#i hope tomorrow is okay even though i have to go sit with a teacher bc im rlly behind

[rose24207]

A lesson in Strength and Kindness

Summary: When Jacob stands up for a bullied classmate and gets in trouble, Lando and Y/N work together to ensure their son learns the value of both strength and kindness, teaching him that standing up for others can be just as important as following the rules.

Genre: Mafia!Dad!Lando, fluff

TW: Mafia

A/N: English is not my first language. I hope you enjoy it though! Requests are open and welcome!

Masterlist

The luxurious black car purred quietly as it pulled into the long driveway of the Norris estate.

Jacob sat in the backseat, arms crossed and lips pressed into a pout. His usual cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found, and the chauffeur, Matteo, glanced nervously at the rearview mirror.

"Master Jacob, we're almost home," Matteo said gently, hoping to lift the boy's spirits.

Jacob didn’t reply, staring out the window with a deep frown.

When they reached the grand front entrance, Matteo stepped out and opened the door for Jacob.

The boy climbed out, clutching his school bag tightly, and trudged up the steps. Matteo watched him with concern before heading inside to inform his employers.

Lando was in his study, going over business papers, when Matteo knocked and entered.

"Sir, Jacob seems upset. I thought you’d want to know."

Lando frowned and stood immediately. "Where is he?"

"He’s in the living room, sir," Matteo replied.

Lando found Jacob slumped on the couch, staring at the floor. His school bag was tossed haphazardly on the carpet.

"Jacob," Lando said softly, sitting beside him. "What’s going on, buddy?"

Jacob didn’t look up. "Nothing."

"Doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ to me," Lando said, ruffling his son’s hair. "Talk to me."

Before Jacob could reply, Y/N entered the room, her kind eyes immediately scanning her son’s face. "What’s wrong, sweetheart?"

Jacob hesitated, his small hands clutching his knees. "I got in trouble at school."

Y/N sat on his other side, concern etched across her face. "Trouble? Why? What happened?"

Jacob bit his lip, clearly reluctant to explain. Lando exchanged a glance with Y/N, who gave a small nod.

"Alright," Lando said. "We’ll call your teacher and get to the bottom of this. But first, tell us what happened, Jacob. We’re not mad, we just want to help."

Jacob finally met their eyes, tears brimming. "There’s this boy... Ethan. He was being mean to one of the younger kids at recess. He pushed him, so I told him to stop."

Y/N’s heart melted at her son’s protectiveness, but she stayed quiet, letting him finish.

"And then?" Lando prompted.

"And then Ethan said I should mind my own business. So I... I pushed him back," Jacob admitted, his voice trembling.

Y/N wrapped an arm around him. "Oh, Jacob."

"The teacher saw, and I got in trouble for pushing," Jacob said. "But I was just trying to help!"

Lando’s jaw tightened, his protective instincts kicking in. "Did you tell the teacher what Ethan was doing?"

Jacob nodded. "But she still said pushing wasn’t okay, no matter what."

Lando sighed, his hand running through his hair. "Alright. Your mum and I will talk to your teacher tomorrow. We’ll figure this out, okay?"

Jacob nodded, leaning into Y/N, who kissed the top of his head.

The next morning, Lando and Y/N arrived at Jacob’s school, escorted to the principal’s office by a nervous assistant. Though Lando’s reputation preceded him, Y/N’s calm and warm presence seemed to balance things out.

"Thank you for coming," Mrs. Bennett, Jacob’s teacher, said as they entered. She gestured for them to sit.

Lando’s expression was neutral, but his sharp gaze unsettled the teacher slightly. Y/N, as always, was the first to speak.

"Thank you for meeting with us," she said kindly. "Jacob told us what happened, and we wanted to better understand the situation."

Mrs. Bennett nodded. "Jacob is a good student, and he’s very kind to his classmates. But we have a strict policy against physical confrontation. Even if he was standing up for someone, pushing Ethan wasn’t the right way to handle it."

Lando’s jaw tensed, but he remained silent, letting Y/N lead.

"We completely understand," Y/N said, her voice gentle but firm. "And we’ve spoken to Jacob about how there are other ways to handle conflict. But we’re also concerned about Ethan’s behavior. Jacob said he was bullying another child."

Mrs. Bennett hesitated. "Ethan’s behavior has been noted before, and we are addressing it. However, Jacob’s actions still violated the rules."

Lando finally spoke, his voice calm but cold. "So, the bully gets a slap on the wrist, and the kid who stands up for someone else gets punished?"

Mrs. Bennett flinched slightly under his intense gaze. "That’s not what I’m saying, Mr. Norris."

"It’s what it sounds like," Lando said. "Jacob shouldn’t have pushed, sure. But it seems to me like he was doing the job your staff failed to do—protecting a vulnerable kid."

Y/N placed a hand on Lando’s arm, grounding him. "We’re not here to place blame," she said, her tone still soothing.

"We just want to make sure Jacob isn’t discouraged from standing up for what’s right. Perhaps there’s a way to teach him and Ethan a lesson without making Jacob feel like he’s in the wrong for helping someone."

Mrs. Bennett nodded slowly, visibly relaxing under Y/N’s kind demeanor. "You’re absolutely right. I’ll speak with both boys again and make sure Jacob understands that his intentions were good, even if his actions weren’t ideal."

"Thank you," Y/N said with a smile.

Later that evening, Jacob was back to his cheerful self, playing in the garden with Amelia. Lando watched from the patio, arms crossed as he leaned against the railing.

"You handled that well," he said, glancing at

Y/N.

"You mean we handled it well," she corrected, nudging him playfully.

Lando smirked. "I was ready to pull Jacob out of that school."

"I know," Y/N said, laughing softly. "But sometimes, a little kindness goes a long way."

Lando looked at her, his expression softening. "That’s why I’ve got you."

Y/N wrapped an arm around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched their children play. "Jacob’s a good boy," she said. "He gets that from you, you know."

Lando chuckled. "I think he gets that from you, actually."

As the sun set over the estate, the Norris family found peace in their little corner of the world—a balance of strength, kindness, and love.

Thank you for reading!

[jjungkookislife]

The Nanny [Ch. 4]

pairing: lawyer!seokjin x nanny!f.reader

genre: established relationship, parents au, fluff, 18+

summary: Jin needs a nanny for his son, but when he hires you, he gets that and so much more.

wc: 7.9k

warnings: pet names (baby, love), implied smut, angst, miscommunication (this was the scene I was stuck on for years), self-doubt, make-up sex, unprotected sex, creampie

date: May 4, 2024

The holidays come and go in your new home, ecstatic to decorate with Dae and Jin. Your family and his get along so well, and everyone dotes over Dae-Hyun, who shies away from so much attention. 

With his birthday coming up soon, he’s due to enroll in pre-school and it leaves your heart feeling heavy. You weren’t ready to part with Dae just yet, your life had been nothing but him for almost 2 years, and the idea of sending him off, even if it was just half a day—left you sad. 

Seokjin was faring much better though, he was used to leaving Dae at home when he had to go to work, and even though it was rough, he was having to come to terms with the fact that he wouldn’t get updates as often from his new preschool teachers. However, Dae needed to socialize with his peers, make new friends, and learn in a school setting to prepare him for Kindergarten in the fall. Seokjin wasn’t looking forward to that either, the thought had anxiety brewing in his belly. 

“What if I homeschool him?” You asked as you stroked Dae’s hair while he slept between you and Seokjin. 

Seokjin sighed, shaking his head. “He needs to go to school, baby. We can’t be his only friends.”

“But he’s my little buddy,” you pout.

“We’ll meet his teacher tomorrow and see how it goes. Nothing is set in stone just yet but he should at least go to get acclimated before school starts in the fall. We won’t be there to hold his hand and guide him,” Seokjin reasons as he places his hand over yours. 

“I guess you’re right,” you acquiesce, biting your lip before you settle into bed. 

“It’s gonna suck,” Seokjin chuckles and your frown deepens. “But it’ll be good for him, I promise.”

“I trust you,” you say, muffling a yawn but Seokjin notices it. 

“Go to bed, baby. We'll handle this tomorrow,” you nod, yawning as you pull the covers over you, making sure Dae isn’t covered from the shoulders up. 

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

“I don’t like it,” is the first thing you say when you step into the large brick-stone building with Dae clutching your hand. Seokjin shakes his head, trying to hide a disbelieving smile. 

“It’s been two seconds,” he giggles as he places his large palm on your lower back. He grins when you reach the front desk and your heels click against the marble floor. Portraits litter the wall and a giant bouquet of fresh flowers sits on a table in the middle of the foyer. Chairs that must cost a fortune line the walls in the sitting area, and Dae clings to your side as a few adults walk from one end of the hall to the next. 

“It’s so big,” Dae whispers as he looks around. He squirms at your side and you hope he’ll be okay coming here in a few weeks without you. The thought sours your mood further. 

“Hello, I’m Kim Seokjin. We have an appointment to tour the grounds and meet my son’s new teacher,” Seokjin says to the secretary as you debate carrying Dae-Hyun and making a run for it. You take a step back and Seokjin turns to face you, raising a dark brow, jaw taut as he eyes you with a firm glance almost daring you to even try it. He lifts the car keys with one long finger and you huff. 

“Of course, Mr. Kim. Your family can have a seat, and I will page the teacher up front. It’ll just be a moment,” the secretary informs him and motions for the chairs lining the wall. Seokjin thanks her before he tilts his head in the direction of the chairs. 

Ruefully, you lead Dae to the chairs and pull him onto your lap. You squeeze him in a hug for a second as Seokjin sits beside you. 

“Baby,” he starts, sighing heavily before licking his lips. “It’s an excellent school with great reviews, and I did background checks on everyone. He’ll love it here.”

“I have to come here?” Dae asks his dad with wide eyes. 

“This is gonna be your school, buddy. We’re gonna meet your teacher in a second, okay?” Seokjin asks and Dae nods but looks at you for assurance. You plaster on a smile and thankfully don’t have to say anything as a woman walks up to the three of you, introducing herself as Mrs. Hart. 

Dae-Hyun shyly introduces himself, his manners overcoming his shyness, and you couldn’t be prouder. You set him on the floor before rising, linking your hand with Jin’s as you follow Mrs. Hart. 

The tour starts with a history of the school, but you don’t pay too much attention as you walk down the hall. You skimmed the brochure on your way here and stuffed it in the crease of your seat before getting out of the car. 

Dae-Hyun holds his father’s hand as he walks, marveling over the art that litters the walls on the way to the classroom. The four of you come to a stop at room A-1, and Mrs. Hart opens the door, allowing you inside before she follows. 

The classroom is rather large, with three tables separated by bookshelves stuffed with books, coloring boxes, and art supplies. On the opposite end of the room is a large rug, a few bean bags, and more shelves containing toys and books. There’s a play kitchen and a science center with a giant fish tank that immediately gets Dae’s attention.  

Mrs. Hart is happy to show him around the room while you stay back with your boyfriend. 

“What do you think?” Seokjin asks you in a soft tone, to not get the teacher’s attention. You take in the room, there is nothing too extravagant that stands out. It was a typical classroom, more modern than any you had ever taught in before but it was nice and it appeared clean. 

“Where are the kids?” You muse as you see the names of children written on the cubbies. 

“They’re out in the playground with my assistant, Miss Daisy. We can go out and meet them if you’d like?” Mrs. Hart chimes in and Dae-Hyun nods before asking his father if it’s okay. 

“Sure, Dae,” With Seokjin’s consent, the four of you go out the back door and down the steps that lead right to the playground. There are a lot of children running around but Miss Daisy is accompanied by two other assistants to watch the children as they run and climb on the playground. A few kids look over curiously and two come over to say hi. 

“Do you wanna play?” One of them asks and Dae looks at Seokjin, who nods. Dae smiles as he runs off with the kids and Mrs. Hart introduces the staff. 

“He seems like a wonderful child,” Miss Daisy comments as she sees Dae already laughing and playing with more children. 

“He’s a little shy but he seems to like the playground.” you keep a watchful eye on Dae-Hyun, never losing him in the array of children. 

“Is this his first time at school?” Miss Daisy asks and Seokjin nods. Mrs. Hart explains the transition process, going into great detail about their rules and policies and the assessments to see where he’s at. 

As much as you don’t like the thought of being away from Dae-Hyun, it eases your heart to see him having so much fun already. He pouts when it’s time to go back inside, talking your ear off as Seokjin handles the paperwork. 

“Can I come back soon?” Dae-Hyun asks you as Seokjin shakes Mrs. Hart’s hand once they’re done. 

“Of course,” Mrs. Hart smiles at Dae. She motions for him to join her, taking his hand and leading him to a cubbie. “This will be yours when you come back and see me. We’ll have your name right here and we’ll have all your stuff ready for you, Dae-Hyun. After your birthday, we’ll have you here with us!”

“Yay!” Dae-Hyun cheers before returning to Seokjin, who picks him up in his arms. He was getting a little too tall to keep doing so but Seokjin would carry his son until he couldn’t anymore. 

“We’ll see you in a few weeks,” Seokjin says as he starts to say his goodbye. 

“We look forward to it!” Mrs. Hart exclaims, clapping her hands together. 

“Bye!” Dae waves at his teacher, who waves back. Seokjin heads into the hallway as you take one last look around, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. 

“We look forward to seeing you soon. You have such a lovely family, Mrs. Kim,” Mrs. Hart says with a wave. You thank her before following Seokjin, your heart fluttering in your chest. 

Mrs. Kim.

“What did you think?” Seokjin asks you that night when he gets into bed beside you. He’s already sleepy but still wants your opinion on the school. You couldn’t talk freely until Dae had gone to bed and showers were taken before bed.

“It’s a nice school,” you say. “I think Dae will like it. It’s just hard to let him go.”

“Trust me, I know. But it’ll get a little easier,” Seokjin assures you. After all, he is his son so of course, he’d know. You just weren’t used to leaving Dae, much less after moving in with them.

“It’ll take me a bit to get used to. What am I supposed to do while he’s gone? Mrs. Jenkins already does the cleaning and packs his lunch,” you frown.

“You could go to the spa, or maybe meet up with your friends,” Seokjin suggests as he wraps you in his arms. “You’ll have more time for yourself. I know you haven’t had much lately.”

“But I like caring for Dae. That’s why you hired me in the first place,” you look at him over your shoulder.

“And now things have changed, baby. You’re still just as important as you were, just with more free time. How about we open a joint account tomorrow so you have some more spending money?”

“Seokjin,” you sigh. “I don’t want more money.”

“Okay, a car?” Seokjin suggests and you huff. You know he’s just teasing you, you’d denied every attempt of him buying you a new car. Yours worked perfectly fine and it’s not like you did a lot of driving now that you lived with him. Seokjin preferred to drive and you loathed it, so it didn’t matter much to you.

“Don’t stress about it too much, baby. You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. I’m sure you’ll find ways to occupy yourself. Besides, we need to plan Dae’s party starting tomorrow, and if you want,” Seokjin grins mischievously. “We can work on making another baby.”

“That’s a big decision, baby. Are you sure?” you ask, sitting up to look at your boyfriend. He sits up as well, taking your hand in his.

“I’m sure, love. You’re the only one I’d even consider as the mother of my children. I don’t want anyone else,” he leans in, capturing your lips with his, guiding you to the bed where he kisses you until you’re crying out his name.

The next morning is filled with ruckus. You’ve got the kitchen island in disarray as you look over notebooks and business cards, a tablet opened to a party planner, a laptop displaying your idea outlines, and Dae-Hyun on your lap telling you about all the things he wants for his party this year. 

Mrs. Jenkins hovers nearby, knowing it’s no easy feat to plan a party, especially with a child on your lap. She offers to take Dae from you but your sweet boy will have none of it. 

“And a bounce house,” Dae-Hyun finishes as he places his head on your shoulder. “We need one of those.”

“So you want dinosaurs,” you pause as Dae roars with his arms high in the air, hopping off your lap to stomp around the kitchen. “And a dinosaur cake?” 

“Please,” Dae smiles as he gets back on your lap with your help. 

“Sure, baby,” you kiss his cheek as you show him a few pictures on the tablet, liking anything he shows excitement over. Seokjin has given you a budget with promises to help here and there but he knows you enjoy planning events and schedules, so this is your domain. 

Last year, Seokjin had thrown a small Paw Patrol party with cake and goodie bags before calling it a day. This time, there would be more children attending, including the ones Dae met at school. 

Dae-Hyun loses interest after a while and you continue to plan his party and take notes while Mrs. Jenkins gets Dae-Hyun his lunch. 

Slightly overwhelmed by all the options, you decide to bookmark your favorites before setting your tablet aside and having your lunch. Soon it’ll be time to put Dae down for a nap and Seokjin had promised to get off work after lunch. He should be home any moment now. 

Just as lunch is wrapping up, the front door opens and Seokjin sings, “I’m home!”

Dae-Hyun grins giddily as he dances in his chair when his father walks into the kitchen. Seokjin greets Dae then you with a kiss on the top of your head. 

“You’re home!” Dae claps in excitement and Seokjin nods. 

“I left early to see you,” he states as Mrs. Jenkins finishes washing the dishes. Seokjin allows her to end her day then if she’d like and she thanks him before rushing out the door with a see you later. 

Seokjin shoots you a confused look and you chuckle. “Dae’s been excited over his p-a-r-t-y.”

“Oh,” Seokjin laughs. “What’s the theme this year?”

“Dinosaurs!” Dae shouts as he roars, and Seokjin pretends to be terrified. 

“This little Dino needs a nap,” you state as you pick him up in your arms, and a pout forms on his lips. 

“But Daddy,” he cries softly. 

“I’ll be up in a second, bud. I’m just getting a drink,” Seokjin assures his son as you head up the stairs to Dae’s room. 

He yawns, rubbing his eyes as he goes to grab his pajamas, heading to his bathroom to change and potty before coming to his bedroom. 

“Daddy and I will be here when you wake up,” you say as you pat his bed. Dae nods as he steps closer to you, rubbing his eyes. 

“Nap time!” You sing as you scoop Dae up in your arms. He finally squeals, laughing as you press several kisses to his cheek. His mood lifted. 

“Mommy! Stop!” he squeals, kicking his little feet. You pause, eyes wide as your heart races. You weren’t a stranger to being called mom, mommy, or any variation of it in your field. After all, it was easy for kids to get confused and when they trusted you as much as their parents.

However, this was the first time Dae had called you mommy, and you weren’t sure how to feel. You simply smiled, kissing his head as you asked him what story he wanted you to read. Seokjin lingered by the doorway, a frown on his lips.

“And they lived happily ever after,” you read, closing the book shortly after only to see Dae-Hyun fast asleep clutching his teddy bear. You plant a kiss on his forehead and wish him sweet dreams.

Seokjin is waiting for you in the hallway, with the baby monitor in your hand as he motions for you to join him in his office.

When you enter the office, Seokjin is already in his chair, his face hidden in his large palms, and your heart immediately sinks to your stomach. You haven’t seen Seokjin this distraught since his failed blind dates set up by Namjoon.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” you ask, setting the baby monitor on the desk before going around to your boyfriend. He sighs heavily before raising his head.

“He called you mom,” he spits the word like it’s vile. 

“Jin, this happens often with children. I’ll talk to him when he wakes up,” you assure him, but Seokjin shakes his head.

“You’re not his mom and he’s calling you mom. This isn’t right,” Seokjin huffs, a hand carding through his hair. 

You step back.

“I may not be his mother, but I love him as if he were my own. Seokjin, what is going on?!” You can’t help but be hurt. Hadn’t he said he wanted a family with you? Shouldn’t this be a good thing? You weren’t trying to replace his mom, nor would you ever abandon Dae, so what was going on?

“I just don’t want Dae to get confused,” Seokjin says sharply.

“I thought you wanted us to be a family? Wouldn’t you want him to see me as a mother figure?”

“Baby-”

“No, you obviously don’t know what you want. You can’t tell me you want me to have your kids and then get all out of sorts when your son calls me Mommy. What is it you want? Because I can’t take your mixed signals, Jin! Either you want us to be a family or you don’t! I already said I’d talk to him, but what’s so wrong with him calling me his mom? I’ve been here for him for half his life now and I don’t plan on going anywhere! What’s wrong with you?” You can’t help but hiss, stepping out of his office.

“Baby!” Jin calls after you, but you ignore him, heading to Dae’s room to cuddle him. He may not be your biological child, but that didn’t mean you loved him any less. 

It’s awkward.

It’s been two days since your discussion with Seokjin. Your feelings are still hurt by his harsh words and tone. You’d tried your best to be normal around Dae, but you could tell he was noting the tense atmosphere.

You’d taken to sleeping with Dae or in the guest room, something Seokjin had protested the first night, but let it go when you glared at him. 

Seokjin felt bad, and he apologized when Dae had gone to bed that night, but you couldn’t forgive him just yet. He’d hurt you and you needed some space. You tried your best to plan Dae-Hyun’s birthday party, spending your days planning and calling businesses to book them for the day of his party.

“We’re going to my mom’s for a bit,” Seokjin announces when he walks into the kitchen with Dae-Hyun in his arms. For a few seconds, Dae wiggles in his father’s arms before Seokjin sets him down. His son doesn’t hesitate to run to you, your arms open and ready to welcome him in. 

“Come here, baby.” You press a kiss on his head. “Are you gonna have fun tonight?”

“Can you come too?” Dae asks as he hugs you close. 

“Not this time, buddy. I got secret birthday stuff to do,” you whisper, kissing his cheek as he giggles. 

“It’s almost my birthday, right? We’re having a party!” He exclaims as he runs back to Seokjin. He takes his dad’s hand, waving as he talks about his party and the cake.

Seokjin gives you one last look before he heads out of the kitchen with his son. You watch them go, sighing as you shake your head in a poor attempt to clear it.

Papers lay scattered on the kitchen island, most of them were the final decisions for the party. You’d chosen invitations with Dae, showing them to Seokjin for approval, but he had said he’d love whatever you chose for the party.

The little T-Rex on the sample invitation stared back at you, Five-a-Saurus. 

Cute.

Sighing, you hope you can have a serious discussion with Seokjin to find out where you both stand. You had honestly believed you were heading toward marriage and what about all that talk about being a family and expanding it? How would that work if he didn’t want Dae to see you as his mom? Had you done something to make him think you weren’t up to par? 

You needed to get this cleared up as soon as possible.

Seokjin’s been at his parent's home for an hour now, making small talk and whatnot until his father takes Dae to the backyard to play. Seokjin waits until his son is completely distracted before turning to his mother. 

“I don’t know what to do, Mom,” Seokjin sighs, his chin resting in the palm of his hand as he watches his son through the glass door playing with his dad. He had explained the entire conversation with his mother over text this morning, nearly in tears as he asked to come over to see her.

“You can’t let one bad experience haunt you for the rest of your life, Jin. So what if Lena didn’t want to be a mom? It’s her loss. She can’t keep you from loving someone else. Has Y/n ever given you a reason not to trust her?” Seokjin’s mom asks. 

“Well… no?”

“She loves you and Dae so much. Anyone could see that. She loves both of you so much, and that’s all I could ever ask for. It broke my heart when Lena walked out. She left Dae without a mother and then Y/n walked into your life like a breath of fresh air. There’s no doubt about it, son, she’s in it for the long haul. She treats Dae like her own, and she loves you immensely. Even I can see that,” she chuckles, placing her hand over her son’s. 

“I fucked up, didn’t I?” Seokjin asks, feeling remorseful.

“Language!” His mother exclaims but nods. “You fucked up.”

Seokjin knows it must be true. This is the first time he’s ever heard his mother cuss, so he knows he totally fucked up, and now he’s got to fix it. 

“Can you keep Dae for tonight? I’ve got a lot of groveling to do.” Seokjin rises from his stool, the stool screeches against the floor. 

“Sure, call when you can,” his mother calls after him as he rushes out to the backyard, kissing his son’s forehead and promising to get him in the morning. 

Dae is ecstatic to be spending the night with his grandma and grandpa, knowing he’s in for a day of being spoiled and maybe ice cream for dinner.   

“Baby, I’m home!” Seokjin calls as he shuts the door after him, careful with the bouquet he had picked up on his way home.

