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andvys · 1 year ago

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I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss | part 6

Warnings: angst, mentions of heartbreak, alcohol consumption

Pairings: Steve Harrington x fem!reader , Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler

Summary: Steve finally gets the answer to a question that has been haunting him for days.

Word count: 6k+

A/N: @belokhvostikova remember the ask you sent me about the idea with the denim jacket? I had to include it in this chapter, so thank you hehe <;3

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Steve’s phone kept ringing all day, since the early morning hours. He doesn’t know if it was her or his mom, he didn’t bother to get up and check. At some point, the doorbell rang twice, he didn’t get up to open it either. He wanted to be left alone. He didn’t want to see anyone except for you. The thought of you just made him cry harder and made him feel more pathetic about himself – he kept reminding himself that it was him who fucked it all up.

He never felt such self hatred for himself the way he does now. All day, he laid in bed thinking about you and all the things that happened that led him here, getting drunk at a bar he used to hate, wallowing in self pity while he knocks back one drink after the other after throwing his fake ID on the counter.

How will he keep going?

Steve downs his fourth drink of the night and slides the empty glass over to the bartender, asking for another one.

The man gives him a look of concern, eying Steve for a moment.

“Just.. please,” Steve mumbles.

The bartender sighs, shaking his head, he mumbles something under his breath but still, he picks up the bottle and pours the whiskey into the glass, “you’re getting water after this one, son.”

“I have water at home,” Steve says. He reaches for the glass and slides it back towards himself. He leans his elbow on the counter and looks around the mostly empty room. Some rock song is playing in the background, one he doesn’t recognize. There’s a heavy cloud of smoke in the corner of the room where two men are sitting, laughing at some jokes that probably aren’t funny as they smoke their cigarettes and drink their beer.

The door opens and in walks the guy that is probably one of the most irritating people at Hawkins High – to him, at least. Steve bites back a groan when their eyes lock. He turns back around, avoiding eye contact. From the corner of his eye, he sees him walking towards the bar.

“Hey Tony.”

Steve lifts his head a little to see the Bartender smiling.

“Hey Ed, how’s it going?”

Eddie drums his fingers against the wooden counter, he looks around the room, “good, uh, have you seen my notebook? I’ve been looking for it everywhere but I can’t find it – I even cleaned out my van, can you believe it?”

Tony chuckles, “was about time you cleaned out that thing, boy.��

Eddie rolls his eyes, snorting, “yeah, well I’m busy.”

“With what?”

Eddie pretends to think as he raises his brows and looks up at the ceiling, “well, working my ass off so I don’t have to repeat senior year again, I recently found a good tutor,” Eddie smirks, “got myself a muse to help me write the song texts,” Eddie wiggles his brows, making the older man laugh, “working on a new campaign. Oh and of course, how could I forget, comforting the broken hearted – you know, just the usual,” he shrugs as his eyes flicker over to Steve for a moment.

“What a busy man you are, Eddie,” Tony chuckles, shaking his head. He throws the towel on the counter, “I’ll take a look in the back.”

“Thanks man,” Eddie smiles, watching him disappear in the hallways. He turns his head to look at Steve.

“What is King Steve doing at the Hideout?”

Steve turns to face him and Eddie raises his brows in surprise, “damn, you look like shit, man.” Eddie says. Taking in the puffy eyes and the dark circles beneath them, he almost feels bad for him. His hair looks messy, not as perfectly done the way it always is.

“Get lost, freak.”

“Always the douchebag,” Eddie mumbles, rolling his eyes.

Steve turns away, he raises the glass to his lips and takes a sip, swallowing the bitterness.

“Are you pre drinking for the dance tomorrow or are you just drowning your sorrows in alcohol because you finally realized what a piece of shit you are?” Eddie asks. Not being able to hold back.

Steve frowns, he turns to face him. There is something in Eddie’s eyes that Steve can’t read.

“What the hell is your problem?” He asks. Not understanding the anger that is directed at him. They never liked each other but they never attacked each other either. Steve avoided him, he never had the jock’s back when they bullied him but he never really did anything about it either.

Eddie looks at him for a moment. He opens his mouth to speak but decides against it. He sighs and looks away but Steve keeps staring at him. A weird feeling takes over him when he looks down at the jacket Eddie is wearing. His heart stops and his face pales.

It’s that jacket. The one that has been in your room all week. It’s just a normal dark denim jacket, it could just be a similar one, he tells himself. But the Metallica pin on the sleeve is the exact same one that he had seen on the jacket in your room.

Eddie smells like cigarettes and weed, the cologne that he can smell even from a distance is the same one that he had smelled on you. Realization floods through him in a cold wave.

Eddie Munson is the stoner Billy had talked about?

Eddie Munson is the guy you have been seeing?

How did you even meet him?

You never even talked to him when you were still with him.

“You got lucky, Ed,” Tony says, holding up Eddie’s notebook, “you gotta take better care of your things.”

Eddie chuckles, feeling relief. He takes the notebook and sighs, “I know, I know,” he mumbles and steps back, “I’ll see you on Tuesday, Tony.”

“Tell your old man to come by too.”

“Yes sir,” Eddie salutes, grinning at the older man, he takes another look at Steve, who stares into blank space as he holds the half empty glass in his hand. Sighing, he turns around and leaves.

Steve snaps out of his thoughts, he reaches for the wallet in his back pocket and picks out a fifty dollar bill. He throws it on the counter and puts his wallet back into place, he grabs his jacket and makes his way out of the bar, following Eddie.

“Hey! This is too much, kid!”

“Keep the change,” Steve mumbles before he stumbles out into the cold. He clumsily puts on his jacket. The cold air hits him harshly and he suddenly feels much tipsier than he did while he was in there.

Eddie stands by his van, the notebook is tucked under his arm, his hand is cupped over the cigarette that is between his lips as he lights it up.

“Hey!” Steve calls out to him. He stumbles through the snow. He blinks, trying to get rid of the blurriness in his eyes.

Eddie turns around to face him, a curious look residing on his face. He blows the smoke into the other direction and leans against his van.

“What do you want, Harrington?”

Steve stops in front of him. The wind feels harsh on his skin, not even the thick jacket does anything to shield him from the cold. How Eddie is able to walk around with a denim jacket and not freeze to death makes him wonder.

“W-Where did you get that jacket?” He asks. Not knowing what else to ask now that he stands in front of him.

Eddie stares at him with a serious look on his face, eyeing him up and down. “Why?” He asks. “You wanna buy it?”

Steve furrows his brows, he shakes his head, “no?”

“Why do you wanna know?”

Steve’s mind is a little hazy, he feels more drunk than tipsy, right now.

“You’re the stoner.”

Eddie raises his brows, his dark eyes flash with amusement and confusion, “the stoner?” He chuckles and takes another drag from his cigarette. “They usually call me a drug dealer but sure, I’m also a stoner – sometimes.”

Steve shakes his head. “A-Are you with y/n?”

Eddie tilts his head. “With y/n?”

“Are you hooking up with her?” Steve asks, angrily.

A knowing look takes over Eddie’s expression. He pulls back and sighs in annoyance.

“Not that it’s any of your business but no, I don’t take advantage of vulnerable girls. And not everything is about sex,” he glares at him. He feels irritated by Steve and by the way he looks so confused about this revelation.

“Then what is it about?” He slurs. Throwing his hands up.

“Jesus, you’re a real douchebag. Is that all you think about? Sex?” He asks. “Can’t two people that like each other just be friends?”

The look on his face tells him no. For some reason, Steve can’t comprehend that thought. How can Eddie be your friend and not want you? He always wanted you. Ever since you were little kids. He always loved you. He always wanted you to be his – until he didn’t.

Eddie shakes his head and rolls his eyes, he throws the cigarette into the snow and walks away. The sound of Steve’s keys jingling makes him halt in his tracks though. He closes his eyes, annoyance rushes through him. He doesn’t like Steve, he never did and after what he did to you, he started liking him even less but you are his friend and you still care about him. He takes a deep breath and turns around.

“Put those keys away, dude.”

“Huh?” Steve mumbles. Looking up in confusion.

“You’re not driving home like that,” he says. Pointing to his drunken state, he watches Steve trip over a small pile of snow. Maybe if things were different, he would’ve laughed at him. “Get in the van, I’ll drive you home.”

Steve looks at his car, knowing he is in no state to drive himself but he refuses to get into a car with Eddie Munson.

“I’ll walk.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, “don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you let the freak drive you home.”

It’s not about that, it’s about you.

Steve looks at Eddie, who stares at him in annoyance.

“Get in the car, dude. She’d kick my ass if she knew that I let you drive home like this.”

Steve looks down for a moment. He takes a few deep breaths and nods. He puts the keys back in his pocket and opens the door, careful not to slip on the icy ground, he looks down and gets into the van.

Eddie jumps into the driver's seat and closes the door. He throws the notebook on the windshield and puts the key into the ignition, startling Steve with the loud music when he starts the car. He scrunches his face up and turns down the volume, “shit, my bad.”

Steve’s heart is pumping in his chest, sighing, he opts to look out the window after putting the seatbelt on.

“Your music sucks.”

“The audacity you have, Harrington,” Eddie scoffs. “Here I am being nice, inviting you into my van and you dare to insult the best music that there is!” He says dramatically.

Eddie hits the buttons, turning on the radio instead, Heroes by David Bowie starts playing, “here, just for you, King Steve.” He snorts. Not knowing that this will turn out to be a bad idea. Steve tenses up when he hears the song but Eddie doesn’t notice, he is too focused on the street as he backs out of the parking spot.

The song takes him back to last year, back to you.

“If you had to give us – our relationship a song, which one would it be?” You asked him as you sat on his lap.

“A Song?" He asked, chuckling.

You nodded with a smile on your face as you looked through your new polaroid pictures that you have taken with him in the snow. He leaned his chin on your shoulder and tightened his grip on your waist.

“Uh– probably, Heroes.”

“By David Bowie?”

“Yeah.”

You nodded, humming. For a moment, it was silent between the two of you, you placed the polaroids back on the table and turned to face him.

“Isn’t it sad though?”

Steve shrugged, not thinking as deeply as you did.

“He sings,” you cleared your throat and looked at him shyly. “And you, you can be mean,

and I, I'll drink all the time. 'Cause we're lovers, and that is a fact. Yes we're lovers, and that is that. Though nothing will keep us together. We could steal time just for one day. We can be heroes for ever and ever. What d'you say?”

Steve was smiling at you, his heart was fluttering in his chest and you, you were blushing by the time you were done singing.

He poked your waist and leaned in to kiss your cheek, giving you one of his rare soft moments. “Exactly, he sings ‘we’re lovers’.”

“You are not listening to the rest of the song, Steve!”

“Then keep going.”

“No,” you giggled.

“Please,” he whispered, pouting. “I love your voice.”

You rolled your eyes, playfully. You kissed his cheek and began to sing again, clearly loving the sweet moment between the two of you when he watched you with soft eyes. He cleared his throat and picked you up, laughing at the squeal that fell from your lips, he leaned in to steal a kiss before he placed your feet on the ground. He grabbed your hairbrush from your desk and held it up to his lips.

“I, I will be king and you, you will be queen.” He sang.

You giggled and walked backwards as he began to walk you towards your bed.

“Though nothing will drive them away. We can be Heroes, just for one day.” He furrowed his brows as he tried to remember the rest of the lyrics. He wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you back against him, “and we kissed, as though nothing could fall.”

“You forgot the rest of the lyrics–” he cut you off with his lips on yours, kissing you passionately. He pulled your body so close against his, he could feel your heartbeat.

Now he feels his heart breaking in his chest.

Maybe it’s the ache in his chest, maybe it’s the alcohol in his system or maybe it’s just a combination of both that makes him break down in Eddie Munson’s van. Startling the man who was bobbing his head to the music until he heard Steve’s quiet sob. Stopping at the red light, he furrows his brows and looks over at Steve.

“Uh– you good?” He asks. He feels a little stupid to ask him that, clearly, Steve is feeling anything but good. He taps his fingers against the steering wheel and presses his lips together. How does he comfort a man that he doesn’t even like?

Steve cries softly, the shame isn’t there yet, right now, he doesn’t care that he is crying in front of Eddie who could tell everyone that King Steve broke down in his car while listening to David Bowie.

“Need a tissue?” Eddie asks even though he knows he doesn’t have any in his van.

Steve just shakes his head, clearly wanting to be left alone.

Eddie nods to himself, taking a deep breath, he sighs. Eddie knows why he is crying, it doesn’t take him long to figure it out. The moment he saw him getting drunk at the Hideout, he just knew.

He doesn’t say anything for the rest of the drive over to Steve’s house. The music and Steve’s soft cries sound through the van. A part of Eddie pities Steve, the other part doesn’t – after all, it’s all his own fault.

He pulls up into Steve’s driveway, still remembering the way to his house from the last party he threw back in august when he had first talked to you. He stops the car and turns down the music a little.

“We’re here.”

Steve nods. He wipes the tears away and he reaches for the door handle but he doesn’t leave, not yet. His eyes fall on the note lying on the floor, it must’ve slipped out from his notebook. He instantly recognizes your handwriting and his heart drops a little when he realizes that you are writing them for someone else now. It’s not affectionate or romantic, the note only says ‘good luck on the test today. Can’t wait for the milkshakes you promised!’ Next to a smiley.

“I miss her.”

Eddie didn’t expect to hear those words from him. He leans back in his seat.

“I-I miss her so much,” he whispers. “I-I don’t know what to do without her. I want her back.”

“You have a girlfriend, man. You left y/n for her,” Eddie mumbles. “Do you even know what you want?”

Steve feels the bile rising in his throat. He feels sick.

“I do now, b-but it’s too late.”

Eddie glances at him. The look of sadness and the tears are genuine and so are his words but there isn’t anything that he could say that could make Steve feel better. He doesn’t deserve you, you are too good for him and you have suffered enough to give him another chance to break you again.

“I don’t know what you wanna hear, dude. You broke her heart and you did it in such a fucked up way too, there’s no coming back from that.”

Steve isn’t sure about what he wanted to hear but it’s definitely not that.

“Just leave her alone, you’re only making things worse,” Eddie sighs as he thinks about you. “Go home, Steve.”

Steve sniffles, he opens the door and nods.

“And don’t ruin the night for her tomorrow.”

Steve’s eyes widen, he looks at him through the tears. “She's coming?”

Eddie nods, “yeah, her friends convinced her to come.” He can see the look in Steve’s eyes, it’s the same one he sees in your eyes. He loves you, which makes everything so much more confusing. Why did he leave you for someone else when he loves you so much?

Steve blinks. He looks down for a moment, staring at the note that makes his heart ache. “Oh okay,” he whispers. “T-Thanks for driving me home.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, this is the most kindness he had ever shown to him.

“Don’t mention it,” he mumbles. He narrows his eyes at him. Steve doesn’t move yet. The look on his face tells him that he wants to say more.

“Spit it out, dude.”

Steve looks up. Tears continue to brim in his eyes, the words are strangled in his throat. He takes a few deep breaths as he tries to stay calm.

“T-Take care of her?”

Eddie wants to tell him that you are capable of taking care of yourself but he decides against it. He nods. Even though he can’t understand why Steve did what he did, he can imagine the self hatred and the sadness he is feeling. A flicker of sympathy flashes in Eddie’s eyes.

“I will.”

Steve almost breaks down when he thinks of your words again, of the way you cried when you begged for him to leave, when you called him bullshit.

He walks away when he feels like breaking down again.

He fumbles with the keys, almost dropping them when his hands begin to shake. He manages to open the door, he steps inside and closes it. Leaning against it, he drops the floor and buries his face in his hands, a broken sob leaves his lips.

He knows he has to let you go, the way you let him go but how?

How?

You stare at your reflection in the full length mirror. You apply the red lipstick that Chrissy convinced you to get when you stopped by the drug store after you bought the dress that you had caught your eye the last time you went shopping with them. A black, glittery dress. It’s not too tight but it’s not a wide one either, though it fits your body perfectly. The straps are thin and it has a cut on the side. You love it. It’s not something you would usually wear, you always opted for the colorful dresses but, you feel like it’s time to switch things up.

How you let them convince you to come to the dance after all? You have no idea but the thought of spending another night filled with tears made you feel miserable.

Heather is standing behind you with the curling iron as she finishes off the rest of your hairstyle.

Some Christmas song is playing on the radio, the room smells like a mix of hairspray and perfume.

“Can I ask you something?” You ask as you stop applying the lipstick.

She hums, glancing at you through your mirror.

Heather purses her lips, she pulls the curling iron away from your hair and twists the wave.

“Is it just me or is Chrissy being weird towards me?”

“What do you mean?” She asks. But you can see the knowing look in her eyes, you know she – they are both not telling you something.

She runs her fingers through your hair and smooths down your waves and applies more hairspray.

“She’s just, I don’t know. I feel like she’s keeping something from me,” you mumble. “And she seemed so sad when I agreed to go with you.”

Heather hesitates to speak up. You can tell that she is trying to come up with a lie.

“She’s probably just sad because she has to go with Jason Carver.”

You look down at your painted nails and nod, “yeah, I guess.”

“Which I totally get, who would want to go with him?” Heather tries to change the topic, you know she is.

“Literally no one,” you snort. “But he will probably be the new King of Hawkins High once Steve and Billy graduate and the naive freshman girls will throw themselves at him,” you say with a disgusted look on your face.

“God, that’s a disgusting thought,” Heather says. “Let’s talk about something else – look at you,” she smirks as she leans down, placing her finger under your chin, she raises your head, “queen of Haw–”

“Don’t say that,” you groan as you tilt your head up to look at her.

She chuckles and ruffles your hair a little. “You look amazing, now get your ass into that dress and let’s go. Maybe Munson will show up for you and steal you for a dance,” she wiggles her brows.

You roll your eyes but you can’t fight the smile off your face.

“Shut up,” you mumble. You reach for your half finished drink. Maybe it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol but you need it, right now. You don’t plan on getting drunk, just a little tipsy to make it through the night.

You both finish getting ready, you put your dresses on and take a few polaroid pictures in front of the fairy lights in your room. You throw a mint into your mouth and spray more perfume on yourself, hoping that your mom won’t smell the wine on you.

She doesn’t notice it or at least, it seems like she doesn’t. She takes more pictures of you and Heather in front of the Christmas tree before you leave.

The school hall is bustling with people, loud music is playing and everything is decorated in gold, red and green colors – fitting the Christmas season. Your arm is linked with Heather’s. She seems excited, you feel overwhelmed.

The lights are flashing, girls in colorful dresses rush past you with their dates. You look around, trying to spot Chrissy but you don’t see her anywhere. You sigh, the first few minutes of a big event are always the most awkward ones.

Where do you stand? Where do you sit? Who do you talk to? Is it too early to dance? Is it too early to leave?

“Hey, are you okay?” Heather asks.

You nod, smiling at her.

“You seem a little overwhelmed.”

“I’m fine, I-I just need something to drink.”

“A drink?” A deeper voice asks. One that instantly makes you roll your eyes.

Billy steps in front of you with a smirk on his face, he eyes you up and down before he looks over at Heather, checking her out as well. He is wearing a tux, the button down underneath the jacket is almost fully unbuttoned.

“You look slutty, Billy.” You joke, “you’re lucky Mrs. Myers isn’t around or you’d be sent home for violating the dress code.”

He chuckles darkly, leaning closer to you, he holds up one finger, “the slutty look is exactly what I was going for.”

“As always,” you snort.

“Do you wanna dance?” Billy asks you.

“No thanks but Heather wants to dance.”

She turns to you with wide eyes and red cheeks.

“I know you want to,” you whisper into her ear before you pull away and place her hand into Billy’s, who smirks at you.

“I’ll drown you in the punch if you don’t treat her well.”

He only laughs in amusement, clearly not taking the threat seriously.

“Y/n?” Heather glares at you.

“Have fun, babe.”

You know all about her not so secret crush on Billy – she is good at hiding it but you saw right through it.

You make your way over to the snack table. Waving at some of the girls from the cheer squad who are taking pictures with their dates.

A huge bowl is in the middle of the table, filled with red liquid and fresh fruit. You wonder if someone spiked it with alcohol yet. You pour some of it into a cup and take a sip. Definitely spiked. You down the rest of the drink and pour yourself a second cup.

“Hey.”

You freeze. You stare down at your drink. Yeah, you definitely need the alcohol tonight. You haven’t talked to him since that night, you sat next to him during English class today and you had submitted the essay together but you didn’t talk and you hoped that it would stay that way. You didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

“Careful with the punch, Tommy spiked it.”

You turn around to face him, his eyes widen a little when he takes in the sight of you. He looks you up and down, not in the same way Billy did but in a way that leaves your skin crawling and your heart racing.

He is wearing a black tuxedo with a red bow tie. His hair looks amazing as always but his eyes are filled with sadness.

“Good,” you mumble as you drink the spiked punch.

“Y-You look beautiful,” Steve says. His heart flutters, you steal his breath away. The dark eyeshadow makes your eye color more prominent. Your red lips look so kissable and the dress looks like it was made for you. You are perfect.

“Where’s your girlfriend, Steve?” You sigh. You refuse to look into his eyes, knowing that it will only make things worse.

He blinks, furrowing his brows. He looks over your shoulder to where she’s standing with Jonathan, smiling at him. “She’s uh–” he stops talking when he sees you walking away. He sighs, clenching his hand into a fist, “shit..”

You already feel like going home – you knew you would run into him, you still weren’t prepared, you never are. You are sick of the feeling he leaves you with whenever you see him. You are so over it.

You take a seat at your assigned table and look around, finally spotting Chrissy in the crowd. She’s dancing with Jason, you can see the forced smile even from a mile away.

You can’t stand him. You always hated the way he treats others – the way he thinks that he is so much better than everyone else and the way he thinks he can have anyone he wants. The way he uses Mrs. Cunningham’s liking towards him to force himself into Chrissy’s life, knowing that she doesn’t actually like him.

You relax a little when you see Heather heading towards Chrissy, pulling her away from Jason so that they can dance together. You lean back in the chair and sip on your drink.

You wish you would have stayed at home.

You wish you would have listened to Eddie when he said that this sucks.

You feel like a loser, sitting by yourself at this empty table, sipping one drink after the other as your eyes continuously move back to him. You see him with her and it breaks your heart all over again. By now, you should be used to it and you were – you have gotten used to this. To him not being yours anymore, to him loving someone else, to him being with someone else but then he turned everything upside down.

His confession left you in shambles. He had broken everything, again. All the strength you have gathered since the day he left you, he took it all away from you with a few words and a kiss that almost happened.

He loves you, that’s what he said. But he is here, holding her in his arms, kissing her as though he didn’t try to kiss you, two nights ago. He is dancing with her, whispering things into her and holding her tightly.

None of it makes sense to you.

If he loves you so much, then why is he dancing with her as though nothing ever happened?

Why is he still with her?

Is she a rebound now or were you just the backup plan all along?

The girl he’d come back to once things with her go downhill?

Are they already going downhill?

Is that why he told you he still loves you?

So that he has someone to come back to?

You feel so miserable. The longer you stare at him. You begin to feel worse and worse.

Not even a dance with your friends helps you lift your mood. Not even the compliments and the nice things that people have said to you tonight, make you feel better. Nothing makes you feel better but you force a smile on your face, a happy one. The way you always do and you dance with Heather and Chrissy, holding their hands and pretending to have the time of your life when all you wanna do is go home and cry yourself to sleep.

It’s when you find yourself sitting on the bleachers with a sad expression on your face, ready to say ‘fuck it’ and go home, that your night takes a turn for the better.

You don’t hear the footsteps coming your way, you are too busy looking at all the happy couples. Someone clears their throat.

“May the Master of Dungeons have a dance with the ethereal Queen of Hawkins High?”

Your eyes widen and a smile tugs at your lips, you straighten up and turn to look at Eddie who playfully bows in front of you with a smile on his face, getting a few weird looks from the other, which neither of you care about.

A giggle falls from your lips, “Eddie!”

“Come on, give me your hand, Queen.”

You laugh and place your hand in his. He pulls you up and smiles at you when your eyes lock. “Look at you,” he beams. He raises your hand over your head, “give me a twirl,” he winks.

You roll your eyes, playfully. Giving him the twirl that he asked for, you can’t help but giggle when he begins to whistle.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart!”

He grabs your waist when you stumble a little. He instantly smells the alcohol on you.

“Thank you, Eddie.”

He eyes you with a smile on his face, “love the smokey eyes and the dress – honestly, you look like a witchy fairy.”

“A witchy fairy?” You laugh, tilting your head.

He puts his hand over his heart, “I mean that as a compliment – a badass witchy, fairy, shit, I’m gonna have to create a character based on you now.”

You shake your head, laughing at the concentrated look on his face. He is wearing a white button down, a few buttons are left undone, one of his tattoos is peeking out from beneath the shirt, and a silver chain is around his neck. His curly hair looks as good as always.

“You look amazing, Eddie.”

He raises his brows in surprise, his dark eyes light up.

“Thank you, badass fairy witch,” he winks. “Look, I stole these pants from Wayne, I have none without holes in them,” he laughs, pointing to the black pants he is wearing.

You can’t even help but giggle.

“I thought this isn’t your thing,” you say. Gesturing to the dance.

He shrugs, “yeah well, I thought you could use a dance partner.”

Your gaze softens. A feeling of warmth and comfort rushes through you. “You came for me?”

He holds your hand tighter, “who else would I come here for?” He asks as he looks into your big eyes.

“My knight in shining armor,” you tease.

He snorts at your words, “come on.” He says as he pushes you in front of him and leads you into the middle of the dance floor, pushing some jock out of the way. You can feel the eyes on you, you can see the weird looks from the cheerleaders when they see you with Eddie. It only makes you scoff at them.

A squeal leaves your lips when Eddie suddenly twirls you again, laughing when you hold onto his hand tightly. He wraps his arms around you from behind and leans in, “let me guess, you had some of that spiked punch?” He whispers into your ear.

"Absolutely,” you giggle and turn around to face him. You place your hands on his shoulders.

“Bad girl,” he smirks, tapping your nose.

