#i still feel shaky after that premiere

[oh-okay-kay]

thank you stampy for changing my life for the better, for TEN years

[pedroscurls]

Hii!

I was wondering if you could make a hugh jackman x reader (shes in her 30's) where she is also an actress and they met while she also worked on Deadpool and Wolverine, and they are dating in secret and the reader is promoting her new show with her male costar and they do promoting and stuff and hugh feels like she deserves someone her own age also cause she is an uprising actress and he calls it off and they are both miserable, so ryan decides to bring her on the deadpool and wolverine press tour and makes them talk and make up and they decide to go public at the deadpool and wolverine world premiere ^^ you can decide the ending :)

better together (one-shot)

summary: after filming finishes with deadpool & wolverine, your relationship with hugh progresses... until he breaks things off with you. it isn't until ryan invites you to the press tour that you see him again and finally have a serious conversation with him. pairing: hugh jackman x fem!reader content warnings: angst (with a happy ending!), age gap (reader is in 30s, hugh is 56), description of reader (hair and outfit), no use of y/n. word count: 2.9k a/n: gah - this was so much fun to write!!! i know this took a while to post, so thank you thank you thank you for waiting and also for requesting! hope you enjoy it :) as always, this is purely fictional! i mean no disrespect to hugh jackman.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Hugh tells you, hands stuffed in his pockets as he stares at you. He didn’t want to do this, but after seeing the chemistry you had with your co-star in your new movie, he realized that he’d just be holding you back. You have your entire life ahead of you, still an up and coming actress in the industry who’s already taken the world by storm. You didn’t need him holding you back. 

“What do you mean?” Tears build in your eyes as you stare at him. You know where this is going, know exactly how this conversation is going to go. “I don’t understand. We’ve been– Things have been really going really well. We’ve been careful and–”

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” he blurts out. Hugh lies. He sees you take a step towards him, but he just shakes his head and steps back from you. He needs to keep his distance from you, even though his mind and heart is screaming at him to just pull you into his arms. 

“You’re lying…” 

“I’m sorry,” he sighs. “You deserve someone better than me, baby. Someone your age and I can’t– I can’t give you what you need.” 

“You don’t know what I need.”

“I know that it’s not me,” Hugh says. 

“I asked you before if our age gap bothered you,” you whisper, tears now strolling down your cheeks. “You said it didn’t. What changed?” 

“Everything,” he answers. 

“Okay,” you reply, voice shaky. “I think you should go.”

Hugh nods, clearing his throat. “Right, yeah. I just– I’ll see you around?” 

“Probably not.” 

“Baby…” Hugh shakes his head, and corrects himself by calling you by your name instead. “I’d still like it if we remain friends…”

“I don’t think I can do that,” you answer honestly. “Goodbye, Hugh.” You walk to your front door and open it for him, gripping the handle as you keep your eyes focused on your feet. 

Hugh sighs and then walks towards you, he stops briefly to look down at you, waiting and waiting for you to just look up at him. But you don’t. He leans in, tries to give you a kiss on your cheek, but you pull away, taking a step back away from him. 

“Goodbye, Hugh,” you repeat, gazing up at him momentarily. 

Hugh tightens his jaw. He can see the broken look you have on your face and as badly as he wants to tell you that he doesn’t mean any of the things he’s said, he doesn’t. “Goodbye,” he whispers, stepping past the threshold as he hears the door shut quietly behind him.

—

“You called it off?” Ryan says over the phone once Hugh climbs into his car. “Are you an idiot?” 

“Ryan–”

“You do realize you just let go of someone who could have been really good for you, right?” 

“I’m fifty-six, Ryan. Let’s be real here. She’s just starting out and she’s going to meet new people, work with people who are around her age. I’m just going to be holding her back.” Hugh admits, starting his car and putting on his seatbelt. When he pulls out of the parking spot and begins to leave your apartment complex, he feels his heart break just a little bit more. 

“So all of a sudden, we care about age gap?” Ryan asks. “Since when?”

Hugh sighs. “I just saw her with her co-star for the latest movie she’s in and well, it just got me thinking. What is she doing with someone almost twice her age? I don’t deserve her, Ryan.” 

Ryan laughs. He literally laughs and it makes Hugh rolls his eyes. “I’m sorry, Hugh,” he takes a deep breath in between his laughter. “But that’s the most bullshit excuse I’ve ever heard. You’re not the type of guy to care about those things.”

“It’s just different with her. She has so much potential,” Hugh answers. “I just know what people are going to say if word ever got out that we were together.”

“Who cares? You never cared about all of that.” 

“I don’t, but her career is just starting. If everyone knew about my relationship with her, she would forever be attached to my name. People aren’t going to take her seriously and–”

“She doesn’t care about that shit either,” Ryan interrupts. “She can hold her own. If she couldn’t, she wouldn’t have made it this far in this industry. You and I both know that.”

“Well, it’s been done, Ryan.”

“So, get her back.”

“No.”

“Why not?” 

“Because I already broke her.” 

“Broken things can always be fixed,” Ryan adds.

“Not this time,” Hugh sighs. “There’s no coming back from this. You didn’t see the way she looked at me.”

“I have an idea,” Ryan comments. “I mean, you just broke her heart and–”

“Ryan,” Hugh warns. “Listen, I wanted to tell you because I know she might be joining the team for the press tour for Deadpool & Wolverine and didn’t want things to be awkward… Or weird.” 

“Well, I appreciate being in the loop,” Ryan sighs. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?” 

Hugh shrugs to himself as he continues driving. “I’m not okay right now, but yeah, I will be.”

“I still think you’re making a big mistake, but… if you’re sure, then okay, Hugh.” 

Hugh doesn’t know if he’s even sure this was a good idea. There’s a part of him that already knows he’s making a mistake by letting you go, but he couldn’t shake off the nagging thought that he’d be holding you back. Especially not after seeing the chemistry you had with your male co-star. It wasn’t that he was jealous – Hugh isn’t a jealous man – but it just showed him that you deserved better than him. Deserved to be with someone closer to your age. 

“Right, thanks for listening, mate. I’ll see you next week.” 

—

It’s been a couple of weeks since Hugh had broken up with you and you had to force a smile on your face for every interview for your new movie. No one on your team or your fellow co-stars noticed a difference in your behavior, so at least it was easy to put on a facade in the meantime. 

You just don’t know how you would react when seeing Hugh for the first time when you join them for the press tour of Deadpool & Wolverine. Since Hugh had broken up with you a couple of weeks ago, you had been utterly miserable. You couldn’t unfollow him on Instagram, afraid that some internet sleuths out there will take note. So when you aimlessly scroll the app at night, sometimes you’ll see his name pop up and he’s just reposting the marketing videos that the Deadpool account had been posting to promote the movie. 

It aches you every time you see his picture. You didn’t think that you would have fallen for him, especially since he had just gotten out of a very long-term relationship and commitment, but one night after filming and after about three drinks in, you kissed him. Luckily, it was just the two of you in the comfort of your trailer. You were exhausted, but you had been noticing Hugh more and more on set. It was hard not to. He just captured your attention every time he entered a room, would make eye contact with every single person, and flash them the kindest and warmest smile you’d ever seen. 

You were lucky that the feelings you felt for him were mutual. So after one kiss, things progressed even further after that. You’d meet him at his hotel room or he’d meet you at yours. Sometimes, you would even spend the night, but when on set, you remained professional and you slowly got closer with the rest of the cast, including Ryan and Shawn. 

Even after filming for the movie ended, you and Hugh continued to see each other, making sure to be very careful not to get caught by the public eye. Only a good handful of your close friends and family knew about the relationship. The more time you spent with him, the more you started to fall for him. 

So when he decided to call things off, it caught you by surprise. Hugh hadn’t made any indication that he was rethinking this relationship and with the excuse of it being because of your age gap hurt ten times more since he never mentioned that it was ever an issue for him. 

And now, you’re walking into the hotel where the press conference for the entire cast of Deadpool & Wolverine will be for the next hour. You’re dressed in a pair of dark, denim jeans and black heels paired with a white t-shirt underneath a black oversized blazer. Your hair pulled back into a slicked back bun, makeup always remaining light and you fidget with the rings that are placed on your fingers. You can see everyone congregating in the middle of the lobby, but your eyes – they immediately find Hugh’s. 

He’s matching your outfit – dark jeans, white t-shirt, and unbuttoned black top. He flashes you a small smile in your direction and you just nod, walking inside. You can feel his eyes on you and you approach. The last few weeks had been miserable and he had tried to distract himself from thoughts of you, but he found it very difficult. Ever since leaving your apartment, Hugh couldn’t stop reflecting on maybe he had made the wrong decision. 

“Look at you,” Ryan grins, pulling you into a hug. “Glad you were able to make time for us,” he teases. 

You roll your eyes and return the hug. “Oh, please. You know I’d drop everything if you asked,” you smile. 

“Good to know,” he winks. “Because I’ve been writing a little something and there’s a part that I think you’d be perfect for.” 

“You’ll have to tell me all about it then.” 

Ryan nods and then pulls away to look between you and Hugh, his hands crossing in front of him. “So… Looks like the gang's back together.”

Hugh’s hands are placed in his pockets, his gaze still on you. He feels the urge to pull you into a hug, to give you a kiss, but he refrains from doing so. 

“Hi, Hugh,” you say professionally, giving him a slight nod. “Nice to see you.”

“Yeah, uh,” he clears his throat. “You look great.”

“Thank you.”

“You– You been busy?” Hugh asks. 

“Yeah,” you answer, looking away from him.

“Okay…” Ryan says quietly, moving a hand to clasp Hugh’s shoulder. “I’m gonna give you two some time to talk and–”

“Ryan,” you and Hugh say simultaneously.

“What?” he chuckles. “You both need to talk. Press conference doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes.” Ryan turns on his heel and walks over to Shawn, leaving both you and Hugh alone. 

“You really do look great,” Hugh finally says. 

You just give him a nod. “Listen, we can just keep our distance. We can be professional. We don’t have to–”

“I’m sorry,” he interrupts. 

“Nothing to be sorry for,” you reply. “I wasn’t what you wanted and that’s fine.” 

“Baby,” Hugh whispers, eyes softening. “That’s not– I didn’t–” He sighs heavily. “I don’t deserve you. I never did.” 

“Yeah, but that’s not up to you. It never was. You decided for me. You made that choice for me, Hugh.”

“Can we talk outside? Away from everyone else?” Hugh asks, leading you outside in a more secluded area. 

You bite your lower lip and then nod slowly, motioning for him to lead the way. He turns on his heel and glances over at you from over his shoulder, making sure that you’re still following him. Once outside, he shuts the door and takes a deep breath. 

“I miss you,” Hugh blurts out. 

“You can’t– You don’t get to say that, Hugh. You broke this off.”

“I needed to.” 

“You needed to?” you let out a sarcastic laugh, shaking your head and rolling your eyes. “Are you really going to give me another excuse, Hugh? Seriously. Just be honest. I liked you a lot more than you liked me and that’s that.”

“That’s not true,” Hugh shakes his head. 

“No? Then what changed, Hugh?”

“I didn’t want to be the reason I was holding you back,” he admits.

“What?” you ask, brows furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about, holding me back? How?” 

“I’m almost twice your age, baby.” Hugh sighs. “I saw– I saw you with your co-star and I just realized that you deserved someone that was closer to your age. You’re still an up and coming actress and I don’t want you to regret this, with me.” 

“Did I–” you sigh quietly. “Did I ever give you the impression that you would hold me back? That I would somehow one day regret this?” 

Hugh shakes his head. “Well, no…”

“Then why would you assume that just because of my co-star? Do you think that I don’t have these thoughts? That you’re supposed to be with someone closer to your age and that if this were to ever get out, people are going to say that you deserve better than me?”

“I didn’t think about that…”

“No, of course you didn’t,” you tell him. “Because you decided for me. You didn’t even give me a chance to choose, Hugh.”

“You would have chosen me.”

“You’re right,” you tighten your jaw. “I would have chosen you. I would still choose you.”

“But… why? I’m fifty-six. I’m divorced. I have two kids and–”

“Because I’ve fallen in love with you.” you interrupt him, tears pooling at your eyes. 

Hugh’s eyes widen slightly and he takes a step closer to you. “You– You’re falling in love with me?” 

“Yes, but you broke my heart, so now I have to–”

Hugh shakes his head and cups your cheeks, pressing his lips firmly to yours. He doesn’t care who will see because hearing those words just validated what he was feeling too. He feels you lean into him, hands coming to rest on his hips as his hands move to splay against the sides of your neck, moving his lips slowly with yours.

“Hugh,” you mumble, pulling away briefly as he rests his forehead against yours. “You can’t kiss me like that.”

“I regret letting you go,” he admits. “And if you’ll have me, I really want to give this another try.”

“But our age gap…”

“If it doesn’t bother you, then it shouldn’t bother me.”

“Just–” you sigh quietly. “Don’t break my heart again.”

“I won’t. I let you go once and I’ve been miserable ever since,” Hugh confesses. 

“I can’t believe I just told you I’ve fallen in love with you,” you smile, leaning in to rest your forehead against his chest as his arms move to snake around your frame.

“And just so we’re clear,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss on your temple. “I’ve fallen in love with you too.”

You pull back with wide eyes and you open your mouth to say something, but Ryan opens the door and grins at the both of you. 

“Alright, lovebirds, press is about to start. Keep it in your pants until afterwards, yeah?” Ryan winks.

—

“So, you’re sure?” you ask, looking up at Hugh as you both walk towards the car waiting for the both of you outside. It’s the world premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine and Hugh had begun talking about making your relationship public. 

“I am if you are, baby.” Hugh leans down and pecks your lips lightly. “I’m tired of sneaking around.” 

You nod, reaching down and taking a hold of his hand. “Then, let’s do it.” you smile, stepping inside of the car and feeling him climb in next to you. The car begins to move, driving towards the venue of the premiere. 

“I love you,” he whispers, looking at you with a gaze filled with so much love and softness behind it. “Thank you for giving me another chance, baby.” 

“I’d be stupid not to,” you tease, reaching up to cup his cheek, thumb brushing against the stubble. 