“In the kitchen!” you call back, sending the last email you needed for Dae’s party. Dates were confirmed with the bakery, the party supply store, and the caterer. You felt lighter now that most of the party is taken care of and despite your fight with Seokjin, you’re hoping he’ll like everything you’ve picked out for Dae.

Seokjin is timid as he steps into the kitchen. You glance up from your laptop, raising a brow when you see the bouquet in his hands.

“What’s up?” you ask cautiously.

Seokjin bites his lips. “I wanted to apologize for how I reacted the other day and for what I said. I was out of line, and you’re right, I was sending mixed signals.”

You remain silent, shutting your laptop to give your boyfriend your undivided attention. 

“The truth is, I got scared.” Seokjin pauses, licking his lips as he crosses the room. He lays the flowers on the kitchen island. “Dae’s never called anyone mommy, and I got scared you’d leave like she did.”

“Seokjin,” you start, but he stops you. He shakes his hair out of his eyes as he inhales deeply. You rise from your seat, going around the island to take his face in your hands, his eyes locked on yours.

“I’m not her, Seokjin. I love you and I love Dae. I’m here to stay, but I need you to be in this with me. You and Dae can decide what he calls me. He can call me mom or he can call me by my name. I love him as my own and I want to give him siblings someday, but I need you to be sure of what you want, Seokjin. I know I’m not Dae’s mom, I know. I’m here to be your partner, to be there for Dae, and to build a life with you if you’ll have me. But we need to be on the same page, Jin.” you say as you stroke his cheeks.

Seokjin nods, a hard feat when you’re cradling his face in your hands. “I’ll talk to him, baby. I’ll do what he says and I am sorry for what I said and for the way I reacted. I do want us to be a family and you’ve done nothing but love us from the get-go. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Jin.”

Seokjin hadn’t taken your fight lightly. That same day, he had scheduled an appointment with a therapist to work through his issues. He didn’t want to start a marriage (in the future) with doubts and insecurities hanging over his head.

He’d allowed Dae to stay the night at his parent’s house while the two of you went over his birthday party timeline. You were excited to show off everything, giggling when Seokjin would say he liked what you picked out.

That night, Seokjin takes you out to dinner, apologizing again as he holds your hand in his. He delicately strokes your ring finger, imagining what it would be like with an engagement ring. He flushes. He truly was lucky to have you in his life, and he wouldn’t let this relationship fizzle because of him.

“Tomorrow we’ll pick up Dae and ask what he wants to call you,” Seokjin whispers as he leads you to your bedroom, his hand in yours as he loosens his tie.

“I think that’s a great idea,” you agree as you take your earrings off and place them on the dresser along with your pearl necklace. 

Seokjin approaches you, looking at your reflection in the mirror as his arms wind around your waist. His lips press a kiss on your shoulder and you move your hair out of the way to allow him more room. 

“I love you,” he murmurs against your soft skin. His large hands grip your hips and squeeze. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to us. You know that, right?”

You smile. “You know I feel the same way, right?”

Slowly, Seokjin kisses his way to your neck. His hands move over your body to your zipper, where he pulls it down enough for your dress to fall forward. He’s pleasantly surprised to see you’re not wearing a bra when he meets your eyes in the mirror.

“Oh?” he raises a brow as his fingertips brush your skin. 

“Figured there would be make-up sex,” you shrug with a smirk as you turn to face him. Seokjin wastes no time in kissing you, his hands cradling your face as your fingers work on taking his tie off and unbuttoning his shirt.

Fiery kisses meet your neck as his hands grip the back of your thighs to lift you onto the dresser. Your fingers run through his hair, tugging on it to pull him into a kiss that leaves you vibrating. His tongue pushes past the seam of your lips and you moan softly against him.

You want to savor him, take things slowly but you’re also in need of a rough, quick fuck that makes your eyes roll back. 

Panting, Seokjin presses his forehead to yours, almost as if reading your mind when you get off the dresser.

Turning you quickly, your palms grip the edge of the dresser as Seokjin hikes your dress up to bunch at your hips. With a lightning-like quickness, Seokjin is undressed and the head of his cock is pressed to your wet folds.

“Oh, fuck,” he curses. Seokjin’s forehead rests on your shoulder. Your eyes meet his in the mirror and he stares intently at you for a moment before he turns your head and his lips capture yours in a deep kiss that leaves you breathless when it ends. 

Seokjin grips your hips, moaning into your skin as you tighten around him, his hand between your thighs rubbing your clit. 

You tremble beneath him, his name escaping you repeatedly until you’re falling apart for him. 

“That’s it, baby. Come all over my cock,” he grunts, moaning your name as he cums right after you. 

“Fuck,” you groan as you try to hold yourself up on shaky hands. Seokjin chuckles, kissing your shoulder before he pulls out. 

“I love you,” he states as he looks at your reflection in the mirror. You lace your fingers with him, squeezing them. “I love you too.”

You were running around the house like a chicken with its head cut off, a weird expression but it seemed to fit the mood. 

Dae-Hyun was at his grandparents' home. He had spent the night so he wouldn’t see the preparations for his birthday party in a few short hours.  

Seokjin had a therapy appointment in the morning but he would be back in plenty of time to help set up and welcome the caterer and decorator. You were handling the cake delivery, moving everything in the fridge to make room for the three-layer cake you had ordered. 

You hadn’t slept much last night, too stressed about everything going right today. You wanted everything to be perfect for Dae-Hyun. 

“Baby, I’m home!” Seokjin calls as he shuts the front door and you inform him you’re in the kitchen. 

He appears moments later with a grin and a large bouquet. “I knew you’d be freaking out over the party so I got you these.”

Your heart melts, thanking him with a kiss on his cheek. 

“Thank you, babe. It’s my first party for Dae and I need everything to be perfect for him,” you pout. 

“It will be. Relax,” Jin chuckles. “Just let me know what you need me to do.”

“Have a look at the cake,” You tell him as you grab a vase and fill it with water for your flowers. Seokjin does as he’s told, grinning when he sees the dinosaur cake sitting on a shelf. 

“Oh, he’s gonna love it! Hell, I love it! That’s the coolest birthday cake I’ve ever seen!” Seokjin is smiling from ear to ear. He knew you’d throw an amazing party for Dae and he hopes as the day goes on, you’ll be able to enjoy it. 

“Guests will be here in three hours and Dae in one. Your mom will get him dressed and he’ll have time on the bounce house before everyone shows up,” you inform Seokjin. 

“Awesome,” Seokjin nods. The doorbell rings and the decorator shows up with her team. They get to work and in less than two hours, your home is decorated to the brim, the main focus being the backyard and kitchen. 

The caterer shows up shortly after and Seokjin finishes preparing the last of the goody bags. 

Dae-Hyun comes running straight to your arms and you cover his eyes with a laugh. 

“You little Rugrat,” you scolded playfully. “You weren’t supposed to come in here yet.”

“He’s a quick one,” Mrs. Kim chuckles as she enters the kitchen with her husband. A gift bag is looped on her wrist and she sets it on the gift table at the opposite end of the kitchen. 

“I wanna see,” Dae whines and you exchange a look with Seokjin as you both head out into the backyard. Excitement fills your body as you count down from three and move your hand off Dae’s eyes. 

“Wow!” Dae is in awe as he looks around the backyard. There’s a giant bounce house and decorations all around. There’s an area where the kids can dig for “fossils” and another where they can learn about dinosaurs and make their dinosaur masks. And of course, Dae’s playground where kids can run around all day. 

Dae grabs your hand, pulling you to the bounce house. Seokjin follows the two of you, laughing when Dae urges you into the bounce house with him. You hold his hand and jump with him for a bit. 

“Mom!” He squeals and you grin. After your talk with Seokjin. The two of you had sat down with Dae-Hyun and allowed him to choose what he’d call you. Dae had immediately wanted to call you mom, and that was that. Seokjin was grateful he hadn’t ruined your relationship with his panicked outburst and he was working on his issues with his therapist. He was doing well and he knew someday he’d want you to be his wife. To spend the rest of your lives together. 

“Come on, Dae, Mommy has to go change!” Seokjin exclaims and Dae pouts. 

“Do you want Daddy in here while I change?” You ask Dae as you stop jumping. Dae nods and Seokjin looks at the bounce house entrance. 

“Babe, I don’t think my shoulders will make it through,” he states with worry.

You cackle, dropping to your knees to open the entrance a little more for your boyfriend’s wide-ass shoulders. He thanks you as he slithers in with a grunt from the struggle. 

“I don’t think this was made for adults,” he comments as he tries to stand and ends up falling and bouncing Dae in the process. You shake your head, scooping up Dae-Hyun. 

“You watch out for Daddy, okay?” You press a kiss on Dae’s forehead before heading out. Dae stomps to his father, who is struggling to stand before giving up and sitting in the middle while Dae hops from one end to the other, his laughter filling the bounce house.  

By the time the party is in full swing, you’re busy playing host while Seokjin tries to get you to enjoy yourself. His parents have taken the time to help out and yours have arrived shortly after. They both dote on Dae-Hyun, and he hugs them tightly before he runs off with children from his preschool. 

You’ve met a few of the parents, speaking more to the ones whose children have taken an interest in Dae. A few of the mothers eye Seokjin longer than necessary and you bite back your jealousy knowing he’s yours. Nobody would take your little family away from you. You wouldn’t allow it and neither would Seokjin.  

When it’s time to cut the cake, Dae-Hyun is speechless as he sees Seokjin carefully carrying it outside to the table. Dae stares at it with huge eyes, fingertip gently touching one of the dinosaurs. He claps his hands when Seokjin lights the candles and you make sure none of the kids are close enough to ruin your son’s moment. You guard him, and Seokjin bites back a smile as he stands beside you. Mrs. Kim is taking picture after picture while her husband films on his phone. 

“Make a wish,” you whisper to Dae, who closes his eyes and makes his wish before blowing out the candles. Cheers and applause fill the backyard as Seokjin cuts the cake, handing the first slice to his son before the caterer whisks the cake back into the kitchen to cut it and her staff serve it to the guests. 

Dae-Hyun takes off running with his friends after he’s had cake and you're wary as he enters the bounce house. 

“That seems like a bad idea,” you whisper. Seokjin agrees as he scoops his son out of the bounce house with his friends. They protest but are soon occupied with Mr. Kim in a T-Rex inflatable costume as he chases the kids around the yard. 

You laugh as you watch from the sidelines with Seokjin at your side, his hand on your lower back. He kisses the top of your head, “Thank you for doing this. It’s the most I’ve seen him smile.”

“I’ve got bigger plans for next year,” you admit with a shy smile. Seokjin shakes his head, smiling. “I knew you would. Care to share?”

“Nope,” you stick your tongue out at him and he rolls his eyes playfully. 

“Ever the tease,” he snickers, kissing your cheek. 

“I think it’s time we handed out the goody bags and sent everyone home,” you state as the kids start falling asleep on their parents' lap after a while. 

“I think you’re right, baby,” Seokjin agrees as he steps away to thank everyone for coming. A lot of the parents are grateful, taking their children who are worn out from all the fun and sugar to go straight to bed. 

Your parents and Seokjin’s are the last to leave, offering to help clean up but you’ve got a cleaning service stopping by tomorrow to take care of it. Dae comes straight to you, his head on your shoulder and his eyes barely open. 

Seokjin kisses his cheek, smiling when he wipes some frosting off his son’s face. “Well, he’ll be sleeping through the night.”

“Definitely,” you agree as you take him upstairs to bed. You change him into his pajamas, promising to open his presents in the morning when he’s more alert. He dozed off within minutes and soon you’re back downstairs with Seokjin. 

“Is he asleep?” He asks as he places the leftover food in the fridge. He had encouraged the guests to take home plates of food and cake but there was still a bit left over. 

“Passed out. He ran around a lot today. He can use the bounce house tomorrow for a bit before they come to pick it up,” you inform Seokjin.  

“He loves that thing. Me? Not so much,” Seokjin grimaces as he rubs his shoulder. 

You walk closer to him, your arms draped over his shoulders. “Does it hurt?”

“Nothing you can’t fix with those pretty lips of yours,” Seokjin teases. You smack his back lightly and his laughter fills the kitchen before he turns to face you. 

“Thank you for today. Dae-Hyun had the time of his life,” Seokjin says seriously. His hands grip your hips as he holds you close. 

“You don’t have to thank me, babe. I would have done it regardless. I love him,” You respond as you take his hands in yours. “I love you too.”

“Come on, let’s go to bed.” 

“But I’m not tired,” you protest. 

Seokjin smirks. “Neither am I.”

“Nope! I h-a-t-e it!” You cross your arms over your chest as the car stops. 

“Baby, come on,” Seokjin whines as he unclips his seatbelt. “He’s gonna know you’re nervous.”

You sigh, sucking it up as you get out of the car with a frown. You allow Seokjin to get Dae-Hyun out of the car, taking his hand to lead him into the school. 

You stomp your way up the front steps after them, not wanting to leave Dae-Hyun alone all day. 

“He’ll be fine,” Seokjin assures you as you walk down the hallway to room A-1. Dae is bouncing with excitement, eager to see his friends again after his party. 

Once you reach his classroom, Mrs. Hart welcomes you with a bright smile as she greets Dae. Shyly, Dae greets her before she walks him to one of the tables where his friends sit, all of them waving and greeting him cheerfully. They're having breakfast at the moment and you wish you could stay by his side all day. 

“Come on, love. We can’t stay,” Seokjin reads your mind and you sigh. You blink back the tears that burn at the corner of your eyes and wave gently at Dae. Seokjin is faring slightly better but he clears his throat and takes your hand in his before leaving at Mrs. Hart’s suggestion. 

“We’ll call if we need to,” she promises as she sends the two of you off. 

In the hallway you lose it, stopping near the entrance to cry. Seokjin holds you to his chest, rubbing your back. 

“It’s okay, baby. You can come get him at 2. He’s gonna be okay,” he assured you and you cry until you can’t anymore. Seokjin leads you to the car, grabbing some tissues from the glove box to dab at your eyes. You blow your nose and sanitize your hands after. 

“I miss him already,” You pout. 

“It gets easier,” Seokjin promises. “I miss him too but he can’t be isolated. Me, you, and Mrs. Jenkins can’t be the only ones he sees, baby. He needs his friends.”

“I know you’re right but that doesn’t change the fact that I miss my little buddy,” you sniffle as Seokjin pulls out of his parking spot. He’d taken the morning off for Dae’s first day of school but he’d be back in the office in an hour or so. 

“You know,” Seokjin muses as he drives further and further from the school. “I always thought when this day came, I’d be the one sobbing my eyes out.”

“Don’t make fun of me,” you whine pitifully and he smiles. 

“I’m not, baby. I just think it’s sweet you care so much about him,” he states as he brings your hand to his lips. “But no, you can’t take him out early on his first day.”

“How did you-?”

“I can read your thoughts, baby,” he laughs as he drives you home. You use the ride home to calm yourself but you’re frowning the moment you walk through the door and realize you’re on your own. 

“It’ll be okay. It’s just a change in routine,” Seokjin assures you before he’s heading out for the office. You sit on the couch after he leaves, turning the TV on and placing your phone on your lap.

You count the hours until you can pick Dae up.

“Mommy!” Dae squeals when he sees you at pick-up. You hug him tight as you take his backpack and carry him out of the classroom. 

“Did you have fun?” You ask as you take him to your car. Now that Dae was in school, Seokjin had suggested he get you a new car and the more you thought about it, the more you considered it. Besides, if Seokjin had plans of making you a (biological) mother, you’d need more space. Which was why you’d be going car shopping this weekend. 

“Luke and Max are my friends!” Dae exclaims as he tells you about his day while you situate him in his car seat. You place his backpack in the footwell and get in the driver's seat. You immediately lock the doors once you’re inside the car, looking in the rearview mirror before you pull out of your spot to head home. 

“And tomorrow we get to play outside!” Dae cheered.

“That sounds fun!” You exclaim as you turn into your neighborhood. “Do you want a snack when we get home?”

“I ate at school,” he assures you as he tells you what his snack was as you pull into the driveway. You listen intently, helping him out of his seat before grabbing his backpack and leading him inside the home. He greets Mrs. Jenkins, filling her in about his day at school. She listens intently, asking questions about all his friends while you sit on a stool and text Seokjin. 

[You]: got my little buddy back!

[Seokjin 🥵]: good! I’m wrapping things up here so I’ll be home soon. We can get dinner later

You agree before placing your phone down. Mrs. Jenkins ruffles Dae’s hair before he runs off to the living room to play. 

Mrs. Jenkins gives you a warm smile. “It gets easier.”

And it does get easier as the days turn into weeks and months. You still get sad when you drop him off and you’ve been picking up new hobbies now that you’ve got the time but none of them seem to stick. 

Pilates and yoga weren’t for you. You tried jogging, archery and badminton. Tennis, soccer, volleyball, and hockey. Jujitsu, Karate, and kickboxing, that one was Jin’s least favorite. He hated seeing you bruised after a few sessions. 

You then switched to knitting, embroidery, painting, and pottery but you quickly realized you weren’t good with your hands outside the bedroom. So you turned to baking and decorating but that proved to be a challenge and you soon ended up back on your tablet and TV, binge-watching every show you could find to keep yourself occupied. 

Seokjin tried his best to help find something you’d enjoy that wouldn’t put you in harm's way but everything seemed to be challenging and you quickly lost interest. 

“What about party planning?” Seokjin suggested one night while Dae was asleep on your chest. 

“Party planning?” You asked, puzzled. 

“Yeah,” Seokjin nodded. “You did a fantastic job with Dae’s. What if you did it part-time on the side? Start small with friends and family and build yourself up from there if you’d like.”

“I don’t know,” you answer honestly. “I wouldn’t have a lot of time for Dae.”

Seokjin blinks before laughing, stopping when his son stirs in your hold. 

“My parents' anniversary is coming up. I’m sure my mom would love some help,” Jin offers, and you give in. 

“I’ll give it a chance,” you agree hesitantly. 

And slowly you build your little business. It starts with a few parties, but soon word of mouth gets you booked and busy. You only work when Dae’s in school, and limit the amount of weekends you can attend the parties you plan to make sure they run smoothly. You’re not sure if it’s a career you want to do long term, but you enjoy it when Dae’s at school.

“We’re going away for the weekend,” Seokjin announces on a Friday evening. 

“Last minute?” You ask as you grab a duffel bag. Seokjin nods.

“I think we should go to the beach house. My parents have one nearby and Dae can stay with us or them if he chooses.”

“Hmmm?” You muse as you pack your bag. “Suspicious.”

Seokjin laughs. “How is that suspicious? You said you wanted to go back with Dae?”

“I do, but It’s out of nowhere,” you reply as you grab your toiletries.

“Work has been a bitch,” Seokjin admits. “I just want to relax at the beach with my girl and my son.”

“Fair enough,” you give in as you finish packing your bag. Seokjin has his ready to go along with Dae’s and he’s soon carrying them down the stairs and into the car. 

Your new car is a shiny black SUV with 3 rows of seats that you insisted were too many. Seokjin, however, had pulled you aside and promised to fill every single one with one of your babies. You bit your lip and met his smoldering gaze, thighs pressed together as heat flushed over your body. 

Seokjin smirked knowingly, licking his lips as he stepped away to talk to the salesman. And that had been that.

“Do we have everything?” You ask as you get into the passenger seat. Seokjin straps Dae into his car seat, nodding as he finishes and gets in the driver’s seat. 

“Yes, baby. I got the sunblock and all his toys and extra clothes, just in case. Anything else we can buy,” Jin assures you as he starts the car. “My parents left this morning so they’ll be there already.”

“Okay.” you yawn as you lean against the window. You try your best to stay awake, but soon you and Dae-Hyun are asleep.

<< previous // next >>

© jjungkookislife - I do not allow reposts or translations of my work on any platforms, this includes Youtube.

[carcarcraziiv2]

hi!!!i wanted to do a request (im shaking as i write this bc this is my second time ever doing a request-) about Kayn having a crush on a reader that's part of Pentakill.Reader looks super mysterious and scary but in reality they're just shy and also have a crush on Kayn and both of them confess at the same time.Take your time and have a good day!!!

I am so glad you requested it! It's okay to be nervous! I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG I LOVE YOU AND I APOLOGIZE <//3

I LOVE THIS PROMPT- especially for someone who is in Pentakillllll like that is so exciting. I am so hyped for this! I hope you enjoy <3

Content / Warnings: Mature language (the 'b' word lol), Alcohol consumption. Not much else really....

Word Count: 1883

Kayn was never one to show his fanboy nature, even though everyone in Heartsteel already knew Kayn had a secret obsession- Pentakill. Specifically, the bands mysterious, cold and ominous bassist; you.

You on the other hand, although already being the bassist in a rock band, had somehow gained a reputation for being the "dark" or "moody" bandmember in comparison to Sona or Kayle. In reality though, you just liked keeping to yourself, rarely being the first one to speak, often sitting alone on the stage speakers or out back of the concert houses having a smoke before or after a show.

Regardless of the publics opinion of you, you loved your bandmates. You were just shy, so when Kayle approached you notifying you about a possible collab with your personal favorite band Heartsteel, you couldn't help but be incredibly anxious.

"What do you mean we are 'meeting' with them tomorrow," you inquired, glancing up from your book to see Kayle lean against the kitchen counter and take a drink from her cup.

"Oh, come on Y/N. Don't you like... oh which one was it?" She pauses and you take in a deep breath before letting out a sigh. "Kayn, right?"

You sit up from your spot and set your book down. Arching your brow and rolling your eyes at the winged woman, you chose to ignore her inquiry.

She scoffed before saying a little quieter, "Well Yone said Kayn likes our bassist. Guess it's not that big of a deal. I'll tell him we will pass on the meeting."

She began reaching towards her phone on the counter, causing you to pause mid-stretch and jump up to stop her.

"Wait!" you shrieked, cringing at yourself immediately thereafter.

"I knew it," Kayle smirked. "Our meeting is at noon by the way." As she walked away, you slumped back onto to the couch and let out another dramatic sigh.

~~

Kayn was going to kill Yone. Rhaast on the other hand was threatening to constantly break through at any moment with sheer excitement.

They were meeting Pentakill today. They- more specifically- were meeting you today. He was terrified. What if you hated him? What if you thought he was weird, or worse- what if Rhaast made an appearance and said something outrageous or out of pocket?

Kayn shook his head and rolled his eyes before splashing his face with water. He stared at himself in the mirror for a moment, silent dialogue only heard by him plaguing his mind.

Do not do anything brash, Rhaast.

Oh, I would never, Kayn.

~~

The meeting wasn't long. There was clearly some sort of friendship history between Yone and Kayle. Beyond that, everyone chatted like long lost friends aside from you - always silent and observant, and Kayn who sat at the large meeting table across from you.

You didn't fail to notice how he consistently stared at you. You were lowkey jealous because you wished you had started first. You weren't about to have a staring contest with him now.

You hadn't realized you were dissociating into the wall next to the large bay window until you were snapped out of it by Kayle's voice.

"Y/N, did you hear me? We are going to partner up for our song collab." Her lips rose in an evil knowing little smirk. "You and Kayn will be working together." Damn her for playing teacher right now.

A blush immediately erupted on your skin as you glanced at Kayn and gave him a shy smile. He let out a dramatic sigh and you were ashamed to think you were actually excited to have a real excuse to talk to him for an extended period of time.

"Alright everyone, let's start today and you can all figure out arrangements for your individual meetings. We will have our group meeting biweekly. Once we have a song, we will figure out our practice schedule and all the other details!" Yone smiled politely and everyone began standing and walking to their partners. As you observed, you saw both sett and K'Sante give looks to Kayn as they passed by him, almost teasing.

You couldn't help but be mortified by their social ques. Had Kayle spilled the beans about your silly little crush on Kayn? Oh Gods, what if Kayn knew and was staring at you because he was wondering how the hell he got stuck with the quiet freak from Pentakill as not only his partner, but his crush.

You sighed inwardly as you walked slowly towards him, looking anywhere but his direction. He was more confident than you thought, looking straight at you as you could see through your peripheral and starting the conversation.

"Hello, Y/N, right? I guess I should introduce myself- I'm Kayn," he reaches out a hesitant hand. You smile politely, shyly, in response.