“I learned from the best.” You tap his nose back, making him laugh.

Steve watches you and Eddie with an irritated look on his face. You seem so carefree and happy with him. So familiar. Like you have known each other for a long time already. You melt into his touch so easily and laugh at whatever he is whispering into your ear.

The feeling in his chest is sickening. He knows it’s jealousy. He can’t do anything about it though. The girl in his arms is his, you aren’t – not anymore.

Every breath you take by The Police starts playing. Some leave the dance floor, some stay to slow dance with their partner. Steve pulls Nancy closer and looks over her shoulder to see what you will do.

Eddie pulls you closer and you wrap your arms around him, you lay your head on his chest, melting into him so easily. It breaks Steve’s heart a little. He feels tense, it’s hard to see you with someone else, even when Eddie said that there is nothing but friendship between the two of you, it certainly looks more than just that to Steve.

You don’t even notice the weird looks you are getting from the people around you. You are only focused on him. The thought of you and Eddie somehow hurts more than the thought of you and Billy. Because Billy would be nothing more than a hookup but Eddie? Eddie is a good guy, one who will treat you well and love you the way he couldn’t.

“Is everything okay?” Nancy asks as she lifts her head to look at him.

“Yeah,” he mumbles with a frown on his face. “Why?”

Her blue eyes are filled with confusion, she shrugs, “you seem tense.”

“I’m fine, Nance,” he says, softly.

“Okay,” she smiles.

When she lays her head on his chest, he squeezes her and looks back up. His breath hitches in his throat when his eyes lock with yours as you rest your chin on Eddie’s shoulder, who’s back is turned towards him. For a moment, you look at each other. Steve’s heart begins to beat faster in his chest, the longer you look at each other. He longs for you. This, all of this, feels so wrong. He shouldn’t be here with her and you shouldn’t be there with him.

But while his eyes soften, your eyes harden.

His are filled with longing and sadness.

Yours are filled with indifference.

You look at each other for a few long seconds and then you take one final look at him before you tear your eyes away from him. Somehow, that felt like a stab to his heart because that moment felt like the end. The realization that it is truly over makes his blood run cold. He feels paralyzed by the pain that he had caused himself.

Eddie tightens his hold on you when he feels how tense you are, he looks down at you with a look of concern in his eyes.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

"Yes, please."

next part

only tagging friends & mutuals

@mysticmunson @wroteclassicaly @corrodedseraphine @corrodedcorpses @screammunson @hellfire--cult @imjuststeddietrashatthispoint @sherrylyn628 @somethingvicked @nemesis729 @taintedcigs @take-everything-you-can

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington angst #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington fic #stranger things fic #stranger things angst

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emjayewrites · 12 days ago

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hey there, delilah • jude bellingham (8/8)

SYNOPSIS: Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham has had a big crush on Delilah "Lila" Hamilton, the younger sister of Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, for a while. As their budding romance unfolds, will they be able to navigate the pressures of fame and family dynamics?

PAIRINGS: Jude Bellingham x Delilah "Lila" Hamilton (face claim Rayan Xasan)

WARNINGS: cursing, f1/football b.s., overly protective siblings, mentions of unprotected sex/risk of pregnancy, smut (18+/minors dni)

TAGLIST: @dreamingjude @foreverisntenough @nichmeddar @lettersofgold @judesbabymamas @perfecttrashface @alika-4466 @cocobutterqwueen @leilaxaliel @ispywithmylileye @vile-harlot @bellinghaalands @certifiedlesbianbaddie @yeea-nah @empressdede @saturnville @pinkcatcus @shepgurl @trentswrld @taytropicana @ffenthusiastt @serpenttines-library @judesprincess @bbgkoo @enretrogue @liamundi

A/N: Please note that this is a work of fiction and some things may not sound "exactly correct" but bear with me to make this work! Shoutout to @purplelewlew for helping me with the Jamaican patois (translations in the parentheses). Also, this chapter is rather long!!!

Was that one line or two?

Lila squinted down at the small plastic stick in her hand, the faint lines blurring together as she tried to make sense of them. She tilted the test under the dim light of the bathroom, her mind racing.

It wasn’t even hers—this was Jade’s pregnancy test.

"Lila!" Jade’s voice pierced through the confusion, breaking Lila’s concentration. "What’s it say?"

Lila blinked, snapping out of her trance as she turned toward her friend. Jade was standing there, eyes wide, chewing her bottom lip nervously. Lila looked back at the test in her hand.

One line. Negative. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

"It’s negative," she said softly, handing it back to Jade. Relief washed over Jade’s face as she exhaled dramatically, her shoulders slumping in visible relief.

"Thank God," Jade mumbled, running a hand through her braids. She took the test from Lila and tossed it into the trash, her mood visibly lifting. "I was really starting to freak out."

"You weren’t being careful?" Lila asked, her brow furrowed.

Jade shrugged, avoiding Lila’s eyes for a moment before admitting, "Not really. I mean, we’ve been... you know, not super safe the last few times."

Lila’s eyes widened. "Wait, with who?"

"Ryan," Jade said casually, as if dropping the name of some old schoolmate wasn’t about to completely shock Lila.

"Ryan? The one from school?" Lila gaped. "How long has this been going on?"

"A few weeks," Jade said with a small, almost embarrassed smile. "It’s just... casual. FWB, you know?"

Lila shook her head, both surprised and slightly impressed. "I can’t believe you didn’t tell me."

"I wanted to, but you’ve been so wrapped up with Jude," Jade said, her voice light and teasing. "Not that I’m mad or anything, I get it. He’s a big deal."

Lila felt a pang of guilt at that. She had been so caught up in her relationship with Jude, barely making time for her friends, especially Jade. Tonight was the first night in weeks she’d really spent time with them, and it was Jade’s twentieth birthday.

"I’m sorry," Lila said softly. "I should’ve made more time."

Jade waved her off. "Don’t sweat it. You’re here now, that’s what matters."

The evening had started out like any other girls' night, with them pregaming at Jade’s flat. The group was a mix of old friends, and one or two new faces Jade had met through work. Then there was Tasha—Jade’s other friend from Stevenage, who Lila had never really gotten on with.

Tasha was tall, with long, dark brown hair and an overly critical air about her. She was always quick with a snide comment or passive-aggressive jab, and though Lila tolerated her for Jade’s sake, she’d always found her exhausting. There was something about the way Tasha looked down at Lila that never sat right, but for Jade’s birthday, Lila kept the peace.

Earlier in the night, Tasha had come up with the bright idea to turn a random TikTok “game” into the night’s entertainment. Apparently, she’d seen some influencer challenge her friends to buy pregnancy tests as a joke, and Tasha decided it’d be “fun” for them to do the same.

"Are you serious?" Lila had asked, raising an eyebrow when Tasha proposed the idea.

"Totally. It's just a laugh," Tasha had shrugged, her tone dripping with nonchalance. "I mean, unless some of you have something to hide..."

Jade, always up for a good time, had giggled and agreed to the idea, much to Lila's surprise. So, they went to Boots, buying a pack of pregnancy tests along with their usual party essentials, and soon they were all back at Jade's flat, the pregame continuing in full swing.

Now, Lila found herself holding the negative test for her friend. But before she could say much more, the bathroom door creaked open and Tasha appeared, holding a different pregnancy test in her hand. Her dark eyes gleamed with mischief, and a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Guess what?" Tasha said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Your test came back positive."

Lila froze, her brain doing a quick mental calculation. What the hell? That couldn’t be right. She and Jude hadn’t even had sex. She was still a virgin, and here Tasha was, acting like she had some big reveal.

Lila blinked, momentarily stunned. "That’s not mine," she said, rolling her eyes.

Tasha raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Mmhmm, sure," she mumbled, tossing the test onto the counter. "Whatever you say."

Lila resisted the urge to throw the test back at her. Instead, she shook her head and brushed it off. "It’s a false positive. I’m still a virgin."

Tasha’s eyebrow shot up, clearly not believing her. "If you say so." She pushed herself off the doorframe and sauntered out of the room. "Anyway, the rest of us are ready to hit the clubs whenever you two are done with... this," she added with a flip of her hair before disappearing into the hallway.

As soon as Tasha was out of earshot, Jade turned to Lila, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Wait—are you actually still a virgin?"

Lila let out a sigh, leaning back against the sink. "Yes, Jade. I haven’t slept with Jude."

Jade gaped at her like she’d just revealed the most scandalous secret of the century. "Are you serious? But you two are so... together. How haven’t you climbed that tree yet?"

Lila laughed, shaking her head as she leaned against the sink. "Trust me, it’s not like I don’t want to. It just hasn’t happened yet. We’re... taking our time."

Jade scoffed playfully. "Girl, you need to get on that. Jude’s a whole damn tree, and you’re what, still admiring the leaves?"

Lila couldn’t help but laugh harder, Jade’s teasing melting away the brief tension from earlier. "Shut up," she said, pushing lightly at Jade’s shoulder. "We’ll get there."

Jade grinned, linking arms with Lila. "Well, when you do, I want all the details."

"Absolutely not," Lila replied, feigning horror, which only made Jade laugh louder.

"Come on, let’s get out of here. The others are waiting," Jade said, pulling Lila toward the door.

The two of them joined the rest of the group, and stepped into the cool London night as they headed toward the club. The air was buzzing with excitement, and despite the earlier awkwardness, Lila felt a sense of ease knowing she was with her best friend. She might have been caught up in her whirlwind with Jude, but nights like this reminded her how much she valued her time with Jade and the girls—even if some of them were a bit annoying.

Tonight was about Jade, and Lila was determined to make sure her friend’s birthday was unforgettable.

________________________________________________

Inside the club, the bass-heavy beats vibrated through Lila’s body as she grinned at Jade. The bottle of tequila in her hand sloshed as she tilted it towards her friend’s mouth.

"C’mon, birthday girl!" Lila yelled over the music, laughing as Jade tilted her head back, ready to take the shot straight from the bottle.

Lila held the bottle over Jade’s mouth, letting the clear liquid pour into her friend’s throat in a classic "driving the boat" move that had become iconic thanks to Megan Thee Stallion. Jade sputtered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, laughing through the burn as she danced with her arms raised, the crowd around them cheering.

"Woo! You’re a pro at that!" Jade teased, her cheeks flushed from both the alcohol and excitement.

"What can I say? I learned from the best!" Lila winked as she placed the bottle back onto the table, giggling along with her best friend.

Jade spun around, catching sight of her other work friends on the dance floor down below. "I’m gonna dance with them for a bit! You coming?"

Lila shook her head with a smile. "You go ahead! I’m gonna get us some more drinks."

Jade bounced off, her hair swinging behind her as walked downstairs from their section, disappearing into the throng of people on the dance floor, while Lila called over a bottle girl to pay for more rounds. She leaned against the table, pulling out her card when, out of nowhere, Tasha appeared beside her, her lips twisted in that familiar judgmental smirk.

"Still drinking, I see," Tasha said, her voice laced with thinly veiled sarcasm. "Should you really be doing that, though? You know… since you're pregnant and all."

Lila's eyes snapped toward Tasha, her patience wearing thin. She had been trying to enjoy the night, but Tasha always found a way to ruin the mood. Lila took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm.

"I'm not pregnant," Lila said sharply, handing her card to the bottle girl.

Tasha crossed her arms, a look of mock innocence spreading across her face. "Oh please, Lila. Do you think I didn’t notice the way you freaked out when you saw the test earlier? It’s fine to be in denial, but you should be careful."

Lila turned toward her, her annoyance now bubbling over into anger. "Listen, Tasha, I don’t know what your problem is, but this shit isn’t cute. I don’t need your opinion on anything. So, here’s your choice: either enjoy the night like a normal person or take your ass home."

Tasha blinked, clearly taken aback by Lila’s tone. For a split second, it seemed like she might say something else, but instead, she rolled her eyes and moved away, sulking as she avoided Lila’s glare.

Lila clenched her jaw, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn’t let this ruin Jade’s night. When the bottle girl came back with the drinks, she found a spot to sit by herself, sipping at her cocktail and glancing at her phone.

I miss Jude, she thought. He was in Miami with Trent, Marcell, and the rest of the boys. Soon, however, they'd finally be reunited in New York City. The thought of seeing him again made her smile softly, her irritation with Tasha momentarily forgotten.

But as she sat there, the recent conversation about pregnancy tests lingered in her mind, making her think about her relationship with Jude. Almost everyone in her friend group had already had sex, and they talked about it like it was no big deal, sharing their experiences in loud whispers and excited giggles. It wasn’t that Lila wasn’t curious or interested—she was. And she knew that she and Jude shared a deep connection, one that felt intimate and real.

Sometimes, the fact that she was still a virgin at 19 felt like a heavyweight. She had experience, of course—she and Jude were rarely able to keep their hands off each other when they were together. They’d explored each other, teased each other, and shared intimate moments that left her breathless. But still, they hadn’t gone all the way.

Am I missing out? she wondered. There was no rush, she knew that. Jude had never pressured her, never made her feel like she had to do anything she wasn’t ready for, but with her friends talking about it so openly, and Jade telling her to "climb that tree," it was hard not to feel… left behind.

She sighed softly, staring into her drink. Lila was falling in love with Jude, and she knew they’d get there when the time was right, yet part of her couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to cross that threshold—to finally take that step with him.

As the night wore on and the club’s energy pulsed around her, Lila couldn’t shake the feeling that she was standing at a crossroads. She wasn’t sure where she’d end up, but one thing was for certain: when the time came, she and Jude would face it together, just like they always did.

________________________________________

The next morning, Lila found herself sitting at the brunch table, fighting the urge to throttle Tasha. She was this close—two seconds away—from dragging the girl out of the restaurant by her hair. But the last thing she needed was to create a scene that would end up plastered all over tabloids, her face splashed across social media with some dramatic headline about "Jude Bellingham’s Girlfriend Involved in Scandalous Brawl."

No, thank you.

So, Lila took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and forced herself to focus on Jade, who was sitting at the head of the table. Jade’s birthday brunch was supposed to be the highlight of the weekend—a sweet, low-key event with mimosas, pancakes, and avocado toast to ease them all back into some form of sobriety after the previous night's club antics.

But, of course, Tasha had already soured the mood.

"Oh my god, is this really the best place you could find, Lila?" Tasha said, wrinkling her nose as she glanced around the restaurant. "It’s so… basic."

Lila rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses, which she was still wearing indoors to shield her from the blinding daylight. She could feel the headache coming on, and Tasha’s voice wasn’t helping.

Jade, bless her, handled it with grace, though. She smiled patiently, clearly trying to keep things light. "Well, I love it here. The food’s good, and they make killer Bloody Marys. Plus, it’s close by. And who doesn’t love pancakes?"

"Pancakes? Seriously? I thought we were doing something… I don’t know, more elevated," Tasha continued, her tone dripping with unnecessary judgment. "Like, maybe we should’ve gone to that place in Shoreditch—what’s it called again?"

Lila felt her nails dig into the palm of her hand beneath the table. For Jade’s sake, she reminded herself, only for Jade’s sake.

"If you hate it here so much, Tasha, you could always leave," Lila finally said, her tone pointed but calm, not even bothering to look up from her menu. "But I’m sure everyone else is fine with pancakes, so why don’t you stop being a buzzkill?"

Tasha shot Lila a venomous look but said nothing, choosing instead to huff dramatically as she flipped through the menu, the pages rustling loudly. Lila ignored her, focusing on Jade, who was now scrolling through her phone, giggling at something.

"Look at this meme Ryan sent me," Jade said, holding her phone out to Lila.

Lila smiled, glancing at the screen. It was some silly football meme, and she chuckled softly, her annoyance with Tasha easing just slightly. "He’s such an idiot," she muttered fondly. Her phone buzzed just as she spoke, and she glanced down at her screen to see a text from Jude.

Miss you, baby.

Lila’s heart fluttered at his words, and she quickly typed back:

Miss you too.

As she hit send, another message popped up, this time from Lewis:

How’s the brunch? Have an avocado toast for me. And tell Jade happy birthday.

She smiled at that, her brother always managed to check in on her even when he was busy with his race schedule. She quickly sent him a reply:

Brunch is fine, though you’d hate the company. Love you, though.

"Who’s got your attention?" Jade asked, raising an eyebrow as she sipped her mimosa.

"Jude and my brother," Lila replied, sliding her phone back onto the table. "Jude’s in Miami, and Lewis is… well, being Lewis."

"Tell them I said hi," Jade said, popping a piece of toast into her mouth. "And that I’d love to see them again, you know, when you stop hoarding all the cool people in your life."

Lila laughed, taking a sip of her own mimosa. "I’ll pass that along."

As they waited for their food, Jade began opening her birthday gifts, her eyes lighting up with excitement at each package. Lila had gotten her a pair of strappy heels she’d been eyeing for months—classic, elegant, and perfect for Jade’s upcoming events. Jade squealed when she opened the box, her hands flying to her mouth.

"No way! Lila, I love these," Jade said, pulling the heels out of the box and admiring them. "You know me so well."

"Obviously,” Lila grinned. "I couldn’t let you buy them for yourself. Happy birthday, love."

As Jade continued opening presents from the rest of the group, Lila found herself checking her phone again, half expecting another message from Jude. Though she was having fun, a part of her missed him terribly. She scrolled through their recent texts, smiling at the playful banter they shared even when he was thousands of miles away.

It wasn’t that long until they’d reunite in New York, but the space between them felt larger than the Atlantic Ocean. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud exhale from across the table. She glanced up to see Tasha rolling her eyes again, now in response to one of the gifts—Jade’s coworker had given her a handmade necklace, something sweet and personal.

"Really? A necklace? We’re not teenagers anymore," Tasha muttered under her breath, loud enough for Lila to hear.

Lila’s fingers tightened around the stem of her glass. She didn’t say anything, though. She wouldn’t let Tasha ruin this for Jade, not today.

Thankfully, the food arrived shortly after, bringing with it a welcome distraction. Plates of pancakes, eggs, bacon, avocado toast, and all manner of brunch delights were placed in front of them, and for a brief moment, Tasha’s criticism subsided as everyone dug in.

Lila glanced over at Jade, who was laughing with her work friends, clearly enjoying her day despite the subtle tension. That was all that mattered. Lila sent one last text to Jude before putting her phone away for good.

Can’t wait to see you in New York.

And with that, she pushed Tasha’s negativity aside, determined to enjoy the rest of the brunch for Jade’s sake.

lilahamilton and jadevanderwall- London, U.K.

liked by judebellingham, lewishamilton, amara_nadine, and others

lilahamilton: happy 20th birthday to my ace, my ride or die, my bestie for the restie — jadevanderwall! i love you, sunflower 🌻 🥳

view all 2.2K comments….

lewishamilton: happy born day lil’ sis jadevanderwall!

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⤷jadevanderwall: so lewishamilton am I getting my birkin?

⤷lewishamilton: jadevanderwall what bout a car?

jadevanderwall: 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽

judebellingham: happy birthday jadevanderwall

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⤷jadevanderwall: thanks judebellingham ☺️

fencer: BIG 20!!! 🥳🥳🥳 jadevanderwall

The moment Lila arrived in Birmingham, she realized that it was about to be more interesting than expected. What had started as a quick visit to see Jude’s family had turned into an opportunity for some additional one-on-one time with his mum, Denise. Originally, Lila had planned to fly out to New York City from London, but Denise had insisted on driving her to Birmingham's airport the next evening, and it hadn’t cost Lila too much to change her flight. It was obvious Denise truly liked her, and Lila couldn't deny how flattered she felt. But, at the same time, it was nerve-wracking—she’d never spent so much time with her boyfriend’s family on her own before.

Dragging her suitcase behind her, Lila made her way to the front door. As soon as it opened, she was greeted by a smile so familiar it made her heart ache in longing for Jude. Denise rushed forward, engulfing her in a hug that felt as warm and welcoming as ever.

"Lila Bila, we miss you!" Denise exclaimed, planting a few kisses on Lila’s cheeks. "Come inside, love!" Before Lila could respond, Denise called out to the house. "Jobe! Get out here to help Lila with her bags!"

Sure enough, Jobe appeared, wearing a T-shirt, basketball shorts, and Adidas slides over his socked feet. "Hey, Big Sis," he greeted, hugging her briefly before grabbing her luggage.

"Hi, Jobey," Lila responded, following him inside.

The Bellingham home was warm and inviting, much like its owners. The living room was cozy, with a large sectional sofa, family photos framed on every available surface, and a soft, worn rug that anchored the space. The kitchen, which opened up to the living room, was the heart of the home, full of warmth, light, and the scent of home-cooked meals. It had that lived-in feel, with stacks of mail on the counter, a fruit bowl that looked like it had been raided by hungry hands, and little knick-knacks from Jobe’s and Jude’s childhood days scattered here and there.

"You can sleep in Jude's room," Denise said over her shoulder as she led the way into the kitchen. Lila followed closely, stepping into the familiar scene of domestic chaos.

In the kitchen, Mark was sneaking a taste from a simmering pot on the stove. Denise quickly caught him in the act and swatted his hand away, a playful scolding on her lips. "Excuse you, are you sneakin' a taste?"

Mark chuckled, rubbing his arm where she’d smacked him. "Just making sure it’s perfect, love."

"Move before I cut off your fingers," Denise warned with a wink. Then she turned to Lila and added with a teasing smile, "Say 'hi' to your daughter-in-law, Mark."

The phrase made Lila’s heart race, a flush creeping up her neck. Daughter-in-law? She wasn’t used to hearing that, but it didn’t feel wrong.

Mark grinned at her, pulling her into a hug. "Good to see you again, Lila. We’ve missed having you around."

Lila smiled warmly. "Missed you too. What’s cooking?"

"Curry goat," Denise replied, her Jamaican accent shining through. "Have you had it before?"

"Yeah, I’ve had it at a spot in West London. I love goat, but oxtails are my favourite."

"Spoken like a true Caribbean gyal," Denise teased, her eyes twinkling. "But my curry goat is the best. Now, we just need to pop over to the store to pick up the dessert, and dinner will be ready soon."

Mark leaned over to the pot again, earning another swat from Denise. "Mark, love, I want you to watch the goat. Not eat it."

"So another taste test, got it," Mark said with a mischievous grin, making Lila giggle.

Denise rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, Lila, let’s hurry up before he eats everything." Then, raising her voice, she called upstairs, "Jobe! Are you coming with us to Auntie Venetta’s?"

Lila raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Auntie Venetta?"

"She’s an old schoolmate of mine," Denise explained, pulling on her jacket. "Jobe and her daughter, Justine, are around the same age. And let’s just say Jobey’s got a bit of a crush."

"Oh, trying to set them up, huh?" Lila teased, laughing when Denise nodded knowingly.

"Yep. Every time Jobe sees her, he turns into a tomato. It’s adorable. Justine’s studying to be a teacher in Leeds."

"Leeds? That's not far from Sunderland," Lila noted, thinking about the short distance.

"Exactly," Denise said brightly. "And Jobey has his new flat there. He’s much more independent than Jude, so we don’t need to hover over him as much."

Lila laughed at the idea of Jobe being more independent than Jude. "Jude told me he’s thinking about getting Jobe a new car for his birthday. It’s wild how Jobe can drive, and Jude still can’t."

Denise chuckled. "I know, right? But we’ve finally signed him up for lessons. It’s about time."

Just then, Jobe, now dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, bounded down the stairs. "You lot talkin' trash 'bout me?" he grinned, looking between Lila and his mother.

"Not about you—about your brother," Denise corrected. "I’ve finally put Judey in driving lessons."

"Oh, thank God!" Jobe said dramatically, drawing out the words. "He’s so useless, Li. I don’t know how you put up with him."

"But he’s so fine," Lila responded cheekily.

"Ugh, gag," Jobe groaned, making a face. He headed for the front door, then suddenly grinned mischievously. "Shotgun!" And with that, he took off for his mother’s car, leaving Lila and Denise chuckling behind him.

As they settled into the car, Jobe slid into the front seat, still wearing his boyish grin. "Can I be on the aux, Mumzy?" he asked in the cutest voice.

Denise rolled her eyes as she reapplied her lip gloss in the rearview mirror. "None with cursing, alright?" she said, clipping her seatbelt into place.

Jobe grinned mischievously and scrolled through his phone before selecting a song. The soft melodies of Usher’s Confessions filled the car.

"I’ve never taken you for an Usher fan, Jobe," Lila teased from the backseat.

"Mum loves him," Jobe said with a grin. "Don’t you, Mumzy?"

Denise nodded. "I do. Missed his residency in Vegas, though, but your father better get us tickets when he performs at The O2 next year for our anniversary."

"As you should," Lila agreed. "I’m thinking of going to see Adele soon. Or maybe Raye. I could ask my brother for some tickets."

"Lewis knows Raye?" Jobe asked incredulously, before adding, "I mean, of course he does. Lewis knows everyone! Think he can hook me up with some Lakers courtside tickets?"

"Jobey!" Denise scolded, and Lila just shrugged, amused.

"I can ask him, but I hate asking for stuff…"

"He’s your brother, love," Denise said gently. "It’s okay to call in a favor or two. You’ve got people in your corner who love you."

Lila nodded, realizing just how right Denise was. Even though Lila prided herself on her independence, sometimes it felt good to lean on the people who loved and supported her.

"Venetta owns an amazing restaurant and bakery in Lozells," Denise continued as they drove through the Birmingham streets. "Her sweet potato pudding is the best."

"It’s like crack," Jobe added, earning him a scowl from his mum.

"What am I going to do with you, Jobe Samuel?" Denise sighed, shaking her head as Lila broke into laughter.

"Love me, obviously," Jobe said cheekily, winking at Lila through the rearview mirror.

Lila shook her head. "You’re lucky your mum’s got the patience of a saint."

As they arrived at Venetta’s restaurant, Denise expertly parked the car outside the modest brick building. The sweet aroma of spices and baked goods hit Lila as soon as they stepped out of the car, her stomach growling in anticipation. The restaurant was a cozy neighborhood spot, nestled on a corner with a sign that read Venetta’s Caribbean Kitchen. Lila noticed how charming the place looked from the outside, with potted plants and strings of fairy lights hanging above the entrance.

