#i swear i'll have the next chapter out by like next sunday. i think

[tenshi-agerasia]

today's queued post is some vaguely chronological excerpts i like from my eichi isekai fic that i haven't updated in like two months

minor spoilers for H!IBRTYITPANIHTUERRATVOTW?! (great acronym) under the cut, transcriptions in image descriptions/alt text

anyways feel free to check it out if you can't decide on wtei or rchi or kchi or hyei or eimg or ngei or eish or rtsei or eik or

[lostbookmark]

WHISPERED SECRETS MASTERLIST here

MAIN MASTERLIST here

MDNI 🔞

Summary: After four years your sister's ex-boyfriend comes back into your life. Can you keep your entanglement a secret? Will the guilt eat you alive? 

Pairing:  Sisters ex Yoongi x Insecure F. Reader. 

Genre: SMUT, angst, hurt - comfort, romance. 

Warning: Explicit sex, fingering, Possessive Yoongi, swearing, reader is insecure, jealousy, punishment, unprotected sex, drinking, dirty talk, praising, very light degradation, spanking, spanking as punishment, teasing, hair pulling, arguments. Overuse of the name, baby.

A/N Edited by me aka I just throw commas in and see if my document corrects it. 

Yoongi is a bit…mean(ish) in this one. 

Yay!! I have the next 2 chapters written. Posting will be every Sunday US time. 

A little SMUT under the cut. 

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Kevin….Kris….Kihyun. No, none of those names sound right. He's good-looking and easy on the eyes, pretty smile but boring as hell. It's been a week since Yoongi took you home after the intense night you shared. You had stayed the night, and the next morning, you made up an excuse for needing to get home. You were scared to stay longer, afraid he would kick you out. He never questioned you or begged you to stay.  You exchanged numbers, but he never contacted you. You felt defeated.  You didn't tell anyone. Not Lisa or Jisoo. They would never let you live it down. Maybe this is why you let Lisa talk you into showing up at the “hot guy she ditched you for” house party. His name is Jimin. He seemed okay, you guess, but you haven't really gotten to know him. Her love interests never last long. Key…Kang…Kyle. That's it! You think his name is Kyle. 

“I just got back from Milan,” Kyle boasts. He is giving you what you think is probably his most charming smile. “I'll be heading to London again soon. Got quite a few photoshoots lined up. Mostly magazines, but I got a commercial too. I even have some contacts for Paris fashion week. I'm going to be a big deal.”

You really don't care, and you know that sounds mean. Why did Lisa introduce you to him? Did she really think you would hit it off with him?  Damn Lisa for making you come here. Damn Yoongi for not calling or texting you. Damn him for making the feel of his touch still linger on your skin.  Did you do something wrong? Were you just bad at sex. You know that you are pretty inexperienced, but it seemed like he enjoyed himself. He even cuddled you after he cleaned up with a warm washcloth. He was a pure gentleman. He even ran a hot shower for you as he made a quick snack afterward. You may or may not have tried to remember the brand of his shampoo. After some light bickering, he let you sleep on his side of the bed.  So, why didn't he call? Was there someone else? Oh my god! Were you the side piece? Of course, someone like Yoongi would have someone waiting for him.   

“Lisa said that you two have been friends since you were young. You work together too, right? ” Key…no Kyle said and you nod your head.

“Yeah, umm..” You started but were interrupted.  

“Baby,” you turn to see Yoongi staring daggers at you. How the hell did he know you were here? You're pretty sure that your jaw is on the floor right now. Yoongi places himself right behind you. He rests his chin against your shoulder and hands coming together around your stomach. “Who's your friend?” Why does he say it so calmly despite his glaring eyes? 

You freeze, your body rigid, and can't say anything.  One week, it's been one week, and now he's right here. You don't know what to say. Are you supposed to throw yourself at him after he ignores you? You wish you could throw a shitty comment his way, but you don't. It's not who you are. You wish you could tell him that since he isn't interested, maybe you will go home with Kyle. He looks at you and Kevin…no Kyle impatiently. His glare, thankfully, is fully on Kyle now, and you don't want it back on you. Nope, you are definitely not going to say that, even if it’s a lie. 

“Hey man, I'm Kai,” Kai that's his name! You knew it started with a k. “Didn't know she had a boyfriend. Lisa lied to me. Sorry about that.” Kai apologized and rushed out of there. Literally, he walked away as fast as his legs could carry him. You wish he would take you with him. Technically, you guess Lisa didn't lie. 

You turn in his arms to look at Yoongi fully. He looks pissed. You don't know if you should be scared, angry, or turned on. Is it possible to be all three? His eyes looked hard, unlike a week ago. It seems like such a long time ago. Maybe it was just a fever dream, and you made it all up. This Yoongi is different, and it is making you anxious. 

“We're leaving,” he breathes heavily in your ear. 

He takes your hand and threads your fingers through each other. He starts heading for the door, and you have no option but to follow him. You don't want to fight him and cause a scene. You try looking around for Lisa, hoping you spot her. You don't see her, but you do catch a glimpse of Kyle…Kai chatting up another girl. She seems thoroughly excited about it. Good for her. Looks like you probably dodged a bullet there. When you get through the door, you notice his car just down the street a little ways. Lisa picked you up earlier, and now you're kicking yourself for it. Yoogi practically rips the car door open and looks at you expectantly.  He holds the door with one hand while his other is on his hip. 

“What are you waiting for?” He asked. His stare is still cold. “Do you want me to go get Kai for you? Do you need him to help you?” 

“Wh…what? No, why would I…” you were cut off.  

“Get in, baby. I'm already mad, don't make me tell you again,” he told you.

With one last look back at the house, you get in the car. The same car and spot you sat in a week ago. God, a week ago, you were shivering with anticipation. Now, you were confused and honestly a little scared. Where was he, and why was he acting like you had done something wrong? You knew deep down that Yoongi would never do anything to hurt you. However, this is a side of him you have never seen. You didn’t see it years ago either when he was still with your sister. Even during their fights at the end of their relationship.  You even spent a lot of alone time with him back then, annoying him. He never snapped at you. When you couldn't figure out how to parallel park, he never snapped at you. When Lisa got you drunk at homecoming and he had to pick the two of you up, he never snapped at you. He never did anything like this. 

“Cold?” He asks you. You're rubbing your hands together. 

“A little,” you answer softly. You want him to grab your hands and warm them with his own. Instead he cranks the heat. 

The only sound in the car was from the radio and the heat blowing on your cold fingers. You don't know what the song playing is, but the deep bass is slow. It's almost comforting. You want to close your eyes and drift to sleep. Maybe if you go to sleep right now, you'll wake back up in his bed, and you can redo everything. Obviously, that's not possible. Your eyes slide over to him. He's concentrating on the road, and there's a small tick in his jaw. His hand had stayed on the steering wheel. His knuckles were white with his grip. He didn't touch you, not even once. You want to cry. What did you do? Why is he so mad? How did he find you there? What did you do?  The song on the speakers switched to something less moody, and your eyes moved to look out the passenger window. The sky is clear, the stars shine bright and twinkling in the late night sky. You didn't care for it.  Not even one little bit. 

That soft yellow glow of the bedroom was exactly the same. So were his sheets and pillows. The memories were completely vivid and fresh in your mind. The sound of your skin slapping together, his grunts and your gasps. The way he held you when you drifted off to sleep.  You look at Yoongi sitting on the corner of his bed staring at you. His elbows resting on his knees and his right knee bouncing slightly You can't tell what he is thinking. You stand next to a large desk in his room. You think he must use it for work. There's messy paper everywhere and pens scattered all around. You try to focus and see what's on the paper but can't make out the scribbles. Poems, maybe? Does he write? You can't remember if he ever mentioned wanting to write back then. Maybe you didn't pay close enough attention. 

“Look at me,” he snaps at you. Your eyes immediately obey his command. “What were you doing  there with Kai?” Yoongi spits his name out in disgust.  

“I…I..Lisa introduced us. We were just talking,” you said softly. “I don't know him.” 

“So, you were just going to go off and fuck someone you don't know?” He asked and you were taken back. He was basically snarling at you. 

“NO!” You cried out. “I wasn't.”  You were getting worked up. “Why do you care? I haven't even heard from you in a week.” You shocked yourself by actually saying that outloud. Shit. You can't take it back now. 

Yoongi didn't seem amused by your outburst. Cracking his neck, he stood up from the bed and stalked up to you. You wanted to take a step back, but that messy desk prevented you from doing so. Yoongi rests both his hands on the desk, caging you in. His breathing and the sound of your own heart beating in your ears ring loudly in your ears. He runs the tip of his nose against the shell of your ear. Goosebumps race down your arms. Your body betrays you, wanting you to give into him. 

“You know,” he whispers in your ear. “The phone works both ways, baby. Get on your knees.” 

You swallow thickly. You aren't exactly sure what he means. Right here on the floor? On the bed? You decide not to make him wait and drop to the floor right in front of him. Are you supposed to undo his pants? Is that what he wants? You have never given a blow job before. Maybe you can fake it and figure it out as you go. You’ve seen porn. Just don't bite him, and you'll be fine. Your hands reach up and start to undo his belt around his hips. Yoongi chuckles a humorless laugh as he swats your hands away.  Oh, that's not what he meant. Tears well in your eyes out of embarrassment. 

“On the bed. On your knees, ass up,”  he snickers at you. 

You stand up slowly and walk with your head down to the bed. You don't want him to see the unshed tears or your embarrassed face. You know it's red. Your knees hit his mattress, the sheets are still soft. You lean down onto your elbows as you look at him, and he shakes his head at you. God, you probably look like such an idiot for not knowing what to do.  Yoongi walks over to you and puts his hands on the back of your shoulders, and pushes you gently down. Your chest and the side of your face meet the bed. He turns your head gently to look at the other side of the room. There's nothing to see over there besides his closet.  You feel the dress that you're wearing starts to rise up. Yoongi next adjusts your hands. Making sure that your fingers are interlocked above your head. You feel him get closer to your face. His breath tickles your ear. 

“Are you okay?” He asks you.

“Yes,” you say meekly. 

“Good. Stop me anytime,” he tells you as he kisses below your ear. “You thought I was ignoring you? You think that’s why I didn't call you?” He asks, but you don't answer. You can feel him slip your dress completely up and over your ass as he stands behind you. “Yes or no, baby?” 

“Yes,” SMACK! As soon as you answer, he spanks you. It wasn't overly hard but just enough to sting. Your body goes rigid, and your eyes widen comically in surprise. Oh! You honestly were not expecting that.

You wait for him to say something, but you're just met with silence. You don't feel his presence near you. You strain your ears to try and listen for him. Did he leave the room?  

“Y..Yo..Yoongi?” you asked softly and he didn't respond.

Suddenly, there was a tick…tick..tick noise in the room.  Slowly, you turn your head, and you see him sitting at his desk. His shirt is off, hair beautifully messy,  pants undone, but nothing obscene showing. Tick…tick…tick. It's one of those music things, a metronome you think it's called. The pendulum swings back and forth again and again. Tick… tick…tick. Yoongi is watching you kneel on the bed while playing with it in his hands. He almost looks bored. 

“Turn back around,” he tells you slowly. You turn your head back around. Tick…tick…tick. “You know what i was thinking all week?” He asks you. “I thought I was a horrible person. Did I force you here? Did I make you do something you didn't want? You wanted out of here so bad the next morning I thought you were going to have a panic attack.” 

The chair groans a little bit. You can only assume that he got up. You can hear the clicking of his belt buckle as if he's walking to you. You anticipate his touch, but again, nothing. Tick…tick…tick.  The oscillating noise is putting you on edge. The sound of his belt tells you he's close. Your breath is starting to come out as pants as adrenaline starts to flow through you. Your interlaced fingers twitching. 

“I wanted to give you space. I see that was the wrong thing to do. Why didn't you get a hold of me, baby?” He asked. You still can't see him.  

“I didn't want to bother you,” you mumble. SMACK! SMACK! You press your hands together tightly and screw your eyes shut.  Tears blurred your vision as they started to fall. You sucked in a shuddering breath.

“You could never bother me. Instead of talking to me, you decided to ignore me to fuck around with Kai? How do you think that makes me feel?” His voice raises some. SMACK! His hand gently starts rubbing your reddened cheek. Soothing the stinging with his cool palm. You hear him take a deep breath.  “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” you say through tears. “I'm fine.” You really were. “I didn't…” 

“What?” Yoongi asks. His hand is still gently rubbing your reddened skin. 

“I thought you realized you made a mistake. I thought maybe I wasn't good enough for you. I'm not like my sister,” you hiccuped. You pressed your hands tightly together before he delivered the next smack. It never came. Tick…tick…tick.  

“Why would you compare yourself to her? Why didn't you say anything?” He asked. His hand stroked some hair from your face, tucking it behind your ear. The strands were wet from tears. 

“Have you met me,” you try to joke through tears. You highly doubt Yoongi thinks it's funny. Yoongi leaned over to look at your tear stained face. Bending down, he kissed the tears away. You close your eyes and welcome him. He's here. The soft, gentle Yoongi is here now. 

Yoongi moved again and stood behind you. He hooked his fingers into your underwear and slowly slid them down your legs. His fingertips tickled the outside of your thighs as they traveled down. He lifted your knees one at a time so he could completely remove them from your body. Then, nothing. Why does he keep disappearing on you? You were tempted to turn and look for him again. Tick…tick..tick. Suddenly, his tongue is on you. You close your eyes and sigh, escape your lips , and fingers tighten together.  You push your hips back against his face to get him closer. His tongue swirls magical circles against your bundle of nerves.  One week, and you realize how much you missed this. How starved for his touch you were. You should have made the first move. This all could have been avoided. He was right. You didn't think about how he felt.  You shouldn't have gotten in your own head. You always get in your own head. Yoongi pulls away. Disappointment floods through your body.  Disappointment doesn't last, though. You hear his belt rattling, and pants hit the ground. He roughly pulls your body to him in one smooth move. Your own clothed back to his naked front. He gently tangles his hand in your hair, pulling your head back. Just like that, gentle Yoongi is gone.  Dipping his head, he slants his mouth over yours. Tongue demanding entrance. You relax and press your tongue against his, tasting yourself on him.  Soon, he lets go of your lips and hands roughly yank your dress down to your waist. You thrust your hips back with an arch of your back. He's hard. 

“Still good?” He asks again, hands and slowly coming up to cup your naked breasts. His fingers tweak your nipple. It sends a jolt right down to your core. 

“Yes, Yoongi,” you reply somewhat breathlessly. 

Yoongi pushes you forward so you were down on the bed again. Chest flush with the bed, ass in the air. His hands grip your hips, bringing you back to him. You feel him run his cock up and down your wet folds. Dipping the head in and taking it back out. He does this several times and it's driving you mad. You try to swivel your hips but he completely backs off with an airy laugh. SMACK! He slaps your ass once more. Grabbing your hair again, he pulls you up   savagely against him. His arm crosses over your chest, hand on your shoulder. He's supporting your weight against him. You tilt your head back to rest on his shoulder. Chest rising and falling with every pant of your breath. 

“I should have fucked you in front of him,” he hisses in your ear. “That way you wouldn't have to doubt me again. Everyone at that party would know your mine now. Kai….Lisa….Jimin.” 

 Yoongi's free hand cups your pussy, giving you teasing strokes. Teasing just like before. Fingers enter you shallowly just to pull back quickly. You look at him and you don't even have time to question him before he's answering you. 

“How do you think I found you tonight? We work together, baby. He likes talking about Lisa.” He explains with a chuckle. “Lisa… she likes to talk about setting her pretty little friend up with a date, but her friend is kind of shy. I took the chance that she was talking about you. Lucky me, huh,” Yoongi answers you as his fingers finally start pumping into you. Your wet, you thought maybe too, went given the situation. Your noises make it obvious how much you are enjoying this. “Too bad you're not available. Kai was pretty good-looking.” 

“Please, I'm sorry. I need you. Yoongi, please,” you beg him. Yoongi kisses your neck. Lightly sucking on your sweat slicked skin as his fingers pump into you faster. Marking you, making you his.

Yoongi lets his grip on you go. You fall to the bed and scramble to get back onto your knees in front of him. You lift your head and look over your shoulder at him. Trying to beg him with your eyes to do something…anything.  Tick…tick…tick. Yoongi finally grips your hips and pulls you back to him. Leaning over you, he places you exactly like he had you before. Chest flush with the bed, hands above your head. Rubbing your red marks with his hand, he deals one more blow before he sinks all the way into you. You sigh. He feels like home. 

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Tagged reader

@unicornbabylover

[imaginespazzi]

Part 6: Leaps of Faith

Masterlist - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 7

I hope that you catch me, cause I'm already falling (you put your arms around me and I'm home)

(In which a writer who can see the end approaching starts building towards that ending)

Pairing: Paige Bueckers X Azzi Fudd

Themes: Angst and Fluff

Words: 8.0K

TW: Swearing, Alludes to Sexual Content

A/N: Good evening my lovelies <3. Happy Sunday and Happy Mothers day! First of all, I wanna thank y'all for being ever so patient with me. I know I've been pretty bad about updating lately and y'all have been so sweet with your asks and I really appreciate it. This fic is very close to its end. I probably could have ended it with this chapter but there's a very specific ending I want to write so this one is more of a self-indulgent filler but I think y'all will like this one. There will be one more chapter and then an epilogue of sorts. Once again, there are most likely logistical inaccuracies. I'm not even gonna lie, the editing on this one is shoddy so there are definitely grammar errors/typos. For now, ignore them and I'll go fix them later. As always, even if we're near the end, feel free let me know what you liked, what you didn't and anything you'd like to see before we get to the end. Have a wonderful week my angels <3

April 2024 

“It’s a little early for ice cream hon,” Azzi jumps at the sound of her mother’s voice, startled eyes following the direction of the noise to find Katie leaning against the kitchen door, with a raised eyebrow. 

“It’s a little early to scare the living bejesus out of me mom,” she says with a hand to her chest. 

If possible, Katie’s eyes roll even further at her daughter’s sarcastic tone as she makes her way over to the kitchen counter. She’s gotten herself a spoon and everything, ready to steal some ice cream for herself, when she notices the flavour. Next to her, Azzi stiffens. 

“You hate mint chocolate chip Az,” Katie says quietly. 

“I couldn’t find the strawberry ice cream,” Azzi defends stubbornly, her face taking on a guarded expression. 

Katie walks over to the freezer, opening it and pointing at the strawberry ice cream, Azzi’s favourite, that’s sitting in plain sight, “it’s right there.”

“Well,” Azzi splutters, “I’m trying something new,”. 

“You hate trying new things.”

“I’ve grown up I guess.”

“Azzi.”

“Mom.”

“Azzi, why are you eating ice cream you hate at 4 in the morning?” Katie finally asks in her best mom voice, sighing when she gets a mumbled response from her daughter, “in words Az, please.”

“Paige likes it,” Azzi admits slowly, and before Katie can say anything, before Azzi can dwell on what she’s said, she launches into a rant, “god knows why. Actually I know why because she’s stupid and weird and likes the dumbest shit. Who the fuck likes mint? Who the fuck likes mint and chocolate together? Gross. This shit is disgusting. It tastes all wrong. Paige is just-,” Azzi throws her hands up in the air, “she just doesn’t understand that some things don’t belong together. They can’t. They’re too different and it just- there’s a fucking balance to things you know? And she just- she doesn’t get that. It’s just- it’s not meant to be.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re eating it right now,” Katie says carefully. 

“Because I miss her,” the truth bursts out of Azzi like an erupting volcano, burning itself into every crevice of her skin, “because for some fucking reason I don’t hate the taste of mint chocolate chip. Because maybe they do go together and maybe I’ve been the stupid one this whole time.”

Since she’d stepped out of the hotel in Cleveland, all Azzi could think about was going back, saying fuck it to all the useless logic she’d come up with and going back to the only thing in her life that had ever made sense her Paige. But as it often did in that clichéd battle between head and heart, her head had won out. And she’s never questioned why her head wins so much, why she’s always chosen to listen to the practical side of her brain, until now. Until now when the urge to turn back time, to make herself stay in that hotel room, is all that’s consumed her for the last week. 

“Azzi,” Katie wraps her arms around the younger girl, “what happened with you and Paige?”

Azzi hesitates for a second and then everything’s spilling out of her lips, the good, the bad, the inbetween, all of it tumbles out like an uncontrollable waterfall. There’s something freeing about being able to say it all out loud, something freeing about the tears Azzi finally lets roll down her cheeks. She grips the edge of the counter to keep herself from keeling over, starting to feel herself crumble under the heaviness of all these stupid feelings. 

“It shouldn’t be this hard,” Azzi whispers, “we used to be so easy.”

“Oh Az,” Katie rubs a thumb against her daughter’s cheek, “you used to be kids. You’re all grown up now. It’s always harder when you’re older.”

“Well, I don’t like it. I just want to be the way we were again.”

“So why don’t you?” Katie asks like it’s the most simple solution in the world and Azzi shoots her mother an exasperated look. 

“What do you mean? How do we even do that? We can’t be just friends again. We tried. Were you not listening at all?”

“Azzi, sweetheart, you’ve never been just friends.”

“That’s not true,” it’s a futile attempt at arguing against what’s become more of a fact than an opinion in Azzi’s life. It’s a truth she’d let herself acknowledge once and then buried deep within her, scared that once unleashed, it would ruin everything. Except, it turns out, even without it, things had still turned to dust.  

“Do you remember when you came home from Minnesota that first summer with Paige? You were either moping around or you were on call with her. There was no in between. It got better eventually, the moping stopped but the calls? I think you fell asleep on facetime with her almost every night. And you were tired every morning after, you barely had time to eat before school but every time I suggested that maybe you cut back, that was never an option,” Katie smiles fondly, “it’s when I knew.”

Azzi does remember, remembers talking about everything and nothing, remembers laughing and crying, remembers when Paige’s breathing was the only lullaby that could relax her into sleeping. And she remembers battling with that voice in her head, the one convinced there’s something more, silencing it with I’d do this with anyone. But that wasn’t true then and it’s not true now because Paige has never been just anyone, never been just a friend. Because even if Azzi’s never been brave enough to say it out loud, Paige is and has always been everything.

Despite knowing the answer and maybe dreading it just a little bit, Azzi asks it to her mom anyway, “what did you know?”

“That she was your person. You were too young, I couldn’t call it love just yet but I knew Paige was different then, she was yours in a way none of your other friends were. You were different around her,” Katie nudges her daughter, “Azzi you’ve always been just a little bit in love with her and she’s always been just a little bit in love with you too. The two of you have just been a matter of time.”

Azzi closes her eyes, and unlike other people, she doesn’t see darkness or little spots of light, she just sees Paige. Her mother’s words wash over her, like acid in her self-inflicted fight the feelings wounds and yet, the idea of she’s loved me too feels like a band-aid being delicately placed on the scars of her heart. 

“And place,” she whispers, eyes still closed, “we never seem to get time and place right.”

“Why do you need to?”

Another exasperated look is sent Katie’s way at that question, “we live on different sides of the country mom, what do you mean why do we need to?”

“I mean the two of you have barely ever been in the same place. But you made it work, when you had even less, when you felt even less. But you’re adults now. You have other resources now. And I know timing is difficult but- it’s you and Paige. What are you so scared of Azzi?”

Azzi sucks in a deep breath, “what if Paige runs away again?”

“What if you run away again?”

“Excuse me?” 

“Who was the last person to walk away, Azzi?,” Katie sighs when Azzi is adamantly silent, “I know she hurt you by leaving. I know she hurt you by pushing you away. But you did the same thing. You chose UCLA,” Katie holds up a hand when a frustrated Azzi tries to interrupt, “and it was the right decision for you Azzi and she should have supported it. But that doesn’t meant you didn’t hurt her and then you chose Zoe-”

“I didn’t choose Zoe-”

“Yes you did Azzi. Sweetheart you’re my daughter and I will always tell you the complete truth even if it’s not what you wanna hear. And the truth Azzi is that Paige might have hurt you in 101 different ways but that doesn’t mean you didn’t hurt her back in 99 different ways too.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Azzi whispers, “that’s the problem mom. It hurts when she hurts me but it hurts even more when I hurt her. I don’t want that for us but I just- I just don’t know how to stop it without stopping us.”

“You haven’t even tried, baby. Paige held out a hand and you ran away.”

“She left first. How am I supposed to trust that she won’t just do that again," all that’s missing from Azzi’s stubborn whine is a foot stomp.

“Because she came back. It took her a little bit, I know, but she came back and she’s ready to fight, the question is, are you?”

“Why are you defending her?” Azzi splutters, “who’s side are you even on?”

“There are no sides to this sweetheart. The two of you are on the same side. So maybe instead of fighting against her, take that hand, fight with her.”

***

The WNBA draft is a momentous occasion this year. With a hyped draft class like no other, and the promise of even greater ones in the future, there’s a sense of celebratory hope dangling in the air. When the invite had first come in, Azzi had known the same one would be sent to a certain blonde in Connecticut as well. And a part of her had wanted to hide herself away from that possible collision, but every other part of her wanted nothing more than to get just a glimpse of the blonde.

One moment Azzi is surrounded by flashing cameras and the echo of her name on everyone’s lips, the next everything around her is fading away her eyes meet Paige’s on the other end of the WNBA draft orange carpet. It’s nothing new really. Since she’s met her, the blonde has commandeered all of Azzi’s attention whenever she’s nearby. Sometimes it feels like all of her other five senses fade away to give birth to a secret sixth one, one that’s solely dedicated to Paige, one that’s terrifyingly all-consuming. And yet, despite the heaviness of we’ve said too many goodbyes, for the first time in what feels like eternity, Azzi feels like she can finally breathe. 

And then Paige looks away. 

And Azzi’s back to struggling for air. 

It’s selfish of her, she knows, to expect something, not when she’d been the one to leave them stranded on different islands. But Azzi doesn’t seem to think logically when it comes to Paige and even as she tries to turn her focus back to posing for the camera, every inch of her body is dangerously aware of the blonde’s every move, just a mere few feet away from her. Her conversation with her mother is echoing in her head, giving rise to dangerous desires of what if i grabbed your hand and we ran away together. 

Paige is a natural on the orange carpet, all dazzling smiles and twinkling eyes. She glides through it, inching closer and closer to Azzi, but never giving away any sense of discomfort. And if it was anybody else, maybe they’d never catch onto the nerves hidden beneath Paige’s facade of calm, cool and collected. But once upon a time Paige used to be Azzi’s favourite puzzle and she has every part of the blonde committed to memory. It’s in the way Paige’s teeth gnaw at her lips for the briefest of seconds, in the way her right index finger is begging to tap a beat against where her hands rests on hips, in the way she’s blinking just one too many times. 

And then with one more heavy footed step from Paige, the distance between them is barely a couple inches and they let out identical breaths of air, both of them keeping their focus on the cameras in front of them. It’s loud, too loud, and still all Azzi can focus on is the sound of Paige breathing. The air around them is thick with tension. It feels a bit like they’re silhouetted against a sky made of words they’ve left unsaid and clouds of all the bitter mistakes they’ve made are hanging over their heads. And when their pinkies brush together, and a jolt of electricity sends shivers of I miss you more every day again her skin, Azzi questions if she’s ever made the right decision when it comes to Paige. 

“Wait wait wait,” Ari cuts in, as she squeezes herself in between the two of them, “I wanna get in between the two of you.”

A harsh cry of no sits heavily on the top of Azzi’s tongue as the older woman forces a break in whatever little bit of contact she’d had with Paige. She feels a little pathetic, the way every little inch of her skin is craving for that touch back. It had been nothing, a barely there moment and still Azzi thinks, when she goes to bed tonight, if that was all she’d get of Paige, then it’ll be the only thing that’ll feature in her dreams. 

“Alright one with just Paige and Azzi,” Ari directs the media, stepping out of the way and pushing the two younger girls together. And it’s laughable that a little brush of their pinkies had Azzi feeling any type of way because when they’re suddenly pressed together, every inch of Paige’s side fitting into Azzi’s like it belongs, the way the world suddenly bursts with light and colours makes Azzi wonder if every moment without Paige has simply been monochrome. 

It comes to them naturally how to pose together, arms winding around each other’s waist, heads involuntarily leaning against the other’s. And the smiles might be for the cameras but Azzi knows hers is the most real it’s been all night. It might be temporary, she might lose Paige in the chaos, but for now Paige is here and Azzi has learned how to be content with whatever little she can get. 

As the media moves to capture other people, the logical thing to do would be to separate, to let go of each other. But instead they stand there, still completely wrapped around each other, heart rates in sync as they breathe in each other’s presence. And then Paige’s hand falls from the small of Azzi’s back to tangle their fingers together and they let out identical sighs of relief, something so cathartic in the purposefulness of that touch. Everyone is too busy to notice that the two of them have fallen into a whole other world, one where there’s only two of them and every emotion that they’ve only reserved for the other. There’s no words exchanged as Paige guides the two of them out of the spotlight, somehow keeping their hands clasped together in secret, despite the ever growing crowd. And Azzi doesn’t know this building at all, doesn’t have the faintest clue where she’s being led to, but as long as it’s Paige pulling her along, she doesn’t care where, she thinks she’d go anywhere. 

Paige stops abruptly in a secluded corridor, turning to fully face Azzi. And the sincerity in the blonde’s crystalline blue eyes, as they roam every inch of Azzi’s body before coming to fixate on her face, steals the air away from Azzi’s lungs. Paige has gotten better over the years at building walls, but with every new lock she places on her emotions, there’s a key to open them that seems to always find its way to Azzi. In the delicate golden hue, Paige shines brighter than any star ever could and in the dim light Azzi can make out every bit of hurt and love and please can we just have this moment that Paige can’t put into words. 

“Hi,” Azzi whispers softly, hands itching to reach out and caress Paige’s skin. 

“Hi,” Paige says back, even quieter. She stares at Azzi as if she’s memorising every little detail and then her face crumbles. Azzi feels her heart drop at the single tear that trickles down Paige’s cheek as she lets out a broken whimper. And this, this unspoken power they seem to have over each other, the uncanny ability to just hurt each other without any bit of effort, is what scares Azzi the most. It’s too much. They shouldn’t be able to do this. 

“Paige,” Azzi’s fingers twitch but she hesitates, not knowing if it’s the right thing, “fuck- P what’s wrong?”

Paige doesn’t reply, eyes wandering down to where Azzi’s trying to keep her hands still against her sides and when she looks back up, her eyes are bloodshot, “what’s wrong? What’s not wrong Azzi? You won’t even fucking touch me.”

“I didn’t-” Azzi struggles to speak, “I didn’t think you’d want me to.”

“Can you just- fuck- can you just stop overthinking things for once in your life. Of course I want you to touch- you know what nevermind. This was a bad idea. You made yourself clear and I’m just- fuck- I should- I should just go.”

She sounds adamant enough but all it takes, when Paige moves to leave, is the strangled cry that leaves Azzi’s lips. The sound is enough to pull Paige right back in. She takes one look at the tears brimming in Azzi’s eyes. And then she’s pushing Azzi against a wall, hands on either side caging the younger girl between her body and the hard surface behind. She presses their foreheads together and Azzi feels like every part of her might just be a part of Paige too. 

“I miss you. I miss you so fucking much. It’s barely been two weeks and I- fuck- Azzi- I’ve missed you every single second and now you’re here and I still miss you. And it really fucking hurts.”

“I’m sorry,” Azzi whispers, finally letting her hands cup Paige’s cheeks, and it’s worth it for the way Paige seems to completely melt into her touch, “I’m sorry I keep hurting you. I keep thinking I’m doing the right thing but- I don’t know- I feel like I’m always doing the wrong thing when it comes to you. I don’t- I don’t know what to do.”

“Just let me be with you,” Paige’s voice is wrecked with desperation as she presses herself as close to Azzi as possible, “I’ll be your whatever- whatever you give me- whatever you want- I just- I just want you Az- whatever little bit you’re willing to give me- I’ll take it- and if you want me to wait- fuck Azzi- I’d wait forever- you know that right? However long it takes, baby. Just want you- just want us.”

Leaps of faith are scary. Azzi’s never been great at taking them, too cautious, too much of a worrier. She’s more of a step back from the cliff kind of person. If she doesn’t jump, she can’t fall. But here’s the thing, when she was fourteen, Azzi jumped off of her first hypothetical cliff. It had been on a plane, when after avoiding one too many deep questions, Azzi had admitted to a girl she barely knew,that maybe she could like girls. It was the first time she’d ever let herself acknowledge that truth about herself and the girl next to her was a stranger but there was something about her, something that screamed i’ll hold your hand and if you jump it’ll never be alone. And ever since then, that girl, Paige, has always been there. Hands outstretched, ready to jump off any ledge. Because if there’s hard ground underneath, then they’ll learn how to fly together and if there’s water, they’ll figure out how to swim. With Paige there has always been the promise that, whatever it is, they’ll figure it out together. And it’s with that promise in mind, that Azzi takes the leap of faith. 

“Me too,” Azzi whispers, heart beating erratically. 

“What?” Paige searches Azzi’s face, as if waiting for her to take it back. 

“Us. You. You and me. I want that too,” a ghost of a smile begins to creep onto Azzi’s face, and for the first time in god knows how long, she feels feather light, a little bit like she’s floating on a rainbow. 

“You mean it?” Paige asks earnestly, hands moving from the wall to clutch at Azzi’s waist, “don’t play-Azzi- okay- you mean it for real?”

“I do. I want this- I want this so much and I’m still- I’m still really scared and maybe it’ll be a disaster but I- I want to try. With you.”

Azzi used to think she knew all of Paige’s smiles. Her small, not quite fake, but only for cameras and people she didn’t quite know, smiles. Her just for my friends smile that was filled with mirth and childlike joy. Her basketball smile that transformed into a smirk when she got too cocky. Her only for Drew smile, soft and filled with so much adoration and pride. Her Azzi smile, the one only the brown-skinned girl gets to experience, a smile that made Azzi’s her heart swell with love. But the smile that stretches across Paige’s face now, is one Azzi’s never seen before. This one throws Azzi’s entire world of balance, so bright, so big, so full of emotions. If she could, she’d tattoo that smile onto her skin forever. 

“We’re really doing this?” Paige asks, still a little stunned. It wasn’t what Azzi had planned for tonight. She hadn’t really had any plans for what would really happen. But then Paige had walked in and all Azzi could see was forever she was tired of fighting against. 

“We should take it slow okay-” Azzi wraps her arms around the older girl’s neck, keeping their foreheads still against each other’s, “I don’t- I don’t wanna rush into things and fuck it up. I can’t- fuck- I can’t lose y-”

“You won’t,” Paige swears, squeezing at Azzi’s wait, “I won’t let you. We can take it slow. We can take it however you want- I just- we’re doing this?”

“Yeah,” Azzi can’t help the grin that fills up her entire face, “yeah we’re doing this.”

And as they surge forward to claim each other’s lips, and as they meld every inch of themselves into each other, and as they smile and cry into the kiss simultaneously, and as they etch promises into each other skin, and as they let themselves finally fall into each other, for each other, it feels a lot like coming home. 

***

July 2024 

The early morning sunlight casts a dark shadow across Paige’s face, causing the still asleep blonde to scrunch up her face in irritation. Azzi, who’s been awake for nearly half an hour now, can’t help the fond smile that creeps onto her own lips. She shifts herself to block the sun and Paige lets out a content sigh, burrowing herself further into her pillows. And the thing is every moment with Paige is special but there’s something about waking up to her in the morning. Azzi’s always awake first and it gives her ample time to just admire the girl in her arms, blond hair tousled all over her pillow, lips parted slightly open, and one arm always, always, splayed across Azzi’s torso, holding her close. Over the course of time, Azzi’s found out that the second she moves, Paige seems to feel her leave, waking up instantly. 

There had been an adjustment period if Azzi's honest. It had taken her a while to shake that fear of Paige not being there in the morning. The first morning, she’d been scared to open her eyes, even if she could feel Paige’s presence right next to her. That had been one of the few mornings that Paige was fully awake first, hovering above Azzi to wake her up. And when she finally did get the courage to open her eyes, the first thing Azzi had seen was Paige, blue eyes sparkling with unfiltered adoration, a smile filled with promises of every morning just like this. And that had been enough. 

Azzi reaches out to brush a hand through Paige’s soft blond hair, mesmerised by how pretty Paige looks in the morning glow. A lot of Paige belongs to the world now and Azzi’s not opposed to sharing really, because someone so fucking perfect, deserves to be celebrated like that. But there are some parts of Paige that belong to Azzi and Azzi only, some parts Azzi cherishes as being only hers. This is one of them and Azzi takes a snapshot of it, knowing she’ll need it to function in a few months, when she won’t get the real thing. 

“Are you watching Paige sleep?” Azzi almost jumps at the sound of Drew’s voice at the doorway, having been too immersed in Paige to have even heard the door open, “that’s kinda creepy Azzi.”

“Jesus Drew, whatever happened to knocking?”

“I forgot?” Drew grins, before he plops on the bed, the force of it making the whole frame shake a little bit. 

“Drew!” Azzi chides, “you’re gonna wake her up.”

Drew cocks his eyebrows, sparing his sister, who seems unphased by the sudden little bit of chaos around her, still fast asleep, an unimpressive look, “please she can sleep through anything. Besides, it’s already 9. I thought we were gonna do things. I been up for aaaages.”

“She’ll be awake soon,” Azzi smiles, ruffling the younger boy's hair. Drew rolls his eyes and it’s remarkable how much he resembles Paige, not just by face, but the mannerisms too. 

He huffs for a second before his eyes sparkle with an idea, “what if we pour water on her!”

“Drew!” Azzi chastises again, trying not to giggle. 

“Boo,” Drew crosses his arms across his chest, “you used to be so cool Azzi.”

Azzi laughs as she’s reminded of a younger version of herself, scheming with Drew on how to wake Paige up. And it’s not that she’s beyond that really, tucking the water idea for a rainy day, but Paige looks too peaceful this morning and she wants to preserve that look of serenity on the older girl’s face for just a little bit longer. 

“Hey Azzi,” Drew says after a while and Azzi hums in response, “when you and Paige get married, I can still be a groomsman right? Even if there’s no grooms?”

“Wha- where did that come from?” the brunette’s eyes widened at the question, sitting up a little straighter. 

Drew peers up at her with all the innocence of a pre-teen, “you are gonna get married right?”

“I don’t-”

“It’s too early for your yapping Drew,” Azzi’s saved from answering by Paige’s tired voice entering the conversation. She looks over to find Paige’s eyes already on her, a soft smile playing on her lips as she looks up at Azzi. If Drew wasn’t sitting right there, Azzi would lean over and kiss her and let Paige deepen it until they were both satisfied. 

“Oh thank god,” Drew cheers dramatically, “I thought you were gonna sleep forever.”

Paige scoffs, the arm that’s still wrapped around Azzi’s torso tightening its hold, “I wish.”

“Well you’re awake now so get up,” Drew whines, moving from his spot on the end of the bed, to flop on top of Paige’s body instead, “get up, get up, GET UP.”

“Get off,” Paige groans but there’s no real force behind it. Azzi watches with a fond smile, as Paige flips Drew over so that she can tickle him, eliciting rounds of laughter from the younger boy. Something in her heart flutters, her mind going back to Drew’s question. She’s never really been one to think too hard about marriage and children and that domestic suburban life, leaving it up to fate, but now- well, maybe. 

“Okay aight aight enough. Go get ready for breakfast and we’ll be down in a second,” Paige says, ushering Drew off of the bed. 

“You can just tell me you want me to leave so you can kiss Azzi you know?” Drew scrunches up his nose, “you two are gross.”

Paige sends him a stern look and gets a dramatic eye roll in return but as he always does, Drew does as he’s told, mock saluting the two of them and skipping out of the room. 

