#i have never seen that before and didnt know that was a thing that could happen

[sxnnimoon]

Pedro Pascal x f!reader

You went to wedding as wedding guest. You walks to church, as you step in you trip over but someone catches you in your waist, as you put your hands on his shoulders. You barely apologize as you look at him in sixty second, he let you stand. As you two gonna have a seat for church to begin. Afterwards, they went to wedding reception and they talk deeply and get to know each other. Their chemistry is so wonderful *fluffiness*

(Hope you will write it, thanks and have a good day)

Thank you so much for the request lovely !!🖤

When you’d received the invitation you almost didn't open it, you had done a quick skim through not even thinking that the envelope with gold fouling was something important until you received a call from your cousin just days before the rsvp deadline.

“Did you send yours in?” she’d asked.

“My what?” confusion adorn your face as you try to think of what she meant.

“Your rsvp?” she said as a question. “You know, the one for my wedding..?”

“Fuck..” you cursed to yourself. “Right! I am so sorry, I completely forgot. Do I still have time?”

“I doubt it’ll make it to me in time but over the phone is fine.” she giggled. “Are you bringing anyone?”

Wasn’t that the question of all questions. Were you? Well, would you?

“Just myself,” you responded.

“Solo? I thought you were seeing someone?” you could hear the pout in her voice.

“If you define seeing as ghosting you for their ex then by all means, sure…” you ran a hand through your hair.

She was silent before responding, “Well! Weddings are a time to hook up, maybe you’ll find someone.”

“Not my style, but thanks.” you shook your head.

“Still, maybe you’ll meet someone.” She encouraged me.

“Wishing for me to hook up at your own wedding, shouldn’t this be the other way around?” you laughed.

“Come on, you know I mean well.” she laughed before bidding a goodbye. “I’ll see you in a month, I have hope.”

“That makes just you.” you whispered once the call officially ended, not a single inch of hope in your heart.

As the wedding day came you found yourself standing outside the church for what felt like years. Family you haven’t seen in so long saying hi, a little overwhelming but what else can you do? Turning towards the church you shook your head, it was higher up off the ground. Two curved stairways, one on either side. Roses and plants adorn the rails. It was beautiful, out of a movie no doubt. You’d have to give your cousin a compliment about it when you see her. Walking up to the doors you peered in, it was gorgeous. As you stepped in you didnt pay attention to the planters lining the walkway and tripped over one, causing you to stumble. Before you could try and catch yourself your hands found themselves on another’s shoulders as a set of hands could be felt on your waist holding you from hitting the ground.

“Those planters weren’t exactly the best choice…” the voice said, chuckling lightly.

Looking to who was still holding you, your cheeks gained a rosy tint to them from the flustered shock you were in. He was gorgeous, it felt as though you were starstruck.

“Are you alright though?” he asked, helping you to stand back on your feet.

“I..” you shook yourself out of your daze. “Yes! I'm fine. No harm done.”

Your eyes never leave him.

“We should probably grab a seat. It’s about time to start.” he gestured to a back pew for you both to sit down at as the ceremony was to start. As the ceremony came to an end you found yourself lingering about him still. You both were walking the church grounds getting to know one another to pass some time before heading to the venue.

“Bride or groom?” he asked.

“Bride.” you replied. “You?”

“Groom,” you nodded. “We go way back.”

”She’s my cousin actually.” you added.

“I thought there was a resemblance.” His tone is playful to keep things lighthearted, making you laugh.

“That strong huh?” you looked up at him smiling.

“Strong genes, beautiful ones at that.” he returned the smile.

“Stop it..” you gave a small nudge to distract the rosiness forming on her cheeks.

“Oh wow I didn’t realize how much time had passed.” you said, peering at your phone. “I should head back to my room to freshen up.”

You stood there rocking on your heels.

“I have to find where my sister went, I can imagine she’s looking for me.” he smiled.

“See you there?” you smiled.

“See you there.” he said, taking your hand and kissing it, your cheeks now burning as you watch him leave.

Come reception time, you found yourself at your assigned table by your lonesome sipping your drink as everyone was mingling and dancing away. It’s not that you were a stranger at your own table, you were with family but you couldn’t help the way your eyes wandered around the room. Practically scanning the room for the stranger you’d met, funny enough you didn’t even get his name. You’re not one for getting this attached but he intrigued you. Tall, handsome, hopefully single. You didn’t see a ring so you had your fingers crossed. On your walk to the bathroom you spotted him close to the dj booth mingling, he seemed like such a ball of light. As you dried your hands you looked in the mirror beginning to do a few touch ups.

“She is not gonna let me hear the end of this…” you talked aloud. “He’s a literal dream…tall, handsome...”

“Sounds like he’s the one.” A voice piped in followed by a flush, startling you.

“I AM SO SORRY.” You spoke frantically.

“It’s ok, no harm in venting.” She giggled walking out to the sink. “A guy you’re seeing?” She looked at you as she dried her hands.

“More like just met…today.” you hesitated, trying to read her face.

“I see.” She nodded.

“Worst of all I didn’t even get his name..” Y/n sighed.

“And that love is where you messed up.” She smiled as she pointed at you.

“Tell me about it…” you leaned against the counter. “You trip and fall into someone, spend just about two hours talking and you don’t get his name.. or number.”

You groaned, holding your head in your hand. “God I even flirted..”

“You know,” the stranger says as she walks towards the door. “Maybe they feel the same, they themselves just aren’t sure how to go about it all.”

“You might be right.” A small smile on your face. “What was your name?”

“Lux.” She smiled warmly, about to head out.

“Y/n.” You gave your name in return. “Hey Lux?”

You called after her.

“Hmm?” She turned.

“Thank you.” You felt somewhat relieved.

She nodded, “You're welcome.”

Walking out Lux turned back just before the door closed, a look of confusion on your face.

“His name is Pedro.” She stated, leaving before you could ask questions.

“Pedro.” You smiled at the name. It suited him.

As you left the bathroom you looked around by the dj booth only to find him to be gone. It was as if he had disappeared. Returning to your table you sulked a bit, you had a name but he was nowhere in sight, not even Lux to ask questions to. Going back to watching everyone dance on the floor. About 3-5 songs had passed before an announcement for everyone to pair up with a partner and make it to the dance floor as Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran started to play. If one would look closely they could swear they saw a small smile crack as you watched the couples on the dance floor. You were lost in thought when someone tapped your shoulder making you look in the direction.

It was him.

“Care to dance?” he smiled, hand reaching out.

“S-sure.” you stuttered slightly, taking his hand, letting him guide you to the floor.

Placing your hand on his shoulder, while your other was in his. Your fingers entwine with his perfectly as you feel his free hand come to your waist, that familiar feeling from earlier reignited as your skin heated up once more. The feeling makes you shiver at the same time before allowing your body to relax and let him lead you along the floor.

“You’re a hard one to find.” He said over the music for you to hear.

“Looking for me now are we?” You tease.

“One could say the same for you.” He peered down at you, a smirk on his lips.

“I don’t know what you mean.” You play coy.

“A little bird told me otherwise.” His smirk wider.

“Damn you Lux..” you whispered. “Well, Pedro. Maybe she’s right, maybe not.”

He chuckled, “It’s ok to admit.”

He leaned in toward your ear, “I felt the connection too.”

Your cheeks burning a crimson once more at his confession. When did you become so easily flustered?

“Y-you did?” You look into his eyes, earning a nod from him as he playfully dipped you as the song ended walking you off the floor.

“Would it be too much to ask for your number?” You asked hopefully.

“Would it be too forward if I asked to see you again?” He countered, handing you his phone.

“No, not at all.” You couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s a date then.” He handed your phone back.

The rest of the evening you found yourself glued to his side. You were both drawn to each other. The chemistry is even better than before. It didn’t take long before your cousin and her cousin came over and complimented you both as she hugged you and whispered a drunken I told you so making you roll your eyes.

Maybe she was right, but you’d never tell her that. What you did know was that there was more to this than a silly wedding hook up. He might just be the one for the rest of your life.

[marvelobsessed134]

You showed me

A/n: I watched Companion and got inspired. Also I fucking lost my first draft so now I have to rewrite this whole thing. And it’s a different idea than my original one so if I have the energy to also write that one then I will. But this is different because I’d get bored rewriting the same story.

Pairings: Dark!CEO!Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Warnings: smut, controlling!bucky, plot twist (if you haven’t seen the movie), attempt to runaway, loss of autonomy, dumbification, dubious consent, mid smut ngl.

Your heels clicked softly against the tile in the grocery store, pushing your cart along as you listened to the bland corporate pop music playing over the speakers.

You made your way to the produce aisle, eyeing the peaches and picking one up to sniff it. Across the way you could see an extremely handsome man, with dark brown hair and steel blue eyes. He had quite the stubble, too. He caught your eye and smiled, walking closer to you.

“Hi, I’m James but everyone calls me Bucky.” He introduced himself.

You chuckled softly, “I’m Y/n.”

The two of you stood there, smiling at each other.

“Y/n, wake up.” Your eyes fluttered awake at the sound of your lovers’ voice. You sat up in bed, looking over at him as he was already getting ready for the day. Buttoning up his shirt and buckling his slacks.

The brunette crawled onto the bed to press a kiss to your lips, “Good morning, doll.”

“Good morning. Where are you headed off to today?”

“Just a couple things I have to take care of at the office. It’ll just be a couple hours. Then…we have the whole night….to ourselves.” Bucky pawed at your nightgown and you giggled, a wave of arousal coming over you. He kissed you once again before getting back to dressing up.

You got out of bed and got dressed as well. Putting on a pink dress you know Bucky loves. Then you did your hair and makeup before heading into the kitchen to make him a quick breakfast.

Awhile later, your boyfriend stepped into the kitchen, giving you a kiss on the cheek as he grabbed the pieces of toast you prepared him.

“I’ll see you later, doll. Try to get some cleaning done when I’m gone, yeah?”

You nodded and bid him farewell as he walked out the door of your luxurious penthouse. Well, his luxurious penthouse.

Throughout the day you began cleaning. Starting in the kitchen then working your way to the bedroom. As you were organizing the walk-in closet, you noticed a small handbook. Furrowing your brows, you picked it up.

The front said Empathix Robotics. There was a picture of a beautiful woman smiling wide. You opened the book which had you landing on the page with a little background on the company.

Their line of business was making companion robots for people who want the perfect partner. Why would Bucky have this?

Flipping through more pages you read about the “Care guide for your new companion.” mentioning things like how to clean them, what not to do, how to shut them down if needed, how to reset them. And then…the voice commands.

The one that stood out to you the most, was how to wake them up and put them to sleep.

It reminded you a lot of how the first thing you’d hear in the morning was “Y/n, wake up.” And the last thing you’d hear at night was, “Y/n, go to sleep.”

All of this was eerily similar to your own life…but this can’t be true, right? You’re not a robot. You have feelings. You feel pain, you cry, you can eat. But now that you think about it, you’ve never gained any weight, never felt truly hungry. It didnt take you long to come up with the realization that you were, in fact, a made to order robot for your boyfriend. But it still confused you because you have memories as well. Memories of being a child, summer jobs, meeting Bucky…you had to bring this up to him when he came home.

And so, after hours of waiting, you sat on the couch as Bucky walked in with a smile. “Hey, doll!” He exclaimed. His smile dropped when he noticed your expression.

“What’s wrong, Y/n?”

You held up the handbook, “James…what the hell is this?”

“Oh doll…” The CEO sighed, sitting on the coffee table across from you as he ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t think I’d have to break this to you…”

“Break what to me, Bucky?” You asked, though you had a pretty good clue.

“You know, I’ve been with a bunch of different women over the years…none of them were right for me. They never gave me what I needed. I needed a sweet girl who wouldn’t talk back to me, someone who wouldn’t second guess everything I did…”

You processed the information, your heart rate picking up as he continued, “So when a buddy of mine told me about how I could get the perfect girl…I couldn’t resist. Really, I couldn’t. And…fuck…when you got delivered-“

“Delivered? You had me shipped to your fucking house?”

“Doll, calm down.”

“No! Fuck, you don’t even have to say it I know I’m an AI robot you bought for yourself!” You yelled as you got up off the couch, grabbing your purse. Bucky stood up, “Where do you think you’re going, doll?”

“That’s, what you want in a woman! You want a doll, right? Sweet gentle submissive thing that can’t fight back and goes along with everything you say, right?”

His expression hardened. You grabbed your purse and attempted to escape the penthouse, but he blocked the door. You quickly ran down the hall to the office where you knew he kept one useful thing.

A gun.

Quickly, after making sure it was loaded, you ran down the hall as Bucky was stalking towards you. He paused as he spotted the gun in your hands.

“Doll, Y/n, put the gun down please.”

You didn’t respond, didn’t move. Tears fell down your cheeks. “Why do I have memories? Why do I remember meeting you? Why can I feel emotions?”

“It’s all part of your programming. Those memories…are fake, Y/n.” You narrowed your eyes at him and began to slowly push the trigger down.

Your boyfriend-owner-pulled out his phone which made you tilt your head in confusion, until your mind suddenly felt…empty. Bucky let out a sigh in relief.

He turned your intelligence down to 0%.

“Y/n, I want you to come over here and give the gun to me, okay?” He asked sweetly. You made your way over to him, setting the gun in his hand. The brunette put it back in its place in the office before carrying you into the bedroom, placing you on the bed.

“I didn’t wanna do this but…maybe I made you too smart too fast. You’re gonna be a little dumb for awhile okay?” The man took your jaw in between his fingers, squeezing your cheeks and nodding your head.

You had no thoughts as he began to strip in front of you. His chiseled abs on full display. Bucky pressed his lips to yours in a forceful, passionate kiss before unzipping your dress, pulling off with ease.

