#it’s important to know when to end a story

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

a beautiful little lie. [chapter 1] l Harry Castillo

Summary:  you are the personal assistant of Harry Castillo, a wealthy entrepreneur who asks you to go with him to his friend's wedding. there you meet your ex-boyfriend and things get out of hand

Warnings: fluff, a little bit of angst, friends to lovers (maybe?), one pregnant woman, some alcohol, two broken hearts, one lie

A/N: I'm not sure if I should have posted this. But I couldn't help myself because this story has been in my head for two days and if I don't get it out I'm going to go crazy. Let me know what you think and if I should continue. Thanks to the people who put up with my doubtful ranting. please be gentle with me.

your feedback is very important to me and I want to thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. I secretly hope you like this story.🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

[my masterlist]

"I told you that you should put up a signpost or sprinkle crumbs on the floor."

There was a sigh on the other end of the phone, and you smiled to yourself. You drove Harry Castillo to the brink of madness. “You’ve been to my apartment so many times, so why haven’t you learned the layout yet? You know where my office is.”

"I don't know." you replied, pouting your lip. "Maybe because it's a real maze?"

"Where are you?"

“I’m standing in front of some weird sculpture.” You looked at this piece of art, which was probably worth a few thousand dollars, for five minutes, Harry probably thought you were wandering around his penthouse.

Another sigh. He was already close to breaking down, but he tried to sound calm. His low, warm voice resonated in your receiver again. "How weird is this sculpture?"

"Weird enough."

You could barely contain your laughter when you heard a muffled "Jesus Christ." You adjusted the folders you were holding in your arms, looking around the spacious hallway. The conclusion appeared in your head that Harry would soon start looking for you himself, so you spoke up.

"I see the kitchen on the right."

"Great. So go left." He rubbed his eyes with his hand and leaned back in the chair. He could hear your footsteps in the receiver. "You should pass three rooms on the left, then turn right and..."

"Oh!"

A strange shiver ran down his spine. "What's that 'oh' supposed to mean?"

You cleared your throat. "Harry, this room is weird. I didn't expect that from you..."

"W-What? What are you talking about..."

"These whips, the leather... Jesus. And this?" There was silence for a moment. Harry thought it would take forever. "How is that supposed to fit in there? It won't fit. Or maybe..."

“What the hell?!” he shot up in his chair. “Where are you?” but out of the corner of his eye he noticed the door to his office open.

His assistant stood there, clutching a folder of documents to her chest and the most disarming smile on her face. He rolled his eyes, unsure whether he should fire her or kill her.

"Gotcha!" You chuckled and entered the office with a determined step "I brought what you asked for."

Harry Castillo, CEO of a large multi-million dollar company, watched as his assistant placed a folder of documents and Chinese takeout in front of him. It was supposed to be another Friday night, where you try to plan the coming week instead of trying your luck at bars or watching TV on the couch.

You had worked for him for almost a year, and your relationship had quickly changed from formal to friendly. Although you still called him Mr. Castillo at work, you were both more casual outside of that setting.

The job was very fulfilling, but your personal life was a complete mess. Apart from a few friends at work, there wasn't much going on there. But the pay was decent, and your boss was a really nice guy, so...

"Mark said he'd send the report tonight. That email you were waiting for also arrived." you said, sitting down on the comfortable chair in front of his desk and quickly scrolling through your phone "Mrs. Smith asked to contact you after the weekend. She has a few questions about the contract."

It wasn't until you tore your gaze away from the screen that you noticed Harry watching you intently from behind the desk, his dark eyes fixed on you. The white T-shirt hugged his broad, strong shoulders nicely, and a smile played on his lips.

"Is something wrong?" you asked uncertainly.

"I need you." Harry replied. Now a strange shiver ran down your spine and you gripped your phone tighter.

"What do you mean?"

He tilted his head without taking his gaze off you. "I need a woman."

He watched with delight as your eyes widened and your mouth parted in silent surprise. It took a lot of effort not to burst out laughing at the sight.

"A w-women?" you finally repeated in a choked voice "In what sense? To what? No! Don't tell me!"

You squeezed your eyes shut, raising your hands as if you wanted to stop him, although Harry was still sitting at his desk and still just staring at you.

Finally he decided to take pity on you. “A good friend of mine is getting married on Saturday. I want you to go with me.”

You opened one eye, then the other, and burst out laughing. “No, no, no!” you shook your head. “Good joke. I go with you to client meetings, not to your friends’ weddings. You have many friends, beautiful women, why don’t you invite any of them?”

Harry leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. He was a handsome man, and you were sure there were plenty of women who would love to go to a party like this with him.

"Maybe I've already asked them and you're the only one left, darling?"

“Ouch, that hurt.” you mumbled, squinting. “I’ll have to say no too. I don’t have…”

"I'll buy you a dress tomorrow, no problem. The wedding is in the afternoon, so we'll make it." He smiled at you as if the decision had already been made and you had no other choice.

“Harry…” You sighed. “That’s not the point. You know, I… I don’t think I’m cut out for this.” He frowned, so you tried to explain. “These people, your friends, aren’t my world. They’re always so beautiful and dazzling, and I…”

“What do you mean?” he asked. “Do you think I'm some kind of higher class or something? A better species of human?”

"Can I be honest? On the Titanic you would definitely have first class. I would have been below deck."

“Jesus!” he laughed and shook his head. “I assure you, honey, you will be the most interesting person at this wedding. I know what I mean. Besides, you will be with me. If this ship sinks, you can take the door, I won’t argue with you about it.”

You shook your head, smiling slightly and not believing that you had given in to him.

The place looked like it was cut out of a wedding magazine. Your eyes moved from the crystal chandelier, to the tables covered with snow-white tablecloths, to the vases with beautiful bouquets of flowers. Soft music flowed from the corner of the room where a band made up of several professional musicians stood.

You almost jumped when someone placed a hand on your back. "Harry, don't do that." You said, feeling your heart speed up.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" he asked, smiling friendly. He looked stunning in a well-tailored suit and styled hair. When you nodded, he led you to your table.

He could see that you were stressed. Although you looked stunning in your dress, which beautifully emphasized your curves, and many eyes were looking after you, you kept smiling nervously and were rather silent. It wasn't like you so Harry did everything to cheer you up, and he was great at it. 

He didn't leave you alone with people you didn't know for long, his arm always served as your support and he made you laugh whenever he had the chance. That evening would have passed pleasantly if not for the fact that when you were coming back from the bathroom you heard a familiar voice that froze you. Someone said your name and when you turned around you saw him.

"Daniel! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" you smiled even though you had the impression that someone had just squeezed your insides with a vice.

A tall and slim brunette approached you smiling, the suit he was wearing looked really impressive. "It's my friend's wedding. And what are you doing here? Are you a friend?"

"I'm accompanying someone." you replied.

Daniel nodded in appreciation. "I came with my wife. Do you remember Beth?"

Oh, you remembered Beth. Very well to be honest. It was for her that he left you three years ago. You followed your gaze to the place he indicated and saw a beautiful blonde with a nicely rounded belly. Something sharp must have pierced your heart, but you bravely smiled.

"Still looking for a job?" Daniel leaned slightly towards you. "A friend of mine is looking for a secretary. He runs a construction company, I can give you his number."

"Thank you, but I'm not looking for a job right now. I'm happy with what I have."

Daniel shrugged. "You've never needed much, have you?"

The words got stuck in your throat. For a few moments you didn't know what to answer, and at the same time you were afraid that whatever left your lips would be immediately turned against you. Daniel was a master at this.

Suddenly, someone said your name again and in the back of the room you noticed Harry, who was walking away from a group of elegant-looking men and heading towards you.

"It's Harry Castillo." Daniel mumbled, straightening up. "I didn't know he was here."

"Yeah, it's his good friend's wedding. We came together and..."

"You're with Harry Castillo?"

It was too easy. You knew perfectly well that you shouldn't do it, but your lips moved before your brain had time to react properly. "Yes, we're here together."

It wasn't a lie. Not completely.

"I was worried about you." Harry said, walking over to you and smiling politely at Daniel. He quickly extended his hand in greeting.

"Daniel Stevens." He introduced himself. "I'm a lawyer."

"Nice to meet you." Harry looked at you expectantly.

"Daniel and I, we've known each other for a while. And this is his wife, Beth."

A pretty blonde walked up to you and Daniel put his arm around her, straightening up proudly. A woman like her was definitely the crowning achievement of his career. You weren't cut out for this. 

Even though you kept a smile on your lips, the whole conversation felt like a speeding bus was heading towards you. Harry was as polite as ever and didn't even bat an eyelid when Daniel mentioned "She said that you are together. It must be something new, because nothing has spread around town yet."

"We want to keep it private. You understand, Daniel." Harry replied smoothly and without hesitation, placing his hand on the small of your back and looking at you fondly. "A woman like that is a treasure, I want to enjoy her before we show ourselves to the world."

Daniel nodded as if he understood what Harry meant, and Beth let out a fond sigh. After a few moments, you said goodbye and Harry led you towards the door.

“Do you want to tell me more?” he asked quietly, more amused than angry.

You shook your head. "Just throw me under the car." you muttered "Damn! I knew I shouldn't have come here."

Harry immediately sensed that something was wrong. You seemed more tense and withdrawn during the whole conversation. "Who was that?" he asked.

You took a deep breath. "My ex-boyfriend. And Beth... That's the woman he left me for. And as you can see, she's pregnant now. Wonderful, right?" you tried to laugh, but it came out so fake that you quickly fell silent.

"So that's why you told him that you and I... That we're together?"

You stopped. You looked so pathetic that his heart almost broke.

"I didn't lie to him. Not really." you finally said. "I told him that we were here together. Daniel took it differently."

“So maybe I should explain it to him?” Harry made a move as if to go back to the party and find Daniel, but you quickly grabbed his arm.

"No, please!" you groaned. "Don't make me feel even worse. This whole situation is already embarrassing enough. Daniel will forget about it by tomorrow."

"If you say so." Harry sighed and put his arm around you. "Come on, I'll take you home. It's been a long day."

You were quiet as you climbed into the backseat of his car, your gaze barely leaving the window as the driver drove you through the dark city. Harry didn't say a word either, respecting your silence. But this wasn't how he expected the evening to end.

It wasn’t until you were standing in front of your apartment that he heard your quiet voice. “Thank you, Harry. And I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

He smiled, and at the same time, a small smile appeared on your lips. He reached for your hand and squeezed it lightly. “You always have me by your side. And you can always count on me.”

"I know. Thank you."

He watched you for a moment longer, then you said goodbye to him and the driver and got out, leaving him alone.

Harry Castillo had almost everything a man his age could ever want. A thriving company that was making millions, a penthouse in the heart of New York City, and an expensive car. But the expensive suits he wore and the clothes made of the best materials couldn't hide what he really lacked. Closeness.

Although he was surrounded by many people, when the door to his 12 million apartment closed behind him, he felt really lonely. Harry was slowly approaching fifty and was starting to wonder if it wasn't a bit too late for him. Maybe he had missed a moment in his life?

Yes, he had met many beautiful women, had gone on dates, but it was never long-term, and that was exactly what he was looking for. He wanted someone who could be just his, who would love him and ask how his day was. Someone he could watch stupid movies with on the couch, go on vacation, or just be bored. Was he asking for too much?

"Do we really have to do this today? Everyone has gone home." The door to his office slammed shut, and then he heard a dull thud as you plopped down on the couch. Harry smiled to himself and turned away from the huge window that overlooked the city at night.

"We'll get this over with in a minute and then I'll drop you home. Is that okay with you?" he asked, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt and rolling up the sleeves.

You rolled your eyes and sighed. "I'm not sure. I could have snuck out with the others."

"My personal assistant tells me things like that?" he frowned, but at the same time smiled and sat down next to you. "It's just some folders to look through. It'll take us an hour at most. Would you like a drink?"

You shook your head and lifted the mug of tea you had brought with you. You grabbed the first folder and flipped through it. "You have a sponsors' party this week. I've cleared the evening and morning for you."

"Thank you."

For a moment, you were both focused on your work. You were putting the next reviewed documents on the empty chair, and the room was filled with your quiet typing on the laptop keyboard. Harry took a sip of whiskey and glanced in your direction.

You were so focused that you completely ignored him. A small wrinkle appeared between your eyebrows as your eyes ran over the next lines of text.

“Would you like to go to this party with me?” he asked, breaking the silence, and when you looked at him, he added, “We’ve been having quite a bit of fun together lately.”

“Do you really think so?” you were surprised, remembering Daniel and the situation that had taken place at the wedding. “Can’t you bring one of your friends with you? You were dating Jean recently, right? What about her?”

Harry shook his head and smacked his lips. “It’s over. I don’t know if it’s even started, though.” He shrugged, and you felt sorry for him. Harry was a really great guy, even though he was your boss. Handsome, tall, well-mannered, he always made the people around him feel seen.

“Can I be honest?” you asked, putting your work aside for a moment, and Harry’s brown eyes landed on you expectantly. “I feel like you’ve jumped headfirst into a pool without even knowing how much water there is. I mean, when you meet someone and you just go for it. Expensive restaurants, gifts, flowers, weekends together… You fulfill all their dreams and whims, and yet you don’t want anything in return. I wonder where you are in all of this.”

Harry analyzed your words for a moment, until he finally spoke. "So you think I should..."

"You should really get to know someone first. And then they should get to know you too. Because you have a lot to offer, and I don't mean money or anything like that. But the real you..."

Silence fell after your words. You stared at Harry's profile, his prominent nose, the fine lines around his eyes, you noticed a few grey hairs at his temple. He was really handsome and you were surprised that you had to explain such things to him.

Finally, he moved his gaze to your face again. "How is it possible that you are still single?"

You smiled sadly. "I am a lot to handle."

"Not true. Who told you that?"

But you didn’t answer that question. Harry could tell you were sad, though you tried to hide it by looking back at your computer screen. “I think we should get back to work.” You finally said. “We don’t have much left.”

For a moment his attentive gaze rested on you, analyzing your words.

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[22ayla21]

Hi! First of all I wanted to say that I love your stories. And i have a request as well.

I know how you already wrote about the Amphoreus trio’s reaction to their wife getting flirted with. But how about the opposite, because these men would have fan clubs no doubt. I’d think that the women would know they’re off limite but still, they’re hot. So like imagine a woman just starts to flirt with them while their wife is right there. Would she be used to it by now and let her husband take care of it or just give the woman a death stare/ tell her to fuck off(✨politely✨)

Quiet jealousy

How would his wife react when other girls hit on him.

She never doubts her husband. Mydei is not one of those who cast glances at others, especially when he has her. She knows that he is indifferent to other people's attention and does not tolerate obsession.

If a fan is too persistent, Mydei's wife does not make scenes. She will simply look at her with such a look that the latter will immediately lose the desire to approach. Without words, but extremely eloquently.

She does not even take them seriously. Someone can sigh languidly, looking at her husband, but at the end of the day, it is she who falls asleep in his arms.

If someone dares to go too far and try to touch Mydei, his wife will literally make the rival realize with one phrase ("Are you really that stupid?") that it was a huge mistake.

She does not experience fierce jealousy, but if she sees someone looking too admiringly into her husband's eyes, she can demonstratively take his hand, cuddle up to him, or even give him a kiss, just to show that this is her man.

He does not like fanatical attention. If he sees that his wife is even a little offended by it, he will definitely say something, making it clear that only she is important to him. He can even deliberately lean over and whisper something intimate to her, causing embarrassment and laughter.

Yes, if she really gets tired of someone, then her look will say more than any words. If the fan still does not get the hint - well, let him try to meet a woman who is not afraid to put even Mydei in her place.

The wife knows very well that despite his outward attractiveness and cold aristocratic appearance, Anaxa shows no interest in his fans. He is too rational to waste time on such people, and she understands this. So, jealousy? No, thank you.

If someone crosses the line of what is permitted, starts flirting or, God forbid, touching her husband, she is no longer so calm. Steel appears in her gaze, and an icy warning in her smile.

If someone is too persistent, the wife will not make a scene. She will simply look at the fan in such a way that she will want to disappear. These are not hysterics, not scandals - this is a calm, murderous look, after which the man immediately loses the desire to test her patience.

She does not need to prove anything. She is already his wife, they already have a family. Sometimes it's even funny for her to watch how some try to get his attention, not realizing that it's useless.

But if someone goes too far. For example, if someone decides to question their relationship or says something like "Anaxa's wife? I don't think he's worthy of just one woman...", she will act very decisively. And perhaps Anaxa will have to intervene before his wife sends someone to the hospital.

It's not about insecurity, but about territoriality. She doesn't doubt her husband, but if someone sticks his nose into her family too persistently, he gets a silent but very eloquent warning: "Go to hell."

And Anaxa? He rarely even notices these women. But he likes to see how his wife calmly puts them in their place. Sometimes he even smirks when she gives him another murderous look.

Once he asked her if she was jealous. She just shrugged: "Who could have you but me?" It was not a question, but a fact. And Anaxa agreed with this fact.

Phainon is charming, of course, but his wife is confident in his devotion. She doesn't waste her nerves on jealousy and simply chuckles when someone sighs for her husband.