“He’s right by the way,” Paige says softly, turning back to where Azzi’s leaning against the backboard, “I do want to kiss you.”

Azzi smirks lopsidedly, “what’s stopping you?”

She squeals in surprise when Paige pulls her, the force of it causing both of them to tumble onto the front-end of the bed. Azzi ends up on top of Paige, hands resting around her neck, the blonde’s hands holding her waist in place. 

“Good morning,” Paige grins, clearly proud of herself as she chases Azzi’s lips to pull her into a searing kiss.

“Good morning,” Azzi whispers back, thumb caressing Paige’s left cheek.  

“Just so you know,” Paige pulls away, a determined glint in her eyes, “we’re so getting married one day.”

***

October 2024

Azzi’s mood has been rancid for the last couple of weeks. It’s terrible she knows; it makes her irritating to play with and a nightmare to live with. But even if this had been expected, that she would be on one end of the country and her heart would be on the other side, it doesn’t stop her from constantly being in a state of missing Paige. And it’s different from before, now that there’s a certain surety of of course i’ll see you soon but soon never really feels soon enough. 

“Azzi can you please get the door,” Kiki calls from her room when the doorbell rings. 

“I’m busy,” Azzi grunts back, snuggling further into her pillow with a book she isn’t actually reading, “you go get it.”

“Azzi please, I’m literally in the middle of getting dressed,” Kiki yells exasperatedly. 

If it wasn’t for the fact that she’s pretty sure her teammates are about this close to plotting her murder, and deservedly so, Azzi would sink back onto her bed and let the incessant doorbell noise continue. But she does love her teammates, thinks Kiki probably deserves to change in peace, and it forces her out of bed, grumbling away about annoying visitors. Until she actually gets a look at the visitor. Paige stands on the doorstep, confident as ever, a bouquet of roses and peonies and lilies in her hand. 

“You’re here,” Azzi breathes out, staring in awe. 

“And thank fucking god she is,” Kiki quips from behind her, “maybe we can finally get our old happy Azzi back and not this bitch.”

Paige laughs, “watch how you talk about my girl Rice.”

“You’re here. You’re really here,” Azzi whispers again. 

“I heard you missed me baby,” Paige says, her cocky smirk betrayed by the softness in her voice. And then Azzi is flying into her arms, throwing Paige off balance. 

“So fucking much,” Azzi admits into Paige’s neck, eliciting a giggle from the blonde, “Kiki’s right. I have been a bitch.”

“Just a little bit,” Kiki calls out again but there’s a new fondness in her voice. It’s funny how her team, even the haters, have slowly become Paige fans. They’d been hesitant at first, just like the UConn girls, but now well, it seems the basketball world’s Montagues and Capulets have learned to accept their star players’ relationship. 

“Missed you too Az,” Paige’s tone is vulnerable as they break away, “alright, go get changed, I wanna take you somewhere.”

“Or…,” Azzi presses her lips to Paige’s neck, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses, “we could stay here and do something else.”

Paige shivers under her touch, stepping away to keep some semblance of control “n-no I have plans,” but she can’t help but kiss Azzi’s pout away, “it’ll be worth it, I promise. Besides,” she bites at Azzi’s ear, “there’s always later.”

***

“Your big plans are to bring me to the supermarket,” Azzi cocks an eyebrow as they walk down one of the many aisles, “you turned down sex for this? Should I be offended?”

Paige doesn’t say anything, concentratedly looking at signs, trying to figure out a specific section, before an aha! moment dances over her face, and she pulls Azzi with her, the younger girl going willingly, despite the eye roll. She stops triumphantly in front of the sushi section and Azzi looks at her quizzically. 

“I’m getting you supermarket sushi,” Paige says pointedly, “and then you can get me mac and cheese.”

And if you brought me sushi I’d have brought you your favourite mac and cheese. Oh. The realisation of what Paige is doing trickles around Azzi a little bit like rain after a long summer drought. She thinks back to the bouquet, everything suddenly making sense.

“You’re such a dork Paige Bueckers,” Azzi says softly, tapping the older girl’s nose. 

“Your dork,” Paige grins cheesily, “now hurry up and pick one. I don’t wanna miss the sunset.”

***

Once she catches on it, it doesn’t surprise Azzi to find that Paige has everything planned out perfectly, down to the exact spot in the park- the one by Paige’s recovery airBnB, the one they’d taken countless walks in trying to repair their friendship- where the two of them can be away from everybody else, in their own little bubble. And she has a picnic blanket, that’s a little small but they don’t really want space from each other anyways. They lean against a tree, food set up in front of them, Paige’s laptop, carefully piled on top of a couple of books to be the perfect height, set a little bit further away. 

“So what NBA game are we watching?” Azzi asks with a smile and Paige groans, “what? Was that not part of the plan?”

“Dude come on. It’s the beginning of October. Please tell me you know the NBA season isn’t happening yet,” Paige rubs her temple, only a little endeared by the comment, “are you sure you’re a basketball player?” 

“There are games in October. I swear I’ve seen them before,” Azzi says sceptically. 

“Yeah at the very end of the month, not right now.”

“Well then close enough,” Azzi says indignantly, “I don’t need to know the exact day.”

“Whatever you say baby,” Paige acquiesces with a smirk and it earns her an elbow to the stomach, “what the fuck? That shit’s domestic violence you know?”

“Big words Bueckers, didn’t think you knew them,” Azzi teases, placing a kiss against Paige’s offended expression, before settling herself against the blonde’s side, sighing contentedly when she gets a kiss on her temple in return. They’re cliché enough to put on Love and Basketball, but Azzi doesn’t really end up watching much at all. In between slow kisses, she almost falls asleep a couple of times, the comfort of Paige’s arms like a blanket wrapping her in the warmth of this is my fairytale. 

“THE POLAROID,” Paige’s shout breaks Azzi out of her haze as she feels her body being shaken off, the blonde rummaging through her bag for the camera, “we have to take the polaroid. My wall needs it.”

“Oh yeah a tiny polaroid picture of us inbetween all your Lebron posters, a perfect fit,” Azzi drawls only to be met with a scathing look from Paige. 

“It’s for important things and Lebron is the most important of them all,” Paige explains with complete seriousness, as she finally finds the polaroid camera and shimmies back to Azzi with it in hand. 

The sunset is beautiful. Pink, purple, orange and blue, all blending together to create the perfect picture. But Azzi thinks it’s not nearly as beautiful as the girl in front of her, not nearly as beautiful as the date Paige had planned, not nearly as beautiful as the future she can so clearly see now. Her mind drifts back to the night of the phone call, and she can almost hear Paige’s sobs again, can still hear her own voice breaking. Back then, they had seemed impossible, a butterfly like dream that danced out of their grasp. 

“Hey,” Paige captures her chin with two fingers, “where’d you go?”

Azzi shakes her head, “nowhere. I’m right here. With you. Where I should be.”

“Sappy goof,” Paige snorts but she kisses Azzi like she’ll take those words and hide them in the labyrinth of her mind, protect them there forever. 

Taking the picture is a task, both of them bickering about angles and lights. It’s unnecessary arguing, in true Paige and Azzi fashion really but there’s something so mundanely domestic about it that Azzi finds herself wanting to memorise this moment too. They finally get the frame just right, somewhere in between what they both wanted. Azzi smiles at the camera, her Paige smile, as the blonde in question presses her lips against her cheeks. 

Click. 

And Azzi hopes, that however many years later, when they have a home of their own, amidst all the photos that they’ll take over the next years, this one will be hung somewhere on their wall, a testament to finally realising every dream they’d dared to dream together. 

***

December 2024 

There are pebbles being thrown at her window and Azzi has to stop herself from laughing when she peers down to see Paige, freezing cold in the Virginia December air, staring up at her with a goofy smile. She shakes her head when her phone rings, knowing it’s Paige and answers it with her own foolish grin. 

“What exactly are you doing?” Azzi asks, “come back to bed.”

“You said I was unromantic. I’m trying to be romantic,” Paige’s teeth chatter in the cold, as she balances her phone in one hand, still throwing rocks with the other. 

“I didn’t say that and throwing rocks at my window is supposed to be romantic? You’re going to wake the whole house up.”

“That’s what they do in all the good rom coms. And you said and I quote ‘we’re kind of boring’. You might be boring Azzi Fudd but I most definitely am not.”

It had been a throwaway comment Azzi had made at dinner with some friends from high school. One of her friends had been going on and on about some adventurous trip that she and her boyfriend were going on, and then asked Paige and Azzi if they had any of that planned. To which Azzi had replied that they were a little too busy, considering they were college basketball players still in season, and besides they were “kind of boring” people. She hadn’t meant it in any type of way. Personally, Azzi likes boring. Paige however, seemed to have taken the comment to heart and Azzi had woken up at 2 a.m. to an empty bed and the sound of something being thrown at her window. 

“Okay I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You're really interesting baby and the most romantic person in the world. Now will you please come back to bed,” Azzi concedes, already missing the feeling of being cuddled up in her blankets with Paige’s body heat keeping her nice and toasty. 

“No,” Paige says indignantly, “come down here.”

“Paige, it's freezing. It’s gonna start snowing any minute.”

“Exactly. That’s exciting.”

“Sleep is exciting,” Azzi whines, but she’s already padding around her room looking for a warm sweater, grumbling under her breath about the warm California sun she’s missing. She tiptoes down the staircase, wincing at the one step that creaks just a little too much, before pushing herself out the door. And it’s freezing cold, there’s sleep in her eyes, but it’s all worth it Azzi thinks, it’ll always be worth it, just to experience Paige’s smile. 

“Knew you’d come,” Paige grins cockily, mittened hands pulling Azzi into her.

“Yeah yeah. What are we even doing?”

“Azzi Fudd,” Paige bellows dramatically, “may I have this dance.”

Azzi stares at Paige’s outstretched hand wondering if this is some sort of cry for help, but one look at Paige’s face tells her that the girl in front of her is being absolutely serious. 

“This is your idea of exciting? Dancing in the street while it’s freezing with no music?” Azzi raises an eyebrow, but she takes Paige’s hand. 

“It’s spontaneous,” Paige says the last word with a flourish, as she spins Azzi, “why not dance in the street when it’s freezing with no music?”

And well, that’s a fair point. If anyone were to look out their window that night, they’d probably think the two girls were somewhat crazy. Laughing and giggling and tripping over each other as Paige hums a melody and Azzi occasionally joins in. It’s ridiculous and corny and cliché and perfect. And then the first little bit of snow falls, white drops circling around the two dancing girls, snowflakes catching on their eyelashes. The dim glow of the streetlight is enough to catch identical smiles on the two girl’s faces as they revel in each other. 

“You know some people say if you make a wish during the first snowfall, it’ll come true,” Paige whispers, still waltzing the two of them around, cheek pressed to Azzi’s, “you wanna try?”

And the thing is Azzi doesn’t really believe in all of that, in magic but something about Paige, something about this moment feels magical. It makes a believer out of Azzi. 

“Yeah,” Azzi smiles, “let’s make a wish.”

They stand still, holding hands, eyes closed, both a little breathless, as they make their wishes. And when they open them, if it feels a little bit like maybe their wishes have already been granted, well they’ll share it in a secret smile but never out loud. After all, wishes don’t come true if you speak of them. 

***

April 2025

7 seconds to go in the National Championship and Azzi’s UCLA Bruins are down by two points. It’s her last chance, having already declared for the 2025 WNBA draft, to win a national championship, to bring home their first basketball national championship since the 1978 team that had won the AIAW championship, to win their first NCAA championship ever. It had taken some sheer luck to get to this point if Azzi’s honest. As a two-seed in the Spokane region, they’d benefitted from their one-seed having been eliminated early and then getting to face a Cinderella six-seed in the final four. On the other side of the bracket, UConn, the favourites coming for a repeat, had been stunned by another team, the team that UCLA was now facing. That had caused a bit of a second-hand sting and Azzi’s not really trying to take revenge for Paige, but it'd be a lie to say the get back at them for me babe from earlier this morning isn’t ringing in her head. 

The play is simple, set screens for Azzi, get her open, get her the ball. A two would get them to a tie and three would win it outright. Either will do. It’s a little too reminiscent of last year when Azzi had failed at tying the final 4 game and she can still feel that loss on the tips of her fingers. They break out from their last timeout, breathlessly running to their spots on the floor. The whistle blows, Kiki inbounds the ball and everything is a blur. All Azzi knows is the shot clock is winding down. She runs off of what feels like a million screens. And then she’s open on the wing, for a millisecond. A perfect pass from Kiki makes sure the ball lands straight in Azzi’s hand. And she doesn’t think, doesn’t breathe, doesn’t even notice the defender put up a hand, she shoots the ball. There’s two people on the court that know for sure that ball is going in the minute it leaves Azzi’s fingers, the shooter herself and her biggest fan in the stands, who’s been just a little bit in love with that shooting stroke, since before anything else had even begun. 

With a delicate swish, the ball falls through the net, the buzzer sounds around the arena, the crowd explodes in blue and gold, as the UCLA Bruins win the 2025 national championship. 

Everything stills in Azzi’s brain for a second, her thoughts taking a second to catch up to reality. She’s never really been one to emotion on the court, keeping herself steely guarded through most games, even at the very end. But now, triumph and pride and just utter happiness at finally achieving one of her biggest dreams, comes roaring to the surface, manifesting itself throughout her entire body, as she lets out a scream of joy. Her teammates engulf her and she gets lost in a sea of hugs and tears and bright, decadent smiles. 

As thing start to calm down, there’s really only one thing on Azzi’s mind and Paige’s words echo in her ears, because if I’m gonna end up fucking crying, then I want it to be on your shoulder. And if I’m gonna end up celebrating, I want it to be in your arms. And Azzi thinks maybe Paige had discovered one of the biggest truths of their life with that, the truth that at the end of day, in any moment, big or small, happy or sad, the one person Azzi wants next to her, is her Paige. It’s been that way since she was fourteen, and too young to really understand the meaning of wanting someone forever, and she thinks if she has her way, it’ll be like that for the rest of her life, the rest of their life. 

Paige is beaming in the crowd, standing next to Jon and José, a #35 jersey proudly adorning her torso. She waves when she catches Azzi’s eyes, always her biggest cheerleader. And Azzi throws caution to the wind, fuck it, not caring that there’s still a large crowd or that cameras are likely to follow her every move. She pushes her way into the stands, stopping right in front of the blonde. 

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad would kissing you right now be?” Azzi asks, still a little breathless. 

A myriad of emotions flicker through Paige’s face before settling on a mischievous smirk, “probably pretty bad but you should do it anyways.”

Azzi grins before merging their lips together and everything else fades to the background, until she’s consumed by nothing but Paige. They break apart far quicker than either of them would like and Azzi expects to feel just a little bit of fear at what she’s just done, likely given the media a spectacle they could run a million and one stories about but instead, with her forehead still pressed against Paige’s, she feels nothing but calm. 

“I’m so in love with you,” Azzi whispers and Paige’s eyes widen. They’ve known it for a while now but it’s the first time either of them have said it. 

“Say it again,” Paige demands. 

“I’m so in love with you,” Azzi says again, grinning so hard, she thinks it might become her permanent expression, “like really fucking in love with you.”

“I’m so in love with you,” Paige whispers, pulling Azzi into a bone-crushing hug. 

And this might not be the moment where everything finally comes together. There’s still so much life left to live, so much that they still need to work through, so much they’ve yet to deal with. But for now, Azzi has a national championship and she has the love of her life, the rest will work itself out, or so she hopes.

[mo0nfics]

Dress - Max verstappen

Ship: Max Verstappen × fem!reader

word count: 1771 words

warnings: fingering, car sex, unprotected sex, swearing, mentions of alcohol.

Au: This was my first ever proper smit chapter. Please do give me suggestions how I can write better and send me requests and suggestions for more one shots.

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Getting into a f1 team as a staff and becoming good friends with the drivers has the advantage of partying till late hours and disadvantage of still working the next day with a bad hangover.

Today was the same as every Sunday night. A race ends, the winner gets the trophy and the party begins.

I had gotten close to Max after I joined red bull as an engineer. We had interacted when I was doing an intership but we got pretty close after I got a proper contract to join red bull.

Since I had gotten close to Max, he had introduced me to most of the racers on the grid. Lando Norris being one of them.

Lando and I became friends soon after we met and got close to becoming best friends. Our relation was more like siblings unlike mine and Max's.

I am unsure of how my relationship with Max is. We are friends but there are moments I feel like there is something more. I think I may have caught some feelings for him.

The race has ended well, Max with another p1 win, which mean that partying tonight would feel fun like most of the nights.

I check myself in the mirror if my dress was perfect and my makeup looked perfect.

I was wearing a black short dress that ended up mid way of my thighs. The dress was sexy yet elegant at the same time, it could be worn in a formal event and you could follow it up for the after party as well. There was some shimmer that could catch the eyes of the people around but not too  much to blind them.

I checked the time to know I was as always late to the party. I rushed in the club trying to find my people, Max and Lando, one would be chilling at the bar and another would be taking pictures of everyone.

I spotted Lando standing on a chair taking picture of Carlos.

"Hey Guys!" I said disturbing them from their photo session. They looked at me annoyed but then realised it was me and greeted me back with "Hi y/n", Carlos looked back at the camera as Lando kept telling him to look at it, "Max is with some guys near the bar" said Carlos still looking at the camera. I replied with a "Thank you!" And walked away.

I spotted Max who was with a few racers and a girl. A GIRL.

I felt weird about it but ignored it, it wasn't like he was flirting with her or anything, right. Right?

I walked towards them trying to keep my emotions inside me and failing successfully as Max asks me, "are you fine?" To which I just nod. "I'll get myself a drink" max follows me to the bar to which I say "you don't need to come with me" it sounded a bit rude for my liking. Max just ignored what I said and was still with me.

I ordered my drink and max sat on one of the bar stools looking at me. "Who was that girl?" I asked something I didn't want to ask but I couldn't suppress my curiosity. "She's Lance's girlfriend" I questioned him as soon as he finished the word girlfriend, "why were you so close to her?" I sounded jealous but fuck it, I didn't like the way that girl was being so close to Max. "I don't know, y/n" he sighed.

I drowned my drink faster than I would usually and ordered another one getting a look from Max telling me ' I'm not fine'.

I know I'm not fine, I think I like Max, I know the feelings aren't given back, it's a literal one sided thing. I feel weird how I bought this dress with him in my mind, so I could impress him and he wouldn't even care about it.

I am someone you cannot trust with alcohol and yes, I have a bad tolerance thats why it I look a little to out of my mind, Max would be the one following me to the bar to keep me in check and I hate how much he takes care of me (I don't really hate it, I'm just frustrated as fuck).

I had ordered my third drink, gulping down the last two, making me already tipsy, just a little, okay not just a little. Before Max could say anything I had ordered my drink.

Max took the drink even before it could reach me and started sipping it slowly, "you'll regret it" he said softly knowing how stubborn I could get he didn't even give me a chance to speak.

I just looked at Max, more like stared at him. His eyes were so blue and pretty, he lips were the perfect colour of pink. Gosh I wanted to kiss him so bad.

When I was teenager my moto was 'YOLO'.  A bit cringe  and cliché but it did the work. I obviously had a few regrets but those regrets turned into memories that I love reminiscing over.

So I did what my teenage self would do. I cupped his face and kissed him. I knew what I was doing but I couldn't control it.

Max pulled back immediately, "Y/n" he looked into my eyes, "you'll regret it" I shook my head, "i'll regret if I don't do anything" and the next moment Max kissed me.

I was a bit shocked at his response but I kissed him back, moving my lips along with his going in a rhythm, one that could not be copied.

My hands travelled to the nape of his neck and then one of my hand playing with his hair pulling him closer.

His hands travelled up and down my back. Feeling every inch of it.

We broke the kiss due to the lack of oxygen entering our lungs. "Fuck, I wanted to do this for so long" max whispered, I kissed him with love rather than lust.

Max's lips left sloppy kisses going towards my neck, sucking on a spot to mark me his. I softly moaned and bit my lips, rolled my eyes and tilted my head back feeling the pleasure.

"Max, let's go somewhere private" I whispered trying to supress a moan. Max nodded and kissed my lips again making me melt, he pulls back and takes my hand leading me to his car.

Before he opened the door to the back seat he asked softly catching me off gaurd "Y/n, you won't regret it, right?" I looked into his eyes, "I'll regret not doing this with you", he smashed his lips onto mine roughly, like he wanted to do this all along. Like he couldn't get himself to stop.

He opened the car door and he went in hastily, I went in after him, he motioned me to sit on his lap. I faced towards him, his hands caressing my inner thighs, kissing me roughly. I moaned softly at this sensation. My hands resting on his head bringing him closer.

Max swiftly layed me on the seat, keeping one my legs on his shoulders. He kissed my inner thighs, I wanted to close my legs at this new but familiar feeling.

"Max" i moaned as he kissed my inner thigh, gently placing his fingers on top of my clothed heat. I moan in ecstasy. I wanted him to touch me, I wanted him to ruin me.

The moment he slides off my panties and says looking at me in the eyes "do you know how bad I wanted you" and starts rubbing my clit with his thumb, "fuck.....mmmh.....max" I moan feeling his fingers entering me. He slides off the left strap of my dress and starts caressing my breasts, feeling my hard nipples and pinching them, making me moan louder. I held onto the back seat for life not trusting myself with my body.

I felt a knotting feeling in my stomach, my toes curling, my moans getting louder, "max" i breathed "I'm gonna come" I said and moaned as his fingers went faster.

I came with a loud moan, probably the whole area heard it.

"Max" I said seductively "I bought this dress so you could take it off" and I felt him tensing under my skin. Max kissed me before sliding of my dress, checking out my body "You're so pretty" Max whispered in my ears before kissing my neck, I tilted my head towards the opposite side to give him more space.

"I want you so bad" I whispered, touching his bare chest and and then travelling down to unbutton his jeans. He helped to pull them down to his knees and slid his boxers till his knees.

I pushed him to the seat and sat on his laps. He didn't utter a word, he held onto my ass and looked into my eyes. Gosh, his gorgeous blue eyes.

He helped me enter his cock into my mine. I hissed at his size, he kissed my lips, massaging my breasts, "fuck" I muttered as I started grinding my hips slowly. He groaned and held tightly on my ass moving me faster. Our moans filled the car. I was pretty people could see our silhouette from outside. I moved my hips faster.

He swiftly put me under him, and pushed deep in me, "fuck" i moaned.

"You're taking it so good" he groaned and increased his pace. He wrapped his hands around my neck going deeper inside me. My hands on his back, making my mark on the back.

I feel another orgasm coming, curling my toes, "don't do it yet" he said and went in faster than before, my moans were uncontrollable.

He came to my ear level caressing my body, putting pressure on my clit by his thumb. "do it" and as on cue I came all over his cock. He took it out from inside on came on my waist.

He kissed my forehead. "You want go in or go to the hotel" he said pulling his boxers and jeans up. "Let's go back and cuddle" he nodded and then gave me another kiss before handing me my panties and dress. "Let's go cuddle, then" he said and got out to sit in the driver's seat. I wore my clothes hastily and sat on the passanger seat. "I've always wanted to do this" I said holding his hand, he put a loose strand behind my ear and kissed me, "you're the best thing I've ever waited for".

[sunkissedscribbles]

Prejudiced - Chapter Six

this is only a part of the series, the previous and next chapters can be found here

a/n: GUYS this is my favourite one so far, i had so much fun with this. was listening to meddle about by chase atlantic while writing the first part of it. enjoy<3

word count: 3297

tw: um probably swearing, cassie getting a little carried away, mention of sex

summary: cassie finally breaks and tells kiara what’s been bothering her but as always, things only get even more complicated when she tries to apologize to mattheo.

<previous chapter next chapter>

dividers by @chachachannah

As dramatic as it might sound, I spend my Sunday morning locked away in my room in fear after what I've done. Thoughts regarding my stupidity rush through my brain, not leaving me a split second to think about anything else. If I were able to think of something else, I'd be thinking about how big of a genius I was for doing my homework yesterday. But there's no time, nor enough capacity in my brain to keep my mind off that kiss. Almost kiss — it wasn't a real kiss. It was just a little peck on the lips, wasn't it? Like a friendly smooch.

But friends don't kiss each other's lips, I remind myself.

Damnit. Why do I always have to prove no one can fool with me? Mattheo was just teasing, no harm was done by that, and I was an idiot, there's no denying that one.

An hour into me rushing into my dorm dramatically, shoving past fellow Gryffindors who must've thought I've given in to the stereotypes, declaring I'm a psychopath like my aunt and other ancestors by how I was behaving, Kiara knocks on my door. One thing is for sure about her; she does not know personal space, and she never knocks. But now, I think she knows it's different. I've pushed it too far. But wasn't I just responding to Mattheo?

No. It was outright the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life.

"Cass. I'm coming in," my best friend's voice echoes through the wooden door, seconds later she's sitting on my bed next to me, awkwardly patting my head as I cry, and unintentionally finding humour in her way of comforting people, I let out a brief laugh, followed by a big sob as I lay my head into her lap.

"I've ruined it, Ki. I-I... he won't ever-" I must stop to gather my thoughts for a moment. "He won't forgive me for this. I'll be the reason we part. Us five."

Kiara just listens for a while, gently caressing my hair as a way of comfort. "I'm so sorry-y," I sob and she immediately starts hushing me. "It's not your fault. You didn't ruin anything. If I were him, I would've enjoyed it," she reassures me. But I can only think of one thing.

"So, he didn't? He said I kissed badly?" I let out another big sob and she smacks my forehead lightly, not to cause me any pain.

"Fuck off. I bet you're a great kisser."

"But-"

"No buts. You are and you know it too. Plus, it wasn't even a real kiss."

To that, I respond with heavier cries. Because she's right.

"My first kiss wasn't even a kiss. And it wasn't real either," I bury my face into her thigh, but she makes me look at her by commanding me to do so.

"Why'd you do it?"

I shrug and shake my head, my voice trembles as I speak and it's barely above a whisper as I can feel my throat tighten with guilt, "I don't know."

After a few minutes, I sit up and start to play with the gold ring on my finger.

"I-I guess I let my frustration take the best of me," I let out a sharp, breathy exhale and run a hand through my hair before continuing. "And... he was right there. And I guess I just wanted to, you know..."

"...Kiss someone?" she helps me out patiently, speaking calmly, to that, I nod. I now realize how stupid and childish it sounds. And Ki sees right through me if I haven't been embarrassed enough for today.

"But it's not only that, is it?"

I look away and shake my head. "No."

"Talk to me. You know I'm right here."

To that, my blood starts to boil again because how would she understand? She's got everything, all the experience and what've I got? Fear of not being enough, fear of running out of time and missing out on life.

"I'm running out of time, Ki. I haven't had my first kiss yet and you have already lost your virginity-"

"It comes in different times for everyone, Cass. Don't compare us."

"I know! I know it does and that I shouldn't, but I can't, okay? Not when all of you are smoking, drinking, attending all those parties where you leave me alone, you and Theo to do that, Mattheo to dance with a girl who's not at all like me, and Enzo not even turning up! And then no one notices I've left. Not even Matt who's been there with me after you two left. Maybe I'm doing something wrong-"

"You aren't."

"-or maybe the problem is with me but I'm not feeling well, for fuck's sake," I blurt out, and my voice trembles while another tear is running down my cheek unstoppably.

Kiara just looks at me with an expressionless face and she nods. She knows. I freeze. She knew this whole time...? Does she know about my problems with my body image too?

She waits for me to continue but I don't. I just turn the conversation back to the topic.

"And now I kiss this twat. All because you three don't know when to stop teasing and because I don't know where to draw that fucking line, okay? I'm a horrible person and my actions will cost a whole friend group. I'm so fucking sorry that I can't be a better fucking person," I spit furiously. It's not Kiara I'm angry of — it's me, my unspoken feelings, and the world that got me this enraged.

In the end, she gets me to calm down. It takes some time but that's enough for me to go down to the Slytherin common room and apologize to the curly-haired boy.

I watch the scene escalate the second I step into the common room. For a moment, I freeze to make sure I'm not hallucinating. I see two boys fighting in the Muggle way, throwing punches.

"You fucking moron," I hear Enzo's voice echo through the space and his voice bounces back off the cold stone walls of the castle as he hits Mattheo back. The other students are only watching the scene before their eyes, rooting for either boy to win. Enzo already has a black eye and Mattheo bruised lips, from where Enzo's fist last found him.

A few seconds later I take the initiative and getting Blaise Zabini, — whom I learn from the fight's about some girl — and another Slytherin student to help me separate the boys, they hold a raging Lorenzo Berkshire back as I pull the other delinquent, Mattheo back. But it doesn't help at all. Where are Ki and Theo when they're needed?

Even when telling Mattheo those sweet lies of how it's alright, how it's not worth fighting, he doesn't stop but nor does Enzo. It takes all my physical strength to shove Mattheo under a cold rain of water in the Slytherin bathroom when his dark eyes don't seem to soften and my words do not look like they're helping, at all.

"Look at me!" I demand. The cold water's dripping from Mattheo's hair, hitting his face like a heavy London rain in the summer, and soaking the both of us' clothes. When he finally meets my gaze, his eyes remain darkened but now, with another emotion, apart from anger it isn't violent, it's just aggressive. Lust, desire.

He pushes me against the wall of the shower, keeping me steady sandwiched between him and the cold bathroom tiles with his hips as his fingers dig into my waist, making a small grunt escape my lips. Not even a millisecond later, his lips press aggressively against mine, not caring that they're bruised because of that punch delivered by Enzo. I need a second or two to realize what the fuck is happening right here, like damn, I'm being kissed by Mattheo Riddle, but then I warm up against his lips and reciprocate the kiss. He kisses deeply, aggressively, and not at all hiding his lust, but this is what's so beautiful about it. My hands wander up his back until they reach his wet curls — might I mention we're still standing under the cold shower. I pull on his hair here and there while my fingers rake through his locks, causing a few low growls to leave his throat and as a response, his hands travel lower onto my hips, and they slowly make their way to grab onto my butt. To this, my head snaps back, against the cold wall and Mattheo's lips trace a line of kisses along my jaw, making their way and stopping on my neck but not at all draw an end to the kissing. His one hand remains on my ass but the other finds its way to the hem of my long-sleeve and travels under it to tease the soft skin of my stomach. The second his palm presses against my wet skin I let out a gasp and Mattheo's lips find their way back to mine while he groans as a response to the pleasure and excitement that we're both feeling right now. I tug on his curls again, following his lead of aggression while his one hand starts travelling further up my body under my top. My breathing's shallow and it as well as my heartbeat are uncontrolled and rapid as a sense of euphoria washes over my whole being that is right now only dedicated to the boy kissing me. His hand, though, stops right before reaching my breasts and after one last kiss, to my dismay, he pulls back from me, and after staring at me with those chocolate eyes in which lust has just been replaced by regret, he steps away, and giving me no reaction time, he turns around and storms out of the bathroom. I stare at the shut door for a few seconds, digesting what had happened just now. Then, I turn the water off with a disappointed look in my eyes, and with a longing ache in my heart and in dripping wet clothes, I make my way to Kiara's dorm.

Disappointed, crushed, destroyed — this is how I would describe my mood after the kiss we've shared with Mattheo under the shower. Not because it happened, though, more of it ever ending; even if it sounds cliché. Over the days following the kiss, I find myself thinking about it, maybe even more than I should, as well as I find myself staring at the curly-haired boy in question over the classrooms, again, more than I should, as I'm trying to figure my feelings out. If I even like him, or it's just the mental image of us, and how we shared a moment. How he satisfied my five senses; the taste of his lips that I can still recall, being met by his lustful eyes that would make me weak in the knees, the feeling of his hands wandering, grazing my skin as they made it their personal mission to explore every inch of my body, the scent of how his cologne mixed with his shampoo as the running water washed everything together, and hearing the sound of our greedy kisses and the sounds he made, driven by pure desire. I wanted a kiss? Well, I got it. But I might have lost a friend as well. I don't fancy him — I can't fancy him.

He doesn't talk to me. Not a word is spoken between us for days, but I know for sure he's approached Theo the same way I did Kiara. "I did something bad, something extremely horrible," this is how I stormed into Ki's dorm on Sunday, clothes dripping with water, on the verge of crying and panicking.

It's one thing he doesn't talk to me and doesn't even try to get in touch. But it's another that Enzo now officially despises us both. Because I also learned it's my fault they'd got into that fight. Because I 'kissed' Mattheo. The kiss that morning that I referred to as a 'friendly smooch.' Well, this second one for sure wasn't an innocent little smooch on the lips. And why does that bother Enzo; I spent too much time thinking about it, looking for an answer. According to Kiara, Theo, and even the twins, he likes me, but in my opinion, maybe he only wanted to protect me from, well, the monster people claim Mattheo to be. But from Ki and Theo's constant teasing back when everything was alright, I doubt I'd be right with the second option. Which is bad. Horrible. Horrible, because I love Enzo, okay? But not at all romantically. Enzo is the guy I'd live together and adopt 60 cats with, taking care of them as platonic cat parents, not the guy I see myself falling for.

So, now my entire friend group is falling apart, all because of me.

And it goes like this, everyone drifting away and the only mutual connection being Theo and Ki, for three weeks. What happens after three weeks, you might wonder. Kiara and Theo, the two kind souls deciding it's time for Mattheo and me to make up ("Make ou- up, I mean. One way or another, him on top, or you, I don't care. I've had enough of this bickering," if I may quote Kiara's words) for what happened. As a solution, we arrive at the present day; they shove us into a broom closet and lock the door until we're done having a heart-to-heart.

"So..." Mattheo's voice is unsteady, so he clears his throat.

I've been thinking about this a lot; about what we should do if he ever were to talk to me again. And I've come to a sensible conclusion.

"Can we forget about it?"

"Let's be more," Mattheo says right when I blurt my suggestion out. And because we're talking at the same time and since I'm focusing on saying the right words, I hear my words louder than his, thus I don't understand what he says.

"Sorry," we mutter at the same time. "You start," I pass him the ball.

"No, you," to that, I sigh and nod.

"I said let's forget about it. We'd just ruin the whole group and there's the Enzo problem too. We were just... acting on a whim, weren't we?" I offer an apologetic smile and to that, his eyes become a little colder and his muscles tense up in his whole body, all too perceptible as I see his facial features change, his muscles twitching underneath the soft skin I'd like to touch the way I did three weeks ago.

Fuck, Cassie, stop this.

"Yeah. I was thinking the same," he nods. I'm not even able to read his expression because of the cold eyes he's giving me. He's shutting down again. Oh, I know for a fact he's a Pisces moon.

"Mattheo," I frown, "have I said something wrong?"

He shakes his head and lets out a sigh, his exterior softening. "No, you haven't."

Before I could ask him if he's sure about that, the snickering from the other side of the door catches my ear and I immediately forget that I've even wanted to ask anything. And our broom-closet-duo is supplemented by a cursing Enzo who stumbles in by being pushed in by two pairs of hands.

The second he notices us, he becomes defensive, having his arms crossed in front of his chest and his expression dark and hardened. "Am I interrupting something?" he asks coldly, clearly hurt as his sarcastic words ring in the tight space. He can't even look at me — he's only staring into Mattheo's eyes, coldly as never before. Then, after a few seconds, he looks at me and speaks bitterly. "Or is one guy not enough for you?"

The muscles in my face all tense up at his sarcastic remark. I see the twitch in Mattheo's fists — he'd jump right at Enzo and start another fistfight. Enzo's words though, in me, cut deep, and now I'm just becoming more sure that Kiara and Theo have been right about how Enzo might like me. Might. May. Must do so. And I want to shovel dirt on me and bury myself alive.

"Can't we talk this through?" I suggest in a hurt tone.

"I'm not having this discussion with this in the room," Enzo spits bitterly with a straight back, clearly referring to Mattheo. And again, I'd like to turn the time back to where I messed it all up by acting on a whim when I gave Mattheo that smooch the morning after his nightmare.

"Neither do I," Mattheo claims through gritted teeth, glaring at Enzo while trying to hold his disruptive anger back.

"If you want a threesome, not with him," Enzo shoots back and before I can even respond, a fist is thrown in his direction, followed by a grunt from Enzo.

I try to pull Mattheo back but there's no use. I make my mind up — if I can't get them off each other by my hands, I'm gonna do it by wand. I grab the vine-wood wand from my back pocket and point at them both. "Immobulus," I say in a relatively calm tone that covers my frustration, watching as a blue light flashes from the tip of my wand, freezing the wrestling boys in their movements.

"Let's keep it short," I start in an annoyed voice as I glare down at the boys, the frustrated, almost angry undertone growing upon my words the more I go on. "Have I kissed Mattheo? Yes, I have. But it has nothing to do with Enzo. I'm friends with both of you, nothing more, and less only if you two keep this bickering shit up. You are my best friends, you are my only family, but if you can't appreciate it, then I guess we should call this off. We're all hurting and I know I made a bloody mistake, but we are hurting Kiara and Theodore too with what we've been doing in the past weeks. You two have to get over this, and I have some unfinished business with both of you, but I can only do that if you finally listen to me. And if you actually have some intelligent thoughts in those shrunken brains of yours still, let me know. And stop fighting over childish nonsense, finally. We're not in nursery school anymore, for Salazar's bollocks!"

Okay, saying I'm in a mood is an understatement, I have to agree on that one. But who wouldn't react similarly in a situation like this? Or I do have gone mental — and if that's the case, I'll have to apologize to Hermione.

I'm still looking at the boys lying on the floor under the effects of the Freezing Charm, and I can only hope their brains could process my previous rant — but after a few more seconds, I do the counterspell on the arses of the bloody morons.

They sit up and do a little shake of their hands, both looking at me as if they saw the basilisk, neither of them saying a word but they get up eventually.

I cross my arms in front of me and glare at them. "Shake hands."

"What?" they ask in unison.

"Do it. Shake hands. And get over this shit."

Reluctantly, but they do it, exchanging angry, frustrated gazes, then they both look at me. I have no intention of talking about what happened between either of them and me, not like this, when they're both present — that wouldn't do much good to anyone. All I say is "Sorry," and they mutter a "Me too."

thanks for reading it, and don't foget to comment if you'd like to be on the tag list<3

tag list: @reyys-letters @mqstermindswift @inksoakedparchment

[jamieylnn]

I have never done this before, but I'm now doing fic writing so I think that means I'm allowed to do such a thing and am taking @caterpills's open tag to do it. It's also definitely Ten Several Sentences Sunday, because I can't be contained~ Anyway, in my note for just look at him, I hinted that I've had a Modern AU Dorym fic in my head for a while and this is an excerpt from one of the chapters I've been noodling on. Someday I'll get around to polishing things further, but for the meantime, please have this offering. This chapter was feelsy to write, but I like what I have so far.

He let the phone continue to the next saved message. "I'm watching you do yoga right now. I'm making coffee and you're outside in the backyard, not even wearing a shirt and it's—hang on. It's not even 50 degrees out, I swear. Oh, the weather app says it's 64, but still. I'm not complaining, though, because holy shit, you look—oh fuck, you saw me, okay love you bye—" "I know you're doing important work right now, but I miss you. Call me when you get back to your hotel room. I love you, Orym." "I just texted you, but I thought I'd try calling and before you say I told you so, please know that I know you were right and I know I should have taken my car in to get the tires replaced weeks ago so you don't need to remind me when I tell you that my tire went and I need you to come and get me, because I can stomach a lecture from you better than the one Dad will give me so please call me back as—oh that's you—"

Just an open tag, feel free to go for it. 💙💚

[thecapricunt1616]

The Bear & His Honey - Chapter 16

♡ Chapter Inspo: Call It What You Want (Reputation - TS) ; I want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck. Not because he owns me, but 'cause he really knows me. Which is more than they can say, I recall late November holdin' my breath, slowly I said "You don't need to save me, but would you run away with me?"

