#i had Emptiness Machine playing on repeat

[actualbampot]

"I'm missing you already"

- I got lazy with this sry

[tbaluver]

May I request the LaD boys reactions to you sending them a video of you playing with yourself while they're away?

Sending Them A Dirty Video When Their Away- The Love And DeepSpace Men

parings in order: Xavier x fem!Reader, Zayne x fem!Reader, Rafayel x fem!Reader, Sylus x fem! Reader genre: MDNI, 18+, suggestive content, masturbation ( all ) , facetime sex ( Rafayel ) a/n: hi anonnie! i hope this was okay and that you enjoy reading! i'm suppose to be doing a quiz and studying right now but i wanted to finish writing this hehe any likes and reblogs are always appreciated! enjoy!

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Xavier:

He was so lucky to be split from his team during his mission when you sent him a video. He thought it would be you winning another plushie at a claw machine but he was so so wrong. It was so much better than that. His teeth sank down into his lips as he watched you stroke yourself with one hand as your other grabbed your breasts. He feels like he could cum right now, his cheeks a dark shade of pink as he watches your video on repeat.

𖠌:  ( ´ཀ` )

𖠌: not fair angel

He sends that as he fights the urge to relieve the tension in his pants. He makes sure to check his surroundings that nobody was nearby before pulling out his throbbing cock, slowly stroking it while he holds his phone with his other hand.

“n-need to hear you angel, please”

He breathes heavily into his voice message that he sent you, speaking as softly as he can to avoid being caught. You call him immediately after he sends that, your sultry tone invading his ears, “cum for me my sweet boy” Multiple images of you invade his mind. Images of your pretty mouth wrapped around his cock and your pretty eyes looking up at him like he’s the most important person in the world. How he swirled his tongue around one of your buds as he pinched your other nipples, rolling them around between his pointer finger and his thumb. He bucks his hips into his fist, spilling warm white trails down his length.

𖠌: i’ll make this mission quick

𖠌: need to see you

Zayne:

Zayne was away for a couple days for another research project and you missed him so much.

You’d send him a video, angling to show you wearing his favorite lingerie, slowly remove the thin clothing to tease him. You’d cup your breasts and roll your sensitive nipples between your fingers, your eyes fluttering shut as your mouth slowly starts to part.

When Zayne glanced down at his phone and saw the notification of a video from you, he immediately knew you were up to something mischievous. He had to excuse him and retreat back to his room to watch the video you sent. He’d suck in his breath and just groan at the sight, wishing and wanting to fuck you senseless.

☃︎: must you always do this to me when i’m away?

You’d send him another video, alone and naked in that big empty bed. His eyes tracked every movement of your body on his phone. One hand gripping his phone as he closely examines how your hand slipped in between your legs. How you whined for him and how much you missed him.

His jaw clenches, springing his stiff cock free as he replayed the video over and over again. He starts to pump his cock slowly, wanting to be inside of your tight and soaking cunt so bad. Zayne’s mind only clouds with how much you’d cream around his cock or how your mouth or hands feel so much better than his hands. You're the only thing on his mind as he watches the video on repeat. Your fingers pulsing in and out of your pussy, becoming wetter from your own arousal. He imagines it's your hand wrapped around his cock, stroking him.

“h-hah-” He throws his head back against the seat as he fists his cock harder, tightening the grip until thick streaks of his cum leak out of him. He raises the phone and sends you a quick photo of the mess you caused.

☃︎: don’t think that i don’t miss you too.

☃︎: when we reunite, i’ll gladly help you get off.

Rafayel:

You’re so mean for sending him a video when he was out for an art exhibition tour in a different country. Anytime you two were apart, he was always needy and seeing a couple seconds of your video with your legs spread wide open and two fingers sinking in and out of your cunt and whining his name,  made him almost whine on the spot.

𓆟: ( ｡ • ᴖ • ｡) you’re so mean to me

𓆟: gimme one sec cutie

He would try to find a way to slip out of the art exhibition and find himself back into his hotel room that was nearby. He’d put his phone on mute so Thomas doesn’t bother spam calling or texting him.

𓆟: you know i can’t do this, i need you

He facetime called you in less than a minute before he sent that message

He moves to prop the camera up so you can see the full view of him unbuttoning his top slowly, teasing you as he exposes his muscular chest. He then reaches for the buttons on his pants before hooking his fingers into his waistband and lifting his waist to pull it down. His cock springs free and hits against his lower abdomen, his eyes locking in on you. You can’t help but let your eyes wander down his muscles, lingering at the bulge until it was fully released from his trousers. His smirks in amusement to see your mouth parted open hungrily and needy just at the sight of him.

“You should close your mouth cutie, you might catch some flies in there.”

You both adjust the camera angles to ensure you both have a complete view of one another before beginning

Gently you rub circles over your clit, trying to mimic how he would with his pretty fingers. It drives you mad, making you bite your lips as you moan his name loudly. You drag out his name, your pussy desperately trying to clench onto something as you reel your head back in pleasure. Increasing the speed until you start to match the sound of his fist pumping his cock over the phone.

“want you soso bad” He whines, pumping faster with the sounds of your cunt squelching in the background makes him throb. “cum with me raf” your sultry voice drove him mad, cursing under his breath as he felt his seed leaking from his tip. He knows you’re close as gasps escape your mouth and how he watches the coil in your stomach snap, gushing your juices around your fingers. “‘s pretty. can’t wait to come home and fill that pretty hole.”

Sylus:

Sylus was away for an important auction. Despite it being important, nothing truly captivated him, his thoughts were solely on coming back home to you. His eyebrows quirked in amusement when he saw a notification of a video you had sent him. He excused himself letting Luke and Kieran handle the matters in their own hands as he made his way back upstairs in his hotel room.

𓅪:  showing me what i’m missing princess?

He smirks once he opens your video, arousal washing over him, entertained by seeing the angle of your perky tits bouncing and his favorite pussy that was sobbing and clenching just for him. The way you moaned and panted just for him was music to his ears.

Before you could send him another video, he was already quick to reply with one of his own.

“Is this what you expected, princess?”

He flashes a smirk to the camera before lowering it to show his shirt slightly lifted to give you a glimpse of his sculpted abs and his long fingers wrapped around his cock, his tip crimson as he slowly strokes it. Small groans flutter through his lips when he fists over the tip.

“all just for you princess.”

He says in the video, pre-cum dripping down his length and his muscles flexing on his stomach from the perfect angle he had. Your fingers were so deep into you, pounding relentlessly into your pussy. You replay the video again and again, watching him stroke his cock harder and you can taste your sweet release. Once you feel the heat pooling to your throbbing cunt, you make sure to send it to him. This time instead of a video, he sends a voice message, “did my princess cum thinking about me? i wish you were here, i need my pretty girl.”

[novemberheart]

{overview} A doctor mistakes you for something you're not

{warning} fem reader, a/b/o dynamics, poly 141, panicking, MDNI mentions of masturbation towards the end

Chapter 16 <- Chapter 17 -> Chapter 18

Priya was waiting for you when you got to the bottom floor the next day. When you woke up that morning the last thing you wanted to do was get out of bed. You had slept in Johnny’s bed, well not really slept. You drifted in and out waking up every half hour from some creak in the floor, or the sound of the refrigerator making ice. When the sun started to come up you finally felt comfortable to sleep- that was cut short by your alarm.

“I know it might not sound fun, but it is,” she smiled. It felt wrong going someplace without Anais. You pushed that thought away. Surely she does things with Jane and her other friends.

The walk was nice. The weather was starting to heat up for the start of summer. You were mostly excited to tease your pack with your summer dresses.

The thought sends a pang through your heart. God you missed them.

The rec room was nice and nearly empty. A few older doctors seemed to be taking their breaks in there, playing a round of ping pong. You and Priya settled on checkers.

You had grown bored after the third round, even though you had won two of them. Priya was still invested, making the game drag on for another five rounds. She won most of them.

“Hungry?” you asked, already standing up to push your chair in. Your lower half had grown numb, the tingling verging on painful as you began to walk around the room.

“There's a vending machine in the hall,” she stood as well. Luckily your pack had left you with some money.

“What are you thinking about?” Priya asked, making you jump.

“Just miss my pack,” you sighed.

“Mmmm. I remember those days. You'll get used to it and then pretty soon you'll be wishing for some space,” she chuckled.

You couldn't imagine wanting space from them. Especially when they seemed so far away.

You bought a bag of chips- or crisps as your pack would say.

“I'm going to run to the bathroom quickly,” Priya excused herself, dodging away before you could say anything. You shrugged plopping down in a hard blue chair. This reminded you of when Simon was in the hospital. His hazel eyes droopy from all the medicine in his system. You wished you committed them to memory more, now all you got were his sharp calculating eyes.

“There you are! Come, you are needed in room B17,” a doctor- seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He reached down grabbing your arm, pulling you up from your chair. “You omegas are always taking breaks,” he growled, pulling you along. Your phone slipped out of your pocket, clattering against the tile.

“No! I'm here with a friend I'm not here to”-

“Keep your bloody voice down. People are trying to sleep,” he chided. You wondered why he was so angry. It made your stomach twist in knots, your throat running dry.

“Stop,” you growled back, pulling yourself away.

“I’ll report you if you don't knock it off. Damn holding houses always sends the difficult ones,” his grip on you was tight, too tight. You will undoubtedly have bruises tomorrow. Everyone seemed to disappear as you were tugged along the seemingly never-ending hallway.

‘Just remain calm. This is just a misunderstanding.’ you told yourself.

“Sir, stop. This is a mistake. I have my own pack here on base, you need to let me go,” you tried your hardest to keep your voice calm. He didn't seem to be listening. He opened a door and pushed you inside. “I’m not here as a healer,” you insisted.

“Stop your whining and get on with your job. You all get sent out here and then come up with every excuse to not have to do anything. I saw you playing checkers,” he spat. “This isn't a vacation.” he began to shut the door, your hands reaching forward to keep it from shutting. You quickly lost. The door locking into place. What kind of place has locks on the outside of the door?

“Fuckfuckfuck,” you repeated, surveying the room you were tossed into. There were two large men hooked up to various machines. You knew what you were sent in here to do. The same reason you were sent here for Simon. One man was sleeping peacefully and you couldn't quite grasp what was wrong with him. The other man had been beaten to a pulp. His face was black and purple. You couldn't bear to look at him for more than a few seconds. You approached the other bed cautiously, looking for a call button on the side of the bed. You found it, digging your thumb into it like your life depended. It very well may.

After a minute of pressing no response.

Two minutes passed, your eyes trained on the clock above the door.

“You,” a low voice from the other bed alerted you. Your blood ran cold. Your eyes quickly fled to the bed, you couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not. “Don't hurt me anymore. I payed enough.” your brows furrowed before the realization hit you like a bolt of lightning.

It was him. One of the men who attacked you. The one who pulled the other one away.

The one that was missing.

You backed up heading towards the door. You needed out. You needed out right now.

“I only did it because Lieutenant Hale asked me to. We weren't going to hurt you,” the man practically whimpered.

“What did Hale want?” you questioned, trying to hold steady.

“I don't know. I didn't know who you were when he asked me to get you. He just gave me a description of what you smelled like. I didn't even know you were 141 till you turned around. I would've never done anything had I known,” he was shaking more than you at this point, his heart rate monitor going off the charts.

A sudden heat filled you. You couldn't tell if it was rage or fear but there was no stopping it.

“You shouldn't have done it anyways,” you snarled. You held all the power. You alphas had protected you. The evidence was right in front of your face. You were a part of their pack- it was time you started to act like it. “Fuckin disgusting,” you spat. You turned back around pounding on the door with all your might.

The door unlocked and you pushed it open before the person on the other end had time to think.

“Get back in there and stop”- it was the same doctor from earlier, his grip on your arms returning.

“I’m not a freelance omega,” you snarled. His eyes widened at your disrespect. “You know who my Alphas are? Captain John Price and Lieutenant Ghost. That ring a bell?”

It was cliche but the results were immediate. His hands left you, instead resting against the wall, the other one patting his chest.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I had no idea”-

“Instead of thinking you know everything, how about you listen to people. Especially omegas. We don't owe you anything and deserve to be treated with respect,” you chided. He quickly nodded his head, too panicked to disagree. “You put my life at risk.”

“You're absolutely right. I'll start”- you didn't wait for him to finish turning on your heels walking back down the hall, and grabbing your phone.

You breathed in the fresh air like you had been under dense smog for years. You leaned against the building, quickly texting Priya.

I'm outside by the door we came in. You aren't going to believe what happened

I went home! You disappeared… wanna hang out tomorrow?

You rolled your eyes, already heading back home.

You left her on read.

You slept peacefully that night.

Your phone ringing woke you up. Your heart pounded at the sound.

“Hello,” you answered quickly.

“Hey, peaches,” Johnny’s voice went in through your ears all the way down to your toes.

“Mac,” you whined.

“None of that,” he snipped gently. “I wake you up?”

“No,” you lied. “I am in your bed though,”

He groaned from the other end.

“What are you wearing?” he purred, making you giggle. You put on your best seductive voice.

“Nothing,” you whispered.

“You’re a new type of evil, hen,” he chuckled. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” you sighed. “Very much.”

“Alpha wants to talk to you. I'll see you soon, Bon,” Johnny ended. You heard a bit of shuffling your heart rate picking back up.

“How you doin’ pretty girl?” the muscles in your body went lax at the sound of John’s voice. He'd only been gone for about four days and you had already forgotten the effect his voice had on you.

“John,” you breathed into the phone. “I miss you.”

He sighed heavily into the phone- bordering on a growl.

“We’ll be back in three days, pretty. Finishing up here early. Then we’ll be all yours, okay?” he eased.

“Okay,” you agreed. Your head felt light. If this was how you felt now you could only imagine how bad it would be when you were finally marked. “Be safe.”

“Always.” he lied, hanging up.

You stretched out under the covers. Your body was warm and tingly, with a tight constriction in your lower abdomen.

You don't get “excited” often. Unless it’s your heat of course. You had little to no interactions with suitors, only being constantly surrounded by your peers. When you were around “potential” mates you never felt much desire towards them.

Your pack changed that.

You've suddenly found yourself in a puddle most of the time, your thighs clenching at the most inopportune times. Kyle and his feathery touches, the way his lips always skimmed your neck when he would whisper to you late at night. Johnny and the way his hands seemed to be permanently glued to your hips, squeezing your soft flesh. The way John’s beard scraped against your cheek or your lips. It was easy to imagine what it felt like against your thighs. Then there was Simon. He wasn't incredibly physical with you, but that left even more to the imagination.

You groaned, rolling over onto your back.

You did have the place to yourself. Your finger danced across your stomach, trying to imagine they were Kyle's instead. You slowly slipped them under the waistband of your underwear, moving to where you felt it should go.

You were pathetic. You hardly even knew how to touch yourself.

A few minutes later you had dried up, frustration the only thing on your mind. You growled rolling back over to bury your face into Johnny’s pillows.

Maybe when your pack got back they could help you with your problem.

Hi friends! Short chapter today! I'll see you in two days for chapter 18! The boys come back! 🧡 I wonder how they’ll react to your little run-in with the doctor……

[madhattervanessa]

Crave

Summary: Simon returns from deployment- but, there is a catch.

Warnings: sneaky nosy reader, flirting with a strong ?, pda, a little bit of voyeurism but it's all still very PG I feel

Words: 1489

A/N: Y'all already know...

Requests are open as always.

Masterlist - Mobile Masterlist

prev. Part - next Part

-

It's been just over 3 months when you hear his familiar footsteps echoing through the apartment complex's hallway.

This time, however, he doesn't seem to be alone.

At least, you had not previously heard a Scottish accent coming out of his mouth. And certainly not at that speed.

"-an' I'm telling you, she fancies me, this is all just a misunderstandin'."

"You repeating tha' don't make it true."

You really shouldn't be standing this close to the door, spying on them. But... Simon isn't the most talkative person in contrast to his very chatty friend. And you're a nosy person.

His friend babbles on about some girl until you hear the keys jingle in the lock of Simon's flat.

"Don't get too comfortable. I'll be just a minute."

You smirk to yourself and listen carefully for Simon's footsteps to move back down the stairway before opening the apartment door.

You sneak out and gently knock at your neighbor's door.

It's torn open almost immediately.

You correct your gaze up a little and meet pale blue eyes.

He's cute. Young, though, for, what you had gleaned from conversations with Simon, they do.

"You're not my neighbor."

He grins and crosses his arms over his chest as he leans against the doorframe.

"Aye. I'm bloody well not, lass."

You hum.

"Feels like I've seen you before, though", he adds.

There's a roguish handsomeness about him, a cockiness- really, a telltale thing you have noticed about the military personnel roaming around town.

"Seems like you haven't left an impression."

He scoffs, obviously amused.

"I usually have some coffee with Simon when he returns from service." You nod towards the kitchen behind him.

"I can see why he would. Come on in, then. I bet the- I bet Simon could use a cup of coffee."

He steps out of your way and closes the door as you beeline to the kitchen.

"Did you guys just get back?"

"Yeah. It's been a long few months."

"I believe that", you murmur and open the cupboard, instinctively picking up your usual mugs.

"What's your name?"

"You can call me Johnny."

You shoot him a look before setting down the cups and starting to pull shots from the espresso machine in the kitchen. When you set down the first cup for Simon, you look up towards him.

"How do you take your coffee, Johnny?"

You're interrupted by the door opening.

Johnny throws a wide grin towards Simon as he enters. His brown eyes briefly flick back and forth between the two of you before he drops two heavy duffel bags on the ground.

He shuts the door with his boot and the heavy footsteps that follow serve as a visceral reminder of the sheer mass of the man.

"Black coffee will do for him", Simon grumbles.

You try not to grin at the glare that settles on Johnny.

"Get out of her face Johnny. Take a shower. Y'smell like shit."

"Aye, L.T.." Johnny briefly turns back towards you and winks. "I'll be right back, lass."

You hum, smiling now, and lower your gaze toward the coffee machine again.

When you glance back up, Simon's eyes are still on you. There's some eye black smeared around his eye sockets. It makes his eyes look bottomless and sharp, his blonde lashes a harsh contrast.

After a moment, he leaves to follow his friend.

Low murmurs sound from the bathroom next to the bedroom, but they are just quiet enough for you to be unable to discern anything.

Eventually, the shower starts up and there's some brief laughter before music starts to play, low and tinny.

The door slams shut and you start steaming some milk.

"Did he bother you?"

You jump and curse under your breath, thankful for the mostly empty pitcher in your hands.

"No. No, he didn't."

Simon is radiating heat from behind you.

"Good."

A single, high note hits your ears before the singing continues, quieter but no less off-key.

"He seems nice, though. Funny. Talented singer."

"He's a bloody idiot."

"Does he get into a lot of trouble?"

"'s exactly why he's here."

The tune in the background changes to Material Girl, as you start to sip on your coffee and step aside for Simon to grab his own.

You stand in comfortable silence for a moment, just looking at each other.

He shakes his head slightly at the first Matieri-a-a-aal echoing from the bathroom.

"Any chance you have space for a roommate?"

You snort and shoot him a conspiratory look.

He smirks before taking a big gulp of coffee.

You keep looking at him, drinking in the details, now that he is back: The eyeblack has smeared down over his cheeks and you can see where it has faded around the corners of his eyes as if he'd been laughing a lot. You set your cup down.

"I don't know, I don't want to get in between some quality time with your friend and you. Should really let you guys settle in."

"Can't settle in, yet."

You perk up a little, immediately alarmed. Simon downs the rest of his coffee before he turns towards you.

"Still missing a warm welcome from my girl."

My girl?, echoes faintly in your head.

Your hesitation seems to amuse him. There it is again, the crinkle around his eyes.

He is careful as he approaches, slowly reaching out.

"C'mon, love. Where's my welcome back kiss?"

You roll your eyes despite laughing, weakly pushing your hands against his chest, not even slightly managing to nudge the big man towering over you away.

"Oh, ew, Si-"

He catches both of your hands in his and intertwines your fingers before leaning his head down. You don't resist and simply tilt your head up towards his.

He's rough with you; his teeth clack against yours and when your lips connect right, he pins you against the counter with his hips.

You moan into his mouth and let go of his hands to instead push them into his hair and let your nails scratch over his head. He is devouring your mouth, his hands wandering until he can hold on to your waist. One of them wanders down to paw at your hip, kneading at the soft flesh there.

He delves his tongue into your mouth and you gasp. You return a nip to his lip before both of your tongues start to tangle.

It's messy and needy. You're melting into his hard grip. As you hesitantly roll your hips towards his, you can feel his cock twitch against your stomach.

He backs off and when you open your eyes, he briefly nudges the tip of your nose with his. You feel girlish joy at the sweet gesture and wet your lips as you lock eyes with him.

"That's one hell of a welcome."

"Missed you."

"Yeah?", you tease, grinning.

He grunts and pulls you into another kiss, muffling your laugh. His hand that had previously held on to your hip wanders down to your ass to squeeze, eliciting another moan from you. You let your own hands cradle his face, feeling his jaw work as you kiss.

"Damn."

You jump and stiffen against Simon in surprise.

"Don't stop on my account", Johnny adds. Simon backs off with a quiet curse and you open your eyes to peek at Johnny, standing in the doorway.

"Bugger off, Johnny", Simon grumbles before pressing another kiss to your cheek.

Your eyes lock with his friend's who is still notably shirtless, hair damp, as he leans against the doorframe.

"I was just comin' back for my coffee, Lt."

There's something underneath the amused glint in his eyes that makes a hot flash run over your spine.

"I'm uh-", you're distracted by Simon dragging his tongue over your neck before he brushes the stubble on his jaw over the skin behind your ear, "I'm going to leave you guys to it."

Simon straightens up and your eyes snap to his.

"Alright, love."

You stagger towards the door, both of the men close behind.

"If you guys need anything, just knock, alright?"

"We'll just be sleeping the flight off, hen", Johnny answers, supported by a gruff sound from Simon that sounds like an agreement.

You nod and lean up to give Simon another innocent peck.

Before you have the chance to think about it, Johnny envelops you in a brief hug. A cloud of cologne envelops you with it and he squeezes you in his arms.

"Don't be a stranger. Come by for pizza sometime, soon, yeah?" Johnny puts you at arm's length before grinning. "I'll tell you a bunch of embarrassing stories about the old boy."

You nod, feeling a bit too hot underneath the intense gaze of the two men at the same time.

"Yeah. Sure. Sounds fun."

The warmth in your cheeks doesn't fade until you are back in the safety of your own bedroom.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

the yandere x yandere ask and your answer got me going maaaaaaad....pleeeease just one little story, just a snippet I beeeeg you...

I think I am addicted to your writing ❤️‍🔥

Ok ok you here's your little snippet I am not immune to begging (I am weak)

Word count: 1.3 k Tags/warnings: 18+ only, Yandere!König x Yandere!Reader, situationship with toxic König, light bondage, slight degradation, crazy idiots in love A/N: *sigh* for God's sake.

"No."

Your refusal echoes in the empty hall as you rush toward your room. The one you are talking to is marching right behind you… A giant Austrian killer, a one-man fucking machine, and a terror to women.

You know you shouldn't have said it today – hissed bitterly on the comms how everyone knows König is good with a gun after the new girl commented on what a good shot your foreign lover was. 

You wanted to shoot that girl, and now hated yourself for it. Hated - and loved - how a certain lovesick madman was again following you like an oversized puppy in heat. Had followed you ever since you praised his killing skills (you were the first girl to do that, goddammit), and agreed to go on a date with him. At a gun range, no less.

You try to ignore how your neck tingles as you open the door to your room. Out of breath, you turn to slam it shut, but a strong hand shoots to prevent your strength. It stops the door from moving even an inch.

"No," you repeat while looking up at the blazing blue eyes.

How can such a cold stare scorch your skin? How can those eyes burn your very reason to a crisp…?

"I'll visit you after silence then," he promises darkly, and the tingles turn into a downright shiver.

"No you won't. I'll lock my door."

"I'll break in."

"...You're fucking crazy !"

"You have no idea, Liebling." He steals a peek down at your chest, rising and falling like a wave because you are so riled. You can almost hear how he licks his lips under that hood. "I have to return your strings, oder?"

Rage and thrill fight for your attention as you wrinkle your nose in disgust.

"You–you took my…" you gasp, hating the way you sound like a pearl-clutching woman appalled by such indecency. Truth is, you are appalled. And aroused. But you're not a pearl-clutching woman.

"Pervert," you spit the word out with hot pride. He doesn't flinch, doesn't even blink at your insult.

"Ist das so? And who wanted me to tie her up last night? Hmm?"

Shit... Your cheeks pang with heat. 

Tight moans and pleas of "Use that paracord on me," and "Fuck me like I'm your prisoner," flood your mind, as does his low growl of "You're mistaken, Liebling. This is no play. You are my prisoner."

You thought he would've tied you into a bed, but no: this pervy lunatic tied your hands to the ceiling, not tight, but tight enough to render you helpless as he gave you a 15-minute edging session with his tongue, followed by more than just one profound fucking session with that ridiculously long Austrian cock.

He raised you in his lap and fucked into you from standing, took you from behind like an animal, used your body any way he wanted to until you were dumb and full of his cum. 

He pulled orgasms, quivering breaths and lewd moans out of you while whispering painfully sweet things in your ear – then left you hanging there after he was satisfied. You thought he went to get a towel, which he did... but he also went to get himself a beer. 

He drank that pilsner in front of you, wearing only and only that stupid black hood. Surrounded by his guns and knives, this man looked like a god of war: muscles sheened in sweat, heavy cock glistening with your juices, looking at you with smug pride as the warm seed ran down your thighs.

"Let me down," you finally broke before him, pouting and throbbing from the multiple orgasms he just gave you.

"Ask nicely, Liebling."

"Please, let me down… My wrists hurt."

He came to release you from that rope immediately, carried you to his bed, and cooed what a good girl you were, taking his cock so many times like you were made for it. Cleaned you up with a warm, wet towel and promised he would bring you food from the mess if you promised to stay put. (You promised, and he did.) He even offered you a sip of that yucky beer and asked if his prisoner had everything she needed.

But what's worst is that he dares to shame you for what happened last night.

"What kind of a woman wants to be used like that...? You're dirty," he slurs, eyes flashing with desire.

"You're the one who's dirty," you half yell, then snap your mouth shut, knowing half the barracks just heard your announcement.

He just tilts his head as if it's quite normal to have an argument about who's more fucked up in the middle of an echoing hall.

"Eh? I bet you're wet even now." His voice is high and tight from anticipation. "Shall I make an inspection?"

"I will slap you if you do that," you declare with a lift of your chin. Your shoulders draw back and your hand squeezes into a fist, ready to deliver on that threat.

He looks down at your tiny paw – nothing escapes him, not even the slightest movement at the corner of his eye. But when he looks back at you again, his eyes are filled with a sinful dare. 

"I'm warning you. If you come inside, I'll–"

He steps forward immediately and catches your punch like it's only a meager leaf in his way. You pout furiously as you send another fist flying, aiming for that hood – quite lousily, to be honest. Of course he catches that too, then spins you around like you two are dancing jive and forces you against a wall with his body.

It's the softest, most loving little shove and pin, and the only thing that's knocked out of air is your pride as his groin presses against your ass and shoves up, hard enough to force you up on your toes. 

