#incredible job manchester

[simplydnp]

dan wrote erotic fiction about gordon ramsey for the role-model bit today, and phil said 'fucking raw' and dan said 'what are you? a cock sandwich'

[discoreptile]

Wee ha

[allwaswell16]

🔔 It's December! That means it's One Direction Advent fic season! Advent fics are generally posted daily from December 1 to December 24/25. Don't forget you can subscribe to the author to get a daily email reminder to read their Advent fic! 🔔

🕯️ All The Lights by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28 {Fic post}

“As you know, every year Syco Industries throws the Holiday bash of the year. Their annual Christmas Eve charity ball, held in the building’s lobby.”

Louis arches a brow. “Robbing a Christmas charity? That’s your brilliant idea? That’s a little low don’t you think?”

Niall snorts. “The only charity that money is going to is in Simon Cowell’s pocket and we both know it.”

He’s not exactly wrong.

“Alright sure, but I’m pretty sure Santa still frowns upon stealing.”

Niall just grins.

“Being on the nice-list is vastly overrated anyway.”

(Or a holiday heist featuring a rag-tag team of lovable criminals, a pair of exes who hate each other except for when they don’t, and a lot of festive chaos along the way).

🎁 You Should Be Here With Me by @lululawrence {Fic post}

The festive period is a traditionally hectic one in the world of Premier League football, and this year is no different. A lot is riding on how Manchester United is able to come through the fixtures in the coming weeks.

Louis and his teammates know all too well the pressure that is on their shoulders. They need to prove, not just to fans of the club but the entire league, that they still have what it takes to be a team worthy of fighting for the top of the table.

Throw in the fact that Louis is all too aware that he's not getting any younger in a profession that demands your peak physical fitness year round and the incredibly fit Harry Styles, who is part of the club's social media team, and this year's festive period might just be the most important one yet.

🎅 Your Reign is Free (to give along to Santa) by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {Fic post}

It’s Christmas Eve. It’s a totally normal Christmas Eve. Harry and Louis have some friends coming by, and some totally normal birthday and Christmas plans. It’s a totally typical totally normal Christmas Eve.

A fic that takes place over 24 (+1) hours where surely everything will go totally to plan.

🦌 You'll Never More Roam by @tommokat {Fic post}

Harry likes his job as a traveling nurse. It pays well, it allows him to travel across the country, and he doesn't have to worry about an annoying coworker past an average of 13 weeks. The pros of never staying put have always beat the cons. Until one of those cons has bright blue eyes, a fluffy companion, and a heart of gold.

Tax exemptions don't hold a candle to Louis Tomlinson. And as Harry's about to find out, neither does his heart.

🌟 Find a light, hold tight by louisismycat / @liminalkittyfics {Fic post}

a fic about finding light and holding tight - hanukkah for everyone!

Told from the gentile perspective of Louis, recently widowed and trying to cultivate his son’s connection to his paternal Jewishness, Find a light is intended for everyone — Jews and gentiles alike — who might find comfort in the light, wisdom, and warmth of Hanukkah.

🔔 Larry Xmas Countdown by 28goldensfics / @28goldens {Fic post}

Harry and Louis will stop at nothing to make each other happy, even if that means robbing Buckingham Palace for a set of priceless bells they use to ring on Christmas morning.

✨ Twinkling Lights, Fated Nights by Darling28 / @darling-28 {Fic post}

Louis is an Omega who doesn't like being told what to do and is happy with his single life in the snowy town of Frostbrook after a terrible previous relationship. But then Harry turns up - an Alpha who is anything but the typical macho. Instead of giving commands, he makes an effort to understand Louis, which annoys him more than anything. But Harry doesn't give up.

And maybe that's exactly why they fit together so well: Two people who don't fit the cliché at all, but who suddenly feel more for each other than they would have expected. In the midst of lights, snow and mulled wine, something begins to grow that neither of them had planned - even if Louis would rather not admit it.

A story about healing, love and finding home in each other.

❄️ Fluffcember 2024 by Candy_Kittens / @candyfloss-kittens

A collection of one-shots for Fluffcember 2024. All of these one-shots will be for One Direction rpf.

🌲 Through the Riots – Will You Guide Me When I'm Lost? by childofthelarents

His hands had a death grip on Harry's arms, making him unable to push back. "Fuck you," Harry growled, looking like he was seconds away from punching Louis straight in the face. The softness of his features had been replaced by pure fury, the green of his eyes burning into Louis' soul. As the seconds passed, Harry seemed to realize the lack of space between them, his eyes growing less piercing and more irritated as he scanned Louis' face.

~ Louis had his heart set on rooming with his best friend Zayn, but fate—or a cruel housing assignment—stuck him with Harry, who seems to hate him instantly (and boy, is that feeling mutual). Determined to find a way out, Louis quickly realizes that their fiery clashes only make things worse, fueling the hostility between them. Yet, as tempers flare and boundaries blur, their battles take an unforeseen turn, shifting into something neither of them expected.

☃️ Fading Shadows by Arezou_Styles

A cosy tale of life in 2024, almost canon, centers on Harrys and Louis marriage, their family life and quite some self-discovery that this year brings for both of them. Loads of info on ADHD included.

🎄 Christmas Play by @itstilliswhatitis

December is Harry's favourite time of year. The neighbourhood he bought a house in three years ago has a yearly Christmas decoration competition, and this year, he's set on winning. At least until his new neighbour, Louis turns out to be a grumpy Christmas Grinch. To make matters worse, his new neighbour happens to be his co-star in the new play Harry just bagged, playing the love interest to his role as first lover. The play is like a really bad fanfic, and everything is a disaster. This might be the worst December ever!

❤️ Hearts All Whole by @justanothershadeofblue {Fic post}

Father Louis Tomlinson hasn’t seen or talked to his high school boyfriend in over a decade, not since they went to different colleges and slowly grew apart. This means it’s a bit of a surprise when he looks out from the pulpit on the first Sunday in Advent and sees Harry Styles’ unmistakeable head poking up from a pew halfway back and on the left. How’s a priest supposed to make it through the madness of the holiday season with his very friendly, very attractive ex distracting him at every turn?

🛷 You are my home, my home for all seasons by starryhaze / @starryhaze28 {Fic post]

“I love you,” Louis says quietly, his voice tender. Harry’s not sure if Louis is talking to him or the camera, but either way, the words settle warmly in his chest.

Louis moves closer, holding the camcorder up, and Harry blushes as the lens focuses on him. “Look at your mummy,” Louis coos, directing his words at their unborn baby. “Isn’t he just the prettiest, carrying you?”

Harry giggles, shaking his head. “Your daddy is ridiculous,” he responds, looking pointedly into the camera, his voice light and teasing.

Or the one where Harry is seven months pregnant and he and Louis navigate the chaos of Christmas as they try to juggle festive traditions, their families, and friends while preparing for the greatest gift of all, the arrival of their baby.

🎁 Wrapped it up and Sent it by downcamethelightning / @downcamethelightnings {Fic post]

Harry was the only real crush he’d ever had. There had been people he’d shared classes with, or seen in the school hallways who he’d thought were cute, but he never had any interest in anyone beyond that point. Louis had always felt like he simply didn’t care enough about anyone to actually dedicate any time or energy to liking them, or going out with them.

But Harry was the exception.

With some (heavy) convincing from his friends, Louis decides to risk it all and tell Harry how he feels about him, and Christmas seems like the perfect time to make a move. Everyone's happy during the holidays anyway. Maybe it'll weaken the possibility that Harry will hate him forever if he doesn't feel the same.

An incredibly fluffy, teenage Christmas advent fic.

🧣2024 Advent Calendar by larryftnoctrl / @the-larry-way {Fic post}

25 independent one-shots with wintery/Christmas themes centering Larry Stylinson

[inkblotsinkblots-alt]

My experience with [band]

My experience with [band] and [band]'s management starts in April 2022. I had emailed the band's business email that used to be in their bio in December 2021, and in April 2022 I got a response. I had been asked if I was available within the next couple of weeks to come down to Brighton and do a photo shoot with the band. Management really liked my work, and wanted to work with me. I was asked to provide my rates and any expenses that would incur. I had asked if I would be at least credited for these images on social media (tagged etc ...), and management said that they could not commit to that at that time. This photo shoot did not happen.

I worked with [band] for the first and only time in January 2023 and photographed / videoed their set.

I was completely blindsided by the fact that this could’ve been a huge opportunity for me, and it could change my career completely. When I got the email inviting me to work with the band, I screamed and actually worried my parents for a few minutes. I agreed to terms that I shouldn’t have (not a full written agreement, but various statements in emails). In hindsight I had no clue what some of them meant (and I think the band’s management knew that).

There was no formal contract, only emails. The band would own my photos 'in perpetuity' and when I asked what that meant, they (management) said that 'the band have the freedom to use them however they please'. Making money off of my photos, and putting them on merch that they would then sell out of, was not mentioned. I was under the impression they would only be using the photos on social media as I did not get any clarification, even though I asked for it. I wanted to press for a more detailed answer, but I was afraid that I'd lose the job.

This was never about the money that I'd potentially make from having my photos on merch, it's that I didn't even know it was happening. I was also 'allowed' to upload '3-4' photos to my social media from the gig, even though they were my photos. I was stupid enough to agree with this. Again, I felt as though if I challenged this I would lose the job.

At the end of the show in January 2023 I was promised at least a couple of shows on the upcoming tour, as '[I was] great to work with. Such a pleasure.' I have no evidence that I was offered shows during that tour as it was said to me in person. I was then let down at the beginning of March (after multiple follow up emails) with 'I don't think there is the additional need for your services also' when I asked about discussing the tour. I was devastated.

I was offered photo passes* to subsequent Manchester gigs and I took them as they had no strings attached, and the band would not own my images (that's why you've seen a lot of them on my socials).

I met a bunch of well-known creators, musicians and photographers while working with [band] and they were all so very sweet. Some of which I am still in contact with today, and some I am good friends with. I am very grateful for this.

I fully support Shelby, she is so incredibly brave for talking about her experiences, and it's because of her bravery that I felt confident enough to share my experience - although very different in nature.

I fully believe that [band]’s management wanted to take advantage of fans who wanted to photograph [band]’s gigs. And pay them as little as possible with no consistency in pay between photographers or how many photos they were allowed to post. (This is my own opinion)

I am not the only one that has had a negative experience with [band] and their management as a photographer / creative, but those are not my stories to tell and if they want to comment then they will. Please don't speculate on who these people are or harass them on social media, they have every right to not want to talk about their experiences. Please respect everyone involved.

Massive love, take care of yourselves.

am

(*Photo passes are offered to press photographers and non-touring photographers. They shoot the first three songs from the photo pit and then leave. Either to go into the crowd for the rest of the gig, or leave the gig entirely.)

please do not edit this post or reblog, do not take screenshots and post this on twitter or any other social media platform, thank you.

[f1byjessie]

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS ━━ LN4.

sometimes the right words are hard to come across, and sometimes everything you need to say can be captured in an image.

( lando norris x photographer!reader )

━━ part two.

Friday evenings are typically spent in the comfort of your flat. Normally, you’re half paying attention to reruns of whatever shitty reality TV happens to be on and half scrolling through social media to keep up with the ever-fluctuating trends of content as per your job requirements, all the while eating your body’s weight in takeaway. It’s not the dream, but it’s certainly a dream.

Tonight, you plan on amending things to include going through the pictures of Bali’s stunning beaches that Lando’s been spamming you with throughout the day, but beyond that, you have no intentions of deviating further from your norm.

You’re actually really looking forward to it. Though you’d rather cut off your own hand than admit it to his face and give him new ammunitions to tease you with, you miss Lando during the winter breaks. So much of your year is spent having him nearby━ a near-constant presence buzzing with the inability to slow down let alone stop━ and when he isn’t around, the silence seems louder. There’s no one else who manages to annoy you the way he does, and it’s just not the same without him.

To make matters worse, between your new job, Lando’s travels, and the scheduling conflicts that have arisen in turn, you haven’t had a chance to catch up with him beyond a few back-and-forth messages about his current escapades. So you really, genuinely, truly are looking forward to it.

Garrett Ward throws a wrench into things.

You have mixed opinions of Garrett. He can be very sweet, and he’s gone out of his way to make you feel incredibly welcome in your first week with the Manchester City team. He makes good conversation and seems genuinely interested in what it is you’re doing, often asking questions about your equipment and process, which is a nice change of pace from most other clients you’ve worked with in the past who rarely give two shits about anything beyond the final product. But his reputation is… concerning.

Garrett Ward is infamous in English tabloids for being a notorious womanizer.

There are several articles that come to mind, but the most damning of which is from 2019, before his trade to Manchester City, detailing with very incriminating photos how he’d been seen entering a club with two women and then leaving just a few hours later with a completely different pair. You don’t want to assume he’s the same man now as he was back then, nearly a full five years ago, but you’ve been working in the sports industry long enough to know that athletes can have anyone and if they want then they will have anyone━ there is no shortage of temptation.

And you are not arrogant enough to assume you would be the outlier.

Which makes his interest in you feel less like friendly curiosity and more like something you need to be wary of.

It’s also why━ as you make the trek through the Etihad Campus car park━ you feel dread begin to pool in your stomach as you answer your ringing phone. “Hi, Garrett.”

“Y/N!” He exclaims excitedly, sounding like he hadn’t just seen you barely ten minutes ago in the weight room. “I meant to catch you before you left, but you were outta there so fast I wasn’t able to.”

And there’s probably a reason for that, you want to say, but you hold your tongue. “Yeah, I usually try to be pretty quick about it.”

There’s an awkward pause left open as if he expects you to say more, and when you don’t he clears his throat. “Erm, well, I was actually just calling to see if, perhaps, you would like to grab dinner with me this evening.”

You don’t. At all. It’s one of the last things you would like to do. There are plenty of other hellish things you would willingly rather subject yourself to before sitting down and sharing a private meal with this man━ jumping into the Thames is one of them, and letting Lando drive you around on the autobahn in his Spider is another. Both could very easily result in death, permanent disfigurement, or any other number of horrible outcomes, but neither includes Garrett.

Your hesitating silence must be an answer enough for him, because he chuckles again and adds on quickly, “No strings attached, I promise. It’ll just be two friends getting dinner.”

All you want to do is get cozy on your couch in your pajamas with a kebab from the place down the street and watch pretty people deal with their pretty people problems on TV. You don’t think that’s too much to ask for, but apparently, some higher power does.

“I suppose that’d be alright then,” you agree tentatively, speeding through the stages of grief as you mourn the initial plans of your Friday evening━ the easy, simple, comfortable plans. “Shoot me a message with the time and place and I’ll meet you there.”

“Awesome!” Garrett cheers. “See you later then.”

The peaceful silence that awaits you after you hang up feels like it’s mocking you. Too bad you can’t flip off silence.

“Look, the truth is, City is looking at trading me at the end of the season if I can’t clean my act up.” Garrett’s voice is quiet as he admits the reality of his future to you, but it breaks the silence of the world around you like a gunshot. “And not just loaning me out━” he adds, a twinge of something akin to anger noting his tone, “━but fully trading me. They’re saying that my image makes things too hard for them and the only way they’ll consider re-signing me is if I can either keep my name out of the tabloids or try to clean myself up.”

In Garrett’s defense, he technically did hold true to his promise of just two friends getting dinner. Things were actually going quite well, too. The restaurant was a little more high profile than you would’ve expected for a casual meal, but that can easily be passed off as the luxurious lifestyle and expensive tastes of a pro athlete who can certainly afford it. Expenses of your meal aside, he’d been good company, asking after the ways of working in Formula One and then finding similarities in his football career that made it easy to chat about the struggles and stressors of professional sports.

But you can recognize that this is where it’s all beginning to go downhill.

He’s announced it completely out of the blue as you’re walking back to the garage where you’ve both parked your cars. On top of that, his pace slows and you’re forced to slow down as well to match it until you both eventually come to a halt in the middle of the pavement.