"I'm Y/N- well you already know that anyway, heh..." you stutter, flustered due to the close proximity between the two of you. You give another awkward smile, and then let out an exasperated breath before continuing. "So, when and where would you like to meet up for these brainstorming sessions?"

Kayn seems to pause for a moment, putting his hand under his chiseled chin in a thinking pose. His gaze leaves you for a moment, before returning to your own.

"Dinner, you pick where you want to go. I will schedule if you send me the name of the restaurant. Here, put your phone number in my phone," he pulls his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it and handing it to you. You raise your eyebrows in surprise, not even second guessing the dinner suggestion. There's no way he could be asking you on a date, right? No, you're not delusional.

You input your number and quickly bid your farewell as Kayle waves at you from the door. You hadn't realized everyone was gawking at the two of you as they waited to leave for the evening.

~~

"You know you don't have to do this at dinner Kayn? May as well have asked her out at that point," Sett smirks at him from his seat on the couch.

I told you, Rhaast hissed in Kayn's mind. It's too obvious now.

"Nah, don't worry. It is just a lunch between colleagues to brainstorm for a song. Nothing more, nothing less." Kayn glares at Sett, before walking into the bathroom to spray on some cologne for the first time in a very long time.

~~

You were so nervous. Even more nervous than you had been previously. And when you get nervous, you babble.

So before leaving for dinner with Kayn that evening, you gave yourself a pep talk in the mirror.

"Do not say anything stupid." Yeah, right.

"Do not be a clumsy mess as per usual." Will probably stumble trying to sit in the chair.

"Do not be ominous and awkward." Can't change your nature, baby.

Gods, your inner dialogue was a bitch.

You had chosen to wear casual yet flattering attire to your dinner, sticking to your usual all dark fabric and accessories. After getting ready and checking yourself out in the mirror once more, you went outside and got on your motorcycle with your backpack slung over your shoulders.

Letting out a shuddering breath, you began the not so long journey towards the restaurant. You had suggested one close by that you did enjoy, although the nerves in your stomach suggested you probably wouldn't be doing to much eating.

Upon arrival, you hung your helmet on the handle of your bike and stepped off. Before heading inside, you spared a glance at one of the windows only to see Kayn openly gawking at you stepping off of your ride.

Unbeknownst to you, he was thrilled to see you on a motorcycle. It was a thing with him, something about being rebellious or dangerous compared to the norm always caught his eye.

Quickly averting your gaze you let out a deep sigh to ready yourself and walked into the restaurant- ignoring the hostess and walking the corner to seat yourself in the booth across from Kayn.

Placing your backpack on the bench next to you, you let out a breath.

"Hi, Kayn," You smiled politely, your voice quieter than you had intended.

"Hi, Y/N," He smiled back. This evening his expression was eager, his eyes alight with dare you say- mischief. And you couldn't help but notice the slight blush that caressed his cheeks under the yellow lighting of the lamp above.

"So, do we want to order first or get right to business?" The question tumbled out of your mouth casually, and it took you a moment to realize that you actually felt quite comfortable sitting across from him in this moment.

"Well, I already ordered us both a drink. I hope you like Gin and soda," A gulp audibly escaped his throat and your lips twitched up in an almost smile.

"Actually, one of my favorite cocktails. Thanks, Kayn."

Gods, he liked the sound of his name on your lips.

The evening went on without a hitch, the two of you talking casually. By the time a few hours had passed, your food long since finished on the table in front of you, you realized you hadn't actually gotten to any brainstorming.

The drinks had started getting to you, loosening up your nerves. Before you knew it you were blabbering on and grabbing your backpack to pull out your notebook.

As you were looking down, Kayn was staring at you.

Just tell her, you coward. Rhaast was yapping again, but the booze had Kayn tuning him out. He was planning on it anyway.

"Sorry, I knew if I spent this much time with you I'd end up talking too much. Must be because of how much I like yo-," you paused. Were you saying this out loud?

You heard Kayn pull in a sharp breath, before softly saying,

"That's interesting. I was just trying to hype myself up to say that I have had a crush on the cute bassist from Pentakill for awhile now. Please tell me I didn't hear you wrong..." Kayn's eyes were wide, one eyebrow raised as he bit his lip.

Your jaw fell open, before you promptly closed it and blinked a few times.

"Wait, really?" You smiled. You couldn't help it. And as Kayn looked at you, he knew all of the assumptions the public made about you being dark or ominous or mysterious were bullshit. You were like starlight shining in a dark sky with that smile.

"Really. I swear it. Yone and Kayle I think did this specifically to set us up, actually. Everyone else on my side has known I've liked you for awhile. Lucky for us Kayle and Yone have... a friendship." He grinned sheepishly, running a ringed hand through his pink hair.

You laughed out loud then, having had made the same assumption yourself. "I thought the same thing!"

And as the night waned on, the restaurant eventually closed and the waitress was forced to kick the two of you out. The drinks had worn off over the time you had been there, opting for water instead.

As the two of you walked down the steps back to your motorcycle, Kayn looked at you and pulled you in for a hug. You melted into him momentarily before he released you.

"So, I have a request," he stated. You nodded for him to continue, your brows scrunched in question.

"Can I have a ride on your motorcycle?"

~~

The End! I hope you LOVED IT AND AGAIN IM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! I have basically been AFK irl lately lol. Thank you for the lovely request!

[mariaace]

Loving you was a loosing game...

Angst collab with @saelique ༊࿐

A/n:Hey lovesss!! This is my work for Cinna's angst collab with Reo Mikage<33 i hope you all enjoy and go check out her collab💜

Genre:angst/no comfort Pairing:Reo Mikage Type:one shot

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Did you know what you were getting yourself into when you started dating Reo? Yes. Or at least that's what you thought. You knew about your boyfriend's love towards his best friend amd you didn't really mind it, well you didn't.

Him and Nagi were spending way much more time together, since they got interested in football. You again don't mind it that much, after all he is your boyfriend and you want him to be happy. But at the same time-it wasn't fair. You knew Reo longer than Nagi did and he most of time was somehow ignoring you. He didn't do it on purpose, right? No. He wouldn't do that.

Now you were sitting in class thinking about that, while Reo and Nagi were a seat ahead of you. Of course Nagi was sleeping. Your thoughts were interrupted by the bell ringing. You packed your things and started walking through the door. You thought about waiting for Reo, but he was already busy trying to wake up Nagi from his hibernation.

Days has been awfully quiet. Still pushing though aside you decided to meet with your boyfriend so things could get back to how they were. You texted him quickly to meet up tomorrow since it was a friday evening. He replied faster than usual and agreed. You smiled and put your phone away. Well, time for getting homework done for tomorrow.

You're getting ready for the "date", well at least sort of a date. But it didn't matter it was finally time for you hang out with your boyfriend. You came to the location, patiently waiting for Reo. Waiting.. waiting..ughhhhh.... Okay, okay, calm down.. training might just hold him up right? Just wait a bit longer and check out your phon- ... Nagi, Nagi, Nagi.. enough. You went straight home after his not even bothering to text Reo. He didn't text you either so it's gonna be that way.

Instead of saying something you started being cold to him, not giving him the same attention. Did he noticed that? You can't really tell which explains a lot, but still. You loved Reo and you thought he loved you too, but seems like his best friend was more important. You couldn't continue lying yourself so you decided thar it's time.

Talk to him? How? When there is not time hm? Football, Nagi, Football, Nagi. In that moment your parents bursted into the room. Your father got a different job in another city so you're moving out of here. Well just perfect.

The next day you remembered your boyfriend had a training so you decided to go and wait for him 'till he finishes it and talk to him. On your way there though you saw no other than Nagi himself who was being late because he slept in. As you approached him an idea popped in your mind. You took out a pen and a paper and after writing on it you gave it to Nagi asking him to give it to Reo. He agreed and went to his training.

There you are now. Sitting on your desk completely ignoring the topic the teacher is talking about. There is no one that you know in the desk in front you... You have blocked Reo's and number and all of his social medias, so you didn't know if he got the paper, but if he didn't he probably figured out what happened.

When break came you were on your phone, when you suddenly saw an article. "Blue lock project" amd there they were their names.

...

-Nagi Seishiro

-Reo Mikage

...

You smiled to yourself when you saw his name. Well at least now he have got the two things he loved the most in his live.

© mariaace 2024 please do not steal, copy, translate or plagiarize. Thank you.

[hannahssimblr]

In the hallway after school on Tuesday, as I head to my locker to retrieve my gear bag, I spot Miss O’Reilly. She is locking up the art room, and gives me a big smile as I approach her. She’s always doing that, smiling at me, I mean, and it throws me off. It's usually not the expression teachers have when they see me coming.

I smile awkwardly in return and she turns her body towards me, takes a step, prompting me to halt beside her instead of barrelling past her like I would have, not enthused about facing the wrath of Doherty if I hit the rugby pitch even one minute late. 

“Jude! I've been meaning to congratulate you.”

“Um, for what?”

She laughs as though I’m being dense deliberately, “I spoke to Eileen, the guidance counsellor last Friday and she told me about your offers.”

“Oh, for college.”

“Yes! How wonderful. I’m just so pleased for you that everything worked out the way that you hoped it would, after all of the hard work you put in this last year it’s just fantastic to hear it. And tell me, did you get accepted to every college you applied for?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow,” she takes a big pause, taking it in, “wow. You must be delighted. How does it feel?”

“I dunno, miss.”

“Hard to get your head around, I’m sure. Your parents must be proud too.”

“Mm.”

She’s determined to ignore our mismatched attitudes towards this news, taking a big, jubilant breath before launching into more affirmations, “well, what a confirmation of your talent and skill. I had a really good feeling about your work when you came to my class last year, and I’m just so pleased that you got the results you wanted. Have you decided which college to choose yet?”

I shift my weight from one foot to the other, “yeah I’m choosing NCAD.”

“Oh!” I can tell she’s trying to maintain her upbeat attitude, but eyebrows slowly draw together in confusion, “I hadn’t realised you changed your plan. When we last spoke about it in March you told me you were looking forward to attending universities abroad.”

I shrug, “Yeah, I, um, I changed my mind in the end. I’m going to stay in Dublin.”

“Hm, okay, I just… Jude, do you mind if I ask you why?”

“Yeah, you can ask,” I say, and am instantly horrified by the tremor in my voice. I fight it back with a hard swallow, “It’s just, like… um,” Oh God. What is happening to me? I’m conscious of the crowds of students milling through the hallway right behind me, and of the fact that I categorically cannot do this here. “Sorry…”

“Oh, come in,” she says in a low voice, jangling the keys in the art room door with an urgency that feels entirely necessary, and when she lets me into the room ahead of her I stand dumbly in the middle of it as she fumbles with the blind over the glass doors, tingling jolts of anxiety running down my arms and through the tips of my fingers. 

“What is it, sweetheart?” She says, and simply that, the word she uses and the way she uses it makes me want to crumple onto the linoleum floor in front of her. 

“You’re alright, you’re just…” she purses her lips, searching for the word, “overwhelmed, I’d say. College and all of that kind of thing, it can get on top of you at this time of year. I know it’s a lot to think about.”

I manage a grunt of vague agreement. 

Miss O’Reilly drags a folding chair from the side of the room, “C’mere, sit down there and we’ll have a quick chat about it.”

“Um, Mr. Doherty…” I say, and she understands, “Don’t mind him. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

She settles into a seat across from me, and gives me an encouraging smile. As I search for the words I want to say I’m cognizant of how comforting this woman is, how unfazed she is by me and whatever it is that is happening to me in this room. She has a daughter, I know that, a daughter who goes to our school and for a moment I’m jealous of her, that fourteen year old girl who gets to have a mother like this one, that is soft and comforting in all the places where mine is sharp and disinterested in me and every feeling I have ever experienced. 

I’m not convinced that I even know how to talk about things like this, afraid that I will try to and come across like the weirdest, most unhinged person on the planet. My thoughts and feelings will be so nonsensical that they will make everyone around me cringe with discomfort. “I’m trying to do the right things,” I attempt, “but somehow the right things feel very wrong to me.”

“When you say ‘the right things’, Jude, do you mean you want to choose the right college?”

I nod. 

“And why does NCAD seem like the right choice?”

“Because of my girlfriend.”

“Michelle?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know you knew that to be honest.” I never thought that teachers noticed or cared about things that weren’t arbitrary uniform rules and homework assignments, but evidently I was wrong.

She smiles kindly, “So Michelle is going to NCAD?”

“Yeah if she gets the points in her leaving. She applied for all the same colleges as me but got none and now I feel sort of... like I have to stay for her.”

“Is that the right decision for you?”

“I dunno, miss.”

She hums contemplatively, “I’m sure you’re tired of hearing this kind of thing, but it’s not always the best choice to base big life choices on your girlfriend when you’re only eighteen years old. Especially one as important as your university.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s never an easy choice to make. I really empathise with you here, because when you’re in love with a person, you-”

“I don’t even know if I love her.”

There’s a pause, she looks surprised, and so am I. I'm stunned that I told her that, this thought that I've never dared to utter before.

And then everything comes spilling out of me. “Look, it’s just that I feel very trapped,” I say, “Sometimes I think there’s something abnormal about my brain, because I make decisions that even I don’t understand, like with Michelle... when I think about us being together and our relationship I can hardly remember anything good that’s happened between us for a long time, the last fun thing we did or the last time I felt happy. I can’t even remember what I was thinking when we got together. I feel like I’m on autopilot, or like things are just happening to me without me having a hand in it.

“Somehow I’ve just, like, ended up here and I’m making plans with her and promising her things that I haven’t even decided if I want yet. I thought that I wanted to move away, but maybe I don’t anymore. Maybe it’s wrong of me to do that, because what if I go away and then I realise that what I actually wanted was to be with Michelle?” 

I breathe in, knowing that I have probably been talking too much, but now I am unwilling to stop, “My parents, they’re fighting a lot at home. Something happened a few months ago and it's just been a battlefield ever since. I know that if I go away I’ll leave my sister alone to deal with all of it. She’s only nine, and the constant tension upsets her so much, she goes into a spin about it and starts fantasising about all of these awful scenarios, and see, my parents don’t know how to deal with her, they don’t really like it when kids act like kids. Or at least they’re not that interested in them– in her. I keep imagining this future where I’m gone, I’ve left home and I’m hundreds of miles away and she’s all on her own with them, and there’s nobody to really look after her because I can’t get home so easily, and when I think like that, even the thought of going away, even wanting it a little bit makes me feel like the most selfish boy on earth…”

Miss O’Reilly produces a tissue and holds it out to me. I stare at it for several seconds before I realise she is offering it because I have started to cry. My face is somehow wet with tears. “Oh,” I say, hoarsely and take it. 

“Jude, you’re still a teenager.” She says gently, “You can’t possibly be responsible for the emotions of every other person around you. It’s too much.”

“Yeah.”

“When you’re young you have to make selfish decisions, ones meant for yourself and yourself only. Nobody else is going to make them for you. You have to really ask yourself what the right choice is for you, whether you’ll be able to be truly happy in your current circumstance where nothing may change or will you be better off on your own, doing something you love and experiencing real freedom in spite of how others may feel about it.” 

I wipe my eyes and nod, staring down at my lap, still in a state of shame and disbelief that I have allowed myself to sob like this in front of my teacher, though if she is bothered she doesn’t show it. 

“When you imagine your ideal life,” she urges, “where none of these things are a factor, not the things you promised to Michelle, not what's going on at home, what does it look like?”

“God,” I breathe, almost chuckling because the answer is so easy, “I’m gone. I’m not here. I’m just miles away and I’m making art and hanging out and doing what I like.” It sounds so simple when I say it out loud, yet for the longest time now I’ve felt like a criminal for wanting these things. 

“And where do you see yourself?”

“Berlin,” I say, surprising myself. It’s not like I’ve put real time into thinking about this, visualised myself walking those streets, in fact I don’t even know what Berlin looks like, but it feels right to say it, as though there is some cosmic reason for me to go there. Perhaps only because it’s the furthest from home. 

Miss O’Reilly nods, “NCAD is a fine college, Jude, but your talent is wasted in a place where you don’t want to be. You could do anything you want. You have incredible potential and I’d be very sad to see it wasted. Life passes you by very quickly, you know, and these kinds of opportunities don’t present themselves as often as you think. It may seem obvious, but you only have one life to live.”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t tell you what to do. I can’t make a decision for you, but all I want you to do is really think about this. Put a good amount of thought into what you really want when you remove everyone else from the equation, then, once you know, you can decide what's worth sacrificing. Do you think you can do that?”

“Yes, miss.”

“Good, then that's your homework,” She smiles and reaches to squeeze my hand, which I am embarrassed about because my skin is clammy, but just like everything else about this moment that is humiliating to me, it doesn't appear to faze her.

“Thank you,” I say, and she nods. “I hope you’re not in a hurry to get to your rugby practice.”

“No,” I sniff, and let out a thick laugh, “No miss, I think I’ll skip it today.”

“Good,” she says, “That’s a good start, see? Here you are, doing exactly as you wish.”

She smiles at me, once again, that bright, warm smile, and I give her one in return because maybe it's just me, my weird brain and the things it invents, but the feeling of hope that rises in me in that moment feels very real.

Beginning // Prev // Next

[emmaitoshi]

SEASONAL SENDOFFS - WINTER I

To Sae,

Happy New Year! I hope the first part of your season with Re Al has gone well. I was watching your last game before the winter break, you're playing really well in the midfield, considering you've always been a striker. It’s super cool that they upload all of the academy games on their website, so I don't have to spend all my savings trying to get a flight to Spain!!

Rin was upset this Christmas, he really wished you were at home, but maybe next year! Did you get any gifts? Did you and some of your teammates do secret Santa? I did it with our friends back here and I got a Re Al jersey with your name and number on the back. It's super cool and I put a picture of it in this envelope.

School is going okay, I’ve started my studies for entrance exams, but according to my teachers I could get into any school so hopefully they go well! Are you studying over in Spain? If so, are there any differences between schooling there versus in Japan? Are you learning Spanish? Is it an easy language or are you finding it hard?

Relating to school, the end of Junior High School dance is coming up in February. I’m going with one of the guys in class 3-C, he seems nice and he and his friends have started sitting with a few of us girls at lunch. He’s really good at football too, but never as good as you, he only plays at provincial level. But anyway, I thought it’d be fun to go, even though it feels a little weird going to something like this without you with a guy. I’ll definitely send you pictures so you can judge my outfit. Or maybe, if you’re feeling brave, you can send me a pic in some non soccer clothes for once!

Oh, also, seeing as you probably got a new phone number due to changing countries and all, I have an instagram account now. You can follow me there and we can text so it doesn't cost us any charge, my user name is @yn.ln !!

Everyone back home is really proud of you Sae, especially the school football coach. It’s funny, at the guys’ training he’s always telling the forwards to “play like Sae,” which honestly puts them under pressure because not everyone has that talent. But someone who does is Rin, he’s a first year but is starting as one of two strikers for the team. He really does wish he was just like you, and he still tells me of his dreams to win the World Cup for Japan with you.

By the way, have you found any cool places to hang out in Spain? Tried any new foods? I know you’re usually super focused on training, but I hope you’re taking some time to enjoy everything there too. I read in one of the magazines I picked up that Spanish food is amazing, like churros and paella! If you’ve tried any, let me know if they live up to the hype.

Well, I better wrap this up since I still need to finish some homework before tomorrow, this was included! Apparently to raise English standards in the country every student needs to write four letters, in English, every year. So start expecting to receive these every once in a while.

But I wanted to say keep going, Sae. Everyone here misses you, and we’re all rooting for you! Take care of yourself, and I hope we can catch up in person soon. Who knows? Maybe I’ll save enough for that ticket to Spain by the end of the year!

Write back to me if you have time! And send lots of pictures if you can.

Happy New Year again, and good luck with the rest of the season. You’ve got this!

Best wishes, Y/N L/N

[noirvette]

kyle! comforting reader dealing w/ academic stress!!

another headcanons and scenario!!

so sorry for this being a couple days since u requested anon, i hope you're doing wonderfully <3 all the best to u!!

cws: none!

Kyle gets this a lot, he has a lot of pressure that he puts on himself to maintain high grades, a social life, and to do good in basketball. His parents don't help either with this.

He 100% gets you when you start getting stressed out and panicked over grades or even stressed out on maintaining a certain grade.

If you're stressed over upcoming things to turn in, he helps you organize by importance and then by date. What homework assignment is the most important to due and when is it due, is there an essay? How many minutes a day should you spend on that essay and/or how many paragraphs should you do in a day. That sort of thing.

If you're stressed by a recent drop in a grade, he'll help you figure out ways to improve your grade, even if that means typing an email to your teacher for you by asking for any offers of extra credit.

He'll even help you figure out what grade percent you need to get on your next exam to help boost your grade back up.

He then'll help you study for that exam or test.

He loves to help you study, not only does he get to hang out with you, he gets to help you.

It's a two birds one stone situation for him to be able to help you and spend quality time.

If you come to him upset, his first instinct is to just hold you and rub your back as you explain the situation to him. He'll offer to make you tea or coffee, (or even get water if neither of the other options are for you) in hopes of helping you calm down.

He's a bit awkward on the whole just purely listening to you, Kyle's logical, and finds it easier to give you solutions to help fix your problems. (He'll get better at just listening if you remind him about that, he'll still prefer to give solutions though).

Which, because he's logical, wants to absolutely help you if you need or want him too. He hates seeing you stressed over things.

Knocking at Kyle's front door, you pick at your nails, waiting for Kyle to let you in. As he opens the door, you briskly walk past him towards his living room and he immediately senses your distress.

"Y/n? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Kyle asks, closing the door shut and following you as you sit on his couch.

"It's.. it's my grades in physics and history. We have a project coming up in history and I just don't get physics at ALL and my grade recently dropped and now I'm near failing. I can't focus in on history and midterms made my grade update and my gpa is so low, Kyle what do I do?!" You stand up abruptly, pacing back and forth, the stress of school causing your emotions to boil over at an all time high.

You feel like crying, you are crying actually and Kyle gently wraps his arms around your shoulders, before his hands start rubbing circles in between your shoulder blades.

"Oh hon, it's okay. Shh, how about I help you with physics. I can tutor you and help you with that class starting tomorrow?" He squeezes you a bit, rocking you back in forth slightly.

He feels you nod against him and he kisses the top of your head, "perfect, you relax right now, I'll get you something to drink. The history project isn't due for a couple more weeks so let's focus on physics for right now. I'll help you with your project too if you need, okay?"

Afraid to verbally respond in case you cry even more, you just nod again. Kyle guides you to sit on the couch, "let's just watch some tv baby, I'll go get us some blankets and drinks."

[hearts-hunger]

it's a wonderful life || danny wagner x reader

Read on AO3 | Masterlist

Summary: You and Danny spend a quiet night in decorating your tree and watching the first snowfall.

Pairings: Danny x Wife!Reader | Genre: fluff | Word Count: 2.8k | Warnings: none!

A/N: This fic is the definition of "a fic I wrote for myself" because the reader is a teacher and her favorite Christmas movie is It's a Wonderful Life. Nevertheless, it's very sweet, and I hope you enjoy this little holiday treat ♡

“Danny! I’m home!”

You nudged the door closed as you came inside, arms full of gift bags and cellophane-wrapped treats and the collection of coffee mugs you’d taken to work but rarely remembered to bring home. You’d just finished your last half-day at school before winter break, and it was a nice change of pace to be happy and energetic when you came home from work instead of dragging yourself right to the couch for a nap. 

You went to the kitchen table and dropped off your bounty, looking over each item with a full heart. There were handmade Christmas cards that said “thank you for being my teacher, Mrs. Wagner!” in messy, loving scrawl; there were baked goodies from parents sent in festive tins; there were gift cards and candles and all manner of little gifts given with notes that valued the hard work and love you poured into your students every day. As excited as you were to enjoy your gifts over the break, you appreciated even more the reminder that your work didn’t go unnoticed and the generous hearts the gifts were given from.

“Dan,” you called again, smiling as you peeked inside one of the tins. “That mom gave me more of those pizzelles you love.”

You expected to get a response to that — the same mom of one of your middle schoolers had given you a batch of cookies at Thanksgiving, and Danny had eaten almost all of them — but you didn’t hear anything. Snagging a piece of peppermint bark from one of the gift bags and grabbing a pizzelle for Danny, you headed out of the kitchen and went to find your husband.