But if someone goes too far... Admiration is one thing, and outright pestering is another. If some fan starts to behave too persistently, his wife will give her an icy look and calmly but firmly make it clear: "Try again - you'll regret it."

In public, she smiles, remains polite, but as soon as the fan goes too far, her smile becomes predatory: "Oh, you love my husband? How sweet. But, unfortunately, he's mine." She likes to watch Phainon's reaction when someone hits on him. He can play the role of a sweet and polite person, but she knows how much he gets offended by excessive attention, especially when he's married and has three kids.

She can approach Phainon, take his hand or even hug him when someone is staring at him too brazenly. Her look at this moment speaks for itself: "He's mine. Envy him silently." Sometimes he deliberately flirts a little (within the bounds of decency) to see how his wife will react. And when she looks at him with the expression "Are you serious?", he only smirks.

She understands perfectly well that he has his own army of fans, but in the end he always comes home only to her. She is not one of those who are jealous without reason, but if someone dares to seriously try to take her husband away, then the fan will very quickly understand that she has no chance.

In general, she does not worry about his popularity, but if someone is too brazenly pestering - her look says more than any words: "Step aside, girl, while I'm kind."

[yukioos]

when shoto doesn’t know it’s odd to stare at you for long

shoto had brought you to a restaurant as a surprise and told you to dress up nicely as soon as you got out of class and to be ready in an hour. but he had a staring problem, an especially bad one at that, and it was clearly showing now.

he was talking to you about how his father has been trying extra hard to connect with him again when he suddenly stopped after ranting for about a minute. you thought maybe he just got bored, so you began to talk, voicing your thoughts on the situation, as he preferred others to talk instead of him.

normally, he would nod or hum or give you some sort of sign that he was paying attention to your words, but not this time. he stared directly into your eyes with no emotion. his pupils were large, almost to the point where both of his eyes were black, but you were starting to become disturbed.

you thought he would eventually snap out of it and nod or begin to talk again, but he didn’t. even when you spoke for minutes on end, he still stared at you. he didn’t even blink once. he didn’t even touch his food!

finally, you mumbled, “do i have something on my face?” then began to wipe it with a napkin, nervous that you were embarrassing yourself.

his eyes slightly widened and he reassured you, shaking his head, “no, you have nothing on your face,” then retreated to staring at you.

you averted your eyes and asked, “shoto, baby, i don’t mean to be rude, but why are you staring at me? you’re making me a bit nervous,” you tried to laugh it off, hoping maybe he would show some emotion as well.

“my intention is not to make you nervous. kirishima told me eye contact is a key part of relationships because it makes your lover feel important,” he paused, “and you look beautiful.”

your heart beat quickly in your chest, and you felt your cheeks heat up quickly, but you couldn’t help the shy smile on your face. a foot touched yours underneath the table, and you knew it was no one else than shoto. it’s amazing that he thought of you that much, and asked for advice from eijiro about relationships. he even complimented you! he wasn’t trying to be creepy, just trying to be sweet and attentive!

“awh, thank you, honey, but you don’t need to stare all the time. you need to blink, it’s okay to stare sometimes but others can get disturbed by constant staring, okay?” you thanked, a blush still on your cheeks.

he nodded and began to blink again, then even started to show small smiles whenever your voice would get high-pitched from a good part of a story. he loved you so much and was grateful to go out to dinner with you, and of course, paid for the meal with endeavor’s card.

first shoto writing! hope you guys like it

[azus-reyan]

Punctuation marks (? , ! .), with fun facts. 

The comma ( , )

✅ Serial comma: Ted played with Jack, Jason, and his dog Max.

✅ Bracketing comma: A tortoise named Jonathan, the oldest living land animal, is aged 192 years. Or: Jonathan, aged 192 years old, is the oldest living land animal.

✅ Joining comma: The Eiffel Tower was originally made for Barcelona, but was built in Paris.

✅ Introductory comma: With 116 lanes, the largest bowling alley in the world is in Japan.

Period or the full stop ( . )

✅ The longest English word is 45 letters.

✅ Abbreviations: Dr. William Macewen was the first doctor to successfully remove a brain tumor.

✅ Initials: The first satellite launched by N.A.S.A was called Explorer One.

✅ Decimals: The value of Pie is 3.14.

Question mark ( ? )

✅ Did you know that honey never spoils?

Did you know that octopuses have three hearts?

Exclamation point ( ! )

✅ Bananas are berries but strawberries aren’t!

A shrimp’s heart is in its head!

Semi color ( ; )

✅ Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day; they’re basically professional nappers.

Cows have best friends; they get stressed when separated.

Colon ( : )

✅ List: The world is full of fun facts: Flamingos aren’t born pink, your ears and nose never stop growing, and Russia has eleven time zones!

✅ Elaboration: The shortest war was between Britain and Zanzibar: it lasted 38 minutes. 

✅ Quotation: He said: “Saturn’s rings can tell us how the solar system was born.” 

Em dash ( — )

✅ Interruption: The Great Wall of China—spanning over 13,000 miles—was originally built to protect against invasions.

✅ Additional information: The giraffe—the tallest land animal—can grow up to 18 feet tall.

En dash ( – )

✅ Range indication: The day–night cycle influences all living creatures.

✅ Connection of related items: The land–sea balance affects the planet’s climate.

Hyphen ( - )

✅ Joining parts of words: The ice-cream cone is enjoyed all around the world.

✅ Dividing a word by the end of a line: In the past, hyphens were used at the end of lines to split long words, helping maintain neat a-nd consistent text layouts in printed books and newspapers.

Parenthesis ( )

✅ Clarifying a point: The cheetah is the fastest land animal (it can reach 60 miles per hour).

✅ Minor thoughts: The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen (it's called the lungs of the Earth).

Brackets ( [ ] )

✅ The giant panda's diet consists mostly of bamboo [despite being a carnivore]

Apostrophe ( ‘ )

✅ Showing possession: Shakespeare's plays are still performed all over the world.

✅ Forming contractions: “Can't” is one of the most common contractions in the English language.

 Quotation marks ( “ “ ) 

✅ Indication of speech: Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

✅ Highlighting words or phrases: “A Temporary Matter” is the first short story in ‘Interpreter of Maladies’.

Ellipses ( … )

✅ Omission: In the famous phrase "To be or not to be... that is the question," the ellipsis is used to omit part of the original quote.

Pausing or trailing off: People often say, "I saw something strange... but I can't explain it," pausing to build suspense.

Slash ( / )

✅ Indication of alternatives: Some people are team dog/cat when it comes to pets, but did you know that people who own both often live longer?

✅ Separation of lines of poetry: In "Bohemian Rhapsody," the lyrics "Is this the real life? / Is this just fantasy?" slashes are used instead of "or", to separate lines.

[tiredhermitgirl]

Matt & Frank Castle

I think what is absolutely crazy and why I am a Fratt shipper is that Frank is one if not the ONLY person who can handle Matt in the way he needs to be handled.

Disclaimer: this is based off of their relationship in the Tv show NOT anything in the comics!

But anyway! I just feel like Matt is that special type of character where you WANT to be soft with him, swaddle him up and beat the shit out of anyone who makes him feel like shit BUT in the same vein you want to shake him and beat him over the head until he makes good choices!

Foggy is way too soft, even at his maddest and Karen is way too harsh and is very similar to Matt in that she will avoid and walk away if something becomes too much.

But Frank is the perfect mix between hard and soft. He knows when to push Matt but he is also quick to be open and soft and this interaction that we got on Episode 4 really highlights that.

He pushed and pushed Matt until he got the reaction he wanted but when he noticed Matt breaking his tone got so soft. He voluntarily shared a little bit of his grief because he UNDERSTANDS. And when he knows that Matt is being honest about something he shuts the fuck up. The way he let Matt talk about how good Foggy was and then just let him leave???

Karen wouldn’t have done that. I don’t even think Foggy would have let him or Foggy would have left first. Neither would Electra because all of them would HAVE to get the last word in. But Frank let him say what he really felt and left and I find that so important for a character like Matt.

And you know it is out of character because earlier in the conversation Frank kept on getting the last word. “What about old Foggy? Did he get life?” That was so foul! 😭 But I also think that Frank is a mirror to Matt. Frank knows EXACTLY what Matt is feeling and similarly, they both have NO ONE they can talk to to process that grief. Except where there is Frank who explodes and goes on a killing spree, Matt is suppressing SEVERELY because he is trying to honor Foggy and what he would have wanted.

It really makes me wonder if Frank did something similar. Did he try to suppress it and “do the right thing?” The kind of thing that Maria and his kids would have wanted him to do? And it also reminds me of Magneto from X-Men Apocalypse where Charles told him “would your family have wanted this?” And Magneto rebuttals with “They would have wanted to live!”

I just love Matt and Franks dynamics because I feel like Frank can actually relate to Matt in a way that no one else can. Not even Elecktra (sorry for the shippers). And I think because he relates to Matt so much, he can see where this is headed and in his own way doesn’t want Matt to fall off the deep end like he did.

Long story short the Fratt shippers ate good today!

[zepskies]

Omg yay!! @tofics Welcome back, friend!! ❤️❤️ I'm so glad you're tuning into this one because you'll see some Smoke Eater type stuff in this mini series too - with the added fun of a plus-sized reader. 😘

Okay, first of all - love love loooveeee @redhoodieone for requesting this and @zepskies for bringing it to life. Firefighter!Dean just does things to me. And yes, Alex, it's all your fault. (Thank you!) And now the reader is an ELEMENTARY TEACHER? ARE YOU KIDDING ME! That only happens to be what I'm studying! It's like this trope was written for me 😭

Omg that's right!! I love that you can relate to this story on multiple levels, and the reader being an elementary teacher was part of the request too! ❤️

Now. I know I've said it before, but as a plus-size girly myself, reading fics where the reader is plus-size herself not only helps with the immersion, but also becomes even more of a delight when they're pictured as desirable. And you did such a good job with that. The repeated slaps on reader's ass, his obvious attraction to her, but most importantly, his outrage when she calls herself fat. Like he can't even believe she'd think of herself that way, because that title simply never occurred to him. Such a rewarding and healing thing to read! 🥹

Ughhh I feel you so much here. Me being plus-sized myself, it's always fun for me to give myself this escape and write how I wish all of us would be treated, especially when we get down on ourselves. That scene at the end was very self-indulgent in a way, but at the same time it made sense for the reader character and how Dean sees her! And also, I just feel that Dean wouldn't mind having his hands full. 😏❤️‍🔥

And god, all those feelings of comparing herself to Lisa and Jo. I wish I didn't know that sinking feeling in her gut when she talked about how she had to slim herself down to fit into the dress, while Lisa and Jo do it so effortlessly. Or the absolute gut-punch that was Lisa's talk about "sticking to a clean diet for the baby" - as if she gives two shits about the little one growing in reader's belly 😒 Ten bucks say she secretly wishes there was no baby to begin with (which, honestly, theoretically I can't blame her for...), nor that she cares about the reader's "health". Fat shaming packaged as "caring". 🤮 Ugh, it made me so mad just reading it! (You wrote it so well 🥲)

lmfaooo pure personal experience on this one! 😅 While I'm sorry you can relate to the reader here like I do, I'm glad you thought it was written well! Lisa being a total bitch in this one loll, disguised in "niceness and politeness" to me is always worse than being blatantly nasty for some reason. It's more like the kinds of things we probably deal with on the day-to-day, when you don't know if something knows they're being a bitch or not, or if they're really trying to hurt you.

GIRL. Now why was this so freaking hot. Jesus Christ. And then his admiration when she's on top next morning 😭

Because who would expect a selfless (generous) man on a one-night stand? 🤭

*dreamy sigh* And this. THIS. The moment where he catches her disappointment. (Cause, ngl, I would've been uncertain as hell myself if I'd just slept with this guy for the third time in one night and suddenly he's scrambling to leave...)

It's an important moment! Shows that Dean is not trying to make her feel like he just used her for sex, he really just is running late. 😂 He's a good guy, he just has a lot of growing to do. 💓💓

Oh, Dean Winchester, the man you are. Alex, I can't wait to see where this goes! Lisa as a more bitchy version is quite the interesting read, and their little unintentional three-way set-up is bound to cause some drama 👀 And I'm here for it!!! Can't wait for the next chapter - coming out on here just one day after my birthday! Can't wait to read it 💓

He's extra something special, all right. 😩

Girl I can't wait to share Part 2 on Sunday!! (Soon and very soon!) It's a huge rollercoaster of emotions we're headed down, and this is only the first leg of it. 😂

Omg Happy early Birthday!! 💕

IF I STAY - Part 1

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Plus-Sized!Reader

Summary: Your dream is to work with kids as an elementary school teacher. Dean is well on his way to becoming a firefighter, keeping things light and “strings unattached” as he goes. After a one-night stand you never saw coming, you and Dean are forced to deal with the consequences…and figure out if the connection between you is worth fighting for.

AN: Yes, here’s another firefighter AU! Based on a request from one of my lovely Patreon members: @redhoodieone. She requested pretty much all the major beats of this story, so hopefully I did her request justice! This is also partially inspired by Fools Rush In, a beautiful movie with Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry (Rest in Peace, King).

Song Inspo: “I Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis

Word Count: 8.7K

Tags/Warnings: 18+ only! Smut, thick thirty, hints of body insecurity, but also body appreciation, angst, and hurt/comfort.

❤️‍🔥 If I Stay Masterlist

Part 1: Fools Rush In

Slowly, your eyes slide open into the waking world. Your head is resting on something warm, firm…and a little sweaty. You pick your head up, despite the disorienting, muddy feeling of a slight hangover.

A groan bubbles in your throat. Your gaze travels downward, and you realize that what you’re looking at is more of a who.

Your eyes widen. Oh…my…God…

Not only are you very naked, but your firm pillow is too. It happens to be your best friend’s brother.

Yes, holy fucking shit! You slept with your best friend’s brother.

Biting the inside of your lip, you can’t help but take him in, here in the raw light of day as he lays peacefully on his back. His head lolls to the side on your usual pillow. Your eyes roam over the bow of his lips, the dark eyebrows, lightish brown hair that's softer than it should be between your fingers.

He’s painfully handsome. There’s a slight hesitation in your touch, but you softly trace the cut of his jaw and the stubble spread across it. That roughness feels familiar, and not just under the pads of your fingers, though the thought makes you blush. You begin to remember the night before, almost like a movie reel through your mind… 

Ooooh, right. That’s what happened.

It starts at Sam Winchester’s joint bachelor-bachelorette party at a nice hotel downtown. He and Eileen aren't the "strippers and coke" kind of party couple. They're more the "wine and brie en croute with pickled olives" on the expensive crackers you can't afford—kind of couple.

They look perfectly in love, if a bit long-suffering while Dean gives a hilarious, somewhat inappropriate, but still ultimately heartwarming toast to their happiness. After lowering the glass of champagne from his lips, his gaze catches on yours in the crowd. You suck in a subtle breath. 

Technically you’ve met him already, being one of Eileen’s bridesmaids, but there’s something about his green eyes that pin you to the floor. When he hands over the mic to Lisa Braeden, Eileen’s Maid of Honor, his head turning away from you to offer her a smile breaks the spell. It allows you to breathe.

Dean later finds you by the bar. You’re drinking a rum and coke with your slice of cake, trying not to get a single crumb on your dress. You've put a lot of work into affording it, let alone fitting in it. He leans his elbows casually on the counter and looks over at you.

“Hey, how’s it going?” he nods at you with a smile, subtly taking you in first. Then, his eyes go to your plate. “Ooh, red velvet. Gotta get me some of that.”

You smile back at him. “It’s pretty good.”

“Yeah, looks good in your hand,” he says, adding a teasing wink for good measure.

You don't know why that does it for you, but a half-flattered, half-nervous laugh tumbles out of your mouth. Sam has warned you before about Dean. Apparently his older brother is a bit of a flirt; a ladies’ man.

A man whore, are the words Eileen used.

You’re honestly surprised he’s talking to you when Eileen’s other bridesmaids, Lisa and Jo, are sipping martinis together down at the other end of the bar. Guess they didn’t want cake.

They look beautiful in their lithe, strapless little cocktail dresses. You’ve had to give up chocolate, bread, and cheese for three months straight to fit into this dress, something slinky and red that drapes over your thicker, curvy figure. But you’re proud of the fact that you’re letting yourself eat cake tonight, even though you’ve often felt like Mrs. Doubtfire while standing for pictures next to Lisa and Jo.

They’re Eileen’s friends, not so much your crowd. No matter how much you’ve tried to get to know them while helping the wedding planning in whatever way you can, you still get a high school clique vibe from the women, if with more “polite smiles.” Then they’ll typically go back to talking about crystal centerpieces—or whatever in-depth conversation they were having before you were there. 

But right now, Dean’s focus is on you. When he asks you more about yourself, you tell him about recently earning an elementary education degree.

“Ah, but you already knew that, because Sam told you we graduated college together,” you realize, with warmth tingeing your cheeks. That subject came up pretty quickly when he introduced you to his brother.

Dean’s smile confirms your suspicions, so you just keep filling the silence on reflex.