You feel for him, in all honesty. You understand the difficulties of contract negotiations and how easily they can fall apart. The fragility of Formula One contracts is its own special brand of tricky and you’ve seen many friends move on to other teams in the blink of an eye just as they’ve begun to settle down and make their mark where they are. You can’t say for certainty that you understand the mechanics of football contracts to the same degree, but you can imagine they have their own fragile fine print.

But the chill of a January night in Manchester is brutal, and you’ll be the first to admit that your outfit does not protect against it. You don’t really want to be having this conversation in general, because you’ve known Garrett for all of a week which makes you acquaintances at best, but you especially don’t want to be having it now, out here in the cold when all you want to do━ all you’ve wanted to do since this afternoon━ is curl up in something warm and comfortable and pretend the world outside your flat doesn’t exist for a few days.

“I’m not sure what this has to do with me if I’m being honest, Garrett.”

He shrugs. “I just thought you might be able to help.”

You shove your hands in your pockets in a desperate attempt to keep your fingers from going more numb than they already are and shake your head at him. “I don’t know how exactly you think I can help you with that. I’m a photographer, not a PR officer.”

“My agent thinks it would be a good idea if I showed the media that I could hold down a steady relationship. Prove to them that I’ve changed my ways, and have matured.” He shrugs again, nonchalant despite being the one to bring this up in the first place.

“Have you?”

He makes a face, something between a flirty smirk and a suggestive wink, “Well, I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Garrett.”

“Look,” he crosses his arms and levels you with a look that fills you simultaneously with more rage and annoyance than a single person has ever made you feel before. “It would just be for a couple of months, and then we could stage an amicable breakup and that would be that! It just has to be long enough to show everyone that I’m not the same as I used to be.”

You give him a look right back, hoping it conveys how appalled you are by his audacity. “Okay, but why me of all people? Christ knows you probably have a list of women in your contacts who would jump at the chance to pretend to date you for a few months.”

His face pinches up in disgust. “Yeah, but they’re all former hookups, and I mean, they’re kinda psycho about me to be fair. If I tried to end things, they’d probably go to the tabloids themselves and smear my name with the worst things they could come up with.” He shrugs again, and you’re starting to find that you hate it when he does so. “I need someone willing to just play along for the time being and who will be discreet when things are over.”

“And you think I’m that person?” You scoff. “You’ve known me for a week!”

Your voice echoes and it reminds you once again that you’re having this conversation in the middle of a random street in Manchester. It’s cold and dark, and you’ve been attempting to bite back your frustration since the moment Garrett called you. You’ve been as nice as you possibly can be for this man, shy of bending over backward to worship the very ground he walks on, and you’re so close to your limit that you think if he shrugs one more fucking time━

He shrugs. “Well, yeah, but you know how this industry works. So I know you can be trusted.”

You take a deep breath to try and retain what’s left of your quickly slipping composure, before you say, “Garrett, this goes beyond unprofessional. I could potentially get into a lot of trouble for this. You’re technically my co-worker, if not my client by proxy. It’s not a good look for me to be getting with the athletes I work with, considering my entire career is based on working with athletes.”

He makes a befuddled face as if asking what that has to do with anything. It occurs to you that he’s probably never had to worry about the ethics of hooking up with someone when most of the women who are interested in him would do everything in their power to spend a night by his side whether it’s morally just━ or legal, for that matter━ or not.

“That doesn’t seem to stop you from being all cozy with that Nor-whatever guy,” he grumbles.

“What?”

“That driver,” he repeats. “You post him all over your socials, like, all the time.”

You tear your hands from your pockets and throw them up in the air, “Because that’s my job?!” The stupidity of the man before you is genuinely baffling. He’s been asking about your job all week long but the way he’s talking now makes it seem like he didn’t catch onto the fact that your entire career is centered around media and the creation of content made with the explicit intention of being shared.

“I am quite literally paid to take and post pictures of him per my contract with McLaren,” you continue. “And even if I wasn’t, he’s my best friend?! I’ve been working and traveling and spending the majority of my time with Lando since 2019 so of course I’m going to be close with him. Do you not post your mates every once in a while?”

“Yeah, but it’s different. All my mates are guys, so nobody thinks I’m dating any of them when I do it.”

You scoff in disbelief. “I cannot believe this right now. You know, for a moment, I briefly considered helping you. But you’re actually exactly the type of prick the tabloids say you are.”

He takes an intimidating step closer, and his voice drops an octave lower. “I would reconsider if I was you.” You’re not short, but Garrett isn’t either. He’s one of the tallest players on the Manchester City team, and the way you feel now with him staring you down makes you wonder if this is what it feels like to be his opponent on the pitch.

It’s fucking terrifying.

But you’re fucking livid, too.

Your jaw clenches and you bite out sharply, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“What it means,” he starts, “is that if you don’t help me, maybe I slip a word about something or other to my boss who slips a word to his boss who is, also, your boss, and suddenly, whoops!” He gives you a cocky smirk, so sure of himself that it makes you feel like your blood is literally boiling. “He’s not your boss anymore. In fact, nobody is your boss anymore, because your ‘slip in conduct’ was very inappropriate and made several players uncomfortable, which doesn’t look very good when trying to get jobs elsewhere in the industry.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Well,” he fucking shrugs. “When you say it like that, yeah. I guess I am.”

You cross your arms, your hands clenched into fists so tightly that you can feel your nails digging painfully into the flesh of your palms. “You’re a real bastard, you know.”

“You’re not the first person to tell me that, love.”

If only it were legal to kill a man━ Garrett Ward would be six feet under and picking worms from between his teeth.

You weigh your options, though. You’re not sure how much weight his word actually carries. For all you know, he could tell his boss, they could bring you in to discuss things, and then you could explain it all from your point of view. Garrett is a notorious flirt and you doubt it’s the first time he’s tried to pursue someone who isn’t interested in him. You doubt it happens very often, but it has to have happened at some point. Not to mention, his reputation regarding women is bad enough that Manchester City is already giving him an ultimatum, so you probably have a chance, and the worst-case scenario is that you amicably part ways with the team and that’s that.

But realistically there is a worse worst-case scenario, and it’s pretty damn close to what Garrett is threatening. Losing this side gig wouldn’t really be too much trouble. It would put a dent in your savings, and you’d have to be a bit better about how you ration out your groceries and other necessities around the flat, but losing your job at McLaren? Being blacklisted from the industry entirely? That’s life-destroying. You would lose everything━ all the blood, sweat, and tears you shed to get where you are would be for nothing.

All because of a prick in sky blue.

“Fine,” you utter from between gritted teeth. “I’ll help you. But I won’t post you on my account. I won’t bring you home to my parents. I won’t go round to your flat and I certainly will not have you round to mind. You get one kiss to make it official to the paps, and then nothing more.” You take your own threatening step toward him, and a vindictive part inside you shines with malicious glee when he shifts ever so slightly backward. “If you try anything else, I will run to the papers and drag you through the mud worse than any of your little psycho groupies ever could.”

He scoffs, “You’d ruin your career.”

“But I’d tear you down with me,” you reply.

He takes a moment to think, staring into your eyes and weighing how serious you are. Whatever he sees staring back at him must be convincing enough because he sniffs, nods, and smirks.

“Deal.” He leans down, “I think I’ll be taking that kiss now. Make sure to really sell it, yeah?”

━━ tags: @maih23 @urfavnoirette @leclercsluv @f1luvur @formulaal @a-disturbing-self-reflection @starlightpierre

━━ a/n: i feel like i say this every time, but i am seriously blown away by how well the first part of this was received! like, seriously, thank you so much for the kind words everyone said about it! hopefully this second part lives up to the hype of the first, it's a little denser, but the events are important to establish for the rest of the story so it needed to happen!

[victoria-grimesss]

Ghost Headcanons ~SFW & NSFW~

masterlist

->Paring: Simon "Ghost" Riley x Fem!Reader

->Warning: MDNI pretty please!! smutttt, some fluff, romance, etc.

->A/N: giggling and kicking my feet

SFW:

He's a quiet, stoic, and serious man but somehow you worm your way into his heart and although he may have been annoyed at first, he had a feeling you were going to be an issue when you first met.

It was an intensely slow burn built up to your relationship filled with passed glances, touches that you wish were longer, and the sound of his commands lingering in your mind for longer than normal.

Eventually he asked you out, unconventionally. He marched right up to you after training, still drenched in sweat and asked you flat out. You accepted and from there grew something as incredible as it is intense.

100% scary guard dog privileges.

Walking at night is never scary when he’s next to you. His stare is enough to deter any wrongdoers, he walks on outside of the sidewalk.

He's quiet but don't mistake that for aloof. He's observant as all hell. Always watching out for you when you're out together. An absentminded action he says.

Not a big fan of PDA but he always has a hand on you at all times. Ushering you through a crowd he's got his hand on the small of your back guiding you.

He enjoys being seen with you, having you next to him and just being in your presence is all he needs.

He denies he gets jealous but when a guy who shows a little too much interest in you enters into conversation with you he'll come over just to puff up his chest and throw a heavily tatted arm around your waist. "A bit jealous Simon?" "Don't know what you're talking about love."

He has an insane amount of those mask that are strewn about everywhere, and they are all in a disarray of washed and unwashed.

He thinks it's cute when you put them on and mimic him, especially if you're not British and you mimic a butchered Manchester accent. It gets a laugh out of him.

Others adore the two of you, especially the rest of the 141. He has literal heart eyes for you, through his rough exterior he really does love you.

His love language is words of affirmation and actions. You'll wake up to some flowers and painkillers on the side-table after a particularly shitty day.

Even if he's in a hurry to get out of the door he will never miss the chance to give you a hearty kiss and tell you to have a good day.

He listens to classic rock, there's usually some form of it playing in the house, he doesn't like the silence due to the tinnitus from the field. The vibes are great in the house.

You can’t tell his mood over text AT ALL. He texts in short brief choppy sentences. He prefers phone calls.

Ex:

You: “don’t forget to take the meat out of the fridge when you get home, maybe swap the clothes from the wash to the dryer if you have time. I’ll be home around 6pm traffic shouldn’t be too bad. Insert story about your day.”

Him: 👍

Aggressively British, sometimes you don't even know what he said. You just stare at him. "Did you hear me love?" "I was questioning if those were actual words that just came out of your mouth."

Sometimes you wake up at 3am for water to see him eating a big portion of fries in just his boxers with just the dim light of a football match as a light source. You usually make eye contact once but say nothing then retreat back to the room. The first time you saw that you were convinced it was a fever dream.

Sometimes his jokes are worse than Price's. You laugh out of sympathy nonetheless. You're his #1 fan.

Speaking of Price, if you're on the team he won't let your relationship get in the way of his career or mission. You are on the team because you're capable and can handle the job at hand but he does keep close eyes on you just in case on risky missions. If you get hurt he blames himself. You reassure him it's just part of the job.

There was a visible tension between the two of you that was visible to the rest of the team before you got together. I mean Ghost stared at you a majority of the time when you weren't actively working. So when they saw the two of you coming out of the same room one morning it was a definite relief. "Oh for fucks sake it's about time!" "Shut it Johnny."

He either sleeps completely silently and still to the point you think he might be dead, to which to check on him and he just opens his eyes right away. You almost shit your pants. OR he snores like a train, this option is usually when he's safe at home with you and can relax.

He loves it more than anything when he can fall asleep on your chest with you combing your fingers through his hair. He swears he's never been more relaxed.

You never discussed children but you get small glimpses into dad actions when Soap is over to help Simon fix something that takes two. "Johnny are you daft? Hold the bloody flashlight straight I can't see fuck all with you shining it in my eyes." Soap is hysterical seeing him upset over a sink leak. "Yea yea sure LT." You just watch from afar, giggling.

NSFW:

He's intense, alluring, and dominant. He can last many rounds; he enjoys taking you every which way he can.

His voice.

He loves the effect it has on you, how he can pin you against a wall and simply stare down at you, drawing it out by raking his gaze from your lips and around your face not saying a work and just toying with you until he would utter a few simple words and have you weak in the knees. His ego is huge because he knows you find him irresistible.

Will come up behind you when you're in the kitchen, voice low and creeping right to your ear, low enough to hear the gravel. His hand would snake around you securing around your waist. All of your clothes end up on the kitchen floor, they look better down there anyway he said. "I'm a bit famished love, care if I take a bite?"

Confident in the bedroom, especially if you're vocal. He likes to hear how he makes you feel. In return he'll tell you exatly how you make him feel. "Gods love, you..fuck-fucking hell you're doing such a good job."

Sessions in bed are messy, hot, and sweaty. He plays dirty but matches what you give him. He won't degrade you, he respects you. But he is a tease.

Will tease the tip of it until you're begging and withering. "You want it say badly yea? Go ahead, tell me how badly you need it pretty girl."

His favorite positions would be doggy, missionary with your legs up around his neck or your ankles in his hands. He loves to see your reactions.

He finds himself sometimes lost in the moment, silent as he works on you. Eyelids heavy as he tries to commit this moment to memory, hands gripping you with fervor. His breath hot on your skin when he lowers his lips to your neck to leave his mark. "You're my good girl, such a good girl for me. Say it."

He may be dominant in bed but he lets you call the shots. If you need him and you're out at the pub just grab his arm and take him to the bathroom. Out on a late night date? His car is in the back of the parking lot, he's grabbing the keys and reclining the front seat. You've had sex in a supply closet once out of sheer desperation once.

Hates hates military galas, will really only interact with the 141 and some others if he has to but loves to see you all dolled up. His favorite part is smearing your makeup on the pillowcases afterwards though.

Shower sex is also an option, seeing you all soapy and wet really gets him going. Makes for easy cleanup afterwards too.

If you like his uniform he's more than happy to just bend you over and unzip the front of his pants. You’ve don’t it with the mask on more than once.

Gets off on going down on you. Could die doing it and die a happy man. He'll definitely get himself off while getting you off.

Enjoys a good blowjob every now and again, let’s you take the lead not a big head pusher unless you ask. He’ll do whatever you want.

Eye contact is a must. Missionary with your legs around his neck, and a hand around your neck making sure you know who's making you feel like this. "You love this don't you? Dirty girl."

If you're being a brat and he's had enough he'll just have you ride him, he'll put his hands behind his head and have you do all of the work until you get too tired to continue. You'll have to admit defeat. To where he'll take the reins by grabbing your hips.

If you have long hair he enjoys hitting it from the back and wrapping a majority of your hair around his fist and pulling just enough for you to make noise for him.

Definitely a mirror in your shared bedroom where he can sit you on his lap and you can both watch as you work yourself on him.

His eyes roll back in his head when he cums, his grip leaves marks. He enjoys finishing inside you, the closeness and intimacy makes his stomach burn in a good way but he’s all for pairing your ass or tits too. He’s not a picky man.

Aftercare king, although he likes to bask in the afterglow for a bit with you. You lay on his chest trying to catch your breath, the room is stuffy and warm and your heart is racing but you've never felt better. But after he cleans you up he'll come back with a good cup of tea to end the night.

tag: @chiharuthecatmom

[thinkwosolife23]

Protect Her, Alessia Russo

Being a police officer was an incredibly demanding job; both physically and mentally. You had seem some things that no human should ever had to see, you were made to work stupidly long hours and everyday you were putting your life on the line.

But it was your dream job. It was you ever wanted to do. From being a little girl, you always dreamed over becoming a police officer. You dreamed of making a difference in the world, to help make the world a safer place to be in. Being a woman made the process of becoming a police officer a hell of lot more difficult. People had constantly doubted your capabillity and your quality as a police officer because of your gender. So, it fuelled you all the more. And at 22, you stand as the youngest Chief Constable of the police force.

Having your dream job was amazing but nothing will ever beat the feeling of being able to go home to your dream girl. You had met Alessia at the Euros. Along with a few others, you were assigned as security for the England Women's Team throughout the Euros. You had managed to muster up the confidence to ask her out after the Euros Final and it all went from there. Up until a few months ago, you and her were over 4 hours away from each other. Her being in Manchester and you being in London. But when she signed for Arsenal you had asked her to move in with you and it had been more than a dream to live with her. You had now been together for a little over a year.