♡ Summary: Carmy x Winnie are finally calling things what they are after 3 months of beating around the bush, YAY!!!

♡ W/C: 10,775

♡ Posted Date: 04/05/2024

♡ A/N: Here we have chapter 16 - I hope you all like it! I have been stepping back and seeing where I want things to go, & I think I have generally a good idea now, so I was able to finish up the next 2 chapters finally haha. As per usual thank you for reading, remember requests for one shots are open - or even if you want to see WxC doing something specific let me know! I am here to please hahah one shots I've already written are on my masterlist linked below! Also - no one has asked, but I usually see people will read one chapter, then go back and read all of them 1-15, so if you want to be on a tag list so you can keep up w/ the story just tell me in the comments and i'll make one!!

♡ Warnings for BTC: Swearing, Speaking of smoking, Weed, Smut!, Nervous Carmy, Mushy fluff!!!

➵ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 ♡

➵ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ♡

𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒫.𝒪.𝒱. 🍯

It was a few weeks later, and the beginning of spring had well arrived. The trees were becoming green again, the flowers were blooming, and Carmy and I were still hanging out nearly every afternoon, and he was staying over nearly every night. 

That Friday evening, around 11pm, after Carmy had gotten off his shift, he came over to mine and had a shower after we ate dinner that he had made us before he came over. Tonight had been a favorite - a true garbage plate per my request. 

It was currently 1 am and we were snuggled up in bed, mostly I was watching a rerun of Criminal Minds, and Carmy was distracted by his phone, texting with someone back and forth. 

“Did y’wanna come w’me to Richie’s Sunday? We do Palm at his usually. He’s been textin’ me about comin’ over a little earlier to help with the lamb.” He said and I looked up at him from my spot snuggled up on his chest, my cheek adorned with lines from his sweatshirt since it had been mushed there while I watched the show, my hands playing with the tie of his sweats absentmindedly so I didn’t pick my nails. 

“Oh- yeah. Sure. I didn’t know you like- did that. Y’re…religious? I mean- I know the chain and everything but..” I gently play with the charm between my fingers. He smiled a bit, forefinger gently rubbing over the dark red marks in my cheek from laying. 

“I mean- nah. Not really it’s more like..tradition I guess? Palm Sunday and Easter were huge when I was growin’ up. I guess it’s just an Italian thing, but it’s like- second Christmas. The whole family gets together and has a meal” he said and I nod. 

“Well of course I’ll be your date baby. Thank you for asking, I assume we’re doing church? Like Christmas Eve if it’s a big thing right?” I ask and he nodded a bit. 

“You don’t…you don’t have to go. I mean- I don’t go unless it’s Christmas Eve or Palm or Easter Sunday. So..but I get it if y’arent comfortable” he bit his lip nervously. 

“No baby- no…I think it’s sweet. I grew up Catholic too, well- Irish Catholic. But- I was baptized, so I’m rightfully Catholic. So we can get married someday and not go to hell” I giggled and he snorts a laugh. 

“Oh thank god y’re baptized baby, how could we ever marry if you haven’t devoted yourself to our lord and savior” he teased, earning a laugh from me. 

“Does this mean I get to crack out my veil again? What do I wear? Well I know I can’t have my tits out - but like, color scheme for your church, still red?” I asked and he rubbed my back gently. 

“Yes still red baby.” He kissed my neck, gently nipping at the sensitive skin. “I didn’t know you wore a veil. You were dedicated, huh? Such a good little Catholic” he teased, pinching my bum playfully. 

I laugh a bit “mmhmm- my mom was serious about it. I used to hate it but since I stopped believing in the Catholic god- er- worshiping him, anyway, I just think it’s hot. D’you think we could sneak away to the bathroom for a quickie during the service? I’ve always fantasized about fucking in a church it sounds really hot.” I said causing him to laugh into my skin. 

“Babe. Holy fuckin blasphemy you trying to get on the big man’s ultimate shit list?” He bites my shoulder playfully. 

“Ohhhh we’re way past it Carm. Plus- since he’s so big and mighty and he’s the one that created my twisted fucked up mind- it’s really him who thinks it’s hot. So if he’s mad it’s not on me” I giggled, poking his cheek. “D’you have a bite kink I’m not aware of sir?” I teased. 

“Mmm no you just taste good, and y’so cute it just makes me wanna fuckin bite you I can’t explain it” he bites down on my neck gently, running his tongue over my skin. 

“Awwww you have cute aggression?” I gently play with his curls and he chuckled into my skin, his breath causing goosebumps to appear. 

“That’s a thing?” He questioned and I nod a bit, a wide smile adorning my features. 

“It’s super sweet. Like…when I was at college studying, I took my first round of psych credits, and I guess that uh…when we see something that’s cute, or makes us really happy we wanna like squeeze it or bite it because we’re so overwhelmed with how cute it is that we’re like…searching for an outlet almost? But yeah, so thank you I guess. I do have the urge to just” I take his forearm, gently biting down and giggling into his skin and he chuckled. 

“Y’can bite me. Maybe not in public so we don’t look like a couple’a freaks, but this is ok” he said and I released his flesh 

“Oh yeah I’m just gonna bite you in front of all the staff at work next time I see you. I’ll do it when you’re really angry” I teased, lacing our fingers together and resting our hands over my tummy. 

“Ugh no work talk right now baby today was fuckin’-” he rubs over his face with his other hand “remind me to never trust Richie with shipment ever again.” He grumbled, grabbing his phone to resume whatever he was doing. I mentally rolled my eyes. 

Really, Richie? The one time. One time, that Carmy decides to let someone else start the day- and sleep until 5 am instead of 4- he fucks it up somehow. 

“ ‘m sorry baby. You want a massage? It’s getting late. Maybe it’ll help you sleep, how’s your back?” I asked gently, rubbing his forearm. 

He sighed a bit, putting his phone on the wireless charging pad on the nightstand that had begun living there since he had been sleeping over. “Hurts..Think I pulled a muscle ‘er somethin’ in my shoulder too, fuckin bags of rice were on the lowest shelf and I didn’t use my knees at all apparently” he said and I sat up, grabbing my massage oil from the nightstand. 

“Alright roll over mister, no more work talk tonight, got it? Were Resting our brains now” I kiss his cheekbone and he nods tiredly, tugging off his sweatshirt and laying on his stomach.

“No more work talk” he agreed with an exhausted sigh. I warmed some of the oil in my hands, kissing the little freckles along his back as I did so and he hums softly. 

“Okay so where should I start on the map baby?” I asked him. I had taught him the system my mom and I used to use when she’d give my brother and I massages as kids, where you tell a state on the map so she could better gauge where it was hurting. 

“Fuckin’… Vegas to the Carolina’s. It hurts so bad babe” he said and I gently felt over his lower back, this was usually where we started, unless Wyoming and Nebraska which were more his mid back was hurting him worse, that only happened when he went too hard at the gym, though. 

“It’s probably Texas. Usually Texas, babe” I said, gently working my thumbs with light pressure from the middle of his lower back outwards and he lets out a groan. 

“Fuck Texas” he muttered into the pillow, causing me to giggle a bit. 

“I’ve never been, I hear they have great Mexican food.” I said, adding a bit of pressure as I got to his hips where he held a lot of his stress. 

“Mmm I’ve been- shit”  he hissed as I work at a knot at the back of his hip. “Fuck- keep going babe- ahhh mmhmm- yes” he grumbles. I added more pressure and he sighed gratefully. “Thank you” he said softly, resting his cheek on his forearm, eyes fluttering shut in bliss.

“You’ve been? Lucky! Did you try the Mexican food?” I asked, dragging the pressure across his lower back and he moans out quietly. 

“Mmhmm…Dallas…ACF conference- went in November. They do have great Mexican food. And the drinks are enormous, crazy strong for how cheap they were.” He said. 

“Ooo that sounds like my kinda place. We should go on a trip sometime, if I could ever afford it that is. But a road trip would be fun” I gently rub up to his mid back. 

“You don’t have t’pay anything baby, I didn’t know you wanna travel- where d’you wanna go? I just have to get the time off. That's the problem, not the money. But what’s y’dream place y’wanna go?” He asked. 

“Anywhere. Well, anywhere with you. I’ve never been on a plane before, I took the train here. Cause my Grammy wouldn’t let me take a plane, since our Grandpa died in one- she says they’re bad luck. But I’ve always wondered what it was like. It seems fun. Are airports fun like they make it look in the movies?” I smile a bit, gently massaging over his ribs. 

“No. Totally not. They don’t really put airports in tv and shit after 9/11 if you’ve noticed because now they’re a fuckin’ nightmare- but I mean…not as shit as being on a train for what- 30 hours babe? Y’not doin’ that t’go do that nanny thing right? I don’t want you sittin for 30 hours with y’hip.” He said and I shrug a bit, continuing to rub over his mid back with the pressure I knew he liked. 

“I set a timer on my phone, and get up and walk around every 20 minutes, So it doesn’t hurt so bad. Also- it’s like…50 bucks cheaper so. 50 bucks toward my next therapy session” I say simply. 

“50 bucks?! Baby. No. I’m buyin’ y’ticket and you can get there in 2 hours, so I can have you for an extra whole day. No arguing. It’s done” he said and I laugh a bit. 

“Oh so you boss me around now?” I said and he smirks, looking at me over his shoulder. 

“Hasn’t that been established? That I only make you do something when y’too stubborn to allow me to help?” He asked and I kiss his lips gently. 

“Control freak” I teased, starting on his shoulders and his eyes flutter shut in bliss. 

“Consider it payment f’r all the massages I’ll need when you get back. I dunno how I’m gonna manage babe it helps so much. Fuck ah- yes. There- there honey” he groaned as I drag my thumb with a good amount of pressure in the dip of his shoulder blade. 

“Y’know you can see a real masseuse, Bear. You don’t have to torture yourself until I’m home again” I said, adding a bit more pressure and he whimpered, burying his face in the pillow. 

“Mmm- don’t wanna” he said into the fabric as I work his other shoulder the same way. “Holy shiiiit. Baby. Fuck- fuuuuck me.” He moaned and I laughed a bit, rubbing my thumbs up to the base of his neck and back down. “Mmm shit- fuckin’ hurts soooo good” 

I laughed at his bear like grumbles “Jesus baby. Thank god I don’t have roommates they’d think we’re sex addicts with the way you moan when I give you your massages” I straddled his hips as I work from the balls of his shoulders in towards his neck. 

“Mm not my fault you have tiny magical hands” he teased and I laughed. 

“Do not make fun of my little hands. I can’t help it, and it makes my life tedious” I joked, gently using the knuckles of my thumbs to release the tension in the sides of his neck. 

“How is me calling your doll hands magical, making fun of them?” He said and I smiled, pinching his arm gently. 

“May I remind you Bear who’s mercy you’re at right now?” I bite down on his neck playfully and he chuckles. 

“My favorite girls” he counters and I smiled big, a blush creeping to my cheeks. 

“You are a big flirt” I sat up, continuing to work at the base of his neck. 

“I am being accused left and right t’night, of crimes f’which you have zero admissible evidence” he teased and I laughed, covering my mouth to not wake up the neighbors. 

“Okay- we’re watching way too much criminal minds and SVU lately, admissible evidence, babe?” I shook my head, working on rubbing his biceps in sections since they were quite large. 

“Not my fault I wake up f’work and it’s still on. That shit can’t be givin’ you good dreams babe. Y’need to turn it off” he said and I smiled a bit at his concern. 

“Oh, and you when you go home, and turn on YouTube cooking videos until you pass out, that’s not giving you bad dreams about work?” I mused and he hums. 

“No. Cause I usually don’t watch the English ones, my italian is spotty, which makes my Spanish shitty. And our French lessons have only gotten me so far. So- if my eyes are closed, nothin but noise” he countered and I roll my eyes with a smirk. 

“And how do you know how much of everything to put in?” I ask curiously, massaging over his biceps. 

“By the look” he replied as if that said anything at all. 

“So, if I right now, gave you my water bottle- you could tell me how much water was in it?” I snort 

“Depends, is there ice?” He asked and I raised my brows. 

“ Carmy you can’t just- I mean you can guess. But you’ll have no form of accuracy.” I said and he hums. 

“Think of it like Cooking is biology, and baking is science babe. 2 different sides of the same coin. I don’t need accuracy, I need flavor and balance. A good chef doesn’t solely stick to a recipe. But a good baker always sticks to a recipe. F’r cookin’ It’s about what the dish wants. F’baking it’s what it needs. So yeah I’m confident I could give you a fairly accurate measurement by look” he explained and I gently massage over his wrists, paying extra attention to them because of all the repetitive motion he did at work with all the chopping and stirring and whisking. 

“Mmm I love it when you get all sexy technical chef on me” I kiss the top of his hand lightly and he smiled a bit. 

“Well I’ll tell y’anythin y’wanna know angel” he said, covering his mouth with his hand as he yawned big. “Mmm. Y’always put me t’sleep” he mumbled. 

I giggle a bit “that was the point. Geez like a colicky baby sometimes, so overtired y’can’t sleep” I said and he snorts. 

“Mmm this is my favorite part” he rolled on his side as I took my place next to him and he lays his forearm over my tummy so I can lightly drag my nails across it for him. 

“Spoiled, spoiled little bear” I teased, obliging him and gently dragging my nail across his skin with a featherlight touch causing goosebumps to appear. 

“Mmhmm, the most spoiled” he said and kisses me sweetly I hummed softly, cupping his cheek and gently rubbing my thumb over his cheekbone. 

“Just one more day”  I said when he pulled away, alluding to his Sunday off. 

“One more.” He said softly and snuggled into my chest as I continued gently caressing his arm, my other hand tangling in his muss of damp curls and scratching his scalp as I usually did to help him fall asleep. 

This had been our routine for the last 2 weeks now, he’d come over after working out, we’d eat dinner, he’d have a shower, then we’d sit on the balcony and smoke together, then come in and get in bed, I’d give him a massage after cuddling for a while, and stroke his arm and give him scratches to help him fall asleep, since the first night I did it for him he was out in less than 10 minutes, (which was an all time record for him) - and he’d be little spoon until he fell asleep. Then when I eventually did as well- we’d wake up in the morning with me having stolen the title of little spoon once more. 

He nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck, his warm breath hitting my collar bone. I focused on the tv and continued stroking his arm gently, a few minutes went by like that before he muttered a half asleep “night honey” bringing a small smile to my lips.  “Night Bear” I said softly, brushing his curls off his forehead and gently kissing it, lingering for a moment before resting back on the pillow and continuing to stroke his arm gently.

I was woken by the sound of Carmy’s first alarm that he’d nearly knocked his phone off the nightstand trying to silence, before groaning tiredly and plopping his arm back around me, pulling me closer to him. 

“Morning” I said softly, my eyes still closed. 

“Mornin’ babe.” He said quietly, planting a soft kiss to my jaw. He’d been setting his alarm for 4:00 instead of 4:30 for the past week or so, so we’d get a little bit of snuggle time before he had to get in the shower. 

“How’d you sleep?” I asked, lacing our fingers together and turning to face him, wrapping my leg between his and hooking them together. 

“Alright. My back feels a lot better, thanks for the massage honey. How’d you sleep?” He rubbed over his face, yawning which caused me to catch it and yawn myself. 

“Course love. I slept okay, had a really weird dream, wanna hear about it?” I ask and he smiled lazily, nuzzling his face into my neck. 

“Mm. Always” he said softly. 

“So-“ I giggle softly at the absolute bizarreness “so, Syd was there- oh I’ll have to send her a voice note about this. But Syd was there, and we were at my middle school? But it was here, in Chicago. And it wasn’t my middle school, it was a hospital? But my teachers were there. Well they weren’t my teachers they were strangers, but I like knew they were my teachers, ya’know?” He chuckled a bit into my skin. 

“Okay, and what were you and Syd doin baby?” He questioned. 

“Literally Carm- playing with a Ouija board? Like?” I laughed a bit, causing him to follow suit. 

“Who were you trying to get ahold of?” He asked. 

“I don’t know! But it was like scary lookin. I don’t even - oh! Yes! That’s how I know it was a hospital cause we were in this dingy like basement, and there was a gurney? Like. I dunno. Oh! And she was like” I laughed, shaking my head. “She was like Winnie- they’ll know the right ingredient. Like- like we’re summoning the dead for recipe advice? But she was so stressed like she was dyyying to find out what they had to say” I said and his chest vibrated with laughter. 

 “And yeah, that was it that’s the dream- dream Syd, and real Syd, both are OCD about recipes to the point of insanity” I said and he shook his head, planting a kiss on my temple. 

“Thanks f’r sharing babe. Y’know, maybe the dead could help us out with recipes- dream Syd could be onto somethin’ ” he joked and I gently play with his sleep tousled hair. 

“Mmm I think the only ghost that would give a shit about food they can’t eat- would be you and Syd baby. I can totally see that. Us hanging out in the afterlife, and you’re like ‘but honey, if I help them and tell them it needs more lemon it’ll be so good’ “ i mimicked him doing my best Carmy impression and he snorts a laugh. 

“I do not sound like that, when did I turn into a fuckin- southside chain smokin’ uncle?” He teased and I laughed, poking his cheek playfully. 

“Not too far off, you’re a north side chain smoking uncle in real life, so I guess the accent was a little off” I said and he rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah. I’m down to half a pack a day now I wouldn’t call that chain smokin anymore” he mused, kissing my neck with open mouth kisses, trailing down to my collarbones. 

“Mmm Bear?” I question and felt him smile into my skin before biting down gently in the fleshy spot between my neck and shoulder. 

“Mmhmm?” He mumbled, his teeth still gently clamped around my flesh. 

“It’s 4:09” I said, gently scratching his scalp with my nails. 

“So that means we have..21 minutes, no?” He questions and I raise my brows with a smirk. 

“And what are we doing with this twenty one minutes, Bear?” I muse and he lifted the covers, crawling underneath, and getting between my thighs. 

“Don’t they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” he asked, kissing over my pantyline in the way that made my breath hitch. 

“Real breakfast, baby. Which you refuse most the time” I told him, gently pushing his curls back, watching as he carefully slips my panties to the side. 

He licks a stripe up my heat with the pad of his tongue, stopping at my clit and applying more pressure, open jawed, rubbing his tongue messily back and forth. I whined in pleasure, my head dropping back to the pillow. 

He hooked my knees over his shoulders, pulling me closer by my hips and gently sucks on the sensitive bud that was now getting firmer and more prominent, flicking and smoothing his tongue over it in small circles, earning hot moans of satisfaction from deep in my chest. 

“Oh-“ I breathe out, my voice coming out as more of a squeak then anything and my hips buck involuntarily as a jolt of pleasure cracks through me at his actions. 

“Mmm so fuckin sweet” he grumbled into the slick flesh, the vibrations causing my core to clench around nothing.  

“Holy fuck Carmy” I gasp as I felt his tongue lapping over my enterence, thrusting his tongue inside in one swift motion, humming in satisfaction as he felt me squeeze tightly around his tongue and I tugged his hair between my fingers. 

“Ah- shitholy-fuckingchristCarm” I moaned out as he nudged the bridge of his strong nose against my clit with a pressure that was gonna drive me right over the edge- and fast. 

“Mmhmm- mmhmm” I nod quickly, biting my lip hard as I feel that all too familiar tightening in my stomach, the pool building quickly and the dam walls getting ready to snap, all of my muscles tightening and my thighs quivering. 

“Breathe” he reminded me gently, reaching up and grabbing one of the hands that had taken grip on his hair, lacing our fingers together and squeezing my hand gently. 

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, “sorry” I mumble sheepishly and he continued, humming happily into my slick when I gasp in a enormous breath as he flicks his tongue wildly over my clit, pressing my hips into the bed to make me remain still with his other forearm. 

“Oh- oh- fuuuck! Ah- ahh! cumming! Yes- yes!!!” I cry out, squeezing his hand tightly, my head thrown back in bliss and spine arched off the bed. 

“mm- shit- fuck- too sensitive” I whine, as he continued the rough assault on my clit, digging my nails into the back of his hand. 

“I think I can get another one babe - cmon be good f’me, please?” he said lowly, his voice coated in thick, honey-like lust. 

“Ah- fuck-fuck- okay- mmmmillbegood” I slur, my thighs pressing against his temples and ankles locked behind his head. 

He removed his forearm from my hips. “Y’gonna be a good girl, mmm? Y’gonna stay still f’me? Er do I need t’keep holdin’ you?” He asks and I shook my head. 

“Ill be still, promise” I said quickly, squeezing his hand gently. 

“That’s my girl” he brought his mouth back to my clit, slipping two fingers in my entrance and curling them expertly into that amazing spongy spot he seemed to have memorized by now, that I could somehow never manage to get to so well on my own. 

“Holyfuck” I groaned, tugging his hair taut and he moans into me, the vibrations on my over sensitive clit dragging me to the edge and leaving me dangling there. 

“Ah- fuck mmm-d’that- keep doin’ that Bear pleeeease” I begged as I tug at his hair harder, earning a deeper moan out of him. My hips snap back into the mattress, twitching and shaking as I mewl and whine through my second orgasm, my back arched and hand leaving his hair to grip the sheets so I wouldn’t hurt him as I held them in a white knuckle grasp. 

His alarm goes off for 4:30 a few moments after my thighs stop quivering in pleasure and hips finally stilled. He messily wiped his wet chin, mouth, and the tip of his nose on my thigh, slick with my arousal, before placing a gentle kiss on my mound, and popping his head out of the sheets, casually hitting the stop button on the alarm. 

“Thanks f’breakfast honey” he joked, getting out of bed and stretching his back, before giving me a peck on the lips and heading off to the bathroom, leaving me fucked absolutely dumb. 

“Anytime” I said tiredly, feeling exhausted once again after only a few hours sleep and being feasted on so intensely, and so early in the morning. 

He left the bathroom door cracked so Persephone wouldn’t scratch the whole time trying to get in and investigate what he was doing, and I heard him start the shower before I rolled back over and fell asleep. 

I was awoken by sweet gentle kisses about 45 minutes later, feeling the icy metal of his chain brush over my chin as he pressed lingering kisses on my forehead. “Hey sleepy” he said softly, rubbing my side. 

The smell of his cologne and minty toothpaste hits my nose and my eyes flutter open. He was sat next to me, backpack and hoodie already on. 

“Already?” I whine, laying over his lap and nuzzling my face in his tummy, breathing in his scent and wrapping my arms around him. 

“Mmhmm. But 3:30 yeah? I’ll come pick y’up from the library we can have lunch in the car?” He gently runs his fingers through my hair in the way that made me sleepy, and my eyes flutter shut once again subconsciously. 

“Can’t you call out sick?” I mumble into his sweatshirt and he chuckled. This was the same conversation we had nearly every morning. 

“And do what princess? Mm? Follow you to the library and sit around while you put away books?” He joked and I huff. 

“Yes. Exactly that.” I said and look up at him, puckering my lips, knowing I wouldn’t win this battle possibly ever unless he was actually sick. 

“Mmhmm I’m sure y’boss would love to just have a chef loitering around all day waiting for her star employee” he teased, leaning down and giving me a sweet, tender goodbye kiss. 

“Be safe.” I said softly when he pulled away, cupping his cheek and rubbing over his cheekbone with my thumb. He leaned into my touch, sighing softly and eyes fluttering shut. 

“Always. We have a big catering order today, so if I don’t text back that’s why. What do you want f’r lunch in case I forget to ask?” He took my hand, gently kissing my palm. 

“Mmm- dunno. Surprise me, nothin’ spicy but you knew that” I said, covering my mouth as I yawn. 

“Surprise it’ll be then baby” he leaned in, kissing me once more before pulling away and rubbing my stomach signaling it was that dreaded time. 

I sigh, sitting up off his lap and giving him a big hug, kissing his cheek with a smooch “have a good day baby” I said softly into his damp hair, kissing his head once more before letting him go. 

“Thank you angel, lock the door behind me please” he said and I nod, following him to the door and see Persephone was sat on top of his shoes in the hallway.  

“See I think Persephone says you should stay home too” I smile and he shook his head with a grin. 

“Not t’day snowball” he picks her up, kissing her head and he licks the tip of his nose, causing him to scrunch it adorably. 

“Ugh fish breath” he mutters and I giggle. 

“She looooooves her Carmy, isn’t that right little baby?” I scratch her chin and he plops her in my arms so he can slip on his sneakers. 

“Mmhmm and I love her too but duty calls, stinky” he tells her in a sweet voice and kisses her head once more before pecking my lips once he had his shoes on and opening the door. 

“And put some panties on Winnie the Pooh” he said in my ear, spanking my bum lightly before heading down the hall. 

I laughed “Sorry- I’ll make sure to put your leftovers away sooner next time” I call after him teasingly, shutting the door behind me and clicking it locked.

I was in the Young Adult section at the library, putting returned books back on the shelf, when I felt my phone start buzzing in my bra. I fished it out, abandoning my cart of books I’d yet to put away, quickly heading to the employee back room once I realized it was Carmy. 

I clicked green answer button. “Hey Bear! How’s the-“ he cuts me off suddenly. 

“Hey- um- hey. I need like- a huge favor baby”  

He said nervously. I put a concerned hand on my hip, nervously pacing the break room. “What is it love? Are you ok? Are you hurt?” I asked, already on edge due to the anxiety lacing his tone. 

“No- no I’m ok- it’s uh. Syd. She’s….fuck I’m sorry - her stomach? Something about her stomach. She’s in the office right now, she can like- barely move but she doesn’t want to go to the hospital and uhh.” I could see him in my mind nervously shaking his hand and pacing. 

“Okay- okay I’m coming. Is it like a girl tummy ache- or something different?” I asked, grabbing my purse and light jacket I’d worn, quickly putting it on as I held my phone pressed to my cheek and shoulder.

“No - no way honey. This is like- she can barely speak - I’ve never…I’m scared baby.” He said, his voice cracking a bit. 

“Shhh. It’s ok, it’s ok, Bear- Syd has had stomach ulcer problems in the past, I need you to get her to try and eat something, ok? Shes gonna say no, but she has to eat- the acid in her stomach is irritating her. I’m coming. I’m grabbing an Uber right now, breathe baby. It’s all gonna be fine” I said and he took a deep trembling breath. 

“Ye’…yeah. Ok. Okay, I’ll see you baby, be safe” he said and I sigh softly. 

“Always” I said softly and hung up. I shoved my phone in my coat pocket, untucking my hair and heading to my bosses office. 

I lightly knocked, waiting for her ‘come in’ before nudging the door open. 

“Hey- Family emergency, I have to head out. Could you let Jessie know I left some returns in the YA section?” I ask and she nods. 

“Hope everything’s ok, call me if you can’t make it in Monday.” She said and I nodded. 

“Thank you” I told her before shutting her office door behind me. 

The Uber ride to The Bear was torturous, I’d texted Syd thrice - to no avail. She was constantly pushing herself so hard- that she was making herself literally burn from the inside out. I’d told her time and time again, from everything I’d learned in my 3 years at college- stress can literally kill you, and that she should really take some time off before she seriously injured herself- but unfortunately she never listened. 

I got out of the car when we’d barely come to a full stop, rushing to the front door, stepping inside and seeing Sugar at the host stand. “Oh- thank god- Carmy is freaked out Winnie- he literally is convinced she’s dying- can you go cool him off? Please?” She begs and I nodded quickly, heading behind the counter and pushing the back door open to the loud kitchen. 

Everytime I was here during the day, I made it a point not to come in this way because the environment made my skin crawl. The noise, the lights, the crashing of pans and pots, the yelling, the sudden bursts of flames while various chefs flambéd dishes that would singe your hair if you weren’t paying attention. 

I swallowed thickly “uh- oops! Sorry” I squeak, quickly getting out of a foodrunners way as he briskly moved past me, shoving the door open with his hip and heading to the front of the restaurant with a large tray of food he held with one hand over his shoulder. 

“Uh- behind you? I’m behind you!” I tried to call over the noise as I pass various people. Usually if I came through the front, Carmy greeted me and people parted for us like Moses and the Red Sea- but without his presence, I was just another body in here and no one seemed to even realize I was there. 

I finally made it back to the hall where the offices were, taking a deep breath to center myself before pushing open the door. 

Carmen was knelt in front of the big comfy couch in Sugars office, offering Syd some water. 

“Winnie- if you don’t get your boyfriend the fuck away from me- I’m gonna peel off his skin and enjoy it” Syd said through gritted teeth. 

“Syd- Syd- eat. Y’have t’eat.” He pleads and I shut the door to silence out all the noise. 

“Carmy” I said softly and he looks up at me, concern and worry written all over his face. “Take a walk, yeah? Go have a cigarette ok?” I said gently and squat next to him, rubbing his shoulder that was hard as a rock with all the tension he was currently holding. 

“No- no. She’s sick Winnie. She’s just bein’ a jagoff because she hates bein’ cared for. Cmon syd” he looks at her and she glared back at me with the fire of 1000 suns, a look that if I was quite honest- scared me slightly. 

“Bear” I gently play with his curls, earning his attention once more. “What Syd needs right now, is the energy in the room to be calm, and you’re literally vibrating with anxiety. Please, f’me? Go relax. Ok?” I said and kiss his temple. 

He huffs and got up, leaving the room with a hard closing of the door, but not quite a slam. I look at Syd, and before I could start, we both hear Carmy going off 

“I’m steppin’ out f’r 5 FUCKIN MINUTES- If that GOD DAMN DIRTY BOWL I ALREADYTOLD SOMEONE TO WASH IS STILL SITTING AT THE EXPO WHEN I GET BACK HEADS WILL ROLL FUCKERS. MOVE. IM NOT FUCKIN’ AROUND T’DAYISN’T THE FUCKIN’ DAY “ he barks before we hear his heavy footsteps stomping off down the hall and a harsh slam of the back door. 

Syd rolls her eyes and I gently sit next to her. “See what I have to deal with? And you wonder why I’m - fffuuuuck oh my gooooddd” she groans, keeling over and laying on my lap as she clutches her stomach. “Fucking kill me. Oh my god- kill me please” she moaned in pain. 

I gently rub her arm, digging through my purse and taking out one of my vials of RSO I kept in there for emergencies. “Here, Y’gonna have to go home- but..it’s gonna make it stop” I told her. 

“Give it. Give it. Whatever it fucking is. I’d literally take heroin right now holy shit Winnie it feels like I’m being stabbed” she said, hands shaking from how much pain she was in. 

“Open.” I told her, tilting her face towards me. “Tongue up” I said when she opened her mouth and I squirt a decent glob of oil under her tongue. 

She closed her mouth, nose scrunching at the taste “what the fuck is that weed?!” She mumbles and I nod. 

“Mmhmm, well kinda- don’t swallow. Let it sit until the pain stops enough that you forget about it and wonder why your mouth is so full of spit” I teased, gently dabbing her sweaty forehead with a napkin from my purse. 

“Thank you” she mumbled, closing her eyes and sighing softly as she waited for it to kick in. 

“He was really worried, Syd.” I said after a few minutes of silence, when I knew the pain had started to dull since her hands had stopped shaking. 

She shook her head in annoyance, unable to speak yet because of the oil and scrunching her nose as if to say ‘he shouldn’t be.’ 

“Y’re his only friend. Other then me, and Richie. But Richie raised him. Of course he’s gonna worry for you. Especially when you’re like- near the point of vomiting blood because of how bad this is getting. You have to do the surgery, Syd.” I said and with that she swallowed, sitting up and looking at me. 

“No- no. Winnie. No! I’m- I can’t. I can’t and I won’t. It’s not even that bad and I’m not vomiting blood miss theatrics- I’m not gonna take 3 weeks off work to do a stupid surgery that isn’t even guaranteed to find anything wrong! What if they go in there and find nothing and I’m back at square one- and out of work for THREE WEEKS?! I can’t leave Tina yet, she- she’s. No. I can’t let her drown. Carmy too- a-and Richie. We can’t-“ I inturrupt her 

“Sydney.” I said in a dead serious tone. “Y’need to get it. This is literally like - this should not even be a discussion at this point! The reason the doctor wants you to have it is because before they can just give you all these medicines to fix your gut bacteria that’s all shot from fucking stress- it’ll hurt you more on the very slim chance you don’t have a stress ulcer, but it is something with your stomach, Syd. It’s an exploratory surgery they don’t do those for no reason.” I said as Carmen came in and his eyes nearly fell out of his head. 

“Surgery?!” He exclaims and slams the door shut behind him. “What? Syd- what’s going on. This isn’t a stomachache you didn’t just eat somethin’ that’s not agreeing with you. What is it, Sydney” she said and I crossed my arms, sitting back and letting her do the talking. 

A slow smile grows on her face, and she covers her mouth with her hands as she begins to giggle. Fair to say the oil has now done its trick. 

“Have I ever told you, when you get mad, there’s this vein in your forehead- and- it’s- it’s so funny” she said, causing me to start laughing with her. 

Carm’s eyes flickered to mine. “What the hell did you give her?” He asks and I shrug with a smirk. 

“Somethin’ t’make her floaty, and” I shield my mouth from Syd so only Carm could see “agreeable” I mouthed and he smiled a bit, shaking his head. 

“Syd.” He looks at her. 

“Caaarrrmeeennnn” she replied in a sing-songy voice “I need to get back to the spice mixture for my cod now- but this was a great chat guys. Winnie- you’re the best” she said and got up, heading towards the door. 

“Noooo ya’ don’t” Carmen stops her, spinning her around by the shoulders and leading her back to the couch. She groaned dramatically, sitting down next to me once more. “What is this about a surgery, Syd?” He asked, pulling up the rolling chair and sitting in front of us. 

“A stuuuuupiiiidd surgery Carmen. Stupid. Doctors wanna slice me open and prod around hoping they find something. And then when they don’t i'll be stuck at home with my dad glued to my bedside, for no fucking reason, and I’ll loose three weeks minimum of work. And that’s if they find nothing. If they do find something, I’ll have to schedule another surgery and I’ll be out for SIX weeks.” She said and Carm nods, rubbing over his face for a moment as he thinks. 

“And how long have they been buggin’ you t’get this surgery, Syd?” He asked finally, brushing his hair back and looking at her seriously. 

“Mmm….” She crossed her arms, averting his gaze “7 months” she mumbles. 

“What?!” Carmen leans forward in disbelief. “Say that- say that again? I know y’didnt just say you’ve been dealin’ w’this f’r a fuckin year” he said and she shrugged. 

“They reccomended it a year ago, they’ve just been hounding me for the past 7 months. It’s really not that bad, Carm.” She said and he shook his head, getting up and going over to the filing cabinet silently. 

“What are you doing?” Sydney sits up as he opens a drawer, thumbing through different file folders before popping out what looked to be a blank information sheet of some kind and plops back down in the chair, rolling over to the desk and beginning to fill it out with a pen. 

“Carmen - what are you” she stood up, looking at the form he was filling out “no” she said, ripping it from under his pen and crumpling it up, throwing it in the wastebasket next to the desk. “Fuck you. No” she seethed. 

“What’s going on?” I sit up. 

“Syd- there’s like 50 million copies, I really don’t want to do it like this, but I know you aren’t gonna do it unless I make you do it.” He said and got up, walking back over to the same filing cabinet. 

She followed him, holding the drawer containing the forms closed with her hand. “No! Carmen are you fucking kidding me?! You aren’t my fucking parent. Stop! We are equals here! You can’t do this” she said and he shook his head, resting his hand atop the cabinet. 

“Sydney. This isn’t a discussion, are you really gonna make me say it, you’re really gonna push me?” He asked lowly. 

She crosses her arms, “say it.” She countered chest quickly moving with rapid angry breaths. 

“As your partner. I’m ordering you, mm? It’s an order, Sydney. Y’gonna go to the back, Y’gonna empty out your locker- because y’not gonna be around here for a while, and you are going to come back to this office, Y’gonna take the short term disability form I give you, Y’gonna call them, file. it. I will be checking, and then, Y’gonna schedule whatever fuckin procedure you need, and when your doctor clears you to come back in the kitchen, then, and only then will you return to work. I’m being more then fair, considering you’re making me force you t’do this, so I’ll be paying you your full wages while you’re out. Even though, im gonna have to train 3 dumb fucks to even-“ he shook his head, sighing deeply. “T’even keep us runnin’ half as well. So there. There. You wanted me to fuckin’ play mean mentor partner there ya go.” He said before opening up the drawer, plucking out another blank form and sitting back at the desk. 

She scoffs, looking to me. “You’re just gonna let him do this?” She narrowed her eyes at me, brows furrowed with anger.  

“Syd- this..this isn’t my restaurant…you only answer to-“ Carmy cuts me off. 

“Do not. No. Sydney, out. Step the fuck out, now. Y’not doin’ this t’her. She fuckin-“ he shakes his head, rubbing his eyes before pointing to the door. 

“Fuckin- go. Go before I say shit I’ll regret. Leave. Now.” He orders her and she left the office with a loud slam of the door. 

I sighed, dropping my head back on the couch and closing my eyes, wanting to melt into a puddle on the floor. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry baby” he sighed, the soft sounds of pen on paper filling the silence. 

“Not your fault” I mumbled, crossing my arms. 

“I-it is. Babe I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be bringin’ you into this shit. It’s not fair, she’s your friend” he said. 

“Exactly- she’s my friend. I love her, Carm. She’s a hard headed fuck at times, but it’s because she loves being here. She just- has this idea that I have some semblance of control over what you do” I took off my shoes before sitting crisscrossed on the couch. 

He snorts a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Well. I mean, not full control- but I listen to you” he gives me a small smirk and I roll my eyes. 

“In our relationship of course. But I can’t honestly give you advice about that. Shes gonna cool off and apologize, to you too babe. Shes gonna realize we just want her better” I sighed softly. 

He nodded, continuing to fill out the form. “I get if you don’t wanna sit around here, want me t’drive you home?” He asked. 

I shook my head “why not? Well if I can stay back here. I don’t like being in the kitchen like at all” I said and he chuckled. 

“Why? Too busy?” He asked

“Too busy, too loud, too bright, to many stabbey things, too many people, too many smells, too much yelling.” I said, pulling my kindle out of my purse. “But back here I have a comfy couch, my books, and my bear. So, I’m ok here” i smile a bit and he rolled over, giving me a peck on the lips. 

“Thank you f’comin, honey. Really” he tucked my hair behind my ear. 

“Baby, any time. If you’re ever scared, or need to talk, or just- I dunno…need a hug? I’m here. That’s what I’m for.” I said and he kissed my nose sweetly. 

“Then I’m the luckiest guy alive” he said softly before kissing my lips in the way that gave me a feeling of a swarm of monarchs being trapped in my chest.  

“Oh you are the mushiest ever” I said and kissed the cute little moles on his cheek.

The door slammed open and Syd comes in “give it.” She snipped, outstretching her hand. 

Carm rolls back over to the desk, handing her the form and she plucks it from his hands. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and they look at eachother in silence, almost like 2 lions deciding if it was worth it to continue a fight over dominance. 

“Please.” She said quietly after a few moments, her big brown eyes teary. 

“Syd” he said softly, signing to her ‘I’m sorry’ over his chest and i bit my lip, looking out the window, trying to appear uninterested so that they could have some semblance of privacy. 

“Then I want you to get your back checked out. Fair is fair, Carmen.” She said shakily. 

My eyes flicker back over to him and he sits back in his chair, rubbing over his chin for a moment as he thought. “Fine. Fine. I’ll go to the doctor. Back pain is different Syd you know this. But fuckin’ whatever. I’ll go if it’ll make you get Y’r surgery” he said and she nodded once. 

“Fair is fair” she outstretched her hand for him to shake, and he rolled his eyes. 

“Really, we have to seal this with a handshake?” He asked. 

“Fair, is fair.” She replied and he shook her hand firmly. 

