look, the best parking is by the gym he practically has to walk by to get to his car. He isn't going out of his way. And he has a valid reason to be interested in kendo. (Also, appro of nothing, Tashigi seems like an annoying know it all and Hiyori seems like a silly teenage girl and why is Perona even here?)

Shanks Uses His Yonko Status For It's Highest Purpose - Mischief

While sailing to Wano, they stop at an island to gather supplies when they are ambushed. It turns out to be one occupied by the Head Haired Pirates. Before anyone can attcak, Shanks steps into view, smiling. He greets Kin'emon and Kunjuro (they were with the Roger pirates for a while). Robin, Franky and Usopp he recognizes as friends of Luffy. Weirdly, he calls Zoro 'Mihawk'ss boy'. Law corrects him as Zoro is also in the Strawhats. Shanks laughs because while that may be true, he's met Zoro and he's Mihawk's boy to him. Law seems unhappy with this description, while Zoro just rolls his eyes, calling Shanks an old pervert and to stop messing around. Despite everyone else freaking out, Shanks laughs it off. He insists surely Mihawk would be the pervert in that situation. Law dislikes the whole conversation. It only gets worse when it turns out they have to stay on the island two weeks, and Mihawk is visiting as well. Under Shank's bad influence (and seeing how such comments got under the other Captain's skin even if he wouldn't admit to it) he convinced Mihawk to join him in creating some mischief (Shanks is a terrible influence).

Law Is Working For Doflamingo, Gathering Information On & Chain Off Rookie Pirates

Instead of Bellemy, the crew find Law right before Skypea. He is also (secretly) working for Doflamingo. Typically it's his job to narrow out the herd, and for the pirates that might make it to the second half of the Grand Line, his job is to gather information that may be useful in "convincing" them over to Doflamingo's side later or else can be useful in eliminating them if they become a threat.

Unlike Bellamy, it takes Law only one conversation in the bar to determine that the Strawhats aren't your average pirates. Their captain's open, naive nature makes gathering information on them rather straight forward. Which is how Law determines that his biggest advantage is his crews loyalty, and none seem more so than his handsome swordsman. Luffy seems to naturally open and unashamed to be able to gather blackmail material on, but Law's willing to bet if you own Zoro, you'd more or less own the captain. So he sets out to do just that.

Swords Are Cats

Zoro owns three infamous crazy cats. Law is a vet. Look, this is an AU in which Swords are cats. Zoro has two in particular that no vet is willing (or able) to get anywhere near. When Wado gets sick, though, he shows up to The Heart Veterinary Clinic (it sounds like such a cheesy name he already can't stand it) with all three in toe. Best to get everything done at once since it's unlikely they'll ever be allowed back again. Sure enough, Shisui just has to start the trip off by escaping when Zoro is checking in.

Law is in his office when he notices Kikoku is gone, which is strange. She usually likes to stick by his side. He goes looking for her and is surprised to find her hiding under the receptionist desk, curled up peacefully with another cat. He holds up the strange tomcat only to very nearly lose an eye. Zoro catches the poor thing midair when Law stumbles back from surprise, honestly just thankful to find him before he caused any damage.

Law takes one look at Zoro and the three cats and instantly knows two things:

A. Oh, so these are the demon cats he was warned about by Tashigi and Pica and Wanda and even Shanks who seems like he can put up with almost any animal

B. He's definitely going to get these cats to like him, if only to ensure that Zoro back.

Law Ends Up On Kuraigana Island

Incredibly simple What If premise. What if instead of fighying two pacsifistas alongside the Kid pirates, the Heart Pirates wind up on the battle field with the Strawhats. When the real Kuma shoes up, Law gets a little too close to the action and is sent along with Zoro to Kuraigana Island. This has everything you need in an AU. Zoro and Law going from complete strangers to friendly rivalry to sexual tension because they're stuck on an island for two years together. A possible love triangle with Mihawk. Perona being either an annoying bratty sister to Zoro (who in fairness beat up her crew) while openlh crushing on a disinterested Law or a Perona silently shipping the two of them long before they even take any real notice of each other (I'm guessing she'd talk about it with her hallows). Bonus points for scenes of The Heart Pirates trying desperately to find their beloved captain.

I'm kidding. Bonus points for adding Mihawk in the mix and making it a triangle filled with possessiveness, jealousy and a totally unaware he's in the middle of it all Zoro. That's my jam.

They Were Childhood Friends (Who Haven't Seen Each Other In Years)

Sometimes, all an AU needs to be is a romamtic comedy formula lifted wholesale and recontextualized to fit whatever fandom you're into. So, yeah. Law and Zoro grow up at the same dojo but haven't seen each other in years, then suddenly Law is sitting there in ten Sabaody auction house when the something crashes through the roof, and that something looks a lot like a boy he hasn't seen since he left the dojo at 18. Or, hey, maybe Law catches a wanted poster of "his little brother" while sailing on the Grand Line and decides to track him down just to see how he's doing. And probably he was totally unaware that at 13/14 years old, Zoro had just about the biggest crush in the world on him.

Although most the Strawhats definitely know. Or at least figure it out damn quickly. It's kind of hard to miss how their badass swordsman suddenly can't make eye contact or flushes at the slightest provocation. ("Do you think the Heart captain realizes?"/"Maybe it's just because Zoro looked up to him. I mean, I can't imagine him actually LIKING someone."/"Oh, come off it, you'd have to be blind not to see!"/"I think it's sweet that our swordsman-san still holds such a place for what must have been his first major crush."/"Yeah, who know Zoro-bro could be such a romantic!")

Strawhats antics ensue.

Law Uses His Shichibukai Connections For Something Other Than Revenge (So Sex. Sex and Revange.)

After becoming a Shichibukai, Law meets Mihawk at an official summon and picks up on the fact that Zoro is training there. Having promised Luffy he would look it to his nakama's safety should be discover them (something he had thought would never happen) he follows Mihawk back to the island to see how Zoro's training holds up.

Perona Is Zoro's Older Sister, Just To Create Drama

AU where Perona is Zoro's older sister. She hangs out with a much darker, edgier crowd than Zoro approves of. He find Law especially questionable and not just because they seem to have a 'thing' (in my mind Zoro is in high school while Perona and Law are not in college. He's heard about the way college boys often are and he doesn't really understand that all their relationship is entirely casual, and most the time when he catches Perona cuddling up to him, it's just her being cutesy (and because she knows that while it annoys Law a little, he won't do anything to stop him). He also doesn't understand why every time he tries to confront Law about it he ends up feeling so flustered. (Not that Law is about to openly hit on his friend's little brother, but some teasing never hurt)

There's Only One Bed. Because There Is ALWAYS A Story With Only One Bed

The Polar Tang and Sunny are stolen while the two crews are meeting up, talking over a plan to take down Blackbeard (okay fine, LAW is doing all the planning). Luckily, Shanks just happens to be passing by and offers them a lift, but as big as his ship is, three whole crews take up a lot of space. And despite Shanks (joking) offer to let Zoro share his bed, Law is the one who ends up stuffed into a single hammock with the Swordsman.

Law Tries To Sleep With His Uncle's Partner (Not As Terrible As If Sounds)

Law's uncle Corazon works in Law enforcement. He talks endlessly about his new rookie partner to the point of Law's annoyance. Until Corazon brings the young green haired detective home for dinner.

Law Is The Ship Doctor For The Strawhats Pirates

Corazon lives and runs off with Law, who grows up to be a doctor. One day, a pirate ships sails to their island. They have a sick crew member and desperate for help. Law doesn't help pirates, but then the corrupt ruler of their island has Corazon arrested and locked up, claiming he's found his true identity and plans to sell him out to his brother. They come for Law, but the Strawhats save him despite his refusal to help them (Luffy doesn't mind, he's sure Torao has his reasons and anyway Corazon is an amazing man who gave them a free lunch and he's sure Torao is just as good.) The Strawhats rescue Corazon, kick out the evil ruler and bring peace back to the island. Law finds himself compelled to accompany them.

Law Tutors Zoro (In The Ways Of Love Math)

Zoro's life is way too stressful. Between kendo competitions, a job that doesn't pay enough, a second job that's a bit questionable not too mention school. He doesn't even care about most that stuff, but if he wants to be the greatest at his sport, the rest is sort of necessary. Like training. One thing he definitely needs more training in is school work. Zoro has to keep a certain GPA to keep his Kendo scholarship. Luffy insists he knows the perfect tutor, and while Zoro isn't so sure about Luffy's judgement on intelligence, he trusts his friend. Enter Trafalgar Law, college senior who tutors on the side. Oh, and - as he casually mentions at the end of their first session that he's seen Zoro at his job. No, not as at the restaurant, but the online videos. And he has to say, he's quite the fan.

There are a few I didn't manage to get to tonight, despite being some of my favorites. Maybe later, when work has not drained the life out of me, you can hear about...

Drummer Zoro/Med Student Law

Marine Law/Revolutionary Zoro

Marine Law/Marine Zoro

Police Zoro/ME Law

Rock Star Law / Bodyguard Zoro

Biker Gang Zoro / Anarchist Group Law

Kendo Olympic Champion Zoro / Sports Doctor Law

Kendo Rivals Zoro / Law

Evil Doflamingo Pirate Law / Captive Zoro

Samurai Zoro / Ninja Law

Detective Zoro / Art Thief Law

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

if love was a snake, it’d have bit you

Ao3

Summary: Remy, Patton, and Drew are dating. This is a fact. Remy, Patton, and Drew refuse to admit they are dating. This is also a fact. Guess it's up to Roman, Virgil, and Emile to force them to acknowledge the truth. Content: Some swearing, kissing (mostly face kisses, but some lip kisses too), nb!Patton + nb!Emile, genderfluid!Remy, oblivious gays, seriously guys, so much obliviousness, the obliviousness might kill you, gods know it killed me, Disneyland cast member AU Pairing: Romantic Mosleepceit Additional notes: So many additional notes           -Big thanks to @emo-disaster for beta-ing for me and confirming the gays in this fic are wayyyyyy too oblivious           -This fic is almost 11k words. it was meant to be around 3k. I’m so sorry.           -Inspired by, but not actually based upon, this disneyland cast member au           -This is probably hella inaccurate to real Disneyland but i don’t care alright           -This fic is a (late) b-day gift for the one-and-only @notveryglittery !!! She’s an incredible person who I’m extremely happy to know, and I’m really hoping she even kinda likes this mess of a fic dsfbcdsjf

~~

    “-and if you’ll just sign here, I can finalize that upgrade for you.”

    The woman smiled at Remy as she accepted the pen he offered her. She looked tired, her entire appearance screaming ‘overworked mom’ even without the literally screaming (playfully, but still screaming) kids behind her. She definitely needed the vacation.

    “I can’t thank you enough for this,” she said gratefully, quickly signing the paper Remy offered her.

    “It’s no problem, ma’am,” Remy said, smiling politely as he took the paper and pen back, hitting a few keys on his computer as he did. “Just happy to make your stay as magical as possible. Here’s your keycard.”

    The stressed mother accepted the keycard from Remy with another smile. “Thank you.” She reiterated the sentiment before convincing her children to give her their hands and heading off for the elevators, her wife following with the luggage. Remy smiled after them, briefly letting the last of the room change form sit unfinished on his screen.

    “You’re going to get yourself fired for that eventually, you know.”

    Remy’s smile only grew at the sound of the all-too-familiar voice. He turned back to his work then, enough of Roman in his peripheral for Remy to tell he was strutting his stuff as a friend of Flynn’s. “Ah, you know they love me too much for that.”

    “More like they don’t look hard enough to catch all your illegal ‘on-the-mouse room upgrades.’” Roman corrected, leaning against the back of the receptionist desk. “Though if they ever do? You’re screwed.”

    “Shush, I’mma be gay and doing crime til Disney falls.” Remy responded cheekily. “And speaking of people who are going to get themselves fired, shouldn’t you be over in the good ol’ Disneyland already?”

    Roman shrugged. “Shift doesn’t start for another half an hour. I’ve got time.”

    “Time for what, exactly?”

    Roman grinned at that. “Gossip, of course!”

    Remy grinned now, too. “Well, if you’re looking for tales, a little birdy’s been keeping me updated on a blossoming relationship between one of the friends of Rapunzel and one of the friends of Snow White-”

    “Oh, not that kind of gossip.” Roman interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I’m talking the good gossip- preferably about you and your boos.”

    Remy scoffed, shaking his head as he hit the enter key and finished out the form. “Hard to gossip about those which I do not have, hun.”

    Roman groaned, slumping against the desk and throwing his head back. “Oh, please, Remy, don’t tell me you’re still in denial.”

    “Denial about what?” Remy asked, finally turning his full attention to Roman. “The fact that I’m single?”

    “The fact that you have not one but TWO partners!” Roman answered, dramatically holding up two fingers. “Not only are you being a proper partner HOG you are refusing to admit as such.”

    “Well if you’re just looking for someone to be the soul to your mate, handsome, I think I can hook you up.” Remy said teasingly, briefly lowering his sunglasses to wink at Roman.

    Roman met the wink with a deadpan stare. “You’re a taken man.”

    “Only if you make it so.”

    “You can’t keep pretending your partners don’t exist.”

    “I can if I don’t have any partners.” Remy told him, finally pushing his shades back over his eyes and giving up at his mock attempts to seduce Roman. “Now, of course, I have two very close friends with whom I do many things with, but given I’m not dating either of them, calling them my ‘partners’ seems a little much, don’t you?”

    “I get it, I get it, I have good friends too.” Roman said, as if he were going along with what Remy was saying until he quickly added, “Except I’m not obviously DATING them!”

    “You’re hopeless, princey, truly hopeless.” Remy said in response, smirking as he patted Roman’s cheek. “Ya gotta stop finding romance where it simply ain’t.”

    “The only thing I am finding is the truth behind all the bullsh-”

    “Remy!”

    Both Roman and Remy turned from each other, gazes moving to the entrance, where the voice had originated from. The owner of the voice was hurrying over to them, their blond curls pulled back into a loose ponytail, keeping their hair out of their face and allowing them to smile brightly at both Roman and Remy. They stopped in front of the receptionist's desk, taking a moment to catch their breath and straighten their relatively small red tie.

    “Heya sunshine.” Remy greeted easily, smiling at Patton in a way that was a little too soft to be a proper smirk “May I ask what brings you here in the middle of your shift? You’re gonna get yourself fired.”

    “‘Worth it for a chance to see you.” Patton told him sweetly, giggling just a bit and ignoring Roman’s expression of self-confirmation. “Buuuuuuuut I'm on lunch break. Just came over to ask what you wanted for dinner. I know the plan for tonight was take-out, but I just realized that we have all the ingredients to make lasagna- aside from the noodles, which we can pick up on our way home- so I thought it might be fun to make that tonight instead!”

    “Sounds wonderful to me.” Remy answered. “We’re going to keep it a secret from Dee though, right?”

    “Of course!” Patton agreed. He leaned over to stage whisper to Roman, “It’s his favorite.”

    “Oh, you guys know each other’s favorite dinners, do you?” Roman asked, smiling in a knowing way and wiggling his eyebrows at Patton. Patton tilted their head to the side, clearly confused, while Remy answered casually,

    “Of course! You can only live with someone for so long without picking up on what they like to eat. Dee’s favorite is lasagna. Patton’s favorite dinner- which is coincidentally their favorite breakfast, lunch, and dessert as well- is waffles. And mine, of course, is a nice big cup of espresso-”

    “Don’t lie!” Patton cut him off, smiling as they leaned on the counter and ended up within an inch of Remy. “Your favorite dinner is chicken soup!”

    “Remy hates soup.” Roman said, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

    “Not chicken soup.” Patton confirmed, not looking away from Remy. “That’s his favorite, no matter what he says.”

    “Mmm, nice try, Pat, but that’s not it.” Remy denied. Patton pouted at him then, and almost immediately Remy relented with, “My favorite dinner is your chicken soup. You’re the only one who knows how to make it right, hun.”

    Patton giggled. “I make it just like anyone else would!” they insisted, though their smile brightened even as they spoke.

    Remy’s smile grew as well as he leaned forwards just a bit, pressing his forehead against Patton’s. “Nah, honeypie, you got somethin’ all the other recipes don’t.”

    “And what’s that?” Patton asked.

    “Loooooooove.” Remy answered, grinning broadly, seemingly happy to ignore how cheesy his answer was.

    Patton didn’t mind the cheesiness. “You’re too much,” they said, too playfully to be chastising.

    “Better than being too little.”

    Patton just grinned at that. “I have to go.”

    “Alright, sweetheart.” Remy said, expression seemingly not changing, though a close observer (aka Roman) might have noticed his smile dip just the slightest. “See you at six?”

    “Mhmm!” Patton confirmed with a hum. They pulled away from Remy, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead before they ran off, waving one last goodbye as they reached the doors before disappearing outside. Remy lazily waved his fingers after Patton, watching the doors a moment after Patton was through them before turning back to his computer and his work.

    “Ready to admit you’re definitely dating at least one of your partners?”

    “Nope,” Remy replied without missing a beat. “Though if you really want me to have a partner, you’re single… I’m single…” Remy waggled his eyebrows at Roman.

    Roman ignored his advances. “The chemistry between you and Patton is so strong I’m surprised nothing’s exploded yet.”

    “That was weak.”

    “Shush.” Roman waved his hand dismissively. “I mean, for the love of Apollo, they kissed you goodbye!”

    Remy half-shrugged. “They do that with all their friends.”

    “They didn’t give me a kiss.”

    “They were in a rush.” Remy explained away. “But if you really want a kiss-”

    “-I will get it from my darling friend of Rapunzel,” Roman finished for him, having leaned over to check the time on the bottom of Remy’s screen. “I got so distracted trying to get you to tell me the truth I lost track of time.”

    “What truth?” Remy asked, tone light. “The one about us making a perfect couple?”

    Roman smiled sweetly at him, as though Remy was naive. “Maybe in a universe where you didn’t literally live with your soulmates,” he said, patting Remy’s shoulder before he turned and headed towards the door. He raised his hand over his shoulder without turning back, half-waving at Remy as he added, “Call me when you’re done being in denial!”

    Remy just let out a light huff of amusement, shaking his head and turning back to his work. Roman could say whatever he wanted, but the fact remained: Remy was (un)happily single and most certainly not dating his roommates.

    Yeah, sure, maybe he could’ve mentioned that his ‘best friends’ were also his crushes, but, hey, it wasn’t like that was that important, right?

    ~~

    Patton was staring intently at the floor. Well, more technically, they were staring intently at the mess on the floor and trying to convince themself they were supposed to be cleaning up said mess and not doing anything else with it.

    The bell near the front of the store rang as the door swung open, but Patton ignored it. Plenty of people filtered in and out of the store. They did, however, pay attention when the sound of approaching footsteps got closer than the signs should have allowed.

    “I’m sorry, this aisle is currently closed, if you don’t mind-” Patton started immediately, tone polite as they looked up, fully expecting to find an angry customer who refused to go over one extra aisle for whatever sweet treat they were looking for. They stopped when they saw who it was, polite-but-fake smile being replaced by a genuine one. “Oh, Virgil, hello there!”

    Virgil smiled back, half-waving before he turned his focus to the floor, careful to step around the mix of glass shards and chocolate-covered balls of something as he came up next to Patton. “Busy day?”

    Patton shrugged. “It was fine until someone didn’t put the jar fully back on the shelf. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

    Virgil nodded. “That’s good,” he agreed. “Waste of some perfectly good candy though.”

    “It is,” Patton bemoaned, looking sadly at the mess. Virgil side-eyed them.

    “Pat, you haven’t been considering eating the fallen candy, have you?”

    “Maybe?” Patton tried, looking at Virgil only to find his expression completely disbelieving. They sighed. “Yes. It just looks so yummy! Even mixed in with all the glass! Because the glass sparkles and makes it kinda magical looking and it couldn’t hurt to have just one-”

    Virgil put a hand on Patton’s shoulder, stopping them from bending down and grabbing one of the candies before they could move an inch. “All the candy here’s magical. Eat some of the candies that aren’t also glassy.”

    “Mhmm,” Patton hummed in sad annoyance. “But it’s such a waste… I can stop it from being waste…”

    “You could, but should you?” Virgil asked.

    Patton groaned. “I shouldn’t,” they said. “But I want to…” They sighed, turning their gaze from the tempting mess to Virgil. “Distract me. Why are you here?”

    “Other than to stop you from making poor dietary choices?” Virgil asked rhetorically before going on, “I’m avoiding Roman.”

    “Avoiding him?” Patton repeated. “I thought you two were getting along. Don’t tell me he started another prank war-”

    “No, he’s just being annoying,” Virgil answered. “He wouldn’t stop bothering me while I worked, because Remy apparently hadn’t been in the mood to entertain his gossip, thereby making me the person stuck listening to it. Guess Kev’ decided letting me walk it off for half an hour was better than me tearing a costume in frustration.”

    Patton nodded as they moved to once more hold their broom, beginning to sweep up the mess as they said, “What was the gossip?”

    Virgil leaned back on the shelf behind him, waving his hand pointlessly. “Oh, same old same old. Just talking about you and your partners, mostly how oblivious Remy is- which, I get it, Remy can be obtuse, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about it all morning-”

    “What?!” Patton cut him off, voice a higher pitch than they had intended, stopping halfway through a sweep to look at Virgil in disbelief and confusion. “My- what partners?!”

    “...Remy and Drew. Duh,” Virgil said slowly, blinking at Patton as if they were missing something incredibly obvious. “You know. The people you live with. And are clearly dating. Those partners.”

    Patton laughed, a weird hybrid sound of amusement and awkwardness. “I think you’re a little confused there, kiddo. I’m not dating Remy or Dee- they’re just my friends!”

    “Yeah. Friends you’re dating,” Virgil said, raising an eyebrow at Patton. “Don’t tell me you thought I wouldn’t notice. It’s fairly obvious.”

    “I don’t know how it can be obvious if it isn’t true.” Patton responded, going back to sweeping as they looked away from Virgil. “We’re just friends. At least I am, anyways.”

    “What does that mean?”

    Patton briefly looked up from their work to look at Virgil instead. “Aw, shucks, Virge, you’ve seen how Remy and Dee look at each other. If anyone’s dating, it’s them.”

    “And you?” Virgil pressed, prompting Patton to look down again at their work. “I’ve seen how Remy and Drew look at each other, but I’ve also seen how you look at them. They’re pretty similar looks, my dude.”

    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Patton answered, even as their cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. They risked a glance at Virgil, only to find him looking at them disbelieving. “Okay, maybe I love them a little more than just as friends.” Continued disbelief. “A lot more! But that doesn’t mean we’re dating.”

    “And why does them looking sweet at each other make them dating, but you doing the same just makes you just friends?”

    “Because I think I’d know if I was dating them, silly.” Patton responded simply.

    Before Patton could continue, or Virgil could speak up, they were interrupted by the sound of quickly approaching footsteps and the slight crunch of glass as the newcomer misstepped and stepped on the mess. “Well this looks… delightful.”

    “Dee!” Patton said, dropping their broom against the shelf as they carefully (but still hurriedly) stepped around the mess to approach their roommate. He was dressed as a friend of Aladdin’s, wearing baggy pants and a raggedy shirt-vest combo, his small red hat carefully hiding his bun, presenting the illusion of him having short hair. Slight touches of make-up highlighted the scar running from beneath his left eye to the bottom of his jaw, Drew always happy to tell the very dramatic tale of how he got it in a sword fight (when the truth of the matter involved a very long story having to do with toast, ferrets, and the reason why he wasn’t allowed to use the ice machine anymore). “What’re you doing here?”

    “Why, unhappy to see me?” Drew asked sarcastically, though he was smiling at Patton.

    “Never!” Patton responded resolutely. They wobbled a bit as they got closer to Drew, almost stepping on a particularly ugly shard of glass, but Drew reached out and grabbed one of their hands before they could fall, stabilizing them and helping to lead them right up in front of him. Patton giggled at his help, not releasing his hand even once they were done moving. “Just curious. Shouldn’t you be at the wishing well?”

    “Oh, I was,” Drew told them, free hand rising up to tuck a stray curl behind Patton’s ear. “But then I wished to see the loveliest face in the world and found myself here with you.”

    Patton giggled again. “The wishing well must be broken if it didn’t just provide you with a mirror.”

    A touch of pink coloured Drew’s cheeks at Patton’s words, and in the background Virgil turned from watching the two of them to stare blankly at the shelf across from him, as though it was a camera and he was in The Office. 

    “Trust me, angel, it made no error,” he said, despite his minor blush. “But to better answer your question, have you noticed how bright it is outside?”

“Of course I have,” Patton answered. “It must be warm out there.”

“It is warm,” Drew confirmed, sounding as if there was more he wasn’t saying but wanted Patton to pick up on anyways. “Some might even say it’s hot.”

“Just like you?”

Drew’s blush grew. “I think you’re missing the point.”

Patton’s smile turned a shade mischievous. “I’m not. I’m just waiting for you to admit to it.”

“Cruel, sweetpea, cruel.”

“Just admit it already!”

Drew sighed dramatically. “Alright! I fold! I admit that hydration in the face of the harsh sun is important.”

“Andddddd?”

Another sigh. “I admit that I forgot my water bottle, which I likely wouldn’t have done if I had simply used one of your sticky notes.”

“I even doodled a snake on your reminder!” Patton said, lightly hitting Drew’s chest. “It was cute AND helpful.”

“Just like you,” Drew commented, moving his hand from Patton’s hair to cup their cheek as they flushed. “And I’m sorry, dear, I really didn’t think I’d need it.”

“And yet, you’re here,” Patton teased lightly before turning towards Virgil, extending a hand. “Virgil, there should be a water bottle behind you- think you can hand it to me?”