The car stops at the venue and you look out the window with wide eyes. There are already so many cameras, so many fans waiting on the sidelines and other celebrities are walking the red and yellow carpet. Hugh steps out first and smiles to himself, waving at the cameras before he looks back at you. 

“You ready, baby?” Hugh extends a hand out for you and gently takes a hold of your hand. 

“With you, always.” You take his hand and step out of the car with him, hearing both your names being called and Hugh slowly laces his fingers with yours as you walk towards the first marker on the carpet. 

He holds you close to his side and when he turns to press a soft kiss on your temple, the crowd roars with excitement and the cameras continue to flash in your direction. 

“Are you two together!?” 

“When did this happen!? 

“We love you!!!” 

You try to drown out the noise and it’s easy with Hugh by your side. He releases your hand to allow solo shots of the both of you and when you pose a good distance from him, Hugh can’t help but keep his eyes focused on you. He only smiles for a few moments at the camera before he runs towards you, arms wrapping around you from behind as he presses a kiss to your cheek. 

“I love you,” he whispers into your ear. 

You smile and turn around to face him, moving a hand to cup his cheek. “Let’s give ��em something to talk about?” 

Hugh grins. “Yeah, baby.” Then, he leans down and presses his lips softly against yours.

[aesthetixhoe]

paparazzi — J.C.

warnings: cursing, angst, mentions of anxiety/self worth issues,

word count: ---

pronouns used: none!

request: can u write where like us and jack are out like at the mall abd fans come up to us asking for photos and all that? (were also a actor/actress. idk is this made sense to u😭)

authors note: I added a bit of other stuff into this, so sorry if this isn't what you wanted. i love this idea deeply! <3

Being an actor and going to the mall was... Stressful. You never knew if you would be recognized, so you always had to wear presentable clothing, plus you didn't know if the people who would recognize would even like you.

The mall was no exception. With the endless stores filled with fellow teenagers and young adults who knew both you and Jack, there was bound to be at least one person who knew you.

Going out with Jack was easier than being alone. He's always there to tell you that no matter who you see, or how they feel about you, you still have fans that love you... Including him. He'll hold your hand, and tell you to squeeze it if you get anxious, give you more small kisses than usual (which is already a lot). The PDA worries you further, thinking that if someone who likes him more sees you two kissing that they'll post about it and try cancelling you or something, but the love is worth it.

You came to the mall to go shopping, you needed some more casual clothes, and Jack needed some higher end items for a premier. Walking into the mall was thankfully uneventful, but once you got further into the populace of the mall, that's when the pictures started.

It wasn't paparazzi standing right inside waiting to run you down but to get pictures, but there were teenage girls who found Jack attractive. While you were also an actor, and have also been in popular things, you weren't a hot boy...

“Oh my god! You're Jack Champion. Holy shit, can we get a picture with you?!” And so it started. He obviously said yes and you moved to the side, not before he kissed your hand though. He wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder, smiling big for her friend with the camera. They switched so the previous camera girl could get in on it. They thanked him before walking past, both still bright red, slightly shaky and whispering about how cute he was. You had to agree.

About every 30 feet was another person asking for a picture, or autograph. He would stop and gladly do whatever pose they asked for, or sign whatever they wanted. He loved all of his fans, and was willing to do anything for them.

After splitting up and going to your designated stores to buy the items you needed, you two found each other.

The walk to leave was mostly uninterrupted, just a few people recognizing you two and taking pictures. “Looks like we have some paparazzi huh?” Jack jokes, smiling at you. God he's so pretty.

“Yeah...” You say in mindless agreement. You were too busy looking at his smile and the way it made his eye squint slightly.

“Stop staring.” He says as he blushes and looks away. He loves your attention, but it doesn't stop him from blushing every time.

Once you two were home you spent time scrolling through Instagram, looking at the posts jack was tagged in, seeing all the pictures fans had taken with him.

Then... There was a picture of you.

It was a “news” Instagram account that posted celebrity sightings.

“Ah, I see you've found the stalker photos...” Jack chuckles as he approaches the back of the couch. He puts his chin on your shoulder watching as you scroll through the pictures.

“Yeah. I'm actually... Kinda flattered?” You almost ask. He hops over the back of the couch to join you in sitting. He looks at you questioningly.

“What do you mean?” He asks quietly. You hated having candids taken, they ‘always looked bad.’

You look at him before looking down embarrassed. “Well... Normally it's just pictures of you. And I hate photos, you know that, but... It feels nice to be recognized. I just feel like an accessory to you sometimes...” You admit softly.

He grabs your chin, forcing you to look at him. Once you make eye contact, both of his hands settle on either of your cheeks to keep your head steady.

“[Y/n], you'll never be an accessory. You're your own person. You're an amazing actor, and an even better person.” He states into your eyes, and you can feel something. Something warm deep inside of your stomach. Something in your chest, like you'd just drank a hot drink on a cold day that warmed up your insides.

“I love you.” You breathe out, thoughtlessly. Thoughtlessly.

Your eyes widen in shock as your mouth falls agape. You actually said it... Holy shit. He's silent. Oh fuck. Oh god. This was such a mistake.

“Jack, I am so sorry. I-I wasn't thinking and it just fell out and I know we haven't said it yet, and I don't want you to feel obligated to say it back but I just-”

“I love you too.” He smiles softly, leaning in to kiss your lips. It felt like the stars aligned and the earth stopped spinning and time stopped and everything else people use to describe being in love.

You pull away, looking into his eyes, tears welling in yours. “Are you ok? Should I not have said it?” He asks, brows furrowed in worry.

“No!” You exclaim grinning, then reaching your fingers to the nape of his neck, “I'm just so in love with you.”

[zcinderone]

An ironically conspicuous yet never exploited(except by me as far as I can see) dot that connects everything which could be the ultimate layer of secret to unravel the true identity of Arei's murderer...

It's Levi and this is where the final piece of puzzle comes to make sense of itself: the Monotv recruiting Teruko do CAULKING scene!!!

This is such a detailed and prominant plot that so far made 0 sense as to its connection to the case. Monotv must have enlisted a helper to clean up the mess left in the gym. Since he can't even do caulking, it is 100% valid for the narrative that there are something in this mess he can't handle. This helper would have abundance of time to figure out the mechanism and took the tape. (whereas both Ace and Eden only had cursory glances at the scene also in a rather shocking and intense scenario to figure out how Nico's mystrious setup worked)

(Monotv specifically mentioning he needs help to do certain chores)

Apart from the 4 involved in Ace's case, the only one awake/available late at night was Levi(and we never know for what purpose the story writer specifically left only him awake and readily came out to check the commotion either). This connects everything.

Think about it rationally. It makes absolutely no sense for those involved in the previous case to make an imitation of their own. On paper, only 4 people knew what happened, and Nico ran off leaving the only necessary tool(tape) to replicate this. Should any of the 3 try to imitate a crime only they knew and able to replicate, they are basically yelling they're the only targets from the get-go (and isn't this what's happening right now?)which is beyond absurd. However, if a third party does exist, it changes everything, they would have everything to gain from pulling an imitation since the premise would exclude their possibility permanently.

Based on the aforementioned points, I will make a tentative prediction about one event we are likely gonna see in ep 15（or 16 depending on pacing）: A scrum debate will happen soon, concerning whether or not Ace&Eden really is the only option scope for imitation crime, for they will most certainly discuss the very reason why they imitate and promptly realized the absurdity thereof. The narrative would seem really off if they don't dabble on why, accepting imitation for the sake of imitation. Some will take the stance that such attempt would be illogical for a rational conspirator in the first place, others will insist on the lack of direct evidence of a third party.

(I just realized the dev could've intentionally let Ace kick the tape out of sight because they have much greater incentive to do so but it's very close to premiere so I won't elaborate since either way my theory itself is the same)I am basing this theory on the assumption that the tape went missing under the dialogue box cg is dev's mistake, because the tape on the ground scene always includes Ace on the ground and the moment he stood it changed which feels too abrupt and dev might just forgot to add that, and there is not a single scene that showed the tape missing without such blockade.

More importantly, there were some clues to back my assumption in the "i'm not fxxing dead!" scene. The tape is placed rather near in front of Ace, a little to our right. Yet, when he stood up he knocked Eden out to our left. It would seem shaky if we take this alone by face value as it could just be a dramatic effect, but what happened afterward is the camera itself clearly turned left to film Eden gradually standing, and turned right to focus on Ace and then turned further right to focus on Teruko, which clearly suggested the actual positioning is: Eden Ace (tape?) Teruko (tape ?) . Problem is, the tape still exitsted right before, and went missing right after Ace stood up under the Teruko "yeah i figured" dialogue box, few secs before Eden stood up, therefore her positioning would exclude her possibility of getting it. And Ace couldn't get it either since four eyes were, and the camera was mostly on him, even depicting him reaching his wound with two hands.

I think If the dev did had such meticulous intent for this hidden scene to be the key to locking the culprit, they would most likely be equally meticulous about either the tape's positioning or Ace's act to make unequivocal sense that one of them would have a clear window to obtain it, which in turn suggests they probably never had such intention to begin with.

Also, we got to consider factoring in complementary details like the starched clothes ball(Levi was the only one who mentioned being in the laundry room some time at night in ep10),Eden mentioning "someone's been following her" (I'm 100% sure this is what the dev planted to make sense of why a 3rd party could overhear Eden&Arturo&Arei event), Arei's missing glove(both Eden and Ace wears glove, Levi doesn't), enough strength to throw the rope near the ceiling(they emphasized early in one scene how high the ceiling is and eden is the smallest girl) Whit trying to make an argument about another motive Levi could have for killing Arei yet got cut off, and trying to redirect the crew's attention back to Levi's secret itself for some reason and got cut off again in ep13 11:22 12:44 (this i think is super super important and it seems only I was mentioning this). These solid details are all adding to the likelihood of Levi, and I really can't find as many other details to back Eden or Ace.

I also had a secondary theory back when ep13 dropped might worth mentioning: could the fish simply be symbolic? Sleep with the fish(godfather thingy)? Levi's background story suggests he is very likely involved in mafia conficts. J even asked him if he was "in" the mafia to which he prompt answered No. But very interestingly the dev specifically gives him a pondering "..." scene immediately after his respond to show he seemed to be thinking about the definition of his involement, then J pushed him to elaborate and he digressed.(starting from ep13 1:28) And Levi did have Italian surname.

I don't have that much confidence in this intepretation alone to begin with as I thought it is a bit old school. But since my major theory makes sense, this one doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

[josephquinnswhore]

Hello

I’ve had this idea for a while :}

What if reader and Pedro had a la la land moment when they break up and then reunir two years later at an awards show and realize they still have feelings for each other

Like right person wrong time :>

Finding Our Way Back - pedro pascal x female reader

Summary: you and Pedro rekindle your relationship after seeing him at an award show, it’s been two years since you’ve separated and he looks better than ever.

Word Count: 3.7k

Content Warning: allusions to reader that worked in a shit workplace, fluff.

Note: thanks so much for requesting. Thought I’d do the MTV awards since he’s nominated and I’ve already written about Pedro at the Oscars! I hope you love it 🫶🏼

As an interviewer for Vanity Fair, you knew it was highly likely that you’d run into your ex boyfriend, Pedro Pascal at the MTV awards as he was nominated with Bella Ramsay in the category “best duo,” after his latest role as Joel Miller. Although things had ended amicably on both ends, it had been two years ago since you split; your maturity, respect and the love you still had for him played a part in that clean break. You wanted to beg for him to stay with you, to try and make things work; but he was having a big breakthrough in his career and you couldn’t be selfish with him, after decades of his hard work to get to where he is now, so you let go. After years of smaller roles, despite you reassuring him he was incredible in all roles he played, he knew this one would change his life, working on a project with his idol Nick Cage.

Funnily enough, being in this situation was how you met. You standing at an event in a dress that was too tight and itchy on your skin, waiting to interview the nominees for this award show. Although all those years ago you didn’t work for such a well known, respected company as VF.

You worked for a small company called For You Entertainment, they were working their way up the ladder attending small events with D-List celebrities when your producer thankfully got you a breakthrough, an interview with the cast of Narcos at the end of season 2 premiere. You were nervous and fidgeting with your lilac sequin dress that was so tight you were cursing your stylist internally for making you wear clothing that was a size too small for your waist. Your lungs felt heavy as they couldn’t inhale fully, the feeling of being claustrophobic in your own skin was dizzying, along with the sweatiness of your hands and the bright light from your film crew, it was all too much. A staff member from the event, led Pedro to you and you knew you were screwed, the knowing look in those chocolate brown eyes, he knew how anxious you were feeling, he read you instantly. Your co-workers were ready to begin filming when Pedro held his hand up, signalling for the men to stop momentarily, and they did.

“Hey, I’m Pedro. It’s so nice to meet you…”

His hand meets your own as you introduce yourself, he catches the wobble in your voice as your confidence plummets to the ground beneath your heels. He offers a kind smile and you’re enamoured by how kind he’s being, how gentle and attentive he is; he was doing whatever he could to make you comfortable.

“Are you okay?”

You let out a shaky breath and huff out a small laugh,

“this is my first ever interview with like, a real celebrity and you’re my celebrity crush. Plus this dress is a size too small which they picked on purpose, something about making my boobs perkier.”

The speed at which your mouth rambles leaves your brain unable to comprehend the words that leave them for a few seconds, the moment you register what you say your eyes are wide and Pedro is laughing sweetly.

“It’s a pleasure to be here with you, don’t be nervous, I think you look stunning. You can do this, I’m here to help you make things go smoothly! Shall we?”

How wrong he was, he wasn’t just like any other guy, that’s what drew you in, he sucked you into his orbit, the gravity holding you down to him. Alas, you agree to start the interview. Your nerves somewhat shaken and cheeks a deep shade of red, along with a tingle of heat on your face you’d never experienced prior to Pedro’s flattery.

“Let’s do this.”

You bare a shy grin and give the camera man a thumbs up as they prepare to start the interview.

There was nothing wrong with your relationship with Pedro. It had just seemed like the relationship had run it’s course through the years. You were studying and working full time, 60 hours a week you were in a chokehold of being underpaid and overworked, being younger, new to the industry and vulnerable, you let your boss expose you to the cruelty of the profession when you had several employees that treated you like a doormat. Pedro had always insisted he hated how much you worked for them; how terribly they treated you and crushed your potential within months, that you could achieve more.