You found him in his music room, sitting behind the drums with headphones on. It was no wonder he couldn’t hear you calling him; he had the volume so loud you could hear the demo of one of the new songs they’d been workshopping. He looked much more casual and comfortable than you were expecting. He usually liked to get “dressed up” for work, usually in his black jeans and a sweater, but he was in sweatpants and his well-loved Abbey Road t-shirt as he started to tap out a beat on the toms. 

You stepped closer to his kit and gave him a little wave in greeting, hoping to catch his attention without startling him. When he noticed you, he gave you a surprised, delighted grin that warmed you straight through.

“Hi, baby,” he said, pausing the demo and letting his headphones rest on his neck. His voice was hoarse, and your happiness at seeing him quickly turned to worry.

“Oh, honey,” you said. “You sound awful.” You came around to his side of the kit and put your hand to his forehead. He hadn't gotten up with you that morning like he usually did, and you’d suspected he didn’t feel well; he was definitely warm now, and his cheeks held a rosy, feverish color.

“I’m okay,” he said, and though his voice was a wreck, he didn’t sound concerned. “I’ve been taking medicine. It’s just a cold.”

You tutted and moved your hand to cradle his cheek. “Poor thing. I’m sorry you don’t feel good.”

He smiled. “Thanks, sweetheart. Do you feel alright? You’re home early.”

“Half-day, remember?” You held out his cookie. “And I got lots of presents.”

“Sweet!” he said, taking the pizzelle and giving an exaggerated sigh when he bit into it. “It’s so nice to be married to a teacher.”

You laughed. “You might not think so when you see the stack of grading I have to do.”

He waved you off. “I’ll help you. We’ll get it done today or tomorrow so you can enjoy your break.” He looked up at you. “Hey, speaking of enjoying your break, I made you hot chocolate.”

You grinned. “Really?”

He chuckled. “Yes, really. Come on, I’ll make you a cup.”

You followed him into the kitchen, fussing over him a little as he muffled a few coughs behind the collar of his shirt. He smiled when you rubbed a hand over his back, assuring you that he was fine but thankful for your concern. Danny had always been a low-maintenance patient when seasonal illnesses came through, content to take it easy and let himself rest. You knew he’d tell you if he was really feeling bad and decided not to worry overly.

He had you sit at the table while he ladled hot chocolate into a pair of mugs. His mom had a fantastic slow-cooker recipe for hot chocolate; she’d made it the first time Danny brought you home for Christmas, a few months after you started dating, and he’d asked his mom for a copy of the recipe that same night so he could always know how to make it for you. He made it on special occasions and when you needed some cheering up, and sometimes he made it just as a little surprise for you.

“Thank you,” you said, gratefully accepting the warm mug he handed you. You took a cautious sip; it was wonderful, creamy and cinnamony and rich. 

“Good?” he asked.

You gave a contented hum. “Like a melted bar of chocolate.”

He smiled, looking through the gifts you’d set on the table. “All this is from your kids?”

“Aren’t they sweet?” you said. “I always forget how nice it is on the last day before break. Everybody’s in such a good mood, there’s an air of excitement and festivity, there’s gifts and parties and sixth-graders belting out Christmas carols... it’s lovely.”

Danny gave you a warm smile. “I’m glad you had a good day, sweetheart. Are you happy to be on break?”

“Yes,” you admitted with a soft laugh. “It’ll be nice to sleep in and not worry about work for a few weeks. And to have lots of time with you.”

You offered your hand, and he took it with a gentle kiss to your knuckles.

“I have some ideas on how we could spend all that time,” he said, running his thumb over your wedding ring.

You smiled. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

He met your eyes and raised a suggestive brow. “We could... decorate the Christmas tree.”

You laughed, and he grinned as he watched you. You took his hand and spread his fingers so you could kiss his palm.

“I’d love to decorate the tree,” you said. You looked over your shoulder to see the full, beautiful tree in front of the bay windows in the living room. “It looks so... not-sparkly right now.”

He chuckled. “I guess we’d better make it sparkly, then.”

Danny put on Christmas music and started stringing the lights on the tree while you fished around in the attic for your box of ornaments. Your collection was small so far, both of you adding to it each Christmas since you’d been together, and you treasured each ornament and the memories they held. 

“Oh, Dan, it’s so pretty!” you said when you came into the living room, admiring the lighted tree. He stepped back from it and looked it over, adjusting a few strings of lights until it was perfect.

“You found the ornaments?” he asked.

You held the box up. “Sir yes sir.”

He gave a soft laugh and motioned you over to the coffee table. You set the box down and took off the top with a flourish, revealing the sparkly, colorful ornaments nestled in festive tissue paper.

“Do the honors, Mrs. Wagner,” he said. “First ornament of the year.”

You smiled and gave him a quick kiss. “Thanks, honey.” You picked a handmade one, a small cross-stitch hoop with the Greta Van Fleet logo carefully and lovingly stitched by Danny’s grandmother. She’d given each of the boys one, and they found a spot of honor on every Kiszka-Wagner tree each year.

You and Danny took your time decorating the tree, waxing poetic about the stories behind each ornament. You hung the ornament Jake had given you last year, a red globe with a cut-out picture of himself in the Oliver Reed/Santa getup modge-podged onto it; on the branch next to it Danny hung a polaroid of the two of you at your wedding with “Mr. and Mrs. Wagner” written below in his familiar handwriting. Your collection was equal parts beautiful craft-fair baubles and mementos of your relationship and jokey gifts from loved ones, and you thought it was perfect.

When most of the ornaments were hung, Danny’s enthusiasm started to flag as his fever caught up to him. He refilled your mug and took another dose of Tylenol while he was in the kitchen, nudging the ornament box to the side so he could sit on the coffee table when he came back.

“You sure do know how to put a Christmas tree together, Mrs. Wagner.”

You smiled. “I try. You’re just gonna watch?”

He sighed and nodded, pressing the heel of his hand against his brow. “Yeah, I feel kind of lightheaded all of a sudden. But I’ll put one up high for you if you need me to.”

You kissed his forehead. “You just stay right there, Daniel.”

He smiled and followed you with his gaze as you went back to work. He pointed out when you needed to move something a little to the left and added in his own commentary as you reminisced on the “I’m a Danny girl” ornament you’d bought from a shop on Etsy.

“You remember how sweet she was?” you asked. “I sent her that picture with the two of us holding it and she posted it on her shop’s Instagram with the cutest caption.”

“Lots of hearts and crying emojis, as I recall,” Danny said fondly. “And she told you she sold every last one of them that year.”

You smiled at the memory. “I’m glad she did.”

Danny looked into the box and pulled out the last ornament, your heart turning over as he gently picked it up.

“This one’s my favorite, though,” he said.

“Do you want to put it on?” you asked. You wanted him to, but you’d do it gladly if he wasn't feeling well.

He stood, cradling the little drum kit spangled with tiny Christmas lights. “Of course I do, honey.”

He hung it on a branch and brushed his fingers over the small, handwritten note attached to it. You’d intended for him to take it off when you'd given it to him that year, but he'd said he wanted to keep it forever.

“To the heartbeat of the band and my very favorite little drummer boy,” he read, affection in his voice. “Merry Christmas, Dan. I love you very much.”

It was dated the first Christmas you spent together, and you remembered how shy and nervous you’d been when you gave it to him. He’d loved it then and cherished it now, and he gave you a chaste kiss when you came close.

“Am I still your favorite little drummer boy?” he asked.

You smiled. “Yes,” you said simply.

“I love you, Mrs. Wagner.”

You touched your hand to his cheek. “I love you too, Mr. Wagner.”

You tidied up after the decorating and made a quick lunch, sitting at the table with Danny and sampling the goodies you’d brought from school. You talked about spending Christmas with the boys, knowing your home would be full of warmth and laughter all through the holidays as you and your best friends gathered to drink and play music and enjoy each other's company. 

“Sam and Birdie want to do New Year's at their house,” you said. “They want to do a liquor exchange.”

Danny laughed. “Even though we all know it doesn't matter who gets what drink?” he said. “It’s all gonna be gone that night.”

You smiled. You were so glad you were finally done with work for the holidays and had nothing on the agenda but spending time with the ones you loved.

“Are we going to your parents’ this year?” you asked.

“They invited us,” he said. “I told them I’d ask you.”

“I’d love to go,” you said. “The boys are going home next weekend, and maybe we could all ride up together if you’re feeling up to it.”

He grinned. “Sure. I’d like a good old fashioned Kiszka-Wagner road trip. We haven't done one in a while.”

You stood to put the dishes in the sink and came back to drape your arms over Danny’s shoulders. You pressed your cheek to the top of his soft curls.

“Are you feeling any better?” you asked.

He patted your hand. “Now that you’re home I am.”

You kissed his cheek. “I think we should lay on the couch and watch a movie.”

“You’re tired?” he asked, turning to look at you.

“No, but you need to rest, and I want a Danny cuddle.”

He smiled. “As you wish, my love.”

You gave him a last squeeze before you went to set up your couch with a nest of pillows and blankets. Danny gave you his favorite sweater when you changed into more comfortable clothes, and he held you in a snuggly bear hug as It’s a Wonderful Life started to play.

“It’s weird that you can quote this entire movie,” he said affectionately when you’d said the iconic “lasso the moon” scene word for word along with George Bailey.

You laughed. “You married a woman of many talents.”

He kissed your nose. “I sure did.”

Near the middle of the movie, Danny fell asleep and you carefully untangled yourself from the blankets to sit on the floor in front of the couch and wrap presents. The sun set and left your living room with the cosy glow of the Christmas tree, the sound of Danny’s soft, congested snoring a comfort mixed with the sound of the black and white film you knew by heart.

After a while, you felt a gentle tug on your hair and turned to see Danny, drowsy and soft with sleep.

“Hi, honey,” you said softly. “You feel okay?”

He hummed in agreement. “It’s snowing. I didn’t know if you’d noticed.”

You looked out through the bay windows to the woods beyond and saw a beautiful, heavy snowfall drifting through the branches. You gasped in delight. 

“It is snowing!” You stood and raced to the back door, going out to the porch and sticking your hand out. You gave a joyful laugh when snowflakes landed on your palm. “Come see, Danny!”

He followed you out, wrapped in a blanket cape, and stood under the shelter of the porch as you pulled on your rainboots and went out into the yard.

You looked back at him. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

He smiled. “Yes, sweetheart. It’s wonderful.” As taken as you were with the snow, he seemed even more enchanted by you.

You came up to the porch, breathless, cheeks flushed.

“You know I love you more than snow, right?” you asked.

He tucked a snow-dusted curl behind your ear. “Then I must be one lucky guy.”

You smiled as he kissed you.

“Go play for a minute,” he said. “I’d come with you, but — ” As if on cue, he muffled a volley of coughs in the blanket. “I’m on death’s door.”

You laughed. “Josh’s flair for the dramatic is rubbing off on you, I see.” You patted his chest. “We can go inside so you don't freeze.”

“No, I want you to enjoy it,” he said. “I’ll be alright.” 

He gave you a sweet smile and brushed your hair back from your face. “You sure are cute with snowflakes in your hair, honey.”

You blushed and gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you, Danny.”

You went back out and tipped your face up towards the sky, giggling when snowflakes fell on your cheeks. You loved the snow, and you'd been waiting for the first snowfall since it started getting colder. When the chill started to catch up with you, you came back to Danny and went into his open arms.

“Hi,” you said, muffled against his chest.

He smiled. “Hi, baby. I’m glad it’s snowing for you.”

You met his eyes. “Me too,” you said, beaming up at him. “Let's get warm and watch it from inside our very cosy house.”

He led you back to the couch, and the two of you snuggled up by the light of the tree and watched the snow fall. The end of the movie played as Danny peppered your face with gentle kisses and held you close.

“You know what?” he asked softly.

You smiled. “What?”

He kissed your cheek. “It’s always a wonderful life when I'm with you.”

You turned your face to him and he gave a gentle laugh when your noses bumped together.

“I love you very much, Danny.”

He kissed you. “My sweetheart,” he said, smiley and soft and oh so tender. “I love you very much too.”

fic taglist: @starshine-wagner @jakeydoesit @shutupdevvie @allieisacrybaby

gvf taglist: @gvfrry @ohhey1293 @the-chaotic-cow @mountain-in-springtime @xserenax-13 @stardustjtk @brooke-gvf @weightofdreams-gvf  @jakeydoesit  @gretasmokerising @loofypoofy @hayley1623 @doodle417 @finestoflines @brokenbellz @bowievanfleet @s0livagant @trplshotofdopamine @strugglingtodoshit @deadbeat-z @s-u-t @kay-jordan @gretavanfleas @jakeyboiiiiiii @gretavansteph @gretavanbitches @myownparadise96 @luverleaver @weightofdreamz @greatervanfleet @maedesculpaeusoubi @jakekiszkasbestie @pineapple-photographer @baguettejuliette @alexxavicry @levi-wants-ur-bones  @carlybubs @cowboysamkiszka 

danny taglist: @tearsofbri @busybeingtrash @myway-late

sorry if tumblr didn’t tag you — it’s stupid sometimes. but i’m real thankful for you, sweet peaches! and if you’re a new bestie and would like to be added to my taglist, check out the form right here!

[justmeinadaze]

Saying Sorry Part 3 (Steve X You)

A/N: Look at that utterly adorable sleeping boy <3 Ok, this took me awhile but alas my brain give you this.

Warning: Smut, a dash of angst, and all the fluff, friends to lovers

Word Count: 3378

Steve’s eyes kept glancing over to your empty chair in class as the teacher droned on about things he could care less about. Since that night after the game, he found himself being more lethargic than usual. It had been a couple of months since he talked to you but he did pass you in the hall a few times and, of course, still saw you during P.E. Every time you caught him looking, you would give him a soft smile before focusing on whatever else you were doing. 

He hated that you were being so kind to him. Part of him wished you would go back to glaring at him with disdain filled eyes so he could continue acting like he didn’t care. 

Steve had started seeing a girl he barely liked hoping it would take his mind off you. Jessie was nice enough and definitely pretty. She had this slightly vapid personality though that drove him up a wall but she was what the popular kids considered “acceptable.” 

This was the second day you hadn’t show up and he was starting to get worried. As the bell rang signaling the end of the period, he bolted to the lunchroom searching for your friend.

“Hey. You’re Y/N friend, right?”

Carrie looked up at him in utter confusion. “Yes? Why? Are you and Tommy missing her since you have no one else around here to make feel bad?”

He flinched at her comment and she caught it, scrunching her nose even further. “I, um, she just hasn’t been in class and I know…I mean…I just want to know if she’s ok, Carrie.”

Your friend sighs, feeling sympathy for his broken tone. “She’s fine, just sick. She caught a cold so she’s been at home. Y/N said she’ll be back after the weekend.”

Steve thanked her before running down the hall, out the door, and towards the parking lot.

###########

“Steve? What-what are you doing here?”

Loud knocking had startled you awake from your cocoon you had made on the couch. You thought it might be Carrie to bring you your homework from class but were totally throw off guard when you saw your old best friend standing at your front door.

“I talked to your friend and she said you were sick. You haven’t been at school…”

“Yeah, no, come in.”, you quickly usher him in as you close the door. “I just got a bit of a bug but I’m okay. My parents are visiting my aunt this weekend so I thought I could just rest here.”

His worried eyes scanned over your face as he reached out to touch your forehead. “See? No fever.”

“Can I keep you company?”

“Oh, Steve. I don’t want to get you sick.”

“Pfft. You underestimate me and my immune system.” He smiles cockily making you giggle. “What are you watching?”, he glances at the screen. 

“An Affair to Remember. We can watch something else—”

“No, no. I think it’s cute you still like these black and white movies.” He grins as he comes around to sit on the sofa and you follow him bundling back up in your blankets. “What’s it about?”

“It’s about two people who meet on a cruise who lead very different lives on land. They fall in love and give themselves 6 months to get their affairs in order and meet again at the Empire State Building.”

His smile grows as he watches you speak. Movies like this were always a weakness for you especially when you were feeling low. When he was younger, he would always sit with you and watch your eyes light up as you watched the cheesy romances or film noir style dramas unfold. 

Twelve-year-old Steve throws on his father’s suit jacket and hat causing you to chuckle at the sight; everything on him two sizes too big.

“What are you doing?!”, you laugh.

“If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life!” He tugs at your hand, twirling you into his arms as he tilts the hat up so you can see his face. “We'll always have Paris. We didn't have, we, we lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.”

“I said I would never leave you!”

“And you never will…”

Steve had always loved doing little things like that to make you laugh. Truth be told he had only ever put in that kind of effort with you. None of the girls he dated ever got to see that side of him. 

Without thinking, his hand reaches out to brush some of your hair behind your ear. Your eyes didn’t leave the screen as you scooted your body closer to his and curled up into his side.

A pleasant sigh leaves your chest as his cheek rests on top of your head and his arm pulls you closer to his body. He had told you before he couldn’t be what you needed to him to be but right now all you needed was this. 

##############

You woke up a few hours later, placed flat on the couch with the covers tucked up over your chin. 

“Steve?”

“Yeah. Hey, I’m right here.” He came from the kitchen holding a tray in his hands before placing it on the coffee table in front of you. “How are you feeling?”

“A little better. I can breathe through my nose so…”, you laugh as he smiles. “What’s this?”

“Oh.” He sits on the floor and you slide off the couch to sit near him. “I have here grilled cheese and some tomato soup with some juice and a bottle of water. Your mom used to make this for me when I wasn’t feeling so hot. I still make it at home when I’m sick.”

You reach out and gently caress his cheek. “Steve, baby, why are you here?”

He exhales heavily as his hand comes up to take yours. “I don’t know…You weren’t at school and I just kept thinking…what if something happened to you? What if you were hurt or… I needed to know you were alright.”

“Does Jessica Sampson know you’re here? Or Tommy? Carol?”

“To be fair, I don’t think Jessie even realizes I’m not there. She’s so absorbed with her fucking hair; I swear one day it’s going to absorb HER and she’ll turn into that thing in The Addam’s Family.” You couldn’t help but cackle at his comment and he couldn’t enough. “I’m serious! She already talks in that high pitch voice.”

“I’m not here to make things difficult.”, he continued. “I’m so fucking confused, Y/N. To them I’m somebody. To my parents, I’m a nobody. I hate both options. I hate the somebody I am around them but I hate feeling nothing at home. I feel like I can’t win.”

“How do you feel around me?”

Steve flashes you a playful smile. “Before or after freshman year?”

“Surprise me.”

“You’ve always made me feel seen, like I matter. And how did I repay you? Forgetting your birthday and ditching you. Letting people like Tommy hurt you.” He pauses as he looks down at the floor. “Fucking you…the way I did.”

“What do you mean?”, you asked in a delicate tone. 

“You deserve to have someone make love to you. Y/N, we have yet to even do any kind of foreplay. I feel like I’m…using you.”

His eyes flutter shut when he feels your fingers run through his hair. “Steve, I’m not going to push you. I get it. I really do especially with how things are at your house. I just wish I could make you understand how much it hurt me when I lost you. You made me feel seen to and I loved the way you looked at me. I loved…you.”

You crawl into his lap with your back to his chest and he promptly encases you in his arms. 

“You understand how I feel. How long was it we had, honey?”

You smile softly as he quotes from the only movie he can seem to remember the lines to. Turning your forehead against his cheek you respond as Ilsa did in the film.

“I didn’t count the days.”

“Well, I did. Every one of 'em…”

##############

For the rest of the afternoon, you leaned against him watching tv or sleeping. As nighttime rolled around you felt one hundred times better. 

“Ok, I’m going to go take a shower because I imagine I smell like disease.”

“What does that even mean?”, Steve chuckles.

Grinning at him, you start to climb to stairs, pausing to turn your head in his direction. “Are you coming?”

The boy stumbles as he quickly rises, heading for the stairs and follows you to your bathroom. After turning on the hot water, you two disrobe and he holds your hand as you enter the shower. Steve is incredibly stiff at first, unsure of how proceed or if he even should as his fingers tenderly caress your cheek.

“You said we hadn’t done any kind of foreplay and I thought…since you’ve been making me such delicious meals…maybe I can offer you one of my own.”

“Fuck me.”, he stuttered.

Steve fell forward, kissing your lips before trailing them down you neck to your breasts. His mouth wrapped around your nipple, tongue playing with your erect nub as you gently moan. Descending to his knees, you reached behind his head to tangle your fingers through his damp hair as he kissed along your tummy. 

“I-I feel like I should tell you…no one has ever gone down on me before.”

His eyes squinted up at you playfully. “Are you joking?”

“No!”, you giggle. “You remember, the other guys we double dated with at most fingered me and then the one other guy I was with said he didn’t want eat me out because…because he thought it was gross.” You cringe as you say your last sentence and Steve’s forehead leans against your body as he laughs. 

“Are you fucking kidding me? Like this dude had no problem sticking his dick in something he thought was ‘gross’ but couldn’t fucking…oh my god…what an idiot.” The man lifted your leg and placed your foot on the edge of the tub. “I mean look at this beautiful pussy that belongs to this beautiful woman.”

A small moan falls from your lips as he leans his head between your legs and his nose grazes your clit. “Y/N, you smell so fucking good.” Your palms shoot out to balance on his shoulders as his tongue licks a long stripe through your folds. “Jesus… and you taste so fucking sweet, honey.”

“Please…”, you beg. 

He obliges, enveloping your clit in his mouth as he flicked it with his tongue. You had never felt anything like this before as he devoured you feeling overwhelmed by him with just his tongue alone. As you continued to whimper, he hummed in approval, the vibration hitting your core as your eyes rolled back. 

“Y-yes, Steve, please. It feels so…mmm.”

“Cum for me, honey. I want to feel your cum on my lips.” Two of his fingers breached your entrance, thrusting rapidly into you as he pressed his head as deep between your sex as he could, shaking it from side to side as he sucked on your nub. 

Your fingers clung to his hair as your hips grinded against him, stuttering slightly as you mewled his name and came harder than you ever had before. He quickly removed his digits, replacing them with his tongue as he drank you in. Your thighs trembled around him as you gradually came back down. 

“Steve…Steve, please. I can’t…”

As soon as he rose to his feet, you promptly wrapped your arms around his waist and panted into his chest. 

“Are you okay?”, he whispered.

“Yeah. That was…amazing. I’m just… I’m so tired.”

Steve couldn’t help but giggle. “Too much too soon? Come on. Let’s get you clean and into bed. 

###############

You woke up a little after midnight to the darkness of your room, Steve fast asleep beside you as your head rested on his chest. Before you both had crashed, you suggested he take off his jeans to get more comfortable as a friendly gesture but right now when you looked down you couldn’t ignore the massive bulge outlining his boxers. 

The first time he got a boner in front of you he was so embarrassed.

“Steve…Steve…STEVE!”, you whispered trying to gently shake him awake. 

“Mm, what?”

“You, um, are you having a good dream?”

“What?” He looked down, immediately jumping up from your floor and covering his lower half with his backpack. “Shit. Y/N, I’m so…so fucking sorry!”

“Steve, it’s ok! My parents kind of explained how…some mornings... for boys…” He groaned as he blushed. “It’s ok. I’m not offended or anything. Do you want to use my shower to…cool down?”

“Yes, please.”

“Ok and when you come out, I promise I will never mention this again!”

He flashes you another embarrassed but thankful smile as he runs to your bathroom. 

You grin as you look up at his sleeping face, your palm rubbing his stomach over his shirt. He still had some features of the boy you met all those years ago especially as he slept. He seemed so calm as his face relaxed. Right now, he wasn’t thinking about the kids at school or his parents. Steve wasn’t thinking about how he had hurt you or how much he fucking missed you every day. Right now, it was just you and him. Two best friends that found each other amid all the chaos in this word.  

You watched his face as your hand glided under the fabric and gently caressed his skin. He didn’t move as the pads of your fingers grazed over his happy trail to the hair along his chest. Carefully, you lifted yourself to a seated position as you continued to rub him. The cock in his boxers had gradually began to harden and was threatening to poke out of its confinement. 