You laid there as he stripped you of your clothes and underwear. You could feel the arousal between your legs. No matter what, Bucky always made you horny.

Usually he would make sure you got to cum first. But instead, he shoved himself inside of your tight hole. Gripping your hips as the man thrusted inside of you, his eyes rolling back in pleasure.

“See? This…this is perfect. This is why I bought you, doll.” Tears formed in your eyes, but you also couldn’t help but moan. It was so, so wrong to get turned on at a time like this. Even more wrong when you knew he had complete control over you.

“Jesus Christ…always so tight…fuck, doll!” Bucky gripped your left breast as he jackhammered into you, hitting your g spot over and over again. Or was it all programming? You couldn’t tell and you couldn’t care as endless pleasure flowed through your body. You clenched around his cock as you came with a loud gasp. It didn’t take long for your boyfriend to cum as well, filling you completely.

Bucky wiped your tears off your cheeks and brushed some of your hair out of your face, looking down at you with a soft expression but there was dominance and carnal desire just below the surface.

“I think I’m gonna keep you like this for a little longer.”

[fictionfixations]

might not necessarily relate but man ive had this eating me up inside for ages because i just felt too worried about writing this down anywhere that id hurt someones feelings but like man its been years now its probably fine

Once I was writing this fic of like a crossover and I was just kinda having fun writing whatever and on like whims so it was kind of a mess but I had fun writing it whenever I got bursts of inspiration of like 'oh hey what if [this happens]'

and then i got a comment that like to be fair was constructive criticism and pointed out a bunch of loopholes and inconsistencies n stuff like that and also how ooc my characters were and that i might as well have just made it an oc thing

which. i really appreciated because yeah im still learning how to write and still improving but it was.. really demotivating

that i kind of just stopped writing that fic entirely. i tried to like take a long time before i posted a chapter telling my readers im discontinuing the fic because i didnt want them to feel like they were the cause of it since yknow they were just trying to be helpful but like man.... it just sucked all the fun out of it for me

and like i mean now im more likely to read like character analyses and like how people would describe their personality on wikis and write fics more on media ive recently consumed so i remember it better in comparison to stuff i havent seen in years and just winging it, and like not skipping over stuff thats really important to the story im telling but i skip over because i dont know how to write it (its really just a letting someone in on the 'truth' so idk man i didnt think i had to summarize it but i guess i did like a big build up to it so sure) and like trying to keep a better track of whats going on so its not all over the place

and like im better at writing people reacting to stuff and like actually doing something which i felt weird about for the longest time because thered just be this one character yapping with a lot of dialogue that i just didnt know how to have the other character react

but sometimes i just think back to like longg paragraphs of notes i had planning out stuff that i kinda wanted to add into that fic (based off of other media id consumed and really liked) and i just never got to do it cause when i was thinking it up it was really fun, and i thought it was fun even if i wasnt entirely sure how i was gonna write it

but then i read that comment and then i look at my notes and then they just.. kind of feel really dumb. like, like its such a bullshit ending idea and just.. didnt know how to keep writing because then i just kind of started being overly critical when i didnt even have the whole idea of the fic planned, it was just literally something i started on a whim and kept continuing on a whim with hella inconsistent updates, just whenever i felt like it but itd still sit in the back of my head brainstorming the whole time so it was still important to me

but ohh man people are taking this seriously

..i should take this seriously

and then i didnt have anything to write. or like id think back on it and want to write something but then id have all these doubts weighing down on me that i just kept putting it on the backburner

which really sucked. (anyway that kinda made me not really want to write multichapter fics for the long term and instead turn them into oneshots that i can return to whenever but most likely not since theyre 'done', and whenever i take too long on a multichapter fic its like whatever im not getting anywhere lets just discontinue)

dont get me wrong i love comments but i also understand like okay you can think oh they could probably do this part better and wanna give constructive criticism and feedback and advice, but its like.. if they dont want it then dont give it?? this is such a complete topic change from the post im reblogging but i dont know where else to put it and am not confident in it standing okay as its own post

and im sure there are ways to word feedback in a way thats less negative and like wouldnt make someone lose motivation but would instead push them to do better like ooh thats another way of how i can do this, but you remember one kinda more negative comment then a bunch of positive ones 😭

also this might be completely different to other people they can prob take it, i just take comments to heart way too much

ive seen some fics that will have in notes that theyre open to like constructive criticism and thats what i mean where its okay to do stuff like that

so like you can share stuff then or if you do write comments on other fics then maybe try to word it in a way that wont make them feel like what theyre doing is stupid or something 💀

like once i got this comment that was like oh you can separate the paragraphs more and that was a nice comment (dont remember the exact wording) and it also changed how i wrote cause before i wrote these huge blocks of text but now theyre more separated into smaller paragraphs and easier to digest

and i found that very helpful, i think it really comes down to the wording since tones are pretty hard to tell in writing (minus tone tags, i dont see a lot of them tbh)

anyway uh

thanks for reading this long ass post

i dont really know if this will resonate with a lot of people or if like i just have like a completely wrong take or if its sounding like i dont like comments (I really do appreciate comments they give me the extra boost i need to write stuff because it tells me that there are people who really like my writing)

but dude ive had this stuck in my head for like 2-3 years and not once have i written anything even hinting towards it because i kept feeling really really bad and didnt want them to feel bad if they were still reading my stuff

but man i just needed to get this out there. get my thoughts out. now ill just start to forget about this now that ive given it an outlet

anyway trying to get back to the actual topic of the post i reblogged

i try to be more accurate and closer to canon now but sometimes i just gotta accept it like man... this is gonna be hella ooc. but yknow what? thats okay. and since its ooc what if i just do THIS and THIS??? whose looking for accuracy points?? not me. also probaly tagging out of character is a good idea just in case so if anyones like 'AGHH THEYRE SO OOC' '*points to tag* WELL YEAH???'

anyway i kinda got that comment when i was a bit more insecure in my writing but in those years ive accepted that yeah fanfiction is just whatever man, its made by the fans for the fans so who the hell cares if its like hella bullshitty or something idfk man theres no limit to what random ass shit you can do in fics (and sometimes that shit is hella funny too) and who cares if its not like professional ass writing (do we look like professionals??? ....*stares at the fic writers who have actually published books* i mean well not all of us LMAO)

also its really really easy to just.. stop reading if you find something in a fic you dont like. you dont have to comment at all. its that easy.

theres so many fics out there that im sure theres one that'll be your cup of tea so its fine if you find one you dont like, just try another one

also dont be afraid to just turn off comments or some shit and keep writing 💀 cause at the end of the day we're kinda just writing what we want, no one else, we just end up posting it for other fans to enjoy so i say do whatever makes you happy, dont let what other people say (who are being negative) affect what you write because at that point wheres the fun in writing?? wheres the charm of doing whatever the fuck you want, or even the charm of planning out a full on story of this idea that you really like and want to expand upon???

anyway hope i made some sense

what do u think about people whining when you change a character too much in a fic? it’s fanfiction after all, i don’t want my silly cringey fics to be canon, but i’m scared to write for a certain character because they’re not into romance in canon and people jump to each others throats because some people write fiction about them and others say its implied not canon.

I have talked about this before (tap here for how I feel about the matter).

but to sum it up, I don’t “think” about people who whine about this, except that they’re entitled, I block them and then I forget about them.

what I do think / what I believe is that writers can write whatever they want. you can write whatever you want. it’s your work, your creation. write it for yourself, it’s so much more fun than writing just to please random strangers on the internet.

[gifti3]

ugh why is he so nice, like honestly my pc didnt deserve this response

[true-bluesargent]

just saw the dear evan hansen uk tour and... dude it was so incredible. ryan kopel was INSANE he hit every note and his comedy acting was so so good and his performance of words fail... i can't even talk about it. and i loved the staging they had these windows that they could roll in and out so during waving through a window he would be separated from the rest of the cast on stage by an actual window........ you're joking!!!!! and when evan would be video calling jared they were both side by side facing the audience but the window dividers were lit up differently to show they were in different places and they had these little stands at the back where if a character was on the phone the person they were calling was behind them in a little lit-up box like they were inside a phone. COOL!!!! and the choreography for sincerely me was so good and so hysterical. the guys playing connor and jared were so so so good!!!! literally a life-changing show i think 15 year old me would never have stopped crying afterwards

[elvenchain]

Slightly better clip of Ghirahim's sword thing in the final battle and like 👍 Yeah sure man. Whatever make this one even more sensual than the last. That's fine

[what-is-it-to-be-pk-esque]

My partner finally finished BG3 but has no idea that his ending was actually bad cause he was a pro-Vlaakith githyanki who rode off with Lae'zel but got NO EPILOGUE where Withers points out y'all died im 😭😭😭

they have no idea what happened with Gale or anyone else (who was still alive) after flying away 🙃🙃🙃

[mackthecheesy]

rip to the person in my dream last night who i was in a time loop trying to save </3 woke up before i ever could

[hollow-vok]

Ohh im obssesed

[marklikely]

i feel like its a rite of passage to see léon being hyped up as this amazing movie so you watch it and then go hmm. not sure about the portrayal of preteen girls in this one. and then you look into it and find out all the awful shit that got cut AND what luc besson's inspiration for making it was and you want to chew glass

[nikovraskol]

What were the reactions from the family in the original timeline where reader died?

masterlist - crack baby

if u saw alfred being mentioned .. no u didnt i forgot he was dead oopsy poopsy

soul crushing guilt.

the moon is high in the sky, and everyone's gearing up for patrol, though they can each tell that there's a strange blanket of silence around the manor.

bruce is perplexed, but it's fine -- he's probably just tired, it's probably nothing.

then he sees your lifeless body in an alley and he's fighting tears, his stomach churning as he gazes down at you -- his poor baby, lying in a pool of your own blood, your eyes glazed over, lifeless.

when jason died, he vowed to never let another one of his children die ever again, not like this. so why? you weren't even a vigilante, you were just.

he dives himself into work, searching for the bastards responsible for your death, when he finds them -- he'll give them a firm beating, he'll convey his anger, not as batman but as bruce wayne.

dick is absolutely devasted, he can't bring himself to look at your body, his poor baby. you must've felt soso alone, scared as you bleed out. he wishes he could've spent more time with you, wishes that he took you out for dinner that one time. he buries himself in hero work, much like bruce, trying to distract himself -- but it doesn't work! everything reminds him of you. he wishes he could've seen you smile so widely at him, just one more time.

jason, on the other hand, doesn't try to distract himself. he reaches forward and searches for the murderes with a deep sense of rage. he understands you, he does! he knows what it feels like to be neglected, forgotten -- pushed aside as an afterthought as bruce pushes in another sibling in a place that should've been yours, you could've opened up to him, he could've looked back at you. he feels a burning hot rage, an itch for revenge -- but beneath his anger is a deep sense of vulnerability. of the knowledge that he failed you, his precious sibling. he doesn't think he can forgive himself.

tim doesn't believe it at first. you got shot on your way home from work? what a silly joke. and then he takes in the sullen expression on bruce's face and he faced with a deep sense of hopelessness. how .. unexpected. he doesn't know how to move on, you didn't play an intengral role in his life but as the days pass he's acutely aware of the small things you did that affected him, the way you would boil water before you went to bed for him, or how you'd leave some painkillers on the counter -- all those small things that seemed to meaningless to him, he's forced to acknowledge his own shortcomings as your brother. he doesn't know how to move on, he doesn't want to move on.

damian, poor damian, he's crushed. you're dead? you? his older sibling? sure, he may have bullied you since the moment you stepped into the manor, not once did he show you positive affection. but he cares for you! in his own, twisted way! he's faced with crushing guilt, unable to look in the mirror without seeing you -- without seeing the resigned expression on your lifeless face. he always knew you were weak, but dying to a few bullets? that's--.. he can't bring himself to belittle you, not anymore, not with the suffocating guilt he's forced to face.

they have no memories of you, aside from the small child you were, shyly observing from afar -- to the lifeless body you are now. they scavange for every picture they could find, anything they can to remember you by!

if only they had a chance to redo it, to show you just how much you mean to them. :(

[sheepispink]

Relief

supersoldier!reader x lt ghost technicallly the 141 too but he’s the main culprit (part 4)

One Series Masterlist

cw: Reaper is reader’s callsign (backstory and meaning will be given at the bottom and thanks to @pythonmoth to help me with this :) ), nightmares, slight derealisation

pls lmk if u accidentally find any gendered terms for reader! this is supposed to be gender neutral

PREV NEXT

————-

“Lord, Ghost! Why do you think they don’t want to speak up? Look at their face!”

Soap raises his voice, louder than you’ve ever heard a sergeant before. Yet despite that, you watch in horror as Ghost shoves him out of his way, stalking even closer to you. The anger in his eyes is nothing short of fury, making fear spike in your heart and so the machines start beeping loudly, screaming in your ears. They’re not supposed to do that; your heart rate is supposed to keep steady outside of battle and serious situations—you’re breaking.

Wetness coats your cheeks as you scramble backwards, watching the terrifying skull mask grow closer and closer. You suppose you’ve taken it for granted that you never had to worry about the rumours surrounding the mask, but now you understand what every enemy had felt when they came across him, worrying that if you even so blink he’d have your heart in his hands the second your eyes opened.