Inside, the warmth extended beyond just the food. The décor was simple but vibrant, with brightly painted walls adorned with murals of tropical landscapes. There were about five or six tables, and only a few people sat around, chatting animatedly in Jamaican Patois. The hum of conversations blended seamlessly with the reggae music playing softly in the background. Lila only caught snippets of the fast-paced language—enough to make out the occasional word, but it was clear everyone here felt right at home.

Venetta herself was behind the counter when they entered, her smile wide and welcoming. She was a stout woman with cocoa-colored skin and short salt-and-pepper hair wrapped in a colorful headscarf. Her dark eyes sparkled with warmth as soon as she spotted Denise.

"Eh-eh, Nisey! Long time mi nuh see yuh enuh!" Venetta exclaimed, her thick Jamaican accent rolling off her tongue as she embraced Denise. (Long time I haven’t seen you!)

"Mi deh yah! Yuh know how it guh!" Denise responded, laughing as they hugged tightly. (I'm here! You know how it goes!) The two women continued chatting in Patois, their voices filled with familiarity and affection. Lila, meanwhile, stood to the side, only catching bits of the conversation, but appreciating the melodic flow of their banter.

As Lila’s eyes wandered around the cozy restaurant, she caught sight of Jobe’s tall, lanky frame hunched over at the far end of the counter. He was leaning in, talking to a girl who Lila assumed must be Justine. Justine was petite, with curly hair that framed her face, her skin a rich caramel brown. She had a gentle smile, and even from where she stood, Lila could see the subtle glow of shyness that painted Justine’s cheeks as Jobe spoke to her. And the way Jobe stood nervously, told Lila all she needed to know; he was really digging her.

"Lila, come yasso," Denise called, waving her over. As Lila approached, Denise beamed, gesturing toward Venetta. "Ven, this is Lila. Jude's girlfriend."

Venetta’s eyes lit up as she examined Lila from head to toe, her gaze both sharp and warm. "What a pretty likkle gyal!" Venetta remarked, her voice playful as she nodded approvingly.

Lila laughed, slightly flustered, while Denise chuckled beside her.

Venetta tilted her head. "Suh yah Jamaican?"

Lila shook her head, smiling softly. "No, I’m Grenadian."

Venetta’s smile widened into a megawatt grin. "A Caribbean gyal dis time? Judey’s taste a get betta man," she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. (A Caribbean girl this time? Judey’s taste is getting better, I see.)

Lila’s heart skipped a beat at "this time." Of course, Jude had girlfriends before her—that was normal. But now, curiosity buzzed in the back of her mind. Who was Venetta referring to? Lila had never asked about Jude’s past relationships. It didn’t seem necessary—she was his present, and that’s what mattered. Still, a part of her wondered if she should delve into that conversation with him, even if just to know.

"We shouldn’t even bring that girl up," Denise interjected, rolling her eyes with a hint of annoyance. "Besides, look behind you." She nodded toward Jobe and Justine, who were deep in conversation. Just as Denise had said earlier, Jobe was redder than a tomato, clearly flustered. His fingers tapped nervously on his phone, and Lila couldn’t help but grin at the sight—he was probably getting Justine’s number right now.

Venetta leaned in, whispering dramatically, "‘Tank yuh Gad." She cast her eyes upward in mock prayer. "Long time now him shoulda do him ting. Dem a fool roun’ fi too long now, Nisey." (About time, eh? They've been playing around each other for too long.)

Denise nodded in agreement. "Far too long. Fingers crossed, Ven." She smiled, and Venetta crossed both of her fingers for emphasis, earning laughter from both Denise and Lila.

"Hol’ on deh, mi aguh guh fi di cake, soon come," (Let me go get the cake.) Venetta said, heading down the counter. She paused briefly behind Justine, whispering a few words to her daughter and giving Jobe a playful nudge before disappearing into the back.

Lila watched the scene with a mixture of amusement and warmth. Jobe’s flustered expression, Justine’s soft smiles—it was all too cute. Jobe and Justine were interrupted when a customer called for Justine’s attention. Jobe stuffed his hands in his pockets and slowly sauntered over to Lila, who couldn't help but grin as he approached.

She pinched his arm playfully. "So when should I plan a double date?"

"Come off it, Li," Jobe said, sounding so much like Jude that it made Lila cock her head slightly in surprise. "Jus and I are just gonna hang out."

"Ah… okay," Lila replied, her tone laced with disbelief. She wasn’t buying it for a second, but she decided to let it go for now.

Just then, Venetta returned with the coconut cake Denise had ordered. "Here yah go," she said, passing the box to Denise with a smile.

"Thanks, Ven," Denise replied, giving her a quick hug before they all said their goodbyes and headed back to the house.

Once inside, Denise stored the cake in the fridge and immediately washed her hands. Lila followed suit, ready to help plate the dinner. Together, they worked in harmony, setting out serving platters of curry goat, rice and peas, and fried plantains on the dining table.

As they sat down, Jobe’s hand instinctively reached for the spoon to scoop up some food, but Denise was quick to slap it away. "Not before grace," she scolded, her voice stern but filled with affection.

Mark led them in a brief but heartfelt prayer. "Amen," he finished, and Lila crossed herself out of habit, earning a curious glance from Jobe.

"You're Catholic, Li?" Jobe asked, breaking the momentary silence before his mother could shoot him a warning look.

Lila shrugged lightly. "Not really practicing, but yeah."

The conversation flowed as easily as the food was passed around. They discussed light-hearted topics, joked about Jobe’s antics, and Denise occasionally dropped tidbits of family stories. The curry goat was divine, and the aroma of spices filled the room. Lila couldn’t help but feel at home, even though her mind occasionally drifted to Jude.

After they devoured dessert, Denise suggested they all watch a movie together. Both Lila and Jobe politely declined—Jobe was eager to dive into his Fortnite session, while Lila wanted some quiet time to unwind and call Jude.

"Alright, you two go on then," Denise sighed, though she couldn’t hide her smile.

Lila followed Jobe upstairs as he led her to Jude’s room. "Here you go," Jobe said, pushing the door open with a grin. Lila’s bags had already been brought up, neatly set beside the bed.

"Thank you, Jobey."

"No problem, Big Sis," Jobe smiled then retreated to his own bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Jude’s room was the perfect mix of a young man’s space and remnants of his boyhood. The bed was large and inviting, the covers a simple deep blue. The walls were decorated with framed jerseys, a few football-related posters, and pictures of him and Jobe as kids. The room felt lived-in but neat, just like Jude himself.

As Lila explored the room, she opened his closet and couldn’t resist grabbing one of his hoodies, pressing it to her face to inhale his familiar scent. It was comforting, reminding her of all the times she’d worn his clothes whenever they were together. But as she continued rummaging through the closet, something caught her eye. Tucked away on one of the top shelves was a stack of old magazines—Ebony Sistaz. Lila blinked, her curiosity piqued as she pulled one down and flipped through it. The pages were glossy and full of women with curvy bodies, their hips and thighs prominent in each photo.

"Interesting," Lila muttered to herself, raising an eyebrow at the realization that Jude apparently had a stash of old-school porn magazines.

Why didn’t he just use PornHub like a normal person?

She shook her head, amused, and returned the magazine to its spot on the shelf. She smirked as she thought about Jude’s obvious attraction to women with big butts. Considering how often he smacked hers, it all made sense.

After that little discovery, Lila plopped onto his bed and checked her phone, noting that it was almost 7 p.m. in Birmingham, which meant it was around 2 p.m. in Miami. Without hesitating, she hit the FaceTime button, and Jude answered on the first ring.

"Damn, you missed me, huh?" Lila teased, watching as Jude’s face appeared on her screen, looking all too comfortable.

"Real bad," Jude replied with a dopey grin. He lifted his phone slightly, showing her that he was lounging in bed. His hair was freshly trimmed, and he was shirtless, looking far too relaxed for the middle of the day.

"Why are you in bed? I thought you guys were out doing something?"

"Miami’s not really fun in the daytime, babes," Jude explained, chuckling. "Things only get good at night."

Lila laughed. "True. So what did you get up to this morning?"

"I went over to the Miami Dolphins training facility. Got in a few reps in the workout room with some of the players."

"Not bad," Lila nodded, impressed. "Stay in shape, Judey Bear."

"Always," he grinned with a wink. "I miss you so much, Li. Can’t wait to see you in New York."

"I miss you too, Judey Bear," she replied, her heart swelling at the thought of reuniting with him soon.

They talked a bit more about his plans for the rest of his trip. After they said their goodbyes, Lila gathered her towel, body wash, and other essentials for her night routine. She took a long, hot shower, wrapped her hair in a bonnet, and returned to Jude’s room, feeling refreshed. She slipped into her pajamas and spent the rest of the evening in bed, watching Love Island USA before drifting off to sleep, her thoughts lingering on Jude and their next adventure in New York.

_______________________________________________

Lila sat in her pajamas on a wooden bench in the Bellingham’s garden, basking in the early morning sunlight as she FaceTimed her brother, Lewis. In Belgium, he was boarding a private jet, his summer break officially underway.

"Monaco first, then Paris for Miles’ tournament," Lewis was saying, his voice slightly distorted by the background noise of engines. “I’ll be there to cheer him on, and I think you’re joining for that too, right?"

Lila smiled and nodded. "Yep. Then what? More jet-setting?"

Lewis chuckled. "Well, after Paris, it’s Senegal, Benin, Madagascar, and Morocco."

Her brows shot up in amusement. "Amara tagging along for any of that?"

To her shock, the camera flipped, revealing Amara sitting across from Lewis, looking relaxed and effortlessly stylish as ever. Lila gasped softly, unable to hide her surprise.

"Hi, Lila," Amara chimed in, waving at the camera with a playful pout. "I’ll be in Paris, but I can’t make it to the rest of the trip, though."

"Hi, Amara," Lila responded. As the camera flipped back to Lewis, she tried to stifle her squeal.

Lewis grinned at her reaction. "Surprised?"

"You have so much tea to spill, Lewis!" Lila shouted, wide-eyed. "When did this happen? Since when are you in a relationship?"

It had been ages since her brother had a steady girlfriend. Nicole was the last one, and Lila was sure Lewis had all but sworn off dating until he retired from Formula One. Clearly, Amara had changed all that. After the little fiasco in Barcelona—which Lewis still owed her therapy for—she had decided to give Amara a fair shot. The woman was gorgeous, yes, but she had a brain too, something Lila rarely saw in the other models Lewis usually had time for.

"I know, I know," Lewis said with a grin, raising his hand as if to calm her down. "I’ll tell you all about it in Paris."

"You better!" Lila warned, though there was a smile on her lips.

Lewis leaned back, giving Lila a look before sighing. "I haven’t even told Mum and Dad yet. Let it settle a bit, alright? We literally made it official last night."

Lila’s mouth dropped open. "Oh my God. Last night?!" She shook her head in disbelief. "Okay, well… congrats. I’m happy for you."

"Are you?" Lewis raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing her.

"Yes! Jesus Christ, don’t be weird," Lila replied, rolling her eyes. "You needed a girlfriend, anyway. What man in his late 30s has no prospects? No kids?"

Lewis scoffed. "Yeah, no more Bridgerton for you." As if on cue, a stewardess approached him to confirm something, and Lewis turned his attention away briefly. "Alright, Peanut, we’re about to take off. I love you."

Lila’s smile widened. "Love you too, LewLew Bear."

Amara’s head popped back on the screen, her eyes wide as she sidled beside Lewis. "LewLew Bear? Oh, I am so using that."

"Please do," Lila said with a laugh. "Give him as much hell as I do."

Amara’s laughter echoed through the call, and Lewis shot his sister a warning look. "That’s enough, Li," he said, his grin softening the words as he waved goodbye.

Lila returned the gesture before hanging up. She sat back for a few moments, letting it all sink in. Her brother was dating again. Really dating. She never thought she'd see the day, but here they were. As much as she had teased him, she was genuinely happy for him. He deserved someone like Amara, someone who made him smile like that.

After taking a deep breath, she headed back inside for breakfast. The smell of something delicious greeted her the moment she stepped into the kitchen, and she smiled as she saw Denise and Jobe at the dining table.

"Morning, love," Denise greeted her warmly, placing a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and a steaming cup of tea in front of her. "How was your call with Lewis?"

"Good," Lila said, sitting down and taking a sip of her tea. "Actually, I have some news—he’s got a girlfriend now."

"Oh, how wonderful!" Denise exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she sat down with her own plate.

Jobe raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Who is it?"

Lila grinned, pulling out her phone to open Amara’s Instagram page. She found a picture of Amara at a red carpet event, looking stunning as usual, and turned the screen to Jobe.

His jaw dropped. "Holy shit!" The bacon he’d been holding slipped from his fingers and fell onto his plate.

Denise shot him a sharp look and smacked his arm. "Language, Jobe!"

"What?" Jobe shrugged, sheepishly rubbing his arm as he picked up his orange juice. "Lewis always gets the baddies."

Lila rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re not wrong. One thing about my brother—he never misses when it comes to girls."

"Well, that may be," Denise chimed in, "but there’s more to a relationship than looks."

Jobe just shrugged again, taking another bite of bacon. "Still, though…"

As breakfast continued, they talked and laughed, catching up on life and enjoying the calm morning. Lila occasionally checked her phone, smiling at texts from Jude, who was still in Miami, and one from Lewis letting her know they’d just landed in Monaco. The warmth of family, coupled with the excitement buzzing through her about seeing Jude soon, made the morning feel just right.

After finishing their meal, Lila helped Denise clean up. They put away the dishes, and as Denise washed her hands, she asked, "So, what’s the plan for the rest of the day?"

"Just relax for a bit, really," Lila replied. "Maybe organize my suitcase a bit before heading to the airport tonight."

"Well, we loved having you here," Denise said with a kind smile.

That warmth, that sense of belonging, filled Lila again. Spending time with the Bellinghams felt so natural, and even though it wasn’t her original plan to stay the night in Birmingham, she was grateful for the detour. Tonight, she'd be off to New York to reunite with Jude, but today, she could just enjoy being part of his family.

Jude leaned against the windowsill of the hotel room, gazing out at the stunning New York skyline as the sun began to dip behind the buildings, casting the room in soft hues of orange and pink. The glow of the city’s lights was nothing compared to the warmth radiating in his chest as he thought about what was coming next.

It had been a few days since he left Miami, and though hanging out with the guys was great fun—especially with Trent ducking out early to head to Barbados—Jude couldn’t shake how much he missed Lila. His mind kept drifting back to her, especially to the night after the Euros when she had comforted him. That moment had been a revelation for him. He'd already been falling for her, but that night, something clicked. He realized he loved her.

Jude left Miami a day early, making sure everything went off without a hitch. The plan was to make their time together in New York perfect—a time to express everything he’d been feeling, to tell her how much he loved her. He smiled to himself as he thought about how Lila would react to everything he had planned.

Just as he imagined, the moment she stepped into the room, her breath hitched. The space was decorated with heart-shaped balloons, rose petals scattered everywhere, and more roses filled vases around the room. A soft candlelight flickered, bathing everything in a warm glow. A stack of presents, neatly wrapped, sat on the bed, framed by even more petals. Lila stood in the doorway, speechless, her eyes wide with surprise.

Jude couldn't help but grin, watching her take it all in. She seemed so small standing there, a little overwhelmed by everything he had done. A dozen roses had greeted her in the chauffeur-driven car he'd arranged to pick her up from the airport. Now, as she looked at the room, tears started welling in her eyes.

"Don’t cry, Li," Jude murmured, stepping closer and wiping away a tear with his thumb. He bent down to kiss her forehead, then her cheek, and finally her lips. The taste of her salty tears mixed with the sweetness of the kiss, making him chuckle softly. "Babes, you’re killing me."

Lila giggled through her tears, gazing up at him with a teary smile. "Jude... This is... How did you even plan all of this?"

"I wanted to surprise you. I’ve been working on it for a while," Jude said, taking her hand and guiding her deeper into the room. "You’ve been doing so much for me, especially after everything with the Euros... I wanted to do something special for you."

She blinked up at him, her voice soft. "But how did you...?"

"I left Miami a day early," Jude confessed, a playful glint in his eyes. "Had to make sure everything was perfect before you got here. Got a little help from the hotel staff too, obviously."

Lila shook her head in disbelief, still smiling. "I can’t believe you did all this for me. You’re amazing, Jude."

Jude led her toward the bed and pointed to the neatly stacked gifts. "There’s more, by the way."

Lila’s eyes widened as she reached for the first box. It was small, delicately wrapped, and inside was a beautiful gold necklace with a pendant shaped like a heart. The next gift was a brand-new digital sketchpad, sleek and modern, perfect for her designs.

"Jude!" Lila gasped, running her fingers over the sketchpad. “This is... I don’t even know what to say."

"I figured you could use it for your work," Jude said, grinning proudly. "I remember you mentioning wanting one, so..."

Before Lila could respond, a soft knock came at the door. "That’s our dinner," Jude said, giving her a wink as he went to answer it.

The hotel staff brought in the food, setting up a small table by the window. The candles flickered as they placed down the silver-domed trays, revealing a beautiful spread of Lila’s favorite dishes. Lila sat down, still reeling from everything that had happened in the past hour.

Jude sat across from her, watching her in amusement. "You look like you’re in a daze."

"I kind of am," Lila admitted, shaking her head. "This is all... so much. I didn’t expect it."

"Well, get used to it," Jude teased, giving her a smirk as he beckoned her to come closer. "Actually, come here." He patted his lap. With a laugh, Lila got up and slid onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jude picked up a forkful of food and held it up to her lips. "Open up."

Lila smiled, leaning forward to take a bite, her eyes fluttering closed as she savored the taste. "Mmm, that’s good."

Jude grinned, licking his lips as he watched her enjoy the meal. "I could get used to this," Lila mused, her eyes shining with contentment.

"Same," Jude agreed, his voice dropping slightly. "I missed you so much, Li. You don’t even know."

Lila’s face softened, and she leaned in to kiss him gently. "I missed you too, Judey Bear."

They continued their meal, talking about everything and nothing, with Jude occasionally feeding her bites of food. The atmosphere was perfect—intimate, romantic, just the two of them in their own little world.

When the meal was finished, Jude stood up, holding out his hand. "Come on, I have one more surprise."

Lila followed him into the bathroom, where the large bathtub had already been filled with steaming water and bath salts. Candles flickered along the edges of the tub, and the scent of lavender filled the air.

Jude smiled at her, his hands reaching for the hem of her shirt. "Let me help you."

His gaze never left her as he began to undress her, his hands steady but reverent. Though he had seen her naked countless times before, something about this moment felt different—more intimate. He started by gently pulling her shirt over her head with deliberate slowness. The shirt slid up her soft skin, revealing her pert, brown areolas peeking through the sheer lace of her bra. His breath caught slightly as the fabric finally came off, leaving her upper body bare. He loved every curve, every freckle.

Lila flushed under his intense stare, feeling the heat of his gaze as he moved lower, undoing the button of her jeans, sliding them down her legs, and taking his time to let his fingers brush against her thighs. Each touch sent tingles up her spine, and though he had done this before, she could feel his adoration more profoundly tonight. Jude knelt in front of her, lifting her feet one by one as she stepped out of the jeans, standing there vulnerable, yet safe in his presence.

With a quick flick of his fingers, Jude unhooked her bra, letting it fall away to reveal her breasts fully. His eyes darkened with a familiar hunger as he admired her pert nipples, now hardened from both the chill in the air and his lingering touch. His gaze wandered lower to her hips, where her panties were the last barrier between them. He slid them down slowly, savoring the moment as he revealed every inch of her.

"You're so beautiful, Lila," he murmured, standing up to meet her gaze. His fingers brushed her cheek as he moved in closer.

Lila’s breath hitched. "Jude…"

He smiled softly at her, quickly undressing himself, revealing the toned muscles she had memorized, yet somehow it felt new each time. With his clothes discarded, he reached for her hand, pulling her gently toward the steaming bathtub he had prepared.

She shivered slightly as her bare skin met the cool air, but the warmth of his hand anchored her. He stepped into the tub first, guiding her in after him. The water enveloped her, soothing and warm, as Jude settled behind her, pulling her back against his broad chest. She fit perfectly against him, their bodies molded together as the water lapped gently around them.

For a few moments, they sat in comfortable silence, the warmth of the bath and the closeness of their bodies dissolving any lingering tension. Jude rested his chin on top of her head, his arms wrapped securely around her waist, fingers splayed against her stomach as if to keep her close.

"I love you, Lila," he whispered, his voice so soft it almost blended with the sound of the city.

Lila’s breath hitched again, but this time from the rush of emotion his words stirred inside her. She turned in his arms to face him, her eyes wide and shining. "You… you love me?"

Jude nodded, his smile warm and full of affection. "I do. So much."

Tears welled in Lila’s eyes, but they were tears of joy this time. She cupped his face with her hands, her thumbs brushing over his cheekbones before she leaned in to kiss him. "I love you too, Jude."

Their kiss deepened, slow and tender, each touch of their lips filled with all the emotions they hadn’t been able to fully express in words. Jude held her close, his hands tracing patterns along her back as he pressed her to him, feeling the connection that ran deeper than anything he’d ever experienced before.

They stayed in the bath for what felt like hours, exchanging soft kisses and gentle touches. There was no rush, no urgency—just the two of them, wrapped in their own bubble of peace and contentment. The warmth of the water held them in a gentle embrace, matching the warmth that spread through Jude’s chest as he realized just how deeply he loved her.

When the water began to cool, Jude reluctantly pulled away, standing up first and reaching down to help Lila out of the tub. He wrapped her in a thick, soft towel, drying her gently before grabbing another for himself. Once they were both dry, they slipped into bed together, the city lights filtering in through the window and casting a soft glow over their entwined bodies.

Jude pulled Lila close, wrapping his arm around her waist as she snuggled into him, her head resting on his chest. He pressed one last kiss to her forehead, letting out a contented sigh. For the first time in a long time, everything felt perfect.

"I’m so happy right now," Lila whispered, her voice sleepy but full of warmth.

"Me too," Jude murmured, his hand gently tracing circles on her back as they drifted off to sleep, completely and utterly in love.

_______________________________________________

lilahamilton and 2 others

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The next few days in New York City were exactly what Jude needed—time spent with Lila, exploring the city, laughing, and just being together. It felt like the perfect break from the chaos of his career, especially after the emotionally exhausting summer following the Euros.

Jude had always been a goofball, and with Lila, he was even more comfortable showing that side of himself. On their first full day in the city, after a lazy morning at their hotel, they decided to visit a fabric shop that Lila had been dying to check out. Jude tagged along eagerly, wanting to see her in her element.

As they strolled through the aisles, Lila’s eyes lit up at the sight of different textiles—silk, cotton, linen, all neatly rolled up in vibrant colors.

"This is perfect for my next collection," she mused, gently running her fingers over a soft velvet fabric.

Jude grinned, nudging her playfully. "You know, I’d make a great model for your line. Think about it—Jude Bellingham, draped in couture. That’s got a ring to it, don’t you think?"

Lila burst out laughing, shaking her head. "Oh, sure. Maybe I’ll design you a velvet tracksuit or something."

Jude gave a mock serious nod. "Yes, I could pull that off. Velvet’s a good look for me.”

"Whatever you say," Lila teased, picking up another fabric to examine.

"Oi, rude," Jude chuckled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "But seriously, Li, these are beautiful. You’re gonna do amazing things with this."

Lila’s smile softened as she looked up at him, touched by his support. "Thanks, Jude. It means a lot."

After their time at the fabric store, they grabbed ice cream from a vendor nearby. Jude insisted on getting the biggest cone possible, making a mess of it almost immediately.

"Look at you," Lila laughed, shaking her head as Jude tried to lick the melting ice cream before it dripped all over his hands.

"What?” Jude grinned, licking a smudge of ice cream off his thumb. "It’s good. Want some?"

Lila wrinkled her nose. “Not after you’ve licked it like that.”

Jude smirked, leaning closer. "Oh come on, I don’t have cooties. Here," he held the cone out to her, playfully trying to smear some of the melting ice cream on her cheek.

"Jude!" Lila squealed, dodging him and playfully swatting at his arm. “You’re such a menace.”

They spent the afternoon wandering through Central Park, visiting the zoo, and laughing at the antics of the sea lions and penguins. Jude couldn’t help but point out the similarities between one particularly lazy penguin and Trent, snapping a photo to send to him later.

The next day, they ventured into the city’s more unconventional attractions, including a trip to the Museum of Sex. The whole experience was both fascinating and hilarious, with Jude making cheeky comments about some of the exhibits.

"See this? I think we should try it," Jude whispered to Lila, his voice dripping with mischief as he pointed to a rather risqué exhibit about anal sex.

Lila gave him a horrified look. "Hell no! We are not doing that."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist as they moved to the next room. "You know I’m kidding, right? But, you know, if you ever change your mind…"

Lila rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You’re impossible."

"Yeah, but you love it," Jude shot back with a wink, earning a laugh from her.

On their last night, Lila and Jude found themselves lying comfortably in the soft glow of the hotel room. The New York skyline was visible from their window, twinkling as the city buzzed beneath them. It had been a perfect few days—filled with laughter, love, and all the little things that made them feel closer.

Lila turned on her side, propping herself up on one elbow to look at Jude. "Tomorrow we leave New York," she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. "Back to England tomorrow night, and then to Bradford to watch Jobe’s last preseason game."

Jude nodded, stretching out beside her. "Yeah, back to reality. It’s been a nice break, though. Needed this time with you."

"Same," Lila agreed, brushing a thumb along his cheek. "I’m excited to see Jobe play, though. Oh, speaking of Jobe… he was talking to Justine."

Jude raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh really? He got her number?"

"Yep," Lila confirmed with a laugh. "I saw him talking to her when I was in Birmingham, and then later I heard he asked for her number. It’s cute."

"'Bout fuckin' time," Jude chuckled, resting his hands behind his head. "That’s interesting. I thought Jobe was more focused on football this season."

Lila tilted her head, giving Jude a pointed look. "So were you before we got together, mister."

