#i don’t know why he doesn’t just leave me alone

[steddieas-shegoes]

i don’t know why i can’t take my eyes off of you

for @steddielovemonth day one using You and Me by Lifehouse

rated t | 1186 words | no cw | tags: future fic, second chances, mutual pining, idiots in love, songwriter Eddie, teacher Steve

🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒🛒

Steve’s walking down the frozen section of Melvald’s when time stops.

Not literally. The watch on his wrist is still ticking. The clock on the wall at the front of the store is still moving. People around him are still grabbing their groceries.

But Eddie Munson is standing in front of the ice cream section like he belongs there.

Eddie left Hawkins five years ago.

He kissed Steve on the lips, then the forehead, and left.

Steve’s thought about it, about him, every day since.

Eddie hasn’t noticed him yet. Maybe Steve should leave before he does. Last he’d heard, Eddie was working at a recording studio as a songwriter, halfway making his dreams come true.

He’s happy, or at least that’s what all the kids have said when he’s brought up. They don’t know about the kiss, at least Steve doesn’t think they do. He’s never told them.

It’s busy enough in the store that Steve’s pretty sure he can sneak away before Eddie sees him. He starts to back away, but immediately bumps into an old woman.

“I’m so sorry, are you okay?” He’s asking, and she’s brushing him off and saying she’s fine. He feels terrible.

“Steve?” Eddie’s voice is like music, always has been a melody made specifically for Steve.

“Eddie,” Steve says as the old woman walks away. “Hey.”

Steve forgets he’s in public as the world around him fades and all he sees, smells, wants, is Eddie.

“I didn’t know you were still in Hawkins,” Eddie says quietly, leaning forward on his toes. He’s got a new battle vest, though it looks well-worn. Steve wonders if he knows that his old vest is hanging in his closet, if he knows that Steve pulls it out every once in a while so he can put it on and feel a little less alone.

“Yeah. Never left.” It sounds worse than it is. Steve always said he’d leave when all the kids left, but once they did, he didn’t know where to go. It’s not like he could follow them around, couch-surfing across the country a month or two at a time, burdening them with his self-imposed loneliness.

“You look good,” Eddie says, changing the subject.

Leaving Hawkins was a touchy subject for Steve the last time he’d seen Eddie. It still is. Eddie must sense that.

“So do you,” Steve breathes out. He does. He looks healthy and happy, something Hawkins had completely drained from him before. “What are you doing back?”

“Just visiting Wayne. Usually he comes to see me, but he insisted he didn’t wanna deal with the ‘big city’ this time. And I’m the best nephew, so I said ‘sure, old man, I’ll go back to the town that hates my guts!��� And here I am trying to find my favorite ice cream at the store. They don’t have it,” Eddie shrugs. He rambles when he’s nervous, still. “He hasn’t mentioned seeing you around or anything, though.”

“Yeah, I guess we don’t cross paths much,” Steve laughs awkwardly. He can’t remember the last time he saw Wayne. Must’ve been around Christmas, when Steve was helping Joyce with her decorations while Hopper worked overtime and Wayne stopped by to drop off some lights. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s good. Stubborn as hell. Won’t retire even though he could,” Eddie shakes his head. “Think he’s scared of being bored.”

“Or lonely.”

The words escape Steve before he can hold them back.

Eddie’s face softens, but it’s not full of pity. Everyone always gives Steve this look, like they know he’s putting on a brave face. Not Eddie.

“Wayne’s always been content alone. He’s got friends, and he calls me when he has something new to argue about,” Eddie leans in closer. “I don’t really worry about Wayne. Other people, sure.”

“Like who?” Steve swallows.

“You settle down yet?” Eddie asks in response.

Steve’s so shocked by the question, he doesn’t answer.

“I figured the kids were just being nice by not telling me if you did, but you’re not wearing a ring and you’re grocery shopping alone, so…” Eddie rambles again. Steve feels his heart flutter in his chest.

“No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Are you dating someone?”

Steve shakes his head. “Haven’t really found anyone interesting.”

“Interesting? Since when does Steve Harrington want someone interesting?”

Since the most interesting person he knows kissed him and then left. Since everyone else is boring in comparison to you. Since he realized he was dumb to let you go.

“I guess what I thought I wanted is different now. Has been for a while,” Steve shrugs.

It’s strange how easily Steve becomes wrapped up in Eddie’s orbit, how quickly everything else didn’t matter the moment Eddie started talking to him. It’s just the two of them.

“Excuse me,” a man says to their left. Steve jumps back and apologizes for blocking where he needed to be. Eddie’s eyes never leave Steve.

When the man walks away, Steve clears his throat.

“How long are you in town?”

“How long will it take me to convince you to come back with me?”

Steve chokes on his next breath. “What? Come back with you? To…”

“New York or Chicago. I’m getting a promotion and they’ll let me pick where I wanna go. I’ve been leaning towards Chicago because more of the music I enjoy is making a mark there,” Eddie explains. “And there’s plenty of options for you there, too. Dustin said you just finished your teaching degree.”

“Dustin talks about me?”

“Only when unprovoked,” Eddie grins. “Have you been waiting for me?”

It’s blunt, but Eddie always has been. Steve can hide a lot of emotions from people; It’s been a survival tactic for most of his life.

He’s never been able to hide shit from Eddie.

“Not on purpose.”

Eddie looks at his basket of items. He was really only here for a few things, but he saw his favorite cookies were on sale and he couldn’t resist stocking up. He looks between the basket and Eddie’s eyes.

“You wanna come to mine for dinner?”

“Is dinner cookies?” Eddie laughs, poking at the package closest to the top.

“That’s dessert,” Steve laughs, too. He finds it easy. He never thought it could be this easy after the time that’s passed, the distance they had between them.

“First dessert.”

“What are we, hobbits?” Steve asks.

Eddie’s jaw drops open. “Steve, please. Not in public.”

“What?”

“I didn’t know you read it!” Eddie groans, but he’s smiling, so Steve’s not actually worried.

“I’ve read a lot of things! I’ve been waiting for you, remember?”

An announcement starts in the store— someone’s car is blocking a delivery truck entrance— and they both take a step away from each other. They were much closer than they should be in the grocery store.

This is still Hawkins, and people already don’t like Eddie. Looking cozier than two dudes normally would might be dangerous for both of them.

“So. Dinner?” Steve asks again. It’s easier to remember there are other people around with some distance between them.

“Sure. Dinner.”

Time starts again.

[missdynamighttt]

if husband! katsuki had a dream that you served him divorce papers, he would be SO mad at you.

katsuki woke up with a start, his chest heaving as the remnants of the vivid dream clung to his mind. in the dream, you had stood in front of him, utterly calm, as you handed him his worst nightmare: divorce papers.

“it's not you, its me,” you said, your expression indifferent as if breaking his heart meant nothing. "i'm just bored, katsuki."

it wasn’t real, he knew that. but the image of you walking away from him felt too real, too painful. the words echoed in his head as he sat on the edge of the bed, his fists clenched. bored? how could you say that after everything you've been through? even though it was just a dream, it shook him to near death.

and when katsuki saw you later that morning, smiling and greeting him like usual, he couldn’t help but scowl. normally, the sight would calm him, but instead, a strange sense of betrayal bubbled up inside him. how could dream-you say something like that? and why couldn’t he shake the feeling?

“morning, katsuki,” you said cheerfully, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

he turned his head slightly, causing your lips to brush his jaw instead. you blinked, confused. “uh… everything okay?”

“fine,” he muttered, getting up and leaving you all alone in the bed.

all day, katsuki avoided your texts, kept his responses curt, and barely looked your way when you crossed paths at home. you quickly realized something was off but couldn’t figure out what. by evening, you had enough.

"okay, whats your problem? you've been sulking all day,” you said firmly, standing in front of him while he sat on the couch. “you’ve been acting like i killed your damn dog. what did i do?”

katsuki glared at you, his emotions finally bubbling over. “you left me! that’s what you did!”

you stared at him, completely baffled. “what are you talking about? i didn’t leave you. i’ve been here all day!”

katsuki exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “fine. i had this stupid dream, alright? you—” he hesitated, the words catching in his throat. “you divorced me. you said you were bored and just... left me.”

for a moment, there was silence as you processed what he was saying. then, to katsuki’s annoyance, you started laughing.

“you’re mad at me... because of a dream?” you asked, your laughter bubbling out uncontrollably.

“it felt real!” he barked, his cheeks flushing slightly. “you don’t get to laugh! this isn't fuckin' funny! do you know how shitty that felt?!”

“i’m sorry!” you gasped between giggles, clutching your stomach. “it’s just… do you really think i’d ever do that?”

katsuki’s scowl deepened. “its not that. its just... you said it so casually in the dream. like i didn’t even matter.”

you tried to stifle your laughter, but your amusement was clear as day. “katsuki... you’re everything to me. i would never leave you. ever. especially not because i was bored. you’re the opposite of boring. you’re the most stubborn, infuriating, incredible man I’ve ever met.”

he grunted, looking away. “tch. doesn’t change the fact that it felt real.”

you bit your lip, guilt swirling in your chest. you could see how much the dream had affected katsuki, even if it wasn’t real. determined to make it up to him, you climbed onto his lap, straddling him, and cupped his face in your hands.

“i’m sorry your brain decided to torture you like that,” you said softly before leaning in to pepper his face with kisses. “but let me remind you of how much i love you.”

your lips pressed against his forehead, his cheeks, his nose, and finally, his lips. each kiss was light and playful, drawing a reluctant smirk from him.

“sweets,” katsuki muttered, trying to keep up the tough act, but you didn’t let up.

you continued your attack, kissing down his jaw and back to his lips, murmuring between kisses. “i'm so happy you're my husband.”

katsuki finally relented, his hands settling on your hips as he let out a low chuckle. “you’re fuckin' weird.”

“and you’re grumpy,” you teased. “but i love you anyway.”

“hmph. i love you too,” he admitted, his voice softer now as his arms wrap around you, brushing your nose against his. “sorry for being an idiot today.”

“you’re not an idiot. just... talk to me about it next time, okay?”

"fine. be my fuckin' wife for forever, 'kay?"

"i promise," you cut him off with a kiss.

and katsuki kissed you back, finally letting the tension melt away, drowning himself in the taste of your and your presence. you're here. you weren't gonna leave him because he was bored. you never would.

"tch. i’m still blaming you for my bad dreams though."

‎‧₊˚✧[ it's me, kia ! ]✧˚₊‧ ｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ ‎‧₊˚✧[ more of katsuki ! ]✧˚₊‧

[goldenroutledge]

someday my prince will come

pairing ⤜ rafe cameron x fem!reader

word count ⤜ 3.7k

summary ⤜ fluff. in which you’ll never feel alone as long as you have rafe, and he’ll never feel alone as long as he has you.

warning(s) ⤜ wedding planning stress, toxic family members

a/n ⤜ inspired by ‘alone together’ - sabrina carpenter || masterlist

Expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed. That’s what you try to tell yourself, hoping it will wish away the cynicism surrounding what is supposed to be the happiest time in your life. Transactional relationships set the norm on Figure Eight for friends and foe alike. Everyone used anyone they could get their hands on, only leaving them for dead when the conditions were no longer suitable.

It should’ve been no surprise that people would be treating your upcoming marriage to Rafe that same way. As if it’s nothing but a transaction curated to mutually benefit yourself, Rafe, and your respective families. Truthfully, your relationship was anything but.

Years together proved that passion still burns between you, in a way that most can’t begin to dream of. Every look, every kiss and every touch holds that passion somewhere deep inside. There was no denying that you two have enough of it to last a lifetime and then some when Rafe got down on bended knee and asked you to spend your life with him. You love Rafe Cameron for all the right reasons and he loves you the same.

Your families and friends around you are fools to not acknowledge that, seemingly destined to have their own ways of projecting insecurities onto the both of you. Planning your wedding was something you imagined to be a magical time, selecting colors and florals that would paint a picture reminiscent of a fairytale. Expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed.

From the moment your perfectly cut diamond ring was noticeable on your left hand, some chose to take it as a personal invitation to assert their unwarranted advice. It started with your mother, divorced and remarried now more times than you care to keep track of. Her guidance hardly resembles the special experience between mother and daughter that planning a wedding usually brings. After one of your first meetings with your wedding planner, you’d come to regret asking your mother to accompany you.

“I just don’t see why he’s walking you down the aisle instead of me.”

“You mean my father? I didn’t think you’d have such an issue with it given you chose to marry and have a child with him.”

“And I chose to divorce the asshole, too.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with me, Mom. You both made your choices and I made mine. My father is going to be at my wedding whether you like it or not.”

“50 feet away from me at all times, I hope.” She speaks lowly, barely under her breath. You’d be burning with embarrassment right now if it weren’t for your wedding planner, ever attuned and able to spot an argument a mile away, who kindly left you and your mother to chat in private.

“Please, don’t worry about that. I’m sure he wants nothing to do with you either. The only difference is that he’s willing to tolerate you for the sake of my happiness.”

“This isn’t about happiness, Y/n. It’s about respect. Had I not raised you right, you wouldn’t be able to attract a man like Rafe in the first place. The least you could do is acknowledge your mother on your wedding day.”

“That’ll make for a beautiful toast at your next brunch with the ladies from the club. I’ll be sure to write that down.” You chide sarcastically, unable to hold back from rolling your eyes at her audaciousness. “It’s good to know that’s what you’re really excited about. Showboating to your friends that I found someone successful, not that I found someone I love.”

“Like it or not, it’s the truth. I’m not afraid to be honest with you unlike some people in your life.”

“What exactly is honest about guilt tripping me into letting you make all of my wedding decisions for me? For us! You’re lucky Rafe isn’t here or he would’ve thrown you out by now.”

“And risk our relationship just when we’re about to be in-laws? You’re ridiculous. I hope he knows the kind of dramatics he’s marrying into.”

“No kidding.”

“I’m not trying to be malicious, dear. I just want you to have your priorities straight.”

“Believe me, they are.”

“You can’t forget your family in the process, my darling. You can’t just leave me behind like I don’t exist because when this marriage is over you’ll realize that I’m not as crazy as you think. You’ll need me again one day.”

“When my marriage is over? This isn’t some fucking contract. We love each other.”

“There’s no need to get hysterical, Y/n. I told myself all the same things too. You’ll see.”

—

Your conversation with your mother left you disheartened at best, infuriated at worst. One look into Rafe’s eyes would have your worries melting away, but you can’t help the nagging feeling inside that’s telling you to say something. You know how much courage it took for him to open his heart to you in the way that he has. You know how much courage it’s taken for you to open your heart, too. You know how with each other it’s been so easy that neither of you really noticed how naturally your love has blossomed. When you fell for each other, there was nothing that could stop you.

That explains why this nagging feeling, that you assume is guilt, simply won’t go away. How can you imagine getting married to Rafe Cameron, the love of your life, and feel anything but unbridled joy. To give a big ‘fuck you’ to everyone doubting your relationship, you’d love nothing more than to proclaim your love for each other in front of a crowd. But in the many scenarios you’ve played in your head, none of them put you at ease.

There was no denying the deep trust that connects you, knowing that you can tell him whatever is on your mind. The worst thing you’ve ever done, the darkest thought you’ve ever had, he will stand by you through anything. And you would do the same for him. It’s why the idea of saying: ‘Hey, by the way, I don’t want a wedding’, is not something you can muster the courage for. Guilt begs you to tell him anyway, knowing how badly he would feel to know you’re suffering in silence like this.

Little do you know, Rafe is troubled in reconciling his own guilt. It’s not just your mother who wants to see the worst come of your relationship. Considering Rafe’s strained dynamic with his father, that should come as no surprise.

Cameron Development takes up most of Rafe’s time these days, leaving him and Ward to spend quite a lot of it together. Rafe prefers to keep their topics of discussion focused on the company. Their relationship works best that way, a transactional partnership between father and son that would benefit the Cameron legacy for generations.

But if it weren’t for Ward’s nagging, Rafe never would’ve ended up here at the Island Club having lunch with his father. He knows for a fact that it would’ve been time better spent with you, his future wife, desperate to feel the kiss of your lips or be able to exhale in your arms in the midst of a busy day.

Ward spends all of 5 minutes discussing some company stuff that could’ve easily been sent in an email drafted by his assistant before getting down to his real intentions. He always hides them behind the mask of a loving father.

“I lied about why I needed to speak with you today.”

Rafe scoffs, but always manages his expectations when it comes to Ward. “Imagine that.”

Ward chuckles, trying to play off his son’s jab as innocent sarcasm. “I wanted to talk to you about your soon-to-be marriage to Y/n.”

Rafe takes a gulp of his drink, already feeling slightly on edge and on guard at the mention of your life together. “What about it?”

“Have you two discussed a prenup?”

“Dad-” Rafe tries to interject, but to no avail. Ward’s already a step ahead of him.

“I know it’s only been a couple months into the engagement, but it’s never too early to have these conversations.”

“I don’t need to worry about having these conversations at all. And you definitely don’t need to be concerned with it either because I’m not asking her to sign a prenup. Simple as that.”

“Rafe, if there’s anything I’ve learned in my marriage to Rose-”

“Your marriage to Rose is a sham. And Y/n is nothing like her.”

“Y/n’s great.” Ward seemingly surrenders, in hopes to disarm Rafe while still getting his point across. “I’m not trying to suggest otherwise. I’m just saying that things happen in marriages and you need to be prepared. What do you think will happen to Cameron Development if she winds up with half in a divorce?”

“If we get divorced, it means that I’ve got bigger problems than potentially losing Cameron Development.” Rafe laments, finishing his drink. “Besides, she wouldn’t want it.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“I know her. For sure. Alright?” Rafe fires back, firm intent behind every word. “I know you have a hard time imagining what it’s like to be loved for something other than your money. And I’m sure you have a harder time imagining how she could love me without it. But you can save your fatherly advice, I’m gonna live my life with Y/n without any of your prenup bullshit.”

Rafe grabs his wallet from his pocket, throwing down several bills on the table that he doesn’t bother counting. All that’s on his mind right now is getting back home to you.

“Have a nice day, Dad.”

—

At this point in his life, Rafe has mastered the art of ignoring Ward Cameron. He’s come to accept that they’re simply a better duo in business than as father and son. The family he came from felt less like family when he fell in love with you. Now that you were about to be married, it was gonna be real. You would be each other’s family not only in spirit, but officially on paper. For the rest of your lives you would be where you always belonged; together.

Right now, Rafe can’t shake the feeling that his father is already preparing for everything to fall apart before you two have a chance to build anything more. Logically, he knows the concept of a prenup isn’t a stupid idea. But his father’s intentions for him have proven to be anything but pure. There’s always something in it for Ward.

Rafe loves you, and that means he’s ready to share his life with you, money be damned. Besides there’s nobody more deserving for him to spend it on, no matter how badly you insist that you don’t love him for the fine jewelry or the dates at expensive restaurants around the island. For him, that’s all the more reason why he commits to showing you a lifestyle that’s beyond comprehension.

He wants to tell you about the absolute bullshit his father brought him to lunch to talk about today but hesitates in mentioning it at all. In any other scenario you’d both laugh it off, but this was a special time for your relationship. It’s delicate, and deserves to be handled with care. Rafe wants nothing more than to protect you from anyone looking to tarnish it.

Rafe’s final straw strikes later that night while waiting for you to finish your skincare routine and join him in bed. His phone sounds with several text messages from Topper. His eyebrows furrow in curiosity, expression quickly turning sour as he reads the messages.

Clearly, after cutting lunch short, Ward was quick to enlist Topper Thornton into his agenda. Seeing the way he wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s an easy enough target to carry out something like this. Rafe scans the messages, catching the gist of it.

Something about ‘A prenup is just insurance, you might not need it! But you should be prepared anyway cause she could leave you at any time, bro’ and ‘Have you heard of the infidelity clause? I'm not saying she would, but you know what Sarah did to me, better be safe than sorry.’ Rafe’s frustration catches your attention when he curses something about ‘this motherfucker’ under his breath.

“Everything okay, baby?”

Rafe looks up to meet your eyes peeking outside the bathroom door. He gives you a reassuring smile, but you can tell that it doesn’t reach his eyes. Coupled with the fact that his energy has been off ever since he got home today, you can’t help but wonder what’s going through his mind.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s nothing, it’s just Topper bitching to me about the wedding. He doesn’t think he’ll find a date in time.” Rafe cringes at his white lie, but figures it’s better not to stress you out when you’re about to go to sleep. And it’s not completely untrue, Topper has expressed his concerns about finding a date ever since he found out about the engagement. At this point, it’s to be determined if he’s still invited.

You chuckle at the thought. “Our wedding date is 7 months away, surely that’s enough time.”

“Speaking of our wedding.” Rafe starts, which reminds you of the pit in your stomach. “How did it go with your mom today?”

“It was good.”

Rafe raises his eyebrows inquisitively, picking up on the uncertainty in your voice. Finishing your nighttime routine, you make your way to your shared bed. Rafe gets up to meet you halfway and to make sure you’re okay. He’ll be able to tell with just a glance.

“Okay, baby. You know as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

Your heart flutters and you smile at him, knowing in your heart that he truly means it. “I know.” You press a kiss to his cheek, wrapping your arms around his large frame. Being in his embrace drowns out any lingering thoughts of frustration. After all, you could choose to blame it on pure exhaustion clouding your mind. “Can you believe we’re getting married in seven months?”

Rafe beams at the thought. “No. Can’t even fathom what I’ve done in my life to deserve you in the first place.”

You shove his chest softly, the tips of your ears warming up at his words. “If anything, it’s the other way around.”

“Not sure about that one, baby.”

You sigh, full of contentment while being held in the secure hold of your fiance. Yet a part of you still feels resigned from the stresses of today. “Just ask my mother.”

You can feel Rafe’s muscles tense slightly before he pulls back to look at you. “What do you mean? I thought it went well today?” The gears are turning in his head as he anticipates your response. He’s always been great at picking up on the smallest of cues, be it the change in your tone or the look in your eyes.

“It could’ve been better. I mean you know her, she always has something negative to say about everything, she’s pretty much allergic to my happiness.” You chuckle softly, trying to deflect and keep the conversation from going where it’s headed.

Rafe is having none of it. “She doesn’t think we should get married?”

“Not without her involvement, ad nauseam. Everything I suggested, she had a better idea. She’s trying to guilt trip me into letting her walk me down the aisle instead of my dad. It was just her usual schtick, trying to control me any way she can, hoping she’ll get my attention by using our wedding to play her little mind games.”

“You don’t owe anything to her, not about this. Besides, security will take care of it if there’s any problems. I’m not gonna let anything ruin this for us.”

“I know.” You reassure him, running your hand up and down his arm. “It’s just a lot of tradition this, and family legacy that. She’s sucking the joy out of everything, like usual.” You mumble that last sentence, almost hoping Rafe didn’t hear it. “Not that I’m not excited to marry you. You know what I mean, right?”

Rafe nods, flashing back to the conversation he had with his father at lunch today. It’s almost uncanny to him how you two are often on the same page about everything. It’s comforting above all else. “Yeah, I do. I know exactly what you mean. I had lunch with my dad today, got a lot of the same bullshit.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I shut him down. I guess our parents are just hellbent on making sure we do things the same way they did.”

“As if we want to be anything like them?”

Rafe chuckles at your quip, relieved at how you two are able to make light of the stress your families have imposed on you. “As if.”

You both stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the calm of being in your lover’s arms. The weight of your worries feel lighter now that you’ve shared them with Rafe, unfortunately knowing that they’ve made a home with you until the big day is over and done with. Hopefully you make it, if the stress doesn’t kill you first. If there’s anyone you’d have by your side through this, it’s Rafe. You can’t imagine enduring the hardships that life has to offer with anyone else. Then again, there are worse problems to have. Just seven more months.

“Did you ever see yourself here before? Getting married?” You ask Rafe.

“Not until I found you.” He charms, satisfied with the way you snuggle even closer to him. “How about you?”

“The same. Never thought I’d find the one until I found you. If I’m honest, that’s all I’m excited for, to just be husband and wife.”

“Y/n?” You hum in response, matching his curious tone. “Do you even want a wedding?”

You freeze, noticeably tensing the same way Rafe did some time ago. You knew the answer and had a feeling that he did too. It was painful to put into words. “I want to be married to you, Rafe. You know that right?”

