#it comes out near my birthday and I already have a dress picked out to wear when it comes to theaters

[muffinghostie]

Y’all when the Barbie movie comes out I will enter my most powerful form and nobody can stop me.

[90ekz]

across the map.

☾ summary: usually onyankapon likes to keep his face shaven and sleek, but once he notices how you can’t keep your eyes off his new facial feature, he has other plans.

☆ tags: black fem reader, chubby reader, facial hair kink (??? idk man), sub!ony for like 2 seconds, overstimulation, porn w small plot, teasing, creampie, p in v, liberal use of “ma” & “mama”, mention of pregnancy, not proofread, vaginal fingering, onyan & y/n are roommates in college, business major onyan <3

♡ a/n: sorry for being gone so long, i’ve literally been so busy 😭😭, but thank y’all for 500 followers !!! the support means the world to me.

it wasn’t even intentional.

onyankapon had gotten so busy with his classes overseas that he’d slipped up on his weekly shave. he typically didn’t grow facial hair very fast anyway, but all of a sudden his goatee was sprouting like weeds.

he couldn’t figure out why, until he’d locked eyes with the facial serum connie had gifted him for his birthday. dumbass.

in theory, onyankapon should’ve already shaved it. he told himself that he wouldn’t do it the night before his flight, but he really didn’t have time to keep up with that promise.

and he was lazy.

onyankapon tried to ignore it, but everytime he went to touch his face he was reminded of it, and it just made him cringe. he was finally going home to you tomorrow, and he wanted to look perfect for his baby.

when he’d left home three weeks ago, you were so sympathetic and understanding about the lack of time you were gonna have to talk but still a bit somber, knowing your conversations would be reduced to good morning & good night texts.

now, he stood over his hotel room sink, attempting to both not fall asleep and shave at the same time.

it wasn’t working.

“fuck it. not even finna do allat,” he just flicked the bathroom light off, knowing had a long flight in the morning and it was already nearing one in the morning. he just hoped you wouldn’t be too uncomfortable with his stubble.

the next morning, onyankapon felt his lips curl upward when he received a million texts of you being so giddy about him coming home.

sweet cheeks 🤞🏾: BAE

sweet cheeks 🤞🏾: OMG BABY UR COMING HOME 2DAY

sweet cheeks 🤞🏾: HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT BABY ILYSMMMM

the whole flight home, all onyankapon could think of was your plush lips against his and that round ass that he would inevitably be fondling soon. the woman next to him probably thought he was a psychopath from the way he was randomly giggling to himself.

walking off the plane and eventually into the baggage pick up area where he finally saw your face for the first time in almost a month, onyankapon was overwhelmed.

the way your face lit up when you saw him, your body in that pretty little skims dress, god.

he felt like he was in love again for the first time.

you threw yourself into his arms and he was just as excited to see you, but he couldn’t help but kneed the fat of your ass as you kissed him senseless.

“have some shame, we’re in public.”

“can’t help it. my sweet lil’ thing, i missed you…” you gasped as he gripped your ass once more, but not for the reason he thought you did. your eyes had finally zeroed in on his newly bearded face, and you couldn’t help the ache that suddenly appeared downward.

you never saw onyankapon’s facial hair, or rather, he never even gave you the opportunity to see it. as soon as you jokingly commented on how his stubble was tickling you, he was in the bathroom with the door locked while the clippers released a small whirring sound in the background.

you’d always been curious. you liked a lil goatee here and there, but it was never a major turn on or anything.

but on your nigga? yeah, you needed him bad.

he wet his lips as he peered down at you, even giving you a peek of his shiny diamond grill as he smiled at you. you trailed behind him slightly as he led you to your car, trying not to stumble from the heartbeat down below.

“shiiii, slut me out.”

“whatchu say, ma?”

“nun! cmon boy, you walk slow.”

onyankapon let his hands wander the whole drive home. on your thigh, rubbing against your nipples, even rubbing small circles onto your clit at one point.

you two barely got into the house before onyankapon was caging you against the wall and attacking your neck with his teeth. all you could hyperfocus on was the scratch of his beard against your sensitive skin.

your hand snaked to rub the sweet spot on his neck, smiling to yourself as he turned to putty. he smiled into your neck, his own hands wandering under the seam of your dress. his eyebrows jumped upward at your wetness.

“fuck.. all this for me mama?” you nod weakly as he immediately pushes two fingers knuckle deep into you, already knowing that you’d been preparing yourself for when he got home.

any words this man was saying to you were barely making it into your ears. anytime onyankapon spoke, you were immediately drawn to his lips and chin, and just how mature he looked.

it was almost sophisticated.

“been gone for so long and you won’t even focus on me. makin’ me sad, baby.” onyankapon breathed out, still a bit in disbelief that you were finally in his arms again. his fingers worked an almost melodic rhythm inside of your cunt, while his palm kept your clit company.

“more—fuck, onyyy,” you couldn’t help but whine out louder as his stubble scratched against your neck once more. the scratch only added to the knot threatening to burst in your stomach.

“shit, get these off mama.” onyankapon tugged at your dress and the panties underneath, silently begging you to get rid of them.

“you nasty.”

“you want me to make you nut or nah?” you just smacked your lips and removed your dress. his eyebrow quirked when you didn’t immediately take off the panties and bra accompanying it, but he dropped to his knees nonetheless.

you shivered at his warm breath ghosting against your clothed pussy. he continued to lap and lick at you, leaving a heavy feeling in your gut.

yet you still wanted more.

you wanted more for the sole purpose of feeling his chin hair scratch and rub against your pussy, your neck, all over you, wherever he wanted.

“c-can you—fuck!” onyankapon just smiled at you, already knowing what you wanted him to do, all you needed to do was beg for it. he just continued his skillful movements, just wanting to tease you for a little longer.

“what can i do for you, my love?”

onyankapon struggled to conceal his laugh, because he expected that you wouldn’t beg to him, not without a lot of coaxing that is.

what he didn’t expect was for you to slip your panties down while he wasn’t looking and stuff his face nose-deep in your cunt without warning. his eyes grew wide as you started shamelessly fucking his face, while he struggled to not choke on his own moans.

between your essence dripping down his chin, the grip on the back of his neck and your whines, onyankapon’s cock found itself getting much stiffer much quicker than he anticipated.

every bump of your clit against his nose against his nose sent a zap to his dick. he just sat and took it, his grip on your thighs tightening so much that he started to wonder if he was gonna break skin.

sex with ony’ wasn’t usually this rough, but three weeks away from each other had your bodies screaming the second you came together again. he really didn’t know how you’d react to seeing him again, but he hadn’t considered that you’d be this dominant.

neither did he think about how much he’d like it.

you pulled him away suddenly, presumably so he could catch his breath. onyankapon could swear that you were talking to him, but his mind was completely gone.

“‘m sorry, mama. ‘shouldn’t have done it, just lemme please you.”

before you could respond, his tongue was roughly digging you out, his grip on your waist being the only thing keeping you on earth. he didn’t stop licking until you’d cum on his tongue twice and were begging him to stop.

“ooh, ony—too much..”

he barely cared, making that known as he continued to press kitten licks to your sensitive hole.

“hey—boy are you even listening to me?” onyankapon gave you a stank look as you pushed him away with your foot. you couldn’t help but laugh at how badly this nigga wanted you.

“i wasn’t done.” suddenly you were being flipped over and onyankapon’s thick cock was laying against the skin of your stomach. he looked just about ready to rip you apart.

he gave your clit a few taps before pushing home, the action making your eyes roll back. he didn’t hesitate to slam himself into you roughly back to back, the meat of your ass slamming against his balls.

onyankapon began to kiss on your neck, and smirked into the crook of it when he felt your cunt spasm around him.

“missed you so much ony—needed t-this..”

“fuck, missed you so much more.. such a good girl…” his thrusts only sped up as you whined his name louder and louder with each kiss his cock placed against your cervix. his grip on your waist was tight enough to leave bruises, as he latched onto you like he was afraid you’d slip away from him.

without any warning, onyankapon strokes his fingers against your clit, and your losing your mind while cumming on his cock. he just coos at you, wondering what he did to deserve you. the overstim quickly sets in though, and you’re not-so quietly begging him to slow down.

“shhh, i know you can give me one more ma, i know you can…”

‘one more’ turned into two, three, and eventually four drawn out orgasms, all sprayed onto onyankapon’s lower abdomen. fuckin’ liar. “mmhm, want me to nut in you mama? want this mini-me in you, yeah?” all you could do is nod weakly as he pumped you full, his thrusts finally slowing. your eyes cracked open to see him smirking down at you while he languidly stroked your cheek to make sure you were still with him.

“you so cute. you still with me?”

“mmm.”

onyankapon just smirked as he got some things to wipe you up with. after a few minutes, you finally started to sit up and recover, only to get an immediate attitude with him.

“i can’t believe i let you nut in me,” you mumbled as he turned on the newest episode of General Hospital. he just laughed at you, not being worried considering you’re on birth control.

“you’re so into the beard, you woulda begged me to anyway.” you just scoffed before walking to the bathroom to pee, knowing that he was right but not wanting to admit it.

“i was not.”

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Unexpected 50

Warnings: non/dubcon, pregnancy, pegging, Lloyd being the worst, post partum, csection, suicidial ideation, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

Your promise to Lloyd is empty. You have no great urge to see Andy again. You’re embarrassed at the thought. Even a bit guilty as you accept that any sliver of excitement he brought to you has flown away. The return of your husband drags you back down to earth in the most desolating way.

You swipe away another notification. You don’t know how to reply to Andy. It doesn’t seem right to tell him over a text. Still, you can’t bring yourself to face him. Your last two conversations haven’t been exactly productive. How many times can you tell him this was never meant to be anything more than sex?

That’s when you feel rotten. You used him the same way you’ve been used. Just a release, a thing to make you feel better about yourself. Worse, he’s a widower. He’s lost so much already and now you’re toying with him. That’s hardly fair.

You sit with Luna on the floor. Getting down there was hard enough and you don’t want to ponder how you’ll get back up. She lays on her mat, raising her head to look around. She’s still needy but you see her changing. Maybe she sees the same in you with how she stares at you.

There’s a knock at the door. You brace yourself. You already know it isn’t Lloyd, he would just barge in. You know he hasn’t changed at all. Luna’s head bobbles as she tries to look around and you call for whoever it is to enter.

“Hey, we goin’ on that walk?” Harlen asks as he enters, already half-dressed for the dipping temperature. You notice the metallic red thermos in his hand, “I was hopin’ to get out.” He present the capped container, “got us some hot chocolate even.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” you make yourself smile, “yeah, that might be a good idea.”

“Here, let me help,” he sets the thermos down and crosses the room, offering his hand to haul you up.

“Go on, get ready,” he bids as he grunts, bending to pick up Luna from the floor, “oh, she gettin’ heavy.” He stands straight, “I need the workout anyhow.”

“I have a suit for her. Thermal,” you explain as you search the dresser against the nursery wall. The last few nights you’ve spent sleeping in the glider chair, your own fortress in a castle not your own.

“You let me worry about that,” he nears, rocking Luna in one arm as he takes the insulated outfit from you, “go get something warm on. You gotta take care of you too.”

You look at him. You nod. He’s the only man you can’t bring yourself to argue with, maybe because he’s the only one who’s ever really cared. You love that about him but it makes you think of your own dad and how he would rather his flask than to spend a single birthday with you.

“Right,” you surrender, “I won’t be long.”

You leave the nursery and head down to the guest room. The door is already unclasped but you don’t think much of it until you enter. You find Lloyd sat on the foot of the bed with the little crescent moon toy Luna likes so much. His eyes flick up as you sigh.

You ignore him and go to the closet. You take out an old sweatshirt and dig out some jeans from a drawer. You feel him watching you. You hear him get up and come closer as you take out a pair of wool socks.

“Gonna be Christmas soon enough…” he says.

“Oh shut up,” you snarl.

It’s his turn to sigh. He angles around to stand beside you, facing you, and puts the toy on the dresser. You walk away from him and he follows you towards the bathroom door. The very idea of him seeing how he ravaged your body, the stretchmarks and the loose skin, repulses you. You won’t give him that victory.

As you try to close the door in his face, he forces his foot between it and the frame, “you have to talk to me eventually. She’s my daughter. I have a legal right–”

“Why did you come back? I know it’s not because of her,” you lean on the door. He’s just as strong as ever. If he really wanted to, he could overpower you.

“You,” he says. “I was always going to come back–”

“No, no, no. Lloyd, enough lies. It’s over. You know that. Whatever made you want me, I’m not it anymore. So whoever you were out fucking, go back to them. You won’t get anything from me.”

“I didn’t–”

“Fuck. Off.”

You stomp his toe and he recoils. You take the opportunity to slam the door and flip the lock into place. You keep your hand on the door and catch your breath. You hear him on the other side, lingering, the friction of his touch dragging down the other side.

“Peaches…” he says.

You scoff and push away. You go to the counter and put down the armful of clothes. You look at yourself in the mirror. You don’t even feel bad for yourself, you feel worse that Luna has to call someone like him a father.

🍑

You meet Harlan downstairs. He has Luna bundled up and helps you get her strapped into the baby carrier that hooks over your shoulders. It’s much easier than the stroller, if not a bit of a strain on your back.

He tucks the thermos into the large pocket of his coat and opens the door for you. He trails you outside into the brisk air of late autumn. The chill nips at your cheeks and nose as you adjust Luna’s hood to make sure she’s cozy.

“Thanksgiving soon. Dot was talkin’ bout it,” he says as you walk down the long driveway, “she talkin’ a lot lately. Driving me a bit crazy.”

“Oh,” you raise your brows dully. You haven’t said much to her. You resent her for all those weeks of sticking up for her son and her tune hasn’t changed, “yeah, maybe… get a turkey.”

“Ha, come on, what are we gon’ do? Sit down for a family dinner? She just wants peace but she won’t acknowledge the battle,” he puffs as he takes out the thermos and untwists the cap. “Here?”

He offers you a drink first. You stop awkwardly to sip from the brim and thank him. He takes a gulp of his own and hums.

“Not too bad,” he comments, “was of a mind to add some whiskey but we’ll save that for later.”

You chuckle and shake your head. You set off down the sidewalk, keeping a hand on the bottom of the carrier as you make slow progress. It’s the sort of cold that wakes you up. It reminds you of the day you met Lloyd and you scowl. A year. More than.

As you come to the end of the street, someone turns the corner. You don’t pretend to be surprised as Andy approaches. He wears a navy cap, his hair poking out from the hem, and his cheeks are rosy above his thick beard. He smiles as he nears, even as his eye twitches.

“Morning,” he greets brightly, “how’s little Luna?”

You slow as he glances at the baby in her harness. You sway with her as she babbles.

“She’s good,” you answer as Harlan clears his throat. You sniff as you try to roll the tension out of your shoulders, “oh, Andy, this is my… dad, Harlan. Harlan, Andy. The neighbour.”

“Sir,” Andy smiles and offers his hand, “nice to meet you. You must be so proud of your daughter. And granddaughter. A beautiful pair, huh?”

“Beaming,” Harlan shakes his hand gruffly, “couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“Well, uh, I was actually gonna pop in. I found some more baby stuff and thought maybe you could use it,” Andy rescinds his hand, tucking it in his jacket pocket. “I could watch Luna if you want. Give you some time off.”

“Oh, Andy, that’s sweet but… I got all the help I need,” you peek over at Harlan. “I appreciate everything but I hate to take advantage of your kindness.”

“It’s no problem. Really. I don’t mind,” Andy insists, only girding himself as his eyes flit to Harlan and he squares his shoulder, “just putting it out there.”

“I’ll… I’ll keep you in mind,” you utter awkwardly.

Harlan’s silent. You don’t have the courage to look at him. You can feel the tension radiating off of him. He’s shielded in that cool stoicism that once made you feel so small.

“Well, you know my number,” Andy shrugs, “I’m sure you can figure out how to reply to my texts,” he steps forward, gazing at Luna as he coos, surprising you as he bends to kiss the top of her head, “buh bye, Luna.” He grins, his eyes meeting yours as he stands at his full height, “pretty, just like mommy.” He nods and looks past you to Harlan, “try to stay warm out here.”

Andy struts past as you step aside. You hesitate before you continue on, quiet as Harlan lets a hum roll up his throat. He clucks and cranes to peer over his shoulder.

“That’s him?” He asks. You can only nod, staring down in shame. “Ah, well… you keep space from him… for yourself. Man’s got something ‘bout him…. Something off.”

“I… I’ve been ignoring him so…”

“No, no,” Harlan intones, “no, ain’t nothing ‘bout you.”

You stroll on, the uneasiness in his timbre crawling over you in goosebumps. You look down at Luna and run your hand up the back of the carrier, embracing her a little closer. Andy could be a little overbearing but he’s harmless, right?

[radiant-reid]

Easter Sunday

a/n: in honor of my favorite holiday and favorite comfort character

Summary: A cute Easter brunch with the team and some Reid babies

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader (fluff)

Word Count: 3.0k

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The sun shining through the large double windows marks the perfect start to the day. The weather forecast has promised sunshine and higher-the-usual temperatures for the holiday weekend. Emily let the team have a five-day weekend as the BAU tradition has dictated for several years. Hotch originally started it, realizing, three months after Christmas, there was a need for family time. 

For the Reid children, things look different now that their dad is home more. He has always been very present, but now he’s at more practices, doing drop-offs and pick-ups, and reading stories at bedtime. Still, their excitement for Easter has been growing, knowing it means uninterrupted time with all of their uncles and aunts.

“Good morning, gorgeous.” Spencer greets her from the doorway before she notices he’s not in bed next to her.

He hands her the mug she has every day, filled with perfectly made coffee. He’s the expert at that, so it’s his first task in the morning.

“Thank you, handsome.” She replies, adding to the thanks with a soft kiss on his lips. “It looks like a good day out there.” She notes as he draws the curtain open. 

“It’s meant to be in the high 70s later.” He reports, probably having already skimmed the New York Times.

She grins, sipping her coffee. “Perfect for today.”

“We should host one time,” Spencer suggests.

Y/n chuckles softly, shaking her head. “Rossi would never go for it, and I thought you’d know better than to mess with tradition.” 

He nods, knowing it’s true. “We’ll stick to summer barbeques and birthday parties since it’s the perfect house.”

It’s the type of house Spencer never really saw himself living in. Growing up, he lived comfortably, and thanks to the mortgage being paid off before his dad left, he continued living in a very middle-class area of suburban Las Vegas until he went to school. 

California was more expensive, but between his multiple scholarships, he had enough money to feed himself, always be caffeinated, and live in a small apartment near Cal Tech. He didn’t see the need to spend every cent he had living somewhere fancier, and his mom’s treatment wasn’t fully covered, so he paid for that. 

In DC, his place was simple. He didn’t need anything more than a one-bedroom apartment since he didn’t have family coming to stay, and without any student debt and a good-paying job, he had more money than he needed.

When they moved in together, it was to Y/n’s larger apartment that they eventually brought, and with two bedrooms, there was no need for anything huge until Matilda was old enough to sleep in her own room.

After learning they would have twins their second time, their quickly growing family needed much more space, so they brought their dream house. As much as he wanted it, Spencer never expected to have a family or a large home in the suburbs, but he does now, and every morning, he’s grateful for it.

“True.” Y/n agrees. 

Spencer sits back on the bed next to her, and she throws her legs over his lap, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling into his side as they enjoy a few minutes together in silence before the craziness of their day starts. 

Gurgling on the baby monitor breaks the peace, and the video feed shows Mabel standing up and shaking the crib bars. 

“I’ll go.” Spencer declares, shuffling away from her to get out of bed. “And I’ll get the twins changed.”

Y/n raises her eyebrows, looking impressed with what he’s promising to tackle. “Good luck.” She jokes, grinning at him as she also gets out of bed. 

“I’ve got this.” He assures her. “Go shower and get dressed up.” 

She’s not about to argue with it. Having a shower where she doesn’t get interrupted by little hands banging on the door asking for snacks or to change the TV channel would be a rarity. 

Her new dress is perfect for Easter and spring, long and flowy white fabric with a blue floral pattern and a sweetheart neckline. It’ll look even better with some soft curls in her hair.

Spencer’s first stop is Mabel’s room. The door’s sign says her name, and the bedroom has cute flowers painted on the wall above the crib. “Hi, sweet baby.” He coos, reaching out for his youngest. She still wears her sleep sack to bed, and Spencer thinks it’s the cutest thing.

She squeals when she recognizes him, jumping adorably. “Daddy!” She yells in her sleepy voice. 

He scoops her up, wrapping his arms around her and cuddling her tightly to his chest before kissing her forehead. “You know, I think you might be ready for a big girl’s bed soon.” He tells her.

Mabel rests her forehead against his. “Like Tilda?” She asks, eyes sparkling at the mention of her big sister.

“Just like Matilda and the twins, too.” He answers.

She pulls back from him quickly with excitement. “We go see them?”

“Let Daddy put your pretty dress on you first, and then we can see them.” He tells her. “If they’re awake.” 

They are awake, he discovers when he finally finishes dressing Mabel. She runs ahead of Spencer and climbs the stairs without help to find the three of them in the living room.

“Hi, little people,” Spencer says, announcing himself to them. 

They spin around from the TV, jumping up from where they’re sitting and rushing over to hug him. It’s one of his favorite sights when they get excited that their eyes shine upon seeing him, and one of the best feelings is how warm he feels when they race over and fling their arms around him. He has never felt as much love as he does now, yet somehow, it grows more each day.

“Daddy, it’s Easter!” Matilda cheers. 

“I know.” He says. “Happy Easter.”

“Did the Easter bunny come?” Toby wonders. 

Spencer nods. “Grandpa Rossi called to say he’d dropped off lots of chocolate eggs for all of you.” It’s a lie, technically, but it makes their faces light up all over again, so it’s worth it.

“Are the cousins coming?” Aspen wonders. 

“Henry, Michael, Jake, David, Chloe, Lily, Rose, and Hank is as well,” Spencer lists the other BAU kids and former BAU kid, earning another round of cheers from his kids. “We need to get ready, though. Tillie, your dress is hanging in your wardrobe. Want me to help you, Aspen?”

She shakes her head. “No, I can get changed by myself.”

Independent as always, and something he should have anticipated. “Okay, upstairs and into dresses.” He instructs. “Then you can watch TV. T, you want daddy’s help getting ready?”

“Can you put gel in my hair?” Toby asks. “Mommy says that it looks handsome.”

Spencer chuckles at how cute his little boy is. “Sure, bud.” He agrees. “And it does make you look very handsome.”

It’s always a juggle with four kids, trying to get everyone dressed in time to go anywhere. Mabel can’t be left alone, so Spencer has to multitask between keeping her from running away to cause trouble while doing Toby’s hair and ensuring Aspen and Matilda haven’t gotten distracted. 

“Look how handsome you look.” Y/n coos as she peers into the bathroom where Spencer’s finishing off Toby’s hair. 

“Mommy!” He squeals, jumping off the stool and running over to hug her.

She hugs him back, careful not to ruin his hair. “Hey, bubba, did Daddy do your hair really nice?”

“Mhm.” He answers. 

