#i’ve been thinking and talking about relationships with my therapist and i realized how terrifying it is to open up to someone
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This is my third post in the same day, and i’m really just talking into the tumblr void considering i don’t have followers or whatever, but i want to talk about invincible. More specifically Amber, Eve, and Mark. This is going to be a long one i think.
Anyway I want to start with Amber. Keep in mind, I haven’t read the comics so this is PURELY based on the show (don’t hate me comic readers… don’t hate me.) But i’ve noticed how people treat her? I swear, the people on tiktok get worse every month. But i think people forget that she was being lied to the entire start of her relationship. She was being ditched, left behind, and most definitely ghosted for hours, days, and maybe weeks. That’s A LOT. And yeah, even after she found out she could’ve been a lot better with how she spoke to mark when it came down to him telling her.
But at the same time, could you really blame her?? and even afterwards, they started to work past it. Until she became a freaking target!! I don’t think people realize how absolutely terrifying being in a REAL LIFE OR DEATH situation can affect someone. And she was aware it would happen again, she knew it would. I don’t blame her for breaking up with Mark and id do the same.
Now for Eve. Don’t get me wrong, she’s an okay character, good could even be a word to describe her. But season 3 ruined her so goddamn bad. In the first two seasons she’s.. Atom Eve. She has this super amazing power and knows she can do SO MUCH with it. In season 3? She’s Mark ‘On top of the roof therapist.’ Seriously, her screen time went from her kicking ass and whatever she did to being at Marks place either listening to him complain, or complaining to him.
Not to mention how differently the relationships went down. Yes i’m aware there were hints that they liked each other in season 1-2, but it still feels so empty. Amber and Mark had a build up. It may not have top notch, or the best written thing ever, but it was there. Eve and Marks didn’t feel like that. Mark and Amber got a flying sequence with arguably the BEST song in the sound track. And sure you can Eve and Mark did it better, but did they really??
I don’t know, to me they didn’t have the depth that Amber and Mark did. But i could be wrong as well.
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A letter to my therapist
I’m writing down these thoughts that have been haunting me for a while now. I feel like I’ve been having a hard time getting everything out of my brain. Although it’s true when I tell you that I’m doing ok or fine. But there’s still some things that I haven’t been able to release.
I know that you think that my career is amazing, and that my extended family should be asking me for favors, and begging me to cook meals for them. The truth is that they just don’t care. The only people in my life that believe in me, that are proud of me, that advocate how good my skills are, are my parents, my close friends, and you. And I’m so thankful that they all believe in me and give me praise for all my hard work. It really gives me the motivation to keep going. When I go to family events and get asked how work is, “ what do you do again?”. When given the opportunity to talk about myself and what I do, it falls on deaf ears. It would be nice if they actually cared, but honestly I don’t need it. I don’t need the praise. I don’t need prove myself to them. The only person I need to prove it to is myself. I’m so proud of where I came from, and the skills I have now. I never thought I would have the opportunity to have a career that I’m not only great at, but one that I have so much love and passion for. Even though it might drive me crazy. This may only be the beginning, but I have dreams that go beyond my own expectations, and I will do anything to get there.
Some nights I lay awake and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. Why can’t I cry anymore? Why do I feel so numb? What happened to me to get me to this state? I used to cry so much, I used to feel emotions that felt they would go as deep as the ocean. And now it’s like I’m just going through the motions day to day. Day to day talking and interacting with everyone around me has been a chore. Some days my mind will go blank and I’ll have nothing to say, even though I want to. When something bad happens to someone that I care about, I struggle to comfort them, or find the words to show that I care. Times when I should be sad, when I should be crying. I just don’t. I’m desperate to find answers, because I really miss that part of myself. Is this what it means to grow up? Was it from all the bullshit I went through with my ex? Was it from my old boss Renne, who would call me a “pussy” every time I got emotional or cried? Was it the daily drug abuse? I know the obvious answer is Burn out. I know in reality there is nothing wrong with me. Maybe my brain just needs a break to recover from last year, with everything hitting me back to back to back. I know as we go through life and break, and grow. When we lose pieces of who we used to be. There is no reclaiming them. There’s only moving forward, and reinventing new pieces that we grow to love in their place. But right now I’m a little bit lost in finding myself again. And maybe that’s ok for the moment.
I’m terrified of my parents getting older. I’m terrified of the day they will no longer be in my life. I truly do cherish the time I get to spend with them. I never thought I would be able to forgive my mother for everything she has put me through. I never thought we would have the relationship we have now. I love my father more than anyone in my life. For all his faults, I love him more than anything. I tell him every day I can. I will always be thankful that he’s my father. For all the times he took me out for ice cream during my depression episodes. For every time he took me to the park as a kid. For loving and accepting me for all that I am unconditionally with no hesitation. I can’t imagine a life without him. I just want him to have the best life he could have, with no regrets. I want to give that to him more than anything. I never understood why my mother was so cruel to me until I grew up. And the more I look the more I realize that she’s just like me. I really sympathize with her now. With everything she’s had to go through. I realize that she feels alone inside. I realize that she really isn’t a villain. I try my best to show her that she’s not alone. That I don’t see her as a monster anymore for the things she’s done. I really do love my mom, and just like my father I want to give her everything she needs to feel content with her life, because I know deep down she’s not satisfied with how life has turned out for her. I really hope one day she can find peace in life. It would really kill me if they don’t have a fulfilling life. That’s what terrifies me the most.
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#i’ve been thinking and talking about relationships with my therapist and i realized how terrifying it is to open up to someone#like my ex really did a number on me 💀💀💀#even though i was mad careful with him 🤔#it’s just interesting because i’ve grown so much now and i’m a better person for sure#i know what i what and i know how to respond properly now and communicate my feelings#but opening up my heart is really the challenge for me🤔#i jusr wanna make sure the next person i open my heart to is worth it tbh#i don’t think there’s anything wrong with that 🤷🏿♀️
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every day i think about how my old psychiatrist (who was notoriously horrible on many levels, to be clear) tried to convince me to stay on the antidepressants i was coming off of when i told her i was starting testosterone because she was convinced that i’d be incapable of handling the “intense mood swings” that she said it would cause if i was unmedicated
mind you, i was coming off of these meds because they were doing absolutely fucking nothing for me and she had fought me on stopping them every step of the way — in her mind, me starting t was the perfect chance to make one final (transphobic) push against my desire to stop putting completely pointless drugs in my body
she consistently referred to hrt as me “going on steroids” and told me with every ounce of condescending concern she could muster that she had never had a patient start t without being on antidepressants (as if i was supposed to see that fact as anything other than further proof that her main goal as a psychiatrist was just to make as much money as possible by pushing meds on people)
i tried to explain to her that countless trans people i’d talked to had said that being on t made them feel more emotionally stable, not less, and that i had already chosen a method of hrt that would minimize hormonal fluctuations as much as possible, but she wouldn’t believe me — there’s no question in my mind that she just saw me as a ~naive little girl who didn’t understand how testosterone could make my life hell~
and of course, my mom jumped on that idea and started telling me about how it’s not that she doesn’t like that i’m trans, it’s just that she’s ~so worried~ about what the ~big bad testosterone~ might to to my ~poor fragile mental health~
and when i started t, i was terrified that they would be proven right
now i’m 5 months on t (and a few months post-ending that doctor-patient relationship as well) and what do you know? my mood is better than ever! my therapist (who has known me far longer and actually cares about my well-being) says she’s never seen me this happy, and that she feels like i’m actually living for the first time! it’s been incredible!
in fact, i’ve come to the realization that i most likely had premenstrual dysphoric disorder before t, and that it was contributing to a huge percentage of my mental breakdowns and suicidal thoughts, so it seems there were hormones causing mood swings that i couldn’t handle without proper treatment after all, but testosterone isn’t the cause of those issues — turns out it’s the treatment i desperately needed to manage them!
and after some research and hearing from other people, i’ve learned that it wasn’t all anecdotal after all, because some studies have actually found evidence to support the idea that testosterone has antidepressant effects — i told my therapist that testosterone felt the way the antidepressants i had been on were supposed to feel, but i had no clue there was science to back that up
so now i’m just left being endlessly furious with the way testosterone is demonized as some horrible poisonous drug that will destroy your mental health along with everything else in your life, because being on it has improved my quality of life exponentially and that alone makes being on it SO worthwhile, but no one ever gets to see that side of being on t because they’re so busy drumming up fear about how it’ll wreck your moods instead
of course, that’s not to say some people don’t experience serious mood swings on t, because i would never deny someone else’s experience with their own body and mind, and i think it’s important that people know those effects are possible when they start t
what i AM saying is that i would guess that if you looked at pure numbers, more people have probably had a really positive experience like mine than a seriously negative one, and it’s very telling that the negative ones are portrayed as a universal part of being on t despite seemingly being a smaller percentage when you actually talk to lots of trans people, while the positive ones are portrayed as a fluke at best and impossible or even deceptive at worst despite being a really common theme in trans people’s accounts of being on t
testosterone is medicine. testosterone is healing.
it doesn’t solve all our problems — i’m certainly far from cured of all my mental health issues — but it sure as hell lightens the load, and i’m sick and tired of people acting like it’s a horrible thing and not the fucking miracle worker that it is for some of us
#transandrophobia#transandromisia#transmisandry#virilmisia#virilphobia#trans men#transmascs#testosterone#hrt
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Hi, I have a question re:sex and Christianity. Small background: I still go to church, and I still live with my parents even though I'm not much younger than you, because housing is very very expensive where I live (pretty common here, I would say about 2/3 of my friends live with their parents and we are decently privileged kids)
Anyway. How does one get over purity culture? To be clear, I've never been told in church not to have sex, I've never gotten the gendered lessons that you got. But I am terrified of having sex. My first real, multi-year relationship just ended and while there was hand stuff etc, there was never any p in v sex (lol I feel 12). But I still had insane anxiety about being pregnant despite being on bc. And I think its because I know my parents would be so disappointed if I had sex. And if I was pregnant I could imagine all the gossip. And honestly I think im from a pretty open church, b/c one of our previous ministers kids recently got married at 8 months pregnant and lots of church people were at the wedding and supportive and her parents were there and everything.
I dont even think I particularly like sex, i might be on the ace spectrum, but how do I remove it from all the anxiety that's tied to it so I can even give myself the chance to find out???
(Asking because it seems like you've been pretty open about purity culture/removing yourself from it)
CW for sex talk (again)
How does one get over purity culture?
Oh man. That really is the million-dollar question, huh? Obviously, I can only answer re my personal experiences, and this is something you should talk to a therapist about, but I can tell you how I’ve tackled it with my therapist at least.
Purity culture is, at its core, an ideology that is perpetuated by shame. If you’re indoctrinated into purity culture when you’re a kid, the concepts become baked into the way you construct your identity, your perception of self, and your perception of your sexuality. It’s practically intrinsic, by the time you’re an adult, to feel shame any time you’re reminded you have a body, much less a sexuality.
According to the chapels I sat through every week as a kid, a girl's body could be 3 things: an intentional stumbling block for men, an accidental stumbling block for men, or unnoticeable. Women were to strive for the third option so as to keep their (and their male friends/authority figures) purity intact. After all, if a boy, or even your male teacher, had impure thoughts about you, it was your fault for tempting them (which, holy shit. I still can’t believe that was a thing I bought into for so long. If my 45 yr old grown-ass teacher had impure thoughts because he could see my 12 yr old collarbone, that sure as hell wasn’t my fault. But I digress.) The Only time a woman’s body can be something else, is when she gives it to her husband, at which point she must suddenly flip the switch in her brain that she is now allowed to be a Sexual Being and she must perform Sexual Duties despite living in outright fear of her own body and sexuality for years (decades?) up until this point. Jesus take the wheel.
Purity culture isn’t a thing you can just decide to walk away from if you’ve grown up in it. Because its ideology is insidious and internalized. So first you need to submit to the fact that you’re going to be fucked up about sex. It sounds like you’re there. Second, you need to interrogate what you believe. If you’re leaving religion behind entirely, you’ll approach removing yourself from purity culture differently than if you still identify as a Christian. It sounds like you might be the latter, which meant, for me, separating what’s actually biblical and what’s shitty, contrived, doctrine that I was told is biblical but is actually more political than spiritual. This helps you address the shame issue.
You need to throw away I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Lady in Waiting and all those ridiculous books you read and reread in the hopes of somehow obtaining impossible marriage perfection and look into actual scripture interpreted within its historical context. I could write a book on this, but the TL;DR is that the text of the Bible was written, translated, curated, and changed multiple times over thousands of years by human beings with human biases and, often, personal and/or political agendas. It contradicts itself! Reading it as it is—a flawed historical document—rather than some sort of God-breathed perfect document—is incredibly freeing. When you do, you’ll probably realize that purity culture is bullshit on a spiritual level. Which is a good start, if that matters to you. Because any time you start to feel shame or guilt you can ask yourself: does God actually care if I wear a bikini or touch a dick I’m not married to? Probably not. Wear the bikini. Touch the dick.
The most important therapy session for me was when my therapist asked what I would do if I got to heaven and God was actually the God I’d been raised to fear. What would I do if he condemned me for being bisexual and having premarital sex and becoming educated, for arguing with men, and failing to isolate while menstruating, and wearing mixed fabrics? If Montero had come out at the point, I probably would have said I’d pole dance down to hell. Instead, I said I would spit on heaven’s gates. If a god that cruel and that pointlessly demeaning really exists—a god who would create in me condemned desire—I won't worship him. The good news is, I’m 99% sure he doesn’t exist. At the very least, he isn’t supported by scripture.
Okay. The final thing you need to do is figure out what you actually want, sexually speaking. This bit is probably the hardest. I’m still in the early stages of this myself. You say: “I dont even think I particularly like sex, i might be on the ace spectrum, but how do I remove it from all the anxiety that's tied to it so I can even give myself the chance to find out???” Bro, I wish I had an easy answer for you. For me, whenever I’m feeling anxious about Sex Things, I tell myself: 1. My God does not equate my worth to my sexual habits. 2. My partner does not equate my worth to my sexual habits. 3. I do not equate my worth to my sexual habits. It seems silly, but reminding myself of those three things is massively helpful. If, after I’ve sorted through those, I’m still anxious or uncomfortable, I stop doing the thing. I evaluate. Am I overwhelmed and I need to try again some other time? Do I just not like the thing? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Sometimes you change your mind. Sometimes you just don’t know. That’s why having a partner who you trust and who’s willing to patiently explore your interests (and respect your disinterests) is so important. Half the battle, for me, was having a partner who told me they’d be ok with no sex at all. Because that took the pressure off me. If the bare minimum they need is nothing, then anything more than that is a bonus! Hooray! This is maybe TMI, but let me tell you. I thought I was asexual* right up until I was able to have moderately non-anxious sex. Never in my life did I think I would initiate a sexual situation but… I do now. It’s a fun thing to do with a person I love and, holy shit. I am furious that I nearly missed out on it.
Finally, re birth control: I don’t know how you can approach that fear in a way that works for you. If you don’t want to ever have penetrative sex, that’s fine! If that’s a point of anxiety you can’t get rid of, then don't push yourself to do it. If you find out you like other sex things, do the other sex things! If you don't like doing any sex things, don't do any sex things! Also, have you considered sleeping with people who can’t get you pregnant? Always an option if it’s an option you want to consider. ;)
Okay. I hope this was even a little bit helpful. Sorry if it’s a little convoluted, I typed it up in bursts during my work breaks.
*This is not at all to say that asexuality can be “fixed." Rather, it’s to say that things like purity culture can drastically confuse your sexuality in general. If you’re asexual, then this process is still important to discover what you like/dislike. Then you can be explicit about those necesities and find a partner who’s a good fit (if you want a partner at all, that is).
#purity culture#sex talk#christianity#sex and relationships#sex and religion#mylife#answered asks#aspec#cw sex
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Cruel Intentions (Steve Rogers x Reader)

WARNINGS: NON-CON, manipulation, mentions of abuse, therapist!Steve, silverfox!Steve, drugging
! DNI IF THIS OFFENDS YOU !
➥ Image by @angrybirdcr
➥ dividers by @firefly-graphics
This is for the “For the Fic” challenge whose winner for my fic was @darkficsyouneveraskedfor
The entire plot was her request and I hope that you like it!
summary: after escaping an abusive ex, you find solace in a therapist recommended to you by a friend.
~
“...I know I shouldn’t...but sometimes I blame myself. In Harry, I know that I was looking for what I never had in my family. I think it made me quick to rush into things...to ignore what I should have seen.”
Your eyes remained on the dark carpet, the man before you humming as the scribbling sound of his pen reached your ears. You fought hard not to fidget, a horrible habit you’d picked up in the last 3 years. You finally lifted your head again when the room was bathed in silence, eyes meeting familiar blue ones as he studied you.
You were used to these short moments of silence by now.
You’d been recommended to Dr. Steve Rogers by a friend, a friend who’d helped you escape your violent ex in the dead of night while he’d been away on business. She had grown worried when it became obvious that the effects of your tumultuous relationship would be lasting if you didn’t do something about it. Oddly enough, you’d been receptive. For 2 whole years, you’d wanted to tell someone, have anyone to turn to and talk to, but fear, a very valid fear, had stopped you.
Not only had you been worried for your life, something that was threatened on a constant basis, but you’d also been afraid of judgement. You worried what your friends would say, if they’d blame you for finding yourself in such a predicament, if they’d look down on you for no longer fighting back. It was only by a stroke of luck that Nakia had seen Harry slap you right across the face when he thought she’d left. You were grateful that she’d waited for him to leave before rushing towards your trembling frame, pulling you into her arms as she shushed you.
She had demanded to know how long this had been going on. She had been horrified and confused and angry. It didn’t take her long to come up with a plan, and within 2 weeks, after waiting for Harry to leave the city for 2 days, she’d gotten you out and into her place across town. You didn’t stay for long, maybe a few weeks, wanting nothing but to put it all behind you, and although she was sad to see you go, she understood.
It was how you found yourself in upstate New York, in a secluded tiny thing of a house. You hadn’t even realized that you’d become something of a recluse until Nakia had pointed it out during one of your weekly calls. It had never hit you that you went to work and to home and that was it. You barely ate anymore, so grocery shopping was never a frequent affair. That was when she’d told you about a well known therapist in the area, Steven G. Rogers. You had been shocked by how much you weren’t opposed to the idea as she went on listing all of his credentials.
It was only moments after she hung up that you found yourself researching him yourself. You remembered noting how handsome the man was, even more so in person. His bright blue eyes and silver tresses complimented his strong features nicely, pink lips pulled up into a polite smile. You didn’t find yourself put off by the stranger, thinking to yourself that talking to someone you didn’t know, an objective listener who was paid not to judge you, might be for the best.
You soon found out that was easier said than done.
The first visit had been rocky, barely mumbling a thing and constantly fidgeting. You had hardly been able to meet his eye, and the session had abruptly ended when you’d left early, stumbling over your words as you gave some half assed excuse for your sudden departure. He was far more understanding than you deserved during your second visit. Wracked with guilt and anxiety, you’d written some things down that you wanted to talk about, and thankfully, the man hadn’t laughed at you. In fact, you remembered how fondly he looked at you as you unfolded it.
As it turned out, you didn’t need the slip of paper at all. Notes forgotten, you had rambled on for an hour. It was like once you started, you just couldn’t stop, and Steve simply listened the entire time. The next time he spoke to you was only to tell you that your time was up, and both embarrassment and disappointment had flooded through you. It must have been obvious, plain as day on your features, because Steve reassured you that it was normal to ramble.
You had been reluctant to leave. After years of biting your tongue and living in fear of even making the wrong sound, you finally found someone to listen. Even if it was only a stranger getting paid for it, it was still something. There was someone to express your fears to, and although it had taken some time, terrified that you’d say the wrong thing and upset him, eventually, you started to express your anger too.
“...and then I get angry all over again,” you continued when he said nothing. “...because I’m smart, because red flags in others’ relationships have always been so obvious to me. I’ve always been the mom friend, the one who can spot trouble before it even starts. I’ve helped friends get out of situations before they even had the chance to turn sour…”
You shook your head.
“...and yet...it took a slap to the face to realize just how deep I was in? Not the jealousy, not the anger issues nor the way he’d isolated me from just about everyone in my life...but a slap? It should’ve never gotten to that.”
“You can’t blame yourself for the actions of others.”
It wasn’t the first time you’d heard that. Hell, it wasn’t even the first time he’d told you that, and yet here you were again.
“We can go in circles analyzing your own behavior and the things you did and the things you said, but the truth is that you could play it out in your head a million times. You could do every single thing differently, and it still wouldn’t change a thing.”
The corner of his lips lifted into a crooked smile, a familiar sight.
“Some people are simply cruel, and it has nothing at all to do with you.”
You sharply inhaled, unsure of why such a simple statement resonated with you so deeply. You stared at Steve, blinking a few times, opening your mouth to respond when he glanced at the clock. It was a tell tale sign, and your shoulders sagged. You would think that after seeing him for 7 months now, you’d be used to leaving after only an hour, but it never got easier.
“That’s all the time we have for today,” he said, standing. “You’re progressing nicely, Y/N.”
You rolled your eyes, and he chuckled, eyes crinkling.
“You are. Progress and healing isn’t linear. Sometimes you’re going to take 2 steps back before you can take 10 more forward. It’s all part of the process,” he assured you.
You sighed.
“Well… I guess that does make me feel a bit better,” you replied.
He sent you a small smile as he guided you towards the door.
“I’ll see you next week?”
You returned his smile with a nod and didn’t let your face fall until the door was shut behind you. The good thing about therapy was that you could recognize your own toxic behaviors now, and it was clear that you were becoming reliant on your sessions with Steve. You had never liked being alone, but you had come all the way out here to learn to do just that. For your sake, you needed to learn to love being alone. It was how you had gotten into this mess to begin with.
Your phone vibrated with a call from an unknown number, and figuring it was a scam call, you silenced it.
Your house was practically in the middle of nowhere, so when the tv wasn’t blasting or you didn’t have Spotify playing some light tune, the house could get scarily quiet. But that was what you wanted...right? Harry had always been so explosive. The smallest of things could set him off and then the sound of yelling and shattering glass would rain down on you. Silence and solitude was what you wanted, needed.