“I know that, silly. I wanna be married to you too, clearly.” Rafe acknowledges, brushing his thumb over the engagement ring on your finger. “But a ceremony and a reception, the tradition. Do you want that?”

You can’t help but give him a knowing look, one that says damn, you’re good. But it’s also filled with a plea for understanding. “I could live without it, but our wedding will be beautiful, Rafe. I just want to make sure that it’s ours. I hope you don’t have the wrong idea, that I’m having second thoughts or anything because I-”

Rafe cuts off your ramble by kissing you, your face cupped in his hands delicately. He’s gentle, but reassuring. He needs you to remember that he knows you and he’ll never forget.

“Run away with me?” His eyes gaze into yours and there’s an intensity of love behind them that leaves you tearing up. “Our wedding will be beautiful, because it will be ours. Just you and me. We can still have the actual event, don’t think that I don’t dream of you walking down the aisle towards me. We can still have the party and the tall ass cake that you deserve. But having that doesn’t mean we can’t have what we want.”

Rafe’s never been more sure of himself as he watches a tear slip down your cheek, his thumb wiping it away before it can fall too far. You beam at him, and it’s your turn to kiss the man that you love. The man that you’re about to run away and elope with.

“Screw tradition, let’s get married.”

—

The sun sets in the distance, giving you and your husband the perfect view of your spot on the beach, taking turns at feeding each other bites of a miniature cake, coated in a silky white frosting to commemorate your marriage. It was Rafe’s surprise to you, having ordered it custom, and practically overnight, decorated with icing rosettes and your new titles, Mr. and Mrs., written beautifully in the center.

“Our families might kill us, you know.”

Rafe’s smile doesn’t budge, he’s convinced it might just be stuck on his face forever as long as he’s spending it with you. “I guess that means we’ll have to die together then, doesn’t it?”

“I guess it does.” You whisper, closing the distance to kiss your husband. You’ll never get sick of it. Golden rays from the setting sun surround you in glowing warmth, something you’ll feel in your heart from this day forward. The light catches your diamond ring perfectly and it winks at you with a sparkle, forever a reminder of the love you and Rafe share.

He pulls back, yet never too far as he holds your face in his hands. His cerulean eyes glimmer with a hope you only see when he’s looking back at you. “You don’t regret it? Not having the fairytale wedding?”

“This is my fairytale wedding. Just you, me, and a cake.” Rafe smiles, unable to imagine that this is his real life; unable to imagine that having him and him alone, is more than enough for you. There’s not a decision he’s been more sure of in his life than asking you to marry him. “Do you regret it? Marrying me without a prenup?”

Rafe scoffs lightheartedly. “You’ve already taken my heart so you might as well have the rest. Nothing else matters to me as long as you’re mine and I’m yours. I love you, remember? ‘Til death do us part.”

He holds out his pinky and you happily reciprocate the youthful gesture by locking your fingers together. “‘Til death do us part.”

Emotion overcomes you once more, pouring your heart into a kiss that’s as true as your promise to each other. You know he intends to keep his, and so do you. Daring to love each other through the pretty and the ugly, healing each other with a simple look or touch. You wouldn’t trade it for anything. If you don’t have each other, then you have nothing at all.

💌: reblogs & comments are always appreciated! thank you for reading <3

[livelaughlovesubs]

hello! do you write for ratio? if yes, I would like to request for Ratio + the beg prompt from the event.

Thank you in advance, have a nice day.

Ratio and begging? That’d be such a treat hehe.

Dom!reader x sub!Ratio

Warning: teasing, degradation (a little only), begging, flustered veritas~

Anniversary event

Dr. Veritas Ratio was a smart man. In fact, he’s borderline a genius. At least that’s how he’s known to the outside world, and how he’s described in various papers. When you two were alone, you’d always call him—

You leaned back against your work desk, hands flat on the wooden surface as you held yourself up. The room wasn’t special in any sense, the only eye catching thing had to your visitor, who was currently disturbing your work. Veritas groaned in annoyance, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, crossing his arms before his chest. He shoot a rather serious glare at you, before squeezing the bridge of his nose and mumbling, “listen, I won’t repeat myself, I just-”

“I don’t think you can give me that attitude when you barged into my office.” You scoffed, tapping the table with your index finger impatiently. “Now try again.” The male frowned a little, then sighed, “I want to know when you get off work today..” he trailed off, gaze fixating on the decoration around the room, as if he didn’t want to meet your eyes.

Such a weird person, he’s intentions are so easy to read, yet his actions don’t match up. Does he himself doesn’t know what he wants? “Why do you want to know?” He blinked, staring back at you now. With some dreadfully obvious hesitation, he answered, “if you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine.”

Yes, he knew he was acting like a fool, and that his reasonings didn’t make any sense. It was so different from his usual self. Can’t you take some pity on him and stop looking at him with these judging eyes? “Why don’t you make up your mind first before coming here, doctor.” You said, getting up from the furniture and taking a few steps forward, until you were inches away from him. There, you leaned forward, and he instinctively back up as you basically insulted him, “after all, only an idiot speaks before thinking.”

“I did make up my mind.” he snarled, the blush on his cheeks deepening at the closeness. Yet the expression on his face was more like a grimace, as if he’d seen a bug. “So? What do you want, doc?” You wondered, even though you knew the answer, and he knew that you’ve seen right through him as well. “I want us to meet later—”

“no.” You cut him off suddenly, reaching one hand out to tug his hair behind his ear, cupping his cheek. “Not that. What you want us to do once we meet. Gosh, I thought you could read between the lines.” The words you uttered were clearly mocking, but he wasn’t offended, all he did was furrow his brows as a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. All this was ridiculous, he blamed it all on that swaying, stubborn heart of his. The reason why he’s here in the first place.

Veritas clasped one hand over yours, as if worried you might pull away and leave, and he whispered, “I want you to… do that to me, again.” You hummed, teasing him, “what is it again? I don’t remember~” in response to your playful comment, he squeezed your hand, glaring at you with gritted teeth and a flushed face. Was that too much for his poor pride? Right, he was a sensitive man, you had to take it slow with him.

“Fine, I won’t tease. But if you want something, veritas, shouldn’t you ask nicely?” You tried to not smirk at him, though you weren’t sure if your body cooperated. He didn’t reply for a while, his free hand clenched into a fist before he tried again, “will you do that with me again? Err.. please?” Definitely nicer than he usually is. This boy really has such a foul mouth. “I’m not sure I have time today.” You acted as if you were deep in thought, thinking hard about it.

At least this time, he knew the implications behind it, you weren’t satisfied with him. This time, he was the one who closed the distance between you two, your noses almost touched as he asked with an expression anyone else would mistake as anger, “can you please, uhm.. please hold me like last time?” He was almost shaking with humiliation and embarrassment, why did he have to be this unsightly whenever he was in your presence?

You smiled, still not agreeing to his request. “I beg of you…?” Ratio pondered if these words would work, he wasn’t used to asking others for favours in this manner. One because he never thought it’d work, and two, most of the time he only did business transactions where both sides would get mutual benefits. When he sah the corners of your lips twitch, he was sure of it, this shameful display actually worked.

“See? It wasn’t that hard.” You stroked his hair, eating up that delicious expression spread across his features. It’s not everyday you get to see him like this. “You could have saved so much time if only you did this from the beginning.” He opened his mouth, probably about to argue. Now that he got you to agree, you can’t take it back anymore anyway, so he didn’t have to act all pliant anymore.

But you beat him to it, grabbing his collar and yanking on it, whispering with pure amusement, “—such a dumb little puppy.”

[kaisentine]

HELPP you feel like such a thirdwheel with sae and shidou but neither of them want you to leave. this was my inspo to write this cuz i thought it was funny! ( what if i do one w nagireo LMFAO )

why the fuck is ryusei spoon-feeding sae. who was going to tell you that shidou ryusei smothering itoshi sae was going to give you nightmares?

it’s quite a disturbing sight if you say so yourself. look, you generally don’t give a fuck about what they do behind closed doors or literally anywhere where you aren’t there but you’re here now! watching a scene equivalent to a horror movie that relies solely on their lame-ass jumpscares. but it’s so not fiction and even more horrifying.

this is really corny. you think seeing ryusei and sae during U20 was the worst thing you could possibly see? think again. as if ryusei didn’t already not give a damn about the prying eyes and the cameras ( sae’s PR team weren’t having a good time ) and you sure as hell know he doesn’t give a damn right now. your nightmares will probably consist of the scene unfolding in front of your eyes.

yeah this is totally normal—a grown pro athlete man being spoon-fed by another grown man, what the eff do they think they’re doing? they got the real nerve to to be doing it while you’re eating too, how’d ryusei even convince sae to accept this? ( a lot of violence🤗 )

you’ve been relying on your phone and eating to distract yourself from the scene—you aren’t just going to let good food go to waste! actually, your phone went black a few minutes ago but there’s no way in hell you’re going to entertain yourself with eye-torture, you’re really just focused on finishing the contents on your plate to go to another area.

by some kind of curse, you eat like a sloth when there isn’t something actively happening on your screen—you might just need to find an exorcist to fix that problem. . . ( rin ). that’s for another time, however.

you almost sigh in relief after your last spoonful but you don’t in fear of them realizing you’re still there ( you’re convinced that ryusei forgot you’re there ). you stood up from your chair as discreetly as you could—taking extra care in not making the chair squeak. the chair you were originally sitting on was next to the demon while sae was sitting across from you two.

just as you were about to quietly take your leave, sae’s eyes gave your escape plan away. “where’d you think you’re goin’?” ryusei asks, snapping his head to you. caught red-handed, damn you itoshi sae! “i finished eating and i thought i’d. . .give you two some alone time. . . ?” you respond like you’re being held hostage ( you are ).

“you ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

bonus : this is an unexpected outcome. “c’mon, you’ve been refusing for like 5 minutes,” he complains when you keep your mouth closed even to his attempts of pushing the utensil past your lips. you find the chance to speak when he retracts his arm back with a sigh. “ryu. . . i’m not some kind of baby and i ate already.” you deadpan with crossed arms. “nope! you’re actually actin’ like a big baby!” the man says in between wretched laughter you hate to hear. in despair, you turn your head to the other man beside you, “. . .how are you enduring this?” you ask. his head doesn’t turn but his teal eyes do—giving you a glaring side-eye that says ‘save me.’. the aftermath of whatever the fuck just happened is basically you and sae ganging up on ryusei and taking turns beating him up.

[biancadoes1]

I’m sorry but I just can not buy that Luke is with Antonia romantically and Nicola is with Jake romantically. Legit for several reasons one of the biggest being if they were so serious with their significant others why did they never simply say “We are both in conjured relationships with other people that we wish to remain private and we’re just friends”. That is all they would’ve had to do at any point during the WT. the numbers would have still numbered as most general audiences did NOT watch the world tour and most GA watched season 3 for Polin alone and know Nothing about Lukola stuff. Also it doesn’t explain all the other stuff from the WT. The absolutely unhinged things Lukola said about each other, the over touch. I’m sorry we know this man knows nothing of personal space with Nicola but at this supposed hard launch event with his supposed actual girlfriend he leaves even room for the Holy Spirit between them? Not to mention the hand holding. What the heck was that? We have seen this man literally search Nicola’s hand through fabric and grip it for dear life. The refusal to let go at the London premiere of Nicola’s hand and seeking it out at the NYC premiere but suddenly with his actual girlfriend he’s touch averse?!? Like also Nicola and Luke were soooo touchy throughout the world tour. Him putting bracelet on her with one hand so he can keep his other around her waist? His arm around her during chair interviews. Them being literally on top of each other during the live stream. Why is Luke her number one or gives a fuck that she finds Ryan Gosling attractive? Why did her whole family react like that to meeting him if he’s JUST a friend? Not to mention all the alone dinners and hang outs they had when press was done? Why are journalists getting vibes from them? Why didn’t they hear cut in the carriage? Why did the break the settee from simulating fucking so hard? Why was Nicola gonna say Colin Bridgerton’s biggest secret was something about his dick size? Why did she have a Polaroid of her friend and costar on her phone for several months if she had boyfriend already?! Sharing the same cup in Brazil and him reaching for that spoon that had just been in her mouth! Why was he SOO sat to hear what she looks for in a man? Make it make sense! And also if both of them are in serious relationships since last year why don’t either Luke or Nicola follow their supposed significant others? Since they’re just great friends right wouldn’t you support your bffs girlfriend/boyfriends of over a year? And then again with both of them NOT spending NYE with the adjacents that’s kinda weird no? And I’m sorry I can’t get over how just not happy he looks in those photos; the video inside is better but still it’s just all so fucking weird and not adding up. And again if Antonia is his significant other for over a year why isn’t she allowed to have him anywhere on her social media? Sorry it just deadass doesn’t make sense? Regardless I am sat on this ship until one of them marries someone else but I’m just saying I’m finding this narrative VERY very hard to believe. India and Corey had great chemistry and did a press tour but were able to shut down rumors real quick as he had a significant other. I just don’t believe everything we saw was PR as they legit didn’t even know cameras were on them during multiple times. I’m just gonna watch and wait but again the math truly ain’t mathing for me.

The math is never mathing.

[itsnesss]

can u plss do a junho angst fic there are barely any good fics for him 😔

𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | hwang jun-ho × fem!reader

summary | you infiltrate the games for revenge, but meeting jun-ho, a disguised detective, complicates everything. when your cover is blown, he sacrifices himself to save you, forcing you to flee

warnings | angst, tension, suspense, moral ambiguity, desesperation, sacrifice, revenge, vulnerability

word count | 1.7 k

author's note | it would help me a lot if you liked, commented and reposted so that more people read what I write and don't forget to follow me, thanks ᡣ𐭩

The first time you see his face, you’re not sure if it’s a dream or a nightmare. The red uniform hides everything, as if his humanity is diluted beneath the masquerade of his role. But his eyes… there’s something in his eyes that makes you doubt. You recognize him before he recognizes you. That man, that guard, is not one of them. He’s not a pawn. He moves too precisely, his actions calculated, as though observing every corner, every shadow, every breath.

You watch him from the shadows, your mind racing. He shouldn’t be here, just like you. The difference is, you know why you’re here. The mission is clear. Revenge. To dismantle this cursed game from within. But him? Who is he?

Night falls slowly, and you’re alone, cleaning one of the cells that was just used in the latest trial. The blood on the floor hasn’t dried yet. The air is heavy, charged, as if everything is about to explode. Then you hear it. His footsteps, light but firm, approaching behind you.

You turn quickly, your hand instinctively reaching for the weapon at your side. The cold steel against your palm is a momentary comfort. But when you see his face, when your eyes meet his, you don’t feel fear—only a strange discomfort.

He doesn’t look at you like the others do. He doesn’t see you as a threat. Something in his gaze says he’s studying you. It’s as if he can see right through you.

“Who are you?” he asks, his voice soft, almost inaudible.

Your heart leaps in your chest. You can’t let him find out who you are. Not now. Not ever.

“What do you want?” you reply, keeping your tone cold, distant. You can’t afford to show any vulnerability. Not now.

“I know,” he says, without hesitation. “You’re not like the others. What are you doing here?”

You’re caught off guard by how close he is to the truth. But you can’t give in. You can’t let him get too close. The mission is all that matters. You can’t let anything distract you.

“The same as you,” you reply, the air between you tense, like it could be cut with a knife. The word “lie” hangs in the air, but he doesn’t take it. Instead, he steps closer to you.

“Jun-ho,” he says, extending his hand with a confidence that leaves no room for doubt. His name sounds familiar, but you don’t know why. You don’t have time to think about that. You can’t think about that.

Taking his hand is a decision that consumes you. Something inside you screams that you’re making a fatal mistake, but something in his eyes, in his gesture, prevents you from refusing.

Time passes, and the tension between you grows palpable. You can no longer look at him without a strange feeling of discomfort rising in your chest. You know things are changing. You know your mission is beginning to fall apart. But you can’t stop. You can’t let him go.

Jun-ho is everything you’re not: calm, calculated, but always observing. Always alert. One day, he catches you off guard when you find him watching one of the security cameras in the control center—a place only the highest-ranking personnel should be. He gives you a look as you enter. You don’t need to hear his words to know what he wants.

“I’m here to dismantle this,” he says quietly, almost like a whisper, afraid someone might hear. “And you?”

Your eyes meet, and for a second, the world seems to stop. A wave of anguish washes over you, a pressure in your chest that you don’t know how to handle. The truth hangs there, floating between you, too big to ignore.

“I’m here for my brother,” you respond, unable to hide the anger igniting in your voice. Your brother. The one who died here. The one who never had a chance. Every word you say feels like a fresh wound. “And I won’t let anyone else suffer the same.”

Jun-ho nods, as if he already knew. As if he’d already guessed. There’s something in his gaze, something in his expression, that makes you think he’s not so different from you.

As the days go by, the anguish grows. It becomes harder and harder to stay away from him. The conversations, the glances, the small interactions… Everything you’ve built so far is undermined by the unexpected connection that has formed between you. He looks at you in a way you never imagined anyone would, and every time his eyes meet yours, a lump forms in your throat.

But you can’t afford distractions. You know the endgame is approaching, that the operation is intensifying, and you need to be ready to act at any moment. But Jun-ho… Jun-ho has become a weight on your chest. A constant pressure you can’t ignore.

The moment everything falls apart comes without warning. A new trial is about to begin, and everything seems out of control. The participants are more violent than ever, and the tensions among the guards are evident. You’re standing in a hallway, silently observing, when a figure catches your attention. A guard, one of the higher-ranking ones, points at you.

“You?” he says, his tone suspicious. “What are you doing here?”

In that instant, you know. He knows what you’re doing. The masquerade is over.

Before you can react, the gun is pointed at you. Fear consumes you in a second, but then you hear a shout. A familiar shout.

“No!”

Jun-ho appears out of nowhere, taking down the guard with a speed that leaves you breathless. But it’s already too late. The noise has alerted the others, and you can hear hurried footsteps approaching.

“Run,” Jun-ho orders, his face grim, his eyes shining with an intensity that makes you hesitate. “Now!”

“Not without you,” you reply, shaking your head. But Jun-ho is already pushing you toward the exit. Desperation overwhelms you, but you do it. You do what he says because you know if you stay, everything will be lost.

...

You escape. You don’t know how, but you do. You find yourself among the shadows, breathing heavily, the weight of guilt pressing on your chest. Every step you take pulls you further away from Jun-ho.

But weeks pass, and there’s no news of him. The anguish of not knowing if he’s alive consumes you. You find yourself watching every shadow, hoping he’ll appear, but all you find is silence.

Finally, when you can’t bear it anymore, it comes. The message. An anonymous note left in your hideout, with just a few words written in handwriting you know all too well.

“I’m alive. I’m still here.”

The anxiety you felt dissipates, but the uncertainty remains. He’s there, but at what cost? What sacrifices have you both made to reach this point? The answer is yet to come, but for now, you know the only thing that matters: Jun-ho is alive, and you, though broken, are one step closer to justice.

[steveseddie]

‘cause it’s you and me

rating: g | cw: none | wc: 1,9 k | tags: eddie lives, hospitals and injury recovery, steve has a crush, he also knows how to play guitar, fluff

written for @steddielovemonth day one | You and Me by Lifehouse & the quote “every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.”

read on ao3

Steve doesn’t know how much time he’s spent on the chair that is next to Eddie’s hospital bed.

Too long probably, if the recurrent pain on his back means anything. But not even that is enough to prevent Steve from staying glued to that chair, neither are the doctor’s mean looks or Robin’s insistence about him getting proper sleep or meals for that matter. Steve only leaves the chair when he has a shift or when he wants Wayne to have time alone with his nephew or when the nurses wheel Eddie away for surgery or tests or physical therapy. That’s it.

It makes the months that Eddie spends recovering blur together. Sometimes, Steve even forgets what day it is, only managing to keep track of it by the nurse’s schedule or depending on who shows up to visit Eddie. The kids and Wayne and Robin all come on different days, effectively balancing keeping their friend company with their everyday lives.

All of them except Steve.

Ever since Spring Break, it’s been Eddie, Eddie, Eddie.

Find Eddie. Get Eddie’s heart beating again. Drag Eddie out of the Upside Down. Pray that Eddie makes it out of surgery. Wait for Eddie to wake up. Comfort Eddie when he’s in pain. Take Eddie’s mind off of the murder charges that haven’t been dropped yet or the loss of their trailer or the long hours of physical therapy ahead of him. Listen to Eddie ramble on the days that he feels better about books and music and Dungeons and Dragons. Watch Eddie sleep and only then try to get a little sleep himself.

The last one might sound a little creepy but Steve thinks it’s justified considering he still can’t forget how Eddie looked when they found him– pale, bloody, dead. Watching him sleep, his chest rising and falling slowly but steadily is the only thing that calms Steve enough for him to doze off in that damn uncomfortable chair.

Only at some point it stops being entirely about making sure that Eddie is alive– the staring. Suddenly, Steve can’t keep his eyes off of Eddie at all times.

Steve stares at his face while Eddie reads a book to him out loud and forgets to pay attention to what he’s saying. He stares at Eddie’s hands while he explains something to the kids and completely miss a question from Henderson. He stares at his mouth while Eddie slurps the extra jello cup that Robin sneaked in past the nurses and blush when she catches him and smirks knowingly at him.

It takes Steve some time to figure out why he looks at Eddie so much, obvious as it is, and when he finally does he actually leaves his chair and heads to the bathroom for a proper floor freak out.

He just doesn’t know what to do with these feelings for Eddie or where to go from there so he just– doesn’t do anything.

And things stay the same.

Except for the way Eddie keeps getting better.

The doctors are so optimistic that they announce that Eddie might get to go home soon. They have him doing laps around the hospital and start slowly tapering off his pain meds and encouraging him to pick back up things he used to do like writing and playing guitar to work on his dexterity, they said.

It’s why Eddie starts writing down plans and ideas for future dork campaigns again and why Wayne brings his sweetheart to the hospital.

(Eddie almost cried when he saw it, making grabby hands and hugging it against his chest with a happy sigh.

“I swear you’re happier to see that thing more than you’ve ever been to see me,” Steve muttered through pursed lips.

“Steve, don’t call her a thing! She can hear you!” Eddie protested, appalled. Which wasn’t a no but at least later he tells Steve that there’s enough room in his heart for two sweethearts.)

It’s not like Eddie goes back to being a rock god on the guitar right away and his writing is intelligible more often than not, but none of that stops him. He keeps trying, keeps practicing, and Steve loves him more and more for it.

Yes. Love. The first time the word pops up in Steve’s head it leads to yet another bathroom floor freak out but once he realizes it, he has to bite his tongue to stop himself from blurting it out several times a day.

He’s doing it right now while watching Eddie excitedly write down a D&D character sheet for him with his tongue poking out adorably between his lips, tempting Steve to lean in and kiss them. So when a nurse interrupts them to take Eddie away for some test, he appreciates the short break.

When he’s alone, Steve reaches for the notebook that Eddie left on the bed. It’s off limits for any of the kids, but Eddie has let Steve peek at it before. He doesn’t think he’ll mind.

He reads his character sheet, recognizing some of the nerdy words while others fly completely over his head. Then he leafs lazily through pages of notes and doodles until he pauses at what looks like an unfinished song, fragments of lyrics and melodies written messily over the page.

Steve sends a sidelong glance to Eddie’s guitar where it’s leaning against the wall.

He’s never told anyone but he took some guitar lessons back when he started high school, hoping that playing an instrument would help get him girls. He knows how to read music and can fumble his way through a few simple songs, but he never made it past that. It seemed useless when he already had Nancy, and then when he didn’t have her anymore, he had the kids and the Upside Down and playing guitar didn’t seem like a useful skill to have when fighting monsters.

He chuckles. “Guess I was wrong,” he mutters to himself, thinking about Eddie saving the world with a Metallica song of all things.

Without giving it much thought, Steve stands up and carefully grabs the guitar, bringing it back with him to the chair and resting it on his leg, Eddie’s notebook open on the bed in front of him.

He clumsily places his fingers on the fretboard and tries to play the melody that Eddie wrote down. He messes up a few notes, but for someone who hasn’t touched a guitar in years he thinks he plays it decently enough. Eddie would surely do a better job, but it still doesn’t sound half bad. Maybe he can ask Eddie for help to improve and–

“What are you doing?” Eddie’s voice breaks through the melody. His fingers slip and the guitar makes a loud, screechy sound that makes Steve wince.