You suppose he’s talking, likely yelling more curses and insults at you but you can't hear any of it, nor Soap’s voice as he reaches for you, everything swirling into an incomprehensible blur. You have to blink, your vision blurry and the next second you open your eyes his hand is around your throat, forcing your eyes to blow wide and your own breath to clog in your throat. Everything is freezing; the walls are closing in and your entire body feels strange, like the world around you has tipped entirely. “You devil—”

“Reaper!“

Your hands clench at nothing but the cold flooring of the medical room you’re in, having fallen off of the bed altogether. The heart monitor beeps loudly, having been detached when you fell, also causing the iv drip to rip off, and leaving your bare arms feeling naked and raw. Gaz crouches before you, his hands like a furnace against your frozen body, trying to ease you. “What happened? Are you alright?” You do your best to nod quickly in response, a hiccup replacing the yes choked in your throat. He’s still soothing you when heavy footsteps approach, though you know well enough that it isnt the ones you fear—well, not that kind of fear anyway.

The Captain stands in the doorway, watching as Gaz pats your back and says reassuring words to your horror stricken face, the hot tears still curving over your cheeks and thawing the ice your hands feel like. It’s not like you were afraid of him like you were with Ghost, no it was more of a… professional intimidation.

The first time you spoke to him was the day you first arrived at base, having been picked up by Ghost and then taken to meet the Captain. He didn’t do much than tell you how to contact him, and a few words about the things you’d take part in whilst you worked alongside Ghost. Even so, you had figured immediately from the getgo that he wasn’t a man to mess with, and so you avoided him as best you could. In your head, talking to him only occured when something went wrong and well, nothing should be going wrong with a weapon like you.

“I’ll take it from here, Garrick.” His voice is low, but not harsh, and Gaz slowly stands, looking back at you one more time before he steps back. The Captain moves towards where you are on the ground, your back pressed against the small cupboard and your hands flat against the cold tiles. “I’m sorry i didnt come earlier.” It’s the first thing he says, and he takes his hat off, making him look strange and yet nothing like the stern authority he represents, especially when his brows are furrowed.

“Captain— I-” Despite that, you still didnt want to be seen as weak before him. All you had done for the past three months would be for a waste if something as menial as the events of the past day caused you to crumble to pieces. You wish you could explain everything to him, beg him to believe you when you say this was all nothing. All you need is for him to walk away now, pretend he didn’t see the visible distress in your face. Then maybe, just maybe, you’d be able to move past all of this and live your life as the weapon his team would wield proudly. “It’s- I’m just—“

“No.”

The word is short, simple and stern and yet somehow it has you stilling, every nerve frozen as you stare at him.

You should’ve known that weapons don't get second chances, that the damaged soldier doesn’t survive the battlefield. You should’ve known he wouldn’t care for some weak straggler, someone who broke apart from a few threats on their stupid birthday. Even if you had led each of his missions to a swift victory. Even if his days had been spent lighter, with more free time because there were just less things to worry about when you were the equivalent to ten soldiers. Even if he had written star reports about you, even going as far as to someday wish to permanently add you to the team. Even if you held every mission you went on by it’s strings and you kept them taut— never letting go, not even for a second.

“Why’d you always call me Captain, hm? You can call me John, you know.” His voice is relatively calmer, even if it’s the same tone he’s always used for you. He crouches and easily slips a hand behind your back, nudging you forward enough to allow him to pick you up and place you back onto the military bed.

“John…” You test the word on your lips and he nods, your shaken up state not disregarded as his eyes rake over your trembling form. He quickly pulls them away to reattach the iv drip and the heart monitor before his hand carefully brushes through your hair from the front to the back of your head. “See? Slides right off your tongue.”

You realise now that you still had been breathing quite heavily, with your hand gripping the front of your shirt. Everything just felt so tight, everything around was completely fake. You’re used to having reservations about this, used to pulling away from any physical contact, or just staying blank faced. A defense mechanism perhaps, especially after you had been through torture training and they tried their best to prey on any possible weaknesses. The thought of that day makes you shiver, but still, you were too lost in it to care that you were breaking your own rules aswell now.

You look up as his thumb rubs absentmindedly at the soft skin of your cheek. It’s one of the few places untouched by the horrors of experiments and severe training, still somehow retaining that childhood chubbiness, even if you had been trying to rid that for a long time. His lips have pulled into a small smile as he looks down at you, one that seems so fond you’re almost sure that perhaps he’s laughing at you since it couldn’t nearly be possible. Then you see the guilt in his eyes, the way they flicker down every now and then, and when his hand grazes your bandaged arm, for the first time, you flinch.

“Why—no— Did..you ever want to tell me, at all?”

You nod quietly, and his breath returns, letting out in the form of a long exhale as he just nods quietly, nudging you up so he can sit on the edge of the small hospital bed. “What..made you choose not to?”

“I.. I didn't think it was that serious.. It seemed like a stupid threat.” You murmur out and despite how angry he is about the whole situation, he can't get mad at your mindset. It really isn’t your fault.

“You were scared though.” He points out, and you nod in response, his hand still rubbing your head gently. “If it’s enough to cause you of all people fear, I think it’s pretty serious, kid.”

You swallow sharply, and he notices, letting out another sigh as his eyes fill with even more guilt. “I’m sorry..about your party. I should’ve been there; Me and Ghost, and I should've bought all your things for you too.” Never in your life has anyone looked at you with guilt, especially not directed at you. “It’s fine.. I didn’t really care for the party.” You mumble out, wiping the remaining tears that had coated your cheeks.“No— kid, i mean it. I’ll make it up to you; we can have that party—“

”It was a lie- I.. I’ve never celebrated my birthday.” You finally admit, the words blurting out as you stare down at your hands, fiddling with the blankets. “I just.. I thought if one of you came then they wouldn’t have dared to try and harm me.”

John stills, staring at you so hard and his hands have frozen on your shoulder, the air growing silent. “I.. You just wanted us to protect you.”

There’s one thing you haven't been letting yourself think about. Maybe it was the fact you were so terrified by all the threats you received, maybe it was the fact that you wanted to believe you could be the one in control— maybe you just thought that after everything you’d been through you were allowed to feel that confident. Now that everything’s over, your mind can no longer push the undoubted facts out.

You’re a weapon, that’s something you’ve always known about yourself. But just like with a weapon, it can't fire on its own—it needs someone to wield it. Ghost, for example; he’d give you commands on the battlefield, whether vague or specific. Those experiments ensured you listened to him, years of brainwashing forcing you into submission only to who was your commander. And so, despite everything you convinced yourself of the last few days, you weren’t exactly all that feared, not by your comrades. Those who understood the nature of you knew you couldn’t lay a hand against them, no matter how bad it got. You were powerless without a handler, as useless as a gun with no bullets.

Understanding lays heavy in Price’s eyes, seeing the emotions that pass through you with every twitch of your hand and flicker of your lashes. You were just a kid damnit. Sure, you were well of age, but you never knew anything past military life. You were everything he fought against and yet you were still here, under his team’s command. You don't argue when he wraps his arms around your back, pulling you in tight, and he doesn't argue when your face is pushed against his shoulder, wetting his thin shirt. “I’m sorry.” He murmurs, whispering it in your ear again and again, making sure you dont only know it, but you believe it. You believe he didn’t mean it, and you believe he’ll do everything to fix this.

—————————-

10:23 pm, 3 days earlier

The tension in the room lays thick, the silence eating away at the two men sat infront of each other . Ghost was tense, muscles bulging as his fists clench at his lap, his eyes fixed onto the patterns on Price’s wooden desk. Meanwhile, the latter sat with his hands clasped, both of them with heavy hearts. “Reaper is in the infirmary; their arm took the brunt of the damage when they were protecting the fox.” He breathes out the words, suddenly wishing he has a cigar to fill the empty nausea in his throat.

Meanwhile, Ghost is only growing more furious, standing up way too fast before walking towards the cabinets. “They could’ve got killed, Capt.” His voice is stern, filled with fury that Price cant discern if placed on you or the soldiers at hand. Even so, there’s not much he can do, just sighing heavily.

“The higher ups are furious; we can’t afford for a failure in this program, and this sets us back months of research.” The glass sits in front of him, the golden liquid still inside and glowing in the low lamplight. Price steadies his words, watching as Ghost begins to pace back and forth. “They want to send Reaper back to the Scientists, brainwash any leftover fear out of their head.”

Brainwash

That word alone makes him snap, slamming his hands on the deep mahogany. “You cant be serious— We are not agreeing to that—!”

“I dont want to, Ghost.” Price reaches his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, his elbows digging into the table as he tries to still the migraine that threatens to form.”But I can't deny them when we have nothing to disprove that Reaper’s state will only grow worse. We have to find out what happened, why they never told us about the threat—“

“So we have to coax it out of them? What, wait for them to feel all comfortable to tell us why they didn’t open their bloody mouths?!” He knows it’s more than that, he knows if it was that easy this never would’ve even happened because if you only functioned by orders, you wouldn't even be a person in the first place. Yet still he argues, because he knows this is all his fault. He chose to disregard the signs, he chose to hate you, he chose to push you to limits you didn’t even know you had. It’s his fault and he can't handle it.

He just couldn’t understand, why were you the one the team needed? It started off just testing if you’d handle the role you were destined for, a path you didn't know you were chosen to take once the time grew right. But then it grew deeper, a need to strain your limits, see if you could survive the cruelties he did. An abnormal urge and yet never too far, never over the edge. Just sheer of it.

Now look at what he’s done.

————————

4am. 5 days after the incident.

Another nightmare. You breathe heavily; for once no one is rushing to your room to check on your condition. Weirdly enough, Price had moved you to his barracks whilst he used a mattress hastily put together on the floor. Sure you had your own room, but with how frequent you managed to fall off of the bed because of recurring nightmares it was better to keep you here. Besides, this was far more comfortable than any sterile white hospital room which the rest of the 141 quickly realised hit a bad nerve with you. Your chest is tight, but it doesn't hurt, your lungs just feel pressured and yet you’re not short of oxygen either. It’s a strange feeling to say the least, and you just feel so, so exhausted.

Slowly you creep out of the bed, the bandage still tight around your upper arm and for once you’re wearing pajamas rather than the uniform you usually end up sleeping in to stop wasting time on changing. Disgusting perhaps, efficient regardless. Your feet creep into soft slippers Gaz brought you, hand sinking into your signature fox plush that Soap made sure to tuck in beside you. Quietly you slip out of Price’s room, the man snoring quietly on the mattress as you head down the corridor to the common room. They’ve let you use it now, like it’s actually yours too and that you belong there. Even if you know you dont.

It’s at the end of the hall, and you have to pass all their rooms to reach it. Gaz’s first, quiet inside, then Soap’s where you can hear a soft rustle— likely him rolling over. Your eyes linger on Ghost’s, the door shut and deadly silent. Ironically enough, he was sent on deployment the day after all the chaos went down, leaving radio silence on his part. It was strange, knowing your handler was around without you, going on a mission you would’ve probably been on too. All because you hadnt spoken up.

But would things really have changed?

You break your gaze away from his door, slipping into the common room to pour yourself a glass of water. “Hm? What ye doing up?” Soap is clearly tired, yawning all the way as he follows you over to the counter, pouring himself a glass of water aswell. “Thirsty..” You mumble, deciding to not let the idea of the nightmare linger much longer. Although, it seems like Soap’s already figured you all out, an arm lazily around your shoulder as he chugs his glass. “Nightmare, hm?”

You nod in response, and he lets out a small sigh, looking at you with softer eyes than usual. “Did ye tell Price?” He watches you shake your head, making him chuckle in response, a smile growing on his face as he lifts a hand up, ruffling your hair. “ ‘Course ye didn't, rascal.” It’s one of the few times anyone has been playfully mad with you before, the first being a nurse which accidentally just further reinforced your fear of medical staff. You never let that show though; it only came to light because of the trauma of the day. Soap and Gaz had been teaching you a lot of things, first of them being actually having a normal breakfast. You’ve joined them every morning now, well at least when they can make it, and it feels great but strange. They had immediately denounced your notions of “earning your breakfast” too, letting you have access to the actual food that was given at the normal breakfast times.

“Yknow, me and Gaz were thinking..” He hums, one hand still carding through your hair whilst he looks curiously at your arm for any sign of further damage. “You never celebrated in the end, did ya?” He watched you shake your head, teeth grazing your lips.

“No, i didn’t. I never wanted to though, i’m sure Price told you it was only a fib.” You respond, trying to downplay the situation. It’s not like you’d take much joy in celebrating now, even after all these years it felt better to just let the notion of it die in the trenches with your innocence.

“I know, I know.” He sighs, taking both your glasses and placing them near the sink for later. “Maybe we could do something small? Bit of cake, a movie. Nothin’ more.” You just shrug and nod, not sure what people even really do for their birthdays, and he gives you a smile, a hand on your back to lead you down the hall again.

You’re almost at the room when he stops you, his eyes almost locked onto you like he’s searching for something. “Do you wanna.. talk about the nightmare? It helps, I promise. You dont have to go in detail, but it’ll be good to know what you keep dreaming about.”

You debate his offer, staring back at him just as curiously. He wouldn't be mad if you didn't, even though you’re pretty sure the entire team is just anxiously waiting for you to speak. For someone whose silenced most of the time, it sure is weird.

“It was.. Ghost. I dream of when he yelled at me, except in my dreams he doesn't stop, he pushes you to the side and grabs me by my neck..” It’s straightforward and to the point. Well, maybe a little too much because Soap’s eyes have widened, pity swirling deep in his pupils. “He didnt— He was just angry that day, you know he wouldn’t do that.. right?”

There’s a rustle inside the room behind you, Price having woken up by your talking outside. You step towards the door, unsure what to respond to Soap’s question. “I…I know, .”

You disappear back into the room again, the door quietly shutting behind you again, leaving him standing outside and very worried.

——————

10am, the next day.

Gaz walks alongside you as you step through the forest, the morning air biting at your cheeks as he complains to you about whatever paperwork he had to finish last night. You’ve been at this for a while, the frosted leaves crunching beneath your boots and you dont feel the cold much thanks to his gloves.