“And I’m sorry” she said to me. I nodded 

“It’s okay, I know this is…it’s hard, kid. I get it. But did you have to give me the near impossible task of getting him to the doctor?” I tease with a smile. 

The faintest upturn of a smile replaced her frown and she shrugs. “It’s his deal to go through on. I’ll be checking.” She repeated his words from earlier and he gave her a smug smile. 

“And how will you do that? You don’t know what doctor I see, or if I’ll just go to an urgent care and have some random ass doctor write me a pain pill prescription and that’s it.” He countered. 

“Oh- because I have eyes on you at every angle.” She told him. “I’m always watching.” She teased, closing the office door behind her when she left. 

“What- is she gettin’ daily reports from you ‘er somethin?” He asks and I laughed, shrugging a bit. 

“Mmm. Not reports. I don’t like tell her everything, but- mood reports” I giggle and Richie opens the door. 

“What the fuck are you doing?! How are we gonna run this shit without Syd?!” He shuts the door behind him and looks over to me. “Sorry sweetheart, nice t’see you” he gives me an apologetic smile before turning back to Carm. “You let her go?!” He asks and Carmen looks at him as if he had 3 heads. 

“Let her go?! No, jagoff. I told her to take short term, I’m paying her full wages as long as she needs, and she’s gonna be back when she’s fuckin’ better.” Carmy explained. 

“Short term? Short term termination? Short term what?!” Richie asked frustratedly. 

“You IDIOT. SHORT TERM DISABILITY!” He shouts at him and I flinch. 

“Carmen” I said sharply, he quickly looks over to me. 

“That scares me. Please. You don’t need to yell, Bear- also- you aren’t an idiot, Richie. He’s just…in a mood.” I said softly and Carm’s cheeks flush red.  

“ok” he muttered, turning back to Richie. “It’s-“ he takes a deep breath. “It’s fine. I have it under control. What I need you t’do, is ask Nat for the login shit for the recruiting website she used to find the runners and shit. Can you handle that f’me while I figure out how this shits gonna work while Syds out?” He asked him calmly, but I could still…feel him. His energy. He’s way too wound up. 

I wish I could just tell him to come home, talk it out with him, I knew all of this rage was just him burying his fear. He was so fucking scared. 

“I can. I can do that” Richie nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “So- so what’re we doin’ what’s the fuckin plan?” He asked and I give him a look. 

I knew he had to get out of here or Carm was going to rip in to him just because he could. “Richie, Syd just left- like 5 minutes before you came in here? Carmy is still working that out…can you- can you do me a favor?” I asked and his brows raised in surprise. 

“Yea? Yeah. Wha’dyou need?” He asked. 

“Can you go get that stuff from Nat and then make me a grilled cheese? Eva said you make really good grilled cheese. So Carmy can have some quiet time to figure this out, and you guys can tell everyone what’s going on together.” I look at Carm. 

“Because you don’t have to do everything alone, you’re a team. Breaking difficult news is hard, but when you have the people you love with you, it can make it easier to bare the weight.” I said, looking directly at Carmen. 

Carm nodded, swallowing thickly and biting at the inside of his lip nervously. “Sure- yeah. She uh…she said that?” Richie asked and I smiled, looking over to him once again. 

“She specifically said - ‘My daddy makes the best grilled cheese in the whole wide world’ “ I told him and he smiled a bit, a light blush creeping to his cheeks. 

“Alright well the kid has quite the flare f’dramatics, but I can make a pretty good grilled cheese. Comin’ right up” he said and headed back out to the kitchen, shutting the door behind him. 

Carm got up, locking the door, before coming over to the couch and laying down with his head in my lap. I knew he didn’t have the confidence to ask, so I gently start scratching his head in the way that he liked and his eyes fluttered shut. He let out a deep sigh, like a pressure valve releasing so it wouldn’t explode. 

“So let’s make a plan, baby. I don’t think you need three. I think you know that but you’re planning for someone to drop” I said softly, gently stroking my nails through his hair. 

“Cause someone will drop babe it’s how it fuckin goes. If I hire 2 we’re gonna be left short when one quits because they aren’t as good as the other one.” He said. 

“Well why do you say that, baby?” I asked. 

“Because no one’s gonna fight to be the best when they inevitably find out they’re a temp” he said and I furrow my brows. 

“Carmen. You weren’t planning on hiring someone without telling them right?” I asked and he got quiet. “Carmen. Are you kidding me?! Absolutely not! Oh my god that is so- so mean baby!” I said and his cheeks heat. 

“Well who the fuck is gonna wanna work here when we already have a full fuckin staff?!” He asked annoyed. 

“Because you are the best fucking restaurant in Chicago, are you kidding me baby?! Just like you sent Richie to Ever to gain experience? There are fucking talented chefs Carmy, ones like Richie who don’t have the time to save and go to super nice culinary school like you did and garner that expirience. There would be a line out the door if you were honest and said ‘hey who wants a 2 month opportunity at a luxury fine dining restaurant that’s been nominated for best new restaurant by the JBF in its first year open’ “ I told him. 

He was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. “I guess” he mutters. 

“Babe cmon we can write the posting together. We don’t even have to do all this today. Don’t rush, y’know what would be a good idea?” I ask. He hums in response. “I think, that you should go back out there, work as usual, keep Syd’s stations covered best you can, and we can have a nice Sunday together, relax, recharge, and then we’ll have Palm Sunday dinner with the family, and then on Monday, you can come in fresh and rested with a great plan on what you’ll tell everyone with Richie.” I explain. 

He contemplated for a moment, looking over at the desk in thought before looks up at me, “thank you.” He said softly. I gently caress his cheek with my knuckle. 

“Nothin’ to thank me for, Bear.” I said and he took my hand, placing a gentle kiss to my knuckles. 

“There’s too much to thank you for. We’d be here forever” he mumbled against my fingers with a small smile.  

“You’re getting mushier by the day” I ruffle his hair and the doorknob jiggles. 

“D’you still want this?” Richie calls from outside. 

“Yeah! Sorry” I said getting up when Carmen got off my lap. I opened the door and Richie offers me a plate with 2 grilled cheeses. 

“He hasn’t eaten” he said so only we could hear and I nod. 

“Thank you, best cousin ever” I took the plate. 

“Course, anytime. Oh Carm” he looks to him “user is MBerzatto87 password is fuckin password234.” He said and Carm chuckled a bit. 

“I coulda guessed that shit. But I guess I was hopeful he gave more a shit about cybersecurity” he shook his head. 

“RICHIE. DID YOU TOUCH MY ORANGE ZEST?!” Tina shouts from the kitchen and Richie heads back 

“What the fuck would I need orange zest for?” He yells back as I shut the door, locking it once again. 

“How do things always go missing?” I giggle a bit, sitting next to him and placing the plate on his lap, taking one of the sandwiches and taking a bite. 

“Cause people at the same stations doin’ the same thing will think they already did their orange zest, and just take it.” He said, staring at the plate on his lap. “Also I’m not hungry” he put the plate on the desk. 

I shrugged, putting my sandwich back on the plate. “Okay” I said, brushing off my hands before grabbing my kindle again and continuing to read. 

“What- what’re you doin’ babe. Eat” he said, putting the plate on my lap. 

“I’m not hungry” I said, not looking up from the page. 

“Yes you are, you - you don’t ask for food unless you’re hungry, Winnie.” He said. 

“Mm- I like it when we eat together. I don’t wanna eat by myself so, my appetite is gone.” I lie with a shrug. 

“Y’really gonna be difficult right now?” He asked and in response, I playfully stuck out my tongue before going back to reading. 

“Oh you are a child” he huffs, picking up the untouched sandwich and taking a bite. 

“Oo! I’m hungry again!” I teased, grabbing mine as well and taking another bite. 

He snorts a laugh, rolling his eyes. “Y’re lucky y’cute” he said before taking another bite. 

I smiled, “I love winning you over. It’s my favorite game” I said teasingly. 

“Yeah yeah, I’m just saving myself, you turn into a tiny demon when you’re hungry. Especially on your cycle” he said and I laughed. 

“You’ve learned your lesson though so you don’t have to meet that demon again as long as you keep us fed.” I peel off the crust, setting it on the plate. 

“You don’t like the crust?” He asked. 

“No…well- I don’t know..really. I didn’t as a kid, but Chris did, so I always gave it to him. Never stopped” I said, staring at the crust on the plate as I got lost in memories of sitting in the school cafeteria with Chris over lunch, carefully peeling off the crust after taking my first bite and putting it on the top of the empty ziplock he’d taken his sandwich from. 

“That’s sweet. I’m sure he’s happy you still leave it for him” he said. My heart melts at the sentiment and I gently kissed his cheek before resuming eating my sandwich. 

“I don’t like pickles, so when we were kids- Mikey always picked em off for me.” He says quietly and I looked up at him. It wasn’t often that he brought up stories about Michael, so each one I safely tucked away in my mind where I’d never forget. 

“I love pickles, I could eat a whole jar if you let me. I’ll always take unwanted pickles” I smiled a bit. 

“Ahhh ok. So you’re a sour person not a spicy person. It’s usually one or the other” he said before finishing off his sandwich. 

“Yes- exactly. You like spicy stuff? We haven’t eaten a single spicy thing” I said and he nods. 

“Love spicy shit. But you don’t, so doesn’t really matter” he shrugged. 

“Wha- Carmy. No! No you can eat spicy things, I feel bad. I don’t want it to always be what I like. Just like- make mine less spicy” I said. 

“It’s fine babe, I try spicy stuff here all the time. Plus the food I like with a ton of spice in it is usually Indian and Filipino and shit where the whole profile is about the heat and the spice so-“ I inturrupt him. 

“You like Filipino food?!” I asked and he nods 

“Yeah- why, do you?” He asks and I nod happily 

“My neighbor! Ms.Mendoza! She’s from the Philippines! Before you started bringing me dinner I’d usually stop by her place because she always made too much and asked me if I wanted it, you have to talk to her babe she’s like- amazing! I’m sure you guys will have so much in common she loves cooking- and she has like all these connections back home in the Philippines and they send her spice mixes and stuff for her to try. You have to try this stew- she calls it um..” I think for a moment “inew? Inihaw? Yeah- I think that’s it. Inihaw na leimpo! “ I said excitedly. 

“Oh- the lady- the lady I met?” He asked and I nod. 

“Yeah- I…I never asked- was she there when you got there?” I asked

“She- well” he chuckled. “Almost knocked me out with her cane cause I guess she thought I was trying to break in, cause I heard you screamin’ and I was trying to pick the lock, I told her I was a friend and she didn’t really believe me, but then she saw the flowers and she nearly dropped the keys getting the door open.” He said and my cheeks go pink. 

“I’m…I’m sorry- she’s like….such a grandma. She’s been hounding me about a boyfriend since I moved in don’t mind her pushyness about it. She’s been trying to hook me up with her friends grandsons left and right” I finished off my sandwich. 

“Well, she can stop looking now right?” He asks. 

I brushed my hands off before nervously picking at my nail polish at the question. “What does that mean?” I asked and the room went eerily silent for what felt like minutes. 

“Cause’…” he trails off. “Are you…are you still seeing other people?” He asks and I look over at him. 

“No. No, Carmy. No just you..are you?” I asked and he shook his head. “So…what does that mean?” I asked biting the inside of my lip nervously. 

“I…I dunno…” he looked at the clock. “I uh- I have to get out there, you still wanna hang out here?” He asked. 

I swallowed thickly, realizing that I didn’t want to be here all day if he was just going to run away. 

“So…what Syd said. You’re- you’re my boyfriend now?” I asked and he went pale as a sheet. 

I stare at him, waiting for a response, and he opens his mouth like he was going to say something but he closes it again, nervously rubbing his lips together. 

“Well- are you?” I ask. 

“So- so Y’re like…my girlfriend now?” He asked. 

“That’s my question, am I your girlfriend?” I asked and he shrugged. 

“I guess? I dunno…I’ve never done this I just…kinda assumed?” He said rubbing his neck nervously. 

“Well- I don’t remember you ever asking me…” I nudge his knee with mine gently. 

“You didn’t ask me to be your boyfriend either!!” He said. 

“Because I knew you’d freak out! And like- Y’re a masculine guy Carm I didn’t wanna make you feel insecure!” I exclaim. 

“Okay fine! Will you be my girlfriend?” He asks, a small smile on his lips. 

“Hmmmmm….” I put my finger to my lips, pretending to contemplate. “Of course I will dummy” I pull him into a deep wanting kiss and he hums happily, gently rubbing over my hip with his palm. 

“Y’know y’mine baby I tell you like every day” he said, his breath fanning my lips. 

I look up at him, biting my lip to contain a grin. “I dunno…I thought you said it just t’like..please me when we fool around, I didn’t know you meant it.” I said softly. 

“I’d never say something I don’t mean baby, everything I tell you I really mean” he leans in, kissing me again. But this kiss was sweeter, somehow more intimate then the last. It felt…truthful. 

I gently cup his cheek, humming softly and he pulls away when the doorknob to the office starts to jiggle and someone pounds on it. 

“Chef?! We need more hands out here if we’re gonna be gettin’ this order out on time are you with us?” Tina calls through the door. 

“Duty calls” he sighs softly. “You know where to find me baby” he kissed my forehead sweetly before heading back out to the kitchen.

➵ 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ♡♡♡

[broken-glowsticks]

What Once Was Mine

Chapter 12 - Missing you

Genre: Childhood friends, Eventual Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Love corner/love triangle, love rivals, Series.

Not all chapters will be proofread!!

Warnings: 18+, mdni, mentions of sex and alcohol consumption, additional warnings will be added to individual chapters as needed.

Previous • Main • Next

It took hours before you fell into a fitful sleep only for the overly eager sun to wake you up way too soon for your liking. You had debated over calling in sick from work, but what would be the point? Felix had classes, and you knew damn well how busy Chan, Changbin, and Jisung were. You even, for a fleeting moment, thought about reaching out to Hyunjin but had ultimately decided against it. You truly couldn't bring yourself to bother anyone it seemed and thus dragged yourself from bed, resigning to your pitiful fate and jumping into a tolerably cold shower before dressing for what you knew was going to be a shitty day. And shitty it was. 

The moment you started your lunch break, you had escaped to your car, needing desperately to be out of that brick and mortar prison. It was only when you had managed to relax a bit that you pulled out your phone and noticed Changbin had sent you a few texts throughout the morning. 

❤️✨️My Dwaekki🐇🐽: Good morning, my pretty princess. I'm so sorry for not texting you until now. 

❤️✨️My Dwaekki🐇🐽: I wished you were next to me when I woke up. I miss you, Bunny. I hate not getting to see you.

❤️✨️My Dwaekki🐇🐽: I guess you're at work. Otherwise, you would have answered me? I asked Han, but he didn't know for sure. I guess neither of us has really had the time to see you, huh? I'm really sorry about that, Bunny.

❤️✨️My Dwaekki🐇🐽: Let me know the next time you're free. Let's go on a date. I left my princess alone when I said I'd spoil her, I swear I'll make it up. Any day, just say when.

You stared intently at his string of messages, trying not to let yourself get overly emotional. You had been so lonely these past few days, the only respite being those few genuinely platonic moments between you and Hyunjin right up until the almost-kiss and the day before with Felix. You didn't want to bother your swamped boyfriend with your melancholy feelings, doing your best to put on a smile for him, but yet here he was saying how he has been missing you too. Maybe he's been missing you just as much as you've been missing him, if not more. 

You stopped yourself before you made yourself any more sad and quickly pulled up your work schedule. Fuck it. It was Tuesday today, so you had decided you would ride out today and tomorrow and call in sick for the rest of the week. You missed your boyfriend, and he missed you, so you were going to see him - whatever it took. 

○●☆♡☆●○

My girl: Thursday to Sunday, I'm all yours. I'll take whatever you can give. I miss you, Binnie 💋

Changbin sat in his studio chair, eyes fixed on your text. It was the only reply you had sent, and yet it held so much weight. 

Thursday to Sunday. Four days, four full days that he knew you had set aside just for him. He knew your work hours well enough to know you must have made some kind of arrangements to get Thursday and Friday off, and you never worked weekends. 

Fuck, Changbin meant it when he told you to just say the word and he'd be there. He would do whatever it took to see you again, but the fact that you set aside four whole days just to “take whatever he can give” simultaneously almost broke his heart and made him fall even deeper into his still massive crush on you. 

“Has Y/N replied to you yet?” Jisung asked from his desk chair, his eyes still trained on the computer in front of him.

“Yeah, she did.”

“And…?” Chan asked from the couch on the other side of the small room, his gaze lifting from the screen of his laptop.

“How do you guys feel about me inviting her to the studio on Thursday?” 

“I'm amazed you didn't think of it before,” Han said with a slight chuckle.

“Of course she can come, just don't make out right in front of us,” Chan teased with a sincere smile, causing Changbin to laugh.

“No promises, boss.”

○●☆♡☆●○

You could feel your heart pounding as you waited in the lobby of a large building,  twiddling with the straps of your large bag. 3racha may own the studio space, but it still resided on only one floor of a massive mixed-use building. A building where you couldn't just freely enter without clearance. Which led to you waiting nervously in the lobby as the receptionist for the entire building phoned for one of the boys, needing confirmation that you were indeed an expected guest before she could give you a day pass. 

“Miss Y/N? I have confirmation, I just need your signature to validate your day pass.” 

“Yes, of course,” you replied, swiftly making your way to the front desk and scrawlling your signature onto the provided document before the receptionist led you behind her desk and up against a blue square so a photo could be taken and added to your day pass. You didn't look unkempt, but you were definitely feeling underdressed in your light sweater and shorts when you walked into the building's main lobby, and that feeling only doubled once your picture was taken. 

“Here you are, ma'am, the office you're looking for will be on floor three. Have a nice day.” 

With a small nod to the receptionist, you made your way to the closest elevator. You could feel yourself starting to get jittery with excitement as the elevator took you to the third floor. You didn't think you would get to see Changbin again so soon, not only that you were also going to see Jisung and Chan, too. You felt bad Felix couldn't join. It had been way too long since all of you were able to spend time together. 

The elevator stopped with a ding, causing you to jolt slightly. Quickly, you scrambled out of the metal box, expecting to instantly come across the boys' studio. Unfortunately for you, their studio wasn't the only room on this floor, and, for some god forsaken reason, none of the doors were marked with any kind of name plate. Who the hell designed this? Checking your phone, you noticed you had spotty cell signal at best and absolutely nothing at worst. Great, how were you supposed to find these guys? Go from door to door? The idea did not appeal to you.

You paced the hallway a few times before gently pressing your ear to each of the doors in hopes of hearing something - anything. Music, a familiar voice, hell even an unmistakably unfamiliar voice to help whittle down your choices and increase your chances of knocking on the right door. 

You groaned, now standing on the other end of the hall, right next to the elevator where you initially started, arms crossed and foot impatiently tapping on the carpeted floor. You really didn't want to do this, but your pride was wearing thin the longer you floundered around the building corridor. Bouncing your gaze about for a moment you finally chose a door to knock on, however as soon as you took a step towards your chosen door, the one on the complete opposite side of the hall opened and out came Changbin. 

“Bunny, there you are!” 

“Oh my god, Binnie!” You cried out, relieved you didn't have to sacrifice your dignity and excited to finally get to lay eyes on your boyfriend who you haven't gotten to see in some time. 

Before you knew it, you had run, full force, towards your boyfriend's growing smile, propelling yourself into his open arms. Changbins’ hold on you was tight as he spun you around, taking in your scent and your giggles as he set you down but didn't let you go. God had he missed you. Now that you were here, Changbin didn't want to go back into the studio. He just wanted to take you home and bury himself into his blankets with you pressed against him. He guessed just getting to hold you as tightly as he could in this quiet hallway would have to do.

“What took you so long? I was getting worried,” Changbin murmured into your hair.

“There are no name plates on these stupid doors,” you complained, pulling away to pout up at him. 

“Ah, you're right. I'm sorry, baby, I should have told you. It slipped my mind,” Changbin said gently, taking your face in one of his hands and stroking your jutted lip with his thumb. 

“You owe me a better apology than that, I almost went knocking from door to door to look for you,” you said, taking in Changbins’ messy curly hair, his round and wire framed glasses, and his comfy, sleeveless black shirt. He looked so adorable and completely irresistible. 

“Oh, really?” He chuckled in response, dipping down to bump his nose against yours, “I hope this is enough then, my princess.” Changbins lips were soft, and kissing him again felt like finally getting to breathe again. You didn't care that you were in an open hallway and that anybody could walk out at any moment and see you. Being without Changbin felt agonizing, and you were going to savor every second you could get. 

“Am I forgiven yet?” He asked against your lips and gave a breathy laugh that made your knees go weak when you refused him.

“More,” you demanded, arms wrapped around his neck and your fingers toying with the curls at the nape of his neck. 

“As you wish,” Changbin replied with a silly grin, a hand sliding down to rest on your ass. “Chan said I'm not allowed to make out with you in front of him, so I guess I'm just going to have to do it now before we go in. We might be out here a while.”

“They can wait. Right now, you're mine.” 

“Only yours,” Changbin replied before catching your lips in another kiss. 

○●☆♡☆●○

“Oh there you two are, I thought we were going to have to send out Search and Rescue to find you two,” Han quipped the moment you and Changbin walked into the studio. “They'd probably find you two smashing or something,” he added under his breath as he swiveled back to his computer. 

“And I thought it would be nice if I brought you guys snacks, but I guess my stupid roommate isn't gonna get any now after that last quip that I totally heard.” 

“Wait, no, wait, I take that back. I want snacks,” Jisung said hastily, whirling around and reaching for your bag, which he presumed had the aforementioned snacks. 

“Say sorry first, you twerp!” You said, yanking the bag away from Jisungs hands. 

“NO!” Hisung cried, and before you knew it, he had lunged on you from his seat, causing you to falter, lose balance, and land on a black couch you didn't notice behind you. All you could register was the cackling laughter of Chan and Changbin as Jisung wrestled and tickled you for your bag of snacks. You weren't just taking it, though, twisting and jerking your body every which way you could to keep Jisung from getting your bag. 

“Are either of you going to help?!” You shouted but were only met with more laughter. 

The two of you struggled for a few more minutes before Changbin decided to finally give you some aid. Wrapping his arms around Jisung, who had effectively crawled on top of your hunched figure, Changbin lifted his friends in the air and carried him back to his chair. 

“Alright, Han, leave my girlfriend alone.” 

“Hey, no fair, you were my friend first.”

“Boyfriend trumps friend when that friend is about to crush everyone's snacks,” Changbin said with a grin. Meanwhile, behind him, you had unfurled to stick your tongue out at Jisung, causing him to frown. 

“Fine, Traitor. I gotta get back to this beat anyway,” Jisung pouted, sliding a pair of headphones over his ears. 

“Aish, he's not gonna forgive me for taking your side,” Changbin said lightheartedly, settling next to you and slinging an arm over your shoulders. “Can I convince you to forgive him and give him some snacks?” 

You mulled the idea over for a moment before nodding, handing the bag to Changbin. 

“You give it to him,” you whispered, “pretend you swiped them from me. He loves stealing my food.”

“Okay,” he whispered back with a chuckle, pressing a quick kiss to your temple as he took the bag and rummaged through it to pick out one he thought Han would like the most. 

He waited a bit, waiting until you went and talked to Chan to sell the charade before he threw a snack at Hans head. Han swiveled his chair around, initially ready to fight whoever threw something at his head, only for his mouth to seal itself tightly and his eyes to widen when he saw Changbin with the bag. 

“Look down,” Changbin mouthed, pointing at the candy that lay on the floor behind Han and flashing a cute pose. 

Han smiled, his eyes darting to you before quickly snatching up the candy and mouthing a thank you to his friend. Just like that, all was forgiven between the two, and you tried your best not to let on that you and Chan were subtly watching by giggling. 

The day passed surprisingly quickly, filled with silly squabbles that were remedied as soon as they were sparked, jokes and razzing, Changbin acting cute, snacks being eaten, bouts of quiet as the boys busied themselves with work only for a stray groan to break the silence and start up short conversations again. It felt like a breath of fresh air, all of you being together again. The only thing missing was Felix. Maybe he could come over later after his classes? It doesn't seem like he would be in the way. After all, it's not as if any clients have come in all day. Why was that?

“We like to set aside days to work on personal projects or just hammer out details for ongoing projects with clients,” Chan explained, not once looking up from his laptop. "Also, some of our clients hired us to actually write the music as well as produce it, so that takes a lot of time as well.”

“Wow, no wonder you guys have been so busy. With all of that, you really have a lot on your plate.”

“Uhg, tell me about it,” Jisung groaned, slipping off his headphones and sliding down his seat. “I miss having free time.”

“I miss having you guys around,” you admit, tucking your legs into the oversized jacket Changbin lent you earlier 

Another silence settled between the four of you, and you regretted opening your mouth. However, the boys all felt sympathetically. They missed the group hanging out. It didn't feel right for three of the five of you to be constantly working, leaving the other two in the dust. While this uptick in business is great for 3racha's career, it’s not so great for their personal lives. 

The silence was abruptly broken by someone’s stomach growling. 

“I guess snacks aren't a good replacement for a good meal,” you chuckled, grabbing your bag and pulling out your wallet. “I'll go get us some food.” 

“Changbin, go with her,” Jisung said as soon as you had grabbed your wallet, surprising you both. 

“Don't you need him?”

“Oh god, don't start, just get out of here. I need a break from you two eye fucking each other from across the room,” Jisung said with feign annoyance, but when his eyes met Changbins’, Jisung gave him a wink and a thumbs up. Even after the official start of you two dating, Han was still by his friends side doing everything he could for you two. 

“Don't have to tell me twice,” Changbin grinned, snagging his wallet and yanking on the shoes he discarded about an hour or two after you arrived. 

“Everyone fine with pizza?” You asked, taking Changbins hand into yours and making your way to the door. 

“Bring Korean corn dogs too!” Chan called out before the door closed. You chuckled. Normally, you would complain about having to drive to two different places for food, but right now, that meant more alone time with your Binnie, and you were not going to say no to that. 

“You want me to put in the order for everything now?” Changbin asked as the elevator returned you to the lobby. You shook your head. 

“Let's wait until we get to the pizza place, I want as much time with you as possible,” 

Changbin simply replied with a giggle and a press of his lips to yours. You had a feeling you were going to get a lot of kisses before you made it back to the studio and, boy, how right you were. At every opportunity Changbin had himself wrapped around you, his lips trailing over every available glimpse of your skin, his hands running over everywhere else. The only time he wasn't all over you was when he stole your keys and drove you to his favorite pizza place, which, surprisingly, wasn't that far from the studio. 

Once he had paid for parking, the two of you made your way inside, and Changbin hugged you from behind, his arms wrapping comfortably around your middle as you decided on what pizza to get for everyone 

“Maybe a meat lovers’?” He suggested, placing his chin on your shoulder and swaying your bodies side to side, causing you to giggle.

“What about a Supreme? I think that has a little bit of something for everyone.” 

“Sure, just no olives,” Changbin murmured in reply, his nose nuzzling into your neck, tickling the skin. 

“Stop,” you giggled, trying to shrug away.

“No,” you promptly refused, walking the two of you up to the counter to order. Changbin only toned down the affection long enough for you to order once someone came to take your order. The second the worker made their way back to begin your order, Changbin immediately started up his assault on your skin, kissing and nipping at the skin. It tickled, but also you could feel your body heat rising in temperature, and you worried that at any moment someone would come out and see. 

“Binnie, stop, someone's gonna see.”

“Nobody's gonna see. This place only ever has a few workers. They won't come out until the pizza's done,” he said in attempts to reassure you, but you still weren't satisfied. “Fine,” he grumbled, his lips pressed right behind your ear. 

You assumed he was relenting that he was going to at least wait until the two of you were alone again. That's not what he was doing. Instead, he tightened his grip around your middle and lifted you to a row of seats that were lined up against a nearby wall. You couldn’t help but notice they were placed right next to a section of the wall that jutted out, creating an alcove where even if a worker were to walk out, they wouldn't be able to see anything but your legs from their vantage point. What a sneaky mother fucker your boyfriend was, especially considering that when he set you down he placed you directly next to the protruding section of the wall. 

“Think you're being sneaky?” You asked in a coy tone, your lip catching between your teeth as Changbin leaned forward, putting his hand on the protruding wall right next to your head. 

“I like to think I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be,” he teased back, his hooded eyes taking in the building color in your cheeks. “Still think someone's gonna see?” 

You said nothing, all your focus being pulled towards your boyfriend. 

Changbin chuckled, his free hand coming up to draw over your head the hood of his jacket that you were still wearing. You looked so cute in it. He might have to let you have it.

“What about now?” He breathed, slowly leaning in but not closing the gap. You didn't realize when your breathing had sped up, but you did realize the moment you suddenly didn't care if anyone saw. All you cared about was feeling Changbins' lips on yours.

Closing your eyes, you leaned in, slotting your lips over his. Changbin sighed into the kiss, he had been stealing kissing you since you had left the studio, but getting to sit down and properly take in the softness of your plush lips, the lingering sweetness of candy on your breath, the warmth of your skin. If only you weren't in public, he would have you in his arms, on his lap, his hands under your shirt. 

You seemed to have read his mind and liked the latter idea because slyly you hand rooted your hands into the hair at the nape of his neck, fisting his raven locks before one hand slid down the back of his neck and slipped under the fabric of his shirt. You were just as lost in him as he was with you. With one hand releasing your hood to caress your cheek, the other hand against the wall by your head, his body beginning to lean over her, all at once you were surrounded in everything that was Changbin. 

You were so lost that you didn't notice the bell of the front door ring as someone walked in. 

○●☆♡☆●○

Hyunjin sighed in relief as he carded a hand through his newly cropped hair. It had been quite a while since he allowed himself a change in his cut and color. He smiled at himself as he took in his reflection in a nearby window, his hair now short and a dark shade of burgundy. He was hesitant over the short length but was glad he went for it overall. It allowed a proper view of his new brow piercing he had gotten only a couple of days prior. Something about the new look made him feel like he matched the art he had been creating. 

With a rumbling tummy, Hyunjin had just one more stop to hit up before going home. Some time during his hair appointment, he had felt the sensation of hunger settling in and had placed an order for pizza from this spot he knew was nestled nearby. 

Opening the door, Hyunjin leisurely strolled in, initially missing the couple making out in the chairs nearby as he waved down a worker and told them he had ordered ahead. However, the second he noticed them, he very much wished he hadn't. 

‘Gross… Just because the staff can't see you doesn't mean I can't,’ he thought but soon had to check himself, he knew he would be doing the exact same thing with you were he in their place. 

The thought of you pulled Hyunjins mood down a bit. Particularly the thought of him kissing you. He had been doing everything in his power to not think of you in that way, especially since the almost-kiss that happened at his place only four days ago. But something about that night had brought every intimate and stolen moment to the forefront of his mind, and, suddenly, he was seeing you everywhere. 

Even now, Hyunjin was seeing you in the girl being kissed, hiding in what he presumed to be her boyfriend's hoodie. It was stupid, but Hyunjin wished for a moment that the girl really was you and that he was in the place of the curly haired guy. He wanted to be able to hide away with you one more time, to steal just a few more kisses and to hear more of your shy giggles. If only that guy could be him.

Damn. Was he really getting jealous of strangers right now? Wow, was he getting pathetic. It really didn't help that the girl's legs looked just like yours. 

The girl giggled again, and Hyunjin had to physically turn away. Now she was sounding like you, too. Where the hell was his pizza?

Before he could wave down a worker again, Hyunjins eyes darted over to the couple again entirely on their own. Why, he didn't know, all he knew was that when his eyes landed on the “random” couple, his heart cracked. It was you. You and the stupid boyfriend. Hyunjin wondered if you had even noticed that your hood had slipped off your head while you were… having fun. God of all the places, of all the pizza joints, why were you here? 

“Y/N?” Hyunjins wavering voice called out to you before he could stop himself, causing you to jolt away from Changbin in surprise.

You didn’t have to look. You knew it was Hyunjin. You knew his voice, having memorized every intonation of it over the years. You couldn't even look at him if you had wanted to. You were too embarrassed. Instead, you squirreled your face away into the crook of Changbins’ neck for protection.

“H-hi Hyunjin,” you squeaked out from your hiding spot. You felt silly hiding from Hyunjin. It's not as if you haven't done worse with him in public places. But at the same time, you also felt like jumping into the pizza oven to be burnt to a crisp. That way, you could avoid the inevitable awkward conversation that was about to come. What was he doing here? Why did he have to catch you kissing Changbin like this? Why did it matter to you so much if you and Hyunjin were just friends now?

“Hwang,” Changbin cut in with a nod of his head, partially in acknowledgment, partially to pull Hyunjins' attention from you. 

“Ah, yeah. Hi,” Hyunjin replied stiffly, returning Changbins nod with a curt one of his own but unable to meet the boyfriends eyes. He actually couldn't even bring himself to look at the guy at all. 

An awkward silence settled between the three of you, one only broken by a worker pulling Hyunjins attention. It was when you heard Hyunjin speaking to the restaurant worker about how long his food took and being given something extra as compensation that you were able to calm yourself enough to pull your face from Changbins’ neck. 

“Still flustered, bunny?” Changbin chuckled, resting back into his chair and pulling you against him with his strong arm. You had only managed to nod as you leaned against Changbins’ strong body, attempting to relax against him as your eyes finally landed on Hyunjin who was only a few feet away from you but felt so much further.

“You changed your hair,” you timidly spoke when Hyunjin finally had his food in hand, “when did that happen?” 

Hyunjin paused to look at you and your beet red face, and you couldn't help but notice the red rim to his glassy eyes. Maybe the pain was why he couldn't bring himself to answer you right away. How was he supposed to just talk to you with his heart still aching from watching you kiss someone else? Especially when you looked so comfortable snuggled against The Boyfriends’ side, wearing his hoodie? However, the more he stared at you with that unmistakably hurt gaze, the more unsettled you felt.

“Yo-you also pierced your eyebrow. It looks good on you,” you attempted again, a strained smile pulling at your features. Hyunjins face remained stoic as he continued to stare at you, the air growing stale between you. 

This time, it was the sound of Changbin clearing his throat that broke the silence, effectively pulling Hyunjin from his daze. Hyunjin blinked a few moments as if he were refocusing on what was in front of him before turning his gaze away, a hand coming up to scratch at his scalp.

“I just came from the salon, actually. The piercing was the day before yesterday. I was waiting until this weekend to show you. I was hoping I could steal some time to surprise you,” Hyunjin admitted in a hurry, as if trying to make up for the silence he instigated moments earlier. 

“Oh, uhm, I'm sorry the surprise got ruined,” you said a little lamely, reaching for Changbins hand as discreetly as possible and squeezing it tightly. Unfortunately, Hyunjin caught this action out of his peripheral vision.

“It's ok, not your fault. Uhm, I gotta go. I don't want my food to get cold,” he said curtly, dashing from the lobby before you could even say goodbye. 

“Wait, Hyunjin!” You cried, standing to chase after him but being stopped by the call of your name. The pizza was done, and Hyunjin was long gone. 

“Are you okay, Bunny?” Changbin asked as he came up beside you, food in one hand, the other resting comfortingly on your back. You tore your eyes from the door Hyunjin just left through to look at your boyfriend, unsure of how to respond to him.

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

So I tried taking a page out of Miyazaki and writing the more quiet moments, but that's hard to balance! They can easily come off as boring, especially in a strictly written medium. Personally, I think it's easier in a visual medium where you can see the characters being in the moment. I hope I could somewhat convey the concept of "ma" at least a little in this chapter.

Now, onto the story, Solars, come and get yo juice! Lmao, also I'm worried I made Hyunjin come off as a little bit of a twerp when that's not what intended. If that's the case, I'll roll with it, but idk, what do you guys think?

Taglist: @groovygroovyhyunjin @hhwangsmoon @luvyblossom @doggezz@kayleefriedchicken @hyunjinhoexxx @zadkielr @bincxtesworld

[hogwartsandhawkins]

Prove Me Wrong

Chapter 4: Looking For Good

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Summary: Telling Steve she has a new ride to school doesn't go so well.

Warnings: Swearing (but what's new) Billy bullying Max briefly. Also, Billy pressuring reader (Jess) into letting him give her a ride. (I include this because the reader says no after second-guessing her decision, causing Billy to push back, which can have some underlying themes for some, and I wanted to be sensitive to that.) As always, please let me know if I miss anything.

Word Count: 2.4K

Author's note: I know I know, I haven't posted in forever. Moving back to the States was an EVENT, to say the least. I have also been working on this for a while, many chapters are already written and I'll post them as soon as I feel they have been reread enough for them to be slightly okay.

Jess awoke that Sunday morning as she did every Sunday morning: already thinking of an excuse to not attend church that her parents would buy into. Luckily, she didn’t really need to think of one for long as she already had plans to invite Steve over to finally “help” him with his physics project. She was surprised her parents haven’t taken the hint by now, considering that she has been avoiding that place like the 10 plagues of Egypt ever since she experienced the capabilities of the upside down, and of course, Eleven. But since skipping downstairs and laying out why she refused to go was a blatant impossibility, she merely explained that Steve needed her help.  Thankfully, she didn’t have parents like Steve. Instead of the guilt trip, she received a slightly disappointed “tisk” from her mother, who then told her they’d miss her. 

Jess watched as her parents exited through the garage door, which was located next to the pantry in the kitchen, then proceeded to dial the Harrington’s line. She knew Steve would be up, as his parents were always explaining how if he wouldn’t go to church, he at least needed to be productive on his Sunday mornings, which involved him getting up at the same time as Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, at least when they were home.

“Yup?” Steve’s voice was groggy and laced with what Jess sensed as resentment, most likely caused by his mother’s usual “seize the day” spiel followed by her opening the blinds that shielded Steve’s bedroom from the unwelcomed amount of light. 

“Good morning to you too, Harrington.” 

His voice seemed to pick up a bit when he heard who was on the other side of the phone. “Oh hey, Jess, how’s your morning been? Better than mine I hope…” Steve’s voice lowered to a whisper at the last part he added.

Jess ignored the question and went straight into asking him to come over so they could finally get his physics project out of the way. With the promise of Steve being allowed to hide out for the rest of the day at her house and an afternoon nap, he quickly agreed and was knocking on the Logan’s door in no more than 20 minutes. 

Steve set the box full of different shaped and sized lenses, stands, a light, and everything else Steve was instructed by Jess to bring. “So. How was Friday with Hargrove?” He visibly tensed as he said his name, shaking his head in disgust after thinking about it for too long. 

“It was fine.” Jess tried to avoid eye contact as she began setting up his quick focal point experiment, bringing out the ruler as she set up the first lens. 

“Fine? That’s all you have to say about a day with Hargrove? Fine?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at Steve’s response, “What did you expect?” 

“Really?” was all he could say. He flipped the switch of the battery-powered light to “on”, and then gave Jess a knowing, disapproving look. She didn’t even have to look back at him to know exactly what Steve was expecting: a disaster. 

“I mean, he, unfortunately, has a thing for my mom, I’m pretty sure. But it’s Hargrove. He’s gross. That’s about it.” 

Jess didn’t know how to tell him that it really wasn’t that bad, or worse, that she may have had an okay time studying with him this weekend. She was also now realizing she didn’t know how to tell him that Billy Hargrove was under the impression that he would be taking her to school tomorrow morning. 

She decided maybe the best approach was to do so while Steve was distracted, so as they continued replacing the lenses and repositioning the stand, she started out slowly. “So… you know how Max and Billy live, like, right down the street?”

“Uh-huh…” Steve didn’t look up from his notes, working out the equation for the last lens they set up.

“Well, Max and him were wanting to give me a ride Monday… To school I mean.” 

Unfortunately for Jess, he was well aware Max and him just meant him, so he looked up from his notes, amused at the thought of Jess turning him down. “Ha! Did Hargrove throw a fit when you told him ‘No’?”