Speaking of your girl, you had just got back home after a long and grueling 12 hour shift. All you wanted was to be with your lover.

"Sweetheart, I'm back home." You shouted as you made your way into your home, taking your work boots and vest off on the way leaving them bye the front door.

"I'm upstairs, Babe. I'm just on a live." She souted back to you, causing you to run up the stairs making your way to yours and Alessias shared bedroom.

There she was, sat by her dressing table chatting away to her phone as if there was nothing else around her. You walked over to where she was sat, wrapping your hands over her shoulders before kissing her forehead. As soon as she felt your prescence , she jumped up from her seat. Standing in front of you, wrapping her arms around your neck, leaning up to place multiple pecks on your lips, not wanting to show too much PDA on her live.

You went and sat where she was sat in front of her phone before patting your lap signalling her to sit. Her arms coming around your neck whilst one of yours was wrapped possessively around her waist and the other resting on her thigh making sure she didn't slip off you.

"I've missed you." You whispered to her, as you tucked your head in the crook of her neck placing a kiss there.

"I've missed you too, but babe we're on a live." She laughed slightly, her hands came to pull your head out of her neck. You immediately falshed her an innocent smile, telling her that you didn't think you were doing anything wrong.

You and Alessia spent the next half an hour on live, talking to the fans and answering all sorts of questions, before you both said bye and ended the live.

As soon as Alessia put her phone down and ended the video, you stood up with her still in your hold. You turned around and put her on your bed before climbing over the top of her. Your hands resting either side of her head, hovering you face just inches away from hers.

"I forgot how good you looked in uniform." She said whilst grabbing your top, pulling you down so your lips met hers. The kiss messy and passionate; not being able to have each other's physical touch for the last 12 hours was really showing.

"Hmm, is that so?" You questioned, pulling your lips from hers before dipping your head into her neck going for the spot you know makes her like putty in your hands.

You were suddenly distracted from your current activities when you heard a smashing sound coming from downstairs. Alessia body just froze whilst you quickly sat up, recognising that someone else was in your house. The sound of smashing and footsteps ran through your house.

Your officer instincs soon kicked in, standing up to make your way out of your bedroom to make your way downstairs.

"Less, darling i've got to go downstairs." You whispered to her, trying to make sure that you weren't heard.

"Y/N, i'm scared." She told you, the fear she held was evident on her face, her eyes becoming red showing that she was trying not to cry.

You reached over and pulled her so she was sat on the edge of your bed, you standing inbetween her legs. You hands gently grabbed her face so she was looking up at you before telling her, "Hey, look at me. I will not let anything happen to you. I'll do anything, everything to make sure I protect you. I'll keep you safe. But sweetheart, to do that, I need to go downstairs."

"Let me come with you."

"No, Alessia. I can't risk that. I need you stay up here." You told her sternly, hoping the use of her name re-enforced your seriousness.

Her arms gripping tight around your waist, her face digging in to your stomach.

"Less. I need you stay in here, I need you to call the police for me."

"No one's gonna be calling the police!" A low, unknown voice stated but before you could turn around you felt something smash against your head, causing you to drop to the floor.

You heard Alessia gasp at what she had just seen. You managed to reach for the back of your head and when you brought your hand back round, it was covered in blood.

It took you another few minutes to again understand what was happening, the impact on your head was hard enough to make you feel dizzy and confused.

You looked over one side and Alessia was still sat on the bed, completely frozen in her spot, looking down at you. Tears streaming down her face.

You turned your hear and looked to see that whoever was in your house, was face deep routing through yours and Alessias drawers. This was your chance, your only chance.

You had to keep her safe. You had to protect Alessia.

So, you managed to muster up the energy to quickly get up and run towards him and take him down to the ground.

Then, it became a brawl. You managed keep him on the ground until another spell of dizziness hit you giving him the opportunity to take control. To which he did, kneeing your harshly in the stomach. Rolling the pair of you over, so that now he was on top: you tried to fight him off but your dazed state was clearly making you weaker.

And then you felt it.

He had put a knife straight into your stomach before pulling it out meaning that a substancial amount of blood was pouring out of your stomach.

Before anything else could happen, he was quick to get up and dash out of your house. The realisation of what he had just done was kicking in.

As soon as he left the room, Alessia came running towards you. Taking her hoodie off, putting over the bleeding mess on your stomach. You groaned at the pressure that was on your stomach, the pain was becoming unbearable. You felt Alessia pull your head onto her lap, beginning to feel her tears falling onto your face.

Your vision was becoming blurrier and sounds were muffled but you could just about make out that Alessia was on the phone.

You could feel your eyes beginning to close, the blood loss becoming too much for your body to cope with.

"Baby, NO! You need to stay awake for me. The ambulance are on the way." She said, placing a kiss on your forehead. Her voice muffled, due to her crying.

"I love you, Less." You told her, through ragged breathing and slurred words.

Alessia could hear how strained your voice was, the pain you were in was clearly showing through your voice.

"No, no. You don't need to tell me that. Baby, your okay." Her tears flowing worse now, the realisation of what you were actually trying to tell her was not what she wanted to think about.

But you didn't get the chance to reply, your body shutting down due to your pain and the amount of blood you had loss.

Alessia's crying was the only sound running through your house as she looked down to see that you had closed your eyes and your body had become a dead weight on her legs.

The ambulance and police got there minutes after that. The paramedics were quick to take you to the ambulance and rush you to the hospital. The whole journey Alessia hand never left your, right the way until they had to take to you to hospital.

Alessia sat there in the waiting room waiting for news about you. She had rang her parents who were currently in Manchester so it would take them a couple of hours to reach the hospital. So, she rang Leah who was straight down to the hospital.

"Oh, Less. I'm so sorry sweet." She told her whilst sitting next to her wrapping her into a hug.

Alessia leaning into Leah's hold, the weight of the afternoon completely taking a toll on her body. Leah couldn't tell her she weren't worried, Alessia's reaction didn't exactly bring any sort of reassurement to her. On Alessia's team, Leah and Ella were definatly the ones you were closest too. The amount of double dates Alessia had dragged you on with Ella and Joe was just insane,

Alessia were waiting another couple of hours before anything happened, it was getting closer to the time where everyone was made to leave the hospital but Alessia still had no news.

"I'm not going. Just can someone please tell me whats going on." She told one of the docters, tears flowing on her face all over again.

"Miss Russo. Y/N Y/L/N, her surgery went well, she is stable but she needs rest, which is why we have put her into a coma. I suggest you go home and get some sleep before seeing her." The doctor told Alessia, re-assuring her that things went aswell as they could.

"C'mon Less, you can stay at mine tonight and we can come back tommorow and see her, yeah." Leah said, putting her arms over Alessias shoulder leading her out of the hospital.

The next few days were a blur for Alessia. She didn't go to training but Leah had explained why she wasn't there and Jonas had contacted Alessia letting her know that everyone was thinking of you and her. Her parents and brothers had got to the hospital the next morning.

Alessia spent all day by your bedside: holding your hand, telling you her favourite memories and what she wants to do with you in the future.

4 days after your surgery, the doctors were happy with how your body was healing and took the tubes away that were helping you breath. Meaning your were breathing by yourself again.

The next day, Alessia was in the hospital as early as she could be, exactly like the other days. Making her way towards your room, sitting by your bed, taking ahold of your hand.

But today was different, she finally felt you try and squeeze her hand.

"Y/N, baby. Can you hear me?" She asked you, her voice soft so she didn't startle you.

"Less?" You groaned. Your face scrunching up as your eyes were reacting to the bright light above you.

"Yeah, i'm here. I'm right here." Her eyes beginning to water, her emotional side getting the better of her.

"Please don't cry, i'm okay."

"I was so scared, I thought I was going to lose you." She said whilst crying still, both her hands now gripping yours.

"Come here, Less." You slid over to the side of your bed so that Alessia could lay there aswell.

She carefully got up onto your bed, lifting her arm up so you could rest your head on her chest. You groaned as you lent down on her, the pain was still there in your stomach. You wrapped your arms around her waist whilst one of hers gently rubbed your back, the other pushing your hair out of your face.

"Hey, it'll take more than some scrawn to kill me off. You stuck with me, love." You told her, trying to make light of the situation.

"I'm perfectly fine with that." She told you, laughing at your way with words.

"I love you, Y/N"

"I love you too, Less. So much."

[chelseachilly]

tired of loving from afar

pairing: mason mount x reader warnings: none, mostly fluff with a tiny bit of angst! word count: 5.3k

a/n: not me writing for someone other than ben lmao?? been really in my mase feels lately so here's a fluffy little long distance relationship fic (also was very happy to read this morning that he's likely going to be back after the international break! my heart has been hurting for him this season 🥺) have a great weekend loves 💓

-

Of the three years you’ve been with Mason, the past six months have been the hardest by far. 

You’d overcome other hurdles in your relationship, like adjusting to the exposure and demanding schedule of a professional footballer, learning to cope with your life being somewhat public and thousands of girls being in love with your boyfriend. None of this was nearly as challenging as having to adjust to him living 200 miles away from you. 

His move to Manchester was bittersweet - you were so proud of him for getting a spot at such a massive club and finally receiving the appreciation and recognition he deserves. You knew he was happy to have a fresh start and a chance to prove himself as a player. 

At the same time, it was incredibly emotional for him to leave his boyhood club, his friends, his family, and you all at the same time. You would’ve given anything to go with him, even if it meant leaving your own friends and family in London, but you were about to start your final year of uni there. You couldn’t just pack up and go, no matter how much you wanted to do so.

You’re passionate about your studies, and you knew it would all be worth it when you graduate and get a job in your chosen field - and in the same city as the man you love. You knew it was only a year.

That didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye.

You’ve both made a massive effort to see each other as much as humanly possible, going up to Manchester every time you have a break from classes or a weekend without an exam or assignment due. Mason has also come back to London any time he gets the chance, sometimes flying out just to see you for the day. You’ve been making it work, but it’s not nearly the same as living in the same house as him. Even when you were both super busy, you at least got to see each other when you woke up and before bed, and now all you have are texts and FaceTime calls. 

On a night like tonight, when you’re exhausted from the week and you just want to be wrapped in his arms watching a film, FaceTime really feels like a poor replacement for the real thing. 

“Hi, gorgeous,” Mason says, a sleepy smile on his face as he answers your call. “How was your day?”

“Hey, Mase,” you say, curling up with a blanket and admiring his face in the soft glow of his bedroom lamp. Judging by the fact that he’s in bed by quarter to nine, you figure he’s as worn out as you are. “It was okay, felt long. I finally turned in my essay, though.”

“Good work, babe, I’m sure you aced it like always.” 

You blush a little, never growing tired of how he takes every opportunity to praise your intelligence. Any time someone asks about your studies, he does a full spiel about how smart you are.

“We’ll see,” you say. “How was your day, love? Any updates at physio?”

The way his smile instantly fades makes your heart drop to your stomach, fearing the worst.

“Yeah, um-it’s looking like a bit longer,” Mason says, and you can tell he’s trying to keep his voice steady so you don’t worry too much. “Maybe another few weeks. They’re not sure.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” you sigh. “I’m sorry. I know how frustrating this is.”

The hardest part about being away from Mason has unquestionably been watching him struggle from afar without being able to properly support him. From the rocky start to the season, to being out due to injuries basically ever since, it’s been torture not being there for him. 

You went up straight away when he first injured his calf in November, needing to both emotionally and physically care for him, but you couldn’t stay long before your exams started. Since then, you’ve done your best to help from London - sending him care packages, calling him as much as your schedule allows, asking Luke and Anouska to keep an eye on him and let you know how he’s holding up. 

In moments like these, though, what you really need is to hug him and tell him everything is going to be alright. 

“Yeah, it’s a bit tough,” Mason admits, fiddling with his hoodie string. “But at least I’m back in partial training, it could be worse. I could’ve done my ACL or something, you know? I’ve been pretty lucky in my career so far.”

One of the many things you love about him is his infectious optimism, how he always sees the best in situations and in people. 

Right now, though, you’re not sure you fully believe the words leaving his mouth. He looks so disheartened and downtrodden. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” you ask, frowning. “I know it’s not the news you’re expecting, you’re allowed to be disappointed.”

“I’ll be fine, angel, don’t worry about me,” Mason reassures you. “Just missing you a little extra today.” 

“Me too,” you murmur, touching the screen and wishing it were his face. “I’m sorry I can’t make it up this weekend, but this group assignment-“

“Don’t apologize, baby, I know how busy you are this term,” Mason cuts you off, just as he always does when you try to apologize for being so far away. 

You do the same to him when he tries to say he’s sorry for uprooting your life together, for not being there when you’re stressed about school or just having a bad day. Truthfully, neither of you are at fault, it’s just life. But it still sucks sometimes. 

“We’ll see each other in a few weeks when I have my reading break,” you remind him. “Just a while longer.”

“I know, I’m counting down the minutes,” Mason smiles. 

You talk for a little while longer before you reluctantly have to go so you can get ready for bed, and you promise to call him again tomorrow night. 

The sad look on his face when you say goodnight lingers in your mind as you shower and do your skincare routine, and by the time you climb into bed, you’ve made a decision.

First, you message your group for the assignment you’re working on and ask if you can push your planned meeting to Monday rather than Saturday. Next, you text Luke and ask him to make sure Mason doesn’t have plans tomorrow night.

Lastly, you book a train to Manchester, because you’ll be damned if you don’t go cheer up your man when he needs you.

-

The moment you arrive at the train station in Manchester the next day, you hop in an Uber and make your way straight to Mason’s.

You know that he’s still at training and will be for at least another hour or so, as you’ve been texting Luke for updates so Mason doesn’t get suspicious. It’s not unusual for you to ask how his day is going, but you don’t typically ask for the exact time he plans on leaving Carrington or instruct him to go straight home after training.

Using the key that Mason gave you when he moved in, insisting that it was still your home even if you don’t live there the majority of the time, you let yourself into his house.

You drop your bags and immediately get to work on creating the perfect cozy, romantic Friday night in.

By the time you get the text from Luke that he’s on his way back with Mason, having devised a fake plan of coming over to play FIFA after training to ensure Mason didn’t make other plans, you’re just finishing up.

You’ve successfully transformed his house, which he bought furnished and has put very little effort into making homey, into a much more welcoming environment. 

You ordered flowers for the kitchen table, as well as enough groceries to make dinner for him tonight and to replenish his far too empty fridge. You did a bit of tidying, deciding to do a few loads of laundry for him when you noticed there was quite a pile forming, and it must have been a week or so since the cleaning service he pays for came. 

You put some soft music on his speakers and lit a few candles in the kitchen as well, popping a bottle of white wine into the fridge so it’s ready for your dinner. 

You’ve just started chopping a few veggies to get a head start on dinner when you hear the sound of the front door opening followed by distant voices, one of which you immediately recognize as Mason.

“Do you hear that music?” 

The sound of your boyfriend’s voice after weeks apart fills your stomach with butterflies - you’re just as giddy to see him as you were in your early days of dating. 

“Probably the neighbours, mate,” Luke responds, still playing along with your ruse. 

“I don’t think-“

Finally, the guys turn the corner into the kitchen, and you see Mason come into view with Luke trailing behind him. His eyes widen in surprise for a moment, slightly startled by there being someone in his house, and then he realizes it’s you and his mouth falls open in shock.

“Surprise,” you say shyly, while Mason is still at a loss for words. 

He immediately drops his training bag to the floor and makes a beeline for you, pulling you into a tight hug and lifting you off your feet before you can even hug him back properly. 

You relax into his arms right away, squeezing him just as tightly as he’s squeezing you and breathing in the familiar scent of his soap and aftershave, freshly showered after training. It’s the same scent that lingers on the t-shirts and hoodies that you steal from him every time you come up, wearing them until you regrettably have to put them through the wash. 

“Baby,” Mason mumbles into your neck, pressing little kisses there. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I’m here,” you confirm, wrapping your legs around his waist as he refuses to set you down or let you go. “I missed you way too much to wait another three weeks.”