“Well, I actually just started teaching my first ever semester of second graders. They’re a bit of a handful, but overall, they’re really sweet.” Your smile falters. “Except for this one kid who likes to put little tacks on my chair. He’s kind of a menace, but I think if I bribe him with enough lollipops, he’ll give it a rest. I mean, it’s a behavioral issue and I should probably call his parents. But it's kind of hard to tell them their son is trying to make my ass into a pincushion."

Dean's laugh comes out in a sharp burst, like he wasn't expecting what just came out of your mouth. You didn't either, honestly. You giggle more out of embarrassment, ducking your head.

"He’s in second grade, you know?" you say, in between laughter. "I don't think that little footnote needs to end up on his permanent record. But then there's Micah. He's so friggin' smart. He can read at the fifth grade level already. Can you believe that? And I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but his grades on his spelling tests get him a spot in the comfy bean bag chair pretty much every Friday. Honestly, I think that's what I like about working with kids. I get to see that spark on their face when something just finally clicks for them. Their little faces get all bright and happy and…ugh. God, I'm sorry. I'm rambling, right?”

You stop yourself with a hand sliding over your mouth, not quite covering your smile of embarrassment.

Dean’s grin just widens, making the corners of his eyes crinkle. 

"It's okay. I kinda like it," he teases.

You duck your head, biting your lip against a groan. He chuckles and reaches out for your hand, earning your nervous glance. He quirks his head.

“Hey, you're passionate about what you do, helping kids. That's nothin' to be ashamed of,” he says, brushing his thumb over your hand. “But sweetheart, I gotta ask. Am I making you nervous or something?”

God, yes, you think, especially at that sweetheart thing. It’s making your heartbeat tick up a syncopated rhythm, but you shake your head, biting the straw of your rum and coke.

“No, not at all,” you say, in a hopefully “breezy” kind of way. You touch your fingers to his wrist. “Tell me about you though. Sam mentioned that you’re a firefighter?”

“Ah, yeah. Firefighter in training,” he says, with a more genuine smile.

He just started at the Fire Academy, and he tells you about all the drills he’s had to learn and all the training he’s had to do to be able to keep up with his classes. You subtly eye him while you sip at your drink, and you notice the crisp cut of his buttoned-down shirt and leather jacket, the definition of muscle across his thighs under the slacks, even while he casually sits.

Your gaze subtly travels down his long bowed legs, smart dress shoes. His cologne is woody and masculine, but not overpowering; maybe bergemot and sandalwood. It pleasantly wafts under your nose every time he gestures with his hands while he talks.

“Aw man, I can’t hold out anymore. I think I need to get me some of that cake before it’s gone,” he says, getting up from his chair.

You’re a bit disappointed that he’s leaving, until he stops short.

“You want another piece?” he offers, gesturing at your empty plate that’s been resting on the counter.

You blink in surprise, but you shake your head. “Oh, no. I probably shouldn’t.”

“Why not? It’s a party,” Dean reasons. His grin is too damn infectious. It has you smiling, and begrudgingly agreeing.

Not only does he bring you more cake, but you watch him eat three whole slices before he asks you to dance.

The rest of it flashes through your mind like strobe lights—the way he’d started small and respectful with his larger hand closed over yours and the other along the curve of your waist. He guided you closer and closer, until you were turned around into his arms, and you could feel his warm breath on your neck.

You felt his lips teasing your skin. Then those hands tantalizingly drifted down your every soft curve, as if showing you a preview of everything he could do to you, and every way he’d make you come apart. You believed him.

And when he whispered in your ear, asking if he could take you home, you let him.

You let him drive you in that big black piece of history he drives. Used to be my dad’s car, he said. A Chevy something. You couldn’t really remember much when his hand was drifting up and down your thigh like that.

His presence burned hot at your back when you two eventually got to the front door of your apartment, your hands just barely shaking as you got the key in. Twist and click—

He waited until you flipped the lights on. Then he turned you around slowly in his arms and pulled you in close, all the while asking you with his eyes and raised brows. This okay? You want this?

“Do I still make you nervous?” he asked, his lips twitching at a smile when yours do.

You nodded, uttering a small giggle. “In a good way.”

That was when he finally kissed you, hot and slow, like he meant to devour you whole. He moaned at the taste of you, at the feel of your ass squeezed in his hands. You clung onto him strong, breathing into his kiss and trying to meet every single demand of his lips.

It soon became a fiery tear to your bedroom, one lamp flicked on, hot breaths and nice clothes crumpled to the floor. You didn’t feel self-conscious even once when he guided you under him on the bed, because he wasted no time in taking you apart, inch by inch.

His lips kissed and licked and sucked a burning trail down your neck, over your collarbone and between your breasts. You felt his hardened length trapped between your bodies while his hands explored you, teasing your breasts and sensitive nipples, and he mapped his way down with his lips.

You explored every part of him you could—every dip of muscle, firm shoulders and the slopes of his back, and then back up to tangle in his hair. Your heated gasps and whimpers filled the room when his sinful mouth found what it was looking for between your legs.

It wasn’t often that you had a strong pair of shoulders to rest your thighs on, but Dean’s grip was hard enough to leave deep fingerprints of pressure on each thigh while he slipped his tongue through your folds and feasted on you.

“D-Dean, oh God,” you gasped. Every sound you made was a sensuous symphony in his ears, washing over his skin and making the well of his desire churn hot in his lower belly. He had to roll his hips into the mattress for some relief for his aching cock, even while he moved his mouth up to your clit, circling the swollen bud with his tongue. He had enough room to slip two fingers deep inside your sopping wet channel, exploring you deeply, stroking and twisting to find what you needed.

Your thighs trembled and squeezed tight on either side of his head. When he sucked your clit tight between his lips, you uttered as gasping moan as that coil snapped its release. Your inner walls fluttered around his fingers. Yours clenched tightly in his hair, threatening to rip out a few strands.

Dean stroked you all through your first orgasm, giving slower licks to your clit. He seemed to sense when you couldn’t handle anymore though. You tugged more sharply on his hair, and he finally pulled away, moving back up your body to gauge your reaction.

You’d collapsed boneless against the bed, but you still managed to smile up at him as you caught your breath.

“You okay, sweetheart?” he asked. But his self-satisfied grin almost made you laugh. You took his glistening face between your hands and pulled him down for a grateful kiss.

After a moment to savor your lips, he broke away for a second to catch his breath himself. You stroked his back all the while.

“You know, for a minute down there, I thought you might not let me come back up,” he teased.

You choked on a laugh, covering your face in embarrassment.

“Honestly wouldn’t have minded if you did suffocate me,” he chuckled, accompanied by a slap to your left ass cheek. You squealed, and blushed hotly at the way he was grinning down at you.

“Ready for more, baby? Or you want to call it a night?” he asked. His tone was playful, but it was actually a serious question. You blinked in surprise. You’d never had a guy be this, well…generous, and not expect anything in return, especially not for just a hookup.

But you shook your head and sat up, slipping a hand behind Dean’s neck. After a beat of hesitation, you guided him down to you for a slow, sensuous kiss.

“No, I don’t want to call it a night,” you whispered. Your hand drifted down his bare chest, and lower still. You showed him just how well you could return the favor.

And now, come the morning, you’re blushing down to your neck as each scene flashes through your mind. You feel the ghost of his hands all over your body, and how you’d never quite felt quite as bold and sexy and beautiful with a near stranger as you had with Dean effing Winchester. Your best friend’s brother.

You begin to worry your bottom lip with your teeth. How the hell are you going to tell Sam? Especially after he warned you about exactly this. Plus, there’s a reason you don’t typically do the one-night stand thing, and this has the potential to become something very complicated.

You know what, it’s fine! you think. We’re two consenting adults. We’re both single. And maybe…maybe it could be more than a hookup. Maybe we can see each other again, see where it goes.

“What’re you thinking so hard about?” Dean says, his voice croaking with sleep.

You look down at him in surprise. His eyes have cracked open and he has your hand captive, stopping you from continuing to idly trace patterns on his bare chest. You smile in embarrassment.

“Sorry,” you say. Again, you bite your lower lip. “Um, good morning.”

“Morning, sweetheart,” he grins lazily. “You sure wore me out last night.”

Your smile becomes more genuine, even if you turn your face away somewhat shyly.

“Aw, don’t do that,” Dean says. He slides his hand up your arm and behind your neck, tangling into your already tangled hair when he guides you down to his lips for a kiss. “You were awesome.”

You giggle against his lips. “Really?”

“Hell, yeah,” he says, kissing you again.

You shake your head a little. “You were…”

Amazing. Unbelievable. Probably the best night I’ve ever had.

“Perfect,” you decide. Because it’s the truth. The word comes out of your mouth before you can filter yourself though, making you pause. Dean does too, but after a beat, he slowly smiles.

“Oh yeah?” he asks.

You lick your lips, and you nod. “Definitely.”

“Well, then,” he says. His hand moves down to squeeze your hip. “You down for a repeat performance?”

You smile. “Only if I get a turn.”

Bracing your hands on his chest, you slide your thigh across his lap so you can straddle his hips. Dean grins and goes along with your idea. He gets a nice healthy handful of your thighs and helps settle you on top of him. But first, he reaches over into your nightstand drawer and finds another condom, ripping it open with his teeth.

Just like you did for him last night, you take the packet, as well as his generous length in your hands. You gently stroke him to full mast, smiling pleased at his groan of pleasure. Then you carefully fit the condom over him.

“You’re so gentle with me,” he teases. 

“Just returning the favor,” you quip, just before you position him at your wet entrance. Slowly, you sink down over his cock.

You both moan at the feeling of him stretching you again, warm and thick and fitting perfectly nestled deep inside. There had been moments last night where he wasn’t all that gentle, actually, but his passion had only spurred yours on more. You know you’ll probably find fingerprint marks on your thighs and ass, but it’s fucking worth it, you think, as you begin to bob a rocking rhythm that serves you both.

Dean arches his back underneath you, his knees coming up to press against your ass.

“Goddamn, baby. Givin’ me quite a show,” he says, in a panting voice that’s deep as sin.

You utter a breathy laugh.

Dean means it though. He’s enjoying the way you brush your hair out of your face, your beautiful tits in his face while you truly let loose for him. He guides you by the stronghold he has on your hips, his fingers pressing into your soft flesh as he ruts up into you, meeting your thrusts.

Your breath quickens, your nails digging into his chest on reflex, and your heart races as that delicious pleasure builds. But when Dean snakes a hand between you and further parts your folds to massage tight circles over your clit, your vision flashes white. You utter a scream of pleasure on his name, your inner walls choking him tight as you throb around his cock. His release hits him like a goddamn freight train.

“Aw, fuck,” he grunts.

He slams your hips down hard, making your thighs slap against his. A ragged groan escapes him in a rush. His hands move to your thighs just under your ass, where his fingers press into flesh hard enough to leave forensic ID, giving him leverage to bury himself deep into your pussy as he spills a hot release into the condom.

Goddamn…

He can almost imagine that he’s coming free inside you, that you’re milking his cock for every drop, until there’s nothing left for him to give.

The thought surprises him. It almost takes him out of the moment, honestly. That’s not a thought he’s ever had before—not with a woman he barely knows (which is most of his hookups, if he’s honest).

In that delicious, fractious moment just after it hits, it’s like those few seconds are suspended in zero gravity. Your arms are shaking, and your forced to collapse against his chest. Dean welcomes you there for a little while, letting you come down while he smooths a hand over your hair.

Though he can't help the urge to let his big hand drift down over your dewy skin, down the gentle slope of your back and over the curve of your generous ass. He gives one cheek a teasing slap. The sound echoes in the room.

"Goddamn perfect ass," he says roughly, smirking at your squeal. You end up grinning hard against his neck.

"'S that my new nickname?" you quip.

He chuckles deeply, moving you along with his chest. "Hell, sweetheart, if you want it to be."

Eventually, you lean back to give him a smile and one last kiss before you pull away from him. You slip off his lap to find your robe, at least. You definitely need a shower.

“So I’m thinking, after we get cleaned up, I could make us some breakfast,” you offer. “Or if you want, maybe we could go somewhere. I know a little diner down the block.”

“I like the sound of food,” Dean agrees with a smile. Ge reaches over for his phone on the nightstand, to check the time. His eyes widen. “Oh, shit.”

He has to get his ass over to the Fire Academy. He has class in barely twenty minutes.

He tears out of bed and nearly trips on the coiled sheets.

“Sorry. Gonna need to take a raincheck,” he says. He hurries to find his clothes strewn all over your bedside floor.

“What’s the matter?” you ask with wide eyes. You cross your arms under your breasts, but it’s more like you’re hugging yourself over your robe. You watch him tear through your bedroom in a tempest of movement.

Dean spares you a glance, but not much else as he yanks up his slacks and belt and dress shirt.

“Gotta get to class,” he confesses. Thank God he has his uniform in the trunk of his car for exactly these kinds of emergencies. He grabs his phone, wallet, and keys, and quickly kisses you on the cheek. He gazes down at you apologetically. “Sorry I gotta cut and run, sweetheart, but it’s been fun.”

Your smile barely reaches your eyes. He’s pressed for time, but he still notices.

He slows himself down and cups your cheek. “Hey.”

He gets your pretty eyes looking up at him, and he gives you a real kiss, nice and slow. He cradles your cheek and brushes his thumb across your skin.

“Thanks,” he says. His now familiar grin manages to make you smile. “And I mean that.”

You shake your head at him. “Okay go, Mr. Future Fireman. Be safe out there, okay?”

He gives you a playful salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

You can’t help but laugh. This guy’s too much. But you don't think you've had this much fun having sex in...

All right, let's not put a timeframe on it.

You watch him leave your apartment, even though you have a sinking feeling in your chest. You knew this was just a hookup for him, for both of you. Part of you just couldn’t help hoping that it could’ve led to something more. 

Dean means to call you.

He really does.

After that truly awesome, you shook me all night long, kind of a night, he thinks about you more than he’d like to admit over the next few weeks. However, he finds himself locked into his training. He’s so close to finishing strong and earning his badge, he just can’t afford any more distractions.

Still, he should’ve known that Sam would find out—either through Eileen, or through you directly. He also should’ve expected the way his brother let him have it.

“And you didn’t even fucking call her. See? This is why I don’t set you up with any of my friends anymore,” Sam bitches at him from his side of the small two-seater dinner table. They still share an apartment, though in just a month and a half, Sam’s going to be moving out. He and Eileen already found a house that they’re moving into after the wedding.

“Look, I was going to call her, man. They’ve just been bustin’ my ass at the Academy!” Dean argues.

“Bullshit.” Sam levels him with the same finger that holds his beer.

Dean’s brows raise, high and annoyed. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I’m calling bullshit. Because if you really liked her, respected her, and respected me, you would’ve made the time,” Sam says.

That falls heavy between the brothers for a moment while they eat their pizza.

“Look, I know her. She doesn’t do hookups that often, which means…she probably liked you,” Sam adds. “And honestly, when are you going to give it a real try with someone? You can only visit that free clinic so many times.”

Dean shoots him a glare. He’s had a clean bill of health from said clinic for six months straight.

“Jesus Christ. Enough, all right?” he grouses. “What’re you, Mom?”

“I’m just saying,” Sam says, lowering his crust to the plate. He levels his brother with a more earnest look, lightening up from his anger. “Look, if it’s about what happened to Dad—”

“What, you mean the way he drank himself to death after Mom died?” Dean says. His voice cuts through whatever softball glove Sam is trying to handle him with. “You think that’s the kind of thing I should be looking for in my life?”

“Oh, and what, do you think I’m making a mistake marrying Eileen?” Sam counters.

Dean sighs, shaking his head. “Damn it, don’t put words in my mouth. That’s not what I’m saying, it’s just…I don’t know. Maybe that kind of life—the house, the wife, the 2.5 kids and the dog. Maybe that’s just not my life, okay?”

Sam gives him a long look. He lets go of a deep breath, and he shrugs.

“Okay,” he says. “If you think hooking up night after night for the rest of your life is going to make you happy, then fine.”

Dean nods, glad that they can put an end to this little After School Special.

“Okay.”

Still, he can’t finish his third slice of pizza. He keeps picturing your face when he left you that morning. No matter how you tried to hide it, he still saw the tinge of disappointment in your eyes. It brews something uncomfortable in his stomach, and a sting in his chest.

You’re eating lunch alone in your classroom, finally on your break, when an unfamiliar number flashes across your phone screen. You look down at it in confusion, but with all the caterers and florists and things you’ve helped Eileen with on the wedding, you figure it could be important. You pick up the call and greet whoever’s on the line.

“Hey, sweetheart. How are you?”

You drop your ham and cheese on your keyboard, gaping in surprise.

“Dean?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” he chuckles slightly. “Sorry, I know it’s been a minute.”

You frown, because you’re confused more than anything.

“Yeah, like almost a month,” you reply. You put the call on speaker so you can grab up your sandwich and quickly brush off the crumbs from your keyboard. You struggle to say something cool, clever, sexy even. “I’m okay. Just, um…what’s up?”

Smooth, real smooth. You cover your eyes with your hand.

“Nothin’, I was just thinking of that night,” he says. “I had a good time.”