“You want help getting changed?” She offers, met by him shaking his head, following the independent streak of his older sisters. “Alright, get to it, Mister.” She instructs, sending him off to his room with a pat on the back. Spencer’s eyes stay fixed on her as she stands there, and he rests against the bathroom counter. “What?” She asks shyly.

He smiles softly at her. “Nothing.” He shakes his head. “It’s just you’re so pretty. I still can’t believe you’re my wife.”

Then Y/n is grinning dumbly, twirling in her dress for him to get the full 360 view. “I might marry you again if you keep being so sweet.”

“Then I’d be the luckiest guy in the world again.” He tells her, walking over and placing his hands on her waist. He just stands there looking at her, admiring every detail of her makeup.

“Stop.” She says, pushing his shoulder. “I love you, Spencer Reid.”

Spencer steals a kiss, careful not to mess up her pink lipstick. “I love you more, Y/n Reid.” 

She shakes her head. “Impossible, but we should debate that later.” She decides. “We’ve got babies to get ready.”

“Yeah.” Spencer agrees. “It’s been oddly silent for a little too long.” 

Thankfully, the silence wasn’t getting-into-mischief silence. Y/n takes over getting the kids ready while Spencer gets himself dressed, and impressively, they’re done five minutes early.

“How you do this every morning is a miracle to me.” He remarks as they make their way out the door. 

“I’m just a super mom.” She jokes, but it’s the truth.

“You absolutely are.” Spencer agrees with her. “The best mom in the world.”

Car rides are possibly louder than being inside, thanks to the enclosed space, but Rossi’s house is only a few minutes drive, and they pull in behind JJ’s car. 

The girls are in pretty pink dresses that’ll no doubt end up covered in grass stains, and Toby’s pastel blue shirt matches Spencer’s. In both Y/n and Spencer’s eyes, they’re the most beautiful children ever.

“Little Reids!” Penelope cheers as soon as they’re through Rossi’s wide-open front door. She’s crouched down to scoop them all up, wrapping them all in a tight hug, looking like the definition of sunshine in her yellow dress. “Aren’t you four just so perfect?” She asks rhetorically as she pulls back to look at them. They are, and their parents nod to answer her confession.

After answering a few of Penelope’s questions, they squirm away to run through the house and greet everyone else. 

“And the perfect parents.” She greets them with hugs as well. 

 Y/n chuckles onto her shoulder. “You look incredible, Pen.” She compliments.

“That’s you, Mrs. Reid.” She replies. “And you’re all matching, just the cutest family ever.”

Spencer grins, wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “We kind of are.” He agrees.

“Come on, come see everyone.” Penelope ushers them through the house, taking on the role of secondary host as she usually does at Rossi’s. She and Krystall tag-team the job.

Henry, Michael, Hank, Matilda, Toby, Aspen, and Mabel are waiting in the living room, their little faces pressed against the glass as they look out the big glass doors trying to spot the hidden easter eggs in the garden. 

Everyone’s in their nice clothing, dresses and good shirts with jackets. It’s mostly BAU members Y/n often sees at Rossi’s, but Derek and Savannah have made the trip and quickly hug their old friends.

“Look at you, mama,” Derek remarks. “You’re as gorgeous as ever.”

“And you’re as flattering as ever.” She jokes, nudging his shoulder. “We didn’t know for sure that you’d be coming.”

“Couldn’t miss a family day.” He reminds her.

The Simmons’ walk through the door a moment later, and Rossi flings open the glass doors for the excited children to race outside and start their egg hunt with squeals of delight. 

Y/n gives Rossi a hug as the adults stream outside. “Thank you for hosting another wonderful Easter.”

“You’re always welcome, my dear.” He assures her. “I hope you don’t mind the little Reids going home full of sugar.” He nods to the massive baskets of chocolate and candy each kid carries, almost as big as Mabel. 

“I guess Spencer’s doing bedtime.” She jokes. An hour on the trampoline should do the trick.

“Speak of the devil,” Rossi says, drawing her attention to her husband as he comes waltzing over, holding out an extra mimosa to her.

She takes it appreciatively, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulder. “A very handsome devil.” She chuckles, making Spencer blush easily. It’s endearing to her that he reacts the way he did the first time.

“Shall we eat?” Rossi asks, looking around the yard where everyone’s scattered chatting. 

“It almost looks too delicious to eat.” Y/n compliments, looking at the spread.

It’s the gorgeous, perfectly prepared food the team has become accustomed to having at Rossi’s. There are hot cross buns, fresh bread, fruit salad, pastries of all kinds, bacon, eggs, waffles, and all the toppings in the world.

They sit at the adult table, and Spencer’s hand drifts to her knee instinctively. It’s why she sits on his left side each time. The kid table is next to the big one with smaller seats and prefilled plastic cups of juice. Rossi and Krystall are always prepared to entertain.

The kids take their seats, and Y/n momentarily leaves to ensure they’re getting balanced plates and not just gorging themselves on chocolate and candy. 

Then she’s back to Spencer’s side, and they’re talking with the rest of the team, basking in the warmth of the sun and family. It’s what they always have been. Even throughout the darkness they’ve seen over the years, they’re closer than ever, and there’s so much love between them.

After brunch, a few drinks in, and Spencer’s more relaxed, pulling Y/n onto his lap and resting his head on her shoulder while they laugh and joke with the team.  

It doesn’t last too long before someone’s pulling on Spencer’s sleeve. “Daddy, can you look for the Easter eggs in the trees?” Toby asks, showing him his best puppy eyes even though it’s unnecessary since he’d do anything for him.

Spencer looks around the table to see Derek and Matt being asked the same question, all three of them being targeted by their sons for their height. Flashing a curious look at Rossi, Spencer agrees, moving out from under Y/n to join the hunt. 

Rossi and Krystall insist on cleaning up, not wanting their guests to move a muscle, which leaves most of the girls alone at the table since Penelope and Luke are getting drinks and definitely not flirting with each other.

Rose, who has been sleeping so far, starts to cry in her carrier, and Kristy unclips her, pulling her into her arms for cuddles to quiet her. She’s adorable, most similar looking to Jake, in Y/n’s opinion. 

“She’s so tiny.” Y/n remarks off-handedly, looking at the small baby. “What’s it like? Four to five?” 

All eyes are on her in a second, but JJ beats everyone else to speak. “You’re not...”

Y/n shakes her head quickly, stopping that rumor before it can start. “No. No, I’m not.” She assures them, holding up her glass of champagne to prove it. “I’m just wondering.”

“The nights are rough, but diaper changing is still the same,” Kristy answers honestly. “And Mabel’s probably young enough that you’ve got all her stuff. Is it something you’re considering?”

Y/n shakes her head again. “Not until I see a little baby or that.” Her eyes drift to Spencer, who’s chasing Toby and Aspen around the yard. “But we could end up with twins again, and I think six is a little too crazy.” 

Laughter breaks out around the rest of the group, which relieves the seriousness of discussing family planning.

“Here.” Kristy offers Rose to hold, and Y/n takes the baby happily, looking at her adorable face and seeing up close how tiny she is. 

“She’s so precious.” She notes, catching Spencer’s eyes. “Spence, look at how little she is.”

Her address gets Matt and Derek’s attention, who are standing next to Spencer. “Uh oh,” Derek remarks knowingly, smirking at Spencer. 

“Someone’s about to commit to a new baby.” Matt pats him on the shoulder, smirking as well. 

Spencer chuckles, unsure of if it’s true or not. He’ll give her another baby, promised he’d go up to five if she was willing. “Do you think I could pretend I didn’t hear her?” He asks jokingly.

“Get over there, papa bear.” Derek insists with a laugh. 

Dutifully, he walks over, sitting next to Y/n and admiring the baby. “She’s so cute.” He compliments Kristy first.

“Look at how little she is.” Y/n repeats. 

“Yeah, it seems impossible they’re ever this little.” He remarks, earning hums of agreement from the other women sitting around the table who once had babies this little and now have fully grown children running around in the yard. He remembers when his children were that little like it was yesterday, but Rose still looks tiny. “No more, though.” He tells his wife with a laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right.” She agrees. “Not when we’re just getting full nights of sleep.”

The party continues into the late afternoon. The company is too good, and too much fun is being had for anyone to leave earlier. 

Despite how much candy they’ve eaten, Aspen and Matilda still manage to eat more in the car on the way home. Y/n agrees they can sleep in the lounge for a sleepover while watching movies, and it takes them far longer than usual to fall asleep, but they do. 

Y/n and Spencer hug in the kitchen as they watch the ending credits. He knows it’s a good chance to ask about what he heard earlier. “Do you actually want another baby?”

She’s taken aback, figuring it was forgotten, but she shakes her head. “Not really, but I think our kids are beautiful, and babies are cute when they’re that little.”

“We’d get more chocolate if we had five.” Spencer jokes, nodding to the baskets on the table and pulling away from her to steal one. 

“Spencer.” She giggles, splitting the chocolate egg with him. “I think we’ve got more than enough. It’ll last us until next year.”

“I love Easter, you know?” He asks rhetorically. “And you, everything we have, our kids, being a dad, brunch.” 

She nods in agreement, leaning up to peck his lips. “I love you, too. Thanks for being in this with me.”

Spencer takes her left hand and kisses her ring finger. “Always.”

Tell me what you think

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[ltash]

Teach Me

You take Ghost to shopping on your upcoming birthday and ended up buying firearms.

We pulled over near the salon.

"I won't take long," I told Simon.

"Ok," he said as he waited in the car.

I was excited about my big day, so I went inside the salon to get pampered.

Two hours had passed and I was still inside when he opened the door of the salon. All the ladies were in shock to see him.

"Bloody Hell!" He muttered as he caught the sight of women looking at him.

I was paying the bill and was just about to exit when I ran to him.

"Simon, please not here," I told him, urging him to go outside.

"Calm down, he's just my boyfriend," I announced, taking my credit card back and finishing up.

"What took you so long, Nora?" Simon asked, his voice tinged with frustration, muffled by the balaclava he was wearing.

"You know how it is with ladies' things. We take our time," I replied, trying to keep my tone light and cheerful.

He sighed. "Where are we going now?"

"To the mall," I said with a smile, hoping to lift his spirits. "I have a few more errands to run, and then we can grab something to eat."

He nodded, and we made our way back to the car, ready to continue our day.

We entered the mall, and almost immediately, the security guards stopped Simon to question him about his tactical vest and the berretta resting on his chest in its holster.

He calmly showed them his special services card. After a moment of scrutiny, they nodded and let him in.

I could see the curiosity in their eyes, but they didn't ask any further questions. We proceeded into the bustling mall.

"I only came here with you. I usually don't go to malls," Simon said, his tone flat.

"At least you came," I replied with a smile.

As we moved from store to store, I told him to wait outside whenever I entered. He seemed uninterested, standing quietly and looking around aimlessly.

Eventually, I stopped by a shop that had men's clothes and pulled him in. "Hey Simon! Let's check it out. Come inside, please," I requested.

He didn't say anything and followed me inside. The shop was filled with men's clothes of various styles and colors.

"What colors do you wear?" I asked, looking through the racks.

"Black, grey, etc. But why' y ask eh?" he responded, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Without hesitating, I started pulling out black, grey, hoodies and sweatpants, handing them over to him. I knew his size so well.

"What are you doing? I already have many," Simon said, trying to put them back on the rack.

"Don't worry. I'll keep them here for you so whenever you visit, you won't have to bring so many clothes along," I insisted.

"Please don't do this," he requested, his voice softening.

"SSh!" I hushed him, determined to make things easier for him.

"If you're not complying, go sit outside. Let me get what I want," I said firmly, sending him out of the shop.

Once he was gone, I started picking out colors I wanted to see him wearing and bought as many clothes as I liked. It was fun imagining him in different outfits.

When I finally emerged with several bags in hand, he facepalmed. "What have you bought? So many bags."

I handed the bags to him and made my way to the perfume shop. He remained silent, watching me with a resigned look as I continued my shopping spree.

I knew the perfume he wore, but Aventus Creed and Baccarat Rouge 540 were my favorite. I wanted to experience their scent on him. Additionally, I bought perfumes for Captain Price, Gaz, and Soap, characters he admired.

After paying, I came out and handed him the bags.

"You are impossible," he said, shaking his head in disbelief at my shopping habits.

Lastly, I went to get a dress for myself: a black, long silk dress with a corset top. I kept that in mind; on my best day, I wanted to look good only for him. As I held the dress, imagining wearing it, I felt a rush of excitement for the special occasion that lay ahead.

Then I emerged from the store with a single bag in my hand.

"Got only this for you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I don't need so many of these. Let's eat something," I suggested, eager to change the subject and enjoy a meal together.

"It's getting late and I don't eat at fancy restaurants. Also, with what I'm wearing, people will run away after looking at me," he said with a hint of self-deprecation.

I chuckled, understanding his reluctance. "Okay, how about we grab something casual then? There's a cozy diner nearby."

"Whatever you want," he said with a small smile.

"Let's get pizza and eat it in the car," I suggested, knowing it would be a simple yet enjoyable way to end the day.

As we settled into the car, I turned to him with a serious expression.

"One more thing," I said, catching his attention.

"What?" he asked, curious.

"I need a firearm for myself," I said, knowing it was a bold request.

"From where will you get it?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I know a place," I reassured him.

He nodded, and we drove to the shop I had in mind. It was a sizable establishment with a wide array of guns and rifles on display.

He opened the door for me, and I entered, determined to find something suitable.

"It must be to your liking," I told him, acknowledging the seriousness of the decision.

"Must be one of your favorite places," I remarked, looking at him for a reaction.

"Hmm," he replied noncommittally.

"Hi! I need a gun and a sniper," I informed the dealer as we approached.

"Gun for you and sniper for him?" the dealer pointed towards Ghost.

"Hey! What are you getting a sniper for?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"For me. I want to learn how to handle it, plus I need protection for myself when you're not around," I replied confidently, knowing it was a decision I had thought through carefully.

"I need your help. You know the weapons best. I don't know which one I should buy," I admitted, turning to him for guidance.

I was surprized he approved me buying a sniper and didn't ask further questions.

The dealer showed me various guns, and Ghost diligently inspected each one. He checked their magazines and fidgeted with their chambers, assessing their quality and reliability with a practiced eye.

Ghost took a gun and showed it to me, a Glock 17. "It's best for your self-defense, and you have small hands, so..." he chuckled, knowing that the size of the weapon mattered for comfort and control. His consideration for my comfort brought a smile to my face, appreciating his attention to detail.

"We'll take this," I said, indicating the Glock 17, following Ghost's recommendation.

"And the sniper?" I inquired, eager to explore our options for long-range defense.

The dealer proceeded to show us various sniper rifles, each one with its own unique features and capabilities.

"If you want to be far away from your enemies, which I know is best in your favor, then you should choose a sniper," Ghost suggested, holding a gun in his hand.

He then presented a sniper rifle, the Sako TRG 42 A1. "This one is lightweight and efficient," he said, highlighting its features.

"Its one of the best Sniper rifles in the world." The arms dealer added.

"Aye! Its bolt action plus it can be carried in a backpack, quite lightweight and handy eh." Simon said admiring the rifle in his hand.

I saw a spark in Simon's eyes and they got darken as he admired the sniper rifle in his hand. He handled it and checked it like he was handling this sniper for ages.

I knew he loved sniper rifles.

I considered his recommendation, recognizing the importance of having a versatile firearm for long-range defense.

"What do you say then?" I asked, seeking his opinion.

"It's one of the best," he replied confidently. "Better than the sniper I have."

His endorsement reassured me, and I nodded, feeling confident in our choice.

I wanted to suprize him with this sniper I was getting for him. It will be the best gift ever for him and I didn't want to tell him. I knew he won't let me buy it then.

"We'll take them," I said to the dealer with a nod of finality.

He carefully packed the sniper and the gun in their respective cases, and Ghost took them, carrying them to the car.

"I must say, you have such a good choice in weapons," I remarked, admiring his expertise.

"That's what we're good at. It's our job. We play with them like babies," he replied, his dedication to his profession evident in his demeanor.

"Teach me before you go. I badly need to know how to use these weapons now," I requested, realizing the importance of being proficient with them for my own safety.

"Soon." He replied.

[galaxyedging]

No outbreak Joel Miller x inexperienced f!reader

Dave York x inexperienced f!reader

WC:3.2k

Summary: Dave and Joel make your birthday party memorable.

Warnings: Dub con. Dark Joel. Dave being Dave. Unprotected P in V sex. Anal. Degradation. Dirty talk.

Trigger warning: implying women who dress a certain way are asking for men to use them. That is obviously bullshit. This is fiction.

Summer Schooled

Part 1 | Part 2

Masterlist

The party was going well. People were enjoying themselves. You were enjoying yourself, for the most part. The night would be a lot more comfortable for you if your panties weren't soaked through. Going up to your room to change them was too great a risk with Joel's words ringing in your ears "Just you wait until I find a way to get you alone."

Those words had been whispered in your ear when he'd greeted you with a hug to wish you a Happy Birthday. Since you had only lived here for the summer and you only had a handful of friends, your mom had decided to invite the neighbourhood. A little joint birthday/off to college/get to know the neighbours party. Unfortunately, you already knew a couple of neighbours particularly well. One was giving you daggers from the moment he saw the dress you were wearing. The other caught you in the kitchen grabbing a soda.

"I think I'd better renegotiate my terms with Joel. You are begging to be fucked in that dress. What do you say? I'll tell Carol I have to go into the office. Then I'll give you a birthday treat?"

Luckily, the hand Dave had been running up the back of your thigh moved to grab a snack when someone came in behind you.

Since then, you had been very careful not to be alone. You didn't trust either man not to follow you and fuck you with people around. More importantly you didn't trust yourself to say no.

The playlist you'd picked seemed to be a winner. People were dancing as well as mingling and talking. You got on the makeshift dance floor to take a spin round it. Thankfully neither Dave or Joel were there to watch at that point. Part of you hoped they had skulked off to jerk themselves off. Maybe then they'd calm down. The testosterone coming off them in waves every time a boy your age came near you was ruining your underwear. Thankfully, the two of them were out of sight. You took a moment to collect yourself, leaning on the wall just inside the kitchen and letting the tiled surface of it cool you. A smile was on your face as you watched your mom have a go at the latest Tiktok dance.

Suddenly, the room was plunged into near darkness. The music stopped. Confused voices took its place.

"The lights are on across the way. It must be the breaker." You heard your mom's voice.

Just as people started to switch on their phone flashlights, a large hand clamped over your mouth. A strong arm wrapped around your waist. In tandem, they pulled you back into the walk-in pantry. Those hands then moved to squeeze your breasts. A small gasp torn from your throat. They then skimmed down your curves until they found your thighs. Before moving up to cup your wet sex through the damp material there. You should have stopped him. People were only a few feet away. Then his finger dipped inside you, stretching you around them. His other hand found your clit. Making you work harder to keep in your moans. His lips found your bare shoulder. Plush, warm lips. A clean shaven cheek dragged across your skin as he moved to your neck.

"Dave?!" Panic flared in you. You tried to pull away but he spread his fingers and kept you speared there.

"Sshhh. Not so loud. You don't want people to find us. Especially not Joel, who I know did this to ruin your party and get you away from those boys." That was your thinking too. That's why you had assumed it was Joel who grabbed you. "What a naughty boy. We should teach him a lesson. Imagine how mad he'll be when he comes to play with this little cunt and it's already filled with my cum again? I bet he'd punish you real well."

You didn't have to tell Dave your view on that. Your pussy did it for you, leaking onto his hand. "Dirty fucking girl! I'm going to keep your mouth covered. You play with that clit nice and fast. I'm going to use your tight pussy to get this done quickly before he comes looking."

This was a bad choice and you knew it. The journey down that rabbit hole was well underway. Between last night and Joel teaching you how to sixty-nine this morning, you might as well be fucked in a pantry with your mom a few feet away. There was no redeeming you now.

Dave's cock was at your entrance before you knew it. He had the courtesy to pull your hips back slowly to push inside. Everything was still tender from last night. Even your jaw ached, which didn't seem to matter. Dave didn't seem like he was going to kiss you. This was more a functional fucking. He was going to fill you and send you to Joel. You had to admit when he was goal oriented, Dave got the job done. He'd pulled you up onto your tipple toes and squatted down a little so he could angle towards your g-spot. His thrusts were hard and fast but not without purpose. Your hand worked with them to get you off fast. Surprisingly so as you shuddered in his grip.

"Fuck. Yes. Dirty girl, soaking my cock. Fuck, bend over." Dave near bent you in two and started fucking you faster as you grabbed the wall above your head to steady you. "Shit. This tight little cunt takes my big, fat cock so well…I…." The quiet whine that left him made you flutter around him.

It was thrilling to make a big intimidating man weak for you. He continued to moan as he pumped more of his spend into you before dragging your underwear back up. You were just fixing your dress as the lights came back on. Turning to Dave you watched him tuck his cock back in and fix his outfit.

For a moment from the way he looked at you, you thought he might kiss you instead he grabbed your pussy. "Keep these on until Joel peels them off." Then he was gone. Giving it what you thought was enough time. You slipped out of the pantry only to run into your mom.

"There you are, Sweetie. Are you okay?" She cradled your cheek for a second. "Yeah, I was just getting more sauces when the lights went out."

"Oh. Well, it's fixed now. Joel took care of it. He's such a good neighbour. Oh, Sweetie, it looks like you spilled something on your dress. What is that? Ranch?" Before she looked closer. One of her friends came to grab her attention.

When she moved away you could see Joel standing behind her, seething at the fact that you were definitely not covered in ranch.

"My friend invited me to a bar. I might go after I tidy up. If that's okay with you? Your friends can stay over. Dave and the Morgans are going to be home if you need anything."

Just before you moved here, your mom got out of a crappy marriage to your step dad. She still made you her number one priority but you could see she was lonely. "Go now, Mom. We'll clean up." A couple of the people milling around agreed."

Dr and Mrs Morgan helped to clean up quickly with their son who was a little younger than you. When you finished you made sure to thank them all. Joel helped too. In fact he insisted on staying to help as he waved the Morgans off. "It's fine Melissa. You get your boy home. Sarah went back off to her spa weekend with the York girls. I got time."

Thankfully most of the tidying was done when Joel stalked back into the kitchen. Stopping short of you he pulled up a chair. "Now, Honey, are there some things you'd like to tell me?"

"Like what?" You didn't meet his gaze.

"How about you wearing this dress around those boys? And having one stay to help you?"

A laugh bubbled out of you. "Josh? His mom's aren't the only ones that are gay."

"The kids still young, he might be looking to experiment, and there you are in that slutty little outfit, parading around in front of him with a cum stain on it."

"I…" your cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Now, why don't you tell me about Dave? Did I not suck that pussy hard enough this morning that you had to throw it on his dick?" His tone was eerily calm despite his words. "Take it off."

"What?"

"Take it off." There was a bite there now. "Take all of it off. The slutty fucking dress. The cum filled panties. Take. It. Off."

A tremor developed in your hands as you complied. Once you were naked in front of him. He leaned back in his chair.

"Now, what am I going to do with you?" He fished your panties from on top of your discarded dress. He held them in one hand as he spoke. "Did you enjoy taking Dave's cock again?"

