#i purred 8 hours of work into it

[silbernerwolf]

I bring you the joy of finally having finished my jacket

At least for now, until I get more pins and patches

[katyawriteswhump]

love and other catastrophes at the omega cafe (1/8 and index post, fic now complete 🐈‍⬛)

So I posted about this idea before here, (and was overwhelmed by the response—thank you!) but basically a cat café opened near me and inspired this:

Summary: Steve is a runaway Omega who gets a job at an Omega café, where he’s basically paid to curl up and purr in Alphas’ laps. It’s legal, and he earns a living, rents his own place. He’s getting along fine for a packless Omega. Then Alpha rockstar Eddie Munson turns up for an hour of ‘kitty’ petting, and shatters Steve’s fragile little world…

Rating: E; No major warnings, sexual content, omega-verse; Tags: omega steve, alpha eddie, a/b/o dynamics, fluff and angst; (It won't get tooooo angsty, I promise, and I should probably write a shorter version, but this seemed to want to get bedded in for some plot, so...) read on A03 and thank you @lexirosewrites for being so patient with my weird belated questions about what do with my idea!

Chapter 1 (below) Chapter 2 Chapter 3.1 Chapter 3.2 Chapter 4.1 Chapter 4.2 Chapter 5.1 Chapter 5.2 Chapter 6.1 Chapter 6.2 Chapter 7.1 Chapter 7.2 Chapter 8.1 Chapter 8.2 and THE END

🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

Chapter 1

Steve clocked in with Carol at the coffee counter and cosied up on a beanbag waiting for the first customer to arrive. He couldn’t stop yawning and struggled to keep his eyes open.

He didn’t usually work the Monday morning graveyard shift at ‘Kitties’—otherwise known as the Omega Café. Carol usually put him on the weekends, which were their busiest times. Plenty of Alphas—and sometimes Betas—were free then, to pass an hour with a cute Omega purring in their lap.

For a cost, naturally.

Steve, though, had called in sick yesterday and needed to make up his lost earnings. He’d been in heat. So, three days of cold sweats, congealed slick, and crippling cramps. At least the blockers he used for this job curbed his desperation to be fucked. All the same, a dull gnawing pain in his pelvis persisted, he’d barely slept and…

…Ugh, this beanbag was, if anything, too inviting and soft.

He’d gotten his most comfy, stretchy shorts on, his most butter-soft collar, and an only-slightly-cropped-at-the-midriff vest. His feet were bare, which was fortunate. Right now, only his icicle toes were keeping him awake. He was tempted to grab one of the many fluffy blankets scattered around the café, pull it up over him and snooze.

He was torn between asking Carol for a double espresso or napping—to be fair, it was unlikely anybody would join them till noon—when the bell on the door tinkled.

So much for a peaceful snooze.

Fortunately, rather than a hungover Alpha, Robin burst in. On spotting Steve, her shoulders sagged with obvious relief. She hurried up to the counter and presented Carol with her Apple-Pay. “Flat white with an extra shot, and an hour of kitty cuddles, please.”

“Sure.” The payment bleeped through, and Carol turned to grind the coffee beans. She never bothered with great customer service for Steve’s best friend. That said, customer service wasn’t Carol’s strength at the best of times. Steve liked that about her. For an Omega, she was a bitey feral, and she sure had their boss, Tommy, under her claw.

Robin sat down at a table, pulled a cushion onto her lap. Steve shuffled over on his knees and laid his head on the cushion:

“Jesus, Robin,” he whispered, as she started to pet his hair. It was usual practice for Omegas to wait till the customer spoke first, but this was, well, Robin. “You don’t have to pay to see me, you know that?”

“Apparently, I do, Dingus! I’ve been going out of my mind! Why didn’t you return my, like, billion texts?”

“Shit. Sorry.” Her fretful pettings only made him feel more guilty. “I’m out of data, and you know how shit Wi-Fi is in Sunshine Village. Plus, I had really bad cramps this month—I could barely crawl out of bed this morning.”

“Yeah, I guessed that. God, I’m sorry, too.” She slowed her strokes, as they both relaxed a little. “I worry about you all the time, living there. Working here. I wish I could take you home with me. Damn, I should rent somewhere you’re actually allowed to live.”

“No way. I’m fine, Robin. Seriously, I’ve landed on my feet. I like having my own little home. The heating is working in my block this week, and this is a pretty cushy gig.”

Steve didn’t even say that for the benefit of Carol, who’d just dumped Robin’s coffee on the table, slopping half of it into the saucer.

Steve had arrived in the city four months ago, down to his last few dollars. He’d soon realized that acceptable Omega jobs—teaching assistant, nanny, seamstress, junior positions in retail and catering—would all require handing over too much information about himself. He’d also swiftly discovered that Sunshine Village, the district he’d heard about where single Omegas could live unmolested, was little better than a slum.

He’d been caught between the terrifying choices of fleeing back home, starving, or sex work. Then he’d stumbled across this place.

If Tommy had checked the fake name Steve gave, he hadn’t cared. Steve got paid in cash after each shift and earned enough to rent a small place in the Village. Which, despite its shabbiness, turned out to be full of friendly, supportive Omegas.

It all meant he didn’t have to worry about Robin being evicted from her pleasant ‘beta’ neighbourhood for harbouring an unregistered Omega.

Robin chatted on, while sipping the remnants of her coffee and petting Steve idly. While she complained about how unfair the world was for Omegas—they’d met when Steve had turned up at an Omega soup-kitchen she volunteered at—her speech also underlined his point.

His life could be a shitload worse.

This morning, he was being paid for his best friend to give him much-needed bodily contact in a no-strings-attached fashion. While he didn’t have to force fake purrs for her, like he did for the majority of customers, soft sleepy purring happened anyhow.

After Robin left for work, the café was empty again. Carol made them both hot chocolate then turned her attention to doing her nails. Steve breakfasted on an out-of-date lemon muffin, which was still nice and gooey in the middle, then slipped out to the washroom for the second time since Robin left. He needed to re-check his hair.

He was reapplying his eyeliner, when he heard the bell tinkle again.

So much for the ‘graveyard’ shift. He pinched his pale cheeks, bracing himself to face whoever wanted to cuddle him next.

A high-pitched squeal from Carol pierced Steve’s hearing—one that was probably only audible to other Omegas.

And the scent snatched his breath.

The Omega café was flushed with scent-neutralising air fresheners, for obvious reasons. Whoever this Alpha was, his musk was potent enough to punch straight through. It nearly floored Steve with low notes of leather and woodsmoke, and high notes of… Christ, Steve didn’t know what that was.

Plums? Fine Californian wine?

It set his mouth watering, for all of a split second.

Carol! Was she okay?

He rushed from the washroom and peeped from behind a thick velour curtain.

Carol was fine. She was taking payment from an Alpha with long, slightly-frizzy retro hair, a jean jacket—who the fuck wore those?—and dark soulful eyes.

Steve’s heart rate spiked.

The Alpha was pretty damn good-looking, and young too, maybe only a year or so older than Steve.

He was also faintly familiar.

Did Steve know him from back home? Would he recognise Steve?

“So, how does this work?” asked the newcomer. His drawling accent sent a shiver down Steve’s spine that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. His voice was as sexy as the rest of him… and that definitely wasn’t a North County accent. Steve relaxed slightly, ogling the guy who was literally setting both his and Carol’s legs wobbling.

“You pay up front for an hour of kitty cuddles,” she said. “You have to order a minimum of one drink, and all new customers must read and sign our rules and disclaimers.”

“Ma’am, it’s Monday morning.” The Alpha sounded wearily amused, gesturing to the three-page fine-print document she shoved across the counter. “Do I really have to read all this?”

“How about I summarize for you.” Yup, Carol was being helpful and polite. Either someone kidnapped the real Carol, or this Alpha really was special. “You’re not about to go into rut, I take it? Because if you are, Sir, I’m really, really sorry—we can’t take that risk here, or we could get shut down.”

The Alpha shook his head. While Carol reeled off a few pertinent points—“no scenting, obviously. No kissing,”—his gaze snapped onto where Steve skulked, half-hidden behind the drapes.

Steve jumped back out of sight.

“Soooo,” said the Alpha, when Carol finally stopped talking. “To summarise—I can stroke the pussies, but I can’t stroke the pussies?”

Carol giggled. Though they’d all heard that joke, and every variation on it, at least a billion times.

“Pretty much,” she said. “We’re absolutely NOT a brothel. And don’t expect cat-ears and whiskers and all that jazz. Thursday is usually full-costume night, and… erm, right now, we only have one kitty, and he seems to have strayed. Boy kitty okay with you?”

“Yes, thank you, Ma’am,” said the Alpha.

“Cool. I’ll go coax him out with a saucer of milk or something.”

She found Steve backed up against the dingy back-corridor wall, knees basically jello. “Get out there! Christ, you do realize who that is?”

Steve shook his head, throat too tight to speak. He honestly didn’t know what was wrong with him. Alphas moseyed in and out of this place every day. He was usually able to keep himself together.

“It’s Eddie Munson! Lead singer of Corroded Coffin? Super-hot and super-famous bad-boy Alpha rockstar? Jeeees, you really did live in a box till you got here, didn’t you? Look, get out there—before I tell him boy kitty is off the menu, grab my skimpiest bikini, and burrow into that scorching lap myself.”

She nudged him through the curtain. Eddie Munson had already settled onto one of the cafe’s roomiest couches, arms splayed along the back.

Legs splayed too.

Eddie glanced up and those gorgeous eyes raked Steve, head-to-toe, stripping him so bare he might as well have forgotten his shorts. The Alpha’s grin spread slowly, revealing glinting incisors, and creasing up into the sexiest dimples Steve had ever seen.

Steve wasn’t sure how he made it across the room. Somehow, he did, shuffling the final few feet on his knees.

“Hello, Kitty,” said Eddie. Possibly taking pity, he closed his legs. He shoved his thighs forward so Steve could easily lay his head in them.

Steve did so, facing out across the café. His heart skittered like a little prey animal’s. It was only then that he realized Eddie hadn’t placed a cushion on his thighs. Well, if Carol hadn’t highlighted that part of the rules, Steve was hardly in a position to do it now.

Eddie didn’t mess around. Strong fingers plowed straight into the springy mass of Steve’s hair. “What’s your name, Honey?”

“Uh��� St-steve?”

Who fucking stammers answering his own name?

“Hi, Steve. I’m Eddie.” He leaned a little closer, hot breath joining those strong fingers to send Steve even deeper into fluster. “How do you put up with the stink in here? I mean, I get it. All those Alpha-Omega scents battering each other would make this place a real fleshpot. Shame, though. I bet you smell real sweet. I mean, I think I get a whiff of you, even now.”

“You get used to it,” squeaked Steve, cutting that line of conversation off pronto.

“You get used to the diabolical plinky-plonky piano music too, Steve?”

“Honestly, I don’t even hear it anymore.”

To be fair, Steve didn’t hate the perpetual loop of movie theme-tune classics for exactly that reason. Even the smoochiest love songs—like the instrumental version of “Everything I do, I do it for you,” currently playing—didn’t mess with his emotions in the way music so often did.

Eddie snorted a dry chuckle, leaning back against the cushions again. Steve’s eyes fluttered closed.

“You’re right, Steve,” drawled Eddie, massaging deliciously into Steve’s scalp, “it’s pretty easy not to hear it. You have got the cutest purr.”

Steve’s eyes flew wide. He hadn’t even realized he was purring yet! Yeah, he could fake purr, but he’d been too befuddled to get to that. Now, he shook with loud rattling purrs that he could barely control.

Omegas purred when they were happy and relaxed, and also when distressed, to comfort themselves. He’d been reduced to that over the weekend. These purrs, though, grew couch-quakingly loud and felt different from anyway he’d purred before.

“You okay there, Honey?” Thank heavens Eddie was nice, though that made Steve’s weirdness all the more inexplicable. Eddie ran the back of coolish fingers down Steve’s burning cheek.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Steve. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” His hormones must still be doing weird things after his chemically fucked-up heat.

He probably should’ve called in sick today too.

“Don’t apologise,” Eddie said. “Look, it’s freakin’ Monday morning. I’m the weirdo Alpha checking this place out. You’re just doing your job, and you’re mighty fine at it, I’m sure.” The words washed through Steve, their brutal truth leaving an awkward residue. “Listen, I’m just gonna sip my coffee and chill. You reckon you can chill too, little kitty?”

“Yes, Alpha,” murmured Steve. The preening growl that jostled from Eddie was enough to make Steve desperate to obey.

He didn’t usually call anybody Alpha on the job. It wasn’t strictly against the rules, but unless a client demanded it—and only the real a-holes did—the kitties avoided it.

Eddie, though, had dragged it from Steve before he could think about it, much like those purrs.

And much like how, a minute or so of petting later, Steve found himself purring effortlessly, and totally relaxed. He wasn’t even stressed by the fact that his cheek rested dangerously close to Eddie’s Alpha dick. Which appeared to be ballooning slightly beneath his thick pair of sweatpants.

This was exactly why the cushions were compulsory. Though Steve barely had time to worry.

“Steve,” said Eddie, fingering around the edge of Steve’s collar in a fashion that literally made Steve’s eyes cross with yumminess. “Are there any rules against you getting in my lap for proper cuddles?”

“No. Absolutely not.” There really wasn’t, though of course, it only worked with the larger Alphas. There’d been no way Steve could’ve fitted into a Beta like Robin’s lap, for example, without some level of squishing. Eddie was, to be fair, not the largest Alpha around, but he was certainly large enough.

After some not-too-awkward manoeuvring—and guided by Eddie’s hand in the small of his back—Steve soon found himself sitting across Eddie’s lap. Eddie scooped him close, and his arms curled around Eddie’s neck.

He stared point-blank into the fathomless depths of Eddie’s dark eyes. Nope. Too much. He dipped his gaze, then squeaked. Now, he fixed on Eddie’s jawline and throat, dusted with scruff, and which drew him like, well, catnip.

Steve inhaled oaky-smoky plums and… Holy crap, what even was that? He was in serious danger of burying his face there and violating the no-scenting rule himself.

Once again, Eddie sensed his discomfort and guided Steve’s head down onto his shoulder, holding him there. “Hey, any chance of another coffee,” Eddie called to Carol. “Extra-large mocha with marshmallows, please, Ma’am? Think I might be settling here for a while.”

After that, Eddie appeared to go out of his way to make Steve even more comfortable. Perhaps noting Steve’s squirmings over getting too close to his scent gland, he slid a thin throw cushion beneath Steve’s cheek. He then settled them both back against the comfiest, most enveloping part of the sofa. He pulled one of those fluffy blankets up over them both. Soon, a floaty weariness, bone-deep but pleasant, overcame Steve.

Even his ovaries had stopped bugging him. God, this was nice. He really got paid for this? Damn, he’d fallen on his feet and Eddie smelled divine. He couldn’t help but daydream about that huge Alpha dick nestled stupid-close to his pussy, with only two layers of fabric between them. He was too sleepy to get too excited, tho’. He soon floated on the surface of a calm ocean, safe and serene…

When Steve began waking up, a honeyed glow saturated his head and heart and previously aching pelvis. He couldn’t remember his dreams, but they must’ve been good ones. He felt complete and happy and… he flicked his eyes open. Oh shit! The cafe buzzed with conversation. Several other kitties had come on shift and were snuggling with Alphas.

He’d fallen asleep on a customer’s lap.

Steve’s focus snapped onto the clock behind the counter, where Carol and her assistant, Chrissy, who also did kitty duties, were rushing around making lunches.

1.57 pm.

He’d been asleep on the job for nearly three hours.

Asleep in the lap of…

“Hey there,” drawled Eddie, “somebody’s a sleepy kitty.”

Steve daren’t look up. Was Eddie pissed? He didn’t sound it.

Steve opened his mouth. Shut it again, dabbing the corner. His head had slipped off the pillow and rested against Eddie’s chest. The Alpha’s booming heartbeat mingled with an amused chuckle.

Steve wasn’t laughing: “Oh shit, I’m so sorry. I drooled on your t-shirt!”

“I know.” Eddie’s low rumbling sigh was one of the most contented sounds Steve had ever heard. “You gonna charge extra for that, Honey?”

Chapter 2 on tumblr On A03

🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ I have got quite a bit of this fic drafted, so hopefully more soon. If you’re enjoying, please let me know, or like and reblog... it means a lot to know somebody would like to read more *purrs hopefully* and thank you soooo much for reading this far 💚

[tremendouscreationperson]

Logan x Reader pt.7

Not this chapter distracting me at work

I hope you can't tell that I'm really not American in this 🤣

<< Part 6 Part 8 >> Masterlist

“James Logan Howlett!” 

Shit. 

He jumped up from lazing on the bed - he'd need to buy a new mattress due to claw marks, you'd both got pretty carried away - and peaked his head into the bathroom. 

You were standing there, gloriously naked, staring at your reflection in the mirror. If there was a god he thanked them. You had to have been handcrafted. 

“Baby?” 

Your eyes met his through the mirror and you gestured to your neck. “What is this?!” 

He wanted to sass you by explaining what a neck was and that it held your esophagus but he didn't. His urge to claim you might've been dialled too high. Your neck and chest were marred with darker splotches, a reverse vitiligo. “I didn't hear you complaining at the time.” 

You humphed and prodded the marks. “I don't own enough clothes to hide these.” 

“You can wear mine.” He was sure there was a hoodie somewhere in his closet you could use.

“Lo, this is like hardcore shit.” You tried to reason with him. “They're gonna think you abuse me.” 

“Sorry.” He offered, really not sorry at all. Logan took a step into the bathroom and settled himself behind you, hands grazing your hips.

You huffed a laugh and rolled your eyes, head falling back onto his chest. “No you're not.” 

“No, I'm not.” He pecked your head. 

“Keep your lips away.” Swatting at him as you pulled back. 

Logan laughed at you but let you slip out of his grasp. You swivelled and leaned against the counter, folding your arms. “Very intimidating.” 

“Fuck off.” Eyes squinting. “But-” You sighed. “I may have to venture out and actually purchase some clothes. Hopefully I don't go crazy again.” You extenuated that with wavy hands and a funny voice.

Logan's eyes softened. “You're not crazy.” 

You shrugged, casually. “Eh, maybe a little.” 

He fixed a piece of hair that was more wild than the others and let his hand fall to your shoulder. His thumb rubbed a little circle. “We'll go together.” 

“Okay.” You smirked up to him, clasping his forearm. In a not so subtle move, you pulled his hand to your neck. “Maybe in a couple hours?” 

Logan's palm nestled on your neck, squeezing lightly. “I thought you were worried they'd assume I abuse you.” 

You mock-thought and then answered with, “You're allowed to abuse certain parts of me.” 

The twinkle in his eye and twitch of his jaw went straight to your core. Logan flexed his fingers then resettled them and pulled you in for a kiss. 