Virgil did as he was asked, glancing behind him and finding that, yes, perched on the shelf was a metal water bottle covered in snake stickers. He grabbed it and turned back towards Patton, passing them the bottle. Patton took it and turned back to Drew, offering it to him.

“Oh, must I take it?” Drew asked, looking reproachfully at the bottle. “You’re so much nicer to hold.”

“Mmm, you need to get back to work before they catch you slacking,” Patton told him. “I’ll still be around to hold later.”

“Is that a promise?” Drew asked, even as he let his hand fall from Patton’s cheek to take his water bottle.

“Even better,” Patton answered, letting go of Drew’s hand so that they could loop their pinkies together instead. They raised their now joined hands so that they were in easy sight of Drew. “It’s a pinky promise.”

Drew smiled. “Good,” he said, bending his pinky a bit to squeeze Patton’s. “I’m holding you to it,” he punned before reluctantly stepping away, letting his and Patton’s pinkies remain linked until he was forced by distance to let go.

“So,” Virgil spoke up, slightly startling Patton, who had been waving at Drew until he walked out of sight. “You’re not dating them, you lied?”

“I didn’t lie!” Patton defended, moving back towards the broom as they spoke, once more careful to avoid the glass as they stepped. “I’m not dating him! Or Remy!”

“Oh, yeah, because calling each other petnames and trading compliments til you’re both blushing and not wanting to let go of each other and looking at each other like you’re the other’s world is really just ‘best friend’ behaviour,” Virgil said, voice thick with sarcasm.

“We’ve lived in the same apartment for months, Virgil, we’re close!” Patton said as they went back to sweeping. “That doesn’t make us partners.”

Virgil let out a breath. “I know, Pat, but you really should see the way you two were looking at each other. It sure as hell wasn’t plain-ol’ friendly.”

“Language.”

“Stop dodging the point.”

Patton stopped their work, turning to look at Virgil as they rested their chin on the broom handle. “I don’t know what point you think I’m dodging, kiddo. Dee- and Remy- are my friends. They’re dating each other, but I’m not dating them. It’s not that hard to understand.”

Virgil didn’t respond to that at first, instead just blinking slowly at Patton a few times. “I’m starting to understand why Roman was in such a mood,” he finally said as he pushed himself away from the shelves. “If Remy’s half as oblivious as you are, I’d be complaining too.”

“Oblivious about what?” Patton asked, confused. “They know who they’re dating and who they’re not.”

Virgil didn’t answer, instead just chuckling and shaking his head. “I should get back before Kevin decides to be less lenient about my wandering time. See you later, pine-on.”

“Bye, Virge!” Patton said cheerily. “And good pun!”

Virgil responded with a half salute behind his head as he wandered off. Patton watched him off as they resumed their sweeping, focusing on their work and not any of the interactions that had just occurred. Say what he would, Virgil was wrong- Patton’s relationship with Drew and Remy was strictly platonic, and they had no plans to mess with what the three of them did have (an amazing friendship) anytime soon.

~~

Drew dropped his bag before he collapsed against the wall, sliding down it halfway as he let out a huff. Though the day had been no longer than any other, the sun had been much more annoying than usual, and he was ready to be home and surrounded by not only air conditioning but also people he could stand. Absentmindedly he rubbed at the remains of make-up on his face, the only part of his costume he was still in since having changed out at the end of his shift.

“Are you suffering from heatstroke, or just bored?”

Drew looked up, finding Emile in front of him, smiling in amusement.

“A bit of both,” Drew answered truthfully. “Forgot my water bottle at home, though Pat had grabbed it for me at least. But neither their shift nor Remy’s is over for at least another fifteen minutes, so…”

“So I’m just someone to distract you until one of your partners can take over?” Emile asked, teasing.

“My partners in crimes, you mean?” Drew said. “Because I’ve told you before, Em, I really shouldn’t be talking about them here- you’re going to ruin our plan to invade ‘Beauty’s palace and get the treasure.”

“And what treasures are you going to find in there?”

“Hopefully, the key to a full hundred years of rest,” Drew told them before adding, “And gold. Mostly going for the gold.”

“Mhmm.” Emile hummed. “Happy to hear you’ve got your future set. Your criminal enterprises sound like they’re going to go over very smoothly. Now, as to your actual partners…”

“Do you think I’m cheating on my current criminal partners?” Drew asked, sounding offended. “With whom, another team? Emile, I thought you knew me better than that.”

“I think we both know I’m referring to your romantic partners.”

“Ah, yes.” Drew crossed his arms and leaned further back against the wall. “You’re referring to my roommates, who somewhere along the line you got confused as also being my romantic partners. They’re not very good at crime, you know.”

Emile grinned. “Not even good at stealing your heart?”

Drew just waved his hand dismissively. “Patton steals the heart of everyone they meet. Remy is not subtle at all when they go for the steal. Neither of them would make it a day in the world of crime.”

“But you admit that they’ve stolen your heart.”

“I admit they steal everybody’s heart.”

“But not like they’ve stolen yourssssss.”

Drew sighed, pulling his water bottle out of his bag and taking a sip of the water while he waited for Emile to stop. “Don’t be like Virgil and Roman, Emile. You’ve been given the precious gift of actually having a brain cell. Don’t waste it.”

“You can say whatever you want, Drew, but that doesn’t change the truth, even if you’d like to pretend it would,” Emile replied calmly, sounding smug. “We’ve all seen the way you three look at each other. You can’t lie your way out of love truer than that of Tiana, Naveen, and Charlotte’s.”

“Don’t have to lie to tell the truth,” Drew responded, returning his water bottle to its place in his bag. Before Emile could rebuke his words, the door that led outside of the first aid station opened, and two people walked in.

“Excuse me,” Emile said politely to Drew before they headed towards the people. After a brief moment of conversation, Emile walked further into the building with one of them while the other came over towards Drew.

Drew smiled when the newcomer was close enough for him to identify. “Hello, darling.”

Remy returned his smile, leaning against the wall and facing Drew. Remy was clearly off-shift, both costume and nametag removed, and was now sporting a sea-green bracelet. “Good evening, charming. Miss me?”

“Constantly,” Drew answered effortlessly. “I assume the same to be true of you?”

“I miss you every second you’re not in my presence more than the moon misses the sun,” Remy answered, maintaining veir composure for a moment before veir expression broke and ve laughed. “Like that one? I heard someone in the lobby tell it to their husband.”

“It is unbearably cheesy,” Drew told ver. “Though I’m sure also very sweet, if you mean it.”

“Good thing I mean it then,” Remy said jokingly. “People suck. I got yelled at twice today. I missed you and your not-yellingness.”

“Is that all you missed about me?” Drew asked, smile turning sly. “Because I know I miss you for more than just your sometimes-not-annoyingness…”

“Oh really?” Remy asked, shifting so that ve was facing Drew even more. “Well, I miss you for your not-yellingness, and for your looks- scar most certainly included, hun, it makes you look roguish- and for your mind, and your charisma, and, of course, your snark.”

    “You flatter me.”

    “Look in a mirror, sugar, you make it easy,” Remy told him. “Now I’m dying to know why you missed me.”

    “Oh, how could I not?” Drew asked rhetorically. “There’s your charm, as sarcastic as it may be, your humor, your refusal to stand down against idiots, and your sense of fashion- though I must confess, I consider it a sin to hide such dazzling eyes.”

    “Compliment my charm when you’re the real charmer ‘round here- I see how it is,” Remy said playfully, smiling.

    Drew returned the smile. “I’m just telling the truth.”

    “Mhmm,” Remy hummed non-committedly, though veir smile didn’t drop. Ve reached forward, brushing some of Drew’s hair behind his ear before moving to run veir fingers through it. Drew leaned his head closer, allowing ver easier access to his hair as ve pulled it over just one of his shoulders. “Your hair’s a mess.”

    “It’s been in a bun all day.” Drew explained, closing his eyes and focusing on the soft and calming feel of Remy brushing through his hair, occasionally scratching at his scalp. “It got tangled.”

    “Too lazy to fix that problem yourself, sweetheart?”

    “I like it better when you do,” Drew admitted.

    Remy chuckled as ve continued, veir attention turning more towards gentle touches against Drew’s skin as ve worked. “I should braid your hair tonight. Might not tangle as quickly that way.”

    “If we do that, we’ll need to stop at the store on the way home,” Drew said. “Our beloved sunbeam will want to put flowers in my hair, and I do not believe we have any at home.”

    “We already needed to stop for some dinner fixin’s anyways,” Remy told him. “We’ll just add ‘flowers prettier than your face’ to the list, though I’m afraid if we go looking for those we’ll never find them.”

    Before Drew could return the compliment, the sound of approaching steps stopped him. He opened his eyes just enough to see that they belonged to Emile, who was smiling broadly and just a touch satisfiedly at them, before he closed his eyes once more.

    “Hey there, babe,” Remy greeted. “How you?”

    “I’m peachy keen!” Emile answered enthusiastically. “Yourself?”

    Drew didn’t need to see Remy’s face to know that ve was smirking. “I’ve got the prettiest man in the world melting into my touch, so I’d say I’m doing pretty swell.”

    “Bold words from the most gorgeous being to ever grace this planet’s surface,” Drew countered, opening his eyes so he could return Remy’s smirk. “And I’m not ‘melting into your touch,’ I’m giving you easier access to the hair you so wish to tame.”

    “Whatever you say, sugar.” Remy responded casually, right before ve ran veir hand through his hair again, stopping halfway through to press veir fingers against the base of his neck, rubbing just the slightest of circles into his skin, which was cheating, because ve knew perfectly well that was one of his weak points. The motion alone had Drew leaning closer towards Remy, letting out a small sigh that morphed into a huff halfway through.

    “That’s cheating,” Drew said, trying to sound accusing but only succeeding in sounding tired and slightly whiny.

    Remy laughed. “Don’t care, darling, not even a little.”

    Drew hissed at ver, only earning himself another laugh.

    “Well you two certainly seem happy,” Emile pointed out, the slightest hint of trickery in their tone.

    “I’d like to think we are, yes,” Remy said.

    “Not that it’s surprising,” Emile continued, failing to sound very innocent. “I’m sure anyone’d be happy spending time with one of their partners.”

    “I’m sure they would,” Remy said neutrally. “Not sure what that has to do with anything right now-”

    “They’re talking about my partners in crime.” Drew interrupted. “I told them earlier about my plan to raid Sleeping Beauty’s class and steal her secrets to a hundred years of sleep.”

    “I see. Well I do hope you plan on sharing those secrets because goodness knows I could do with a good century of napping.”

    “Goodness and me,” Drew agreed, reaching forward and pushing Remy’s sunglasses up a bit, frowning at how dark the bags under veir eyes were. “Why else would I steal the secrets if not for you?”

    “Awwww, you care,” Remy cooed, tone a mix of goodheartedly mocking and sincere. “And what do you mean, ‘goodness and me’? Hun, you are goodness.”

    “You’re sweet, but we both know that’s Pat.”

    “I don’t see why it can’t be both of you.”

    “This is getting ridiculous!” 

Drew and Remy turned towards Emile at their outburst, Remy tilting veir head to the side in confusion while Drew asked,

    “What is?”

    Emile waved their hands at the roommates. “You two! You three! This!”

    Remy and Drew glanced at each other before looking back at Emile. “This?” Remy asked.

    “You’re so oblivious it puts the Scooby Gang’s obliviousness to Shaggy’s godhood to shame!” Emile said, thoroughly exasperated.

    “I’m sorry what was that-”

    “I mean, look at you two!” Emile said, gesturing at where Remy’s hand was still running through Drew’s hair. “All you do is compliment each other and worry over each other and know exactly what to do to make the other melt into your touch!”

Drew shrugged. “So? We’re friends.”

“And we’ve lived together for months,” Remy added. “Kinda hard to not pick up stuff about each other.” 

“This moved past friendship weeks ago,” Emile told them, crossing their arms. “You can pretend to be sly, but you aren’t.”

“We’re not pretending anything,” Drew replied, raising an eyebrow. “Are you alright, Em? No offense, you seem a little... agitated over this.”

Emile squinted at them. “You’d be agitated if you were me.”

“Huh. Vaguely ominous,” Remy commented idly, unperturbed by the conversation. “You should really talk to Roman though. He’s been having the same misconceptions about me and my roommates’ relationship. I’m sure you two lovelies can find the truth if you talk it out.”

“We’ve already found the truth,” Emile said confidently.

“If you say so,” Remy responded, reaching into veir pocket as ve spoke, pulling out veir phone and checking the time. “Patton’s shift should be over in a couple of minutes. Wanna go greet them?”

“The only sunshine I always want to see,” Drew answered. “Don’t tell them we’re going to braid my hair just yet, though, alright? I’d prefer to surprise them.”

Remy grinned. “Of course, hun.”

Drew returned the grin before shifting over so that he could pick his bag up, ignoring Remy’s protest at his hair moving out of playing-with range. “You do know that going to Patton requires moving, right?”

“I do, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”

Drew chuckled as he straightened up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “You can play more with my hair when we get home, starlight, don’t worry. Come on, let’s go get Pat.”

Remy pouted, but ve still lifted veir arm and allowed Drew to slot himself in against veir side as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Remy’s arm wrapped around the top of Drew’s shoulders, holding him close as they headed towards the doors.

“Have a goodnight, Em,” Drew called over his shoulder right before they left, door lightly thudding as it fell shut behind them.

Emile let out a little huff. “Night-night lovebirds,” they said, even though they knew the couple in question couldn’t hear them. They waited a moment after they left before pulling out their phone, flicking to the group chat they, Roman, and Virgil had lovingly nicknamed ‘operation Get These Gays Together’ (originally known as ‘operation if they don’t get together I’m going to shoot them and then myself’ when Virgil named it) and sending a quick but vital text.

Usually, Emile preferred the passive route. They preferred to push people towards the solution, help them subtly, let them figure it out for themselves with only a bit of their help.

But that method was driving Emile (and Roman and Virgil) insane. They had tried the easy, passive way.

It was time to be aggressive.

~~

The first thing Remy registered upon waking up was that they’d really rather not. The little bit of sun that made its way through their half-open eyelids was already too much and they were almost a hundred percent certain they still needed another five hours of sleep to be anything close to well-rested.

Therefore, immediately after opening their eyes, they shut them once more, rolling over and pushing their face into the surface beneath them to try and drown out all possible light. While this did solve the immediate problem of ‘too much light,’ it presented a new one for them to deal with- the fact that something close to him was warm and moving.

The discrepancy between where they remembered falling asleep last night- on the couch, alone- and where they must be now- somewhere big enough for more than one person to be sleeping, and apparently not alone anymore- was enough to convince Remy to open their eyes again. It was easier if only for the fact that the sun was now behind them, illuminating the sight in front of Remy instead of blinding them.

Remy was unsurprised to find the warm moving ‘thing’ was, in fact, their roommates- Drew curled up against Patton’s back, arms wrapped around their chest, one of Patton’s hands resting on top of Drew’s and their other sprawled out across the bed, almost touching Remy.

The sight made Remy smile. They reached out to lay one of their hands over Patton’s outstretched one, gently rubbing circles and nonsense patterns into their palm while they waited for them to wake up. While they would like to figure out how they ended up in bed instead of on the couch, and while they knew all three of them would eventually have to get up for work, they didn’t see the point in rushing anything. If they were already late for work, hurrying now wouldn’t change that, and Remy had decided long ago that there were few things in the world that mattered to them more than seeing both Drew and Patton rested, relaxed, and happy.

Slowly but surely, Patton began to wake up, shifting around in Drew’s grasp for a moment before their eyes fluttered open and they saw Remy. Upon seeing them, Patton smiled a sleepy but fond smile.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Patton greeted them, yawning partway through their sentence. They twisted their hand a bit so that they could hold Remy’s, beginning to rub circles into the back of Remy’s hand. “You look nice.”

Remy found it doubtful that they, in all their sweatpants, ratty t-shirt, and disheveled hair glory, were looking like anything more than a mess, but they were loath to reject any compliment that came from Patton.

“You look just as cute as always,” they returned, smile growing at Patton’s small giggle at their response. “I am, however, a little curious as to why I’m seeing your beauty right now.”

Patton’s brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before smoothing out as they realized what Remy was asking. “You fell asleep on the couch last night, right?”

“Last I recall, yes, and I’m sorry to say I don’t remember coming to… wherever this is.”

“It’s my room,” Patton answered. “I was cold, and I had pinky-promised Dee we could cuddle. We were goin’ to ask you to join, but you fell asleep while we were putting away the lasagna and we decided we didn’t want to risk waking you to move you. You’re such a light sleeper… and Dee said you hadn’t been sleeping as much recently.”

As Patton finished speaking, they reached out to brush a thumb underneath one of Remy’s eyes, as if they could erase the bags that were there.

Remy reached up with their free hand to catch Patton’s, gently pulling it away from their face and intertwining their fingers instead. “Don’t worry about me, sunshine, I’m fine. Just a few more sleepless nights than usual.”

Patton hummed, clearly not satisfied, but they didn’t say anymore on the topic. “I know I didn’t bring you in here,” they said instead, looking forlornly at the space roughly a foot long between them and Remy. “I wouldn’t have brought you in here for cuddles and then not cuddled you,” Patton explained, sounding melancholy.

In an attempt to at least partially console them, Remy scooted closer to Patton, narrowing the gap to only a few inches. They kept themself from moving all the way against them only because they knew exactly what would happen, knew Patton’s arms would wrap around them and hold them close, trapping them in the cuddle pile they’d have no will nor want to escape, and, as nice as it sounded to let reality drift away as they sank back into sleep so close to their two favorite people in the world, Remy knew they couldn’t, knew they had to be at least a little bit responsible and wake up and go to work and do more than just waste the day away holding each other.

Though damn if that wasn’t a tempting thought.

“So does that mean Dee moved me?” Remy asked.

“He must’ve,” Patton answered before frowning. “Though I don’t ever remember him getting up… here, I’ll just ask him.”

Patton turned over slightly, letting go of one of Remy’s hands so that they could gently shake Drew’s shoulder. “Dee? Dee, honey, do you think you could wake up for me? Please?”

In response, Drew half-groaned, half-yawned, and shifted so that his head was pressed into the crook of Patton’s neck, effectively hiding him from both his roommates and the sun. Patton giggled quietly at his action before they titled their head around and pressed a slightly awkward kiss to the top of Drew’s head. “I know you don’t want to, love, but you’ve gotta get up.”

Drew didn’t respond for a moment, but eventually he sighed, lazily lifting his head away from Patton’s shoulder. He returned Patton’s kiss atop their head before shifting his attention to Remy, blinking blearily as he focused on the third person in the bed.

“Mornin’ darling dearest Dee,” Remy greeted. “Sleep well?”

“Mhmm,” Drew hummed noncommittally, but from the way his arms tightened around Patton, holding them closer, Remy could guess he had slept very well curled up with Patton. “What’re you doin’ here?” he slurred, awake enough to realize Remy should still be out on the couch if not awake enough to speak properly.

“We were kinda hoping you could answer that one, hun,” Remy said. “Because I don’t remember coming in here, and Patton doesn’t remember moving me.”

Drew frowned. “I didn’t move you. Wanted you to sleep.”

“So I’ve heard,” Remy commented, now frowning themself. “So. If none of us put me in the bed, and none of us have any sleep walking and/or possession problems we haven’t told the others about…”

“How did you end up here?” Patton finished for them, completing the trifecta of frowns.

The unanswered question finally convinced Remy to sit up, squinting as they looked around the room for some explanation. It did appear to be Patton’s room, from the animal posters hung on every wall to the rainbow they had painted onto the light switch cover with nail polish, so it was unlikely they had all been kidnapped, which Remy was going to consider a good thing. Something did stand out to Remy, however.

“Hey, Pat, you haven’t put any random notes on your door recently, have you?”

Patton shook their head in confusion. “No. Why do you ask?”

Remy didn’t answer them immediately, instead sliding out of the bed and heading towards the door. Tapped to it was a folded note, ‘to the oblivious gays’ scrawled on the front of it. Remy pulled it off the door, unfolding it and quickly scanning the message inside. When they finished, they groaned.

“I’m disowning all of our friends.” Remy said, tossing the note to the side in annoyance as they grabbed the door handle, trying (and failing) to turn it. They groaned again. “Fuck.”

“Language.” Patton said automatically as Drew pushed their glasses onto their face for them, Patton blinking a few times as they stopped needing to squint at everything. “What is it?”

Remy ran a hand through their hair as they moved to the only window in the room, attempting to open it for a moment before deeming it a lost cause. They sighed and turned back towards the bed. “We’ve been locked in.”

This got both Patton and Drew to sit up, both looking more awake as they frowned at them. “What do you mean, we’ve been locked in?”

“Exactly what I said,” Remy replied, leaning back against the wall behind them. “Our most lovely friends have locked us all in a room together and apparently won’t let us out until we ‘confess’ or some bullsh- bullcrap, because this is 2012 and we’re a story on fanfic-dot-net.”

“Confess?” Patton repeated before realization dawned on their face. “Oh. I- Virgil was talking about that yesterday, but I didn’t think he actually- well I didn’t think he really meant anything by it.”

“Same with Emile,” Drew said. “They talk about it so often I just figured it was some sort of joke for them.”

“Roman was talking about it too,” Remy added unhappily. “He pointedly ignored all my advances as well, which was rude. I like to think my distractions are at least worth one returned flirt.”

A moment of silence stretched out between them before Drew sighed and said, “So they did this, huh.”

“That’s why I’m disowning them, yeah,” Remy informed him. “Also on the list of disownments is my cousin, because apparently he’s the one who gave them the key they used to break in here and set this whole mess up.”

“Logan’s not usually the type to go for this sort of thing,” Drew pointed out.

“He isn’t, but I think he’s still annoyed about that one time I stole all his Crofter’s.” Remy said. “Though now he’s indirectly keeping me from my coffee, so who’s the real monster here?”

“At least you’ve got us,” Drew offered.

Remy smiled at that, annoyed expression softening. “Yeah, that I do,” they agreed, pushing off of the wall and padding back over to the bed, joining the semi-circle and leaning against Patton’s side. Drew wrapped an arm around both Patton’s and Remy’s backs as soon as they were settled, holding the three of them together.

“So now what?” Patton asked after a moment of comfortable silence. “Should we call in to work sick?”

“The note said they’d cover it,” Remy answered with a scoff. “No clue how they plan to do that, but they’ve made it into a them-problem.”

“And when are they going to let us out?” Drew followed up. “Because we’re going to have to eat soon.”

“I have a bag of emergency cookies in the closet, if worse comes to worst,” Patton added.

“Of course you do,” Drew said, though he sounded only fond.

“They said they’ll swing by around lunch to free us and, I quote, ‘congratulate us on the proposals,’” Remy laughed. “Roman’s words, if you couldn’t guess.”

Drew chuckled. “And if we try to break out of our makeshift prison?”

“They’ve stolen our phones and tapped them to the door, so if we break it down, we risk breaking our phones.” Remy explained. “Logan also reminded us that glass is sharp and dangerous when broken so we shouldn’t even think about shattering the window.”

“So no breaking out,” Drew summed up. “Guess we really are stuck here ‘til they return.”

“Yep,” Remy agreed. They turned their head so that they could plant a kiss against the side of Patton’s head. “At least I’m stuck with y’all. Better be trapped with angels than free with demons.” Remy smiled when Patton blushed a shade of red that Remy thought just made them look even prettier.

“Well someone’s getting awfully poetic,” Drew quipped, though he was also blushing.

“It’s what happens when I don’t have my coffee,” Remy said offhandedly. “Deal with it.”

“Only if you accept that you yourself are also an angel.”

“Oh, rude, babe, real rude to ‘u-too’ my own compliment back at me.”

“If you want to make this easier on yourself, just accept it, my dear,” Drew advised. “I can wax just as poetic as you can, and will if I think I must.”

Remy sighed, holding out the sound for a moment before they folded. “Fiiiine, I’m an angel.” They leaned around Patton, getting close enough that they could press a kiss to Drew’s forehead. “But you’re still the prettier one.”

Drew gasped dramatically at that, but before he could respond, Patton sighed, sounding fond and vaguely melancholy. Remy pulled back from Drew just enough to look at Patton.

“Aw, our sunshine feeling left out?” Remy asked teasingly, kissing Patton’s forehead as well and wrapping their arms around Patton’s waist. “Don’t worry sweetheart, you’re just as pretty as Dee.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that, I promise!” Patton reassured them with a laugh. “You two are just so cute together, that’s all.”

“We’re all cute together,” Remy said, pressing a quick peck of a kiss to Patton’s chin. “Helps that we’re all cute.”

Patton laughed again. “No, I mean- together-together, you know? You’re a good couple.”

Remy and Drew reacted to that, both glancing at each other in confusion and uncertainty. “Couple as in two people, or…?” Drew asked.

Patton raised an eyebrow, now looking confused themself. “I mean, I guess that too, but I mean- well, I mean romantically.”

Another uncertain glance between the supposed ‘couple.’ Remy laughed awkwardly. “Hate to break it to ya, hun, but I think I’d know if I was dating such a cutie.”

“Same here,” Dee echoed.

“Oh. Oh!” Patton said, blushing red now in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, you just- the way you act together, I- you’re so comfortable together-”

“We’re all comfortable together,” Drew pointed out, albeit quieter than he had been speaking a moment ago.

“I know, you just- I- oh, I’m so sorry!” Patton repeated, hiding their face in Drew’s shoulder. “I feel so silly,” they added, their voice now muffled.

Remy chuckled, reaching forward to card their fingers through Patton’s hair. They scooted a little closer to them as they scratched at their scalp as well. “Don’t worry about it, honey-love. Everybody makes mistakes.”