Pedro has just gotten a main role in “the unbearable weight of massive talent” when things fell apart, he was incredibly hard working and committed to his work life, the man that was practically married to his career left you in a position of what felt like roommates more than actual lovers. The conversation was hard and you almost didn’t go through with it; you knew you’d regret it but it was necessary, you couldn’t live like this anymore. You missed the intimacy and the connection, feeling like you were in a loveless relationship even though you loved him endlessly.

He had gotten home from a long day of filming, body slumped as he walked through the door, hours and hours on end of filming had him exhausted, he was surprised to see you sitting on the couch with the light and tv on when he walked through the front door.

“Hey, you’re up?”

The confusion in his voice was evident and you inhaled a shaky breath, turning to face him, you nearly backed out of your plan like a coward. Instead you invite him to sit next to you.

“Yeah, we need to talk, will you come sit?”

Pedro’s thick eyebrows are pinched in a frown, looking his age when the wrinkles in his face become evident. The lounge dips as he sits next to you, his large hand on your knee as his brown eyes watch you.

“Is everything okay?”

His voice is cautious and you just exhale, not questioning your own judgment.

“I think it would be in both our favours if we part ways, I’d prefer if we could do this amicably and still be friends afterwards. There’s no connection or intimacy anymore, we’re both too busy. Maybe if,” you sigh loudly unable to find the courage to finish the sentence. Luckily, Pedro knows what you’re thinking.

“If we were at a different stage in life, right?”

He finishes the thought in your head and you nod, fat tears falling down your face, his arms are quick to pull you into a hug, your head rests on his shoulder and he kisses the back of your head.

“I still love you, maybe things will work out for us one day, hm?”

You chuckle, the noise wet as you choke back your tears, “that would be a dream wouldn’t it?”

Having worked for Vanity Fair for the past 12 months, you had met some well known A-list celebrities, some in which would be here tonight at the mtv awards, some people attending not as well known but still nonetheless attending and perfectly deserving of your attention. Your black cocktail dress hugged your figure perfectly, hair pulled upward and styled neatly. Your faces natural beauty was accentuated by the light make up that had been carefully applied by the companies make up artist. The shades of pink and gold on your eyelids were glistening in the lights that shone a bright white overhead as you stood in the middle of the walkway right before the entry to the building where the awards were being held.

Your manager had warned you sympathetically that Pedro was one person you’d be interviewing, it didn’t take much reassuring on your behalf to assure her that although and and Pedro hadn’t really spoken since you broke up; besides the yearly birthday messages and him liking your Instagram posts, that things were okay between you and you were happy to interview him.

When you see him, he’s looking as handsome as ever. His brown hair had a few greying strands on the side of his head near his temples. The purple suit he wears clings to his body and he wears it with finesse, the grapefruit colour makes his skin look its glowing in a golden light, the suit hangs off his broad shoulders with no room to spare. A small heart-shaped patch in his black and grey beard was still failing to fill with hair on the left side of his face. He smiles so widely when he sees you, quickening his casual pace to a speed walk to bump his body into yours, wrapping his strong arms around you to pull you into a hug, his big muscles bulging against your dress-clad skin. You accept the hug and pull him into you, squeezing him as your arms wrap around the back of his neck, the cologne he wears compliments the natural musk of him that you recognise and miss so dearly.

You fight the urge to look at his plump lips a second time, the shade of pink whispered sweet words to draw you into him like a hypnotist, threatening you to kiss him against your will. He pulls back and stands tall next to you, he towers over you, even in your 3 inch heels.

“Pedro Pascal, what a warm welcome. Thank you so much for joining us this evening.” You greet warmly, holding the microphone between the small gap between your bodies, he misses the redness on your cheeks as he grins so widely his dimple exposes itself.

“Thank you for having me, it’s so great to be here, and it’s so great to see you, look at you, you’re looking stunning this evening.” He stands a little too close to you than he does anyone else that’s trying to get an interview from him, his fondness of you showing through the camera that records you.

“You always were a charmer weren’t you. This suit is incredible, you’re looking dapper tonight.” Your free hand that isn’t holding the mic gently runs a hand down his suit, keeping your hand on his chest, getting a feel for the material. You grin at the redness of his cheeks before getting to what the fans really want.

“Now, there is something your fans are begging me to address. As the self proclaimed biggest daddy on the internet, are your fans all your children?” Pedro laughs, the sound is ringing in your ears like the most delightful song you’ve ever heard. He takes the microphone from you and turns to the camera, “yes, you are all my children. I will warn you, grogu may get a little jealous.”

“That’s so sweet, why do you think you chose these roles that have you as basically a father figure?” You muse, eyes batting unintentionally as you’re drawn into his charming character. “I mean, truthfully I would love to have kids someday. Since that’s not an option right now I’m opting for the role of playing dad.” Your heart starts racing, both in awe and disappointment, knowing you would never be the one to bare his children, as his girlfriend or wife, you had missed your opportunity years ago.

“Now we do have a question that a lot of people are begging us to ask you and who are we to deny them?Does Joel Miller in the tv series meet the same fate as the game?” Pedro bares his teeth in a grimace and looks directly into the camera. “It’s going to be almost exactly the same, sorry kids.” He shrugs casually before turning back to you.

“Well Pedro it’s been such a delight to talk with you this evening, we’re wishing you and Bella the best to win an award, have a wonderful evening!” Pedros hands cross in front of his torso, fumbling with the silver ring that sits on his pinky. “Of course it’s amazing to see you. Thank you, have a great night.” He waves to you sweetly as he walks off with a staff member that’s leading him into the building. You stop filming and let out a big sigh.

“How are you feeling?” Your cameraman Andrew asks, “I’m okay, just feels like an open wound still, I guess.” He offers a sympathetic smile, “you did great. That was an awesome interview, everyone’s going to love it. Your chemistry is off the charts.”

You silently agree. The chemistry was still there, maybe you should just, text him later as a “it was so good to see you” curtesy text. Regardless of how terrible he was at texting, it would show you made an effort.

It’s been hours since you saw and spoke to Pedro, his image ingrained in your brain every time you close your eyes, where you’re normally met with blackness this night you’re met with his smile, the smell of his natural musk, the scent of his cologne lingered on your own skin as if he lie next to you. The heaviness of his hands as he hugged you felt as if he was still touching you, it made you restless. You were struggling to sleep even when the streets below your apartment began turning off their lights, one by one you seemed to be the only one wide awake in the neighbourhood.

11:28pm. After changing your mind about half a dozen times on what to write, you settle on something kind and friendly, and you send the text: “it was so good to see you tonight, you look great.”

To your surprise it’s barely a minute before he replies: “it was such a pleasure to see you, can I ask you something?”

Your heart is racing as you can barely think about what he could possibly ask, you assure him: “of course, anything.”

The bubble comes up as if he’s typing, then disappears. You grown as you watch him type and delete this message before it finally comes through after a few minutes: “going to bed anytime soon?”

You raise an eyebrow to yourself and whisper, “seriously that’s what took you so long?” And reply to him: “nope, wide awake.”

“Want some company? I can bring coffee.” You rub your eyes in disbelief, wondering if this is real or an illusion.

“Please do. You know how I like it.” You send through your address as you’ve moved to a newer and slightly bigger apartment in the last year. “Be there soon.” He replies without a moments notice.

“Shit.” You mutter to yourself as you rush to the bathroom, attempting to make yourself look presentable, brushing your hair down neatly before braiding it, smoothing out your pyjamas and turning on some lights in the living room as you turn on the tv to Disney Plus turning on Moana as you attempt to sit comfortably.

There’s a soft knock at the door and you get an alert on your phone that someone’s outside, you check your phone, seeing Pedro standing in black pants, a white shirt and a large black trench-coat, a cardboard cup holder in hand with two Starbucks coffees occupying the space. You smooth out your pyjamas once again and unlock the two locks to your front door, feeling winded as you see your ex boyfriend standing there looking as beautiful as ever with a shy smile on his face.

You open the door and step to the side, “please, come in.” He shudders slightly from the breeze that drafts in from outside, your house abnormally warm and the feeling is welcome on his cold skin. “You have a nice place here. How long ago did you move in?” You take the coffees and sit them down in the cup holders in your lounge as he takes off his trench-coat, the atmosphere too warm for the accessory. “Coming up 12 months now. Right after I started working for Vanity Fair.”

You gesture for Pedro to sit on the lounge after he hands his coat on the coat hanger by the door, he keeps a respectable space between you, unlike earlier in the evening where he stood entirely too close. “Moana always was your favourite.” Pedro muses to himself. “Somethings never change.” You reply with a shrug, the statement having a double meaning behind it.

“Yeah, I guess. What’s new in your life anyway. Other than work and all the formalities?” He questions, the hopeful look in his eye beams as you sink comfortably into the grey couch, “nothing really, I’m quite boring these days. The same girl you know.” You sip your coffee and hum in contentment, missing the way Pedro whispered “and love.” After your statement, “thanks so much for the coffee, it’s perfect. It’s any wonder you still remember,” you admit.

“How could I forget my girls coffee order?” Pedro freezes, realisation of what he said sinks in. “I mean, I meant- I didn’t..” he stutters and you rest your hand on his, trying to diffuse his panicked state. “It’s okay, I’ve missed you you know. Seeing you tonight made me realise how much I never got over you.” The admission has both of your skin burning with desire and slight embarrassment. “You feel that way?” His voice is sweet, you wish he would just talk to you all night, you’d simply sit and listen.

“Of course I do. I’ve always loved you Pedro.” Just like that the bomb has dropped, the elephant in the room is too large and suffocating to ignore, you still love him, years later you still love him.

“I’ve been needing to hear that for such a long time. I love you, I was a fool to let you go,” you lean into the warmth of Pedro’s hand as he caresses your face, your heart rate spiking at his touch and confession. “We can always just.. pick up where we left off,” you offer sweetly. Pedro’s eyes raise at your offer, the ball was in his court and he was going to take it. Without another word he pulls you into him, your lips smashing into his, moulding together like two unique puzzle pieces that were made for each other.

You part your lips and grant him access to deepen the kiss, years of unspoken love and missing each other all came to surface with this kiss. When you pull apart you’re both heaving, foreheads pressed together you stare into his chocolate orbs. “Please be mine. I don’t think I could go another day knowing you’re not mine.” You exhale a shaky breath, the taste of him still on your lips, “I was always yours Pedro. We just had to find out way back.” Pedro’s thumb strokes your cheek and let’s put a small laugh, almost in relief. “I’m grateful we did. Everything feels right again.”

You nod as you silently agree with him, the hole left empty now felt overfilled, you knew your cup would never be empty again with Pedro by your side again, “stay the night.” Your nose grazes his cheek as you whisper. He pulls you into his lap, strong arms holding you in place as he kisses your shoulder. “When have I ever been able to say no to you?”

“I’ll teach you how to stop being such a people pleaser one day you know.” You jest lightly. “As long as I have you, none of that even matters, baby.” You turn to kiss him, the intoxicating sweetness of his lips is almost impossible to pull away from. “You’ll always have me. Promise.” A few moments of silence pass before you ask, “did you win the award?” Pedro hums before he realises what you’ve said, pulling his eyes away from the tv, “yeah we did, Bella was stoked, it was such a big moment for them.” You lean into his chest, smiling in content with how perfectly things were falling into place.

[onlyangelicc]

those eyes ~ Nicholas Alexander Chavez

{ warnings ; semi-public intimacy , pda not much else i dont think!

summary ; slightly smutty , you drive him crazy and things get heated on the drive back to the hotel }

as you walked out of the door into the crowded area of the into the upscale section of nyc cameras were flashing, people yelling at you and nicholas. you quickly became shaky, you held nicholas's arm tight, not being used to the new environment. you held onto him for some sort of comfort

he opened the door and watched you find your seat in the large black suv, him following. his hand quickly finding its place on your fabric covered thigh once seated. you placed your hand on top of his, and looked over as the door to the car shut. the flashes and screams subsided.

after the car started to pull away, you un-tensed and let out a sigh. "sorry baby," he said rubbing his thumb against your thigh, squeezing gently. you looked over at him, laying your head on his shoulder. "its okay, i like being here for these big moments." you replied sweetly.

after all it was the season premiere of Grotesquerie, it was, in-fact a pretty big moment. just from the press tours, ads, and trailers from the show the people knew it was going to be a good one. you loved it, you were so proud. and being here with him during this was important to you, and him.

he smiled, "i know but I understand how stressed you get. the hair and makeup trailer is way less crowded and you dont have to do many outings like these; if any." he responded. his caring words warm your heart, "i know, thank you for caring. i love you nick." you squeezed his arm softly.

"on a good note, your makeup and hair skills really paid off. you look fucking amazing, my pretty lady." he purred, although youve been together for almost 3 years, these comments still gave you butterflies. Along with adding a blush on your cheeks to the blush that was already there.

he saw the effect his comment had on you and giggled. "youre so cute." he said taking your face in his hand, rubbing his thumb against it and pulling you into a kiss. you blushed again as you two kissed.

he smiled and kissed your neck softly, you held back a whine. And felt warmth between your lips as he held your neck in his large hand, kissing it more. "nicholas," you protested, truthfully, not wanting to. And he knew that.