He made quick work of plucking you up from the floor and nestling you on the counter top. Your hands explored his chest, pulling at the hair. Logan purred into the kiss as your hands trailed down to his half hard dick. 

“Hmm,” You panted, “I want that in my mouth.”

Logan’s smile could be felt against your cheek as he nibbled at your earlobe. “Maybe later.” 

You humphed biting him back. Logan's whole body shuddered as you sucked his neck. Lapping up the bruised flesh before biting down again. 

He was quick to raise your legs, pushing your knees to your shoulders, and laid you onto your spine. The counter was cold and thankfully the side you were pretzeled on was bare of necessities. 

Logan had been fucking you all night, you didn't need to be 'wined and dined' before he fucked you but he still played with your folds. Teasing you by tracing a line from your clit to your entrance, he played with your slick and slid back upwards to the bud. He noted the marks on your thighs as he watched your hole clench around nothing, your chest rising and falling with every hitch. 

He loved watching your neck extend as you threw your head back, he could see his marks, see who owned you. Who fucked you right. Who kept you safe. He could - had - watch you in the throes of pleasure all night, he loved working you up. Having you spasm under him, shaking until you begged for more. 

You'd mumbled the words ‘fuck me’ a few times but they hadn't registered, he'd been too preoccupied with watching your pussy gush. It was so wet it practically dripped onto the countertop. 

“Lo-gan.” You whimpered. “Logan fuck me. Fill me. Use me. Just st-stop teasing me.” 

The position he had you in wasn't the comfiest but when he rubbed his dick between your folds you were too blissed out to care. He thrust into you and immediately bottomed out. 

“How are you still so tight?” His tongue caught between his teeth in a smirk. 

You groaned out a response but neither knew what it was. 

He was slow with his thrusts, drawing out your pleasure as one of his hands wrapped around your leg and began playing with your clit. 

His slow motion meant you felt everything, every ridge, every vibration, every circle of your clit, every hitch of his breath. Everything. And he loved giving you it all. Your brows were pulled upwards, eyes crossing and your mouth was hanging open in a silent moan. It was so good it silenced you. 

He noticed the slick he had used on your clit was drying so he angled himself and slowly spat onto it. And fuck me that was hot. 

He swirled his spit coated thumb and you felt your body convulse with the biggest orgasm of the night. 

You clamped down so hard he couldn't move, your hands flung to clutch his biceps and you stuttered out a moan. 

Logan smiled genuinely at your blissed out face and almost forgot he was inside of you. Once your pussy had released his dick he picked up the pace. He pounded into you with abandon, his thumb vibrating against your clit. You shook your head, still unable to form a sentence, and tried to get him to stop. It was too much. Too good. You were so overstimulated. 

“I can't-” The words were mushed into one singular noise.

“Yes, you can.” He itched to bite you, his jaw clamped to hold himself back. 

“Too much.” 

“No it's not.” 

“P-ple-” You cut yourself off with a yelp. Your body cumming again. 

“There we go baby.” He kissed your crown, finally releasing your bud.

Your brain completely short circuited and when you returned to your body you were nestled in bed, still panting. 

“Lo?” Your eyes scanned the empty room. 

He wasn't here. Where did he go? You should probably check but you physically couldn't move. 

You closed your eyes and sighed into the pillow. He'd come back and if this was fake - if you were still in the Void - you were okay with it. Cassandra might be the one fucking you but god it was good. 

“Baby?” Logan's voice made your eyes open, they were heavy but you forced them. “Drink this.” 

You frowned at the offered glass but did open your mouth. He tipped the water and watched you swallow, a droplet sliding passed your lips. He pulled back and placed the glass on your bedside table, wiping your chin with his thumb.

This was the Logan you remembered. Your Logan’s love language was acts of service. He’d help with taking your makeup off, carrying you to bed when you fell asleep on the sofa, saving you a plate and forcing you to eat properly, making you little whittled figures of birds for your desk. 

You missed him. You really did. 

“I ‘ove you.” You mumbled into the pillow. You did. You know he's not your Logan but he is your Logan. 

“I love you, too.” He spoke from behind you, his arm wrapping around your stomach as he kissed your cheek. 

~~

Clothes shopping was okay. It wasn't quite as intense as food shopping because despite there being just as much - maybe more - choice, you could immediately see what you liked and what you didn't. 

You'd brought a whole wardrobes worth of  clothes. Picked up a couple of oversized shirts - one with the scooby gang on - and a few ‘cycling’ shorts. There were a few pairs of jeans in your basket and some vest tops with Hawaiian-style shirts and co-ord sets - You only picked these up because the mannequins pulled them off, you had no sense of style after all these years - you'd grabbed two nighties and one pj set as well as underwear. 

Logan was happy to watch your little fashion shows in the dressing room. You, Laura and El had awkwardly displayed each outfit - you refusing to remove the scarf he had let you borrow - to him nodding or wide-eyed nodding. The latter meant he didn't like it but was supporting. 

"Is this nice enough for Wade's party?" You exited the changing room, fighting with the curtain and deciding to leave it closed.

You were wearing a simple, lilac dress. There were no patterns, no frills, nothing but a comfortable fabric.

Logan whistled lowly. "You look beautiful."

El stopped complaining about women's sizings being different depending on the store and popped her head out of her curtain. "Oh, you do!"

You thanked the two and retreated back into the curtain.

"Wait come out again." Laura's voice stopped you from pulling the fabric over your head.

You replaced the dress and stepped out again.

Laura was standing in black shorts that met her thighs and a Metallica shirt. She observed your outfit, her eyes scanning your body, and nodded. "I was going to wear this but you look nicer. Lighter colours."

"There is no dress code. Just wear what makes you feel good."

She considered. "I like the dress. The colour is nice against your skin and hair."

El picked up jeans and some ‘gym-wear’ as she had discovered one down the road and was now a full time member. She, and the others, seemed remarkably well adjusted. In fact, you know Blade had gone on a hunt! A real-life Vampire hunt. 

Gambit had discovered the Playstation and was enjoying his time with Wade playing online. 

Laura had taken up art, she'd drew with you in the Void and her attempts were better than yours but now she was really starting to show potential. 

“She has colours on her fingers.” Laura commented about the cashier; a young woman with piercings and dyed hair. 

“That's called nail varnish.” You supplied, swiping your card. 

The lady glanced between you two but didn't comment, instead telling you she had them done at the shop on the upper level in the mall. ‘Kole’s Nails’.

You thanked her for your items and the information, leaving to meet Logan and El. 

“I am starving.” Elektra told the group. 

“I guess we’re heading to the food hall?” You raised a brow and the group all agreed. The four of you headed west, staying on the ground floor, and found yourselves at the food hall. 

There was ‘McDonalds’ - burgers - ‘KFC’ - chicken - ‘Burger King' - more burgers - ‘Eds Diner' - hotdogs - ‘Chipotle’ - burritos - ‘Five Guys’ - even more burgers - ‘Panda Express’ - Chinese food. 

“We can go further in, find a restaurant.” Logan suggested. 

“I'm alright here.” You shrugged, plonking your bags down on a table. “Right here to be precise.” 

He shook his head. “What do you want? I'll get it while you wait with your bags.” 

“Oh.” You scanned the options again. “Just a burger.” 

“From where?” 

“Any of them. Just a cheeseburger meal, fries, a coke?” 

He could see you were becoming a little overwhelmed so gave you a big smile and nod. “One burger meal coming up, Laura, are you staying with Y/N?”

She glanced at you. “I can.” 

“Guys, I'm fine, go and get your food. Leave all your stuff here. I'm going to be really social and be on my phone the whole time you're away.” 

It took another ‘go’ for Logan to leave but he did and you made good on your promise. Your phone entertained you as you waited. 

Wade had taught you what mobile data was. It was internet but everywhere. 

You opened Instagram - which was basically Facebook but the younger kids used it - and scrolled mindlessly through before closing it and pulling Facebook up.

You had been fighting with yourself for a while. 

Did you search for your mother? Was that allowed? Would the illuminati know? 

You typed and deleted her name twice before pressing search. 

There were a few other people with her name but you scrolled down and found her, she was the seventh person. 

Her profile picture was her smiling with a man, you assumed her partner, and her cover picture was a pink building. It had a sign on i-it was a bakery. 

There was a linked page revealing that she owned the bakery. Your mother owned a bakery? 

Yeah, she dabbled and more often than once you had a cake to take into school but once your mutation started revealing itself you didn't see her bake. She worried more. She was stressed. She only seemed relieved when you were sent to Xavier's. 

Your mom wasn't prejudiced. She loved you despite the mutation but she was terrified. You could be attacked or sold or worse. 

To see her with this man and this job was surreal.

She had a good life. 

One free of issues. 

One free of you. 

“One burger meal, madam!” Logan set the tray in front of you and you quickly locked the phone, tucking it away.

“Thank you, sir.” You mocked his voice and stole a fry. 

Elektra and Laura were still waiting to collect their food at Chipotle as you and Logan munched. 

“You alright?” He asked, not looking at you. 

You stopped mid fry. “Yeah…? You?” 

His eyes flickered to your face, picking up his drink. “How you feeling about tomorrow?” He sucked the straw. 

Ah. Tomorrow. Therapy. Your scheduled therapy session. It was crazy to think you'd already been in this universe a week and a half but the majority of that was you recovering in Logan's bed.

“I think it'll be okay.” You said diplomatically causing him to quirked a brow so you added, “everyone else seems more adjusted than me.” 

“Don't be worried. You’re coping well.” He vowed. 

Letting that sink in you took a sip of your drink. "Do we need to look around the mall for a mattress store?"

"No, I ordered one online." You indicated for him to continue by making a face. "It isn't the first time I've destroyed a mattress." Your mind went to hot steamy sex and he could clearly see it in your eyes. "Less fucking, more PTSD."

Your cheeks were warm and, thankfully, you didn't have to respond because the girls returned. El placed the bag on the table and ripped it to reveal two burritos. 

She ripped the foil and sniffed. “It's been so long since I've had one.” You laughed at her, watching as she chomped. “Oh m-god, it's beautiful.” She spoke with a mouth full.

Laura watched the display and copied El’s movements, less dramatically, nodding in approval as she chewed. 

“What have you got?” You questioned. 

Laura quickly swallowed, listing the ingredients. “Chicken, coriander rice, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole. There's salad too. 

Your eyes flicked to Elektra. “Beef, tomato rice, salsa, guac.” 

The four of you ate and finished your food, sitting and chatting idly. There was nothing important or life threatening so you could. You didn't think you'd ever get over that, how you could do things because you wanted to now. 

It was easy living. 

“I think we're all done, right?” Elektra counted the shopping bags. 

“Yeah.” But then you recalled. “Oh, Laura and I were going to check our Koles nails.” 

Logan's brows rose as he collected the rubbish. “Koles nails?” 

“The lady had colours on her fingers.” Laura explained.

El glanced at her hands, she kept her nails neat and tidy. Fresh water was rare in the Void and now she had access she went overboard on cleanliness. “I wouldn't mind getting my nails done.”

So it was decided and you all meandered up to the upper level, consorting the map and finding Koles Nails. 

It was a small shop but had more than enough chairs. 

The noises and smells were intense but you pushed through. “Any space for three?” 

The man at the desk flicked through a book and then - in a language you didn't understand - called over his shoulder. Once he had a response he agreed. “Plenty space.”

He handed over a plastic box full of circles of nails, each of which had different shades of one colour. 

El pointed at a few reds and Laura nodded, showing the black glitters. You handed a few discs to Logan, telling him to pick a colour. You didn't have any preferences, anything would do, in fact you didn't really care for nail polish, only here for Laura's sake. 

“First person.” The man gestured behind his shoulder at the empty chair. 

Laura subtly shook her head. 

“I'll go.” Elektra spared her.  

El placed her bags by the waiting chair, then weaved her way through and sitting down.

“It's okay.” You encouraged Laura. 

“It's loud.” She placed the disc into the storage box. “What are they doing?” She tiptoed to see the closest nail tech using a Dremel to file. 

“They file the nail down.” You explain. “It doesn't hurt.” 

Maybe this wasn't the best move. What if they hurt her by mistake and her claws come out? 

“Purple.” Logan finally decided, it was a bit of a cop out because purple was your super suit colour but the shade he picked was pastel. It was very subtle almost nude. “I'm not even sure they can file her nails.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The healing factor.” He dropped the discs into the box. 

That was something to consider. 

“Next person.”

Laura was still indecisive so you went next. You placed your bags next to El’s and worked your way through, the ammonia hitting you in the face as you walked further in.

El was sitting two spaces from you. The couple in between were cute, one girl was finished and waiting for the other. Both of them had very adventurous nails in length and colour. One was navy and lime green and the other was pink with little chains. The chains were setting under the UV light. 

You smiled politely at your nail tech and, after a brief glance, asked for ‘coffin’ shape. The lady nodded and began her work, cutting and filing your nails. 

The lady - Liu - was very professional and asked you casual questions as she went. 

“Hey, bub.” Logan sat down next to you, in the now empty chair, the women had left hand in hand and giggling. Laura sat next to him. 

You were confused, “Hi, love.” 

“The only way Laura’d get her nails done.” He heaved a sigh but his eyes were soft.

“Oh.” You chuckled. “What colour are you going for?” 

“She picked yellow and blue.” He shrugged. “My colours.” 

You smirked. “Good job Laura!” 

The girl shyly smiled as she presented her hands

~~

Wade was furious.

You don't think he's ever been this angry.

“Are you fuck knuckles serious?” He yelled. It was a little funny because he was wearing Hello Kitty pjs whilst fully screaming at you.

“Calm down.” Elektra ordered using her ‘mom voice’.

Behind Wade you could see the front door open and Blade slide in, the commotion drawing his attention.

The ‘mom voice’ worked because Wade’s voice was lower but the anger was still behind his eyes. “I cannot believe you four would betray me like this.”

“C’mon.” You tried. “It was a spur of the moment thing. We didn't plan it.”

“Somehow that makes it worse.”

All this was happening because Laura excitedly showed Wade a photo of the group's nails. She had everyone put one hand - Logan had to put both - doing a ‘peace’ sign to create a star. The picture was very creative and showed off your nails.

“Will you calm the fuck down?” Logan spat. “It was a good day out and your bitching and whining is gonna ruin it.”

“Says the almighty wolverine.” Wade flailed his arms. “You aren't the one with crusty dusty nails.”

“This is why no one likes talking with you.” Logan's voice was low but you still heard. “You overreact.”

“People love talking with me.” Wade argued. “I was on the phone with a telemarketer for two hours earlier!” Logan huffed. "Well, Lo' remember this little family of yours only exists because of me. Because of my movies doing well. Yours were alright but you were dead. I brought you back. I'm the reason your life is bearable."

You had placed a hand on Logan's arm as a precaution. Slightly, pulling him as you stepped a fraction forward. “Look, Wade, I am very sorry that we didn't realise this would hurt your feelings. Rest assured, next time you will be called and you better be present.”

It was hard to tell because of the scarring but you're sure he flexed his jaw in deliberation. It didn't take much time before he relented with an “Okay.”

“And you don't overreact that much.” You winked. “I swear Spidey loved it. Maybe you should find him in this universe.”

Wade's eyes left you briefly to glance at his fuzzy slippers. “I'll frequent more rooftops.”

~~

The therapist was a middle aged black man. He was from Ghana and had moved to New York when he was twenty. He was sweet enough, with a kind face and cheeky smile.

His name was Dave.

He was easy to talk to.

Easier than you imagined.

“So, how have you been adjusting?”

You were standing by the window. He'd offered a seat but you were too nervous to be still. “I think okay.” A father pushed his child's stroller, your eyes followed them until they were out of sight. Dave hadn't said anything else. The room was quiet. “I had a... wobble.” You filled the silence.

“A wobble?” His eyes flickered from the notebook as you turned to face him, perching on the lip of the wall.

“Yeah.” You shrugged. “I dunno what else to call it. Loga-Wolverine said it was a panic attack. I'm not saying he's wrong but is he right?”

“What happened?”

The room was very brown, reminding you of the TVA, it definitely hadn't been redecorated since the eighties. “I was shopping and it was a lot. Noises, smells, sights.” You tucked your hands into your jean pockets. “It was just too much, I found a corner and hunched over.” By the end of the sentence you realised how serious it was. “It's lucky I didn't create any forcefields. Imagine that? Me stuck without help because I'm forcing them away.”

He made a note and then asked, “Do you often push people away?”

Well, fuck me Dave. That was an accusation. “Uh, I don't know. I don't think so?” You didn't. In the Void you accepted anyone with open arms, most of the time to your detriment.

“Hmm.”

“What's 'hmm' mean?” You spoke casually, wanting to play it cool despite the intense need to know what he was thinking. What he was writing about you.

Dave sighed and scratched his chin. “I think you close yourself off.”

“Do I?”

“I think you aren't ready to accept that you are here. In this reality.” He turned his head to the side, pondering his next words. “I think you believe this is too good to be true. That this isn't real. That you have to keep that wall up in case. So the disappointment isn't as bad.”

Shit.

You'd met the fella less than thirty minutes ago and he had you pinned.

“I guess I am worried.” Your fingers strum along your thighs as he made eye contact. “But I'd rather prepare for disappointment and it not happen, than not and it does.”

“But if you do that, in both scenarios, you are disappointed. Either by your own mind or circumstance.”

He wasn't incorrect. But he hadn't lived the life you had. “Your world is different from mine.” You spoke after a few beats.

“I know your time in the Voi-”

“No. Your world.” You gestured all around you. “Mine was colder. Harsher. Mutants were lesser beings, we were beaten in the streets, used as slaves, sold. Mocked. W-we weren't even second class citizens, we were third or fourth. I was lucky enough to have a place at Xavier's institute. Lucky enough to be an X-Man. To fight for what's right. Jean-my friend was consumed by darkness and then the TVA came and I was flung into the Void. I've been fighting all my life, so if being disappointed is the worst this universe can give me. That's fucking brilliant.”

Dave was quiet except for the scribbling of his pen. Clearly hadn't been briefed on your world. TVA, tick. The Void, tick. Being an X-Man, half tick. Being a Mutant, tick. Being a Mutant in your world, nope.

“There is a lot that we will have to work through.”

“Yeah.” You had assumed he'd say something along those lines.

He finally put the pen down again and completely changed the subject. “Let’s talk about your mother.”

“My mother?”

“You've been researching her.” He informed.

Fucking Illuminati. “I was curious, sue me.”

He was slow as he did it but took a sip from his teacup. “How did it make you feel once you found her?”

You didn't really feel anything. Well, you had but you didn't now. How did you feel? “She has a bakery.”

“Did she have a bakery in your world?”

You scoffed. “No, she had debt and stress and a freak child.”

He hummed, swirling the contents of the cup. You'd been offered tea as well as your seat but refused both. “Were you jealous?”

“Jealous?”

“She has made something that isn't you. Did you feel jealous?”

Did you? No, not really. It's just something that happened. Just what your mother had done with her life. “I don't think so. Confused is more the word I'd say.”