"You're not a woman, you're a wildcat," he rasps in your ear as the warm darkness of the hood brushes your neck. His hand rests on the wall next to your face like a warning not to squirm while the other is already traveling up the back of your thigh. 

He's going to make that inspection, no doubt, shove his hand beneath your belt and into your camos. See if you're wearing another pair of "filthy strings" – or that's what this crazy dude calls the revealing underwear he says is "not suitable for decent women."

The funniest thing is that you started wearing them mainly because they clearly drive him mad...

"König..." you moan your want into the air as he slips that hand down your pants. Your hands got trapped between the wall and your chest as he pressed you there, but you wouldn't try to prevent him even if they were free. 

You want to tell him how good he is with his guns, all of them. You want to tell him that you hate the new girl. You want to tell him you'll be his prisoner, always…

He takes a good, long sniff of your neck, causing your ass to grind against the hard bulge in his pants. He doesn't like the smell of gunpowder on you, doesn't like it that you're almost as good with a rifle and a scope as him. He wants to take you away from all harm and make you his little wife. 

(The only harm that has ever fallen upon you is this crazy titan who makes love to you like it's the end of the world.)

"Kleine Wildkatze," he murmurs softly in your ear while agile fingers find your soaked cotton, the fragile shield between lust and madness. "I will tame you. Don't you worry about that. One day you will be purring in my lap..."

[ikyoudreamofme]

Accident-MS

summary: You get a call from Matt but it’s not the call you ever expected.

C/W: car accident,mentions of blood and cuts, pre-established relationship, use of y/n.

A/n:Part 2 is out!

——————————————————————

“Hi y/n? This is Dr Sharp at Los Angeles General Hospital calling, you are Matts emergency contact along with two others. He has been involved in a car accident and has serious injuries.”

~☃️~

I’ve been cleaning my house all day as Matt was coming over soon and I want it to look presentable. I just finished putting away the laundry falling down onto the couch with a loud exhale. I got a call from Matt smiling at my phone answer the call. “Hey Matt.” I say my voice going a little higher at my excitement. The voice on the other line wasn’t the usual voice I’d hear. I freeze staring blankly at the table, listening to the man, my smile of joy falls into a face of worry. The call goes silent for a few seconds before I’m able to speak. “uh..have you called his brothers?” I say my voice shaky holding back sobs. the voice on the other end of the phone says no. I hang up looking for Nick’s contact through blurred vision I press ‘call’.

After the second ring he picks up “y/n? Matts not here,you okay?” He enquires. I take a deep breath in. “Nick it’s Matt. The hospital called me he got in an accident. They said it’s bad.” I blurt out, voice cracking. I hear Nick get up shouting to Chris for him to get out of his room. “I’m going to the hospital now I’m gonna pick you up.” I say before hanging up and letting Nick tell Chris.

We get to the hospital and the doctor’s words, ‘serious injuries’, replay in my head. “we’re looking for Matt Sturniolo” Chris asks the lady behind the counter. She’s asks us who we are to the patient. “I’ll get you his doctor for now you can wait here.” She points to rows of chairs behind us. As we wait I play with my fingers, my leg bouncing up and down as all the worst things that could happen run through my head. A doctor walks over to us his badge saying the same name as the doctor who called me. He warns us that Matt is out of surgery but still sedated to manage his pain, he may be asleep for a few more hours but when he wakes up he will still be groggy. The doctor told us Matt had sustained internal bleeding cause blood to enter his lungs and a broken arm that they had to move back to place. The worst part is Matt might not ever wake up again.

Every step closer to his room my heart sped up thumps getting louder and louder. My stomach felt empty when I opened the door seeing the bruises that scatter his face and collarbone and a cast on his right arm that lays beside him. Machines beep around his bed, I turn around looking at Chris and Nick their eyes, fixated on their brother, filling up with tears threatening to spill down their cheeks. I pulled a chair closer to the bed grabbing his hand resting my head next to it. “please wake up..” I whisper repeatedly to Matt.

~☃️~

After an hour or two sitting in Matt’s hospital room doctors coming in every 20 minutes for check ups I fall into a light sleep my head resting on the edge of the bed. “y/n?” A hoarse voice talks. I look up seeing Matts eyes just barely open. My mouth drops letting out a sigh of relief, as I sit up hugging him carefully, kissing the top of his head. “Oh My God Matt you’re okay.” I say telling myself more than him. He hums in response. His brothers get up repeating a similar hug to mine.

The doctor checks his injuries giving him morphine to manage his pain. “He has to stay for the night so we can monitor him closely” The doctor tells us. I look down at Matt rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand reaussuringly. Chris and Nick go back to theirs grabbing some things for Matt.

“what happened Matt?” You ask him looking up at his wounded face. “I don’t know I was just on my way to yours…some uncontrolled driver crashed into the side of me” He winces taking a deep breath. I frown and kiss him softly “I’m so happy you’re okay” he hums in response.

[pdriesta]

pairing — levixblack!girl

genre — tooth-rotting fluff

word count — 16k

summary —levi colwill never believed in fate—until he met y/n. their chance encounters at the café leave him questioning everything he thought he knew about destiny. she’s guarded and doesn’t give him the time of day, but he’s determined to win her over. yet, how can he do that when he can’t even remember his own name?

an — peak avoidant procrastination core! instead of studying for finals, this idea came to me and i knew i had to write it. i hope you enjoy!

masterlist

levi wasn’t sure why he walked into the café. he’d passed it plenty of times on his way home, its muted green awning blending into the quiet street. it wasn’t the kind of place that screamed for attention—no neon signs or bright chalkboards advertising specials. maybe that’s why it appealed to him this morning.

he needed something... different. not the usual machine-brewed coffee from the training ground or the same protein-packed routine he’d been following for months. he wanted something strong. sharp.

so here he was.

the café was still waking up, the kind of place where the hum of a grinder and the occasional clatter of mugs filled the silence. the barista behind the counter didn’t even blink when he walked in, hoodie pulled low over his face, hands shoved into his pockets.

“black coffee,” he said, his voice barely above a mumble.

the barista nodded, moving with the kind of precision that only came from years of practice. levi stepped back, leaning against the counter as he waited.

his eyes wandered around the room, taking in the cozy, unassuming vibe. exposed brick walls. shelves lined with books and plants. a handful of tables, most of them empty.

except one.

his gaze landed on a girl near the window.

she was sitting alone, her head bent slightly, long braids falling over her shoulder in a way that made them look impossibly soft. she had clear-framed glasses perched on her nose and headphones covering her ears, the kind that looked big enough to block out the world.

her hands were busy with... something.

he squinted, trying to figure it out. she was holding a bundle of yarn, looping it around a shiny metal stick with quick, practiced movements. he didn’t have a clue what she was doing, but it was oddly mesmerizing.

“coffee’s ready,” the barista called, snapping him out of it.

levi grabbed the cup, hesitating for a moment before heading to her table.

he didn’t think about what he was going to say. he rarely did.

“hey,” he said, stepping into her line of vision.

she glanced up, her fingers pausing for half a second before resuming their work. “hi.”

her tone wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t rude, either. indifferent, maybe.

“what are you... doing?” he asked, gesturing vaguely at her hands.

her eyes flicked to the yarn, then back to him. “crocheting.”

he blinked. “cro... what?”

“crocheting,” she repeated, slower this time. “you know, making things with yarn?”

“oh.” he nodded like he understood, even though he didn’t.

her hands moved again, looping and twisting the yarn with practiced ease. he wanted to ask more, but something about the way she was looking at him—calm, detached, like she’d seen through whatever he was about to say—made him falter.

“so, uh... do you come here often?” he tried, leaning on the table slightly.

her brow lifted, and for a moment, he thought she might laugh.

“is that your line?”

he grinned, trying to play it off. “no, just... curious. i haven’t seen you here before.”

“maybe you weren’t looking,” she said simply, her attention already drifting back to her yarn.

he frowned. that wasn’t the response he’d expected.

“well,” he said, straightening up, “if you’re a regular, maybe i’ll see you around again.”

“maybe,” she said, not looking up.

he lingered for a second, waiting for... something. but she didn’t give him anything. no name, no question, not even a glance.

“right. have a good day,” he said finally, backing away.

she hummed in response, a soft, dismissive sound that made his chest tighten in a way he didn’t like to think about.

levi left the café, the cool morning air hitting him like a splash of water.

it wasn’t until he was halfway down the street that it hit him.

he never told her his name.

“idiot,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

still, he couldn’t shake the image of her—the calm, focused way she’d ignored him, the faint smirk that had lingered on her lips when she called him out.

he told himself he wouldn’t go back. she didn’t seem interested, anyway.

but deep down, he knew this wasn’t the last time he’d see her.

levi didn’t usually believe in fate.

but after last night’s match—an edge-of-your-seat thriller that had him riding high on adrenaline well past midnight—he couldn’t help the good feeling that crept over him when he woke up this morning. it wasn’t just the win, though that felt sweet enough to carry him through the rest of the week.

he thought of her.

the girl from the café.

he told himself it was harmless, coming back. his training session wasn’t until later that afternoon, and he needed coffee anyway. besides, it wasn’t like he knew she’d even be there. but something in him—a quiet, nagging instinct—urged him to go.

by the time he stepped into the café, his heart was already beating a little faster.

he spotted her almost immediately.

she was in the same seat by the window, her head bent slightly as her hands worked at another bundle of yarn. the morning light streaming in through the glass caught on the soft brown of her skin, her long braids swaying as she adjusted her position.

he didn’t realize he was smiling until he was already at the counter.

“just a black coffee, please,” he told the barista, his eyes darting back toward her table as the machine hummed to life.

she hadn’t noticed him. her focus was entirely on whatever she was making, her fingers moving with that same quiet efficiency that had caught his attention last time.

coffee in hand, he made his way over, his sneakers making a soft scuffing sound against the floor. he stopped just short of her table, waiting for her to glance up.

she didn’t.

“hey,” he said, the word hanging in the air for a moment before her head tilted slightly toward him.

she pulled one side of her headphones off, her eyes meeting his with that same calm, almost detached gaze he remembered.

“hi.”

he gestured to the empty chair across from her. “mind if i sit?”

she glanced around the café, taking in the sea of empty chairs and tables, before looking back at him.

“you couldn’t find anywhere else?” she asked, her tone dry but not unkind.

he laughed softly, running a hand over the back of his neck. “what can i say? the company here’s unmatched.”

she stared at him for a moment, her lips pressing into a line like she was deciding whether to send him away. then, with a small tilt of her head, she gestured toward the chair.

“go ahead.”

“thanks,” he said, sliding into the seat with a small grin.

her attention drifted back to her hands, the yarn pulling taut as she worked. for a while, he just watched, sipping his coffee and trying to think of something to say.

“so,” he started, nodding toward the yarn in her hands. “what are you making this time?”

she glanced up briefly, her brows lifting. “this time?”

“yeah,” he said, leaning forward slightly. “last time, you said it was a blanket, right?”

her lips twitched, and for a second, he thought she might actually smile.

“it wasn’t a blanket,” she said, her tone patient but amused. “it was a sweater.”

he blinked, caught off guard. “a sweater?”

“yeah.”

“like... a proper one? with sleeves?”

she tilted her head slightly, her fingers never stopping their work. “aren’t most sweaters proper ones?”

he let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “you’re telling me you made a sweater with just that... hook thing?”

“crochet hook,” she corrected, her voice steady.

“right. that.” he gestured toward her hands, still baffled. “how do you even do that? doesn’t it take forever?”

“depends on the pattern,” she said, her tone nonchalant. “some things take longer than others.”

he nodded, though he didn’t entirely understand. “how long have you been doing it?”

she paused for a moment, her gaze flicking up to meet his before returning to her yarn. “since i was a kid. my grandmother taught me.”

“that’s... cool,” he said, though the word felt too small for what he meant. “so, you just make stuff like sweaters and blankets for fun?”

“sometimes,” she said. “sometimes i sell them.”

he sat back, genuinely impressed. “you’re telling me people buy this stuff?”

her lips curved slightly, the faintest hint of pride in her expression. “yeah. people buy this stuff.”

he let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “that’s mad. i can’t even sew a button back on my shirt.”

“doesn’t surprise me,” she said lightly, her tone teasing.

he grinned, leaning forward again. “you’re full of jokes today, huh?”

“just being honest.”

he laughed, the sound drawing a few curious glances from the barista behind the counter. he didn’t care. for the first time in a long time, he felt like he didn’t have to try so hard to impress someone.

“what’s your coffee order?” he asked after a moment, the question slipping out before he could stop it.

“a latte,” she said, not looking up.

“what flavor?”

“hazelnut.”

“fancy,” he said, raising his brows.

“not really,” she said, her tone even.

he chuckled, taking another sip of his coffee. the bitterness felt grounding, a sharp contrast to the way his chest felt light just sitting across from her.

they fell into a comfortable silence, the soft click of her crochet hook filling the space between them. he wanted to keep talking, to ask her more, but something about her calm focus made him hesitate.

eventually, he drained the last of his coffee and set the cup down with a quiet clink.

“thanks for letting me sit,” he said, pushing his chair back slightly.

“sure,” she said, her gaze still on her hands.

he lingered for a moment, the words caught in his throat. he thought about introducing himself, thought about saying something clever or memorable. but instead, he just nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stood.

“see you around,” he said lightly.

she hummed in response, not looking up.

as he stepped outside, the cool morning air hit his face, and he realized he was smiling.

she hadn’t asked who he was. she hadn’t cared.

and for some reason, that made him want to see her again even more.

levi sat there, his gaze drifting back to the yarn slipping through her fingers, the steady rhythm of her hands like a quiet hum in the background. he took a sip of his black coffee, grimacing a little. it was fine, but he wasn't exactly a fan. black coffee was just something to get him through, especially after a late-night match and the early morning training ahead.

"i still don’t get why you drink this," he muttered, shaking his head. "it’s not even that great." he chuckled, trying to make the comment lighthearted, though it was clear from the way he cradled the cup that he didn’t find it appealing.

she glanced at him from behind her glasses, her eyes briefly meeting his before flicking back to her project. “i’m guessing you’re not here for the coffee,” she said, her voice flat.

he smiled, leaning in slightly, genuinely curious. "yeah, i’m trying to expand my horizons. i only drink black coffee when i’m tired or when work’s got me running on fumes." he paused, eyeing his cup again. "but i don’t even like it that much."

“so, you’re still figuring out what you actually like?” she asked, her voice carrying that same cool indifference. but there was something in her tone that made him want to push past her walls.

levi shifted in his seat, adjusting himself slightly. “i guess so. i don’t even know what i’m looking for.”

she snorted, but it wasn’t in a mean way. “i could tell,” she said, focusing on her hands again. “you’re still working on figuring yourself out, huh?”

levi chuckled softly, nodding. "you could say that."

a silence settled between them, but this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. levi found himself watching her again, intrigued not only by her skills but by the way she carried herself. the way she didn’t rush, didn’t give much away.

“so, what made you start doing this?” he asked, trying again, genuinely wanting to know more about her.

she gave a small shrug, her hands working faster now, the movements fluid. “just picked it up. been doing it since i was a kid.”

"that’s impressive," levi said, leaning forward a bit. "i could never do something like that. i can barely manage to focus for more than a few minutes at a time."

she glanced up at him briefly, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "you don’t look like you’ve got the patience for it."

he smiled at that, leaning back in his chair. “maybe not. but i like the idea of making something from nothing.”

"well, it takes time," she replied, her voice low and steady, focusing intently on the sweater in front of her.

levi watched her for a moment, the tension between them subtle but palpable. his mind was racing with questions, but he couldn’t figure out how to ask without feeling like he was pushing too hard.

“what’s your name, by the way?” he asked, finally breaking the silence, his words slipping out before he could stop them.

she didn’t stop her work, her hands still moving expertly as she glanced up at him for a split second. “you’ll have to work for it,” she said, her lips curling slightly.

levi chuckled, nodding. “fair enough. guess i’ll keep trying then.”

“guess so,” she said, her tone nonchalant, though a slight smile tugged at her lips.

he smiled back, not sure why the idea of keeping her name out of reach made him want to try even harder. “well, i’ll be back tomorrow. i’ll try a chai latte next time. see if i like that better than this black coffee.”

"we’ll see," she said, barely sparing him another glance as she continued her work.

levi stood up, gathering his things. “alright then. i’ll be around.”

"maybe," she replied, not looking up.

he walked out of the café, the door chiming behind him, but this time, there was something different in the air. he didn��t know exactly what it was, but he had a feeling he’d be back tomorrow, and the day after that, until he figured out what it was that kept pulling him to her.

levi had come to the café so often, he didn't even think twice about sitting in his usual spot anymore. it had become a place he didn't mind spending time, especially after training sessions that left him exhausted. but there was something else that kept pulling him in—something he couldn’t quite shake. and that was the girl. the girl with the quiet hands that worked magic with yarn, the girl who barely seemed to notice him at first, and yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. he'd grown fond of the place, sure, but it was really because of her.

tonight, he hadn't planned to see her. he didn’t even expect to find her here at this late hour. but the moment he walked in, he instinctively went to the same table by the window, his eyes scanning the dimly lit café. the usual crowd had thinned out, but as he pulled out his phone, scrolling through a few texts and messages, something caught his attention. his breath hitched in his chest as his gaze lifted, locking onto her.

she was standing in front of him, her hands holding two drinks, and in that moment, levi couldn’t breathe properly. she looked... different. so different that for a second, he thought maybe he had missed something—had he even been looking at her the way he should have before? her hair wasn’t in braids anymore, but loose, soft curls that framed her face perfectly. her baby hairs were delicately laid, and she wore no glasses this time. she was dressed in a brown pencil skirt, a beige turtleneck, and the most stunning leather thigh-high platform boots he’d ever seen. even standing up, he was still towering over her, but it didn’t matter. she looked incredible.

he stood up, instinctively wanting to say something, anything. but all he could manage was a quiet breath, his voice unsure. “you... you look different.”

she laughed softly, the sound easy and effortless. “thank you, i guess.”

levi watched as she slipped into the seat ahead of him, the same spot she always sat in when he’d seen her before. she settled in, as if nothing had changed. but he had changed. he was suddenly more aware of her—of the way she held herself, the quiet elegance in her movements.

“you’re here late,” she commented, her voice calm as she placed one of the drinks in front of him.

"yeah, i guess i've... grown fond of this place," levi said, unsure why he added the ‘fond’ part. it just came out. but it was true. he had grown fond of the café, especially at this hour when everything was quieter, and the bustle of the city outside seemed a world away.

she raised an eyebrow at him, almost teasing. “you didn’t get a drink?”

levi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “was going to. didn’t really know what to get.” his gaze shifted to the drink she’d placed in front of him, his curiosity piqued.

without saying much more, she nudged the drink closer to him, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “you said you wanted to widen your horizons. try this, and see if it meets the expectations of your ‘black soulless coffee’.”

levi blinked, momentarily taken aback by her words, but then he smiled. “you’re too generous,” he murmured, finally taking the drink from the table. “thank you.”

he took a sip, not expecting much, but when the flavor exploded on his taste buds, he nearly groaned. it was nothing like what he thought it would be. it was smooth, sweet, and somehow rich, with layers of flavor he couldn’t quite place. he leaned back in his seat, wide-eyed. “holy shit... this is... good. is this even coffee? it tastes like... a cake.”

she chuckled softly, clearly enjoying his reaction. “it’s a cookie butter latte. half sweet, decaf. considering it’s the evening.” she paused, her fingers absentmindedly tapping on the table as she looked up at him. “you’re welcome, i guess.”

levi blinked, still trying to wrap his head around how good it was. “this is incredible. no one’s ever done this for me before.”

“well,” she said with a shrug, her tone light but not unkind, “don’t get used to it, pretty boy. that ran me five pounds.”

levi let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “i’m definitely coming back for this.” he took another sip, savoring the taste. “so you’re a uni student, huh?”

“yep, go to ucl,” she replied, her voice still casual. “but it’s break right now, so i come here to unwind.”

levi couldn’t help but smile at that, the way she spoke so simply, as if she was still somewhat closed off, but in a way that intrigued him even more. “must be nice. i bet it gets overwhelming with everything you’re doing.”

she shrugged again, looking down at her drink. “it is what it is. everyone has their own shit to deal with, right?”

“yeah, i get that,” levi agreed quietly, his gaze on her. “but it’s nice to have a place to unwind, right?”

“i guess so,” she said, her voice quieting for a moment. “it’s better than dealing with everything in my dorm.”

levi noticed how her expression shifted slightly, a bit more guarded than before, and it made him want to ask more. something about her still felt off, but he wasn’t sure if it was something she wanted to talk about. yet, as if the question was out before he could stop it, he found himself leaning forward, a genuine curiosity in his voice. “so, what’s got you all dressed up tonight? not that i’m complaining,” he added quickly, not wanting her to think he was being too nosy.

her lips curled slightly, and for a moment, he could see a flicker of something behind her eyes. “it’s none of your business,” she said, her tone a bit sharper, but she didn’t look mad. more resigned. “but i’m coming from a bad date.”

levi blinked, taken aback. he hadn’t expected that, and it hit him harder than he thought it would. jealousy rose in his chest without warning, but he tried to keep it off his face as he asked, “bad date? what happened?”

“he was... well, he wasn’t exactly my type,” she started, leaning back in her seat, clearly in the mood to share now. “kept talking about himself. didn’t really seem interested in anything i had to say. and, let’s just say, there was a lot of... silence.” she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink as if she was trying to distance herself from the memory.

levi let out a small chuckle, trying to hide the slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “sounds like a disaster.”

“yeah, well, i guess you could say that.” she sighed, her shoulders dropping. “and then he asked if i wanted to go out to dinner after, like, i didn’t just sit through the world’s longest monologue.” she shook her head, a laugh escaping her despite herself. “some people just have no idea how to talk to anyone.”

levi nodded, half-laughing, half-intrigued by the way she was speaking now. “sounds like you dodged a bullet.” he paused. “but i’m sorry that happened.”

“yeah, me too,” she muttered, eyes on her drink. “but i’ll live.”

levi couldn’t help himself. the silence between them was comfortable now, but the way she looked tonight—how she spoke so casually about her date, yet still had that mysterious air about her—made him want to push just a little further.

he leaned back in his chair, his eyes finding hers once more, a playful grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "you know," he said, his voice lower than before, smooth, almost teasing. "i can’t help but think that if i’d been on that date, things might have gone a little differently."

her brow arched slightly, and she glanced up at him, the faintest smile playing on her lips. "oh? how’s that?"

he shrugged, his smile widening, his voice almost a whisper. "well, for starters, i actually listen when people talk," he teased, leaning forward just enough to close the space between them. "and i definitely wouldn’t have spent the whole time talking about myself. unless, of course, you wanted me to."

her eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no mistaking the hint of amusement in them. “so you’re saying i should’ve been on a date with you instead?”

levi chuckled, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back again, crossing his arms with a confident smirk. “well, i wouldn’t want to say that, but... maybe you’re onto something.”

she laughed softly, shaking her head. “you’re a piece of work, you know that?”

he shrugged casually, his grin never wavering. "hey, if i’m gonna be a piece of work, at least i’m a good one." he leaned in a little closer, his gaze locking onto hers. “you know, if you ever want a do-over on that bad date, i’m pretty sure i could make it worth your while.”

she paused, eyes flickering to his lips for a split second before meeting his gaze again, her voice quieter now. "you’re bold, i’ll give you that."

levi’s grin softened slightly, but his eyes never left hers. "yeah, well, it wouldn’t be me if i wasn’t."

he took another sip of his drink, watching as she did the same, a subtle tension now hanging between them. he was flirting, sure, but it felt different with her. like something more. something unspoken. and as the seconds ticked by, he realized he didn’t mind the tension. in fact, he kind of liked it.

“you know, i’ll be back tomorrow,” he said casually, his voice smooth, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "i’ll be here... just in case you want to give me another chance to prove i’m not so bad."

she looked at him for a long moment, her lips curling into a smile. "we’ll see about that, pretty boy."

and with that, levi stood, his heart racing a little faster than it should have, but he didn’t let it show. he smiled at her, giving her one last lingering look before he turned and walked out of the café, the door chiming behind him. as he stepped out into the cool evening air, he couldn't help but feel like he was one step closer to understanding just what it was about her that kept him coming back. and as much as he’d like to think it was just for the coffee, he knew it was something—someone—far more intriguing than that.

the days without him felt oddly long. y/n found herself sitting in her usual spot at the café, the soft hum of background chatter surrounding her, but it wasn’t the same. he wasn’t here, and though she tried to tell herself it was fine, that she didn’t need to see him every day, she couldn't help the way her thoughts drifted back to him. to the last time they spoke. to the way he always seemed to appear out of nowhere, like some kind of mirage, and then somehow make the air feel just a little bit lighter.

she hadn't seen him for days—he’d mentioned something about traveling, which, in her mind, had only made him seem even more distant, like he was off somewhere doing something important. she couldn't quite figure out how she felt about that. part of her wanted to believe it was just the simple, fleeting nature of their interactions, that she'd be perfectly fine without him. after all, they barely knew each other.

but, there was something about him. something that kept tugging at her, something she couldn’t shake, no matter how much she tried to keep herself busy with her coursework or with her crochet projects. every time she made coffee at home, she wondered if it tasted like the one he’d gotten her. that cookie butter latte. the one he seemed so taken with. the one she couldn’t help but think about every time her mind wandered.

it wasn’t even about the drink anymore—it was about him.

as much as y/n didn’t want to admit it, there was something magnetic about him. not just the way he looked, though he was undeniably handsome, but the way he made her feel. seen, even in the briefest moments of their conversations. he didn’t ask for much, didn’t try to push her past her boundaries, but he was there—always just a little bit closer than she was ready for.

y/n found herself wondering what he was doing now. what he was thinking. if he ever thought of her the way she was thinking of him. she had no way of knowing, of course. he was a stranger. just the handsome boy from the coffee shop.

he’d slipped in and out of her life so seamlessly that she had barely noticed. until now, when he wasn’t there anymore.

levi sat on the bus to newcastle, the city’s skyline fading behind him, and couldn’t help but think of her. the girl from the coffee shop. the one who, despite her quiet nature, had managed to capture his attention with nothing more than a smile and the faintest of glances.

it hadn’t been a big deal when he’d first noticed her, but now? now it felt different. it was the little things. the moved her hair from her faxe when when she was focused, the way she looked down when she smiled, as if she were shy about it. the way she’d corrected him when he’d called her knitting “crocheting” the other day—it had been a small thing, but he’d liked it. liked how she didn’t let him get away with things, even in passing.

he found himself thinking about their conversations more than he should have. wondering what she was doing, where she was, what she was thinking. maybe it was the fact that he was so used to people coming and going, but with her, it felt different. like she was a part of something he didn’t quite understand, but couldn’t stop thinking about.

he knew nothing about her, other than the small details she’d shared—she went to school, studied something, but had never told him exactly what. he didn’t know her name, didn’t even know what made her laugh the hardest. but still, he found himself wishing he could know. wishing he could be the one she reached out to. wishing he could see that smile again.

and yet, despite all of that, he hadn’t gotten her number. hadn’t asked her for it. maybe it was the fact that their interactions felt like something so casual, so simple, that asking for something more felt... strange. he didn’t want to ruin what they had, even if it was fleeting. he wasn’t sure if he was ready to push for more—maybe because he didn’t know what that even meant with someone like her.

but damn it, he thought as he gazed out the window, he missed her.

back at the café, y/n found herself checking her phone more often than usual. the same notification that had come through earlier in the day had now come through again. a message from one of her friends. but she didn’t really care about that. her eyes darted to the door when she heard the jingle of the bell. he wasn’t there. of course, he wasn’t. he was away.

the thought made her chest tighten, and she found herself biting her lip, fighting against the way her mind kept trailing back to him. she didn’t even know his name. didn’t know anything about him other than the fact that he liked the same spot she did. and that somehow, that was enough for her.

y/n let out a breath, trying to focus on her work, but it was impossible not to think of him. she hated how much his absence had affected her, even if she didn’t know how to put it into words. there was something magnetic about him, something in the way he looked at her that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t just the girl sitting at the table, minding her own business. she was her.

the thought made her smile, despite herself. and that damn smile, she couldn’t even explain it. it was like it had a life of its own.

it had only been a few days. but she couldn't help wondering if he was thinking of her too. if he was sitting wherever he was, lost in his own thoughts, just like she was.

the next day, y/n walked into the café, the familiar chime of the door ringing in her ears. she looked around, expecting to find her usual spot empty, as it had been for the past few days. but this time, her gaze immediately found him—the boy from the coffee shop.

he was sitting in his usual seat, but this time, there was a small change. two cups sat on the table in front of him, each one steaming gently, a soft swirl of vapor rising from the tops. his presence seemed to fill the space in a way it hadn’t before, and y/n felt an odd sense of relief settle over her. she couldn’t explain why, but the sight of him, sitting there waiting for her, made her feel oddly happy. maybe it was because she hadn't realized how much she'd missed him until now.

he hadn’t seen her yet, so she took a deep breath before walking over, the heels of her boots clicking softly on the floor as she approached. when he finally looked up, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“you’re here early today,” she commented, settling into her seat across from him.

levi didn’t answer right away, his eyes briefly flickering between the two cups before he looked back at her. he didn’t want to make it obvious, but he’d been waiting for this moment all morning. it felt... comforting to see her again, like a small piece of normalcy in the whirlwind of his own thoughts.