“No, it’s not that, I just…” Patton cut themself off before actually getting to their point, shaking their head a bit before they pressed their face even further into Drew’s shoulder.

“Oh, come now, beloved,” Drew coaxed, rolling his shoulders and trying to convince Patton to lift their head. “You don’t have to hide anything from us, much less your beautiful face or heavenly voice.”

“It’s silly,” Patton whined, just loud enough to be understood. Remy laughed gently, brushing their hair to the side so they could kiss the back of their neck.

“That’s okay. We’re not going to make fun of you or anything,” Remy assured them.

Drew leaned over and kissed the top of Patton’s head, pulling back only a little. “What’d you say, love? Can I see those pretty, pretty eyes?”

It took another moment of Remy playing with their hair and Drew sweet talking Patton before they were convinced, slowly lifting their head up just enough so that Drew could see their eyes. Drew smiled at them. “There you go. Isn’t this nicer?”

A little smile slipped onto Patton’s face. “Your eyes are much, much more gorgeous than the fabric of your shirt, yes.”

“I should hope so,” Drew replied, leaning his forehead against Patton’s. “Now, I’m sure both me and our lovely moonbeam are very curious as to what’s got you trying to hide from us.”

“Yeah, sugar, you’re not usually like this,” Remy added, though they didn’t sound worried, just sweet. “What’s got you feeling so silly and shy?”

Patton rested their cheek on Drew’s shoulder, looking between their roommates. “Promise you won’t hate me?”

“We could never,” Drew and Remy said at the same time.

Patton nodded, took a breath, squirmed a little in place, and finally said, “Y’know how I’ve never really said that you guys are together, even if I had no reason not to say it?”

“Uh… yes?” Remy answered, sounding slightly baffled by the question.

“Yeah, well… there was a reason for that.”

“...Okay?” Drew said, tone matching Remy’s.

“It’s because I didn’t really want to accept the fact that you two were together.”

Twin silence from Drew and Remy. Patton let out a little sigh, sounding more amused than annoyed.

“I didn’t like acknowledging the fact that you were both taken,” A pause to give their roommates a chance to finish for them; when neither of them spoke, Patton continued, “because I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that you were both taken but neither of you were taken with me.”

Another pause, another stretch of silence as Drew and Remy each processed Patton’s words, the confessor themself once more hiding against Drew’s shoulder. Then- dawning understanding.

“Oh,” Remy said first, looking at Drew with wide eyes. “Oh. Patton, I-”

“It’s really okay if neither of you feel the same, really, I don’t even expect you too, we’re friends, and that’s what we’ve always said we were and always been, and that doesn’t need to change I just-” Patton laughed, slightly breathless as they tried to fit everything they wanted to say in only the space of a few seconds, “I just feel silly that I never even bothered to tell you guys because I thought you were dating, that’s all.”

It was quiet as Drew and Remy processed that, Drew looking at the bed as he thought while Remy looked off at the wall, clearly lost in their thoughts. It only took a moment for them to sort them, however.

“Hey, Patton?” Remy said, getting Patton to lift their head once more from Drew’s shoulder and look at them, Patton’s expression a mix of pained and hopeful. Remy reached forwards, cupping one of Patton’s cheeks with one of their hands, smiling a little stupidly as they did so. “Wanna hear a silly little secret of my own?”

Patton's eyes widened, suggesting that they knew exactly what the secret was, but they still said, in a quiet, almost awed voice, “What?”

Remy giggled, just a little, reaching out with their other hand as well and holding Patton’s face in both their hands as they answered, “I have a crush on both my roommates too,” they said in a mock-whisper, as if they were at a sleepover and they were all twelve. “I never told them because I thought they weren’t interested in me like that, but recently I’m starting to think I might be wro-”

Remy’s confession was cut off by Patton letting out a little squeal of excitement, pushing themself forward so that they could wrap their arms around Remy’s midsection, knocking them over and ending up with them both sprawled across the bed. Remy had just barely recovered from the action when Patton started peppering kisses across their face, going over their forehead and both their cheeks before they ended with a kiss on their lips, one that was brief but still sweet and loving and warm and undeniably Patton.

“You jerk.” Patton said, though there wasn’t a hint of heat in their tone as they laughed. “Why didn’t you tell me this three months ago?!”

“I had this whole friendship thing going on that I didn’t want to ruin!” Remy defended with a laugh of their own. “Though, if I had known that’d be your reaction, I’d have gone off and ruined our friendship long ago, sweetness.”

Patton’s smile broke into a grin and they kissed the tip of Remy’s nose, eliciting a quick but joyful giggle from them. “You’re forgiven for your slowness in telling me for how utterly perfect you are.”

“Why thank you, angel,” Remy said, pushing themself up just enough to give Patton a fast nose kiss as well. “But don’t you think we’re missing something- or, better put, someone- from this ‘perfect’?”

Patton’s eyes widened at the reminder. “Oh my gosh, you’re right!” they said before turning around to look at Drew. He was still sitting in the same spot he had been. It was clear he had been watching Patton and Remy, but upon them turning their attention to him, he seemed to suddenly find the entire rest of the room much more interesting to look at.

“Dee?” Patton said, forcing the aforementioned to turn his attention back to them or risk being rude to one of the people he was currently locked in a room with.

“Yes?” Drew asked, trying to sound aloof and neutral. He failed horribly, however, his voice coming out as something closer to mock-formal.

“Me and Remy have both made our confessions… do you have one of your own?” Patton asked, once more sounding hesitant.

When Drew didn’t respond instantly, Remy rushed to add, “It’s completely alright if you don’t, of course. No pressure whatsoever, we can still be friends, it’s just- well, not to sound like the people who locked us up in here in the first place, but I kinda feel like that’s not really what we should be.”

“I-” Drew started before cutting himself off, looking down as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “I do love you guys, really; I mean, who couldn’t after living with you for so long, you’re too incredible not to love, but… I don’t know how I love you.”

“...Care to elaborate?” Remy pushed after a minute stretched in silence.

Drew shifted in place. “I guess… we’ve spent our entire friendship doing everything a couple might do- spending time together, learning each other’s favorite things, getting stupidly domestic, literally sleeping together, cuddling, sharing little kisses, and I just… don’t know if I love you romantically or not.”

“Alright,” Patton said slowly, nodding their head before frowning. “I’m… not sure how to figure that out.”

“Me neither,” Remy admitted. “There must be something romantic we haven’t done with you, right?

Drew shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ve covered all of the bases, as far as I can tell. No wonder everyone thought we were dating…”

“Not all of them,” Patton said, pulling Drew out of his barely started musings. They smiled at him, softly and sweetly and just a bit shyly. “Dee?”

“...Yes?”

“Do you want to kiss us?”

“Kiss you- I already have kissed you, what do you…” Drew cut himself off as he realized what Patton meant, his cheeks quickly turning a crimson red.

Remy chuckled as they sat up, Patton shifting a bit to their side so that they could properly sit up. “Hate to put words in your mouth, sweetheart, but I’mma guess that means yes?”

“I… yeah, yeah it does,” Drew conceded, chuckling a little awkwardly. “That sounded awfully charming.”

“Everything you say is charming when you’re a charmer,” Patton responded, and Drew’s cheeks turned a shade darker as the awkwardness in his expression relaxed into something more akin to soft adoration.

Patton patted the bed directly in front of them and Remy. “Come over here, lovely.”

Drew did so willingly, pulling himself over so that he was once more part of the group. Patton smiled tenderly at him as he settled himself before reaching out and gently taking his face in their hands.

“Stop me if you need to, okay?” Patton said. Drew half-laughed, half-scoffed.

“I doubt I’ll want you to stop, much less need you to,” he told them, and Patton smiled wider at him before leaning in, their careful and loving hold on Drew’s face holding him still until their lips were connected.

The kiss was longer than Patton and Remy’s had been, more planned, but it was still just as welcoming and comfortable, as if this wasn’t their first kiss but instead their hundredth; somehow both oddly familiar and excitingly new.

Without even realizing it, Drew found himself leaning it, placing his hands on Patton’s waist to hold steady as he did so, more than happy to drown in the kiss as much as he could.

Patton pulled away when he was reaching the edge of breathlessness, smiling brightly at Drew even as they moved back, still holding his face. “How was that?”

“I love you,” Drew said as an answer, letting out a laugh in the form of a huff as he went on, “Oh, god be damned, Patton, I love you.”

“Language,” Patton chided lightly, though they both knew it meant nothing.

“Hey now,” Remy spoke up, drawing Drew and Patton’s attention. They were pouting, though amusement flashed in their eyes. “I’m feeling a little forgotten over here.”

“Forget you?” Drew asked, normally suave tone now simply breathless and incredulous. “I could never.”

“Then prove it,” Remy demanded, reaching out and making grabby hands at Drew despite the fact that he was barely two feet from them. Drew didn’t mind it, however, simply laughing at the display of affection. He gently took Patton’s hands off his cheeks, kissing the back of both of them (to the delight of Patton) before releasing them and closing the small gap between him and Remy.

“There you are,” Remy said, as if Drew had been hiding somewhere far off and not simply kissing their partner (their partner, not just his partner but Remy’s too) instead of Remy. “Do I get kisses now?”

Drew laughed. “Yes,” he said, not bothering to drag the moment out as he reached forwards, cupping one of Remy’s cheeks in his hand and pulling them closer. “You get kisses now.”

He kept to his promise as he kissed Remy, not holding it out for one long kiss like he and Patton had done but instead kissing them over and over and over again, quick little kisses that lasted seconds but still meant worlds to the both of them, that were still caring and inviting and loving even if they were brief. It worked better that way, Drew decided, especially when Remy evidently grew bored of just kissing his lips and moved on to covering the rest of his face with kisses instead.

“I’m starting to think I really am a jerk for not confessing anything sooner,” Remy said when they had, apparently, deemed Drew’s face properly kissed, now pulled back so that they could look Drew in the eyes as they grinned lopsidedly. “I’ve been severely neglecting giving you- and Patton- all the kisses you two deserve.”

“Not that that ever stopped you when we were friends,” Patton pointed out, leaning against Remy’s side and reaching out to hold one of Drew’s hands as well.

“That’s because even then I knew I was making a mistake,” Remy said, happily taking advantage of the fact that Patton was once more close to them to kiss their forehead.

“I just can’t believe the people who locked us up had it right,” Drew said, squeezing Patton’s hand as the hand he had been using to cup Remy’s cheek moved to hold one of Remy’s hands. “We really have been horribly oblivious, huh?”

Remy laughed. “I’d say that’s pretty accurate, yeah,” they agreed before smiling mischievously. “We’re not going to let them know that though, right?”

“Oh, goodness, of course not,” Drew responded. “Otherwise they might start thinking locking people up will always work, or, even worse, they might get an ego boost.”

“I think Roman will explode if that happens- his ego’s already big enough as is,” Patton added. Drew’s and Remy’s attention immediately turned to them, both looking shocked, to which Patton defended, “What? I can be petty towards our friends too!”

Drew chuckled as he quickly kissed Patton’s cheek. “That you can, dearheart, that you can.”

“It’s not like you’re wrong either,” Remy pointed out. “Really, letting Roman know this planned work might kill him. We’re just going to have to pretend it didn’t, for his sake.”

Patton and Drew both nodded as solemnly as they could given the circumstances. “I vote that we tell them this experience has really brought us closer together in our friendship instead,” Drew offered. “That way we can still be horribly obnoxious-” Drew paused to peck quick kisses to each of his partners’ noses to prove his point before continuing “-and also keep Roman and his ego safe.”

“A perfect plan,” Patton agreed. “Though… what do we do if they catch us calling each other partners?”

“We tell them how we decided we really felt like ‘friends’ no longer properly described how close our friendship was, so we decided to start using partners,” Remy answered immediately with a grin. “Really, we can turn anything into just another extent of our ‘friendship’ is we try hard enough. The real question is for how long do we do that? When do we give them their satisfaction?”

Drew hummed in thought for a moment before he said, a wicked smile racing his face as he spoke, “I’d say we’ll have to wait them out at least until we get married. We can tell them it’s for tax benefits.”

“We’re going to get married?!” Patton exclaimed, eyes shining at the thought.

“Well, I mean-” Drew floundered for a moment, clearly having gotten so caught up in how to best taunt their friends that he hadn’t even considered the implications of what he had said “-we’ve only just got together, but- if this lasts and we don’t regret anything, well-”

“We’re going to get married!” Patton repeated, this time with no question in their tone, tugging Drew closer to themself and pulling Remy closer as well so that they were all squished against each other. “We’re going to get married and we’re going to move out and find a better apartment with one huge bed- oh, or we could get a house with one big bed, and we’re going to adopt a dog- no, two dogs- no, ten dogs!- and-”

Drew gently stopped Patton’s rant by kissing them until they were breathless, resting his forehead against theirs when he finished. “And we’ll drive our friends absolutely insane with what a lovely life we’ll be living,” he added softly.

Remy moved to press their forehead against both of their partners’. “And we’ll be in love forever,” they added, which was an extraordinarily cheesy thing to say, but in the moment, it also felt like the right thing to say.

In fact, pressed against the two most important people in the world to them, still feeling giddy at everything that had happened in the span of barely fifteen minutes, Remy felt as if, for the first time in a long time, absolutely everything was just as it should be.

They were looking forward to getting used to that feeling.

[yusuke-of-valla]

like rats fleeing a sinking ship, pt. 9

Whumptober Day 20: Toto I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore

Prompt: Lost

TW: Panic attacks

<-Previous Next->

AO3

~

The first thing Futaba realizes when she drifts into consciousness is how cold she is.

“Sojiro, did you forget to pay the heating bill?” Futaba asks, reaching out to pull her blanket tighter. 

Instead of her comforter, she smacks her hand against old rotting wood. Futaba’s eyes snap open, and she realizes she’s not in her room.

It all comes back to her.

The announcement, the crash, Sojiro.

Futaba must have passed out against this tree while hiding from the search party. 

Futaba starts breathing heavily. She has no idea where she is, she has not idea where she’s supposed to go, she’s in the woods alone and covered in scrapes and bruises and she is so, so  hungry.

Tears in her eyes, Futaba tries to go through the breathing exercises Makoto taught her. It takes a few tries to get her breath to stop hitching and everything to even out, but eventually Futaba manages to calm herself down. She pokes her head out above the tree. There’s no signs of people, and she’s about to try and get up, when a twig snaps behind her. 

If she were Oracle, this wouldn’t be a problem. Nothing would be able to hide from her. But she isn’t Oracle right now, she’s just Futaba and all she has are her instincts screaming at her to get out of here.

Futaba scrambles over the log, just as she hears shouting behind her.

“Hey, wait up!”

Futaba pumps her legs even harder. She remembers a game like this where the character was being chased by a monster and zigzagged through the woods to get it off his trail, so that’s what she does.

Futaba moves back and forth, thoroughly confusing herself and thus hopefully confusing her pursuer as well.

Suddenly she trips over a rock and tumbles into a bush. Bites her cheek to keep from crying out and presses herself as close to the ground as possible, hoping the mud in her hair and jacket will work as camouflage.

She holds her breath when she hears the footsteps getting nearer, and doesn’t let it out until they’ve faded away completely. Futaba gives it a few more minutes to be sure that her pursuers are gone, then gets up and starts in the opposite direction.

She walks for… well it feels like an hour but it’s probably closer to fifteen minutes, shivering when something rustles in the bushes beside her.

Futaba only has time to grab a large stick before the thing in the bushes jumps out. Her intention is to bat it away with the stick, but Futaba just falls over.

She sits up to see a white shiba inu staring at her.

“G-get away!” Futaba says, swinging the stick. To her surprise, the dog listens sitting back. The dog actually looks kinda concerned. 

They stare at each other for a while, before Futaba slowly lowers her stick. “You don’t work for the police do you?”

The dog shakes his head, and looks at the stick, as if asking permission to come closer.

“Well, ok if you’re not gonna make any noise, I guess you can come over,” Futaba says, putting the stick down. The dog approaches her slowly, and starts to lick her face. “Ah, don’t do that I’m dirty. You’ll get sick,” Futaba says, gingerly petting him. 

Oh wow, this dog is soft and warm. Futaba moves closer to scratch him under the chin.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Futaba says, relaxing a bit.

“Koromaru?” A voice calls. Futaba stops petting the dog and grabs her stick, turning around to point it at the newcomer. The boy doesn’t look that much older than her.

“Oh, you’re Sakura-san right?”

“No,” Futaba says, thinking quickly. “I was… camping! With my parents, but I got lost.”

The boy smiles. “No, you don’t have to lie. It’s fine, I know you’re a Phantom Thief.”

“What’s a Phantom Thief?” Futaba says. “My parents and I have been camping out here for a long time so we’ve missed a lot of news.”

“Seriously, it’s fine. I promise I’m not going to turn you in. Koromaru seems to like you, and he’d never forgive me if I let that happen,” the boy says, throwing a look at the dog, who is by Futaba’s leg.

“You can say that, but how can I trust you?” Futaba asks, looking for an opening to make a break for it. This boy doesn’t look much older than her, but he’s certainly taller than her and would probably catch her if she ran.

“Ok how about this.” The boy takes out a gun, and Futaba stumbles backwards. Instead of pointing it at her, though he points it towards his own head and pulls the trigger. 

Instead of blood, blue light fills the woods and Futaba stares up at what is undoubtedly a Persona.

“H-how are you doing that in the real world?” Futaba gasps, barely registering the stick falling out of her hands.

The boy grins. “I’ve had a lot of practice. Look, my name’s Ken Amada, and my friends and I are all Persona users like you, and we want to help.”

Futaba gathers herself. “Just because you have a Persona doesn’t automatically mean you’re trustworthy.”

Amada’s smile drops. “I guess not. But, I promise we want to help. We investigate things related to Shadows and Personas but Shido’s been getting in our way for over a year now. We’re on the same side.”

Maybe it’s the exhaustion, but something in Futaba tells her she can trust him, almost as if the sight of another Persona has stirred Prometheus within her.

“And who are you and you’re friends?” Futaba asks.

“We’re called the Shadow Operatives.”

That name rings a bell, and Futaba remembers seeing them mentioned in her research into Cognitive Psience and when they hacked Sae’s computer.

“Ok.” Futaba says. “I-I’ll go with you. B-but if you try anything, I won’t hold back! I am a Phantom Thief, and you don’t want to be my enemy.” To prove her point, Futaba picks up her stick again.

Futaba follows Amada and Koromaru until they arrive at a car by the road. Amada waves to the driver then opens the door for Futaba to get in. She does so, and Koromaru sits on her lap. Amada makes a call, and soon three other people arrive. 

A gorgeous woman with voluminous red hair gets into the back with her, followed by Amada. A stern looking man in a suit gets into the front, and soon they’re on the road.

“You don’t have to be nervous,” the man in the front says, looking at her in the rearview mirror. “I’m Detective Kurosawa. Sojiro called me for help after you left Tokyo.”

“Oh, really?” Futaba asks, still gripping her stick. She’s getting wood and dirt all over this fancy car, but she doesn’t care.

Kurosawa nods. “I used to work with him, and your mother.”

Futaba’s eyes widen. “Seriously? You know my mom?”

“Yes, you’re a lot like her,” Kurosawa says. Futaba blushes, and turns to the woman in the back seat with her.

“And you are?”

The woman smiles, and reaches out her hand. “My name is Mitsuru Kirijo,” she says as Futaba shakes her hand. “Ken has already told you about the Shadow Operatives, no?” the woman asks.

“Yeah.”

“We’re an organization that looks into threats from shadow activity. As I’m sure you can guess, that means we get involved a lot with Cognitive Psience, and we were following your mother’s work before she passed away.” Kirijo offers Futaba a sad smile, but Futaba waves her off. “Our group has been trying to look into the mental shutdown incidents for a long time now, but at every level we’ve been blocked by Masayoshi Shido. We know you aren’t involved with them because the Phantom Thieves only recently became active, so we were hoping you would be able to help.”

“What do you want my help for?” Futaba asks.

“We’d like you to tell us everything you know about the mental shutdowns and Shido.” 

Futaba looks between Kirijo, Amada, and Koromaru in her lap. “Fine.”

She tells them about her mother, about how the Phantom Thieves helped her, about Shido and Akechi and how they were set up. When she finishes, Kirijo has a serious expression on her face, and Amada looks like he wants march into the Diet building and smack Shido himself.

“We’re here.” Kurosawa announces as they pull up next to a fancy looking building.

Kirijo leads Futaba into the building, nodding at the receptionist, and finally they arrive in what looks like a living area.

“You’ve been through a lot, Sakura. Why don’t you get some rest,” Kirijo says. Futaba wants to argue, insist she’s fine but even she can feel how sluggish she is. The last time she slept in two days was in the woods in the freezing cold, and the adrenaline that had been keeping her going for the last few hours is starting to wear off. Futaba finds a guest room, kicks off her boots and passes out before her head even touches the pillow.

-_-_-

“... been asleep for how long?”

“Can you blame her, she’s exhausted. The doctor said she should wake up soon.”

Futaba opens her eyes and sees two people talking just outside the open door to her room. One’s a man with a cross necklace, and the other is…

“Excuse me, are you Yukari Takeba?” Futaba blurts out. The two people turn in surprise, then the man laughs.

“Let me guess, you’re a fan of Featherman?” he asks.

“Obviously.”

The Yukari Takeba elbows the man, then turns to Futaba. “Yes, I’m Yukari Takeba, and this is Junpei Iori. Are you feeling alright? You’ve been asleep for three days.”

“That’s not really weird for me,” Futaba says, throwing off the covers. Her discarded jacket and boots have been cleaned, though the clothes she fell asleep in are still pristine. Her stick is also propped up next to her boots, and that makes Futaba happier than she would have expected.

“Go get yourself cleaned off, and then you can meet us in the meeting area.” Iori says.

“I will, thanks.”

Futaba has what is probably the best shower in her entire life, and puts on the clothes that have been laid out for her. The blouse is a bit nicer than Futaba is used to and she has to roll up the pants, but they’re comfortable and smell nice so she walks into the meeting room feeling confident and refreshed.

When she gets there, she sees the Shadow Operatives she’s already met, along with a woman with light blue hair, a blonde woman who Futaba quickly realizes is actually a robot, and a man with silver hair.

“Futaba, you’re just in time!” Iori says when he sees her enter. “You’ve already met pretty much everyone here, but this is Aigis, Akihiko Sanada, and Dr. Fuuka Yamagishi.”

The blue haired woman smiles. “I’m not quite a doctor yet, I still need to finish my dissertation.”

“Eh, you’re practically there already,” Iori says.

“I-It’s nice to meet you all.” Unfortunately, no amount of showering is going to help her when she knows everyone in the room is staring at her, but Futaba tries to keep her calm. “So, you guys said we might be able to help each other?”

“That’s right.” Kirijo says, standing up.

“Well then, can you help me figure out what happened to Sojiro?” Futaba asks. “H-he’s probably worried about me.”

Yukari Fucking Takeba’s face falls. “Sojiro Sakura has been arrested.”

Futaba pales. “What are they doing to him?” She remembers going to see Akira after his little stint in a police station. He’d been asleep and Morgana had warned her not to wake him, but even from the other side of the attic, Futaba could tell he’d been absolutely riddled with bruises and his breathing sounded labored.

And that was after less than a day. Who knew what they were doing to Sojiro, all because he decided to help her. He’d warned them. He’d suspected Shido and didn’t tell her because he thought they’d go after him and get themselves killed and now it’s actually Sojiro who’s going to end up dead.

“Futaba!” A voice pierces through her thoughts. Futaba blinks and realizes Iori is kneeling next to her. “Just breathe ok. In and out.”

Futaba follows his instructions and lets herself be guided to the couch. The blonde robot woman— Aigis? It was Aigis, right?— offers her a glass of water that Futaba takes.

“Listen, Sojiro’s going to be fine.” Iori says.

“We know that there’s plans for him to go on trial, there’s going to be an announcement tonight,” Aigis says.

“It’ll be public, I doubt they’ll do too much to him before then,” Kirijo says.

“But after that, they’ll throw him in prison,” Futaba says. “Or make him disappear or-”

“We won’t let that happen,” Kirijo says. “We will do everything in our power to make sure your father is alright. You have my word.”

Futaba drinks her glass of water and doesn’t say anything.

“We need to change Shido’s heart.,” Futaba says. “Then he’ll admit to everything and our names will be cleared.”

“What would you need to do that?” Sanada asks.

“Ok, well then we need to get back to Tokyo and find my friends,” Futaba says.

Kirijo frowns. “That will be difficult. Apparently the police force is watching all the entry points into Tokyo, and we’ve all been blacklisted.”

“There has to be something .” Futaba insists.

“Actually. I have an idea,” Yamagishi says, quietly. All eyes in the room turn to her. “Sakura-chan, your Persona is suited towards navigation, right?”

Futaba blinks. “Yeah, why?”

“Mine is too, and navigators get stronger when they use their abilities in tandem. There’s a device we can use to amplify the power of support personas. If we used that, and had Mitsuru and Rise to help, we might be able to generate enough of a range to reach Tokyo. It wouldn’t be amazing but at least you could talk to your friends or maybe keep track of enemy weaknesses.”

“Wouldn’t we still need access to that… uh Metaverse you told us about?” Sanada asks.

“I can do that,” Futaba says. “I-” she reaches into her pocket, and then remembers she lost her phone. “Ok… Uh, I’ll need a laptop or something. I have backdoors into all of my friend’s phones. And Akechi’s, I guess. I can hack into their phones and copy it off of one theirs, and then we can boot up the app and run it here.”

Sanada and Kirijo share a look. “Think it’ll work?” Sanada asks.

“It’s possible,” Mitsuru says. “It would be rather draining but-”

“We have to try .” Futaba insists. “Please, Sojiro-”

“We understand,” The Actual Yukari Takeba says. “We’ll help you in any way we can.”