Jude smirked, shifting to face her. "True, but I always wanted you, Li. I was just waiting for the right time."

Lila rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, come on. You didn’t even know me that well before Monaco."

"I knew enough," Jude insisted, his tone serious despite the teasing glint in his eyes. "I had a thing for you for months before that. I just needed a little push to actually talk to you properly."

Lila blinked in surprise. "Wait, seriously?"

"Dead serious." Jude sat up slightly, leaning on one elbow now. "I always knew you were endgame. I just didn’t know how to go about it without making it awkward. Thank fuck for Trent."

Lila let out a laugh, shaking her head in amusement. "Trent is a good wingman, I’ll give him that."

Jude grinned, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "He really is. Got me the girl of my dreams."

Lila’s heart fluttered at his words. She leaned in closer, pressing a kiss to his lips. "You’re too smooth, you know that?"

"I try," Jude said, his voice low as he kissed her back, his hands resting on her waist. "But it’s the truth."

They stayed like that for a while, just talking and enjoying each other’s presence. Jude loved the way they could talk about anything, from football to family to their future together. It felt easy, natural—like they were meant to be.

"Have you told Trent how much you appreciate him playing matchmaker?" Lila asked with a grin.

"Oh, I’ll tell him. Maybe I’ll owe him one for the rest of my life," Jude joked, making Lila giggle.

As the night went on, they discussed their plans for the next few days—heading back to England, spending time with family, and then diving back into the whirlwind of their lives. But no matter how busy things got, Jude knew one thing for certain: Lila was the one, and he wasn’t going to let her go.

"I can’t wait for Jobe’s game," Jude murmured, pulling her close to him. "We gotta make sure to cheer loud for him."

Lila smiled, resting her head on his chest. "Of course. He’s going to love it."

They lay together, the soft hum of the city outside lulling them into a peaceful state. Jude kissed the top of Lila’s head, feeling grateful for these moments they shared.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice barely audible but filled with sincerity.

Lila’s heart swelled as she nestled closer to him. "I love you too, Jude."

He tilted Lila’s chin up, his eyes locking onto hers, searching for any hesitation. Instead, he found only warmth and longing mirrored back at him. Jude leaned in, their lips brushing softly at first, a gentle exploration that sent shivers down Lila's spine. The kiss deepened, igniting a fire that had been simmering beneath the surface. His hand moved to cup her face, fingers tangling in her hair as he kissed her with a passion that felt all-consuming.

Lila melted against him, her hands roaming over the expanse of his chest, feeling the solid muscle beneath her fingertips. She traced the contours of his body, memorizing every dip and curve, and she could feel him respond to her touch, his body growing taut with desire.

Jude shifted their positions, pushing Lila back against the soft sheets. He hovered above her, his gaze drinking in the sight of her beneath him, flushed and breathing heavily. She looked up at him with eyes that sparkled with mischief and affection, and he couldn’t resist leaning down to capture her lips again.

Their kisses grew more urgent, lips moving together in perfect harmony, deepening with each passing moment. Jude's hands slid down Lila’s sides, fingers dancing over her hips before he grasped the hem of her oversized T-shirt, pulling it over her head and tossing it aside. His breath hitched as he took in the sight of her breasts, the soft curves that beckoned him closer.

Jude's lips traveled from lower, kissing a trail down her body that made her gasp with anticipation. Lila moaned and threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. When he reached the waistband of her shorts, he looked up at Lila for permission.

She nodded eagerly, aching for his touch. He slowly pulled off her shorts and panties, leaving her completely naked before him. His breath caught at the sight of her, the way she was looking up at him with such desire in her eyes.

He leaned down again, pressing kisses along the inside of her thighs before finally reaching his destination. He gently parted her folds with his fingers, teasingly brushing against her slick center as he planted soft kisses on her inner thighs before delving into her pussy.

Jude maintained eye contact, drinking in her reactions, each kiss and flick of his tongue eliciting more gasps and whimpers from her. Her legs trembled, and she squeezed them together instinctively, but he gently nudged them apart, eager to taste more.

Her hands tightened in his hair as he continued to work magic with his tongue. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge, the tension coiling within her until it finally snapped.

"Jude," she gasped out as she came undone beneath him.

He continued to lap at her pussy until she was writhing beneath him in pure ecstasy. Once she stopped shaking, he kissed his way back up her body, stopping to pepper kisses along her skin until he reached her lips again. He captured her mouth with his, their kisses merging sweet and sultry, filled with the heady aftermath of her orgasm.

Jude’s heart raced as Lila tentatively placed a hand to cup his erection, pulling him gently toward her center. Her eyes, half-lidded with desire, and the way she bit her lip ignited a challenge in him. "You’re not ready for all that, Lila Bila," he said, trying to mask his own excitement with caution, but the warmth radiating from her was intoxicating.

"I am, baby," she replied, her voice steady yet sultry, causing him to sit back on his haunches. The moment felt electric, charged with unspoken promises and the weight of their connection.

"Lila… we don’t—"

"I love you, Jude Victor William Bellingham... and I want you to be my first. I know what this means, trust me, and I want to… with all my heart." Her words struck him like a bolt of lightning, piercing through any hesitations he had held onto.

"Lila, babes…" he began, but she cut him off again, her gaze unwavering.

"Do you want to fuck me or not?"

Jude reared back, clearly shocked at her bluntness. The mixture of her boldness and vulnerability sent a thrill through him. "Of course I do, baby. I want to make love to you."

"Then do it." The smug smile on her face was irresistible, and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer.

His mind raced, caught between desire and hesitation. He thought about how warm she felt against him, her skin like silk, radiating an energy that made his pulse quicken. He had dreamed of this moment, fantasized about making love to her, and now that it was within reach, he couldn’t deny the longing in his heart any longer.

Fuck it.

They were in NYC together for the perfect getaway that solidified everything between them. He was going to make love to his girl.

Jude felt a rush of protective tenderness wash over him as Lila’s gaze held his, a mixture of excitement and nervousness flickering in her eyes. He gently cupped her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "Are you sure, Lila? I want you to feel completely ready."

She nodded, her breath catching slightly as she held his gaze, determination mixing with the vulnerability in her expression. "I am, Jude. I trust you."

With a soft smile, he leaned in closer. Every part of him wanted to reassure her, to make this experience beautiful and unforgettable. He kissed her gently, tasting the sweetness of her lips, feeling her respond to him with a softness that made his heart race.

"Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?" he murmured against her mouth, his voice low and steady.

"Okay," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. The certainty in her voice made his resolve strengthen as he kissed her deeper.

Jude's lips left hers to trail kisses down her neck, eliciting small gasps from her as he captured one of her nipples in his mouth, teasing it with his tongue as she arched into him. His hand slid down between her legs, feeling how wet she was for him, and he groaned at the thought of being inside her.

He paused for a moment, catching her gaze, silently asking if she was still with him. Lila’s half-lidded eyes locked onto his, her breath uneven as she nodded, urging him to continue.

Jude leaned back slightly, his fingers deftly unbuttoning his pants, his heart pounded in his chest as he pushed them down, and his dick sprung free, the sight of her beneath him only intensifying his desire. Her eyes flickered downward briefly, then back to his face, her lips parting in a small smile.

"Be right back," he muttered, his voice hoarse with need. He briefly left her, walking across the room to his bag, rummaging through it until his fingers wrapped around the condom.

He returned quickly, climbing back onto the bed, and he slid the condom on his length. The anticipation in the room was palpable, the air thick with desire as he moved back over her, pressing his lips to hers once again. His kiss was deeper this time, more urgent, as he positioned himself between her legs.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"I’m perfect," Lila whispered, her voice breathy as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

With a soft, reassuring smile, Jude leaned in, and slowly began to push inside, feeling the warmth of her body enveloping him. Almost immediately, he met some resistance, the tightness of her body causing her to tense up beneath him.

Lila's eyes widened, her breath hitching as the sensation of intrusion took hold, unfamiliar and intense. "Breathe, babes," Jude whispered, his voice soft but steady as he paused, giving her time to adjust. "You’ll make it worse if you don’t relax."

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she let out a shaky breath, trying to ease the tension building in her body. "Jesus Christ, Jude, you’re—"

Before she could finish, Jude slanted his lips against hers, silencing her words with a kiss, deep and filled with the tenderness he wanted to convey. He moved slowly, allowing her body to grow accustomed to him as he pushed in deeper, his dick throbbing with every inch.

His hand moved to her breast, massaging gently, hoping to distract her from the discomfort. The other hand braced against the mattress, steadying himself as he fought to keep most of his weight off her, wanting to be careful not to overwhelm her.

She let out a low moan against his lips as her body adjusted further. The tension was still there, but it was beginning to ebb as her body slowly welcomed him. Jude's head was swimming with pleasure and restraint, focusing on making this as easy for her as possible.

"You’re doing so good," he murmured against her lips, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her, but he knew this was important—her first time. It had to be perfect, and he was going to make sure of it.

Lila let out another shaky breath, her fingers gripping his shoulders as he pressed in deeper, and slowly, her body began to relax. "Jude," she breathed out, her voice filled with both uncertainty and need.

He smiled against her lips, his hips moving carefully, kissing her softly as he continued to push forward, filling her inch by inch. Her body responded eagerly, her hips rising to meet his with a desperate need that made his heart swell with pride.

"That’s it, baby," he murmured, his voice rough, a hint of desire lacing his words. "Just like that… you’re so tight, fuck."

Lila moaned in response, her hands clutching at his back, urging him closer. She had never felt anything like this before, the pleasure coursing through her body was unlike anything she had ever experienced. He could feel her growing more confident, her movements becoming more purposeful as she learned what felt good for both of them

"You like that, baby?" His breath was hot against her neck as he pressed kisses along her skin, moving in slow, deliberate thrusts. "You’re taking this dick so well... so fucking perfect."

Lila could only moan in response, her mind hazy with pleasure. The sound of his dirty words, the feeling of him so deep inside her—it was intoxicating. "Jude… oh God, Jude," she gasped, her body trembling beneath him as her legs tightened around his waist, pulling him closer, urging him on.

He shifted slightly, pushing deeper, feeling her walls tighten around him, and he groaned, his control slipping as he fought to hold back. "Fuck, baby, I’m gonna come if you keep squeezing me like that."

"Don’t stop," she breathed, her voice shaky, but her need was evident in the way her body responded to him. "Oh god," Lila gasped as she felt a surge of pleasure shoot through her body. She clung onto Jude tightly as he continued to move with expert precision.

Jude could feel Lila’s body trembling beneath him, the heat and tightness of her driving him wild as he thrust deeper, losing himself in the rhythm of their bodies. His hand moved from her breast to grip her hip, holding her firmly in place as his lips found her ear again. Her breathing was erratic, her moans turning into soft cries of pleasure.

"You gonna come for me, baby?" he whispered roughly.

"I… I—" Lila’s breath hitched, her entire body trembling as the pressure inside her built to a peak, the sensation overwhelming.

"Come for me," Jude commanded, his voice filled with urgency and raw desire as he quickened his pace slightly, pushing her closer to the edge. "Let go, Li."

His words sent a surge of heat through her, and Lila’s body responded without hesitation. A moan tore from her throat, her back arching as her orgasm crashed through her, waves of pleasure rolling over her in intense, dizzying bursts. "Oh my God, Jude!" she cried, her legs tightening around him, her body spasming as she clung to him.

"That’s it, baby," Jude groaned, his voice rough as he felt her pulsing around him, the sensation nearly pushing him over the edge.

Lila’s moans turned into gasps as her body shuddered, lost in the overwhelming sensation of her release. The sensation was too much for Jude to handle and he followed soon after, both of them reaching their high together.

"Fuck," he groaned, holding her close and kissing her deeply as he slowed his thrusts, savoring the feel of her quivering beneath him.

As Lila stood next to Jude in the stadium, her mind wandered back to their time in New York City, replaying the intimate moments they shared. The closeness she felt with him now, after losing her virginity, was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. There was a newfound intimacy between them, a sense of being in sync that hadn’t been there before. She felt more confident in their relationship, and with that came a quiet pride. Jude had been patient, loving, and everything she needed him to be, which only deepened her feelings for him. The memory of him murmuring her name, touching her with care—it made her feel like she belonged to him in a way that was beautiful, not possessive.

Now, here they were in Bradford, cheering on Jobe as Sunderland played Marseille. The game ended in a draw, and the crowd's energy began to settle. Lila smiled as she watched Jude cheer for his little brother, clapping his hands and shouting, “Good game, Jobey!” There was something heartwarming about seeing Jude so proud of his brother. The bond between them was obvious, and it made her feel closer to Jude too, like she was becoming more a part of his world.

Jobe, instead of heading directly to the corridors with his team, lingered by the barrier, talking to a girl. Jude noticed and pointed him out. "Look at ‘em, straight mackin’ it." he teased with a grin.

Lila squinted at the girl Jobe was chatting with, and suddenly her heart jumped. "That’s Justine," she said, disbelief in her voice. Jude scoffed, clearly dismissing her observation.

"No, it ain’t. Probably some Bradford gal," he replied, but Lila wasn’t convinced.

"No, I swear it’s Justine. Are you blind or something?" she nudged him playfully, a hint of irritation creeping in.

Mark, who had been talking to Denise, paused and squinted too. "Shit, isn’t that Justine?" His father’s comment made Lila smirk and stick her tongue out at Jude.

"Dad, that’s not Justine," Jude said, shaking his head. "I’m telling ya, it’s some Bradford gal. Jobe has girls all over England." He whispered the last part, thinking he was being sneaky, but Lila still managed to hear, earning a quick glare.

"Jobe isn’t like that!" she retorted, defending the innocent image she had of him, but Jude and his dad exchanged knowing looks that made her question things. "You’re kidding me," she sighed, feeling her idealized image of Jobe starting to crack.

"Told ya Jobe’s not as innocent as you may think," Jude added, clearly amused, but Lila didn’t want to let go of her sweet, goofy perception of Jobe. He was slightly taller than Jude but still had this endearing quality about him that made her think of him as a little brother too. The idea of him out here, potentially having sex—it was almost too much for her to believe.

Denise, who had been absorbed in her phone, suddenly looked up. "Judey, we may have to go back to Madrid early for—wait, is that Justine?" She squinted at the field, her eyes widening as she finally recognized the girl. "Oh my goodness, it is her!" she gasped, quickly reaching for her phone. "I have to text Venetta."

"Mum, that’s some Bradford gal, not Jus—" Jude started, but then the Jumbotron camera panned to Jobe, who was signing a kid’s jersey. Standing next to the gaggle of kids was the girl, and sure enough, it was Justine. "What the fuck is she doing here?" Jude muttered, clearly taken aback.

"Clearly meeting up with Jobey," his mum said matter-of-factly, her tone filled with a mix of surprise and amusement.

"Well, this certainly escalated," Lila chimed in, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth as she watched the scene unfold. Jobe, now waving to the fans, finally turned and headed down the tunnel to the showers.

"Lil’ mutt’s got a girlfriend now?" Jude shook his head, still processing it. "Can’t believe he lied to me 'bout focusin' on football. Lil’ shit."

Lila turned to him, gently caressing his arm. "Jude, are you really upset?"

"A bit, yeah… we tell each other everything," he admitted, a small frown tugging at his lips.

"Everything?" Lila arched an eyebrow, emphasizing the word as she looked at him knowingly.

"Yeah," Jude nodded, still preoccupied with the idea of Jobe keeping something from him.

"Well, maybe he’s waiting to tell you. Things happen fast on our end, I can only imagine Jobe’s life." Lila’s voice was soft, reassuring. She understood Jude’s bond with his brother and why it might sting that Jobe hadn’t confided in him.

"I guess so," Jude sighed, leaning into her touch. He smiled faintly, though the shock hadn’t completely worn off. Lila couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Jobe couldn’t believe she’d actually shown up. When Justine texted back, agreeing to come to his last preseason game, he figured she was just being nice. He hadn’t expected her to actually make the trip out to see him play. But there she was, standing by the barrier after the game, a smile tugging at her lips as she waved. He tried to keep his cool, but inside, he was buzzing.

It hadn’t been part of his plan to get involved with any girls this season—he was determined to focus solely on football. No distractions. He wanted to get better, to push himself, especially now that he was stepping up and making a name for himself, just like Jude. With all the endorsements coming his way and the demands of training, Jobe was committed to taking his game to the next level. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t get caught up in any relationships, unlike Jude, who dove headfirst into love with Lila. No offense to her—she was basically like a sister to Jobe—but having a girlfriend right now felt like too much. He valued his freedom, the chance to live his life without being tied down, and there wasn’t going to be anything that made him give that up.

But Justine… she was different. Chill, low-maintenance, and upfront about what she wanted. She had been honest from the start—she wasn’t looking for a relationship either, just something casual to help ease the stress of her studies and upcoming teaching placement in Leeds. Jobe respected that. It was exactly what he needed, too. Someone who wouldn’t demand too much from him but still had enough going on to keep things interesting.

As he changed into his team’s tracksuit and said his goodbyes to his teammates and coaches, Jobe felt a little more at ease knowing he had an off-week before returning to Sunderland for training. Just enough time to meet up with Justine again later tonight. He was looking forward to it, but he also knew how to keep things light—no commitments, just fun.

Outside, he spotted his parents, Jude, and Lila all looking around as if they were searching for someone else. He waved a hand in front of them. "Literally right here," he said with a smirk. "What are you lot lookin' 'round for?"

"Nothing, Jobey, let’s go eat," his mum replied, brushing off the moment. Justine was long gone, likely already on her way home. They piled into their cars and headed to a nearby restaurant. Jobe was about to follow when Jude stopped him.

"Wanna talk?" Jude asked, nodding toward a quieter area. "I’ll be right in, Li," he added to his girlfriend, and Lila followed their parents inside.

Jobe chuckled, knowing this conversation was coming. Jude’s rising fame meant they had to be careful where they went, even when having casual chats like this. "What's up, mate?" Jobe asked, acting casual, though he could tell from Jude’s expression that his brother had something on his mind.

"You fuckin' Justine?" Jude said bluntly, cutting right to the point.

Jobe shrugged, a smug grin creeping onto his face. "Maybe."

"Big Bellingham in the fuckin’ play!" Jude nudged him, a grin of his own forming. "I thought you were focusin' on football?"

"Not so much to become a fuckin' monk, JB." Jobe rolled his eyes, laughing as Jude crossed his arms.

"Li told me you got her number. 'Bout fuckin' time, you were pinin' for her long enough."

"Not pinin'," Jobe corrected. "More like lustin'. It's different."

Jude snorted. "Right, right. She’s a cool girl, though. You could do worse for a casual thing."

"She is. And besides, our families trust each other. If anyone’s gonna be a chill FWB, it’s her. No drama."

"She got fine, hadn’t she?" Jude added with a teasing grin.

"Finer," Jobe corrected, then shot Jude a look. "And don’t you have a girl? I can’t wait to tell Li that you're checkin' out other girls."

"Won't mean a thing. I have eyes just like everyone else, but Li’s forever. Doesn’t matter," Jude said nonchalantly. "Besides, you should see her when she reacts to Michael B. Jordan. She goes feral."

Jobe shook his head, laughing. "You’re really gone, aren’t you?"

"Yeah, she’s wifey," Jude admitted, that dopey smile spreading across his face.

"Just hold off on the wedding and babies, okay? You’re barely in your twenties."

"Oh, I know. I may do some crazy shit, but I’m not stupid. No wedding or babies until I’m at least twenty-eight."

"Fuck, mate," Jobe muttered, shaking his head at his brother’s antics. He admired Jude’s commitment but didn’t want any part of it for himself—at least not yet. Football was his priority, and freedom came with it. Still, Jude had his path, and Jobe respected that.

"You meetin’ up with her later?" Jude asked, his voice dropping. Jobe nodded, and without hesitation, Jude dug into his pockets and handed him two Magnums. "For later."

Jobe scoffed but took the condoms anyway. "Thanks, I guess."

"Of course, gotta make sure my lil’ bro isn’t being stupid and end up with ten baby mummas," Jude said, slapping Jobe on the back. "Let’s head inside before Mum starts raising hell."

The two of them walked back toward the restaurant, knowing all too well that their mother didn’t have the patience for them being missing in action, especially when food was involved. But Jobe felt a little lighter now, knowing he could enjoy his off-week with Justine. Just the way he wanted it.

____________________________________________

A couple of hours later, Jobe said his goodbyes to his family, slipping into his car and making the short drive to Leeds. The address Justine had given him earlier led him to a quiet, residential neighborhood—a mix of brick row houses and modern flats tucked away in a peaceful part of town. The street was dimly lit, with tall trees lining the sidewalk, their leaves rustling gently in the night breeze. As Jobe parked his car, he grabbed his duffel bag and a bag of leftovers from the restaurant, making his way to Justine’s front door.

He rang the bell and waited, feeling a buzz of anticipation in his chest. The door swung open moments later, and there stood Justine, looking far too tempting for his liking. She was wearing a snug baby tee that clung to her curves, with a pair of shorts that were so short they barely covered the bottoms of her ass, leaving her toned legs on full display.

Jobe couldn’t help but lick his lips at the sight of her. "What’s up?" he said, his voice dropping low.

"Nuttin,''" she replied in that sweet voice of hers, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Come in." She stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

Jobe followed her inside, his eyes glued to the way her hips swayed as she led him to her flat. It was cozy, with soft lighting, potted plants in the corners, and a minimalist setup—just a few pieces of furniture and some personal touches, like a stack of books on the coffee table and framed photos on the wall. It smelled faintly of vanilla, and the atmosphere felt intimate, private.

"You got any flatmates?" Jobe asked, glancing around the place.

Justine shook her head. "Nope. We’re all alone," she said as she closed the door behind them.

Jobe smirked, shrugging off his hoodie and letting it fall to the floor before dropping his duffel bag next to it. He stepped closer to her, holding up the bag of food. "Brought you somethin'. You like pasta, right?"

Her eyes, heavy with lust, roamed over his frame beneath the tight white t-shirt he wore, taking in the broadness of his chest and the strength in his arms. "Yeah," she murmured, her gaze flicking back up to meet his. She smiled, teasing him slightly. "You brought me food, eh?"

"Of course," Jobe replied, getting closer until he was towering over her, boxing her in between his body and the radiator behind her. "Can’t just fuck you. Gotta feed you too. Mum raised me right."

Justine laughed softly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Big ups to Auntie ’Nise."

"Mmmhmm," Jobe murmured, his voice deep and thick with desire, just before he captured her lips in a heated kiss. He dropped the bag of food onto a nearby end table, his hands quickly finding her waist. With a small yelp from her, he lifted her off the ground, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.

Jobe groaned against her lips, the heat between them building fast. "Where’s your bedroom?" he muttered, his voice rough.

"We’ll make our way to it," Justine whispered, her breath hot against his skin. Jobe chuckled at her response—there was something incredibly sexy about the way she was playing it, making him want her even more.

Instead of rushing to the bedroom, he carried her over to the sofa, gently laying her down before climbing on top of her. Their lips crashed together again in a feverish kiss, hands wandering and tugging at clothes. Jobe pulled off Justine’s baby tee in one swift motion, revealing her bare chest beneath.

He grinned, his eyes gleaming with playful teasing. "Bad, bad girl. No bra?"

Justine smirked, but before she could respond, Jobe dipped his head, taking one of her breasts into his mouth. Her breath hitched, and she arched beneath him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he worked his mouth against her, his tongue flicking over her sensitive skin.

Justine's breath hitched, and her back arched as Jobe's mouth worked against her bare skin. She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him close as his tongue swirled over her breast, sending sharp tingles through her body. His hands, rough from years of football, slid down her sides, grabbing hold of her hips as he kept her pinned beneath him.

"Jobe…" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

He didn’t answer, only hummed against her skin, the vibration sending a shiver through her. He moved to her other breast, giving it the same attention, and Justine’s grip tightened, her nails lightly scraping against his scalp. Her legs fell open slightly, and Jobe’s hips pressed against her, feeling the heat between them growing more intense with every second.

"You're drivin' me crazy," Justine managed to say, her head tilting back as her body moved instinctively beneath his touch.

Jobe lifted his head slightly, his lips curving into a smug grin. "Good," he said, his voice low and teasing. He dipped his head again, planting soft, teasing kisses along the curve of her breasts, down her stomach, all while keeping his eyes locked on hers. "That's the plan."

His hands moved down, slipping beneath the waistband of her shorts, tugging them off in one smooth motion. Justine bit her lip, watching him intently. She reached up and traced her fingers along the strong line of his jaw, pulling him back up to kiss her again, her lips eager against his. The heat between them was almost unbearable now, the room filling with the sound of their breath, quick and shallow.

Jobe kissed her deeply, savoring the taste of her lips before pulling back just enough to look down at her. "Still want this?" he asked, his voice husky but with a hint of playfulness in his tone, knowing full well what her answer would be.

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "What do you think?"

With a laugh, Jobe leaned down, brushing his lips against hers again. "Just makin' sure," he murmured before pulling her closer, their bodies pressed tightly together. His hands roamed her body freely now, every touch igniting a new fire between them. He kissed down her neck, tracing the line of her collarbone as his fingers slid lower, teasing along the waistband of her panties.

"You're too damn good at this," Justine breathed, her voice a mix of frustration and desire as he continued to tease her.

Jobe chuckled, his fingers finally dipping below the waistband of her panties, eliciting a soft gasp from her as he removed them. "Told you, Mum raised me right."

Justine laughed softly at that, her eyes half-lidded with lust. "I'm gonna have to thank her later," she teased, her breath catching again as his fingers found exactly where she needed him.

Jobe grinned against her skin, feeling her body react to his touch. "You should," he whispered, his fingers moving slowly, teasingly, while his lips continued to explore her neck and shoulders. The tension between them built with every subtle movement, every breath that became more uneven.

Justine’s hips arched toward him involuntarily, her body practically begging for more. "Jobe," she gasped, her hands tightening around his biceps. Her mind was a haze of need, and the teasing was driving her mad.

He raised his head, their eyes locking as he pressed his body closer, his fingers slipping deeper, drawing out a soft moan from her lips. "Tell me what you want, Justine," he murmured, his voice low, gravelly.