When you didn't answer he slammed his fist onto the table. He didn't scare you but the shock of it forced out an answer. "Yes!"

"He told me he made you touch yourself until you came. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Show me."

"What?"

"Sit your ass on the edge of this table. Spread your legs and show me how you touched yourself for him."

Once you were situated he pulled his chair up between your legs. "Go on."

Hesitantly you began to touch your clit. "Joel, the door isn't locked. The windows."

The blinds were still open in the kitchen. Anyone could see.

Joel laughed bitterly. "You've paraded that barely covered ass around. Your tits were almost spilling out and a married man fucked you in the kitchen with people a few feet away. It's a bit late to be modest. This is what I was talking about. You need to whore fucked out of you before you end up on your knees in some college circle jerk having a bunch of boys blow their loads over you."

Nodding you carried on working your clit. Thanks to earlier it did take long for you to come again. Shrinking under Joel intense gaze you barely made a sound. A little whimper came out as you quivered.

"Look at that." Joel's face was inches away from your pussy now. "Those little twitches are pumping all of Dave's cum out. It'd be a shame to waste it." With that he stood, pushing you back onto the table. The motion parted your legs and he slipped in between them. One of his hands pushed your thighs apart while the other gathered yours and Dave combined cum. You moaned at the intrusion when he started to slather it over your asshole, pressing his fingertips in ever so slightly with each pass.

"Maybe the problem is that I haven't claimed all your holes yet. I've painted your cunt. You've swallowed my cum. Now.." he pushed his finger in more, causing you to hiss. "Hush now, Darlin'. I'll admit I was mad before but now I'm just taking care of you. You don't want to go off to college and settle for some kid awkwardly jack rabbiting until he squirts into a condom just because you're horny. Let me satisfy you good and proper. Let me fuck some of those hormones out. Relax, just take it."

The finger at your hole pushed in more as he thumbed your clit. "Oh, good girl. There you go." His knuckle popped past your tight ring. "Gonna fuck your hole with my finger for a little while. Gotta get you good and ready for my cock." He felt you tense around him at the thought of taking his cock if just one finger was this tight. "Welcome to the adult world, Sweetheart. Your choices have consequences. You let another man come in my pussy. Now I have to fuck your hole whether you like it or not. See how I'm being kind, getting you all wet and prepared. What do you say?"

When you didn't instantly answer he pushed another finger in. "Oh. Fuck. Thank you, Joel."

"Good girl. You deserve a treat. Nothing but the best for my girl." His thumb was replaced by his lips as he sucked hard on your clit. The pleasure was so intense he managed to start on finger number three. Once you came again he used that to coat his cock, dipping it inside you and thrusting languidly until he was covered.

"Here, hold your knees up for me, Sweet Girl. Good." With you spread open he pushed in slowly. The burn was laced with ecstasy. It took a moment for the burn to fade then you moaned at the fullness stimulating all your delicate nerves.

"Fuck every hole on you is perfect." Joel wasn't in a hurry to finish. He pumped himself inside you leisurely. "You know. I think I've decided that I don't want you fucking any boys. I saw the way you were dancing with the girls out there. How you giggle and flushed when they accidently touched you. I think you'd be happy to get off with them." The thought made your throat dry. You couldn't deny it so you just lay there taking what he was giving you his cock, his proclamations. "When you go back east to college I'm gonna get lonely. I might need some material to keep me going. You could send me some pictures of that pretty face buried in a pussy. Maybe at the holidays you can bring a friend over? I'm a good host. I'd make you comfortable. One of you could sit on my cock and the other on my face." His thrusts stayed slow and shallow as he continued. "Or I could fill you while you make her come. Hell, maybe I'd even forgive Dave enough to let him join. We could see who could fuck you senseless first. I do sort of owe him." The chuckle he let out caused his cock to jump inside you. "We were going to share you at first but then I tasted that pussy on your fingers. I knew you had to be mine. Dave gets enough pussy anyway. When I wouldn't let him come over earlier he sent me a photo an hour later of some woman's face covered in his cum. He's pissed that you get him so worked up."

The thought of the two of them wanting you added to the tingle Joel's cock was nudging against through the thin wall of your pussy. Just as you finally started to fully relax around him and Joel bottomed out with a sigh, your phone rang. It was still on the table from where you had been cleaning earlier.

"Shit. It's my mom!" Joel barely reacted. He picked up the phone, answered it and put it on speaker. "Hi, mom. What's up?" It was a strain to keep your voice level as Joel pushed as deep in as he could and held himself there.

"The bar was super busy. We decided to come back. We'll be about five to ten minutes. I hope you don't mind. I heard none of your friends stayed."

"No. I was tired so I sent them home. I'm going to bed now."

"Oh, okay. We'll be quiet."

"Thanks. Bye, Mom."

As she said bye Joel hung up for you. "I guess we better be quick."

"Quick? No, Joel, she said five minutes. I need to get up to bed. You need to leave." You tried to sit up.

"No." Rough grabbed your tit to push you down. "You need to learn your lesson. Trust me." When you tried to argue he stuff you panties that he'd left balled up on the table into your mouth.

"Joel, please." You sobbed around them. It turned into a muffled scream as he started to thrust in aid of his release.

"This is what you need to learn, Baby. Look at how you've got me and Dave. He couldn't nut on your pretty face so he got some bored waitress to blow him. You've got me rambling about fantasies while balls deep in you. This is what you do to men.You momma could walk in right now and she couldn't blame me. This is all you. It's all your fault."

Whether it was his words or the pain of the new pace and depth, tears spilled from your eyes. "Stop. Joel. Stop, please." You couldn't have your mom see this.

"You don't mean that. Here." His fingers aggressively rubbed your clit. Your body reacted in spite of you. An orgams built quickly as Joel continued to use your ass.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Baby. I'm just looking out for you. You need to know the truth. Men are going to be feral for you. You need to keep yourself safe without me. This is what could happen. They could be in you and not be able to stop themselves. You can take it though, my strong girl." His thrusts were still deep and strong but now they were erratic. "Take it just a little more. I'm almost there. Come on, come for me. Come while I fill you. Oh, fuck. Oh shit, Princess." The sight of Joel arching between your legs as he helplessly shot load after load inside you made you come. It was fucked up. He used you, degraded you. Ignored your pleas to stop, even if you didn't mean it. It was wrong. So fucking wrong. Still with what little strength was left in your rung out body you flung yourself at him, taking all the kisses he had denied you in anger.

"Oh, Sweetness. I'm glad you're not angry. I took it a little far. You know it's because I care right?" You nodded against his neck as you rested there a minute. "Speaking of which, you go get a shower. I'll clean up here." You looked at the once tidy table now covered in something that definitely wasn't ranch.

Over the sound of the spray of the water against your most intimate area, you heard your mom arrive home and a muffled conversation. When you got into bed, there was a text from Joel waiting for you.

I told your mom I sent you to bed while I tidied. Poor you, you were so tired. If you're sore in the morning. Come over and I'll eat your ass until you feel better.

It made your clean skin feel dirty. You wanted to go over there now and let him do whatever he wanted to do to your body. Deciding not to reply to him for fear of asking if you could come over and arousing your mom's suspicions, you set your phone down. After a moment it pinged. It was a message tone that was completely unfamiliar to you.

You naughty girl. You got me in trouble with Joel. He's not happy that I used your pussy.

The message disappeared a few seconds after you read it. Another one appeared.

He thinks that it's his. You and I know better. Don't we, Babygirl?

[milkywaydrabbles]

Fluff 7 with Alucard! I imagine a very snarky s/o for this one XD

- tentacle anon

A/N: smoochies tentacle anon I hope you're doing well xx This one's also a bit short, I technically did this prompt already but I'm doing it from his POV now, I hope this is what you envisioned! Enjoy! MWUAH

"I could just stare at you forever" x Alucard

Alucard was throwing a party tonight.

Well, you were throwing a party tonight. It was Alucard’s birthday, and you wanted to celebrate with everyone in the village. They were all so kind and grateful for him, of course they all agreed. He kept trying to beg that he didn’t need a party. That it would be less stressful on everyone if he didn’t have one. But you were having none of it! You also decided not to tell him any of the details outside the time everyone would be over. You wanted him to be relaxed, even though it felt like he had porcupine quills in his skin any time he thought about having so many people over to celebrate the day of his birth. Even Sypha and Trevor teased him about how doting you were; how much thought you were putting into this. But how couldn’t you! You loved him dearly, and wanted him to be celebrating.

You also just loved hosting. So of course you would love to host a party this big. But you digress. 

You forced him to stay upstairs in the corridor of your shared room. He had free range of the study, the library, you’d even bring him up food if he so asked. But he wasn’t allowed anywhere near downstairs, not until you were done. At one point, you even asked Trevor to keep an eye on him in the beginning when he was much too nosy. Trevor blocked the door to the room, begging that he listen to you just this once and not go downstairs, “I’ll be hung by my dick if you see anything before it’s done Alucard, I’m begging just don’t look” As funny of a thought that was, he decided to spare the new father of your torture (though he really wanted to see you strangle him.)

You’d finally come upstairs to him, kissing all over his face with a smile. “Okay, now it’s time for us to get ready!” giving him another smooch and bounding to the bathroom, to prep and pamper for the party. He chuckled, playfully rolling his eyes as he followed you.

-

Adrian was actually quite grateful to you, bathing with him and washing his hair, detangling, the works. You wanted to pamper him just as much as you wanted to pamper yourself. It felt nice, and Adrian relaxed for the first time today in your arms while you lathered him in creams and colognes. “Here, Adrian, you have to wear this tonight!” Huh, you’d already picked out the outfit of the night. It was a nice suit, just..not something he wore a lot. He wondered more and more of your plans for the night. “Okay, now sit over there and just look pretty--I have to finish!” 

It didn’t take too much longer for you to finish up, coming out of the bathroom dressed to the nines. “Alright, pretty boy, what do you think?” Alucard had been reading a book that was on the corner of his nightstand to waste some time, not expecting the sight in front of him.

You were gorgeous, a beautiful floor length dress with a deep cut in the back, a beautifully rich color to match his suit. He couldn’t help but gawk at you, book forgotten quickly. He moved across the room to you, blatantly eyeing you up--hands moved on his own accord to trace the fabric of the dress on your waist. You chuckled, nervously, before gingerly holding his jaw and having him look at you. “You’re making me nervous Adrian, do you like it?”

Like it?

“I could just stare at you forever. I love it.” And he thinks he would stare at you forever if you let him. You barked out a laugh with a roll of your eyes, “creep.” He kissed at your cheek, and jaw, and traced down your neck before hearing the grand bang of the door knocker downstairs. You pushed him off with a smirk.

“Come on, lover boy, your guests are waiting.”

[canadiannationalfox]

Pre-Murder Drones Fanfic - Capsicums for Two - TW// Body image issues, eating disorders

Despite the warm glow of the sun's light as a reminder of it being day, she could remember that night clearly, even if it was already 8 years ago. The first time she set foot in the Elliott Manor.

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

Louisa watched the gala goers, sitting at a spot along the wall, sipping her champagne. She didn't even want to be here at all, her vile step-mother told her that she was going to this event. Louisa tucked a stray curl of her partial updo behind her ear and sighed to herself, "I don't even want to meet him. He's probably going to go for one of the other 7 girls at this party."

Eventually a fellow with grey eyes and jet black hair approached, holding a glass of scotch on the rocks. "Evening," the Aussie teenager greeted politely, catching the woman's gaze.

"Evening," she greeted back, letting down her guard a bit because of the handsome fellow there with her. The 16 year old lad in the suit chatted politely with a tone of concern, "You seem upset, are you alright?"

"I don't even want to be here, it's some James Elliott's birthday and he's probably going to want to pick one of the really pretty girls out there, so that means I came here for no reason at all, typical"

The fellow, not wanting the young woman to know too much asked politely, "What's your name, Miss?"

"Louisa, Louisa Miriam Walker," she greeted, a little half heartedly, "How 'bout yours?"

On the fly, the fellow took her hand and shook it firmly with a goofy grin, "Just call me Jimmy-Edward." He observed Louisa laughing softly before he spoke happily, "My goodness, Louisa, you have such beautiful blue eyes!"

Louisa blushed at Jimmy-Edward's words. "Oh goodness, someone's a flirt."

The two spent the rest of the time together that evening and then Louisa couldn't find Jimmy-Edwards until she saw him up near the large windows with a globe near by them, she remembered his words clear as day.

"Louisa Miriam Walker, you are the one I want to court,"

The woman was floored, not only was the fellow she had spent most of the night with James Elliott, but she had bad mouthed him to his face and took all of it with a smile. When she asked him later, he had responded that he adored her brutality, her honesty, and her fiery passion and attitude.

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

Louisa had been married now to James for 4 years, and they were expecting a child, but she was scared every time she looked in a mirror, especially now that she was recently into her second trimester.

The woman could see her mousy brown roots showing since she wasn't allowed to get her hair bleached back to golden blonde. She also was now starting to notice how her stomach was starting to swell from the baby bump. The blue-eyed woman started to cry.

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

"Putting on weight? You really think he'd still love you looking like that!?" the woman named Gwendolynn barked rudely at Louisa.

The Step-Mother and Daughter were on their own at the wedding dress fitting and the bride-to-be was going to help herself to a small artisanal blueberry scone.

"I promise, mother, I'm not," the 20 year old woman responded back with politeness and fear in her voice.

The older woman who looked like a former ballerina cruelly retorted, "If your waistline is double the width of your neck, then you're as good as unlovable!"

Louisa dropped the scone like it was on fire and stepped away from the snacks and left the room, fighting back tears. The soon-to-be-Mrs. Elliott responded, doing her best to be strong, "I need a moment... I need to go get the back cinched tighter."

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

James came into the room, he had been outside making sure his worker drones weren't over-watering his roses while also checking on how the vegetables in his garden were growing, and now had come inside to see how Louisa was doing. He approached the love of his life, seeing her from behind, he decided to compliment her. "Those prenatal vitamins sure are working wonders for you, Louisa," he complimented with a slight song in his voice, until he got closer and saw her saddened expression.

Louisa wiped her tears, and glanced away from James, hiding her eyes with her curtain bangs.

"What's wrong, luv?" James asked worriedly, gently pushing the hair away from his beloved's eyes.

"It's literally the silliest nonsense," Louisa brushed off as she turned away from him, looking to her stomach in dismay until she felt James place his hands lovingly on her shoulders.

"We can talk about it though," Louisa's loving husband insisted in a loving and warm Aussie accented voice, "Sit on down, and you can tell me your troubles,"

The blonde woman sat down at her vanity desk, but she didn't want to look at her reflection, she glanced at the low heeled pale pink flats she was wearing.

James picked up the brass plated hairbrush off of Louisa's vanity and started to gently brush his wife's perfectly permed golden curls as he had done ever since Louisa had a panic attack while getting ready for an event. A little caring treat that had become an almost daily routine for James to brush Louisa's hair or some little nurturing act of preening. "Now, now, Louise, tell me what troubles you."

Louisa felt courage to make eye-contact with her husband's reflection as he brushed her hair. "... Do you think I'm beautiful enough for you?"

The fellow with the dark cool-tone hair gently rubbed his wife's earlobe with his right index finger and thumb. "What ever makes you worry that, dear?"

The artificially-blonde woman leaned slightly into her doting husband's touch. "I'm not as thin as I used to be, James," she replied, her New Zealand accent audible still through the wavering of her voice, tears falling from her eyes now, she didn't want to be strong in this moment, "My roots are showing too. I'm... I'm not good enough, am I?" The sharing of her worries was met with by the sound of the hairbrush being set down and the feeling of a warm hug from behind. The JC Jensen executive lovingly soothed, "Louisa, you don't need to be thin or blonde for me to enjoy your companionship." He kissed the back of her head reassuringly. "Your personality was what I fell for, your external beauty may be a nice perk as well, but, I would love you no matter how you looked."

Louisa sniffled a little at that admission, not ready to talk yet.

James smiled as he looked to their reflection in the mirror. "Plus," he reassured in a jovial tone, "You could wear one of your lovely sunhats!"

Louisa giggled, wiping her tears away with her silk gloved hands.

James let go of her. The sweater-vested fellow walked in front of her, knelt down close and kissed Louisa's tummy. "Plus again, in here is our lovely little ball of sunshine, if we want them to come out, you're going to have to eat better, luv."

The woman in the fancy lavender sundress blushed and looked away, smiling softly.

James held Louisa's hands and responded joyfully, "I even checked the garden, there's all sorts of vegetables and fruits you can eat. Edamame beans, carrots, grape tomatoes, snap peas, cucumbers, pumpkin, strawberries, raspberries, concord grapes, sweet potatoes, and your favourite of all, capsicums."

The mention of the Aussie name of bell peppers made Louisa smile, she loved capsicums any colour they grew in, that was her favourite of all.

Louisa began to giggle as she felt James kiss her tummy more. "Oh goodness James," she trilled, now crying happy tears, "Stop that silliness."

Upon hearing the word stop, as if commanded by a queen, James stopped kissing his wife's tummy. James looked up, grinning like a Mad Hatter, but his eyes twinkling with love and adoration. "Couldn't you ask Xavier to take you back to red?" James suggested cheerfully, "Going to the salon usually helps you feel less sad."

"Last time after I told him I was pregnant, he told me that he wouldn't book me in for any colouring service until after I've had our child."

James smiled happily and joked, as he reached up and held his wife's right cheek lovingly, "Maybe I could help?"

"Don't be daft!"

The fellow stood up quickly, and with a silly funny twirl to try to brighten his wife's mood, got behind her, letting his wife laugh at his silliness. He ran his fingers through his wife's curly hair and offered happily, "No really, how bad could it go? I'm sure I could figure it out," James insisted confidently, "Besides, I could get some peroxide and lighten your roots that way. The doctors said no bleach, but they didn't say anything about peroxide, did they, luv?"

Louisa tilted her head back a little so she could see James' grey eyes that were filled with determination "Suppose not," Louisa sat happily, closing her eyes as James played with her hair, hanging off his every word of his plan.

"I'll take the afternoon off work. Then I can draw you a nice bath, make you some tea, and if the peroxide doesn't work, I'll have some dye on retainer as a plan B," James explained joyfully, he was all for it, "You could try strawberry blonde or a light ginger."

Louisa giggled happily, she loved seeing this problem solving side of her husband, it always made her adore him more. "Okay, okay, you've convinced me," she responded in her posh New Zealand accent voice, her worries and woes now forgotten, joking joyfully, "Book me in for an appointment with Jimmy-Edward!"

"Most certainly," he chuckled, using his hands to bring Louisa's hair over her shoulders, "Anyways, like I was saying earlier..." he began to joyfully explain, "Those vitamins sure are working wonders for you."

She pleaded as she placed her right hand on one of his hands that was still toying with her golden tresses, "Do elaborate, James."

"Well, your complexion looks amazing," He began to say as he took a hold of the hand she offered him, "your nails have never looked so healthy," James lifted his wife's hand gently as he leaned closer, planting a kiss on the back of her right hand as if she was royalty.

Louisa blushed, bashfully breaking eye contact with James' reflection.

"You're practically effervescently glowing," the Australian fellow insisted, his voice full of love. "And look how radiant and voluminous your hair looks," James uttered playfully, leaning closer to Louisa's ear, "It'd be a true shame to not take in the spoils of it growing like bluebells."

Louisa blushed even more, looking once again to her and her husband in the mirror before them, now feeling empowered.

"But, even your crowning glory pales in comparison to your aquamarine eyes" he addressed, gazing to their reflection, "Full of passion." He asked in a firm but loving tone, "Now, Louisa, tell me what you think. Do you think you're beautiful enough for me after all I've said?" before he kissed the back of her hand again

"I definitely do, James," Louisa replied, happy tears falling from her aquamarine eyes.

They grey-eyed fellow joyfully chuckled as he let go of his wife's hand, "Well, how about we go down to the sun room and have some vegetables?"

"I'd like that a lot," the New Zealand accented woman pleaded, standing up, still letting James hold her hand, "As long as you'll have some too."

"Of course, luv, nothing is better than mid morning smoko's snack being capsicums for two."

The end

[inkedroplets]

⭐️🌟💫

I went back and forth on so many different sections to talk about in depth. I finally settled on this one.

I'd rather not dream at all, Lena thought, thinking of how often even her most pleasant dreams so often turned to nightmares, hoping that the sheer exhaustion she felt would be enough to keep them away. She watched Kara go as she waited for the light to change, too tired to work through everything that had happened, what still had to happen but unable to stop herself from trying. She watched the crosswalk light tick down and got ready to shuffle across when she felt a very light tap on her arm. Expecting Kara, Lena turned around and was more than a little surprised to not see anybody, until she felt another tap on her arm and saw that the culprit was just short enough to limbo underneath her eye line. A young girl with a bright yellow bow stuck in her hair that for some reason looked awfully familiar. "Hi!" the girl said, beaming up at Lena. Lena could only stare as she tried to figure out just why the girl looked so familiar, urging her incredibly sluggish brain to cough up the right memory when it came rushing back a few moments later. You were crying because you ran away from home... The confusion on Lena's face fell away and she smiled warmly at the girl. "Hello, Kara." Hello, Kara. Kara was already half a block away when the sound of Lena's voice stopped her in her tracks. She came to such a sudden stop that the man walking a few steps behind her had to very hastily sidestep around her, muttering darkly as he found his footing and began to walk faster in a bid to put some distance between the both of them, glowering at her, although Kara didn't notice. She was too busy trying to figure out if she had really heard what she thought she did or just imagined it. She stepped a bit off the sidewalk so as not to make other people have to walk around her and listened more intently and picked up the sound of Lena's voice, still standing out front near the coffee shop. How have you been? Kara's brow furrowed and she took a few steps back in the direction she had just come from. Are you talking to me? Kara mused, not sure what to think. She stopped when she heard a child's voice answer Lena's question. I'm good. So is my mommy. Thanks to you. She has a new job. She's inside now getting coffee and hot chocolate for me! I'm glad to hear that and I just had coffee too. With a friend. But it's Superman that helped. "Superman?" Kara said aloud, more confused than ever, eyes wide and her heart pounding. You walked me home. Well... Superman did too. Your mom will be worried if she sees you're outside talking to a stranger, you should go back inside. Promise again that you won't run away ever again? I won't. I promise. Thank you again. You're very welcome. I hope you had a good birthday too. I did! Oh, I wanted to tell you that I really like your helmet. I thought it was scary at first but now I think it's really pretty. I wanna dress up like you for Halloween. Kara swayed where she stood, like a boxer at the end of a very long round. She could feel her stomach twisting in on itself, while the same solitary thought pounded in time with her rapidly beating heart. It can't be true... It can't be true... It can't be true...