He whirls around and finds Eddie staring at him from the door, his face unreadable.

Steve gulps, his cheeks pinking up at being caught. “Playing guitar?”

Eddie’s eyebrows knit together. “Since when do you know how?”

“I– uh, I took lessons years ago but I stopped,” he says, tripping on his words. “I– I found your– your song and I was trying to play it–”

Eddie’s eyes dart to the notebook on the bed. Steve winces again, worrying that Eddie will get mad because he went through his things or because he touched his sweetheart.

“That sounds nothing like what I wrote.”

Or because he butchered his song.

Steve blushes brighter, reaching for the notebook and fumbling to close it. “Sorry, I– it’s been a while and I was never that good to begin with.”

With three long strides –and a lot less limping than a month ago, Steve proudly notices– Eddie reaches his side and snatches the notebook from Steve’s hands.

“Give me that!” He says, flopping down on the bed and flicking furiously through the pages, his face pinched.

“Shit, Eddie, I’m sorry, I– I didn’t think you’d be mad–”

“You bet I’m mad!” Eddie says with a huff, patting the bed sheets, trying to find something.

Steve shrinks down on the chair. “I– I think I’m gonna go–” he says, pushing himself to his feet. Better to leave now before Eddie finds whatever he’s looking for and throws it at his head.

“Aha!” Eddie gasps, holding up his pen. Then he notices Steve standing awkwardly and frowns at him. “Wait, what? No, stay. Play it again.”

Steve blinks down at him. “What?”

“The song!” Eddie urges him but his voice is soft, gentle. “Play it again, Stevie, please.”

Stevie. Please. He’s not mad.

“What?”

Eddie heaves out a sigh, but it comes across as fond. “Dude, I’ve been trying to figure out the right melody for that song for like, half a year!” He says, shaking his notebook aggressively. A few pages fall off, but he pays them no mind. “But I just couldn’t get it fucking right, there was always something missing! And it was whatever you were doing when I walked in!”

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“Not at you, Stevie, no,” Eddie chuckles. “Just mad that it was you who figured it out with your secret magic guitar skills and not me.”

“Oh,” Steve says, and he can’t help but let out a chuckle himself. “So you want me to do it again?”

Eddie nods enthusiastically and that’s enough to make Steve flop back down on the chair, propping the guitar on his legs and doing his best to play the song like he did before.

He must get it right because Eddie lets out an adorable squeal before using his pen to cross out something and write down whatever Steve accidentally came up with.

“Goddamn, sweetheart, I’m gonna have to dedicate this song to you now as a thank you,” Eddie says, grinning so wide at his notebook that it shows off his dimples.

Steve hangs a hand from his neck. It feels hot to the touch, probably from the pet name. “Too bad it’s a love song,” he jokes weakly, even if he wants nothing more than for Eddie’s words to be about him.

Eddie glances up, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth. “I know,” he says softly, his eyes flickering nervously over Steve’s face.

Oh. Oh.

Stomach fluttering with butterflies, Steve stands up, grabbing the guitar by its neck to prop it up against the wall.

“Uh, you– are you leaving?” Eddie asks, chewing anxiously on his pen as he watches Steve move around silently. Little does he know that his heart is currently screaming at him to gently tackle Eddie into the bed.

But first–

“Just making sure your guitar is safe before I go over there and kiss you, Eds,” he says, the corners of his mouth ticking up when Eddie squeaks again, his eyes widening.

“Oh, o–okay. That’s smart. Yup,” he stammers out, his voice an octave higher, his cheeks pinking up. “Does that mean you also–”

“Feel that way about you?” Steve asks, sitting on the bed next to Eddie, who nods expectantly. Steve reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. “Yeah, Eddie, I do.”

When Steve leans in and finally, finally kisses him, Eddie lets his notebook fall to the floor so he can grab Steve’s shoulders. The urgency to write down that perfect melody now replaced by an urgency for Steve.

But it doesn’t matter, Steve thinks that melody is now seared into both of their memories forever, as is their first kiss. The first of many.

[swtt4hk]

Meeting Sang-woo’s mom for the first time… || Cho Sang-woo x fem!Reader (Oneshot)

requested by: @sensationallysangwoo

you and Cho Sang-woo have been dating for a while. You guys met through a mutual friend who introduced you to each other and you both fell in love on first sight.

Sang-woo is a successful business man , who grew up in Ssangmun-dong as the smartest boy and the pride of his neighbourhood. His standards for women were always pretty high and that’s why he took a while to find the right woman. But when he first looked at you , he knew you were the one. The love of his life.

Your relationship with Sang-woo is all that you’ve dreamed of. He buys you gifts , you go on trips together and on his days off , he makes sure to give you all his attention. You couldn’t ask for something more and neither could he.

The fact that he wanted you to meet his mom , was a big deal for both of you. It meant that the relationship was getting more serious. You couldn’t lie , you were nervous about meeting his mom , even though he reassured you that everything will be okay and that his mom will absolutely adore you.

—are you sure she’ll like me? What if she thinks I’m not good enough for you?

you keep asking those kind of questions until you arrive at Sang-woo’s hometown , Ssangmun-dong. He helps you get out of the car and he can sense how nervous you feel and totally understands it. He’s a successful businessman while you’re just a secretary at a , not so very successful, company.

you’re just a few steps away from Sang-woo’s mother shop. She runs a fish shop , which you found ridiculous at first because with the money that Sang-woo has , his mom wouldn’t have to work for the rest of her life , but his mom actually enjoys working , even if it’s just a fish shop.

Sang-woo holds your hand tightly and gives you a reassuring smile.

—everything’s gonna be okay , hm? Just be yourself and don’t be nervous. You know that everytime you get nervous , it doesn’t help you with anything and it only makes things worse.

You take a deep breath before giving him a nod to walk towards him mom. When you stand in front of the store , Sang-woo’s mother looks at both of you with surprise.

—ah! Son what a nice surprise!

she says and hugs him

—it’s nice to see you again mom…

Sang-woo gestures you to stand beside him

—who is that son? Is she your co-worker?

Sang-woo chuckles

—no mom she….she is my girlfriend. And I brought here to introduce you to her.

his mom takes a look at you

—ahhh it’s so nice to meet you! What’s your name sweetheart?

—my name is Y/N…it’s so nice to family meet you mrs Hye-jin , Sang-woo has told me a lot about you.

—ohh I hope he has said good things about me!

she jokes and you all laugh.

She gets you to sit at a table , behind the store and you all start talking. As the conversation keeps going, your anxiety goes away and you start getting more comfortable with Sang-woo’s mom. She’s actually a really nice woman and she’s not too nosy or annoying like any other mom would be towards her son’s girlfriend.

At some point , Sang-woo excuses himself to go answer a call and leaves you too alone and your anxiety comes back. Sang-woo was helping the conversation to keep going but now you don’t know what to say. His mom looks at you with a serious expression on her face and sighs before speaking to you.

—Y/N…do you love my son?

the question catches you off guard but you look at her with a reassuring smile and respond

—of course I do , mrs Hye-jin.

—do you promise you’ll keep being a good girlfriend to him? He has told me a lot about you and I’m truly happy that he’s found the love of his life but…as his mom , I’m still worried.

—of course! I promise I’ll keep being nice to him , take care of him and maybe , in the future…take good care of our kids.

Sang-woo’s mom smiles and holds your hand

—I’m so happy to hear that you see your relationship with Sang-woo as a serious one. He’s been through a lot and I’m so thankful that he’s finally happy and in a serious relationship. You’ve changed him a lot…in a good way of course. But please focus on your job and responsibilities too because if you give him too much attention he becomes a brat.

She jokes and you both chuckle

—thank you for accepting me into your family mrs Hye-jin…I promise I’ll focus on both my job and Sang-woo and…I’ll keep an eye on him so he doesn’t become a brat.

You say and you both laugh again. Then Sang-woo comes back and sits on the table.

—What did I miss?

His mom looks at him with a strict attitude

—ya! How dare you start dating a girl like her and not introduce her to me earlier, huh?

His mom shouts at him and you try to hold your laugh back.

—hey mommm! I just wanted to see if things actually got serious! I’m sorry!

he says in a whiney tone

—make sure to take care of her properly! She’s a diamond , we can’t lose her , understood?

Sang-woo rolls his eyes

—understood…

You all have a good laugh , make more jokes and talk about many many things. Meeting Sang-woo’s mom wasn’t that bad after all…

———————————————————————

Thank you soooo much @sensationallysangwoo for requesting this ff! It really was a great idea and I enjoyed writing it! More fics coming soon!

[steddieas-shegoes]

if you fall, i will catch you

for @steddielovemonth day 2 using Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper

rated t | 855 words | no cw | tags: high school, prom, slow dance, flirting, open ending but assumed getting together

🪩🕺💃🪩🕺💃🪩🕺💃🪩💃🕺🪩

Prom is stupid.

Steve didn’t even want to come. He didn’t have a date and nothing is more embarrassing than showing up to prom alone. Even the nerds come as a group, dancing and laughing together.

His mom made an appointment for his suit fitting and he couldn’t really explain to her that there was no need. She still thinks he and Nancy are on track to be married when Nancy graduates high school. He doesn’t know how to tell her that he’ll probably die alone.

Okay, that’s a little dramatic. He’s probably not gonna die alone.

But he may die unhappy, and that’s worse.

Most of the music hasn’t been terrible so far, at least. Only one slow song played and no one seemed interested in dancing to it.

Steve’s a fucking wallflower at his own prom. He never saw this coming.

He figures he could probably escape within the next few songs, no one would even notice his absence. He makes a mental plan to wait until one of the parent chaperones walks back to the other side of the room.

Then he’s off.

He manages to escape to the hall behind the gym, the one that leads to the auditorium and drama class, not the main building of the school. No one should be back here. It’s the perfect escape route.

“Never thought I’d see the day when King Steve is trying to escape prom,” a voice says from the end of the hall. The music from the gym is echoing in here, but the voice is much louder. It’s familiar, too. “Miss Wheeler too busy with Byers to dance?”

It’s Munson. Steve sighs.

“Why are you even here?”

“It’s my senior prom, too! Or should those of us not graduating not be allowed?” Eddie walks closer and Steve sees that he’s actually dressed up. It’s not a designer suit like he’s been forced into, but it’s nice. Eddie looks…nice.

“Wait,” Steve registers what he actually said. “Not graduating?”

“Yep. Apparently quadratic formulas are crucial to my development and I cannot enter society until I understand them.” Eddie kicks his foot across the tile, leaving a scuff mark from shoes that have probably been waxed beyond necessity. “And I guess dissecting a frog and turning in homework may have helped.”

“But aren’t you pretty smart?” Steve thought he was one of those dungeon dweebs like Dustin. Dustin’s the smartest person he knows, without a doubt, kid or not. He thought all the nerds who play that game were like that.

“Sure, I’m smart enough,” Eddie scoffs. “But I don’t play by their rules. I forget to do homework. I argue.”

“But if you know the stuff, they can’t fail you.”

“Ah, but they can. I don’t have the Harrington name to convince them to change a D to a C. It’s all good. Everyone expected it.”

Steve’s brows furrow, forehead creasing as he thinks about how many things people expected of him that won’t happen.

“Just because people expect it doesn’t mean you have to give it to them,” he says.

Eddie’s eyes widen and he seems shocked by Steve’s words. But the shock wears off quickly. Steve wonders if he imagined it.

“Right you are! Very wise words from the king,” Eddie bows dramatically.

Steve laughs.

Eddie glances up, tense until he realizes Steve’s not laughing at him, just at the entertainment. He stands straight and holds out his hand.

“I do believe such wise words should be repaid with a dance,” Eddie puts on a fake British accent, nose pointed to the sky, smirk playing on his lips.

Steve thinks this must be what it’s like to be charmed by someone.

“A dance?” Steve asks. “Here? With me?”

“It would be my honor,” Eddie loses the accent and turns his head back down so he’s looking right at Steve’s eyes. “Miss Lauper wrote this song just for us, after all.”

Steve’s confusion grows until he hears the song coming from the gym. He can only imagine how awkward it must be in the gym while some couples slow dance with chaperones watching their every breath. He reaches out and takes Eddie’s hand.

“The honor is mine, sir Munson,” Steve tries for an accent like Eddie had previously, but it falls flat.

Eddie pulls him close, but hesitates before he puts an arm around his waist. Steve feels breathless all of a sudden, like they’ve rocketed into space and he forgot one of those astronaut suits. He nods, giving permission for Eddie to take the lead.

When Eddie pulls him closer, they’re almost flush against each other.

Steve’s heart is racing.

“I didn’t know you were weird,” Eddie admits quietly. It sounds a lot like admiration. He’s swaying them back and forth gently, and Steve finds it’s easy to lose track of everything but the way Eddie’s hands rest on his body. “It’s nice to see you, Steve.”

It’s a lot more than what it sounds like.

As Cyndi Lauper plays, Steve wonders if this is how his prom was always meant to be spent: in Eddie Munson’s arms, falling.

[fashionteahouse]

i wonder - edward cullen x reader

AN: okay guys i might’ve went overboard with the smut for this part🙈 so if you don’t want to read the honeymoon part i understand 💜

<<prev

A hand pets the fur of the purring animal. They sat in your lap as the house was silent.

It wasn’t silent for long before your cat jumps down and scurry into the bedroom. You turn around with your arm resting on the edge of the couch.

“You’re being ridiculous. You’re acting like it’s the last time you’re seeing Y/N.”

Rosalie didn’t roll her eyes as she says this, but you could tell she really wanted to.

Edward completely ignored her as he walks around the sofa and haves a seat next to you. You turn and your back is now against the sofa as you take a look at him.

“Are you nervous?” he asks carefully.

“Why would I be?” you ask with grin.

“…If you’re having cold feet, I completely understand.”

You shoot a look at Rosalie, she then finally rolls her eyes. You softly smile as you look back to Edward.

“If I had cold feet, don’t you think I would tell you?”

He doesn’t say anything.

“Stop being a worrier….Your age is showing.” you tease quietly and you finally get to see a small glimpse of a smile form on his lips.

“You will see Y/N tomorrow, okay?” Rosalie says.

“What about your nightmares? I fed. I don’t have to leave tonight.” he says and his eyes showed the truth as they were vibrant with amber.

You let him know that you have the cat to keep you company and Rosalie even offered to stay overnight since she and Alice, along with Esme, has to get you ready to walk down the aisle the very next morning.

“I doubt the nightmares will happen…I have something to look forward to.” you say.

He didn’t move still.

“Plus, aren’t you supposed to be having a bachelor party or something?”

Edward makes a small huff, “I already overindulged on mountain lions.”

You shake your head at his claim with a small smile.

It took him a while to leave, but mostly because he held you tight, making sure that every inch of your lips was consumed with his.

Rosalie sighs as you two were alone and that’s when you both weren’t alone for long.

You gush out hellos to Kate and Tanya who came, they return the tight hugs.

“I cannot believe you were seriously about to just go to bed. Come on, where’s your spunk?” Tanya says eyeing you.

“Sorry. Just didn’t think about it. So much has been going on.” you say with a slight groan.

“That’s why you need a stress reliever.” Kate says and you’re guided in your room before you tug back. The two sisters look at you.

“I have a cat.”

You watch as their eyes light up.

“You guys should have some distance.” you tell them and enter your bedroom. Your cat could already sense them with the scent of them on you and meows loudly.

You coo to them that it’s okay, picking them up taking them in another room. You rush and grab things for them to play with so they won’t be completely bored and shut the door.

They took you out for a night of dancing. Alice eventually came and gave you the tightest hug. You were shy at first but their grins and their encouragement was easy for you to let your hair down as you slowly but surely started to get into the groove.

They were close to you as they made sure no one could hit on you and you were glad for that. Alice and Rosalie decided to stay on the dance floor.

Tanya led you to a bar as Kate began to flirt subtly to a desperate man trying to get her attention. She toyed with him for the time being.

You two sat close as you only ordered a soda.

“I know you will tell me….What really happened?” you whisper, knowing that she could still hear you over the thumping sound of music.

Tanya looked hesitant but she says, “Don’t tell Edward I told you.”

You nod but she sticks out her pinky finger and you interlace it and you both kiss the hands to solidify the promise. That’s when she opened her mouth.

“I told Irina at first it wasn’t a good idea. Aro killed our mother for christ sake. But…She was so for Laurent that…She went as far as to claim him as her mate…I had to support her then..Aro, after all, did take us under his wing for a bit since we were orphans and I appreciate him not killing us for our mother’s actions of breaking the law but…That lifestyle was just way too…Sinister.” Tanya shuddered a bit.

“Did you know he came right after the battle? He talked to me and everything.” you say.

“He only wants you to be turned. He doesn’t trust a human to contain such secret…But, he did speak with Eleazar…Eleazar and the Volturi go way back…He used to be a guard for them.”

“Wow…”

“He found out from Eleazar of your potential gift and he just became excited…I know for a fact he’s going to offer you to join his coven but just keep Edward in mind. Aro knows how to talk a good talk.”

You nod.

“The battle was definitely a bloodbath. I mean…When Irina said wolves, me and Kate were thinking the creatures The Children of the Moon….They were creatures who transformed under a full moon…But, she explained how it happened during broad daylight so we didn’t know what we were walking into. They were men…Men who could…Transform into a wolf but whenever they wanted to.”

You nod again before asking, “Are they still around? The Childen of the Moon, I mean?”

“No..Aro and his coven wiped them completely out a very long time ago. I mean…I’m talking….Gone from total existence. He was almost killed by one. That’s why he had no problem with helping us out. He thought like us, he thought they had come back.”

“So…All of the shapeshifters…They’re dead?”

“Every last one…There were about five in total…However, Aro now wants to rule that territory..He figures the coven will be greatly stronger if he has two locations to rule from….Not only he killed the wolves, he killed innocent people who were in that area…He said he felt like they all deserved a snack for such precious victory…Aro showed no mercy….I mean we couldn’t either but..…There was a boy…He was young…He was young, Y/N..He held up a good fight, almost killing Caius….He was pleading in his human form saying…” she trailed off and shook her head before taking a breath, “Aro’s smile is something I will never forget….He literally tore him slowly from limb to limb…Torturing him…Making him feel everything…I get we were fighting for the justice of Laurent but…At least let them die quick.” she says sadly.

You take a large gulp of your soda as if it was the strongest alcoholic beverage you could ever taste.

“Now…There’s word that Aro found journals that contained tales of their kind. Origins even. He’s going to use it to his advantage to learn about everything about them..Just in case more comes. He thinks more is out there but in different areas.” she continues.

“I’ve been having nightmares…Aro and the Volturi is in every last one..” you confess.

“Just look on the bright side. You won’t have to worry about nightmares anymore. As much things me and my sisters have seen and been through..I’m glad we can’t have nightmares…I forgot what they feel like.” she says as she looks into the distance.

You both bathe in silence for a moment before Kate joins you both.

“What are you two talking about?” she asks.

“Our lovely battle.” Tanya says sarcastically.

“Oh…That.”

“I heard it was mayhem.” you say.

“Yeah, that’s not even the word for it.” Kate says.

“Tell me about it.” Tanya says. The way she said it, there was more that happened but you weren’t going to ask. What she told you already freaked you out a bit, so you stand and move towards the dance floor.

You lie in bed, your head wasn’t under the covers. You stare up at the ceiling. Your cat softly sleeps next to you.

You lift your head a bit as you look over the end of your bed. You see nothing and you quickly lay back down and continue to look up at the ceiling.

Alice blotted concealer under your eyes that didn’t blink.

“Edward would’ve killed me if I was the one who told you.” Alice says quietly.

“She was going to find out sooner or later.” Rosalie says as she looks at your reflection in the mirror.

“You look like a complete zombie. I told you before we left how important it was for you to sleep.” Alice chastised.

“I know, I know.” you say quietly with a soft sigh.

Esme brings out the unzipped bag that contained what you were wearing to walk down the aisle with a smile.

She gives you a quick hug.

“I wanted to give you something as well.” she tells you.

“Esme, there’s no need.” you say with a grin.

She holds up one finger and presents to you, pearl jewelry.

You smile as you looked at it.

“Do you like it?” she asks.

“I love it. I love it so much….Thank you.” you say sincerely. She couldn’t help but hug you again as she speaks, “Even though, you’ve been apart of this family already, I’m glad it’s about to be set in stone.” You hug her tighter.

“Okay. You’re all done. Let’s get you dressed.” Rosalie tells you with a small grin as you lift out of the hair/makeup chair.

You were in shock as you looked at your completed self in the mirror.

“Just exquisite.” Esme says to your reflection with clasped hands under her chin with a wonderment smile.

“Is it normal to feel butterflies like this?” you say as you fan yourself a bit. Rosalie went to fetch the flowers for you to hold.

Alice placed two cool hands down your arm as she looked you in the eye, “Yes, but whatever you do, don’t cry. You will ruin your look and that will make me very upset.”

You couldn’t help but produce a breathy laugh as you hug her, she gives you a smile and she hugs you back, “I’m so glad that Edward has found the one…You’ve made things so much easier for us.”

“Alice, hush.” you say with a chuckle that she returns.

You pull back and look at her before looking down.

“I’m sorry I pushed you guys away at first…I know you all didn’t ask for this life.”

“It’s okay, Y/N. All of that is behind us. You’re my sister.” she says with a bright smile.

You felt a rub on your shoulder, “Our sister.”

You smile at Rosalie before looking back to Alice. They looked beautiful as they were your bridesmaids.

“You ready Y/N?” Carlisle says with a smile as he comes to where you are. You nod as your hands began to shake.

“Just relax…He’s just as nervous as you are.” Carlisle says.

“That’s hard to believe.” you say in a whisper.

Carlisle sticks his arm out and says, “Just don’t let go, Y/N.”

“I have no plans to.” you tell him as you clutch his arm tight. You were glad that he didn’t mind it, you held onto him as if you were going to fall.

You clutched the flowers as tight as Carlisle’s arm. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme were already gone. There was no turning back.

You take careful steps, looking around, the Denali Coven along with vampires you didn’t recognize, were watching you walk down the aisle, you were shocked. They displayed faces and you saw your now siblings look at you with bright smiles.

The music that was playing for your entrance, Tanya was playing on a grand piano, peaking up at you with a smile.

It was an intimate wedding venue, decorated by Alice that you knew it was dripping in her decorative eye. You didn’t know if you were overreacting, but it was like you were in a dream. As a child, this is what you imagined your future wedding to look like.

You were scared to look ahead, but you slowly look up.

Emmett being Edward’s best man, he gave you an encouraging smile and it was hard to deny that he was excited for his brother.

Edward couldn’t contain his excitement, it didn’t even look like nervousness.

It looked as if your best friend was waiting for you. You grin as you walk close and closer. Your heart slows and it felt like everything was in slow motion.

Your feelings went from being nervous to feeling anxious enough to hurry up to get to him. It felt like you two were the only beings on the planet Earth.

His smile made your stomach jump with butterflies as you felt like you did when you first met him. His golden eyes met yours and they were filled with deep ardor.

He never took his eyes off of you and you never take your eyes off of his. You stand next to him after Carlisle gave you away with a kiss on your cheek. He then goes to sit next to Esme.

The officiator, you’ve never seen before but you had an idea that it was a friend of Carlisle’s, began to wed you both.

Edward couldn’t help it. He reached and put his arm around your back and you loop your arm around his and you both hold and interlace each other’s hands tight. The officiant welcomes everyone and talks about the significance of the important day.

They talk about the love you two have for each other, such passion for each other. Two soulmates being gathered in this moment together to unite two hearts as you both embark on a your new journey together. They talk about marriage and love in a few words before setting the tone for vows.

The heartfelt promises came. Edward’s voice sounded like beautiful wind chimes as he carefully spoke out his love for you. His words reached into the depths of your soul as he promised to always and forever love you. He vowed to forever protect you, your heart, and soul. He vowed to worship the ground that you walked on, vowed to make you feel cherished and valued each and every day. He vowed until death do you apart, he would never let anything get in the way of true love’s enduring power. He showed great excitement of you becoming his partner.