Steve heavily sighed, turning his head in the other direction as your hand reached into his underwear to pull out his dick. You had obviously felt him inside of you so you knew he was big but seeing him in your tiny hands had you wondering how he fit himself into your body. No wonder he left you sore afterwards; not that you minded. 

As you slowly pumped him with your hand, you heard a tiny moan emit for his lips. Bending over his waist, you ran your tongue along his length from the bottom of his shaft up to his slit, leaving a tiny kiss before you repeated your actions. 

A small whimper left you as a long line of spit fell from your lips and you twisted your palm around him feeling him throb in your hands. A hand rested on your back and your turned to see Steve’s lust filled eyes meeting yours. 

“Does it feel good?”, you whisper.

“Baby, you have no idea.” Focusing back on your task, you wrap your lips around him and steadily bob your head. “F-fuck. Let-let me help you…” You lean out of his way as he lifts his hip to slide off his boxers and removes his shirt, tossing it to the floor. Grabbing your cheeks, he pulls you to him for a sloppy kiss as his tongue invades your mouth.

“Wait, Y/N.”, he pants as you continue to pump him with your hand. “I-I-I don’t want you to think this why—mmm—I came over. I really was worried.”

“I know, Steve. I know.”

“These past two years, I always thought about you. I—”

“Steve, it’s okay. It’s okay. Please… just fuck me. I need to feel you inside of me.”

He scooped you into his arms, placing your back against the mattress. After you tossed your clothes on the floor next to his, Steve’s hand gripped your thighs, encasing himself between your legs. 

“This is how I should have done it the first time, honey. I should have made love to you instead of fucking you.” His palm reached between your bodies, guiding himself into your entrance as your arms fly up to grip his shoulders. “Fuck, baby. You feel so good.”

Steve’s head fell beside yours, switching between kissing your neck and whispering in your ear as he pumped into you with long, deep strokes that had your eyes rolling.

“You should have been allowed to feel every inch of me, slow and hard. I know I can feel every part of you. Jesus, you’re so fucking tight.”

“Mmm, Steve.”

“Fuck, I love the way you moan my name. Say it again, Y/N.”

Your fingers wind in his hair as you wrap your other arm around his neck, whimpering his name as he thrusts into you a bit faster. He tenderly kisses up your jawline, lifting his head as he looks into your half-lidded eyes. 

“I should have told you how…beautiful you are. How I’m…mmm… never going to be that asshole again.” His own eyes close as his forehead falls on yours. “I’m never going to hurt you like that again, honey. I screwed up, I know. No one has ever cared about…mmm…me the way you did. I…I love you, Y/N…so fucking much. God damn. Can I cum inside you?”

You nod as you bring his head back down to the nook between your neck and shoulder. You couldn’t let him see you cry. He told you he loved you and that he would never hurt you again but you knew the truth. It was all a fantasy. Tomorrow he would wake up and go back to his girlfriend with his popular friends. He would say hello to you but that would be it. He couldn’t give up that life… He had promised you up until freshman year he would always be there for you…then he wasn’t…

Holding him tightly to you, your body shook underneath him as you came. A few moments later, his rhythm faltered and he grunted into your neck as he thrust his seed inside of you. 

You wiped your eyes before he could lift his head, delicately kissing your lips before pulling out of you. 

“Did you want to take a shower or?”

“No, Steve, I’m ok.”

He reached over to your nightstand, grabbing a tissue before cleaning between your legs. Steve laid back down beside you and to his surprise, you didn’t curl up on his chest again. 

“Are you alright, Y/N?” When you didn’t answer he sighed. “It’s because I said I love you, isn’t it? I wasn’t lying about that.”

“Hm. You love me but yet you’re with someone else.”

“Y/N, I haven’t even talked to her in three days. I’m not even really into her—”

“Wow. I’m sure she feels special.”

“God damnit, Y/N. I…”, he cuts himself off as he tries to gather his thoughts. “I don’t want to be this guy anymore. I don’t want to be someone I’m not. I don’t… I don’t want to hurt you.” His eyes emphatically meet yours. “I don’t care what I have to do. I’ll tell Tommy and Carol to fuck off. I’ll set every fucking kid in that school straight about you. I’ll go to school on Monday and remain on my knees all day because that’s where I belong. Forever on my knee, Y/N, begging for your forgiveness.”

You can’t help but chuckle making him smile. “Do you understand why it’s hard for me to trust you?”

“Yeah, I do. I’d like to prove it to you. Prove that I can be a better person than King Steve.”

You lean back on your pillows and roll to your side to face him as he does the same; just like you two used to do when he spent the night those many years ago. His palm brushes some of your hair out of your face before gliding down to the small of your back. You bring your body closer to his, resting your hand on his hip. 

“Ok.”

[yourtouchismidas]

What about if Matty and RG got called into school for something, like one of the girls got in trouble for something, nothing major, maybe just typical high school stuff like smoking in the toilets ahaha. I can’t imagine Matty being any good at discipline, he loves his girls too much bless him

so i think most of the girls are well behaved at school, and keep most of their experimenting and stuff outside of it. there is one exception though. stevie matilda. stevie came out a little rule breaker. she was always crying til she was red in the face if she didnt get her way. she would draw on the walls and pinch her sisters when they were playing quietly and run off giggling.

you and matty pretty much try everything. the naughty step. early bedtimes. no pudding. but stevie sits on the naughty step and entertains herself by singing. she goes to bed early without a fuss, talking sweetly to matty as her lifts the cover for her, as if its a normal bedtime and not a punishment.

"she's happy at least," you say, as you and matty groan into your before-bed-tea at the kitchen table, after another day of trying to get her to do what you say.

"maybe it's just a phase," matty says, "a terrible seven? is that a thing?"

"no matty. but even if it was, stevie has a terrible six too. and five. and..."

"okay i got it," he says, placing a hand over yours and tapping. you look at him. his laughter lines. his crows feet. his greying hair. the warm light reflecting in his glasses.

"you're too soft on her," you tell him.

"i'm not."

"you are. she listens better to me. hell, she listens better to george."

"okay maybe i am. i just cant help it. i mean. have you seen her? the smile? the dimples? she's fucking adorable."

she keeps growing and you send her off to secondary hoping that the teachers are more equipped to dealing with naughty kids. your children have all gone to regular school their whole lives, despite matty earning enough to send them to private (the exception being valley once she hit eleven and needed more advanced classes).

"if public school was good enough for me. it's good enough for my girls," he said.

"stevie will probably get expelled if we sent her to private school anyway. apple doesnt fall far," you agreed.

so off stevie went to secondary and amazingly, you didnt hear anything. no phone calls. the occasional detention but nothing major. something odd happened with the twins early in their school journey. close as anything at home, they separated at school, made new friends, took different classes, became themselves, before returning to their shared bedroom at night to gossip until they fell asleep, sometimes in the same bed.

then the call came.

"hi is that stevie healy's mum?"

you'd just finished lunch and all the girls were at school . you were expecting a call from gigi at uni today and thought that's what this was. you beckon matty over from where he is stuffing crisps in his mouth and whisper "stevie." his eyes go wide. you hold the phone up to both your ears.

"unfortunately stevie has been sent to the headmistress today..."

they explain what has happened. stevie was caught on top of the gym hall roof with her friends. no one knows how she got up there and when asked to come down she refused, telling the teacher she didnt want to show other kids how to get up there, and he shouldn't want that either, or tomorrow everyone would be doing it. apparently there had been damages to school property. no one was hurt. you're asked to come and collect her. suspended for the rest of the day.

"stevie healy!" you yell at her when you see her, sitting outside the headmistresses office, head in her phone.

"hey mum," she says. like its regular pick up time.

"what do you think you were doing?" matty says, trying to put on a stern voice and failing. stevie smirks a little.

"i dunno. all the older kids take up all of the field and grounds to eat lunch. there was nowhere to go. this school should really provide more places for year sevens to eat if they want to stop this kind of behaviour from happening again."

"unbelievable," you say.

"when we get home we're going to have a massive talk about respect," matty says. the headmistress is behind him now. watching. he sounds stern enough for her. not for stevie.

"didn't you set fire to uncle george's trousers when you were my age?"

"thats... well... that's not relevant right now. come on. we're going home. we'll pay for the damages," matty assures the headmistress.

when you're leaving, matty hears a little voice.

"dad?"

it's lexie, staring at you all crossing the courtyard, frowning.

"what's happened? you okay stevie?"

"your sister has been in trouble."

"god sake steve," lexie says. "got all scared then. thought there was a problem."

"there is a problem. your sister," you say. while matty kisses lexie on the side of the head, making her blush and assures her not to worry.

"see you at home," he tells her.

at home you both sit stevie down at the table and tell her off. you tell her she needs to sort her act out. that authority is hard sometimes yes, but you have to get by and stop doing things that could harm others. matty is actually stern. and stevie looks shocked. she looks in her lap and almost cries. but then locks eyes with him again. willing to take the yelling, knowing she earned it, and also that she can take it.

there is a silence afterwards. stevie sits and the two of you lean against the counter.

"okay, shall we go to a movie or something then?" matty says.

"matthew!" you say.

he shrugs, "what? she's off school. may as well."

you sigh. "too fucking soft," you mutter, but you grab your bag anyway. may as well.

[shingekinosimpson]

You Had Me At B Minor: Chapter 13

First | Previous

Pairing: Jean Kirschtein x Marco Bodt

Other relationships: Reibert, Springles, Historia x Ymir, Levi x Hange, a smidge of Jearmin

Rating: Mature

Summary: Jean's band needs a new bass player. Cue freckled Jesus.

Warnings/tags: Long fic, slow burn, Jean POV, friends to lovers, British AU with cannon locations, northern Jean, Unsigned band AU, nonbinary Armin, I promise there will be smut eventually! drinking, mentions of death, descriptions of domestic violence, panic attacks, see start of each chapter for more specific trigger warnings

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

Trigger warnings: n/a

Who am I, darling to you? Who am I? Going to tell you stories of mine Who am I?

Oh, who am I, darling for you? Who am I? Could be a burden in time, lonely Who am I, to you?

And who am I, darling for you? Who am I? Will be a burden Who am I, darling to you? Who am I?

“I got the job!”

“Wh-what??”

“I got the job!!”

“Yes!! Shit that’s amazing, I knew you would!”

“I didn’t! I thought my lesson went a bit wrong but they said I had lots of good things in there and they really liked how I was with the kids and…fuck. I can’t believe I actually got it!”

God I could listen to his voice all day.

I may not have seen Marco as much as I would like this week – nowhere near as much – but I’ve heard that voice plenty. So much so that I swear I can hear the difference between a small smile and a big smile. And let me tell you, that is a wide-ass fucking grin Marco is sporting right now.

Probably matches the one I’m wearing. I’m so fucking pleased for him. The number of times this poor guy’s rang me this week in a total stress and in need of a distraction has almost reached double figures. Not that I mind in the slightest. Although it was pretty eye-opening finding out how much pressure Marco puts on himself, how desperately he wants a steady job so he can give more support to his mam and sister. Even though I’m sure they’d be the first to tell him not to worry. It's a big relief knowing he can stop stressing so much now.

“I’m so fucking happy for you. What did your mam say when you told her? Did she scream in Italian like you said?”

“I haven’t told her yet. I literally just got off the phone with the head teacher. She probably will though.”

“…So…am I the first person you’ve told?”

“Erm, yeah,” he chuckles. “I guess.” It’s a good job I’m sitting down, otherwise that information might’ve floored me. A flush of heat rushes over my cheeks and chest and I grip my phone a little tighter, coyly chewing my lip. He just landed a permanent job and the first thing he does is ring me.

“I mean, you did say to ring you as soon as I heard,” Marco adds.

“Damn right I did!”

“Though now you mention it, I probably should give my mum a ring,” he says with a nervous laugh.

“Probably. I’ll speak to you later though yeah?”

“Yeah okay. Later then.”

“Later. And well done again. You’re gonna be amazing I know it.”

“O-okay.” That’s definitely his blushing voice. “Speak soon.”

As soon as he hangs up, I start typing a message.

HeresJeany:

By the way I am 100% taking you out for food tomorrow to celebrate! :P

He still hasn’t taken up my offer from last week, with him being so busy and all. I hope he doesn’t already have plans.

_________________________________

I've just chucked some chips and fish fingers in the oven (I can't be arsed to cook a proper meal) when my phone starts to ring, the picture of me and Marco where I look like a pineapple flashing up on the screen.

“It's like you knew I was making a fish finger sandwich. Well the answer is no, you can't have any.”

“Aw not even a bite?” he asks, snickering at my blunt greeting.

“Nope. All for me.”

He hums through another chuckle before speaking. “Soooo about food tomorrow. Do you want the good news or the bad news?”

“Err, both I guess?” Okay, I know we're going away to Dauper in like, two days, but I'll still be gutted if he's not free for food. I am seriously craving some Marco time, especially after how touchy-feely he was the last time we hung out together. “What's up?"

“So the good news is we can have food tomorrow.”

Phew!

“Bad news is my mum is going all out cooking a family meal and she is absolutely insisting that you join us.”

What?

“Which basically means you don't have a choice.”

“Err...okay?”

The tips of my ears prickle with nervous energy. Family dinners always fill me with a sense of dread, especially since that disastrous one with Hitch a couple of years ago. I know there's no way Marco's family would be like them, and I've already met Mia but still, there's a formality to these things that sets me on edge.

“You sure? You don't actually have to I was only kidding…but my mum is really keen to meet my friends and... I’d really like it if you came.”

Oh fuck. His voice sounded really adorable there.

“N-no that sounds great! Tell her thanks for the invite that's really nice of her. So erm, what time should I come over?”

“Is six okay?”

“Yeah fine. Do you want me to bring anything or...Oh what do I need to wear? Do I need to wear something smart?”

He barks a laugh at that question. “No absolutely not. Wear anything you like. Though maybe don't risk the Moomin Vans or I might steal them.”

“Haha, okay.”

“Okay. I'll let you get back to your fish fingers.” His voice sounds so gorgeous I kind of don't want him to. “Speak to you later.”

“Okay later then. Bye.”

“Bye Jean.”

_________________________________

I pull the handbrake and toot the horn when I get to Marco's. After finding out he was planning to get the bus, I absolutely insisted on picking him up.

Butterflies are already starting to flip in my stomach in anticipation of seeing him. On one hand, I cannot wait to hang out with him again (it’s pretty much all I’ve thought about the last few days), but I won’t lie, the coward in me wants to run for the hills.

Last weekend was just so…I don’t even know how to describe it. I still have to pinch myself whenever I think about it. The way he was with me felt different. All the touching and blushing. There was just so much fucking joy in his eyes and in his laugh and I felt like I was a big part of that…maybe even the cause of that.

There have been moments when I’ve felt certain of that fact, to the point where I daydream telling him how I feel – what I’ll say, where I’ll say it, what he might say back…But then there have been other moments…moments where I’ve imagined Marco pulling away from me, backtracking on his affections and playing it all off as a bit of fun or drunken silliness…

The front door opens and I look over, my stomach landing with a ker-thump…

Wait, what the actual fuck???

I roll the window down as fast as I can while my eyes start bugging out of my head. “Marco what the hell!?”

WHY?? Why is he wearing a blazer with a fucking shirt and tie!?

He turns to me looking perplexed. “What?”

“What d'you mean 'WHAT'? Why are you dressed like that? You said I didn't have to dress up!”

“I’m not dressed up. I’m just dressed for a family meal. I thought it was obvious you needed to dress like this,” he says sounding a bit hurt.

“Of course it's not obvious! Why do you think I asked!? Shit, I need to go home and get changed. I don't even know if-”

Marco doubles over and starts howling with laughter.

“Oh my god,” he chokes with his hands on his knees. “Your face! Could you be anymore freaked out?”

He descends into wheezy chuckles again holding his stomach.

“Oh my god. You bastard.”

“I'm sorry. I just thought it was cute when you asked about wearing something smart and I couldn't resist.”

My grumpiness can't help but lessen at the word ‘cute’. Not to mention how cute he looks giggling away at me.

“I'll go get changed. Two seconds,” he says turning back.

That little shit. As if he actually came out dressed like that just to mess with me. At least I get a nice view of his arse in smart pants and his nipped in waist as I watch him retreat.

“If you don't come down here looking like a hobo, I'm gonna be seriously pissed!”

I’m treated to one more cheeky smile as he closes the door. My smile stretches so wide my cheeks ache. Fuck. I like him so much.

When he returns, he's definitely dressed way down compared to before but that does nothing to stop my butterflies making themselves known again, twirling and somersaulting like they’re caught in a tornado. He's wearing ripped black skinny jeans and a grey Superdry hoody. That's it. That's literally it. But christ does he look fucking sexy. His thighs and his shoulders and oh my god he just turned to lock the door and look at his arse nnggghhhhh!!

“Better?” he asks with a sunshine smile as he practically skips towards the car.

“Much better,” I answer honestly.

He buckles up and we set off with only ten minutes to spare.

“I am absolutely blaming you if we’re late,” I huff.

“We won't be late. Why are you getting so stressed?” Marco asks with an amused look.

“Because I don't want to make a shit impression.”

“You're really that bothered?”

“Of course I am, they're your family.”

There's a weight to those words I wish wasn't there. Marco considers me from the passenger seat, a warm smile on his face. I don’t realise I’m holding my breath until he speaks.

“You've got nothing to worry about Jean. My family likes you plenty.”

“I've only met Mia remember? Your family don't know me.”

“Okay but they know of you. How you helped out with Mia, how you've helped me...” He looks down at his lap with a blush, picking at the threads near his exposed knee. “My mum's been pestering me to bring you over for a while.”

“She has?”

“Well yeah, I talk about you all the time and she wants to meet-” He stops to clear his throat, brow furrowed. “I mean, she knows how you helped me find Mia that time so, yeah...like I said you've got nothing to worry about, so can you please calm your tits?”

My ears flush hearing he's talked about me with his mam, and all good things by the sound of it. I chew my lip around the huge smile trying to burst across my face, not wanting to look like a complete dork.

“Okay. Calm tiddies from now on. I promise.”

I let the smile out anyway and Marco mirrors it.

To my great relief we’re not super late, arriving one minute after six to be precise. I’m sure with some parents that would result in a passive aggressive comment or just an outright scolding when they answer the door. That is absolutely not what happens when Marco’s mam welcomes us.

“Marcorsetto! Come here my baby boy! Mwah, mwah, mwah!”

Marco’s mam can’t be much over five foot but that doesn’t stop her from pulling his face down for some serious smooches.

Not gonna lie - it’s adorable. She reminds me of Connie’s mam and I instantly like her.

Fuck, I hope she likes me.

She cups Marco’s cheeks with a big smile and then turns to me. “Jean! I’m Gianna. It’s so nice to finally meet you!”

I’m a little (a lot) unprepared for the huge hug I find myself in. The air in my lungs leaves me with an oof but I quickly recover with a chuckle.

“You too! Thanks for inviting me.”

“Oooh molto bello!” she says over my shoulder, making Marco turn crimson.

“Mum!!”

“Hahaha! Come in! Come in! Help yourselves to slippers if you like!” she says disappearing down the passage towards the kitchen.

“Marcorsetto?” I ask, toeing off my shoes.

“Orsetto means ‘little bear’ in Italian.”

“Okay that might be the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Marco slides on some fluffy bunny slippers but I opt for the far more sensible tartan pair. I follow him down the hall towards the kitchen, where a number of voices are chatting animatedly.

“How in the hell? That one’s rigged. It must be!” says a gruff voice.

“It’s not! Here you bloody well use it!”

Opening the door, two things come into focus. The first thing is all the noise – laughter mostly, accompanied by something sizzling loudly on the hob and a classic disco tune dancing out of the radio in the corner. The second thing is the incredible smell. A mix of garlic and onion and herbs and other delicious things I can’t quite put my finger on.

I feel my stomach grumble, like it knows it’s in for a good time.

“Hello bonny lad!” says a stocky man with slightly greying, light brown hair.

He rises from his seat to give Marco a quick hug. The lady next to him – a dead-ringer for Marco’s mam – also stands, her eyes soft when she pulls Marco towards her.

“Hello Marco sweetheart!”

“Hi! You both okay?”

They nod and hum, both throwing a smile and a sideways glance in my direction.

“This is my friend Jean,” Marco beams making my stomach flip. “Jean, this is my Uncle Dave and Aunty Maxine.”

“Good to meet you son!” Uncle Dave smiles giving my hand a warm shake.

“Call me Max,” his Aunty replies, slipping a delicate hand in mine for a moment.

I greet them both in turn and take a seat next to Mia, offering her a quick ‘hi’. She quietly returns it, giving me what I think is a genuine smile before looking up at her Uncle Dave.

“C’mon then! You’ve got the rigged one so you shouldn’t have a problem now.”

Dave gives a hearty laugh, holding a small red counter between thumb and forefinger.

“Oh jeez,” Marco moans. “Tiddlywinks again Dave? You know she can’t be beaten.”

That explains the random assortment of things on the table – a red cup, counters of different colours and sizes and a few small, plastic animals - the kind you’d get in a Christmas cracker.

“Right then, this is the one I can feel it,” Dave smirks.

He presses the edge of his counter to another and it pings across the table, missing the red cup by quite a margin.

“Bollocks,” Dave grumbles, causing everyone to laugh. “Haway boys see if you can beat her. An entire pound coin is riding on this game!”

Marco grabs a small plastic spider with a weird tab sticking out of its arse. He presses his finger to the tab and the spider jumps forward, grazing the edge of the red cup before landing on the table.

“Oh, so close! C’mon Jean, see if you can get one in,” Maxine says excitedly.

I consider the options before me.

“I’ll try my luck with Mr Froggy I guess.”

I grab the green plastic frog and place it in front of me, deciding the best angle. I notice Marco and Mia sharing a smile but think nothing of it…

“JESUS!”

…Until the plastic frog flies a fucking mile and they both burst out laughing.

“Oh god I’m so sorry!”

The fucking frog has flown over to the kitchen bench and plopped right into the fucking salad bowl. I jump up and rush over to pick it out, muttering a million apologies to Gianna.

She laughs warmly, grabbing it before I get the chance. “It’s fine Jean darling don’t panic. You two!” she snaps, throwing the frog in Marco and Mia’s general direction. “You could have warned the poor boy!”

Marco gets his giggles under control and pats me on the shoulder when I sit down. “Sorry. The frog is notoriously hard to control. It always goes flying no matter how softly you try to do it.”

“And you just let me choose it without saying anything! Some friend you are,” I say shoving him in the shoulder.

“Wicked boy,” Gianna smiles, swatting Marco with a tea towel.

“He’s a menace!” I laugh. “Have you heard what he did to me when I picked him up?”

I tell the tale of Marco winding me up with his bloody suit, much to the amusement of everyone else.

“Oh Marco you are awful!” Gianna says with a laugh. “Right clear the table then. This will be ready soon. Marco darling, can you grab the bread from the oven? Mia, help me with the plates, would you sweetie?”

“Anything I can do to help?” I ask.

“No Jean darling you’re our guest! You just relax,” Gianna insists.

“Can I tempt you with some wine Jean?” Maxine asks, pouring herself a glass of red.

“Oh, yes please. Just a small one though. I’m driving.”

Plates and bowls start appearing on the table – bread fresh from the oven and oil for dipping, tomatoes and mozzarella, and something else I’m not quite sure of.

“Wow. This looks amazing. Is that hummus?”

“It’s mashed cannellini beans with garlic and a bit of lemon,” Gianna smiles. “Here, try it on some bread, it’s delicious!”

Literally everything is delicious. Marco was right about his mam being an amazing cook. And I can’t believe all this is just the starter. Everyone quietens during the first part of the meal, enjoying the food too much to bother with conversation, but it soon picks back up again when the last few bits disappear from our plates.

Dave and Maxine have plenty of questions for Marco about his new job. He gets so enthusiastic talking about all the ideas he has for his new class. It’s nice listening to him interact with Dave and Maxine – he’s clearly very fond of them and I can tell they have a lot of love for him too. They both come across as genuinely lovely people and it warms my heart to know that, despite his past, Marco has a loving family he can rely on.

“Alright dig in everyone!” Gianna smiles after presenting us with the main course – mushroom risotto.

“Mmm, wow, this is really good,” I mumble around a mouthful of heaven.

It is literally the best mushroom risotto I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’m not even that into mushroom risotto, but I would happily have this one every day of the week.

