#like i started working on it friday i think

[ireverie]

girls goon too

pairing ↠ stepbro!sunghoon x (f) reader x stepbro!heeseung

genre .. warnings ↠ smut, stepcest, unprotected sex, oral (m receiving) / face fucking, virgin! reader, dubcon

summary ↠ sunghoon can't take it anymore. you just won't stop gooning in your bedroom for all the world to hear, and he's tired of it. he's pretty sure all you do with your spare time is watch porn. heeseung suggests that he just jerks off, but his morals won't let him; until he decides that he can't hold back anymore. he has to shut you up.

wc ↠ 5.3k

a/n ↠ nohyuck version of this fic originally posted on my blog revehae. i am not plagiarizing myself. this is my apology for missing my friday night drabble post. as always, feedback is appreciated!

don’t like it, don’t read.

“she’s doing it again,” sunghoon grumbled, walking into heeseung’s bedroom. only because the door was ajar, though. he knew the sight he’d walk in on if it was completely closed would be worse than what you were surely doing.

heeseung snickered, eyes fixed on his computer. “what’s the occasion? sixth-month gooning anniversary?”

sunghoon scoffed. he didn’t know why you did it. he thought jake was bad, but you were next level. “i thought surely she would give us a break for november.”

“and she did,” heeseung quipped, moving his mouse. “for all of three days.”

that was true. for the very first three days of november, the house had been relatively quiet apart from heeseung’s shouting when he was losing. then, on the fourth day, it was back to hearing your annoyingly perfect fucking moans in the afternoon.

and god forbid your parents would be coming home late. you were relentless on those days, touching yourself to no end. sunghoon couldn’t stand it. he hated minding his business, trying to rest or work or do anything that didn’t require thinking about the sounds you were making as you persistently edged yourself.

but he couldn’t help himself. sometimes, he could hear your moans even when you weren’t there, and that was when he knew he was finally losing what little bit was left of his goddamn mind. 

heeseung, on the other hand, didn’t seem as miffed. sunghoon was certain his brother could hear the noises you were making down the hall, but he was sitting here without a care in the world, typing an email to his professor of all things. which made no sense to sunghoon, considering he knew how much heeseung liked noisy sex.

“okay, i’ll bite,” sunghoon said, crossing his arms. “how in the hell are you okay with this?”

heeseung shrugged, trying and failing to suppress a smirk. he was well aware of the fact that sunghoon always got worked up when it came to you, which was fair. you were the biggest minx this world had ever known. “well, first of all,” heeseung started, snickering again. “there’s a thing called jerking off. i’m sure you’ve heard of it. it’s really popular amongst guys we know.”

sunghoon looked almost scandalized. “i’m not jerking off to my stepsister.”

“then, you’re an idiot,” heeseung retorted. “she’s given us enough material until new years. of the year after next.”

“it’s wrong.”

heeseung rolled his eyes. “you’ve got such a stick up your ass, like a proper princess or something.”

“i’ll beat your ass, hee,” sunghoon warned. 

heeseung threw his hands up. “i’m just saying. i’m not telling you to stick her in a washing machine, bro. but the answer’s obvious. just jerk off. you know you want to.”

sunghoon sighed. had he thought about it? obviously. but he couldn’t shake how wrong it felt, even if you made him perpetually horny. “i want to smack the shit out of you right now, but i haven’t done it yet.”

rather than recoil, heeseung laughed. that asswipe finds humor in everything, sunghoon thought to himself, irritated. “and i commend your patience, man,” heeseung replied. “but it’s only making you more frustrated when you could just bust a nut and be happy.”

sunghoon was thinking about it now. well, he had thought about it countless times, but he had never allowed himself to stoop that low. you were his younger stepsister and it was his responsibility to take care of you. not picture your face as you moaned and imagine how you would feel, tight and sticky and creamy as you wrapped around his…

heeseung broke the silence, musing more so to himself, “maybe we should put her in the washing machine.”

sunghoon’s eyes flickered. “what the hell, man?”

“my bad,” heeseung replied, although he didn’t look very apologetic. “i was just thinking out loud.”

fuck, now sunghoon was picturing that too. your house had one of those washing machines that opened from the top, not the front. too many times had sunghoon seen you struggle to take your clothes out, dangling over the washing machine and nearly falling inside. he would offer to help, every now and then, but he liked watching you climb the washing machine just to get your clothes from the very bottom.

it was much more realistic for you to get stuck in it then the kinds of washing machines in porn. 

heeseung broke the silence again, still thinking. it was his greatest skill and simultaneously his worst habit. “if you’re so against it, why haven’t you just asked her to shut the fuck up then?”

that was a good question. sunghoon wasn’t the kind of guy to shy away from an altercation, not with friends and not with family. he had certainly never shown heeseung any mercy. he loved his brother, but he was annoying as all fuck.

“i see,” heeseung said, smirking. see, annoying. “it’s because you don’t really want her to stop.”

sunghoon sighed. “yeah, fine. i don’t want her to stop. happy?”

heeseung burst out laughing. always laughing, always scheming. he was going to get a stocking full of coal for christmas. “i have an idea.”

“oh, god,” sunghoon groaned.

heeseung finally pressed send on his email and turned around in his desk chair. “hear me out. we should fuck her.”

sunghoon gawked in disbelief. then again, none of heeseung’s ideas were ever truly brilliant. “you’re insane,” he murmured.

“thanks,” heeseung chirped, the insult rolling off his shoulders. “just sleep on it.”

“you know what? sure,” sunghoon replied, walking out of his brother’s room and shutting the door. he didn’t want to hear another word.

he went about his day like everything was normal, going on a walk so that he didn’t have to hear you, eating dinner and watching netflix in the living room to ignore the fact that you existed altogether. and then he went to bed.

sunghoon couldn’t fucking sleep. on it, over it, under it. he couldn’t sleep whatsoever. 

it wasn’t like you were just loudly moaning all day long, that would be absurd. but every now and then, there would be a whimper you’d let slip. sunghoon could tell that you were actually trying to be quiet. but this was one of those nights where your parents wouldn’t be back and you were taking advantage of that. again.

sunghoon decided that he was at his breaking point. the need for you was too goddamn strong and he was tired of pretending that he was better. he couldn’t ignore it anymore. he couldn’t fight it, suppress it.

he threw the blankets off his bed and went to heeseung’s room, the door closed this time. he knocked on the door and called out, “stop jerking off and get your ass out here.”

sunghoon heard a groan, one of the disgruntled sort. a few seconds later, heeseung opened the door, a scowl on his face. “what the hell, man? your voice ruined my nut.”

it was sunghoon’s turn to laugh. he clasped a hand on heeseung’s shoulder. “don’t worry. you’ll be in the mood again in no time.”

heeseung lifted a brow. “are you saying what i think you’re saying?”

sunghoon nodded. 

“we’re gonna teach her a lesson.”

“we’re gonna put her in the washing machine?”

sunghoon’s smile instantly dropped and his hand fell from heeseung’s shoulder. “why the fuck are you both so addicted to porn?” he asked.

the excited shimmer in heeseung’s eyes died a little. “no, i was… i was just kidding. let’s go.”

sunghoon sighed and started down the hall to your bedroom, deciding not to argue heeseung on that. it would be a waste of valuable time.

sunghoon knocked on the door and called out your name. “can we come in?”

there was audible shuffling as you called back, “just a moment!”

heeseung glanced over at sunghoon. “so, how we doing this?”

sunghoon looked calm, collected. as if fucking his stepsister was something he did on the regular. “just follow my lead.”

you opened the door, a towel thrown around you. but your skin looked damp with sweat, not water. your face was a little flushed. it was obvious that you were naked. “um, can i help you guys?” you asked, somewhat breathless. 

sunghoon looked you up and down subtly. heeseung, on the other hand, was damn near ogling you. the former repeated, “can we come in?”

“um, i guess,” you murmured, stepping out of the way so that they could enter your bedroom.

heeseung closed the door behind himself, not that there was anyone to worry about. it was only the three of you in the house at the moment. 

sunghoon glanced away, looking for traces of what you had been doing. he found them very quickly; your laptop shut on your bed, the blankets messily thrown on top to conceal the damp spots in your sheets, and your shirt and shorts on the floor by your bed, implying you were only in your underwear.

“is there something you guys need?” you asked, a bit annoyed at having been interrupted. 

sunghoon walked towards your desk where your laptop probably should have been, though he saw something fearful flash in your eyes. his brows furrowed, but he didn’t inquire about it. he would figure it out on his own. “do we have to need something to want to visit you?” sunghoon asked, a small smile on his face. “i haven’t seen you all day long. we just wanted to make sure you’re still alive.”

“oh, that’s… very sweet of you,” you murmured. “as you can see, i’m perfectly alive and breathing.”

“yeah, you’re breathing a lot,” heeseung commented. 

sunghoon chuckled. he moved away from your desk and instead towards your nightstand, noticing your eyes still watching him like a hawk. “relax. what’s got you so worked up?”

“i’m not worked up,” you lied, eyes darting between him and your bed. 

that was when it clicked in sunghoon’s brain. the bed. you didn’t want him to see the bed. he chuckled again, sitting down on top of it. “are you okay? you look a little… flushed.”

“yeah,” heeseung chimed in, moving your hair out of your face. you jolted. you had been paying so much attention to sunghoon that you failed to notice heeseung had creeped up behind you. “and sweaty.”

you released a shaky breath. you were nervous, but you couldn’t tell them that. because then they would start asking questions. “i’m okay, guys. you can go.”

“why are you trying to get rid of us?” heeseung asked, leaning in a little too close. “it’s almost like you’re hiding something.”

“what are you watching?” sunghoon asked, grabbing your laptop. 

your eyes widened in horror. “no, wait!” you exclaimed. you tried to stop him, but heeseung was quick to pull you back against his chest. 

sunghoon opened your laptop, being met with a twitter porn browser. he feigned surprise. “oh, wow,” he said, merely blinking. “wow.”

“what is it?” heeseung called from the other side of the room. 

sunghoon turned the laptop to face you and heeseung. “guess she’s really into… creampies, sucking dick, and doggy style.”

your face was hot with embarrassment and you thrashed in heeseung’s arms. “this is an invasion of privacy! you guys jerk off, don’t you?”

“jerk off? sure. watch porn for hours on end? no, i don’t,” sunghoon answered, setting your laptop down. he moved your blankets out of the way, revealing a few damp spots on your bed. “how long did you have to sit here for this to happen?”

you felt very exposed at the moment. like your deepest, darkest secret was steadily reaching its way around the whole world. “i’m not that bad,” you murmured, shy. 

heeseung laughed. he tugged at the towel and brought his hand to your chest, pinching your nipple. “not that bad? you almost gave poor sunghoon over there an aneurysm with how enticing you’ve been.”

your whined when heeseung squeezed your chest, tearing your gaze away from sunghoon to look up at him with wide eyes. “what are you doing?”

“fuck. yeah, that’s what i’m talking about, princess,” heeseung groaned, pressing himself against your ass. “those sweet sounds have been driving him mad.”

any other moment, sunghoon would have narrowed his eyes at heeseung and called him disgusting. but this was different. sunghoon didn’t care about what was right or wrong anymore. maybe he never truly had. what was certain right now was that any desire to behave in a morally acceptable manner was outweighed by the desire to fuck you brainless.

“bring her over here,” sunghoon said, shoving your laptop of the way to make room. 

heeseung grabbed your waist and led you towards the bed, pushing you towards his brother. sunghoon grabbed your chin, smoothing his thumb over your cheek. “gooning isn’t healthy,” he told you straightforwardly. “you know what you need?”

you glanced at him, fretful. the towel had completely fallen at this point, leaving you solely in your water, just as sunghoon had pieced together. “what?” you whispered.

“a fuck,” sunghoon replied unabashedly. “you’re so damn touch-starved. always complaining about how you want a boyfriend, but you never go out, because you’re too busy playing with your clit.”

your face was hot. honestly, they hadn’t given you the opportunity to cool down. but you had to admit that he was right. compared to how much you touched yourself, you didn’t go out enough.

“have you ever even had sex?” heeseung asked, running his hands up your thighs. 

you wanted to hide so fucking bad, but that clearly wasn’t an option. “no,” you replied, ashamed.

sunghoon snickered, because apparently that was funny. “obviously,” he said, moving his thumb to your bottom lip. “this pretty body has gone untouched for too many years, that’s all. once you get fucked, you’ll be as good as new. worked for jake. didn’t it, hee?”

“yep,” heeseung chirped, nodding. “he was the biggest gooner i’ve ever seen. jay had so many roommate horror stories. then, we got him some pussy, and he’s all better now. actually goes outside and gets light that isn’t from his laptop.”

“so, what do you say?” sunghoon asked, turning your head back to him. “want something other than your fingers inside you?”

your heart racing. were you really about to agree to getting fucked by your stepbrothers? when it was over, you could blame it on the fact that you genuinely were touch-starved and desperate for a release for all this pent-up frustration.

and because you really, really needed to come after having avoided it for hours, you nodded your head.

“words, princess,” heeseung said, his hands still gripping your thighs as he thought about how soft they were. “say it. say, ‘i want you to fuck me, heeseung.’”

you swallowed, but you weren’t going to disobey. “i… i want you to fuck me, heeseung.”

“jeez, you don’t have to beg. i’ll do it,” heeseung replied, playful as ever. “and because it’s your first time, i think we should do missionary. is that okay, princess?”

“that’s… fine,” you murmured timidly. it didn’t really matter to you how he fucked you. you just wanted someone inside you. 

heeseung was beaming, like he had prayed for this day and it was finally happening. “good. and if you ever want me to fuck you on all fours, you know the way to my room.”

the way heeseung was looking at you was entirely overwhelming, so you glanced over at sunghoon instead, though he was also watching you intently. “what about… you?” you asked. 

sunghoon chuckled, thumb sweeping over your lips. “i don’t need to fuck your pussy. i’ll leave that to heeseung. i just want to fuck this pretty little mouth that’s been keeping me up at night.”

heeseung, growing impatient, tugged at your panties. you lifted your hips, watching him drag them down your legs. “jesus,” he murmured. “they’re fucking drenched.”

“they better be,” sunghoon replied with a chuckle, stepping out of his pants. “long as she’s probably been wearing them.”

heeseung spread your legs, wanting to get a good look at the treasure hidden between them. he moaned at the mere sight of your pussy, dripping with arousal. “fuck, you don’t even need prep,” he mused.

as if you couldn’t get any more embarrassed than you already were. they knew exactly what to say to make you want to hide your face beneath a pillow and hopefully suffocate to death.

despite his declaration about you not needing prep, heeseung couldn’t help but drag his tongue along your folds, which made you gasp in surprise. it wasn’t a tentative lick, either; he was confident and unreluctant. you were clearly sensitive, but he didn’t seem to care, eager to suck and lick at you.

“heeseung,” you whimpered, involuntarily trying to close your legs. he swore his dick twitched when you said his name like that. 

all the while, sunghoon was stroking himself beside you, half hard. for the first time thinking about you at the same time that he touched his dick, and god, he really should have done it sooner. just the thought of you made his blood pump harder. 

heeseung pulled back after a moment or two when he was finally sated. “sorry,” he apologized, completely inauthentic. “just wanted a taste.”

sunghoon tapped your cheek. “open up, baby.”

you slowly opened your mouth, wide enough for him to push inside. which sunghoon seized the opportunity to do as soon as it presented itself. he was impatient now, tired of waiting. you had tortured him long enough with those pretty noises; it was time you paid him back for tolerating your horniness.

“fuck,” sunghoon cursed upon feeling the warmth of your mouth around his cock.

heeseung snickered. it was amusing to him that only a few hours ago, sunghoon said he was insane for suggesting that they fuck you. and now here he was with his cock down your throat. a few hours could truly change a man, for worse and for better. “how’s it going?” heeseung asked.

sunghoon closed his eyes, trying to go slow before he started fucking your throat with a purpose. he didn’t necessarily want to hurt you, but damn, he was getting pretty damn close. “how do you think?” he retorted.

you watched sunghoon as he slowly moved inside your mouth, though his patience was obviously dwindling by the second. part of you wanted to see what it would look like when he lost it all, but the other dreaded it, uncertain whether or not you could handle it.

you were still a virgin, after all. in the important and unimportant ways. you had never been fucked. you had most certainly never had your throat fucked until this very moment. the furthest you’d ever gone with a boy was a little bit of groping while kissing and even that was awkward.

heeseung licked his lips, appreciating that they were coated in your arousal. “taste so good, princess,” he said, dropping his hands down to his shorts.

you would have gawked when you glanced down and noticed the dent in them, even if it weren’t for the fact that your mouth was preoccupied. when did he get so hard? 

heeseung started to undress himself, pleased now that he had gotten a taste of you and eager to be inside you. he was quick to shed his shorts and the layer underneath, unafraid to show just how desperate he was. for him, it was easy to accept his attraction to you and even easier to act on it now that he had your consent.

he climbed onto the bed, grabbing your thighs again and spreading them apart. he gave them a few affectionate, departing kisses and sat up to grab his cock, bringing it between them. “say ‘goofer gooner’ if you’re ready,” heeseung joked, knowing you couldn’t speak.

you furrowed your brows, but you couldn’t even focus on his nonsense because sunghoon was noticeably forgoing all restraint. could you blame him? your mouth was warm, alive, and everything about you seemed to drive him straight through the brink of insanity. 

“you know, sunghoon,” heeseung started, gazing down at the little distance between your bodies. “you were right. i’m already in the mood again.”

you had that effect on him, on them. heeseung knew he probably should have fought it better, but he truly saw no point. it was easier to fold and surrender to the fact that he found you infuriatingly sexy, despite your tendencies. and with nothing more to say, he slowly but surely pressed himself inside you.

heeseung tipped his head back, already moaning like a bitch and he wasn’t even fully sheathed inside you yet. “holy fuck,” he said, his grip on your thighs tightening.

you whimpered, the sound muffled by sunghoon’s cock as his balls slapped against your chin. you immediately pulsed around heeseung’s cock, clinging to him like now that he was there, you would never let him go.

“holy fuck,” heeseung moaned again, stopping for a moment as if the breath had been completely sucked out of him. “so fucking wet, my dick just slides in.”

he was damn near flabbergasted. maybe there was benefit to you gooning for hours on end, a benefit that he got to reap. he had never seen anyone this wet before, much less felt anything this wet, and it was taking a toll on him. his head was already reeling.

“okay,” heeseung said, more so to himself. he was adjusting. “okay. fuck. i’m gonna move.”

and he did, growing more and more mesmerized with every thrust of his hips. his mouth hung open, moans of your name and explicit curses dangling from his lips with a shrill touch to them that only made you even more aroused.

to say nothing of the sounds sunghoon was making, almost directly in your ear. he was so close to your face that you could explode. he was finally moving comfortably, fucking your throat with a rhythm that almost made it hard to breathe. 

though you had no intention of making him stop. you had fantasized about making yourself available for this purpose many, many times. not necessarily to your stepbrother, but well, it wasn’t like you were discriminating. especially not when he sounded so goddamn sexy and his face was tensing the way it was in pleasure.

it was strange, but you found yourself going from solely craving the experience to wanting to pleasure them. and it would appear that you were doing a fantastic job without hardly even trying, all things considered.

heeseung was gripping on your thighs for dear life as if without the support, he would get blown away into the eighth dimension. or maybe drown in how wet you were, gushing around his cock, if not for him using your soft thighs as an anchor to keep him afloat.

“this sweet fucking pussy,” he sighed, losing himself in the vice of you. he had set a pace too, fucking you without intention of stopping. with every fiber of his being, deep and hard. “i could fuck you forever.”

you could sit here and take it forever. you had never felt so full in your life. your fingers hardly did the job, always reaching just shy of where you needed them instead of completely offering you the satisfaction you’d long craved. and here heeseung was handing it to you on a silver platter.

the only problem was that you felt slightly overwhelmed with so much happening at one time in two different holes. you didn’t know who to pay attention to; sunghoon fucking your throat with a vengeance, eager to gain something out of your mouth for once, or heeseung railing you to kingdom come, making you feel hot everywhere.

you found yourself trying to juggle both, eyes flitting between them, moaning around sunghoon’s dick at heeseung’s angled thrusts and throbbing around heeseung at every guttural groan that slipped from sunghoon’s mouth. you couldn’t help yourself; it was too goddamn arousing.

sunghoon noticed how fucked out you looked, eyes rolling back to another timeline, and it was doing unimaginable things to his cock. you looked better than he could have ever imagined and he knew that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he left you hoarse and rasping.

with that thought, he grabbed your hair to push you down and started to fuck your head against the mattress rather roughly, which caught you by surprise. you tried to take it, you really did, but it was overwhelming. you could barely breathe.

“take it,” he hissed, holding your head in place. you looked pretty like this, struggling to keep up with his hectic movements.

your eyes were watering as his cock went too deep for you to handle, and you started gagging. sunghoon moaned, but pulled your head off him to let you relax for a second, a string of saliva connecting your mouth and the head of his cock.

“breathe,” he said, letting one hand run through your hair almost tenderly.

you nodded, willing yourself to relax. all the while, sunghoon marveled at how pretty you looked with saliva on your face and tears strolling down your cheeks.

“you guys okay up there?” heeseung asked from between your legs, having noticed the action. 

“we’re fine,” sunghoon answered on your behalf. he moved his hand from your hair to your cheek. “you ready?”

you nodded your head. you couldn’t shake the urge to really make him proud, to satisfy all his inappropriate cravings. it was the least you could do when you had been tantalizing him for months on end.

“good girl,” sunghoon whispered, guiding his cock back to your mouth and this time using your hair to push your head onto his cock as he fucked your throat.

you moaned at the pet name, because something about the way it sounded coming from him made your head spin. maybe you were just horny and in dire need of a fuck like he’d said. maybe after you came, all of these feelings would wear off, and you would feel somewhat sane again. 

but you couldn’t deny that you were somewhat indulging in your fantasies here. you didn’t necessarily hate the the way sunghoon was treating you, even if it was a little beyond your limits and more than a little rough. but limits were just boundaries you’d yet explored.

heeseung was a different situation altogether. your pussy was still sensitive from the hours of playing with it and you were already about to come much before him. there was a familiar heat in your stomach and festering throb of energy in your core, only more intense than you had ever experienced.

but heeseung recognized it, even without being able to hear your sweet moans of his name. he could see it in your body language and it flattered him in a way; he always felt proud when he lasted longer than the person he was fucking, especially without necessarily even trying to finish them quicker.

“she’s gonna come,” heeseung pointed out, grinning. “come for me, princess. come on this dick. you know you want to.”

it was like he your voodoo doll or something, because merely seconds after those words parted from his mouth, you were shuddering and tightening around his cock with climax, your eyes rolling to the back of your head and your toes clenching.

heeseung let out the pitchiest moan ever when you throbbed around him repeatedly. words could not describe how good it felt, but sounds could. and the sounds he was making were sensational, only contributing to the mind-numbing pleasure wrecking you from within.

“goddamn,” heeseung said, mesmerized by how hard you came. it was probably warranted after hours of resisting.

but the other thing on heeseung’s mind was how much wetter your pussy sounded, sticky with your release. he whined, literally going mad. he knew that his own orgasm wasn’t far out and just the squelch of your cunt could easily finish him off.

sunghoon was facing a similar predicament, fucking your mouth without restraint and not letting you escape his thrusts. “fuck, i’m gonna come,” he groaned. “swallow it. or don’t. it’s your sheets.”

the last thing you of all people cared about was having your sheets ruined. at the moment, you were more burdened with how sore your throat felt and how overstimulated your pussy was being fucked despite having already orgasmed. it literally felt like you’d had the soul fucked out of you.

you didn’t even know it was possible at this point, but sunghoon’s hips went faster. it was a brutal but steady pace, which was somewhat admirable. he was trying to get himself there, right over the edge, knowing release was only seconds away.

with a few more smacks, sunghoon released down your throat with the sexiest groan you’d heard, one that claimed every award. when you’d milked him of every drop, his hands tight on the sides of your face, his grip on your head slacked and he slowly pulled your mouth off him.

you swallowed what you could, but he had came so goddamn much at once, it was borderline ridiculous. what you couldn’t take dripped down your chin, blending with the saliva from the messy fucking.

heeseung glanced up at you and the sight of your cum-stained face triggered something so primal in him that he knew he wasn’t going to last another minute. “princess, where do you want me to come?” he asked breathlessly.

“inside,” you replied with maybe half your voice, if even. it hurt to speak. the sound pleased sunghoon.

the thought of coming inside your pussy had heeseung levitating and was the last push he needed to bring himself past the cusp of ecstasy. his hips stuttered as he came inside you, crying out half of your name, leaning on top of you as he buried his load inside your warm, wet, gushing, sticky hole.

a satisfied hum escaped you when you felt his cum seeping inside your pussy. why did it feel so good?