"hmm?" he hummed again your neck, pulling away from your neck, rubbing his thumb against it. "knock that off." you replied sternly, through a small grin. he laughed, and shrugged, "fine.." smirking at you.

for the rest of the drive back to your hotel he hummed along to the songs the driver was playing on the radio while rubbing your thigh with his hands. glancing at you every so often, admiring your frame in the tight fitting red dress.

good god, his hands were the death of you. his hands moved with such little thought but it literally drove you insane. you loved the size of them, the veins, the roughness but also softness of them. just everything. you were aching to feel them in ways you have before.

after a few minutes of practically drooling over his hands you arrived at the hotel. the driver stepped out of the car and opened the door for you and nicholas. nick climbed out first, then helped you out of the car. his hand placed on your ass to walk into the hotel.

the two of you walked through the hotel lobby to find your way to the elevator. nicholas pressed the button making it light up orange, and the arrow pointing up above the elevator. the elevator dinged and you stepped in, nicholas's hand guiding you on your lower back. he looked at you as the doors closed.

his eyes, thats all. they were always so expressive. wether he was sad, angry, happy, stressed, annoyed, tired, or whatever the case was. that was one thing you loved about him. you always knew how he was feeling even if he didnt want to tell you. you then noticed how big his bulge was, wow.

after looking at you for a second, he pressed you again the wall and leaned down to kiss your neck. you laughed with his sudden forwardness, as if you weren't a little riled up as well. you moaned as he attacked your neck. "mm, are those pants a little tight?" you say teasingly, rubbing over it. "shut the fuck up." he says directly your face to his, kissing you softly.

then your time was over, the two of you snapped out of it as soon as the doors opened to your floor. luckily there was no one there, but, you still needed to hold it out until you got to the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

tags

@jschlattisfuckinghot

[terresdebrumestories]

This idea ambushed me in the shower and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it, so there you have it. This is the result of an hour of frantic typing on my phone and shall be cleaned up before I cross post it to AO3.

"I wanna come out," Jamie says, and Roy freezes in place so fast Phoebe bumps into his back and swears under her breath.

Roy doesn't even pretend to try and tease her for it, too stunned for words.

"If we win tonight," Jamie adds on the other end of the line, "I wanna come out."

"Are you sure?" Roy manages at last, and it comes out so raw Ruth does a double take in the kitchen, raising her eyebrows in question.

Roy, gripping his phone like he'll die if he lets go, shakes his head and turns away, making his way to the corridor on shaky legs. From very far away, he thinks he hears Phoebe ask if he's alright, but Roy pushes her out of his mind as soon as Jamie says:

"I'm sure."

"Jamie," Roy hisses, "it could end your career."

"So what?" Jamie says, and Roy almost ask who the fuck is possessing his partner.

"Jamie."

"Roy. I'm thirty-four. I've won the Premier League, the Europe League and the fucking World Cup. I'm in the fucking Olympics. Once I've won that, who the fuck cares if I get a goodbye tour?"

"You do," Roy says. Then Jamie grunts and Roy adds: "I'm with you. You know I am, always." Jamie hums, but it sounds like he's relenting, not skeptical, so Roy makes himself continue despite the risk of Ruth or Phoebe overhearing: "I just don't—I don't want you to regret it."

To regret me, Roy is surprised to mean. After all, they've been together for almost ten years now. Any coming out Jamie makes is likely to result in their relationship becoming public, and Roy...Roy has apparently not quite managed to get over their age difference as thoroughly as he thought he had.

"I won't," Jamie promises, the sound of his voice suddenly echoing, like he just stepped in a bathroom. "I really won't. Just 'cause I'm buzzin' doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing."

Roy can't help worrying anyway, but he still makes himself breathe in, and then out, and then say:

"Okay. Then I think you should do it."

"Oh, I was gonna," Jamie says, playful, and Roy smiles at his sister's bathroom door like an idiot. "But also. Em. I don't—if I'm gonna come out publicly, I don't wanna have to like. Pretend like I'm single or whatever. Or like. If I do get my fucking retirement tour and we meet in a game or whatever, I don't wanna have to pretend like I'm not dead gone on you, you know?"

Roy's heart expands in his chest, like it's trying to make a run for it through his ribs or something, and he knows he's full-on grinning at the bathroom door when he says:

"Me either. Please feel free to mention me by name."

"Grand," Jamie says over the sound of a shower turning on. "Great. Well. I gotta go soon but uh. Wish me luck?"

"Good luck," Roy obliges. And then, because he's had nearly ten years of practice to make this bit easy, he adds: "I love you."

"Love you too."

*

"What a game," Arlo White shouts on TV a few hours later, while Ruth and Phoebe do a victory dance around the couch, where Sam and Keeley are singing Jamie's stupid fucking chant along with the crowds in the stadium.

"What a game! What a play! What a goal! And what an ovation for Jamie Tartt, indubitably the man of the match!"

"I agree," Chris Powell adds, sounding almost excited for once, "I'd even say: what a career! Jamie Tartt won it all! Honestly Arlo, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to retire soon, I mean at this point what else does he need?"

"Oh shut the fuck up," Roy yells at the TV, earning himself a playful shove from Phoebe and a prod in the ribs from Keeley. "Stupid fucking pundits," he mutters into his champagne.

"That would be so much more convincing if you weren't pink with pride, babe," Keeley teases, and Roy grunts without heat.

The truth is, now that White and Powell have announced a transition on the ground and the camera switched to Barbara Carnahan on the side of the pitch, Roy feels himself tense with anticipation. Everyone here knows about him and Jamie, of course, but they don't know what he's planning to do. That leaves Roy alone to deal with the nerves of Jamie's impending announcement, and holy fucking shit, they're a lot.

"First of all," Carnahan says when she catches Jamie and gets him to stand in front of her camera, "I want to congratulate you on an absolutely marvelous game!"

Roy watches Jamie's tongue dart out in celebration, like he's a goddamned emoji or something, and finds himself gripping Keeley's hand out of sheer need to share the moment with someone.

"Thanks," Jamie says, sobering up a little bit, "We did really good, yeah!"

"Oh, definitely! How does it feel? Did you expect this when you woke up this morning?"

"Well, you know," Jamie says, running a hand through his hair, "nothing's ever certain, but I knew our chances were good, yeah, so I was like. Fairly optimistic about it."

"And you were right!" Carnahan agrees with a little bounce. "I'll admit I was nervous when the first half ended at one-one, but that goal in injury time was magnificent!"

"Yeah, Satō gave me a great assist there, that kid's gonna get far," Jamie says, wiping at his brow.

To Roy's left, Sam coos a little, happy to see one of his Marseille teammates get some recognition. He hasn't looked that cheerful since he busted his knee right before the Olympics started and he knew he had to sit the competition out.

"What was going on in your head at that moment?" Carnahan asks Jamie. "As the whistle blew and you realized you'd won, where did you mind go? Is there anyone you thought of in particular?"

"Well there's me mum, of course," Jamie says. "She's in the stands, and I'm really glad she could be here for this. And then there's my partner."

Around Roy, the living room falls into the most intense silence he's ever heards, even as Jamie adds:

"Actually, is it okay if I talk to him for a sec?"

"Him?" Carnahan asks, at the same time as Keeley and Phoebe shriek:

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, him," Jamie says, prompting Sam to shout and grab Roy's left shoulder. "Can I talk to him?"

And this. This wasn't the script, right? Roy thought—usually—this isn't. No. No!

...no?

"Oh my god, uncle Roy!" Phoebe is saying, gripping Roy's right shoulder, "Oh my god!"

"Yes, sure," Barbara Carnahan says with the dazed look of a reporter who's just been hit with the exclusive of the decade, "go ahead."

Jamie grins, and thanks her, and then he takes a deep breath—Roys mirrors him, can't help it, feels like he's about to explode, or melt, or both—

"Roy," Jamie says on the screen, eyes turned straight at the camera so it looks like he's actually watching Roy in 16:9 format, "it's hard to remember what it was like to hate you enough to nearly fight you right on the pitch."

Someone says a very strangled 'what the fuck' and it takes Roy a second to realize it's Keeley, but also the reporter on the telly.

"Turns out you're actually one of the best men I've ever fucking met—" ('Oh my god!' Says Keeley, slapping Roy's arm.) "You support me and challenge me all the fucking time, you're funny, and the grumpiest arse in the morning." ('OH MY GOD!' shouts Phoebe from behind Roy.) "I've spent nine years of my life loving you to your face, and you've taken it like a champ so far...so what do you say we make it official and tie the knot?"

"OH MY GOD!" Screams the living room, pushing and pulling and slapping at Roy.

He can barely breathe, feels himself grow twice, thrice, ten times bigger than he normally is, floating like a bubble of champagne as Phoebe nearly breaks his nose trying to shove his phone against his ear—"YOU HAVE TO FUCKING CALL HIM, UNCLE ROY!"

And then there's a dial tone, and some spluttering on tv, and more shouting, and a phone comes into view, lands against Jamie's ear, and then—

"You motherfucker!" Roy yells into the phone, and Jamie-on-the-screen blinks and grins, and Jamie-on-the-phone gives this little hitch of breath he does when he thinks 'I love you', and Roy is saying: "You absolute wanker! No fucking warning—"

And Jamie-on-the-screen scrunches his nose and grins harder, and Roy's heart goes into fucking overdrive, his pulse loud in his ears and in his palms, and Jamie-on-the-phone asks:

"So like, that's a yes, right?"

"Yes! Of course it's a yes you gigantic prick!" Roy yells, and Jamie-on-the-screen fist pumps while Roy's world turns into one giant shriek of joy, and then there's champagne popping, and four different footballers bursting on the screen to hug and jump up and down and shout so loud Roy hears them even when Jamie has to take the phone away from his ear.

"Oh my god!" Keeley shouts, muffled, into Roy's neck when he hangs up, knowing full well there's no way Jamie's getting back to his phone until much later tonight. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"

"Did you really not know?" Phoebe asks, shouting into his other ear.

"I knew he wanted to come out and go public about us," Roy says, falling back from the adrenaline-induced shouting to the best sort of daze. "I didn't know he was going to propose!"

And Roy sounds grumpy about it, he knows he does—will probably get shit from Jamie about it as soon as his fucking plane lands, really! And his sister, his niece, his friends are being way too loud about it, and now his phone's buzzing and will probably keep buzzing for the next four or five hours, and Roy sounds grumpy but he does not mean it for a fucking second.

[shiorihyugawrites]

The Devil's Bride

Aurora Jaeger, Eren's long-lost childhood friend, was taken from him when they were children. After years of suffering under Marleyan control, Aurora is reunited with Eren while he’s undercover in Marley, igniting a bond neither of them expected. Despite her gentle nature, Aurora breaks her vow of pacifism to save Eren’s life, solidifying their deep connection. Secretly married before the Raid on Liberio, Aurora is swept into Eren's world of chaos and destruction. As the Scouts learn of her existence, tensions rise on the airship home. Mikasa’s heart shatters, and Levi demands answers. And Eren will stop at nothing to protect the only light left in his dark world—his bride, Aurora.

In this journey of love, loyalty, and war, Aurora must reconcile her innocent heart with the brutal reality of the man she loves, while Eren faces the truth of what he’s become. (Eren x OC)

Chapter Twenty One

Eren led Aurora into the quiet room on Historia’s farm, closing the door behind them and casting a lingering glance to ensure their privacy. The soft glow of evening light spilled through the window, bathing the room in a warm, golden hue. It was a stark contrast to the tension that filled the air between them, tension born from nearly a month apart and the heavy burdens they each carried.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Aurora looked up at him, her expression strained with worry and remorse. She clutched her hands together, taking a shaky breath before speaking.

“Eren… I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I… I didn’t know what else to do. They wouldn’t let me see you, and I was terrified… I thought they were going to kill you. Historia and Floch, they kept saying to trust you, to trust the plan, but—” Her voice wavered, and she took a ragged breath, her eyes shining with tears. “But I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, Eren. I couldn’t lose you.”

Eren’s expression softened as he took a step forward, reaching out to gently pull her into his arms. He held her close, feeling her heartbeat against his chest, and for a moment, he simply stood there, letting her tremble in his embrace. He knew the fear that had driven her, the desperation that had made her feel she needed to act. And he understood — he couldn’t fault her for it. She’d been through too much, seen too much loss, to simply wait without action.

“Aurora,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “You don’t have to apologize. You did what you thought you needed to do. I understand.”

“But… I killed him,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if speaking the words made them more real. “The Premier… he’s dead because of me. I never thought… I didn’t want to be that person, Eren. I didn’t want to become like this.”

Eren pulled back slightly, holding her face in his hands so that she could see the sincerity in his gaze. “Listen to me,” he said firmly. “What you did, you did out of love and fear. And I’ll never hold that against you. You did it for me, for us, and for our baby. You are not a monster, Aurora. I know what true monsters are.” His voice softened, his thumb gently brushing away the tear that slipped down her cheek. “You have a gentle heart, and that hasn’t changed. You were pushed to an extreme, and you did what you felt you had to do.”

Aurora let out a shaky breath, a mixture of relief and lingering guilt flooding her expression. “But… they’re looking for me now, aren’t they? Captain Levi, Hange… the others. They want to question me, maybe even…” She trailed off, fear darkening her eyes. “They’d arrest me, wouldn’t they?”

Eren’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hardened resolve flickering in their depths. “Over my dead body,” he said quietly, his voice laced with a steel determination. “I won’t let anyone lay a hand on you. Not Levi, not the military, no one.” He took a breath, his gaze intensifying as he held her hands tightly. “I have a plan, and you won’t go to prison. Trust me.”

She nodded, still trembling slightly, though his words comforted her. “I do trust you, Eren… I always have. But I… I just don’t want to be a burden to you. Not now, not with everything you’re dealing with.” She looked down, her hands instinctively moving to her abdomen, where their unborn child lay. “I should’ve been stronger for you.”

Eren’s gaze softened as he followed her movement, reaching down to place his hand over hers, feeling the warmth of her touch. “You are strong, Aurora,” he said softly. “You’ve been stronger than anyone I know. You survived things that would’ve broken most people. And now… you’re carrying our child. You’re giving me something worth fighting for.” His voice softened further, his thumb tracing gentle circles over her hand. “And I will fight. I’ll make a world where you and our child can be free… no matter what it takes.”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with both love and fear. “But… can we really be free, Eren? With everything happening, with the whole world against us… sometimes I wonder if freedom is even possible.”

Eren’s jaw clenched, and a fierce glint appeared in his eyes. “Freedom is the only thing I’ve ever wanted,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of years of anger, pain, and determination. “And now, it’s not just for me. It’s for you. For our child. For every person on Paradis who’s ever been denied their right to live freely.” He took a breath, his gaze never leaving hers. “And if I have to tear down every wall, break every chain, and destroy every enemy to get it, then that’s what I’ll do. I’m not afraid of what I have to become.”

Aurora studied him, feeling both comforted and unsettled by the intensity of his words. She knew the darkness he carried, the resolve that had hardened his heart over the years. But she also knew the love he held for her, and she clung to that, hoping it would be enough to keep them both grounded.