“yeah,” he said with a small grin, his voice steady, “wanted us to try something new together.” he pushed one of the cups in her direction. “this one’s for you. a little something different.”

y/n raised an eyebrow, her fingers instinctively reaching for the cup. “new, huh? what’s the catch?”

“no catch,” he said, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. “just thought it might be nice to... mix things up.” his voice was casual, but there was something in the way his eyes softened when he looked at her that made her heart race just a little faster.

she smiled as she picked up the cup, the warmth of it radiating through her fingers. taking a small sip, she was surprised at how much she liked it. the flavor wasn’t overpowering but had a sweetness to it that lingered on her tongue.

“okay,” she said, setting it back down with a raised eyebrow. “this... is actually really good. what is it?”

he hesitated for a second, not because he didn’t know, but because he wasn’t sure how to explain it without making it sound like he was showing off. he didn’t want to reveal too much, didn’t want her to think that he was that guy.

“it’s a caramel hazelnut latte. i thought you might like something a bit sweeter,” he replied, his gaze flicking to her.

“yeah,” she nodded, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. “you definitely know what you’re doing.” she leaned back slightly in her chair, looking at him with a small smirk. “you’ve got good taste. i’ll give you that.”

levi felt a small chuckle escape his lips, his usual reserved nature slipping for just a moment. “glad to know i didn’t completely mess up.”

they sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds, both sipping their drinks, enjoying the warmth that filled the space between them. levi’s eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than usual, watching the way she curled her fingers around the cup, the way her gaze flicked to the window, as if lost in thought.

“how was your trip?” she asked, breaking the silence, her voice soft but curious.

he stiffened slightly, caught off guard by the question. he wasn’t used to sharing details of his personal life with people, especially not when he didn’t know where it would lead. but somehow, with her, it didn’t feel as hard as it usually did.

“it was... fine,” he replied after a beat, shifting in his seat. “same old. long hours on the road. nothing too exciting.”

y/n nodded, sensing there was more he wasn’t saying but not pressing him for it. “i get that. the whole traveling thing must get old.”

“yeah,” he said, his fingers tapping against the rim of his cup, “but it’s part of the job.” he paused, his mind racing for a moment. then, before he could stop himself, he added, “though... i can’t say i missed the long bus rides or the hotel rooms.”

she smiled at that, her gaze softening. “sounds rough.”

“you have no idea,” he said, his voice lighter than before.

she looked at him then, really looked at him, and for a brief moment, levi felt a strange sort of vulnerability settle in his chest. he wasn’t used to people looking at him like that. like they cared.

he quickly cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. “but enough about me. what about you? how’s school going?”

the question caught her off guard, but she shrugged, not wanting to seem too eager to talk about herself. “it’s going alright. i’m just... trying to keep up, you know? exams are coming up soon, so it’s been a bit hectic.”

“i bet,” he said, his voice laced with genuine interest. “must be tough balancing all of that.”

“yeah, well,” she paused, taking another sip of her drink, “i manage. just a little more coffee and a lot of late nights.”

he chuckled, a soft sound that made her smile involuntarily. “yeah, well, you’ve definitely got me hooked,” he admitted with a grin. “i didn’t really need coffee before, but i think you’ve converted me.”

y/n raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a teasing smile. she leaned forward slightly, her gaze meeting his with a hint of mischief. “are you sure it’s the coffee you need?” she asked, her voice light but laced with something deeper.

levi froze for a moment, caught off guard by her sudden flirtation. she was really flirting with him, wasn’t she? the girl who always seemed so composed, so hard to read, was throwing him off balance with just a few words. the playful glint in her eyes only made it harder for him to stay focused. he tried to laugh it off, but there was a nervous edge to it.

“what do you mean?” he asked, trying to sound casual, though his heart had picked up its pace.

she shrugged, her lips curling upward as she leaned back into her chair. “oh, nothing,” she said, her voice soft but teasing. “just thinking... you seem to get a little lost in your thoughts these days.”

levi blinked, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. he knew she was being playful, but the way she said it made him feel exposed in a way he wasn’t used to. he ran a hand through his hair, trying to regain his composure, but he was already hooked on the way her words had made him feel.

“you think i’m lost in my thoughts?” he asked, a playful edge creeping into his tone as he leaned forward, mirroring her position. “maybe you’re just distracting me.”

she laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement, but there was something different about the way she looked at him now. she was still holding that confident, almost untouchable energy, but there was a softness to it. it was as if they were playing this delicate game of flirtation, testing the waters without really admitting anything.

“maybe,” she said, a coy smile tugging at her lips. “but it’s a good distraction, don’t you think?”

levi wasn’t sure how to respond. he had come here expecting another quiet, easy conversation, but now everything felt charged with an intensity he hadn’t expected. it was as if the dynamic between them had shifted in an instant, and he didn’t quite know how to navigate it. still, he couldn’t deny that he liked it—liked the way she was making him feel, liked the way the air between them had thickened.

“i don’t know,” he said, his voice lowering just a touch. “guess i’ll have to keep coming back to find out.”

y/n tilted her head, studying him, and for the first time, levi saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. it was subtle, like a crack in a mask she’d perfected over time, but he caught it. just for a second. and it made his chest tighten, wanting to see more of her behind that guarded exterior.

“you’re welcome to,” she said, her tone playful but somehow more inviting than before. she picked up her drink again, taking another sip, and they fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, the tension between them almost palpable.

“how was the trip, though?” she asked after a beat, bringing the conversation back to something more grounded. she didn’t want to dwell too much on the moment, but she couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on behind his cool exterior.

he hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give too much away. “work trip,” he said simply. “nothing exciting. just the usual.”

y/n nodded, her gaze softening. “you know, you don’t have to be so mysterious all the time. i won’t bite.”

he chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair again. “i don’t know,” he said, his tone teasing. “you seem like you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve.”

she smirked, clearly enjoying the back and forth. “maybe. but you’re just as mysterious as i am, aren’t you?” she tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly. “can’t hide behind that charm forever.”

he leaned in slightly, his voice low and playful. “guess we’ll just have to keep finding out about each other then, won’t we?”

she looked at him, their eyes locking for a brief moment, the flirtation between them lingering in the air like an unspoken promise. for the first time, levi wasn’t sure where this was going, but he knew one thing for sure—he didn’t want it to end.

and y/n, despite all her usual composure, couldn’t help but feel the same.

there was a brief silence before she tilted her head, studying him in a way that made him feel both self-conscious and oddly seen. she didn’t know who he was—what he did for a living—but she seemed to be genuinely interested in him, and he couldn’t help but feel the need to keep that illusion intact, just a little longer.

her eyes narrowed playfully, but she said nothing more, just taking another sip of her drink as they both sat in comfortable silence, the world around them fading as the moment stretched on.

and for levi, that quiet, unspoken connection—no matter how small or fleeting—felt like something worth holding on to.

the café was unusually quiet when y/n arrived, her usual table by the window empty for once. she was already there, seated with her laptop in front of her, but something was different today. usually, she had a crochet project or a book, but now she was hunched over her laptop, fingers flying over the keys, her brows furrowed in frustration. the tension in her posture spoke volumes. levi hadn’t even noticed at first—he’d been so used to seeing her relaxed, calm, even playful—but today, she seemed anything but.

when levi walked in, he didn’t expect to see her first. the sight of her there, looking so different from the usual sunny demeanor he was used to, made his heart twist in an unfamiliar way. he ordered their usual drinks, and without a second thought, made his way toward her, two steaming cups in hand.

he took a step closer, then another, his eyes scanning the table. "hey," he said softly, and she startled slightly, glancing up from her screen, her face tense. she tried to mask it with a small smile, but levi could see right through it. there was something off, something she wasn’t letting on.

"hey," she replied, her voice strained. "what’s up?"

he set the cups down on the table gently and leaned in a little, studying her. "you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle but curious. it wasn’t like her to be so absorbed in work, to be so... off balance. "what’s wrong?"

she gave a small shrug, trying to brush it off. "what do you mean?" she asked, but the tension in her voice was impossible to miss.

levi tilted his head, his gaze not leaving her. "well, usually you're making something, or reading, or just... doing your thing. i’ve never seen you bring work here before. so... must mean you have a lot on your plate." his words were slow, deliberate, as if he were carefully navigating the space between them, not wanting to overstep but also unable to ignore the concern bubbling up in him.

y/n let out a small huff, and a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "is it that obvious?" she asked, her voice a little sharper than she intended. it was clear she hadn’t expected him to notice, to see through the facade she’d tried to maintain all morning. but levi wasn’t just anyone; he was... different.

before she could retreat into herself, he did something he’d never done before. something that sent a jolt through her chest. he didn’t sit across from her like he always did. instead, he moved around the table, sliding into the seat next to her. the shift in space was almost intimate, the proximity far closer than it had ever been. his large frame pressed up against hers, their shoulders nudged together in a way that left her feeling acutely aware of how close they were.

she blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden closeness. "what are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but she couldn’t move away, couldn't bring herself to make the space between them. instead, she returned her gaze to her screen, pretending to focus on the words before her.

but levi wasn’t having any of it. gently, he reached over and placed a hand on her chin. his touch was featherlight, as if testing the waters, but it was enough to make her body stiffen for a second, caught off guard by the soft, intimate gesture. her breath caught in her throat as he guided her face toward him, forcing her to meet his eyes.

and once she did, she couldn’t look away.

levi’s gaze was intense, searching. it felt like he was prying into her very soul with that look, digging deeper than she was prepared for. it made her heart race, her breath hitching in her throat, but she couldn’t escape it. not from him. not from the way he held her gaze like he was trying to understand her, trying to reach her in a way no one else had.

he whispered, his breath warm against her skin, "talk to me."

and those three words, so simple yet so loaded, broke something inside of her.

y/n blinked rapidly, her chest tightening as a rush of emotion flooded her all at once. her mind raced, and for a moment, she thought she might drown in it. she hadn’t realized how much she needed to talk, how much she needed someone to listen. she hadn’t expected him to be that someone, not like this.

but she couldn’t stop herself.

“it’s this damn group project,” she muttered, her voice cracking slightly. “i’ve been doing everything, everything. no one else is pulling their weight. they’re all either half-assing it or disappearing altogether. it’s like... like they don’t care, and i’m stuck picking up the pieces. it’s not fair. i’m so tired. i can’t keep doing all the work on my own.”

her words spilled out faster than she could stop them, the floodgates breaking open, and for the first time in a long time, she let herself be vulnerable in front of someone. levi didn’t interrupt, didn’t try to comfort her with empty words. instead, he just listened, his eyes never leaving hers as she continued.

"i feel like i’m drowning, like no matter how hard i try, nothing’s good enough. i can’t be the only one carrying the weight of everyone’s mistakes. and i’ve been trying to stay calm, trying to keep everything together, but i just... i just can’t anymore. i’m exhausted." she let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of it all, the pressure pressing down on her chest.

levi didn’t speak for a moment, letting her words hang in the air, the tension between them palpable. then, slowly, he leaned closer, his arm brushing against hers, the warmth of his body grounding her.

“you don’t have to do everything on your own,” he said quietly, his voice soft but firm, like he was trying to make her believe it. “you don’t have to carry everything, y/n. you don’t have to be the only one holding it all together.”

she blinked, the sincerity in his voice making something inside her shift. it wasn’t just the words—it was the way he said them, as if he meant every syllable. he didn’t offer her advice, didn’t try to fix her problems, but his presence, the way he was there with her, offering a quiet kind of support, was enough. it was more than enough.

y/n took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. she wasn’t used to opening up, wasn’t used to being this raw with anyone, but somehow, with levi, it felt different. safer, even.

“thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but levi heard it.

and even though she didn’t say it, he knew what she meant.

levi watched her carefully, the tension slowly easing from her shoulders. the silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable anymore—it was like a quiet understanding, an unspoken connection that neither of them had expected but both felt. he noticed her looking at her screen again, the stress still lingering in her eyes, so he decided to do something, anything, to lighten the mood.

he slid the new drink he’d gotten her toward her, the warm cup resting gently in front of her. "here," he said softly, giving her a small smile. "thought you might like to try this one. it’s a new blend i saw. figured we could see if it’s any good together."

she looked at the cup for a moment, her fingers brushing against it before she met his eyes. "you keep surprising me with these," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. she picked up the cup, her fingers wrapping around the warmth of it, and took a careful sip. immediately, her eyes lit up, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "okay, this... this is actually really good."

levi grinned, pleased with her reaction. he hadn’t known if it would be her thing, but seeing the spark of enjoyment in her face made it worth the guesswork. "i knew it," he said, leaning back in his chair a little. "i have a pretty solid track record."

y/n shook her head, laughing lightly, and for a moment, it felt like the weight of her frustrations had melted away, if only for a little while. the sound of her laughter, soft and genuine, warmed levi in a way he hadn’t expected. it was so rare to hear her laugh, and when it came, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

she took another sip of the drink, her shoulders relaxing further, and levi found himself watching her with a quiet smile. then, without thinking, he slid his hand over to hers, the gesture casual but deliberate, and gently squeezed her fingers.

"look," he started, his voice a little more serious now, though still soft. "if you need help with this project or... whatever else, i’m here, okay? i might not be a hot shot pre-med student like you, but i can at least sit here and look pretty if that’s what you need." he said it with a teasing smile, but there was an edge of sincerity underneath it all.

y/n raised an eyebrow at him, the smallest hint of a playful smirk on her lips. "you? look pretty?" she asked, her voice teasing but light. "i think you might be underselling yourself."

levi’s smile widened, but he stayed quiet for a beat before responding, his tone low, as if he was trying to make her take him seriously despite the playful words. "no, really," he said, his voice softening. "if you need anything—anything at all—i’ll help. even if it’s just sitting here and being a distraction. i’ll do it."

y/n looked at him, her gaze soft, and for a moment, he could tell she wasn’t just seeing the boy who sat across from her at the coffee shop. she was seeing him, the person, the one who cared, the one who wanted to make things easier for her, even if he didn’t have the answers.

"honestly," she said, her voice quieter now, "just having you here is enough. you don’t need to do anything." she looked down at their hands for a moment, her thumb brushing gently over his knuckles before she added, "it’s just... nice. to have someone here."

levi’s chest tightened at her words, and though he wanted to say more, to somehow put into words how much it meant to him, he simply stayed quiet. there was no need for more. sometimes, silence spoke louder than anything else.

he kept his hand in hers, the warmth between them undeniable, and watched as she started to relax, her fingers slowly uncurling from their tense grip around her cup. for once, her eyes weren’t filled with worry or frustration. they were just... soft. and he realized, for the first time in a long time, that maybe he didn’t have to fix everything. maybe being there, just being present, was enough.

and as they sat together, both silently savoring the quiet comfort of the moment, levi knew one thing for certain—he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

levi sat back in his chair, the laughter of his friends and teammates filling the air as the waiters bustled around the table. the dim lighting of the restaurant cast a soft glow over the group, their conversations ebbing and flowing like the clink of glasses and the rhythm of silverware. it was a typical night out—good food, good company, the kind of evening that didn’t require much thought, just relaxation. but levi’s mind wasn’t entirely present.

his gaze flickered to the empty seat next to him, where his friends’ girlfriends had nestled themselves, chatting animatedly with each other. he wasn’t sure why, but his thoughts kept drifting back to her—the girl from the coffee shop.

the memory of her soft laughter, her gentle teasing, the way her eyes would light up when she found something amusing... it lingered with him like the scent of freshly brewed coffee, something impossible to shake off. the fact that he didn’t even know her name didn’t help the restlessness in his chest.

"yo, levi, are you even listening, mate?" noni’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. levi blinked, realizing everyone at the table was now looking at him expectantly.

"what?" he replied, his attention snapping back to the group. noni grinned mischievously.

"you’ve been staring off into space for like, the past five minutes," noni said, nudging him with his elbow. "someone’s got a girl on his mind, huh?"

levi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "nah, just thinking about stuff," he muttered, but his tone gave him away. he didn’t want to get into it. not yet.

"oh, really?" cole chimed in, winking at him. "come on, mate, you’ve been acting all... distracted lately. is there someone we don’t know about?"

there were chuckles around the table as several of the guys gave each other knowing looks. levi shifted in his seat, feeling the familiar pull of anxiety creep up on him. he didn’t know how to explain it. he wasn’t used to having his emotions laid bare in front of everyone.

"i do have someone," levi said, his voice quiet, but a little more confident than before. he tried to sound casual about it, though the words left his mouth with an unfamiliar weight. "there’s someone i’m seeing."

the teasing stopped for a second, and the table fell silent as they all looked at him, eyes wide with curiosity. noni was the first to break the silence. "oh really?" he asked, his grin widening. "and what’s her name, then?"

levi froze, a frown tugging at his lips. the question hit him harder than he expected. he had been so careful about not saying anything, so careful not to reveal that he didn’t know her name.

"uhh..." he stammered, feeling the pressure building as all eyes were on him. "i mean... i haven’t really asked yet," he added quickly, trying to play it off.

the table erupted in laughter.

"are you kidding me, levi?" jadon laughed, shaking his head. "you’re telling us you’re seeing a girl, but you don’t even know her name?" he leaned back in his chair, his eyes widening in mock disbelief. "what, are you just calling her 'coffee girl' or something?"

"nah, man, it’s not like that," levi muttered, his face heating up under the attention. he felt himself getting defensive, even though part of him knew they were just joking. "we’ve been talking for a while. i just... i don’t know, things just haven't... come up, you know?"

wes raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing. "wait a minute. you’re telling me you’ve been hanging out with her and you don’t even know her name?" he laughed, nudging cole beside him. "this guy, man. how do you even manage that?"

"you’re not exactly a smooth talker, are you, levi?" cole teased, elbowing him lightly. "what’s next? you’re gonna tell us she doesn’t have a number either?"

levi felt his face flush even deeper. "shut up," he muttered, trying to hide the embarrassment in his voice. but the laughter around him only grew louder.

"you gotta be joking, mate," noni continued, shaking his head. "the newest rolls royce in the prem can’t even get a name out of a girl? you must be slipping."

levi shot him a half-smile, but his mind was elsewhere. part of him wanted to tell them everything—that he didn’t care about her being some random girl, that it wasn’t like what they were implying. it wasn’t just a casual thing to him. but the words didn’t come. instead, he just shrugged, doing his best to keep his cool.

"yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he muttered. "but when it happens, you’ll know."

there was a pause before cole leaned in, giving levi a knowing look. "come on, levi, we’re just messing with you. but seriously, you’re gonna have to get that name soon, yeah? she’s not gonna just let you keep calling her 'coffee girl' forever."

"trust me, i know," levi muttered, rubbing the back of his neck again. "i’ll figure it out."

he tried to push the conversation aside, but as the laughter died down and the conversation turned to other things, levi couldn’t help but feel a small knot in his stomach. he didn’t mind his friends teasing him. in fact, he expected it. but the fact that they were right, that he had no idea how to even start asking for her name, bothered him more than he cared to admit.

as he glanced at the group around him, his thoughts drifted back to her, to the soft curl of her hair, to the way she made everything feel just a little bit warmer whenever she was near. he didn’t even know her name. but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

the soft hum of the coffee shop, the gentle murmur of conversations, the aroma of freshly ground beans—it was all so familiar to levi by now. each visit had become a small ritual, a time where the world outside didn’t matter as much, where the only thing that mattered was the girl who sat in the corner, reading her book or typing away at her laptop, always so absorbed in her own world.

it had been a month since their first meeting, and levi found himself losing track of time whenever he was with her. he couldn’t help it. she had this way of making everything else fade into the background. even now, as he walked in, the bell above the door chiming softly, he saw her sitting there—calm, relaxed, her eyes glued to the pages of the book in her hands.

he had meant to do it today. he had promised himself he would finally ask her name, that today would be the day. but as soon as his eyes landed on her, that familiar pull in his chest took over, and all thoughts of anything else slipped away.

her posture was soft, her shoulders slightly hunched as she read, her face the picture of concentration. her hair, the same messy braid that he’d come to adore, framed her face in a way that made everything else seem secondary. levi had always been drawn to the way she carried herself, the way she was so quiet yet somehow so... alive in her own space. there was a gentleness to her that made everything around her feel quieter, more peaceful.

he wasn’t sure what it was about her. maybe it was the way she looked at him sometimes, those fleeting moments where their eyes would meet and hold for just a second longer than normal. maybe it was the way she always made him feel like he was the only one in the room, even though they were surrounded by people. or maybe it was just her presence, the way she seemed to fit into the space like she belonged there, and for some reason, levi felt like he belonged with her, too.

his steps carried him toward her before he could stop them, and before he knew it, he was sitting beside her—not across from her, like he usually did, but right next to her. the familiar warmth of her presence immediately wrapped around him, and his breath hitched slightly.

she didn’t seem to notice him at first, her nose still buried in the book. levi couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly beautiful she was, how she didn’t try to stand out or demand attention. she just was. and somehow, that made him want to know her more, made him want to understand the quiet strength behind those deep brown eyes.

he leaned in slightly, just close enough to let his shoulder brush against hers. her breath hitched slightly, and she glanced up, her eyes meeting his. for a moment, neither of them spoke, as if the world had slowed down just for them.

“you’re here early today,” he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. it wasn’t much, but it was enough to break the silence. she smiled, her lips curling upward in that way that made his heart beat just a little faster.

“yeah,” she said, closing her book gently and setting it down on the table. “i wanted to get some reading done before the noise picked up. i’ve been putting it off all week.”

levi chuckled softly. “sounds familiar. i do that with everything.”

the air between them felt charged, electric in the quiet space. he shifted slightly, moving closer, his hand brushing lightly against hers. he hadn’t done that in the past, but for some reason, it felt natural to him now, as if they had somehow crossed into a different kind of space together.

he hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to ask the question that had been gnawing at him for weeks. but the words didn’t come out easily. he didn’t want to make it awkward. he didn’t want to ruin the easy rhythm they had, the comfort of just existing in each other’s space.

she must have sensed the hesitation, because she looked at him curiously, her brow furrowing slightly. “what’s wrong?”

levi swallowed, shaking his head. “nothing, just…” he trailed off, feeling his throat tighten. this wasn’t how he imagined asking. he had thought he’d be smooth about it, or at least more confident, but now he couldn’t find the words. “i just... i’ve been thinking about something,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost vulnerable.

“like what?” she asked, her eyes searching his face.

levi didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to risk making things weird, but it was like the words were already on the tip of his tongue. “i don’t know your name,” he said softly, the truth tumbling out before he could stop it.

for a moment, she didn’t say anything. her eyes widened, and for a brief second, levi thought he’d made a mistake, thought he’d pushed too far. but then she laughed—lightly, almost nervously—and his chest eased.

“that’s... that’s funny,” she said, her voice soft. “i guess i never introduced myself, did i?” she tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening as she looked at him. “my name’s y/n.”

his heart skipped a beat. y/n. the name seemed to fit her in ways he couldn’t explain, like it had been made just for her.

“y/n,” he whispered, savoring the sound of it. he smiled, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. “it’s... perfect.”

the quiet buzz of the coffee shop seemed to fade away as levi let the sound of her name roll around in his head. y/n. he couldn’t help but smile to himself, the relief that washed over him surprising even him. it was such a simple thing—knowing her name—but for some reason, it felt like a milestone.

her smile deepened at the sight of him so obviously pleased with himself, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest. he could have stayed in this moment forever, just sitting here with her, knowing who she was at last.

“so, you’re y/n,” levi said again, as if testing the name out on his tongue. “it suits you.”

her cheeks pinkened just slightly, and she shrugged. “it’s just a name,” she said, her voice soft but with a playful edge to it.

“i don’t know,” levi said, leaning in a little closer, “it feels like it means something more when it’s coming from you.”

y/n raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting him to get all smooth with her, and a tiny laugh bubbled up in her throat. “you really do know how to say things,” she teased.

levi couldn’t help but grin at that. he liked the way she reacted to him, the way she seemed so at ease with his quiet attention, but he could tell there was something more underneath—something that kept her grounded, that kept her in control of the conversation. it intrigued him more than he wanted to admit.

“yeah, well, my mates think you’re made up,” levi said, the playful grin still on his lips. “they can’t believe someone as... amazing as you exists and i’ve never mentioned you before.”

her eyes widened just a fraction, and a laugh escaped her lips. “what? really?”

he nodded, leaning back slightly, trying to stifle a chuckle. “yeah, they think i’m making you up. i mean, who else would i be spending hours with every week just for coffee?”

“it’s the coffee, huh?” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, clearly teasing him. “i’m starting to think i’m just the excuse for you to get out of the house.”

levi laughed, enjoying the way her energy seemed to shift as the conversation lightened. “maybe,” he said, leaning in closer with a grin. “but i’m starting to think it’s not just the coffee anymore.”

y/n gave him a skeptical look, but the corners of her mouth curled up as she set her book aside. “and what��s that supposed to mean?”

“it means that you’re the best part of my day, y/n,” he said, his voice quieter now, the playful tone still there but with a hint of something deeper. “and i don’t want to mess that up.”

her expression softened, and levi could see her fighting the urge to smile. she didn’t say anything at first, her eyes meeting his with a curiosity that made him feel like he was being pulled in all over again.