“Did you see any children?” He took a final sip.

“No, she has a partner, though. They seem happy.”

Dave put the cup down and licked his lips, tongue just brushing his moustache. “She didn't have you which had led her to a thriving business and a loving relationship.”

Lay it on thick. “Well, I didn't say thriving.”

“You use humour to cover your emotions.” He commented before once again staying silent. Giving you the floor. It was your turn to defend yourself. Your turn to answer him.

You considered your options. Fight the therapist and get put in whatever prison the illuminati owned or just go with it for a couple months. You'd been honest pretty much the entire time anyway.

“I suppose it hurts? It's a little sore knowing that maybe she could've been happy in my world. If she didn't have me.”

“Why worry about things that could be?”

“We established that I like disappointment.”

“Yes. You do.” He said it so matter of factly that it took you aback. “It's been a companion all your life and you are loath to be rid of it. It's a safety net.” He elaborated.

“Right.”

Were therapists meant to goad you like this? Didn't they just sit and let you talk? Was this some sort of special treatment? Was he trained to break you down? Make you feel like shit just to see if you'd break?

“You do seem fairly well adjusted.” He allowed. “There's a few topics I would like to circle back on. We will tackle them.”

“Okay.” You agreed. Was that it? “Are we finished?”

“You have five minutes left, the majority of our session was spent in silence. The window drew your attention more than I.”

“Sorry.” You hadn't realised that, that was rude. So much for first impressions. “Thank you. I'll see you next month?”

“No, I'd like to do weekly sessions with you.” He heaved himself up, plodding over to a set of wooden drawers. He plucked his planner and scanned the days. “How are Thursdays? I can do 12 or 2.30.”

You refrained from making a dentist joke. “12 sounds alright.”

“See you next week.”

Part 8

@geeksareunique @lovelyvaderx @melissa-ashe @st1nkabutt @maximumchilddreamland @ravenmedows @vulgarfuckinvirgo77 @bisasterbisexual @tzurue @narniansmagic @seamlessepiphany @4ria790

I'm not 100% if the tags be working, pls let me know

[ficfield]

Chris Redfield: The reluctant cat dad

Thought I'd do a little headcanon, I can see Chris as a cat dad. I had a lot of fun picturing these scenarios. 😂

Enjoy my lovelies

1. The “I’m Not Keeping It” Lie:

Chris finds the kitten during a storm, small, wet, and mewling under the porch of his cabin. He tells himself he’s just bringing it inside for the night. “I’m not keeping it,” he mutters while wrapping the tiny thing in a warm towel. Spoiler: He keeps it. 

2. Names It Something Ridiculous:

He refuses to give it a “cute” name and instead calls it something dumb like Rookie or Captain (so he can say “Yes, Captain” when it meows at him). Alternatively, if Claire finds out she names it something so silly like Mr/Miss Shnagglepuss and Chris just goes along with it. over time Chris has shortened the name to "Shnags".

3. Claims He Hates It but Is Secretly Obsessed:

“Damn cat is always in the way,” he grumbles while making coffee… as he carefully steps over it instead of moving it. He acts annoyed when it curls up in his lap but stops moving for hours so he doesn’t disturb it.

4. Talks to the Cat Like a Soldier:

“You think you’re tough, huh?” The kitten swipes at his finger. “Damn, good form.” He also accidentally calls it Rookie when it knocks things over, just like he used to yell at new BSAA recruits.

5. The Kitten Sleeps on His Chest:

No matter how much he tries to keep it out of his bed, every morning he wakes up with the tiny fluffball sprawled across his chest, purring like a little motor. He just sighs and rubs its head, secretly loving it.

6. Sends Grumpy Cat Pictures to Jill and Claire:

Chris doesn’t mean to become that guy, but one day he texts Jill and Claire a picture of the cat sleeping on his laptop with the caption: “Guess I’m done working today.” Jill immediately responds: “You have a cat now? LMAO.” And Claire responds: “Mr/Miss Shnaggleeeessss 😍”. He never lives it down.

7. Cat Tries to “Help” with Training:

Whenever Chris does push-ups, the kitten climbs onto his back like it’s a personal jungle gym. He pretends to be annoyed, but he totally lets it ride along.

8. The Cat Bullies His Dog:

Chris has a German shepherd called “Tank”, the tiny kitten absolutely bullies the dog. Chris catches it swiping at the big dog’s tail, stealing its bed, and climbing on its back like a little gremlin. “You’re, like, a tenth of its size. Have some shame,” Chris sighs, but he never stops it. 

9. Finds Tiny Cat Hair on His Tactical Gear:

Months later, during a BSAA mission, he pulls his gloves on and notices a single tiny white cat hair. He pauses for a second, shakes his head with a small smile, and gets back to work.

10. Refuses to Admit He’s a Cat Person Now:

If anyone asks, he still claims, “I’m a dog guy.” But the second he gets home, the cat climbs onto his shoulder like a parrot, and he instinctively scratches behind its ears while mumbling, “Yeah, yeah, I missed you too, little troublemaker.”

[httpsdana]

8 & 11 from playful/teasing with Fermin?

Lap War~Fermin Lopez

・❥・prompt list

・❥・masterlist -> part 2

・❥・who I write for

・❥・a/n: ending the year with a fermin fluff!! happy new year everyone <3

8-“if you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask.”

11-“Are you seriously jealous of my cat? she was here before you, you know?”

y/n sat comfortably on the couch, her cat Bella sitting in her lap. Her soft purring filled the quiet space as her fingers stroked her fur.

Every so often, she leaned down to press a kiss on her tiny head, smiling at how peaceful she looked.

Fermin sat a bit further on the couch, leaning back with his arms crossed, watching her and Bella with a look she couldn’t quite place.

“what's with the face” she asked, glancing up at him.

He shrugged, his eyes flicking to Bella.

“no face”

“that's definitely a face” she pointed out, raising a brow when he stayed silent.

“You’ve kissed her at least five times in the last ten minutes,” he said finally, his voice laced with mock indignation.

Her lips twitched into a smile. “She’s cute. She deserves kisses.”

“Oh, so that’s how it works? The cute ones get kisses?”

“Exactly,” she teased, leaning down to kiss Bella again for emphasis.

Fermin groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. “Unbelievable. I’ve been sitting here this whole time, and she gets all the affection.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his exaggerated pout. “Fermin…”

“No, don’t mind me,” he said, gesturing at himself. “I’m just the guy sitting here, watching my girlfriend make out with her cat.”

“Make out?” she repeated, laughing harder. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”

“It’s true!” he shot back. “She’s been getting more love from you in the last hour than I’ve gotten all week.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile widened. “Are you seriously jealous of my cat? she was here before you, you know?”

“Yes,” he admitted immediately, his face serious but his tone playful. “She’s living the dream—your lap, your attention, and your kisses.”

y/n shook her head, still chuckling. “if you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask.”

That stopped him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips curved into a smirk. “Is that right?”

“Yep,” She said, leaning back casually as if issuing a challenge.

Fermin moved closer to her, leaning toward her with a newfound intensity. “Okay, then. Can I have a kiss?”

She barely had time to respond before he was already closing the distance, his lips capturing hers in a firm but gentle kiss.

His hands slid to her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space between them.

When he finally pulled away, his nose brushed softly against hers as he grinned smugly.

“Satisfied now?” she asked him

He pretended to think for a moment. “Hmm, maybe one more, just to be sure.”

She didn’t hesitate, pulling him back in, his lips moving against hers with a confidence that left her breathless.

Meanwhile, Bella hopped down from her lap with an irritated flick of her tail, stalking off to reclaim her spot elsewhere.

Fermin glanced at her retreating figure and smirked. “Looks like I win this round.”

“You’re insufferable,” she said, shaking her head.

“and yet, here you are,” he quipped, dropping his head down on her lap, making sure he reclaimed his spot once again.

my taglist: @barcapix @paucubarsisimp @spidybaby @mxryxmfooty @n0vazsq @joaosnovia @ilovebarcaaa @f1lover55 @jajajhaahaha (lmk if you want to be added!!)

[ofstarsandvibranium]

My Sweetheart: Part 8

Fandom: Marvel

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Summary: You purchase a vintage sweetheart bracelet from an antique store and with it, comes the spirit of the woman who owned it. Through her, you go on an interesting journey to find out what happened to her old lover.

Series Masterlist

Volunteer interest, donations, and overall support for the animal shelter had increased immensely thanks to Kamala and America posting a cute TikTok that showcases the animals and the work you do.

Due to their respective missions, each Avenger has been coming in sporadically throughout the duration of their volunteer committment. You can't fault them, obviously. The entire world (and galaxy) heavily rely on them to keep everyone safe. You'd feel like a total asshole if you got upset for them not fulfilling their required hours.

You suppose that's why Kamala and America decided to make the TikToks. To bring awareness and because maybe they felt bad for a majority of the older Avengers for not keeping up.

Regardless, you definitely have had your hands full lately. You've been coming in earlier and leaving later since you want to make sure you've finished everything that needed to be finished.

Bucky had continuously been coming to the shelter often to help out and spend time with Alpine, but he'd been gone all week. You can see the toll it's taken on the poor white kitten.

You've made sure to spend as much time with him as possible to make up for Bucky's absence.

Like now, he's currently sleeping in your hoodie as you're going through the volunteer applications that just keep coming in.

As you scroll through them, someone knocks at your office door.

"Come in," you say just loud enough for them to hear but not loud enough to wake up Al.

The door swings open and Bucky pops his head in, "Hi," he gives an awkward wave.

"Hi!" you exclaim excitedly and immediately apologize to a startled Alpine, "I'm so sorry, buddy!"

Bucky's eyes twinkle as soon as he spots the white cat, "There's my favorite bud!"

Alpine immediately climbs out of your hoodie and onto your desk, meowing up a storm, as if scolding Bucky for being away.

Bucky chuckles and immediately scratches the cat behind his ear, "I know. I'm sorry I've been gone for so long, Al. I missed you too," he says fondly as Alpine nuzzles against Bucky's metal arm.

He then looks up at you, "How's it going?"

You sigh, "Been super busy. Did you just come back?"

He nods, "Yeah. Decided to stop by here on my way home. Dot causin' you any trouble?"

You snort, "No. She's been helping me, actually. We've gotten an influx of volunteer applications, donations, sponsors, it's become overwhelming and I've gotten a little frazzled by it all."

"Frazzled? You? I can't imagine," he says jokingly and you roll your eyes.

"Shut up. Anyway, I've just been a mess and Dot's just been helping me remember things or show me where I've misplaced stuff. I think we've gotten a good rhythm going lately."

The chair on the other side of your desk moves to Bucky, nudging at his side, "The hell?" he looks down at it and then around, "Whatcha need, Dot?"

The chair moves again and you giggle, "I think she wants you to sit down. Honestly, I agree, you look dead on your feet."

He frowns at you, "Gee thanks," he plops himself into the chair and Alpine immediately hops into his lap. The cat purs as he settles, nuzzling against the metal hand petting him.

"Things go okay with whatever mission you were on?" you ask, bringing your attention back to the applications because there was no way you'd get them done if you continued watching the handsome super soldier melt over a cat.

He lets out a tired sigh, "As good as it can be, I guess."

The exhaustion in his voice made you pause. You look away from your computer and clear your throat, "I know we're not...close, Bucky, but if you wanna talk or anything, I'm here."

"It's fine. Just...I'm kind of just getting tired of it all. I want to retire, but also I don't know what I'd do once I do. I-I feel like all I'm good for is fighting."

You can't help but scoff, "That's bullshit."

He looks at you with offense, "Excuse me?"

"Sorry, but that's not true at all. You're not just good for fighting. You're a sweet and helpful person, Bucky. I mean, hell, you've been coming here to help a lot more than your other colleagues. Sure, it's mainly to see Alpine, but you also help around too. I appreciate the effort you've been putting in. Also, considering everything you've gone through, I definitely think you deserve to retire. It's clearly taken a toll on you."

He groans, running a hand through his cropped hair in frustration, "I know, I know. I just-what the hell do I do once I retire?"

You shrug, "Figure it out. Travel, meet people, go do all the things you've always wanted to do."

Bucky just sits there, slumped in the chair, petting Alpine while he thinks.

He tries to think of what he wanted before he was shipped out to war. He wanted to marry, have kids, live a simple life.

Does he even deserve that after everything he's done?

He glances at you, and sees that you've gone back to working on your computer. He sits there in silence, watching you, mulling over what you said to him as well as he wants in life.

"Hm. Maybe it would be good to finally have some rest."

"Definitely good. Give your body and skin some rest. You're starting to look your actual age," you say with a smirk and it makes Bucky laugh.

"Fair enough," he grunts as he stands, Alpine in his arms, "While I'm here, need help with anything?"

You shake your head, "Go home and rest, Bucky," you give him a sincere smile.

He nods, placing Al onto your desk, "Yes, ma'am." Giving Alpine one last scratch behind the ear, he says his good-bye, "I'll see you both tomorrow, bright and early."

"We'll be here," you give him a wave and watch as he exits your office.

_____________________

Behind the veil, Dot watched your interaction with Bucky. You two have definitely gotten more comfortable with each other. And with Bucky opening up to you like that, Dot can only hope this means that Bucky is close to being ready to actually be in a relationship and live a happy, normal (as normal as it can be for him) life.

Her plan might actually be working now.

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Yandere coworker (part 7)

Tw: non con touching and kissing, reader being cringe on main, cyprus being a horndog as usual

Masterlists, part 1, part 8

You had a mild fever and didn't realize it. You can't believe that it took Cyprus of all people to figure it out. Maybe it's the adrenaline and anxiety that's keeping you chock full of energy.

It was embarrassing when you saw the doctor glancing at the very visible Hickey Cyprus left on your neck. But she doesn't seem to care, all she said was to try and not be so stressed even if it's hard. Because that is most likely whatever is causing your immune system to weaken.

Overall, it's nothing too serious. You just needed a couple of paracetamols and a night of rest. She advised you to come back if any other symptoms arise. You accepted the medical certificate that allows you to be absent from work for 24 hours.

Cyprus paid the bills and collected your medication for you despite your protests and whining about how you can cover it yourself. It isn't because you didn't want to burden him, it's because you knew Cyprus would use this against you later.

You were curled into a pathetic ball on his couch, finally feeling the effects of your fever despite eating a couple of pills earlier. Cyprus made you rest your head on his lap as he watches TV. His arm hanging off the back of the sofa, while the other tangled his fingers in your hair.

He told you that the match doesn't start until later at night, you should take a nap.

You told him straight up that you don't want to, and you rather sleep at home alone. He simply rolled his eyes and huffed at your difficultness.

There was a beat of silence before you asked him another question; why you, out of all the other women he could have pulled? There are others who wanted this... Dynamic between him and them.

"I told you." He leaned in. "You're the only respectful one in that office- you're fishing for compliments, aren't you?" A teasing smirk made it's way to his face.

You vehemently denied, saying that you're no different than anyone else. You bring nothing to the table.

He laughed. "You bring your cute little ass to the table." Cyprus brought his digits to your sides, tickling you to the point of cackling. "You're just what I want. What I need. A genuine, humble, pretty girl for me to spoil rotten."

You tried swatting his hands away, but he ended up firmly pushing you off him and onto the soft cushions, before you could do anything else, Cyprus is already straddling your hips. He grinned as he sees you squirming under him, you had nowhere to escape since he's caging you between his sculpted arms.

"You're such a princess too. So small and so weak against me." He whispered in your ears before brushing his lips against the side of your neck. "I love it. I know I'll love fucking my princess in bed too."

You whined and mewled as he assaulted your jaw with kisses, you couldn't move your head because he was grabbing handfuls of your hair.

You felt yourself heating up, you're unsure whether it's due to your fever or something else.

"But you're not ready yet..." He mumbled against your skin and ceased all movements, he's draped over you like a weighted blanket. Finally, he lifted himself off you, but still hovering over your form.

"You're still so shy." He kissed your forehead, yet his lips never parted with you. "So... meek." Cyprus continued talking. He pulled away and stared deep into your eyes, you noted that his glasses weren't on his face anymore.

"Loosen up, baby. I will make you feel good." Purred Cyprus as he slowly slid his hand under your shirt, feeling up your bare skin.

You stared back while holding your breath, eyes wide and cautious. He snorted and grinned.

"You're so funny, doll. I like your cute, little reactions." He retracted his hand and returned to his original seat beside you.

"Happy now?" He laughed at your flustered state. "Want more? I can give you more. Trust me, I have a lot more to say." Cyprus licked his lips while eyeing you sleazily.

You frantically shook your head, that was enough. You're convinced that he likes you for something that you're trying to get rid of: Your pushover trait. Well, you can't start swinging at him. He's still quadruple your size and you would like to keep all your teeth in your gums.

He guffawed, putting his glasses back onto his face. You flinched when he brought the back of his hand close to you, but somewhat relaxed when you realized that he was only trying to check your temperature.

Cyprus then checked the time on his watch. He got up to go elsewhere but came back a few minutes later with a glass of crisp, refreshing water and your pills.

You muttered a thanks as you went ahead and took another dose.

"Screw the match." You turned your head to him as you took a gulp.

"I'm not going." He slumped back onto the sofa, having his steely grey eyes trained on the television.

You asked why. He narrowed his eyes at you, pointing the remote control at the monitor as he changed the channel.

"My girl is sick. I don't like seeing their ugly mugs and we haven't had dinner yet." You continued staring at him.

"Duh." He concluded his sentence before tossing the remote control onto your lap.

You said that you can take care of yourself. You told him to just let you go home and you'll be out of his hair.

"I don't want you to get out of my hair." He got up and walked to the kitchen. You twisted your head and saw that he was rolling his sleeves up.

Cyprus opened the fridge door to collect the ingredients for dinner. "I'll be taking care of you. What fucking bastard wouldn't care for his girlfriend?"

You said you don't want him to. And you never agreed to be his woman in the first place, you do not care about him as a person at all. You're only here because he kept stealing your belongings, you asked him where your bags are.

"Soap operas are on channel 132, Reality TV, 123." He cut you off as he washed his hands.

You frowned. You said Cyprus is going to let the organizers down.

"And you think I give a crap?" He shot back, putting a metal pot on the stove.

You said they might not let him participate in the future.

"So?" He began julienning some carrots skillfully on a chopping board, you wonder if he had any prior culinary experience with the way he would slice through the vegetable with such precision and speed.

He might... lose his friends? his reputation? And feel bad? You don't know how else to put it.

Cyprus simply hummed and fell into silence, focusing on his cooking instead. You wonder how he could chop a whole onion without tearing up, its invisible fumes are already stinging your eyes at this distance.

You said that he should at least give them a call that he's not coming tonight.

"You know, for someone who doesn't give a damn about me 'as a person', you sure do care a lot. About me." He drizzled some olive oil into the pot. "...As a person." Cyprus continued.