She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his, their breaths mingling as they stood in the quiet space. “Just… promise me, Eren, that no matter what happens, we’ll do this together. I don’t want to be left in the dark. I don’t want to be kept waiting again.”

Eren nodded, a softness creeping into his gaze as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “I promise. Whatever happens next… we’ll face it together. And I won’t let anyone or anything keep us apart again.”

For a long moment, they stood there in silence, simply holding each other. The world outside was chaotic, filled with enemies and obstacles, but in this moment, in each other’s arms, they found a fleeting peace.

Finally, Eren pulled back, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Come on,” he said, leading her to sit down on the small bench by the window. “You need to rest. You’ve been through too much, and you’re not alone in this anymore.”

Aurora let out a quiet laugh, the sound mingling with a sigh of relief as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. “Thank you, Eren,” she murmured, her eyes growing heavy as the weight of her worry lifted just slightly. “For everything.”

Eren wrapped an arm around her, holding her close, his gaze focused on the horizon outside the window. His mind was racing with plans, with the steps he’d need to take to keep her safe, to ensure their future. He wouldn’t let anyone take her away from him. Not Levi, not the military — no one.

In the back of his mind, he was already mapping out the steps he’d need to take, the allies he’d need to rally, and the lines he’d be willing to cross. But for now, he held her, letting her drift into a much-needed rest. He had a plan, and as always, he’d make sure it went exactly the way he needed it to.

As he felt her breathing, Eren took a deep breath, steadying himself as he prepared to tell Aurora something that would change her understanding of herself forever. He watched her carefully, noting the gentleness in her expression, the love she held for him even in times of fear and uncertainty. She’d been through so much already, and yet she remained resilient. It was a resilience he cherished, one that had brought them closer through every trial.

“Aurora,” he began softly, his voice tinged with a rare vulnerability. “There’s something you need to know about who you are… something about your bloodline.” He paused, searching her eyes, which were already widening in concern.

“My… bloodline?” Aurora’s voice was filled with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. She had learned to brace herself for anything, but this felt different. Eren’s tone was serious, his gaze unwavering. She shifted closer to him, a hand reaching for his, seeking comfort in his touch.

Eren nodded. “Yes. I’ve known for a while now, but I couldn’t find the right moment to tell you. I wanted to protect you from the implications… but you deserve the truth, especially now.” He took a steadying breath, his fingers tightening around hers. “You… you have royal blood, Aurora. You’re related to the Fritz family.”

Aurora’s lips parted as she tried to process his words. Her heartbeat quickened, and her brows furrowed in confusion. “Royal blood? The Fritz family? Eren… I don’t understand. How can that be possible?”

“It goes back to your mother,” Eren explained gently. “In the memories I accessed, I saw glimpses of your mother’s past when she told your father about her connection to the royal family. Her elder cousin was Dina Fritz.” He paused, watching the shock spread across Aurora’s face. “It makes sense, doesn’t it? When you told me your mother mentioned her cousin who disappeared… that cousin was Dina.”

Aurora’s mind raced, her heart thudding against her chest. She remembered her mother mentioning a cousin, but Dina had been little more than a name to her, a distant memory mentioned in passing. She’d never thought that name held any significance, never imagined it linked her to the royal family. And now, to learn that she shared a bloodline with a name that carried so much weight, so much history — it was staggering.

“I… I didn’t know,” she whispered, her hand trembling slightly in his. “Dina… I barely even remember her name. My mother said they were close once, but after that raid by the Tyburs… I thought Dina was lost, that she was just gone.”

“Dina’s bloodline is the same as Zeke’s,” Eren continued, his voice low but firm. “My half-brother, the Beast Titan. That makes you and Zeke second cousins.” He watched her, his gaze softening with empathy as he took in her overwhelmed expression. “And you’re distantly related to Historia, too. That’s why the Tyburs wanted to control you and your mother — to keep you hidden, to use your bloodline as a tool, as a means of control.”

Aurora’s eyes filled with emotion as she processed the weight of his words. “All this time… I thought my mother and I were just… just victims of circumstance, taken for reasons I could never understand.” She swallowed hard, a mixture of anger and sadness welling within her. “And it was because of… of my blood.”

Eren’s grip on her hand tightened. “I know this is a lot, but listen to me. No one else can know about this, especially now.” His voice was filled with an urgency that brought her back to the present, her gaze locking onto his. “If anyone in the military found out you had royal blood, they’d see you as a threat. And with the baby…” His voice trailed off, a flicker of fear crossing his face. “They’d use you. They’d use our child. I can’t let that happen.”

Aurora’s hand instinctively moved to her abdomen, protectively cradling the life growing within her. Her gaze softened as she looked back at Eren. “I understand,” she whispered. “No one has to know. It’ll stay between us.” She paused, a faint tremble in her voice. “But Eren… does this change anything for us? For what you have planned?”

Eren’s expression softened, and he cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb gently over her skin. “No,” he said firmly. “This changes nothing between us. If anything, it makes me more determined to protect you, to protect what we have. I’ll keep you safe, no matter what it takes.”

She leaned into his touch, her eyes searching his. “Thank you, Eren. For telling me, for trusting me with this.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of her gratitude and love for him.

Eren pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her as he held her tightly. “We’ll get through this together. I promise,” he murmured against her hair, his words a quiet vow. In that moment, he felt the full weight of his responsibility to her, to their child, and to the future he was determined to carve out for them.

They stayed there for a while, wrapped in each other’s warmth, letting the comfort of their embrace ease the overwhelming reality of Aurora’s newfound identity. Eren knew he had to tread carefully now, keeping this secret buried and out of reach. For Aurora’s sake, and for their child, he’d keep fighting, willing to face anything the world threw at them.

And, silently, he vowed to himself that he would ensure her royal blood would remain their secret — a secret he would carry to his grave if necessary.

…

Across the sea in the dimly lit war room deep within the Marleyan headquarters, Generals Calvi and Magath sat around an imposing table with their most trusted advisors. Maps of Paradis Island and troop formations scattered the surface, the symbols marking titan positions and military intel. The atmosphere was tense, a tangible bitterness and urgency hanging in the air since the devastating raid on Liberio a month prior. Across from them sat Zeke, Porco, and Pieck, the Warriors assembled to strategize on how to strike back at Eren Jaeger.

“Jaeger… that son of a bitch has thrown the world into chaos,” General Calvi said, slamming his fist against the table. “In just one night, he’s shattered years of work and made Marley look weak.” His voice echoed off the walls, and his steely gaze swept over the assembled warriors.

Magath leaned forward, his fingers tracing lines on the map of Paradis. “And now, he holds the War Hammer Titan’s power. He could be amassing an arsenal of titans for all we know. The possibility of him initiating the Rumbling is our worst-case scenario.”

Zeke, sitting with a composed but calculating look, spoke up. “There’s still much we don’t know about Jaeger’s objectives. Releasing the wall titans to trample the world would be devastating, but we can’t be certain of the conditions he needs to activate such power.” His words seemed calm, but there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes.

Pieck nodded, her eyes narrow. “We’ve all seen what he’s capable of — he won’t hesitate to use whatever strength he has to protect Paradis. But his motivations… are more complex than they appear. This isn’t just about gaining power. There’s a personal vendetta in his actions, a grudge that runs deep.”

At that moment, a Marleyan officer entered the room, nodding respectfully before stepping forward. “Generals, we’ve brought in someone who claims to have pertinent information regarding Eren Jaeger. He says he witnessed something during the raid that may reveal more about Jaeger’s activities.”

The room fell silent as the officer ushered in an elderly clergyman. His face was weathered and lined with age, a look of disdain clear in his eyes as he observed the powerful figures seated around him. His fingers clutched the brim of his hat tightly, and he gave the generals a stiff bow.

Magath arched an eyebrow. “State your business, old man. You say you have information on Eren Jaeger?”

The clergyman’s mouth twisted into a bitter scowl. “Yes, General. I came forward because, in all my years of service, I never thought I’d be so deceived… I was deceived into marrying two spawns of the devil.”

The generals and warriors exchanged confused glances, a flicker of intrigue spreading through the room.

Calvi crossed his arms. “Explain yourself, clergyman. What do you mean by ‘marrying two spawns of the devil’?”

The old man’s eyes glinted with disgust, his voice lowering as if speaking of something foul. “During the raid, I was… injured,” he began, his voice cold. “A young woman tended to me, a kind soul, or so I thought. She nursed my wounds with herbs, even stayed by my side when everyone else fled in terror. She called herself ‘Mrs. Kruger,’ and her face, though innocent, held a strange sorrow.”

Calvi’s eyes narrowed. “And what does this have to do with Jaeger?”

The clergyman straightened, his gaze unwavering. “Because, as I lay there injured, I saw something that left me horrified. I saw the Attack Titan itself picking up that very same woman, cradling her with an unexpected tenderness and placing her on the escape airship. And then, a man emerged from that nape of that same titan … Eren Jaeger, and he boarded that airship with her. I knew then that I had been tricked — I had unwittingly married the devil himself and his bride.”

A stunned silence filled the room as the Marleyan generals and warriors tried to process what they had just heard.

Pieck looked over at Magath, her eyebrows raised. “Wait… are you saying Eren Jaeger got married while undercover in Marley?”

The clergyman nodded solemnly. “Yes. For seven months, that devil deceived us, hiding in plain sight… and he somehow found a partner, a woman who was as much a part of his deception as he was.”

General Calvi’s face was a mix of shock and anger. “How could he have pulled something like this off? Who is this woman?”

Zeke leaned forward, his eyes sharp with interest. “This is new information,” he murmured. “Jaeger went to Marley with a specific purpose… but he also found time to get close enough to someone to marry her?”

One of the Marleyan intelligence officers spoke up, holding a folder in his hands. “After the clergyman’s testimony, we conducted an investigation. We found records indicating that this woman was once a slave belonging to the Tybur family. Her name is… Aurora.”

Magath raised an eyebrow. “The Tybur family? What’s her connection to them?”

The officer continued, flipping through the documents. “Aurora was reported missing from the Tybur estate approximately eight months ago. She was a servant who vanished under mysterious circumstances. Her records indicate she was Eldian.”

One of the advisors scoffed, his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. “Figures. But why would Jaeger go out of his way to take her with him?”

General Calvi looked at the clergyman with a scowl. “You’re certain you saw Jaeger treating this woman… with affection?”

The clergyman nodded. “I swear it on my faith. It was clear in his actions, in the way he looked at her. I may not have realized their true nature at the time, but that woman was important to him.”

Magath’s jaw clenched as he mulled over the implications. “Jaeger… he was in Marley, undercover, for months. He could’ve gathered a wealth of intelligence, but he also had the time to develop… personal ties. This woman, Aurora… she’s more than just an accomplice. She’s a part of his life, of his mission.”

Pieck’s eyes glinted as she considered this new information. “A runaway slave, possibly with information from the Tyburs. She might know things about the War Hammer Titan that Jaeger now possesses.”

Zeke nodded, looking thoughtful. “If Eren has an attachment to her, it could be a potential weakness. He’s reckless, but love… love can make even the strongest foolhardy.”

The generals exchanged glances, nodding grimly as they began to see the potential advantage. If this woman truly meant as much to Eren as the clergyman claimed, she could be used to manipulate or even corner him.

General Calvi leaned back, his expression cold and calculating. “Then we must consider Aurora Jaeger, a primary target. She’s no innocent bystander — she’s as guilty as Jaeger himself. If we can capture her… it may force his hand.”

Porco smirked, a ruthless gleam in his eye. “Then let’s prepare. That devil and his bride won’t be able to hide for long. And once we have her, Jaeger’s days are numbered.”

…

In the following days, the Marleyan generals and warriors continued to lay out their strategy with grim determination, fueled by the newfound knowledge of Eren’s vulnerability. They knew that Eren Jaeger was unlike any opponent they had faced. Driven, cunning, and unafraid to cross boundaries, he had already wreaked havoc on their home soil and destabilized Marley’s political standing. But with this unexpected revelation about his wife — a young woman named Aurora Jaeger — they now had the key to exploiting what was perhaps his only true weakness.

General Magath tapped the map spread out across the table, indicating Paradis Island with a forceful jab of his finger. “We’ve seen the depths of Jaeger’s ruthlessness. He’s willing to slaughter civilians, destroy infrastructure, and now, with the War Hammer Titan’s power, he’s only become more dangerous. But he hasn’t used the Rumbling, and that tells us something important.”

General Calvi nodded in agreement, his face dark and resolute. “He doesn’t have full access to the Founding Titan’s power. Either he lacks the conditions necessary, or he’s holding back for some unknown reason. But if we can strike while he’s vulnerable, before he achieves that power, we can put an end to this threat once and for all.”

Zeke, seated beside Pieck and Porco, spoke up, his eyes thoughtful. “Eren’s dependence on certain conditions to activate the Founding Titan means he’s not invincible yet. And if he’s as attached to this woman as we’ve heard, she could be his Achilles’ heel.” Zeke’s tone was carefully neutral, but there was a glint in his eye as he looked down at the map.

Pieck glanced over at Zeke, her brow furrowed. “And with a personal connection like that, Eren’s likely more protective than we realize. He may be keeping her close, possibly even hidden.”

Porco let out a low chuckle, his eyes narrowing with predatory intent. “So, what’s the plan, then? We march in, grab the girl, and watch Jaeger fall apart?”

Magath shook his head. “It’s not that simple, Galliard. We’re up against a trained military force on Paradis, not to mention the Scouts and any support Eren’s managed to gather. Our best chance lies in an alliance — bringing together a global coalition. We’ll rally forces from every nation willing to join us and strike in unison.”

General Calvi added, “And to do that, we need to present Eren Jaeger as a threat to the world. The global alliance will join us if they realize that this man holds a power that could wipe them off the map if he chooses. We must make them understand the urgency. Once we secure their help, we’ll invade Paradis with overwhelming force, capture the Founding Titan, and ensure the island is destroyed. No more risks. No more potential for these devils to threaten the world.”

Magath’s gaze hardened as he leaned over the table. “But first, we need leverage. And that leverage is Aurora Jaeger. With her as our hostage, Eren will be forced to comply. He may be the devil, but even devils have something they care about.”

