#i was able to eat today but it was just two bowls of cereal

[dragqueenpentheus]

this cold is kicking my ASS

[roosterforme]

Yours Truly, Bradley Bradshaw Part 25 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Career Day arrives, and you definitely have the coolest collection of adults visiting your classroom. Bradley orchestrates a surprise, hoping you don't realize it's just a cover for something even bigger.

Warnings: fluff, adult language, 18+

Length: 4200 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female teacher!Reader

Check out my masterlist for more! Yours Truly, Bradley Bradshaw masterlist

You were up before your alarm, too excited to stay in bed for a minute longer. When you tried to roll away from Bradley, his knee dug into your butt, and you groaned.

"Morning, Gorgeous," he grunted, arm wrapping around you like a boa constrictor until you were snug up against him again.

"Bradley," you whined, trying to squirm away. "I'm sore from being spanked."

You could hear his soft rumble of laughter as he released you, and you dragged yourself out of the other side of the bed. You weren't sure how you were going to make it through the day like this. You didn't even know if you'd be able to sit down. Still, you couldn't stop the smile that bloomed across your face, and soon Bradley was wearing one to match.

"Maybe we should have saved that for tonight," you whispered, gingerly rubbing your butt as you pulled your most capable looking dress from the closet you now shared with Bradley.

"We can revisit that activity tonight if you'd like." Just when you were about to argue there was no way that was going to happen again just yet, he let his hand slip down to the right side of your butt which went untouched last night. He gave you a little squeeze and whispered, "I'll get breakfast ready. I want you one hundred percent ready to go for Career Day, Baby."

The way he strutted around the house naked was highly distracting, but you had so much to do. You wanted to make sure your hair and makeup were perfect, and you wanted to get to your classroom early. So you got started, and at some point when you were in the bathroom, Bradley must have put his flight suit on. He was wearing it when he knocked on the door, and you told him to come in while you rooted around under the sink, trying to find the lotion you wanted to use.

"What are you doing?" he asked, panic lacing his voice as you glanced up at him.

"Looking for my lotion. The stuff in the blue bottle." You turned back to your task, and a second later, Bradley was in front of you, snatching up the exact thing you were looking for.

"This it?" he asked anxiously, nudging the cabinet closed with his knee as he handed it to you.

"Thanks," you muttered, wondering why he was acting strange as you smoothed the lotion all over your hands and arms.

"Let's eat breakfast before you're late for your big day."

You wanted to argue that it was his big day, too. He could do anything for his presentation, and your kids would eat it up. But for you, Career Day was always a chance for the fourth grade teachers to show off who they were able to get in their classroom. Who had the coolest adults. It was ridiculous, but you were still excited about it.

Bradley's idea of breakfast was an enormous bowl of cereal, toast, muffins and a banana. "I don't have time to finish all of this!"

"I'll eat whatever you don't eat," he promised. And he did. You watched him inhale the rest of the food as you double checked that you had everything in your bag, and then the two of you went out to his Bronco with travel mugs of coffee.

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

Bradley was nervous about today. He couldn't pinpoint one reason why, because there were several. First of all, he'd spent so much time in your classroom already, maybe it wasn't the best idea to have him scheduled for last out of all the Career Day participants. The kids were bound to find him stale at some point, and Marty had just scratched the surface of his many talents. He didn't want it to be his fault if things ended on a low note for you today.

Second, he was already hoping and praying that Natasha was going to be able to distract you the way that he wanted. He needed a little bit of help from your students to make this extra special. 

And third, just because he thought his mom's retro ring from the early 1980s was cool didn't mean you would. But that was really the least of his concerns. He wanted you to have it if you agreed to marry him, but he'd buy you something else if you so desired.

"You're so quiet," you mused softly, and Bradley almost forgot he was holding your hand while he drove. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said before clearing his throat. "Just going over what I want to talk to your kids about."

"What are you going to talk about today?"

He smiled and tilted the sun visor a little bit more. "Remember that video I posted on YouTube before I left in December? When I said there would be a quiz? I'm going to quiz them on everything they've learned with me. Stuff from the video and their field trip. Things I talked about in my letters. I'm going to try to stump them."

"I don't think you'll be able to," you said, lacing your fingers with his. "They hang on your every word. Just like I do."

Oh, he wanted you to have an engagement ring on that hand in the worst way. His life had changed so much since your first letter, but he knew pretty early on that he had feelings for you. And he knew as soon as the first date that he would end up here, completely in love with you.

When he pulled into your school parking lot, Bradley drove past all of the empty spots to drop you off at the front doors. "Aren't you coming with me?" you asked him, but he shook his head.

"I don't want to be a distraction for your morning routine. I'll wait out here for Nat and Marty and come inside with everyone else at nine."

"Okay," you replied, but you were looking straight ahead now. "I'm a little nervous."

"Why?" He shifted into park and reached for you.

You sighed against him. "It's ridiculous, but I want my guests to be the coolest ones. The other fourth grade teachers all rolled their eyes at me for even writing to an aviator in the first place."

"Joke's on them. You can't even get rid of me now," Bradley murmured, making you laugh. "You've got Nat and Marty. And one of your kids'��parents owns a pizza shop. You're golden, Baby. Coolest fourth grade teacher ever."

You kind of rolled your eyes at him, but you smiled and kissed him before you climbed out. "I'll see you inside."

Bradley had a while to wait for Nat and Marty to arrive, and he considered running to Starbucks for his newest addiction. Instead he grabbed the bag that was tucked underneath his seat and started to sort through all the notes inside. It was a sizable collection now. All of the letters you and your students wrote to him made a stack a few inches thick. Some of the pages were creased and worn, but they would work perfectly for what he had planned.

When Nat tapped on his window, he jolted, sending pages flying.

"Why are you so jumpy?" she asked, opening his door.

"Jesus, Nat. I already told you I was anxious about this!"

She huffed out a breath. "And I already told you that you could put in literally no effort at all, and she would say yes. You could hand her a ring and grunt, 'Marriage?' and she would start planning a wedding."

Bradley laughed as he organized the pages again. "I want it to be special. Butterflies and all that shit. She makes me feel incredible."

His best friend leaned against the door, crossing her arms over her flight suit, and asked, "You still want Marty and I to help with your distraction scheme?"

"I need you to."

"You got it."

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

Your students were on their best behavior. The guests were all excited to be there. Bradley kept smiling at you. Your rear end was still sore, but it turns out there was no reason to be nervous at all. Even the music teacher and school librarian decided to hang out in your classroom for part of the day, because your kids talked it up so much.

Nia's mom, a pediatrician, gave a presentation about keeping your body healthy. Oliver's dad talked about designing skyscrapers and then let the kids build with Lego blocks. Now you were listening to Natasha talk about the challenges of landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier, and even the parents were enthralled.

"What do you think would happen if I flew in too low?" she asked, pointing at Jackie who had her hand up.

"You could like miss the deck?"

"Absolutely," Nat replied. "And what if I came in from too high?"

Jayden's hand shot up this time. "You could crash!"

"I could indeed," Nat answered seriously. Five more hands shot up in the air as she talked about velocity, and Marty, who was standing next to you at the back of the room, leaned in closer to you.

"Why are you making me go after Lieutenant Trace?" he whispered as she engaged with the kids.

You smiled at the older man in his khaki shirt and dark pants. "You can hold your own, Marty. Trust me." You knew for a fact he arrived with two tool boxes and some engine parts you couldn't even identify. You were already excited for what that meant. He would be just fine.

Suddenly the room erupted in applause as Natasha finished up, and you made your way up to the front of the classroom. "Thank you so much, Lieutenant Trace. Next we will hear from our favorite mechanic whom we met on our field trip to North Island. Marty needs a few minutes to set up, so in the meantime, Nia's mom is going to share some healthy snacks that we can enjoy."

You were going to go stand with Bradley while your classroom dissolved into the soft hum of conversation, but Nat cornered you first. "I just got a text from Maverick about something so exciting, but I need to run it past you first. Can we talk in the hallway?"

"Uh, sure." 

You looked around the room before deciding on asking Ms. Masters the librarian to help you out. "Would you mind monitoring things for a couple minutes?"

"I'll take care of it," she promised with a nod, and you knew everyone was in good hands as you slipped out into the hallway with your boyfriend's best friend.

"How would you feel about a flyover today?" 

You stared at Natasha, blinking silently at her words. "A flyover?"

"Yeah," she replied casually.

"Like over the school?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed, buffing her nails on her flight suit.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yes."

You felt like she was being kind of purposely slow to give details as your mind swirled. "You're talking actual Naval aircrafts?"

"Of course," she said with a grin. "I mean, once again, it would be Hangman and Coyote flying them, but even those two can handle holding a simple formation."

Now you were really excited. "How is this actually happening?" you whispered.

"Bradley and I asked Mav about it the other day," she said with a shrug. "Any chance we can walk out to the parking lot and make sure there's enough room for everyone to stand safely?"

When you tried to peek through the rectangular window in your classroom door, Natasha slid her body in front of it. When you tried to look over her head, she seemed to grow several inches as she went up on her tiptoes. 

"Yeah... we can go look at the parking lot." 

You were wearing your key card on your lanyard, and Ms. Masters could probably keep your class under control for an entire day if you needed her to.

"Well then, let's go."

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

As soon as you walked out of the room with Nat, Bradley jumped to action. It wasn't his intention to steamroll Nia's mom or her packs of apple slices, but he had something important he needed the kids to help him with. Marty was setting up some sort of demonstration with tool boxes on the desks in the front row, but Bradley grabbed the stack of papers he brought with him and cleared his throat.

"Do all of you think you can help your pen pal out with something for a few minutes?" Eyes went wide, backs went straight, and Oliver even saluted him as he started handing out the papers. "I brought all of the letters you kiddos sent me last year when I was deployed. There are a lot of them, and I'm going to use them for something special. A surprise for your teacher."

"What kind of surprise?" Henry asked, crunching through a piece of apple.

"I can't tell you that," Bradley replied with a wink. "It's classified."

"Are you really going to marry our teacher someday?" Violet asked as he handed her three of the handwritten notes.

Bradley froze, unsure how to answer. "If she wants to marry me, then I definitely want to marry her."

"She wants to marry you," Violet said easily. "What are we doing with all of these letters?"

"Paper airplanes," Bradley announced, holding up the last sheet of paper. Even the parents and Marty seemed amused now. "We are folding them up into the best looking paper airplanes we can make within the next six minutes or so. Watch how I fold this one, and then work on as many as you can, okay?"

He folded it up using the top of your desk when he needed to smooth the creases, and then he held it up for everyone to see. "Start folding!"

There was a flurry of activity as he walked around helping, and even the librarian and music teacher were getting involved. Bradley whipped through a few himself before walking around the room with an open trash bag.

"When you're done, drop them in here."

"But what are they for?" Oliver asked, dropping three airplanes into the bag. "Are you going to have airplane races with our teacher?"

"Not exactly. All of you are really doing me a favor here though. I promise."

"Do you love our teacher?" Jayden asked. Bradley thought maybe he should have felt silly admitting it in front of all of the adults, but he did it anyway.

"I absolutely do. I'm going to use the paper planes for a little project to show her just how much, okay?" He got several nods in response as he checked the time. You and Nat left seven minutes ago, and he knew he couldn't hope for much more than that. "Time's up! toss everything into the bag. And you can't tell her about any of this!"

You were smiling when you walked back in with Nat. He thought that things must have gone well for everyone as he tied up the bag. Marty was ready to give his presentation, and the kids all scuttled back to their seats.

Now he had everything he needed to make this the best weekend of his life.

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

Marty looked a little nervous as he started out by greeting everyone and telling them a bit about himself. He told your class that he had a lot of fun the last time he saw everyone on the naval base. You already knew about his decades-long Naval career, and your students already thought he was extremely cool, but he was about to get even cooler.

"I brought three identical intake manifold pieces from jets exactly like the ones that Lieutenant Bradshaw and Lieutenant Trace fly. Does anyone know how they work?"

Several of your students raised their hands, and you watched as Marty walked around the room with the engine parts and let them answer his questions to the best of their ability before he took over.

"This is fascinating." You turned to your right where Ms. Masters was watching Marty, completely absorbed. "I can't believe you got military clearance to take your class to visit North Island," she whispered.

You were about to tell her that it was really all thanks to Lieutenant Bradshaw when you realized she was perhaps looking at Marty even more than she was paying attention to the engine parts in his rough hands. You cleared your throat softly and said, "You know, meeting Marty was probably the highlight of that whole day. And that includes touring the air traffic control tower."

"Really?" she murmured.

"Mmhmm. He put on a brilliant workshop for us. And he's just the sweetest man. Really takes the time to connect with the kids."

If you knew one thing about Ruby Masters, you knew she loved it when kids got excited about learning something new. And if you knew one thing about women in general, most of them loved a man in uniform. Right now, Marty was absolutely rocking his ensign khakis and his pins, and Ms. Masters stood up a little straighter when he turned your way with a smile on his face.

"Okay, time for some fun," Marty said as he headed back to the front of the classroom. "One manifold has been put together correctly." He held it up in the air once again. "Two are in pieces on these desks. I'm going to take this one apart and put it back together while you watch. Pay close attention, because after that, we're going to have a race."

Your kids looked absolutely delighted, and you had to ask Oliver not to sit on his desk while he watched the demonstration. Even all of the adults in the room were watching intently as Marty worked with a wrench from one of the toolboxes until he finished reassembling everything.

"Pretty simple, right?" he asked. Your kids all nodded and answered yes. "Who thinks they can race me?" You gasped in delight when a few of your students raised their hands. "What if I made it a little easier? What if I was blindfolded?"

"No way," you whispered, meeting Bradley's eyes across the room where he was holding a garbage bag for some reason. "Is he serious?" you whispered.

"He's so serious," Bradley confirmed, and sure enough, Marty pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.

"I'll let your teacher pick my opponent," Marty said as he tied the square of fabric so it was covering his eyes.

You needed to pick a child who would be a gracious winner or loser, but you were almost convinced Marty was going to be able to beat any of them. "How about... Jayden."

You set him up next to Marty, making sure he had all of the tools he needed lined up. Then you gave them a countdown and stepped away again. The room erupted in cheers as Jayden puzzled his way through the task. Marty seemed to be moving smoothly, using muscle memory to do something he'd done hundreds of times before.

"Oh," Ms. Masters said. "It seems like Marty is... really good with his hands."

Your lips parted in surprise. "I'm sure he must be," you replied, trying not to squeal as she smiled and covered her face in embarrassment.

It turns out Jayden didn't stand a chance. "Marty wins!" boomed Bradley's voice, and you watched as the older man peeked out from his blindfold with a hesitant little smile on his face.

You were still applauding his effort as you thanked him for joining your classroom today. You were almost overwhelmed by how wonderfully the day seemed to be going. Bradley was your last guest, and then there was the flyover that Nat promised.

"Our last guest really doesn't need an introduction," you said with a laugh.

"Is it Lieutenant Bradshaw?" Oliver asked, ready to climb on top of his desk again as your boyfriend strolled up to stand next to you.

"Yes, of course it's Lieutenant Bradshaw." You smiled at him and said, "Take it away, Lieutenant."

There was a little smirk on his lips as he turned away from you to address your kids. "I know you all learned a lot about aviation this year, but right now, we're going to see just how much. I hope you all remembered that I said I was going to give you a quiz."

"Not a quiz!" complained Jackie, but Bradley held up his hands in mock surrender.

"If you pass, I can promise with one hundred percent certainty that you'll love the prize."

"There's a prize?" Violet asked, perking up.

"A secret prize," Bradley confirmed.

"Alright," Oliver said, still a little skeptical. "Let's do it."

Bradley started calling out questions, letting your students deliberate as a group to come up with an answer, and you leaned against the back wall near where Marty was packing up his toolboxes. 

"That was absolutely fascinating," you heard Ms. Masters tell him softly. "I'm Ruby Masters, the Mira Mesa Elementary librarian."

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Marty with pink cheeks, wiping his palm on his shirt before shaking her hand. "It's nice to meet you," he whispered while Bradley continued to try to stump your kids. "This is the first time I've ever been to a career day."

"Well, you're a natural with the kids," she replied, still holding his hand. "And obviously very smart. I'm kind of new to the topic of aviation, but always interested in learning more."

"Oh. There's an endless amount to learn," he muttered, staring at Ruby like he couldn't look away.

"If you're ever free and feel like it, maybe you could show me how you rebuilt that manifold so quickly?"

Bradley had your kids taking turns writing at the board now, but you couldn't stop eavesdropping as you witnessed Marty go silent. The crash and burn was painful as he just stood there while Ruby finally extracted her hand. You were silently begging Marty to say something. Anything. But the seconds passed, and Ruby took a step away from him toward the door.

"Okay, no worries. It was nice to meet you." She gave you a forced smile as she slipped out into the hallway, and you rounded on Marty who was standing there like someone just stole his favorite toy at recess.

"I don't mean to overstep, so please feel free to tell me to mind my own business," you whispered.

"Uh. Okay?"

"Marty... Ms. Masters is hot and single, and she was flirting with you. She wanted you to ask for her phone number."

His eyes went wide as he gaped at you. "She did? Are you sure?"

You cradled your forehead and groaned softly. "I'm positive. She can't have gone far. The library is out and to the left, and then another left."

He nodded before dashing out of the room, leaving you alone just as Bradley said, "Are you sure you're all still in fourth grade? Or is this a grad school level physics class? You win. I can't even stump you. Come see me or Lieutenant Trace to get ear plugs for the Super Hornet flyover."

Your classroom was probably louder than the jet engine would be.

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

The whole school was buzzing with excitement as everyone emptied out onto the lawn and the parking lot. Something must have happened earlier, because Marty and the school librarian were standing awfully close together in all the chaos. As far as Bradley could recall, he'd never seen that man smile so much before.

"Ear plugs in! And then hands over your ears!" Natasha shouted, giving a safety demonstration. "Do it just how I do it!"

It was almost time. Bradley tried to keep the hand holding and cheek kisses to a minimum, but it was so hard when you were standing right next to him. You looked tired but happy as you put your orange, industrial ear plugs in place. With a dreamy look on your face, you leaned up and kissed him right on the lips, and that familiar roar of an F/A-18 engine approached. 

Bradley put his own earplugs in before the sound of the jet wash hit. You and everyone else stared up at the sky where his colleagues were flying overhead, but he kept his eyes on you. He was in love. He had Carole's ring and the paper planes. He had all of these words that he wanted to say to you, but mostly he wanted to promise that he'd feel the same way about you forever. And he wanted to hear you say the same thing.

As soon as you had your ear plugs out again, you threw your arms around his neck with a huge smile. "Thank you, Bradley."

"For what? I barely did anything."

You laughed and shook your head. "You did everything."

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

I love Career Day. Marty is the man. The oblivious man, but the man nonetheless. And our boy Bradley is ready to go! Thanks @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 26

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

@solacestyles

@daisyhollyxox

@blog-name6996

@bcon24

@avada-kedavra-bitch-187

@katiebby04

@marantha

@averyhotchner

@abaker74

@heli991113

@k-k0129

@noz4a2

@shanimallina87

@ccbb2222

@xoxabs88xox

@thedroneranger

@cherrycola27

@fanboyswhore9

@xomrsalliej4787xo

@desert-fern

@horseslovers2016

@mattyskies

@hookslove1592

@blahehblah

@sadpetalsstuff

@local-spidey

@schoollover

@lex-winchester

@nicole01-23

@jessicab1991

@happyrebelruins

@samsgoddess

@bellaireland1981

@sagittarius-flowerchild

@mygyn

@yuckosworld

@daggerspare-standingby

@nessjo

@trickphotography2

@lyn-js

@furiousladyking

@godsfavoritebabe

@bethabear12

@halo-mystic

@sherlockstrangewolf

@theamuz

@khaylin27

[enwoso]

Lovie having an even worse day than the grump story and hitting Vic pelova and having an all mighty meltdown

TINY TEMPER — alessia russo x child!reader

a long one🙃 got a little carried away when i was writing this, but ENJOY!

grumpy masterlist

travelling was tiring for the average person. travelling to the other side of the world was exhausting. travelling to the other side of the world at the age of four was anything but tiring, until it hits you like a brick wall that is.

alessia knew this would happen. she's tried so hard for it not to happen but when your so little and you get to do exciting things there's no containing your energy.

but it was now officially day two of arsenals post season trip to melbourne and you were past the point of tired.

when the flight landed at seven am yesterday morning you were fast asleep, alessia not thinking anything of it. more thanking her lucky stars she was going to be able to get through customs a little quicker without having to have eyes in back of her head in case you decided to bolt. something you'd done on the layover finding it the funniest game ever.

however, alessia wished she could have gone back in time and told herself to wake you up instead of just trying to make things easier for herself as when it came to bed time last night you had more energy than a duracell battery meaning you didn't exactly have the longest night sleep.

but hey you were four and had no concept of time never mind time zones..