You said that it's common courtesy. You felt bad for the audience and the ones who invited him.

Cyprus scoffed as he went ahead to chop some potatoes. "Are you bored, doll?" He asked. "If you wanted to help out with dinner, you could have just said so."

You're actually bored without your phone, you would take anything at this point to entertain you. The TV isn't showing you anything good. So you asked if there was anything he could let you do.

"You could take a nap." He nonchalantly replied, sauteeing the onions he prepared earlier.

You said you don't want to. You don't trust him.

"Then, let's talk." His eyes never flitted towards you, always on his workbench and stove. "How do you like your foreplay?" Cyprus went on to cut a slab of chicken breast into small cubes, and he threw them into the pot.

You said you don't want anything to do with it.

"So you prefer to fuck straight away?" Once the onions and meat were sufficiently browned, he poured in enough water to cover everything. "Figures. You're always rushing to get to "the point". You should try enjoying the journey sometimes."

You said that you don't want anything to do with sex.

"Whatever you say, beautiful." He laughed.

You sighed and slumped back onto the sofa. Your ears picked up on the sounds of the soup bubbling.

You decided to ask more about him. Might as well gain knowledge that you could use against Cyprus later. You asked about his family.

"Why? Do you want to meet them? I didn't know we were at that stage already. But I'm not complaining." He used a teasing tone when speaking to you.

You stayed silent, wishing that it was easier to talk to him.

He took a deep breath and exhaled, the smile dropped and was replaced with a neutral look. "I have an older sister. Raised by a single mom."

You asked where his father is. He stopped his cooking to look you incredulously in the eyes.

"Really? Not even an "I'm sorry" before asking that straight up? God, you're..." His shoulders sagged in defeat upon seeing your clueless face. "...really something else."

You waited for him to continue. But he simply frowned, almost scowled at your lack of social elegance. Looks like he isn't comfortable telling you about his father.

You asked more about his childhood.

"It was fine." He took out another pot, poured in some raw rice, and washed it under the tap.

You asked about his relationship with his mother.

"She worked three jobs to feed the two of us. Never really saw her around."

What about his sister?

"She raised me. Taught me how to fight, taught me how to cook, built me a backbone, and..." He paused momentarily. "Well. You wouldn't expect a nine-year-old kid to be the best mother in the world. Especially when she never asked for a brother that acts like her son."

He subconsciously brought his hand up to the back of his shoulder.

You asked about the relationship between him and his family now.

"We're doing fine." He placed the lid on the pot of rice and turned the heat up. "My sister lives a couple hours away from me. My mom..."

Now invested in his life story, you stared at him.

"She lives down the street." He placed another lid on the pot containing the soup. Cyprus then walked to the sofa, plopping down next to you.

"She's retired. Good for her, though. She deserves to rest."

You asked if he talks to her. To which, he nods.

"She would sometimes bring some food over. It's weird, I never knew what my own mom's cooking tasted like until I was 19. I only knew my sister's and my own."

You asked if he talks to his sister.

"Nope. Can't say I blame her, though. I was a piece of shit to raise." He brought his hands behind his head and leaned backward.

"What about you?" He asked, his grey eyes piercing into yours.

You gave him a summary of your life since birth and your current status with your family and other relatives, most of them are back in your hometown and home country.

He hummed in acknowledgment. Cyprus went on to check your temperature again, this time by touching the back of your neck.

There was silence between the both of you, accompanied by the sounds of dinner cooking away on the stovetops.

"You look like you have something on your mind. Spit it out." He broke the quietness by gently nudging your leg with his feet.

You blurted out if he chose you because you reminded him of a maternal figure he wanted.

His jaw went slack as he stared at you in disbelief. "What the fuck are you talking about, doll?"

You said that you couldn't give him what he wanted. You suggested going to therapy to work his "mommy issues" out before dating, so he wouldn't get hurt when his girlfriends couldn't fulfill that requirement of his. You do not have a single motherly bone in you, apologizing if you have accidentally come off as that way at first. You can't take care of him like how a proper mothering girlfriend would.

"Obviously! You can't even take care of yourself! What the fuck are you even on about? I'm not looking for another mom. I'm looking for a girlfriend! You-" He took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. He groaned in frustration and in extreme bafflement.

"Christ, what is with your thoughts? If I was looking for a woman to baby me, you don't even come close. Look at yourself! You barely feed yourself, you either sleep too little or too much, you can't even tell that you've had a fever, You didn't even know when to take your meds, you can't get off that damn phone and you let everyone walk all over you at work. If anything, it's the opposite, I'm looking to baby someone!"

You sat still and listened to his exasperated rant. You cringed internally; yes, you were definitely reaching, desperately trying to get him to let you go by reasoning. You were so sure that this argument would work, because you held this bias where men that have rocky relationships with their maternal figures would want a partner who is motherly. Thanks to your excessive internet usage and limited interaction with the real world.

He tiredly rubbed his face. "You have got to go out more, doll. That... fucking website is rotting you from the inside out."

You looked away in embarrassment.

"You were spewing the exact same bullshit I see online. I can't believe you're--" He heaved a sigh.

"It's fine. Our brains do not work the same during an active addiction." He stood back up and headed to the stove.

You told him you're not addicted to your phone.

"Yeah. And I'm totally not addicted to smoking." He took out a stack of paper bowls from a cabinet. He pulled out a couple of disposable wooden spoons and forks from his drawers.

"Come on, dinner's ready."

[apomaro-mellow]

Two in the Bush 9

Part 8

Waking up between two alphas wasn’t exactly new for Steve. But knowing he didn’t have to sneak away was. Eddie was glued to his front while Billy was pressed to his back. Both had their noses against his neck. Steve wondered how it would be to carry the bite of two alphas. He purred, feeling too comfortable to even think about moving. Last night was…it was…Well, if Steve wasn’t already knocked up, he’d be again.

Eventually though, his bladder forced him to get up and he untangled himself. Or rather, he tried to, but the loose grip on him tightened and he groaned.

“If you two don’t let me out, we’re gonna introduce a new fluid onto this bed.”

Billy let go immediately. Eddie’s arm lingered and it took Steve pinching him to get him to fully let go. Steve went over to the bathroom to relieve himself. Once he was done, he lingered in the doorway. It was a rare sight to see two alphas in bed without them snapping at each other. But they’d done a good job sharing last night. Steve was almost convinced they could do this, even in the light of day.

When they officially woke up and got out of bed, they had a late breakfast. Robin still hadn’t returned and now was as good a time as any to have this talk.

“Sooo, about last night…”

“It was pretty great, right?”, Eddie grinned. Billy was smirking and licked his canines and Steve had to put the brakes on that right now.

“It was great, it was fun. But now it’s time to talk about the future.” He smiled when Billy set down a hot mug of milk and honey in front of him.

“What part exactly?”, Billy asked, sitting down.

Steve took a breath. “The part about us. All three of us. I don’t know if that’s something you guys actually want or-”

“It is”, they both said at the same time.

“OR if it’s just this sexy fantasy you guys have”, Steve said firmly.

“Oh it’s definitely sexy”, Eddie said.

“Not so much a fantasy anymore”, Billy added.

“Whatever! I didn’t plan on having to raise the baby with a father and now I have two and you both seem pretty fixated on hanging around and I need to know that you’re really in it for…for the long run.”

They’d stuck around this long but things would change even more once the baby was here. And the dynamic could end up changing again once Steve revealed who the real father was. He put a hand on his belly protectively.

“Stevie, Billy and I didn’t spend hours in a library studying how that baby’s gonna ravage your body to not stay.”

Billy nodded while shuddering slightly as he remembered what they had learned. “What he said.”

“You guys mean that? Regardless of the baby’s father?”, Steve asked.

Eddie and Billy shared a look and although Steve couldn’t tell what they were thinking, he could wager a guess. They were sizing each other up, figuring out if they could really do this. If they could really share Steve and the baby and not let their alpha egos get in the way of it. After a very long moment, Eddie nodded, then Billy.

“We’re here for you”, Eddie said.

“And the baby too. Even if it turns out to be some third guy’s”, Billy said.

“Hey!”

“Hey nothing!”, Eddie threw his arms up in the air for a split second looked like a Muppet. “You narrowed it down to two guys what most can narrow down to one.”

“I bet there was a whole list of guys”, Billy said, biting into his bacon cheekily.

“I changed my mind”, Steve deadpanned. “This baby has no father. Immaculate conception.”

“Not after last night”, Eddie said, getting a kick to his shin for his troubles. -------------------------

Steve didn’t know what he was so worried about. They’d been here to hold him through his vomiting, massaged his swollen feet and ankles, and Billy had even helped him wipe when Steve just felt too fatigued and couldn’t reach neither backwards nor forwards to do it himself. It had been an emotional afternoon. They even went without things for Steve’s sake or either cut down or didn’t consume in his presence.

Eddie only drank now when he happened to visit Billy at work. And they only smoked outside, something Steve learned when he went out to the patio one day and saw the ashtray. And he noticed less and less cigarette butts as the months went on. He didn’t know if that meant they were smoking less or just somewhere altogether. But he appreciated it all the same.

Steve was minding his own business, rearranging the nest in their bedroom, when Billy came up from behind and lifted his stomach up. The relief was so sudden, his mind blanked out and the thought to ask him what the hell he was doing didn’t make it past his lips. A moan might’ve gotten through the gates. But all Steve could think of was the weight that had just been released.

“Heard belly-lifting’s good for the biceps”, Billy said, making Steve snort.

“Like you need to lift any more weights.”

“I mean I can just let you go if-”

“You drop it and I’m kicking you out of the nest”, Steve threatened the moment Billy’s hold began to loosen. “Should make Eddie do this. He could use the exercise.”

“My ears are burning”, Eddie said, coming into the room. “Uh, is this a new way to induce labor?”

Steve barked out a laugh. “Can you imagine if it was the eas-”

“Steve?”, Billy called his name.

“Are you okay?”, Eddie asked when the silence.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Um, can one of you get Robin and the go bag?”

“Why?”, Billy asked at the same time Eddie screeched, “Holy shit is the baby coming?!”

“Uhh, yeah. Yeah I think the baby’s coming.” He looked down but obviously couldn’t see over his own belly, still in Billy’s hold. But he could feel the sudden wetness between his legs.

Both alpha’s looked down to see it dripping down his legs. It wasn’t a hush gush of liquid like in the movies. They could scent it though and it definitely wasn’t urine. Eddie’s hands started to shake.

“Guys? Robin? Go bag?”, Steve felt his heart pump.

“Right! Right, right, right! Billy get the bag! I’ll get Robin!”, Eddie said before sprinting from the room.

But Billy was still frozen in place and Steve was starting to get worried. He slowly turned in Billy’s arms to see his face and it was the most stricken Steve had ever seen him.

“Hey…”

“Did I induce labor? You’re early. Like a full week early and-”

“Billy you did not make my water break just by lifting my stomach”, Steve laughed. “Now help me change my pants.”

After a change, a call to Robin, and double checking they had everything, it was off to the hospital they went. Steve couldn’t help but think how far they had come. Less than a year ago, he couldn’t imagine letting either drive with a cake in the backseat. Eddie drove like a stuntman made of straw and Billy like a racecar driver made of steel. Now, Billy took his time, slowing down well before the light turned red while Eddie sat in the backseat with Steve, timing his contractions.

Robin met them at the hospital and getting checked in and everything went fine until he was told it could be twelve hours before the baby was ready to arrive.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me”, Steve groaned.

“Well that’s just enough time for me to tell you the entire plot of some of Dickens’ greatest works”, Eddie said. “Starting with Great Expectations.”

“Are you really about to summarize high school readings for us right now?”, Steve asked.

“Did either of you actually read it in high school?”, Eddie asked.

“Fair point”, Billy said.

Steve got comfortable in his bed, already dressed for the delivery. An hour into it and Steve was ready to die for Amelia Havisham. Or kill Arthur.

“He’s a total dickhead! That’s his sister!”

Billy shrugged. “I don’t know man, if I was cheated out of an inheritance…”

“Are you saying you’d do all that to Max? If your dad left her more than you?”

“Neil doesn’t have two nickels to rub together. Whatever he gives Max, she can keep.”

“Do you guys wanna get to the other works of Dickens?”, Eddie asked. “Because I’m curious to know your thoughts on the Barbary sisters.”

After two hours, Robin went out to get them some food. After four hours, Steve found he had very mixed feelings on the Barbary sisters and needed to start walking, hoping to speed up the process. Robin went with him, reasoning that she wouldn’t actually be in the delivery room so she deserved this time with Steve.

They walked arm in arm through the halls. Steve sighed and Robin knew what was on his mind.

“You’re gonna wait until that baby pops out to tell them who it belongs to, aren’t you?”

“I feel like once the baby’s here, they’ll have no choice but to be…I mean they’ll be-”

“Trapped, the word is trapped”, Robin said with a sigh. “Steven Anita Harrington-”

“Not my middle name-”

“Yeah but it’s better than Norton, isn’t it? Anyway, don’t tell me this was your plan the whole time?”

“Please. I never thought in a million years that they’d BOTH wanna be dads. Eddie literally took ultrasound pics with him to his prison visits. Billy thinks I don’t know about the quilt he and Max are making. Robin they’re-” His knees buckled and Robin kept him from hitting the floor. Because it was really hitting him. Just now it was. That they were in it for real.

Robin took him back to the others and his contractions were closer now. Reality was setting in. He was having a baby. He was having a baby. Time melted together after that. He felt like he was turning into a sweaty, red, and screaming mess and he and the pup would end up looking like twins, he was sure. But through it all, Billy and Eddie looked at him like something precious.

Then the doctor came in, looked at the two alphas, and he frowned. “Which one of you is the father? The other one can leave.”

“They’re both the father”, Steve groaned.

“Twins?”, the doctor directed the question to a nurse, who shook their head. “Well we can’t have two alphas in here. It’s risky, dangerous.”

“We’re not leaving”, Eddie said while Billy snarled, showing his fangs.

Before the doctor could protest more, Steve let out a screech. “They both stay or so help me I’ll sue this hospital!”

Outnumbered, the doctor had no choice but to go through with the delivery. Eddie held Steve’s hand, helping him breath through it as he laid on his side. Billy was behind him, rubbing his lower back at first and then moving lower to better observe the birthing process and make doubly sure the doctor was doing their job. It made the doctor sweat for reasons other than the fact that they were bringing a new life into the world.

“You’re doing great, sweetheart”, Eddie praised. “Can’t believe it, we’re finally about to meet your pup.”

“Ngh-our pup”, Steve said through gritted teeth. “Y-yours, mine a-and-and Billyyyyyyy’s” One last scream and he felt it. And then seconds later heard a tiny wail. Steve cried in tandem and loosened his hold on Eddie’s hand.

“Oh Stevie…”

“The pup, our baby, are they okay? How do they look?”, Steve asked, relief turning into frantic energy the longer it took to hear about his newborn.

Eddie was crying rivers. “So goddamn beautiful, baby.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “So which father’s gonna cut the-”

“Billy”, Eddie volunteered him. He helped Steve roll onto his back and Steve settled just in time to see Billy bite through the umbilical cord. Then, finally, his baby, his beautiful girl was laid against his chest. 

Her face was ruddy and squished and her lips were open and her nostrils were flaring, using the senses that were all of a sudden free to her. Robin came in to take as many pictures as possible.

“So, what’s her name?”, Robin asked.

Steve wiped some of the stray tears from his face. “We agreed, the bi dad would have first name privileges”, he said before taking a deep breath and then looking to Eddie. “So…?”

Eddie’s tears, which had stopped, started back up again. “May Munson’s got a nice ring to it.”

Steve nodded. “May Munson’s perfect. She’s gonna need a middle name too though.” He looked over at Billy.

Billy brought a hand up under the arm Steve was using to support the baby. “Well, I was gonna say Meredith but…it’s stupid…it’s just my mother’s name”, he said, his voice getting quieter as he went on.

“May Meredith Munson is even more perfect”, Steve said. He looked down at her now that he knew her name. “She’s amazing.”

“She’s the best”, Robin agreed.

“I’ll fucking murder anyone who hurts her”, Billy said.

Eddie laughed at that and Steve’s laughs were only held back by the fact that he had a freshly birthed baby in his arms. As funny as it was, they found out that Billy meant that when he snarled at the physician who had to give May her shots when the day for those came. 

The fear Steve felt about this whole situation felt silly now. Both Eddie and Billy doted on her, which definitely led to odd looks when they were all out together, but Steve couldn’t give a rat’s ass. He had two wonderful mates and the matching bites to show for it. He had the best friend in the world who only slut-shamed him when necessary. And most importantly, he had a beautiful pup by one alpha and another on the way by the other. And just a few months after May’s birthday, they welcomed Willie Phillip Harrington into the world. Because Billy was perfectly fine with his father’s horrible name ending with him.

Watching the children grow, feeling like he got a second chance at life as he looked on them playing in the living room nest, Billy was suddenly overcome. He grabbed Steve and brought him into a tight hug, then Eddie too as he got close.

“What’s happening right now?”, Eddie asked.

“Nothing just…just…thank you”, Billy said before letting them go. 

Steve smiled. He thought he’d be fine doing all this on his own, with only minimal help from Robin. Joke’s on him. He wouldn’t trade the life he had now for anything in the world.

END

Thanks for reading!

[magnetokisser]

IN RAINBOWS - CHAPTER ONE

summary: mostly filler, introduction chapter to the reader and our beloved boys!

warnings: mentions of drugs earlier on, murder + death at the end

word count: 2.5k

a/n: the school system is based off my own so sorry if its a little confusing !! either way i hope u enjoy reading 🙂‍↕️ lowercase is also intended.

metropolis was horrible in the hotter months. it was only spring, so it wasn't at it worst, but once summer comes around i may have to consider an extended leave to gotham. peeling my eyes open, i ran a hand down my face as i felt around my bed for my phone. my fingers touched the cool screen of the device– at least something was somewhat cold. the screen lit up, the time reading 5:30. i sighed, looking towards my fan and wondering why i wasn't getting any air from it only to see my cat, kiwi, blocking the whole thing. not only was she blocking the fan, but she was picking at the laces of my shoes as well. i stood up and walked towards her, running my fingers through her fur and picking her up. "i need some air too, kitty." i murmured, feeling the rumbles of her purring.

i eventually put her down and went downstairs since i had to feed my dad's dog, buddy. technically i was living alone for the moment. dad was always on a business trip for something somewhere, but it's not like he was distant or anything. he was everything but distant. when he was home, he tried to hover, but he always gave up because i never did anything interesting or tried to hide anything from him. we were close, and that bond strengthened after my mother died. leading up to her death, they argued a lot. he was a person of interest for a bit, but the case was eventually closed since there were no leads. it was frustrating, but i didn't want to try to play hero. we have enough of those already.

buddy was still sleeping by the time i made my way downstairs to feed him. he was a doberman; usually my dad took him on his little business trips, but this time around he kept him home. setting his bowl down, i gently scratched behind his ears before going back upstairs to shower.

i usually took cold showers in the morning to combat the metropolis heat. they worked most of the time, but they got worse around the middle of the day. thank god it was friday. after about an hour in the shower i finally got out before quickly changing and starting my walk to school. since it was my senior year and i had already completed most of my core classes, i decided to take on an early class for the second year in a row and get out much earlier than everyone else. i start school at 7:00 while everyone else starts at 8 in exchange for only taking 4 classes and getting out at 11. since i only have four classes, i was finishing up my third year of science, doubling up on math and getting to eat lunch before leaving. i could just skip lunch if i really wanted to, but it's free food!

i wasn't necessarily the most sociable person unless someone talked to me or approached me first. that being said, i'm not a social recluse either. i have my good chunk of friends- one being closer than most, and that's laila; but that's because she's just stuck around longer. that, and she doesn't know how to do her homework on time. the second i stepped into the school, laila was next to me and matching my pace. sometimes i wondered if she could read minds, but that would mean she'd be a meta. and she was, as rude as it sounds, too gullible to be one. "hey! hey!!" she huffed, waving her hand infront of my face. she called out my name and i finally decided to look over at her, bumping my shoulder against hers. "what? if you ask me for homework help again i'm gonna have to say no. my afternoon is filled with watching twilight and sleeping." i said, giving her a cheeky smile. she grumbled to herself for a moment before letting out a guttural groan. "can't you just stick around for lunch or something and help me? you're smart! that's why you finished your classes earlier than everyone else!" and the exact reason i'm not taking electives. i sighed and shook my head, walking to my class with her.