"You know what I want," she breathed, her voice shaky with anticipation.

Jobe’s smirk grew as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. "Say it."

"God, Jobe," she moaned, her breath catching as his fingers worked her slowly, deliberately. "I want you."

Hearing those words flipped a switch inside him. He pulled his hand from her and tugged off his tracksuit bottoms and boxers. Reaching for his duffel bag, Jobe fished out one of the condoms Jude had given him earlier. He quickly tore the packet open, rolling the condom over himself with ease, the anticipation thick in the air between them.

"You sure?" he asked, a flicker of concern in his voice, despite the raw desire etched on his face.

Justine smiled, reaching up to pull him down to her. "I’m sure," she whispered, her fingers threading through his hair as she kissed him again, harder this time, her body arching into his.

With that, Jobe positioned himself between her legs, pressing against her, and with a slow, deliberate thrust, he filled her. The sensation made them both gasp, their bodies melding together as the tension broke, replaced by pure, unfiltered pleasure.

Justine moaned softly, her hips moving with his, finding a rhythm that matched his pace. Jobe leaned down, kissing her neck, her collarbone, his breath hot against her skin as he thrust into her, each movement driving them both closer to the edge.

Time seemed to blur as they lost themselves in each other. The only sounds filling the room were their ragged breaths, the quiet moans that slipped from Justine’s lips, and the steady, rhythmic sound of their bodies moving together. Jobe’s focus had shifted entirely now—he wasn’t thinking about football, endorsements, or the stresses of his life. Justine was the only thing in his world at that moment, and the feeling of her beneath him, responding to his every touch, was all-consuming.

"Jobe..." she whispered, her voice breathy as she felt herself nearing her peak.

He groaned in response, quickening his pace, his hands gripping her waist tighter as he felt her body tremble beneath him. "I got you," he breathed, his voice deep and husky.

Justine’s body tensed, her back arching as she finally reached her climax, a soft cry escaping her lips. Jobe wasn’t far behind, his own release crashing over him as he thrust deep into her one last time, his body shuddering in pleasure.

For a moment, they stayed like that—breathing heavily, their bodies tangled together, basking in the afterglow. Jobe pressed his forehead to hers, his heart pounding as they both tried to catch their breath.

"Damn..." Justine muttered, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest as he hovered above her. "That was..."

"Yeah," Jobe said with a small chuckle, still slightly breathless. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, savoring the lingering taste of her.

As they lay there, limbs tangled together on the sofa, Jobe’s mind wandered briefly back to his initial plans—to focus solely on football this season, to avoid getting wrapped up in relationships like Jude had with Lila. But as he glanced down at Justine, her eyes closed, a content smile on her face, he couldn’t help but feel like maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing after all. It wasn’t love, but it was easy.

"Hungry?" he asked after a moment, breaking the silence.

Justine opened one eye, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Didn’t you already feed me?" she teased, her voice still soft with satisfaction.

Jobe laughed, rolling off her and sitting up. "I meant the food I actually brought," he said, gesturing to the bag he’d left on the table.

"Well, in that case..." Justine sat up, reaching for her baby tee. "Yeah, I’m starving."

Jobe smiled, pulling her close to kiss her one more time before grabbing the bag of food. He couldn’t help but think that maybe this arrangement—casual, stress-free—was exactly what he needed right now.

THE END....

.........sike....epilogue coming soon.....

#emjayewrites #jude bellingham #jude bellingham fanfic #jude bellingham x black reader #footballer x reader #jude bellingham x reader #jude bellingham x you #football fanfic #hey there delilah #jude bellingham fanfiction

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redflagshipwriter · 9 months ago

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check yes to go on a date w a dead guy ch 4 progress

next chapter here

(masterpost with this story here)

It took a minute for Jason to recover from that realization. He kept the anger he felt off his face. Danny didn’t seem upset about dying young, but that didn’t mean much. It wasn’t an appropriate topic to prod about on a first meeting. He’d get there eventually.

Jason stilled. Ah, shit, he still didn’t have a plan. Just eating together was too short and too boring. He needed to have something better than that.

Fuck, what were they going to do next?

Jason strained for ideas. What was a good date? Normally, he'd know more about a person before they hung out romantically.

Well. Actually, normally he hung out platonically with someone a lot before he started to feel interest in them. This was all kinds of backwards: but he didn't want it to end yet.

“So, uh, what do you like to do?” Jason asked. Masterful. So smooth.

Danny scrunched up his nose. “Lately my afterlife sucks,” he groused. “I am drowning in paperwork and busy stuff.” He slumped over. “I miss being in high school,” Danny sighed. He drew his knees in and rested his elbows on them, then squished his cheeks with his palms. “I guess I used to just hang out, you know?” He shrugged. “Played a lot of video games. I miss that.”

“Of course,” Jason said, despite never having hung out and played video games in high school. He'd been an overscheduled nerd in junior high school and then been too dead for high school. “That sounds fun. Wanna go back to mine and play something later?”

Danny lit up, blue eyes sparkling in the fading light. “Yes! That would be great.” He straightened his legs and kicked his heels against the side of the building. “Wait, can we do the whole grungy high school hangout thing with pop and chips and dip and pizza and stuff?”

He almost said “we literally just ate”, but what the hell. “We'll hit the store next,” Jason said. He couldn't say no to that face. Look at ‘em. He was so excited.

'Ugh, god. Danny died in high school,’’ Jason realized. He'd already known Danny died young but it still stuck in his stomach like a rock. 'No wonder he misses what he did then. He's interacting with the physical world now but if he died, he probably went to like, dead land immediately.’

But, uh. Video games. He could do that. He kept up a conversation as his mind churned, asking Danny what kind of games he liked.

The thing was, Jason didn't really play video games. He had a console at his place and if he was hanging out with Roy or Dick there, they'd bring a game over. He owned like, two games.

He considered popping by the store and just buying something. But that would be weird and intense. He'd probably freak Danny out if he went and dropped money on a game just to play with him.

Ok. Well. He'd get someone to drop off games before he and Danny could get back to the apartment. Jason sneakily got out his phone and strategized.

Steph? No. Terrible. He couldn't let that girl know he had a date until the poor bastard really liked him for sure. She'd either chase Danny off or somehow orchestrate the two of them getting engaged.

Tim? God, no. He'd definitely own a lot of games but they'd all be for the PC, and he'd hang around and smirk about Jason meeting up with Danny.

Dick? Too far away, and way too smug. He'd take it as an opportunity to tease.

Oh, wait. He had it. Jason opened up a message to Duke and sent out a quick “I want to bribe you. Homemade pizza? Artichoke dip? Fried oysters???”

“Did you take a life?????” Duke shot back. Then, “pizza! What do you need?”

“Get to my place with a bunch of video games that'll work on my tv in less than an hour and I'll make whatever you want.”

The three dots indicating typing popped up. They stayed there for a weirdly long time. Then, Duke said, “Can I stay and hang out? 🥺”

Adorable little bastard. Jason typed out NO and then hesitated, feeling kinda bad.

“Who's that?” Danny prompted.

Ah, shit, he was being rude. Jason flushed. “Asking a little brother to bring over a game,” he admitted. “He wants to stay.”

Danny laughed. “That's adorable,” he announced. “It's fine by me. Lots of games are better with more people, anyway.”

Well. If that was the case, Jason was fine with it. He sent Duke an OK and then put his phone away before the inevitable “I AM THE FAVORITE SIBLING” fireworks started.

#dead on main #dp x dc #dc x dp #dc fanfic #red check yes

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vivwritesfics · 8 months ago

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Fire Is The Devil's Only Friend

Chapter One

There was no such thing as making it on your own with a high profile boyfriend. That was why she kept her relationship a secret. But then after a PR fuck up, her boyfriend is forced into PR relationship and she's left on the side lines, missing him

Warnings: smut, marking up, breeding kink carlos

1.3K

Thank to so freaking much to @darleneslane for the idea for this one! Im so obsessed

Series Masterlist

What is it with interviewers and always asking personal questions? The interview was supposed to be about her new book, and all she was being asked about was potential boyfriends.

She laughed and brushed on the question several times. She couldn't refuse to answer the question; that would just send more curiosity her way. And if she said she was single? Her inbox would be full of flirtatious messages.

Yes, she already had a boyfriend. They'd been together before she had made it big, when she was desperately trying to get somebody to read at least a single page of her writings.

She didn't know who he was when they first met. He was twenty five, gorgeous and oh so charming. It was so easy to fall for him. She fell in love with everything about him, and he with her. Nobody had ever asked her about herself and her writing at the level he did.

On every date he insisted on paying. She wasn't entirely comfortable about it, but she was a struggling author and she had very little money.

She realised who he was when he invited her to a Grand Prix. Initially she had declined. If he had enough money to take the both of them to a Grand Prix, she'd never be able to repay him.

Carlos asked again. It was late, they'd spent the day together and he'd made her dinner. They sat together on the couch, her body against his and his arms around her. "Come with me to a Grand Prix," he asked again and kissed the top of her head.

"Carlos, I can't," she said and turned towards him, her head on his chest.

Carlos kissed the top of her head. "Please," he tried again. "I could really use your support out there."

Suddenly she was sitting up. "You're a driver?" She asked, brows furrowed.

"Mi querida, you didn't know?"

She shook her head. "I thought you were just a really big Ferrari fan or something," she admitted.

Carlos couldn't stop the laugh that left his lips. He opened his arms wide once again and she fell against him. "So, are you coming to the Grand Prix with me?" He asked and she nodded her head.

But it wasn't as simple as that. She realised that the day after she agreed to go. She realised that the moment she got that all important email from a publishing house. The email that would change the trajectory of her life.

As upset that Carlos was that she changed her mind on the Grand Prix with him, he understood. As much as he wanted there, he accepted that she'd be supporting him from her apartment.

Nobody knew about her relationship with the Spanish Formula One driver. Her friends were constantly trying to set her up, but none of the men they introduced her to could hold a candle to Carlos. Not that she went on a date with any of these men. Not when she had Carlos.

The day her book was published, a year after she got that first email, she received an invite to the Ferrari garage. She looked at Carlos across the room and he just smirked.

He strode across the room and stood behind the couch, where she sat with notebooks spread around her. "Please, mi corazón," he said, his hand resting on her shoulders as he leaned over her.

She tipped her head back to look up at him. "Okay," she whispered and Carlos leaned down to kiss her.

But then he jumped over the sofa and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her into his arms and spun her around. "You have no idea how happy that makes me," he said and kissed her again.

She set rules. With her book coming out she didn't want to be seen with him, holding his hand or kissing him. She wanted sales off of her own merit, not because Carlos's fans wanted to support her, as sweet as it was.

"One day," he said, his forehead pressed against hers.

"One day," she agreed and kissed him.

She wanted to be there for the entire weekend, but she had meetings with her publisher and her own public relations team. The release of her book was the Wednesday after the Grand Prix and the publishers media team was working hard to push it.

The Grand Prix was a weekend to relax for her. At least, when it came to publishing her book. For the entire Grand Prix she'd have her nails between her teeth, anxiously chewing them.

She was in the Ferrari garage for the race. Nobody quite knew who she was. When the cameras zoomed in on her, the title card beneath her name just said 'indie author', which wasn't strictly true.

It was her first Grand Prix. Carlos was so close to a podium, just missing out. Still, she'd kiss him and celebrate later as though he'd won a world championship.

Carlos watched as Max held Kelly close, as Sergio held his wife and Charles held Alexandra. He wanted that, more than anything he wanted to hold his girl.

Soon, he'd be holding her soon.

That night, hidden away in their hotel room, Carlos wrapped his strong arms around her. His hips moved against her as she moaned and writhed beneath him. He kissed her neck, bit and nibbled, sucking at the skin there.

The bed squeaked as he moved, thrusting into her. "I'm gonna put my baby in you," he grunted, eyes shut as she clenched around him. Her legs shook as she came around him and Carlos let out breathy grunts.

He came, his thrusts sloppy as his seed painted her walls. His forehead was against hers as he pulled out and laid down beside her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you," she whispered and kissed his nose.

Carlos pulled her into his warm body. "I love you," he whispered back. They fell asleep like that, a tangle of limbs, wrapped in each others loving embrace. For the first time in a year, Carlos was happy to be falling asleep beside the girl he loved after a race.

As they fell asleep, in the early hours of the morning, something very different was happening with the staff of the Ferrari F1 team. Well, for one particular member of the Ferrari F1 team, things were very different.

Maybe the employee was disgruntled, unhappy with their job. They had information that nobody else had, which is why they released it to the world. That was the one piece of power they had as a social media admin.

The post was only online for seconds before another admin took it down. But that was long enough for fifty thousand people to have screenshots. All of the dirty secrets Ferrari had been hiding from the fans. Details of sordid affairs and more. Scuderia Ferrari had been laid bare for the world to see.

The PR team worked through the night. They had to do something, something that would distract the world. "Who is the girl that's been coming to the garage?" Asked a member of the team.

"Who, the author?"

The team member shook her head. "The model. Rebecca something."

"Rebecca Donaldson?"

The team member pointed her pen towards her colleague. "Bingo. We set her up with Carlos and it should take the heat off of us for a while."

It was decided. Carlos Sainz, who the world thought was single, was going to be set up with Rebecca Donaldson to distract the world from the Ferrari blunder.

The ring buried away in his bag would certainly have something to say about it.

Permanent Taglist: @biancathecool @rewmuslupin @prettiest-at-the-party @hellowgoodbye @minkyungseokie @formulaal @hiireadstuff @urfavnoirette @goldenharrysworld @andydrysdalerogers @hrts4scarr @llando4norris @evlkking @lilymurphy03

#carlos sainz #carlos sainz imagine #carlos sainz x reader #carlos sainz fluff #carlos sainz smut #carlos sainz x reader smut #f1 #formula one #f1 imagine #formula 1 #f1 x reader #formula one x reader #formula one imagine #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 imagine #cs55 #cs55 imagine #cs55 x reader

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loving-barnes · 8 months ago

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LOGAN HOWLETT - BABYSITTING GONE WRONG

A/N: I have a long chapter for you. Chapter NINE is up. I have put a lot of things in here. I hope you will enjoy it. Please, be patient with chapter ten. I won't have much time to write it next week. I will try, but I'm not promising it will be finished in a few days.

Pairing: Logan Howlett x mutant female reader

Warning: I have decided to not give any warnings. Please remember this story is 18+.

Summary: Charles asked Logan and Y/N to babysit the students while the rest of the staff was away for the weekend.

Please, do not read if you are under 18. This story is suitable for mature audience.

Words: 6200+

Important note: Again, Logan is a tall MF, because they fucked up in the movies. Also, Hugh Jackman!Wolverine. This is set in AU.

A TOUCH OF HOPE MASTERLIST | Chapter Eight

LOGAN HOWLETT - BABYSITTING GONE WRONG

You killed her! It’s your fault! Murderer! You fucking sick freak! I hate you!

Y/N opened her eyes and caught her breath. It happened again. This week, it was the third nightmare she experienced. Her mother’s face kept appearing in the dream, screaming at her. The voice, even the eyes, haunted her, filled with wrath and hatred.

She turned to face the clock. It was 7:04 in the morning. Her forehead was sweaty, as well as the rest of her body. This nightmare was worse than before. It felt real. In her dream, Y/N’s mother held her forearm tightly. Even now, the touch on her body burnt. Y/N had to look at her left forearm just to be sure no one was holding her there. Her mind was playing tricks on her.

When will you stop haunting me?

The first week of her being a teacher was almost over. So far, it was fun. The classes went smoothly. The students accepted her as a teacher. It turned out the teaching kept her sane.

After a quick shower and changing clothes, she took her textbooks and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The hallways were empty. However, she could hear the kids from their dorms getting ready.

When she arrived in the kitchen, she was met with fresh coffee. Some pure soul made a pot of it. She grabbed a mug and poured some into it. This was an ideal way to start a new day. She took a seat on a barstool at the counter. Y/N went through the textbooks to prepare for her first lesson of the day.

“Well, aren’t ya an early bird,” Logan’s voice startled her.

Y/N almost choked on her coffee. She coughed a few times, then looked at the man. “If you want to choke me, just use your hand,” she frowned at him. It took her a minute to breathe normally.

Logan’s lips turned into a devilish smile. “Is that right, princess?” and he wiggled his eyebrows. “Good to know for the future. By the way, why are you up so early? Don’t you have a class at nine?” he changed the topic.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she looked down at the textbooks again.

Logan walked to the counter and leaned against it. He took a deep breath. He could smell the coconut shampoo radiating from her, even her natural scent. “I heard you, you know? I know you have nightmares, Y/N.”

“Don’t we all?” she sighed. “It’s nothing. It’ll go away.”

“You can talk to me, you know?” Logan reached his hand and put it under her chin to lift her head. “You don’t have to face it alone.”

“Thanks,” her eyes found his.

Logan heard the sound of the wheelchair. He let go of Y/N’s chin and leaned back. His eyes never left her face, not even when Charles wheeled in, already dressed in a suit. This time, it was grey with a black tie.

“Ah, just the two people I need,” he said, smiling. “I am going to need a favour from you two.” Y/N’s eyes moved to the Professor, and Logan faced him. “As you know, Jean and Scott are still away with Remy and Hank. Bobby asked for a weekend away with Kitty. Kurt is leaving for Germany. I will take Peter, Ororo and Rogue to Washington again.”

“More trouble?” Y/N asked.

Charles shook his head. “The situation has calmed down a bit. However, I need to find more information about Trask Industries. I believe they are creating a weapon that could potentially destroy us.”

“Shit,” Logan mumbled.

“That is why I need you to stay here,” said Charles.

“Ah, you want us to babysit, is that right?” Logan rolled his eyes. “What about Colossus?”

“He’ll be here with you, of course. I talked to him last night.”

“When are you leaving?” Y/N asked.

“This afternoon. We should be back on Sunday.”

Charles left them alone in the kitchen. Logan turned back to Y/N and raised one brow. “It seems you won’t get rid of me that easily.”

“I am one lucky gal,” she teased. “So, is this babysitting like it means? We will keep an eye on the kids. We make sure they are in bed at a reasonable hour?”

“Sounds about right,” Logan nodded. “Don’t plan on having a big party tonight.”

She tilted her head. “Why? You don’t like watching children have some fun? Or is it because my attention is on them, not you?” She stood up and cleaned the mug after she was done. Before she left, she brushed past him. “If you want my attention, just ask.”

Logan smirked, eyes resting on her back. Slowly, they fell down, checking out her ass per usual. Who would have thought that he would be crushing bad on this woman? He saved her a while back, and now, they had this unspoken thing between them. She was attractive and witty. Y/N brought something into his life. She made him feel something he hadn’t felt in years.

Fuck, he thought and fixed his pants. Suddenly, they felt tighter than before. It was eight in the morning. It was bad timing to have an erection. Logan swiftly left the kitchen and headed back to his room.

As the day went by, Y/N realised her mind had been preoccupied by a certain someone. The desire that she had was intense. She kept thinking about his eyes, lips, and those hands caressing her body. In a way, it was funny. She was falling for the man who saved her ass.

My knight in shining armour.

“Miss Y/L/N?” someone said her name. “Are you okay?” It was one of the students asking.

Y/N blinked a few times. Her mind got quickly lost in a world of daydreaming. “I’m sorry,” she cleared her throat. “I was just thinking about your next assignment,” she said. The collective sigh made her laugh. “Don’t worry. I won’t give you any writing assignments now. However, I want you to read The Great Gatsby by the end of the next week.”

Some of the boys were annoyed. It was evident that reading was not their favourite activity. There were whispers around the classroom. Y/N frowned at them. “Please, silence. I don’t want to hear another word. You are only reading a book. If you keep complaining to your classmates, I will give you something to write about.” And then everyone silenced.

The classes with the oldest students were difficult. Their hormones were all over the place, their behaviour was atrocious, and the boys had a problem respecting everyone, even the teacher.

At the end of the school day, Y/N was walking through the hallway when a clothed arm wrapped around her shoulder. It brought her back to reality from her constant daydreaming. She glanced at the person, only to find Rogue grinning. “I’ve heard you and Logan will be babysitting the kids.”

“With Colossus,” Y/N added.

“That’s a minor detail,” she chuckled. “You have the perfect opportunity to make a move. You’ll have the night to yourselves.”

Y/N frowned. “What the hell are you talking about, Ro’?” Y/N knew damn well where she was going with it. And yet she pretended to be dumb.

“Come on,” Rogue bumped her hip against Y/N’s. “I see how you two behave to each other. Everyone sees that - the teasing, the bantering and shit. In my eyes, you’d be a perfect power couple. I think you should make a move.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. Yes, Logan and Y/N had a playful banter going on. However, she didn’t think he felt anything more towards her. He saved her and gave her a second chance. He kept his promise. That was about it. A man like him would never want a girl like her. They knew each other only for two months.

“Shouldn’t you be packing for the weekend?” Y/N asked Rogue. She needed to change the topic. “You should take something sexy with you. You’ll be reunited with Remy. You’ll be the one spending a hot, sexy night with your man.”

The young woman sighed, defeated. “Why can’t you see that he likes you, too?” She had decided to omit that part about Remy.

“Rogue,” Y/N warned her. “I don’t want to talk about it. In fact, there is nothing to talk about. You should pack and get ready.”

“This isn’t over. We will discuss this once I’m back,” Rogue threatened with a finger.

Y/N walked up the stairs. She wanted to change her clothes into something more comfortable. The school day was over. There was no need to dress fancy. She thought about practising her forcefields. Y/N got better at creating two separate force fields at the same time. After they saved JJ, where she protected another person for the first time, she knew how to do it whenever she wanted.

Storm usually practised with her. They tried using lighting to get through the force fields. Luckily, they were resistant. It didn’t even drain Y/N’s energy. It was fascinating.

Y/N stretched her neck and scratched her nape. There was a foreign feeling lingering somewhere inside her mind. She couldn’t define what it was.

As she passed the second level, she was stopped by Logan again. He grabbed her by the wrist. “We meet again, princess.”

She made a funny yet annoyed face. “For a princess, you aren’t treating me like one,” she said. “How can I help you, kind sir?”

“Wanna have a beer with me tonight?” he asked.

“Aren’t we supposed to be babysitting the kids?” she raised a brow, smirking. “We can’t leave the school and head to the bar. Colossus will kill us.”

“Rules are meant to be broken,” he made a smug face. “Don’t worry, kid. I have my secret stash here. We can enjoy one after they are in their rooms, asleep.”

“Secret stash, you say?” That piqued her interest. “Very well. I’ll see you tonight.”

His eyes followed her as she continued up the stairs. “What are you up to now?”

She shrugged, thinking. “I don’t know. I might do some training, maybe read a book,” she said. “I’ll see you later, Logan.”

. . .

Y/N was on edge the whole evening. She didn’t know why. The feeling came gradually. At first, she thought she had forgotten to do something. Then, she observed the students, trying to figure out if they did something wrong. Y/N concluded that the feeling she had signified cautiousness. Otherwise, the time she had spent with the kids was fun.

They all gathered in a lounge room where they talked and laughed. Colossus joined them. He listened to their stories and amusing memories. Colossus even chimed in about his memories. The kids laughed, which only made him smile.

Logan kept his distance and observed from afar here and there. He didn’t join the talk, even when he noticed Y/N’s pleading look. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while listening to the shared stories.

Overall, it was a pleasant Friday evening with the students. By ten in the evening, they were all in their rooms. Y/N walked through the hallways, checking if everyone settled down for the night. Even Colossus headed to bed, saying how exhausted he was.

Once Y/N was sure everyone was in their room, she headed downstairs into the kitchen. Her neck was sore after the long day. She stretched her head to every side, trying to find relief. When Y/N entered the kitchen, Logan sat behind a counter with two beer bottles. He was wearing a red flannel shirt and a white tank top.

That fucker.

The man eyed her from head to toe, trying not to stare much. Did she want to kill him with that outfit? She wore denim shorts and a loose T-shirt. “Fucking finally,” said Logan after he cleared his throat. “Were you avoiding me, princess?” he kinked a brow.

“You think so low of me,” she said and sat on a barstool next to him. “Because you had decided to disappear and Colossus was tired, I had to ensure the students were in their rooms.” She grabbed a bottle. It was cold. Quickly, she pressed it against her neck and moaned a little.

“You okay?” he asked, taking a swig.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Something feels off. Also, my neck hurts.” She drank straight from the bottle, enjoying the cold beverage.

Without thinking, Logan reached for her neck. His fingers pressed into her skin. When he realised what he had done, it was too late. Luckily, Y/N closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure. If she were a cat, she’d purr. Her lips were slightly parted. She enjoyed the touch. Once he was done, he asked, “Better?”

“Damn, I’d hire you as a full-time personal masseuse,” she joked. When she looked at him, her eyes met his. A shiver ran down her spine. “Tell me, what do you do when you are asked to babysit the students?”

“Before you came, I’d have a drink and head to bed. When Bobby was a student, there were nights when we would talk here in the kitchen. The kids here know what they aren’t allowed to do. When we ask them to remain in rooms, they will listen,” he explained.

A tiny smile appeared on Y/N’s face. Her eyes moved to the beer bottle, where she scanned the label. “By the way, JJ loves lessons with you,” she changed the topic. “He loves history and says you are awesome.”

“He said that?” Logan seem surprised. “I like that kid.”

Y/N pressed two fingers between the bridge of her nose, frowning. A long sigh escaped her lips. “Shit, I can’t figure out what’s wrong today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ah,” she leaned against her arms, eyes closed. “Do you have that feeling, somewhere deep inside, when you know that something’s not right?” When Logan confirmed, she continued. “I have had this feeling since this afternoon. My gut is calling to me, screaming something is off.”

“Is it the students? Have they said anything?” he asked. Logan wanted to help her figure it out.

She turned her head to look at him again. For a second, her eyes slipped to his lips. “I have crossed out every box in my head,” Y/N’s eyes were back on his. “The students are well. Jerome is happy,” she started to list it all out loud. “I have done everything that was required of me. I don’t know.”