He pulls back far enough to capture your lips in a sweet kiss, his hands sliding down to your thighs to support your weight as you kiss him back. You can feel the pieces of your world shifting back into place, your heart settling in your chest as you sink into his warmth.

Mason presses a few more quick pecks to your lips before reluctantly setting you down, arms still wrapped around you. It’s only then that you realize Luke is still here, shuffling awkwardly in the corner. 

“Thanks for your help, Luke,” you say with a shy smile, moving to Mason’s side. 

“Of course, the man never shuts up about how much he misses you, so it’s really a favour for me as well,” Luke jokes. “I’ll leave you guys. Enjoy your evening.”

“Thanks, mate,” Mason says with an eye roll and a grin before turning his attention back to you, pressing kisses to your head. 

“Night, Luke! Give my love to Anouska and the kids,” you call out, though you’ve also turned back to face Mason and bury your face in his chest. 

You remain in each other’s arms, just holding one another and breathing in and out for a minute or two. 

You knew you missed him, but you don’t think you realized quite how much until right now. It’s taken such a toll on both of you being apart for so long.

“How long are you staying?” Mason asks quietly, almost like he’s afraid of the answer, as he lightly rubs your lower back. 

“Until Monday morning,” you say. You wish it were longer, but three nights together is the best you’ve gotten in a long time. 

“Really?” Mason asks, pulling back and looking at you with bright eyes. “I thought you had to do your group assignment tomorrow?” 

“I pushed it to Monday, I had to come see you after we spoke last night.”

You reach up to cup Mason’s face with one hand, gently stroking his cheek with your thumb. Judging by the way he’s avoiding eye contact with you, you know you were right to come. He’s obviously been struggling with the disappointment of the never-ending injuries, all the uncertainty it’s brought. 

“I’m okay,” he says softly, turning his face to press a kiss to your palm. “Now that you’re here, everything’s okay.”

You melt at his gentle words, but they don’t do much to ease your worries about his emotional wellbeing. 

Mason gives you a quick peck on the forehead before looking around the room, noticing the food you’re preparing and the cozy, romantic vibe you created for your evening. 

“What’s all this?” he asks, a small smile on his face. 

You’re not keen to drop the subject, but you don’t want to ruin your rare weekend together by bombarding him with questions either. You know he’ll talk about it when he’s ready. 

“I just ordered some food for dinner and restocked your fridge a bit,” you explain. “I figured you would be happy to stay in tonight, so I got stuff to make your favourite pasta.”

Before he can respond, the dryer beeps, signalling that the load is done. He raises an eyebrow at you.

“Are you doing laundry?”

“I just threw a couple loads of your clothes in, I noticed you were running behind,” you shrug. 

Mason looks at you with complete awe, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You didn’t have to do all this,” he says softly. “You being here is enough. It’s more than enough.”

You smile, wrapping your arms around his neck once more. 

“I know, but I wanted tonight to be perfect and relaxing,” you explain, pecking his lips. “No stressing about football or school or anything else. Just you and me.”

“You’re amazing, Y/N,” Mason sighs, squeezing your waist. “Can I help you cook?”

“No, but you can pour us both a glass of wine from the bottle in the fridge and sit down and tell me about your day,” you smile, kissing him one more time before pulling away to return to your meal preparations. 

Mason does as told, sneaking another few kisses when he brings you over your glass, then sitting at one of the stools at the kitchen island.

You treasure this domesticity more than almost anything with him - the simple act of chatting about your days while making dinner is something you’ve missed terribly.

When the pasta is ready, you dish it out into two bowls and bring them over to the table. 

“God, I missed your cooking,” Mason grins as he dives into his portion, obviously starving after a day of training. “It’s delicious, babe.”

“Thanks, Mase,” you reply, pouring yourself a little bit more wine. “You want some more?”

“Might as well, it’s not like I’m playing tomorrow,” Mason says, the offhand comment hurting your heart much more than he intended. 

He’s still smiling at you as you pour his drink, but you don’t believe for a second that it’s real. 

“Do you want to go tomorrow?” you ask after a minute of silence while you both eat. “I know you usually go to the home games, right?”

Mason shrugs. “Yeah, we can if you want.”

Once again, you don’t press him further, listening as he changes the subject and starts updating you on Ben’s latest girl troubles. 

After you’ve finished and cleaned up, you head into the living room to catch up on the new episodes of Drive to Survive. You always save your favourite shows for when you’re together, sometimes dodging spoilers for weeks just so you can enjoy it properly with Mason.

The moment you sit down on the couch, Mason pulls you into his arms for the first real cuddle you’ve had in weeks. You very contently lean into him, resting your head on his chest and humming in delight as Mason slides his hand under your hoodie and begins to gently stroke your lower back. It’s not with the intention of anything sexual, though you’re sure that will come later, it’s just an innate need to be as close to you as possible. 

It’s the most relaxed you’ve felt since he left your flat in London three weeks ago, your body and mind decompressing with every moment spent in his arms. 

A few hours pass, and you can feel yourself growing tired, but you’re enjoying Mason’s commentary on the Alpine rivalry far too much to interrupt and suggest you go to bed. Your yawns are betraying you, though, and Mason begins to gently run his hand through your hair.

“You ready for bed, sweetheart?” he asks softly, kissing your forehead. 

“It’s so early,” you murmur as you glance at the time on your phone, barely past 9PM, yet you can’t contain another small yawn which makes Mason chuckle. “Sorry, I guess I’m tired out from the week.”

“No worries, we have the whole weekend,” Mason smiles. “Honestly, I’m a bit worn out too. Wanna go upstairs and I’ll get us some water?”

You nod as he stands and helps you to your feet, pressing one more gentle kiss to your forehead before heading into the kitchen. You make your way up the stairs to his bedroom and head into his ensuite bathroom. 

It occurs to you as you’re flicking the light on that you forgot to grab your toiletry bag from your suitcase in his room, and you’re just about to turn back for it when something catches your eye. On one of the shelves above the toilet, there’s an array of products that wasn’t here last time you visited. More specifically, there’s a version of just about every hair and skincare product you use on a regular basis, and you really doubt that Mason has taken up doing hair treatments or using Drunk Elephant serums.

Maybe it shouldn’t mean as much to you as it does - he’s always been thoughtful, and you know the expense of buying all this is nothing to him - but for some reason, the simple gesture nearly brings you to tears. 

Mason appears in the doorway a moment later, smiling softly at you.

“You okay, love?” 

“When did you buy all this stuff?” you ask, gesturing to the shelf. 

“Oh, uh, a couple days after the last time I came to London,” Mason says casually. “I took pictures of everything in your bathroom to make sure I got the right stuff, I just wanted to make it easier for you when you visit.”

As you look into his soft, sincere gaze, your love for him feels more overwhelming than ever. 

Which means your guilt does, too. 

“Mase, I’m so sorry I haven’t been up to visit more lately,” you say, your voice unsteady. “I know you’ve been struggling, and I know you’ve been keeping a lot of it from me because I’m busy with uni, but you’re my priority and I should’ve-“

“Hey,” Mason says gently, interrupting you with a hand reaching up to cup your cheek. “Don’t ever apologize for focusing on your studies. I know how hard you’ve been working, and I’m so proud of you. You don’t need to worry about me, I’m gonna be fine.”

“It’s not fine,” you shake your head, tears now streaming down your face. “You’ve always been there for me, and now you’re in a new city and a new club and you’ve been dealing with injuries and I’m all the way across the country.”

“Y/N, we knew this would be hard, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t,” Mason says, wiping your tears away with his thumbs. “But it’s not your fault I moved clubs while you still had a degree to finish, or that I’ve had a tough season. Some things are out of our control.”

You know he’s right, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Hearing his sad, defeated voice on the phone after a disappointing medical assessment or bad game and not being able to hold him has been one of the hardest things you’ve ever done.

“I just worry about you being here all alone,” you say quietly. “I know you have your teammates and you spend a lot of time with Luke, but in London you had me and all your friends and your family was closer and - I just hate that I’m not with you.”

“You’re here right now,” Mason says, pressing his forehead to yours for a moment. “You dropped everything to come see me today, babe. You have no idea how much that meant.”

“I would do it every weekend if I could.”

“I know,” he says with a sad smile. “And I would leave all of this and spend my time helping you study and supporting you if I could, but this is our reality for a little while longer, angel.”

You sigh, nodding in agreement and staring into his big brown eyes that bring you so much comfort. 

“I’ve just missed you so much,” you murmur, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him in for a tight hug. 

His own arms circle your waist and tug you impossibly closer, his nose buried in your hair so he can breathe you in.

“I know, baby, I’ve missed you too,” he exhales. “So, so much.”

You hold him for a while longer, cherishing every brush of his hand against your back and every kiss he presses to your temple. You want to memorize the feeling of his touch, so when you’re back in your bed in London a few days from now you can close your eyes and try to imagine you’re still in his arms.

After a few minutes, you break apart to finish preparing for bed. You brush your teeth together then go through your skincare routine while Mason watches fondly, letting you put some moisturizer on him when you’re done with it. Then he strips down to just his boxers, teasing you lovingly when you obviously check him out, and passes you a comfy t-shirt from his drawer to change into. You make a mental note to fill up your suitcase with a few of his hoodies before you leave - the ones you have at home no longer smell like him. 

You climb into the bed together, noticing that the side you usually sleep on has all of its pillows in place and that the nightstand is almost empty except for the glass of water he set down for you. Like he’s still been leaving that space for you even when you’re not there to fill it. 

“C’mere,” Mason says immediately, tugging you into his chest. 

You relax against him, laying your head over his heartbeat and tracing his tattoos with your finger.

“Will you tell me how you’ve really been feeling lately?” you ask in a gentle voice. He immediately tenses, and you know he still doesn’t want to discuss it, but you’re not leaving Manchester without talking to him about this. “I saw the look on your face when I asked about the game tomorrow, babe. Please just talk to me.” 

“I don’t want to burden you with all this,” Mason says, refusing to meet your gaze. “I know how busy you are-“

“I told you, you’re my priority, Mase,” you insist. “And it’s actually more concerning when I don’t know what’s going on with you. If you talk to me, then maybe I can help.”

Mason sighs and moves into a more upright position, still holding your hand and playing with your fingers as a way of grounding himself as he gathers his thoughts. 

“I just never thought it would be like this, you know?” he mutters. “I thought that coming here would solve everything I was going through at Chelsea, but in a lot of ways it’s been even harder.”

You nod for him to continue, gently squeezing his hand.

“I thought when all the contract stuff was resolved and I was at a new club everything would be fine, but then it’s just been constant injuries and trying to adjust to a whole new life without actually being able to do the thing I love most,” he goes on, making your heart splinter even more. “Fifty-five million pounds and I don’t have a single goal to show for it.”

“You can’t help that you’ve been injured, baby,” you say softly, though you know he already knows that. “If you were in top form, you’d be scoring goals all over the place. I know it.”

He smiles slightly, always grateful for your neverending confidence in him. You’ve been his biggest fan from the moment you met, cheering him on through every high and low of his career. 

“Maybe, but I haven’t had the chance to try,” he mutters. “I’m just stuck here, being useless to the club and hours away from you. I basically upended our lives just to end up not playing for months.”

“Mase, if I’m not allowed to feel guilty for us being apart, neither are you,” you say firmly. “Coming to United was the right decision. It may not feel like it now, but I promise it will in the long run. And if not, we’ll find a new place for you to show everyone how amazing of a footballer you are. Even if it’s in a different city or another country, we’ll figure it out.”

“Babe, I feel bad enough that you’re moving away from London to be here next year, I’m not gonna ask you to move again,” Mason says, still fiddling with your fingers. “I have to make it work here.”

“And I’m sure you will as soon as you’re better,” you tell him, bringing your joined hands to your lips. “But if it ends up not being a good fit, I will happily follow you anywhere you want to go.”

“Even the States?” Mason jokes, making you roll your eyes and poke him the ribs. “It would be cool to play with Messi.”

“You are not going to the MLS any time soon,” you reprimand him. “But yes, I would go to Florida for you, babe. That is how much I love you.”

Mason laughs, moving your joined hands so it’s his turn to lay kisses on your knuckles.

“Wouldn’t be so bad. The weather’s good, and we could hang out with the Beckhams,” he says, smiling against your skin. “We could take our kids to the beach-“

“Oh, our kids, huh?” you remark, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well, by the time I’m actually ready to play in the MLS…” 

“Alright, we’ll move to Florida with our hypothetical children in ten years,” you say decisively. “Then you can retire and stay home with them while I work.”

“I could take them to Disney World every day,” Mason sighs happily. “Oh, and the Harry Potter thing! Our kids would love that.” 

As much as you’re both joking, the thought of a time in the future when you’re settled with a family and not having to deal with all the separation and uncertainty makes your heart feel warm and fuzzy. You can’t wait to have a family with him someday. 

“In all seriousness, babe, you’ve already accomplished so much in your career and I know you’re going to do so many more amazing things,” you tell him, reaching out to cup his cheek. “And even more importantly, you are such an incredible person off the pitch.“

Mason blushes, leaning into your palm and holding it to his face so you don’t withdraw your touch. You know he struggles to take compliments sometimes, but you also know that this is something he needs to hear. 

“Which is why I refuse to listen to you call yourself useless when you do so much for your family, the community, for me - you make everything better, Mase,” you say softly. “That’s why are so loved. It’s why I fell in love with you, not because of your job.”

He takes a moment to soak up what you’re saying, still holding your hand to his face and pressing a few kisses to your palm. 

“You mean you’re not in it for the money?” he says after a minute, eliciting an eye roll from you. 

“It’s mostly for the money, but the abs don’t hurt either,” you tease, poking his stomach and making him laugh out loud for the first time in as long as you can remember. 

Mason pulls you into his arms again, leaning back and tucking you into his chest so your nose is pressed to his neck. You give him another tight squeeze, unable to get enough of his cuddles.

“Thank you so much, baby,” he mumbles into your hair as he slowly rubs his hand over your back. “For coming and for making me talk about this stuff. You always know exactly what I need.”

“Of course, my love,” you murmur. “Just promise me you’ll keep talking to me, okay? I don’t care how busy I am, I want to know what’s going on with you.”

“I promise,” Mason swears, squeezing your hand that rests over his heart. “And the same goes for you. I know how stressful this term has been, but I’m always here even if I can’t physically be there to help.”

“I know you are,” you smile. “And I know you’re the reason Ben or Woody brought me dinner or care packages before every midterm. They wouldn’t admit it, but I suspected they were under orders to check in on me.”

Mason chuckles. “Yeah, well, gotta send in the subs when I can’t do it myself.”

You hug him even tighter, throwing a leg over his and letting him shift you back into a more comfortable position for sleep. You’re yawning again, the exhaustion finally catching up to you now that the worry gnawing at your mind over Mason has been relieved.

“So, for tomorrow,” you say, your voice lower now that you’re both getting sleepy. “I think we should go to the game with Luke and Anouska, she already texted me and asked us to come over for dinner afterward. That way you and Luke can show your faces at Old Trafford and we can spend some time with them and the kids. Then, you and I can come back home and have a bit of a romantic night in.”

Mason doesn’t respond right away, and you give him a moment before you look up at him to see if something’s wrong. But when you do, you see only an adoring gaze and gentle smile on his face.

“Is that plan good with you?” you ask, “we don’t have to do any of it, I just thought-“

“No, no, it sounds perfect,” Mason cuts you off. “You’re perfect. I was just thinking about how much I love you.”

Your heart melts even more for him, if that’s possible, and you can’t resist leaning in to press another lingering kiss to his lips.

“I love you too,” you say, pressing a few more kisses to his cheeks and nose for good measure. “Now, let’s get a good night’s sleep so I can show you how much I love you in the morning, yeah?”

Mason nods with childlike enthusiasm, making you giggle again as you lay your head back on his chest. 

You can’t wait for the time to come that all of your nights end like this, curled up next to the love of your life, but for now, you’re grateful for this one.