“He didn’t really accept ‘no’ for an answer…” Not that I exactly tried hard enough to tell him “No”. 

Steve dropped his notebook on her coffee table with a plop and then turned back his attention to Jess, who was now holding a tight-lined smile on her face, ready for the anticipated ridicule she was about to receive. “Oh come on. You know, kid, you really need to grow a backbone.” 

“I honestly think you’re making it out to be worse than it is. I mean, Max will be there. Plus, it’d save you the time and the gas. I’m like the opposite direction of school for you anyways.” 

Steve considered this for about a millisecond before shaking his head rapidly, “I’m sorry, call me crazy, but it seems like you want him to pick you up.” When Jess didn’t answer right away, he continues, “Oh Jesus H, you’re not serious!” 

“No! I don’t want him to, but I mean… I think he just wants to study one last time before school, you know, for the quiz and stuff…”

“Look, I don’t like the idea of you around him. When I came to that night in the back of that car and you weren’t there, I freaked.” He then lets out a sigh before continuing, “You just need to be careful with him is all I’m saying.”

“I am.” But that was a lie. There was nothing careful about what was going on. There was nothing careful about him coming over to her room, being able to look through the intimacies of her life. There was nothing careful about spending time at his home, alone with him. There was nothing careful about allowing herself to laugh at his jokes, or allowing him to buy not only her but her parents dinner. And there was nothing careful about getting in the car with him, giving him permission to take her wherever he wanted.

As if reading her mind, he ducked down slightly to meet her gaze, “Jess. I promise. You’re looking for good where there isn’t any.”  He then gave her a sympathetic smile and picked up his notebook, continuing to jot down what he thought was the correct answer to the equation. 

After a few hours and many corrections made by Jess, they were finally done with the physics lab. She assured Steve they could pick up the materials later and allowed him the couch to take that nap he was promised, and after she made sure she heard him snoring, she grabbed three muffins from the container in the fridge and walked over to the Hargrove/Mayfield household.

As it was three in the afternoon, she wasn’t sure whether Billy would be home from work, but seeing his Camaro in the driveway answered her question of whether or not to knock on the door. It seemed as though Max and Billy were the only two home, something Jess was grateful for considering her first run-in with Mr. Hargrove was not as pleasant as most of her run-ins with other adults. When Max opened the door, she looked excited to see her, but immediately looked behind her and shut the door, holding in her excitement until she was sure Billy couldn’t hear. 

“Hey! Oh, you should have seen Dustin’s hair Friday! It was insane.” Max then realizes Jess is holding not one, but three muffins in her hand, and cocks her head to the left. “Are all of those for me?” 

“Well, one is, but I’m actually here to talk to Billy for a few seconds. Is he here?”

Max took one of the muffins, bit into it, and then proceeded to talk in between bites. “Ew. Why?” 

“It’s about him taking me to school on Monday…” 

At this, Max’s distaste turns back into excitement. “Wait, we’re taking you with us?” 

“Well, no, not anymore, I was thinking I’d stick to Steve taking me to school.” 

“MAX! WHO’S AT THE DOOR?!”

“NOBODY!” Max rolled her eyes before continuing, “Please, please, pleeeaaasee let us pick you up tomorrow. He might actually not be such an ass if you’re there.” As she finished her pleading, the door swung open, with none other than Billy Hargrove standing at the entrance. 

“Hey, princess, couldn’t wait to see me?” It was Jess’s turn to roll her eyes as she handed the remaining two muffins to Billy. 

“Hey! Why does he get two?” 

Jess ignored Max’s annoyed expression and proceeded to change the subject. “So I’m just going to ride with Steve tomorrow. Don’t worry about picking me up.” 

Before Billy could respond, Max continued from earlier, “Tell Steve we’ll bring you to school in one piece.” 

“You heard the little shit, we’ll make sure to take real good care of you. Plus, I need you in the morning.” 

“Why?” Max’s look of disgust made a return, which seemed to irritate Billy as he coldly looked back at her and ordered her back inside. 

“She can stay if she wants to stay.” Jess began to remember why she took a disliking to him in the first place. It was easy to forget how… awful... Billy could be if he wasn’t sitting there joking with you, actively trying to be nice to you. You’re looking for good where there isn’t any. The thought made Jess clench her jaw only slightly, but enough to make Billy notice. “Yeah, I’ll just ride with Steve. See you, Hargrove.” She then allowed herself to give him a short smile before heading back in the direction of her home. 

He had only watched her walk away for a second until he decided he needed to catch up to her, not liking how that conversation ended. Billy pushed the muffins at Max without thinking and started striding after Jess. “Hang on there, Logan,” he mocked the way she spat out his own last name, “You gotta help me study before the quiz.”

“I don’t gotta do anything.” There it was: the attitude that Billy was sure they have gotten passed. It made him pull his body back in recoil, being discomforted by the thought that she may not have been warming up to him this weekend after all. Sure, it really had only been two days, but he was enjoying her company, considering it was better compared to who usually kept him company, and he could have sworn she felt the same, at least a little bit? “Look, I already promised I wouldn’t say anything about our reading sessions or your dad, okay? You don’t need to keep an eye on me. I’ll see you for our next project.” 

“Keep an eye on you? Did I do something wro-“ 

“I don’t like the way you talk to Max.” She blurted out, which surprised both her and Billy, and when Billy couldn’t think of anything else to say, she continued, “I don’t like the way you talk to anyone actually. Or about anyone. Or with anyone. You- you’re just. You don’t…” Jess didn’t know any other way to say it, “You’re not a nice person, Billy. And I don’t have time for that. So thanks for the offer, but I’m not interested.” She stayed looking at Billy, who refused to look anywhere other than his feet. He began to run his tongue across his top row of teeth, mouth shut and downturned, and began to nod, as if he was thinking about what was said. He then looked up, still not at her, but to her house where he saw a familiar vehicle in her driveway: Pretty Boy’s BMW. 

Makes sense. He thought to himself. “So I’m guessing King Steve didn’t approve when you told him, huh?” 

The question irritated Jess even more. Not just for the mere fact that Billy didn’t believe she could make her own decisions, but just hours ago Steve accused her of the same. “I can decide for myself who takes me where. Thanks.” Silence. “Did you not listen to a thing I said? I said I don’t want to be around you because you’re an asshole, not because Steve said ‘no’!” 

“Oh no, I heard you, Jess. It just seems weird to me that last night you were completely fine with me taking you and now when Steve’s over, you tell me to fuck off.” 

“When did I ever say I wanted you to take me to school? When you asked me, or excuse me, told me you were taking me, did I once say, ‘yes’? Did I once ask you to take me to school?” Billy was now looking at Jess with an expression she didn’t recognize, which made her uncomfortable enough to look away. 

“Can I take you to school tomorrow, please?” But the softness in his voice jerked her gaze back to him, trying to analyze him, to see if there was any hint of insincerity. He quickly looked over his shoulder before continuing. “You’re right. I didn’t ask. And I’m sorry. You don’t have to say yes, but shi-Max wants you to come with, and, I… want you to too. So.” This made Jess furrow her brows. In some ways, he was right. She had every intention of going with him until this morning. She wanted to help him study, considering how much work he put into their reading sessions this weekend. But of course, Steve was also right. There was no way around it, Billy was a dick. To his sister, to his sister’s friends, to her friends, even to his own friends. 

When it was made obvious to Billy she didn’t seem ready to respond, he sighed and continued, “Look, I’ll be at your house at the same time I told you last night, if you don’t come out then I’ll leave, okay?” 

“I’ll help you study.” Is all Jess said in response to his offer, and began to walk back to her house. Billy took what he could get and nodded after she had already turned away, and did the same, returning back to his house. Billy didn’t realize that Max stayed out by their doorway, attempting to watch the whole thing. Before he could give her shit for being nosey, he replayed Jess’s words in his head. “Give me those,” is all he said as he took the muffins from her hands and went back to his weights.

[jolienjoyswriting]

Purrsuing Pawsibilities (ft. Nane Mau), Ch. I

Chapter 1 of 5 for "Purrsuing Pawsibilities," a Bellville High an I Was a Teenage Monster fan fiction story.

A new sub has come to Bellville High, and with her… a teacher's aide. Lonely werecat Nane Mau is intrigued.

Word count: 3,212 — Character count: 17,930 Drafted: September 14th / 15th / 18th / 25th, 2024 Revised: September 25th / 27th–29th, 2024 —

Hi, I'm back. Miss me~? … hello?

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Nane Mau.  She is the epitome of the "lovable loser" trope. (Or maybe I just relate to her way too hard.)  This girl has captured my heart and possessed me to write a terrible, trashy romance fan fiction story about her. I'm sure Josh is going to be "thrilled" about this.  (,:

Anyway, if you like this story, check out Josh's stuff.  Even if you hate the story, check it out.  I don't even know how I found him, but I'm glad I did! He draws very cute things that I have a great appreciation of. 👍

10/31 Edit: So, the name of the series is "I Was a Teenage Monster", apparently… Well, The More You Know, I guess.

Nane Mau, Renée, Shelly Screwloose, Dimitri Graaf, and "Bellville High" "I Was a Teenage Monster" series and related characters and concepts created by and © joshdamn23

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    On an early morning, some rainy day, a lady was lying on her couch, watching old cartoons on a local channel.  She was laughing loudly and really enjoying herself as she relaxed in her favorite dinosaur pajamas, eating nacho-flavored chips.

    "Mau?"

    The lady looked up from her prone position.  Standing at the end of the couch was her roommate and friend, Renée.  She was dressed in a tank top and sweatpants.

    "Heeey, what's uuup, home slice?" the layabout greeted.     "Uh, hey…" Renée answered, a sound of skepticism in her voice.  "Have you been up all night?  You look terrible."     "Mm-hmm!" Mau proudly answered.  "Been watchin' a Flintstones marathon on the local channel!  Oh— look!  This one's a classic!  Fred got into tinkering with cars and wants to win a race for Pebble and Bamm-Bamm's college tuition.  Look at him go!  He's driving on the wall like it's nothing!!"     As Mau burst into uproarious laughter, Renée just kind of cocked her head.     "Okay, well…" she began, "I'm gonna go do my morning workout.  You should probably get cleaned up."     "You're not the boss of me!" Mau playfully countered with a toothy grin.     "No, but the Superintendent of Bellville is, and I don't think they'd like it if you turned up late for work.  Again."     "Pfft.  Silly Renée!  There's no work on Sunday!"     "No— Mau.  Sunday was yesterday," Renée explained.  "You stayed up all night so today is Monday.  It… would be Monday either way, but—"     "T-today is Monday?"     Mau's golden eyes stared, her creamy fur bristling under her lizard onesie.  She looked genuinely spooked by this revelation.     "Uh, yeah," Renée confirmed.  "Today's Monday and you have work in, like, an hour."     Well, that was all Mau needed to hear.  She let loose a loud expletive and leaped from the couch, throwing chips and cheese dip all over the place.     "H-hey!"     "I'll clean that later!" she yelped at her roomie.  "Sorry!"

    As Mau left the room, Renée stood there in silence, examining the mess.     "That girl…" she sighed, pinching the bridge of her muzzle.  "I swear…"     A moment later, her gaze fell upon the television set.  Her ears perked and her eyes widened, a look of surprise coming over her.     "Oh… hey!  This is a good episode!"     As the previous episode of The Flintstones ended, Renée moved the couch and coffee table, deciding to do her morning calisthenics while watching the old cartoon.  She decided that she, too, would clean the couch later.  It was already covered in stains anyway — what was one or two more? —

    Mau was a feline dervish as she made herself presentable.  A quick shower and change of clothes put the cream-colored cat back in her usual outfit: a sandy skirt, blue T-shirt, and comfy letterman jacket.  She accessorized with her segmented belt and collar, put a snake charm earring behind her right ear, then started to apply her makeup — eyeshadow under the eyes with a cute little curly mark at the corner — all the while grumbling at herself for being so careless.

    I can't believe I lost track of time like that! she thought as she drew on her face.  Actually… yes, I can.  I'm always screwin' around when I should be doing things.  But, damn it, I'm a grown-up and I deserve to be able to screw around!     She nodded to herself in affirmation.     Yeah.  Yeah, everyone else takes things too seriously!  They need to lighten up—     Another expletive passed her lips followed by a hiss.  She'd jabbed herself in the eye with the eyeliner pencil.     "Stupid makeup!" she snapped, throwing the marker in a snit.  "No, wait—!"     She reached for the marker, jamming her hand on the sink's smooth surface.  Alas, she was too late.  The thing had gone down the drain and was probably sitting in the bend of the pipe.  Three more expletives came out of her mouth and she kicked the cabinet, screaming as she jammed her toes.  Not long after, she hopped around the bathroom holding her injured foot.     "Why you…!"     Once the pain subsided, she stood on her good foot and started to swing toward the cabinet again!  However… she stopped short before standing up straight.     "No," she told herself with a sigh.  "You can smash the cabinet door later."     With that decision, she retrieved another pencil, finished her makeup, fixed her outfit, and headed back into the living room.

    As Mau re-entered the main area of the apartment, her ears picked up on the sound of Renée giggling about something.     "What's so funny, Née?" she asked.     Mau quickly noted that her roommate was seated on a clean part of the couch, watching The Flintstones with amusement.     "Hee hee hee!  Wow, Fred and Barney can't sing!" she replied, giggling all the more.     "Oh!  I love this episode!"     Mau leaped over the back of the couch, sat down, and… splat!     "What the f—"     She quickly stood back up, raising a leg and looking down.  Renée covered her mouth, staring with surprise.  There was a long strand of cheese dip stretched from the couch cushion to Mau's butt and, though she couldn't see it, a new sizeable stain on the back of her skirt.     "What in the—?!  Who left cheese dip on the freaking couch?!"     Renée's hands slid down to her collarbone.  She was trying not to laugh at this point, but she also felt bad for Mau, who was trying to rub the cheese off her backside.

    The rest of the early morning was spent cleaning the spilled chips and cheese dip off the couch, ensuring that no one would sit in a mess again.  Until next time.

    "Gods…  You'd think today was Friday the 13th or something, given my morning…"

    With the couch cleaned, Renée and Mau headed into the latter's room.  They were looking for a clean pair of pants she could borrow.     "Maybe someone put a curse on you?" Renée offered, still holding back a fit of giggles over the "cheese incident".     "It wouldn't surprise me…"  The black-haired lady sighed.  "Well, anyway… thanks for letting me borrow some pants, roomie."     The roommate nodded before idly commenting, "We should probably do laundry this weekend…  We're both getting low on clean clothes."     "Tell you what…"  Mau smiled, slipping into a pair of black yoga pants.  "I'll pay for the wash cycle, this weekend."     The white cat's face showed strong disbelief.  Her roommate had some nerve…  For better or worse, Mau seemed to misread this as appreciation.     "No, no, it's the least I can do for the best roomie in the world!" she laughed.     "I… thaaanks?" was what Renée decided to say.  Her roommate was trying… in more ways than one.

    Once the clothing issue was sorted, the two returned to the living room.  As Mau got ready, Renée looked at the stains on the couch again.     "You know, you should really stop eating on the couch…" she suggested.     "But, how else am I gonna watch The Flintstones while I eat nacho chips?" was Mau's answer.  "Besides, I've seen the way you rip through sushi while sittin' there!"     Renée blushed a little.  Rather than get angry, though, she tried to be understanding.     "Sorry…" she quietly responded, her ears curling back.  "I—"     "Hey, hey, hey…  It's okay."     Renée blinked a couple of times as she got a pat on the head from her roommate.     "Everyone has their quirks, right?" Mau offered with a chipper smile.  "Yours is sushi, and mine is…"     She paused for a second, her ears flicking and tail twitching.  Her mind was reeling with all the "quirks" she had — many of which she was self-conscious of, thanks to other people.

    "A-anyway!" she started again, "the couch is clean… er.  I'm dressed.  And… what time is it?"     "Oh, it's—"     "Scarabs!!"     Renée's fur bristled as Mau shouted.  She looked stressed again.     "I gotta get the heck outta Dodge, Née!" she said before breaking into a fast jog across the room.  "Have a great day and all that!  'Bye!!"

    Mau ran out the front door, slamming it behind her.  Not a second later, she burst back inside and ran over to Renée.  As expected, she was holding Mau's purse and smirking.     "Stop that," Mau said, wearing her own smirk.  "Thank you."     Renée's eyes rolled upward and her smirk became a grin.  "Mm-hmm."     With that, Mau slung her purse over her shoulder and ran back outside… only to come back in another second after.     "What'd you forget now?" Renée teased.     "This."     The white cat's blue eyes widened as Mau gave her a quick hug.     "Thanks for putting up with me."     Renée softly nodded, a blush barely visible under her fur.  She smiled, though.

    "Alright, 'bye for real now!"     For the third time, Mau ran out the door, shutting it loudly.  She didn't run back inside this time.  However…     "Gah!!"     She wound up garroting herself with her purse strap, the bag getting caught in the door.  Just another typical morning for her…

    Eventually, Mau did manage to get on her way.  She ran to the nearest bus stop and, luckily, managed to catch it just in time.  She flashed her pre-paid bus pass through the scanner and quickly found a seat.  There was an amusing irony about a teacher like her taking a bus to school, just like her students…  Less amusing was the fact that the Bellville High wouldn't spring for bus fair for any of the faculty… not that anyone else actually needed it.  As far as Mau knew, she was the only staff member from Bellville High who used public transport to get around.

    Part of that was because she didn't own a car.  Not since the twelve-car pile-up she was part of, anyway…  She also didn't make enough money to actually buy or even lease another one.  Cars were prohibitively expensive… especially for someone who likes spending a lot of money on junk food and random impulse buys.  She always made sure she could cover her half of the bills, though!  Mostly!  Sometimes.  Usually…     Part of it was also because nobody wanted to carpool with her.  Most of her work friends were pretty set in their ways and no one lived near enough to her to swing by.  She joked about what a "lame excuse" that was, but she knew gas was pretty pricey, too.  She could probably afford to kick in for gas… but did she really want to?  Probably not.     Lastly, and most embarrassingly… Mau had her driver's license suspended due to the aforementioned accident.  She was the cause.  Now, that happened a while back and she could have gotten her licensed reinstated, but naaah.  She figured that if she needed to get anywhere fast, she could always bum a ride from her roomie.  Otherwise, she was in no real hurry… most of the time.  That morning, however, she needed to expedite her travels and get to school.  Unfortunately, something was preventing her from getting there.

    "Road work?!"

    Mau stood at the front of the bus, staring out the windshield with anger.  Laying ahead was a whole heap of cars and trucks all packed into one lane of traffic.  This was because the other lane — the one going toward town — was shut down and being repaired.  And this, of course, meant that she and the other passengers on the bus were going nowhere fast.

    "Siddown, miss," the driver told Mau as she leaned on the token taker.     "No, you don't understand!" she countered, looking distressed.  "I need to get to Bellville High!  I teach history there, and—"     "Lady, I don't care if you teach orphans how to do basic math!" the gruff driver snapped.  "Sitcher ass down whilst the bus is in motion!  Capisce?"     Mau looked at the driver with disbelief, mouth hanging open.  Sure, the engine was running, but the bus was very clearly stuck in traffic.     "Lemme out," she flatly countered.     "Lady, I can't do that," was his response to that.  "The bus is— hey!!"     "Sorry!" she half-heartedly apologized, yanking the door lever and opening the door.     "Get back on the damn bus!!" the driver shouted from his vehicle.  "I could get in trouble!  I'll… I'll have you banned, ya know!!"     Mau wasn't listening.  She had broken into a full sprint, umbrella out as her paws carried her as fast as they could toward the school… which was still a couple of miles away.  Through rain and wind.  Damn it.

    The run from the street corner to the school was quite a trek.  It took Mau about forty minutes' travel time — partly because she wasn't in the best physical condition, and partly because she'd slipped and fallen a couple of times.  When she arrived, she was gasping and heaving for air, her hair disheveled, and her clothes and fur wet in places.

    "Oh.  Hey, teach'."

    As Mau leaned on a bike rack to catch her breath, she heard a familiar voice.  Looking over, she saw the green-skinned, red-headed form of Shelly Screwloose — one of her students — standing there.

    "What happened to you?" Shelly asked with concern.  "You look like death warmed over!  I'd know.  Yesterday, I was workin' on this experiment with—"     "Water!"     "What?  No.  More like melted-down—"     "Water!" Mau repeated in a wheeze.  "Please…!"     "Oh, you want some water!"  Shelly laughed.  "Well, you're just in luck!"     With a grin and a wink, she reached into her long jacket and withdrew a corked tube of some kind of blue liquid.     "I just happen to have my latest experiment with me!" she continued.  "See, I—"     "Gimme!"     The synthoid girl blinked as her teacher snatched the vial out of her hands.  She then watched as Ms. Mau chugged the thing down in a series of loud gulps.

    "Pwah…!"

    Once emptied of its contents, Mau returned the vial and offered a tired smile.     "Th-thanks…  I feel better already!  Kinda tart, though…"     The teacher paused, her fur beginning to bristle.     "Wait, what was in that tube?" she asked tensely.     "Blueberry juice."     "Bl… blueberry juice?"  Mau blinked.  "Wait, just normal blueberry juice?"     "More or less!" Shelly laughed.  "I mean, it had some electrolytes 'n stuff in it.  Coach cut me a deal, see…"     "A… a deal?" the teacher asked, cocking her head.     "Yeah!" Shelly responded with another laugh.  "Coach said if I made something good for the team, I'd get a guaranteed A+ without even doin' Gym Class!  It's a win-win for everyone!"     "I… see."     Mau chuckled a little before she smiled.     "Well, I feel refreshed, so I'd say you're doing a good job!  Thanks, Shelly!"     "Yeah, sure…"     Shelly drew a notepad and a pen from another pocket.     "Any weird aftertaste?" she inquired.  "Do you feel anything weird in your gastrointestinal tract?  Any heart murmurs?"     Mau stiffened up.  "What."     At that, Shelly just offered a mysterious smile, patiently waiting for an answer.

    Mau walked into the school after a short survey about her student's "blueberry juice"  and headed to the teacher's lounge.  Normally, she would have had a coffee with creamer, but after all the weird questions that self-proclaimed "alchemist" student of hers asked, she thought it would be best to just stick with water.  While she was drinking, though, she saw a familiar face wander in.  It was Dimitri Garrf, the school counselor and a good work friend of hers.  He was looking as semi-professional as ever in his gray vest, slacks, and pressed white shirt.

    "Hey, Mau!" the wolfman greeted.     "Hey," she answered with a nod and a smile.     "Good weekend?"     "You know me, I'm always keepin' busy!" she half-lied.     "Hey, that's great to hear!"      The man got himself some coffee.  He liked it black, Mau noted.

    "So, did you get the e-mail about the sub?" he asked before taking a sip.     "The what?" she answered between gulps of water.     "The sub," he patiently repeated.  "The English teacher is out for a couple of weeks, so we're getting a temporary replacement!"     Mau tilted her head.  "Really?  Huh."     "Yeah…"     Mau noted that there was a hint of apprehension in his words.

    "No one knows anything about her," was the next thing Dimitri mentioned.     "What?  Why not?" the cat lady answered.     "Well, she's not from around here, for one," he explained.  "She just kind of arrived on-demand, I've heard…"     "How mysterious!"     The wolfman grinned as Mau made a grand gesture and smiled.  He liked her silly antics.     "That's one way to put it," he offered with a chuckle.  "But, what's really weird is that she brought her own assistant."     "A teacher's aide?" she asked as she worked on her tenth paper cone of water.  "That is pretty odd.  I've never heard of a substitute teacher having a teacher's aide…"     "I know, right?"  He chuckled again.  "I asked around and I think they're a sister-brother team.  Not sure.  But, I guess we'll see later today!"     "A sister-brother team…?"     Mau paused to ponder that possibility.  Specifically, she pondered the possibility of asking the sub's aide out.     If this new sub has a brother… and the brother isn't ugly or smelly… she thought, maybe I can make this work.  It'd be nice to date a guy who doesn't have any expectations of me.     The lady quietly sipped her eleventh cup of water, a cat-like grin forming on her lips.

    "Anyway," the counselor continued after finishing his coffee, "I just figured I'd ask and see if you knew anything.  See you at lunch, Mau!"     "Not if I see you, first!"     He laughed.  "Right!"     As he left, Mau took a twelfth cup of water, her tail swaying as she continued to think about the sub's aide.  Excitement built inside her at the thought of some handsome guy from far away arriving at the school.  Something else swelled inside, too.     "Crap, I gotta pee!"     With that declaration, she escaped the teacher's lounge, eager to start her day properly… among other things.

    While her morning had been full of excitement and typical bad luck, the day proceeded pretty calmly.  She taught one of her classes about Ancient Egypt — specifically about the pharaohs and other royalty.  When she made note of how cats were basically gods in that culture, one student smartly asked, "And what are you the god of?  Being lame?"  Laughter filled the classroom as she sent that student — a regular troublemaker — out.     The next class was a little more interested in what she had to say about Iceland and Greenland, asking a lot of questions she didn't know the answer to.  She did her best to try and act like she did, though no one was fooled as she "subtly" asked her phone for answers.  Still, they were a lot more respectful than the previous class, which made her happy.     One last class went by in a flash with Mau resuming a lesson about United States presidents.  There was a disagreement between two groups about the way some presidents ran the country, but luckily, a particular student moderated the impromptu debate.  She was kind of a "teacher's pet" and didn't care if anyone knew it, but Mau tried not to give her special treatment.  She did thank her student, however.  Shortly after, the bell rang; it was lunchtime.

[dingochef]

Take Care

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x You (OFC)

Warnings: Swearing, Smut (MDNI 18+ Only), Angst with a Happy Ending, Stalking, P in V, oral (female and male receiving), Semi-public sex, light spanking,

Word Count: 3.1k

Summary: Jake takes of El, even if it's from afar and while their relationship hangs in peril.

This is a one shot to my series Stepping to You Toe-to-Toe. Best read after Chapter 12: Cliche.

Masterlist

The moment Jake hangs up with Wolfie about calling in a favor to get Elsa a security system today, he is still plagued by the need to do something, something more to protect Elsa.

He wryly notes that Elsa would be half annoyed because she's said on more than one occasion, "I'm a grown ass woman who can and has taken care of herself, thank you very much." The other half would be secretly touched but the gesture. That stranglehold of sadness of just how much he's fucked things up with her closes in around his heart and he tries to push it away and think of something to he can fix right now.

He recalls her story about letting Creepy Bill have it and Millie backing her up. He knows Millie, she's Phoenix's aunt or something and has been at a few celebrations. He calls Phoenix.

"Come on, come on, pick up, he mutters to himself as he paces around the small kitchen.

Finally, a groggy voice answers, "Hangman, what the fuck do you want on a Sunday morning?"

"Good morning to you too, I need your Aunt Millie's number. "

Jake hears the absolute confusion in her voice,

"Why on earth do you want her number? Trying to move on after Elsa? I'm pretty sure Millie's wife Candace is going to have a few issues with that."

Phoenix's razor sharp wit doesn't take long to come online in the morning.

He gives her the fastest recap of the whole situation he can and finishes with,

"Millie probably has Bill's address."

"Figures creepy old man is involved. One, you're going to promise me that you'll bring someone with you capable of preventing you from beating this dude into a pulp and getting you court martialed. Two, don't think this is going to be enough to get back with Elsa. You know you have a looooooot of shit fix," she says, drawing out the o in a lot to a long syllable.

"I know, I just want to be able to do something, even if she never wants to see my face again," he pauses, the thought creating a deep ache in his chest, "Can you help me out?"

She sighs, it almost sounds like sympathy, and says,

"Yeah, I'll text it to you. Give me a quick sec to call her and let her know what's up."

"Thank you, Phoenix."

"Later Hangman," and then she adds a little more softly, "Good Luck."

He paces around the small house for five minutes trying to wait long enough to call Millie.

A text comes in from Phoenix.

Phoenix: Millie is pissed so she just gave me Bill's address with the promise you won't do anything stupid, I gave her an 85% guarantee on that.

Phoenix: Bill Wilson

8585 Saturna Court

La Jolla

Phoenix: DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID!

Jake: Thank you.

He gets dressed quickly throwing on some jeans, a white t-shirt, and his bomber jacket. His next stop is Rooster's room. Jake doesn't spare the door when he raps on it to wake Rooster up.

"What that fuck, who is it?" Rooster groans.

"It's me, Hangman, get up. I need a favor from you."

"Fuck off," he shouts back.

"Rooster, this is the least you could do after the shit you pulled last night. It's about Elsa, some guy is stalking her."

"Fine, fine, let me put some god damn clothes on."

"Try to look intimidating."

"Yeah, ok." Rooster snorts.

A few minutes later he emerges wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. They're out the door and walking towards Jake's car. Jake starts the car and pulls away, headed off the island and towards La Jolla.

"So what's the deal and why do you need me to go with you?" He asks.

Jake runs him through the situation and gets him up to speed.

"So, we're going to go beat up some old guy who can't take a hint, or in this case a giant fucking billboard?"

"No, just more of a come to Jesus talk and to scare him a little bit. Phoenix made me promise to bring someone so 'I wouldn't do anything stupid.'"

"Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"Basically just stand there and try to look intimidating, I'll do the talking."

"Okey dokey."

They find Creepy Bill's house and park at the curb. As they walk up to the house, Jake tells Rooster,

"Put your sunglasses on,"

Rooster snorts and points to the very overcast sky,

"It's for effect, dumbass."

Rooster rolls his eyes and complies.

As they stand on the small porch, Jake asks Rooster,

"Ready?"

He nods.

Jake gives three sharp raps on the door, not bothering with the doorbell.

There is a small amount of shuffling and then the door opens to a man in his 50s with slightly graying hair who is a couple of inches shorter than Jake or Rooster

"Are you Bill Wilson?" Jake asks.

The older man nods,

"Yes, that's me. What can I help you with?"

"You and I have a mutual acquaintance, Elsa Matthews."

He interrupts Jake and says,

"Oh yeah, Elsa, lovely girl."

He licks his lips subconsciously in a way that makes Jake's stomach turn. Jake takes a steadying breath and tamps down the overwhelming urge to grind this guy into a pulp.

"Here's the deal, Elsa is a friend of ours," he emphasizes the word friend and uses his thumb to point at himself and Rooster,

"And she made it known that despite giving a clear picture of how she sees you in her life, which is not at all, you keep pushing. We're not too happy with the stunt you pulled with the roses. Which by the way, she said were cliche as shit. So, Elsa has made it perfectly clear for you to stay away and you should be getting a piece of paper today from the police making that even more clear. I just want to add that Elsa has a lot of friends like us, especially a lot that live really close to her on Coronado Island and might not be as level headed next time you do something stupid. You got any questions, Billy boy?"

The old man has gone white in the face and manages to stutter out, "No, no. I get it."

"Good boy, you learn quick. I think we're done here." Jake turns around and motions to Rooster and he follows.

They get back in the car and Rooster speaks first as they pull away.

"I'm surprised, you actually held your shit together and didn't pummel him into the ground."

"Hah, he's a sad old man that thinks he bully his way into a woman's life, but when faced by any real man he's a total chicken shit."

"I gathered that, so now what? You going to go to Elsa and be her knight in shining armor to redeem yourself?"

"No, she doesn't need to know about this. I said I'd give her space and unlike that asshat back there I respect that. I just thought if I could do one last thing for her, I could feel a little better for being a giant asshole and ruining a good thing."

"Shit dude, you're in love with this girl. Huh, never thought I'd see the day Hangman fell in love. Can I buy a ski lift ticket in hell now?"

"First of all, fuck off, Rooster. Two, who wouldn't fall for Elsa, she's smart and funny as get out, a genuinely good person, hot as hell, and just gets me. Like me, Jake, not Hangman, just Jake."

Rooster let's put a low whistle,

"Oh shit, this is real," he pauses, "I'm starting to feel a little bit bad about telling her about the bet, a little bit," he holds his fingers a tiny bit apart. He continues, "What about her? Is the feeling mutual?"

"God, I hope so. I see these moments where she's unguarded about something and I can feel her being vulnerable and then it's gone. She's been hurt before, I can tell. I've got to earn her love.'

"Well good luck dude, just because we've had this little talk doesn't mean I like you any more and or I won't stop secretly hoping you crash. But you and I both know she deserved to know the truth."

"Fair, funny thing is that I was already planning to try again and then you laid down that stupid bet and I agreed it. A decision I hope won't haunt me for the rest of my life."

They arrive back at the house they're sharing and get out. Jake leans over the car roof and says to Rooster,

"Don't worry about us becoming bros, the dislike remains mutual."

"Whatever, dude," Rooster sniffs and walks into the house.

Jake heads to his room and flops down on the bed. He pulls out his phone to send Elsa one last text. His heart pangs at the photo of her I set as the background, it's her in front of the B-29 where they talked about the nose art. He set it as his background as soon as he took jt. She is mirroring the pin up girl's arms holding them up and has pulled up one of her legs with the knee bent in front of her. Her bright smile shining through. He scrubs his face as he sighs and unlocks his phone and pulls up the text app.

Jake: Bill won't be bothering you anymore.

He puts his phone aside and decides to go for a run just for something to do. The run around base is quiet as it's a Sunday with little activity. Running as far as he can to feel exhausted Jake makes his way back to the house.

Jake showers and grabs something to eat and sits on the couch turning the TV mostly for the noise, something to fill his brain other than the replay loop of Elsa's face from the bar last night, her saying "I do, Lieutenant" and the look in her eyes from yesterday in the car, and a quick succession of her laughing, the way she feels under his arm when they were cuddling on her couch, the feeling of waking up to her sleeping face, and what feels like a million more memories. He scrubs his face in frustration and keeps looking at his phone hoping that something will come through. Jake decides to read a book as a distraction, somewhere between the last murder and the brilliant detective monologue he must have fallen asleep.

Jake awakens to a gentle knock on our door, he gets up to open it and it's Lydia. He didn't realize he had gotten his hopes up in the five feet to the door that it would be Elsa. Rooster's room is dark, indicating he's not there.

"Hi Lydia, Rooster is out, but you're welcome to wait for him," Jake informs her.

"Yeah, he said he'd be about a half an hour but to just go on and meet him here," she replies.

Ever the polite host, Jake offers Lydia a drink. She chooses a beer and sits down on the armchair that makes up the second piece of the extravagant Navy issued living room set.

"So how's it hanging, Hangman?" she asks, knowing that he's heard that question a million times before. Jake decides to wave off a smooth response and replies,

"Not great and that's mostly your boy's doing."

"What'd he do? Short sheet your bed, put itching powder in your jockstrap," she pauses, "Wait do guys even really use those ever?"

"No nothing that juvenile, he talked his big mouth and told Elsa about I bet that I took and called off and she is understandably pissed off at me."

Lydia stops mid sip,

"Wait, what do you mean a bet you took and called off. Explain, and how does that involve Elsa?"

"Rooster bet me I couldn't get into Elsa's bed within a week from the night she blasted me at the Hard Deck. The thing was that I was already trying to figure out a way to contact her."

Lydia snorts,

"You're not the first one to become entranced by Elsa, but you might be the only one to get murdered by her and actually come back. So, the bet, you said you took it, why?"

He sighs,

"Because I am apparently a very stupid man who is easily goaded into doing stupid things by your boy, Rooster."

"I gathered that," she says dryly, sipping her beer.

"I didn't collect on it when Phoenix announced loudly that I'd woken up at a girl's house and Rooster confirmed it was Elsa's. I regretted taking the bet as soon as I said yes. I hope I don't regret it for the rest of my life."

Lydia sighs,

"I'll deal with Rooster, although this giant pile of dog shit you have to climb out of is entirely your doing." Jake nods in agreement.

"I'm more pissed Rooster fucked up something that good for Elsa, forget you, no offense." Jake shrugs the comment off.

She pauses for a long moment and looks off to her side, sucking in a deep breath she says,

"I'm going to tell you something about Elsa that she probably hasn't told you. She doesn't open her heart easily."

"I know that, there's these moments when I see these glimpses of her, really her, and then she shuts the door and changes the subject."

"Good, you're at least aware of that, that's a good start. Did you know that Elsa was engaged once?"

"No, she didn't talk about that."

"Yeah, it's not really something she likes to relive. She was engaged to this guy, Liam, who worked with her at SpaceX. She thought it was the real deal and they were living together. She came up with an amazing new design for getting satellites out of the rocket that made things way more efficient, like a solid make your career kind of innovation. The bastard beat her into work on Monday and presented the designs as his own. She only found out because she walked in on the end of the meeting. He didn't get why it was a big deal.''

Jake's eyes widen at that thought, to know Elsa was to know how proud she was of her work and the impact it has on the world. He couldn't think of a quicker way to kill off a relationship with her than to degrade, not value, not respect her work, her amazing brain, basically her. What a fucking idiot.

"She dumped his ass, told her boss everything, quit her job, packed up her shit from their apartment, left him his shitty ring, and drove back to Michigan that day."

"Holy shit, she doesn't mess around. Then she moved here."

"Yeah, and she's had a few relationships, but they've ended when guys get insecure because she's like a 1000 times smarter than them, or that fact she makes more money than them, stupid ego stuff. It just made her harder and she protects her heart."

"So, why are you telling me all this?" Jake asks.

Lydia sighs again,

"Because maybe I'm a hopeless romantic, but mostly because there's been a spark in Elsa and a joy I haven't seen in her for years. For some reason, you, perhaps one of the most egotistical guys on the planet, actually makes her happy. I thought if you knew some of her background you might be able to dig yourself out of this epic hole you've dug for yourself."

She goes on,

"I know you want to run to her and confess your soul to her, but let me repeat, give her space to think. You push too hard, you'll just push her away. If you get a second chance, don't fuck it up because if you break her heart again I will hunt you down and make your balls into earrings." The last sentence is said with such deadly seriousness, that Jake doesn't doubt Lydia's intent for a second.

"Thank you, Lydia. This helps, it helps a lot."

Rooster has chosen this moment to appear, his face lights up at the sight of Lydia and then turns to confusion as he sees the look on her face.

Jake takes that as his cue to leave and escape to his room, as soon as he shuts the door, Lydia says, in a deadly tone,

"Bradley Fucking Michael Bradshaw, you've got some shit to explain."

"Umm, babe what are you talking about?" The alarm in his voice is apparent and Jake is glad he is getting his ass chewed out.

"I heard about a bet you laid down about Elsa, my best friend for 15 fucking years, and then decided to tell her about last night."

There is a long pause as Rooster thinks up a battle plan. He says slowly,

"Yes, there was a bet that Hangman technically won, but that he called off."

"And that bet was?" Lydia asks him, waiting for him to answer.

"That he could get in Elsa's pants in a week."

"First of all, how gross. I get the stupid betting, but on that it's just disgusting. Second of all, Jake said he was already wanting to see Elsa again before the bet, but he let his ego lead him instead of his brain and he took it. He's got to clean up his mess, that's on him for that colossally terrible mistake. I'm more pissed at you that you would deliberately ruin what is or was turning into something good for Elsa. That girl has had some serious heartbreak and for some reason Hangman has been good for her."

Rooster has moved into full apology mode,

"Babe, I am so sorry. Let me make it up to you."

He is shuffling through the usual playlist of apologies trying to find something that sticks.

Lydia cuts him off,

"Rooster, you're a smart guy," Jake snorts where he is leaning against the door at that statement,

"You can't tell me you haven't seen a difference in Hangman. You can tell the boy is stupidly falling in love, why would you ruin that for anyone? You guys are supposed to have each other's backs up in the air, why would you do something that shitty down here?"

"I don't know."

Lydia sighs,

"Well, think about it, Rooster, I'm going home. Maybe we'll talk later."