“I think you are exhausted after this week. You’ve become a teacher. It might have taken a toll on you.” Logan’s voice was softer than usual. “Maybe it is rest that you need.”

“Maybe,” she said. Once she finished the drink, she stood up and walked to the kitchen counter. “I feel some exhaustion,” Y/N admitted. “I’m not convinced that’s it.” She reached for a glass and filled it with cold water. She faced the man and leaned against the counter when she drank the water. “I feel like something terrible is about to happen,” Y/N admitted.

Logan was immediately on his feet. He walked to Y/N, scanning her face. “What if you are overly anxious?” he asked carefully. “I believe you need to go to bed and rest. You had an intense week.”

“What if,” she said suddenly, “something’s heading towards us?”

His ears perked up at her comment. With a snap of fingers, Logan’s face hardened. “You think something dangerous could be coming our way?” He came closer to the woman, feeling her body heat radiating.

“Think about it,” Y/N’s eyes locked with his. “Charles took everyone to Washington. At this time, they are all already there. It would take them longer to get back here. It’s just the two of us and Colossus. What if…” she stopped talking.

A chill ran down Logan’s spine. The thought of them becoming targets again made him tense. In the past, he experienced attacks on school. It wouldn’t be anything new. And yet, it was terrifying.

“I don’t know,” Y/N shook her head. “I don’t want to think negatively and draw something to us. Or I’m just being paranoid.”

Logan smiled at her reassuringly. He put a hand on her left shoulder. “We’ll be alright. The school has a security system. Once it is triggered, the students know what to do and where to hide. If some sort of attack does occur, we will fight. Until then, let’s try not to worry about these hypothetical scenarios.”

“You are right,” she sighed for the hundredth time. “My mind is running thousands of miles an hour. Nothing’s going to happen. Let’s just enjoy this evening.”

A smile appeared on her face. Y/N wanted to say something more, but her mind went blank when she felt Logan’s hand move from her shoulder to her cheek, stroking it gently. His body was closer than usual. For a second, Y/N forgot how to breathe. There was a shift in the air. His gentle touch made her heat rise in her body. She was taken aback by it at all.

Logan’s touch was tender. His thumb kept stroking her skin lightly. The desire was rising on both sides. Neither of them tried to push away. There was something unspoken between them. It was there for some time. Maybe it was the right time to lean into it and explore.

Y/N thought that he would never feel the same way she did. In her mind, Logan saw her as someone he saved some time ago. But this showed her that he felt the same way. Her breath got caught in her throat. The air vibrated with an intensity of desire. The unspoken words between them became heavier.

Logan took a step forward. His body pressed lightly against her. His other hand found her waist, where he placed it lightly. It felt right. For some time, this was what he wanted, and now, he was only one move away from getting it.

“Logan,” she whispered, eyes never leaving his face. They moved from his eyes to his lips and back.

“Y/N,” he whispered back. Her name sounded so beautiful coming from his lips.

They were a breath away from each other. Neither of them were able to close the gap. It took them a few heartbeats before they both leaned it. This was the sign that they both wanted the same thing.

They met in the middle, lips pressing in their first kiss. There was no time to test the water. The first kiss was heated - all tongue and teeth. The passion ignited with a fiery intensity. Logan’s body fully pressed against Y/N’s. She could feel his semi-hard erection pressed against her lower belly.

Logan’s hands explored her body. One hand held her by the neck while the other travelled down to her ass that he squeezed. It made her groan into his mouth, which gave him better access to his tongue to explore her mouth. Y/N’s hands were pressed against his hard chest, gripping the white tank top.

Suddenly, he grabbed he by the waist and lifted her on the kitchen counter. Logan stepped between her legs, and she instantly wrapped them around his waist. The kiss never ended. They wanted more. Y/N’s hand gripped his hair and pulled on it, making him moan. Her other hands explored his chest and firm abs over that damn piece of clothing.

They lost themselves in a world of desire. Logan’s mouth left her lips only to explore her neck and collarbones. He couldn’t get enough of her. His right hand slipped under her t-shirt. The feeling of her soft skin was incredible. His fingers caressed the flesh under her breast.

“Fuck, princess,” he grunted when he caught a breath for a second. His lips were then back on her in another heated make-out session.

Y/N grabbed his unbuttoned flannel shirt and took it off him. It fell on the floor under his feet. Her mind was filled with his musky scent. She could smell the beer and a faint hint of cigars. However, it only made her want him more.

“Eager, aren’t we?” he asked with a laugh when he managed to pull away to look at her face. Her lips were a bit swollen from all the kissing.

“You are the one talking,” she said back. “If we want to continue this, I don’t think it’s wise to do it in the kitchen,” she raised a brow. “We don’t need a traumatised kid on our necks.”

Logan laughed at that. And then, his lips were on her again. This time, the kisses got softer. He took his time with each one he pressed against her lips. Their eyes closed. These kisses were different. They were filled with something new. It wasn’t hunger or desire. It was more intimate. As if they tried to tell they cared for each other.

Y/N’s fingers reached for his big belt. She started to fiddle with it when he stopped her. She raised a brow. Did she cross a line?

The kissing stopped. Logan turned his head to the side and listened. His ears could register sounds that a regular person wouldn’t hear, not even Y/N. His hand gripped her exposed thigh, and he looked into her gorgeous eyes. “Fuck. Helicopters,” he said.

“What?” she raised her voice, concerned. She turned her head to the window, trying to hear for herself. They were far away.

Logan pushed away from her and walked to the other side of the kitchen. Y/N’s gut warned them. “They knew we’d be here alone this night,” he mumbled under his nose. “It’s a trap!” He pressed a button that was hidden in a strategic place. It was a silent trigger. “Charles built a trigger system in every dorm. This will ensure everyone wakes up and heads to the tunnels.”

Y/N hopped off the counter. She wanted to ask about it, but there was no time. Logan reached for her hand, which she grabbed, and they left the kitchen running. “Oh no. My gut was right about this,” she groaned. “I called this upon us.”

When they arrived in the main hallway, they heard the students from the upper levels running around the hallways. Colossus’s deep voice was heard, too. He was giving the instructions to the students.

“There are strategic tunnels that will lead them out of the school and into a secure location,” Logan explained.

Y/N’s heart was beating fast. Finally, she registered the sounds of helicopters nearing the school. She squeezed his hand tightly one more time before letting it go. “So we fight,” she sighed.

“We fight,” he nodded. “There’s no time to run.”

They heard the sound of shattering glass. Someone breached in through the windows. Several footsteps were heard around the building. Soldiers. Logan and Y/N shared a look before they separated.

Logan’s claws were out, ready to kill anyone who dared to approach him. He could heal, and Y/N could protect herself with forcefields. However, he hated they separated. The evening started promising, and it was ruined by some fuckers who had the desire to attack the school.

Y/N ran outside the main entrance before soldiers could tear down the door. She formed a forcefield around herself to protect her body. She felt how her energy shifted. The shield she had created felt different. When she collided with the first body, the soldier screamed in agonising pain, and he flew away. All the bullets fired at her were absorbed into it.

When she looked out, she realised at least six military helicopters had flown to the school, filled with soldiers. What the fuck was happening? While she kept herself hidden inside the force field, she created a ball that she threw at a group of soldiers, hurting them.

Y/N’s eyes noticed the symbol on the helicopters. Trask. Holy mother of god! They wanted mutants, and this was the perfect place to get them. More gunshots were heard from the inside of the school, with Logan’s roaring. She could only imagine the bloodbath happening inside. It was amusing how the evening went from passionate kissing to fighting for their lives.

More soldiers tried to take her down. Y/N was faster, and the shield got powerful with more determination to finish this. As if it wasn’t enough, it started to rain heavily. No wonder it was a week before Halloween, and autumn was in full mode.

She didn’t mind the water or the cold air. Her adrenaline kept her warm. More soldiers surrounded her, aiming their guns at her. Y/N kept herself protected with her power, not giving them a window to shoot. It sucked. There were only two of them and dozens of soldiers.

For a moment, Y/N thought that they would be able to defeat them. But the moment Logan’s painful roaring came from her side, her heart dropped to the ground. At least seven soldiers had him restrained with a collar around his neck. They even put him on a leash so he wouldn’t escape. That damn collar. It took away his power.

“No,” she gasped.

“Halt!” someone shouted. All soldiers ceased fire, yet the guns remained ready to shoot.

The men who captured Logn had brought him down on his knees. The rain soaked through his clothes and hair, and there was a bloody wound on his right shoulder. It wasn’t healing.

A laugh got her attention. It sounded so familiar that it brought goosebumps to Y/N’s skin. Her eyes widened in shock. The woman turned her head to the voice. She forgot how to breathe.

“Look who’s crossed my path again,” said the female voice.

This voice haunted Y/N in her nightmares. She dryly gulped, eyes never leaving the person who approached the front line. “Mother.”

Logan gasped when he heard Y/N say that. “What the fuck?” he gasped for air. The woman in charge was Y/N’s own mother? What a sick, twisted joke!

The leader of this group was an older woman in her late fifties. She had grey hair pinned in a low bun. She was dressed in a military outfit with a raincoat over it. It protected her uniform from the rain. Why the fuck was she dressed like a soldier? What the fuck was going on?

Y/N’s head was screaming questions. She was shocked. She forgot to keep herself behind the protective veil. It suddenly disappeared, making her vulnerable. It was painful to see her mother standing with the company that wanted to get rid of mutants. Y/N killed her little sister, the youngest daughter. Of course, her mother would desire to see all mutants burn in hell.

“Why the fuck are you here?” Y/N spat.

The woman grinned. “I came here to collect you and bring you back to where you belong - the lab.” Her voice was strict. When Y/N made a confused and disgusted face, her mother continued. “Don’t act surprised. I know everything about you. I know what happened to you when you escaped the lab in Salem.”

“What?” Y/N lowered her voice, confused. How was it possible?

The woman’s eyes moved to Logan. She laughed like a devil. “And we got the animal as well.”

Y/N’s fists clenched. “He’s not an animal,” she growled. “How the fuck do you know everything?”

“You think I’d let the murderer that killed my baby get away from me? Oh, honey, don’t be naive,” she said darkly. “I had my eyes on you since I joined Trask Industries and discovered that you became a lab rat.”

Logan was fuming. He tried to pull on the restraints to get away and run to Y/N. Hell, he would kill for her. That only got him a punishment. They pressed a stick to his side, sending shockwaves to his body. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Without his healing ability, he was vulnerable.

“If you are wondering how I know you’d be here, it’s simple,” Y/N’s mother sang. “I knew you’d get the boy. The scientists in the lab informed me that you got attached to him. Disgusting, considering you like killing children. With that knowledge, we knew you’d try to save him. I must admit, for a moment, we lost faith that you’d show up. We were about to get the boy back to our main facility when you decided to rescue him with that thing,” she pointed at Logan.

Y/N shook her head in disbelief. “No, it doesn’t make sense. How…?”

“We have eyes everywhere,” the woman said. “I’d do everything to get the child murderer back where she belongs. In a cage, slowly torturing her to death. That is what you deserve.”

“It was an accident,” Y/N’s voice broke. Her insides were shaking. “I’d never hurt her on purpose. She was my sister.”

The older woman scoffed. “Do not speak of her! Don’t you dare talk about my baby girl! Murder is not an accident. I thought that after all these years, you’d be dead - that the experiments would kill you. And here you are, alive at this damn school for mutants. It’s disgusting.”

Y/N’s nerves were on the verge of exploding. The force fields glitched around her a few times. “You are the disgusting one. You come here to threaten us. Tell me why you are here. What do you want?” Her whole body was shivering. It was the mixture of cold and emotions bubbling inside. The rain didn’t stop. It got heavier.

“I came here for you, to take you where you belong. I want the little mutants for our experiments to create a weapon that would annihilate you.” The woman’s head snapped to a few soldiers that came out of the building. She frowned at them. They came out empty-handed. “Where are the mutants?” she hissed.

One soldier saluted. “They are all gone. The school’s empty,” he announced.

“Shit,” she cursed. “What do you mean gone?”

“They must have escaped.”

Y/N exhaled, glad that the children were with Colossus somewhere safe. Now, she needed to ensure Logan would get out of the collar.

Y/N’s mother rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by the outcome. She had to think about something else. That’s why Y/N had made a decision in her head for her. “Take me and leave him,” she pointed at Logan. “You want me. You can have me.”

“No!” Logan protested on the wet, muddy ground. Another stick got pressed to his body, and he got zapped again.

“Oh, honey, that’s not how this works,” she tsked. “You’ll both come with me. I don’t care if you are alive or not. Your body is coming with me back to the lab.”

There was a radiating energy flowing through Y/N’s body. It was new, unfamiliar. But it felt good. Her left hand flew up where Logan was held. She put a protective veil around him. It then expanded, making all soldiers fly away from his wounded body. They screamed in excruciating pain. Afterwards, the force field never disappeared.

There was a sound of a gunshot, followed by a stinging pain in her right shoulder. She gasped, cursing loudly. Y/N forgot to protect herself. Her eyes fell down to the wound, seeing a lot of blood. That’s when she noticed a blue and silver hue around the gash. It helped to close the bleeding. That never happened before. Did her mutation evolve?

Three deep breaths. Three exhales. Y/N’s left hand fell, yet the force field remained around Logan. She kept it on with her mind. Her eyes drifted to her mother. She raised both hands up as a sign of giving up.

“Drop the shield,” her mother called.

“No,” she spat back. “You can have me, not Logan. He’ll stay protected until my last breath.”

“Cuff her!” her mother gave a barking order.

That’s what Y/N was waiting for. Her ears tried to focus on the other sounds. It was difficult with the pouring rain. The clinging sound of handcuffs and that damn collar was closer to her ear. If they wanted a fight, she would give them one. She used everything she had learnt and decided to use those skills to defend herself.

The second a man got closer, she punched him straight in the nose with her elbow. She turned around, bringing his head down to hit his face with her knee. Once more shooting started, she created a force field to protect her. Again, all she needed was to use her mind.

Y/N reached for a shotgun the soldier had. Instead of shooting another man, she smashed him with the gun, using all her power, into his head. He spun in the air and landed face-first in the muddy grass. While being preoccupied with several more soldiers, Logan’s body was still protected.

He watched her from afar, breathing heavily. He never saw her kick ass like this. Was it inappropriate of him to think it was hot? As much as he wanted to help, all he could do was watch. He lost his ability to take out his claws and to heal. There was nothing he could do now. His eyes glanced at the beautiful force field surrounding his body. This happened to him for the first time. It was mesmerising.

“Blow this place up!” The woman in charge shouted at her men. It seemed she gave up on taking Y/N or Logan with them. She turned on her heel while more soldiers tried to take down Y/N.

During Y/N’s inattention, when she was focused more on snapping a man’s neck, the shield glitched, and she got shot again. “Fuck!” she screamed. This time, the wound got through her abdomen. It stung for a few seconds until the pain faded away. There was crimson red blood on her T-shirt.

“Y/N!” Logan screamed her name when he saw the bullet get her. His stopped beating for a moment.

“Retreat! Retreat!” the soldiers shouted.

Logan watched as they went back into the helicopters. Some men were lying around, dead. Y/N just got the last soldier who was on her neck. She broke his arms, grabbed his gun and shot him in the head. “Shit,” Logan gasped when he saw that. He never would have expected to see her kill someone like that. Logan managed to sit up and slowly got rid of the handcuffs. He wanted to take down the collar. He fiddled with it, pulling on it. Nothing happened.

Y/N tried to catch her breath after the fight was done. She turned around to see the helicopters up in the air. “You fucking bitch!” she shouted angrily at her mother. “One day, I will get you and kill you with my bare hands!” The nerves got the best of her. Afterwards, she fell on her knees, tired. The veil around Logan disappeared.

Her whole body was wet. The rain never stopped. She blinked a few times, trying to regain control of her body. When she raised her eyes up, she found one helicopter in the air, facing the school. Her stomach dropped. Blow this place up.

Two missiles were shot directly at the school. Y/N’s mother gave the order to destroy a place that Y/N started to call home. It was a sanctuary, a second chance for young mutants. Only a monster would want to take that away from them. Then and there, she knew what she had to do.

With all the energy inside of her, she raised her arms in the air and created the largest force field ever. It spread around her, Logan and stretched up in the air, surrounding the entire complex. It looked like northern lights if they were silver and blue. When the missiles hit the shield, they blew up with such intensity Y/N started to scream from the top of her lungs. She could feel it all. The explosion was massive. The ground underneath her feet shook.

Blood started to drip out of her nose. It covered her T-shirt and dripped on the grass. She held the shield up until the fire from the explosion eased. Y/N’s started to spin. There was some last energy streaming through her veins. She pushed the force field forward. It hit the closest helicopters, and they got destroyed in the air. More explosions followed.

It was over. The protective veil disappeared. The school was saved, soldiers were killed, but her mother got away.

Y/N’s body fell on the wet grass like a rag doll. The blood never stopped coming out of her nose. She drained all her energy. The last thing she saw was the dark sky above her head.

“Y/N!” Logan shouted. “Y/N!” His legs brought her to her unconscious body. He got on his knees and brought her into his arms. He stroked her face with his fingers, observing the blood-covered lips, chin and T-shirt.

Did he lose her? Was she dead? When he pressed two fingers on her neck where there was a pulse point, he couldn’t feel any. Logan started to panic. “No, no, no,” he repeated, eyes filling his tears. “Come on, princess. Don’t die on me,” he growled. “We have some unfinished business.” And then he felt it. There was a pulse. Her heart was still beating.

The rain calmed down. The air got colder. Logan remained with Y/N on the grass. His eyes found the bloody spots - one was on her shoulder, the other on the abdomen. His fingers caressed the place on the shoulder. He was shocked to see no wound. How was it possible? There was blood around it.

His eyes noticed a weird movement on her body. He saw her veins radiating as her force field would. No, it was not the veins. It was her skin, glowing. A silver and blueish hue was sparkling around her body. “What the fuck?” he whispered.

He remembered when he saw her irises change colour. The natural colour was gone. It changed to a silvery one. The same was happening on her skin.

Logan got Y/N into his arms, holding her bridal style. He walked with her into the school, where he could provide her warmth. Also, he would call the rest of the X-men for help. He had to believe Charles already knew what had happened.

Her gut was warning her. It screamed something was off. And it was right. What Logan didn’t expect to meet Y/N’s fucked up mother, who worked for Trask Industries. They couldn’t predict an attack on the school.

Logan put Y/N’s body on the nearest sofa in the lounge room and sat on the floor. The bleeding wound on his body was painful. He wanted to clean it and patch himself. However, he couldn’t leave her side. Stupid collar. With it on his neck, he wasn’t able to heal.

#Logan Howlett x reader #Logan Howlett x female reader #Logan Howlett x female mutant reader #Logan Howlett #Wolverine x reader #Wolverine x female reader #Marvel fanfiction #X-men fanfiction

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xxblairexxss · 1 year ago

Text

We’ll be fine

Pairing : Charles Leclerc x reader

Theme : Angst, fluff

Word count : 4.7k

Requested!

Relationships aren’t all sunshines and rainbows. Charles and you were trying so hard to maintain this long distance relationships but everything seemed to be going the wrong way. Was it the miscommunication, the lack of reassurance or was it because of your job?

The FaceTime’s outgoing ringtone blasted through your Macbook’s speaker, giving you a jolt, though you had bern waiting for it for the past 30 minutes.

"God, I miss you so much, baby."

The sight of your boyfriend in red, all sweaty, made you all giddy like a high school teenager. "Hi, boyfriend! Congratulations on the P3!" He went on to talk about the race and everything you had missed for not being able to join him this weekend while you rested your chin on your palm whilst listening to him.

"No way! You saw the same cut board again? Was it from the same person?" You asked; your work-related stuff was long forgotten.

"I'm not sure about that, but it freaked me out a little bit seeing my face that big over and over."

You cackled. He had propped his phone against his stuff, so you got a good look at him while he sorted out things before the press conference. It made you feel as if you were there with him.

This was the first time in a while that you didn’t get into an argument during a 10-minute video call. A few weeks ago, as frequent as it was, Charles and you would always get into an argument, sometimes one that lasted for days. It was all because of your new job and the upcoming summer break.

When you first got the offer, you could see Charles wasn’t too elated about it. It didn’t mean he was unhappy to see you step up into another chapter of your life. He was so ecstatic that he even prepared a small celebration and gifts to celebrate it. For the whole week after you told him about your promotion, that was all he ever talked about.

"I’m so proud of you."

"My hardworking girl"

"You deserved it so much".

Those were the words he kept on showering you with, like a mantra.

But those words eventually turned into fatalistic, forcing you to accept the culpability of the constant disagreement in the relationship.

"Not this again, Y/N."

"I just don’t understand why it’s so hard for you."

"I’m doing this for us too!"

"Am I the only one who gives a fuck about this relationship?"

Being able to talk to him and seeing him all smile with eyes full of accolades and longing for the touch from you erased all of the tainted spots.

That was until he called you again that night. When you told him about your upcoming project was when he blew up all over again. You saw it coming. Even before you picked up the call, before you had arranged those words in your head.

"What do you mean you can’t join me next week? Y/N, it’s my summer break. Don’t you want to spend some time together?"

You covered your face with your hands, internally screaming. He always acted as if you had a choice to reject every offer that the company had arranged for you. As if you didn’t care about this relationship as much as he did. "They asked me to take over the project. I can’t say no."

"I haven’t seen you in weeks." He muttered.

"I wanted to see you too, Charles, but..."

"Don’t say that." He heckled. You saw him roll his eyes, moving away from the camera. "Don’t say shit like that just to make me feel better. I know you don’t actually mean any of it."

"Charles, I really wanted to see you but I can’t say no!" You yelled out, desperately trying to make him see things from your point of view.

"Bullshit." He sniggered.

"What?"

"What if I tell you, Oh, I missed you so much, I can’t wait to see you, then chose to spend the weekend with my friends after saying all that? It sounds bullshit to you, isn’t it?" He shook his head, as if what you said vexed him even more.

“I wasn’t spending the weekend with my friends. I’m working! It’s a different case.” You argued back, feeling unfair from his reactions.

"I’m going to sleep. Good night."

"Already? But I thought we could talk some more. I wanted to hear your story, I wanted to tell you about happen to me on my way to work this morning.." Your pleas were ignored as he stayed silent, looking as if he were so ready to click the end call button. "It’s okay then. Good night. I love you.”

The call ended. Well, he ended the call without saying it back.

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The summer break came around. Just like any other year, Charles would spend a week with his friends and the other week with his family. You would always join him, but not this year.

You have seen videos and pictures of his friends laughing, teasing each other, and filming funny videos here and there while you were stuck in your office.

Charles would still text you; he would wish you good morning and good night; he would ask you if you had eaten and if you needed him to arrange a food delivery for you; but he never spoke about the summer break anymore. In one way, it just felt like he had erased the words from his mind. Though you still saw pictures and videos of him on his yacht, riding his jet ski, you never asked him about it—basically anything that involved the break—because you just didn’t want to get into another fit of disagreement and his failure to see your situation.

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"What are you having for dinner, baby? I can’t see." He was in his bed, barely keeping himself awake after the full-blown activities in the sea today while you were just getting ready to eat your dinner.

"I’m having sushi!" His eyes widen at the huge selection when you tilted the plate of sushi.

"That’s a lot! You got carried away with the menu again, didn’t you?"

"Yeah.." Your lips were pressed in a thin line, shoulder-sloping like a child who got into trouble.

"Can you actually finish that, love?"

"Obviously no! I’ll figure out a way to not waste any of this." Picking a salmon out of 20 more selections on the plate, you dipped the end into the small plate of soy sauce and devoured one, smiling at the fresh, delectable taste.

"You know I can’t finish them for you. I’m like thousands of miles away." Charles was propping his chin on his hand, forcing himself to stay awake.

"I know. I miss you a lot." You covered your mouth, holding your laugh, when his chin slipped off his palm and he nearly slammed his head against the pillow. "You know you can go to sleep, right? I am fine eating dinner on my own."

"No, I want to stay awake and watch my girlfriend eat her sushi."

You stuck out your tongue and scrunched your nose, making him chuckle. "Which one should I try next?" You moved the phone a little so he could get a full view of the plate again.

"Try the scallop one, baby. It looks good."

You picked the one he chose with your chopstick and ate it up, letting out a squeal of excitement when the taste activated your taste buds. "It’s so good! You would have liked this one."

Charles eventually fell asleep before you could finish your so called eating show. He fell asleep hugging the pillow, which acted as your replacement because he always had trouble sleeping without you. He even asked you to leave a travel-size perfume of yours the next time you came home, just so it felt much more pragmatic in his mind.

Unknowingly to him, you had requested leave from absence home earlier this week, and it was just approved by your supervisor today. It was only for a week, but at least you could see your boyfriend and spend time with him this summer.

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Charles came home, and he was confounded by how tidy his apartment looked. The pile of clothes he had set aside in the laundry room to be washed was gone, and the washing machine was on as it was counting down to 15 minutes, rotating and spinning his clothes. He had left the house quite in a hurry this morning, so he expected it to be out of place, just like how he left it.

"Surprise!"

He sprang back, his head hitting the wall when you jumped out from behind the door as he was about to walk in, causing him to bend down, his hand holding the crown of his head.

"Oh my God! I’m so sorry!" You chortled, covering your mouth from the loud thud sound as you hugged him.

"Ow, I think I got a concussion, baby." He buried his face against your neck as you cradled him like a child. "Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?"

"I wanted to give you a surprise! And a concussion." You stroked his hair, barely able to breathe from the tight grip around your waist.

"God, I missed you so, so much." He planted a trail of kisses along your shoulder blade up to your jawline and ended it on your lips, only pulling away when both of you were out of breath. "I missed you, baby."

"I missed you more. I’m all yours, love. No more hugging pillows!" You snaked your arms around his neck, giggling when you felt his lips on your nose.

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"Y/N, baby, no. I just changed!"

You saw a perfect opportunity when he was standing at the edge of the yacht, seemingly to be in very deep thoughts, so you dashed into him, making him lose his balance as he grabbed you by your arm and pulled you with him back into the water.