No matter how many miles are between you, your heart is always gonna be wherever Mason is. He’s your home, whether you’re on opposite ends of the globe or in the same bed. 

You sleep better than you have in months.

please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this or send me an ask just to chat, love hearing from all of you xx

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 63

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 5k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Saturday, February 27th; 11:00 AM - Ingrid’s Apartment.

Our vacation is coming to an end, and you can feel it. A last-minute brunch was organized at Ingrid's before Mapi and Joan's departure in the early afternoon. Jenni and Alexia were, of course, invited along with us. It was an opportunity to spend the last few hours before wrapping up the holiday. I wished it would never end. I was already happy with my previous vacations, but this one far surpasses all the others I've had. The atmosphere was calm, with various topics of discussion on the table. It was a different mood compared to what we experienced just the night before. Lucy, sitting next to me, has had her hand on my thigh since we arrived. Since I told her about my late-night call, she hasn’t let go of me, in every sense of the word. We were both shaken. However, unlike me, Lucy is seriously considering the proposal I was offered. That’s not the case for me. Not at all. I couldn’t see myself moving away from her, from my loved ones, from this city. It caused tension between us, though we understand each other's arguments. I think our situation was noticed because our friends kept glancing at us, as if to ensure we weren’t about to explode in the middle of the gathering.

“Alright. Are we going to keep pretending everything’s fine, or are you finally going to talk?”

It’s Mapi who spoke. Of course, she’s the one who never holds back. I focus on my plate while Lucy tightens her grip on my thigh. A small sigh escapes her.

“Do you want to tell them?” 

I can feel her eyes on me. She’s leaving it up to me whether or not to share the news with them. I shrug and lean back against the chair. I have everyone’s attention, except for Joan, who’s still focused on his plate, undisturbed by the tension.

“The gallery called me back.”

“Really?” Mapi exclaims with excitement, then loses her enthusiasm. “Wait. They don’t want you, is that it? Is that why you look so upset? What a bunch of idiots! They have no idea what they’re missing out on if they refuse you!”

I smile despite myself at her mood swings. Honestly, she’ll always have my back, no matter the situation, even if she doesn’t know all the details.

“No, it’s not exactly that...”

“The manager offered her a job in Cardiff,” my girlfriend announces bluntly.

“What!?” Alexia reacts. “What’s going on? Why not here?”

“He’s opening a new gallery and putting together a team, and he sees me as a good fit for it.”

“And what’s next?” Mapi scoffs. “It’s a great way to trap you there! It’ll start with an apprenticeship, then a contract you won’t be able to refuse. We all know how this stor—Ouch!” she yells after being elbowed by Ingrid. “What’s your problem?”

“Stop talking so much. You’re not even letting them speak! And besides, this decision isn’t yours to make. If Ona wants to go, it’s her choice.”

“She doesn’t want to,” Lucy replies. “But I think she should. I mean, this is an incredible opportunity. This gallery is very prestigious, even here in Manchester. To be honest, she won’t find a better stepping stone at her current stage.”

“Oh, are you kidding me?” Mapi snaps. “Now that you two are together, are you trying to get rid of her or something? She trusts you! You have no right to say that!”

“Mapi!” Ingrid interrupts with a disapproving tone. “Lucy is supporting Ona. She’s right—it’s a unique opportunity if a top gallery wants to recruit her. It’s not something everyone gets.”

“You’re kidding, right? Ona freaks out when she’s far from her, and I’m not going to let this slide! She’s supposed to support you and your choices, Ona!” she says, looking me directly in the eyes.

That was the last straw for my girlfriend. She slams the table as she stands up.

“Just because I’m telling her to go to Cardiff doesn’t change anything for us,” Lucy says, surprising us all with her outburst. “There’s life beyond personal relationships, and that’s called a career. Sure, she’s happy with me, but she’d be even happier with a job that fulfills her.”

“Well, there are other solutions than moving miles away,” Mapi counters. “I don’t know, she could apply to other galleries in Manchester,” she adds, gesturing wildly. “Who cares about their influence!”

“Cardiff is just next door, you know,” Jenni chimes in for the first time. “Lucy isn’t wrong. A relationship like this is perfectly doable.”

“Next door?” Alexia scoffs. “It’s a three-hour drive! Sure, it could be worse, but that’s still a long trip to make every weekend. Plus, it’s a gallery. If they have exhibitions, some weekends are going to be off-limits. Ona, knowing you, I understand why you don’t want to go, and I support you.”

A heavy silence fills the room. Three against three, then. I thought their input would help us, but clearly not. We’re back to square one. I glance at Lucy, who sighs as she sits back down, running her hand over her face. This issue is far from over, and we all know it. The tension slowly fades, even as Mapi asks another question.

“When do you have to give them an answer?”

“In two weeks,” I reply. “The manager wants to meet me again. I’ll have to ask Wiegman for permission to leave.”

“She’ll grant it,” Lucy assures me, having already told me this information yesterday.

She even added that she’ll make sure to accompany me. I hope that’ll be the case. Since she’ll remain my supervisor until the end, there’s a good chance.

“Two weeks to think it over, huh... Ugh. No way are you leaving again when I plan to come here.”

“Well, you could just come back home,” Joan, who had been silent until now, suggests.

No one responds before we all laugh. He still seems hopeful for my return... Even though I talked to him this morning before coming here. He wasn’t too open, probably afraid to confide in me. With all this chaos, I haven’t had time to call my mom, but it’s still on my mind.

“Well, I’ve still got to finish packing,” Mapi finally says. “You girls coming to help?”

Having finished eating, Alexia and I get up to follow her to the bedroom. Lucy stops Joan, who wants to come with us, and encourages him to keep eating. He’s the only one who hadn’t finished yet, as he tends to take his time. I thank my girlfriend, who must have understood we needed some time alone to talk. It’s the first time I’ve set foot in Ingrid’s place. Her apartment is smaller than Lucy’s. For starters, it only has one bedroom, compared to Lucy’s three. However, I had the chance to see the bathroom, and for an apartment, it’s quite spacious. Of course, everything is quite modern. From the outside, the building doesn’t look old. She lives right in the center of Manchester. That was surprising. I imagined her living outside the city, like Lucy, but I guess I was wrong. Contrary to what you might think, you can’t hear anything from the outside world. It must be well insulated. When we arrive in the only bedroom, I notice it faces the back, overlooking a small courtyard. The place looks more peaceful here. I felt compelled to linger by the window, for whatever reason. Probably to delay the conversation. Mapi didn’t share that sentiment.

“No way! I can’t believe this!” she fumes.

I turn around to see her pacing back and forth while Alexia has flopped onto the bed like a rock. I don’t hesitate long before joining her. The conversation is going to be long, especially with Mapi in this state. She’s aggressively pulling clothes from the wardrobe, which I note is Ingrid’s. It seems we’re not the only ones moving forward in this new life. Yet, it’s quite contradictory to what she told me earlier.

“She seriously thinks this is what’s best for you!? Are you sure she knows you well, because that’s not the impression I’m getting!”

“Stop getting worked up like this.”

“I’ll get worked up if I want,” she says, throwing clothes into her suitcase one by one. “Honestly, I had a lot more respect for her before today.”

I sigh, casting a glance at Alexia. She doesn’t seem inclined to come to my rescue, judging by the way she shrugs. Clearly, those two are on the same page.

“She didn’t say anything wrong.”

“She wants you to go to Cardiff!”

“She’s only thinking about my professional well-being! She wants me to be fulfilled.”

- "And then what? Do you think you'll be away from everyone? Now that I've found something to build my life on here, you're leaving again! It's out of the question, I'm warning you!"

I laugh softly as I fall onto the bed. I stare at the white-painted ceiling. She's right. I can't just drop everything here when I've barely started forging a future. There are other galleries. I just need to apply. Anyway, I wasn't planning on accepting his offer impulsively. I already know a couple that broke up because of a career decision. I'm not going to make the same mistake.

- "What do you plan to do?" Ale. asks.

- "Negotiate at first. Then probably write some resumes. We need to talk about it more seriously with Lucy. She's not entirely wrong."

- "Did you two argue?" she continues.

- "No, not really. We didn’t raise our voices, even though we weren’t on the same page."

- "That's good. Anyway, the decision is yours to make."

I nod, though not very convincingly. I don't know where this is headed, but it doesn't feel good. I didn’t need any last-minute tensions to ruin the end of our vacation.

- "I think I would have preferred if he’d said no instead of making such an offer. To be honest, I expected this answer considering the kind of gallery it is."

I've had time to do some research since the interview. I didn’t know who I was dealing with before. If Lucy says it’s a golden opportunity, it’s because it's one of the most renowned galleries in Wales. they've established themselves in the big cities, and now they’re targeting smaller ones, according to him. Working there would be a great boost for my resume...

- "Oooh, I know that look," Mapi says, cutting through my thoughts. "Don’t even think about it. Have you forgotten what it was like being away from Lucy? Right now, you’re not thinking about it because you’re in your bubble, but wait until classes start again. You’ll remember what it feels like to have distance between you."

I bite my lip, thinking about her words. I hate to admit it, but she’s right. It’s unthinkable. Just look at my nightmares. Since I've been back in her arms, they've disappeared completely. I’d be curious to see if they come back when I return to school. If they do, I'd better keep it to myself. Wiegman might send me to see a therapist like she threatened before the holidays, and that's definitely not happening. But we’re not there yet. It’s not time to think about that. There’s more to it. I feel safe by her side, and being alone in an unknown city is definitely not a good plan. The idea of Lucy following me is simply impossible. She’ll be too busy with the renovation and opening of her gym. It’s truly a headache that I need to deal with.

- "Well," Mapi sighs, seeming to have finished packing. "I’m going to check the bathroom one more time to make sure I’ve got everything, and then we can head out."

The time is indeed approaching. Their flight is scheduled for early afternoon so they can arrive in Barcelona tonight. If it were up to Mapi, she probably would have flown tomorrow, but she agreed to change the date to accompany my little brother. It’s his first trip, and I have no doubt the time difference will affect him. I stand up, intending to head to the living room, but Alexia, who’s now sitting, stops me.

- "You know, I don't completely agree with Mapi's words, but she's got a point. I don’t know everything you’ve been through like she or probably Lucy does."

I part my lips to defend myself, but she continues before I can say anything.

- "But I’ve seen who you were before Lucy came into your life and who you are now. I’m not sure what to make of it, to be honest. Just don’t make any hasty decisions. You’re the only stable friend I’ve had lately, and I don’t want to lose you."

I smile at her heartfelt confession. I had always wondered if Alexia had any friends because she never talks about the people around her outside of school. I think I have my answer now. She probably never had the chance to get close to anyone because of her chaotic life, which is a real shame. She’s a fantastic person, and I don't regret meeting her at all.

- "How could you think I’d abandon you after school? You’ve managed to reach the same level as Mapi in my life, so even if I had to leave, we’d stay close. Now come here, you silly girl."

I open my arms, and she doesn't hesitate to accept my embrace. It’s actually the first time I’ve initiated it. She squeezes me so tightly I almost can’t breathe, but I say nothing. She must need this. She probably thought I didn’t care about her as much, but she’s wrong. She’s been a huge support to me this year, and I’m not going to forget that.

- "Thank you," she whispers.

After exchanging a smile, we head back to the living room. Our friends were deep in conversation, thankfully not about my job offer. As soon as I sit down, Lucy pulls me close and kisses my temple. I smile, leaning into her. No matter if we disagree, as long as love remains, I'm fine.

- "Are you okay?" she whispers.

I nod to reassure her. I’m not in the best shape, but she doesn’t need to know that right now. Knowing her, she probably suspects something anyway. Nothing is resolved, but now isn’t the time to discuss it. Time flies, and before long, we're cleaning up and preparing to leave. Everyone pitches in, and just before 12:30, we head out. Jenni and Alexia have already said goodbye to the apartment, preferring to go home rather than come with us. With just five of us left, Lucy took the initiative to drive us to the airport. The journey is long and silent, leaving me deep in thought. Why does something always have to spoil my happiness? It’s really unfortunate. I snap out of my reverie when Lucy places her hand on my thigh. Normally, I love that, but right now, it doesn’t lift my spirits. Instead, I look into the rearview mirror, where everything is just as quiet. Even my brother isn't saying a word. He must sense the tension; otherwise, I have no doubt she’d be chatting away the whole trip. Finally, we arrive at the airport. We accompany Joan and Mapi through all the necessary steps before boarding. It’s strange not to be the one traveling this time. I help my brother with each step; it’s definitely not something she can do alone.

- « Ona?" she calls out to me.

We’re alone at the baggage check-in, and it’s the first time he’s spoken. Mapi is at another counter while the others wait on the other side.

- "Hmm?"

- "You’re not going to break up with Lucy, are you?"

- "Why would you think that, huh?" I ask with a small smile.

- "Well, you both seem sad. I don’t want you two to break up. Even though she takes you away from me, she’s brought your smile back."

I blush slightly as the attendant chuckles, clearly having overheard. I try to ignore him to respond to my brother.

- "We’re not breaking up, Joan. We just have a disagreement. It’ll be sorted out soon."

- "I hope so. Because even though I pretended otherwise, I actually like her. As long as you both make your decisions with your hearts, everything will be fine."

His words make me smile. I ruffle his hair before we rejoin the others. Kids can be so perceptive when they want to be. He gave me the answer to my questions in a single sentence. We finally reach the boarding gate. The flight leaves in a few minutes. We’ve found seats, and Joan has taken advantage of the moment to sit on my lap. He snuggles against me, kicking his legs gently.

- "I don’t want to go," Mapi sighs.

- "It’s just three little months."

- "It’s going to be so long without you," she groans. "Next time, you guys are coming to me."

- "Mom wants us to come anyway, so we’ll visit one weekend."

- "You’ll come with them, right?" she asks her girlfriend.

- "Of course," she confirms, giving her a small kiss.

I smile sadly. It must be just as hard for Ingrid. You quickly get used to the good things. I’m glad Lucy and I weren’t already together when I used to go back home. It was hard enough then; I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if we’d been dating. It must not be easy for the girls either.

- "Are you okay, love?"

I look back at Lucy and nod. She smiles gently, running her hand through my hair, and I close my eyes for a moment, savoring the gesture. I definitely couldn’t part from her. I lean in to kiss her, and Joan, still sitting on me, groans in disgust, forcing me to pull away gently. Lucy laughs, looking at him.

- "Did you enjoy the vacation?"

- "Yes!" he replies, nodding enthusiastically. "Can I come back?"

- "Of course. We just need your mom’s approval," she answers.

- "And when are you guys coming back?"

- "Soon. One of the upcoming weekends," I tell him.

Lucy nods in agreement. We haven’t talked about it yet, but with my mom insisting and what’s going on with Joan, it would be a good idea to go as soon as possible. The intercom announces that the boarding gate is now open. The way Joan burrows into me tells me he’s been dreading this moment. I hug him tight before we stand to accompany them to the gate, ready to say our goodbyes. Mapi bids farewell to her girlfriend while I crouch down to remind my brother of a few final instructions.

- "You’ll behave, okay? And make sure you listen to Mapi during the flight."

- « Yes, Ona," he answers indifferently. "I’m going to miss you."

He catches me by surprise, wrapping one arm around my neck and the other around Lucy’s waist, who was standing next to me.

- "I’ll miss you too, sweetheart. We’ll see each other soon, I promise."

I kiss him cheek, giving him one last hug. Then he turns to Lucy to do the same. Meanwhile, I take the opportunity to hug Mapi.

- "Everything will be fine," I tell her.

- "Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that?" she giggles. "We’ll keep in touch, right?"

- "I promise. We’ll see each other soon anyway. And then you’ll come here, so there won’t be any more problems."

She gives me one last hug and then hugs my girlfriend before taking Joan’s hand.

- "Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back in one piece," she teases me.

- "I sure hope so," I chuckle.

- "Text us when you land," adds Ingrid.

- "I won’t forget."