“Thank you dear! You can come back anytime,” Gianna replies with a wink.

Now I see where Marco gets his cheeky nature from.

“How’s the band going Marco?” Maxine asks after we’ve all been tucking in for a while. “Your mum was telling me you’ve had a couple of gigs.”

“Yeah, good thanks,” he says scratching his neck. “I’ve managed to remember most of the songs so far, so that’s good.”

Like hell am I gonna sit here and let him be so modest.

“He’s doing more than good. Your nephew is one seriously talented man,” I say, more to Marco than Maxine.

“A seriously talented man you say!” Maxine beams.

“He’s overexaggerating,” Marco smiles, nudging my shoulder and blushing prettily.

“I’m definitely not! None of us can believe our luck he joined. We’ve never sounded better.”

Marco’s cheeks flush a deeper shade of red but I just smile. I’m only telling the truth after all.

“Aww how lovely! My clever boy,” Gianna gushes, smooching the top of his head as she gets up to grab another bottle of wine.

“Well that’s good to know…because I have a bit of a proposition for you boys,” Maxine grins. “You know your cousin Sara’s wedding is coming up? In June?”

“Yeah,” Marco replies.

“Well the band they booked for the evening have cancelled. Would you boys be interested? No pressure but I said I’d ask.”

“You guys have done weddings before right?” Marco asks, turning to me.

“Yeah, we have. They’ve always been a good laugh.”

“I’ve no idea what songs they’d like but if you send her a message on Facebook, I’m sure she’ll be happy to give you the details,” Maxine continues.

“Okay I’ll get in touch with her. What do you reckon Jean? Will Connie and Eren be interested?”

“I’m sure they would be up for it. Hey, maybe by June I’ll have finally convinced you to start singing,” I grin.

“Doubtful,” he smiles, rolling his eyes at me.

“Thank you!” Mia suddenly pipes up, gesturing at me. “See Marco, how many times have I said you should be singing?”

“He’s got a good voice, hasn’t he?” I say to Mia. Good to know I’m not the only one who’s told him so.

“Yeah! He always used to beat me on Singstar. He’s well good.”

“Oh, what was that song you used to sing so beautifully together?” Gianna ponders. “The ‘hold on for one more day’ song.”

“Ah, Wilson Phillips,” Mia answers.

“Yes! Oh I used to love it when you sang that together.”

“Well, maybe Sara will want it at the wedding if Marco’s that good!” Dave laughs.

“Listen if you heard this guy sing,” Marco says gesturing to me, “you wouldn’t be praising my singing abilities.”

I’m almost derailed by his compliment but I power through. “There’s always room for more singers in the band Marco, and we’d be daft not to make use of your voice from time to time.”

He hums, wilting under my and Mia’s staring. “I’ll think about it.”

“You bloody better,” Mia mumbles, smirking at Marco.

Gianna gets up starts clearing the table, asking Maxine a million questions about the wedding as she places our dishes in the sink. Marco makes a start on washing them and Mia soon gets up to help him dry. They speak in hushed voices as they work side by side so I can’t hear what they’re saying, but at one point Marco grabs the tea towel out of Mia’s hand and slaps her playfully on the head with it.

Then dessert starts appearing on the table – chocolate ganache with shortbread, strawberries and orange segments to share. I wasn’t sure I’d want any dessert after the filling risotto but oh man does it look good. Gianna recommends smoothing some ganache onto the shortbread and topping it with an orange segment so I go for that first.

Marco smiles when I hum contentedly. “It’s good right?”

“Sooo good.”

“I hear you’re heading off on holiday tomorrow boys,” Dave comments with a grin.

“Yeah. Our friend’s grandma is lending us her holiday cottage for the weekend,” Marco replies with a smile in my direction, making my ears prickle.

“Oh nice. Good friend to have. Just the two of you is it?” Dave beams.

“N-no,” Marco splutters turning red, which makes me turn red. Even more so when Mia tries to cover up her snort with a cough. “There’s about ten of us going.”

Marco takes a sip of water, so he doesn’t notice Maxine’s death glare or Dave bewilderedly mouthing ‘what!?’ It’s kind of funny actually, like seeing what Connie and Sasha will be like in 30 years.

“Whereabouts is the cottage you’re all staying in?” Maxine asks, trying to ease some of the tension.

“Dauper,” Marco replies.

“Ooooh lovely! Gorgeous part of the world Dauper. We’ve been a couple of times. Have you ever been Jean?”

“No. Looking forward to it though. The dark skies are meant to be great there.”

“Oh yes, the night sky is beautiful in that area! Oh Dave, what was the name of that pub? The one where you had that gorgeous trout…”

Dave and Maxine give us all their best tips for where to go and what to do. Hearing them talk about it so merrily gets me even more excited for the trip.

After practically licking my bowl clean, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I find Katniss snoozing on the landing.

“Hey baby girl!”

She indulges me in some head scritches, before sleepily rolling over for some tummy love. I slip my phone out of my pocket to snap some cheeky pics, though my desperate need to pee stops it turning into a full photo shoot. I’ve just finished up in the bathroom and cracked open the door when I hear Dave’s voice downstairs in the hall.

“Max! C’mere I can’t find it.”

A few seconds later I hear Maxine. “You never bloody can despite it being right in front of your face! There! Look! In the front pocket like I said…I’ll bloody kill you for embarrassing Marco.”

“Wha-? How’s it embarrassing to ask if you’re going on holiday with your boyfriend?”

“They’re not boyfriends!” Max whispers exasperatedly.

“I thought Gianna said they were?”

“No! They’re just friends!”

“Oh bloody hell. Put my foot right in it there then,” Dave grumbles.

“Gianna said she thought they might become boyfriends. She says Marco talks about him all the time.”

“Oh yeah, that was it…Well you can see why I thought they were already an item. They’d make a lovely couple wouldn’t they?”

“Yeah…a right handsome pair. Oh, I hope they do. Jean seems so lovely.”

I’ve literally frozen to the spot. I dare not move, or even breathe for that matter.

As if I’ve got Marco’s flesh and blood rooting for me! Holy shit!

I couldn’t help but wonder what Gianna thought when Marco let slip he talks to her about me. At worst, I thought she might be wary of me hurting him like so many others before. At best, I hoped she’d be grateful Marco had found a good friend. To hear she thinks there might be something more than friendship though…I’m just…Gyaahhh!!!

Worrying my absence might start to become suspicious, I close the bathroom door loud enough to make my presence known and head down the stairs. Dave and Max quickly hush up at the sound.

“Alright dear?” Maxine smiles.

“Just grabbing my insulin pen! Needed a bit of a top-up after helping myself to too much dessert!” Dave laughs.

I smile widely; I really can’t help it after what I’ve just heard. “Bet it was worth it though. That chocolate ganache was insane.”

“Bloody gorgeou-”

A series of giggles and a surge in volume makes us all turn our heads towards the kitchen. We share an inquisitive smirk, heading to investigate what’s so funny.

The three Bodts are dancing up a storm around the kitchen table. Marco’s toing and froing between his mam and Mia, waltzing and spinning them as they sing along to George Michael and Aretha Franklin.

Maxine and Dave both laugh and smile but my lips only twitch slightly. My smile is soft and tender as a bittersweet tug in my stomach sends warmth throughout my body. I was right when I said Connie, Eren and I were lucky to have found such a talented bassist, but the bigger truth of how lucky I am to have found Marco fills me to the brim as I watch him laugh and smile.

He looks radiant and just…impossibly beautiful.

“Show them how it’s done Maxy!”

Dave takes hold of Maxine and they begin to sway back and forth. After a few beats, they break apart and grab a hold of the nearest person – Mia and Gianna – and start dancing with them.

Emboldened by Dave and Maxine’s earlier conversation, I take a step forward and sweep into Marco’s space, my fingers slipping into his palm as I lead him in a twirl. He chuckles and returns the favour, spinning me away and pulling me back. My hand finds a hold in the dip of his waist on instinct, and I rock him side to side, not caring one little bit for the goofy grin on my face or the glowing looks I get from Marco’s family.

And then he sings and the warm fuzzies in my chest increase tenfold.

“So we were draaaawwwn tooogether through destinyyyyyy…ooh boy. Ooh!

I know this loooove weeee share was meant to beeeee. Oh!

Knew you were waiting! WooOoooh, yeah!”

The rest of his family are singing too but I the only sound I hear is him. I beam and laugh at the way he hits the high notes, doing his best over-the-top popstar impression.

“Oh, when the valley was low. No, it didn't stop meeeee, no!

Knew you were waiting! Knew you were waiting for me!”

I’m giddy when he spins me away and tugs me back into his orbit. He laughs and something flashes in his eyes when they meet mine. He pulls me close enough to meet the warmth of his torso as the song draws to a close. Our embrace only lasts for a moment, but it leaves me lightheaded and breathless. I reach out a hand to steady myself on a chair as we all break apart.

“Always knew I’d married into a family of crackerjacks!” Dave chortles, giving Mia a quick tickle on her side before sitting down. “Reckon me and Jean should run for the hills while we still have a chance!”

“I dunno,” I grin, taking my seat next to Marco. “Reckon the food is worth the craziness.”

“Ooooh you’re definitely allowed back again you little charmer!” Gianna coos, squidging my shoulders (to my absolute delight). “Phew! I need a brew after that. Shall I put a pot of tea on?”

Max helps Gianna sort out the cups and teapot while Mia and Dave start setting out the tiddlywinks again. I look at Marco with a coy smile, still a little dazed from the moment we shared.

“I promise we’re not always this mental,” he smiles quietly. “But now you know, if that song ever comes on the radio, it’s pretty much a given we’ll all drop everything and start dancing.”

“Fine by me. I love a good twirl around the kitchen now and then,” I smirk, resting my head on my hand.

It makes Marco blush for some reason, though maybe he's just flushing from all the dancing.

“Why that song?” I ask.

“Well my mum used to play it a lot when we were younger,” he starts, keeping his voice low, “but once it was the three of us, I noticed...when she played it, she started actually singing along with it. I’d never heard her sing before. So I started joining in and then eventually Mia did too and it kind of escalated from there.”

Once again, I'm in awe of Marco and his family. In awe of how they’ve found the strength to sing and laugh after everything they've endured. In awe of how much love and warmth they extend to everyone around them when they could so easily have closed themselves off. They're amazing.

“You fancy another round boys?” Dave asks, wiggling a tiddlywink in our direction. 

We stay another hour or so, sharing a few laughs and silly stories as all the delicious food settles in our stomachs.

After bidding the rest of Marco's family goodbye, his mam follows us to the door to see us out.

“You will come again won’t you Jean?”

“I’m literally booking in for every Sunday! Can’t remember the last time I was so well fed,” I reply.

“Oh you’re more than welcome dear. Thank you so much for coming.”

She pulls me into a squishy hug and then turns to Marco, pulling him down to reach her.

“Love you baby boy. Have the best time this weekend okay? You deserve it sweetheart.”

“Love you. I will, don’t worry,” he says with a sleepy smile, resting his head on her shoulder a moment.

Too cute.

“Drive safe Jean okay?” Gianna smiles.

“I will. Gotta get this precious cargo there in one piece,” I grin, giving Marco a playful squeeze on the shoulders.

I run around to the driver’s side as Marco slumps into the passenger seat. We bid Gianna another farewell and pull out into the road. Marco settles back with a contented sigh, gazing sleepily out the window.

“...I really like your family,” I say after a moment.

Marco's gaze jerks towards me, a look of surprise on his face, but it quickly softens into a smile.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “I like them too.”

“I can't believe how much your Aunty Max looks like your mam!”

“I know. Apparently they'd always get mistaken for twins when they were kids.”

Marco tells me more about his aunty and uncle during the drive; the shenanigans Dave gets up to at family parties and the jumpers Max makes for them every Christmas.

We pull up outside Marco’s much sooner than I would like. Luckily he doesn't seem to notice, continuing his story about the time Dave ended up in A&E, after losing a fight with a goose that took a disliking to him.

We giggle and laugh with our heads resting against the back of our seats, our general sleepiness starting to take over.

He looks over at the front door and sighs. “Guess I should head in,” he says with a sad smile, unbuckling his seat belt. “Thanks again for the lift.”

“Anytime.”

I pause. Secretly hoping he invites me in to hang out. I know he won't though. It's late and we've got a long drive tomorrow...Still though.

“So erm, d'you..?” he starts and I hold my breath.

“Do you...still wanna pick us up at eleven tomorrow?”

“Oh. Erm...yeah 'course. Eleven still works for me.”

I make a point of ignoring the disappointment I feel in the pit of my stomach.

“Okay cool,” he says climbing out of the car. It feels like he has something else to say. “See you tomorrow then. Drive home safe.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” I reply, trying to work out what expression I can see in his features, but it changes into a sweet smile before I get the chance.

He turns with a wave of his hand and I release a pent-up breath. My chest and stomach twist as I watch him head inside. It's not exactly an unpleasant feeling though.

I replay so many parts of this evening in my head on the drive home, but when my head finally hits the pillow, it's the voice of Dave that sends me to sleep with a smile.

'They'd make a lovely couple wouldn’t they?'

_________________________________

Connie helps me load up the car before waving me off (with an actual fucking hanky he got from god knows where) with an obnoxiously loud 'Farewell my beloved!'

Due to a couple of other people booking time off, there was absolutely no way Connie could get away from work before 8pm tonight, so he's joining us later. I feel bad knowing he’ll be on his own for the journey. I would have offered to go with him but that would have meant making Eren and Marco late too and it seemed silly not to make the most of our stay.

I park my car outside Eren and Marco’s and give the horn a quick toot, rolling the window down so I can lean on my elbow while I wait. My phone beeps after less than a minute. I’m expecting something silly from Marco but it’s from Eren.

Jaegermeister:

Good fucking luck

What the hell?

HeresJeany:

???????

Jaegermeister:

>:-)

Before I tap out another reply, the front door opens and the meaning behind Eren’s message becomes all too clear.

“Morning!” Marco says cheerfully.

He’s got his hair tied back again. A few wavy tendrils are escaping from where it’s loosely pulled back…It looks really fucking good.

“Hey you,” I smile, not really bothering to hide the affection in my tone.

“Good morning my favourite douche!” Eren squawks obnoxiously, appearing behind Marco with a shit-eating grin.

“Your smelly ass needs one!”

My reply doesn’t faze him in the slightest.

“You doing alright?” he asks with a knowing smirk I’m glad Marco can’t see.

I decide to ignore him, jumping out of the car to open the boot for Marco.

After loading up their bags, I connect my phone to the car stereo. It takes nearly three hours to get to Dauper, but the music I've put together for the journey is a veritable 90s/00s wet dream of a playlist so we’re in for a good time.

Marco catches my eye and smiles as he recognises the opening bars of Sabotage by the Beastie Boys surging through the speakers. I smirk back before checking on Eren.

"We all clunk-clicked back there?"

"Yes Mam."

"Right let's go then."

After our rendezvous with everyone at Sasha’s, we head off – Mikasa taking Sasha, Armin and Historia in one car with Bert and Reiner in the other. The busy streets of Trost gradually fall away as we make our way to the motorway. There's a buzz in the car that affirms just how excited we all are for the trip. Between sing-alongs, taking the piss out of shitty drivers and sniggering at weird place names, the journey goes by quickly. Even the heavy rain we hit half an hour in doesn’t dampen our spirits.

Marco is especially animated, twisting in his seat to laugh and joke or reaching forward to turn the music up every time of one his favourites comes on (which is often!). The whole car vibrates when Goon Squad by Deftones gets turned up a notch and we all sing (scream) the lyrics as we clear the last of the rain clouds.

“I feel like ‘Goon Squad’ would be a good name for us if we ever decide to become vigilantes and fight crime,” Eren says as the next song starts and we catch our breath.

“Maybe for you two,” I tease. “I think Captain Kirschtein and the Goon Squad sounds better though.”

“You fucking wish.”

“Hmm, I don’t think I know this one,” Marco says nodding at the stereo.

I cock an eyebrow at him as the persistent riff of Good Morning, Captain starts up again. “How can a total 90s dweeb like you not know Slint?”

He looks at me blankly. “Slint?”

“Oh my god. Spiderland? Are you kidding me?? Right, you need to listen to this song.”

Eren starts babbling away to Marco about the album and how the band originally wanted it to be instrumental, that is until I turn and smack him on the leg.

“Okay OW!”

“Well fucking shut up! You can tell him when the song’s over!”

Crashing cymbals and guttural guitars fill the car as Marco taps out the rhythm on his knee. When the song reaches its crescendo, he looks over at me.

“Oh man, I think I have a new band boner!”

I laugh, because it’s obviously a joke, but he says it with such a salacious grin that I blurt out, “Wait, seriously?”

All he does in reply is stick his tongue between his teeth and waggle his eyebrows at me.

Shit that’s hot.

I cover how flustered it makes me with a chuckle and focus on the road. My imagination starts running wild though, and I can’t help the way my gaze slides over to Marco’s crotch just to have a cheeky look.

“Saw that.”

My eyes snap up to Eren in the mirror.

“Saw what?” Marco asks, thankfully oblivious.

“You didn’t see shit Jaeger.”

He chuckles, very obviously pleased with catching me red-handed.

Despite all the singing and chatting, Eren still manages to conk out about two hours into the journey. Never in my life have I known this guy stay awake on a long car trip.

“Oh, man down,” Marco smiles quietly looking back at Eren.

My eyes flit up to the mirror and I see his reflection; slumped down into his hoody and gently rocking with the car’s movement. I turn the music down a little. I don’t really need to – Eren could sleep through the apocalypse – but Marco’s hushed voice makes me feel like I should.

After a few songs, I notice Marco glancing at me out of the corner of my eye, his mouth opening and closing as if he wants to say something. Eventually he clears his throat and speaks.

“Hey I meant to ask…” he trails off, looking oddly awkward all of a sudden.

“Yeah?”

He scratches his neck and looks out of his window instead of at me.

“I know you and Connie are roomies but…I figured he might be sharing with Sasha so…I was thinking it might be nice if - I mean I don't know what the sleeping arrangements are at this place but," his eyes flit over to me as he babbles and stutters. "Do you...do you maybewannasharearoomwithme?”

Ba-dump.

I’ve thought about it. Obviously I've thought about where I might be sleeping - where he might be sleeping - but I figured people would just pair off when we got there and that Eren would somehow wingman me to make sure I share with Marco.

What I didn't think about was Marco just coming straight out and asking me!

Shit. How do I answer this without completely giving myself away or making it weird?

“E-Err,” I stammer, my grip tightening on the steering wheel.

“We don't have to!" he backtracks when I fail to answer. “If you've already arranged something with Eren or Armin or whoev-”

My determination not to screw this up brings confidence surging back to my voice in an instant. If he’s got the guts to ask me, there’s no way I’m going to ruin it by losing my cool.

“We can share a room.”

“…Yeah?” Marco asks with a slight tone of disbelief.

“Yeah ‘course we can share a room. It'll be fun,” I add with a big smile to show him I’m not just being polite.

“Okay...cool,” Marco replies.

The way he ducks his head to hide his own smile and blush makes me giddy, though that feeling is definitely coupled with weird mixture of nervousness and anticipation. My stomach starts flipping at the thought of what might be whispered and confessed in the dark, when we're wrapped in soft blankets and sleepiness has lifted our filters…

Then a short but incredibly loud snort from Eren snaps me back to the present. Marco and I both lock eyes before breaking into hysterics.

“What the hell!?” I laugh, with Marco wheezing beside me.

“Huh? Wha?” Eren murmurs, squinting at us with sleepy eyes and wiping the drool from his chin.

_________________________________

By late afternoon we reach Dauper. After staying within close range of each other on the motorway, we all manage to take the exit at the same time and follow Sasha’s car as it weaves its way along the narrow, grass-lined roads.

The higher we climb, the more beautiful the scenery becomes. The houses become less frequent and older in style, broken up by farmers’ fields, rolling hills and the occasional mill.

“Deer! Oh my god there’s deer in that field!” Marco says excitedly, causing Eren to press his face up at the window and gawk.

There’s so much wildlife here. Aside from the deer we also spot a huge flock of geese flying in a V-formation above us, a fox zipping across a field and we narrowly miss hitting a pheasant that thought it was a good idea to stand in the middle of the road.

After a couple of tight turns and an awkward encounter with a tractor, we pull onto the cobbled lane with the cottage at the end. The car judders and wobbles as we follow Sasha, with Bert and Reiner behind us. Eventually, we stop outside a stone building with blue pastel windows and a yellow door.

“Wow. This looks nice,” Marco says with bright eyes after we climb out of the car.

It really does.

Armin gasps from the open door of Sasha’s car, looking at the driveway. “How am I going to get to the door? My Vans are going to get ruined!”

The rain stopped over an hour ago, but it must’ve been especially heavy in Dauper if the puddles around us are anything to go by. My eyes travel down Armin’s all-black outfit to the new lilac Vans on their feet. Yep. Those kicks are gonna be fucked.

Marco chuckles beside me and asks, “Why are you wearing them for a trip to the countryside? I thought you were smart!”

“Typical bloody PhD student – all those brains and no common sense,” Eren grumbles heading in Armin’s direction.

“I’ve got sensible clothes in my bag! I just wanted to be comfy for the journey. Plus their cute as fuck,” Armin adds with a cheeky grin that makes me smile.

“Alright c’mere princess.”

Eren sweeps Armin off their feet, earning a loud laugh from Sasha and a whoop from Historia.

“Eren!” Armin cries with a smile.

“Do you want your shoes to get muddy or not?” He starts heading to the door and calls over his shoulder, “Can someone get my bags? Hands are a bit full of idiot here!”

“Yeah I got ‘em,” I laugh, bending over my seat to reach into the back.

When I straighten up, I feel eyes on me and turn to see Marco, a red blush blooming on his face as he quickly looks down.

Erm…?

“H-here, let me take the guitars for you,” he says reaching out his hand, still not meeting my eyes.

“Oh, thanks.”

Was he…was he checking me out just now??

I walk around to the open boot, purposely (and unnecessarily) bending over again to get my own guitar.

“You threatening us with a good time Kirschtein?” Reiner barks behind us, laughing as he walks past with Bert in tow.

“You wish!” I yell as I dig around in the boot.

I look back at Marco with a sly grin, straightening up to give him mine and Eren’s guitars, but keeping my back arched so my ass sticks out.

“Here you go,” I say, my tongue poking slightly between my teeth.

“Thanks,” he replies, ducking his head with a smirk, the blush on his cheeks intensifying.

Excitement sparks through me as I watch him walk away. As if I just flirted with him! And he didn’t seem to mind!

I follow him along the yellow gravel path, lined with daisies and bluebells. The back door opens straight onto the kitchen, which is an impressive mix of exposed stone, patterned tiles and rich blue cabinets. My eyes follow the old, wooden beams across the ceiling, down to a large dining table at the opposite end.

“Woah. This place is stunning!” Marco chirps, turning in a slow circle as he takes it all in.

Cute.

He cranes his head to look up the staircase beside the back door.

“Should we put our bags in a room or-”

“Guys come see how cosy the living room is!” Armin yells, appearing in the doorway opposite us.

They reach forward and grab Marco’s hand before we’ve even had a chance to reply, dragging him through the door. I follow them both with a smile.

Wow. It certainly is cosy in here, though way bigger than I was expecting; they must have knocked down a wall down at some point. There are rugs all over the floor, cushions and throws all over the furniture and bookshelves all over the walls. Aside from the TV mounted on the wall, everything has a comforting, old-timey feel to it. The beams across the ceiling match the ones in the kitchen, but there’s no exposed stone from what I can see. Instead, a rich navy colour covers the walls.

Everyone’s in the living room now, except Sasha, but she soon makes her presence known.

“Hey guys?” she calls from the kitchen.

“Yeaaah?” a few of us reply.

She appears in the doorway with a look that spells ‘trouble’.

“Bedrooms are first come first serve and I may have forgot to mention, some are waaay nicer than others…Bagsie the master bedroom!” she cries racing off.

Everyone silently glances at each other before bursting into action. There’s a massive crush as we all try to fit through the doorway at once. Thankfully I hadn’t sat down yet so I get through quickly, heading for the staircase just ahead of everyone else.