Zeke observed his colleagues’ fervor, his expression unreadable. “If we use Aurora as bait, it will give us a tactical advantage, but we need to be prepared for Eren’s retaliation. He won’t back down easily, especially if he’s aware of our plan.”

Pieck interjected, “We don’t need him to back down. All we need is his moment of hesitation, that brief second when his guard is lowered. A tactical team can infiltrate Paradis with Aurora as the target, creating enough of a distraction to draw Eren out.”

Calvi nodded, satisfied with the formation of the plan. “Our goal is twofold. First, to capture Aurora and destabilize Jaeger. Second, to work with the global alliance to overpower Paradis with sheer numbers and technology.”

The generals nodded, their determination palpable as the strategy took shape. They would mobilize the Marleyan forces and coordinate with the global alliance. As plans were laid out, intelligence networks were set in motion to track any intel on Aurora’s whereabouts. If she was with Eren, they would find her, and when they did, they’d make their move.

As the room began to clear, Zeke lingered a moment, deep in thought. He had learned enough about his brother to know that Eren’s focus was unbreakable, even in the face of overwhelming odds. But this love for Aurora — this attachment — was something unexpected. If the girl truly meant as much to Eren as the Marleyan generals were assuming, it would indeed be a powerful card to play.

Zeke’s thoughts drifted to his own mother, Dina Fritz, and the sacrifices she’d made, the lineage she bore that Eren was now using to his advantage. He understood what Eren sought, but he also knew the kind of drive it would take to stop him. If he were to help take down his half-brother, he would have to be prepared for the full weight of that choice.

With a final nod to the generals, Zeke rose, a faint smirk on his lips. He would play his part, but he would keep his own motives hidden — after all, he understood the bloodlines as well as anyone.

And so, the plan was set in motion. The Marleyan forces would soon make contact with the global alliance, each nation contributing its finest soldiers, weapons, and resources, all aimed at a single, remote island — Paradis. Their collective power would be enough to devastate Eren Jaeger’s homeland, and with Aurora in their possession, they would weaken him from the inside, slowly and systematically.

But as the Marleyans prepared for their strike, the weight of their plan became clear to every person in that room. They weren’t just fighting to reclaim the titans or assert Marley’s dominance; they were about to incite a full-scale assault on Paradis that would ripple through history, changing the world forever. And as they finalized their strategy, a sense of foreboding lingered. They knew they were dealing with a man who had crossed every boundary, someone who had defied Marley and walked away stronger, a man who saw the world through a prism of his own determination and would stop at nothing to protect what he held dear.

And now, they were about to confront the one thing that made him vulnerable — the one thing that just might be his undoing.

~

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[ratasum]

*breaks into your bedroom* if You're cool with it, can you talk about ur version of Zojja 0v0

So I'm gonna put this under a cut but there are two things to start with: Jenn and I had been considering how to rework our original story with the announcement, and have since decided we won't be changing our stuff at all.

The most important thing to note is that we had been rping for the last decade like Zojja had been there the whole time. And we had considered "Maybe we'll switch that around now that they're bringing her back!"

And then, in our opinion and it's fine if you don't agree but in our opinion, they absolutely botched it.

So we made the decision that she didn't go to the wizards, someone else entirely winds up there, and that's completely altered the trajectory, which I can get into later on. To start: what's up with Zojja?

While back in Rata Sum post-HoT, she was a captive audience. We know from canon that she was a very sought after genius, and since she was stuck in a medical ward recovering, she couldn't stand all the stress. It was something she relayed to Vezz in letters frequently, and spoke to when Taimi visited, as well as once Qirri was well enough herself to visit. She mentioned it often to Eir, as well, since she would come by to check in on her. (This is another complicated bit but! We press on!)

During this time she also thought Leyya was dead. This was because Leyya had run off after learning what happened to her and hadn't been seen since.

It was some time after this, near the end of S3, that Zojja got to the point that she was tired of feeling like she was being watched, feeling like something was present, and feeling the council breathe down her neck to use as a pawn. But right as she was planning to find a way to sneak away was when Leyya finally got over her fear of telling everyone the truth and came back.

There was a half angry, half tearful reunion, with both of them discussing their struggles and anxieties, and finally decided to head to Lion's Arch together. And with help from the Order of Whispers, they got set up at @wall-legion's Odetta's soap shop.

This did involve dealing with Sheridan, a Mordrem. We haven't figured out how they figured that out yet but it takes some time.

It's a lot, but it helps both of them. Zojja can work on recovering peacefully among people she trusts with someone she cares about, even though the chronic pain and fatigue never fully leave her.

They reenter the actual narrative for the first time in Icebrood Saga, when Rytlock calls in a favor from Tyria's premiere dragon expert to help, and she's present when Garrus and Qirri are badly injured by Bangar. Frustrated with her continued struggle with her recovery from Maguuma, she at least does what she can to help out.

(There's an important scene here with Qirri and Zojja that I want to draw but I'm still very shaky in my art confidence so... someday.)

She even helps the krewe get set up in Cantha, watching the two girls she mentored finally come into their own as tough, capable young women. And starts wondering if they still need her guidance at all.

Which is why Zojja is eventually with Odetta and Leyya when they get to wizlandia in the first place.

We had swapped the order of WLB/WLW and the epilogue, so after the epilogue Caithe disappeared... and imagine everyone's surprise when they find her in Wizlandia instead. And talk starts of this talented young elementalist with a deep well of unusual power. If only she'd stay with them...

I can go into more detail on whatever anyone would like, but that's more or less the nutshelled version of it!

[mickimagnum]

Devin's Dude Ranch: Episode One (Part One)

Venessa (voice over): "Welcome to Echo Valley Ranch in beautiful Chestnut Ridge, home of Grand Champion horse trainer, nectar magnate, and Bachelorette, Devin Delaney."

Venessa (continues): "I'm your host, Venessa Jeong and this is the premiere of Devin's Dude Ranch. Devin, how are you doing tonight?"

Devin: "Excited. And nervous, my palms are sweaty."

*Devin quickly swipes her hands across the back of her dress*

*Venessa smirks and tries to hide it*

Venessa: "I think that's understandable. I mean, you're about to potentially meet the love of your life for the first time."

Devin: "I suppose that's reason enough for a little perspiration, yes."

Venessa: "Yes, exactly. Alright, Devin. In just a minute, the first contestant will make his way right down your driveway and introduce himself. Are you ready to meet the five men who came here with the intention of winning your heart?"

*Devin draws in a deep breath as if summoning her courage*

Devin: I am.

*footsteps crunch along the dirt driveway as the first contestant makes his toward Devin*

*She cranes her neck to watch his approach as a smile begins to play at the corners of her mouth*

Contestant #1: "I can't believe I'm finally standing here in front of you. Hi, I'm Handra," *draws in a shaky breath then laughs* "I'm sorry, I'm really nervous. ...Watcher, you are...so beautiful."

Handra (in diary room): "I'm here because I'm ready to settle down. Marriage. Kids. The happily-ever-after. It's what I want, more than anything. And I'm excited to get to know Devin throughout this experience. Everything I know about her, on paper...she could be exactly what I've been looking for."

Devin: "Thank you; that's very sweet," *bites her lower lip and tucks her hair behind her ear, obviously blushing* "It's nice to meet you, Handra. And if it makes you feel better, I'm super nervous too."

*both laugh*

Handra: "I made you something," *he holds out the box he's been carrying so Devin can get a better look* "I know you said making pizza was your love language, and that's something we have in common, so..."

*Handra opens the box to reveal its contents*

Handra (in a playful tone): "Devin Delaney, you've stolen a pizza my heart."

*A grin spreads across Devin's face before a chorus of laughter escapes her throat*

Devin (teasingly): "Would you say this was made with love?"

*Handra smiles*

Handra: "Definitely."

*Devin is still smiling*

Devin: "Well then I can't wait to try it. Thank you. This is amazing. And my favorite type of gift, for the record."

*the two hug*

Handra: "You are very welcome. I look forward to getting to know you, Devin."

Devin: "The feeling is very mutual."

*after the pair separates, Handra makes his way into the house*

Devin: "Okay. You guys did good picking Handra. He's got a good sense of humor. He seems kind and considerate. And he's so cute I literally thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest the whole we were standing there. Did I mention he brought me pizza!? That he made!? With a heart on it!?"

NEXT

Handra submitted by @bloomingkyras

[sweetreveriee]

That One Chap Where Farley Breaks Her Leg but make it MareCal

I gasped, one hand flying to my mouth. Farley’s leg was a stomach-turning sight. Her leg had done a complete 180, starting from her knee and twisting up. I reached out to grab onto the nearest person and almost retracted when I felt a familiar warmth. Looking up, I saw Tiberias-no, not Tiberias, Cal. This was Cal, without the stoic persona he puts on for his grandmother and the court. His face was full of emotion, albeit it being fear and disgust, it was still a better alternative to the emptiness that now inhabited his bronze eyes.

He squeezed my hand, a reminder. I’m here, he seemed to say. I squeezed back before turning to Farley. “HEALER! SOMEONE GET A HEALER,” Cal screamed while I comforted Farley, who was grimacing as she cursed everything under the sun. Instead of a healer, I see Davidson running towards us. “What happened? Is everything ok?” He scanned the area, turning slightly green at the sight of Farley’s leg. “She needs a healer,” I say grimly. Cal nods next to me. Farley straightens. “I’ll be fine, we need to get out of here, lest we get attacked again.” I hated to admit she was right, but it wasn’t just a small cut or bruise that she could walk off. Even Farley wasn’t invincible, no one could walk with a leg like hers.

The premier stepped forward. “I can try a Red method,” he said slowly. “It’s going to hurt though. I have to physically push the bone back into place, and there’s no skin healer magic to lessen the pain.” I winced at Davidson’s words. Once Kilorn and I had been running through the river when I slipped and dislocated my shoulder. I was crying for hours after Shade had popped it back into place.

“Do it.”

Farley’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts as I turned to face her. Her face was twisted to form a grimace as she squeezed her eyes shut. Not wanting to watch, I buried my face in Tiberias, no Cal’s, side. He seemed to stiffen but immediately let loose again, snaking an arm around my waist as he buried his face in my hair, not wanting to watch either. It almost felt like we were back at the base in Tuck. If I imagined enough, we were in his bunk, laughing and cuddling after a workout.

A sickening pop and a cry of pain from Farley later, her knee was back to normal, though very shaky. It took me and Cal both to help her stand, and Davidson supporting her from behind to walk to the transport. I squeezed her hand slightly, and she returned the gesture. Once she was situated in her transport with Davidson, the last one was left for me and Cal. We stood awkwardly by the entrance for a moment before Cal broke the silence. “Ladies first,” he said, wearing a smile that resembled that stupid, crooked grin he wore. I resisted the urge to laugh.

Stupid, I told myself. This isn’t your Cal.

I decidedly ignored the fact that my traitorous brain called him mine.

In the transport, we faced across from each other. Cal drummed his fingers on his knee and stared at the window, while my focus was on my lap. As luck would have it, we decided to look up and the same time, making eye contact. I didn’t dare break it, even the air between us was fragile. “I’m sorry,” he said first, which took me aback. “What for?” I sputtered. He stiffened, going silent for a moment, thinking about his words.

I almost wish he stayed silent.

“For not choosing you.”

I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, but my eyes never strayed away from his.

IF PPL LIKE THIS ILL DO A PART 2

[balanchine-ballet-master]

Four Dancers Promoted to Principal at New York City Ballet

by Gia Kourlas The New York Times

Early Sunday evening, just after New York City Ballet’s final performance of the season, four soloists received the kind of postseason gift every dancer dreams of: Emilie Gerrity, Isabella LaFreniere, Roman Mejia and Mira Nadon were elevated to the rank of principal dancer. They learned of their promotions onstage after the curtain fell on “The Sleeping Beauty,” receiving the news from Jonathan Stafford, the company’s artistic director, and Wendy Whelan, its associate artistic director. During that ballet’s two-week run, and throughout the winter season, they had all made important debuts, including originating roles in the premiere of Justin Peck’s evening-length “Copland Dance Episodes.”

Mira Nadon in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Erin Baiano.

Nadon, the youngest at 21, is newsworthy beyond her shimmering technique and overall radiance. She is also the company’s first Asian American female principal. (Her mother is South Asian.) “I had no idea,” she said, adding that the news was “really amazing and quite an honor.”

As for the promotion itself? Nadon, usually composed, sounded shaky. “I still haven’t quite processed it, but it’s just a whole new height that you have to hold yourself to,” she said. “To be in the top rank in the company is a big responsibility. I feel like I have a lot of work to grow into that title, but I’m really excited to start.”

During the winter season, Nadon, who was born in Boston and began her training at the Inland Pacific Ballet Academy in Montclair, Calif., was especially busy: She made debuts in George Balanchine’s “Stravinsky Violin Concerto” and “Episodes,” Jerome Robbins’s “Rondo”—opposite LaFreniere—and as the Lilac Fairy and Diamond in Peter Martins’s “The Sleeping Beauty.”

Isabella LaFreniere as Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Erin Baiano.

Both she and LaFreniere, from Lambertville, Mich., were promoted to soloist in 2022. LaFreniere, 26, who danced Aurora in “Beauty” for the first time last week, joined the company in 2014. Injuries have curtailed her progress, but she emerged from the pandemic refreshed and recharged, making important debuts in two vintage gems: Balanchine’s “Chaconne” and Balanchine and Robbins’s “Firebird,” which she reprised this season with mystery and mastery.

Roman Mejia in Allegro Brillante. Photo by Erin Baiano.

Mejia, 23, who made “Beauty” debuts as Bluebird and Gold, has in recent seasons shown his athletic virtuosity as Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and in “Rubies” from “Jewels.” Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he has ballet in his blood. Starting at age 3, he began training with his parents, Maria Terezia Balogh and Paul Mejia, a former dancer with City Ballet. Mejia, too, was transformed after the pandemic; his brashness took on a new refinement, while retaining its ebullient power. In 2021, he was promoted to soloist.

Emilie Gerrity in Agon. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Gerrity, at 32, has long been an integral, versatile member of the company, joining in 2010 and becoming a soloist in 2017. That kind of longevity can stunt a dancer, but Gerrity, who possesses a voluptuous strength, has seemingly used the time to develop her own artistic voice. This season, she made debuts as the Lilac Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty,” as well as in Balanchine’s “Walpurgisnacht Ballet.”