Your frown deepens, despite the beginning of a blush warming your cheeks. If he’s calling you just for another hookup…

“So I just thought maybe you and I could do something again. Maybe you wanna come over my place this time.”

And there it is. You deflate at his words, shoulders sagging. The "convenient booty call" proposition.

“I could make us some burgers, toss in a couple of beers and a movie night,” he adds.

That part throws you though, you’re not going to lie. What, is this a Netflix and chill situation—with a side of fries?

You consider it. You weigh pros and cons at a frightening speed in your mind, almost like Sherlock Holmes contemplating the layout of a dead body and deducing within moments that his wife committed the murder, despite the man no longer wearing a ring.

You want to let yourself be bold and spontaneous and carefree...but it's just not who you are at your core. You're a planner, a cautious person who looks three ways before crossing the street. Letting Dean take you home that night was certainly one of the most spontaneous, wild things you've done since your friends took you out to a strip club after you aced your final round of exams back in college.

(Sam hadn't been there that night, but he did get an embarrassing drunken text from you at 3:00 a.m., along with a few shame-ridden pictures fueled by questionable substances. Yes, he still had the evidence.)

You just don't know if it's smart to let yourself hookup with Dean again. Mostly because you know your heart has the tendency to get attached, no matter how much you warn it not to.

“You know, Dean, I’m pretty busy with my job right now. I just started here a couple of months ago, and I think I just need to focus on that right now,” you say. Part of it isn’t a lie, even though your soft heart is stinging.

“Ah, okay. Yeah. I get that,” he says. You hear his disappointment too. “But I just need to say, I really am sorry for not calling you sooner.”

Your lips tug at a smile. “It’s okay, Dean. Look, you’re Sam’s brother. I just feel like, maybe it’s better if you and I stay friends.”

“Friends, huh?” Dean says wryly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t have three rounds of steamy hot sex with any of my friends.”

Your blush comes swiftly again, burning in your cheeks.

“Be that as it may,” you say, “I just don’t want to do anything that will distract from Sam and Eileen’s wedding.”

“Oh, I’m a distraction, huh?” Dean says flirtatiously. 

You begin to smile in earnest. “I think you know damn well what you are, Dean Winchester.”

His deep chuckle practically resonates through the phone and into your chest, going straight down to your pussy. You clench on nothing just at the sound of his voice, making you cross your legs under your skirt. Dear God…

How are you supposed to be even remotely normal around this man now? 

But for Sam’s sake (and your own), you’ll have to try. 

Two months later, Dean has taken Sam’s dating advice to heart. A week or so after you turned him down, he ran into Lisa Braeden, Eileen’s Maid of Honor, while he was at the grocery store buying beer and Twizzlers. She was a smart, sharp, sexy brunette. A yoga instructor, he soon found out. So he took a chance on asking her out. They’ve been going slow and steady ever since. 

Dean hasn’t heard from you since the rehearsal dinner, but he sees you again at his brother’s wedding. All the bridesmaids are wearing long, royal blue dresses that drape off the shoulders and hug the bust and waist, flaring gently at the skirt. Lisa and Jo wear it beautifully, their hair perfectly smooth and coiled. 

But when you step out into the hall outside the church ballroom to join them, Dean actually pauses in what he’s saying to his brother. He nearly double takes when you enter his line of vision—mostly because he hasn’t seen you in a dress since that night. You were sexy as hell then, a lady in red. 

Today, you’re absolutely stunning. 

After greeting Sam with a warm hug, you turn to him with a nervous kind of smile. “H-Hey, Dean.”

With that, he snaps out of it. Dean smiles, eyes crinkling, and goes over to give you a hug as well.

“Good to see you,” he says, trying not to inhale too much of your nice perfume. It’s even in your hair.

“You too,” you reply. Your smile is a little brighter, more genuine. Though there’s something behind your eyes that he can’t quite place.

What he doesn’t notice is the way Lisa is watching you and her boyfriend, a hint of suspicion on her face.

You do though. You pull away from Dean and assemble into a line with Lisa at the helm. As the Best Man, Dean stands with her, followed by Jo and Brady, another one of Sam’s buddies. You and Benny bring up the rear. Benny’s dad used to work with John, Sam and Dean’s father, on the police force.

According to Sam, John Winchester worked a beat for twenty-six years before his liver finally gave out on him. Dean almost went to the Police Academy to follow in his dad’s footsteps, but Benny, already working his way up to Lieutenant, suggested Dean become a smoke eater instead. The suggestion stuck.

Benny Lafitte is slightly shorter than Dean, but just as broad-shouldered, his auburn beard neatly trimmed. Even though you might’ve thought he was rough around the edges at first, his kind blue eyes spoke the contrary. He offers you his arm like a gentleman.

“Well aren't I lucky, getting the prettiest girl on my arm,” he says, with a charming smile.

You smile, and even begin to blush at the way he subtly takes note of you from head to toe.

“Well, thank you. You’re very handsome yourself. Although, hold on.” You slip your arm out of his for a moment so that you can fix his tie. It’s slightly crooked. You make sure that it lays flat under his collar, smoothing down all the edges and picking off any small dust particles that landed on his collar. Benny watches you with an indulgent smile.

“Am I good?” he asks.

“Very,” you reply.

“I appreciate it, thank you,” he says. You don’t know if he means to sound flirtatious, but his voice is a deep drawl that washes over you pleasantly. You find yourself blushing down to your neck as you slip your arm back around his.

You also don’t notice how Dean glances at you and Benny over his shoulder.

As much as you love Sam and Eileen, it’s difficult for you to keep your mind from spinning into fractals as the ceremony goes on. You can’t help but glance at Dean. He stands there behind Sam dutifully, but you see brotherly pride in Dean’s eyes, in his smile. It makes you smile too. You too love Sam like a brother, and it brings a well of happy tears to your eyes to watch him have his moment with his new wife.

It just also reminds you of what you need to do.

After the ceremony ends and the bridal party files out behind the bride and groom, you excuse yourself from Benny apologetically. You wait until Lisa and Jo go off to take pictures with Sam and Eileen, and you grab Dean’s wrist, pulling him aside.

“I need to talk to you,” you whisper.

Dean gives you a confused look. “They’re gonna need us for the pictures.”

“I know, but this is important,” you say. Your voice trembles with nerves, and so do your hands. Dean notices, frowning in concern. He grasps your arm to try and steady you.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Just come with me,” you implore him. You take his hand and lead him into the women’s dressing room attached to the church sanctuary you all just came out of.

Dean raises his brows at the mess you and the rest of the bridesmaids have made of the room—pantyhose and makeup and clothing litter the floor and most available surfaces, while leftover breakfast sandwiches, grapes, salami, and cheddar cheese cubes are splayed out across one of the vanity counters. Dean is tempted to steal a morsel, but he focuses on you first.

You close and lock the door, which makes his brows raise high again. You know he has a girlfriend now, right?

“Uhh, look, I’m not sure what’s going on here, but—”

You heave a sigh. Again, you take his hand and guide him to sit with you at the vanity. The old stools squeak, the overhead lights a bit too bright. This is not where you want to do this, but you can’t hold it in anymore.

“Dean, I’m pregnant,” you confess.

He freezes. His breath stills in his lungs. His eyes slowly widen as the words click in his brain.

“What?” His head tilts, as if he didn’t hear you right.

You squeeze his hand; to ground him or yourself, you’re not sure.

“I’m about two months pregnant. I found out last week.”

Dean swipes his free hand over his mouth while he tries to compute. He squeezes your hand, tighter and tighter. He points to himself.

“It’s…it’s me? It’s mine?”

You give him a weary smile. “You’re the only one I’ve been with in the last few months. It could only be you.”

Oh fuck. The man’s face begins to pale as he descends into shock.

“But we…I used a condom,” he reasons. “All the—all the times!”

You bite your lip. If you weren’t freaking the fuck out yourself, you’d probably be laughing right now. Granted, you’ve had a bit more time to process this than Dean.

“I know, I was there,” you reply, releasing yet another sigh. “One of them probably broke. That’s all I can think of… Honestly, Dean, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I just didn’t want to disrupt the ceremony or cause a scene before the wedding. But now you know.”

Dean falls silent then. He hasn’t let go of your hand, which you think is a decent sign. He’s likely forgotten that you’re still holding it as he stares off into the middle distance for several seconds.

Eventually, he shakes his head and returns his gaze to yours. He looks uncertain, his handsome face the true epitome of holy fucking shit.

You know the feeling.

But he asks the most important question.

“What do you want to do?”

Briefly you close your eyes as you take a breath. You squeeze his hand before you let go of him.

“I’ve thought about this a lot, and…I’m keeping the baby,” you tell him, though you raise placating hands. “I don’t want money, or anything like that. I just wanted you to know that it’s yours. How much you want to be in his or—or her life, that’s up to you.”

Dean takes a beat before he answers, but you don’t have to wait so long holding your breath.

“Okay. Okay, yeah. I’ll help you. Don’t worry,” he says.

And just like that, all the time you spent giving yourself pep talks for this, telling yourself that you’ll need to be strong no matter what he says, all of it crumbles into relief. Your lower lip trembles, and your body shudders as you break into tears. You try covering your face to hide your shame, but Dean grasps your shoulders.

“Hey, hey. It’s all right,” he says. He tentatively pulls you into a hug. “It’s gonna be okay.”

You nod into his dress shirt, probably staining him with your running makeup.

“Thank you,” you whisper. “Thank you so much.”

He holds you a bit tighter in response.

You and Dean agree to keep this to yourselves for now, at least until Sam and Eileen get back from their honeymoon. It’s difficult to explain why your eyes are all red and your makeup is smudged, but you promise Sam that you’ll tell him later. You know it’s pointless to lie to him though. As a lawyer, his bullshit meter is far too high.

However, you also know that he’s half guessed it by the time you all make it to the reception. When you and Dean came out of that dressing room to join the bridal party for pictures, you're sure that you looked emotionally wrecked. Dean had looked pale as a sheet, his body coiled and tense, as willing himself to seem normal. Sam had clocked both of you with a raise of his brow, but he didn't say anything then, especially after you gave him a pleading look.

While Eileen greets her family without him for a moment, Sam pulls you aside. He notes your glass of diet coke, in a moderate sea of guests drinking champagne and cocktails.

“Are you okay?” he asks knowingly.

Tears well up in your eyes again. You don’t know if it’s your damn hormones going haywire, or just the way Sam asks you, with the love of a friend in his eyes. He squeezes your shoulder gently, prompting you with your name.

“Yeah, I think I will be,” you say.

"Is it the same reason you're not drinking?" he asks. "You and Dean earlier..."

You hesitantly confirm with a nod. Sam blows out a harsh sigh, raising folded hands to his mouth as he processes. You begin to look around on reflex, trying to see if anyone's watching you and Sam have this conversation in the middle of the reception. To your relief, everyone around you seems occupied with drinks, hours d'oeuvres and conversation.

“What did he say when you told him?” Sam asks. His gaze is firmer. You get the idea that if he doesn’t like what you tell him, then he’s about to go grab his brother by the ear himself.

You grab his wrist and give a placating squeeze. “He said he's going to help me, be there for me.”

“Damn right. So will I,” Sam nods, and glances back at Eileen, his new bride, with a smile. “We both will.”

“I know,” you nod as well. “I’ll be okay, Sam. You don’t have to worry so much. Just enjoy your wedding day. It’s the only one you’re gonna get. Well, you know…hopefully.”

You tease him with a wink.

Sam laughs, cupping your cheek. He kisses your other cheek.

“I love you, you know that right?” he says.

You give him a trembling smile through your tears.

Meanwhile, Dean has a beautiful woman in his arms. He turns Lisa on the dancefloor, trying not to trip on his own dress shoes, all the while knowing that his brain isn’t here in his body. It’s across the ballroom, watching you talk to Sam. Dean can tell that he knows, just in his Big Bird body language. He’d also recognize that accompanying Bitch Face anywhere.

“Dean, what’s wrong,” Lisa asks him, and not for the first time. She’s getting annoyed, he can tell. She finally looks over to where he keeps glancing, and she notices you with a frown. It’s also not the first time she’s caught him staring at you tonight.

“What was that earlier in the dressing room? She didn’t really get food poisoning, did she?” she asks pointedly. “What, did you two used to date or something?”

He gives a wan smile. “Yeah, kinda. We…had a thing once.”

“What kind of thing?”

Dean closes his eyes and tries to keep himself calm. He’s pretty sure if he tells her the truth right now, she’s going to find the nearest cocktail and dump it over his head.

But shit, here it goes.

“Well…”

After a long day at school, you drive over to Dean’s apartment. You’d agreed to meet there and wait for him to get off his shift at Firehouse 83, where he just started as a full-fledged firefighter on probation. When he gets home, he’s supposed to go with you to an important appointment with your OB-GYN. 

You were hoping he’d already be done with work by the time you got to his place, but Lisa's there to open the door for you. Apparently, he’d already given her a key.

Moving kind of fast, but okay, you think. A second later, you could’ve rolled your eyes at yourself. Pot, kettle, me. Got it.

Lisa greets you with a “polite” smile at best, but she does offer you water at least. You really can’t blame her for not liking you though. She found out her boyfriend got another woman pregnant right before he started dating her. Really, she has more balls than you for staying with him. You wouldn't put it past Dean to somehow have smooth-talked her into giving him a chance.

Or she really loves him. The thought sobers you as you lower yourself down to the couch beside her. Both of you sit there in silence for a moment, trying to figure out something to talk about.

“So, you’re what, six months pregnant?” she asks.

You correct her in thinly veiled annoyance. “Three months, actually.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry,” she says. “I don’t know why I thought it was six.”

You have a feeling her awkward chuckle is fake, however. She knew good and damn well that you’re not six months pregnant. In her eyes, you must be the size of a parade float. 

“If you want, I can recommend a holistic diet to help you get your body back after the baby’s born,” Lisa offers. “No pills, no chemicals. Just good clean weight loss.”

You feign interest. Honestly, you’d like her to cram that offer right up her hooch.

“I can even give you a discount if you want to try out yoga,” she says. “It’s low impact, but you burn plenty of calories. I have a beginner’s class, not too strenuous. Even my least flexible clients manage to do the poses.”

Is that why Dean likes you? Because you’re bendy? Bet if I sat on you, you’d pop like a fucking balloon.

You hide all of these thoughts behind a “polite” smile of your own.

“That’s really nice of you, thanks,” you reply. It’s non-committal enough, but hopefully it’ll get her off your back.

No such luck.

“You know, maintaining a healthy diet is really important for the baby’s health too,” Lisa adds. “It’s not just about avoided raw fish and dairy products. Oh, and processed food is obviously a no-go. Like, I’m sure you haven’t been hitting Taco Bell and all that stuff, right?”

As a matter of fact, you’ve been eating clean since long before you got pregnant. Not that it’s any business of hers whether you enjoy the occasional quesadilla or not.

Your temper snaps at its leash. You open your mouth to reply, when the front door unlocks and opens to Dean, stepping in through the threshold.

Thank God, you and Lisa both think. She gets up quicker from the couch than you, greeting her boyfriend with a kiss. You avert your gaze while you begin to get up yourself.

Dean reaches out to help you, grasping your arm in support. You shoot him a smile.

“I can still get up by myself,” you snip.

“Yeah, all right. Just in case,” he says with a smile. “Ready to go?”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s rock and roll,” you say, trying to hide your worsening mood. You’re exhausted, and irritated, and probably more than a little hangry. Except now, the idea of food just has you feeling guilty for even being hungry.

“Bye, hun. Hope you have a good appointment,” Lisa says, giving your shoulder a pat. You give her the most genuine smile you can muster as you thank her. It's possibly that she's one of those women who don't realize when they're being cunty, but you find it highly unlikely. She's too smart for that.

You follow Dean out the door and over to his car, big and black and sleek as you remember. You settle into the passenger seat with your arms crossed in silence. Dean switches the cassette to one of his favorite Led Zeppelin albums, though he notices your grumpy face.

“Something wrong?” he asks.

You give him some side-eye, but you’re reluctant to say anything. You just shake your head. As irritated as you are, you don’t want to be the friend who badmouths his girlfriend.

God, are we even friends? You wonder. Or am I just his knocked-up baby momma?

And again, you realize that this whole situation is probably hard for Lisa. You just don’t know if she’s jealous, or if she just…doesn’t like you.

“I’m okay,” you tell Dean.

He raises a skeptical brow. Looks like Sam isn’t the only one with a finely tuned bullshit meter.

“All right, how about this,” Dean says. “Let’s grab some burgers after this, huh? From your favorite spot. Shake Shack, right? Side of fries, frozen yogurt. I think I’ll get chocolate this time… Hmm, I doubt Lisa will want anything. She’s gone on an all-vegan kick or something.”

For one shining moment, you were happy and touched at his consideration. But now your body stills in your seat when you remember Lisa’s words. Tears well up in your eyes with a hot sting, and a sob escapes your throat.

Dean is cut off from thinking about getting extra bacon on his burger. He looks over at you in alarm. “H-Hey, what’s the matter?”