The Shadow Ops continue the conversation and say a few things, Futaba doesn’t pay attention to. She looks around the room for a laptop or something to get on line.

They insist Futaba eat food and rest a bit before letting her at a computer. It’s simple enough to hack into Akechi’s phone through the backdoor she left earlier and download the MetaNav onto the computer. 

What’s less fun is the official announcement that night that Sae’s been arrested too and would stand trial with Sojiro. 

Futaba doesn’t sleep that night. She sits up and wonders what the hell could have happened if Sae’s been caught. And where Makoto is, until finally she’s had enough of being in her own head.

Instead Futaba hacks into the Shadow Operatives files, and gets as much dirt on them as she can. She finds the schematics for the amplifier Yamagishi was talking about and starts taking notes.

The next morning, Futaba goes to the living area and sees Yukari “Feather Pink Herself” Takeba.

“Do you know where Mitsuru is? I’ve been looking through the schematics on the amplifier and I think I’ve figured out some ways to make it stronger.”

“Did you sleep at all?”

“Nah, but it’s fine.” Futaba says. While she’s here, she might as well get something to drink. She wants coffee, but that makes her think about Sojiro too much, so she grabs a hot chocolate packet and some marshmallows out of the counter.

Yukari Takeba, Seriously It’s Really Her, sits down on the counter across the table. “Is it alright if I call you Futaba-chan?”

Futaba nearly chokes on the marshmallows she’d been stuffing into her mouth. “I mean, yeah sure, if you want. That’d be cool.”

“Listen, Futaba-chan,” Yukari “Holy Shit She’s Using My Name” Takeba says. “I know you’re worried about your friends, but you can’t spread yourself too thin. You’re just doing yourself a disservice by wearing yourself out.”

“I did everyone a disservice by running away,” Futaba mutters.

“You’re not, though. You’re safe, and I’m sure your friends would be happy to know that at least. And we will get you out of this mess.”

“Yeah, you need our help or whatever and-”

“We also wanted to make sure as many of you were as ok as we possibly could. You’re kids-”

“Are you saying we can’t handle this?” Futaba snaps.

“Not at all. I’d be a hypocrite if I did too, considering what we got up to at your age. But that means you still deserve to feel safe and not have to watch your backs, especially since you were almost certainly innocent. I’m sorry you feel like you have to push yourself this much, but let me tell you, you don’t. Things will be fine, better even, if you let yourself relax and recover.”

Futaba stares at her drink, then back at Takeba. Then she feels the tears start.

“I just… I can barely do anything, and-”

Futaba doesn’t realize Takeba’s walked over to her until Futaba feels arms wrap around her. “You’re stronger than you think. I promise. You can do this, your friends can do this, and everything will be fine.”

Futaba lets herself cry into Takeba’s shoulder for a long time, all the fear and worry of the situation finally catching up with her.

When Futaba’s all cried out, she pulls away. “Thanks, Takeba-san.” Futaba says.

“You can call me Yukari. You’re an honorary Shadow Operative now, after all.”

“Really?”

“Oh, definitely.” Ta- Yukari straightens and pulls out a mug of her own. “Now, do you want sprinkles on your hot chocolate?”

After that, Futaba takes Yukari’s advice and gets some sleep, then works with Kirijo and Yamagishi on her device.

Oh she also meets Rise God Damn Kujikawa, who has a Persona, which is insane.

The day after her conversation with Yukari in the kitchen, Futaba opens her computer and runs the MetaNav, inputting the coordinates for Shido’s ship. This won’t do anything if no one’s there, but hopefully they can figure out something. 

Yamagishi, Kirijo, and Seriously Is That Actually Rise Kujikawa, summon their Personas, and Futaba does the same, pleasantly surprised to feel Prometheus, even if she can’t manage to fully bring him into reality like the others.

“Alright, let’s start.” Futaba reaches out, feeling around Shido’s ship. It’s fuzzier than usual, but her breath hitches as she gets a familiar ping from Prometheus. 

“I’ve got a reading.”

[hystericalweenie]

Just Another Day at the Office Series - New Experiences

George MacKay x Reader Series

Part One: Dinner is Served

Masterlist

Summary: Y/f/n Y/l/n had found herself stuck in a scenario she’d never thought she’d ever have to face: she’d been catching feelings for a coworker. While she attempted to adapt to her new job and work load, she also had to get used to these new feelings and figure out what the fuck to do with them. George made her want to take risks, she didn’t care about the potentiality of a broken heart with him, because falling in love with him made it seem worth it. Is George falling for Y/n too? Will he be able to reciprocate her feelings?

a/n: I have absolutely no personal experience in magazine/journalism career, so the information in this fic will be provided with the knowledge I have conducted from research. With that being said, please don’t be mad if this is not accurate!!! I wrote this drunk and honestly I’m not mad at how this turned out. 

Warnings: This is a slow burn fic, their relationship won’t happen in one night, so if you’re not into that, check out some of the beautifully written imagines that you can most likely find under the george mackayxreader tag. I might eventually write some of my own too :P At least one person’s saying “fuck” and there’s some MUTHA! FUCKIN! SMUT! UP! IN! HERE!!!! oral receiving, oral performing, some mother freakin explicit content up in here

I held my glass of red wine up to my lips, as we both sat down after finally finishing cooking together. 

“You did very well, I’m pretty shocked, actually,” he complimented, scooping the chicken into his mouth.

“Well, you did do most of it,” I chided. “But, thank you.”

“How was work today?” he asked between bites.

I waited before swallowing.

“It was good, that pitch for Connie went incredibly well,” I recalled, taking another sip out of my wine glass.

His eyebrows raised at the reference to the pitch.

“I remember you texting me about that earlier, that’s fantastic, Y/n,” his British accent was accentuated as he said “fantastic”, making me grin. 

“Thank you,” I blushed, taking a moment to let his compliment marinate before I continued to eat. 

“You’re succeeding immensely so far at Essence,” he praised, using his knife to cut through the tender chicken in preparation for another bite.

“Really?” I asked in disbelief. 

He nodded, his eyebrows furrowing and his head tilting, as if to say “are you kidding?”

“I had no fucking idea what to do for the first, like, three months there. Barely anyone even noticed me; I would sit at the far end of the table during meetings without saying a word,” he recalled. “And look at you; your second week in, and you’ve already impressed the head of your department.”

“You couldn’t be that bad,” I retorted, not entirely believing him.

“Oh, I was,” he countered, laughing. “I was a bloody idiot, but no one trained me! How the hell was I supposed to know anything?”

“They’re horrible at training,” I agreed.

We both ate in silence until we finished our meals.

“What was the first meal you taught Dean how to make?” I queried, finishing off the rest of my red wine.

“Banana bread,” he smiled, softly laughing as he recalled the memory. “I actually have a scar on my hand from that day.”

He lifted his hand from across the table, showing me. I touched the small pink line gently, noticing that the bruises on his knuckles looked more violet that evening than the night before, matching his eye.

“How are your knuckles feeling?” I asked, running my finger ever so lightly along them.

He smiled, his blue eyes softening at me.

“They’re fine, love, they barely hurt,” he reassured.

There it was again; love. Butterflies erupted in my stomach at the word, the way it rolled off his tongue with his accent and the way he made it sound so intimate, somehow.

My finger lingered on his hand, my eyes looking up to examine his black eye. As I observed, I wondered if it’d start to turn a greenish color the next day, or if it’d take a little longer than I thought to heal. His eyes bore into mine as I pondered the healing of his wounds, my concern most likely being obvious on my facial expressions. He removed his hand from underneath mind before resting it on top instead, his eyes still watching me. I looked down in confusion at the action, my heart beating faster and faster. I gulped, my eyes slowly moving up towards his. My heart was racing, I could practically hear the quick thumps, as I anticipated what was going to happen with great fear. 

“Do you want me to help with the dishes?” I blurted, interrupting the tension. 

What the fuck did I just do?!

He gulped, before nodding his head.

“Yeah, right, I forgot about those,” he let out a small chuckle before removing his hand from mine and standing up from the table.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Why did I do that? Why did I have to make things so awkward?

I stood up with him, grabbing my dishes with me. He opened the dishwasher after rinsing his dishes off under the faucet as I copied his actions. He grabbed some cloths and a plastic bottle of dish soap, handing me a cloth.

“You can dry them, and I can wash?” he offered.

I nodded. “That’s fine with me.”

He grabbed one of the big pans we used for the chicken, rinsing it under the steaming water from the faucet before drenching it in dish soap.

“Do you ever miss England?” I spoke up, trying to make up for the awkward interruption I’d caused earlier.

“Mmm,” he hummed, contemplating his answer. 

He scrubbed the pan with the wash cloth, the noise making up for the time he was spending coming up with a response to my question.

“I miss my family,” he admitted. “And I miss some of my friends growin’ up. But, I’m so thankful for coming to New York, meeting all of the people I’ve met and the job I’ve been blessed with; I’m very happy here.”

He handed me the pan, gesturing for me to dry it. He grabbed the wooden cutting board that we’d used to cut the chicken, and repeated the same process.

“What about you? Where’d you live before New York?” he interrogated, his eyes focusing on the chore in front of him.

After drying the pan, I set it aside on the counter in preparation for the wooden cutting board.

“I lived in Oregon, a small city called Ashland,” I began, recalling all of the memories I had, filled with my mother’s laughter and my father’s toothy smiles. “We used to have this small pond behind our house, and my father and I would go feed the ducks everyday after school. God, we used to love hiking, too. After living in New York for five years, I’ve forgotten how spectacular the suburbs are.”

“That sounds much more interesting than England,” he confessed, handing me the wooden chopping board. “Although, it’s pretty cool having an Australian dad and an English mum.”

I raised my eyebrows, clearly impressed.

“How do you manage to beat me at everything?” I chuckled in disbelief. 

He furrowed his eyebrows, cleaning the pot we’d used to make the spaghetti.

“You beat me in your quick succession at work,” he admitted, his eyes glancing at me. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a raise within the next five months.”

I rolled my eyes, wiping the wooden board with the cloth.

“I think you’re the first guy to think so highly of my work ethics,” I professed. 

He put the pot down, turning to me. 

“Really?” he inquired in disbelief.

I nodded. “The last relationship I was in, the guy told me he wanted me to be a receptionist. A receptionist, can you believe that?! And, it was like he was deciding for me, even though he knew throughout college that I wanted to be a writer,” I ranted, my hands going up in the air as I angrily relived the memories. 

“Why the hell did you settle for that, Y/n?” he asked seriously, handing me the pot to dry. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose before taking the pot.

“I don’t know,” I frustratingly answered, drying the pot in silence.

He piled the rest into the dishwasher, putting the dried dishes away in his cabinets. He leant his back against the counter, his arms crossing, before he spoke up.

“Your last relationship was in college?”

I gulped. Did I let that detail slip?

“Yeah,” I began, scratching the back of my neck. “I haven’t really had the time for a relationship since I started working full-time.”

I hoped he wouldn’t be able to tell that I was lying. I prayed that my inevitable blushed cheeks wouldn’t turn scarlet. I begged that he wouldn’t think I was weird for not having been in a relationship for so long.

“How long has it been, then?”

I chewed my lip. Fuck. I felt like Bree had asked me the same question just yesterday, except in a different context, of course. Though, my answer remained the same.

“Two years,” I cringed at my own answer, before gesturing my hand out to him. “How about you?”

“Almost a year,” he admitted with a shrug. “Only lasted a few months, things just didn't work out.”

I laughed dryly. “Mine was a few years, he, uh, cheated on me.”

His eyes widened in shock. “No way.”

I nodded, my lips pursing. He shook his head, pushing himself off of the counter.

“How?”

“Hmm,” I hummed, bringing my knuckles to my chin sarcastically. “I think he got with another woman behind my back while we’d been in a three year relationship, yeah, I think that’s how you cheat on someone, right?”

He rolled his eyes at me, crossing his arms again as he stood in front of me.

“There’s no way the other woman could have been more beautiful than you or more successful than you, as you are now,” he admitted with a shrug. “There’s absolutely no way; this girl had to be a troll or something, and so did your boyfriend, for fuck’s sake!”

He had to be praising me the same way Bree does, right? Friends trash on each other’s exes.

“He definitely wasn’t the most attractive guy,” I recollected. “But, I was just at the phase in college where I wanted to experiment without sleeping around, which resulted in falling in love, blah, blah, blah, you know the rest.”

He smiled at my childish way of talking, seeing the immature, playful side of me.

“Y/n,” he began, his voice softer than before. He edged closer to me, his eyes focusing on mine. I panicked; what was he doing?

“Can I try something?” his voice was as soft as a whisper.

Fuck it. I was ready. I needed to be ready this time. 

I nodded slowly, preparing myself for the unexpected. He stepped closer to me, his eyes still staring into mine. As they dragged toward my lips, I watched as he reached a hand out, grasping my cheek as his thumb grazed my cheekbone. I watched his gaze on my face intently in awe, as he dragged the moment, wanting to soak every bit in. He moved his face toward mine and within seconds, I closed my eyes subconsciously, and his lips were pressed ever so lightly against my own. They barely moved, as they stilled for a moment, before he pulled away.

I couldn’t tell if I was breathing. I couldn’t tell if what had just happened was even real. Whether this was a dream or not, all I knew was that I wanted him, I needed him.

My hand snaked up to the nape of his neck, before pulling himself back towards my lips. I didn’t care anymore, I didn’t care what would happen or what this meant. Nothing mattered anymore, except him. He crashed his lips against my own, his arms moving down to my waist. This time, his lips moved passionately against my own, as we created our own rhythm. Our lips moving against each other’s, I brought my other arm to meet the other around his neck, pulling him flush against me. 

“Jump up,” he mumbled against my lips, his voice husky with hunger.

I did as he asked, jumping and wrapping my legs around his waist, as he supported my thighs with his hands. He walked me up the stairs slowly, making sure he wouldn’t drop me as he kept his lips attached to me. Once we’d made it upstairs, he removed one of his hands, grasping for the doorknob before actually finding it and opening the door. Closing it with his foot, he set me on the bed, as I kicked my shoes off behind his back. 

His lips hungrily moved against my own, his tongue swiping against my bottom lip before I parted them, allowing his entrance. Our tongues danced together, as I heard him peel his own shoes off with his feet, as he moved his hands under my thighs and picked me up from the bed again, he placed me toward the top. He let go of my thighs, peeling his lips away from my own as he climbed up on the bed, settling himself in between my legs, as his forearms supported him on either side of my head before diving back into my lips. 

My legs wrapped around his back, pulling his hips down against mine in search of my desired friction. He rolled himself against my heat, making me moan, as I felt him smirk into the kiss at my reaction. He rolled himself again, this time more slowly and deeply against my heat. His lips dragged to the corner of my mouth, to my jaw, and finally, to my neck. He used his lips to gently kiss his desired spot before sucking on it, swiping his tongue against the skin simultaneously. I let out a breathy sigh, my fingers moving to his hair to grip on the strands. After repeating the same process on multiple spots on my neck, he moved to my collarbones, peppering them with feverish kisses before his fingers found themselves at the hem on my shirt.

“Is this alright to take off?” he asked, his breathing heavy.

“Please,” I begged, vigorously nodding as my arms raised for him to take it off. 

He obliged, pulling the fabric off quickly before his eyes fell to my chest. His pupils enlarged as he stared in awe at the lacy black bra I’d been so thankful I’d worn that night. His lips found their way to the valley of my breasts, sucking random spots in hopes to cover every inch of skin on my chest. He pulled himself away again, looking into my eyes as his fingers moved to the clasp in the back, as if looking for permission. I nodded, my eyes practically watering at how much I needed him. He slowly unclasped the bra, his eyes not leaving mine, before removing the bra from my skin and tossing it aside, somewhere with my top. 

His eyes slowly made their way down to my exposed breasts, his jaw falling slack at the sight. I watched as he licked his lips before attaching them to one of my nipples, his other hand moving to massage the other. I whimpered, his teeth gently grazing my nipple as the pad of his thumb continuously ran over the other. He moved his mouth to my other breast, opposite hand moving to the one he’d just had in his mouth. My fingers tangled themselves in the soft locks of his hair, as the pleasure from my nipples alone made me feel like I could orgasm right then and there. 

His lips pulled off of my nipple with a pop sound, sloppily littering my stomach with kisses. My fingers moved toward the hem of his shirt, wanting him to reveal his own torso. He sat up on his knees, peeling the fabric off of him quickly, but giving me enough time to stare at his abs, looking chiseled enough for him to be a statue. He smirked, watching as I examined him, before moving himself toward the end of the bed. He placed his lips back onto my skin, this time, his lips pressing soft kisses right above the button of my jeans.

I moved my fingers to the button, unbuttoning them, giving him my permission to continue. He looked up at me, his dark, lustful eyes meeting mine, as he slowly unzipped my jeans, and gently tugged them down my hips. I lifted my hips up, making it easier for him to peel them off of my legs. I was left in my panties, as his lips hovered over my heat. He slowly looped his fingers around the fabric, looking up at me for permission. Again, I nodded, licking my lips, my hips practically bucking at this point. He slowly moved my panties down my legs, his eyes widening at the sight of my pussy. His hands moved to the insides of my thighs, slowly moving them apart, giving him better access. 

I had to pinch myself on the arm just to clarify that this was real.

His lips moved to press a gentle kiss on my clitoral hood. Then, he moved to press his lips against each one of my outer lips, causing me to moan in anticipation. And slowly, he flattened his tongue against my heat, licking me up in one swipe. My thighs were already a quivering mess, my hips bucking up at the sudden pleasure. He repeated the action, his eyes moving to look up at me. My jaw fell slack as he remained eye contact, slowly navigating his tongue through my folds. My head fell back as his tongue settled on my clit, slowly lapping at the sensitive bud.

I moved one of my hands back to his hair, grabbing a handful of his blond locks as my legs already began to shake. I felt him slowly bring his finger to my entrance, curling it into me. I let out a loud whimper at the sensations, bringing his finger to a slow pumping rhythm. 

“Faster, George,” I begged, my chest heaving up and down. “Please.”

He moaned against me, the vibrations stimulating me even more as his tongue lapped quicker at my clit, his finger beginning to pump faster. My hips bucked against his movements, coming close to my release. I looked down, meeting his  blue eyes looking up at me in awe, bringing me to my climax. I let out a scream, my breathing hitching as he continued his movements, riding me through my high. As my hips slowed, he removed his lips from me, before slowly removing his finger as well. He surprised me, moving his lips to my entrance, lapping up my leaking juices with his tongue. 

He sighed against me after finishing, his hot breath against my pussy. He stood up, smirking at me as he wiped his mouth with his wrist. I watched in awe, still breathing heavily as I still wasn't recovered from my climax. He moved back up to the bed, his lips attaching to mine, allowing me to taste myself. Our tongues began to battle each other's once again, returning to our own perfect rhythm, before I rolled myself on top of him. With one knee on each side of him, I hungrily kissed him, feeling his hard-on through his jeans against my flesh. 

My fingers moved to quickly undo his button and zipper, as he opened his legs for me to sit in between them. He moved his hips up, giving me access to pull his own pants down. As I peeled the fabric off of his legs, I could see the tent in his boxers, exciting me. I returned my lips to his, bringing my hand down to palm him through the fabric. He groaned against my lips, chewing on my bottom lip, as I grasped his shaft through his underwear. Teasing him slowly, I finally looped my fingers around the band, pulling them down, as his dick slapped against his stomach. My eyes widened at the size of him, wondering if I’d even be able to fit him in my mouth.

My hand moved back to his shaft, moving up and down as I squeezed him. My thighs rubbed together at the sight in front of me, his large swollen dick in my hands as his eyes stared at me, half-lidded. I moved my hand down to pleasure myself, before slowly reaching my mouth down to take him. I pressed my lips firmly to his tip, before parting them and wrapping them around the flesh. I swirled my tongue around him, feeling himself harden even more in my hand. I had to hold his cock down, as I continued to tease him with my tongue. And slowly, opening my throat, I bobbed my head down. I took as much of him as I could, feeling him enter my throat. 

I forced back a gag, as I slowly pulled away from him, before bobbing my head back down again. I repeated this, pleasuring myself with my opposite hand as well. I felt his hand snake to my neck, grasping a handful of my hair as I quickened my pace. 

“God, Y/n,” he breathed, causing me to quicken my own pace on my heat. 

I moaned against him, sending vibrations through him, as I felt him twitch in my mouth. I gagged, taking him all in, as I felt him finally spurt down my throat. Tears ran down my cheeks as I bobbed my head, finishing him off as he continuously moaned my name, sounding like music to my ears. I swallowed his cum, as he pulled out of my mouth with a pop. Excess spit and cum ran down my lips as I quickly wiped my mouth, before wiping the tears that had escaped my eyes. He looked at me in awe as my eyes finally met him. His hands went to grip my cheeks, his thumbs stroking my cheekbones. 

“Y/n, you’re fucking perfect,” he breathed, half-lidded eyes and a weak smile of euphoria. 

I laughed softly, moving up to press a soft kiss against his lips. Our lips moved together slowly at a soft rhythm, the tips of our tongues dancing together. My fingers knitted through his hair, weaving through the disheveled locks. He pulled away, pressing a firm kiss onto my lips before looking up at me as I rested on top of him. My eyelids were heavy, exhausted from the action I’d just performed. My cheek went to rest against his bare chest, our skin flush against each other. His heartbeat calmed me, lulling me to sleep as my eyelids closed and exhaustion took over my body. 

Boy, would I have a story for Bree.

[star-spangled-steve]

His New Partner

Chapter 17: The Emergency Visit

Series Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 1846

Warnings: Some sadness, a heavily injured Steve, mentions of violence, a bit of fluff, light cussing.

A/N: This is Chapter 17 out of 50, meaning that this series is now officially a third of the way done!

“Excuse me, sorry!” Y/N exclaimed left and right while she scurried down the hallways of the busy hospital in Washington. “My bad!” She winced as she accidentally bumped butts with some middle-aged lady. Yes, she was aware that several people might recognize her, due to her personal fame, but right now she simply didn’t care. It was an emergency. 

Y/N finally approached the counter, banging her hands on it a few times to get the receptionist’s attention. “Hi, hi, hello.”

“Oh, boy. Calm down, dear.” The lady at the desk instructed, trying to relax the trembling actress. “What can I do for you?”

“U-Um, Steve Rogers. Which room is he in?” Y/N asked, eyes darting all around the crowded space. She could see some people staring at her and taking out their phones, but decided to ignore it.

“Oh yes, yes.” The woman nodded, searching around her desk to find the specific papers. “I was informed that you’d be showing up, Miss Y/L/N.” She eventually located the document, bringing her glasses down from where they rested on the top of her head and putting them on for real. “He’s in room 228.”

“Thanks!” Y/N said rather loudly as she started to jog to the destination.

“No running in here!” The woman called from behind the counter, making the younger girl stop in her tracks.

“Right, sorry.” She sucked on her bottom lip with nervousness, heading more slowly down the hallway this time.

When Y/N first received the call that Steve was in the hospital, she didn’t entirely believe it. He went on dangerous missions all the time and never came out with anything more than a couple scratches or bruises. He was Captain America; reckless, and restless, and the owner of muscles that seemed like they were made of vibranium. Surely he couldn’t get too hurt. Right?

Wrong.

And the evidence was clear by the almost million machines that were hooked up to Steve’s injured body, a fact that Y/N noticed right as soon as she burst through the door.

“Oh my-Steve.” She covered her mouth with her hands at the sight of him.

“Hey, princess.” He gave her a small smile. “What are ‘ya doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Y/N stepped farther inside the tiny room, throwing her hands up in defeat. “Look at you!”

Even though Steve was the type to deny any pain that he felt, he could agree that today definitely wasn’t his prettiest day. The dark purple bruise that stained his right cheek, the numerous cuts that were scattered across his handsome face. Though, the amount of pain that he felt from it all was nothing compared to how pained Y/N felt just seeing him like this.

“Who hurt you?” She questioned softly with a frown.

“You don’t know?” Steve furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side, assuming that the whole world had known about his current predicament by now. “Come, sit down, baby.” He said before patting an empty spot next to him on the hospital bed. “What do you know so far?”

“Well,” Y/N began, sitting down just as he told her to. She placed her purse on room’s small table before rubbing a hand on his left forearm, the one without the IV in it. “Tony told me to turn on the news, and I saw those helicarriers go down. A-And they said that you were in one.” She stammered, tears beginning to well up in her eyes at the thought. Steve squeezed her hand, silently urging her to continue. “So I freaked out, we all did actually. The whole team was trying to find a way to c-contact you or contact S.H.I.E.L.D., but no one would give us any real information. U-Until we saw all of those secret files that got leaked to the world, and found out about Hydra b-being actually in S.H.I.E.L.D.” As Y/N wiped her eyes, Steve began to feel guilty for putting through all of this. “I-I said that I was going to head here, to D.C., b-but the team all told me to stay in Manhattan w-where it was safer. It wasn’t until the middle of the night that the hospital called, though all that they had told me was that they found you on the shore, and something about three bullet wounds.” She sniffed and glanced down at her lap, before finally making eye contact with him once again. “I-I was just happy that they found you alive, Stevie.”  

The man gulped, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb in a calming fashion. “I’m so sorry, N/N. Please, don’t cry, doll.”

The girl shook girl head with a small sniffle. “I’m supposed to be the one comforting you, right now.”

Steve shook his head even more forcefully than her, despite the soreness, leaving no more room for argument. “Not when I’m putting you through stress like this.” He glanced down at their connected hands, savouring the sweet moment.

“That’s what people in relationships do, honey.” Y/N told him earnestly, making the Captain smile in response. “I love you, and I’m sticking by your side no matter how much crap you put me through. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” She added with a grin.