She comes back to give her one last kiss before finally leaving. We stay in our spots until they pass the first flight attendants and the corridor. They turn around one last time, and we exchange a final wave before they disappear around the corner. That’s when we turn to leave.

- "Well, there you have it," Lucy comments. "Things will be calm again."

- "Oh yeah," Ingrid sighs. "It’s going to feel almost boring now."

- "No kidding," I giggle.

- "Do you have any plans for next weekend?" Lucy asks.

- "I don’t think so. Why?"

- "Well, I was thinking we could go visit. You want to go as soon as possible, right?" Lucy asks in return.

I nod. She wraps her arm around my shoulders. I smile softly, snuggling against her.

- "Well, I suppose we can do that, but I won’t be able to go every weekend," Ingrid warns us.

- "That’s not our plan, don’t worry," Lucy reassures her. "Alright, let’s go buy our tickets, and then we can head home."

Said and done. We head toward the ticket counters, taking our time. Then we make our way back, with a stop to drop Ingrid off. I let her sit in the front so they could chat. Once I’m alone again, silence returns. I avoid looking at Lucy, preferring to watch the world outside. Manchester is a very vibrant city if you pay attention.

- "Are you going to stay quiet for much longer?" she asks me.

- "Can’t I?"

- "No. Not when you’re thinking so much."

I look down at her hand, palm up, resting on my thigh. I get the message and take her hand in mine. She brings it to her lips and kisses it.

- "Talk to me. You know I don’t like it when you shut yourself off."

- "Was the answer you gave me last night from your heart?"

The question hangs in the air. I don’t dare look at her, afraid I’ll regret it. My sister managed to plant doubts in my mind. What if she was speaking from the heart? What if, as Mapi suggested earlier, she really wanted me far away from her? It’s hard to believe that of Lucy, but nothing is impossible. She sighs softly, squeezing my hand.

- "Cariño-"

- "Answer my question, Lucy," I interrupt. "It’s not a complicated one."

- "If this is about trust or-"

- "That’s not an answer," I groan, finally managing to look at her.

I don’t know why, but her evasion irritates me. As long as she doesn’t give me a clear answer, the doubts will remain. She’s not looking at me. Usually, she’d at least glance at me, but not this time.

- "No. Of course not," she finally answers. "If it was a choice made with my heart, I’d make sure to keep you by my side all the time."

- "Then why tell me to accept?"

- "It’s the reasonable answer, Ona. That will always be my first response. I thought you knew that by now."

- "So what? If we both have a problem talking openly from the heart, then we have a problem."

- "I just want what’s best for you."

- "I know, but that’s not what I expect from you. Well, it is, but not when it means pushing me away at the same time. Do you want to know how I’d feel if I accepted this offer? Imagine how I felt when you rejected me; it would feel just like that. Why do you think Mapi flipped out when she found out?! She knew exactly how I was feeling!"

My voice resonates in the car. I raised it on purpose. I want to provoke a reaction from her. I want her to hold me back. If she doesn’t, I honestly won’t know what to think anymore.

- "I—... Wait, let me park."

I realize we’ve arrived at her building from what she just said. She lets the silence linger as she parks the car, just as she said. As soon as the keys are out of the ignition, she turns toward me and grabs both of my hands again, holding them tightly and pulling them close. I force myself to look at her. She looks shaken.

- "That’s not my intention, baby. I’m really sorry if you took it that way. It’s just that, I was raised this way, you know? Making the reasonable choices, it’s what I do… I don’t want us to fight about this."

After everything she’s told me about her childhood, I can only understand. I don’t know much, but from what I’ve gathered, she was very focused on school. She probably didn’t have many friends, which is why she’s so close to Jenni. It always surprises me because, at my old high school, she would have been one of the popular girls. She probably would’ve been at hers too, but she turned down that role. After all, if she was bullied as a kid, I can understand her. Rejecting labels allowed her to make the best choices for her future, without having to worry about anyone. She never had to follow her heart because she wasn’t close to anyone but Jenni. She always seemed to follow her everywhere, so naturally, the reasonable always triumphed for her without question.

- "I love you, baby. If you want to stay here, I’m not going to push you away. It’s just that, I’m about to reach my goals soon. If I wanted you to accept this offer, it was so you could achieve yours with the best chances possible."

- "But there are other options, even if they’ll take more work. I’m ready to make sacrifices, Lucy."

- "I know, and we’ll talk about it. There’s no need to get so worked up. I’m not pushing you away, far from it," she teases gently, wiping away the tears I hadn’t even realized were falling.

- "We should never have involved others in this..."

- "No, we shouldn’t have," she smiles. "But it’s okay. What’s done is done. Besides, no matter what anyone else says, or even me, the final decision is yours, no matter what. I won’t be mad if you turn down the offer. Quite the opposite. Just don’t make any hasty decisions. Don’t focus only on me. As much as I don’t want it, we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us and many other things. You need to think it over carefully."

I nod, letting her gentle caresses on my cheeks soothe me. My doubts have finally eased. She’s not rejecting me. She just wants me to make the right decisions without regrets. I need to make this choice for myself, just as she has always made hers... Her words managed to plant some doubts.

- "Will you always put your goals before your relationship?" I ask curiously, opening my eyes.

- "No. It’s hard to explain, but I feel like you’re the person I’ve always been waiting for in my life... Since the day you agreed to be with me, you’ve become my priority. And anyway, as I said, my goals are being met right now, so I don’t think I’ll have any more for a long time, if everything works out."

- "Thank you," I reply, blushing. "Can I have some cuddles now?"

- "Of course," she laughs. "As many as you want, once we’re back in our apartment."

- "Our apartment?" I catch her slip.

- "Ours, yes..." she confirms with a hint of anxiety before continuing. "I’d like you to move into my apartment. For now, just on the weekends, but once school’s over, I want it to be permanent. I want you to stay here and live with me, my love."

My heart skips a beat. We had talked about me staying here after Camp Wiegman, but I didn’t expect her to make it an official request. I blink back the tears filling my eyes before throwing my arms around her neck, shouting "yes" over and over, making my girlfriend laugh as she catches me effortlessly.

[wileys-russo]

Mearps and "you really need to take a nap babe" xx

mary earps

"-two more days and then i'm all yours." you smiled at her words with a nod, though mary could see it didn't quite reach your eyes. "i'm really sorry love, you know this time of year is insane." mary sighed and you were quick to assure her you understood.

"i know baby. you can't help your schedule and i am so incredibly proud of all of your accomplishments and awards, i'm just sorry i can't be there to support and watch you accept them." you frowned, your own job keeping you tethered to manchester while mary had been seemingly all around everywhere but manchester for the last two weeks.

between trainings, national camp, nations league, away games, conti cup matches, awards, trophies, public appearances, her clothing company and the impending transfer season you and mary hadn't actually spent more than a few hours together in just over two and a half weeks.

and you were both feeling it.

you were a teacher which meant you tried your very best to be there to watch her play, accept awards or just be with her. but with the end of the year fast approaching your own workload was increasing with reports due, exams to mark and deadlines to meet.

"hey you do not need to be sorry beautiful. your kids need you and i am so proud of you every single day, hows the reports coming?" mary questioned adjusting where she laid down on her bed, away for the weekend in liverpool for a united match.

"they're...coming." you sighed tiredly, glancing to your laptop and the papers scattered all around it. "you look tired baby. you're not pulling all nighters again are you?" your girlfriend asked somewhat sternly, knowing you all too well having been with you almost two years now.

"i have to babe, its my month to do after school pickup duty so i'm not getting home until after five thirty." you sighed running a hand through your hair, mary now really noticing the bags under your eyes which were near matching to her own.

"baby i really don't like when-" she was cut off as you heard her name called in the distance and suddenly you were looking at someone else. "hi tooney." you chuckled at the younger girl who sung out hello, ignoring your girlfriends protests as she struggled beneath millie, maya and lucia who'd all come thundering in.

"i'm busy! get off and get out." mary managed to shove them off, all four girls calling out bye as they dissapeared off screen and you heard the door slam behind them.

"children!" mary groaned as she belly flopped onto the bed and readjusted her phone. "baby love you look exhausted, you know how i feel about you pulling all nighters." mary warned as you wave her off, ignoring the fact your eyes felt like they had anchors attached to them.

"mary." the striker hummed with an amused smile as you were clearly fighting to keep your eyes open, your girlfriend having just talked you through her day.

"do you think if you injected coffee you'd die?" you asked tiredly, one eye closed as the keeper bit her lip to stop from laughing. "whys that baby?" she questioned curiously. "well when you inject drugs it goes right to your bloodstream. or if you're sick they hook you up to an iv yeah?" you started to mumble, mary humming encouragingly.

"well what if for people who are like coffee addicts, could they get put on like a drip of coffee? like a caffeinated iv." you pitched your idea to her, moving to rest your head on your hands as your girlfriend laughed as quietly as she could.

"you really need a nap babe."

[lottielovelace]

princess — chapter one

(ghost x könig's-sister!reader)

summary: Finally you get a chance to visit Simon. You just hope he hasn't forgotten about you. (aka two people trying their best to hide how incredibly into each other they are)

originally posted on ao3 (chapter length: 505 words)

Rating: M

Relationships: Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader, background platonic relationships

Ao3 Tags FOR THE FIC AS A WHOLE, NOT THIS SPECIFIC CHAPTER:Past Rape/Non-con / Rape Recovery / Male Victim of Sexual Assault / Canonical Rape/Non-con (Simon's) / First Time / Getting Together / Manchester as a setting / disclaimer: author has not been to manchester / Simon does bare-knuckle boxing as a hobby / Sparring as Flirting / wrestling as flirting / Identity Porn / Non-Explicit Sex / reader is konig's half sister / Unmasked Simon "Ghost" Riley (while on leave) / reader knows that simon is in the military but doesn't know he’s ghost / medium speed burn

this is a part of a series

Author’s Note: heads up this chapter is very short, mostly plot, and has little ghost. subsequent chapters will have a lot more :)

When König and Horangi booked a bodyguard job in London, you knew you were going to be superfluous for the next couple of months. It was a pretty low-stakes gig (a rich heir had gotten a few online hate comments and been spooked into extreme paranoia, deciding to hire the best of the best for the job), so any major injuries were unlikely. Plus with it being primarily in London, if things did go terribly wrong, there were medical resources available.

So when you offhandedly mentioned that you might pass on this mission to visit an old friend in the north of the country, they welcomed it. You might be more sociable than your brother, but they knew that close friends were still  few and far between for you. Of course, you don’t know if they would’ve approved had they known your “friend” was in the British military, but hey. What they wouldn’t know wouldn’t hurt them (for now at least).

The pit in your stomach only grew as you took the train up to Manchester. It refused to ease as you checked into your hostel. The kernel clung to you, twisting as you stared at your room’s dingy walls (it was the cheapest you could get. Horangi and your brother thought you were staying with a friend, your financials needed to reflect that.) What if Simon had forgotten you? It had been months. Were his words white lies to placate a pathetic prisoner? Was he even still alive? You didn't know exactly what he did for work, but you knew it was high stakes.

Staring at the moldy ceiling (damn, this really was a shitty hostel), you reminded yourself of the mantra you memorized at the camp.

Manchester. Stuart's. Simon.

Go to Manchester, find Stuart’s, ask for Simon.

Well you’ve already done one of the three.

----------

“Excuse me?”

The tattooed woman at the front desk glanced up at your soft words.

"Yes dear?"

"I was told I could find a Simon Riley here."

"Who’s asking?"

You told her your name and that “I met him while traveling abroad. He said if I ever wanted to get in touch to reach out here.”

"You’re in luck."

You tried not to get your hopes up.

“Really? Is he there?”

“No, but he will be. Just got on leave. Scheduled to monitor open gym tomorrow. I’m sure he’d be happy to see you."

"Oh, I'm not sure…"

"Please, Riley never gets visitors. I'm sure he'll love to see you."

You weren't quite so confident. But you hated to let the nice woman down, especially when she'd been so helpful. You forced yourself to nod, giving her a polite—if muttered—"Sure."

He could always turn you away himself.

A google maps search and Top Ten Manchester Attractions article later, you wound up spending the day killing time at the Manchester Museum. You finished the day with a cuppa and getting a takeaway from Nando's.

You somehow missed the eyes that followed you as you left the shop.

[wonder-kid-pugh]

We're a team. Always - Alessia Russo x reader

Alessia loved football. She loves the fact that she got to do what she loved as a job. It was even more special to her that she was playing for her childhood club.

It was one of the things you had bonded over.

You like Alessia had grown up in a United household. Both of your families were massive Manchester United fans. And there was no doubt that your hearts bled Devil red.

Which meant you were one of the few people who understood her secret heartbreak hidden from the public throughout the season.

You were by her side the entire season as the United management gave her the run around. You stood with her brother as you both reassured her that she deserved more than how they were treating her. You were by her side reminding her of her worth every time she had a moment of doubt.

It got to the point where you were starting to become frustrated on her behalf seeing how she was being treated. Especially after seeing the way she's been playing recently.

So when Katie picked up an injury, Manchester United saw an opportunity to quell your rage.

When news broke of you being named Captain, everyone was delighted. You remember your parents calling you crying saying how proud they were. And how your teammates were so excited for you.

But no one more excited than Alessia.

Honestly it just showed the type of person she was. That even when the club is messing around with her contract negotiations she was happy to celebrate your childhood dream with you.

She was truly perfect.

She was there when after all the celebrations were done, you couldn't help but confess that you felt they only gave you the captaincy to try and sate your anger towards how they were handling Alessia's situation.

She sat by your side like you had with her many times before and reminded you of how great a player you were. That United were lucky to have someone like you representing not just the badge but leading them out onto the pitch.

For every moment of doubt you had about being enough to lead the team, she was there with soft words of encouragement and reassurances as well as simple touches and kisses to distract your from your thoughts.

The trust between you was incredible. And everyone knew it. They saw in how the two of you played together.

But it was only your closest friends that really saw how much you loved each other.

How without even saying anything you were able to communicate with each other. The small things you do for each other. How you were able to calm each other with just a single touch. How you were each other biggest supporters and greatest confidants.

You didn't even expect her to tell you about her contract negotiations or the offers she had coming in. Not wanting to be biased or unfair in anyway.

But she did.

And when you asked her why. She just shrugged and told you that she loved you and this was going to impact you too.

It was the giant elephant in the room. But the both of you knew that Alessia's impending contact negotiations would have an impact on your relationship. As with things not looking good with United, you both knew that she would have to start looking elsewhere.

Rumours were thrown around without a hint of caution. And as much as you tried to play it off, Alessia knew they knawed away at you.

Alessia knew you kinda freaked when you heard clubs from the US were looking for her.

Which is why she made sure to keep you in the loop. If anything the two of you laughed at the different theories and rumours being thrown out by fans and speculators.

Which is why you wonder how everything turned to shit so quickly.

When the news of your dad suddenly becoming sick hit you didn't know what to do.

Alessia knew the second you told her that you were in the process of shutting down. She just didn't expect that you would also shut her out as well. Ever since you were young, it had always been the two of you. You were always a team you handled everything together.

She only really saw you at training. And even then you would bolt right afterwards without so much as a look at your girlfriend. Rushing to get back to your family.

You wanted to keep it a private affair. You didn't want it plastered everywhere. You didn't want your father to be plastered everywhere simply because her father was dying.

Because he was so much more than that.

To you he was your best friend. The first eyes you ever looked into. Your greatest protector. He was your first ever supporter for anything. He was the one who fought every homophobic or sexist parent who started calling you slurs at your football matches when you were younger.

You wouldn't let the tabloids reduce him to just your father because he was so much more than that to you.

So it was mutually agreed that the family would stay close. Nearly every evening everyone was gather and just be together. It would only be later that you would regret not bringing Alessia. As you didn't know what to say when your father asked for her.

He passed away the next day.

And while you were devastated. You and your family took comfort in the fact that everyone was there. Everyone was gathered around. You got to have one last family dinner. He gave you one last goodnight kiss and went to sleep. He went quietly and peacefully.

You had isolated yourself in your family home. You and your mother clinging to each other while your older brother took charge of organizing everything.

But there was only so much you could separate yourself from the world.

As after spending days with your family. You finally turned on your phone to an absolute shit storm.

First of all you smiled softly at all the messages your girlfriend had left you. Constantly checking up on you and making sure you knew she was there for you.

But you noticed how the messages had dwindled.

And then you noticed all the new articles and the social media notifications.

News had finally dropped that Alessia was infact leaving Manchester United at the end of the season. But what really sent you off was all the fan speculations.

Fans posting rude and abusive comments towards Alessia for leaving. If that wasn't enough some people had the audacity to post rumours about the two of you splitting up due to you being cold and leaving training early and not being seen together lately. Suggesting that you were obviously furious at her for leaving the club.

You apologize to your mother but the second you explained the situation she practically pushed you out the door.

You rushed home only to remember that she would probably be at the stadium for a weight session. You redirected your course to the training centre. Only to be swamped by reporters.

You blocked them out as you tried to make your way to the centre but that was until one question caught your ear.

"Does this mean the end of you and Alessia?"

You stopped moving causing them to come to a crashing stop as you glared at who you think asked that absurd question.

"First of all what the hell does that have to do with any of you? And second of all how dare you". You glared at all the reporters, "You think that our relationship is that weak that I'll leave her just because she knew what she was worth and had to go to a different club to finally get what she deserves".

Your eyes softened thinking about the blonde. "Alessia is the best person I know and she deserves a lot more than last minute contact offers and while United might be my club. She's my heart. She's always going to come first. No matter what colours she wears".

You shake your head as you drag a hand through your hair as you try to make your way back into the building. But you are once again stopped.

"But why have you been away so often then? You haven't been seen together for at least a week? Why have you been away from public eye?"

Your glare once again hardened as you whip back around and for a split second thinking about taking his equipment and smashing it to pieces.

"Excuse me for taking some time for myself". You straightened yourself like your father always taught you for moments like these. "I was with family. I was busy grieving". "Not that it's any of your business" you say coldly before shouldering your way into the building making sure to slam the door behind you.

You fly into the weight room only for Ella to immediately go to you. "She's with the physio".

Your eyes widen in panic but Ella once again cuts you off. "Don't worry nothing serious. Just her leg felt a little tight". You nod and send her a small thank you before going to the physio's room.

You peaked your head and smile softly seeing Alessia sitting up on the bench swinging her legs like a child waiting for the physio.

You knock lightly on the door which draws her attention. She looks over with a bored expression but that quickly changes when she sees your face. Her face lights up with her big megawatt smile and her eyes seem to glimmer in a way it only does when your around. "Y/n!" She cheers.

You quickly make your way across to her before she has a chance to jump down from the bench.

"Hey Darling" you smile as you brush some loose hair behind her ears.

"Hi" she replied shyly almost pruning under your affection. She didn't know how much she missed you until now.

You rub your hand up and down her thigh, "Is everything okay?"

She gulps hard but she nods trying to play it off with a forced smile. "Yeah yeah all good".

You fix her with a look, "Lessi..."

She lets out a sigh as her smile fades away revealing her frown and teary eyes. Small whimpers slip through as you bring her in for a hug let her grip you tightly as you play with the baby hairs at the nape of her neck.

Your hold on her tightens as she starts to sob against your neck. You hold for as she cries whispering soft reassurances in between gentle kisses.

Once her sobs begin to subside, you lean down and press a gentle kiss to her neck. "Tell me what's wrong Darling".

She nuzzles into you further as she sniffles, "It's just...". She takes a deep breath as you plant kisses all the way up and down the side of her head. "Ever since they announced that I'm leaving I've been getting all these messages. And the fans have been saying all kinds of stuff".

"What kind of stuff" you say gently as you brush some stray tears off her face.

She bites her lip as her eyes cast downwards. It wasn't until you tilt her head up by her chin that she actually looks at you. "That they're mad that I'm leaving. That if I really loved the club that much I wouldn't leave" she says. She let out a small sniffle as her voice cracks. "That you wouldn't love me anymore cause I'm leaving".

You could practically feel your heart break in your chest as the love of you life starts to cry once again.

You wrap her up in your arms again. "Less" you sigh in her ear, "I love you. But how could you ever believe that?" You pull back just enough as you brush away her tears with your thumb. You cup her face in your hands as you look directly into her eyes.

"Less... I've been in love with you since we were 15. You are my first and only love. There will never be anyone for me other than you". Your frown lightly, "How could you believe that I would ever give you up for something as small as moving club".

She looks away not liking that she's upset you. "It's just..." She sighed as she wipes her nose off her sleeve. "It's just we've been distance lately and I guess the more I heard them the more I believed it".

You sigh knowing that she was right and it was entirely your fault.

You close your eyes as you tilt your head back before looking back at your blonde. "I know I'm sorry". You take her hands in yours, "I know I haven't been the best lately".

She squeezes your hands, "It's just we usually talk. We usually handle this stuff together". Her eyes shine as she looked up at you. "We never shut each other out. You have never shut me out".

You gulp hard with a small nod, "I...I know". Now it's your turn to cast your eyes downwards. "It's just....when I got the news about my dad...I didn't know what to do".

There was a small silence between you knowing you were still raw. You still haven't fully come to terms that your dad wasn't around anymore.

"He called me you know?" She said as soft as humanly possible. But it seems that didn't stop you from whipping your head up at her. "He called me to make sure I look after you. That he wanted you to remember all the good times together and to keep living life like it should be". She lets out a sad laugh, "And here you are looking after me instead".

You smile softly but she could see that it was still pained. "Yeah I regret not bringing you with me" you admit, "They were all asking for you".

But Alessia shakes her head, "No. It was just for the family. It was for you guys to say goodbye".

You nod with her, "Exactly". "Less you are family to me". You squeeze her leg lightly, "While it might not be official yet and I fully intend to correct that in the future". You can see the blonde finally smile and you can feel you heart lighten. "But you are family Less. With or without a ring".

Alessia looks at your for a second before she pulls you in for a hug. Her arms wrapping around your neck tightly. "God I love you" she whispers into your neck.

You squeeze her back kissing her cheek. "I love you too". You let a second pass.

"But not enough to wear an Arsenal jersey even with your name on it for you...."

The two burst out laughing as Alessia pulls away smacking you on the arm before drying her face. "Your an asshole" she says weakly knowing that was the furthest from the truth.

"I know" you grin before nudging your nose against hers. "But I'm your asshole".

She nods slightly with a small smile. "Yeah". Before she takes your jaw in her hands and brings you in for a soft kiss.

So you stand there in between her legs in the middle of the physio's room trading soft kisses as your hands anchor yourself on her waist and she pulls you closer by wrapping her legs around your waist.

It's only when she pulls away and giggles as you go to chase down her lips again but she stops you with a hand to your chest.

"What?" You whine as she leans just beyond your reach.

She giggles again but your just happy to see her smiling and happy again. "I think it's better we stop now before we get caught....again".

You throw your head back with a groan as she lets out a loud laugh. "It was one time!"

"I'm pretty sure we scared Lucia for life" Alessia laughs before you join her thinking back to Lucia's face when she walked in on the two of you in a somewhat similar situation to now in a certain state of undress.

As both of your laughter subsides, you peck the end of Alessia's nose smiling when you see her scrunch her face at that action. "We continue this at home then?" You ask patting her side.

Alessia nods with a wide smile on her face.

"Yeah. Yeah let's go home".

[1heavy-heart]

𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 ☕

𝗉𝗈𝗏: 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖬𝖺𝗌𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗍 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝖿𝖿𝖾𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗉 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄

.........................................................................................................................

Your life changed upside down when you moved to England about 7 months ago, it was difficult to find a job and stay here but you were slowly managing it. You had been working in a coffee shop in Manchester for almost 2 months, adapting to the British way of life was a daily challenge but it was a dream come true. On an ordinary Friday, at 4pm while cleaning the tables, there was an unusual movement outside, several people were waiting for a car, most were children or teenagers dressed in Manchester United shirts. His heart quickened a little, thinking that it could be one of the team's players, or rather a specific player. As a fan, it would be incredible to meet one of them up close, but you really wanted to meet the number 7, so much so that you were already saving money for the next game he would take part in, as he was sidelined with an injury. The car stopped in the cafeteria parking lot and people were standing around waiting, you were eager to see who it was, but you had to go to the kitchen when one of your colleagues called you to help with some pies.

The car stopped in the cafeteria parking lot and people were standing around waiting, you were eager to see who it was, but you had to go to the kitchen when one of your colleagues called you to help with some pies. When he returned to the front, there were several people inside the café, after taking several orders at the counter, when he raised his head to speak to the next customer, his eyes couldn't believe who was in front of him.

Mason Mount Himself.

Who did you wish from the bottom of your heart to be in that car, and apparently it really was and it was right at your place of work You tried not to sound like a fool when talking to him, but it was almost inevitable.

-Good afternoon, how are you? How can I help you? -Hi, I'm fine and you? I would like to see the menu, please -I'm better now, I mean, I'm fine. Here is the menu. -That's great girl, thank you very much. He looked at the menu and I became more and more nervous each time, because I had never really thought about what to do if one day I actually met Mason. -I'll have a latte macchiato, please. - he said and I nodded, taking the order - Thank you. - he said and smiled at me, I could feel my cheeks heating up. -Thank you, it will be ready in a minute. - I said and left to deliver the order to the kitchen. As soon as I entered the kitchen I felt my heart beating faster, it felt like a dream to see Mason standing right in front of me. -Hey, y/n, are you okay? - asked Amy, a friend I made at the cafeteria and worked in the kitchen. -You won't believe who this request is from. - I handed her the paper and she looked at me with a confused face. -Who? -Mason Mount. - As soon as I spoke, Amy opened her eyes wide and her mouth fell open. -You've got to be kidding, right?

-I'm not Amy, you can go out there and see for yourself. - Amy peeked through the opening where the pastry chefs handed the orders to the servers. -Damn, it's him. I can't believe it. Did he happen to bring Garnacho with him? - She looked at me with a mischievous face. -Not that I've seen. - I replied laughing and Amy was crestfallen. Amy had an undeniable crush on Garnacho and had already gone to several games just to watch him, even though she didn't understand anything about football. -Okay, I'll prepare the order and you take a deep breath so you don't spill the drink on Mason, please. - she said laughing and I stuck my tongue out at her.

When she finished I noticed where he was sitting, at a table further back, which was more isolated, the crowd of fans had already left or were eating at the tables outside. I concentrated so I didn't look clumsy since my legs had turned to jelly just seeing him.

-Here you go, Mr. Mount. -Mr. Mount? Do I look that much older? - he said laughing, clearly making a joke. -Oh, no, no, not at all, you don't look old at all. - I stuttered and my face must have been red as a pepper. -I was joking, thank you very much miss… what is your name? -It's Y/N. -Nice to meet you, y/n. -The pleasure is all mine, after all, I've wanted to see you in person for a while. -Serious? -Yes, I always watch United games, from my apartment, of course, but I do. -I'm very happy to hear that, few want to meet me these days. -What are you talking about? What about all these fans that were behind you here? -They are still children and teenagers, when they grow up they will hate me like the majority of the fans. -You can see in their eyes how much they admire you, you inspire a lot of people, even if they don't believe it or don't know it. -Thank you, it's really nice of you to tell me that. - he said smiling, I smiled back and asked for permission to serve other customers.

I arrived in the kitchen and Amy asked me: -How was it there? -My heart almost stopped, but I managed to talk without sounding like a crazy fan. - I said and Amy laughed. -That's really good, baby. Keep it up. - she said. About 15 minutes later, Mason came to the counter and chatted with me for a bit. Luckily the café was almost empty, so I didn't have many customers to serve. After a while he decided it was time to go, paid the bill and finally said to me: -I thought our conversation was really good, you definitely made me feel better than I have in weeks. -I'm happy to be able to make you feel this way. - I smiled at him, wishing he wanted to keep in touch.

-Can I ask for your Instagram or maybe your phone number? I think we would be good friends. - he asked, scratching the back of his head as if he were embarrassed. -Of course, I think the same. - I wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to him. -Thanks y/n, I'll let you work now, bye. - he said goodbye smiling. -Bye, Mason. - I smiled back, I saw him walk through the door and I was hoping he would send me a message.

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

𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍 🖤

[f1byjessie]

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS ━━ LN4.

sometimes the right words are hard to come across, and sometimes everything you need to say can be captured in an image.

( lando norris x photographer!reader )

━━ part seven.

INSTAGRAM.

liked by mancity, oscarpiastri, and 431,912 others

tagged: mancity

yourusername february has come too soon… thank you to these wonderful lads for all they’ve done for me in the short time i’ve gotten to work with them. i’ve been a manchester city girlie my whole life, and getting to see the time and effort all of these men have devoted to this team and this sport ensures i’ll stay a manchester city girlie for the rest of it. but it’s lights out and away we go, and it’s time i get myself back into some papaya 🧡

view all 1,971 comments

mancity Training won’t be the same without you!

↳ yourusername can’t say i’ll miss all the times i was nearly clocked in the head by a ball, but i’ll definitely miss all the happy smiles 🩵

↳ mancity And we’ll miss yours! 🩵

jackgrealish you better not forget about us

↳ yourusername as if i ever could!! i’ll even wear sky blue in the paddock on match days if i have to 🫢

↳ mclaren 😨

↳ jackgrealish real talk though, it was wonderful working with you. you’re an incredibly skilled photographer and having you around was loads of fun. we’ll miss you lots, but we’ll be cheering you on with the mclaren lads

↳ yourusername you’re gonna make me cry grealo 😭

erling.haaland we will miss you! 

mclaren Can’t wait to have you back in the garage with us Y/N! We’ve been missing you around here 🧡

↳ yourusername can’t wait to be back! i’ve missed you dearly mclaren admin

↳ mclaren Our love has grown stronger with the distance 😌

↳ yourusername that it has 😉

kevindebruyne great time working with you! best of luck with your future endeavors 😁👍

oscarpiastri you look better in orange anyways

↳ yourusername since when were you a fashion expert??

↳ oscarpiastri it’s better if i don’t say… 😔

philfoden you gotta come have one last celebration with us before you go!

↳ yourusername if i did that, i’m pretty sure i’d be too hungover to make it to my other job

↳ philfoden maybe that’s the plan 👀👀 if you can’t get there then you’re stuck with us

chloekelly come work with the girlies next time babes! we’re jealous the boys hogged you all for themselves 😜

comments on this post have been limited

INSTAGRAM.

liked by oscarpiastri, yourusername, and 217,172 others

tagged: oscarpiastri, landonorris, yourusername

mclaren the muses and the artist

view all 1,609 comments

yourusername i had no idea this was being taken…

↳ mclaren We felt the need to share your beauty with the world! 😁

↳ yourusername you just wanted to show me off and prove i’m back with mclaren

↳ mclaren And if we did? 😁

oscarpiastri when the photographer becomes the photographed

user THE LADS AND LADY ARE BACK

user y/n is my favourite part of f1 actually sorry mclaren 🫣🫣🫣

↳ user i think the admin understands with the way they flirt in the comments lmao

user 🧡🧡 MCLAREN 2024 WORLD SUPREMACY 🧡🧡

user i’ve been following y/n’s stint over with the football club and i’ve been so jealous waiting for her to come back to mclaren!! her photos are on a whole different level of skill and i can’t wait to see oscar and lando’s smiling faces in her style again!!

user awww i’m kinda sad she left man city, i really liked her work and it was like a crossover of my two favourite sports teams ☹️

↳ user me too, but if she worked during the off season with them then she might do it again next year or during the summer

↳ user i think the 24/25 premier league season starts up again in mid august, but the f1 summer off season is supposed to end in late august so i don’t think that would really give her enough time to start a gig

↳ user that’s a shame

↳ user not necessarily! footballers do get a bit of a break to take vacations and recover mentally and physically during the summer, but a lot of them are back at their clubs a good chunk of time before the new season starts. assuming man city makes it to the finals in the champions league, their last confirmed scheduled match will be on june 1st, and the 24/25 premier league season starts on august 17th, which means they’ll probably be back at etihad in late july/early august if not sooner

↳ user at the very least, i hope her time with man city has gotten more people interested in f1 🙌

↳ user i’m not too sure… when she started dating ward apparently there was lots of backlash from city fans so who knows what the overall perception of her is over there

↳ user still shocked about that, i had kinda thought her and lando were together since they seem so close 🤔🤔

user mclaren admin please post more y/n behind the scenes bc she doesn’t post herself enough and we always love to see her 🙏🙏🙏

↳ user REAL

landonorris looking good! 😁🧡

↳ user what a bland comment…

↳ user bro gives us radio silence for weeks and THIS is what he comes back with..?