"oh did someone not have a good night sleep?" steph giggled slightly as you sat at the breakfast table with your arms on it as your head rested on them an almighty frown on your face.

"who you asking tiny or less?" kyra teased as alessia glared at the young australian a cup of coffee secured tightly in her hands. steph slapping kyra on the shoulder also giving the girl a warning glare. your mummy placing a bowl of cereal in front of you and a bowl of fruit next to it.

you would usually start digging into it but not today, instead you pushed it as far as you could away from you. not wanting it anywhere close to you. pushing it until it hit steph's plate as she was the one who was sat in front of you.

"lovie, don't do that please" alessia said firmly as she pulled your bowl back to be in front of you. you huffing as you turned your head away from the bowl.

"i never thought i would see the day tiny not eating her coco pops!" kyra tried as you gave her a cold stare. you didn't want to eat them, you wanted to sleep but every time you closed your eyes mummy was tapping you on the shoulder waking you up.

"you'll have to be quick, otherwise they'll go all soggy and yucky-" kyra tried again, usually you would listen to kyra as she helped you create some fun when everyone else was being all dull and serious.

"just leave her kyra, she's not gonna eat them" alessia sighed as she watched you turn so you were sat on the on edge of your chair, kicking your legs back and forth. your white crocs which were on your feet close to coming off.

you swinging your feet further and further until your crocs flew off you feet. them being very close to landing on the table next to you. where katie, cailtlin and teyah were sat talking and eating their breakfast.

"ay whose little croc is this" katie's thick irish accent coming out as she picked up your croc, sending you a pointed smile. you giving katie a frown in return as you went back to swinging your legs back and forth.

"do you want it back?" katie had got up and walked the few steps handing your croc back to you but you just ignoring her as katie looked up at alessia who was shaking her head telling the irish girl a no. katie giving a nod understanding you clearly weren't in the mood.

"i'll just give it to your ma" katie nodded to alessia handing your shoe over as alessia mumbled a small thank you as katie returned back to her seat.

alsssia was exhausted already and the day had nearly just begun and that wasn’t due to jet lag although it probably played a big factor but from the fact she knew she was in for a day from hell with you and your grumpy mood.

you come out your shell a little, playing around with vic in a soft play area that the hotel had, most of the girls had been told to chill before it was time for meetings.

alessia was a little more content knowing you were playing with vic, although she would have preferred it more if you’d had a nap but you were having none of that when the idea was suggested.

so alessia sat in the little cafe next to it doing some uni work. her eyes glancing over every so often to where you and vic were. vic admittedly looking like she was having way more fun in the small play area sitting in a ball pit filled with colourful plastic balls.

you were sat playing with building blocks, building them as high as you could before barrelling most definitely a little too aggressively your foot in the bottom of it watching it tumble before restarting.

“vic me wan that one!” you pointed to another little boy who was in the play area on the other side playing with what looked to be his younger brother, as he also was building a tower with other coloured blocks.

“no tiny, you can’t right now someone else is playing with it” vic smiled gently as she picked up another ball in the ball in the ball pit.

“me wan that one!” you demanded a little louder this time, looking over to the little boy as you glared at vic who was starting to get a little uncomfortable as she didn’t exactly know how to respond or handle the situation which in her eyes looked like it wasn’t going to end with your usual cheesy grin.

“tiny you’ll have to wait your turn.. why don’t you play in the ball pit with me” vic tried, hoping it would help for you to forget about the building blocks.

unfortunately for vic it couldn’t be that easy, you instead shaking your head totally uninterested in the ball pit that was filled with colourful plastic balls.

instead you got yourself up from where you’d been sat, vic seeing you were making a beeline for the little boy. in a blink of an eye vic was up out of the ball pit, colourful balls flying out the pit as she lifted you up just inches away from the little boy.

you letting out an angry scream you began to kick your legs into viv’s body as well as flaying your arms around. what vic hadn’t realised is that there was a building block still in your hand and with your arms flaying around, the block hit vic straight in the eye.

the scream alone was enough to catch alessia’s attention as she shot up leaving her uni work, seeing your temper tantrums finally happen. quickly getting to vic’s rescue you were taken out of vic’s arms as you carry on kicking your legs and screaming just this time on the floor.

alessia quickly asking is vic was okay, the dutch girl flashing a smile and nodding her head. her eyes watering a little bit in all she was in fact okay.

alessia’s attention moved to you, as you were still on the floor of the hotel. screaming and crying while you kicked you legs out in pure frustration. alessia could sense the other guests wondering the hotel where staring at the scene that was happening.

alessia trying to pick you up by your hand but you were having none of it, just letting your entire body go limp. to the point where alessia’s patience had worn and she had to pick you up.

"tiny temper strikes!" kyra says with a proud smile, as the others look at her with a pointed look, totally unimpressed.

"you've been waiting ages to say that haven't you-" steph asks as kyra nodded her head enthusiastically watching on as you pull a tantrum in the middle of the hotel lobby. your over tiredness really kicking in.

"that's a singer you tool!" katie laughs at the young australian as the others look on, kyra sat with a confused look.

"what, no it's not" kyra shakes her head not understanding what katie was saying as it breaks katie into another fit of laughter, caitlin hitting katie on the shoulder for her to quieten down.

“katie your thinking of tinie tempeh” steph corrected the irish girl as katie rolled her eyes playfully, “same thing”

alessia managed to get you back to the room, where your sobs had quietened down as you face was now stained with tears as the occasional sniffle came from you.

you had been sat on your own for the past minutes, your mummy giving you the space you clearly needed before trying to talk to you. alessia had tried to talk to you but you just kept moving your head away from her every time she spoke.

“lovie?” your mummy said calmly, as she stood a few inches away from you. alessia was upset with your behaviour but she also knew it wasn’t entirely your fault as you were only acting this way because you were overly tired and overwhelmed. but still it was so excuse.

you glanced over to your mummy as you came a little closer, sniffles still coming from you. your mummy bending down so that she matched your height as you sat on the end of the bed.

“now y/n you understand that what you did to vic wasn’t very kind?”your mummy spoke in a serious which told you she was disappointed in you, you bowing your head so you just looked at your feet, a little hiccup coming from you from spending twenty minutes sobbing.

“you could have really hurt her or yourself with how you were acting” your mummy continued as you still were looking down at you socks and the patterns that were on them.

“do you understand where mummy is coming from?” she asked as you nodded slightly, you understood that what you had done was wrong and you didn’t feel a little upset with yourself for the way you had acted.

"how uncle gio would think if he saw you acting like this?" your mummy asked as you shrugged your shoulder, slightly confused as to why she was bringing up gio he wasn't even here, you hadn't seen him in person since christmas just before he set off on his big adventure around the world.

you shrugged, "uncle gio not here though"

"well he was coming to see you but i don't think he'll want to now especially if you being not very kind" alessia told you as you lifted your head a little. uncle gio was here, how?

“m’sorry” you mumbled under your breath, still looking at your feet.

“i know you are lovie, but when we see vic next i would like you to apologise to her, can you do that for me?” your mummy asked as you looked up from you feet and nodded a small squeak of a yes coming from you as you nodded.

“good, now lovie i want you to promise if you ever get any big feelings that you don’t know what to do. i want you to tell me and mummy can help you” your mummy told you as you slides down from the bed and hugged your mum. alessia’s arms going around you tiny waist tightly as she stroked her hand up and down your back just like she always did.

“can i make a card for vic to say sorry?” you asked quietly, as you mummy flashed a small smile before nodding.

“i think that would be a lovely idea lovie! i’ll get your pens from the suitcases”

you had spent all your time in the afternoon while your mummy trained making vic a card, drawing yourself on it with vic and all of her favourite things — that you could remember that is.

you wanted it to be perfect, and after training you asked your mummy to help you write what you wanted in it.

your mummy writing it while you told her what to write. you making sure to add your own little personalisation into it.

vic was one of the last ones out of training, having went to make a trip to see the physio. just to get a ice pack for the small bruise you had given her on the side of her eye,

your mummy had told you to leave it on her bag, so you doing as you were told you did just that.

mummy was in a strange hurry to leave training you weren’t quite sure why, but you did as you were told. putting your shoes and jumper on when asked before holding tightly onto your mummy’s hand. saying bye to couple of arsenal girls that had managed to get back to the changing room.

your mummy lead you to the front of where you had been training, stopping in the front lobby. as you looked up and asked why.

“just waiting for a second lovie, then we can go on a walk” your mummy smiled as she looked around the lobby.

“can we go to the park?” you asked with hopeful smile, you had seen one on the coach on the way to the hotel and it looked pretty cool and had things you hadn’t seen in the park near your house in london.

“maybe, we’ll see” mummy said quickly as you frowned a little. you hated when people older than you would respond to you with that as it usually meant no, and that was no fun to you.

but the frown was quickly turned around into a smile as your mummy pointed to someone coming around the corner, you gasped as you realised just who it was.

"uncle gio!" you called out excitedly as he lifted you up in the air, throwing you slightly as giggles escaped you as he caught you. your mummy stood recording the whole interaction.

"hey kiddo, you've gotten so big since i last saw you!" gio smiled as you nodded proudly starting to babble how you'd grown and show him how much with your hands.

"i heard you've been causing some trouble!" gio whispered as you gave him a blank smile back, moving your head to face your mummy who's eyebrows were raised.

"i think we are still adjusting to the new time zone in australia, but still we've had a little chat and tomorrows a new day isn't it lovie!" alessia have you a small smile as you nodded your head before resting it on gio's shoulder.

your mummy and your uncle gio began to talk as gio carried you walked through the streets of melbourne. your mummy claiming she wanted to go shopping as you felt comfort in your uncles arms, pointing things out as he gave you a reassuring nod and smile.

but before you had even got to the first shop, you had fell into a trap of dreams. your eyes had felt heavy when walking past a cute little coffee shop but that's the last thing you remember before your eyes, which had felt heavy since the moment you woke up, closed.

"wait- what how on earth have you done that..." your mummy stopped before entering the first shop, noticing you had fallen asleep, something she had been trying all day to get you to have a short nap.

"done what?" gio looked at alessia with a confused look not quite sure what she meant. he hadn't done anything except walk along the streets with you in his arms.

"got her to sleep!"

"cause i'm an amazing uncle duh!" gio laughed once he realised, alessia shaking her head at her older brothers cockiness.

"well she's got half an hour for a nap, you can be in charge of waking her up" alessia smiled sarcastically before continuing.

"and with those amazing uncle skills i’m sure you'll have no problem with lovie's grumpiness when you have to wake her up" alessia continued, the same smile still plastered on her face as she tapped her brother on the back before leaving him to go and look in a shop.

alessia

liked by leahwilliamson and 839,065 others

alessia eventful few days😅 tiny on tour continues🛫🧳🦘

comments have been turned off by creator

[bwabys-scenarios]

Fixer Upper

Part 26

Perv!Kurapika x Fem!Reader

!!REBLOGS APPRECIATED!!

part 25

part 27

warning: Kurapika spies on reader while she masturabates, non-consensual picture taking(just her face, but putting this just in case)

taglist: @fabitheraven @tsukilover11 @ashdownunderscorebeloved @lemonslut @homeinmydreams @superweeniehutjrsblog @bugmomwrites @heartsforseo @lixiawinter @altaircc @itszenava @fiightforlovee @mimi-sanisanidiot @monainanuttshell @wow-im-gay @whorermoviestar @lightshowerrr @mama-m1na @nenggie @wicked-binch @jamayah @themanicwriter01

If you’d like to be ADDED to the tawglist, please comment a red heart ❤️, make sure you’re able to be tagged/mentioned, and have your age in your bio(IF YOU ARE ALREADY ON THE TAGLIST, YOU DON’T NEED TO ASK TO BE ADDED AGAIN!!)

The next few days passed by in a cold silence. Never had (Name)’s house felt so icy, so devoid of warmth. Each member of the household felt a chill in the air, not a single day passing by without the constant reminder that their typically kind and warm (Name) was holed up in her room, not talking to anyone.

“Do you think she’ll come out today?” Kurapika asked as he prepared breakfast. It was one of the only meals he knew how to cook after learning from (Name) during the Hunter Exam.

“If I had to look at your ugly face every day, I would stay up in my room too.”

Leorio glanced up from his newspaper. “That was pretty weak, Killua. You already have to see him every day.”

Killua sighed, Leorio was right. He had been struggling to come up with good insults lately. His spirits were down, and he missed his mom.

“… well, breakfast is ready.”

Kurapika had also been struggling to stay angry at the halfhearted taunts Killua sent his way. It was hard enough to wake up in the morning and get out of bed knowing the pain (Name) went through for him, because of him.

Soft footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, and for the first time in nearly a week, the three perked up. Alluka was out visiting a friend, there was only one other person it could be.

“Mom!”

Killua jumped up, about to run towards her. That was until they all felt the temperature in the room go down a few degrees. At least, that’s what it felt like when they caught sight of her cold, neutral expression.

“Good morning.”

A good morning from (Name) had never felt so bad. She didn’t say anything further, simply pushing past Kurapika to make herself a bowl of cereal.

“I… I made breakfast,” Kurapika said in a soft voice. (Name) didn’t even look up from her bowl, taking a bite before walking out to sit at the farthest end of the kitchen table.

“I saw.”

An awkward silence filled the room, even Killua feeling sorry for Kurapika. (Name)’s anger didn’t burn as hot as the sun like Kurapika’s did. No, her anger was as cold as an unforgiving winter’s night. Ice might melt in the presence of flames, but even a scorching fire was no match for a blizzard.

“Are you… feeling okay?”

Leorio was the first to speak up, setting his newspaper aside to give (Name) a concerned look. She was silent for a moment longer.

“No, in all honesty, I’m not. I… don’t want to talk about it. We have more pressing matters.”

This seemed to catch the collective attention of the group. Kurapika and Killua took their seats at the table, eating breakfast as (Name) continued. “As some of you know, I have a fall celebration planned that I invited all of our friends to. It’s happening a little under two weeks, so I’ll need everyone to start getting preparations ready.”

Leorio nodded, taking out a pad of paper and a pen. “Alright, tell us what we need to do, sunshine.”

“First, the house needs to be cleaned, and I mean cleaned thoroughly.”

Killua glanced around the house, seeing it had deteriorated while (Name) was holed up in her room. “Yeah… it’ll need a thorough cleaning.”

Kurapika mostly stayed quiet, eating his breakfast as (Name) explained their plans. He didn’t want to upset her after everything.

(Name) sighed softly, finishing her cereal. “It’s going to be a tough two weeks, but it’ll… be worth it to have fun with everyone. I… haven’t spent the holiday season with all of my friends before.”

This made Kurapika frown. He had left York New two years ago right before the holiday season. (Name) had texted him before he ghosted her that she was extremely excited to spend Halloween, the fall season, and Christmas with him. He hadn’t even stopped to think about how she felt being alone during the holidays.

“Thankfully I’ve had Leorio, and then Killua and Gon last year. Otherwise… I would have been all alone.”

Kurapika flinched, shrinking into himself. He was the only one that hadn’t spent any sort of holiday besides Halloween with her, and he was determined to change that. “… I’m taking some time off of work and… my mission. I’ll be here for the party and Christmas.”

This shocked everyone, especially (Name). She finally looked at him for the first time that morning, her eyes a little wide. “Oh… that’s… that’s nice.”

The air seemed to go up a few degrees. It was still cold, but not as chilly as before. Everyone relaxed, Killua leaning against (Name)’s shoulder.

—————

A few days passed with the group getting ready for their fall gathering. Leorio and Killua were on cleaning duty, while Kurapika, Alluka, and (Name) would be working on getting the grocery list and food preparation.

“Mama, mama!”

Nanika pulled at (Name)’s skirt, her smile wide. “Hmm? What is it sweetheart?”

She giggled, hiding her face in (Name)’s chest. “I’m excited! Want to bake cookies!”

(Name) scooped her up, balancing her on her hip as she pulled out some flour. “Mmm, I was planning on making cookies for our gathering, might as well practice, yeah?”

Nanika cheered, clapping as (Name) gathered all of the ingredients for their cookies. She glanced at a cab of peaches sitting in the corner of her cabinet, thinking back to Kurapika saying he would be staying for the holiday season, even taking a break from his mission to spend time with them.

‘… he’s trying, I’ll… I’ll make him some peach cobbler.’

Earlier that day, Kurapika had locked himself up in his room. (Name) had assumed he was either not feeling well or just tired from all the preparations they’d been making. He deserved a break, and she wanted to do something nice for him. Kurapika had been trying his best to be helpful, even if he often failed miserably.

(Name) made cookies with Nanika and worked on the peach cobbler. She sat the girl down with a few freshly baked cookies and a cup of milk, Killua sneaking a few before settling on the couch with his sister to watch a movie as (Name) finished up some baking.

Once the peach cobbler was done, (Name) waited for it to cool down to a warm temperature before placing some and a scoop of ice cream in a bowl. ‘He loves cobbler, Kurapika will be so happy!’

There was no light shining from underneath his door, and when she knocked there was no answer. ‘That’s… unusual. Is he not home? I didn’t see him leave.’

(Name) wasn’t the type to walk into Kurapika’s room unannounced(she didn’t want to embarrass him by catching masturbating or crying), but… she was a little worried. So, despite her hesitance, she opened the door and peeked in.

“Kurapika?”

The blonde was kneeling by his nightstand, which had been turned into a makeshift altar. Candles, flowers, and a bowl of fruit decorated the small table, with the newest pairs of the scarlet eyes (Name) got sat in the center.

Kurapika had his eyes closed in prayer when she walked in. He looked up, anger flashing across his face. “Are you trying to be disrespectful? Today’s the only day I can feel connected… to my clan! Get out!”

She flinched when he yelled, setting the peach cobbler on his dresser. “S-sorry, I… I didn’t know this day was… sacred.”

(Name) closed the door, hurrying away as fast as she could.

Kurapika took a minute to calm down, looking up to see the peach cobbler (Name) brought him. In his anger, he hadn’t even thought to ask her why she walked in, or considered that there was no way she would know about a Kurta only holiday.

He grabbed the peach cobbler, his stomach sinking when he saw she had shaped it into a heart. She was trying to make things better, to treat him to his favorite dessert after not seeing him all day. Kurapika placed the peach cobbler on the altar, sighing softly.

“I shouldn’t have yelled at her…mom, that’s the girl I like. She’s been nothing but kind to me, and I don’t know how she puts up with me. I also think if she were here right now, she’d offer you something to eat. I hope you guys like it.”

He kneeled back down, brushed off his tabard and held his hands together in prayer.

————————

It seemed like everything was going well. It was a few days before the celebration when Kurapika’s and Leorio’s phones beeped at the same time.

They had been taking a break, watching a movie while (Name) finished up cooking dinner. Leorio was the first to look at his phone, his shoulders slumping.

“Shit, this is the worst time for that…” Leorio mumbled, causing Kurapika to look at his phone too.

Chairwomen Cheadle: There will be a mandatory Zodiac meeting at 8 pm tonight. Apologies for the short notice, anyone out of town will be allowed to attend virtually. Anyone close by are asked to show up physically.

(Name) peeked into the living room when she heard the two groan. “What are you two whining about?”

Leorio handed her his phone. “Zodiac meeting, and it’s in an hour.”

(Name) tilted her head, handing his phone back. “Oh? What’s wrong with that? The meeting is taking place in town, so you won’t need to do anything but show up.”

Kurapika, who still felt bad for yelling at her the previous day, looked up. “It’s not attendance that’s the problem, it’s… the people. They can be… how do I put this?”

“Annoying?”

“Yes, very.”

(Name) smiled as she kissed them both on the cheek. “Well, you two better get ready. You’ll have just enough time to eat dinner before leaving.”

The two turned a bright pink before they jumped up to go get ready.

After a quick dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread, the two set off for the zodiac meeting. It was taking place in the same hotel Pariston used for the Halloween party.

Kurapika stepped out of the mom van and made sure his suit jacket was on straight before walking into the building. Leorio glanced back at the mom van, locked it, then followed behind.

There were only five other zodiacs present at the table, with a projector showing the faces of the other members.