“d-don’t move yet,” you whispered, because it was all you could muster.

heeseung glanced up at you, recognizing the look of pleasure on your face. if he had the energy, he would tease you about how you wanted to feel him cum inside you, but he needed to catch his breath. so he answered with a nod.

sunghoon whistled. this had gone better than he’d hoped. “well goddamn. you’re just a virgin slut aren’t you?”

heeseung chuckled breathlessly. “she took that shit like a champ. i’m impressed.”

sunghoon kissed your forehead. “you did so good,” he whispered, caressing your cheek with his thumb. “i’ll get you some water in a second.”

you nodded, appreciating the tender side after all that had just happened. your heart felt a little lighter than usual, despite its racing. you had so many questions, but you didn’t want to strain your voice. was it normal to feel like a different person after having sex for the first time?

heeseung was going to pull out, but seeing the look on your face, he decided to stay nestled inside you for a little longer. “you okay?”

you bobbed your head. “i’m good.”

heeseung snickered and teased, “whoa there, batman. what have you done with my sister?”

you rolled your eyes, but giggled. sunghoon joined in on the laughter, but he added, “don’t speak. you’ll make it worse.”

heeseung sighed contentedly. knowing that you wouldn’t say anything in response, he decided to tease, “our little gooner.”

you glared at heeseung wordlessly, conveying a lot of different things with your eyes. 

sunghoon translated playfully, “i think that means ‘fuck you.’”

“again?” heeseung joked. “what can i expect from a gooner. but hey, i guess girls can goon too.”

[watchmegetobsessed]

LITTLE NERDY VALENTINE

A/N: one day late, but here's a bit of valentine's day cuteness with fratry bc i've been thinking a lot about him lately

WORD COUNT: 2.8k

SUMMARY: Harry wants to celebrate Valentine's Day, but you're not a fan of his plans of going out and you have your reasons for that, but talking about them is not easy, so it causes some frustration.

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“So, what do you want to do on Friday?” 

Harry is lying on your bed with a textbook lying open over his chest, but he hasn’t read a single word of it in the last hour, he’s been too busy playing on his phone while you were sitting at your desk, working on a paper that’s due next week. He came over to study, but you both knew you’d be doing all the studying, you actually have no idea how Harry has good grades. 

“Friday? What’s on Friday?” you hum, still typing away on your computer, pretending to be oblivious.

“You know…” He draws out the words, sitting up so his back is against the wall. He puts the textbook aside, closing it, done pretending he is actually reading any of it. 

“Hm?” You sink your teeth into your bottom lip, eyes glued to the screen, but you can feel Harry’s burning eyes on your back. 

“Y/N, it’s Valentine’s Day,” he chuckles, giving up the game. “We are having a Cupid’s Party at the frat house, but if you want to go out, maybe have dinner or something I’m down.”

“Uh, I don’t know…” 

“Or we can go to the movies, I’m willing to watch that new romcom with you, if you want.”

“Harry…” Sighing you give up and finally turn with your chair to look at him, but you wish you didn’t because he is giving you those puppy eyes he knows you can’t resist and he is hugging your pink fluffy pillow like a little kid. 

“Y/N?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to go out.”

You catch the tiny wince that twitches his lips, but he recovers quickly. You were really hoping you could avoid this conversation today, though part of you knew it would come up, since it’s Wednesday, only 2 days until Valentine’s Day. 

His eyes jump down at the pillow as he starts fumbling with it, like a hurt kid who just got told no. 

“Harry…”

“Are we ever gonna leave this room and act like a real couple?” 

“Don’t start this again, please…”

“I just understand, Y/N,” he groans as he looks up at you again. “We’ve been together for over two months and I haven’t even held your hand in public.”

“That’s not true, you held my hand when–”

“When we were hiking in the middle of the woods so no one could see us. Yeah, you’re right,” he scoffs. 

“We’ve talked about this,” you say, looking down at your lap as the guilt bubbles in your gut. 

“Actually, we haven’t. You just keep telling me you need more time, but never really explain why or what bothers you. I’m trying to be patient, but I really want to take our relationship out of this tiny dorm room.” He gestures around your room where you spend the majority of your time together with him. 

Chewing on your bottom lip you just keep picking on your chipped nail polish, not looking at him, but then he climbs to the edge of the bed so he is sitting right in front of you. He lifts your chin gently, forcing you to look him in the eyes. 

“Y/N, what’s wrong? I’m more than happy to wait for you, but I need to know a bit more.” He places a hand to your thigh, reassuringly rubbing it as he waits for you to say something. 

“I’m just… I don’t know, I like that it’s just the two of us.”

“Bullshit. It would still be just us.”

Ugh, you hate how well he knows you, you can’t lie to him, but you’re not willing to tell him the truth either. 

“Can we just not talk about this right now? I really need to finish this pa–”

“Y/N, stop avoiding this, please. You know you can tell me anything.”

He is looking at you, waiting and expecting, but you just can’t give him what he wants. His gaze keeps flickering between your eyes, hoping you’d finally open up, but you keep your mouth shut. And then he loses his patience.

“Alright then,” he whispers, jumping up to gather his things, showing everything into his backpack.

“What are you doing?” you ask, watching him tug the zipper angrily before swinging the bag over one shoulder. 

“I can’t do this, Y/N. I don’t want to hide and not even know why. You wouldn’t tell me what bothers you, so I have to draw my own conclusions and want to know what all of this seems like to me? Like you don’t want to be seen with me, like you’re ashamed of being with me.”

“Harry, that’s not true,” you protest, standing from your chair. 

“Then what is it?”

You open your mouth, but your voice dies in your throat. Unfortunately, Harry takes that as your answer. 

“Okay. Call me when you’re willing to talk.”

And with that, he is out of the room. 

A couples�� party might not have been the best place to be today for Harry, but the thought of easing his mind with a few rounds of beerpong was good enough to make him leave his room and join the party. 

Cupid’s Party usually has two groups of people: the happy couples, attached by the hip, eating each other’s face off and the single people getting wasted, hoping to at least hook up with someone. Currently Harry doesn’t feel like he belongs to any of these groups.

He assesses the living room over the rim of his red solo cup and tries his best to ignore the pain in his chest at the sight of all the happy couples in matching outfits, celebrating their love. In the beginning of the week he was still hoping he and you might be one of them, but things didn’t turn out to be the way he planned. 

After the fight in your room you texted him, asking him to come back, but he made it clear he wouldn’t be doing that unless you’re willing to talk.

Which you werent, so it’s been radio silence since then. 

He had to stop himself from texting or calling you like a million times, it’s been quite the fight since Wednesday, he’s been missing you like crazy, but he is also determined to finally move forward. 

“You alright man?” Niall pats him on the back with a cup in his own hand that smells so much of alcohol that Harry can’t stop himself from wrinkling his nose. While he likes to have drinks, he is often surprised how some of his friends in the house haven’t died of alcohol poisoning.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he nods with a sigh. 

“Uhuh, that’s why you’ve been moping around for days, right?” Niall laughs.

“I have not–”

“I have not been moping, you arse!” Niall mocks him, which he finds hilarious, but Harry just rolls his eyes and takes a swig from your drink. “Alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t push it, but if you feel like you need a shoulder, you can come to me.”

“I know,” Harry sighs. “Thanks, I’ll just get a refill for now,” he says, holding up his cup. Niall nods and they go their separate way.

Harry fights through the crowd towards the kitchen and tries his best not to get stopped by drunk girls that are more than eager to hook up with him tonight. He would love to tell them he is taken, but he can’t. Even despite the fight you had, he still doesn’t want to go against your will and tell everyone that you’re dating. 

The kitchen is a mess, but he quickly finds the tequila and then mixes it with some pineapple juice, then he stops by the pizza and grabs a slice so his stomach wouldn’t be completely empty. Though his original plan was to get drunk, but now he is not feeling that, so this is probably his last drink, since he is starting to feel a bit dizzy. 

Leaning against the counter he is debating if he should just go back to his room and spend the rest of the night playing video games, but then he spots an all too familiar face in the crowd outside in the hallway. 

You look very uncomfortable, navigating between the half drunk people while looking like you’re searching for someone. Harry puts his pizza slice down right away and he just starts moving towards you when he sees a guy bumping into you, making your shoulder hit the wall.

“Ah, sorry sweetheart, you alright?” the guy asks and his hand is already on your arm, leaning way closer than you’d like him to.

“It’s okay Dave, I got her.” Harry pats him on the back in a friendly manner, though inside he is fuming at the way he is looking at you right now, like he is ready to peel you out of your clothes. 

“Harry, hey! I was just–”

“I know, I got her,” Harry repeats, this time with a tougher look at the guy, which he finally notices so he just nods and wanders away. “Are you okay?” he asks, finally looking at you, keeping one hand on your elbow.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Can we talk?” you ask and Harry nods right away, moving his hand to the small of your back, guiding you upstairs, towards his room. 

You’ve been to his frat house, you actually met him at a party here, but you’ve never been to his room. If the other boys saw you coming and going from his room it would have been quite obvious there’s something going on between the two of you, so you usually stayed at your dorm room where it was easier for Harry to sneak out without being noticed, that place is too big for anyone to notice him.

The hallway leading to his room is scattered with couples making out by the wall and you try not to stare at the pair that’s practically dry humping each other like they are in a private place. 

Harry unlocks his door with his keycard and then ushers you inside, finally shutting the noises of the party out. You’re curiously looking around the room that’s a lot tidier than you expected. Aside from a few clothes lying in the corner and two unwashed mugs on his night stand, it’s pretty neat. On his desk you notice the book you gifted him a week ago. You pick it up and open it where the bookmark is at around the third of the book and then you realize the bookmark is a polaroid of the two of you. It was taken the first time he slept in your room, your faces are mushed together as you laugh at something. You remember him taking a picture, but you weren’t expecting him to use it as his bookmark, which is such a sweet thing. 

He has been nothing but sweet to you and that just makes your guilt even worse for treating him the way you did. 

When you turn around you find him watching you with his hands in his pockets, just patiently waiting for you to start talking. 

“I’m sorry for making you feel like I’m ashamed of you. That was never the case and… yeah, I’m just really sorry.”

Harry nods, but then just keeps looking at you and you know he wants you to continue. So taking a deep breath you force yourself to keep talking before you chicken out. 

“I was actually thinking it was the other way around.”

That confuses him, he frowns but before he could ask anything you just continue.

“We are not really from the same crowd. You’re… You live in a frat house, you play football, people know you around campus while I’m more like just… a face in the crowd. I know it’s such a cliché, but I felt like that if people saw us together they would question why you’d go out with me a-and–Um… I just…”

“And you thought that I would also question why I’m with you?” he finishes what you couldn’t and you just nod, feeling your throat closing up. It’s been such a heavy weight on your chest the past weeks and now that you said it out loud it’s a relief but you’re also worried how Harry will think of you now. 

Then his eyes soften and stepping closer he gathers your hands between his palms, holding them to his chest. 

“Y/N, you realize this is not a movie where there are popular kids and nerds and they never talk?” he asks with a soft chuckle, making you laugh. 

“I know. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s just been haunting me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“Because it’s ridiculous,” you repeat. “Deep down I knew it, but I just couldn’t help it. I thought that I could get rid of it with time, but I couldn’t and I swear I didn’t want to hurt you with all of this, it’s just that I can easily get into these… spirals and it’s so hard to get out of them.”

“I know,” he softly says and leaning closer he kisses your forehead. “I just wish you told me so I could help you.”

“I’m sorry,” you whisper.

“It’s okay.”

Letting go of your hands he cups your cheeks in his palms as he pulls you in for a kiss while your hands fist the fabric of his shirt at his waist. He is sweet and gentle, his lips reassuring you that he is right here, with you. He rests his forehead against yours, his thumbs gently caressing your cheeks. 

“By the way, did you just call me a nerd?” you ask, opening your eyes, making Harry laugh with your words.

“Do you not fit the nerdy stereotype of romcoms?” he challenges you with a wide grin on his face.

“Well, I do study a lot and spend every other afternoon in the library.”

“See? You’re my little nerdy Valentine,” he arches an eyebrow and you just roll your eyes at him, but can’t help the smile that tugs on your lips. Then slowly, his expression turns more serious. “So what would you like to do now?”

“I don’t know,” you admit with a sigh.

“Listen. If you need more time… I’m okay with that. I want you to feel comfortable and if that means that I have to convince you that no one will point fingers at us if they see us together, then that’s what I’ll do.”

You’ve known it from the beginning, but Harry just keeps proving that he is the right person for you and you couldn’t be more thankful for him. 

Leaning in you kiss him shortly. “I want to move forward, I’m just a bit scared.”

“Then you’ll lead us in whatever pace feels comfortable for you, okay?”

You nod and he kisses you again. 

“Do you want to go back down?” he asks, nodding towards the door. 

“Yeah, I would like that.”

Walking out of his room he locks the door and the two of you head back down and you notice that he is still keeping his distance from you, not trying to change everything all of a sudden. Returning to the kitchen he makes you a drink and he grabs another slice of pizza when Niall emerges from the crowd. 

“Hey, you’re still here! Thought you’d lock yourself up in your room soon,” he chuckles seeing Harry.

“You thought I’d bail?” Harry grins, leaning against the counter. Niall’s eyes move over to you.

“I think we haven’t met yet. I’m Niall.”

“Y/N,” you shake his hand. You catch a look the two boys exchange and after that, Niall just smiles at Harry knowingly.

“Alright, I’ll be by the beerpong tables if you need me,” he waves before making his way out of the kitchen. 

“You have a bit of sauce there,” you point at Harry’s mouth smiling.

“Hm? Here?” he asks, wiping his lips, but he completely misses the spot, making you laugh. “Where?” he grins.

“Right there…” You raise a hand to help him out, but it stops midway when a thought pops into your mind and before you could talk yourself out of it, you lean in and kiss his lips. 

“Now you’re good,” you smile against his lips. Harry can’t contain his growing grin, because this was the first time you kissed him in front of other people. 

“I think it’s still there.”

“Oh yeah?” you chuckle at him.

“Yeah, all over my lips, everywhere.”

“Stop,” you roll your eyes at him laughing. He leans down and kisses you shortly before he continues eating his pizza, trying his best not to comment it when your hand sneaks into free hand, fingers lacing together.

Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed and buy me a coffee if you want to support me!

[geminiwritten]

baby sister ; jake 'hangman' seresin

fandom: top gun

pairing: jake x reader

summary: hangman has a serious crush on you, it might even be love, but it's a little complicated seeing as rooster is your older brother

notes: yes, i finally watched top gun (i'm stubborn, okay), and yes, i am obsessed! i'm not too sure how i feel about this, but it's my first one so please be kind! i also tried writing it by kind of switching pov's, so sorry if its weird / confusing! but as always, i love feedback so please, please let me know what you think x

warnings: swearing, very minor physical altercation with a creepy guy, boner joke, switching pov's (kind of), protective older brother, and likely some very inaccurate us navy details

word count: 7493

- One Year Ago -

The old bar smells exactly as you remember it; wood polish, worn leather, stale beer, and a hint of ocean air. It’s a lot cleaner than it used to be – the soles of your shoes aren’t sticking to the floor – and you assume that’s thanks to the new owner. It isn’t as busy as you would expect for Friday at 4PM, which you’re somewhat thankful for as you easily find a spare barstool beside the vacant pool table.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks with a polite smile.

“Just a water, please.”

He retrieves a bottle from the fridge below the bar while you check your pockets for cash, pulling out a few dollars and handing it to him in exchange for the water. He smiles again before turning around to serve patrons on the other side of the bar, and you start drawing shapes in the condensation of the bottle while you wait.

“This seat taken?” someone asks, appearing beside you.

Startled, you turn quickly to find a pair of green eyes much closer than expected. You’d have to be stupid not to immediately notice that this guy is gorgeous, but the smirk on his lips tells you that he knows it too.

“Not yet,” you reply with a tight-lipped smile.

He sits himself on the stool and signals the bartender, ordering a schooner of pale ale draught before pulling a few notes out of his back pocket. He isn’t in uniform, but you can tell by the way he holds himself that he’s an officer.

“I haven’t seen you around here before,” he says, “are you visiting?”

You nod before taking a large sip of water, your eyes constantly watching the new patrons that enter through the main door. You know better than to flirt with a lieutenant (guessing by his age), your mother always told you to stay away from military men.

“Have you been to North Island before?” he asks, seemingly unphased by your lack of enthusiasm for conversation.

“Yeah, a few times.”

“Military family?”

“Sort of,” you reply.

“Okay, let me guess,” he leans both elbows on the bar and looks at you, unleashing the full power of his pretty green eyes, “your dad was military, gone for months at a time with little to no contact, which left your mom to raise you all on her own. You would hear her crying at night and watch her struggle every day, but then when your dad got home, he was the hero; forget about all her hard work. Eventually, your mom got sick of being alone and began to resent him, so they grew apart and the next thing you know, dad moves out with his new girlfriend and mum tells you every single day never to date a man in the military.”

You can’t help the small smile tugging at your lips, because damn this man is pretty, and you simply can’t find it in yourself to ignore him.

“Close,” you say, “but it was her first husband who was military, and he died in action. My father was a banker, safe but boring, and it didn’t work out. But you are right about one thing; mom has always told me not to date a man in the military.”

“Oh,” he takes a long sip of his beer, stalling as he tries to think of something to say that isn’t totally insensitive.

“Not that I always listen to what she says,” you add with a smirk, making him choke on his mouthful of beer.

He looks back at you, shocked but still smiling, “Are you flirting with me?”

Your turn sideways on the stool to face him, opening your mouth to reply when a familiar sight walking toward you catches your attention. You stop and smile, looking straight past the man sitting beside you.

“Hey Baby,” Bradley says with a grin.

“Hey,” you jump off the stool, “how are you?”

“Woah, hey,” the green-eyed man stands too, a slight frown between his brows, "Rooster, c’mon man. You’re going to have to find yourself another girl; let’s not make this a competition too.”

Bradley’s brows shoot up toward his hairline, and you have to roll your lips to keep from giggling.

“Oh, here we go,” one of the men who walked in with Bradley chuckles, and you think you can remember meeting him the last time you visited.

“A competition?” Bradley repeats, his tone mildly threatening.

“Wait,” the man glances between you and Bradley, “are you two dating?”

Bradley scoffs, “Absolutely not.”

“Then why did you call her baby?”

“It’s her nickname, genius,” the same man as before says, and you suddenly remember Bradley introducing him to you last summer. You never did find out his real name, but they call him Payback.

The green-eyed man turns to you in shock, “Like, your call sign?”

You shake your head, “I don’t fly.”

“She wishes,” Bradley says as he slings an arm around your shoulders. “Hangman, this is Baby, as in my baby sister.”

The poor man chokes so hard on his beer, you’re surprised it doesn’t spray out his nose. He coughs and splutters, holding a hand on his chest while the rest of Bradley’s friends laugh from around the pool table. Bradley chuckles too, seemingly satisfied with the damage he’s caused, before turning to give you a proper hug.

“How was the flight?” he asks.

“Not terrible, but I swear my bag was the last to come out on the carousel.”

He releases you from his hold and orders two beers from the bartender, handing you one soon as its poured. “You remember my friends, don’t you?” he asks as he turns to face the game of pool, “Payback and Fanboy, and that’s Bob; I don’t think you met him last summer.”

You smile and give an awkward wave, not bothering to walk around and shake everyone’s hands in the middle of a game.

“Dude,” Fanboy says to Hangman, who is now standing on the opposite side of the pool table, “I can’t believe you were hitting on Rooster’s little sister.”

“Hey,” Hangman frowns, “she was hitting on me back.”

Bradley’s head whips toward you, his eyes wide, “You what?”

“Oh, calm down Braddy,” you say, “I can look after myself.”

Payback snickers, “Braddy?”

“Aw, Braddy,” Fanboy coos.

Bradley shoots you a glare as you slip out from under his arm to find a seat, grinning sheepishly at your brother as his friends continue to mock your nickname for him. After half an hour and two pool games – these guys are freakishly good – another two lieutenants join the group, introducing themselves as Coyote and Phoenix.

“So,” Phoenix says as she sits on the stool beside you, “what brings you to North Island, aside from missing your big brother?”

Even though Bradley’s back is to you as he takes a shot, you know he’s rolling his eyes.

“Well, I usually try and visit more than once a year, but he’s hardly been on the ground in the past twelve months,” you say, “then Uncle Pete called me a few weeks ago and said he was going on a trip with Penny. So, he asked if I could come babysit Braddy for a while.”

“Aw,” she giggles, “Braddy needs a babysitter?”

Bradley flicks your arm as he walks past, circling the pool table to find the best angle, “Would you stop telling people embarrassing shit about me.”

You shrug, “How was I supposed to know that you were pretending to be cool?”

The rest of the group laugh as Bradley completely botches his shot, sinking the white ball.

“I’m sorry, Rooster, but I definitely like her better,” Hangman says with a smirk.

You roll your lips as you look over at the lieutenant, appreciating how tight his t-shirt is as he bends forward over the pool table to take his shot.

Bradley points at him, “You better cut it out, she is off limits.”

- Present -

You decided to move to San Diego about two weeks after flying in last summer, and it had nothing to do with the beach day you went on with Bradley and his friends, where Jake tackled you in the surf, all shirtless and wet and muscly. Bradley was beyond excited to have his little sister closer to him, he even helped get you a desk job in the operations department. It wasn’t anything close to what he was doing, protecting the country and all that, but you’re liking it way better than your old job. Which again, has nothing to do with the fact that you get to take lunch breaks with a certain lieutenant. Your brother is there too, but you don’t fancy staring at him, you’ve seen enough of him over the years.

“Are you going to eat or stare?” Natasha asks, nudging your side with her elbow.

The mouthful of pasta that had been balancing on your fork falls off and plops back into your bowl. You turn to her, your eyebrows furrowed, “Huh?”

“My God, you’re practically drooling.”

“Is the pasta good?” Jake asks, clearly having overheard and misunderstood your conversation, “I knew I should have chosen that; the sloppy joes are too sloppy.”

He leans across the table and takes your fork, stabbing it into a few pieces of pasta before popping it in his mouth. Your heart thuds in your chest as you watch his lips wrap around the utensil that was previously in your mouth, and you want to be ashamed of yourself for allowing something so frivolous to get you so excited, but you simply can’t help it. With your brother the constant cock-block always hanging around, sharing a fork is the closest you’ve gotten to Jake in the year that you’ve been here.

“Mm,” he groans, “that is good.”

“You can have it,” you push the bowl toward him, “I’m not that hungry.”

“Yeah, and you just contaminated her fork,” Bradley says, smacking Jake’s shoulder.

“I don’t think she minds,” Natasha pipes in.

Oblivious, Jake looks up with a huge mouthful of pasta making his cheeks puff out, and somehow, he still looks adorable. You shoot a subtle glare at Natasha from the corner of your eye before picking up the apple from your tray and biting into it.

“So,” you turn your attention to your brother, “The Hard Deck after work?”

He nods, “Yep, I’ve got a year of free beers to win.”

Natasha rolls her eyes, “It’s cute that you think you have a chance of winning in a pool comp against me.”

“Or me,” Jake adds.

Bradley snorts, “Please, you’ve been so off your game lately, and Phoenix” – he turns to look at her – “is good, but not as good as me.”

“You are so full of yourself, do you know that?” Natasha says, her eyes narrowed at Bradley.

You quickly tune out as they launch into a petty argument about who is better at pool and who is going to win The Hard Deck’s billiards tournament, having heard it almost a hundred times over the past month. It’s an eight-week competition, every Thursday night, and this is only the fifth week but you’re pretty sure you’re going to kill your brother if he doesn’t stop bragging about being undefeated so far. Then again, he hasn’t yet had to play against half of the dagger squad, arguably the best pool players on North Island.

“Alright, we better go,” Bradley says, nudging Jake again.

Jake scrapes the last of the pasta from the bowl into his mouth before standing from his chair and leaning across the table toward you. “Thanks Baby,” he says with a wink, “I owe you one.” He drops the empty bowl on your tray and slides your tray across the table, stacking it on top of his.

When he straightens up, both trays in his hands, Bradley is glaring. “Watch it, Seresin.”

“What? I was just thanking her,” Jake says innocently, “don’t get your panties in a knot.”

You roll your eyes and stand up from your chair, “See you guys later, then?”

Jake can’t help himself, and he turns toward you wearing his most charming grin, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Dude!” Bradley exclaims, smacking him in the shoulder.

Natasha sighs, despite the amused smirk on her lips, “Come on you two, fight about it later.”

You roll your lips to keep from giggling, because you know that will only irritate Bradley more, but you’re pretty sure your cherry red cheeks are about to give something away. Before your brother can notice the way Jake’s words have affected you, you turn on your heel and head back toward your office, anticipation bubbling in your stomach for tonight.

- Jake -

Maverick ended today’s training half an hour early, dismissing everyone but Rooster since he still had sixty-two push ups to do after betting that he could catch Phoenix and Bob before Mav could. He was wrong, but Jake admires the cockiness.