↳ user trouble in paradise methinks 🧐

user haven’t seen any of the garrett ward stans causing a stir in these comments which either means war is over or the mclaren admin isn’t taking any shit and is deleting them, in which case good on you mclaren admin for defending your wonderful official unofficial gf 😩😩

↳ user mclaren admin is better at protecting their official unofficial gf than garrett ward is at protecting is actual official gf 🤨

There’s a certain sense of rightness that comes from being back amidst the McLaren staff dressed in the bright papaya orange. Manchester City had been a fun adventure, and you hadn’t been lying when you told the team you’d miss working with them, but Formula One is where you belong and that had become more and more apparent as the last days of January came to an end.

The last couple of weeks had been nice. The boys had thrown you a small party on your last day, with a cake that they all spent a good hour running off afterwards. Jack had made you promise to keep in touch, and you planned on holding true to that and keeping him updated with selfies from each of the Grand Prix locations at the very least.

The dates with Garrett had worked as planned, his agent was already claiming that just you two being spotted together more than once was doing wonders for his reputation, and Garrett had been treating you civilly since then. You still resented him for how exactly he’d forced you into this situation, but you’ve managed to find a middle ground of at least appreciating what the arrangement can also do for you.

As for Lando, you hadn’t yet gotten any confirmation about how things were going with your plan. Apart from refusing to meet your eye all day and resolutely staring either into the camera or anywhere that wasn’t you, he’d been professional.

Things felt like they did back in 2019━ back when you were convinced he was just an arrogant, pretentious, self-righteous prick with a complex. You’re torn between hating every moment of it and feeling wickedly vindicated by forcing him to acknowledge the consequences of his own actions.

At the very least, however, you have Oscar.

You’d gotten to know him relatively well in 2023, not to the same extent that you knew Lando of course, but Oscar had filled a brother-shaped hole in your heart that you hadn’t even known was there. His teasing was shy at first, like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to act that way with you, but the ribbing you’d given back had been assurance enough and he’d been a steady presence at your side ever since, cracking jokes at your expense.

There’s an unspoken agreement between the two of you that you both act as an escape. It was never acknowledged, it kind of just came to be as you both got to know one another, but you’re to Oscar what Oscar is to you━ the person you can go to when you need to pretend your more serious problems don’t exist and when you don’t really want anyone asking questions.

That’s why it surprises you when Oscar asks, “What’s going on between you and Lando?”

There’s nobody else in the car park, the sky is dark and most of the staff have already gone home or━ in the case of a few engineers��� won’t be leaving until the sun is rising tomorrow morning. The silence makes Oscar’s voice sound a bit louder, a bit harsher, a bit more like being doused in cold water.

It’s easy enough to ignore the reality of the problems between you and Lando when you hide behind your frustration. It’s even easier when Lando is so frustratingly good at pissing you off and keeping you in a haze of annoyance that perpetuates your justification of letting the tension linger. It’s hard to miss the closeness when you’re too busy being angry at him.

But the quiet emptiness of the world around you now gives you nothing to hide behind and nowhere to run━ not from Oscar’s scary perception, which has never before been locked on to you.

“Not really sure what you mean,” you answer after a moment. “Me and Lando are fine.”

It sounds as fake as it is.

“Yeah,” he scoffs. “Because whatever that tension was today was totally ‘fine.’”

The only real downside to having Oscar fill the brotherly role in your life is that he can be just as annoying as one.

You heave a sigh and shrug, “I don’t really know what you want me to say.”

“Try starting from the beginning.”

You’re at your car now, with your keys in your hand. It would be easy to get in, drive away, and ignore it all. That’s what you and Oscar use each other for anyway━ it’s your dynamic. If you really told him to drop it, you know he would. A single word would make it all go away and you could show up tomorrow morning still pretending like nothing’s different.

But the only other person who knows about everything with Garrett is Jack, and you don’t have him anymore.

So you do. You start from the beginning.

“I’m not actually dating Garrett Ward,” you say. If Oscar’s shocked at the revelation, he doesn’t show it. His face is calm and blank, and it reassures you to continue. “He needed someone to be his pretend girlfriend so he could fix his reputation, and he blackmailed me into agreeing by threatening to make up rumors that would ruin my career.”

You lean against the side of your car, fiddling with your keys. “Right after it happened, I kept trying to reach Lando. Nobody else knew and I was alone and afraid━ I didn’t know what to do but I thought that he, as my best friend, would at least be able to help me calm down and rationalize. But he never answered me.”

Oscar hums.

“When he did finally call━” you bite down on your lip when you feel tears burn at the back of your eyes, “━he berated me the entire time and asked how dumb I had to be to date Garrett of all people. Then, he proceeded to tell me exactly what people online had to say about me and my choices. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain what was going on.”

You heave out a sigh and tip your head back until you’re staring up at the never-ending expanse of the night sky. The clouds from earlier are still there, blocking out the stars and leaving it all an abyss of black.

“He still hasn’t apologized,” you mutter, sniffling. “He hasn’t said a word to me since then.”

Oscar’s quiet for another moment. He’s got his hands shoved into his pockets, and his eyes are focused on where he’s kicking the toe of his shoe down against the pavement. The tap, tap, tap is all there is for a moment, and then he hums again.

“Lando can be a real twat sometimes.”

You burst into laughter, startled. You give Oscar an incredulous look, and he shrugs.

“I mean,” he starts again, “he’s a good dude, but sometimes he can just be stupid. He does something dumb and even though he knows he’s wrong, he doesn’t know what to do about it or how to make it better, so he doesn’t do anything and just hopes that it’ll fix itself on its own.”

You nod. “That sounds pretty accurate.”

Oscar lets himself rest beside you, pulling his hands from his pockets so he can cross his arms. “I’m not saying you need to let this go, but talk to him, yeah? He was able to dodge your calls and texts, but you’re here now and he can’t dodge a face to face conversation for forever.”

“I was gonna try and really sell things with Garrett to rub it in his face,” you admit.

It makes Oscar laugh, and then you’re both laughing and it feels good to have this again.

“You know,” you breathe out when you eventually fade back into silence. “I think I’m in love with him.”

“Garrett?”

“No. Lando.”

Oscar hums.

“I think one of the reasons his whole spiel pissed me off so much is that I’ve been pining after him for years now, pushing it down so that I don’t ruin things or make it awkward━ trying to get over him,” you rub at your eyes, pressing as if it’ll erase the memory of what Lando’s grin looks like and how warm it makes you feel when you’re the one who puts it there. "But then he goes and does things like this and it frustrates me but it also gives me hope that maybe he feels the same way, because why would he get so upset about this if he didn’t?”

“I think you should really talk with him,” is all Oscar says, before pushing off from your car and walking away.

━━ tags: @maih23 @urfavnoirette @leclercsluv @f1luvur @formulaal @a-disturbing-self-reflection @starlightpierre @chezmardybum @marshmummy @405rry @sideboobrry11 @d3kstar @mcmuppet @happylittlereader @casperlikej @5starl1ght @bellezaycafe @whentheautumnleavesfall @mess-is-my-aesthetic @ssprayberrythings @landosgirlxoxo @lifelessfan @81ja @wcnorris @a-disturbing-self-reflection (CLOSED).

━━ a/n: i have mixed opinions on how this part came out. it's a bit filler-y, but trying to include anything more would make this singular part longer than i want it to be. but it's also very late (early?) at the moment and i've been staring at this for hours trying to get it done up as fast as i can, so perhaps that's why. anyway, i hope you enjoy!

[fiotrethewey]

2024 post!

Back in the days of LiveJournal, I used to do round-ups of my year, and then that went to Facebook, but as I have Tumblr, I decided to post here as well.

So, this year has been both amazing and stressful, and I thought it good to summarise it all to look back on...

WORK:

Work-wise, I was promoted just before the end of last year to Deputy Manager Cover, which was my role until October. Navigating a new work role was stressful, but at least I survived on a slightly better London Wage.

Unfortunately, that didn't become a permanent job as we hoped. Still, it did get me the respect of my peers and a recognition award at the end of the year, and now an opportunity to work with another team 1 day a week, so there's a lot to be thankful for and to look forward to seeing how that progresses next year.

CREATIVE WORK:

I had a short story 'In The Heart of Lads' published this year, which I wrote in 2018 for "Overdue: Mystery, Adventure, and the World’s Lost Books." It is about four boys who stumble across a missing Wilfred Owen—and a dangerous treasure hunter on their heels as they travel overseas to get it into safe hands. Thank you to everyone at 18thWall Productions!

There were two Big Finish releases this year, Twelfth Doctor Chronicles You Only Die Twice and the Gallifrey Echoes of Eternity Release - The Questing Beast. There's still a lot I can't talk about, but that being said, it's been an honour and privilege to work with Georgia Cook this year on @theholmwoodfoundation, which was our original audio project that not only meant we could work with some fantastic new friends and old friends, but we got to learn production as well as writing and how to successfully hit a very hard Kickstarter target so we could finish Season One, and tell the rest of this story!

Being part of the Independent Podcast Community this year and working with Karim C Kronfli and Sarah Golding has been amazing. Generally, I hope to be a force for good in the space, even though Georgia and I are incredibly new to the world.

MISC:

Here's a list of some of the stuff I did this year:

LOS ANGELES - Back to Gally One (cries in FOMO about not going next year)

I celebrated my birthday in style at Mirror Room at Rosewood London, where I had afternoon tea with Georgia inspired by famous artists!

I went to two Concerts! Hozier and Seth Lakeman!! And, of course, Doctor Who Proms!

I started learning the drums again. (This is parked for now until I can get my own drumkit in a permanent place!)

I saw Hadestown and The Stranger Things Play, and I went to the Globe for the first time, where I watched Anne Odeke's incredible Princess Essex!

I visited the family in Cornwall and went to the Fowey Regatta to watch the fireworks in August.

I've been participating in a TTRG Livestream - Explorers of Elsewhere!

I also visited the Eden Project for the first time since 2008

Three Conventions as Guests - DWAS Capitol Event, Big Finish Day and Whooverville. We also helped with Audio Hub PodFest and attended the Premiere of Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters, celebrating 90 years of Hammer!

TRANSITION:

Lastly, it would be amiss of me to not mention my transition, which at the end of last year saw me announce that I'm a transgender man. Well, this year, I was able to start Hormone Therapy - in my case, applying Testosterone or Testogel every day, which I've now been taking for almost ten months, and it's honestly been such an eye-opener to just how dysphoric it was to present in a feminine way. My new voice, my new hairline, my beard, and how I'm now perceived in public make a massive difference in my confidence and how I go about in the world. So much so that I was asked to talk about it at work, and I got a photo taken for our work newsletter and was on a podcast!

THE FUTURE:

Looking forward to next year, as Georgia and I are imminently moving to Manchester, to be able to survive a bit easier and live together in a little 2 bed flat we've found. We've got more Holmwood to make, and looking forward to a year where we get to make decisions together.

As always, I am incredibly grateful to friends and family for their love and support. I will take this opportunity to express my utter joy about starting to live with the love of my life next year. Every stressful thing has been manageable because my darling @georgiacooked has been there with me. Thank you for everything!

[pasiphile]

Hi there! Twiddling my thumbs on how to/whether to say this, but finding your Sherlock fic as a teenager (yeah, we’ve both been here that long, I am now eyeing my thirties in the street) was incredibly formative.

TVD (and Good Girls Don’t) was one of the first brain-changingly good pieces of online fiction I had ever read, and it made the days I worked that soul-wearying first job a little brighter. Or a lot. You gave me imagination and a playground for exploring my own writing, which continues to be a primary joy in my life. So — these two words aren’t enough. Thank you. 🩵

So, on to the writing! I have to ask for a Mormor prompt. Maybe the boys enjoying each other after a long absence, bonus for domesticity?

(gosh. I occasionally get messages like this and I always have to stare at the wall for a bit. I wrote it at a rather shitty time for me too and it definitely helped me get through it, so the thought that I made - make!- other people feel the same way means A Lot. Thank you <3)

The flat feels empty. Too empty.

It’s strange. It never did before. An empty place all for himself had been a luxury for many years. And after that, a necessity, a way to relax, recharge.

Except now all of a sudden the silence is too silent, the order too neat, the spaces too big. It’s absurd, and annoying.

He leans his head forward against the window, looking down at the street below. So many people and yet there’s just one, just one out of seven billion, who feels like –

The door opens behind him and he straightens up. “I’m back!” Sebastian’s voice bellows through the living room.

“I can see that.”

Sebastian starts, only spotting him now, then grins. “And I’m sweating like a pig. Manchester to London on public transport and let me tell you, those trains are not equipped to deal with thirty-five degrees Celsius, so if you’ll excuse me I’ll head straight for the shower.”

And before Jim can even think to react, mind and action sluggish in a way that’s totally inexcusable, Sebastian has dropped his bag and he strides past, already taking off his stained T-shirt and leaving behind a waft of deodorant and sweat and stale cigarettes, disgusting except it isn’t.

“Pick up your dirty laundry, you’re not a teenager,” Jim says, more on automatic than out of conscious thought, but Sebastian obediently doubles back to pick the shirt up, no comment.

The bathroom door closes. A moment later, the sound of the shower.

When did this happen? When he’d invited Sebastian to live with him? Before that, the first time he’d let him into the flat? When did he start to fill the spaces Jim hadn’t even been aware were empty?

He goes to the bathroom and slips in, quietly even though it’s futile to Sebastian with his SAS-instincts.

The dirty clothes are obediently in the hamper, tidied away. The steam smells of soap, not his, all alien and all familiar.

The shower switches off and Sebastian steps out. He grins, again, and spreads his arms as if to present the goods. “Did you miss me, then?”

“Yes.”

Sebastian’s smile slips. It’s too open, too bare, they don’t do this sort of thing, Jim doesn’t do this sort of thing.

“Of course I miss a loud, stinking oaf of a man dirtying up my flat,” Jim adds, and Sebastian relaxes, never mind that it’s actually true. “And you? Pining for home?”

“The moment I stepped out of the door.” Sebastian shrugs and turns to the mirror, absently running a hand through his hair. “You know me, I’m sappy that way.”

Jim grabs Sebastian’s arm and yanks him around, other hand finding his throat and slamming him against the wall, or rather, Sebastian lets him do all that because as always the balance is in his favour, Sebastian could break him like a twig if he wanted to.

But he doesn’t. That’s the point.

“Missed you too,” Sebastian says, voice slightly constricted through the chokehold. “This, especially. Now can you calm the fuck down?”

Jim loosens his grip, breathes out. “You know I should have you killed.”

“Yeah,” Sebastian says, calmly. “But you don’t. Do you?”

“No.” He leans in, nose against Sebastian’s throat, nothing there left now but the scent of soap, the one Jim got him a month ago because he was tired of Sebastian smelling like a locker room full of teenaged boys.”

“All right. Now that’s out of the way, can we  nghk “

Jim gets his teeth from Sebastian’s neck and leans back, smiling beatifically while his other hand keeps a new chokehold on Sebastian’s cock. “Yes?”

Sebastian gasps for air, then smirks, so wide it threatens to split his face. “Whatever you want.”

That’s the point.

Jim returns the smirk, then lets go and without even needing prompting, Sebastian goes to his knees.