The door opens and softly closes. Jake sprints to his bed and lays down like he hasn't been listening with his ear to the door. He expects Rooster to come barging in to start a fist fight, instead all Jake hears is the door to his room shutting quietly and the house is eerily silent.

@starswholistenanddreamsanswered

@mayhemmanaged

@callmemana

@dempy

@hangmanscoming

@lanie-k

@callsign-viper

@senjoritanana

@djs8891

@atarmychick007

@memoriesat30

@genius2050

[blankwashed]

Sleepless Shadows (Part 3)

Chapter: I II III IV V VI VII

Recap: Satoru hugged your waist to try and bring you down. "It's okay it's no big deal. Just finish your meal and we'll be on our way okay? I don't like how people are looking at us with their judgmental eyes," he says to your ears.

You nod your head and try to finish your meal without getting stomach pains.

“All done?” Satoru looks at you after you slurped up the last bit from the stew, with a slight smile on his face.

You nod and try to bow your head to him as respect but he lifted your chin up.

“It’s fine darling, you can repay me in other ways. Like scoring a good score on our coming exams, okay?” He crooned, with a slight smirk on his lips.

Your face was red again as you were thinking of other ways you could repay him, ways that he will be gripping onto your hair, pushing you closer to him-. What?

“He’s just my lecturer, this is unethical as he says,” The thought nestled in your mind as you let out a sigh. If only you were a few years older, if only you were his type, if only you met him outside of class, if only-

His lips were glistening after he licked his lips, a bad habit of his.

“Let’s get back to the car, y/n.” He said, with a gleam in his eyes.

“Mm..” you didn’t want to go back home. You wanted to spend more time with him even though your body was crying out for sleep at this point, especially after eating so much at this time at night.

You dragged your feet to the passenger’s seat of his car which does not open for you this time, and you wondered why. As many times as you try to open the door, it won't budge. That's strange, it was fine before.

"Mr. Gojo? W-Why does my side of the door not work anymore? Could you help me from your side?"

Satoru quickly comes to you as he sees that you're having a dilemma. When he reaches the car, he pats his pockets and his face turned pale.

"Oh shit…" He swore, quite loudly. When the gears in your brain clicked, you realised. He left the car keys inside the car.

"Shit shit shit," He continued swearing with a worrisome face, which was quite different from his usual respected teacher-self. This did not help the situation at all as you didn't know what you could do.

"Shit, everyone is probably still sleeping and I don't want to wake them up…" He mumbles under his breath, still with a worried face.

You bit your lip, equally as worried but not so as you would be stranded with your favourite lecturer. Besides, you don't have classes the next day.

"Sir, I know this isn't the appropriate timing but I don't think you have classes tomorrow either. This predicament that we've gotten ourselves into is not really that bad? I'm sure you could call a tow truck or professionals to get your car opened tomorrow. " You try to make Satoru not worry that much, besides, you're sure that he's not married, right? No one would be waiting for him at home, right?

"I know, I know I just thought this night was going to be perfect, you know? Just me and you and-" He stops himself from continuing as he worries that he might scare you off.

Shucks, you were blushing. It was a chilly night, no doubt but you just felt that it was summer on your cheeks.

"I'm sorry, y/n. I should've known better and as your lecturer this mistake is very unacceptable for me to make," Satoru looks down at his feet while talking to you, as if he's a teenager again which you find quite cute.

"No big deal, sir. Anyways, I noticed that there's a motel nearby while we were driving here. We can sleep there for tonight, what do you think about that?" You adjusted your eyes onto his, making sure he's not sad anymore.

It took Satoru some time till he answered you.

"Sure, let's go get a room."

this was due weeks ago, ive just been really busy with uni and when im not busy, im either sleeping or playing games ;_; its sunday today and tomorrow i'll be back in uni grinding for i dont even know what lol.

[silent-dark-entries]

This is probably one of my favorite chapters from my Draco Smut I’m writing. :))

I love the sound of the crunchy leaves under my feet. It's too bad it's been raining all day and those crunchy leaves have quickly turned into mush for slugs to hide under. I don't mind though. I love rain on Sunday mornings.

I'm on my way into the village to meet Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville. Miss.Longbottom will be out of town this Halloween and of course Neville decided to throw another party. I'm meeting them to pick out costumes. I have my mind set on just getting vampire teeth and leaving it at that.

As I approach the seasonal store I see my friends laughing together. Harry is the first to wave at me. We've grown closer to each other as the days go on, being forced to only talk to each other in swim on the days that Neville was sick.

"Maisie, what’s your opinion on Neville being a cactus for Halloween." Harry says pushing me along into the group. Neville rolls his eyes at Harry and pouts.

"Luna is going to be a Oxalis triangularis. It's a matching costume." Neville states.

"Neville for the last time: you're the only one who knows with the hell that is." Ron says. Neville turns to the store door and swings it open letting the rest of the group inside.

"You'll get it on Friday when we win best costume at school and you're stuck in your bloody rat costume." Neville snaps.

"My mums making my costume." Ron mumbles. Everyone laughs as we pour into the shop going our separate ways. Hermione and I head to the women's costumes.

"What are you thinking ‘Mione?" I say rustling through a couple of costumes. Seeing all of the different costumes makes me want to reevaluate my vampire teeth plan. But I hate to spend money, especially with application season approaching. I've decided that Trinity is the school I want to go and that's going to take most of my savings for the next five years.

"Maybe I'll be Cormac's grades, that's scary enough." She huffs. " You know Neville asked him to come Friday."

I laugh at Hermione who's so flustered her face turns crimson.

"How's it going with Malfoy? You never really talk about it." Hermione adds. I bite the inside of my lips and try not the look her in the face. When it comes to tutoring Draco it's going great. His grades in English have improved drastically compared to last years. He doesn't have one missing assignment and his book is coming along, though it's as boring as can be. But in the other sense of what happened physically between Draco and me, we both agreed to start meeting in public spaces like the library after school. We didn't really discuss the whole make out session but surely chalked up as being high. I also blame the rain and the Bauhaus album in the background.

I shrug at Hermione. " He's smarter than one might think."

Hermione picks up and pointy hat from the top shelf and places it on her head. "Maybe I'll be a witch?" She says looking into the mirror.

"I'm starving" Ron grumbles. Ron and I waiting outside the sweets shop for rest of the group while Neville ordered jelly filled brains in bulk for Friday. I swears they're the best thing he's ever eaten.

"We're going to the pub right after this Ron." I say.

"Yeah, a shit pub." He adds.

"Why does it matter. You eat off the kids menus anyway..." I mutter. Ron laughs and looks up at me again. His smile fades into a serious stare.

"I think we should talk about the last Neville party..." Ron says. "You know, after our...uh, kiss. You ran off after and I just don't want to mess anything up. We were just starting to become friends and then I asked if you wanted to go in private....it was inappropriate. I'm just really sorry."

"Ron, I'm okay. It's okay." I say smiling. Suddenly from across the way theres a familiar loud high pitched laugh. It's Pansy Parkinson alone with Draco.

Though I try not to, I see Draco in a different way now. When I see him in the halls, I stare. Just hoping he'd do the same. Sometimes he does the same. I catch him at lunch staring at me and when I do he looks away almost immediately. When we have our tutoring sessions I'll look up from my books and see him staring and not just at my breast. Sometimes he stares at my thighs and at my neck, but mostly at my lips and eyes.

Pansy let's out another annoying squeal.

"You know, he's not that funny." I say to Ron as Pansy and Draco disappears into a bakery. "You know what... I'm in the mood for a lemon sponge." Before Ron can answer I'm pulling him across the street, into the small bakery. Draco and Pansy turns to look at us and I feel my face turns hot. What the hell was I thinking...what's my next move...think dammit.

"Look Draco its Fire Crotch and big-tits-magee" pansy squeals.

"Please Parkinson your laugh is far too annoying for this small space." Draco cringes. Pansy's face drops as she rolls her eyes. Draco searches my face before finding my eyes. He softens his face a little before looking at Ron and then back at me. His face nearly becomes stone. "Is it cold in here or are you just happy to see me Maisie?"

"Don't talk to her like that." Ron says. "Have some fucking respect Malfoy"

Draco looks over at me and smiles then back at Ron. "Who are you Weasley? Her fucking bodyguard? Oh, or are you her boyfriend?" Draco quips. Ron walks up trying to size up Draco but Ron's stature doesn't stand a chance to Draco's.

"You sound a little jealous Draco..." Ron jabbed.

"Oh, trust me, Weasley I have nothing to be jealous of." Spits Draco. Pansy grabs her treat off the counter and snakes her arm with Draco's. "See you Thursday night Maisie. How about we meet at my house this time." Draco smiles at Ron before pushing passed him and exiting the bakery.

"You don't have to take that Maisie.." Ron scoffs. "We can go straight to Snape and-"

"-Please Ron leave it!" I beg.

"What can I get for you?" The boy behind the counter ask.

I dig into my pocket to pull out my wallet. "Two lemon sponges please"

[misshoneyimhomeagain]

To the anon, who's still reading my story 🤗

_

Chapter 10 -

Summary: In December, the pace quickens with a flurry of hockey games, work commitments, a bit of Christmas shopping, more work, and lively snowball fights;

Tags; William NylanderxOfc; “We never go out of style”

Author's Note: So, these chapters are growing a tad, but I can't help it; my imagination is on a run, I think (Sorry, not sorry); and I had a dream about a snowball fight with Willy, so, naturally, I had to include it; I hope you’ll enjoy this chapter! 😉

Words: 6.1K

_

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."

As the Sunday morning light slowly crept in, Julia stirred from her slumber, disturbed by the gentle nudging of Pablo at her feet. It took her a few moments to orient herself, but as she blinked away the remnants of sleep, a warm smile spread across her face. Nestled in the comfort of William's guest room, she had slept like a baby, and it seemed the two furry companions, Pablo and Banksy, had kept her company through the night.

Before tending to her morning routine and slipping into her clothes from yesterday, Julia couldn't resist capturing a snapshot of the dogs snuggled up in the bed and sending it to William. And as she made her way to the bathroom, she mentally thanked herself for always being prepared having a small bag with basic essentials and an extra pair of knickers in her bag. Then with the dogs fed and exercised during their morning stroll, she returned to the condo and indulged in a well-deserved morning coffee while responding to William's message.

Wonka: God morgon, hjärtat 😉 how did you sleep?

JJ: God morgon 😊 I swear it's been ages since I last had such a peaceful night's rest - how about you?

Wonka: I slept alright but we had to get up early to hit the road… 🥱

JJ: Early mornings have never been your forte 😂

Wonka: Nope, and they never will be! 😂

JJ: Perhaps that's why you're always fashionably late to most things? 😂

Wonka: That might just be the trick, babe! 😂

JJ: Anyway, the fur babies are fed and have had their morning walk, so I'll be heading out soon enough 😊

Wonka: Awesome! You're a lifesaver JJ ☺️

JJ: I know 😊 but it's my pleasure

After finishing her coffee, Julia said goodbye to the doodles and made her way home. She had just enough time to shower and get dressed before she’d meet up with Charlie and Clara for a lunch date. Making sure she’d remembered everything, she closed the door behind her, though she knew she’d come back soon enough later in the evening.

_

Monday came around, and Julia just paid a brief visit to the dogs, ensuring they were well and in good spirits. However, the following Tuesday marked another away game, and she found herself back on the familiar sofa at William's place, accompanied by the cheerful company of the dogs. With a rather delicious meal cooked (if she had to say so herself), her work laptop, and a warm blanket she was all set for face off. And the match turned out to be a massive victory for the Leafs against the Dallas Stars, securing an impressive 4-0 result. It was a game to remember, with the team firing on all cylinders and delivering a dominating performance.

Julia couldn't contain her joy and leaped in exhilaration, the dogs following suit with their boundless energy, and following the match, she had a quick post-game chat with William.

And before they knew it, the boys were back in Toronto, riding high on the wave of their success. The win had undoubtedly boosted their confidence and left fans eagerly anticipating the next game. The atmosphere in the locker room must have been electric after such a convincing victory, and the Leafs were proving once again why they were a force to be reckoned with in the league.

 _

Thursday 8th - TOR 5 - LAK 0

On this cold Thursday evening in December, Julia found herself at the home game in the company of Andrew and Tyler. Andrew had been swamped with work, and initially, he wasn't too keen on leaving the office for a hockey game. However, Julia recognised his need to take a break and unwind, and she convinced him to join her, which turned out to be just what he needed, and he appreciated Julia's care and thoughtfulness. As for Tyler, he was simply thrilled to be attending a hockey game.

Tyler had become a massive fan of William ever since their Halloween night adventure, and his enthusiasm had only grown after William had taken him for the special private training session. And as they settled into their seats at the game, the young boy's excitement was palpable. Even though he was just shy of eight years old, Tyler's passion for hockey knew no bounds. He eagerly rattled off hockey stats, player information, and game tactics as if he were a seasoned pro.

And as the game began, Tyler’s attention, as well as Julia’s and Andrew’s, was fully captured. The match was fast paced, the arena buzzing with excitement, and the Maple Leafs took control right from the start. The atmosphere was electric as the Leafs scored an impressive 5 goals, while the Kings remained at a frustrating zero.

And following the match, the usual group of partners and friends gathered outside the locker room, excitement filling the air.

While waiting for the players to finish their post-game showers and media obligations, Tyler's excitement was evident as he chattered away about the match.

"I swear this boy has to become a sports commentator," Julia joked, leaning slightly into Andrew, who responded with an agreeing laughter.

The hallway of the Scotiabank Arena was filled with high spirits after the convincing victory, with laughter and lively conversations permeating the air.

And as the rest of the players emerged from the locker room, exchanging smiles and energetic greetings with friends and families, William's laughter was unmistakable as he made his way toward Julia and her companions for the evening.

"Hey Willy!" Tyler exclaimed with unbridled excitement.

"Hey buddy," William warmly embraced the young boy in a hug, his handsome face sporting a wide grin as he fully embraced the role of Tyler's role model and favourite Leafs player. "How have you been? Have you been practicing real good?"

"Yes! I've also scored in almost every game," Tyler proudly shared, his eyes filled with pride and glory as he described the tricks that William had taught him. 

As the young boy's storytelling came to an almost breathless conclusion, Julia couldn't help but chuckle and smile. She found it incredibly endearing how good William was with his young fans and how much he loved and cared for them.

"Well, that sounds great, buddy," William applauded Tyler, before turning his attention to the blonde woman in front of him. "And how have you been?" His smirk added a playful touch to his question.

"Busy but good, thank you for asking," Julia replied with a warm smile.

"You've enjoyed my condo?" William's question was laced with a smug satisfaction, as he was well aware of the answer.

Julia, however, didn't want to give him the complete satisfaction. "Maybe..." she teasingly replied, earning a light chuckle from the Swede.

“I get it - it’s a nice place.”

They both shared a heartfelt moment of joy, basking in their connection, before William was called over to greet the numerous young fans who were eager to meet their idols, snap photos, and secure autographs. True to form, he welcomed them with his characteristic wide smile and boundless energy.

As the night progressed and the fans gradually left the area, the players, along with their partners and friends, gathered to chat about their Christmas plans. Everyone was super excited about the upcoming holiday however it seemed that the players’ schedule was rather packed. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop those around them to plan events and gatherings in between games and training sessions.

All the women had already made plans to go Christmas shopping while the guys were occupied, giving them the freedom to enjoy their time together.

As the night drew to a close, Tyler said his goodbyes to his hockey heroes, and Andrew took him home, knowing the young boy would drift off to sleep with dreams of an incredible evening. William, the true gentleman that he was, kindly offered Julia a ride home, an offer she gladly accepted. During the tranquil drive, soft Christmas tunes played through the car's speakers, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.

The two friends shared laughter about the evening's game and their heart-warming interactions with the young fans.

"You know, you're pretty amazing with the fans, Willy," Julia complimented as they neared her building, earning a playful smirk from William.

"Well, I'm just trying to impress you, JJ."

Julia chuckled, "I must say, you're doing a pretty good job." 

_

 

Saturday, 10th - TOR 5 - CGL 4 (OT)

The following Saturday evening, Julia found herself in the upscale ambiance of a high-end restaurant, her leg trembling subtly beneath the table as the attentive waitress served the delectable main course. Seated with Andrew, his boss, and one of the firm's most distinguished investors, Marcus Kirkland, the renowned Canadian investor known for both his financial acumen and bachelor status, the evening was meant to be all about business and fine dining. However, despite the mouth-watering dishes and the sophisticated atmosphere, Julia's mind was far from the elegant dinner in front of her.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were facing off against the Calgary Flames in a highly anticipated home game, and her heart raced with excitement at the thought of it. As the conversation drifted away from business and towards a more casual tone, Julia couldn't resist the temptation to eavesdrop on the animated discussion taking place at the neighbouring table. Two middle-aged men were immersed in a lively conversation about the game, sharing their expectations and predictions.

And her distraction did not go unnoticed by Andrew, who seemed to read her like an open book. Casually leaning in, a mischievous glint in his eye, he whispered, "Maybe if we speed through dessert, I can distract them, and you can hurry to the game," earning a light chuckle from Julia. She appreciated the jest, though secretly hoped he wasn't entirely kidding, considering the puck had just dropped.

As the seconds ticked away and Julia took occasional sips of the expressive and utterly delicious Bourgogne wine, her nerves threatened to become unbearable. The two men at the neighbouring table discussed the seesaw nature of the match: the Leafs had managed to score the first goal, only for the Flames to tie it up. Then came another goal for the Flames, taking the lead. But the Leafs were resilient, with William stepping up to score, bringing it back to a tie. The Flames once again pulled ahead, but just before the end of the second period, William came through to secure another tie. To put it mildly, it was nerve-wracking to listen to, with the game hanging in the balance.

Julia couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath as she found herself acknowledging her inner turmoil. Who would have thought she'd be sitting in a fancy restaurant, her leg trembling with anticipation, eager to attend a hockey game and mentally calculating the score instead of fully indulging in the sumptuous cuisine and fine wine?

So, when Marcus finally broke the casual conversation and expressed his gratitude to the trio of co-workers, Julia's heart quickened with the hope that she might actually catch the third period of the hockey match.

With a final round of handshakes and gracious expressions of thanks, Julia wasted no time. She hurried as best she could in her formal attire, braving the city's snow to hail a taxi. Fortunately, the restaurant wasn’t too far from the arena, and with a quick text to Charlie, she was on the move. As she reached the arena's doors, she quickly purchased whatever ticket was left to enter, and let out a relieved breath as she saw she was just in time to witness the final 13 minutes of the match. The score was once again a 4-4 tie, and as the final seconds ticked away, the arena was filled with anxiousness. However, all that distress was quickly dispelled when Mitch Marner scored in overtime after just 43 seconds, making the arena burst into cheers and shouts for the Leafs.

After the heart-pounding evening, Julia finally had a moment to calm down and let her heart return to its natural rhythm. She made her way to meet with Charlie and the rest of the girls, entering the hallway by the locker room, and she found herself amidst an electrifying atmosphere. Smiles stretched wide on everyone's faces, and the air was filled with laughter and the players' boisterous banter.

Navigating through the crowd, Julia made her way to William, who quickly noticed her, and he playfully jogged over to her and swept her up into a tight hug.

"I didn't think you'd make it," William cheerfully admitted with a wide grin. "Didn't you have a work thing?" He asked as he put her back down.

Julia's face mirrored his broad smile as she offered a light chuckle. "Well, yes, I did, but for some peculiar reason, hockey seems to have become more important to me," she laughed.

"Well, I get that," William replied, his voice softening a tad, their eyes locking in a moment.

"Just wouldn't miss it for the world," she chuckled. "And first star? Sounds like you actually made an effort tonight," she teased William, earning a light chuckle from the Swede.

They stood close, sharing a silent moment, their connection palpable among the other couples celebrating the victory. But their moment was soon interrupted by a boisterous voice.

"Damn, JJ!" Rasmus chimed in as he joined the two friends. "Aren't you a bit overdressed for a hockey game?" He playfully pointed out Julia's fitted pantsuit, heels, elegant hairdo, and striking makeup.

"What do you mean?" she retorted sarcastically. "I simply thought it was 'dressed to impress' night."

"Well, I'm sure you're impressing most people here, I know at least one," he cheekily winked, subtly referring to William. Though the comment passed with a chuckle, and William simply smiled before his friend moved along.

The chatting went on among the large groups of friends, and the girls quickly stroke up the conversation about their Christmas shopping spree they’d done during the day.

"I'm really sorry, sweetie, that you couldn't make it today," Charlie spoke in a gentle tone, offering Julia a friendly smile. She had been spending a lot of time with the other wives and girlfriends lately, and had been feeling a tad guilty about it. However, Julia quickly reassured her that she didn't mind at all and expressed her happiness at seeing Charlie bond so well with the team's partners.

So, she simply chuckled. “Oh, that’s ok - you know what they say; when your boss asks you to work on a weekend, you say yes because he pays you well and you kind of need the money,” she joked, earning a laugh from the girls.

"Maybe some other time, then?" Charlie responded with a smile.

"Absolutely," Julia agreed, and they shared a warm hug before resuming their conversation. 

However, William couldn't help but express a little sympathy for his dear friend, hearing she had missed out on the girls' shopping trip.

"You didn't get to go Christmas shopping?" he asked.

Julia gently shook her head, "No, I had to work all day yesterday… and today… and the same goes for tomorrow." She wore a small, resigned smile. "But I managed to take Monday off, so I'm hoping to make some time to visit a market."

William felt a touch of disappointment on her behalf. He knew how much Julia loved this time of year, and he wanted her to have as much fun as the others. Although he might not be the biggest enthusiast about Christmas, he appreciated the festive atmosphere and the joy it brought to his friends.

"How about we go together?" he then suggested, offering her a warm smile.

"Really? You’d do that?" Julia's eyes sparkled with excitement, and a broad grin lit up her face.

William couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "Sure, why not? I'm not the best at Christmas shopping, but maybe you can give me a hand. I’ll come and pick you up."

"Deal!" Julia exclaimed with delight.

_

And on Monday, as arranged, William showed up to pick up Julia for their trip to the town market. However, when she opened the front door, he couldn't help but notice the redness in her eyes, as if she had been crying a bit.

"Hey, what's going on?" he inquired, stepping into her home.

"Oh, it's nothing," she responded with a slight smile as she put on her shoes and coat. "Just give me a moment to finish up – I'll be ready in a second."

"It doesn't seem like nothing, JJ," William persisted, his concern evident. "Come on, you can talk to me."

But Julia just chuckled softly. "It's really not a big deal, Willy. I've just been up all night, Face Timing with my dad while we watched England play football at the World Cup." She paused to examine her friend, who still appeared worried. "I miss him a lot, Willy... that's all – and it's just a bit tougher this year because I'm all by myself – single, and far from my family," Julia explained with a gentle smile and a soft tone.

William wasn't entirely convinced but decided to let the matter drop with a nod and a sigh as Julia was almost ready to leave. He understood how challenging it must be for her, with the breakup with her fiancé this year and a whole new city with new friends and no family around for the holiday season. However, not wanting to delve deeper and stir up emotions, he chose to make a playful remark instead.

"I like your jersey, by the way," he said with a grin as he noticed her Harry Kane t-shirt hanging on one of the chairs. "But I prefer it when you wear my name on your back."

Julia couldn't help but chuckle as she grabbed her bag and keys and opened the front door. "Well, if you ever become a professional football player – I promise I'll get a shirt with your name on it."

And as they made their way to the market, Julia couldn't resist adding some festive cheer to the car ride by playing some classic Christmas bangers.

"So, you’ve got any favourite Christmas songs?" she inquired, to which William simply shook his head. "Come on, there must be one you like?" She grinned, infusing the car with her holiday spirit.

But William remained nonchalant. "Honestly, I've never been a big fan of Christmas music."

"Oh, my goodness," Julia playfully exaggerated her surprise. "You're a Grinch, aren't you?"

William chuckled, offering a defence. "I'm not a Grinch. I've just never been big on Christmas, you know."

Julia brushed it off with a laugh. "Well, fortunate for you, I've got enough Christmas spirit for both of us." Then she began singing along to the songs, and William, catching the mood, joined in when he knew the words.

Upon arriving at the market, they wandered through the snow-covered scene, savouring the delightful scents of candies and hot chocolate. Fortunately, there weren’t many people there due to it being a weekday, so it was nice and quiet, beside the carols all around. While enjoying their leisurely stroll, they chatted about their childhoods in Scandinavia, sharing Christmas memories and much more.

Their conversations covered a wide range of topics, occasionally pausing to peruse the various items, as Julia was on a mission to find some Christmas decorations for her new place since her recent move.

"You know," William began in a soft voice, "a lot of the players were actually really touched by your offer to join your Christmas evening," he said, flashing a warm smile.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Julia replied. "I just want everyone to have a wonderful Christmas – it's a holiday that means a lot to me, and I guess I just really want to spread some joy and happiness… especially with all the challenges going on in the world."

William couldn't help but admire Julia's spirit. Her heart was brimming with love and care, and he found himself unable to contain his smiles as they strolled through the market.

"Oh, this is adorable," she suddenly exclaimed with excitement, spotting a collection of small figurines.

Meanwhile, William maintained a constant smile as he observed Julia dart from booth to booth, selecting Christmas decorations in all sorts of shapes and colours. And he had to admit, she had quite a good eye for decorations.

"Alright, I don't think I need much more for today," Julia chuckled. "How about you? Do you need anything?"

She glanced at William, who simply shook his head.

"I've told you, I'm not the biggest Christmas fan."

Julia studied her friend for a moment before sighing. "I'm guessing you don't have any decorations at home at all, do you?"

Once again, he shook his head and chuckled.

"Well, come on, Grinch, we've got a few more booths to check out then before I let you off the hook," she teased, before they continued on their merry way.

A few steps away, Julia's attention was captured by another booth selling Christmas ornaments, particularly one that she found beautiful. "Oh, this is gorgeous,” she commented as she held the ornament in her hand, turning it to examine it closely. It depicted a serene white and blue harbour scene with delicate gold text that spelled 'Merry Christmas.' The tiny details in the ornament, from the miniature ships in the harbour to the glittering snow on the rooftops, made it look like a miniature winter wonderland. For some reason, it evoked memories of Copenhagen, her place of birth, where she had spent many memorable Christmases.

However, upon closer inspection, her enthusiasm faded. "Oh, it's not as charming as I thought.”

William couldn't help but chuckle, intrigued by her sudden change of heart. "Why's that?" he inquired, picking up the ornament and letting out an amused "oh" as he glanced at the price tag, realising she might find it a bit pricey for a piece of Christmas decoration.

However, in his playful and helpful way, he simply chuckled and handed it to the vendor across the table. "We'll take it," he said with a wide grin.

"Willy!" Julia exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"What?" he shrugged, grinning. “I’ve got it. Let's consider it my Christmas decoration splurge for the year." He offered her a friendly smile as he made the payment and handed the small bag to Julia to carry. "Although, it'd probably look a lot better at your place, alongside the rest of the decorations."

With a mischievous wink, he managed to elicit another laugh from Julia. "You're an idiot.”

"Yeah, but a lovable idiot,” he quipped.

Julia thanked the man at the booth just before he chimed in. "You've got a great boyfriend there," he said with a friendly smile.

"Oh no," Julia objected with a light chuckle, feeling a hint of awkwardness due to the man's remark. "He's not my boyfriend..." William joined in on the surprised chuckle, and Julia continued, "We're just friends."

The man simply smiled and then corrected himself. "Well, in that case, you've got a great friend."

"I know," she returned a friendly smile before the two friends continued to explore the final part of the market, filled with laughter and joy. And before they knew it, they had completed their delightful stroll, Julia’s hands full of small shopping bags.

"So, what's the plan now?" Julia pondered as she continued walking, unaware of the fact that William had paused just a few steps behind. "Fancy grabbing a hot drink or something?" she called out to the quiet surroundings.

But before she received a response, a swift, chilly surprise made contact with her back, and she let out a startled shriek. A snowball, expertly aimed by William, had found its mark. "Oh, no you didn’t!” she exclaimed, her voice a delightful blend of playfulness and mock outrage. She spun around, her cheeks flushed with the cold, her eyes a mixture of bewilderment and mock sternness. However, all she was met with was William's hearty laughter as he prepared to craft another snowball.

Amidst laughter and the sounds of their friendly snowball battle, Julia swiftly dropped her shopping bags. She scooped up a handful of pristine snow and was just about to launch her own snowball at William when his second shot smacked her shoulder.

In response, she retaliated with a well-aimed shot that hit him squarely in the face, leaving him momentarily stunned. Her eyes danced with triumph as she celebrated her successful assault, her laughter mingling with the pure, wintry ambiance.

But as William snapped out of his momentary surprise, he leaped forward with a laugh. The chase was on, and they were like carefree children in this winter wonderland. Julia made a dash for a large patch of untouched snow, leaving her bags behind as she giggled, her boots crunching the snow beneath them.

Naturally, William outpaced her, and soon caught up, pelting her with snow as she did her best to fight back. Their laughter was a harmonious symphony, and in the midst of their spirited battle, Julia ended up with her hands on her own face, wiping away the snow that had inadvertently ended up there. William seized this moment of distraction and playfully grabbed her by the waist and tossed her into the soft snow. As a defence, she pulled him down alongside her, and as they both landed in the fluffy snow, he ended up on top of her. Then the world seemed to pause for a moment as they lay there, the cold seeping through their clothes but their hearts warmed by the sheer joy of the moment. Their shared laughter faded into contented smiles as they caught their breath.

But as the seconds passed, a man behind William cleared his throat, breaking the spell of their playful entanglement.

"Are you alright, miss?" the man asked, and William quickly got to his feet, facing a stern security guard who had been alerted by the commotion and wanted to ensure it was all in good fun.

"Oh, yes, sir, I'm fine," Julia reassured, her rosy cheeks evidence of the fun she'd been having. William extended a helping hand to get her back on her feet beside him. "We were just messing about."

The guard, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, nodded and left the still-laughing friends.

“Shit,” William chuckled, brushing snow off his clothes.

Julia joined in his chuckle but then exclaimed, "Oh fuck… I'm absolutely drenched..."

"Yeah, me too..." William couldn't stop laughing, and as Julia gathered her bags, they leisurely strolled back towards his car. "So, how about dinner at my place?" William suggested, and Julia playfully turned to look up at him.

"You're always thinking about food, aren't you?” she casually teased. “But I think I really need to go home and take a shower after this," she added with a soft chuckle. 

"You can just shower at my place?" William casually suggested, a soft smirk on his face, which for some reason made Julia smile. How could he always act so nonchalant, she wondered.  

"Uhm, sure, if you don't mind," she timidly replied. 

"Why would I suggest it if I minded?" he chuckled as they reached the car, and Julia stashed the bags in the boot before settling into her usual spot in the passenger seat, quickly checking her makeup in the mirror.  

"Oh, shit..." she exclaimed. "I look like a fucking raccoon, Willy!” 

William took the driver's seat, adopting a playful tone. "Why are you blaming me for that?" he quipped as he turned to his friend, with a hearty laugh. 

"Because you started the bloody snow fight!"

William chuckled again. "Well, at least you're a pretty raccoon. Besides, you have to admit, it was a fun snowball fight."

Julia joined in his laughter. "It certainly was!" 

And with the car once again filled with more Christmas songs, they drove to William's place, both eager for a warm shower and the chance to snuggle up on the sofa. 

Upon arriving at William's place, Pablo and Banksy welcomed them by the front door, and while they both wanted nothing more than to pet the sweet little ones, Julia was desperate to change out of her soaked clothes. 

"How about I take them out for a quick walk while you hop in the shower?” William suggested with a soft smile, and Julia simply nodded with an ‘okay’, mirroring his smile. "You know where everything is?" he added with a chuckle. 

"Yes, Willy, I know where everything is.”  

And as William closed the front door behind him and took the dogs outside, Julia fetched a towel and made her way to the guest bathroom.

Allowing the warm water to cascade over her body, Julia closed her eyes and surrendered to the soothing embrace of the steam. Her body slowly thawed from the icy chill of the snow that William had playfully introduced her to. And as her mind began to wander, she reflected on the wonderful day they'd shared, the sweetness of him gifting her that ornament she adored, the laughter that had accompanied their leisurely stroll, and the fun of their snowball fight. She couldn't help but replay the memory of how he playfully wrapped his arms around her and sent them tumbling into the soft, fluffy snow, ending up incredibly close.

Lost in her thoughts, she smiled under the warm water, blissfully unaware of William's return to the condo. Hearing the sound of the running water he casually made his way into the steam-filled bathroom, where he couldn't help but chuckle as he observed Julia standing there with her eyes closed.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, playfully peeking his head inside the shower, his mischievous grin causing Julia to jump and hastily open her eyes.

"Willy! You've got to stop startling me," she exclaimed, but her reprimand was met with continued laughter from William. "Get out, you twat," she added, though she couldn't keep a straight face as they both shared a hearty laugh, and William made his exit from the bathroom.

As Julia stepped out of the shower, she couldn't help but notice that William, during her quick rinse, had thoughtfully placed a Maple Leafs t-shirt and a pair of joggers on the bathroom counter. A smile naturally crept across her face as she got dressed and then headed to the living room, where she found William shirtless, energetically exploring the contents of the fridge. His impressively fit physique was not lost on her, although she kept her thoughts to herself.

"I didn't know we wore the same size joggers?" she playfully inquired, joining him in the kitchen.

William chuckled at her comment. "To be fair, they belong to my sister," he confessed, his smile shining. "She left them here, and I've just had them in the closet." 

"Well, then please remind me to thank your sister for leaving them here for me to borrow," Julia said with a warm smile.

"Will do," William replied, a soft grin on his face. "Anyways, I'll take a quick shower as well, while you choose a movie and get some snacks ready?"

"Sure, but I thought we were having dinner?" she smiled.

"We'll grab some takeout later. Go ahead and find us a movie," William brushed off her practical suggestion with a casual wave.

"Oh no, don't give me that kind of power," Julia chuckled. "I'll just pick something like Harry Potter, even though I've watched it like a million times," she added. But when she saw the slightly perplexed expression on William's face, her laughter subsided. "What? You've never watched Harry Potter?" she asked in disbelief.

"It's not really my kind of genre..." William attempted to defend himself.

"Oh, dear... I really think I need to reconsider this whole friendship of ours, darling," Julia playfully feigned a disappointed look, causing William to burst into laughter.

"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything – why don’t you just go and put it on."

Julia paused for a moment, offering him a sweet smile.

"Willy, we don't have to watch it if you don't want to."

"JJ, why would I say yes to watching it if I didn't want to," he rhetorically asked.

"Alright," she simply replied, and William then made his way to the bathroom.

While he took his shower, Julia busied herself with gathering snacks and preparing the sofa. She draped a couple of blankets over it and found the movie on one of his numerous streaming services. And of course, following suit, the dogs came to join her.

A wide smile spread across William's face as he re-entered the living room and found all three of them cosily snuggled on the sofa. Taking his place right next to Julia, he wrapped himself in the blankets, drawing a slightly questioning look from her. 

"What? We have to sit close so we can share the snacks," he chuckled. "By the way, how many snacks do we even have here?" he asked, noticing the assortment of popcorn, Gifflar, and gummy bears.

"Well..." Julia admitted with a touch of nervousness, "I've sort of eaten most of your snacks while you were on the road, so I had to restock – and perhaps I went a little overboard."

“A little?” William chuckled, but then simply shook his head before he pulled her closer and pressed play on the film. "I'm just glad you're comfortable here," he almost whispered, his gaze soft as he looked at his friend beside him.

Julia met his gentle expression and returned the smile. "Me too."

As the movie played, William found himself surprisingly engrossed in it, though he couldn't quite pinpoint whether it was the enchanting film that filled him with warmth and comfort, the exhaustion from their adventurous day, the holiday spirit in the air, or simply the pleasant company of Julia.

However, about halfway through the movie, the growling in William's stomach became increasingly persistent, prompting them to order some proper takeout. So, they relished their meal for the remainder of the film, and by the end, they were both on the brink of falling asleep, their tummies content and warmed by the blankets.

"Mm..." Julia softly mumbled. "I really need to get going." She glanced at the clock. It wasn't particularly late, but the darkness had enveloped them, and the unmistakable sound of rain was tapping against the windows.

"Just stay here," William casually suggested, punctuating his words with a yawn.

"I can't, I've got work in the morning," she replied with a smile, her expression slightly pouting.

"Alright, then..." William reluctantly heaved himself up from the sofa. "I guess I'll have to drive you home," he sighed.

"Or you can just lend me your car," Julia playfully suggested, only to be met with an arched eyebrow from William.

"How about you take Pablo and Banksy with us and then go for a walk when you return, two birds, one stone," Julia cheekily proposed, secretly longing to snuggle up with Pablo in the passenger's seat.

"Oh, that's quite a clever idea, isn't it?" William chuckled. "But that actually doesn't sound like a bad plan."

Julia laughed lightly before heading to the bathroom to check on her clothes, which unfortunately weren't entirely dry yet.

"You can just wear what you're wearing right now," William suggested as he followed her into the bathroom. "Just give it back whenever," he shrugged.

Julia offered him a sweet, grateful smile before getting dressed to leave. Despite looking a bit comical in her cosy outfit and high boots, she was grateful for the gesture.

During the ride to her place, the speakers once again played soft Christmas songs, and the atmosphere between the two friends was comfortable and relaxed. And as they arrived at their destination, they both turned to face each other.

“Thank you for today, Willy,” Julia spoke softly. “It truly meant a lot to me.”

“Well, I had a lot of fun as well,” he replied with a soft smile. “I just want you to have a good Christmas here, JJ – I know it’s not easy being away from your family, so I guess I’m just trying to help.”

Julia couldn’t help but being moved by his words. William had a habit of acting all cool and tough when he was out on camera, but when he was with close friends, he’d always be extremely caring and sweet.

“You’re doing an amazing job, Willy… I really do love spending time with you, and it means more to me than you realise.”

The two of them shared another moment of soft intimacy, before Julia made her move to hug him goodnight, bid her farewell to the doodles, and exited the car to grab her bags and rush to the apartment building.

[bagsybaggins]

Chapter 1: The Disappearance

I open my eyes, staring out the window as I wait for the bell to ring. It was the most boring class of the day, Math. But I still had my good grades to keep Mom happy, even though Dustin always got better grades than me.

Not that I cared about that.

Sure Mom cared about the good grades the 'reputation' of being a good kid and all that shmuck. But I am not exactly a good kid. Not that anyone knows of what I've done. Not even my little brother who is 4 years younger than me, and I tell practically everything.

But Hopper does, and some of the other police officers do. 

But Hopper has 'taken care of it'. I'm not sure exactly what he means by that, but I trust him. After all, he was my dad's best friend. At least he was until my dad died. And after that happened, I wasn't exactly okay. I'll admit, I acted out. Didn't deal with the whole grieving thing properly. Got into picking locks and stealing occasionally.

But I stopped doing that, a while ago actually! I swear.

"Dare! Have you seen my supercomm?" I hear my little brother yell from his room.

I snicker as I toss his walkie under my bed, making sure that I had turned it off.

"Haven't seen it Dusty! Maybe ask Mom for a new one!" I smile as I hear him cursing under his breath, turning into my room's doorway.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for school too?" He asks as he notices me laying on my bed, with a book in my hand.

I roll my eyes, kicking my feet over the side while closing the book. "I've been waiting for you, you dork."

He rolls his eyes. "I needed to find my super-"

"Mom will get you another one Dusty, don't worry about it. Hell, I'll get you one if you just move your butt so we can go." I say as I walk towards him, slowly pushing him out of my room.

He sighs and nods his head, turning into his room. 

"I'll be waiting!"

"Are you going to be at the campaign Sunday?" I hear him ask as I swing my bag over my shoulder, heading towards the door.