“i’m just glad you showed up today,” she said after a moment, her voice soft and genuine. “i really needed someone to talk to.”

levi’s heart softened at the sincerity in her tone. he had always been good at reading people, but something about y/n made him feel like he could never really get ahead of her. every time he thought he understood her, she surprised him in the best way possible.

“i’ll always show up,” he said without thinking, the words slipping out before he could stop them. “i’ll be here whenever you need me.”

y/n looked at him for a long moment, as if trying to read something deeper in his words, but then she nodded slowly, her gaze softening.

“that means a lot to me,” she said, her voice quiet but sincere. “thank you.”

he felt a warmth spread through him, a feeling that had nothing to do with the coffee and everything to do with her. for the first time, he felt like he wasn’t just there because it was easy, because it felt good. he was there because he wanted to be.

they sat in silence for a moment, the air between them comfortable, but levi couldn’t shake the feeling that they were slowly moving toward something more. maybe it was just the way she looked at him, or maybe it was the way his heart raced every time she laughed, but he knew one thing for certain: he was falling for her, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

“so,” he said after a beat, trying to break the quiet without losing the intimacy of the moment, “how about we get another coffee before you go back to that book?”

y/n smiled softly, nodding. “that sounds perfect.”

levi stood, his hand brushing hers once more as he made his way to the counter to get them another round. as he walked away, his chest felt lighter, as if the simple act of being with her, of knowing her name, had somehow set something in motion. he didn’t know where this would go, didn’t know what the future held, but for once, he didn’t need to. he was happy just to be here, with her, in this moment.

and maybe that was enough.

she blushed slightly, and levi couldn’t help but reach out, his fingers lightly brushing against hers again. he wasn’t sure why he felt so drawn to her, why he couldn’t seem to stop wanting to be close to her. but as she turned her hand to hold his, just for a second, everything felt right.

he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. “you know, i’ve been thinking about you a lot lately,” he murmured, his voice low and steady.

y/n looked up at him, her eyes flickering with something he couldn’t quite place. “yeah?” she asked, her voice soft, but there was an edge of curiosity in it.

“yeah,” levi said, the words coming more easily now, his hand gently brushing her hair back from her face. “and i don’t think it’s just the coffee.”

her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, levi thought she might say something, but instead, she closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his in a slow, soft kiss that made everything inside him warm. he could feel the gentle tremble in her hands, the way her body seemed to melt into his, and he knew then—he wanted this.

he wanted her.

and as they pulled away, he couldn’t help but smile, his thumb grazing the side of her cheek as their foreheads touched gently.

“you’re perfect, you know that?” he whispered, his voice thick with affection.

and for the first time in a long while, levi felt like everything was falling into place.

levi walked into the training ground the next day with a smile plastered on his face, a little lighter than usual. the guys noticed immediately, their eyes narrowing with the kind of suspicion that only teammates could muster when one of them seemed unusually cheerful.

noni raised an eyebrow. “what’s got you so happy today, levi?” he asked, his voice teasing but with a hint of curiosity.

levi grinned, not able to hide the satisfaction that buzzed in his chest. “i’ve got news,” he said, his tone smug in the way only a guy who’d just learned a girl’s name could be. he paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the way his teammates leaned in, eager to hear what he was about to drop on them.

“my girl’s name is y/n,” levi said, the words flowing out of him easily, his smile never fading.

the table of guys went silent for a second, before all of them burst into laughter. wes slapped him on the back, his grin wide. “wait, hold up,” he said, shaking his head, “you’ve been talking about some girl, and now we finally get a name, and it’s just y/n? you couldn’t have picked a more generic name?”

levi rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but laugh along. “hey, don’t make fun of her,” he said, defending the name, “it suits her. it’s simple, but it fits.”

cole leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “oh, we’ve finally got a name,” he said dramatically. “now we just need the story. come on, levi, give us the details. tell us what makes this y/n so special.”

levi felt a warmth spread through his chest at the mention of her, but he quickly shifted the topic. “nothing too crazy. we’ve been meeting for a while now, just coffee and talking.”

“i swear, levi,” jadon said, his tone light, “you’ve been going on about this y/n for weeks, and now we know her name, and that’s it? no juicy gossip? no exciting stories? you're killing us here, man.”

“look,” levi said, leaning forward with a smirk, “not everything’s got to be dramatic. sometimes it’s just about… being with someone, y’know?”

the guys gave him a knowing look, none of them buying into his easygoing response. “oh, we know,” wes said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “this whole ‘no drama’ thing is the biggest giveaway that levi’s gone soft. wait till y/n hears about this.”

levi shook his head, a smile still on his lips. he’d never been one to show much of his personal life to the guys, but there was something about y/n that made him want to share. he liked the way she made him feel calm, how her presence was enough to keep him centered, and he didn’t mind that they were poking fun at him.

but then, as he sat back, the reality of the situation hit him. he’d been so focused on her, so happy to finally know her name, that he’d completely overlooked something crucial. something that made his stomach twist a little with embarrassment.

his face fell as the thought hit him. “wait…” he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “i never actually told her my name.”

the table went quiet for a second before they erupted into laughter, none of them able to contain themselves. noni let out a loud laugh, holding his stomach. “wait, you’ve been seeing this girl for weeks, talking about her like she’s the best thing since sliced bread, and you’ve never introduced yourself properly?”

levi groaned, slumping into his seat. “i can’t believe this,” he muttered. “how did i not think of that?”

jadon laughed, shaking his head. “man, that’s got to be the most levi thing ever,” he said, still chuckling. “going on about a girl for weeks, and you forget to tell her your name.”

cole, ever the one to find humor in any situation, leaned over with a teasing grin. “what are you gonna do now? show up tomorrow and say ‘hey, i’m levi, nice to finally meet you’? that’s smooth.”

levi buried his face in his hands, cringing. “don’t make me think about it. it’s embarrassing.”

wes, his grin wide, threw his arm around levi’s shoulders in a playful show of support. “honestly, man, you’re lucky she even likes you without knowing your name. but hey, at least you’ve got that one step down, right? maybe next time, just mention it.”

levi shook his head in defeat. “i don’t know how i forgot,” he said, still feeling the sting of it. “i’ve been so caught up in everything else, i guess it just slipped my mind.”

noni patted him on the back. “well, it’s good to know you’re actually interested in her, levi. just don’t screw it up with the whole ‘i’m levi’ bit when you finally tell her, yeah?”

levi looked up at his teammates, finally cracking a grin. “i swear to god, i’m never living this down.”

the guys continued to laugh, and levi couldn't help but join in. even though he felt like a fool, he also knew that this was just another part of the journey with y/n, one that had somehow become more important to him than he ever expected.

he’d fix this. he’d go see her again, tell her his name, and maybe—just maybe—he’d stop embarrassing himself in front of his mates. but for now, he couldn't help but laugh along with them, knowing that the next time he saw y/n, he’d be properly introducing himself.

and that, in the end, was the only thing that mattered.

levi rushed through the streets of london, his breath ragged as his sneakers hit the pavement with each hurried step. he barely noticed the cold night air nipping at his skin, or the buzz of the city around him. all he could think about was getting to the café. getting to her.

it had been on his mind all day, the fact that he hadn’t told her his name. how could he have spent so much time with her, gotten so comfortable, without sharing something so basic? it had gnawed at him, a constant reminder of the one thing he’d missed, the one thing that seemed so simple but so important.

his heart raced as he reached the café, breathless from the sprint. he saw her sitting at her usual spot, her back to him as she focused on her book, the soft glow of the lamp above casting a warm light on her face. she looked so serene, so calm, so entirely her.

levi stepped forward, still catching his breath as he approached her table, trying to steady himself. when she turned to look at him, her expression soft and curious, he felt his heart jump.

“hey,” he panted, stopping just in front of her. he stood tall, his chest heaving from the run. “my name is levi,” he said, the words feeling heavier than he expected. “i realized i never told you.”

y/n blinked at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. “levi?” she repeated, her voice soft but surprised. “what?”

“yeah,” he said, still out of breath. “levi colwill. that’s my name.”

she didn’t seem phased, which only made levi feel more self-conscious. she tilted her head, considering him for a moment, before motioning to the chair across from her. “sit down. you look like you’re going to pass out.”

levi chuckled and collapsed into the chair, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to catch his breath. she slid a water bottle across the table toward him, and he grabbed it gratefully, taking a long drink.

without a second thought, he eased into the seat beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. it had become second nature to sit next to her since that day he’d held her hand while she worked through her group project. now, the proximity felt natural, like it was exactly where he belonged.

as his hand wavered slightly from exertion, she reached out instinctively, her fingers steadying his arm. the warmth of her touch lingered, and levi glanced down, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a grin.

he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked at her. “if you wanted to kiss me, you could’ve just asked,” he teased, his voice still a little breathless.

y/n rolled her eyes, but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. “yeah, sure,” she said, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm. “maybe next time.”

her hand lingered on his arm longer than she meant to, her touch grounding him in a way he couldn’t explain. levi glanced back up, his grin softening into something more earnest. “i’ll hold you to that,” he murmured, his voice quiet but steady, his gaze unwavering as it locked on hers.

he leaned back in his chair, finally feeling his heart slow down to a more reasonable pace. the air between them felt different now, more relaxed somehow, now that he’d finally said it. “you know,” he said, his voice soft but serious, “i’ve been thinking about this. i’ve been talking to you for weeks, and i never once told you my name.”

“i know,” she said casually, her eyes meeting his with an intensity he hadn’t expected.

he froze. “wait, what?”

“i know who you are, levi,” she said, her gaze steady as she watched him. “levi colwill. you play for chelsea.”

levi blinked, confusion creeping into his expression. “back up. you’ve known who i was this whole time?” he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and disbelief. “since when?”

she shrugged, her lips curving into a small smile. “levi, you play for chelsea. i’m from west london. you don’t think i knew who you were?” her smile turned a little softer as she added, “your face is plastered around stanford bridge. my family are huge chelsea fans.”

levi stared at her, his mind spinning as the realization set in. all this time, she had known exactly who he was—and had never said a word. he couldn’t help but laugh, a small, incredulous sound. “seriously? you knew, and you didn’t say anything?”

“no,” she replied, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks as she looked down at her hands. “i didn’t want to make it awkward. especially because... well, you never told me your name or mentioned anything about work. i just assumed... i didn’t want to make it weird.”

levi’s chest tightened with something unspoken, something deeper. he moved closer to her, the space between them growing smaller. his hand reached for her chin, lifting her face gently to meet his gaze. she blinked up at him, her eyes wide but softened by the trust they had slowly built.

“you make me forget my own name, y/n,” levi whispered, his voice low and sincere. “you’re so beautiful, and every time i’m around you, time just... blinks by. i can’t stop thinking about you. i don’t know what it is about you, but there’s something about the way you make me feel like everything else fades. i like you. more than i expected.”

he paused, his thumb gently brushing against her skin as he continued to hold her chin, keeping her gaze steady. “i don’t even know when it happened, but i can’t stop thinking about you. every moment i’m not with you feels like too long.”

her breath hitched slightly, and she didn’t look away, holding his gaze with a vulnerability he hadn’t expected to see. “i like you, too,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “i didn’t want to admit it, but i’ve been waiting for you to say it first. i didn’t want to feel stupid.”

levi’s heart surged in his chest, a sense of relief washing over him. he had been nervous, unsure, thinking about all the ways he might mess it up. but here, in this moment, it felt right. it felt real.

he let go of her chin and placed his hand on the table between them, leaning back in his seat just slightly, though the tension between them still buzzed in the air. “you have no idea how happy i am to hear you say that,” he said quietly, his smile softening. “it’s like i’ve been trying to figure this all out, and now, it just feels... easy.”

y/n smiled at him, a gentle, knowing smile, and for the first time, levi felt like he wasn’t trying so hard. like all the pieces were finally falling into place.

“i’m glad,” she said, her voice a little lighter now. “but we should definitely talk more about this. i mean, we’ve been doing the whole ‘secretly liking each other’ thing for a while now.”

levi laughed, the sound easy and full of warmth. “yeah, definitely. no more secrets.”

and with that, the world seemed to settle around them. everything felt a little clearer, a little simpler. and for the first time in a while, levi didn’t feel like he was chasing time—he was simply living it.

levi’s heart was still racing, but this time, it wasn’t from running or nerves—it was from being so close to her, from the way her soft gaze met his, from the way everything in the room seemed to fade except for the two of them. the air between them felt electric, charged with something that had been building up for weeks, and now it was almost unbearable. he could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on them, drawing them closer, and there was no escaping it anymore.

he pauses, his fingers gently brushing her cheek as he looks into her eyes, the air between them thick with anticipation. "can i kiss you?" he asks softly, his voice low, as if the question itself could break the moment.

she breathes in, caught off guard by his words but not by the warmth that rises in her chest. she nods, a quiet smile tugging at her lips, the answer unspoken but clear.

and then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he closes the distance, capturing her lips with his in a kiss that feels like everything he’s been holding back.

he leaned in just a little, his hand still resting lightly on the table. y/n didn’t pull back, didn’t shy away. her eyes flickered to his lips, and for a second, the world outside of them didn’t exist. it was just them, in this small café, the quiet hum of the city fading as their breathing slowed. levi’s heart pounded in his chest, his mind fighting against the impulse, but he couldn’t stop himself.

with a slow, deliberate motion, he closed the distance between them, his hand gently cupping her face as his lips brushed against hers. it was soft at first, tentative, like they were both testing the waters, unsure but so sure at the same time. he could feel her breath against him, warm and steady, and it only made him want to deepen the kiss.

y/n responded in kind, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm before she let them settle on his chest, pulling him closer. the kiss grew bolder, more urgent, as if they were both afraid if they didn’t give in completely, it would slip away. levi’s hand moved to the back of her neck, pulling her into him as their lips met again with more force, more passion. everything about the kiss felt real—raw, honest, full of longing.

when they finally pulled back, their foreheads resting together, levi’s breath was shallow, his lips still tingling from the contact. he looked at her, his eyes soft but filled with an intensity that made her heart skip. her hands were still on his chest, her fingers tracing small circles against his shirt, as if grounding herself in the moment.

"you... you really know how to make a guy forget his name," levi murmured, his voice husky from the kiss.

y/n laughed softly, the sound full of warmth and affection. “i guess i’ve had practice,” she teased, her fingers gently pressing against his chest. "i mean, it’s not every day you get kissed by someone who makes you forget your own name."

levi chuckled, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. “you know, i’ve never felt this much for anyone.”

she smiled back, her eyes sparkling with something new. “i know exactly what you mean.”

they sat there for a moment, just breathing in the quiet, content in the realization that the tension that had been building between them had finally, beautifully, exploded into something they both wanted. everything else seemed to fade as they just sat there together, wrapped in the stillness, knowing they had just crossed a line they wouldn’t be able to uncross, but one they were both happy to have crossed.

EPILOGUE

it's been over a month now since that night at the café, and levi can't believe how easily it feels like time is slipping by when he's with her. he can’t remember the last time he was this happy, this comfortable, this himself.

they've had their fair share of quiet nights in, curled up together on his couch or in his bed, the soft hum of music in the background as they talk or simply exist in each other's space. on days when she’s overwhelmed with university work, he holds her hand while she studies, a small touch that seems to anchor her. he watches her, marveling at how focused she is, the way her brows furrow slightly when she’s deep in thought.

and when the weight of everything gets too much, he’s there to pull her into his arms, wrapping her up in his embrace like he can shield her from everything else. it’s as if being in his arms is her safe place, the one place she can let everything go.

she’s made him a few things to wear—sweaters, scarves, even a beanie—and he proudly wears them in his pre-game fits. he tells anyone who asks about them, a grin on his face, “my girlfriend made it,” and when his teammates tease him about it, he doesn’t care. he’s proud of her, proud of what she’s created with her hands, proud of the girl who’s somehow managed to worm her way into his life, his heart.

today, they’re at a chelsea holiday dinner, the kind of gathering that brings together teammates, coaches, friends, and family. levi’s arm is wrapped around her waist, and she's walking beside him like she belongs there, her presence a comfort to him.

as they make their way to their seats, the guys from the team spot them, and their eyes widen in disbelief when they see who levi’s brought with him.

"wait," noni says, squinting like he's trying to make sure he's not imagining things. "this is her?"

"yeah," levi replies, trying to keep his cool but failing. "my girl, y/n."

cole bursts out laughing, shaking his head. "no way, man. this is the girl you’ve been talking about?"

"yeah, man," levi says, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "what’s the problem? she’s real, isn’t she?"

"i can't believe it," jadon says, eyes wide in mock horror. "we honestly thought you made her up to make us jealous."

"yeah, bro," wes chimes in, grinning. "we thought you were just describing some perfect girl you were dreaming about. never thought you'd actually bring her here."

levi rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "seriously? she's real, alright? and she's with me, so you better get used to it."

y/n just laughs, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she glances at levi, her hand slipping into his. "i think they’re just shocked you finally found someone who’s actually real," she teases him, a playful glint in her eyes.

"well, i’m shocked too," levi says, pulling her close for a moment before turning back to his teammates. "but she’s mine now, and i couldn’t be more grateful."

the dinner is full of laughter, food, and good company, and as the night winds down, the music plays softly in the background. levi pulls her onto the dance floor, holding her close as they sway to the rhythm of the song.

"you’re really here," he murmurs in her ear, his voice soft and low, as though he can’t quite believe it.

"you’re lucky," she whispers back, her smile lighting up her face, "i could’ve been somewhere else tonight."

"yeah, i’m really lucky," he says, pulling her a little closer, their bodies fitting together perfectly. "i’m the luckiest guy here."

and as the song plays on, the world around them fades. it's just them, in their own little bubble, wrapped up in each other’s arms, dancing the night away.

“you’re really here,” he murmurs in her ear, his voice soft and low, as though he can’t quite believe it. there’s a wonder in his tone, a quiet disbelief at the simple joy of having her here with him.

she glances up at him, her smile warm, the corners of her lips turning up in a teasing way as she steps a little closer. “you’re lucky,” she whispers back, her voice playful yet affectionate. “i could’ve been somewhere else tonight.”

levi chuckles softly, the sound rich and genuine, and for a moment, the world seems to slow. the laughter from the dinner table, the chatter, the clinking of glasses, it all becomes distant as he pulls her a little tighter, their bodies now almost perfectly in sync. “yeah, i’m really lucky,” he says, his words serious now, as if he’s speaking the truth he’s known deep down for a while but only just realized how much it means. "i’m the luckiest guy here."

she lets out a breathless laugh, her hand resting against his chest, fingers tracing the subtle beat of his heart. “how did i get so lucky?” she asks, the hint of vulnerability in her voice betraying just how much she’s been feeling in this moment, in his arms.

he doesn’t answer with words at first, instead tightening his grip on her slightly, as if he’s afraid to let go, afraid that saying something might shatter the spell they’re both caught under. so he just sways with her, his chest rising and falling steadily, their feet moving together in a slow, effortless rhythm, as though they’ve been doing this for years.

the music swells softly in the background, the warm tones wrapping them both up like a familiar blanket. it’s as if nothing else in the world matters, as if the only thing that exists is this—her in his arms, him holding her, and the soft, steady beat of the music guiding them through the night.

her fingers curl around his, and she lifts her head to meet his gaze. their eyes lock, and for a heartbeat, time seems to freeze. it’s as if everything they’ve been through, everything that’s brought them to this moment, is reflected in the quiet depth of his look.

“i think,” levi starts, his voice thick with emotion, “i think you make everything feel… effortless. like this.” his thumb brushes across the back of her hand as he speaks, his eyes never leaving hers. “i’ve never been someone who believed in fate or anything like that, but when i’m with you, it’s like everything just falls into place. i don’t have to try. i don’t have to fight it.”

she blinks, caught off guard by the raw sincerity in his words. it feels like they’re no longer in a crowded room filled with people, no longer at a dinner with friends. it’s just the two of them, alone in this moment, standing in the space between words and feelings, surrounded by nothing but the truth of what’s been building between them.

“levi…” she starts, her voice soft, almost shy, but he cuts her off gently, pressing a finger to her lips.

“let me finish,” he says, a soft smile tugging at his lips. he brushes her hair from her face, the touch so tender, so reverent, like she’s something too precious to take for granted. “i don’t know what it is about you, but when i’m with you, it’s like the rest of the world disappears. and i don’t even need to know the answer, because it doesn’t matter. all that matters is that you’re here with me. just like this.”

her heart skips a beat, overwhelmed by the depth of his words, by the feeling of finally being seen for exactly who she is. all the things she’s kept hidden, the parts of her she thought no one would ever truly understand—he sees them. and he chooses them.

“you don’t need to say anything else,” she whispers, her voice barely above a breath. “i already know.”

levi smiles then, his heart swelling in his chest. the weight of everything between them—the moments of quiet understanding, the shared laughter, the long talks, the feeling of finally finding someone who makes everything feel right—comes crashing over him in a single wave of emotion. he leans down, his lips brushing against her forehead softly, lingering there, not wanting to break the magic.

and as the song continues to play in the background, it’s as though everything else fades into nothingness. the chatter from the dinner, the clinking of glasses, the bustling around them, it all disappears. there is only levi, and there is only her, and in this moment, that is all they need.

they sway for what feels like hours, their movements slow, their steps in perfect sync. every now and then, levi looks down at her, catching the way her eyes flutter closed when he brushes his lips against her temple, the way her breath catches when he pulls her a little closer, a little tighter. it’s perfect. more perfect than he could have ever imagined.

“hey,” she whispers suddenly, her voice playful again, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she tilts her head back to look at him. “i think i’m the lucky one, levi.”

he raises an eyebrow at her, his grin returning. “oh, yeah?” he says, his voice teasing, but there’s still a layer of softness in it. “and why’s that?”

“because,” she says, leaning in close enough to whisper directly into his ear, “i got you.”

his heart skips another beat, and he pulls back slightly to look at her, his smile wide, his eyes bright with affection. he doesn’t have to say anything, because the way he looks at her says it all. in this moment, with everything they’ve shared, everything they’ve built, they both know the truth: this is just the beginning.

and as the music plays on, levi holds her close, and she holds him back, their hearts beating together in perfect harmony as they dance the night away, knowing that no matter what comes next, they’ve already found something worth fighting for.

© PDRIESTA 2024

[aetherdoesthings]

hanahaki!reader x arlecchino part 2

forethoughts: i'm aetherdoesthings, of course i don't stick to my schedule. anyways, apologies if the timing of this fic seems wonky. i had specific scenarios in my head when i was planning this, with each stage of filming, which i have no clue about because that is not the path i took, so yeah :]. enjoy early upload!

notes: alocohol mentioned!!! drinking is in this!!! reader does drink!! don't be like reader this was just for plot drink responsibly guys!!! modern setting, arlecchino and reader are actresses, fem!reader, hanahaki au

“So, how’s everything? Still coughing up a storm?” You choked on your coffee when you heard that familiar voice, echoing in your head like a broken stereo. 

“I guess you still are. Wow, an entire year?” Arlecchino chuckled, pressing a few buttons on the coffee machine. “So what did the doctor say? Just a cough? Cold? Colds don’t last for a year. Doesn’t look like a fever.”

“R-Right, u-um, just a cough. Y-Yeah.” You nodded your head, mustering up a smile.

Damn it, Y/N, you’re an actress. Act. You scolded yourself on your performance. 

“Alright then.” Arlecchino gazed at your smile, one finding its way onto hers. “I hope you’ll be okay; tomorrow is all about shooting promotion videos and the day after traveling from studio to studio to do interviews.”

Your face instantly paled at Arlecchino’s words. Shit. Promo week. No rest, non stop smiling, repeating the same phrase over and over again on different networks and platforms. The worst part was that Arlecchino was right by your side the entire time during the shoot, acting all lovey dovey towards you to sell to the audience that the two of you were playing a pair of couples. Then again, you would be lying if you said you weren’t excited to read comments after comments of netizens shipping the two of you together. Your heart fluttered at the thought, the child inside you kicking their feet in the air as you held back a grin. Well, you held the grin back, but not the cough.

Your left hand shot up to your mouth, your body already letting the cough take place, letting the petal travel up your esophagus and into your palm. You didn’t like how your body was already used to the feeling of having a part of a flower regurgitate out of you, muscles immediately jumping into action and making way for the disease in your lungs. Your stomach churned as Arlecchino rubbed her hand on your back, trying to comfort you and make you feel better.

“Oh, Y/N…” Arlecchino’s hand took the hand that was on your mouth, holding it in hers as she made you look at her. It took every single willpower inside you to not blush or let any sort of heat course through your body, biting down a whine as her fingers found its way to your chin. Your bones turned into toothpicks, joints threatening to disappear. 

“Are you sure you are going to be alright? You don’t need to power through all those interviews if you physically cannot-”

“I can.” A surge of stubbornness and pride overpowered your senses. Arlecchino didn’t know you were in love with her, and Arlecchino certainly did not need to know you were in love with her, and that you were a weak little coward that let a disease run your life.

“I can.” You repeated yourself, nodding your head. “I’ll power through. I promise.”

You felt like you were telling yourself that more than you were telling Arlecchino. 

Arlecchino stared at you, those crimson eyes giving you no clue into what she felt. Arlecchino pursed her lips, before removing herself from you. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, darling.”

And just like that, Arlecchino left the room, her hands leaving your body. You let out a gasp at the missing touch, confused and baffled by her actions, cheeks flaring red at her nickname for you. All alarms in your brain all went off at once, your stomach doing a backflip and your vertical toothpicks turning horizontal. You looked at your left hand, noticing the empty palm. That’s strange. A flower petal was always there after your skin turned red and you got lightheaded. Your mind flashed back to Arlecchino’s hand around yours, how you thought her act of intertwining your fingers was supposed to be an effort to comfort you. 

Oh, how naïve you were.

Arlecchino had the petal.

Arlecchino knew.

Arlecchino was going to have the evidence she needed to confirm her suspicions.

How would she even know-

You always coughed whenever she got close or when you talked to her, you idiot, and she’s a fucking genius, so she’ll piece everything together! Your brain quarreled with each other, your body leaving the room as you stood there like a soldier made of stone, palm open and empty.

Maybe there wasn’t a petal this time. One side argued.

There always is one. 

But maybe there wasn’t.

You leaned onto that sentence, clinging onto it as if it was your lifeline. Maybe there wasn’t a petal this time when you coughed. Maybe it really was just a cough. It wasn’t a cough from your stupid crush on the beautiful, intelligent-

She definitely knows.

You stared at the bread knife on the table, stabbed into a piece of baguette. If only that baguette was your heart, perhaps you wouldn’t have to deal with the constant yes or no that battled in your head, no side willing to raise the white flag yet. 

This was Arlecchino. Hollywood star with a hundred million followers. Everybody knew her name. No haters, no drama, just an absolute queen living among peasants. And… you were one of those peasants. 

As if Arlecchino would ever love you back.

As if Arlecchino would ever want to spend time with you, a total D tier so-called actress.

But maybe there wasn’t a petal this time.

Maybe. How that word was able to make hope fill your heart and shatter it into tiny pieces.

Furina was giving a speech. You were amongst the crowd of both cast and crew, a glass of wine in your damp grip. Your finger drummed against your pants, waiting for her monologue to end so you could ditch the party. 