The rest of the squad have already made their way to the locker rooms, eager to shower and change and get to The Hard Deck for a well-earned drink. There’s no current mission for the dagger squad, no impending doom, so that on top of the excitement for the billiards comp has everyone in the highest of spirits. Everyone but Jake, of course.

He’s the last to enter the locker room, dragging his feet and slowly unzipping his flight suit as he weaves through the rest of the boys toward his locker. He isn’t sad by any means, just frustrated, because it seems that the longer you live in San Diego, the more protective your brother gets. His rule about you being off limits isn’t easing any time soon, and neither is Jake’s crush.

“What’s the matter with you?” Coyote asks, shoving his flight suit into his locker right beside Jake’s.

“Hm?” Jake looks up from his feet, “Oh, nothing, just distracted.”

Payback peers around from the other side of Coyote’s locker, his lips curled into a smirk, “So, how’s that hideously inappropriate and all-consuming crush on Rooster’s little sister going?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s great,” Jake says sarcastically, “I should be ready to kill myself any day now.”

The rest of the boys dissolve into laughter, each pausing in various stages of undress to giggle about Jake’s unfortunate situation. Everyone but Rooster and Phoenix know at this point, having easily figured it out by the way Jake can’t seem to focus anytime you’re in the same room, and thankfully, none of them plan on outing his little secret anytime soon. Jake likes to think it’s because they’re afraid that Rooster might shoot the messenger, and while that might be a small part of it, he knows it’s really because they feel sorry for him. The first girl who Hangman actually wants something real with, and it’s the little sister of Bradley Bradshaw.

However, Jake is surprised that Phoenix hasn’t yet figured it out, but grateful nonetheless, since she’s way too close to you to have that kind of ammunition under her belt. There have been a few times where he thought she might be onto him, little glances at you whenever he gets too flirty and subtle comments that could have underlying meanings, but she hasn’t confronted him about it yet, so he assumes she’s just as clueless as Rooster is.

“Come on, Hangman,” Fanboy says from the opposite row of lockers, “it can’t be that bad.”

“You want to bet?” Jake asks, glancing over his shoulder. “I got half a bar at lunch today because I used the same fork as her.”

The laughter, having died down for a moment, picks up again with renewed vigour. Even Bob, who is usually quiet and refuses to comment when the boys start teasing Jake about his crush, is giggling into his open locker, shoulders shaking.

“Oh, man,” Coyote says between fits of laughter, “you’re down bad.”

“What’s so funny?” Rooster asks, standing in front of the door as it swings shut behind him.

The laughter quickly subsides and everyone turns to hide their faces in their lockers, all but Jake who is left staring at Rooster’s quizzical frown.

“Coyote was just saying that he nearly soiled himself today when Mav pulled that cobra manoeuvre in front of him,” Jake lies, at which Coyote shoots him a glare.

Rooster chuckles, “Oh, really? I didn’t catch that.”

“Too busy running your mouth, Rooster,” Fanboy chimes in.

“Yeah, how’s your stomach after those two-hundred push ups?” Payback asks as he walks toward Rooster with an evil grin, reeling his fist back to strike his friend in the abdomen.

Rooster evades the attack, eyes wide, “Don’t even think about it, my abs are on fire right now.”

Jake relaxes as casual conversation picks back up; Rooster seemingly fooled by his lie as he jokes around with the rest of the squad. They all strip out of their flight suits and shower before changing into civilian clothes, packing their gear into their lockers, and heading out the door. Those who aren’t headed to The Hard Deck bid their goodbyes, while those eager for a beer begin making their way to the bar.

“Should we wait for the girls?” Jake asks as they walk toward Rooster’s car.

“Well, at least one of us has to,” Bob replies, glancing around the group of six.

Rooster tosses his keys in the air and catches them again in the palm of his hand, “Fight it out amongst yourselves boys.”

“It’s fine, I’ll wait for them,” Jake offers quickly.

Fanboy has to stifle his laughter behind his hand, pretending to rub his nose.

“That’s unlike you to be so obliging, Hangman,” Coyote says, his narrowed eyes telling Jake that he’s still bitter about being thrown under the bus earlier.

“I actually think I left my watch in my locker, so I have to run back anyway,” Jake lies again.

“Easy done,” Rooster, oblivious as ever, says, “climb on in fellas, I’m thirsty.”

The rest of the group all move toward Rooster’s car and pile in, while Jake turns his back and pulls out his phone to text Phoenix, asking her to wait for him if the two of you exit the locker room before he’s done ‘looking for his watch’.

More and more of late, Jake has been doing things that are ‘unlike him’ in order to gain more time with you away from your brother, the ever-present cock-block. It isn’t often that he has the chance, and he knows his behaviour is becoming noticeable, but until Rooster confronts him for trying to spend time with you, he’s going to keep trying.

He runs in and out of the locker room, simply to keep up the lie, before fishing his watch out of his pocket and strapping it to his wrist as he walks back toward the car park. He could recognise you from a mile away, all perfect and effortless, leaning casually against Phoenix’s car and twirling a stray piece of hair as Phoenix talks to you. The closer he gets, the more he can see that whatever Phoenix is saying is intense, and it’s making you nervous. Your hair twirling is less idle and more anxious as Phoenix stresses her words with her hands, looking exasperated.

A part of him wants to sneak up and try to catch the conversation, but before he can think too hard about how he could become stealthier, Phoenix spots him. “Come on Bagman, hurry it up!” she calls across the lot.

You glance over your shoulder, locking eyes with him and he simply cannot stop the grin that takes over his lips. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Trace,” he says, though his eyes never leave yours.

Phoenix scoffs, “What’s your obsession with panties today?”

When he comes within a few feet of you, he frowns and turns his attention to Phoenix, “What?”

“First Rooster at lunch and now me,” she says. “Are you not getting laid or something?”

The way her eyes drift over to you as she speaks, a smirk threatening to curl her lip, has Jake’s heart racing. Does she know? How could she know?

He clears his throat and wills himself to seem unaffected by her taunt, but whatever smart-lipped quip that he would usually respond with refuses to pop into his head. He panics, sweat prickling the back of his neck. Phoenix turns her attention away from you and back to him, her playful smile slowly fading as the silence stretches and he struggles to retort. If she didn’t know before, she definitely knows now.

“Oh, leave him alone, Nat,” your voice breaks the tension, “we all know Hangman has no trouble with the ladies.”

Phoenix shakes her head, as if needing the physical queue to stop her own spiralling thoughts. “So he tells us,” she says, grabbing the handle on the driver’s side door, “but I’m yet to witness his skills in action.”

She casts Jake one last dubious glance before opening the door and taking her seat behind the wheel. You turn to him then, your gaze holding him captive as you ask, “Do you want shotgun?”

He shakes his head, swallowing on his dry throat, “You take it, I’m good in the back.”

- You -

Jake looks like he’s seen a ghost as he stares out the window of the car, watching the Naval Air Station pass by as Natasha drives toward the exit gates. You can’t help glancing at him in the rear view mirror every few seconds, only able to see a portion of his side profile with the angle of the mirror, but it’s still enough to know that he doesn’t look normal.

As a matter of fact, Natasha looks a little odd too, as if she’s trying to silently solve a math problem in her head. Her eyes are narrowed, her brows furrowed, and her hands are holding the steering wheel tightly at ten and two. She too keeps glancing in the rearview mirror, whether looking at Jake or simply checking the traffic, you can’t tell, but her shoulders stay tense and her lips pressed firmly together.

“So,” you say, swivelling in your chair to properly look at Jake, “how was flight school?”

His face breaks into a soft smile and your pulse triples its speed, your heart thundering in your chest as you stare into his pretty green eyes. “I graduated flight school a while ago, darlin’,” he says.

You love when he uses a pet name other than your nickname, because ‘baby’ just doesn’t have the same ring when its something your whole family uses.

“I know, but I heard Maverick over the comms say that he was going to send the lot of you back to flight school.”

Jake chuckles, “You were listening on the comms?”

You shrug, “Sometimes I listen in, just to be nosey.”

You really only do it so you can enjoy Jake’s voice throughout the day, because something about Jake in that cockpit doing what he does best gets you incredibly hot and bothered. What can you say? You’re a masochist.

“Well, I better start watching my language,” he says, “or I can just tell Mav that you’ve been listening in.”

Your eyes widen, “You wouldn’t do that.”

His smile turns into a smirk, “You sure about that?”

All you want to do is crawl into the back seat and crush your lips against his. He looks good enough to eat right now, fresh from a shower, his damp hair a little spikier than usual, and his green eyes sparkling with mischief and something else you can’t quite place.

“Speaking of Mav,” Natasha pipes in, “he said he was going to stop by the bar tonight.”

Great, not only a brother but a cock-blocking uncle too. Well, uncle figure.

“Oh, fun,” you say, trying not to sound so sarcastic, but Natasha isn’t stupid. She catches your displeased tone and shoots you a knowing look, her lips now curled into a smug smile. At least she seems to have figured out her math problem.

A minute later, Natasha pulls the car into the gravel parking lot of The Hard Deck bar. She finds a park right next to Rooster’s car, and the three of you climb out in silence. You can hear the jukebox playing from outside as you approach the main door, Natasha in the lead and typing a message on her phone while you and Jake follow closely behind.

“Nervous?” you ask him, referring to the pool comp.

He chuckles, “Only because you’ll be watching, darlin’.”

Butterflies erupt in your stomach, their wings making you sick with nerves as they flutter violently. You want to reply, but your brain is complete mush as you stare back at his gorgeous grin, so all you can do is playfully roll your eyes and bump your shoulder against his.

The three of you enter the bar and make a beeline for the familiar faces seated at the booth closest to the pool table. The cues and balls are nowhere to be found, and there’s a sign written in black marker laying on the green felt that reads ‘POOL COMP IN SESSION, DO NOT TOUCH’.

Before you can reach your brother and the rest of the squad, Natasha grabs your hand and tugs you toward the bar. “Want a drink?” she asks, moving too quickly for Jake to follow.

You glance over your shoulder and watch him watch you with a confused frown as he takes a seat at the booth with the rest of the group. Natasha pulls you a decent way away from the squad, finding an open space at the bar and leaning against it, but she doesn’t flag down Penny or Jimmy.

“I think Seresin likes you,” she says, her voice low and eyes wide.

Your stomach does a somersault, “What?”

“I can’t believe it took me this long to figure out, but” – she smacks her hands on the bar emphatically – “he really likes you.”

“Is that why you were so tense before?”

“Yes, because I-”

“Hey ladies,” Penny interrupts, an easy smile on her lips, “what are we drinking tonight?”

“Hey Penny,” you muster your best I’m Totally Not Freaking Out Right Now smile, “two schooners of the pale ale, please.”

She nods once and fills two schooner glasses, sliding them across the bar and taking the cash from Natasha’s outstretched hand.

“Thanks Penny,” Natasha says, before taking a big gulp from her glass.

You tip your own drink to your lips and drain half of it, plonking it back down and wiping the foam from the tip of your nose before turning back to your friend. “You were saying?”

“Before, when he came up to us in the parking lot,” she explains, “I made some stupid joke about him not getting laid and I looked at you, because duh, but so did he.”

You frown, “And?”

“And he looked totally panicked.”

“Maybe he was just embarrassed.”

She rolls her eyes, “That wasn’t embarrassment, he looked like I’d just outed his biggest secret, and he didn’t even comeback with some stupid, sarcastic comment.”

You sigh, “Nat, I love you, but I think you’ve gone insane. Jake doesn’t see me as anything more than Bradley’s baby sister, he’s probably just fried from work and couldn’t think of anything on the spot.”

“You’re never going to believe me, are you?”

You shrug, “Probably not.”

“Okay, fine,” she picks her drink up and steps back from the bar, “I’ll find a way.”

She starts walking back toward the booth where the rest of the squad are, and you quickly pick up your own half-empty schooner before following her with an amused smile on your lips. Natasha is anything if not determined.

- Jake -

Jake releases the breath he’s been holding from the moment Phoenix dragged you away from the group, toward the bar. He can’t remember the last time he felt this nervous, his sweaty palms pressed against his jean-clad thighs as he watches the two of you approach the booth. He has no idea what Phoenix just told you, and he has no idea if Phoenix really knows what he thinks she knows, but his nerves are firing on every cylinder regardless.

“This seat taken?” you ask him as Phoenix takes the spare spot beside Bob.

He shakes his head, “All yours, darlin’.”

“Careful, Hangman,” Fanboy chuckles, “don’t want Rooster hearing that.”

Jake rolls his eyes, forcing his demeanour to appear relaxed, “Rooster’s all talk.”

“That so?” Rooster asks, stepping up to the booth with a tray of beers.

Laughter rumbles through the group.

“I guess we’ll find out later tonight,” Phoenix chimes in, “you two are versing each other in the second game.” She slides the schedule for tonight’s games across the table toward Jake, pointing at the names beneath ‘Game #2’.

“I guess we will,” Jake says, plastering on his cockiest smirk.

Rooster rolls his eyes before turning to find a spare chair, since both sides of the booth are very full. On one side, Coyote, Bob, and Phoenix are sitting side by side, and on the other is Payback, Fanboy, Jake, and you pressed firmly against Jake’s side. He doesn’t mind, of course, because your leg is warm against his, and with his arm slung over the back of the booth, you fit almost perfectly against his side. In fact, he’s surprised Rooster hasn’t said anything yet.

After two rounds of beer and a lot of banter, it’s time for Jake and Rooster to compete. Penny calls them over to the table and sets it up, handing each of them a cue before rattling off the rules as she did before the first game. They flip a coin and Rooster calls heads, but tails lands face-up and Jake gets to break.

He can hear his heartbeat in his ears as he lines his cue up with the white ball, a small voice at the back of his head demanding he look cool since you were a mere three feet away, watching. He takes a deep breath, reminding himself that this is an easy game, before releasing his shot and sending the balls scattering.

The game begins smoothly, each of the lieutenants lining their shots up with precision and hitting the balls with calculated force. They each sink a few, and at about halfway through, the game is tightly tied.

“Come on, Seresin,” Rooster mutters as Jake bends over for his next shot, “what does it take to make you crack?”

Like the idiot he is, Jake lets his eyes wander away from the white ball and across the green felt until they find you, still sitting at the booth on the opposite side of the pool table. Without thinking, his back hand jabs the cue forward, but without his full focus, it knocks the white ball on a short and wobbly path toward nothing in particular.

The spectators give a sad ‘ooh’ as Jake sighs, and Rooster smirks, “Now who’s all talk?”

Jake only shakes his head and moves away from the table. Since the white ball hadn’t made it all that far, Rooster positions himself almost exactly where Jake had been, bending over the table a little further and aiming his cue at the white ball. He focuses for a moment, scanning the constellation of balls across the felt before he glances up and notices you. From where he’s positioned, he is looking directly at you, exactly as Jake had been when he fumbled his shot.

Rooster’s smirk drops and his gaze moves slowly toward Jake, his knuckles turning white as his grip on the cue tightens. Jake’s heart crawls up into his throat, his palms sweating as he stares back at Rooster. Did he just figure it out?

Rooster takes the shot and sinks two balls before repositioning himself and sinking another one. His next shot puts the white ball in an awkward spot for Jake, and he fumbles again. He’s lost all focus, unable to see anything but your gorgeous face or your brother’s murderous one.

After ten more minutes, the game is over and Penny is announcing Rooster as the winner. Jake isn’t knocked out of the competition, but he doesn’t have to play again tonight, which he is more than grateful for.

“Alright, Rooster,” Penny says, “you’ve got five minutes and then it’s you and Fitz.”

Jake finishes his beer before quickly excusing himself to the men’s room, avoiding eye contact with every member of the squad as he hurries through the bar. Once in the safe confines of a bathroom stall, he covers his face with both of his hands and sighs, loudly.

After everything – all the stolen glances and subtle flirting, every excuse to see you or talk to you – did Rooster really just figure it out in the middle of a stupid pool game?

“This is ridiculous,” Jake mutters to himself as he rubs his hands down his face.

He’s never felt this way about anyone before and he has no idea how to deal with it. The nerves are different than what he’s used to, it’s not like before a mission when he can channel his anxiousness into anticipation and put all his focus into being an expert pilot. Because he knows his jet inside out, and he knows the cockpit like the back of his hand, but this? It’s all different. He doesn’t know what this feeling is because he’s only ever felt this strongly about one thing before; flying. But right now he’s pretty sure he would spend the rest of his life on the ground if it meant the rest of his life would be spent with you.

He stays in the stall for another few minutes, making sure Rooster’s second game of pool is well and truly underway by the time he exits the bathroom. The door to the men’s room has hardly swung shut behind him when Phoenix appears in front of him, startling him.

“Far out, can’t a guy catch a break?” he gasps.

“Were you in there crying about your defeat or just hiding from Rooster?” she asks, her expression deadpan.

He frowns, feigning confusion, “What? Why would I be hiding from Rooster?”

“Because you’re in love with his baby sister.”

The panic he had managed to subdue mere minutes ago returns with a vengeance, coursing through his veins like a thousand volts of electricity. He scrambles for a defence, words, anything. “W-Wha- Phoenix, I- you don’t-”

“Save it,” she interrupts him, rolling her eyes, “I’m not going to interrogate you or try to talk you into making a move.”

His tangled mind struggles to follow along, “Why would you-”

“He is,” she says, pointing at their captain who is sitting alone at the end of the bar.

Jake’s stomach flips, “He is what?”

“Going to talk to you.”

She grabs his wrist, the strength of her grip surprising him even though he knows she’s just as strong as he is. She drags him toward the bar where Maverick is sitting, sipping his beer and watching the pool competition with keen eyes.

“Evening, Captain,” Jake says, and he knows the moment it leaves his lips that he’s being unusually formal.

Phoenix rolls her eyes again, dramatically. “All yours, Mav,” she says, before turning on her heel and returning to the booth with the rest of the squad.

“Hangman,” Maverick says, a hint of a smirk on his lips, “take a seat.”

Jake swallows hard as he sits on the barstool beside his captain.

“You know,” Mav continues, “you haven’t addressed me as captain in a very long time.”

“Well,” Jake says, “it's never too late to make a good impression.”

Maverick chuckles quietly before tipping the last of his beer to his lips. When he puts the glass back down on the bar, Penny takes it, offering Jake a small, almost sympathetic smile as she does.

Mav turns on his stool to face Jake, “I’ve noticed you’ve been acting a little different lately. Want to talk about it?”

Jake clears his throat, “I’m not quite sure what you mean, Cap- uh, Mav.”

“You sure about that?” Maverick asks as he looks away from Jake, casting his gaze across the bar toward the booth where the dagger squad are seated. “If I had to guess, I’d say you’ve been acting strangely ever since Y/N moved here.”

Hearing your name is the closest thing to a prayer in Jake’s ears, because he is so used to hearing your nickname, that hearing your real name feels reverent.

He sighs, admitting defeat, “Who told you?”

Mav chuckles again, “Technically, Phoenix did, but no one had to tell me. I might be old, but I’m not stupid, and I’ve lived long enough to recognise the way you look at her.”

Jake frowns, “Why haven’t you said anything?”

“I was kind of enjoying the way you’ve been sucking up to Rooster,” Mav replies sheepishly, “letting him be team leader in all the mission simulations, buying him beers every weekend, and letting him win at pool of course.”

Jake can feel his cheeks burning, “I didn’t let him win, Mav, I just can’t focus when she’s around.”

Maverick claps a hand on Jake’s shoulder, leaning on him slightly as stands up. “Then stop being so scared of her big brother and do something about it, before someone else does.”

He nods toward the squad again before stepping back and walking behind Jake, around the bar toward the pool table. Jake’s eyes follow his captain as he circles the bar, stopping to watch the game of pool on the opposite side of the table to where the dagger squad are seated. When Jake’s eyes pass over the intense game between Rooster and Fitz, his breath catches in his throat.

- You -

You had gotten up to go to the bathroom when this man cornered you, stopping you on your way and trapping you against a wall on the other side of the booth. You’re pretty sure you’ve seen him around work, but you can’t be sure, because the only person you do recognise in the sea of naval uniforms on base is Jake. This man is not Jake, and that is one of the main reasons why you can’t be bothered to listen to a single thing he is saying.

“Do you think you’ll stay in San Diego for long?”

You look up at him, pressing your shoulder blades into the wall in an attempt to create more distance between you and him. “Um, probably,” you reply.

You glance quickly over your shoulder, for once wishing that your police dog of a brother would do what he does best and scare this man away, but he’s too focused on his pool competition.

“That’s great,” the man leans even closer, his breath wreaking of alcohol, “maybe we can get together sometime, alone.”

You press your lips into a tight smile, neither wanting to accept nor reject the man’s proposal in the current, vulnerable position in which he has you trapped. When he opens his mouth to speak again, a cheer erupts behind you and Penny announces Rooster as the overall champion of the night. You clap your hands and smile at your brother as he does a few dramatic bows.

You turn back to the man with your excuse for escape on the tip of your tongue, “I better go-”

“We should get some fresh air,” he says, grabbing one of your wrists in a vice grip.

Panic washes over you, a cold sweat breaking out across the back of your neck as he tugs on your arm. You stumble forward and glance over your shoulder, hoping that someone has noticed, but he chose the perfect time. The rest of the squad have rushed to the pool table, taking the cues from Penny to set up their own game while other pub patrons congratulate Rooster on his win.

Just as the man reaches the doors leading onto the beach, Rooster’s eyes find you. His grin vanishes and he quickly tries to step away from the crowd surrounding him, but Maverick appears at his side with a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. What the fuck?!

You watch Maverick say something to Rooster, who’s eyes then dart away from you and toward something across the bar, but before you can follow his gaze, the man tugs you out the door. The cool night air bites at your bear arms as you stumble down the wooden steps onto the sand.

“Much better,” the man says, finally releasing you.

You turn sharply to run back into the bar, but you only make it two steps before coming face to chest with someone else. You know who it is even before you look up to find a very concerned pair of pretty green eyes.

“Jake,” you breathe, your body relaxing as he wraps an arm around you.

The man steps toward you again, “Hey, what the-”

“What the fuck is your problem?” Jake exclaims. “Who the fuck do you even think you are dragging a girl out of the bar when she clearly doesn’t want anything to do with you?”

“I don’t recall hearing her saying no,” the man argues, puffing out his chest.

“Because you didn’t give her a fucking chance,” Jake spits.

He takes half a step forward, guiding you behind his body as the man grounds himself as if getting ready to throw a punch. Your stomach sinks and the lump in your throat doubles in size at the thought of Jake getting hurt for you. Just as you think the man is about to wind his arm back, his scowl shifts to something behind you and his jaw goes slack. Glancing over your shoulder, you see Javy and Reuben step out of the bar and your heart aches with fondness.

Without so much as another word, the man shoots Jake one last look before turning and walking away. Javy and Reuben chuckle to each other before stepping back inside the bar, leaving you and Jake alone on the sand.

“Hey,” he turns to face you, “are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you drop your gaze to your shoes, “sorry about that.”

He hooks a finger beneath your chin and tilts your head back up, “Don’t be silly, that was not your fault and nothing to be sorry about.”

Your heart is pounding in your ears, drowning out the music from the bar and the sound of waves crashing. All you can feel is Jake, close and comforting, and staring down at you as if he might want to kiss you too.

“Well,” you step toward him, as close as you can get without pressing your body against his, “then I’m sorry about what might happen to you after I do this.”

You curl your fingers into the material at the collar of his shirt and pull him forward, stretching up onto your toes to meet his lips with yours. He’s startled at first, but quickly responds, his hands grabbing your hips and pulling your body against his. He tastes like beer and spearmint gum, his lips soft as that move with yours, fitting together in the most perfect way. As you take a quick breath, his tongue slides past your lips and he tilts his head, deepening the kiss.

You wrap your arms around his neck to hold yourself up, and just as his hands begin sliding down your hips, you’re both startled by a loud wolf whistle. You both turn toward the bar and see Mickey with his head out the window and a stupidly wide grin plastered across his face. The rest of the squad are all pressed against the glass, almost completely fogging it up as they cheer and wave.

“Oh, God,” Jake sighs, “Rooster is going to kill me.”

You can’t help but giggle, “Don’t worry, Hangman, I’ll protect you this time.”

Inside the bar, your brother turns to Maverick, having to look away as you pull Jake into another kiss. “You’re seriously okay with this?” he asks, “You’re okay with Hangman sticking his tongue down the throat of my baby sister?”

Maverick chuckles, “She’s not just your baby sister Bradley, and that’s not Hangman. That’s Jake and Y/N, and it looks to me like they might be in love.”

Bradley rolls his eyes and pretends to gag, deciding to ignore the scene on the beach and return his attention to the pool table. He knows deep down that Maverick is right, so he silently gives his blessing while starting a list in his head of what he will and will not allow the two of you to do in front of him.