You had to blink back tears as you said your own heartfelt promise. You promised to make sure to make him happy as much as he made you happy, each and everyday. You vowed to always love him always and forever through thick and thin, vowing to never let anyone or anything get into the way of you loving him. You vowed to always stand beside him, to let him guide you and teach you. You showed your own excitement of him becoming your partner.

Edward held up the shimmering ring in his own shimmering hand, the piercing gaze into your own as he carefully said the words, “With this ring, I thee wed.” He slid it onto your left hand.

You held up the ring with a slightly shaky hand, making sure to look him in the eye as well as you said the words from your lips, “With this ring, I thee wed.” You slid it onto his left hand.

The officiant declared you both to be married as you both excitedly smiled at each other. He wasted no time to pull you to him and smothered his mouth on yours and you both embrace into a passionate smooth of love.

The kiss was almost different. It was the first kiss as a married couple and it felt magical in a way.

Claps and cheers erupt as you both walk down the aisle as a newlywed couple, leading the way to the journey of love.

You and Edward take off to take pictures. You both just couldn’t stop smiling at each other.

The time you two were actually alone together before the reception, you both couldn’t stop kissing each other.

His hands still cupped your face, he tells you close to your lips, “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought I was dreaming.”

You grin a bit, “It feels like I’m dreaming now..I don’t want to wake up.” you whisper to him.

“I love you…So much.” he says.

“I love you…I love your soul.” you say.

“I love your soul more.” he whispered and he doesn’t let you speak again as his lips were crushed on your lips once again.

The reception was small and intimate and you were glad in a way to be the only human. You didn’t have the worry clouding over your head as you watched as the vampires that you knew mingled without holding back.

You held Edward’s hand tight as you both sat close to each other as each Cullen sibling took the stage and spoke kind words of you and Edward and the love that you two share. Esme and Carlisle welcomed you in as a child of theirs, even going as far as saying you held a special place in their life and they knew you were going to stick around for a long time just from the first time meeting you.

It felt like your heart stopped as Edward spoke loving words to you. Making more promises to never let the bond that you two have go. Claiming that you and his soul is now merged together, even as far as calling you not only his soulmate, but his actual mate.

As the vampires danced in a blurs, Eleazar and Carmen hugged both you and Edward, congratulating you both.

Jasper introduces you to an old friend of his, claiming him and Peter go way back. Peter brought his own mate Charlotte.

Jasper sensed your worry as you realize their eyes weren’t from a vegetarian diet, calming you.

Peter calmly tells you about how Jasper spared him from execution from the Mexican coven leader, Maria. He then goes on to explain how he escaped the coven with the help of Jasper, returning the favor as him and Charlotte helped Jasper escape.

“You didn't tell me all of this…We literally had history class together and I had gotten your glory years to work on as a project.” you joke to Jasper. He only brushes it off with a small smile.

A beautiful woman, was hugging Carlisle. When she pulled back she looked over to you and Edward. Edward held you tight to him as she made her way towards you both. Her black colored hair and her scarlet red eyes were striking as she stood tall. She exuded seductive femininity, even though her body was full figured with strength.

“Long time no see, Edward.” she speaks.

“It’s good to see you, Siobhan.” he speaks to her with kind recognition.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N. Carlisle has had nothing but nice things to say about you.” she speaks to you with a kind smile.

You smile a bit as you say, “Nice to meet you as well. Hopefully we will see more of each other.”

Siobhan seems pleased to hear this and then says, “That’s Liam. My mate.” You look to see a man with a hard face that had red eyes as well, his hair was a dark brown with a lean and an imposing countenance. He looked in the direction of you all.

“That’s Maggie.” she says and a girl next to Liam with bouncing, curly red hair, was also looking in the direction of you all. She was short and thin.

“Is that your daughter?” you ask out of curiosity.

“You might as well say she is. Me and Liam found her in Ireland as she was starving. She has a wonderful gift of detecting one’s lies.”

“That’s…That sounds really useful to have.” you say with a small grin. She returns it, “She knew right away that me and Liam weren’t human. That’s what made me so fond of her.”

They carried themselves to be quite civil.

“You say Maggie has a gift. Do you?”

“Carlisle has a theory I do. He advises me to have a conversation with Eleazar…Has he say anything about you?”

“Well, inundating with voices is what he believes.”

She nods in thought.

“I see you reverted back to Carlisle’s diet. Nice to know it allowed you to see some good come out of it.” she says as she takes a humorous look at Edward.

Edward only softly chuckled as he looked down.

With a farewell grin, she’s off to her family. You look over to see Carlisle hugging the officiator as the officiator pat his back loudly.

“That’s Randall, he considers Carlisle to be one of his very good friends…One of the first vampires Carlisle has met when he was freshly turned.”

“Speaking of which…What’s Carlisle's theory?” you say as you peak to see Siobhan indeed having a conversation with Eleazar. This time, Liam and Maggie were at her side.

“That she can change the outcome of things that she desires in her favor…She only thinks it’s good planning.”

You both chuckle a bit.

“She knows about…Your spree?” you ask.

“Yeah…She kind of put the battery in my back to set it off, encouraging to embrace my natural diet.” he explains. You nod a bit at this information.

There was a lot of dancing, Edward of course kept you close.

Alice let out her excitement of you joining the family with dancing. You often joked to her about leaving Jasper hanging.

“I feel so bad you can’t eat cake.” you whisper to Edward as you both cut the tall wedding cake that you knew had something to do with Alice’s doing.

You were honestly surprised when scattered chuckles erupted in the room.

“I will live.” he says as he swiped a small dab of icing on your cheek as a camera flash at your surprised smile as you look at his mischievous face. You take a small dab and put it on his nose and a camera flashes at both of your smiles as you look to each other.

Turning around, the bouquet in your hands are thrown behind you and you hear happy gasps and Tanya’s loud laughter. You whip around and gasp happily.

Kate is shocked as she has the bouquet of flowers clenched in one hand. Tanya was hugging her and laughing while shaking her a bit to snap her out of it.

The dancing resumed and Alice tugs on your arm. You cling to Edward.

“Y/N, I have to get you ready.” she demands.

“I know…Just…Five more minutes.” you say as you gaze up at Edward, the way he was holding you to him was so comfortable you could fall asleep. He leans down and pressed his lips to yours, you both don’t make an effort to move.

“You cannot be serious. You will have five minutes and plus some.” Alice says impatiently as she taps her foot.

You finally let go and Edward watched with a small grin as you couldn’t take your eyes off of him.

Alice closed the door as she brought you to the same room where you had gotten ready in. Esme and Rosalie were already in there.

“Okay….Let’s get you in your farewell outfit.” Alice says excitedly and Rosalie hands it to her.

Esme helps you out of what you were wearing.

“Are you excited?” Esme asks with glee.

You couldn’t stop the smile that spread like wildfire on your face.

“I am.” you say with a nod.

“Me and Alice already have you packed. I even hired a sitter for your cat.” Rosalie tells you as you get dressed.

“Thank you.” you say with a smile

“Jasper put you and Edward’s bags in the trunk.” Alice adds in.

“The car should be here any minute to take you both to the airport.” Rosalie says.

“Okay.” you said to both.

The thought of leaving made you incredibly nervous. As soon as you leave the room, Edward was waiting for you. He takes your hand as people send their farewells and happy wishes to you both.

White doves fly off as you both make an exit.

You would ask later how they have managed to get it done, but knowing Alice, she could get anything done.

Both you and Edward slide into the car, still connected with hands and you watch through the tinted windows of everyone waving with bright smiles.

The vampires waving grew smaller and smaller as the road outstretched ahead of you.

You walk through the terminals of the airport holding Edward’s arm and board the plane.

You blink awake, lifting your head from Edward’s shoulder. You both walk to another check in desk and walk through another terminal.

You don’t ask, you wanted to be surprised. Edward took every advantage of this.

The next flight was long but comfortable.

Leaving out of the airport, Edward opens the car door for you and slides in next to you.

He speaks in a foreign language to the driver and the driver knew right where to go. You smile a bit at his fluency, forgetting for a second that he of course had years to master languages.

Pretty soon, you both arrive at a dock. You follow him as you both walk past the yachts and boats.

Edward stops at a boat and drops the luggage in it.

“Is this a speedboat?” you ask quietly. He looks up and smiles, “Yes.”

He takes your hand and helps you on carefully. He skillfully prepares the boat for departure before you both head out to the open ocean. The strong smell of salt is prevalent and some water sprays up from the speed of the boat.

You clutch to the seat. You look up at you let out a breathless ah. It was dark but full of stars no matter where you looked. It took your breath away.

“Do you see Edward?”

He glanced at you with a smile and he answers yes. You already knew the answer but you were too excited.

The boat finally stops to a dock. Edward helps you out and you watch as he ropes it up.

He carries the luggage in as if it weighed nothing. You slowly walk and look around. It was on an island. It was so quiet. So peaceful. So beautiful. Dark vegetation and pale sand was what you both walked through before seeing a house with large windows.

He opened the door and it was unlocked.

“Whoa.” you say as he flicked on a light. Spacious wasn’t the word.

He’s back in front of you as you seen that the bags were gone from his gasp. You’re in his arms.

You slowly slide down to your feet once he stops in front of a large bed that was in the middle of the bedroom, covered in large pillows.

The room was warmer than the rest of the house. Even warmer than outside.

He swiped your cheek and he felt your dab of sweat in his hand.

“It’s too hot for you?”

“Erm..Just a little but…You kind of cooled me off when you..Did that.” you admit quietly.

A nervous chuckle ring in your ears and you eye him carefully.

“That was sort of the plan.”

You touch his arm and you felt the coolness of his skin. He looks down at your touch before tugging you close to him.

He looks at you for a moment before he finally speaks again.

“My wedding gift to you.” he whispered.

You’re in shock. Tears collect but don’t fall. You blink then away.

“What….? You…What?…. To…Me?”

“Yes. All of this..Is yours. This is your island.”

A teardrop falls and he catches it with a smile. He kissed your eyelid and you clutch him tight to you.

“I can’t even repay you for this. You’re making this hard and I mean so hard.” you say shakily.

He chuckles, “You want to know how you can repay me?”

“How?” you say eagerly.

He searches your face and takes it in as he blinked slowly, “Just love me like I love you.”

“That’s easy.” you whisper.

His arms were around you as you kiss him your thanks which he happily returned.

You noticed his touches lingered, which made you a tad bit nervous. His hand stops right on the lowest part of your back.

“Are you tired?” he asks close in your ear.

You meekly shake your head.

Two hands are now on your lowest part of your back as he peered down at you.

“Let’s go for a swim.” he suggests quietly.

You grin a bit as you nod your head meekly. You look at the large window that had a bright moon that shined right outside, lighting up everything around it.

He then has you pressed to him as he brushed his lips to yours trailing to your neck and stopping to place an open mouth kiss on a spot on your neck before leaving to go outside.

You stayed in the bathroom as a bathing suit that Alice had packed for you was on your body. You lean your hands on the sink to steady yourself as you stare at your reflection in the mirror.

You just couldn’t understand why you felt like you were about to see your crush for the first time and you were entirely married.

You slowly open the bathroom door, making your way outside.

The outside air was warm, you actually hoped that the water was cool in temperature.

The moonlight still made Edward’s back shine as he was already in the water.

He gave you a brilliant smile as you joined him in the water. It was warm. You both look up at the moonlight as he held you close. His touch made you feel great.

You both swim together, brilliant chuckles bounce off of the environment. Splashing each other even in the process. Your cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much.

You float on your back in contentment as you stare up at the shining moon and stars.

“Thank you for keeping your promise..You did say that we would be on the beach together.” you whisper in the night air.

“Privately.” he reminded with a grin.

“It’s as private as it’s going to get.” you whisper.

As soon as you yawned, he then picks you up.

“I’m not tired.” you whisper in his ear as you wrap his arm around his neck as he’s walking back to the house.

“Are you sure about that?” he chuckles as he saw your hooded eyes. You did fight to stay awake, simply because you didn’t want this night to end.

“I’m relaxed. I don’t want this to end.” you whispered as you’re back on your feet.

He doesn’t say anything as he gave you a look that made your stomach lurch with butterflies.

He only goes into the bathroom, you hear the shower. You follow him.

You watch as his fingers grace the edge of his shorts. He watched you.

Before you knew it, you both were bare in front of each other, staring and taking each other in with each other’s eyes. Before you went to hide yourself with your hands, he takes both of your wrists, pulling you to him.

The kiss was smothered on your lips as he pressed you against him. You were sandwiched in between his body and the shower tiles. His hand felt every inch of your back as you held him with your arms around his neck. His lips were trailing down your neck to rest on your collarbone.

He carried you back into the bedroom after some time of embracing each other, drying you off with a towel. You then reach to be pressed against him once again.

That’s how you fell asleep. Tangled with each other, skin to skin. He watched as you took each breath, questioning how he became so lucky. Your face exhibits peace in its slumber.

Edward felt his throat overwhelm with a burning sensation once the sunlight hit the room. You began to stir as he tries to detach himself unwillingly.

A kiss is placed on the side of your mouth, to your nose, and your lips as you tiredly blinked awake. You held him tighter as he breathed out a low chuckle.

“Where are you going?” you say, thick with your morning voice.

“I have to feed. I will be right back.” he promises in a whisper.

You then blink your eyes open to see his face. You nod an okay with a soft smile. He kissed the smile off of your face.

You toured the home after you got dressed. You couldn’t help but look at the ring on your finger. Doing tasks with the same hand as your ring, made you keep staring at it with a lovesick smile.

You rush to the piano that was waiting for you. You brush one finger as it slid down each piano key. You have a seat on the bench.

You don’t know why, but you started to play a bit of the traditional wedding ceremony song before stopping with a chuckle.

A kiss on the side of your neck as you washed your dish at the grand sink, startled you a bit. His hands wrap around your waist.

“I missed you.” he says in a velvet tone in your ear.

“I missed you more.” you say softly.

“We should swim. It’s daylight.”

You’re excited and he chuckled as you leave out in a hurry.

He held your hand as you both make your way outside. You thought he would walk through the almost white sand to the ocean but he changed directions.

A steep pathway surrounded by nature is where you two head. You didn’t ask questions because you loved his surprises. In a way, he still felt your anticipation. You both would flash each other excited looks.

It wasn’t a big height to jump from but after you look at the glistening water with fish swimming around, Edward insisted you to get on his back.

You hop on and he’s flying in the air which made you squeal a bit from excitement.

You rise up from the water and noticed more fish on your side. On Edward’s side, they swam away quickly as if he was a shark.

His skin shined like the wet glistening rocks.

Swimming in the water, you swam with surprisement. He didn’t need to come up for air but that didn’t stop you for appreciating the view as you with your head above the water as you swam lightly.

The wildlife was vividly colorful. Different birds caught your eye as they chirped about songs. You honestly pinched yourself once to see if you were dreaming.

You felt that if you blinked, it would all disappear.

Fresh from the shower, you flopped on the bench and wondered if you could make a tune that’s comprehensible. You chuckled a bit as you tried to mimic the chirps you heard from the birds earlier on the keys.

You were toying around with the keys. Edward patiently stands next to the piano and you thought he was going to say something about your piece when you were finished but he asks a plain question, “Are you ready for bed?”

You eyed the clock. It didn’t even hit past midnight. You eyed his face. He seemed hopeful so you nod woodenly even though you weren’t tired.

He then came over and lifted you into his arms. Walking into the bedroom as he carried you with your legs around his waist, his fingers grazed the flesh of your skin as he lowered you down on the bed.

You close your eyes with a content sigh. His lips hit your collarbone. You held onto the back of his head as he kissed and suck all over your collarbone and neck.

You didn’t notice your chest was naked until you fluttered your eyes open to see his lips on your chest. You held his head tighter. He took his time. Savoring every inch of you as his lips trailed down your stomach. You were surprised to see that you were down to your underwear as he kissed right above the edge of them.

As he continued to kiss your underwear covered center, his hands caressed and groped your body as if he owned you and such action excited you deeply. Your eyes fluttered closed again as you felt him peel off your underwear. You softly sucked in a shaky breath.

His hands were talented as they only relaxed you with shudders. Up and down. Slowly. They made you whisper his name as he felt every inch of your skin. His rhythmic touches followed you into your dreams.

You blinked awake with him pressed behind you.

“I..I fell asleep?” you ask in a whisper.

He kissed your ear.

“Yes.” he answered.

“I’m sorry.” you say feeling bad. You don’t even remember falling asleep.

He kissed your shoulder, “Why are you apologizing? I wanted to relax you.”

You hum a response as his hand caressed your shoulder and arm.

“Do you have to leave?”

“I just came back.” he answered. A smile formed on your lips.

You both lie there for a moment. You felt the poke of his member on your backside. You didn’t expect it to feel so hard but you shift your hips and his hand rested right on your stomach.

Before you knew it, you’re on your back as he held you to him with your arms around his neck.

You sigh out softly as you felt him move himself against you as his lips never left your jaw and neck. You heard noises that sounded unholy as he rubbed his hardened flesh against you. You could tell he was holding a lot back due to his quiet groans and his tight fists that were clenching the sheets but you held onto him tighter as your eyes squeezed shut.

Your heart beat quickened in your ears as you felt a tingle sensation throughout your entire body, you almost panicked. You didn’t know what was happening.

“Oh my god.” you whined out in pants and he only whispered close to your ear, “You’re okay.” His seductive voice only made you tremble in silence as your body relaxed and your mouth slightly fell open with a shaky sigh.

He was gone in a flash when you opened your eyes. You held the covers to you. He was in the bathroom.

“Are..Are you okay?” you ask as he came back in. He lies down right next to you.

“I’m okay…I didn't want to get anything on you.” he admits and his voice is very relaxed and light.

You place a sweet kiss on his lips and he held the back of your head to him before he lets you go.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m more than okay.” you say shyly.

You watched him as you sat on your knees, with a pillow resting below them, outside on the wooden deck.

He placed each chess piece down.

“What color?” he asks once he was finished.

“White. I wanna go first.” you say.

“Alright.” he grinned.

You move your pawn up two spaces. He does the same, both pawns are toe to toe with each other. You move your bishop. He moved his knight. You slide your queen diagonally, hoping he would fall into the trap. You watch as he instead used his pawn to block your queen, if you moved your queen any further, his other pawns would easily capture it. You retreat it to keep it safe, but still having a chance to make a check move on your next turn. He blocked this chance from happening by putting the knight in your way to where if you captured the knight, his queen would capture yours.

You look at him. He had the best poker face you’ve ever seen. You look back down to the board.

You slide your queen over, diagonal to your bishop. He moved his knight, making an attack against your queen for his next move. You slide your queen back over, only stopping below his knight. He moved his pawn above his knight. You take his pawn with your pawn. His bishop moves diagonal, threatening your queen once again. You slide your queen one move backwards to move it out of the bishop’s way. His knight then takes your pawn. His knight was now threatening your king.

“Check.” he speaks out.

The game ended up working in his favor. Majority of your pieces were on his side.

“Do you want to play again?”

“Um..” you say and set your hands on your hips as you look over at the view of the water, “Maybe later.”

He chuckled a bit, “Alright.”

You help him put the pieces away in the box but you both decided to not put the game completely away.

You both walk back inside.

You sling an arm around him, he gave you a crooked grin that made your heart jump.

“You have another song you wanna teach me?” you ask.

“Sure.” he says.

You both sit down.

His fingers tried to go slow but they still looked fast. You give him a look that made him burst into a laughing fit.

“Edward.” you say with slight annoyance.

“Saint-Saëns concerto 2. You definitely can do that.”

“In which lifetime?” you ask. He rubbed your shoulder encouragingly, “Come on.”

“Okay, play it again.” you say with your own small grin and you focus as he does play it again. You wanted to know how it went.

You tried your best when it was your turn to play. You then wish you had sheet music. You laughed a bit after bombing it.

“Okay. This is the first time I want sheet music.” you tell him.

“Okay.” he says. He rises up.

You didn’t expect him to grab some paper and a pen. You watch him as he writes at a table and draw the actual notes.

He comes back over and sets it on the stand.

You played better than you did but you definitely needed practice.

He rises and his arms are over your shoulders with his fingers helping your fingers press down on the weighted keys.

You couldn’t help your hands from lifting up as his face was close to your neck. You pull the nape of his neck down as you reached up. A soft kiss was made.

You both stare at each other. It was just you and him. The next kiss was more enthusiastic.

He breaks away before he turns you around while sitting. He kneels down to the front of you. Not breaking eye contact. He leans forward. You respond to the kiss that gifted your lips.

He pulls away. You watch him as his hands rest on your knees. He felt the skin as you breath was audible in your ears. His hands now were slowly caressing your thighs which made you close your eyes with a sigh.

“Look at me please?”

It was so enticing to hear that your eyes popped open. He now moves between your legs as he’s still on his knees and your legs are around his waist.

His hand are firm on your back as lips lingered on each others.

You both sigh in each other’s mouths as you caress him back, pulling him closer. As soon as you hips rolled upwards, he reached forward as he used more pressure with his lips and his hand grips keys on the piano, making an abrupt cluster notes.

You broke away audibly as you open your eyes to look at his desired face. Legs still open with him in between them. You find yourself lifted off of the bench. He sits down instead and your legs are beside his hips. Your hands are firm on his shoulders. Faces are so close he’s breathing in your air.

“Move with me.” he whispered, it was almost like a beg.

It was like a slow dance. Hips rolled into each other. You heard creaks and peaked at his clenched fists that gripped beside him on the bench. He would then open them to have touches of your body.

You were building up the achy feeling as your body was more pressed to him than its ever been.

He groans loudly before you’re both on the floor. You pause as you look down at him but you’re on top of him.

His hips don’t pause as you close your eyes as his hands were glued to your bottom. Hands caressed each other before he clenched his fists beside him and you shudder against him and roll off of him as you lie beside him.

You pant as you blinked at the stars.

Just lying on the floor, you were too comfortable to move. He was too comfortable to move.

He caressed your cheek quickly and picks you up.

Your breath was heavy as his hand rested on your bottom, you stand between his leg as you both watched the water from the handheld shower head that you held, ran down the front of his body.

He looks at you and you look at him. He pressed a kiss to you and takes it out of your hands.

Standing before him, he rinsed the front of your body and you couldn’t take your eyes off of him.

The mixture of his cold hands and the lukewarm water was interesting to you.

Your breath hitches when you hold onto his shoulder, he’s holding a finger out as he glided his finger back and forth against your wetness while he muffled your sighs with his mouth.

Your legs were very wobbly as he took your hand into the kitchen but he quickly noticed. Picking you up, your arms are around his neck as he sat you down in a chair.

You ate slowly as he watched you from across the table. The times you did peak up, you were hit with a wave of butterflies.

You blinked quickly as your heart sped up as he stood next to you to get your empty dishes.

You wondered if he noticed your nervousness. You barely said words.

With shaky legs, you stood next to the window. He joins you moments later.

“Want to take a walk?” you ask.

“Would you be able to walk?” he asks quietly but you hear the amusement in his voice.

You look down with a chuckle, “It was worth a shot.”

“Let’s watch a movie instead.” he murmurs in your ear.

You watch him walk away a bit as he goes to the living room.

You sit down next to him, keeping distance because you were feeling flushed.

“Why are you all the way over there?”

“…I…Don’t..Know.” you say shyly and innocent. He brings on a smile that made your heart jump.

He smothered your hand and makes you smush against him. You look at the television screen as his arm was around you.

An American in Paris

You couldn’t focus because your eyes kept staring at his hands more than the actual screen. You swallowed as your center pounded with need. The eyes you kept staring at were the same hands that knew right where to touch. The same hands you fell in love with.

The end credits were almost over and you blink and sit up.

“You don’t even know what happened in the movie. Do you?” Edward asks with a knowing smile and tone.

You look down and clear your throat, “I’m sorry…My mind is preoccupied.”

You get up and sit away from him.

He puts his arm around on the edge of the couch.

“With what?”

“Come on.” you mutter with a smile.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” he asks with uncertainty.

“It is.” you say as you reassure him, he visually relaxes.

“It’s just….” you sigh as you look at him with a look that made him extremely happy inside, “You’re making me crazy about you.”

“As do you.” he says as he touched your cheek.

“I don’t think I will be able to watch you play piano again.” you whisper.

“I don’t think I will be able to watch you play piano again. Especially after what we did.”