Steve chuckled and moved his hand up to her beautiful face, cradling her jaw in a soothing manner. “I wouldn’t dream of getting rid of you, Y/N. I love you too.”

And with that, he pulled her head down to level with his, connecting their lips after them having been apart for so long. Too long. The kiss was gentle, chaste, and filled with love that the couple shared for one another. It was something that they definitely needed to lighten the mood after such a sour couple of days, something extra special. So, what a shame it was that it got interrupted by a hesitant knock on the half-opened door.

“Is this a bad time?” A voice asked from across the small space, making the pair turn their heads towards the sound.

There in the doorway stood a well-built African American man, holding what looked like a fast-food bag and large fountain drink in his hands. He walked across the room in quick strides, setting the items on Steve’s bedside table as Y/N tried to remember him, but couldn’t. He did look familiar, though.

“Kind of, but I’ll forgive you eventually.” The blonde man quipped, removing his hand from Y/N’s cheek and running it down her exposed arm softly. “What’s that?” He asked, gesturing with his chin to bag of food.

“Brought it from the cafeteria.” The other man answered with a shrug. “Figured that it’ll be better than whatever crummy hospital supper that they decide to serve you.”

“Thank you.” Steve smiled before lightly squeezing Y/N’s arm. “I don’t think that you two know each other yet.”

“Oh, I definitely know her.” The dark-haired man chuckled. “She’s a big star!”

“Y/N Y/L/N.” She stuck out her hand with a laugh.

“Sam Wilson.” He responded before shaking her hand.

“My new wingman.” Steve remarked with a small nod, making the two turn to him. “This is a good guy right here.”

“Ohh.” Y/N finally realized where she recognized Sam from and pointed to him. “I saw you on the news with Steve, fighting the bad guys. You had the wings, right?”

“Yes, that would be me.” Wilson crossed his arms over his chest with pride.

“Well then, I must thank you for keeping his dumb ass out of too much trouble.” The girl joked, looking over to her injured boyfriend with a silly grin.

“Thanks, sweetheart.” Steve said with a roll of his eyes, before teasingly poking Y/N’s side and making her squirm away with a tiny giggle. “Really though, thank you, Sam. We couldn’t have pulled any of this off without you.” He stated.

The airman nodded his head, seeing the uttermost sincere expression on Steve’s face. “You’re very welcome, Cap. Anytime you need me.” Sam moved back towards the door, giving the couple a quick wave. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Bye.” Y/N waved kindly as well before turning back to her boyfriend, running her fingers through his messy blonde locks.

“You met him at work?” She assumed.

“No.” Steve replied, running one of his large hands over her thigh slowly. “I met him on a morning run, he actually used to serve as well, works at the VA now.”

Y/N nodded in understanding, before quirking her head to the side. “And where do you work now? S.H.I.E.L.D. is like...”

“Gone.” He finished for her. “Destroyed.”

“So, d-does that mean-?”

“I’m coming home, darling.” Steve smiled at the sudden realization.

Y/N’s face instantly lit up, her smile wide and teeth on display. “Oh, thank god!” She squealed in delight, placing several joyous kisses on his non-damaged cheek, followed by one big one on his lips.

“Woah, woah, easy there, babydoll.” Steve chuckled as she nearly shook the bed with all her movement, now lying halfway overtop of him. “I may have fast healing, but I’m not invincible.”

“Sorry.” Y/N giggled, sitting up once again. “I’m just so happy.”

“Me too.” He grinned. “And considering that it’s been way too long since I’ve last shared a bed with you...” Steve pulled back the covers of his current one, gesturing for her to get underneath them. 

“What? Steve-“ Y/N began to protest, not wanting to accidentally hurt him even more.

“C’mon, N/N. There’s enough room for the both of us.” He smirked, patting the white sheets.

“No, there’s not!” She laughed. “You alone barely fit in there.”

“Well too damn bad.” Steve shrugged, gripping Y/N’s waist and pulling her closer to him.

She squealed in surprise, silently wondering how he was so strong even in this state of injury. “Fine.” The girl huffed before finally giving in, taking off her shoes and getting underneath the covers.

It was a tight squeeze inside the single bed, that’s for sure. But Y/N laid on her side and they eventually managed to make it work.

“Mmm.” She hummed. “It is nice sharing a bed with you again, I almost forgot how warm you are.”

Steve chuckled, rubbing his hand up and down her clothed back. “See? Things will go just back to normal.”

“A little different though, now that Nick’s gone.” Y/N said with a frown. Even though she didn’t know Fury that well, he was still very nice to her whenever they saw each other.

Now Steve, on the other hand, just realized that Y/N still didn’t know that Nick’s death was fake. She wasn’t aware that his neighbour, ‘Kate’, was actually a secret agent assigned to protect him. Him beating up ten guys in an elevator was something that would definitely blow her away, and would turn her on, Steve thought to himself. But most importantly, Bucky still being alive was a fact that she hadn’t found out yet. A big, big fact.

“Ya,” the Captain sighed, “you and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

Next Chapter

Feedback is always welcome!❤️

[inawickedlittletown]

Next To Me (1/6)

Summary: Buck and Eddie started off in different places but eventually they ended up in the same. Eventually, they ended up in love. 

Buck had never had a friend like Eddie before. Someone that burrowed under his skin and wrapped around him and became a part of him — like an extra limb, someone he couldn’t do without.

Ship: Buck/Eddie

Words: 4,199

Notes: This is far from my first fic, but it is my first fic in the 9-1-1/buddie fandom. I binged the first two seasons a few weeks ago and got caught up on the current season, read a few fics, and here we are. 

I wanted to write something that explores Buck and his past but also a realistic take on Buck/Eddie within the canon. As I wrote, I figured out that for it to work I would need to look at Eddie's past as well and so this fic was formed. 

Title comes from the Imagine Dragons song: Next To Me. 

Masterpost

Read on Ao3

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Chapter One

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The thing was that he always liked guys. Buck was an equal opportunity lover because people were people and a lot of people were hot. Girls were easier sometimes. A bit of smiling, some flirting, and most of them were welcoming him with open arms and Buck was not afraid of using anything at his disposal to close the deal. Even, on two occasions the ladder truck. Thinking back on that made him cringe. With guys there was always the awkward moment where Buck had to figure out if the guy that caught his eye was actually gay or bi. His gaydar was faulty at best. Worse, or equally as bad, when other guys looked at him they saw a straight guy. It was very rare for anyone to actually peg his sexuality before they got to know him. 

For a long time, Buck was all about the one-night stands. The quickies anywhere. Even sometimes in the view of other people. That was just easier. After all, it was his experience that the people he cared about always hurt him after some fashion of time. It happened with his parents, with his sister, with the boy he loved back when he was in high school, and perhaps even everyone that he considered giving a shot to. Keeping people at a distance was easier. 

Then, he became a fireman. 

His mother always wanted him to be a doctor or, if not that, a nurse like his sister. She had hopes that if it wasn’t a medical field that he do something that meant something. In other terms, she wanted him to have money and success. His father had probably cared at some point, but as early as the age of ten, Buck had known that his father didn’t like him. His parents should never have been parents. They were the kind of people that had kids because that was the next step after getting married and buying the house in the suburbs complete with the white picket fence.

If they had cared even a little, they might have bothered to be bothered when Buck announced that he was leaving Pennsylvania. His sister had been long gone since then to put up a fight. Buck had packed up his clothes and a few other odds and ends into his car — the one single thing he was taking that his parents had given him — and then he was on the road. It was only once he’d made into another state that he called Maddie to let her know his plans.  

“Hey, Mads,” he said. “So, I left home. Not sure where I’m going but I had to go.”

“Evan, oh my god. What—”

She only ever called him Evan when she was shocked or when she wanted to put a point across. After all, it was Maddie that first started calling him Buck since using Buckley felt weird considering it was her own last name and she didn’t like the name Evan. She had used it so widely that aside from their parents everyone knew him as Buck. 

“It was time. They were driving me crazy, Maddie. I just figured I’d let you know.”

There hadn’t been a plan when he left. Buck hadn’t even known he wanted to be a fireman, much less what he might do with himself. He picked up odd jobs on the road but never stayed long anywhere. He was nineteen and for the first time he felt free. Maddie called him every day, urging him to at least go to college. It didn’t matter where. She would even pay for it. He turned her down every time. The only thing he’d been remotely interested in was joining the Navy. The Navy Seals to be more accurate. It seemed sort of unattainable to him at first so he put it off to keep living the life of the free spirit. 

Back in Hershey, Buck had had a few friends. One of them was the boy he’d sort of but not really dated — the one that in the end turned out to be an asshole anyway. Most of the other friends had gone off to college but they kept in touch and if Buck happened to be near their schools if they’d gone out of state he went and visited. That was how he wound up catching up with Matt and meeting Matt’s new friends and joining them on a Spring Break trip to Mexico. 

When they all left to go back to school, Buck decided to stay behind. He managed to score a job at one of the bars and Mexico was just nice. The weather was gorgeous, the people were friendly — the locals more so than the tourists. There was also plenty of money to be made. Buck had taken Spanish in high school and it was enough to get by until he really started to pick up the language. The swear words came easy. 

It helped that Mexican girls and boys were not shy when it came to flirting with him and willing to teach him Spanish. He learned more than just Spanish during his stay. 

A full year went by before he noticed it. Buck stayed for another six months before a call from Maddie meant he actually had to go back home. She was getting married. 

It was somehow easier to face his parents and Maddie when he returned for her wedding. He didn’t like Doug much but Maddie was happy. It was possible their parents didn’t like Doug either but he was a doctor and they seemed like they were in love. Maddie was happy. 

Afterwards, Buck went back to Mexico and because he could, he travelled through Central America down into South America. He stuck mostly to the coast working at bars and restaurants  as well as other places and for seven months or so he just wandered. By then he was fluent in Spanish. He got back to Mexico eventually and then Maddie finally convinced him to go to school. She wanted him to at least have his Associate’s Degree. She worried about him. Then again, that was probably exactly what big sisters were supposed to do. 

“You can’t keep being some sort of vagabond with no home, Evan,” she said over a phone call.“There has to be something you want to do. Maybe school will help you figure it out and if not then you have a plan B to fall back on.”

Maddie had always been smart and Buck figured he’d listen to her. She was there with Doug and his parents when he graduated from Community College and Buck ignored her when she tried to push him to continue his education and instead, he spent some days with the family before leaving again and this time he was headed for California. 

Mexico had taught him that he liked nice weather and the West Coast seemed like the best option. He was far enough away from his parents and he and Maddie kept in touch. Emails and phone calls and texts. Eventually, though, they both just stopped trying. She was busy with her job and her new married life and Buck was content with his life. Buck wouldn’t lie and say that it didn’t hurt when she started to ignore him. 

California was different from Mexico and most other places. Buck rented a room and then found a job at a popular bar. His time in Mexico had given him skills with preparing drinks so he was hired after Buck showed off some of his skills. California was also where he felt the most alone. 

He had friends. Sort of. The kind of people you met up with at a bar from time to time. Not the kind you texted if you needed help or in an emergency. Drinking buddies, acquaintances met through his roommates. No one dependable and no one that would miss him if he disappeared. Not that Buck was even looking for real friends. The ones he’d had before from school all had their own lives and things going on and Buck didn’t think he even really missed them. 

Working at the bar also meant meeting a lot of different people. Buck hadn’t known it at first but a few celebrities stopped in from time to time. Mostly, though, the bar drew in other types. The creatives — producers and other executives looking to find their next big star. Some of them approached Buck. After a while he could tell why someone was looking at him from afar. Some of them were general looks of someone wanting him in their bed. Other times, it was the speculative look of someone that thought he looked like he would fit their next film. Buck turned them down every time. He didn’t turn down the girls or the guys hitting on him. 

It did bring along more trouble than it was worth. Buck was working in LA. He was a bartender without the stars in his eyes waiting for his big break, But everyone else around him — that was why they were there and the jealous looks thrown his way grew tiresome. 

Buck started looking for other jobs. None of them lasted more than a few months. 

He took a receptionist job at a gym for a little while. Then, he was a valet. Then, he tried and failed as a personal assistant. For a while he went back to bartending before he found himself working at a child care place. That was probably one of his favorite jobs. Buck loved kids. He loved the way they saw the world and how much the little things mattered and made them happy. Maddie told him he should be a teacher on the rare phone call they shared. 

Buck was considering the idea until he remembered that old dream of his. Joining the Navy Seals. It felt like the right time to revisit that idea. 

He lasted about five minutes. The training was horrible, worse than anything he’d ever gone through and yet somehow, Buck managed to do it. They didn’t even bother with you unless you were already at peak physical shape and even then the training was hard. He did everything right. His superiors thought he was good and Buck just kept pushing himself. 

He didn’t tell anyone what he was doing. By then contacting Maddie had gotten harder and harder. She didn’t call him back or respond to emails. Occasionally she texted but it gave him nothing. Buck stopped reaching out. He was all alone, so he buried himself in what he was doing. 

Bootcamp had seemed like the hardest part at first, but then came the real eye opener once he was in Pre-BUDS and it was made clear that he had to put his emotions in a box and lock them up tight. There was no room for that as a Navy Seal. Buck couldn’t do it. Even if he had wanted to, he was basically told he didn’t have it in him to be one. 

He left, just a bit dejected, certainly a little broken, and in the best shape of his life. The training had done something to change him — just a bit. But it didn’t mean that Buck knew what came next for him. Mostly, it meant that he appreciated things a little differently. Things like his emotions and his ability to care. It didn’t exactly stop him from picking up a gorgeous dark haired man a few days after the fact and falling apart under his touch in an unfamiliar bed. It also didn’t stop him from leaving the next morning knowing perfectly well that it was a one time thing. 

Afterwards he wandered around the country for a while like he’d done when he first left home. Maddie still didn’t answer calls or emails or texts but Buck wasn’t in any state of mind to let himself really worry. On Instagram she posted pictures of herself and Doug. Always smiling. She looked happy. When he left a comment, she never responded. 

Eventually, Buck made it back to California and the job at the childcare place welcomed him back. That was when it happened. One of the kids swallowed something and choked. Buck was the one to call 9-1-1 while one of his coworkers tried and failed to make the object fall out. The firefighters and paramedics arrived in minutes and Buck watched as they worked, getting the marble dislodged and checking the little boy over until they were satisfied he’d be okay.

The next time he was in an emergency was almost a year later. It was at the beach. It was late afternoon and the lifeguards were gone. Most people at the beach were staying on the sand, enjoying the late afternoon sun. A few kids kicked around water at the very shore. Then, they all heard shouting. A couple of teenagers were out in the water and one of them was caught in a riptide. Buck had been a lifeguard back when he was in high school, just a quick way to earn some money over the Summers and get to stare at pretty people. He wasn’t CPR certified anymore, but he knew what to do and there was no one else running to help them. So he ran, going in the water and swimming out to help, adrenaline rushing through him right up until the very end when he had the boy back on land and he was starting compressions. Others were trying to help and someone had called 9-1-1 but by the time they arrived the boy was already throwing up water and coughing as air finally made it into his lungs again. 

“You might have saved that boy, kid,” one of the paramedics said and touched his shoulder. “Good job.” 

“I — thanks,” Buck said. 

“You know, there’s always a need for first responders. We could use someone like you.”

And it was like a bell going off in his head. He’d never considered it before but it made sense. He wasted no time going for it. 

It was the best decision he ever made and maybe it was his experience with the Navy Seals or his sheer determination that made the entire process surprisingly easy. 

The written exam wasn’t hard at all and the CPAT was even easier. Buck was still in good shape from his Navy Seal training even a year later and everything they threw at him was not all that difficult. He could see some of the others straining but most of them had clearly prepared and were pushing themselves to do it. It was satisfying to be able to do it all. Even the psychological test turned out to be easy. 

He ended up at the fire academy really learning his stuff. A few months later he was a probationary firefighter and he was hired and assigned to an LA Firehouse. Fire Department Station 118. 

When he first joined the 118, it was just like any other job. Not in the sense that it was somewhere to work and somewhere to be but in that all the other firefighters saw him like everyone else always did. Some guy a little too cocky and a little too interested in literally anyone that crossed his path. That, after all, was something that didn’t change. Buck was still having sex. Lots of it and with anyone that seemed interested. 

Dating apps — or rather hookup apps — were sometimes the easiest way, but Buck still went out to bars to pick up a girl or a boy. He didn’t disclose his sexuality to anyone at work. He’d never had to before at the other places and it didn’t feel like something that he could just bring up not even when he found out that Hen was a lesbian with a wife and child. It was just that bisexuality came with a stigma and Buck was already not prone to labels. He also...well, he didn’t know how to talk about it and since it didn’t change who he was or how he did his job, Buck just kept it to himself.

For the first time in any job, though, he found people that he actually liked. Captain Nash in particular was someone he warmed up to quick. Enough so that he invited him to a Springsteen Concert a month into being a part of the 118. Buck felt comfortable with them and everyone welcomed him in maybe more so on a personal level than as a fellow firefighter. They all teased him about how much of a flirt he was. 

Buck hooked up with people all over town and somehow it was just a string of girls one after the other and none of them left an impression and Buck didn’t really care for or about them. It was like scratching an itch. 

It was once it started affecting his job that Buck started to think that it might be a problem. And he just had no idea why he was even so reckless and stupid especially when it was a job that he loved and possibly the happiest he’d been in ages. He shouldn’t have done anything to threaten that and yet something made him rebel. It made him thoughtless and when the girl he was talking to was offering to put out if he got to her within a certain amount of time — a near impossible task — it was a challenge he willingly took. He just drove off with the ladder truck and didn’t even consider how it might be a problem until he was back and he could see it on everyone’s faces that he’d screwed up. 

He did it again not a few days later, telling himself he was going to get away with it and that either way he’d still have one more warning to go before it became a real problem. By then, of course, Buck had it almost figured out. He had a problem. He self diagnosed as a sex addict. 

The thing was that he just wanted it all the time. With anyone. Mostly girls. Girls were somehow easier. Sometimes they were the very same girls that he met out on calls. Sometimes it was the girls that were impressed by his uniform. Chim was not wrong in saying that it made a difference and not just with women but with men too. He’d seen quite a few checking him out while on calls. 

Buck hadn’t actually expected for Cap to fire him. His whole world seemed to fall apart after that. 

Buck knew he was welcome on the team, but he also knew that they were all wary of him. He didn’t blame them. After all, they were all supposed to have each other’s backs and for that they needed to have trust and that didn’t come overnight. He needed to prove that they could trust him and Buck could admit even to himself that sometimes he rushed into things without thinking. It was lucky he had people around him that were experienced and knew better than him and that stopped him from making mistakes even if they also judged him for it. 

One thing that he noted almost immediately after getting assigned to the 118 was that everyone did seem to care about each other on a deeper level than co-workers. They were friends. They were family. Buck had never expected to be a part of that and yet there was a part in it all where he fit. The youngest firefighter of the house and possibly the most reckless...they all liked him even if they were still getting used to him out on calls. 

Buck loved his job. He loved the adrenaline and everything that came with saving a life. The first few calls had been nerve wracking and Buck hadn’t been fully prepared for what they were and yet he’d managed to jump in and help alongside everyone else. So being fired...having Captain Bobby Nash look at him that way...it felt like his life was being torn apart. Worse, after it happened he realized that it wasn’t just the job he loved, but everyone he had gotten to know there. Bobby, Hen, and Chimney especially stood out and he didn’t want to not see them every day.  

Getting a second chance when he thought he wouldn’t was eye opening. It made him change. He wanted to show them that he did deserve to be there and after a little while, he realized that they did know that. Bobby seemed to trust him more and the rest followed suit. Buck didn’t want to let any of them down. 

Unlike with anyone else he’d met since leaving Pennsylvania, Buck finally found people he could be himself with — be accepted by. Buck found himself sharing parts of himself with them — things that he’d always just kept to himself before. He told Bobby about the sex addiction thing and followed that up with talking to him about anything and everything because Bobby was just easy to tell things to and he didn’t judge Buck, either. He mostly seemed amused. He also tried to offer advice where he could. 

Before Buck knew it, he was part of the gang. One of them. They were more than co-workers. They became a pseudo family that he didn’t know he needed or wanted. Bobby was probably the one that Buck felt closest to — he saw the older man almost like a father...or at least what he had wished his father had been. 

Buck also found himself with a relationship. Abby was wonderful. Buck usually went for people his age or thereabouts so it was a little strange that Abby was seventeen years his senior. She just had such an amazing vibe about her and youthfulness that Buck loved. She was the first person in a long time to keep his interest even when they weren’t having sex. Abby changed him. Or maybe everyone did.

Having people that cared about him and that became his family...it made a difference. He didn’t need to fill a hole with meaningless sex. He had other outlets and other ways to express himself. Bobby had started teaching him to cook and Hen let him babysit from time to time — only when no one else was available. Chimney was hurt and recovered and came back and Buck appreciated life more after knowing he could have lost a dear friend. 

When Abby left, it was Chim and Hen that took him out for drinks and made it just a little better. Bobby and he had a talk about it the next day and it occurred to Buck that they were all trying to make sure he was okay and that they all thought he and Abby had broken up. 

In truth, looking back on it later, Buck supposed that a break up would have made more sense than how the next few months went with him living in her apartment convinced that one day she was going to just surprise him and be there waiting for him when he came home. It never happened. He’d sunk deep into denial about what Abby leaving really meant. 

He was kind of crushed by it in the months that followed her leaving. Work kept going and having something to do and to keep occupied with helped even if arriving back at Abby’s empty apartment always made his shoulders slump. 

Buck could tell that Chim and Hen were a bit surprised by how little interest he showed anyone else. It was as if they had been expecting Buck to just move on from Abby like he had with all those others and start picking girls up on calls again. Occasionally some of them did catch his eye — cute girls and boys alike. But Buck wasn’t that guy anymore. He’d been ready to settle down with Abby and he didn’t want to regress and use people like he had before. 

“You’re going to have to move on sometime, kid,” Chimney said one night while out at the bar.

“But, I don’t. Abby is coming back.”

Or maybe she wasn’t. Buck didn’t want to think about that. It was just that when they did get to talk that she never gave him any time frame. She sounded happy, though, and it was almost a relief to know that even if he wasn’t a part of making her happy even if it did leave him a bit bitter. Somehow, in spite of the whole Abby thing, Buck felt settled in his life and he had a new goal to achieve, getting chosen to be on the annual fireman calendar. 

Buck had started working out more specifically for it, focusing on a goal weight and goal percentage of fat on his body. Only one firefighter was chosen per station and Buck was going to be it. 

Then, Eddie Diaz showed up. And Buck hated him.   

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Next Chapter

Notes: The next chapter should be up in a few days once I tweak it a bit and will focus on Eddie's side of things. As of right now I am planning on this being 4 chapters long but that could still change. Let me know what you think of this first chapter. 

If anyone wants me to tag you in future chapters let me know. Thanks for reading. 

[spacegaywritings]

Nerf gun professionals 1/2

I am gifting you all with holiday presents, no matter where you are from and whether you celebrate at all or during other days ♥ I will try to update on the 25th too (i do not have enough material to go through all hannukkah nights, i am sorry ) The 6th of January will also get stories ♥ There will be many many words! Summary: Emile remembers how to deal with certain issues. Therapy is the key but the methods used are not for everyone. Good thing they are good at choosing whom to expose to these methods afterall. This is how he got around to helping others. tumblr: 1 / 2. || ao3: 1 / 2 // all.

My KoFi  - Support me ♥ or Commission me

story under the cut!