I had many, many ideas about how Kara would find out that Lena was the vigilante. And none of them involved Lena getting the chance to tell Kara the truth because where's the fun in that? I think initially I was leaning towards a big dramatic reveal. One during the penultimate chapter would have fit the bill but to drag that secret all the way to the finish line never seemed all that appealing. Kara managing to overhear Lena talking about her double life seemed plausible but the ethics of Kara always listening in never sat right with me. And as far as Kara figuring it out herself... I quite like the notion that for Kara and Lena that they are each other's blind spots. For as smart as they are or the clues that should seem obvious they just don't see them either by accident or design. When Lena ended up helping out the young girl who had run away from home, I had the epiphany to name her Kara. Something that seemed like a throwaway line at the time. Fun foreshadowing to stumble into as a writer. And it fit thematically since Lena unmasked to put her mind at ease and that's how Clark ends up finding out that it's Lena that's been prowling Metropolis and much (much) later how Kara found out as well. Kara hearing Lena call her name from far away seemed like something she would be actively listening for and while she did eavesdrop it was never malicious. I wanted there to be a lot less baggage. With how carefully Lena and Kara had begun to heal their relationship, I didn't want it to be something that could endanger that. They'd come to far for that. It might not seem all that important of a passage but I'm quite happy with how it came out and that Lena's first "fan" just happened to be a girl named Kara.

[kitramune]

InuKag were together for a whole year before RT retconned it.

(Reposted from my Twitter. And as a starting disclaimer, yes, I know this was retconned when Kagome had a graduation chapter, but I still enjoy thinking about it.) So I've done a little theory crafting, and I really think InuKag were traveling together a long time before they met their other friends. Possibly even a year before Miroku. Thanks to color versions of pages, we can guess that the manga starts in autumn. Leaf color, falling leaves, the villagers harvesting extra thatch for their homes, and everyone having foggy breath. (This also means Kagome's birthday is probably in autumn!)

The Blank Woman and Sesshoumaru seem to be in winter, because a lot of the trees are finally bare, and Kagome's dressing warmer. Note that Japanese flying squirrels do not hibernate. Though I'll admit this one has less evidence, it seems to match up.

The frog prince arc is spring. Again easy thanks to color pages, and Kagome finally being able to swim.

After meeting Shippou we transition into summer for the poltergeist and spider arcs. Again, Kagome's attire makes this obvious, with her sundresses and short-sleeved summer uniform while eating ice cream. Also the people doing fireworks. Nazuna is also picking Chinese Bellflowers, which are a summer bloom.

I'm guessing Kikyou's resurrection is either late summer or early fall due to the field of pampas grass and the dragonflies.

And we're back around to proper autumn by Miroku's intro chapter. Fallen leaves, hot spring monkeys, and persimmons!

So there you have it! They were "alone" together (sans Shippou lol) for an entire year! I think this makes a lot of things make more sense, like Inuyasha almost kissing her "already" and realizing he likes her by then. There was more one-on-one bonding than we thought! Again, I'm not trying to claim this as absolute canon, since I'm aware Rumiko retconned it later to have Kagome graduate near the end of the series. I hope it hasn't come off as me trying to do anything but point out how the seasons initially played out.

[lulublack90]

Prompt 2 - Mistletoe

@wolfstarmicrofic Prompt 2, word count 836

Remus was running late for Lily’s birthday party. He hadn’t wanted to go, not really, but he’d made a promise and he intended to stick to it. He hurried down the road fixing his tie into place just as he made it to the venue. 

Sirius was bored already, every single person at James and Lily’s Christmas party he’d met before. He needed someone new, someone interesting. He didn’t care who, just someone to relieve him of his absolute boredom. That’s when he walked in. Brown corduroy trousers and a wrinkled white shirt, with a green tie that had some sort of pattern on it that Sirius couldn’t quite make out. He didn’t look promising. 

Remus spotted Lily as soon as he walked in, her flaming red hair easy to see. 

“Remus! You came!” Lily squealed as she threw her arms around him. 

“Of course I came, I promised you didn’t I?” She squeezed him harder. 

“Come meet James. He’s dying to meet you.” Remus allowed Lily to lead him over to the tall man with messy black hair and very round glasses. 

“James, this is Remus. Remus, this is James.” Lily proudly introduced them before walking away and leaving them to make awkward small talk.

“So, you work with Lily?” James asked, clearly as uncomfortable as Remus felt. 

“Er, yeah. Different department but same building.” James nodded as he listened. 

“Nice tie.” He said spotting Remus’s tie. 

“Oh, er, thanks, it was my Secret Santa gift.” And that was as much as they managed to say as a gaggle of young women swarmed around James giggling and jostling Remus out of the way.     

Sirius had forgotten about the tall man the second he’d written him off for his terrible dress sense. He’d been hanging out near the drinks table, mixing concoctions trying to make something fun that would also knock your socks off. He was just reaching for the maraschino cherries when a scared hand wrapped around them first. 

“Oh, sorry, did you want these? A soft lilting voice apologised. He looked up at the speaker and realised it was the tall man from earlier. 

“No, no it’s fine. I was just messing around with them.” Sirius told him grabbing a handful of cranberries instead. “I think these will work better anyway.” He threw them into his drink and took a sip. 

He was pleasantly surprised, it was sweet and sharp at the same time and very refreshing. 

“What’s it called?” The man asked him. Sirius shrugged. 

“Not sure yet, might have to have a few more swigs before I decide so I can make an educated guess.” The man leaned over and sniffed at the drink. 

“Hmm, vodka, lemon and cranberries with a hint of something herby.” 

“That would be the rosemary.” Sirius gave him the answer before he could ask. “You’ve got an amazing sense of smell. I’m Sirius by the way.”

“Remus. Er, thanks. I’ve always been good at picking out scents. Can’t go down a candle aisle though, it's pure torture.” Sirius couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing, and Remus smiled back at him. Sirius was finding the young man more engaging than he had expected.

“So thought of a name for it yet?” Remus asked him. 

“Hmmm, well it's Christmas so probably should name it something related.” He thought for another few seconds and then the name popped into his head. “Mistletoe.” He proclaimed proudly. 

“Mistletoe?” Remus said, then excitedly pointed at his tie. “Just like on my tie.” Sirius looked more closely at him then, taking in the scars running across every bit of visible skin. They shimmered almost magically in the low lighting of the room. Sirius realised that Remus was actually quite handsome and wanted to see if he was open to a bit of flirting. 

“Can I see it?” He asked and was only mildly surprised when Remus pulled the entire thing off and handed it over. 

Sirius held the silky accessory in his hands, letting it slide through his fingers. Inspiration hit him and very slowly he raised the tie so it was dangling above his head. 

“Oh, look, mistletoe.” He murmured seductively. Remus blushed red but didn’t step away.

“You know what you have to do when there’s mistletoe?” He carried on, wiggling the tie above him. 

Sod it Remus thought. He’s fit as, might as well have some fun. Remus leaned in and kissed Sirius roughly, putting a hand behind his neck and pulling him closer. He felt Sirius melt into his touch. 

Remus pulled away and whispered against Sirius’s jaw. 

“You can keep the tie love.” His voice had gone deep and gravely with lust. He pressed one more chaste kiss against Sirius’s lips and wandered away to stand on the other side of the room. 

It was only when Remus raised a familiar glass that Sirius realised that he’d stolen his drink. He barked out his best laugh, this one was going to be trouble and he already loved it.      

[bangtanhoneys]

BTS Wedding Series: The Proposal

SEOKJIN 

So he had everything planned…near enough. He had booked one of the fanciest restaurants in Seoul, In Space, located at the Arario Museum. The courses were going to cost a pretty penny but this night had been about a month in the making and he wasn’t going to let anything ruin this. 

In a private area of the restaurant, a table for two had been set up with a vase of a dozen red roses in the middle, expensive wine and an expensive private chef to cook the food in front of you. Convincing you to come to a restaurant like this, to glam up and put on the fanciest dress you had, was a trial in itself. It wasn’t your anniversary or your birthday or Seokjin’s birthday. So why the need for fancy?

“Because I pulled a few favours to try this place and I’m eating there at least once in my life,” Seokjin had explained while going through your wardrobe to find one of the dresses he liked. So you got glammed up, got in the hired car and here you were, wondering not for the first time in the evening what was happening. 

By the time dessert came along, the two of you were completely stuffed. You certainly got what you paid for with a four-course meal, using fine ingredients, with an incredible view and a private chef to talk you through what he was cooking and how he was cooking it. 

The dessert was a round chocolate ball, with various flavours of sorbet and ice cream and a pot of melted chocolate to pour over the ball. Seokjin grinned behind his hand as he watched you pick up the pot and with childlike glee, pour the chocolate over the ball and watch it melt like magic. 

Now you’d expect the ball to be filled with some kind of cheesecake or dessert but instead, the ring Seokjin had picked out those years ago laid perfectly in its open box, glinting in the candlelight. 

“No way,” you gasped as you put the pot down then turned to look at your boyfriend with amazement. “And here I thought I forgot our anniversary.”

“No, that’s another three months away. This,” he said as he plucked the ring out of its box and held it in front of you, “is a proposal. One I’ve spent a lot of time on so it would be wonderful if you said yes otherwise it’s going to look a bit awkward.”

Only he could downplay his own proposal, make it seem like nothing when it was everything and the ring he had picked was simply gorgeous. “Well let’s not make things awkward. Yes, one hundred times yes.”

It certainly wasn’t awkward when he slipped the ring onto your finger, it wasn’t awkward when he kissed you, it wasn’t awkward when you finally realised what was happening and you were engaged to your best friend. It became a little awkward when the staff started cheering, the chef cheering louder about how his chocolate invention worked perfectly this time. 

YOONGI

You both had decided to go to your parents for Christmas this year with plans to meet Yoongi’s parents for the New Year. It had been hard to do something with both sets of parents because of Yoongi’s schedule but now the group was focusing on solo projects, this meant holidays were now family time. 

One of the traditions your parents kept up was stockings at the end of the bed that could be opened in the morning before coming down for the main presents and since Yoongi had come into your life all those years ago, they had one ready for him at the end of your bed. It was a cute little tradition, stockings filled with random bits and bobs. 

You both had snuck something in each stocking the night before, thinking each other wouldn’t have a clue what was going on. For Yoongi, it had been the perfect time to finally propose to you. He could do it in the comfort of your family home, yet not in front of your parents (you never know, something could go wrong). That didn’t mean he hadn’t already spoken to them beforehand about plans to propose to you and had received their blessings, so he was now more than ready to get that ring on your finger. 

You, on the other hand, had decided to be an idiot and pile his stocking full of tangerines which would spill out the moment he opened his stocking. 

“Come on, let’s open our stockings,” you said as you gently poked at his chest. Yoongi groaned and rolled over, glanced at the time and then groaned even louder. “It’s five in the morning, why don’t you go back to sleep?”

“Nope. Excited. Come on.” 

There wasn’t going to be anything to stop you so Yoongi let out a long yawn and sat up, rubbed at his shoulder for a moment then reached over to the bottom of the bed to pull the two stockings over. He plopped yours in your lap, then settled against the pillows to open his. Tangerines, many tangerines, spilled over his chest, and his lap then rolled off the bed and across the floor.

“What the hell,” he went to yell but you shushed him before he could, reminding him of the time. The look he shot you reminded you easily of a grumpy cat. 

You giggled to yourself then began pulling out presents, opening them, chuckling at all the silly presents your parents had gotten you. You finally got to the last one, a small box and ripped the wrapping from it. A small grin settled on Yoongi’s mouth when he saw what present you got to so he picked up one of the many oranges and began to peel it. 

“What’s this?” you whispered then opened the box, the sapphire glittering at you from where it sat on what was clearly an engagement ring.

“Marry me?” Yoongi asked, holding out a segment of tangerine for you to eat. You looked at him completely dumbfounded and ate the segment without thinking, allowing Yoongi to take hold of the ring and slip it onto your finger.

“Hang on! I haven’t said yes!” 

“You ate the orange, you accepted, deal with it.”

You pouted at Yoongi who grinned at you and held out another segment. “Yes?”

“Yes. Always yes.”

HOSEOK 

If you know Hobi enough, and you did, he liked to do things differently and slightly over the top. He was dramatic with everything he did though the silence and dark eyes when he went into focus mode often worried you. So for the past week or two, he had been silent and brooding almost. Locked away in his studio, planning, though you didn’t know what exactly. Even the boys had been unaware of what Hobi had planned, they were none the wiser. 

After walking on eggshells, for what felt like forever, Hobi came bouncing home one day to ask you to reserve your weekend for him and him only as he had plans. Of course, he didn’t say what plans and he didn’t exactly allude to anything else other than get your fancy dress on and meet him at HYBE. 

Staff cleared the entrances and lifts for you, directing you to go all the way up to the top where they had created a space for events. By the time you got to the floor, everywhere was completely empty and very few lights had been left on for you. 

“Hobi?!” you called out, gripping the bag you had brought with you. “You’re making me nervous here.”

Somehow you managed to find the double doors which you pushed open, letting out a gasp at what you saw. Ivory material had been laid out across the floor like a carpet, an aisle had been formed with a mix of ivory flowers (hydrangeas, roses, lilies) and candles. They led the way from the doors to the end of the room where there were massive lit-up letters that spelt out ‘MARRY ME,’ large white balloons floating behind the sign. 

Right in front, how could you miss him, was Hoseok on one knee, waiting for you. 

“You had me so worried,” you tearfully laugh as you walk up the material and take everything in, including the gorgeous ring that lay in a box in Hoseok’s hands. 

“Surprised you though,” he chuckled as he stood to pull you into his arms, bringing your head to rest underneath his chin. You stood there for a moment or two, pulling away enough to look up at his face. “I need to give you my answer though,” you started as you took hold of his free hand and laced your fingers together. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Just don’t scare me again.”

Hobi burst into giggles, almost falling back if it hadn’t been for your hand holding him tight and placed the engagement ring securely on your finger. The lights all of a sudden came on and you could see six pairs of eyes watching from the door that had opened the moment you had given the answer. 

“She said yes?”

“She said yes,” Hobi confirmed. There was a chorus of cheers as all the boys came rushing in, Jimin popping the champagne bottle that made Hobi jump back and scream at the noise. They were a crazy bunch, and one of them just happened to now be your fiance.

NAMJOON 

At first, it had been a great idea to suggest a hike up the Jindallae Mountain Range, to see the azaleas bloom and to challenge them to get to the peak in record time. But then you had underestimated your walking skills and Namjoon’s long legs and thick thighs. So many stairs. So many goddamn stairs. It was if the lift to Hybe had stopped working and you were walking up its many, many, many flights of stairs.

“Come on jagi, it’s not far now,” Namjoon encouraged as he adjusted the backpack filled with water and snacks.

“You said that about twenty minutes ago and we’re not even halfway up yet,” you scowled. At least you were wearing a good pair of hiking shoes, coupled with decent clothing that allowed a good breeze in because lord, you were sweating. 

“We’ll be there in another hour or so,” the leader of BTS estimated and ignored your cry of protest, glancing at the map along the trail as if he didn’t know this place like the back of his hands. 

It was a long and gruelling process, only made better by the views you would see at every stop on the way. It was gorgeous and the flowers gave off their soft scent on the way, though the stairs were a bit unsteady and one wrong move could have you over the edge and down the rocky cliff.

You finally got to the top of the peak, which overlooked the whole national park and you had to admit that even though it had been a complete labour of love, it was worth it for just the view. You snapped a few pictures on your phone and took the bottle of water Namjoon offered, gulping half of it down. 

“So was I right?” he asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead and placing his hat on more securely.

“Yes, you were right. You always are.”

“Would I be right about this?”

When you turned to question what it was, you found him on one knee (in the rocky mud mind you) with one hand on yours and another holding the most gorgeous ring you had seen. The band had leaves and diamonds on the points, both a testament to your love of nature and Namjoon’s love of the earth. A ring to show the bond you two had, a ring to show his complete and utter love for you.

“When are you ever wrong?” you asked but gently closed the box, giggling slightly at the look on his face. “Ask me again when we’re down the other side and there’s no risk of you losing it down the rocky mountain.”

“But the answer’s yes?” he questioned while carefully slipping the box back into his backpack.

“When have you ever heard me say no?”

“Never. But I wanted to make sure you didn’t mind marrying this clumsy fool.”

To prove his point, Namjoon’s foot slipped against the rock he was on and you automatically reached over to pull him to you. “I really don’t mind, you clumsy fool.”

JIMIN 

For your birthday, Jimin had booked a holiday to the famous city of love: Paris. You two had hopped on a plane, spent many hours on board a direct flight to Paris and arrived at one of the most exquisite hotels the city had to offer: Shangri-La. He had booked the La Suite Shangri-La, which was perched on the top floor and a modern apartment with a full 360 balcony that ran from the bathroom to the living room, giving a completely unobstructed view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

You were on day five of your holiday, another nine days to enjoy yourselves and you had planned to spend the day on the terrace, enjoy the French sun and do nothing as tomorrow it was a private tour of Lourve. Jimin had gone completely all out on this holiday, wanting to make sure everything was perfect and had booked every day full of things to do.

In the morning you had enjoyed a bubble bath with the balcony doors slightly open to hear the people of the city go to work, got dressed in a floaty summer dress in the walk-in closet outside the bathroom, walked through the bedroom and into the living room with a dining room attached. It really was an apartment, one you could live in quite happily for the rest of your life as your feet padded through to the small kitchen where coffee was on the go.

On the terrace, Jimin had sat at the table where he was enjoying his own coffee and updating the boys on the trip. They had asked if he had popped the question yet which he said he hadn’t, laughing to himself at the messages that came back from everyone which was essentially calling him an idiot.

He didn’t want to rush, wanted to wait for the right time. 

The random playlist he found on Spotify was playing in the background and he glanced over when the door to the terrace opened, holding out his hand for you to take. “Enjoy your bath?” he asked, pulling you onto his lap and wrapping an arm around your waist to hold you in place. He placed a kiss on your bare shoulder, breathed in the scene from the bubble bath and rested his chin on top of your shoulder.

“There’s something about Parisian baths and how I want one for the rest of the trip,” you answered while taking a sip of your coffee. Even the coffee was perfect.

The Eiffel Tower was right in front of you, the two of you staring at it as the sound of the city continued their day like normal. It seemed surreal to find yourself here but it was one of Jimin’s favourite places to visit so he had promised to bring you for your birthday.

“What are you thinking about?” you asked, placing the cup on the table and turning around so your side was resting against Jimin’s chest.

“You, the future, everything.”

“Hmmm,” you murmured and reached over to play with the blonde locks that had been dyed two weeks before you left. “Anything in particular?”

“Marrying you,” was his honest answer. Your eyes met and you let out a chuckle, reaching over to press a kiss to his lips. “Well, I can’t wait for that to happen.”

There was silence for a moment, just enjoying the slow jazz that was playing now in the background as you both stared at the Eiffel Tower. All of a sudden a Tiffany & Co box was placed in front of you, still wrapped in its bow. 

“Jimin, when did you get this?” you whispered, reaching over to take hold of it. 

“In New York, I’ve had it for a while. You going to open it?” Jimin muttered against your shoulder, both arms around your waist as if he was afraid you’d run away. 

It was stupid but there were already tears forming in your eyes as you pulled the bow away and opened the box. The gasp you let out reassured Jimin that he had picked the right ring and he reached out to take hold of it, bringing it both to your eyeline.

“Can we start putting plans in place? Because I really do want to marry you.”

You let out a teary laugh, brushing the tears from your cheek but you nodded all the same. “Yes, a thousand times yes.” 

The ring slipped on your finger perfectly and as Jimin reached over to kiss you, he muttered: “Let’s explore Paris now as fiancees.”

TAEHYUNG

“So you’ve hired out a cafe in Hongdae for Valentine’s Day so we can have a one to one jewellery making course?”

Taehyung really did come up with the most ingenious ideas for Valentine’s Day and how to treat you and make it fun. Maybe Hongdae wasn’t the best place for an idol to be seen but his driver was dropping the two of you off, parking around the corner to wait for the two of you to be done and then you’d be off for dinner.

“Exactly. Come on, it will be fun,” Tae said as he took hold of your hand and pulled you into the cafe. Sure enough, it was closed to the public and the blinds were drawn for complete privacy. One member of staff at the counter to make drinks and the instructor ready for your lesson.

You had to put your hand on your heart and say it was one of the best dates the two of you had in a while and Tae’s unusual questions about the material and the tools had the instructor scratching their head but glad someone was asking questions that weren’t the lovey dovey kind.

Enjoying each other's company while Taehyung’s favourite jazz music played in the background, the two of you almost competing with one another over who could create the best piece of jewellery. You had gone for a silver band bracelet, keeping it simple so it wouldn’t cause too much suspicion if ARMY happened to see it at any point. Taehyung had gone for a ring to match the bracelet you were making, measuring your finger with eyes rather than the measuring type.

It took a good two hours, if not slightly longer with the amount of laughter that was happening but the results came out perfect in the end. You had gone for an engraving on the side of the bracelet that no one could see, with the date of which was made with your two initials. Taehyung had gone a bit different, picking out the garnet stone and placing it in the middle of the band.

When it was finished, the two of you swapped jewellery. Tae slid the bracelet onto his right wrist, wiggling it slightly to get it comfortable and you slid the ring onto the only finger that it would fit: your ring finger. 

“Jagi, it’s on the wrong finger,” he called out as the instructor was finishing up and cleaning it all away.

“It’s the only finger it will fit on.” You were a bit baffled as he slipped the ring off the offending finger and placed it on your other ring finger. “What?” you laughed but were soon shut up by the replacement he had slipped on your finger.

A gorgeous art deco style ring with a ruby in the middle, mini diamonds surrounding it. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said as he kissed your cheek and grinned at your dumbfounded face. 

“What? How?”

“How? Well I bought this engagement ring awhile back and this was all a ploy to ask you to marry me.”

You gaped at him in complete surprise and Taehyung had to burst into laughter as he pushed your law up to close your mouth. “You can say yes later. We’ve got reservations to get to, we need to celebrate.”

JUNGKOOK 

“Now, Bam, this piece goes here,” you said as you held up the offending puzzle piece that you had been struggling to find for the past hour. You showed it to Bam who automatically sniffed it and watched as you slotted it into its place. “There we go.”

Jungkook had brought the puzzle home an hour ago as part of your birthday gifts since you had a habit of putting jigsaw puzzles together and then enjoying pulling them apart after agonising days of searching for pieces. At least this time you had Bam for comfort as you were finally starting to put all the last pieces together. 

“You finished yet?” Jungkook called from the bedroom, where he had just come out of the shower after a long day of dance practice. 

“Nearly! Another hour I think,” you called back as Bam rested his head in your lap and left you to it. “Thanks buddy. Help was appreciated,” you chuckled as you rubbed his ears with one hand and used the other to pick up a piece of the puzzle, lifted it to the light then back to the puzzle to find the piece. 

Your boyfriend came out in his signature grey sweatpants and black t-shirt as if he didn’t wear anything else, and settled down beside you. As much as he wanted tempted to reach over and finish the puzzle for you, it was something for you and you only to finish. 

It was an agonising hour, as you predicted before you placed the final puzzle piece into its slot. “All done,” you cheered and used the moment to stretch your back. Sitting on the floor with a high coffee table in front of you was not a good idea.

“So what does it say?” Jungkook asked, throwing his phone onto the couch to lean forward to see the puzzle.

“Hmm? Oh,” you gently moved a sleeping Bam off your lap and used the couch to stand up to get a good look at the puzzle.

“Forever and always. Will you marry me?”