“Through here.” You know the way and yet you follow him through the forestry, down the path, and towards the cabin up ahead. The floor is trampled, tire marks from when you were rushed back with blood trailing down your arm. Even Gaz looks a little tense at the small splotches on the ground but chooses not to comment on it, taking your hand as the ground becomes a little more uneven.

“Inside.”

He hums, unlocking the cabin door which has been tightly secured since the incident. You walk past him, stepping inside to hear an excited yip, the fox bundling towards you with joy. For once you smile out of relief, crouching down to pet the excitable creature that nips affectionately at your trousers. “Good to see you too.” You hum, hand running down his head and ears. Now that you can see it in the light, you realise they’ve cleaned it up properly, bandaged its dodgy leg and it looks noticeably happier.

The fox licks at your hands as you sit on the small bench, feeding it the occasional dried meat strips which it takes happily, tail swishing from side to side. Gaz sits beside you, one hand on the back of the bench and his arm grazing your shoulders.

“We called the wildlife centre for him. They’ll take him in the next few days, keep him safe and put him with some other foxes. He’ll be happier.”

Would you be happier though? When you look at the scrawny thing, all you really see is yourself. A known predator, a hated species, and yet just trying to survive like everyone else on this damn world.

“You’re right, it’d be better for him.”

—————————

Sleeping is increasingly difficult for once; usually you’re knocked out in seconds but today it’s like the concept of rest refuses you altogether. The reason behind it is Ghost’s return; you had heard the soft whispers between Soap and Gaz, the awkward tension as the day grew nearer. So you had resigned yourself to your room, left alone with your thoughts for the remainder of the day. However, now you were restless, unable to sit still with the threat looming down every corridor and through the vents. Your nails claw at the sheets– they feel sterile and uncomfortable no matter where you sleep– and so you slide off the bed, forcing one foot in front of the other. You need a break.

Somehow they had left you without surveillance tonight, which isn't surprising since you had promised you wouldn’t go out on your own. Oh well, you know two men who broke a promise to you. The air is cold as it blows on your face, slowly less frosty as winter begins to fade, and you walk past the track, planning to just walk through the other entrance and return to your room again. You wouldn’t dare go back the way you came– not when Ghost is around now.

It’s a rush of warmth when you reenter the building, the change making your fingertips tingle and your lashes flitter, mouth threatening to yawn. Thankfully, the hallways were clear, unlike your hazed mind. It was like swimming underwater, every thought swirling around and voices muffled by the water above—wait, voices? You pause infront of a door, immediately stilling when you recognise a voice too familiar.

“I’ve been gone for two weeks– how are they not stable by now?” You swallow, the roughness of the voice enough to make your teeth scrape against eachother nervously. It’s him.

“Reaper’s not doing well, it’s obvious—“

”So what? We’re just going to send them back? To those stupid scientists-”

You don't hear the rest, those words enough to make something in your brain snap. All this time you’ve worked tirelessly, day and night, after every mission and every near death experience. All to be sent back where you came from, like what, some broken toy? The thought of it makes anger brim in your chest, a fury that tips the scales enough to make you actually want to break something. Your feet stumble and for some reason you're running, somewhere, anywhere. It wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea, a tempting one even— to actually lash out. What’s the point in anything if your life will be a full circle?

What is the point of all the pain if you’ll only relive it again?

Change has to come, even if you grapple with the chains at your neck and leave rope burns on your ankles.

You’ll die trying either way.

“No; we wont. Reaper isn’t going anywhere, ever again.” Gaz speaks up, having just closed the door after seeing a glimpse of someone walking past. They really shouldn't leave any doors open for anyone to hear their conversation. “Their performance outweighs the struggles. We have the time to make things right.”

Ghost’s expression hardens, listening to the words of his teams. Of course he knows what that means— he’s the one who has to make this right.

***************************************

NEXT CHAPTER buy me a coffee! Series Masterlist

CALL SIGN: REAPER— Grim reapers dont choose who dies, they’re told. The victims time has come, similar to how reader has never killed someone of their own accord, only through the orders another has given. They’re merely a tool.

Taglist:

@mellohimmku94 @rafaelacallinybbay @fasoaurore @starfish-sandwich @arael-asuka @pinkpickle @toxicgutz69 @pythonmoth @harmonycricket @sneezypandu @ctrlofurheart @ssc7514 @terrifiedanimegirl @rayrayyio @silas-aeiou @uhhevie @enfppuff @sirbonesly @nobodycanknoww @bitchyzombienacho @justdamnpeachy @harley101399 @w1theredr0se @whoisnthere @lexi2005 @nnsissys @el-salt @ttznlettt @thebumbqueen @thriving-n-jiving @fluffysmiko @vioxsoo @alex1011sdzfgh @honestlymassivetrash @defronix @eclipsedcherry @thatpersonnamedrook @mortem-writes @2bdamnedmadnesscombat @harley101399 @princessiris147 @taylorrrig

[aciddrattboyy]

(Dσɳ'ƚ) Kιʂʂ Mҽ Tԋɾυ ƚԋҽ Pԋσɳҽ

┆ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ - "you were pissed that your boyfriend cheated on you and then had the audacity to ghost you after you confronted him about it. what better way to get that anger out than fucking his best friend"

ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛꜱ: ★ Starring: Suna R. x F! Reader ★ Run Time: 2.3k ★ Genre/Warnings: [Rated R: Adult Film]fingering, dirty talk(?), penetration, cheating(?), cucking, phone sex(?), exhibitionism(?) (characters are aged up) ★ Producer Notes: i dont condone cheating but like if someone told me they fucked their cheating bf's bsf i wouldnt judge also sorry for the osamu slander i was never a big fan of the miya twins bc i was too focused on suna so im sorry if i offend any miya stans </3

▶▶

you were pissed. you were beyond pissed actually. yeah, you were sad of course when you found out your boyfriend osamu had been cheating on you with some cheerleader from a neighboring college. but you were furious now that osamu had decided to ghost you after telling him you wanted to talk it out. it was pathetic and you were utterly offended. you were also upset with yourself, having not been able to see any signs that you had been dating scum of the earth. 

you know you couldve been the one to take the higher ground. just take his disappearance as the breakup and try to move on with the help of the people in your life that actually cared about you. but you just couldnt. he went low and you wanted to go much much lower. 

knock knock knock 

standing outside of suna’s townhome, you were growing a little nervous. there was a chance suna would push you away and go inform your cheating now ex-boyfriend. but you’ve seen the way suna looked at you. you weren’t stupid. everytime osamu dragged you to parties or hangouts with his friends suna always looked at you like he was fucking you with his eyes. you stood there, hands shoved in the pockets of your pajama pants as the cold night breeze swept over you. 

your body stilled when he opened the door, bare torso on display while a pair of grey shorts hung loosely at his hips. you could smell the faint scent of weed seeping out of his house. his hair was messy in the best way, green eyes narrowed at you slightly. you couldnt deny that he was attractive. but when you were still a loyal and doting girlfriend, no one else seemed as hot as your boyfriend. but things were different now. 

“hello?” sunas tone was indifferent, a bit raspy from whenever he was smoking. he craned his neck for just a moment, seeing if osamu was trailing behind somewhere. 

“suna i know you want to fuck me,” you blurted out, earning equally wide eyes from the man before you. he choked on his own spit, turning his head as he coughed. your face felt like it was on fire and for a second you regretted ever coming here. “im sorry i-” he was quick to put up a finger, silently telling you to wait as he got himself together. clearing his throat, suna stood up a bit taller with skepticism written all over his face. his eyes once again scanned over the area.

“are you confronting me?” suna had absolutely no clue what was going on. he half expected osamu to jump out of the bushes and knock him up just for not denying it. but he would be a liar if he did. it was true. he did want to fuck you and knew he could do so much better than osamu. but of course he didnt make any moves with the bro-code and all. 

“no im not,” you shook your head, sucking in a deep breath to try to calm yourself. “i have a um… proposal,” suna’s eyebrows quirked, the corners of his lips tugging into an intrigued smile. he crossed his arms, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe. 

“well,” you grew self conscious now, rocking back on your heels as you stared at the doormat. “osamu cheated on me and is now ghosting me after i asked to talk about it and to be honest im really pissed,” suna had to manually keep his features stoic even though he was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. he was sad for you of course, no one wants to get cheated on. he was mad at osamu for cheating on someone like you. but there was also this sick sense of pride, that you came to him. suna always knew he could be better for you and now you were at his doorway. you took in another deep breath, getting ready to spew out the words before you could take them back. “i want you to call osamu because i think he’ll pick up… and if he does,” you took a hand out of your pocket, nervously running it through your hair. “if he does i’ll let you fuck me,” 

the silence seemed to drag on forever. after your word vomit both you and suna had to take a moment to process the words you just said. you looked at sunas ever bland face and had no way of knowing what he was thinking. 

“so,” suna started, not able to hide the smug smile on his face. “you want me to fuck you with osamu on the phone?” he watched as you nodded slowly and could feel his dick twitch in his shorts at the thought. he would effectively being ending their friendship if he did that and maybe others. but the thought of being inside you was oh so enticing. “thats a little kinky dont you think,” sunas smile only grew when he saw how flustered you were getting. it was almost hard to believe you came up with that idea.

“will you do it yes or no?” you asked instead of answering his question. because he was right. it did sound a bit kinky and you didnt feel like trying to make sense of it right now. suna did use words to answer, instead pushing off of the doorframe and motioning for you to head in. letting out a shuddery breath, you walked in. your heart was beating like crazy when suna closed the door behind you, turning on a warm lamp before flopping onto the couch. you took off your shoes, awkwardly standing by the doorway. 

“so run this little plan of yours by me one more time,” he patted his hand on the cushion next to him, watching you with now hungry eyes. you sat on the edge of the couch, hands in your lap as you laid it all out on him. you wanted suna to call osamu and tell him he was fucking some random girl. you wanted to know if osamu would stay on the line. you wanted to know if he had any remorse for what he had done to you. you told suna you didnt want him to reveal it was you. that you would do the honors when you were ready. suna listened patiently, nodding along as the tent in his shorts grew with each word that left your pretty lips. “well if you want to do this we cant exactly fuck with you on the other side of the couch,” 

excitement and anxiousness coursed through your veins when suna motioned for you to come sit on his lap. he wasnt trying to hide the obvious bulge in his shorts now and the size of it made you just a bit nervous. you straddled his lap with a shaky breath, looking down between the two of you as he called osamu. he put the phone on speaker, turning the volume all the way up and tossing it onto the cushion next to him. 

his hands found their way to your hips as you both waited for osamu to answer, sliding them up and down your sides. 

“hey whats up?” 

your breath hitched in your throat when you heard his voice. anger once again rising up over the fact that he was going out of his way to ghost you but picked up the phone for his friend almost instantly. 

“not much, got a pretty girl in my lap right now,” sunas tone made your body feel warm all over. he got bolder with his touches, his fingers playing with the hem of your loose fitting shirt. “said she was a freak ‘n wanted me to call you so you could listen,” 

the laugh osamu let out was evil. you both could hear shuffling on his end while sunas hands moved further up. 

“no shit really?”

you licked your now dry lips as suna slowly pulled your top off, a low whistling leaving his mouth as he eyed your boobs. he was quick to grab at them. one hand groping one boob softly while the other pulled and pinched at your nipple. 

“yes really, shes got pretty tits,” he was quick to suck your now hardened nipple in his mouth, hips jerking under you. your breath grew ragged as you fought to stay quiet. you wanted osamu to hear you but you didnt want to be loud enough for him to know it was you just yet. he pulled off of your now wet nipple with a soft ‘pop’, his hands traveling down to grope your ass. “nice ass too,” he mused softly, looking at you with mischievous eyes as he grabbed onto the back of your thighs and gently laid you onto the couch. 

you looked up at him with wide eyes, bottom lip caught between your teeth as he slipped your pajama bottoms off. something flashed in his eyes when he saw the pretty lace panties you had on. he wanted nothing more than to rip them off of you but he decided against it for now. 

“how wet is she,” 

“ ‘m about to find out,” your face cringed at osamus words for just a second. because in the next, suna was smiling at you wickedly while he pulled your panties to the side. a low groan left sunas chest as he slid a finger over your already glistening folds. for a second, he forgot all about your plan, looking up at you with wide, lust filled eyes. “holy fuck youre soaked,” you turned your head away, face growing hot with embarrassment. but suna was quick to gently grab your chin, turning your face towards him once again. “keep your eyes on me,” he said softly, licking his lips as he lightly pressed his finger onto your clit. 

the sound of shuffling on the other line was what brought suna back to the present and for a moment he felt a bit possessive, suddenly not wanting osamu to listen in anymore like a pervert. but he continued to play along.

“shes fucking beggin’ for it,” he said moreso to osamu as he slowly pushed a finger inside you. a soft hiss left his lips when he felt how tight you were, already clenching around him so well even if it was just one finger. at this point osamu wasn’t responding with words, his heavy breaths the only thing that could be heard. suna shrugged after a moment of waiting for a response, pressing a second finger inside your walls. you whined softly, eyelids fluttering as your hips twitched against him. he continued to work his fingers inside you, thumb rubbing over your clit in soft circles as the sounds of him fucking you with his fingers grew louder. 