END.

[wonysugar]

g!p sugar mommy giselle🫦🫦🫦

g!p.... sugar mommy...... giselle..... ANON. holds you by the neck dearly thank you for this. also! it’s barely even mentioned at all but just know giselle is like 37ish and reader is in her mid-twenties. :]

cw : age-gap!

giselle as the sugar mommy you randomly met on your day to day minimum wage job at a fast food place MHMMM LET ME COOKKK..... having her be a regular who always comes in like once a week, always wearing something super fancy.. like a black prada trenchcoat or sometimes even a dolce & gabbana blazer. point is, she immediately stuck out like a sore thumb among the rest of the crowd.

plus, you found her undeniably gorgeous as soon as you laid eyes on her, so it's not like she'd go unnoticed otherwise, either.

she often approached you at the register and made small talk, as stupid as it often was. she'd find some stupid excuse not to use the self checkout machine and would find a lame conversation starter while you're watching her pull out a dior purse, proceeding with the payment of her order. that often lead to you asking her questions of your own.

"why do you eat here? you look like you have other.... better places to be eating at."

she'd chuckle at your words, finding them amusing, before answering in a gentle tone, "trust me, i do. my niece doesn't seem to think the same way i do, however, as she seems to really like this place. i appear to be the only one indulging her."

soon enough, you'd warm up to her with each visit of hers and the conversations would get much, much longer. so much so that, often times, your manager would have to step in and remind you to get back to work prompty. it got annoying quickly, as the conversations were just getting good; chatting about studies, travel plans, ambitions and goals, etc.

so, wanting to have these incredibly interesting exchanges in a more comfortable and relaxed setting, aeri asked for your number.

naturally.

who cares that she was like, ten years older than you. it wouldn’t hurt to make a friend… right?

numerous nights of friendly-texting-turned-flirty later, you two quickly agreed on a set date and location, which turned out to be a friday evening spent in the very expensive restaurant right across the block from your workplace. it was a date! she informed you to come in 'appropriate' attire, whatever that meant. how would you know? your closet consisted of hoodies, sweaters and some t-shirts as well as your work uniform. that being said, you showed up to the date wearing a low cute dark blue dress you found laying around in the darkest depths of your drawer for probably more than seven years. saying you were nervous would be nothing but a huge understatement.

she, on the other hand, came wearing a creamy white turtleneck under the black trench-coat she was usually seen wearing when ordering food at your job, the look topped off by wide legged black pants and really expensive looking black leather heels.

what the fuck are you doing.

getting cold feet, you nervously sat down at the table and bowed your head in her direction. intimidated by the light yet impacting amount of makeup she had on her face, you avoided eye contact as much as possible. she was breathtaking.

she told you to choose whatever you’d like on the menu and to not look at the price, as she insisted you not to worry at all about the bill. you, of course, felt guilty so you proceeded to pick the least expensive thing on the menu and attempted to convince her that you genuinely loved the dish, hence why you’d pick it among everything else.

who were you kidding though, you couldn’t even pronounce whatever fuckass french name it was that you picked to the waiter. she smiled at you as you finished ordering, making you turn red in embarrassment.

“you know y/n, i couldn’t bring myself to mention it in a place as unflattering as your workplace, no offence,” she started as you shook off the statement, practically agreeing with her before she continued, “but i must say that i think you are absolutely adorable.”

it gets to a point. and at this point you’re just short-circuiting at her words and intense eye contact, finding it difficult to even act properly in front of her!

she noticed that, of course, especially in times during the conversation where she called you endearing names such as “darling”, “love” and “honey”.

that wasn’t much different in bed, either.

as it turns out, you really did want her to fuck you at the end of the night! honestly, how could you not when she’d been opening every single door for you, insisting on paying for the entirety of the bill at the restaurant and offering to drive you home despite it only being a 10 minute walk?

she’d done nothing but drive you crazy all evening with her sexy and gentle manners, it’s only natural you gave her a sloppy handjob whilst she drove her grey lexus lx back to her own house with the pure intention of fucking the shit out of you.

…and she did! very well, at that!

two of her fingers deep into you, she circled your clit with her thumb and left gentle kisses on your jaw down to your collarbone. slow and steady pumps of the digits, she thrived in hearing your soft whimpers.

that didn’t last long, however. she was getting impatient, and her dick was aching to feel you.

ass up face down, you’re getting pounded relentlessly into the mattress before you know it. getting treated like nothing but a queen all night only to be later fucked like a depraved slut… it had to be the best thing you’d ever felt in a while. of course, you let her know of that with guttural moans that left your body with each thrust of her cock. she didn’t care, her house was big enough to muffle your screams, after all.

she whispered obscenities into your ear whilst you did so, gripping a fistful of your hair and humming at each sound that came out of your mouth. talking about how tight your cunt was for her, about how good it felt, how she couldn’t wait to use it every other day, about how she would kill to take care of a pretty little thing like you.

gripping onto your sides and ramming into you shamelessly as she drove you to your climax, you bit your lip until you felt like it was bleeding. her breathier heavier and each of her moans slightly higher than the previous, you both orgasmed together, a wave of euphoria washing over the two of you immediately.

oh and, you know what she said about ‘taking care of a pretty little thing like you?’ yeah, she meant every word.

soon enough, she’s taking you on dates every other weekend, referring you to a slightly better paying, less agonizing job thanks to the connections she possesses, sending you excessive amounts of money she labels as your ‘monthly allowance’ and overall spoiling you with whatever your heart desires. hell. she even payed your university tuition! she finds it endearing to see you always so shy and embarrassed to accept the money she gives you; you always go on about how ‘you don’t give her anything back’ and how it isn’t fair.

but to her, you do give back. your happiness and joy is what aeri does it for, and you give her great amounts of that. not only that, but you also give back by whoring yourself out and looking pretty for her. giving her unwarranted boners by sending her risky pictures and videos while she’s at work, having you wear the lingerie she buys you, knowing you use the toys she got you whenever she’s too busy to take care of you, etc. aeri could name nothing better than having you be the beautiful doll she gets to play with every now and then. :]

[gottencents]

Casual PT.4 - Yu Jimin

part one. | part two. | part three.

pairing. mean girl!karina x star soccer player!reader

synopsis. at Changryeo University, Yu Jimin or just Karina is the ultimate “mean rich girl” — popular, wealthy, and always seeking ways to stay on top. After setting her sights on Sunghoon, the charming soccer captain, Karina shifts her focus to Y/N, an up-and-coming soccer star with an unexpected breakout season. Unlike the polished Sunghoon, Y/N is more of an outsider who got by on talent but doesn’t fit the typical college elite mold. Realizing that Y/N is the only one who doesn’t care about the social hierarchy, Karina proposes a deal: they’ll fake date so Karina can boost her popularity, while Y/N gets protection from relentless attention. Reluctantly, Y/N agrees, and the two navigate a world of social manipulation, only to find that their fake relationship might lead to something more real than either expected.

The ride home from Karina’s parents’ house felt lighter than Y/N had anticipated. The lingering nerves from the evening had finally dissolved, replaced by a warm sense of belonging. Karina hummed softly along with the radio as she drove, her hand resting comfortably on Y/N’s thigh.

“You were perfect,” Karina said, breaking the peaceful silence. “I knew they’d love you.”

Y/N chuckled, leaning back in her seat. “You think? I was sure I said at least three awkward things.”

“You were charming,” Karina reassured her. “Even when you nearly knocked over the water pitcher.”

Y/N groaned, covering her face. “I was hoping we could forget that.”

“Never,” Karina teased, her eyes glinting with mischief. “It was adorable.”

As the car pulled into Y/N’s building, Karina parked and turned toward her, her expression softening. “I’m really proud of you. I know tonight wasn’t easy.”

Y/N nodded, feeling the weight of Karina’s words. “Thanks. It actually felt… nice. I liked seeing that side of your life.”

“You’ll be seeing more of it,” Karina promised, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Y/N’s ear. “You’re stuck with me now.”

Y/N smiled, her heart fluttering at the intimacy of the moment. “I guess I can live with that.”

They lingered for a second longer before Y/N reluctantly opened the car door. Karina followed her out, walking her to the entrance of the building. The air was crisp, the quiet hum of the city night wrapping around them like a soft blanket.

Just as Y/N was about to say goodnight, Karina’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, her brow furrowing slightly.

“Everything okay?” Y/N asked.

Karina hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. It’s just work stuff. I’ll handle it later.”

Y/N raised a brow. “You sure? You can take it if it’s urgent.”

“It’s nothing that can’t wait,” Karina said quickly, slipping her phone back into her pocket.

Y/N studied her for a moment, sensing something just beneath the surface. But before she could press further, Karina leaned in, capturing Y/N’s lips in a slow, lingering kiss that left no room for questions.

“Goodnight, baby,” Karina whispered against her lips.

“Goodnight,” Y/N replied, her voice barely audible.

She watched Karina walk back to her car, her heart full yet tinged with curiosity. Something about that text felt… off. But she trusted Karina, and if it was important, she’d tell her in time.

The next few days felt normal—almost too normal. They kept up their usual routine: meeting for coffee, texting late into the night, and sharing quiet moments in between classes. But every now and then, Y/N noticed that faraway look in Karina’s eyes, like her mind was somewhere else entirely.

It wasn’t until Friday evening that things started to unravel.

Y/N had invited Karina over for dinner, wanting to spend a quiet night together after a busy week. She was just finishing up cooking when there was a knock on the door. Karina walked in, her expression more tense than usual.

“Hey,” Y/N greeted, wiping her hands on a towel. “Everything okay?”

Karina forced a smile. “Yeah. Just a long day.”

Y/N frowned. “Are you sure? You’ve been a little distracted lately.”

Karina hesitated, her eyes darting away for a brief moment. “It’s just work stuff. Nothing to worry about.”

Y/N crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. “Karina… you know you can talk to me, right? You don’t have to carry everything on your own.”

Karina let out a breath, running a hand through her hair. “I know. I just—” She stopped herself, biting her lip. “It’s not that simple.”

Y/N stepped closer, gently taking Karina’s hands in hers. “It doesn’t have to be simple. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”

Karina looked at her, conflict swirling in her eyes. “There’s just… a lot going on right now. Work, family stuff—it’s all piling up. I didn’t want to dump it on you.”

Y/N’s grip tightened. “You’re not dumping anything on me. We’re in this together, remember?”

Karina exhaled, her shoulders relaxing just a little. “I know. I’m sorry if I’ve been distant. It’s just been hard to juggle everything lately.”

Y/N nodded, brushing her thumb over Karina’s knuckles. “We’ll get through it. One step at a time.”

For the first time in days, Karina’s smile felt real, not forced. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“You bribed me with coffee,” Y/N said with a playful grin.

Karina laughed softly, the tension in the room finally breaking. “Ah, right. My greatest strategy.”

They settled into dinner, the heaviness of the past few days slowly fading into the background. But even as they laughed and talked, Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something bigger.

And she was ready—whatever it was, she wasn’t going anywhere.

The weekend passed in a blur, but something about Karina still felt… distant. Y/N tried to shake the thought, telling herself that Karina was just stressed. After all, life could get overwhelming sometimes. It didn’t mean anything deeper was wrong.

Still, the feeling lingered, gnawing at her in the quiet moments.

By Monday, the tension between them was subtle but undeniable. Karina seemed present but distracted, and Y/N could feel herself slipping into her own head, overthinking every little thing. That evening, they had plans to grab dinner at a casual restaurant near campus, but the energy between them was noticeably off.

The restaurant buzzed with life—clinking glasses, laughter, and the smell of fresh food—but Y/N felt like she and Karina were in a bubble of silence.

“You okay?” Y/N asked as they waited for their food, her voice careful but steady.

Karina glanced up from her phone, forcing a small smile. “Yeah, why?”

“You just seem… elsewhere lately,” Y/N said, trying not to sound accusatory. “I’m starting to wonder if something’s wrong and you’re not telling me.”

Karina sighed, placing her phone facedown on the table. “It’s not like that. I’m just handling a lot right now. I didn’t want it to spill over into us.”

“But it is,” Y/N said gently. “You don’t have to go through things alone, Karina. I’m right here. If something’s bothering you, I want to know.”

Karina tapped her fingers on the table, eyes flickering with hesitation. “It’s work,” she admitted. “There’s a project I’m involved in, and it’s complicated. There’s pressure from my team, and I feel like no matter how hard I try, it’s never enough.”

Y/N relaxed slightly, relieved that Karina was finally opening up. “Why didn’t you just tell me that from the start?”

“I didn’t want to drag you into my stress,” Karina confessed. “I know you’ve got enough on your plate. The last thing I want is to weigh you down.”

“You’re not weighing me down,” Y/N said firmly. “Relationships are about sharing the load, right? If something’s heavy, we carry it together.”

Karina’s eyes softened, her expression a mix of gratitude and relief. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It’s not easy,” Y/N said with a small laugh. “But you’re worth the effort.”

Their conversation was interrupted when the waiter set their plates down, and the tension seemed to lighten a little more as they dug into their food. Y/N felt like they’d taken a step forward, but she couldn’t help but notice that Karina’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Later that night, Y/N lay in bed, staring at her ceiling. The conversation had gone well—or at least, it had felt like progress—but she still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more Karina wasn’t saying. Something deeper.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her out of her thoughts. She grabbed it, smiling softly when she saw Karina’s name on the screen.

Karina: Thank you for tonight. I really needed that.

Y/N: Always. You know I’m here, right? No matter what.

Karina: I know. Sleep well, baby.

Y/N placed her phone back on the nightstand, her heart warm but still slightly uneasy.

She trusted Karina. But trust didn’t always silence the questions.

The next day, Y/N was on her way to meet Karina for coffee when she spotted her standing outside the café… talking to a tall, sharply dressed woman Y/N didn’t recognize. The woman was leaning in close, her hand resting lightly on Karina’s arm as they spoke in hushed tones.

Y/N’s steps slowed, her stomach twisting.

Who was that?

Karina didn’t notice her at first, too engrossed in the conversation. The woman said something that made Karina laugh—a soft, genuine laugh Y/N hadn’t heard in days.

Y/N cleared her throat as she approached, trying to shake off the sudden spike of jealousy rising in her chest.

“Hey,” she greeted, keeping her voice casual.

Karina’s eyes snapped to her, surprise flashing across her face. “Y/N! Hey, I was just—”

The woman beside her turned, offering Y/N a polite smile. “You must be Y/N. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Y/N nodded slowly, studying her. “And you are…?”

“Yujin,” the woman said, extending her hand. “I work with Karina.”

Y/N shook her hand, her smile tight. “Nice to meet you.”

Karina shifted on her feet, her eyes darting between Y/N and Yujin. “Yujin was just filling me in on some project updates. Nothing major.”

“Right,” Yujin said with a chuckle. “Nothing major.”

Y/N didn’t miss the way Yujin’s gaze lingered on Karina for a second too long.

“Well, I’ll let you two catch up,” Yujin said, giving Karina a knowing smile before walking off. “See you tomorrow.”

Y/N watched her leave, her chest tightening.

“She seems… friendly,” Y/N said, her tone carefully neutral.

Karina rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah, she’s… helpful. We’ve been working closely on this project. She’s just really involved, that’s all.”

Y/N nodded, trying to push down the doubt bubbling inside her. “Right.”

Karina reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hey. Don’t overthink it, okay? There’s nothing to worry about.”

Y/N smiled faintly, but the knot in her chest didn’t loosen.

“I’m not worried,” she said softly. But deep down, she wasn’t sure she believed it.

As they walked into the café together, Y/N tried to shake the feeling that something was shifting between them—something she couldn’t quite put her finger on yet.

But one thing was certain: cracks were beginning to form. And sooner or later, those cracks would have to be confronted.

Y/N woke up the next morning feeling heavy, the previous day’s encounter with Yujin replaying over and over in her mind. She tried to dismiss it, telling herself that it was silly to be jealous. Karina had been nothing but honest with her. And yet… something about Yujin didn’t sit right. It wasn’t what was said—it was what wasn’t.

All morning, Y/N’s thoughts lingered on that smile Yujin had given Karina, the familiarity between them. It felt like she was standing on shaky ground, waiting for the cracks beneath her feet to widen.

By the time she met up with Karina for lunch, she’d decided that she needed to talk about it. Not in an accusatory way—just… clear the air.

Karina was already sitting at their usual table in the campus café, scrolling through her phone. When she saw Y/N approach, her face lit up with that familiar smile that had once been enough to calm all of Y/N’s worries.

But not today.

“Hey, you,” Karina greeted, standing to give Y/N a quick hug.

“Hey,” Y/N said, hugging her back before sitting across from her.

They ordered their food, chatting idly about their morning classes, but Y/N could barely focus. The tension in her chest was building, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to push it aside for much longer.

Finally, she took a deep breath. “Karina… can I ask you something?”

Karina set her fork down, tilting her head slightly. “Of course. What’s up?”

“It’s about Yujin,” Y/N said carefully. “I know you said you’ve been working closely with her, but… is there something I should know?”

Karina blinked, her expression unreadable for a moment before she leaned back in her chair. “What do you mean?”

Y/N hesitated. “It’s just… the way she looked at you yesterday. It felt a little more personal than just work. And you seemed caught off guard when I showed up.”

Karina sighed, crossing her arms. “Y/N, there’s nothing going on between me and Yujin. She’s just a colleague. We’ve spent a lot of time together because of this project, and I guess we’ve gotten… close. But not in the way you’re thinking.”

Y/N nodded slowly, trying to absorb her words. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I trust you. It’s just… I’ve seen how people can blur lines when they work together. I guess it made me feel a little insecure.”

Karina leaned forward, resting her hand on Y/N’s. “You have nothing to be insecure about. Yujin is a great coworker, but that’s all she is. You’re the one I want to be with. You’re the one I care about.”

Y/N felt her chest loosen at Karina’s words, but a small part of her still clung to that lingering doubt.

“I believe you,” Y/N said, squeezing Karina’s hand. “I just needed to hear it from you.”

Karina smiled softly. “I get it. And I’ll do better at making sure you feel secure. We’re in this together, okay?”

Y/N nodded, a smile creeping onto her lips. “Okay.”

The following week felt lighter, like they’d turned a corner. Karina was more attentive, texting Y/N throughout the day, making time for little moments just for the two of them. It was exactly what Y/N needed—a reminder that their relationship was strong, built on something real.

But then, one evening, while Y/N was studying in the library, her phone buzzed with a text.

Yujin: Hey, are you free? I need to talk to you about something important.

Y/N froze, staring at the message. Why would Yujin be texting her? They barely knew each other.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she finally replied.

Y/N: Sure. What’s up?

Yujin: Can we meet in person? It’s better if we talk face to face.

Y/N’s heart started to race. Something told her that whatever Yujin had to say, it wasn’t going to be good.

Y/N: Okay. Where do you want to meet?

Yujin: The coffee shop on 5th. See you in 20 minutes.

Y/N grabbed her things, her mind spinning with possibilities. What could Yujin possibly want to talk about?

As she walked to the coffee shop, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a turning point—one that could change everything.

When she arrived, Yujin was already there, sitting at a table near the window. She looked up as Y/N walked in, offering a small, almost hesitant smile.

“Thanks for coming,” Yujin said as Y/N sat down across from her.

“Of course,” Y/N said, folding her hands on the table. “What’s going on?”

Yujin took a deep breath, her eyes serious. “I didn’t want to get involved, but… I think you deserve to know the truth about Karina and me.”

Y/N’s blood ran cold.

“What truth?”

Yujin leaned in slightly, her voice low. “We’ve been spending a lot of time together—too much time. And I think… Karina might have feelings for me.”

The words hit Y/N like a punch to the gut.

“She hasn’t said it outright,” Yujin continued, “but the way she looks at me, the way she confides in me… it’s more than just friendship. I thought you should know before it gets any more complicated.”

Y/N sat there, stunned into silence. Her mind screamed that it wasn’t true, that Karina loved her, that Yujin was just reading into things.

But the doubt she’d buried deep inside was back, louder than ever.

“I thought you should know,” Yujin said again, her eyes filled with something that almost looked like pity.

Y/N swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice. “Thanks for telling me.”

She stood up, barely remembering how she got out of the coffee shop, her thoughts a chaotic mess.

Was it true?

Had she been blind to something that was right in front of her?

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from Karina.

Karina: Miss you. Want to grab dinner later?

Y/N stared at the message, her heart aching. She had a choice to make—confront Karina or walk away without knowing the full story.

And for the first time in a long time, Y/N wasn’t sure what the right choice was.

Y/N didn’t reply to Karina’s message. She couldn’t. The weight of Yujin’s words sat in her chest like a stone, suffocating and relentless. The walk back to her apartment felt longer than usual, her thoughts spiraling with questions she didn’t want to answer.

Was Yujin lying? Exaggerating? Or had Y/N truly been naive, ignoring what had been in front of her all along?

Her phone buzzed again. Another text from Karina.

Karina: Everything okay? You’ve been quiet.

Y/N stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. She could just brush it off, pretend everything was fine. But she couldn’t shake the echo of Yujin’s voice. “I think Karina might have feelings for me.”

Instead of replying, Y/N shoved her phone into her pocket and locked her door behind her, sinking onto the couch. Her mind played through every interaction Karina had ever had with Yujin, searching for signs—something she’d missed.

Her breath hitched. There were moments. Fleeting, almost insignificant, but in hindsight… they felt different now. The late nights Karina spent with Yujin at the library. The way Karina’s face lit up when Yujin walked into the room.

Y/N pressed her hands to her face, trying to push the thoughts away, but it was useless.

Hours passed, the sun dipping below the horizon, casting her apartment in shadows. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

She needed answers.

Her fingers trembled as she typed out a message.

Y/N: Can we talk?

The response came almost immediately.

Karina: Of course. I’ll come over.

It didn’t take long for Karina to arrive. The moment Y/N opened the door, Karina’s face lit up with that familiar warmth. But Y/N couldn’t return the smile.

“Hey,” Karina said softly, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. “Is everything okay? You seem off.”

Y/N crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “I ran into Yujin today.”

Karina blinked, her smile fading. “Oh?”

“She said some interesting things.” Y/N’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that she couldn’t hide. “She told me I deserve to know the truth. About you and her.”

Karina’s eyes widened, her posture stiffening. “Y/N—”

“She said you might have feelings for her,” Y/N continued, cutting Karina off. “That the way you look at her, the way you confide in her… it’s more than just friendship.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Karina opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. That hesitation—that split second of silence—felt like confirmation.

Y/N’s heart broke a little more.

“Is it true?” Y/N asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Do you have feelings for her?”

“No,” Karina said quickly, stepping closer. “It’s not like that. Yujin’s misunderstanding everything. I care about her as a friend, but that’s all. I swear.”

“But she thinks it’s more,” Y/N said bitterly. “Why would she say that if there wasn’t something there? Even just a hint?”

Karina ran a hand through her hair, frustration evident on her face. “I don’t know. Maybe she misinterpreted our closeness. We’ve spent a lot of time together because of the project, but I never gave her a reason to think there was something more.”

Y/N felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I don’t know if I can believe you.”

Karina’s face crumbled. “Y/N, please… you have to trust me. You’re the one I love. You’re the one I want to be with. Yujin is just a colleague—nothing more.”

“I want to believe you,” Y/N whispered, her voice cracking. “But right now… I don’t know how to.”

Karina reached for Y/N’s hand, but Y/N pulled back, stepping away. The distance between them felt like a chasm, one neither of them knew how to cross.

“I need some time,” Y/N said quietly. “I can’t think straight right now.”

Karina’s eyes filled with pain, but she nodded. “Okay. Take the time you need. But please… don’t shut me out completely.”

Y/N didn’t respond. She just opened the door, silently asking Karina to leave.

Karina hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching Y/N’s face, before stepping out into the hallway.

“I’m not giving up on us,” Karina said, her voice steady despite the sadness in her eyes. “No matter what.”

Y/N closed the door softly, leaning her forehead against it as soon as it clicked shut.

Her chest felt hollow, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions. She wanted to believe Karina. She wanted to forget Yujin’s words and pretend everything was fine.

But doubt had already taken root, and it wasn’t letting go.

For the first time in her relationship with Karina, Y/N felt like she was standing on the edge of something fragile, something that could break at any moment.

And she wasn’t sure if they would survive the fall.

The days that followed were filled with silence—long stretches of uncertainty that clung to Y/N like a second skin. She kept telling herself she needed time, space to think things through, but every passing minute felt like it was pulling her further from Karina.

Karina’s messages continued to light up her phone, each one more desperate than the last.

Karina: Can we talk?

Karina: Please, Y/N, just tell me what you’re thinking.

Karina: I miss you. I’m scared I’m losing you.

Y/N read each one but never responded. She wasn’t ready—not while Yujin’s voice still echoed in her mind.

Yujin wasn’t done either. Her manipulation was a slow, deliberate poison, seeping into every crack she could find. She played her part flawlessly, twisting the truth to her advantage.