Somehow, you managed to survive through the whole filming process, despite having to cough up petals every day. Yes, people turned their eyes towards you, then towards the other normal people to talk about the freak you were. Coughing and disrupting every other scene where Arlecchino’s character had to be in close proximity with you. The minute Furina ended her speech, you snatched a full bottle of wine from one of the serves, disappearing into the blank hallways before anyone could start a conservation with you. You ducked into a nearby broom closet, the walls managing to drown out most of the sound of laughter and conversations. You closed the door behind you, sinking down to your knees as a sigh of relief passed through your lips instead of a petal. With the bottle of wine already opened, you wrapped your lips around the front, chugging all the wine down your throat, hoping that’ll be enough to make you forget your situation, even better end your predicament for you. If the disease wasn’t going to kill you, alcohol will. And you were a much bigger fan of the latter.

The noise did not die down for the rest of your time you spent in the closet, your head resting against the wood. Maybe no one will find you here, and leave you here to rot. Yeah. No one paid attention to you, even though you were supposed to be the co-star of the movie. After all, it was Arlecchino you were working with. Arlecchino. Everyone loved her, everyone wanted a picture with her. You? You were just there to hold her bags. That was all you were worth.

“Oh, Arlecchino.” You laughed into the darkness, head rolling against the door. “Why must you be like this?”

You despised the feeling of helplessness and dependency on another person.

You never intended to fall in love with Arlecchino. The constant need to see her and hear her voice was never desired.

And now there was a damn disease you were plagued with that forced you to confront something you wish never existed.

There were two options to get rid of hanahaki forever. Either you confess your love to Arlecchino and she says yes, or you confess your love to Arlecchino and get rejected. 

“Like she’ll ever love me back.” You laughed, bringing the glass to your mouth, even though it was empty.

Suddenly, the door swung open, causing you to fall onto the wooden ground, drunken eyes readjusting to the harsh lights, a crimson and white figure partially blocking your sight.

“Hmn. So this is what people stricken by hanahaki is like? They drink themselves out of their misery and hide in a broom closet?” Arlecchino’s voice echoed in your head, that signature snarkiness and mockery in her voice. Though there was a tint of warmth and concern in her voice as well, or maybe you were just hallucinating again. 

Yep, you’re done for.

[cloveroctobers]

so yeah — 7. Roman Reigns [Winter Prompts]

A/N: uh oh, I’m dabbling a little more for this man! Also happy holidays to you all because I honestly doubt I’ll have anything else out before whichever holiday you celebrate. Hope you enjoy this piece and that it brings you comfort and feels? 🤪🤍

PROMPTS ARE FROM HERE & I’m using: SITUATIONS — My flight was cancelled and I went home to find my ex cheating on me, so now I'm at this pub.

WARNINGS: Language, break ups, reference to the netflix film, “Malcolm & Marie,” choosing to deal with your emotions at a later time, & strangers to friends trope?

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“Just say the word sis and I’ll slash all three of his tires, kick out the window shield, and leave multiple bad reviews of him as a screenwriter,” your best friend repeats over the phone while you use your elbow to push the swivel doors.

Rolling your bag into the lobby you close your eyes and let out a deep breath, “As much as I appreciate you always sitting on go, Malcolm isn’t worth it and I honestly don’t feel like riding around much more tonight, especially to bail you out.”

“Alright girl…I just wish you wouldn’t be alone on Christmas because of his dumbass.”

Flights were cancelled, “until further notice,” and you accepted that defeat more than anything.

“I won’t be.” You answer as you spy security keeping watch of the entrance to the casino.

The Medallion, the joint hotel and casino was a random spot you decided to stop at after that treacherous revelation you received. You had your own home in Miami, whereas your boyfriend of three years, screenwriter and producer Malcolm Elliot—who had his own home back in LA—thought the greatest gift to give you three days before Christmas, was to have his ex-girlfriend up in your house and bed.

The pulsing anger that dripped from the center of your forehead down to your entire being was tough to vocally describe. You were more angry than hurt because why would he play in your face like that? Putting in all this time just for him to decide to go back to the one relationship that was full of disagreements and doubts, just based off what he told you that is. Ultimately you learned that Malcolm Elliot was not the man or enough for you.

And that’s on Toni Braxton!

Closing your eyes, you took another moment to collect yourself before stepping forward, heels clacking against the polished floor, and bag rolling beside you. The process getting into the casino was easy, it was going on 3am so you understood the slow pace and lack of others as you made your way through the vibrant lights and empty seats.

“What can I get you?”

Snapping out of your daze, you turn your head to the left, response getting caught in your throat for a second as you got a good look of the handsome man behind the bar. He was dressed in a pinstriped tux with a whole tie (that didn’t match) and his dark shiny hair neatly brushed back.

There’s amusement in his eyes as he pushes off the counter, tucking the rag he was just wiping the bar with down below, “Or do you need a few more minutes alone burning a hole into my shelf?”

You scoff, resting your cheek into your balled up knuckles, “Is it that obvious I’m pissed off?”

He shrugs, “It’s not that hard for me to tell…interacting with people and analyzing them is part of the job.”

“Is that so…Mr…?”

He smiles at you and it almost makes your breathing hitch as he takes his time walking over to hold his hand out, “Just call me Joe.”

“Okay, just joe. I’m really a martini kinda girl so whatever you have left that won’t make me pick a fight with one of your machines would be nice.” You place your hand in his, which is actually warm and soft against yours as he gives your hand a firm squeeze.

Joe dips his head as he moves to get to work, “You got it.”

The phone that’s face down on the counter is buzzing madly that the side eye you’re giving it, makes Joe peek at your expression from over his shoulder. “I’m guessing who ever is on the other line, fucked up big time? I also get the impression you hardly ignore a phone call on purpose…depending on who the person is.”

Snatching the phone up, you roll your eyes as you quickly go to shut it off and toss it into the tote bag that seated right on top of your hard suitcase. “you’ve got that right, Joseph! A no good sorry excuse for a man is who’s on the other line. How do you cheat on someone a few days before Christmas? And not just with anyone, a ex who’s also an addict that you put on blast in one of your films?”

The pulsating ache was starting to hit harder now that you had to massage it some. Rolling your shoulders a bit, you sat up straight, trying to get rid of some of the tension. Joe sends a pretty martini your way, which you latch onto.

“I guarantee he’s not as great as he thinks he is…especially if he thinks it’s okay to be disrespectful by cheating and on someone like you.”

“You don’t know me, Joe.”

“Yet…but if you stay here until sunrise, I’m sure you’ll confirm my assumptions for me.”

Waggling your finger, you say with slits in your eyes after tossing back the drink, “I know you’re not trying to get me to partake in getting under to get over, are you Joseph? If so I might just have to turn into a Karen and request to speak to the manager.”

“You’re looking at both the manager and owner.” He states with ease.

“Oop, okay big boss!” You laugh while snapping your fingers, “Just shut me on up.”

“Nah, of course not. We’re just getting started.” The intensity in his eyes is enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, so you just simply roll your eyes, a smile playing on the corner of your lips.

Joe flicks his eyes from your lips back to your eyes, “See…that’s all I want to see tonight. A beautiful smile on an even more stunning woman.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Good lookin’ business man.” You cross a leg over the other, “I’ll take another, please.”

Joe nods as he holds up some fingers, “Your limit will be three, so two more.”

You huff, “I didn’t come here to be bossed around but…it’s fine. I’ve got shrooms in my bag.”

The man frowns, “And you were getting on a flight with those?”

“Of course not!” You shake your head, “I only have enough to make me enjoy the flight.”

Joe wasn’t sure how accurate that was since most people needed someone they trusted to keep them grounded but all he responds with is, “…You are something else.”

“It’s Christmas!” You argue.

The man mutters, “Sounds like an excuse to me.”

“I can be your sugar plum fairy on the dance floor.” You suddenly say, “So you can feel the spirit.”

“…if slow dancing is truly what you want, I’m happy to oblige.” Joe shrugs before continuing on, “You don’t need liquid courage or shrooms to have a good time with me though.”

“You talk a good game…you do this with all your pretty customers?” You stare at him from underneath your eyelashes.

“Nah…I’m actually rarely down here at this hour but there’s a reason I’m here for the dusk shift.” He hands you another and leans over to whisper, “Must have been for me to meet something good.”

“There you go with your assumptions.” You sigh bringing the rim of the cocktail to your lips, “Alright, just call me Joe. Why are you lonesome during the holidays? There’s no chance there’s not someone at home waiting for you?”

He grins at you, lightly caressing at his facial hair, “Are you fishing?”

“Not at all. It’s too cold.” You easily respond, making Joe blink at you, while you hold his stare before slipping him a wink, “C’mon, I’ll give you a synopsis of my shit? I was supposed to be on a flight to visit my family for the holidays, flight got cancelled, went back to my home, just to find my shitty boyfriend who’s in the film industry, entertaining his ex girlfriend, Marie. Sounds like a cheesy sitcom doesn’t it? Malcolm and Marie! Yet I’m the one looking stupid! Those bitches.”

You finish the rest of the drink and slam it back on the counter.

“You’re not stupid.” Joe debates, “No one expects to be cheated on. You just expect someone to love you in return and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s his lost, remember that.”

“Aren’t you sweet but I’m starting to realize maybe I wasn’t in love with him,” you rest your elbows on the counter with a deep sigh before wiggling one finger at him, “But we’re doing no deflecting this morning! We’re basically friends at this point, blabbering at almost four in the morning.”

Joe shrugs with his bottom lip pushed out, “If you say so.”

“Heart to heart now and then we dance our sorrows away?”

Joe fires back with a frown, “Who says I’m sad?”

“You’re here at your place of business all by yourself during the holidays.” You state, “While you should be at home, tucked in bed with a loved one.”

Joe exhaled through his nose, “I got hit with an ultimatum to get married by a certain time and I don’t do well with others planning out shit for me. So…she left, decided to get in a relationship with someone we went to college with, and took the damn dog too.”

“Booo! Not the dog! And here I thought you were going to say she got struck by a car and left for dead or something.” You ramble.

Joe furrowed his brows, “Things don’t always have to be tragic.”

“I hear it builds character.”

Joe felt his eye twitch, “You want me to be the villain?”

“Something tells me you’ve already been through that,” you tilt your head to the side staring at the mysterious man who only gave some details here and there as this part of the world sleeps, “But I think I like talking to this guy instead.”

Joe hums, getting lost in thought but chose not stay much on that. You take this time to look around the empty casino before spinning back around to meet the stranger’s eyes, “Let’s make each other’s wishes come true?”

“Meaning?”

“We dance until sunrise.”

Joe grumbled as he glanced up at the ceiling, “You and this dancing.”

“Don’t tell me you have two left feet?”

“What?” Joe scowls, “I can do a little something.”

“Meet me on the dance floor then.”

Joe asserts, “It’s a casino not the club.”

“Aw, those are probably just closing now.” You’re pouting and it’s honestly the cutest thing the man has ever seen.

“Good, you don’t need to be in there.” Joe states as if it’s a fact, but he can only imagine how you’re in the club and that’s most likely a hand full.

You’re confused, “Where do I need to be?”

“Wherever you want to be.”

“You were supposed to sing Donell jones in that moment and you flopped.”

“…You always this much of a yapper in the mornings?” Joe crossed his arms.

“I maybe a morning person—or night owl? That going to be a problem for you bestie?”

Joe winced, “As long as you stop calling me bestie.”

“Only special people gain that title so you should be honored.” You hop off the stool, stumbling a little bit but catch yourself on the counter as you pick up on a sigh from the man behind you, “All part of my performance, Joseph. Tens across the boards! Now get over here.”

“You’re kinda bossy to someone who can escort you out.”

Spinning with your hair flicking behind you, it’s your turn to turn up the heat, “You’d miss me if you did.”

Joe pretends to think about it, humming but eventually makes his way over to you. You take your time taking in his appearance up close, “Did you ever play football?”

“Yeah…a little.”

“I know a baller when I see one.” You snap your fingers again, “Okay…so tell me…favorite Christmas song of all time?”

“Here’s a secret…” He’s leaning towards you again, “I hate Christmas.”

Gasping you latch onto your fur covered chest and almost choke on your saliva, making the man reach out towards you but you fan him away as you wheeze, “…What’re you some sort of krampus?”

He scrunches up his lips, “Do I look like some sort of half goat, half demon to you?”

“Ask me once the shrooms kick in.” You sass as you walk by him, making Joe pinch the space in between his brows.

When did you even?

“I’m going to assume that it’s because the ex broke up with you on Christmas?” You announce over your shoulder.

Joe slowly follows behind you, hands clasped behind his back as you walk through the aisles of slot machines looking for the perfect spot, “No. She actually did that around my birthday.”

“…I can fight her if you want?”

A rumble of laughter builds in his chest, “Appreciate that but everything isn’t so one sided.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.”

You left space open for the man to elaborate but he doesn’t so you sigh holding out your hands, “Hand in mine, babe. Looks like I’m not going to be the nutcracker tonight—you’re the nut by the way—so hold on to me and all your troubles will be miles away.”

He stares at your hand before cautiously taking yours in his, carefully he places his hand on your waist that buried beneath the warmth of the coat you have on as he predicts, “Have yourself a merry little Christmas?”

“You got it.” You sniff as you step closer and get a whiff of how good Joe smells: warm, woody, and slightly floral yet sweet, “That one makes me cry every time.”

“Hey now,” Joe moves to snake his arm around your waist as if to steady you if your knees so happened to get weak again, “There’s no need for that when you’ve got an Angel right in front of you.”

You snort out some laughter going to rest your head on Joe’s chest, which catches him off guard but he keeps on swaying.

“…You still believe in Christmas after what that Malcolm asshole did?”

You find comfort in Joe’s chest while keeping the tune of your favorite song in your head, “‘Course. Christmas is about a lot of things but just because someone did me wrong doesn’t mean all the love that I still have should go to waste, ya know? So shut up and feel my love, stranger turned bestie.”

It’s joe turns to roll his eyes but he takes in your words. You’re the woman that walked into his place of business, freshly cheated on, and ready to shoot laser eyes into the bottles that sat on the shelf, yet as time went on with a little liquor on your side and “magic,” Joe felt like just maybe your presence alone was supposed to be here.

To remind him that the holidays didn’t have to be so dreadful like they’ve been the past few years.

Slow dancing together with no one in the room was so intimate, so personal, and it wasn’t something Joe would be open to. There’s plenty of others who may or may not have been under the influence who have tried but he always had his business face on walking through. He’s been closed off for a while now and here he was with you, someone that he didn’t know who’s just been thrown for a loop, who just wanted to have a kind moment that didn’t feel so shitty.

Joe started to feel like he should be glad that he could provide that for you, without truly knowing you.

Maybe he did.

When the alarm goes off, signaling that it was time for him to shut down the casino, it brings you two out of your own little world. He’s clearing his throat, watching as you slowly lift your head from his chest. He wants to caress your face but feels like that might be too much, so he just gives your hand that he’s still holding onto, a gentle squeeze before stepping back to close out.

You’re back on the stool, room slightly spinning in various colors as you smile with your chin tucked on your fingers.

“Ive got to count the cash in the back but you’re welcome to stay here if you want…as long as you don’t fall asleep on me.” Joe’s got the register drawer in his hands as he glances at you.

You’re swaying but respond, “I’m far from tired…I actually want ramen.”

He laughs, “fortunately for you, I know a guy. If you want to stick around? We can head out to the lounge to enjoy it together?”

“I’d like that, Joseph.”

It’s a breath taking smile he sends your way before leaving you to enjoy your trip briefly. You’re not sure how long he’s gone until his hand touches the back of your bare neck that your Bob doesn’t fully cover. Together you take your things, walking towards the lobby as Joe locks up the casino doors before turning back to you. He leads the way to the lounge thats tucked to the right of the casino by the shut down escalators, leaving you again but not without telling his security, Heyman, to watch over you, while he went to retrieve the ramen you mentioned.

Once he returns, he doesn’t hesitate sitting beside you. He has all various types of the dish that has you smiling even harder now.

“Forgot to ask which you prefer so I figured why not get all from my guy? He’s the best of the best.” Joe shrugs, followed by a sheepish smile at the spread on the table.

Picking up a container, you sit back on the couch, ready to dig in. “Looks like we made it.”

“Huh?” Joe questions after picking a container himself, slightly glancing at you as he sits back against the couch as well.

You softly smile as you lift your chin in the direction you were staring out at, “To sunrise.”

“Oh, yeah. Looks like we did.” Joe replies, staring out at the glow of sun that’s ready to beam out from the dark navy skies.

Before you sip at the broth you say, “I’m going to rest my head on your shoulder now.”

“Go ahead, make yourself comfortable.”

You already did and this man didn’t even recognize the love he gives.

In due time, maybe you’d tell him.

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

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Continue with my winter anthology prompts here.

[ruh--roh-raggy]

Alone With You (William Afton x Fem! Reader) - Part 2

Hello hello! Welcome to part 2 of Alone With You! This chapter we have more sweet Will, lots of flirting, and even some video games and pizza. I hope you enjoy! If you would like to be added or removed from the tag list please let me know!

WARNINGS: Tooth rotting fluff, Boss! Will, age gap (Reader is in her late 20's, Will is in his early 50's), AU where Will isn't a murderer, mutual pining, flirting, dad jokes, Will being his usual awkward adorable self, Home Sweet Home adjacent, a love letter to the wonderful story "Bunny Ears" by @yellowbunnydreams that falls into a very similar vein as this, I think that's everything, if I missed any let me know!

You can find my Masterlist here! ~ AO3 Link! ~ Tip Jar!

Word Count: 5,236

Part 1 - Part 3 (TBA)

You smoothed your hands down the front of your work uniform, taking one final look at yourself in the mirror before heading out the door. You twirled your keys around your finger as you bounced down the steps, oddly excited to get to work today. You rounded the corner of your house only to find the spot where you normally parked your car completely empty. “Shit.” You curse, letting out an aggravated groan. You had neglected the fact that Will was the one who had driven you home the other night, and you had never ended up returning to Freddy’s to pick your car up afterwards. Normally, you wouldn’t mind walking to work. But, with the trek being over an hour long, you currently didn’t have the time to do so. You jogged back inside, picking up the phone and calling the first person to come to mind. “Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, how can I help you?” You immediately recognized the chipper voice on the other end of the line.

“Mer, could you go grab W–” you caught yourself, “Mr. Afton from parts and services.” You grimaced, hoping she wouldn’t notice that you had almost called him by his first name.

“Mr. Afton?” She repeats back in a confused tone. “Yeah… Yeah, I’ll be right back.” You could hear the lively buzzing of the arcade in the background; the excited screams and shouts of children, the pings and whirrs of all your favorite game machines, you could just barely make out the song playing loudly from the stage, Freddy and the gang about half way through their set. Every second you sat with the receiver pressed to your ear only made you more anxious. Your heart jumped into your throat when you finally heard the phone get picked up off of the counter.

“Rabbit.” You couldn’t stop the immediate smile on your face at the sound of Will’s voice. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I just completely forgot that I don’t have a car.” The deep rumble of his chuckle made butterflies erupt in your stomach.

“That was something we completely overlooked, wasn’t it?” He mutters into the receiver. “I’ll come pick you up, I’ll be there in about ten minutes.” You exchange your goodbyes before he hangs up, the dial tone ringing in your ears as you just stand there for a moment, unable to make yourself move. You knew that this was more than likely going to happen if you called him, and to be honest you were really hoping your hunch would be right. Will was very easily able to come and go as he pleased, it would be no trouble for him to come swing by and get you. But, the fact that he immediately dropped everything just to come pick you up, the fact that there was not an ounce of hesitation in his answer, it made your heart pound.

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“I have to run out for a few minutes, are you alright here?” Henry shot Will a perplexed look at the sudden statement.

“And just where are you off to in such a rush? Got a hot date?” Henry chuckles, not missing the momentary flash of panic that crossed his friends' features. Henry gasped, jutting an accusatory finger in Will’s direction. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!” He snaps back immediately.

“Nothing happened when the two of you had dinner the other night?” Will let out a strangled sound, sporadically gesturing with his hands, wondering why he was getting interrogated all of a sudden.

“She forgot to come back to get her car, that’s the only thing that happened.” He explains with a groan.

“William–”

“What? Are we going to sit around and gossip? Do you want me to make some tea? Do you want me to tell you about how smart and funny she is? Or about how we sat there and drank wine and just talked for hours and it was the happiest that I’ve been in the last twenty years? About how her eyes sparkle, or how nice her laugh is, or how she scrunches up her nose when she talks about something she doesn’t like, or how I’m in love with her–?” Will froze, the words leaving his lips before he had a chance to fully think them through.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite hear you, what was that last part?” Will didn’t even have to look at Henry to hear the shit eating grin in his tone. He swallows thickly, burning holes into Henry’s nameplate. “Will, you’re gonna have to grow some balls and be honest with her.” Henry chuckles. “Don’t make me get my wife involved, she’ll have you married before the end of the month.” He jokingly threatens.

“Keep Sara out of this.” Will warns playfully. “I’ll be back.” He waves over his shoulder as he heads out.

“Don’t get into any trouble, remember having sex in a car is still indecent exposure!”  Henry calls after him. Will flips Henry off before slamming the door shut behind him, grumbling to himself as he shakes his head. He dragged his palms down his jeans, his hands unusually clammy as he headed out the back. He slid into the driver’s seat of his car, smiling slightly to himself at the memory of your small form seated at his side. He didn’t want to waste any time getting to your place, wanting to see you again as soon as possible. Despite only having spent a couple days apart, Will would have sworn it was an eternity. He missed the warmth your smile spread through his chest, all of your shy glances, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he pushed the thought from his mind. Will was still reluctant to believe that you could possibly harbor any type of deeper feelings for him. Having chalked up the kiss on his cheek the other night to nerves and feeling a bit emboldened by the wine. He knew it would probably be for the best if he just moved on, forgetting about the evening the two of you shared together. But, he couldn't deny the way his heart pounded and his lips instantly pulled into a smile the moment he saw you excitedly waving at him as he pulled up. 

You jogged over to his car, sliding into his passenger seat effortlessly. “Thank you for picking me up.” You smile warmly at him. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“I’m only doing it cause you’re cute.” He teases you with a wink, making your cheeks grow warm. “Besides, I told you if you needed anything to call me…” You catch the sight of a faint smile lacing its way across his lips. “I’m glad you did.” You relax into the worn leather seats, letting the warm afternoon sun wash over you as it streamed through the car's window.

“What can I say? I knew my knight in shining armor would show up.” You share a coy smile.

He says your name softly, his grip on the steering wheel tightening slightly. “I just want you to know, you can call me anytime… even if you don’t have a reason to… and I’ll be there.”

“Don’t say that, I’ll call you just to talk your ear off.” You joke with a chuckle.

“And I would gladly drop everything just to hear your voice.” Your heart leapt into your throat at his statement. You smile, your attention dropping to your lap as you begin to fidget with your fingers. The ride to Freddy’s was a lot shorter than you would have liked, knowing that once you set foot through those doors the two of you were almost guaranteed to get swept apart in the chaos. Your eyes met his, freezing in place under the striking silver that studied your every movement, just as reluctant to leave the safe confines of his car as you were.

“Don’t work too hard.” You say with a sad smile. That same feeling had settled itself in your chest much like it had when the two of you parted ways the other night. That deep heavy ache of just wanting to stay in his company.

Will stuck close to your side as you walked up to the building, hands shoved in his pockets and his strides noticeably slower than usual. He holds the door open for you, making you giggle as he motions for you to walk in first with a lopsided grin. “Have a good day. If you need anything, you know where to find me.” He winks at you, making your cheeks grow warm as the two of you part ways. You made your way over to the prize counter, greeting your coworker before making a list of what still needed to be taken care of.

“Welcome back!” You look up to see a smiling Mr. Emily. “How are you feeling?”

“Just fine, Mr. Emily. Happy to be at work if anything.” You chuckle. “I really appreciate the weekend off, but I promise, I would have been just fine coming in.” You offer him a reassuring smile.

“I’m sure you would have. But, distance does make the heart grow fonder, doesn’t it?” He gives you a knowing grin in return. Your cheeks grow warm, your eyes briefly darting over to the door to parts and services. He slaps his hand on the counter, making you jump. “Right, I’ll be on my way then. I just wanted to swing by and check in.” He smiles kindly, turning on his heels to make his departure only to come screeching to a halt seconds later. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He turns back to you. “I have some new arcade machines getting delivered today, I was wondering if you would be willing to stay late with Will for a few test runs before we move them to the floor.”

“Yeah,” you answer a little too quickly, “Yeah that should be no problem.”

“Excellent!” He practically shouts back in response, making you jump slightly. “Just stick around after your shift, Will should come out and grab you when he makes his late evening coffee run.” He chuckles. You nod, watching him curiously as he hurries off.

“That was strange.” You remark to your coworker who agreed with a confused nod.

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“Will!” Henry’s voice booms from out the door making Will jump and the freshly lit cigarette tumble from his lips onto the floor.

“For Christ's sake, Henry!” Will curses under his breath as he snatches the smoke from off of the concrete. 

“I need a favor.” Henry starts as he pushes through the door.

“What, do you need a body buried?” He asks in an annoyed tone, brushing the leftover ash from his lap.

“I just got a bunch of new arcade machines,” he grimaces slightly before continuing. “Think you could stay late and make sure they’re in working order for me?” Will stared at Henry with a deadpan expression, the question hanging heavy in the air before Will eventually groaned and gave in.

“Fine, but you owe me. I keep telling you, check the machines before you buy them. I get going after a bargain, but those things are useless to us unless they work.” He takes one long drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke out of the corner of his mouth as he nods in the direction of the door. “Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind.” He flips down his welding mask, turning back to the project he was currently focusing on, allowing Henry to scurry off without any damage.

“Well, that was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.” Henry straightens up with a bright smile before bouncing down the hall back towards the main pizzeria. Little did he know, despite his less than pleased demeanor, Will welcomed the distraction working on the arcade machines would bring. Maybe it would help get the thought of your smile out of his head.

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“Goddammit!” You curse, jumping to reach the top shelf only for your hand to slap metal once again. You sucked in a deep breath, massaging your temples with your fingers.

“Everything okay rabbit?” You turn to find Will standing in the doorway, strong arms crossed over his chest as he looks down at you with an amused smile.

It took you a moment to find your voice, despite his slightly slouched posture he still towered over you. “I was trying to get more crayons.” You speak softly, motioning to the shelf behind you.

“You know you could’ve asked, I gladly would’ve helped.” He chuckles.

“I didn’t want to bother you.” He pats your head as he walks past you, reaching up to the top shelf with ease to grab a couple fresh boxes of crayons.

“You're never a bother rabbit.” He states softly, your cheeks growing warm at his intimate tone. “I'm serious, anything you need at all just come get me.” He places the boxes into your hands as he continues walking. He paused in the doorway, shoving his hands into his pockets. “My girl shouldn't have to struggle.” He states flatly before continuing on his way. You stood there in shock for a moment, the sound of your pulse thundering in your ears. You breathe out a laugh, a smile tugging at your lips. You look at the exit he had just gone through, shaking your head slightly as you played back what he had said over and over again in your mind.