"that's not how it works," i started, glancing at her for a mere moment, "i finished my classes earlier because i took all of my harder and more important classes freshman year. and if i remember correctly," i paused, giving her a knowing look, "somebody was too high half of the time to remember to actually come to school." i shrugged, causing her to kick me with a surprising amount of force. "shut up! can you just tutor me or not?" she begs, clasping her hands together and turning to face me as we reached my class. letting out my third sigh in the past hour, i caved and said yes. she thanked me at least fifty times before scurrying off to her class before the late bell rang.

my first class was astronomy, which wasn't as interesting as it sounded. if you didn't get it confused with astrology, you knew what you were expecting. i was expecting math, but not this much math. it was tedious, but i had to deal with it. it wasn't terrible, but i didn't necessarily like it either.

the teacher droned on for most of the class period, pacing around the classroom to make sure that nobody was on their phone or sleeping. he called on me a few times, unfortunately. the old geezer managed to catch me off guard a few times with some of the questions, but it was whatever. class had ended before i knew it.

my next two classes were both math classes, sadly. my whole school day seemed to be filled with math other than the singular english class i was taking right before lunch. it was a writing class, so it was bearable enough. i enjoyed writing, actually. though, that was only when i didn't have writers block. that, and the teacher was one of the few teachers who wasn't grumpy and mad at the students because his life was going horribly. he cared for each and every one of his students, though not overbearingly.

my astronomy teacher had a stick up his ass every other day for no reason at all– he cheated on his dying wife and often liked to make fun of her infront of the class. no one laughed. my math teachers, both female (and related) were lighthearted and funny. they made the classroom atmosphere calm and you wouldn't feel embarrassed to get an answer wrong. my english teacher, like i said before, was my favorite. maybe it was because i've had him all four years of highschool, but it seemed i was a mirror of himself when i was his age.

upon walking into the classroom, he greeted me with my name and a smile. "it's nice to see you've finally caught up on sleep. you finish supernatural yet?" he asks, taking a jab at my poor sleep schedule. "no, not yet. and hey, i get more than enough sleep." i huff, setting my bag down and sitting in the second chair by his desk. he'd never admit it, but he put the second chair here for me. he said it was for the students he'd have help grade papers. (aka me.)

"what are we doing today? another essay?" i ask, spinning around slowly. "no, actually," he says, stopping my spinning so he could sit in his own chair, "i've decided to be nice teacher for a bit and let you guys watch a movie. nothing special, just make sure to pay enough attention to write a theme analysis once it's over. it should take up the whole week." he explained, causing me to sigh. "okay, whatever man." i shrug, standing up and moving the chair out of the way. i go to sit in my own seat and play on my phone for the remainder of the class, having already seen the movie.

the bell finally rang, and i watched as the students in my class ran through the door to get to their next destination. some were going to lunch while some were going their next class. i waved goodbye to my teacher and made my way to the library where i saw laila waiting for me. she beamed at me and was quick to wave me over– a bit too happy. sitting down, i gave her a once over before looking around to make sure no one was in earshot. "are you fucking high dude?" i whisper, furrowing my brows at her. she fell into a fit of giggles, leaning her body into my own. her eyes were the slightest shade of red, but it was nothing too noticable.

"i'm not..maybe." she whispered as i pushed her off of me. "drink some water. you still have three more classes after this." i said, grabbing her waterbottle from her bag. she murmured something along the lines of 'okay, mom.' under her breath before begrudgingly downing her whole water. i spent the entirety of lunch babysitting my friend.

the moment the bell rang, i abandoned laila with her boyfriend and was off to my humble abode. since it was only about 11:15, i decided to get my homework out of the way before lounging around with kiwi and buddy. maybe i'd take him on a walk tomorrow, i don't know yet.

------

walking in the door, i was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by kiwi and buddy. kiwi purred as she rubbed herself against my legs, presumably waiting for me to take off my shoes so she could ruin them once more. buddy on the other hand sat patiently as he waited for me to come pet him and tell him he could act like an normal dog. "jeez, buddy. what does dad do to you?" i asked, petting his head gently as kiwi snuck off with one of my shoes. i set my bag down and went to go change before returning to the kitchen and doing my homework. it was only around noon, so i had some time to kill before school got out. i let out a short whistle as i sat on the couch and watched as buddy raced over to me with enough speed to make my school's track team jealous. he was more than happy to sit next to me while i watched whatever piqued my interest at the moment. i ended up finding a movie to watch; it was an older movie, but i didn't mind. it was worth watching.

by the time the movie ended, buddy was restless and ready to take a walk. he let out a mixture between a bark and a whimper, ushering me to get up. "okay, okay," i chuckled, standing up and grabbing his leash and hooking it onto his collar. i slipped on a pair of slides before letting him out and locking the door behind me. i usually wasn't the one to take buddy on walks– that was my dad's job, and i know the dog got plenty when he went on business trips. speaking of my dad, i decided to call him and see what he was doing.

he finally picked up after a few rings, and i could hear his voice call out my name. "what's up, sweetheart?" he asks, messing around with something in the background. "nothing, just wanted to call and see what you were up to." i said, stopping so buddy could use the bathroom. "oh, you know," he paused, grunting as he lifted something, "just work stuff. what'cha doin? i hear birds; you outside?" he questions. "walking buddy. he misses you." i say, nearing the park. "oh, good. well, i've gotta go. i'll be home soon sweetheart, i promise." he promises, bidding me goodbye. i sigh and tuck my phone in my pocket, going into the dog park portion of the, well, human park? unhooking buddy's collar, i watch as the black dog runs off to go roll around in the grass and use up all of his energy. after a bit of me sitting on a bench and scrolling on my phone, a black great dane sauntered in and immediately ran over to me. he began to sniff at me, giving me pleading eyes as if asking me to pet him.

"hey, bud.." i smiled, scratching behind his ears. someone walked up to me and cleared their throat, causing me to look up. it was a boy with olive skin and black hair, with green eyes that tied everything together. "is this your dog?" i ask, offering him a small smile. why does he look so familiar?

"yes." he says, keeping it short. okay, wow? "uh..well, what's his name?" i ask, feeling the dog rest his head on my lap. seemingly begrudgingly, he gives me his name. "titus." he grumbles, his gaze falling on the dogs head in my lap. "it fits." i say, continuing to smile at him. before the conversation can get any more awkward, yet another boy walks over. "hi! sorry about him." he says, shoving the first boy to the side a bit so he could stand infront of me instead. jesus, they were tall.

"i'm sorry about titus, too. he likes to meet new people." the boy says, adjusting his glasses. behind those glasses are vibrant blue eyes that sit against beige skin with a head of fluffy black hair. "oh, it's okay," i say, lifting titus' head as buddy trots over to me so i can stand up, "what's your name?" i ask, wishing to know the name of my savior. "my name is jon! and this," he pauses, pointing a thumb back at his friend. "is damian." he finishes with a smile. "very fitting names." i say, stealing a glance at the raven haired boy behind him. i gave jon my name before putting buddy's leash back on. "it was nice meeting you, but i have to go. he'll fall asleep on the sidewalk if i don't get him home soon." i laugh, rubbing buddy's side as i waved at them. "i hope to see you around! byee!" jon called after me, turning and saying something to damian after i was put of earshot.

as i walked home, i still couldnt help but feel like damian looked and sounded familiar. i brushed it off and let buddy inside first after unlocking the door and went upstairs to change into my pajamas. turning on the tv, i held kiwi in my lap as i brushed her while the news anchor went on and on about a kitchen fire when the breaking news came on. i looked up, feeling kiwi nibble at my hand as i listened to the woman speak.

"it seems after six grueling years, the serial killer  known as the sundown slasher has struck again. known for skinning the faces of their victims, after sundown and earning their namesake, another body has popped up once again.."

i sighed and muted the TV, looking down at kiwi. i hated this. he was part of the reason my dad had cameras in and outside of the house. for a little bit  of my childhood i was sure the sundown slasher had killed my mom. but once the case went cold, i pushed the thought to the back of my head. shutting off my lamp, the TV was the only thing illuminating my room as kiwi and i laid down. i quickly sent a text to my dad before turning on some random cartoon and slowly dozing off.

[azrielslightintheshadows]

Sucker for a brat KILLED ME

It was so good thank you!! I saw it right as I was going into work so I had to wait like 8 hours to read it when I got off 😭

If you would be interested in a part two 👀

-leaf anon 🌿

Sucker for a brat p.2

Eris x f!Reader

Warnings; SMUT (18+), at this point its just pure porn without plot.

Masterlist.

Part 1.

I'm so happy that you enjoyed it!!!

“I’m not done with you my sweet little mate, this was for my own pleasure that’s why you enjoyed it. Now I’m going to fucking punish you.” He growled and carried you to his room.

“Oh boy” you sighed.

The moment he walked inside his room he threw you on the bed making you gasp.

“Strip. Now.” He growled.

You tried to stand up to undress but he pushed you back on the bed.

“You will stay on my bed until I tell you otherwise”.

“Yes my lord” you whimpered and pulled on your dress. His room was twice your own and you noticed how all his furniture was made from dark wood and leather, everything was elegant yet dark, a perfect representation of himself.

“Did I fuck you stupid? You can’t take off a dress?” he hissed and crawled on the bed with his dagger in hand. He cut the dress off you and then stood up again. “On all four now.” He ordered and removed his leather belt. Your cunt was on fire at the sight.

“Count for me, if you mess it up we start again.”

He hit your ass hard with the belt and you yelped.

“One” you breathed.

He hit you again and groaned at the redness.

“Two” you gasped.

He gave you two soft slaps with his hand and then grabbed the belt again.

“Three” you moaned this time.

“Enjoying yourself?” he chuckled darkly.

“Yes my lord” you moaned louder.

Each smack was harder, and it took your breath away. You jolted forwards and felt small shocks on your clit.

“nine” you cried out. You were dripping.

“Last one” he groaned, and you glanced back at him, he had grabbed himself and was pumping slowly. He raised his hand as far as he could and smirked.

This time it was pure pain and you wondered if the belt sliced your soft skin. “Ten” you screamed and fell on your face.

“Good whore” he mumbled and massaged your swollen ass. “Are you sore?”

“Yes”” you whined.

“Good” he mumbled and crawled behind you, grabbing your hips and raising your ass. You felt the head of his cock rubbing against your folds and whined. With one snap of his hips, he was inside you filling you to the brim. His hips slapped on your sore ass sending waves of pain with the pleasure.

“Fucking take it like a good little whore” he snarled and kept snapping his hips at a fast and hard pace, you could feel the head of his cock hitting your cervix and were sure that there would be a milky ring at the base. “Yes my lord” you cried out, grabbing the sheets for support.

Your whole body was aching, but the pleasure was enough to make you enjoy it. Eris placed his palm flat on your stomach and groaned when he felt himself.

“Give me your hand” he ordered and placed it there when you obliged. He leaned over your back without stopping his thrusts and whispered in your ear.

“Can you feel how deep I am inside you? You’re mine. I’m gonna fill you up so good, my seed will flow deep inside you ruining you for every other male. Cum for me, milk my cock like a good girl.”

His words were enough to send you over the edge and your whole body shook, your vision clouded and you felt your cunt exploding. Eris stopped thrusting and watched in awe the mess you made as you squirted. His thighs and the sheets were covered with your release and the sight made his cock throb. You closed your eyes and tried to control your breathing when something snapped in him and started thrusting at a brutal pace again. You cried out and arched your back.

“So good” he groaned “taking my cock so well”.

His hand grabbed your face and raised you, pressing your back on his chest.

“Such a sweet girl, seems like I fucked the brat out of you” he purred and pushed his fingers in your mouth making you gag.

“That’s it fucking take my seed” he moaned and buried himself deep inside you, his cum filled your cunt and dripped on the sheets. He removed his fingers from your mouth and picked as much of his cum as he could before pushing them back into your mouth.

“Taste me” he whispered in your ear and bit the lobe.

After helping you into the bathroom and changing the sheets he lied next to you on his bed and stared at your half-asleep form.

“Was this okay? Did you feel uncomfortable at any point?” he asked softly.

“It was perfect” you murmured.

“I’m going to take good care of you my mate.” He promised and kissed your forehead.

You hummed with a soft smile and let the darkness engulf you. If he fucked you like that every day you would die as the happiest female in the world.

[katyawriteswhump]

love and other catastrophes at the omega cafe (2/8)

I’ve was totally overwhelmed (in the best possible way) by the reaction to chapter 1 of this fic—billions thank yous 💚I will admit I got a bit nervous about this chapter and not letting everyone down, but it’s a long one, and I really, really hope you enjoy! I will probably be updating every weekend, more regularly if I can 💚 

Summary: Steve is a runaway Omega who gets a job at an Omega café, where he’s basically paid to curl up and purr in Alphas’ laps. It’s legal, and he earns a living, rents his own place. He’s getting along fine for a packless Omega. Then Alpha rockstar Eddie Munson turns up for an hour of ‘kitty’ petting, and shatters Steve’s fragile little world…

Rating: M (will be E); Chapter length: 4000 words, No major warnings; Tags: omega steve, alpha eddie, a/b/o dynamics, rockstar eddie, fluff and angst; (It won't get tooooo angsty, I promise)💚Chapter 1 on tumblr (also index post) On Ao3

🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

Chapter 2

After waking up in Eddie's lap, Steve dabbed his lips again. He dared peep upward. His burning cheek was pressed to Eddie’s solid Alpha chest, his hand creeping helplessly up the faintly soggy black t-shirt.

Eddie was beaming, for sure. He was also wearing a pair of ray-bans and a baseball cap with ‘Bite me, Baby,’ emblazoned on it. He’d gotten the collar of his jean-jacket turned up. After a further moment of confusion, this time at Eddie’s transformation, Steve gasped in a lungful of Eddie’s smoky-plummy scent.

Eddie was a rockstar. Who doubtless wished to remain incognito. Somewhat like Steve did, although Steve was a very long way from home, and… Nope, he wouldn’t think about that. No way could Eddie have wanted to stay so long, while the café filled up with customers.

On the other hand, Eddie could have woken Steve anytime.

He hadn’t.

“Good snooze, Steve?” Eddie’s vibes remained totally chill.

“Yeah. Um…thanks?”  Steve wriggled slightly, sitting up straighter on Eddie’s lap. “I’m not supposed… Why didn’t you wake me?”

“And interrupt that blissful purring? Sweetness, you delivered exactly what I paid for, and I didn’t even get a cramp—insane!”

Eddie’s arms tightened into a full-on hug, keeping him in place. The fleece blanket had slipped off them, and the intense heat rolling from Eddie’s body teetered on the right side of scorching. It was unsettling not being able to read Eddie’s eyes. But if Eddie still didn’t want him to shift, no part of Steve was gonna argue.

Then Steve felt it.

That slab of Alpha cock gouging somewhere north of his knees. He felt slick trickle lightly, heat flushing down his face and neck, and then…

Carol hollered, “Chrissy, the pancakes were for table three, you ditzy O-head!”

“Yeah?” Chrissy replied, quieter but no less shrill: “You try reading your chicken scratch handwriting!”

That ripped Steve from whatever dreamland he’d been sucked back into. It seemed to shatter the moment for Eddie too: “Weeeell, it’s been fun, Kitty-cat. ’Fraid I gotta love ya and leave ya. I’m gonna get my ass busted for being late at the studio.”

He released Steve, who slid off his lap backwards and clumsily. Steve’s elbows and butt landed on the sofa with a thud, his feet taking their place on Eddie’s thighs. The loss of full-body contact sent a wretched shiver through him. Before he could gather himself, Eddie had gathered up his goddamn feet in his large, rough-feeling hands:

“Steve, are these feet or ice chips?”

Oh God, oh God, oh God!

Eddie launched into the most delicious foot massage, thumbs gently kneading into his arches, then leaning forward to lavish his feet with warm gusts of breath:

“You have the cutest toesies, Honey, you know that?”

Steve’s terror ratcheted up a whole new notch. He sure as heck didn’t have a foot kink, but Eddie’s relentless touch unhinged him. In all his time working at ‘Kitties,’ he’d never felt so close to losing control, to melting into a puddle of need. Weren’t the blockers supposed to curb such extreme reactions to even the most sizzling Alphas?

And Jesus Christ, Eddie’s lush mouth was so close to Steve’s feet now. Too close—was he gonna kiss them?

Steve spotted Carol back at the cash register, casually glancing their way. With an effort, he swung his legs off Eddie’s lap.

“Aw, is petting feet against the rules?” There was an air of kicked puppy about the Alpha that Steve struggled not to fawn over. And which segued quickly into a devastating earnestness. “Look, seriously, this isn’t a kink of mine.” That made two of them. “I can’t leave you shivering, not any part of you. I’ll pay extra?”

“I… I…” To be fair, there was nothing in the rules against petting feet. Right now, Steve simply couldn’t deal: “I thought you were gonna k-kiss them. Sorry, I…um…”

Eddie raised his palms. “No, I’m sorry, Steve. Truly. Self-control has never been my forte.”

“Please don’t apologise. It’s all good, and my feet are always cold. I dunno if it’s an Omega thing, or just me, or…” Stop prattling, Harrington.

Eddie smiled tightly, then rose and strode off to settle his final check with Carol.  Steve sat on the couch, arms wrapped tight around himself. He wiggled his toes, which seemed to tingle with the memory of Eddie’s breath. Then Eddie wandered back over. He blocked Steve from Carol’s view and pressed a hundred-dollar bill into his hand.