You nervously chuckle as you look down.

“Want to go to the beach?”

You pipe up and nod.

You don’t move. He doesn’t move. He blinks at you.

“Can we just…?” you suggest quietly and he waits for you.

You lean over and capture his lips. His tongue slipped in which you touched with your own, it surprised you and you climb on him but he turns over and puts you on your back. You look up at him as he then scoots you forward to the edge of the couch and kneels between you. You’re sucked into his kiss and he graces the bottom of your swollen lip with his thumb as he leans in again. He pulls away with a soft smack.

Your breath comes out in shudders as he kisses the skin that followed your underwear that he was peeling off.

You were slumped against the couch as he slowly opened your legs with his cool hands.

He swallowed but the drool kept coming as you were spread open in his face. He kissed you there and your hips rolled before he leans back up and kisses you. You both moan in the kiss.

He makes sure you both have no clothing in the way as he rubbed himself again between your open legs as he holds your bottom. The tingles were strong and flooded your body in an aggressive manner. You arch your back as he made you feel like you were dying but in a good way.

You push against him. He stops.

“I-I’m sorry…Keep…Keep going.” you pant out.

“Are you sure?” he asks carefully and barely audible and you nod with enthusiasm.

He resumes which makes you bite your lip before you sigh out. He makes your body press against with his while you grip onto his arms.

A changed sensation makes you keep your eyes on him. He enjoyed it. He slowly poked his tip in your entrance before sleeked against you. Your body relaxed even more and you whisper his name while you held eye contact.

He couldn’t last as he continued to do this and he’s gone in the bathroom while you close your sore legs. You catch your breath as you sit up. You reach and grab your underwear.

He didn’t bother to get dressed before he slides open the glass door with a smile, “Come let’s go swimming.”

The warm water against your naked skin was something you never thought you would love. You never swam naked before but here you were, wondering how you’ve lived your entire life wearing a swim suit.

There was a waterfall, you both let the water fall on the both of you. You both became attached as you both held each other to kiss each other as if you both were the source of oxygen.

You weren’t hungry but you ate small to please Edward’s worried eyes.

You clean the dishes as his arms were behind your waist as he stood behind you.

“Are you tired?”

You grinned.

“Very tired.”

He hummed a response that made your stomach drop in excitement.

You both stood bare in the dark after the sound of the door closed. None of the curtains were closed so the naked moon shined brightly into the dark room.

The excited expression couldn’t be contained from either of you.

He only walked to the bed and pulled back the covers as he then stood and stared at you.

Walking over, you lay down and he tucked you in.

“Is it hot?” he asks.

“Yeah.” you say as you forgo some of the covers. You were thankful it wasn’t humid hot.

“Do you want me to cool you down?” he asks.

You look at his face and he was serious as you could only nod. He joins you in bed as if he was going to be sleeping too.

“This morning….I wasn’t hot.” you say with a slight grin. He slowly brings out his own grin.

He only placed a hand over your thigh while asking for permission with his eyes. You lean forward to meet the touch of his lips.

He was encouraging with his eyes but you still slowly climb over him. It felt like you were going to slide back off of his body by how smooth his skin felt.

You didn’t mean to gasp out an “oh” as your now naked chest pressed and met his but, his hands were gentle.

“Tell me if I’m hurting you.” he said with a plea.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

He doesn’t move. But, you do as you only close your eyes and press a gentle kiss on his lips. You then don’t move.

You felt so comfortable. You weren’t even hot at all.

You only broke the kiss, only resting your lips beside his lips because a deep snake of his hand rubbed up the skin of your back.

You let out a shaky breath as a certain point in your area started to pulsate with such need. His eyes were squeezed shut but he opened them back up because he wanted to look at you and he swallowed hard as he felt like he was drooling. It was the smell of your arousal that he wanted to bathe in.

He rubbed the head of his flesh back and forth on your entrance. The warm air mixed with the coolness that slowly glided on your twitchy spot made you put your cheek to his chest as you clutch on him.

Your body felt limp as you were completely melted. It was as if he brought you back to life. You were patient as he slowly poked at your entrance, trying to get it used to even the smallest amounts of penetration. Your body was relaxed due to his efforts earlier.

You kept shuddering as you grip him and the sheets. It wasn’t agony, it was wanting him to push in further as your body was trying to beg for him. He was slow but steady. He showed no signs of rush. It worked as you felt yourself feel more of him as he was able to pull some of himself out of you, it made a loud wet noise.

The morning felt crisp even though it pattered with rain. That’s how you found out you fell asleep. You moved your legs together a bit and you didn’t feel sore.

It felt like it rained on your ear. Lips mixed with a dart of a tongue met your ear slowly.

You shift to find his hand resting on your lower stomach as his flesh was resting hard on your hip.

He only scoot his hand down slowly. Your mouth was too busy being distracted by his.

“Do you want to look at the rain?” he finally whispered.

“Yes.” you whispered back.

Raindrops showered as you were actually enjoying the view of the sight.

It felt like you were being rained on just by watching.

He kissed your shoulder as he lay behind you, smoothing his hand over your arm in over your hand. You only scoot closer to him.

Fingers dance your face, you kiss them. You keep them to you your lips before you take one of his fingers were and taste it. Soon, he was groaning quietly as you sucked on his finger slowly.

He then moved his hand slow as it rested in front of your stomach. With a very soft press that he produced, your hips move back. You both sigh out in sync, his hand slowly trail down to the spot that was throbbing. You were afraid to move as you blinked at the dripping rain that dropped outside the large window.

His lips pressed on your neck as your breath hitched in his ears. Your heart beats against your chest in his ears.

You squeeze your eyes shut as you breathe out a small sigh, your hand touches a sheet but doesn't grip it. His finger was sitting right between your lips and it wasn't the ones that where on your face.

You're still. The feeling was intense and you were afraid if you moved, the moment would be ruined.

He used one finger to feel you. You were slippery in his touch. Your eyes never open as you couldn't hold them open. The overpowering tingling feeling from earlier came back. The finger dipped in your lubricant and slowly circled the swollen nub that made you shudder. Your hands grip tighter as he slowly adds another finger as he felt your body grow relaxed. It grew and grew until it spilled over as he makes a come here motion with his fingers inside of you.

He retracts his hand and rests it back on your stomach.

You say in a breathy tone still blinking at stars, "What's wrong?"

He lays on his back as he looks up. He doesn’t rush his words and it sounded melodic with the falling sound of the rain, “Nothing. Everything is great.” He just rubs the inside of your thigh as he glanced at it before trailing his eyes into yours.

Snuggling next to him, you both lie there. The patter of the rain float in your ears.

After some time, you sit up. You didn’t expect him to turn your face into a kiss. It was slow and sensual. He pulls you gently back down with him as he falls back into the pillows without breaking the kiss.

He hooks your leg over his hip so you could climb on him. You fall softly on his naked chest as the spot behind your knee made you twitch.

Your ache was strong as ever. You break the kiss as you slowly sit up. You let out a soft breath as his hands slowly caressed the front of you.

His hands stop at your hips as you both look down. Getting the right balance, you glide against the flesh that rested between the wet lips in between your legs.

He grips and released his fingers on your skin as clenched his fists with a breathy groan. You lean forward with your hands firm on the pillows beside his ears as you thrust more fluidly.

It was a rhythm of breaths that you both breathed out. Hips met each other like you two were dancing together.

He could keep his hands off of you then as both hands pressed you to his chest. You shuddered like it was winter as you continued to glide against him.

Hips were rising with frantic movements as you both zone out. You had to remember to breathe.

He flips you on your back with one movement, legs are open around his waist as he kissed your lips as he lays on top of you.

He slowly tries to sink in and you gasp not from pain, but easier it was to break through as he pulled out some. He slowly worked into you, the bed softly rocking under you.

Your legs are still open as he emptied on the sheets quickly. You watch him made him groan even more.

The smell. It made your ache grow even more even though you were out of breath. You run a hand down his arm as he brought you in his arms as he sat in the middle of the bed. You slowly sink down before rising back up.

“Slow.” he whispered.

“Slow…Slow.” you agree as you accept his kiss.

He hangs onto your back as you rub against him with the help of your hips.

You both groan out before you try again. You slowly allow your body to relax and you try your best to be patient. You move up and down on the bit of length that easily slipped inside of you.

His patience was something that you were grateful for. He was too absorbed into making your skin raise goosebumps with his hands as he couldn’t take your eyes off of you.

You were shocked when you stare at the fact that you were completely seated. You both don’t move as you two hold each other.

Slowly, his hips move and you clutch onto him like never before. You were focused on the feeling that was being produced.

You take in a breath because you forgot to breath and you breathe out a moan which he matched as he clutched onto you tighter.

“So this is sex.” you thought in your head as you felt your body relax and take him in. It felt good. You didn’t want it to end. You didn’t wonder if he enjoyed it too because gripped your skin and bit his lip at times. Lips kept connecting like both hips. His lips consumed the skin of your throat and collarbone.

You’re lifted off as you were overwhelmed with shudders and lying back as he emptied himself again. He lays back. The stars were more intense.

After a while, the stars went away but the buzz was still there when you looked at him.

He stripped the sheet that was messy before you fell into a deep slumber.

Your entire body was sore like you completely a head to toe fully body workout. You thought you were alone but you blink open your eyes and see Edward glaring up at the ceiling.

You blink at him. He then turns his head over a bit and it seemed like he would get in trouble if he looked at you.

“You didn’t like it.” you whisper as you then look down. He whispered your name like a song. You slowly look up.

“I liked it so much..That I broke my promise.”

You sit up and he doesn’t move.

“How?….What did you do?” you were in confusion.

He glanced at your body but it wasn’t in a happy expression. You blink back tears.

You get out of bed.

“Great. I get married and my husband doesn’t want my body.” you mutter and before you grab the robe, you’re spun to look to in the mirror.

“Look!” he almost growled. He was in deep pain by the look of his face and he wasn’t the one hurt. You look down. Bruised showed the markings of his fingers. Your lips were so bruised, there was a small nick, you licked your lips a bit.

“I promised…..I promised and I broke my promise.”

You look up and his reflection made your heart clench. You take his face. He lets his eyes fall.

“You kept your promise.” you say slowly and he looked up at you not taking what you’re saying seriously and you continue, “They’re love marks. You promised to love me and now I can look on my body and see proof of you loving me. I love it when you touch me.”

“Love marks.” he whispered as he tried to shake his head but his eyes said different. He graced his fingertips on your collarbone that showed a finger sized bruise. You continue to let your feathered touch of your fingers stay on his face. He leans gently to kiss it. He leans back up and sees that your eyes were closed and you slowly open them back up and he couldn’t deny the joy that was in your eyes. His eyes softened before he started to shake his head, feeling upset at himself once again.

“I thought I was careful….We have to be safe…I have to wait until you’re changed for us to go further.”

“Remember Edward? Slow? Just…Slower next time. You’re good with slow. We don’t have to stop. We can work this out together, it’s what we’re supposed to do.” you whisper carefully.

He closed his eyes as he takes in a soft breath.

“Don’t be scared. I don’t even hurt. This our chance to not hold back. We can finally stop holding back our love. It’s just us.” you say softly. He opens his eyes.

He lets you crush his lips with a kiss before you grin a bit at him. His face is less anxious which makes you glad.

“Let me make you something to eat….Okay?” he says quietly. You nod. You being dressed made him not look at what he’s done.

It was silent while you ate but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He just stared at you. Little to your knowledge, he was thinking about what you said about holding back and how after all, it’s just the two of you.

He cleans the dishes and you dry them and put them away.

You take his hand to the piano. He falls onto the bench gracefully and you’re surprised that he placed you right on his lap.

His hands are placed on the keys and he doesn’t move. You take your tentative time to place your hands in front of you on the piano.

He played a soft and calm piece. You felt his lips on the back on your shoulder.

“Are you going to teach me it?” you whisper to him after he was finished.

He placed his hands on the sides of your thighs that were clenched a bit due to you feeling excited.

“Do you want me to?”

“Yes.” you say.

You both make no effort to move and slowly rubs the surface of the skin he was touching.

“Are you sure…You don’t hate me?” he whispered with insecurity.

“I’m sure…I love you more than ever. You always make me feel so good.” you whisper to him as you smother your hands on his.

“I do?”

“Yes.”

Silence fills the air and he’s still. You’re almost worried until your body registers that his hands cup the front of you sensually. You lean back against him as you’re feeling breathless.

“I still want to touch you.” he whispered. You hum an encouraging tone.

He keeps his lips on your neck. He takes you both off of the bench. Hesitance was still on his face.

“Let’s go for a walk.” you say to make things easier.

He silently agrees. You both listen to the birds and the soft wind that shook the leaves of the nature around you two.

He holds your hand tightly. You speak so he wouldn’t think because you knew that that’s what he was doing.

“If you were a human boy, you would’ve gotten me pregnant already.”

A quiet chuckle escapes his lips.

“Carlisle told me to be safe. I don’t know what will happen if I ejaculate in you and I don’t want to find out. Not until you’re changed.”

“I won’t get pregnant.” you say.

“Still. My bodily fluids are venom. I don’t want that in your body…”

He then clears his throat that sounded like a melodic hum as he continues.

“When you’re changed, we literally can do whatever.” he says.

It made your face hot but he was surprised before displaying a smug expression. You nudge his arm as you walk away from him. He catches up to you in no time.

“Does this remind you of a song?” you ask as you gesture to the aesthetically pleasing nature. It looked straight out of a movie or a nature magazine.

“Maybe.” he says.

Quiet footsteps follow.

“So…Will we be coming back here when we…Take vacations in the future?” you ask hopefully.

“And…When we renew our vows.”

He heard your heart jump.

“I can’t believe I’m married.” you whisper with a smile. He smiles as well.

“Me neither to be honest.”

“I’m just curious….You’ve never been infatuated by another vampire? Forget human.”

He stuck his lips out a bit as he shakes his head, “Finding them pretty is one thing…Not enough to marry….You’re perfect.”

“Impossible. I’m not perfect.” you laugh.

“In my eyes you are.” he says. He says it like he genuinely couldn’t believe you didn’t believe what he was saying.

He went to the mainland to feed.

You cozied up with a book. The flip of the page is what made noise in the silent and large home.

The ring dazzled and you thought back to you and his talk earlier. You wondered what made him pick you as the one. You wondered what you and his future would look like. You let your eyes roam the cozy décor. You wondered how it would be like to return here as a vampire.

You turn on the bedroom lamp. You heard the door handle being pushed open as you lay in bed.

You lay back on your elbows as you watch him slowly enter the room. No words were spoken. The eyes talked a lot. You both wanted the same thing. Each other.

His knee rests between you as he leans slowly to taste your lips just once. You slowly open your eyes to find him staring at the lips he kissed. He leans in again and you respond with satisfaction.

You don’t realize him leaning you backwards until your head is rested on the pillows. He lets go of your lips then and you open your hooded eyes.

He runs his hands down your clothed body. You relax.

He placed a kiss on your throat as your arms were around him. His face was focused as you caressed his cheek. The center of you two were connected but not inserted.

He only shifts his hips and you hang tight to him. A shaky breath made him motivated as there was more feeling behind his movements. You both lock eyes as you both felt achy.

He lays you on your back. He rests two arms next to your head.

“Please tell me if I hurt you.”

“I promise.” you say and touch his cheek with the hand your promise ring sat on. The kiss was sensual before he slowly rocked his hips against your entrance. You felt your body be excited and start to get ready for him to come in your world.

You heard the bed creak under you both as keeps your legs against his chest, as he slowly pushes in.

Edward heard the whisper of the word more come from your mind. It almost startled him but it only seemed to motivate him.

You both groan quietly together as you both finally connected as one. He slowly leans downward, your legs now over his shoulders and he kisses you. His hands clench the sheets and raise over you, heard another creak.

You gasp in small doses as he circled and worked his hips but he pulls out. He lays on his side and invited you in. You lay on your side as well and his hand hooks your leg on his hip as he slowly pushes in. You sigh out as he touches and the slow thrust affected you greatly. His touches made your hips respond but you leech on the tingles that made you feel good.

You shudder and slump on him as he precisely moves his hips. You both meet each other’s hips like a slow dance. You both lowly whisper each other’s names as it sounded like a duet.

There’s times where he stills his slow thrusts to let just his hands appreciate your body but you didn’t care. Everything felt too good. You only give him encouraging touches until he pulls out with a groan and you saw the clear substance spill in his hand. You were asleep by the time he came back from the bathroom.

The sounds of birds chirping let you know that your face was smushed in the sheets. You slowly raise your head and all that you seen was white. You’re confused.

A handful of feathers fall out of your open but sleep hand. Falling from your head.

“Good morning.” he says quietly.

You look up with a tired grin, “Good morning.”

You search his face to see if he was scared but he wasn’t. He was content. He was at ease. More at ease than you seen him.

“Feathers?” you say with a slight smirk.

“….You know how…I would be still…To collect myself?”

You nod as your face became heated.

“I ended up biting a pillow….Or two..”

You look around the white covered mess that looked like snow. You put a hand to your mouth as you look back at him with a soft smile.

“I ordered housekeeping. They should be here any minute.” he says quietly.

You nod and he watched greedily as the sheet falls from your body and move out of the bed. He sits on the edge of the bed, naked himself, and wraps his arms around your midsection which surprised you because you were really going to get dressed.

He only looked up at you and pressed a kiss on the side of your stomach. Then the side of your hip. You lean down and capture his lips. He took breaks from your lips as his eyes were squeezed shut but always chased for more as he kissed on more skin. The skin that wasn’t freshly bruised this time.

You climb on him and he’s slowly going backwards as your lips don’t disconnect. Both hands are firmly on your back and backside.

A loud but muffled knock startled you and he rested his lips on your neck before saying, “We have to get dressed.”

You stand with your tea cup as you watch the woman and man enter the home.

“This is Kaure and her husband Gustavo.” Edward introduced them to you and he introduces you to them.

Edward speaks to them fluently in a language that they spoke back in and they showed stand offish nature. They head to the bedroom where the mess was made, but making sure to steal peaks at you.

Edward pulls out a chair at a small table and you have a seat. His legs greedily touch yours as you both sit quietly with each other. He reached out for your hand and gently pressed it and holds it to his lips with two of his hands.

You look over and see Gustavo carrying large wooden pieces to the headboard out.

The woman timidly comes out with bags of the feathers that were spilled in the room. She especially, placed a careful eye on the both of you.

Edward held the hand lazily that rested on the table. You look up from your cup to see him contently watching you.

“I will replace it…I’m sorry.” he whispered.

You pull the hand that he was holding yours in, and press them to your own lips.

You spent time snorkeling with him. He didn’t need any assistance in oxygen but you were glad to let him lure you into such beautiful waters.

Wet and amazed by the sea life, you both sit in the warm and pale sand.

“Make a sandcastle with me.” you say as you grab a small bucket.

His skin shined and sparkled like the sand.

You fell on the tower that you both made and he laughs at you.

“Of course I messed it up.”

“It gives us an excuse to use the shower.” he says as he brushed the sand off of you.

You’re on his back as he makes his way back to the house.

The home was empty but tidied up.

After a long shower, you both fiddle around on the weighted keys on the piano.

“Do you think I could still…Enter a competition?” you ask in a whisper.

He stops playing which makes you stop.

“Y/N.” he says with a sigh.

“At least the one in Italy.”

“Are you out of your mind?” he asks. You sigh.

“I’m talking about when I’m changed…”

“That’s worse.” he says, biting back a mean tone, but you could tell it was on the edge.

“I could-“

“Y/N. It’s not happening…It would be nice if we don’t talk about this anymore…”

You sat still as he rises up from next to you. You watch as he takes a stand next to the piano instead, shoving his hands in his pockets as he stood still. You let your eyes fall to the keys in front of you.

The sound of the wall clock ticked and you stand as well.

You walk past him and you turned on the television. Sitting down on the couch, you watch a satire show.

Edward entered and seen your hands. They were tapping a bit. Rhythmically. You were too entrapped in the television to notice.

Sitting next to you, he takes your hand. The hand that’s now still, and pressed them to his lips. The smile you displayed made him feel a surge of warmth.

He caressed your face before he leaves out. You open your eyes from the sweet lip embrace you two had. He was gone.

A knock on the actual front door surprises you and Kaure, the housekeeper, looked frightened. You invite her in when she handed you a wrapped plate. It smelled deliciously strong.

“Thank you..Did you make this?” you ask sweetly.

She nods with a tight lip smile as she comes in. She takes your hand to grab your attention and shakes her head.

She begins to speak in a foreign language but shakes her head with a slight wag of her finger, “Do bad.”

“Who?” you ask. You wondered if someone was trying to do something bad to her but she didn’t look that scared. She looked like she was warning someone.

She points to the bedroom and points to the faded bruises on your arms. You got the idea.

“He’s my husband…Sorry that we got carried away.” you say shyly with slight embarrassment.

“Libishomen!”

You didn’t know what that meant but fear was deep in her eyes. The word held weight in her tongue.

Edward wasn’t surprised to see her when he came back in while you were watching a foreign, vintage romance film.

You whispered to each other on the couch as you’re snug sideways on his lap as she mopped the kitchen floor.

“She brought me a cooked plate. It was great.”

“It was a front. She came to see if I killed you.”

“She said something like Libish..Something.”

“Libishomen. A demon who preys exclusively on beautiful women.”

“Im beautiful?” you try to joke.

“Gorgeous.” he answers seriously.

You both lean in with a soft smile and you both don’t get to fall into the kiss because as soon as Edward places a kiss under your jaw, you hear her voice say, “No, sir!”

You’re startled and sit up as you look at her worried eyes and Edward rests his hand on your knee. He doesn’t look surprised.

She retreats back to the kitchen and you share a look with Edward.

“Come on, let me beat you in chess again.” he says and carries you up over his shoulder as you laugh.

Your queen takes his queen. You peak up at his face and it was killing you how much of a poker face he was displaying.

You throw up your hands slightly when he placed his rook right next to your king. He then lets you hear a chuckle before saying, “Check.”

You fake a yawn while stretching and push the board a bit away from you, showing no more interest in the game. It was clear he was going to win anyway.

“Boy, I sure am tired.” you say humorously as you obnoxiously fake yawn and he’s smiling as he clears the board.

“You’re tired?” he asks quietly.

You look at him.

He looks at you.

“Yeah.” you say quietly even though you weren’t. He doesn’t take his eyes off of you and it makes you overwhelming nervous as you display a shy grin as you come to a stand.

He stands as well. He lets you lead him back in the home as he holds on to some of your fingers. Kaure were gone.

She had left as you both were playing the game.

You both were very quiet as you followed him to the bedroom.

His satisfied groans as he looked at you made you nervously look back at him. Your underwear was around your ankle as your hands were steady on the bed. Back and forth he rubbed his hardened flesh against the wet center that held your shaky legs. His hands firmly on your hips and would caress your back.

You slowly raise your knee and press it on the bed, leaning forward with a breathy moan. He slowly followed you forward with his own wet kiss on your back. He makes sure to grope and hold you up with the front of your body. Your hands are still on the bed but your arms are trembling. You feel him push in slowly, he doesn’t let you fall forward.

Your hands grips the sheets in front of you as he made painfully slow but heavy pumps.

Your breaths became shaky like your body. Your legs couldn’t hold you up anymore so you both land forward with your chest pressed on the bed. Soon, you found yourself whining as his chest was pressed on your back as he still thrusted slowly but steadily. Legs were intertwined with each other’s as you shuddered uncontrollably. The slow and wet kisses in your ear and cheek didn’t help. Not with his breathy moans.

You wake up to whispering. Hisses. You slowly blink your eyes open.

Edward was in the room. However, he was clothed and pacing as he talked into an a communication object. His teeth gritted before rolling his eyes with an agitated groan.

He tossed it on the edge of the bed in defeat. He immediately knows that you’re awake. You get out of bed and he stands perfectly still.

“Are you okay?” you whispered. You were scared that he would blame himself for hurting you, but your body was fine. You knew it was fine because you remembered every second. Your wonders are disregarded as he held you to him possessively.

“I’m okay.” he says as he peered down at you, “Let’s just start our day.”

He doesn’t leave. He stays in the room as he watched you. You both get dressed.

“Edward. Tell me what’s wrong.” you say anxiously as you shake his still arm.