The ones present were Cheadle, Gel, Pyon, Mizaistom Nana, and Kanzai. “Since everyone is now present, the meeting can begin.”

Cheadle took her seat at the head of the table, everyone else sitting when she did. The room went quiet as Cheadle organized a stack of papers. She handed the stack to Pyon. “Take one and pass it on.”

The stack went around the table, finally making it to Leorio, who paused. “… what the…”

Kurapika raised an eyebrow, glancing at Leorio. He was next to the dark haired man, so he hadn’t gotten to see the picture yet.

“What’s the meaning of this!? Why are you passing around a picture of (Name) with her personal information!?”

Kurapika’s eyes widened at Leorio’s words, the blonde quickly snatching the paper out of Leorio’s hand.

On the paper was a picture of (Name), information about her height, weight, family history, and current living situation written out below it. His now scarlet eyes scanned over the text before he looked up.

“What does (Name) have to do with this meeting? Answer me, Cheadle.”

His aura spiked as he stood up, causing a few of the other members of the Zodiac to stand up as well. Cheadle was quick to hold up her hand, signaling everything was okay. This calmed down the other members enough for them and Kurapika to sit down.

“As some of you may know, (Name) (Last Name) has been the radar of the Hunter Association since the Chimera Ant incident that caused her new nen ability to form.”

Kurapika shot a glare at Leorio, his eyes saying he’d have questions after the meeting. “She’s on our radar? That sure is news to me.”

“Me too, why wasn’t I told?” Leorio asked after Kurapika. Cheadle sighed, holding up the image of (Name).

“Neither of you were told because for one you are new members, and secondly you both have personal ties to the subject.”

Kurapika scowled, crumpling the paper in his hand. “That is precisely why we should have been informed. Both of us know (Name) well, what reason would you have to keep her under surveillance?”

“It’s not surveillance. There are no cameras in her home or people following her, she just has to check in regularly to be screened to make sure she hasn’t used… her ability. That is the reason she is on our radar.”

Kurapika knew she was able to speed up the growth rate of cells to destroy human tissue, but he couldn’t see why that was worthy of keeping her on their radar. “You let Hisoka run free, but (Name) is the one you’re keeping an eye on? Not the murderous pedophilic clown!?”

Cheadle groaned. “Listen, after the Chimera Ant incident, she-“

Cheadle glanced at Leorio, who was shaking his head ever so slightly. “After she… was found, the area around her was completely barren. The concrete, organic matter, and dirt was disintegrated into ash. Her ability can be incredibly dangerous and devastating if left unchecked. Just one attack was able to leave an area completely barren, imagine what she could do on a larger scale.”

Kurapika was silent for a moment. Leorio crumpled up his paper and threw it in the trash. “Larger scale? When has she ever given you the idea that she would use that power again like that?”

Mizaistom cleared his throat, placing his own paper down on the table. “Very recently, Miss (Name) used her ability again during a mission with Kurapika Kurta, the rat zodiac. That went directly against her orders from the forner rat zodiac and former Chairman Pariston. Although her order from him was null and void when he left his position, her defying it is indeed worrying.”

“Yes, it would be bad if our little (Name) went rogue, wouldn’t it?”

Everyone looked up to see Pariston standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face. Kurapika was held back from rushing over by Leorio’s hand on his shoulder. He inhaled deeply, staring at Pariston from his seat, taking a moment before speaking.

“(Name) would never hurt an innocent person, she’s…”

There was a softness in Kurapika’s expression that none of the Zodiacs had ever seen with him. “She’s the kindest, most selfless person I’ve ever encountered. I thought I lost hope in humanity after the atrocities I’ve encountered while searching for the scarlet eyes, but (Name) has shown me what true kindness is. To say she would hurt someone is blasphemous, and I won’t sit here and take you saying those things about the woman I-“

He stopped, a blush taking over his cheeks as silence filled the room. Pariston smirked, leaning against the wall. “And there’s the truth, Kurapika. You’re in love with this woman, aren’t you?”

Kurapika cleared his throat, folding his arms over his chest as he looked away. “That is irrelevant to the conversation.”

“I think it is more than relevant, Kurapika. How can we trust that your judgment isn’t biased when you’re in love with that woman?” Saiyu said through the projection screen.

“You can either trust my judgment or I can leave the Zodiac.”

This shocked even Leorio, who laughed nervously. “He’s just saying that, you know how irrational he can be when he’s-“

“Oh no I mean it. I’ll burn the entire association down if they even THINK about hurting (Name).”

Kanzai stood, narrowing his eyes. “Are you threatening us? I won’t let you do that!”

“That’s enough.”

Cheadle glanced at Kanzai, signaling him to sit back down. He did so with a grumble, keeping an eye on Kurapika.

“Kurapika, no one is going to hurt (Name). I gathered you here to inform you all that she agreed to reinstating her vow to not use her ability.”

Kurapika’s eyes widened, and he relaxed into his seat. “She didn’t tell me about that…”

“She doesn’t tell you a lot of things, Kurapika.” Pariston said, taking his seat across from the blonde.

Kurapika growled, clenching his fist at his side, his foot tapping away. Leorio patted his shoulder, taking out his phone and showing Kurapika a picture of (Name) snuggled up wearing a Christmas themed onesie with little reindeer ears on the hood.

Not only did this calm him down, it also made him blush, a soft smile on his face as he stared at Leorio’s phone. “Thanks, Leorio. That… that really helped.”

The rest of the meeting went as smoothly as it could, and the two got ready to leave. They were stopped by Pariston, who was still sat at the table.

“You hesitated a bit back there, Kurapika. What’s our girl been up to lately?”

Kurapika felt his eyes go scarlet, his blood pressure rising as he whipped his head around. “Not ‘our’ girl, my girl.”

Pariston only smiled, folding his hands under his chin. “You’re dodging the question, Kurta. What has she been up to that has you so worked up?”

“Nothing, besides working her ass off to make sure this fall gathering goes off without a hitch. You think she could hurt someone? She’s made sure to meticulously plan out every dish so that none of them has nuts them because ONE kid that’s attending has an allergy! Tell me, how the fuck is a woman as kind as her-“

Leorio covered his mouth, sighing. “We’ll be leaving.”

Pariston sighed, waving them away with his hand. He watched the pair leave, laughing to himself as the other zodiac members present glanced between him and Cheadle.

“Pariston… what are you planning?”

The blonde smiled, leaning back in his chair. “Something entertaining.”

——————

It was late when they got home, nearly 10. The kids were in bed by then, and (Name) was nowhere to be seen. Leorio tugged off his suit jacket and pants before collapsing on the couch in his boxers and dress shirt. Kurapika glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you just going to sleep like that in the living room? That’s impolite to Alluka and (Name).”

Leorio groaned and waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah yeah, whatever. They won’t care, and besides I have to be out of here before 7 to run by my apartment and grab my homework before classes. Alluka doesn’t wake up until 9, and (Name) has seen my dick.”

Kurapika turned bright red before smacking Leorio over the head. “Hey, what was that for?”

The blonde huffed, turning on his heels to climb up the staircase. “Hmph.”

He wanted to give Leorio another good whack, but decided going to talk to (Name) was a bit more important. Kurapika was going to ask her for more information on the Chimera Ant incident, and why everyone was being so secretive about it.

He was going to do that, until he saw that her door was slightly ajar, and could hear soft pants and moans coming from inside.

A tent rose up in his pants, his breath hitching as he stood still, just inches away from her door. ‘Is… is she..?’

He took a deep breath before peeking through the crack in the door, blinking a few times before his eyes focused on (Name)’s figure.

Her face was in the pillow, her ass in the air and pussy on full display. This was the first time he had ever seen her pussy, and Kurapika felt his cock leak through his boxers, getting his pants sticky with precum.

Her pussy was perfect, looking soft and chubby, just like her. Kurapika watched her spread her plump pussy lips, her index finger rubbing circles into her clit. Before he knew it he was leaning against the doorway, desperately fisting his cock to the heavenly sight before him.

She looked way too cute with her chubby cheek squished against the pillow, her eyes half lidded and lips glossy from drool. Little pants and whines left her lips as her fingers wandered to her entrance.

Kurapika stifled a moan when he watched her stuff her fingers into her pussy, having to cover his mouth with one hand as he jerked off with the other.

‘So pretty… god (Name) I want you so fucking bad…’

As he pumped his cock, he remembered the way she jerked him off just nearly two weeks ago. Kurapika wondered if he could just… walk in and… help her out.

Then another memory surfaced in his head, the image of her face when he wouldn’t tell her how he really felt about her. This was enough to make him go soft, his eyes flickering from her dripping pussy to her face.

She was crying.

There were tears in the corners of her eyes, a tremble to her lips. Her fingers moved faster as she sniffled and moaned.

Was she upset? Sad? He didn’t know, but he did know that her tears made his heart ache. She didn’t cry when he made her cum, was there some reason for this?

He was going to leave and let her have her privacy. After all, she feared he may only want her to fulfill his own sexual fantasies, and jerking off to her while she was obviously upset wouldn’t really help his case.

Kurapika began to step back when he heard something that had his cock getting so hard it pressed against his tummy.

“Pika… please… w-want you…”

He felt his heart race, all the blood in his body rushing to his dick. ‘She’s… she’s thinking of me while…’

He stroked his cock to the pretty sight, trying so hard to pace himself so he could cum with her, but it got hard when he watched her fuck herself with her fingers while whimpering his name.

He came, panting softly as he watched her orgasm wash over her, cum dripping down her thighs. More than anything, he wanted to walk in and clean up those plump thighs with his tongue, but Kurapika stopped himself.

Instead, he took one last glance at her sweet, pleasured face before pulling out his phone. He bit his lip as he took a quick picture of her soft face, making sure not to get her nude body in the shot, no matter how much he wanted it.

Her face was enough to get him rock hard again, the blonde barely making it to his room before his hand was shoved in his pants again, jerking off to her o-face.

(Name) moaning his name confirmed in his mind that she was attracted to him and wanted him. Kurapika couldn’t help but feel guilty, almost giggling in delight like a girl with a crush when he thought back to it. ‘She wants me…’

————————

Over the next two days, Kurapika became rather clingy with (Name), following her around like a lost, lovesick puppy.

“Kurapika.”

“Yes, angel?”

“… get out, I’m trying to pee.”

Kurapika stood at the doorway of the bathroom, tilting his head. “Oh, go ahead. Don’t mind me.”

“I most certainly WILL mind you! Out!”

He pouted, crossing his arms. “Why? I just-“

“Kurapika Kurta I can’t pee with you watching me! Go!”

(Name) threw a bottle of shampoo at him, causing the blonde to rush out of the door and close it behind him. ‘Geez, what has gotten into him? He’s been clinging to me like a needy child. Even Killua wasn’t this bad… when…’

She sighed, washing her hands. ‘Oh, Killua…’

Kurapika was waiting outside the bathroom, watching her. “Took you long enough. Now come on, I want some-“

(Name) pinched his cheek, huffing. “No, I need to cook. You’ve been so clingy lately, what’s up with you?”

His cheeks turned pink, but he didn’t move away from her. “I…”

Kurapika didn’t want to admit he overheard her moaning his name, because then he would have to explain himself more, and might tell her more than he wanted to. He didn’t like lying, so might as well not say anything. “… sorry. I’ll help with the cooking, if that’s alright with you.”

(Name) smiled, taking his hand. “That’s perfectly fine, Pika. I need all the help I can get.”

He let her lead him downstairs, his eyes soft. Every time her skin touched his, Kurapika could feel his heart pound behind his ribs. “(Name)… I-“

“Oh look it’s the blonde twink. Have you finished following my mom like a mutt in heat and decided to actually help out?”

Kurapika’s eyebrow twitched, a scowl taking over his face. (Name) glanced at Kurapika, trying to hold back an amused smile. “Oh stop it Killua, he’s just attached to me. Much like a little puppy.”

Kurapika huffed, pulling his arm away before crossing them both over his chest. “I just… wanted to make sure you’re alright. You… you were hurt during our mission.”

“Yeah, but that was nearly three weeks ago, Kurapika.” (Name) said, giving him a knowing smile. “You just like being around me~”

The blonde turned a bright red, even the tips of his ears going pink. “Y-you say that like it’s a bad thing. Of course… I like being around you. You’re…”

He trailed off, clearing his throat. “Anyways, what can I do to help?”

(Name) could feel her own face grown warm, but shook off the fuzzy feeling taking over her body to answer Kurapika’s question. “You’ll be making the macaroni! It’s very easy, so-“

“Pause.”

Kurapika and (Name) looked to Killua, who held up his hands. “Mom, do you really trust a blonde to get your famous macaroni right? The only thing he knows how to cook is pancakes, eggs, and bacon, he’s a one trick pony!”

(Name) waved her hand dismissively, shooing Killua out of the kitchen. “Shoo, your negative energy will ruin the food.”

Killua pouted, but walked out of the kitchen. “Don’t come crying to me when he messes everything up…’

(Name) turned to Kurapika, the blonde’s heart nearly slipping a beat when you smiled at him sweetly. “Come on, let’s get started.”

She gave him a quick run down of her recipe, writing down the details. “Okay, don’t overcook the noodles. I’ll be back in a few minutes, I need to go pick up Alluka from her date with her little girlfriend.”

(Name) paused for a moment, glancing at Kurapika before standing on her tippy toes and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “Good luck, I believe in you.”

Before she could pull away, Kurapika turned and held onto her neck, keeping her in place as he leaned down to kiss her lips. “Thank you, (Name). I won’t let you down.”

Her face was hot, her eyes shining as they stared into his. “Kurapika…”

“It’s Pika, (Name),” he said softly, going back in for another kiss. Before he could slip his tongue into her mouth, she pushed him back, letting out a soft sigh.

“I’ve… got to go, Alluka is waiting.”

Kurapika nodded, pushing a piece of her hair out of her face. “Go ahead, I’ll be here.”

He smiled as he watched her leave, feeling giddy. Now that he knew she wanted him, his confidence had gone up a bit, allowing him to be more affectionate with her without fear.

‘Mmm…’

He licked his lip, his cheeks flushing when he tasted her strawberry flavored chapstick. Kurapika began to boil the macaroni, his head in the clouds. Everything felt so… warm and fuzzy. Was this what being in love was like? Kurapika wanted to bathe in this feeling, he had finally made up his mind.

He wanted to be with (Name).

No matter how he tried to separate himself from her, he was always drawn back, as if they were magnets meant to connect and stick by each other’s side.

‘And I can’t leave her, now that I know the Hunter Association is keeping an eye on her…’

It filled Kurapika with rage to know they believed (Name) was capable of causing destruction on a massive scale. The girl had a crisis over killing a man that was objectively awful, to think she could hurt an innocent was beyond comprehension for the Kurta.

Before, he wanted to leave to keep her safe, but now he knew even if he left, she would never truly be free from danger. The only thing he could do was stay by her side, protecting his angel to his best ability. He would die if it meant she would continue to live a happy, carefree life.

‘But…’

He bit his lip, watching the water on the stove boil. ‘My mission… I have to finish it first. I’ll hunt down the phantom troupe, then…’

He blushed, pouring the noodles into the water.

‘Then she’ll be mine.’

——————

“You seem to be in a good mood, big sis,” Alluka said, watching (Name) from the backseat. (Name) laughed, turning into the driveway.

“Yeah… I guess I am in a good mood.”

She felt happy for the first time since she killed that man, her heart fluttering at the memory of Kurapika’s lips on hers. The kiss had been so tender, full of a feeling that (Name) hoped was love. Maybe, just maybe, the two actually had something between them. She really hoped so, (Name) had never seen Kurapika look at anyone but her that way.

All of these fuzzy feelings were squashed when she walked into the kitchen to see Kurapika staring at a pot of… macaroni? At least she thought it was, but the noodles were over cooked and soggy, while the cheese was dry. “Kurapika…”

The blonde glanced at her, looking like a kicked puppy. “I… I really tried my best, (Name).”

She didn’t have it in her to stay mad at him, instead giving him a small smile. “Well, it was your first time making my recipe, don’t beat yourself up-“

“Mom, why does the mac and cheese taste like someone without a soul made it?”

They looked to see Killua spitting the bite of macaroni he ate into the trash. “How the FUCK did you make it so dry but overcook the noodles to the point they’re slimy?”

Kurapika grimaced, Alluka peeking at the macaroni. When she attempted to try a bite, Killua lifted it out of her reach and placed in where she couldn’t reach. “Don’t eat that, Alluka. It’ll hurt your tummy.”

(Name) rubbed her temple. “Killua, come on. It’s his first time making it.”

“Mom, if Gon did this I would understand, but Kurapika is only a year apart from you, and you can cook almost anything.”

“Baby, people have different things they’re good at and you know I already told you-“

“Yeah, yeah, I know. ‘People grow and learn at different rates’ or whatever…”

(Name) smiled, pinching his cheek. “Exactly. You’re never too old to learn something new or make a change. Never.”

Killua nodded slowly, before lightly swatting her hand away. “Come on Alluka, let’s go get my room ready for Gon.”

Kurapika watched with a fond look in his eyes as the two ran off, (Name) turning back to give him a patient smile. “Okay, let’s see the macaroni.”

She hummed as she looked over it. “Well… it’s not… awful. I’ll put it in the fridge and maybe we can salvage it later! For now…”

(Name) pulled out a container and a pie dish, setting it on the table. She pulled off the lid, the smell of cherries filling the air. “It’s cherry filling. All you have to do is poke some holes into the crust and pour this in, then bake for 45 minutes.”

She glanced at her phone. “I have to pick up Gon then go grocery shopping with Leorio. Oh, let me write down the directions so you-“

“(Name), stop. I’m not five. You can count on me for this, just take care of the groceries with Leorio,” Kurapika said, grabbing a knife to begin poking the the pie crust. She quickly replaced it with a fork, showing him how it was done.

“You poke it with a fork, silly.”

He blushed as she guided his hand, his heart thumping against his chest. “Like that, see?”

“Y-yeah, I’ve got it. Go on, angel, I don’t want you to be late.”

She gave him a nod and a gently squeeze to his hand before walking out. Kurapika sat at the table, poking holes into the pie crust as he thought about the meeting with the Zodiacs. He was supposed to ask her about why she was under watch, but he got a little… distracted.

‘What happened during the Chimera Ant incident? I bet that’s why… Killua gets those nightmares. Something bad happened, I just don’t know what yet.’

It made him anxious not knowing what could have happened to (Name) while he was away. If he was correct, Kurapika remembered having a small service and ignoring Leorio’s phone calls during that time.

‘I know some of them were for Gon, but I temper seeing (Name)’s name mentioned… the he deleted the message…’

Kurapika put the pie in the oven, sighed as he leaned against the wall. ‘Well, some of our friends and allies are coming over, maybe at least one of them will be willing to share some information with me.’

He looked at the fridge, his cheeks turning a little pink. “I wonder…”

Kurapika’s eyes scanned over the list of dishes (Name) planned on making, focusing on the dessert part. His face turned bright red when he spotted his favorite, peach cobbler with a little note beside it.

‘For my Pika <3’

She always managed to make his heart race with how thoughtful and kind she was, and now more than ever it angered him to to think of someone hurting her or thinking ill of her.

He glanced at the timer on the oven. ‘45 minutes…’

Kurapika jumped when he felt someone grab his sleeve. “Kurapika? Where’s mama?”

It was Nanika, her void like eyes staring up at him. When she was out, she would offen cling to (Name) like a child would their mother. “Oh, (Name) isn’t home right now, she-“

“M-mama isn’t home?”

Her lip quivered, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. “B-but… but…”

Kurapika froze, not knowing what to do. The poor girl was clinging to his tabard, crying. “Hey, hey now, shh…”

He tried to remember what (Name) would do to cheek her up. “Nanika, it’s okay. She won’t take long, I promise.”

He gently patted her head, his fingers running through her hair in a soothing manner, much like (Name) did for the other kids when they were upset. Nanika sniffled, but began to calm down, rubbing at her eyes sleepily.

“I think you need a nap, kiddo. Alluka stayed up late last night picking out her outfit for her date.”

He picked her up, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, and brought her to the spare room, laying her down before tucking her into bed.

“Get some rest, kiddo. If you need something I’ll be in the kitchen, okay?”

Kurapika smiled down at her, feeling very soft. She was already falling asleep, her eyelids drooping. Kurapika left the room, turning the light off on his way out and leaving the door cracked.

Killua was waiting for him in the hallway, looking less hostile than usual. “She wouldn’t listen to me, and kept looking for mom. Thanks… for getting her to sleep. She can get a bit fussy when she hasn’t slept well.”