“Wow! I can’t accept—”

“Take it, Omega,” rumbled Eddie, in a deep gravelly tone that no part of Steve could argue with. As Eddie retreated, Steve found himself ogling how those sweatpants clung to the flat muscular planes of Eddie’s Alpha butt. At the door, Eddie glanced back, lifted his shades, and winked.

“See you soon, Stevie.”

Stevie!?!

Carol heard, and the instant Eddie had gone, she bounced over and hugged Steve. He’d never seen her so non-bitchy and jubilant. Then again, she was hardly gonna complain to Tommy that Steve had slept on the job when Eddie had spent well over two hundred dollars. He’d tipped her well, too. She made Steve a grilled cheese sandwich—actually one for Steve, rather than one she’d made for a customer and accidentally burned. Then she allowed him an extra-long break, to sort his hair and loosen his collar, before he had to clamber into the next lap.

It took all Steve’s concentration not to squirm and fidget and generally give a shitty kitty experience to the seemingly never-ending line of Alphas. He couldn’t help wondering if it wouldn’t have been easier to endure without Eddie’s throwaway, “See you soon, Stevie.”

Yeah, Steve would’ve felt flat, but he had ways of pepping himself. Even being petted by these randos might’ve helped return him to his usual fake-purring levels of okay.

Knowing Eddie might be coming back?

Each second with another Alpha was excruciating.

When he clocked off at five, everything changed. He literally bounced on his toes to the bus-stop. Thinking about Eddie made his insides feel fizzy and light, every part of him happily trembly—lightyears away from the morning’s exhaustion and fading heat cramps.

It wasn’t exactly convenient, tho’. When he reached his condo, it took him three attempts to fumble his key into the lock. One of his neighbours sensed his fluster through the thin walls.

She poked her head into the corridor. “Hi, Steve—are you all right?”

“Hey, Joyce. Yeah, I’m fine. Been a long day, and I’m beat.” He finally managed to turn the key. “Thanks for asking.”

“Okay, dear. If you feel up to joining us for quilting club tonight, we’d love to see you. I’ve baked cookies.”

“Maybe.” Steve quirked a smile, before darting in quickly and closing the door.

Leaning back against it, he let out a long, shuddering sigh. Joyce was kind, and Steve liked chatting to her. However, she knew as well as Steve that he wouldn’t be joining any of the local Omega-Omega support groups. Even when the heating was broken, and some of the other Omegas formed ‘snuggle’ nests together, he preferred to shiver alone.

He was fine with bodily contact these days, obviously, much as he enjoyed being called ‘cute’ and generally being admired. But he was used to having his own space. Which was why he loved his little home, really he did—despite its loud clunky plumbing and the damp patches on the walls. It was the only real nest he’d ever had. He’d stitched most of his throw cushions and drapes himself, apart from a couple that had been swapsies with Chrissy. Robin had gifted him a duck-down duvet and a thick wool blanket. She was the closest thing he had to a pack, and he enjoyed snuggling beneath her offerings through the long winter nights.

Now, after a few hours sleeping in the arms of an Alpha he might never see again, his little slice of paradise… felt horribly drab.

Still leaning on the door, he pulled the hundred-dollar bill out of his coat pocket and pressed it to his cheek. Which was gross given that it’d been passed between literally thousands of germy hands.

It still, very faintly, whiffed of Eddie.

He breathed deep of it as he dared and then: “This is dumb! This is so dumb!”

It wasn’t like he could keep it. A hundred dollars would settle his rent arrears this week. He dumped it on the counter and wandered toward his bathroom pod.

When he peeled down his underwear, he winced. He’d changed twice today, once after Eddie left, then again at a later break. Both times, his panties were damp with slick. Now, after travelling home dreaming about Eddie, another pair was soddened, and his peachy-chamomile scent was stronger than since he’d started blockers. He stripped, shivered and turned on the shower, holding his hand under the icy flow.

It started to get slightly warmer. Not exactly toasty, and he shuddered as he stepped in. He knew that he, like that bill, retained a slight tang of Eddie. Especially in his hair, which he was particularly reluctant to wash.

He went through the motions, the glide of his own fingers setting him sighing then sniffling stupidly at the memory of Eddie’s gorgeous touch. When the shower temperature switched suddenly thermo-nuclear hot, he leaped out with a yelp. After sticking his hair under the kitchenette faucet to finish rinsing, he blow-dried. Then he tidied away the yucky tissues, painkillers and hot water bottles he’d left scattered at the end of his heat. Finally, he cuddled up in his nest with another of Robin’s gifts—his third-hand refurbished iPhone.

The Wifi was working again, and he was tempted to google Eddie, find out every last thing about him, although… What if Eddie was mated or married or lived on the other side of the country? That said, he’d mentioned going to a studio, so he had to be staying locally, or…

Steve resisted searching. He wanted to enjoy his silly crush without knowing crap that would spoil it.

He avoided the internet for the most part, anyway. He’d been raised without it and was terrified to get a login for anything, even under a fake name. This was chiefly paranoia, probably. It was also sometimes annoying. All the social media sites where Chrissy showed him pics of ‘Hot Alphas’ tended to chuck him out before he’d properly feasted his eyes.

Nevertheless, he managed to find the ‘Knot me now, Alpha,’ thirst thread that he’d gotten a faint idea Eddie was familiar from. He was right. He admired Eddie’s pic there for a long while—a shirtless, sweaty mass of raw Alpha sex-appeal and bulging-at-the-crotch leather, nailing some finger-work on his electric guitar.

Then Robin texted, and they bantered for a bit. He didn’t mention Eddie. Screw it, what the hell was there to say?

The next morning, at exactly 10.37 am, Eddie Munson entered ‘Kitties.’ This time, he’d gotten a tie-dye scarf muffled up over his face and wore a crazy multi-coloured bucket hat.

He looked ridiculous.

Nothing could subdue that scent.

Steve felt a squeal bubbling in his throat, which he released only briefly. It was enough for Chrissy to shoot out from the back to check everything was okay.

Steve had his head in one of their regular customer’s laps, and they’d paid up till 11 o’clock. DAMN, DAMN, DAMN! He struggled to subdue his panic. He didn’t want Eddie to see him with another Alpha! It’s not like he could’ve refused the customer, but… a silent scream tore from the depths of his soul. Carol was already meeting and greeting Eddie, offering him Chrissy’s or indeed her service.

Which Eddie graciously refused. “I got time to wait for Steve. Any chance of an Irish coffee, Ma’am?”

“Sorry, we don’t have a liquor licence.”

“No sweat, Sweetheart. I’ll have a coconut-mocha with extra cream. It okay if I move the furniture a bit? I could do with a cosy corner.” He dropped his voice so soft and low Steve strained to hear it: “Somewhere where nobody can shove a camera in my face.”

“Absolutely, Sir. I’ll help. Chrissy—get over here!”

Eddie refused the aid of the Omegas and shifted a large couch himself. He then settled with what felt too much like a cold-shoulder to Steve—although his wish for privacy very much suited Steve too—and started scrolling on his cell.

Steve’s skin crawled every time the other Alpha touched him. When they skimmed the strip of bare flesh between his tight tee and shorts, his stomach seemed to flip upside down and refused to right itself. He couldn’t fake purr. His collar felt chokingly tight, and when he tried to take a gulp of air, Eddie’s beautiful scent caught in his windpipe.

He released it as a stifled sob, and then the purrs began to happen. They were definitely purrs of distress, and they shook him like a leaf. Maybe Eddie would realise Steve was not worth waiting for and leave?

Steve watched the clock crawl toward eleven. At which point, Carol snapped at Steve’s customer, “Time’s up, Mister. Steve is booked!”

Steve shuffled on his knees over to Eddie. The thread of Eddie’s scent—screw it, his sheer Alphaness—drew Steve like he was on a leash. He couldn’t suppress a pang of disappointment when Eddie left his scarf on and plopped a thin cushion into his lap. Christ, Steve wished he’d been able to wash! The other Alpha’s burnt-toast scent had been barely noticeable, easily drowned by the chemicals and Eddie. But would Eddie detect it and despise Steve for it?

“Sorry about the wait,” whispered Steve. “I… I…”

“It’s okay,” said Eddie. His tone was strange and rough, bordering on scary, before softening like melting butter: “I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” squeaked Steve, before he could help himself.

Wtf? Missed me? He’s lying—he only just met me!

Yeah, now he thought about it, Steve had spent every moment they’d been apart missing Eddie like hell. Alphas were different, right?

He sank his cheek onto Eddie’s cushioned lap, staring ahead at the slinky black cats silhouetted on the walls. Eddie’s fingers glided into Steve’s hair, and Steve’s stomach finally settled the right way up again. For the first time since he’d left Eddie’s lap yesterday, he felt totally warm, comfortable, serene… and, suddenly, so very safe.

“How’s your day going, Steve?”

“Oh, like, seriously, it sucks. And this creepy stalker Alpha just showed up and it’s gotten even worse. Um… Joking.” He was being sassy now? Where did that come from? Fortunately, Eddie hooted, and Steve’s voice wobbled with his excited purrs. “I’m good, thanks. How about you?”

“Mighty fine right now.” Eddie leaned down close, speaking quiet and confidential: “Got another manic afternoon in the recording studio coming up. I lost my mojo, Stevie, did you know that?”

The reminder that Eddie was a badass rockstar shook Steve’s happiness. Only for a moment. A little voice in his head squealed:

He called me Stevie again! He’s giving me PET NAMES!

Eddie’s knuckles skimmed, featherlight, down the curve of Steve’s throat, sending heat sparkling through several layers of skin. Eddie’s coffee-spiced breath ruffled Steve’s hair, and his world was perfect.

“I can’t imagine you’re ever not great at everything.” Steve revelled in the sensation of Eddie twisting a strand of Steve’s hair around a finger, giving it a gently delicious tug.

“You say the sweetest things, Sweetness,” replied Eddie. Then, with a bitter twist: “You clearly don’t follow much music news.”

“Hey, don’t say that! Music journo is my dream career.” Woah! Again with the sass. Again, Eddie chortled indulgently, while Steve added, “No, sorry. I really don’t.”

“Damn, you really are the puuuuurfect little kitty, aren’t you?” sighed Eddie. “Wish I could stay here all day.”

Steve was so overcome, he couldn’t even whisper, Me too.  An ecstatic little noise bubbled in Steve’s throat, which might’ve been a chirrup if he’d not swallowed it back in time. He’d never chirruped. Never! He pressed his legs together, scared that the slick trickling lightly from his slit would leak out of his shorts.

They were decidedly skimpier than yesterday’s shorts, basically hotpants—cut right at the line of his butt-cheeks. He wondered if Eddie’s eyes had wandered there yet. Despite the slick, he sure hoped so, and…

Dammit, focus on his touch, Harrington. Not on his scent. And definitely not on how close you are to his dick and how badly you want it inside you.

Apart from Steve didn’t want that, not really.

No Alpha had ever triggered such strong reactions in him. Which was all the more reason he shouldn’t get carried away. Eddie would never be interested in being Steve’s Alpha, even without Steve’s… complications in that department.

Eddie was here to relax a while. If not today, then soon, he’d leave and never look back.

Steve’s purrs grew fractious, though it turned out to be almost impossible to remain stressed out in Eddie’s lap. Like yesterday, Eddie seemed to read his anxiety, asking if Steve was okay, smoothing Steve’s hair till Steve’s troubles slipped away.

It helped that Eddie wanted to chat, and he was so fun and engaging Steve briefly forgot he was even an Alpha. It was like being with an old friend, though that was an experience that Steve wasn’t exactly flush with.

Eddie asked Steve about what music he liked, and Steve came clean instantly. He didn’t listen to music much. He got too easily overwhelmed by emotional tracks.

“I mean, I like a whole variety of music, honestly. It’s just, sometimes lyrics and melodies just get me so deep, and…” The next thought that popped into his head stunned him—I guess it might be different if I had an Alpha to guide me, to anchor me when my emotions are overstimulated. Nope. Would be waaaay too needy to say that out loud. “Wow, that sounds pathetic.” He wrinkled his nose, pressed a finger between his brows. “None of it makes sense.”

“It’s not pathetic, and it makes perfect sense,” said Eddie. Almost as if he’d heard the parts Steve hadn’t said out loud. “I mean, you might find Corroded Coffin a bit shouty.”

“I can do shouty,” said Steve.

With you to hold my hand… Oh, seriously self?!?

Turned out, despite Steve’s ‘difficulty’ with music, they liked plenty of other things in common. Including dainty little rose cupcakes, of which Eddie ordered a plateful, and fed to Steve with his fingertips.

Feeding the kitties was permitted—at the discretion of the kitty and as long as fingers didn’t enter mouths. Steve, naturally, was totally up for the chance to lap lightly at any part of Eddie, salty goodness mixed with super-sweet floral pastry.

“It cracks me up how many Alphas miss out on this good stuff because they’re scared their precious Alpha image will be tarnished,” said Eddie, when they’d finished the last mini cake. His fingers and thumb—deeply grooved from plucking strings and shiny wet with Steve’s saliva—still lingered on the cushion a hairs’ breadth from Steve’s lips. Gnnnnnng! What Steve wouldn’t give right now to inhale any one of those digits deep.

Softly, Eddie asked, “What about you, Steve? What do you enjoy that flips the bird in the face of conformity—that’s totally un-Omega?”

Steve closed his eyes to temptations of the flesh. If only it was so easy to shut out Eddie’s scent! He focussed on the question: “I used to love sports, especially swimming. Before I presented Omega, I used to train three times a week. Tho’ I got really nervous, I loved racing, the thrill of competition. I miss that.” His latest purr mingled with a heartfelt sigh. “Nobody lets Omegas train, and even those special Omega hours at pools are few and far between and so stupidly pricey. I heard a rumour it’s because they don’t want the pools all slicked up. Jesus, we can control ourselves!”

At least, when we’re not being petted by super-hot Alphas.

“That really sucks,” agreed Eddie. “Steve, I might know a pool where—”

“No, no, no, no, no,” said Steve, kinda panicked suddenly without knowing why. “It’s fine. It’s one of those things I just need to let go of.”

An uneasy growl rumbled from Eddie’s core, but he must’ve sensed Steve’s renewed agitation, because he let it drop.

He probably just wanted to see Steve in his speedos. Steve sure as hell would love to see how Eddie managed to stuff his Alpha dick into his.

Eddie returned the next day, having booked Steve for the entire morning in advance, and they chatted more. This time Steve spent most of the hour sitting in his lap for a proper cuddle. Steve hugged around Eddie’s neck, clinging tight as he dared. He was glad of the scarf there, muffling Eddie’s scent slightly. He ended up turning his face away, anyhow. Like on Monday, he was petrified he wouldn’t be able to stop himself burying his nose there, nor turning super-submissive and baring his own throat.

Once again, breaking the rules himself.

Why did Eddie have to be sexy Alpha perfection incarnate and a great guy? And his voice… Gnnng! It touched some secret place in Steve, chiming happy chords buried so deep he’d never known they were there.

Before long, though, Steve had gotten his head notched cosily beneath Eddie’s chin and was keen to get as much of himself into Eddie’s lap as possible. He huddled into a ball, knees hitching till his bare heels kissed Eddie’s thighs.

No part of him was cold now. He couldn’t remember what cold was, hardly. Being with Eddie was like a dream.

But he was not gonna fall asleep again. He didn’t want to miss a precious second with Eddie, whether laughing and chatting, or just quietly snuggling. He even adored the way Eddie hugged him a little tighter—once almost bruisingly so—whenever another Alpha passed by. Once or twice, Eddie growled at them, too. It was all daft, because it was merely an Alpha being Alpha, following his possessive, protective instincts. It didn’t mean anything. Steve basked in the vibes, all the same.

“Same time tomorrow?” asked Eddie, when, with an obvious reluctance, he allowed Steve off his lap.

Steve glanced uneasily between Eddie and Carol. The café was quiet, and she was busy arranging the pastries. “I’m on in the evening tomorrow,” admitted Steve. “It’s ‘kitty-kitted-up’ night—you know, we wear the ears and whiskers and shit. Oh, and we screech like kitties in heat too. I mean, most of the customers need earplugs to stop their brains imploding.”

“Steve!” snapped Carol, while Steve enjoyed Eddie’s goofy grin. “Stop fooling around. Honestly, Sir. Nobody screeches.”

“Aw, shame,” said Eddie. “That sounded like a blast. Either way, I’m in.” Then he cringed, and Steve’s heart seemed to drop like a stone. “I guess it’s pretty popular? I take it you don’t have, I dunno, anywhere private I can book? A back room or something?”

“You know, we don’t,” said Carol, making moon eyes at Eddie, while Steve’s knees gave way beneath him. His butt slammed heavily onto the couch—onto the lusciously warm patch Eddie had vacated.

A private room. Alone with Eddie.

Oh. My. God.

“However, you are our favorite customer.” Carol’s smile verged on a simper.  “I’ll talk to Tommy. I’m sure we can figure something out.”

Eddie turned to Steve, who scrambled to his feet. “You okay with that, Steve?”

Steve nodded. Yes, he was.  He shouldn’t be, but this was Eddie. He wanted to ask Carol if the same rules would apply as usual.

His voice failed him. To be fair, he hardly cared if they did, or they didn’t. He just wanted to be back in Eddie’s lap.

“You sure?” prompted Eddie. “Because if you feel uncomfortable about this in any way—”

“No! It’s fine.”

Steve trusted Eddie. Maybe he shouldn’t. Crazily, he did. These past three days, he figured he should’ve felt more scared about his past catching up than usual, about being found out.

He didn’t. His past seemed more distant than ever. Having Eddie in his life made him feel safer.

Yup, crazy.

“Honestly, I like the idea,” he said, dispelling a final hint of doubt from Eddie’s sincere and searching gaze. “It gets us away from Carol here. She can screech high enough to shatter glass.”

“Shut up already, Steve!” Carol tittered and blushed in equal measures. “We don’t screech, Mister Munson. Honest. He’s being a total douche.”

After Eddie had gone, Steve managed to resist analysing his emotions too deeply by squealing his head off with Chrissy and Carol and dancing around the café.

Right until another customer turned up, and they all had to crash back to earth pronto.

Chapter 3.1 on tumblr Chapter 3.2 on tumblr

Chapter 3 on AO3

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Thank you so very much for reading. If you enjoyed, every little like and reblog or comment means a lot to me so thank you💚

I am always happy to tag, pls let me know, or you can follow the tag #steddie omega cat cafe 💚

tags 💚🐈‍⬛💚 @disrespectedgoatman 💚 @bumblebeecuttlefishes

@katethetank 💚 @themoonagainstmers 💚

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[wren-writes-stuff]

Of Lattes and Lab Rats: Chapter 8- Wax Seal

(Wattpad version)

(See here for masterlist and warnings. This story is 18+!!!)