Emile settled in the waiting room, book in his hands and once he was seated in the cool chairs, he placed it on his lap. He was not sure why he was here. Well, that was not quite true - he knew why but he did not know how it just came to this. It had all started with some talk in class, then his teachers talking to him a lot in private and sending him to the guidance counsellor. Up until now, he still had no idea why he would need so much time spent around adults when he was so young and should take time to find friends and learn because he was in school. Were people not supposed to learn in school? Now he was sitting here. The adults having assigned him with something they called therapy. He did have some sort of introductory talk before and he was allowed to say what kind of therapist person he wanted to have. He had chosen someone with a funny name. He did not know his surname and usually, he was not allowed to know or use the first names of adults but he was allowed this time! He was sitting there, flipping the b´page of his book - actually, it was a comic book but he read books too! Sometimes... He just liked comic books more. Everything was good in comic books and it taught him many things about people and relationships like friendships. “Emile Picani” A voice called out his name, bringing him back to reality and away from the space adventure that was happening to his favourite group. Again, he really liked comics and that one was about people who wanted to unite a lot of societies not just across one but many planets! It was a huge task and sometimes, they questioned everything and wondered whether they could do it or not. He could oddly relate to it. Why? He did not know, not really. Emile got up and walked over to the receptionist who had welcomed him at first. He flashed the nice man in front of him a smile and was told a room number to go to so he would see the man who was supposed to heal his mind. What was so wrong about his mind? He did not know that either, he just thought a lot and felt so little. When he felt, it was so strong, he did not like it so he usually just smiled it away. It made interactions much easier, too! Especially with people who did not like him too much. The teen nodded and smiled again, the corners of his lips pushing up and invading the area of his cheeks for just a moment before he let them retreat to their usual position. He walked, his steps echoing through the halls. There were paintings and some other things hanging and it kind of smelled of tea. Well, he enjoyed tea. Tea was warm. In no time, he had found the room number. There were just about three rooms, nothing he could really miss and the numbers increased from left to right as the door indicated. The adolescent moved along and stopped before the door, extending his hand to knock - he was a polite child after all! But before he could even move his fist towards the wood, a voice called. “Alright, come in, I am only waiting for you - nobody else, hun.” Emile blinked, his heart thumping against his chest. Maybe he was nervous now, he was not sure but it made him shift a bit before he pressed against the door to let himself in. The door had neither been closed nor fully opened so the angled had not let him see the therapist before. He was still curious about seeing a man who was called Remy. It seemed so funny to him. “Just close the door. I made you tea, lemon is alright with you? We gotta spill some scalding shit here so we should get to it as soon as possible.” Emile could sense his chest constricting a tad as a heavy and grey cloud shoved itself into his mind. Was this a test or something people would ask him just to tell him he was wrong like his parents did? He was not sure but he liked lemon tea, he guessed. He only drank tea when he was sick and he liked lemons but they were really sour. Still, that made it somewhat better. Sour things made him laugh and it was better than jokes he heard that he did not understand or made fun of people who were female or blond or working as caretakers. His parents had only agreed to have him go there under swearing against him and accusing him of causing so much trouble. Also, they said things about Remy in a mean tone after they heard that he was supposed to be counselled by a man. What was wrong with that? He did not know. Everyone could be a superhero after all and just change the world! And he would do the same, hopefully. He would make the world better and make himself proud and find awesome friends who were nice like him! “uh-um..”, he stuttered out, still holding onto the door he had pushed aside before. It was a division between the outside and Remy’s office, it was between him and the stranger with the nice smelling tea. The man was dressed in black from what he could see. Black pants and a leather jacket but he could only see him from the back because he was probably getting the tea he had referred to. It smelled like tea. Not much but there was the faint scent of something strong in the air. Yes, the fruity fragrance of lemons as he knew them was floating around the area and gracing his nostrils ever so gently. But there was more, there was a strong and dark smell and it was somewhat sweet and soothing. He liked the smell. If it smelled a lot like this in here, then probably these visits would be easy to manage. “Em, right? I won’t eat you. I want the door closed so nobody listens to what you tell me about. Alright?”, the voice piped up once more. It was then that he realised how the voice was space. The voice gave him room and choice and while he was unsure about the stranger before him, the voice seemed … neutral. There was nothing dark nor was there anything light about it and if he had to give Remy’s voice a colour, then he would probably call it some sort of green thing, but .. the olive kind of green that looked tasty but also rather reserved. It was powerful and somewhat endearing. He did not exactly know how to deal with that so just did as he was not told but suggested to act before. So the teen closed the door, carefully pushing the handle down to not make any noise. Never make a noise. It was a rule. One of the many rules not written anywhere but learned from experience and many, many mistakes. He knew them by heart. While Emile went over to the couch where nothing and nobody was but the promise of the start of something interesting, something vague and oddly appealing, he dwelled on his thoughts for a bit. Rules were good. He did not know the ruled for therapy but he could ask Remy about it or just dive into it and learn from his mistakes because Remy would show him. But what if that would end in a lot of hurt, too? He sighed in order to calm himself and settled onto the couch, his fingers rubbing against the comic that was still in his left. The adolescent sat on the couch, knees angled and feet pressed into the ground as the dark figure was shaking his hips and humming. Did tea take this long? The answer was in the room for no longer than the thought had crossed his mind because Remy turned around, dark brown tray in his hands which he carried before his chest and brought over as he approached the younger client. Emile shrunk into himself and shifted into the corner of the couch that was further away from Remy. The therapist was wearing.. sunglasses? The man in black settled the tray onto a clear coffee table between the couch he was on and the recliner the elder eventually settled on. Black boots clacked snappily as he dropped into the piece of furniture which simply groaned in reply. The teenager noted the white shirt on the other. So he was not all black! For some reason, he had already wondered. Not that he would have minded it. Somehow, the idea was actually soothing. However, the other was wearing this eggshell white shirt with a black imprint on it. “Sleep” Uh.. why sleep? Was he sleep? Did he need sleep? Did he want people to sleep? Was Emile supposed to get something out of this or not? Again, bugs and spiders crawled up the rope that were strings leading up to his heart, connecting his body’s whole organisation to it and stabilising the important organ. The thought had something iffy about it and he felt his hand flinch away, dropping his comic book. “Oh, I- I am s-so..sorry!”, he blurted out immediately, his voice hot in a rushed stutter. It was like running on a clock.. The time was running fast, so fast and chasing after him that he was so confused and stressed about it, he could not help but get his feet tangled up under his lungs that threatened to collapse when the world was so scary and never stopped haunting him no matter how much he cried and screamed for it to stop. The teenager quickly dropped to his knees, his hands scarping over the carpet underneath his comic book before he could manage to gather it in his hands and scoop it up with him. His actions felt so rushed, his head was a bit dizzy when he got back up to the couch and turned around to meet Remy before he could crush down over him like the bolting world that was on his feet, the walls of smoke and breathlessness catching up to him after he would stumble over his own anxiety and finally bust himself into the ground beneath him. Remy had not moved, he was sitting there, getting comfortable and barely minding his business. Emile felt hot. So hot, he must have been sweating even though he barely did anything. “You reading comics?” Emile felt exposed. Did he do something wrong? He was the kid with the hands on the biscuit jar but there were no biscuits in it, there never had been any. The client swallowed and let his head snap down. Upon realising that bowing his head instinctively did not count as nod, he immediately jerked his face upwards again and repeatedly nodded. Remy crossed one leg over another, his lips doing a weird thing that Emile could not describe. It was like.. if his mouth had a hand to move it as if to present something or introduce someone, then this would have been the thing his lips just did. They kinda.. kinda turned up to one side but just a bit so Emile might have been wrong. He was wrong about a lot of things so he probably should not say anything about it. He usually thought he saw things but people told him there was nothing or he must have imagined it. And adults were always right, right? They would be alarmed over bad things so if they did not react, it would be all fine because there was no danger. Right? The therapist did not move, did not do anything. Emile did not even know whether he was looking at him or perhaps spontaneously asleep. His mom did it sometimes. Sitting across him and falling asleep but when he would move, it was just enough for her to wake up and snap at him to stop moving. Was this another test? Like the tea? Emile placed the comic back onto his lap and sighed carefully, his fingers entangling. The therapist did not really say much, just reached for the teacup that was his. The liquid in it looked dark, kind of reddish but it was soothing too. It was probably the source of all that nice smell and it fit into the whole room. “Sounds metal. What are you reading?” Emile furrowed his eyebrows and thought about it. With a little bit of deliberation, he carefully picked up the comic book and squeezed it between his fingers before he handed it over. Remy made a gesture, placed his cup down after sipping from the steaming liquid and then took the book. The lemon tea before Emile was steaming and he looked at the little water particles dancing in the little light that was in the room. Again, that was another thing he did not understand. Were all therapy rooms so dark? It felt like a dragon’s liar in the interesting comic books he got his hands on sometimes. The library did not allow certain things for teens to be taken home but he could read them locally if nobody caught him. He had read this in one of these. Usually, they were in some sort of cave with little light and that was usually coming from warm shines of fire. The light in here? Filtered through dark curtains that had funny patters with many shapes and colours. Funny looks. But he would not know how to explain it. Just very loaded with a lot of round shapes. The colours felt.. natural instead of flashy. It was nice to have such a comfortable darkness but with a stranger around, he kind of felt ...not so comfortable. In school, everything was showered in light and he was uncomfortable too. At home, everything was always illuminated by white lights and he hated those too. They hurt his eyes. He kept looking around a bit, not knowing what he was supposed to do, really. Remy flipped the library good in his hands and adjusted his glasses. “Star strikers, huh..” He received the comic back with shaky hands and carefully hugged it against his chest. Was the comic bad? Did he do a bad thing? “Yo, Em. Do me a favour and don’t spoiler me the thing. I only just started and don’t need someone to tell me the ending - I know this is the second to last volume.” The adolescent blinked. What? There was so much information in this response that he had to slowly unpack it like after a big grocery shopping trip when he had to put all things away. It was always one by one. At first, he had been really overwhelmed with these things but now he was used to it. He was, however, not used to someone talk to him like this... like a person who did not expect something from him for performance but who wanted to hear him for him being him. It was more than shooting the solutions for some question on a test or saying whether he did his chores or not. “uh-uh.. d-do you.. you kn-kno,. know it?” Dang this silly stutter! It was so ridiculous! He hated hearing it so much, it was so unpleasant and made others feel stupid around him like he was making fun of them and he did not. If Remy thought that maybe he w- “Oh yeah, I actually just started the series. It is pretty good so far. They are from the library?” Emile nodded carefully. Only his mind held him back from smiling but his heart was betraying his logic, telling him that he was allowed to hope now. “The library has good ones. If you want, I can bring you another one you should try next time. You seem to be about to finish the series in a hot minute.” Emile tilted his head a bit, his heart jumping delicately like a cat trying to reach for a certain bit of funny loose strings that were just attention-grabbing enough for them to spend time on it and invest energy in jumping against it and claw for the teasing treat. “Y-you wh.. you would w-what?” Remy shrugged his shoulders and gestured vaguely into no specific direction. “You heard me, Em. I will trade comics with you. Just be nice to them and don’t roll them up into a joint or whatever kids your age usually do.” The adolescent blinked rapidly at the words, trying to process the whole load of information that was just dumped onto him. It sort of felt like social interaction usually went for him. Or what science class felt like on some days. After some more time of just staring at the therapist with a slightly agape mouth (much like a fish through the thick glass it was behind), he eventually got himself to simply let his head lean in a bit as if to indicate a nod. It was more a shadow of a rather crappily executed nod and nobody would take it serious but Remy made a sound of acknowledgement before sipping on his tea again. Oh. The tea. Yeah, damn. He was.. he was not focused on the tea at all. He should probably drink it before Remy would think of him as a rude rowdy kid. His hands extended to the tea and they gently wrapped around them. At first, just carefully tapping against the presumably hot mug to test the current temperature and palpability. He blew it and gently sipped a bit at the hot liquid. It was not steaming too much anymore and it was hot but not scalding at last. When he swallowed, his body felt familiarly warm inside and he could not help but smile and curl up, mug In his hands. Emile cuddled into the corner of the couch and carefully continued blowing at the tea and carefully drinking it in minuscule steps. “Thanks”, he mumbled softly, “it is really good.” Remy nodded, a little smile hushing over his face for just a moment. Emile acknowledged the the sight but his mind wondered whether it was just the shades on his face bringing a shadow over his lips for long enough he might just assume it to be a smile. Or even wish for it. Maybe it was just the curtains moving a bit so it drew a little darkness over Remy. More darkness then there was already in the room. The afternoon sun streamed into the room but it was mostly blocked off after all. “You are welcome, Em. If you want to, you can tell me a bit about yourself. You are probably not here to just drink tea after all - at least I hope so. I am sort of too expensive for just a bit of tea. Oh, well. I do have some badass biscuits if you want to try them.” He reached over to get a little jar from the lower part of the coffee table. It was one of these tables that was basically having two levels of space for putting and storing things. Emile did not know why but he sure liked them. They were practical and usually looked nice. It was also a bit magical to just take something out from underneath and suddenly have a whole new object to acknowledge around you. It also saved space and hid things away. He liked hiding things away to make sure they were safe from people getting his things.. Emile shifted a bit. Oh, the question. There was more than just drinking tea and eating biscuits to this after all. “Uh.. um, well..”, he started but trailed off as his mind warped around him like a clingy toddler, refusing to do what it was supposed to do when it technically could just do that without too much trouble other than a bit of effort. “Mhm..”, he hummed. Then his shoulders rose up and dropped for a shrug. “I g-guess my te-teach..teachers were re-.. uh.. really (!) wo-worried b-b-but .. I uh.. I m-mean.. I d-do not kno-knoww. Mhm.. I-I think it is s-stupid- m-my pa-parents say it-it is-WoAH !!” The adolescent had started out well and was doing his best to keep up with all the new things around him. But. But this?? He grabbed his tea, his fingers curling around it like greedy bastards who would not let go off their treasure without a whole lot of a fight. Did something just hit him? Did…- His eyes found Remy before him, looking for help and explanations. Remy held about every explanation he could have needed. The therapist leaned back again, legs crossing once more. In just a moment of stuttering some thoughts out of his system and checking his tea and fingers rather than looking at the other, so much had happened. The man was holding a bright orange thing of plastic… the shape- the shape reminded him of one of these guns they used int the comic they had just talked about. Plasma blasters. But it was quite as big or simple. It looked oddly intricate as if to make an expression with neon orange and some grass green features to it. It gave it some depth and Remy added to the reality of the aesthetic by blowing non-existent steam off the barrel as if it had been hot from the shot he had just fired at the clueless adolescent. ..The pose also made him look like some sort of comical cowboy, Emile thought. Remy looked like the most non-threatening adult ever. His bullets did not even hurt. “You might want to rephrase this.” The therapist’s voice sounded deeper and Emile would swear into his adult years that the whole room had gotten several shades darker and the temperature multiple degrees cooler in just a moment of exchanging what he assumed to be eye contact. …Maybe he did not hurt him but the tone of his words still gave his mind the right push to start thinking again. Emile blinked and looked back at the calming, yellowish, murky colour of his tea. “I -I.. mhm”, he hummed and sighed at the beverage in his hands. Emile took another sip. Calm, stead. Warming and soothing. “The-the t-teachers are-are w-worried. I um.. I ehr.. b-be..behave u-unlike other k-k-kids.” Remy nodded. “Very good. Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you. And you won’t say mean things about your issues. I don’t give two fucks about what your parents or teachers think. I am the professional here and it is on me to determine what the fuck is going on - if there is anything going on with you that troubles you a lot. Got it?” Emile swallowed, his grip around the mug loosening a bit and his lungs felt..patted softly. “Y-yes.” “Great. You’re doing well, Em. Take a biscuit.” It continued after this. Whenever Emile would say even one remotely degrading thing about himself and his issues, Remy would shoot. On the other hand, talking about himself in neutral or positive terms was encouraged with praises and nods or even smiles. When Emile learned a new thing, he would get a biscuit and was allowed to ask a question about Remy (to be asked now or later). When Emile looked back at this day, he knew with a confident certain of 1+1=2 that this had been the day he had met Remy, the day he finally received a perspective for a life, an actual life in the future. It was also the day to fuel his interest in other people and social interactions. So much that it sparked the interest within him to be a mind doctor like Remy. A person who knew things and read others for their own benefit. Even after therapy and treatment, Emile had seen Remy as his unconventional yet helpful mentor who got him out of his neglectful and loveless home and through studying psychology until he was a licensed therapist himself. His present had been the gun that had stroked him with the idea of other people being wrong about him. It had been Remy’s arm to reach out for him and get some sense into his mind and open his eyes to see just how bad people around him could be and how harmful internalised prejudice and hatred was. Even self-hatred.

[viostormcaller]

JSE FANFIC-- Dark Night, Dark Thoughts

TW: Depression, Suicidal Thoughts/Ideation, Alcoholism Mention

//AN: I actually didn’t expect to finish this fic last night, but I was up till about 6 writing it XD I was working on something else at the same time and was gonna finish that originally (I’ll post it once it’s done, don’t worry), but once my thoughts got going... this happened and before I knew it, it was finished. But, I’m proud of this! Hope you enjoy it!//

It was one of those nights. Chase lie awake, staring at the ceiling while his brain spoon-fed him lies. Lies that he believed willingly.

You're gonna lose them all, it said. They're gonna realize how shitty of a brother you are and leave you. With every breath you let them down, picking up the bottle instead of picking up the phone or your meds and trying to actually help yourself. Jameson must be so disappointed in you. He's going to leave you. They're all going to leave you. Just like your kids. Just like Stacy.

Chase sat up then, turning so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He bounced his leg anxiously. For once, he didn't crave whiskey, but he came to find he wished he did, just this once. Because what he really wanted was so much worse. He knew what he really wanted and that scared him so much. He took deep, slow breaths and tried to ground himself, to calm his thoughts, but nothing was working. Those thoughts played over and over, weighing on his mind and building up the crushing heaviness in his chest. He took a heaving breath and rose, leaving his room to pace up and down the long hallway.

“You can do this, Chase,” he whispered to himself. “You can make it through another night.” He continued his pacing, the restlessness never subsiding because he was afraid of what would happen if he stopped, if he tried to fall asleep, if he decided to do anything else that wasn't this. Pacing, he had control over. It was just back and forth, back and forth up and down the hall.

The truth was that he didn't want to make it through another night, but he didn't have a choice. He needed to. “For my kids,” he reminded himself. “For my brothers. For Jack.”

But what's the point? His brain tormented. You haven't done anything useful. All you've done is drink yourself further into a hole of self-pity. You're useless to them. They'd get on just fine without you. It wouldn't take them long to get over your death. Hell, it'd be like you were never here at all!

“Please just shut up…” Chase begged quietly, rubbing his arms. He kept on pacing, hoping eventually he would tire himself out enough to fall asleep.

Jackieboy murmured and mumbled in his sleep. He shifted, a whine leaving him as he covered his ears. Just what the hell was all that stomping? Jackie got up with a huff, determined to find out what it was. He peeked out of his room to see a figure walking up and down the dark hallway.

“Mmh… Chase…? S'at you?”

Chase jumped and turned towards the voice. “Y-Yeah?”

“What're you doing? Pacing?”

“Yeah…”

“Could you keep it down a little? ‘M sorry, it's just making a lotta noise…”

“O-Oh, sure. Sorry, man…” Chase apologized, trying to keep a half-smile on his face while the guilt was already squeezing his heart.

“Thanks…” With that, Jackie shut the door behind him and went back to bed, not taking long to fall asleep once more.

Look, even your pacing is annoying them, his mind convinced. All you are is an annoyance to them. You're annoying them, Chase. You'd be better off gone, so they don't have to deal with your petty problems anymore.

“I-I… n-no…” Chase shook his head, trying to reject the thoughts, but it was getting harder and harder to.

Just do it and get it over with. Everyone would be better off.

Chase shook his head once more in protest. He didn't want to do this, but at the same time he did, and it was getting harder and harder to keep a clear head. After what felt like an eternity, he found himself at Schneep's door, biting his lip nervously.

Now, why would you bother him? He gets so little sleep already. What is he doing for you at this hour? Stop being so selfish.

That thought made him pause. Schneep did get very little sleep…

“I don't wanna be a bother…” Chase spoke to himself, sadly shaking his head. He turned away from the door and headed into the living room. He was tempted to pace again, but after how Jackie reacted he didn't dare try. So, Chase settled for sitting on the couch, staring at the floor and bouncing his leg as he let the tears fall.

“I d-don't wanna do this any-- hrk! A-Anymore…” Chase wept, wiping his eyes and nose on his arms. “I don't wanna b-be a b-burden anymore…” He buried his face into his hands, trying to keep his voice down as he sobbed. He didn't know what to do anymore, but all he knew he wanted was for everything to stop.

“Chase?”

Chase froze. He wasn't expecting anyone else to be awake for a few hours. He quickly wiped his eyes and looked up to see Schneep peering worriedly at him.

“Chase, what are you doing up? It is nearly four!”

“I c-could…” He sniffled. “could ask the same about you.”

“I was just going to use the toilet, but I thought I heard noise and went to see what it was…”

“Oh.”

“Give me one moment, I'll be right there,” Schneep said. With that, he ducked into the bathroom.

Chase went back to bouncing his leg, his expression dead. He felt so hollow, so empty.

This is your last chance, Chase. You could still do it, you know.

“Shut up.” Chase murmured angrily, even though there was very little feeling behind it, if any at all. “I'm not listening to you.”

It wasn't long before Schneep was heading out of the bathroom, flicking off the light before plopping next to Chase on the couch. He took a good look at Chase's expression, though, and grew worried. He had a look of hopelessness to him, like he had given up. It wasn't an expression he was unfamiliar with, though the last time he wore it…

“Chase? Are you feeling okay?”

“...no.” He answered truthfully.

“I-Is there anything you need?” Schneep asked.

“U-Uh, actually…” Chase looked away, rubbing his arm. “If it isn't too much trouble…”

Schneep braced himself for whatever Chase was about to ask of him. Not that he minded, no, it wasn't that, but he knew it had to be reasonable at the very least, given what time of night it was.

“...could you call the hospital for me?”

Schneep blinked. Then he blinked again.

“You… You want me to--” Finally, his brain caught up and his eyes widened. “Oh, yes! Yes, of course, Chase! Right away!” Schneep jumped up and ran (quite literally) to get his phone. He had the emergency room to the hospital he worked at on speed dial, thankfully, so dialing the number took less than a moment. By the time he was finished talking to the receptionist to get an ambulance sent to their address, he was already back in the living room.

“An ambulance should be here to pick you up soon,” Henrik notified.

“...thanks, Schneep. I-I… I'm sorry I keep getting like this…”

Henrik was quick to pull Chase into a near-crushing hug. But a crushing hug was just what he needed. The dam finally broke, and Chase began to bawl openly, gripping tightly onto Schneep’s pajamas.

“Shh… That's it, let it all out… I am right here…” Schneep soothed, rocking them gently back and forth. “Never apologize for how you are feeling, Chase. I would much rather you be open about your emotions than to lose you.”

“I-I just… j-just don't wanna be a b-burden on you guys…” Chase hiccupped.

“Oh, nonsense! Silly talk! You are not a burden. You are our brother! We love you, Chase. We always will, no matter what. I promise.”

Chase hugged Schneep tighter, clinging with him like he was a lifeline. Henrik held on tightly to Chase until he felt he was calm enough to let go and wipe his eyes.

“Would you like me to go with you?” Schneep asked, his voice softer, more gentle than before.

“M-Mm-hmm…” Chase nodded.

“Alright,” Henrik agreed with a soft smile. He pulled Chase into another hug, whispering into his ear.

“You are more important than you think you are, Chase. We always care about you. We want you to stay safe, because we love you.”

Just those words alone spurred on a whole new wave of emotions, but Henrik was there to help him through it. He held onto Chase tightly, soothing him and not letting go as they both waited for the ambulance to arrive at the house.

[prorevenge]

Killing a toxic co-workers hopes, dreams, and future.

Names changed for anonymity, happened a few years back. This is a long one so TL;DR at the bottom.

Background: I got a job working for a small hardware company. 4 people in the office, a few in the warehouse, and a delivery driver. Nothing fancy, but it got me off the night shift and onto a desk. The owner was a pretty nice guy, let's call him Ray. Ray took over the family business in the early 2000s. Like most small business owners he was pretty frugal. The job came with absolutely zero perks. 10 vacation days that doubled as sick days, no insurance, everyone was hourly and Ray hated paying OT. He had one large customer that accounted for about half his business and everything after that was profit. He had gotten to the point where the business was doing well enough to support his comfortable life (10-3 schedule, 4 weeks vacation, season baseball tickets) and had zero interest in growing it beyond that point. But my problem was not with Ray, it was with the absolute b*tch in the purchasing department.

The players: Four people in the office meant that every part of this business fell to one of us. Ray was the owner, he negotiated large scale orders both with customers and suppliers. Sarah was our admin/receptionist, sweet as pie. I was in charge of order processing and logistics, and I did quite a bit of work revamping the company website. Ingrid (aka B*tch Supreme) handled small scale purchasing and most of the other customers.

Ingrid was a living nightmare sent to punish all mankind for our hubris. She had the personality of a one dimensional Stephen King character that would be whipping an unruly mob into a frenzy. She was trash, plain and simple. She was also the most spiteful, hate-filled, vindictive gorgon to ever walk gods green earth. She was a born-again Christian so because she went to church every Sunday she thought she could do no wrong. Ingrid, for whatever reason, disliked me from my first day. I don't know if she saw me as a threat or was just having a moodswing ( I'm no psychologist but I'm 98% sure she was bipolar) but she was not happy about my joining the company. She kept it civil at first. Ingrid loved to gossip at anybody who would listen and since I was always at my desk I made for a captive audience. Everything she said was vile and mean-spirited, and most of it was blatant projection. She would complain about which actresses she didn't like like because they were too fat (Ingrid was easily north of the 300 lb mark) or had an annoying voice (Ingrid had a slight lisp). She would thump her bible to the tune of how the gays were trying to destroy the sanctity of marriage (she was twice divorced) and complain about how Obamacare was costing her too much money (she had no insurance for herself or her kids, and had a handful of pre existing conditions, she just hated Obama). She would tell stories about how she was with her son at the grocery store and he yelled at a polish woman to speak American or get out of the country LIKE SHE WAS PROUD OF IT. All in just the worst person I've ever had to work with.

In spite of all that I felt I could just ignore Ingrid's bullshit and do my job, but then she started focusing her dislike of me into petty hatred.

The spiral downward: Ingrid would take anything and everything personally. If I didn't say good morning to her she would complain to Ray that I was being rude. Ray knew she had a screw loose so he dismissed it. She didn't like that. She started trying to frame me for not entering orders that she claimed to have given me a week ago. I quickly put that shit to bed by date-stamping every order that came across my desk and checking with her, Ray, and Sarah for new orders every hour on the hour. Every time something went wrong her knee jerk reaction was to blame me and throw me under the bus.

The breaking point: One of our larger customers bought from us because their purchaser was a friend of Ingrid's. She made the connection between the businesses and Ray gave her a decent commission from it. I had met through a friend of a friend the purchaser from another large manufacturing company that uses products very similar to ours. Ray told me if I could get them to submit a sample order he would give me the same kind of commission, but that it was all on me because drumming up new business was extra work that he didn't want to do. Now like I said, this job had no perks so any shot at extra cash was a godsend. I rode my desk hard, my phone, my email, chasing this lead like a hungry dog. Finally I got the purchaser to agree to submit the order. I was over the moon. Enter Ingrid. This whole time she was pouring doubt and skepticism over the entire venture, really she just didn't want anybody else to achieve what she had. Sarah was on vacation so Ingrid had taken over front desk duties for the week. I don't hear back from the purchaser, ever. Eventually I get ahold of him a month later and ask when he was going to send the sample order. He told me that he had called a few weeks back and that the lady he spoke to said that our company didn't have the capacity to supply what they wanted. I ask him what day he called, turns out it was during the week Ingrid was answering phones. Ok, act like human garbage, whatever, I don't care. Try to make me look bad at work, screw you, I'll rise above it. Sabotage my chance for a substantial raise? Now you've awoken the dragon. I was trying to save up for a down payment on a house, and Ingrid thinks she can put my future on hold? Nope. Not happening. I vowed that vengeance would be mine.