I click my tongue as I swing the front door open, hearing his footsteps rushing after me. "Well I have a dinner date with myself at 6:30, and a midnight slumber party including me myself and I. But I think I can rearrange the dinner for another day." I grin as I look at him over my shoulder, noticing his false glare directed at me.

"Ah, you know I wouldn't miss this one for the world Dusty. We've been planning this for what, months? I'll be there, and I'll even order pizza!" I throw my arm over his shoulders and rub my knuckles into his head, knocking off his hat.

He laughs as he shoves my hands away, giving me a nudge with his elbow. "Well good, we'll need you to help us win the fight. Do you think Mike-"

He rambles on but I glance down the street, noticing the familiar car that I had seen many times before.

"Hey Dusty, why don't you start peddling to school before you're late. I'll catch up." I say as I push my bike off the lawn, towards Hopper's car. I hear him mutter an okay, but I can feel his eyes on me as I hop on my bike.

"I haven't committed any crimes Hop, I swear," I state loudly as I press on my break, slowing down as he steps out of the car.

He chuckles down at me, shaking his head. "I would hope so Kid. But I'm here to give you something, for staying clean for so long. Or something like that."

He reached into his car, pulling out a hat. It was dark army green, and it had some pins in it. One flag pin on the right side, with a small bronze star next to it. 

"It was mine, but your dad added that to it." He said as he pointed to the other side of the hat.

I turned it and stared at the words that seemed to be embroidered on the left side of the hat. Stretching from the front to back.

"I didn't know Dad could sew," I mutter, and Hopper laughs softly.

"Was full of surprises."

I run my thumb over the wording, feeling the bumps and the smoothness of the string.

'All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.'

I scoff a laugh as I realize where they were from. "Of course, he put a quote from his favorite Disney film."

"And he put it on my cap, not his. Thought you would want to wear it since he lost his original one." 

I nod my head with a smile, turning to look up at him. "Thanks, Hop."

He pats my shoulder. "Not a problem Kid. Promised your old man I'd look after you, and Dustin. Though he never warned me of how much trouble you'd get into."

Grinning widely, I place the cap on my head, moving my light brown hair behind my ears. "He was good at keeping secrets, but I think he just thought you knew. Besides, my first word was ‘dare’, remember?"

He shakes his head with a snort, "I remember, he wouldn’t shut up about it either. You're just like him Kid. Stalling to try and get out of school."

Pushing on the bike peddle, I smile as I start rolling down the hill. "I'm not stalling! And I won't be late for school! Later Hop!"

"Later Kid!" I hear him yell as I turn the corner, sighing as I see four kids waiting for me on their bikes.

"I thought I told you to go ahead!" I glare at Dustin as I slowly pass them.

"What was that about?" Dustin asked, dodging what I had said.

"He was telling me to keep out of trouble. Said he didn't want to arrest me again for picking another lock at the little corner store. That and he wanted to give me this hat." I explain as Will speeds up and looks at me in shock.

"You've been arrested?" 

"Yeah-" "No you haven't!" Dustin yells, and I roll my eyes.

"But why'd he give you a hat? It's kinda a weird thing to do." Mike says as he moves to my other side.

"It was something that Dad had for a bit. He thought I would like it." We turn the corner, and I can hear Dustin's bike move up next to mine.

"Why do you get something of Dad's?" He asks, causing me to scoff.

"Look Dork, I said it was something dad had for a bit. It's Hopper's old army hat, I think. But Dad stitched it a Peter Pan quote and so Hop gave it to me." I look over at him and give him a look. "And you have multiple things of Dad's. But you lose them! So I keep them safe until you stop losing your junk." 

He frowns, opening his mouth to say something before Lucas interrupts. "She's not wrong. You already lost your Supercomm this morning."

Dustin sighs and nods. "Fine, alright. But why does Hop come to visit you? You still haven't told me that!"

"What do you mean I haven't told you? You know why he does."

Dustin gives me a look and shakes his head. "No, you haven't. Every time I ask, you just say it's because he was friends with Dad."

I groan as School comes into view, a bubbling feeling of math equations sends my stomach into knots.

"He is- was. But he promised to make sure we didn't into trouble. That and it was to help Mom take a load off so she could watch you more. I just got into trouble."

And before Dustin could say anything else, I push on towards the High School, dodging people and cars. 

"BYE, BOYS! SEE YOU LATER!" I yell as I wave to them.

"BYE DARE!" "YOU NEED TO TELL ME ONE DAY!" 

I laugh at Dustin's voice, rolling my eyes as I press on my breaks, slowing down at the bike stand. I hop off, inhaling deeply as I feel a slight burning in my chest tighten up. I hold my breath, leaning against my bike as I try to shift the feeling away. After ten seconds I exhale, the feeling lingers but it wasn't as bad anymore.

"Hey, Dare!" 

I turn my head, giving Nancy a thin smile as the urge to cough erupts from my lungs. And she notices it, like always. As she sends me a look, I sigh and let myself have a small mild coughing fit.

"You need to stop doing that. It's not good for you." Nancy says as she pats my back. 

I shake my head as I slowly stop coughing, my throat hurting from it. I give her a smirk as I grab my bag from the front of my bike. "I was told to do that, by a doctor Nanc. It's supposed to help me grow out of having asthma. Or something."

"Well." She looks at me before she adjusts her books. "I think that's a lie."

I laugh as Barb comes out of her car, a smile on her face. "What's a lie?" 

"Nance says my doctor's tips for getting rid of Asthma are fake," I explain as we walk into the hell pit called school.

No, I don't like school. But hey, It's that or child labor.

"I mean, sometimes doctors can be wrong about things," Barb says as I dodge another basketball player, who doesn't know how to walk.

"Yeah, but they should know what helps or not, right? I mean, they studied it for how long to get a doctorate?" I ask as I stop at my locker, which was next to Nancy's thankfully. Can't stand my other locker neighbor though.

"Look, I'm not saying he's lying. I'm just saying that it doesn't help to not breathe. Or to hold back a cough. Where is your inhaler?" Nancy asks as she leans back to look past my locker door.

"It's in my bag, and the nurse has my other one just in case. But I've been fine so far without it Nance, Stop worrying. If it gets bad I'll use it. But, now that I think about it," I pause as I take out my inhaler and shake it. "I don't remember when I last had an asthma attack."

"It was last week, on Monday. You laughed too hard after you saw one of the cheerleaders slip on milk and flipped her skirt, and her entire lunch onto herself. Which I think was sloppy joe day." Barb recites from memory, squinter her eyes as she recalls the incident.

I snort, laughing as I remember it. And like before, I feel my chest tighten and I feel my breath shortening. I hastily cough as I shake my inhaler, Nancy, and Barb rubs my back as I inhale deeply with my inhaler. 

"Thanks." I croak, coughing once more. "I needed that laugh."

Nancy sighed heavily while Barb nodded, understanding what I had meant.

"Yeah well, don't leave your inhaler in your bag. I want you to carry it with you at least." Nancy says as she closes her locker, holding her first and second classes books. As she turns to me, I close my locker and I see her looking at my hat. "Where did you get that?"

I smile as I flick the front up a little. "A friend of my dad's gave it to me, said my dad had it," I explain, before waving off their questioning looks. "It's a long story, but it's mine now. that's all that matters."

Barb nods her head quickly. "Alright, well I think it suits you. But I think we should head to class before we're late."

Nancy nods her head and I pat her shoulder as I walk around her. "Don't worry Nance! I won't have another attack so soon. It's uncommon-"

I later did have another attack in my first class. Someone had sprayed too much bad cologne and I ended up having to leave the room for a few minutes.

---

"What did I tell you, I knew-"

I sit my lunch down and wave my hands around. "I'm sorry Nancy! You were right! But I wouldn't have had another attack if SOMEONE DIDN'T HAVE THAT CRAPPY COLOGNE THAT CAUSED ME TO HAVE A COUGHING FIT!" I yell as I slowly look over at the basketball team. 

The one who had the bad cologne ducked his head down in embarrassment because he had to use the showers to wash it off. The teacher had almost given him detention but I said it was fine.

Nancy puts he hand on my arm, causing me to stop and look at her. She gives me a look, one that tells me to stop. Like, a mom glare. 

"Well, I'm glad you're okay. Are you going to need a refill sometime soon? I'm sure Mom might have some at our house when you left it there."

I sigh with a smile, shaking my head while reaching into my jacket pocket. I bring out my inhaler and shake it. "No, I should be good for the rest of the night. Besides I can just sneak in and take my other inhaler from the nurse's office if I need to."

I see Nancy and Barb look at me, and I pause as I realize what I had said. 

"Guy's I was joking! I wouldn't break into the school for that! I have some more at home. I'll be okay!" I exclaim as I sit down next to them, shoving my inhaler back in my pocket.

'I wouldn't break into school again.' I silently repeat in my head as I open my milk.

Nancy and Barb shake their heads with smiles on their faces, looking down at the lunch and beginning to eat. 

"I wouldn't doubt if you did do that Dare. You've done some crazy things." Nancy says as she gives me a side glance.

I scoff and look at her. "And what are you insinuating that I've done Nance?"

She hums as she looks at Barb, who snorts in response. 

"Great, you're teaming up against me." I look down at my tray, frowning when I realize I forgot to grab a fork.

"Hey, if you ever need to run to pick up a refill, just call me. I'll come to pick you up." Barb says as points her finger at me.

I nod my head as I stand up. "Thanks, Barb. At least someone has my back."

Nancy laughs as she looks at me. "I got your back, Dare. Wait, where are you going?"

I wave my hand as I head back towards the lunch line. "I forgot my fork, I'll be right back."

"DO YOU HAVE YOUR INHALER?" She yelled, to which I glare at her from over my shoulder.

Now, you should pay attention to where you're walking. But I wasn't because I was glaring at her, so I ended up hitting one of the small brick pillars that are in the middle of the room.

"Whoa, are you okay?" I hear someone ask as I rub my nose.

I turn to my right as I hear the small sound of the music being blasted through headphones. A guy, with brown curly-haired mullet, and brown eyes. He looked at me with his brows furrowed, his hands holding his tray.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I think." I scrunch my nose as I take my hand away. "Quick question, am I bleeding?"

He blinks at me before I notice his eyes slip down slightly, and he shakes his head. "No, I think you didn't hit it hard enough." He smiles as he looks back up at my eyes. 

I sigh. "Damn, no chance of getting sent home then."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't think so, but you could try again."

I laugh shaking my head. "I think I won't but thanks. Have a good lunch-" I pause leaning forward, grabbing his fork, and trying to hear the song that was playing through the headphones around his neck. "Oh is that Def Leppard? Rock of Ages right?"

He blinks as he visibly stills for a moment, I lean back tapping my fingers against the fork I had taken. 

"Uh, yeah it is. I didn't think anyone else here listened to them." He mutters a patch of pink lightly crawling up his neck. 

Shit, he's embarrassed. Didn't mean to do that, whatever I did. 

"Well, guess you were wrong. They're good, but I've only heard a few of their songs on the radio." I explain as I slowly step back.

He grins, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. "Their album's really good! I can lend it to you if you'd like to listen to it-"

I laugh and shake my head. "Maybe some other time, but I gotta head back to my friends before they start having a panic attack. If I'm gone everything goes wrong, ya know?"

I can see his face fall, just slightly before he smiles again and nods his head. "Yeah, I'll bring the cassette another time."

I smile. "Yeah, thanks." I turn around, walking back to my table with Nancy and Barb watching me. I quickly turn around and lift the fork, twirling it around in my fingers.

"Oh and thanks for the fork!" I say as he turns back around, quickly glancing at his tray. I giggle as his mouth drops in shock as he looks back at me, and he smiles and shakes his head.

I speed walk back to my table, dodging another person holding their tray. As I sit back down, Nancy and Barb raise their brow at me.

"What?" I ask as I eat my crappy school spaghetti that barely has any sauce on it. 

"Who was that?" Barb asks.

"And what was that?" Nancy smiles with a devious look on her face.

I lean back from her as I twirl another strand of spaghetti onto the fork. "No idea what their name is, and that was me grabbing their fork instead of going back to grab a new one."

Nancy and Barb give me a look that just translates to, really?

"What?" I look at the two of them.

"What was that whole, leaning into him thing? Do you like him?" Nancy asks as her voice grows quieter as she leans closer.

I blink slowly and take another bite.

"He was playing a good song on his headphones. I leaned closer so I could hear it, it sounded familiar. And no, I don't like him, I don't even know his name. Yeesh, Nance, not everyone thinks about dating someone." I say as I give a look.

Barb looks at Nancy with a raised brow, and Nancy's eyes are blown wide.

"Wait- no, I don't think about-" Nancy tries to explain, but we cut her off by looking over at Steve Harrington's table.

He waves his hand as Nancy looks at where we had turned to, smiling at her before turning back to his friends. Nancy, in turn, blushes as she turns back around and looks down at her food. 

"Not think about dating huh?" I mutter as Nancy starts pushing her food around.

Barb snickers as she opened her book, pulling out a sheet of homework.

"Shut up." Nancy murmurs as she gives me a false glare, one that holds no bite to her 'mom' glares.

I smirk as our table falls silent, the two either invested in their food or their homework. I exhale silently, looking up from the table as I lift my milk with my left hand, still holding my fork in my right. My gaze shifts from table to table as I slowly drink my milk, and then I see him again. His headphones were on, sitting at the end of a loner's table his bag in the seat next to him. I press back a smile as I see him trying to twirl his new fork in his hand.

He slowly lifts his head, his lips mouthing whatever song had been blaring through his headphones. His eyes look away from his hands, and we meet gazes. I smirk as I lift my stolen fork, and salute him with it as subtly as possible. His lips twitch upwards and I turn away as I snicker to myself.

"Why are you laughing?" Barb asks, her gaze not leaving her homework.

I turn to her as Nancy looks over at me. I click my tongue and blurt out the first thing that popped into my head.

"I was thinking about T rex's trying to fist fight, but their arms don't even stretch that far so they just kinda lean back and slap each other's hands like this," I say as I lean back, bringing my arms close to my chest and flapping my hands around.

Barb and Nancy stare at me for a moment, before they turn to each other. Then our little trio bursts out laughing at my ridiculousness. I smile as I glance over at his spot, feeling a twinge in my gut when I see he wasn't there anymore. 

---

"No, I'm fine Mom! I didn't have any asthma attacks at school. I promise!" I say as I walk out of my room, to my panicking mother. 

"But they called and said you did! Twice!" She said as she turns to me.

I sigh and shake my head. 

'It was actually three times, but no need to correct her.'

"They lied Mom! They just want you to try and get me to be homeschooled. They don't want me to beat the highest grades or something. I was fine all day. I swear." I smile as I hug her quickly.

I see Dustin raise his brow at me from the kitchen, and I glare at him.

"Alright, Dare-bear. If you're sure. I'll be back later after bingo night is done." She kisses my cheek quickly as we part from our hug.

I shake my head. "I don't know why you play bingo Mom. You're not that old. Grandma's play Bingo, everyone knows that."

She smiles as she kisses Dustin's cheek, grabs her purse, and heads toward the door. "Don't flatter me, dear, I'm still going to take you for another visit to the doctors tomorrow."

My neck cracks as I look over at her, a feeling of panic filling me. "Sunday? I can't we-"

I feel my lungs constricting, her back still turned to me, but Dustin noticed.

"We have a campaign Sunday Mom, we can't cancel it! She can go after that!" Dustin comes to my safety as he walks to the door, skillfully moving her out so she couldn't see me.

I hold my breath, closing my eyes as I try to focus on counting. Drowning their words. When I slowly exhale, I fall into a wheezing coughing fit. My eyes water with each cough, and I feel my inhaler being shoved into my hand. I quickly inhale, the sound coming back into my ears. I slowly calm down again.

I slowly look at Dustin, nodding in thanks as the attack dissipates. 

"She still doesn't know about it?" He asks as he sits down beside me.

I shake my head. "I try to explain, but she doesn't quite get it. Fear of the hospital is normal, you'll be fine. I just try to push through it."

He nods his head and I smile. "Thanks, for the cover."

He smiles at me, and I chuckle. 

"I owe you one, ya I know," I murmur before I pull him into a hug. "But really, thanks."

"No problem, you're my sister. Plus, we can't lose our rogue right before the campaign." He says.

I laugh, shoving him away and shaking my head. 

"Whatever nerd, go get ready for bed. We're heading out early on Sunday, gotta go grab something from the store before we head over." I stand up, stifling a yawn as I look over at the clock.

"What are you grabbing?" He asks.

"Girl stuff." I look at him from the corner of my eye, smiling as he falls silent with a confused look on his face.

And then light bulb, he hastily says good night and runs to his room. I laugh silently as I walk to my room, muttering a 'night' through his door. I open my door and shut it, falling onto my bed with a slight bounce. I stare at the ceiling before clicking my tongue and turning onto my side, reaching down at the bottom of my nightstand and shuffling through my books. When I see my yearbooks from middle school, I smile, grabbing them and throwing them down next to me.

I sit up as I grab the oldest one, with little sharpie doodles on the cover and sides. I chuckle at the monkey drawing I had drawn in a bright pink sharpie. I open the cover and slowly sift through it to find a familiar face, that I had yet to put a name to. And page after page, I begin to frown in concentration looking at each face slowly.

When I turn to the M's, I finally see him. At the bottom right corner. 

"Eddie Munson huh," I mutter aloud as I look at the fourth-grade picture.

I smile as I flip through the book, smiling at pictures of Nancy and Barbra. They were all ahead of me by one year, I was one year behind despite being the same age. I had been born at the end of the year, December 28th to be exact. Of 1967. We were friends because of Dustin and Mike. I didn't have any friends because I had been sick, and so when Dustin was invited over by Mike, I tagged along. That's where I met Nancy and Barbra, and we've been friends ever since.

But, when I was supposed to be attending my first year of kindergarten, I ended up getting pneumonia. I fell into a coma for six months, missing my fifth birthday, and too much school to start first grade the next year. I mean, I could have gone to first grade with them. But my dad didn't want that, said I should get the joy of Kindergarten first.

And then halfway through kindergarten, Dad died. I was six, and Dustin was barely two.

I exhale shakily as the memories try to resurface, but I ignore them. I flip through the pages, looking at the pictures of different events that happened during that year. A Halloween costume competition. Thanksgiving lunch with little finger turkeys littering the walls. A Christmas choir concert and I couldn't help but notice the boy who stood up in the front. My memory was fuzzy from that, but I did remember someone had hit a really high note. 

And it had been him.

I giggle at the thought that that little head-shaven boy had grown a mullet. He had been good at singing from what I remember. I mean that high note, wow. 

I slowly close the book and I knock them to the ground, knowing that I would accidentally step on them tomorrow. I smiled as I turned onto my side, pulling the covers out from under me. I slowly drift to sleep, knowing that I would be his friend before this year was over.

---

I curse wildly as I bounce around on one foot, having stepped on the damn yearbooks. I huff and glare down at them, before noticing that they had fallen open.

"Oh shit, I forgot Jonathan existed," I say in awe at the bowl cut he had been sporting back in fourth grade.

"Dare! Dare, you up?" I hear Dustin yell from beyond the door.

"Yeah?" I yell back, kneeling down and closing the book. 

"Wanna get breakfast before we head out? Mom made eggs and bacon." He said before I look at the door.

"BACON?" I yell, before throwing the books back under my nightstand, and running to my door.

"Move Nerd, there's bacon." I push past him, heading to the kitchen.

I pause as I realize that there was in fact no Bacon. And Mom wasn't even in the kitchen. I slowly turn to Dustin who smiled.

"Can I request Bacon with eggs?" He asks as I glare at him.

I stare at him, not moving, and watch as he slowly loses his smile.

"Fine, but you owe me," I say quickly as I walk into the kitchen and open the cupboard. 

I hear him sigh in relief before he sits down at the table. 

"So where's mom?" I ask as I open the fridge, pulling out the eggs and bacon. 

He shrugs. "I think she went shopping. At the thingy store."

I look at him as I click my tongue, cracking an egg into the pan. "The thingy store?"

He nods. "The store where she got that, I forgot what- wait. Antique store! She's there."

I sighed heavily and shake my head. "So we'll come home to what, another weird cat statue maybe?"

He shrugs. "Or maybe she'll find another 'rare' plate. I don't think we even have a normal set."

I wince as I start scrambling the eggs. "Yeah, that's my fault. I had used them for target practice."

"What?"

I freeze before correcting the previous statement. "We had used them for target practice. Dad and I. Before and after I had Pneumonia. Which sucked, by the way, don't ever get it."

He nods his head. "I know you told me that before. I keep forgetting that Dad had taught you to shoot when you were five." He frowns.

I shrug. "Dad was paranoid for some reason, the whole PTSD thing ya know? But yeah that was weird." I hum as I think back on trying to shoot our plates. 

"I couldn't hold the gun ya know. I was too small, and it would keep flying out of my hand. it was fun, except it was really loud." I say fondly with a smile.

Dustin smiles thinly.

"Hey," I put my hand on his shoulder as he looks up at me. "You might not have had a lot of time with him, and neither did I. But we still have his pictures. And you are almost a replica of him you know. Mom might not say it, but you really do look like him. Except you got Mom's eyes and her hair. I got his eyes and hair," I pause as I frown. "But where did I get my asthma?"

Dustin chuckles and shakes his head. "I know, but I wish I had at least a memory with him before he died in the crash."

I inhale sharply before covering it with a fake hiccup, yes I have mastered the art of fake hiccupping and it's something everyone should do.

"Yeah, I wish you did too. He definitely would have helped you with that radio project that you have going on. He would have also provided the snacks. He had a major sweet tooth." I smiled.

"Really? A sweet tooth?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "Oh yeah, he carried around candy in his pockets all day. By the time the day was over, they would be gone. Anything sweet, he'd eat it. He enjoyed ring pops, suckers, candy canes, anything." I pause for a moment. "I think his favorite candy was 3 Musketeers."

Dustin's eyes lit up. "We like the same chocolate?"

I smile. "Yeah, he would only eat that type of chocolate. But candy, that was limitless. So long as it was sweet."

---

"Wait there for me Dustin, I'll be right back!" I yell as I hop off my bike, running into the music store. 

I cringe as the abundance of Elvis was on display. I walk around it, looking at the plastic labels for anything other than oldies music.

"If you're looking for Def Leppard-" I jump as I hear a voice say from the isle behind me. 

Eddie's head peeks out from above the self, a smile spread across his face. "-I'll be willing to lend you mine as I said."

"Jesus Joe Cricket, you scared the fuck out of me Eddie," I say as I wheeze lightly, my hand on my racing heart, ignoring the look he gave me. "I thought a ghost was talking to me for a second."

"An interesting selection of words, most people say Jesus H Christ you know." He said as he walked around the aisle toward me. "You know my name?"

I cross my arm, mimicking his stance, and nod my head. "Yeah, there's no one else named Eddie who hit that high note back in our fourth-grade choir class."

His smirk shifted into an embarrassed smile, pink spreading to his cheeks. "And that apparently."

I laugh and shake my head. "No, I looked you up in the yearbook. I'm terrible with names honestly. But the high note? Man, that's something you should be proud of. It was killer, no one else could have made that without some helium."

He looks at me through his hair, raising a brow. "Really?"

I nod my head rapidly, lightly hitting his shoulder. "Hell ya, it was great! I wouldn't be able to do that, so yeah it's awesome."

He smiles, nodding his head while looking down at the shelf. His fingers tap against some of the cassettes. I tap my foot to the song playing in the store, a rock song by a band I didn't recognize.

"Here, your copy of it." He said abruptly as he held out a cassette to me.

I glance down at it and notice that it was Pyromania, the Def Leppard album that he had been listening to the first time we met. I take it from it, turn it over, see the band on the back, and smile. 

"You know," I pause looking at him. "I think you would rock the long hairdo."

He stares at me for a moment before laughing, his hand drifting towards his mullet. "My hair not looking good? Is that what you're saying?"

I shake my head. "No, no-"

"So it's not good?"

I nudge his arm as he laughs loudly. "That's not what I'm saying! I just meant that it would look good on you. Not a lot of people can pull it off you know."

There's a moment of silence before he asks, "You really think so?"

Nodding my head, "Definitely. It would be wicked."

He nods his head before I see the clock above the door. My eyes widen as I realize the time. "Oh shit! I'm gonna be late, they're gonna kill me."

I put the cassette back on the shelf and turn to him with a smile. "It's been great seeing you Eds, but I got a campaign to get to." And I walk past him towards the door.

"Wait! Your cassette." He says while he held it back out to me. 

Shaking my head with a smile, I reply. "No, I think I'll borrow the one I was offered. We can talk more the next time we meet! Bye Eds!" I open the door and walk out. 

"Bye, YN."

---

"Okay! Break time!" I exclaim as I lean back in my chair, wincing at the verbal cracking in my back.

"We can't take a break yet! We're almost at the dragon keep!" Lucas said as he looked over at me.

 I stand up and cross my arms. "We are taking a five-minute break. I can hear your stomach growling like it hasn't eaten in two days. So we are grabbing the pizza and the drinks. Plus, I need a pee break and I need Nance to answer the diabolical question for Mr. Pickles's homework assignment."

"There's a teacher named Mr. Pickles?" Will asks.

I sigh. "No, I just call him that because he smells like Pickles, and so does his classroom. Now, five-minute break!" I clap my hands and usher them upstairs.

"Oh, you're coming out of the cave, how's everything going?" Mrs. Wheeler asks as she opens the fridge door.

I sigh as the boys answer, noticing how she tries to hold her smile as they talk about the campaign. 

"I got them out Mrs. Wheeler, for a short time. We need food to tame the hunger of the monsters they call stomachs." I smile.

She smiles at me, patting my shoulder. "Thank you for that dear."

"No problem, but I gotta go ask Nance something real quick," I state before moving around her and running up the stairs. "Nance! I got a question."

I open the door and walk in, falling onto her bed with a groan. She looks over at me from her desk, raising her brow.

"Is it already done?" She asks as she stands from her chair and sits next to my head. 

"No, I just demanded a break. Anyway, I was wondering." I pause as I try to think of my question again. "Oh right, Mr. Pickles gave me homework, and there's one problem I can't figure out. It's got like 50 melons and the cost of one is 5, but then the inflation is like, 2.2 or something. What do I do?"

She stares down at me before laughing. "Really? That's your question?"

I smile and shake my head before sitting up. "Nope, what up with you and Steve?"

---

"Wait, guys!" I yell as Will and Dustin start racing. "Guys, don't leave me! I have asthma!"

Muttering a curse I try to push myself to catch up with them, and I manage to catch up to Dustin as he stops at our corner.

"I want your X-Men 134!" I hear Will shout as I stop next to Dustin, wheezing.

"Shit," Dustin says, before looking at me. "Fuck, where's your inhaler!"

I flip him off, peddling forward slowly, digging into my pocket for my inhaler. I hear him apologizing but I wave him off, trying to breathe again. 

"Whatever. Do you think we beat it?" I ask as we go to our house.

He shakes his head. "No, we didn't. Will found the other dice, it was a seven. We lost."

Cursing again I crack my neck as I press on the breaks, stopping in our driveway. Dustin's breaks squeak loudly and I wince. "We should fix that."

He shrugs as we head to the door, ready to go to bed after a long campaign.

"Hey Mom, We're home!"

[Next Chapter]

[useless-bi-otch]

Cookies'n Cream - Chapter 16

Last chapter / MasterList / art by @aneenasevla

Chapter 16 - Five Points Less

EggHead:

hey guys

wya?

Lihito was the first to see the message in the group chat, feeling his phone vibrate inside his sweatshirt pocket. He picked it up, half absently, concentrating primarily on lifting the drink to his mouth and taking a long sip. And that turned out to be a bad idea, because as soon as he saw who had sent the message, the ingested liquid remade all the way to his nostrils and came out like a fountain, wetting the counter and making Kaneda, sitting next to him, almost fall backwards with fright.

“Good heavens, Rihito! What's wrong?!," He asks in alarm while Rihito has a coughing fit.

"O-Oku-bo-ho-ho-ho...!"

"What? I didn't understand anything! Want something to wet your throat? Maybe a water..."

"Damn it, if- if I get any more wet I'll drown!," Lihito coughs a few more times, hitting his chest with his fist. "It's- It's Okubo! He sent a message at the group chat asking where we are..."

"What? Serious?," Kaneda immediately grabs his phone, clicking on the notification that appeared to be redirected to the chat, his face tense with concern. "But it's barely midnight! Did something go wrong?"

"Don't even joke with something like that! I swear, if that bald fucker messes with his own mojo again, I'll fuck him up!," He starts typing, grinding his teeth angrily. Himuro, having finished serving the other customers sitting at the counter, approaches them while wiping sweat off a whiskey bottle.

"Hey, what's with all the yelling?It won't take long until my boss concludes that you've had too much to drink and tells me to throw you both out..."

"It's Okubo, Himuro. He just texted, asking where we are,” Kaneda explains as he pats Rihito on the back, who was still coughing and sniffling. Himuro widened his eyes.

"Huh? For real? At this time he should be taking Miss Uta to a five-star motel or something, not texting us!"

"And why do you think I'm pissed off like that? I didn't humiliate myself and got mistaken by a stalker that Sunday, under a downpour, for him to fuck with this second chance!," Rihito declares, outraged, while responding to the texts.

Mr_Iron_Fingers:

we're at Dai-Uchu-Sakaba

why? shouldn't you be with miss uta?

you didn’t do anything stupid, did you?

if you did then don't even show your face here!

or I swear I’ll kick your ass til my foot comes outta your mouth!

EggHead:

LMAO

dude calm down

are you pmsing or something?

nothing happened, chill out

anyway, I already imagined that you were at the bar

i'm on my way

i'll be there in 5 min

"What did he answer?," Himuro asks, watching them check their messages while returning the bottle to one of the liquor cabinets. Rihito and Kaneda exchange glances before turning back to him, now decidedly confused.

"He said that nothing happened and that we need to chill..."

“But if the date didn't go downhill, why is he coming here instead of being there with her, lying on one of those round motel beds, being ridden like the donkey he is?" 

"Rihito, keep your voice down...!"

"Maybe he got drunk again, this time somewhere else," Himuro muses, a hand under his chin, to which Rihito and Kaneda wince.

"Don't even joke about that, gigolo! To err is human, but to repeat the mistake is to be a dumbfuck," Rihito growls, pointing to his phone screen. Kaneda shakes his head.

"I don't know… these messages aren't full of grammatical errors, which is what happens when he drinks. And anyway, he wouldn't have laughed at Rihito's irritation like that if things had gone badly, would he?," He shows the screen of his phone to Himuro, who leans a little over the counter and frowns.

"Yeah, when you put it like that..."

"Wait, but if that means everything worked out...," Rihito goes back to reading the messages that Okubo had sent, this time with more attention. And then he lets out a hiss through his teeth, followed by a laugh. "Damn, age came early for that bastard, huh. Dude's not even in his forties, but apparently he still can't keep it up for to long, hehehahaha!"

"Lower your voice, Rihito...!," Kaneda asks again in a hiss, turning a little red. Himuro, on the other hand, joins Rihito in laughing.

"And you'd think that, since his date is a hella cute girl, he would feel more motivated. But no, it must've been too much for him."

"I know, right! Guess that's his shortcoming... or more like 'shortcuming'!"

"You two are horrible...," Kaneda shakes his head, disapproving, while Rihito and Himuro burst out laughing. Rihito takes another sip from his glass as Himuro clears his throat to contain himself.

“We're kidding, Kaneda. It's sort of our group's official coping mechanism, you should've learned that by now."

"That's right. And honestly, I'd rather think he jumped the gun in the middle of the deed than think he screwed up the last chance he had to win Miss Uta back," Rihito confesses, now getting serious. "I don't think I can convince her to hear the same excuses a second time."

“Then let's not wait for the worst. He should already be arriving, it's been almost five minutes since the last message he sent," ​​Himuro puts the cloth over his right shoulder. "I'll attend to the other customers. Keep an eye on the door in the meantime, because if he arrives shitfaced, you'll have to stop him from getting in."

"And what do we get for doing a job that should be yours, huh?"

"A pat on the shoulder and a 'thanks, bro'."

"Redo the offer with 'the nightcap is on the house' and then we can negotiate."

"No chance. I need this job more than you need to drink for free," Himuro snorts, going back to where the other customers were, while Rihito and Kaneda turned their backs to the bar counter, still seated.

"I swear, Kaneda, if that motherfucker shows up drunk or crying his eyes out, I'll beat him 'till candy comes out," Rihito grunts. "I reached my tolerance limit for drunk crybabies that Saturday and I don't give a fuck if said crybaby is my friend or not."

"Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and wait for him to show up," Kaneda takes a sip of his drink, seeming to be preparing himself for what was to come. "But if he really screwed up a second time…"

The two looked at each other, making a mutual and silent agreement. If Okubo had screwed thing up again, none of them would have any pity. The group beating would be monumental.

And it doesn't take more than a few minutes for Okubo to finally show up at the bar, having to lower his head a little to cross the archway. He sighs, straightening up and looking directly at the counter. He raises an arm in the air at the sight of his friends. Himuro, finishing pouring a customer's glass, visibly relaxes.

"Okay, he doesn't look drunk or emotionally broken. I'll let the cleaning staff know they won't have to keep an eye for his car this time around..."

"Okubo!," Kaneda waves too, getting up from his seat and going to his friend. "You almost gave us a heartattack with that message of yours!"

"Yeah! You even made Kaneda choke on his beer, dude sprayed the whole fucking counter-ouch!," Rihito, who had also gotten up, screeches when Kaneda hits his shin with a quick and accurate kick. "Fuck you, you two-faced fox! Anyway, what are you doing here? Where is Miss Uta?"

They watch apprehensively as Okubo's expression turns intensely serious. He clenches and unclenches his fists, clenching his mouth in a hard line and swallowing hard. From the counter, Himuro frowns, while Rihito widens his eyes in disbelief, and Kaneda's shoulders slump.

"Oh no, man...," Rihito babbles as Kaneda approaches, his expression saddened, raising a hand to touch Okubo's arm.

"Gods, Okubo…don't- don't be like that, we're here for you and- Whoa!," And he yell, alarmed, when Okubo throws his arms around his torso as if he wants to do a wrestling move on him. What he does, however, is lift him into the air in a tight hug, whereupon Kaneda automatically kicks his legs up, eyes wide.

"Argh! O-Okubo, you're suffocating me...! W-What are you even...!"

"Holy shit, Kaneda... holy shit, guys...!," Okubo babbles, his voice squeaky, sniffing hard before declaring for the entire bar to hear, "Today was one of the best nights of my life!"

"Wha- seriously? So it all worked out?!," Rihito exclaims, his entire face lighting up as a huge smile breaks out. Okubo nods enthusiastically, making Kaneda, who was already turning red from lack of air, shake himself all over.

"It did, man! Fuck, I can't even believe it...!" 

"Hell yeah! Guys!," Rihito shouts for the entire bar to hear, raising his fists in the air. "Our mate here had a kick-ass date with a girl! He's going to buy everyone a round of booze to celebrate!"

"The fuck I'm going! I spent all the money I had available in my personal account, down to the last penny!," Okubo exclaims indignantly as the entire bar breaks into laughter, all the men raising their glasses in the air and toasting. Himuro smirks, mixing a drink in a mixer with satisfaction.

"Yeah, he's definitely drunk. But the good kind of drunk..."

"T-That's great, Okubo! We're happy for you! N-Now put me down, please, my vision is starting to get dark in the corners...!," Kaneda pleads in a thin voice, and Okubo puts him on the ground with an embarrassed laugh.

"Sorry bro, I couldn't help it. I'm still having a hard time believing that the night turned out so well," He puts a hand on his forehead, laughing to himself, his face flushed with happiness. "It almost feels like I'm dreaming, damn it..."

"Dude, I won't kick your ass for filling a virile environment like this with your sissy shit because it's too good to see you like this!," Rihito laughs loudly, giving him a tremendous slap on the back, while Kaneda takes a deep breath to draw air in. "We didn't expect to see you today, but since you're here, let's have a drink so you can tell us the details of the night without any inhibition!"

"I can't drink, man, I came driving..."

"Oh, would you look at that! What a good, well-behaved, rule-abiding young man! Do you see what a woman is capable of doing to us, guys?," Lihito raises his voice again, playful, as he guides Okubo to the counter. "Stay single as long as you can, because after you tie yourselves up, manhood diminishes along with your hair."

"Shut up, Rihito," Okubo mutters, but he does it between laughs. He looked too happy even to be irritated by the Rihito's teasing.

They went back to sit at the counter, Rihito and Kaneda making room for Okubo to sit between them, Rihito still slapping him congratulatory on the back. Himuro approaches after attending to a few more customers, now wiping a glass, smiling.

"So it all worked out all right? Thank fucking god. Rihito was already cursing you to death..."

“I told you, didn't I? I wouldn't repeat past fuckups even if someone paid me," Okubo says, tapping the tip of his index finger on the counter. "I was already scared enough when I arrived at the meeting spot, at seven o'clock sharp. One more minute and everything would be over..."

"Wait, didn't you leave your place two hours earlier? How did you manage to arrive in the nick of time?," Kaneda asks with a frown, and Okubo snorts hard.

"It was because of those fucking flowers! I wanted to buy them the day of the date to make sure they were fresh. But seriously, you can't imagine how hard it is to find gladioli in this city. I had to stop at about four flower shops to find 'em, holy shit."

Rihito makes a face.

"Dude, I told you that only daisies and gerberas were enough..."

"No, man, it was completely worth it!," He gets excited again, even grabbing the side of the counter. "She loved it! I hit the nail on the head, I'll tell ya!," He raises a hand in the air, celebrating. "Blessed be that rain last Saturday, for that and other reasons!"

Rihito laughs, raising his glass. "Amen!"

Kaneda again shakes his head in disapproval, but the smile doesn't leave his face. He leans a little to the side, asking, "But what about the date itself? Did everything went well?"

"Well? It couldn't have been better! Dude, I couldn't even see the time go by…," Okubo sighs, smiling from ear to ear, closing his eyes and turning his head a little to the side. "We walked around Akihabara, we talked about maid cafes and baseball…"

"Very specific topics of conversation, I must say," Himuro puts the glass on a drying rack nearby. "I hope she wasn't bored or offended..."

"No, she was the one who brought up the subject," He guarantees, smiling even more. "She invited me to eat at one of those cafes, she even told me that he used to work at one..."

“What? Miss Uta used to work at a maid cafe?!," Rihito exclaims, his eyes widening, his face blushing very slightly. "Holy shit, the mental images... they keep coming nonstop, guys..."

"Show some respect, Rihito," Kaneda warns, but Rihito ignores him in his excitement.

"Fuck, man, you have to convince her to wear a maid uniform for you one of these days, it's a golden opportunity!"

"Bro, if she doesn't mind, you can bet I won't say no," Okubo blushes a little too. "But that's the least of it, honestly. I even forgot about that maid cafe stuff after the subject turned to baseball. She's a die-hard Yomiuri fan, can you believe it?"

"A baseball fan, you say?," Himuro blinks, impressed, and Okubo nods vehemently.

“As much as I am! I even did a basic test just to make sure, and now that I think about it, it was kinda risky. She could've thought I was one of those idiots who think girls only pretend to enjoy certain hobbies to get men's attention..."

"… And was it her case?," Rihito asks, looking to the side, and Okubo turns to him with some indignation.

"Of course not! Just like she doesn't pretend to be into martial arts! She even said that she used to play in high school," He sighs deeply again. "And she even asked for us to eat at a themed restaurant and everything. It feels so fuckin' good to find someone who has so many things in common with you, I'm not even joking. It was as easy as talking to you guys!"

"Jeez… is this even possible?," Rihito asks, surprised. "Be careful not to get too comfortable with her and end up getting friendzoned, bro..."