Kurapika gave him a nod before being distracted from his job again with the ring of the doorbell. “Did… (Name) say anyone was showing up so early? The get together is tomorrow…”

Killua thought for a moment then grimaced. “Oh, yeah. That’s probably Menchi.”

They both scowled, the blonde letting out an annoyed sigh before opening the door. Menchi stood behind it, wearing an ochre colored sweater, with jeans. It was a far cry from her outfit during the exam, Kurapika wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her in anything normal.

“Where’s (Name)?”

She seemed to look at Kurapika with a look of distaste, like she was just served a dish with bits of cat litter in it. The blonde tried to keep a small smile on his face. “She isn’t here at the moment, she-“

Menchi pushed her way in and immediately headed towards the kitchen. “Who the hell is burning a cherry pie!?”

Kurapika’s eyes went. He sprinted into the kitchen, his eyes wide as he glanced at the clock then the plume of smoke pouring out of the opened oven. Menchi pulled out the pie and opened the kitchen door to fan the smoke out, coughing.

“I don’t understand, I did everything (Name) told me to! I set the oven to 350, then the timer to 45 minutes-“

Menchi raised an eyebrow. “Uh… the oven is at 450, not 350.”

Kurapika’s eyes went wide before he groaned and sat down to hold his head in his hands. “Fuck… the macaroni then this, what’s wrong with me?”

Menchi stared at the charred pie, sighing. “This poor, poor pie. I assume (Name) made the filling. What a waste.”

She pulled some rolling pins out of nowhere. “No matter, I’ll get to work. You’re banned from the kitchen, blondie.”

He didn’t argue, just standing up and shuffling to his room.

———————

Gon walked around, giving everyone hugs and saying hi to Menchi before he stopped. “Hmm? Where’s Kurapika?”

(Name) shrugged, hanging up her coat. “I’m not sure, but Killua said he burned the pie earlier.”

She sighed and rubbed her temple. “It was an honest mistake, but it’s still a little frustrating to be down two dishes now.”

Gon nodded, patting her shoulder. “I’ll go talk to him! Maybe we can work something out!”

“Yeah, you go do that. I have to make sure Menchi doesn’t get off track with the food again.”

Gon walked up the stairs and knocked on Kurapika's door. "Kurapika, it's Gon! I just got here.”

The door cracked open, the blonde looking a bit downtrodden. “Oh, Gon… happy holidays. How… are you doing?”

He hummed, walking into Kurapika’s room. “I’m doing alright, but how are you? I heard… you had some problems in the kitchen.”

Kurapika nodded, rubbing his arm awkwardly. “Yeah, I just… I got distracted and I messed up… and…”

Gon held up his hand. “Everyone messes up sometimes! What matters is trying to fix the mistake you made!”

Kurapika gave him a soft smile. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. You always know what to say, Gon.”

The boy grinned. “How about this, we’ll wait for Menchi to leave, then we’ll try and salvage that macaroni and cheese!”

The two spent the next hour really catching up. Kurapika had been hesitant to get too close to his friends again, but now that he knew he was sticking around, he wanted more than anything to be close with them again. It felt like he had become so distant from the people he cared for most, so it felt nice to be all caught up with what they had been doing.

“And you’re gonna ask (Name) on a date- Mmph!”

Kurapika covered Gon’s mouth as his face erupted into a blush. “Shh, she could hear you!”

Gon nodded as Kurapika pulled his hand away, now whispering. “I think she’ll say yes, you two have always been so close. When you were gone, she looked at your picture in the living room a lot.”

The blonde turned bright red, clearing his throat. “Is that so?”

Gon stood, peeking out the door. “Mhm. Now come on, Menchi just left!”

Kurapika followed Gon down to the kitchen and took out the macaroni. “You followed the directions on the box, right?” Gon asked as he looked at the soggy noodles and dry cheese.

Kurapika huffed, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Of course, why wouldn’t I? Boil for eight minutes, remove from- hey!”

Gon began to scrape off some of the cheese. “If we take off some of the cheese, we can mix some fresh cheese in and add some extra milk and seasonings!”

Kurapika relaxed, smiling. “Ah, I forgot, you said you knew how to make macaroni and cheese during the Hunter Exam, didn’t you?”

Gon nodded proudly, setting the macaroni and cheese aside. “Now, let’s shred some cheese and get some bread crumbs!”

Though the noodles were still soggy after they were done, the macaroni and cheese looked a lot better and smelled decent. Kurapika couldn’t help but feel a little proud.

“Oh boys, something is smelling great in here!”

(Name) walked in, putting away her phone. She had snapped a picture of the scene before announcing her presence. ‘That’s going in the Christmas card.’

Kurapika blushed as she swiped a bit of the macaroni and cheese, fiddling with his tabard. “Kurapika, Gon, this tastes great! This is definitely going on the table, along with my macaroni and cheese.”

Gon cheered, and Kurapika sighed in relief. “Now, you two come to the table and eat your dinner. It’s burgers tonight.”

Everyone gathered at the table to eat dinner, smiling and laughing. They were all full of excitement for the next day, though none of them were prepared for the chaos that would ensue.

[tojiscumdumpster]

CHAPTER SIX - TOJI/READER

⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀✧ summary page

 Toji’s POV

 “Don’t forget the parent-teacher conference today at three, then I need to go buy things for school this week.”

 The hardest thing about being a parent is having to remember shit. Had Megumi not reminded me, I would’ve forgotten. 

 Partially because I genuinely didn’t remember, and the other reason is because Y/N has taken over my mind. It’s been like this since I’ve met her, but it definitely heightened after our morning together this past Saturday. 

 Accidentally seeing her naked, then dry humping her the next morning has me desperate for her pussy. I wasn’t even fucking inside of her and she had me coming in my damn boxers. I just know if her pussy was wrapped around my cock, I would’ve nutted quicker than I did. 

 I needed relief. Once I came back home, I fisted myself in the shower. I got out of the shower, caught up on some sleep, then woke up and jerked off again. 

 And again.

  And again.

 And again.

 And again…

 I never been this fucking horny before. What other woman’s name have I moaned out while beating my cock? I visualize Y/N. I visualized her on top of me, under me, on her knees for me. Fuck, the day she lets me have my way with her, I’m going to take my time to please her, but fuck her like she’s my favorite toy. 

 And I want to say it’s only a sexual attraction with Y/N, but I would be lying. 

 We agreed to get to know each other. Not boyfriend and girlfriend. Not dating. Just talking. Not as friends either because what I feel for is not friendly. She just… intrigues me. 

 I don’t want to say I’ll end up falling for her because that’s fucking unlikely. I don’t even have any more love left in me to give. But I know I want Y/N to myself. I want to claim her as mine.

 She is mine. 

 The extra hour we spent together on Saturday was nice. Y/N said she was going to lunch with a friend, so we sat and ate fucking Cinnamon Toast Crunch while talking. 

 Imagine me, a gruff forty-two-year-old eating a bowl of sugary cereal. Kong would say I’m whipped. Probably even clown me about it. 

 But see, the thing is about whatever shit me, and Y/N have going on—it feels natural. She doesn’t always talk. I don’t always talk. Maybe I’ll stare at her like a creep because she’s so damn pretty but being in each other's presence is enough. 

 She affects me in ways I can’t describe, and it’s only been a week. And within that week, we’ve only been around each other three times. 

 I fucking know her. I know I do. 

 “Dad,” Megumi calls me. “Did you hear what I said?”

 I clear my throat. “Yeah. Yeah, kid. Meeting at three, and school supplies.” I go back to fixing his lunch. “Want to go tomorrow? I’m off.”

 “Why are you still packing me lunch? I’m not a little kid anymore,” he asks, annoyingly. 

 I throw my head back and laugh. “You rather eat that shit they serve you at school? Chocolate milk with pizza?”

 His cheeks redden. “Whatever.”

 “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” I mock. “So, tomorrow?”

 “Whatever.”

 “ Whatever , whatever . Those the only words you know? Maybe I need to talk to your teacher about extra lessons.”

 “Dad, just make my lunch. I’m going to finish getting ready.” The kid didn’t even let me get a response out before he stormed out the kitchen. 

 Megumi has been putting up with me these days. I’d like to describe my kid as “moody.” One minute, we’re able to hold a decent conversation. The next, he completely shuts me out and acts like I don’t exist. I don’t pressure him, though. Whatever he wants to give, I’ll take it.

 Just parenting him feels like I’m parenting myself because I know I would act how he does. He’s still adjusting , that’s what Y/N would tell me if she was here right now. Her reassurance helps because when that damn voice in my head reminds me how shitty of a dad I am, I think about what she told me.

  “Grand Finale takes the lead around the far turn!”

 Gambling, one of the guilty pleasures I fucking suck at but still do because it’s easy money. Well, when I’m not losing it. Do I ever win? No. Though, lately, my bets haven’t been getting dirt last.

 Top five is at least my goal.

 The security gig pays well, but there’s nothing wrong with a little extra cash every now and then. If I’m not at races, I’m in the casino, which they have a lot of in the States. Probably my favorite thing about this country. 

 My chances of playing at those slot machines are definitely higher than these inconsistent races who take up a shit load of my earnings. 

 Before, when I was kicked out of the Zen’in Family, any penny I had I would blow on gambling. Now, I try to be mindful since I have another mouth to feed. Last thing I need is to be one of those dads that spent their life savings on some bullshit, getting nothing in return. 

 I don’t want to look like that now, at least. 

 “Pilot Apollo is coming up on the outside!”

  Pilot Apollo. About fucking time. I’ve been betting on this racehorse for months. Every time he comes up on fifth place, some shithead jockey passes him, and he falls behind. 

 “How did I know you were going to be here?” Kong stands behind me, smoking probably his twentieth cigarette for the day. 

 “Maybe because you keep fucking stalking me,” I retort. “Aren’t you supposed to be back in Japan? What are you still doing here?”

 He takes the seat near me, skipping a chair to keep a comfortable distance. “Bought a one-way ticket, and I didn’t even get to see my godson yet.”

 “Grand Finale has passed Apollo Pilot. He’s closing in on third. Now second!”

My back straightens. “Apollo Pilot, what the fuck?”

 Kong takes a puff of his cigarette, chuckling. “You know you’re not good at this crap. Easy money doesn’t suit you, Fushiguro.”

 “What do you want?”

 “The contract is still up for grabs. Better money. Frankly, something you’re actually good at.”

 I clicked my tongue. “I remember telling you no. I don’t do shit like that anymore, Kong. You know that.”

 Gambling and sleeping with random women for money was inconsistent. Gambling, because I lost money as soon as I won it, and being a boy toy because sometimes I didn’t feel like fucking married women who were unhappy with the cock they were getting at home. 

 Kong introduced me to a form of income that was consistent and paid very, very well. 

 Killing people. 

 Well, becoming a contract killer. Same difference. 

 I needed good money. Fast money. Money, I knew I could get because of my skills, no thanks but thanks to those Zen’in fucks. So, I started taking contracts here and there. One signing could last me six months if I didn’t blow it all on gambling. 

 But I stopped taking contracts after I met Megumi’s mother—my wife. She doesn’t even know I used to do it. Information like this stays between me and Kong. 

 Just thinking about Y/N’s words, saying how I’m a decent man circulated my memories. Wonder if she’d feel the same if she found out the joy I got out of those contracts. 

 “And besides, we’re in America now. The systems are different from back home,” I argued. “Can’t afford getting caught.”

 “The contract is based in Japan.”

  You don’t need that kind of money right now, Fushiguro. You and Megumi are good. 

 Shut up. 

 I raise a brow. “Why the fuck are you so adamant about me taking the contract? Trying to set me up?”

 He throws up his hands, mocking me, “Damn, you got me.” This motherfucker. “No, dumbass. Because my cut is based on the performance and if the job actually gets done. I hate complimenting you, but you were a good client, Fushiguro. I like money just as much as you.”

 “Apollo Pilot has fallen behind. Newbourne passes, taking fifth place. Fourth. Third! Second! Newbourne is now in second place!”

 “You got to be fucking shitting me,” I say through gritted teeth. 

 “Grand Finale is coming up on Newbourne, who takes the lead. Neck to neck, these two!”

 I stand up and curse, not caring about the looks I’m attracting. “Five hundred dollars, Apollo Pilot. Move your fucking tail. Place fifth!”

 “Oh, but Newbourne is coming in strong. He’s back in the lead on the inside.”

 “Fushiguro, you’re embarrassing me,” Kong snorts. 

 “Shut up.”

 “Oh my goodness, Grand Finale with the ultimate comeback. He has striked. Ladies and gentlemen, Grand Finale has won the Wooden Star derby!”

 Sixth fucking place for Apollo Pilot and five hundred dollars straight down the drain. This is what I get for trying to enjoy my afternoon. And nothing makes it better than having Kong in the background taunting me. 

 “Fuck you, man.” I crumbled up the betting ticket I had and threw it on the ground. It’s time for me to head home so I can get ready to go to this meeting. “And I’m not taking the contract.” I tell Kong as I walk away. 

 “Think about it,” he says, waving goodbye. “Oh, and I’m coming over for dinner soon.”

 Reader’s POV

 Okay, maybe I did take some extra time this morning to get pretty because of my three o’clock parent-teacher conference in the next ten minutes.

 A fresh wash and go. One of my favorite overall dresses with a white under tee. Light yet flirty makeup. My favorite creamy vanilla and warm berries fragrance. Gosh, I feel like a high school girl getting ready to see her crush. That damn Toji Fushiguro just makes me feel so light inside. 

 And after Saturday, I know my vibrator is getting tired of me. 

 Sex didn’t happen, but the dry humping… it felt so good. How Toji was thrusting into my hips with so much passion and aggression, I shouldn’t be surprised I orgasmed off of that alone. 

 I mean, let’s not forget to mention how he played with my nipples… sucked on my neck… the animalistic look in his eyes. It’s been too long since I’ve felt desired that way, like a high I didn’t want to come down from. 

 And I know how desperately he wanted to fuck me. I did, too. Well, I do, too. But I want to talk to him more. It’s not about making him wait to see if he’s the one because words can’t describe how badly I want him. 

  It’s just the ball of feelings I have for him that rests in the pit of my stomach—I want them to grow organically. I want to feel him emotionally without feeling him inside of me, physically. 

 When the time is right. 

 Honestly, this past Saturday would’ve been the perfect time, but I did not have enough energy to take him. Not with his size.

  Breathe, Y/N. 

 I also can’t help but feel that I’m feeling for Toji too fast. With the little conversation we had, and the short time I’ve known him for, I might be a bit ahead of myself. We don’t know each other, is what he said to me last Friday. 

 … It’s the truth I didn’t want to hear. 

 Yes, it’s true. But I won’t hold back how I feel, and what I feel around Toji Fushiguro is just a like. 

  It’s a quick job, then I’ll come back to you. . . He said he’s not coming. 

 These words have been replaying in my mind lately. Is my conscience trying to tell me something? Who’s not coming? Is it…

 A knock on my classroom door reminds me of my reality. I look to see the man that has been constantly on my mind lately, lips curving into a small smile. 

 Realistically speaking, my reactions are first to be giddy and excited to see him, but I keep that inside. Right now, it’s teacher mode.

 I walked to the door and let him in. First thing I picked up was his scent. Earthy and woody with a touch of amber. He’s wearing his all black, three-piece suit that I saw him wearing at work. His midnight-colored locks are slicked back, different from his usual style that I know him for. 

 It might be an over exaggeration, but Toji Fushiguro is probably the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. 

 Masculine. Mature. Rough. His body, that waist that’s accentuated by his suit. . . Fuck me. 

  Calm down, Y/N . 

 I know, I know. 

 “Y/N?” 

 I give him a teasing smile. “Miss L /N,” I corrected. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Fushiguro. Please. Come take a se-” My words were cut off by Toji grabbing me by my waist from behind to pull me into him. 

 His lips are at my neck, and I can feel him smiling while softly kissing my skin. I have the urge to melt but I fight it. 

 “Toji, not here. I’m at work.”

 He deeply inhales and pleasurably exhales. “You smell so good. You always do. And you look pretty, sweetheart.”

 “Thank you.” I want to stay like this. I really do, but the last thing I need is to have someone catch us like this. “But move. We have a parent-teacher conference.”

 He chuckles, eventually releasing me. “Fine. Just surprised you’re Miss L /N. I think you failed to tell me that this past Saturday.”

 “Maybe I like surprises?”

 “Ha, a surprise it is. Megumi has told me about you.”

 I sit behind my desk and Toji takes a seat in front of me. “Good things, I hope.”

 “Seems like you’re his favorite teacher. I asked Megumi how his teachers are, he gave an eh response, but said you were pretty nice.”

 Being a teacher isn’t easy, and the pay isn’t great. However, I do it because I genuinely enjoy teaching. Hearing reassurance from my students, no matter how big or small, feels good. 

 “Megumi is a good student,” I start. “He’s only been here a week, but volunteers reading quicker than newer and even seasoned students. Sometimes he seems shy because of his English, but I try to help him with the little Japanese I know.”

 “How’d you learn?”

 “When I taught elementary kids, it was for like three years in Japan. I was their English teacher,” I explained. “Also, uhm, my ex-fiancé… he’s Japanese, too.”

 He hums, and if I didn’t know any better, I saw his jaw tick. “I see. Well, yeah. He likes reading. The kid has a lot of books. I think it helps with his English, too. We jump between Japanese and English at home.”

 “I think that's good practice.”

 “Does Megumi have friends?”

 I tap my pen against the desk, thinking. “Throughout the school, I’m not sure, but I did sit him next to another student I think he would pair well with. His name is Yuji. Really sweet and bubbly kid. He’s also Japanese, so I think he warms up to him a bit because of that connection.”

 “That kid is stubborn like his old man,” he teases. “I tell him to make friends and he says he doesn’t need any. I don’t want him to end up like me.”

 My face softens. “Be kind to yourself, Toji.”

 So much for teacher mode. 

 Our eyes are on each other, and he knows exactly how I'm feeling. Little by little, Toji opens up about his relationship with his son. We talked about it a bit on Saturday. 

 I can tell he’s not the kind of man that shows his emotions, but I can feel his energy. How he talked about Megumi holding small conversations with him lately seemed to make him happy. Toji told me there was one point in their lives after his wife died that Megumi didn’t talk to him for a whole year. 

 I could only imagine the strain their relationship has. 

 I’m not condoning him being a neglectful father for seven years, but I’m not going to diminish his grief either. It’s just when you’re a parent, there’s times you have to put on a facade and put your feelings on the back burner to make sure your kids are alright. 

 Toji’s trying to make amends now, and I’m glad he didn’t wait until Megumi was old enough to completely resent him. His patient is amicable. 

 He gives me a wryly smile. “I’ll keep that in mind. . . Miss L /N.”

 “Someone has to keep the foreplay going.”

 He arches a brow, standing over my desk to brush his lips against mine. “That’s what this is to you? Foreplay?”

 Toji’s minty breath and soft pink lips are making it hard for me to not jump on him and be clingy. Again, classroom setting. Can’t afford to get caught. 

 Alternating my gaze between his lips and rich eyes, I look at him through my lashes, smiling and say, “Back to our discussion at hand, Mr. Fushiguro?”

 He laughs quietly. “Of course.”

 I try to keep the conference quick and simple (since Toji has work at four), going over the class curriculum, the expectation of Megumi, and all the supplies he needs throughout the school year. With a bit of flirting here and there, seeing how involved he wants to be in his son's school life really warms me. 

 Unfortunately, not all student’s parents are like that. Hence why a lot of my conferences last fifteen minutes or less. 

 “This is the parent portal you can download on your phone as an app, mobile web, or access on a computer to keep up with Megumi’s grades. Not only in my class, but his other classes.” 

 “What’s his grade now?” he asks. 

 “Since he’s new to my class, there’s not much to grade, so you’ll see it as blank,” I answered him. “Next week we have a test on a book we’re finishing up in class. That’ll be his first major grade.”

 He nods. “Alright. Anything else I need to know?” Toji asks with genuine concern. Not like a man that has somewhere to be, even though he does. 

 “It’s four fifteen.”

 “Not worrying about work. They know I’m going to be late.”

 I softly smile. “Okay, but no. Nothing else. Any updates will be posted on the parent portal. My email and number are within that folder as well.” We began walking to the door so I could see him out. 

 “Can I use your number outside school reasons?” 

 “Use my number however you please, Mr. Fushiguro.” My voice is suggestive. I find Toji rolling his tongue against the inside of his cheek while smiling, incredibly sexy. It’s like he’s doing this on purpose.

 “Going to let me kiss you now?”

 I managed to look over his shoulders to see if there’s anyone walking through the hallway but it’s empty. “A quick one and make it appropr-” A good way to shut me up. 

 His lips are on mine before I’m able to finish, kissing me like he’s been without me for a lifetime. Kissing Toji is addicting but makes me feel like I’m on a cloud. How he nibbles on my bottom lip or sucks my tongue into his mouth.

 His hand that rests on the small of my back that feels possessive, pulling me further so I don’t break away. How he groans when tasting my mouth because us kissing has just as much of an effect on him as it does me. 

 The words that he says. The look in his eyes when he watches me. How his touch burns sensuality and temptation onto my flesh. My friends always told me I’m a lovesick fool, and Toji Fushiguro will be the one to show it if this keeps up. 

 “You look pretty like this,” —he breathes after breaking our kiss— “and you expecting me to keep it appropriate?”

 “I wanted to look nice for you,” I admit, shyly. 

 “For me?”

 I nod. “Yeah.”

 “If only you knew,”��his hand slides to my ass to squeeze, pulling me further into his now hardened erection—“how fucking beautiful and enticing you are.”

 I have times where I’m the most confident woman in the world. Then, I also have times where I can show a bit of insecurity. But I don’t show that side to everyone. Probably no one. However, Toji is just that exception.

 Tucking my coils behind my ears, I say, “You’re just saying that.”

 He grabs me by my chin with his free hand to force me to look at him. “I’m not.” Is all he says, sounding more certain and genuine than ever.

“Okay,” I responded, holding eye contact. “Thank you.”

 He looks at his watch, time being four thirty. “Can I take you out?”

 “Hm, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to go out with my student’s father. No?”

 Toji repeatedly pecks my lips. “I work day shift on Friday. I’ll see you at eight?”

 My crush on this man almost frightens me.

 “Yeah. Friday at eight,” I confirm.

 “Alright. I have to go. Okay for me to text you later?”

 “Remember, Mr. Fushiguro” –I tiptoe to give him one more kiss– “use my number as you please.”

PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER

discussion question #2 — reader knew that toji is megumi's father before toji found out that she's megumi's reading teacher. now that toji knows, do you think him seeing reader will cause a rift in his already strained relationship with megumi once he finds out? Or maybe cause them to grow closer? What are your thoughts?

[tinycoded360]

Friends Out of Water Chapter 5: Meeting an Old Friend

Forest awoke the following day to sunlight filtering through the curtains and Ana stirring in his hands. He blinked open his eyes and peered down at her tiny form.

"Good morning," he whispered, his voice rough with sleep.

Ana yawned and stretched. "Good morning, Forest." She nuzzled against his palm, seeking his warmth and affection. "Did you sleep well?"

"um-hum….yes." He stroked her back with a fingertip, marveling at how small and delicate she was. "How about you? Were you comfortable?"

"Very." She peered up at him through her lashes, a shy smile curving her lips. "Your hands make the perfect bed."

Heat rose in Forest's cheeks at her words. He cleared his throat, unsure how to respond, and asked, "Are you hungry?"

Ana nodded. "Starving.

Forest sat up and climbed out of bed. "Let's get you something to eat."

He carried her downstairs to the kitchen, set her on the counter, and opened the fridge to examine its contents. "What would you like? I have fruit, yogurt, eggs..."

"Fruit sounds perfect." Ana slid across the counter until she was at the edge, peering down at the floor below.

Forest retrieved a container of blueberries from the fridge and a small bowl from the cupboard. He placed a few of the berries in the bowl, enough to seem like a feast to Ana's tiny size.

When he set the bowl on the counter, Ana dove in with enthusiasm, grabbing a blueberry between two hands and taking a bite. The blueberry was as big as her head. The juices dribbled down her chin.

“I’ll have to redesign your tank, just in case you keep changing form without any control,” Forest commented as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.

“Yea…..I guess I’ll need that.” Ana Replied aplenty. “I just don’t know what happened. I haven’t been able to control it; I’m scared I’ll change in the wrong environment.”

“I’ll ensure you're fine,” Forest reassured his tiny girlfriend. “I should probably get you some clothes too.”

Ana grinned at her giant boyfriend. “Aw, I thought you were enjoying the view.” She said with a giggle. “But yea, honestly I’d like something….It gets cold.”

Before Forest could reply, his phone buzzed with an oncoming message. Forest tapped his phone open and pulled the message up.

“It’s your friend…..she replied. She’d like to meet today at noon, at that café down the street.” Forest said with a frown.

“That’s Great! Oh! I’m so happy she’s willing to help!” Ana excitedly replied.

Forest looked down at his mouse-sized girlfriend with a deep frown. “Are you sure you want to go? I got a bad feeling about this.”

“Yes! Forest…..she’s my friend. She might not like humans, but she wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”

“Alright,” Forest said with a sigh. He tapped a quick message to confirm to Melody that they could make it. “We should have some time to swing by the store. Maybe we can find some doll clothes that can fit you.”

“That would be wonderful.” Ana smiled. Finally, things were looking up.

****

Forest tucked Ana into his breast pocket. He had a large water bottle packed inside his backpack. Just in case Ana’s mermaid form emerged during their meeting with Melody. She was so small, she’d easily fit inside if needed.

Forest pushed open the door to the quaint Café, the bell above jingling softly. The aroma of freshly ground coffee and pastries filled the air. His gaze swept across the cozy interior, settling on the figure already seated at a corner table—she was a very pretty woman with green eyes and auburn hair. Her lips, the color of ripe cherries, were pressed into a tight line as she observed him approach, her posture stiff and unwelcoming.

"Forest," Ana's voice was hushed, barely audible over the bustle of the cafe. "That's Melody." Ana’s tiny head peaked out of his pocket, her arms folded at the top, keeping herself upright. Forest moved a hand in front of her to block her from view.

"Be patient with her; she might be a bit hostile,” Ana continued, her words tinged with sadness. "She never liked the idea of me dating humans. Thinks it's dangerous, foolish even."

"Let's hope she can put that aside for your sake," Forest muttered as he walked towards the corner table.

As he took a seat opposite Melody, he placed the water bottle down on his side and removed his hand from covering his chest pocket. Letting Ana be seen.

Melody observed Ana’s tiny form peeking out of Forest’s pocket. Her lips curled into a sneer. "So, you're the human who's been keeping my dear friend captive."

Forest frowned. "Ana isn't a captive. I'm here because I care about her, and I want to know how to help."

"Help?" Melody let out a cruel laugh. "The only way to help Ana is to release her back to the sea where she belongs. She was never meant to be with humans."

Anger flared in Forest's chest. In his pocket, he felt Ana trembling. He put a reassuring hand over the pocket, shielding her from Melody's words.

"She won’t survive at this size out there,” he said. "Besides, she wants to stay with me, and I'm going to ensure she's safe and happy."

"Safe and happy?" Melody spat. "You foolish man. You have no idea what's really happening to her, do you?"

Forest's heart pounded. "Tell me,” He demanded. "If you know how to undo this, help us, or help Ana; she’s your friend after all.”

"Melody, please," Ana pleaded from Forest's pocket, her voice trembling like a wave about to break. "I need your help."

The mermaid's gaze lingered on Ana, her expression softening for a mere moment before hardening once more. "This is no accident," Melody declared, her fingers drumming on the wood. "Your shrinking is a punishment, crafted by the clan. It's meant to kill, making the transformation unstable. The transformations will get more frequent, odds are she’ll either drown or suffocate on land. They want to ensure that those who stray... do not survive."

“Why haven’t I ever heard of this before?!” Ana asked in despair.

“It’s not well known, I’ll give you that….and how I know, well, I just know the right people,” Melody replied.

"Can it be reversed?" Forest's question was filled with urgency, his protective nature flaring.

"Perhaps." Melody tapped her long, slender fingers against the tabletop. "But only if you give her to me. You must understand, Forest," she said, the words dripping with condescension, "a human cannot possibly provide what one of our kind needs. She belongs with the merfolk. With me."

"Give her to you?" Forest echoed, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with skepticism. A knot of dread settled in his stomach as he caught the glimmer of expectation in Melody's eyes. "No," he said firmly, the decision crystallizing like ice in his veins. "I can't do that."

Melody's expression twisted. "You can't?" she sneered, her voice rising in pitch. "Or you won't, human?"

"Ana is not a possession to be handed over," Forest countered, heat creeping into his words. He felt Ana shift, her body tensing within the confines of his pocket.

"Is that so?" Melody leaned forward, her eyes alight with malice. "Then perhaps I should remind you of the stakes. If Ana continues down this path with you, death will come for her—slowly, painfully—as it was meant to."

Forest's hands clenched, his nails digging into his palms. The threat hung in the air between them, heavy and toxic. "You're supposed to be her friend," he ground out, anger seeping through the cracks of his composure.

Melody laughed; a harsh sound that made several patrons glance their way. "I am helping human. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a danger to her survival." Her gaze bore into him, full of contempt. "Your kind knows nothing of our ways, our struggles. How could you possibly hope to protect her?"

Forest glared; he couldn’t imagine parting with Ana. “Why can’t I come with?”

“Because Human, our methods are not for you to know." Melody hissed, her nostrils flaring.

“HEY! I think I should be the one to decide.” Ana yelled, her tiny hands tugging at the fabric of Forest’s shirt. “Put me down, Forest!” She demanded.

Forest's jaw clenched, but he complied. He dipped his hand into his pocket and curled his fingers around Ana’s form. She had a yellow Barbie dress on. He had trimmed and cut the dress down to size so it would fit her. It still sagged on her slight frame. Still way too big for her. But all they could find on short notice.

Forest's hands trembled slightly as he cradled Ana in his palm. His gut churned with a rotten feeling that something wasn’t right.

"Please, Forest," Ana's voice was soft as she pleaded with him. "This might be my only chance."

Forest sighed and, with great reluctance, set Ana on to the tabletop. He kept his hands nearby to easily shield or scoop her up. Ana smiled up at him and patted his thumb.

“After you help me would I be able to go back to Forest? I’m happy with him Melody……he already knows, he doesn’t mean us any harm.”

“No, you belong with us, not with humans,” Melody replied with disgust in her voice.

Ana squared her shoulders, standing straight and as tall as she could. “Then I won’t go, I’ll take my chances.”

Melody stared at her in disbelief.

Forest blushed and felt a warm feeling blossom in his chest.

Melody scoffed, “Fine, you can go back to him once you’re cured. I won’t say anything to the clan.”

“Oh! Thank you, Melody, I knew you’d understand!” Ana exclaimed. She then turned to look up at Forest. “I’ll be back in no time! I promise.”

Ana, still smiling brightly, turned to Melody again. “OK, I’m ready!”

Melody's hand swooped down like a predatory bird, her fingers closing around Ana with an eagerness that made Forest's skin crawl. Ana didn't resist, instead looking up at Forest with a mix of gratitude and fear.

"Take this," Forest said abruptly, handing Melody the water bottle. "Just in case."

Melody's eyes narrowed as she took the bottle, her look one of bemusement mixed with disdain. She tucked Ana into her cleavage, earning a yelp of surprise from Ana. Forest's frown deepened, but before he could protest on Ana’s behalf, Melody turned on her heel without another word, leaving Forest to stare after them, a hollow feeling spreading through his chest.

Author Note: A shorter chapter but i got it done. The next one should be longer than this one.

@voraciousvore @gt-daboss

[palettepainter]

Food for thought 35

Riley is definitely the type of kid who, growing up, would do an impressive amount of chores for pocket money and then spend all of it in one go on a bunch of sugary stuff.

I want to make this into a short story but one time, when Riley went out and brought bags full of sweets after school, she made herself a sugary sundae concoction of all the stuff she'd brought and some thinks already at home (included but not limited to: ice cream, custard, sprinkles, chocolate mousse, fruit loops cereal and whip cream). Hoshi and his sister were round at the time and he stared in abject horror at her ''creation'', I don't have a scene in mind but here's how I imagined the scenario goes:

Riley: Hm, I see you're so impressed you are speechless~

Hoshi:...Speechless yes, but impressed is not the word I'd use

Riley: (pouts) Rude. I was planning to share this with you but I don't think I will now. I think I'll just have it all to myself

Hoshi: You can NOT eat that Riley! Not all at once!

Riley: (smirks) Sounds like a dare

Hoshi: (worried) I PROMISE I am NOT daring you to eat this! You're absolutely going to make yourself sick!

Riley: (fishing for a spoon from the drawer) The words of a coward my dear beloved cousin~ As my dad always says: (mocks her best Powerloader impression) A creator must take great risks for the betterment of science

Hoshi: Uncle Higari has NEVER said that!

Riley: Well he WILL start saying it after today (offers Hoshi several comforting pats to his shoulder) Don't you worry your little ninety degree composed head about a thing Hoshi, your cousin Riley knows what she's doing!~

Hoshi: (frowning) I'm two months older then you...(shrugs) But fine, it's your stomach that'll suffer

Riley: Relaaax~ I made sure to balance out the levels of sugar with equal amounts of healthy stuff. I cut up some banana and threw that in, problem solved!

Hoshi: But...fruits have natural sug-...(sighs) Nevermind

No less then thirty minutes later when Hoshi and his little sister are watching TV does Hoshi hear Riley groaning from her bedroom, so with a roll of his eyes he goes to investigate and finds Riley curled up on the floor clutching her stomach. Her miss-matched pudding creation isn't even half finished and sits abandoned on her desk. At the time of this all happening Cementoss, Higari and Powerloader are attending an afterschool UA meeting, so Hoshi leaves to go and call them for help (I also like to think that while Hoshi does that his little sister helps herself to Riley's leftover pudding creation, totally ignoring Riley in the process), and then the following phone call goes something like this

Ecto: (hums when he feels his phone vibrating, temporarily stepping outside the meeting to take the call) Hello?

Hoshi: Hi Uncle

Ecto: Oh, Hoshi. I didn't expect you to call (casts a look back to the meeting door) I'm in a meeting at the moment, is everything alright??

Hoshi: Uhm...not really

Ecto: (blinks)...You're going to need to be a bit more specific. What's not okay?

Hoshi: (nervously) Sooo just curious, but would eating an elaborate combination of uh...maybe several types of sweet things combined into one in one sitting count as a bit excessive?

Ecto:....(squints) Excessively excessive

Hoshi: (turns to look to Riley) In that case I think you or Uncle Higari need to come home..

Riley: (still clutching her stomach) UUUUGGGGGGHHHHH-

Ectoplasm left the meeting early and came home to one concerned teenager, one teenager curled on the floor groaning, and a toddler grabbing fistfuls of melted ice cream from a bowl. After Hoshi and his sister went back home Ectoplasm probably gave Riley a talking to, but he ends up not being able to stay mad

Riley: (now standing, but still clutching her stomach) Erugh... Everything hurts

Ecto: (arms crossed) You're old enough to know the consequences of your actions, Hoshi tried to warn you. Now you're going to have to deal with an upset stomach until you're better

Riley: Does this mean you won't rub my head till I feel better?..

Ecto: (scowling)....

Higari came home shortly after to find Ectoplasm on the sofa with a book, Riley under a blanket besides him with her head resting on his leg as he rubbed her forehead (this entire situation would repeat itself no less then a month later when Riley made her next sugary concoction-)

[explosionanon]

a look into the past

— ★ –

Bright and early mornings were something Ezra had grown used to — waking up early to meet her friends had shaped her pretty well. It wasn't her favourite thing in the world, but she was able to do it without a groan.

The same could not be said for her brother, Parker Goldwyn.

"Ah, c'mon! You don't gotta do your hair, we're just goin' out bowling!" She yelled for the fifth time, leaning against the bathroom door. She'd been dressed ages ago, only to find her brother still sleeping, snoring away like a chainsaw.

Typical.

"You may not care about your appearance, but I do! Sorry for not dressing like a bum." Ezra scoffed at the statement which came through the door. Parker had always been one to care for hygiene and looks, being the skincare expert and such — meanwhile, Ezra didn't give a rats ass. As long as her clothes were clean and her hair was brushed, it was fine.

As much time as Parker spent on his appearance, Ezra couldn't deny the fact that her brother knew how to dress. He always knew his way around a wardrobe, thanks to their mom. She made sure her kids looked decent.

She grinned, slinging an arm around his shoulder once he came out the door, a slight grumble escaping him — he wasn't the biggest fan of physical touch.

"Ggh.. get off. You know I don't like that." He'd furrowed his brows, glancing up at his sister with a frown on his face. She was so touchy towards him sometimes, but he didn't want to admit that it was nice to get some love from her.

"Lighten up, you grump. One day, I could just disappear — what would you even do with yourself?" Ezra began to tease, her elbow nudging into his side lightly. Although Parker was quiet for a moment, he let his shoulders relax.

"You won't. I know you're stupid, but not that stupid." He rolled his eyes, pushing himself off her, continuing down the stairs.

She probably won't disappear. He was simply overthinking it — Ezra wouldn't just leave him and their mom like that. If she did, she'd have to be far down on the scale, but there's no way. Not a chance.

“Why don't you get your own house, geez..” He'd huff out, the stairs creaking with each step he took, finally placing his bare feet onto the soft material of the carpet. The smell of eggs hit his nose instantly, and he gagged.

“Hah! No chance, Parks. I like living here if it means I get to piss you off.” She followed behind him, ruffling his hair with a fist, messing it up. It's like she liked to push all his buttons, and was able to get away with it.

I mean, she was the older one out of the two.

“Be nice to your brother, sweetheart. He's only little, you know?” Their mother would hum out from the kitchen, flipping the eggs onto a plate — specifically the one with the race cars all over it.

“Yeah, yeah.. he's nineteen, he'll get over it.” Goldwyn dismissed the sentence, staring at the race car plate from the door frame. Parker had already found his way to the dinner table, phone out. Most likely texting his partner.

“Ma, cut me some slack. I don't eat two fried eggs anymore, you know that.”

She'd chuckle lightly, raising a brow at her daughter. “Is that so? What made you change your mind?”

“Just not feelin’ it today, I guess. Especially since this dork always has something to say about the smell of eggs.” Trailing into the room, she set her body down on one of the wooden chairs. Breakfast was the same routine as always.

“I don't like them. Not my fault they smell.” Parker retorted with a frown.

Ezra usually had eggs. It was her favourite breakfast food, unlike her brother. He was more of a cereal guy, but he didn't mind stuff like yoghurt. Their mother, on the other hand, went for the choice of classic oats and honey. Can't go wrong with that.

“Oi, just cause your beloved partner got you into yoghurt, doesn't mean you can shit on eggs.” She'd quip, as the plate was set down in front of her. Even as a twenty-seven year old, she always appreciated the fact her mother made breakfast for her too.

“Leave Jett out of this. They have nothing to do with this discussion.” Jett was Parker's lover, who he'd met in an after school club. They just happened to both like the band ‘Skillet’, and it bloomed from there.

Ezra had always been invested in her brother's love life. So when he got someone he had to spend time with other than her, she was pretty hyped up, if anything. Jett was pretty cool, and got approval.

“Eat your breakfast, you two. If you want to go bowling, you've got to eat for the sake of gaining energy.” They sighed in unison, apologising for the little hassle. It was time for breakfast, not a sibling squabble.

At the end of the day, things were alright. Ezra wouldn't change it for the world.

— ★ —

[alpimerealmsystem]

You Can Recover

ED recovery is the best thing I've ever done. I've struggled with orthorexia and then anorexia almost my entire life, it only got severe about a year ago though. About 4 months ago my best friend and honorary sibling more or less forced me to recover. It's been a long journey to say the least. 

When I started recovery I thought I'd never be able to go back to eating normally. My brain would always be running as a calculator. It still is, I can tell you a rough estimate of how many calories I've eaten today and tell you how many cups of cereal is in a bowl because I've measured my food so many times. It still hurts, but now? I'm not obsessively looking for calorie menus of places, and if I can't find one I'm not trying to calculate every thing that went into it.

ED recovery has been one of the most mentally challenging things I've put myself through, but my life has improved so much. Here are some of my favorite things about recovery

I just went to a family dinner and didn't make all the food because I needed to know the calories (still had to make some cause food allergies but y'know)

Choosing the foods I like, not the healthy or low cal versions

CARBS CARBS CARBS (speaks for itself)

I'm not a bitch cause I'm hungry all the time

My periods? They're regular now, I'm not skipping four months at a time (tmi BUT DAMN)

I'm not lightheaded cause I didn't eat and my vision isn't blurring because I didn't eat LIKE THATS AMAZING

SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR

Eating when I want, not what the clock says

I have gone 2-3 weeks without weighing myself (I EVEN LOST TRACK WHICH IS A HUGE DEAL) AND I DONT PLAN TO WEIGH MYSELF TOMORROW

The number on the scale doesn't equal my happiness, I am not mad because I gained 0.2 pounds

I've gained 20 pounds BUT IM HAPPIER WITH MY BODY I love my squishy stomach and back rolls and cellulite and chonky face because it means I am not starving

I don't feel worthless because I'm "too heavy" or "not pretty"

I don't have to buy new clothes every two weeks because my old ones were way to big <3

I'm no longer trying to make sure others see me eat so they don't worry

KEEPING MY STUPID ED BLOG A SECRET (god glad those days are over)

And so much more. Recovery is possible. Recovery is the best thing that happened to me. I know you may be struggling, but it gets better. Everything's not hopeless, even if it feels like it is. Feel free to DM me if you need support or send an ask ^^

I love you, for everything you think is a flaw, for everything you hate about yourself, no matter what it is.

[wrenwinchester]

Happy birthday to Millie Wren Winchester, she’s 43 today, and she truly deserves the world. Also, this is fairly raw writing, haven’t had a chance to edit or anything, just a heads up. But without further ado, here is the

Fourth of July 1996

Dean went out for a bit, I honestly had no idea what he was doing, Dad was off hunting who knows what in southern Michigan, hadn't heard from him in like a week. And Sam was being a bratty 13 year old. Dean and I had tried everything, taking him to the local pool, taking him shopping, finding his favorite anything really, and nothing helped. He was mad at Dad because he missed his birthday, and mad at Dad for about 1,000 other reasons. And now. I was dealing with it alone. "Great."

Sam looks up from whatever book he was reading, Oliver Twist maybe. "What's wrong?" He asks, sitting up on the bed. And I mentally curse. I hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Nothing, I'm just tired and frustrated about stuff at the convenience store." I say, not entirely inaccurate, but definitely not what had me going.

"I can't believe you've already made assistant manager. I mean you just started what, a month ago?" He asks. Even though he knows the answer.

"Yeah, but think of all the different experience I have, and the fact that I actually have a work ethic." I say, and he nods looking over at me.

"That's true. Still, I'm proud of you." He smiles at me, and it feels like the first time he's smiled in weeks.

"Thanks, Sammy." I look at the time, it's 7:30. "Hey have you eaten yet?" I ask him.

"No, I wasn't really hungry earlier," his stomach growls. "Apparently that's not so true now."

"What do you want to eat?" Sam's not necessarily picky, but he is particular.

"Whatever you want is fine. I don't care." Ahh, there's the attitude I was expecting.

"Okay, well, I'm just doing cereal because it's easier, and right now cheaper." I say and Sam just shrugs. "By the way, do you know where Dean ran off to earlier? He didn't say anything to me." I say, and Sam shrugs again, putting his headphones on for the Walkman Dean and I pulled money together for his birthday, and goes back to reading. "Okay then."

Sam and I eat our cereal, basically ignoring each other, though it's more like he's ignoring me. I'm just respecting that.

Sam continues his reading when we're done, and I clean up our bowls and add milk to the shopping list. When that's done, I look over the newspaper for any possible cases.

Then, I pick up one of my books, something about protective sigils from the library in town, and I get to work on cleaning the weapons. Granted, all the ones that are here have already been cleaned, but I can engrave protective sigils into the handles, anything to help keep my family safe. When I look up it's 9:30, and I glance over towards the bed Sam's been reading on, and notice he's fast asleep. Book closed on his chest, headphones still playing whatever music he chose. (It's probably one of Dean's cassettes, but I'm not supposed to know that Sam likes Dean's music.)

I walk over to the bed and pick the book up, careful not to lose his spot, and place a bookmark in it before setting it on the nightstand. Dean's been gone for hours at this point, and I'm starting to worry. He should have called or something.

I move across the room, grabbing one of the spare blankets off the couch, and bring it over to lay across Sam. He shifts like he's going to wake up, but doesn't. "Nice to know I haven't lost my touch." I whisper to myself with a smile across my face.

I glance at the door, worrying about Dean again, and I shake my head. He's seventeen, he can handle himself. I repeat the thought over and over again trying to find some comfort in it, but the truth is it ends up making me pissed at Dad. Dean and I have been able to "handle" ourselves since we were 7 years old. We shouldn't have had to.

"Great. Now I'm thinking about Dad and what might have gone wrong on the hunt. And now I'm worried about two Winchesters. I pick up another one of my knives, it's one I don't use often, but it was a gift from an older lady, couldn't tell you much more than she was a redhead, I got it, oh it had to be 6 years ago now. She was nice, saw that I liked knives, and offered it to me. I haven't seen her since. Bobby said that this one was just a normal dagger, but I'm not sure I believe him. So, I keep it in the bag he and I made when I was really in my sewing phase, before I was constantly sewing up skin instead of cloth. Bobby helped me put some sigils on it to keep whatever mystical knives somehow ended up in my possession. (After a witch hunt, dad would let me go through the witches belongings for things that seemed useful. I almost always grabbed at least one knife, but occasionally, they were gifts, that later turned out to be from witches, but more knives meant more ways and more things I could protect my family from.) I set the knife down, not needing protection sigils on it since I never use it, and continue going through everything. A couple hours later, I decide to practice my knife throwing. Not that I really needed practice, I'd been throwing knives since before I started school, and they're my favorite weapon.

I don't leave the room, leaving Sammy alone never ends well. I already know something will happen, and we won't get our deposit back, so it might as well be this, I find a spot on the wall, and make a little x, that's my target. I decide to only use this specific knife, I don't know why, but it just feels right, and as a hunter, I've learned to trust my gut. Just as I'm about to through it, get out some of my frustration and worry about my family, the door swings open, I guess someone else is my target tonight.

My arms already poised to throw the knife before it registers who is at the door, I miss hitting Dean by a fraction of an inch, almost cutting his ear off.

"You nicked me!" He yells, his hand coming away from his ear, and looking at me bewilderedly.

"Dude, you're lucky it didn't go through your eyeball." I reply, going to grab the knife from where it stuck in the wall. It was meant to be funny, but it comes off snarkier than I meant it to, and Dean looks a little taken aback. I don't really have words for why or any idea what to say, really, I just shrug, and say, "Keep it down would you, Sam's sleeping."

Dean looks apologetically towards the bed where Sam is sleeping, he's moved since I closed his book, he's now curled up, practically in the fetal position curling in on himself. "Sorry. And Sorry I was gone so long. My errand had me running around for a while to find the stuff." He smiles gleefully, "but I did find it."

"What is "it", Dean?" I ask perturbed. Walking to put my knife away, obviously I didn't mean to hit my brother, but I figured he was an intruder or monster. "Oh, and sorry about your ear, want me to patch it up?" I ask, it's as good an apology as he's gonna get, besides he knows my frustrations aren't with him. Entirely.

"'It' is a surprise." He smiles, but it fades when I don't smile back. "How's Sam doing?" He asks, probably hoping that's all that's bothering me.

"Moody as ever. One minute he's telling me how proud he is of me for being promoted at the convenience store, and the next he's not talking to me again, and ignoring me." I sigh, as Dean nods along. "We were never that bad." I pause. "Were we?" It comes out quieter than I meant it to. But it's all just hitting me right now.

Dean just gives a wry laugh. "We never had the opportunity. Dad kept us moving, and we were taking turns taking care of Sammy." He says, and he's right. I'm surprised he said it, but he's right.

"So, what you're saying is if Dad had been a better parent, we would have been as bad as Sam?" I ask, mostly because u feel like pushing his buttons.

"Dad's not a bad parent, he just has a lot going on, just leave him alone will you." Dean says, and I realize that nerve is tighter than it usually is.

"I know, I'm just worried that we haven't heard from him. Usually he calls by now." Dean nods. "Not to mention we don't even know what or exactly where he's hunting. How're we supposed to help him if something comes up?"

Dean just shakes his head. "It's Dad. He'll be fine. He's always fine." I nod, still not reassured. And Dean shakes his head. "You know what, we need to get out of here. We need to just relax a little, have fun. It's the Fourth of July after all." He says and goes to put his coat back on.

"Dean, we can't just leave Sam, especially not to galavant around town—"

"We're not," He says pointing at Sam as he continues. "Wake him up, I have a surprise." I stare at him.

"We're not waking up Sam, we can do the surprise in the morning." I say, trying to put my foot down. And then I laugh a little, you'd think we were grown adults parenting our kid, and reality is we're 17 and 15.

"Come on, Wrennie, let's just go have some fun, act our ages for once. I promise it'll be worth it. Besides, it has to happen tonight." Dean would never know, but he has puppy dog eyes just like Sam. And for once. I agree.

"Okay, fine. But you're waking him up, it's almost midnight, and I'm not gonna be at the receiving end of a Winchester cold shoulder right now." I point at him, and go to put shoes on.

"Fine by me." He says recrossing the room to get to Sam's bed. He always sleeps on the bed furthest from the door. Old habits and all that.

Dean starts shaking him. "Sam.Sammy.Sam. Wake up!" Dean practically yells, and I through a pillow at him. We aren't the only ones in the motel.

Of course, the pillow misses and hits Sam in the face, he groans.

"What's wrong." He says, throwing the pillow off his face.

"Get up, I've got a surprise for you." Dean says and I roll my eyes. It shouldn't really surprise me anymore the leeway Sam has for Dean. I mean. I have it too, but still it irks me that I'm not granted the same courtesy by Sam. But because of it, Sam gets up looking for where his book fell, and finding it placed neatly on the side table.

I sit in the back of the impala on the drive to wherever we're going. It's supposed to be special for Sam, and frankly, Sam is mad at me for hitting him with a pillow, and for whatever else he convinced himself to be mad about. I should have just stayed at the motel, let them have a boys night doing whatever it is Dean has planned, but Dean's right. We should just act our age for once.

After 20 minutes of driving, where Sam and Dean are talking and anytime I try to say something Sam gives the cold shoulder, and Dean gives an apologetic look, before they continue talking, we finally arrived wherever Dean wanted to take us, and...

It was an empty field. "Dean, what are we doing here?" I ask, as we get out of the car and he pops the trunk.

"Sam, you wanna see what I've got in the trunk?" He says, and Sam eagerly goes to see what we're doing. I hear his excited squeals, and I'm already getting confused about it, but then Sam comes around the corner, a crate of fireworks in hand.

"Seriously, Dee?" I ask incredulously, but I can't help the smile spreading across my face.

"Yeah, like I said, it's the Fourth of July." He smiles back and I just shake my head.

"Come on! Let's go," Sam says, the biggest smile he's worn in a while across his face. And Dean and I follow closely behind as he brings them along.

Sam sets the crate down in the middle of the field, far enough away from any trees, and the car, but still close enough to the car just in case, we are still a hunter's kids.

Dean gestures to a couple of thinner fireworks for Sammy to grab, and pass between the three of us.

"You got your lighter, Dean?" I ask and he pats his pockets checking for it. It takes him a minute, before he pulls it out with a winning grin on his face.

"Always." The smug bastard. But I smile anyway. And Sam looks at me with glee.

"Light 'em up!" He says, and so Dean lights all three of our fireworks, and we hold them up into the air. Watching as they go off. And Sam looks at Dean, "Dad would never let us do anything like this. Thanks, Dean. This is great." And hugs Dean.

When they're done hugging, Dean slips Sam his lighter, and gives him a nod, letting him light all the other fireworks. Sam comes running back, the biggest smile on his face as he yells, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" And stands by Dean turning around to watch the fireworks go off.

As they continue going off, all of us laughing and smiling, Sam turns to dance under the sparks, and I turn to Dean. "You're right Dean, we really needed this. To act our own age for once." I smile up at him, before resting my head on his shoulder, and we continue watching Sam dance under the sparks and he gives both of us a smile. And of course, we smile back. And just enjoy our time just the three of us as the fireworks continue going off.

After the last of the fireworks explodes, and the sparks die down, we clean up most of our mess, and bring it back to the Impala. Sam sits in between Dean and I in the front, as he's still a little shorter than me. And the three of us ride back to our motel in a comfortable silence.

Sam falls asleep on my shoulder, and I revel in it, he's my baby brother, and I'd die right now if it meant getting could get out of this life, get Dean out. When I look over at Dean, he's got the biggest smile I've seen in a while on his face, just pure unfiltered joy.

"Dee," I whisper and he turns to look at me. I nod my head towards Sam, his body slumped over in a way that seems like it'd be uncomfortable, but he needs the sleep, and he's out cold.

Dean's smile grows soft, full of love, and admiration for our little brother, before his gaze slides back up to me. And he shrugs.

"I swear, you'd better be the one to carry him in, his getting too big for me to carry." I say jokingly as my left arm clutches Sammy closer to me, as if somehow I could just keep him this small, and protect him from all the pain in the world.

"I didn't say anything!" Dean whisper yells, and I just eyeball him. "Fine. I'll carry him in, but you know he's getting old enough where we could start waking him up when we get places." Dean says and I smack his arm. "I'm just saying, you and I were getting woken up when we arrived somewhere years before we hit double digits."

Of course, Dean is right. Sam is getting to be too big for either of us to carry, but the longer we do, the longer we can keep him little and safe. Even if it's not what Sam wants. It just means we have to work out more, build our muscles so we can carry him, especially if he's gonna be hunting more than just helping with the research.

I ignore the thought, because the truth is it terrifies me, ever since that wendigo incident a few years ago, the idea of Sam hunting isn't a comfortable one. I switch my focus back to tonight and look back at Dean.

"Hey, Dee?" I say, voice still quite so as not to wake Sam. He glances over at me in acknowledgement, "thank you, for tonight. I know it was mostly for Sam, but I really needed it too. The reminder that we are just kids." I smile at him. "And, I really needed to get out of the motel room, I think I'd been in there too long." I say, "and I know Sam needed it, to get his mind of off of Dad, and the fact he missed his birthday. I think you made up for it." Dean just shrugs me off, he's never been great at receiving praise, and I let him minimize what it meant to Sam and I, it's just easier. "I do mean it." Is all I say, and he just silently nods.

When we get to the motel, I help Dean get Sam, who turns into Dean and just holds onto his neck as he carries him up to our room. And I get the fireworks garbage out of the trunk, and toss it in the dumpster. Let someone else deal with the mess. When I make it into the room, Sam is still asleep, and Dean is being held down by him on the bed.

I lock the door as I glance between them, and I just shake my head before crawling into the bed and squishing Sam in the middle of us. It's a little small, but the three of us still fit, and we still need each other.

For the first time since we last saw Dad, I sleep completely peacefully without any nightmares. Because even if something does happen to Dad, I'll always have my brothers.

[tia-amorosa]

Sunset Died - Erin's Crew

New insights and an unexpected visit

The next morning there was a lot of activity quite early. Toilets were being cleaned in the bathrooms, and some of them were being repaired because they tended to get blocked. Roman was still asleep and Diego trotted towards the kitchen in his pyjamas. He was about to make himself a coffee, but then his gaze fell through the window of the office door.

He saw Erin sitting intently in front of the computer screen, apparently with something rather important to do. He went in slowly. “Have you been sitting here all night?“/”No, but I haven't been able to sleep for over two hours and… Oh, you wouldn't believe what I've found out in this short time…” she said excitedly. “Well, I just found out that I have sore muscles, ss-uh”.

“So, what did you find out?"/ ”I now know who Nick Alto's contact was. “/ “And?”/ “His brother…”/ “His… brother? So… Is he behind this whole thing?"/ ”I strongly suspect so, yes. I did a little research. Bert Alto is Nick Alto's younger brother by three years. At the time, their father had several large companies, which quickly brought them both into contact with their passion for numbers and business. There's some stuff on the net, well, anyway…”

“… When their father died, the brothers each received a share of his inheritance. And later, as adults, they worked together in a company. But there were often conflicts, which is why they parted ways one day."/ ‘It's all there on the net?’/ ”Mhm. The Alto family is not unknown and has often been in the media. And there have been the odd scandal or two“/”I see. When you say business and big companies, it must have been about financial matters“/”Mostly, yes”.

“As far as I've read correctly, Bert has only ever had mediocre success with his company. In the end, he even went bankrupt quite a while ago. He was probably always in his brother's shadow. So I can well imagine that he was perhaps jealous of Nick's success. So maybe after the meteorite thing happened, he set some things in motion."/ ‘Oh man, there are still a lot of questions, isn't it?’/ ‘Sure, but only Bert will be able to answer most of them’.

“OK, those were all facts from the internet that you told me…."/ ”Yes, and so far it's only been guesses that we've both come up with. Maybe this Bert is innocent, what do I know?” Erin said, shrugging her shoulders. “The fact is that the signal led to his house."/ ‘Then someone needs to get to the bottom of it and question him… The police maybe…’. Overwhelmed by the conversation, Erin put her hands to her head and took a deep breath. “Let's discuss it later, I need breakfast now”….

Sometimes things just happen completely out of the blue. Erin, who had grabbed a bowl of cereal, briefly noticed something in the blind spot of the room while she was eating, but just as she was shaking her head and popping another spoonful into her mouth, she realized that someone had suddenly come around the corner. “Cough, G-General!"/ ‘Do you need help, Colonel?’. Embarrassed, she wiped the milk she had spit out from her lips and shook her head.

After hearing that one particular word and then the voice, the others dropped everything and jumped up from their chairs to salute the general. “aah, that's nice to see, disciplined soldiers, hn. That wouldn't have been necessary now, I'm here alone, so… at ease"/ ‘only out of respect, General, sir…’/ ‘Yes, yes, carry on eating,�� the General waved them back to their seats.

Erin looked up briefly and put on her serious face. “What brings us the honor of your visit today, General Montgomery?“/”Oh, I would have liked to come here a few days ago, but something came up. You look tired, Colonel, not slept enough?”.

“Me? Oh, yes… Actually, I am, I'm just… a bit tense at the moment"/ ‘is there a particular reason for that?’. Erin looked at him as if she had just been caught shoplifting somewhere. She and the general had known each other for a while and they had had the odd conversation. So they got to know each other a little better and were already familiar with certain gestures. “Well…”.

Erin paused for a moment and thought about the past few days. This strange feeling and the thoughts that had accompanied her the whole time had not been confirmed now that she had learned a few things. And even now, at this moment, it remained completely calm inside her. “There…Something's happened, General"/ ‘Something bad?’ he asked her calmly and seriously. But she shook her head and smiled. “No, something unexpectedly good.”

After she had finished her bowl, Erin stood up. Even though she kept quiet, she still felt uncomfortable sitting in front of the General in this outfit. “Excuse me, sir, your visit was a little unexpected, I haven't had time to change yet"/ ”It was a spontaneous decision to come here today. Take your time and then we can talk in peace"/ ‘mhm’.

While Erin had withdrawn for a moment to change her clothes, the general talked to the other soldiers. “Miss Shearing, it's good to see you well"/ ‘hn, I'm glad to be back in one piece too….’/ ‘I've had a look at Colonel Kennedy's report on all of you, very good work’/ ‘thank you’./ ‘um, General, sir?’/ ‘Yes please?’. Diego also wanted to take the opportunity to speak to the General.

“Hello, I…"/ ‘ahjaa… Mr. Swan…’. While the General's voice sounded somewhat disapproving, he looked Diego up and down. “I heard you complained about the helicopter"/ ”complained? Oh, no, I just think it's time…"/ ‘To introduce new models, yes, I agree with you,’ said the general with a laugh.

The general looked at him seriously. “Unfortunately, there have been a few delays in recent months with the transactions and with the relevant hangars where the new machines are housed. They are practically ready for operation, but you'll have to be patient if you want to use them.” ‘All right, then I'll continue to look after our old lady for now.’ ‘Are there any problems with her?’ ”No, none worth mentioning.

After the conversation with Diego, the general turned his attention to the other soldiers to exchange a few words with them. Of course, he also took a short tour of the building, checking the bedrooms for cleanliness and tidiness. There was nothing to complain about. He then made his way towards the office.

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

@greenplumbboblover ⭐

Note: the episode was supposed to come out much earlier, but I had visitors and had to put everything on hold for now. 🙂 How do you like the general? I wanted to make him seem a bit taller and more muscular, but I don't like making my Sims different sizes. It's not suitable for gameplay (especially when a couple wants to kiss, you know what I mean *wink*) it might look nice for certain picture stories, but I'm not a fan of it. ^^

[dollsonmain]

I need to shower and start laundry and I don't want to. I just want to rest, and I'm eating a bunch of junk.