Your phone buzzed again as you settled into your car, and you huffed when you noticed it was the same number. Again, you weren’t unfamiliar with scam callers so you ignored it. You noted that you needed to go grocery shopping, but you weren’t on the precipice of starvation just yet, so it could hold off for another day. By the time you got inside, your phone had started to buzz again, and with a frown, you decided to answer it.
“Hello?”
You were met with silence as you unlocked your door, and you repeated yourself, but there was no response. With a sigh, you hung up the phone. You both loved and hated coming home. It was quiet and safe and everything you had craved for years now, but the unfamiliarity of it all unnerved you. Sometimes you were just waiting for Harry to come flying through the door, screaming and breaking things. You had to remind yourself that this silence, this security, is how it’s supposed to be.
You went about making a quick meal, hopping into the shower while leaving the stove on low. When you got out, in the process of moisturizing your arms, you noticed your phone buzzing with another call. From that same number. Unease filled you as you neared it, and you hesitantly reached for it before answering.
Again, you were met with silence, and frustrated and annoyed, you simply blocked the number. A quick look through your phone revealed that you’d missed several calls from the same number while in the bathroom. Blinking with a deepening frown, you set your phone down and made your way to your kitchen. Dinner, like always these days, was quiet. You curled up on the couch with your plate while you watched some old sitcom.
The rest of the night passed as blandly as it always did. Sleep was much easier to find these days, so you had no trouble as soon as your head hit the pillow. However, just as you were on the verge, your phone buzzed with another call. This number didn’t match the previous one, but it was unknown nonetheless. With a groan, you put your phone on silent and rolled over, sleep claiming you.
“I know it’s you,” you sneered into the phone.
Unsurprisingly, you were met with the faint sound of breathing, and you clenched your jaw. You slammed the car door behind you before stomping across the parking lot.
“I know it’s you,” you quietly repeated. “Stay away from me.”
You hung up before blocking the number, the 10th number you had blocked in the past week. Every few hours or so a day, like clockwork, you got calls from an unknown number. You’d always end up blocking the number after the first few calls, but they always called again from a different one. At first, they’d say nothing, and you’d listen to silence for a few seconds before hanging up. Now, they’d taken to breathing in your ear like a creep. It wasn’t even until you blocked the 3rd number did it finally hit you.
Harry.
Harry freaking Osborn.
You felt like such an idiot for not putting it together sooner. Of course, it was Harry. Was this not the same man who threatened to hunt you down and drag you back like some animal if you ever left him? You had always equated woman beaters to cowards so you never thought he’d have the nerve to actually do it. Putting the pieces together didn’t bring you any comfort. Your filthy rich abusive ex had managed to track you down. What comfort was there to find in that?
Since that day, you hadn’t had a proper night of sleep. Your mind was constantly at war with itself on what to do. Having been down this road before, you knew the police would be no help. You’d gone to them once before, at the very beginning after the first time he’d hit you. It was your first harsh lesson that money ruled over everything. If you thought hard enough, you could still recall his hands around your throat, eyes alight with anger at what you’d tried to pull.
Still, you considered at least trying to get a restraining order but at the end of the day, that was a mere piece of paper. If Harry came to your door, it wasn’t going to stop him from hurting you, and that’s even if the whole process went through. They don’t just give restraining orders out willy nilly. You tried not to dwell on that hypothetical situation, but if he’d found your number, it would only be a matter of time before he found your address.
“Oh!”
You’d only just entered the grocery store, barely stepping into an aisle when you bumped into someone. The chips and bread in his hands went flying to the floor, and apologies tumbled from your lips. It was only after you helped him pick up what you made him drop did you realize who you’d run into.
“Dr. Rogers...hi,” you breathed.
The corner of his lips pulled into a crooked smile, head tilting to the side as his gaze fell onto you.
“We’ve discussed this before, Y/N. You’re more than welcome to call me Steve,” he told you.
You gave a nervous chuckle, nodding.
“Yeah...uh… I normally do, it just...it just slipped my mind,” you replied.
He blinked at you, eyes narrowing just a bit as he studied you. His brows furrowed in that concerned way you were used to, a silver strand of hair kissing his forehead.
“Everything okay…?”
You folded your arms over your chest, nodding with a strained smile.
“Everything’s fine,” you lied. “It’s just… It’s been a weird week. Our next session cannot come fast enough.”
You forced a light laugh, and he joined you. He placed a hand on his hip, eyes boring into your own.
“There’s a coffee shop just over there,” he gestured. “Did you want to sit and have a chat?”
You frantically shook your head.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t,” you told him. “I-.”
“I know I’m your therapist, but I want you to think of me as a confidant outside of the office too. You’re more than welcome to talk to me anytime. In fact, I encourage it,” he interrupted.
You nervously eyed him with a frown.
“Are...are you sure?”
His smile was comforting.
“This may be my job, but it’s one I chose because it’s one I enjoy. I don’t want you to feel like you’re only allowed to talk to me during our sessions,” he quietly said.
You bit your lip, and Steve continued.
“I’d hate to think that you’re bottling things up for days on end, suffering in silence because you’re just waiting to talk to me,” he confessed.
Your shoulders sagged, and you hesitantly nodded.
“...okay. I just need to get a few things for the house.”
“Okay,” he said with a smile. “You know where to find me.”
You parted ways, and a sigh escaped you. You really didn’t want to become reliant on Steve. Wasn’t the whole point of therapy to learn how to process your feelings and cope with them better? Running to your therapist every time you have a problem just seemed counterproductive. And yet, once your car was loaded up with the few items you bought, you found yourself making your way to the coffee shop.
After ordering a small drink, you easily spotted Steve at a table in the back. You noted that even outside of your sessions, he still dressed nicely. The dark button down he wore contrasted with his light hair, dark slacks making him appear taller. You felt simultaneously nervous and comforted as you settled across from him. There was a brief silence, one in which you sipped on your drink while he eyed you before finally speaking.
“So what’s on your mind?”
What a loaded question. You struggled over whether or not to tell him the truth. Your abusive ex had found you somehow and was currently harassing you. That’s not something you could just casually drop into the conversation. Besides, Steve was your therapist, not your friend. You didn’t think it fair to rope him into the drama with your ex. That wasn’t part of his job description. Right?
“Just sleepless nights,” you said.
It wasn’t a complete lie. Steve eyed you like he was waiting for you to continue, blue eyes soft.
“I’m also worried that...my past might not remain in the past.”
Once again, this wasn’t a complete lie.
“How so?” Steve hummed.
“I can’t help but wonder about what will happen if Harry finds me. He always threatened that he would if I ever left, and while I never believed him before, I just keep wondering… What if he does?”
Steve tilted his head at you, and you leaned back in your seat with a sigh.
“I’ve moved all the way out here to get away from him. I’ve isolated myself because I thought it was for the best, but it would have the opposite effect if he ever found me. I’ve never been particularly close with my family as you well know, and I’ve left all of my friends. I’m all alone here, and it’s the worst thing to be if he ever did track me down.”
Like always, you had started to ramble, and you snapped your mouth closed, embarrassment flooding through you.
“What brought all of this on?”
Steve’s eyes were sincere as he ran them over you, handsome face twisted in concern, and you glanced away.
“Just thinking,” you lamely replied, eyes on your drink now. “It’s something I’ve always thought about, sure, but it’s been more pressing as of late.”
“Well...that’s what I’m here for. You shouldn’t have to deal with these thoughts alone,” he eventually said.
“I know,” you sighed, rubbing your temples. “...but I shouldn’t become so reliant on you. The whole point of therapy is to learn to deal with these things on my own, is it not?”
Steve exhaled, leaning back in his seat as he gazed at you.
“Not necessarily. Not always,” he answered. “...but even then, until you can get to that point, it’s best to lean into your support. After all, you’ve gotta crawl before you can walk, right?”
You nodded, taking in his words.
“...and even when you’re walking, you usually need someone there in the beginning to hold your hand in case you fall. I encourage you to talk to your friends more, maybe even branch out and find some friends here, but I’m here as well. Don’t halt any of your progress because you feel like you need to be dealing with this alone. Outside help does more for your progress than you’d think.”
“I guess that does make sense. I don’t know… I just- I’d feel so bad about showing up at your office throughout all hours of the day or calling your receptionist-.”
You cut yourself off when he took out a pen and a slip of paper.
“Here,” he said, scribbling a number on it before handing it to you. “This is my personal number.”
Your eyes widened.
“Oh, I can’t-.”
“It’s fine, trust me.”
You hesitantly returned his smile, taking the piece of paper.
“Don’t hesitate to call me anytime you want to,” he told you, standing.
You joined him, fingering the note before sliding it into your pocket.
“Thank you…Steve. I don’t know if I’ll ever actually call you, but just knowing that I have the option makes me feel so much better,” you whispered.
You heard his pager go off, and you watched as he glanced at it. He let out a sigh, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d say he sounded disappointed.
“I’ve got to go, but I hope you’ll use that number if you need to.”
Thanking him again, you said your goodbyes, and you watched as he exited the shop. The slip of paper felt heavy in your pocket, so you solved that by putting his number into your phone. Just as you were about to put it back into your purse, it buzzed with a call from an unknown number. Fear settled into your gut, and with a grimace, you silenced the call and blocked the number.
You were late. You were so late it was laughable to even show up at this point. Your shoes tapped against the tile as the numbers on the elevator lit up as it passed each floor. You slipped through the doors as soon as they parted, and with no mind to check in, the receptionist calling your name, you raced towards Steve’s office. You reached his door just as he opened it to step out, and the papers that he was holding scattered to the floor as you collided with him. You hadn’t even realized how fast you’d been running until you were knocked on your ass.
You could hear the heels of the receptionist as she ran over, apologizing to Steve for letting you slip past her, but he waved her off. She reluctantly returned to her desk, and you scrambled to sit up, reaching for everything that had fallen.
“I was beginning to think you’d never show,” Steve joked.
You gave a shaky laugh.
“I uh...I got caught up,” you replied through trembling lips, fingers shaking as you struggled to stack all of his paperwork.
You could feel Steve’s eyes on you, but you avoided his gaze.
“I know I’m late. Our hour is practically over, but I- I just… Um, crap.”
You had dropped the papers all over again, and you both reached for them at the same time. At least, that was what you thought. Steve’s hands covered yours, and you only just realized how badly they were shaking.
“Y/N.”
His voice was soft, exactly what you needed right now, but you couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Y/N, is everything alright?”
Your chest was tight, and you wanted to will your lips to form a yes. You wanted to tell him that everything was fine, but you couldn’t even get the words out. He called your name again, and you suddenly stood, taking the papers with you. You handed them to him as he followed your lead, still avoiding his eye.
“I’m sorry for being late, and I know that you probably have another session-.”
“I don’t,” he interrupted. “Come in.”
You glanced up from beneath your lashes as he opened the door, ushering you inside. You wrapped your arms around yourself as he shut the door behind you.
“Is everything okay?”
You turned your face away from him, unable to keep it from crumbling as you held in a sob.
“Y/N.”
The way he called your name had you freezing in place, a shiver running through you at his firm tone, authority in the one simple word. In a way, it reminded you of Harry, and you looked to him with wide eyes. Seeming to understand what he’d done, Steve sighed before sitting down, making himself appear smaller to show that he wasn’t a threat to you.
“I’m sorry,” he genuinely apologized. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Please...sit.”
You hesitantly did so and reached out to take the tissue he offered you. You hadn’t even realized that you’d started crying.
“Now… I’m going to ask you again, and I’m begging you to please be honest with me. I’m here to help you in any way I can,” he whispered.
You wiped your face, sinking your teeth into your lip.
“It’s...Harry.”
Steve’s face was pinched with concern.
“What is it? Are you having nightmares again-?”
“No, you don’t understand. He’s calling me,” you confessed.
Steve froze, blinking a few times before his eyes widened, your words finally registering. You sniffed, fighting to hold in a sob.
“It started weeks ago, before we ran into each other that night…”
You didn’t miss the disappointment that flitted over his features, lips pressed together.
“...and I know I should’ve said something then-.”
“You should’ve called me.”
“I know! I know, but… I don’t know. I just wanted to handle this on my own,” you quietly said.
He didn’t respond, and you turned your eyes towards the window.
“Last time...I wasn’t able to get away on my own. I wanted it to be different this time. At first, I simply blocked him but he kept calling and calling from different numbers. Then I got a new phone...and eventually another, but it’s still the same. He keeps finding me,” you tearfully told him. “...and today…”
Your eyes met his, and you were comforted by the concern you saw there.
“Today I was at the police station. That’s why I was late.”
Steve straightened up at this.
“I thought that maybe I could get a restraining order or maybe they could trace the calls to show that it’s him, but the whole visit was useless. They boiled it down to petty relationship drama, and since there’s no record of his violent behavior because I never reported anything…”
You shrugged, scoffing.
“There’s basically nothing they can do. The whole visit was a waste,” you spat.
Steve heaved a sigh, and he slowly reached out towards you, leaning forward.
“I didn’t ask before, but… Is it alright if I hold your hand?”
You nodded. That was what you liked about Steve. He was always asking for your consent with just about everything, even the simplest of things, and it was such a nice contrast to Harry who used to feel like he was entitled to your body. Steve took your hand, throwing you a comforting smile as he eyed you, worried.
“I wish that you had called me,” he said.
You looked down, guilt filling you.
“I could have helped you before it ever got to this point. I have friends on the force, friends in high places who could lock this creep up if you wanted.”
“I feel like an idiot.”
Of course Steve, Dr. Steven Rogers, knew people who could help you. Of course he did! Your stubbornness had gotten you far deeper into this than necessary.
“What have I said about self deprecating language?”
“Sorry,” you murmured.
“You’re not an idiot. Don’t talk about yourself like that. You’re just a woman trying to find her strength again.”
You hesitantly nodded, and he brushed his thumb over the back of your hand.
“I want you to get rid of your phone,” he suggested.
You frowned, and he continued before you could question him.
“I’ll work on getting a new one for you. A secure one under my name.”
You frowned, not liking the idea of being so indebted to him.
“Steve, I don’t know-.”
“It’ll only be temporary. You can use it until I talk to some people and have him properly dealt with.”
Even though you weren’t keen on the idea, you reluctantly agreed.
“...and you have to promise me one thing…”
You eyed him, holding his gaze as you waited for him to continue.
“Promise me that you’ll call me the second he bothers you again,” he proposed.
Accepting the fact that your stubbornness was doing you more harm than good, you nodded. Steve seemed pleased with that, and with one last pat on your hand, he let you go. As he guided you out of your office, your phone in his hand, you felt more hopeful than you had in over a month. You felt so silly for not seeking out his help sooner, and you couldn’t deny the weight that had been lifted from your shoulders as you settled into your car.
True to his word, at your next session, Steve presented you with a new phone. It had all of your important contacts with Steve being at the top of the list. Embarrassment had flooded you as you thanked him with tears in your eyes. The week without your phone had been the most peace you’d had in a while, and you finally got some much needed rest.
“You haven’t heard anything from him, have you?” he’d asked you.
“No,” you answered, shaking your head. “Not a peep.”
He threw you that same smile that always brought you comfort.
“Good. Even if you never do, you’re always free to call me,” he’d reminded you.
Finally deciding to let your stubbornness go, you did. Talking to Steve outside of your sessions was easier than you thought it’d be. It was like talking to a friend. Sometimes you’d meet up at that same coffee shop not too far from his office, and other times you’d be putting a quick meal together while he was on the other line, listening to you ramble. You soon realized that it wasn’t just his profession that made him that way, but Steve truly was an unbiased listener. He never judged you for any steps back in your progress nor for any of your more self deprecating thoughts.
Best of all, you hadn’t heard anything more from Harry.
Not until he knocked on your door one night.
It was late when you’d heard the pounding on the wood, and having been watching tv in your room, you wondered if you imagined it. It was only moments later that you’d heard it again. Your eyes had widened, sitting up in alarm. No one knew you lived here. Not even your mailman. All of your mail collected at a Post Office box before you eventually went to pick it up. You stood, standing in your room, trembling in fear before a knock on your bedroom window had you screaming.
You didn’t hesitate to call the police, and it took longer than you liked for them to arrive. All the while, you dealt with knocking and pounding on your window and door. Back and forth, it alternated with minutes in between before stopping altogether when the sound of sirens could be heard. Unsurprisingly, and frustratingly, the police didn’t find anyone.
“Look, we’ll get this report down to the station,” the brunette had told you, not looking concerned in the least.
Frustration filled you, and you shuffled on your feet.
“Can’t you...idk, have someone stay here? Not even the whole night but just a few hours in case they come back?”
The tall man sighed, and you glanced at his badge. Officer Barnes, you noted.
“With all due respect mam, we can’t just have one of our officers sitting in your yard because someone knocked on your door-.”
“I told you-!”
“I know, I know. The windows too,” he said, sounding exasperated, and your frown deepened. “The best we can do is get this down to the station. You’re more than welcome to call us again should anyone come back.”
You crossed your arms over your chest as they left, finding no relief. You swallowed as you thought about Steve. You didn’t want to, but Harry had found you, tormenting you by knocking on your house in the dead of night. This was exactly the reason Steve had given you his number. Swallowing down your stubbornness, and with a deep breath, you called him.
He didn’t sound like he was asleep, and for that you were grateful. You would’ve kicked yourself if you had woken him up. Finally getting out why you’d called him was an awkward affair, stumbling over your words, and you felt even worse as he agreed to come over. There was no hesitation, and you couldn’t help but feel as if you were taking advantage of Steve’s generosity.
You mumbled out your address, surprised to realize how relieved you were. You couldn’t remember the last time you had trusted a man this much. Harry had made you so paranoid, but you supposed that was what therapy was for. This was why you had all those sessions with Steve. To learn to heal and to trust again.
You opened the door with a small smile when he finally pulled into your yard. He was dressed comfortably, and you felt much better about your own ratty t-shirt and leggings, but his casual attire made him no less striking.
“Thank you,” you breathed as he stepped inside.
“I was up going over paperwork when you called. I’m glad you did,” he told you.
You leaned against the door as you closed it, rubbing your arms.
“I didn’t know if I should. It’s just… He was here, Steve. Knocking on my door and window like something out of a horror movie, and the police treated it like it was nothing,” you complained.
Steve tilted his head at you with a sad smile.
“First thing in the morning, I’m going to make some more calls. Since he’s in town, it should be easy to have him put away. At the very least, a restraining order.”
Relief and hope filled you as you brushed past him.
“I really can’t thank you enough for coming over. I promise I won’t keep you long, just until I feel I can be ok being alone,” you said over your shoulder.
He followed you into the kitchen.
“Can I get you anything to drink? Eat? It’s the least I can do.”
“Some wine might be nice. You might want to pour yourself a glass too,” he suggested.
You chuckled, and he joined you, but you agreed with him nonetheless. You poured a glass for both of you, and you leaned against the counter with a sigh.
“I just don’t understand why he can’t leave me alone. Hasn’t he put me through enough?”
Steve hummed.
“From what you’ve told me, he strikes me as a narcissist. I’d bet that he doesn’t want you to move on,” he mused.
“Maybe,” you distractedly replied as you heard your phone ring. “I’ll be right back. Let me grab that super quick, it might be Nakia.”
Your phone was in your room, but by the time you reached it, it had stopped ringing. Sure enough, it was a missed call from your best friend, and you brought your phone with you to the kitchen, determined to call her back. Steve’s eyes were fond when you returned, and you shrugged.
“I need to call her back. I’ll only be a moment,” you said, swiping your glass.
“Take all the time you need.”
You made your way to the living room, taking your place on the couch as you called her back. She answered almost immediately.
“Hey, what’s up?”
She greeted you with a soft exhale.
“Uh… Harry’s...dead.”
You froze at her words, pulling the glass away from your lips. You blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with what she’d said.
“...what?”
“I just found out. I honestly didn’t know how you’d take the news, but I thought you should know.”
She was right. You yourself didn’t even know how you felt about this news. You had loved this man at one point...but he was also your abuser. This was good news...right?
“How?” you finally asked her.
She sighed.
“Apparently, he’d been missing for months-.”
“Months?”
“Yeah,” she quietly replied. “They found and identified his body today. I just saw it on the news.”
Your stomach twisted as the truth, and the meaning behind it, sank in. Just because Harry had been missing for months, it didn’t mean that he’d been dead for months. It very well could have been him harassing you like you believed. But...if they’d found and identified his body today, then there was no way it was him at your house tonight.
“Thank you,” you eventually said. “Um… I’m glad you told me.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” you honestly replied. “I’m just a little unsure of how I feel about all of this, but I’ll call you tomorrow when I’ve slept on it.”
“Alright. Be safe.”
You said your goodbyes and returned to the kitchen with an empty glass.
“Everything okay?” Steve questioned.
Your face must have been an open book.
“Harry’s dead,” you scoffed, blinking as you still fought to process this.
Steve didn’t respond, and just like one of your sessions, he seemed to be waiting for you to continue.
“Apparently he’d been missing for months and they just identified his body today. There’s no way it could have been him knocking on my door tonight, and now...now I’m even more scared than I was before,” you confessed. “God, I can’t even fully come to terms with my feelings on this because I’m realizing that Harry might not have been the only thing I should’ve been afraid of.”
“Hey,” Steve soothingly said, nearing you. “Are you sure it wasn’t someone who got lost? Maybe they had the wrong house?”
You thought about it before shaking your head.
“No, it definitely didn’t seem like that. Oh my God,” you cried, letting your head fall into your hands.
Steve pulled you into his arms, startling you, but you eventually relaxed, the wine settling into your system nicely.
“It’s going to be alright-.”
“What if it isn’t? Because I’m the idiot who thought that Harry was the only possible danger out there, I’ve attracted another without even realizing it.”
“Hey, hey,” he soothed. “Maybe it was nothing, and maybe it was more. Either way, I’m only a phone call away. Say the word, and I’ll have an officer living in your yard if need be.”
You chuckled at that, and nodded.
“Thank you,” you said, looking at him. “I-.”
You swallowed your words when his lips met yours, soft and demanding as they moved against your own. You were stunned, and it took you a moment to realize just what was happening before you pulled away. You stared at Steve with wide eyes, hesitantly reaching up to touch your lips as you took a step back.
“Steve…”
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he breathed.
Your lips parted, a soft gasp escaping you at both his words and the fire in his gaze. It was so sudden and great that it froze you.
“Steve, I think… I think you should go,” you whispered, almost in disbelief.