“His girl?” You giggle. You quickly shrugged off the thought, he probably just misspoke. There was no use in getting your hopes up. “Don't be stupid.” You head back into the bustling energy of the pizzeria as you try to rationalize with yourself. It didn't matter how the sound of his laugh made your heart race, or how his smile alone was enough to have warmth settling behind your cheeks. Will was an established businessman, he surely wouldn't want to waste his time on some twenty something year old restaurant worker with a less than vibrant future. While you were busy trying to convince yourself that you were being irrational, Will stumbled into his office on the opposite side of the building. He slammed the door shut behind him, collapsing into his chair as it felt like rocks had settled in his stomach.

Was he stupid? Here he was running around all day trying to repress the memory of your evening together only to immediately drop the ball. There was something about being around you that made whatever minimal filter he had to completely disappear. He picked up the lone picture that sat on his desk, smiling as his eyes immediately traveled to the same place they always did. The photo had been taken at a holiday party a couple years prior, even after looking at the picture nearly every day his throat still got tight at the sight of you in a slinky black cocktail dress. You looked so tiny tucked against Will’s side, his large hand very easily able to hug the curve of your waist as he pulled you in closer for the group photo. Both of you were emboldened by the alcohol you had consumed over the course of the evening, and you held Will just as closely as he held you. The two of you completely lost in your own world, your focus taken away from the camera as you happened to glance at each other. Will could never get over how you almost seemed to glow in front of him that night, the film not doing the sight nearly enough justice. You smiled as you gazed up at him, doey eyes glimmering in the harsh flash of the camera. Will looked down at you with a similar expression, a relaxed grin spread across his features as he held you close. He had almost kissed you that night, and he’s regretted the fact he hasn't ever since then. Will was starting to wonder just how much longer he was going to be able to keep his distance from you. But, would that really be such a bad thing? If anyone would be able to treat you right it would be him, if he ever musters the courage to finally tell you how he feels maybe he’ll get a chance to prove that to you.

One by one your coworkers slowly began to clock out and head home, leaving you alone inside the pizzeria. The quiet music that drifted out from the kitchen kept you company as you wiped away any remaining fingerprints on the prize counter glass. It was always a strange experience being in Freddy’s after hours. The room is illuminated by nothing but the neon lights of the arcade machines, the overhead lights having been turned off after the last customer had left for the evening. The well loved animatronics now sat silent behind their heavy red velvet curtain, leaving you completely alone in the normally bustling space. “Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise.” You straighten up at the sound of Will’s voice behind you. “What are you still doing here?” You turn to face him, a gentle smile lacing its way across his lips. One hand stuffed into his pocket, the other holding a steaming cup of what you could smell was strong, black coffee.

“Mr. Emily asked me to stay late to test the new arcade machines with you.” He pauses, obviously not expecting your response. Henry had set him up. “I mean, if you would rather I go–”

“No!” He snaps himself from his train of thought, taking a few long strides forward to close the distance between the two of you. You always seemed to forget how much Will towered over you until moments like this. He leans against the prize counter as he faces you, your gaze slowly trailing upwards until you eventually meet his eyes. “I just didn’t realize he had asked you to stay as well rabbit. I thought I was going to be stuck working alone all night, having you around is definitely welcomed company.” Your cheeks grow warm as he smiles down at you.

Will leads you to a storage room at the way back of the restaurant you had never been in before. A line of five new arcade machines were oriented neatly in a straight line across the middle of the room. You stuck close to his side, the room dark other than the glow of the games that sat in front of you. “Are you alright, you look nervous?” He asks with an amused grin.

“It’s just a little creepy back here.” You admit with a bashful chuckle.

“There’s nothing to worry about, rabbit, the scariest thing back here is me.” He jokes. “Anything that wants to get to you is going to have to go through me first.” You can’t help but giggle at his confidence, playfully swatting at his arm as he nudges into your shoulder. You glance at the machines and then back at him.

“You up for a little competition, boss man?” You challenge.

“Sweetheart, I’d absolutely wipe the floor with you at these games.” He chuckles in response, one large hand coming to rest on the top of your head. Your cheeks grow warm at the sudden contact, yet your confidence never waivered.

“I don’t know about that Will, I’ve got quite the trophy list when it comes to this place.” The playful sparkle in your eyes was just about enough to make Will melt. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to reach out to pull you closer. Your soft, pouty lips look even more alluring in the soft neon glow that surrounds you.

“You’re on, but I have to see if these things even work first.” Will spent a few minutes smacking loose a couple stuck buttons and oiling up one of the machine's squeaky joysticks, making quick work of pulling off the machine's brightly colored metal cover to reveal the internal mechanisms. Muttering off his mental checklist to himself as he went through it. “Wiring looks good, nothing’s snapped, no rodent damage… looks pretty good to me.” He turns to you with a smile, “as long as nothing got fucked up with the programming in them, they should run like a dream.” He can’t help but chuckle at your bewildered expression as you stared at the mess of wires and metal before you.

“I don’t know how you could figure any of that out, but, you’re the expert.” You giggle, turning to face him with a soft smile. There was an undeniable tenderness in his gaze as your eyes met his. The compliment fell effortlessly from your lips, “you’re really smart, Will.”

He breathes out a laugh, his attention turning back to the machine. “Thank you rabbit, you’re sweet.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets, nodding at the line of games. “How about we start that little competition you were so eager for?”

The corners of your lips tug into a playful grin. “You’re on.” Will walked over to one of the shelves that lined the walls, pulling down a red solo cup that you could tell from the loud jingling was filled with arcade tokens. He rattles the cup, shooting you a wink before holding it out to you.

“Ladies first.” He states with a slight bow.

“What a gentleman.” You scoff, rolling your eyes, unable to keep the smirk off your face. The two of you started off with the single player games, Will was interested in seeing just how much of your earlier trophy winner statement was all talk. He slips a token into your hand, you take the chance to line up your fingers with the buttons before dropping the worn brass coin into the slot.

First up on the roster: Robtron: 2084.

“Hope you're good at shooters, rabbit.” He teases with a chuckle.

“Going against the man who’s almost completely blind without his glasses, I think I'm all set.” You jab back.

“Brat.” He responds bluntly with a smirk. The game itself was simple enough, a multi-direction top down shooter. Will leaned against the side of the machine, arms crossed over his chest as he watched you beat level after level with an amused smile playing at his lips. He was impressed to see that you weren’t all talk, your eyes darting between each of the brightly colored enemies to see which direction you needed to flick the joystick in next. You curse as the evil robots finally overwhelm you, the bright red GAME OVER text flashing in front of your face. You put in your initials despite the fact your scores would be cleared when the machine was unplugged in order to move it into the pizzeria.

“What do I win when I beat you?” You joke with a laugh.

Will breathes out a chuckle, “I’ll tell you what, if you manage to beat me at any of these games you can have whatever you want, because it’s not gonna happen.”

“When I win, does that mean I can ask you to make me dinner again?” Will pauses for a moment at your question, unable to stop the flustered smile that quickly spread across his features. He clears his throat, quickly nodding his head as he forces himself to regain his composure.

“You can ask me to do that regardless of our little competition.” Your cheeks grow warm, both of you exchanging a coy expression. You held out the cup of tokens to Will, unable to tear your eyes away from his.

“I still like my chances.” You wink. He flips the coin between his fingers, staring at the screen with a contemplative expression on his face. 

“Come here, let me show you how to really play this game.” He motions for you to come closer to him. You set down the cup, your heart pounding as you took your first step forward. A large hand wraps itself around your waist, guiding you in between the arcade machine and Will’s massive form. He moves your hands to the buttons and the joysticks, looking down at you for any sign of hesitation before covering them with his own. Your whole body felt like it was on fire, you glanced back over your shoulder only to find that Will was just as surprised by this whole interaction as you were.

“Well? I thought you were going to show me something?” You prod, Will’s nervous demeanor easily melting away as he shot you an exuberant smirk. He slips the token into the slot, pushing into you slightly in order to get closer to the screen. You swallowed thickly at the feeling of his strong body, powerful corded muscles that tensed at your smallest movements. You caught the sight of him smiling at you out of the corner of your eye as the starting theme of the game rang through the empty room. You found yourself leaning back into Will, watching his fighter move around the screen, fighting off the never ending hoards of robots. You jerk the joystick to the left as one of the enemies got a little too close for comfort.

“Good eye, rabbit.” He chuckles. It didn’t take you long to figure out that Will was much better at playing video games than you gave him credit for. He easily surpassed your score, playing on with ease for another few minutes before dying. You watched as he punched his initials into the machine ‘W.V.A.’ You whirl around, jabbing a finger into his chest.

“It’s you!” You exclaim. “You’re the asshole that’s beat my score on every machine in that arcade!” Will laughs at your realization.

“Like I said before, there’s no way you’re going to beat me.” He smirks down at you with a wink.

“You are unbelievable.” You playfully roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest.

“I don’t see the harm in a little friendly competition. Who knows, maybe one of these days you’ll manage to beat me.” He teases. Testing the rest of the machines quickly devolved into one on one matches. Henry managing to snag a few 2 player machines, you stood side by side with Will, both of you playfully shouldering the other out of the way to try and hopefully mess up one of your game play. You groaned as he beat you again, but this time you had almost managed to come out on top. “I guess some more practice is in order.” He chuckles, grinning contently down at you. “I’ll handle all the heavy lifting from here. How about you and I grab something to eat, I’m sure you must be starving by now.” You found yourself instinctually leaning into his side as the weight of his arm fell across your shoulders. You can’t help but laugh slightly at the sound of your stomach growling.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

“I’m gonna go throw a pizza in the oven, why don’t you get some lights on.” You part ways with a nod, feeling your way around the wall in the otherwise pitch black room. Your hand finally bumps into the switch panel, you curse under your breath as you struggle to remember what switches went to what. You jumped slightly as the first heavy switch thwacked into place, a few lights over the booths closest to the kitchen flickering to life.

“Okay.” You squint, trying to read the faded scratchy handwriting on the labels. “What about this one?” You flick another switch, the purple and yellow party lights begin swirling in patterns across the empty dance floor.

“I like it, it really sets the mood.” Will chuckles as he leaves the kitchen.

“I can’t figure out which switches to flip.” You groan.

“This will work just fine, rabbit, don’t worry.” He motions for you to join him. He places a plastic soda cup in your hand, you smile coyly up at him as you catch the unmistakable scent of grenadine. “Shirley Temple for the lovely lady.”

“Thank you, Will.” you can't help but giggle at the sweet gesture. You took a long sip of the drink, absentmindedly bobbing your head along to the radio. “I love this song.” You remark as you finally recognize the melody.

“I never took you for a George Harrison fan.” He teases with a chuckle. He pushes himself upright from his position leaning against the wall, reaching up to raise to volume on the speakers. He watched you with an amused smirk as you sang along quietly to yourself, swaying slightly as you took another sip of your soda, the syrup already starting to stain your lips a dark pink that Will found adorable. “Would you like to dance, rabbit?” Your hand slips into his effortlessly, laughing as Will spun you around before tugging you towards the dance floor.

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Henry sighed as he pulled into the parking lot of Freddy’s. He noticed the lone beacon in the night on his drive home from date night with his wife, Sara. “He probably just forgot to turn the light off.” The waving anthropomorphic bear greeted them as Henry parked in front of the entrance. “Besides, Will always ends up staying late. I don’t see why tonight in particular is any cause for concern.” She jokes, trying to lighten her husband's mood

“This is Will we’re talking about, he hasn’t left the light on since we opened.” Henry groans. “Besides, today was… different. I just want to check in on him real quick, that’s all.”

Sara nods in the direction in the building, leaning in to give Henry a quick kiss. “I’ll wait here, go check on him.”

“I’ll be right back.” He promises as he quickly hops out of the car. He pulls the door open, his senses immediately getting assaulted with blaring music and the smell of pepperoni pizza wafting through the air. Henry stood frozen in place for a moment, blinking a few times as he allowed his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkened entryway. He peers into the main area of the pizzeria. Most of the lights in the room were off except for a single dim row of lights over a few booths and the colorful spinning lights that whirled around over the dancefloor. Henry froze, struggling to stifle a delighted chuckle as he watched Will take your hand and spin you around the floor, laughing as your dizzy state caused you to stumble into him. You slid your arms over his shoulders, smiling coyly at him as Will’s hands came to rest on your waist, both of you singing along loudly to the music as you swayed along with its rhythm. Henry shook his head with a smile, quietly heading outside before either of you had the chance to realize he was there. He would hate to interrupt what seemed to be such a wonderful evening.

“Everything alright in there?” Sara asks the moment Henry slides into the passenger seat.

“Everything’s perfect, he’s just… working late.” He smiles at his wife, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in order to pull her to him. “Come on, let's get home. We wouldn’t want to break his focus.” He laughs, glancing at the pizzeria in the rearview with a smile as they drive off.

Tag List: @yellowbunnydreams @herripinkle @spookyghostjelly @zoey5252 @loudchaosking @weirdoartist21 @residentevilbeast @lokanda @emmbny @yukkkiki @dij-ology @maria-moll @phd-in-fuckery @helreyy @hallucinating-xoxo @lovexfroggie

[ohsohoney]

When it comes to love you're just as blinded.

Part Five

Eminem x Musician

Summary: It starts with a drunk embarrassing video, it spirals into something a whole lot more.

Note: Five! Posting in honour of the face-off. It's a long one again, just started and couldn't stop ngl. But it's pretty fluff filled! Brief warning though, TWD is mentioned here, there aren't any real spoilers but if you're a fan then you'll get what's going on!

| Set in 2014, just after the release of LP 2

taglist: @thelastemzy

Masterlist

I couldn’t quite help the way my mind wandered. Back to the diner. Back to Marcie’s words. Back to his smirk. Even as the conversation continued on in the car, Rosie laughing whilst she complained about the radio station that had been put on and Marshall flashing the pair of us funny looks in the rearview mirror. 

Most reasoned that you could tell a lot about a man by how they treated the people around them, not just their kin or the ones they worked closely with. But all people. And somehow, Em kept on surprising me in that regard. 

But maybe surprise wasn’t the best word to use, because it went without saying that his intentions were always pure. Even so, every time he did something I didn’t quite expect I found myself reeling a little further and watching him a whole lot more.

It hadn’t even been a full day and yet, I almost felt at home here in this city I hardly knew, with these people I’d only just recently met. And the entire concept left me waiting. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to go wrong. Because that was just the way I was wired.

“Sound good?”

I tuned back in at the sound of Marshall’s voice, snapping my gaze away from where it had been trailing out the back window and into the car. Rosie was smiling in the seat beside me, looking all excited, and so I blinked over towards the front seat to meet Marshall’s gaze in the tiny mirror.

“Sorry, I zoned out.” I apologised, blinking once more to try and push away my spiralling thoughts. “What did you say?”

Em took it in stride though, smirking at me before he eventually repeated himself, “Z reckons the park sounds like a good idea.”

Perking up at that, I could easily see why the girl had practically been bouncing in her seat, I peered between the two. “Has it got swings?”

Rosie nodded her head hastily in answer whilst her father just snorted, taking the next right at the end of the road instead of left. And that was that.

It felt strange to say, after having been in the states multiple times before, but everything I did I just kept on finding myself thinking about how it was my very first in America– as in, my first time in Detroit, my first time in a too big car, my first time at a diner. Now, it was my first time experiencing something as insignificant as a park.

It was a nice one though, just to drop that in there, not too shabby and practically empty aside from a far off dog walker in a bright yellow jacket and a couple of runners who were doing laps. 

Em had pulled the car into some sandy lot lined with white lines not too long after the decision had been settled and told us to get out once he’d parked, messing about with the meter whilst Rosie had urged me on.

I let the girl guide us, trying to admire the green grass and the trees that were still slowly changing with the seasons, whilst Z talked a mile a minute about how her soccer team used to meet there. I cringed internally at the use of the American term and vowed that if she ever came to visit London then I would take her out to see just how real football was played.

Marshall managed to catch up to us not long after, though he’d still been muttering about damn machines and dodgy government schemes. Which had me snorting to myself as I’d continue to spin Rosie on the roundabout, jumping on and off its edge to make the thing shake every so often.

The kid seemed to love it though, content to just lie in the middle and watch the sky above fall and swirl. Marshall appeared humoured by the whole ordeal too and had even taken a turn at jumping, landing with just enough weight to produce a loud boom that had Rosie screaming. She’d laughed wildly afterwards, hand over her heart to keep it from beating its way out of her chest.

Em and I watched her spin around some more before it slowed enough so that she could just jump on off, wanting to try her luck at the monkeybars, or ‘jungle gym’ as she’d called it. I chuckled quietly to myself, kicking out a foot to catch the roundabout’s edge to try and stop it completely. Marshall stuck near, watching as it slowly began to steady once more.

“Used to drag motorbikes in here when I was a kid.” I found myself telling him, eyes still stuck on the dragging metal as a memory flashed to the forefront of my mind. I felt Em shift and then caught the way his head then turned towards me from out of the corner of my eye. He waited. I wet my lower lip and felt myself smile, “Would lay ‘em down flat at the very edge here then rev it just enough so that the back wheels would start to make it spin. We would all be crowded in the centre, seven or so of us, clinging to the rails for dear life and screaming bloody murder.”

I glanced over at him then by chance and grinned at the way his brows had since lifted, then huffed out another laugh. 

“The thing would just keep spinning and spinning, until one of us found the courage to throw ourselves off. Or, you know, just yuck up.”

Marshall gave a short snort in return and shook his head with a wrinkled nose and pursed lips, “Fucking nasty. Don’t tell Rosie any of that.”

We shared a snickering laugh, me leaning into him on impulse and him holding me up for just that brief moment. I was quick to reassure, “Promise.”

And what was it with me today and making promises with the Mathers? I bit my tongue to dampen my grin and let the thought go.

The girl mentioned called for us then, having somehow managed to hang herself upside down from the metal bars, practically giving Marshall whiplash as his head spun back around twice just to be certain of what he’d seen. “Girl’s gone be the death of me.” He muttered but was already jogging over to where she was cackling away, hair swinging wildly in the wind.

I followed, albeit at a slower pace, hollowing my cheeks in hopes to hide my obvious amusement, especially when Marshall tried to figure out a way to get his daughter back on even ground. Rosie was far too entertained by the effort though, dodging the man’s attempts and swinging back, forth, left and right to avoid his hands. 

Eventually, she did come down, much to Marshall’s evident relief, which was too easy to see even with the hard frown he’d since taken on. And so Rosie was quick to wave his worries away and hurry over to the next thing, throwing herself onto a swing and gesturing for me to join her. I did, but not before I tossed an impish smirk Marshall’s way as I went to settle in beside her. 

It was Em’s turn to follow me then it seemed, he shook his head at the pair of us when he came to a pause by the swings edge and propped himself against a pole. “You gotta kick a little harder, Z.” He told Rosie after a moment. 

“I am!” The girl laughed in retort, glancing my way to try and match my stride. “It’s not my fault she has longer legs!”

Marshall lifted a brow, arms crossed over his chest, “You can lap most kids on a field and almost give me a heart attack by hangin’ upside down like some sort of bat, but a swing is what stunts you?”

“Dad!” Rosie all but whined, although she was still giggling away. I tried to catch the chain of her swing as I slowed in hopes to pull her with me, but the angle was off and so the most it did was rattle her seat and send me swinging in the opposite direction. 

My hand jumped to grip my own chain once more and I blew out a breathy laugh when the immediate danger of falling flat on my face diminished, but it left me just enough time to have caught the slight startle Marshall had made at the scare. I smirked over at him and raised my palms up so that I was barely holding on by the jut of my thumbs, “All good!”

The man clucked his tongue and looked away from me, almost as if to take a breath, before he was pushing away from the pole and marching over. Instead of stopping by our feet like expected though, Marshall slid behind the two of us and surprised me by grabbing the back of my seat. I jolted at the sudden pull as he lifted me higher, fingertips grazing the back of my jeans ever so before he let go completely. 

I wasn’t ashamed in the least to say that I screamed, dropping so suddenly and from a height I hadn’t expected him to reach was jarring, but then I was laughing breathlessly again as the wind got caught up in my hair, allowing him to give me another hearty shove before he did the same thing to Rosie.

I don’t know how long we sat there swinging, Rosie daring her dad to run between us in between my attempts at trying to teach the girl how to kick her legs a little harder so that she’d be able to swing higher on her own, but we must’ve been at it for a while. At least long enough for the sky to have warmed overhead and then turned into a glazed pink full of bruising purples.

It was then that we decided to call it a day. 

The trip to the playground seemed to have tired Rosie out some though by the time we returned to the car, because the girl slumped into my side not long after we’d set off. Still mostly awake though, she spoke in a soft murmur and pointed out the things that we passed by, her eyes growing heavier and heavier as each moment slipped by but continuing to explain. 

Marshall kept the radio low throughout the drive and let her wear herself out, so much so that she was almost asleep by the time he pulled into the driveway.

“Hey, lovely, we’re here.” I whispered to her, lowering my head just enough so that my cheek pressed against her hair, and rubbed her arm like I would Lottie to coax her into moving, “Gotta head inside now.”

Rosie sniffed sleepily but blinked her bleary eyes open to undo her seatbelt, she smiled as she rubbed at her face then turned to look at me. “I like it when you call me that.” She let slip, leaving me to blink before I realised that she then looked a tad bit sheepish at the admission.

I squeezed her hand and smiled back, “What— lovely?”

She hummed around a tired nod and it was then that the engine and headlights switched off. I peered up in the sudden quiet to find Marshall attempting to appear busy, quietly collecting his keys and the wallet he’d left in his car’s cup holder whilst pretending he hadn’t heard, but I knew he had.

“Just like it.” Rosie murmured again and so I forced myself to glance back at her and her weary smile, she shrugged sleepily.

I couldn’t help the emotion that spread through me and warmed my chest, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to her temple as my hand came up to smooth the back of her hair. “I’ll keep it up then.” I told her in the hush that followed, “Thank you for today.”

Her smile, whilst exhausted, was wide enough to squint her eyes and dimple her chin. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

My nose tingled at the emotion that flooded through me at her heartfelt response and so I was quick to undo my own seatbelt, listening as Marshall’s door opened and the man slid from the car. A second passed, and then two, before there was an audible click and the low light of the driveway crept into the backseat. Rosie smiled up at her father warmly, who extended a hand to help her out whilst I waited, taking a moment to compose myself before I followed, slipping out of the opposite end.

Rosie leaned heavily into his side the whole walk up to the house, muttering about the dog treats she had to give Marcie and how she was looking forward to the coming days, which led to Em softly agreeing with her as he guided his daughter through the front door and gestured for her to head on up the stairs. 

“Night, El.” She didn’t forget to say before she took that first step, kissing her dad’s cheek goodnight and gifting me a quick hug.

I breathed in sharply at the gesture and then smiled softly over at her. 

“Goodnight, lovely.” It only proved to make her grin.

Then it was just him and I, left standing in the hallway, only spurred on by the gentle click of the door that sounded from upstairs. Marshall dragged his cap off and tossed it down onto the ornate cabinet sitting nearby, running a hand over the hair he always kept so short. I moved too, stepping over towards the coat closet door so that I could toe off my shoes and place them neatly inside. 

Em followed and came up behind me a minute later to do the exact same thing, my mouth quirked as I turned towards him though, stealing the shoes out from his hand to set them down beside my own. He shook his head at the gesture but didn’t comment.

The house hummed around us as the door clicked shut, the lights up on the landing soft and yellow where Rosie had just disappeared but enough to stretch out and shine down on us. Marshall jutted his chin in the opposite direction of the kitchen after a minute and when he spoke it was in a low breath, “Don’t know how you’re feelin’ after today but imma watch some tv. If you wanna join.”

It was an offer I was all too appreciative of and so I gave him an eager nod in answer, “Jet lag has yet to hit so I figured I’d just be up unfolding my suitcase until I eventually passed out.”

His grin was small but indulgent, and he shook his head again as he dragged in a slow breath. “Get comfy and I’ll put it on.”

My head tilted on its own accord and I could only guess that the smile I gifted him then was sappy as fuck because he swatted playfully at my chin to turn my face away. I blew out an airy chuckle but kept on grinning, “I’ll be quick.”

Marshall hummed and then turned to walk away, it was only once I’d reached the staircase that he paused and looked back to ask, “Salted or sweet?”

I stopped short, foot dangling in the air just before it could settle on the next step. Pivoting, I shot him a smirk over my left shoulder, “Salted all day, everyday.”

He dipped his chin in a nod and his usual stoic expression melted into something just short of approval. I swallowed down another laugh behind my smile and hurried up the rest of the stairs, anxious to get out of my jeans and into anything else.

I made quick work of it, washing my face free of the makeup I’d put on that same morning and tucking my hair behind my ears. I did jump out of the denim too once I’d pulled a pair of shorts out of my suitcase, although I paused just before I could reach for the hem of the hoodie I still had on.

Peering down at it, I wondered if he would care if I wore it for a little longer and chewed on my lower lip. I realised all too quickly how much time I was wasting with the debate so I simply shrugged and just kept the thing on, slipping out of the tee I had on underneath before I was putting my phone on charge and heading back out the door. 

Marshall, it seemed, had already settled in, the smell of popcorn and the light from the tele leading my way into the family room he’d shown me earlier on to find him already spread out on the sofa, arm thrown over its back whilst he scrolled aimlessly through a couple of films.

As I padded in, hands tucked into my pockets and chin ducked into the neck of my hood, he turned to greet me. I watched, rounding one end of the couch, as he raised a brow and let his eyes flicker down to the hoodie I still wore before they darted back up to my face. “I’m not gettin’ that back, am I?”

I snuffed out a short, airy chuckle and rolled my eyes at the idiot before I plopped down to sit on the other side of the popcorn bowl he’d brought in, gaze catching on the stash of drinks and chocolate he had on the coffee table too. “You will,” I assured him, rolling my head against the back of the sofa to look his way, “Just warm, is all.”

Em hummed sceptically, but let the matter drop– for now.

“What are we watching then?” I wondered, pulling my legs up so that I could better settle into the cushions.

He went down a couple slides on the browsing page before he switched from films over to tv shows, “Up to you.” I groaned, hating having to be the decider, and he laughed to himself because he knew it too. “Jus’ pick something, girl. Damn.”

Picking up a popcorn kernel, I tossed it at his head and smiled snarkily when he jolted back just a tad and peered down at the offending piece that had settled on his chest. He shot me a look that had me stifling yet another chuckle and then popped the thing into his mouth. I rolled my eyes once more and sighed. 

“Um,” I drawled out in thought after a brief moment, eyes scanning the few series that were being advertised. I blinked when I spotted the ‘Because you watched..’ portion of the screen, “You’re a Walking Dead fan?”

Marshall glanced over at me, “Got addicted a while back, all I could fuckin’ watch for months.”

My eyes widened in sudden excitement and I felt the way my grin dimpled my cheeks. “Don’t. ‘Cause I was the same. I’m legit sitting on my hands waiting for the next season to come out.”

His brow pinched and he shifted in his seat. “Comes out Sunday, right?”

“Yeah, for you lot!” I immediately argued, straightening up in my chair as I turned to him again, “I have to wait ages for it to even premier back home, so I’ve resorted to using dodgy websites in an attempt to not get any spoilers.”

Em snorted and then tsked, “Oo, she’s bad.”

My eyes crinkled around my next laugh and I reached out to nudge his arm. “Why are you such a dick?” I tutted before I relaxed back into my seat again to chew on the corner of my mouth, wondering if I should even dare ask the next question that came to mind.

“‘Gotta keep up appearances, baby.” Marshall smirked as his gaze slid back on over towards the tv screen, unaware of how I had just gone and paused for a split second. “But see, this is just another reason why America wins.”

I instantly scoffed, “Wins what? Because I can start listing off a whole load of gross shit right now about all the fucked up shit you guys have done and do. Or,” I dragged out, feeling a little triumphant when he rolled his eyes at me, “We can just pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He sniffed as he jutted out his chin, “Actin’ like your people didn’t come over and colonise this place.”

My head lazed back when I glanced towards the ceiling in hopes of finding the slim chance that there’d be some kind of peace waiting up there for me. But if there ever was such a thing, I knew it wouldn’t be hanging over my head. 

“You have to have the final say, don’t you?” I ended up chuckling, before I let go of a sigh and turned to look back at him, only to find that he was already watching me.

He smirked. “Look, if you shut up we can rewatch this last season and maybe.. Maybe. I’ll think about lettin’ you watch it with me Sunday.”

My jaw snapped shut in my haste to agree to his terms, the clink of my teeth almost audible in the quiet room. Marshall let go of a low chuckle before he scrolled a little lower and clicked start on Season Four.

The prison.

I reached out and took a small handful of the popcorn as a pair of long legs came into view, the camera following them and winding its way lower and further out, I shifted so that I was sat with my feet tucked beneath me.

A couple minutes passed by with the pair of us entirely focused on the scene, and so it was surprising for Em to be the one who broke the silence, “Bet you right now, I can guess who your favourite is.”

Glancing over at him, I let him witness my sly smile, “Oh, we’re doing this then?”

He grunted a hum in response before his eyes flickered between me and the tv. 

“That mean I can guess yours?” I wondered out loud and he thought it over before eventually giving a single shoulder shrug. I didn’t really need time to think about my guess, I could remember most of this season pretty well and I liked to think that I knew Em well enough too. “What do I win if I get it right?”

Marshall’s head lolled against the back of the chair to meet my questioning gaze, “The pleasure of my company.”

I tossed another kernel at him, pulling a face when he somehow managed to catch it in his mouth. “Do better,” I told him and picked up another piece to throw his way again, the pair of us making an odd game out of it. “Come on, what do I get?”

He sat up slightly and actually put some thought into it, “I don’t know,” He eventually muttered before his gaze met mine again, eyes roaming over my face. “You can keep the hoodie.”

I gawked a tad, “I don’t even wanna know how much this thing costs, so no.”

With a mirthful shake of his head, Em wet his lower lip and blew out a huffed breath, “It suits you better anyway. So you can keep it whether you get it right or not.”

I met his languid gaze with a look of my own. “You’re just saying that ‘cause you think I stink, aren’t you?”

It truly was utterly hilarious how fast and how wide his eyes then grew, and I got to watch it all happen, even the moment he spluttered over the handful of popcorn he’d just started to chew on. “The fuck?” 

He coughed and laughter spilled from me, enough so that I was actually unable to breathe with how hard I was chuckling, hand on my chest to keep from wheezing. “You–” I snickered, unable to kill my laughter entirely, “You should– God, Marshall. You should’ve seen your face!”

He grabbed another large handful of popcorn and threw it straight at me. Even as I continued to laugh, I cowered away to shield myself from the attack, only dropping my hands down once the dull thuds stopped to find kernels littering the majority of the seat as well as my hair. 

“Such a bitch.”

“Me?” I gaped around another chuckle, “You literally just shit yourself!”

Flipping me off, Marshall shook his head and moved to pick up the popcorn he’d just thrown, and so I did too, smiling all the while, even more so when he reached out to untangle a stray piece from the side of my hood.

It was quiet for a short while after that, us moving around one another to put the popcorn in the bin, the first episode of The Walking Dead continuing on without us. It was then that I finally decided to make my guess and paused an arms length away, “Hershel.”

Marshall’s head snapped up from where he was emptying his handful into the bin. He blinked, then stood to his full height. “How’d you guess?”

I grinned, or rather, positively beamed at his reply. “So I’m right?” I asked avidly, having stopped dead in my tracks. He reluctantly nodded, rolling his eyes at my obvious enthusiasm even though the smile he wore was almost fond. “I can’t believe it.”

He pushed out a disbelieving laugh and shook his head. “How?” He prompted again, leading me to shrug.

“Can’t explain it, just had a feeling.” I told him truthfully as he wandered back over towards the sofa, I straightened out the cushions and then sat down beside him. The popcorn bowl had been moved onto the coffee table after all the fuss, which meant we were a lot closer now, but neither one of us seemed to mind it.

“Nah,” Marshall said, knuckle knocking into my knee, “Really. What gave it away?”

I chuckled and waved the offending hand away, “Honest. I really don’t know, it just– It felt like the right answer. He’s sort of like you in a way actually.” Em gawked a tad at that but I just continued on, “He’s stubborn,” I listed with a rueful smile, “almost to a fault.” And as Marshall’s lips thinned, I carried on in my observing, “But he believes strongly in what he considers is right and loves his family to the bitter end. All of them.”

He mulled it over.

“Plus,” I couldn’t help but add, “He’s fucking tough. Just keeps on going, even with everything they throw at him. I mean, the leg. Come on!”

I was met by a surveying look before the man finally cracked a smile and hummed. The blue of his eyes were dimmed in the low light of the tv now but they flickered back and forth between my own, “Daryl.” He said softly in retort, to which I frowned. 

Marshall just continued on though, smiling still as he relaxed back into his seat completely. “Your favourite. It’s Daryl.”

The corners of my mouth twitched and I watched him for a second before a gentle chuckle bypassed my lips, “Why?”

His head pressed further into the back of the couch and I found myself shuffling to join him, cushioning my cheek on my forearm. “Hearts of gold.” He murmured, voice deep and low whilst still also managing not to resonate off the surrounding walls, his words meant only for me to hear. “Selfless, too. You’re a fighter and your silence speaks volumes.” 

He paused, watching again, waiting. “There’s just more to you than what first meets the eye, you know?” 

I didn’t really know. Didn’t know how to respond to that either and so I just smiled, reaching up to tilt his chin away from me so that I wouldn’t be stuck under that hypnotising gaze of his. He huffed a chuckle, the sound of it warm enough to hollow out a small part of me. 

It was then that we both chose to move, I shifted just as his arm came up to rest on the back of the sofa, tipping the cushion beneath me a tad so that I was pressing further into his side. He didn’t complain though, merely draped the arm over my shoulders instead and focused back on the tv screen; Rick crouched in the grass, his eyes glossy as he contemplated the decisions people made in a world like his.

“I forgot to thank you, by the way.” Marshall mentioned after a while in not quite a whisper.

The skin between my brow wrinkled, “What for?”

Rick stood, eyes stuck on the burlap sack. Then, almost as if it pained him, he started to walk away, away from the couple, their decisions, their desperation, and back into the woods.

“Today.” Marshall murmured quietly, before he then added, “Rosie.”

I shook my head as best as I could, “I should be the one thanking you.”

But he was adamant it seemed. “No, really. You–” He stopped and took a small breath, “You’re good with her. She likes you. And then that shit at the park, and in the car.” I felt him shrug lightly, the motion thoughtless, and could picture the struggle that warred over his face. So I didn’t dare move. “Don’t think she’s ever really had someone treat her like that.”

Once again today, I found myself wanting to probe, to question. But I could feel how hard it was for him to speak, to get his words out and across in the way he wanted. I kept quiet.

“It–” He forced himself to exhale, “It just means a lot. So I gotta say thanks.”

My arm came up around his waist almost automatically and I squeezed briefly before I pulled away again, swallowing the emotion that had welled in my throat. “She’s a good kid.” I told him in a soft hum, “You don’t have to thank me for anything. It’s not how shit works with me.”

He snorted a breathy laugh out through his nose and finally eased back enough that I could actually feel the tension flood from him. “I’m starting to get that.” He admitted quietly, as though it hadn’t even been meant for me.

I didn’t question it though, or the way it made me feel, because I suddenly felt my eyes begin to droop. I licked at the corner of my mouth and sniffed, “Think it's hitting me now.”

I felt when Em moved to peer down at me, smirking when he saw just how heavy my eyes had quickly become and the way I was now fighting to keep them open. “Come on,” He prompted gruffly, shifting in his seat to stand before he held both of his hands out towards me, “Bed.”

Snuffling a tad, I did end up taking his arms, allowing him to tug me up. I swayed ever so slightly once I was finally standing. “I hate flying.”

He snorted but entertained me, “Yeah?”

I uhuhed, blinking again slowly. 

Apparently, me all doped out due to a lack of sleep was enough to get Em laughing because he cracked up when I almost toppled back down onto the sofa on my way out of the room, pouting at the knock my knee had taken instead. “Shuddup.” 

“Almost there, sure you ain’t gone fall down them stairs?” He teased and the air that escaped him at the blow I hit him with tickled the back of my neck, “Fuck. Remind me not to mess with you.”

I smiled sleepily before his hand came to settle on the small of my back almost thoughtlessly, peering up to find that we’d made it to the staircase. I grabbed at the bannister and pulled myself up the first few steps.

“You good?”

I hummed at his ask, the sound buzzing somewhere in the back of my throat, before my eyes were slipping closed once more and then shooting wide open when I managed to miss the edge of the next step. 

Marshall’s hands were immediately there to catch me. “Careful, baby.” He murmured, so focused on the task of getting us up the stairs without injury that he was blissfully unaware of how his words had chased some of the sleep away.

“I’m okay.” I reassured him once I’d finally managed to find my voice, but his hands remained on my hips all the way up the stairs and to the landing.

We stopped there, at the patch of hall that separated his room from mine. “Sure?” He quizzed, dipping his head to catch my eye.

Unable to do anything other than smile, I chuckled. “I’m sure. Sorry, I was fine and then it–”

“I get it.” He cut in, “Hits you hard and sort of comes outta nowhere.”

“Yeah.” I croaked out another laugh, tired eyes trailing between his. “Bet I won’t even sleep that long either.”

Marshall perked up a little at that, understanding exactly where I was coming from, “Well, you need anything you know where I am.”

I rolled my eyes but kept on smiling. “I’ll be okay.”

He hummed, not entirely satisfied with that, but took a step back once he realised I really was fine. “Just say okay for my own fuckin’ peace of mind.”

Raising my hand I saluted him stupidly, but it had him biting back another smile. 

“Dork.”

“Dick.” I shot back.

He shook his head, “Go to sleep, asshole.”

“I am.” I snorted just as my hand gripped the handle to my room, “So fuck off.”

Marshall continued to stand there though, tucking his hands into the joggers he was wearing as he waited for the door to swing open and for me to step inside. 

I paused just short of the threshold, fingers playing with the handle for a second. “See you tomorrow then.”

A small smirk worked its way across his face.

“Tomorrow.” He repeated before he finally took a step back and turned to head down the hallway. I watched him go, until he disappeared into the shadows and I was left alone for the first time since I’d arrived.

Tomorrow, I thought to myself as I moved to shut the bedroom door.

–

Turned out that I had been right. 

It must have been around twelve or so when Marshall and I had finally turned in, but I was blinking back to consciousness no less than a few hours later. 

One glance at the clock told me it was only half five and the hour had me biting back a hefty sigh. Still, I knew I wouldn’t be getting much more sleep so I took the shower I hadn’t had the chance to the night before and started to get ready for the day, playing music low to keep myself company in the quiet my room offered.

An hour or so must have passed with me just puttering about, pulling out some clothes and drying my hair, it was when I’d just finished applying a little makeup to mask the darker circles that had appeared under my eyes over the last couple of weeks that I first heard it. A slight scuffle.

I paused and set down the makeup bag I’d been packing back away, waited for a second until I heard it again. Just a slight shuffle of feet beyond the door.

Forcing myself up off the bed, I stood and wandered over towards it, watching as a small shadow casted under the foot of the door before I turned the handle. The face I was met with shot over towards me in startled surprise and I chuckled inwardly, choosing to smile instead.

“Hey, lovely. You okay?” I asked, peering out down the hallway to find that the lights were still off, probably for my sake.

Rosie was chewing heavily on her lip when I looked back at her, the girl already dressed for school. She nodded and lifted her mouth in an apologetic grin, “Sorry, hope I didn’t wake you. Dad said to be a bit quieter.”

I grinned at the thought but rolled my eyes at the man and bumped the door open a little wider with my hip, figuring that Rosie had been shuffling outside for something but unsure on whether or not it could land her in trouble. Especially seeing as Marshall had instructed her to keep the noise down, thinking I was still asleep.

“You’re all good, been up for a while.” I told her, wandering back over to the foot of the bed after I’d gestured her inside. I packed away the remaining products which were still laid out on the bedspread and let her peer around a little. “Excited for school?” I asked, glancing over to where she still stood by the entrance.

She hummed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, “It’s school.”

Releasing a soft chuckle, I dipped my head in an amused sort of nod. “I can understand that. You got a favourite lesson at least?”

Rosie chewed her lip again in thought before deciding on History. I smiled at the way her little face lit up at the mention, but I prolonged the silence a little in hopes that it would get her to open up about why she’d been shuffling about outside. It was a trick that had worked a dozen times over on Lottie.

Seemed it worked on Z too, who toed at the carpet just as I moved my makeup bag off to the side. “You any good with hair?”

The question did catch me by surprise, I couldn’t lie, but then I was grinning. “My sister had me learning all sorts,” I divulged to her, “and when I was back at school me and my friends would spend our lunch hour plaiting each other's hair. Drove the teachers mad.”

Rosie giggled at that and finally seemed to relax, moving further into the room. “Would you braid mine?” She wondered and peered up at me with those doe eyes I knew Marshall must have a hard time saying no to, “Dad’s getting better but he usually says it's just good up and out of the way in a ponytail.”

I pulled a face, wrinkling my nose at that. “Well, sure. But I reckon it’s just ‘cause he spends too long trying to work it out all over again each time you ask. You’re lucky though, my brother won’t even try.”

We shared a giggle as I wandered around to grab a few products I’d need. “Didn’t know you had a brother.” Rosie stated once I’d pointed her over to the chair closest and started on brushing her hair, being careful not to tug or pull.

I hummed softly in reply, “He’s a little younger, has a job that takes him all over the world so I don’t see him too often.”

“What’s he do?” She quizzed me, and for all that I’d learnt about how excitable the girl could be, she sat almost stock still in the seat as I sectioned off her hair. 

“He’s in the Army,” I answered her, figuring that I’d do two dutch braids and use the black ribbons I’d gotten in New York to tie them off. “He’s good at it too, loves it there.”

That set her off and she began asking question after question, probably curbing all of her enthusiasm into it seeing as she couldn’t move. I rambled away too, regaling lighter stories of my brother’s experiences, as well as the pair of us as kids. Rosie seemed to prefer those, smiling up at me and wondering if she could see the picture I’d just told her about, of Danny and I at the beach covered in thick, muddy sand. 

I wrapped up her two braids, tying the bows before I moved away to grab my mobile, finding the picture easily enough seeing as though Danny had sent me it the last time he’d been on leave.

“You look so alike!” Rosie giggled when she took a look at it, taking in the obvious traits we shared.

I chuckled as she stepped back, “Not really, he’s got a much bigger head.”

She laughed at that but then appeared to catch her reflection in the mirror on the dresser, she gasped and hurried closer to get a better look at the braids. She admired them for a long moment before she eventually grinned up at me, “It’s so pretty.” Rosie murmured gently, fingers toying with the black ribbon before she wrapped her arms around my waist, “Thank you.”

Anyone else I would have waved them off and said it was nothing, and in a way it was, but with Z I could only hug her back and smile. “You’re most welcome.” I told her as we parted, “Just glad you like it.”

“Like it?” The girl’s eyes widened like something straight out of a Disney movie, “I love it!”

I did chuckle then, “Well, I’m glad.” It was in that next moment that I went to tuck my phone into my back pocket and blinked at the time, “Best to go find your dad, don’t want you to be late.”

Rosie nodded around another grin, looking in the mirror one last time whilst I gathered up the last of my things to join her. We headed out together, Z telling me all about the lessons she was supposed to have today as we trailed down the stairs. 

All of our talking must have alerted Marshall because he only lifted a brow at his daughter when we entered the kitchen. “What I tell you?”

I gifted the man a placating grin as I wandered in behind her. “It’s fine, I was already up.” I reassured him, “And besides, I was doing God’s work.”

Rosie snickered at my words, but did a twirl when I pointed over at her. She was giddy when she approached the kitchen counter in a rush, pushing against it to beam up at her father. “Like it?”

Marshall’s face softened at the sight of her so smiley and went to run a hand over the girl’s head, but there was just enough time for Rosie to duck out of his reach.

“Dad!” She admonished, shooting him an appalled look before she moved to settle onto a stool on the opposing side.

The man held his hand up in surrender, eyes disbelieving. “Apologies, didn't realise I was talking to Dolly Parton.” He muttered and shook his head before turning and mumbling under his breath, “Jesus.”

I snorted to myself and glanced about the kitchen, not an avid breakfast eater but used to having at least a brew first thing. Marshall must have noticed after he’d slid a bowl of cereal towards his daughter and glanced my way.

“Thanks for that, by the way.” He said quietly to me, gesturing over to where his daughter sat, munching away. “She didn’t bother you none?”

My head shook quickly, “No, not at all. It was nice, I’ve missed the days of doing my sister’s hair. She’s long grown out of that phase now.”

Marshall quirked a small smile of his own and then padded towards a cupboard, it was there that he dragged out a box. I frowned at the wicker exterior and honed in closer when my eye caught on something familiar poking out the top. 

I gasped. “No shit.”

“Dollar!”

My head spun back to find Rosie grinning at me from around her spoon. I winced at the slip and shot the pair an apologetic smile which Em just waved off, but I jumped to grab a dollar from the small card case I’d brought down with me anyway and slapped it on the side. “I have a feeling this house is going to bankrupt me.”

Rosie giggled whilst Marshall just shook his head and pushed the dollar back to me. I hardened my stare and dared him to fight me on it. To my surprise the man just huffed out a short sound that could only have been a laugh before he gestured back over to the box.

“Was meant to give it to you yesterday.” He revealed as I carefully moved to peer into it again, marvelling at all the little treats that sat inside. “But things got real busy.”

I released a breath, my mouth parted whilst I reached a hand into the box. I grinned, heart warming at the item I held. “Tea.” I practically exclaimed as I looked back at the pair, not having had a cup since I’d arrived in The States, “And my favourite kind, too. How’d you even know?”

“Mentioned it before.” Em said breezily, before he moved back over to the island.

Had I? I wondered, perplexed by the idea of him even remembering before the sound of another cupboard opening dragged my eyes away from what else had been in the box.

I watched closely as Marshall dragged out a metal appliance from under the counter, only furthering my shock.

“The girls went through a herbal tea phase a while ago, bought this stupid thing and used it a half a dozen times.” He mentioned and settled down a kettle for me to use, “Figure you’ll need it.”

Rosie laughed then, breaking my daze as she slurped up the remaining milk which lined her bowl, “Think she’s speechless, Daddy.”

I narrowed my eyes playfully in turn, but she hadn’t been wrong. I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around it all. With a short snort, Em smirked and glanced back at me. 

“Come on,” He egged, “we only got a bit before I gotta go. Make me one.”

Unable to dim the smile that then chose to overwhelm my face, I simply shook my head in disbelief but jumped into action, “Grab me two mugs then– the milk too.”

I plugged the kettle in by the simple coffee machine in the corner and peeled open the familiar gold box full of heaven, popping two teabags into each of the mugs Marshall then slid on over to me. I prepped each one a little differently, knowing that Em wasn’t too big a fan of milk in his coffee before I added a couple spoons of sugar to sweeten it. It was always nicer to taste that way the first time around, but most were weaned off of it by the time they were old enough to realise that the practice was sacrilege. 

By the time I was clinking a teaspoon on one edge and had dumped both tea bags out, I padded back over to where Marshall was now sitting with Rosie, both of them having been content to just watch me work, and settled it in front of him. I urged him to try it with a raise of my brows.

He wet his lower lip, shared a brief look with his daughter which made me muffle a giggle, before he finally took a slow sip. He blinked at the taste and my grin widened. “Good, right?”

Em blinked again down at the muddy brew and I watched as his mouth pursed before he tried it once more. Rosie hunched over to get a look too, “Can I try?”

Marshall looked to me to ask if she could and I couldn’t see a reason not to, had practically been drinking tea for as long as I’d been on solids. So I dipped my chin, “It’s similar to coffee, but not. Won’t send her into a caffeine frenzy.”

With a cluck, Em let the girl take a sip, warning her that it was hot just before Z pulled away with a heavy grimace. The girl shook her head to show her evident disgust and both Marshall and I laughed at the reaction. “Gross.”

“Oi.” I rebuked teasingly, pointing at her from around my mug, which earnt me a giggle of my own before she was settling back down on her stool.

“Not for me.” She declared and then jumped off the chair to place her now empty bowl in the sink, “Sorry, El.”

I laughed at her apologetic wince and waved her off, “You’re alright, sweetheart. Isn’t for everyone.”

Rosie’s wrinkled expression eased at my words and she smiled as she rounded the island to lean into my side, “You coming to drop off too?”

Blinking, I glanced over at Marshall in confusion. “Drop off?”

The man continued to sip at his tea, which amused me to no end because I knew by the time I had to leave I’d have him hooked, and licked his lower lip before answering, “School.”

Oh. I nodded in a way that showed an understanding then peered down at the smiley blonde beside me, “Sure, if it’s okay with your Dad.”

Rosie nodded eagerly and looked towards the man in question, who’s eyes darted between the both of us before he ultimately shrugged. It got him a giant grin. “I’m going to grab my bag!” The girl told us and barely even gave anyone a chance to get a word in edgeways before she was darting across the room and up the stairs.

I smiled after the retreating figure, amused by her antics, but eventually Marshall dragged my attention back to him. “You good with comin’?”

Withholding a sigh, I shot him an exasperated smile and another nod. “‘Course. Stop questioning shit.”

He pulled a face. “Just tryna be hospitable, shit.”

“Hospitable isn’t the word I’d use.” I chuckled then finished the last of my drink, peering into the still warm mug, “Thanks for this though. It means– well, I can’t explain how much it means to me. Like having a little bit of home here.”

Marshall dipped his chin in silent understanding, still sipping away. “Can understand why, I’ve had this shit before but it ain’t ever tasted like this.”

That had me grinning, “You pulling my leg?”

“Nah, for real.” He said, nodding his head, “You put somethin’ in it?”

I glared and swiped his cup away, taking the two of them over to the sink to rinse. “No clue why you went into the music business, should’ve just been a clown.”

He was smirking when I looked back over, forearms pressed against the counter as he watched me clean the mugs and Rosie’s bowl. “Have a dishwasher, you know.”

Wrinkled my nose, I shrugged, “Probably have a lot of shit that makes life easier.”

“What’s that meant to mean?” Em laughed, the sound of it low but rippling the otherwise quiet kitchen.

“Take it as you will,” I retorted smugly, drying the dishes off easily and placing them down on the draining board. “We gonna start writing today?”

I asked it as I turned back to face him, pressing back against the sink to meet his stare. He shook his head though and pushed up out of the barstool, grabbing the keys he’d since set out on the side, “Figure I’d show you ‘round first.”

The smirk he wore made me question what it was exactly that he meant for us to do, but before I could even think up a reply he was already trailing away and calling up the stairs to Rosie. 

Still, the thought lingered.

[songmingisthighs]

Wanbelyn

introduction pt. i | pt. ii | pt. iii

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ch. vi - fire ?

neurosurgeon!hongjoong × reader

buy me coffee ?

tw : medical emergency

where love and peace is held, i never expected for this to happen. i planned and i planned, i expected, and i hoped, but it was never you. you held what i wanted hostage to make room for you, the thing that i needed but has no means of acceptance. deny me, live your best life.

It had been a while since you stepped into a hospital in the hopes of getting a job. Last time you did, you were younger and more naïve, unaware of what the job entails. Unaware of what was waiting for you.

The thought of working as a nurse kind of made your palms sweaty and knees knock slightly. You suddenly wanted to run but you had already told the HR that you were there and Yeonjun had spent a good amount of time prepping you. Not to mention Wooyoung who gave you the opportunity itself. You can't disappoint them and you can't disappoint yourself. You kept repeating the words your dad told you after that morning's call, "Calm down, take a deep breath, hold until 3, then bust a move."

He's dorky but you love him.

So in your attempt to distract yourself from your nerves, you began looking around the hospital, taking note of the things around you and naming them. It was then that a noise caught your attention from the end of the hall, causing you to immediately snap your head towards the direction. You couldn't see it clearly but you saw an abandoned cart rattling and shaking slightly before a tiny figure emerged, going on his tippy toes trying to get something from the top. It worried you to see a kid rummaging through carts like that as in hospitals, there's a chance that the cart could be filled with medical equipment that children shouldn't play with. You would've attended to the boy and brought him back to his parents but you were about to get called in for the interview any time and frankly, you learn to leave things that are not your responsibility alone. As hard as it was. So you looked back to your lap and took a scan through your resume, recalling the things Wooyoung wanted you to mention and the way you should explain things.

As you were deep in your own head, practising answers to potential questions, you heard clattering sounds from the direction where you saw the boy and soon you saw him on his back on the floor. Your eyes squinted in hopes of getting a better view of what was going on, both curious and worried, so you let your legs move on their own, walking closer to the figure only to hear strangled noises coming from the boy who was slowly turning blue.

"Oh my God," you whispered, body freezing in shock. No matter how much you were trained to face emergencies, the sight of the boy convulsing on the floor with his lips turning blue was scary enough to render you useless. Your hands shook and flashes of memories passed in your head, the figure of the boy who was in front of you mixed together with flashes of another child who was lying on his bed with blaring alarms from machines flooding your mind, almost suffocating you as well.

"No, no," You whimpered, bottom lip trembling as your eyes swam with tears, "Not again."

The boy lay not far from you, face red and lips turning blue in a position that made his choking even worse. You knew you had to help, you knew that at that moment, there was no one else but you who could help him and you needed to act fast.

With a bit of struggle, you managed to get your frozen body moving again slowly, step by step. You fell to his side and saw that the boy was clutching an empty jello container. You immediately put the information in your head, slightly relieved that it was a rather softer food instead of literally anything that wasn't food or worse, something sharp.

Though you were practically trembling in a mixture of fear and PTSD, you braced yourself, you grabbed the boy and dragged him to your lap, placing his chest on your thigh as you made sure his mouth was opened. As you manhandled the boy, you could feel how rigid his body was and it did not make you any more relieved/ Heck, it reminded you how you had to move fast or else it was another kid's life in your hands.

For a moment, you hesitated, you didn't want to do something you felt you were not ready for yet. But what were you supposed to do? So after successfully pushing the thought aside, you began striking the boy's back hard, right between his shoulder blades. The first hit made you stiffen, afraid that you might have done more harm than good and slightly hoping that it was all it took. But alas, the boy's face was turning purple and when you saw his eyes rolling back, something took over your whole body, something that was a mixture of determination and fear. You can not lose this boy, not when you can do something about it, you decided. So you sent blow after blow, one by one, and with each one delivered, you felt your mental state slipping slightly to the point that it seemed like you were not in control of your body anymore. You were fully aware that you had been trying to get the boy to cough up the jello he choked on, but you had absolutely no idea how to stop.