She made sure to be around Karina constantly, using their project as the perfect excuse. She acted supportive, compassionate, always there to offer a shoulder to lean on when Karina seemed worn down.

“You okay?” Yujin asked one evening, sitting next to Karina in the campus lounge, their laptops open but forgotten.

Karina sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Not really. Things with Y/N… it’s complicated.”

Yujin tilted her head, her expression laced with feigned concern. “She hasn’t been talking to you?”

“Barely,” Karina admitted, her voice tight. “She said she needed time, but it’s been days. I don’t know what to do.”

Yujin bit her lip, pretending to hesitate. “Maybe she’s struggling with something deeper. Maybe she’s… scared it won’t work.” She paused for dramatic effect before adding, “Or maybe she’s worried because she feels like you’ve changed. Like… you’re not as sure about her anymore.”

Karina frowned. “Why would she think that?”

Yujin offered a small, apologetic smile. “She told me once she felt like she wasn’t enough for you. I think she’s been holding onto that fear. And with how much time we’ve been spending together… maybe she thinks you’re realizing it too.”

Karina’s eyes darkened with guilt. “No. That’s not true. Y/N’s everything to me. I’ve never doubted us.”

“I know,” Yujin said softly, placing a hand on Karina’s arm. “But sometimes, even when we don’t mean to, we give people reasons to doubt.”

The seed was planted—carefully buried in Karina’s mind, just as it had been in Y/N’s.

The next day, Yujin made sure to reach out to Y/N again.

Yujin: Hey, just checking in. I saw Karina today. She’s been really quiet lately. I think she’s struggling with what she wants.

Y/N: Did she say that?

Yujin: Not exactly… but it’s obvious. I think she’s trying to protect your feelings. She doesn’t want to hurt you.

Y/N’s hands trembled as she read the message. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. Yujin had a way of speaking that made every lie sound like the truth.

Her mind spiraled back to the conversation she had with Karina—the hesitation in Karina’s voice, the way she hadn’t immediately denied Yujin’s claim. Maybe Karina really was struggling with her feelings. Maybe Yujin wasn’t lying after all.

Hours later, Karina showed up at Y/N’s door unannounced. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with a raw mix of exhaustion and sadness.

“I couldn’t stay away,” Karina said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I need to know where we stand.”

Y/N crossed her arms, her throat tightening. “Where do we stand, Karina? Because I don’t know anymore. You tell me one thing, and Yujin tells me something else. I feel like I’m being pulled in two different directions, and I don’t know which one to trust.”

Karina’s eyes flashed with anger. “Yujin’s lying to you.”

“Is she?” Y/N shot back, her voice sharp. “Because she seems pretty convinced that you’re unsure about us. That you’ve been confiding in her about things you can’t tell me.”

“I haven’t!” Karina’s frustration boiled over. “Yujin’s twisting everything. She’s manipulating you, Y/N. You’ve known me longer than her—how can you believe her over me?”

“Because I’m scared!” Y/N yelled, the words tearing from her throat. “I’m scared that there’s some truth in what she’s saying. I’m scared that you’ll wake up one day and realize she’s everything you want, and I’m just the person you settled for.”

Karina’s expression shattered, pain written all over her face. “No. No, Y/N, you’re the only person I’ve ever wanted. I love you.”

Y/N’s eyes stung with unshed tears. “Then why does it feel like I’m losing you?”

Karina stepped closer, her voice trembling. “You’re not losing me. But if we let Yujin get between us, if we let her lies destroy what we have, we’ll both lose. Please… trust me.”

Y/N wanted to. God, she wanted to believe Karina with everything she had. But the doubt was still there, a lingering shadow she couldn’t shake.

“I don’t know if I can,” Y/N whispered, her voice breaking. “Not right now.”

Karina nodded slowly, swallowing back her own tears. “Then I’ll wait. For as long as it takes. I’ll prove to you that what we have is real. That it’s worth fighting for.”

Y/N watched her go, the sound of the door closing echoing through the apartment like a final note in a tragic symphony.

She sank onto the couch, her heart in pieces. Part of her wanted to chase after Karina, to beg her to stay. But the other part—the part still poisoned by Yujin’s lies—held her back.

And in that moment, Y/N wasn’t sure which part would win.

The distance between Y/N and Karina grew like a canyon—too wide, too deep. Days turned into a blur of silence, and with each one that passed, Y/N felt the weight of everything they hadn’t said suffocating her.

Karina hadn’t messaged since their last conversation, and for once, Y/N was thankful. Every time her phone lit up, she half-expected to see Yujin’s name again, feeding her another dose of doubt. But it didn’t come. Not yet. The quiet was its own kind of torture.

Y/N walked around campus in a daze, pretending she was fine, but her chest felt heavy, and her head swirled with conflicting thoughts. Every corner she turned, she felt like she’d run into Karina—or worse, Karina and Yujin together.

When it finally happened, it hit harder than Y/N had imagined.

They were in the library, sitting side by side at a table near the window. Karina’s head was bent over her laptop, strands of her dark hair falling into her face. Yujin leaned in, close enough that their shoulders touched, saying something that made Karina smile faintly.

The sight twisted in Y/N’s stomach like a knife.

Before she could think it through, she walked toward them. Her footsteps felt heavier with every step, her heart slamming against her ribs.

“Karina,” Y/N said, her voice steady despite the storm in her chest.

Karina’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise. “Y/N.”

Yujin leaned back casually, her gaze shifting between them. “Oh, hey, Y/N. You finally decided to join us.”

“Can we talk?” Y/N asked, ignoring Yujin.

Karina hesitated, glancing at Yujin. The pause was barely noticeable, but it sent a sharp pang through Y/N’s chest.

“Of course,” Karina said, closing her laptop.

They stepped outside, the cold air biting against Y/N’s skin. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Karina stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets, watching Y/N with cautious eyes.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Y/N said, her voice raw. “I can’t keep pretending I’m okay with you spending all this time with her.”

Karina’s brows furrowed. “It’s work, Y/N. You know that.”

“No,” Y/N snapped, her voice rising. “It’s not just work. She’s been feeding me lies—telling me you’re unsure about us, that you have feelings for her. And then I see you with her, and it’s like… maybe she’s right.”

Karina stepped forward, her voice laced with frustration. “She’s not right. Y/N, I’ve told you before—Yujin’s lying to you. Why can’t you see that?”

“Because she says it so convincingly!” Y/N’s voice cracked, her eyes burning. “And I don’t know what’s real anymore. Every time I see you with her, I feel like I’m losing you piece by piece, and it’s killing me.”

Karina’s face softened, her anger melting into something far more painful. “You’re not losing me. Y/N, you’ve never lost me. Yujin is trying to tear us apart because she wants me for herself, but I don’t want her. I’ve never wanted her. I’ve only ever wanted you.”

Y/N swallowed hard, her throat tightening. “Then why does it feel like I’m fighting for something that’s already slipping through my fingers?”

“Because she’s made you believe that,” Karina whispered, stepping even closer. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “But I’m still here, Y/N. I haven’t gone anywhere. And I won’t, unless you push me away.”

Y/N’s breath hitched, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m scared.”

“I know,” Karina said softly, her hand reaching for Y/N’s. “But we’re stronger than this. We’ve been through so much together. Don’t let her win. Don’t let her take this from us.”

Y/N stared at Karina’s hand in hers, her pulse racing. For the first time in days, she felt a sliver of clarity—a reminder of everything they had built, everything they had fought for.

But before she could say anything, the door behind them opened, and Yujin stepped out, her eyes glinting with something dark and unreadable.

“Is everything okay?” Yujin asked, feigning concern, though the slight smirk on her face betrayed her intentions.

Y/N’s grip on Karina’s hand tightened. She turned to Yujin, her voice cold. “Actually, no. It’s not.”

Karina straightened beside her, her eyes blazing. “Yujin, we need to talk. Alone.”

For the first time, Yujin’s confident mask faltered.

Y/N crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. “Yeah, we do. Because it’s time we clear a few things up.”

And just like that, the battle lines were drawn, the air thick with tension. Y/N wasn’t sure where this conversation would lead, but one thing was certain: she was done letting Yujin pull the strings.

It was time to take back control—before it was too late.

The tension in the air was suffocating as Karina and Yujin stood face to face outside the library. Y/N lingered by the door, her heart pounding, arms crossed tightly over her chest. She had trusted Karina to handle this, but the fear of what Yujin might say still clung to her like a shadow.

Karina’s eyes were sharp, her jaw set. “We need to talk—now. No more games, Yujin.”

Yujin tilted her head, her lips curling into a slow, practiced smile. “Games? I think you’re being a bit dramatic. I was just trying to protect you, Karina. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

Karina’s expression hardened. “Protect me? You’ve been lying to Y/N. Telling her things you know aren’t true. You’ve been trying to push us apart.”

Yujin crossed her arms, her confidence unwavering. “And why would I do that? What could I possibly gain from it?”

Karina scoffed. “Don’t act innocent. You know exactly what you’re doing. You’ve always been good at manipulating people, twisting things until they break.”

Y/N clenched her fists, stepping forward. Her voice was low but steady, carrying a weight that made Yujin falter for just a second. “You told me Karina had feelings for you, that she was confused. You made me doubt her—doubt us. And for what? To get what you want?”

Yujin’s smirk flickered, her eyes narrowing. “I only told you what I thought you needed to hear. If you were so quick to believe it, maybe that says more about your relationship than it does about me.”

The words hit like a slap to the face, leaving Y/N breathless. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay grounded. “Don’t twist this around. You wanted me to walk away from her. You made it sound like I was holding her back, like she’d be better off with you.”

“And maybe she would be,” Yujin said smoothly, her voice dropping into something almost tender. “Think about it, Y/N. You’ve been doubting her for weeks now. Isn’t that exhausting? Isn’t it easier to just… let go?”

Karina stepped between them, her voice shaking with anger. “Enough, Yujin. I love her. I’ve always loved her. Nothing you say is going to change that.”

Yujin’s smile faltered, the mask slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of hurt. For the first time, her confidence wavered. “I was just trying to show you what you could have, Karina. Someone who understands your world, who won’t hold you back.”

Karina’s eyes blazed. “What I want is Y/N. And I’ll fight for her, no matter how hard you try to come between us.”

Yujin opened her mouth to respond, but Y/N stepped in, her voice sharp. “You’ve done enough damage. Stay out of our lives, Yujin. I won’t let you poison this anymore.”

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of the confrontation settling around them like heavy fog. Yujin’s face twisted in frustration, her eyes flicking between Y/N and Karina before she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.

Karina let out a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging with the release of tension. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I should’ve seen what she was doing sooner. I should’ve protected you from this.”

Y/N shook her head, her throat tight. “It’s not your fault. I should’ve trusted you more. I let her get inside my head.”

Karina stepped closer, cupping Y/N’s face gently, her eyes filled with regret. “We’ve both made mistakes. But I don’t want to lose you—not over her, not over anything.”

Y/N felt the tears spill over, but she didn’t pull away. “You won’t. I’m still here.”

Karina leaned her forehead against Y/N’s, her voice barely a whisper. “Promise me we’ll fight for this. For us.”

Y/N closed her eyes, nodding slowly. “I promise.”

They stood like that for a long moment, clinging to each other as if the world could crumble around them at any second. The storm wasn’t over—not by a long shot. But for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/N felt steady, anchored by Karina’s unwavering presence.

Whatever came next, they would face it together.

And this time, they wouldn’t let anyone tear them apart.

The aftermath of Yujin’s lies wasn’t the dramatic explosion Y/N expected. It wasn’t some sudden, clean resolution. Instead, it was an unrelenting ache—one that seeped into everything she did, coloring every word she spoke to Karina and every glance they exchanged.

It had been days since the confrontation with Yujin. Days since the air between Y/N and Karina had shifted into something heavy and unfamiliar. There were no more accusations or harsh words, but there also wasn’t the same ease that used to come naturally between them. Their conversations were polite but guarded, their touches cautious.

Y/N felt like she was walking a tightrope, afraid to say the wrong thing and break whatever fragile peace they had left. And every time Karina’s phone buzzed, her stomach twisted into knots. Even though Yujin was no longer in the picture, the damage she left behind lingered.

It’s not like I can undo it, Y/N thought bitterly one night as she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. I can’t unhear what she said. I can’t forget the way she made me feel.

The worst part wasn’t that Yujin had lied. It was that some part of Y/N believed her. Believed that maybe, just maybe, Karina deserved something better. Something easier.

The next evening, Y/N decided she couldn’t sit with her thoughts anymore. She needed to see Karina—to talk to her before the doubts consumed her entirely. She grabbed her jacket and left without even thinking to check the weather. The rain started halfway to Karina’s place, soaking through her clothes, but she didn’t care. She needed answers more than she needed to stay dry.

When Karina opened the door and saw Y/N standing there, dripping wet, her eyes immediately filled with concern. “Y/N? What are you doing here? You’re soaked!”

“I couldn’t stay home,” Y/N said, her voice barely steady as she stepped inside. “I’ve been going out of my mind, Karina. I need to talk to you.”

Karina shut the door behind her, worry etched into her face. “Of course. Come here.” She reached for Y/N’s arm, guiding her to the couch and wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. “You’re freezing.”

Y/N sat down but didn’t relax. Her eyes stayed fixed on the floor, her fingers clutching the blanket. “I thought I was okay after what happened with Yujin. I thought once she was out of the picture, things would go back to normal.” She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But they haven’t.”

Karina sat beside her, her heart sinking at the pain in Y/N’s voice. “I know,” she admitted softly. “I feel it too.”

Y/N glanced at her, startled by the confession. “You do?”

Karina nodded, folding her hands together. “I thought if we just moved on, if we didn’t talk about it too much, things would fix themselves. But… I’ve been scared too. Yujin’s words got to me, Y/N. Not because I believed her, but because she made me realize how fragile this feels sometimes. I hate that she planted those doubts in your head. I hate that she made you question us.”

Y/N blinked back tears, her voice cracking. “She didn’t just plant doubts, Karina. She made me believe that I’m not enough for you. That one day, you’ll wake up and realize it’s easier to be with someone like her—someone who understands your world without needing you to explain it.”

Karina’s breath hitched. “No. Don’t say that. That’s not true, Y/N. It’s never been true.” She reached for Y/N’s hand, holding it tightly. “You’re not just enough for me—you’re everything to me. Do you hear me? Everything.”

“But what if I can’t shake it?” Y/N whispered, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “What if this feeling never goes away?”

Karina’s throat tightened, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. She cupped Y/N’s face, her touch firm yet tender. “Then we fight it. Together. Every day, if we have to. I don’t care how long it takes—I’m not letting you go because of something Yujin said.”

Y/N’s breath hitched as she leaned into Karina’s touch. “I want to believe that. I want us to be stronger, but it’s so hard. It feels like… like I’m constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Karina nodded slowly, her own fears surfacing. “I know. I feel that too sometimes. But we have to trust each other. We can’t let someone like Yujin take that from us. I love you, Y/N. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t care how messy or complicated this gets—we’ll figure it out.”

The words settled into Y/N’s chest, soothing but not erasing the ache completely. Still, they felt like a lifeline, something to hold onto in the storm. She nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay. No more pretending everything’s fine when it’s not. No more running from this.”

Karina smiled through her tears, pressing a soft kiss to Y/N’s forehead. “No more running.”

The rain continued to fall outside, the sound filling the quiet spaces between their words. They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for a long time, the tension slowly ebbing away, replaced by something more fragile but no less real—hope.

It wouldn’t be easy. The wounds Yujin left wouldn’t heal overnight, and the shadows of doubt would linger for a while. But they were still here. Still holding on. Still fighting.

And for now, that was enough.

But deep down, they both knew this wasn’t the end of the storm. It was only the beginning of learning how to weather it together.

The following days were a delicate dance—filled with cautious words and fleeting touches that left Y/N feeling more disconnected from Karina than ever before. Even though they had agreed to face things together, there was an invisible wall between them, one neither dared to fully acknowledge yet.

Y/N spent most of her time at her own place, giving herself space to breathe, to think. But thinking only made things worse.

Trust her, Y/N reminded herself repeatedly. She loves you. She chose you.

Yet Yujin’s words had left a permanent scar on her thoughts, looping over and over like a haunting refrain.

The silence between texts grew longer. The once-effortless conversations felt forced, every word weighed down with unspoken tension. Y/N told herself it was just a phase, something they’d push through—but deep down, the doubt clawed at her.

It all came to a head one cold evening when Y/N found herself outside Karina’s apartment, heart racing and fingers trembling. She hadn’t planned to come—her feet had carried her there before her brain could catch up. I just need to see her, she thought. Maybe that’ll make it better.

Karina opened the door, surprised but smiling softly. “Hey. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Hey,” Y/N replied, her voice tight. “I… I needed to see you.”

Karina stepped aside, letting her in. The warmth of the apartment contrasted sharply with the icy air outside, but it did little to ease Y/N’s nerves.

They stood there for a moment, the tension thick between them.

Karina broke the silence first. “Do you want some tea or something?”

Y/N shook her head. “No, I just… I need to talk to you.”

Karina nodded slowly, her expression shifting into something more serious. She gestured to the couch, and they both sat down, the space between them feeling vast despite the proximity.

“What’s on your mind?” Karina asked gently, but Y/N could see the worry in her eyes.

Y/N took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet Karina’s gaze. “I thought I was okay. I thought we could push past what happened with Yujin, but… I’m struggling. I hate admitting that, but it’s true.”

Karina’s brow furrowed. “I know. I’ve been feeling it too. But we’ll get through it, Y/N. We’ve already talked about this.”

“I know we talked about it,” Y/N said, her voice rising slightly. “But talking doesn’t magically make it go away. I still feel like I’m constantly second-guessing everything—every time you’re late to reply, every time you say you’re busy with work, I can’t help but wonder…”

“Wonder what?” Karina asked, her voice quieter now, almost trembling.

“If you’re having second thoughts,” Y/N whispered. “If she was right. If deep down, part of you realizes I’m not the right person for you.”

Karina’s face fell, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Y/N… no. That’s not true. How many times do I have to tell you that? I’m with you because I love you. Not her. Never her.”

“I want to believe that,” Y/N said, her voice cracking. “I really do. But you don’t know what it’s like to live with that voice in your head constantly telling you you’re not enough. And now, thanks to Yujin, that voice is louder than ever.”

Karina reached for Y/N’s hand, gripping it tightly. “Then let me help you silence that voice. You’re not in this alone, Y/N. You never have been.”

Y/N looked down at their intertwined hands, tears blurring her vision. “I’m scared, Karina. I’m scared this is going to break us. I’m scared I’ll never stop feeling like this.”

Karina’s voice shook with emotion as she spoke. “I’m scared too. But if we let that fear control us, we’re giving Yujin exactly what she wanted. We can’t let her win, Y/N. We can’t let her take away what we have.”

Y/N nodded, biting her lip to hold back a sob. “I just… I don’t know how to stop feeling this way.”

Karina leaned closer, her forehead resting against Y/N’s. “We’ll figure it out. Even if it takes time. Even if we stumble along the way. You’re worth it to me, Y/N. Every messy, complicated part of this is worth it.”

For the first time in days, Y/N felt a glimmer of hope pierce through the darkness. She wrapped her arms around Karina, holding onto her like she was the only thing keeping her grounded.

Karina’s fingers stroked her hair softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’re not perfect. But we don’t have to be. We just have to keep choosing each other. No matter how hard it gets.”

The tears finally spilled over as Y/N buried her face in Karina’s shoulder. It wasn’t a solution. It wasn’t an instant fix. But it was something—a promise to try, to fight for what they had, even when it felt impossible.

They stayed like that for a long time, tangled together on the couch as the city buzzed quietly outside the window.

It wasn’t the ending Y/N had hoped for. But it wasn’t an ending at all. It was just another step—painful, messy, but real.

And for now, that was enough.

[16wolke11]

Clumsy - Oscar Piastri

A/N My first one-shot here! Still figuring out the tagging and stuff, but I hope you like it.

Summary: Oscar's girlfriend is extremely clumsy, always managing to get a new bruise or a new cut just a few days apart. One day she falls down the stairs and needs surgery, Oscar drops everything to be with her.

Words: 2139

__________

Being a teacher at an elementary school was always my dream job, and after finishing my master's degree, I am finally able to do what I love; teaching the young ones and laying the first stones on their path to knowledge. Even though it is difficult at times, to manage the fidgeting children who tend to get distracted easily, it's still what I love. Seeing success when another one manages to read a full sentence, solve a math problem, or write a rather difficult word with the correct spelling is priceless.

But being a teacher also means I'm not able to accompany Oscar that often. It's just not ideal to travel over the weekend; landing late on Fridays and having to leave exactly after the race, while also trying to prepare the classes for the upcoming week and maybe even needing to correct work from the previous one. I love summer break because it means I can be with Oscar more often, but in the meantime, we make the best out of the situation. We FaceTime frequently, chat while the other is occupied, and just savour the time we can spend together.

This week is another one when Oscar left for a race, and I have to stay behind. Luckily, I have a short day at school today, allowing me to go before lunch and finish some things. Well, if it weren't for my clumsy self. Oscar always jokes that I get at least five new bruises while he's away, and he's probably right, but I can't do anything about the stumbling, the brushing against door frames, or knocking my little toe into anything. But today, my bad luck took it one step too far, and I slipped on the stairs at school, hitting my elbow on them and feeling a sharp pain shoot down my arm.

I've fallen down these stairs before, but I've never been in so much pain. One of my coworkers found me, and after a quick look at my already bruising elbow, we decided to call an ambulance. Now, hours later, I have a diagnosis and finally some time to tell Oscar what happened. I already have a few texts from him, nothing too worried, just some updates about his day and a question about how mine is going. With a sigh, I call his number, bracing myself to tell him everything while not even being able to fidget with my fingers for distraction.

It doesn't take long before Oscar picks up like he's been waiting in front of his phone just anticipating my call or text. "Hey, Oscar," I greet him and hear some shuffling in the background before a door closes and Oscar speaks up.

"Love, everything okay? Shouldn't you be at work?" he asks, his voice already laced with worry. I close my eyes for a moment. Oscar didn't even know I was supposed to be out of work early today and just assumes I should still be at school teaching or supervising the little gremlins.

"Please don't freak out," I start, and I hear a nervous chuckle in response.

"This is not a great starting point for that request, but I'll try."

He's right, but I don't even know how to phrase what happened easily, so I just start with the simplest explanation I can think of. "Well, I kind of fell down the stairs after finishing my last class."

"Again?" Oscar laughs, and I can't help but smile a little too, though I roll my eyes at the same time, even though Oscar can't see me.

"Hey, I can't do anything about being clumsy," I protest, but I only get another laugh in return. Usually, I would laugh with him, but the light throbbing in my elbow, down to my fingers, stops the light mood I'm in.

"Sorry, but I reckon you don't just call to tell me that," Oscar apologizes softly, and then he gets back to the reason for my call. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for all the questions he's going to have.

"No, I might've smashed my elbow pretty badly, and they brought me to the hospital." I tell him the first facts, and immediately the laughing Oscar is replaced with a worried one.

"That bad?" he asks, and I can almost hear the pain in his voice. As much as he likes to joke about my clumsiness, he also hates it when I get injured, even if it's just a little bruise or a cut.

"Unfortunately, I managed to break it and need surgery to fix the broken pieces back into place. It'll be a long recovery because I was pretty successful in splintering the bone into pieces," I tell him what the doctors explained, just in the simpler version. They explained a lot about how they need to make sure there are no little bone fragments left in the joint and the recovery process I'll have to go through.

"Fuck!" Oscar curses, and I can hear him pacing, probably in his driver's room. I can only imagine the distressed look on his face and how he's probably ruffling his hair while a thousand thoughts swirling through his head. Well, at least he's giving me an insight into what's going on in his mind, because he starts rambling.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you need anything? I could send Margaret over or someone else if you need anyone by your side right now. Did they say anything about the recovery? Will your arm be able to move normally or will there be any lasting damage?"

"Oscar, stop." I manage to speak up when he takes a deep breath. It's sweet how he's trying to help me from afar, even thinking about sending our elderly neighbour to me, but I need him to calm down.

"Sorry, kind of freaking out right now," he mutters, and I smile just a little bit.

"I could tell." I still remember the first time Oscar rambled that much and how surprised I was by the speed and number of words coming out of his mouth. Usually, he's calm, collected, and limits his words to the necessary ones, but when he's really worried, everything just comes out.

"Don't worry, I don't need anything right now. Just hearing your voice makes everything feel better," I tell him, which is the truth. There's nothing I need right now, except for him, and he just helps me by being here on the phone, even though it's not the same as having him in person.

"That's good," Oscar says, and I can hear that he's stopped pacing, probably calming down a little.

"Is there anything you know about the surgery?" he asks after a short break, now sounding like his calm self again.

