#i'm tea take's biggest fan

[funuya]

it's still the 10th here

[murderandcoffee]

been getting really into oolong recently

[chaussetteblanche]

and they were roommates pt. 2

pairing : Spencer Reid x fem!student!roommate!reader summary : the BAU team works the case, you get to help word count : 2.3k warning : canon-typical violence, mention of violence and sexual violence A/N : thank you all so much for all the love on part 1 of this !!! I love getting feedback, it's incredibly motivating ! I will probably do a part 3 :)) Also, my cat is sitting next to me as I write this, which I find quite funny

part 1, part 3, part 4

Back at the police station, Spencer had trouble focusing on the case. His mind kept wandering over to you, wondering what you were doing, how you were doing. He was on edge and the entire team could feel it. Hotch pulled him to the side to ask him if he wanted to give you a phone call. Reid refused, but settled on sending you a text, something he never usually did while working. Something he never usually did because he wasn't the biggest fan of technology and also because he couldn't decipher how you were actually feeling without hearing your voice and all the quirks in the way you spoke which gave away your real feelings.

Sent by Dr. Ironed Socks : < Hey. How are you doing? > Sent by You : < Ok, I'm having a tea on the couch. Geoff is in REM sleep on my lap. Thx for checking <3 >

Your text was followed by a pixelly picture of your slightly overweight (Spencer couldn't use that term to describe Geoffrey around you or you'd get upset) orange cat sprawled out on your lap, legs and arms askew, fast asleep. Spencer felt a small wave of relief spread through him. You were okay for now. Geoffrey was looking after you. Later, he'd help you process and give you all the tools necessary to get over such a traumatic event and move on. It was almost as if that was in his job description.

Returning to the room where the BAU team had settled in, Spencer sent Hotch a grateful nod. Hotch moved his lips in what resembled a small smile, Reid couldn't be sure. "Okay," Garcia's voice resounded from the speaker sitting in the middle of the round table, "I've contacted all of Mary Goldman's professors and it turns out she didn't go to class today. Her first class was at 11:30 but she never showed up." "None of the students we interrogated on campus had seen her after 10:15," Emily spoke up. "Spencer's roommate saw her between 10:30 and 11:00," Rossi intervened. "Okay, we'll get her to come in," Hotch affirmed. Spencer's whole body tensed. You had been the last person to see the victim. His mind was so busy reeling, thinking about everything you'd have to go through as the most promising witness, that he missed Morgan's question.

"Reid?" Derek raised an eyebrow. "Uh, sorry, what did you say?" "What was the time of death according to the coroner?" "14:30," Rossi answered. "It was 14:26, actually," corrected Reid. Rossi rolled his eyes. "Okay, so the unsub has his victim between around, let's say 11:15, and 14:26," Rossi shot a pointed look at Spencer, "that's about three hours and 11 minutes. In those three hours, he had time to take the victim someplace where neither of them would be seen or heard, beat and sexually assault her, and finally dump her in smack-dab in front of the university." "He's definitely organised and wants to send a message," Emily thought aloud. "But what is he trying to say? Look at what I can do? You can't stop me?" "Friends," interrupted Garcia, "I'm going to need at least some information before I even try to get anything out of a search. He's taking and leaving them on campus, so I'm guessing he doesn't necessarily need a vehicle. Does he live in the area?" "Yes, he's local or knows the area, he knows these women and he most likely knows the campus. Search for white males, early twenties with a record of violence and sexual misconduct. Cross-reference that with victims of reported abuse and sexual abuse in the last twenty five years. Run background checks for all university staff. Also have a look at similar victims and MOs in this area in the last five years. This may not be his first time," spoke Hotch. "On it, I'll get back to you when I've found something." "Thanks, Garcia."

You'd taken a shower as soon as you'd arrived home. The water was too hot and you'd scrubbed your skin too hard but getting out, you felt a slight bit better. Heavily disliking the way you still felt, you opted for a cup of Earl Grey tea with milk and sugar. Settling on the couch with a steaming cup in your hands, you tucked your legs beneath you and sighed.

Images of Mary's dead body were printed onto the inside of your eyelids. You still couldn't believe it. Your mind reeled as you tried to think of an explanation for it all. Whichever path you followed, you came up empty. You could not comprehend or imagine any reason of taking the life of an innocent person, especially in such a violent way. Luckily for you, you still didn't know the extent of the violence.

A familiar noise pulled you from your dark thoughts. Geoffrey had just jumped down from his cat tree. You watched him stretch and languidly walk over to you. He meowed once before jumping onto the couch, right next to you. You moved your legs so that you were sitting cross-legged and scratched his head. He purred in delight and pressed himself against you. He sniffed at your tea with an unimpressed look before climbing into your lap before letting himself flop down on his side, stretching out his appendages. You cooed as his pink toe-beans stretched too and laid a hand on his belly, scratching gently. The vibrations of his purrs had a calming effect on you. "Are you trying to make me forgive you for biting my ankle the other day when I wouldn't give you any more treats? You know Spencer says you're a bit overweight, I was just trying to get him to stop body-shaming you, my love..."

A few minutes later, you get a text from Spencer. About thirty minutes after that, you get a phone call from him. "Hey, would you mind coming to the station? It turns out you're the last person to have seen the victim."

"I'll do the cognitive interview." "Reid, I don't think that's a good idea." "Look, yes I'm invested, I know that. But I also know her and-" "Reid, no. This is the reason we such have procedures." "But I-" "Reid." Hotchner's tone translated finality. Spencer's shoulders sank in defeat. He had figured that if he had been the one conducting the interview, maybe it would have been less traumatic for you. He hated the idea of not being there for you, with you, during such a trying moment. He bit his bottom lip.

"I'll do it," volunteered Morgan. Reid felt slight comfort at that, Morgan was one of the few people he would entrust his life to. He could entrust you to him for the interview, even if he didn't like it. Hotchner nodded. "Reid, you work with Garcia, focus on finding other victims with the same MO to help build the profile." Reid nodded and went to find his colleagues.

When you entered the police station, it was almost like he could feel your presence. He came to find you straight away, not wanting to leave alone even for a second. "Hey." "Hey." Reid immediately pulled you in for a meaningful embrace, burying his face in your hair. The smell of your shampoo, conditionner and body wash were bliss to his nostrils. They were a promise that you were here, you were safe, you were okay. Morgan watched from afar, a small smile playing at his lips. He knew Reid, and the hug you exchanged was both too hasty and too tight to be anything casual. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry to have to make you come in, but they're going to do- well I wanted to do it but they wouldn't let me, so it's-"

A slightly older, very muscular and gentle man stepped forward, holding out his hand to you. You shook it. "I'm Agent Derek Morgan. I'm one of Spencer's colleagues. I'll be the one conducting the interview, seeing as there's a conflict of interest with you and Spencer. I hope you can understand that." You introduced yourself and looked at Spencer before answering Derek. "Yes, I understand, it's- it's not a problem." "Great, if you could just follow me, please?" You licked your lips and sent Spencer a look, which he answers with a nod of reassurance and a small smile, before following Derek.

"You can close your eyes if it makes you more comfortable." You were sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair. The light above you was ticking at uneven intervals and the room smelt of worry. You didn't know how you could get any more comfortable, but listening to Morgan's even, alto voice helped a bit. "Okay." You closed your eyes. "You told Agent Rossi that you crossed the victim somewhere around quarter to eleven. Is that correct?" "Uh, yes." "Where did you cross her?" "In the main hall." "Where were you going?" "Um, I had just been to the bathroom and I was heading to my Anglo-American Literary Survey class." "Okay, can you describe to me everything about the moment when you crossed the victim? What you saw, what you felt, smelled, heard? Was anything out of the ordinary?" You opened your eyes.

"Um, I'm sorry, but could you stop referring to Mary as the victim, please? She has a name, which is Mary Goldman, and a victim wasn't the only thing she was." Derek was slightly surprised at your comment but understood where you came from. Separating from the name was a way for profilers to gain some distance from the horrendous violence. Personally knowing the victim, you didn't have such luxury. "Of course, I apologise. What did you feel when you crossed Mary? Was anything out of place?"

You nodded in thanks and tried to bring yourself back to that moment. It seemed unreal, how such a small interaction suddenly held such importance. "O-Okay, uh, my hands are still a bit wet. There weren't any towels in the bathroom. I saw her after she saw me and we exchanged a smile. I thought she looked really pretty today, but I didn't tell her. We really don't know each other that well." "Okay, that's good. Was she wearing anything out of habit for her?" "Uhh, no, she was wearing a pleated skirt and a sweater vest. She often dresses like that, I don't know exactly why I thought she looked pretty. I guess she just looked happy. Nothing was out of the ordinary." "Good. Could you hear or smell anything?" "Yeah, well, there were the voices of other people in the hall. I can hear girls laughing. I smell Mary's perfume when she walks past me. She always wears the same one, it's Chanel, Mademoiselle Coco specifically, she told me once at a party."

"Okay, do you know where she's going?" "I- yeah, she's heading for her Behavioural Neuroscience class." "Is she walking in the right direction?" "Uh... Yes, yes, she is. She's not in too much of a hurry, though, she doesn't like the teacher." "So why is she heading there already, then? The class only starts at 11:30." "She likes to reread the material from the previous week before the class starts." "Why doesn't she like the teacher?" "No one does, all he does is read off his slides and he's a jerk when it comes to grading."

Morgan suppressed a smile at your comment. "Okay, thank you so much, Y/N, this was very helpful." "Was it? I didn't feel like-" "Yes, I promise you've just shared some crucial pieces of information." "O-Okay, if you say so."

All eyes were on Morgan as he entered the briefing room. He put his paper coffee cup down on the table and looked at Hotch. "Nothing was out of the ordinary. Mary was wearing habitual clothes and the same perfume she always wore. She was heading to the same class, as she did weekly, at the same time. My guess is this guy knew her routine and did a blitz attack. Y/N gave me the number of Mary's best friend, and according to her, Mary didn't have any guys in her life except for her dad and brother."

Hotchner nodded. Spencer couldn't help but feeling proud of you for being able to go through with the interview and to provide such useful information, too. He'd have to congratulate you when he got home. "Pretty boy and I found three similar victims in the last three years. They weren't connected to this case because they were in another university, just on the other side of the state line. Last year, three girls, university students, were killed, same MO, all disappeared for about three hours before being found dead in front of the university, they attended," Garcia spoke from the speaker. Spencer nodded in agreement to her words. "What did the police find back then?" asked Emily. "Nothing, they- uh, did all they could during the month that the three murders happened but after the third victim, the unsub stopped," Spencer answered. "Stopped?" Emily repeated, brows drawn together in confusion. "Yeah, he just- stopped killing and disappeared. Our best guess is that something triggered him then and that the same thing triggered him now."

"Oh, another thing," Garcia sounded reluctant to share the information she had, "I looked at all the victims' pictures and... well, I'll just send them to you, that'll be easier."

Spencer's blood ran ice cold as he stared at the four girls on the screen. They all looked exactly like you.

Taglist : (all those of you who wanted a part two <3) @princess-ofthe-pages @usuck @theylovemelody @empressgraytea @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @lillianacristina

[bitterkarella]

Poe: tonight, Lord Dunsany is going to tell a story Lovecraft: Lord Dunsany!? Lovecraft: Lord Dunsany is here?!? Lovecraft: no no i'm not ready, i can't meet lord dunsany! Poe: you'll be fine, howard Lovecraft: do i look ok? how's my hair? Poe: it's fine, howard Lord Dunsany: submitted for the approval of Lovecraft: Lord Dunsany! I'm your biggest fan! Dunsany: thank you. submitted for Lovecraft: did you get those letters i sent? King: oh yeah howard's really big on sending letters King: he just loves it Lovecraft: gosh Lord Dunsany it's so great to finally meet you! Lovecraft: i think we'll get along great! we could be friends, maybe? Lovecraft: best friends even? August Derleth: b-but howard...! Derleth: i thought WE were best friends! Lovecraft: Lovecaft: oh this is awkward

Lord Dunsany: submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this the tale of the hashish man Fitz James O'Brien: [appearing suddenly] somebody call me?

Dunsany: so i was at this party and this guy is all "hey i saw that article you wrote about the ancient and mysterious city of bethmoora" Dunsany: "you know, i myself have visited bethmoora many a time" Dunsany: "in my mind, after smoking weed"

Dunsany: now let me tell you Dunsany: when you're at a party and some guy just starts telling you about how he saw some crazy shit right after smoking weed Dunsany: you sit up and take notice

Dunsany: this guy astral projects to the court of the evil emperor Thuba Mleen Dunsany: who sics his torture goons on him Dunsany: and that is why you should never take more than you can handle and always know your dealer

Aleister Crowley: wait, this story doesn't conflate traveling in time and traveling in space! Crowley: have you ever even DONE hashish?? Dunsany: you got me, i only drink tea Crowley: Crowley: haha i love this guy! Crowley: THE GREAT BEAST! Crowley: DO WHAT THOU WILT!

Dunsany: ok sure i haven't done hashish but boy you don't know me on tea Dunsany: i can get pretty crazy if you know i mean Dunsany: i get pretty hyper on tea Crowley: oh yeah? Dunsany: oh yeah i've been known to get a little bit Dunsany: random

Dunsany: [drinks tea] hi every1 im new!!!!!!! holds up spork my name is lord dunsany but u can call me t3h PeNgU1N oF d00m!!!!!!!! lol…as u can see im very random!!!!^_^ L0ve and waffles!!!!! Crowley: haha no more tea for this guy!

[leoremin]

WOW HAS IT BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS!!! TAKE MY MALEVOLENT MEMES BC IM STILL OBSESSED!!!!

(based off that one CaseOh meme with him holding up the fanmail mug. Also, hope you like the new John design, I think this is one I'm gonna stick with bc I really like it :D)

I have no comment for this one except for that this stupid fucking meme has to be my favourite out of the batch.