I had a cup noodle that was tasty enough that I decided to cook an old, stale pack of regular noodles to add to it. Kind of ruined it, but that's ok.

Also ate like 10 cookies, a huge bowl full of dry cereal, and have a coffee brewing.

Was hungry, which is interesting because I'm not hungry in the mornings and only ate half my breakfast before work and ate the rest of it for lunch.

Today was an unhappy day, not because anything particularly bad happened, but because my routine was disrupted and I wasn't able to complete my tasks. We all know I don't like not completing my tasks.

I get there and she says don't do the deli at all, instead go through the grocery and both check expiration dates and tidy things up because it's a mess again.

I got through 1.5 out of 4 rows before lunch time because I had to keep stopping to run all the way across the store and around the back to get to the register over and over.

Customers were doing the extremely inconvenient timing thing again today, and there are two kinds, one worse than the other.

The worst kind is when I get all the way around and back to what I was doing, kneel down, pick up an item, and a customer needs helped.

The other, which is less bad, is when I go to leave the bullpit and they come in right as I step out. That's annoying and frustrating but it's not as bad.

So I got some of that task done before lunch, did none of the deli, and then right before I went on lunch she said to stop doing that and start pricing wine. I was like ok, there's a lot less wine than usual today, so that's no problem.

But then when I came back from lunch a vendor came in which I have to stop what I'm doing and check that they brought the right stuff while also taking care of customers, and THAT'S irritating because he plopped all of his product right in front of the area I was trying to stock wine, so that took a while and then just as he was wrapping up another vendor came in with the rest of the wine. So.

Then while I was waiting on a customer she came up and was like "These beers are going on sale, make signs (and I was like my handwriting is horrible are you sure......), place the signs (didn't say how....), and bring one of each product to the register so I can change the prices." and I was like ok.... Do you want me to do that first? And she said no, wine and beer sales are equal priority (because wine is in the way, it sits in the floor between the aisles until it's priced and shelved).

So I kept working on the wine.

After a little bit she caught me at the register again and said also some beers are going up in price so I needed to take down any signs with the old price and again bring one of each to the register for price changes AND update the paper price lists we keep at the registers.

And I was like....

I had half an hour, more wine to price and put away, and customers doing inconvenient timing.

I barely finished the wine, and only because 12 bottles I didn't have prices for. Didn't even start the beer sales and price changes thing. I counted my drawer after go-home time and then chose for myself to take out the wine boxes because they were very in the way, so I didn't leave until 1:20 and I won't get paid for that extra time.

I'd kind of like to get a pedometer I can wear on my ankle just to see how many steps I actually take in a day, especially a day like today where I'm running all the way across the store constantly while trying to do my work. I do have my phone in my pocket but I'm not sure it's accurate. It says today was 14,637.

It also says my average is 4.4 mi/day but that includes weekends. I want to know my daily counts and it's not showing me that.

[believingispowerfulmagic]

A Hallmark Christmas

Summary: Regina struggles with her holiday spirit in the aftermath of Season 5 and finds comfort in the made-for-TV movies she used to mock. One night she makes a wish on a Christmas star for her own Hallmark Christmas movie happy ending and finds herself getting seven…or maybe more? [OQ AU]

Prologue: FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Chapter 2: Christmas CEO

FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Excerpt:

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Regina groaned as she reached out, silencing her alarm. She stretched as she sat up, looking around her bedroom. Glancing down at her bed, her heart sank. There was no sign that Robin was suddenly alive and able to be with her again.

Maybe she should've been more specific when she made that wish.

She climbed out of bed and went about her morning routine, pleased to find that her wardrobe looked much like hers. Regina picked out a black pantsuit with a white jacket. After putting on her outfit, she went to do her hair and makeup – only to once again discover her hair looked perfect despite the fact she just woke up and she appeared to be wearing makeup. Her heart sank as she realized she was now in a movie and based on the wardrobe, it was different. But which one was it?

Regina brushed her hair and it went up into a French twist with her makeup also now looking more professional than natural. She stood and took a breath as she opened the door, wondering what she would encounter on the other side.

The inn was gone and instead she appeared to be in a rather spacious apartment, judging by the layout. She entered her open plan living room and kitchen, which was done in all whites and held little decorations. Was she still in a Christmas movie? If so, why didn't it feel very Christmassy?

"Good morning, Aunt Regina," a familiar voice said, drawing her attention to the kitchen. Henry and Roland sat at the table there, eating cereal. It was like something from one of her dreams – her son and Robin's spending time together like brothers.

Though in her dreams, her son didn't call her Aunt Regina.

"Good morning, you two," she said, approaching them. "I see you helped yourself to breakfast."

Henry nodded. "We know how busy you are with your company and the merger with Gold's Toys."

"Right," she said, recalling the movie she watched with Henry before falling asleep and believing the wish had placed her into that one.

"Are we going to see Robin today?" Roland asked, eyes wide. "I really like him."

Henry nodded. "Me too."

"Why did you and Robin stop being friends, Aunt Regina?" Roland asked her, leaning forward.

"Oh," she said, still not sure what movie she was in and therefore didn't know if she could answer.

Henry tilted his head. "Did it have to do with your toy company?"

"The toy company," she repeated, now certain she was now living out the movie she and Henry had watched, Christmas CEO. In it, the main character had started a toy company with her best friend who was obviously in love with her but they had become estranged over different priorities for the business. She had been obsessed with profits and stats and other data while he had wanted to focus on the creativity and fun of making toys.

At least the characters better fit her and Robin this time around, though she wasn't too fond of how the plot had played out for her character. Still, Chris had gotten a happy ending and Regina looked forward to that.

"Yes," she finally said. "We had different ideas for how to run our company and he just walked away."

"And you didn't try to contact him again until now?" Henry asked, frowning. "Why?"

She checked her watch, relieved when she saw the time. "It's time for you two to get to school. Finish up your cereal and then we'll get going, okay?"

Roland nodded but Henry scowled. He gave her a look that she knew meant he would get his answers one way or the other before turning back to his bowl to finish his breakfast. She let out a little sigh of relief though she feared she had just put off the inevitable. But at least it gave her more time to adjust to her new surroundings and the new plot she had been thrust into now.

They soon were bundled up and backpacks were donned before Regina ushered them out of the apartment. When they left the building, Storybrooke had been turned into a major metropolitan area and she saw skyscrapers and other tall buildings all around her. Cars filled the streets as people bundled up in coats walked quickly along the sidewalks. She had never really considered herself a city person and she felt rather uncomfortable in this strange new version of Storybrooke. Hopefully they would get through this one quickly so she could get back to her quiet little town.

Well, maybe not too quickly. She did want to cherish the time she spent with any version of Robin, no matter what.

"Here we are, Aunt Regina," Henry said, interrupting her thoughts. She found they were standing in front of a school building and her "nephews" were waiting for her to do or say something.

"Right," she said, pulling each boy in for a hug. She relished holding them in her arms for as long as she reasonably could before releasing them. "Have a good day. I'll see you later."

They nodded and Henry took Roland's hand as they joined the other kids streaming into the school building. She watched them and they paused at the door, waving to her. Regina waved back before they disappeared into the building. Taking a deep breath, she started to walk away and hoped her feet knew the way to her office building because her mind certainly didn't.

She would manage this movie just like the last one and get another happy ending. That would make all the awkwardness worth it.

[couldntbedamned]

Cold Comes From the East Side - 3

Summary: Peter breaks one of the rules in a spectacular way and suffers the consequences. It's rare for Stephen to actually be angry with him, but given the circumstances, Peter supposes the anger is more than earned. It's a hell of a situation for the pair of them and Peter wonders if they'll actually make it through.

Warnings/AO3 Tags: Domestic Discipline, Relationship Discussions, Standing in the Corner, Punishment, Spanking, Non-Sexual Spanking, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Aftercare, Peter Parker is an Adult, Don't Text and Drive, Angry Stephen Strange, Look Peter is in Big Trouble, Trouble With a Capital T, Struggling Stephen Strange, Struggling Peter Parker, Smartass Sharon Carter, Good Friend Christine Palmer, Safeword Use

Notes: This one is kind of a doozy. We're finally going to see what happens when Peter is grounded.

_______

Cold Comes From the East Side - 3

_______

When it was time for breakfast the next morning, Peter was slow and deliberate as he walked into the small nook and sat down. He didn't look as well-rested as Stephen would like and was wearing some of his softest clothing. He didn't miss all the wincing as Peter attempted to get comfortable on the barely-cushioned chair.

Stephen didn't enjoy seeing his lover so miserable, but Peter had brought it on himself. Hearing Peter crying and begging for him to stop during a spanking hurt his heart in ways he didn't think Peter understood. Being able to tell Peter that he was forgiven afterwards eased the ache. For both of them, he was sure.

He brought Peter a large plate loaded with scrambled eggs and crumbled buttermilk biscuits topped with thick sausage gravy. He also set down a bowl full of fresh cut fruit and a glass of orange juice. Then, because he himself was happy that Peter's grounding was finished, he poured Peter a cup of coffee.

Peter just stared at him in shock over the spread of food and the coveted steaming cup of caffeine.

"Are you not hungry?" Stephen asked, concerned.

"Oh, I'm starving, but I was expecting cereal or something." Peter's eyes closed in pleasure as he sipped his coffee slowly. It was astonishing, Peter's reverence for the brew, and how he listened to Stephen's mandate to limit his intake even away at college.

"I can get you a bowl of cereal as well, if you'd like."

Peter shook his head and picked up his fork. "No, I think this is going to be plenty," he said.

Pleased that Peter was eating, Stephen let himself enjoy his own breakfast. He rarely ate so heavy so early in the day.

"Do you have any plans for today?" he asked once Peter had put a decent dent his food.

"Not really," Peter answered. "I have a couple of books I've been meaning to read and I might start one of those after I finish cleaning the guest room in the west wing."

"Peter, you don't have to clean the guest room," Stephen said. "Your grounding is over."

"No, I know, but I started cleaning it the other day and I might as well finish it," Peter reasoned.

Okay. That was odd. "If that's what you'd like to do, feel free," Stephen said. "Isn't May supposed to be back from her vacation with Mr. Hogan this week?"

Peter went to check his watch, realized he didn't have it, and then shrugged. "She might be."

With a gesture, Peter's smart watch appeared on his wrist and displayed the date. "Yeah, they should be back in a few days," he confirmed.

"I'm sure she'd like a visit once she's settled back in," Stephen said.

When Peter was grounded, May, unknowingly, was the exception to Peter's "no company" rule. Stephen would never keep Peter from his aunt and she was always welcome to stop by and visit. But during the two weeks Peter was being punished, May hadn't visited because she and Mr. Hogan had taken off to Bora Bora. He was sure a visit with her would do Peter wonders.

"Yeah, maybe," Peter said. "Do you have plans for today?"

"Wong sent me a message while I was cooking asking if I could go to Kamar-Taj and fill in for one of the Masters who has taken ill. I wanted to see if you needed me here for anything before I answered."

"No, go ahead," Peter encouraged. "I don't want to keep you."

"It's no trouble to stay here," Stephen said. "There are plenty of other Masters who can step in; I don't mind at all." He'd prefer it, in fact. For all that Peter had been restricted to the Sanctum, he felt like he'd hardly seen him.

"No, the students will be thrilled to see you," Peter insisted... a little too enthusiastically. "You should go!"

"If you're sure," he said slowly. "I should be back tomorrow afternoon."

Wong knew. Of course, Wong knew. He never said anything out loud but the glances said it all.

"How is Peter?" He asked, a couple of weeks after Peter's grounding had been lifted. "He's had a rough couple of weeks but even now he doesn't seem to be doing much better."

Stephen sighed. "No, he's perfect," he said. "Perfectly respectful and all that goes along with it. I haven't heard him laugh since before... well, he's not himself."

Wong raised his brows. "Neither are you."

"I feel like I'm going mad," Stephen admitted. "I don't know how to fix this."

"What is it that you believe needs fixing?"

The lack of easy laughter. The lack of Peter destroying his ego with a teasing smirk. How they hadn't slept in the same bed since Peter had been grounded. The way Stephen hadn't felt Peter's lips against his own in what felt like eons, let alone felt Peter shake apart beneath him.

"I'm not sure. Probably a lot of things," he hedged.

"You aren't that man anymore, Stephen. And though I never met him and you've only told me the basics, you are not your father, either."

"I could have lost him and it made me so angry."

"You were allowed to be angry." Wong's expression was unexpectedly soft. "You didn't act on it; not in any inexcusable way. Be at peace with that."

"And Peter?"

"You two will sort it out."

Peter was in his room reading a book when Stephen went to collect him for dinner. Peter had actually offered to help cook but Stephen had shooed him off. He wanted time to ruminate on the discussion he'd had with Wong earlier.

Like he'd said, Peter's behavior lately had been... well, it had been perfectly respectful.

Stephen hadn’t been sassed in weeks. Even when he’d purposefully left openings, Peter hadn’t taken advantage and popped his admittedly overinflated ego. There was no joking and no witty asides about anything.

Like he'd told Wong, it was maddening.

Peter’s sense of humor - sarcasm and all - was one of Stephen's favorite things about him. Very few people could make Stephen laugh to the point of tears; Peter could do it in minutes without effort. Peter’s irreverent commentary on a slew of topics was almost always entertaining and unlike Stephen's own sense of humor, very little of it was mean-spirited. His heart was simply lighter with Peter’s good nature around.

Lately his heart had felt heavier than lead.

“Dinner,” Stephen announced, once he opened the door to Peter’s “Come in.”

Peter looked up from his book (Dark Matter by Blake Crouch) and nodded. “Okay.” He dog-eared the page he was reading and set it on the bedside table. “Do I need to set the table?” he asked as they made for the kitchen.

So neutral, Stephen thought. So damn… polite. He didn’t like it.

"You don’t need to, but if you feel strongly enough about it, I suppose you can," he teased. Or tried to.

In the dining room, Peter went about setting the table while Stephen brought in the serving dishes of food. He’d needed distraction, so he’d made Greek-influenced lamb meatballs with tzatziki sauce, a turmeric rice pilaf, and a salad of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives, feta cheese, and a lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

“Water or something else?" Peter asked, looking over from the fridge.

"Can you get the bottle of Chianti?"

"Sure." With a nod, Peter grabbed a bottle of water and the bottle of wine in the wine cooler next to the fridge.

"Would you like a glass?" Stephen asked.

Peter's eyebrows raised in surprise. He hadn't been allowed to drink while grounded and he hadn't had a drink since.

"It's not a trick question," Stephen said. "Chianti goes well with the garlic and lemon in the dishes, and if worse comes to worst, I get you drunk enough to think the food is delicious even if it's terrible." He was joking about the food being terrible - it was one of his best meals and he knew it.

"I can't get drunk, though," Peter replied.

"I..." Stephen sighed. "I was joking," he said. "Or trying to, anyways."

Two perfect pitches, zero swings.

"I'll just have water," Peter told him. He opened a cabinet and grabbed one of the wine glasses, handed it to Stephen.

Was this their life now? Stephen wondered.

When Peter retreated to his room after dinner, Stephen started to think he had his answer.

Peter hadn't even seemed enthused about attending a late summer cookout at the Avengers Compound, or that he'd see his friends again.

Being back at the Compound felt weird, especially because he wasn't there to train as Spider-Man. He knew there wouldn't be any proper training, since his web shooters and suit were still securely locked up with his phone in Stephen's study.

Stephen portalled them over for a late summer barbecue but Peter wasn't as excited for it as he should have been. Still, he wasn't going to say no - he'd been confined to the Sanctum for what had felt like ages. Seeing everyone would be nice.

Stephen, predictably, had gravitated toward Christine as soon as they arrived. Christine was sitting in one of the lawn chairs clustered around a picnic table with Ava and Barnes.

She greeted him cheerfully. "Be a sweetheart and drag Sharon out here?" she asked him. "Not literally, of course."

"Yeah, I'll go get her," he agreed.

While his friend hadn't "officially" moved in, Sharon had agreed to keep quarters on the Compound. He knew the way there well, since Ava lived in the same wing and before he'd been grounded, he'd visited her whenever he got the chance when at the Compound and not training.

He was sure FRIDAY had announced him because he hadn't even knocked when he was bid to come in.

Sharon was stalking around the living area presumably looking for something. "Chrissy sent you?" she asked. "Of course she did. Just hang on; I can't find my damn phone."

"Neither can I," Peter joked.

Sharon looked up from where her head was buried between the back of the couch and its cushion. "Funny," she deadpanned.

"Yeah, about that," he said. "I wanted to say I'm sorry about that night. I shouldn't have been texting and I didn't mean to get you involved in everything."

"Oh," she said, looking surprised. "Thank you." Holding up her phone triumphantly, she slipped it in her pocket.

"It's just, I didn't ever think you'd end up in the corner because of something I did an-"

She laughed. "Oh, I wasn't in the corner because of you, sweetie. I was in the corner because I'd been rude to Stephen and Chrissy had had enough of my attitude."

"Why were you being rude?" he asked with a frown. "Stephen's always nice to you!"

"I was annoyed because you were blowing up my phone when you were supposed to be driving." She shrugged. "I shouldn't have taken it out on him and I even apologized for it." She smirked. "The way you two defend each other is adorable."

"Yeah well, I don't think he'll be defending me for a long time, so," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Even though I'm not grounded anymore he's been pretty distant."

"That can't be right," Sharon said, concerned. "Peter, he talks about you all the time! He gets a stupid love-struck look on his face and everything!"

He shrugged, uncomfortable. "Maybe for everyone else. I've been on my best behavior since the night I was grounded but I still feel like I'm just a word or two from being sent to stand in the corner."

"Have you talked to him about it?" she asked.

"And risk upsetting him again? No," he said with a shake of his head. "I can't do that to him again."

She didn't say anything for a moment. "You really shouldn't keep how you're feeling bottled up. It's just going to build until it explodes and I don't think either of you would want that."

"Maybe," he hedged. "Come on. The great outdoors is calling us to save Christine from its horrors."

Sharon laughed. "She's so prissy sometimes. I love her."

"And you said Stephen gets a love struck look on his face," he teased, doing his best to convince her that his heart was in it and he was fine.

"I don't think I can do this anymore."

Peter was sitting with him in the living room. Whereas Stephen was in his usual armchair, Peter was curled up against the side of the couch. He looked miserable, but determined.

He felt his heart drop. "What?"

"I feel like you're never going to stop being mad at me and I don't think I can live like this anymore. I'm not talking about the grounding, either. I broke the rules in a big way and I definitely deserved it. It's... it's you."

"Peter, I-" What was he saying?

"I feel like you've wanted nothing to do with me since that night."

"I'm around you all the time. We live together. We share a bed." Well, they used to, at least.

"But you're not with me! It's like you're looking right through me. We haven't had sex and you don't even kiss me or - hell! - hug me. I can count on one hand the number of times you've told me, unprompted, that you love me since that night. I get that I was being punished, but you've never just cut yourself off from me like this. Do you still love me?"

"I..." he wasn't sure what to say or even how to make it right. Looking back, he could understand why Peter felt the way he did. He hadn't been affectionate with Peter since the night he grounded him. It hadn't been intentional, not in the way Peter seemed to think. He'd been trying to keep from losing his temper, keep from taking his frustration with the entire situation and with himself out on Peter. "Of course, I love you, Peter, desperately. I'm so in love with you I'd choose you over taking my next breath."

"Then why have you kept pushing me away?" Peter asked, miserable.

"Because I've been scared that if I don't keep myself tightly contained, I'd lash out and hurt you."

"How is this different than any other time, though?"

Stephen closed his eyes, opened them when he felt in control once again.

"I could have lost you."

Peter looked so confused Stephen nearly laughed. Peter didn't understand the severity of of what would have happened and though Stephen didn't want to even think about it, he couldn't exactly leave him in the dark.

"You could have crashed your car and been severely hurt, or even killed. You heal, Peter, and damned fast at that. However, you can't heal from death and I don't as yet possess the ability to bring anyone back to life."

"My recklessness that night could have hurt someone else on the road," Peter admitted.

"If that had happened, I would have lost you," Stephen said. "As surely as if you had died, I would have lost you."

"What? Stephen, no!" Peter insisted. "How can you say that? You'd really stop loving me?" He looked as if his whole world was about to fall apart.

"Nothing could ever make me stop loving you, but I would have lost you."

"You can't know that!" Peter argued.