"We're currently waiting for a free spot in the OR. It's not urgent, but they'd like to operate before the swelling gets too bad, and luckily, I haven't had lunch yet," I explain what the doctors told me. This isn't an emergency, but waiting too long isn't ideal either, so they're going to squeeze me in as soon as one of the ORs is available.

"I bet you're hungry," Oscar grins, and I can hear it in his voice. I've learned to recognize that tone through the phone—the soft change when his lips are curled upwards.

"Starving," I confirm with a soft laugh. My stomach is already growling, but there's no way to get food until after the surgery. I can wait if it means my elbow will be fixed.

"I promise you your favourite food as soon as I'm with you," Oscar says, and I know he's not lying. He would probably even order food into the hospital for me if that were possible, but they wouldn't bring it to me, so I'll have to wait.

"Looking forward to it. Hopefully, I'll be home by then," I mumble, knowing it will take some days until Oscar will be back home, and who knows, maybe they'll send me home just a few days after the surgery.

"We'll see," are Oscar's last words about my injury before we start talking a bit about his day. I get the feeling he's trying to distract me, and it's working perfectly. At one point, Oscar needs to leave for some duties, and luckily for me, a nice nurse comes in just a few minutes later to inform me that my surgery is starting soon.

The way to the OR and the prepping feels like a blur, and quicker than I thought, I'm with an anaesthesiologist. Drifting into sleep feels like a relief because I know my arm will be fixed. Of course, recovery will take its time, but I'm sure I'll manage it just fine.

Waking up after the surgery almost knocks the air out of my lungs because it feels like my arm is falling off. The nurse helps me take a few sips of water, gives me some painkillers, and then I drift back into sleep, even though I just woke up from a deep slumber.

The night is blurry, waking up from time to time—sometimes from the pain in general, sometimes from the nurses, and sometimes from the pain of a sudden movement. But somehow, I make it through the night and feel slightly better in the morning. Blinking, I try to figure out what time it might be when I spot a familiar figure sitting beside my bed, watching me closely.

"Os?" I ask groggily, not sure if he's really sitting there or if the pain meds are playing tricks on my mind. But just seeing the soft smile on his lips makes me hope that he's really there and not just in my imagination.

"Hi, love," he whispers, fingers reaching for my uninjured hand, softly holding onto it, letting me feel the warmth of his touch.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, slowly realizing that he's indeed here and not with his team for the race weekend.

"Being here for you," he simply states, like it's obvious that it wouldn't even be a question for him if he had to choose where to be right now.

"Your race..." I whisper, knowing how important it is, not only to him but to the fans, the championship, the team, and everyone else involved. I would like to ask him if he's insane, if they made it hard for him to leave, but no words leave my lips.

"You are more important," Oscar states, and my eyes well up. How can he be so perfect?

"Thank you," I try to squeeze his hand a bit, but my grip is pretty weak. Oscar starts letting his thumb brush over the back of my hand, and I relax under his touch. His eyes wander over me before he asks a question.

"How are you feeling? Is the pain manageable?"

My eyes linger on my heavily padded elbow for a moment. Right now, I don't feel anything but a dull pain. But it seems like Oscar's touch makes it disappear with every soft stroke of his finger on my skin.

"You make everything seem better just by being here," I state, my voice laced with tiredness, and Oscar smiles softly.

"So, I guess they gave you some nice painkillers," he grins. I can hear it in his voice, and I can feel my lips pulling into a crooked smile.

"Yes."

We look at each other for a moment, but my eyes are getting heavier and heavier, and I have to fight to keep them open for a few more minutes.

"Can you come in?" I ask Oscar, who looks conflicted at my question.

"I don't know," he says, gesturing to my body, indicating he's scared of hurting me in any way, but I just need him close now for recovery.

"Please."

Oscar sighs softly before standing up. "Okay, anything to make you feel better," he says, gets rid of his shoes, and carefully shuffles into the bed beside me. I need to stay on my back because of my elbow being propped up in some bedding, and he lays on his side beside my good arm, resting his arm over my belly and searching for the contact I need. I rest my head against his chest before a thought comes into my head.

"Did you bring the food?" I ask, remembering what he promised, and even though my mind is hazy, I realize he probably already knew he was coming home early when he promised me the food.

"Yes," Oscar confirms, and I can only hum the following words, close to falling asleep.

"Love you."

"Love you too, my little crash pilot," Oscar whispers, holding me in his arms while I slip into the sleep of recovery.

[seitmai]

Many thoughts

But the day before proved that you didn’t necessarily know what was coming next and that made your stomach rumble and twist in knots. The uncertainty was eating at you. Your mind was swirling.

Good god I get that 🥴

You hesitated. You could tell him, you thought. You could spill every crazy thought running through your mind. But you didn’t

Nooo

But what they did made you spiral, because in your head you had more time to get used to them really being together. You’d give a million dollars to harness what Peach had, that spontaneity.

💔💔💔

 You knew she was calling about Steve and Peach and you just couldn’t do it at the moment.

Mood

Your eyes skimmed down his bare chest, following the trail of happiness between his pecs and down those abs that you ended up licking the day before, down his delicious belly button to disappear under the waistband of the grey sweats slung low on his hips. There was more deliciousness in there, of that you were certain. Suddenly, you wanted to fuck him stupid again, and you wiped the corners of your mouth to make sure you weren’t drooling.

The checking that she is not drooling? Reasonable 🤭

“To think,” you said simply, not looking him in the eye. Bucky exhaled sharply, stepping forward, crowding you. “If something’s wrong, just tell me. We’ve got to communicate.” “Bucky. I need to. Please.” His grip tightened for just a moment before he released you, stepping back.  “Then go,” he said, voice emotional. 

Nooo not again, even him directly addressing it..

Bucky sat in his living room, spiraling, not knowing what to think. Bucky agreed to you leaving, because what else could he do?

He is not doing well 🥺

Then he asked, “Are you eating?” You blinked, surprised.  “What?” “You get caught up in your head when you’re stressed,” he said, his voice quiet.  “I don’t want you forgetting to take care of yourself.” Damn you loved this man. He knew you so well.

To be loved it to be known 🫶🏻

“I’m fine, Bucky.” “I sent something over.” “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured. “Just eat. And call me anytime. I love you, Frumoasă. I miss you. I’ll see you on Friday.”

🥺🥺🥺

“Is that why you’re pulling away from me? You have another man?”

This is not good...

“But….I’m on birth control.” You looked at her as if she had three heads. She smiled indulgently at you.  “You know that’s not 100%. Have you had unprotected sex with anyone?” You giggled, thinking just how much unprotected sex you’d had with Bucky. Then you started crying. She handed you a tissue, used to emotions with things like this. It all made sense now. The nausea you’d brushed off, the exhaustion, the moods, the uncertainty, the fear knotting in your stomach. You should have known. 

Ahh a lot makes sense now!

When you asked, you’d managed to shock doctor Phillips, but she soon recovered.

Hahahah omg 😂

“Please don’t tell Peach,” you added quickly. “I don’t want to interrupt her honeymoon.”

Can't interupt them. They are probably busy working on a baby on their own 😅

“I don’t know how. We argued the last time we spoke. And I don’t want him to marry me just because I’m pregnant.” “Honey, he’s gonna marry you no matter what. And you’re never going to get away from that man now that you’re carrying his child.” You chewed your lip, still unsure. “You think so, Ma?” “Baby, I know so.”

For personal reasons I'm highly critical to say "Moms always know what's best!" But in this case? Absolutely true, listen to you mom!

There was something about you today that made him want to take you down, but he was going to follow your lead. He needed to see where your head was at.

🥺🥺🥺

Nico was celebrating the holidays in another chalet with his family and had the week off.

Good for him!

That night snow blanketed the trees outside, and the fireplace crackled as everyone gathered around the fireplace after dinner. Bucky stayed close, touching you almost always, even if it was just his hand on yours. The proximity to him was what you needed, and you wanted to just burrow yourself in his chest. But you had to tell him. Every time his hand brushed against yours, you felt the pull. Every time he looked at you like you were his whole world, you wanted to close the distance. For the first time in days, you felt like maybe you were exactly where you needed to be.

🥰🥰🥰

He brought it inside and placed it, dripping wet on the table. Everyone gathered around to see that there was something inside that looked like a lump of coal. Bucky looked at you gaping at it, and then: he broke it in half. You gasped. Because inside, tucked into the hollowed-out core, was a small black velvet box. Your stomach dropped.

Wow what a way to hide a ring 🤭

“You are… “ Bucky stopped, choked up. “…The love of my life,” he said, pulling out the ring and looking up at you with that devastating certainty.  “And I want forever with you.” You let out a choked laugh, “You hid my ring in an icicle?,” you whispered. Bucky grinned up at you. “Damn right I did.”

“That was the most ridiculous, perfect Christmas proposal ever!” Peach was full on sobbing with joy as she said it.

She's so real for this reaction haha

“You better take care of that little girl, James. She’s special.” Bucky looked at him, emotional. “Yes, Sir. That’s my mission in life.”

He is more than ready and willing to do it

“I always knew you thought differently. It is just so cool the way you can see things from different angles. But yeah, you don’t do surprises well.” “It just feels so freeing to finally be able to name what I was feeling sometimes. Being labeled as gifted didn’t help anyone from noticing that my mind probably is atypical.” “Girl, none of us is typical, but yeah. Being labeled as gifted sucked sometimes. But sometimes it’s kinda hot. Tell me about your praise kink and I’ll tell you about mine.”

I'm so glad they have each other and their special relationship 🫶🏻 what an important talk for them

Peach was up and over Steve’s shoulder as he hauled her out of the door. You giggled and waved at her as she swatted his ass with one hand and waved back at you.

This is so them haha

Pregnant. Buck stared at you, unable to process. “I didn’t know until yesterday,” you whispered, your eyes filled with emotion. “It explains a lot about what I’ve been feeling. And I didn’t know how to tell you.” Bucky dreamed of getting you pregnant, but this was a detour from his plans. And he knew how you felt about surprises. “My sweet, sweet angel Frumoasă. I’m sorry I didn’t realize…”

🥹🥹🥹

Bucky took your hand again and pulled you toward him so that you rested in his arms. He kissed you on the top of your head. He knew one thing: it was you and he and your family for the rest of his life. He wasn’t going anywhere. He cupped your face, his thumb brushing across your cheek. And he smiled. That’s when you knew everything would be alright. 

They just need each other 🥹❤️

“Okay? I’m over the moon, Baby. I love you. Nothing changes that. We’re starting something new. A family. And I’ll be by your side for every step.”

He is so ready and happy 🥰

“I’m sure,” He whispered against your lips. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” “There’s something else, Bucky…” You told him your suspicions and Bucky was unmoved. “I wouldn’t be surprised. But you have a beautiful mind, Love. I told you that I love the way you think the first time I met you.”

What a perfect reaction 🥹🥰

The way Bucky beamed at you with acceptance was so fucky sexy. You need him inside you like your next breath. Your kiss told him that.

🤭🤭🤭

“You are trying to control things again, Frumoasă, sending me an article about BDSM during pregnancy. You need to learn that there are times that I’m in control in the bedroom. And I decide what happens and when.” He reached down and tipped your chin up, looking at you with narrowed steel blue eyes. “Now, I will teach you that lesson so that you should remember it. And although this room is sound proofed, and we are alone in this house, you need to keep quiet.” You just stared at him, mind going almost completely blank.

What a way to get her out of her head 🤭

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “You deserve everything I give you. I’m going to tell you again and again how good you are.”  You squirmed, thrashing beneath him, and his grip tightened on your wrists.  “You’re my favorite girl. You’re beautiful and perfect. You’re so good that I’m going to give you all my cum.”

😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

It was almost Christmas morning, and you had every gift you wanted, right there in that bed.

 “You’re right, you can’t have a heart attack now, we’ve got a child to think of.”

Haha fair

🥰🥰🥰

Answer Love’s Call

Summary: James Bucky Barnes WAS an avowed bachelor and one night stand artist. You came along and he fell in love. He is about to propose. But something is off. You need time to come to terms about what this love will mean in the future. And how in the world you will deal with it.

Pairing: Art Dealer (mob boss) Bucky Barnes x Reader

A/N: Okay, we're at Christmas. 😅 Hey guys. This one is close to my heart. Some of this is very personal to me, as a high functioning person who might be a little bit different. I hope you enjoy this.

This fic is in the Knock You Down AU, and comes immediately after both Worth the Fall and the Steve Rogers fic Peach VII.

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI. Read at your own risk. Smut! LOTS of angst, Frumoasa is spiraling, y'all, running away, a sexy ex, jealous, spiraling Bucky, a doctor's visit surprise, Frumoasa is not nero-typical, a beautiful mountain chalet Christmas, Steve x Peach, extended family, an icicle surprise, and Bucky helps Frumoasa relax, hard. Dom/sub elements, references to bdsm, use of 'Daddy,' oral (m receiving) spanking, anal play, attempted edging, raw p in v, praise kink, breeding kink, yeah. :)

I no longer have a taglist. Please follow @rampitupandread and turn on notifications to learn when I post! 😘

I Do NOT Consent to my work being reposted, translated or presented on any other blog or site other than by myself.

------

The day after the gala, you woke up with your head pounding. You were over warm, and your heart was beating fast, although you could hear Bucky’s steady breathing beside you. 

You turned and watched him for a moment, his handsome face relaxed and also, strangely, confident.

He looked so sure, so steady.

But the day before proved that you didn’t necessarily know what was coming next and that made your stomach rumble and twist in knots.

It might have been too much champagne, or it might have been the rollercoaster of emotions from the entire day before.

Your thoughts were all over the place about you and Bucky. Next week, you would be at the cabin in Vermont for the holidays, and he was planning to propose there.

Maybe? Maybe not?

The uncertainty was eating at you. Your mind was swirling.

Bucky stirred, his hand instinctively reaching for you. You let him pull you close, and you kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Morning,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. 

Your body, as always, responded to him. Hell, the day before you’d practically attacked him. Something about the way he looked lately was making you feral. 

“Morning,” you responded.

He opened those beautiful eyes still heavy with sleep and peered at you through his eyelashes.  

“You good?”

You hesitated. You could tell him, you thought. You could spill every crazy thought running through your mind. But you didn’t

So you gave him the easy answer.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

He smiled, content with your answer, and closed his eyes again. 

You two had tumbled into bed after the gala, very much under the influence. If Bucky had been fully awake, he would have noticed that you were not, in fact, good. 

You kissed his forehead and whispered that you were getting up to pee, which earned a grunt, a nod, and side smile.

You went to the kitchen and some tea to soothe your headache and some eggs for your stomach and then sat at the bar and ate, staring out onto the landscape of New York City at Christmastime.

You had time to really sit with your thoughts. You hadn’t lied to Peach. She and Steve were perfect together; and they’d done what felt right, what made sense for them.  

But what they did made you spiral, because in your head you had more time to get used to them really being together. You’d give a million dollars to harness what Peach had, that spontaneity. 

Bucky Barnes pulled that out of you, but right now you were feeling unsafe, out of control.

You were wrapped up in too many feelings: the drug of loving Bucky, the extreme high of sex with him, and then your own anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

Steve and Peach were headed to Atlanta today and then on to Vermont to spend a few days on a mini-moon before everyone arrived on the 23rd. 

Your phone, which had been plugged up on the bar, started to vibrate, and you saw that it was your mother. You also saw that she had called twice before. 

You knew she was calling about Steve and Peach and you just couldn’t do it at the moment.

You silenced the call and then walked through the bedroom into the closet and grabbed one of the expensive luggage pieces that Bucky’d bought you.

Maybe a few days at your place would help you sort things out.

—---

In the middle of packing, you turned to see Bucky leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, his expression pure frustration.

Your eyes skimmed down his bare chest, following the trail of happiness between his pecs and down those abs that you ended up licking the day before, down his delicious belly button to disappear under the waistband of the grey sweats slung low on his hips.

There was more deliciousness in there, of that you were certain.

Suddenly, you wanted to fuck him stupid again, and you wiped the corners of your mouth to make sure you weren’t drooling.

“Frumoasa, what’s going on?”

His voice was tight, controlled, but barely.

You shook your head, feeling crazy. You gripped the t-shirt (of his) you’d been packing in your hands.

“I just... I need some time,” you admitted. “Before Vermont.”

His jaw clenched and those eyes blazed. 

“Time for what?”

“To think,” you said simply, not looking him in the eye.

Bucky exhaled sharply, stepping forward, crowding you. 

“If something’s wrong, just tell me. We’ve got to communicate.”

You swallowed, finally meeting his blue, blue eyes. 

“I just need to figure some things out first.”

His frustration emanated from him for a minute, and then, suddenly, he reached for you, pulling you against him. You melted against his hard body, like always.

“Do you want to go to Connecticut? Right now?… Because if so…” 

His voice was softer now, his fingers carding through your curls. But what he said made you panic.

“No! It’s not that, Bucky…”

“If you’re doubting us….”

His voice was plaintive now and your breath caught as his scent and his warmth surrounded you. You wanted to fall into him, to let him chase away every uncertainty. 

But you needed to stand on your own two feet.

“I just need space,” you whispered, even as your hands reached up and clasped around his neck, unwilling to let go.

Bucky’s forehead rested against yours. 

“You say that, but I can tell that you don’t want to leave,” he murmured, his lips brushing against your temple.

Your heart thundered. 

“Bucky. I need to. Please.”

His grip tightened for just a moment before he released you, stepping back. 

“Then go,” he said, voice emotional. 

He turned and walked out of the door, giving you a wide berth as you finished packing. 

You cried as Nico drove you to your brownstone, and went straight to bed when you got there. You were emotionally exhausted.

—-

Bucky sat in his living room, spiraling, not knowing what to think.

Bucky agreed to you leaving, because what else could he do?

It didn’t make sense. The day before had been so much fun. You’d had great sex, and you looked amazing for the gala. Then there was the happy surprise about Steve and Peach.

He knew that you were over the moon for those two, but something was going on.

Had he taken too much time to propose?

But you’d only been together for a little over three months. He couldn’t help that Steve and Peach were crazy people who did crazy things.

Bucky was surer than sure that he and you belonged together. 

Now you just needed to come to the same realization. 

And he wasn’t going to force you.

—--

You stayed inside the entire next day, Sunday, feeling lethargic. Normally you’d be brunching or cooking with Bucky, relaxing and doing something fun.

You missed him and wondered why you weren’t with him.

At that moment, your phone rang. It was Bucky. 

“Hey,” you said softly, tucking a knee up to your chest as you curled up on the couch.

“Hey,” he echoed. Damn, his voice did things to you. 

“How are you?”

A lump formed in your throat at the longing in his voice.

“I’m okay...”

Silence. 

Then he asked, “Are you eating?” You blinked, surprised. 

“What?”

“You get caught up in your head when you’re stressed,” he said, his voice quiet.  “I don’t want you forgetting to take care of yourself.”

Damn you loved this man. He knew you so well.

“I’m fine, Bucky.”

“I sent something over.”

Before you could respond, there was a knock at your door. You opened it to find Nico with a delivery bag, the scent of thai food in the air. Your chest tightened as you looked up at Nico.

“Bucky...” you whispered into the phone.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured. “Just eat. And call me anytime. I love you, Frumoasă. I miss you. I’ll see you on Friday.”

He hung up and tears slipped down your cheeks as you took the food from Nico. You gave him a hug and said goodbye and then held the warm container in your hands behind a closed door. 

One thing was for sure, James Buchanan Barnes still knew exactly how to love you, even when you were running from him.

—-

The next few days were busy. You had to tie up year end things at the Center to prepare for the three week holiday shut down. You threw yourself into it and tried not to miss Bucky too much even though you two shared brief check-ins.

But your thoughts were scattered, your headache wouldn’t go away, and your stomach was unsettled. Plus, your emotions were on a rollercoaster. 

You made a doctor’s appointment for Thursday. You didn’t want to bring a bug to the cabin to spread to everyone.

On Wednesday you got a visit from an old friend.

Around noon, you turned around to a different version of blue-eyed and tall, dark, and handsome.

“Terry!”

Your last ex-boyfriend was standing in your place of work. 

“Hey girl. You looking good.”

You flushed at that smile and the way he eyed you was reminiscent of times gone by. And that voice. That was a thing once upon a time.

“Terry, What are you doing here?”

He sucked his teeth and shook his head at you.

“I can’t get a hug?”

You swatted at his arm and obliged, as Nico pulled out his phone to call Bucky outside.

—--

As soon as you walked in your door that afternoon your phone rang.

“Is that why you’re pulling away from me? You have another man?”

You pulled back and stared at your phone. Then you realized. Fucking Nico.

“Bucky, what the hell–”

Bucky interrupted you.

“I had to know you were safe, and then I’m told that you had a date with this guy Richmond.I wavered between coming to kill him immediately and letting you make your choice and tell me yourself, but I couldn’t wait.”

“Bucky…”

“Just tell me the truth, Y/N!”

“You gonna let me talk?”

Bucky was silent.

“The truth is I had lunch with an ex who also was a good friend to talk about his upcoming wedding.”

There was silence on the line. Bucky cleared his throat.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. ‘Oh.’”

You sucked your teeth.

“Anything else you wanna know, James?”

“Frumoasa, I’m sorry, I–”

“Don’t Bucky. I’ll see you in a couple of days. Bye.”

You hung up and cried, yet again.

You didn’t know what was happening.

—---

The next day, you sat on the crinkly paper in your Doctor Phillips’ office in complete shock.

She reached out and shut your mouth for you because it was hanging open.

“But….I’m on birth control.”

You looked at her as if she had three heads. She smiled indulgently at you. 

“You know that’s not 100%. Have you had unprotected sex with anyone?”

You giggled, thinking just how much unprotected sex you’d had with Bucky. Then you started crying. She handed you a tissue, used to emotions with things like this.

It all made sense now.

The nausea you’d brushed off, the exhaustion, the moods, the uncertainty, the fear knotting in your stomach. You should have known. 

It wasn’t just about you and Bucky.

It was about this.

A baby.

“Well, speaking of sex, I have a kind of... A delicate question.”

When you asked, you’d managed to shock doctor Phillips, but she soon recovered.

—-

Your mother was silent for a long time before whispering, “Oh, sweetheart...”

“Please don’t tell Peach,” you added quickly. “I don’t want to interrupt her honeymoon.”

You also knew that she would tell Steve and he would tell… 

“Bucky doesn’t know yet.”

Another long pause.

“What are you going to do? Are you going to tell him?”

You swallowed. 

“I don’t know how. We argued the last time we spoke. And I don’t want him to marry me just because I’m pregnant.”

“Honey, he’s gonna marry you no matter what. And you’re never going to get away from that man now that you’re carrying his child.”

You chewed your lip, still unsure.

“You think so, Ma?”

“Baby, I know so.”

As you spoke, you received pics of Steve and Peach looking deliriously happy in Vermont, glowing with happiness. They’d sent it to both of you. You cried on the phone with your mother and came to a decision. 

When you hung up, you started packing. 

—--

On Friday afternoon, you landed in Stowe and Nico was there to pick you up.

You were glad to see him despite the drama with Terry. The 30 minute drive was quiet and serene, beautiful on snow plowed roads. 

When the chalet came into view, you gasped.

It was picture-perfect, nestled deep in the Vermont mountains, blanketed in fresh snow. Twinkling lights lined the porch railings and they made Bucky, who was standing on the front porch waiting for you, look mysterious.

It was idyllic.

As you exited the SUV, Bucky came down and extended his hand to help you up the snow covered stairs. You looked up at him and he was staring at you with those ice blue eyes. 

—-

You stood there, looking up at him, and and Bucky thought, fuck, she’s gorgeous. It was like he was seeing you for the first time again. His eyes traced the thick curves that made his blood run hot, and those eyes that are wide and still uncertain made him a little weak.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from you and it felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. 

He didn’t know why you ran from him earlier in the week, but damn, he was certain that he would run through any wall for you. 

Bucky bit his lip and his hands instinctively balled into fists as he took you in.

Your sweater accented your full breasts and he swore he saw the thick, stiff peaks of your nipples through it, making him thirsty. Your jeans molded thick thighs and wide hips that make his cock throb. 

There was something about you today that made him want to take you down, but he was going to follow your lead. He needed to see where your head was at.

—

Bucky’s breath made vapors in the cold air and his eyes locked onto yours as he grabbed you, pulling you into his arms.

“You came back to me,” he murmured against your hair, his voice rough. “I’m sorry about the other day, Frumoasă. I’ve been crazy since you left.”

You pressed your face to his chest, a lump forming in your throat. 

“Yeah, that was crazy, but I get it, Bucky.”

You pulled back and looked up into his eyes.

“I had to come. I love you, Bucky Barnes.”

His hands cupped your face, his lips brushing yours, slow and searching. 

“Then don’t leave me. Ever again, Frumoasă.”

You nodded and clung to him, sniffling. 