I ALSO FOUND A NEW ARTHUR DESIGN!!! I looked up Clark Gable and based him off of that. Also yes, he's a blond, but I have a really cool reason for that, I'll post the comic later

Eh, not the biggest fan of this one, but it's alright I guess

ALSO!!! Have some W359 and TMA memes thrown in there too I guess.

(Sometimes I think I'm a comedic genius...I'm not...)

TMA if it were American.

Anyways, sorry for the disappearance. Not a great time but THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!!! WE'RE GOING ON GUYS!!! WE'RE DOING IT!!! LIVING ANOTHER DAY!!! WE'VE GOT THIS!!!! WE'VE ALL GOT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Literally all the original pictures are on Pinterest, except the Texas one bc I made that up...I'm truly sorry.

Anyway, I hope everyone's Christmas/Holidays are going well. Hope you've had lots of hot chocolate or tea. Anyways, now I've gotta type the tags for this so...wish me luck I guess.

Have a lovely day/night!!!

[libraryofloveletters]

Portugal Pretenders

Virgil Van Dijk x Fem!Reader

Warnings: fake dating, the boys love to tease virg, past players make an appearance, takes place at robbo's wedding (I just made up random dates, forgive me if it's not accurate lmao), begging for a favour, wedding softness, some teasing, alcohol and the consumption of, a few awkward moments, julia and thiago are their biggest fans, some nsfw humour, virg doesn't know how to use an iron, some childishness at the end, all around sweetness.

Word Count: 7.9k

Author's Note: okay, I've come back to bring you all a new virg fic, since you've been living in my inbox, asking for it. hopefully you like it as much as I do.

---

"And this one's for you," Andy says, passing the light green envelope over to Virgil, catching his friend on his way out. "You've got a plus one, make sure you bring that girlfriend of yours you're always talking about."

Virgil nods, a smile on his face as he takes the invite from Andy. The panic fills his head, slowly moving down to his chest as he walks out of the training centre.

Andy's wedding was coming up in a few weeks. The boys have known about it for months, and as much as Andy insisted to Rachel that they don't need actual invites, she still sent them with her husband to be.

The defender finds himself driving home, thinking about how on earth he was going to find someone to join him at this wedding.

See, the thing was, the boys thought he was seeing something. That wasn't a total lie, as he was seeing someone but it ended as quickly as it started. He wasn't sure how to tell his friends that it was over and it spiralled, coming up with random details to tell them every time they asked about this non-existent girlfriend.

He didn't think Andy would go as far as giving him a plus one.

Virgil pulls into the driveway, opening the envelope as he reads the invite.

Celebrating the marriage of Andy Robertson and Rachel Roberts.

Rehearsal Dinner: July 2nd, 2022 at 7pm

Wedding Ceremony: July 3rd, 2022 at 3pm - Evening Reception to follow.

Join us in Faro, Portugal!

The rest of the details were on the back of the card, the invite was white with green accents to match the envelope. Must be their theme, he thinks, making a mental note to see if he has anything green to match.

He gets out of the car, putting the envelope in his pocket when he sees his neighbour, y/n, pulling into her driveway. He waves to her, the woman smiles at him as she pops her trunk open, a million bags waiting to be taken into the house.

"Need some help?" He offers, crossing the lawn to her driveway.

You smile, nodding. "Sure. Thank you, Virgil."

Virgil starts taking the bags out of the trunk, carrying them over to the front door as you unlock it. "I'm surprised you're home so early." He says.

"Keeping tabs on me?"

"No," he shakes his head, cheeks red. "I meant.. I usually see you come in late."

"Closed the clinic early today, we've got a staff party tomorrow, hence.." You gestured to the bags. Virgil nods, helping her carry them into her kitchen.

The two of you were on friendly terms, Virgil often helped you out around the house if you were busy. Despite being a footballer, he tended to take care of the yard work and you stopped by to make sure were in order at his place if he was away for a match or pre season training.

"How about a cup of tea?" You offered and he smiled, "you sure? I don't want to be a bother."

"Not a bother at all, make yourself at home. It's the least I could do to thank you for your help."

"It wasn't much help, I only carried the bags to the kitchen." He chuckles, sitting on a stool by the counter.

You shrugged, "still. It would have taken me like, 12 trips to get all of them, you used your big footballer muscles and did it in one."

Virgil smiles, watching as you filled the kettle with water and took two mugs out of the cupboard across from him; one with little flowers along the rim of it and the other a red mug Liverpool logo on the front.

"Surprised you have that," he says, you drop the teabags into the mug. "What? This?" You nodded to the red mug. "It'd just be wrong not to support the local team." You two laughed, you referred to Liverpool as if it was a rec league team.

You two are there in silence, you leaned on the counter as you stood across from the footballer. The man looked around while you looked at him, counting to yourself quietly. Once Virgil hears your whispers, he looks over at you with furrowed brows.

"What are you counting?"

"Your wrinkles," you say nonchalantly, pointing to his forehead as you count each one. Virgil rolls his eyes playfully, swatting your hand away. "You okay?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"You sure? I mean, you usually can't see the wrinkles on that big forehead on yours. So unless you've aged drastically since I've last seen you, I'd say you're worried about something."

"Is that your official diagnosis, Dr. L/n?"

"Yup," you nodded, smiling at him as you crossed your arms over your chest. "100%, now tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Well," he sighs as he starts. "I was invited to a wedding today."

"And? Is it for an ex or some cousin you hate?"

"No, nothing like that. It's actually Andy, you know, Robbo?"

You nodded, shutting the stove off when the kettle begans whistling. "He finally put a ring on Rachel? Good for them, tell them congratulations for me."

Virgil smiles, "I will."

"Wait, so if it's for Andy, what's the problem? I thought you two were good friends."

Virgil makes a face, wondering if he should really tell you what's bothering him. "We are, I uh.. I need a date for a wedding."

You laughed, "that's what's worrying you? C'mon Virgil, you're a footballer. You're handsome, you're young..ish- regardless, it shouldn't be too hard for you to get a date."

He rolls his eyes at your comment, "yeah well, easier said than done. Especially since I've - never mind."

"Oh no," you turn to face him after pouring the water into the mugs. "You're not going to leave me hanging like that! What, since you've..?

"Since I've been telling the guys I have a girlfriend. That's why Andy gave me a plus one, I really thought he wouldn't do that."

Your brows furrowed, you were beyond confused now. "Okay, you've officially lost me. You're nervous to ask her to be your date? Or - oh my god! Is she a married woman, Virgil?!"

"No!" He laughed, shaking his head at your outrageous suggestion. "I'd never date a married woman, in fact, I'm not dating anyone."

You were getting the milk from the fridge when what he said finally processed. You turn to face the man, "so wait, let me see if I got this right. You've been telling them you're seeing someone but you're not actually seeing anyone?" You say, looking for some clarification. Virgil nods, avoiding your gaze.

"Why would you lie to them?"

"I really didn't mean too! It wasn't a lie in the beginning. I was seeing this girl, she was cool but we didn't want the same things so it just sort of.. ended? They kept asking and I don't know why I didn't want to tell them the truth but I wasn't sure what to say so I played along and now, well, you know where I've ended up."

You sigh, unsure what to tell him. You didn't even think there was advice to help someone who's gotten themselves into such a position.

"That's a messed up thing you're in, dude." You added the milk to his mug, handing him the one with the flowers. Virgil nods, stirring the spoon in the mug.

"Do you have sugar?"

"Mhm hm," you turned, reaching up into the cupboard to get the sugar from the middle shelf.

Virgil watched, admiring you; not only on a surface level but deeper than that. He likes spending time with you, even if it was something as simple as a chat across the lawn. You were beautiful and kind, funny and smart, your humour was witty and you were charming. You could talk yourself out of a crime if need be - you were exactly who he was looking for.

Seems his lies have sent him in your direction; imagine if he hadn't helped you take your bags in today.

You turned to him with the sugar, you could feel him staring at you but he was sitting there, elbow on the counter with his chin resting in the palm of his hand as he smiled at you.

"What?"

"Will you be my date to the wedding?" He asks and you laugh, taking the top off the sugar jar.

"You're not serious."

"I am, what are you doing in 3 weeks?"

"Probably work, but I can't be your date, virgil."

He pouts, much like a child when they're told no. "Why not?"

"How would that work?"

"It's fine, I'll handle everything y/n. You just need to pack your bags and get the time off work. Hotels, flights, everything we need there, I'll take care of."

"Wait, the wedding isn't here?"

"Portugal," he says, doesn't miss the slight raise of your eyebrows.

"I've always said I'd go back to Portugal, even if it's just for a short time."

"See," Virgil says, "it's like my lying led us here, this can be a good thing for both of us. I'll have a girlfriend for the weekend and you get to visit Portugal again."

You can't help but laugh at his justification. "Please," he says, "I'm begging you now. I'll own you big time." His hands clasped together under his chin as he looked at you with big, brown, puppy eyes.

"Like season passes to your box at Anfield big time?" You asked, a raised eyebrow. Virgil laughs, nodding. "Exactly like that."

"You've got a deal then." You tell him, he smiles. "Perfect, I can't thank you enough."

"Mhm hm, now drink your tea before it gets cold."

--

The week of the wedding arrives faster than expected, you had been in prep mode all week; getting your hair and nails done, trying to pack whatever you think you'd need for a wedding.

A celebrity's wedding isn't different from a normal one, is it? Is that what a footballer is? A celebrity ? Can you call it a celebrity wedding- Your thought was interrupted by a knock on the door.

It's Virgil, a big smile on his face despite it being 8am. "Why are you so happy?" You asked upon opening the door.

"Oh, good morning to you too, sunshine. Are you ready to go?" He makes a face, chuckling. He starts carrying your luggage out of the house as you make one last walk through, assuming you had everything and things were in place for the few days you'd be away.

"Yup, all set." You notice he was putting your suitcase into his car. "You're driving?"

"Yeah, I figured it'd be faster than an Uber."

"We've got," you glanced at your phone, "4 hours before our flight."

"I know, it's fine." He waves you off, shutting the trunk before opening the passenger side door for you. You lock up and walk over the lawn to his driveway, getting into the car.

It was a short drive to the airport, the music played quietly and Virgil hummed as he drove. He glances over to see you typing away on your phone. "Who are you texting so early?"

"Playing the possessive boyfriend already, Virgil?" A raised eyebrow as you looked at the man. His cheeks flush red and he shakes his head. "I'm kidding," you rested a hand on his knee. He looks down and you move your hand. "I was just replying to some work stuff, I've never left them for so long."

"It's only 3 days, they'll be fine. Plus, don't they know you're on vacation?"

"Not really," you set the phone on your lap, "I told them I had some family stuff, couldn't exactly explain that Virgil Van Dijk was asking me- no, begging me, to be his fake wedding date."

"Technically," he points a finger at you, "it's a real wedding date, you're just my fake girlfriend."

"Technicalities, Virgil."

He laughs, pulling into the parking lot. The two of you head into the airport and after checking in, the woman sends the two of you down a hallway that seemed like a dead end.

You didn't travel often but you knew this seemed.. sketchy to say the least.

"Where are we going?" You asked Virgil, the man opens the door for you and leads you right onto the tarmac. There's a plane a few feet away and you turn to look at him, dot connecting in your head. "Private?" You asked him another question.

He nods, "figured I'd spoil my girlfriend," he jokes, smiling at you as you two walked over to the plane.

You sat across from Virgil, checking your phone for the millionth time since you've left home. "You know, they won't be able to reach you when we're in the air, I'm sure they'll be fine."

"I know," you switched it off and set it down before the plane took off.

The two of you were eating breakfast, a rather large spread for being in the air and considering the flight was barely 3 hours.

"So," you set the fork down on the plate, "get me the details, who's gonna be at the wedding?"

Virgil takes a sip of his coffee, "well, Andy and Rachel obviously."

"Obviously," you chuckled.

"Thiago, Jordan, Millie, Adam and their wives, Ox and his girlfriend, us and then Trent."

"What, Trent doesn't get a plus one?"

He shrugs, "I don't know, I don't think he's seeing anyone right now. Plus he's in the states, he said he's coming but we have to see."

You nod, the two of you chat a bit more. Virgil updates you on a few matches, how they think they're going to do, what it's like being captain. You tell him how the clinic is doing, how you're liking it so far compared to when you used to work at the hospital. Just small details that might come up in a conversation with his teammates.

Once you landed, Virgil collected your luggage and you were off to the hotel. It was a short walk to the venue from the hotel, the two of you put your stuff away and decided to go for a walk, grabbing a coffee before heading back to the hotel.

The rehearsal dinner was in a few hours, giving you two more than enough time to get ready. "We need to get our story straight," he says to you when you come in from the balcony.

"What story ?"

"Our outfits," he says with total seriousness, "what are you wearing tonight?"

You shook your head with a small smile on your face, taking the two dresses out of the wardrobe to show him; a light blue dress with a halter top, the small white flowers going from the waist to the bottom hem and the other was a burnt orange that was backless.

"I figured the blue was a bit more family friendly, classy enough without being too dressy," you hold it up to yourself to show him. He nods, "yeah, good. It's pretty."

You hung it back in the wardrobe before turning to him. "What are you going to wear?"

"We need to match." He was already searching through his suitcase for the shirt to match your dress. "Do we really need to?" You sat on the edge of the bed, looking at him.

He nods, pulling out the baby blue shirt. "This is close enough, no?"

"Yeah, but why does it look like you've had it rolled up in the bottom of a box for like.. 4 years?" Your brows furrowed as you looked at the state of it. Virgil shakes the shirt, trying to rid it of the permanent wrinkles. "Do you not have an iron, Virgil?"

"I do, but uh, I forgot to iron it."