The revenge: Ingrid had been taking online and night courses at a local community college because she wanted to become a THERAPIST (I wish I was making that up) and was currently working towards her associates degree. Ingrid was about as smart as she was skinny, kind-hearted, and pleasant. She often did her class work in the office after Ray had left for the day. One day she asks me if I can take an online quiz for her. Now I'm still furious at her for tanking my commission so I'm not about to do her any favors. But then she says something that I'm sure I've never heard her say before: Please. This was followed by "it's an earth science quiz and I can't lie." Freeze frame, record scratch. I need to process that sentence. "I can't lie" was clearly beluga shit because she lied to my purchaser. It also was a huge paradox because here she was asking me to take a test for her. But she didn't mean any of that, she meant "I can't lie and deny my faith on an Earth Science quiz because I believe that the earth was created in literally seven days and is only about 6000 years old and humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs." She needed someone who knew and understood what the Cretaceous period was to pass a test keep her from failing. And just like that I had my plan on a silver platter. Sure I could tank the test and she would have to repeat the class and that would be inconvenient, or I could be a real son of a b*tch. I opted for the latter. I told her that I would take that test, and any other for 20 bucks. Earth Science 101, Spanish 101, Intro to Psychology (a therapist that couldn't even pass a intro level psyche class, god help us all). Quizzes, tests, I ended up making $200 by the end of the semester. Then she comes to me with the request I've been waiting for. "Hey Dick, I need to write a research paper, do you know how to do that?" $50 later and I have the assignment in front of me. It's laughable, 5 pages, double spaced, doesn't even need to be AMA. An eight grader could pound it out in an hour or two, but lazy stupid b*tches will be lazy stupid b*tches. Now around this time I had gotten an offer from a much larger company downtown and was going to put in my two weeks once Ray got back from one of his many vacations. I had an opportunity to ruin her life and an exit strategy. I set to work. I l literally googled "research paper for [class name]" and grab the first one that popped up. I change nothing but the name and the date. I put in my two weeks, and the week before I leave I give Ingrid "her" paper. She doesn't even proofread it. She just turns it in and goes along her merry way. What happened next I heard second hand from Sarah after I left. The professor immediately knew it was plagiarized and got the dean involved. Ingrid was so stupid that she even tried to use the truth as an excuse. "I didn't plagiarize that paper, the guy I had been paying to do all my course work did it!" She was expelled from the institution for academic dishonesty and plagiarism, barred from any of the satellite schools or affiliate programs, and refused a refund on her tuition. Her dream of becoming a therapist shattered into dust as all of the nearby community colleges were part of the affiliate program. She was financially ruined left with no savings and a semester of student loan debt. On my last day I made sure to poke my head into her office to say "thank you, Ingrid, for everything I learned from you while working here. I hope you learned something from me as well."

TL;DR psycho snatch-basket co-worker tries to get me fired and ruins a business venture, I get her to pay me to have her expelled and crush her dreams.

(source) (story by Dickshitley)

[hopeishappinessff]

Chapter 61

It was nearly five in the morning and I wasn’t the least bit drowsy. I was lying on my side in my bed facing Chris with eyes wide open and a mind swarming with chaotic thoughts. That seemed to be the only thing I did when I was stagnant lately. Every moment when the world around me slowed down, I found myself contemplating the whirlwind of my life with Chris since we’d made it official as a couple.  Chris stirred lightly in his sleep and I tensed as I prepared for him to flutter those brilliant golden eyes open. He didn’t wake up though… he was only adjusting himself into a more comfortable position on his back. There was so much innocence in his face and demeanor as he slept. I could honestly lie there all day, staring at him as he did nothing but sleep. The sight warmed my heart and kept me sane only because I knew he was safe right there with me. I would have stared for an eternity, but I was startled by the sudden vibration of my phone against the nightstand on my side of the bed. Glancing at Chris to make sure the commotion didn't wake him, I quickly leaned over the edge of the bed and snatched my phone from the nightstand. I positioned it in my face and roused it with a click of the home button, grinning almost instantly at the message I’d set on my calendar months ago… May 5: Charlie's B-Day! With my bottom lip tucked mischievously into my mouth, I peeped over the edge of the phone at Chris. He was still sleeping soundly, and I almost didn't want to disturb him, but today was his big day and I wanted him awake so I could be the first to wish him a happy birthday. Placing my phone back down on the nightstand, I rolled back over onto my right side and pushed myself closer to him. He didn't flinch, so I took that as my cue to ease further down the bed and peel the covers down his torso past his legs. I was careful as I moved and made sure not to shift too much and ruin the surprise. I kneeled at his side as he lay on his back and tossed a hand up over my mouth to suppress my laughter at the sight of the early morning bulge already straining against the center of his shorts. By the way he breathed deeply with his lips parted, I knew he was deep in his slumber, so I eased forward to peel back the elastic of his boxers, freeing his half erect penis immediately.  With my left hand latched onto the boxers to keep them out of the way, I gripped his girth with my right and swiftly leaned forward on my knees to press my lips against the perfectly shaped head. Chris flinched lightly and I curiously glanced up at him as he shifted his head to the left and tossed an arm up over his eyes. With a confident smirk, I parted my lips and spread them over the tip of his penis. I’d already gathered a mouthful of saliva, so I opened my mouth wider and allowed it to drizzle down his shaft and into my closed fist that gripped the base of him firmly. I eased further down and suctioned my lips around him and as I rose back to the tip I stared up into his face, just waiting for his reaction.  His eyes were open now, but he kept his arm tossed up over his face and I could see that he was looking right at me. His face remained blank, almost like he wasn’t sure of what was happening and I started to set a rhythm as I bobbed my head slowly up and down in his lap. He finally eased his arm away from his face and stared at me in obvious disbelief as I caressed the base of his shaft while my mouth continued to work the top. Easing my mouth up to the tip, I released him with a pop and smiled at him innocently. “Happy Birthday.” -- “You something else you know that?” Chris mumbled with his face nuzzled into my wild mane of hair.  “What do you mean?” I asked nonchalantly. I lay cuddled against him and he kept an arm wrapped around my shoulder, holding me closely to his chest.  “You just… something else,” He said with a shake of his head and a gratified smile, “Something great.”  “As long as I’m something great, I guess I can’t complain.” I giggled. He chuckled and pressed his lips against the top of my head “Thank you for my early birthday present. That was by far the best gift ever.”  “I would hope so… you’re welcome,” I laughed aloud, meshing my lips against the side of his chest and pushing up onto my right elbow so I could peer down at him, “But now that you’re completely awake, I need you to get up and get ready for the day. I have something planned and you’re wasting time.”  He jerked his head back in surprise and gazed up at me "What... you plan on proposing to me or some shit?"  "No silly. Just get up!" I said with a smack of my lips as I sat up to move completely out of the bed. Before I had the chance to get too far away from him, he grabbed my forearms and pulled me back down so that my chest was meshed with his, then he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. He parted his lips before me and I immediately sucked his tongue into my mouth and teased it with my own as if it were a lollipop. He groaned into my mouth as I twisted my head to one side to deepen the kiss then with one final swipe of my tongue over the side of his, I pulled away and stared down at his lips.  “We’re gonna be late Chris.” He grinned and watched me closely as I climbed off his lap and stood off to the side of the bed. Once again, before I had a chance to get more than a step away, I squealed at the sudden impact of his hand landing against my backside and I giggled and rushed away.  It took a few extra minutes, but eventually we got up and got dressed for the day and for that I was grateful… the first activity I had planned for the day was scheduled for less than an hour from now and I didn't want to be late. I had to rush Chris out the house, because he decided that he was starving and we couldn't go anywhere until he filled his growling belly. Once I finally talked him into waiting to pick up something to eat on our way to our destination, I finally pushed him out the front door and toward my car with little argument.  I drove through the bustling downtown area of the city with Chris perched happily beside me in the passenger seat, returning several phone calls to those who called to send their birthday wishes. I couldn’t help but smile to myself as he returned a call to his mother, bidding her adieu at the end of the conversation with an ‘I love you’. After a short while, he finally dimmed the screen of his phone and placed it down in his lap.  "You wanna tell me where we going now?" He asked, leaning over onto my arm rest and knocking my elbow off of it. With a scoff, I rolled my eyes and quickly cut my eyes over at him "No! I told you before we left that you would have to wait until we get to there to see. Now stop asking questions and just enjoy the ride.”  He chuckled softly and shook his head, but surprisingly he remained quiet for the remainder of the ride. A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of one of the top Spa facilities in Richmond... Spa D’Sante. Chris, who was currently holding his phone up in his face, glanced up through the windshield and frowned almost immediately.  “Why we stop here?” He asked. "What do you mean?" I asked, shifting the car into park and turning to face him.  He lowered his phone back into his lap and looked down at my hand as I shut off the ignition of the car “What you doing?”  I laughed at his somber expression and moved to push my door open "I’m getting out of the car. Come on."  "Come on where Hope? I’m not getting out right here." He fussed.  "Oh come on Christopher, stop being difficult and get out. We’ve made it to our destination!” I ordered, quickly shutting my door before he had a chance to argue any further. I walked around to his side of the car and pulled his door open while he continued to sit there staring at me. "This has to be a joke right? Like you know it’s May fifth, not April first… right?”  I laughed and reached across his seat to unbuckle his seat belt "I know what day it is Charlie. Can you just get out?"  He fought me off for a few minutes, but I eventually managed to get him out. Though he whined and pouted all the way up to the door of the establishment, the moment I pulled the door open he fixed up his face and gazed around at the décor of the building like a curious child.  "Hello, welcome to Spa D’Sante. My name is Bethany. How can I assist you today?" A short and petite blonde asked from behind a mahogany reception desk with a toothy grin.  "Hi Bethany... I have reservations for today for Sy’Diyah.” I said with a smile just as bright. “Sy’Diyah Donsen correct? Yes, I took your call and I know exactly what you have planned for... the birthday boy, right?" She asked as she turned her attention to Chris. I glanced over at him as he continued to stand there taking in his surroundings and I couldn’t help but laugh. I was more excited than ever for the day ahead of us. When I initially called to book the appointment, the associate helped me come up with the most romantic and memorable package that the spa offered for Chris’s birthday and I was anxious to get right into it.  Without warning, Bethany reached across the counter for my hand and summoned Chris to follow us off into a hall to the side of the receptionist desk. We continued on to the very end of the hall past several doors that lined the space until she finally stopped right outside the last room furthest down. Glancing back at me with a smirk, she reached forward to push the door open and I stepped in behind her with Chris hesitantly easing in behind me. I moved right along behind the girl to a closet tucked away in the corner of the room while Chris lingered near the door to, once again, take in his surroundings. The room was dimly lit with aromatherapy candles lining the countertops and there was the most gentle and sensual music playing in the background. After pulling out two terry cloth robes and handing one to me and the other to Chris, Bethany pulled me out into the hall with her, instructing me to go change.  Minutes later, I was dressed in my robe and heading back into the room with Bethany. Upon entering, I spotted Chris perched on the edge of the massage table dressed in a pair of white footies and his robe with a deep scowl on his face. I claimed a seat off in the corner of the room and stared on amusedly as she coaxed him into unraveling the top of his robe so he could lie down on his belly and prepare for his massage. He didn't have a single clue, but it’d already been arranged that I would be the one to actually give the massage rather than Bethany. When I called to set up the appointment and told her it was a gift for my boyfriend, she was the one to suggest a private couple’s session and I just went along with it.  With a smirk, I nibbled into my bottom lip and eyed him closely as he pulled his tatted arms out of the sleeves of the robe, maneuvering around on the bed to lay face down. He looked less than enthused to be mounted atop the bed, but I knew he would drop that attitude soon enough.  "Place your face here and close your eyes." Bethany instructed as she pointed to a hole near the head of the bed. I giggled as I watched Chris roll his eyes indiscreetly and place his face down in the hole she pointed at.  “Oh no… I think I forgot to grab a few of the oils for this session. Let me go grab them… I’ll be right back.” She said before turning to me with a sly smile. She motioned for me meet her near the door and the moment I reached her, she leaned in close to me. “The oils are there, in that cabinet,” She whispered, pointing at one of the lower cabinets near the therapeutic bed, “Pick whatever you’d like and apply it however you’d like. I pulled some of my recommendations closer to the front for you. Have fun!”  I nodded after she stepped back from me and smiled at her politely. She moved toward the door to exit the room and with one last glance back at me, she winked slyly and shut the door behind herself. With a sigh, I turned back to face Chris, who I assumed had perhaps fallen asleep, until he released a loud and exaggerated sigh.  I quickly made my way over to the cabinet that housed the necessary oils for the massage and the moment I pulled the two small doors open, I grinned widely and my eyes lit up. There was a wide variety of oils and I immediately noticed the bottles that Bethany had pulled forward as her own personal recommendations... Sandalwood, an oil from India specifically recommended as a fragrance for men and favored for its moisturizing and normalizing properties. Ylang Ylang, a sweet, soft, and flowery, favorite known to elevate sexual energy and ‘enhance relationships’. And Lady Sclareol, ‘The Great Intoxicator’ blended with some of nature’s most exotic and aromatic essential oils for a totally sensual and seductive experience.  I pulled the three bottles out swiftly then stood and placed them down on the countertop so I could untie my robe, revealing my sheer magenta lace lingerie set. The dormant butterflies in the pit of my stomach soon began to race wildly as I stared down at Chris’s brawny back. I wanted the entire session to go perfect and I was getting more and more anxious the longer I stood there thinking about it. After a quick and silent prayer, I moved closer to the bed while opening the bottle of Sandalwood. I poured a bit of it into my hand, placing the bottle down on the small table near the side of the bed. Rubbing my hands together to warm up the oil, I leaned against the side of the bed and used only the tips of my fingers to pull his robe down further to the top of his butt.  Much to my surprise, he didn’t move… he didn’t even flinch from my touch. Once I built up just enough courage to do so, I climbed onto the edge of the bed and perched myself on my knees at his side. With the oil drenched all over my fingers, I pressed my hands flat against his skin and watched his back rise as he inhaled sharply. I applied just enough pressure as I eased my hands up closer to his broad shoulders and I used my thumbs to knead into his warm flesh. Only a few minutes later, I’d gotten adjusted to touching his body as if I’d never laid a finger on it before and I soon found myself straddling his lower back as I worked my fingers into the middle of his back.  I reached over the edge of the bed to grab the bottle of Ylang Ylang next and rather than pouring the oil into my hands, I tipped it over directly onto his back and watched as it oozed all over him. The way his skin glistened like coated candy beneath the oil left me with an urge to lean forward and lick him. I pressed my thumbs down in the center of his back then pushed up toward his neck, prompting him to groan lowly which left me smirking as I stared down at the devilish smiley face etched into the center of his shoulder blades. At this point, I’d gotten into my groove and without thought I leaned forward, meshing my stomach against his back and pressing my lips against the back of his neck.  His body tensed immediately and he quickly lifted his head, whipping around to face the chair I’d been sitting in before the entire session began. Realizing that I obviously wasn’t there, he swung around to peer up at me and I laughed like a hyena at the horrified expression on his face.  "Got dammit girl... scared the shit outta me!" He exclaimed, rolling over onto his side as much as my body would allow. I continued to laugh, lifting up from him to give him just enough space to roll completely onto his back "I'm sorry. I didn't think you would react that way." "What you mean? I thought that lil blonde bitch was tryna fucking come on to me. Like, I seriously thought you was sitting in the corner just watching her take advantage of my ass!” The somber expression on his face and the urgency in his tone left me laughing harder and I kept my hands meshed against his chest to be sure I wouldn’t fall right off his lap.  Finally taming my excessive laughter, I wiped away a few stray tears and stared down at him curiously "I'm sorry. I was gonna tell you that I was doing the massage instead of her, but I wanted it to be a surprise." He stared at me blankly and for a moment I honestly believed that perhaps he was upset. I moved to climb off of him, but he quickly latched his hands onto my hips and pulled me right back down. "Where you going?" He asked.  "To get Bethany..." "To get Bethany for what? I thought you said you were doing the massage instead of her." "Well I was, but I didn’t think you wanted me to..." "I want you to do it." I simply stared at him and his blank face as the butterflies began their dance in my belly once more. He extended an arm toward the small table at the edge of the bed and grabbed the final bottle of Lady Sclareol oil then handed it off to me, all the while maintaining eye contact. Once he noticed that I wasn’t going to take the bottle from his grasp he took it upon himself to loosen the top of it and pour a bit of it onto his own chest. He placed the bottle back down on the table and reached for my right hand, moving it so that it rested flat against his chest.  I stared down at him for a while, finally dropping my left hand down and applying pressure to his chest then slipped both hands up to his shoulders. Applying just the right amount of pressure as I slowly began to move my hands up and down, I avoided eye contact completely while he laid there, attempting to burn a hole through my face with his eyes. I could feel his hands creeping up along my sides, but I paid them no mind... I was too focused on his mouth as he swept his tongue out over his lips in what looked like slow motion. I hadn’t even realized he was pulling me closer and closer to his chest until I was merely inches away from his lips. He arched his neck up away from the bed to mesh his lips with my own and I quietly moaned into his mouth. His lips were the first to open and I didn’t pass up the opportunity to slip my tongue inside. I grazed the edge of my tongue with his, suckling his bottom lip into my mouth. He moaned out as I slid my hands up to cup the sides of his neck and I just knew I was leaking right through my panties… I was tingling from just how sensually we kissed.  His hands moved up from my hips and he unexpectedly jerked me forward so that my neck was hovering over his lips. He went to work on the skin just below my ear, licking and sucking like his life depended on it and I found myself moaning from the feeling of his tongue alone. Neither of us cared much about our noise level or someone walking in on us. The act was becoming more and more heated by the second, and I knew there was no way we would make it out of the establishment and back to one of our houses in time to finish what he’d just started.  I gasped abruptly, fighting the urge to squeal as he firmly gripped my breasts through the material of the sheer bra, kneading them to his liking. I clutched desperately at the sides of the bed so that I wouldn’t tumble right off the side… he was no longer holding onto me and my body was weakening by the second. It didn’t take long for him to rip the bra right off me and I shuddered as the cool air whisked over my hardened and sensitive nipples.  Through the most lustful pair of sapphire orbs, I stared down at him as he plucked yet another bottle of oil from the side table and I wondered exactly what he was up to. Once he poured some of it into the palm of his hand, he placed the bottle back down and eyed my breasts as he rubbed his hands together. With his bottom lip tucked into his mouth, he lifted his oily hands and began to gently caress my breasts. I gazed down at the erotic sight of them glistening beneath the dim light of the candles… they looked right at home in his hands. While he continued to knead and massage my breasts in his large hands, I began to slowly grind against his growing erection. Though I knew what we were doing was daring and completely out of character for me, I didn’t complain when he dropped his hands down to my waist and tugged the straps of my underwear down over my hips…  --

My eyes were squeezed tightly together and I nearly drew blood from my bottom lip as I chomped down on it in an effort to keep quiet. Chris was busy glaring at my chest as he pummeled in and out of me while I held my hands over my breasts to try to keep them under control. He’d managed to maneuver me over onto my back on the limited space of the table and he was situated on his knees in front of me with my legs slightly spread and my feet pressed against the front of his shoulders. He gripped tightly onto my ankles to keep me steady as I squirmed like a maniac beneath him. The frothy sounds of my soaking core gripping his girth turned me on more than I could imagine and it took every bit of my focus and energy to refrain from squirting all over him.  I felt him stop abruptly and I peeled my eyes open and gazed up into his glossy eyes, wondering why he’d stopped.  “Why you got your eyes closed babe?” He asked in a husky tone. My body trembled as he pulled out completely, rubbing the tip of himself up and down beneath my clit. My neck instantly arched away from the padded therapeutic bed and I released a throaty moan from the sensation that only further pushed me closer to my edge. I couldn’t bring myself to verbally respond to him and he simply continued to tease me with only the head as he stared down at me with a smirk.  “Be a good girl and keep em open for me.” He demanded, slipping back into me with ease. I nodded at his request and diverted my gaze down to his glistening, oily chest. He leaned down suddenly, sliding my feet up from his chest until the underside of my knees were resting on his shoulders and the front of my thighs were pressed against my chest. The pressure of my thighs meshed directly against my breasts was irritating, but I had no time to dwell on that… the sensation surging throughout my entire body was too much to focus on anything else.  The combination of sweat and oil on his brawny back made it nearly impossible for me to grip him, so I slid my hands up to the back of his neck and held on for dear life. With our faces only inches apart, he dropped his head in an instant and pressed his lips against mine, sweeping me even further into bliss through his passionate kiss alone. With his tongue stuffed in my mouth to keep me quiet, I could feel him slowly pulling himself back out until only the tip remained inside and pressed firmly against my g-spot. He sat there for a while, tapping against that spot while I quivered and nearly fell apart in his grasp. A second later, he thrust forward with tact and began to pump in and out furiously in an effort to get us both to our peaks.  At the beginning of this mischievous session, my only concern was that any on duty masseuse would make an unannounced appearance in the room, but now, in this very moment… I couldn’t even so much as remember where we were even if I tried. His thrusts remained strong and never powerful and for that I was grateful… I could feel my orgasm prickling in the pit of my stomach. I was so close… it was right there. I could feel that familiar sensation rising and just as I started to tremble and prepared to ride that earth-shattering wave… he stopped. He pulled out completely and glared down at me as his chest heaved up and down.  “Get up.” He ordered as he moved back from me. I could barely catch my breath, let alone move my weakened body, but he didn’t give me time to voice that. He’d already latched a hand onto my wrist and pulled me forward. The moment I was halfway up in front of him, he let go of my arm and grabbed me by the waist, flipping me over like a rag doll so that I was flat on my stomach. I knew what he wanted me to do at this point, but my mind wasn’t registering with my tired body and I couldn’t bring myself to push up onto my hands and knees.  Sensing my dilemma, he reached for my hips and hiked my butt up in the air, leaving only my face and chest pressed against the bed. To stabilize myself and ensure that I wouldn’t go flying off the bed, I reached around for the front of it and held onto the edge. Before I had time to get a firm grip, he was already sliding back into me from behind and my mouth immediately formed into the shape of an ‘O’. I couldn’t bring myself to moan or scream or respond at all from the initial shock of the penetration, but after a while the pleasure reared its beautiful head and I shut my eyes once more, pressing my lips into the padded bed when I felt a scream itching at the back of my throat.  My hair was wild all over my head and my breasts were out of control as he increased his speed. I could even feel tears burning at the brim of my eyes as I moaned along with the sound of his skin slapping repeatedly against mine. My head jerked back suddenly, and I quickly realized that he’d gripped a handful of my hair in his fist and he held my head up to ensure that I wouldn’t bury my face in the bed to keep quiet.  “Daddy dick feel good in that pussy baby… huh? You love this dick?” He grunted, tugging on my hair harder when my head tilted forward.  “Yeeeesssss.” I groaned. “Say that shit girl. What I tell you? When it’s good, tell me it’s good… talk to me.” “God Chr… is, it’s go… good! It f… feels so…,” He slapped a hand down hard against my butt without warning, catching me completely off guard, “GOOD!” Every one of my senses shut down in that moment and I swore I could see stars and the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew I was screaming and I knew he was either talking or moaning, but I had no clue what either of us was saying or if my head was even still up or down. My body quaked, and I reached back for Chris in an effort to get him away from me. I knew he had a thing for pushing me past my limit and he knew I couldn’t stand to be touched through the duration of my climax.  After several minutes of shaking like crazy and crying out to the Gods and perhaps the entire establishment, I could feel Chris’s dominating hands still on my hips and his fingers digging deeply into my sides as he grunted and moaned aloud while he rode through his own orgasm. His thrusts slowed and eventually came to a complete stop then he finally pulled all the way out and moved away from me. I lifted a hand to whip my damp hair out of my face and swung around to see him just sitting there, staring down at my naked butt with a dazed expression on his face.  “Are you okay?” I asked breathlessly with a smirk. He licked his lips and ran a hand over his face groggily “Yeah… you aiight?” With a quick nod, I rolled over and adjusted myself onto one side “I’m fine. But you don’t look like you’re okay.” “I’m great,” He chuckled with a shake of his head, “That shit was… wow. I don’t even know how anybody could top this day. First I wake up to discover my dick in my girls mouth, then she lets me fuck her in a spa… yoooo, are we gonna have a threesome or something tonight?”  I burst into a fit of giggles as he perked up and stared at me through excited eyes “Calm down Christopher, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” 

He laughed right along with me and finally climbed down from the side of the bed, tugging his boxers back on and reaching for my robe to hand off to me. I thanked him and pushed myself into an upright position so I could slip it on. The moment I had it secured around my waist, there was a knock on the door followed by Bethany’s grinning face as she cracked the door open and peered inside. 

“How did everything go?” She asked, shifting her eyes from me to Chris.  “Everything went great!” Chris replied happily with a wide and refreshing smile that contradicted the frown he wore when we first set foot in the building.  “Great, I’m glad you enjoyed it,” It was clear that she had no intentions of being discreet… her eyes roamed freely from his face down past his chest and I swore she paused right at the front of his boxers before looking him in the eye, “And Happy Birthday. You guys can come on up to the front when you’re all dressed.” 