By the time you had finished reading it and your brain caught up with what you were reading, Jungkook had already pulled the ring out of his pocket and handed it to you.

“Me and ARMY created this together. So really it’s a question from all of us: will you marry me and have me, Bam and ARMY forever?”

The ring was an exact representation of Jungkook’s love for his fans, their love for the both of you and it all coming together with a purple stone on a band of diamonds that looked like a crown. And it certainly didn’t take you long to slip the ring on your finger, jump into Jungkook’s arms screaming ‘yes’ and for Bam to soon join in the celebration by knocking the puzzle off the table in his haste to get you.

[periwinckles]

Please tell me you have a middle name.

The night you turn eighteen you get a soulmark. Katniss is obviously not expecting to get any, because she is too busy to be interest in romance at all. (in Panem, No Games, Everlark)

I’m not bothered at all when I wake up the morning of my eighteenth birthday. It’s just another regular day. 

I go on with my routine: out of bed, cold glass of water, getting dressed. It’s still dark outside, but I always go to the woods before dawn, ever since Gale joined the mines. It’s hard and long work, now that I go by myself, but spring days are the best for hunting and foraging, so a big haul is to be expected today. 

Then after that, school. I’m pretty sure I’ll fly under the radar, with so many birthdays around this time of year. It’s not just some weird coincidence. Most students have their birthdays in the spring and summer months. No one really comments on it, but everyone knows how hard it is for a newborn to survive its first winter in district twelve. Autumn baby’s are a little more common, but not by much. So, once spring rolls around, there’s at least two or three birthdays every other day, and it keeps everyone distracted. No one will remember mine, for sure. No one except Prim.

I’m not even done with putting my socks on, when my sister wakes up, and in a fast jolt starts inspecting my arms and hands. 

“Well? Where is it?”

"Where 's what?”

Prim gives me an annoyed look at my feigned ignorance. Yes, I know. Soulmarks. We get them the night before our eighteenth birthday, and they are supposed to help us find our soulmate, our partner in life.  Usually they come up like dark brown lines, something like a dark tan, in the shape of your soulmate's name initial. Location may vary, but soulmates get them on the same exact spot. Sometimes you get more than one letter, but that’s the exception, not the rule. 

“I don’t know, I didn't care to look.” I tell her as I finish getting ready. “I’ll be back with breakfast.”

I was actually a bit anxious the night before Gale’s birthday, two years ago. Not that it would mean anything if he showed up the next day with a K. Platonic soulmates are rare, but not unheard of. Still, I breathed out with relief when he showed up with no soulmark at all. 

“I guess I’m free from all this nonsense. “ He said with a shrug.

If Gale Hawthorne is lucky enough to be soulmate less, I’m pretty sure that’s my fate as well.

I’ve seen a couple of marks so far. Delly Cartwright was the first in our class year to show it off. She’s one of the rare winter babies to make it to adulthood, and when her eighteenth birthday came up in December, she stood brightly in front of the whole class and asked for everyone’s middle name, writing it all down.

“She has a T on her forearm.” Madge whispers to me, even though I can perfectly see what she’s showing off to everyone. “There are no T’s in our class.” she elaborates. “She will need to broaden her search, but I guess she wants to rule out middle names first.”

Five months later and Delly still hasn't found hers, if the huge folder that she carries around all the time, is any indication.

There were a few more whisperings about soulmarks popping up here and there, but last month is when it really picked up the pace. Not that I pay much attention to it. I usually only hang out with Madge Undersee and she’s not really much into all of this either. She  has hers already, I think. I'm not sure exactly when her birthday is, but she’s definitely eighteen already. I guess she keeps it hidden, which is exactly what I would do if I had one. 

I make my way through the snare line with ease, collecting our prey, taking my time to enjoy the few hours of freedom I can. I even get a few squirrels that I’ll try to trade at the bakery later. Prim will be ecstatic if I get a couple of cookies or a small cake for today. When I’m back at the house, soulmarks are nowhere near my mind. 

“Happy Birthday, Katniss.”

My mother greets me with a smile that I only half return. She kisses my cheek as well, and I let her, but that’s where I draw the line for physical affection from her. I still haven't forgiven her from checking out when my father died and leaving everything to fall on my shoulders. Me. An eleven year old who had just lost her father.

If she wants to ask about my soulmark, she doesn’t. But I notice the way she exchanges looks with Prim. She knows I have a hard time saying no to Prim, whatever it is.

“Aren’t you really going to look for it?” Prim finally asks.

I place my tea cup on the table, and she squeals once I start removing my jacket. Might as well get this over with, and it will go faster if I have their help. As soon as they see I’m clear of marks, I’m free to move on with my day.

Having a healer for a mother, and a future healer for a sister, means they are nothing but methodic. They start with my scalp, examining every inch of my skin. Some soulmarks are quite large, others very small. You never really know what you’re getting, or where, so you really need to pay attention. 

“Nothing on this arm.” Prim says as she moves on to my ribcage, but a small gasp from my mother makes her fingers freeze.

“Your calf.” My mother says. She still has her fingers wrapped around my left arm, but the mark in my calf is so visible I don’t really know how none of us saw it as soon as I had my pants off. 

I sit down and bring the leg up for close inspection. There it is, dark tan, with flowy and delicate lines, a true indication of my soulmate’s gentle demeanor. 

“I knew it would be you.” I tell Prim with a broad smile.

I have a P in my calf, and that’s even better than not getting a soulmark at all.

(subscribe the story on AO3 and leave me a review because I am greedy for them ;) )

[ask-sister-solaris]

What’s this feeling? Something…entirely new?

Papa Emeritus IV x reader

Warnings: mentions of abuse

Part: 1/??

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You smiled as you entered the crowded concert hall with your friend. You’d managed to bag tickets to see Ghost for your birthday and you couldn’t get over how excited you were. It was loud and noisy but worth it. You’d made Copia a plush of him completely forgetting that inside his little jacket you’d put a piece of paper with your number, you did mean to remove it buuut you didn’t. You were front row and had to yell to get his attention. Once he made eye contact you held up the mini Copia for him to take which he did with that cute grin on his face.

“Thank you Amore~”

You practically swooned as he spoke Italian. After the concert and you and your friend had stuffed so much mummy dust into your Jean pockets and bags and bought so much merch you called it a night. Once you got home and bud your friend goodnight you put all the merch mummy dust and other things in a special box.

As you collapsed onto the bed and plugged your phone in you saw a message from an unknown number. You opened it and all it was, was a simple. Hello.

You: hello? Who is this

???: I’m wounded you’ve forgotten me already Mia adorabile

You: wait what-

???: it’s me. Papa Emeritus o…or Copia, your number was written on a piece of paper in my mini me jacket

You: oh shit- hi

Your eyes widened as you took a deep breath. He was actually messaging you! But why? Was it just to say thank you? Was he gonna tell you some big secret or- your thought were interrupted by a ping from your mother

Ma: So you went to see that satanic band?

You: Si mama i did and I enjoyed it

You scoffed at your mothers behavior before a message from Copia came through, inviting you to the ministry. You thought it strange at this time of night? And a ministry. All those things about the Ghost lore couldn’t be true could they? You dressed in your ripped jeans and Ghost shirt before messaging him back

You: depends will you pick me up from mine?

Copia: of course I will Amore! May I have your address?

You told him, hearing your mother scream from the next room over to your father. You decided you’d never come back so you began packing. You left all the religious things and only packed the stuff you needed to take. Money, all the ghost stuff you’d bought with your money and hygiene products. You left without saying a word making sure you had your phone and laptop along with the chargers. You stood outside and when copias car pulled up his attire was so different. He was actually wearing priest robes-

Copia POV COS I C A N

As I stepped out of the car I smiled at her slightly confused about the two bags she carried with her, before I could ask anything I saw her confused look.

“Ah scusami! I didn’t have time to change you see, I’ll explain everything once we are back at the ministry”

I just watched her nod before helping her with her bags. We both got into the car and set off, it was awfully quiet and very…awkward.

“So Mia signora what’s with the bags?”

I glanced over and rose a brow when she flinched. Surely she was mistreated? When she didn’t respond I left it as is and kept quiet. At the ministry I parked up and carried her bags in for her, ignoring her protests.

“Please Signora let me help you, it seems you have been through enough.”

I took her to a spare room near mine and set her bags down. I looked at her as she stood in the doorway fidgeting

“What’s wrong Signora? Was home life that bad?”

That’s all it took for her to break down. I rushed to her side and rubbed her back. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so bad for someone before. Well except my brothers.

“I…I’m sorry”

Her voice sounded so broken and I just hugged her, rubbing her back and reassuring her that everything was ok. I could sense that she was confused about her situation but rest was needed first.

“Rest Mia cara, everything will be explained tomorrow, si?”

She nodded and allowed me to lay her down on the bed. I covered her and caressed her face. I swore that day I’d keep her safe.

[fletchervanhall]

Birthday Special | Flavier

Featuring: Xavier Mitchell, Fletcher Van Hall w/ Drew Van Hall, Winter Mitchell, Henry Mitchell and mentions of others Time Frame: Evening/Nighttime, July 26, 2024 Location: Various locations in SF, ending at the Van Hall home Notes: Flavier and the family celebrate Fletcher's birthday in a very special way! @xaviernottheprofessor

XAVIER

He had made it through four weeks of recovery and Xavier had started to finally feel more like himself. His short term memory was improving thanks to his therapists and he even felt stronger. Still, he had a couple of weeks to go before he was cleared for any type of strenuous activity but for now, he would take what he could get. His week started off energetic. Xavier even ran errands in his free time. On Tuesday, he went on a special errand to pick up the ring he had chosen for Fletcher. He had gone back and forth a few times and had to be incredibly secretive about it. He wanted to surprise Fletcher and the family at dinner and he hoped that he would.

He held himself up with his cane as he adjusted his belt and sighed when it was too difficult to do so he called Fletcher as he checked the rest of his outfit in the mirror. The ring was in its box in his jacket. Surely, the theater would be cold.

“Baby, can you help me with this? Sorry, I’m struggling.” He looked up at him and smiled. “You look nice.” Fletcher always looked handsome to Xavier and this past month, having his support and encouragement for rehabilitation has been so important to him. “I told the family we will come and pick them up for dinner after the movie. Drew seems up for it so that’ll be nice to get him out of the house for tonight.” He spritzed some cologne on. “Are you excited ?”

FLETCHER

Fletcher was in the bathroom, fixing his hair and trimming his already short beard. He'd brushed the clipped hair from his face into the sink, and then rinsed all of it down the drain before pulling his dress shirt on and buttoning it up. After the past month of keeping extra company with his fiancé at home and helping him get to and from therapy appointments, he was looking forward to them going out on a date, and knowing that Xavier was truly up for it.

Walking back into the bedroom for his sport coat, he heard Xavier's request and smiled a bit. "Of course I can. Don't apologize for asking me for help, alright?" He pecked Xavier's lips and threaded the leather through the belt loops before buckling it into place. "How's that?" He stepped back, "You look handsome by the way. Always wearing the hell out of everything." With a slight smirk, he neared Xavier again and pecked his lips and then moved to put his sport coat on, leaving the lone button undone. "Sounds good. It feels weird to get this dressed up for the movies. I know it's really for the fancy dinner after but still. I'm looking forward to it though. What about you?"

XAVIER

 “Thank you.” He smiled at Fletcher and took one last look in the mirror. “That’s perfect and you’re biased.” He chuckled, kissing him back and then sliding his jacket on. “But also it’s a premiere so we won’t look too out of place. I hope you get to see Ryan or Hugh even from afar.” Learning that this was Fletcher’s first premiere made him even more excited. There would be no red carpet for them. They’d be going as fans but he knew the cast would be there. “I’m excited to celebrate you. Besides it was Winter’s idea to do a Michelin star restaurant for your birthday and you know I’m all about week long celebrations especially when it comes to my man.” He held on to his cane, stepping up to Fletcher and wrapped an arm around him before resting his head against his chest. “And I know I don’t have to but thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” He had discussed with his therapist how this could have ended differently for him, his children, Fletcher, and the people he loved. It was a huge reflection that had been weighing on him. Enough for Xavier to draft a living will. “I love you.” He kissed Fletcher’s chest and smiled before looking up at him.

“I’m also super excited about the fan event because surely we will get a bunch of DP swag.” Slowly, he pulled away and grabbed the car keys off the dresser before tossing them to Fletcher. Lately it felt like Xavier belonged in the Van Hall home and it had become his and his kid’s home too. They had made it all work and Winter and Henry were happy to be spending time with everyone. He could tell they didn’t want it to end and didn’t want to go back home but perhaps with the question Xavier was going to share with everyone tonight, things wouldn’t have to change too drastically. He was caught in his thoughts and he took a deep breath as the nerves took over. “little nervous now, yeah? Seeing some colleagues that haven’t seen me in a while. I just wanna spend it all with you tonight and our family later though” He chuckled and began walking toward the steps, fully aware of the fib he had dropped. Xavier was nervous but for other pressing reasons.

FLETCHER

"Excuse you. I own my bias but this isn't one of them. Have you seen what the stans on the internets have said? I know you have, oe that Tanya's told you." Fletcher knew Xavier was right about it being a premiere and he had seen the way people dressed for it. Celebrities and others involved in the film usually dressed up in more formal attire while fans would wear costumes and cosplay.

"I think she just wanted to see me in a monkey suit," he jokingly accused. "But thank you for this. It's nice celebrating with you and the family." His arm delicately came around Xavier, only for him to move it down to his waist. "You're right, you don't have to thank me. I love you and I'm gonna be your husband. Even if I wasn't, I love you and that's enough."

He smiled a bit, "Oh yeah? I'll have to get some kind of shelving for all things Deadpool that I've got. Put the non-wearable stuff on display like trophies." As he double-checked his pockets for his wallet and phone, he lifted a hand in time to catch the keys. The ease of the routine he and Xavier had fallen into was a pleasant one for him. He loved the life they were building together and only hoped it would get better from here. As he held the keys in one hand, Fletcher prepared to walk out of the room just behind Xavier, sliding his feet into the loafers he'd paired with his outfit. "It’s probably a little nerve-wracking for you but other than maybe one fading scar and your latest fashion accessory," he gestured to the cane, "You don't have a lot of physical things to draw unusual attention. But the family time afterwards is gonna be great. We'll probably have multiple forks and spoons set at each chair at the restaurant, huh?" He chuckled as well, taking the stairs just behind Xavier as he'd been doing all throughout his recovery. Whether he fell forward or stumbled backward, Fletcher would be there to catch him.

XAVIER

“Lord, those fan made videos get me feeling all mortified.” He grinned. “But I’m glad Tanya has shown me the crazies that are out there.” He shuddered but then recovered with a smile. He was glad that Fletcher was looking forward to the dinner even if it was at a fancy place. He would have done it at the diner they all loved too but he figured it would be a nice touch. He knew that his fiance appreciated an act of service that wasn’t over the top and that wasn’t the point of tonight. He was still going to celebrate Fletcher’s birthday early and he was going to ask him to marry him in front of their family. It was the way it should have been. “I love you too.” Thinking how easy it all felt, Xavier knew that he had no regrets in this giant decision he had made with Fletcher.

“Shelving isn’t such a bad idea actually. Maybe you can do something for your office too.” Xavier began walking out and feeling Fletcher linger closely made him feel safe. “Most likely but don’t ask me what each one is for. We can google it.” Even thought his celebrity status had been growing, you couldn’t take the South London out of him. “The food is out of this world though. I can’t wait for you try literally everything if you want I don’t care, tonight we all feast.” He made it to the bottom of the stairs and waved at Henry who was playing with Phoebe while Winter and Drew read together. “Alright. Drew, as always is in charge. Reservations are at 7 so we will be here around 6:30 to pick everyone up. Love you guys!”

Xavier smiled at his daughter when she looked up and at Drew as well. Phoebe was too entertained by Henry who was singing and dancing for her with her baby karaoke machine. “Phoebe’s definitely your number one fan.” He then looked over his shoulder at Fletcher as if telling him their family was the best.

FLETCHER

"You mean that finishing school isn't an automatic requirement when possessing a British accent that's not Cockney or Yorkshire?" Fletcher joked, while being familiar with a few of the varied accents across the pond. "Damn, and here I was, counting on you to give me a crash course after the movie." He grinned and then raised his brow a bit, "What kind of cuisine's at this place?" He wondered, realizing he'd meant to Google and see if he could skim the menu but had forgotten to do so before.

When they cleared the bottom of the stairs and reached the living room entryway, Fletcher took in the scene too and nodded in agreement with Xavier's parting words to the kids. "What he said," was all he added along with a wink to his uncle and the kids. Drew made a joke about throwing a 2-hour house party while they were gone and Fletcher snorted and rolled his eyes, playing into the joke, "As long as you clean up before we're back and no one breaks anything." Hed loved the sight before them and met Xavier's silent communication with a gentle smile before slipping past his fiancé to get the door for him.

He walked with Xavier put the door and to the driveway, unlocking the SUV with the fob. At the passenger door, he opened it and stayed there until Xavier was comfortably seated. After shutting the door and making his way to the driver's seat, he started up the car and backed out so they could head to their destination. On the way, he asked, "Hey, what do you think about some sort of guest house in the backyard? There's a shit ton of room without messing with Drew's garden. And once we get Lieu, he'd still have plenty of room to run around or go to the bathroom. Which means Phoebe would still have room to play back there when she's a little older."

XAVIER

"Uh, no. My mum and dad are really good about that stuff I just never paid attention like why do I need to know this? Who's laughing now, huh?" He grinned. "I think we can both learn on the way there and surprise the hell out of everyone at how charming and refined we are." Xavier chuckled. "It's Mexican. I know it's your favorite and the place has two Michelin stars so you'll fall in love with everything." Even though they all spent time together at home, it was nice to do something out with everyone.

Xavier laughed at Drew's joke and they both walked out as their older kids whistled at them. "Great suits!" He could hear Winter yell out and Henry giggle from the other side of the door. "Maybe you're right on Winter's diabolical plan to see you in a suit." He climbed into the SUV, grateful for his fiance's assistance, and immediately turned on the Car Play to start some music linked to his Spotify. He waited for Fletcher to get in the car and tapped his jacket pocket to make sure the ring box was still there.

Xavier put the theater address into the GPS for Fletcher and then sat back. "A guest house? That sounds like a nice idea. What are you thinking? How many bedrooms? There's definitely room back there. I know some great people who do really good work. I can look into them for you. There's even space for a little playhouse for Phoebe. We can get her a swing set or a slide or something. That yard is pretty massive." Xavier had a lot of thoughts when it came to their living situation but he didn't want to impose on Drew's property. He had even thought about the prospects of everyone moving into his home but he could tell the kids loved the Van Hall home and Xavier didn't want to take Drew away from what he knows and loves. "Is this because of us?"

FLETCHER

"I totally thought that knowing fork placements was required," Fletcher joked with a smile. "Yes, we'll show up with an expert level of which one's the salad fork and which one's the dinner fork. That's all I know for fork names." Hearing that they were going to a Michelin star Mexican restaurant certainly piqued his interest. "Fancy Mexican food sounds like a good time. Thanks, sugar. And I'll be sure to thank Winter too, later."

Hearing Xavier agree about Winter's plan, Fletcher kept the joke up by answering in feigned seriousness, "I'm telling you, she wants to turn me into a regular dapper Dan. I didn't realize I had so many sweat pants haters in my life. Jesus." When he got into the car and heard the music Xavier chose, his interest always honed in to see what sort of music Xavier was going to have them listening to, since he knew his fiancé's taste varied more than his typically did. "Thanks," he said of Xavier plugging in the directions. And after posing the question about a guest house he listened to the questions and thoughts his fiancé had about the idea ofa guest house and then responded. "I wasn't thinking about anything too big or too elaborate. Just something like a studio space with maybe a sink and toilet. Maybe not even that and just somewhere decent and comfortable to be able to sleep since there'd be plumbing to consider. A playhouse for Phoebe would be great too, and I'd been thinking about a swing set for when she's a little older. Maybe when she's two." He agreed about the yard space and at Xavier's last question he smirked a little. "Yeah. I already talked about it with Drew. I'm glad Henry and Winter have been alright with the space in the house as it is but long term, I can't imagine the both of them wouldn't want their own space when they're here. And... whenever we do marry, or even before then, I can't see us keeping this up with going back and forth between homes on a permanent basis."

He glanced Xavier's way and then back to the road. "I know your place is already big enough to accommodate all of us without any construction but... if you and the kids are open to it, we'd love you guys to move into Drew's house. Permanently. The studio space was something I thought Winter might like, as she's getting older and all. And if she doesn't like that idea or feels like she'd be to separated from everybody else, we can figure something else out. Maybe talk with Drew about a way to expand on the ground floor to add a room or two. It's something he and I have talked about before, when he got his diagnosis so I'm sure it's doable." Reaching across the center panel for Xavier's hand, he said, "Ultimately, I just want us to do whatever's gonna be best for our whole family."

XAVIER

"Guess I'm not fancy enough." He smirked right back at Fletcher and then laughed at his words. "That's like two forks more than I know." Xavier was feeling less nervous now that they were on their way to watch the movie. It felt like there was less time left now and that in no time, he'd be asking Fletcher formally to marry him in front of the most important people in his life. "You're welcome! Can't go wrong with Mexican."

He started by playing some old-school Linkin Park knowing that Fletcher not only loved them but that they'd be a great vibe for the ride to see Deadpool. "Some R&B might cut in between songs because your boy is versatile like that." He grinned and continued listening to Fletcher's ideas regarding a guest house. He nodded as he listened, picturing the ideas that were being mentioned. "I love the idea of a studio for Winter. I think she'd really appreciate that now that she's getting older. like you said." He agreed that moving back and forth would eventually make little to no sense and now that Xavier had spent a month recovering at the Van Hall home, it felt more like home than his own house did. Xavier took Fletcher's hand and squeezed it, smiling at him as he heard what he had added.

"I think and this is definitely a shared sentiment, that we'd love to move in permanently and we can figure out logistics. A guest house sounds like the most ideal. I can help with all of that and I'll put the house up for sale. The money I get from that can be separated for the kid's college funds. Phoebe, Henry, and Winter and we can use some of it towards construction." Xavier had been able to pay off his home pretty quickly and even though the purchase was made only a couple of years ago, the market was asking for double now. He saw it as an investment. "I want what's best for them too and I want Drew to stay in his home and we'll really make a home out of it. The six of us. Drew's excited?"

FLETCHER

"The accent makes up for it," Fletcher quipped with a grin. And his toothy smile lingered for a little bit longer. Hearing the type of cuisine that would be at dinner had him looking forward to it a little more than before--not that he had been dreading it but the thoughtfulness of it being his favorite cuisine upped his interest.