You shook your head, getting up to search for the iron you knew you saw. You find it in the drawer in the wardrobe, handing it to him. Virgil spreads the shirt on the bed, plugging the iron in before fiddling with the settings. He looks between the iron, the shirt and you, a bit clueless before attempting to iron the shirt.

He works on the sleeve, making it worse than it was before, you watch as he helplessly works at the shirt. You figured maybe you were making him nervous in some weird way so you excused yourself to the bathroom to unpack your makeup and hair stuff.

When you came back, 7 minutes later, he was still working on the same sleeve. Your lips pressed together, arms folded over your chest as you watched.

"What?" He asked, glancing at you.

"You're terrible at that. Do you not know how to iron?"

He sighs, "it's been years since I've had to do it, I usually just get my stuff dry cleaned."

You smiled as you walked over, taking the iron from him and putting him out of his misery. "If I leave you to iron this, you might take the whole 3 hours to finish it. Why don't you go shower or whatever you need to do, I'll do it for you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go. Before you ruin the shirt," you shook your head, switching the setting from wool to cotton. You wondered how he ended up on wool to begin with. "Thank you," he smiles, walking into the bathroom.

While he showers, you finish up on his shirt and hang it on a hanger in the wardrobe. You also looked for his pants, ironing the 3 pairs of dress pants he had brought as you didn't know which one he'd be wearing.

Virgil returns to the room post shower, white towel wrapped around him that sat right below his hips, and you had just shut the wardrobe after hanging up his pants. You turn to find him behind you, your eyes fixed on the man; the water dripping down his chest, down to his stomach and it stops at the towel wrapped around his waist.

"You're staring, y/n." He says, you can hear the smirk on his face before your eyes meet his face.

It's not like you've never seen him shirtless before, he used the pool in his yard quite often, not to mention the glimpse of him you catch in the media or what the Liverpool account posts.

Clearing your throat, you blink a few times before speaking. "I uh, I ironed your pants as well, I wasn't sure which ones you were gonna wear so I ironed all of them."

He smiles, "thanks."

You nod, excusing yourself to the bathroom to shower. You shut the door, back pressed to it for a moment before going about your routine. You weren't sure how long you were in there but you had showered, done your hair and you were mid way through your makeup when there was a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Virgil calls from the other side of the door. "I need to fix my hair." He says and you open the door for him, concealer all over your face, hair pinned up with the robe wrapped around you.

He smiles when he sees you; you look so.. well, beautiful but there was something else, a domesticity of sorts. The two of you getting ready in the same bathroom, there's some intimate in the way you were seeing each other right now. Moving in silence as you both did your own thing beside one another.

You break the silence, "how did we meet?"

"We're neighbours..?" His eyes meet yours in the mirror, confusion all over his face.

"I mean if they ask, your teammates. What did you tell them?"

"Oh," he says, wrapping the hair tie around his hair. "I told them we met through mutual friends, my friend, Kevin. His wife knows you and we were all at the same party and we hit it off from there."

You hum, finishing up on your makeup. You were searching for your lipstick, "and how long have we been together?" You find the one you were looking for.

"Almost a year. If my math is right, it should be like.. 10 months?"

The lipstick in your hand, you look at Virgil with a shocked look on your face. "You've been lying to them for almost a year? How the hell did you manage that?"

His lips pressed together then he shrugs, which makes you laugh. "Okay," you nod, "almost a year it is." You turn back to the mirror, applying your lipstick.

Virgil watches as you do it, your hands steady while you go over your lips, pressing them together to make the colour even. "What do we think?" You asked, turning to him when you notice he's watching.

"Beautiful," he smiles, "truly."

"So cheesy," you chuckled, walking out of the bathroom to change into your dress.

The two of you head down to the venue a few minutes later, all dressed and ready to meet his teammates at the rehearsal dinner.

Before you walked in, Virgil grabbed your hand which caught you off guard. Your fingers interlocked with his and it took you a moment to realize why he did that; the two of you were a couple, of course.

It was already full in there, most of their family had already arrived and a few friends were scattered through the venue. You see a few of his teammates but Virgil leads you to the front, tapping Andy on the shoulder.

"Virg!" Andy smiles, pulling Virgil into a hug. "You made it," he steps back and sees you next to the man, his grin only widening. "You must be the famous girlfriend we hear about all the time."

"That would be me," you smiled, "I'm y/n, it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, this is Rachel, bride to be." He introduces you to his fiancee. You smiled at her, the two of you exchanging niceties.

"It's nice of you to make it, Andy was saying how he was certain Virgil wouldn't be bringing you." Rachel says, her arm interlocked with Andy's.

"Well to be fair, Virg seemed a bit nervous to ask me to come but I wouldn't miss it for the world. I don't think I've said it but congratulations."

Virgil's heart skips a beat, it wasn't out of ordinary that someone called him Virg, but you've never had. You always called him Virgil, so to hear the nickname come out of your mouth, make him rather.. soft.

"It's my fault," Andy starts, "we did tell Virg to bring you around before but he always said you were busy with work. So I think it's fair of me to think you were fake."

You laughed, "I can assure you I'm alive and real, feel free to pinch me to confirm." Andy laughed at your comment, smiling at his teammate in approval of you. Virgil returns the smile.

"Anyways, make yourselves comfortable, we're going to start the rehearsal soon." Rachel tells the two of you, leading Andy off to greet someone else.

Virgil's hand rests on your lower back, the two of you sitting towards the middle of the chairs, watching as they went through the rehearsal. It was mostly family, his teammates were only there so they could all mingle and catch up as they had been on break for a few weeks at this point.

At some point after they were done the run through, Virgil suggested drinks and you followed him to the bar, his hand once again on your lower back.

"Virg!" You hear someone call for him, the two of you turning at the same time to see who was coming his way. Both Jordan and Millie were making their way over to the two of you.

"Hey," Virgil smiles at his teammates. "Guys, this is y/n, my girlfriend. This is Jordan and James."

You smiled at the men, "it's nice to meet you both."

"We thought you weren't coming," Millie says and Jordan follows up with a, "it's nice to meet you, we thought you weren't real."

"That seems to be the general consensus tonight," you laughed.

Ox makes his way over to the bar, seeing his teammate with a woman he's never seen before. "You must be Virgil's girlfriend, I'm Ox." He introduces himself.

"I'm y/n, nice to meet you."

"I can't believe you're actually here."

You turn to Virgil, making a face at him. "Why do all your teammates think I'm not real?"

"He wouldn't show us pictures," Millie says, shrugging. "I guess that's true," you nudged Virgil, "between Virg's practices and games, and then with my work, we barely get time to see each other and when we do, we're not on our phones."

Jordan makes a face, looking between you and Virgil and you instantly know what he's thinking. "No!" You laughed, shaking your head. "That's so not what I meant."

"What is it that you do, y/n?" Ox pipes up.

"I'm a doctor, an OB actually."

"Oh wow," Ox smiles at his teammate. "She's good, you've got good taste, big man. I see why she hasn't been around."

You smile, your phone buzzing in your hand. You excuse yourself, walking away to take the phone call. You can hear the boys talking behind you, you glance over your shoulder and smile at Virgil, the man's heart skipping a beat. Despite you not being his actual girlfriend, it did feel good to get the approval from his teammates.

Virgil hadn't even realized how long he had been chatting with his teammates, he went in search of you and found you just outside, chatting with Julia, the two of you talking about their kids.

"There you are," Virgil says, walking down the steps towards you. You smile at him, "I see you've met Julia." He gives the woman a quick hug before standing beside you.

"Yeah," you smiled at her, "I'm mad at you, you know."

"What for?" His brows furrowed, looking at you. He's wondering what he could have possibly done.

"You've been hiding me from her, Julia and I are best friends now."

The blonde smiles at you, "yes we are. We've already made plans to get lunch when we get back to Liverpool. I can't believe you've never brought her around before, Virgil." She tells him, her voice similar to the one she uses when she scolded her children, and or Thiago, when they misbehave.

"Oh well, I'm sure y/n's told you about her hectic schedule. Blame her, not me. I do hope you two have fun at this lunch." He laughs, his arm over your shoulder.

The rest of the night was quiet, everyone caught up with each other with their summer plans and you met the rest of the players and their partners over the course of the night. Eventually you two decide to call it a night, heading back to the hotel.

You were by the door, taking your heels off when you saw Virgil stop in the middle of the room, in front of the bed.

"What's wrong?" You asked him, walking over. You seem to realize what he's thinking; there's only one bed.

Not like they've taken a bed out of the room while you were gone but you two had been too tired and too busy getting ready for the dinner that neither of you seemed to register that there was in fact, only one bed in the room.

It didn't occur to Virgil when booking the room that you'd need a separate bed, you weren't really a couple after all.

"I'll take the couch," you tell him, not wanting him to feel bad for his slight mess up.

He shook his head, turning to you. "No, it's fine. I'll take the couch, you take the bed."

You glance at the couch next to the window, it was spacious - that's if you were under 5 foot. There's no way he'd sleep comfortably if he did manage to fit on it.

"You know what, we're both adults. We'll sleep together." You tell him, his eyes widening at your words. "Not what I meant," you smack his arm. "We can both fit on the bed comfortably, no need for either of us to suffer on the couch."

"You're sure?" He asks and you nod, "of course, but hands to yourself mister." You pointed a finger to him, making him laugh.

Virgil raises his hands, "I swear I'll be on my best behaviour," he says, watching you walk into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

--

The sun peeks through the curtains, waking you from your sleep. You shut your eyes, trying to get a few more minutes but you can hear the shower running and then shuts off followed by the bathroom door opening. The smell of Virgil's body wash fills the room and you sit up, rubbing your eyes.

"Mornin' sunshine," he smiles at you, sitting on the edge of the bed. You yawn, stretching as you try to wake yourself up. "What time is it?"

"10:27," he looks at the clock, "how about some breakfast?"

"Yes please," you get out of bed, fixing the comforter as you walk to the bathroom. "Lots of coffee please," you smiled at him, shutting the door.

Virgil orders room service while you shower, you return to the room just as it arrives. The two of you sit on the couch, eating breakfast in comfortable silence. Virgil grabs his phone, "Andy sent over some pictures from last night," he shows you a few photos that the groom to be had sent.

"Those are cute, send them to me."

Your phone buzzes on the bed and you look over at the clock, "shit, I've got to do my hair." You set the cup down on the table and walk towards the bathroom. "Do you need the bathroom?"

"No, I'm good." he tells you, "do your thing."

You walk in and walk back out, leaning on the door frame. "What are you wearing today?"

He smiles, "don't worry, I ironed it and put it in the closet."

"Properly?" You asked, walking over to confirm.

"Yes," he shook his head, watching as you took the shirt out to confirm that he did in fact iron it properly. "Wow, good job. Big upgrade from yesterday."

"Watched a YouTube video," he says, making you laugh.

You leave Virgil in the room, off to shower and then to start on your makeup and hair as you weren't 100% sure what look you wanted to do. Virgil left you alone, letting you get ready in peace. He could hear the music playing, your humming accompanying the melody.

He thought to himself that it was something he could get used to, that his house would feel so quiet and empty without you humming.

The line between real and fake seemed to be getting blurred more and more as the time went by.

"Virg?" You called for the man, he got up from his spot on the couch. He had been ready for some time, you still had an hour before you needed to leave. "Yeah?"

"Can you zip me up?"

You stepped out of the bathroom, hair pulled over your shoulder with your dress on. He smiles, nodding as he walks over to you; the sage green dress hugged your body in the right places, it was as if the dress was made for you and only you.

Virgil's hand rests on your waist, the other holds the zipper and gives it a soft tug, pulling it up to the top. The hand holding the zipper now turns into fingers trailing down the curve of your spine, coming to rest on the other side of your hip. "There you go."

Turning around to face him, Virgil's hands remained on your hips. "Thank you," you look up. He nods, "you look.. wow."

You can't help but laugh, straightening his shirt. "You look pretty wow yourself."

Virgil lets go of you when you take a step back, walking to the vanity to put your jewelry on. It takes the two of you half an hour to gather the last minute things you needed, assuring you were ready before heading out for the ceremony.

It's a short walk to the venue, everyone was being ushered into the church to take their seats while the bridal party was lining up to walk in when you two arrived.

The weather was beautiful, the sun was out and the church was full with their families and friends; they couldn't ask for a better start to their wedding day.

The ceremony was short and sweet, Andy and Rachel exchanging vows and promises, everyone was beyond happy for them.

Most of the guests were now outside, the doors to the church open as everyone was heading out.

You stood next to Virgil by the stairs, letting him block the sun from your face as you checked your phone. You hear the footsteps before you hear the voice. "You're actually here, you're real?" The Scouse accent thick, Trent.

"I am real," you looked up, smiling at the man who looks like he's seen better days. "You must be Trent."

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you. Excuse me." He says, covering a yawn with his hand.

Before you two could speak, Andy was calling the two players over for a group photo. You stop Virgil, standing on your tiptoes to reach his collar, his hand on your hip you keep you steady as you fix it before sending him on his way; a small act of intimacy that you'd only find between a couple.

You had been checking your emails, something you knew Virgil would complain about if he caught you doing it yet again. You were so caught up that you hadn't noticed him calling your name. When you do, you look up, making a hand motion as to ask him what he wants. He waved you over, pointing to the spot in front of him. Your brows furrowed, still unsure what he wanted as the dots didn't seem to connect. Virgil realized as much, pointing towards the photographer and then back to the spot in front of him.

Only then did it click what he meant.

You head over, joining the other girlfriends and wives in the photo. Andy and Rachel were front and centre, the rest of you around them.

"Alright everyone, squeeze in a bit more please!" The photographer shouts, showing you all with his hands to move closer to each other.

Virgil moves you from beside him to in front of him, his arm over your shoulder and your hand instinctively reaches up, fingers interlocking with his.