“oh fuck i can hear her,” 

osamus voice was strained, no doubt affected by what he could hear over the phone. he was no doubt referring to the obscene noises coming from your dripping cunt while suna fucked his fingers into you. 

soft whines and heavy pants were all you could manage out, afraid of giving it away too soon. your hips bucked up towards sunas hand as he worked you closer to an orgasm. his dick was straining uncomfortably against his shorts and he was growing impatient. “shes about to cum all over my hand,” suna breathed out, it was getting hard for him to pretend he was enjoying transcribing what he was doing to his cheating friend. he didnt even know if he could call osamu a friend anymore. there was silence on the other end and suna’s brows furrowed when he thought he heard osamu moan. 

this was becoming harder for you to keep up, thighs trembling as you got closer and closer to release. you swore you were going to chew off your lip with how hard you were biting it. your eyes were screwed shut, hands clamping onto the couch and sunas arm. when he brought his thumb up to your clit, rubbing tight circles and pressing into it, it didnt long for you to come undone around him, a strangled moan escaping you as your back arched off of the couch. 

“fuck she sounds hot,” 

“she is,” that flash of possessiveness punched through suna again as he continued to slowly fuck you through your orgasm. something snapped in suna when he could hear what could be nothing other than osamu jacking off. he hastily pulled his cock out of his shorts, laying your thighs over his. his breath was ragged at he ran his tip over your slit, a groan leaving his chest when he nudged at yout fluttering hole. you whimpered, bringing a hand up to cover your mouth. 

suna was growing frustrated with each noise you suppressed, he desperately wanted to hear you. wanted to hear you get fucked on his dick. he grabbed onto your hips roughly, pushing inside you with a shaky moan. fortunately for him, you were also growing tired of forcing yourself to stay quiet. you wrapped your arms around sunas neck, pulling him flush against you. both of you moaned when he bottomed up and finally being able to hear you almost made suna cum right then. 

but osamu ruined it, letting out a loud moan through the phone. suna, who had finally had enough, sat up and grabbed his phone. 

“i’m fucking your girlfriend,”

“wait wha-” 

he hung up, tossing the phone to the side and looking back at you. your eyes were wide as you watched, cunt still clenching around him. suna put his hands on your hips, pulling out slowly before slamming back in, earning a loud cry from you. 

“fuck- ‘m glad thats over with,” he began rocking into you slowly, eyes glued onto the sight of his dick disappearing inside you. “now i can hear all your pretty noises,”

i hope you enjoyed !! reblogs/comments are very appreciated <3 ʟᴏʙʙʏ ﹕ꜰɪʟᴍᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ 𝄃𝄃𝄂𝄀𝄁𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄃

[ssuperrnnovaa]

— WHEN THEY FALL IN LOVE..

or, when there's no turning back for the first years.

a/n: first writing post.. AHH edit 1: i forgot to add things I DIDNT PROOFREAD SORRY

when ace trappola falls in love..

he's still the same guy. but almost sweet, almost kind.

but he's a master of his secrets. parts his mouth just to spew another joke about your appearance or how you did on that potionology test the other day - that same glint of hesitation in his eyes, that unsure croak of his voice just before he delivers another nasty quip about your face. like a punchline stuck in his throat - too funny to laugh at, too funny to acknowledge.

funny how he'd said he'd "rather hang out with his friends than find love", and here he is; laying in his bed. at 3 am. head filled with nothing but thoughts of you.

he'll let it simmer. wait for you to realize - wait for you to notice him, not just the facade he puts up. not the prankster he is in class, or the troublemaker you have to put up with.

wait for you to love him back.

when deuce spade falls in love..

he's trying his very best.

deuce was never much of a charmer - the guy's been a delinquent for most of his life; feared, not loved. he only sees (romantic) love in the movies - terrible rom-coms, poignant love stories.. you name it. deuce has no idea about love.

(his lack of knowledge gets worse with you.)

deuce tries - keyword, tries to keep his composure in front of you. he fails, miserably. his face? turning red. words? none. palms? sweating. and pride? absolutely crushed.

he apologizes to you later, blames it on the heat or how he forgot about another ridiculous rule. calls up his mom and his mouth is a dam - like he suddenly gained the ability to talk 10 minutes later. tells her all about you, as if she doesn't know your entire genetic code just from hearing him talk.

maybe one day.

when jack howl falls in love..

it's unyielding - unyielding, but quiet.

jack doesn't date for fun; never has, never will. he doesn't chase anyone.

wolves mate for life - you know it when jack immediately shuts down the idea of even having a crush or having an ex, saying that he's "focused on self-betterment" or "waiting for the right person". you're convinced that not even cupid could get him to fall in love.

but for you? that discipline shatters.

it happens during a study session in ramshackle when you're idly playing with his ears - making fun of that stone-cold persona when in reality he's melting under your touch. he catches himself after five minutes of bliss, thoughts of the future flooding his brain; "what if i won't be a good partner to them? what if i let them down?'

to jack, love isn't a game; love's not the way he feels embarrassingly giddy after you squeeze his hand or poke his bicep. love's permanent. forever. and it terrifies him.

when epel felmier falls in love..

it's fierce.

epel's not soft - in fact, he's everything but. he'd do anything to be seen as strong by you; even if it meant burying his own feelings.

epel was never much of a dreamer - let alone a lovey-dovey kind of guy. he despises those mushy romance stories, calling them "dumb as a box of rocks", grimacing when he watches the leads kiss.

yet.. he can't help but be entranced. by you.

he scoffs a little too loudly for vil's comfort, but in his head, he's repeating the same mantra over and over again in his head - "i'm not some silly little girl moonin' over someone. i've got better things to do with my time. besides, love is for babies."

yet, his defenses crumble when you ever do so much as breathe in his direction, and suddenly, he's back to square one.

when sebek zigvolt falls in love..

it's fervent.

sebek is passionate about a lot of things - his duty as a retainer, malleus, academics, and you.

you, a mere human that could quiet him down with just a finger to your lip. you, a mere human who keeps him awake at night and restless, overthinking. yearning.

it's foolish, he tells himself. tells himself it's just a small crush as if it's not all-consuming, as if he's not avoiding you all together just so he could have peace of mind.

is it the right thing to do? no. will it keep him unbothered? absolutely not. and will he come to terms with his feelings?... unlikely.

[eatyourmaker]

explanation in tags.

i know this is supposed to be my spooky month specific blog but something very scary just happened and I've never felt more stressed in my life

I can barely walk I'm so stressed, it's like I lost all the strength in my body

Please pray for us

Please

[bu3ck3r]

all mine

paige bueckers x azzi fudd

wc: 10k

warnings: drinking, language, sexual content

a/n: sorry for the long wait but here it is😭 (i didnt really edit this so if there’s some mistakes just ignore it)

Before Paige knew what love felt like, she knew what Azzi felt like.

It was laughter on long bus rides, sneakers tapping against the pavement in perfect rhythm. It was midnight conversations whispered under dorm room ceilings, fingers barely brushing between them on the couch. It was an unspoken understanding—a silent kind of gravity that had pulled them together long before they even realized it was happening.

Paige had always been drawn to Azzi, even when they were just kids competing at camps, both of them too young to understand why they gravitated toward each other the way they did.

But it wasn’t just friendship. Not really.

Because Paige had never felt her heartbeat stutter when she hugged any of her other friends too long. She had never memorized the way anyone else laughed, or wondered what it would feel like to hold their hand just because she wanted to. She had never been scared of losing anyone the way she was scared of losing Azzi.

But back then, she didn’t have the words for it. So she did the only thing she knew how to do—she buried it.

Somewhere along the way, things started to shift. Not in an obvious, dramatic way. It was subtle—like the way shadows change with the time of day, creeping in slowly until suddenly, everything looks different.

It was the way Paige started pulling back without realizing it. The way she let texts sit unanswered a little too long, the way she hesitated before reaching for Azzi the way she used to.

And Azzi noticed. Of course she did.

Because Azzi had always been the one person who saw through Paige, even when Paige didn’t want to be seen.

“Are we good?” Azzi had asked one night, her voice careful, uncertain.

Paige had nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, of course.”

And Azzi hadn’t pushed.

Maybe that was the problem. Maybe Paige needed her to push, to call her out, to force her to say out loud what she was too afraid to admit.

But Azzi had always been patient.

So she waited.

And Paige kept running.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

The house was packed, music too loud, bodies pressed too close, heat settling thick in the air.

Paige wasn’t sure why she even came.

She wasn’t the party type. Not really. But Nika had dragged her out, insisting she needed to “loosen up,” and Paige was too tired to argue.

She had been standing against the wall, half-listening to Lou and Nika argue about something stupid, when she felt it.

That familiar pull.

She didn’t have to turn around to know Azzi was in the room.

She felt it in her chest first, like something tightening, something waking up.

And when she finally lifted her gaze, there she was.

Azzi was across the room, head tilted back in laughter, eyes crinkled at the corners, completely unaware of the way Paige’s entire world had just narrowed to her.

Paige was used to seeing her on the court—focused, determined, sharp.

But here, she looked different. Softer. Warmer.

And it was unfair, the way she did that—walked into a room and made Paige forget how to breathe.

For a second, just a second, Azzi turned.

Their eyes met.

And the moment stretched, time bending between them the way it always did.

Azzi didn’t look away.

And for the first time in a long time, neither did Paige.

The night air was cooler outside, a welcome contrast to the stifling heat of the party.

Azzi stood by the railing, fingers tapping idly against the wood, her gaze fixed on the city lights.

Paige hesitated in the doorway, hands shoved into the pocket of her hoodie, uncertainty clawing at her ribs.

She wasn’t sure what she was doing here.

Maybe she should just go back inside. Pretend she hadn’t followed Azzi out here like some lost puppy.

But before she could make that decision, Azzi spoke.

Paige froze, fingers tightening around the fabric of her hoodie.

Azzi didn’t turn to look at her, still staring out at the city, but her voice was steady—too steady, like she had been waiting to say this for a long time.

“You always do this”

Paige swallowed. “Do what?”

Azzi let out a breath—one of those slow, measured exhales that meant she was trying to hold something back.

“You pull away,” she said finally, turning just enough to glance at Paige over her shoulder. “And then you come back like nothing happened.”

Paige’s stomach twisted. “That’s not—”

Azzi gave her a look, and Paige’s words died in her throat.

Because it was true.

Paige didn’t mean to do it. She didn’t mean to keep running, to keep putting distance between them every time she felt like she was getting too close.

But how was she supposed to not be scared? Azzi was the only thing that had ever felt bigger than basketball, bigger than anything Paige had ever wanted. And wanting her, really wanting her—meant risking everything.

It meant risking them.

“I just…” Paige sighed, leaning against the railing next to Azzi, close enough that their arms almost touched. “I don’t know how to do this.”

Azzi turned fully now, eyebrows pulling together. “Do what?”

Paige hesitated, staring down at her hands.

This was the moment.

The moment where she either told the truth or let the silence stretch between them again, let it become another thing they didn’t talk about.

She took a shaky breath.

“This,” she said, finally looking up. “Wanting you. Being around you and pretending it’s nothing when it’s everything.”

Azzi’s lips parted slightly, like she wasn’t sure if she had heard Paige right.

And then, carefully, so, so carefully—she reached out, fingers grazing Paige’s wrist.

Paige sucked in a breath, but she didn’t pull away.

“Then stop pretending,” Azzi murmured.

And for the first time in years, Paige thought that maybe—just maybe—she could.

It wasn’t dramatic.

It wasn’t some grand, sweeping moment like in the movies.

It was just them.

Standing on a balcony, the city stretching out below, the party fading into a distant hum behind them.

Azzi was watching her, waiting—always waiting.

And Paige, for once, didn’t run.

She just leaned in, closing the space between them, pressing her lips to Azzi’s like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Azzi inhaled sharply against her mouth, but then she was kissing her back, fingers curling around the fabric of Paige’s hoodie, pulling her in like she had been waiting for this just as long. It was slow, tentative—like they were both afraid to break whatever fragile thing had just formed between them. But then Paige sighed into the kiss, and Azzi’s hand slid up to cup her jaw, and suddenly, it wasn’t slow at all.

It was desperate.

It was real.

And Paige had never felt more certain of anything in her life.

They didn’t talk about it right away.

Maybe because neither of them wanted to break whatever had just settled between them.

Or maybe because words felt too small, too insignificant for something that had felt so big.

All Paige knew was that when they finally stepped back inside, her entire body was still buzzing.

Azzi’s fingers had brushed hers as they walked, and Paige had wanted so badly to reach back—to hold on, to keep them connected just a little longer.

But she didn’t.

Because as much as she wanted this, she was still scared.

What if they ruined everything? What if this didn’t change anything?

Paige stole a glance at Azzi, wondering if she was feeling the same way.

Azzi caught her staring.

And for the first time all night, she smiled. Not a small, uncertain smile. A real one.

And just like that, Paige knew.

This wasn’t nothing.

This was everything.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

Paige woke up with the memory of Azzi’s lips still burning on hers.

The morning light was filtering through the blinds, casting golden streaks across the room. Everything felt different—like the world had shifted on its axis while she was sleeping. And maybe it had.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.

“You up?”

Paige exhaled, fingers hovering over the screen. Then she smiled, because for the first time, she didn’t have to think about it.

“Yeah. Want to get breakfast?”

Azzi’s reply was immediate.

“Always.”

Paige didn’t know what came next.

But for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid to find out.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

Paige had always been good under pressure.

On the court, with the clock winding down and the game on the line—those were the moments she lived for. When the stakes were high, she thrived.

But this? This was different. Because this wasn’t a game.

And the way Azzi was looking at her across the breakfast table—soft, curious, like she was waiting for Paige to say something—it made her feel like she was already losing.

“So…” Azzi finally broke the silence, stirring her coffee absently. “Are we gonna talk about it?”

Paige exhaled, leaning back against the booth. “What is it?”

Azzi gave her a knowing look.

“Paige.”

Her name sounded different in Azzi’s voice—like a question, like a challenge. Like a promise.