He pulled back and looked down at you.

“Let’s get you out of this cold.”

Inside, the scent of pine and cinnamon filled the air, and the chalet was decorated for the holidays with a huge tree with a massive stone fireplace. The view in the waning afternoon sunlight was of the mountains, and it was gorgeous.

“Wow, Bucky.”

He was taking your coat as you took in the sights. Of course the place was top notch.

“Where are the happy couple?”

Bucky chuckled.

“Their chalet is down the road. Rebirth owns this property and there are three other chalets just like this.”

You thought you were used to how rich Bucky was, but this rocked you. This was quite a world you might be committing to.

“Yeah, they need privacy. Probably fucking each other on every available surface.”

Bucky laughed. And then raised his eyebrow at you, eyes dark.

“It seems the thing to do.”

You grew warm and cleared your throat as he licked his lips. 

“Where is my room?”

Bucky gave you an ominous look and moved closer.

“Oh, we have more than enough rooms for everyone, Frumoasă. But I’m not spending one more night away from you.”

Your body reacted despite you, causing you to stutter.

“B-but my mother–”

“--Almost insisted on it when I spoke to her earlier this week. She told me she spoke to you the other day. They are only here for one night, it will be fine.”

You followed him into the master suite, your wheels turning.

“What all did Karen have to say?”

Did Bucky know? He couldn’t know. Your mom wouldn’t do that.

“She just told me you’ve always had a habit of pushing people away when you feel like you’re losing control.”

You sighed in relief. She hadn’t told him.

“I wasn’t trying to go behind your back,” he murmured. “I’m just trying to understand. Because I love you. And I want to fix it.”

You sighed and relaxed a little. Bucky still wanted you. You took his hand.

“Nothing is broken, Bucky. I’m sorry I ran from you. I was questioning myself. Not you.”

“Okay.”

But he looked uncertain. Could you have decided that you didn’t need him after all? That you didn’t want him?

You started to walk away to find the bedroom and Bucky pulled you back to him by catching one of your hands. He pressed himself against you and looked down into your eyes.

“Frumoasă,” he said, his voice almost pleading. 

“Tell me you still want us.”

“I still want us. I need us, Bucky. You’re right. I was feeling out of control, but yesterday I realized that what may be coming for us is some beautiful chaos. And if you’ll help me, I’m ready for it.”

You looked into his beautiful eyes, and then your fingers pulled on his sweater and your lips met his.

The kiss was almost brand new, the tension between you arcing like electricity. He kissed you back with everything he had, his hands roaming all over your body.

It was heated. It was urgent as a motherfucker. 

And it was everything you two hadn’t been able to say.

“Later, we will talk about control.”

Bucky ran his thumb over your lips as he looked like he had delicious sensual plans for you later. He let you go just as your panties got ruined.

—--

That afternoon, your mother and Ray arrived just after Steve and Peach came over to make pizzas in the custom pizza oven for dinner. After that, you all decorated the Christmas tree around the fireplace. 

It was picture perfect, with you and Peach drooling over Bucky and Steve in their fair isle sweaters. You had a lot of fun, and you drank water all night long. You caught up with Peach, warm in the glow of the love of everyone most important to you. 

Bucky watched you, curious about what was different about you, but didn’t say anything. 

By the time the night was over, you crashed, sleep overtaking you almost before your head hit the pillow. Bucky didn’t complain, he just held you close, thankful that you were back in his arms.

On Christmas Eve morning, some ventured out to ski and snowboard. You pleaded a headache and Bucky didn’t question you, but he filed that away for later. You and your mom stayed inside as you warned everyone else to be careful. You shook your head at Peach’s daredevil antics, but Peach was gonna Peach. 

Nico was celebrating the holidays in another chalet with his family and had the week off.

You and your mom talked about a lot. And a lightbulb went off in your head. Your mom was teary and you were amazed that it took over 30 years for you both to realize. But it was going to be okay.

That night snow blanketed the trees outside, and the fireplace crackled as everyone gathered around the fireplace after dinner. Bucky stayed close, touching you almost always, even if it was just his hand on yours. The proximity to him was what you needed, and you wanted to just burrow yourself in his chest. But you had to tell him.

Steve and Peach were in their own world, stealing kisses by the fireplace, by the tree, lost in their honeymoon bliss. You watched them, their happiness so effortless, so light, and you knew that you could be there too, with Bucky. 

Every time his hand brushed against yours, you felt the pull. Every time he looked at you like you were his whole world, you wanted to close the distance.

For the first time in days, you felt like maybe you were exactly where you needed to be.

After Christmas Eve brunch, you curled up with your hot cocoa and a book by the window by which Bucky and Steve built a snowman earlier. 

Peach wouldn’t let you live your life in peace, because she insisted on recounting the time you two got into a fight over homework when you were eleven. Your mother was joining in, supplying details to Ray and Steve and to Bucky, who was paying attention, stealing glances at you and absentmindedly fiddling with his phone.

“And then she says, ‘How dare you ask me if I need help, I don’t need your help—’”

A loud CRACK interrupted Peach’s story, and a resounding thunk echoed from the eaves of the cabin.

Everyone jumped, looking toward the porch as a massive icicle snapped from the roof, crashing into the snow.

“Whoa,” Peach said, blinking. “That thing could’ve killed someone.”

You looked at Bucky. And he looked pleased with himself. You were instantly suspicious. 

“Oh, wow,” he said, standing up and walking toward the door. 

“That’s crazy. Totally random.”

Steve scoffed and Peach shot him a look. They knew something. 

“Bucky…”

He ignored you, opening the door and crouching down in the snow, picking up the icicle like it was some priceless artifact. 

He brought it inside and placed it, dripping wet on the table. Everyone gathered around to see that there was something inside that looked like a lump of coal.

Bucky looked at you gaping at it, and then: he broke it in half.

You gasped. Because inside, tucked into the hollowed-out core, was a small black velvet box. Your stomach dropped.

“Oh my God,” you whispered.

Bucky turned to you, his eyes soft, full of something so deep and certain that it stole the air from your lungs. Your entire body went still. And it was just you and Bucky. 

His warm smile and the way the love in his eyes as he popped the box open to reveal a breathtaking and huge emerald cut diamond ring that looked like a block of ice and sparkled like the snow.

Everybody went silent.

Bucky exhaled, then spoke, his voice steady but thick.

“For years, I thought I had everything I needed,” he said, the words warm despite the crisp night outside. 

“But then you came along. And suddenly, nothing felt full unless you were in it. Not my house, not my days, not my arms.”

Everyone leaned in, watching and waiting.

Bucky took a deep breath, then, finally, sank to one knee.

Your heart stopped.

“You are… “ Bucky stopped, choked up. “…The love of my life,” he said, pulling out the ring and looking up at you with that devastating certainty. 

“And I want forever with you.”

You let out a choked laugh, “You hid my ring in an icicle?,” you whispered.

Bucky grinned up at you. “Damn right I did.”

“Y/N/L/N, Will you marry me?”

A half-laugh, half-sob escaped you. And then, without thinking, you threw yourself at him, knocking you both back onto the floor.

“YES!” you shouted, kissing him senseless as the entire family erupted into cheers.

“That was the most ridiculous, perfect Christmas proposal ever!” Peach was full on sobbing with joy as she said it.

Steve clapped Bucky on the back and gave him a hug as he helped him up.

You and Peach and your mom were cooing over the ring as the men watched.

“You better take care of that little girl, James. She’s special.” Bucky looked at him, emotional.

“Yes, Sir. That’s my mission in life.”

——

After Bucky and Steve drove your parents to the airport to be in Brooklyn for Ray’s grandkids’ Christmas morning, you and Peach had a good long talk about everything but the baby. You had to tell Bucky next.  

But you did tell her about your other realization.

“I always knew you thought differently. It is just so cool the way you can see things from different angles. But yeah, you don’t do surprises well.”

“It just feels so freeing to finally be able to name what I was feeling sometimes. Being labeled as gifted didn’t help anyone from noticing that my mind probably is atypical.”

“Girl, none of us is typical, but yeah. Being labeled as gifted sucked sometimes. But sometimes it’s kinda hot. Tell me about your praise kink and I’ll tell you about mine.”

Peach grinned at you as you laughed. Bucky and Steve walked in right at that moment.

“Oh shit, Steve. Seems like we came back just in time.”

You shook your head as Bucky came and sat on the couch between you two and reached into the bowl of popcorn you’d been sharing. Steve just reached for Peach and she floated up into his arms.

“On second thought I think I’ll let Steve tell me about it in our chalet. Oh!”

Peach was up and over Steve’s shoulder as he hauled her out of the door. You giggled and waved at her as she swatted his ass with one hand and waved back at you.

Bucky was looking at you with a scorching hot gaze, and you leaned over to kiss him, licking the butter off of his lips.

“What were we saying about a praise kink, my beautiful good girl?”

You shivered and bit your lip, but scooted away from him on the sofa. You couldn’t be distracted.

“Can we talk about that later? I’ve got something to tell you.”

Bucky’s stomach dropped, then did somersaults. Had you been too embarrassed to tell him no earlier? Were you going to dump him? He nodded and took your hand, twisting the huge rock on your finger. He was unable to form coherent words, he was so worried.

“Bucky…I’m pregnant.”

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. He pulled back slightly, mind spinning as the room seemed to shift around him. 

Pregnant. Buck stared at you, unable to process.

“I didn’t know until yesterday,” you whispered, your eyes filled with emotion.

“It explains a lot about what I’ve been feeling. And I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Bucky dreamed of getting you pregnant, but this was a detour from his plans. And he knew how you felt about surprises. 

“My sweet, sweet angel Frumoasă. I’m sorry I didn’t realize…”

Bucky took your hand again and pulled you toward him so that you rested in his arms. He kissed you on the top of your head. He knew one thing: it was you and he and your family for the rest of his life. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“You okay with this? I know this wasn’t in your plans–”

He cupped your face, his thumb brushing across your cheek. And he smiled. That’s when you knew everything would be alright. 

“Okay? I’m over the moon, Baby. I love you. Nothing changes that. We’re starting something new. A family. And I’ll be by your side for every step.”

He looked into your eyes and saw relief, but anxiety was still there.

“Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together. And this time, I’m not going to let you go anywhere.”

“Are you sure?” you were breathless at his certainty.

He leaned in, kissing you softly but passionately. 

“I’m sure,” He whispered against your lips. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“There’s something else, Bucky…”

You told him your suspicions and Bucky was unmoved.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. But you have a beautiful mind, Love. I told you that I love the way you think the first time I met you.”

The way Bucky beamed at you with acceptance was so fucky sexy. You need him inside you like your next breath. Your kiss told him that.

“I see.”

Bucky stood up, you in his arms. 

“Let’s go to bed.”

He walked into the beautiful bedroom with the huge picture window looking out onto the winter night. There was lots of moonlight reflected into the room from the snow, even with the lights off.

He laid you on the bed and you rolled away from him, reaching for your phone on the nightstand. He gave you an incredulous look as you fiddled with it.

“What are you doing?”

You bit your lip, a little bit afraid. God you needed that feeling. To turn your brain off. 

“I asked Dr. Phillips a few specific questions about sex during pregnancy.”

Bucky stared at you.

“About rougher sex…” You gulped as he raised his eyebrow. “I forwarded an article.”

Bucky walked around the bed and took his phone in hand, glancing at it, and then at you, a smirk on his face. You scrambled back as you scurried into the bathroom.

“Gonna take a shower, be right back.”

You tried to turn your brain off as you went under the hot water jets. But what you truly needed was in the next room.

You came back in and Bucky was standing by the bed, in just his jeans, shirtless. The fire was roaring and he looked cold. You shuddered as he pointed to the furry rug by the bed.

You obeyed, shedding your robe and kneeling, eyes cast down. You saw his bare feet come to stand in front of you.

“You are trying to control things again, Frumoasă, sending me an article about BDSM during pregnancy. You need to learn that there are times that I’m in control in the bedroom. And I decide what happens and when.”

He reached down and tipped your chin up, looking at you with narrowed steel blue eyes.

“Now, I will teach you that lesson so that you should remember it. And although this room is sound proofed, and we are alone in this house, you need to keep quiet.”

You just stared at him, mind going almost completely blank.

He tapped you on your jaw lightly.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Bucky smiled at that, but then the sunshine went away. His smile dropped.

“And you don’t cum until I tell you to.”

Holy fuck.

“Yes, Daddy.”

Bucky’s eyes shuttered at your hoarse tone, but he stayed strong. His hands went for his zipper and you wiggled, your wetness seeping down your naked thighs. He smacked you in the face with his cock and you suppressed a giggle.

“Stay still.”

You looked up at him, eyes twinkling now.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Now be a good girl and open your mouth. Let me see that throat.”

You do as you’re told, opening wide and saying, ‘ahhhhh.’

Bucky stroked himself right there in front of you as you drooled for him.

“That’s a sweet little slut. Suck me just a little bit, baby. That mouth last week was heaven.”

He rubbed the tip of his flared head along your lips and then groaned as those lips closed around him. You sucked it like it’s the best lollipop you’d ever had. 

“Fuck!”

His voice was deeper now, and it made you even wetter.

Your eyes fluttered closed and you hummed around his cock because you were in heaven. There was just this. 

Just now.

You tried to take him deeper, but he didn’t let you, dragging you up gently by your arm. You stood as he sat on the edge of the bed, and then reached for you, gracefully depositing him across his lap due to his strength. Your breasts just happened to end up atop his hard cock as his large hand caressed your ass.

“You deserve a spanking for leaving me, Frumoasa. Three on each side. Count. And that is the only sound I should hear.”

You were disappointed at so few, but you knew he was going easy on you. Yet you didn’t try to push him. Not tonight. 

Bucky spanked you hard, three times on each cheek, and you counted dutifully, your voice growing more ragged with each crack on your ass.

“Goood fucking girl. You took those so well.”

He reached down into your wetness with two as you squirmed on his lap because of his teasing. You wanted him inside you so bad.

“Fuck, you’re soooo wet.”

His voice was full of lust and you felt his cock pulse pre cum onto your nipples. You pussy was clenching and pulsing like crazy.

Bucky smeared your juices up and around your anus, careful not to penetrate, but driving you mad as the rough pad of his fingers played outside. You wantonly tried to push back on him, but he doesn’t let you.

Bucky tsks.

“Remember, you are not in control right now. I am. That is what you need, my Love.”

His words hit you like a mack truck and your orgasm came without warning, crashing over you as your sensitive cunt clenched down around nothing.

“Damn, Frumoasă,” You could hear the smile in his voice. “I barely touched you. But I told you to ask permission. You’ll answer for that later.”

You shivered as Bucky shifted, picking you up and depositing you on your back, spreading your legs and looking at your glistening center. A thin web of his precum connected his cock to your tis, and he took himself in one hand as he smeared his fluid around your nipples. 

You shuddered and bit back a moan. You were so sensitive.

His eyes were glued to your wet center as you watched his hand almost blur on his cock. You arched your back.

He tilted his head as that tongue snaked out against his lips.

“…Are you…?” His eyes slid down your body and back up to your eyes.

“Cum for me again, Frumoasă.”

You did are you were told, arching as he rubbed your nipples and twisted them gently.

“Damn. So responsive. For me. So good.”

He was climbing on the bed, kneeling between your open legs now. Then he was on top of you, kissing you, his tongue twining with yours as his cock rubbed against her cunt. Finally, he plunged inside you. 

“Yesssss,” you hissed. Every thrust made you writhe beneath him. Bucky’s cock was perfect, filling her just right. 

Your eyes sought his. 

“Can I make noise now?”

Bucky covered your mouth in another deep kiss. 

“Yes, Frumoasă. Let me hear you.”

His hands slid down to cup your ass, holding you close as he increased his pace. 

“Tighter,” you whimpered. “Harder.” 

“All for you,” Bucky promised. Your pussy fluttered around him. 

“Don’t let me go,” you pleaded.

 “Never,” Bucky soothed, stroking your thighs. “I’ll never let you go.”

You writhed as he held you down firmly, driving faster. 

“Bucky!” 

You grew more frantic beneath him, and he lengthened his strokes, anchoring your arms to the pillow. His cock throbbed inside you, causing you to cry out. He leaned down and blew on your nipples and you keened, then he captured your lips, and you kissed him back like you were starving. 

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “You deserve everything I give you. I’m going to tell you again and again how good you are.” 

You squirmed, thrashing beneath him, and his grip tightened on your wrists. 

“You’re my favorite girl. You’re beautiful and perfect. You’re so good that I’m going to give you all my cum.” 

“Say it again,” you begged. 

“My good, good girl,” he whispered

“I’m going to come inside you, because that’s where I belong. We’re going to make lots of beautiful babies, Frumoasă. Now cum around my cock.” 

You let out a wail. Your mind went blank as Bucky thrust deep inside you, pouring all his cum into you.  

All you could see and feel was him. 

Finally, he pulled out, looking utterly dazed, and kissed you on the forehead. 

“I fucking love you, Bucky.”

His arms came up around you.

“I love you too. I love everything about you. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.” You were sated, excited and calm now.

“We should tell Peach and Steve.” 

“Later,” you said at the same time, and burst out laughing. 

“But let’s not wait too long,” you said. 

“Tomorrow,” Bucky murmured. 

“After I make you breakfast?”

He kissed you on the nose.

“Yes, that’s perfect. Daddy.”

You climbed on top of him, resting your head on his chest. He stroked your back as you felt his cock perk up again.

“Daddy…”

You sat up on him, rolling your hips. Bucky looked at you, his eyes on your swaying, and yes bigger breasts.

“You’re gonna be the death of me…”

You moved to get off of him.

“You’re right, you can’t have a heart attack now, we’ve got a child to think of.”

Bucky grabbed you and hauled your leg so that you were straddling him again. His grin wide.

“Get that ass back here…”

It was almost Christmas morning, and you had every gift you wanted, right there in that bed.

[beenreidingaboutyou]

Hopeless, Breathless, Baby Can't You See?

part one of Flashes of the Battle

who? Spencer Reid x reader

content warnings: alcohol, depression, kissing, drinking instead of dealing with emotions, season 8 spoilers, Maeve (is she worthy of a content warning?); if I've forgotten something, please message me!!!

a/n: This is mostly gender neutral, but there is a mention of girls' night! This fic is dedicated to my beloved @alsofoundinpeas thank you for all of your help getting over my writer's block and your encouragement as I fought to finish this! <3

word count: 3.3k

If someone had told you five months ago that you’d regularly spend your Friday and Saturday nights drinking and dancing, you’d have laughed in their face. You weren’t the type, preferring to stay at home with a good book or rewatching one of your comfort shows, but that was before you got too attached and had your heart broken by Spencer Reid.

It all started with Garcia. You worked in a different department, but the two of you often caught the elevator at the same time each morning. One morning you complimented her dress, the next she told you she loved your shoes. The conversation didn’t go beyond compliments for a couple weeks until Garcia invited you out for drinks with the team. You were still relatively new to the area so you jumped at the chance to make some friends. That night you double and triple checked your appearance before heading to O’Keefe’s, desperate to make a good impression and show Garcia she was right to invite you. Most of the team was already there when you arrived so Garcia made introductions and soon you were starting to feel comfortable, relaxing as you realized how easy going everyone was, especially when drinks were involved. JJ was in the middle of telling a story when he arrived and, as cliche as it sounds, it was like time stood still when you laid eyes on Spencer for the first time. You couldn’t help but feel an instant attraction to the man and, unfortunately, you weren’t great at hiding it either. Garcia picked up on it easily despite your efforts to cover up your feelings. Being a self-proclaimed love guru, Garcia took it upon herself to extend an invite to you whenever possible. Soon you were a regular at team outings, even scoring an invite from Rossi himself to come over for a team dinner. Garcia, of course, also made sure to drag you along to girls’ nights, not that you were complaining, even if it was obvious she was using the outings to practically grill you until you finally admitted your crush on him.

This admission was how you found yourself voluntold to attend a showing of some Russian sci-fi film with Spencer offering simultaneous translation. Truthfully, you didn’t remember much about the movie. When you think of that night, all you recall is Spencer’s voice in your ear as he recounts the dialogue back in English, the way his breath felt against your skin when he leaned in closer, making sure you could still hear him over the louder parts of the film. While neither of you would call that night a date, it was the first of many date-like outings. The two of you never put a label on whatever was between you, you were too shy to bring it up and Spencer seemed a little oblivious about how much you cared for him. You never complained, content with spending your weekends at your apartment eating take out and discussing Doctor Who or letting him drag you to yet another foreign film screening (“No one else will go with me!”). The two of you fell into a comfortable routine. If he was in town, you’d spend at least one evening together before he got called away on another case. This arrangement went on for months, until it tapered off. You could tell he was distracted by something or someone and he clammed up anytime you asked, pushing you away. Before long, he stopped returning your calls, stopped inviting you out, and for the life of you, you couldn’t figure out what you did wrong. Maybe it was your fault for not asking what the relationship was, for assuming that you meant more to him than you actually did. Maybe he was going through something and pushing everyone away like he was known to do. You could speculate for days about his motivation, but you’d never work up the nerve to just ask him.

At first, you shut yourself off from the world. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, turning down invitations to girls’ night, ignoring Garcia’s messages, and pretending you didn’t notice the number of missed calls you had from the team, asking where you’ve been lately or if everything is alright. Some of the calls were even from Spencer, but you couldn’t bring yourself to pick up. Instead you dealt with your heart break the way you knew best: moping. There was usually a pint of ice cream involved, maybe a comfort show or a cheesy romance novel, but you started to go stir crazy, holing yourself up in your apartment like that all the time. Some part of you was desperate to feel something other than hurt, an emotion you were all too familiar with these days. You’d be the first to admit that it was reckless to go the drinking route, but it was nice to just forget about everything for a while. With Garcia still texting you invitations, it was easy to avoid the team when they went out to drink, not wanting to face them and receive pitying looks. You were sure they all knew what went down between you and Spencer. Hell, they probably knew more about it than you did since Spencer never really explained why he stopped spending time with you. Regardless, you were careful about not running into them, knowing they’d be able to read you like an open book and see how much heartache you were experiencing. Your weekends became a blur of late nights and neon lights; your week nights spent pretending like you weren’t lonely despite all of the ‘friends’ you made each time you went out. Some of those nights, you’d bitch about Spencer to anyone who would listen, even lying that you had been the one to ghost him just to make yourself feel better. Other nights you could be found on the dance floor, drink in hand, without a care in the world. The partying was starting to get to you, but you were too stubborn to admit it which means that tonight you’re yet again out on the town, drinking one too many shots. You hadn’t checked your phone since arriving so you had a unread message from Garcia about last minute plans to get drinks, a message you would’ve taken as a sign to find a different bar just to avoid the team. Instead, you’re caught off guard by the sound of JJ calling your name as you down another shot of tequila. You almost choke on the drink, but manage to recover and greet her back.

“I haven’t seen you in forever! How have you been? We all miss you, especially on girls’ night!”

You smile half-heartedly at her, “I’m good, I’ve just been…busy.”

You were sure she knew the real reason you had been so absent lately and you were proven right by her next comment.

“You should reach out to him. He could really use your company right now. He has some things he needs to get his mind off of and you were always good at making him laugh.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, JJ. Besides, if he wanted to talk to me, he would.” You tried to act nonchalant, hoping she couldn’t see through your facade.

“He wouldn’t, not after…Just think about it, okay?” You can tell there’s something more she wants to say, but the look on her face says she knows it’s not her place.

“I will. Look, I gotta get out of here…I have an early morning. I’ll uh see you around.”

“Right. Well, keep in touch. Seriously, we miss having you around.” You could hear the sincerity in her voice, but you knew you needed to get out of there. You could catch up with them later.

You give her a terse smile and head out. When you get home, you toss and turn all night, internally debating if you should take her advice. You didn’t know what she could possibly be alluding to, why would he suddenly need your company? Why now, after so many months of radio silence? Did he even miss you in the months since you’d spoken last? You made a mental list of the pros and cons, trying to remind yourself of how badly it hurt for him to drop you like that, but you found yourself reminiscing about how much you enjoyed being in his company, the way he made you laugh so hard you cried, his constantly rambling about anything and everything, the times you’d both opened up to each other about your pasts, comforting one another when reminded of a painful experience. In the end, your curiosity- and desire to see him again- won out. Despite your poor sleep, you were up relatively early. You sat on your couch with your coffee in one hand, your phone in the other as your thumb hovered over the call button. You weren’t sure how long you sat there before you finally worked up the nerve and pressed it. You nervously bounced your leg as you put your phone up to your ear, trying to ignore the overwhelming sense of dread building inside. As the phone rang, your mind began to wander again. What if he was mad that you called? What if this deepened the hurt you’d been trying to drown out? What if he sent you to voicemail? Would you leave a message or just hang up and pretend the call didn’t happen? What if- your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his voice; you hadn’t noticed that he’d picked up the phone.