The photographer gives everyone a moment to situate themselves, "perfect, alright everyone look here! Smile!"

A few moments later, you were all allowed to move. Andy and Rachel were off to take some more photos, there was only about 30 minutes before the reception which wasn't too far from the church.

Everyone makes their way over, waiting for the official entrance from Andy and Rachel as Mr and Mrs Robertson for the first time.

You were sat next to Virgil, Jordan and his wife, Rebecca, to the right of Virgil and Thiago and Julia to your left.

Andy and Rachel were having their first dance, the whole venue was quiet as you all watched the two of them, wrapped up in love and giggling as they whispered to each other mid dance.

You wiped the outer corner of your eye, blinking a few times in an attempt to save your makeup. Virgil turns slightly when he hears a small sniffle. He sees your watery eyes, smiling to himself and leans in to whisper to you; "are you crying?"

"Shut up," you whispered back, turning him back around with a small nudge. "Weddings make me emotional."

The evening was quiet, dinner consisted of everyone chatting, Andy and Rachel made the rounds to say hello to everyone who they didn't get a chance to talk to at the church. Eventually they reopened the bar and the dance floor, everyone started making their way around, mingling, drinking and dancing.

You were replying to a message when Virgil came over, two shot glasses in hand. He passes one to you, "to Andy and Rachel," he says, tapping his glass to you. The two of you down the shots, tequila, based on the after taste.

"Okay, let's go dance!"

"I don't dance, Virg."

"It's a wedding, you have to dance!" He takes your phone from you, putting it into his pocket and grabbing your hand. "Virg," you groaned, the man ignores your pleas and takes you to the dance floor, spinning you around.

Before you know it, the two of you are giggling and dancing, his arms over your shoulders as he hugs you from behind, swaying to the music.

"I'm gonna get a drink," you tell him and the man lets you go while nodding before shimmying his way over to Trent, who looks like he was about to fall asleep in his chair. You laughed, leaving Virgil to bother Trent as you walked to the bar.

You had barely made it to the bar when someone shouted for you. "Y/n!" You see Thiago off to the side, "can you take a picture for us?"

"Sure," you take the phone from him, he and Julia standing together, arms wrapped around each other as they smiled, then Thiago kissed her.

Sometimes you wonder what it'd be like if you had a stable and loving relationship like theirs.

"I thought you got lost!" Virgil says, walking towards you. You shook your head, handing the phone back over to Thiago. The Spaniard then turns, passing the phone to Virgil. "Okay now you come in, let him take the picture."

"Are you sure?" You asked, Thiago was already pulling you into the photo.

He nods, you and Julia on either side of him, the 3 of you smiling as Virgil takes the photo, the camera flashing. Thiago steps out, letting you and Julia have some together, his wife telling him something about they have enough pictures of them together. You laughed, the two of you smiling for the camera.

"Do you want one together?" Thiago looks at Virgil, who then looks at you and you shrug, waving him over. Virgil hands his phone to Thiago while Julia replaces him by her husband's side.

Virgil's arm over your shoulder, your arm around his waist, the two of you smiling while Virgil pulls you into his side. "Alright Virg, give your lady a kiss." Thiago says, smiling.

Your 'boyfriend's' cheeks are red, a flush he can blame on the Portuguese heat or the liquor but you know the real reason. "Come on man, what are you waiting for?!" Thiago says, laughing at Virgil's shyness.

"Leave them alone," Julia tells her husband, rolling her eyes at his childishness.

"It's fine," you whisper to Virgil, turning to him a bit. He looks at you, whispering back, "you sure?" You stood close, the air between you two charged with a mixture of tension and anticipation.

"Mhm hm," your hand rests on his chest while he leans down, you tip toe a bit, meeting him half way when he kisses you.

But as your hand found its way to Virgil's cheek and your lips met against each other's, something shifted. What was meant to be a quick moment blossomed into something real, something raw. When you finally pulled away, breathless and flushed, a shared realization dawned upon them.

The kiss may have been staged, but the feelings it stirred within were undeniably genuine.

As you glanced at each other, a silent understanding passed between you and Virgil. This fake relationship may have begun as a charade, but perhaps, just perhaps, it held the promise of something more.

Thiago grinned, "perfect. The picture of love," he says, handing the phone back to Virgil. You smiled, your own cheeks now flushed and red. You reached over, your thumb brushed over his lips to wipe away the lipstick left behind. Virgil's arm wraps around your shoulder, the two of you chatting as you join Thiago and Julia for a round of shots.

The night wrapped up just after midnight, everyone waiting at the front to wish Andy and Rachel well, seeing them off as they left before everyone else headed to wherever home was after that.

Virgil's jacket over your shoulders while you walked back to the hotel. Despite the humidity earlier in the day, there was now a slight chill in the air.

"Did you have a good time?" He asks, opening the door for you. "I did," you walk in, waiting for the elevator to your room. "Thank you for bringing me."

"Thank you for coming, you really saved my ass."

It hits you in the moment that this was in fact, fake. You were doing him a favour, you weren't a couple, you never will be. Just a good friend helping him out in a tough situation.

When you returned to the room, Virgil announced that he's gonna go take a shower while you got ready for bed. The two of you moved in silence, you sat at the vanity taking your makeup off while the sound of the water running filled the room. You had to remind yourself that this wasn't real yet again.

All the feelings felt over the weekend were just for show. Certainly Virgil didn't feel the same way you did.

The steam filled the bathroom, Virgil lets the water run as he stands there. The kiss was real, the moments you shared were real, his feelings for you were real.

How the hell was he used to bring it up without it being awkward?

The shower shut off just as you were about to get into bed. Your phone bus is on the nightstand, and you reach over to grab it. There's a notification from Instagram.

juliavigas tagged you in a post. - 2mins ago.

You opened it, checking to see what she posted. There's a few photos from the wedding. Some of her and Thiago, the venue, one of you and her, as well as the one with you, her and Thiago. She also included the one in front of the church, Virgil's arm wrapped around you as you all smiled.

Virgil finds his way to the bed, sitting next to you. "What's so interesting?"

"Julia posted some pictures," you show your phone, letting him scroll through the pictures. "I guess everyone will think we're together now." He looks at the one in front of the church before handing the phone back to you.

"Wasn't that the whole point?" You ask, setting your phone on the nightstand.

"I guess so," he shrugs, the two of you sitting there in silence, the tv playing quietly in the background. There's a million thoughts going through his head at this very moment.

As he looked over at you, in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, Virgil couldn't help but admire your beauty, the way your eyes sparkled with a warmth that mirrored a flickering flame. It was in shared moments like these that he felt a pull, a force pulling him closer, urging him to take that leap of faith. But as the silence went on, Virgil felt the weight of his hesitation, suffocating him with its embrace.

How could he confess his feelings when the fear of rejection spun around in his mind, an unwelcome shadow over his every thought?

He glances at you once more, your eyes meeting in a brief exchange, Virgil felt a sense of longing wash over him, a wave of emotion threatening to consume him whole.

Still, the words remained unspoken, trapped behind the barricade of his uncertainty.

He had to take the leap of faith, he wouldn't know if he didn't try.

"What are we?" He blurts out, breaking the silence.

You turn, looking at him with a confused expression. "What are.. what do you mean?"

"Well.. we.. we kissed, so like, are we.. what are we?"

"We're not in high school, Virg. A kiss is a kiss, no?"

His smile fades, your heart breaking the moment you see that. He nods, turning his attention back to the tv. "Yeah, no. Of course."

"I'm kidding," your hand rests over his on the bed, "if you're asking me if I like.. if I like you, then I'll only answer if you put it into a note, like high school." You raised your eyebrows, making him chuckle.

"Yeah, okay." He nods. The topic was dropped, the tension lifting slightly.

--

The next morning, you and Virgil leave bright and early, heading to the airport for your flight back to England. The plane had barely taken off and you were still not fully awake, nursing your coffee as Virgil's fingers drummed on his knee.

"Dude," you groaned, "I have a headache, it sounds like you're playing a gong right now."

He stops tapping on his leg, brows furrowed and lips twisted in a weird expression. "Can you play a gong? Is that what it is?"

"I don't know, you know what I mean." You tell him, leaning your head back, eyes shut. You barely got all but 3 minutes of silence before Virgil speaks up again. "Do you have a pen?"

You open your eyes, reaching over to dig through your purse next to you before fishing out a pen and handing it to him. You watch him as he uncaps it, scribbling something down on the napkin in front of him, sliding it over the table to you with the pen.

'Do you like me? Check yes or no.' The two little boxes labeled yes and no under his question.

You smile, shaking your head at his childishness and the fact that he took what you said seriously. You picked up the pen, checking a box and sliding it over to him.

The yes was checked, Virgil glances at you with a cheeky smile before picking up the pen, flipping over the napkin and writing something else before sliding it back to you.

'Will you be my girlfriend?' the same yes and no boxes drawn under the question.

Your answer was yes but you wouldn't give into him so quickly. You picked up the pen, chin in the palm of your head thinking as if it was the hardest question of your life. You can see Virgil shifting nervously in his seat, and it's as if you can hear him overthinking his decision to ask you.

To put him out of his misery, you check a box and slide it back over to him.

There's a sigh of relief when he sees you've checked yes. You toss the pen at him playfully, shaking your head. "You're so cheesy."

"You said to ask it in a note!" He says, folding the napkin and putting it into his pocket.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" You laughed, the man shook his head and unbuckled, leaving over the table. His hands cupping your face, smiling at you before he kisses you.

Your hand interlocked with his, stretched over the table when he sat back down. "How about when we get back, I take you on an actual date?"

Your thumb brushes over his hand. "Not sick of me yet?"

"Could never get sick of you, y/n."

--

taglist: @thesnailus @alwaysclassyeagle @lettersfromvenus @mehrmonga @callsignvenus @kmc1989 @valentinehrts @pulpfixion @ironmaiden1313 @candacels @muglermami @leclerces @yuoluver @themandaloriansdiaries

[victorbutnotreally]

OMG I'M FINALLY FINDING A BLOG WHICH IS MY CUP OF TEA. YOU'RE AWESOMEEEEE

i have an idea but i can't write for shit, so i'll give it to my favorite tumblr writer (which is youuu)

smau where han messages the wrong number and it's some guy from like another country. and they become friends and then han comes to find out that his text pal is actually a celeb he fanboys over.

(bonus points if mn knows han as well)

OMG

A/N: Love that!! Thank you sm for requesting <3 (I can't title things for the life of me, so you can ask for a different title in the replies and I'll change it) French music makes writing so much more fun. warnings: slight swearing blue {} - han purple {} - Mn

{Oh. How nice of this person to wish me a good practice session.

"Is he getting here anytime soon?" Minho's voice echoed through the practice room.

"I'll ask!"

When he opened his phone again to change the number, he saw a familiar figure in the random person's profile picture. Mn Ln. Finally, someone who he can rant about the Mn Ln. }

{ Great. Got my hopes up for nothing }

{ Naturally, Mn wouldn't want his personal number leaked. So he lied. He was surprised at how smooth that was, but hey, it's text. He wanted to know more, though. Is that narcissistic?

He set his coffee mug down on his nightstand and looked a lot more like a contortionist as he continued to text, the risk of spilling coffee being gone now. }

{ Being called the best vocalist ever was certainly not something he expected. He was great, sure, but the best? Not when Freddie Mercury has music out there. But he'll take that compliment.

He was impressed at the fan. 'Achilles, my love" was one of his more niche songs, having been written when he was only 15 when he got completely shattered after reading 'The Song of Achilles' and decided to pour his heart and soul into a song which he released years later.}

{They don't know Mn yet, but who wouldn't like him after listening to Achilles my love? The way Jisung made the members listen to Mn's music was like a little kid making their parents watch Frozen. But the members never complained, the music was really good. Would they roll their eyes when Jisung keeps sending Mn memes into the groupchat? Sure. Did they have certain parts of certain songs memorized because Jisung kept watching his edits on repeat? Oh yes. }

{Mn didn't want his identity leaked. He had to think of a name quick. Chris, as in Bang Chan from Stray Kids was what came to mind. }

At the Paris Fashion Week

{Jisung found a spot away from the cameras and was texting 'Chris'. After a few months of them being 'text pals', he was pretty fond of the random citizen. But despite the sheer amount of songs, pictures, and videos he's sent of Mn, 'Chris' was never as obsessed with him as Jisung was.}

{Holding a glass of champagne in his hand and dearly missing his coffee, Mn who was decked head to toe in Hermes, makes his way over to the figure he recognized as Han Jisung of Stray Kids. How he loved that band. He was listening to Han's song 'Volcano' on the way there. As he goes to talk to him, his eyes caught onto the rapper's phone screen. And by instinct, he accidentally read a few texts. Texts that were from him. He wanted to tell Jisung, but how?}

"Hi! Huge fan, Jisung.." Jisung's eyes widened as he shoved his phone into his pocket and extended his hand for a handshake. It was his first time seeing his favorite singer in real life.

"Oh my god...you..sorry, I'm just flustered all of a sudden. I'm your biggest fan, really."

"I appreciate it. We should collab someday." "Yes!!" Was that too loud? No, right?

Mn was endeared by the enthusiasm. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and unlocked it.

"Care for a selfie?"

"I'd love to.." Jisung tried keeping his voice from sounding too loud and excited as he smiled beautifully in the selfie he took with the singer. He took one on his phone as well, along with a photo of just Mn, not being able to resist the opportunity.

A/N: I'm ending so abruptly since I have really bad writer's block rn and I didn't even know how I posted this much. If you have any ideas on how Jisung finds out he's been texting Mn all this time, then let me know in the replies or send a DM.