When he heard the familiar opening to Linkin Park's "Faint", he lightly drummed on the steering wheel as he drove. "Mhm, I know it. And you know I don't mind." He enjoyed the music as background noise while he and Xavier discussed expanding the house and the idea of all of them living together in one home permanently. Xavier's swift decisiveness on what to do with his own home and the sales earnings made Fletcher's brows raise. "You're always so sure of yourself and what you want. Or who you want," he added with a knowing smile. Taking hold of Xavier's hand, he carefully brought it to his lips while leaning over a bit to press them to his knuckles. "Would you consider making it a rental or an Air BnB? Or are you pretty set on selling it?" Fletcher would support whatever decision Xavier made but he knew that there was a big sacrifice being made and wanted to be sure his fiancé was considering all options. He gently squeezed the younger man's hand and then said, "Yeah. I mean you know Drew is pretty even-keeled but he loves you and the kids, and he knows that being more settled with where he lived as he gets older and things progress with his Parkinson's is better for him."

XAVIER

"Well, thank God for that." Xavier snickered, enjoying the back and forth and the fact that he was feeling 100 himself now even if physically he still needed some help. It was nice to be able to participate in some banter with his fiance again and to joke around and feel like he wasn't missing the butt of the joke. It was nice to be able to plan a special dinner, speak to point people, remember instructions and hopefully execute this long-awaited mission (long for Xavier).

He smiled at Fletcher's words and it wasn't like he had the realization in that moment but the reminder of how different they both were and yet worked so well together was a nice one. He couldn't help but laugh a little at Fletcher telling him he was always so sure of himself and his decisions. "I try to live that 'no regrets' kind of life and if I want something, I'm going to get it. Within reason of course. If you would have pushed me away at that auction, this might have gone a little differently but I wouldn't have given up without a little fight." He knew he probably came on strong to Fletcher that first night but again, he had no regrets. He basked in Fletcher's little gestures and sighed happily. Nodding at the suggestion of renting his home or making it an Air BnB, Xavier hadn't really thought about that. "You know, that actually isn't such a bad idea. We'd probably make a decent investment on Air BnB alone. It'll be an extra income and we'd still make money to put away for the kids. Would you join me in that kind of business? That's a really great idea, baby." Xavier smiled upon hearing about Drew and felt confident and happy in the decision to move into Drew's home instead of moving somewhere different or to his home. "I want him to be happy and always surrounded by the people that love him. And I just want to be with you, it doesn't matter where but staying at Drew's house is special. Feels very familial."

FLETCHER

"We all have our redeeming qualities," he joked. Fletcher chuckled along with Xavier, loving their silly banter. He was happy to not only see but hear so many smiles and laughs from his fiancé, sure that the injuries to his ribs hadn't made it easy for him during the past month.

Listening to Xavier, his lips tugged into a small smile as he replied. "I know. I learned that pretty quickly about you earlier this year. But I don't remember you really fighting so much as you being vocal about what you want, sooner than I've been throughout our relationship." He glanced Xavier's way and then back to the traffic. "And thanks to you, we've had a lot of movement between us this year." It wasn't an accusation or condemnation, but merely a matter of fact.

He was glad that Xavier was on board with all of them living at his uncle's house and expanding to accommodate all of them. And hearing Xavier consider the possibility of not completely giving up his home had been nice. "If you're on board with it, I'll be glad to go into that kind of business with you. I can be a crotchety landlord to collect the rent or handle any air bnb complainers." He'd been mostly joking and knew a lot about managing a business from running The Ink Tank, but given Xavier's fame, it probably would be better if Fletcher was the one to handle anything in-person. Hearing Xavier talk about his wants and him being thoughtful of Drew. "And this is why you are my sweetheart. And my sugar. God, I love you."

When they neared the theatre where the movie was premiering, Fletcher could see how traffic was being directed. He followed the signs and the people monitoring the cars and limos until they were brought to a valet. Fletcher got out, handing over the key fob in exchange for a ticket, and then he walked around to get the door for Xavier. He pocketed the ticket and, upon opening the passenger door offered his hand to his fiancé. "Ready to lead me through my first premiere?"

XAVIER

Xavier smirked at Fletcher's quip, feeling incredibly secure about the big steps they were taking in their lives together. The shift was tremendous and they had families to move around with them but they were making it work and it was beautiful. "I mean, I kinda just popped in and took over your life so..." Xavier smiled and bit his lip. "Thanks for letting me." The words were heavier than they were meant to be. Xavier, being the romantic he was, struggled with finding someone who aligned with his desires and meshed with his personality. The only person he would have considered treated him terribly. Somehow he had been lucky enough to find someone who let him love him back and considering how much love Xavier had to give, it was fulfilling. "We're a team. Don't forget it."

"I want you to really own this crotchety landlord schtick. Walk in with a cigar between your teeth, a bucket fisherman's hat, and a tool belt or something. Wait, that's kinda hot. Dammit!" Xavier laughed as they both discussed the potential. Keeping the house made sense. Xavier was grateful for the suggestion. "I think you'd be perfect for that though. Going into business with you, moving in with you, all these major changes. I really like how it all sounds. So exciting." X sighed softly and then added, "I love you too."

He took Fletcher's hand and climbed out of the car with a lot more ease now that he felt a lot better. "I am so ready. We're getting swag first. I want those popcorn buckets and then some blokes will probably lead us down the red carpet but it won't be anything flashy. They're all here for Ryan and Hugh and the gang. They might take a photo or two and then Ben Barnes is gonna have to give up the whole being my boyfriend charade" Xavier explained with a grinned and held his fiance's hand. "Then we get to enjoy the movie in 3D Imax and get bragging rights to everyone tonight."

Xavier waved at a few people he had recognized and even signed a couple of autographs as he walked with Fletcher. It was an organized crowd and everyone looked amazing. He really hoped for the opportunity had had asked a friend for as a favor and after some more photographs and after they had gotten to concessions, he felt a hand on his shoulder and there was the surprise he had gotten together for Fletcher. "Oh! Hey mate! Ah, we're so excited to see the movie. This is my fiance. Fletcher. He's really excited to meet you both." And there they were. Hugh and Ryan their hands extended for Fletcher to shake and Xavier was grinning ear to ear, squeezing the top of his cane from excitement.(edited)

FLETCHER

"That's a fun summary of how things went down between us," Fletcher mused with another smirk. And the next works that left Xavier's mouth had him touched. He gave Xavier's hand another loving squeeze and told him, "I'd do it again, every time." There was nothing about their relationship that Fletcher would do differently. They complimented each other beautifully and loved each other and their family deeply. "Like I'd ever," he replied about not forgetting that they were a team. But he soon ended up laughing when Xavier leaned into his joke as a landlord. "There's nothing hot about me in a bucket hat. You sure you're feeling alright tonight?" He playfully slipped his hand from Xavier's long enough to place the back of his hand to his fiancé's forehead. And then he resumed holding his hand again. "We don't have to rush it. You're right about this being major changes, and we'll have to get the add-on to the house before renting out yours or making it an air bnb. And we have the service dog coming soon. And eventually a wedding to plan and tell everyone about." Yeah. They were going to busy for a while.

As he supported Xavier through his exit from the car, Fletcher listened to his fiancé. He grinned and said, "So the cast will be here for this?" He knew there were premieres happening all over the country and had no idea how all of it went. He walked beside Xavier while paying attention in preparation to follow his lead. He'd let his hand go whenever Xavier was asked to sign something or take a photo with someone. And when they were asked to be photographed together, Fletcher wrapped an arm around his back and bore a relaxed expression to the photographers.

As he bent to adjust his shoe lace, he heard Xavier talking to someone nearby. Fletcher froze for a few beats--first from hearing Xavier introduce him to someone as his fiancé for the fire time. Second, because of the 2 familiar voices that responded to Xavier. Fletcher rose to his feet, outwardly composed, returning their handshakes and telling them both, "Nice to meet you," and, "Congrats on getting this movie done. I'm looking forward to seeing it tonight." Internally was a different story. Inside, his fan boy heart was soaring over the moon on an Acme rocket. He was grateful for the quick chat and their willingness to take a picture before their handlers came up to usher the 2 movie stars along. When it was just he and Xavier again, Fletcher grinned to his fiancé and leaned in close to his ear. "That was unreal. Thank you, Sugar."

XAVIER

"Maybe. I think so? I have a feeling, yes." Xavier smirked as he gave Fletcher nothing and everything all at once when it came to asking if the cast would be there. It was nice to do this with someone he was serious about, someone he was going to spend the rest of his life with. Xavier was happy that Fletcher didn't seem too bothered about posing with him and was glad that the experience overall was easygoing. Thankful that Ryan had done this kind meet and greet and that Hugh had agreed to it as well, Xavier waited for them to leave before turning to give Fletcher his full attention. "I know. I'm trying to get my heart rate to stabilize..." he spoke with a smile on his face. "You're welcome. I owe Ryan my left kidney now but that was worth it. Let's go see a movie, yeah?" It was the first time Xavier had introduced Fletcher as his fiance, and it was a hard launch considering he kept a lot private but it had escaped his lips and it felt so natural that it just reminded him of the anticipation for their dinner and how he had meant it when he said he wanted Fletcher to be his husband. Now or someday.

The movie exceeded his expectations and most importantly, every time he glanced over to Fletcher, he seemed to be having a good time. Livin' on a Prayer was now stuck in his head and he was pretty sure he had yelled louder than most when Blade came out. "Oh my God!" He couldn't contain his excitement as they walked out of the theater and Xavier gently tugged on Fletcher's jacket sleeve. "That was so great, right? Did you like it? Did you have fun? Those seats were incredible, the energy, the crowd, the 3D, I can't believe we just experienced that." He was excited for the movie, yes but also knowing that in such a short time, they'd be sitting with their family and he'd be asking an important question again was really making Xavier feel all the feelings.

"The car should be ready in the back. How's your appetite?"

FLETCHER

Xavier's coy answer made Fletcher narrow his eyes at his fiancé for a moment but he said nothing more on the matter, knowing he'd just have to wait and see. He didn't anticipate them being there, but knew San Francisco was slowly becoming more noticed in the industry and would allow himself to be pleasantly surprised if any of the stars were there. Regardless, he knew he was in for a good night with his fiancé.

And after the brief encounter with the movie's 2 stars, Fletcher chuckled a bit from Xavier's response and then said, "I think you're oure done with surgeries and hospital stints for a long-ass time so Reynolds will have to fight me for that kidney of yours." He was happy to go into the theatre with Xavier but it wasn't until the haze of being a little starstruck faded that he played back in his mind and realized Xavier introduced him as his fiancé. He'd thought about saying something--only to ask if he'd meant to since they'd been keeping their engagement under wraps since in NYC--but he decided not to. It wasn't a problem and thinking back on it now, it'd felt nice to hear.

The movie had been everything and then some for Fletcher. From the opening credits--which were always entertaining for each Deadpool film--to the many cameos particularly in The Void, to the final fight with the multitude of Deadpool variants, all the way through the end credits and the stroll down memory road with the Century Fox X-Men. The movie was a genuine delight for him with all of the ways it entertained, didn't take itself too seriously while also held some heartfelt moments, and finally gave him and other fans Wolverine in his comic book-accurate yellow outfit in full.

Holding all their swag in one hand with the now empty popcorn buckets stacked, Fletcher left the theatre with a smile on his lips, lingering from the end credit scene and the overall good time. And when he felt the tug to his sport coat, he looked to Xavier and grinned a bit, "Hell yeah, I loved it. As soon as it's streaming or I can purchase it to rewatch at home, I'm doing it. I haven't been to the movies in a while and that was the best one to go see as a return. I only left with one question." When they reached the valet podium, Fletcher took the ticket from his pocket to hand one of the valets and waited beside Xavier for the car to be brought around. He threaded his fingers between Xavier's and lifted their hands while bending his head to kiss the younger man's knuckles. "Thank you again for this. I hope like hell I never forget tonight." It had just been fun and in addition to not having been to a movie theatre in a while and never having been to a premiere before, he couldn't remember the last time he'd gone on a date to the movies. "And my appetite's gonna be ready for dinner when we get to the restaurant. Right now, I'm full on popcorn and Dr. Pepper." He grinned a little crookedly and then, when the car was driven up for them, Fletcher opened the passenger door for Xavier and made sure he got into the seat without issue, before going around to tip the valet, climb in himself and get going.

XAVIER

The smile on Fletcher's face made all of this worth it. Xavier wanted nothing more than to always make him happy. Proud of himself for pulling off such a great premiere experience for his fiance, Xavier basked in the joy he felt after the movie. "I'm so glad you loved it and I think that's a great idea. I'd love to watch it again. Everything about it was awesome. What's the question you were left with?" Xavier waited beside Fletcher, his smile still lingering as he squeezed their joined hands. "You're welcome. I hope you never do. It's a good night." They were both on a date together, Xavier was alive and well, and Fletcher got to meet two of his heroes in person. Everything was going exactly as planned and Xavier felt those nerves creep up once more. It wasn't that he thought Fletcher would say no, it was going to be a question he'd pop in front of their families. This was going to be more intimate and it would mean a lot to both of them. Once he was in the car, Xavier felt for the ring box once again and then settled in his seat. They spent the ride reminiscing about the movie and Xavier trying to imitate Channing's cajun accent. They arrived at the house and picked up Drew and the kids and once everyone was safely in their seats, they were back on the road. "You guys all look so nice. Very sharp, Drew." As they approached Californios, Xavier glanced over to a focused Fletcher and smiled. "I have a small confession."

Once they arrived and the valet came to the window, Xavier made his admission, "Salvador called in a favor for me. He knows the chef who owns this restaurant and we got the restaurant to ourselves. It'll just be us tonight!" Xavier then looked back and winked at Winter and Henry..

"Yesss! Because I'm starving and I can't be fancy if I want to eat the way I feel." Henry confessed and then elbowed Drew. "Right, grandpa?"

Winter rolled her eyes as she helped with getting Phoebe out of the car seat to hand over to Fletcher. "He says that as if that's not his usual MO. Fancy or not, Henry wants to clear all the plates!" She jumped out and waited to help Drew along with Henry after smoothing out her dress. "But this place looks nice, dad!" She then hooked her arm into Drew's and walked beside him on one side as Henry took the other.

Xavier joined Fletcher's side and immediately went to kiss Phoebe's cheek. "Hey, munchkin." He pretended to eat her little hand and then rubbed his belly with a laugh. They were greeted once inside the restaurant and a long table had been organized for them family style. Everyone took their places with Fletcher at the head of the table, Xavier beside him, Drew next to Xavier, and the kids beside them. A high hair had been set up for Phoebe who sat between Xavier and Fletcher. A friendly waiter approached and asked the table if they wanted to start with drinks and waited for everyone to place their orders. "Happy birthday, Mr. Van Hall. Tonight we have two signature drinks for you in honor of your 41st birthday. The frozen black Margarita. served with alcohol and virgin for our younger friends. We also have the Blackberry Rum cocktail. Both are delicious!"

Xavier grinned as he waited for Fletcher and Drew to order first. He had already decided on a frozen virgin margarita and knew the kids would love that too.

FLETCHER

Fletcher was still riding the high of the premiere as they pulled away from the theatre. He listened to Xavier and when asked about the one question he was left with, Fletcher threw a hand up from the steering wheel and said, "Why was Thor crying? I need a damn answer!" The amusement was heavy in his voice but he also genuinely wanted to know. He enjoyed discussing the movie some more while heading home, recalling certain scenes and reliving their excitement over the various cameos and other surprises in the movie.

When they returned home, Fletcher oversaw his uncle into the car and buckled a slightly fussy Phoebe into her car seat. He knew she was soothed by car rides and hadn't been concerned. Sure enough, by the time they reached the restaurant, she'd been fast asleep. But his attention was pulled from the mirror resting at his daughter's rear-facing car seat to his fiancé who now had something to confess. Pulling a stern brow into an arch, Fletcher glanced Xavier's way and silently waited for said confession. And when it came tumbling out, the other brow joined its twin and raised high above the tattoo artist's eyes. "What the hell?" he spoke out of disbelief and looked around to find that there was, in fact, no one else who appeared to be currently dining at the restaurant. Hearing Henry's comment made him chuckle but he shook his head while glancing over to Xavier.

"Bingo, Henry," Drew replied to his grandson.

Fletcher continued to laugh a bit at the exchange between his family. He parked and accepted a still sleeping Phoebe from Winter, an amused smile lingering on his lips. He was still amazed at the lengths Xavier had gone to make his birthday a special one. As Phoebe stirred from being in a different t position than her car seat, she jerked her head up squirmed from Xavier's play at her hand before dropping her head back on Fletcher's shoulder, seeming to fall back asleep.

He walked in with his family, holding the door with his free hand and then bringing up the rear to the table set for them. He gently sat Phoebe a little more upright in his lap once he was seated to encourage her waking up. His hope was for her to fall asleep on the way home but so far, she was doing her best to remain as comfortable as possible in his arms and lap while remaining asleep. Giving up for the time being, Fletcher took a good look around the place and then told Xavier, "This place is nice as hell. I almost feel a little under-dressed." He smirked a little and then glanced down at the menu in front of him.

The waiter who greeted them and wished him a happy birthday had Fletcher lifting his eyes and giving a polite, "Thanks," before listening to the 2 specialty cocktails. He noticed his favorite color was included in both names and gave a knowing smile. Since he planned on driving the family back, he already decided not to have more than 1 drink and opted for the Blackberry Rum cocktail. Drew opted for iced tea with extra lemons, and after Xavier and the kids placed their drink orders, Fletcher looked at the menu again. But as he did, he said, "You guys are making this one helluva birthday celebration." His gaze intentionally swept over his uncle and the kids before landing squarely on Xavier. "Thank you."

XAVIER

Xavier laughed at Fletcher's lingering question and couldn't help but notice how happy he sounded. It was such a nice feeling and to know that he helped in making this day special for him made it even better. "Why was Thor crying? Inquiring minds need to know." He grinned at Fletcher, really excited now for what was to come and feeling an incredible amount of love for him.

Seeing their families together and creating one unit has been the best part of the growth of their relationship. Xavier felt it was surreal and for him, someone who always put family first, this was the best outcome he could have asked for or even dreamt about. Seeing Phoebe rest against Fletcher and Winter and Henry be so attentive to Drew made his heart want to burst and at some point, Xavier had to look away so no one caught him tearing up. When his fiance spoke up, he put on a braver face, his lips twitching upwards into a smile. "You look handsome. Please have you seen what Adam Sandler wears?" Xavier looked the menu over and his eyes danced around all the options.

"Drew, they've got brisket!" He grinned at the older man, remembering the first time he had met him and how he had wooed him with food. At Fletcher's words, he looked up from his menu and reached for his Fiance's thigh to give it a gentle squeeze. "You deserve to have the best celebrations. You're welcome."

"Yeah, Dad number two-still working on it," Henry smirked behind his menu. "Don't mention it. It's on me tonight."

"Oh is it?" Xavier arched a brow and tossed one of the napkins at his son, making him and Winter giggle. "I'm going to get some fish tacos and whatever this vegetable appetizer is because it looks bomb. But I'm going to get all the starters so we can enjoy it family style. What do you guys think?" Xavier looked down the table for approval. .

When the waiter returned, he waited for everyone to order and requested that all the starters come first. Xavier then leaned back and placed his napkin on his lap.

"So what does it mean that this place has two Michelin stars? Is that code for now we can charge triple since its that good?" Winter grinned and gave up her menu to the waiter. "Also, if we don't bring back tres leches cake to Emi, she's going to be mad at us."

"A Michelin star is a highly regarded award given to restaurants that serve exceptional food and wine. Two stars mean the food is excellent and served uniquely. Also this is the only Mexican place that has two stars so it's a pretty big deal. I figured if we were taking Fletcher out to eat his favorite food, we'd go big." Xavier answered her daughter and then smiled when the drinks arrived.

"That's so cute, Dad..." Winter smiled. "How was the movie?"

FLETCHER

Fletcher carried the amusement from the movie all the way home and to the restaurant right up until Xavier's confession that their family had the restaurant to themselves. From there, he'd been shocked and then flattered and simultaneously humbled by all his fiancé had done for him tonight.

Hearing Xavier's compliment once they were seated and settled in made Fletcher smile and then chuckle from the Adam Sandler shade. "Thanks, babe," he replied and then followed his fiancé's lead of looking over the menu. Everything he read over sounded like it would be good. Even the items he didn't really know had appetizing-sounding descriptions accompanying them. He glanced over to his uncle when Xavier pointed out brisket on the menu.

"Well then I know what I want," Drew said without having touched his menu.

Fletcher smiled again and leaned over to peck Xavier's lips to add to his spoken gratitude. And when Henry agreed, he grinned softly and then chuckled. "Whatever feels right, it'll come to you." His heart was still warmed by being seen as a second dad, but he would have completely understood if Henry and Winter ended up preferring to just call him Fletcher. The times he had alone with Phoebe, he'd been working on her knowing Xavier as her father as well but his plan was to one day surprise Xavier, once Phoebe got to doing more than just babbling.

He chuckled along with Winter giggling. "Hey, if Henry wants to treat the family, who are we to question it?" he joked, giving Henry a wink. The family style dining for appetizers sounded nice but his eyes bugged a bit at Xavier planning to order every appetizer on the menu. There weren't a ton of appetizers on the menu but ordering all of them still sounded like a lot. He slowly relaxed his expression though, certain he wouldn't be able to talk Xavier out of it and resigned himself to whatever their dinner was going to look like.

Fletcher listened to the conversation with Winter and Xavier on that a Michelin star meant. The only thing Fletcher added to it was him saying, "They can lose their Michelin star too, which is a big deal too." He didn't know all the details that went into Michelin stars--Xavier had educated him on that as well tonight, whether he knew it or not--but Fletcher knew there was high prestige to it that could be earned or revoked. Almost automatically, he shifted Phoebe more into his arms than before after seeing that she seemingly decided she was asleep for the night. If she ended up sleeping through the night, Fletcher would plan for her to have a little bit more cereal and bananas than usual in the morning for breakfast.

Hearing Xavier's 'go big' decision for dinner had his lips tug up in a half-smile. He wasn't the least bit surprised by this, knowing his future husband fairly well in this regard. And as the waiter returned with their drinks, Fletcher's eyes went to Winter to answer her question. "It was great, and hilarious." He'd already been smiling through a silent recollection. "They made sure to keep earning the R rating regardless of moving to Disney. And there were so many damn cameos. It was great."

XAVIER

Xavier continued rubbing Fletcher’s thigh as he listened to everyone interaction. Drew deciding on the brisket made him glad he chose this place and when Henry stated he was working on a name he’d called Fletcher, he listened curiously as he knew his kids had been trying to figure that out since last month.

“Actually. About that. We both like dad but we don’t want to confuse you guys when we are calling out your name like what if we say dad! You’re in trouble and that’s obviously comedian dad and not tattoo artist dad.” Henry stated so as a matter of fact that it made Xavier laugh out loud.

“Hold on. Why am I in trouble?”

Winter then piped in as the drinks were being served. “Because you’re always in trouble. So actually, Henry I think we’ll be fine if we use dad for both. Or we can say Dad Fletcher.” She shrugged. “Dad Fletcher? Do you want me to get the stroller for Phoebe?”