Born in Danbury, Conn., Gerrity began training at 5 and went onto study at the New Paltz School of Ballet and before joining City Ballet, studied at the company’s affiliated School of American Ballet, along with all the new principals. “I’m freaking out,” she said. “I feel crazy in all ways. I’ve worked my entire life to get here.”

Gerrity has been in the company the longest of the four. “I remember being like, I don’t know if it’s going to happen—because you really do never know,” she said. “But I was like, I’m getting these amazing opportunities, and why am I going to sit here and think maybe it’s not going to happen versus just applying myself and trying to be better each time?”

She added, “Of course, tears were shed.”

[grimmmviewing]

S2E1: “Bad Teeth”—C+ (Watched 9/19/24)

“I may not be awake, but I’m right.”

Similar to the season one premiere’s use of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” the first episode of Grimm’s second season gets immediate partial credit from me for using a quote from W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming,” which is one of my favorite poems, in no small part because of its big-feeling and ominous vibes. While not a story that can be adapted, I think “Bad Teeth” is somewhat trying to tap into that spirit of an uncertain, imposing future. There are certain images in this episode that feel like they operate on a grander scale, for example—the opening shot of a ship in a stormy sea and a later aerial establishing shot of a large castle at night, specifically. They’re more evocative than the usual, which feels like a good way to come back for a new season. It reads to me as pulling out all the stops (as much as one can in this format) to get the audience re-engaged.

The problem, of course, is that however much Grimm might want to tap into “The Second Coming” or even just convince its audience that this new season will be Exciting, it still is what it is: That ship coming into port with some sort of unsettling cargo aboard was only ever going to end with the reveal of another guy with a funny-looking monster face, which spoils the intensity and… immensity quite a bit. The new, expanded title sequence walks a similarly shaky fine line between hype and disappointment in that it’s no longer blink-and-you’ll-miss-it quick, but the over-dramatic narration that only sort of barely explains the Grimm premise over shaky old footage still doesn’t work as well for me as an actual theme song.

Despite the focus on two MacGuffin-esque objects that have previously turned up in awkward ways in past episodes—The Key and The Coins—I still found the story here reasonably engaging. It ends strong, at least, with the villainous saber-tooth Wesen’s big ploy of the episode: pretending to be the body of a murdered FBI agent before raising up and coming at Nick right at the very end. That’s not unpredictable, but it was better than the guy just dropping from the ceiling (or something) like I expected.

There also continue to be quick flourishes, visual or otherwise, that suggest the people making the show care and are trying to liven it up as best they can. After the opening with the ship, for example, we get a fun retread of Nick’s fight with Akira Kimura from the season one finale but sort of from the perspective of Nick’s mother as she arrives on the scene and then ultimately intervenes. This functions like a somewhat clever “last time on Grimm” without being so obvious.

The presence of Nick’s Grimm mother immediately creates fresh drama with Monroe and Rosalee, which is a fun complication to their dynamic with Nick, but it’s also nice to experience the feelings of openness that come with the frank, honest answers to questions that we get by way of her as well. The concept of Grimm-hood as like a type of puberty—we’re told that girls tend to become aware sooner—is an interesting bit of lore that adds to the sense of complexity or texture in the show’s world.

Interestingly, the presence of Adalind’s mother in this episode also contributes to the fun that makes this a “+” rather than just a C. “Interesting” in that mothers add so much to this particular episode for some reason. And the way that Rosalee and Monroe are reading Nick the mother’s phone number over the phone and it… overlaps with the same number calling is just cute. It turns out this is Renard’s phone that’s being called, but there’s momentarily this sense of reading the number as an invocation or summoning: a “Speak of the Devil and he shall appear”-type deal. The mothers collide, in a sense, when Nick questions and then threatens Adalind’s mother in her home before reporting back to his own mother in the car outside. He says Adalind’s mother doesn’t know where Adalind is, to which his own mother says, “Did you threaten to kill her?” “Yeah, of course,” replies Nick, like this is just standard operating procedure for them and not remarkable at all. That’s just a fun beat, even if the story around it doesn’t seem all that striking.

(Also, I “enjoyed” the reveal that the malady afflicting Juliette could damage her memory, which plays into the exact strategy I mentioned in the write-up for the season one finale: The writers get to decide if they want to essentially double dip on the drama of Nick revealing his secret to Juliette by letting her sickness undo the confrontation from “Woman in Black.” It’s definitely “convenient,” but you could see it as “fun” too if you, like I do, enjoy the way that conflicts can be strategically drawn out over these multi-season, 20-ish-episode series.)

[allthingsfangirl101]

AFS Chapter 7: All Good Things Must Come To An End

Masterlist

After Joe paid the bill, they started to leave. As they walked outside, Joe moved her so she was on his right side opposite the street. They walked to the car when suddenly Evelyn started acting weird. Her hands shook and she stepped closer to Joe.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

"Joe," Evelyn said under her breath.

"What?"

Just then, they were surrounded by paparazzi. As the leeches with cameras circled around them, Evelyn started struggling to breathe. She tucked into Joe's chest and he could feel her shaking. He looked down and saw how white her face had gotten.

Then he sprung into action.

He unwrapped his arms from around her, his heart dropping when she gasped in disapproval. He quickly grabbed her hand and pushed through the paparazzi. As soon as they got through, Joe started running. He wasn't sure where they were going. All he knew was that he had to get her away from them.

When he figured they had gotten far enough away from them, he pulled Evelyn into a well-lit alley. She looked around, her heart racing so fast she could hear her blood pumping.

"Evelyn?" Joe's nerves slowly started to rise as the adrenaline wore off. He scanned her face but it was almost like she hadn't heard him.

"You okay?"

"I can't. . ."

Joe looked down and saw her hands were shaking. He didn't think. He grabbed Evelyn's hands and pulled her into his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. He let out a small sigh of relief when he felt Evelyn slowly wrap her arms around his waist. It took her a few seconds before she tightened her hold on him.

"Take a deep breath for me," Joe whispered.

"I can't," she stuttered.

"Yes, you can," Joe said instantly. "Listen to my breathing and copy it. Okay? Like this."

He took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. He repeated that until she joined in. Each time he took a deep breath, so did she. Soon, her breathing was back to normal.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice shaky. He squeezed her shoulders in reassurance.

Evelyn stepped out of Joe's embrace, instantly replacing his arms with her own.

"I'm sorry about all that," she said, her usual confidence not coming through. "Sometimes. . . It's stupid and I should be used to it now, but whenever I get corned by paparazzi I shut down. My head starts spinning and I can't breathe. . . It's kinda pathetic when you think about it–an actress scared of the paparazzi."

"No, it's not," Joe said quickly. "It's not pathetic, Evelyn. It's understandable."

Silence fell between the two. Joe looked over and saw how uncomfortable Evelyn was.

"Hey," he said sweetly, "let's get out of here."

* * * * *

"Can I ask you something?" Joe hesitated.

"Of course," Evelyn said, knowing where this was going.

"You go to premieres all the time," Joe slowly started. "How do you get through them?"

"Let's just say," she chuckled, "a very strategic amount of alcohol."

"Enough to get you buzzed but not enough to slur your words," Joe laughed in understanding.

"Exactly," she smiled. "Plus, at premieres, it's not so bad. I mean, all the paparazzi are behind a makeshift wall."

"They aren't allowed to swarm you," he nodded. His stomach turned sour when he remembered.

"Wait," he said slowly, "don't you have a premiere this Sunday?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. She let out a small laugh when she saw the look on his face. "Joe, we just went through this. I've gone to premieres before."

"What if I went with you?" Joe suggested before he could think it through.

"What?" Evelyn stuttered.

"It wouldn't be for publicity or anything. It'd be for you," he quickly added. "I wouldn't be there to help myself but to help you. That way, if you got nervous on the red carpet with the paparazzi, I'd be there. I helped you with your panic attack tonight. Maybe I can do it again."

Evelyn studied Joe to see if all of this was some angle he was working. When she figured it out, she still wasn't sure. She had to ask, just to be sure.

"You'd really be willing to be arm candy? For my benefit, not yours?"

"Would it help you if I came with you?" He asked instead of answering her question.

"Yes," she said, her voice dropping.

"Then I'll do it."

[happybird16]

Massage

Levi Ackerman/ Fem Reader

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, Smut, Fluff, Muscle worship, Unprotected Sex, Vaginal Sex, Creampie, Cock warming

Summary: In honor of the anime premier of Levi's glorious back. After years of trying, Levi finally accepts your offer of a back massage.

Word Count: 4.3k

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37399426

Note: I wrote this in one sitting, so I apologize if it's a bit rough around the edges. Please feel free to point out any glaring errors.

Tag list: @holy-guacamoly

His skin is smooth, soft and warm against the pads of your fingers as you glide them along his back. The room is dark, barely lit by the soft flicker of a nearby candle. He releases a low groan beneath you; you feel it vibrate through his torso and into your thighs. It’s a noise of relief, as you work your fingers against the stiff muscles of his shoulders. This moment feels fake, like a dream. You can’t help but think back on how you’d arrived here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Levi always works so hard, devoting himself entirely to humanity as the cost of his own health. As a member of his squad, you’d watched on multiple occasions he worked himself to exhaustion and beyond. Now as a fellow captain, you’ve only grown more familiar with his need to overwork himself. Always working to be better; faster, stronger, and to make others the same. He barely sleeps, choosing to nap a few hours at his desk every couple days. You can’t imagine the stress he must carry; the weight of humanity on his shoulders.

Entering his office to drop off some paperwork before lights out, you are barely surprised to find the man softly dozing at his desk. Sitting up, back stiff against his chair and arms crossed, the man looks imposing even in convalescence. He could have been wide awake if not for his soft, rhythmic breaths.

His sharp eyes snap open at the soft footfalls of your approach, immediately meeting your own gaze. He seems vaguely embarrassed to have been caught dozing at his desk, though it was hard to tell despite how long you’ve known the man.

Calling your name in greeting, the sound of your first name familiar is on his lips. It’s an earned privilege, after years of toiling and training underneath him. A familiarity that you now share, with your rise in rank.

“Levi.” The use of his first name still fills your belly with excitement. Moving to take the papers from your grasp, he seems especially stiff as he rises from his chair. The usual hard line of his shoulders seems extra severe under the flickering candlelight.

It worries you, how much the man pushes himself for humanity. He never takes a day off, training even on free days. You’ve voiced your concerns several times prior, always brushed off with an ‘I’m fine.’ or a dismissive click of the tongue. He must have pushed himself extra hard today, judging by the stiffness of his gate as he moves around the desk to you. His shoulders hunch slightly, as he stands by your side to read the paperwork.

Unable to help yourself, you voice your concerns once again. “Your back and shoulders are all stiff and tense again. Want a massage? It’ll help with the muscle strain?” Your eyes follow the stiff turn of his neck as his gaze rises to your face.

The offer, as always, isn’t completely selfless. You’ve always wanted to say something, to voice your desire for the severe man. To finally see and feel him beneath the perfect press of his uniform; his skin hot and slick against your own. You want him relaxed and stress free, yes, but you also want him.

To your complete surprise, he says yes, a soft smile on his lips at your concern. It takes you aback for a moment, you’d never expected him to acquiesce to your demands; much less with such a soft look on his handsome face.

“O..oh okay. I’ll be right back! I just have to grab some lotion from my room.” Your voice is shaky in your reply.

“Don’t leave me waiting too long, Brat.”

“I’ll be quick!” You practically sprint to your office down the hall, swiping a bottle of lotion off of the desk in your room. Swapping out of your uniform, you quickly dawn some more comfortable shorts and a T-shirt. Something easier to move around in than the stiff material of your uniform.

Slightly out of breath from your sprint, the sight that meets you at your return steals the rest of the air from your lungs. He’d used the time that you had been gone to remove the straps of his gear, his boots and socks already neatly placed to the side of his desk. As you’d entered the small office his fingers had just begun working to undo the buttons of his shirt. The sight makes your mouth feel dry.

You’d known that Levi was a mass of rippling muscle; everyone could tell that on sight. The view of it however, is absolutely breathtaking. His back is a rippling mass of hard lines of muscle, his lean shoulders and arms bulging and shifting as he folds his shirt and places it on his desk. The sight of his front is even better; it makes you feel lightheaded, your thighs already clenching in arousal. A powerful eight pack of abs trails down his core, shifting and flexing with every movement, every breath. His pecs are firm, bulging out from his torso and tipped with tight pink nipples. There’s even small bunches of muscle flanking either side of his abs; obliques, you think they’re called. You want to run your tongue along them.

As you eye the hard v-ing line of muscles that curves along his hips and trails into his pants, you hear him clear his throat to get your attention. The noise startles you, making you jolt your eyes up to his. He must have heard you close his office door. Hopefully he hadn’t seen you staring too long. That’d be embarrassing.

“How do you want me?” His phrasing does not help your predicament, forcing you to swallow a squeak. Are his ears slightly pink? It must be your imagination. His gaze is firm against your own, there’s a heat in them that you don’t think you’ve ever seen before.

Shifting the bottle in your hands, you lick your lips to try to regain some moisture in your mouth. “M..maybe lay on your bed?” You can practically hear your heart beating in your ears, feel it clogging your throat as you take a heavy gulp.

How am I going to live through this? My heart is going to give out.

He grunts in response, lifting the single flickering candle from the hard wood of his desk. With a flick of his free hand, he beckons you to follow him into the darkness of his room. “Come on then.”

You can’t help but watch his back ripple as he leads you into the bedroom. The hard lines on his shoulders shift with each step, the sharp curve of his spine is flanked by even more hard lines of muscle along his shoulders and lower back. There’s even two v-ing lines curving along his hips and into the back of his pants, echoing the ones on his torso.

Trying to gather your wits, you take a deep breath as you close the bedroom door behind the two of you; pausing for a moment to kick off your shoes and socks. Levi continues forward to place the candle on his bedside table with a soft thunk, before turning to look at you questioningly. “What do you want next?”

So much.

Your mouth is dry again, despite your earlier efforts. Coming up beside him, you place the bottle of lotion next to the candle. Thinking back on how stiffly he’d been walking earlier, your mouth moves without thought.