“What did whoever say?” you ask.

The look on his face was dripping with reluctance.

“We have to leave.”

“Wha…? What? Why?” you say as your heart quickened.

You catch up to him in the living room with a jog after you watch him hastily pack everything like a tornado. It wasn’t even ten seconds before everything was by the front door.

You slowly walk back to the bedroom and sit down on the bed with your arms crossed. You were starting to be upset. You didn’t want to go back to the real world. You both agreed to soak in every moment here. Just like that, you were awakened from your dream.

He kneels down and placed two hands on your knees. You don’t even look at him.

“They know. They know that the wedding happened…” he tells you.

“Who were you on the phone with?” you ask quietly.

“Alice….The Volturi are impatient.”

Your heart pounds in your ears.

“So..Are they coming?”

“No.” he says. You blink in relief.

“So, why are we leaving?” you asked emotionally.

“Alice saw Caius planning a search party to see if you had changed.”

You swallowed and shake your head with a furrow of your eyebrows. You remembered the tracker. Everything was unfair.

“Look at me…Please?”

You meet his golden gaze.

“Do you mind us settling in Alaska?”

“No….I don’t mind.” you say quietly. He then nods slowly but full of hope.

“I thought you didn’t like it there?” you ask because you didn’t want him to be forced somewhere he didn’t like.

“Only because of Tanya…” he tries to smile a bit but the situation was too serious, “I know how close you are to them. You need that especially right now…”

You nod.

“We even have a surprise waiting there for us.” he says trying to cheer you up.

Your smile was shaky but he understood. He pressed an affectionate kiss to you before you watch him leave out.

He watched you keep staring back at the disappearing home as you both walked out.

“It’s okay. We will be back.” he says trying to cheer you up. You nod.

He helped you back on in the boat after you both walked the dock.

After sleeping on the plane, you saw the mountains and the landscape that whizzed past you as the car drove.

The car stopped. You looked up at the beautiful home as you stood outside of the home.

“Esme’s wedding gift to us.” he tells you quietly.

A genuine smile formed on your face. Your arms were crossed as you slowly walk in and take in the new and warm home that you were going to share with your new husband. It really felt like home.

You sit down slowly on the bedroom bed. Your mind was still going a mile a minute.

“You don’t have to worry.” he says as he sits next to you.

You don’t say anything for a moment.

“So….Will they come here?”

“No…But, we instead go there.”

“To Italy?!” you ask in disbelief as you tilt your head to get a better look at him.

“You won’t be a human when we do…Alice says it’s best if we made a surprise visit. It will catch them off guard.” he says sadly. He heard your heart quicken.

“Nothing bad will happen to you.” he reassured quietly. He didn’t like it just as much as you, but he just couldn’t lie.

“How soon?” you ask.

“Not long.” he says quietly, you almost had to strain to make it reach your ears.

That night while he was gone, you talked to Rosalie.

“I want to give my cat to Charlie. He’s alone in that house.” you tell her over the phone. You were a bit sad but you knew that your new future wouldn’t allow your cat to be comfortable with you. You would rather give it to someone to help them just as much as it helped you.

“That’s nice of you.”

“But keep it anonymous. Make it seem like it’s a stray cat that won’t go away or something.”

“Okay. I will make the call for you and call your sitter.”

“Thank you.” you tell her sadly.

“So…Besides the parade being rained on..How was the honeymoon?”

You tell her how much you and Edward enjoyed yourselves, even telling her that it seemed like you both got to know each other even more. She seemed very happy for you. You could hear the smile in her voice.

“Marriage is fun. Especially with the person you love…I didn’t want you to change into one of us Y/N. But…I understand your circumstance.”

“Maybe…I would be able to be at ease after everything that’s going on is over.”

“The thing that worries me is with Aro and what he’s going to plan when he sees you.”

“Did Alice see anything?”

“I haven’t spoken to Alice after she told us what the Volturi were planning…I’m coming to visit you soon. I just have to talk to Edward.”

“Okay.”

The entire family came when you woke up that next morning.

You hug them and they all hug you tightly back. It sounded like collective wind chimes as they all spoke and told you how much they missed you and Edward.

Alice brought clothes.

“I need my sister to be the best dressed in Alaska.” she says with a bright smile.

You and Rosalie grin as you hang them up in your spacious closet.

Talks turned serious when Carlisle spoke to you and Edward in the office of the home.

“What we can do is give Y/N some anesthesia.” Carlisle speaks out.

Edward stared at you the entire time. His cold hand was tight but not tight enough to be painful.

“Why do I have to be knocked out?”

“It’s painful.” Edward says.

“How painful?” you ask.

“I don’t want to tell you.” he says as he shuts his eyes closed. He remembered the pain he was in, even in his delirious and sickly state.

“What happens when it wears off?” you ask curiously. The last thing you wanted was to be woken up in pain.

Carlisle rises up and Edward walks you to the room where they plan to make it happen. It looked like a home hospice. Carlisle points to an IV.

“I will give you more when needed.”

“Okay.” you sigh out as you look at the bed.

Edward looked like he was already in pain as he held your hand tight.

“You don’t have to do it while she’s awake, son.”

He kissed your forehead and the crown of your head.

“I don’t want to do it at all.” he says quietly. Carlisle gives him a look of sympathy.

You pause as you looked around.

“Should I fake…My death?” you wondered. Carlisle looks down for a moment before looking at you.

“…Do you want to?” Carlisle quietly asks.

The thought of never seeing your parents again frightened you. You didn’t know if you could do such thing. But then again, what if you blindly drained them due to being so hungry for blood?

“I don’t know.” you answer honestly. You then blink at Edward, “Will the others be here…?”

“Of course.” he whispered. He became sadder as the conversation progressed.

You nod.

“Y/N..You don’t have to fake your death….There’s ways around it.”

You stress that your parent is going to eventually want to see you.

“They will notice.” you say. “They will know that…Something is off about me.”

“You can still write and send letters…You’re too busy traveling.” Edward says.

You nod as he holds both of your hands.

“I feel like with good planning, things will be okay.” Carlisle says confidently.

“Where’s Siobhan when you need her?” you whispered. Two chuckles ring out.

“Things will be fine, Y/N. You will still be you. You will just have to say goodbye to human food.” he says. You smile.

You look to Edward.

You look to Carlisle.

“Can I talk to him…Alone?” you ask Carlisle.

“Of course. We’ll just come back.” he says and he’s off.

Edward sits in a chair and leans back.

“Edward?”

“Yes?”

You rub his shoulder. You then lean and kiss his cheek.

“Please, don’t be sad.” you whisper.

He forced a bright smile, “I’m not.”

“You’re not fooling anyone.” you whisper and he fades it away. He brings you to him and you sit sideways on his lap.

“I’d never thought I would be this stressed before.” he whispers to you.

A soft caress meets his cheek, “Don’t be stressed. I’m still right here.”

He reaches and caressed you cheek before cradling the side of your face. He blinked and keeps his eyes closed.

“Y/N. I will miss this…Your human reactions…You’ll be a monster..Like me.”

“You’re not a monster.”

“I was when I was a newborn. Something that you will be soon.”

“Aren’t you going to be there?”

“Every step of the way.” he says seriously. “I’m not leaving your side.”

You smile, “Okay then..You will make sure I don’t go crazy…You inspire me, Edward. You’re so smart and loving and I get to spend forever with you. Just you.”

He nods slowly.

“At least….There won’t be anymore love marks.” he whispered. You grinned.

“You’ve already mastered ways around them.” you say with breathlessness.

“I want you to still play piano with me.”

“Duh.” you say.

“That’s our thing.” he says. You nod.

“Promise me….Promise..That it’s our thing. You won’t forget about playing.”

You caress his face with the hand that had the promise ring on your hand and he kisses it.

“I promise…I would be crazy to…Plus, its our thing…Nobody plays as good as you.” you whisper confidently.

“You giving me a big head, Y/N.”

“Good.” you say and you both chuckle.

He hugged you as you lean into him.

You wondered if things would be different when you change. You wondered why Edward was a bit frightened of it all but you had good faith that him and the rest of the Cullens will be at your side. You just really wondered how everything will play out once you do change.

[ellesthots]

Fateful Beginnings

XLIV. “trailhead”

parts: previous / next

plot: Bruce is on your trail, making things that much more complicated.

pairing: battinson!bruce wayne x fem!reader

cw: 18+, spoilers for The Penguin (2024), mention of murder, missing person, yearning/pining

words: 7.7k

a/n: i love the little subtle moments i included in this chapter, they’re down Atrocious but they gotta get some work done, why must falling in love bring such insistent feelings?? how cruel ;)

You’d hardly seen eyes so wary, almost pleading. You tucked your hands between your thighs to warm them, his icy blues chilling the tension. After this you needed to steel yourself to their charms; you feared it was beginning to be a slippery slope. “Sure.”

“Do you know anything about the mob families here?” 

You shook your head and leaned in slightly when he took a deep breath. “There were two major ones: the Falcones and Maronis. They ran some drug operations, have money in different parts of the city.” 

How could he possibly distill a city’s entire criminal underworld into a few sentences? 

“Oz Cobb, he’s sometimes called ‘Penguin’. Was the driver for the Falcones, mostly their daughter. Seemed to be on good terms until Falcone’s arrest. When Falcone died, Oz took over his operations, took out the Maronis.” He took great care to keep his voice leveled and calm, though even mentioning the Penguin in your presence felt like a violation to the point he could hardly think.

He gathered the bowls and they clinked in the sink. “After that I couldn’t keep track of him. Second I’d catch him, send him in for another murder, bombing, didn’t matter: released same day.” He grimaced when he tried to gauge your unreadable response. He continued, desperate to get the information downloaded into you so the conversation could be over with. “Doesn’t matter about proof. Oz could walk into a courtroom, shoot the judge, and get away with it.”

Your brow furrowed. “If he really turns on anyone, how does he have that much power? Wouldn’t no one trust him?” 

He paused, very glad he’d brought this up if you were already confused. “That’s it: do what he says or get killed.” He hesitated, a sudden meekness affecting his posture. “That’s why I was worried you met with him. He’d shoot you before you realized what was happening.”

You didn’t doubt he was right, but you hadn’t met anyone who seemed like a kingpin, let alone anyone who set off alarm bells… outside of Dr. Crane and the dude walking out of there.

“If he’s on your trail we can’t be seen together. Could use you as leverage.”

“Is he trying to get at you?” 

Bruce shot you a knowing look, then spoke like the words hurt him. “I’m a Wayne. If he finds a weak point, he’s exploiting it.”

“And I’m the weak point?” 

“Before the interview, the only public association I had was my parents. I don’t even think anyone knows about Alfred.”

Your palms sweated. Ah, fuck. “You can’t tell anyone this. It could literally kill people.” 

His teeth dug into his tongue, nervous. “Promise.”

You launched into a brief explanation of what the journalist told you. What you knew of them, what they knew of you, and that they said you needed to leave Gotham while you still could. Watching Bruce's reaction showed his poker face was practiced. You didn’t know what he might say until he gave a slow nod.

“I agree.” 

Of course he wants me to leave. “I thought you could help me look into it.”

“You’ve already been a target just from interviewing me. If you’ve run into Oz since city hall, chances are it’s not by accident.” 

“If there are journalists disappearing or getting murdered, I want to see where it leads.”

He stared at you blankly, voice flat. “You’re a journalist.”

Silence rotted the air as you stood at a standstill. Your next sentence was muttered against stifled morale. “I guarantee you no one else had Bruce Wayne and Batman at their disposal.”

He resisted the overwhelming urge to curse and shove his head in his hands, instead channeling his frustration to the inside of his cheek. You had him backed into a corner; it had been disastrous every time he prized an argument over putting you in danger. “I don’t know.” But he did—he did know, and playing along wasn’t right. 

He chanced a look from across the kitchen island. The edge that longed to bleed into his voice softened at your guardedness. “I think you need to leave.”

The worst part of this was that he wasn’t wrong. What’s leaving a few days early? The safest thing would be to go home and keep your head down a little while, and you could. Bruce having paid your family’s debt would lower the stress of getting into a career straightaway… 

He fell in thought with you, each passing second settling more anxiety into your sentiment: you thought you were safe because you had him. His fallibility hadn’t ever bothered him—if he died fighting some criminals, at least he went down swinging. But for you to say it brought his insecurities to the forefront like an impenetrable slab of concrete. If you were correct, and he existed as a forcefield when he was around you, he still couldn’t be 24/7. “What’s to stop them hitting your apartment next?”

“… I don’t know.”

He drank you in with a longing glance. “You need to go.” 

“Tons of new journalism students are here because of me. I can’t let them into a trap and go home.” You were strained, weary, with a hint of desperation to your voice. 

“It wasn’t you. Vry pressured both of us.” 

“And I could’ve said no. I was already home.”

“If you leave, I can look into things. Report back.” Your face didn’t shift from its stressed clench. If only you’d told him about the meeting; he could’ve outfit you with the earpiece at the very least, be able to know precisely what they said rather than paraphrased muck. He sensed something you weren’t telling him. 

“What if they track me home? They said I needed to hope it was far enough.” 

That wasn’t it. 

“And that it might be protective I’m associated with you. Said they target people coming here for scholarships. People without any associations, let alone a billionaire. Probably make me less easy to kill.”

That wasn’t it either, though his mind began to wander fretfully at the prospect of your murder. You’d made half a point, because most people tended to go for the easier victim—but they also went for the enticing one. What was more enticing than managing to snipe (god, he could vomit) an associate of the Waynes? 

But Oz targeting you was a different crowd, pushing the edges in your favor. The man had contacted him a half-dozen times since the flooding to get drinks, visit a club, ‘talk business’. For all of Oz’s criminal behavior, and how much he demanded of everyone else in the city, he was never anything but polite towards Mr. Wayne. 

Your gaze was insistent, and he relented. Oh, he hated having to acquiesce. “Who knows you live in this apartment?”

You lit up. “Just Mar. And her friend Gianna who picks her up sometimes.”

“Are your paychecks mailed?”

Your eyes dropped to skim the table. “I guess GU has me in their system.” 

He ran his hands through his wet hair, thinly veiling his frustration. “You can’t stay here.”

“If I change apartments I’m in the same situation.”

“I’ll get another one for you through the election if we find anything.” 

More than anything else, his going along convinced you that the Penguin was an absolute terror. You worried your bottom lip as you rethought the entire affair.

“Same complex, different floor. If anyone is tracking you, you’ll be entering the same building.” 

Had he done this before? “They’ll see me coming in and leaving, they’ll know exactly how to track me.”

“They’ll find out wherever you are if it’s that crowd. This way draws less suspicion. Makes it seem like you aren’t onto them.”

“What about the journalists?”

“I can look into that.” He grabbed his keys from the counter. 

“I need to help.”

He knew you wouldn’t drop this. Knew it would be another argument. Knew you had a point about the new students. Fuck. “We have to be careful. Neither of us can be in the field.” He grimly referred to his alter ego. “Only him.”

“Thank you.”

He walked to his bag and tucked in what had tumbled out. He felt your eyes on him like a brand. Thanking him for putting you in harm’s way… 

“I thought you’d be more angry.”

He paused his walk to the door; your timid, grateful voice penetrated him like a velvet knife. “I meant what I said. I won’t talk to you like that again.”

And you stood like that for a beat, grinning at his back. “Where do we start? Google some things?”

“We can go to my place and see where it leads.” He hiked the bag’s handles over his wrist. “That journalist could’ve been wrong.”

“How late?”

“However long you want to stay.”

Alfred greeted you with a soft hello while you climbed the stairs to discard your things. Your sweats felt tight, baggy, and sweaty in all the wrong places, so you shimmied out of them into some old spandex. You rummaged around your bag to look for a hair tie and changed into a baggier top that didn’t feel constricting.

Having left at nine, you packed an overnight bag. Your toothbrush was gingerly packed in a side pocket without a travel case, a deodorant rattled against your wallet at the bottom, and you grabbed the perfume you’d tossed on top of everything at the last second. Your fingers brushed some decommissioned lingerie before you left your apartment, evoking memories of wearing it under a flirty dress for an ungrateful boyfriend a few Valentines’ ago. You’d nearly relegated yourself to a potato sack as penance for the split second you considered packing it for Bruce. You made a mental note to burn the offending items on your return. 

Short shorts and an oversized tee so long he had to sneak a double glance to see if you had pants on as you moved through the kitchen. He stepped to the side for you to sidle in, mind in a modest frenzy over how the moonlight draped across your face on approach. 

As he leaned forward to press DOWN, you couldn’t help but juxtapose to the last time you’d been in here. Picking lint off his shoulder, concerned that he might beat you up or otherwise throw you to the wolves. Now you fantasized about the force of his hands if he pushed you against its walls and regularly meandered up to the room you considered your own. 

Bruce followed the doors as they slid shut, considering which program would be best to—oh. His eyes fell shut as his mouth flooded with saliva. Long, slow breaths through his nose fluttered his lashes and nearly convinced him to press STOP. Whatever perfume you had on was more delicious than every one previous, combined. Why didn’t…

It felt like a million years ago at this point. Why didn’t he just kiss you yesterday? It would’ve been so easy to whisper it into your ear, he was already right there. What would he do now? Have to turn and face you, stand with his heavy hands limp at his sides, muster the courage to look right into your eyes while he asked? No, no way. 

“What’s going on?”

He was breathing too fast now, and you could tell. You could always tell. His hands flexed at his waist. A desperate part of him wanted you to see through him and do something about it so he could say whatever happened wasn’t his fault. Pretend these feelings weren’t real. 

“The elevator isn’t moving.” Your brow cocked, and he swallowed thickly. 

“Must be locked.” He fished keys out of his pocket, struggling to grasp the smallest one with tingly, clammy fingers. He slipped it into the lock, twisted, and the signature creak sounded the descent. 

Luckily the trip was short, because the elevator wasn’t air-tight. The subtle bursts of air from some chips in the siding wafted more of your scent right over him. Through him, more like. What was he, a fucking animal? This was ridiculous. Stupid. It was no different than lighting a candle. 

Maybe if he acknowledged it. Took its power away and normalized it. The doors opened and you stepped out. His head pounded as he said it like admitting a dirty secret. “I like your perfume.” 

You spun around, unable to hear him over the doors clicking into place. “Hmm?” 

Shit. He cleared his throat and made a beeline for his desk, holding his breath as he walked past you. “Didn’t say anything.”

You pulled up the only other stool in the place close enough your shoulders touched. He gripped his thigh as that warm, sweet scent enveloped him, snaring his throat shut. While he booted up the monitor, you glanced around the room. Times like these it was easy to see why he didn’t behave like the stereotypical billionaire; rusted old work lamps scuffed marks into his aged metal desk, endless crates situated below it with various notebooks and files somehow scrupulously organized and in disarray. Something nested in the rafters, cobwebs hanging high above them; if you took out some of the tech, it could pass for any old man’s work area in the countryside. 

You asked him for a notebook and pen, and he slipped one to you without thinking. The page you opened to had your name. Friday, May 31st. My identity has officially been compromised by... seeing your full name in his handwriting made you dizzy and you couldn’t read further, utterly transfixed. 

Bruce’s eyes bulged out of his head when he realized his mistake. “I uh, I was trying to make sense of things.” He peeked over your shoulder to remind himself of what he had written, praying it wasn’t horrendously mean—that week was a bleary streak in his memory—but you flipped to a clean sheet without fanfare.

“At least I’ll have some notoriety in your memoir.” You gestured toward the monitor and he clicked around, head thrumming. You followed the clip of his fingers on the keyboard, mind dancing with possibilities. 

His building arousal mistroked keys and stuttered on backspaces. It was inappropriate, filthy even, given the circumstance. Normally he could easily get desire out of his system by himself, but not with you; each time seemed to only amplify it. He’d never felt so compelled to be intimate with someone. Like his body pleaded to be given a voice, needing to say things that couldn’t be expressed any other way.

You clenched the pen until your knuckles bloomed light from the tension. The cognitive dissonance was brutal; being horny around him was ego-dystonic enough, but while delving into research about missing journalists? Cruel and unusual punishment. 

“Found something.” Bruce pulled up a photo from a GU article in 2022. You were jolted back to reality looking at a blue-eyed blonde with shoulder-length curls. She couldn’t be older than twenty. “Kendall Brandy. Reported missing in the flood. Body never recovered.”

“Were all bodies recovered though?” You jotted down her name and a few details. 

Bruce shook his head. “But look.”

The screen filled with a court record. A cease and desist filed against her from Arkham. “Two weeks before the flood.” The title of the article to be removed from her devices and all publishing plans was: Undercover: Arkham State Hospital Negligence. 

He clicked another tab over while you bullet-pointed beneath her name. How had he managed to gather this in two minutes? “She volunteered there over the summer.”

“Jesus…” you mulled it over for a moment. Bruce wrote something down on a notepad. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Why not?” He kept writing.

“What could’ve made Arkham look worse than it already does? Enough to kill someone over?” You’d heard endless jokes on Scypher about how shitty the hospital was, and how much of a ‘lost cause’ their patients were. You’d been surprised they hadn’t cared when Bella was seizing, but that was hardly reason to kill. “Have they had shitty audits?”

Bruce resumed typing, pulling up Arkham’s entire registry in seconds. “Already been through them for other cases. Nothing out of the ordinary. Especially for the city.”

“What if the auditor was paid off?”

“Could be.”

His computer started to resemble an oracle. “Can you find out?”

He got to clicking, and typing, and you followed his pupils darting across the screen. You were mesmerized by his efficiency. How many days, weeks, months of his life had been spent honing his craft? Not five minutes later he pushed his notebook to you. 

He’d listed incredibly intricate details ranging from the year the auditor graduated, his major, his family relations (including his favored breed of dog), their lengthy history with the Falcones and Maronis, eventually landing him a job performing audits on various institutions around the city. Apparently his entire family had died in the flood. “There’s autopsy documents. None for Brandy.”

“But wasn’t the flood connected to one guy? Who already said why he did it?”

“Edward Nashton.” Bruce grit his teeth as he said the guy’s name. “Nothing more to get out of him. Already tried.”

“And if the mob families are dead,”

“Most of them.” He put down the pen. “Sofia Falcone’s still alive.”

You dragged his keyboard toward you and looked her up. Seemingly endless articles cropped up detailing the murders committed a decade ago, nestled next to ones directly proceeding the flooding. Gassing her loved ones, murdering a journalist from the Gazette when they tried to bring justice to her previous victims… your tone was slightly sarcastic as the depth of the situation rang a quiet alarm. “If she murdered her family, probably means she doesn’t like them.”

“Or she wanted it for herself.” You were funny, and he might’ve played along if the stakes were any lower. 

“Have you met with her?”

“They don’t let her take visitors.” 

“Has that stopped you before?”

Bruce shut his notebook with a snap and killed the monitor. “That’s enough for tonight.” 

“It’s been like half an hour,”

“And you’re already talking about breaking into Arkham. Speaking to a Falcone.” 

You reached around the back of the screen where he had, unable to find the ON switch. “If people have been funneling money to Arkham,”

“How do you know that?” Your slip of the tongue caught his attention. You blurted what the journalist had told you about Bella Reál, and his brow furrowed. “I looked into her disappearance, couldn’t find anything.” 

He turned the screen on and worked through more tabs. He didn’t write anything down this time. When he eventually sat with his head in his hands, studiously thinking, you searched for Oz Cobb. The man from Arkham stared back at you. “Him?”

He measured his tone, curious about your strong response. “From City Hall, yeah.”

And Arkham. “What’s his deal?”

“Runs a few clubs downtown. Pushes Drops. Seems to be it… at least that’s all I can find on him.” He moved something from the desk to his Batmobile. His voice echoed. “Took over the mob’s business. Moved his operation into their neighborhoods.”

If there was any time to tell him, it was now. When at the very least you could throw his apology in his face if he got mad. “I visited Bella earlier.” Not saying how much earlier, or how I was summoned. “Ran into Oz there. He was headed out.”

“Did you hear anything?” He walked toward you with his signature scrunched, concentrated expression. It made it a little easier to tell him these things when he looked so cute. And when he wasn't screeching at you in an alleyway. You shook your head. 

“He asked me how I was, then he left.”

Bruce went still. “Didn’t try to rope you into anything?”