Xavier smiled before taking the first sip of his drink, his eyes widening slightly at how amazing it all tasted. “Oh wow. That’s phenomenal. How’s yours baby?” He asked his fiancee and then turned the question on the table. He listened as they talked about the movie and the conversation had them all laughing at some point. The appetizers were served and they all began passing around the dishes to serve themselves

“Before we start.” Xavier cleared his throat and looked around at the table with a big smile. “I have a few things I want to say. I just wanted to thank you all for being the best family. Drew, thank you for opening up your house to us, winter thank you for helping as much as you do, Henry thank you for for not bringing the house down when you make us breakfast. And a huge thank you to my boyfriend who turns 41 in a couple of days for holding this group together. I know you’ll deny that and that is okay but we all know the truth. You put in so much into us and that’s why it’s our job to do the same for you so happy birthday, my love. You deserve this and more.” He raised his glass and glanced over at Fletcher with a soft smile. “Bon anniversaire ,mon amour. And for the record, I like dad too.”

FLETCHER

Xavier's physical contact contented Fletcher about as much as the evening's plans. He wasn't accustomed to grandiose gestures but he appreciated all of the thoughtfulness that went into the birthday plans Xavier made for them and their family that evening. He listened to Henry and chuckled at his and Xavier's professions being tagged to them being dad's, as well as Henry deciding that Xavier would be in trouble. He laughed harder at Winter's justification while draping an arm lovingly around Xavier. "I guess I've done too good of a job at fooling them," he joked and pecked Xavier's temple.

Hearing that Winter and Henry wanted to call them both dad and could distinguish them by adding Fletcher's first name whenever he and Xavier were in the same vicinity. Hearing her try it out made him smile a bit. "Nah, that's okay. The tree frog still weighs next to nothing and I've gotten good at eating one-handed. Thanks, Winter."

With their drinks there, Fletcher thanked the waiter and then reached for his to take a sampling sip. The mixture of the blackberry and the rum were a both nice so he took a longer sip. Setting the glass back down, he said, "It’s good, babe. You want a sip?" He offered the glass to his fiancé and then joined the conversation about the Deadpool and Wolverine movie.

When Xavier called for everyone's attention, Fletcher turned his gaze to his future husband, watching and listening to him. It was a true pleasure to see Xavier so happy, so well. He'd been recovering from the accident smoothly since they returned to California. And while Fletcher had admittedly been cautious at times on Xavier's behalf. He missed their physical closeness but was happy that he was steadily getting better and that Xavier's spirits hadn't been dimmed along the way. And Xavier was right as he spoke--Fletcher didn't think he held their family together. In fact, as far as he was concerned, Xavier was the glue in their family. He was the one who brought all of them together.

Smiling modestly, Fletcher raised his glass and said, "Merci, chérie," with what little French he'd learned. And then his smile stretched into a toothy grin when Xavier weighed in on the 'dad' decision. "I do too," he replied with certainty that both Winter and Henry had heard him. \

"Hear, hear!" Drew said with a small lift of his glass before carefully drinking some of his iced tea and then setting his glass back down, dissolving into conversation with Henry.

Fletcher set his own glass down after another long sip of the cocktail. With his hand free again, he brought his thumb, index and middle fingers to Xavier's chin. "C'mere," he murmured, leaning over while turning his fiancé's face in his direction to kiss him full on the lips. "I love you," he said, looking in Xavier's eyes after breaking the kiss gently apart.

XAVIER

Xavier smiled at Drew's cheer and it widened even more when he witnessed the man chatting it up with his son. Unsurprisingly, Henry had grown so attached to the house patriarch. And then hearing that Winter had decided to call Fletcher dad too warmed his heart as well. This was a girl that didn't trust Xavier's intentions when she first arrived at his doorstep. To see everyone together and to feel on top of the world again encouraged Xavier to do what he had planned. He smiled when Fletcher turned his face and kissed him. "I love you too, " Xavier whispered, letting himself get lost in his fiance's dark gaze only to remind himself of just how electric their bond was. "Don't kill me for what I'm about to do. I promise I have practiced for days." He kissed Fletcher again and then removed the napkin from his lap to place it on the table. Xavier had been working on getting on one knee. In a week, he'd be clear for normal activity again which hopefully meant that putting his practice to play wouldn't hurt as much. He pushed back on his chair gently and it was the cue for the staff to start playing an acoustic guitar instrumental version of Only Exception. Holding on to the back of his chair, Xavier struggled only for a few seconds before he was down on one knee and holding out the black velvet box he had been concealing all evening.

"Oh my God, dad!" Winter gasped and covered her mouth, completely unaware at first of the tears already streaming down her face.

Xavier smiled but kept his gaze on Fletcher. "Fletcher James Van Hall, about a month ago, I asked you to marry me. It wasn't romantic and my brain was fuzzy but all I could think about was how I needed to hold on to you for as long as I could, forever if possible. You and our kids and your uncle are the anchors of my life."

"I wanted to do right by you and do this in front of our family because they're the most important people in our lives. I wanted Drew to know what he's probably already told himself and you several times that you're an amazing, kind, beautiful man and deserving of love and all the things you want in life. And I wanted to thank him for raising that man that I have now fallen so deeply and irrevocably in love with. I liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you but falling and loving you has been the best part of this journey. In such a short time, I've learned so much about you and myself and I don't want to do that with anyone else. Thank you for loving me, for putting up with my insanity, for loving my children, for teaching me patience. As much as I love you for the things you've done for me, I love you for the all the things I want to do for you. I've never felt this way and I want to chase that feeling for as long as I live. I want to grow old with you and watch our kids grow up and in case you thought maybe I'd forget, of all the things I said on that hospital bed, I would never ever forget this or you or us. So, with all of that said." He laughed a little and wiped his eyes a bit before opening up the box to reveal the black ring with diamonds. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

FLETCHER

Fletcher's expression rapidly dissolved from loving to suspicious when Xavier requested he not kill him for something. Of course Fletcher had no idea what and matched the volume of Xavier's voice as he replied, "I'm not agreeing to shit." Eyes still suspiciously narrowed, he watched his fiancé slide his chair back and get to his feet while music started to play. Fletcher only briefly glanced away to see where the music was coming from before his head whipped around, seeing Xavier descend from his peripheral.

Almost right away, Fletcher was on his feet. "Xavier, what the hell!" He hissed, reaching out with his free hand. Dammit, I should've let Winter get that stroller, he thought, admonishing himself.

That was, until he realized Xavier was down on one knee.

"Xavier, what the hell..." he breathed, eyes rounding a little more. He swallowed thickly, his mind racing. He couldn't quite keep up with his own thoughts but did his best to focus. Xavier had gotten down on one knee and not only did Fletcher know that this was a big deal, he wasn't about to miss what was to come, following his fiancé's accomplishment. Xavier knew this wasn't necessary--Fletcher had already said he would marry him. They were going to get married someday. And there was a part of Fletcher that figured Xavier wouldn't remember talking about proposing again and that he didn't need the formal gesture. But he would be lying if he said this wasn't one of the sweetest things Xavier had been determined to do for him--for them.

When Xavier asked him if he would marry him, Fletcher whispered, "Goddamn you for being so romantic." He smiled and reached his free hand to take the box and set it on the table. And then he offered his hand to Xavier. "Get up, Sugar." He would help him as much as possible but he wanted to look Xavier as close in his eyes as possible when he told him, "You know I'm going to marry you. Gonna marry the shit out of you, remember?" He grinned and dropped his chin, leaning in to kiss Xavier on his lips again. He put as much love and passion as possible into the kiss while still being appropriate in front of the kids and his uncle. And when he drew back, Fletcher murmured, "Yes. If you need the direct answer, yes, I'm going to marry you, Xavier Dmitry." He kissed Xavier's lips softly and quickly a few more times before switching his hold on Phoebe so that his left hand was now free for Xavier to slide the ring on.

XAVIER

Henry had been watching, jaw dropped and his fork dangling from his grasp. He should have known it was coming but couldn’t believe the day was actually here. “Oh my God I’m gonna have two dads. This is awesome!” He grabbed onto Drew’s arm gently and Winter smirked, tearing her gaze away from Fletcher and Xavier for only a few seconds. She took tons of pictures, wiping her eyes every chance she could get and when Fletcher stood up, she did too, wanting to get the right angles. “I can’t believe it…” she whispered as she listened.

The entire restaurant staff stood behind the bar to watch with giant smiles on their faces and while Xavier wanted to capture his family’s reaction, he was too busy looking up at Fletcher. “I’m sorry,” he whispered and stood up slowly when Fletcher urged him to. He felt very little pain now and had his cane for support but when he was on his feet again, he looked up at his fiancé lovingly. “I know. But you deserved a proper proposal. And I wanted the people you love the most to be here. I would have invited Rodrigo, Jade and Emi but they’ve got the babies coming soon so…” he chuckled softly and quickly wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. He welcome the kiss, instinctively wrapping his arms around Fletcher’s waist and when his future husband said yes , Xavier kissed him again and again, slipping the ring onto his left hand. “I love you so much.” “James and Dmitry! Hehehehe.” Henry giggled only to be stopped when Winter tossed a roll at him.

“Shh!” Winter turned her attention on her dads and then went to hug them both. “Congratulations, dads! You guys are the perfect couple. I love you both so much!” She couldn’t help but smile at a sleeping Phoebe. “I bet you she’d sleep through an atomic bomb”. Winter wiped her eyes again and walked back to her seat. Xavier smiled as he watched his daughter and shook his head at Henry with a playful smile.

“Wait one second. You said you already said yes. Have you guys bamboozled us?” Henry turned to Drew. “Did they bamboozle you too, grandpa?”

FLETCHER

The reactions overheard from Henry and Winter threw amusement into the mix of emotions swirling inside of Fletcher. God, he loved his family. He loved his fiancé. He loved the life they were building and the future they would have together. He would do everything in his power to keep an abundance of love, trust, happiness, laughter and comfort in their home.

"Well I'll be damned," Drew said through an easygoing smile.

Fletcher heard Xavier's hushed apology and shook his head, smirking "No you're not." He was watching Xavier with hawklike precision for the slightest sign of pain as the younger man rose to stand again. "You pulled off a propsal none of us are going to forget, sweetheart. Emiliana, Jade and Rodrigo will know soon enough. Emiliana says all that nesting stuff is a real thing so I don't blame her for being there to help Rodrigo and Jade out." During their kisses, Fletcher rested a hand to Xavier's cheek and when they parted, he told Xavier, "I love you too."

As he kept his hand steady for Xavier to place the ring on, Fletcher's gaze slid sideways to Henry. He rolled his eyes back to Xavier but his lips twitched into a small smile. His gaze then dropped to the black band sitting around his finger. "I'm looking forward to getting used to wearing this." And as Winter came around the table to them, Fletcher leaned in and whispered in Xavier's ear so that only he could hear. "I have a ring for you too. It's not ready yet." He stamped a kiss on his fiancé's ear and then straightened up in time to receive Winter's hug. "Thanks, kid. We love you too." He bent his head to drop a kiss on the top of her head and then looked to Henry, "You too, dude."

Winter's observation of Phoebe made Fletcher chuckle and quip, "She gets that from Grandpa Drew. If she keeps this up by the time she's your age, she's gonna be a joy waking up for school." He looked to Henry then and was about to answer but the delayed realization from his son was too funny for witty quip.

Drew placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Son, these two didn't tell me shit." He then leaned in conspiratorially towards Henry and loudly whispered, "Think I should give 'em hell when they're asked if anyone objects to them marrying?"

XAVIER

Xavier smiled at Drew's reaction, glancing over to him. "Surprise!" He chuckled and then looked back at his fiance. "You're right, I'm not sorry but I am sorry for aging you a little by getting down on one knee. I have been working on that for a few weeks now and I wanted to surprise all of you. The Physical therapist I should be back to regular activity by next week." He smiled and looked down at Fletcher's ring finger with him. "I hope you like it." He was so happy to be sharing this moment with everyone and when their daughter came over to congratulate them, Xavier smiled at Fletcher's whisper. "I can't wait to see it." Xavier hugged Winter and then glanced over to a cheesing Henry as Fletcher said the words he was feeling as well.

"Also, I could send the video to whoever you want me to!" Winter put down her phone and looked up at her family. "So it'll be like everyone was here." She chuckled at her new dad's comparison of Phoebe and Drew. "She'll keep you guys on your toes for sure!" Winter smirked figuring that their dads had kept this vital piece of information from them but didn't mind too much. They probably weren't ready yet.

"Yeah, I think you should, actually!" Henry leaned into his grandpa and smiled as Xavier approached them to place a hand on Drew's shoulder and to mess Henry's hair with his other hand.

Xavier leaned in and gave Drew's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Fletcher and I talked about you opening your home to us. So you did your fair share of conspiring behind our back, hm?" He joked around. "Thank you so much for everything, Drew. You've been like a father to me too and well, the kids love you. You have quickly become such an important part of our lives." Xavier walked back to Fletcher and then took his seat. "I promise that's all the surprise I have for tonight...Oh wait there is another one."

He chuckled, playing it off so badly to show his family that he hadn't forgotten, he was just being coy. "This is my last season with SNL. After the winter, I'll be home more and focusing on my Paramount projects, and spending time with all of you. That's it. That's all I've got." He smirked, placing the napkin back on his lap. "Now who's ready to pig out?"

FLETCHER

Fletcher kept looking at Xavier with all the love he possessed. And as much as he was enjoying their evening out, he was already looking forward to being back home and in bed with just he and Xavier. He smiled at his fiancé, "I do. I can tell you put some real thought into this." He then listened to Winter and thanked her for capturing the moment between Xavier and him, certain that Emiliana would be overjoyed to watch it.

With a small chuckle, he replied to Winter, "She's been keeping me on my toes since day one. I won't even be surprised if she ends up running the house one day. She's already got all of us wrapped around her finger." He watched Xavier approach Drew and Henry after Drew's comment and rolled his eyes at his uncle. "I'd like to see you try, old man. Don't think I won't tackle you down at my own wedding."

And at both Xavier and Fletcher's remarks, Drew jokingly scoffed, "Listen, there was no conspiring on my part. Besides, the living situation is a win-win. Everyone's under one roof, and I get to keep my home. And as for you," he pointedly looked across the table to Fletcher, "I might have the steadiness of a shake weight but I could take you."

"Uh-huh," Fletcher replied, voice full of sarcasm as he took his seat again. Soon after, the waiter and a second waiter arrived, placing plates of food on the table, just as Xavier said he had another surprise. The news that he was stepping away from SNL took Fletcher by surprise and yet, it didn't. There was permanence here for Xavier now, and it made sense that he would want a more settled life now. He would talk about it some more with Xavier later but for the time being, he reached over and was the one to give his thigh an affectionate squeeze.

While Drew and the kids started their own conversation and began tucking into the food, Fletcher leaned over and quietly told Xavier, "You know I'm proud of you for all your hard work. And even though SNL's gonna tank again without you, if this is what you want, I'm gonna support you, fully." His hand eventually slipped away from Xavier's thigh to shift Phoebe into a cradled position in his lap and against one arm, making it easier for him to join in on all the foods placed before them. And not long after they all shared the various appetizers did the entrées get brought out. Everything that made it's way into Fletcher's mouth had been heavenly. He'd eaten his fill and finished his cocked, and by the end of the night, he was drinking water. And when it was time to go, he walked beside Xavier back to the car, buckled Phoebe into her car seat, and made sure Xavier and Drew had both gotten into the car without issue. He held Xavier's hand for nearly all of the drive home, giving an occasional squeeze or kiss along the way.

At home, Fletcher reminded Winter and Henry to brush their teeth before bed. He took Phoebe upstairs to her room to get her changed into pajamas, amused and amazed by her staying asleep through her clothes being changed. She stirred a couple of times but hadn't woken up. Putting her to bed in her crib was easygoing that night. He kissed her forehead and whispered that he loved her and left the room as quietly as possible with her monitor and sound machine on.

He checked in on Drew and bid his uncle "goodnight", followed by Winter and Henry before stopping in the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. On his way into the bedroom, he caught himself admiring his mew ring and the beautiful design Xavier had chosen. The braided black metal and the square diamonds had been truly beautiful. He began to undress for bed and when he and Xavier were both in the room, Fletcher told him, "Thank you, X. For literally everything tonight."

XAVIER

About a month before his accident, Xavier had started looking at rings for Fletcher. It was one of those moments when he got an ad on his social media for rings and he fell into a deep dive. Since Fletcher would be wearing the ring often, Xavier wanted one that fit his general style and aesthetic. "I just wanted the perfect ring for you."

He laughed at the imagery of Phoebe running the house and there was no doubt in his mind that was true. He could see the little one telling everyone what to do and bossing them around. He honestly couldn't wait. He had always wanted a big family and to have it so quickly felt like a dream. The entire table laughed at Drew's quip back to Fletcher. Still, even with the explanation of their living situation being a win-win, Xavier was humbled by it all. After taking his place back beside his fiance, Xavier began to serve himself different appetizers and join in the conversations. When Fletcher leaned in, he did as well, smiling up at him after hearing what he had to say. "Thank you. This is what I want. It's the best decision for me and all of us. The dinner was everything he had hoped for and more and Xavier made sure to tip generously and express his gratitude for everything they had done for them. He made sure to take a tres leches slice for Emiliana and once they were all home, Xavier helped with making sure everyone was in bed, doing some last-minute check-ins on the home, and making his way upstairs. Xavier washed his face, did his quick skincare routine, and then walked into the bedroom as he began to unbutton his shirt. He sat at the foot of the bed and removed it, folding it carefully to place it to the side. He smiled at Fletcher's words and stood up to pull him into an embrace. "You're welcome. It was an honor spending your birthday together." He looked up at him and smiled. "Everyone seems to be happy, huh?"

FLETCHER

"You got exactly what you wanted, sweetheart," Fletcher assured him of the ring he'd presented.

When the family was home and settled in for the night, Fletcher reflected on the day while he and Xavier undressed for the night. Already rid of the jacket, he tossed his unbuttoned shirt in the clothes hamper and went for his belt while watching his fiancé stand from the foot of the bed. Fletcher slid his arms around Xavier, mindful of Xavier's ribs and having a tender grip on him. He knew Xavier was getting closer to being fully okay but he didn't want to aggravate his healing body.

Kissing his fiancé on the temple, Fletcher said, "Everyone was, yeah. I'd been thinking about it and realized that this day was perfect. I typically hate that word but... there's really no other way to describe it. Nothing went wrong, nothing about it was bad, and I can't remember the last time I had a full day that was just... good all around." The evening was more than good for him; he'd had an extraordinary evening and a happy birthday celebration. "And now, I'm ready to get into bed with my future husband and fall asleep beside him." With his arms still wound around Xavier, Fletcher lowered his head enough to kiss him full on his lips. He'd taken his time this time, kissing Xavier deeply with all the passion and love he could put into it.

By the end of the kiss, Fletcher had taken a few deep breaths and smiled to Xavier. "You made me, and our family happy today, sweetheart." His hands moved up to cup Xavier's face and he pecked his lips a few times. "You do that and so much more for me and for all of us. I love you, X." He stroked Xavier's cheeks with both thumbs a few.times and then stepped away to finish undressing and pull on a pair of pajama pants. Opting for just the pants, Fletcher went to the bed and flipped back the comforter, blanket and flat sheet for the 2 of them. He plucked a teething ring from the bed and set it on his nightstand with a small smile before climbing into his side of the bed.

XAVIER

It filled Xavier with happiness hearing that Fletcher thought today had been perfect. It was the kind of happiness he couldn't quite explain. It made him joyful and hopeful and he looked forward to what the future had in store for them and their family. Xavier always yearned for a love like this but never thought it was easily attained. He knew he was one of the lucky ones even with the accident and with April blind-sighting Fletcher, it looked like things were taking a positive turn.

Thinking back on their kiss last winter, he would have never imagined ending up here with Fletcher. "It makes me so happy hearing that. Truly. Like I said tonight, you deserve that. I also agree it was the perfect night." A chill ran through his body hearing Fletcher calling him his future husband. It sounded so lovely coming from him. He cupped his fiance's face to keep him close for their kiss and Xavier returned every bit of love that was put into it. Breaking their kiss reluctantly, Xavier smiled at Fletcher's words and melted into his gentle hold. "I love you too. So much." The overwhelming rush of blissfulness poured over him and he remained there, watching the tattoo artist, his tattoo artist get ready for bed. Sometimes Xavier wondered when he'd wake up from this dream. He finished getting undressed, tossed his clothes into the hamper, and pulled a pair of pajama pants from their dresser to change quickly. Xavier climbed into bed and instantly snuggled up against Fletcher's form, choosing to drape his arm over his middle before giving him a tiny squeeze. Xavier began kissing his shoulder and arm, leaving behind a little playful nip, and chuckled. "I wanted to ask you for a favor. We have to do the tattoo for the kids. Remember the one I asked for? For Winter and Henry? Well, I want something that represents the three of them. Phoebe too." He reached for Fletcher's left hand and admired the look of the ring on his finger.

"And I want you to design something for my left hand. A tattoo ring to represent my band. I know you said you have one for me but it'll be there in the meantime and also for whenever I can't wear it if I have a role or something. I want to always carry you with me. Can you do that for me?"

FLETCHER

"All thanks to you, babe," Fletcher told him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so buoyant for more than a fleeting moment. It was probably when he'd flown to New York City to surprise Xavier and told him he was in love with him.

With the bed turned down, Fletcher climbed in and put his phone on the charger. Propped up on one elbow, he watched Xavier get into his pajama pants too and when he was joined in the bed, Fletcher smiled and shifted so that one arm was under Xavier when he snuggled up to him. His lips formed a lazy grin at the kisses and nips and he hummed appreciatively. "Hey, careful there. You're being cute as hell and I almost can't stand it but you're not completely cleared yet. One to ten?" He asked like he did every night since they came home from NYC, and kissed Xavier's temple and then shut his eyes, simply listening to his fiancé now. "Mhm, I remember," he said of the ink he wanted. It didn't surprise him that Xavier wanted to include a tattoo representative of Phoebe; he loved her as much as Winter and Henry, and Phoebe loved him as much as she loved Fletcher. And when he felt Xavier's soft but warm fingers on his hand, Fletcher slipped his fingers between his comedian fiancé's. He opened his eyes though when he heard Xavier's favor. Shifting his position so that he could look at his fiancé properly, Fletcher asked, "Can I do it for you? Of course I can. Will I?" He leaned in carefully and bent to kiss Xavier sweetly this time. And when he pulled away to speak again, his lips brushed his love's, "Your damn right I will."

XAVIER

Xavier felt so content knowing that his love language was not only well received but appreciated by the man he loved. It made him feel so loved in return. He nuzzled his nose against Fletcher's arm, his lips forming a small pout at the reminder of not being cleared just yet. The question that Fletcher asked him every night made him smile. He couldn't believe how fortunate he was to have such a loving partner. For a few seconds, his mind went back to the beginning how the number 9 was a constant response to Fletcher's question and how the frustration he felt made him feel. He shook that off now and kissed his fiance's cheek. "1. If that. If we're lucky, I'll have a nice clearance letter from my doctor on your birthday. And I'll make up for the last month and a half of torture..." It was almost perfect that he had been scheduled for his follow-up on Fletcher's birthday. "And I can surprise you with your last birthday gift." He grinned knowing that Fletcher had no clue there was still one more birthday present he had in store for him.