He frowned at you, tilting his head just a tad as he folded his arms over his chest.
“Go? Why would I do that when you’re not feeling well?”
You opened your mouth to repeat yourself, even demand to know what he meant, but a sudden wave of nausea hit you, head feeling fuzzy. Steve caught you just as you stumbled, and you frowned, fighting to get out of his arms.
“What…?”
“You seemed really tense. I thought you could use something to take the edge off…”
You stared at him in disbelief, attempting to blink away the stars in your vision. Your legs felt like they were made of Jell-O as Steve guided you towards the living room. He deposited you on the couch, and you could hardly do anything as he laid you down, sitting beside you. His blue eyes, normally so soft and comforting, were dark with a longing you had never seen before.
“You were like a wounded little lamb when you first came to me,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over your lip. “So lost...broken… It’s because of me that you’re even halfway back together again.”
His hands moved to slowly undress you, taking his time, and your hands might as well had been air as you tried to stop him. You shuddered as the cool air in the house hit you, nipples pebbling, even more so when Steve brushed his fingers over them.
“I wanted to wrap you in my arms during that first session. Drag you back as you tried to leave, show you how a woman should be touched by a man.”
You were in a state of shock, disbelief coursing through you as you watched Steve undress. Even at his age, the man was a wall of muscle, thick bands making you swallow in fear as you hopelessly tried to tell yourself that this was a dream.
“Steve,” you whispered.
“I had to be patient. I didn’t want to scare you off, push you into the arms of another dangerous man. I had to help you heal before showing the kind of man I can be for you,” he told you, fingers on your face as he neared you again.
Your whole body felt weighed down, and you couldn’t stop your tears even if you wanted to. Your touch was light as you pressed your hands to his chest, feeling like you were going to be sick as he settled over you.
“Harry is gone. He can’t hurt you anymore, and I’m going to make sure no one ever hurts you again.”
The irony was not lost on you, but the way he said that struck something in you, and your mind traveled to the unthinkable. You didn’t get the chance to think about it some more before Steve was forcing himself inside of you. A choking noise escaped you as he filled you to the hilt, your legs spread wide to accommodate his frame. Steve released a shuddering breath, breathing through his nose, body trembling as he delighted in the feel of you wrapped around him.
It was amazing that while all of your senses felt dulled, you could feel his pulsing member inside of you so well. He surrounded you, bulky frame caging you in, and you felt like you would pass out from suffocation. Steve sighed just before his lips met yours, and your stomach clenched as he moved within you. A broken moan slipped out against your will, and Steve groaned at the sound.
“I’ll show you pleasure that you’ve never known, touch you in ways you never felt. I know how to make you happy,” he purred, his pace languid as he thrust in and out of you.
You turned your head away, the furniture of your living room blurring together from whatever he’d slipped into your drink.
“I know your deepest desires and your deepest fears. I know you better than anyone else out there…”
You hated that in a way, Steve was right. You’d bared yourself to him under the guise of trust and healing. He really did know all there was to know about you, and you hated yourself for it. You hated him for hiding his intentions so well, for taking advantage of your vulnerability and trauma. He tutted as you started to squirm beneath him.
“After all I’ve done for you...in all the ways I’ve helped you, the least you could do is give yourself to me. I deserve to reap the benefits of my efforts-.”
You gasped beneath him, legs kicking around him, but he only pressed himself more firmly against you.
“...I’ve gone out of my way to make sure you were safe, to protect you so that no more threats remained to you nor our relationship.”
“You’re crazy-.”
You cut yourself off with a yelp as he nipped at your neck, jerking in his hold as he continued to snap his hips into yours. His hands were gentle on you, a contrast to how he fucked you, his pace increasing with every passing minute. Despite the fact that you could hardly move, he wrapped his arms around you, holding you in place as the sound of your coupling filled the room, your core now wet and slick from his ministrations.
Steve seemed intoxicated, blissfully immersed in the feel of you and how you clung to him. His low groans and moans filled your ear, and you could do nothing as he covered your lips again, tongue tasting you, moaning at the taste of wine that still remained.
“My touch will never cause you harm, bringing you nothing but pleasure for the rest of our lives.”
~
tags: @xoxabs88xox @harryspet @readermia @opheliadawnwalker3 @nickyl316h @captainchrisstan @sebabestianstan101 @villanellevi @lokislastlove @notyourtypicalrose @coconutqueen21 @hurricanerin @hyoyeoniie @sherrybaby14 @cocoamoonmalfoy @mandiiblanche @gotnofucks @oneoftheprettynerds @doozywoozy @sapphirescrolls @threeminutesoflife @searchforanotherway @mcudarklibrary @buckybarnesplumwhore @widowsmaximoff @nerdygirl8203 @supernaturalwintersoldier @charmed-asylum @harrysthiccthighss @patzammit
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fic title: the girl with flowers in her bones
Izumi learns she has a Quirk age six when the weird bump on her shoulder is inspected by a doctor who cuts it open to reveal a pretty flower.
Said flower quickly changed and becomes deadly, nearly killing a nurse before it’s destroyed.
No one knows how it got there but now people know about it. At first Izumi is happy. She has a Quirk.
Then she isn’t.
“It’s a useless Quirk!” Kacchan taunts her. “Perfect for a useless girl like you! Flowers under the skin! Pathetic!”
Kacchan burns her shoulder and she goes home crying.
Later a flower develops where she’s been burned and after some quiet conversation with Inko about how her husband had left because of Izumi’s Quirkless status and Izumi had heard it, they figured it out.
The flowers bloom when someone hurts her. They bloom and the doctors do a scan revealing many more flowers all over her- some were small and no one could see them. Little hurts the doctors theorized.
They still had to be removed. Izumi has been getting slower, becoming more exhausted each day. It’s the flowers.
Izumi numbly lets it happen.
But it happens again. And again.
Flowers bloom because people keep hurting her. They turn deadly when exposed to the air.
“Freak, monster, liar-“ it’s all shouted at her by her class. Kacchan leads the charge.
His flowers are always an orange lily. Hatred.
Izumi wonders if it means him or her who hates the other. When it becomes a sweet pea, she has a feeling she knows why she is receiving a goodbye.
She stops growing flowers for him. Because she knows she will only get pain from him, because he is no longer one she believes to be a friend.
“The flowers are signs of betrayal,” she changes the classification. “I can only be hurt by those I do not think would hurt me, those I trust. Once I stop trusting or believing they will not hurt me the flowers stop.”
Her mother sobs upon hearing it. Inko then goes and terrifies the Bakugou family, promising that unless Kacchan leaves her alone Inko would go after them.
Kacchan doesn’t listen.
So Inko slaps them with a lawsuit she wins. It’s enough for Izumi to go to a new school where she sits quietly and doesn’t talk.
There people whisper still but it’s sad whispers.
“Her Quirk hurts her.”
“No, it’s people hurting her which sets off her Quirk.”
“She’s so quiet.”
Izumi just works. The only one she trusts is her mother. Inko who tries so hard not to hurt her, who is honest and open. Who gives her books on flowers and smiles.
When Inko hurts Izumi she leaves violets and lavender. And they’re always small, so small. Small hurts, being too honest with her daughter.
Izumi loves her mother for it.
Izumi grows and soon she finds herself applying for UA. She wants to be a hero and her mother frets and admits she isn’t sure if Izumi can do but the two have researched and researched and well, they think they can figure a way out. Sports festival- she just needs to beat all the other students.
She thinks she can. The money they won from the lawsuit had helped Izumi not only get into a new school but also got her into a martial arts studio. Her mother insisted.
Probably was upset with how many flowers Izumi grew from cuts and burns and bruises. Those were the bigger ones, when they were left on purpose. They pushed against the skin, looked strange.
Funny, Izumi noticed that she didn’t gain flowers sparring.
“It’s probably based on intention. When you gain flowers from bruises or cuts and they’re from people doing it to hurt you and betray you, they come as flowers. But when it’s done as a fight or a spar it’s on purpose still but it’s not a betrayal of yourself.” Her Quirk therapist theorizes.
It makes sense.
Izumi goes to UA after failing the entrance exam and ends up in 1C where she finds herself meeting a boy who is like her. Sharp and broken and hurt.
Shinsou is a friend and she finds herself chuckling at his comments.
Their friendship only blooms truly though when she meets Kacchan again. He sees her and attacks, screaming. She fights back. Shinsou speaks and stops Kacchan and Izumi looks at him, seeing something similar back.
The situation ends with Izumi in the principal’s office telling her story. She looks him in the eyes tiredly.
Kacchan is removed from UA- apparently, the lawsuit hadn’t been included in his application.
“It was when he was ten!” His mother tries.
“It still happened and you lied,” Nezu tells her. Izumi isn’t supposed to be there but she went to the office to pick up some papers.
She thinks her homeroom teacher arranged it.
“The papers are supposed to show us if we need to watch out students for anything. You lied on the application.”
Izumi doesn’t know what to think as she slides away. She hasn’t seen Kacchan in years. Hasn’t spoken to him.
Yet he still tried to attack her. He hasn’t learned anything.
Izumi has left him behind. The pain he caused ended any relationship between them.
He is a child. He can learn, if he wishes.
She feels as if she is choking when she runs into someone.
“Ah,” the person says and she blinks at a girl with red and white hair. It’s long and in a braid as she stares at Izumi. There’s a burn scar on her face and as Izumi looks into her eyes she sees the same sort of pain Izumi has.
The girl nods and leaves and Izumi stares after her in confusion.
Then she has to head to class and Shinsou and it’s a mess.
A flower blooms under her cheek as she speaks and she wonders if it’s from the shock someone attacked her at UA or it’s because she always hoped Kacchan would change the longer she left him.
“It’s not the same.” She tells Shinsou. “I was in hell until I was ten and then just isolated after.”
“It’s close,” Shinsou tells her. He touches her cheek and she closes her eyes. “It’s growing?”
“Yeah. It used to be orange lilies. It might be the same now.”
It is. It’s removed by Recovery Girl and Izumi breathes and doesn’t try to think.
She doesn’t know what to think about anything.
She thinks in a way that expelling him was to much. She understands that they lied, that they removed the evidence of the trial. But did they truly know that it counted?
Kacchan is a child and needs to learn things.
At the same time, he tried to attack her.
Her mind feels muddled and confused and Shinsou tries to help but it’s different for him. His bullies were cruel and never stopped and yet he never expected it either to stop.
You can only be betrayed by a friend.
He tries but they fight and eventually he yells that she’s worthless if she wishes to let a boy who hurts her back into UA.
She flinches and he does too.
Shinsou reaches for her but she leaves, feeling sick.
Izumi wanders UA campus after that- a week after the Kacchan incident- a week after the USJ got invaded. With Kacchan in the office the class hadn’t gone to USJ, something all of them expresses relief about.
Izumi wanders and then runs into the red and white girl again. She’s training in the gym that all students are allowed to Izumi wandered to it out of habit. Usually she and Shinsou train- Shinsou finally accepting that he needs to train his body.
He’s not with her though, and she feels her shoulder ache.
Shinsou didn’t mean it, he was angry and didn’t understand. Izumi gets it.
But it still was a hurt.
“... are you okay?” The girl asks and Izumi blinks, realizing she’s been standing in the gym staring off into space.
“I’m fine.” She says. “I got into a fight with my friend.” The girl looks at her and Izumi sighs.
“My Quirk lets me know when I’ve been hurt,” Izumi explains. “The hurts become flowers under my skin. Ever hurt, physical, emotional, mental, minor or major.” Izumi sighs.
“... you were the one Bakugou attacked, the reason we did not go to the USJ.,” The girl says calmly.
“We were friends once. He hurt me badly, and we stopped. He tried again, my mom sued him and his family and they didn’t put the trial in his transcripts. So he’s been expelled and I just… I feel bad for him. He’s hurt me but I cared for him once and is it fair that he was a child when this happened and he’s still himself a child?” Izumi sighs. “Sorry. I-“
“I have similar feelings to my brother and mother.” The girl offers. Her face is slightly blank. She looks at Izumi, cocking her head slightly. “My father is not a nice man and he’s only stopped hurting us due to blackmail my eldest brother has given. I’m under the custody of my second eldest brother. My other siblings were deemed unsuited and my mother is in a mental health institute.”
“Oh!” Izumi blinks. “You didn’t-“
“You told me.” The girl shrugs. “I’m Todoroki Shouto.”
“Midoriya Izumi.”
It’s the start of something.
From the hurt Shinsou dealt jasmine is dug from Izumi’s skin and he apologizes over and over again. She tells him it’s not okay but she understands he didn’t truly mean it.
It makes her sad still.
She and Todoroki meet from time to time in the gym, speaking. Sometimes Shinsou joins them, sometimes not. He wishes to keep his Quirk private, wishing to get into the hero course like Izumi wishes.
Todoroki is kind, Izumi finds. She’s standoffish and blunt but she’s kind.
Her story is a sad one, told over gym meetings. Her father is Endeavour and he wished to overcome All Might. He had children to force it, and the abuse he placed his family through broke her mother.
Todoroki loves her mother. She loves her dearly but cannot face her.
“I used to blame myself, thinking it might be my fault she burned me. Natsuo, my brother, he got me into therapy and I’ve learned it wasn’t. I was a child, it was not on me. And yet my mother is ill.” Todoroki explains. “I care deeply for her but… I can’t face her right now. Because I have learned it is not my fault what she did and I have to adjust.”
Her brother, her eldest brother Touya, is a different story.
“He blamed me for the abuse. Said it was all my fault, hated the fact I was a girl too. Kept going on I was a screw-up, that I was disgusting. He’s in therapy to now but… I don’t talk to him. Ever if I can help it. Natsuo says he’s getting better but he won’t make me do anything. My sister keeps trying to get us to forgive our dad. We don’t want to.” Todoroki tells her. “It’s a mess.”
Todoroki doesn’t know what to do herself. Her brother was young when he became angry, and her mother ill. Neither were fully at fault, and yet she struggles.
It’s nice to talk to someone who understands.
Their friendship grows and Izumi wonders why it feels different then from her and Shinsou.
Yet as she watches Todoroki smile, she thinks she knows.
At the sports festival, Izumi and Shinsou manage to get to the tournament. They manage to claw their way to the semi-finals, determining who will go on to compete for first.
Shinsou insults her, curses her. And then he confesses.
Izumi keeps her mouth shut and shoved him out, even as she feels the flowers begin to bloom.
She does tell him she doesn’t feel the same.
“I know,” Shinsou tells her. “It’s Todoroki. You two smile all the time around each other, you laugh and have fun.” He shrugs sadly. “I just wanted to be honest.
Izumi accepts it, and later she finds the flowers to be yellow tulips.
One-sided love.
Yet first comes the finals, where Izumi screams at Todoroki to use her fire, even as the girl refuses to use it.
“I won’t use his power!” She yells.
“It’s not his! It’s yours!” Izumi cries back.
It’s chaos and destruction and in the end, Izumi has a silver medal.
And she has a smile she treasures.
It’s not love, not yet. But it has a chance to be.
A chance they cultivate, a chance they find becoming stronger and stronger as time goes on. As she and Shinsou enter the hero course, as she fights to protect a boy she barely knows on the streets of Hosu, protecting her hero mentor as well.
It’s a chance she takes, kissing Todoroki after the final exams. Todoroki accidentally burns her in shock and feels horrible.
Izumi treasures the fact a red rose blooms under her skin.
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Enough Trust for Us Both
I’ve written a new fic, this time it’s Bucky x Reader! Read it on AO3 here.
Word Count: 3.8k
Rating: Explicit (18+)
Contains: fluff and smut, phone sex
You’re going crazy. You are going absolutely insane, and it’s all Bucky’s fault. Stupid, sexy, oblivious Bucky. Sure, you two have the perfect relationship in all other regards. He’s open with you, trusting you to hold him through the night to calm any nightmares, and he keeps you safe. Four months of him hovering behind you like an overprotective parent may have been annoying to some, but you love it. It makes you feel cared for. And you know he loves you, because he says it about forty times a day.
There’s just one tiny, itsy bitsy problem. Bucky won’t touch you. Well, that’s not true. He cuddles you, holds your hand, gives you chaste kisses whenever you do something to make him smile. But he won’t touch you. The kisses never go beyond pecks on the lips, and his hands never wander below your waist. And god dammit, you don't understand why. You’re horny, for fuck’s sake.
You know that you’ve been touchy with him lately, but you can’t help it. The sexual frustration increases tenfold when he grabs your hands with his strong ones, or wraps his fingers around your hips to pull you in for a kiss. You swear your panties are constantly damp around him, and more than a few times you’d had to excuse yourself to go change.
But you haven’t made any moves, scared of being too bold. He’s come so far with you, opened up so much, and you’re afraid that being too forward will scare him off. Still, a girl has needs, and you’re not above dropping a few...hints.
Bucky walks into your apartment with heavy footsteps, nearly slamming the door behind him. You jump, whipping around on the couch to face him, and watch as he winces. “I’m sorry, doll. Sometimes I forget how strong this stupid thing is.” He flexes his metal hand, frowning at the silver digits.
You tsk and shake your head, trying hard to ignore the arousal blooming in your stomach. Every part of him is attractive, you just can’t help but stare. From his shaggy hair, to those absolutely sinful thighs that you want to ride into the sunset. “It’s okay, babe,” you sigh wistfully, then look at him with pleading eyes. “I missed you today, can we go cuddle?” If you can’t get any action, then maybe just some good old fashioned affection would calm your nerves. Doubt it.
With a chuckle, Bucky strides over to the back of the couch with those long legs and leans over to kiss your cheek. “Of course, doll. Just let me go shower first, and I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
Nearing falling over yourself in your enthusiasm, you give Bucky a winning smile and race to the bedroom, eager to get under the covers and get warm. As you slide into bed, you hear the shower turn on across the hall, and let your mind wander. Bucky’s muscled body fills your head. Tight abs flexing under streams of water, those metal fingers brushing across his skin, soap running down his chest all the way down to his cock. You’ve seen it before, but only once. Bucky had come home run ragged from an intense mission, and had been too tired to argue when you insisted on bathing him yourself. Even with just one glance while he was soft, you could tell Bucky was huge. He was thick, and imagining that inside of you nearly makes you moan out loud.
You’re so caught up in your fantasies that you fail to hear the water stop running, and end up startling again when Bucky enters the room. “Doll, you’re jumpy today,” Bucky says, blue eyes filled with concern. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m great!” You answer a little too quickly, trying to ignore the uncomfortable wetness seeping into your panties. You’re not wearing any pants--you usually don’t, when Bucky’s gone--and you know that Bucky would be able to feel how turned on you are if his hands go anywhere near there. ‘Which they won’t,’ you think to yourself in disappointment.
Bucky eyes you skeptically, thick eyebrows furrowed, while you try not to drool over his still-dripping form. He’s shirtless, wearing only a pair of red and black checkered pajama pants that are just one size too small. If you squint, you can just barely see the outline of his cock pressing against the fabric, and your eyes nearly roll and you realize that he’s probably not wearing underwear. Before you can work yourself up again, Bucky shakes his head at you, accepting your white lie, and gestures for you to slide over. You eagerly oblige, ready for some quality time with your boyfriend.
Despite your innocent act, you have a devious plan in the works. It had come to you the second he walked out of the shower looking irresistible. You’d decided that two could play at that game, and maybe he just needs you to seduce him. It’s bolder than anything you’d typically try, but maybe Bucky just hasn’t realized how badly you want him yet. Well, you were going to make it obvious for him.
When Bucky eases under the covers next to you, you purr happily and guide him onto his back, head resting comfortably in the pillows. You lie on your stomach and swing one leg over his hips, then throw your arm around his shoulder, effectively splaying yourself out on top of him. Bucky huffs out an amused laugh and wraps his human arm around your back. “Miss me that much, huh?” He says, voice soft and low. The weight of his arm feels nice draped across you like that, but you crave more.
You can’t help the shiver that forces its way down your spine at his deep voice speaking so closely to your ear. “Mhm,” you mumble. “Need to feel you.”
Cold, vibranium fingers card through your hair, and you don’t even try to suppress the moan that bubbles up. If you were going to properly seduce Bucky, you couldn’t hold anything back. “Well, I’m here, doll, feel me all you want.” His human hand grips your shoulder possessively, and the message is clear. ‘You’re mine, and I’ll keep you safe.’
At that, your hips rock involuntarily, and you freeze when you realize that the wet spot on your panties has managed to make contact with the bare skin of Bucky’s stomach. That was a little further than you had intended to take this scheme, and you shift away, praying that Bucky hadn’t noticed.
To your dismay, Bucky rockets up from the bed like a cannon, immediately scrambling to the other side of the room like you had burned him. You start to turn away in embarrassment, then notice the wild look in his wide eyes. Bucky’s terrified. But why?
Seeing the bewildered look on your face, Bucky pauses in his frantic movements, then slowly slides down the wall and comes to a rest seated on the floor. His breathing pattern stutters until it settles into the slow and deliberate one his therapist taught him to stifle panic attacks. Regret sinks into your chest like a thick cloud. Christ, you had really messed up this time. “Baby,” you say softly, voice dripping with worry.
Your boyfriend looks up from the carpet, and tries to give you a reassuring smile. “I-I’m, I’m sorry,” he manages. His normally strong voice cracks, and your heart splits. “It’s not you, I just…” He fumbles for the words, and you keep quiet, pulse high while you await his explanation. “Doll, it’s hard enough for me to control myself when you’re all up on me like that, but I’m just a man, and when you-” Bucky shakes his head frantically, eyes dropping back to the floor. “You just can’t be tempting me like, okay, babe?” His head falls into his hands.
Wait, what? Somehow, you’re even more confused. “Bucky, what are you talking about? You don’t have to ‘control yourself,’ I’m your girlfriend. Hell, I’d be upset if you weren’t sexually attracted to me!” Your voice is rising in volume, but you can’t help it. All these months spent taking cold showers, and he wanted to fuck you the whole time? “Jesus, Buck. I was all over you today because I wanted you to lose control. This entire time we’ve been together I just thought, I dunno, that I wasn’t attractive enough for you?” You can’t mask the hurt in your voice.
At that, Bucky’s eyes widen and he raises his head to look back up at you. “Baby doll, no, you’re the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. I just...I don’t want to hurt you. If I lose control like that and let myself go, who knows what could happen? I could relapse, I could seriously hurt you. You saw when I came inside today! I almost broke your door without meaning to, I can’t put you at risk just for my own pleasure.”