I’ll get us a good room Marco don’t you wor- “Ahh!!”

Someone pulls my ankle and I land flat on the stairs. I look up to see Mikasa long-jumping over me and racing up the rest of the steps.

“Go Kasa!” Armin shouts somewhere behind me.

I try to get my legs back under me before I’m trampled. Luckily, the next thing I feel is a pair of warm hands hooking under my arms and lifting me up.

“Man down!” Marco laughs. “C’mon Jean we can do thi- Ahhh!”

Marco collapses on top of me as Eren scrambles over both of us.

“Eren! You fucking tool! Mikasa’s already won you a room!” I squawk.

Someone else tries to get passed us but Marco gets up before they manage it.

“Not so fast Bertie boy!” Marco cries, blocking Bert’s path. “Go on Jean! Go!”

I leave Marco to wrestle the giant and hop up the rest of the stairs two at a time. I dive left but quickly back up when I see the bunk beds against the wall – No fucking thank you! Footsteps thunder up the stairs so I take my chances with the first room on the right.

Oh thank fuck.

I hop up onto the double bed, claiming it as my own and more than willing to fight if anyone tries to take it from me.

Bert sticks his head in the door muttering a quick ‘shit’ when he sees me sitting on the bed. There’s a commotion further down hall. I really want to go look when I hear Sasha screaming ‘Mikasa! Put me down!’ but I dare not leave my spot.

“Bunk beds!? No fucking thank you!” Historia’s voice. I have an awful feeling about where this is going. “Haha! Give it up Kirschtein! This room is mine!”

She runs towards me, with a manic grin, trying to grab my legs so she can pull me off.

“No no no! Marco! Help!”

Historia and I both laugh and giggle as she tries to get a hold on me. I keep her at bay with the two pillows I’ve grabbed, just long enough for Marco to come in and save the day.

“Waahhh!”

Distracted by our battle for the bed, she doesn’t realise Marco’s behind her until he’s lifting her up over his shoulder.

“Oh no you don’t!” he laughs carrying her out as her little legs wiggle and kick.

He plops her on the floor, runs back inside and closes the door. I hop over to join him, both of us laughing as we brace ourselves, ready for someone to push it open. Luckily no one does and we slump down to the floor after a minute or two, our faces flushed from all the excitement.

“Seems like we’re safe for now,” I smile, leaning my head against the door.

“Yeah,” Marco replies taking in his surroundings. “Hey this room is pretty nice. Good job.”

It is now that I look at it. It’s not super big and the window doesn’t let much light in, but the peachy paint, wall tapestries and salt lamps create a really snug, mellow vibe.

“Aw look, they’re cute,” Marco says pointing up.

I smile at his reaction, looking up to see a dozen little crochet plant pots hanging from a wooden beam, woven flowers sitting inside each one. They do look very sweet all dangling there above the bed.

“My grandma used to crochet stuff for me, when she was alive,” I smile.

“Oh yeah?” He tilts his head to look at me.

“Yeah, lots of bonnets when I was a baby, then toys. She was really good at animals. I had a whole farmyard at one point. My favourite was Buchwald the horse.”

“Buchwald?” Marco laughs, his breath tickling my cheek.

“Yeah, she was half German and she often gave them German names. His mane was really cool. It was made of this thick but super soft wool or something. I used to like running my fingers through it.”

“Oh I had a toy I used to do that with! Mine was a lion though. Rory - you know because…lions roar.”

An unattractive snort escapes me and he chuckles softly, his eyes not just looking at me, but seeming to take in my whole face. I wish I had the willpower to stay where I am, but I get a little flustered at our close proximity and get up, grabbing one of the cushions and a throw that’s fallen off the bed as I go.

“You reckon it’s safe to get our bags now?” he asks.

“Maybe, don’t let your guard down completely though. Hey Marco, look at this.”

I’d never even heard of this book until Marco gave it to me so I don’t know what the chances are of finding another copy here of all places but there it is – What we see in the stars – the book Marco gifted me after our visit to Trost museum, sitting on the stone windowsill.

“Oh wow!” Marco says when he sees what I’m holding.

Butterflies start flipping in my stomach. He reaches out and I swear I feel it hum with energy or some shit when he takes it from me. My pulse quickens. He holds it with a soft smile, glancing at the other star themed trinkets on the windowsill.

“Weird. It’s like we were meant to have this room,” he says with an awkward laugh.

Asddfghhjkl!! I was thinking it, but I didn’t think he’d actually fucking say it!

I nervously laugh too, my face turning crimson.

“Haha, yeah. Maybe it’s a good omen for some stargazing tonight.”

Then as if to say, ‘we’ll see about that’ Mother Nature decides to fuck me over – the gentle pitter-patter outside turns into a downpour, hammering against the window.

“Well fuck.”

“Yeah. Looks like we’re staying in tonight.”

_________________________________

After unpacking, nobody is in the mood to brave the rain for the sake of the pub, so we decide to have a night in; everyone’s brought some food for a buffet anyway. I have a quick shower, stick my comfy clothes on and then head downstairs to join everyone.

Eren and Armin are gathered around the woodburning fireplace, constructing a pile of logs and kindling. There’s a spot on the sofa next to Marco with my name on it. I sit next to him with a smile and a sigh, sinking into the plush green velvet.

“Do you guys even know what you’re doing?” Historia asks, looking rather regal sitting in a Chesterfield wingback chair.

“Well, I’m a man so I assume it’s in my DNA somewhere,” Eren smirks, knowing fine well he’s going to wind Historia up with that comment.

“That is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard! Penises are not valid qualifications for fire building!” she protests.

“What about penises?” Reiner grins suddenly appearing in the doorway, earning a very big eyeroll from me.

“Yes!” Eren cries when the tiniest of fires flickers into existence, both arms in the air. “AND JESUS WEPT! FOR MAN HAD CREATED FIRE!” It flickers out the moment he stops speaking. “…Shit.”

Historia is beside herself, hanging over the arm of the chair and cackling at Eren’s disappointed face.

“Well you bloody have a go then!” he snaps.

“I’ve never lit a fire before and I’m not arrogant enough to just assume I can,” Historia snaps back.

“Maybe there’s a book somewhere explaining how to do it,” Armin suggests.

“Min we are NOT reading a book to find out how to do something as basic as light a fire,” Eren says with a huff.

Reiner and Bert opt for the biggest armchair, the shorter pulling the other one into his lap and twining their legs together.

“Thanks again for switching Historia,” Bert smiles.

“No worries. Though I’m sad I won’t get to see one of you trying to fit into that top bunk.”

“You’re too nice Historia. I’d have paid good money to see Bert sleeping in that with his big legs hanging off the end,” Marco smirks.

“Glad we didn’t come begging to you then,” Reiner says, throwing a cushion at Marco.

Once Eren and Armin (though mainly Mikasa) finally get the fire going we help out with food and before long, there are all kinds of tasty things to pick at on the dining table. Although not everything makes it there (Sasha insists on ‘testing’ everything before we lay it out). The homemade stuff looks especially good – some bread from Armin, a chickpea dahl from Historia and a pasta salad courtesy of Marco’s mam.

After everyone’s first plateful, we decide to dig out some board games for the evening’s entertainment. Though it takes us a while to agree on which one to play.

“We’ve got to play Monopoly,” states Armin. “It’s a classic!”

“Yeah, no. I’d rather not stay up until 4am mortgaging all my properties because you’ve somehow fucked me over again,” Eren glares.

“Let’s split into teams and start with something simple,” suggests Sasha. “Ooh! And whichever team wins the most games gets to snuggle Maggie!” she grins, grabbing a tiny highland cow from a nearby shelf and holding it aloft like a scene from the Lion King.

After a game of Boggle descends into ‘which team can make the dirtiest words’, we play an insanely intense game of Jenga, followed by a much less stress-inducing game of Pictionary. Whatever we play though, Marco and I have an absolute ball. Everything seems to make us laugh way more than usual and our desire to team up for everything creates lots of opportunities for playful touch. At one point, when he wins us a wedge in Trivial Pursuit, I squeeze his arm for a ‘well done’ and he boops me on the nose.

Cue me melting into a puddle on the rug.

By the time most of the buffet has gone, each team has one win a piece, so Eren demands a game of strip poker to decide the overall winner.

“Okay hands up who actually knows how to play poker,” Historia asks with an eyeroll in Eren’s direction.

Only Eren and Reiner put their hands up.

“Okay fine, fucking…Strip Go Fish then!” Eren smiles.

It’s such a ridiculous idea that we all agree to give it a go. However, we all quickly catch on to the fact that we’re all targeting Eren. By the time everyone’s had their first turn, he’s lost both socks and his t-shirt.

“Hey Eren, got any threes?” I grin.

“No! Go fucking fish bitch!”

I curse and pick up a card.

“Hey Eren?”

“For fucksake Marco.”

“Got any Jacks?”

“Fucking hell. YES,” he grouses, causing everyone to break into hysterics again as he shimmies out of his jeans and sits huffily in just his underwear. “Right my fucking turn. Sasha, you got any sixes?”

“Ugh. Yes,” Sasha grouses handing them over. “Da-da da daaaah! DA-da da daaaah…” she sings while seductively taking off her sock.

Reiner’s turn.

“Hey Eren?”

“Jesus Christ no.”

“You got any…aces?”

“…Oh you absolute anus face.”

Everyone simultaneously cheers and screeches with laughter, knowing Eren has no choice but to get naked.

“Why are you all so desperate to see me naked!?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Mikasa deadpans. “Serves you right for suggesting it.”

“C’mon Eren! Time to show us the goods!

“Off! Off! Off! Off!”

We all tap a drumroll on our legs as Eren reaches into his underwear to cup his junk with one hand and pulls them down with the other. When they reach the floor, the sound we make is deafening – Thank fuck there are no neighbours to worry about!

He sits down with a shit-eating grin. “Well at least you can’t all pick on me anymore.”

We continue the game until Sasha notices a set of headlights moving past the window – Connie is finally here. She gets up to meet him and returns moments later with a seriously tired looking Connie trailing behind her.

“Hey!” We all say, greeting him almost in unison.

“Hey!...Why the fuck is Eren naked?”

That sets us all off laughing again but we eventually compose ourselves enough to fill Connie in on all the details. Sasha offers to show Connie where he’s staying and we decide to give up on Go Fish, letting Eren put his clothes back on. Armin and Historia offer to make everyone a hot chocolate and we all settle into various cosy spots around the room.

I sneak a peek out the window for the hundredth time that evening. The rain has stopped but it’s still overcast. Not one fucking star in the sky.

Marco must sense my frustration when I sit down next to him with a huff.

"Still cloudy huh?"

"Yeah. Not even a patch of sky on show."

He taps at his phone. "Weather's meant to get better. Maybe we'll get lucky with the sky tomorrow night."

"Yeah I hope so. It would be shit to come out here and not see a single fucking star.” I look up to find Marco smiling at me. “Though I guess, there are other good things about being here.”

His eyes twinkle and there’s a pause - probably just a second but it feels like much longer.

“The hot chocolate?” he smiles cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes the hot chocolate, definitely the hot chocolate.”

“I figured.”

“Yeah.”

“Mmmhmm.”

We jostle each other in the shoulder with a giggle.

“Here you go!” Armin appears with two steaming mugs for us.

They beam at me when I take mine and I can’t help but smile back. It can’t all be in my head if Armin’s noticed too. Things between Marco and I have definitely shifted. Only ever so slightly, but enough to make my heart skip a beat at the possibilities of what it could mean…

Blushing, I take a sip of my drink and smile. Marco does the same before covering his mouth for a big yawn.

God, he looks so cute when his eyes get all scrunched up like that.

“You doing okay there sleeping beauty?”

Another yawn hits him straight after the first making me snort.

“Oof. Yeah sorry. I think this week’s catching up with me. I didn’t sleep too well the night before my interview and I’m still feeling it.”

“Aw. Don’t force yourself to stay up. No-one will mind if you wanna head off to bed.”

“Yeah I know but” - another big yawn cuts him off – “I don’t really want to…I’m having a good time.”

His sleepy eyes find mine and he smiles, so so softly…I can hardly bare to look at him but I’m powerless to stop.

If I kissed him right now, he’d taste of hot chocolate.

He looks down at his drink and takes a nice long sip. After setting his mug down he pulls out his hair tie and cards his fingers through his roots, shaking out his wavy tendrils, and then leans his head back against the sofa with a contented sigh.

It’s not even fair how gorgeous he looked doing that.

I shuffle along and close the tiny gap between our sides. Marco, understanding my intention, lets his head fall to my shoulder. He snuggles his cheek against the fabric of my t-shirt and settles down with a deep exhale.

I’ve just closed my eyes to enjoy the moment when Historia clears her throat, catching everyone’s attention.

“Soooo…anyone else noticed Sasha still hasn’t come back?”

“Oh?...Oh! Yeah, you’re right,” Eren answers.

We all share a moment of squeeing like excited schoolgirls, everyone sharing the hope that Sasha and Connie might finally become official. I feel relieved knowing Mikasa and Historia feel the same way. Sasha must have said something to them about wanting things to go in that direction.

After another half hour or so, the warmth of the hot chocolate starts to make everyone pretty sleepy so we all decide to get ready for bed. Marco grumbles when I nudge him awake from his doze, but his face immediately softens when he remembers where he is.

“C’mon buddy. Bedtime.”

I let Marco brush his teeth and use the bathroom first, and by the time I return he’s flat out asleep.

Doing my best not to disturb him, I climb under the covers and lie on my side facing him. I remember the last time we slept in the same bed and how nervous I felt. I remember how simultaneously over-the-moon and terrified I was. How my heart pounded in my chest.

This time I feel completely at peace. I let a goofy grin take over my face and breathe with Marco, watching his peaceful face with every inhale and exhale. I brush his hair out of his face and marvel at how steady my movements are, how unbothered I am by the prospect of him waking up and catching me. My eyes start to soften as I think about waking up next to him tomorrow and how much I’m looking forward to it…

_________________________________

“Jean…Hey Jean.”

There’s a warm hand on my arm, switching between stroking my skin and gently rocking me.

“Jean wake up,” the soft voice continues…Marco’s voice…and Marco’s fingers brushing my hair off my forehead.

“Hmm?” I scrunch up my eyes and roll over.

“Hey, you awake?”

“Y-yeah,” I manage, blinking my eyes until they adjust.

Marco’s sitting beside me on the bed, looking over me.

“What’s up? Are you okay?”

“Yeah sorry to wake you, it’s just…I just got up to pee and noticed the clouds have gone. You wanna go look at the stars?”

“Oh, erm,” it takes me a moment to process his words, but excitement sparks through me when my brain finally catches up. “Yeah definitely. Just err, gimme a sec to get changed.”

We shuffle about in the dark as we try to find our warmer clothes, the odd whispered giggle filling the silence when we inevitably bump into furniture or each other. Once we’re wrapped up nice and warm, I creak the bedroom door open, and we sneak downstairs as quietly as possible. I chance a look out the kitchen window when we reach the backdoor and see a starry patch of sky between the outline of two trees. My breath hitches in anticipation as I feel around for the torch hanging by the door frame.

“Marco, do me a favour,” I whisper, turning to him.

“Hmm?”

“Don't look up until I say so. Trust me it will be way better.”

“Alright.” I hear rather than see his smile.

“Okay let's go.”

The latch makes a soft click as I open the door and, thankfully, the hinges don’t squeak when I swing it open.

Cold air greets us, carrying that unique scent of rain, soil and pine needles you only ever get on a rainy day in the countryside. We step over the threshold and follow the light of my torch.

“Eep!” There's a loud crunch in the gravel as Marco grabs my shoulder. “I can't see where the dips are!” he giggles in a hushed voice.

“Here you numpty, hold my hand.”

Our palms slot together and I almost have to pinch myself over how warm and comforting and right they feel. I squeeze Marco’s hand as I tug him forward, navigating around the puddles until we reach the narrow road. There are less trees to block the view a few yards further down – the perfect viewing spot.

“We can just walk in a straight line from here so I’m gonna turn the torch off. Remember not to look up yet though.”

“Okay,” he replies giving my hand a quick squeeze.

I pocket the torch and wait a few seconds for our eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once I can make out my feet next to the grassy verge, I start walking.

“Hoo-hoo.”

“Aah!”

An owl flapping and hooting makes us both jump out of our skin and we grab each other, wheezing and giggling like a couple of idiots.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Marco whisper-shouts. “What the hell?”

“C-come on,” I laugh. “It’s not much further.”

This time I lace our fingers together, stroking my thumb over the back of his hand as I pull us further into the darkness. I feel his thumb do the same.

“Okay this should do. You ready?” I ask bouncing a little on the balls of my feet.

“Y-yeah,” he chuckles.

“Okay…look up.”

A sharp intake of breath punctuates the night air as we gasp at the sight before us. A canopy of lights, each unique in their depth and glow, consumes the sky above our heads.

“Oh my g-god.”

“I know.”

I will never get over this view. Never. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it before; the sheer depth of the universe always knocks me for six. All this beautiful light filling the sky, despite having started its journey thousands, or even millions of years ago. It’s as if the starlight has travelled just for us, to create this perfect moment. I squeeze Marco’s hand tightly as I start to recognise some familiar sparkles.

“Look, you see that bright star there?” I ask, leaning into his space and pointing at the sky. “That’s Rigel. It’s the bottom of my favourite constellation Orion. See there, that’s Orion’s belt.”

“Oh yeah! Is that reddish one part of Orion?”

“Yeah that’s Betelgeuse! It’s a collapsing star! Oh and can you see those ones next to it?”

“Mmhmm.”

“That’s the constellation Gemini – that super bright star at the head of it is called Pollux. Oh, and that zigzagging cluster is Cassiopeia. And then if you go further up you can see the big dipper. It’s the one that’s kind of shaped like-”

I stop when I realise Marco’s gaze is no longer following the end of my finger. A million galaxies shine above his head but he’s looking at me. I can see them all reflected in his eyes, just like that time in the planetarium except even more breathtakingly beautiful. His thumb starts stroking my hand again as he takes a step closer.

“Jean…”

“…Yeah?”

His other hand moves to my waist and I forget how to breathe.

He closes the gap between us, so much so that I feel his breath tickle my skin…and then his lips touch mine.

It’s brief, barely even a peck before he draws back a fraction, only a whisper of space between us. He releases a shallow breath. My heart yammers in my chest. A heavy second passes between us, but then, when I squeeze his hand and start stroking his knuckles, he leans forward and finds my lips again.

The grip he has on my waist tightens as he untangles our fingers and holds the back of my head, pulling me closer to him. My own hands snake over his back, holding him just as tightly as I tilt my head and melt against his soft lips.

And then his tongue finds mine and I die on the spot.

Oh my god. I’m kissing him. I’m kissing Marco. I’M KISSING MARCO!

AND. I. CANNOT. GET. ENOUGH.

I feel overwhelmed and utterly insatiable all at once. Like, I know I’m kissing him, but I wish I was kissing him more somehow. I’m kissing him and I wish I was kissing him and I never want to stop kissing him…

…But he stops kissing me.

“Jean, wait I’m sorry I can’t…I don’t know if…I don’t know if I…”

I freeze.

“I mean…I want to kiss you, but…I can’t do this if it’s just a one-time thing okay? I don’t…I don’t want this to be something casual that we joke about at the next band practice like it was nothing. I-I…I like you, okay? I’ve liked you for a long time…longer than I should have…”

Fuck.

This is it. This is the moment. These are the words I’ve been longing to hear but never dared to believe I actually would. Holy fuck! But…the way he said them…

He doesn’t know. How can he not know?

How can he not know how much he means to me? How can he not know how much affection floods my body when I look at him? How I have to remind myself to breathe when he touches me. How my heart scorches me from the inside out every time we’ve ever said goodbye.

“J-Jean?” His voice breaks and my heart breaks with it.

I step forward and reach for his hands on instinct. There’s still a warmth to them, despite the chilly night air.

I’ve rehearsed this fantasy a thousand times in my head, but nothing prepares me for the real thing. I don’t know where to begin, whether it’s even possible to make him understand the depth of my adoration.

He squeezes my fingers ever so slightly, like he’s scared anything more might break me, but his delicate touch is all the courage I need to start speaking.

“Marco…you were never a ‘one-time’ option for me.”

His breath hitches, eyes sparkling as he lifts his head to look at me again.

“I like you too okay? Like, A LOT. I think…I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met and I you’re my favourite person to spend time with, but it’s been getting harder and harder because of how much I want to touch you all the time and kiss you and stroke your hair and-”

I puff out a breath and gather my thoughts. The darkness makes it easier to say what I want to say.

“I don’t want this to be a ‘one-time’ thing either. I want…I want everything with you.”

He steps forward, kisses me again and all the stars above our heads turn supernova.

[pbandjesse]

24 hours now since we have seen Crabcake. I am really torn up about it. I know he will show up eventually but man. Today was not amazing because I had a lot of stress thinking of my missing voy. I'm just so sad about it. I am trying to remain positive but I am still sad.

And how the day started wasn't helpful. I would sleep okay. But when I woke up I was frustrated. James had apparently looked for an hour with no luck. And once I was dressed I would look as well. I got snippy with James and they spoke not very nice to me. Basically the first time they have ever done that. And I know we were both just overwhelmed with stress but it still upsets me. They apologized and we see okay. We just want Crabcake back.

I would have to leave for camp. I left ten minutes later then normal but it was fine. I would struggle on my drive in. I was enjoying a podcast but I was also just so tired.

When I got to camp I would set up for the day and worked on cutting bears. I would end up giving myself a blister on my finger from cutting so many bears out of felt. It was painful, still is hours and hours later.

I would go sit in the office for a little to cool down. It was a really really nice today. The heat has finally calmed down. And we could all breathe. I would chat with Heather about Crabcake and how sad I am. And she really thinks he'll come out soon and everything will be okay. I really hope she's right.

Manny would ask me if two of his boys could hang out with me this morning because they didn't want to go tubing. I said sure. And not long after they would come up to join me.

I was in my hammock. But I would get them set up with paper and coloring material. I would also get them some tasks so they wouldn't be bored. It was very helpful when they would count out the bears we've cut out so far. And I should have enough for the first two days at least. Excellent.

I wish I could say I was able to put everything to the side and be the best teacher. And I think at points I did okay. But I was way quicker to be frustrated then normal. And I was just disappointed in myself for being snippy when kids were just not getting the instructions. Some were better then others at the art. But the ones who just didn't seem to listen to instructions and were wasting all the ink made me really upset.

Some kids impressed me though with their understanding of the materials and techniques. And it was fun! Those parts made me feel more positive.

I would not love lunch but I was starving. We had Mac and cheese and green beans with lots of pepper. But it was a little boring. I would have some egg salad and lettuce too. But pretty quickly I decided I wanted to go lay down in the cabin.

I walked down there and was happy to be in the AC even if it wasn't to hot outside. I really enjoy spying on that bed. And it's nice and dark in there. I would pick out some clothes for tomorrow and Monday. And got a piece of chocolate. I took some old food out of the fridge and bagged it up to take to the trash (morning our building to avoid buggies), and laid down for a half hour.

I think that made my afternoon a lot better. I was feeling kind of ugly and bad today but the rest and the dark made me feel a little bit more like myself. It went perfect but it was something.

The day campers would make me feel a little crazy though. Throwing my toys and breaking things and just upsetting me. Thankfully when Emily came back she would hold them accountable and would impose a 15 minute time out for them on the field. I appreciated the effort.

Second day came was better. Still crazy but more interested in the art. And their councilor and YLP were excellent. I felt very supported.

My tipis kids were here too and finished their service hours and would help with a few things. It was nice to chat with them, always is.

Stockade was my last group and we would have a lot of fun metal casting and I was just really enjoying them trying so hard. Mix success for sure. But it was fun! Jorge was the councilor and he was so sweet to me. And Jeci was goofy in the best way. And Kamal came back to get his piece again even though it kept not working, he was trying and I admired that a lot.

But I was glad to be done in the end. I really wanted to go home. So after collecting my things I drove home. Enjoyed a podcast. Was starving all of a sudden. But was very happy to go home.

I would get stuck in a little traffic but it wasn't bad at all. And I was home by 415.

No sign of Crabcake though. I had really hoped he would just be right there but not yet.