You scoff at him through your tears. “Are you kidding me? I can’t eat burgers anymore, Dean. I was already fucking fat. Now it’s just gonna get ridiculous.”

“What?” Dean’s brows knit together in confusion, along with his deepening frown. It gets worse as he tries to watch the road ahead, while at the same time, watching you continue to crumble.

“And after the birth, I’m just going to be an even fatter slob who can’t take care of her baby,” you sniffle and weep, trying in vain to wipe your eyes and get ahold of yourself.

Dean grits his teeth, his jaw twitching. Fuck it.

He turns the steering wheel sharp enough to startle a gasp out of you.

“Dean!”

He pulls the car over onto the side of the road, ignoring the honking SUV behind him. He shifts into Park and shuts off the radio—a big red flag, in your opinion. He’s upset too, and fucking serious, more so than you’ve ever seen him. You stare back at him with wide eyes.

“I’ve never once heard you say that you’re fat,” he says.

You blink at that, but eventually, you’re able to get your tongue to unstick from the roof of your mouth. You wipe the remnants of tears from your cheeks. Your face is already hot from your upset, now tinged with embarrassment.

“You haven’t known me very long,” you say quietly.

It doesn’t help. Dean’s jaw ticks again.

“Well, I’ve never thought it. Not even once,” he says. His jade green eyes are firmly set on yours, and he gestures between you and him with a pointed finger. “The reason you and I are here right now, is because the minute I saw you, I wanted you.”

One corner of his lips kicks upwards. “And that night, you didn’t disappoint.”

Your mouth falls open slightly. You don’t know how to respond, but you do know that a full blush is warming your face and neck. His words have power, and unbidden, they bloom a similar warmth between your legs. You swallow a bit nervously as you bite your bottom lip.

Dean glances down at your mouth when you do. He can remember what your pretty mouth did for him that night. Oh, he remembers all too well. He even had the shade of your lipstick streaked across his skin until he showered up at the firehouse.

He locks that all away when shifts the car back into Drive. If you’re going to make it to this appointment on time, he needs to get going.

And you both have to leave whatever that was right here by the side of the road.

AN: Woo! 😮‍💨 Yep, this is only Part 1, friends. Lisa is a bit different in this. My take was that without Ben in her life, she might be less mature and a bit more catty. As we get into Part 2 I'll leave it up to you to decide why she decides to stay with Dean, and perhaps more importantly, where the reader and Dean can go from here as co-parents. 🤔

If you enjoyed Part 1, please let me know!~

Next Time in Part 2:

“Hey, you okay?” you say, resting a gentle hand on his arm.

Dean shakes his head. “Look, I…I’m sorry for tossing a giant friggin’ monkey wrench into your life. I know this hasn’t been easy for you.”

If possible, your heart softens even more. You slide your hand down to grasp his.

“Dean, this baby wasn’t planned, but he’s not a mistake,” you say. “I don’t regret anything.”

Dean stares back at you incredulously. He can’t believe you could really say that to him. He doesn’t know what to say. He only knows what’s in his mind, and what he feels compelled to do in that moment.

He leans over and kisses you. It’s a firm meeting of his lips to yours, and achingly familiar.

⋆˙⟡ Read Part 2 on Patreon now!

⋆˙⟡ Coming to Tumblr/Ao3 on 3/23

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Series Masterlist

Dean Winchester Series List

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Dean Winchester Tag List (Part 1):

@luci-in-trenchcoats @lamentationsofalonelypotato @winchestergirl2 @deans-spinster-witch @roseblue373

@hobby27 @kazsrm67 @foxyjwls007 @mostlymarvelgirl @kaleldobrev

@globetrotter28 @midnightmadwoman @chevroletdeanwrites @lyarr24 @ladysparkles78

@waywardxwords @waynes-multiverse @twinkleinadiamondsky @my-stories-vault @kayleighwinchester

@rizlowwritessortof @k-slla @jackles010378 @alwaystiredandconfused @nancymcl

@this-is-me19 @spnwoman @illicithallways @pieandmonsters @deansbbyx

@mimaria420 @stoneyggirl2 @fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like @cheynovak @jollyhunter

@deanwinchestersgirl87 @rachiem4-blog @leigh70 @aylacavebear @jessjad

@kmc1989 @siampie @rubyvhs @masked-lost-girl @spnbabe67

@deanbrainrotwritings @alwaystiredandconfused @supernotnatural2005

[judesmoonbeauty]

Victor's Main Story Highlights & Thoughts:

Chapters 1-4

These are extremely pared down highlights and will not contain everything mentioned, but will contain the important bits. There are other bloggers translating the route. Highlights may not be 100% accurate.

Chapter 1: Kate awakes from a dream about a music box in a church. It's the day after she met Vogel. There's a brief replay of Act 2 prologue.

She meets up to report to Victor. Within one week, she has accompanied all Crown members on missions. Flashbacks are provided for each group and their quirks.

The entire time she hasn't witnessed one death.

The next day, Kate decides that she wants to know more about Victor. Will suggests Kate helps him with his work.

They meet Victor in his office. Initially, Victor was hesitatant to let her help, but agrees after William reasons with that Victor was the one who assigned her the position of fairytale keeper.

Chapter 2: After some days of helping Victor, Kate is on a mission with Liam and Al to recover drugged candy that is in circulation. Meanwhile, Jude and Ellis on handling another aspect of the mission.

Al and Liam discuss how Victor always seems to make the right choice about who to send where. Further, he always seems to know where they are. Alfons suggests that he may know not only their pasts, but even things they themselves don't know about their pasts.

They discuss Kate's work with Victor. She says they do paperwork and then have tea time. He's always in the office with Kate. A point is raised that it's odd for the Queen's aide to always be in the office and not with the Queen.

The next day, Kate accidently eavesdrops on Victor and Will talking about Kate. She is very quick with her work, brightens up the room and for Victor, a healing presence. Kate gets caught listening in and the guys laugh at her and call her cute.

Chapter 3: In the dead of night, a few privy council members meet up and talk about Vogel's and Kate's arrival. They start grumbling about being suspicious of them and speaking against the Queen's decision for establishing Crown.

Victor shows up and coldly shuts them down. He was so scary that the men couldn't move even after he left them.

The next day, Victor tells Kate they can't have tea because he has a meeting. He leaves and Kate gets to work so they can have a longer tea time the following day.

Harry shows up as she's reading the prognosis reports of those affected by the drugged candy. Even children were affected. They discuss the drug case a bit and he asks Kate if she likes Victor (not romantically). He tells her not to get too close if she wants to go back to her old life.

He warns her that he can't trust him because he's hiding something. He doesn't know what and he doesn't want to know. Harry says that even though Victor is aware Harry knows he's hiding something, Victor just laughs it away.

After he leaves, Kate is surprised Vic is hiding something, but it's not too shocking seeing how everyone has a secret or two. That's when she realizes that Victor grabbed the wrong envelope for the meeting.

Forgetting Harrison's warning, she goes to look for Victor.

Chapter 4:

Kate's lost. She only knows the way from Crown Castle to Victor's office. She's never wandered around the palace, even though she is considered a guest. She gets directions and stumbles in on a conversation in the garden.

This leads to a brief history about the monarchy of Britain. Essentially, the royal family are a symbol, and though the Queen reigns, she doesn't rule because there is a parliment.

Queen Victoria became the Queen at 18, although she wasn't supposed to, but due to the line of succession being wiped for various reasons, she ended up on the throne. Everything flourished under her reign.

Kate spots Victor and is going to call out to him when she witnesses his cold demeanor to some one from court asking for a budget increase. Victor rejects it and refuses to tax the people for it. After the person leaves (terrified of Victor), Kate gets startled by a leaf flying in her face and Victor notices her.

After an exchange, he leaves for the meeting with a kiss to the back of her hand. That night, Victor still hasn't returned to Crown and Kate is waiting for him. Once William shows up, she confesses how she was surprised at his difference in attitude. William explains that people have different sides. Work, family, friends, lovers. People can show different sides of themselves to each of these. Especially so for Victor since he is the Queen's aide, the head of Crown, dealing with court life, etc.

The next morning, Kate decides to start fresh. Victor and she head to town that day for shopping.

Normal Story:

He does a lot of it, and Kate has to reel him in. Finally, she finds something that she's interested in: a music box. They go inside and the store owner plays it for her. It's a melody that holds memories and she explains that someone played a music box for her once when she was crying, but she can't remember the face, voice or anything else but the music box. Victor says he has one that plays the same melody, but the cylinder is broken, so it won't play anymore. He buys it for her and tells her that her help is worth more than the price of the music box.

My thoughts: It's only four chapters, but it's nice. It's so sweet and I'm honestly just so happy that Victor and Kate finally have their moment. I feel like Will is quite flirty with Kate too?? Vogel is mentioned, but we haven't seen any of the guys yet, so I am hoping that we at least get to see some Vivi & Dari dialogue.

I actually have read some spoilers already, and tbh, the spoiler's didn't surprise me either....I don't know if that's a good or bad thing yet. It's not like it's deterred me from playing the route and I want to finish at least one end prior to forming an solid opinion on it.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

a shopping mall. l Joel Miller

Summary: after the loss you tried to rebuild your life together

Warnings: fluff; Joel and Reader are anxious but keep trying; Ellie is embarrassed; childbirth; emotional concerns; remembering loss; some hope

A/N: you know what? I like this story. writing these chapters gives me a lot of comfort and pleasure. I know I've been mean to them lately, but I'm trying to fix that. I'm happy when I have the opportunity to read your opinions, it gives me strength and support. thank you for being here and reading.

your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

short stories from life. [masterlist]

It was like walking on thin ice together. Slowly, carefully taking steps to avoid cracks and get to the other side as quickly and safely as possible. The icy water could kill you, and if one of you fell in, it was certain that the other would do everything to save him, and then he would go down.

That's how it was with you and Joel for the next few days. Or at least that's how you both saw it and felt it.

Everything happened slowly - small gestures, conversation, allowing yourself to feel. You, in moments when darkness consumes your mind, prefer to withdraw, isolate yourself from others. Now you were overcoming your fears.

And Joel saw how you fought it every time you approached him and told him that this day was not one of your best. You also allowed him to do what he did best, take care of you, without irritation or saying "I'll manage on my own." Because you were no longer alone.

Joel tried too. He had never been familiar with emotions, and now they were overwhelming him from every side. And there was you, he wanted to be able to support you and help you, so he came out of his safe cocoon every time you sat next to him and talked. He also held back not to wrap you in the protective blanket of his concern. And that was really hard.

This time was really fruitful for you. Soon he heard your laughter, quiet and really sincere. He felt your embrace, even when in his sleep you were the one who was snuggling up to his back, kissing him lightly.

You both knew that what you were building this time was really strong, and you both wanted it.

"Damn, that's embarrassing."

Dina looked in the direction Ellie was pointing and giggled. "I think it's really cute."

Ellie frowned and looked at her friend. "Do you think Joel is cute?"

Dina rolled her eyes and shoved a few fries in her mouth. It wasn't until she swallowed that she decided to speak. "They're cute together." She explained, watching you and Joel dance across the room. "Think about it. We all have our own backgrounds, and they're just enjoying each other's company. Maybe they're a little embarrassing..." At that moment, Joel spun you around a few times, when he wanted to he could be a really good dancer. "But that's cute."

Ellie snorted and shook her head. She had a feeling Dina might have been right, and she was actually glad to see you at the Tipsy Bison dance. Things were going really well between you both, and Ellie breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, a really short one, she was afraid that what happened would be the end of you, and she didn't want that. Joel could be grumpy, and you could be a bit bossy sometimes, but she knew that you both cared and truly loved her.

She often thought back to one night, when your eyes were so sad and glassy, you looked at her and said quietly "I really love you, Ellie... You're perfect just the way you are.", and Ellie really felt it.

"Naaah!" she sighed, taking a couple of fries from Dina and stuffing them into her mouth "I still think they're embarrassing."

Dina burst out laughing.

You plopped down on a chair at the bar, wishing you could just grab a cold drink. Joel had disappeared with Tommy for a moment, and you were trying to catch your breath. It was a warm and pleasant evening, and you were really glad that Joel had suggested you come here.

"We're bumping into each other again!" a nice male voice rang out to your left, and someone sat down in the empty chair.

"Oh! Hi, Elliot." You greeted the man, smiling, "I didn't know you'd be here."

"It's a nice evening, why would I be home alone." he replied, "Can I get you a drink? Don't make me beg."

You glanced toward the entrance, but Joel was still talking to Tommy, so you figured you could use Elliot's company. You'd met a few days earlier when he'd shown up in Jackson, and you'd bumped into each other at the store.

"Shane said you two went on patrol together."

"Mhm." you nodded, taking a sip of your cold drink "And you? Would you like to take part in this too?"

"And could I be your partner?" he asked, winking at you and chuckling "Just kidding!" he added, seeing that he had caught you off guard "But I'd gladly take some advice from you, to be honest. You've been in Jackson much longer than I have and people know you, respect you..."

"Thank you." you felt warmth creep up your neck "You'd have to talk to Tommy about it, I'm not the one making decisions."

"Sure! I'll talk to him. Or maybe you'd like to..."

You felt someone wrap their arms around your waist tightly, and then familiar lips brushed your temple. "Sorry it took so long."

"Don't worry. I ordered you a beer." you replied, smiling at Joel "And this is Elliot."

The man greeted Joel, who responded pleasantly, but you clearly felt his hand find yours and your fingers intertwined tightly. You all talked for a while longer, about patrols, about life in Jackson, until Elliot finally said goodbye and disappeared among the people.

"What?" you asked, feeling Joel's gaze on you.

He shrugged. "I don't know. You tell me."

You finished your drink and rested your chin on your hand. Brown eyes stared at you, slightly shining from the beer Joel had drunk. "I won't believe you if you say you're jealous." you said finally.

He shook his head, smiling broadly. "I'm not, darling. I know perfectly well that you're only mine, but..." he sighed deeply "I feel a little sorry for guys who think they have a chance."

You patted him on the shoulder, bursting into laughter. "Really? Where are you so sure of that, Miller?"

He leaned in as if to whisper something in your ear. His voice was low and made your body shiver pleasantly. "I just know it, darling." Warm lips brushed your ear, and then he pecked you on the lips. "Come on! Let's go home. Ellie told me we're embarrassing her. Our mission accomplished.”

As soon as she opened her eyes she could feel that something was wrong. But it wasn't until she got out of bed and took the first few steps that she felt it. Something strange unexpectedly ran down her legs and onto the floor.

"Shane!" Ann moaned loudly, looking at the wet spot beneath her. "Shane! Fuck, come here!"

The bathroom door opened and the man stepped out nonchalantly, still brushing his teeth. "Whaaa?" he asked.

"I think I'm in labor." Ann grabbed her stomach as if that would stop everything and looked at her husband with a mixture of fear and excitement.

"Yeah, right... Fuck!"

He wondered the whole way from the stables to the house how he should tell you about that. Should he even tell you? Sooner or later you'd find out anyway. The door creaked quietly as he entered the house. The sun was streaming into the kitchen where you were preparing breakfast.

Joel looked at you for a moment. He liked moments like this and wanted to record them in his memory for as long as possible. You read on the couch, you sleep in your bed, you laugh with Ellie, you cuddle up to him... Many moments with you were already recorded in his head, good and bad, happy and sad. He wanted to remember everything.

"You're staring again." You glanced at him over your shoulder, smiling.

Joel entered the kitchen and cleared his throat. "Shane took Ann to the clinic today. She went into labor this morning."

You turned around abruptly and looked at him with wide eyes. "And?" you whispered.

"She gave birth two hours ago. Tommy told me." Joel replied. "Shane won't be going on patrol for a while and..."

"Boy or girl?" you interrupted him quickly.

Joel frowned, surprised by the question. "A boy."

"I knew it!" you were excited, you pressed your hands to your lips, and your eyes sparkled like stars. Joel smiled at the sight, and then he hugged you when you suddenly threw your arms around his neck "Oh, I had a feeling it would happen soon! I'm so happy."

Joel stroked your back and smiled to himself. Only when you pulled away did he notice that you suddenly frowned.

"Is everything okay, honey?" he asked with concern. He noticed how you bit your lip, clearly worried about something.

Finally, you folded your arms over your chest. "I didn't have time to prepare anything for the baby..." you sighed "I wanted to give them something, but so much has been going on lately and.."

"No problem. I can go with you to that old mall. They should have a kids store there, maybe you can find something."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to have to change your plans especially for me."

He walked over to you, placing his hands on your hips and pulling you closer to him. “And who would I change my plans for if not for you, huh? Besides, you lost your partner on patrol for a while. Let me join you.”

You chuckled. "Oh, I don't know what my boyfriend will think about this. He can be a little jealous."

"So we won't tell him anything." Before you knew it, he kissed your neck. "It'll be our secret and..."

"Ugh! Disgusting! Do you really have to do this here? Before breakfast?" Ellie groaned as she entered the kitchen and sat down at the table.

Joel rolled his eyes and looked at the girl. "We were alone before you came."

"And you're not anymore, so please keep your hands to yourself."