Paige ran a hand through her hair, trying to play it cool. “We kissed. It happened.”

Azzi’s expression didn’t change.

“And?”

Paige hesitated.

And I can’t stop thinking about it. And I don’t know what to do next. And I think I might be in love with you, but I don’t know how to say it out loud.

But instead of saying any of those things, she shrugged. “And… I don’t want things to be weird.”

Azzi studied her for a long moment, fingers tapping lightly against her cup. Then she nodded, like she had expected that answer.

“Okay,” she said simply.

And that was the problem with Azzi.

She didn’t push. She never did. She just gave Paige space to figure it out.

And Paige had never wanted to figure something out more in her life.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

The thing about trying to pretend nothing had changed?

It never worked. Because everything had changed.

Paige felt it in every glance, every accidental touch, every moment of silence that stretched a little too long.

And if Azzi noticed—which she definitely did—she didn’t say anything.

She just let it happen.

Like when they were in the gym late one night, just the two of them, shooting in comfortable silence.

Paige had missed a shot she never missed, and Azzi had smirked.

“Distracted?”

Paige rolled her eyes, grabbing the rebound. “You wish.”

Azzi stepped closer, tilting her head slightly. “I do.”

Paige’s breath caught.

She wasn’t sure if it was the way Azzi’s voice had dropped just a little lower, or the fact that they were suddenly too close, but something shifted.

Azzi must have felt it too, because she hesitated—just for a second—before reaching out.

Her fingers barely grazed Paige’s wrist.

And Paige? Paige didn’t move. She couldn’t.

Because Azzi was looking at her like she knew. Like she knew exactly what Paige was feeling and was just waiting for her to admit it.

And for a moment, Paige almost did.

But then the gym doors creaked open, and the moment was gone.

Azzi stepped back.

And just like that, they were back to pretending.

Pretending only worked for so long.

It was after another game—a close win, adrenaline still buzzing in Paige’s veins—when it finally happened.

They were in the locker room, most of the team already gone, when Azzi leaned against the lockers and said, “I’m done.”

Paige frowned. “Done with what?”

Azzi sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “With this.”

Paige’s heart clenched. “Azzi…”

“No, listen,” Azzi said, stepping closer. “I don’t want to be something you keep running from. I don’t want to keep pretending this is nothing when we both know it’s not.”

Paige swallowed hard.

Azzi reached out, fingers ghosting over Paige’s jaw—barely touching, but enough to make Paige’s breath hitch.

“I want you,” Azzi murmured. “But I need to know if you want me too.”

Paige didn’t answer.

Not with words.

Instead, she surged forward, kissing Azzi like she was trying to make up for every second they had wasted.

It wasn’t like their first kiss.

This was desperate.

This was hungry.

Paige backed Azzi into the lockers, hands fisting in her hoodie, pulling her closer and closer—until there was nothing between them but heat and want and every unspoken word they had been avoiding.

Azzi let out a soft sound against her mouth, fingers tangling in Paige’s hair, and Paige melted into it.

Into her.

And suddenly, nothing else mattered.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

The thing about keeping a secret like this?

It’s exhausting.

Paige could feel the weight of it every time she saw Azzi—across the court, in the hallway between classes, during practices.

The stolen glances. The lingering touches. The way their eyes would meet for just a second, a silent promise between them, and then they’d both look away—acting like nothing had changed.

But everything had changed.

Paige would catch herself at night, her body still humming from the way Azzi’s fingers had brushed her cheek, the way their lips had melded together in that locker room, desperate and fierce.

And she’d want to reach out, to text Azzi, to say anything.

But no.

They couldn’t.

At least, not yet.

There was something thrilling about it—about the secrecy. The knowledge that, for now, only they knew the truth. But it was also maddening. And Paige knew she couldn’t keep pretending that everything was okay for long.

They found ways to be close without anyone noticing—whispers in dark hallways, brief moments where their hands would brush when they passed each other.

But it was in the quiet moments when they weren’t supposed to be touching that Paige felt it most.

Like when they were at the team’s dinner, everyone gathered around a long table in the dimly lit restaurant, eating and laughing.

Azzi was across from her, but their eyes locked, and suddenly the noise around them faded into a soft buzz, like the world had shrunk to just the two of them.

Azzi’s leg brushed against Paige’s under the table, slow and deliberate.

And Paige’s heart skipped a beat.

She looked up, and Azzi’s eyes were on her, dark and intense. A small, secret smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

We shouldn’t be doing this, Paige thought. But the rush of heat that shot through her told her that she didn’t care anymore.

When the dinner ended, Paige walked out behind everyone else, head spinning, pulse racing.

Azzi stayed just a little too close, their shoulders brushing as they exited the door.

Azzi’s voice was low, almost a whisper. “Meet me later. My place.”

Paige’s breath caught in her throat. What was she doing? What was she getting herself into?

But the tension between them had reached its breaking point, and all she could do was nod, her voice barely audible. “I’ll be there.”

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

Paige had always been good at staying in control. She was the leader on the court, the one who made the calls, the one who always had a plan.

But when she stepped into Azzi’s apartment later that night, everything changed.

Azzi’s place was warm, soft lighting casting gentle shadows over the space. It felt different—softer than the world they had built around themselves. Paige felt the familiar pull in her chest, but this time, there was no hiding from it.

Azzi closed the door behind her, locking it, the quiet sound echoing through the room.

Paige turned to face her, nerves buzzing under her skin.

Azzi stepped forward, her eyes dark, intense, but her touch gentle. She cupped Paige’s face, thumbs grazing over her cheekbones, and Paige leaned into her touch without thinking.

“I’ve been thinking about this… about you,” Azzi whispered, her voice rough and low.

Paige swallowed hard. “Me too.”

And then, without warning, Azzi kissed her—slow, deliberate, the way they both had been craving but never allowing themselves to fully indulge.

Azzi’s hands moved to the back of Paige’s neck, pulling her closer, her mouth hot and insistent. Paige moaned softly, the sound caught in her throat as she wrapped her arms around Azzi’s waist, drawing her in.

It was slow. It was a blur of emotions and tension. Every touch felt like it could be their last moment together like they were both daring each other to cross a line they knew they shouldn’t yet.

Azzi’s fingers slid down to the hem of Paige’s shirt, and for a moment, they just paused—standing there, breathless, as if they were both trying to remember how to move in each other’s space.

Paige met Azzi’s gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. “Are you sure?”

Azzi didn’t answer with words. She just pulled Paige into another kiss—deeper, more desperate.

And that was the moment Paige stopped caring about anything else.

It wasn’t just about the kiss.

It was about everything that led up to it.

Paige’s hands were on Azzi’s now, fingertips brushing against her bare skin, igniting a fire she hadn’t realized was there. The moment was unraveling, both of them caught between desire and the fear of what it meant.

Azzi’s breath came in shallow bursts, her body aching for more. “Paige,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Paige’s lips trailed down her neck, teeth grazing her pulse, and Azzi moaned softly, hands sliding into her hair, pulling her closer, urging her on.

Paige paused, her lips hovering just above Azzi’s skin. “You sure?” she asked, voice low and thick with desire.

Azzi shuddered, nodding, her fingers curling into Paige’s shirt. “I want this.”

And that was all Paige needed.

She moved slowly, deliberately, taking her time, making sure every touch, every kiss, was burned into Azzi’s memory. The tension built between them, charged and electric, until it felt like the whole world had disappeared. There was only the way Paige’s hands moved over her, the way Azzi’s body responded—every inch of her skin reacting to Paige’s touch as if it had always been meant for this.

Paige’s name escaped Azzi’s lips in a breathless gasp, and Paige responded with a soft growl, kissing her deeper.

Paige reached out, her fingers lightly tracing the outline of Azzi’s jaw, her touch feather-light yet igniting a fire within. Azzi leaned into the caress, her breath hitching as she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,” Paige whispered, her voice a sultry murmur that sent a thrill through Azzi.

With a soft smile, Azzi opened her eyes, locking onto Paige’s gaze. “Show me,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, filled with longing.

Paige leaned in closer, their lips almost touching, the warmth of their breaths mingling. Their lips met softly at first, a gentle exploration that quickly deepened as they lost themselves in each other.

Paige’s hands found their way to Azzi’s waist, pulling her closer, feeling the heat radiating from her body. Azzi responded by tangling her fingers in Paige’s hair, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. It was a dance of passion and tenderness, each movement igniting a spark that spread through them both.

As they pulled away, breathless and flushed, Azzi eyes sparkled with mischief.

“I want to feel all of you,” she said, her voice low and inviting.

Paige’s hands roamed down Azzi’s sides, exploring the curves of her body, tracing the delicate lines of her silhouette. Azzi shivered at the touch, her skin alive with sensation. She leaned back slightly, allowing Paige to explore further, her heart pounding with excitement.

With a gentle push, Paige guided Azzi back onto the soft bed, their bodies entwined. The world outside faded even more, leaving only the warmth of their skin and the rhythm of their hearts. Paige’s lips traveled down Azzi’s neck, planting soft kisses that made her gasp and arch her back, craving more.

“Tell me what you want,” Paige murmured against her skin, her breath hot and tantalizing.

Azzi’s voice was barely a whisper, filled with need. “Everything. I want everything with you.”

Paige smiled, her eyes dark with desire. She captured Azzi’s lips again, pouring all her longing into the kiss, as their bodies moved together in a beautiful symphony of passion and love.

Paige’s hands slid beneath Azzi’s shirt, fingers grazing the soft skin of her stomach, eliciting a soft moan from her lips. Azzi’s breath quickened as Paige’s hands traveled higher, brushing against the lace of her bra. With a deft movement, she unclasped it, letting it fall away, exposing Azzi’s breasts to the cool air.

Azzi gasped, her body responding instinctively as Paige’s warm mouth enveloped one of her nipples, swirling her tongue around it. The sensation sent waves of pleasure coursing through Azzi, as she pressed herself closer to Paige.

“Yes, just like that,” she breathed, her fingers tangling in Paige’s hair, urging her on.

Paige’s other hand explored Azzi’s body, trailing down her sides and slipping beneath the waistband of her pants. She could feel the heat radiating from Azzi’s core, and her fingers brushed against the soft fabric of her panties. “You’re so beautiful,” she murmured, her voice thick with desire.

Azzi’s breath hitched as Paige’s fingers found their way inside her panties, teasing her with gentle strokes. “Paige baby, please,” she gasped, her body pressing into the touch, craving more.

Paige’s fingers moved with purpose, exploring the slickness of Azzi’s arousal, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her. “I want to make you feel good,” she whispered, her eyes locked onto Azzi’s, filled with a mix of love and lust.

Azzi’s body responded fast, her hips moving in rhythm with Paige’s fingers. “Yes, just like that,” she moaned.

“Mmm, i love hearing you like this.” Paige whispered in Azzi’s ear.

“I love the way you touch me” Azzi whispered with a look full of desire.

As Paige continued to work her magic, Azzi felt herself teetering on the edge and the pleasure building within her.

“Fuck you feel so good baby.” she whispered in Azzi’s ear.

Azzi was grinding on Paige’s fingers slowly. Paige’s hand was lazily squeezing her butt and the other holding the side of her neck as her thumb stroked her cheek.

“You’re driving me crazy Az.” Paige whispered with a smile while putting her fingers deep inside.

“Baby please i need you so badly right now, don’t stop.” Azzi responded with a breathy moan.

“I got you princess.” she said as her hands moved faster.

“You’re being so good for me, pretty.” she praises Azzi once again helping her roll her hips against her fingers while gripping tighter around her sides.

“Look at me while you do that.” Azzi said with a needy tone.

“You like that, don’t you gorgeous?” Paige replied with a smirk on her face.

“Omg Paige im close…don’t stop..go harder baby” Azzi’s moans getting louder as she pulls Paige to her.

Paige comes closer to Azzi as she whispers in her ear. “So fucking hot taking it so good”

Azzi wrapped her legs around Paige’s waist as her hips rocked faster. Azzi’s so close, her legs are starting to hurt but Paige keeps up the pace, working Azzi through her orgasm. Her entire body shakes as she becomes incredibly sensitive and slows the movement of her hips.

Azzi takes both of her hands to cup Paige’s face. “I love you” she looks deep into Paige’s eyes.

“I love you to Azzi” Paige says as she brings Azzi in for a passionate kiss. Her tongue sliding across Azzi’s bottom lip. After they pull away she smiles at Azzi bringing her forehead to hers.

It wasn’t just passion, it was something more.

Something they couldn’t name yet, but something they felt deeply.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

There were nights when Paige couldn’t sleep.

Nights when the world outside her window was still and silent, but her mind was anything but. She’d find herself staring at the ceiling, replaying the moments with Azzi—the way her lips felt against hers, the gentle but persistent touch of Azzi’s hands as they navigated the lines between wanting and needing.

It was overwhelming, this thing between them. A slow build, layered with emotions they weren’t sure how to unpack.

She wasn’t used to this—being vulnerable.

Being seen.

Every time she saw Azzi, there was an undeniable pull. A gravity that kept them both tethered, even when they pretended not to notice.

One evening, after another late practice, Paige found herself standing outside Azzi’s apartment building. She had told herself she wouldn’t do this—wouldn’t show up uninvited, wouldn’t cross a line they both knew existed—but her feet carried her here anyway.

She texted Azzi with shaking fingers: “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

A moment passed before Azzi’s reply lit up her screen: “I know. Come up.”

Paige’s heart raced as she hit the elevator button, then made her way up to the familiar door.

When Azzi opened it, she didn’t say a word. She just pulled Paige inside, closing the door behind her.

For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of their breathing, quiet and heavy, both of them standing close, but not quite touching.