I would do a loop to look for him. Then went to take a shower. And then sit on the couch to have a snack and wait for my James to come home.

When they did I was very happy to see them. They would clean up and we decided to go to the diner and get sandwiches.

This was a good call. I was very happy walking around with them. The drive out was just fine. And we were very very excited to sit in the side of the restaurant we have never been sat in before! I was so excited I almost told the waitress how excited I was. It was very silly.

And we had some absolutely huge laughs. We were just being so silly and I was having so much fun. The food was good but the company was better.

We decided to make a stop at target before we went home. I needed a new toothbrush and wanted frozen cream cheese wantons. We would get a couple other small things. But we were just having fun walking around and looking and talking and I was feeling a lot nicer inside.

We would head home after that. And that is where we are now. I have been hanging out on the couch. The AC is working really well and I'm thrilled about that. But I am also really tired. Physically. Emotionally. It was a long day. I am still full of worry. But I just have to have faith that it will all work out.

I hope that the last day of the week goes well. I hope my groups are nice and I can just having a nice time. I hope you all have a great night. Take care of eachother. Good night. Until next time

[lokiforever]

New teachers at school!!!!

Chapter 7

A/N : Matthew is a new comer in as Y/N's class

Matthew : Would you mind a dance?

Y/N : Uhhhhhh....

(You could sense the flirty vibes from him plus you barely knew him though you can easily defend yourself but still)

Matthew : Please just one dance!

Y/N : Maybe some other day.......

Matthew : Ok.... What about a drink?

Y/N : Fine.

( free drinks - that's why)

While the waiter was bringing your drinks you saw a familiar pair of eyes- Tom. He was looked at you and smiled and you returned the gesture .

Tom's POV

(Today, as he had no other work to complete he decided to go to the club.)

I was sitting on the couch in the club when I saw Y/N. I have to admit that I liked her since the beginning cuz she was a bright student but since she's been my teaching assistant, the things were quite different. I started liking her but more than as a student. And at the annual feast, Lord! She was looking absolutely breathtaking and the dance, it was just amazing.

She'll probably hate me if she knew how much I like her and not as a student but much more than that . Although I have seen the spark in her eyes whenever we talk or meet and the way her cheeks go crimson whenever I compliment her......

When I saw her today, my jaw dropped, she was looking exquisite . But wait a minute. She is with a guy. Matthew Cameron. Jealousy rose inside me which I know wasn't fair as she's just my student and I have no right of stopping her from meeting anyone.

Our eyes met and I smiled and so did she.

By the look in her eyes I could tell that she wasn't really enjoying it being with Matthew. He on the other hand had a 'please be my girlfriend' look in his eyes. One of the reasons why I like her, she had a 'not gonna happen' one in hers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waiter : Here's your drink!

Matthew : Thanks.

When you both finished your drinks you stood up.

He kept his hands on your cheeks and leaned in. You pushed him away but he did it again. By the time you could, from the corner of your eyes, see Tom standing up and coming towards your direction. He was fuming. That was when you kicked Matthew in the stomach, grabbed his collar, smacked him on the bar counter, took out your dagger and kept it on his throat.

Y/N : Do. Not. Even. Try.

Matthew :W-what is wrong with you?

Y/N : What has gotten into me, you say?! It's you who is a creep!

You felt a pair of hands on your shoulders. Tom.

Tom : It's enough for today, dear! Just look at the poor thing!

He gently whispered in your ear.

Y/N *to Matthew * : If you dare do anything like that again you'll face brutal consequences.

You let go of his collar and he stands up.

Matthew : P-Professor Hiddleston?!

Tom : Mr Cameron, in my office! Tomorrow. After class.

Matthew : O-okay, p-professor..

Y/N : Matthew, don't you think you're missing something?

Matthew : I-I'm s-sorry....

He said looking down.

Y/N : That's better!!

He immediately ran out of the club.

You let out a long exhale.

Tom : Oh Lord! You got some serious skills, Y/N!

He says chuckling.

Y/N :Thanks! You see, it's important when your classmates are jerks!

You laugh.

Tom : By the way, you are looking ravishing as always, darling!

God, this man!!!! He's probably the only one who can make you blush so easily and the word 'darling' from his tongue is like............soooooooo much more than brilliant!

Y/N *blushing* : Thanks!

Tom : You never told me that you know how to use daggers too.

Y/N : I'm not very good at it....

Tom : Then, my dear, I can teach you!

Y/N : Wait a minute.........you know how to use daggers?

Tom : Mmhmm!

Y/N : Is there something good which you can't do?!

You say jokingly. He laughs.

Y/N :Were you serious when you said that you'll teach me?

Tom : Absolutely!

Y/N : Really?!!!! When do we start?!

Tom : From Monday i.e tomorrow. After school at my place, if you are okay with it.

Y/N : Great! And yes I'm completely fine with it.

Tom : Now, I hope you saved me a dance!

Y/N : Obviously!

Then you guys dance and you could easily feel the difference between the one with Matthew and this one. With Tom it was relaxing, safe and comfortable.

Y/N : Well, I just realized that your dance is a trillion times better than Matthew's.

You both were still dancing when you whispered in his ear, chuckling.

Tom : Ehehehe! I'm honored!

You guys dance for a while and then stopped.

Y/N : I must get going! We have class tomorrow!

Tom : Right! Do you want me to drop you?

Y/N : It's fine I can drive myself home. Thanks though!

Tom : You're welcome!

You guys got out of the club and went to your cars

Tom : Bye Bye, darling!

He said placing a formal kiss at the back of your hand. You blushed.

Y/N : Bye Bye, Tom!

*At your apartment*

Knock Knock

Your best friend opens the door and smiles widely as she sees you.

Y/B/F/N : Heyyyy!

Y/N : Hiii!!!!

Y/B/F/N : Did you meet someone in the club?!

Y/N : I might have...

Y/B/F/N : Come in, quickly and tell me everything!

You chuckled and went inside.

Y/N : Uhhh..... So when I entered the club, I met a guy named Matthew and he asked me for a dance and I disagreed...

Y/B/F/N : Really?! Did anything happen?!

Y/N : Not really..... After the dance rejection he insisted on buying me a drink and between that I saw....

Y/B/F/N : Professor Hiddleston?!

Y/N : Exactly! And after that he tried to kiss me and I pushed him away -

Y/B/F/N : Professor Hiddleston tried to kiss you and you pushed him away?!!!

Y/N : Oh, no, not at all! Professor Hiddleston didn't try to kiss me! Matthew did!

Y/B/F/N : Oh.......okay..

Y/N : Matthew was stubborn enough to try again.

Y/B/F/N : Tut - tut. Poor guy, I can imagine what you did.

Y/N : hehehe, yes I know you can! Then I did you know what. It was when I felt Tom's hands on my shoulders.........

You told her the rest of the story.

Y/B/F/N : Okay............so, from tomorrow you'll be taking defense classes from professor Hiddleston!

Y/N : Not defense classes, exactly.. but,yeah sort of.

Y/B/F/N : That's great!

Y/N : Now it's your turn! Tell all about the movie!

You guys talked for about half an hour and then went to sleep.

*In the morning *

~~~Buzz ~~~

You groaned as your alarm buzzed . "I hate waking up early !" you sleepily mumbled to yourself.

After a few minutes you woke up, took a bath and brushed your teeth.

Y/N : Wake up, y/b/f/n or else you'll get us late!!

Y/B/F/N : Argh! Fine, I'm up!

You wore a simple black denim skirt with a baggy white sweater, tights and black boots. And as it was a bit chilly outside you took your black overcoat.

Y/N : Let's go!

Y/B/F/N : Just give me a few minutes!

Y/N : Sure, but please be quick, our first class is Maths and I have a reputation to maintain in front of professor Downey!

You chuckle.

Y/B/F/N : Sure, why not?

She laughed and so did you.

*In the school*

You and your best friend got out of your car and rushed towards the corridor.

That was when you bumped into a strong chest. By the cologne itself you could tell it was Tom. Your cheeks went crimson immediately.

Y/N : Morning', professor Hiddleston! I'm so sorry.....

Y/B/F/N : Morning', professor!

Tom : Good morning and it's totally fine, miss Y/L/N. But if I may ask, why are you going that side? The hall is on the opposite side.

You looked at him confused and then to your friend.

Y/N : The hall?! But we are going towards the class.

Tom : The headmaster asked all the students and teachers to gather in the hall.

( Your former headmistress was ill so you had a new headmaster, Mr. Nick Fury)

Y/N : Oh..... I didn't know! Sorry.

Tom : There's no need to say sorry! Now, let's go we are getting late!

You all entered the hall and saw professor Jungkook which made your best friend smile. You both nodded towards him and joined the rest of the students.

Headmaster : Good morning, students! I requested your presence here today to make an important announcement. Professor Downey will be on a leave for a few months and hence, Mrs. Tessa Grace will now be teaching you mathematics, temporarily.

You get a bit emotional when you listen that one of your favorite professors will not be teaching you for a few months. Professor Downey was always nice to you and was proud of you as you were one of the brightest students in his class. You respected him very much and he was always there when you needed a word of advice.

Professor Fury :Please go back to your respective classrooms and you all can wish professor Downey your goodbyes afterwards as he will be here for today.

Y/B/F/N : Y/N?

Y/N : Hmm....

Y/B/F/N : It's okay it's only a matter of few months don't be sad.

Y/N : Yeah, but....

Mostly all of the students were already gone except a few who were saying goodbye to professor Downey and those too were outside the hall so you two were practically the only ones inside.

Tom : Students, please go back to your- Miss Y/L/N?! Miss Carter?

Y/B/F/N : Oh, sorry professor we were just going.

Tom: It's okay but first tell me what happened?!

Y/N : *sniffles* Nothing.....I'm fine.

Tom : There's definitely something.

Y/N : Not really.....

Tom : We will talk about it in my office after your class.

You just nod and go to your classroom. You enter the classroom quietly when you notice that the teacher is already there.

Professor Grace : Thank you, for finally deciding to join us in the classroom.

She says, more like a sarcasm.

Y/N and Y/B/F/N: Sorry, professor.

Professor Grace : What are your names?!

Each of you told her your names.

Professor Grace : Go sit!

You go to your seats and sit beside each other.

The class was moving oh, so slowly. It felt like hours and still half of the class was left.

Y/B/F/N : As far as I could recall, professor Fury said professor Downey would be here for today....

Y/N : He did, but not for teaching for telling this stupid *points towards Tessa Grace* the work and schedule.

Y/B/F/N : Hmm...

After a few more torturing minutes.

Y/N : Umm, excuse me Mrs Grace!

She simply turned toward your direction and hummed in an arrogant way.

Y/N : The answer to that question isn't 25 is should be 32.

Mrs Grace : Oh, really?! Then why don't you come and solve it if you're so smart?

Y/N : Ok.

You go towards the board and solve the question.

Y/N : Done!

She checks the sum from the solution that lazy woman had taken out from Google.

Mrs. Grace : It is.......correct. Nice. Now, go back to your seat.

She says like somebody has kept a knife on her throat to force that out from her.

*After the class *

Y/N : Ok.......so our new maths teacher is a witch with a b.

Y/B/F/N : She is.

It was time for english class which means professor Hiddleston. You both head towards the English classroom.

Class starts.

Tom : Good morning, class! Today will be studying one of Shakespeare's most known play Romeo and Juliet. So, I have decided that I will call a few of you here for a few main roles and all you have to do is narrate the lines of the characters. But I will call those who know about Shakespeare only. I will be reciting Romeo's lines.

All the students agree and a few girls wish that he chooses them for the lines of Juliet.

Tom : Mr. Will you will be doing the lines of Juliet's father and Miss Y/L/N, you the role of Juliet....

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

💚Nyte!!💚

[aajjks]

mommy issues!JK

uh oh…

“you might’ve fucked things up with her, man. why were you even with nara in the first place? thought you and y/n fooled her at the party” says eunwoo and that’s when jungkook tells him everything.

“wait wait…so she threatened you with y/n? that’s low. ugh, fuck that bitch” curses eunwoo as he tries to think of ways for his best friend to win you back but he can’t come up with anything. with nara’s threat front and center and your momentary distaste for jungkook, he’s not sure getting back in your good graces in optional anymore.

“maybe…maybe you should just move on. you deserve to be with a woman who isn’t on confused on what she wants anyways. i know you want her but maybe there’s more” eunwoo says with hopes that his best friend will reconsider having you as his lover but he can see it in his eyes; you’re all he wants.

despite your stubbornness and uncertainty, he still has hope that you’ll be his one day. it may not be tomorrow, the day after, or next week. but he’s certain that you’re his and no one else’s.

the problem isn’t you. the problem is nara and your ‘friend’ chaeyoung. if he could just get rid of them then maybe…

“how about you leave her alone this week. don’t talk, text, nothing. since tomorrow is the aquarium field trip, you guys could talk there. maybe pull her to the side in a nice little spot and explain everything to her in a LESS harsher tone and be understanding of her feelings too. trust me, i guarantee you’ll get a kiss that day if you play your cards right”

like a big brother does to his younger brother, eunwoo ruffles jungkook’s hair and says “don’t cry, okay? everything will be fine. things will work out between you two. you just have to give it time, be patient, and not chase her so much. let her do the chasing too. you’ve got to remember that you’re the prize too and if she really likes you, then let her chase you”

~🫧

Jungkook is so determined the next day to actually make things right with you. And since today is Monday, his routine is back to being tough and rough.

But as soon as he gets Seol ready for school? Jungkook instructs his five year old to not cling to you so much- or overwhelm you with demanding your attention-he makes him understand that you are his teacher and you have yet to become his mommy so he needs to learn how to share you with others

“and baby don’t get lost and don’t run away-stay with your teachers the whole time daddy can’t lose you.. too. But don’t worry daddy will be there protecting you.”

As he gets his son into his car, he gets a text from Nara.

stupid spoiled bitch 👊 [DO NOT ANSWER]

where the fuck are you? You’re supposed to be here right now?!

He rolls his eyes at her demanding personality, but then he also forgot to inform her that he’s not coming to work today-he’s gonna be at the aquarium because the parents are allowed.

But the thing is that he completed all of the files and scheduled all of the meetings and met with the people so everything should be fine if he’s absent for one day and maybe eunwoo or Alina, one of them will be coming today to the aquarium so he’s a little calm.

And he is really excited to see you even though your confrontation was really rough, but when he talked to his best friend about it, he gave him really good advice.

Jungkook himself is not less than a prize-it’s about time that you do the chasing and he gets to explain everything to you and he will stop overwhelming you too.

He just has to make you like him enough to conquer some issues together. So before he begins to drive, he replies to Nara.

Can’t. I have to go on a school trip with my son. Do not disturb me when I’m with my son.

And jungkook drives off.

______

Jungkook is so nervous right now as he enters the school bus with Seol- there you sit on the bus with Chaeyoung.

Jungkook greets you formally before giving you the slip once again as formality. it’s been a while since he got to sit on a school bus. He wishes that you would be beside him, but that’s gonna be a wish for now.

“Come on buddy- let’s sit next to Areum’s seat row.”

There are a lot of parents here damn.

His attire.

[lady-assnali]

Candle (Rosenali)

Here’s a “six sentence Sunday” even though it’s not six sentences. Thanks for supporting my decision to write stupid shit @sexynetra you’re the real MVP (also I keep forgetting to text you when I post things so I’m keeping myself out of trouble)

So here’s a silly little thing for you all. Happy Sunday, stay hydrated

—

Rosie,

            I just found this brand and it’s amazing, you need to light it as soon as you get it! Can’t wait to hear what you think ;)

-D         

            The package comes as a surprise to Rosé after a very long day at school. The box holds a little candle with a simple, pastel blue label. She pops it open and is delighted by a blue wax heart melted into the top of it. And the smell? Even without lighting it she’s happy to have it. It smells like a sunset, like golden hues and the comfort of a home. Somehow, it’s exactly what she needed. There’s something about Denali knowing these things before she does that makes her cheeks flush, and she pulls out her phone to distract herself.

            Just got your package, she types hurriedly. Lighting it right now. Just what I needed, thank you baby <3

The spring musical is fast approaching and while her cast is catching on quickly to the choreography, they’re not yet at par with the kids of years’ past. She’s been waiting for a long time to direct The Sound of Music, and while she’s excited to see the end result it feels like she’s having to go through a trial-and-error process of teaching in order to get some of the kids in line. She’d lost a lot of talent with graduation; there’s hope, sure, but there’s also a lot of hands-on work that needs to be done in order to shape this cast into her standard of work. Fun, chill teacher Rosé gets put on the back burner a bit during musical season. This is director Rosé’s time to shine.

            Which brings her to working on things for choir and theory at home. Her planning periods have turned into musical planning; working through what the set will look like, taking phone calls to ensure the children she’d casted to fit into the younger Von Trapp roles will be okay with their slots of rehearsal time…she’s getting everything done, just in intervals of ten-to-thirteen-hour days instead of just eight.

            Tonight is no different.

            She stretches out on the couch just as the end credits of her current tv binge scroll along the screen. She’s not sure how long she drifted off for, only that the gorgeous, spiced vanilla scent has permeated the entire room, engulfing it in warmth and familiarity. Carding her fingers through her unruly curls, she sighs as she rises from the couch. The weight of the days has hit hard, and although she has a few ungraded papers on the coffee table and a plate left out from her lazy dinner of random leftovers, all Rosé wants to do is turn off the day. Tomorrow will be a new chance to get her cast in line, and maybe she can spend her planning period finding a reason not to cancel the entire show. 

            This time of night is particularly cathartic; she walks a lap around the apartment, shutting shades and folding blankets, leaving dishes in the sink for tomorrow (because honestly? It’s only a few weeks until tech week. She hears the Goatherd song in her head all day long. Saving the dishes for tomorrow is the only way to save her mental sanity). She bends over to blow out her new candle and suddenly, she’s very awake. The little blue heart has melted away, revealing a set of carefully placed friendship bracelet beads. She blinks, thinking that the message is an illusion caused by her lack of sleep. The letters don’t budge. And so, there’s a bunch of tiny glass beads around the wick asking ‘sit on my face.’

 She feels the curve of a smirk at her cheeks and she’s shaking her head, pulling out her phone to take a photo.

            Really? She texts Denali, hoping that her silly eye roll will translate through her typing. I thought that was your job.

Denali 10:30 pm

            What if I wanted to try something new?

            Rosé’s in the middle of a witty response when Denali’s text bubble pops up again.

Denali 10:31 pm

            Also, they didn’t have one that said ‘I want to sit on your face.’ I’m pretty sure that’s too many letters for one candle.

Rosé 10:31 pm

And no manners.

Denali 10:33 pm

            So specific.

            Pain in my ass.

            Okay, so even though it’s way too many letters I guess it should have said ‘please sit on my face.’

Rosé 10:34 pm

            That’s what I thought. 

            You can come over if you want.

            I want you to.

Rosé 10:36 pm

            This candle smells like you. 

            She hits send before she can chicken out, tossing her phone face down on the couch. This is totally normal behavior for friends, right? Friends with benefits? But she’d never put Denali in that category; lately, the benefits have been movie nights and wine tastings and sleepovers that last multiple days. They’ve been sharing clothes, she’s been helping with Donut…she’s not sure how it happened, but she’s not able to stop herself from any of it. She can’t even bring herself to say no to the blonde even if she’d just been about to go to bed. Everyone’s teasing is absolutely right; she’s completely undeniably whipped.

Denali 10:37 pm

            That’s the point, Rosita ;)  

            I’m glad you like it.

            I’m on my way.

[dreaming-in-daylight]

watch a half functioning braincelll read the first 5 chapters of red queen

1st chapter 

ooh she’s a thief~ i already like this mare

okay, she’s 17 nice, nice

aww now i want 3 piercings on the same ear

wHo iS tHiS mAn? hE….. iS …… Kilorn Warren

you dumb fool.

hEr DAD IS MISSING A LEG AND A LUNG?!

noo poor kil don’t starve

ok ok so there are strong arms, telkies, swifties—- i mean swifts, nymphs, greenys (blueys) and stone-skins

oOh this guy likes violence 

Samson, can i call you sam? WAIT ACTUALLY NO SAM IS THE NAME OF A TEACHER THAT HATES ME

SAMSON’S A WHISPER THATS SOCOOL

2nd chapter

wait didn’t her mom leave the fam *flicks back a few pages* “Kilorn’s mother ran off after that” OHH OKAY 

okay her sister has red hair like fire

I dunno if i should trust this sister

the mom’s worse at cooking than me

WHAT KIND OF SISTER FORGETS HER BOTHER’S LETTER

ahh okay so the dad’s an anteater when it comes to shade’s letters, makes sense

I like this shade we should be friends

“her chair scrapes as she stands up” ouch just reading it hurt my ears

“i hope you like black eyes because i have no problem giving you one for this” i was scared kil would punch mare here

oh no kil don’t cry

DONT GO KIL PLEASE DONT GO TO WAR

que go to war by nothing more

3rd chapter

“his voice cracks, though he coughs to try and cover it up” nooo bby

“the heat in my cheeks surges faster than any flame” oooh someone has a cruushhh

whenever you need to be transported somewhere, just look for the black market

obviously the grandpa is gonna have access to the black market

LadyFarleyis hot 

here you go lady farley: 

( i added a thousand crown emojis but APPARENTLY theres a limit)

now that that’s done, i have a pickup line: why tf would you need a thousand crowns for? you’re ALREADY a queen

and plus people would be sus about how you would have that many crowns

“oh yeah i was human trafficking and the price was a thousand crowns”

*chokes on literal air* THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW?!?!

Lady, I think you need to sit down

oh no how’s she gonna tell kil 

4th chapter

okay first can i say that i had a dream that mare was a telkie or a whisper … if that’s how you spell it

do all silvers have rdf’s?

how much you guys wanna bet she’ll leave gee here and get arrested

FARLEY AND GRANDPA WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO

okay but that was very baddie of Farley

why would you drown the innocent red? If he was part of the scarlet guard, he would be terrorizing with his cult, wouldn’t he? That’s like killing every German because of Hitler

Mare didn’t even get a single thing

so there are also cloners. They. Are. Scary.

please don’t beat up gee and mare, please don’t beat up gee and mare

WHAT THE HECK DID YOU JUST DO TO GEE

THAT OFFICER IS GETTING BEAT UP

WHAT DO YOU MEAN “ITS THE LAW” SHE DIDN’T ACTUALLY STEAL ANYTHING. EVEN IF SHE DID YOU COULD JUST TAKE IT FROM HER AND SEND HER TO JAIL NOT BEAT UP HER HANDS

I WILL FIND THE OFFICER AND BEAT HIM UP

5th chapter

I wonder where she’s planning to go 

“I do it every summer, but Kilorn is always with me, smiling into a drink as he watches me work. I don’t suppose I’ll see his smile for much longer.” NOOO PLEASE SHUT UP DONT MAKE ME MISS HIM ALREADY

“I guess causing pain is all I’m good for” NO SHUT UP YOU WERE ONLY TRYING TO GET A THOUSAND CROWNS TO KEEP KILORN WITH YOU IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT

also stop sulking and do something about it 

uh oh she got caught

the guy who caught her is going to be important. Not once has she described anyone with such detail.

“He is the strangest person I’ve ever met” could it be that guy “Cal” I’ve heard about? If I’m right, you all owe me a chicken nugget

“His smile returns, and the comfort it gives me is unsettling” HAH NOW I KNOW ITS CAL

“I’m Cal” WHAT DID I SAY YOU ALL OWE ME A CHICKEN NUGGET

Was Cal at the Hall too?

I like Cal

So, what, does Cal pay her every time he pities her?

“Something about the mud and shadows makes Cal uncomfortable” Is that going to be important?

“You shouldn’t worry your mother like that” IS HER DAD NOT EVEN GOING TO CONSIDER THE GUILT SHE FEELS?!

Why is the dad worried about the light shortage in the house aND NOT HIS DAUGHTER’S BROKEN HANDS

Does her turning the light on magically have something to do with her powers that are mentioned in the back?

Her dad is now has a profession in lecturing mare about false hope

How can Gee sleep? If that were me i’d be shaking and whimpering and crying until sunrise

OH MY GOD SHADE’S PART OF THE SCARLET GUARD