"I know you," he said. "I know your heart, Peter. Do you remember a year or so ago when we were called out to fight against Dr. Doom?"

Peter nodded, looking confused. "Yeah, I remember. One of his bots damaged one of my web-shooters and I couldn't get a web out in time to stop part of a wall from hitting that civilian. It broke both of her legs."

"Even though you did nothing wrong and made every right call while fighting that day, it still happened. You blamed yourself and you were despondent for weeks. I couldn't get you to eat or drink with any regularity and finally I had to spell you into sedation so Christine could push fluids and nutrients." He took a moment to gather himself. "It was bad, and it took a while before you managed to forgive yourself for something that was no one's fault but Doom's."

"Yeah," Peter said weakly. "It was pretty rough."

"That episode was from someone getting hurt from something not your fault, while you were on top of your game and making every right decision." He waited until Peter looked at him. "How bad do you think it would be if it someone was hurt or killed because you were being reckless and only thinking of yourself while on a joy ride?"

Peter's face paled as he processed the words. "I wouldn't be able to come back from that," he all but whispered.

"Do you understand now?" Stephen asked gently.

Peter nodded and then seemed to steel himself. "I think there's something I need to show you. Do you still have those morning stones?"

"The Memory Stones of Morntauk? Yes, I do."

He retrieved the stones and set them aside. "Whatever it is you wish to show me, I want you to know you don't have to. You're entitled to your privacy."

"I know," Peter said. "But I think you need to see, because I don't know how else to explain it."

The stones went hot between their clasped hands as Stephen fell into Peter's memory.

The penitentiary was cold and impersonal and the guard frowned as Peter scrawled his name in the log book. Or rather, B. Jones' name.

"Through the double door and have a seat until you're called back. You've surrendered your phone?" The guard asked, bored.

"Yeah," Peter said. He ducked his head and went through the double doors only to sit on the most uncomfortable hard plastic chair in existence.

He waited for what felt like hours before he was called back.

"Jones?" Another guard asked, entering the waiting room and glancing around as if she didn't care if anyone was waiting.

"Yeah! Yeah, that's me," Peter said.

He stood obediently as he was scanned with security wands and let himself be led through yet another set of heavy double doors to a room with a two cubicles and chairs separated by thick plexiglass. There was the usual phone connecting them and heart going a mile a minute, Peter sat.

"You'll get fifteen minutes," the guard said.

It took a few minutes but an inmate was all but shoved through a door on the other side of the plexiglass.

Aside from a gaunt face and thinking blond hair, the man was painfully average.

He looked puzzled at the sight of Peter, but sat down with a shrug and picked up the phone.

"Dennis Carradine?" Peter asked shakily after picking up his phone. He didn't like this, didn't want to be here, this was a mistake...

"Do I know you? I don't get many visitors here." He frowned. "'Specially not children."

He wasn't a child! He hadn't been a child since that night, when this man had murdered his uncle right in front of him!

"You shot my uncle a couple of years ago, in Queens."

God, there'd been blood everywhere and all over his hands as he'd desperately tried to staunch the flow, blood that had taken him ages to scrub off... his hands still didn't feel clean...

"Oh, right! I remember you. You were the little kid who wouldn't stop crying. Come to gloat that the boogeyman is finally locked away?"

Gloat? How could he? This man was locked safe away, with three guaranteed meals a day. Ben was still dead.

Peter shook his head. "I just came to ask you why?"

"Why what?"

"There were a few dozen people out and about that evening. Why him? Why did you shoot him?" He hated asking, hated the microscopic part of the question that implied 'why not kill someone else?'

Dennis smiled slowly. "Ah. Yeah, I can see why that would keep a kiddo like yourself up at night. He stood out, kid."

Peter scowled. "How? Uncle Ben wasn't flashy and he didn't cause scenes. He definitely didn't that evening!"

"Kid, your dear Benny stood out because he didn't stand out. Do enough crime and you can tell who will raise a fuss and draw attention to you. You learn to stay away from them and go for the quiet ones. The last time I didn't follow my rules to avoid a quiet one, I got caught." He motioned to the vomit-orange jumpsuit he wore. "It's never the rule breakers and risk takers that pay the price in this world." The smile he leveled at Peter showed several crooked, yellowing teeth. "A little recklessness goes a long way."

Stephen thought that was it, but then he was immediately pulled into another memory.

Peter winced as he decompressed the suit. Mr. Stark was going to pissed, but he'd handle it.

He pulled his medkit out from under his bed and selected what he'd need once he was done with his shower. He was just grateful that Aunt May was working another double. The last thing she needed to worry about was her nephew with a few burns that would heal in a day or two.

He hated fire.

The fire department had not been happy with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He'd heard their admonishments that what he'd done was stupid and reckless. And yes, it had been. He had the burns to prove it.

But the little girl and her puppy were safe.

They'd go to bed with the rest of their family and see another day.

If Spider-Man... if Peter had to be reckless in order to make sure others would get to go to bed safe and sound with their families... well, that was just what he'd have to do.

Peter took him through more memories of patrols and soon the pattern emerged: the more reckless Peter was, the more lives were saved. Stephen realized that Peter had internalized just why being reckless was not only okay, but for the greater good. And that was not something Stephen alone could magically fix.

When Peter was finished showing Stephen his memories he looked at Stephen expectantly.

Heart aching, Stephen said the only thing he could in good conscience say.

"Titan."

_______

[set-phasers-to-whump]

Day 24: Creative Prompt - Earth (Environmental Whump)

whumpee: peter sutherland

fandom: the night agent

here i am with another fic for this show lol. it's set in some made-up future where they both live in dc again. hope you enjoy!

It is a damp, chilly morning in Washington, DC, and Peter Sutherland is slightly miserable. 

It’s his own fault. He’s not sure if that makes it better or worse. He’d gone out for drinks after work with a couple of his new colleagues last night. Even though he doesn’t have work today, he’d kept himself well below his limits. 

Or so he’d thought. 

He’d woken up with a pounding headache and an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. 

Perfect. 

He swallows a few ibuprofen and eats a bowl of dry cereal. The chill in the air seeps through his clothes, and he keeps his hands firmly wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. 

He’s still tired after he’s done eating. He could technically stay inside and sleep all day, but he doesn’t want to. He has found himself in need of constant movement, lately. 

And so he puts his dishes in the sink and gets dressed for a jog. Nothing like the shock of cold air burning your lungs to wake you up. 

It’s colder than he’d thought outside. A fine mist hangs in the air, not quite heavy enough to count as drizzle. There aren’t many people out and about, which is fine by him. He slides his earbuds into his ears and sets off on his favorite route. 

It’s the one that passes by Rose’s house. It’s incredibly circuitous and absolutely no one in their right mind would choose to follow it. But nine times out of ten, when he runs by, she waves at him from the kitchen window. 

They’re taking things slow, for now. They’ve only been living in the same city again for two months. They both have new jobs to focus on. And they both want a real relationship.

Peter doesn’t mind taking things slow. He likes what they have now. Likes how normal it feels, how comfortable. How safe. They eat in little cafes, go for walks, watch movies and fall asleep on each other’s couches. They spend a healthy amount of time away from each other.

He worries about her when they’re apart anyway. So he jogs past her house sometimes. He knows she hacks the security cameras in his building’s lobby on occasion. They’re even. 

He’s just passed the halfway point when the mist becomes a drizzle and then a light rain. 

And then the sky opens up. 

Thunder rumbles in the distance, and the air temperature drops noticeably. Peter picks up the pace as the rain starts to soak through his clothes. 

He splashes through several streets of nothing but houses, breathing hard and sweating but beginning to shiver at the same time. 

By the time he reaches Rose’s street, he’s soaked to the bone and shivering so hard that it’s almost painful. He’s out of breath and his head still hurts. He hopes that she’s home, hopes she’s awake. Hopes she won’t be upset with him for coming over unannounced. He knows she hates being taken by surprise. 

But he really doesn’t want to run all the way home in this, isn’t even sure if he’d be able to. He could call an uber, he supposes, but he’d rather not. He’d rather be with her. 

He rings the bell, although he knows that if she’s awake, she’ll already be aware that he’s here. There are more cameras in and around her house than there are at a movie set.

The door opens, thankfully. Rose is still in her pajamas, with slippers on her feet. 

“What are you doing here?” she asks, even as she grabs his hand and pulls him inside. “It’s pouring.”

He shrugs. “It wasn’t when I left.”

“You’re shaking.”

“It’s cold.”

“Hold on just a sec.”

She disappears down the hallway. Peter wraps his arms around himself in a futile attempt to warm up. He really is freezing, even though Rose’s house is plenty warm. 

Rose returns with several towels heaped in her arms. “I’d offer to let you warm up in the shower, but…”

A clap of thunder overhead proves her point. Peter accepts the towels and dries himself off as best as he can. When he’s no longer actively dripping, he follows Rose to her bedroom, to the dresser drawer that contains various assorted items of his clothing, some left behind on purpose, some pilfered by Rose herself, some forgotten. 

He changes in the bathroom, which is warmer than the rest of the house. Even after drying off more thoroughly and getting dressed in dry, warm clothes, though, he’s still cold. 

Rose meets him in the living room, on the couch he’s fallen asleep on countless times. “You’re still shaking,” she remarks as he sinks down beside her. “You’re weirdly pale, too.”

Is he? He hadn’t noticed. Maybe it’s from the rain. 

Suddenly Rose’s hands are on his face, warm and soft.

“You’re really warm.”

“Doesn’t feel like it.”

“I think you might have a fever. How do you feel?”

Not great. He shrugs. “Been better. Been worse.”

She fixes him with a look. “Peter, I think you’re sick.”

He supposes that would explain the headache that still hasn’t quite dissipated. Not to mention the tiredness, the chill. 

He doesn’t want to be sick. He’s always hated it, hated feeling so miserable and alone.

But he’s not alone, not this time. 

“I’m not exactly the best nurse,” Rose says. “Um, do you need anything? Medicine, cough drops, stuff like that?”

“I really just want to sleep.” And I want you to stay. 

“Do you want the bed?”

He shakes his head. The couch is more than enough. And, to be honest, he isn’t sure if he’s got the energy to move. 

“Couch it is then.”

Rose gets up, and Peter tries not to be disappointed. He just lies back, curls into himself, and attempts to make his body stop shivering. 

She comes back after just a few seconds. She’s got blankets in her arms and she piles them onto him haphazardly. They’re all soft and warm and they smell like her. They’re wonderful.  

He wants to burrow beneath them and fall asleep, but Rose stops him. “Scoot over,” she instructs, still standing in front of him. 

He does as she says, awkwardly shuffling down the length of the couch. As soon as there’s enough space between his head and the couch’s arm, Rose sits down beside him. 

“C’mere.”

He knows what she’s offering. Something he hasn’t had since he was very young. Something that, until very recently, he never would have thought he’d be allowed again.

Comfort. 

He moves closer to her, lets his head rest atop her leg. 

Her fingers thread themselves into his hair. Something warm and soft takes root in his chest. And the shivering finally starts to subside.

thanks for reading! i'm super tired and can't tell if i hate this or not lmao, but i hope you liked it. love u all!

[duskwoodgirl4life]

MC's POV

It's been 3 years since I last saw or heard from Jake, he promised he would find a way for us to be together. I've tried reaching out to him but I've got nothing that night we spent together is one I can't forget. Especially now that I have Jaden to look after Jake as a son, a 3 years old little boy. I've told Jaden about his daddy. I told him that daddy is away and will be back soon. I don't know how much longer I can keep this lie up. It's breaking my heart knowing that Jake is out there somewhere for all I know he's been caught. I write a message to him every night. I send pictures of Jaden and tell him how Jaden's day has been.

I've just put Jaden to bed. He's not been feeling well these past couple of nights, but thankfully he should sleep through now the meds have kicked in. I'm sitting in bed with the TV on low trying to read a book but my thoughts keep drifting back to Jake. I wish that he was next to me right now. I wish that we were cuddled up together. I want so badly to kiss him goodnight as we drift off to sleep. I want to wake up to him every morning. I wish for so many things I would do anything just to be in his arms. I decided to grab my phone and send him my nightly message and photo of Jaden.

Hello my angel,

I hope you are safe and well? Jaden is hopefully starting to feel better after his high fever. I took him to the doctor's and he's been given some antibiotics. He painted you a picture today with his new paint set. I talk to him about you everyday. I miss you so much Jake I want you here with me. I love you so much it hurts. I'm going to try and get some sleep. I'm still waking up in the night that hasn't stopped.

I love you Jake

Yours always and forever

MC

Xxxxxxxxx

I send the message to Jake and put my phone back down on my bedside table turning my TV off and the lamp. I pull the covers up and curly up into a ball and let the tears roll down my face.

Jake's POV

I've not been able to see MC for 3 years now. I haven't been able to send her any messages. It's been killing me so much I want to be able to reply to all her messages but I can't, I can't yet. She's been sending me updates on our baby boy. He's beautiful, he looks just like his mum. MC sends me nightly pictures of him and tells me all about his day. I'm glad he's feeling a little better knowing that he was sick upsets me. I am so sorry MC that I can not reach out to you. I want you to know I have saved every single message you have sent me.

I have just received the message you sent tonight, it breaks my heart to know how much you are hurting. I really hope that soon I can reach out to you. I want to be able to tell you how much I love you. I want to tell the whole world that I am in love with you but I want you to move on. I can't keep letting you wait for me like this. I need you to find happiness with someone else. As much as it will break me completely it's the best thing for you my angel no matter what I will always care for you.

The next morning Jaden came bouncing into MCs room and jumping on the bed, "mummy, mummy" "morning sweetheart, are you feeling better?" "Can we go to the park today mummy?" "I'll take that as a yes, of course let's get breakfast first tho" they both got out of bed MC switched the coffee machine on to make the coffee. Then she grabbed Jaden's bowl and made him some cereal. She put the bowl down in front of him and he started eating his breakfast. After breakfast MC got Jaden ready for their trip out to the park they met up with Jessy and Richy with their little girl Bella. She was the same age as Jaden and loved playing together. "Hi MC" the redhead beamed as MC got closer "hello Jaden, haven't you got big" Jessy gave Jaden a big hug "hi Jessy, hello Bella look at you in your princess dress" Bella spun round showing off her dress.

The two kids went off to play with Richy while MC and Jessy sat down on a bench to talk "how have you been? Have you heard from him?" "Nope he's not contacted me I send him updates but nothing" "I know this might sound harsh but you should get out there go on a date" "I don't know Jessy, I want to but I" "come on you can do this I've got the perfect guy for you" "not another blind date Jessy" "no, no it's not like it was last time this guy is perfect he's called Phil he owns a bar" "alright Jessy, I get the picture did Phil put you up to this?" "Erm, no comment so is that a yes?" Jessy looked up at MC with her best puppy dog eyes look. "Argh okay then tell him to pick me up tonight you can have Jaden for the night" "perfect I'll call him now thanks MC"

Later that night MC was getting ready for her date with Phil, when her phone buzzed he picked it up and saw a message from Phil.

Phil: Hey gorgeous, can't wait for our date later. I've booked us a table at the new Italian place that's just opened up.

MC: Hey Phil, that's sounds perfect looking forward to it see you later X

MC's POV

What am I doing? Why did I listen to Jessy and agree to going on this date with Phil? I could text him back and cancel. If I do that, what excuse do I give? I just told him I was looking forward to the date. I guess I have no option but to go through with this. I guess Jessy is right. I should get out there and date new people. After finishing my makeup I go over to my wardrobe and try to pick out something to wear for this date. I finally managed to pick out a red dress that hugged my figure. While I'm trying to find some shoes I find Jake's hoodie that he left me. I pick it up and hold it close to me. His scent is still on the hoodie. I can feel my eyes starting to water and my heart is breaking so much. Jake, why did you have to leave me? The tears start to fall.

I can't do this, I can't go out on this date tonight, come on MC get a grip you can do this I know I can. I just sit on the floor holding Jake's hoodie in my arms not wanting to let it go. After a few minutes I manage to put myself together putting Jake's hoodie back on the wardrobe. I fix my makeup and get rid of the black streaks down my face. I grab a pair of black heels and put them on. Once the doorbell rings Phil is here to pick me up for our date. Grabbing my jacket and keys I open the door and I am greeted by Phil holding my favorite flowers.

Jake's POV

MC is going on a date with Phil tonight I can feel the anger starting to build up inside me why Phil of all people. I know I wanted her to move on but not like this now with him I can see from the messages he is taking her to an Italian restaurant. That's not her favorite place to go. She loves Chinese, not Italian. I pull myself away from my computer and go and wash my face in the bathroom. Anger still taking over my body I punch the bathroom mirror. Blood dripping from my hand I turn the tap on and run the water putting my hand underneath. I can't help but wince at the pain my hand is in.

Grabbing the first aid box from the shelf, I dry my hand and put a bandage around my hand. I head back to my computer and try to concentrate on my task at hand. I try for hours to try and finish this program off but my thoughts keep going back to MC. Have I really lost her for good? Do I let her carry on with her life or do I go and win back her heart and we can be together.

"Thanks Phil for a wonderful evening I've had a lovely time" "your welcome MC I've waited for this moment for a long time you're really something special" as they arrived back at MCs apartment Phil kissed MC softly on the cheek. MC turned the kiss around and pulled Phil closer to her, closing the grab between them. "Wow I wasn't expecting that, your lips are so soft MC" MC didn't respond she just crashed her lips back onto Phil's. While she was kissing Phil she managed to open the door. Once inside MC pushed Phil up against the wall running her hands all over his body.

All of a sudden MC stopped the kiss "what's wrong MC? Is everything okay?" "I'm sorry Phil I can't do this" "it's okay, listen when you're ready give me a call and we can do this again" "thanks Phil" MC showed Phil out of her apartment. She closed the door and sank back down to the floor all she could think about was Jake. He was the only man she wanted to be with and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. MC pulled herself off the floor and went into the kitchen taking a bottle of wine out of the fridge. She poured herself a glass and went and sat by the window.

As she was sitting there watching the world go by she could have sworn she saw a figure dressed all on black walking towards the apartment building. She didn't think anything of it and went to top up her glass moments later there was a knock at the door. Putting her glass down she went to open the door and saw a figure dressed in black looking up at her. "J-Jake? Is that you? A-are you really here? "Yes MC I am, can I come in?" MC stepped to one side and let Jake into the apartment.

"MC I want to explain why I left you 3 years ago, it was never my intention to leave you for that long. I am so incredibly sorry for everything I have put you through. I had to put some distance between us. I was given a deal the FBI wanted me to help bring down a major drug dealer. Part of the deal was to stay away from you while I helped them. I wanted to tell you so badly but I wasn't allowed. It's all over now I am a free man. I wanted to come and see you but I thought you were better off without me."

"How dare you!! How dare you decide what is best for me, I've been waiting 3 years for you to come back. I've been bringing up your son alone. I've spent 3 years waiting for you to come back. I didn't know if you were okay. I thought they had killed you Jake!!'

The tears broke their way out from MCs eyes Jake put his arms around her holding her close. "I never stopped loving you MC my feelings for you have never changed" MC looked up at Jake's ocean blue eyes looking back at her. "I love you to Jake I never stopped loving you" Jake put his fingers under MCs chin lifting her head up and kissed her softly. MC pulled away from the kiss "we have the place to ourselves Jaden's at Jessy's for the night he'll be back tomorrow morning if you want to meet him" "I'd love to MC, I've saved all the photos of him"

The next morning MC woke up with the biggest smile on her face, Jake was lying next to her sound asleep. She couldn't help but stroke his cheek as he slept and kiss him softly on the lips. Jake started to wake up kissing MC back "good morning my love did you sleep well?" "Next to you Jake it was perfect, we have a couple hours before Jaden's back" "how can I say no"

A few hours later MC and Jake had gotten up and had coffee and breakfast, there was a knock at the door MC went to answer it "hi my little man, you have a good time at auntie Jessy's?" "We had a camp out, it was the best mummy" MC picked Jaden up and gave him a hug. "Listen son, there is someone here who has been wanting to meet you. Do you want to meet them?" "Is it daddy mummy? Is daddy back from his work?" "Hello son" "daddy" Jaden went running over to Jake and gave him a massive hug. "What's going on MC? When did Jake come back?" "He came back last night Jessy, I couldn't believe it I'm so happy" "is he back for good?" "Yeah he's back for good he's not going anywhere"

And that's what Jake did, he made MC a promise and he fulfilled it, he didn't want to leave ever again he loves his family more than anything. "I love you MC" "I love you to Jake"