The mall had been abandoned for many years. Many things had been taken and used, both by the residents of Jackson and by other people trying to survive. Your footsteps echoed quietly as you and Joel headed towards the baby store. You passed under the half-lowered blinds and entered.

"Don't spend all your money, honey." Joel mumbled, looking around the interior, which still had a lot of assortment. He walked between the dusty shelves, still keeping an eye on you as you looked through the drawers.

You soon found some necessary things - a few pacifiers, a baby blanket, a few clothes. You put all of that in your bag. It was only then that you noticed something that caught your eye. The smallest onesies you had ever seen in your life. You hesitantly touched the material decorated with colorful dots.

"You okay?"

Joel stood right behind you, looking at you with a mixture of worry and confusion, he didn't know what to expect.

"Did you know that babies could be so small?" you asked, taking the onesies in your hands and looking at them closer.

He was silent for a moment, but finally spoke. "When Sarah was born, she practically fit in the palm of my hand. I'm sure Ellie was the same."

"I'm sorry... I didn't think that you... I'm sorry, Joel."

"You don't have to. I almost forgot about it." he replied, kissing your head. "Did you find everything?"

You looked around the inside and stuffed the onesies into your already full bag. "Yeah, I guess so. I think Ann prepared well enough anyway. I wouldn't want to come to her empty-handed though."

"She'll definitely be happy when you come anyway. Let's go back, honey."

He was a little scared about all of this, but he hoped you were in a different place now. You had only met up with Ann a few weeks after what had happened, and she had been really stressed out then. You were her friend, and she was afraid of hurting you or bringing up painful memories. Joel was sure she and Shane had talked about the both of you, but he didn't hold it against them. They were both your friends, and they cared about you.

It was surprising though that your loss had reached so many people around you.

Joel felt your hand in his and glanced at you as you fell into step with him.

"Thank you for bringing me here." You said, the corners of your lips turning up. "I've missed doing this with you."

"Me too, baby. Me too."

He leaned down and pecked your soft lips. You were on the right track.

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

taglist, i think: @picketniffler @orcasoul @bbyanarchist @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @somedayheaven @underneath-the-sky-again @callmebyyournick-name

[beforetimes]

hey mf what about healing in ur reversal au. huh. what about love. what about peace. also would this be romantic … would the role reversal also apply to their romantic feelings where its shen “so deep in denial” yuan who realizes he has a crush first … thats funny. but the most important part is the healing actually Can You Fix Them Now …

lllmmmfffaaaaooooo... i got you don't worry.....

yes! it would be romantic. but i think shen yuan's obliviousness is something that carries over throughout many universes and that rule would hold true here. instead of working with the 'luo binghe is going to kill me to get revenge' mindset, it's tweaked to be 'luo binghe is going to kill me to level up and become the greatest cultivator there was.'

i think luo binghe would probably figure out he's in love with shen yuan sometime after sacrificing himself for him in jinlan city. and he would resolve to try and convince shen yuan of this fact while shen yuan would just be? so entirely confused and conflicted. constantly swinging between 'luo binghe shouldn't be acting like this' and 'the plot dictates that i'll die by his hand, this must be a trap and i refuse to get caught in it.'

oh what would be fun! would be like. since i'm not including tianlang-jun's capture as canon in this. that storyline would shift over to these two! where cang qiong and huan hua's collection of cultivators tries to convince luo binghe to lure shen yuan someplace so they can trap him — because following luo binghe's 'death' in jinlan city, shen yuan went a bit. nuts.

luo binghe disagrees, obviously, but something happens that leads to shen yuan believing that he's been betrayed, anyway. sort of like the face off at the very end of the third novel, shen yuan and luo binghe tear away from the rest of the crowd and convinces him of what luo binghe's been trying to tell him for ages now—that he loves him and he'll never send him away again, he doesn't want shen yuan to leave, he never has, he keeps misspeaking and he needs shen yuan to know, without any confusion between them, that he'll stay with him forever. and he loves him.

whether or not they'll have sex is up in the air; i think here it wouldn't be necessary. shen yuan's relief at not dying and that his shizun still loves him despite his demonic nature would be enough for him.

and the healing; a lot of it i think would come down to communication. the bulk of misunderstandings between them were mostly due to luo binghe's words; "you can't leave," "you were supposed to be dead," etc. and shen yuan sees these and reads into them far too much—i think once the dust settled and the two departed from cang qiong mountain to live their own lives, shen yuan would always talk to luo binghe, at first hesitant as if he's scared to get scolded or told to be silent before picking up steam and getting less and less stilted as time passes. he would tell stories about his 'travels' (strange things he came upon while searching for luo binghe following his death in jinlan) and tell luo binghe about the demonic monsters he's grown so fond of.

and luo binghe would in turn! offer that same openness with shen yuan, instead of holding his cards close to his chest the way he did when he was depressed and unwilling to live, let alone speak. testing boundaries when it came to touch, pda, just about everything, would be done step by step, carefully on both ends; shen yuan scared that he'll hurt his shizun because of his demonic nature and luo binghe still harbouring guilt from pushing shen yuan into the abyss.

a lot of late night convos would be in the cards for them as well, i feel. moon shining over their bodies while they lay curled up, face to face in bed, fingers tangled together while shen yuan haltingly tells luo binghe about the abyss. and in turn, an almost clinical reiteration of qing jing peak's general upkeep following shen yuan's supposed death from luo binghe. getting it in the open doesn't make it better, necessarily, but they're both privy to slight habits to avoid, details not to mention, and smells and sounds to avoid as to not upset the other.

i think they wouldn't live in the bamboo home nor in the demon realm. a small home somewhere else, nestled in a quiet meadow within the heart of a forest where shen yuan could encounter the local wildlife and where luo binghe could retreat when his peak became too suffocating. books dotting just about every piece of furniture because shen yuan had a bad habit of starting a book and picking up a new one without finishing the former. luo binghe has the kitchen stocked to the brim and every few weeks invites shen yuan with him to search through the local flora for spices and vegetables, tending to a slowly-expanding garden next to their home. there's a stream nearby that leads to a deep and lonely pool that shen yuan and luo binghe sleep next to, sometimes, stars from the night sky reflected in the water so it feels like touching clouds and pinpricks of lights when shen yuan's hand skims over the surface.

i think shen yuan would have issues with doing his hair; he wasn't good at it as a disciple and got into the habit of letting shizun fix it up for him before he was sent into the abyss. and didn't have time to fix it between fighting for his life and being constantly drenched in blood. so upkeep with his hair always ignites a deep sense of dread in him. he tries and vaguely succeeds after coming back from the abyss, but it's always a fight to wrangle it that leaves his scalp stinging. luo binghe would make up for so much lost time by carefully and slowly gathering his hair, pulling it up and pinning it in place with a hairpiece, all with gentle hands every morning. and shen yuan would let himself get pampered before returning the favour, deft fingers combing through luo binghe's curls. i think! this is the first truly intimate thing between the two of them that they'd let become a habit.

their home would still be connected to the bamboo house; an array, maybe? so luo binghe could be there and back without too much travel. but as far as qing jing peak was aware, there was only the bamboo house and nothing else. shen yuan and luo binghe are very happy to let this assumption become an imagined universal truth.

edit: well i said sex wouldn't be a necessity but i thought up a version of that particular maigu ridge scene in this universe that could work and! now i am. definitely writing it in. trust

masterpost

[slutsareteacherstoo]

Oh this was so wonderful. This epilogue was well deserved. Like…

This poem kept coming up as I read this and thought it fitting to put here cuz yeah (theyre the same thing)

I love a fated / second chance romance. This whole thing from beginning to end was magic. Pure magic, in its rawness and realness. You put words to things, gave me language I didn’t know I needed. And it reminded me the importance of staying true to my path. And also sparked hope and joy. Like im on my path discovering and solidifying my wants and needs, being firm in my values and goals. Love will find itself on the way eventually

Lessons were learned fr and I enjoyed learning and reading. I hope you enjoyed it too. Thank you for sharing your writing with us frfr🥹 imma go back to my OTP, but Kelvin + Asia are a top 2nd.

Imma really savor this as I go to sleep finally but really your words are a balm and touched things in me I’d long forgotten about and needed to wake up to. And these characters you’ve created, esp Asia and the premise of the story cuz people don’t be thinking about that fr and the being seen is validating.

Okay. Lemme lay me head down💜🤣

Epilogue

Summary: When Asia's in need of a few lessons regarding matters of the bedroom, her colleague and friend, Kelvin, offers his expertise.

Pairing: Kelvin Harrison Jr. x Black!OC

Warnings: None

Word Count: 274

PREVIOUS

MASTERLIST

“Is this too short?” 

“No, baby. You look perfect.” 

“No, but is it too short? Like, is the dress too far above my knees?” 

“You’re a grown woman, not a nun. Plus, you’re sitting down. The dress is gonna rise.”

“Kelvin, answer the damn question!” 

Whisper yelling in a quiet Mediterranean restaurant had a way of drawing too much attention at the wrong time. 

Kelvin nodded with a tight smile at a nosy couple one table over before placing his hand over Asia’s as she tugged at her ensemble for the night. “Baby, look at me,” he cooed to get her attention. She looked up at him with round doe eyes covered in a light sheen of incoming frustrated tears. “They’re just people, love. If they’re looking at your thighs beneath the table, I’m going to have bigger questions that have nothing to do with you, okay? Breathe.” 

“Okay. Alright,” Asia answered between calming deep breaths. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss onto his puckered lips. “Thank you. I’ll calm down.”

Kelvin kissed her again. “I’m right here the whole time.” 

As quickly as nerves had relinquished their iron grip on Asia’s lungs, movement ahead of them returned fear tenfold. Two smiling brown faces looking like separate parts of Kelvin followed a petite hostess to their table. As they approached, shaky legs and a racing heart propelled Asia out of her seat. This was her idea. So, why was she so nervous?

Their arrival left little time to think. 

Extending her hand in their direction, Asia put on her best smile and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, it’s so nice to finally meet you.”

TAGS: @planetblaque @wvsspoppin @thatone-girly @avoidthings @slutsareteacherstoo @eilujion @amyhennessyhouse @yaachtynoboat711 @jenlovey @pinkpantheris @blowmymbackout @onherereading @becauseimswagman1 @thiccc-c @hrlzy @urfavblackbimbo @blackburnbook @ashanti-notthesinger @xo-goldengirl @ariiijestertheklown @blyffe @tvchi @wabi-sabi1090 @flydotty @aldrigmer444 @ash-ketchumzzz @nayaesworld @ms-mosley-ifunastyyy @writingsbytee @teddybeerz @trippyscotch @theogbadbitch @thevelvetwhispers @wowitsafemale @kindofaintrovert @sexysativa605 @jvzmine19 @turn-thy-paige @lapateeserie @simplyzeeka @supremechae @palmstreesallday @blackmoonchilee @ovohanna24 @prettypynklemonade @gwenda-fav @itsash-okay @sparklytemi @blackchickinthedesert @miyuhpapayuh

[enhaflixer]

....wait, the important question is, in ssu story, what do the reader's parents think about jay?? And his family?? How are the dynamics years later??

The First In-Person Meeting

Your mother welcomed Jay into the house with a polite nod and a curious smile—sweet but unmistakably firm, the kind of warmth you earn, not assume. She asked if he wanted tea and made it how she always did, no frills, no fuss. Then she disappeared into the kitchen, letting the room fall still.

Your father didn’t get up from his armchair. He didn’t reach out to shake Jay’s hand. He just looked at him. Sat back. One leg crossed over the other. A man at ease in his home, but not with the stranger sitting across from him.

Jay bowed slightly. “Thank you for having me.”

Your father hummed. Noncommittal.

“Still haven’t figured out if I did invite you.”

You tried not to choke on your tea. Jay’s spine went rigid for half a second. But then—

“I understand,” he said quietly. “You don’t know me, and I didn’t give you the chance to prepare for this. I don’t take your daughter’s trust lightly. I know I’ve walked into a family that earned its peace the hard way.”

Your father studied him. Eyes narrowed slightly.

“And what have you earned?”

Jay didn’t flinch. “My place at the table. And the responsibility that comes with staying there.”

There was a long pause. No one moved. In the kitchen, you could hear your mom shifting dishes—but not stepping in. She was listening, too.

Finally, your dad grunted. “You take care of your own shoes?”

Jay blinked. “Excuse me, sir?”

“Do you polish them yourself?” He nodded toward Jay’s loafers. “Or do you make someone else do it?”

Jay looked down, then back up, completely serious. “I learned to take care of them at the end of every day. Wipe the city off before stepping into my home.”

Your father looked at you. Looked at him again. Then reached for the remote and turned off the TV.

Which, in your house, was the highest sign of approval.

Later, your mother passed you a plate of fruit and said under her breath, “He came prepared. But he’s not pretending. That’s something.”

One Year Later

Jay still calls your father sir. Not out of habit. Out of earned respect.

But your father calls him “son” now. Quietly. Only when it counts. Like when he teaches Jay how to check the smoke alarm, or when they fix the back gate together in companionable silence.

Your mother never says she likes him. But she knits him socks every winter, tells you which teas help his migraines, and reminds him to eat more than one meal a day.

Jay stops standing so stiffly when he visits. He wears sweats, sometimes even mismatched socks.

But every time your father enters the room? He still stands.

Not out of fear.

Out of deep, practiced, earned love.

[acourtofthought]

Sorry but saying Nesta had been ignoring Elain is a wild take because as far as the story goes, both Elain and Nesta just drifted apart since they coped differently. second there’s this take from the E/riel side that absolutely loathes the idea of Nyx calling Emerie and Gwyn "aunt" which ykw?fair, even though that whole "aunt Emerie and aunt Gwyn" thing is probably just a silly post from 2-3 people or because they might end up with IC members. And this feels like that.

I don’t think we’ll get much of Gwyn and Nyx interacting in a meaningful way in a Gwynriel book, but if we do it should be fine. If gwynriel is canon Gwyn will be his aunt too right? And I dont even like Gwyn but why are we even gatekeeping a fictional baby’s interactions in this fandom? For all we know Elain has changed Nyx’s diapers daily and has already bonded with him in her garden.I keep seeing you everywhere defending Elain just because people don’t see her the way you want them to even when it’s not even an anti post. Can Elain stans everywhere chill? You all really need to take a deep breath sometimes. don’t worry I’ll block you after this shouldve done it earlier.

Canon disagrees with you.

“She said she didn’t want to come to anything. Ever.”

“She just said … She said that we have our lives, and she has hers.”

Feyre’s eyes gleamed. “You think I don’t know why you’ve pushed even Elain away?”

The last time she’d seen Elain—a week before she’d come to the House. She’d passed her sister in the bustling market square they called the Palace of Bone and Salt, and though Elain had halted, no doubt intending to speak to her, Nesta had kept walking. Hadn’t looked back before vanishing into the throng.

Also, I'm allowed to have an opinion of my own without being told I need to chill or being accused of e/riel behavior. There are many e/riels who claim Gwyn can't have a book because she's just a side character which Gwynriels hate but then many Gwynriels will claim Elain isn't developed enough to be a main character. And now as an Elucien I'm saying I think Elain's story happening before Gwyn's makes the most sense to me while acknowledging Sarah might think differently yet that's a problem? It sounds like you can't handle a difference in opinion and only permit e/riel behavior so long as it happens within your preferred ship.

I'm not gatekeeping a baby, I'm simply pointing out that it would make more sense to me to get the next book from Elain's pov because of her relationship to Feyre and her nephew. It would make more sense for me to see the sisters overcome their issues before there's a new person introduced into the IC and the focus is on that newly formed relationship instead of Elain because Gwyn will become important to Az's friends and family if she's going to be his mate. Feyre focusing on Nesta then just ignoring Elain for another book after she acknowledged she was still struggling would seem out of character for her.

I know so many respectful Gwynriels so this is not pointing fingers at any of them but there are a few takes in the fandom that have been extremely disrespectful to Elucien's. "Gwyn is way more developed than Elain.""Gwyn is way more interesting than Elain will ever be.""Gwyn is ready for a book but Elain isn't". Because there are some Gwynriels who are also Elucien's but hate Elain and it's not hard to tell and if you like Gwynriel but love Elucien, it's difficult to avoid seeing those posts. But the second an Elucien makes a post that suggests maybe Elain's story makes a little more sense (to them) before Gwyn's, the pitchforks come out and we're accused of babying Elain 😂. We are allowed to love the characters in our ship and see the setup for the possibility of them being next just like many Gwynriels and e/riels do every day. We are allowed to have ideas on why they're next, just like others.

It's a double standard as Elucien's who love Elain often have to sit and watch Elain slander or those who downplay Elain's character and growth from some even though Elain went from where she was in the cabin to kicking the hounds and saving Briar, stabbing the king, going out on her own in Velaris, offering to help with the Trove when Nesta didn't want to, saying she'd try to figure out her own powers, and heading to the Hewn City (a place that bothers her) to show her willingness to be part of things.