You swore you processed what went on, you swore you finally heard the boy's clear, loud cries from his lung that was no longer congested. You realized that you managed to save the boy but your hand wouldn't stop hitting him until you were yanked away and thrown to the other side. With your body slumping, you slowly regained consciousness of what was going on. Your cognition came back like a wave of cold water crashing onto your body. You hadn't had time to fully comprehend at what point of time you were at when you were yanked up to your feet.

"What did you think you were doing!?" you recognized her as the HR personnel who was supposed to interview you. "What?" you gasped out, a little delirious from your dissociated state but she didn't care, "Why were you hitting that boy!?" she yelled out, surprising you. At the mention of the boy, however, your eyes darted around until you fell to his crying figure. He was being held by a nurse who was glaring at you as we wailed loudly, so loud that it caught the attention of the people who were slowly gathering around. It didn't occur to you earlier at all but once reality crashed down on you, you recognized the boy as Kijoong, the boy Wooyoung brought to Yeonjun's cafe a couple days back.

Just as you felt relieve, the HR personnel snapped her fingers in front of your line of sight. "Well?" She asked, seeking an explanation out of you. Dread crawled to your chest and the look of absolute distaste and Kijoong's wails only made you feel worse, it struck a deep sense of fear in you. "I-I was, I saw him there all alone a-and I noticed he was taking, I think it was jellos? He got up and a-and got like a jello from the unattended cart so-," "So you punished- no, ASSAULTED a child you don't know because he was being juvenile?" She snapped, voice loud as she stressed the word 'assaulted'. Your eyes widened and you shook your head quickly and you moved to take a step back only to fail. That moment you realized that you were being held by a security guard who was rather bulky, unable to escape even if it was just to create some distance. "No! I-I, look, I was-" the words were at the tip of your tongue but your brain was muddled, your cognition was not working correctly and maybe it was because you had had what could only be practically described as an out of body experience, but it was also due to the situation you were put in. Who would be able to stay calm in that situation?

Though she could've waited for you to explain, she simply rolled her eyes and told the security guard to escort you out the hospital after making sure that security has your picture and profile.

"P-profile? Wha- Excuse me?" Things weren't making sense and the people who were there did not provide clarity. The HR personnel paused momentarily in front of you, letting out one sharp exhale, "I'm afraid we can't process you in our hospital, Ms. (y/l/n). The behaviour you had just shown in this very unnecessary situation tells a lot about your personality and I do believe with absolute certainty that you would not fit in with this hospital. Frankly, I do not think you are fit to work in this profession whatsoever. The interview is off, you are no longer permitted back into this hospital, effective immediately," she then turned sharply just as you saw Kijoong being put on a gurney and getting strolled out.

"Wait!" You called out, what for? You weren't sure. It didn't matter anyway because just as Kijoong's voice grew further as he got wheeled away, you were dragged with such force by the security, past the group of people who were glaring, leering, and whispering at your expense.

Honestly, you didn't even care about the interview or the job opportunity, you just wanted to make sure that the kid was okay. Sure, his voice was loud and clear, but you wished there was a way for you to be absolutely sure.

One thing is for sure though, you may have lost an opportunity, but you had potentially saved a life.

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@yungilia

[darlingsfandom]

Hello! Would you be able to write a fic about the new pics of Cillian! The ones with his beard in that movie Steve? The plot can be anything, just his beard is makes me feral... heh

hi! I agree… beard makes brain go brrr🥵

Photo : @i-blindside

It’s been two whole months since you’ve seen Cillian in person. He was busy filming his newest project Steve! As happy as you were for him and all the recognition he was finally getting, part of you felt selfish for wanting to keep him back at home with you doing his favorite things: sharing a cheese plate , napping and having sex.

“Don’t ya worry darlin, we’ll be seein each other real soon.” His voice kept repeating in your head as you laid back in the empty bed that you had sprayed some of his cologne on. It wasn’t the same but it did the job. A soft sigh left your lips as turned on your side to shut off the lamp. The breeze from the window brushed over your small nightgown, the soft sounds of owls hooting in the far distance echoed along with the sounds of your white noise machine. As your eyes closed your body had decided to betray you, your thighs clenched together, your nipples perked against the fabric and you could feel yourself leaking against your lace covered panties.

“Fuck it.” You mumbled out loud while throwing off the blanket. You reached into the bedside table and pulled out your wand. The lamp was turned back on and you pulled off your panties to toss them onto Cillians side of the bed. You picked up your phone and pulled up the photos Cillian had sent to you, his new beard had you thinking how hot it would feel against your thighs as he ate you out. Your eyes closed for a second to relax and you turned on the wand.

Slowly you pushed the vibrating wand against your clit making a loud gasp leave your lips. It had been awhile since you played with your toys. You laid with your legs spread open on display. As you rubbed the wand over your clit, your fingers on your free hand pulled on your nipples.

“Well well well… what do we have here ?” Your eyes shot open as your heart jumped out of your chest.

“Cillian!! How long have you been there ?” Your voice was shaking.

“Long enough darlin… did ya miss me tat much hmm?” He walked towards you with hunger lurking his eyes. You held tightly onto your wand as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pushed your legs back open since you had shut them in surprise.

“I need you… please!” You whined. Cillian let out a small chuckle as he wrapped his hand around your wand and pushed it closer against your clit. Your lips trembled as he kept his eyes locked on yours. Your mouth hung open as you watched Cillian play with your pussy. He smirked when he shut off your toy and put it on the bed. You watched as he stood up and undressed himself.

“Get naked darlin, need to see tat pretty body of yours.” His pants were around his ankles quickly and you obeyed his wishes. By the time he was naked so were you. Cillian climbed on top of you, pinned your hands above your head and laid flat on his tummy so he was face to face with your wet cunt.

“Please eat me out! Please! I’ve imagined how that beard would feel for so long!” He arched an eyebrow up at you while kissing your inner thighs.

“Ya like ta beard do ya? Naughty girl thinkin of me like tat!” He teased you before peppering more kisses along your plush thighs. You bit down on your lip as Cillian flattened his tongue and licked up your folds while keeping eye contact with you.

Cillian lapped his tongue slowly along your folds making you buck your hips. His hands let go of your wrist so he could wrap his arms around your thighs and bury his tongue deep inside you while holding you close. His beard was warm and fuzzy against your thighs making you grip onto the sheets.

“Oh fuck !! Cillian! Fuck I’ve missed you eating my pussy.” Your eyes were filled with tears from all the pleasure waving through your body. His fingers dug into the flesh of your thighs as you jumped his face. Cillian loved eating your pussy, always so wet and sweet for him. He hummed against you making you whimper.

He pulled away from your pussy making you whine.

“Come here…” he sat up and stroked his semi hard cock before pulling you on top of him. You put one knee on each side of him while you lowered your cunt down his cock. “OH FUCK! God I’ve missed ya pussy.” His hands gripped your hips tightly. Your hands laid on his chest while you leaned forward to give him a soft kiss. He kissed you back gently and lovingly until you had sank all the way down his cock and his balls were pressed against you.

“Fuck me sir! I’ve missed you.” Cillian didn’t have to be told twice. He started slowly thrusting up into you. The two of you looked at each other with pure lust as he reached that spot that your fingers never could. Your mouth hung open as he guided you along his cock while making you take every inch of his thick cock.

“Tats my good girl! I’ve missed ya baby girl!” His words hit your core making you moan loudly. Your nails dug into his arms as he bounced you hard along his cock. The sounds of your pussy sucking him in, mixed with wet sounds of his balls hitting against you made you hot. You were falling apart in front of him. “Look at ya, already so fucked out and I just got home. Gonna fuck tat beautiful cunt of yours .” Cillian reached up and laced his fingers into your hair, pulled on it to pull you closer and kissed you hard as he gave it to you as hard as he could.

The familiar feeling in your lower stomach was about to snap and he knew it.

“Gonna cum! Can’t… fuck! You feel so good honey!” His words came out in a growl as you dragged your nails down his arms while his cock bruised your pussy. You squeezed him tightly as your own orgasm shook through out your body .

“Cillian!! Fuck!!! Mmmm!” Your body went limp as the juices flowed down his cock from your pussy. That was his final straw! Cillians cum shot deep inside of you making you clench more. He held onto you tightly while crying out your name.

The both of you stayed still as your high came crashing down. Your body went limp. You laid your head against his chest as his cock stayed buried in your pussy. His hand ran slowly up and down your back while pressing his lips into your temple.

“Next round, yer gonna sit on me face and soak me beard.” Cillian brushed the hair out of your face when you lifted your head to look up at him with flushed cheeks and a loving smile.

“That’s a promise.” You kissed him lovingly. It was nice to have your husband back home .

[cat-mermaid]

Ok so ya'll know how I wrote this here theory about Malenia and Millicent?

WELL I was watching this video by Zullie the Witch-

-and holy shit I think she just threw the doors open on a reason why Godwyn seems to be spreading through the land like a tumor.

Just like how I think that Millicent and her sisters are to Malenia what St. Trina is to Miquella AND what Radagon is to Marika...

I think that Godwyn is mindlessly splitting off "aspects" of himself who, since his soul was killed, are also just empty husks

This all goes back to how Marika, being a Shaman(and a Numen AND an Empyrean and seemly a whole buncha other things) has the ability to both meld her body (like the grafting done by Godrick) with others and also to posses "other selves" like Radagon

Check this out:

I really think these "cadaver surrogates" are the same thing as whats going on with Millicent/Malenia + Trina/Miquella, its just that since ol Goddy is just a vegetable now-

and you can take that literally wat with how he's hijacked the roots of the erdtree to spread himself across the land

-his living demigod body is just firing off his godly powers like a glitching machine repeating the same processes because of a coding error or what have you

these are just really shitty attempts of his power to "split", manifesting itself as weird fungus tumor death growths that taint everything....

....or you could say that they're "melding" with other parts of the land between:

anyway thats wat I've had cooking in my skull for a week!

tank u 4 attending my ted talk

[torotauri]

Gym Buddies (18+) | Kang Hyewon

Waring Sexual Content (18+) Read At Your Own Risk

2668 words

***

Gym day, you hate gym day. But it was something you had to do nevertheless. You need to do it to keep yourself in shape for football and despite how much you hated the gym, you had to go and do it regardless. The only thing that takes your mind out of the thought of suffering whilst doing your gym routine was the amount of girls in sports bra and tights in there. It was a good sight nevertheless. 

Like every other student in the university, you went to the university gym which you usually go with your friends. However, exam season meant that today you had to go alone. Your usual gym buddies had bailed on you and you had to go alone. Nevertheless, this was for your own good.

Because of exam season, there were visibly less students in the gym as well, there were a lot of unused equipment. Of course, having less people in the gym it means less girls are in the gym. There were still some, but none of them caught your eye.

Without the female distracting you, you managed to get through most of your routine smoothly. Until you were on the treadmill. You set your usual timer 90 minutes as you get on, put your earbuds on and started running. You were concentrated, focused until someone walked into the gym. 

Kang Hyewon.

It was her, your crush, the girl that makes your heart flutters every time you see her. You knew she would come to the gym, it was one of the reason that you started coming to the gym regularly. She was perfect, came in with a black hoodie and a gym bag. You couldn’t help but stare at her as she walked past.

Hyewon is a regular at the gym, she doesn’t stay for long, usually she comes in and does around 30 minutes on the treadmill and leaves. What is more unusual was that she always come to the gym alone, no buddies, just herself.

Somehow, despite all the available treadmills, Hyewon decided to use the one right next to you which was distracting.

Hyewon took off her hoodie to show what she was wearing underneath. A white sports bra and black tight leggings that outlined her perfect curves. The sports bra clearly showed her above average sized tits with her perfect midriff in full view for everyone to see. As Hyewon steps onto the treadmill, she started the timer and began running.

You tried your best to not look over to the sight next to you. Hyewon running whilst her tits jiggling in motion. You were sweating heavily, thankfully your previous work outs have covered up the fact that you were sweating from looking at Hyewon. However, one thing you can’t cover up was the bulge that was starting to form in your pants.

With Hyewon running next to you and her boobs jiggling, you were getting so hard down there. It has gone to the point where it was starting to get uncomfortable for you to continue running. You have decided that enough is enough, you need to do something about this.

You pressed the stop button on the treadmill and decided to call it a day for you in the gym. As you got off the treadmill and Hyewon managed to catch you.

“Oh you’re going now? There’s still 20 minutes on the clock” Hyewon asked as she saw you leaving.

“Yeah, not up to it today. My gym buddies aren’t here today” you replied.

“I know exam season made this gym quite empty” Hyewon replied as she down her machine so she could have a bit of a chat.

“How about you, you don’t have a gym buddy do you? I always see you coming alone” you asked Hyewon.

“Nah, I don’t” Hyewon responded “but you could be my gym buddy” Hyewon asked which caught you off guard.

“Say what now?” you wasn’t sure what Hyewon just said.

“I’m saying do you want to be my gym buddy” Hyewon repeated herself.

You tried to play it cool, but the girl that you like have just asked you to be her gym buddy. With that, you walked back onto the treadmill and prepared to continue your workout.

“Sure, why not. In that case I better continue my cardio” you reached out for the start button on the machine.

“Actually, I have a better idea to train cardio. Something that we both can do together as gym buddies” Hyewon said with a cheeky smirk.

She stopped her machine, got off the treadmill and told you to follow her. You didn’t know what she was up to but you just followed her nevertheless. After all, you don’t often get a chance to do stuff together with Hyewon.

Hyewon guided you into the changing room, specifically the female changing room. You didn’t want to go in there but Hyewon dragged you into it and you have no choice.

“What sort of cardio are we going to do here in the FEMALE changing room” you asked, stressing out the word female.

Hyewon giggled a little bit before coming closer to you and placed a finger on your lips.

“Shhhhhhh, trust me it will be good” Hyewon said as she placed a finger on your lips to shush you “I’ve seen you peeking on me when I was running next to you” Hyewon added.

You gulped, it was embarrassing as you face turned red. You were caught red handed by Kang Hyewon. To be fair it was very distracting having her running next to you.

“In my defence......” you tried to explain but Hyewon shut you up by kissing you on the lips.

“Shhhh it’s ok, you’ve got what I want and I’ve got what you want” Hyewon shushed you as she leaned in to make out with you.

Hyewon’s lips were soft as they crashed onto yours. The make out session seemed to calmed you down a little bit, not thinking about the fact that you were in the female changing room. You wrapped your arms around Hyewon’s waist as you continued to make out with the girl you have been crushing on for a while. This moment was like a dream come true.

Whilst your thoughts about where you were at have been calmed down, your cock was certainly not calm what so ever. You have gotten so hard whilst making out with Hyewon that it started poking her a little bit. Hyewon pulled out the kiss as she felt something poking her downstairs.

“Sorry, I can’t control it” you said embarrassingly.

“It’s ok, I know how to deal with it” Hyewon reassured you.

After that Hyewon instantly dropped onto her knees and pulled your shorts down together with your underwear as your cock sprung free finally after being trapped in your running shorts. Hyewon gave your already hardened cock a few jerks which caused you to leak some pre cum.

Gathering the pre cum, Hyewon licked the tip of your cock to taste the pre cum before taking your whole cock into her mouth. 

You moaned out immediately as Hyewon started her blowjob. You didn’t expect that coming to the gym alone would end up in the bathroom with your crush Kang Hyewon whilst she gave you the best blowjob you have ever received. You were feeling too much pleasure to care that you are now inside the female changing room with no pants on.

As Hyewon continued to suck your cock, you were feeling pleasure that you have never felt before. True to her words, she definitely knew how to deal with your boner. She didn’t miss a spot, she used her tongue and her sucking skills to the maximum. It was just too good, much better than any blowjobs you have received from previous girlfriends. 

After a while, confident that your cock was lubricated with enough of Hyewon’s saliva, Hyewon slowed down her sucking and eventually released your cock with a popping noise. 

“I know you wanted to see these” Hyewon said as she rolled her sports bra up and exposed her perfect pair of tits.

They were so perfect and so soft, makes you want to play with it so bad. However, before you had a chance to do so, Hyewon laid down on one of the benches pulled her leggings off and showed you her pink panties with a wet stain on them telling you that she’s ready.

“Come on, let’s get some cardio done” Hyewon said as you approached her and ripped her pink panties apart, tearing them off in the process.

You didn’t need a second invitation to fuck Hyewon’s pussy, with you lining up your cock on her pussy entrance, you thrusted into Hyewon for the first time. Almost immediately, the blowjob from earlier was no longer the best thing ever happened to you. 

You both moaned at the pleasure you were receiving.

Hyewon’s pussy wasn’t what you call tight, but it was nevertheless perfect. It fits your cock perfectly, there was enough space for you to thrust in and out of freely whilst also giving your cock enough pleasure and giving yourself enough stimulation. The warm and wetness of it was giving you extra sensation as you pound Hyewon in missionary position.

“Fuck Hyewon, your pussy is perfect” you moaned out

It wasn’t the most comfortable shag you have had you had to admit. On a hard bench in the changing room of a gym. However, the pleasure that your cock was receiving from fucking Hyewon’s pussy was overriding the uncomfortable bench that you were fucking Hyewon on. 

“Shut ahh up a-a-an-and get o-ooh-o-on with your workout” Hyewon blurted out in between moans.

The scene was so hot. The sweat that you both had from previous workout, you still having your t shirt on, Hyewon’s perfect body underneath you whilst you slip inside her wet pussy and the moans that filled the room. It would be impossible for anyone in the changing room to not hear you two fucking with the echoing moans that Hyewon was making.

Her moans only grew louder and louder, as Hyewon was breathing heavier and heavier. struggling to keep her moans in sync. Her pussy was also getting wetter and tighter.

“Fff-fuc-fuck I’mmm c-cl-c-c-closee-ee” Hyewon moaned out, telling you that she was close to her orgasm.

You could feel it in her, she was only seconds away from orgasming, it felt like your mission to get her to cum as you only responded by thrusting faster and harder as your hands roamed towards her exposed tits to play with it. Kneading it like it was a dough and flicking her nipples occasionally to try and push her off the edge. Her tits were soft like you imagined, as you continued to play with them whilst thrusting in and out of her pussy.

The extra sensation seemed to have pushed Hyewon into her orgasm as she moaned and screamed whilst her pussy clamps around your cock and coats your cock with her juices. It was hot, Hyewon’s orgasm was hot, but it was also loud. So loud that you stopped your thrustin, leant down and made out with her so she could be quieter.

“Mmmm mmmm mmm” Hyewon moans were muffled as she cums hard, shakes violently whilst making out with you, moaning into your mouth.

As Hyewon came down from her high, you pulled out of her pussy completely and help her stand up. Her legs were weak at first but with a little bit of help she managed to stand on her own. You meanwhile sat down on the bench with your cock still hard and proud waiting to enter Hyewon’s pussy again.

“I’ve done my bit of cardio, now your turn” you instructed Hyewon.

“My pleasure” Hyewon smirked.

She turned around, her perfect round butt facing you as she squatted a little bit before slowly backing herself onto you. Carefully and slowly guide herself onto your cock. Once she felt that the tip was poking at her entrance, Hyewon slammed herself hard onto your cock, her butt and your crotch made a slapping sound as they connected before she started to dictate the pace with how fast she should ride you.

You didn’t know how, but after the orgasm it felt like Hyewon’s pussy felt even better. Maybe it was the fact that this time Hyewon was the one doing all the work and she knows what she needs to do, or maybe it was the fact that her orgasm made her pussy wetter which meant it gave you smoother thrusts but it was so good that you could feel yourself building towards your own orgasm.

Moaning noises and skin slapping noises filled the room as Hyewon continued to ride you whilst you were sat down and she was squatting and riding your cock like an absolute professional. You snaked your hands back onto her perfect soft tits and played around with them.

However, as Hyewon continued to ride you in that position, you felt yourself nearing the end. It was something that you never wanted to end, but unfortunately it has to. You could feel that tingling sensation in your crotch area, you were close to your own orgasm.

“Oh fuck get off me Hyewon” were the words you never wanted to say but you had to “I’m going to cum���

“Paint me” Hyewon moaned out as she dismounted herself from your cock.

You stood up as Hyewon got back onto her knees, you were jerking off your cock furiously. It doesn’t feel as good as fucking Hyewon’s pussy but it was better than not being able to finish at all. Hyewon tilted her head upwards, took her sports bra off and pushed her tits up with her arms anticipating for the grand finale.

It didn’t take long, only took about a dozen of strokes until you reach your peak. Thick white semen shot out the tip of your cock and landed all over Hyewon’s body. The first few shots were strong and they landed on Hyewon’s face, painting her perfect features white before the rest shot out of your cock and landed on Hyewon’s soft boobs. 

Once your orgasm died down, Hyewon took your cock back into her mouth, gave it a quick clean and sucked all the last drops of cum that didn’t shot out of your cock which caused you to spasm a little bit as you were still sensitive after your orgasm.

“F-ff-fuck I’m still sensitive” you moaned out.

“Can’t waste any of that delicious protein” Hyewon tasted your cum and licked her lips.

Still breathing heavily, you went and grabbed Hyewon a towel to wipe off the cum on her body and face before you both put your clothes back on. For you it was easy, but for Hyewon it was a bit more difficult as her panties were literally torn. However, she managed to get dressed and disposed her panties before putting back on her black hoodie to cover any stains of cum on her body that she might have missed whilst cleaning herself.

As you were prepared to leave Hyewon suddenly spoke up.

“Pick me up outside the faculty of arts building at 7 tonight” Hyewon said.

“For what and why at 7” you questioned.

“A date, do you not want to go on a date with me after we fucked?” Hyewon followed up with a question.

“Yes, but can’t we go now? It’s not like there’s anything fancy on campus” you explained.

“At least let me go back take a shower and put some new panties on first, I smell like sweat and your cum” Hyewon said.

“Fine, see you at 7 then” you gave her a kiss on the lips before walking out the door, making sure nobody saw you coming out of the female changing room.

***

If you think I should write a part 2 about what happened after their first date please put it in the comments below

[notsodailykurudoro]

day 35

He gently pressed dried lips against the bandaged hand, barely peeping at the taller figure in front of him with a hint of smugness, internally eager to witness his reaction, he couldn't help but smile.

As the Craftsman slowly retreated, seconds that passed for entire lives buzzed inside the thief’s skull, almost too numb to process correctly the gesture and nevertheless lacking the time to act accordingly, his disastrous cognitive process managing to make him give a short bow.

“The pleasure would be no one’s but mine.” He expressed, polite, a hand resting on his chest solemnly.

Struggling with his own bubbling emotions, he offered his previously kissed hand to the mechanic who gladly took it with it’s own.

“Pretentious prig.” Kururu mocked, barely audible among the noisy ballroom that still echoed downstairs, the ballads high enough for them to take that chance there and now.

Devilishly cheesy, the redhead considered, quickly sparing a glance at the exit of the balcony and entrance to the site, making sure that no one was ready to intrude and trying to not give chances to the thought of what would the consequences be if someone stupid or nosy enough were to witness him and another man slow dancing on that secluded corner of the manor to pinch the back of his head.

He grabbed Dororo's waist, holding him as they both positioned themselves right, a very primal muscle memory playing an important part in such activity.

“Do try not to yell if i step on ya’”

“I trust you wholeheartedly” Zero laughed before saying, already starting to sway with the smaller man in arms.

They enjoyed a certain ability, an ability that was instilled many years ago, to one by decision and the other by obligation, by a custom rooted in the putrid scheme that had been drawn for decades in both of their worlds, which weren’t that far apart.

“This’a good one.” The craftsman noted.

“Which is?” The thief replied.

“The tune.”

“You mean the song?”

“Aye, used to repeat it a few times to get the signature right.”

“On the talking machine?”

“Before it flumped on my brother’s head, at least.”

“You've got a brother?”

“Now you tryna get me maggin’” Kururu grinned.

“Oh, I apologize-” He shrank very slightly on the grip. “I do tend to forget you're not much of a talker.”

“Cannae get too carried away making children’s shoes.”

A cackle, that peculiar monosyllabic giggle again, Dororo could never get used to it, and not in a bad way, he softened, a smirk of his own accompanying the blush of his covered face.

“I guess not…”

It was a bit chilly outside, the air whistled, passing through broken windows and worn boards, indistinguishable voices, far away music and drunken stupor characteristic of a Saturday night feeding the white noise.

Zero never had major trouble with keeping eye contact, Unlike Kururu, who needed to look away from other people or movement to concentrate on what they were saying, as well as feeling uncomfortable after at least 5 minutes of holding it. And yet, something made him want to continue staring at the other man’s gaze, it made him uneasy in the best of ways, that glassy tone that you would only find in a well-preserved corpse, it almost incited him to grab forks and take them out to study, to see if he would still stare so astonishingly to a Dororo with bleeding, empty eye sockets. He grinned further.

“Guess I owe you, though.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I know anything I can know about you, Conveyancer.”

“Is that so?”

“Yessir.”

“Well you’ll have to find the heart to forgive because I highly doubt it.”

Kururu snorted before they both gave a spin on par with the music.

“Now I don't need to empty the bag, do I, Your Majesty?”

Dororo froze, erratically following the craftsman with the dance.

“...I-... Do not seem to follow, I have no idea of what you're getting at with such nonsense…!”

“Don’t play stupid on me, Gollumpus, gonna have to try harder than that.”

“I’m not…! What makes you believe that i am, of all people, a member of royalty?”

Kururu took the lead, clearly enjoying himself, he handled the ‘thief’ as he kept ranting.

“The break-teeth words? Fancy rags? Issues with that skank ya callin’ a mother?”

“M-My mother is a very respectable woman, thank you very much!”

“How ‘bout pops?”

“... I’ve got a feeling that you're the one that’s making me wanna ‘empty the bag’.”

“Dodgin’ bullets tonight, are we? Kuu-ku-ku-”

“C-Can be put that way.”

Dororo said, looking away from him, trying to keep himself from laughing. It was hard to put on the nonchalant facade, Zero always thought that he was at least somewhat good at keeping himself at ease in almost every situation, It is necessary to know how to stay calm to handle things better, however, Kururu seemed to know how to press his buttons, all the time, as if he could read every word and movement he could muster like an open, abandoned book. At times, it could be quite scary, but it was also flattering, because someone was taking the time and dedication to pay attention at what he was doing and why.

Such a shame that the glass-eyed ginger was like that with almost everyone.

“Okay, think I gotcha something.”

The blue haired man turned his attention back to the freckled one.

“Y’can ask three questions, then i can ask three, we don't need to get into much detail, and we can stop with the tilly-tally mind games. How'zat?”

Pondering, the noble slowly pulled away from Kururu, as if running equations on his mind, considering. Kururu fidgeted on his place, out of sight from Dororo to not give away his own facade.

“A tempting offer…” Mustered the blue-eyed man.

“Buuuuut?”

“... Very well then, it does sound amusing.”

He smiled, closing his eyes briefly, and the smaller one grinned widely.

And as the night passed, the two of them now knew each other a little more than they had that morning.

no beta we fucking die like viper