Anger swells up inside of you again, and you rise from the bed to stalk towards Bucky. When you reach his place on the floor, you sink to your knees and stare daggers at him. “Your own pleasure? What about mine? Bucky, this isn’t just about you. I have needs, too.” Bucky looks away in shame, and the guilty expression in his eyes manages to cool your temper. You gently take his face in your hands and pull him to look at you. Now that you’ve come back to yourself, you feel guilty for being selfish. You chew on your lips anxiously. “Hey, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten mad like that, I know this isn’t easy for you. But Bucky, if you want me, then I’m yours. I know you won’t hurt me, I trust you.”
Bucky pulls away from you, lips screwed up in a pained frown. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just too dangerous.”
You fall back onto your butt, sighing, and try to think. “Okay, well what if we worked up to it?”
That earns you an intrigued look. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” you start, mind racing as a plan hatches. “What if we started off with something low risk, like phone sex. You could stay at the Avengers tower, I could stay here. How can you hurt me if we’re on different sides of the city?”
“Phone sex?”
Oh, right. Different era. “It’s where we call each other on the phone and get off together. If you really don’t want to try, you can say no, but you deserve pleasure. We’ve both been stressed lately, this can be a good thing.” You try to keep your tone casual, giving Bucky the chance to relax from the brief argument. You can see the wheels turning in his mind, and though he’d never admit it, his cheeks flush just the slightest bit red.
“Okay,” he whispers, brushing back a piece of stray hair from his face and taking a steadying breath.
Your eyes follow the movement of his hand as what he said sinks in. “Really, you’re okay with it?”
“Yeah,” Bucky replies, making an attempt to smile at you. “Just...can we do this slow? It’s been a long time.” He still looks nervous, and you almost want to back off. To tell him to forget it, that you were just being selfish. But it’s not just you that he’s denying pleasure to. Bucky’s suffering, too, and you know that intimacy would be a huge step forward, so you push on.
You grin brightly at him, then stand, offering your hand to help him up, too. After hesitating for a brief moment, Bucky takes your hand and lets you pull him to his feet. He stands, towering over you, and you realize that you’re so tiny compared to him. His worries absolutely held merit; he could crush you so easily, especially with those rippling muscles that you’re always staring at. But you’re not scared of him, you never have been. Bucky has never been anything but gentle towards you, and you know that even The Winter Soldier would not lay a hand on you. Bucky would never allow that to happen, you trust him.
You just wish he could trust himself that much, too.
It’s been weeks since you and Bucky’s conversation, and you’re beginning to think he’s forgotten about it. That, or he’s just pretending that he doesn’t remember in order to avoid a stressful situation. The latter was probably more likely, and you decide not to push it. Maybe you’d been asking for too much. So you put a lid on your desires, and acted like everything was fine for Bucky’s sake, even as disappointment dampened your moods. And when he left for yet another mission, you began to accept that maybe he just wasn’t ready. You can live with that.
Your phone rings, and you hoist yourself off the couch, pausing the movie you’d been watching to trudge over to your phone. When Bucky was away on missions, calls were never anything good. He’d usually send texts to reassure you that things were going well, but he always saved bad news for phone calls. It was a nice gesture, but it just made you associate them with misery.
Steeling yourself, you click ‘answer,’ and force out a cheerful greeting despite the anxiety twisting your stomach.
“Hey, doll.” Bucky’s voice is gruff, and he sounds exhausted. Your hands twitch, wanting to reach for him.
“Hi,” you reply. “Everything going okay?”
A groan floats through the speaker, and you sigh, knowing that your instincts were correct. “I wish, it looks like I’ll have to stay another night in this stupid safe house. We think our cover might’ve been blown and Stark wants to lay low before trying to extract me.” You can hear the apology in Bucky’s tone; he doesn’t need to say it.
You want to scream and throw your phone. Another night away from your lover, spent lying awake worrying that this time he wouldn’t make it home safe. Another night of counting the seconds until he’s back in your arms, and you can kiss away the stress of his mission. You knew what you were signing up for, dating an Avenger, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard sometimes. Still, you need to keep it together. For Bucky. “It’s okay, just stay safe, alright? I need you to come back to me in one piece.”
Bucky mumbles his assent, and you hear shuffling on the other end, presumably him getting more comfortable. You do the same, and make your way back to the couch so you can sit down and talk to him. “At least it’s just me here,” Bucky says. “This would be a hell of a lot more irritating if I had to put up with Sam’s chatter for another day.”
With a snort, you flop onto the couch and lean back. “Don’t be too hard on him, he means well.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Bucky grumbles. He pauses, and you hear a shaky inhale before he speaks again. “What’re you wearing?”
Your eyebrows shoot up. Well, this was unexpected. “One of your shirts, why?”
“No pants?”
“You know me, pants are kind of against my moral code.”
Bucky chuckles on the other line while you wonder where this is going. “Yeah, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” Another pause. “Which panties do you have on?”
Oh. Oh. Your heart speeds up in excitement as you start to realize what’s going on. “Buck, are you wanting to…?” You don’t finish your sentence, letting your silence speak for itself.
“Um, I think so. If you don’t mind?” Bucky says, voice rising a bit in pitch as it tends to do when he gets nervous.
You’re quick to reassure him, not wanting to screw this up when you’ve been dreaming about it for months. “Yes, yeah!” You blurt out. “I just wanted to make sure we were both on the same page here.” You tug at your bottom lip with your teeth while you think about how you want this to go. “Hold on, lemme move to the bedroom.”
“Okay.” Bucky’s voice has gotten raspier, and it sends a gush of arousal into your panties. You rush to the bedroom, legs more than a little shaky from excitement. You hop onto the bed and settle back into the pillows, putting your phone on speaker and setting it beside you on the sheets. “You still haven’t told me which panties you’ve got on,” Bucky prompts, sounding a little unsure.
“The black ones,” you answer. “They’re the ones that have the lacing around my ass.”
Bucky growls his appreciation at your response. “Those are my favorite.” You beam. Now that he’s finally expressing his attraction to you, you feel like the sexiest woman in the world.
“Your turn to tell me what you’re wearing.” Your fingers tug at the hem of your underwear, itching to dive inside and start touching yourself. But you wait patiently, wanting to take things slow like Bucky had asked.
“Just my briefs. The dark blue ones that you said look nice,” Bucky says. He goes quiet, and you remember that phone sex was a foreign concept to him just a few weeks ago. You can picture his uncertain expression. His eyes always narrowed in a cute little squint, and his lips would purse in a way that made you want to kiss him breathless.
Taking the lead, you shimmy your panties down your legs until they’re completely off. “I’m taking my underwear off now. Do you want to touch yourself?”
Bucky inhales sharply. “Yeah.”
“Do it. I will, too.” You bring your fingers down to your dripping pussy, absently wondering if you should’ve laid down a towel before starting. It’s too late now, though. You slide one finger across your folds, humming softly at the pleasure.
There’s rustling on the other end, and you close your eyes to imagine Bucky pulling down his briefs, thick cock springing free. You think about running your tongue up the leaking head, and your core cramps involuntarily.
“Doll…” Bucky breathes. You hear a slick sound--did he always bring lube with him on missions?-- and then a steady rhythm of slow strokes.
“Does it feel good?” You ask, and bring your thumb up to rub at your clit. A small whimper escapes your throat. There’s no reason to try to stay quiet; this is for Bucky, and you want him to hear that you’re enjoying yourself.
“Y-yeah,” he grits out. “Tell me what you’re doing.”
“I’m touching my clit, wishing it was your fingers on me. I wanna touch you so bad.” There’s a whine to your voice, and your fingers speed up.
“I wish I was there,” Bucky says. “Fuck, I bet you look so good right now. I don’t even know how many times I’ve gotten off to the thought of licking that pretty pussy.”
A gasp tears its way from your throat. You never knew Bucky had such a mouth on him, and you briefly think about how many girls he’d talked out of their skirts before the war. You turn your head to the side, burying your nose in Bucky’s shirt and inhale deeply. His scent makes you dizzy with need, and you abandon your clit to dip two fingers into yourself. There’s no need for preparation—you’re soaked—and you easily slide the digits past your opening to reach the most sensitive spots. “I’ve got two fingers inside me now,” you moan. “Wishing they were yours.”
The strokes on the other end speed up, and Bucky curses. “Shit, doll. You’re driving me crazy, here.”
Bucky’s moans are the hottest thing you’ve heard in your entire life. Nights spent fantasizing about how he’d sound in bed didn’t even come close to the real thing. His ragged pants on the other end of the line have you edging closer and closer to your orgasm, and you begin to ramble mindlessly. “Bucky, baby, I need to feel you. I want you here with me, I wanna watch you cum.”
“You know we can’t--”
“I don’t care,” you whine. “I’ll use Stark’s handcuffs to keep you restrained, you can’t hurt me if you’re all tied up. Please, baby, I just need you.” You know that you’re rambling, but you don’t care, it feels too good. Your fingers move faster and faster, chasing your high.
A startled moan echoes through your speaker. “Oh, fuck, stop talking. Please, I can’t--” Bucky’s voice is tight, strangled, but it only encourages you to push him further.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Being tied up while I ride you?”
That’s the last straw for Bucky. The rhythm of his strokes stutters, then comes to an abrupt halt as he chokes out a high pitched whine of your name. Hearing his orgasm pushes you into your own, and you claw at the sheets with your free hand. Bucky’s name tumbling from your lips while your hips arch up into your hand, everything clenching and then releasing into bliss.
You lie in silence for a few minutes, your breathing mixing in with Bucky’s as you both come down. Finally, you break the silence, feeling a bit embarrassed now that pleasure’s no longer clouding your judgement. “I-I’m sorry. I got a little carried away.”
“What?” Bucky replies. “No, that was, that was really good. Were you serious about wanting to try restraining me?”
You swallow tightly. To be honest, it was kind of a spur of the moment fantasy, born from reckless pleasure. “Uh, only if you want. I definitely should’ve cleared it with you before bringing it up.”
Bucky is quick to reassure you. “No, doll. At the moment, I only really saw it as a hot fantasy, but now that I’m thinking about it...it could actually work.”
You sit up in bed, not able to believe your ears. God, you aren’t even sure if you’d be able to handle that kind of control over Bucky. You might just melt the second you lay eyes on him. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Bucky says. “We’d have to use something that could hold me, but I’d feel better about not hurting you if I was handcuffed.”
A dizzying rush of excitement washes over you. “Fuck, okay. Let’s talk about it more when you get back, yeah? You need to focus on getting home safe.”
“You’re right. Thank you for being patient with me, I know you could easily find some guy you didn’t have to jump through all these hoops for.” Bucky’s laugh is self deprecating, and you shush him.
“Shut up, you’re perfect. I’d jump through as many hoops as it takes to call you mine for the rest of my life.” And you really would. You’re head over heels for this man, and it isn’t just the post-nut bliss talking. “Just come back home to me and I’ll show you just how much I’m willing to do you.” You pause. “For you. Do for you.”
This time, the chuckle that Bucky lets out is genuine, and your heart swells. “Okay, doll. I’ll be home in a day or two and you can do me all you’d like.”
#bucky barnes#bucky x reader#bucky imagine#fluff and smut#marvel#mcugifs#tfatws#the winter soldier#fanfiction
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enough for you (ch 4)
a/n: a bit. of a transition chapter so not particularly exciting but the type of conversation I love and also maggie and amelia <33333
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Her phone felt heavy in her hands, and she was sitting outside on the porch swing. The air was cold, far colder than she would've expected for late April, so she wrapped her cardigan around her body tightly.
She left a voicemail to Addison, informing her about what happened but was unwilling to return any calls. She had only responded to a text from Charlotte asking if she was sober, to which she only responded 'yes.'
Her phone buzzed with an email, and she frowned at it. She and Violet were never particularly close, so seeing the older woman's name on the screen was completely unfamiliar at this point. Amelia clicked on the notification.
Hey, I know we never stay in touch, but Addison mentioned how things have been rough, and I thought I would send this along. We're all here for you, Amelia.
Attached was a list of names, which Amelia soon realized was a list of therapists. More specifically, ones who specialized in addiction nearby. She took a deep breath.
It had been four days since Link proposed, since the wedding, since she felt her entire world collapse around her, and she still hadn't spoken to him. He hadn't made any attempt to see Scout, which was probably the most upsetting part about it.
A quick google search allowed her to narrow down the list of therapists, too old, too young, too aggressively masculine, too many sunset photos on Facebook. Until there was one name left, and she was dialing the number, and before she knew it, she had a virtual session the next day.
A car pulled into the driveway, and Amelia glanced up to see Maggie jumping out of the car and running towards her. "Amelia," she muttered, throwing her arms around her sister's neck. "Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have gone; I should've been here for you." Amelia simply shrugged.
"It was the happiest day of your life, Maggie; I didn't want to ruin that. Mer's been here for me."
"Have you talked to him?"
"Where's Winston?"
"Amelia, are you okay? I mean, this isn't just something you can ignore; these past few months have been hell for you, Amelia; why didn't you tell me that things weren't fine with Link?" Amelia sat back down on the bench, placing her phone on the armrest.
"I don't even know, I don't know what I'm feeling or what's happening. I haven't talked to Link since it happened, and I'm terrified that I'm going to lose him because of this, and I'm too scared to do anything besides taking care of Scout because that's the only thing I can focus on right now," Amelia muttered. Maggie felt a sense of relief at hearing her sister's infamous rambling. She took a seat beside Amelia. "Maggie, I don't even know how it happened, he just started slipping away from me more and more, and I didn't realize how far apart we had moved until he proposed, and I wanted to scream at him, but I just couldn't." She took a moment, breathing heavily. "I'm not quite sure what to do. My friend Violet, from L.A., sent me a list of therapists, and I made an appointment with one because I don't know what's wrong, Maggie, my thinking is just so dark, and I don't want to talk to Link until I know what's going on inside of my own brain."
"Do you want to go to a meeting?" The neurosurgeon shook her head slowly.
"No, I've been to plenty in the past few days. I just feel like I'm starting to talk myself in circles, you know? I mean, I don't know what Link is thinking or how he's feeling. I don't know what I want."
"You don't have to know. And don't feel like it has to include Link because you don't want to be with someone who's not going to respect what you need, Amelia." Amelia smiled softly and laughed quietly.
"Richard told me almost the exact same thing a few months ago," she brushed back a strand of her hair. "And the funny thing was, even though he wasn't telling me to, the first thing my mind jumped to was leaving Link. And I hate that my first thought was that because I want it to work with him. And Link is just, always so perfect, and I don't understand why I can't make it work."
"He's not always perfect, Amelia. I've seen him make plenty of mistakes, and I think you need to realize that he can be so incredibly wonderful and also be wrong about some things."
"I think I'll ruin him," she whispered, glancing down into her lap where she had subconsciously started pulling at her fingers. Link used to stop her from doing that whenever he noticed. He would lift up her hand and kiss it before intertwining their fingers to distract her. "He deserves someone who wants to get married and have a bunch of kids, and I just can't do that."
"Love and relationships aren't always a very straightforward thing. And, I'm not saying that you have to change your mind, but you'll find a way to compromise and make it work if you want. But, you don't have to." Maggie grabbed Amelia's hand. "I think it's really good that you're finding a therapist. I'm certainly not qualified to give you advice, so I'm glad you're looking for someone who can."
"I'm sorry that I ruined your honeymoon," Amelia said guiltily, wiping her hand under her eyes quickly.
"You would do the same for me, Amelia. I'm your sister, and I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what. You're more important to me than the corny tourist destinations I'm supposed to be at right now. Although, Winston is a little convinced that you're faking this and that I just used you as an excuse to come back and operate, so I might need you to cry in front of him." Amelia laughed through teary eyes, holding Maggie's hand tighter. "But, whatever I can do. If you want me to send Winston to beat Link up, I'm sure he will. If you want us to take Scout so you can disappear for a little while, we will." Amelia smiled sadly and leaned her head on Maggie's shoulder.
"Thank you, Maggie."
"It's what sisters are for."
#amelink#amelia shepherd#atticus lincoln#amelia x link#amelink fanfiction#grey's anatomy#amelink fanfic#greys abc#greys fanfic#maggie pierce#my fics
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Queer Trauma, Coming Out, & the Long Road to Self-Love and Healing
As I’ve reflected on my past, I’ve discovered that my adolescence may be one of, if not THE most traumatic time of my life thus far as a queer person. The last few months with my incredible therapist have made me realize that the years of anxiety, panic, fear, self-loathing, confusion, and depression have scarred me deeper than I had previously thought. She also made me realize that this is at least partially because I have never really talked about it openly and in depth in a healthy and productive way before, which is what inspired me to start this blog to share my experiences with others that are currently struggling with their identity, or to allow those that are also currently healing from the trauma of their previously closeted life feel a little more seen.
I knew from a VERY young age that I was different, but didn’t know how or what it meant. I was a lonely kid for a lot of my childhood without many friends. I didn’t want to play football with the boys during recess. I sought companionship at lunch with a table full of girls more often than not, which in itself also made me feel incredibly self conscious at the time as well.
I asked, (with incredible shame) for the “girl’s toy” from the backseat in the McDonald’s drive-thru because I loved to play with the mini-Barbies and craft entire storylines for them. They were easier to hide in my room than regular sized Barbies. I spent most summers off school alone playing video games and reading book and book after book. I didn’t really click with the boys down the street. I was obsessed with Britney Spears and the color purple. I was lonely without really knowing what it meant.
I feel as though that fear I felt in my childhood and adolescence held me back from SO much. Middle school in particular was absolute hell. I hated it. I always felt constantly insecure and uncomfortable. I had absolutely zero confidence or self love. I hated my body and how I looked.
While other kids experienced their first relationships and first feelings of romantic love, I was convinced that it was just not a possibility for me. On top of being deeply closeted, scared, confused, lonely, and in deep denial, girls didn’t go for me anyway. I was the awkward chunky guy struggling with his identity feeling like he had to make up for it by working extra hard to get perfect grades and give himself 100% to other people. I tried not to think about it too much, but hearing about relationships, seeing people kiss in the hallways between classes, and girls talking about what they liked in boys which was the complete opposite of me... it was hell.
To make my self consciousness worse, I felt supremely uncomfortable in gym class and the boys’ locker room in particular. I was ashamed of my body and also self conscious for wanting to look at the other boys; terrified that they would catch on and beat me senseless. Hearing them consistently call each other f*g in a very VERY negative context drove me deep into the closet as the identity I already felt shame for was directly correlated with being a ridiculed outcast, and something that was inherently, disgustingly wrong and unacceptable. The worst insult teenage boys could deliver to each other in the safety of an unchaperoned locker room in a hick town often not kind to queer people or those that were different. I SO desperately wanted to fit in with the other boys instead of being any version of who I actually was.
Part of that façade of blending in with my hetero peers involved having a girlfriend for two months in 8th grade. We didn’t even kiss, let alone approach any sexual situations. I’m sure she had her suspicions. I was utterly obsessed with the concept of blending in by having a girlfriend like the other boys and just having someone special in my life, even if we really didn’t even do any couple things.
Upon reflection, I don’t think the concept of ever being sexual with her ever crossed my mind in the slightest. Even the idea of kissing her scared the hell out of me, and not just from first kiss nerves. Deep down I knew it wasn’t right for me. Don’t EVER tell a kid they’re too young to know. Fast forward to modern times, my first kiss with a girl was with a close friend YEARS after I came out. Go figure.
The idea of caring about and loving myself was non-existent at that time. It’s a very VERY new and ongoing journey for me. I didn’t really care about myself at all. I hadn’t learned how to. Mom was in and out of cancer treatments, and would later pass during my senior year of college and kick off my coming out process, but that’s a whole other post for another day. Spending pretty much my entire childhood watching mom deal with being sick, I didn’t want to cause my family any more discomfort. I was full of self loathing, fear, and confusion, but it seemed irrelevant and unimportant because I didn’t want to be a hindrance.
Instead, I tried so desperately to be the perfect kid and son by befriending my teachers, being a model student, and joining band and a bunch of organizations to stay as busy as possible to stay distracted and impress everyone else.I didn’t love myself because I didn’t think I was allowed to or deserved to in my own head. While I did finally make more meaningful friends in high school, I continued to go through the motions to make my family proud to make up for the scared closeted kid who thought he had to make up for his queerness as though it were a shameful weakness, and it seemed to be the only thing that could possibly matter at the time.
Non-surprisingly, I never really knew any openly queer boys in grade school. It probably legitimately wasn’t all that safe to come out in that environment. I’ll never forget the two boys I saw holding hands in a Wal-Mart that absolutely shook up my entirely reality, because I had never seen romantic same-sex affection in person before.
There was a lesbian couple at my school, but people said awful, degrading things about them behind their backs constantly and acted like they were the biggest freaks. Another boy in my grade in high school hadn’t come out yet officially but was very flamboyant, and thus was treated just as awful as the lesbian couple, if not worse. Other kids just regularly said despicable things about him without even knowing him at all. I even heard parents make blatantly homophobic jokes about him.
His life had to have been hell, and as a fully out queer adult, I still regret not being able to stand up for him more. That definitely forced me deeper into the closet. He wasn’t even out but got talked about like he was some disgusting abomination. How could I ever assume that I could ever come out, let alone kiss, date, and love another boy? I HATED the idea of any attention being placed on me, so I just wanted to survive school at that point.
I had multiple people throughout high school ask me if I were gay just as though it were the most casual question rather than a triggering inquiry that sent me into a mental frenzy every damn time it was presented. Having one of the jock boys ask me such a deeply personal question in passing on the way to my seat in Algebra class was traumatizing. I of course always said no, as at the time I was still convinced it was a passing phase and that I couldn’t actually be gay.
At home, in the days of Myspace, I got anonymous messages telling me they were pretty sure I was gay. The anonymity was arguably worse in some ways.
At a young age, I became hyper aware of how I carried myself, talked, and acted. I loathed hearing my voice or seeing myself in pictures, for fear of sounding too feminine or standing or emoting too gay. I obsessed over the concept that boys and girls carried their books a certain way, or the boys would be labelled as queer. I was paranoid about where I shopped for clothes, the colors I wore, and the length and fit of my shorts.