Xavier kept his hand in Fletcher's as the other shifted in his spot. He looked up at him with a smile and nodded as Fletcher leaned in to kiss him. He closed his eyes, letting out a satisfied hum before opening his eyes again when Fletcher answered him. "Yeah? I think you'd come up with something beautiful." He sighed before placing his head against Fletcher's chest. "Thank you for loving me." Xavier closed his eyes and held Fletcher close. "And for loving my kids. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me after them."

FLETCHER

Seeing Xavier's lips go from a pout to a smile made Fletcher's lips form his own smile. He reached to turn out the lights, and then shut his eyes at the kiss to his cheek and listened to his fiancé's response about the pain, glad to hear that it was basically nonexistent for Xavier. He softly snorted, "You're so damn cute. You know you d-... wait..." Fletcher raised a brow while eyeing Xavier curiously, "My last birthday gift... are we still talking about birthday sex or something else?" Knowing Xavier, it could easily be one or the other. But he also knew that there was no stopping Xavier from his spoiling once he set his mind to it.

As tempted as Fletcher was to keep on kissing and to take it a little further, he didn't want to tempt either of them. Instead, after parting their lips, he readjusting his hold on Xavier while the young comedian rested against him. "I promise I will. It'll be meaningful if nothing else." An arm wrapped lovingly around him while his other arm remained under Xavier. He traced his fingertips along Xavier's back, gliding aimlessly across the smooth, warm, dark skin. "You're pretty damn irresistible, X. It's really my pleasure getting to love you. Same with Winter and Henry. Henry reminds me a lot of you with his kindness, outgoing personality and occasional silliness. And Winter... I know she's more guarded but I felt a kinship to her pretty quickly. Both of them are a part of you so loving them was inevitable for me."

Fletcher was gazing up at the ceiling, the room barely lit by the moonlight peeking through the break in the curtains. He continued lazily tracing shapes while saying, "You, Winter and Henry have been the best parts of mine, Phoebe's and Drew's lives since the start of this year. I know that I was hesitant to start anything serious between us at first but I'm glad that didn't last long. I'm glad for your love and all the light that you brought into my life and to Drew's. You don't baby him or treat him like a total invalid and I know that means a shit ton to him. And Henry and Winter... Drew doesn't have a relationship with my idiot cousin's kids, and not for a lack of trying. And Henry and Winter aren't replacements but I do feel like they make a hole in his heart feel a helluva lot less empty. They loved and embraced him as a grandfather figure in their lives before considering me as a second dad. That speaks volumes to me and how meaningful their relationship is with him and vice versa." Fletcher smiled a little to himself at the thought and then went on. "And it was around Father's that I realized that Phoebe won't know a life without you in it. You met her when she was barely a month old, just a few weeks out of the NICU. She's bonded to you about as much as she is to me and seeing you two together is one of the happiest things in my world. Even without her being able to speak actual words yet, she loves you deeply and that's priceless to me." Closing his eyes again, Fletcher took a beat and then said, "I know we've got the service dog coming and that's going to be an adjustment period for all of us, but while we're getting used to having him in the home, I also want to look into what it would take for you to have legal rights to Phoebe. I dunno what all that looks like yet, but I'm gonna find out."

XAVIER

Xavier allowed himself to sink into this feeling of contentment, offering Fletcher occasional squeezes as he listened to him speak. There was something intimate about their conversations. Xavier felt like it was always like this. They’d tackle big, adult issues and they’d figure out important aspects of their lives together. He’s never shared a life with anyone like this. Even when it came to making decisions involving Drew, they were sure to continue giving him his much earned and deserved independence and autonomy. “Drew is like a dad. Which is funny because I feel like he’d sass me if he heard that admission. My parents see him as your father. Which honestly, he is. I love him dearly and want to be there for him and you always. The kids have always wanted a family. I know what that’s like. When my parents adopted Clayton and I, as difficult as it was in the beginning, having someone to listen to us and make us lunch and kiss us goodnight felt like a dream. I think that’s why Clayton and I really appreciate family time and having one. It took me a little longer to realize that because he married Athena as soon as he could but I think Father Time just wanted me to meet you. Not just meet you but approach you at the right time. I already thought you were beautiful. Getting to know you has been a privilege.”

Xavier kissed Fletcher’s chest. “And it sounds corny but our first time together here in this room is what really made me think I gotta get this one to fall for me.” He chuckled. “I felt a connection to you that till this day I can’t describe. It’s not just the physical closeness but feeling like I was with another family man who understood what it was like to be in my position but in a different way and seeing that you had stepped up for Drew and managed a business. Your dedication to your best friend and making sure his wedding went well in spite of his crazy ass uncles and what was going on with Jade.”

Xavier smiled. “Your heart got me sprung early on.” And when Fletcher went on and revealed that he wanted to look into him having legal rights over Phoebe, Xavier froze for a few seconds and then rested his chin on Fletcher’s chest so he could look up at him. “Really? Being Phoebe’s dad would be the greatest gift you could ever grant me. It would be a privilege. And Winter and Henry they adore you too and Henry has asked how things end up working out with the family dynamics. If we get your last name or if you’re officially their dad just because we’re together. I think adding in the marriage component has probably and rightfully blown his mind. I wouldn't be surprised if he's asking Winter a million questions tonight. ” He laughed softly. “So we can talk with them when you’re ready and if you want to be their dad on paper because you’re already their dad…I think they’d love that. And Phoebe is already my daughter. I’ve been calling her that for a few months now but I would love for it to be official.”

FLETCHER

"I have no doubt Drew sees you like a bonus son too. That's how he sees me. I still call him 'Drew' or my uncle, but he knows he's been more of a dad to me than anything else for most of my life." Fletcher continued moving his fingers along Xavier's skin, walking and gliding his digits in random, alternating patterns. He would never get tired of listen to his fiancé talk, be it about work, family, soccer, food, friends... hell, Xavier could start reading him the dictionary. Fletcher would find the act bizarre of course, but it wouldn't stop him from listening to Xavier's British-Nigerian lilt.

"You and Clayton are each without a doubt your own person. But it sounds like something you both have in common is that once you know what you want, you go all in to try and get it." He dropped his gaze to look at Xavier, a small, crooked smile forming on his face. "You're gifted in how you go about it. It's the kind of stubbornness and persistence that's another reason why I love you. And one of many reasons I'm glad you really came into my life when you did. Not just us being at the same functions and knowing that you're sexy or you find me attractive. But actually talking and learning about each other, and acting on our attraction. That happening for us is thanks to you, sweetheart."

As blunt as Fletcher was and as mild as his filter often was, he didn't really open himself up to a lot of people. But Xavier had been an exception, along with Winter and Henry. He loved all of them and each of them had a piece of his heart. Fletcher listened on to Xavier and smiled a little more, "Really? Valentine's Day?" In truth, it made him feel good to know that Xavier had been so moved by their sex and intimacy that evening--good for himself leaving that sort of impression and good for Xavier having such a powerful experience, especially with it having been his first time having sex with another man. But he knew it was more than that for Xavier, and for that, he was touched.

"It doesn't sound corny to me for you to feel connected after that. There was a lot I wanted for you that night, so it means a lot that it made such a lasting impression on your mind, and your heart." He guided a set of fingertips up to the nape of Xavier's neck and slowly meandered down his shoulder and back again while listening and talking some more. "I feel connected to you too. It might have taken me a little longer to get there and it seems like I'm always gonna be a step or two behind you in getting to things in our relationship. But I do feel like you're my balance and I know without hesitation that no one has ever come close to consuming my mind like you, or had my heart before you." His familial relationships didn't count in this regard. "And goddamn if I've ever been with anyone as insatiable and fun as you when it comes to sex." He grinned a bit, briefly, and then said, "Making love to you hasn't happened all that often but when it does, I feel just as determined to thoroughly please you as I do when we've only got a few minutes alone."

He spoke on about Xavier having legal rights to Phoebe and felt him go still under his hold. Fletcher dropped his gaze from the ceiling again to gauge Xavier's reaction, wondering if the plan was too much for his fiancé for once. But once he saw Xavier's eyes in the dim moonlight, he knew that that wasn't the case. He grinned again and said, "It'll happen. I'll talk to my lawyer who handled my case before with getting full custody and dissolving April's parental rights. But I wanted you to know first and see what you thought." Hearing about Henry made Fletcher chuckle, "Poor Winter's not getting any sleep tonight if that's the case. She'll be over the moon when she finds out about the expansion plans for the house." Fletcher knew Winter loved her brother but he could also appreciate a need for sleep.

Still looking down at Xavier, he said, "I'd love to be their dad in any way I can be, and any way they would like me to be. As far as last names go... that doesn't matter to me either way. If you or the kids want my last name hyphenated with 'Mitchell' , or to just keep Mitchell or whatever--hell, we can all go for name changes and all be Mitchell-Van Halls. Regardless, it won't make them feel any more or less mine, and you won't feel any more or less my husband. I just want them to know that no matter what their name, I'm gonna love all of them, care for them and show up for them. And I want you to know that no matter what you decide for your name..." Being mindful of Xavier not being in any pain, Fletcher rolled to carefully guide him onto his back and supported his own weight as he hovered over his fiancé, caging him around his arms. He looked down into Xavier's eyes and told him, "No matter what, you're my sweetheart..." He lowered his head to kiss him and then lifted up a bit, "You're my sugar..." Another kiss, and after a long beat, he murmured, "You're my person, Xavier."

XAVIER

"He has a lot of love to give. I'm glad and relieved that he's gotten the chance to provide it with you, Phoebe, and now with us too." Xavier hummed softly at Fletcher's touches. While he missed being with his fiance in other physical ways, Xavier loved how they could participate in many forms of intimacy and feel like the most loved person in the world. It wasn't lost on him that they shared such a powerful emotional and physical bond and that this was the first time he had this with anyone else.

"Yeah, poor Athena." He chuckled a bit and then added, "Just kidding. Those two deserve each other." He listened to Fletcher with a smile on his face. "Once I got to really know you, I knew I couldn't stop. I was right to pursue you the way I did because I was right about you. There was no way I was giving you up. Unless you literally told me not to. When I came by very early on in our relationship before we even made things official and I met Drew and Emiliana...it was, well it felt right." Reminiscing like this was something they hadn't done and it was such an amazing feeling revisiting those older memories. He knew that Fletcher kept to himself, especially with his personal matters, so hearing him talk about their relationship made Xavier feel lucky.

"Yeah. Valentine's Day. I'm not used to people pulling out all the stops for me and it's not for lack of wanting it. It just never worked out that way. So you making me dinner and setting up your bedroom and talking me through it all which was also very hot by the way..." He laughed softly. "all of it was important to me." He smiled as Fletcher went on, letting out a content sigh before his teeth raked against his bottom lip. Knowing that Fletcher loved him this much filled him with the most indescribable joy. "I can say with every serious and genuine fiber of my being I have never in my life felt this way about anyone."

And it was getting in the accident, potentially losing everything that made him realize he wouldn't wait another day in at least trying to see if Fletcher would want this to be a forever thing. "Even if you had said no to me at the hospital when I asked you to marry me, I would have asked again when you were ready. I wasn't going to let that go between us."

He was absolutely touched that Fletcher would want him to have legal rights over Phoebe. Sometimes, with how quickly things had developed and how much everything fit perfectly together, it was hard to separate the two realities they lived. There was life before they were an item and life now. Oftentimes, Xavier mixed the two or wouldn't have the disconnect. Knowing Phoebe since she was just a month old made it feel like in a way, she was always his or would end up being his daughter too. "I fell in love with your little girl the moment you placed her in my arms. I am very touched and honored that you'd even consider making me her dad too." He grinned thinking about Winter. "But she's been a good sport. I want you to tell her about the expansion. She will love the idea and appreciate it so much."

When Fletcher rolled to hover over him, he let out a soft chuckle and looked up at him, appreciating what he could in the dim lighting. "You're my person, Fletcher. And for the record...I want to be a Van Hall. I've decided. The kids can hyphenate, we can let them decide since they're older but I personally would be fucking honored to be a Van Hall. Your husband. Yours."

[caliawen]

Safe And Sound

Pairing = Celebrimbor x Reader

Genre = General audiences

General ratings = fluff (only fluff <3)

Content warnings = none

Cálë = light (Quenya)

Reader’s gender = no explicit gender (you/your)

Word count = 2,2k

Notes = I hope you enjoy! Here are some words you should know before you read = Meleth nîn means ‘my love’, Vanimelda is the highest word of praise for beauty, Gamil means ‘old’ in Khuzdûl and Bund means ‘head’ in Khuzdûl so Gamilbund means ‘old head’, Cidinn means ‘small’ and tuig means ‘sprout/shoot/sapling’ so Cidinntuig means ‘small sprout’, Zigil means ‘silver’ in Khuzdûl and Gáld means ‘bright’ in Khuzdûl so Zigilgáld means ‘bright silver’ and finally, Sirya- means ‘to flow, to flow [smoothly]’ and Cálë means ‘light’ so Siryacálë means ‘flowing light’ (so many words 💀)

In the comfort and security of your chambers, you checked yourself in your mirror. Tonight was a special night, as the whole of Eregion celebrated it’s Lord’s birthday. Indeed, today was your love’s begetting day. Tyelpë tended to downplay such events and to say that they were unnecessary. He didn’t particularly enjoy being the center of attention. However, this time, you had made sure everything would be comfortable for your love. The party would take place outside, near the trees so that beautiful lamps could hang from their branches.

You had put your blood, sweat and soul into planning this party. It had to be perfect for Celebrimbor. So, as you checked yourself in the mirror, you weren’t satisfied. You had picked your best outfit and prettiest jewelry, however, something was missing. It frustrated you to not know what was wrong. Even if you knew that Celebrimbor couldn't care less about what you wore, you still wanted to be dressed according to the event. As you looked again at your outfit critically, a knock startled you out of your assessment.

You smiled as you knew who would be there. As you opened the door and your suspicions were confirmed, you beamed at the person. Celebrimbor was magnificent in his red and gold tunic. He was also looking at you like you had created Arda and hung the stars in the sky before coming down to grant him your love, and that warmed your heart beyond words. You let your husband enter your shared chambers, rolling your eyes a little as you realized he had knocked, again. No matter how many times you reminded him that your shared chambers were, well, shared, he still insisted on knocking every time before letting you open the door. You honestly couldn’t care less if he walked in on you changing, anyway he had seen you naked plenty of times already.

“Hello, meleth nîn” he calmly said.

“Hello, Tyelpë” you said, as your lips turned upwards in joy.

Your husband approached you while looking at you up and down, obviously appreciating the effort you put into dressing yourself. His eyes seemed to shine and sparkle as Tirion offered his love to them. The light silver was brought out by his night black hair, styled more fancily than normal. His lips looked delectable and plump as cherries and made you want to kiss him, badly.

You were, once again, startled out of your thoughts by your love, as he approached you and embraced you. His bare arms encircled you and you couldn’t help but appreciate the muscles in them, flexing and moving as he slowly trailed his hand up and down your back. Celebrimbor seemed to love doing that, for some unknown reason. He pressed a kiss to your head and then murmured :

“I have a gift for you, vanimelda.”

“Really? Meleth, I should be the one saying that, it is your birthday after all!” You replied jokingly.

Celebrimbor simply smiled before taking out a relatively middle-sized velvet box from one of his pant’s pockets. He offered it to you, still looking at you like you were a gift from Eru. You took the box, quietly thanking your husband, before opening his gift and gasping. Inside the box was a magnificent necklace, made from your husband’s hands and tailored exclusively for you. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry you had ever seen. You looked from the necklace towards your husband, before looking back at the necklace and then at your husband. You smiled, touched and quietly asked Celebrimbor to put it on you.

You turned around and let your love put on his gift for you. You looked in the mirror and smiled, for you had finally found what had been missing. The necklace fitted the outfit perfectly and even matched your eyes. You turned around and kissed Celebrimbor, who made a surprised but delighted noise, before enclosing you in his strong arms. As you detached yourselves from each other, you both put your forehead on the other’s. It was like this most of the time with Celebrimbor : full of love and calmness. You were each other’s fortresses.

“Well, Meleth, I’m afraid we’ll have to go now or we’ll be late.” You whispered, afraid to break the tender moment.

“Alright my love. You know I really appreciate your efforts at planning this party? I don’t want me saying that ‘it wasn’t necessary’ let you think the opposite. Although I still stand by the point that a private little party with only us too would have also been perfect.”

You smiled and kissed your husband’s cheek, before leaving your chambers.

As you walked in the practically empty corridors, you pushed and joked with each other, giggling like teenagers all the while. It was refreshing to let go entirely of responsibilities for just one night. The people of Ost-in-Edhil all were okay with this, seeing at how well you and Celebrimbor took care of the city. It was also partly because it was the only night you could offer a gift to the Lord without having to fight to get Celebrimbor to accept it.

It was always a joy to give Tyelpë things, because you knew he was always grateful when he received any kind of gift. He cherished everything he received, even little branches or empty snails’ shells given by children. He kept everything on shelves that were reserved for this exact reason. It was always endearing to watch him happily put something new on a shelf.

As you both arrived at the party, multiple voices raised in joy, shouting “happy birthday”’s and “there they are!”’s. Celebrimbor took the time to stop and talk with everyone who called out to him. As he was busy talking with Elrond, who had taken the time to come and celebrate his favorite cousin’s birthday, you walked away mischievously. In fact, there was a surprise awaiting your loving husband and you almost vibrated with excitement.

As you took a glass of your favorite beverage, someone said your name loudly, making you turn with a smile on your face. There, with a whole chicken thigh in his hand, stood Narvi. As usual, his kind face was illuminated by his wonderful smile, displaying his white teeth. You put your hand on your forehead and lightly hit it with your fist, before hitting Narvi’s forehead with it. Narvi did the same, for the exception that he hit your hand instead. It was a greeting that you two had adopted to replace the usual Dwarf greeting. After all, the height difference between the two of you made it so that you couldn’t knock your foreheads together. Not that you’d ever have done it anyway, you’d probably have ended up with a concussion.

“Haa, how wonderful to see ya again, Gamilbund! It has been too long!”

“Indeed, Cidinntuig, it has been too long! How have you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been well! But more interestingly, it’s wonderful to be here! It’s clear ya worked ya’ arse off to put this together!”

“Ah, many thanks, I tried! I just feel like Tyelpë deserves the best, you know?”

“Indeed I do, Gamilbund! Now, I’m really sorry, but I need to give good ol’ Zigilgáld the gift I brought!” He said, taking a bite out of the chicken thigh.

You laughed, before shooing him away and towards Celebrimbor.

~~~

Tyelpë was extremely funny to watch when given gifts. Indeed, you laughed so much you couldn’t breathe properly when you saw him try to fight Narvi because the gift was ‘too much’. The two being completely and utterly stubborn made it only funnier. When they weren’t agreeing on something, they butted heads aggressively but lovingly.

“I insist, Zigilgáld! I made it for ya and only ya! I ain’t goin’ to give this to someone else!”

“Cidinntuig, this is too much! I can’t accept this, I’d be forever in your debt! I’d have to claw my way to your Father’s halls to give you presents at each of your birthdays!”

“Don’t be ridiculous and just accept tha’ gift, my friend. Or I’ll make you!”

“Narvi!”

Your attention was stolen from the two bickering adults by someone tapping your shoulder. You turned around and smiled as you saw Elrond. Indeed, he had helped you form your plan and get the materials necessary to make it come to life. As it turned out, you and Elrond got along extremely well. It was fun to let out your mischievous streak with someone that could match it.

“Everything is ready!” He said, clearly excited about this.

“Wonderful! We’ll just have to wait until Tyelpë has accepted Narvi’s gift.”

“Ah, I hope he won’t take thirty years to accept.”

You smiled with Elrond at his joke and turned your attention back to the now arguing Narvi and Celebrimbor. At least, it seemed like Tyelpë had accepted the gift. You looked at Elrond and nodded.

Seconds later, magnificent lanterns rose from the Earth to go float in the Sky. Narvi and Celebrimbor stopped arguing, raising their heads to look at the lanterns. Your lover’s mouth was open and his eyes were full of amazement. Letting lanterns go up in the sky on someone’s birthday was a Noldorin tradition that was practiced mostly in Valinor. You knew this because on a calm night, Celebrimbor had told you about the first time he remembers seeing the Siryacálë. He had climbed on his father’s shoulders to look at them more closely, mouth agape. He had spent the rest of the night questioning his grandfather about the lanterns.

Soft music started playing as the lanterns stopped being released. People smiled and craned their necks to have a better look at the Siryacálë, for they seemed to dance in the gentle breeze, harmonizing perfectly with Tirion’s soft gleam and the Stars’ glow. You looked towards Celebrimbor and saw him approaching at a leisurely pace, his eyes still glued to the lanterns. Your heart was overflowing with joy, for the look in Tyelpë’s eyes was priceless. Such joy and happiness was held in it, it made the stress of making this party perfect worth it.

People started to dance to the soft melody, raising their voices to sing and hum along. Your love arrived at your side, still smiling.

“Thank you, meleth nîn,.. a thousand words cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to you for tonight.”

“It is nothing you do not deserve, my love.”

“Well, in this case… would you accord me this dance, vanimelda?”

You smiled, before responding : “Of course, my love!”

Your husband took your hand and led you to the circle of dancers. Dancing with Celebrimbor was a rare experience but still something that you enjoyed immensely. The way you were encased in his arms made you feel like you two were in an impenetrable bubble, protected from the rest of the world. Just the two of you, dancing and listening to music, basking in each other’s presence. Celebrimbor had that special something that made people feel comfortable around him. Around him, you felt like no harm could ever befall you. You were safe and sound. Always.

Suddenly, Celebrimbor picked you up and twirled you around, smiling as you laughed and asked him not-so-gently to put you down. As he obliged your request, he kissed you, or well, tried to. You were both smiling too much to kiss properly, but you didn’t mind. This moment was perfect and you would exchange it for nothing.

~~~

Later on, when everyone was leaving to go sleep in their chambers, you and Tyelpë decided to do the same. Elrond and Narvi made sure to boast loudly that they had succeeded in giving Celebrimbor, The Celebrimbor, a gift. They laughed as Celebrimbor threatened to give them a better present at their birthday, and how would that feel, eh?

You tugged Tyelpë to your chambers, humming the songs they had played all the while. As you entered your chambers, Celebrimbor picked you up and went to place you on the plushy couch on the exterior balcony connected to your chambers. He went back to put his gifts lovingly and carefully on his shelves, before joining you outside again, closing the door-window after him. He let himself fall on the couch beside you, smiling as you tutted at him. You put your head on his shoulder before yawning, feeling your tiredness creeping onto you.

Celebrimbor smiled as you placed yourself more comfortably on him, hugging one of his biceps, while his forearm caressed your back in circular motions. He hummed a song he vaguely remembered his mother and uncles singing to him on one of his birthdays. It reminded him of you, in an unexplainable way.

You felt yourself slip into Irmo’s arms as Celebrimbor hummed to you. You felt safe in his arms. Tyelpë radiated heat and so you felt comfortable even if the breeze was a little cold, for your husband protected you from it.

“I love you, Tyelpë..”

“I love you, vanimelda.”

You fell asleep to the feeling of the crown of your head being kissed.

End notes : I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!

@theladyvanya @noldorinpainter