"Don't be ridiculous, Rihito," Kaneda holds out his empty glass for Himuro to fill it with more booze. "Any relationship needs to have a degree of friendship, no matter if it's platonic or romantic. I think it's great that you've grown closer like this, Okubo, especially after the pedestal she put you on has been properly demolished."

"You don't have to rub that in my fucking face! Especially when I'm so happy...," Okubo pouted, to which Himuro rolled his eyes.

“But he's right, man. If she had stayed that fan who thought the sun rose and set on your ass, you wouldn't have gotten so close, so intimately."

"…Yeah, I guess it's true," Okubo smiles again after pondering. "She even felt comfortable enough to make fun of me. And viseversa. When we went down to the sports center for batting practice-"

"Wait, wait! Batting pratice?," Rihito repeats, wanting to be sure. "At the sports center? What happened to the classic combo of walking hand-in-hand in the park, going to the Shibuya Hikarie observatory to watch the city lights and dinner by candlelight? What kind of date was that?"

"Leave me alone! ... And yeah, we walked hand in hand for a bit," Okubo admits after he can't stand the stares fixed on him anymore, and that brings laughter from Himuro and Kaneda and an approving nod from Rihito.

“Okay, that's the Okubo I know. But seriously, batting practice at the sports center? Did she like it?"

"She loved it! And no kidding, she's a good hitter," He confesses, sounding sincerely impressed. "Not at a professional level, but she has potential. She can get really good if she practice enough, I'll even help if she wants to."

"One date was enough for you to want to take over as her coach?," Himuro laughs again. "What, will you teach her how to fight too?"

"I can try to teach her the most effective way to punch, in case she needs to defend herself..".

“Holy shit, he took me seriously. I think I created a monster, guys," Himuro comments, blinking, to which Rihito and Kaneda laugh. Okubo shakes his head.

"It's not even that, Himuro. Honestly, I'm up for anything she wants to do, as long as it gives me the opportunity to spend more time with her. I didn't lie to you when I said I didn't even see the hours pass. When it turned eleven and there was no place open, I even got upset..."

"Uh... why? That would just mean the best part of the date has arrived!," Rihito leans towards him, his smile opening even more. "Tell me, did you take her to one of those fancy love hotels or did you decide to test the resistance of her bed yourself? Hehehahaha!"

"Rihito...," Kaneda just sighs this time, already giving up on the scolding. Rihito shrugs.

"What? Im just asking! But seriously, Okubo, that's pretty cold even by our standards. You should've at least spend the night with her, instead of just puting your clothes on and going your merry way. Poor Miss Uta must be feeling used..."

"Huh...? Oh!," Okubo's eyes widen after a few seconds of confusion. He looks away, suddenly embarrassed, “Actually we…we kind of…"

“Kind of what? Spit it out!"

"You didn't do anything," Himuro is the one who concludes, blinking in disbelief. Rihito's jaw drops when Okubo doesn't deny it, becoming even more embarrassed.

"Huh? You didn't bang her? Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Keep it down, you idiot!," Okubo hisses through his teeth, a finger in front of his lips. "Seriously, why do you always have to react to information as if you'd swallowed a megaphone?!"

"Leave me be! How come you didn't do anything?," Rihito insists, pointing indignantly at him. "What was all that dumbassery with the flowers for then?"

"To regain Miss Uta's trust. And apparently it worked out pretty well," Kaneda nods approvingly. Unlike Rihito and Himuro, he just seemed pleasantly surprised. "But really, we didn't expect that. Did you decide it was too soon or...?"

"The... The truth is, we didn't even talk about it," Okubo admits, scratching the back of his neck and looking at the counter. "I just took her home, walked her to the door and gave her the gifts."

"Gifts? Plural?"

"Yup. Aren't you missing anything?," He points to himself, more specifically to his head, smiling shyly. Himuro is the first to understand, blinking again.

"Hey, where's your cap? I rarely see you without it... oh no," He widens his eyes. "Dude, you gave her the Buffaloes cap? Are you serious?"

"Your favorite cap?," Rihito stares at him in astonishment, and Okubo shrugs.

"I mean, yeah. I autographed it and everything. I can look for another one online later. And she'd said that if I wanted to give her a gift, it should be one with more emotional meaning than zeros on the price tag..."

“Holy shit, it's one fag shit after after the other,” Rihito shakes his head slowly like a disappointed parent. Himuro says nothing, still seeming to be processing the night's revelations. Kaneda, on the other hand, smiles.

“And knowing how much she likes baseball, you offered something that would be of equal value to both of you. Well thought."

“Yeah, that's more or less what I told her. From one baseball lover to another," Okubo smiles too, but not before discreetly giving Rihito the middle finger. "She loved it too. I think the combination of gifts, in addition to the incredible night, earned me the points I needed to win her forgiveness," He puffs out his chest, very happy. "We made out like crazy on her doorstep, hehehe."

"Fuck yeah! At least that!," Rihito exclaims, gesturing upwards as if thanking the heavens, then extending his hand to Okubo. They exchange a resounding high-five, and then Okubo does the same to Himuro, who had leaned a little over the counter.

"It was the bare minimum, too. If there hadn't been at least a few kisses, I would have declared you a goner," Himuro comments. "But I'm still confused. What usually follows after that is an invitation to spend a night together. How did this not happen to you?"

"Maybe she concluded that, after a disappointment and a period of recognition, they are kinda back to square one," Kaneda muses, laughing and accepting when Okubo asks him for a high-five too. "She was attracted to the Okubo Naoya she knew from the fight rings and interviews. Now that she's met Okubo Naoya for who he really is, she wants to go through the process of becoming attracted to him all over again."

"... Dude, how come you know so much about women?," Rihito asks after a few seconds of silence, gesturing perplexed. "What are those deep dives that you give into their heads to find these philosophical pearls? It's completely surreal!"

"I have three older sisters, Rihito," Kaneda gets a little red. "I've had to buy more teen magazines at convenience stores at their behest than I like to admit. But the focus of the conversation is Okubo, not me, so leave me alone!"

Okubo laughs softly. "Relax, dude. But really, if it's that or any other random reason… the truth is, I don't care much," He admits, bravely holding Rihito's and Himuro's puzzled gazes.

"What do you mean you don't care? Wasn't that, like, the point of the whole thing? Are you chickening out? You don't think you're deserving of it anymore or some shit like that?," Rihito asks irritably, to which Okubo scowls at him.

"Fuck no! This is still in my plans, okay?"

"Okay, but why couldn't it have been today?," Himuro insists. "Didn't you fished around to see if she was up for it? She didn't gave any hints or anything? Help us help you, man,..."

"Come on, Himuro," Okubo lets out a tired sigh, running a hand through his face. "I told you the truth, it didn't even cross my mind. I had so much fun with her today. Walking around, talking, batting practice, the whole thing. And when I went to drop her off, I felt satisfied. You know? That nice tiredness you feel when you know the day was well spent. It would have been great if it had happened, but… I didn't care too much that it didn't, either. Just spending a few fun hours with her made it all worth it."

"... You forgot the condom and were too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy with her in the car, right?"

"No, Rihito, for fuck's sake!," Okubo punches the bar counter, while Himuro laughs loudly. "Goddammit, why is it so hard to believe that I liked just going out with her? Dating isn't just about sex, you know?"

"Yes, Okubo, well said!"

"... And I only remembered the condoms in the glove compartment when I was already about two blocks away from her house."

"Oh, for God's sake!," Kaneda puts a hand on his face, frustrated, while Rihito and Himuro again burst out laughing, "And here I was, all proud while thinking that you had finally understood all the advice I gave you…"

"But I understood, man! Didn't you hear that I only remembered the condoms when it was too late to use them?," He leans towards him, and now he sounded a little amazed with himself. "Don't get it wrong, I want to get to that part of the process with her. I want it really bad. But... but I'm enjoying the process of getting there," He admits. "I'm not in such a rush for it to be over. Getting closer to her, getting to know her better while she gets to know me better too… I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would. And we agreed to go out again next week!," He raises the index and middle fingers of both hands, opening a wide smile. "Opportunities won't be lacking, right? When it has to happen, it will. And until then... I'm happy watching her hit a baseball farther and farther."

The other three are silent for a few seconds, processing that brief speech. Rihito and Himuro exchange a quick sideways glance, wanting to make sure they were both seeing and hearing the same things. Kaneda, on the other hand, nods with some relief before smiling approvingly again.

“At least that much… but have you seen how the little things make all the difference? I'm sure it meant a lot to her too. And that will count other of these points for you."

"It's what I expect! Not that I'm just doing this to get more points, of course, but after being shunned that, I'm taking any advance I can make,” Okubo nods. Himuro ends up shrugging after not being able to argue anymore.

"Eh, it's up to you. If you're happy with that, then I'm not going to butt in."

Rihito grimaces, taking another long sip of his drink. He sets the glass down on the counter, his brow furrowed. And then he turns to Okubo with a disappointed frown.

"You didn't even touch her boobs or anything? Hey, I’m just asking!," He exclaims when this elicits a chorus of impatient groans "Okay, okay, Okubo wants to take it slow then! I got it. I just don't know why, considering that, before that, you were already going at a sluggish pace..."

"But we made a good advance today, man! We spent a good few minutes making out at her door, it must have been quite a show for her neighbors," Okubo gives an embarrassed laugh. "My back is so stiff, but it was worth it, hehe."

This makes the other three laugh, including Rihito, even if he was still a little upset.

"Yeah, huge height differences have their drawbacks," Himuro comments. "You could've at least lifted her by her legs and pressed her against the wall. A lot of chicks like that."

"This is another future part of the process that I intend to get to, trust me. I'm just testing the waters..."

"Yeah, but that’s not going to be the only difficulty you’re going to face," Rihito suddenly gives a mischievous laugh. "Like, how are you going to do it when the time finally comes? She's so tiny, and you're a freakin' behemoth..."

"Screw you, Rihito."

"Are you really going to let yourself be ridden like a bull? I'm not judging, it's going to be a hell of a sight, hehehe!"

"As you can see, Rihito was quite disappointed that he couldn't hear all the sordid details of a fuck," Himuro jokes, to which Kaneda snorts.

"In my case, I was relieved. And it would be very disrespectful to Miss Uta to go into detail about something so intimate."

"Yeah, but you can't blame us for being curious," Himuro shrugs. "Guys of Okubo's size need to play contortionism often when they date girls smaller than them..."

"And what girl isn't smaller than Okubo, gigolo?," Rihito laughs sharply. "If he wanted one that was his size or even bigger, he'd have to go to space to hunt down an Avatar or something!"

Okubo and Himuro burst out laughing, and it's Kaneda's turn to inhale a good amount of booze and expel it through his nostrils onto the counter. The four remain there, out of breath amidst the laughter, Okubo slapping the smaller one on the back so he wouldn't choke to death. It takes almost three full minutes for them to calm down, Kaneda still coughing and wiping his wet face with a handkerchief.

“Holy shit, Rihito, go fuck yourself…,” Okubo gasps, a hand on his stomach.

"After that, all I can do is go and serve the other customers. At least none of them would try to make me choke to death. I'll be right back...," Himuro walks away from the inside of the counter, still laughing to himself. Kaneda finishes wiping his face and coughs one last time.

"I should be the one saying that. But anyway... I guess this isn't even an imminent concern for you, right, Okubo?"

"Nope! We'll sort it out when it's finally time. And no rushing me, huh!," He snorts at Lihito. "I was forgiven, like, thirty minutes ago. I don't want to pressure her and ruin the whole process."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I won't insist," Rihito shakes his hands. "Just don't forget to share the details when it finally happens. Historical events have to be duly recorded in the annals... hehehe, annals..."

"Aaaand with that, I'll excuse myself to go to the bathroom," Okubo gets up from his seat while Kaneda rubs his eyes tiredly. "Before this crazy motherfucker makes me pee in my pants or something. I'll be back in a moment."

"Alright...," The other two answer without taking their eyes off their glasses. Okubo walks away towards the bathroom, Himuro watching him over his shoulder as he mixes a drink in the mixer. He approaches them again, looking at the other two with an arched eyebrow.

"No, seriously… what did you conclude with that?"

"I concluded that I, without a doubt, didn’t understand shit," Rihito snorts while finishing with his glass. "It'd be less weird if he just said that he forgot the condom and thought it would be a bad idea to go buy one while she waited in the car..."

"I already concluded that he finally decided to listen to me. Better late than never, I suppose," Kaneda shrugs, and then looks at Rihito. "Now all that's left is… hnnn… yeah, better late than never."

"Fuck you! Finish the fucking sentence!"

"Yeah, it's about time. But that makes me think...," Himuro frowns a little while pouring the contents of the mixer into a glass. "Okubo seems to be taking this whole thing to another level."

"What do you mean, Himuro?"

"When it all started, he was only interested in a one night stand with a fan. He even told us that he was just giving her the attention she needed without getting too attached. And now he's there, settling for chaste dates, all to spend some extra time with this girl and see her smiling...," He faces the other two with an arched eyebrow. "Is it really still just a non-committal thing for him?"

Neither Rihito nor Kaneda had an answer for that. And the three of them decided, in silent agreement, that the conversation would die there. They preferred to observe more of the ridiculous soap opera their lives had become before drawing any conclusions. But they were certain that Okubo would produce more outlandish episodes of it to entertain them from then on.

* * *

“Hey, hey, Kana, here she comes!," Hiro shakes his hands at the bakery owner, who was inside, in the kitchens.

"So, Hiro? How is she?," Kanami looks from the window connecting the kitchen to the counter. "Does she look sad or upset?

"I don't know, we'll have to ask," he sighs. "But she doesn't seem desolate like the other day, so I guess that's okay…"

And indeed they could see that Tomori, who was slowly approaching the counter, looked anything but desolate. She was clean-faced, healthy flushed, with no dark circles or signs of under-eye puffiness; the face of someone who had had an excellent night's sleep. She hummed softly, a little distracted as she checked something on her phone. She finally puts it in her purse, looking up to find her co-workers watching her intently. She smiles and waves.

"Good morning, you two! Have you taken out the cookie dough I left in the freezer yesterday, Kanny? I'll start working with it as soon as I clock in."

"Oh, yes, I have. I also packed the bagels and…," Kanami starts, then shakes her head. But wait, Tomori…"

"Yes, yes, woman, don't change the subject!," he approaches with the baker when the sous-chef goes through the counter door. "You sent that message yesterday, but then there was nothing else, what happened?"

"Did he treat you well? You look fine to me, but…," Kanami was also worried, looking her friend up and down.

"C'mon, girl, spill the beans!"

Tomori laughs, her face reddening further. She reaches out to pick up the apron that Kanami is holding out to her through the pantry window.

“First of all, I'm sorry I disappeared yesterday. I was dead tired when I got home, took a quick shower and passed out as soon as I fell into bed..."

Kanami and Hiro widened their eyes and gasped, Hiro in excitement, Kanami in shock.

"What?!," they also spoke in unison.

"Yess! Scooooore!," Hiro jumps with joy.

"On the first date?!," Kanami screeches in disbelief. "Stop celebrating, Hiro!!"

"What is it, Kanami? Didn't you yourself say that you were a girl from the 21st century and all that jazz the other day?! Are you going back on your words now?!"

"No! But remember the guy we're talking about here..."

"Oh... yeah, you're right…," the cashier puts his hands on his hips, changing his mood like a TV channel. "That was quite fast, huh…?"

"Aah, I didn't think so…," Tomori pouted while tying her apron around her waist, looking kind of distracted. "He let me take the lead before finally making the suggestion, a good few hours after we'd met at the station . And boy, was I surprised," She rests her right hand on the side of her face, her smile widening. "He was very calm and confident when I said that I wanted to start holding the shaft, and you know how I like men who aren't afraid of women who are foward..."

Kanami and Hiro repeated the chorus. "Whaaaat?!"

"Girl, tell me more!"

"I don't want to hear any more..."

"Come on Kanami, you'll learn some techniques on how to take down a bull…"

"Shut up! I don't want to take bulls down!"

"Do you prefer to tame and feed them instead?"

Hiro narrowly dodges Kanami's neck slap, but he's still laughing as he runs away.  "Aye, You violent woman, I'm going to complain to the union!!"

"Do that and I'll fairly dismiss you, you cheeky bastard!," she retorts.

Paikon grunts and wakes up; he was sitting at one of the tables this time.

"Could you pipe itdown, you bunch of crows?"

"Sorry about that, Paikon," Tomori waves to him too, still having fun watching Kanami chase Hiro, the baker still determined to break some labor laws. "t's just that they were excited to know what happened on my date. They can't believe I got to play with bats and balls so early. I don't see what the problem is, I'm a modern woman, with an open mind..."

"And what's wrong with playing baseball with your date?," Paikon raises an eyebrow. "Get a grip, you two..."

Kanami and Hiro stop in motion as she chokes him, blinking at them.

"Wait, baseball?," Kanami asks.

"So you guys went to play baseball?," Hiro blinks, letting go of the baker, almost disappointed. "So you didn't do anything hotter than that?"

"No, the AC in the sports center was very powerful," She comments innocently. And then she bursts out laughing at their expressions. "Ahahaha, s-sorry! It's just that you took that first comment of mine out of context and I just couldn't resist...!"

Kanami sighs, a bit exasperated. "You clown. And here we were, worried about you."

"I'm a little speachless, but not in a bad way," Hiro shrugs. "It's good, but you looked so happy that I thought it was because of other tipes of groans and moans…"

"Or maybe it's because she finally confirmed he wasn't a complete idiot," Paikon intervenes. "It's good that you had fun, Tomori…"

"Haha, thanks! And yeah…," Tomori sighs more deeply this time, closing her eyes. "I had so much fun, I'm still having a hard time believing it. Going to this date without expecting anything was the best decision I could've made, because I only had great surprises! We walked around Akihabara and caught up. I even confessed to him that I worked in a maid cafe and he didn't judge me! He just seemed to let his head drift off into other not-so-innocent directions, but eh... straight men, am I right?," She shrugs. "Then we started talking about baseball, and I asked him to eat at the Grand Slam Cafe. I've never been there with a guy before..."

"Oh, that baseball themed diner? Interesting," Kanami nods, mouth twisting in approval.

“Let me guess, and then you guys went to the sports center and played baseball there,” Hiro points out.

"Yes! The sports center was his suggestion, and it caught me off guard. Then he explained that he wanted to see me batting," She says excitedly. "He was a hitter when he used to play, so he wanted to analyze my technique and help me improve. You should've seen it, it only took three lessons from him for me to hit the ball through the entire cage! I left the sports center all sweaty and with smudged makeup, but I couldn't care less. And then, when he dropped me off at home..."

She looks away, blushing even harder as she bites her bottom lip, clasping her hands to her chest.

"Guys... he gave me his baseball cap. The Buffaloes one, the one he was always wearing when he showed up here. He autographed it and everything, my God..."

"Oh," Kanami and Hiro sighed. the former in exasperation, the later in relief.

"Well, that's good, I guess…," Kanami shrugs, starting to enter the kitchen door.

“Okay, then,” Hiro leans against the counter.

"But it was not just that!," She becomes agitated again, her eyes widening and shining even more intensely. "He gave me another bouquet of flowers, but not just any. He got it right, guys. He got my favorite flowers right, all three of them, and without me tipping him off!

"Wait, those flowers...," Hiro points to her leg, the one with the tattoo. The baker returns, curious.

"And how did he get it right…? Did he see…?"

"He did. It was an accident, I got soaked in rainwater when an idiot ran past us in the Kinokuniya parking lot. You know me, I kinda lost my temper and threatened to kick the guy's rear view mirror if he didn't buzz off, I even lifted my leg to emphasize... and then he saw it," She explains, now embarrassed. "I was wearing a worn out skirt, since my best clothes were in the laundry. He didn't judge either, he was just curious, but I never imagined he could've recognized the flowers! Or that he would have cared enough to research...," She holds her face in her hands, very red. "My God, guys, what chance did I have to resist after that?!"

"Huh," Kanami crosses her arms and leans against the edge of the door. "Okay, that surprised me.

"And how, I'm so happy!," Hiro smiles "For man like that to make an effort like that... I need to take my hat off. Kanami, I think she forgave him. Will you forgive him too?"

Kanami grunts low and then sighs. "Okay… I think I'll let him into the bakery… but don't push it!," she points to the cashier. "He has less five points than the others on my list, and if he does anything stupid, it won't be just a punch, it won't be just me and there's no going back."

"Wow, it's like I asked you to forgive a convict," Hiro makes a face. "He's Tomori's boytoy now, not just any hoodlum…"

"You know she's a pretty tough nut to crack, Hiro," Paikon yawns. "I wouldn't expect anything less. A boss has to be tough when necessary."

Tomori laughs again, happily. "I accept the conditions, Kanny, and I'm sure Naoya will too… I mean, Mr. Okubo will too," She tries to act natural, widening her eyes a little in alarm, but by the faces of the other three, it was too late.

"Oh, you see? She's even calling him by his first name now," Hiro smirks.

"Hnmf… with you talking like that, I find it hard to believe that you got only the flowers and the cap yesterday."

"Yeah… something happened there. This bitch is just like Akane: she catches, kills and eats her prey," Hiro laughs out loud when Kanami rolls her eyes and walks into the kitchen. Tomori puffs out her cheeks, very red.

"A good hunter never starts her hunt without first assessing the terrain! And anyway, I… I didn't even think about it at the time," She admits, shrugging a little. "I was so awestruck after he handed me the flowers, so breathless… I could only think “my god , I want to kiss this man right now”, and I did. We just made out, at the door of the house. Oh, if the neighbors had seen it...," She gives a high-pitched laugh, a bit scandalized. "I even thought for a second about inviting him in, but then he said good night and I concluded that the opportunity had passed. But it's okay, there will be next times, hehe. I regret absolutely nothing. It's so good to see that he's actually a nice guy and that he just had a bout of idiocy due to anxiety... and no, I don't want to justify what happened," She guarantees when Kanami and Hiro throw her disbelieving looks, the first sticking her head out of the pantry window. "That has no excuse. But we even talked about that subject. He said he wants to go down to the bistro and apologize to the staff, that he doesn't want me to stop going to one of my favorite establishments because of bad memories... yeah, I'll believe it when I see it, but for now he gave me no reason to doubt his words."

"Hnm," Kanami goes back into the kitchen. "Okay. But I'll be keeping an eye on him!"

"Me too, but a different eye," Hiro smiles maliciously. "Now let's open this place, I want to make my offer to Cuthulu!"

"Cuthulu?," Kanami raises an eyebrow.

“Hey, look at him over there.” Hiro points to the door.

"Gosh, this guy… he's becoming a pot-cleaner customer…," Paikon comments, getting up to go to the back. "Just bake twice as much and give half to him."

Said and done, Ohma enters through the front door, with a backpack over his arm and a calm expression. Kanami looks at him coming but shakes her head and goes back to the kitchen, but Tomori notices her red cheeks. She smiles to herself. Apparently she wasn't the only one there sighing in the corners because of fighters who fell into her life and turned it upside down. The difference was that Kanami knew how to hide it better.

"You can let me take care of him. Tomoyo doesn't come to work on Sundays, so...," She lets the sentence hang in the air, going to look for a pen and a notepad. She'd had enough daydreaming. It was time to work.

When she finally approaches Ohma's table, she tries to put on her best professional smile.

"Good morning, Ohma! What's going to be today?"

"Oh, hi," he says, looking kind of distracted. "Kanami didn't come today?"

"She did, she went straight to the kitchens as soon as she saw you arrive. She already wants to be on standby," She teases with a laugh; the laughter was coming too easy for her today.

"Oh," he nods. "Then keep the food coming. No problem," he leaves the menu aside. "I already memorized the menu, so…"

"Oh…okay then," She nods after blinking a couple of times, surprise stealing her words for a moment. "​​Good thing she already memorized your preferences as if they were a whole separate menu, haha ​," She jokes again, laughing and doing a little bow before returning to the kitchens, exclaiming, "Today he'll have a little bit of everything, Kanny!"

"As always, Tomori," Kanami says, a bit emontionless. "There's no bad time for him when it comes to food."

Tomori still sees her smiling a little sideways.

"That's how a good customer should be," Hiro smiles, still mischievous, as if he knows something.

"Oh yes. Good of everything, especially with a fork on hand," Tomori jokes; the cashier's expression piqued her curiosity, but the opportunity to gossip had already passed. She enters the kitchens, going to tie her hair in a net. They closed earlyer on Sundays, but with Ohma there, the workload certainly wasn't going to be a light one.

The next few hours passed peacefully. Other arriving customers didn't stay long, wanting only to buy bread and other goods before heading home to enjoy their Sunday. Only Ohma's presence was a constant there, as it had been on other Sundays, and none of them expected it to be different this time. Tomori herself didn't expect it.

Until, around ten in the morning, they heard the bell ring, accompanied by familiar voices.

"Tokita, my guy! You're helping to triple the sugar shack's profits, aren't ya?"

"Sugar snack?," Ohma raises an eyebrow. "This is a bakery, dumbass. The fuck is a 'sugar snack'…"

"Sugar Shack, Tokita. It's just a stupid term Rihito uses to refer to the bakery. I'd kick him in the chin to make him stop if it wouldn't make his hangover worse..."

"Fuck off, Himuro! What's wrong with wanting to celebrate your friend's masterful success, huh? Holy shit, my head..."

"I can see that we're going to have to order a very strong coffee, in addition to bread and cookies..."

"Huh?," Tomori, taking a tray of croissants out of the oven, widens her eyes when she recognizes the voices. "Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda? But they never come on Sundays...," And she peeps discreetly through the pantry window.

"Now they've come," Hiro laughs softly, and then addresses them. "Hello there, sweethearts. Would you like a very caloric and very warm sandwich?"

“Yes, please,” Kaneda nods. He and Himuro looked composed, unlike Rihito, who was pale and a little disheveled, his face covered in stubble, his eyes squinting as if the ambient light bothered them. "Four of them, plus four espressos, four croissants and a cookie box, large size."

"To go, please," Himuro added, raising a finger. "I imagine your boss wouldn't want a hungover idiot getting in the way. She's had enough of that for a lifetime..."

"Screw you, Himuro! It doesn't hurt to say hello to Auntie and Miss Uta...,"

"Enough of the 'auntie' crap!," Kanami shouts from the kitchen.

"Ow! Don't scream like that, autie, please! My head is ringing like a gong...," Rihito whimpers, holding his head in his hands. Tomori can't resist and laughs, finishing arranging the still warm croissants on a tray, complementing them with a chocolate milkshake.

"I'll take the tray to your bottomless pit and attend to the new arrivals. Their order is also big, apparently."

"We'll see," Kanami replies, looking from the pantry window.

"Heh," Ohma smiles. "But tell me, you drunkards, have you been exaggerating again? Is it celebrating? Who won?"

"Okubo. But he won another kind of fight," Himuro smirks, to which Rihito, still massaging his temples, snorts.

"A very underwhelming victory, by the way. I would have considered it a victory with honors if things had gone beyond kissing..."

“You say that but there you are, head throbbing after an entire bottle taken in celebration of the 'underwhelming victory'.” Kaneda makes quotes with his fingers, and Rihito shrugs.

"We have to celebrate the little things too, right? Okubo went out yesterday with Miss Uta, Tokita. She gave him a second chance. And this time everything went well, so of course we were going to celebrate!"

Tomori, who was about to open the door on the counter, can't resist and smiles when she hears the conversation. Damn, who knew that men would also be so excited by the love conquests of their friends...

"Oh," Ohma looked slightly disappointed. "It was to be expected, coming from you. So Okubo made up with Tomori, huh. Does Kanami know about this?"

“Yes, she does.” Hiro smiles.

"So I won't need to beat the shit outta him anymore," Ohma nods. "Thanks, Tomori," He says when Tomori gives him his order. "Keep sending food when you can."

"Ahaha, you're welcome! Kanny is already preparing your next tray. And good morning to you three!," She waves to Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda, and the other three, even Rihito, had the decency to look a little embarrassed.

"Aah, g-good morning... were you listening, Miss Uta?"

"Partially. I heard you guys talking about small victories and Ohma saying he won't need to hit Naoya- I mean, Mr. Okubo anymore!," She corrects herself awkwardly, turning red, but just like with Kanami and Hiro, it was too late. All three had wide eyes, theirjaws dropping.

"Naoya? You're already on a first name basis?!"

"Not even we call him Naoya, dammit...," Himuro comments, impressed, while Kaneda arches an eyebrow at Rihito.

"I know, right! Do you still consider that a underwhelming victory?"

"No, now I consider it a medium-sized victory! That's really cool, Miss Uta!," Rihito exclaims, excited. "He already told us that your date went great, but it's good to know that you share that opinion, hahaha!"

"Of- Of course! Yesterday he outdid himself...," She puts a hand in front of her mouth, smiling shyly. "Even the flowers surprised me..."

"Did you like it? We helped him research the names!," Rihito says, excited, as Himuro and Kaneda hiss at him, index fingers in front of their lips.

"Just one of the names! Don't rain on Okubo's parade, dipshit...!"

"Yes! He already knew about the daisies and the gerberas, Miss Uta, he only needed help with the gladioli..."

Tomori chuckles, waving a hand in a relaxed gesture. "It's okay, that doesn't detract from the gesture at all. Just that he cared enough to go research it means a lot. And thank you for helping him," She smiles kindly. "I promise I'll repay you properly one of these days."

"You can do it now! I guarantee I can give that friend of yours a date as nice as the one Okubo gave you, just give me her number so we can work out the details-"

"Shut up and sit down, you obsessed weirdo!," Himuro gives a light kick to the crooks of Rihito's knees, who collapses on the chair facing Ohma with a high-pitched groan. Kaneda sighs and scratches his head.

“And that's because he's been complaining all the way over here about being sick. Who knew women would be a more effective hangover medicine than coffee..."

Tomori just laughs. "Yeah, but that's a medicine I won't be able to provide."

"And Okubo didn't come with you guys?," Ohma asks, raising an eyebrow. "Is he already tired of seeing Tomori?"

The three of them huff in unison.

"The day that dumbass gets tired of seeing her is the day he kicks the bucket," Rihito grumbles, pointing at Tomori with his thumb over his shoulder, and she turns very red. "He's outside, waiting for us in the car."

"Yes. The cookie box was a request from him," Kaneda says, turning to Tomori. "He said hello and asked if you have plans for after work."

"I was going straight home. Is he already wanting a repeat, even after we've arranged to go out again next weekend?," She asks, embarrassed. "I'd go out to talk to him if I weren’t in the middle of my shift…"

"And why is he in the car?," Ohma snickers. "Is he afraid to come in? Hey, Kanami, he's scared of you..."

"I fucking hope so!," she exclaims from the inside.

"So… can he come in or not?"

Kanami appears from the service door. "I already said he can…"

“Then go tell him that,” Ohma points to the door.

"He can?," Rihito widens his eyes, spreading his hands on the table. "Really, auntie?!"

"Fucking hell, dude, you really want to get kicked in the mouth today, don't you?," Himuro stares at him, bored, while Kaneda smiles at Kanami.

"He'd be very grateful, Miss Kanami. He misses the ambience of the bakery, and of course, he misses being able to sit with Miss Uta during her lunch break."

"Stop it, Kaneda, please...!," Tomori whimpers, cringing all over in a mixture of embarrassment and happiness, and that makes the men laugh. "Is- Is it really okay, Kanny? You can tell him your conditions, just to make sure..."

"Uuhghhhh…," she rolls her eyes so hard that she rolls her head along. "Fine…," she closes the service door with a little forcefully. "For fuck's sake, that’s the first time I’ll kick a guy in instead of out of the bakery…"

They saw the baker leave through the front door, and those who stayed inside couldn't resist and started laughing softly, Hiro and Paikon included. Rihito, Himuro, and Kaneda even leaned over so they could peer out the windows at the street.

"So, what do you think? Will she let him in without a fuss or will she demand to throw him another punch as a toll?," Himuro asks, and Rihito laughs mischievously.

"I hope she demands to throw another punch, I miss the courtesy beatings that only this sugar shack can offer!"

"Preferably when you're not the one getting beaten, right, Rihito?," Kaneda grumbles, and Tomori, further back, pouts.

"Wow, you guys are awful! Do you really want to see your friend getting beaten like that, for nothing?"

"Yep!," The three of them give the thumbs up, and she doesn't know whether to laugh or roll her eyes.

"Damn, now I'm curious," Ohma gets up too, and he does it in time to see Kanami, at the top of her 5′7 inches, pushing Okubo towards the bakery whie he looked at her with a red face. "Shit, I missed the punch…"

"No, he's red for another reason," Hiro says, smiling. From where he was, he could see the whole window.

They see both approaching the entrance door, and when it opens, the bell ringing at the top, Okubo's voice, hesitant and squeaky, reaches their ears.

"... and I'm really sorry about that day, Miss Kanami, you don't have to feel obligated to let me in here again... Tomori! Good morning!," He waves when he sees the sous chef, his anxious expression immediately being replaced by an excited one. "Sorry for not bringing flowers this time, the flower shops are all closed on Sunday... and stop laughing, you fuckers!," He yells at his friends, grinding his teeth. "Even Tokita is staring at me with that know-it-all face, bro...!"

Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda just smirked. Tomori, on the other hand, just smiled and returned the compliment.

"Yesterday's bouquet was worth all the flowers you could give me throughout the week. And good morning, Naoya. Good to see you in here again."

"Yeah… it's good to be back," He scratches the back of his head, smiling. "I mean, as long as Miss Kanami accepts me back in…"

"Don't fucking push it!," She raises her voice a little. "Now that you guys are good again, there's no reason to worry, but you have five points less than everyone else here. If you do it again..."

"Oops, so my ticket to see some beatings still stands?"

“Yes, Ohma,” she nods.

"Great," he takes his seat back.

"Ours too, right? We promise to buy lots of goods from the bakery so we can watch the whole thing while eating!," Rihito exclaims, and Himuro, Kaneda and he laugh again when Okubo gives them the middle finger.

"You suckers will be eating my fists in the sparring session later! And I understand, really," He nods to the baker, his head a little down. "Tomori forgave me, but you have no obligation to do the same. Which doesn't mean I won't at least try, haha..."

"You can try to act like a man and react properly to a blow from me," Kanami complains. "I know you let yourself be punched because you knew you deserved it, but I didn't like that. Do you think that just because I'm a woman I can't punch for shit?!"

There was a small chorus of “ooooohs” from the table; the other three idiots seemed determined to add fuel to the fire that day. Ohma just shook his head while Okubo answered, surprised, "What? No, I never thought that! If there's a woman in this world who definetly know how to punch, it's certainly you," and then he opens an impressed smile, resting his hands on his hips. "My face was sore for almost a whole week, and modesty aside, many of my opponents in the octagons cannot achieve such a feat. You hit like a fucking truck, lady, I’m not even joking! Have you ever thought about becoming a professional fighter? You'd give some of my friends in Ultimate Fight's women's division a run for their money!"

Tomori opens a huge smile, staring at Kanami with an 'I told you so!' look. Ohma is more verbal. 

"I've been saying that to her for a while now."

Kanami's face practically deflated, eyes widening and cheeks turning red. Then she sighs heavily, shaking a little, holding back the urge to smile.

"Hnf... alright. If there's a next time I need to punch you, at least try to defend yourself," she takes a step back, hands on her hips. "It's not fun when it's one-sided. Even more so when my opponent is a fucking MMA champion. But that's enough for now. Go sit down, your order will be ready soon. If you stayed in the car, it would cool off before your friends gave it to you," She then turns around and heads back to the counter.

Tomori just sees the baker walk past her and into the kitchen. Through the door crack, she could still see her raise and lower her arm in a victory gesture, laughing softly in a little happiness fit, muttering a “yessss” very softly. It took all her self-control not to burst out laughing, so she just turned to the men, who were all laughing at the unusual interaction.

"And the King of Combat's silver tongue strikes again,"Himuro shakes his head. "You smartass, trying to fall on Miss Kanami's good graces by caressing her ego..."

"I wasn't caressing anything, gigolo. I'm just telling the truth," Okubo snorts. "Take a punch from her one of these days and see if I'm exaggerating. Rihito is probably next on her list if he calls her aunt one more time."

"As if! No woman is going to punch me," Rihito grumbles, but his somewhat distressed expression casts doubt on his statement. The others laugh in his face, and Okubo, relieved that he is no longer the center of attention, turns back to Tomori.

“I swear I didn't underestimate her. It's just that I really deserved to be punched..."

"I know. And she knows it too. It's just that Kanny has her pride as a fighter, just like you guys," She explains. "She'll definitely want a rematch in the future, hahaha."

"Look, I don't fight women purely as a matter of ethics, but if it'll make her forgive me, I'm up for a sparring session," He scratches the back of his head, and Tomori laughs to herself.

"My forgiveness really wasn't enough, was it? You won't stop until you regain all five points that were taken from you..."

"Nope! Your forgiveness was the most important thing, but who doesn't want to be accepted by the friends of the girl they like, huh? It's purely a matter of honor," He arches an eyebrow at her, smiling ingratiatingly, at which she gasps, a little red, before giving him a little shove on the shoulder.

“Stop trying to act all smooth in the middle of my shift."

"Or what?"

"Or I tell Kanny to punch you again."

"Fine by me. You'll tend to my wounds this time, won't you? I know you will...,” He puckered his lips, leaning down and bringing his face closer to hers, and chuckled when she clapped a hand over is mouth, giggling, a little scandalized.

"Not in here! Jeez, control yourself… later,” She promises, stroking his jaw line briefly, and he closes his eyes.

"I won't let you forget… do you want to do something later?"

"How about a walk around the square? Then we can catch up on all the conversations we haven't had in these last eleven hours."

He smiles, all satisfied. "These long eleven hours... I'm in."

And focused as they were on their private conversation, they don't notice how the occupants of the next table are watching them with interest.

"Man, I'm going to need that espresso urgently. I can feel the nausea coming back," Rihito comments, and Kaneda laughs softly.

"I prefer this to the whining and anxious spurts of the last few weeks, honestly."

"Me too. Looks like we're going to see each other's faces a lot more from now on, huh, Tokita," Himuro jokes.

"That's fine. I'm not here to see you guys anyway. You can show up and give Kanami money as many times as you want," He bites another piece of bread. "Oh, I got news. I got out of there," he points to the big backpack between his legs. "I managed to talk to Fusui and Raian and got rid of the house. Now I'm free to go wherever I want."

"Really? Nice going, Tokita!," Lihito gives him a thumbs up. "Did you get your own place? Where it is at? We can go there to celebrate with food and some booze!"

"Seriously, Rihito, I sometimes wonder how come you don't live in a permanent state of hangover," Kaneda sighs, while Himuro offers:

"I’ll provide the booze!"

"No, not yet," Ohma shakes a hand in a negative gesture. "I'm looking for a place now, but I can't say where I'm going yet. I have to settle some business first."

"Alright then. But if you need any help, you know where to find us," Rihito claps his hands on Himuro and Kaneda's shoulders, smiling from ear to ear. "Okubo too. We'll talk to him about that later, when Miss Uta gets back to the kitchens and he stops acting like a giant simp."

"Leave him alone, Rihito. He's been looking forward to this," Kaneda looks over his shoulder, smiling as they watch Okubo and Tomori take their leave, waving to each other as she returns to the kitchens. He sits at the table with them, sighing with enormous satisfaction. He smiles at Ohma.

"Heya, Tokita! Such a nice Sunday, don't ya think? Damn, I've missed the smell of fresh bread from this place..."

"And the fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies too, right?," Himuro asks, and Okubo smiles more.

"Even more so! Have I told you that I love this place? Because I love it..."

Ohma nods, his mouth full. And if they were told that the reasons Ohma and Okubo liked the Heavy Bakery so much were very similar, none of them would believe it. At least, not at that moment.

NEXT CHAPTER