The moment she shut the door behind herself, Chris turned to face me with the most amused expression as he shook his head “She was standing out there listening… I know she was. And she wanted to come in here and get some of the D too. Let’s invite her to our threesome tonight!”

“There is no threesome silly… I don’t plan on sharing any time soon,” I said with a wink as I laughed and moved toward the door to head back out to the room I’d changed in to retrieve my clothes, “You just hurry up and get dressed birthday boy.” 

TBC...

[richard-the-boy-wonder-blog]

This Week on Buzzfeed

Author: JJM

Pairing: Reddie

Prompt by: @richietoaster

Rating: (no clue yet honestly)

Summary: “This is all just one big mistake” Eddie says bashfully, “really? I thought it was kind of cute” he replies pulling the straw to his drink between his lips with a smirk.

“20 places with the best bread- no uh…. 30 things that can be used as a- ugh no…” Eddie glances at his untouched plate of pizza, “15 italian cuiseans to step in- oh my god im so fired” Eddie groans and rakes his nails through his hair setting his laptop aside to stretch alittle in his criss cross pose on his bed.

His boss had given him the weeks lead project meaning come monday his article would be plastered on every social media website and could be shared world wide. Something Eddie had worked hard to earn, he usually had no problem getting fairly favorable acticles out but now his idea bank was bone dry. Perfect timing for writers block. He groans aloud as his usual work playlist starts over again for what feels like the hundreth time a crule reminder of how long hed been sitting there and how little work had gotten done. Eddie loved the classics he really did but he needed something new.

He grabbed for his phone scrolling through bands currently trending puckering his lips so to help him think and focus, something he picked up from his mom watching her paint her nails for so many years.

He sighs through his nose before giving up on his persistent scrolling and just clicking on a random band, pulling a piece of pizza to his lips standing as he took a bite.

Music filled his room a calm bass line starting the song soon followed by drums and- ’god that voice’ he thinks to himself kinda dancing in place to the music.

He knew he had heard the song before over the radio on his way to work but never paid it much mind knowing soon itd become over played and hed hate it. But now that he was listening to it on his own time it actually sounded good. Really good.

He picked up his phone looking at the bands name, ‘Mouth’ Eddie furrows his brows kinda laughing to himself, what kind of band name is Mouth?

Eddie shrugs and sits back nodding his head a little to the song pulling up the band on google as he listened along, choking when he caught a glimpse of the lead and only member on the band, Richie Toizer. His face flushes and he finds himself biting his lip looking at the man on the screen his curls are unruly, his glasses make his eyes at least three times bigger than their actual size, and hes pale for someone living in California. Hes fairly attractive for someone whos stage name is 'mouth’ he wonders why he woukd pick something so dumb to be his alias.

He goes to instagram quickly finding Richies account scrolling through it his crush growing by the second, it should be illegal for someone to be this fine. He looks to his laptop type bar blinking like its beakoning him, he looks back to Richies picture, if life was a cartoon this would be the part a lightbulb would appear above Eddie’s head he smirks to himself sitting back down pulling his laptop back into his lap taking one last bite of pizza.

'15 up and coming composers that are secretly really hot:

1) Mouth.’

And it trends, within hours almost accumulating 50k reposts just from Facebook.

When Eddie wakes up Tuesday and sees how well his article is doing he just about faints, hes stunned something he wrote, a fluff piece at that, had gotten so much attention.

He opens his notifications for twitter scrolling though noticing a large amout of them are his readers tagging Richie Toizer in the article. He throws his phone and his whole face goes red as he realizes he didnt think this all the way through.

He looks at his alarm clock and for the second time that morning feels like blacking out, he was supposed to be at work 20 minutes ago.

He really is going to get fired.

He rushes into work running past Heather at the receptionist desk who waves to him every morning, “im so sorry Heather ill bring you a bearclaw on Friday!” He yells over his shoulder, booking it up the staires to the second level where his office space resided.

He plops down in his desk chair sighing aloud as he logs onto his mac when a light tapoing comes from beside him, he looks up and smiles.  “Hey Bill” he breath out still trying to catch his breath but eventually has to pull out his inhaler from a drawer, “so Mouth huh?” His friend chuckles out from above him. “Oh shut it” Eddie says half joking as he opens several of his social media accounts on his computer digging through thousands upon thousands of notes to see if Richie had responded to any of the posts hed been tagged in. “I c-cant believe you o-openly h-hit on someone in an a-a-article like that.”

“I wasnt hitting on him okay? I was just… Expressing an interest in him thats all.”

“You said he was a sexy vampire” Mike pitches in leaning against the wall of Eddies annex, “-though a  local Californian resident Richie Toizer doesnt seem to get sun evident through his gorgeous pale skin. A top his black curls he has the appearance of a sexy vampire. Is what you said to be exact.”

Eddie groans rubbing his hands dowm the whole length of his face exasperated, “okay yes i called him a sexy vampire so-”

“You also pretty much admitted to wanting him in your bed.”

“Okay!” Eddie yelled pushing both his friends out of his workspace “get out get out get out! I feel bad enough i dont need you two giving me greif about this” he says his arms falling to his sides once his friends both finally step put into the hall.

“W-were celebrating tonight, d-dinner a-and a movie m-my place?” Bill asks raising his eyebrows at Eddie whos sighs and smiles before nodding as his friends walk to their own desks.

From where hes standing Eddie hears the small ’ba-ding!’ His phone sounds off when he gets a notification on twitter , he groans and picks it up nervouse that Richie will see what hes  done to his good name.

'Richie Toizer @Trashmouth:

Guess my secrets out that im a vampire B) @Gazebos meet me for lunch sometime? Love to meet you ;)’

His stomach drops and all the blood in his body rushes to his face and he trips without moving, thankfully landing in his swivel chair.

A hand goes to cover his mouth completely fogetting all the germs he could potentially be there, this couldnt be real.

<><><><><><><><><><><><>

A/N: this was short but im probably gonna write more chapters to make up for it. Im so sorry for any typos im writing all this on mobile. Also fun fact with the '15 italian cuiseans to step in' was inspired by the time i stepped in a lasagna youre welcome. Message me about this and enjoy! 💖

@not-reddie

[byunbaemaxkhyun-blog]

Desolate // Taeyong - Pt.2

Parts: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3

Word count: 1.6k+

y/n’s POV

You entered the colossal building for your first day of work, feeling the adrenaline pulsing through your veins, a hundred thoughts raced through your mind, but when you eventually reached the correct floor, you where trying so hard to erase the memories about what had happened in the elevator the last time you had been here, you were unsure why you where curious to see Lee Taeyong again, even after what had happened.

You approached the receptionist, and told her your details and she immediately greeted you with a smile,

“Hi I’m Mrs Kwon it’s nice to meet you” she said shaking your hand, and you greeted her back, unable to make much conversation because of the large lump that had emerged in your throat.

She showed you around the floor you’d be working on, a few of your new colleagues smiled at you as you walked past them. I’ll show you to your office now” she said, you trying to keep up with her rapid footsteps. The office she motioned at was opposite another large office that looked like the one on the top floor, the one that belonged to Mr Lee, when he had interviewed you, you stared at it curious about who’s it was.  

“Oh that’s Mr Lee Taeyong’s office, it’s convenient to have your office next to your bosses right?” she said, and with her words, you froze, eyes widened, throat dried.

“B..Boss?” you stuttered, confused.

She whipped round on her heels, “Yes your boss, Mr Lee Taeyong, did Lee Sir not tell you?”, her tone of voice more confused than your own.

“Oh of course” she sighed.

“Nobody would probably want to continue with the application process if he even mentioned his name” she mumbled, but it was loud enough for you to hear.

“Anyways, since you’re a new junior lawyer you’ll be Lee Taeyong’s assistant” she looked at you with a hopeful smile, and all you could do was gulp in response.

Mrs Kwon entered the office, and as you were about to follow behind her, you notice the plaque on the outside, but it read “Miss L. Park”, you looked at the receptionist with a questioning look, “Who’s Miss Park?”.

Mrs Kwon’s posture stiffened, “Well, she was the employee who had the position before you, and erm she got fired..” her voice trailed off towards the end, and instead of looking around your new office, you where intrigued and you felt yourself ask automatically “Why?”, you felt like the news was getting from bad to worse. The receptionist looked around to see if anyone was close by and then closed the office door, she sat on the edge of your desk whilst you stood in front of her, intrigued, but also now scared at what you had gotten yourself into.

“Well she basically had an argument with Mr Lee Taeyong, and said something like ‘sort your own family problems out before trying to sort out other people’s” (since it’s a family law firm.

“Wh..what family problems?” You wondered, but ended up asking out loud.

“Well, it’s a bit of a long story but Lee Taeyong’s Father left his Mother after she gave birth to him, just because she was of a low class, and then claimed custody for him, he hasn’t seen his Mother since he was a young teenager I believe”

“Oh” was all you let out, suddenly you felt so much empathy for Taeyong, you had just learned the reason why he was always so cold and bitter.

“Well anyways, I would have passed you on to Lee Taeyong Sir now so you could start on your tasks right away, however he’s not in at the moment” she said and you sighed in relief.

“Meanwhile you can look at these documents, information about the cases Lee Sir is handling currently, he should be here any moment now” she said, as you sat in your new chair behind the desk, you thanked her as she left.

“Just tell me if you need anything okay?” she smiled as she left.

You held your head in your hands why on earth was this happening to you? How could you deal with him every day, you couldn’t even stand seeing him for 10 minutes...

-

After reading all the documents in depth, nobody had still come to see you, so you decided to back to the receptionist, Mrs Kwon.

You told her how you had finished the task she had given you. “Ah good, well it seems as though Mr Lee is still not here I’m afraid, could you please go to Minseok Sir’s floor above and copy these documents please? The printer on this floor is not working”

“Minseok Sir?” you questioned.

“Yes..I told you both of Lee Sir’s sons work here, each of them are heads of departments on all floors, Taeyong Sir on this one, Minseok Sir on the floor above, and Lee Sir on the floor above” she smiled, just great you thought.

“And just to save any further questioning from you, Minseok is Taeyong’s older step brother, but do not tell people that you know about their family situations” she almost whispered.

“But how is Minseok Sir older than Taeyong Sir? You said that his father left his Mother and married Minseok’s Mother after Taeyong was born” you whispered, not wanting anybody passing by to hear you enquiring about Taeyong’s personal life. 

Mrs Kwon rolled her eyes sighing, “Who knows, he was obviously having an affair”. You narrowed your eyes in disgust, the more revelations, the more you felt disgust towards your new boss’ attributes, but also about why Taeyong was the way he was, why he was so cold, why he treated women so badly, and why he was having numerous affairs.

Before you where about to turn away to go and copy the documents you halted at Mrs Kwon sternly calling your name as she stood up, “I’ll give you one piece of advice, and it’s for your own good. Do not involve yourself in your bosses personal lives, and do not involve yourself personally with Lee Taeyong Sir, every girl become smitten by him and falls into his trap, but then ends up getting hurt, I’ve witnessed it several times”. You nodded, still trying to internalise everything she had said before you slowly turned away to go and complete your task.

-

Taeyong walked into the building looking constantly at his watch, scratching the back of his neck anxiously. 12:04 it read, he was expected to be in his office at 8am sharp every single morning. He paced quickly towards the elevator, but his father stopped him in his tracks, his arms folded.

“Erm Dad I can explain”

“Mhm, you can explain in my office” he retorted bluntly.

-

“Lee Taeyong, what time do you call this? I have not, I repeat I have not built up this firm for people like you to slack, to walk in whenever you feel like it, for you to become behind on schedules”

Despite his raised tone of voice, Taeyong stood there silently without even moving a muscle.

“If you want to stay out partying on the weekends, drinking, smoking, doing all sorts, then do it. But do not then walk into my building 3 hours later than you should, if no other employer can do it, then you’re a boss, and you certainly cannot do it”

“It won’t happen again” he muttered, just loud enough for his father to hear, if there was one thing Lee Taeyong did not do, that was apologise - to anyone.

“Well that’s you say all the time”, he almost whined which frustrated Taeyong making him angry.

“Well what do you want then?!” Taeyong yelled, making his father stand up from his chair.

“Your Mother is right, you’re just plain rude, sometimes I wonder why I even kept you” ouch, Taeyong felt his father’s words stab in his heart, he stood up slamming his hands on the large oak desk. His step mother was always spreading false rumours, always instigating arguments between Taeyong and his father, and he obviously believed her. 

“She is NOT my mother!” he screamed making his father’s hand clench in anger.

“Taeyong! That’s enough!”

“She’s never treated me like her son, so I do not consider her my mother” and with that he left the room slamming the door behind him, he walked towards the elevator to go to his office.

y/n’s POV

You waited for the elevator doors to open so that you get back to the correct floor to hand Mrs Kwon her pile of papers back, when the doors finally opened you stepped in. To your misfortune, a tall muscular figure was already stood, it was Taeyong. You gulped loudly, and when his eyes met yours you noticed his eyes where bloodshot, his hand clenched into a fist, shaking. You wanted the ground to swallow you up in that moment; you didn’t know what to do.

Abruptly he slammed his hand above your head pushing your back into the wall of the side of the elevator making you flinch, your eyes widened, breathing hitched, you where evidently shaking like crazy, and the fact that the elevator was descending wasn’t helping the churning in the pit of your stomach.

“Don’t think that because you got the job I won’t make your life a living hell” he spat bitterly, his face inches away from yours.

“I’ll make you pay for humiliating me, I’ll show you no mercy” he said through clenched teeth, taking all of his anger out. 

Just as the elevator doors opened, he snatched the documents out of your hand throwing them like it was confetti, he walked off standing all over them, and all you could do was stand there in utter shock, disbelief, and embarrassment as some employees in the distance snickered and whispered...

[blackkudos]

Della Reese

Della Reese (born Delloreese Patricia Early; July 6, 1931) is an American nightclub, jazz, gospel and pop singer, film and television actress, one-time talk-show hostess and ordained minister, whose career has spanned six decades. She has also appeared as a guest on several talk shows and as a panelist on numerous game shows.

Reese's long career began as a singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "Don't You Know?". In the late 1960s, she had hosted her own talk show, Della, which ran for 197 episodes. She also starred in films beginning in 1975, and included playing opposite Redd Foxx in Harlem Nights (1989), Martin Lawrence in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Elliott Gould in Expecting Mary (2010). She achieved continuing success in the television religious fantasy drama Touched by an Angel (1994–2003), in which Reese played the leading role of Tess.

Early years

Della Reese was born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in the historic Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, to Richard Thaddeus Early, an African American steelworker and Nellie (Mitchelle), a Native American cook of the Cherokee tribe. Her mother also had several children before Reese's birth, none of whom lived with her; hence, Reese grew up as an only child. At six years old, Reese began singing in church. From this experience, she became an avid gospel singer. On weekends in the 1940s, she and her mother would go to the movies independently to watch the likes of Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Lena Horne portray glamorous lives on screen. Afterwards, Reese would act out the scenes from the films. In 1944, she began her career directing the young people's choir, after she had nurtured acting plus her obvious musical talent. She was often chosen, on radio, as a regular singer. At the age of 13, she was hired to sing with Mahalia Jackson's gospel group. Delloreese entered Detroit's popular Cass Technical High School (where she attended the same year as Edna Rae Gillooly, later known as Ellen Burstyn). She also continued with her touring with Jackson. With higher grades, she was the first in her family to graduate from high school in 1947, at only 15.

Afterwards, she formed her own gospel group, the Meditation Singers. However, due in part to the death of her mother, and her father's serious illness, Reese had to interrupt her schooling at Wayne State University to help support her family. Faithful to the memory of her mother, Deloreese also moved out of her father's house when she disapproved of him taking up with a new girlfriend. She then took on odd jobs, such as truck driver, dental receptionist, and even elevator operator, after 1949. Performing in clubs, Early soon decided to shorten her name from "Delloreese Early" to "Della Reese."

Musical career

Reese was discovered by the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and her big break came when she won a contest, which gave her a week to sing at Detroit's well-known Flame Show Bar. Reese remained there for eight weeks. Although her roots were in gospel music, she now was being exposed to and influenced by such famous jazz artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. In 1953, she signed a recording contract with Jubilee Records, for which she recorded six albums. Later that year, she also joined the Hawkins Orchestra. Her first recordings for Jubilee were songs such as "In the Still of the Night" (originally published in 1937), "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and "Time After Time" (1947). The songs were later included on the album And That Reminds Me (1959).

In 1957, Reese released a single called "And That Reminds Me." After years of performing, she gained chart success with this song. It became a Top Twenty Pop hit and a million-seller record. That year, Reese was voted by Billboard, Cashbox and various other magazines, as "The Most Promising Singer." In 1959, Reese moved to RCA Records and released her first RCA single, called "Don't You Know?," which was adapted from Puccini's music for La Bohème, specifically, the aria Musetta's Waltz. It became her biggest hit to date, reaching the #2 spot on the Pop charts and topping the R&B charts (then called the "Hot R&B Sides") that year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Eventually, the song came to be widely considered the signature song of her early career. Reese received a Grammy nomination for her 1960 album, Della and then released a successful follow-up single called "Not One Minute More" (#16). She remained on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the songs "And Now" (#69), "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)" (#56) and "The Most Beautiful Words" (#67).

In November 1960, Reese appeared in advertisements in Ebony magazine for the newly launched AMI Continental jukebox. Reese recorded regularly throughout the 1960s, releasing singles and several albums. Two of the most significant were The Classic Della (1962) and Waltz with Me, Della (1963), which broadened her fan base internationally. She recorded several jazz-focused albums, including Della Reese Live (1966), On Strings of Blue (1967) and One of a Kind (1978). She also performed in Las Vegas (Nevada) for nine years and toured across the country. Reese continued to record albums in the following decades, receiving two more Grammy nominations in the gospel category for the album Della Reese and Brilliance (1991) and for the live recorded album, My Soul Feels Better Right Now (1999). Motown singer Martha Reeves cites Reese as a major influence and says she named her group The Vandellas after Van Dyke Street in Detroit and Della Reese.

Television and film career

In 1969, she began a transition into acting work which would eventually lead to her greatest fame. Her first attempt at television stardom was a talk show series, Della, which was cancelled after 197 episodes (June 9, 1969 – March 13, 1970).

In 1970, Reese became the first black woman to guest host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She appeared in several TV movies and miniseries, was a regular on Chico and the Man and played the mother of B. A. Baracus in The A-Team episode "Lease with an Option to Die." In 1991, she starred opposite old friend, Redd Foxx, in his final sitcom, The Royal Family, but his death halted production of the series for several months. Reese also did voice-over for the late-1980s animated series A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. In 1989, she starred alongside Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx in the theatrical release movie Harlem Nights, in which she performed a fight scene with Eddie Murphy. Reese appeared as a panelist on several episodes of the popular television game show Match Game.

Television (and podcast) guest appearances

Reese has had a wide variety of guest-starring roles, beginning with an episode of The Mod Squad. This led to other roles in such series as: The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Getting Together, Police Woman, Petrocelli, Joe Forrester, Police Story, The Rookies,McCloud, Sanford and Son with old friend Redd Foxx, Vega$, Insight and two episodes of The Love Boat. She also had a recurring role on It Takes Two opposite Richard Crenna and Patty Duke, three episodes of Crazy Like a Fox, four episodes of Charlie & Co. opposite Flip Wilson, 227 with best friend Marla Gibbs, MacGyver, Night Court, Dream On, Designing Women, Picket Fences, That's So Raven and The Young and the Restless. She has also been featured (by proxy) on the McElroy family Dungeons and Dragons podcast, The Adventure Zone, after a magical, kickass deity was named after her.

Touched by an Angel

After coping with the death of one of her best friends, Redd Foxx, in 1991, she was reluctant to play an older female lead in the inspirational television drama Touched by an Angel, but went ahead and auditioned for the role of "Tess." She wanted to have a one-shot agreement between CBS and producer Martha Williamson, but ordered more episodes. Reese was widely seen as a key component of the show's success. Already starring on Touched by an Angel was the lesser-known Irish actress Roma Downey, who played the role of case worker Tess's angel/employee, Monica. In numerous interviews, there was an on- and off-screen chemistry between both Reese and Downey.

The character of Tess was the angelic supervisor who sent the other angels out on missions to help people redeem their lives and show them God's love, while at the same time, she was sassy and had a no-nonsense attitude. The show often featured a climactic monologue delivered by the angel Monica in which she reveals herself as an angel to a human with the words: "I am an angel sent by God to tell you that He loves you." The character of Tess was portrayed by Reese as down-to-earth, experienced and direct. Reese also sang the show's theme song, "Walk With You," and was featured prominently on the soundtrack album produced in conjunction with the show.

During its first season in 1994, many critics were skeptical about the show, it being the second overtly religious prime-time fantasy series, after Highway to Heaven. The show had a rocky start, low ratings and was cancelled 11 episodes into the first season. However, with the help of a massive letter-writing campaign, the show was resuscitated the following season and became a huge ratings winner for the next seven seasons. At the beginning of the fourth season in 1997, Reese threatened to leave the show because she was making less than her co-stars; CBS ended up raising her salary. Touched by an Angel was cancelled in 2003, but it continued re-running heavily in syndication and on The Hallmark Channel. Roma Downey said of her on- and off-screen relationship with Reese:

"She's very wise. She's very loving. She can be a little gruff at times, but she's always adoring and adorable. I lost my mother when I was very young, and during my whole adolescence and into my twenties, I'd been looking for a mother figure, and I really think I can say with absolute truth and sincerity that I feel that I finally found her in Della Reese."

Downey later also said:

"I think I'll just always remember the feel of her neck against my cheek when she hugs me and the love I know that she has for me and the love that I feel for her and the love that she has for God. To know Della is to know that she loves God."

Personal life

Reese's mother, Nellie Mitchelle Early, died in 1949 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Reese's father, Richard Early, died ten years later. Reese had an adoptive daughter whom she acquired from a family member unable to care for her, named Deloreese Daniels Owens, in 1961. Owens died on March 14, 2002. It was never released whether she died from suicide or from implications stemming from pituitary disease. Reese said about the painful experience, sharing her frustration with the lack of awareness and knowledge of pituitary disorders,

"When it happened, I thought, 'It's such an odd thing to die from,' because pituitary problems aren't something you hear about. It makes it harder because you don't understand what happened. It seemed so strange and hard to explain. It still is, to be honest."

In 1952 Reese married factory worker Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, nineteen years her senior, and adopted the stage name Pat Ferro for a week, before introducing her current name - though sources differ as to whether this was after the failure of the marriage, or simply a show-business decision.

A second marriage ceremony, on 28 December 1959, to accountant Leroy Basil Gray, who had two children by a previous marriage, was kept secret for some time. This marriage either ended in divorce or was annulled on the basis that Gray's previous divorce was invalid.

Reese appears to have been briefly married to Mercer Ellington (who was then her manager) in 1961, before this was annulled due to Ellington's Mexican divorce being ruled invalid.

In 1979, after taping a guest spot for The Tonight Show, she suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm, but made a full recovery after two surgeries by neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Drake at University Hospital in London, Ontario. In 1983, she married Franklin Thomas Lett, Jr., a concert producer and writer. In 2002, Reese announced on Larry King Live that she had been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, but didn't come as a surprise considering what she ate and what her diet consisted of, as well as her weight. She loved cake, especially chocolate. She became a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association, traveling around the United States to raise awareness about this disorder. In 2005, Reese was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball ceremony, along with 25 other black women.

Reese was ordained as a minister through the Christian New Thought branch known as Unity, after serving as the senior minister and founder of her own church, Understanding Principles for Better Living. The "Up Church" is under Universal Foundation For Better Living, a denomination of Christian New Thought founded by Rev. Johnnie Colemon, a close friend of Rev. Reese-Lett. In 2014, the IRS Criminal Division began investigating the disappearance of nearly $2 million from church banking investments, as well as very questionable/misappropriation of church funds and not paying church employees their earned wages. They currently meet at First Lutheran Church (www.firsting.org) in Inglewood, California. In her ministerial work, she is known as the Rev. Dr. Della Reese Lett.

On July 6, 2011, Reese celebrated her 80th Birthday at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles, California. In 2015, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to her.

On August 29, 2016, nearly two months after she celebrated her 85th birthday, Reese was said to be in failing health, as she uses a wheelchair, following two serious brain surgeries. She also admitted about her suffering from diabetes, "My life is at stake," she said. "I don’t have type 2 diabetes — type 2 diabetes has me." Reese is not wheelchair bound, and tries to avoid using one often because it could make her condition worse. Prior to attending the ceremony to honor her former co-star and long-term friend, Roma Downey, who herself, received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, years after her mentor, she also admitted (after collapsing on the set of Touched by an Angel) in 2014, contributed to her diabetes, after years of eating her old, nightly snacks of fried chicken, potato chips, ice cream, candy bars and cola, who was very frustrated because she didn't do anything to prevent her health, when she did the best she could to control her disease, "With diet, exercise and medication, I took control of my diabetes," she stated. "I lost 20 pounds and lowered my blood sugar from between 275 and 300 to between 67 and 110." After her last appearance on Signed, Sealed, Delivered, she had retired from acting.

FilmographyFilmTelevision

Awards and nominations

Awards

1994: Hollywood Walk of Fame: 7060 Hollywood Boulevard – Television

1996: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1997: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1998: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1999: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

2000: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

2001: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

2002: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

Nominations

1960: Grammy Award – Don't You Know

1961: Grammy Award – Della (Album)

1991: Grammy Award – Della Reese and Brilliance

1997: Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1997: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1998: Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1998: Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Made for TV Series – Touched by an Angel

1998: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series – Touched by an Angel

1999: Grammy Award – My Soul Feels Better Right Now

2000: Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting By a Female Performer in an Animated Feature – Dinosaur

Wikipedia