When Jayce awoke in your bed the next morning, head pounding with a furious headache, he was entirely alone. Well, not entirely; the space you had occupied next to him all night had been taken over by a very fluffy cat. Jayce blinked his eyes a few times, willing them to focus. He had no idea what time it was, but the sunlight illuminating the tiny bedroom told him he'd slept in way too late.

He sat up, shifting the covers off himself- only to find he was completely naked. Memories of last night's activities flooded his mind, and he felt his heart swell with affection. Seeing you on your knees for him was something he wouldn't soon forget.

His head throbbed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. Alright, maybe he'd had a little too much wine last night. Just then, he felt something's soft against his elbow- your cat was rubbing her face against him, purring quite loudly. He scratched behind her ear in return.

'I don't suppose you know where she got off to, do you?" He asked the cat- who he determined was named "Toffee", based on the shiny gold tag hanging off her collar.

Toffee blinked up at him.

"Well, you're not very helpful." He stood, stretched, and padded out of the bedroom in search of pants- and maybe a bite to eat. He found his clothes folded neatly on the coffee table with a note:

Jayce-

Sorry to leave you alone. I had to get to work, but I didn't want to disturb you.

I don't know about you, but I had a wonderful time yesterday; I'd very much like to see you again. Stop by again sometime, if you'd like. We can work something out :)

Hang out for as long as you want. Feel free to use my shower, or pick at the leftovers in the icebox if you're hungry.

At the bottom of the page, you'd signed your name; right next to a little heart. Jayce smiled to himself, already formulating ideas for your next date.

As he collected his clothes, he glanced at the clock- it was almost noon already. Shit. He was supposed to be at the lab hours ago. Viktor was gonna be pissed. He scrambled to take a shower, borrowing your soap (he prayed that your scent following him around all day wouldn't be terribly distracting), and rushed out the door without any breakfast.

He sprinted towards the academy, trying his best not to smack headfirst into passersby. He burst into the lab, completely winded, sweat collecting on his forehead. He raised a hand in greeting to Viktor, before doubling over to catch his breath.

"Jayce! Where were you? I was beginning to worry you weren't going to show up." Viktor's accented voice pierced through Jayce's skull, his volume worsening the headache he'd woken up with. He stood up straight, looking to his lab partner.

"I'm sorry. I-I over slept. Am I too late?"

He stalked over to his work station, gathering up various documents. They had an important investor's meeting today; every so often, they had to present the progress they'd made in their work. People like to see what their money was going to; and in Jayce's case, it was reaffirming that he deserved to keep his place in the academy. He'd proved Hextech was possible; but until he proved it was profitable, he was still on thin ice with the council.

"No," Said Viktor, annoyance seeping into his voice, "but we've hardly time to prepare. Are you ready for our presentation? If we fail-"

"I know, I know," Jayce cut him off, "I'm sorry. I got...carried away last night. I'm ready though. It'll be okay. Great, even." He turned back to his friend, forcing a smile onto his face. It didn't matter how nervous he was; fake it till you make it, he thought. Viktor hobbled over, limping more than usual, and wearing a tight grimace. It must be a bad pain day for him. "I'll make it up to you. If this goes well, I'll pick up a nice lunch for us tomorrow. I'll even get that sweet milk you like."

Viktor looked over Jayce's shoulder at his notes, seeming to consider this- before his face contorted to confusion.

"Why do you smell like a woman?"

Jayce scoffed. "I didn't know smelling nice was a feminine trait" he teased.

"Whatever. I hope whatever poor lady that had to deal with you last night was worth it," he teased back.  "By the way, this came for you today." He produced an envelope from his back pocket. It was sealed with shiny gold wax, emblazoned with Heimerdinger's crest. Jayce took it, but Viktor spoke again before he could crack it open.

"I got one, too. It's an invitation to the professor's birthday party this weekend. It mentions bringing a plus one, as well." He shrugged. "Sorry to spoil it for you."

"Damn," said Jayce, "how old is he now, anyway?"

"Three hundred and seven. No, wait-" Viktor looked up at the ceiling, counting on his fingers. "Three hundred and eight."

Jayce whistled loudly. "Sheesh. I can't imagine-"

Just then, there was a light knock at the door, and in came Heimerdinger himself.

'Good afternoon, gentlemen!" The cheery, energetic attitude he always kept about him seemed extra irritating to Jayce today. Following behind him was Mel Medarda, with her assistant, Elora; and Cassandra Kiramman. And, of course, the pet poro that followed Heimerdinger everywhere he went.

"I hope you boys are ready!" He exclaimed, "I've can't wait to see the progress you've made on those Hexgates of yours."

Jayce exchanged glances with Viktor, and stood up a little straighter. "Ready as we'll ever be, professor."

————————-

As the lab door swung shut, slamming loudly, the two scientists heaved a sigh of relief. Not only did the presentation go well, but two of the three councilors present seemed eager to move forward with construction. Heimerdinger was hesitant as always, citing the need for more time to perform more tests; but Councilor Medarda and Councilor Kiramman had agreed to hold a meeting to discuss the matter further.

Viktor collapsed into his chair, seemingly relieved to finally give his leg a rest. Jayce leaned against his workbench, burying his face in his hands. His throbbing headache was treating him no better, and his empty stomach had begun to turn queasy.

"Are you alright, Jayce?"

He nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine. Just had a little too much to drink last night." He smiled tiredly at Viktor. "Are you hungry? I think I'll go grab us some lunch."

Viktor looked to the ground, considering the idea; then he shrugged. "I could eat. Whatever you're in the mood for, I don't care."

Jayce stood up straight and started towards the door. "I'll be back soon. Do you need anything else while I'm out?"

Viktor shook his head 'no', and waved indifferently to his lab partner, turning towards his workbench.

Jayce stepped out without another word, heading down the corridor, and up the street. The sky was gloomy, and the warm air was thick with humidity and the scent of petrichor.

He'd made up his mind almost immediately that their lunch today would be from The Roost. He wanted to see you again, mostly. Despite his headache, and the excitement after their meeting, he found it hard to think of anything but you. More specifically, the way you'd came into his hand last night; clawing at his back, crying out his name. Your mascara staining your pretty, cock-stuffed face. He felt himself growing hard, and tried to push the thoughts out of his mind.

He felt something wet plop on the top of his head, and looked up to find the source (thanking the gods for a distraction). It had begun to rain. He cursed himself for not being more prepared, and picked up his pace to avoid getting completely soaked.

It wasn't long before he found himself at your place of work once again. He saw you through the window, cheerfully chatting with a customer, before he stepped through the door. At the sound of the bell overhead, you glanced over at him- and smiled. He felt his chest swell for the umpteenth time since he'd woken that morning, and stepped in line.

The cafe was bustling with the afternoon crowd of students getting their caffeine fix for the day. The warm glow of overhead lights, and the scent of fresh coffee overwhelmed his senses. On a rainy day like this, it would be the perfect setting to relax for a while.

The line was long, and he found himself admiring the decorations and ambience (anything to avoid creepily staring at you for too long). He wondered if any of the paintings on the walls were yours. Most of them were portraits of vastaya women, surrounded by swirling patterns and floral designs. Others were birds backed by trees, their branches twisting and writhing intricately. It was an outdated style, but not one that Jayce disliked. He wondered-

"Hey, you."

He was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of your voice, and the realization that it was his turn in line. You were smiling- no, beaming up at him, fingers fidgeting with a permanent marker. He smiled back, trying to hide his exhaustion.

"Hey, yourself. You seem pretty chipper for someone who was up all night." You averted his gaze, blushing at the implications he was making.

"Believe me, it took an ungodly amount of espresso to bring me back to life this morning." You didn't acknowledge his flirting; ever the professional. "I'm so sorry, it's too busy in here to chat right now. Were you here to order something, or just say hello?"

"No, no. I mean, yes- I wanted to see you. But also, I'm here to grab some lunch for Viktor and I." He looked over at the glass case next to the counter, considering his options. It was full of pastries, muffins, and various types of bagels.

The bell above the door chimed. You glanced nervously behind him, and cleared your throat to get his attention- "I'm so sorry to rush you, but the line is getting longer. Can I make a suggestion?" Jayce nodded. "The cranberry muffins are the best. Or if you want something savory, get one of the cheddar bagels; not the sesame ones. Poe keeps trying to sell the old ones, and they're hard as rocks now."

"Okay, then," Jayce decided, "I'll do that. Um, two of the muffins and two of the bagels. Oh- and, a sweet milk, and a triple shot espresso. Just black is fine."

You rang him up and scribbled his receipt, glancing at the line as the door bell rang out again. "Ugh. It just keeps getting longer and longer," you muttered, loud enough that only Jayce could hear you. You handed him his receipt. "Give me a few minutes and I'll bring it out to you. I'll get Poe to cover my break and we can eat together, if you'd like?" You looked hesitant, but hopeful. Jayce smiled.

"Absolutely." He stepped aside, and the old woman behind him huffed impatiently. You turned your attention to her, visibly stiffening as another customer stepped through the door, setting off the bell. Business was good, he supposed.

He picked a spot in the far corer of the shop to get away from the bustling line. His headache pounded incessantly through the noisy chatter, his stomach flip-flopping between hunger and nausea. Skipping breakfast had been a terrible idea.

It was ten more minutes before you sat across from him, bags of treats and a tray of drinks in hand. Jayce thanked you profusely, immediately  chugging his espresso. It was bitter, and hot, and exactly what he needed right now.

"I'm sorry it took so long," you sighed. "It's been absolutely crazy today." Jayce took one of the bags, unwrapping his bagel.

"I've never seen it so busy before," he said. You shrugged, taking the third drink from the tray.

"Poe finally got around to making advertisements," you said. "I've been telling him for years it would be good for business, but he was too cheap to do it. Well, now I get to tell him 'I told you so.' "  You smiled mischievously. Jayce chuckled through his mouthful of bread. He swallowed and picked up his drink again- and stopped when he saw your raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Do you always eat like you've never tasted food before?" You were still smiling, eyes full of mirth. You seemed genuinely in high spirits. Jayce suddenly became self conscious, and sat up straight.

"Sorry. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning. I wasn't trying to be rude."

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "Rude?"

Jayce shrugged.

"Yeah. Yknow, table manners, or whatever. Anyway- I don't have much time. Viktor's waiting for me back a the lab. I'm sorry to rush out of here, but-"

"Oh shit, I'm sorry," You cut him off by accident, your anxiety preceding you. "I didn't even consider you might be working today too."

"No, no it's fine. This is atypical for me. I just had a meeting today is all. Speaking of which-" he pulled out the party invitation from his breast pocket- "did you have plans this weekend? I've been invited to a party." He said the last part with a faux pompous attitude.  "Would you like to be my plus one?"

You took the envelope from him, turning it over gingerly. "Wow. This looks fancy," you said with disbelief. "What kind of party? W-wait..." your eyes landed on the gold seal, mouth dropping open slightly. "This is...Heimerdinger's crest?" You looked to him for confirmation, and he gave it.

"Yup. Dude's turning three hundred and eight. I thought it might be more fun with a pretty girl on my arm." He winked at you, and you flushed; but the bewilderment didn't leave your expression.

"Jayce, I can't go. I mean, I don't think I belong at a party with the head of the city council; and who knows who else. I don't even have anything to wear, I..." you trailed off, eyes still on the letter.

"I'll take you shopping," Jayce offered. You met his gaze, and he continued before you could protest further. "Look, it's okay if you really don't want to go. But...just think about it okay? It could be fun. We'll make a date out of it. We'll find you something nice to wear, take you out to eat. Maybe we can do something fun like check out the observatory, too." He stood, gathering the bag of snacks and Viktor's sweet milk.

"I'll stop in again tomorrow afternoon. You can let me know by then." You nodded, and stood to join him.

"Alright, I'll think about it. Thank you." You grinned at him, gave him a peck on the cheek (Jayce thought his heart might just explode), and turned to go back to work.

Jayce backed out of the door and stood under the awning for a moment. It had really begun to pour, now. He thought about stepping into a nearby shop for an umbrella, but his hands were much too full to even hold one. The only way out is through, then, he thought bitterly.

————

When he made it back to the lab, soaking wet and dripping on the cold tile floor, Viktor gave him a bemused look.

"Had a good swim?"

"Shut up."

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Kinktober Day 8

Day Seven | 🌹Kinktober Masterlist🌹 | Day Nine

Pairing: Rafael Barba x Reader

Rating: Explicit - 18+ Only. Any minors interacting with ANY of these Kinktober prompts will be blocked.

Warnings: Cockwarming; restraints; spanking; impact play; Dom/Brat dynamics; choking; rough sex; oral sex; vaginal sex; cum shot; cum play

Your thighs ached where they were stretched across Rafael’s lap in a straddle. Your hands hooked together behind his back, your arms curled around his shoulders. You had only just managed to lull yourself into focusing on your breathing, not in the feeling of him tucked between your thighs.

Oh—no. The reminder made your pussy throb around him, your body going warm with muted embarrassment. He gave a questioning hum at the feeling, and you shook your head just a little, your chin making a soft shushing noise as it brushed against his shirt and suspenders.

"Sorry," You mumbled. "Won't happen again."

"Yes it will." He didn't say it meanly, and you didn't take it meanly, either. It was just a fact. It happened every time you did this. It was an inevitability.

"You alright?" He added.

"Mhm."

"Your legs asleep?"

"Mmm..." You curled your toes, giving your legs a gentle swing. Your legs felt strained; your thigh was beginning to cramp just a little. "Getting there."

"Color?"

"Green," You insisted, crushing your body closer against his. Rafael chuckled softly. You heard him turn a page, felt his arms shift against your sides as he took up a pen and returned to his work.

"Alright," He soothed before he fell silent again, refocusing on his work. You took in a deep breath, letting your eyes slide closed. Just focus on your breathing. Focus on your breathing, and not on the warm body pressed up against you. Focus on your breathing, and not on the feeling of his breath against your bare shoulder. Focus on your breathing, and not on the—

You bit your lip, fighting back a whimper as you felt Rafael's cock hardening.

"Rafa," You mumbled weakly.

"I can't help it," He purred, nuzzling into your neck as he lowered a hand to rest on your lower back. "You're being so good for me."

Your cunt clutched around him again, and you gave an experimental roll of your hips, but Rafael tutted softly, stilling you.

"Did I tell you to move?"

You pouted as you sagged into him.

"No," You grumbled.

"So what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"...Alleviating a leg cramp?"

"You're an awful liar."

"Am not."

"Are you sure you want to start down that road?"

If you wanted to cum, the right answer was no. If you wanted to annoy Rafael, the right answer was yes. And sure, you'd been on his lap for nearly two hours, but Rafael had come home early just to burrow into his office to work. What else were you supposed to do, just wait for him to be finished? 

"I'm waiting," He added. Ugh, he was so impatient. Damnit, you wanted to cum so badly, and if you just kept your mouth shut—

You leaned back, your body almost syrupy as you shifted fully for the first time in two hours. You fixed Rafael with a stern gaze as you propped your elbows up on the desk behind you, arching a brow. Rafael's expression remained neutral, but you could see the twinkling of mirth in his warm, dark eyes. As good as his poker face was, he couldn't seem to resist trailing his eyes covetously over your naked body, drifting over your breasts, his tongue darting out over his lips as his gaze settled on where the two of you were joined.

"I am not an awful liar," You insisted.

"Sweetheart, if I got you in front of a grand jury, they would vote to indict."  

"On being a shitty liar?"

"Mhm."

"Evidence?"

"This, right now, right here."

"Not enough to build a case."

"You want me to establish a pattern?"

"I would love for you to, but you have jack shit, Barba."

"When I asked you who ate the last yogurt last week?"

"We only thought it was the last one. You found another behind the eggs."

"You still pretended that you hadn't eaten what we thought was the last one."

"Because I knew, deep down, that it was not."

"Deep down isn't going to be enough for a jury."

"Neither is this weak sauce."

"Fine. Your cousin's engagement."

"Expand on that."

"You told your cousin that you had no idea when she was being proposed to—"

"Right."

"That you hadn't seen a ring—"

"Correct."

"And knew of no plans that her boyfriend had."

"Correct."

"All lies."

"Yes, but all lies for a greater good. And, may I add, all convincing lies. She had no idea that it would happen and thanked me for keeping the secret once she knew the truth. Your case isn't holding water here, Barba."

"Really."

"Swiss cheese. Full'a holes."

"Tell me this, then."

"Mm?"

"Is your leg still cramping?"

You bit down on the inside of your cheek, keeping your gaze steadily on Rafael's.

"Maybe."

"It's a yes or no question."

"Ish."

“Yes. Or. No.” 

Your smile widened as you feel Rafael’s cock twitch inside of you. 

“Is this turning you on, Mr. Barba?” You shifted against the desk, giving a subtle roll of your hips as you did. He groaned lowly, hands raising to grasp your hips and still at you. You grinned as his nails dug into your skin. 

“You are wading into dangerous territory, little girl.”

“Little girl,” You repeated with a chuckle. “You are pissed off.” 

“I’m supposed to be working.”

“You’ve been working all day, and now you’re dreaming up my imaginary indictment. That is a lot of work.” 

Rafael didn’t answer for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. 

“You told your niece that she couldn’t have any of your ‘grape juice’ when it was not in fact grape juice,” He offered.

“Doing the opposite would’ve classed as endangerment.”

“You cheated on your high school spanish final.” 

“I told you that in confidence. And besides, I got away with it. I am an amazing liar….Which is not to say that I was lying to you earlier.” 

“I don’t believe you.” Rafael’s hands snaked around your back, thumbs sweeping tenderly over the base of your spine. 

“Well, I can’t help that. So?” You wriggled in his lap. Rafael’s smile widened before he slid his hand back around, slapping your hip. 

“Get back in position.” 

Your smile fell swiftly, brow furrowing. 

“But I thought—”

“You thought wrong.” 

“You’re not playing fair.” 

“Yes, I am.” 

“Rafa—” 

“You know the rules—” 

“Oh, come on—”

“And you know the consequences.” 

You did know, and the reminder made your skin tingle. You were already set for a walloping for moving without his permission. You weren’t sure what you’d get for mouthing off—you didn’t think you’d even have to atone for that one tonight. Knowing Rafael, he’d have you writing lines on nightly for a week. It was one of his favorite punishments, and you were certain that it was because he knew how much you disliked it. 

If you leaned back into Rafael now, your punishment would probably be fairly minimal��but not an absolute zero. You’d already committed two indiscretions. You swallowed thickly before you shrugged, giving your hips a blatant shove against his. 

“Care to refresh my memory, counselor?” 

-- 

“Hands behind your back.” 

The order was chased by the clanking of his belt buckle, and a hand nudging you toward his bed. You knelt up on the bed, tucking your hands behind your back, a thrill running through you as you felt the leather being looped, then tightened around them. He gave you another push, bending you forward onto the sheets. You rested your head against them, biting your lip as Rafael smoothed his hand up over your bare backside, then rested a steadying hand on your lower back. You could feel him watching you, waiting for you to call it off. He always gave you a little grace period when things were headed toward the rougher side. 