But god forbid I say I'd like to see Elain's pov and her feelings on her sister / nephew after the events of SF before Gwyn's and that makes me deserving of an anon. God forbid I write a post on why Elain having the next pov makes sense to me though that's all Elucien's have seen from many other ships over the past few years (that someone else should / will have a book first), while some also use the Elucien tag for it. Literally the post will be "Az is getting the next book" and Elucien is used in the tags. Elucien's are allowed to have their reasons for hoping Elucien is next, same as everyone else but we don't go out of our way to tag Gwynriel while doing it because we respect that our Gwynriel friends do not agree therefore we keep their tag clean.

It's weird that you're accusing me of defending Elain against those who don't see her the way I do while you're in my anons hiding all because someone had a different take on Nesta and Gwyn than you do. While I only used Elain and Lucien tags.

And you're not an airplane, you don't need to announce your departure. The block button does not require spoken words.

[eunandonly]

BOYNEXTDOOR AS KILLERS

in the end, no matter how you run or hide, you're already theirs

( 対 ) boynextdoor + gn. reader 1087WC · thriller? tbh idk what this is contains! language, death, homicide, substances / archive

은 : this idea came into my head during calculus and i cringed the whole time i was writing this thing. have fun reading some cringy ass shit that's hopefully entertaining!! hope you guys still enjoy ~ also, a quick disclaimer that my writing does not reflect the real personality of the idols!!

myung jaehyun 

you’d like myung jaehyun. everyone does. he walks into a room and fits in seamlessly, his presence neither too bold nor too forgettable. people gravitate towards him, drawn to his warm voice, the way he listens just enough to make you feel important. he’s friendly–a little too friendly. he’s the kind of person you’d trust without realising why, and that’s exactly what he wants.

his work is quiet, meticulous. he infiltrates, observes, gathers information piece by piece during seemingly innocent conversations until you’ve handed him everything he needs without ever suspecting a thing. by the time you feel like something’s off, by the time you feel the shift–when his eyes turn cold, when his presence settles in a way that makes your stomach sink–it’s already over.

his kills aren’t messy. there’s no need for amateur dramatics. a swift movement, a blade between the ribs, a whispered apology that means nothing no matter how much you try to pretend it is. 

if it makes you feel better, myung jaehyun doesn’t enjoy killing you.

it’s just that that’s his role, and he’s really damn good at it.

“it’s not personal. but if it makes you feel better, you can pretend it is.”

park sungho

park sungho doesn’t get close. why would he when he doesn’t need to? his work is done from rooftops, from miles away, from places where no one even thinks to look.

clearly, you didn't think to look either.

everything in his world is measured in distances, in calculations, the exact weight of the trigger against his finger. wind speed, bullet drop, breathing patterns–he keeps all those factors in mind without hesitation. killing isn’t personal to him. it’s not some cliche act of vengeance or cruelty or whatever shit you've seen in movies. it’s just science, and he’s perfected it.

you would never never see it coming. one moment, you’re alive and breathing, caught up in whatever meaningless thing you’re doing. the next? your world turns black. no struggle, no warning. just the soft whisper of a bullet finding its mark. and sungho never misses

people talk about luck. they call his skill unnatural, but there’s nothing unnatural about inevitability. a bullet for you will always find its way.

“if you heard the shot, it wasn’t meant for you.”

lee sanghyuk

you don't eve realise he's there. but he's watching. always watching.

lee riwoo doesn’t need a weapon. doesn’t need to be in the same room. doesn’t even need to exist.

his world isn’t flesh and blood–he doesn’t like getting his hands dirty like that, no. it’s code, data, systems meant to be impenetrable until he decides otherwise. cctv footage glitches at just the right moment. bank accounts drain in seconds. entire case files vanish from police databases, as if they were never there to begin with.

he exists everywhere and nowhere at the same time. a name whispered in law enforcement circles with no face attached, no records, no proof. they search for him, try to pin him down, but how do you catch something that isn’t real?

he sees more than he speaks. listens more than he moves. he knows everything about you before you even realise he’s watching. passwords, addresses, the embarrassing text you deleted five years ago. he keeps it all tucked away, waiting. and if you become a problem? he erases you from existence, just like he does with those cctv footages and case files.

“funny. you really thought you were off the grid?”

han dongmin

you hear the stories. the ones about a killer too smart to be caught.

you tell yourself it’s just a rumor. that he’s not real. that people like him don’t exist.

but then you meet han taesan. and suddenly, you’re not so sure.

he watches you, studies you, make a game out of it. his kills aren't random–he doesn't just blindly pick a random person on the street as his next victim–and they're never sloppy. han taesan doesn't kill because he has to. he kills because he enjoys it. because it's fun. and he's really fucking good at it.

his murders are carefully orchestrated, a masterpiece. he leaves just enough clues to make you think you're close, just enough hope to make you believe you'll figure it out, only to rip it away at the last second. he's loves watching you scramble, loves knowing you'll never catch him.

han taesan always wins at the game.

“they always think they’re smarter than me. it’s kind of cute, actually.”

kim donghyun 

you don’t even feel it at first. that’s the beauty of it.

it’s not a gunshot, not a stab wound, not something dramatic. no, kim leehan doesn’t do theatrics. his kills are quiet, elegant. a tasteless drop in a glass of wine, a slow-acting toxin hidden in perfume, a lethal dose disguised as medicine. by the time you realize what’s happening, it’s already inside you.

he specialises in making deaths look natural. a heart attack, an allergic reaction, an unfortunate accident. even the most skilled doctors find nothing suspicious.

kim leehan enjoys watching. he watches as you sip your poisoned tea whilst you laugh, unaware that it’ll be your last. he watches as panic sets in, as your body betray you. and then, when you finally realise what’s happening, he simply smiles before giving you a little finger gun at your last gasp of breath.

“i wonder how long it’ll take before you figure it out.”

kim woonhak

you think you’re strong. that you won’t break.

you’re wrong.

kim woonhak enjoys the process. he’s patient. he takes his time. it’s not just about the pain–it’s about control. the way people break at different speeds, how fear changes the way they breathe, how the ones that claim to be the strong and tough are always the ones who beg the loudest in the end.

those type of people pisses woonhak off.

he doesn’t ask questions right away. that’s too easy. instead, he talks. he jokes. he makes you feel like maybe, just maybe, you’ll make it out of this. he leans in close, tilts his head, smiles like he’s curious about you. and for a second, you think he’s not so bad.

but then the real work begins.

he knows exactly how much to wait before pushing just a little further. it’s not about the information. it’s about watching the moment you break, knowing he's the one who did it.

"you’re shaking. are you scared? or are you finally realising how much fun i’m having?"

[naruhinalife555]

No you are wrong Sasunaru even not a ship ok you said me that like that should be real love?

When your partner want to kill you ?? Omg shut up someone here not read the manga all that you are saying is nosnes because Naruto even not was important to Sasuke

Bullshit you ignore from the fact that Hinata was much important to naruto and you can't prov in other way Hinata really love him like his mother

You ignoring from the fact that Naruto and Sasuke not more than rival Kishimoto showed much clear

This was was from that they are was kids in academy but you ignored from that

Naruto show hoe much he is thinking about Hinata the fact that you don't love NaruHina more prov this Naruto don't faill love with Sasuke here you can see that Naruto said that he alyawas was alone like Sasuke

Sasuke never feeling for Naruto romantic feelings to become he is hate him you even don't read the manga

Like Naruto Kishimoto prove it mich clear that he is not want Sasunaru he present Sasuke like his rival that was in dark not more than that

Well to Sasuke not was care about Naruto even that he try to back him to village I can't see the love here sorry

Look on the hate that he have on his eyes clearly that Sasuke want fight in Naruto like rival

And that's how friendships begin, right? others introduce you "push" you to meet other people. NaruHina is perfect narusasu can going to fucking hell Kishi himself said sasuke tried to kill naruto and still people is idiotic thing it's written in the databases about their relationship and how bad sasuke is for naruto it just shows how shitty team 7 is from start to finish😪

People, I'm already fed up with the haters, I would like to say that they don't give me the same for being hot people, but the truth is that they already have me quite anxious xdd.

Out of boredom, I ended up browsing the comments of Héctor Uchiha's naruhina video, because I wanted to see if he was receiving support and if they were leaving the haters in their place, and I was surprised to see that almost all the comments are mockery or people justifying why the naruhina It is forced and themes like that, comparing the sasusaku and the shikatema with the naruhina, saying that they have more moments and that Naruto does not show love for his family currently;; and typical hater naruhina things.

Well, nothing, I wanted to tell you, the truth is that lately I have encountered so many haters that sometimes they even make me feel a little sad😔 KXNDJ literally this group has been the best thing that has happened to me when I finished watching Naruto, the entire fandom It's so toxic and the atmosphere here is really nice, I love them a lot😔ckdn

When Kishimoto was questioned about his romantic experiences and whether he had anything to do with the film The Last – Naruto the Movie -, focused on the romance of Hinata and Naruto, the author confirmed that a part of his experiences are part of the story. . He explained that his wife knitted him a scarf, which led to his idea of the scarf Hinata makes for Naruto. When he mentioned the idea to the film's crew, they laughed, saying that knitting a scarf for your lover was too cliché, to which Kishimoto responded, "Um, sorry, actually, my wife knitted me a scarf... ." The employees remained silent. ❤☀️I know it's a slightly off-key question XD but after Naruto and Hinata's marriage, how would poor Hinata be at the moment of intimacy for the first time with Narutin? XD a and vice versa because I suppose that for both of them it was their first time

And you send a toxic ship that even not existed narusasu he is bullshit it is not was a real love

There is a mistake here You remember the chapter 691 when Naruto confession that he is not know much on love?? pierrot literally tried to chang it. So to all NaruHina haters that said Kishimoto he is change something or not wanted the Naruto the last movie he is wrong. Kishimoto he is not change noting and not wanted that Naruto will fail in love until 18 age. it just prove how he was involved in all what related to NaruHina

And I know what you'll say now Naruto prefers other people over Hinata but that's really not true the manga shows it clearly.I don't understand how you can hate Naruhina when Naruto treats Hinata so sweetly

but is more love rigth?

So I understand you prefer a ship that only wants to murder each other? Is it really better than Naruhina?

NaruHina is perfect narusasu can going to fucking hell Kishi himself said sasuke tried to kill naruto and still people is idiotic thing it's written in the databases about their relationship and how bad sasuke is for naruto it just shows how shitty team 7 is from start to finish😪

Man, go write a manga before you even give such a stupid review

Really sweet having someone try and rip your heart out when all your trying to do is help them. Who caring feelings for him by dropping me from a few thousand feet and head first into solid bedrock.

Spending years chasing after them only for them to try and plunge a sword into my back and then the next time I see them they say they are going to kill me. 

He would then try and carry out his death threat and we make vows under a great big waterfall by blowing an arm off each and even after everything we’ve been through he will still leave.

Yeah that is what real love, it’s not true in less you want to kill you partner for it. It's starting to get on my nerves all your nonsense Sasuke didn't even want Naruto as a friend because he was in the dark .By the way they both thought about killing each other is this called a healthy relationship?

Are naruto and sasuke so compatible why did naruto cry he was always alone? And he doesn't understand love at all, the proofs are shown in the manga, you don't have to invent it

what? This has nothing to do with homophobia, the author of the series wanted to do something specific and it is completely his right, after all it is a manga for youth At the same time though gay ships tend to be ridiculous and over the top, like you can't have any friendship or brotherhood without people shipping and forcing it and throwing it in other people's faces. It's just ridiculous like even if they ship it they shouldn't act like it should have been when their friendship/sisterhood was never meant to be taken romantically. It really makes it hard to enjoy any same-sex friendships and camaraderie because people will keep pushing it to be canon and start a fuss over it.

With Hinata Naruto felt happier I don't understand what your problems are??He took care of her and was always there for her their relationship was always positive why do they always have to be toxic couples if naruto and sasuke were gay kishimoto wouldn't think of letting them beat each other up have you thought about that?

put naruto single??? And what does it matter anyway he was always alone ugh the people in this fandom are so cruel haven't you seen Naruto? He never wanted to be alone

Really sweet having someone try and rip your heart out when all your trying to do is help them. Who caring feelings for him by dropping me from a few thousand feet and head first into solid bedrock.

Spending years chasing after them only for them to try and plunge a sword into my back and then the next time I see them they say they are going to kill me. 

He would then try and carry out his death threat and we make vows under a great big waterfall by blowing an arm off each and even after everything we’ve been through he will still leave.

Yeah that is what real love, it’s not true in less you want to kill you partner for it.

Naruto not sleep alone bitch and he is love jis wife please shut up

naruto uzumaki doesn’t really understand love? a few times we are shown otherwise

another attempt of rewriting my own post that is lost forever under a read more. so let’s see if naruto uzumaki is really the type of character who doesn’t understand love, as a few people claim he is. i will not put this under a read more and risk to losing it, so it will be a long post.

1. land of waves

land of waves arc delivers such a good and clear storytelling, not only for the arc itself, but it sets the tone for the rest of the manga, many important messages have its roots in land of waves and it’s unfortunate that the manga didn’t keep this arc’s level of quality, but anyway.

the reason why land of waves is so impactful it’s because it not only questions what it is to be a ninja, but how and why you do it, and most importantly, is it possible to do it without losing yourself, your values, your heart?

in this arc’s storytelling, through mostly haku’s speech, but also naruto’s thoughts, the manga tells us that you are able to become a strong ninja when you have precious people, people you care about and want to protect.

naruto is not only able to understand what haku tells him, but also he can apply that to other people and, more importantly, to himself. land of waves establishes that iruka is a precious person to naruto and naruto is able to see that.

and what is interesting is that haku doesn’t necessarily uses the word love, but the way he describes how you feel towards a “precious person”, it doesn’t take a genius to understand it either.

and then again we have naruto being able to connect such a special feeling with iruka. that should be enough to show that he understands the feeling, but naruto goes beyond that.

this translation isn’t quite accurate, because the word naruto uses in the first panel isn’t mere “care about”, it denotes feelings of affection. when haku dies, naruto calls zabuza out for seeming heartless towards it and he describes the same feelings haku has described to him, he is able to see devotion, he is able to see self sacrifice, he is able to see and tell that haku loved zabuza. and his speech is enough to make zabuza cry.

so what we can take out of land of waves, at mere first glance, is that naruto is able to see love, not only when it comes to other people, but to his own reality, and he is even able to touch people with his understanding. on a deeper look, considering the entirety of the manga as well, naruto is able to link devotion, self sacrifice, desire to protect and become stronger for someone to love, but i will mention this later again.

2. sakura’s fake confession

in sakura’s fake confession, naruto looks stunned for only a brief moment, but he doesn’t buy it and right away starts questioning her. he understands that for someone who “loved” sasuke for so long, it doesn’t make any sense that she suddenly just started to like him. sakura’s confession mostly annoys naruto and he can quickly tell that she’s lying.

as if that’s not enough, in this confession sakura basically inflames all of naruto’s insecurities, by saying she likes him because she was able to see how he has grown to be a hero. in her speech, she puts herself in the same position as the other konoha citizens (“right now everyone loves you, i am simply one of them”). but in the following arc, this is shown to be badly received by naruto through the manifestation of his dark self. naruto resents this type of demonstration because he knows it isn’t genuine. in land of waves, naruto refuses to become a tool, and later we see that he kept this idea within him. it’s not meaningful to be loved only after he’s proved to be “useful” to the village.

and besides all that, when sakura brings that sasuke is a criminal, when everybody brings sasuke’s hatred on the table, naruto talks about the deep love sasuke felt for his family and why it’s so hard to forgive those who took that away from him.

what he can take out of sakura’s confession is that naruto is not only able to understand what love is, but he surely knows what love isn’t, and in this case, it’s specifically romantic love. later with dark naruto, we are also able to see that naruto is aware that the love people feel for him for being a hero isn’t genuine, and it sickens him.

3. when he meets his mother

another thing people say to discredit naruto’s emotional intelligence is that he can’t understand love because he grew up with none. that couldn’t be any further from the truth. naruto’s meeting with his mother is pretty self explanatory.

kushina just tells naruto right away that she loves him, and this is his cute reaction.

not only that, but he feels calm and happy. naruto grew up desperate for bonds, yet with dark naruto, we see that he distrusts people who don’t love him genuinely, that clearly isn’t the case with his mother. even though he grew up without her love, he is able to recognise it as soon as she tells him, and it makes him calm and happy, as if that desperation is immediately filled.

i guess it is pretty self explanatory, he had doubts but he knows now, he can tell he has always been loved, and again we see naruto taking the notion that love is self sacrificial.

4. sasuke

like i said before, land of waves is the origin of many important messages of the manga. what haku says about “precious people” also applies to sasuke. in many instances, naruto makes sure to put sasuke and iruka in this same special group of people that were able to change his heart… because they showed love for him first. when i say land of waves sets the tone of the manga, it’s because the same way naruto calls zabuza out for seeming heartless, he refuses to act the same towards sasuke. so much of what he sees in haku is applied to how he feels towards sasuke, the devotion, the desire to protect and become stronger for that person, the self sacrifice (that is also learned from iruka and his parents), and naruto understood that that was love, it is established in land of waves that naruto understands those notions and that they are linked to love. it is established that naruto understands sasuke feels the same. even though naruto doesn’t immediately understands it, even though he says he can’t exactly put it into words, how he feels about sasuke, he is able to describe it. not being able to put a name to it isn’t the same as not understanding, and the narrative and storytelling has shown us what it is.

does he have to repeat himself? do you still not understand it? it’s almost like he is speaking to the audience.

and these are just a few instances, there are many more showing naruto isn’t emotionally inept, he is actually complex and displays a lot of emotional intelligence. it’s disrespectful to his character to say he doesn’t understand or doesn’t know what love is, that’s not what the writing shows us. if you need to believe a movie that contradicts what was written in the manga because the manga didn’t give you the love story you wanted, if you need to butcher naruto’s character like that in order to defend a ship, maybe the problem isn’t with naruto and his understanding of love, but with the ship that can’t rely on his very evident understanding. let’s not simplify a beloved character like naruto that way.