[my-moony-and-padfoot]

For loving me

Starchaser

Word count: 1 100

TW: nothing really, just some lovely comfort. (More specifically, comfort with being trans and having a period/dealing with dysphoria)

He walked down to the dungeons after dinner, he hadn't seen Regulus all day, and he was starting to get worried. He got into the Slytherin common room, making his way to Regulus' dorm, knocking on the door, hoping he was in there. It took a moment before Regulus opened the door, he looked miserable as he leaned towards James, wanting to be close, not caring if someone saw despite not being the biggest fan of showing public affection.

“Hi baby,” James whispered into his hair, rubbing his back gently as he hid his face into his chest, wrapping his arms around his torso. “Not feeling well? Mm, it's okay, c'mon let's go in.” He said, leading him back into the room, closing the door behind them. Regulus lifted his head, looking at James, who smiled softly wiping away tears from his cheeks. “What's wrong? Why you crying, love?”

“I'm just uncomfortable,” He said, looking down and wiggling his way out of James’ arms, crossing his own over his chest. “It's um- y'know…” he glanced back at James, face blushing and tears starting to burn in his eyes. “My stomach hurts, really bad.”

“Oh, baby.” He sighed, immediately understanding what was happening and what was wrong. “What can I do to make you feel better? Anything you'd like? Comfy clothes, tea, chocolate, anything?”

“You don't have to,” he said, shaking his head. “M’fine really, don't -”

“I wanna be here for you, love. And if there's anything I can do to make you feel better, or cared for, I want to.” Regulus nodded. “Anything I can do?”

“Tea would be nice.” He whispered quietly. “Maybe your hoodie. But you really don't have to, Jamie. It's okay.”

“Shush now, I wanna help.” James smiled, leaning to kiss his forehead. “I'll be right back, yeah? Go snuggle up in bed, yeah? Get all comfy.” he said and Regulus nodded, sneaking in a quick kiss before James could leave his room. He went up to his dorm, grabbing one of Regulus' favourite hoodies of his, then going to the kitchens and making a cup of tea for him.

Then he made his way back to the Slytherin common room and into Regulus' dorm, knocking on the door to alert him of his presence when he opened the door. “Hi, love.” He smiled, locking the door before walking into the dorm and going to sit down on the edge of the bed where Regulus had curled up on his side. “Here's your order of tea and a comfy hoodie, also, I got some chocolate from moony.”

Regulus smiled. “Did you ask permission?”

“I mean, he wasn't there. But it's not like he's gonna notice.”

“You're so stupid,” He said, shaking his head as he sat up against the headboard. “But thank you.” He whispered, accepting the steaming mug and taking a careful sip.

“Need anything else?”

“Um- poppy gave me this heating thing, it's supposed to help with the pain, could you grab it, please?” He asked, setting the cup down onto the bedside table, and taking the hoodie from James. “It's in the bathroom, under the sink, I think?”

“Of course,” he said, getting up and going to the bathroom, and finding the heating pad Regulus had asked for, he could feel the matron's magic on it, it felt warm on the surface, not too hot, but just perfect for comfort. When he got back, Regulus' had changed into the hoodie and was looking at him.

James sat down next to him on the bed, getting under the covers with him, wrapping his arm around him and placing the heating pad on his stomach, placing his hand over it. “Is that good?” Regulus nodded, smiling slightly as he went to grab his teacup, then leaning against James' shoulder, wanting to be close. “Do you want chocolate?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, watching as James pulled a small chocolate bar from his pocket, opening it and giving it to Regulus. “Thank you, for everything.”

“Don't gotta thank me, it's okay.” He said, kissing his head and rubbing his stomach gently. Regulus drank his tea and ate a few bits of the chocolate, giving a few to James as well. When he finished his tea, he set the cup down onto the bedside table, then curled up to James, and himself. “You feeling at all better?”

He nodded slowly, hiding his face into the hoodie, it smelled like James' cologne and vanilla, it was such a comforting smell. He took James hand into his, holding tightly. “I hate it…” He whispered after a moment. “Hate my body. It's so stupid, and I hate it.”

“Mm, I know, baby.” James whispered into his hair, hoping he could somehow make it all better, take it away from him so he wouldn't have to deal with these things. “I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, so sorry lovely.” He kissed his head. “But I want you to know, having this doesn't take anything away from who you are, yeah? I know it might not feel like right now, but you're still my Reggie. Such a handsome boy.”

Regulus blushed, hiding his face. “I love you so much.” He whispered, voice near tears again as James held him closer, rubbing his side gently, trying to make him feel better. “Thank you for loving me.”

“Oh, baby. Breaking my heart here.” James said, reaching to wipe away the tears from his cheek, kissing his forehead as Regulus' tilted his head slightly. “Of course I love you, love you so, so much. Nothing could ever change that. C'mon don't cry, it's okay, darling. I'm here. Always here for you.”

“I love you.”

“And, I love you.” He smiled, giving him a chaste kiss when Regulus turned to look at him. “You're so precious,” James whispered. “Most precious being.”

Regulus blushed again, leaning back against James, head resting on his chest. “Can you stay the night?” He asked quietly after a moment, hoping he could, he didn't want to be alone. “You don't have to if you've got something.”

“I’d love to stay, don't worry so much.” he said, rubbing his side as he got more comfortable against the pillows, holding the boy close. He started to play with his hair, twirling strands around his fingers, combing his fingers through them or just smoothing his hand over them. After a while, James reached for a book from Regulus' bedside table. “Wanna read?”

“Would you…?”

“Don't be silly, of course I would, love.” He smiled, kissing his head, opening it from where Regulus had left a bookmark on. It was a collection of short stories that Regulus absolutely adored, and had read multiple times by now already. He started to read, making sure Regulus could see the pages as it had the occasional illustrations of houses, landscapes and different flowers.

A/N

Hiii,

It's been so long, I'm so sorry about that, life is a bitch, and so is school (IB is a bitch). Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this little thing that I wrote literally in one day.

On my period right now and struggling a lot with dysphoria from being enby and having to deal with this shit so it equaled to this comfy fic I can read when I feel bad, so maybe someone else can find comfort here too.

Also, periods are so fucking dumb, I was playing D&D today and literally cried mid session because an undead blink dog died. Full on cried, anyhow, hopefully you liked this <3

Hopefully I'll get something written sooner than months, and maybe even something longer if I go completely crazy. Remember to take care of yourself, drink some water and have a good rest of your day/night/evening/morning whatever time it is

<333

[wonwooslibrary]

svt as boyfriends ♡ chan edition

member: lee chan (dino) x gn! reader

genre: fluff, established relationship, bullet points

word count: 714

summary: channie's boyfriend things <333

warnings: mentions of menstrual cycles & insulting in a loving way

author's note: hello! normally this is where i would be oops i'm getting back into writing but i'll be completely honest this time and say that i am completely falling out of love with it and i genuinely haven't opened a wip in so damn long. if i wasn't so far into this series, I definitely would not have finished it....i want to write more but it just might take me a while to find my love for it once again...thanks for still reading though <3 sorry this is so late, and I hope you enjoy reading!!!

Socially stupid bf <3 

If anyone sees you, they will always know that Chan is close behind 

Is so madly in love with you and doesn’t know how to live without you

Quality Time 

Loves taking you anywhere he goes, including dance practices or shopping 

Dinner dates are his thing - he’ll pull off the roses and candles and everything 

Constant texts when you can’t be together because of work or visiting family 

Such as hey i managed to find that sock that went missing in the laundry last week !! or how long do i put 12 pizza rolls in the microwave for 

Loves just being with you when you take part in your hobbies, even if he doesn’t particularly enjoy them himself 

Gets worried that you’ll get angry with him because he’s always with you and knows that you need your alone time once in a while 

Words of Affirmation

Compliments you through jokes or insults type of boyfriend 

You’re all like “I love you,” and he’s like, “You wouldn’t if I was a worm though :(“ and then you roll your eyes because come on, how could someone not love Lee Chan

Always apologizes for things he doesn’t need to apologize for because he doesn’t want to upset you :((( 

I don’t think Chan would be a big fan of pet names, to be honest, but if he was, I think they would just be versions of your name :3 

Melts into a puddle when you compliment him because !!! you are complimenting him !!!! 

Basically he can dish out all the compliments, but the minute you try saying them back, he turns into a literal tomato because he’s embarrassed but also so madly in love 

Physical Touch

I think he is secretly one of the biggest cuddle bugs in svt and nobody can change my mind

When he laughs, he always manages to fall into you some way, whether that be resting his head on your shoulder or crumpling into you

Loves holding hands (especially in public) but not in a possessive way, more of a I constantly want to be around you kind of way 

And of course you love it because it’s Lee Chan and you love everything about him 

On the other hand, there are definitely days that he doesn’t feel confident in himself or that he deserves the love you give him :((( 

You know on those days that you need to show your affection and make the first moves yourself,,,he likes loving you, but sometimes he just needs to be shown that he can be loved too

Acts of Service 

I’m not going to lie, I struggled a bit with this category, because I feel it’s easier for Chan to say things rather than show it

He’s just not sure whether him making tea for you says “i love you” or “sup bro” and wants to make sure he gets the right message across 

Because of this, your relationship took a while to form because both of you cannot take a hint and were so convinced you didn’t like each other 

Absolutely loves helping you with literally everything: doing chores, studying, getting ready in the morning, as long as you are there with him, he doesn’t care and will do anything 

He doesn’t realize that what he does shows how much he loves you, he just thinks its normal to help you, and vice versa 

Sometimes you protest against his help but he’s just a BOY WHO IS IN LOVE let him do what he wants :( 

Gift Giving 

A huuuge fan of gift giving 

Will buy anything that you could ever want or need

Stuffed animals and snacks galore !!!! 

If you have menstrual cycles, he would totally be the type of boyfriend to go to the store and buy whatever products you need and surprise you with a bunch of snacks and treats throughout the week 

You of course also spoil him to the best of your ability and he loves it, but also always feels bad when you spend money on him in any way

Loves matching and customizable gifts !!! He likes to give you things that can make you laugh and remember a specific moment with him because he thinks it’s cute (and you think it’s sappy and adorable)

[noosayog]

[Not just Nostalgia] ft. Miya Atsumu

wc: 2.3K

contents/warnings: exes to lovers

noos's notes: I love exes to lovers but I feel like I really didn't do it justice here :( i'm not the biggest fan of this but I spent so long writing this, I wanted to share. I hope at least y'all enjoy it :)

Often, when you return to your hometown in Hyogo, you can’t help but be swept up in nostalgia. It happens when you walk by the convenience store and remember eating popsicles with your classmates. It happens when you pass by the rolling green hills and remember riding your bike along the cherry blossom lined path. It happens when you pass by your high school and remember all the memories you made there. Somehow though, there aren’t any memories that outshadow the moments you shared with your then-boyfriend. You remember helping him bleach his brassy blond hair, sitting in the stands long after school to wait for his practice to end, and tutoring him despite your being one year younger than him. 

But nostalgia is just that and you know better than to let yourself be swept away by sentimentality. You know better than to let yourself forget the reason why you had to leave. Being back here for the summer is a risk, but surely you can’t spend the rest of your life avoiding your home, whether that be a home of rose-tinted memories or bitter heartbreak. 

– 

Your hometown is a small one and running into Atsumu is hardly an improbable outcome. It happens a bit sooner than you’re expecting, but it’s been over a year now and you have to muster up some courage. The only thing more pathetic than still moping about the break up is being the ex-girlfriend who can’t move on from the man who broke up with her. 

When you see each other, Atsumu doesn’t hesitate. There’s no prolonged staring match and no awkward silence. In fact, Atsumu seems to have completely forgotten what happened the last time you saw each other because he greets you with an unreserved hug and an excited “It’s so good to see you again!” 

You can’t deny the fact that it hurts that this is so easy for him, but you’d rather it be like this than the estranged limbo of being exes. Being with him, even in this capacity brings you back to high school and you’re swept along in his pace all over again. 

You never stopped, really. 

He asks about your family and reminisces about how much your mom used to love him. In the same breath, he invites himself over because he wants to see how she’s doing. In spite of his easy demeanor, you notice the slight flicker in his gaze, endearingly worried that he might be overstepping his bounds. Your longing for him returns in full force when he looks at you with those straightforward eyes, mixed with sweet caution. Like he still cares that he might be making you uncomfortable. 

So what’s a girl to do but let the object of her affection bulldoze through her plans to remember why she keeps the door to her heart tightly shut? 

–

“Hi, ma’am,” he grins at your mother when he walks through the doors. 

Your mom looks up from where she’s chopping garlic and welcomes Atsumu with a curt hello. Considering she’s ignored every friend who has ever visited, she’s making it pretty clear who her favorite ex of yours is. Turning back to her garlic, she commands you, “go take your boyfriend to the living room.” 

She still doesn’t like him enough to remember his name and you find comfort in that at least. 

“He’s not my boyfriend anymore, mom.” You remind her often when she asks about your blond, tall boyfriend. 

“Oh. He’s not?” she shrugs. “Well, go get him some tea.” 

“Yes, mom.”

Atsumu smirks when you meet him in the living room with tea. “She thinks we’re still dating?” 

You roll your eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head. She just doesn’t care enough to remember our history.” 

He wiggles his brows, “our history?” 

Insufferable. 

He keeps this up all night. Your mother, impossible to charm, continues to throw blunt remarks at him over dinner, but he lets them glide over his head. He even makes your mom laugh. 

It’s because he’s like this that you can’t let him go completely. He makes it too easy to imagine what could have been. 

–

For Atsumu, seeing you again was an out of body experience. He barely remembers the moment he said goodbye to you at his graduation ceremony with the flimsy excuse of wanting to focus on going pro. But he does vividly remember the day he came home a year later, only to find that you had left town the day you graduated. And despite his love for the sport, not even he could spend every waking hour playing. The hours that weren’t preoccupied by practice were spent thinking of you. Turns out, he proved himself wrong. Apparently, he really could balance going pro and being with you, because even though he didn’t have you anymore, you still owned the other half. 