“Color?” He asked.

“Green.”

You’d hardly gotten the word out before Rafael’s hand came down on your backside with a deafening crack! Your eyes slipped shut, mouth falling open as you leaned into the sting. 

“Count,” Rafael ordered, sliding his hand over the heated flesh. You swallowed thickly, managing to croak out, “One,” just before the second blow fell. You shivered, feeling his fingers brush against your flushed cunt as he drew away. 

“Two.” 

Rafael leveled blow after blow after blow, giving you just moments to catch your breath and count aloud before his hand doled out its punishment again. By the time you reached twenty-four, you could hear Rafael panting behind you. He drew in a deep breath, murmuring, “One more.” 

“Yes.” 

The hand came down, bypassing your hot, tender ass, and landing across your plumped, slick pussy. You yowled, turning your head to quiet some of the sound as your cunt throbbed, sending a ripple of pleasurable pain through you. Fuck, the bastard knew what he was doing. 

“Twenty-five,” You finally mumbled, tongue thick and heavy in your mouth. You heard a thud and glanced back just enough to see Rafael on his knees. He grasped your hips, tugging you back until your legs dangled off of the bed. He dove in, tongue laving your slick opening. You whimpered at the hot slide, at the feeling of him moaning against you. He leaned back and spat, trailing his fingers through your juices before replacing his tongue. You could hear the filthy sound of him grasping his cock, jerking it as he feasted on your pussy. 

“Rafa,” You mumbled, pushing your hips back against him. “I need you inside me—Fuck, fuck that feels so—mm…”

You glanced back as Rafael drew away, standing. His hair had sprung from his neat coif, a few strands bowing over his forehead as he grasped his cock. He caught your eye, holding your gaze as he thrust into you . The two of you both cursed as he sank into your wet heat, feeling you clench around him. He reached down, using the belt around your wrists to tug you into kneeling on the bed. You wobbled, widening your stance to steady yourself as he began to pound into you. He curled his arm around your waist, pulling you into his chest, groaning and growling against your skin. His hand came up, tweaking and slapping your nipples. Each little sting brought you closer and closer to the edge. 

You rested your head back against his shoulder, grinning as his hand snaked up to your throat. You nodded, breathing, “Yes,” As he tightened his grip. Rafael nipped your shoulder as he hammered his hips against yours, using the grasp on your neck to guide your body down against his thick length. 

“Can you cum just like this?” He murmured. 

“Yes, Rafael.” 

“Go on, then,” He urged, “Tighten up on that cock—Fuck, that’s it, just like that.” 

You whimpered, hands grasping together as you came harshly, hips bounding against his. Rafael’s hold on your neck kept you from hinging forward and landing in the sheets. He kept thrusting as you came down from your high, pace as rapid and strong as before. You were startled when he pulled out and took hold of your arms, ordering, “Get down.” 

You let him guide you to sit on the floor beside the bed, gazing up at him with cock-drunk eyes. He stood over you, panting, his hand jacking his cock with a filthy squelch and slide. You opened your mouth sticking your tongue out and waggling it back and forth. He groaned, his head tipping back as spurts of hot cum covered your face and mouth. You sighed softly, leaning up and lapping at the head, then giving it a light sucking kiss that made his hips jolt.

Rafael braced his hands on the bed behind your head, carefully lowering himself to sit on the floor beside you. The two of you sat quietly for a few moments, watching one another. He reached up, gathering a few stray drops of cum and holding his finger up. You opened your mouth, sucking the finger between your lips, and smiling as he grinned and chuckled. 

“You dirty little thing,” He murmured fondly. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to your forehead as he reached behind you, undoing the belt holding your wrists together. Your aching arms sagged once they were released. You rolled your wrists, raising your hands and eyeing the indentation left by the leather. You needed to move, and soon. Your ass was throbbing viciously—though the cool wood floor felt nicer than you'd thought it would. Rafael gathered you into his chest, pressing another kiss to your temple. 

"We should get cleaned up," He urged.

"Mm...In a minute."

"Alright. Are you feeling okay?"

"Mhm."

"Hungry, thirsty?"

"Both. But don't move yet, please."

"Okay."

“...Rafael?” 

“Mm?” 

“My leg wasn’t cramping.” 

“Prosecution rests.”

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[romancecroc]

Circles (part 4) - Jason x MC

(Ao3 version) (part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 5) (part 6) (part 7) (part 8)

When Ysaline said they´d be at each other’s throats soon enough, she expected it within a week. Maybe two.

But not during the first session.

“With all due respect, the time schedule for the opening event will ruin the afterparty.” Jason stated, crossing his arms.

They were stuck in one of the Goldreams conference rooms for at least 4 hours. Cups of coffee and tea were scattered across the table.

A whiteboard with scribbles and letters, that nobody outside of the conversation would understand.

“With no respect at all, that is my problem, not yours. You don’t see me digging my fingers into the afterparty plan.” Ysaline snapped back, almost hissing.

The meeting started with Ysaline just giving a report of how things were going. The first draft of the opening event, timeslots and all.

Of course Jason could not resist criticising it all.

Or rather, why it was working against the afterparty.

“Why would you? It is perfect after all.” Jason smirked, his confident pose returning.

He was infuriating. But it was moments like these, Ysaline had to remember to stay professional. And talk back of course.

“If it’s so perfect, why haven’t you shared it?”

“It is confidential. Goldreams-members only.”

A long sigh escaped Ysaline.

Maybe Devon chose her on purpose, knowing that everybody else would punch Jason. Or worse.

“But that wasn’t the point! I already shared our plan, I need to know what’s happening on your end. How else will we ensure a smooth transition?”

“Guess you’ll have to get creative, kitten.” He purred.

He truly believed the afterparty could stand on its own. And maybe it could – it was hard to judge who guests would blame for, if the opening night and afterparty were too different. Whichever was more memorable had better chances.

And Jason was betting on his part.

Ysaline stared at him with a poker face. He shrugged back.

“You won’t collaborate then?” she asked one final time.

“At this moment? No. Thank you for the update though. It’s nice to have an impression on how things are going.”

And with that, Ysaline made an internal switch.

Two can play this game. And after all, she did learn a thing or two watching her mother handle difficult partners.

Ysaline then switched her poker face into the brightest smile she could possibly make.

She then grabbed her phone and connected it to the conference room.  Just so everybody inside could listen to whatever was going to happen.

Jason’s smirk was still plastered on his face, but a slight curiosity was visible as well.

And with that, Ysaline dialled a number.

The response was immediate.

“Ysaline, my dear!”

Don Suave´s voice was echoing across the conference room. Incredibly loud.

Jason looked at her startled.

“To what do I owe this pleasure? Oh, is it about your plan? I must tell you again how much I love it.” Don Suave continued, his voice very expressive as usual.

Ysaline could imagine him striking a pose on the other side of the phone. After every word.

“You’re too kind! Still, I am soooo sorry to disturb you, Mr. Suave. You see, it seems like I have run into a little problem…” Ysaline explained, never breaking eye contact with Jason. Who was now standing up.

“Oh no! Tell me, I will help you right away!”

“You see, I want to create the most magnificent opening event possible! Just as much as you do, really – but I can’t seem to get my hands on the afterparty plan in order to plan a smooth transition…”

It finally clicked in Jason’s mind.

He was starting to reach out, trying to grab her phone. His face visibly annoyed, whispering stop. But Ysaline kept escaping his reach.

From the outside they must have looked like children, running around the conference room, hissing at each other.

“Has Mr. Mendal not shared it with you?” Don Suave asked, his tone surprised.

“Excellent question. The thing is-“ Ysaline said, but Jason finally managed to snatch her phone.

Or rather, she finally allowed him to grab it.

“Mr. Suave! It seems like there was a misunderstanding…” Jason chimed in, trying to sound as polite as possible.

Despite the forced smile, his eyes were glaring at Ysaline.

She didn’t bother listening to their conversations.

It was just a few seconds of of course we will work together for the sake of the project and we will have an update for you tomorrow already.

When the conversation was over, Jason placed the phone back on the desk. Inhaling deeply.

“That was incredibly child-“

“Please. You’re just sore about losing.” Ysaline said, cutting him off and taking back her phone.

“You said get creative, so I did. Now…” she continued, reaching for her jacket.

“If you would so kiiiindly send me over the afterparty plan per email, that would be lovely. I’d hate to spend another hour here with you, so…”

Maybe she went a little far with that.

But he’s the one who started it.

Jason continued glaring at her annoyed and then broke it off with a sigh.

“I underestimated you. It won’t happen again.” He grunted, grabbing his jacket as well.

It was late already, with most of the office people gone. Tasha wanted to wait for her sister, but didn’t dare enter the conference room while they were wrangling each other with words.

Instead, she was getting some takeout food and was setting it up at Ysaline’s apartment.

Once Ysaline stepped outside Goldreams, she felt a little summer breeze caressing her face.

It was extremely pleasant. Arguing was draining, but worth getting the plans for.

She didn’t notice Jason stepping outside with her.

“Heading home? Or Devenementiel?” he asked, as if the previous ordeal never happened.

“Home. You’re exhausting.” She said, closing her eyes to enjoy the breeze.

“Too bad. I was going to suggest a nice restaurant across the street…”

She opened her eyes.

Something tore inside. Overtaking the previous feeling of success.

“No thank you.” She responded, trying to control her facial expression.

“Ah yes, you wouldn’t want your coworker seeing you with the evil Mr. Mendal-“

“Stop.”

She was now properly pissed off. And didn’t bother trying to hide it from him either.

“You know that’s not true.”

There was this tension again. An uncomfortable silence.

She honestly preferred the previous argument over this.

“What do you mean? I was just suggesting dinner.” he said, shrugging.

I was just suggesting dinner.

It’s just dinner.

It almost felt like she was back at his apartment.

“Then go have just dinner with somebody else.” Ysaline finally said, walking away.

“Preferably a person who doesn’t turn your life upside down. I know how much you value monotony.”

The last part was not necessary. But Jason’s usual indifference was infuriating.

He set the boundary. And yet he crossed it too.

Once confronted, the same justifications followed.

No ides what you’re talking about.

I did it for the project of course.

If he said something back, she did not hear it. Her pace was rushed, trying to get home as fast as possible without running.

At least Tasha would be there. And Ysaline was starving.

[innocentlymacabre]

DUE NORTH: VIGNETTES / 8

A cozy urban fantasy about two best friends who move to the pocket of eccentricity and magic that is Due North

cw: drug mention

The quiet early morning moon washed Alecia Ossario in its silvery tinge. She was dressed in black from head to toe, turtleneck covered with a leather jacket with far too many pockets to even be possible on top and jeans and lace-up boots on the bottom, save for her hair which had decided green was the way to go tonight. She made a mental note to tell Jasper to bring the delivery time a couple hours ahead, so she doesn’t have to be up when the only other people awake are the aquatics, gnomes, and faeries. Still, primetime for client scouting.

The silence of the night was broken only by the faint sound of an approaching car, thrumbling slowly down the end of the road. It purred along almost noiselessly, but on this particular night, nothing else, not a frog or an angry moth (those things could work up a real racket when they wanted) stirred even in the slightest, and no music from a water sprite afterparty rung through the night (If there’s one thing those guys know, it’s how to party, Alecia thought to herself), making it the loudest sound for miles.

Its busted headlights illuminated only a few feet of the winding road in front of it, something that Alecia thought was a touch risqué, especially considering she quite valued the cargo, and the side lines were more amphibian than she would have liked. She spun her fingers by her side, weaving a little light in between her slender fingers and let it fall in front of the car. Grateful for the light, it steered a bit more steadily before coming calmly to a stop a few feet in front of Alecia.

The driver turned the engine off and stepped out. A black boot hit the ground first, a tiny spark flying off, before a jaunty, dapper man stepped out. He had a dark trench coat draped over a brown suit and a half-buttoned olive-green shirt. He rounded out the sombreness with a yellow scarf and topped it all off with a top hat balanced on his head, tilted precariously to one side. His face belonged to a much younger man, all save for the eyes, which betrayed his true age.

“Alecia!” he exclaimed. “How you doing, darling?”

“Just fine, J, just fine. You should really get that headlight fixed, ya know.”

“Yeah, you know how it is. Always something in the way.”

“Uh huh. Well, shall we get down to business?”

“Always so quick on the draw, Alecia. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you didn’t like me very much,” he jested, leading the way to the back of the car nonetheless.

“Who said I liked ya? I do like what you’re carrying though, if that helps,” she said, winking.

Jasper mimed being shot in the heart with a laugh, then opened the trunk; Alecia twiddled her fingers and redirected the light from the road to the trunk to get a better view. Two plastic-wrapped packages, roughly the size of sacks of flour, gleamed in her light, boasting colourful pills packed to the brim, threatening to spill and scatter across the pavement.

“Jasper, plastic? I thought we’d already had this conversation, come on.”

“I know, I know, sorry. Last-minute complication leaving me with no choice. Won’t happen again, don’t worry.”

Alecia huffed. “Fine. Leave it with me. If a satyr drops by, I’ll throw it in as a “gesture of good faith”.”

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[eponymous-rose]

Monday!

It's been a while since I've done one of these week-in-the-life posts (and I LOVE reading them from others), and it's a particularly stressful week where I'm trying to stay off social media for Reasons, so hey, let's do this again!

It's a busy day, but it starts relatively late - I don't have to leave for the office until 10AM. So, you may ask, why on earth do I set my alarm for 8:30? Is it because I have an elaborate morning routine? Is it so I can hit the gym and go for a jog? No, no, no, it's because I have a little cat who takes the alarm as her cue to cuddle and I don't want to disappoint her, so I inevitably spend half an hour hugging her like a purring teddy bear first thing in the morning before I get up.

I respond to some e-mails as I get ready and on the bus ride over - mostly prep for our department's holiday party (I'm in the band and we're trying to get as much practice in as possible), but also a little work getting supercomputer access restored for an undergrad research assistant, offering to write a letter of recommendation so my colleague doesn't have to (we both know the student well and said colleague is traveling across the country for a funeral on a redeye flight tonight...), reworking some elements of the rubric for the faculty search committee I'm on, and confirming a meeting with my grad student.

10:45 - I get to the office and go to make my usual mug of tea... and realize in the moment I close my office door that the keys are still inside. I get the hot water from the lounge and meander by the office, but nobody's there. Just as I'm about to work up the nerve to go interrupt a more senior professor's meeting to borrow his keys, one of the office staff walks by and is happy to open the door for me, phew.

11:00 - My most senior grad student is doing an internship in Colorado this quarter (it's the location he most wants to do a postdoc at as well!), and we've set up a call to catch up after a few weeks without chatting. It's a bit of an awkward chat because he wants to go to his second conference in two months, and I had to bring out the "well, um, this is a side project you're doing with someone else's research group and you may want to check with them about where the $2000+ for conference costs is coming from". I possibly have an avenue - I might ask him to just attend for a couple of days instead of the whole time, so I can use some funding from a different grant, but I'm hoping we can get some cost-sharing going here, or possibly the other professor he's working with can present his poster for him if need be. Still, his work's going great and I'm hoping we can get him to this conference! He finishes his PhD this year, and I can attest to how helpful conferences are for landing postdocs.

12:00 - Speaking of grants, I had a successful grant come through late last summer to study wildfire smoke dynamics with novel instrumentation (something new to me!), and the whole team is meeting up for the first time to talk logistics! I also have to teach real soon, so I'm only on for the first chunk of the call, but we get some of the plan set up. Looks like we'll be meeting at a NASA facility early next year to do some siting stuff prior to the first controlled burn. I genuinely have no idea what I'm doing on this project, apart from being willing to write a big chunk of the proposal, but it's a good time!

12:30 - Class time! This is my domain-specific intro-to-python class that I developed 5 years ago and have been iterating on ever since. It's going a lot smoother this week than last, and the students are pretty responsive to my jokes (priority #1, lbr) and seem to be following along quite well, judging by the handful of questions I get after class. Not a ton of technical issues today, either, which is a HUGE win over last week.

1:30 - Forecasting time! I'm once again part of our university team in a giant forecasting contest. While I'm decidedly average at it (usually around 250th out of 1000 participants), my grad student was #1 for a while there. We chat in broad terms about the next week of weather in our targeted forecasting region.

2:30 - Meeting with another graduate student! We talk about some of the researchers he reached out to after his first conference a couple weeks ago, and we're starting to narrow down a possible author list for his first paper. He's working on writing up the methods and data for that paper while he incorporates a few new datasets into his preestablished workflow. He's been doing really well! Being a dual-major in CS means his code is a heckuva lot more organized than most second-year grad students I've had.

3:30 - ...nothing??? I've decided to skip my usual seminar and postpone one undergraduate student research meeting this afternoon (the one currently locked out of the supercomputer he needs for his project) since I have a couple of grant proposals due very shortly. I head out to grab some teriyaki to bring back to my office for lunch/dinner, but the restaurant just has a big sign out front saying "closed for FIRE" so I opt to go across the street for some chicken katsu and boba tea instead. I approve the final budget (coming up on a million dollars, no pressure) and keep plugging away at the statement of work (which is basically "what are you going to do, in detail, with one million dollars over the next three years? please tell us in exactly 15 pages, not counting your 3-page bibliography and 6 appendices"). I even find a perfect paper to reference to discuss one of our theories! We've made it through one round of reviews with our pre-proposal, and man, we'd love to do this project - it would be myself, a colleague, and a postdoc looking at some really novel stuff in severe storm predictability over the next three years. I also get a little work done on the invited talk I'm giving to a student journal club tomorrow, and work on some more e-mails (trying to set up a meeting with a friend's graduate student to help her out with some methods she's using from an older paper of mine).

5:15 - One of my colleagues has retired this year and has a farewell song he wants to sing at our holiday party, which happens to be mostly voice & piano, so we agree to meet up before the main practice and go over it a couple times before the rest of the band shows up and he has to head out to dinner. I'm really sorry to see him leaving (although I know he's delighted to get to spend more time with his kids and grandkids) - he and his wife were extremely welcoming when I started here, and were so kind and supportive when Mom died. Just very touched that he reached out to me to play piano on this one. Tragically, though, whoever was supposed to bring in the keyboard hasn't left it in the practice room, so we'll have to wait and run through it with the rest of the band on Thursday. Instead, it's back to the office to get caught up on e-mail and try to slog through more of the grant application (all today's research and work has netted me... 1 page of writing, blah).

6:00 - The rest of the band shows up! We run three songs of our eight-song setlist, and I'm somehow now playing on 4/8 of them, despite there being five people signed up for keys. It's a good time, though!

8:00 - I make it home and give Clara a bunch of new toys that have arrived with her prescription food (one of which she licks for 15 minutes straight). Luckily, tomorrow's work schedule is much more chill!