“Take off your pants too.”

Oh no that sounded bad.

He quirks a brow before moving his hands to unbutton his white trousers. The sight makes you actually squeak out loud this time. “Mind telling me why you want me in my underwear for this?”

“Y..your legs seemed stiff when you were walking around earlier. I..I can help with that too.” You're thankful his eyes are on his task, you can’t help but drink in the sight before you.

He grunts distractedly in response as he slides the stiff material down his thighs. Even his thighs are firm, thick with firm lines of muscle cutting along the insides. They’re coated with a light dusting of dark hair that seems to get thicker as it spreads down to his calves. They ripple and tense as he shifts from one leg to the other to remove the offensive material. You watch his biceps bulge and flex and he finally frees himself of the cloth, folding the trousers and placing them on the table. There’s a hard curve in his underwear. Is he..?

“Oi! What now?” He’d definitely caught you staring this time, you can feel your face flush with embarrassment. Meeting his gaze once again, you note that his ears are definitely tinged red this time. Is he turned on?

“Uh..” Don’t concern yourself with that right now, focus. You have to wet your lips again before speaking. “Lay face down in the middle of your bed.”

He bobs his head in agreement, gifting you with the sight of his back once again as he lifts a knee to rise onto the mattress. It creaks beneath his weight as he shifts to the middle of the surface. He releases a surprisingly soft sigh as he lays down flat, pressing his face into his unused pillow; cushioned by the crook of his arms.

You follow him into the plus surface, the fabric of it feels cool against your bare knees. He turns his head, eyeing you as you move to straddle his back. Pressing your knees to the mattress on either side of him, you perch yourself directly on the round curve on his ass. It's surprisingly plush beneath you, though you feel it tense in surprise at the contact. His whole body tenses up in fact, you can feel it against your inner thighs and see it along the hard ridges of his back.

“I’ve.. never done this before.” What a surprise, Levi. His gaze strays from yours again as he presses his face back into the pillow.

“Admittedly, I’ve never massaged a man before. Only fellow female soldiers when I was in the dorms.” Much less an extremely attractive man.

“Just relax. You’ll find this quite pleasurable.” Phrasing. Again. Control yourself. His ears definitely tinged darker at your words, though.

You run your hands slowly along his sides, trying to encourage him to loosen up. He takes a deep breath as you run your fingers along his shoulder blades, before finally loosening up.

Happy, you finally move to grab the lotion bottle from the bedside table. Pouring some into the palm of your hand, you place the bottle to stand up beside his pillow. Spreading the cool lotion between your hands, you allow it to warm against your skin. He jolts a little underneath you at the first press of your slick hand.

“Is it cold?” His skin is so warm beneath your hands, the lotion has to feel cool despite your efforts.

“It’s fine.” The words are muffled as he burrows his head further into the pillow.

You start with long wide strokes along his back, feeling along the length of his spine and smoothing along his flanks. Dragging your fingers against the tense muscle along either side of his spine, before dragging your fingers along one side of his lower back. You repeat this motion several times, kneading your fingers into the skin of his lower back to his side in short circular strokes. He releases a soft sigh at the motion as you mirror your actions along his other side.

Sliding your digits back up along his spine, you press your fingers into the edge of his spine at his shoulders. Digging into the muscle there, you slide your finger to one of his shoulder blades. There’s a lot of tension there and he releases a deep grunt at the attention.

“Is that too hard?” Your female friends like a little less pressure, but you thought he’d like a bit more.

“No. It’s perfect.” He sounds groggy almost, his voice the most relaxed you’ve ever heard it.

Repeating the motion on his other shoulder, he releases almost a moan. It’s an exhilarating sound that has you clenching your thighs against his back. Swirling your thumbs in light circular strokes down and then harder up along the sides of his spine, you can feel the tension easing along the hard ridge.

Pouring more lotion into your hand, you decide to focus on the horrible tension of his neck and shoulders. Pushing your weight forward, you press both your hands into his shoulders; pressing him down into the mattress in firm circles. Digging your fingertips into his skin, you glide your fingers along the edge of one of his shoulder blades in long smooth strokes. Repeating the motion, the tension starts to ease along the hard muscle there. He hums at the sensation, turning his head to gaze at you with one heavy lidded eye.

“Is that good?” You move to mirror your actions along his other shoulder blade, digging your fingers into a particularly hard knot on that side. He groans loudly at the firm press.

“S’good.” There’s a slur to his words; you can feel him press his hips harder against the mattress beneath your thighs. You circle several fingers along the ridge of his spine at the nape of the neck, his eye blinking heavily at the motion. He’s not holding in the noises anymore, grunting and groaning at the hard press of your fingers along his spine.

Sliding your hands in long soothing motions down along his back to the edge of his underwear, you can’t believe how limp and relaxed he feels under your touch. How hot he looks beneath you, bulging muscles slick and at your mercy. Pressing yourself further against the plush curve of his ass, you hope that he can’t feel how absolutely soaked you are. You’ve been subconsciously rolling your hips against his ass, you’d be completely embarrassed if he’d noticed.

Gathering more lotion in your hands, you rise on your knees, intending to release the stiffness in his legs. Kneeling between his thick thighs you press your hands against the hard muscle of one of his calves, smoothing along the muscle in a long stroke all the way up to the curve of his ass. He mumbles as you repeat the motion, blurting out ‘feels good’ and ‘yess’ in short rumbling gasps. It’s exhilarating that he seems to have lost his usual firm grasp on his filter.

There’s a lot of tension in the firm muscles of his calves and thighs. You dig your thumbs into the muscle there, gliding up along his calves in a firm press. This earns a deep grunt, his hips pressing further into the mattress once again. You circle your thumbs along the back of his knee, before pushing the heels of your hands against his thick thigh.

Mirroring the motion your gaze wanders back up to meet his own. He still has his head turned, his cheek cushioned on the crook of his arm. His gaze is still heavy lidded, once again filled with an unfamiliar heat. It seems that he’s been watching you.

With final long soothing strokes along his legs, you stop to gaze questionably at his feet before meeting his own again. You’ve never given a foot massage before, but you're filling to try for him.

“Do you want…?”

“No.” His words are firm, cutting you off before you can finish the question.

He moves to rise, biceps bulging as he shifts into his back, legs carefully shifting to keep you between them. His ears are still tinged red, his cheeks are a little pink even. He sits up quickly, raising a hand to glide along your arm and up your shoulder, before finally cupping the back of your head.

“What..” You're interrupted yet again, this time by the firm press of his lips against your own. The kiss is hot, full of passion despite being all lips.

“Don’t think I haven’t seen you watching me. I said yes to this for more than one reason.” His voice is surprisingly deep, gruff with desire and passion. He was aroused. Is aroused.

“Ride me.” His words are a command as much as a plea as his back stretches along the mattress once again. He’s rock hard, you notice, twitching and soaking the fabric of his underwear. So that’s why he was thrusting against the bed.

“I could feel you rutting against my ass, you know. Bet you're drenched.” His taunt brings a different flush to your face. You are soaked, absolutely dripping with need. You have been since the first glimpse of his rippling back muscles back in his office.

The heat in his gaze makes you clench and throb as he lowers a hand to palm himself through his underwear. The hard ridges of his abs twitch with the pleasure of the movement, drawing your gaze along the beguiling trail of dark hair below his belly button and along the band of his underwear. The sight makes your mouth water.

“Still watching me?” The teasing lilt is still in his voice. “Take those off and come here.” He’s eyeing your shirt and shorts with sudden disdain, hand sliding beneath the fabric of his briefs to continue playing himself. Your name leaves his lips in a soft gasp as he thrusts lightly into his hand.

The sight makes your clit throb with need. I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve wanted this for so long. You quickly shift to kick off your shorts and underwear before moving to sit on his thighs. He pulls his own underwear down to his thighs, a large hand grabbing your hip as you settle over him.

“I’d normally help a bit more with that, just so you know. You’ve left me a bit boneless, though.” There’s a soft crinkle of amusement in the corners of his eyes.

“That was sort of the idea.” You laugh softly at his words, before gazing down between your thighs.

His cock is twitching into the open air now, it’s tip oozing silvery fluid along the side. It’s flushed deep pink, almost red with his need. His grasp at the base of it seems almost desperate. Rising on your knees, he presses the swollen tip against your soaked cunt. Sliding it along your drenched cleft, moistening it, before pressing the tip into your twitching hole.

With an airy sigh, you lower yourself into him. The stretch of him is perfect against your gummy walls, you can feel the soft curve of his twitching head deep within you. He groans deep and long at the insertion, eyes closing and head tilting back against the pillow.

“Fuck! I knew you’d be so tight for me.” His gaze is scorching into you, the grip of his hands on your hips tight. Rising up, you slide off of his length almost to the tip. You can feel it, the blunting head twitching at the ring of your entrance, before you drop back down. The sensation leaves you breathless, frantic; you can’t help but repeat the motion.

“Just like that, yeah.” He’s groaning, thrusting his cock further into you with small swirls of his hips. He’s laying back, completely lax and nearly motionless underneath you. His gaze is heavy lidded, nearly scorching as he watches his cock slide into you.

Silver eyes sliding up your torso, he suddenly tugs at the fabric of your shirt. “Remove this for me?” He sounds almost breathless with the request.

With a whine, you halt your desperate thrusts to yank the fabric above your head. Throwing it far into the darkness of the room without a care. One hand quickly rises from gripping your hip to palm one of your breasts. Your hands glide along his abs as you return to your previous motion, the muscles there twitch and shudder with each jabbing thrust. They’re slow, hard; each one hitting you deep and leaving you gasping.

“Yeah. This is better than I imagined.” He imagined this? His filter must still be gone. It’s even more exciting to see him so out of sorts, blabbering whatever’s on his mind.

“Same. F..fuck. I’ve wanted this for so long.” You helplessly blurt it out in the heat of the moment. Maybe you’ve lost your filter too.

As you roll your hips into his, you can’t help but watch his face. There’s sweat beading along his hairline, dampening the dark strands of his bangs. He’s flushed a deep pink; ears, face, and all the way down his neck. He’s gasping, groaning; mouth open with soft pants as he watches the connection between you. You want to kiss him again, deeper this time; the slide of his tongue against your own.

Shifting from your upright position, you lean your torso down to press against his own heaving upper body. Sliding your hands up from his abs, along his firm pecs and into the long hair above his undercut. You bring him into a deep, open mouthed kiss; swirling your tongue around his own. He tastes exactly like you always imagined, deep and rich with a bitter tang of black tea. He groans into your mouth, hand sliding from your breast to push against your back; pulling you further against him. You can feel his nails digging into your skin.

This position forces you to make short rolling thrusts, the press of him is deeper and sharper against your gummy walls. Each slide jabs into your g-spot, making you see stars and rapidly approach your peak. You can practically taste it on the tip of your tongue, the feel of it approaching with a roaring buzz in the back of your head.

Breaking away from the hot press of his swirling tongue, you whine as you struggle to meet his gaze. ”I’m close.” You gasp the words against his mouth with rapid shuddery breaths.

“I am too. Fuck. S’wet.” His knees rise behind you as he delivers a volley of hard thrusts up into your gushing depths. The sound of the squelching slap of your connection makes you dizzy; your peak approaching much sharper and faster. Your rolling thrusts become frantic, aided by the hard pulling grasp at your hip. His other hand presses hard, rapid swirls into your pulsing clit; the dual stimulation sharp and devastating.

You come gasping, clawing into the skin of his shoulders. Shuddering and jerking, you can only imagine the sounds spewing from your lips. Your ears are ringing, drowning out all sound, but you can feel yourself whining and babbling nonsense into the skin of his neck. He presses deep into your shuddering, gummy walls; you can feel the sweet curve of his tip so deep you can taste it. The feel of it, twitching and spurting deep against your cervix, makes your eyes roll back into your head.

He’s shuddering and gasping his completion alongside your own, you can hear the deep baritone of his voice through the ringing of your ears. His kiss swollen lips are pressed to your neck, deep moans vibrating against the skin. His hips rise in sharp, shuddering jolts against your own as he spills into you. Two fingers continue to swirl gently at your clit, elongating your climax as your walls flutter around him.

He goes completely limp after, legs falling back against the bed and arms bouncing to his sides as if they are made of jelly. As the ringing in your ears finally disappears, you can hear his deep shuddering gasps as he attempts to catch his breath. You're not much better off, truth be told. Resting your head into the crook of his neck, you attempt to gather yourself with deep breaths.

He is still warm inside you, soft against your walls. The feel of it makes you fond, a soft fluttering sensation filling your heart.

He raises a hand to slide along the skin of your back, the glide heavy with lassitude. “Kiss me. I’m too limp to do it myself.” The words make you smile.

Raising your head, you bring him into a soft kiss. His mouth opens, tongue sliding against your own in a sweet embrace. The kiss is short, and sweet. Tired and full of satisfaction.

“Why did you wait so long to say yes?” You couldn’t help but be curious. You both have clearly wanted this for a while.

“Couldn’t before. You were my subordinate.” That makes sense. His eyes are heavy lidded and warm with affection as he meets your gaze.

He hums, stretching his legs along the comforter. “You certainly got that tension out of my back.” You laugh, not expecting him to make such a joke.

“This isn’t exactly what I meant, you know.”

“Oh this is exactly what you meant.” He smirks up at you, quirking his eyebrows at his words. He’s not completely wrong.

“Once I get some feeling in my legs, let’s take a bath, hmm? I don’t want to sleep in our mess.” He seems to have regained some of his faculties, his hand is sliding against your back with much more purpose.

“That’ll help your back too.” You smile, pressing your face back into his neck. Wiggling your torso against his, you scratch one hand into his undercut as he recovers. This earns a soft hum, his fingers sliding to scratch into your own hair. You still can’t believe that you're here, that Levi is finally within your grasp.

Later, you follow behind him, watching his back once again as he pads across the room towards the connected bathroom. He pauses briefly to gripe at the mess of the room; the spilled lotion bottle carelessly ejected from the mattress in the excitement, your clothes strewn about. You can’t help but watch his muscles flex and shift as he putters about, happy to see his shoulders relaxed and his back finally free of stiffness. You're glad he finally accepted your offer.