Shameless as he is, he could not bring himself to pester your friends or your mom to find out where you had gone. It was the least he could do for you. For you. At least that’s what he tells himself.

Then he runs into you at the supermarket. He sees you first, lugging a basket around and looking perfectly fine while he’s in complete shambles. He follows you around for a good 5 minutes, never mind how creepy that is, practicing conversations in his head. It pays off when he weasels his way into your house, then all the more when he feels a flare of pride in knowing that he’s the one your mother remembers.

The remaining semblance of his composure comes crashing down when Kageyama, whom Atsumu has always found pleasure in competing against, shows up without warning. 

It’s a pleasant surprise, really, when he happens to see Kageyama in front of a vending machine with his signature scowl. Atsumu calls out in his jolly, pleasant facade, but Kageyama skips over Atsumu in favor of greeting you.

You smile. “What are you doing here, Tobio? You should’ve told me!” 

“You know each other?” 

You both turn your attention to Atsumu. 

“Yeah,” Kageyama nods. 

“We live in the same building in Tokyo,” you supply. 

“Oh.” 

Atsumu has read enough shoujo manga to imagine the worst. 

It’s no longer imagination when he hears you tell Tobio to swing by to see your mom. He watches Kageyama nod and then make this exit without fuss. The whole interaction leaves Atsumu confused and uneasy. 

–

You think the universe must be playing jokes on you when you come home and find Atsumu at your front door. You’re not sure if this is some sort of torture or Atsumu really just wants to be friends again. You sigh and let him in, walking past your mom in the kitchen again. 

“Oh?” your mom begins. “Here again?” 

He grins, all charm. “Couldn’t stay away for long, ma’am. Your cooking is too good.” 

She harrumphs. “I know you’re here for my child.” 

Atsumu laughs, but she’s already back to cleaning the vegetables in the sink. 

Atsumu’s halfway to the living room and you’re preparing the tea when she abruptly stops chopping and whips her head up towards you. “What about the other boy?” 

Atsumu freezes.

“What other boy, mom?” 

“The black hair one. Doesn’t talk, only nods.”

You ignore her and she just goes back to chopping vegetables. It was just a passing thought for her, but you can only hope Atsumu didn’t hear. 

–

“Doesn’t talk, only nods.” Atsumu hears your mom say. 

He freezes in the hallway, hoping to hear any elaboration you or your mother has. You say nothing though, and meet his eyes as you round the corner. He hopes you’ll explain but you don’t say anything and brush past him to the living room. He feels a hot flash of anger; doesn’t he at least deserve an explanation? 

But it cools quickly when he reminds himself that he does not. He does not deserve an explanation or anything from you for that matter. He’s just an ex-boyfriend. 

Atsumu used to tell himself that if you ever found someone else, they wouldn’t compare to him. What could that anyone have that he doesn’t? He’s tall, an olympian athlete, close with your mother, the list goes on.

He never thought it would be this easy for you to find someone who meets all of those requirements just as easily. Except, Kageyama had a leg up in that he didn’t break up with you because he wants to focus on his career.

Irrational, boiling hot, searingly stinging jealousy floods his gut. God, Atsumu has never been more aware of his decision to break up with you, that he somehow conjured up the thought that he couldn’t handle going pro after high school and maintaining his relationship with you. He has had moments like this, regretting his decisions and missing you to like crazy. Seeing you back here in Hyogo, he had tricked himself into thinking everything would be the same after all the time that has passed. Yet, in your time apart, maybe you have moved on and someone else has presented themself as the better option.

That was time he had practically gifted to someone else. 

He wishes so badly he could yell out that he isn’t satisfied with the way things are. 

I don’t want to be just an ex. I’m not just an ex. I can’t just be an ex.

It’s sometime after dinner, your mom urging you to at least walk “boyfriend one” to the door, when Atsumu finally asks.

“Am I just an ex to you?” 

You open your mouth to answer but Atsumu barrels on. Not because he has more to say, but because he can’t stand to hear your answer.

“Actually, no. Don't answer that. I can't just be an ex to you. I can't just be your ex.” 

You’re silent. 

“What-” do I have to do to make you choose me again. 

“How-” can I make you fall in love with me again? You were in love with me once. Why can’t you do it again? 

“Why-” him? 

Miserable, he blinks up at the sky, eyes heavy. 

“You were in love with me once, why can't you do it again?” he whispers.

Either you don’t hear any of his questions, or you choose to ignore them, but you do say, “Tobio and I went on one date in Tokyo.” 

Atsumu keeps his eyes averted. It’s the explanation he asked for but not the one he wanted. 

“And that was it. We’re just friends now. He ended up needing to visit Hyogo once and he came over for dinner as a friend. That’s when he met my mom.” 

“Then why does she remember him?” still trying to keep up some semblance of nonchalance, when he feels anything but. 

“She just likes tall men. You know that, Atsumu.” 

He doesn’t like the implication that he’s only a favorite because he’s tall. In that case, any one of his teammates except for Shoyo has him beat there. 

“What about you,” he whispers, fists clenched. 

“What?” 

Atsumu takes a deep breath. He needs to make a decision here. Is he going to lay it all out for you here or is it finally time to let you go for good? Would you even give him a chance after all this time? 

The decision is easy, selfish even, to make. 

“What about you,” he says, voice shaking, eyes watering, but he doesn’t hide it from you anymore. 

“Atsumu… what about me?” you ask, not understanding. 

“What about how you feel about me? Right now?”

Atsumu watches your expression shutter, exactly like how it did when he broke up with you. 

“Because,” he rushes out. “Because I’ve never stopped loving you. I made such a big mistake when I made the selfish, one-sided decision to leave you with that stupid excuse. If anything, with the amount of time I spent missing you, that proves that I can do both. 

“And I know it’s incredibly selfish of me to do this now. To want you to come back after all I did and how long I waited to tell you all this, but if there’s even a chance…” 

He’s practically giving a soliloquy now, so he doesn’t notice that you’ve stepped into his space until you’re grasping him by the forearms. 

He cuts himself off with a deep inhale when he feels your warm touch. You bore into his eyes, staying silent. He calls your name in reverent whisper. 

“Atsumu, do you know how much you hurt me?” 

He nods. 

“Do you really regret it that much?” 

He nods. 

“Then why didn’t you come to see me?” 

“I-” he has a number of excuses. He could say that he didn’t know where you went. That he wanted to give you your space. But he was just scared this whole time. Scared of what he’d find when he found you and it was only luck that he ran into you at the grocery store. He tells you the truth. 

You ponder this for a bit, eyes wide but unreadable. 

“Do you know why you’re my mom’s favorite?” you ask after a while.

“Because I’m tall?” 

You laugh, your hands that were still holding onto his arms sliding down to slip into his palms. Atsumu’s mind isn’t keeping up here, because surely this doesn’t mean that you- 

“Tobio’s tall too,” you respond. The suspense is killing him. 

“You’re her favorite because she’s my mom and she knows me. Atsumu, if I didn’t still love you, you would’ve never stepped foot in my house again.” 

His wheels are still spinning when he feels your thumbs brushing the tears in his eyes away. You smile, and it’s the same smile he remembers. You know you’re both thinking the same thing when your eyes finally meet. It’s definitely not just nostalgia, the way fireworks explode when your lips meet after all this time.

[shugar0cone]

I saw that you said it was somewhat hard for you to write for Rosie romantically, so could you do a platonic Rosie x reader where Rosie & the reader are having a picnic?? It would be fun to gossip with Rosie tbh

rosie darling

Living in a cannibal town was probably the best decision of your life! Clean and friendly definitely an upgrade from the rest of the pentagram, AND on top of that you were best friends with the overlord that owned the place, roise. A delightful…young…old? Lady. She was definitely a gossiper.

I sat sipping the rose tea rosie made for us for the picnic. Her presence was always welcomed and when I offered her a day off of the emporium she of course said yes. “Thanks for not bringing uhh.” I thought for a second, the only down part of living in a cannibal town was cannibalism, i did not eat people nor kill. I'm just pappi in the wind. (That's the white stuff on a dandelion you blow, JUst learned this.) I made bad decisions in life like blackmailing and definitely some suggestive intake of medication. I listened to all gossip in the pentagram from velvets biggest insecurity to the radio demon and vox having a past together, it is quite interesting, “Our food taste?'' Rosie said her smile never disappeared. “Yes, I love the angel food cake you made.” I say. “No problem my dear, so tell me any news on stuff?” she smiled while taking a sip of her tea. Man she was pretty, I loved the way she always dressed so elegantly. She wore no hat today but she did wear a new dress, a simple sun one. “Well.” I thought. “Alastors back and with the princess.” She was shocked. “I thought he was an ace?” I paused. “No, NO like as in working with her.” I say putting my hands up. “I know darling just messing with ya.” she winked at me, i loved rosies playful nature. Reminded me of when I was alive. “Yep and they're running a hotel together to redeem sinners.” I laughed at this idea. It's the end of the line, hell is gonna be forever. “My dear, I wonder what Alastor is doing there because we both know he aint looking to redeem.” She laughed. “Yep, interesting.” I took a bite of the angel food cake she made. “Hey have you seen susan today she hasn't been well… herself by now she would have gotten in our way insulting you.” I covered my mouth while still chewing. I laughed. “Yeah she fucking hates me huh?” Just then I got the idea. “Do you think she's been eaten!” I got excited. Just then I found her and became mad that she was alive. “I AIN'T GOING NOWHERE YOU DAMN BITCH.” She flipped us [mainly me.]

First rosie fan fiction omg i adore her she is so lovely, like ahhh, and cannibal town is so pretty definitely a change in scenery. (Also the kids are so cute!)

Xoxo

-shugar

[newkatzkafe2023]

What If demon Male ( Y/N ) have a personality like fluttershy ( from My little pony ).

Fluttershy love animals but scare of people plus super shy to the other people.

But when they angry is quite surprising cuz it's really rare to happen.

"So how well The Monkey king react"

I love my little pony my childhood!!!🤩🥰🤯

(Lmk Wukong) You were so adorable. He remembered clear as day the first time you guys met. You were red as a cherry Holding A baby bunny in your arms. He quickly realized you were in a threat at all. In fact, he was like What he was seeing and wanted to know what what else you got." Every day he comes to make his move with you. And every day you would squeak and look like a cherry. You were also the kindest person Heck, the kindest demon ever met. You are always worried about him and his injuries taking care of him and making sure He eats and drinks a lot of water and tea. You were also very soft-spoken and always talked to him in a low tone. But you also know when to be firm with him. When he gets to reckless, and that's when he'll listen to you sometimes. But 1 day MK and the rest got into a fight with some D. M star attacking the city again, but well, one of them almost stepped on Moe. The cat iswhen you got involved

and you came and swinging everybody's without there with jaws drop. Well , except for wukong , who had hearts in his eyes and dopey expression on his face He received severe brainstorming a way to repay you for protecting him, his successor and his friends, Although the way he's planning to do it won't be innocent at all. When you finally calmed down and the demons were defeated. You apologize to everyone about your outbursts, but MK and Mei We're astonished and fan girling all over the damn place with how awesome you were and how impressive your strength was. Later that day, I will come whispered something to you and flew off. So flower fruit mountain, what he said, i'm leaving that up to you

(NR Wukong) Oh my gosh, your cuteness is what constantly turns him on. He remembered the first time I met you. You were so gentle with him, and kindness seems to be your biggest quality. And he would find you around taking care of the city's stray animals, whether it'd be wrapping up their wounds or feeding them or sometimes just sitting on the curb and petting them. You are a very gentle soul, but you had the appearance of a gorilla who can snap anyone like a twig. Man, he had to get you before somebody else. Does so he officially asked you out, and that's when your relationship began. And 1 day, a bunch of thug demons were harassing some downtown people. But what pissed you off was the fact that they almost stepped on a rat. While a reckless sweet bothering the children too, that's when you snapped and lost all your reason

Wow, everybody knows you really don't f*** around, do you? Especially with people's lives. And you may have forever captured the heart of a certain monkey King, who is having not so pure thoughts about you and whatever you're doing right now. He wonders if he can get you with that upset with him. You will destroy him like that in bed. When you finally calm down and make sure all of the kids and pets were all right , you went over to apologize to Wukong about ruining your outing together, but it appears. He was way into it more than you thought. And it's beckoning you to follow him home so you guys can work off that excess adrenaline.

(MKR Wukong) You got to be kidding him. The monk has sent him to find the most dangerous creature in this part of the forest And ask him for his aid in the journey. He Did not expect to find a Hulking figure that speaks Like a baby and freaks out at the smallest sounds. And despite your huge figure, you look like you couldn't even squish a bug without running for someone to go kill it for where are you. The monk is really pissing him off now. I mean he does that a lot but this, this is not fair. But Despite Wukong Not taking you seriously at all You are still kind and respectful to him. Always greeting him with a good morning or a how are you Or have a good day even as you pet whatever random forest animal You find or has come to you. I guess your manners won him over a little bit but he still doesn't think too much of you until one day The Monk got kidnapped by some demons again and Wukong Went Save him with you following him pursued as to offer support for Hurt. And hurt the heat was it was That your boyfriend got hurt but Almost named a poor squirrel that Got caught in the cross fire and that's when you snapped

Everybody watched beat the ass of every demon that disrespected you and your friend. After a while, you walked past the dead bodies of the demons who kidnapped the monk and released him. You then reached your bloody hand towards the baby squirrel. That was caught in the crossfire. It was shaking and fear, but since that, you were no threat. You picked it up and whispered towards it as you were finally coming back to your original self. You turn to apologize to the Wukong to apologize for your outburst, but something was different about him. He was blushing. He was drooling a little bit, and there were deep red hearts in his eyes. As he stared at you with a dark expression. You were worried that you may have scared him. But with the way he was purring now. I think you did the exact opposite as he pulled you by your shirt. Your uncontrolled fury had flipped a switch in his brain. And now he wants in on whatever you got.