“No. Just left.” 

“What did Reál say?”

“I guess I tried to visit.” It was crucial you stopped talking as soon as possible.

“Arkham…” Gears were turning behind his eyes, and regret slammed the back of your throat. He’d managed to unearth the full medical history of strangers in minutes, he could certainly rifle through a call log from the head of psychiatry. He sat back on the stool and changed tabs. Please don’t, please don’t… 

He loaded up the staff page of Arkham, sorted alphabetically, and you twitched when he clicked the first result: Crane. “I don’t know,”

He jotted some things down. What things is he writing? 

“Maybe we could check if there are any other missing journalists? Maybe it was just a one-off.” One-off? Someone was murdered and they’re covering it up. You were too anxious by this point though, concerned with a strange sense of self-preservation that took up all remaining brain power. “Arkham seems like a really difficult place to start,”

“I think you’re onto something.” He scribbled something more. What am I onto? What is he onto? “I didn’t know that about Reál.” Every strike of his pen made you vibrate.

“I don’t know if we can even trust that person; I mean, meeting me in the middle of the night, being weird and cryptic.”

“Crane was there when I met with Vry about graduation…” he bulleted more notes in his slanted handwriting you couldn’t decipher from this angle. He was connecting dots. Dots that couldn’t be connected yet. 

“Bruce,”

He focused intently between the screen and his notepad. More scribbles. 

“What are you writing?”

“I’ll show you in a minute.”

You couldn’t survive a minute. You bit your tongue and looked around, pretending to be bored, yawning to pretend you weren’t wired, anything to stop every etch of his pen striking the paper from peeling your skin. “Want to watch a movie?”

He didn’t hear you, too busy writing. 

You noticed tools on the ground by his vehicle. “What’s wrong with the car?”

“Brake pads.” He kept writing. Opened a new tab to research Jonathan Crane. 

It was a matter of days, maybe weeks, before he found you out. How would he take it? Would he do something drastic? Undo all his progress? Hurt himself again? You felt like crying. Even if he didn’t find you out—which you were certain he would at this point—you’d created an environment where he was suspicious of his care team. Dangerous territory. 

“I need to set up a meeting with him.”

You choked on the spit that had accumulated on your tongue. “But he’s your doctor,”

“Exactly. Inconspicuous.” He flipped his notepad closed. You stared at it like a grenade. “A follow-up appointment will give me access—”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Picking your nails, biting your cheek. He discovered a new tell: bouncing your leg. You were a ball of anxiety. “Then we can get in. Search around.” He thought it would calm you that he’d found a starting place. Maybe rev you up, get you excitedly asking a million more questions. Was nothing he said coming out right?

You sounded frail, beaten. “Mixing the two when you’re so early into treatment, I don’t…”

In these moments two polarizing emotions struck each half of his body in equal measure: defensiveness and accommodation. He tried not to show that he was deflating like a punctured balloon. It didn’t feel like being early; it felt like a month of getting used to taking a medication that made him nauseous every morning and nights spent staring at the ceiling in agony, wondering when or if his mind would slip again. Living in a constant state of uncertainty he kept trying to bury. Your brows knit together. “Please.”

He nodded after noticing your shaking hands, setting aside a snarky, insecure comment about being infantilized. “Okay.”

You averted your eyes, the argument you thought you’d have choking out your throat. Your eyes wet knowing in a week’s time you’d be gone and he’d find out, spending the rest of his life hating you. Such a sure future made the present feel flimsy and fake, each kindness afforded by him landing like a gut-punch.

“We could search for more journalists.” Bruce was quiet, his tone almost restrained.

“I don’t know how you even found Kendall.” You’d misjudged his talents, leaving you feeling like dead weight even without the guilt scarring your stomach lining. You searched the code scrawled across the screen, the mysterious buttons scattered around the desk, and sat back on the stool in defeat. Your limbs felt lead-lined.

Bruce moved slowly to his seat as the room’s tension rose. “It’s easier than it looks.” A sideways glance at your dejected face, then a pause. “Here.”

He spent the next half hour depreciating his expertise, pulling up various softwares and programs that he assured did the brunt of his bidding. The one in the top left corner of his desktop cross-referenced this database, the one in the bottom right did another, and one in the middle synthesized the two. One button limited to the Gotham area and related publications, the other was nationwide. Often, he explained, a missing person’s report would be filed in the home state of the potential victim. He demonstrated by walking through what he’d done for Kendall.

You wrote notes for it all, but he was flying through it. Going through various directories, filtering by major, pasting groups of names, plugging cross-referenced photos into facial recognition from surveillance cameras throughout the city, and following the rabbit hole that took him down. Your head spun.

“Do the police have this tech too?”

His eyes shimmered with something like mischief. “It’s not exactly legal.”

“Right.” Your eyes skimmed the room full of armor and gadgets, and back to the man notating beside you in your hoodie. A watery grin painted your lips. “Unlike being a vigilante.” 

It got a low chuckle out of him. He pasted a mile-long list of student’s names into one of the programs. 

“What do you like about doing this?”

He hesitated, a bit remorseful. What he did was intrusive and illegal, and he was keenly aware it appeared to be a moral inconsistency. “It's the way I know how to help. Utilizing what I’ve been given.” He grinned, barely. “Like you said. Not everyone has the time.”

He typed something you couldn’t be bothered to divert your attention to, soaking him up. He was so good. “Thought you just liked puzzles or something.”

He teased you back as he wrote names on a sticky note. “Not as shallow as you think.”

“Now you’re posturing.” 

“Here’s the time-consuming part.” Bruce stood and rolled his shoulders back, cricking his neck. The screen loaded something at a snail’s pace. “It hits all the cameras in the city. Could take a couple hours with this many photos.” 

“You found posters?” In his speedy tutorial, he’d shown you how he matched names to missing person’s reports, then their posters, scraping their photos to plug into recognition tech. 

“A few dozen.”

“That many missing journalists?”

“Never know how many match, could be zero.” He motioned upstairs. “Hungry?”

Your mind immediately shot to Rai’s; particularly how you’d never get to see him again in just a few days, and how much you’d neglected him spending so much time with Bruce. You opened your phone to check the time. A late-night trip hadn’t happened in ages now, only when you were with Mar. It suddenly felt like a bucket-list item.

Your attention caught on a motorbike parked to the right of the desk. “Can we get takeout?”

You shouldn’t have gotten takeout. Rai’s food was good, but it wasn’t worth this.

Turned out his bike was single-occupant; after forcing you to wear the only helmet he owned, interrupting your plans for the wind to zip through your hair and sting your cheeks, you found yourself sitting on his lap with his hands over yours to steer. You tried not to think about the ride. 

Immediately he knew the bike was a mistake. A horrible, horrible mistake. Feeling the weight of you spread across his thighs was a constant threat. He wouldn’t let himself think about what would happen if he weren’t using ninety percent of his energy to dissociate from his physical form. 

The electricity of being flush with him, his frame encompassing yours in a way that felt devastatingly consuming, feeling every twitch of his hands as he worked Gotham’s back streets. The ride was only five minutes, but your mind had slipped to how accessible you both were twice as many times. How the only thing separating you wasn’t distance or position, but thin—and in your case, embarrassingly thin—layers of clothing. 

A pothole virtually succeeded in the final unraveling; if you hadn’t drowned the other out by reacting at the same time, and the wind been any less loud, he would’ve heard your yelp and you his gasp as your ass bounced hard against him. 

As it stood, the rest of the trip was spent still as statues, both of you holding your breath. It was hell on the dismount, having to scoot across his crotch to gain footing. You bit your cheek as penance for sneaking a glance at the dark sweatpants that left things a disappointing mystery. He readjusted his sunglasses and cinched the hood.

The city pulsed silently around both of you, present but unobtrusive; he hardly registered the veils of black between streetlights as you led him toward the mystery shop. His focus was tethered tightly to you, caught up in your lively intonation breaking the traffic noise. 

You skipped across a stray plastic bag and the momentum caught the wind in your hair, its shine slipping the lights. Palpitations fluttered beneath your sweatshirt he hadn’t yet replaced and didn’t want to; you looked over your shoulder and mimed for him to keep up. With no one around he could feel the wind on his skin, on parts of his body that never felt it this late in the day. Feelings like this made everything complicated. 

Walking at night was always terrifying, but not with him. There was a freedom to his presence that raced the cool air straight to the bottom of your lungs. Without thinking, you reached for his arm to pull him faster. By the time you’d gripped his wrist and a rod of unbearable tenderness leapt through you, you couldn’t very well drop him. “Slowpoke.”

Soft bells chimed as you pushed through the deli door, threading him through in the same motion. A teenager holding a massive fountain drink nearly toppled into you, and a giggle bubbled up as you swerved. You blinked to orient your eyes to the bright overheads just as Rai entered your vision. He was the only Gothamite who could make you break contact with Bruce, and you launched into a hug. 

A tight embrace, toothy smiles, and immediate prattling. His eyes narrowed, shared happiness and a jealous knot fighting for dominance. He clasped his hands. 

“This is Rai.” You laughed and gestured toward him. Bruce bristled, but stepped forward with a rehearsed grin.

“Pleasure.”

Rai nodded at him, refusing further acknowledgement. He winked at you and Bruce felt faint. “Baby, you gotta keep your location on being out this late.”

Baby?

You slugged the man’s arm and laughed. Bruce’s gut cinched tighter than he thought possible; tight enough it scared him. You wandered down the nearest aisle. He grit his teeth and followed, body vibrating.

You never mentioned a boyfriend, but he’d never asked. Though—you called him, not the boyfriend, when you needed help. Odd. You rifled through some chips while he debated whether to mention it. 

“How long have you been together?” Casual. No big deal.

You chuckled again, and moved to the next aisle. His brow furrowed. Starting to feel like a big deal.

You acted as though he hadn’t said anything, directing attention to which bag of candy he preferred. He would’ve eaten a pound of raw meat if you only answered; this limbo was physical pain. 

Was it weeks? Months? He picked out a seasonal redbull for his contribution and tossed it into the small basket you handed him between the snack and drink aisles. A few years?

Somehow he had braved the store and handed the cash to your boyfriend without passing out. He’d seen the man before, but couldn’t place him. Dark hair, darker eyes. He thought of how pale and washed-out his were in comparison. At the least, he’d never run into the guy on patrol. Someone who kept his head down. 

You said something to the object of your affection and reached over the counter for another hug. He kissed the side of your cheek closest to your ear. Bruce’s flushed pink. Wasn’t this good? Normal, yeah? Even his internal monologue was going pitchy. 

The boyfriend pulled out a bag and Bruce flinched. “We don’t need one.” 

He watched your eyes flit to the pile of snacks that definitely needed a bag, but he was already scooping it into his arms. You said goodbye and held the door open. Officially out in the open air, he had no idea what possessed him to want to balance ten items while steering a motorbike.

You razzed him once the door closed. His cheeks burned. 

“We have a running joke.” You skipped ahead, then folded back when you remembered he was juggling a basket’s worth of goods. “Whenever I come in with a strange man, Rai pretends to be my boyfriend. Safety thing.”

Your hands swung at your side from the residual momentum, not seeming to need all the caffeine you’d loaded into the cart. He stared at you. “I’m not mad.” 

“Why would you be?”

Backtrack! Redirect!! “I’m a strange man?”

“Absolutely.” You gave his anonymous frame a once-over. 

Thankfully you steered the conversation from there, his pulse hammering in his temples as he processed his relief. Bruce wasn’t keen to know what situation had prompted such protocol, but it was nice of your friend. He’d been convincing enough.

“He’s great. Used to hang there all the time. His cooking is absolutely incredible, shocked his store isn’t always packed.”

The memory crept to him. “Think he catered a meeting once.”

You laughed again. You laughed a lot when talking about that guy. Your hair fell into your face with a particularly harsh gust of wind and he felt an instinct to push it back, but his hands were tied. These feelings were foreign and bizarre.

“That’s actually what made me want to interview you. His sister was working the place, said Bruce Wayne gave them a bonus.” You whispered his name like there was anyone else on the block. 

“You’d never heard my name before then?” ‘Bruce’ sounded like honey on your lips; Christ, he loved hearing you say it and could never let you know. 

You shrugged, making your case as you reached the crosswalk. “I was desperate for a topic and that meant you’d probably be there.”

“So you tackled me.”

“Those steps are steep, man.” 

You both giggled waiting for the traffic to change. How many nights would end like this, and how many more could he squeeze in before you left and took the light with you?

“Speaking of,” the signal changed to WALK. He mirrored your pace, shortening his strides. The drinks jostled together with each step. “What are your plans through the election?” 

You wrapped your arms around your chest in a makeshift hug as you scurried to the sidewalk. Nerves dampened your volume. “What do you mean?”

“If you want to keep working on things, we could do every Thursday. Tuesday and Thursday, maybe. I’m meeting with March this Wednesday, could pick you up after?” Could it come out any clunkier?

“Maybe.”

“Or whatever works with your schedule. No pressure.” 

You could’ve laughed at the irony of him quite literally being your schedule if you weren’t so pathetically guilty. You meditated on the jagged cracks in the sidewalk slipping below your feet.

“Something going on?” 

“No.”

Half a block passed before he broke the silence. “What do you want to do when we get back, while we wait?” He counted almost a minute more before throwing a bone. “Watch something, eat some snacks,”

“I’m actually, I’m tired. I think I’ll tuck home.” You cleared your throat and anxiously raked your fingers through your still-damp hair. 

“Sure, I’ll drop you off.” He was off-kilter today and kept missing your cues. Did you not want to hang out with him? He glanced at the two teas you’d grabbed for the evening and decided making it personal was stupid. You wouldn’t have brought a bag and got snacks if you planned to ditch.

“I’m sorry.” You bit the inside of your lip until it bled. 

“Don’t be.” Quick glances revealed a tense, stressed face, and the glaze in your eyes said you were half present. He mulled over questions to get to the bottom of things, but they all felt ill-timed. 

The silence continued until Bruce couldn’t take it anymore. Seconds passed like hours as he struggled to comprehend how to help. He couldn’t very well put his arm around you, hug you, and—god forbid—kiss your head, like he’d seen his dad do. What else did he do for her that actually helped? The memories grew blurrier by the day.

Maybe you required reassurance, ah! He looked to you with a charitable grin. “There’s always next week, week after. Whenever.” 

You made the brutal mistake of peeking at him and you practically broke in two. You held it together for three more cracks in the cement before your lip warbled and a sob slipped out. He couldn’t smile like that, not at you. You crouched and bent your body as compact as possible, a single spider’s web straining to contain your guilt. You had to tell him, rip this lie from your bone marrow.

Dr. Crane’s heavy presence slammed on your back when Bruce’s gentle hand touched your shoulder. “Don’t feel bad. We have time.”

His hand was strong and reassuring, warming a wide swath of your back. You wanted to scream, and angrily wiped tears with the arm of your shirt. Your sniffles echoed off the brick to your right.

“Are you okay?” 

“I just don’t feel good.” Fuck. Fuck! Your legs shook when you stood tall, shoving toward the bike. 

“Do you need anything? I could run back in.”

You wouldn’t let it out on him again. You faced him to make it harder—stood wearing your outfit, albeit the longest, baggiest ones, all the goods in his arms slanted to his left to free up his right hand. Reflected in his glasses was the state of you; disheveled, puffy-faced, and bare-legged, barely containing a sentence that would shatter everything. 

In through the nose, out through the mouth. 

He wondered if you were still having nightmares because of him. The headaches, turning in early, emotional cycling. Iris once told him—or rather, Alfred—that any unexpected burst of emotion was to be expected in times like ‘these’. He’d hated Alfred for years for his inability to leave him alone, but he was beginning to understand. He didn’t want you to isolate either. 

You stared at the bike like it was a torture device, though the alternative wasn’t a drastic improvement; he managed to stuff the snacks into bulging pockets, and you shut your eyes as you climbed on top of him. You kept them shut and hummed a song to yourself to distract, trying to convince your body it was perhaps floating and this was a strange dream. The helmet smelled like him; now less focused on his muscular thighs, it was an all-consuming scent. 

He hadn’t yet come to a complete stop when you started to slide off, yanking the helmet off and plunking it onto his lap. Distracted and desperate to escape before you cried again, the lobby door’s closing reminded that you hadn’t said goodbye, running off in a blink. 

This distraction kept you unable to think facing your locked door. A neighbor stumbled a few doors down and unlocked via the hotel-style card gifted at signing. You popped off the back of your phone case and heaved a sigh as you beeped yourself in. 

Against what felt like a hesitant conscience but could’ve been better judgement, you dialed Dr. Crane the minute the door locked behind you. It rang twice; not enough time to remedy the tears streaming in protest and shame down the round edges of your cheeks. 

“Good evening, Ms. Y/L/N.” There was something soothing about hearing a man’s voice that wasn’t Bruce’s. You choked out that he’d been fine tonight, to which he responded he was ‘glad’ to hear it. You tightened your grip on the phone. 

“So next weekend I’m free to go?”

The psychiatrist readily picked up on your nerves. “Do you have concerns?”

“No. Not really.”

“Does he have a packed schedule next week?” 

He was frustratingly nonchalant. “Just the rally and weekly meeting.”

“Right then.”

Rubbing between your eyes and pinching the nose bridge was only making things worse. Bodies weren’t meant to hold this much tension. “Oh, and meeting with one of the candidates on Wednesday. Lincoln March.”

You pulled back your phone to make sure the line was connected following an extended pause. “Philanthropist like his father.”

“Wants to make the city better I think.” 

“Ah.” Another pause. “Does he talk to you about his plans? Politics?”

“A bit, yeah.”

“A bit?”

“More than anyone else.”

Shuffling broke the line slightly, muffling his end. “Very well. Nice to know he has someone he can trust.”

“Actually I do have something.”

“Yes?”

Holding your breath kept your tears inaudible. “When can I tell him?”

“He has his pickup scheduled Thursday afternoon. Friday should work. Gives time for your absence to settle in without rumination.” Now you knew what the shuffling was—he was snapping something into a clipboard, writing something down with a clicky pen. 

“I mean, when can I tell him that I wasn’t the witness?” 

The silence that followed was cold, like you’d broken some sacred code. “Never. The spiral it would send him down would be catastrophic.”

Your heart fluttered, petrified by the chance you truly would never be able to get it off your chest. Would you have to carry this weight forever? “Even now that he’s doing better?”

“Especially so.”

Every time you saw his name, anytime anyone talked about him, anytime you saw his photos in magazines, news articles, or posts online. No heavenly release, no damnation to hell. An endless purgatory. 

He rubbed salt in the wound with his clarity. “Let me be clear: to tell a patient who suffers with paranoia and delusions that the circumstances surrounding their crisis was in any part fabricated is perilous. 

As I said before: this is a secret you must keep.”

You mustered a goodbye and crumbled to your knees. 

Bruce had just stepped into the kitchen when Alfred arrived. “Where’s the young lady?”

“Went home.” He dumped the snacks on the counter and roughly categorized them, feeling the nagging pull of the old man’s silence. God, he was plotting. 

“Are the two of you… going out?”

He slammed the drinks in the fridge and considered putting a bell on the man’s shoes. “No.” He huffed past, noting Alfred peering at him over his glasses. “Don’t know why you’re confused.” 

“Even me being in hospital couldn’t keep you from your duties.”

Bruce had half a mind to never bring you back here, and an even pettier urge to start responding to such inquiries as if you’d never existed. What ‘young lady’? Alfred, you must’ve seen a ghost. “The signal hasn’t been lit.”

“I was unaware your patrols were so exclusive.”

He grit his teeth. “What is this?”

“Only checking in, Bruce.” His unhurried gait brought him to his tea kettle; Bruce was so used to its scream he’d nearly forgotten the thing’s purpose. He used to take his bedtime tea at eleven, but it crept closer to twilight with each passing year. “You used to tell me things before I asked, you know.”

“Fine.” His arms slapped to his sides, stalled in the foyer. “I like her. That good enough for you?” 

Alfred’s eyes sparkled, the corners of his mouth turning up. He hadn’t anticipated an easy reveal, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. “Quite.” 

Bruce scoffed, taking the steps three at a time. He waited on his floor before climbing the additional levels to the theater room. Your blanket—his blanket—was folded neatly on the arm of the couch. Dory’s meticulous presence was additionally noted by the lack of fingerprints on the smooth black remote; he turned it over in his palm, not totally believing he’d spoken it out loud. Alfred wouldn’t dare tell, would he? He glanced again at the blanket. Only Dory, probably. 

His phone buzzed.

Forgot to thank you for the ride. 

No problem. When do you want your bag?

You texted plenty over the weekend; you rationalized it by saying it would help him acclimate to your physical absence and serve as a transition piece. Topics never strayed from small talk, which you were grateful for. Messages about the weather, chancing the occasional meme off Scypher (his reactions had evolved from ‘ha’ to ‘lol!’, which you were ridiculously proud of), and inconsequential updates on the research. You contemplated staying in touch with him this way and not having a hard break, but couldn’t parse whether it was more for you or him. 

By the weekend’s end, plane tickets were booked and Mar had claimed most of your apartment’s furniture via FaceTime. You’d sent an email to Dr. Vry about your impending absence, letting her know you’d turn in supplies and the final column by end of day Friday. More and more minutes passed staring out the window with a discordant longing. 

Bruce lit up your phone as you dug into Phish Food for dinner. “What’s up?”

“Hey.” Keys clacked in the background. “Might’ve found something worth looking into.”

“Like what?” Swirls of fluffy marshmallow caught your spoon. Perhaps you could sneak him a pint as a parting gift at City Hall. 

“Have you ever worn contacts?”

[marscardigan]

through the valley, part viii

through the valley masterlist

summary: what if Joel didn’t lie? what if there was more people immune? more people like ellie? more people like you?

word count: 11.8k

warnings: this fic doesn’t follow the original plot from tlou part II. canon typical violence. blood.

The next time you woke, there was nothing. No voices. No rain. No warmth. Just the thick, suffocating presence of darkness.

Your hands were tied, as well as your feet, mind still numb. When your eyes got used to the dark, you could see some mannequins inside the room.

You were still in the theater.

The heavy creak of a door opening sent a faint gust of air across your skin. You could hear the steady rhythm of Abby’s footsteps as she approached. Another set of footsteps followed—lighter, more hesitant. Lev.

A dull metallic clang echoed as something was set down beside you. Your machete. Abby let out a slow breath, as if steadying herself, before crouching next to you. She caressed your weapon as she looked at you.

"You know why you're here" her voice was steady, firm, "just tell me where she is and this will be over"

Silence. You remained motionless, your expression unreadable.

Abby exhaled sharply, irritated by your lack of reaction. She reached out and grabbed your chin roughly, tilting your face toward the dim light. You blinked slowly, your eyes unfocused, almost detached from the moment. There was no fear, no urgency, just distant indifference.

She didn't want to hurt you, apart from what Lev told her, she didn't want to. As much as she wanted to crash Ellie's skull with her bare hands, she felt sorry for you.

"I know you can hear me," her grip tightened. "If you don’t talk, this is going to get worse for you."

"Abby…" Lev’s voice was soft, uncertain. "I don’t think she’s going to talk."

Abby let out a frustrated sigh, finally letting go of your face. She stood up abruptly. "So what? The best thing that can happen to you right now is dying, and I'm not letting you die until you tell me something"

You blinked again, slow and deliberate. If Abby had hoped for an outburst, an argument—anything—she was left with nothing but silence.

Before Abby could lose her temper, hurried footsteps sounded just above you, some muffled voices, too. Did Ellie come back?

"You stay with her, I'll go check who it is" the blond said, as the boy replied "No, no don't leave" His small figure got between Abby and the door, where you couldn't see him clearly, thanks to her big and strong back. "Lev, c'mon, move, we-"

"I'm coming with you. I am not leaving you alone."

The noises got closer and closer. It was a man's voice. Abby turned, pale and worried. She grabbed your gun without looking at you, deciding to bother you later.

"You are staying here, end of the discussion."

Maybe it was the numbness you felt, but if you narrowed your eyes, you could hear Yara's voice, scolding her sibling, as she always did before.

Before.

You opened your eyes again to find Lev looking at you, bow rose up. She did leave, you thought.

Then some gunshots were heard, making Lev shiver. His gaze turned to the door. You swallowed some blood, trying to find the words to say.