“Azzi,” Paige said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how to do this.”

Azzi met her eyes, searching, and for a moment, Paige felt like she was about to unravel in front of her.

Azzi didn’t respond with words. Instead, she stepped forward, her fingers brushing Paige’s jaw. It was a gentle touch, a silent question.

And then, she kissed her again.

But this time, it wasn’t frantic. It was slow—soft. They moved together like they had all the time in the world, as though they were both trying to savor the moment.

Paige let herself fall into it, every nerve in her body alive under Azzi’s touch.

They didn’t rush. Instead, they explored. The heat of their closeness, the electricity of their connection, was enough to make the world outside disappear. And in that quiet apartment, Paige began to realize that she wasn’t just falling for Azzi—she was letting herself be found.

The next few days passed in a haze—small touches, lingering glances, conversations held in hushed tones. They didn’t talk about what had happened. They didn’t even acknowledge the weight of it, not really.

But it hung in the air between them, palpable and thick.

One afternoon, after a long practice, they sat together on the steps outside the gym, the warm evening air wrapping around them like a blanket. They were alone, the others already gone, but it was never the right time to speak the words that had been building between them.

Azzi stretched out her legs, leaning back slightly against the steps. Paige sat beside her, her shoulder grazing Azzi’s. The touch was fleeting but meaningful.

“You know,” Azzi began, breaking the silence, “I’ve never really understood how to do this.”

Paige’s heart skipped a beat. “Do what?”

Azzi glanced over at her, her eyes serious, but there was a softness there too. “Let someone in. Let someone stay.”

Paige felt a flutter in her chest. “I didn’t think you had that problem.”

Azzi’s lips curved into a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I do. I think we both do.”

Paige shifted closer, the weight of her words heavier than anything she had said before. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Azzi turned her head to look at her then, her gaze intense, searching. “You sure about that?”

Paige nodded, her breath catching in her throat. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

They were quiet for a moment, the weight of what was unspoken between them settling into the space. It wasn’t just about physical attraction—it was about trust. About the willingness to give yourself to someone else and let them have a piece of your heart, even if it wasn’t perfect.

Azzi leaned in then, closing the distance between them. It was soft, tender—this time it wasn’t the frantic passion of before, but something deeper. Their lips met gently, and Paige let out a sigh, closing her eyes and giving herself up to the feeling.

They pulled apart, but Azzi’s hand lingered on Paige’s cheek, thumb brushing against her skin as if memorizing the curve of her face.

“I want to believe you,” Azzi whispered, “but I’m scared.”

Paige leaned into her hand, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared too.”

And in that moment, Paige realized that maybe fear wasn’t something to avoid. Maybe it was a sign that they were both invested—both willing to risk it all for something they couldn’t explain but didn’t want to let go of.

The next few weeks were a blur of stolen moments and quiet intimacy. They’d meet in secret—behind closed doors, in dark corners where no one could see them, and it felt like they were living in their own world, separated from everything else.

But as much as they both craved each other’s touch, there was always the lingering tension—the fear of what might happen if anyone found out. Paige couldn’t help but wonder how much longer they could keep it a secret. How much longer they could keep pretending that nothing was different.

One night, after an especially intense game, they found themselves alone again. It was late, the gym empty, and the only light came from the overhead lamps casting long shadows on the court.

Azzi was waiting for her near the locker rooms, leaning against the doorframe. Paige’s pulse quickened when she saw her, the magnetic pull between them almost tangible.

Azzi pushed herself off the wall and walked toward Paige, her gaze never leaving hers.

“You’re always so quiet,” Azzi said softly, her voice a little teasing, but there was something more in it. “But I know you’re thinking about something.”

Paige couldn’t help but laugh, the sound almost nervous. “You’re impossible.”

Azzi smirked. “And you like it.”

Before Paige could respond, Azzi was close again, her lips brushing against her ear. “Tell me what you want.”

Paige’s breath caught in her throat. “I want…” She paused, unsure of what to say. How to put into words what she felt—what she needed.

Azzi’s hand gently cupped her jaw, lifting her face so their eyes met. “Tell me.”

And in that moment, everything felt clear. No more pretending. No more uncertainty.

“I want you,” Paige whispered, her voice thick with desire and truth. “I want this, Azzi. No more running.”

Azzi kissed her then, slow and deep, as if they were both finally allowing themselves to feel what they had been hiding for so long.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

The hardest part about a secret relationship wasn’t the stolen glances or the quiet kisses.

It was the constant strain on your chest—the pressure that built up every time you had to hide how you truly felt.

For Azzi, it was getting harder and harder to keep her distance from Paige when every part of her wanted to be closer.

They couldn’t just exist in their own little world. No, the weight of their secret was beginning to bear down on them. Every time someone looked at them, she couldn’t help but wonder: Did they know?

At practice, when they passed each other, the air between them was thick with unspoken tension. She could see the way Paige would catch her eye for a moment, only to look away quickly. How the hint of a smile would flicker across her lips, like a confession she wasn’t ready to make.

Azzi wanted more.

She wanted more than just stolen moments. She wanted to be able to hold Paige’s hand in public, kiss her in broad daylight, feel the rush of the world around them. But each time she let herself think about it, a knot would form in her stomach. There were too many things at stake.

She had to keep reminding herself—this was for the best. This was safer.

But even that comfort was starting to fray.

Paige had been different lately. More distant. Azzi could feel the shift, the cracks in their perfect little bubble. She had caught Paige looking at her with something in her eyes, something searching. And that look always unsettled her.

Paige wasn’t the type to hide things, and Azzi feared that at some point, Paige would ask questions they both knew they weren’t ready to answer.

The worst part was the fear that Paige might start resenting the secrecy. The fact that she was constantly forced to pretend.

One night, after an intense game, they found themselves alone in the locker room. The air was thick with exhaustion, sweat clinging to their clothes, but the exhaustion didn’t feel as draining as it had before. It was a different kind of tired now—the kind that came from pretending to be something they weren’t.

Azzi was just taking off her jersey when Paige spoke.

“I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

The words felt like a punch to the gut. Azzi froze, turning to look at Paige, who had her back to her, staring at the floor.

“Do what?” Azzi asked, her voice rough, betraying the fear that was growing in her chest.

Paige didn’t turn around, but she spoke in a voice Azzi could hear cracking. “This. The secret. The hiding.”

Azzi’s chest tightened. She knew it was coming. She had known it all along. “You knew this was the only way,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, but it wavered.

“I know,” Paige replied, her voice softer now, and Azzi could almost hear the pain in her words. “But it feels like we’re lying. Like we’re pretending to be someone else every time we’re around other people. It’s exhausting, Az.”

Azzi stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She reached out to place a hand on Paige’s shoulder, urging her to turn around.

“Look at me.”

When Paige turned, Azzi saw the conflict written all over her face. It was a mix of frustration and longing—an emotion Azzi knew all too well.

“I want this. I want you,” Azzi said, her words barely a whisper. “But I’m scared. I’m scared of losing you, Paige. Scared that if I let myself want you, we’ll ruin everything.”

Paige’s eyes softened, and for the first time in days, Azzi could see the vulnerability in her gaze. “You’re not going to lose me,” Paige whispered back. “But I need you to trust me, too. I can’t keep doing this in the shadows.”

Azzi’s heart raced, but she pulled Paige into her arms anyway, holding her close. “I trust you,” she murmured into Paige’s hair. “More than anything.”

They stood there for a moment, just holding each other, letting the weight of everything slip away—if only for a few minutes.

The days that followed felt like a slow unraveling. There were still moments of closeness—those brief but intense touches that spoke volumes, a look exchanged across the room that felt like a secret all on its own. But it wasn’t the same.

Paige was struggling with the fact that they couldn’t share their love with the world. She wanted to be able to call Azzi hers. To show everyone that she was the one who had her heart. But Azzi, on the other hand, felt like she was protecting them both by keeping things hidden.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been the same lately,” Paige said one night, sitting on the couch beside Azzi, her hands nervously twisting a blanket.

Azzi looked over at her, brushing her hair back. “I know. I get it. You’re frustrated.”

“I just—I just want to hold your hand when we go out. I want to kiss you in front of people, not hide in corners like we’re doing something wrong,” Paige said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Azzi reached for Paige’s hand, holding it tightly. “I know. I want that too. But we’re not ready. If anyone found out, it could—”

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks,” Paige interrupted, her voice firm, but the uncertainty in her eyes told a different story. “I care about us. And I can’t keep pretending anymore.”

Azzi let out a deep breath, her thumb brushing over Paige’s hand. “I’m scared too, you know. Of what might happen if we go public. It’s not just about us. It’s about everything else—our careers, our friends, our families. We’re not in control of the way people will react. If it’s too much…”

Paige’s eyes softened as she squeezed Azzi’s hand tighter. “I know. But I can’t keep pretending it’s easy when it’s not. I can’t pretend I don’t love you.”

Azzi’s heart skipped a beat..

“I love you too,” Azzi whispered, the words leaving her lips with a mix of relief and fear.

They were silent for a long time, just holding each other, knowing that the weight of their feelings had only grown heavier with time. But there was no going back now. The love they shared couldn’t stay buried forever.

The days after their confession were a blur of emotions. It was like they were both waking up to a reality they had been avoiding. They couldn’t hide from each other anymore.

And they couldn’t hide from their fears either.

Azzi had always been good at keeping control of her emotions, but now they were threatening to spill over. She could feel herself unraveling as the pressure of keeping everything secret began to weigh down on her.

One evening, during a team event, Azzi’s patience snapped. She had been watching Paige from across the room, unable to tear her eyes away, and it was too much. The way everyone around them acted like they had no idea what was going on between them—it felt suffocating.

Azzi pulled Paige into a quiet corner, away from prying eyes, and before she even had time to think, she found herself kissing Paige, desperate for the touch, the release from the tension that had built between them.

But it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough.

Azzi pulled back, breathing heavily. “I can’t keep doing this, Paige,” she said, her voice breaking. “I can’t keep pretending everything is okay when it feels like it’s killing me inside.”

Paige’s eyes were wide with shock, but she didn’t back away. “I’m not pretending, Azzi. I’m not pretending anymore.”

Azzi took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. “Then what do we do now?”

Paige reached for her hand, holding it tightly. “We face it together.”

And for the first time, Azzi realized that maybe they didn’t need to hide anymore. Maybe they could build something stronger than the fear of what might happen.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

The gym was eerily quiet.

The usual hum of sneakers on the court, the sounds of whistles, and the rhythmic thud of basketballs bouncing had long since faded away. The late afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the hardwood floors, giving the place an almost serene feeling.

Paige and Azzi were alone now.

There was something about the empty gym that had always made Paige feel exposed and vulnerable, yet tonight, as she stood beside Azzi, she felt an undeniable sense of calm. It was as if the quiet made it easier to breathe—to finally exist outside of the constraints they had put on themselves.

They had stolen moments like this before—quick, fleeting touches when no one was watching, stolen glances in the hallways, quiet laughter shared in passing. But tonight felt different.

Azzi stepped closer to her, brushing her hand gently against Paige’s. “You feel that?” Azzi asked softly, her voice low. “It’s like we’re the only two people in the world.”

Paige’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Azzi, her eyes filled with something she couldn’t name—a mixture of longing, excitement, and something deeper, something she had been afraid to acknowledge.

“I know,” Paige replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s nice… being here with you, just the two of us.”

Azzi leaned in, her lips just a breath away from Paige’s ear. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” she murmured, and the words sent a shiver down Paige’s spine.

There was no more need for words, not now. Slowly, gently, Azzi pulled Paige in, capturing her lips in a kiss that felt like the world had finally aligned. It wasn’t rushed, it wasn’t frantic. It was slow, deliberate, as if they had all the time in the world to savor each moment, each touch.

Paige’s fingers traced the curve of Azzi’s neck, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath her fingertips. Azzi’s hand slid around her waist, pulling her closer, the heat between them building with every second. They were finally letting go of the fear, the restraint that had held them back for so long.

For a few minutes, there was no one else in the world but them. Just the soft sounds of their breathing, the rhythmic beating of their hearts, the gentle rustling of their clothes as they pressed closer together.

But as the moment stretched on, they both forgot something.

They forgot that they weren’t truly alone.

The door to the gym creaked open, just slightly.

Paige and Azzi didn’t notice at first. They were too caught up in each other, too wrapped up in the intimacy that had finally blossomed between them. They kissed deeper, their bodies instinctively moving closer, and for a brief moment, the world outside their bubble seemed to disappear entirely.

But then, a voice broke through the silence.

“Really? In the gym?”

Azzi froze, her lips still hovering inches from Paige’s. She pulled away slowly, a mixture of shock and embarrassment flashing across her face.

Standing in the doorway was none other than their teammate, Ice—eyes wide with disbelief but a knowing smirk slowly forming across her lips.

“Well, well,” Ice teased, “look at you two. Never thought I’d see the day. But honestly? I’m not even surprised.”

Paige’s face turned crimson, and she instinctively pulled away from Azzi, as if she had been caught doing something wrong. But then she glanced at Azzi, and to her surprise, Azzi was smiling—softly, but with a hint of amusement.

“What? You’re not surprised?” Azzi asked, raising an eyebrow, her voice a mix of playful curiosity and gentle teasing.

Ice crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Please. You two have been so obvious for weeks now.” She laughed softly. “I mean, the way you look at each other? Come on. It was only a matter of time.”

Paige felt a rush of heat rise to her face, and for a split second, she wanted to disappear into the floor. But Azzi, to her surprise, didn’t seem fazed at all.

“So, you’re not gonna tell anyone?” Azzi asked, her tone casual, as if they were discussing something trivial.

Ice shrugged. “Why would I? Honestly, I think it’s kind of cute. I’ll let you two figure things out. But don’t think you’re fooling anyone.” She gave them both a knowing smile and turned to leave.

Paige stood there, stunned, as the sound of Ice’s footsteps faded. She glanced at Azzi, who had her arms crossed now, a small smirk still playing on her lips.

“You’re not embarrassed?” Paige asked, her voice quieter now, the weight of the situation sinking in.

Azzi shrugged, stepping closer to Paige again. “Honestly, no. I think it’s a relief.” She ran a hand through her hair. “We’ve been hiding this for so long, it feels like a weight has been lifted. And now, we don’t have to pretend anymore.”

Paige looked at Azzi, her heart thumping in her chest. “You really think that?”

Azzi nodded, her gaze steady. “Yeah. I mean, sure, it’s going to take some time to get used to. But we don’t need to hide. We can be ourselves around our teammates. They already know. And if they want to make fun of us? So be it. But at least it’ll be our truth, you know?”

Paige felt something shift inside her—a sense of relief she hadn’t realized she needed. They didn’t have to keep hiding. They didn’t have to live in the shadows anymore.

“I’m kind of scared, though,” Paige admitted, her voice small. “What if things change? What if it becomes…awkward?”

Azzi took a step forward, closing the distance between them again. She cupped Paige’s face gently, her thumb brushing across her cheek. “I get it. But that’s the thing—we’re doing this together. We can handle whatever comes. And if people have a problem with it? That’s their issue, not ours.”

Paige nodded slowly, feeling the tension in her chest ease. Azzi was right. They had spent so long worrying about what everyone else would think that they hadn’t given themselves the chance to just be.

Azzi leaned in and kissed her, slow and tender, but this time, it was different. It wasn’t about hiding—it was about claiming each other, letting go of the fear that had held them back for so long.

They pulled away, both of them smiling now, the weight of their secret finally lifted. The room felt lighter, the space between them finally filled with ease.

“You’re right,” Paige said, her voice soft but filled with newfound confidence. “We don’t have to hide anymore.”

Azzi smiled, her eyes shining with a mixture of relief and affection. “No. We don’t.”

As they stood there, surrounded by the echo of their teammates’ laughter, they both realized that this was just the beginning. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. They didn’t need to hide. They didn’t need to pretend.

What they had was real.

And nothing could change that.

The next few days were a whirlwind of emotions for Paige and Azzi. The awkwardness that both had feared didn’t seem to materialize, though. Their teammates had already caught on, and despite the teasing and jokes, there was an unspoken understanding. Everyone seemed to accept that they were together, and as the days passed, the atmosphere around them started to settle. The team wasn’t shocked, they had all seen the connection between Paige and Azzi for weeks, if not months.

Yet there was a quiet moment that kept replaying in Paige’s mind: the kiss in the gym, the way Azzi had held her, the way she had confessed her fears and vulnerabilities. That was the moment she realized how much she had longed for this—to stop hiding, to be herself with the person she loved. And it was a feeling she was beginning to cherish, not fear.

But that didn’t mean everything was easy.

There were still moments when Paige found herself worrying about how the outside world would perceive them. What if the media got a hold of it? What if their fans—who loved them both—couldn’t understand? What if it changed their dynamic on the court?

Azzi, on the other hand, was more relaxed about it all. She knew the rumors were already swirling, but for her, the idea of being with Paige openly outweighed the potential complications. She had always been someone who believed in authenticity, even when it was hard, even when it required vulnerability.

That night, they sat together on Paige’s couch, their shoulders lightly touching. The TV was playing something in the background, but neither of them was paying much attention to it. They had just finished dinner, and the conversation had drifted to more personal things—things they hadn’t shared before, things that felt too important to leave unsaid.

“Do you think it’ll get weird?” Paige asked, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.

Azzi looked at her, eyes full of warmth. “What, being out in the open? You mean, with everyone knowing?”

Paige nodded. “Yeah. Like, will things change?”

Azzi smiled softly, her gaze steady. “We can’t control how other people react. But we can control how we handle it. And as long as we’re honest with each other, I think we’ll be fine. Besides,” she added with a mischievous grin, “I’m not really one to hide who I’m with. Never really was.”

Paige couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Yeah, I figured. You’ve always been kind of fearless.”

Azzi leaned in, her lips brushing against Paige’s ear. “Only when I know what I want,” she whispered.

The closeness between them was electric, a silent acknowledgment of everything they had been through to get to this point. It wasn’t just about the physical attraction—it was about trust, vulnerability, and understanding. It was the quiet moments like this that reminded Paige why she had fallen for Azzi in the first place.

But not everyone shared the same calm demeanor that Azzi seemed to carry so effortlessly. As the days passed, the team began to show more curiosity. Some of them were supportive, some of them gave gentle teasing, but others, like Ice, took to joking around in a way that felt less than kind at times. Still, Paige had come to terms with the fact that people’s reactions were beyond their control.

It wasn’t until the team was having a post-practice dinner at a local restaurant that Paige felt a twinge of discomfort. The group had settled into their usual booth, the chatter and laughter filling the air as the evening wore on. Paige and Azzi were sitting beside each other, sharing a basket of fries, trying to ignore the occasional sideways glance or whispered comment.

At one point, Ice made a remark about how “cute” the two of them looked together. The others chimed in with their own teasing comments, but it wasn’t in a malicious way—it was more playful than anything. Paige, however, could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She tried to brush it off, but it was hard not to feel exposed.

“Do you think they’re staring?” Paige whispered to Azzi, her voice low.

Azzi, sensing her discomfort, leaned in a little closer. “Don’t let it bother you. People are always going to have something to say. But you and I know what this is, right?”

Paige met her gaze, and for a second, the rest of the world seemed to fade away. “Yeah,” she said, her heart full of certainty. “I know.”

And for the first time in a long while, Paige realized that this was the moment where their relationship was no longer about secrecy. It wasn’t about hiding in the shadows. It was about them, about their love, and about how much stronger it had made them both.

The team’s joking continued, but it no longer had the sting it once did. As time went on, Paige and Azzi grew more comfortable being together. They no longer felt the need to hide or downplay their connection. In fact, Paige found herself standing a little taller when they were in public, walking with a confidence she hadn’t realized she lacked before. Azzi’s quiet support and unwavering belief in them gave her the strength to carry that confidence.

It wasn’t just about being open in front of their teammates. It was about opening up to each other in ways they hadn’t done before. They started sharing more than just their feelings for each other—they shared their hopes, their fears, and their dreams for the future.

One night, as they sat together in the quiet of Paige’s apartment, Azzi spoke about something that had been on her mind for a while.

“I’ve always been afraid of… of not being good enough,” she admitted, her voice soft. “Afraid that if I give myself fully to someone, I’ll let them down.”

Paige’s heart ached at hearing this. She reached for Azzi’s hand, gently squeezing it. “You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to do anything but be you,” Paige said, her voice firm, yet tender. “I love you just the way you are. And I trust you with everything I have.”

Azzi’s eyes softened, and she leaned in, pressing her forehead against Paige’s. “I love you, too. More than you’ll ever know.”

In that moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift off their shoulders. They no longer needed to be afraid of the outside world or the things they couldn’t control. What they had was theirs, and nothing—no matter how difficult it might be—could take that away.

The next morning, as they walked into practice, it was different. They were still the same Paige and Azzi that their teammates knew, but there was something new—a sense of peace between them. No more secrets. No more pretending. They didn’t have to hide their feelings anymore.

As they lined up for drills, Azzi caught Paige’s eye and gave her a small, knowing smile. Paige smiled back, her heart light.

For the first time in a long while, they both felt like they could breathe easy. No matter what came next, they had each other. And for Paige, that was all that mattered.

──────────── ౨ৎ ───────────

It had been a month since Paige and Azzi had stopped hiding their relationship. The team had largely accepted it, though there were still moments of teasing. But Paige no longer cared. She wasn’t hiding anymore. Neither of them were.

Tonight was different, though. The team had been invited to a party to celebrate the end of the season, a mix of teammates, coaches, and friends. Paige was looking forward to it in a way she hadn’t anticipated. It wasn’t just a team event. It was an opportunity to finally enjoy the freedom they had earned, to let loose without worrying about being watched.

Azzi had been in her element all evening—laughing, chatting, and looking effortlessly stunning in a sleek black dress that clung to her body perfectly. The fabric shimmered under the lights as she moved through the crowd, her long legs highlighted by the high heels she wore. Paige couldn’t help but stare, her gaze tracing every curve of Azzi’s form. There was something about the way she carried herself tonight—the confidence, the grace—that made Paige’s heart race.

“You good?” Ice asked Paige, noticing her distracted expression.

Paige didn’t immediately respond. Her eyes were locked on Azzi, who was chatting with some of the other girls from the team. Azzi’s smile was radiant, her laughter contagious, and the way she threw her head back in amusement made Paige’s heart flutter.

“I’m more than good,” Paige finally said, her voice a little breathier than usual.

Ice smirked. “I see how it is,” she teased, nudging Paige’s shoulder. “You’re looking at her like you can’t wait to drag her home.”

Paige flushed, but she couldn’t deny it. The desire was there, unspoken but undeniable. Azzi had always had that effect on her. And tonight, it felt different—like the air between them had thickened, like the weight of their love was becoming too much to ignore.

As the night went on, the alcohol flowed freely, and the atmosphere became more relaxed. Paige and Azzi found themselves in a quiet corner of the room, away from the crowd. They weren’t as concerned with the party as they were with each other. The music pulsed in the background, and the dim lighting set a sultry mood.

Azzi took a sip of her drink, her eyes meeting Paige’s with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. “You look amazing tonight,” she said, her voice low, filled with warmth.

Paige could feel the heat rising to her face at the compliment, but she smiled softly. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she teased, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Azzi. Every part of her wanted to reach out, to touch her, to feel that closeness again.

Azzi’s gaze didn’t waver. She set her drink down and took a step closer to Paige. “It’s hard to focus when you keep looking at me like that,” she whispered, her lips brushing Paige’s ear as she spoke. “You make it impossible to stay composed.”

Paige’s breath hitched. She was intoxicated, but it wasn’t the alcohol that made her dizzy. It was Azzi. The way her presence consumed Paige entirely, the way she made everything else fade away.

Before Paige could respond, Azzi gently cupped her face and pulled her in for a kiss. It started soft, tender, a slow exploration of each other’s lips. But as the kiss deepened, it became more urgent, more needy. The heat between them surged, the way it always did when they were together.

“Paige,” Azzi murmured against her lips, “I want you.”

The words hung in the air, raw and honest. There was no hiding anymore, no games. In that moment, everything was laid bare between them.

Paige felt herself melting into Azzi’s touch, her hands sliding around Azzi’s waist, pulling her closer. Her fingers slid beneath the fabric of Azzi’s dress, tracing the smooth skin of her back. It felt electric, and every kiss sent waves of desire crashing through her.

Azzi’s breath was shallow now, and Paige could feel the tension building between them. They weren’t alone anymore. The world was still spinning around them, but for once, they didn’t care. It was just the two of them in this moment, their bodies speaking the language they had been waiting to share.

Somehow, they found their way to a quiet room upstairs. The noise of the party seemed distant now, almost irrelevant. In this moment, they were just Paige and Azzi—no teammates, no expectations, just two people who had finally let go of everything that had been holding them back.

Azzi’s hands were all over her now, pulling at the hem of Paige’s shirt, tugging it over her head. Paige’s breath caught in her throat as the cool air of the room brushed against her skin. She had never wanted anyone like this before—never felt this needed.

“Are you sure?” Paige asked, her voice a little unsteady. She could feel the intensity of the moment rising, but there was still a part of her that wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

Azzi’s eyes were dark with desire, but there was no hesitation. “I’m sure,” she whispered, her voice a low growl.

Before Paige could say another word, Azzi kissed her again, this time with a fire that had been simmering for far too long. Their bodies were pressed together, heat radiating between them, the world outside forgotten.

The kiss deepened, and Paige felt a wave of passion surge through her. She reached for the zipper of Azzi’s dress, tugging it down slowly, feeling her pulse race with each inch of skin revealed. Azzi’s hands were on Paige’s back now, guiding her toward the bed. They had crossed a line, and neither of them could stop now.

Azzi’s hands roamed across Paige’s body with an urgency that matched Paige’s own need. Every touch felt like a revelation, every kiss a promise. There was no holding back, no need for words. Their bodies spoke a language of their own—a language of love, of trust, of desire.

And in that moment, nothing else mattered. They were each other’s, completely.

The morning after was a haze of tangled sheets, soft light streaming through the windows, and the weight of what had happened settling in. Paige woke up first, her body still tingling with the aftershocks of the night before. She turned to look at Azzi, who was still asleep beside her, her hair tousled and her breathing soft and steady.

For a long time, Paige simply watched her. She never imagined herself here, with someone like Azzi—someone so strong, so confident, yet so vulnerable in their own way. The way they had connected, not just physically but emotionally, had transformed something inside Paige. She wasn’t afraid anymore.

Azzi stirred, her eyes fluttering open, and when she saw Paige looking at her, she smiled—soft, genuine, filled with love.

“You’re still here,” Azzi murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

Paige smiled, brushing a strand of hair from Azzi’s face. “I’m not going anywhere.”

They had crossed a line the night before, and yet, for the first time in their relationship, Paige felt completely sure of herself, of them. There was no fear now—only love. A love that was deep, real, and undeniable.

Azzi reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “You’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been,” she whispered.

Paige kissed her forehead softly. “Same here.”

It was the beginning of something real, something that couldn’t be broken by the judgment of others or the pressures of the world. They were in this together, and nothing was going to tear them apart.