(HIB Wukong) I feel he'll like your personality. You are a lot more patient than he is, that's for sure. And his Grouch moments don't seem to put you off. If anything, it motivates you to see what would make him feel better about the situations. So I guess he'll appreciate that. They also appreciate how you show Liuer how to be respectful and gentle to animals? And how you care very much for nature as well , and even provide for injured or Sick animals Until one day some stray demands were Hunting for animals and harassing the villagers When one of them almost hurt Silly Girl and a Butterfly That's when you snapped entirely you quickly grab silly girl and put her next to Liuer Before going absolutely insane on those demons.

Everybody's jaw dropped as they watched. You lay ways to all those demons that attacked the children and the animal. You finally calm down the second demons. Decided to run away from you, and you went back to your shy, soft-spoken self. As you apologize to everyone for your outburst. But everybody seemed to be cheering and impressed by your unusual. There was even a little mini party as a thanks for helping. When everybody went home,that's Wukong.Approach you. And then he was making a bunch of very steamy promises as he pulled you towards Cave.

(Netflix Wukong) OMG You guys have the cutest relationship with anybody what he has ever seen. It is so adorable that people wanna throw up and be envious of what you guys have. You guys took forever to give a hug to the other with out Blushing on both ends. Don't even get me started on the First Kiss. It is so painfully cute. Your kindness was a big advantage on winning him over and a listening ear for him when he's having a bad day, and do you appreciate when you offer cuddles to distress. You were always there to offer him comfortand he appreciates that , but one day, you actually got to see the cause of his discomfort. Some demons Invaders were not taking him seriously at all. In fact, they were bullying him. Engranted, he was fighting more, but You yourself can hear his Stone Heart breaking from a bunch of miles from Here. And that's when you lost it

You had no problem striking the fear of God into those demons. I think some of them might be dead. But everybody saw what you can clearly do when provoked and enraged. The demons quickly retreat at knowing better than to try and stay and fight you. And everybody in the village stood there in shock before breaking out into a cheer's, and that's when you snapped out of it and turned back into your shy. Cherry soft spoken self Quickly apologizing for the outbursts to both the villagers. When you got back from the town square, you were ready to apologize to Wukong about your uncontrollable anger. Until he looked at you strangely. There was a blush on his face and hearts in his eyes ,He had never seen you like that before, How savaged how unhinged how, How sexy. He wants a taste of that rage in your body, and he's gonna get it now.

FEEL FREE TO REBLOG😇 👍

[another-lost-mc]

Omg a fellow F1 enjoyer here!! I absolutely love all your works, but I especially loved that one even more! 🥺 can I request for the dateables and side characters too pleaseee? 🫣

a/n: I'm glad you liked it! the demon bros were more like mc's little crew and it was such a cute idea. I think the others would still support mc in their own way too.

➤ when MC is a professional F1 driver | the dateables + mephisto

1.3k words | sfw | gn!reader | fluff & slice of life shenanigans

cw: developing relationships with the other characters (except for baby brother luke who is strictly platonic and mc's #1 fan).

related versions: the demon brothers

Diavolo

— He's thrilled that you're forging your own path in the Devildom and that the demon brothers are involved.

— He's impressed by your abilities but he still worries about your safety.

— Every morning when Barbatos brings him his morning paper, he scans the front page and sports sections for articles or photos about you or your latest race.

— He saves clippings of all your newspaper/magazine appearances and keeps them in a scrapbook.

— His original intention was to give it to you as a gift when you finished your year in the exchange program. He ends up making copies for everyone who wants one and keeps the original for himself.

— He has his own impressive vehicles. your excitement is palpable when he shows you the collection in his garage. When you go out together, he offers you the keys and hopes that you'll take the wheel. (He can't explain why he likes it so much.)

Barbatos

— He's a skilled driver himself even though he rarely needs to drive. Portals are so much simpler.

— The Devildom racing league tightens up its safety and security measures when you join. Barbatos personally oversees that their lax approach to rules and safety are amended. He argues that there's a fortune to be made for having the novelty of a human world driver on their track. He promises with fake smiles that their license and investments will suddenly be forfeit should anything happen to you due to their negligence.

— Barbatos doesn’t have a lot of free time to watch your races in person, but he follows your Devilgram account and watches the highlight reels that Asmo posts when he is done working for the day.

— He receives your fan club's newsletter. He's also purchased some merchandise as well, including a coffee mug he uses when he drinks tea privately in his chambers

— The Little D’s are some of your biggest fans too. Some of them make zoom-zoom noises as they race each other in the halls of the castle. (Little D Number 2 has tried to "borrow" Barbatos' fan merch, several times, but always gets caught.)

Simeon

— He's not sure why humans are so fascinated in sports or activities that look far too dangerous. He admires your passion and hates it at the same time.

— He’s a little nervous the first time you offer to take him out for a joy ride, but later he admits it was surprisingly enjoyable. (Anything with you is enjoyable, though.)

— He and Luke go to your races and both of them have a small collection of your fan merch.

— He’s very concerned about your safety. He knows humans are less durable than demons are and he watches from the stands with the pent-up energy of a bird about to take flight. If something happens, he's going to be out of his seat and flying to your side to help you.

— He secretly hopes you’ll retire from this career sooner rather than later because he’s terrified you’re going to get hurt (or worse) one day.

Luke

— He’s fascinated by the sport and how talented you are. He thinks it's a little scary how fast the race cars drive and he reminds you before each race that winning isn't important, as long as you're safe and having fun!

— He makes cupcakes and other yummy treats for you to celebrate your big wins. The cake and icing is dyed the same bright colours as your racing car.

— He loves it when you give him a chance to visit you behind the scenes at the track: exploring the pit, letting him sit in your car with your too-big helmet teetering awkwardly on his head.

— The others get a little jealous when you show Luke special attention, like when you wave to him in the crowd before a race or hug him when he runs up to you after.

— Luke likes sitting shotgun when you drive him and the others around town or for little day trips. Mammon even gives you permission to take him for drives in his own car sometimes. (Mammon lets Luke sit in the front seat with you if the three of you go somewhere together.)

— Luke talks about you constantly with his roommates in Purgatory Hall. He also mentions you a lot to Michael and even offered to send him some of your fan merch.

— (Michael grows more curious about you with each story or photo Luke shares with him, but he won't admit it to himself or anyone else.)

Solomon

— Solomon doesn't have an interest in most human sports, but when he meets you, his interest in the racing world is piqued.

— Whenever he wants to go out somewhere, he insists that not only should you go with him, but that you should drive, too.

— (There's something about your cool confidence and quiet joy behind the wheel that makes him feel things.)

— Your fan following in the human world is almost as impressive as your growing popularity in the Devildom. He goes on a little shopping spree, buying up the various official and fan-made merch that was sold during your rise to success.

— He keeps his favourite items for himself but lets the others have their pick. You think it's embarrassing how he even managed to find some of this junk (really, who has a pristine copy of an old racing calendar?). The demons and angels divide it all amongst themselves without too much arguing—at first. (You leave when someone suggests Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle some of the arguments over the most coveted items everyone wants for themselves.)

— Solomon rolls his eyes when Mammon claims loudly that this stuff is gonna sell for a fortune in the Devildom, but he knows the Greed demon has no intention of selling any of it. (Asmo confirms later that Mammon keeps everything he claimed, including the little collectible figures of your old racing car, on a shelf in his bedroom.)

Mephistopheles

— He's completely unimpressed with you when you first arrive, and he really doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. So what if you're human? You're completely ordinary and boring and unremarkable, so why should he care?

— The revelation about your human world profession, and your dramatic debut into the Devildom racing scene, changes his mind. Professionally, anyway.

— It's hard to refuse his next assignment when the prince himself takes such an interest in you. Mephisto is the RAD Newspaper Club representative tasked with covering your career and setting up interviews and photo-ops that the rest of the school are clamoring for.

— Mephisto really underestimates your popularity. He grits his teeth when Asmo cackles on the other end of the D.D.D. and informs him that he'll be added to the list of news outlets that want an interview with you.

— Seriously???

— (He refuses to be affected when you admit bashfully that interviews are something you'll never get used to, and that maybe if he's feeling generous, can he be kinder than some of the human world reporters used to be?)

— He gets special access, along with one of the Newspaper Club photographers, to the front row staging area so they can capture the best shots of you before, during, and after each race. He hates your bright smile when he grudgingly hands you a photo afterwards. Don't get the wrong idea, either: it's for his younger brother. Mephisto couldn't care less.

— (His brother is over the moon when Mephisto gives him the signed photo later. If he's smiling, it's only because his brother is happy!)

[wingedshadowfan]

real talk guys:

and yes, it can absolutely be an amalgamation of multiple factors, but which one do you think is the biggest/most likely one and why?

i wanna hear some opinions abt this bcuz, while i watched s1 only once a veeery long time ago so i admit don't remember everything, my impression of why she did it was definitely the 2nd one, considering the events and the context in which it unfolded - and here i mean the tea party itself leading to silco's death; her hearing his voice as she did it, and also the fact she could've blown up the council sooner if she truly always wanted to - w/ or w/out the hexgem - and likely only didn't bcuz silco was stopping her (he had internal influence alr and planned to broker sovereignty), and his death finally allowed/pushed her to "finish the job" once and for all - it was the height of her apathy

i keep seeing takes abt the first option being the deciding one for her and while i don't necessarily agree, i think it's a really interesting take bcuz it relies on an interpretation of jinx's s2 jail cell conversation w/ caitlyn, and namely

i didn't know your mom was there. it probably wouldn't have made a difference but... i didn't know.

people claim this isn't an apology (and i agree w/ that, it isn't - i'm still trying to wrap my head around what it is, besides simply jinx's acknowledgement of her crime and what it must've done to caitlyn) and that jinx would've blown up the council anyway, because it's piltover's council and not just any building, and cassandra kiramman is a councilor and not just any person (or just caitlyn's mother). and caitlyn understood that and forgave her, because it wasn't personal to jinx (despite every single other thing jinx did to caitlyn since she saw her w/ vi for the first time having been deeply, deeply personal and not to go into a full recap of the events of s1 bcuz a ton of caitlyn fans have alr done that, but just for the record: attempting to kill her and injuring her multiple times and, kidnapping her naked from her bathroom, keeping her hostage w/ implied torture, asking vi to kill her, etc.)

now why do i think the first option isn't the driving factor (other than why i think it's the second one)?

well, despite becoming a symbol for zaunite unity and freedom after jinx blew up the council, she pretty much never internalizes that in s2, doesn't help sevika rally up the zaunites, only comes to free them from stillwater for isha (who by the way is an in-your-face example for how important jinx is to her people and who they see her as, and how she's not that), only joins the war bcuz of ekko, etc like even if we assume she always wanted to blow up the council symbolically that still doesn't explain the fact that she doesn't want to lead a revolution and doesn't have a concept for how the caused violence and destruction would or wouldn't bring positive change to zaun (similarly to a lot of arcane fans), therefore i don't think she does it for zaun, i think she does it for bcuz of silco

and ironically in doing it, she destroys his biggest dream

[offtorivendell]

A new article that came out on E news and states that fans speculate the next book will be about elriel also mentions that "the teacup foreshadowed her fate of being made into high fae" which reminded me of your theory.

Hi anon! Thanks for stopping by.

If you mean this news article, then yes I heard about it recently!

Firstly, it shouldn't need to be stated, but this is all in good fun. If your first reaction to this incredibly innocuous post is to be nasty about it then please take a deep breath and go outside. The fresh air will do you good. I don't know anybody who thinks that anything NOT from SJM or BB is actual confirmation.

Weirdly enough, the tea post got a few random reblogs a few days ago for no apparent reason, so who knows what was going on at the time. I'd pretty much forgotten about it - given everything that's happened in the Maasverse recently it's not been important, for spoilery reasons - but either way, whether the author of the article saw it or not, I do hope that tea will feature in Elain's story, as it would be so appropriate for a Seer to read tea leaves!

Also, while I don't think the ring is cobalt blue - it does seem more purple to me - Elain did glow in a purple gown, so... my clown makeup remains lol. 🤡

“You came,” Elain said behind her, and Nesta started, not having heard her sister approach. She scanned Elain from head to toe, wondering if she’d been taking lessons in stealth either from Azriel or the two half-wraiths she called friends. Gone was the ill-suited black dress from the ball, replaced by a gown of amethyst velvet, her hair half-up and curling down to her waist. She glowed with good health. - ACOSF, chapter 58

As an aside, apparently people are being nasty about the long book = biggest wingspan comment? Idk, I thought that was clearly a joke (and not even one made by an Elriel at that). It even reads as ship neutral to me, no matter how the E News author took and used it. I hope whoever made it knows that it was actually fucking funny, and clearly in good humour. I'm sorry people are being crummy about it.

Anyway, like the rest of the fandom, I'm hoping that we're all put out of our misery early next year with some sort of direct FMC/main couple confirmation.

🕯️🕯️🕯️

[gingerteafairy]

Pets, First Kisses and Small-Town Shenanigans (young!Jensen Ackles x f!reader)

It was summer—the most boring summer ever. Your parents had forced you to stay at your grandparents' house, hoping the fresh air and a break from "technological things" would do you good. Confined in a typical small town that could easily be explored by bike in less than a day, your only sources of excitement were a playground across the street and the local ice cream shop. Your biggest concern? Developing diabetes from overindulging in frozen treats. And of course, being kissed by the small toy boy without his dog jumps between again.

Tags: young jensen ackles x female reader, fluff, dogs, cats, songs, kinda crack fic, cursing, friends to lovers (?), he's just so cute, shyness lol.Words: +3k

next chapter →

"Sweetie, don’t you want to explore the other side of town?" your grandma suggested one morning, pouring herself a cup of tea.