[twistedteatime]

Coffee

Pairing: Bucky x Fem!Scorpio!Reader

A/N: A continuation of the birthday fluff story. Not as long, but it's reached a good spot for me to end it so I'm going to consider it finished.

Summary: Bucky promised he wouldn't forget to come "rescue" you from your admirer at work. He didn't. He even remembered your requests and you explain another modern concept to him he takes offense at.

Warnings: LANGUAGE. Gruesome and violent descriptions of how to best get rid of a body. Dark humor. Implied fat shaming. Implied violence. Sexual references. Flirting. Can't think of much else. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Word Count: 2.3k

Master List: Scorpio AU

Previous Story: Signs

===================

Bucky could hear your voice already. He hadn’t made it all the way to the archives just yet, but he could already hear you talking to someone. He couldn’t make out words, even with his hearing, but he could hear the rise, fall, and staccato of your voice.

You were irritated.

He heard your voice again, slower, and lower.

Correction: You were very irritated.

Bucky walked a bit faster while carrying the two cups of coffee and the little bag carrying the scones you liked. He knew you had handled everything thrown at you so far. Yet ever since you told him how often you had to punch people while working in the archives, he couldn’t help but worry.

What if one day a far more determined someone walked in with the intent of stealing something? What if it was someone dangerous? What if you got hurt?

No one else seemed too worried about this. They insisted you were fine. Even Steve.

“She’s fine, Buck. She knows how to handle herself.”

Natasha agreed with him, “Yeah…night we met she floored some 300-pound guy. She’s got good reflexes, too.”

They didn’t elaborate past that. Loki had only laughed and proceeded to tease him about being smitten with you. Bucky didn’t deny it. He was too confused to deny it.

“Anyone that decides to cross her deserves what they get.” The god had stated before leaving, mischievous smile on his face as he did.

“Reggie. I am not part of your research topic. Go. Away.” Your voice said as Bucky grew closer, close enough he could hear you sigh in frustration, and to hear the response.

“You’re like Google, though. Everything I’m searching for.”

“Lord, I beg of you…send help.” You whined, exasperated, and Bucky slowed down slightly so it didn’t look like he was running as he rounded the corner, pretending to not have heard anything, and smiled at you.

You had never been happier to see a super soldier walking towards you in your entire life. It wasn’t even that he looked amazing with his dark leather jacket, sunglasses on his head, and that sunshine smile of his. It wasn’t even the coffee or the little bag he had with him. It was just that he showed up like he promised.

“Hey, doll.” He greeted, ignoring Reggie as the lanky blonde scowled, especially as you smiled.

“Hey, Bucky. Coffee?” you asked and Bucky nodded with a crooked smirk as he set the tray down.

“Of course I brought my best girl her coffee. Can’t have you goin’ feral down here.” He said and set the bag down on your desk as well, “I even brought you one of those scones you like.”

“You are a prince among men, Bucky.” You said with a smile and accepted the coffee from him while Reggie scowled more, “What?”

“Barnes doesn’t have anything more important to do than bringing you caffeine and carbs?” he asked, his eyes flicking down to how you cross your legs while sitting back with the coffee cup and scone.

“Are you saying bringing her coffee and food when she asks isn’t important?” Bucky asked as he pulled a chair over with his foot and sat down next to you, holding his own coffee and scone, taking a sip before looking at you, “What’s the thing with carbs these days?”

“They’re supposed to be bad for you and make you fat or something.” You replied and Bucky nodded before looking over at Reggie with a scowl.

“So you’re trying to say she doesn’t need to eat that or she’s going to get fat, aren’tcha?”

You just sigh and nod while dunking your scone in the coffee, “It…feels like that is indeed what he is implying.”

Bucky shook his head while scowling, “Last I was aware, which, may have been a while. Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but…most ladies don’t like it when anyone implies they’re fat or need to eat less. That hasn’t changed, yeah?”

“No, that hasn’t changed, Bucky.” You confirmed and glanced at your adversary on the other side of the desk.

“No. That’s…not…I didn’t…” Reggie sputtered then scowled at Bucky, “Do you even have clearance to be down here?”

“How else would I get down here if I didn’t?” he asked, one eyebrow raised before taking a bite of the scone.

“You’re the fucking Winter Soldier. You tell me.” Reggie retorted and before Bucky could reply…you did it for him.

“Reggie…I want you to shut the little gorilla chest thumping brain in your pants off and turn the big brain in your head on. This handsome, sweet, and considerate man here with me is, as you said, formerly the Winter Soldier. So…how would insulting him with his past ever be a good idea? Or is it that you’re trying to remind me? I am fully aware of who he is far more than you ever will be, Reggie, so don’t try to manipulate the situation so you look morally superior. You don’t. It makes you look small and petty. Nothing you say or do is going to make me suddenly change my mind about not being interested in you. We go through this every week. You are being deliberately obtuse.”

“So…you’re picking…him? The ex-HYDRA assassin that can fold someone’s spine in half backwards?” Reggie asked and you sighed while looking at Bucky.

“This is what I deal with every week.”

“It explains a lot. I never did that, though. Too time consuming. Quick knife work or a gun. Much more efficient.”

You nodded before looking back at Reggie, “You’re not shutting the gorilla off, yet. I’m warning you one more time to shut it off before I shut it off for you. Bucky Barnes is a good man. You don’t think so. I can see that you don’t think so…because you’re too wrapped up in your chest puffing charade to realize that I can see right fucking through you. You aren’t interested in me. You’re interested in the fact I’m pretty. Most of the time you stare at my tits, my legs, my hips, my waist, my lips, my body…all of that’s fantastic. I agree that it’s fantastic. I’m well aware of how amazingly sexy I am on any given day and so I know that’s all you’re interested in. Bucky-”

“And he’s not?” Reggie interrupted with a scowl while pointing at Bucky who just blinked coldly at him, slowly, unnervingly, and sipped his coffee again silently before speaking.

“You’re rude. Y’know that? You just interrupted her. You don’t interrupt a lady, but to answer your question…no. She’s gorgeous. There’s no point denying what she knows. Yeah…I think she’s beautiful and stunning…yeah, that’s the first thing I noticed when I first saw her, but honestly I kinda just like how she’s nice to me more than anything else. That and she’s fascinating because I can’t figure out why Thor is terrified of her.”

You couldn't help it and chuckled almost darkly, a wicked smirk on your face as you recalled just why the god of thunder is afraid of you. Not that you’d ever actually tell anyone. In public. It would ruin the fun.

“And Alpine likes her.” Bucky continued and Reggie looked at him confused, “My cat. You say one word about my cat and you will never speak again.”

Fear. You almost laughed at the look of pure fear on Reggie’s face as Bucky pointed a metal finger at him. Almost. Mostly you were annoyed at his persistence.

“I…wasn’t.” he said and looked at you as you sipped your coffee, your foot tapping idly in the air as you looked back at him.

To Bucky you looked a bit like a disgruntled cat. It was a look he recognized from watching Alpine whenever she met someone she didn’t like. Eyes narrowed slightly, silent, tense, tail flicking…yet in your case it was your foot tapping.

He had no idea what was going through your head, though he imagined it had something to do with getting rid of Reggie. The guy was dense. Stubborn and dense.

Like Steve but in a much worse and far more annoying and aggravating way.

“What?” Reggie asked and you answered while blinking.

“Sorry. Got lost in thought about my research.” You said and his eyes lit up, you’ve never mentioned this before.

“Maybe I can help.” He said hopefully, “You’ve never said what your research entails though. I know it’s…probably…quite complicated with…how often you’ve been accessing old records the past two months.”

“Researching how criminal syndicates get rid of people they don’t want around…yeah it gets complicated, but there was one method that was quite ingenious.” You said and gestured with what was left of your scone, “I can’t even disagree with them. Moving a body in one whole piece is always going to be difficult. Especially if it’s big.”

“You have to cut it up.” Bucky nodded, gesturing with his coffee cup in his metal hand, “Six pieces at least and then pile it together…and don’t put them in the freezer. People always find them in freezers.”

“Exactly. What my research has found is that the best thing to do is to feed those pieces to pigs. You don’t feed them for a few days so they’re really hungry.”

Bucky nodded again, “They’ll eat anything at that point…go through bone like butter…but you have to shave the heads and pull the teeth out. They can’t digest the teeth and the hair…so…”

“Yeah. Incidentally…a lot of crime syndicates own pig farms. The last case I studied was someone about Reggie’s size. They didn’t pull the teeth but sixteen pigs took care of the rest in about 8 minutes according to the witness reports. Which…doing math…I guess it works out…math has never been my thing.”

“Yeah. One pig can go through about two pounds of uncooked meat a minute.” Bucky nodded and gestured at Reggie, “He’s about 200…so yeah…about eight minutes. Nine tops.”

“Plus the time to pull teeth and shave the head…” You said and Reggie paled while you both looked at him calmly, seriously, and contemplatively…and then he walked away stiffly back into the archives.

You smiled.

Bucky finished his coffee, “He’s obviously never watched Snatch.”

“Nope.” You said with a short laugh and finish your coffee, “I’m surprised you sat through it.”

“I…think…I was mostly confused and trying to figure it out, but it was entertaining.” He replied with a nod and tossed the cup into the bin, “So…what are you really researching?”

“I’ve been tasked with pulling records from the seventies concerning alleged HYDRA activity in Idaho.” You answered and he sat back in his seat to think, “All I’ve found is something with turning a potato into a battery and something to do with disrupting supply chains. Nothing…monumental. It has the feel of…something they gave some complaining spoiled kid of a commander to do so they’d feel important or something like that.”

“That…is possible. I vaguely remember…one of the commanders had a kid he was grooming for leadership position. The most I remember about them is I really wanted to strangle them they were that annoying.” Bucky recalled, narrowing his eyes to think about it more, “That’s all I remember. Just thinking: ‘Shut up. Shut up. Please, yes…load the grenade launcher that way…just go outside and pull the trigger. It’ll work really well and do everyone a favor.’ He didn’t…sadly.”

“I can only imagine your disappointment and the difficulty you had in hiding all of that.”

“I learned to hide what I was thinking…fast.” He said and you nodded, “They then assumed I didn’t have thoughts. People still…kind of…do that.”

“You have plenty of thoughts. Sometimes fractured, but they’re still there. There’s nothing wrong with being quiet. Quiet doesn’t mean stupid. It just means quiet.” You replied before pausing as someone exited the archives with a stack of books, “Place them down and show me the clearance forms.”

“Oh come on…” the man sighed annoyed, “You do this every day. They’re the same books every day.”

“Don’t make me ask again and don’t make me decide to pat you down, Tim. Those might become mandatory if Shelly tries to hide papers in her bra again.” You say and he looked at you just as Bucky did, “They were peaking out at the top so I caught her and reported her behavior. Then put the paper at a deeper clearance level. She is the last person that needs to know how to cook up any kind of aphrodisiac.”

“Why is that even in there?” Bucky asked as you cross referenced the books to the form given.

“I don’t know why Tony puts things in archives. I just know he does and I suspect it has something to do with replenishing the population of some nearly extinct species considering it wasn’t even for humans.” You explain and Tim shook his head but accepted the books back from you, “You’re good to go. What’s Reggie doing in there by the way?”

“He’s researching pigs right now. I don’t know why…but he’s slowly turning various shades of pale and green.” He said before leaving and you chuckled.

"We should do this again." You said with a smile and Bucky chuckled while shaking his head, amused.

"You're somethin' else, doll, I swear." he said with a smile at you and you looked at him, watching the amused contentment filter through his eyes along with a glint of hope.

It made you smile as you nodded, "Yeah...but you like it."

"I might..." he replied casually, lightly...carefully.

"And I might...thank you for your service today...with a meal of your choosing. Breakast, lunch, dinner. I'll even cook. Banishing Reggie deserves a reward." You said with a smile and watched as the thoughts swirled behind those blue eyes.

All of them. Confusion, realization, and contemplation of what he could decide on. That ranged widely from the innocent to the not so innocent he shoved down and away before letting it peek back up. Just a bit. Exploratory. Curious. Furtive.

"What about dessert?" Bucky asked, his voice a touch lower, his eyes holding your gaze, lips twitching at the sides as you smiled.

"Dessert is definitely an option."

=======

A/N: There. Another finished one. I may continue this. Eventually.

[mamayura]

Revelator analysis: Marinette remembering the Umbrella scene incorrectly

You know what I find really interesting about the interview scene in "Revelator" where Adrinette retells how they met? Marinette is actually getting a few details wrong.

Mind you, no deal breakers. She got all the emotional beats down accurately. And I will only truly take this as canon anyway when the French original has her misremember things the same way. But for now, it's really interesting that MARINETTE is the one who gets a couple of details wrong about the moment she fell SO in love with Adrien, while Adrien himself is out here making no such mistake in the whole interview:

This is correct. Simple as that.

This one... is on very thin ice. In reality, Marinette had just left the building and noticed it was raining when Adrien started talking to her. Yes, she was ready to wait until the rain stopped, but she never truly got to the waiting part:

But, by all means, if this were only this detail, I wouldnt make this post right now. Even if, factually, she didnt wait, she just noticed it was raining and thought she had to wait.

But let's get back to this later because there is another layer to this that was the catalyst for me writing this. But for now, moving on:

This is correct again. Adrien, in fact, had an umbrella.

But here is the thing:

This is... straight up wrong. Objectively. What Marinette reacted negatively to was Adrien trying to be friendly and saying "Hi" to her:

He only offered his umbrella at the end, so Marinette claiming so confidently in "Revelator" that she at first turned down the umbrella is false. Adrien opened it for himself because he was the one standing in the rain for a bit while explaining his perspective:

I sure don't see any umbrellas being turned down here, Marinette. So what exactly are you remembering? Just saying.

From this point onwards, the Adrinette interview is accurate again because 1) it's about the emotional core of it, and 2) well, Adrien is then talking the most because it's about him and Marinette is mostly just adding to it. So, yeah...

Look, I don't wanna say that this is some deep betrayal of love and proof that Marinette's love for Adrien isnt real. Of course not. And again, there is still the chance that the line in question is right in the French original (though, I do gotta say, I doubt it because that would change the natural flow of the conversation)

I just find it interesting that the thing about THE Umbrella scene that Marinette gets wrong is the UMBRELLA itself and how and when it was extended to her.

Cause, well... This is not a documentary. Marinette is not a real life person who can mix some things up without it meaning anything. She's the main character and the main narrative tool of the story.

This is the moment SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH ADRIEN. Pretty much 80% of what she does in this show goes back to this moment. In story-telling practice, yes, her being the one who recalls that moment incorrectly should mean something.

Bad faith reading: it's a major indicator that Marinette is actually not as invested in Adrien and their relationship anymore as she was once upon a time. Her needs and desires have changed and that's causing problems now.

Good faith reading (and I genuinely mean good faith reading. Fucking BEST faith reading, in my opinion):

The details that Marinette gets wrong about the Umbrella scene actually correspond with the ending of "Strike Back" where Marinette's lightning moment happened with Chat Noir:

Cause if you combine Marinette's memories of the Umbrella scene with the Strike Back scene, then, yes, Marinette WOULD remember standing way longer in the RAIN before Adrien eventually came to her:

Not because that's how it factually happened in "Origins", but because she was alone in the rain for a solid bit before Chat Noir arrived in "Strike Back".

But the most important thing is that, if you combine the two lightning scenes, this objectively incorrect line actually checks out again:

Because the moment Marinette fell in love with Chat Noir was about him having extended his hand several times but her having pushed him away and held at arms length:

Marinette in the Umbrella scene didnt turn down Adrien's umbrella. Not only because that simply didnt happen, but also because Adrien only had the opportunity to offer it ONCE which she then immediately took. Chat Noir, on the other hand (is that a pun?), did offer the gesture she then fell in love with more than once, which she initially turned down, but eventually accepted.

So, again, worst faith reading: we were supposed to pick up on Marinette remembering the iconic Umbrella scene incorrectly which is supposed to subtly tell us that life has changed Marinette's feelings for Adrien for the worse because she's simply not the girl she was a year ago and the love she once wanted doesnt fit her needs anymore, so it's fading and getting drowned out.

Best faith reading: It's a subtle hint that the love she once wanted doesnt really fit her needs anymore, but the one that does more and more now is Chat Noir who, as we all know, is Adrien Agreste.

Though, no matter which one it is, one truth remains: Marinette remembered the UMBRELLA SCENE wrong and that means something.