"Why do you have to do that?!" You cried out, splashing the water on him with a frown.

"Oh, are you mad at me? Really, baby?" He laughed and lead you back to the yacht as it started getting a bit chilly. You still refused to talk to him, even when he wrapped you in a new towel and engulfed you in a hug. He, however, found the whole situation funny. "Okay, baby, I’m sorry for pulling you into the water. I should have been the only one cold in the sea. " Charles finally surrendered when you seemed to be so in persistent with your sulking attempt.

Rolling your eyes, you fell into a fit of laughter as you threw yourself on him, making him lay down with you on the lounge seats. "I’m just kidding!" You cupped his cheeks and brushed your lips on his. "You are so cute!"

"You make me the happiest man in the world." He caressed your cheeks while you braced yourself on his body. Everything was just so perfect you never wanted this moment to end. Just getting lost in those green eyes gave you a vivid view of the beautiful landscapes. The way you felt his soft, loving touch on your face, trailing the structure of your face tucked on your heart, just when you thought you couldn’t fell in love with this man even more.

"I love you so much, baby." He mumbled, drumming his fingers on your chin, which made you chuckle.

"I love you even more, love."

"Let’s stay like this for a little while. I missed having you in my arms." He leaned his head back on the seats, wishing for the time to stop because everything—literally everything—was just so perfect for him.

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"Baby?"

"Yeah?" Charles came to the kitchen, leaning against the counter while you still had your eyes on your tea, stirring it after you put a spoonful of sugar.

"Mom wished you could join the family’s vacation next week. Is there any way you can extend your leave?"

"I’m so sorry, love, but I need to be at the office by next week." Since you were working on a new project at the moment, it was difficult for you to be absent even more when you already got a week off though you knew right away you would have to pull an all-nighter once you touchdown tomorrow just to go through all those unreplied emails.

"Y/N, please. For me," He held your hand, which was circled around the mug. “For us.”

"Charles, this isn’t about us. You know—"

"Here we go again. I’m the only one who has to tolerate, give in, and follow your schedule. Y/N, this relationship isn’t about you all alone." His voice was louder now, half shouting as he left the kitchen.

"Yes, I know, Charles. I know! You are not the only one who has to ride the wave right now. You are not the only one giving in. I had been with you in every race that I could though I had to constantly fly back and forth. I have told you I was required to be at the office even more now that we’re working on a new project. Once it is all done and sorted out, my schedule will be more manageable. A couple of months is all I ask! I’m so tired of explaining this over and over, but you still keep on thinking I am being selfish in this matter. I am mentally and emotionally drained every single day! I spent hours in the office, coming home, expecting my boyfriend to be my comfort, but you kept on shouting and cursing at me." Your cup of tea was long forgotten as you trudged along his steps to the living room. "I took a leave for one week, hoping it would make you happy, but it is still not enough for you. I don’t know what you want me to do!"

"No one forced you to take the job, Y/N. You have no right to complain about that. I told you numerous times that I can always support you financially." You grabbed his wrists, tugging on them harshly to make him face you.

"That’s not how it works, Charles! I don’t want you to support me with your money. Just because I want and love this job doesn’t mean I can’t get tired of it. I’m a human with a capability to an extent. I just want you to be there for me when I need you." Charles looked away, hands clenched into a fist, when you started choking back tears.

"I feel like you are more scared to lose your precious job than you are losing me, Y/N. It’s more important than me, isn’t it? Your job." He snickered, his head shaking at how absurd this whole argument was.

"I got fired for leaving abruptly during my meeting because you got into a crash. I stayed with you for days, taking care of you, ignoring every call and text from my boss because you were all I could think about, and I could go insane if I wasn’t by your side, waiting for you to wake up. I had to build my career back up. Yes, this is my dream job, but I would drop everything again for you, and you know that too." You harshly wiped another trail of tears on your cheeks. You just wanted to rip your hair out because he kept on turning this back to you, as if you never sacrificed anything for him.

"Are you trying to blame me because you got fired? Is that what you meant? Y/N, that was on you!" Charles hollered, making you flinch as he pointed his finger at your face.

"That’s not it! If something happened to me and you left your race for me, would you blame me for that? No, you wouldn’t! Because there’s no one to blame! That’s what I—" Your words came to a pause when you saw him simpered. "Are you—Charles, what’s with that smile?" Your grip on his arm tightens to get his attention. "Are you saying you wouldn’t leave your career for me? Charles!" He tried to walk away, and you grabbed his shirt, yanking it. "Don’t just walk away! Answer me!" You pulled on his shirt again. "Charles!"

"Don’t ask me that! You and I are not the same, Y/N. Our career, our way of thinking, it’s just not the same."

It hurt. It hurt because you thought you meant a lot to him. You didn’t even want him to choose either one, but the fact that he acted as if your career and his weren’t on the same level shredded your heart to pieces. It was as if your career were nothing compared to his. Sure, it wasn’t one where people paid thousands to see; it wasn’t a career where you got paid hundreds of thousands, even millions, per year, but he, out of all people, knew how hard you worked for it, so you never expected him to disparage your career in front of your face.

"I don’t think I’m the one being selfish right now." He saw you walk past him into the bedroom with your head dropped. It was your last night before you had to fly back tomorrow, and he had ruined everything again. You had actually planned to bake cookies together just so the two of you could spend more time together for the last night, but the whole apartment is cold now, and there was no other sound except your irregular sob.

He stayed up, placing all those ingredients for cookies that you had arranged on the kitchen counter back to where it was. You were so excited to try the new cookie cutter, and he felt so bad for blowing up again.

"Y/N?"

You tugged on the cover, half hiding your face when you heard him walk in. It might not be as convincing as it was, but you held your sob, trying to control your shoulders from shaking too much, so it seemed as if you were already asleep since you didn’t want to talk to him. Not anymore. You were so tired. You would have packed and left right away if only you could, but you knew he would block your moves, holding you back and you didn’t want that to happen because you would have given in again. What you thought was a bad attempt was still able to convince him that you were asleep.

"Good night." He slanted over and pecked at your cheek before getting under the cover and facing the other way. He knew he didn’t deserve to hug nor touch you after making you cry yourself to sleep.

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

Charles woke up, frowning, when a shaft of sunlight sipping through the curtain hit his face. "Baby, the sun is blinding me again." He mumbled and shifted to your side of the bed to hide his face against your neck, but all he could feel was a chilly, cold space. "Baby?" He called out a little louder and still didn’t get any response. "Y/N—" He was stunned when he realised your phone, hair tie, and your stuffs on the dressing table were gone. "Fuck!" The fatigue and drowsiness were gone in a blink as he threw the duvet off, feeling himself getting warm even though the AC was frigid.

"Y/N," He went through every room, and all of your clothes were gone. It was as if you were never here for the whole week. “No, no, no, no.”

Your phone was off when he tried to call, and none of his text messages went through. He even went to the airport because he knew your flight was 4 hours away, and he spent hours walking around to look for you, but to no avail. He would have kept you in his arms if he knew last night would be the last time he saw you.

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

"Y/N! How are you? Oh my God!" Carla’s eyes widened. Just like any other day, Carla, Arthur’s girlfriend, would ring you just to update you on your life. You met her years ago when she and Arthur started dating, and ever since then, it had been like having a new baby sister. She was also the only one who knew your new phone number. And like always, you guys would talk for hours about everything, and though she never came here to New York, she was basically familiar with your apartment. This time around, you just didn’t happen to be in the apartment when you picked up the call. You were in the hospital, head wrapped up in a bandage, and your hand was as stiff as a rock from the hand cast. "What happened to you?" She yelled out.

"I got into an accident last night. No, two days ago. It wasn’t that bad, though." She rolled her eyes, finding it hard to believe when you winced from the pain as you tried to play it all cool.

"How did you get into an accident? That looks really bad, Y/N! You should tell Charles!"

Charles. It’s been nearly a month since the last time you left his apartment without confronting him. You remember staring at him that night while he slept, like a creep, thinking if you were making the right choice and decided there was no point staying in a relationship where you and him never see things at the same level. You changed your phone number because you knew he would spam your calls, and you knew the moment you heard his voice, pleading and begging you to forgive him, you would crawl your way back to him.

"No, don’t tell him. You promised me you wouldn’t tell anything to him or Arthur. I don’t know if you can call it an accident, but I lost my balance and fell down the stairs at the office. It wasn’t that bad, but I do need a few stitches on my forehead."

"That’s so bad! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Just so you know, if he finds out that I knew about this and didn’t tell him, you need to back me up. How long do you have to be at the hospital? Are you okay all alone?"

"Yeah! I’m completely fine on my own. I will be discharged tomorrow!" The hand cast was actually quite heavy, and it was hard for you to do things on your own, but you’ll manage.

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

"Why are you laughing?"

Clara put her phone away from her face, still giggling at the picture that you sent to her. It was a picture of you trying to make a thumbs up with your broken hand because she wanted proof that you had safely arrived at your apartment.

"Oh, it was Y/N!" She chuckled, turning her phone back to show her boyfriend the picture. "Look!"

Arthur blinked in surprise. He wasn’t expecting that at all. "What happened to her?"

"Oh, um—"

"What’s wrong?" Charles intervened, his eyes now on the couple.

Before Clara could make up a lie, her boyfriend was quick on his act. "Y/N. She was covered in bandages. Is that a bandage? Yeah, it is. Oh, it’s a hand cast." Arthur confirmed it himself after double-checking the picture on his girlfriend’s phone.

"What?" Charles furrowed his brows and took Clara’s phone from her hand. "What happened to her? Why didn’t you tell me about this?"

"She told me not to tell you. But she’s fine! Well, she said she’s fine." Clara stated, seeing how the older guy started heading out with only a few of his stuffs.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked, chasing after his brother.

"I’m going to see her."

"What? You mean right now?" The younger one yelled out. "Has my brother gone mad?"

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

"One second!"

You ran from your room, anticipating another delivery from your window shopping gone wrong, and you ended up with 10 parcels that was supposed to arrive by today.

"Hi! You can just put the box here. I— oh,"

Charles was stunned. You were in a short with an oversized jumper, your hair tied up in a messy bun with your bangs pinned back where he could see the stitches right above your brows.

"Can I—can I come in?" His questioned, dragging you back into reality.

"My house is a mess." That was a bad one. You couldn’t come up with a better excuse, and he was still waiting, evidently disregarding whatever you just said. "Fine, come in. Do you want a drink? Coffee?"

"It’s okay. I’m all good."

"Coffee then." You felt his gaze on the back of your head as you grabbed a mug. The airtight instant coffee jar had to be the most difficult thing to open in one hand, even though you had the front part of your elbow circled around the jar. "Can I just get you water?" His laughter made your cheeks red.

"I’m okay, precious. There’s no need for that." He then marched to stand in front of you, hand cupped on your cheeks as he tilted your head to see the stitches. "What happened?"

"I fell. It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt that much." He was gazing at you, and you could feel the wall you built starting to quiver, so you took a step back.

Charles missed you. He missed you a lot. He knew you would have back away, but it never occurred to him that it would hurt this much to see the woman he loved pull in one’s horns with him. "I—,"

"You can’t do this to me." You cut him off, mumbling with your eyes looking down on your hands. "You can’t come here and touch me, forcing me to fall back and jump on you after the way you treated me."

"I came here to apologise." His voice became a whisper, barely audible to you.

"You have apologised for the million times, but I still got blamed for my career, for choosing to be my own person. Everything I do will always be seen as a selfish act by you. I can never make you happy, Charles."

"You have always made me happy, Y/N. Not my career, not my fame. It was wrong for me to say that, but it wasn’t my intention to disparage your choice, your career, or your life. I know you are not living your life as my girlfriend alone; you have your own dreams. I just got so—" He inhaled, looking away, unable to finish his words.

"Charles.."

He felt your cold hand on his, softly tugging it to get his attention and make him look at you.

"I just— I got so used to having you in my life every second before you moved away.” He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, trying to hold in his tears. "I got so frustrated because I came home and it was cold. I was so used to hearing your voice the second I stepped into the house, so used to you screaming my name when you greet me as if you haven’t seen me for years. You moved away so sudden, and it felt so lonely. I am happy for you, Y/N. I am so happy when you tell me about your days at work. I fell in love all over again when I saw the way your eyes were glistening when you talked about your new, dream job, but I wanted you to be with me. It just felt so distant. I am the selfish one all this time. I’m sorry."

You were a crying mess. You had never seen him this broken before. When you accepted your job offer email, you were so perturbed that you would have a hard time living thousands of miles away from your boyfriend, but it never once occurred to you that he would get the short end of the stick. Instead of saying anything, you cradled his head against your neck.

Charles’ arms went around your waist as he buried his head in your neck, replenishing his longing to have you in his arms for weeks. It had been so long since he held you, taking all that you were, everything he ever needed.

"It is not a bad thing to not be able to see each other every day." You mumbled, pulling away to cup on his cheeks. "It is sad, of course, but having you to miss is a privilege to me."

"I never want to lose you, Y/N."

"We just need more patience, understanding, and trust, Charles. I need you to understand me." His hands went on your back as you rested your head on his chest.

"Can you give us another chance?" He felt it was impossible to hide the slight quaver in his voice, too anxious for the worst thing to come. "I truly understand if you don’t want to because—"

"I’m staying." You leaned away and beamed, stroking your thumb against his cheek. "As long as you’re trying, we are trying, and I’ll stay. We’ll be fine."

“I know I said it otherwise but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t come running to you if something happened. You are my life, Y/N.”

You leaned into his hand, drowning yourself with his touch. “We both need to work on our communication skill. You suck at it.”

He chuckled, pulling you back into his arms. “Yeah, I am so bad it also costs me my happiness.”

“Can you stay here and keep me accompany for a couple of days?” You just couldn’t let him go today so you had to be self-obsessed today if it got him to be with you for at least another day.

“Of course, baby. Though I might need to buy some new clothes because this,” He extended his arms. “This is all I have.”

“You come here with just these?” There wasn’t any luggage, anything that made it seemed as if he were planning to come and visit you.

“Yeah, I came in a rush when I saw the picture you sent to Clara.”

“You are so silly. I only broke my hand!” He laughed along when you lifted up your hand cast, as if it was something normal to break your hand on a random Thursday.

“Only broke your hand? Only? Really, love. You even got stitches.”

✧.* general tag list! @i83andrew @cltrlne @karmabyfernando @ohthemisssery @ru-kru @tastebaldwin @f1obessed @love4lando @shinrjj @ietss @leclerc13 @darleneslane @buckybarnessweetheart @xcinnamongirl @boiohboii @formula1mount @judespoision @alwaysclassyeagle @scenesofobx @mrsmaybank13

If your usernames were crossed, meaning I can’t tag you! Let me know if you would like to be removed or to be added to the tag list! Or if I missed anyone!

#charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagine #f1 imagines #charles leclerc #charles leclerc imagines #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #charles leclerc angst #charles leclerc fluff #char

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ladykailitha · 3 months ago

Text

Sir Steve, Knight Protectorate Part 3

Here we are at the last chapter. Thank you for everyone who liked, commented and reblogged, especially those that left lovely comments in their tags.

This isn't the last we'll see of this universe, as the next one I want to do is Christmas. Steve talking to Jonathan about the camera and not just saying it was joint present from him and Nancy.

In this we have some people who just never learn, Eddie getting heart-eyes non-stop now, and the basketball game of the century.

Part 1 Part 2

Larry Wiggins learned nothing from getting decked in the face by Eddie Munson, Steve decided. He had been the worst of the “accidental” bullies.

If there was a massive collusion of some poor bastards, you could make a pretty safe bet that Larry was seen leaving the area. The teachers turned a blind eye to it because and he quotes, “You have no proof he’s doing anything wrong, besides as captain of the basketball team, he’s afforded a little grace because he’s under soooo much pressure.”

Steve was pretty sure he threw up a little in his mouth when he heard that from the principal, the vice principal, the basketball coach, and at least three other teachers despite him doing it right in front of them multiple times.

So just before the winter break it all came to a head and if Steve was honest, he wasn’t surprised when he saw the victim was one of Eddie’s own sheep.

Steve had really needed to pee in history class. It was horrible, but Mrs. Click adored him and let him go to the bathroom, then immediately turned around and told a girl that is she wasn’t on the rag, she had no need to use the bathroom until after class.

He felt bad about that one, because unlike students, Steve couldn’t do jack shit about the teachers. Not without losing whatever status he actually had.

He pushed open the doors to the boys’ bathroom and instantly sagged against the doorway. There cowering in the corner was one of Eddie’s freaks. He had curly brown hair and blue eyes, though one was shut from a reddening welt that no doubt would turn into a black eye later.

Then the bell rang and students came flooding out of their classes, just in time to see Steve dragging Larry out of the bathroom and throwing him against the lockers across from the bathroom.

Before anyone could protest Steve’s over-reaction, the little freshman came limping out of the bathroom.

“Gareth!” Eddie called out and Steve was distracted for a moment by the sound, let Larry out of his grasp.

But instead of taking off like what would have been the smart thing, Larry pushed Steve off of him.

“You would take the side of the little pervert, Harrington,” he sneered. “I caught this little freak checking under the bathroom stalls. No doubt he’s a fag looking for dick to ogle.”

Gareth opened his mouth to protest, but Steve held up his hand.

“Or, he could be,” Steve scoffed, “and get this, looking to make sure no one was in the stalls so he go into the one he wanted? Like a normal person?”

Eddie and Gareth both snorted at the ‘normal’ description, but wisely kept their mouths shut.

Larry rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. “You think you’re so hot, don’t you? You’re not even a senior but everyone around here walks around here kissing your ass and why? Because Daddy’s money. If you were as poor as these chucklefucks, the only kiss you’d be getting is mouth to mouth when someone finally put you down like the dog you are!”

Gareth threw back his head and laughed. Just started laughing and laughing, doubling over from the laughter, tears streaming down his face.

Larry raised an eyebrow. “What the fuck is his problem?”

“His dad owns three of this town’s car dealerships, dude,” Steve said raising both eyebrows. “Like he lives in Loch Nora.”

Larry’s eyes go wide. “What the fuck? Then why is he dressed like trailer trash?”

“Hey!” Eddie growled and moved to take a swing at the guy, but again Steve held up his hand.

“Dude is in designer jeans and high tops and you have to ask that?” he shook his head. “You really are stupid. How did you become captain of the basketball team again?”

Steve tapped his lip for a moment, his other hand on his hip. Then he snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right, you mom blew the coach!”

Larry lunged forward to take a swing at Steve but Tommy and one of the other guys on the team managed to pull him back.

“You want to put your money where your mouth is punk?!” Larry shouted, trying to get out of his restraints.

Steve looked him up and down. “You’re on. One on one in the outdoor basketball court. First one to twenty points wins. We need an unbiased ref...” he looked around until he found a black sophomore standing off the side. “You, you tried out for JV this year, right?”

The kid pointed to himself and looked around but Steve nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t make it, but yeah I play.”

Steve turned to Larry. “That okay with you?”

Larry nodded. “If I win, you quit the team and stop this fucking crusade you’re on.”

The crowd oohed and ahhed.

“And if I win,” Steve said with a knowing smirk, “you step down as captain and make me captain instead. And if you lay a single finger on anyone again, and you know what I mean, I’ll be sure to spill every dirty secret you ever uttered in the locker room. Don’t think that I won’t.”

Larry gulped heavily. The sound loud in the now dead silent hallway.

Steve stuck out his hand and Larry eyed it for a moment. He looked up into Steve’s steely gaze, then at the gathered crowd. He shook the offered hand and pumped it once.

“Saturday 10am,” Steve said with a grin. Larry nodded and Steve walked over to the kid who was going to be their ref and slung an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

“Patrick,” the kid mumbled shyly.

“Well, Patrick,” he said, leading him away from the crowd, “the team will be down one player regardless of what happens, you should try out again.”

Everyone is left staring in shock as the two boys walk away talking about basketball.

Nancy, who had been watching the whole thing turned to Tina, “So that was hot, right?”

Tina just nodded, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She fanned herself with her hand and shook her head. “Girl, you fucked up when you let that one get away.”

Nancy bit her lip, but privately agreed. It had been a month, and Jonathan still wasn’t biting. Perhaps...

Perhaps she might have another, tastier option.

The bullying full on stopped as the whole school held their breath. Even the teacher had noticed the whispering in the hall, but time and time again, students would refuse to say why. The nerds sided with Eddie and his club, the popular kids sided with Steve, and everyone one else but the bullies wanted to keep out of it.

When the teachers finally reached out to the kids who were doing the bullying, therefore proving to the whole school the teachers knew, but didn’t care, the bullies had been forced into silence or admit to the bullying.

The morning dawn bright and clear. The frost clung to the windows of the school and a couple of the basketball teammates arrived at nine to shovel the outdoor court as it had snowed the night before.

Steve showed up with longjohns under his shorts and a sweat shirt with the team logo on the front. He stood there, basketball propped on his hip as he waited for Larry to arrive. He was wearing sweats and a t-shirt, headband over his eyes.

10:01am.

Patrick came running up the court waving a whistle. “Sorry I’m late! I couldn’t find my whistle and had to go to the store to get another one.”

Larry grumbled, but Steve just threw Patrick the ball.

Larry and Steve stepped up to the middle line and Patrick stood between them with the ball. The two players shook hands and then Patrick threw it in the air.

Larry got the ball first, but in the end didn’t even matter.

Steve was far and away the better player. Whether Larry’s mom had done favors for the coach to make him captain was irrelevant. Because it soon became clear that he had only gotten the post due to some kind of favoritism.

Steve outmatched him on defense and was the better shot, making more of his shots than he missed.

Larry started panting halfway through as Steve outmatched in a different and just as vital way. Stamina.

Kids from all the cliques were pressed against the fence. Nancy in the front, cheering loudly for Steve along side all of his friends.

Tommy H. was shouting obscenities and Carol was calling Larry names.

But there was the silent section who had come out to watch. The one whose very lives depended on the outcome of the game.

You could call it hyperbole, but Eddie didn’t. It was apt. In those few scant weeks of not having his friends bullied, his grades actually fucking went up. Because he could concentrate on homework, instead of if tomorrow was going to be the day one of the bullies went too far and he lost one of sheep.

He still called out the bullying when he saw it, but now knowing that there were other people watching his sheep too? He could actually rest.

And if that was happening to him? He couldn’t dare to image what it was like for the kids who were being actively bullied. That first breath of relief knowing it wasn’t just a one time thing. That it was going to keep happening. That they were going to be able to just function. Must have felt like a god damned miracle.

Steve moved past Larry and slamdunked his final two points making it to twenty.

Larry sank to his knees as Patrick ran out on the court. “With a score of twenty to fourteen, Steve Harrington wins!”

He raised Steve’s hand over his head like a prize fighter. The gathered crowd roared to life, even those who had been watching silently at the other end of the court. The ones who didn’t understand what a layup was or how fouling worked. They began cheering too.

Steve walked over to Larry and got down on one knee, draping his arm over the other knee. “Some people are bullies because their home life is shit, some people are bullies because they don’t know how to be anything else. And some people just like you who are just fucking assholes who like make others miserable. Get the fuck off my court.”

He stood back up and waved at the crowd.

Steve managed to find an unlocked door and slipped into the locker room for a well earned shower. He still would have to put his gross clothes back on but at least he wouldn’t be dripping in sweat.

He heard the door open and close but decided to ignore it. Whether it was a well wisher or one of Larry’s ilk, he didn’t give a shit. He just wanted to be clean.

“Steve?” a warm and very welcome voice echoed through the empty chamber.

“Eddie?” he called back, poking his head out the shower stall to see him.

Eddie grinned. “There you are, big boy.”

Steve was grateful for the steam already painting his cheeks red so that Eddie wouldn’t see him blush.

“Hey,” he muttered softly.

Eddie came bounding up to him with a big grin on his face. “I went home and brought my PE clothes for ya so you didn’t have to put that sweaty shit back on.” He held up his bag. “We’re about the same size in everything but thighs, so this should get you home at the very least.”

“Oh you’re a lifesaver!” he breathed. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know, I wanted to.”

Steve pointed down at his sudsy body. “Just let me finish washing down and I’ll be with you in a moment.”

A few minutes later he shut off the water and called out, “Hey can you grab me a towel?”

“I could...” Eddie teased, “but then I’d miss the show of you waddling naked to grab one yourself.”

Steve’s eyebrows went up. “I wasn’t sure you’d be interested, after all the ball was in your court after your impromptu marriage proposal.”

Eddie licked his lips slowly and stalked over the low wall that separated the showers from the rest of the locker room. He looked Steve up and down, noting the high blush on his cheeks that had nothing to due with the heat. Or at least not the heat of the shower. Steve pushed his hair back and looked Eddie right in the eye.

Eddie smiled and reached out with one finger to trace a water droplet that had slid off of Steve’s collar bone to run for his belly button. Steve’s breath hitched as Eddie licked the water off his finger.

“I’m more than interested,” he murmured, leaning in close. “Just wasn’t sure if the offer was made in jest or if you were serious.”

Steve closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. Then he opened them slowly to see Eddie with his eyes wide and expression hopeful. Steve leaned in and pressed his lips to the other boy’s. It was soft and it was sweet.

Eddie leaned back, blinking. “So yeah, definitely serious then. So how about this, sweetheart, why don’t you get dressed in the things I brought you and you go home and get changed. Then I pick you up around, say... five for dinner at the diner?”

Steve’s face transformed with his smile. “I’d say that sounds like a date.” He kissed him again. Just as soft and just as sweet as the one before.

“I’m going to get cavities if you keep that up,” Eddie teased, walking away.

“Where are you going?” Steve asked tilting his head in confusion.

Eddie came back to locker room. “Getting you a towel, obviously. As much as I wouldn’t mind a sneaky peek, I think I’d rather wait to see you naked, spread out underneath me.”

Steve’s jaw worked up and down but no words came out.

“Catch you later, big boy!” Eddie called out over his shoulder after handing the towel to him.

As he was leaving he bumped into Nancy.

“Oh sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t see you there.”

Nancy chewed on her bottom lip. “Is Steve in there? I couldn’t find him after the game.”

“Yep!” he replied popping the P. “I brought him some clothes he could change into.”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh!”

“Catch you around, Wheeler,” Eddie said giving her a salute.

As the door swung shut, she could see Steve in there happily singing a love song as he got dressed.

Nancy looked back at Eddie’s retreating form and then back at the now closed door. She sighed. She had a feeling that she was too late in getting Steve back.

He had moved on.

She blushed and ducked her head. Maybe it was a good thing. She needed to work on herself and Steve needed someone who was with him because they wanted to be and not just because he was the current available option.

By the time Steve came back out, she was gone.

Tag List: COMPLETED

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 @a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @gringa-rae-jepsen @bluelightsinthevoid @mamafaithful @allmyworldsendwithtears @xxbottlecapx

10- @sadisticaltarts @yeahhhh-suga @ohimamarigold @imamixofeverthing @samsoble

#my writing #stranger things #steddie #ladykailtiha writes #season 1 au #knight protectorate au

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not-neverland06 · 6 months ago

Text

How About a Nuke?

Part VII / Part VIII / Part IX

Series Masterlist

The ghoul x fem!reader A/N: PLEASE READ, this will be one of my darker chapters. I’m really sick right now, I have a bad fever, and when I’m sick I tend to write darker things. I’m not sure why, just keep that in mind while you read. Summary: You wake up alone surrounded by people with strange smiles and empty gazes. You’ve been left behind and you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it out of the compound alive.

You shift on the thin fabric of the cot and rub at your eyes. They’re crusted over with evidence that you’ve been sleeping for a lot longer than you meant to. You shoot up in the bed, panic flaring in you, and look around the room. He isn’t here, neither is his bag. The chair he’d been sitting in is still at the side of your bed, but no other evidence of him having been here.

You throw your legs over the side of the cot and rip the IV out of your arm. You press your thumb down over the bubble of blood and walk towards the doorway of the room. The lights are out in the compound. You can tell from the window in the hall that it's night now, dim candles are lit along the hallway but there’s no other light.

“Cooper?” You whisper, afraid to wake whoever lives on this floor. You look down each end of the hallway but you don’t see his silhouette or hear his spurs coming towards you. You can feel yourself starting to freak out the longer you stand alone in the dark hallway.

With only a thin gown on and no weapons to protect yourself, you duck back in the room and lock the door. You’re sure there’s a reasonable explanation for where he is. He promised he would be here when you woke up. Maybe they’d just given him a different room.

Though, you’re still frightened, you let yourself fall back onto the cot. You’re still exhausted, despite how much sleep you’ve already gotten. This is the first time in a while that you’re clean, not sleeping under the stars, and you don’t have to worry about radroaches gnawing on you. You don’t have enough adrenaline to keep you upright and find yourself slipping back into a dreamless sleep.

The doorknob rattles and you jump out of bed. Without much thought you rip the door open, assuming Cooper would be on the other side. Instead a woman with bright red hair and an eerie smile looms over you. She’s startling tall, taller than anyone you’d encountered so far in the Wastelands.

You stumble back as she advances, two armed men flocking her. “Where’s Cooper?” You demand, eyes darting around to try and find something you can use against her. You’re woefully unarmed in the room. Besides throwing a chair at her you can’t find anything to defend yourself with.

“Who?” She asks, moving to take a seat in the chair he’d been occupying. You keep yourself backed in the corner of the room. Your eyes dart between her and her men but they seem completely at ease, the pistols on their hips going ignored.

You glare at her, “You know who. The man I came here with.”

“Oh,” she laughed, the sound made your hair stand on end. There was nothing outwardly wrong with this woman, nothing you could point out anyway. Maybe it was the unusual length of her smile, or the lack of anything real behind her eyes, but you felt deeply uncomfortable around her. “The ghoul,” the word rolled off her tongue with a clear distaste. She sighed and shook her head, standing back up.

She turned towards the door and looked back at you. “Join me.” It clearly wasn’t a question, not with the way her guards grabbed you by the arms and shoved you forward. You stumbled, bare feet tripping on the uneven tiled floors.

She made her way down the hall, not once looking back to make sure you followed. It was clearly assumed that you would just obey. Despite how much you didn’t want to, you figured you would have a better chance of living through the next hour if you didn’t test the men with guns.

You kept one arm around your abdomen, the raw wound aching. It wasn’t burning or itching like yesterday, but your skin was so sensitive it felt as though your stomach might fall through the stitches. “Lights,” she started, causing you to nearly jump out of your skin at the abrupt noise. Your eyes kept darting around the hallway, like someone was going to jump you any second.

“Running water,” she continued, “agriculture. We have a steady supply of Radaway, meds, food. We are very fortunate here at the compound.”

“I’m sure,” you muttered. You passed by a room and she came to a stop. You glanced through the window of the room, little kids surrounded by pregnant women stared up at a man teaching them something on a chalkboard. You moved a little closer and frowned when you saw the diagram of a man and woman’s anatomy on the board.

These kids were barely walking and they were already learning about the birds and bees?

You glanced up at the giant woman and shuddered, she had a predatory look on her face while she looked at the babies. What backwards hellhole did Cooper drag you into?

“We’re much luckier than other surface dwellers, our children no longer have to worry about fighting to survive.” A woman rolled past you in a rusted wheelchair, her belly practically bursting through her white gown, three men flocked her, their eyes straying towards you. You glanced from her and back to the window of the room.

Was every woman here pregnant?

Feeling like a rat trapped in a cage you looked up at the red haired woman with trepidation. “Where’s Cooper?”

She smiled, the corners of her lips stretching too far across her cheeks to look real. “You no longer need to concern yourself with him. Your keeper has given you to the compound.” She kept talking but you couldn’t hear anything past the high pitched ringing in your ears.

The room seemed to spin and you found yourself leaning on the wall for support.

Cooper left you.

A heavy hand landed on your shoulder and you flinched. You fought the burning feeling building behind your eyes and glared up at the woman. “We’ll finish the tour later. You seem to still be feeling unwell.” She looked to the men behind her and nodded, “Take her back.”

You didn’t get a chance to argue before they’d looped their arms through yours and were dragging you back down the hallway. They didn’t throw you in the room like you’d expected. If anything they seemed to be treating you gently.

They laid you in the cot, propping you against the pillows and leaving without another word. You sat there stunned for a long time. You stared up at the cracked ceiling, surprised you weren’t freaking out more. Maybe it was shock, or whatever drugs they’d given you were keeping you numb.

The most likely reason, though, was that deep down you’d never fully let yourself trust Cooper. That was what he had been drilling in your head this whole damn time. No one was to be trusted, not even him.

You couldn’t be mad at him because it was your own damn fault for getting stabbed. You should have just let it get him, would have saved you a whole heap of problems. You throw the blankets off and get up.

You’re not just gonna sit here and wallow the whole time. You got yourself stuck here, you’d get yourself out. You approach the door, fully expecting them to have locked you inside, but it pulls open without a problem. They must really not think you’re a threat. Not like you could blame them, you’d been half dead when you were dragged here.

You creep down the hallway, going the opposite way the woman had been leading you this time. You round the corner, slamming into a little girl and and a man. You jump back, heart in your throat, but they don’t do anything except give you a smile and continue on.

You suppose there’s nothing to suspect about you. You’re dressed like everyone here, in a gauzy white nightgown that goes to your ankles. You don’t have any weapons on you. If you act natural, you’re sure you can just blend in.

You pass by another windowed room and risk a peek. You immediately wish you hadn’t. The woman on the wheelchair from earlier is squatting on the floor, holding onto the arms of a man. Her face is red and her hair is plastered to her head. She lets out a loud groan and another man removes his arms from under her gown, something small and wrinkly in his hands.

He carries the baby to a table, weighing it, cleaning its face off and then hands it to her. You turn away, debating whether or not you should keep watching or just move on. This is incredibly intimate, a mother holding her newborn for the first time. But something about this whole place is off, there’s a deep feeling of instinctual fear in your gut that is leaving you on edge.

You can make out muffled conversation from the room and peer back in. She smiles at the man holding her and he nods. She leans down and presses a long kiss to her baby’s forehead. The man who’d been observing this whole ordeal with a blank face steps up. He presses a pillow to the side of her head and then a gun. You stumble away from the window just as he pulls the trigger.

The sound is muffled by the pillow, but the baby still cries as its mother goes limp. One of the men catches her body before she can fall, passing the baby off. One of them leaves with the kid, the other two collect her body and carry her out behind him. You make a run for it before they can spot you, the image of her blood spraying across the floor permanently burned into your brain.

You don’t even bother trying to come up with a reasonable excuse for what you just saw. There isn’t one, there’s nothing that could explain what you just witnessed away. And Cooper had given you to these people.

You could feel the rage building in you now.

He stared down at the fire, the only sounds were the distant noises of bugs and the crackling of the burning logs. He felt odd, unsure of how to put it. It was quiet, despite the noises of the forest, everything seemed still to him.

He glanced across the fire, expecting to see her there, surprised to find himself a little upset when she wasn’t. It’s not like he could be blamed for missing the company. Being on his own for over two hundred years was hard enough. Being on his own after having her around seemed worse somehow.

Loneliness was easier when you forgot what you were missing.

He shifted around but no matter how he moved he couldn’t get comfortable. The discomfort wasn’t something physical, it was a restless feeling brewing under his skin. Poking and prodding him until it couldn’t be ignored.

Leaving her had felt like a smart choice. It seemed like the right thing to do. The compound should be safe enough. Then again, all he really knew about it was that it was only slightly more civilized than the rest of the Wastelands.

He sighed and leaned back against the old wreckage he had propped himself against. He wouldn’t have shelter tonight, it was rare to find any that wasn't overrun by radroaches out in the sands anyway. With the light from the fire he couldn’t see much. But he could make out the old billboard across from him.

It was the one she’d always hated and he loved. She was in that skimpy astronaut suit riding a rocket with a Nuka-Cola in her hand. He’s constantly bombarded by his Vault Boy posters. Seeing her shouldn’t bother him. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s ever seen one of her ads out here, anyway.

But it hurts him in a way it hadn’t before. Now he knew that she’d never left him, that she’d been screwed by the same company that ruined his life. He sighed and ran a hand over his rough cheeks. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he shouldn’t be considering this.

He should just leave it be, leave her be. But he can’t. Once he’s got his teeth dug into something, it’s nearly impossible to let it go.

You should have been paying better attention to where you were running, but all you could see was that woman’s lifeless body clutching her crying baby to her chest. You stumbled through a door, racing down the stairs until you were sure you were at the bottom floor.

You burst through the door, wincing at the bright sunlight that shone down on you. You heard the sound of laughter and children’s voices as they screamed and ran past you. You jumped out of their way, watching as they chased each other.

You glanced around, confused and disoriented, trying to figure out where you were. It must’ve been the back of the compound, beyond the different crops and gardens you couldn’t see anything but a radiated ocean. It was the same odd blue the lake Cooper had taken you to had been.

Men in dirtied clothes were bent over different crops and vegetables, digging around in them and pulling out ripe foods. Some older children assisted them, holding tools of their own or carrying baskets of different crops. But you didn’t see any women among them.

“Lost?” You whirled around on the man behind you, he raised his hands up with a startled expression on his face. “Sorry, sorry, I thought you heard me walk up.”

“Who are you?”

He held out his hand, an odd smile on his face. Everyone here had the same smile, nearly genuine but lacking just enough life to be. You looked at his hand and then back at him, making no move to take it. He was undeterred and just reached forward, yanking your hand into his and crushing your palm in too firm a grip. “Ben, good to meet you, Sylvie told me to come find you.” He seems oddly familiar, but you can’t place why.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out Sylvie was the red head who’d been showing you around earlier. With one glance at the gun on his hip you figured this was another demand. You peered over your shoulder at the children again, surprised to find them already staring at you. The boys grinned but the girls didn’t even blink as Ben showed you back through the door.

You took in a shaking breath and ascended the stairs once more, feeling your freedom slipping further away from you. Ben kept a tight grip on your wrist the whole way up. ”I’m excited to get to know you.”

You shot him a distrusting look and tried, unsuccessfully, to once more get him to release you. “Why would we be doing that?”

He stopped and you were forced to follow. Your eyes bounced around the empty hallway, feeling incredibly on edge with the way he invaded your space. He had the eerie smile again, eyes roaming slowly up and down your form. “You are to be my breeding partner after all.”

What. The. Fuck.

“Ben!”

You didn’t think you’d be happy to see Sylvie again, but right now you were ridiculously grateful for her interference. He backs off and it’s only then you feel like you can breathe again. You rip your wrist out of his grasp, rubbing away the bruise that bloomed under his hand. He doesn’t take his eyes off of you when you walk away and it takes everything in you not to turn around for another glance at him.

Sylvie holds a door open for you at the end of the hall and you duck inside, trying to calm your racing heart after that interaction. “I apologize for Ben, he’s a bit overeager. He lost his partner this morning and I did promise him you,” she laughs and steps inside.

It’s only as she passes by you that the light goes on in your head. He’d been one of the men in the room with the mother. He’d been holding her.

Your fists dig into the white fabric of your gown and you have to swallow the bile building in your throat down. Your hands are shaking horribly and your eyes go fuzzy. Lack of any real food is starting to catch up with you as your adrenaline spikes and plummets again.

You’re not sure your heart can take much more of living in the Wastelands.

Sylvie sits down at a long table, plates piled with food enough for ten people before her. But there are only two chairs, one for her, and you assume the other is for you. “Please,” she motions to the chair across from her, “sit.” Her tone brokers no negotiation and you find yourself walking on shaking legs to the other chair.

You throw yourself down in it, staring blankly down at the plate. “What happened to his partner?” You whisper, unable to bring yourself to speak any louder.

“It is the cycle of life here at our compound.” You glance up at her in astonishment but she’s not paying attention, just digging into her food. “Our goal is to repopulate the earth. Bring back society as it should be.”

“And how should it be?” You interrupt, fully disgusted by the people surrounding you now. “Because what I saw was sickening. You slaughtered her like she was an animal.”

Sylvie’s fork slams against the table and you jump in surprise. “That’s what she was, is.” She sighs and shakes her head, “It’s hard for an outsider to understand.”

“Then explain,” you order, voice sharp. You’re not going to play games with this woman. You want answers and you want them now. But more importantly you want to know why he would leave you here. How could he?

“Our mission, requires sacrifice. When they are ready, the women here are assigned a breeding partner. They give birth until they can’t and then…” That sickening grin was back and you found yourself shrinking back into your chair. “They provide for us in other ways. Organ harvesting is a very lucrative trade, did you know?” You shake your head mutely. “It’s what provides us with the medicine that saved your life last night.”

“The men? Does anything happen to them?”

She shrugs, digging into her meal once more. “They can reproduce much longer than women can. And when they can’t we find use for them in the fields. When they die, their body is used keep our agriculture thriving.” The woman you watched die this morning couldn’t have been older than thirty.

And the man guarding Sylvie could have been the same age as your father.

Cooper had sold you to be bred and then harvested. Like you were cattle. You glanced up at the guards but they weren’t looking at you. Why would they? Women clearly weren’t more than animals here. You could never be a threat.

You slipped the knife off the table and into your sleeve. “And the women are okay with this?”

She looked at you like you were crazy for wondering such a thing. “Of course, they know they’re serving a higher purpose than themselves.” You scoffed in disbelief. Not only was this a human farm where you were harvested like a cow, you found yourself in the middle of some fucked up new world cult.

“Did-” your voice cracks and you find the words difficult to get out. “Did Cooper know about this?”

“He would have had to.” She puts her fork down and digs through her pockets. She throws the dog tags he’d been carrying around at you. You catch them, noticing the back of the chain looked oddly melted. “The bounty he brought me, it was one of our old trading partners. Occasionally, we do business with the Brotherhood. One of their squires, he took a liking to one of our girls. She was sickly, too sickly to bring any more children to term. The day she was meant to be harvested he took her and they ran.”

She sighed and shook her head, a dark expression coming over her face. “I don’t take kindly to thieves. I wanted the tags as proof of his death.”

You didn’t know who the Brotherhood was, but you figured it was just another cult you didn’t want to know about. You placed the tags back on the table and stared down at your plate. “Couldn’t they have just stolen the tags and lied?”

She laughed and shook her head. “When his knight branded him, there was an accident. You couldn’t get those tags without taking his head off first.”

“And the girl?”

She looked up at you, frowning, “What about her?”

“Is she dead?” You knew Cooper was a bad man, but the thought of him shooting some defenseless girl made you sick to your stomach. Who could blame her for wanting to get out of this place?

Sylvie shrugged, “I don’t know. I’m sure without her little savior she’ll die eventually. She wasn’t made for Wasteland life.” Sylvie wiped her mouth and stood up. She rounded the table, coming to stand behind you, her rough palm circled around your nape and you whimpered at the tight grip. “See, there are things a lot worse than death waiting for you out there, little lamb. So, I suggest you learn your place here and be grateful for the few good years you’ll have left.”

She releases you with a shove and your hand shoots out to brace yourself against the edge of the table. She stalks towards the door, “You’ll join Ben tomorrow night. You have one night to make your peace with your place here.” The door slams shut and you finally feel the tears come.

He hears the coughing before he sees the shack. The smell of a rotting corpse overwhelms him and he figures the girl never bothered to move the body. How she’s lasted this long with the smell and gasses, he has no idea. But she was sick to begin with, he’s sure she won’t be lasting much longer.

He throws the rickety wooden door open and steps over the bloated corpse of the squire he’d collected his bounty from. Sure enough, as he’d been expecting, the girl is curled up in the corner of the shed. She’s skin and bones at this point, her coughing causing her whole body to shake with painful tremors.

She peers out from between her arms and levels him with a glare. Her eyes are bloodshot, the whites of them now yellow. “You.”

He leans against the table in the middle of the room and nods, “Me.”

“What,” she coughs again and his face screws up at the blood that dribbles from her lips. “What do you want now? Here to finish the job?”

He shakes his head, pulling out a Stimpak and some ration bars. She eyes the supplies hungrily, a rabid desperation on her frail face. She reaches for them but he places them just out of her reach, a cruel look on his face. “Need some answers.”

“About what?”

“The place your little boyfriend stole you from. My friend’s there, I need to know why exactly you left.”

She laughs, the sound cruel and costing. She wipes more blood from her mouth, a vicious grin on her lips. “Sorry, but your friend is fucked.” She pauses and the shakes her head, “Or she’s getting fucked at least. Over. And over. And over again. They certainly don’t waste any time there.”

She reaches for a bar again but he glares and pulls them back. She sighs and slumps against the wall. “What,” he snaps, “are you talking about?”

“They harvest us. The chickens are treated better than we are. They used us to make their little soldiers, until we can’t push them out anymore. And then they harvest us for parts. My little brother was five when he was taken, he was sick like me. He just didn’t hide it as well. They make sure you’re useful to them, dead or alive.”

He doesn’t waste anymore time with her. He tosses the supplies at her and runs back out of the shed. Maybe, maybe, he’d had some suspicions about them being less than kind. But it was the Wastelands, no one here was truly good.

He never would have thought it was going to be this bad. He never would have left her there if he thought something like this would happen.

That’s what that woman had been talking about when she said compensation. He was fucking selling her, like a prize pig. He had wasted too much time traveling here for the confirmation. He should have just followed his gut instinct and gone back. But he was too fucking stubborn to let himself.

He didn’t want to think that he was panicking. He had at one point considered killing her himself. Hell, he’d shot the girl. Why would it bother him so much if someone else did it?

He’d lost too much. He wasn’t entirely sure he could lose her again.

Your palm is wrapped around the handle of the knife you’d taken when the door creaks open. You tense up but otherwise remain still. The sound of muddy boots squelches across the tiles. You stay hidden under the covers. The moonlight from the window is just bright enough to cast a shadow over whoever is sneaking into your room.

You smell him before you feel him. The smell of earth and vegetables suffocating you just as rough hands wrap around your arm. “Hey-”

You shoot up, uncurling like a viper and slamming your hand into his throat before he can even try to shout. Ben’s eyes flare wide, terror consuming them before you twist the knife and rip it out. Arterial blood sprays across your face and he slumps to the floor, limp.

You rush to close the door and turn back to him. He’s a big man, tall and buff with muscle, you strip off his work shirt and pants, figuring they’ll just have to work for now. You take his boots and stuff his socks into the tips so they’ll fit better. You grasp the pistol off his waist and tuck it into your belt.

You go through all the drawers and cabinets of the room. You take any supplies you can find and toss them in a pillow case before unlocking the door and slipping back into the hallway. You don’t hear the telltale sounds of guards patrolling and figure you should be able to slip out through the stairs.

You’re almost down the steps when you stop. Something in you won’t let you go any farther. Your mind jumps to Sylvie. How casually she’d discussed the slaughter of women over her lunch. How quick she was to turn you into cattle rather than view you as something human.

That familiar rage you used to feel builds up in you. Your entire adult life you’d fought to be viewed as a real person. As someone who deserved the same care and respect everyone else got. And she, a woman, was so quick to tear that away from you. To perpetuate further suffering as long as she got to profit off of it.

You back out of the stairwell and head down the hallway. You blindly walk the path you’d walked earlier to her quarters. You see that mother in your head, clutching her baby as she drew her last breath. And she’d known it was coming. Every girl here knew what was coming.

Little boys got to smile and laugh and play and the girls grew up knowing what their fate was going to be. And they were content with it.

Two guards are stationed outside of Sylvie’s door. You shoot them both. You know the sounds will alert others. You don’t have much time left. You burst through the door of her room. Her lamp is on and she’s already waiting for you. Her gun is on her lap, and she’s smiling at you as you walk in. “You can still turn around-”

“I know my place,” you interrupt and she frowns. “I’m not letting pricks like you, who think they get a gun and rule the world, make decisions for me anymore.” She reaches for the revolver on her lap but you’re pulling the trigger faster. The bullet tears through her throat and she lurches forward. Her hands claw desperately at her neck, blood pouring between her fingers.

You run forward, pulling the revolver from her lap and tuck it into the waistband of your pants. You make your way out the door and towards the stairs again. You can hear booted footsteps rushing towards you, nearly at the doorway just as you slam it closed.

You manage to fly down one flight of stairs before the door’s crashing open and slamming into the wall. Shouts echo through the stairwell. Orders to shoot you are issued but you’re barreling through the gate of the compound before they can grab you.

You look behind you, watching as all the guards search the grounds for you and you laugh. You nearly can’t believe it. That you made it out, that you finally stood up for yourself. For a moment in there you’d almost considered giving in and just letting it happen.

Living in the Wastelands was hard, giving in would be so easy. Letting someone just make the decisions for you would be easy. But the base instinct of survival is a tough opponent to beat. You couldn’t let yourself give up and give in to another person who thought humans were just another form of compensation.

You only have one last stop to make.

He’d had to camp for the night before he could make it back to the compound. He hadn’t wanted to stop but he figured they’d paid him so well that they weren’t planning on just getting rid of her the first night. He’d go by tomorrow and take her back. How well that went was up to them.

He stared into the fire and sighed. He felt like a fucking fool leaving her there. He should know better. But he’d been so desperate to just get rid of her it was easy to ignore all the signs telling him not to. He couldn’t handle her anymore. Couldn’t handle all the old emotions she drudged up around him.

He couldn’t be what she wanted, what she needed. Deep down, maybe, the old Cooper was still in there. But he wasn’t willing to bring him back. Not for her, not for anybody. That didn’t mean he was just going to let her die, though.

He was squatted by the dying fire, eating some jerky, when he heard someone approaching. He didn’t get a chance to turn around before a shot was going off and his hat was flying off his head. It lands in the sand behind him and he turns, almost surprised to find her.

She’s got a revolver in her hand, dried specks of blood on her cheeks. “You better pray you didn’t just put a hole in my hat, sweetheart.” She narrows her eyes at him and lowers the gun.

“You sold me.”

He stands up and raises his hands in a placating motion. She’s trigger happy, but he knows she isn’t gonna shoot him. If she was, she would have done it a long time ago. “In my defense, darling, I didn’t know they were a bunch of sickos.”

She scoffs, eyes wide with disbelief. “Really? So they didn’t pay you for me?”

He sucks on his teeth and frowns, “Well-”

“Just shut up!” She stares at him in astonishment, shaking her head and muttering something to herself. His eyes stay on the revolver in her hands as she waves it around wildly, trying to figure out the best way to get her to put it down.

“I was on my way back for you, darling.”

She whirls around, the gun up and pointing at him again. “Yeah, like I’ll believe anything you’ll say to me right now.” She backs away from him and her fists clench around something dangling from her left hand. He finally notices the tags she’s holding now. The same one’s he’d given Sylvie.

Just what the hell had she done to get out of there? He’s almost impressed by her sheer stubbornness to stay alive.

“The girl, the one who was with your bounty, what happened to her?”

He shook his head, “Nothing. I left her where she was.” Her thumbs pulls the hammer of the revolver back and he laughs. He can’t stop himself from antagonizing her, taking a sick sort of satisfaction from the fact that he could push her as much as he wanted and she still wouldn’t pull the trigger.

“She reminded me of you. Battered and bruised, used up and left behind. She couldn’t protect herself, couldn’t even drag her boyfriend’s corpse out of their little hut.”

Her eyes get glossy and he takes in the sight with a grin. She always had been pretty when she cried. “You are a bad person. And I knew that and still tried to find something good in you. But you are rotten to your core, there is nothing human left in you.”

His mouth settles into a firm line and he finds himself a little pissed off. “Now, darling-”

He doesn’t see it coming. Doesn’t even realize what’s happened until he’s flying back and hitting the ground. He doesn’t feel any pain, his adrenaline pumping so much all he can feel is the vibrations. The impact of the bullet carving it’s way through his chest as he lay there on the ground.

She walks over to him, eyes empty as she stands over him and watches the blood pool out. “We’re done, Cooper.”

She leaves him on the ground, not looking back as he presses his hand to his wound in shock. He didn’t think she had it in her.

#cooper howard x reader #the ghoul x reader #fallout x reader #fallout tv series #how about a nuke?#cooper howard #the ghoul

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