"If you go now" you started, your voice sounding strange, "you can still survive"

The boy stiffed, trying to evade your burning gaze, knowing you were truly trying to help him. Because he knew you, almost as well as you knew him. You noticed his nervousness growing every second he stayed there. He closed his eyes, not bothering to look at your bloodshot ones.

"I can't leave her" he tried to look at you with anger, with resentment, but he only saw an old friend.

"You will die out there." you murmured, feeling the warmth and metallic taste of blood deep inside your throat. "And she will, too"

"No. No, Abby is strong, she… she will survive"

You stared at him, eyebrow raised, "This isn't about strength. It's about being smart."

The young boy ignored you, facing the door. "Lev" you called his name, sounding strange in your tongue, but somehow right. "Those two killed half of Seattle's population. Tons of soldiers with more experience in the field than you and her combined."

"Shut up!" Lev finally turned to look at you, his gaze distracted for the gunshots. "You have no right to talk at all. You sinned too"

You nodded at the boy calmly, "Yes, but that's what makes us different from them, right? We are sinners. But we are not monsters."

The door opened abruptly, Abby's figure now in front of the two of you. Shouts were heard from the floor above. The blonde grabbed Lev's arm, murmuring something you didn't quite catch.

You were alone in the room again. Your name was being shouted, Ellie was shouting it. You still didn't respond, Lev's gaze still marked in your memory. Ellie broke the door down, her eyes filled with panic when her eyes found your body. You tried to reassure her, that you were okay now that she was there, but your mouth didn't move. Neither did your fingers when you tried to caress her cheek. She was shouting Tommy's name, almost like a plea. You then heard Tommy's tense voice. When did he come? Why couldn't you open your eyes?

You were tired. You wanted to sleep. But first you wanted to look at Ellie, but you couldn't. Her cries and begs were the only sound you heard.

"Please, please. Help her, just-please help her"

Ellie Williams wasn't a religious person. She never had been, and never will. She saw it as something helpless. That was until you entered her life, and you showed her how believing kept you grounded, kept you alive. Every day she kissed the cross you gave her and held it closely to her chest for luck.

Maybe she didn't believe in god, but she certainly believed in you. She'd never prayed before, hell, she didn't know how to do it. She never saw how it was necessary. If something had to happen, it would happen. But right now, when your life was hanging by the thinnest threat, she prayed. Day and night. But every hour that passed, Tommy started to lose hope. Even when they arrived to Jackson, where Ellie had to leave the room where five doctors tried to save you, she didn't stop praying. She prayed as much as she breathed.

Your whole body felt heavy, your head pounding almost as hard as your chest. Breathing seemed like a difficult task to do, as if you haven't done it in a while. Opening your eyes, an artificial white light occupied all your vision. You groaned at the sight, trying to move away from it. You then heard a sound that sounded like a gasp. A hand, almost as cold as your, found your arm. You then saw it, beneath that blinding light, the green eyes you knew so well.

That was it, you were dead. You had to be. But if you were, why did she sound like her? You closed your eyes again, trying as best as you could to listen. But when you did, Ellie's voice seemed anxious again. "No, no, no, don't you dare to fall asleep"

You opened your eyes again, just to see the girl you grew to love crying. Why was she crying? Where were you? She grabbed your hand tightly, yelling for help. Four people entered the room, checking you. But you only saw red. You started screaming and pushing away the helping hands. They had to tie your and beg for you to calm down. You didn't hear anything, your screams shutting away any other noise. Darkness welcomed you then, like an old friend.

The soft breeze strung along with your mother's soft singing, her melodic voice making you sleepy.

The commune was nice. People loved you and respected you, and you didn't have to like them back. It's not like you showed affection to them, you just didn't talk. At all.

"Mama" you whispered, your legs curled up and your head resting on her thigh. She stopped singing, quietly encouraging to continue. "Do you think some day the wolves will stop their hatred towards us?"

She tangled her fingers through the braids that rested on your hair. "Those people don't know what peace is, my darling."

"I'm afraid they won't leave us alone." you whispered minutes after, eyes shifting between your mother's tranquil posture and the ocean.

This time your mother didn't answer you. She kissed your hair, and stayed quiet. That was the last time you saw her alive.

The next morning she went out hunting those awful creatures the apocalypse created, those who were called demons, with some soldiers. She was good with the bow, and she always came back before dawn. But that time she didn't come back, and neither did Paul nor Nina. They tried to hide it from you, explaining there were more infected than she once believed.

But you could feel a sharp pain inside your chest, an intuition that never failed to make you feel sick.

Paul came back a week after. Alone. He explained what happened, what Isaac had done. At some point, the wolves captured her, justifying she was too dangerous to keep alive. So they chose to execute her, in front of all the WLF soldiers.

And that was only the beginning. After her death, everyone seemed to lose their minds, you included. They caged you in Haven, not allowing you to leave and always, always, being watched.

The war started, and even if you were always accompanied, you never felt so alone.

The artificial white light came back to your vision. Although you could not feel your body, there was a soft weight above you. The scent of Ellie filled all your senses. The girl was asleep by your side, her head resting on your chest. With your trembling fingers, you started caressing her back.

You didn't know where you were, but it didn't matter. Not anymore. Ellie's breath changed, turning to face you. She smiled, and you tried to smile back, but you felt tired. Before you could speak - or try to, she sat down in the bed you were. "We are safe, we are in Jackson."

You looked down at the weird, big white shirt you were wearing. "Where's my dress?"

The girl started playing with her fingers, "It was ripped and stained with blood." Ellie pursed her lip at your confused expression. "They had to thow it away."

You breathed out. "I really liked that dress."

"I know, baby, I know."

You had been asleep for days, more days than you thought. Ellie explained your loss of blood, and they had to make a surgery. A head surgery, because you had a traumatic head injury.

You stayed in that room for two more days. You tried to eat, but your body refused it, and you always threw up. Ellie started to grow more and more concerned, especially after knowing your contusion would leave permanent changes.

You had never been in a place like Jackson. It was the opposite of Haven, but still it felt safe.

A week passed, and you started to feel better, as far as can be expected after whatever happen in Seattle. Yougained some weight, finally looking healthier. You grew used to sleep by Ellie's side every night, and waking up with her still asleep. She looked healthier, too.

What you didn't think you could be used to were the curious and repulsed looks you'd received since you arrived. The scars on your face that marked you, now were your biggest insecurity. Questions and words people said on your back, thinking you couldn't hear them, but you always did.

No one seemed to notice, though. Neither did Ellie. And you hated that. Once you were on one of the parks from Jackson, where the kids went after their school classes. One got closer to you, and asked if you wanted to play with him. You nodded, without hesitation.

You were building a sandcastle with a kid named Jamie, when an adult, assumedly his dad, pushed you, yelling at you to leave, calling you monster and a freak and-

Ellie pushed him, shouting at him back. Jesse grabbed you gently from your shoulders, leaving the kid behind.

"The fuck is wrong with you, man?" The auburn girl looked mad, not caring about the kids who were there. The father didn't stop insulting you, calling you things that made you want to cry.

It wasn't the first time that something like that happened. And everyone knew it wasn't going to be the last. That night, you vomited dinner after seeing your face in the bathroom mirror.

No, you definetely weren't going to get used to it.

please let me know your thoughts! y'all are not ready for next chapter...

taglist!

@vahnilla @antobooh @liasxeatt @rhyrhy @autisticintr0vert @culuvr @sevyscoven @alexandra-001

[blue-aconite]

"Would you please just kiss me?" With Jake Seresin!

I would apologise for not posting sooner but we all know how life gets. Without further explanation, here's your blurb ♥️ Thanks @a-reader-and-a-writer for looking this over!

Blurb Night Masterlist

It’s been over half an hour since she left the Hard Deck, wandering out onto the beach and walking along the shore. She hadn’t gone far, close enough that the light coming out of the windows was still visible but far enough that she could no longer hear the people out on the patio. 

The sun disappeared some moments ago and the moon is taking its place, casting a cold grey light over the sand. 

“What are you doing out here?”

She keeps her eyes on the waves, tracing the overlaps and motions, even as she answers him. “Thinking.”

She’s hoping the short answer will be enough, that he’ll go back inside and leave her alone but fate has other plans. She should have known it wouldn’t be enough. Like a dog with a bone, Hangman wasn’t the one to let things go. 

Her hope is further crushed when he comes closer, taking a seat in the sand next to her. He’s close enough so that she can feel the heat emitting from his body, his cologne invading her senses. Not in an unpleasant or unwelcome way, just in a way she hadn’t expected. 

“You know, there’s a party going on inside, yet you’re out here alone, thinking.” Hangman says, leaning back onto his elbows and stretching his legs out. She doesn’t look away from the water but his movements can be seen in the corner of her eye. 

“Which is exactly why I’m here. Too loud to think in there. Out here though? It’s quiet, simple.” She murmurs, drawing her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.  She can feel his eyes on her, watching her. “What do you want?”

Hangman takes a moment to answer, as if he has to decide what to say. “I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

“I’m good, thanks.” She’d rather lie than tell him what’s really bothering her. There’s no reason for him to know. He wouldn’t even understand.

Unfortunately, Hangman sees right through her. “Could have fooled me.”

He pulls himself upright, matching her position. It’s odd seeing him look so vulnerable, smaller than he usually presents himself to be. 

When she doesn’t reply, he hesitantly continues, as if he’s afraid she’s going to run off if he pushes too far. “You can talk to me, you know. If something’s bothering you. You’d probably prefer Phoenix or Bob but I don’t see them running out here to check on you.”

She rolls her eyes at the last bit. Even when he’s trying to comfort her, he can’t help but take a shot at their teammates. It’s all in good nature nowadays, but it’s so predictably Hangman that it makes her smile. His concern is touching but she still keeps her guard up. 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she pauses slightly before adding, “but thank you.” 

Hangman shifts, turning his body sideways so he is closer than before. “I think there is something to talk about, you just don’t want to.”

If getting on her nerves is his mission, he’s succeeding at an alarming rate. Gone is the gratefulness at his earlier offer. “And pray tell, Hangman, what would that be, hm?” She spits out, unsuccessful in keeping the annoyance out of her voice. She knows it isn’t fair to react this way, not when he’s been nothing but kind to her but anything to steer him away from the conversation she doesn’t want to happen.

Hangman holds his hands up, as if to placate her. “Maybe the fact that you’ve been avoiding me ever since Payback’s birthday? The fact that whenever we’re off base, you slink away to sit somewhere by yourself? Or maybe we should talk about how we kissed and you refuse to talk about it?”

Fuck.

The last part of his rant makes her tear her gaze from the water, swirling around in the sand to face him. They end up close, too close, but neither moves. “You remember that?”

It’s a weak response, she knows that but it’s the only thing she can come up with. 

The look in his eyes portrays disbelief. “Of course I remember. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you were drunk? And you didn’t talk to me for the whole day afterwards, so I figured it was just something.. -”

“I didn’t talk to you because when I woke up, you were gone. I wasn’t going to hunt you down over something you clearly regretted but I still think we should talk about it.”

She knows they need to address the whole situation but as he speaks, she can only focus on one thing. “You think I regret it?”

Now he’s the one refusing to meet her eyes. “What was I supposed to think? Like I said, you’ve been avoiding me ever since, so I figured you were just trying to let me down easy without having to say something, which is a shitty move by the way, even for you -”

“Let you down easy?” She’s full of bewilderment at this point and while she knows what he’s insinuating, she can’t make herself believe it. There is no possibility, she’d been telling herself for months. 

“Oh, spare me. You can’t honestly make me believe you don’t know. I think I’ve been very clear about my feelings for you.” Jake declares, a distinct look in his eyes as he straightens up. But the vulnerability on his face betrays his emotions, even if his voice stays strong. 

She feels like she’s falling, a wide black abyss consuming her entire being. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she’d find herself in the situation. “You have feelings for me?”

She’s well aware that she should probably try to unearth more but she’s still not entirely sure she isn’t hallucinating. This can’t possibly be happening.

Jake laughs incredulity. “Are you telling me you actually don’t know?”

“Well, you never said anything!” She implores.

“I didn’t think I had to! It's pretty obvious.” He responds, shrugging his shoulders like he didn’t just drop a major bomb on her.

She throws her arms out, almost whacking him in the face. “OBVIOUS? How about you use your words instead of just thinking I can read your mind? I had no idea!”

“Why would I kiss you, if I didn’t like you?”

She stares at him blankly, at a loss for words. Everything she had wanted since her stupid crush had manifested itself was happening but for some reason, she couldn’t respond in the proper way. How many times had she wished he would reprecipitate the feelings she had developed for him during their time together? How much had she beaten herself up over kissing him back at Payback’s birthday almost a month ago, knowing that he didn’t feel the same, knowing it was the alcohol? 

She’s vaguely aware that he’s speaking again but her mind is racing, as is her heart, and she blurts out the only thing she’s thinking about. “Would you please just kiss me? Again?”

[wrencatte]

“don’t you dare lie. i can see it hurts, so show me.” Calxanyone

thanks for the prompt! 💜

Merrin is waiting for him when he limps back to the cantina. Cal had gone through the side door deliberately to avoid everyone and their earnest, well-meaning questions, but apparently Merrin saw right through him…despite having not seen him for a total of two day cycles. He should feel guilty about that, he obviously worried her – and probably Greez and Mosey and Ashe and Doma and Moran and, and Kata, so many people, so many questions, so many emotions in the Force bearing down on him – but he feels too hollowed out to feel anything but tired. She’s not even scowling, or even disappointed. Just…resigned. And somehow, that’s even worse.

Cal staggers to a stop, opens his mouth to say – something. He doesn’t know what. But Merrin sighs before he can find the words.

“Don’t you dare lie,” she says. He grimaces though it looks more like a flinch. “I can see it hurts, so show me.”

He presses his lips together in a thin line and limps to the bed. He’s going to get blood on the sheets no doubt, but Merrin doesn’t try to steer him away from it. BD-1 chirrups and scurries to his charging station, leaving the two of them alone. Cal sits with a heavy sigh, stretching his leg out to ease the ache in his hip, and unsticks his hand from his side to show off the torn, bloody fabric. The bleeding has mostly stopped.

Mostly.

Merrin gives the position he’s put himself a critical look before she steps closer into his space. He half expects her to start on his side or maybe his shoulder where blood has dried into a mud-rust color. That had been inflicted within the first hour on the first day of his exploration. BD-1 gave him a stim that was just enough, and he kept going. Instead, though, she reaches out unhesitatingly and cradles his face gently with both hands. His eyes sting as she tilts his head back to inspect the bruising and the blood and the shadows under his eyes. She thumbs over the split on his bottom lip, so tender and sorrowful Cal has to swallow the lump in his throat before it become tears.

“Why must you do this to yourself?” she murmurs.

Cal closes his eyes to her expression, unable to answer, unsure if he even wants to answer. The words get stuck in his throat, strangling and choking, and Merrin lets out a soft sigh at his – struggle, his pain, her helplessness maybe. He wants to duck his head, hide away from her with his ears burning in shame, hide away from the world that keeps bringing him tragedy, but her hands stay firm on him, brushing away tears he hadn’t realized were falling.

Merrin urges him closer until he collapses into her, wrapping his arms around her middle and clinging like a child in need of comfort. He buries his face to her stomach, his shoulders shaking as his breaths shudder. She curls over him, holding onto him just as tightly, her face pressed to his hair despite the grime.

I’m sorry, he wants to say even though he knows it’s not enough – and it’s not what she’s looking for. Merrin doesn’t want any of his apologies. She wants him to stop throwing himself towards death and hoping it catches. I’ll do better, is just a lie. I don’t know what to do, is too close to the truth for him to handle.

She pulls away slightly, making him sigh this time, and he looks up at her through wet eyelashes. Merrin smiles slightly as she ghosts her knuckles over his tear-streaked cheeks.

“Let me help you clean up,” she says quietly. “Then come have late meal with Kata and I. Will you do that?” He chews on his bottom lips, tasting fresh blood, until she makes him stop with a knuckle pressed under his lip. “If not for yourself, then for me.”

And that’s the trick to it, isn’t it? Cal nods silently and her smile grows even as her eyes stay sad.

[cherubcameron]

Love Espresso

Chapter 8: Wildflower

MASTERLIST

Synopsis: after her breakup with Rafe and him kicking her out. Her best friend offers her a new job and a place to stay. But when Rafe comes back from Morocco. He realizes he’d made a grave mistake. Will Sofia go back to him? Or will she decide that her new life means more to her than him?

Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9

Sofia blinked away her surprise; he was right in front of her. She couldn’t help the way her heart swelled at the sight of him. Her Rafe.

He looked just as stunned to see her. His footsteps faltering as he got closer to the front door. In his hands, were his grocery bags.

“S-Sofia?” He repeated, almost as if he’d hope he wasn’t imagining her.

“Rafe.”

Sarah came out the car soon after. Her hand on her belly. Her eyes darting from Sofia, to John B and then to Rafe. The tension in the air is palpable.

“You guys came back early…” John B says, breaking the tension like a knife. Sarah smiles, grabbing a bag from Rafes hands.

“We just needed some milk. But you know how I need my pregnancy snacks.” Sarah says. She made her way towards John B, handing him the bag. He took it from her.

“Uh… we’re going to leave, you two alone to talk.” Sarah says, grabbing John B’s hand. They leave towards a different part of the house. Sofia crosses her arms; unsure on what to do with herself.

She hadn’t realized how awkward this would be. Her momentum completely disappeared. Rafe scratched the back of his head. His other hand still holding the groceries, Sarah hadn’t taken.

Sofia couldn’t help but stare at his arms. Her mind wandering; his cheeks turned pink. She was the only one who ever managed to make him blush. He’d missed the way she would look at him. He’d missed her, so much.

“Sofia.” He said again, this time a little more hoarsely. “Why’re are you here?” It came out harsher than he intended.

Sofia eyes darted to the ground. Her cheeks heating up. “I thought it was time you and I finally talked.”

Sofia’s hand caressed Rafe’s cheek. Her eyes boring into his. Her eyes shone like stars as she stared at him. Rafe felt his own cheeks flush.

“Stop staring at me like that. It’s going to make me kiss you.”

Sofia can’t help but giggle as he says this. Her body moving closer to his so she can steal a kiss. Her hands now on his chest, her body molting against his. His hands move to her waist, holding her close to him.

She slowly pulled away, “Que Lindo tu ves.” Her hand continuing to caress his cheek. He blushes further. His hand reaching up to play with her hair.

“Is that right?” Rafe smiles up at her, his eyes staring into hers. Today it’s decided to lean towards looking more green.

“Oh? You know what that means?” She teased, giggling as he grinned at her.

“Had to learn my girls language.” He pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Though, don’t ask me to speak it yet. I sound terrible.” He laughs. She laughs along with him.

“Hey at least, you’re trying.” She kisses his nose. “Let me hear it.” Rafe crosses his arms and lets out another chuckle.

“You’re going to cringe at how terrible my Spanish sounds.” He says, his eyes roaming her face.

“Practice, makes perfect. No?”

Sofia played with the hem of her skirt; as she sat next to Rafe on his couch. The cup of water he’d gotten her, sat abandoned on the coffee table.

“This doesn’t have to be awkward.” Rafe says. His head ducked low as he doesn’t stare at her. “We’re here to talk.”

Sofia nodded, “Then can you please look at me?” Her voice comes out a bit hoarse. Like she’d hadn’t spoken in ages. But really, her throat was dry. She reaches for the cup of water. But then lets her arm fall.

Rafe slowly looks up; he looks like a little kid almost. Reduced to a vulnerable state. He’d always been like that with her. Always stripped of any facade he tried to create.

“Why did you do it? Was that your scheme all along? Pretending to be in love with me or some shit?” He ripped the bandit right off. He didn’t want to keep tiptoeing around the issue anymore. He didn’t want to lose this opportunity. He finally got her here to talk. And he was just going to get he answer he wanted; straight. The anger he thought he was done with; resurfacing.

She’d appreciated him for it. She knew she would haven’t been able to be so straight forward. She’d been too afraid to be.

Sofia breath in a breath and let it out. “My dad had told me about this deal. Hollis had tried to ask him to involve me in getting you to agree on investing in Goat Island. It sounded scammy to me. And at the time, I couldn’t imagine doing something like that to you. And then when—”

Her eyes finally turned away from him. Remembering that awful day.

“I had went looking for you. To tell you what my dad had said. I found you at the club. I overheard you talking to Ruthie and Topper. She’d said that, since you live with a pogue. You might not be up for whatever it was Topper was planning to do. I’m assuming it’s the rezoning. And then… I heard you.”

Rafe’s eyes widen. His heart sinking. She wasn’t meant to hear that.

“You said that just because we hooked up. Didn’t make me your girlfriend.” Her hands were tightly intertwined together. Her eyes no longer even looking at him. Now it was her turn to duck her head. “How you weren’t living with a Pogue. That you had standards.”

Rafe in took a sharp breath of air. Letting it puff out. “Shit.” He said. He rubs at his head; now staring at her.

Sofia only ducks her head down. Tears began to brim her eyes. It was laid out bare in front of them. The start of the doom of their relationship.

“Sofia, please look at me.” He says hoarsely. “I didn’t mean those things. I promise, I just didn’t like how— you know how Ruthie is like.”

Sofia scoffed, looking away from him. “But you still said those things, Rafe. What was I supposed to do?”

“Talk to me! Not fucking betray me!” He finally snapped. Sofia flinches as he yelled at her. He’d never done that before. Never once raised his voice at her. She wasn’t used to it.

She’d seen him, yell at others. But never her. Being on that side of it. It feels wrong, like as if she woken up at the wrong side of the bed.

He instantly deflates the moment; he notices her flinch. “I’m-I’m not trying to argue with you.”

Rafe remembered, how he felt the moment he found out. He felt his whole body go numb. There was no way. Not Sofia. Anyone but Sofia. She would never do that to him. His angel of a girlfriend. Fiancée. No, no, no.

He loves her, he would never do anything to hurt her. So why did she hurt him? After the phone call, he felt his tears brimming his eyes. He felt his heart feel like it was on fire. He couldn’t believe it. His Sofia had betrayed him.

Rafe wiped away at his eyes. No longer able to contain his tears. His hands shook.

“I love you Sofia. I love you, okay. I didn’t mean to fuck this up. I shouldn’t have said those things. But you could have talked to me. We could have… we wouldn’t be here. And I’m not trying to completely fault you in that.” His voice came out broken. Like he couldn’t speak properly.

He looked at her, his Sofia. Her beautiful eyes brimmed with tears. He wanted to reach over and wipe them away from her eyes. Wanted to fix everything that hurt her.

“I’m sorry, I know it won’t fix anything. But I am truly sorry. I didn’t mean for you to lose—” Her eyes casted down away from him.

The silence engulfed them. Now it felt like it would be like pulling teeth. He didn’t want this to be the end of them. He waited for her to continue with batted breath.

“I didn’t mean for you to lose everything.” She whispered. Rafe felt his heart clenched.

For a long time, he thought he cared about the money. But now… all he cared about was having her back. He remembered the conversations he’d have with Kiara. He never thought he’d ever become close to her. And he still wouldn’t consider her to be. But he’d told her about Sofia.

He realized even when he wasn’t around Sofia. He managed to make room for her in the conversation. He wished he could take back the things he said about her. He didn’t mean them. Now here was the consequence to those words being uttered.

“I love you Rafe. I was upset and I did the first thing I could to hurt you. And I regretted it the moment I did. I regretted the moment I realized you were serious about us. I wish I could have just spoken to you. I tried to make you back out. But it’s been too late. I’m not here to ask you to forgive me. You don’t have to forgive me.”

He couldn’t take it anymore. The distance between them, he couldn’t recall being close to her. He sank onto his knees and practically crawled to her. He gripped her hands in his. He was a starved man. The time away from her was unbearable. Felt like a shot in the heart.

“I remember I told you that I didn’t care what you did. The day I proposed to you. And now… now that you’re here in front of me—”

He placed his head into her hands. His tears slipping down his face. “I don’t want to lose you Sofia.” He sobbed.

Sofia felt her tears fall down her own face. Before she knew it, they were embracing each other. She didn’t know if this meant they’ll be together. But in this moment, they were two souls who had found what they were searching for.

Sofia is listening to:

Rafe is listening to: