#it's a cold breeze on a hot day refreshing and relieving | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dream0fschism · 2 years ago

Text

eight days - simon ghost riley/reader (18+)

part 2 to 'the first time'

warnings: swearing, smut... pretty much it i suppose?

It had been eight days since your last contact with Ghost.

Eight whole fucking days.

It felt personal. It was personal. You were certain he’d been doing this on purpose. Granted, you don’t exactly have his phone number or fucking email, but in the past week you’d been on call-outs with the unit three times. He hadn’t even looked in your direction once, only speaking to you when absolutely necessary – mostly over radio.

And it wasn’t because your encounter made him feel awkward, you were sure he’d felt pretty damn proud of himself after wrecking you in such a way. After he’d shoved you off of him he’d simply zipped up his trousers and walked off to light up a cigar, leaving you barely conscious on the floor in a pool of your shared mess.

You were lucky you’d managed to get yourself together in time to actually complete the assignment you were out on.

Without a fucking bra.

You hadn’t been your usual self these past eight days, battling between doing your job and being unbearably aroused day after day, night after night. You’d set a personal record on how many times you could masturbate in a day because of him and his cruel absence. Your fingers had gotten boring, you didn’t have a vibrator in your quarters for obvious reasons and you never had much interest in dildos. They made your wrist hurt, couldn’t penetrate you the way someone else could.

So you became experimental, starting off with the shower head – wasn’t good enough; humping your pillow, blanket, towel, chair arm, table – nope. You even tried to choke yourself out for a shred of excitement, but it just felt stupid. And when you did eventually orgasm, it was always dull. Like your climaxes were only half way up the hill. Getting yourself off only satiated you until you’d start thinking about all the ways he could position you, abuse you, destroy you…

And then you’d be right back at square one.

It was late, and you were hot and bothered. You’d decided to take a stand against your own body and refused to even attempt to relieve yourself, which only served to put you in a monstrous mood. You hadn’t left your room the whole day, not even venturing into the canteen when it was time to eat. It wasn’t food you were hungry for, after all.

This would be a detox of sorts – you’d be right as rain in the morning.

Then you’d be able to ignore Ghost yourself, give him a taste of his own medicine. You were positive he’d notice, with his perfect perception, he’d probably caught the scent of your neediness everytime you were in his presence. Or maybe you’d go back to teasing him, brush your legs together again, or pleasure him in the back of the truck where nobody would know…

Focus.

A shower. A cold one. Why hadn’t you tried that before?

You paced towards your tiny ensuite and flicked on the shower, peeling off the simple tank top and underwear combo you had on. The slight breeze from the shower gave you goosebumps and you hesitated before practically throwing yourself inside.

A loud yelp left your mouth as your body convulsed and rejected the freezing water, but you powered through and tried to focus on not being turned on for the first time in eight days. It was quite the encouragement.

When you stepped out, your skin no longer felt blisteringly hot and sensitive. You felt calmer, relaxed and cold. It was so refreshing you didn’t even bother with a towel, happily letting the cool air of your bedroom hit your skin as you re-entered it.

The room’s air felt thick as your skin crawled on one side, sending a shudder down the length of your back, and you turned to your right to stare at the closed, locked door to your room. You studied it for a few extra moments, before the sound of a powerful thump to your left startled you into turning around.

He’d tapped his heavy boot on the ground to get your attention, and you instantly recognised his intense stare even in the dimness of your surroundings. It almost felt like a hallucination, which delayed your instinct to cover yourself as best you could.

“Ghost, wha–”

He raised his hand to silence you and shook his head, voice quiet and gravelly when he spoke. “Come here.”

You felt a familiar heat begin to slowly douse your skin all over again, undoing the work of your strategic shower method in seconds. You took slow steps towards him, somewhat cautious as he observed from the armchair with his unreadable gaze.

Only an inch away from his own, your legs stopped in place, waiting for the man to do or say something. He opted for trailing his eyes down past your face and along the shape of your body, taking every detail of you in slowly. It was impossible to decipher his reactions when you had only his eyes to work with.

Of course the mask was on, even if he wasn’t on duty. He clearly had been today, you noticed, as he still wore the usual gear, bar his jacket and any weaponry. These were his ‘comfy’ clothes, you supposed. Still, it was a change to see him in just a shirt for once. It fits him perfectly, not too tight but not baggy either.

“Turn around for me,” he eventually muttered, and you noticed the way he sucked in each breath with a heaviness as you hesitated, daring you to test his patience until you eventually obeyed.

The feeling of his eyes on your back only served to fuel the heat creeping its way along your skin further, multiplying with the goal of overtaking every inch. It was the very reason you didn’t feel a shred of discomfort displaying yourself to your superior. After all, he was finally giving you the attention you’d been pining, aching for.

You felt his gloveless hands grip onto your cheeks and spread them, causing you to gasp quietly followed by a pleased hum. You adjusted, edging your legs wider to bend forward and expose yourself more, face burning with anticipation. Your body, still wet, tingled all over as droplets travelled in beads down the sensitive surface of your skin.

One hand still squeezing your flesh, he brought the other round to your side, pulling you backwards onto his lap. You instantly leaned into him, resting the back of your head on his shoulder as you stifled any noise of pleasure that wanted to slip out. Ghost didn’t make much sound either, his purposeful silence only giddied you more, told you how he was holding back every urge to push you onto your stomach and just have his way with you like last time.

You hooked the backs of your knees over his, and in return he spread them, opening you up with little effort. You felt a desperate twinge between your folds, your clitoris screaming for his hands to touch, rub, torture.

As you squirmed slightly, Ghost’s hands found each of your breasts and smoothed over them in the most soothing way he’s ever touched you. Your nipples hardened more each time he skimmed them, deliberately trapping them between his fingers softly every now and then.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?” He breathed, to which you nodded desperately and followed with a squeak when he gave a harder tweak to your nipples. “Hope you haven’t been upset with me.”

“No,” you sighed out in relief. “Ah–” you added, sounding erotically pained as a hand came up to slap at your cheek.

“Liar,” he barked. “Tell the truth.” “I wasn’t upset,” you whispered, your right hand finding the one which had slapped you and guiding it towards your mouth. Ghost halted your movements just before you could place any fingers in, your tongue twitching as it waited. His free hand locked itself around the top of your throat, fingers and thumb squeezing your jaw with a pain that felt sickly sweet to you.

“No?” “No,” you confirmed, writhing in his lap as your position only made your cunt grow more desperate to be ravaged.

Ghost then gave you his other hand, fed it to your longing mouth and tongue and allowed you to show him what a good little slut you were. He pushed his fingers further in, deepthroating your whiney self with them for a few moments before he removed them completely, and brought his wet digits down to touch your body once again. His thick fingers traced lines along your chest, over the lump of your breast; circled around your belly button and tickled at your abdomen. They stopped their journey just over your folds, Ghost splitting them open with his index and ring fingers, the middle hovering just over your clitoris.

“You gonna tell me something I can believe?”

It killed you. You were ravenous for his touch, your pussy aching to be shown some attention – clitoris pulsating as Ghost took his sweet time, getting a kick out of torturing an answer from you. You tried to lift your hips to rub yourself onto him but he only lifted his hand with you, and you grunted.

“I was upset,” you huffed out.

“Why?” “Because you said nothing…” you whined this out, a mix of sexual frustration and actual disappointment in your tone.

“And?”

“I was waiting for you to use me again. I was angry because I knew that you were doing this to me on purpose. I just don’t know why you were punishing me. I listened, I was good–” You cut yourself off with a high-pitched groan as you felt the pressure of Ghost’s finger on your clit, rubbing up and down as he allowed your hips to hump themselves along into his hand. When the pleasure was too good, you tried to close your legs but they were only forced and held open once again by Ghost’s own.

“Do you know how many times I’ve heard you cum these past eight days?” He asked, rubbing your pussy with an increased pace and roughness. “I couldn’t even keep count. Listening to you fuck yourself like you were dying, crying out in disappointment every night.” You’d have blushed if you weren’t so focused on the building orgasm in your gut. You’d had no idea Ghost’s room was right next to yours. But you were glad.

“It’s a whore’s job to be punished,” he informed, slipping further down to push three of his fingers into you at once. It barely burned. You were unbelievably soaked, certain that you’d been dribbling down into the chair below the both of you this whole time. “Helps you learn who you belong to, where your loyalties lie.”

“God,” you couldn’t take it anymore. “Please, your cock. I need it.” You needed him to split you open, wanted to know how sitting on it and doing your job would feel.

Ghost squeezed at your neck and continued to finger you, so hard that each time he pushed in he clapped his palm against your clit and made you see stars. You knew you would come soon if he didn’t stop now, involuntarily clasping tighter around his digits. You were relieved when he pulled his hand out of you, needing to coat his cock in your slick.

He gave a couple of slaps to your closed pussy, causing you to jolt at each sensitive hit.

“Stand up,” he commanded, letting you free of his grasp. You did, going dizzy for a moment when you first stood straight. You quivered with lust as you heard the sound of his zipper. “Come on then.”

You backed up once again and let his hands guide your hips so you were perfectly lined up with him. You were kneeling, feet tucked deep into the chair at either side of Ghost’s legs, which were so thick when he sat that you thanked God you’d always been flexible, pliable as your thighs gently burned to accommodate the position.

“Think you can prove your worth to me?” He questioned, holding your hips in place to stop you from slamming desperately down onto him.

“Yes,” you moaned out, tipping your head back when the impatience became too much. “Please. Let me show you how good I am.”

“Go.” Your lieutenant let you move without his aid, his hands finding the leather arms of the chair as he spectated you sliding your cunt down his length. When you were fully seated, he groaned with satisfaction. “Yeah, that’s a good girl,” he grunted. “Keep going.”

Your walls were thrilled at the intrusion of his girth, happily hugging around it with a forceful suction. You began to lift yourself up, slamming needily back down with guttural sound escaping from your throat. You wanted to milk him of every last drop, have him spill into you again and again until you reached capacity and then have him paint your outsides instead. You tipped your head back again in reaction to your excessive horniness, before placing your hands on top of Ghost’s and turning your neck to catch a glimpse of him.

His masked head rested on the chair, tipped back as his hooded, blackened eyes watched you through the balaclava. At the sight of your face, his eyes rolled back into his skull and he let out an involuntary, hoarse moan. You smirked, facing your head to the front once more before rolling your hips and arching so that your ass would jiggle.

You earned another grunt from him.

You wanted to lean forward even more, fuck onto his cock with your ass and give him an even greater show. He seemed to read your mind as he took hold of your wrists for support, encouraging your slow descent forward. You were in awe of this position, each part of your body that stretched and ached made your cunt tighten impossibly harder as you began to raise your ass and bounce.

“Bloody fuckin’ Jesus,” rumbled Ghost at the sight. “Who’s my good little whore, eh?”

His words were like crack to you, made you constrict and cry with ecstasy as you felt yourself building up to the orgasm you’d been searching for the last eight days. And you were going to let yourself go, coat him in your juice and ride out the pleasure, prove yourself good. You were ready, so unbelievably ready until he said…

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

It was a threat.

And then your superior pulled your arms backwards, and you yelped as he lifted you once again from your position and held your elbows tight together with his strong hands. If you moved, so much as gyrated your hips you were in trouble. A bad whore.

You bit your lip, hard, as the buildup of your orgasm failed to dissipate as it was supposed to. The threat made you want to come undone more, the excitement of what could happen next.

Ghost pulled your arms further back, arching your spine as your stomach pushed outwards, and began to drive upwards and into you, unhinged. Each word that left his mouth was followed with a breathy grunt as he slammed against you. “Do not cum. You hear me?” “Nn – nf,” you managed, still biting your lip and tasting blood at this point. Your natural instinct was to obey, to try your very hardest to resist the white hot burn in your gut and focus on following your commands. Yet something defiant deep inside of you wanted to witness the consequences of your disobedience.

“I said–” And so you crumbled, succumbing to your desire and subsequently disappointing the man beneath you, proving him right – you were a bad, dirty slut all along. Insubordinate; uncontrollably fuck-hungry.

You didn’t care until he pulled you off of him mid-way through and stopped you from using his cock to ride out your pleasure.

“Get up,” he growled, slowly. “I said get the fuck up.”

You struggled for a moment, untangling yourself from him at a snail’s pace until he shoved you to your feet with irritated impatience.

“You disobey me, I humiliate you.” With Ghost on his feet as well, he grabbed a fistful of your hair and took both of your wrists in his other hand. You were pushed towards the wall, panting and smiling like the rotten, proud little shit you were.

When Ghost pressed your bare body against your room’s window, exposing you to the field and runways down below, you admitted you were a little shocked. You watched over a few small figures loitering around, finishing errands and talking amongst themselves. If any one of them looked in your direction, they would surely feast their eyes upon your vulnerable, nude position; your squashed breasts and stomach against the frosty glass.

That was the point, though. As Ghost filled you up once again you invited the extra pairs of eyes to look at you, welcomed it in fact as you were railed against the see-through panel ruthlessly, not a shred of mercy from your boss.

“Can’t even take basic fuckin’ orders, can you?”

“No,” you responded, high-pitched and dazed as he took you for everything you were. “I deserve to be punished.”

“Mm,” he grumbled. “You want someone down there to see you, eh? See what a pathetic little slave you are?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah,” he moaned out loud, the pleasure beginning to overtake him. “Don’t I fuckin’ know it.”

You were already tightening again, ready to spill out around him and in front of any onlookers at any moment. And you could feel his thick, throbbing length ready to pump you full of his seed as he fucked you impossibly harder, slamming you against the window with no concern.

“You wanna cum again?” He asked, which earned him a shriek of an answer. “Then you better give the people a show.” Your wrists were then released from his grip, only to be lifted by the thighs and spread out onto the window. You were wide open, both knees touching the glass of the window as Ghost all but abused your pussy on display.

“Go on, show them how filthy you are,” he spat, with a moan mixed in towards the end.

You saw white when you broke for the second time, with nothing but a ringing in your ears and a celebration in your stomach. You were high, going for a week-long trip in the space of thirty seconds or so. You returned from your trip when you realised Ghost was lining your insides with his irresistible sounds and hot ropes of semen.

When the man regained composure, he peeled you from the window and helped place you down after removing himself from you.

Only then did you realise that you’d done some painting yourself – the window spattered with a clear liquid that pointed to one answer: Ghost’s cock had made you squirt. And you’d squirted a lot.

You stumbled backwards a little as you came fully back into the real world, and you felt the rough, sweaty palms of the man who’d just defiled you catch onto your shoulders. For a second your heart was squeezed, surprised at the act of kindness from the same man who, just eight days ago, had left you on the floor in a pool of semen and your own bodily fluids.

He pulled you towards the chair, sitting you down with a shove. “I wouldn’t move for a while if I was you.”

And so you didn’t, relaxing your naked self into the cold leather with a still-heaving chest, observing as six-foot-four of pure beefiness fixed his loose trousers, turned away from you and made his way to your locked door.

How the fuck had he gotten in anyway?

#simon ghost riley #simon ghost riley x reader #x reader #mw2 x reader #mw2 #mw2 fanfic #smut #ghost mw2 #ghost x reader #mw2 smut #no y/n #my works

180 notes · View notes

bharathi1908 · 8 months ago

Text

Beat the Heat: 10 Refreshing Summer Food and Drink Ideas

Without a doubt, summer has arrived! And with summertime here, the extreme heat makes everyone feel hot, tired, and uneasy. The most crucial thing to do to be healthy and persevere through this intense heat is to stay hydrated and eat foods that help the body maintain its coolness. There are healthier and more nutritional options available to help you combat the summer heat, even if it’s tempting to go for sweet drinks and ice cream. Cooling down with refreshing drinks, such as mocktails or cocktails, can be a breeze during the summer heat. It helps you quench your thirst, cool you down, and elevates your selection of refreshments.

In the article below, ten cool food and drink suggestions are listed. They can help keep you hydrated and cool on the warmest days of the year.

1. Watermelon: The Hydration Hero

The official fruit of summer and outdoor cookouts is watermelon. It replaces fluids lost through sweat and tastes like a juicy slice of hydration. Rich in antioxidants like lycopene and vitamins A and C, watermelon can help shield your skin from the sun’s damaging rays. While watermelons are a delicious snack to feast on, just as is, there are also multiple different delicious recipes out there. Watermelon is one of the tastiest summertime fruits; its juice is much better. Its hydrating qualities help keep your body moisturized and invigorated, making it incredibly refreshing.

2. Cucumber: Cooling and Crisp

Cucumbers provide a delightful crunch and keep you hydrated because they are over 95% water. They also include silica, which is known to support joint health and maintain the radiance and suppleness of your skin. Savor it in drinks, smoothies, salads, or as a snack with luscious hummus. Refreshing drinks are not only enjoyed but practically required on the hottest summer days, and cucumber is one of the best ingredients for DIY summer drinks. Cucumber and watermelon together are the perfect way to relieve your thirst because it contains two of the most hydrating foods on the planet. An easy recipe with the two includes a nice glass of white wine sangria with watermelon balls, cucumber slices, and lime slices. The most hydrating drink you will ever try!

3. Coconut Water: Nature’s Electrolyte Drink

Coconut water is a healthy substitute for sports drinks in the summertime heat, especially if you are sweating profusely. High in electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, coconut water helps replenish vital minerals lost via sweat and helps maintain appropriate hydration levels. A refreshing glass of coconut water will lift your spirits right away. Its refreshing flavor and subtle sweetness make it the ideal beverage to ward off the summertime blues. Consume enough coconut water if you feel dehydrated since it is an excellent electrolyte.

4. Mint: The Zesty Refresher

Mint is a plant that helps you stay cool and gives your meals a flavor boost. It can be blended into smoothies or used to create cool beverages like mint lemonade. Mint leaves also make a refreshing infusion in water or an addition to salads. For an additional level of hydration and coolness, it’s always a good idea to bring its cold friend, cucumber, over for a delightful spritz in a tall glass of sparkling water.

5. Berries: Bursting with Antioxidants

Not only are berries like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries delightful, but they are also a great source of antioxidants. These tiny powerhouses can improve your general health and shield your skin from UV harm. Snack on them, puree them into smoothies or mix them with yogurt for a tasty treat. Alternatively, pick some and consume them right from the bush!

6. Citrus Fruits: Vitamin C Boosters

Vitamin C, abundant in oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, boosts immunity and keeps the body cool in the summer. Make your zesty drinks or savor freshly squeezed juices for a nutritious and “Z’esty” boost. The best drink that is easily indulgent is the classic lime juice or lemonade, the most popular summertime beverage. This refreshing drink has ingredients like mint leaves, lemons, sugar, salt, and water. It’s really easy to create and tastes fantastic every single time. In some parts of the world, to add some distinctive flavor, you can also spice up lime juice with additions easily found in the kitchen, like cumin, coriander powder, and black pepper, among others.

7. Yogurt: A Cool, Creamy Delight

There are several ways to enjoy yogurt: a cooling and adaptable snack. In addition to supporting digestive health, it has probiotics and can be cooling on a hot day. Try making flavorful yogurt dips or parfaits with fresh fruit to make your meals filling and light. Unquestionably, one of India’s favorite curd-based drinks is buttermilk, also called chaas. The advantages of chaas, such as a fantastic digestive system, are further enhanced by spices like jeera. Enjoy this delicious masala chaas dish on any hot and sunny day. On the other hand, yogurt can be made into delicious snacks by adding berries to a bowl of plain or flavored yogurt.

8. Cilantro: Flavorful and Fresh

Based on the consensus, you either love or despise cilantro. Some people find it to be a tasty herb that gives every meal a freshness, and some cannot stand the taste of it. However, for those who love cilantro, it tastes great in cold soups, salsas, and salads. It has cooling qualities and improves digestion, and it tastes fantastic.

9. Tomatoes: Juicy and Nourishing

Tomatoes, high in vitamins A and C, also cool and support good skin. Savor them raw or sliced with a little salt for a refreshing snack, or add them to salads or gazpachos. Tomatoes are one of the most versatile foods; they can go into any mainstream dish, be made into a sauce or soup, and add flavor and tang to anything you desire.

10. Leafy Greens: Light and Nutritious

Even though you might be eating lighter over the summer, you don’t have to give up on nutrients. Powerful sources of nutrients are leafy greens, including kale, spinach, and arugula. Their high water content keeps you hydrated and packed with important vitamins and minerals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, stay cool and healthy simultaneously, without compromising taste or flavor, with the help of food and drinks that naturally contain cooling nutrients. You’ll stay hydrated, nourished, and cool as the temperature rises by including these cool foods in your summer diet.

#technology #digitalmarketing #marketing #food #summer #summerfood

2 notes · View notes

bria-doublen-a · 2 years ago

Text

Book Review: Love & Other Words

Non Spoiler Section

This book was such a breeze! It only took me two days to finish this and if I didn’t have to work, I probably could’ve done it all in one sitting. With almost zero drama, this was such an easy read and the perfect palette cleanser for anyone who needs one. So, if you’re into a lot of angst and character turmoil, you won’t find that here.

This is a second chance romance centered around Macy and Elliot, who grew up together and learned how to love in every sense of the word. We jump back and forth from past to present in alternating chapters, but the way the story is told is seamless. This is going to make you laugh and cry, but mostly just laugh. Still, I’d have those tissues ready.

Prepare to fall in love with fictional characters, virtually losing hope in all real life human beings.

Spoiler Section

Okay. The first thing I want to address here is Sean. Can we talk about him for a second? Let me tell you how annoyed I was when Macy introduced us to Sean, who for all intents and purposes is a generally decent guy, and then we immediately run into Elliot. I was like, great. Another boring love triangle with two jealous, foaming-at-the-mouth dudes fighting over the trophy, aka the pretty girl. But I was genuinely surprised and relieved when Macy pretty much right away brought Elliot up in conversation with Sean and he just listened.

Sean was so understanding and not at all dismissive or rude about it. He gave Macy the freedom to actively search for closure and it just made him so likeable. Maybe Sean and Macy don’t belong together, but there definitely needs to be more Seans out there in the world.

And when Macy finally decided to end things, he was so gracious about the whole thing! I realize that real life breakups, the ones where people actually bear more than a general fondness of the other, can be messier and more painful. But to me, it just shows how people are capable of being mature and actively listening to their partner and how they’re feeling. Like I said, Macy and Sean are far from what I expect from a power couple, but I got MAD respect for my boy Sean. Thank you for not being the brutish dick I expected you to be.

Okay, moving on. Watching Macy and Elliot grow up in Healdsburg was the absolute cutest. I love their exchanges of favorite words, I love how uncool they are together and love how experimental they were with each other. That first kiss between them in the kitchen where Elliot stuck his finger in her mouth and she said he tasted like jelly?? I was so warm and fuzzy and yet cracking up at the same time!

The sexual tension between them was honestly so romantic and cute, and honestly just genuinely refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good spicy book or whatever, but I also think that sex doesn’t always have to be hot and heavy. It can be light and feathery and just plain cute. Which is exactly how I’d summarize Macy’s and Elliot’s relationship.

That being said, knowing everything we know about Elliot; he’s honest, dorky (and a little derpy too) and incredibly responsible...got wasted on New Year’s Eve and had sex with Emma??? AFTER drunk calling Macy and proposing over the phone?!?!?! Not gonna lie, that phone call was so adorable and I totally get Macy’s hesitation with her Dad watching her. But what the hell, Elliot???

I know he explained. And to be honest, that’s the only explanation I’d take to actually believe that he’s capable of doing something like that. But it’s still cheating. And thinking of that line he had at his brother’s wedding where he asked Macy why she left him...like bruh. Isn’t obvious? You had sex with another girl. That’s a valid reason, my dude. Maybe the 11 year cold shoulder was a little extra, but there are plenty of couples who break up after infidelity and I don’t blame them.

But one thing I will say about Elliot, is I love how he’s kind of grown out of Macy’s habit of shutting down. We know that she is and will always be his only love. But he won’t stand for her keeping him at arm’s length. Whenever he wants to dive below surface level, Macy short circuits. But when they’re in the gardens and he’s waiting for Macy to give her side of the story and she just won’t. He just walks away, and honestly, good for him. Not that I have any problems with Macy, but I love that Elliot is willing to never love again, because we know it’s either Macy or no one for him at this point. And if she can’t communicate openly the same way that he does with her, then what kind of relationship could they even have?

And then we have Macy’s breakdown and oh. my. god. I was sobbing, but I knew this was a turning point for her. She finally stepped foot in the vacation home, which she’d avoided like the plague until now. She faced those horrible skeletons hiding in her closet. Because, let’s be real. When Mom was diagnosed, she had time to prepare her daughter. She gave her letters for her to reference as she grew up and those letters became a momento for Macy. Something she could look back on and remember that her mom always loved her. But Duncan never had that luxury. He was taken. Unexpectedly.

Having lost a parent myself, I know what it’s like to have unfinished business. To truly believe you’re at fault for something you’ll never get an opportunity to fix. And suddenly, Macy’s Berlin Wall made absolute sense. It’s there to protect her from harm. But something I’m learning in my grief, is that when you try to protect yourself from pain, you shield yourself from all the other great feelings too. And who better to teach this lesson than Elliot Petropoulos?

Elliot swoops in, carries our girl and we finally get the full story. It’s ugly. It’s painful. It’s jagged and raw. But it’s laid bare and now they can navigate past it.

We knew from the beginning that Macy and Elliot were going to have a happy ending. But I can’t think of a couple more deserving. What a wonderfully joyous and emotional ride. I’ll carry these moments with me for a while, I think.

So, now I’ve got a really important question for you all. What’s your favorite word?

#Love & other words #Christina Lauren #booktok #book review #book rec #romance #second chance romance #friends to lovers #macy sorensen #elliot petropoulos

3 notes · View notes

ciobulletin1 · 8 months ago

Text

Beat the Heat: 10 Refreshing Summer Food and Drink Ideas

In the article below, ten cool food and drink suggestions are listed. They can help keep you hydrated and cool on the warmest days of the year.

1. Watermelon: The Hydration Hero

2. Cucumber: Cooling and Crisp

3. Coconut Water: Nature’s Electrolyte Drink

4. Mint: The Zesty Refresher

5. Berries: Bursting with Antioxidants

6. Citrus Fruits: Vitamin C Boosters

7. Yogurt: A Cool, Creamy Delight

8. Cilantro: Flavorful and Fresh

9. Tomatoes: Juicy and Nourishing

10. Leafy Greens: Light and Nutritious

Conclusion

#cio bulletin #latest news #breaking news #cio bulletin news #securitysystem #food #summerfood #summer

0 notes

floral-and-fine · 2 years ago

Text

Never Enough

Thomas Hewitt x female/single mom reader

warnings: smut, abusive ex, death, murder, some angst and domestic fluff

a/n: My first TCM fic, I’ve had this idea for a long time, it turned out pretty long compared to other fics I’ve written. Thank you @ewokiee for the help ❤️

summary: On his way to work, Thomas notices a single mother who has recently moved in nearby.

Thomas trudged along the side of the road, headed home after a grueling day at work. The summer sun was burning hot as it beat down on his back, even the occasional breeze that blew past was so dry that it didn’t help cool him off in the slightest. His pace slowed as a small house came into view.

He paused, spotting you through the window. You were at the sink washing dishes.

You had moved into town around this time last year. Thomas had heard people around town whispering about you, their gossip spreading like a wildfire before he had even met you or seen you.

A part of him found it refreshing, people still avoided him like the plague, of course, but at least they weren’t whispering to each other about him, calling him a freak, monster, or an animal as if he didn’t have ears.

Instead, they were talking about you, referring to you as ‘that woman’ and not bothering to hide their disdain with the way your name spilled from their mouths over and over again. They talked about how you were a trollop and a slut, how you were loose and immoral, how a woman like you didn’t belong in this town. The men at work talked the loudest, making lewd jokes about you all day long.

At first none of it bothered Thomas, he was just relieved that they weren’t making fun of him like they usually did. But then on a rather uneventful day as he was walking home he saw you. You were breathtaking.

You weren’t at all like he had pictured, with the way everyone talked about you, he expected someone dirty and sleazy, but instead you seemed sweet, kind, bright.

You were wearing a pair of jean shorts and a tank top, holding your son in your arms as you walked up the steps of your front porch. You clearly loved your child, doting on him all day as you also juggled getting chores done.

Noticing him at the edge of your property, you gave him a small smile and wave before retreating into your small home.

Thomas, now, felt angry at what people were saying about you, your only sin was that you were an unmarried mother. He didn’t really understand why that of all things would ruffle so many feathers. But he also never understood why his appearance bothered anyone so much that they all cowered and treated him like an animal.

Since then, this has become part of his routine, his favorite part, getting to see you on his way to and from work.

Thomas watched you for a moment, everyday he wanted nothing more than to walk into your house and wrap his arms around your waist as you made breakfast or finished drying the dishes. You would giggle as he’d squeeze you tight and nuzzle his face against the crook of your neck.

This small little daydream made his day go by a bit easier, he’d lose himself to it while he chopped up whatever meat was on his block. It gave him something to focus on so he could ignore all the snide remarks and comments people would say behind his back. At night he’d fall asleep thinking about it, wondering what it would be like to carry your son to his bed, tucking him in, before joining you in your bedroom. His heart would tighten in his chest as he’d bury his face against his pillow as he imagined holding you in bed, so close and intimate.

…

Thomas rubbed his eyes, the sun was just barely rising as he laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. His body still felt heavy and tired, his eyes were threatening to close again, but he had a few chores to do before work.

He groaned, finally sitting up, his feet touching the cold wooden floor. Thomas stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders before standing. He dressed slowly before lumbering down stairs.

First thing he did was put out to feed the pigs, then walked a couple of rounds along the fence making sure everything was secure, and finally pulled some weeds from the garden.

Mama was up by the time he returned to the house, she was busy in the kitchen whipping up breakfast. Thomas ate quickly, shoveling the scrambled eggs and cornbread into mouth before taking his plate to the sink.

“Have a good day, Tommy!” Mama called as he headed out the door.

He walked along the road, not really paying attention to anything until he started getting close to your house.

He lifted his head and looked towards the big window, the curtains were drawn closed. He sighed, figuring you were probably still in bed.

Thomas stood there for just a minute or so before turning back around to continue on his way to work, but he stopped in his tracks only after a few steps as he heard your voice.

“Good morning!”

He froze in place as you rushed outside in your pajamas, your hands quickly tying your robe closed.

“Thomas, right?” You asked slightly breathless as you reached him.

He raised his brow but nodded slightly.

“I met your mama a few days ago,” you explained. “She’s a real nice lady, in fact she’s the nicest person I’ve met since I’ve moved here.”

Thomas once again nodded not sure how else to respond.

“She talked a lot about you, y’know, she’s real proud of you, I can tell,” you smiled.

He felt his face starting to heat up at the comment. He could only assume what mama was trying to pull, talking him up like that with you. But if it led to this encounter he couldn’t be too upset about it.

“Anyways,” you continued. “I’ve noticed you pass by a

few times and thought I’d finally introduce myself, I’m y/n.”

You stuck your hand out. Thomas stared at it for a few seconds, his fingers twitching at his sides, before accepting the quick handshake.

“I better let you get to work,” You grinned at him. “But if you ever feel like stopping by, don’t be a stranger.”

He nodded again, watching as you scurried back inside your house. You left him feeling confused but happy, happiest he had been in a long time. His lips turned upward into a small smile. He couldn’t get over that you had smiled at him, talked to him… shook his hand.

Thomas couldn’t remember the last time he had any attention paid to him like that, besides from mama, of course. The only other attention he ever seemed to receive was fear or disgust.

While working he replayed the whole scene in his mind, over and over again. You were as sweet as he imagined, sweeter even. How anyone in this town still disliked you was still beyond him.

As the hours ticked by, Thomas found himself getting excited knowing he was about to see you again, even if you didn’t notice him like you did this morning, he’d just be happy to watch you for a few minutes.

But that excitement didn’t last long.

He slammed the cleaver down, chopping the meat in small hunks with ease, as he looked down at his work he started to feel panicked as reality set in. Now that you knew who he was, now that you knew his family, it seemed like it was inevitable that this would lead somewhere bad.

Annoying little thoughts began to worm their way into his head. You’d judge how poor he was, figure out how dumb he is, you’d be repulsed by his appearance or his job… it was only a matter of time before he did something to make you hate him.

He laid the knife down and hunched over his workstation. He felt nauseous, now wishing this morning never happened. Anonymity was better, right? Gave him the ability to admire you without you seeing him.

You were nice this morning, but that would change, nobody was ever nice to him or his family.

He frowned, all those good feelings were gone, and left him feeling terrible, miserable. His nails dug into the surface of the table, being able to see you these past few months was the small highlight to his rather dull and dreary life, but now he was scared of seeing you.

Even though you were outcast yourself and currently the person everybody was gossiping about, you were still too good for somebody like him. It was foolish of him to think that somehow you’d be different.

As he managed to press on, working like he did everyday, Thomas pushed aside all his daydreams that made his day go by faster. It didn’t seem right to fantasize about you anymore. Before he could pretend that things could’ve been different, but now it was as if the reality of the situation tainted his little dreams.

You were suddenly more real, which meant that you would form your own thoughts and opinions of him, and in his gut he believed that there was no way, no way in hell, you’d feel about him the way he had dreamt or hoped.

The day seemed to drag on as Thomas mentally dragged himself further down. By the time the day was over, he just wanted to hide, crawl into his bed and just lay there for days or weeks. As he left the slaughterhouse, he stopped, his hands fidgeting at his side as he tried to decide which way to go.

He didn’t want to take the chance of seeing you, he figured, in the long run, it would be easier if avoided you altogether. You can’t hurt him if you’re never around.

So instead he headed towards the store, he could help mama and walk her home when they were done. Thomas walked with his eyes downcast, focusing on the ground. He didn’t come around to the store very often, didn’t want to risk being around strangers and being made fun of or gawked at. But somehow that seemed like it would hurt less than seeing you.

The familiar bells jingled as he entered, finally lifting his head. Thomas looked towards the counter, but instead of being greeted by his mother, the first person he saw at the counter was you. You were sitting on a stool with your little boy on your lap, gently bouncing him as he babbled and cooed. Thomas noticed for the first time just how much he looked just like you.

You perked up and smiled at Thomas. His heart immediately sank, his plan somehow backfired. He took a step back as Luda appeared from behind the shelves and approached him.

“Thomas?” Mama asked, clearly surprised by him dropping by.

Luda, noticed that startled look in his eye, and immediately coaxed him further into the store, grabbing his arm and dragging him in before he could bolt like some frightened puppy dog.

“I’ve got some boxes that I could use your help with,” she started, yanking him along behind her.

“Hi Thomas,” you said in a small voice as he was pulled towards the back.

His face burned, but he nodded in reply.

Mama opened the back storage room and told him to start bringing out some of the boxes. Thomas shuffled a little, he was nervous about you being around.

His mama smiled at his hesitation, “y/n told me she met you properly this mornin’, she’s a real sweet girl ain’t she?”

Tommy sighed, he knew what mama was hoping for, he thought she was over this, that she had given up like he had. He already realized this morning how pathetic his little crush was . No matter how kind you were, or how caring, or how much the town didn’t accept you, nobody would love him.

She patted his shoulder. “Bring the boxes out and leave ‘em on the counter,” she instructed.

Thomas huffed, looking at the big cardboard boxes on the floor, lifting the first one he followed his mama. As he approached the counter, he kept his eyes looking anywhere but at you.

“Thank you, Tommy,” mama praised as he placed the box in front of her.

He immediately marched back to the storage room for the next one. As he crouched down, he paused when he heard you speak out in the store with mama, your voice was bright and cheery.

“Are there a lot of boxes?” You asked Luda Mae, as you placed your son in his stroller.

“Quite a few,” she answered, opening the box in front of her.

You turned looking back towards the way Thomas went. “And he spent all day working at the slaughterhouse?”

Luda nodded, “yep, my boy’s a hard worker, despite the fact that the work never seems to end.”

You bit your lip, shoulders slumping as you thought about it. He seemed like a good guy, shy like his mama had told you, but clearly he cared very much about his family.

“Do you mind watching Levi?” You asked. “I’m going to see if Thomas needs any help.”

“Of course, dear,” Luda said, trying her best to hide her smile.

You walked quietly into the back and saw Thomas holding a heavy box that blocked his view.

“Here, let me help you with that,” you murmured, reaching out with both of your hands as you tried to take the box from him.

Thomas stumbled back, his poor heart jumping into throat. The surprise of your soft touch as your fingers grazed over his skin had him jerking the box away from your grasp.

Immediately you pulled your hands back towards you clasping them together in front of your chest as you muttered a quick apology.

Both of you stood there in silence. Thomas’s heart was still racing.

Just as you were about to leave, Thomas lowered the box enough to look at you, with a grunt he gestured to a smaller, lighter, box on the floor for you to get.

You smiled at him before bending down to pick it up. He waited for you, letting you go ahead of him as he followed behind.

The work got done faster with the two of you working together. Thomas insisted on you caring just the small boxes, he didn’t really feel comfortable accepting the help but he didn’t want to hurt your feelings either.

The whole situation had him puzzled, he wasn’t sure why you bothered to help, he did it to help his mama but he couldn’t figure out why you cared at all. He wasn’t used to anyone being considerate in the slightest.

“Thank you for the help, Sweetheart,” mama told you.

“Oh, it was nothing,” you replied, kneeling down and covering Levi with a blanket. He had dozed off in his stroller, his little hands still clutching his bottle.

Thomas could see that his mama was already smitten, the way she gushed over every little snore and movement. He knew how much she loved babies and how much she wanted to be a grandmother. Made him feel guilty being unable to make that happen for her.

Luda Mae gave you a hug, “Have a good evening, darling.”

“You too, mama,” you said, then looked at Thomas and smiled. “Good night, Tommy!”

He waved watching as you left, just you and the baby in the dark. His foot tapped anxiously as he huffed. Before thinking it through he rushed out behind you. It didn’t sit well with him letting you walk all that way alone this late.

Mama shook her head, watching from the doorway.

You gave Thomas a surprised look as he caught up with you, but quickly it was immediately replaced with a big grin, “Gonna escort us home?”

He simply nodded.

“You really are as wonderful as your mama said,” you shared. “A real gentleman.”

Thomas could feel his ears turning red, fortunately for him you weren’t able to tell in the dark. The two of you walked quietly towards your house. You occasionally commented on the weather and how it was a nice night.

“Thank you, Thomas,” you stood on your tiptoes kissing his leather covered cheek lightly as you reached your house. “Have a nice night.”

He watched as you went inside, frowning to himself, you were only making this harder on him…

…

A couple of weeks had passed and you couldn’t help but notice that you hadn’t seen Thomas at all. You were so accustomed to seeing him either in the morning or afternoon several times a week, that it was strange not to see him at all, especially him being absent whole weeks at a time.

You still visited with Luda, stopping by the Hewitt house or store during the week to chit chat and have tea. You and her were currently sitting on the porch, Luda was in a rocking chair holding Levi in her lap while you sat on the steps.

There was a slight breeze and big clouds in the sky, but you knew that the weather would start getting hot soon. You sipped on your glass of sweet tea as you tried to work up the nerve to ask about Thomas.

The rest of the Hewitts were out working you figured, so now would be probably your best chance to ask. You were worried you had done something to bother him or offend him that night.

“Hey mama?”

“Hmm,” she replied, her attention still on Levi as he sucked on his tiny fist.

“How has Thomas been?” You stared at your drink, your face heating up.

Luda blinked in surprise, finally looking away from the baby to you. “He’s been fine, why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason, really,” you shook your head. “Just haven’t seen him around is all.”

“He’s just shy, Sweetpea, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.”

Luda tried to hide her smile, she had a pretty clear idea as to why Thomas was avoiding you. She had suspected that moment he walked into the store and froze up when he saw you. Those suspicions were confirmed later that evening when she watched him scurry out of the store to walk you home. This was just like Tommy, letting his insecurities get the best of him. He was afraid of your kindness, because cruelty was all he was used to.

“Are you sure?” You asked.

“I’m sure,” she sighed. “Thomas ain’t used to being treated with any kindness, it probably just scared him a little, but you didn’t do anything wrong.”

You sighed, wishing there was something you could do to change that. What Luda said about Tommy got to you.

It just didn’t seem fair for a decent man like him to be so startled simply by being treated nicely. You knew it probably had to do with his appearance, a big guy wearing a mask you could admit was intimidating, but the way he behaved and acted showed that he was sweet and patient, a little insecure and anxious, but he seemed good natured.

“Is there something I could do for him?”

Luda chuckled lightly. “Just keep being nice to him, honey,” she reassured you. “Might take some time, but he’ll warm up to you.”

…

“Thomas?” Mama called as she heard him come in after finishing his morning chores.

He poked his head into the kitchen to see what she wanted.

“Have you seen y/n lately?” She asked.

Thomas shook his head, his eyebrows knitting together as he saw his mother’s concerned expression.

“Oh,” she mumbled. “It’s just I haven’t seen for a couple of days, guess I’m just worried about her.”

Thomas huffed but nodded pointing to himself and the direction of your house, his way of telling her he’d check in on you on his way to work.

“Thank you, dear,” she smiled, serving him a plate of breakfast.

It had been awhile since Thomas walked this way to work. He had tried his best to avoid you, but deep down he missed those days of getting to see you from afar. Mama talked about you a lot, he tried to ignore her, but knowing that you and the baby were doing alright made him smile.

When he was alone without work or his family to distract him, his mind would wander back to that quick peck on the cheek, he didn’t want to think about it, but he couldn’t help it. It made him wonder if you could see past his appearance.

Thomas stopped as he arrived in front of your home, he narrowed his eyes when saw the unfamiliar car parked in the driveway. Your curtains were closed so he couldn’t see who was visiting, but he found it odd, you never had any visitors before and from what he had heard from mama you still didn’t really know anybody else but her.

He sighed, unable to linger much longer and headed to work. He’d let mama know after work that it seemed that you were fine.

At the slaughterhouse Thomas speculated who your mysterious visitor was, maybe they were a family member or friend or… lover. Thinking about the latter stung. But he couldn’t be mad or upset over it, a pretty girl like you wouldn’t stay available forever, even with your ‘reputation’, Thomas was sure you had admired besides just him. They were all probably more attractive and successful than he was.

Gritting his teeth, he continued chopping meat, bringing the butcher knife down harder and harder as kept thinking about it. He hated this, hated feeling this way, he’d never be good enough.

…

Thomas jolted awake by the sound of someone banging loudly on the front door. Right after he heard bedroom doors open, Charlie started cussing up a storm while mama was telling him to hush and go back to bed as she pulled her robe on and made her way downstairs.

Thomas groaned as he sat up, he was curious to see who dropped by for a late night visit. Slowly, he opened his bedroom door and crept down the hallway.

Thomas watched from the stairs as mama answered the door, his eyes widened as he saw you standing there. Levi was asleep in your arms, you had a bag slung over your shoulder, and he could tell by your eyes you had been crying. Tommy’s hands balled into fists when he saw the bruised area on the side of your face.

“Y/n, honey, are you alright?” Mama questioned, opening the door wider.

“I’m so sorry to wake you,” you cried, your body practically shaking. “I just didn’t know where else to go.”

“Don’t worry about that,” mama consoled, ushering you into the house. “It’s going to be alright.”

Luda guided you towards the kitchen, but paused seeing Tommy standing on the steps in just his boxers, “For god sakes Tommy, go put some clothes on,” she scolded.

Thomas blushed, he was just so concerned about you, that he had forgotten that he came down stairs practically naked.

You were so distraught that you didn’t really notice. It was difficult to process anything, you lifelessly followed mama, clutching Levi to your chest. Your face was sore, but the rest of your body felt numb.

Mama pulled out a chair from the table and had you sit down as Thomas sprinted upstairs quickly rummaging through his drawers for something to put on, settling on a simple T-shirt, that was covered in old stains

and sweatpants. As he slowly descended down the stairs, he could hear you and mama talking.

“I’m so sorry, Luda,” you hiccuped. “I just had to get us away from him while I had the chance.”

“Don’t you apologize,” mama said. “There’s no need for that.”

“I-I don’t know how he found us,” you mumbled sniffling. “I didn’t tell anyone where we were going… it was so hard to get away from him last time. I’m so scared…”

“You can stay with us as long as you need to,” mama said, reaching out and patting your hand.

Thomas, still out of sight, standing by the doorway, but he nodded in agreement. He managed to put the pieces together that that unfamiliar vehicle parked at your house, the bruise on your pretty face, and the fear in your eyes were all caused by this man you were talking about. This man, Tommy figured, was likely Levi’s father.

Luda hummed as she thought about your situation, “I could send Tommy to-“

“Oh please don’t,” you shook your head. “I don’t want him getting hurt or anything for my sake.”

Tommy snorted to himself, whoever they were Tommy felt pretty confident he could take him. His size and strength were the only things he ever had to be proud of, not that he used them to hurt anyone before. He was smart enough to know that even if he were defending himself that this whole town would turn against him. There would be a mob banging down their door, all united to rid themselves of the monster.

Your crying woke Levi, who started fussing, mama scooped the baby up from your arms and started rocking him in hers.

“Oh it’s alright little darlin’,” mama cooed, smiling at the baby. She looked back at you, “Why don’t you go upstairs and take a few minutes to yourself, wash your face and calm down,” she suggested. “I’ll have someone get the guest room ready for ya.”

You nodded, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand as you stood up. As you headed towards the stairs you passed by Thomas who was awkwardly standing by the doorway, you mustered up a smile for him before going upstairs to the bathroom.

He stood there, hands at his sides as his fingers curled and uncurled, watching you go. He still couldn’t get over how nice you were to him, even at a time like this.

“Thomas?” Mama called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He went into the kitchen.

“Could you go get the guest room ready?” She asked. “There should be some clean sheets in the closet.”

He nodded, immediately following her instructions and going up to the room. He stopped as he reached the landing, he could hear you on the other side of the bathroom door sobbing uncontrollably. The sound broke his heart, he wished that he could go in there and make you feel safe again. He’d hold you close all night, longer if you needed him to.

Thomas approached the door, listening to you. He pictured you sitting alone on the cold tile floor with your knees pulled up to your chest. You were hurting so much, he sighed, resting his head against the door, before going to the guest room.

…

Over the next few days, you grew accustomed to life in the Hewitt house.

Mama kept Charlie in line, anytime he made a snide comment or lewd remark, she reprimanded him without holding back, even going as far as threatening to toss his ass out of the house if he kept complaining about having another mouth to feed, saying something along the lines with him out of the house it wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

But most of the family noticed that Charlie, in his way, was being considerably nicer than usual and seemed to sympathize a little with your situation. He even helped Tommy bring the old crib up from the basement along with some of the other baby things mama had stored away.

Everyone’s schedule varied in the house, mama spent most of her time either at the house cleaning and cooking or at the store working. Uncle Monty worked on the cars in the yard, or occasionally he’d get called to go tow somebody’s in town. Charlie’s schedule was all over the place, some days he wouldn’t do a damn thing, but others he’d spent helping at the store or doing odd jobs around town.

It was clear though that Thomas was the person the entire household depended on. He brought home a consistent paycheck, worked overtime every chance he could. He started everyday doing chores before heading to his labor intensive job.

Thomas was up the earliest, however occasionally he was pleasantly surprised to find that some mornings you were up before him.

You were either getting a bottle ready for Levi or walking around the house with him in your arms as you tried to get him to go back to sleep. Thomas liked these small moments he got to spend with you, they gave him the chance to be near you without mama around to tease him about it later. They only lasted for a couple of minutes, but you always said something nice to him, usually thanking him for something like setting up the crib for you or about how good he was at providing for his family.

Having you around made him feel like all these years of busting his ass was worth it. It helped that you and mama got along so well, before he knew it, he was already thinking of you and the baby as family.

…

One morning, Thomas was patrolling around the property like he did every day, while everyone else was still in bed. He wondered if that man was going to come around here looking for you. A part of Thomas hoped he did, he wanted the chance to smack that man around like he had done to you. Tommy felt bitter and angry when he thought about that man, didn’t he know how lucky he was, what Tommy would’ve given to be with you, to be the father of your child…

Thomas huffed as he kept walking, he didn’t want you leaving and going back to your house, even after that man leaves.

His brow furrowed as he noticed unfamiliar clothes on the clothesline. It took him a second to figure out that they belonged to you. Thomas continued to stare at the clothesline, his throat ran dry as he realized that amongst your clothes were a few pairs of white cotton panties. They weren’t anything fancy or necessarily sexy, but to Tommy they were. He liked the little pink bow and the tiny bit of lace trim.

His face heated up as his eyes lingered on them, the fact that they had been on you, covering your most intimate bits crossed his mind. His cock involuntarily twitched as his desire for you grew.

Thomas had resisted thinking about perverted things like that, but it had proven difficult lately, the smallest things you did had him blushing like a fool, from innocent little touches to seeing you in your nightgown on a regular basis.

He reached up, his fingers lightly running over the front of the fabric while his other hand moved to the front of his pants palming his budding erection.

He pictured you wearing them, picturing your hips and ass filling them out. He felt like he was on fire as he looked at the bridge part of your panties. He imagined a little wet spot forming there, your legs pressed tightly together wiggly. Thomas bit his lip, he bet that you had a pretty pussy, soft, warm, wet.

He quickly glanced from side to side, before snatching the panties from the line. In a hurry he rushed towards the barn.

His cock was now painfully pressing against the zipper of his pants. His hands fumbled with his belt as he tried to undo his pants. He shoved them and his boxers down his hips just enough to free his cock.

Thomas laid your panties on the workbench in front of him as he started stroking his member. He closed his eyes, retiring to his fantasy. He pictured slipping his hand under the waistband and cupping your mound as his index finger slid between your pussy lips.

He hissed, precum dripping from the head of cock as he continued to think about fingering you, stretching your tight cunt with his fingers, feeling your juices leak onto the palm of his hand, you wouldn’t be able to stop yourself from whimpering and moaning, begging for him to fuck you.

Tommy came, strings of his cum landing on the front of your panties. He placed both arms on the table leaning on them as he caught his breath.

He frowned as he stared at your underwear, he wouldn’t be able to put them back like this. Unsure what to do, he pulled his pants back up, wadded up your panties and stuffed them into his pocket for now.

For the rest of the day, he avoided you, more so than usual. His face blushed as his mind returned to what he had done. He knew it was wrong and disrespectful, and he didn’t want you to think he was gross or a pervert. So he hid for most of the day, hoping you wouldn’t figure out what he had done.

Early the next morning, Tommy did his best to hand wash your underwear, his cum had dried leaving them feeling crusty. Once they were clean, he snuck outside, and went back to the clothesline. Carefully he pinned them back on the line amongst the new load of laundry you did yesterday. He wondered if you had noticed you were missing a pair, if you had, you kept it to yourself.

Thomas returned to the house, the screen door screeching as it closed behind him. He could smell breakfast cooking and hear you and mama chatting. The kitchen was bright and sunny as meander in, taking a seat at the table.

“Morning Tommy!” You beamed while getting him some eggs and toast.

“Did ya sleep well?” Mama asked, turning slightly from the stove to face him.

He nodded in response, watching you and mama move effortlessly in the kitchen.

He smiled as you touched his shoulder while leaning over to set the plate in front of him. You slipped into the seat next to him, while Luda put Levi in the high chair that Thomas had also gotten out of the basement for you to use. You placed some of your scrambled eggs on the tray.

Thomas chuckled watching Levi squealing and kicking his legs out as he grabbed a handful of egg, squeezing it in his tiny little hands.

He wondered if this was what it was like for most families in the morning, a sweet baby, a beautiful mother, a doting grandmother… and a father…

He studied you for a minute, while both you and mama were distracted taking turns feeding Levi. He loved the way you looked in the morning, fresh faced, still in your nightgown, the sunlight making you glow. He wished every morning could be as good as this.

Was it bad that he never wanted you to leave?

…

After Tommy got home from work, the family all sat down for dinner. It hadn’t escaped Tommy’s attention that you claimed the seat next to his as yours during each meal.

Charlie and Monty always complained anyway, anytime they sat next to him, always going on about how he took too much room or how his elbows would knock into them and what not.

Truth be told, when you first started sitting by him, Thomas barely touched his food, he was so damn nervous, worrying about his table manners and the like, but you didn’t seem to mind, and never commented when his arm would brush against yours.

Your laughter drew Thomas from his thoughts, you were laughing at Levi whose face was a complete mess. Even Tommy chuckled a bit, especially how Levi’s hair was sticking straight up because he got mashed potatoes strung through it.

“Oh my,” you started. “I see a little boy who needs a bath.” You bopped his nose and he grinned back at you.

Thomas helped mama clear the table as you washed Levi in the big kitchen sink. You swaddled him in a big towel once you were finished.

“Hey Tommy,” you said, approaching him as mama started wiping the table down. “Will you hold Levi for a bit while I go get him a diaper from upstairs?”

Thomas’s eyes darted towards Luda’s direction but she had disappeared already. Taking a deep breath, Tommy held his arms out as you handed him the baby still wrapped in the towel.

Thomas hadn’t held a baby before and he had been worried that if he got close to Levi that he’d scare him or accidentally make him cry. Tommy stared at the baby, who stared back at him with big eyes.

All he could think about was how tiny Levi was. He smiled, gently tickling Levi under his chin. Levi squealed in response, kicking his legs out in every direction. Thomas’s smile widened, surprised by how strong his little legs were.

“Aw, look at that, my two favorite men getting along,” you cooed.

Thomas blushed, avoiding eye contact with you as you took Levi back. Needing some air, he went outside, and sat on the porch.

It was getting dark out as the sun set behind the hills. He could hear the crickets chirping in the yard as a gentle breeze ruffled the yellow grass.

A thought had crossed Tommy’s mind while he had been holding Levi, he had wondered if he’d make a good dad.Not that it was ever likely to happen.

It was pitiful that those innocent little touches in passing and that quick peck on the cheek were the only intimacy Thomas had experienced as an adult.

He rubbed his forehead, ever since that day he saw you, he had been thinking about things like that. Wanting to know what it felt like to make love to someone, to touch them and have them return his affections instead of recoiling. He dreamed about having a family, a wife… these were all things that years ago he had accepted would never happen for him. But the way you acted around him had him hoping despite his better judgment.

“Mind if we join you?” You asked, peeking your head out of the front door.

Thomas shook his head and shifted his body so his back was leaning on one of the posts of the porch, so he could see you.

You sat on mama’s rocking chair and placed Levi on the floor. The baby toddled around the porch, falling on his diapered butt couple of times as he explored.

“He’s getting pretty quick,” you commented.

Thomas nodded watching as Levi waddled up to the screen door and started banging on it with his bottle.

“Thanks for putting up with us,” you said suddenly, resting your elbows on your knees as you watched Levi play. “I really appreciate everything you and your family have done for us.”

Tommy tilted his head, giving you a questionable look.

You laughed and shrugged, “I just mean it can’t be easy having us around, especially with Levi making so much noise, crying in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning… things like that. ”

Thomas shook his head, he hadn’t really considered any of that a bother. He just liked having you and Levi around.

A few days ago, Tommy had overheard you telling mama that Levi was the reason you left your ex, that all you could think about while you were pregnant was that if that man could excuse his violence towards you, what was going to keep him from taking it out on a child?

You were obviously still freaked out about that man finding you. Thomas had noticed that you hadn’t left the house at all since that night and that you weren’t sleeping much either.

It was times like this where he wished he could communicate with you, to be able to say that life here with him would be better and that he was nothing at all like that man, that he’d never hurt you or Levi, ever.

“Are you alright, Thomas?” You asked, tilting your head. His brow was furrowed as if he were deep in thought.

He gave a long sigh, but nodded his head. He was fine.

You smiled at him softly, patting his arm before picking up Levi who was tugging on your dress. Tommy watched as you headed back inside the house.

Later that evening, Thomas went down to the basement and searched through some boxes. He knew mama kept most of his things from when he was a baby. She was always going on and on about how some day he’d want them. When you showed at their house that night his old crib, high chair and a few other things were brought out, but he knew there had to be more somewhere around here.

He smirked when he finally found a box filled with his old clothes and toys. He sorted the items in the box, making a pile of things you could use for Levi. He paused when he picked up a pink stuffed pig. The toy was missing its eyes and had a few holes where the seam was coming loose. But otherwise it was in decent shape, still had its curly tail, plenty of fluff and the fabric was nice and soft.

Thomas carried it with him to his nearby work table. Digging through the drawers he pulled out thread, a needle, and a couple of buttons. Working with a steady hand, Thomas was able to fix the small holes and replace the eyes.

He smiled looking at the pig, it had one big brown button eye and a small blue one, but was cute nonetheless. He placed on top of the pile, already looking forward to your reaction.

“Oh! Look at the little piggy!” You squealed when Tommy presented it to you the following morning after breakfast. You were sitting on the floor in the living room, playing with Levi when Thomas came back downstairs.

“See the piggy, Levi,” you said, holding it out in front of him. “Oink! Oink!”

Levi giggled as you continued to oink moving the little pig around in the air before letting him hold it. Immediately, Levi held it tight and started gnawing on one of the ears.

“He loves it!” You announced, smiling up at Tommy. “Thank you for all this!”

Thomas just nodded, watching for a minute as Levi became acquainted with his new friend before leaving for work.

…

Thomas sat there on his knees completely still, a combination of his blood and the man’s he just killed covered his hands. He looked down at what he had done, he didn’t flinch as he stared at the bloody mess beneath him.

The man’s face was beyond recognition.

At first, Tommy could only recall bits and pieces of what he had done, almost as if he had lost all self control. Without any hesitation, remorse, or restraint, he had hit that man’s face over and over. Thomas had probably knocked the man unconscious with the first few blows, but that didn’t stop him, he didn’t stop until the back of the man’s skull was shattered and his face was soft and mushy.

Thomas began to pant as the adrenaline left his body and the burden of reality returned. It wasn’t the fact that he had just murdered someone that made him feel distressed, a part of him always knew what he was capable of. His worries stemmed when he thought about facing you after what he had done.

He had been so blinded by rage seeing that asshole in his home, that same asshole who made you so scared, that made you cry and had hurt you. Then to see that man yelling at his mama while he was dragging you by the hair out of his house.

Tommy simply snapped.

It wasn’t the evening he had pictured coming home to after working late, but that just fueled his anger more, knowing for a fact that that man had waited, waited for an opportunity when Monty, Charlie and Thomas were all out of the house. The fucker was a coward, an abuser, and got what he deserved.

Thomas grabbed the man by the throat, choking him with just one hand, the man dangling a couple of feet in the air released your hair as his hands tried to pry Thomas’s off. Once you were out of that man’s grasp, Thomas threw the man like a doll outside. The prick tried scrambling onto his feet and running away, but Tommy was surprisingly quick, he stomped down on his fingers, breaking them in several places.

The man screamed obscenities, while he howled in pain clutching his hand to his chest. As Tommy clogged close, the bastard spat in Tommy’s face and called him an animal.

After that Tommy just couldn’t stop himself.

Thomas continued to sit there in the dark, heaving. He heard gravel crunching as someone approached.

Charlie whistled as he got a good look at what Tommy had done, “Damn boy,” he laughed. “Can’t say he didn’t deserve it.”

“Good thing he ain’t from around here,” Monty added. “Nobody’s gonna come all this way lookin’ for him.”

“We’ll take care of it from here,” Charlie said, kneeling down beside Tommy. “Can’t have a body laying in the front yard all night, might attract other pests.”

Thomas grunted, having only caught some of what Charlie was saying, everything sounded still far away and muffled. He slowly rose to his feet, his body felt heavy and sore, even with all the work he did on average, never in his life had he felt this kind of tired before.

He looked up at the big house, he was worried what would happen when he crossed the threshold. He entertained the idea of maybe washing himself with the hose before going inside, maybe that would soften the blow, maybe that would make it less scary for you. But he felt so sore that he wasn’t even sure he could make it to the house.

Taking a deep breath, Thomas trudged forward, groaning as went up each step on the porch.

As he pulled the door open and stepped inside, the air in his lungs was practically knocked out of him as you threw yourself on him, your arms wrapping around his middle as tightly as you could.

He collapsed onto his ass and you fell with him, holding on to him tight.

“You’re okay,” you whispered, crying into his chest, seemingly unbothered by all the fresh blood on his clothes. “I’m so sorry, Tommy, I’m so sorry…”

Thomas patted your back firmly a couple of times, communicating to you, in his own way, that he was fine. He didn’t really understand what was happening, you weren’t scared of him, instead you were worried about him, this wasn’t what he had expected at all.

He looked around the house, with you still in his arms, mama was resting on the sofa with the baby laying on top of her chest, she gave Thomas a tired smile before closing her eyes. His gaze wandered through the room, spotting some of the damage caused by that man, there was a broken lamp and chair laying on the floor, and a few other pieces of furniture were turned over and out of place.

He jumped a little as you pulled away, finally noticing all the blood that now covered the both of you. Dread immediately filled him watching as you examined his blood drenched clothes.

You could feel Thomas’s breathing speed up, you tilted your head and cupped his cheek. Poor man looked so exhausted but you couldn’t let him fall asleep like this and you knew he would too.

You turned slightly checking mama and Levi who both seemed to have fallen asleep on the couch.

“Tommy,” you whispered, stroking his face. “Let’s go upstairs and get cleaned up alright?”

He furrowed his brow but nodded.

You held out your hand as you stood and helped him get back onto his feet as best as you could before guiding him upstairs.

He gave you a confused look as you opened the door to the hallway bathroom instead of his bedroom, but he followed you anyway.

You put the lid down on the toilet seat, before having him sit down.

He watched too tired to really comprehend what was happening as you turned on the facet.

While the water heated up, you returned your attention to Tommy. First, you loosened his tie and discarded it on the floor, then undid each button of his shirt before tugging it off his shoulders. You crouched down, untying the laces on his boots before pulling them and his socks off.

Under normal circumstances, Tommy would be freaking out and blushing like hell, but due to exhaustion he simply allowed you to take off his clothes. The only thought he seemed to be able to process was how much he loved you. It was something he knew for a while now but didn’t even want to admit to himself.

Your hands, then, moved to his belt, unhooking it before pulling it out of the belt loops. Finally with some help from Tommy you were able to get his pants off. You left his mask alone, you’d never dream of pushing the issue or overstepping any bounds, you’d get to see that part of Tommy when he was ready.

However, you couldn��t stop yourself from admiring his form for a second. Your eyes roaming over every inch as you appreciated his body starting with his broad shoulders, to his hairy chest, soft tummy, down to his happy trail leading to his thick uncut cock. Your face flushed as you quickly looked away.

He was handsome, maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but you were definitely attracted to him.

You knelt back down bedside the tub and checked the temperature of the water, before putting the stopper in. You smiled up at Thomas, your eyes gazing at him adoringly, “The water should be warm enough now.”

Thomas nodded completely dazed still, he wondered if he had fallen asleep at some point, but usually not even his best dreams were this good.

“Come on,” you urged, as you guided him into the tub.

Thomas moaned as he stepped in and sank down into the porcelain tub. The hot water felt amazing against his sore body. He simply laid there for a good minute with his eyes closed until he felt your hands against his chest.

With a bar soap you began washing Tommy’s torso, swirling around his chest and shoulders first. Using a washcloth and the soap you focused on washing his body first. His forearms and hands were covered in blood.

You winced noticing the wounds on his knuckles, Thomas had a lot of scars and scratches on his body, you felt guilty knowing that you had contributed to that.

He noticed you staring at his hand, with the other he leaned forwards and stroked your cheek. He wanted to let you know that it wasn’t your fault.

You turned your head, nuzzling against Tommy’s hand and leaving a small kiss on his palm. “Thank you, Tommy,” you murmured.

He sighed, closing his eyes as you moved the washcloth to carefully clean his face. You wiped his mask, cheeks, forehead, around his eyes, and even behind his ears.

“Can you lean forward a bit?” You asked.

Thomas did as you asked, groaning as he moved his tired body.

You stood up, stepping into the tub behind him, sitting on the edge of the tub. “Alright, you can lean back again.”

You lathered your hands with shampoo then started working your fingers through his hair.

Thomas moaned as you massaged his scalp. No one had ever done this sort of thing before for him, at least not since he was little. He felt pampered as you took care of him. He tried to keep his eyes open, but he never felt quite this relaxed in his life.

You tilted his head back and rinsed the shampoo out. Running your fingers through it soothingly, before running your hands over his shoulders, squeezing and massaging his tense muscles.

He must of dozed off for a bit, his eyes slowly opening as you stood up and fetched a towel for him.

Thomas stretched, rubbing his eyes, then he stumbled out of the tub but you quickly by his side, offering him support. With the towel in your hand helped him dry off before securing a towel around his waist.

“Do you feel better?” You asked.

Thomas gave you a half smile and nodded, other than tired, he felt amazing.

You walked him to his room and watched as he dropped the towel on the floor and flopped onto his bed completely naked.

You giggled to yourself and sat on the edge of his bed next to him, patting his cheek gently as you tried to keep him awake just a moment longer.

“Thomas?”

He hummed and peeked an eye open.

“Thank you for everything, Thomas,” you leaned forward and kissed his forehead, your lips lingered on his skin, before you sat up. “Good night.”

…

After that night, there was a noticeable change in your and Tommy’s relationship. He stopped avoiding you so much and instead spent as much time as possible with you as he could.

At first he was still shy and unsure about the situation, but he tried his best to return the affection you showed him. Like when you’d take his hand in yours while walking outside, he’d work up the nerve to hold it tightly, even rub his thumb across the back of your hand.

Small pecks on the cheek soon became kisses on the lips, after you kissed him goodbye one morning by accident. You were going to apologize but Thomas immediately pulled you in for another, more passionate kiss. When he had pulled away, he left you standing there speechless as he marched to work redder than a tomato.

One morning, you surprised him in the barn while he was working. You wrapped your fingers around his tie and pulled him close. With your other hand, you tucked some of his hair behind his ear before leaning in and kissing him. You slipped your tongue between his lips eager to taste him. He cupped your ass, giving it a squeeze, then lifted you with ease onto the nearby workbench. The two of you made out like a couple of horny teenagers.

It wasn’t always easy to find privacy, not with his family constantly needing his help or when Levi would start crying and fussing. But the two of you found time, setting up little meetings in secret. The sneaking around though was worth it as long as he got to spend time alone with you.

Thomas was so happy that you decided to keep living here. You were so worried about being a burden that you tried going back home.

Thomas had accompanied you when you went to see what kind of condition your unwanted guest left it in. From the outside you could see that several of the windows had been broken. Inside, the whole place was trashed, the furniture was wrecked and your personal belongings were destroyed.

Thomas had held you as you cried after trying to find what you could salvage. You didn’t want to stay there, you didn’t want to be alone there… So when you and Tommy returned you asked mama if you could stay.

With what little you were able to bring from your old house, you made the guest feel more like your own. Thomas helped you move the furniture around to your liking, creating a small space for Levi to play.

In all honesty, you couldn’t imagine living alone again, not after living here with Tommy, mama, Monty and even Charlie.

…

Thomas cracked his eyes open, listening intently as someone quietly knocked on his door again.

“Thomas?”

He sat up immediately, once he recognized that it was your voice calling for him. Worried that something was wrong, he got out of bed and opened the door, dressed only in a white shirt and boxers.

“Sorry for waking you, but I couldn’t help it,” You smiled up at him. “It just started raining.”

Thomas cocked his brow, as if asking if you were really here in the middle of night to tell him that.

You pouted playfully, tugging on his hand, “Oh come on Tommy, it hardly ever rains this time or year, let’s go enjoy it together.”

He rolled his eyes, but still slipped on his boots before he followed you downstairs.

You slowly opened the front door trying to be as quiet as possible. Thomas smirked to himself, shaking his head slightly as he watched you acting like a little kid.

The moment you felt the night air, you took in a deep breath. You loved everything about rain, the sound, the way it smelled, how it felt on your skin. You couldn’t resist reaching and feeling the rain with your fingertips.

“Don’t you just love it?” You asked Tommy.

He shrugged, he liked the rain just fine, it was better than usual dry heat, at least.

You hopped down the steps, practically skipping as it started to rain even harder.

Thomas sat on the porch, watching as you played in the rain. You spun slowly on your tiptoes in your white nightgown with your arms out and your fingers wiggling. He couldn’t get over how lovely you were, in fact, you were the most beautiful person he had ever met, so sweet, gentle, and loving. He was glad you woke him up, even if he was a little cranky about it at first, but he truly appreciated getting this chance to see you so happy and be a part of that happiness. He couldn’t seem to get enough of you lately.

Still giggling, you wandered back to the porch completely soaked from head to toe.

He swallowed thickly as his eyes traveled down your body as you got closer.

Your wet nightgown clung to your every curve, and practically became translucent from the rain. He openly stared at you, slacked jawed, he could make out the shape and color of your nipples. They were hard and perky from the rain.

You bit your lip, as you became aware of Tommy’s lustful gaze. Straddling his leg as you moved onto his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck for support.

He lightly placed one of his hands on your waist, and caressed your cheek with the other, wiping a few stray droplets from your face.

You tilted your head, brushing your nose against his leather covered one, as your lips gently touched his. The hand that had been on your cheek, moved to the back of your head as Tommy deepened the kiss. You began to grind down on his thigh, moaning into his mouth as the two of you made out.

Thomas slowly kissed along your jaw, down to your neck while he nipped and sucked on the tender skin. His hands wandered down to your hips as you continued to rub your crotch against him.

He smiled against your skin as moaned his name riding his thigh faster, your fingers curling tightly into his hair.

You involuntarily shivered as the wind picked up. Tommy pulled away, giving you a quizzical look.

“Just a little cold,” you reassured him, loosening your arms from his neck and rubbing his chest. “Want to go to your room and warm me up?” You suggested in a low voice by Tommy’s ear.

He eagerly nodded, helping you to your feet as you both tried to go back inside quietly. You held his hand as you climbed up the steps.

When you made it to his room, you gave him a playful smile as you dropped his hand and opened his door. Thomas closed and locked it following behind you.

His room was dark as you stumbled inside with moonlight seeping in from the window.

Now that you were in private, you lifted your nightgown over your head, peeling it off your body and dropping it to the floor with your back facing Tommy. You rubbed your thighs together with anticipation. You had been carving Tommy’s touch, wanting nothing more than to take things further, finally feel him inside of you.

Taking a few steps towards you, he rested his forehead on top of yours, inhaling deeply as his hands explored the expanse of your back, savoring the feeling of your cool smooth skin under his warm rough palms.

You turned around to face him, your fingers carefully sweeping his hair away from his eyes. The corner of his eyes crinkled as he smiled down at you.

You pushed yourself onto your tiptoes and kissed him with parted lips. Tommy’s tongue eased into your mouth, his hands resting on the small of your back, your breasts pressing against his clothed chest.

“I want you, Thomas,” you whispered.

You walked backwards until your legs hit the bed, sitting on the edge, you slipped off your panties. Thomas knelt down on the floor before you, starting at your ankles, his fingers lightly moved upwards to the back of your knees. He parted your legs, while lifting them up to rest on his shoulders.

You laid back on the bed as Thomas’s tongue delved past your folds, giving you nice long licks, tasting your cunt up to your clit. You squirmed against him, as he buried his face deeper, sucking and slurping on your bud.

He wanted to get you off first, he wanted to make you feel good. He knew he wouldn’t last long, his hard cock was already weeping in his boxers, and he knew that your pussy would feel heavenly around him.

Tommy teased your entrance, your pussy was so slick that his index finger easily slipped it inside you. He pumped it in and out rhythmically, you were so warm and tight. You arched your back off the bed as he added another finger, the mild stretch stung but you felt so full. As he fingered fucked you, he continued to play with your clit using his mouth, switching between long sucks and quick swirls of his tongue.

“Ah,” you gasped, quickly muffling your mouth with your own hand. Last thing you wanted was to wake someone and have this moment interrupted.

Tommy could feel your legs tense as your toes started to curl, with your free hand you tangled your fingers in his dark hair, tugging on the strands and pushing his face further between your legs as you came on his fingers. Your vaginal walls clenched around them as your juices gushed down his hand. You whimpered as he gave your folds one last lick.

Unable to resist any longer, Thomas scrambled to his feet, yanking his shirt off and shoving his boxers down, and climbed onto the bed with you. You were still catching your breath as he loomed over you and began peppering kisses to your collarbone and chest.

Supporting his weight on one arm, he was able to grope your chest, fondling one of your tits and circling the nipple with his thumb. His tongue flicked over your other nipple, before he latched onto it, sucking.

Moving his hand down to his crotch, he tugged and rubbed his length as he lavished your body with attention using his mouth. Sitting up for just a moment, he continued to stroke his cock while he admired the view in front of him, your legs spread open, your chest rising and falling.

Gazing back up at him you wiggled your hips enticingly and wrapped your legs around his thighs. Getting the idea, Tommy positioned his cock, sliding the tip along your slit before pushing the head into your wet hot pussy.

Thomas made a gravelly groan as his cock went deeper into you. He couldn’t believe how good it felt, feeling your warm walls squeezing around his shaft. He tried to take it slow, wanting this to last.

His grabbed your ass, a cheek in each hand, and lifted you off the bed as he fucked you harder. Thomas began to pant, his eyes half lidded as he watched your breasts jiggle and bounce with each thrust.

You mewled and writhed against the sheets as Tommy’s hips snapped faster and faster. He was breathing heavily, squeezing his eyes shut as he focused on how good your body felt.

“You feel so good, Tommy,” you moaned, legs tightening around him. “Fill me up with your cum.”

He bent forward, capturing your lips with his in a sloppy kiss before his nails dug into the soft plump flesh of your ass and his face twisted with pleasure. He growled harshly as he finally came.

His warm breath fanned your shoulder, his dark hair hanging in front of eyes as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He hissed as he moved, slowly pulled his member from your cunt and collapsed beside you.

Tommy whined as you shuffled away from him to pull the sheet over you and him. You laid back down on your side, facing him as his arms snaked around you, you tucked your head under his.

“I love you, Thomas,” you confessed as you closed your eyes.

He pressed his lips to the top of your head, letting you know he felt the same way. He listened to the rain as it continued to hit the roof as you fell asleep. Your breathing was calm and slow, and your body soft and warm as he stroked your arm.

Thomas started to dream of what life would be like now that he had you, like getting to fall asleep beside you every night, having many more evenings filled with pleasure, watching Levi grow up… He snuggled closer to you, maybe by this time next year there would be another baby in the house, a little girl would be nice.

#reader insert #female reader #Texas chainsaw massacre fic #tcm the beginning #slasher fic #slasher fanfiction #slasher x reader #thomas hewitt #thomas hewitt x you #thomas hewitt x y/n #thomas hewitt x reader #leatherface x reader #leatherface x y/n #leatherface x you #Texas chainsaw massacre the beginning

2K notes · View notes

koshirulynn · 2 years ago

Text

//convenience store//

High school AU- Shu Yamino x deaf!reader fluff

//Convenience store//

In where,you were hungry so you decided to buy some food from the convenience store at the corner of your street.Reaching in for the bag of the potato chips/crisp,your hand touch another's.

(This is just for fun,do not take thus seriously and to any included streamer,if you read this I am sorry)Lmao I hope you enjoy!!

It was a hot scorching day for Shu and the boys.They had planned to go to the beach together.No cloud in the sky to be found.No sign for an unexpected storm to appear.Although the sun was out,the breeze was slightly cool which refreshed everyone outside.

Everything was set up,the umbrella,blankets laid where Ike could sit in the shade and read.The grill was fired up with food cooking cause Vox complained that he wouldn't attend if there wasn't a grill of some sort.Luca and Mysta wanted to squirt water at each other with the water guns that they had bought as in impulse. Shu just wanted to take pictures to remember because they will never know when these days will end.

The sun's temperature was just getting hotter during the afternoon,Ike made sure that the boys had some sun cream on because of what happened last time to Luca when he was surfing for too long.

Minutes passing,both Shu and Ike wanted to buy some refreshments from the local convenience store near the beach.Telling Vox and the rest that they would be gone to get some stuff,both Mysta and Luca requested for them to get some ice-cream.To which they agreed to because of how sweaty they all were.

Shu was on his way alone because Ike's flip flops melted somehow on the sand because he place them in an area that was exposed to the sun and forgot them by accident.Ike was groaning because he wanted to walk with Shu but no one had any spare.

The walk was only 10 minutes away from the spot the group was located. Shu had to get a few things like,a bag of ice,ice-cream, some soda and some snacks.

Wearing his costume tote bag that Mysta had made for him because it matched his outfit.Shu had worn a summer,short sleeve button up but he had three buttons loose that exposed his bare chest and neck.

When he entered the convenience store,the cool breeze from the air-con had relieved the raven haired boy.Calmly sighing,Shu had began his journey to collect all the wanted items.

First going to the isle where all of the snacks were.Shu was looking for his favorite pack of chips/crisp.Hoping that the store had it,he found that there was two packs of them left on the shelf.

Putting one packet in his the green basket that the store provided for temporary use.He reached out to get the other one but ended up touching someone else's hand instead.

"I'M SORRY"Shu said with a slightly panicked voice.You were looking at him in confusion before you snatched the bag of chips first.You crossed your arms and pointed at your ears.Although you could read lips,Shu was talking too fast.

He made an 'O' with his mouth.

'Ohhhh You can't hear?' thought to himself before bowing his head to you as an apology.You waved it off before making your way to the candy section of the store.Shu continued to buy whatever he needed and went to the self check out to pay.The total came to 20 euros.

Making his way down town(the beach),walking fast.The raven haired boy made it back to his friends with all the requested refreshments.Luca and Mysta running with the water guns towards the shaded area.

"Shuuuuuuuu,did you get iceee creamm~"The golden blonde come straight to him as he plopped himself beside his raven haired friend the a wide silly grin.

"Yes I diddd"Shu reflected the same energy back at his friend.Vox set the creamy dessert on table with the cones.Everyone was at the table,making their own ice-cream.

The cold sensation helped them cool down from the extreme heat.Although some of the boys went for a swim,the ocean water was quickly dried off by the summer heat.

"for fucks sake,it's hot here"Mysta sighed while licking the melting ice-cream that was dripping on the cone he was holding.

"Damn look how cute that one is"Vox pointed at a person.Everyone was looking the direction that he pointed at.Shu saw a familiar figure.It was you.You were sucking on a pink lolipop and you were wearing a cute cap while skateboarding down the path.

All the attention went to you.You rolled down to a bench,not to far from where Shu and the boys were located.

"OOooo they are cute~"Luca agreed. Ike raised an eyebrow looking at Shu.

"Seems like you know them Shu"the raven haired boy's attention was now to his friend.

"Yea,I kinda met them in the store"He chuckled as he went back to staring at you.You were just sitting on the bench,taking pictures of the beautiful sea side.

Taking photos with your phone,you realized that a group of boys were posing.It was really wholesome looking.You saw them shouting at you but you couldn't hear as you preferred not to use hearing aids.You decided to go to them although you were feeling quite anxious.

Seeing the streak of blonde on one of them,you knew that it was the boy you had met in the convenience store just around 15 minutes ago.

'hellos' and 'hi'

You read their lips.You waved and crossed your arms and pointed to your ears just like the first time you met Shu.Some of them were shocked except Ike and Shu.

"They're deaf?"Mysta questioned

"Yeahh,they are"Shu smiled at you to which you returned the kind gesture.

'Do you want to have some ice-cream'Ike signed to you.You were slightly shocked but signed back quickly.

'are you sure?If you don't mind'You were welcomed with a nodded yes.

The boys didn't know that Ike knew sign language so they just went straight to Ike to ask what you signed to him and what he signed.

"I just asked if they wanted some ice-cream and they just accepted"Seeing this happen,Shu wanted to learn sign language and befriend you.You also were curious of the blonde streaked boy.You actually wanted to befriend Ike and Shu.

'What is your names?My name is Y/n L/n'Your moments were directly to Ike.

'My name is Ike eveland,this is shu yamino,Luca Kaneshiro,Vox Akuma and Mysta rias'Ike pointed at each person.

"nice to meet you"You spoke and bowed.Although your voice was shaky and fragile in a way.

'TSKR TSKR TSKR TSKR'Shu was screaming in his head.

Shu found you cute.He was smiling and red tinted once he heard your voice.He looked away with his face covered.You were definitely interesting in his eyes and very cute.

The faith of you guys meeting at the convenience store made the both of you thankful as this could be the opening of the relationship between both you and the group.

#ike eveland #fanfiction #luca kaneshiro #mysta rias #shu yamino #vox akuma #luxiem #nijisanji #nijisanjien #shu yamino x reader

245 notes · View notes

etherrreal · 4 years ago

Text

“when you pass out at practice”

Pairing: tsukishima x reader ; kyotani x reader ; aone x reader Genre: comfort-fluff ; drabbles & headcanons Summary: the reader hasn’t been taking care of herself which leads to her passing out at practice Word Count: 2295 Warnings: fainting, or passing out, from sleep deprivation/not eating/heat exhaustion, some explicit language because i’m an adult A/N: thanks for the fun request! i took a little bit of artistic liberties with the scenario to keep it from being so repetitive so I hope you don’t mind! -Luna

it was rare that you had a beautiful sunny day on a weekend with no chores to attend to or work to complete

so when your boyfriend Tsukishima texted you and asked you to come join him for casual volleyball practice outside, you decided to take him up on that opportunity

however, not even a cap and some cold water could stave off heat exhaustion

Despite it being 95°F and so humid that the air feels thick when you breathe, it is a beautiful day outside. The sky is completely clear of clouds; the sun is shining directly on you as you, your boyfriend, and Yamaguchi head out to practice at the open field nearby Karasuno. The change of scenery was refreshing and even with it feeling just as hot as it usually does inside the school gym, the occasional breeze and lack of sweaty stench was a huge welcomed change.

There’s very little shade provided by the trees, but you lay out a small blanket under the nearest one anyway. You become the bag and bottle keeper when Tsukishima and Yamaguchi hand you their items, your boyfriend dropping it haphazardly onto the blanket while Yamaguchi delicately places it down with a ‘thank you.’

You usually don’t get to see Tsukishima practice, seeing as his normal practices run until the dead of night, so it was fun watching them set and serve the ball back and forth. When the occasional ball lands by your feet, you get the chance to enjoy setting it back to them, even if it often falls short or misses the target completely.

“Thank god you’re not on our team,” Tsukishima teases, as he watches the ball you set fall 6 feet away from him.

“Yeah, because I’d kick your ass. I know I’m a threat, and you should fear me,” you retort sarcastically. Before he turns away to retrieve the ball, you see him crack a small smile at your tomfoolery.

However, after a few hours of getting up and down repeatedly to send the balls back under the beating sun, your head starts to pound. Your body is radiating so much heat it makes you want to remove your skin. You know it’s just a matter of time before you start feeling physically ill, as well. You loosen your cap and drink some cold water in hopes that it will relieve some of the tension, but you just feel the same.

You decide to lay down on the blanket, cap laid over your face to block out the sun. You don’t know if you passed out or if you simply tuned out everything around you for a bit, but you jump when you suddenly feel something wet and cold touching your neck.

You reach up to swat it away, thinking it was a bug when you hear Tsukishima’s voice. “Stop that. I’m trying to help you, dummy.”

Relief washed over you to know that it wasn’t a beetle crawling up your neck but instead your stoic boyfriend pressing his plastic water bottle there to cool you down.

“Yamaguchi thought you died,” he brought up suddenly. “He actually ran to the store to get some more water after I told him to stop overreacting.”

You chuckle, picturing Yamaguchi already mourning over your body just because you were lying down with a cap over your face. “It’s sweet that he cares though, in his own weird way.”

Suddenly, the sky and Tsukishima’s crouching figure are in full view as he flicks the hat off of your face, feeling annoyed that you praised his friend and not him. “What do you think I’m doing, huh?”

“Aww, do you want me to tell you how you’re the bestest, sweetest, most handsome boyfriend I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing, and that I’m so grateful that you’ve graced me with your help?” you whine in a sarcastic tone, making grabby hands at the tall blond hovering over you.

He slaps your hands away, knowing that if you get your hands on him, you’d squeeze his cheeks and ruffle his hair like you always do. “Well, that’s the last time I ever take care of you.”

You know he doesn’t mean it and that, if you were ever in some form of peril, he would casually stroll rush to your rescue to make sure you’re okay. You hope that when you look up at him he can see how much you appreciate his efforts.

“Thank you, Kei,” you say sincerely.

“Yeah, whatever.” He sounds dismissive, but you can tell by the scrunched eyebrows and soft look in his eyes as he gazes down at you how much he worries about your well-being, and you’re genuinely grateful to have him be your unofficial nurse.

you heard from some classmates that your math teacher was seen printing out math quizzes

*cue studious panic*

you decided to completely skip lunch and use that time in the library to hit the books hard

your stomach was rumbling, your head was hurting, and your vision would become spotty if you stood up too quickly

you completed your quiz at the end of the day, but by then, you were starving and ready to get something to eat

in your panic, you forgot that you were supposed to meet kyotani after school so you could force him to go to practice that day (or else Iwaizumi would have your ass)

he heard your stomach make monstrous noises and when you let him know you hadn’t eaten, he looked more upset than usual to see you not taking care of yourself

“Let’s skip practice and get some food,” he suggests.

“What? So you can skip out on one of the few practices you go to? Absolutely not!” you reprimand.

“But you need to eat.”

“Look at you being a sweet boyfriend who cares,” you tease, watching him roll his eyes like he’s annoyed, but the pink hue dusting his cheeks says otherwise. “I’ll be fine. I should have an extra granola bar in my bag somewhere.”

"Whatever, if you say so." He turns his body diagonally, a gesture you know means 'walk with me.' Kyotani has never been keen on PDA, but one thing you have noticed is that he prefers for you to walk directly by his side at all times. To others, it may look like he’s uninterested in you, but you can tell by how often his arm brushes yours that it’s his way of showing affection.

You stroll across campus together, enjoying a quiet conversation with Kyotani about your day thus far. It doesn’t take long for you to reach the gym entrance, already hearing the balls slamming against the ground inside. You both switch out your shoes before walking in, him going to join his teammates and you finding a seat on the sidelines, seeing Iwaizumi give you a thumbs up for your job well done.

You take a moment to search through your bag for that granola bar you mentioned earlier. After sifting through books, loose notes, and forgotten pencils and pens, you realize you have no snack to tide you over until the end of practice.

The market is just down the road. I could probably go pick something up and be back quickly.

You wave Iwaizumi over, figuring you’ll tell him your plans while Kyotani is distracted so he won’t follow you out. You see his back turned to you as Oikawa speaks to the rest of the team, gesturing wildly with a volleyball in hand.

As Iwaizumi gets closer, you stand up and immediately begin to sway. Your vision grows spotted, and your head feels like it’s floating.

You hear Kyotani yell out your name before everything goes black.

When you wake up, the lights are beaming overhead as you lay in some sort of bed. Once you’re coherent enough, you sit up, looking around to see that you’re in the school nurse’s office. You pick up your hand to hold your still aching head when you notice a very angry Kyotani attached to it, already glaring at you.

Your mouth opens and closes repeatedly, not quite knowing what to say after you just passed out in the middle of practice.

"I told you that we should've gotten something to eat," he starts, growling out each word.

You shrink into yourself, feeling embarrassed that you've upset him and couldn’t even take care of yourself properly. "I'm sorry, Kentaro.”

He notices you plucking the lint off your shirt to avoid direct eye contact with him. His eyes close as he collects himself, realizing that now’s not the time to lecture you for something you couldn’t have predicted.

He sighs, standing up slightly to lean over your slumped figure, laying a kiss on your temple. He mumbles a quiet apology against your skin, feeling bad for snapping at you when he should’ve been more kind. He’s working on that, slowly but surely.

“Let’s go get something to eat,” he says, holding your hand while you stand slowly from the bed. You wobble slightly, Kyotani quickly wrapping his arm around your waist to stabilize you. You give him a nod when you’re firmly on your two feet.

“From now on, if you’re hungry, tell me.”

You agreed reluctantly, not exactly wanting him to worry so much but knowing he wouldn’t let you leave without your compliance.

From then on, he always makes sure to check on you to check if you've eaten or if you need one of the many granola bars he now carries, and while sometimes it's annoying to have him acting like a mother hen, it's also very heartwarming to know that he cares about you that much. Not to mention, he’s saved your ass many times when you have to study overtime for another intense math quiz.

the end of the semester was coming to a close and you were scrambling to get everything done on time

there weren't enough hours in the day to study for finals, finish projects, complete homework, and also take care of your human needs, like eating and sleeping

so, you just didn't sleep one night, opting to stay up with some caffeine to power through all of your work

at the beginning of the next day, you felt energetic and peppy, but as it went on, the sluggish feeling started to settle in

by the end, you were feeling absolutely exhausted and ready to drop at any moment

however, you still wanted to accompany Aone to practice that day, as it was your favorite part of your week

aone initially insisted that you head home without him, but he realized it might be safer to go with him after practice, just in case you fell asleep on the train

It feels like it takes ages, but eventually, practice begins to wind down, soreness seeping into each and every team member’s muscles after hours on their feet. A few of them are still practicing quick attacks with each other, but Aone is one more move away from passing out from exhaustion.

He walks over to you sitting on the sidelines, watching you take longer and longer between each blink. Yet, when he gets close enough, you still manage to give him a small smile that kicks his heart into overdrive, his face, no doubt, resembling a tomato because of the gesture.

He sits on the creaky folding chair beside you, taking gulps of his water to try to cool himself down. He almost chokes when he feels your head press up against his shoulder, hand resting on his forearm gently. Sitting still as a rock, he tries to take his mind off his cute partner cuddling up next to him.

"We should stop somewhere and pick up some food on the way to the train,” he suggests, doing his best to ignore the warmth filling his cheeks. “Do you want anything specific?"

You're silent beside him. At first, he thinks you're contemplating what to eat, seeing as you're very particular with your cravings. But when two minutes pass, and there's not even a peep from you, he looks down carefully to find you knocked out against his shoulder, face squished uncomfortably and mouth parting with each deep breath you take.

Aone never pictured this happening to him –mostly because he didn't think he'd ever have a partner who'd feel comfortable enough around him– so he didn't quite know where to go from here. He could wake you up to at least bring you home, but if this is the first time you've slept in over 24 hours, he didn't want to deprive you of more necessary sleep.

The only way Aone can think of bringing you home is to carry you all the way to the train station and... Well, that's as far as he manages to get, but future Aone will figure the rest out.

He asks Futakuchi to gather his things for him because he doesn't want to risk waking you. After some light teasing, he hands Aone his packed duffle and helps put on his jacket with minimal stirring from you.

Aone thanks his friend with a nod before turning to you and slipping his arms under you, one beneath your knees and the other behind your back. He freezes when you begin shifting around, but relaxes once you settle into him.

Aone waves at his team on the way out, with what movement he is allowed, and begins his trek to the train station nearby.

His arms are aching after hours of practice, but it doesn’t matter, because you nuzzling into his neck with an adorable sigh gives him enough strength to carry you halfway across the country if he needs to.

Written by: Luna

819 notes · View notes

helliontherapscallion · 4 years ago

Text

Privileges (Adrenaline Junkie Part 11)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Spotify Playlist (collaborative)

Warnings: slight description of death/injury/illness, small description of homelessness, slight panic attack

Word count: 2,845

You and Arthur sat at the top of the cliff for a while sitting in silence. Glancing at the sun’s position, you guessed that it’s been a couple of hours. You continued to wait patiently for him to gather his courage that you knew he had. He looked conflicted.

The wild herds of livestock grazed peacefully below you, filling the silence with various moos and oinks. Various flowers colorfully dotted the green grass with multiple shades of vibrant blues, yellows, whites, and reds. The few clouds that littered the baby blue sky rolled endlessly above you, giving you a sense of peace and entertainment when you tried to make out mobs from the abstract shapes. The breeze lightly blew against your skin making you shiver every now and then from the feeling of it working its way through your feathers and hair. It was a perfect day for flying.

While you were waiting, you took out the snacks and water and handed them to Arthur. He originally didn’t want them, but you insisted he at least drink something today. He needed hydration if he was going to sit under the hot sun for hours. Every time he would take a deep breath (which was often), you would perk up and look at him ready to fully divert your attention towards him, only to look elsewhere when he would sigh. You were starting to lose your patience, but you knew you had to hold out for Arthur. That poor kid looks like he’s been through a lot in such a short amount of time.

You mindlessly munched on a granola bar. The chocolate and grain danced on your tastebuds in perfect harmony like an old married couple gleefully waltzing at their grandchild's wedding. Washing down the taste with water, you feel the cool liquid slither it’s way down your throat, relieving parts with it’s refreshing properties. You let your mind wander to your brothers.

Technoblade, ever the individualistic, nonconforming anarchist, lived a couple of hours outside the outskirts of the Dream SMP lands. You visited his house once and it was nice, but you really didn’t like the cold. Your metal prosthetic froze to your amputated wing and it took several painful hours of waiting by the fireplace for it to unstick to your feathers. Techno appeared indifferent of the situation, but you knew he cared deep down. He always was a softie for his family members.

Wilbur was in his element in L’manberg. Leadership came naturally for him, and you were immensely grateful for that. Without him, L’manberg would’ve gone down in history with dishonor. L’manberg was thriving under his just rule. Infrastructure was slowly starting to spread throughout the entirety of the small nation, making it easier to travel. You always flew everywhere, much to the disapproval of Wilbur (��(y/n), can’t you just use the roads I just built?”), so the infrastructure never really affected your daily life. You appreciated that he was working so hard to build his symphony up from measure one to the end. He was truly the heart and soul of his great nation.

Tommy was… well for lack of a better description, Tommy. You were incredibly proud of him, giving up his prized music discs was a gigantic sacrifice for him. It really showed how much he grew up from being the toddler you met a little over a decade ago. Your little brother wreaked havoc in L’manberg, but a good kind of havoc. Tommy and his partner in crime Tubbo were the ones that eased tension during the War. Even after the War, they always actively searched for adventure. They made people smile as they would run past, they knew they were in for a show later on in the day. Tommy and Tubbo gave the nation life outside of its physical growth, they were the morale of the nation.

You supposed that you were somewhat important to L’manberg, but not as important as your brothers. Sure, they used your inventions to help fight Dream and his goons, but they would’ve been able to do that without your creations. Though, it was satisfying to see the looks on their faces when the L’manbergians whipped out the portable TNT launchers and automatic crossbows to absolutely decimate them. You didn’t really supply L’manberg with physical or morale growth, you were just… there. In your cramped workshop. Tinkering endlessly with inventions that you hoped would make people’s lives easier.

“(Y/n), I’m ready.”

You jumped a little, turning to him and giving him what you hoped was an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath, looking anywhere but at you.

“It started when I was seven. Mama and Papa were sick. We didn’t have enough money to pay for a doctor, so me and my brother Hugh were trying our best to take care of them. We weren’t good enough though, they died after a couple weeks.

“People came to take us away from Mama and Papa, but Hugh told me to run away as far as I could. He told me that he’d be right behind me. So, we ran to the woods. He said that he knew a few people that lived there that’d be able to help. We lived with them for three years, they were nice people.

“One day, they needed supplies so me and Hugh went to go find a cave. The cave we found was really pretty, it had tons of redstone and iron. We went deeper and deeper til we found a huger cave. It had tons of feathers there and some red brown stuff on the walls.” You felt a shiver run down your spine as you realized that those were probably yours. You wondered if they were still down there.

His voice started to get strained and wobbly. “A-and we saw it. Hugh told me to hide and not make any noise so I did and… and it killed him.”

Tears steadily dribbled down Arthur’s freckled cheeks as his lip wobbled and his nose turned as red as his hair. He was starting to hyperventilate. You reached over and pulled Arthur into a tight winged hug. You gently rubbed his back and whispered reassurances into his ear.

“It’s alright Arthur, please breathe with me. In,” you took a deep breath, “and out.” You let out the breath. Even though his breath was steady a few minutes later, you still kept him in a tight hug. It absolutely devastated you that he went through so much in his short life. He started sobbing again.

“(Y/n), it took his soul! Hugh’s still down there with it!” He blubbered out.Your hand froze on his shoulder.

What. It can’t take souls, could it? That’s not possible, right? …Right? You were going to have to ask Philza about it, but Arthur is your first and only priority right now. His loud sobs were slightly muffled by your shoulder as you felt your shirt get slightly wet with his tears. You did your best to comfort him, but you weren’t used to comforting a child that just lost his only family.

“I’ll never let that happen to you again. I promise.”

You sat with Arthur protectively wrapped in your arms until you saw that the sun was going to set in the next few minutes. Not good, not good at all. You looked down at Arthur, his eyes were closed in a deep sleep, taking deep shuddering breaths in and out. Good, you needed to get him out of there and you didn’t want to traumatize him anymore than he already is by showing him how mobs react when you’re near them.

You hastily packed up your stuff before taking off as quickly as you could without waking the sleeping boy. You flew as fast as you could through the air, keeping a tight grip on Arthur as you cut through the darkening sky. You could see zombies, skeletons, spiders, and the occasional enderman below you. Luckily, they didn’t notice you as you flew overhead.

Just as the lit up house entered your line of sight, you felt something whiz past you accompanied by a strong gust of wind. Looking down, you realized that it was a skeleton. It shooting an arrow garnered the attention of the surrounding mobs as they turned their heads to look directly at you. Shit.

You pushed yourself to fly faster and twisted your body so that if an arrow were to land, it would hit you and not Arthur. You felt the air around you shift as a myriad of arrows were shot at you. Dodging the best you could, you glanced down at Arthur. Still asleep. Good, he didn’t need to see this.

Getting closer to the house, you lowered yourself to the ground fully and pushed your feet against the grass, running for dear life as you heard a fwoosh of air right next to your ear. FInally, you reached the doorknob and swung the door open. Flinging yourself and Arthur inside, you slammed the door behind you, hearing the banging of arrows hitting the wood.

You leaned against the door panting and closed your eyes, clutching Arthur closer to you in relief. You opened your eyes and peered down at his face. Still asleep? How much of a deep sleeper was this kid? Maybe he was just extremely emotionally tired from earlier. That’s probably how he impossibly slept through all that.

You pushed yourself off the door and headed up to Wilbur’s, well Arthur’s room so you could put him to bed. You peeled the covers back and placed him gently on the mattress. You covered his body with the heavy comforter and tucked him in. His face visibly relaxed and a slight smile quirked onto his lips. You took a deep breath and stood there watching him. That was certainly a close one. Way too close for your tastes. You almost got him killed because you lost track of time.

You swept the bangs out of his eyes and left the room, gently closing the door behind you. You tiredly drug yourself down the stairs to the kitchen so you could at least grab a small snack before passing out in the comfort of your bed. Today was just not your day. At least you’d get a decent night’s sleep tonight.

Walking into the kitchen, you saw Philza sitting at the table looking at you with… was that relief or anger? Or a mix? He stood up and quickly walked over to you. You tensed up, fully expecting to get yelled at, only to feel him hug you. You melted into his touch and felt small tears prick at the corner of your eyes. You really needed a hug after today.

“Don’t ever do that again. I don’t care that you’re an adult, do you know how worried I was? I thought you and Arthur got hurt. He’s just a child and you’re on your last life (y/n). You need to be more careful.”

You didn’t say anything. You just buried your face into his shoulder and let out a silent sob. “I was so scared Arthur was gonna get hurt, I didn’t know what to do.”

The emotion you were holding in all day from sleep deprivation and lack of nutrients completely spilled out. You felt pathetic, crying in your dad’s arms like you were a kid again. He rubbed soothing circles on your back and led you to the couch where you both sat in each other’s arms. Once you calmed down, you pulled away and wiped at your eyes, facing away from him so he didn’t see your weakness.

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t sleep at all last night and everything just… came out.”

“Hey,” he chided gently, making you look at him, “don’t apologize for feeling emotions. You were bottling it all up weren’t you?”

You nodded shamefully. “...And what did I tell you and your brothers about holding it in?”

“Not to do it.” Your croaky voice cracked out.

He smiled at you. “That’s my kid. Did you talk to Arthur?”

“Yeah. He’s actually alone, Dad. He doesn’t have anyone out there for him. And he… he said that they saw my feathers and blood down there on the walls and floor. Saw his brother get killed right in front of him… mentioned something about The Warden stealing his brother’s soul? It can’t do that right?”

You were met with silence. “...Right? Dad, you’re scaring me.”

“Yes, The Warden takes the souls of it’s dead. It’s how they live so long, they trap the souls in their chests and feast on the lifespans in rations until the soul is completely integrated into it’s very being.”

So that’s what the screaming white wisps that haunted your nightmares were. They were the souls of the dead. They were screaming in agony when The Warden killed you, so you thought they still held onto their humanity. You remembered hearing thousands of screams echoing off from the stony walls of the dark cave. Shuttering, you remembered how some of the souls stared at you in desperation and despair.

“...So the souls are trapped with it forever?”

He nodded, not looking at you. The Warden killed you in your first life, why were you still… still you? It doesn’t make sense.

You swallowed thickly. “Then why didn’t it take mine?”

“I don’t know hun, I wish I could tell you why. I thought you died for good before you respawned. I thought it took your soul.” His voice cracked slightly at the end.

You pulled him into a hug. “It didn’t and I’m still here. That’s the important part, Dad. I’m still here.”

Continuing to give him comfort, you trailed off as you remembered your first death. What could’ve prevented it from taking your soul like the rest? You blanched thinking about what it would’ve been like to be stuck with The Warden indefinitely. Trapped and suffering until it was fully integrated into it’s monstrous body for the rest of eternity. It sounded like hell on Earth. Before today, you thought death was the absolute worst outcome, but you were mistaken. You were given the mercy, no the privilege, of death that day.

Was it because of the stone platform you landed on? That must’ve been it, there’s no other way you could’ve respawned if you landed anywhere else; the stone platform was the only space you could’ve landed that was far enough above the ground to bleed out. You remembered how your shattered ribs would grind together as you endlessly sobbed and the hot blood dripping off from your forehead and wing warming up your rapidly cooling form. Dying like that was a privilege compared to what the lost souls of the miners endured. You didn’t know how long they’ve been in there, but you still would rather die like that a thousand times over than have to be trapped inside that thing for all of eternity.

Your thought process was interrupted as Philza pulled away and wiped the tears from his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was slightly blotchy, it’s been a while since you’ve seen him like that. He’s always been strong for you and your brothers.

“...Why don’t we grab some dinner before we go to bed, I assume you didn’t eat…?”

His sheepish look gave you all the answers you needed. “There’s some leftover mushroom soup we could eat.”

You stood up and gave him a bright smile. “Let’s dig in then, I’m starving!”

He laughed as you pulled him off the couch and into the kitchen. “Did you eat anything after breakfast?”

You paused slightly then continued to pour the soup into two bowls. “...That’s not important.”

He pursed his lips. “(Y/n).”

“I had like a quarter of a granola bar if that counts.”

“(Y/n) you went through the day with only half your breakfast and a few cups of coffee in your system?”

“I know, I know, not healthy. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that you didn’t eat dinner either.” You slid the bowl over to him across the table.

His eyes narrowed in thought before he sighed in defeat. “Touché.”

You snorted and started to eat your soup. You hummed as the earthy flavor shimmied around in your mouth comforting you after today’s events. You automatically felt better after eating. You always found comfort in food. Before you knew it, both you and Philza were done with your dinners and were leaning back in your chairs. You felt your eyes start to droop against your will.

“Why don’t you go to bed and I can clean up. You look like you’re gonna pass out.” He snickered. You hummed in agreement, too tired to argue and murmured out a quiet “thanks. G’night, love ya.” You drug your feet up the stairs and plop down on your bed, passing out instantly as soon as your head hit the pillow.

Taglist (comment if you want to be added):

@acecarddraws @goldenstarofthunderclan @ravennightingaleandavatempus @dirtydiavolo @yeiras-world @immadatmostthings @hee-hee-haw @jackalopedoodles @m1lkmandan @vanhakirja @im-a-depressed-gay @coolleviauchihadreamerlove @questioning-sanity @camisascam

@bongwaterflavoredgatorade @kakamiissad @jayistrash4 @lifestylesleep @speedymaximoff @sun-shark-tooth @appetiteofapeoplepleaser @lestrangenymph @kinismanditory @dragons-lurk-here @rinzyx05 @the-wandering-pan-ace @sparkling-gayyyy @angelic-scent @shinipii @dont-hug-me-im-a-fander @izzydimensional @used-avocado @laura--444 @wing-non @lovely-echoo @i-am-scared-and-useless-bisexual @mysteryartisticwriter @momo-has-a-gun @mosstea-png @w-0-r-n-n @v-kouya

#sbi x reader #sleepy bois x reader #sleepy bois inc x reader #philza x reader #technoblade x reader #wilbur soot x reader #tommyinnit x reader #sibling reader #platonic #mcyt #mcyt x reader #dream smp #dream smp au #dream smp x reader #gender neutral reader #tw: illness #tw: death #tw: injury #tw: panic attack

408 notes · View notes

let-them-read-fics · 4 years ago

Text

Yours Truly (Pt. 1)

Requested By: Some of you!

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

AU: College

Word Count: ~ Part 1 -> 9,786 // Part 2 -> 7,433

Warnings / Misc. -- Pining, Angst, Fluff

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hey everyone! I finally have a few days off, so we're back to our (semi) regularly scheduled programming with this fic! I really hope you enjoy it; lmk what you think :)

PS ~ Once again, I had to split it into two parts to appease the Tumblr Overlords.

♡ Happy Reading ♡

Part 2 -- Click Here

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

1.) A Day In Class

Where does true beauty come from?

Is it strictly based in someone's DNA, rooted entirely in the attractiveness of their features? Or is deeper than that; does it extend from their soul? The very essence of stardust and personality that makes them them? Is it in how they interact with others? How they carry themselves?

You, being the wannabe philosopher that you are, love hearing people's answers to those questions. Every response is unique in its own way, altered depending on the person asked, and you find that to be one of humanity's most wonderful qualities. Like snowflakes, we're all different; as such is our definition of beauty. It lies in the eye of the beholder, subjective in its nature, and you find that comforting. Just think: if 99% of the world's population found you unattractive, 78,000,000 would beg to differ.

Though, for one person, you're sure those rules don't apply. She's objectively beautiful, and no one even attempts to pretend otherwise.

Who, you may ask? Kim Jisoo, of course -- head of your school's student council, resident girl next door, and keeper of your heart. She's poised in every way, and refined to the point that you question if you're even deserving of knowing her. Humor and kindness radiate from her no matter where she goes, so it's really no surprise that so many people love her.

A tap on your shoulder pulls you from your thoughts, and you turn to look at your best friend. "Yo, Y/N. What did you get for number 32?" Jeong asks from his seat in the row directly behind you, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Your history professor likely wouldn't take kindly to being interrupted during his lecture, so you choose to show him your answer instead of responding out loud.

Jeong thanks you and continues to work on the activity you finished nearly 15 minutes ago, leaving you to half-heartedly listen to your professor. You're a good student, but even you have a limit to how much monotonous speaking you can handle in one sitting. As his words drone on, you roll your neck -- intending for the action to relieve some of the tension in your aching muscles; you're in for a surprise, however, when you lock eyes with none other than Jisoo herself. She offers a warm smile and wave, and the innocent actions send swarms of butterflies to take flight in your stomach. After sitting there for a moment, dumbstruck by her beauty, you snap to and return the gesture, making her giggle quietly.

Huh. So that's what angels sound like, then.

She turns back to her work after a minute, flipping the page every so often as she follows along with the lesson. You take note of how her eyes dart across the materials laid out on her desk, how her fingers mindlessly flirt with the edge of her sleeve in contemplation when she gets to a question that stumps her.

Never have you ever found yourself in such inner turmoil before. The sight before you begs to be seen -- to be admired -- but class continues on. As much as you try to fight it, your resolve eventually crumbles; foreign concepts now falling on fully deaf ears, you allow yourself to be entranced.

2.) Out In The Square

A Few Hours Later

Throngs of people stretch out before you, everyone making their way to various parts of campus as the blazingly hot sun beats down on them. Some run like their lives depend on it -- likely having overslept or missed campus transit -- while others take their time, catching up with friends and gossiping all the while. The soft pfft of sprinklers set up across the sections of lawn around you can be heard, going off every so often, and occasionally they're followed by the shouts of some unfortunate people getting soaked.

"You're so lucky, Y/N," Jeong groans from behind you. A grimace sits on his face as he flips through the pages of his Trigonometry book, looking for the reference graphs again. "No more classes for the rest of the week and you don't have any more assignments to finish? Remind me again how to become a teacher's pet, please." You roll your eyes with an amused smile, leaning back on your elbows to talk to him.

"I'm not a teacher's pet, Jeong. I just do my work on time instead of partying every night." He picks up a leftover piece of bread from the picnic basket that sits to his right and tosses it at you in retaliation to your little remark.

"I don't care what you say, those parties are always epic. One of these days I'll convince you to come along."

You shake your head, knowing there's no way you'd willingly attend one of them. From his stories, all those "epic" nights consist of is ridiculously drunken beer pong, sweaty people doing jello shots, and regrets.

"Not in a million years, loser." You say adamantly, not letting him trick himself into believing he's capable of swaying you.

With one last muttered phrase of, "we'll see about that," he returns to his studies, and you turn your attention elsewhere.

Scattered light filters in through the leaves of the tree you're sitting under, wrapping you in a blanket of warmth as your eyes scan across the crowd again. The sight brings to mind an idea that always fascinates you: everyone you meet is busy creating their own stories, writing and rewriting new possibilities and endings for themselves with each new choice they make. You can hear snippets of their conversations -- see instances of some having their best days while others are living through their worst -- and it really puts things into perspective. Although we may appear as side characters in those books of life that others are writing for themselves, we have no idea what they're going through at any given moment. So, you believe, that makes it all the more important to leave a positive impact on them; whether it be a kind smile, holding the door, or even a simple compliment, you're determined to have your legacy be one rooted in kindness.

Speaking of kindness in human form…

There she is, you think to yourself, feeling that all too familiar pitter patter of your heart pick up. Jisoo exits Building C, where her latest lecture just ended, and rushes down the stairs with her books in her arms. She's studying to become an actress, as far as you know, and you can't help but smile at the thought; she'll make an amazing star someday.

You watch as she meets up with 3 other girls, whom you immediately recognize as Lisa, Rosé, and Jennie, and they eagerly bounce their way over to the refreshment truck that one of your school's clubs had been so considerate to hire. It's the perfect day for a cold treat, after all.

Jisoo's dark hair flows in the gentle breeze that rolls in, looking like silk as it rides the currents. She's gorgeous in every way, and you can't help but be smitten; besides, it's not like you're not alone in your pining. She practically has the entire student body wrapped around her finger.

"Y/N, don't forget to blink. You're staring pretty hard," Yuqi says, raising up onto her elbow beside Jeong. He laughs with her, but his eyes remain glued to the notebook paper he's scribbling his work onto.

Your eyes dart away following her statement, and you know you've been caught. "I thought you were asleep," you bite back, attempting to hide the blush of embarrassment that's quickly flooding to your cheeks.

"I was, but I guess my intuition as your best friend woke me up. It's my mission in life to tease you."

"So I've gathered," you sarcastically smile at each other, making stupid faces like always.

"You love me," she flips her hair over her shoulder, appearing self-assured with the smirk that tugs at her lips.

"Do I though? I don't know sometimes..." she socks you in the arm, making you chuckle.

"All jokes, babe. Don't pout," you pinch her cheek until she grins, and then she begins telling you all about the dream she just had.

----

Jisoo leads her gang over to one of the nearby tables, making sure to choose her seat strategically. A special someone caught her attention earlier, as they have from the moment she first laid eyes on them months ago, and she hasn't been able to fight the urge to admire them. She watches as they laugh along with something their friend said, tilting their head back as the cheerful noise rings out. She finds herself smiling along, imagining what it would be like to make them laugh like that; it's a uniquely wonderful sound, and she can't help but adore it.

They lean across the blanket they're sitting on and dig through a picnic basket, retrieving what seems to be a sandwich packaged up in plastic wrap. One of their friends exaggeratedly thanks them, tackling them to the ground in a messy hug with a shout of gratitude that even Jisoo can hear from across the square.

"Earth to Jisoo!" Jennie says, raising her voice slightly as she snaps her fingers in front of the unnie. The former jolts back to attention with a little jump, clearing her throat to gather her thoughts.

"You know, you could always go talk to him. I've heard he's sweet." She tells the other girl, noticing the look of longing that's befallen her features.

"Yeah, Joy has Art with him on Thursdays. I think his name's Jeong or something like that." Lisa butts in before taking another lick of her ice cream.

Despite being so smart, the girls are really oblivious sometimes; Jisoo wasn't looking at him at all. She was looking at you.

She doesn't know if now is the right time to tell them that, though. She hasn't officially come out to them, but she isn't afraid that they won't accept her -- she just wants that moment to be special, and sweating in the middle of the campus square doesn't seem like the golden opportunity that she's been hoping for.

"Just eat your treats, knuckleheads." She concludes, taking a spoonful of the shaved ice she opted for instead of ice cream. The truck had multiple types of treats, with all kinds of different toppings and flavorings lining the walls.

"Okay…" Rosé trails off before adding, "but don't say we didn't try to help when you start wishing you had said something later." Jisoo uses her spoon to lower the one that Rosie had raised accusingly at her, reassuring the girl that she'd be fine.

She knows it's a lie, though; as the 4 of them later toss their trash in the bins and make their way to the student council room, Jisoo sneaks a last wistful glance at you, wishing she would've had the courage to start a conversation.

3.) One Step Closer

Friday, 1:34 PM -- A Few Days Later

"Hey, Minji. How many do we have today?" You wave at what kids have already been dropped off, your presence making their little faces light up with joy.

Your coworker responds from across the room, tossing a couple stray toys into their labeled baskets to keep the space tidy. "10 or so, I think. The last ones should be arriving soon." You nod and take off your coat, setting your things in one of the small cubbies against the wall just beyond the entrance.

"Y/N!" A small voice shouts from behind the counter, hidden from view. You smile deeply when you realize who it is, and you quickly dart around the corner to say hello. His chubby hands cover his mouth, but they do little in hiding his adorable grin. "Seungbum! How's my little munchkin?!" He squeals and runs into your arms, giggling loudly when you pick him up and spin him around. His dark hair sways from side to side with the movement, the slight waves sticking out in random places. A few seconds later, he wraps his arms around your neck and pulls back to look at you, settling into your secure hold.

"Can we play when Jia gets here? I promised her I'd show her the new trick I learned, but I wanna show you, too."

You smile at the sweet sentiment. "Of course, buddy. As long as you eat well at snack time, we can play however much you want." You raise an eyebrow at him, showing your authority, before saying, "I saw you put your veggies in your pocket last time and skip to dessert, so it'd better not happen again." He lowers his head after realizing he had been caught, and a hint of redness flushes his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Okay Y/N-yah."

You tickle him to make sure he knows you aren't mad at him, and soon he's laughing again. "Now, go wash your hands and get settled at the table, please."

"Yes ma'am." His tiny sneakers squeak against the floor as he races off towards one of the lowered sinks that borders the kitchen wall, and you shake your head with a smile.

Not even a second later, you feel a soft tug at your pant leg, and you turn around to find the source.

A head of brilliantly auburn hair is the first thing you see, and its shade compliments the child's outfit perfectly. "Hi sweetheart. Are you new?" You squat down to the young girl's level, noting how she shyly toys with her fingers as they rest in front of her. She nods, the movement so subtle that you almost don't notice it.

"My name's Y/N, and that awesome lady over there," you lean closer to her and point towards your coworker, "...is Minji. You can stay with us today, or you can play with the others, okay?" She nods again, her mannerisms letting you know just how shy she really is. Gently taking one of her hands, you hold it and look at her with a reassuring smile, asking, "Will you tell me your name?"

"I'm Aera." She meekly says, only maintaining eye contact for a second or two.

"That's a beautiful name," you compliment, seeing progress as she lightly smiles at your words. "And I love your bow," you add, touching the delicate material that rests near her ear, nestled into her straight locks. It has cherry blossoms and butterflies on it, all vibrant and neatly colored.

"Thank you, I picked it out myself." She perks up a bit now, raising her head to look at you with a proud smile. "Wow, really?" You put on an impressed expression, wanting to boost her confidence even more. "You'll have to help me choose one the next time I go shopping, then. You're great at it." The praise makes her chuckle, and her eyes squint into soft crescents in the process.

After stealing a glance at the table where everyone else has already gathered, you realize that they're waiting on you to start. "Alright, Aera, it's time to grab a bite to eat. Do you want to sit with me, or are you ready to be with the others?" You tilt your head to the side, asking the question softly so she doesn't feel overwhelmed. Having had this job for a while, you've gotten the hang of adjusting your behavior to put them at ease.

"With you," she says, growing a little timid again at the idea of mingling with them yet. "That's perfectly fine." You reassure her, smiling one more time before standing and leading her to the room. Her hand remains clutched in yours, wiggling around slightly from the height difference as she looks around.

"Who's ready for some snacks?" Minji asks the group, laughing when they all raise their hands and get excited. Their high pitched voices carry around the room as they discuss what foods they want to trade with each other, and soon everyone is happily munching away. You rub Aera's back sweetly as she eats some cucumber sticks, swinging her feet through the air beneath the short chair you retrieved from the table for her. She looks up into your eyes with a smile, melting your heart with the cuteness of her full cheeks. You squish them before turning away, feeling your 6th sense kick in as you scan your eyes across the rest of the group.

"Seungbum…" you warn, catching the way he's mischievously eyeing the carrots laid out before him on the table. He pokes at one of them and sighs, eventually giving in as he takes a hesitant bite of it. With some more convincing, he finishes the rest of the pack and gets started on his dessert.

----

Honestly, you feel sorry for the birds outside.

They must have had hundreds of mini heart attacks upon hearing the somehow earth-shattering roar of the 10 young kids, all blasting out the side door towards the playground. Some of them automatically race towards the swings or slides, while others approach the basket of toys and sports equipment. Aera, however, hangs back, her entire hand wrapped around just a few of your fingers. "What do you wanna do?" She shrugs, looking around at the different activities that the others are already starting.

"I can push you on the swings, or we could race. There're some monkey bars and a merry-go-round, too, that nobody's using right now." You suggest, hoping to catch her interest with one of them. Her attention snaps up to you at that last option, and she dramatically drops her jaw. "Did you say merry-go-round?" You nod with an amused grin, laughing when she lets out a cute noise of joy. After pointing her in the direction of it, she dashes off ahead of you and makes her way to it, only stopping to make sure you're still coming with her once she gets there.

"Hold on tight, little one." You advise, cheering when she giggles in anticipation. Her chuckles fill the airwaves as you spin the bar around, making sure not to pull too hard and make her too dizzy. You were once a kid, too, though, so you make it a point to add some serious speed every now and then to keep her entertained and happy. You remember playing on these all day when you were her age.

---

"Auntie!" Aera shrieks, excitedly thundering towards the fence that borders the playground. You finish cheering Seungbum on after watching his trick, grinning as he tries to flirt with Jia; she looks impressed. You turn around at Aera's commotion, feeling your eyes practically pop out of your head at who you see standing on the other side.

"How was your day, my love?" Jisoo asks sweetly, leaning over the metal divider to run a hand through her niece's hair lovingly. She still hasn't noticed your presence, and for that you don't know if you're relieved or saddened. Watching her interact with the young girl is quite adorable, though, and you're distracted from your personal gay panic for the time being.

"I've had so much fun. And Y/N-yah said she likes my hair clip! I told you this one was prettier than the one with just trees on it!" Aera says smugly, happy to have her decision pay off and prove her aunt wrong. Jisoo tenses up, not expecting to hear your name right now. Seeing that this is her first time picking Aera up, she had no idea you work at the daycare; though she'd be lying to say that it comes as a surprise -- you're a very warm person, so it's no wonder that you're good with kids.

As per Aera's request, you walk across the playground and join her in front of Jisoo. Now it's your turn to be shy; you sneak a glance at the student council president and immediately feel your cheeks heat up, so you busy yourself by patting Aera on the head. She hugs your leg and settles against your side, causing Jisoo to raise her eyebrows. "I'm impressed, Y/N. She usually doesn't open up to new people very easily."

"Ah, I'm surprised that such a cool girl like her wanted to hang out with me." You tease, tickling her side lightly when she hides behind the material of your shirt. "Do you want to come in and see what she drew today? She's definitely skilled." You suggest, trying not to sound too hopeful as you muster up the courage to look at Jisoo again. She's already smiling at you, a soft sort of adoration shining in her eyes as they rake over your features. She accepts your offer, and you walk over to the gate to let her in. Aera demands that you carry her, so you scoop her up into your arms as you make your way back into the daycare center. Her head sits on your shoulder, and you can feel her playfully making faces at Jisoo the entire way; her tiny frame jolts with each loud giggle she lets out, and the sound makes you smile.

---

"Yeah, she was my sidekick for the day." You respond to Jisoo, continuing your conversation as you watch Aera remove her drawing from the cork board that she taped it to earlier. Displaying the kids' artwork is something that you advocated for when you first began working here, and you're so glad you did; they always get excited to share their works.

"She's a lucky girl, then." She says, doing her best to ignore the feeling of your eyes on her. Focusing on anything other than you is already hard enough for her, but she knows there'd be no hope left if she gives in now.

"Y/N helped me draw this. She doodled Dalgom in the corner," Aera cheerily says, breaking the slight tension in the air as she approaches the table. Most of the other kids have already been picked up, and Minji's watching the handful that haven't.

"It's not very good," you cringe, scratching the back of your neck. You've seen him a few times since the beginning of the year, whether it be on walks across campus with Jisoo, or perched on her desk during "bring your pet to class" day.

"It's adorable; Dalgomie will be honored when I show it to him." Jisoo says with a nod, shutting down your insecurities within a second. You fail to contain the laugh that slips past your lips, disbelief present in your voice as you ask, "You're going to show him?" She looks at you like you have 3 heads. "It would be a disgrace not to."

With a breathy chuckle, you say, "You're so strange. I like it, though."

Jisoo smiles at that, and the three of you discuss all of the fun things you did that day. Jisoo tells you about the classes she had to sit through, and even how she stepped in gum and had to borrow a pair of Rosé's shoes.

---

All good things must come to an end, though, and after about half an hour of talking, it was time to say goodbye.

You lead them out the door and down the sidewalk as per Aera's request, yet again (that child is basically a mini dictator at this point, but she's cute so she gets a free pass). As she rustles around her bag in search of her keys, Jisoo accidentally knocks her earbud case out, sending it tumbling to the ground. "Oh! Here, I'll grab it for you." You kindly offer, stepping past her to retrieve it from the grass. She takes it from you with a word of gratitude uttered in that angelic voice of hers, and you begin your goodbyes upon hearing Minji call your name.

"I'll see you around, Jisoo. And Aera, I expect to see you next week." You wiggle a finger at the little girl, donning a shocked expression when she pretends to bite it. "Can't you tell we're related?" Jisoo asks with a smile, ruffling her niece's hair. "The resemblance is uncanny," you laugh, watching as both of them join in with you.

"Y/N, come on!" Minji whines, sounding like a toddler herself. You initially go to brush off her request in order to spend a few more seconds with the two of them, but when she stands in the doorway, entering your line of sight, you see why she's so desperate for your help -- two of the children still waiting on their parents are climbing on her, about to knock her over at any second. Her face is beet red from the effort she's exerting, and her hair is mussed wildly.

"Oh shhh---" you start, catching yourself when Jisoo widens her eyes at you and goes to cover Aera's ears, "--shiitake mushrooms!" You finish with a nervous smile, gaining a stunned laugh from your crush. "Bye girls; gotta go. I'm on my way, Minji!" You call out like a superhero, running to her aid as fast as your legs will carry you.

Jisoo watches you wrangle one of the squirmy kids off of her and initiate a tickle fight to distract him and give Minji time to deal with the other one. She smiles like a dork at your actions, realizing she would be content with watching you all day. You're a natural with them, and seeing you in action is something she wishes she had the chance to do more often. With that, she turns around and picks Aera up; the youngster nuzzles into her embrace, lazily slumping onto her after having such a tiring day. As Jisoo goes to take a step forward, she notices something on the ground: a piece of paper. It's been folded neatly many times, and it reminds her of the notes she would always pass to her friends back in elementary school. Her curiosity gets the better of her, and she can't resist the urge to pick it up.

"To The Girl Who'll Never Know I Love Her"

Her eyes scan across the words and she unfolds the note, making sure to keep a steady grip on Aera with her other arm. An almost unnoticeable signature is scribbled in the bottom corner, and she nearly scares Aera by squealing in pleasant surprise.

It's your name, curled into the letters that are so uniquely yours; the paper must've fallen out of your pocket when you bent down to get her case earlier.

After buckling her niece into her car seat and climbing into the driver's seat, Jisoo unfolds the note again and begins reading. She's like a giddy kid all over again, and part of her feels bad for giving into temptation. She reasons with herself by promising to give it back to you the next time she sees you, and that manages to rid her conscience of some of the guilt she feels. For now, though, she's eager to see what it contains.

The first thing to catch her eye is a poem written neatly underneath a doodle of a rabbit, likely serving as some sort of label. Everyone on campus knows of her nickname and resemblance to rabbits, and she can't help but hope that your drawing wasn't simply a coincidence.

Poison, is what you are

A bittersweet mix, intoxicatingly beautiful

For one glance from you

Steals every breath I had so foolishly believed was mine to take

For one smile from you

Sends me reeling, falling all over again

She nearly swoons at the words, rereading them multiple times over and imagining you saying them to her. She wonders how the syllables would fall from your lips, which ones you'd stress to alter the meaning into whatever you imagined when you wrote them. Whether or not they're written for her, she may never know; all she's aware of right now is how they make her feel, and how that feeling is one that she never wants to stop experiencing.

4.) Practice Makes Perfect

2 Weeks, 3 Exams, and 1 Mental Breakdown Later

"Coming!" You call out, using all of your strength to push your rolling chair away from your desk and across the room towards the door.

"Y/N L/N, at your service," you say, doing a little bow in your seat. Upon looking up to see who's in front of you, your eyes lock with the same girl who's been living in your mind rent free ever since you met her.

"Jisoo!" You announce a little louder than intended, scrambling up into a standing position before kicking the chair backwards. You wince when it collides with something behind you, filling the room with noise as a few of your knick knacks clatter to the floor. Jisoo has to fight to contain the smile on her lips, pursing them as she looks towards the ground so as to not embarrass you.

It's too late though -- you've already made a fool of yourself, and right in front of your crush, no less.

"What can I do for you?" You ask, finally relaxing your face from its previously scrunched up position.

"Are you busy right now? I have a favor to ask and you might be the only person who can help me out." Her eyebrows raise inquisitively at you, quirking up in that special way they always do when she's focusing in class.

She could ask you to do just about anything, and you'd be agreeing without hesitation; no questions asked.

"N-no, just doing a little studying is all. How can I help?" You'd normally curse yourself for sounding so shy, but she looks especially gorgeous tonight and you can't even blame yourself for it. The fluorescent bulbs of the dorm's hallway fail to even put a dent in the glow she's radiating, and that's no small feat -- those horrible little things are usually capable of making anyone look bad, and yet, once again, Jisoo manages to break the mold.

"Mrs. Choi assigned a rehearsal for me tonight, and I need a peer to score how well I do. I trust you to do it." She says, having no idea how much her words are affecting you.

Review portions of the semester are crucial to every major's success, but arguably none so much as those studying to be actors. The peer and admin reviews that they receive account for a large chunk of their grade, so you can imagine how nerve-racking it would be to put that kind of power in someone else's hands. You're touched that she trusts you with it.

"I'd love to help, Jisoo. Just curious, though: why don't you have one of the girls help? They probably know more about it than me, after all." Everyone knows how close JenChuLiChaeng are, so her decision to choose you is genuinely intriguing.

Shit. For some reason, Jisoo hadn't anticipated that you'd ask that question. The thought had never crossed her mind earlier, when she was preoccupied with convincing herself to come in the first place, so she has to think something up on the fly.

"They're all busy with work. Couldn't afford to lose any precious cramming time, you know?" She says, a hint of nervousness behind the small laugh she lets out. It's uncharacteristic for her, considering she's usually so confident all the time, but you think it's adorable.

"Ryujin's the same way," you tease, turning your head to look at your roommate. She's across the room on her bed, reading through her book as she holds her middle finger up to let you know she heard your comment. "What a sweetie," you coo, blowing a kiss at her that makes her roll her eyes and smile despite herself. She pretends to be hardcore, but after spending the past few months with her you've discovered that she's actually the human embodiment of a cinnamon roll.

"Well," you say, turning back to Jisoo, "when do you have to start?"

She pulls her sleeve back to glance at her watch before returning her gaze to you. "Gotta be back at the dorm in 10 minutes."

Your eyebrows shoot up in surprise, the inner honor student in you already panicking. "10 minutes?! It's all the way across campus, Jisoo!"

She laughs at you now, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. "I'm kidding; we still have a couple hours. You should've seen your face, though. Priceless."

"That's no way to treat someone who practically has your grade resting in their hands." You say smugly, a little smirk playing on your lips when her jaw drops dramatically.

"You wouldn't dare," she narrows her eyes, referencing the notion that you might give her bad marks because of that little prank.

"Maybe, or maybe not. Perhaps I'll be merciful if you take me to get something to eat first."

"Food as a peace offering? Alright, I can do that."

You smile, doing a dorky little cheer at that. "Okay, I'll be right out; just give me a second to make myself look presentable."

Jisoo accepts your words with a curt nod, but she wants to tell you that you already look more than presentable. When you first opened the door earlier and she saw you in your study glasses, she couldn't help but smile like a fool; you're adorable, especially to her, and she wishes you could see that.

A couple minutes later you exit your dorm and find her leaned up against the hallway wall, her hands fidgeting in front of her. Is she nervous?

"So, where would you like to go?" You ask, pulling the thin material of your jacket over your shoulders. It's lightweight -- seeing as how the weather doesn't call for a large one -- and it feels soft against your skin.

As the two of you fall into step with each other, she responds, "It's up to you, princess. Since I'm at your mercy and all." Her smirk is visible in your peripheral.

The nickname causes your heart to flutter in your chest, thudding around even harder than it had before. "U-uh, how about the noodle place?" You suggest, trying not to cringe at the stutter in your voice. You've heard that she likes chicken and ramen, and that shop is known as the best restaurant on campus for it.

"110%. You know me so well," she says dreamily, batting her eyelashes at you with a silly smile.

"Called it," you retort, brushing your shoulder off nonchalantly. "Now come on, I'm hungry and ready to spend all of your money." Her hand slips into yours when you reach down for it, almost instinctively, feeling like it was meant to be there all along, and you tug her down the hallway towards the elevator.

----

"I know! If Mr. Johnson assigns another project like that then I'll politely be jumping out a window."

Jisoo laughs at how animated you are, even having to stop chewing her mouthful of food momentarily to make sure she doesn't choke. She really loves hanging out with you; you make everything fun, and all of the stress she feels on a daily basis seems to vanish into thin air.

"I did pretty bad on that last one," Jisoo adds, grimacing as she remembers her score.

"You literally got a 93 out of 100, shut up." You shake your head with an amused smile, reaching across the table to snatch a piece of gimbap from her plate.

"Hey--" she goes to yell at you, but her phone vibrates against the table, successfully stopping her.

"Hello?" She answers, silently starting a chopstick war with you when you reach for another piece. When the person on the other end begins talking, she stops playing in order to concentrate on what they're saying.

"Did she cancel?" She asks, furrowing her brow as her lips form into a natural pout. She sighs, rubbing her temple gently as the conversation continues. "Okay, I'm out with a friend right now, but you can go ahead and head that way. We'll meet you there. Alright, love you, too. Bye."

You raise an eyebrow, wordlessly requesting info about what new plan you're being involved in. "That was my brother; the babysitter cancelled on them last minute, so we have to watch Aera for a few hours." Jisoo loves her niece dearly, but she can't deny that she wanted to spend the evening alone with you. She's afraid the little girl will steal all of your attention away, as childish as that may seem.

"You're such a good person," you compliment, only to frown when she brushes off your words. "I mean it, Jisoo. You always take care of everybody around you; it's admirable. Now take the compliment or I'll team up with Aera later and tease you."

She rolls her eyes with a smile, saying, "You're gonna do that regardless."

"That's not the point," you pout, stomping your foot on the ground lightly.

"Fine; tis I, Jisoo, the greatest person in all of existence. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic." You beam at her, returning back to your cheery self. "I'll go grab some boxes for us, okay?" She nods, and you scurry off on your mission.

----

Back At Jisoo's Dorm

Images flash across the large, flatscreen TV mounted to the wall across from you, displaying scenes of whatever cartoon the network decided to air right now. Aera isn't being picky; she's content with sitting in your lap, mindlessly fidgeting with the necklace that loosely dangles from your neck as she remains entranced by the screen. Your arms are around her to make her feel secure, and her small frame racks against you with every sweet giggle she lets out anytime a new joke is told by one of her favorite characters.

Jisoo observes from the kitchen, leaning back against the countertop to settle in while she waits for Aera's favorite snack to heat up. She watches as you point to various things on the TV, having her name the ones she knows and teaching her others that she doesn't.

She loves seeing you like this. You're beaming in that special way that sets her heart on fire, and the flames are only fanned when you turn to look at her. Somehow, the sight reminds her of the first time she met you:

It was orientation week -- the beginning of the school year -- and you were taking a tour around campus with some of your friends. You were lucky to have them; you'd only kept in contact with a handful of people from high school, knowing full well that most of those relationships were only rooted in superficiality, never meant to last. But this motley crew was different; they saw you for you, and all of you genuinely enjoyed each other's company. It didn't have the same air of awkward tension as the fake friendships had -- this was real and honest, and you thanked your lucky stars for them on the daily.

All of you had managed to get into your dream schools, and the reality was bittersweet; you'd all be moving away from each other and beginning your own lives, having less and less time for each other in the process. You were beyond proud of them, and yourself, for that matter, but it still hurt to think that they wouldn't be just a few blocks away anymore. That you couldn't just swing by their house to go on a late night drive through the city like you used to. As exciting as your new experiences were bound to be, part of you was terrified; your life up until now had been fairly safe, creating a little security blanket to protect you from all that life had in store, but now you were on your own and the idea was a bit daunting. The memories you made together comforted you, though, and kept the sadness at bay.

"Dude, this place is sick. How did you manage to make it in again?"

"Because she's smart, dumbass. We should be asking you that question."

"Ouch, (Friend's Name), that hurt."

"Do you still have those chips from earlier? I'm starving over here."

"Yeah, here, they're in my bag."

Pockets of separate conversations can be heard from behind you, all of your friends chatting away while you walk ahead of them, map and schedule in hand. The campus is fairly large, and with so many buildings and classrooms it's easy to get confused. You continue walking, running a finger along the map to trace the path you intend to take towards the Help Center.

In your preoccupied state, you don't even realize that you're headed straight for a trash can that sits on the sidewalk, mere seconds away from colliding with it.

A passerby notices just in the nick of time, reaching an arm out in front of you to prevent the accident with a noise of warning. You tense up, not expecting the sudden interruption, and look up into the eyes of your savior. Her dark orbs peer back at you, an innocent gleam in them when she sees your lips slowly tug into a smile.

She mirrors your actions, neither of you saying anything yet. You couldn't utter a word even if you wanted to; her beauty leaves you speechless.

"That was close," she says quietly, only to you. Your friends have almost caught up with you now, still busy with their own conversations, though they'll tease you once they see a gorgeous stranger's arm wrapped around you.

"Thank you," you breathe out, clearing your throat as you take a step away from her.

"Ooh, who's this, Y/N?" One of your friends coos, garnering a chorus of childish "oohs" and kissy noises from the others. Why are they so obnoxious?

You apologetically glance at the girl one more time before turning around to respond to them, but she speaks up before you can.

"Kim Jisoo." She introduces, facing them with a wide smile. It's easy to see that she's done this before; her tone is pleasant and light, not even a hint of hesitancy in it. She's used to being the center of attention; you can tell by the way she carries herself and commands the space.

"I see you guys are taking a tour, right?" She looks between all of you, though her eyes linger on you for a second too long to be brushed off as 'just friendly'.

You nod, saying, "I can't find my last class. It's a Gen Ed one; World History, room 435. The map says it's in Complex D, but the room was vacant when we went by."

She listens intently, paying attention to your every word. "They must've handed out the old maps by accident, then. Mr. Johnson had to move rooms to accommodate larger class sizes. When do you have him?"

You unfold your schedule again, gazing down at the slightly crumpled sheet until your eyes find their target. "Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1PM."

Upon registering what you said, Jisoo does her best to contain the grin that threatens to spread across her face. "Ah, same as me! I can take you to the room, if you'd like. That way you can find it next week." She offers, pleased by the fact that she'll be seeing you more often. Your cute mannerisms have already thrown her for a loop, and she wants to get to know you better.

"That would be great." You let out a relieved laugh, releasing the worry you felt; tours are meant to end within 20 minutes or so, and before Jisoo came you were afraid you'd never find your last class. She's saving the day again, it seems.

"Great, follow me," she smiles warmly, placing a gentle hand on the small of your back to turn you in the right direction. When you give your friends one last glance over your shoulder, you find them giving you thumbs up with smirks on their faces. One of them puckers their lips at you, and you stick your tongue out in return.

You're not sure what they'll end up doing while you finish your tour, though it'll likely involve either skating or eating fast food. They have each other to keep themselves entertained, so you're not worried about them in the slightest. You make a mental note to text them when you're done to meet up again.

Jisoo smiles like an idiot when she realizes what's happening behind her, failing miserably to hide it when you spin back around and give your full attention to her.

"What?" You ask, leaning in closer to her to nudge her shoulder when she looks away, blushing.

"Nothing," she shakes her head, only to be prompted by you again. "You're just cute, is all."

You have to use all your power to hold back the squeal you want to let out at hearing that. Kim Jisoo, as you now know her to be, thinks you're cute? You must be dreaming.

"That's funny, I don't remember turning into a mirror."

"Yah, babo!" She chuckles, not expecting that as she smacks the back of your head with no real force. The two of you share a laugh and continue talking while you make your way to the room.

Beeping sounds from the microwave bring Jisoo back down to Earth, causing the pleasant memory to fade more and more with every incessant signal that cuts through the air. She grabs a couple heat guards and approaches the machine, carefully opening the steaming package and pouring its contents into a big, shareable bowl. Though it may be Aera's favorite food, she'd be damned to not make enough for the two of you as well. After all, keeping her entertained will take plenty of energy.

"Did this princess order one heaping bowl of popcorn or am I at the wrong castle?" Jisoo plays, padding into the room with a bright smile on her face as she looks over at her niece. The smell of her snack snaps Aera back to reality, making her eyes light up with pure joy as she leaps off of your lap and runs to Jisoo. She wraps her arms around her legs, thanking her in that sweet little voice of hers as she gazes up at her aunt with stars in her eyes.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She chants, wiggling her body around in excitement. She lets go when Jisoo goes to walk to the couch, following close behind her like an eager puppy.

She approaches you again, making grabby hands for you to lift her onto your lap even though she's more than capable of getting up there by herself. Nevertheless, you pull her up with a humored grin, watching as she puts her hands in her lap and patiently waits for the two of you to get a bite first. Her ability to follow manners is commendable, though the slight twitch of her lip when she gets a whiff of the food is pretty adorable.

"Dig in," you say around your mouthful of food, locking eyes with Jisoo when Aera jumps at the opportunity to follow your instructions. You never have to tell her twice when it comes to food.

"Yep, definitely related."

Jisoo laughs at your comment, reaching over top of Aera to flick you in the forehead. She shrugs at your pained exclamation, uttering a nonchalant "Sorry, not sorry," as the two of you crack up together.

----

"Y/N, how the hell did you manage to do that?" Jisoo whispers, not bothering to censor herself when she sees Aera fast asleep in your arms. It's not like she could hear her anyway.

"She was already kinda tired when she got here; I just made sure to get that last little bit of energy out with the games. Have you forgotten that I know a thing or two about kids?" You tease, turning to her with a smile when you finish walking up the short staircase.

"You don't understand: usually it takes us hours to settle her down. She's just a totally different person around you."

"Must be my awesomeness."

"Hmm, must be," Jisoo hums, quietly opening her bedroom door for you and watching as you carefully lay Aera down. You tuck her under the blankets with care, making sure to brush the hair out of her face and adjust her pillow a bit. Jisoo leans against the doorframe, adding the scene before her to her list of reasons for loving you. Seeing you in such a domestic situation gives her baby fever, and she has to push the persistent feeling away.

"Ready?" You whisper with one last look over your shoulder, giving Jisoo your undivided attention once you confirm that Aera's alright.

"Let's do it," she says, pulling the door to but not latching it. The two of you will be in the living room, just down the hall, and you want to be able to hear her in case she needs something. So responsible.

You take in the dorm as Jisoo leads you towards your destination, amazed at how much bigger it is than yours and Ryujin's. This one has separate rooms equipped with their own personal bathrooms, a decent kitchen, and, of course, a living area. Clearly, having ties to the school and being president of the student council come with some major perks. Your socked feet pad against the hardwood floor, and you close what little distance is left between Jisoo and yourself to press your body against her back, wrapping your arms around her. She lets out a little noise of surprise, but doesn't protest; she tucks one of her hands into your clasped ones and uses the other to rub your forearm.

A few moments later you plop down onto the couch and get comfortable on the cushions. Jisoo digs around in her bag that leans against the tv stand, searching for the script of her upcoming production. Her shirt rides up slightly, giving you a perfect view of her beautifully sculpted stomach, and her skin looks ethereal as it glows in the soft lamplight of the room. Embarrassed for admiring her in such a way, you avert your gaze, failing to notice how she subtly bites her lip as she approaches you; she planned that little show, and it worked.

"Okay, so here's the scoring sheet," she hands you a semi-formal looking paper, along with a pencil and clipboard to use as a stabilizer. "I'll be reading from the first few pages on my own, but I was wondering if you'd fill in for the male lead for some of the other parts? It's a lot easier to get into character if I have someone's energy to feed off of."

You smile at how cute she sounded with her little rambled request, and nod. "Of course, Jisoo. I doubt I'll be any good, though." She releases a sigh at that, happy to have you agree; her plan is coming along nicely, but there's always room for things to go wrong.

"I'm sure you're better than you think."

"Stop sucking up, Chu. Flattery won't make me raise your grade," you warn, pointing the pencil at her sternly. Your tone sends a shiver down her spine, though it goes unnoticed by you.

"Let's just get started." She concludes, doing her best to keep from getting too flustered under your already watchful eye.

----

Her show is well underway, caught somewhere towards the end of act two, and you're enthralled by the performance she's giving. The paper that once rested in your lap is marked up with comments of praise and proud annotations to accompany your high scoring, though now it lays forgotten about on the coffee table, serving no purpose any longer. You finished all of the required sections necessary for your peer review, and now you're just enjoying the journey that Jisoo is continuing to take you on.

You look back up into her eyes after reading off the lines of the character you're filling in for, looking completely unskilled next to the pure talent that she's exuding. She stands from the couch, looking down at you with an exasperated expression as she remains in character.

"You don't get it!" She raises her voice slightly, though not loud enough to wake Aera. Even while in the intense mindset she has to be in for her character, she keeps one foot in the reality of this world, making sure to behave appropriately.

"Enlighten me, then." You stand and retort, shifting a bit closer to her after reciting your line.

"Only when I'm with you do I feel true happiness. Your kind eyes bring me comfort like no other; I'm safe in your arms. For you, my love," she pauses, her eyes brimming with tears from the emotional words she's spent so much time rehearsing. "...there isn't a thing in this world that I wouldn't do." Your breath is held tightly in your throat, and your hands subconsciously grip onto the material of your jeans.

Only now do you realize how close the two of you have migrated to one another; she's merely a breath away, so close you can feel the warmth radiating from her. You swallow thickly, feeling your nerves come alive with every second that passes in heated silence, neither of you knowing what to do now. You've lost the desire to read your next line, and she doesn't seem too upset by that fact. Her eyes slowly scan over your features, and the lovesick look in them makes you question if she's still in character or slipping out of it.

After her gaze darts down to your lips and she licks her own without even realizing it, you seriously begin hoping for the latter of the two options.

She searches your face for any sign of refusal as she leans in closer, now bringing her arms up to wrap around your waist and lightly ball the material of your shirt up into her fists. Your hands rest on her shoulders, and you glide your fingertips over her jawline. A singular nod is the last form of consent that you give her before she pulls you closer.

Her lips ghost over yours, receiving some of the vanilla balm you applied earlier; her breath hitches when you tug at the collar of her university sweater, teasingly taking her bottom lip between your teeth. She wants to savor this moment, so she fights against her urge to dive right in and get lost in you.

Within seconds, she's kicking herself for that decision.

"Auntie? Y/N?" Aera calls sleepily from just around the corner, making the two of you spring away from each other. When she appears less than a second later, you realize how close you had been to getting caught. Jisoo refuses to meet your gaze when you look towards her, and that simple action disheartens you a bit.

"Hey, sweetheart. Bad dream?" You ask, using your inference skills after noticing the way that she's clutching her stuffed bunny close to her chest. Her lip trembles as she nods, and the sight breaks your heart. Quickly, you pick her up again, assuring her that she's safe and that you'd slay any monster that dared to hurt her, even in her dreams. A small smile tugs at her lips, and she brings a fist up to rub her eye. "How about this: I'll do a quadruple check of the room for you, and stay with you until you fall asleep. Sound good?"

She utters a tired, "Yes, Y/N-yah", before laying her head on your shoulder and waving a goodbye towards Jisoo as you take her back to the room.

Four sweeps of the room and one fight with a ghost later, you tuck her in again and lay a sweet kiss to her forehead. "Love you," she mumbles lazily, making your heart melt. Kids say that phrase quickly, without even realizing the weight that it has, but you're always glad to accept whatever they imagine it to be. Whether she loves you for playing with her, tucking her in, or defending her honor against imaginary monsters, you don't really care all that much -- she loves you in the ways that she knows how, and that's all that matters.

"I love you, too, Aera. Sleep well." You tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and settle against the wall, prepared to come through on your promise.

----

"Hey," you start, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"Hey," Jisoo returns, pushing her leftovers from the restaurant around her plate half-heartedly. You approach the marble countertop that she sits behind, silently begging for her to look up at you.

"Should we talk about earlier?" You quietly ask, picking at imaginary imperfections on the surface of the countertop.

"What about it?"

"We practically kissed--"

"It was in the script to do so, Y/N." She says, finally looking up at you. She sounds a bit hostile now, like she's getting defensive for some unknown reason.

"Oh," the simple utterance is all you can manage, seeing as how your brain is running a mile a minute. You want to ask if it meant anything else to her -- if she would've taken it farther, had Aera not walked in -- but you don't. Her tone serves as enough of an answer, and you're not sure you could stand to hear her verbalize your fears anyway.

"Well I guess I should go, then." You retract your hand and put it in your pocket, realizing how stupid you were for thinking she could like you back. She doesn't; she was just in need of a helping hand tonight, and you offered that. You shouldn't have tried to turn it into anything that it wasn't.

Hearing the disappointment in your voice makes her want to confess right then and there, but something still holds her back -- some force is yelling at her to keep her feelings hidden for fear of rejection. "I can drive you."

You shake your head. "Nah, it's okay. I'll have Ryujin come get me. You can't leave Aera here and I wouldn't want to have to wake her up just for you to drive me across campus." Jisoo agrees, realizing that she didn't even think about that at first.

"Goodnight, Jisoo." You say, heading off towards the front door. She returns the gesture, reminding you to be safe as she locks it behind you and watches you dial up your roommate's number. Before long, she pulls into one of the parking spaces in front of the dorm, and the two of you drive away.

Click Here For Part 2

242 notes · View notes

blackcherrykiss · 4 years ago

Text

BLOOD BOUNDARIES - Enhypen OT7 Fanfic (ch.10)

[CH.1] [CH.2] [CH.3] [CH.4] [CH.5] [CH.6] [CH.7][CH.8][CH.9] previous chapters [CH.11] next chapter (unavailable on tumblr but avaliable on wattpad!)

"You'll give me your blood in exchange for theirs."

You could feel his earnest breath against the left side of your neck when he spoke. The proximity was causing you to hold your breath tightly. "Sunghoon please..." You just barely breathed out, fearing anything you said would be the death of you.

"Afraid my love? I'm not going to hurt you unless you let me in." You felt Sunghoon's soft lower lip stroke up your neck until it met your ear, "I'll give you time to think." He pulled away to caress your face with a feathery touch as the sky grew darker and darker.

...

You rested the following day with no intentions of going to classes. You got your dormmates to tell the office about the severe headache you had; too weak to attend that day. To your surprise, one of the nurses at the school had knocked at your dorm to do a brief check-up and ensure you weren't lying.

"You must be Y/N! Sweetie, how are you feeling?" A slim young woman came in with a medium briefcase of supplies.

"It's nothing too serious right now, it's just a slight headache, I think you brought a bit much..." You held your pounding head while staring at the excessive equipment she had in hand.

"Oh, all of this? It's a standard to bring it just in case." The nurse said with a Southern Irish accent, "Now sit down, I'll take your temperature first."

You sat down on your own bed and watched as she took out a pink thermometer and put it under your arm. You yawned while waiting, getting a closer look at the woman. She had naturally fawn-blonde hair that flowed down in delicate curls. Healthy skin that was rosy at the cheekbones.

"Hun, your temperature is just slightly over normal. Is it just today you've been having headaches?" The nurse said while waving around the stick that read 38.1°C.

"I get them from time... Rarely though, I think I've been stressed lately that's all..."

"Perhaps you have low iron? Are you sure no other symptoms and potential causes?"

"Lack of sleep." You admitted, "And probably low iron... My mom has so I must too..."

"I see hun... Many girls call in sick and it's usually related to their menstrual cycles. But recently I find there is some sort of common cold going around. Yesterday this young boy fainted and when I took his temperature he had a seriously high fever." The nurse said while beginning to sterilize the thermometer with some rubbing alcohol.

"He did?!" You blurted out unintentionally, your voice making an embarrassing crack, "Sorry... He's just my friend, I was there when he fainted. Do you mind me asking how Jungwon is doing?"

"Not too well... He seems very sick but... Whenever I try phoning his parents regarding a checkup with a doctor or a record of his medical history, nobody ever picks up." The nurse looked upset and frustrated that she couldn't do much for him.

Little did the nurse know Jungwon didn't even have parents... 'Heeseung would be his guardian at best' you thought. "Oh, that's terrible..." You felt yourself tense up knowing the reason for Jungwon's illness.

"Well, if you have no other questions I guess I will be on my way. Your name was y/n right?" She said while scratching a couple of words on a small pad of paper.

"That's correct."

"y/n... That name sounds familiar... Perhaps you are friends with Kyungeun?" The nurse put her pen and paper down on your nightstand.

"You know Kyungeun?" You rubbed the back of your neck.

"Of course! I visit her often. She's mentioned your name from time to time." She gave a healthy smile before getting up to leave, "She loves you to bits!"

You were touched Kyungeun would mention that to the nurse, it made you feel a little better knowing that.

"I'll get going now then, hun!" The nurse grabbed her case and exited your dorm after you thanked her.

When you went back to your bed you noticed the nurse had left her pad of paper. Taking the paper to go and run after her, you squint to read what was actually written on it. The paper just had blue ink notes in some wavy font about your condition and personal information. When you lifted the notepad up, you noticed a paper fell from the stack. Bending down with just your back, you saw Kyungeun's medical information swirled on the front.

"Anemia?" You read aloud before a semi-aggressive knock was heard from behind your dorm door. You quickly stuffed the paper where it was originally attached, feeling guilty you saw what you should not have. "I was just about to chase you down!" You began speaking before the door was even completely open.

You saw the young nurse once again with a troubled face, "I'm so sorry, I'm so disorganized! Thanks, darling!" She looked relieved as you handed over the stuff she had left behind. You smiled to cover up the actual shock that shot through your veins after seeing Kyungeun's records.

Anaemia is a low blood condition and knowing Kyungeun had it still surprised you. Were you really trying to deny that Sunghoon drinks Kyungeun's blood?

...

You napped the rest of the day, catching up on the sleep you had missed over the past week. The throbbing in your head gladly helped you fall asleep in an instant, but your wishes of having a quiet sleep would not come true.

You found yourself in a fever dream, scenes flickering in your mind at the speed of light. You saw Jungwon's complexion glitter against a deep velvet as he drove his fangs deep into a prominent vein. The vein however on his own wrist; drinking his own blood. The amber-red liquid began streaming down his chin and into an empty wine glass in large opaque droplets. The imagery of the blood in a wine glass was one you had never thought you would see, especially in a dream. The blood was much thicker in consistency compared to alcohol and it made your stomach churn with absolute sickness as Sunoo picked up the glass to swish it around as the adults do with classic red wine. Sunoo then bit down on the heel of his palm, planting a deep bite mark. He began squeezing his hand tightly to release more blood into the glass. When the glass had filled midway, Sunoo chugged it down.

"Y/N?!" You felt Nana shake both of your shoulders, waking you back conscious. You twitched while sitting up from your bed, "You're sweating like crazy. I got scared seeing your distressed face..."

"Fever dream... It's whatever..." Surprisingly your headache hurt a lot less even after the vividly strange dream had seemingly interrupted your off day. The problem was now your stomach that felt awful over the constant blood being displayed in your head, "I think I'll be fine to go to school tomorrow after I sleep on it tonight, my headache has become a mild stomach"

"More rest? You probably just need to get up and out of your bed, it's too warm and stuffy plus you've barely moved the entire day." Nana nagged. To which you agreed, you were getting unbearably hot which might've been the trigger to the fever dream.

"Yeah, I'll go for a walk..." You stared down at your sheets while thinking about what the strange dream meant. Why did Sunoo drink Jungwon's blood? And can vampires drink each other's blood? You immediately thought of the book you had left in the woods the previous night, perhaps there were answers in it. You were just too horrified that day to pick up the book and take it with you. But it seemed it might be of use to you now.

"Have you eaten yet? Hyesun and Dahee are at the dining hall right now and I just came to check up on you."

"No, I haven't eaten the whole day... But I think I might vomit if I eat..." You fastened your eyes shut at the recollection of what you had seen, "Just go without me, I'll go for a walk in the meantime." You said with the means to go off into the forest and find that damned book.

...

You feel refreshed, with the clean autumn breeze gusting your hair back, and out of your face. It was around the time most people ate an early meal, so you weren't surprised to see few pairs of people in the courtyards. Students seemed to be taking it nice and slow under the calm weather, one on one conversations and cloud watching on the wood benches.

You strut along the same path you had gone down the other day, your mary jane shoes getting wet from a puddle on the way. The woods had looked a lot less intimidating during the early evening compared to after sunset. You just had to ensure you were taking the path Sunghoon had led you down and you'd find the book, right? It would be a quick and simple job.

But after taking the seemingly correct path, you found yourself getting more unfamiliar with where you walked. Regardless of where you ended up, the place was a lot more peaceful and pretty than your first impression of it. You skipped along, turning your journey into a leisurely hike now. The sun heavily coated one particular part of the forest, creating a mystic olive glow onto the dried grass. The section of forest, in particular, had fewer trees with a giant rock in the centre of it. As you approached the area, you noticed someone far in the distance laying on the rock, basking in the sunlight with skin so white it looked teal under the reflection of the trees. The young boy didn't have your school's uniform but instead, a rust coloured flannel and some tatteredly torn jeans with cuts all over them. You were willing to just leave the delinquent alone, turn back and give up. That is until you noticed the boy reading.

As you came into a four-metre radius to get a better look at if the book he possessed was the one you were searching for, the boy sat up to gaze dead on at you. You probably looked worse than a deer in the headlights, surprised at his alertness. "Who are you?" The ash haired boy asked before you could.

"I'm looking for a book I dropped around here the other day." You bore your eyes at his hands.

"This wouldn't be it, would it?" The young stranger stood up to scoop the book off the rock so you could see it clearly. He was a lot taller than how he appeared while lying on his back.

"I'm pretty sure it is my book... May I have it back?" You asked politely after noticing the colour of the backing was identical to the one you picked up from the library.

"What's it to you?" He raised a brow while swirling his tongue around the inside of his cheek.

"It might answer some questions I have..." You bit your tongue as to whether or not the boy in front of you was among the vampire pack. It seemed his hesitation to give the book back was telling you undermining something.

"Ahh, so it's you who they talk about?" He nodded to himself, "Heard you were some clever girl who would eventually figure out our little secret." He dozed off into the distance at some withering pine trees. It was clear he was associated with the bunch by now, no surprises there.

"Sunghoon t-told me the other day you were all vampires... He was the one who took the book in the first place and used it to bait me here."

"Then why did you leave the book?"

"Got too shocked and sick, just wanted to escape the place after he told me you were all vampires. Thought I was going to die." You began to sweat. Recalling the situation made you realize you were in the same position once again; alone with a vampire in the woods far away from people.

"Alright? So you have questions about us that you think this silly book will answer? Why ask a book when you could ask the vampire right in front of you." He faced his palms up on either side of him.

You stood astonished by his response. Instead of forcibly taking your blood he was offering some useful information to you, "You mean you're not going to kill me?"

"I considered it... Until I found out who you were." He commented with a hint of disappointment. "Luckily you've caught me at the right time, so ask away."

"Found out who I was? What do you mean?"

"Who knows what kind of shit I'll hear from the guys if they found out I got a lick of your blood." He shut down your further questions about the matter, "Now ask the questions."

Looking around as if you were about to tell a secret, you dived right into the ideas you were given from your dreams, "Can vampires drink their own blood?" You gulped remembering Jungwon drawing blood from himself.

"They can... It helps with blood cravings but it tastes very bitter. Next." He said, treating the conversation as some speed round questionnaire.

"Okay...? Can vampires drink each other's blood?" The last scene of your dream coming to mind of Sunoo taking a swig of the wine glass filled with his blood mixed with Jungwon's.

"Who have you seen doing that? Sunoo? Jaeyun?"

"No one, it was just a dream!? Sunoo and Jaeyun actually do that?" It seemed weird hearing Sunoo's name being directly suggested. It was as if your dream was a potential reflection of reality. How could that be?

"Drinking other vampires blood tastes better than drinking your own blood but it's not often we do that." The boy tapped his head to think.

"So then what occasion would you drink each other's blood?"

"Usually when we can't get ahold of human blood. Survival purposes in short. Put it this way, drinking your own blood won't make you stronger because you're not getting any new nutrients. Drinking other vampire's blood will fulfil that it's just not as vital as half-humans or better yet, full human blood."

"Half-humans?! They exist?"

"Yeah, their blood tastes a lot better than full vampire blood but it's definitely not better than full human blood. Pretty sure Sunghoon feeds off some half-blooded girl, not that I can remember her name."

37 notes · View notes

flimflamfranky · 4 years ago

Text

Day 14 - Heat Exhaustion

Franky discovers a drawback to his cybernetics.

It was so hot.

Franky tugged at his shirt, trying to fan some air in there, as he followed Nami through the town. They had just landed on a new island, some small fishing village on the way Sabaody, for a quick pit spot. He and Nami both needed more ink and paper, so they had set out together.

(Nami also claimed it was to “curb his horrendous spending habits”, which, rude. He wasn’t that bad - he only barely went over the limit last time! But still, he didn’t mind the company.) It was supposed to a fun little outing - get out, stretch the legs, see the sights, pick up some supplies. Franky had been looking forward to it. It was nice to have quiet trips to land between all the adventuring. But apparently, this was also a summer island, and summer islands were hot. Too hot. How could everyone else stand it? His back felt it was drenched in sweat, and everyone else was walking around like it was a perfectly pleasant day! A fun outing, Franky bemoaned to himself. This was miserable.

Eventually, they got to what seemed to be a town square - it was a plaza, with benches and trimmed bushes, and a small fountain. Nami stopped to ask some locals where a stationary store would be and Franky immediately narrowed on the fountain. Water! Cool, refreshing water! He rushed over, and sprawl out as much as possible, leaning back into the faint spray of water with a relieved sigh. He briefly considered just jumping in, but he’d definitely get chewed out by Nami. He did stick a foot in there, though, and ignored the weird looks he got from the locals. “Wow, tired already?” Nami teased as she joined him. “You’re such an old man.” “I ain’t that old!” Franky protested. And then he looked at her, confused. “Aren’t you hot, too?” He asked, waving to her outfit. It was a smart outfit - colorful buttoned up shirt and khakis - but Franky broke out into another sweat just looking at it. “No?” Nami said, looking down at herself. “It feels fine to me.” “That ain’t fair. I’m over here sufferin’, and you’re fine and dandy.” Franky wiped at the sweat on his brow. “I swear, Water 7 never got this hot.” “Yeah, because of all the water,” Nami said, smirking. “You’re just not used to this kinda heat.” Franky grumbled a vague protest, and glared up at the sun. Well, squinted vaguely in its direction, but still. “If it’s bothering you,” Nami said. “I can go by myself-“ “No, no!” Franky forced himself up. “It’s fine. I can handle it.” “Well, alright,” Nami said, and she pointed down one of the streets. “That lady said there was a shop down this way that sold ink and papers.” Franky gestured for her to lead the way, and followed her at a brisk pace. He wasn’t about to let some measly heat get the best of him! He’d just tough it out. Maybe he’d even get use to it, after some exposure. Either way, he could totally handle it. Everything was going to be fine. ~ Everything was not fine. If anything, it got worse. It felt like his cola was boiling inside of him. The store hadn’t helped matters - it had been stifling inside without the light breeze. He had to leave the whole transaction up to Nami. Not that she would’ve allowed otherwise, but he had barely been able to focus on even picking out some paper. He was having a lot of trouble with that, focusing. It was like he was in haze, like his brain was melting into a puddle of goo. He felt heavy. Lethargic. It super sucked. At least they were heading back to the Sunny, now. He can handle that, no problem. “Franky?” “Huh?” Franky looked down to see Nami peering up at him. The look on her face made hin suspect she’d been calling him for a while. Oops. She squinted at him, face drawn into a frown. “Are you sure you’re alright?” Franky waved her off. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Honest.” “You don’t look fine,” Nami said, unimpressed. “Come on, we can go sit somewhere until-“ “No!” Franky said, stubbornly. He wasn’t gonna give up because of a little heat! “I can...make to back to the Sunny.” “Ugh, why are you guys always so stubborn? You don’t have to push yourself like this!” “I’m not-“ Franky cut off as he stumbled over his feet, just barely catching himself before he ate dirt. “Woah, hey!” Nami was sounded panicked now. Crap. He didn’t want to worry her. “It’s fine.” Franky tried say. He felt strangely breathless. “I must’ve just...tripped over somethin’...” “No, that excuse won’t work on me,” Nami snapped as she reached out to steady him. “You should really- Ah!” Her hands had rested on his arm, but she immediately withdrew, shaking her hands. “Jeez, you’re burning up!” Franky blinked at the ground, hard. Something was beginning to feel wrong. Wrong with his cybernetics, wrong. He thought it was just the heat, but there was something else, he could feel it. He...needed to get back to the Sunny. Now. He opened his mouth to tell Nami that, but his tongue felt heavy and he couldn’t get his breathing right. He...he needed to get up. He forced himself up, hands out to steady himself. His eyes snapped to the horizon, and for a moment everything was good, but then, almost in slow motion, everything began tilting, going all sideways, and that was weird- “Franky!” Oh, he was on the ground again. That wasn’t right. He needed to get up. To...the Sunny. That’s right. He tried to get up, but his limbs wouldn’t respond right. It was like he was moving through oil. Someone was standing over. Hands hovering. Orange hair. Nami. He couldn’t worry her. He needed to get up. He needed- ~ Franky woke to a headache. The dull throb almost shocked him awake, pulling him from a hazy half-asleep state. Then he became uncomfortably aware of other things - a scratchy throat, clammy skin, cramping muscles. He winced. “Franky?” Franky cracked on eye open. The glaring light hurt, but he was able to make out Chopper hovering over him, holding something. He tried to say something but his mouth was too dry and his throat was too sore so all that came out was a pathetic wheeze. “Can you sit up? You need to drink this water.” Franky scowled at the thought of moving, but he did shuffled up into a vaguely vertical position, helped by Chopper’s gentle hands. Then, a glass of water was pushed into his hand. “Drink. Slowly, please.” Franky nodded absently, and took a small sip. The cool relief was almost instantaneous, and Franky found himself draining the whole thing in one go. “I said slowly!” Chopper yelled, wacking him lightly on the arm. “Sorry,” Franky mumbled, weakly, handing the glass back. Chopper refilled it, and passed it back. Franky drank, slowly this time, taking measured sip under Chopper’s stern watch, until Chopper deemed him hydrated enough. Once he handed the glass back, Franky slumped back down, feeling exhausted. Had just drinking water drained him that much? Yeesh. Chopper hovering over him. “Do you remember what happened?” Franky furrowed his brow in thought. “Yeah, I went shopping with Nami, and is was super hot. Too hot. And I...fainted?” At Chopper’s confirming nod, Franky groaned. “That’s embarrassing.” “It’s concerning, that’s what it is!” Chopper said, his voice going even more squeaky. “You almost had a heatstroke!” “Oh.” Franky blinked. “Is that bad?” “Yes!!!” Chopper wailed. “You could’ve died!” “Oh.” Franky winced, and sunk down further into the pillow. “I...I didn’t think it was that bad...” Chopper wiped at his nose with a sniffle, and gave him a glare. “Nami said you were being stubborn.” Ah, and there was that guilt. He’d gone and sacred everyone, hadn’t he? “I’m sorry,” He said. Then, he remembered, vaguely, Nami panicking over him, and...burning herself? “Is Nami alright?” “She’s fine,” Chopper said. “A little shaken, but fine. She got Luffy to bring you back here.” Franky sighed in relief, and he grimaced. “Ugh. She’s gonna super chew me out later, isn’t she?” “Yes. And you’ll deserve it,” Chopper said. “And I’ll deserve it,” Franky repeated, resigned. He settled further down into the pillow with a deep sigh. There was a moment of silence before Chopper spoke up again. “You know you don’t have to prove anything to us, right?” Chopper said, worrying his hooves together. “We wouldn’t think any less of you.” “Yeah, I know,” Franky said, reaching out to give Chopper a pat on the hand. “It just seemed like such a little thing to brought low by, ya know? And honestly,” Franky chuckled sheepishly. “I thought, being a cyborg n all, I wouldn’t be effected by these sorts of things as much.” “I suppose that makes sense.” Chopper said, reaching up to grab Franky’s hand. Franky let his hand slide down so Chopper could hold it easier. “I have a theory, actually.” “Yeah?” “Yeah!” Chopper nodded. “You were really hot to the touch, earlier, your metal. And, I’ve noticed, you tend to run hotter than everyone else. I think, maybe; your cybernetics caused you to overheat faster than normal.” “Yeah,” Franky sighed. “That’s my theory, too. Means I gotta lot of work ahead of me.” Chopper titled his head, confused. “Eh?”

“I’ve already got a coolant for my fridge, so I just need to beef up that system and rewire it through my body.” Franky chewed at his lip, pensive. “This’ll probably happen in cold weather too, so I should probably add a heating system as well...Gotta figure out how to make it automatic, but manual wouldn’t hurt either...”

He trailed off when he felt Chopper grip his hand tighter, and he looked to down to see Chopper getting teary-eyed again.

“You can fix this?” Chopper asked, blinking up at him.

“Well, yeah, bro,” Franky said, patting Chopper’s check. “Wouldn’t even be that hard, really.”

Chopper slumped against his hand, letting out a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear!”

“I really worried you, huh?”

“It was hard not to be,” Chopper said. “I’m not exactly a mechanic, ya know.”

“Oh. Yeah, I could see that being a problem.” Franky let his hand relax, held up by Chopper’s grip, as he yawned. “I can teach ya a few things. If ya want.” “I’d like that,” Chopper said, with a wobbly grin. Then he sniffled, and put on his stern doctor face. “But first! You need to rest more! I shouldn’t have kept you up so much!”

“I don’t mind,” Franky said, grinning, even though he did feel exhausted. “I’m not taking medical opinion from you, Mister-Ignore-My-Symptoms.” Chopper bopped him gently on the head. “Now rest!”

Franky chuckled, but he settled further into the bed, making himself comfortable. “Aye, aye, Doctor.”

#one piece #opfanfic #franky #cyborg franky #whumptober2020 #no.14 #heat exhaustion #fainting #nami #chopper #wow this one really got away from me whoops #it's like...six pages??#franky and chopper just would not stop talking #my stuff #thepilotsfic #no shirt no shoes no service #whump

38 notes · View notes

settersloveletters · 4 years ago

Text

• kita shinsuke; july 5

➳ pairing: kita x f!reader

➳ genre: fluff

➳ word count: 863

➳ warnings: suggestive at the end (sorta)

➳ written by: kae !

His hands calloused, working long hours, handling things his delicate hands shouldn’t be handling. No matter your qualms, Kita is a humble man, sticking to his passions and honest work. In high school you would’ve laughed in his face if he told you I’m becoming a rice farmer, but look at you now, sitting beside him in the July summer heat as a vast field unravels before your eyes. Mountains and beautiful colours filter the distant horizon as you listen to the cooling breeze ruffling the pleats of your dress. “You’re tired. Let’s just call it day and go home, please?”

It’s his birthday, but for some reason, instead of taking the day off to rest, have a little fun, celebrate with you and his friends, he decides to continue work. Just because it’s my birthday, doesn’t give me an excuse to discard work. He’s too frank for his own good sometimes. “No, I have another round to complete. You can sit here and watch,” standing up, he looks down at you sitting on grassy turf, casts a classic smile and turns back to his work. You sigh in suppressed frustration, never able to be truly mad at him because you know routine and diligence makes him happy. But is there anything wrong with taking a break every once in a while?

“Fine.. I’ll just wait inside the shack then. It’s too hot out here,” you call out to him. Though he doesn’t show it, you can feel the subtle frown in his expression at the thought of you leaving. But work is work. Reveling in the last moments of refreshing wind, you walk into the small building not too far from Kita’s fields. A tiny modest enclosure, chilly air conditioning and the sounds of a quiet radio. There’s a cheap excuse for a bed in the corner, for the days he needs a quick nap, or for whenever you come over and need a place to relax, or…

Feeling the comforting sheets and plush pillows as you lay on the bed has you sighing in relief. You don’t deserve this though, he should be the one resting. But before you know it, your eyes are closing as you drift into a light slumber, in wait for Kita to return.

His hands calloused, and rough from his work. They are still beautiful, and feel wonderful against your skin when he touches you, and holds your hand. You can almost feel him there, the way he grabs onto your hands, wrists, hips, or plays with your sensitive core with worn fingertips. It’s an honour to be able to see Kita like this, like no one else has. People only see him as the responsible and reliable leader, or hard-working and dedicated coworker, but you see the side of him that is not-so-Kita. It’s shocking, honestly. The things he does with his hands when no one is around to see-

“Wake up, my love,” his hands graze over your cheek, startling you awake. It’s dark out now, and he’s cleaned up, freshly showered in the small bathroom and changed into more casual and comfortable clothes. But it’s dark, you missed all the daylight hours of his birthday sleeping as he worked, away from him because it was too hot. “Shin, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would fall asleep for that long..” too ashamed to look him in the eyes. But before you can even get a response from him, he begins kissing light trails down your neck. You smell the fragrant shampoo and feel his soft lips leaving delicate pecks along your clavicle.

“If I’m not mistaken, you wanted me to rest for my birthday? Take a load off, relax, celebrate even? But,” exhaling against your neck, a hot breath that sends chills across your body and hands jolting up to press against his chest, “I wanted to work. Do my job, do what’s right..” He shifts, legs straddling you as his rough hands travel up and down your figure, feeling all those dips and curves he loves so much. He’s even bold enough to snake his cold hands under the skirt of your dress, giving your thighs a gentle squeeze.

“Yes, but you didn’t listen to me.. You work too hard, Shin. You deserve a break every once in a while,” giving a soft whine as his fingers tap along the hem of your panties, pulling on the elastic only to let go, snapping back against your skin. He chuckles against your nape at your words. “My love, have you no faith in me?”

“What do you mean?” you say before letting out an audible gasp as he flips in the fabric of your skirt up, revealing your soaked panties right underneath, to which he is satisfied.

“You don’t think I can do both? On the same day? Do my job, earn some money, give back to the community. And rest up, relieve some stress, indulge a little? You don’t think I can do it?” he laughs almost condescendingly. Typical stone-faced Kita looking down at his darling with pity, knowing full well he’s going to spoil himself after a long day’s hard work.

#birthday babes #haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #kita shinsuke #kita x reader #admin kae

76 notes · View notes

rheyninwrites · 5 years ago

Text

Night Swimming

(I don’t usually post things this long, but I couldn’t cut it back!)

The sweltering Lemoyne air hung heavily, oppressive even at night. Though the sunset had provided moderate relief, the sweat was still pouring down your back as you and Arthur made your way back to camp. Finally, Arthur had enough .

“That’s it. It’s too damn hot and I’m too damn tired to keep going. We can make it back to camp in the morning.”

You nodded, then pointed to a shaded area some distance away in the woods. “How ‘bout we make camp up there? Looks a bit cooler, anyway.”

Arthur agreed, and you followed him as he made his way into the woods. He was just about to start setting up camp when you grabbed his arm, putting a finger to your lips. His eyes met yours as his body tensed, his hand drifting to his gun, but you quickly shook your head, then cupped your hand behind your ear, pointing. As Arthur tilted his head to hear better, a smile spread across your lips, and soon Arthur was smiling as well. He quickly grabbed the few things he’d unpacked and followed you as you lead your horse deeper into the woods and alongside a ravine. As it shallowed, the sound you’d heard earlier became more clear, louder, until you found what you were looking for.

At the end of the ravine there was a small swimming hole, fed by a creek that ran out to the river, a few miles in the distance. It was sitting in a small depression, almost completely surrounded by trees, with a bank to one side that was just big enough for a campsite. The water was beautifully clear, with nothing but a few small fish swimming in it, and, judging by the breeze that traveled along the ravine, it was nice and cool.

You sighed in relief, mock collapsing as you stepped to the water’s edge. The horses had already started drinking their fill as you squatted down beside them, dipping your hand in. It was exactly as cool and refreshing as you’d hoped, and you wasted no time in gulping some down and splashing yourself thoroughly. From where he stood beside the tent, Arthur laughed at you.

“You keep going like that, might as well jump on in.”

You tilted your head, looking between him and the water. “It ain’t the worst idea you’ve ever had. I could probably use a bath anyway, all this sweat and dust.”

He stopped what he was doing, looking at you like you were crazy. “You serious? You ain’t even got a change of clothes!”

“Okay, first of all, my damn clothes are already soaked with sweat, and I really doubt they could get worse by jumping in a swimming hole.” You said, stepping towards him. “Second, who in the hell said I was planning on wearing clothes, anyway?” You poked him in the chest sharply, making him draw back. If you thought he’d looked at you like you were crazy before, this was ten times worse. You shrugged and rolled your eyes.

“It ain’t like I’m suggesting we strip naked and waltz through town! This place is hidden, deep, and it’s in the middle of nowhere. Ain’t even any signs anyone’s been here recently!” You threw your hands in the air, turning your back to him. “You don’t like it, don’t get in.”

He scoffed. “You were expecting me to get in too! What the hell is wrong with you, woman?” He stepped to where you were, moving to stand in front of you. “Have you lost your goddamn mind? You forget that you and I are slightly different in certain ways?”

“I ain’t forgot nothing.” You unfolded your arms, gesturing wildly as you spoke. “I’m hot, Arthur. Been hot all damn day, and this is nice, cool, clean water. Don’t you think it’d feel so good to just jump in and cool down? To hell with all that man woman business. Would you hesitate if it was John?”

“John can’t swim.” Arthur pointed out the obvious, partly to distract you, or maybe himself. How was he supposed to tell you that the reason he was so damn desperate to keep you from stripping down was because he knew he wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off of you? He’d known you now for six months, and for nearly all six, he’d been trying to convince himself he wasn’t attracted to you, hoping it’d be true. Instead, it had just made him pine for you harder. He was only beginning to be able to admit he kinda liked you, more than the average woman, and not like he liked the guys.

While Arthur was busy fretting and arguing with himself, you’d already headed to a spot in the edge of a shadow and started undressing. He looked on helplessly as you unbuttoned your shirt, stretching backwards as you peeled it off. Then you reached up and shook your hair free, and reached for the front of your pants. As you pushed them down and shimmied out of them, Arthur whimpered to himself. This was torture. He’d done some pretty nasty things in his lifetime, and even enjoyed a few of them, but he still couldn’t imagine what he’d done to deserve this torment, especially when you moved to get into the water, stepping out of the shadow and into the shaft of moonlight breaking through the trees.

If he’d taken the time to sit down and draw what he thought was the perfect shape for a woman, it wouldn’t have been half as perfect as you looked at that moment. Your back was to him, giving him full view of the arc of your hips, the way they softened down into the delicious curve of your ass. Then there were your legs. God, how he wanted to part those velvet thighs, nestle himself between them as he pressed his face into the tender sweep of your neck. To feel the brush of your hair against his face as he moved his hips against yours, the gentle embrace of your arms against his skin.

By the time he got a grip on his thoughts, you were half submerged in the water, and his cock was straining at the front of his pants. It would be impossible for you to miss, if you happened to look his way, and something had to be done about it. At first, he tried turning his back, sitting down to ignore you. The problem was that it was more than a little uncomfortable, and when he tried to readjust himself to make it better, he ended up stroking himself through his pants, still thinking of you, and made the problem worse. Plus, if you were to get out, he wouldn’t see you coming, and the thought of you catching him made his cheeks burn bright and hot.

He sighed. Maybe he should just give in and join you. Obviously he wasn’t going to be able to avoid you wrapping around his thoughts and getting stuck in his head, and maybe the water would cool him off a bit, literally and figuratively. If not, he might have the opportunity to relieve himself in other ways, even if the thought of doing that while thinking of you when you were so close made him feel like a filthy old man. He probably deserved to feel bad about it, anyway- it’s not like you’d have him, and he wasn’t going to waste his time deluding himself.

Resigned, he stood up and tried to hide the bulge in his pants the best he could while attempting to casually walk to the same shaded area you’d disrobed in. After glancing towards you to be sure you were distracted, he started taking off his clothes. He’d gotten his shirt off and his pants pushed halfway down his thighs when he heard you calling out to him, splashing your way over.

“You decide to join me after all?”

Arthur made a valiant attempt at a good natured chuckle. “S’pose so. Do you, uh . . ,” Arthur swallowed. “Would you mind turning your back until I get in the water?”

Once you’d turned your back, Arthur finished undressing and waded into the water, covering himself with his hands the whole way. He swam over to an area far from you, deeply shadowed by trees. The water was nice and cool, and felt good on his body after the heat of the day, but wasn’t cold enough to take his mind off of you, or to do away with the result of his thoughts. He ducked his head under the water, wetting his hair and pushing it out of his face, then looked over at you. You had resumed swimming on the other side, maybe a hundred feet away. A decent distance, but not nearly far enough, not for what he needed to do.

As he watched, you leaned back, relaxing into the water and floating up on your back. Though most of you was still underwater, he could clearly see the arc of your breasts in the moonlight. Thoughts of cupping them in his hands and taking them into his mouth came unbidden, making his cock ache with want.

“Jesus Christ, woman, what you do to me . . . ,” he muttered under his breath.

His hand snaked slowly across his hip as he took hold of his cock, eyes riveted on your shape. As his hand slid slowly down his length, he told himself that it was just this one, just to take the edge off, and then he’d stop. When he reached the end of his stroke, he let his thumb glide over the tip, teasing himself. You looked so tempting, he couldn’t help himself, and before he realized it, he was running his hand along his cock in long, languid strokes. He pictured your full, soft lips, tongue running over them flirtatiously as you held his gaze, your naked body ready for his adoration. How he’d love to spoil you with his attention, kissing every inch, praise pouring from his lips. He’d get down on his knees at your feet, worship you if that’s what you wanted.

He was lost in his fantasy, eyes closed as you slipped through the water towards him, and he didn’t notice when you crept up beside him. You watched him for a moment, eyes wide as heat coursed through your body. For a second, you wondered what you should do, and in that second, Arthur’s eyes opened. He jumped back, cursing as he covered himself with his hands and tried to think of a good excuse.

“I swear, it ain’t . . . I mean, I’m not . . . it ain’t what it looks like!”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “Well if it ain’t what it looked like, what is it?”

Arthur’s mouth opened, then closed again. He could think of a hundred things to say, and not one of them was believable. Finally he sighed, his shoulders drooping.

“Alright, it was what it looked like. I’m real sorry. It was stupid of me.” He shook his head. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go hang myself.”

He turned to leave, but you grabbed his shoulder to stop him, giggling. He looked at you, pleading, desperate to be freed from this awkward predicament. To make matters worse, he was still hard, his erection between the two of you like an exclamation point.

“Arthur . . ,” you tried, gently, “I ain’t upset.”

He looked at you like you’d grown another head. “The hell you mean, you ain’t mad. Of course you’re mad. You got every right to be.”

You shook your head. “I tell you, I ain’t mad.” You swallowed hard. “But I gotta ask you something, and I wanna know the truth, alright? You owe me that much.” Arthur nodded as you put your hand beneath his chin, forcing him to look in your eyes. “What was it you were thinking about?”

There was a long pause as your heart pounded in your chest, desperate to know. Arthur shook his head, trying wordlessly to convince you to not ask, but you gave him a stern look, holding his gaze as he tried to look away. Finally he gave in, figuring that he’d ruined yet another of the few good things he’d had. His eyes softened as he breathed out a single word, barely audible even in the stillness of the night.

“You.”

He cast his eyes downward, resigning himself to your fury. It was quite a surprise to him, then, when you ducked beneath his head and pressed your mouth to his. He was so shocked, he didn’t even respond to the kiss, making you worry for a second that you’d crossed a line. When you leaned back, brow furrowed, he looked at you with his eyes wide and his mouth half open for a moment, then pulled you into his arms, his mouth crashing against yours. He was desperate, hungry for you, and you were more than happy to oblige. As you threw your arms around his shoulders, he lifted you, wrapping your legs around his hips and carrying you out of the water. Any thoughts of modesty were forgotten, lost in the passion of your mouth against his throat as he crossed the bank to where the tent was set.

He lowered you carefully, kneeling in front of you to spread kisses along your hips and thighs as you stumbled backwards, trying to feel your way to the tent. Arthur was relentless, grasping desperately at your hips to pull you back against his mouth. His hot kisses turned into gentle nips, then hard bites that left marks along your skin, until you tangled your hands in his hair to pull his head back. A grunt of harsh pleasure left his throat as he looked up at you from his knees, eyes closing as you tugged his hair again. His hands traveled over your hips, sliding up across your sides as you kneeled in front of him, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

You backed into the tent, leaning on your elbow as you beckoned him forward. Obediently, he crawled towards you, his body hovering over yours as he drew in a sharp breath. He ran his calloused fingers over your collarbone, trailing down over your breast and making you shiver with pleasure. Slowly letting the weight of his body descend on yours, he trailed soft kisses along your throat, inhaling your scent and whispering against your skin.

“You’re so goddamn perfect.”

“Speak for yourself.”

A breathy laugh turned into a moan as he pressed his hips against yours, grinding against you and spreading your wetness down the length of his shaft. You were warm, so slick and full against him he almost wanted to finish like that, spreading his cum across your stomach as your bodies moved against each other. Instead, he lifted his hips as you slipped your hand down between your legs. You found him slick and eager as you lead him to your entrance, hooking your foot around his calf.

He hesitated for just a moment, until you grasped his arms and lifted your hips against him, a soft whimper of lust breathed in his ear. He tried to still himself, to be calm and gentle as he pushed into you, but desire took over the second he felt your warmth around him. He needed you, craved you, and drove into you hard and fast as you gasped. Your fingers gripped the flesh of his shoulders, nails biting bloody crescents into his skin.

He was wild, desperate, hips pounding against yours while his mouth left mark after mark across your neck like he was laying claim to your body. The faster he moved, the more you came apart beneath him, his primal sounds of pleasure pushing you closer to the edge by the second. As he hit the deepest part of your core, you cried out his name, loosing a deep growl from his chest as his teeth pressed into the tender flesh of your shoulder. You could tell by the way his moans turned desperate, hips beginning to falter in their steady rhythm, that he was closing in on his release, and closing fast. Once again you put your hand between your legs, this time to take him out, angling him to slide against your clit in rapid strokes. Soon your thighs were clenching tight around him, head thrown back as you cried out his name, pleasure ripping through your body.

It took no time at all for Arthur to add his cries to yours, his cum thick and hot against your stomach as he collapsed over you. His body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat that somehow made him look even sexier than he had before, though he scoffed when you told him so. You took his face in your hands, pressing your forehead to his.

“I need you to understand this, Arthur. I. Want. You. Only you. I want your face, I want your skin, I want your body. I want your heart, and I want your mind. All of you.” You kissed him softly and slowly before continuing. “I happen to think you’re a damn fine specimen of a man, and I won’t hear nothing else. You keep saying mean things about yourself and you’re gonna break my heart. You wanna be responsible for my poor broken heart?”

He chuckled, nuzzling into your neck and placing a kiss there before propping himself back up to look at you.

“Now what the hell kinda man would I be if I let my woman’s heart get broke?”

#rdr2 #rdr2 fandom #rdr arthur #arthur morgan/reader #arthur morgan smut #arthur morgan x reader smut #arthursty #arthur morgan nsft #red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption #rdr #arthur morgan #rdr 2 #arthurmorgan #r

523 notes · View notes

calumcest · 5 years ago

Text

as he faced the sun he cast no shadow

dont roast me for using oasis lyrics as the title also i think this is the shortest fic i’m humanly capable of writing

Ashton doesn’t really realise he’s fallen out of love until it’s happened.

He only half-remembers the first day, like someone else’s fever dream told to him the next morning. He remembers Luke’s face, strained and tight, telling him I can’t do this anymore, I can’t be with you anymore. He remembers his stomach bottoming out, his mind racing, his palms sweating, excuses and pleas stumbling over each other in their haste to leave his lips. He remembers his voice rising with the panic in his chest, remembers thinking wildly that even his breaths belonged to Luke as his words constricted Ashton’s lungs, threatening never to let go. He remembers the dial tone as Luke had hung up, screen blinking back to his contact list, remembers staring at it for a moment in disbelief, and then sinking to his knees.

Three minutes for a three year relationship. That’s all Luke gave him. Luke had always known that Ashton’s biggest desire was his greatest weakness, and now Ashton knew it too. There was nothing of him to love. He was disposable.

The first few months were the worst. Ashton doesn’t remember those. June, July and August were nothing to him. In years to come (and Ashton remembers wondering if there would be such things) he will have no recollection of his twenty-sixth birthday.

He remembers flashes. He’d drifted through the days, making empty promises about feeling fine without having any concept of what ‘fine’ felt like. He knows he didn’t listen to music for over a month, because it was completely futile, completely meaningless. He knows he couldn’t fall asleep normally anymore, having to stay up until six a.m. to make sure he was so exhausted he wouldn’t be able to think, because the only thought that could form in the muddle of his mind was how worthless he was. He doesn’t remember the pain he felt but remembers it being the first time he’d felt so much pain that he couldn’t feel it anymore, like breaking a bone. He’d been so relieved for the numbness and so frightened of it, because he’d known at some point it would all come crashing down, a dam built of paper and straw.

Time had moved wrong. He remembers standing under the shower at the gym and it taking twice as long to automatically turn off. He remembers turning it up to the highest heat, hoping the hot water on his skin would make him feel something, force the pain to hit. He’d feel nothing, yet look down and see bright red staring back at him like a warning.

Twice a week, he’d paid to display all of his worthlessness, his unloveable nature. He’d wept. His voice had cracked. And then he’d cleared his throat, blinked salt water away, smiled, thanked her, left. She’d said she saw nothing behind his eyes, but she was trained to notice. Nobody else saw, and that was all that mattered.

Everything was Luke for such a long time that Ashton barely even noticed it. He’d see food and think of Luke, hear songs and think of Luke, smell the lingering scent of someone walking past and think of Luke. Luke crowded into every corner of his mind, every topic of his conversation. There was nothing Ashton could see or think or do without thinking of Luke.

For example, Luke had always saluted magpies, and Ashton never had.

(“It’s bad luck not to,” he’d said indignantly, when Ashton had laughed at him the first time he saw him do it. Ashton had rolled his eyes, but he’d found himself starting to salute on autopilot when he spotted a little black and white bird in the distance.)

He remembers the first time he saw a magpie after Luke, remembers the way he hesitated for a moment before touching his fingers to his forehead. He specifically remembers thinking about Luke then, a raw slash to his heart, knowing that somewhere, forty miles away, Luke was saluting another magpie, not knowing what Ashton knew - it was in vain.

Calum had taken him on holiday. A change of scenery, he’d said. Somewhere that doesn’t remind you of Luke.

Italy.

Ashton remembers the hot sun, but he doesn’t remember how it felt on his skin. He remembers the bright afternoons, but he doesn’t remember how they made him squint. He remembers the sea breeze, but he doesn’t remember if it made him shiver.

Calum had taken him to a church, a beautiful white building tucked in the corner of a flagstone plaza, as though he knew what Ashton needed.

Ashton hadn’t prayed in years. He hadn’t believed in even longer, but he was so desperate that he’d grasped at the straw Calum had handed to him, sat on a dusty wooden pew with his eyes cast to the ornate painted ceiling.

Please, he remembers thinking silently, wildly. You might think you know better, but you don’t. I need Luke. I can’t live without him.

No one had responded, but Ashton had left feeling a little lighter, a weight off the heaviness he hadn’t even noticed before.

After that, things got a little easier.

He could laugh without it being meaningless. He could think. He could focus. He still couldn’t sleep, couldn’t let his mind wander, couldn’t be alone, but he could breathe. He’d thrown himself into the music, picking up the sticks he hadn’t touched in months and drumming, writing, drumming, writing. Calum had finally lost the crease between his eyebrows when Ashton started to sing again.

Ashton remembers fearing Christmas. It would be his first one without Luke in four years.

(“I’ll be thinking about him,” he’d told his therapist anxiously, nibbling on his lip.

“You’re allowed to,” she’d said.)

Christmas, however, came and went. Ashton remembers forgetting Luke on Christmas Day, too caught up in the festivities and opening presents and eating lunch and playing with Harry and Lauren, only remembering that he’d been supposed to think about Luke when he was brushing his teeth and grinning maniacally at himself in the mirror.

January in LA had been cold and wet and miserable, but Ashton doesn’t even care because he remembers. He remembers the biting wind stinging his cheeks, the way he had to dig his hands into his pockets because he forgot his gloves, the new scarf he had to buy to hide his nose in to protect it from the icy air. He remembers slipping on wet pavements, running from Target to his car in the pouring rain, feet squelching in leaking shoes. He remembers driving to Calum’s, and sleeping in Calum’s bed, and having to fall asleep without his phone in his hand.

He doesn’t remember doing it, though, because he only remembers waking up the next morning, awake and refreshed and well-rested.

He remembers how trivial things started to matter again. The emails piling up in his inbox, the way the door to his garage squeaked when it closed, the fact that only one charging port on his laptop worked. He remembers the important things starting to matter less, too - Luke’s laugh, Luke’s smile, Luke’s eyes.

He starts listening to the music Luke had introduced him to again. At first, it reminds him of Luke, of muggy summer nights spent driving in Luke’s car singing at the top of their lungs, but he grits his teeth and pushes through it. He walks when he listens, exploring the neighbourhood, making new memories. Eventually, the music becomes Ashton’s, and Ashton’s alone.

He’s listening to it now, leaning over a railing as he watches the sun set over the ocean. The sky is streaked with orange and pink, and Ashton thinks he’s never seen anything so beautifully meaningless. The cool evening breeze licks at his arms and makes him shiver a little as he squints, sun just at the right height to hit his eyes. He doesn’t mind, though, because he can feel it.

There, standing in the warm glow of the sunset and watching the sinking light glitter on the surface of the water, he feels peace for the first time in nine months.

He smiles, and watches the sun sink until he can no longer feel its warmth on his skin.

#lashton #5sos fic #5sos slash #5sos fanfiction #this is less of a fic and more of a thought piece really though

42 notes · View notes

eye-zen · 5 years ago

Text

DROWNED

Swim or Sink

As I waited for the TSA security screening to open, my heart raced. It was absolutely the wrong time to have any negative thoughts but the anxiousness hit me like a ton of coconuts. You know that moment when you imagine everything that could possibly go wrong.

The airport was cold and had a feeling of abandonment. Occupied only by workers cleaning, a few TSA agents, and an armed officer accompanied by a german shepherd. Arriving 4 hours before my 8am flight, the anticipation was overwhelming. After braving the cold for several months I was prepared to head closer to the equator. Where the sun was food and the sea was a reflection of the sky on a cloudless day. Stress is an understatement as life in the city is accompanied by ceaseless sirens, congested trains, and accessibility to any junk food you can think of. The separation from my island home had taken its toll on me, ironically, I never lived in the islands but I imagined for years what it would be like. Never thought I would make the move under these circumstances but people around me were dying and I felt the grim reaper closing in.

To relieve the overthinking I put on my headphones and listened to some jazz, It was Nocturne by Alfa Mist. It calmed my nerves long enough for security screening to open and for me to begin the process of checking in to my flight. The check in process was smooth as I packed very light, just a duffle bag with a few underclothes and a couple of essentials. I headed to gate 18 in a sleepwalking daze. Throughout the desolate airport I saw a few people sleeping in corners cuddling with their charging spouses but we call them cell phones.

I found a seat in a dimly lit corner near the window. The seat faced the tarmac and had a view of the city just on the horizon. Taking deep breaths, I still couldn’t believe the moment was here. Thinking to myself, by this time tomorrow I’ll be sleeping in a nice bed and waking up hours later to the fresh smell of sea water. My eyes began to burn and became heavy like bricks as I fought my sleep. Finally I gave in as the tunes I was listening to expedited the process. An hour later I woke up and surveyed my surroundings, there seemed to be a few people who arrived and were waiting. I picked up my phone to check the time and change to a different playlist. Within a few minutes I was nodding off again, I hadn’t slept in over 34 hours. This time when my eyes opened the sun was rising over the cityscape and a few more airplanes had entered onto the tarmac. When I turned my head the seats were starting to fill up as life was finally being breathed into the airport. I adjusted myself in the seat and reached for my bottle of water. It had just enough for a sip, not nearly enough to quench my thirst. A few seats away from me was an older woman with what appeared to be her grandchild. I asked her if she could keep an eye on my belongings while I went to the restroom and a concession stand. I asked if she would like two bottles of water as well but she politely declined. When I entered the bathroom I looked for a urinal with the least amount of liquid on the floor. Afterwards I made my way to a sink and made wudu, Washing my hands, face, nose, ears, and arms before drying myself off with a paper towel. I felt refreshed but still tired, I guess the 2 hour nap had not done me much justice. After buying my water and a few packs of M&ms i headed back to my seat. I killed time for a few more hours before my flight was finally announced to be boarded. I walked down the long corridor to the plane and sat at my seat 27F. Before the entire plane could be seated I fastened my seatbelt, turned on my music and went to sleep.

I woke up and heard the ice shuffling into a cup before I opened my eyes

Excuse me would you like orange juice, tea, coffee, or water ?

I quickly wiped whatever drool had not made it to my clothes and opened the window. The sun was glaring and instantly made me hot so I closed it. May I have some water please, thank you. I looked at the time and only slept for 45 minutes. I thought to myself, these naps are feeling like eternity. I opened the window back halfway and stared out of it. Gliding across the sky, in and out of clouds I couldn’t help but smile, I dreamed of this.

Hours later we began the descenion and then landing. Looking out the window I could see nothing but plush green mountains sitting in the middle of blue water. As we approached the island, the water went from dark blue to teal, nothing I’ve ever seen before. The landing was smooth and I noticed this airport didnt have any bridges for the plane to be attached too. To my pleasant surprise the plane stopped in the middle of the tarmac and passengers began exiting the plane. As people wrestled with their carry on luggage from overhead compartments I sat patiently with my duffle bag ready but nervous to exit. One of the flight attendants opened the back door which made the process go quicker. As I exited the plane a gust of wind hit my face. It felt like a smooth caress. The smell of sea water instantly made me smile as my nose and lungs happily embraced it.

The airport was surrounded by green mountains and the ocean could be heard just over a treeline. I couldn’t believe I finally made it. Feeling like I escaped the grasp of death only to make it to heaven on earth. I walked past the baggage claim and straight to the arrival section. I was the first from my flight to leave. Clothed with a hoodie and a long sleeve t-shirt I took it off and almost threw it in the trash before hearing a familiar voice.

OY ! aye cuz !

I looked up and there was my cousin sitting in his car. I hadn’t seen King in years. One year he came up for the summer when we were younger. All I remember was his accent and him putting a tiddy on my basketball from always kicking it.

Yo…wassup cuz!

Glad to see you made it, how was your flight ?

Man it was ok, I slept a lot. The view from up there was crazy though cuz, can’t believe we are in the middle of the ocean like ths.

Yes man, this is my home. Nothing like it you finally made it. I’m gonna show you a good time….yo where are the rest of your bags ?

This is all I have.

What ? Haha pack light huh ?

You already know cuz…

I threw my bag in the back seat of his pickup truck and we drove off of the airport lot. The weather was beautiful and the landscape even better. Just hours ago I was in the concrete jungle now I’m cruising in paradise. There were vibrant colors, a stark contrast to the dark grey matter that clouded the city. People on the side of the road selling fresh fruit and vegetables, even a man on a horse in the middle of traffic. A few minutes later we stopped on the side of the road and got some coconuts to drink from a man selling them. At first I wasn’t too fond of the taste but I finished it and felt refreshed. More refreshing then any bottle of water I’ve ever had.

Well cuz were going to go on a longer ride later but I have to work this morning and afternoon. I’ll drop you back off at the house for now.

Damn Cuz, you work two jobs ?

Yes Man, in the morning doing a little construction and at night got a gig at the resort. Here, you gotta hustle. Paradise ain’t easy but it’s worth it.

Yea, I get it.

Well I don’t live too far from town so you can find your way around while I’m at work. All you have to do is tell the taxi where i live and they’ll drop you off. I mean unless you are tired, it looks like you haven’t slept in days.

Okay cool. Well yeah you right about that. It’s been a day or two. Couldn’t sleep thinking about getting on that plane.

Yea well I heard everything that was going down up there, I’m glad you made it. Here, it’s all about respect. You don’t trouble anyone then everything should be irie.

Yea for sure .

We turned off the main road and started heading up a steep hill. The road was not paved and surrounded by trees, so much so that it blocked the sun. After a few bumps we approached a bright red house with a white roof sitting on top of a grassy knoll. The view was amazing, I could see the ocean and what appeared to be “town” at the bottom of the mountain. I didn’t realize how high we came but we seemed to be pretty elevated.

Dam cuz this is a crazy view..

Yeh Meh son. Before I go to work I sit out here and drink my tea. Early in the morning or late at night you could hear the waves crashing from here, especially during a full moon.

Well let me show you around real quick, I have to head to work.

King gave me a tour of the house and where I would be sleeping. The house smelled like incense and had art on nearly all the walls. My bedroom was small but decent. It had a bed, nightstand, closet, but the best feature was the windows. I had a perfect view and the breeze flowed through effortlessly. Swaying the curtains back and forth like sails on a boat. I flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. Those few minutes became more as I fell into a power nap once again. When I woke up the breeze was still blowing and I still was in the islands. Part of me was extremely relieved that it wasn’t just a dream.

I took a shower freshened up and decided to go exploring. On the kitchen counter King left a house key and a freshly picked mango from the tree outside.

I began my trek down the hill in search for town. Cars passed me by honking as they maneuvered down the narrow winding road. One of the cars honked as it passed me by and I waved. The car stopped so I guess they thought I flagged them down. It turned out to be what’s known as a dollar cab.

Yea yea,. Good Afternoon, Where are you headed?

I’m going to town.

To town huh ? You’re not from here , What part of town are you going too ?

I don’t know, just town. I’m going to walk around and check everything out.

Ok, ok. Well what brings you here brethren.

I don’t know, just wanted to experience paradise.

Oh, ok I see. Well from my experience talking to foreigners who come here it’s always two things. You are either running from something or running to something. Which one is it ?

To be honest it might be both. Now if i’m running to something, only time will tell.

Yes, I. Well here on my island, it’s a beautiful place. Weather is 80 degrees plus everyday, plenty of good food and beautiful women. But one thing I must warn you. Some of the women here are Mami wata or what you foreigners call mermaids. You must be careful, nothing here is what it seems.

Yea ok, i’ll keep that in mind.

We approached the town after a few minutes. The buildings looked relatively old and there were quite a few tourists traversing the streets. I paid the taxi driver the fare and exited the car. I crossed the street with a family of roosters and entered into a clothing store. I bought some sunglasses and a bottle of water. Block by block I walked through town learning its layout. It must have been obvious I wasn’t from the island because I could see people staring at me. I thought I would be able to blend in, being that the tourists were for the most part white but that wasn’t the case. After an hour or two of walking around I found a restaurant on the harbor. The water was like a parking lot for boats. The sail boats seemed to have stretched for miles as traffic in and out of the harbor was steady. Under the surface of the water was a huge fish. I could see them swimming back and forth as if they were waiting to be fed. I ordered the most american thing you could probably get, a cheeseburger and french fries. After eating my lunch I sat on the harbor for a while then continued my walk through the town. During my walk I noticed I approached a restaurant bar that grabbed my attention for some reason. It was called Sea Breeze and unlike the rest of the restaurants, stores, and bars this one was by its loneliness just outside of the main cluster of businesses. I made my way in the empty bar overlooking the water and sat down.

A few minutes later I could hear voices behind a closed door. There was a man carrying a clipboard with a phone to his ears.

Good afternoon, can I help you.

Yea sure, I just want to order a drink.

Ok, no problem. Serene ! Serene ! You have someone out here.

Seconds later a woman appeared from the door holding a box of beer.

Yes, good afternoon, what can I get for you?

For a second I was at a loss for words. Her presence alone paralyzed my tongue. Unable to speak, I just nodded my head until I snapped out of my daze.

Umm yes,, good afternoon, sure can I have a glass of water,

Ok, is that it ?

Yes, that’s it for now.

Ok, well here is a menu for you. Let me know if you want anything else.

Her skin was golden brown and her hair was black, curly and glowing. She was adorned with a few pieces of jewelry. A perfect accessory complimenting her skin tone. After giving me my water she walked back to the room and retrieved a few more boxes. In a few more trips she began restocking the bar with drinks We conversed for a few minutes before I asked for a drink, a glass of whisky to be exact. I don’t normally drink but it’s as if i was hypnotized. I mean I guess thats what a bartender is supposed to do but it felt different. Jokingly I asked, “you wouldn’t happen to be a mami wata, would you ?

She looked at me with a blank stare and began laughing.

You haven’t been on the island a whole day and you are already talking about mami wata. Haha who have you been speaking to?

The taxi driver mentioned that to me,

Well what did he tell you about this mami wata.

Not much, just that some women on the island were mami wata and that I should be aware of them.

Haha well that’s all you know. The elders say mami wata are half women and half fish. In the daytime they live on land looking for people to bring back to the water at night. They Are said to be the most beautiful women and have the ability to put men in a trance. They lure men into the water at night where they drown or are never seen again.

Wow choices, I escape death from gun shots only to be in danger by the hands of a beautiful woman fish. I think I’ll take my chances with the latter. But, thank you for the fairy tale, I’ll keep that in mind.

Before I knew it, hours passed and I had more than enough drinks. It was the most drinks I’ve ever had at one time in my life. The sun was down and when I looked at the clock it read 10pm. The restaurant workers were cleaning up and starting to close up shop. What in the world just happened. Where had all the time gone ?!? Everything at that point was confusion. The girl I was speaking to looked at me and said, were closing up now. I walked outside the restaurant onto the street. The road was empty of taxis and most of the restaurants had started to close. I began walking through town retracing my steps. My stomach was growling horribly and I was extremely tired. I thought to myself “ How the fuck, did i let this happen. I really don’t remember drinking that much, how much did i drink? I feel horrible”

I finally made it to the outskirts of town and saw the direction I needed to walk home. I stood on the side of the road for a few minutes hoping that I would get lucky and maybe my cousin would pass me by or at the very least a taxi cab. In 15 minutes I decided to just walk back to the house. At first the walk was cool untilI started sweating profusely. The roads were dark and the sound of crickets and dogs nearly drowned out my thoughts. I walked until I finally reached the hill that led up to the house. Suddenly a wave hit me and I became even more drunk than I already was. Along with this came stomach pains I could barely fathom. How much did I really drink and did I not eat while I was drinking. There were so many questions that I had no answers to. I stumbled up the hill every few steps before having to lean up against a tree for a break. I took one step before collapsing to the ground. I rolled over on my back and stared up at the sky. It was the first time I’ve seen stars in years. As much as I hated laying in the muddy ditch I knew that I needed to lay there in order to recover. I gained the strength to get up and began my trek back up the hill. There would be a few more falls before I finally made it to the house. Dusty dirty and drunk. Wasn’t quite the experience I imagined for my first 24 hours in my new home. My cousin’s car wasn’t at the house yet so I figured he was still at work. I slipped off my muddy clothes and reached in the pocket for my cell phone. The phone was nowhere to be found. Wow, so I lost my mind and my cell phone, THIS CAN’T BE LIFE RIGHT NOW.

I stumbled to my bedroom and flopped on the bed, dusty and all. Hours later I woke up as the sun was just starting to rise. I hopped up and threw some clothes on. My head was hurting and my stomach was still in pain. I thought to myself this is going to be a bad hangover. I walked outside and began tracing my steps. Before I knew it, I was back at the restaurant. The black gate surrounding the bar was locked and there was no Sea Breeze sign but rather a poster that read for Sale by owner. For Sale ? I was just here last night, ain’t no way. I was too ill to figure it out so I walked back to the outskirts of town and caught a taxi home. On the ride back home my headache became more severe and my stomach pain was excruciating. I probably was in desperate need for food but now I didn’t even have the strength to make me food. I exerted all of my strength walking back into town searching for my cell phone. I laid back in bed and began tossing and turning in agony. The breeze flowing through the window offered a little bit of relief but not enough to ease the pain. It was the most painful thing I’ve ever felt in my life. It was as if whatever I drank started to slowly eat out my insides. I grabbed onto my sheets, clinching them and holding the pillow over my face. Suddenly sun rays came through the window and pierced through the pillow onto my face. I turned my head and looked towards the window. At that moment a sharp pain striked me in the stomach and I closed my eyes.

I blinked once then all of a sudden I was staring at myself. In disbelief I blinked again and I was still looking at myself. As if I was standing over the bed. I could not believe what I was seeing. The craziest part about it, is I was completely conscious of what I was seeing. There I was, looking at my body tossing and turning in agony. I was able to see myself from the outside looking in but I did not feel the physical pain. The more I blinked the more I started to rise above my body and move farther away. The further away I moved the less my physical body started moving. The vision of myself started to become blurry when suddenly I heard a loud knock

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Aye cuz ! you good in there ? OY!

King opened the door and my eyes suddenly opened and I felt pain again.

Yo whats up cuz, you good ?

I saw your clothes outside when I got in. I put them to be washed.

Yea. yea everything is good. My stomach is killing me though. Do you have any advils?

No cuz i dont use those things. I have some tea brewing right now.

Man, I don’t know what happened. One minute I was sitting there having a drink of water and whisky then the next I was laying in a ditch.

Hahaha well yea i can see that. You wasted no time getting acquainted with the Mami Watas I see.

Hold on, you know about the mami wata too ??

Of course, why wouldn’t I be.

Why didn’t you tell me about them? Do you think that’s what happened to me. ???

When I left yesterday you were knocked out. I figured you would sleep all day but hahaha I also didn’t expect this to happen to you on your first day here. Well you must be lucky because you actually survived. Word of advice cuz, don’t get too caught up in looks. Looks can be deceiving.. A pretty face can kill you.

Too late cuz, I may have already died.

#black authors #black writers #short story #author #fictional story #writer

1 note · View note