In middle school, I got a lilac colored trapper keeper for school that I ultimately had my parents take back to the store for a different one because I felt so self conscious about it all day. At home I played with my little Barbies, but didn’t dare tell the kids at school for fear of rejection and isolation. Overall, I felt grossly incompetent, irrelevant, and unimportant in my own mind. Unworthy of love and of course, deeply ashamed for my attraction to the other boys.
I never had anyone whatsoever to help guide me through the coming out process, because I didn’t know a single queer person who could. I’ve now dedicated a good amount of my energy trying to be that person I desperately could have used then for anyone else that needs that role to be filled, and for someone to tell them that someone is incredibly proud of them. An obscene amount of queer people don’t ever hear “I’m so proud of you!” when they really need it the most.
I also didn’t have any good queer representation on TV or in movies, so I really did feel completely alone at times. Most queer characters in media existedly solely to be made fun of and mocked, ratcher than celebrated, properly represented, or God forbid, given a legitimate love story, and the public’s reaction was so frequently one of such repugnance and disapproval.
This was also probably about the time that a close family member told me that he had punched a gay guy for hitting on him when he was younger, a story he again felt the need to share with a now ex-boyfriend and I when we were dating, as though that’s not a horrifying thing for an already scared and closeted queer to hear from their own family.
I think during middle school in particular is when my anxiety and depression issues started, but I assumed either that I was being a baby and that my feelings were invalid, or that it was just teenage angst. The idea that boys and men should mask their emotions and feelings and feel shame rather than expressing them was, (and seemingly appears to continue to be) a very real thing in small towns and society in general.
It didn’t occur to me at the time that I was experiencing varying levels of almost daily trauma that would fuck me up well into adulthood. If you take anything at all from this post, let it be that the conversation around mental health, (and men in particular in this instance) NEEDS to change.
Another particularly noteworthy event in my queer adolescence was when two of my friends, (both girls, shocker) discovered gay porn on my computer. While they pestered me about if it were mine while they laughed, I of course lied. I felt a deep shame and utter humiliation. On reflection, fucking IMAGINE if they had been able to be gentle and understanding with me and told me they loved me and still would even if I were gay. From then on I was terrified that they would bring that day up to our other friends as a joke. Perhaps they did a time or two, I don’t recall. These same friends made jokes about the queer kid I mentioned earlier, and both parents of one of the girls regularly gossiped and made homophobic jokes about him when I was at their house
By the time school dances rolled around, I knew I would never be able to go with anyone but friends. Even if I weren’t still deeply closeted, I’m pretty sure my school still had pretty strict rules against bringing same-sex dates to Prom. While I definitely had fun with my friends at the dances we went to, I so desperately longed for a world where I could dance with a boy who loved me like everyone else was able to.
The loneliness and isolation I felt at the end of those nights could be unbearable because it didn’t seem possible for me, even as I looked into the future. I was fully convinced I would live a very lonely life without anyone to love me the way I craved. I didn’t belong in that world, and wouldn’t ever be set up for that kind of happiness, joy, and feeling of content. I would live for everyone else but myself because that’s just the way the world worked for us queers.
I wish I had had just one single person then who gave me full permission to be my authentic queer self on any level. Someone who could hug me and tell me life after high school and college could and would be vastly different. Someone to tell me I wasn’t an unlovable disgusting freak, but rather a kind-hearted boy who deserved a deep love someday because I was a valid and gentle soul who deserved the world. I certainly deserved more than the shame and pain that constantly haunted me.
Maybe then I wouldn’t have thought about death before 30 so much and obsessed over it well into my college career. I might have realized that I needed to learn to be gentle with myself and take care of and prioritize me and my own happiness. So many people let me down and convinced me that I was a filthy sinner and an over-emotional kid with invalid perspectives and feelings. As most of my closest friends, (that I cannot stress enough have been the ones to save my life and encourage the authenticity that I present so proudly today) came into my life after I had already come out fully, they weren’t around during those dark early struggles.
Sometimes as an adult I still wonder what it would have felt like and how profoundly different my life could be if someone had held me close and sincerely told me they’re proud of me for what I survived and overcame, and told me that they can’t wait to see my eyes light up with the love I’ve always dreamed of in a boy, and that I still continue to seek.
Young, baby gay Travis would be in absolute awe if he knew what life had in store for him back then. To see a future version of himself painting his nails, wearing whatever he wanted, dancing with strangers at pride festivals, having the time of his life at drag shows with his queer family and falling in love with boys? Proudly holding a boyfriend’s hand walking downtown in a busy city? Openly telling his dad about the cute boy he’s going on a date with? Going Facebook official with a boy? Being a super vocal advocate and inspiration and mentor to not only queer family, but to people he hardly talks to but manages to influence and inspire just by unashamedly being himself? Genuinely looking forward to kissing his new husband in front of family and friends on his wedding day, knowing it’ll be one of the happiest days of his entire life?
Holy. Actual. Fuck.
Travis of six or seven years ago wouldn’t have even dared to dream this big, let alone baby gay Travis. He probably would have been utterly mortified but SO comforted to see that future life when he didn’t believe it to be any level of possible.
I’m so fucking proud of myself for this journey, and no one will ever take that away from me or water down my trauma or the grueling work I’ve put in. Genuinely, this is the one thing in my life that makes me absolutely burst with pride.
I think I want to learn how to keep baby Travis in mind with this pride without having to revisit the trauma in the process. Look back at him with open arms, excited to see him learn and blossom into his actual self someday. Even if he could have desperately used someone like the me I am today, he survived then, and continues to persevere today.
He’s queer as fuck, and proud to shout it from the rooftops. He’s a voice and an advocate for the voiceless. A shining light and beacon of hope for those still navigating their terrifying escape from their closeted life. He’s going to meet a man someday and love him so deeply in the way baby Travis always dreamed of. Above all, he’s going to continue to make that little guy so incredibly proud because he knows now the importance of loving himself in the process.
I’m so proud of that scared little boy. I just wish he could have known then how proud he would make himself one day.
As you talk with the queer people in your life, please keep in mind that just about all of us have incredible trauma directly tied to our identities. Talk to them with love, compassion, and understanding. Tell them how proud of them you are for pursuing their own happiness in the face of oppression and rejection.
Demand better from elected officials. Advocate for us. Shut down homophobic ideals, even if you think it’ll make your family and friends uncomfortable to hear. Support queer content, artists and creators. Be a proud ally, but don’t ever allow yourself to take the spotlight away from actual queer people or our queer spaces. Mourn, love, and celebrate with us.
Understand why pride is SO fucking important to us, and why you never have to worry about needing your own pride events. Listen to us and love us for exactly who we are, and were always meant to be. Love is the most incredible, beautiful, and often rare human experience we’re able to experience during our short time on this planet, and it should always be celebrated.
Happy Pride!
#pride#gay#lgbt#journaling#love#queer#coming out#coming out stories#queer trauma#adolescent trauma#self love#healing#trauma
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Learning to Listen
Ships: Past Romantic Prinxiety, Romantic Intruality,
Warnings: Messy breakup, swearing, unintentional bigotry, mentions of sex, brief (VERY brief) making out
Summary: Virgil, Roman, Patton, and Remus move into a house together as housing during college. It works out great until Virgil and Roman breakup and Remus discovers some things that could complicate his own romantic relationship with Patton (none of the characters are unsympathetic they’re just stupid.)
Word Count: 1.8K
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“I’m just an over glorified fuck buddy to you, aren’t I?!” Virgil yelled through the thin walls and Remus flinched at the noise. Roman and Virgil decided to have an apparently much needed fight. He was glad that Patton wasn’t home to witness what he assumed was a breakup. Remus didn’t know whether or not he was going to have to comfort Virgil or Roman.
“No! I just- Virgil you aren’t listening to me! Like you ever do!” Remus turned up the music in his headphones, despite it already at max volume. His eardrums were probably going to explode, with blood and whatever cartilage did when it couldn’t handle the stress of hearing.
“Are you breaking up with me?!”
“Yeah, VIRGIL, I think I am!” Remus was impressed that they had gotten to that part after two hours. But hey, they got there in the end, right? He heard the door of the room open and slam shut. He paused his music and looked up to see Roman looking deflated. Roman walked over and sat next to Remus silently. Remus didn’t say anything, not wanting to fuck up his brother’s day anymore, even though that sounded like fun. Roman screamed into a pillow and fell the back of his head onto Remus’s lap, slapping his phone to the ground. “Did you manage not to hear any of that?”
“Oh I’m pretty sure your voice could’ve broken the windows if you tried harder.” Remus supplied. “I don’t know exactly what the fight was about though, you guys were talking like normal people at the point.”
“What would you know about normal people?” Roman responded snarkily, before shaking his head softly and corrected himself. “Sorry. That fight was a lot, I’m not sure the adrenaline of it has burned out yet… Remus, is it weird that I thought we were doing really well? I didn’t even notice Virgil wasn’t happy with it. I really fucked up.”
Remus thought briefly to his own dating life. He realized he related more than he wanted to. “Yeah, you really boinged that one, dude. But, I’m sure it’ll be okay. If it doesn’t work out I can decapitate Virge for you. He’s my best friend but you’re my brother.”
Roman laughed lightly, and tears rolled down his face unto Remus’s legs. His laughter quickly turned to sobbing into Remus’s shirt until Patton came home from work 30 minutes later. He opened the door humming to himself until he saw the twins on the couch, Roman’s makeup running and generally looking like a mess.
“Is… everything okay?” Remus shook his head and Patton nodded to himself. “Where’s Virgil?” That simple question got Roman to crumble down horizontally on the couch again. Patton thought to himself with furrowed brows about that response. Remus pointed to Virgil’s room and Patton followed, knocking on the door. He went in after a few seconds to see Virgil curled up in a ball, shaking and clearly not alright.
He couldn’t even choke a word out. Patton closed the door and sat on the ground in front of him. Without questioning anything he opened up his arms in case Virgil wanted a hug. He did. “Okay kiddo, breathe in for four seconds for me. Now hold it for seven-”
This went on until his breathing was stable. Virgil’s fist was closed around a piece of Patton’s shirt. “I shouldn’t have yelled at him.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Patton asked, tightening his grip. He had begun to suspect what might’ve happened and almost wanted to cry about it himself, but it wasn’t about him right now. “Not that you have to but if you need to, I’m here.”
“No, my therapist has told me to communicate better. Which, ironically, what I was trying to do with Roman…” Virgil trailed off, loosening his grip of Patton’s shirt and looking up to his ceiling. He doesn’t really seem to want me other than to have sex and after mentioning that it eventually turned into a screaming match. And then he… then he broke up with me. I should’ve listened to him before but I didn’t. Patton I don’t know what to do.”
Patton bit his lip for a second. Only sex, huh? He thought back to himself and Remus. They sort of had the opposite issue… This wasn’t about that though. Virgil still wanted a response. “I wasn’t there, Virgil, and this isn’t my relationship we’re talking about. I- do you want suggestions or do you just want me to listen without giving any opinions?”
“Suggestions would be cool.”
“Alright,” with that permission Patton tried to think of his best friendly advice. ‘Communication’ was usually always the answer but it was some sort of subsection of that Patton wasn’t sure how to explain. Listen to Roman? Be clear about your wants in a romantic relationship? It was hard for Patton to follow those in his OWN dating life. He realized more and more issues to bring up to Remus after this resolved somehow. “Well, it would probably be helpful to listen to what Roman wants in the relationship and have him listen to what you would want. And then… based on that, work on how to do that together or if that’s not compatible… Break off the romantic relationship because it would probably be healthier that way.”
Virgil whistled lowly. “Dang, Pat. I was sort of expecting a follow your heart thing. But, thank you. I guess that would mean confronting the issues, which is quite honestly terrifying. I should probably do that now or something…” He stood up, holding his head from doing it too fast and made his way to the door. Patton remained on the floor a moment longer before following.
Remus was back to listening to music while Roman was scrolling on his phone as Remus played with his hair idly. Virgil grabbed the fabric of his jacket before walking to the loveseat. He heard Patton close his door and almost jumped out of his skin. He took a deep breath. “Roman? Maybe we should try again with that discussion… I don’t want this to be screaming. I like you, a lot. What do you say?”
He made brief eye contact with Roman, seeing the dried tears and puffy eyes, but he nodded and sat up. Remus gave Virgil a raised eyebrow but said nothing. “Okay.” Roman croaked. Patton walked to the kitchen almost immediately to give both of them glasses of water to fight back against what the yelling and tears did to their throats. “You can start.”
“Should we leave?” Remus asked, as Patton handed the glass to Virgil and then Roman. Patton sat down at the one chair in the room, but didn’t get comfortable just in case. “I mean it’s your conversation.”
“You can stay. I don’t want to yell again. A mediator would be good.” Like it helped before, Remus thought to himself, but stayed put. Virgil cleared his throat with a small cough and took a sip of water. “I’m starting? Okay. I feel like I'm not getting a lot of romantic affection lately in our relationship that I would really appreciate. We don’t really kiss or anything and I would like to know if that’s because of me or not. You can go now.”
Roman blinked and used a tissue from the side table to clean up his face as he spoke. “Thank you for telling me that, Virgil… I didn’t realize that you wanted affectionate stuff that badly. I feel like I don’t need that in my relationships and I’ve been questioning my sexuality and romantic orientations for a while. And I probably should’ve brought this up earlier but… I think I’m…” He looked down at the ground. “I think I’m aromantic.” He sounded like he was about to cry again. Remus looked at Patton with wide eyes.
Patton returned the look as Virgil talked next. “Oh. Roman, I’m so sorry about the fuckbuddy comment, shit. I didn’t realize… but I’m proud of you for finding that out about yourself. Maybe it would be healthier if we broke up, huh?”
Roman laughed, new tears falling down his face. The two embraced each other, laughing while crying. “Yeah, I guess we are breaking up then!”
It would hurt for a while, and the change was definitely huge but it was better. But after witnessing that Patton and Remus knew that they had to talk. The only question was who would be the first to bring it up?
-
Remus and Patton were on Patton’s bed, making out. Which was fine, neither of their roommates were home and it was fun. The issues came up when Patton’s hand went under Remus’s shirt. “Is this okay?” He asked. It all came crashing down when Remus shook his head no. They stopped immediately and fell onto the bed looking up at the ceiling next to each other. “We should talk about this. Not that you didn’t want to, just that we need to define better boundaries for our relationship.”
“You’re right. We should talk about this.” Remus gulped. Apparently it was already happening. After two weeks but it still didn’t feel like enough time. “Patt, I love you… But I don’t know about fucking.”
“Crass, but I get it. Are you… asexual?” He looked over at his boyfriend, who shrugged. “Well, that’s fine too. So no sexual stuff. Got it. Anything else that would cross the line that we should talk about?”
Remus was tempted just to shrug again but didn’t. “I don’t know yet. After Roman finding out he’s aromantic I’ve been thinking. I still want to be with you, but can I give you everything you want in a relationship? I don’t think I… I don’t think I NEED or WANT sex at all, but I haven’t decided yet. I’m so fucking confused.”
“I may want it, Remus but I don’t think it’s a need in our relationship.” Patton reassured. And he wasn’t lying either. He believed what he was saying, glad that his conversations with Janus had also gotten him to check his own wants and needs in general. “I think I’m alright like this, but it’s important for me to know for sure.”
He reached out for Remus’s hand, and he took it. They looked up at the ceiling, with a feeling of clarity that helped them relax. It wasn’t really a change at all, but it gave reason to actions and made sure they wouldn’t make the other uncomfortable. And that was worth it.
Taglist: @vpow @loveroffandoms @yourfellowsmolgay @moth-bugs @vsem-5
#remus sanders#roman sanders#virgil sanders#patton sanders#prinxiety#intruality#past prinxiety#romantic intruality#asexual remus#aromantic roman#sander sides#sander sides fanfiction#writing#emile writes#fake shitpost
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In “hungry” Links parents haven’t met scout yet. So I’m here to ask if you could maybe write about that. Tysm
hungry pt 2
lol idk what this is my apologies, i hope everyone is doing well and staying safe :)
“Hey.” Link whispered slightly shaking his girlfriend to wake her up. “I’m going to the airport I’ll be back soon.”
“What? Why?” Amelia groggily asked.
“I’m picking up my parents.”
“Ugh.”
“I thought you were excited for them to come?” Link chuckled at his exhausted girlfriend.
“Scout was up all night. I’ve barely had any sleep and the house is a mess.”
“They’re not gonna care about the house being a mess. They’re staying in a hotel anyway.” He moved her hair behind her ear so it wasn’t obstructing her vision.
“Well I care.”
“You don’t need to.”
“Is the baby awake yet?”
“Nope, out like a light. He must be exhausted after last night.”
“I’m exhausted after last night.” She emphasized turning her face into her pillow.
________________________________________
“I can’t believe my baby’s had a baby. It’s so good to see you Link.” Maureen smiled as she hugged her son tightly.
“You too.” He reciprocated the hug, he was grateful they were starting to repair their relationship. “Let me get your bags.”
“I’ve got them.” Eric affirmed as he put the bags into his sons car.
“So how’s the baby been?” Maureen asked once everyone was settled in the car.
“He’s good. Won’t let us sleep though.”
“I remember getting so worried because I thought you were sleeping too much.”His mother reminisced. “Scout must get that from Amelia, you were always out like a light”
“Yeah, that’s what her mom said. Amelia was a difficult baby, her siblings were always good sleepers apparently.” Link chuckled recalling the conversation they had with her mother.
“How many siblings does she have?” Eric asked curiously, they didn’t know much about the woman as they had only met her once for about a half hour. And Link was pretty private about his life.
“She has three sisters and a brother.”
“Wow that’s a big family.” Maureen stated surprised, their family had always been tiny with just the three of them and then they broke up making it smaller. “Does she want to have a family like that?”
“We haven’t really talked about it. We’re just focused on Scout right now.”
“You two don’t seem to be planners anyway.” Eric chuckled.
“That’s factual.” Link chuckled as he pulled up to the hotel. “So I’ll be back in about an hour? Is that alright?”
“That’ll be just fine.” Maureen kissed her sons cheek and got out of the car with her husband.
_______________________________________
When Link got back to the apartment he realized his girlfriend was still asleep. He smirked at the sight, glad she was getting sleep. She always insisted on being the one to check on him while he was crying, he assumed it was because she was always on high alert worried she’d lose another baby. She’d recently agreed to see a therapist and they were working through her anxieties. He walked into his sons room to see him still fast asleep.
“Ah, your a good boy. You let your mommy get some sleep.” The boys father grazed his hand across the baby’s face to wake him up. The boy whined a bit, irritated to be woken up.
Link carefully picked his son up and completed his morning routine, getting him ready to spend time with his parents. He checked on his girlfriend one last time to see her still fast asleep, the sight making him smile. He walked towards the door and threw the diaper bag over his shoulder while he held his son with his other arm.
“I feel like we’re forgetting something. Are we forgetting something?” He asked the baby who was happily babbling reaching out for his fathers chin. “I’m taking that as a no. We’re not forgetting anything.”
He situated his son in his car seat, and made his way over to the hotel. Looking through the rear view mirror he saw his son reaching for his feet, his sons innocence and curiosity always brought a smile to his face. He pulled up to the hotel where his parents were already outside waiting.
“This must be Scout.” Maureen cooed as she sat in the backseat so she could be next to her grandson. “He’s adorable Link.”
“Where’s Amelia?” Eric asked as he got into the passenger seat beside his son.
“When I got home she was out like a light. I thought it’d be best to let her get some sleep, she hasn’t slept like this in a long time.”
“Do you guys take shifts taking care of the baby?” Maureen asked as she played with the baby’s feet, which caused him to shriek with laughter.
“We try, doesn’t always end up working though. Anytime the baby wakes up she wakes up, and even if it’s my shift she ends up following me. And whenever it’s her shift I come to make sure she’s okay.”
“What’d you do to make her not trust you with the baby?” Eric chuckled, he imagined his son did something immature to make his girlfriend mad at him.
“Oh, no it’s not that. She’s just worried somethings gonna happen to him. Her anxieties are dying down a bit though.”
“When your a parent you’ll never stop being worried.” Maureen informed her son. “I still worry over you. And your all grown up and have a baby of your own.”
“Yeah starting to realize that never really goes away.” The ortho surgeon nervously said as he parked the car.
_______________________________________
“This little guy seems to love sports.” Eric laughed looking at the baby who was mesmerized by a softball game going on in the park.
“Much to Amelia’s dismay.” Link laughed thinking about all the times she told him she didn’t want their son participating in any sport that could cause brain damage. “The poor kid will probably be walking to school with a helmet on.”
“I don’t blame her. I remember how enraged I was at your father for signing you up for baseball.” Maureen said whilst looking at her husband.
“What?” Eric asked holding his hands up defensively. “The kid loved baseball. Still does actually.”
“Yeah, I’m so excited to take this guy to his first baseball game.” Link smiled at his son who was being cuddled by his grandmother.
“You were about five when we took you to your first game. You were so excited you nearly passed out before we got into the stadium.” Eric laughed at the fond memory. Link could vividly remember that game, the Mariners had won. The fussy baby taking everyone out of their thoughts.
“I’ll take him.” Link held out his hands for his mother to pass him the baby. As he held the baby he was digging through the diaper bag looking for a bottle, it was his usual feeding time. “Crap, crap, crap.”
“What’s the matter?” Eric asked surprised in the change of his sons demeanor.
“I forgot his bottle. I knew I was forgetting something before we left.” Link and his parents stood up collecting their stuff to take to the car.
_______________________________________
“Did you forget something?” Amelia asked holding up a baby bottle that he assumed she had just pumped.
“Yes.” Link admitted with embarrassment as he walked into their apartment with their crying baby.
“Eric and Maureen, it’s very nice to see you again.” Amelia greeted politely, as she took the baby from her boyfriend.
“You as well.” Maureen smiled as her son lead them to the couch. “You guys have a gorgeous home.”
“Link over here, decorated it all himself. Also a bunch of DIY projects.” Amelia chuckled raising her eyebrows at him, she’d never let him forget the time he made her walk around Home Goods and Lowe’s for hours while she was heavily pregnant.
“Yeah sorry about that.” Link knew what she was implying. “I made her walk around a bunch of different stores while she was heavily pregnant. She was not interested to say the least.”
“I could’ve cared less of what you did with the apartment, you were so insistent that I’d vouch an opinion though.”
“And you were no help at all! You just kept saying ‘I don’t care whatever you want’ it was very irritating.”
“Well I had to give you a hard time considering you want let me get another soft pretzel.” The older couple smiled at one another, it warmed their heart to see the couple bicker with one another as though they were an old married couple. Link simply shook his head in disbelief and sat down on the couch wrapping his arm around his girlfriends shoulder as she fed their son.
“How are you guys doing?” Amelia asked suddenly embarrassed for not asking sooner and forgetting they were there for a minute while she was engrossed in conversation with her boyfriend.
“We’ve been good, we’ve been so excited to meet Scout. He’s absolutely adorable.” Maureen answered. “Has your mom met him yet?”
“Not yet, she lives in New York.” Amelia answered, she suddenly felt like she was in an interrogation.
“We’re planning on going to New York to spend Christmas with her family.” Link smiled, he was quite excited to meet her family properly. Amelia was the opposite, she still had a few months to convince him that they shouldn’t go.
“New York is quite the trip away from Seattle, how’d you end up here?” Eric asked curiously he wanted to know more about his sons girlfriend as Link usually kept it generic.
“My brother offered me a job here, but I was in LA prior.”
“So was Link, I’m surprised you two never bumped into each other.” Maureen added surprised to hear.
“Well Mom, she was working at a medial practice, I was working at a bike shop.”
“Oh right.” Maureen nodded sadly, that was one of the darkest places she’s ever seen her son. “I’m sure all Link does in his free time is play his guitar, do you play any instruments Amelia?”
“I don’t actually, I love listening to Link play though. I think it’d be nice if Scout played an instrument, I wouldn’t want to force him or anything. I just think it’d be much better than a sport.”
“I feel that, when Link started to play baseball I was terrified, especially after his cancer I just wanted to wrap him up in bubble wrap.” The couples kept with the small talk and started to learn more about one another. Amelia eventually went to put the baby to bed, while Link drove his parents to the hotel.
“I’ll meet you upstairs Maureen.” His wife nodded and wished her son good night before heading into the hotel. He dug into his pocket before passing a ring box to his son.
“Is this grandma’s ring?” Link asked as he opened up the box.
“It is. After seeing you and Amelia today I realized you really love her. This isn’t you staying out of obligation, I’ve never seen you like this over a girl.”
“Cause I haven’t been. Amelia, she drives me crazy but I can’t imagine my life without her. It’s crazy how much I love her and our son.” Link told his father as he looked at the ring. “Are you sure? I mean this was your moms ring.”
“I’m sure. Doesn’t have to be now, but eventually. She’s the one.”
“Thank you dad.” Link brought his father into an awkward hug over the cars console.
#amelia shepherd#amelink#atticus lincoln#baby amelink#greys anatomy#greysanatomy#greys fanfic#eric lincoln#marueen lincoln
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Tears in Heaven 10: Endings
Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is about to get married but memories of her old life are coming back to haunt her.
Pairings: Drake x MC (TRR)
Warnings: NO ONE UNDER 18 should read this story. This is an 18+ blog.
Mention of child death, mention of depression, grieving
N*FW content!
A/N: There will be a small epilogue next week, but this is the official ENDING.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Thank you so much to all the people that read it, shared it and commented it. Every single like, reblog or comment gave me life! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
@mskaneko Thank you for all your amazing insights when you read and your incredibly inspiring edits and mood boards. You’re one of a kind!
@pedudley Thank you for pre-reading every chapter and being such a great, supportive friend. Your feedback meant a lot/
@burnsoslow The MVP of this whole thing!! I was so stuck before your brilliant book idea!! Thank you for that and for the hours and hours (and hours) of editing!! Without you I would’ve never been able to write this fic. You’re an amazing friend and human being. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP.
I LOVE ALL OF YOU SO MUCH ❤️
To catch up: Masterlist
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry. The edit at the end of this fic belongs to the talented @mskaneko
Word count: 7 697 (!!!)
Songs inspiration: Tears in heaven by Eric Clapton
Tagging: @ao719 @yukinagato2012 @texaskitten30 @kingliam2019 @cordonia-gothqueen @bebepac @nomadics-stuff @cordonianroyalty @forthebrokenheartedthings @bascmve01 @gibbles82 @mom2000aggie @gardeningourmet
Perma: @burnsoslow @mskaneko @mskaneko @pedudley @pug-bitch @ac27dj @twinkle-320 @kimmiedoo5 @marshmallowsandfire @loveellamae @debramcg1106 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @ravenpuff02 @princessleac1 @ritachacha @drake-colt-lover-99
Liam woke up feeling restless. He rolled over in bed, trying to get a few minutes of sleep, but guessed it would be useless. Before taking a long hot shower, Liam called the kitchens so they’d bring him a large jug of strong coffee with his breakfast - he would need it to get through the day. Thirty minutes later, he was sitting on the balcony of his room at Valtoria, sipping his second cup of coffee of the morning and thinking about his fiancée. More than the conversation he had had with Alexis two days prior, it was the one he and his brother had shared the previous afternoon that he was obsessing over.
Since he had met her, he had been head over heels for Alexis. However, even if his love for her was undeniable, the real question was if they were right for each other. Reluctantly, Liam had to admit that he barely recognized himself in the jealous, controlling, manipulative man he had become. And as tempted as he was to blame Drake and his return for the demise of their relationship, deep down, he knew something else was profoundly wrong with them.
Leo was right: He didn’t trust Alexis. Liam wanted to, desperately, but he just couldn’t. The memory of the day he had found her almost dead on her bed still haunted him. Liam had never really gotten over it.
Alexis entered their room and saw Liam sitting with his paper and sipping coffee, lost in his thoughts. Earlier that morning, when she had left Drake’s cabin, she had done so convinced that the only right decision was to marry Liam. However, standing there and watching him, her own words resonated in her head. Liam deserved better. And he did; he deserved better than a life with a woman that would never be able to fully love him. Neither of them would ever be happy if they went ahead with their wedding.
Alexis was scared -- terrified -- of loving Drake again, of facing her grief, but hiding behind Liam couldn’t wouldn’t, be the solution anymore.
“Hi, Li,” she said, sitting on the chair next to him.
“Love.” Liam saw her sad expression and instinctively knew what she was about to tell him.
Alexis hugged herself and took a sharp breath, trying to gather some courage. Her eyes watered as she tried to get the words out. “I’m sorry, Liam.”
Liam’s hand gripped his cup of coffee. “You’re calling off the engagement.”
“I … I wasn’t planning to do it,” she sobbed. “But the more I think about it, the more I realize I’m not good for you, Liam.”
Despite his best efforts, a cold rage overpowered him. “Do not pretend that this has nothing to do with Drake, Alexis.”
“I’m not going to lie. Drake showing up again accelerated things. But our problems have nothing to do with him. Our marriage wouldn’t have lasted. We were asking too much from each other. I would never be happy being a duchess, and I know how badly you want to be a father, Liam. It was selfish of me to ask such a huge sacrifice of you.”
“I don’t care, Alexis. I would do anything for you,” Liam implored. “I know we have problems, but I’m sure that if we work together, we would be able to find a solution.”
She shook her head. “Are you happy with me, Li?”
He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “I love you very deeply, Alexis.”
“That’s not what I asked. You’re constantly worried about me. You don’t trust me. And we never share our problems because we don’t want to burden each other. We never talk about Tom.” She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.
Liam’s eyes widened. “Did you just say his name?”
She nodded.
“One day with him, and you’re already saying Tom’s name again.” His glossy eyes looked at her. “It’s always been him,” he muttered. “All this time, you didn’t stop loving Drake, did you?” he asked her.
“Liam … please don’t go there,” she begged, more tears running down her face.
“Did you ever even love me?” His voice betrayed the cool façade he was trying to maintain. Incapable of staying put, he stood up in front of the balcony’s railing.
Alexis cut the distance between them and hugged him as tightly as she could. After a moment, she took his head between her hands. “I love you, Liam. And not only because you saved my life, but because you’re an amazing, loving, generous man; because of all the moments we shared together. You gave me a reason to wake up in the mornings. Thanks to you, I was able to smile, to live again. I’ll never forget that.”
“Right ... you’ve always loved me, but you never fell in love with me,” Liam replied bitterly.
At that moment, watching Liam breaking in front of her, Alexis hated herself. “I tried Li. And it has nothing to do with you; I just never really got over … everything.”
Liam wiped a tear from her face. Too heartbroken to talk, he simply took her in his arms and kissed her head.
Alexis took off the engagement ring and placed it in his palm. “I never deserved this. And maybe you don’t believe me right now, but I know you’ll meet someone who will.”
Every word she pronounced felt like he was being stabbed. Liam turned his gaze towards the gardens. “Please leave, Alexis. There is no point in prolonging this anymore.”
Alexis squeezed his hand and left him there. As she walked away, a strong feeling of contrition flitted through her body in response to the tightness in her chest. However, despite her guilt over hurting a good man, Alexis knew she had made the right decision.
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Drake put his syringe and gloves in his bag, patted Thunder on his rump, and left the horse’s stall, rubbing his neck tiredly. After a long day doing the weekly check-ups on the horses of one of his biggest clients, he was shattered. However, working to exhaustion hadn’t worked as well as he had hoped; Alexis and her goddamn stubbornness hadn’t left his mind for a second.
When he finally got home, his heart skipped a beat when he saw Alexis sitting on the steps of his porch, waiting for him.
“Hi, Drake.”
His heart raced as it did every time he saw her. “Hi, Lexie.”
“Can we talk?” she asked, and he detected a slight edge in her voice.
“Of course, Lexie. Let’s go inside.”
Alexis shook her head no. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d preferred if we take a walk.”
“Why?” Drake questioned, puzzled.
Because if I enter the house, I won’t be able to leave it again. “It’s better,” she stated simply.
“Okay.” Drake shoved his hands in his pockets. If she didn’t want to come into the house, that meant she was divorcing him and choosing Liam. He felt the pain of losing her all over again threaten his heart.
Drake and Alexis walked a while next to each other without a word. Inadvertently, they took the path to the lake where they used to fish and have picnics with Tom. Drake glanced over her; the look in her eyes was not sad as he had expected but determined. She was wearing the fierce expression that meant she had made a decision.
They sat in the old wooden pier next to each other. “What do you want to talk about, Lexie?”
Alexis bit her bottom lip. “I broke up with Liam.”
His eyes immediately darted to her left hand. Relieved to see that the ring was gone, Drake exhaled a lightened breath. “Lexie.” He was impatient to kiss her, to feel her again, but something about her demeanor stopped him. An awful thought snaked into his mind. “Do you want to sign the divorce papers anyway?”
Alexis placed her small hands on his large ones. “No. It’s the last thing I want.” She smiled at him.
Drake cupped her face, allowing his thumb to draw soft circles around her lips. “I don’t get it. Why are you so sad?”
“I need to ask you for something.” Drake nodded, still tenderly rubbing her face. “I’m sure that I don’t want a divorce. But I’m not ready to move back here yet.” She took a sharp breath. “I never really grieved Tom, you know? I mean, I did all the four first stages. I was furious at first and then hurt and broken at that clinic. But after my depression, I regressed. I realize now that I’ve been in denial for the past three years.”
Drake wiped her tears again and pulled her close to him.
“My therapist didn’t want me to leave the clinic. She said I wasn’t ready, but I wasn’t a danger to myself anymore, so she didn’t have any other choice but to sign my release. I need to do that now. Finish my therapy, be alone, and I’m sure you’re going to roll your eyes at this,” she joked, “but I need time to find myself. I don’t know who I am anymore, Drake. I don’t do any of the things I used to enjoy. And I feel this guilt that I can’t seem to shake. I feel guilty for the pain that I just caused Liam, but I especially feel guilty about us. About all the things I told you that day.”
“Lexie, please. You have to let that go. You weren’t yourself back then -- neither of us was,” Drake said tenderly.
“I still need to forgive myself.” She squeezed his hands. “Please don’t give up on me, Drake. I just need some time. A few months, maybe,” she pleaded with tears in her eyes.
It hurt like hell, but he understood. Drake took her face between his hands. “Listen to me, baby, because this is very important. I love you. No matter what. No matter what I’ve done or you’ve done. No matter what will happen. I will always love you.” He interrupted himself to give her a soft kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “If I have to wait for you for the rest of my life, I will. I lost you once, but I swear I will never lose you again. Never.” She smiled through her tears. “This is what I wanted. That you chose whatever was best for you. And I think this is it. I’ll be here at the end, loving you. Okay?”
“Thank you, Drake.” She leaned in to kiss him, and he crashed his mouth with hers in a searing, hungry kiss. After a breathless moment, he forced himself to stop. It was clear that Alexis wasn’t ready for anything else. They shared a few more moments together, then Drake walked her back to her car.
She opened the door but stood next to it, torn between her longing to stay and her need to leave.
“I know you need to go through this alone, but promise me that if it’s too much, you’ll call me, Lexie. Day or night.” Drake said as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I promise.” Alexis kissed him again, trying to memorize how much she enjoyed his lips on hers, the way he had to kiss her with all his body. Drake held her as close as he could; if he had his way, he would never let her go.
But Alexis was too confused, too rattled by everything that had happened. She needed to claim her independence and regain control of her life before coming back to him. Watching her leave broke his heart, but he knew that she was worth the waiting.
With tears in her eyes, she got in her car and drove away, hoping that she wasn’t making a huge mistake.
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The first month was arduous. Coming back to therapy and having to deal with Tom’s death proved to be as challenging as Alexis had thought, but she persisted, determined to get better. She and Drake respected their arrangement and didn’t see each other, but whenever a session became too strenuous, or she was at risk of getting depressed, she called him, and they talked for hours over the phone. Drake told her about his experiences in prison and his life in Spain, and she finally spoke about the long months she had been committed to the clinic and her suicide attempt. Each phone call left them hopeful and terribly nostalgic, but Drake never pressured her.
After two months of intense therapy, Dr. Salas, her psychologist, encouraged her to do something for herself. Alexis immediately knew what she needed. For the next four months, she rented a cottage in Portavira and moved next to the beach. It was a small cottage, but it had a porch where she could sit, watch the ocean, and write every day. During that time, Alexis cried a lot, but she also began to take long walks along the beach, hike and swim in the ocean; the calm of the secluded beach and the soothing sound of the waves had a curative power on her. Alexis missed Drake desperately, more and more with every passing day, but she knew that she needed to finish what she had started before coming back to him.
The first days in Portavira, Alexis only managed to write a few lines, but soon an idea began to form in her mind. At first, she refused it; nothing would be more painful than writing that, but Dr. Salas had suggested that it could be cathartic to explore her grief through her words. One afternoon where Alexis was feeling unusually relaxed, she sat in front of her computer with a cold glass of Chardonnay and started typing. She cried her eyes out with every word, but in the end, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest. For the first time since her little boy had died, Alexis accepted that while the pain in her chest would never really disappear, she might be able to be happy again.
The next morning, she called Charlie, her old boss, and sent her the manuscript.
Drake was quickly regaining his excellent reputation among the owners of Cordonian stables and racetracks. Thoughts about Lexie consumed him day and night, so he spent those six months working like crazy. In his spare time, he read, fished, or rode his horse, but he felt restless all the time. One night after talking to her, an idea crept into his mind. He already knew the perfect place, so he made an offer, and when he got it, he devoted all his free time to making it perfect.
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Liam rubbed his eyes tiredly; he had been up working for almost 20 hours straight, trying to figure out a way to bring new investors to Valtoria. He, Hana, and his team had developed a health plan that aimed to offer affordable healthcare to all the duchy’s citizens, but he needed private investors and the help of the Crown to be able to fund it.
At almost 10:00 p.m., Liam leaned against his chair. Hana dropped her pen on the desk and raked her hair with her hands. They both yawned at the same time, which made them chuckle.
“We’re too tired, Hana,” Liam said as he stood up to get a drink from the cart in his office. “Something to drink?”
“Gin, please,” Hana answered, grinning.
Liam couldn’t help but admire how pretty his assistant was. Hana was a special woman; she was smart and kind, and she cared about Valtoria almost as much as he did. He always had fun in her company.
Alexis had left him six months ago. The first two months had been hell; after being in love with her for so long, Liam had had trouble adjusting to the idea that she would never be with him. However, after some time, he realized that Alexis had made the right decision. They weren’t happy together; she had never stopped loving Drake, and he was in love with a woman who no longer existed. Besides, Liam had to admit that he felt lighter and freer without the burden of his constant concern for her. His love for Alexis wasn’t healthy or romantic; it was toxic and harmful for both of them.
Liam handed Hana her gin, smiling at her. “What would you think if I called that place where we had dinner with the French ambassador the other night? We can ask for a couple of Black Truffle Croque Monsieur and some eclairs au chocolat?” he asked playfully, his stomach groaning at the thought.
Hana’s face lit up. “That would be perfect, Liam.”
“You call the restaurant, Hana. I will go look for a bottle of Beaujolais from the cellar.” Liam left his office, grinning. He didn’t know why, but the prospect of spending an intimate moment with Hana made him happier than he had been in a long time.
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Alexis swam for almost an hour. The cold, tranquil ocean was the only place where she could calm her nerves that morning. After four months on the beach, she was going back to Cordonia that same afternoon, hopefully to stay. Charlie had arranged a public reading in a small bookstore in Cordonia to launch her book, and Alexis had invited Drake - the real reason behind her nervousness that morning. A smile formed on her lips from just the thought of him. When she had called him to invite him to the reading, she hadn’t dared to tell him that she was ready, that she couldn’t wait another minute to be with him. Mostly because she didn’t want to do it over the phone.
But also because a part of her was still scared. There was no doubt in her heart; she loved Drake more than anything. But what if they were able to be happy again and another tragedy struck them? If she had to go through the pain of losing him again, Alexis knew without the shadow of a doubt that she wouldn’t be able to recover.
In addition to all of that, there was something she needed to tell him, and Alexis wasn’t sure how Drake was going to react. She stepped out of the ocean and dried herself. When she got to the house, Alexis went to her closet, thinking about what she was going to wear. Butterflies flapped in her stomach, knowing that she was dressing for him, that if everything went well, she would be in his arms that same night — the feeling of being 19 years old all over again washed over her. After a short shower, she applied light makeup and blow-dried her hair. Before leaving the house, she looked at herself in the mirror. It didn’t matter how scared she was; fear had dominated her life for almost five years. It wouldn’t control another minute of it.
Drake turned on the engine of his jeep, his heart racing thinking about her. He had no idea what her book was about, but Alexis had talked about it with that cute voice she had when she was really thrilled about something. Drake could almost see her face if he closed her eyes: her wide, gorgeous smile and a pink blush covering her cheeks with excitement. During their conversation, she hadn’t said anything about their marriage, but Drake knew she wouldn’t have invited him if she wasn’t ready to be with him again. At least he really hoped so. Before going to the library, he made a quick stop. His project was on the right track. He prepared the last surprise for her and then left for the reading.
The children’s bookstore that Charlie had picked was perfect. Small and cozy, it had a lounge with two large sofas and colorful cushions. Posters of Tom Sawyer’s books and figurines of the Harry Potter and Narnia universes decorated the walls. The owner had moved an antique armchair to the middle of the room, so the kids and their parents would be surrounding Alexis in a half-circle as she told her story. She was greeting the families that her agent had invited when she heard a familiar voice calling her.
“Blossom!” Maxwell ran to hug her. “I missed you so much; I have a million things to tell you!”
She hugged her best friend back. “Hi, Max! I missed you too. How’s the married life?”
“Perfection. Rashad is the best husband in the world. A total control freak, but I knew that already.”
Alexis laughed. “Anyone seems like a control freak compared to you.”
“I guess that’s true.” Max beamed, looking at her. She was wearing a beige mid-length dress with an oversized camel blazer and nude high heels. “You’re gorgeous, by the way.” Her friend gave her a knowing smile. “Drake is going to drop dead when he sees you.”
She gave her friend an anxious smile. “He isn’t here yet.”
“He’ll be here soon, Lexie. Don’t worry,” Maxwell said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“Darling, everything looks fabulous.” Olivia kissed both her cheeks. “I’m so proud of you,” she said earnestly.
“Come on, Liv. Don’t make me think you’ve gone soft,” Alexis teased.
“I mean it, Alexis.”
“I know you do,” she replied, squeezing her best friend’s hands. “Thank you.”
Charlie interrupted them. “Please take your seats. You need to start, Alexis.”
Alexis sat in the armchair; she glanced at the door one more time, and there he was, looking shamelessly handsome in a white shirt and jeans. Drake winked at her as he sat on one of the sofas next to her. His boyish grin had the power of rendering her speechless. She swallowed her nervousness and opened the book. Drake noticed that it was signed by Alexis Walker, and his smile got wider.
“Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Tom who lived in a small red cabin in the middle of the woods. Every night before bed, his mom and dad sang him lullabies and told him stories of faraway lands, brave princes, and courageous queens. His best friends were Buttons, a little grey rabbit that followed Tom everywhere he went, and Maxie, an enthusiastic fire truck with a loud voice that only Tom could hear. Tom wanted to travel very far; thus, his dream had always been to conquer the faraway lands his parents described to him every night. One sunny April morning, Tom put his wooden sword and blue cape in his backpack and left, followed by Buttons and Maxie, to live the adventures he had dreamed of.”
Alexis looked up and saw Drake staring at her with glossy eyes. He gave her a soft nod, so she turned her eyes back to the book and kept on reading. Perhaps to avoid thinking about his lost son, Drake’s attention focused on her. He looked at her, enraptured. Alexis’ bright brown eyes were almost shining; her silvery voice had the entire room captivated with her story. The inner light he had always loved in her was back, as bright as before. In only a few months, she had managed to regain control of her life and make her dream come true. Every time he thought that he couldn’t possibly admire or love her more, she surprised him again. He was utterly, hopelessly, crazily in love with her.
“… Tom, Maxie, and Buttons had lived an incredible adventure. Tom missed his mom and dad deeply, but he knew that they were waiting for him in their little red cabin in the middle of the woods and that he’d soon come home.”
Alexis closed the book with watering eyes. “Thank you for coming. This book means a great deal to me.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll be happy to answer questions if you have any.”
One woman holding a little girl in her lap raised her hand and asked the question Drake was dreading. “Is Tom’s character based on someone real?”
Charlie had warned Alexis that she needed to be prepared to answer that. She gripped the book and took a deep breath. “Yes, on my son.” After drinking a gulp of water to control herself, she added, “He’s no longer with us.”
Drake smiled at her sadly but reassuringly when the audience went silent for a few seconds.
Maxwell quickly raised his hand. “Um … I just wanted to know if you’re preparing a sequel.”
Alexis gave him a grateful look. “Not at the moment, maybe later. Thank you for your question, sir.”
A little girl in pigtails asked her a question about Buttons, and a blond boy questioned her about Maxie the fire truck.
After she was done answering and signing copies of the book, she went to meet with Drake, Max, and Olivia.
“I loved it, Blossom! I have to say that Maxie the fire truck is the best character. He seems to be the smartest, funniest, cutest one of them all. Certainly much more than the evil Queen Nevrakis,” Maxwell beamed as Olivia shook her head, for once, more amused than annoyed.
A sudden silence made Olivia realise that Drake and Alexis were looking at each other longingly. She cleared her throat. “I have a date with Jin tonight, so we better get going, Max.”
Maxwell beamed as he hugged both of them. It was unquestionable for anyone who knew them that Drake and Alexis belonged with each other, and nothing could make Max happier than to see them together again. “I’m so happy for you guys! See you soon!”
They both chuckled; Drake brushed Alexis’ hand with his, slowly intertwining his fingers with hers.
“Did you like it?” Alexis asked Drake timidly.
“It was wonderful. The way you described him was simply perfect.” Drake threw her a small smile. “It was our Tom. I admire you so much, Lexie. Thank you for this; I needed it too.” They locked eyes with each other, both their hearts racing.
“I’m ready, Drake,” Alexis blurted out and immediately felt the blush in her cheeks, her heart beating furiously in her chest.
“Are you sure you’re ready to come with me?” he asked her with his deep voice, an intense longing in his eyes.
“As long as you still want me to,” Alexis gave him a coquettish smile.
He tightened his grip on her hand. “Always, Lexie.” The loving look she gave him back was enough to drive him wild. Drake looked around him; they were in a children’s bookstore surrounded by kids and Alexis’ old boss. Probably not the best place to kiss her as he was dying to.
“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered sheepishly.
Alexis arched her brows. “Really? What is it?” she asked excitedly.
Drake smirked. “A surprise has to be unexpected. As a writer, aren’t you supposed to know definitions of words and shit?”
“Smartass,” she laughed. “I just need to say good-bye to Charlie really quick, and we can go.”
When they got into the car, Drake leaned to her seat and cupped her beautiful face. She let out a soft gasp when he kissed both her cheeks, the corners of her lips, her nose. “I’m going to spend the rest of the night, of my life, kissing every part of you, baby,” he growled in her ear.
If Alexis waited another minute, she would’ve imploded right there, so she crashed her lips on his, making him groan with want. Drake pressed her body against the seat, but an annoying thought made him stop. “Our first time after all this time will not be in the passenger seat of my jeep, Lexie.”
Alexis bit her bottom lip. “Let’s go,” she urged him.
After a short drive, Drake pulled over on the side of the highway. He grabbed a silk tie from the back seat. “I need to cover your eyes.”
“It’s dark, and we’re in the middle of the woods, Walker. Are you trying to kidnap me?” she asked with a flirty tone.
A smug grin spread on his lips. “Actually, that is exactly what I’m going to do. Turn around.” Gently, he placed the tie around her head and tied a knot. “No peeking, Lex,” he said, kissing her head.
She shook her head, now too excited to speak.
After a few minutes, they arrived, and Drake helped Alexis to get out of the car. The feeling of walking in an unknown place with her eyes covered could’ve made someone nervous, but there was no one Alexis trusted more in the world than Drake; he would rather die than let something happen to her. They walked a few inches with him firmly holding her. When they stopped, he pulled her back against his chest, circling her waist with his arm. He leaned to speak in her ear. “Six months ago, in one of our phone calls, you told me how difficult it’d be for you to live in the cabin again. That you would love to start our lives somewhere else.”
Alexis nodded.
“That day, I recalled how much you loved that abandoned house next to the lake. It was small and run down, but you fell completely in love with it. Remember?”
“I do,” she said with a lump in her throat.
They were taking a stroll next to the lake when Alexis saw it. The house was almost in ruins, but according to her, it had significant potential. As it was clearly uninhabited and there was a window open on the ground floor, she climbed through it; Drake followed her, chuckling, with Tom in his arms. Once inside, he had to admit that the house did show promise. They would have to spend a lot of weekends renovating it, but he loved manual work and was sure Alexis would make it as cozy and comfortable as she had made his father’s cabin. Back in their own place, they daydreamed about buying the house and renovating it. She drew a small sketch of what she pictured: a huge kitchen where they could both cook together, a swing for Tom to play, a porch to watch the sunset, and a main room with a skylight where they could see the stars every night. It would take some time and a lot of effort, but they thought the house was worth it. When Drake was about to make an offer to the real estate agency, tragedy overcame them, and they forgot all about it.
Drake uncovered her eyes, and she gasped. They were standing in front of the house, but it had changed. Drake had spent the last five months working on it every minute of his spare time. The old washed-out exterior was now a beautiful wooden façade with a large, wide-pillared porch in the front.
He held her tightly. “Now this is the exterior. There’s still a lot of renovation work to do inside. You’ll see.”
Alexis had happy tears in her eyes. “I … I can’t believe you did this, Drake. It’s gorgeous.” She turned around, and he cupped her face and gave her an intense, searing kiss.
“Come on, I want to show you the rest,” he said when they finally parted, breathless. Drake grabbed her hand, and they laced their fingers together.
They stepped into the house, and even if Drake was right and the first floor still needed a lot of work, Alexis wandered around happily with her heart full. “I love the kitchen! We can have a large counter here,” she said, pointing to one side of the room. “What would you think about a thick wood table?”
Alexis’ face reflected so much excitement and enthusiasm that Drake couldn’t help but grin at it. His gaze followed her as she pranced all over the house with a thousand ideas of how to renovate every corner of it.
“So I gather you like it?” he asked, arching an amused eyebrow.
“Like it? I love it, Drake! It’s perfect. I’d like to move here as soon as possible!”
Drake couldn’t help but smile tenderly at her. “Are you sure? We can stay in the cabin for a few more months while we do the renovation work here.”
“If the water is running, I’d prefer to stay here,” she answered with an earnest smile. “This is us, Drake. Ours. A new life together. I’m not running from our past, and I never want to forget Tom,” she said, brushing a small tear with her hand. “I just want to start over in a place where we can create new memories.”
“If that’s really what you think, there’s a room that’s already finished.” He threw her a quizzical smile. “Do you remember the drawing you did of how we pictured our house?”
Alexis let out a spontaneous laugh that made Drake's heart leap. “I would barely call the doodles I made drawings, but I remember the moment, yes.”
“Well, I hope I did the doodles justice.” Drake held his breath as he opened the door.
Alexis gasped; he had remembered everything she had dreamed of. A soft, fluffy carpet. A big bed full of cushions, a fireplace warming the room, and the skylight over the bed. The moon and stars lit up the whole room through it.
Mesmerized, she took off the blazer she was wearing, and Drake’s eyes widened. The beige dress she had underneath was tight and hugged every single curve of her body. Suddenly, Drake was very aware of the taunting way she moved; she turned her back on him to look at the fireplace, and his eyes went straight to her bare upper back and the delicate line of her neck. Blushing, he moved to readjust himself. Her thrilled voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
“I love it, Drake. Every single part of it! The skylight is exactly how I’d imagined it!” He took off his own jacket and rolled up his sleeves. “What?” she asked, catching her bottom lip between her teeth when she realized he was looking intently at her.
“Are you wearing that for me?” Drake’s low baritone and sexy smile made her blush crimson red.
“Maybe,” she answered with the most innocent look in her eyes but a sultry voice.
Drake cut the distance between them; even with her sexy nude heels, he towered over her. “Don’t give me that innocent look, baby,” he growled. “Or I won’t be able to control myself.”
Alexis leaned towards him, her hands playing with his collar. “See, Drake, that’s the thing. I don’t want you to control yourself.”
He swept her off her feet. She looped his neck in a burst of roaring laughter. “I want you so fucking much, Lexie,” he told her as he gently dropped her on the bed. Their bed. He hovered over her, holding his weight up with his right arm.
She hid her nose on his neck, inhaling the intoxicating sandalwood. “Me too, Drake.”
“You deserve the world,” Drake said, staring at her almost black eyes looking at him adoringly. He wanted nothing more than to make this night last as long as he possibly could. “It’s been four years that I’ve been thinking about this moment,” he said, gently kissing her cheek. “Four years that I’ve dreamed of making you mine again.” He growled at her ear as he nipped it. “And now, I finally have you here --” He softly bit her neck. “-- all for myself.” He kissed her collarbone as he slowly unzipped her dress. “This damn dress is making me wild, Lexie.”
As he rubbed his thumb on her lips and cheeks, Alexis’ heart beat so fast, she was sure he could hear it. Finally, he kissed her, and time stopped. His lips felt so soft on hers, his tongue so passionate when it slowly entered her mouth, intertwining with hers. His strong hand cupped her head as he deepened the kiss. Suddenly the need became urgent, and he moved to her neck, possessed by the need to claim her. Drake softly sank his teeth in her, making an exhilarated moan escape from her throat.
Slowly, he pulled the dress’ front zipper down, peppering sultry kisses on every inch of skin he discovered, until only her lacy underwear was left. He pulled her to him and kissed her senseless as he unclasped her bra. Her beautiful breasts appeared, her buds erect, ready for him to kiss them. Drake softly flicked his thumbs over them. Then his tongue tasted them, taking pleasure in the sight of Alexis arching her back for him. He took a deep breath until all he could smell was her cherry fragrance. With a cocky smile, he pulled down her last piece of underwear, leaving her completely exposed and vulnerable to him.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous, Lexie,” he groaned as his eyes wandered over her body lit up by the moonlight, and his calloused hands moved down her body, rubbing her face, her breasts, her hips, a trail of excited goosebumps appearing everywhere he touched. “And you are all mine.”
Alexis gave him a flirty smile. “I want to see you too, Drake.” She softly pushed him up until they were both on their knees.
The sight of her naked, kneeling in front of him and undressing him with nervous fingers, desperate to kiss him, to touch him too, almost killed him. She undid his jeans and let her hand wander around his cock. He drank in the sight of her, enjoying her soft, small hand around him for a moment. Her soft, skilled strokes on his impossible hard length felt incredible, but after all the months, the years they had spent apart, he wasn’t going to last long if she continued. “I won’t be able to resist much longer, baby.” He grabbed her wrist. “And there are a lot, a lot of things, I want to do to you first. Lay down,” he growled, standing up to toss off the rest of his clothes.
Alexis felt like she was on fire, ready to explode. Drake’s lips kissing her legs, her knees, and her inner thighs only made the fire wilder. She gripped the sheets when she felt his hot mouth on her, kissing the soft skin around her clit.
“It drives me insane how wet you already are for me, Lex,” he said, parting her lips with his tongue and softly entering her, inebriating himself with her taste.
“Drake, god! Drake,” she chanted again and again as his expert tongue and fingers explored her, thrust inside of her. Feeling the heat build more and more, she tugged his hair, making him smile against her warm skin. Finally, she reached a point of no return and screamed his name again.
Drake smirked. “Fuck, I’ve missed that, baby.”
Still panting, she managed to answer in a soft voice. “Me too, Drake.” Drake caught her lips in a slow, tender kiss as she came down from her high.
“Come here,” he whispered, scooping her and sitting her in his lap. Alexis straddled him, enveloping his torso with her legs. Cradling her with his arms, Drake’s desperate lips ravaged her neck, alternating soft kisses with small bites. Her back arched, giving him full access to her breasts that he cupped, his thumbs slowly circling her hard nipples again. Alexis rolled her hips against him.
Drake chuckled against her neck. “Are you trying to tell me something, Lexie?”
“I need you now, Drake,” she moaned. His cock was already throbbing, but he felt like he was going to burst at her words
“Whatever you want, Alexis.” He positioned himself with the tip of his dick, teasing the little nub of her center. “Look at me, baby. I want to see your pretty eyes as I enter you.”
She locked her burning eyes with him, and he grabbed her hips, confidently guiding her body to enter her folds slowly, giving her time to adjust to him.
The world, the moon, and the stars, everything around them faded. Each set of eyes only saw each other, reflecting the passion, the excitement, the deep love they felt.
“I love you, Lexie,” Drake whispered as he slowly moved inside of her, adoring her smell, the way she moved, how she moaned his name.
“I love you too, Drake,” Alexis whispered back, reveling in the sensation of him filling her completely. Of her heart racing with every delicious thrust. Of his strong arms holding her tightly, safely. Of his hands caressing her back. “I feel you everywhere, Drake, god.”
They rocked their hips at the same pace, increasing speed as their movements became more passionate, more desperate. He ground into her powerfully, feeling her walls tighten around him. The sensation was unbelievable, an exceptional connection that neither of them could ever experience with anyone else. “Come with me, baby,” he whispered as his hand reached her center, allowing his thumb to rub the little nub in it, making her lose her mind. Alexis couldn’t formulate a coherent thought, let alone talk, as the most intense wave of pleasure of her life came cresting over her. A powerful “Drake!” escaped her lips as she climaxed.
His name on her swollen lips and the way she was still vibrating against him pushed him over the edge.
“Mine, Lexie, mine,” he growled, marking her neck as he filled her in complete ecstasy.
He pulled her into his chest, both of them silently enjoying their descent from heaven.
He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head as he lazily rubbed her back, incapable to stop touching her.
“A penny for your thoughts, Lexie.”
She looked at him through her eyelashes, smiling.
“I was just thinking about how absolutely perfect this was.” She stroked his chiseled abs with her hand.
He smirked. “You’re perfect, baby. A fucking work of art.”
Alexis smiled against his chest, a pleasant feeling of utter happiness settling in her chest.
Part of the night was spent with tender whispers, passionate touches, and shared laughs. The rest, they spent rediscovering every nook and hidden corner of each other’s bodies as if they were trying to recoup the last five years in a few hours. Finally, the morning lights caught them sleeping tangled in each other’s bodies. Drake opened his eyes first, smiling as he hadn’t done in five years.
“Good morning, baby,” he whispered in her ear, waking her up.
“Nuh, uh, too early.” She hid her head under the pillow.
“You have to see this, Lexie. Wake up,” he said softly, kissing her bare back.
“God, I’ve forgotten how good you are at motivating a girl.”
Drake chuckled. “Come here.”
Wrapped in the sheets with Drake hugging her tightly from behind, Lexie sat on the porch in front of the lake, and she understood why he had woken her up. In front of her eyes, a sumptuous spectacle of pink, ochre and golden sun rays extended over the glowing lake. It was the most stunning sunrise she had ever seen.
“There’s something I need to tell you that might change your mind about us,” Alexis warned him cautiously. She bit her lips, feeling remorseful. She should have discussed it the day before, but selfishly, she had wanted to enjoy the night with Drake.
He almost laughed at the idea. “Nothing would change my mind, Lexie. Test me.”
She took a deep breath and let the sentence out as fast as she could. “I don’t know if I ever want any more children, but I don’t think so.” She carefully gauged his reaction as she asked. “Do you?”
“I don’t know,” he answered sincerely. “I didn’t for a long time; I was adamant. ” He looked tenderly at her. “Now, I’m not so sure, but I do know that the idea scares the shit out of me.”
Alexis let out a relieved breath. “Me too.”
“I’ll tell you this. We’ll revisit the idea in a few years, but we won’t do it unless we’re both sure. Deal?”
“And what if I don’t change my mind, and you do?” she asked worriedly.
“Then we won’t, Lexie. All I want out of life I have right here,” he said, holding her even tighter. “Nine years ago, in my vows, I told you that I loved the fire in your eyes and how much you love life. I told you that I would always take care of that gorgeous inner light of yours. But I didn’t do a great job.” Alexis was about to protest, but Drake put his thumb on her lips, smiling. "I promise that I’ll devote the rest of my life to making you happy. I’m so proud of you, of everything you are, Lexie. I love you more than I did back then, much more.” He opened his palm, where he had their wedding rings in his hand. “I always knew that one day we would be wearing these again, Mrs. Walker.”
Alexis beamed. “I love you, too. You have no idea how much. For years, I felt lifeless, and now just looking at you, my heart hammers, Drake. You take away the emptiness, the sadness. You make me so incredibly happy.”
A bittersweet tear escaped from her eyes when she extended her hand and watched, immensely moved, how Drake slid her wedding band and engagement ring on her finger. Then she put his on.
Relieved, she turned her head up and caught his lips in a delicious, deep kiss.
Drake noticed a small, tiny tear. “What’s up, Lexie?”
“I was really convinced that I could never feel this extremely elated again, and now that I do, I also feel …” She stopped in her tracks.
“Guilty. You feel guilty for feeling happy.”
She nodded slowly.
“Me too.” Drake rubbed her cheek with his hand. “I think we have to learn to live with that, baby. Tom will always be here. He’ll always hurt.”
Alexis snuggled against him as Drake drew her into his arms. A loving smile spread on her lips; no matter how difficult or painful their grief would be in the future, they would be facing it togther.
The End.
#tw child death#tw dark fic#tw grief#tw grieving#drake x mc#drake walker#axwalker writes#drake walker fanfic#alexis o'brien#n*sfw#n*fw
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All Right, All Might; Ch. 14
This is just a short chapter before we get into the whole Hero Killer arc! Little fluffy All Might stuff.
Rating: PG-13 Word Count; 2,547
———————— CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE PAPARAZZI
When All Might went home to get some things to bring back to her apartment, she made the subway trip by herself, smiling thinking about her weekend with Toshinori. Playing house with Japan’s number one Hero, that was surely something.
Walking up to her apartment building she paused - there was a man standing in front of it, looking like he was a waiting for someone or something. He was tall, lanky, black hai rand glasses. She felt like she had seen him before - but where?
As she approached the building, the man turned his head with a sly smile, “Keri Chairo?”
Her blood ran cold as she looked into the mismatched pupils of the man before her, “Who are you?”
He smiled and chuckled softly, “Taneo Tokuda is the name… I’m a journalist.”
“And what is it you want, Mr. Tokuda?”
“Well, Miss Keri… I just came from covering the sports festival at UA a few hours ago - and something very interesting happened that I happened to see.”
“There were a lot of interesting things happening this afternoon,” she steeled herself.
“Well, I’m talking about this,” the man pulled out a polaroid and held it before her - it was a photograph of All Might kissing her before the award ceremony.

She put her hand over her mouth and she could hear her heart in her ears, “It’s not every day you get the first and only photograph of All Might with his lips on a pretty girl… how old are you Miss Keri?”
She looked from the photo, “What do you want? Money?”
“What ever do you mean?”
Shaking her head her cheeks were red, she was mortified, terrified, she felt like she’d let Toshinori down, “Well this was hours ago, it could be on the news by now. But you found my apartment building and you must want something.”
“All I want is to have a conversation, Miss Chairo.”
She scoffed, “Likely.”
“You didn’t answer my question - how old are you?”
“I have a hero license, you know,” she grunted, “You know everything about me after a few hours I’m sure.”
Taneo smiled and sighed, “Hero name Patho, quirk - pathokenisis. You have the uncanny ability to project the sense of an emotion onto an individual or a crowd of people at will. You can also read emotions. You are 29 years old - almost 30, and you work at UA as the guidance counselor. You attended Ketsubutsu Academy high school in the support course, and University for a Bachelors - and then a Masters in Psychology. You just attained a hero license recently, and never had once before — satisfactory?”
Keri blushed, trying not to feel unnerved, “So. You know exactly who I am. So - again, What is I you want, Mr. Tokuda?”
“Do you love him? All Might?” To say she was taken aback was an understatement, the silence was deafening before he spoke again, something in his voice betraying a sense of emotion, “I need to know.”
“Yes,” she said gently, if she was going to be exposed as All Might’s lover, might as well set the record straight, “More than anything.”
Nodding the journalist looked down at the photo, “You can tell just by his face how much he loves you… its so strange, I’ve never seen that look on his face. Like he was a man going to work instead of Japan’s symbol of peace. How long have you been seeing him?”
The look on her face was one of confusion, but in concentrating, she couldn’t feel anything malicious in the man’s emotional demeanor.
“Considering the glow of your forehead I can tell you’re using your quirk - here,” he held out the picture, “Go on, take it.”
“What?”
He smiled, “I said take the photo. This is the only copy I have.”
“I don’t understand,” She reached out and took the photo, “You know… I don’t… actually have any photos of us.”
Taneo smiled more thoughtfully, “Well, now you do.”
“Mister Tokuda,” Looking up she knit her brows together, “I still don’t understand.”
“All Might saved my father from a bombing at an industrial complex eighteen years ago… I was eight,” He took a breath, “There is no one on this earth that I admire more than him. And I assume… you feel the same way.”
“Would you like to come in for a cup of tea, Mr. Tokuda?”
Now it was his turn to look shocked, “I… I would love to Miss Chairo.”
“Keri, please,” she smiled and opened the door.
He smiled in return, “Then please, call me Taneo."
The two of them went up to her apartment, and already he could tell how much she clearly adored All Might, “Wow… I have some of this stuff too - you were a fan when he was young, too?” He picked up a small All Might action figure off the mantle, “Wow… a young all Might action figure - I wasn’t lucky enough to have this one.”
Chuckling she nodded, "I was six when he came back from America… I thought he was the most amazing person I had ever seen in my whole life… He was always my hero,” she sighed, “He still is.”
“But now he’s your hero?” He smiled warmly.
Laughing gently she nodded, “Yes… to be honest? I still can’t believe All Might is my boyfriend.”
He smiled, “So how long have you been dating?”
Shrugging she put on the kettle, “We’ve been dating for two weeks… that’s all.”
“And you’re still in your position as the UA Guidance Counselor if I read correctly?”
Nodding she chuckled, “Why are you so interested Taneo? I mean… you could have blackmailed All Might. You also could have sold this photo for millions… retired, bought an island - or three.”
“Well, see, one of these days I know he’ll end up retiring. And I want to have the exclusive to writing a really great book about him and his life… because he means so much to me,” he looked down to the photo on the counter, “It… also makes me happy that after all this time, he’s found someone to share himself with.”
Smiling she sighed, “He’s a wonderful man, maybe if you stick around you could say hi?”