You looked up from your cereal box, raising an eyebrow. "There’s another side?"

She smiled knowingly. "If you go past the forest, you’ll find a beautiful lake—ducks, birds, fish, and the most wonderful flowers. I bet you'd love it."

Her words sparked a glimmer of interest in your otherwise dull routine. "Thanks, Grandma," you said with a grin, taking the last bite of your sandwich. "Finally, something interesting in this town!"

Grabbing your backpack, you stepped outside to find your old bike waiting, ready for adventure. What your grandmother failed to mention, however, was how far this “other side” actually was.

After what felt like centuries of pedaling—two hours, in reality—you finally arrived. The scene before you was utterly magical. Children laughed as they played, couples enjoyed picnic dates, and a group of teenagers strummed guitars, singing in harmony. A quaint bridge beckoned you to leave your bike under a shady tree and cross on foot.

On the other side, you were greeted by a fairytale-like view: lush green grass, vibrant butterflies, and little ducks gliding across a crystal-clear lake. The air was fresh and pure, unlike anything you'd ever experienced. As if on cue, your headphones began to play an instrumental melody, perfectly matching the serene atmosphere.

You were so entranced that you didn’t notice the large golden retriever charging toward you. The next thing you knew, you were on the soft grass, your disconnected headphones beside you, with the dog happily sniffing your skin.

“Oh my God, I’m going to die,” you laughed, the ticklish sensation reducing you to a fit of giggles.

"Shit!" A male voice broke through your laughter. The dog was swiftly lifted off you, and you looked up to see a boy—probably your age—frantically apologizing. "I’m so sorry! He’s—ugh—such a bad dog!"

He extended a hand, helping you to your feet. As you dusted yourself off, you froze. Standing in front of you was, without a doubt, the hottest guy you’d ever seen.

Before you could gather your thoughts, your phone interrupted the silence:

"Something happens and I'm head over heels…

I’ll never find out 'til I’m head over heels…"

The song blasted loudly, your forgotten cell phone making its presence embarrassingly known.

“Oh my God,” you muttered, fumbling to turn off the music. Your hands shook as you hastily placed your headphones around your neck, the lyrics still echoing in your mind. The irony wasn’t lost on you, but that didn’t make it any less mortifying.

The boy raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching with amusement. “Great timing. Big Tears for Fears fan, huh?”

You nodded awkwardly, brushing dirt off your shirt. “Y-yeah, I love this song,” you stammered, willing yourself to sound normal.

“They don’t make songs like that anymore,” he said, his tone light and teasing. “And hey, it’s kind of fitting, don’t you think? Head over heels—literally.”

You groaned, half-laughing despite your embarrassment. “Please don’t remind me.”

“Sorry, couldn’t resist,” he replied, grinning as he crouched down to pet the dog. Max was now sprawled on his back, tongue lolling out in utter joy.

“He’s so cute,” you said, kneeling beside him.

“Don’t let that face fool you,” He said, shooting Max a mock glare. “He’s a menace. Aren’t you, buddy?”

Max let out a cheerful bark, clearly unbothered by the accusation.

“I don’t know,” you said, scratching behind Max’s ears. “I think he’s just misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood?” He laughed. “Trust me, he’s been plotting world domination since the day I got him. Step one: tackle random strangers.”

You giggled, unable to help yourself. “Well, if that’s his plan, he’s off to a great start.”

He sighed dramatically. “Don’t encourage him. He’s already got an ego. Next thing you know, he’ll be demanding gourmet treats and a Netflix subscription.”

Your laughter came out louder this time, and you quickly covered your mouth, embarrassed. “I don’t think dogs watch Netflix.”

“He would,” He said with a smirk.

Finally, you noticed the name on the dog’s collar. “Max,” you read aloud. “You’re a smart little troublemaker, aren’t you?”

“Smart and crazy,” He corrected, running a hand through his hair. “Story of my life. I'm Jensen.”

You introduced yourself, shaking his hand, though the instant you realized your palm was sweaty, you cursed inwardly.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, his tone surprisingly warm.

Despite your embarrassment, you couldn’t stop yourself from laughing. Jensen seemed to have that effect—making even the most awkward situations feel easy.

The rest of the conversation flowed easily, with Jensen explaining that his family owned a pet shop and that Max, though only three months old, was already as big as a grown dog. At one point, noticing the dirt on your clothes, he slipped off his jacket and handed it to you.

“Here,” he said, draping it over your arm. “You can give it back tomorrow—assuming you survive the trip to this side of town again.”

You hesitated, unsure whether to accept. “Are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to—”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted with a grin. “I insist. Besides, it looks better on you. A bit oversized, but we can call it a statement piece.”

You laughed softly, despite the warmth rising in your cheeks. His playful demeanor and gentle concern made your heart race more than once.

“Uhm… I need to go—FUCK!” you cursed as you took a step, your twisted ankle flaring in pain.

Jensen was at your side instantly. “Jesus. Let me help you,” he said, offering his hand.

You hesitated, embarrassed. “I-I’m fine—”

“You just cursed at the sidewalk,” he pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “And trust me, I’ve seen enough limps to know that’s not fine. Come on.”

Reluctantly, you let him loop your arm around his shoulders, his hand steady on your waist. The closeness made you hyper-aware of everything—his cologne, the warmth of his skin, the way his grip was firm but careful.

Jensen helped you into his car, a sleek blue vehicle that smelled faintly of leather and pine. Max jumped into the backseat, wagging his tail as though he hadn’t just tackled you moments ago.

“Can you describe your bike? I'll bring it back to you.” Jensen asked as he secured your seatbelt, his voice soft but focused.

“Red, with Pokémon stickers,” you murmured, wincing as you adjusted your ankle.

He nodded, jogging back toward the tree where you’d left it. You watched through the windshield as he carefully loaded your bike onto the car’s roof, securing it with ropes. There was something oddly captivating about the way he moved, his effortless confidence mingling with a subtle nervousness you found endearing.

The ride home was unexpectedly peaceful, though a quiet tension hung in the air—a tension that felt new, electric. The car’s radio played The Tide Is High by Blondie, and while you had Jensen pegged as more of a rugged, rock-music type, he didn’t change the station. You swayed gently in your seat to the rhythm, trying to focus on the music rather than the way the sunlight framed his jawline.

“You’re really into this, huh?” he asked suddenly, his lips curving into a smirk as he glanced at you from the corner of his eye.

“What?” You blinked, caught off guard.

“The music. You’re moving like you’re at a concert,” he teased, tapping the steering wheel in time with the beat. “Big girly pop fan?”

“Well, it’s better than sitting still,” you shot back, crossing your arms playfully. “What about you? I’m guessing your playlist is full of moody guitar solos and angry lyrics.”

“Ouch,” he said, feigning offense. “I have layers, you know. Complex, mysterious layers.”

“Sure, Jensen. Layers like an onion,” you quipped, earning a chuckle from him that made your stomach flutter.

A comfortable silence settled for a moment, though your eyes couldn’t help but drift toward him. The sharp angles of his profile, the way his hands gripped the wheel—it was annoyingly distracting.

When his gaze flicked to you at a red light, you quickly turned to stare out the window, your cheeks flaming.

“Caught you,” he said softly, the teasing lilt in his voice unmistakable.

“I wasn’t—” you started, but he held up a hand.

“No need to explain. It’s okay to admire greatness,” he joked, earning an exaggerated eye roll from you.

Before long, the familiar sight of your grandparents’ house came into view. Jensen pulled into the driveway and parked, then quickly stepped out to come around to your side.

“You don’t have to—” you began as he opened your door, but he was already helping you out, his hands steady as he supported your weight.

“I’m not leaving you to hobble on your own,” he said firmly, his tone playful but unwavering. “What kind of gentleman would I be?”

“Oh, you’re a gentleman now?” you teased, clutching his arm as he guided you toward the porch.

“Always have been,” he replied, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I just hide it under my mysterious, onion-like layers.”

You laughed despite yourself, the sound light and genuine. As you reached the porch, he paused, turning to face you fully.

“Think you’ll survive without me?” he asked, his voice softer now, though the teasing edge lingered.

“I don’t know,” you said dramatically, resting your hand over your heart. “It’s going to be tough, but I think I’ll manage.”

“Alright, hop on,” he said, turning his back to you and gesturing for you to climb onto his shoulders.

“Wait, what?” You blinked at him, confused.

“You heard me,” he said over his shoulder, glancing back with an amused expression. “I’m not letting you walk on that ankle. So, hop on.”

“I can walk just fine,” you argued, though your throbbing ankle begged to differ.

“Sure, and I’m a ballet dancer,” he replied dryly, his hands gripping your arm to help you up. “Come on. You’ll slow us both down if you try to be stubborn.”

With a resigned sigh, you climbed onto his back, your arms wrapping hesitantly around his shoulders. He adjusted you slightly, making sure you were secure.

“Hold on tight. I don’t want you tumbling off and blaming me.”

He started toward the house, his steps surprisingly steady despite your added weight. You couldn’t resist teasing him.

“You know, I expected you to grunt or groan, but you’re not even breaking a sweat,” you said.

“Are you saying I should struggle?” he asked, glancing back with a mock-wounded expression. “I’m trying to be heroic here. Don’t ruin the moment.”

You giggled, tightening your hold just slightly. “Alright, fine. Heroic it is. But I’m warning you, my grandma’s going to get ideas when she sees this.

“Good,” he replied without missing a beat. “Maybe she’ll give me brownie points.”

As you reached the porch, the door swung open, revealing your grandmother’s wide grin.

“Well, isn’t this a sight?” she exclaimed, hands on her hips. “The little Ackles boy!” your grandmother’s voice rang out as she opened the door. Her face lit up with recognition, and she pulled him into a tight hug.

“Ms. Hudgens, hi!” Jensen laughed, his tone a mix of warmth and mild embarrassment.

“You’ve grown into such a handsome young man! Just look at you,” she gushed, pinching his cheeks like he was still a child.

You groaned inwardly. “Grandma, can we not do this right now?”

“Oh, of course, sweetie!” she chirped, stepping aside to let Jensen help you to the couch.

Once you were settled, he knelt to examine your ankle, his brows furrowing in concern. “You should keep this elevated,” he advised.

“Thanks, Dr. Jensen,” you teased, though the warmth in your voice betrayed your growing affection.

He laughed softly, reaching into his pocket for a scrap of paper. “Here,” he said, handing it to you. “That’s my number. In case you need to go to the hospital or, you know… anything else.”

You took the paper, heart fluttering at the sincerity in his gaze.

“Bye, Ms. Hudgens,” he called as he headed for the door, pausing to give you one last smile. “See you tomorrow?”

You nodded, trying to suppress the goofy grin threatening to take over your face.

When the door clicked shut, you let out a small squeal, covering your mouth to muffle the sound.

“Calm down, sweetie,” your grandmother said with a knowing smile as she began wrapping your ankle in a bandage.

You leaned back on the couch, thoughts swirling with images of Jensen’s warm smile, the way his hair caught the light, and the gentle concern in his voice.

“He’s a good boy, cupcake,” your grandmother remarked, tapping your knee knowingly.

“Who?” you asked, feigning ignorance.

She gave you a pointed look, one that said she’d lived long enough to recognize budding feelings when she saw them. “Don’t worry,” she added with a wink. “Mum’s the word.”

You laughed despite yourself, the sound light and genuine.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through your window, pulling you from a restless sleep. Your ankle felt marginally better, though still tender. Determined not to let it ruin your day, you hobbled to the shower, already brainstorming an outfit that might catch Jensen’s eye.

After a quick cleanup, you settled on a simple but flattering dress. Miss Pumpkin, ever the mischievous queen of chaos, leapt onto your bed as if plotting to ruin your chosen attire.

“Not today, Miss Pumpkin,” you warned, sticking out your tongue. The cat hissed in response before strutting out of the room, tail swishing indignantly.

As you slipped on the dress, the doorbell rang, and a grin spread across your face. You glanced in the mirror one last time, smoothing your hair and trying not to limp as you made your way downstairs.

Standing on the porch was Jensen, his tall frame leaning casually against the doorframe. His hair was slicked back, revealing sharp cheekbones and that devastatingly warm smile. When his eyes met yours, he seemed to falter for a moment, his gaze dipping briefly before he cleared his throat.

“Hey,” he greeted, his voice just a bit softer than usual. “Feeling better?”

“Totally,” you lied, shifting your weight awkwardly. Just seeing him was enough to dull the ache in your ankle.

His green eyes lingered on you for a second longer than necessary before he looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Good.”

Before the moment could stretch into something more, your grandmother appeared behind you, her eyes lighting up like she’d been waiting for this exact moment.

“Sweetie, Jensen was just telling me he’s having a birthday party tomorrow!” she exclaimed, patting his shoulder. “You should go.”

You blinked, taken aback. Your grandmother, who spent most of her days knitting and watching soap operas, was actively encouraging you to go to a party with a boy?

Jensen, meanwhile, looked equally startled, though a faint blush crept up his neck. “You don’t have to, really,” he started, but you cut him off.

“I want to go,” you blurted, your voice a touch too loud. Realizing how eager you sounded, you quickly added, “I mean… yeah, I’d love to come.”

His smile stretched wide at your response, so genuine it made your chest feel impossibly warm. “Great. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

You nodded, heart racing as you watched him head toward his car. The way he turned back to flash you one last grin before driving off only added to the giddy anticipation building inside you.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Thoughts of Jensen filled every quiet moment, from the way his eyes softened when he looked at you to the gentle laugh he couldn’t quite suppress when your grandmother called him “the little Ackles boy.”

That night, as your grandmother turned off the light in your room, she paused in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the soft glow of the hall.

“It’s mutual, you know,” she said with a knowing smile before closing the door.

Her words echoed in your mind as you lay in bed, hugging your pillow and grinning like a fool. Could she be right?