His eyes widened, “Oh no… no I’ll save that for another day when I’m ready to start that book, not when I’ve stalked out his girlfriend’s apartment,” he blushed a little and smiled.
Keri nodded, “Fair enough,” setting the teacup in front of him she took a deep breath, “So… What do you want to know?”
Taneo smiled, “What’s he like? I mean- really like.”
“He’s… worried a lot,” she started, looking down into her own teacup, “Worried that he’ll fail everyone. Worried he won’t be strong enough for everything he needs to do. Sometimes he gets down on himself. But - he’s a really good man. He’s kind, considerate, warm, funny… he’s got so many dad jokes it’s so charming. He’s a goofball really. He’s a little clueless sometimes, which is precious… All around, he really just believes in everything he stands for.”
Smiling brightly the younger man nodded, “I’m glad… I’m glad he really is who he seems to be - how did you meet him? No offense but, you’re not in any rankings, Keri.”
“Oh none taken. I only got my hero license about eighteen months ago when I took the job of Guidance Counselor at UA. I have a masters degree in psychology and Principal Nezu wanted to look into therapy for the kids, since they have to deal with so much. I for one didn’t go to UA… as you know,” She smiled.
Taneo nodded, “Why Ketsubutsu? And why didn’t you go into hero work? — I mean if I can get off topic for a moment?” “Well, my quirk is useful - but really not for hero work. Support work, sure. But my quirk wasn’t flashy or useful enough to merit trying to get into UA, as much as I wanted to go. Kids at middle school made fun of me and called me Psycho-path and stuff like that, or like Little All Might Fangirl, you know, normal kid stuff,” the man nodded again as she continued, “So, I decided to enter the support course at K.A., I knew All Might would do what he could so, so did I.”
“So he’s really inspired you your whole life?”
Nodding she blushed, “I went into psychology because I knew how brutal going through hero course work was. And I knew heroes must get scared or anxious or angry… so I decided I could help the most being a hero therapist.”
“That’s a good idea, actually.”
“Thanks,” she chuckled, "Anyhow - one day last year All Might came in to talk to the principal about teaching this year and he burst into my office, not knowing where the principals office was.”
“So it was a bona fide meet-cute,” he leaned on his hand.
Blushing she chuckled softly, “I guess so… we just kind of… hit it off. You know? We became fast friends, and we’ve been best friends since then. In the attack on the USJ a few weeks ago, he got hurt, and I just kind of realized I wanted to tell him how I felt about him. And I guess he felt the same.”
“Adorable. You and All Might, in love.”
“Well… we haven’t used the big L word. I don’t want to freak him out.”
“Freak him out?”
“Well… you know him,” she sighed, “He’s never really had much time for relationships, you even said yourself. This is the first photo of him kissing a woman out there. We’ve been careful. The kids and teachers at school know, but no one else.”
Finishing his tea he smiled, standing and bowing, “Well no one will hear it from me — at least not yet. Maybe one day you’ll let me use that photo in my book,” he smirked, “Until then, I’ll wait for an invitation to your wedding.”
Blushing hard she chuckled, “You’ll get the inside scoop if we ever do end up married. But somehow… I don’t know how that will work.”
He smiled and nodded, “Well, my fingers are crossed for you, Keri,” he winked, “I’ll let you get back to your afternoon. And I’m glad I could give you a photo of you and him.”
Walking him to the door she smiled, placing a hand on his arm, “Thank you, Taneo… truly. It’s not every person who would give up this opportunity for the sake of the hero.”
Nodding he took a breath, “I know I could probably retire on that money… but I couldn’t repay him like that,” with one last look around he nodded to her again, “Have a good night, Keri.”
“You too,” she smiled and closed the door behind her, she rushed to the table and picked up the photo with a sigh and a smile, “Wow… a photo of me kissing All Might… sixteen year old Keri, eat your heart out!” She laughed to herself, going to sit on the sofa and stare at it while she waited for mister number one to walk through her door, “Reminder to take some pictures and selfies this weekend. We look cute as heck.”
————
A knock came on he door, she smiled and got up, opening it to see her Small Might with, of course, an All-Might Duffle Bag, “Hey Sunflower,” he grinned and leaned down to kiss her.
Humming into his lips she wrapped her arms around his neck, “Welcome home, honey. Did you have a good day at work?” She cooed.
“Ohhhh we’re really doing the whole house thing?”
She nodded and kissed him again softly, “I missed you.”
He smiled into the kiss and sighed, “I missed you too, baby, work was okay. I got to do the All Might thing for a bit and it felt like old times.”
Moving to let him in she motioned him over to the sofa, “Well, you just take off your shoes and get comfortable okay? I’ll go get started on dinner.”
“I thought we’d order out tonight? I haven’t had pizza in a bit,” Nodding she came and sat down beside him, “Hey - what’s this?” Picking up the polaroid he covered his mouth.
She patted his hand, “Don’t we look cute together?”
“Ree - honey, where did you get this?!” He looked at her with a shock to his face.
Frowning a bit she wet her lips, “Why… embarrassed to have a picture with me?”
“What? Honey- No. I’m thinking about YOU here. If this photo gets out you’ll be MOBBED, I don’t want that for you, not when we’re still just trying to enjoy each other, I don’t want to make your life difficult.”
She leaned back against the couch and took a deep breath, “A reporter met me here at my apartment when II got home. Taneo Tokuda was his name. He said you saved his father when he was eight. He’s a huge fan of yours and he took it this afternoon.”
“I…. Don’t understand?”
“He said it would be no way to repay you to sell this photo. He feels lucky enough to have captured the first romantic photo of us. And he hopes someday when he writes a book about you, I’ll let him use the photo. He gave it to me, and told me he was happy for us.”
“Tokuda. I’ll have to remember that name,” he nodded and looked back down at the photo, “You look so beautiful in this photo.”
“It reminded me that we don’t really… take pictures together ever. And we’ve been friends for over a year now,” she bit her lip, “Can we take a selfie later babe?”
He nodded and smiled, “Only if you text it to me so I can put your sweet face on my phone background,” Blushing she nudged him, and he pulled her into his lap, “Now… let's play house properly.”
Leaning in he kissed her softly, hands securely holding her hips as their tongues danced together. After a few minutes Keri pulled back for air and giggled, “Oh Toshi…”
Stroking his thumb over her cheek he smiled at her, letting out a soft sigh, “Can I ask you something?” Nodding she smiled, “Yeah of course…”
“I know you want to go over to Hosu, to pay a visit to Ingenium and young Ida,” he paused a moment, “But, before we do that - could we take a visit to my mentor? I really want you to meet him. It would mean a lot to me.”
Stroking his face she nodded, “Of course we can, honey.”
“Great!” He beamed and kissed her again, “Now… lets get some takeout, and take some selfies and…” he leaned in close to her ear, “We can make love until the sun comes up.”
Keri blushed and giggled, “You’re expecting an awful lot from a man with one lung,” she teased.
Smirking he bulked up, “Why you little…” picking her up in his arms she blushed and squirmed, “AH AH, MISS PATHO, I THIINK YOU NEED TO BE PUNISHED FOR BEING SO SAUCY.”
Keri laughed softly, cheeks bright red, “Oh mister number one! Please! Be gentle with me!”
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I’m finding more and more that mindfulness and awareness play a massive role in everything. All the growth I’ve undergone has been rooted in cultivating those skills in myself.
Getting curious instead of judgmental, asking questions and being objective, letting go of outcome and expectations. All of these things seem tiny and maybe insignificant on paper; but in practice have made all the difference for me.
This past Thursday, I met with my therapist (as I usually do on Thursdays) and she told me she was proud of me. I am so grateful for that feedback, for her helping to contribute to my awareness of myself. Awareness extends beyond the present moment, it encompasses patterns and trends and habits and intentions and consequences. It informs decisions and aids processing and understanding. Awareness is the key to it all.
She commended me for staying in wise-mind while telling her about a situation that was upsetting me. She noted that though I had the opportunity to allow my emotions to take control, to pull me into a spiral, I made a choice to remain in control. That’s not what I would’ve done a year ago. That might not even be what I would’ve done a few months ago. Her providing that feedback about my new patterns and trends, specifically my ability to abstain from following old, maladaptive patterns and trends, brought that new data into my awareness. It’s very difficult to be cognizant of your own patterns. It requires parallel processing of data about several versions of yourself in different but comparable situations across a timeline. That’s not a skill that comes naturally; that depth of data about each version of ourselves just isn’t stored.
I am proud of myself. I’m proud of my ability to say that I’m proud of myself; proud of my capacity to believe that I’m proud of myself. For the larger majority of my life (I’m talkin 1st 19 years) I refused to allow pride to penetrate my consciousness. I grew up fearing that I’d slip into narcissism and lose who I was, instead developing into some spawn of my father; a figure I’d associated with all things self-centered and antisocial. Any shred of pride or self-esteem was too great a risk; I’d rather be humble and miserable but secure in my pro-social self-appraisal. I vividly remember the day I felt true self worth for the first time. It was in june, a month before I’d turn 20. That day came a few years after another significant (in hindsight) day when I began working with my current therapist. I fear I may accidentally catalog the past several years here for the sake of clarity and continuity, but the main takeaway point is that I’ve undergone immense growth, all a result of my own innervism.
Innervism is a term I’m borrowing from Elizabeth Lesser, the author of the book Cassandra Speaks. It refers to inward awareness and intentional growth. Tuning in to tune up. If not for facing the things about myself that I didn’t want to get true, I’d never have reached a point where I’m able to act with intention and display a self of whom I’m proud.
I’m far from perfect, and I’ve made a personal vow to never stop growing, learning, listening, and adapting. I will never reach my final form; there is always room for growth.
My point in writing right now is to address some of the cognitive behaviors I’ve noticed myself exhibit when in relationships. In the beginning, when things are wonderful and new and affection has a strong presence, I latch on. I start to fantasize about the future and how my life could play out with this other individual by my side, treating me the way they do at the beginning.
This tendency to idealize based on that first impression, that best-behavior scenario, extends into the period when things begin to slip. When the negligence begins, when manipulative tactics begin being employed. When I am expected both to change myself and also to unilaterally accept the other’s lack of change. I am projected to grow into a mould that aligns with their current state, rather than the two of us developing into a new shape, together.
Internally, this is accompanied by a fear of communicating my feelings. A hesitation to go against the grain and a tendency to shrink and abide by these new terms of engagement. I get quiet and small and they become all powerful. I am aware of the red flags and harm and damage and yet I remain docile and strive for perfection in their eyes.
This is how I’ve always done it, it’s how I’ve been conditioned to behave in relationships. I’ve been conditioned to accept that A) there will be a power imbalance and B) it will not favor me.
I no longer accept that. Today I did something that past me would not have done.
A few important things to note about the situation that allowed me to make this development are that:
1. my “picker” is getting pickier. I’ve always fallen into relationships with narcissists in the past, not because I chose them, but because they chose me and I only knew how to go along. This time, in my current relationship, I made a choice as much as they did. The quality of their character actually had a chance to play a role in deciding whether or not the relationship was worth pursuing.
2. I trust them. I trust that they care about me and want this to work. I trust that they want me to be happy and healthy and that they’re willing to grow.
We didn’t talk much today because he had a big day of doing things that I won’t get into, but then tonight when we did finally get to talk, we spent a long time discussing his day in depth and then never shifted to talking about me. Instead, he started multitasking and doing other things and talking and singing to himself. I told him if he wanted to do those things that was fine, but if we were going to be on the phone that I wanted to him to talk to me, to pay me attention. This didn’t actually turn a result, which hurt me.
Eventually, he got tired and said he was going to turn in, and wished me a goodnight. I said goodnight too, without my typical enthusiasm or affection, and he noticed that those were missing. Instead of asking why though, he simply told me to say it like I meant it, since he didn’t believe me. He has a tendency to make jokes when I’d really rather he be serious, and I’ve stopped laughing along and instead stay true to the tone I want to be received. I don’t want to diminish the weight and value my thoughts and feelings deserve. I’ve decided to not accept less than I deserve.
We hung up and I journaled a bit and felt myself getting worked up, and this is where I did a few things I’m proud of.
I called him back. He didn’t answer, so I recorded a snapchat video and told him how certain aspects of our conversation made me feel, and how I had realized that if I didn’t tell him then he’d have no way to know that those things had hurt and upset me.
This was honestly terrifying, and sending it (and not getting an immediate response) made me feel a whole other type of awful.
I decided to set a timer for 15 minutes and meditate. During my meditation, I focused on a few things. I repeatedly reminded myself that I must let go of outcome; remind myself that I spoke only about my feelings and my feelings deserve to be heard. Silencing all the spiraling thoughts about the conversations that could follow was hard, and I noticed the colors in my awareness shift as more potential outcomes forced their way in. I repeated the mantra “I deserve love” to myself and focused hard on not allowing expectations or theories about what could or may happen in. Those things aren’t real, they’re imagined. I forced myself to choose to refrain from processing events until an event actually occurred.
15 minutes passed and I felt a little lighter. Part of me still really just wanted to cry, but then eventually I got a notification. He said he was sorry, that it was more of a mental hiccup than a true representation of how he feels.
I thanked him - intentionally rerouting from a typical path of saying “it’s okay” in response to an apology. I then wished him sweet dreams and told him we’d talk tomorrow, and I meant it.
It was uncomfortable, I’ll admit. It’s never fun to confront something that hurts you, especially when it’s something or someone that you don’t want to lose. During my meditation I had to remind myself that if someone doesn’t value my feelings or have respect for me, then they aren’t the person I should be with. That’s terrifying - holding people to a higher standard. Choosing to not accept less than what I deserve is something almost completely foreign to me and is fucking scary, but it’s also sort of exhilarating. The idea that mutual respect is now a requirement, that my partner needs to give a shit about me and express that through their behavior is something I deserve. I never used to think about myself as deserving anything - at least not anything good. But now? I put so much effort into who I am and how I treat others. I’m a good, kind, caring person. I know that I am because I do it on purpose. I think that qualifies me as deserving someone who treats me the same.
It’s 5am now. My sleep schedule is off kilter in a big way. I’m going to finally stop and allow this day to end. I’ve already made a to-do list for tomorrow and I hope the day brings joy. I appreciate you reading what I have to write; it helps me to do this and I hope it helps you to read.
Goodnight and sweet dreams, remember that you deserve love.
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Kind of wanted to get this out of my mind quickly, so uhm... kind of a personal post? Semi-vent with heartfelt ending? Anyway. If you are uncomfortable with this feel free to just keep scrolling.
WARNING: Internalized homophobia, dubious consent (?)
One of the things that has been bothering me recently is my sexuality. It’ll probably seem weird to old followers because I never hid being bisexual, and most of stories reflect that (since I write all my characters bisexual unless mentioned otherwise). But recently, my certainty was doubted. And I’ve been thinking back to who I am attracted to.
Back in January, I got a boyfriend, with whom I broke up with a first time after a few weeks, before getting back together only a week after, and definitely broke up with him around a month ago. The reason for that was mostly because of the sudden and brutal realization that I might be just not attracted to men at all.
I luckily didn’t grew up in an environment that would make me ashame of whatever sexuality I might have, but my father always insisted on perpetuating lineage for some reasons, and since my father’s way of thinking corresponded to me more, it also stuck in my head in a way. And so, I always imagined my future with a man despite knowing I was attracted to girls, because I wanted to stay true to that principle (and also because I liked the idea of being married and having children). But that future was only seen as something that would suddenly happen, and I never actually imagined having a passionate relationship with anyone. In my head, I would be single and then married, without any of the in-between that normal couples would have. Romances described by others was nice to witness, and I enjoy it, but I never saw it for myself.
And then, I went from single to the social statue of being in a “couple”. Not only did I lost that statue of being single, but then I realized that I had to be with another human being. That realization was one of the reasons I broke up the first time. I wasn’t ready. But it was tense at home at the moment and I ended up being touch-starved and needing something outside of the safe environment I grew up in, and so I accepted going out with him again after he asked me while I was in a moment of weakness. (He is a very cool guy don’t worry)
The first time I was confused, because I never imagined anyone falling for me ever, and the first person who asked me to go out with them just happened to be head over heels for me (no one asked me out before, and no one ever fell in love with me before). So I thought that I might just needed to clarify our feelings, and put some effort in the relationship to make it work out this time. I was feeling bad for this poor guy who I was treating as a test subject for relationships, but I really needed to think about something else at that moment. And so I put the effort. I held his hands, I accepted physical contact, I acted sweet and all...
And it felt like a performance. Which in a way I knew it was, because I knew I wasn’t in love like he was in love with me.
I thought it was fine, and I could keep up like this. After all, he was everything I could ask for in a guy, and I should be happy. And so I put in the effort... And the relationship advanced quicker than I would have expected.
As he was touching me, I suddenly felt like I was dissociating, I was seeing myself on the third person, controlling a character and not my own body. “I’ve seen it act like this, so I should do like this right?” before I realize it, it was starting to become too close to something too deep, and when I came back to my senses... I was terrified. I was terrified and scared. He kindly asked me if I wanted to stop, and I said yes. He hugged me for a while, and I waited, eyes open in the dark, for him to fall asleep so I could sneak out of bed. He noticed, and let me be, moving a way. I stayed there, eyes open in the dark, heart beating fast, but it was nothing romantic, just irrational fear. I ended falling asleep for a couple of hourse before waking up earlier than I ever did. I went to the bathroom with my clothes in my arms, dressing up there before he could my body again, and then I sat at the end of the bed on the ground, staring at the wall, feeling like I would cry.
I came to the same conclusion as before, doing someything with another human being was just plain terrifying. But something else came to me at that moment... the face of a girl I knew back in high school. This girl was a rollercoaster of emotion for me, she had a boyfriend but was flirty with anyone, and when she had noticed that she had an effect on me... She had taken full advantage on it. Grazing my arm in class with her nails, hugging me tight while pressing her entire body against mine, showing herself of to me in the changing room after gym class... She had drove me crazy. She was also the one who made me realize I could have sexual desire... What I didn’t had with my boyfriend at that moment.
I thought back to when she had allowed me to touch her stomach, how my body had felt like I was burning, the electricity coursing through it just from the contact of my hand with her skin... When it had been with my boyfriend... It had felt empty, and I had quickly went back to analyzing the forms of the body like an anatomy book.
And sitting on the ground, staring at the wall, the dim light of the morning lightening up the room, I realized I liked girls. Only girls.
I wasn’t sure at that moment, so I was still denying it in my head. “No I just can’t make it work out with him. It’s fine. Maybe I will find someone else, and I will have children, and everyone will be happy and... My brother can’t have children, my sister can’t either... If I can’t, if I can’t then I will be useless.” I ended up messaging a friend about it, because I needed to vent to someone, and she listened willingly, but agreed that she couldn’t really help me on that matter. And I knew that even with seeing a therapist, I was the only one who could know.
Words from friends and family came back to my mind as days passed by “I imagined a future where we had families, and you were married to a beautiful woman.”, “You often talk about girls, but you don’t seem attracted to men.”...
“What do you prefer?” She had asked in the dark classroom, her eyelashes fluttering, her fingers tracing patterns on my arms, a sly smile on her pink lips. “Boys... or girls?”
“Both.” I replied quickly, my breath getting caught in my throat, I could feel the red burning on my cheeks.
She hummed, as if she knew, as if she knew I wanted to reply “You.”
As if reading my mind, youtube started recommending me Tiktok compilations of lesbians Tiktok. It was stupid, but I needed answers, and so I clicked on the video.... and then another... and a third... It was enjoyable to watch, but nothing gave me a clear answer. It was always of girls confident in their sexuality, or who wanted to show off their relationship... It didn’t help me. And then one thing stood out between them all, a skit explaining how internalized homophobia worked on lesbians.
Attracted to fictional male character, but not real men.
Wants to date girls, but see themselves marrying a man.
Reassured by being identified as bisexuals...
Some other stuff too. But those three stood out to me. And another on poped up, about a woman explaining how anxiety can make some girls confuse it for attraction due to the similar feeling of nervousness it gives.
At that point, I knew I was a lesbian, and I had broken up with boyfriend for good this time. Yet, I couldn’t accept it.
“What scares you about being attracted to girls?” Asked my mother, a sorry look in her eyes, as if she was asking what she did wrong to make me feel that way.
As if I could cry at any moment, my emotions tried to fight with my reasons. “I don’t know.” It didn’t make sense, ther was nothing rational about fearing being attracted to women.
I started dreaming of heterosexual relationships, dreams that I would live like nightmares, as if I was back with him, performing again, smiling like a good girlfriend and doing what people asked me to... One was sexual, it wasn’t consensual, but I couldn’t see his face, so I thought it was “fine”. If I couldn’t see the face it was fine. There was no logical reasons to be afraid. Maybe I was attracted to men after all? Maybe I could still not be a disappointment...
Why did it bothered me so much? It wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s just how society works, it wants you to find your little box to fit, and you have to act like it, where is your box? Where is the box you fit in? But I couldn’t fit in the box I wanted to, I couldn’t, neither as a bisexual person, or as a lesbian liked described in all the videos I’ve seen.
I felt more uncomfortable each day. Being with a human was terrifying, being attracted to girls was terrifying...
This night I dreamt of kissing a girl. She wasn’t someone I had knew, and yet, her face was detailed, as if she had been real, and right before me at that very moment. We talked, and her voice was soft, and our lips touched, and my body was mine, not one fabricated by my mind, and she said it was beautiful. She smiled, and I felt... at peace. Like I could see a future with this girl I just met. Our hands touched, and I woke up alone. The memory of her lips still on me.
It was my first time dreaming of a girl like this, and it was nothing like any dreams I had before, it made me feel good, at peace, as if it was where I belonged, and where I was meant to belong all my life.
“I like girls.” I thought, and then I smiled. “I like girls.”
And I couldn’t get why I was afraid before, because that feeling of love I had felt in my dream was amazing. It was more real than anything I had felt before. I wanted to cherish it.
This morning I woke up, thinking that I like girls. That it was alright to just think that, hope for that, and hope for something else as well. And I felt at peace.
I’m sorry to my ex if you’re reading this, you did nothing wrong, you were the best guy anyone could ask for... I’m just gay. And it’s time for me to accept it once and for all.
Oh and thank you to anyone who read it until the end. I’m sorry I had to vent here, but I felt like I had to write it somehwere. Thank you for being patient with me!
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