“Hello?” You didn’t realize how much you’d missed his voice until you heard it- one word was all it took for you to be hit with a wave of emotions: longing, heartbreak, maybe even a little anger.

It takes a second for your brain to catch up, but you quickly cover the surprise in your voice as you try to ignore the butterflies in your stomach, “Oh, hey um I know it’s been awhile so you may not be interested, but I was wondering if you’d maybe want to come over and watch Doctor Who? No worries if not, I just thought it might be nice to hang out again.”

You could practically hear his internal conflict in the beat of silence that followed your question. You opened your mouth to apologize and tell him to forget the whole thing, but before you could speak, he answered.

“I…yeah, that sounds nice, actually. I can pick up some food from that Chinese place we like? I assume your order hasn’t changed since last time.”

You laugh softly, “No uh I still go with my usual, but yeah, Chinese sounds nice.”

“Great. I’ll be over in a little bit. See you then”

After he hangs up, you take a moment to process what just happened before it hits you that you should get ready and, taking a glance around your apartment, clean up a little. By the time Spencer arrives, you’ve managed to make both yourself and your place presentable, finishing up right as he knocks.

When you open the door, you can see what JJ meant when she said he needed the company. At a glance, he looks like the same old Spencer Reid, but there’s something different about his demeanor, something new behind his gaze, a pain he hadn’t carried the last time you saw him. You knew better than to ask what it was; he wasn’t the type to just open up like that, regardless of how close the two of you had been less than six months ago. You swallow the urge to reach out and comfort him, instead you step aside and welcome him into your apartment. He nods, acknowledging your invitation and crossing the threshold. You do your best to ignore the way your heart starts racing at the familiar sight of him in your living room, watching wordlessly as he sets the food down on your coffee table. He stands there awkwardly, fidgeting absentmindedly until you speak up.

“You can sit down, you know,” you offer softly as you take a seat on the couch and wait for him to join you.

He hesitantly sits next to you, leaving some space between the two of you. He grabs the bag of food and silently divvies it up.

You both sit there awkwardly, eating wordlessly, neither knowing what to say. You grab your fortune cookie and read your fortune out loud, something you and Spencer used to do every time you got Chinese. There’s something about that old habit that breaks the ice. Before long, the two of you are talking and joking like no time has passed. When it’s time for Spencer to head home, he invites you to an art gallery. You accept, eager to spend more time with him. This was the start of your rekindled friendship.

Soon the two of you fell back into your old routine, spending weekends together when both of you were free. In a way, it’s almost like nothing has changed, as if the two of you had never stopped talking, as if you hadn’t spiraled out over him, but there was something different in the air, an unspoken tension as both of you skirted around the discussion you desperately wanted to have; one you couldn’t work up the nerve to start, scared of pushing him away if you pried too much before he was ready. It took time, longer than you’d have liked, but eventually, Spencer did open up to you about Maeve and her stalker. You didn’t bring up the way he’d hurt you by ghosting you like that, realizing that he had seen your hangouts in a different light. Instead, you comforted him about Maeve and let him get his thoughts off his chest.

You weren’t sure when it had started, but you could almost pinpoint the moment you realized he was interested in you. You may not have been a profiler, but you had taken the seminar at the academy and you were well-versed in body language, especially Spencer’s body language, so the subtle changes in his behavior didn’t go unnoticed. It started small, with things that could easily be explained away as an accident- the occasional brush of the hand or his leg touching yours when the two of you were sitting on the couch. You couldn’t ignore it anymore when he grabbed your hand and intertwined your fingers while the two of you walked through the park. You could feel your heart racing at the unexpected contact, but you didn’t comment on it; you gave his hand a gentle squeeze and continued your conversation. After that, you picked up on more subtle behaviors: the way he would glance over at you anytime he made a nerdy joke, how his eyes would light up when he spotted you, the blush that would color his cheeks when you caught him looking at you. It all added up to one thing: Spencer Reid had a crush on you.

If you hadn’t already caught onto his crush, you would’ve known something was up when he invited you to his place for the first time. Spencer wasn’t exactly the type to let people in his personal space. You hesitantly knocked on his front door, only waiting a moment before he opened the door, as if he had been standing nearby, ready for you to knock at any second. He was clearly just as nervous as you were, another sign that there was something special about tonight. He let you into his apartment and took your coat. The aroma of carbonara filled the room and you couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease him. “You cooked? I didn’t think you knew how to do that.”

Spencer responded defensively, “Hey, I can cook!”

You raise your eyebrow as you shoot him a questioning look, “Since when?”

His cheeks flushed and he mumbled, “Okay, I may have gotten a little help from Rossi. I wanted tonight to be perfect.”

“Why? You have big plans or something?” You joke.

“I do, actually.”

His answer caught you off guard, but he continued before you got the chance to ask what he meant.

“I was kind of hoping tonight could be our first date.”

“You- I- what?” You stammered, trying to process what he just said.

“I just thought we were both on the same page. I know I’m not supposed to profile you, but Morgan pointed out that you show a lot of signs of liking me and once he did, I could see it too. I like you too, but if I misinterpreted something, you can tell me and-”

You cut him off by cupping his cheeks and pulling him in for a kiss. You had a feeling he’d be a good kisser and you were proven right once his brain caught up to the fact that your lips were on his. He rested his hands on your waist, pulling you closer. When you had to pull back to breathe, you mumble “I’d love for tonight to be our first date.”

He smiles and kisses you again, unable to get enough of the feeling now that he’d had a taste. The two of you lose track of time as your fingers tangle in his hair and he deepens the kiss. The smell of burning food causes him to pull back with a curse. He runs to the kitchen and frantically pulls the pot off the stove. He sheepishly looks back at you, “I uh I think I burned dinner.”

You can’t help, but laugh, “Should we order takeout?”

He nods, “That would probably be wise.”

Your “hang outs” with Spencer became dates. They were almost the same, but there was far more making out than previously. The more time you spent with him, the more you found yourself falling, and hard. Spencer made it easy to fall and this time, you knew he’d catch you.

The first time you said “I love you,” it was a slip of the tongue. The two of you were sitting on your couch; you were scrolling on your phone and he was engrossed in a book. There was something comforting about just being in one another’s presence, the two of you didn’t need to talk and sometimes the silence was nice after a stressful work week. You looked up from your phone and quietly watched him, taking in everything from the way his fingers ran down the page to the look of concentration on his face, the way his tongue would dart out occasionally to lick his lips, just like it always did when he was thinking. The words slipped out of your mouth before you could stop them.

You could hear his breath hitch in his throat and he slowly looked over at you, “Say that again.”

You repeat yourself, a little more confidently this time, “I love you.”

You don’t think you’ve ever seen Spencer smile as sincerely as he did when he responded, “I love you too.”

The two of you became practically inseparable after that, spending almost every minute together. In fact, things seemed to be going so well that he had asked you to move in with him. That plan got out on hold when his mom got worse and he brought her back to D.C. It was a long discussion, but you both agreed it would be for the better if you waited until he could figure out the best way to help his mom. Your relationship didn’t suffer for it though. You were more comfortable than ever, still going on dates and occasionally spending the night. That all came crashing down when you got the call that Spencer was arrested.

[ssentimentals]

hi nini!! hope you doing great today 😊 saw your prompt list for your 1.7k followers celebration (HAPPY 1.7K FOLLOWERS NINI!! 🥺💐). could i possibly request svt woozi x oc/reader with prompt no. 8 pls? thank you so much!! been reading your works since last yr and all of it are so amazingggg ><

hi anonie! ahhh thank you so much!! i'm so happy you're enjoying my works :') and of course you can request, thank you for doing so! 💜

prompt: 'who did this to you?'

'baby, i'm home!' you announce, closing the door behind yourself. quickly taking off your hat and scarf, you start unbuttoning your coat, talking loudly: 'god, it's freezing outside! please tell me that you managed to fix our heater, this zero degrees situation is frankly ridicilous. oh and i also got us tacos cause it's friday and we deserve tacos!'

you stumble into the living room with wide smile and bag full of said tacos in your hands, pausing at the sight of an empty room with your boyfriend nowhere in sight. jihoon always makes a point of greeting you from work, has this whole routine of coming over with gentle smile and even gentler hands that instantly pull you close for a hug. the silence in apartment is suspicious and you paddle slowly to the kitchen and then to the bedroom. you call his name again and when instead of a usual 'hey baby' you get 'don't come in!' from him, you start getting nervous. 'what's happening? why i can't come in?'

'uh- nothing, it's all good, you can enter the bedroom just not our bathroom, okay? i'll be out in a second.'

jihoon's voice sounds strained and it lacks usual warmth that he always has reserved for you. without thinking twice you enter the bedroom and make a beeline towards the bathroom, leaning on the door but not opening it, not yet. 'what is going on?' you ask carefully. 'i'm getting anxious here, ji, don't do this to me.'

jihoon knows how bad you are with situations like that, knows that your anxiety skyrockets when you have no idea what is happening. last thing he wants is to make you worried though, so with a sigh he unlocks the door, letting you in. he saw his reflection in the mirror and is aware of how black eye contrasts with his pale skin, but when he catches look of pure shock on your face, he thinks maybe he underestimated his skills of using concealer. 'um,' he starts unsurely. 'sorry, i don't have my own makeup so i took your concealer without asking first.'

that brings you back as you sputter, stepping closer to him with worried eyes. 'wha- you think that's what i care about right now?' you ask indignantly and with careful hands you take a hold of his face. 'baby, what happened? who did this to you?'

jihoon doesn't really want to answer this question. he knows it's very justified but he can't tell you that some guys at work were making stupid jokes about his relationships and one of them took it too far. he normally can't care less of what people think but not when it comes to you; he's not proud of how he handled it, but he doesn't regret sticking up for you against others. looking at your eyes that are slowly starting to fill up with tears, jihoon knows that he'll fight however many guys on this planet because you are his diamond and he won't let anyone speak badly about you. out loud he says only: 'you should see the other guy. this,' he motions to his black eye, 'is nothing compared to how he looks now.'

it's not enough to ease your worries but it does make you laugh and spal his shoulder. 'jihoon!' you shake your head. 'don't even try to cover it up with jokes. oh god, it looks horrible,' you lean closer, inspecting his face. 'oh baby. what happened? are you okay? should we go to the hospital?'

your sweetness washes over him and jihoon smiles, tugging you closer. 'no need, i'm good. just got this black eye and that's it. and we just- misunderstood each other.'

you raise your eyebrow at this. 'you're not type of guy who punches first and asks questions later. what happened, baby?'

jihoon glances at the bag on the floor and smiles. 'did you got us something on the way home?'

you turn, smiling. 'yeah, tacos from our favorite place. wait, don't try to distract me mister, tell me-'

'i am starving,' jihoon interrupts and leans in, pecking your lips. 'you know what can really help me right now? will make me feel better? you on my lap while we're eating our favorite tacos. hm? can we do that, angel?'

jihoon knows that you're tactful enough to know when not to push, but he can see battle happening in your eyes. at last you decide to let it go for now, letting him pull you to the kitchen. jihoon easily wraps one arm around your waist and pulls you on his lap, ignoring your squeak of protest. 'thank you for the tacos, baby,' he mutters, kissing your shoulder. 'you're the best.'

'mhm,' you turn to him, wiggling a little until you get comfortable. 'we will talk anyways, ji. just not now.'

jihoon nods. not now is enough. he was so distraught when he came back home that having you like this is truly the only thing that can make him feel better. he hugs you tighter and leans with his forehead on your back. 'tell me about your day, baby. please,' he asks quietly.

your hand finds his and you giving it a squeeze before starting to recount everything what happened with you today. jihoon feels tension leave his body at the sound of your voice and your body close to him. when you absentmindedly start caressing his hand, he smiles. yeah, he's very okay with getting into fights on your behalf. you deserve it.

a/n: hopefully you liked it, let me know! <3 - nini

request your own here

[abbottfansstuff]

Something Real:

**Chapter 3: After-Hours Banter**

Author's Note: Chapters 2 & 3 are posted together since they are not that long.

It had been one of those days. The kind where the kids were extra restless, the copier jammed just as she needed it, and the week’s exhaustion settled deep in Melissa’s bones. But at least it was Friday. Most of the staff had already filtered out, heading home to their families or much-needed downtime.

Melissa, however, lingered in her classroom, finishing up some last-minute grading. She didn’t mind the solitude. It was quiet, and the hum of the fluorescent lights was oddly comforting in its predictability.

She wasn’t alone, though.

Your light spilled from the crack of the door across the hallway, casting a warm glow against the dim corridor. Faint music drifted from your classroom—something mellow, calming in a way Melissa didn’t want to think about too much.

She told herself she wasn’t waiting for you. That would be ridiculous. There was just no need to rush home to an empty apartment, that’s all. So she stayed, dragging out the last few papers to grade, keeping her hands busy, anything to avoid the truth.

It wasn’t long before you appeared in her doorway, leaning casually against the frame.

“Burning the midnight oil?” you asked, a knowing smile tugging at your lips.

“Something like that,” she muttered, not looking up. “You?”

“Same.” You stepped inside, moving with an easy confidence. “Figured I’d get a head start on next week’s lesson plans.”

Melissa smirked, sarcasm lacing her voice. “Look at you, such a dedicated teacher. You’re making the rest of us look bad.”

You chuckled, venturing further in. “I doubt that. I’ve seen your work, Schemmenti. You’re the real deal.”

Melissa waved you off, but something in her chest tightened at the compliment. She hated how it affected her, how it felt.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, waving a hand dismissively before stretching, as if to shake off the moment.

You dropped into the chair across from her desk, your expression sincere. “Seriously, though. How do you do it?”

Melissa snorted, shaking her head. “Kid, nothing about this job is easy.”

“Yeah, but you make it seem that way.” You leaned forward slightly, eyes searching hers. “Like you’ve got it all figured out.”

Melissa hesitated, her fingers absently toying with the edge of a graded paper. She could deflect, crack a joke, change the subject like she always did. But something about the stillness of the evening—the quiet hum of the school after hours, the way your voice softened when you spoke—made her feel… honest.

“I don’t,” she admitted, voice quieter than she intended. “I just fake it better than most.”

Your lips curled into a small, knowing smile. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a damn good job.”

That was when Melissa really looked at you. Not just as the friendly colleague or the irritatingly perfect new teacher.

The soft hallway light caught the edges of your face, highlighting the warmth in your gaze. You leaned in just slightly, unaware of what was going on inside her head.

And for a moment, the whole world stilled.

Melissa’s breath hitched.

Your eyes flickered—just briefly—to her lips. It was subtle, but it was there. And it hit her like a punch to the gut.

She could kiss you. Right here, right now. Just lean in, close the distance, and find out if you tasted as good as she imagined.

Instead, Melissa pulled back, clearing her throat and forcing down the sudden heat building in her chest.

“Well,” she said, smirking to cover up whatever that had been, “you should probably get home before I put you to work organizing my filing cabinet.”

You chuckled, but your gaze lingered—a little too searching, as though you were just as aware of the tension simmering between you.

“Right,” you murmured, standing. “Good night, Melissa.”

Melissa watched you leave, her pulse still racing.

This was dangerous—more dangerous than she cared to admit.

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - Week 7 - Getting Together

I’m so sorry I’m late this weekend, you guys. We had a storm that knocked out power last night and then my phone died while I was working on this. But it’s back! And so am I! In honor of Valentine’s Day on Friday, we have this week’s theme: 

Getting Together 

There’s a million ways that Steve and Tony get together, which makes it one of my favorite tags on the Archive. Messy meet cutes, drifting together in canon, all the in betweens. I love it. So here’s some of my favorite getting together recs. 

A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by copperbadge

Steve is adapting well to the new millennium, and he has the dictionary to prove it.

Thrust Issues by Sineala for phoenixmetaphor

A battle gone wrong leads Tony to the unexpected and pleasant discovery that Steve is much more well-endowed than he could ever have imagined. But when Tony learns that Steve has never actually been able to sleep with anyone because of his size, Tony does what any good friend would do: he offers to relieve Steve of his virginity. Personally. Tony's determined, Tony's methodical, and Tony has a plan. He's going to get Steve laid. Tony just needs to make sure Steve never finds out that Tony's in love with him.

Catching Lightning in a Bottle by sabrecmc

College student Tony meets janitor Steve at MIT and they fall blissfully in love, until Howard happens and things fall apart. One divorce paperwork snafu courtesy of the ever-helpful Jarvis, and ten years later, Tony has to get re-divorced from Steve.

This does not go as he imagines.

Or, the Sweet Home Alabama AU that no one--well, okay, a few of you--asked for.

Fanart included.

Through A Lens by itsallAvengers

"Okay- so this is the first option- I've got to go to this huge family meal in a few weeks, and so I'm looking for a shirt that just screams 'I am the family disappointment', you know? Does the bright pink work, do you think?"

Steve shrugged. "Uhh, well, I'd say pink probably would? It's hard to say, I mean, I'm colour-blind, maybe you need Natasha's input. Hell, Clint's always good with 'family disappointment' fashion, shall I grab him-"

"Wait," Tony cut him off, face completely blank and shirt half way off his body. "You're... you're fucking with me, right?"

"Huh? I mean, Clint's family is fucked up on a normal day, so it's not really-"

"No, not that, the other thing. The colour-blind thing," Tony said, stepping out of the changing room with his shirt still hanging around his neck in order to grab Steve's arms. "Please, please God tell me that I haven't spent the last two years of my life assuming you could see colour. Please."

The Love Song of a Pair of Awkward Weirdos by MusicalLuna 

Tony flirts with Steve and then the strangest possible thing happens:

Steve starts to flirt back.

Bodyguard for the Day by navaan

Tony gets kidnapped from his Stark Industries office. Steve gets taken with him. But AIM doesn't know they've mistaken Captain America for a simple security guy – and nobody knows Tony is Iron Man... Life is complicated.

Flower Child by itsallAvengers

The point was this, though:

In a hundred million universes, in a hundred million different lives, there would never be a single one of them in which Tony Stark deserved anyone like Steve Rogers. Ever.

So this? Nonsensical.

[cleolinda]

SILENT HILL 2 UPDATE: I am currently at the Lakeview Hotel, which means I'm in the (still very long) home stretch.

I have gotten through The Most Upsetting Boss in the Game (Angela subplot), and I played it twice, and I did practice commentary for it each time, since it's got some very sensitive subject matter and I wanted to work on expressing my thoughts clearly, you know? But also, I played it twice--I beat it both times--because I was terrible the first time. See, I don't like leaving an area or a boss fight until I feel like I've learned the skills it's trying to teach me (remember: I started with zero skills). The Abstract Daddy fight was mostly about dodging, and I was awful. Great with the Pyramid Head dodge timing; just absolutely terrible at maneuvering around a thing that can get close to you. So... the second time I played it was total chaos. I think I broke the game. Just constant clipping as I manhandled this poor video game with the feral Karen energy of the most aggressive mom on the playground ("HIT HIM!! YOU GOT IT!!!"). I actually would like to post video from this, but the boss design is really upsetting, so it kind of has to stay in the context of the story discussion, which means the video would be a full hour long, and I can post that, but also: it's a lot.

(I seem to have two gamer modes: loud-ass chaos elemental, and silent stealth in the dark. I did decently well with the Eddie boss fight, except that he soaked up my fuCKING AMMO, because I decided to hang back against the wall with my flashlight off and just... wait. There was no circling and getting lost and panicking; I just waited for him to reveal himself and then shot at him. A lot. The timing was still difficult, but it was a strategy that suited my "strengths.")

I've been recording everything I've played for my own reference--it's wild to watch it back and see all the monsters sneaking up on you that you didn't notice--so that I can review it before doing Actual Commentary, starting next week. ( @idoherty451 is starting his on Wednesday, and so I'll probably have mine up on Thursday or Friday?) And I'm going through those videos to find some short bits I can clip out and post (Toluca Prison In The Whole-Ass Dark went well). I did finally figure out how to fix the jumping video problem: it doesn't happen if I open the game through Steam rather than as a stand-alone program. idk idk. So, unfortunately, my earlier adventures with Maria are still jumpy, but I could clip a couple things from that. For the most part, though, it's a lot less hapless screaming as I get better at playing, and that's why I haven't posted any audio since Pyramid Head. Which is okay, I think, since I'll be doing Actual Commentary next week. Knock on wood that nothing happens to me before then (I don't care for the storms that've been forecast for tonight).

[secretmarvelsideblog]

Give me insecure Irondad! Lemme set the scene:

Happy calls Peter just as class gets out, tells him to meet him at the back exit to get picked up. As they drive off, Peter notices a crowd of reporters out front. Happy explains that someone leaked the fact that Peter is Tony’s personal intern and the press managed to track down Peter’s personal details. May has already been taken to the tower and is waiting for them.

Tony and Pepper sic their lawyers on the press and eventually, things calm down. Peter and May go back to their apartment and things move on, only Tony can’t stop thinking about it. About how this only happened because of him, because one of his staff snitched, because of his fame and his money. How Peter would be better off without him. And Peter’s a genius, so obviously he’s figured this out by now too, and Tony can just see it all.

He can see Peter dipping out of their hangout more and more often. No more movie nights, no more working on Tony’s cars or building Lego sets, no more casual bonding time. After that, Peter will start to cancel their lab days too, first once a week, then twice, then he’ll tell Tony he’s taken an internship at Oscorp or Hammertech, somewhere he knows Tony’s influence can’t keep destroying his life. And Tony will let him go, because he knows it’s for the best. He knows he doesn’t deserve Peter, never has and never will.

But still, Tony is selfish. Tony is so selfish that he’ll do anything to make Peter stay. So he starts doing more dangerous, more ‘cool’ things in the lab with Peter, starts giving him more ridiculous upgrades for his suit and web shooters, even buys him a car and lets the him take a joyride in an Iron Man suit in the same day. And that’s when Peter stops enjoying himself and really notices that something is wrong with his father figure mentor.

Because from an outsider perspective, Tony isn’t doing well. Now that Peter’s really paying attention, he notices that Tony’s eye bags are worse than ever, that he’s gotten thinner. And Peter, because he’s a genius, connects the dots and traces this all back to the PR freakout. He doesn’t quite put everything together, though, until one night when he accidentally leaves his homework in the lab and comes back for it, and his super-heating overhears a sleep deprived (and maybe drunk) Tony talking to DUM-E or FRIDAY about how he’s going to miss Peter so much when he finally decides that Tony’s more trouble than he’s worth.

Peter comes back to the lab, hugs Tony and says “I’m not going anywhere.” Cue Tony having the full on breakdown that’s been coming, passing out and waking up in the medbay to a ticked off (and concerned) Pep and Rhodey and a Spiderkid who’s practically bouncing off the walls with nerves. Cue a chewing out from Pep and Rhodey, followed by Peter being like “I meant what I said, I’m not leaving no matter how much trouble you are, wanna know why?”

And Tony’s like “Lay it on me” but inside he’s like ‘it’s probably the money, but that’s okay. If that’s what it takes to make him stay at least I get to have this amazing kid in my life’.

And Peter’s like “My dad died when I was little, and Ben, well, he was an amazing uncle, the best, and he was more than that. He raised me, but then he died too. It was just me and May, but then you started mentoring me and I guess I started to see you filling that hole. I really look up to you, and well, I guess what I’m saying is you’re way more than a mentor to me, I mean, if you wanna be. I’m sticking around as long as you’ll have me, Mr. Stark.”

And damnit, Tony just woke up and he’s crying again. Peter’s been way more than a mentee too, but Tony didn’t want to weird the kid out and risk pushing him away. Now that he knows Peter feels the same though…

“Get over here Roos,” he says, and Peter gingerly curls up next to him in the medbay bed, and if FRIDAY takes pictures and sends them to Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and May, then no one has to know.

[nozo-muu]

HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING, RIGHT?

Pairings: Lip Gallagher X male!reader, (implied) Ian Gallagher X Mickey Milkovich 

Genre: typical best friend’s brother trope, questioning sexuality, mentions of alcohol and drugs, kissing

Author's note: This is for male readers. I’ve used my shameless OC, Rust Anderson, as the main character, but this can be viewed as an x Reader too (if you change Rust's name to yours lmao, I just don't like using y/n, sorry). I’ve added another OC of mine, whose name is Carina Flores… I also love changing characters' personalities, so sometimes they might be a bit OOC (sorry in advance).

This is supposed to be the night that was mentioned in this fic ;)

God fucking damnit, this took ages. I'm not a big fan of the ending, but oh well. 

Gosh, he was perfect… The way he walked, the way he talked, the way his eyes wrinkled when he smiled. Everyone knew him, everyone liked him, the kid the Andersons had adopted, rumored to be the bastard child of some CEO from the north side. He had the heart of an angel, which was weird to see in the southside. 

He could always be seen sitting next to his friend Carina Flores, another adopted orphan in the neighborhood. The duo was inseparable, having met in foster care before being adopted, him by the Andersons, her by the Flores, and luckily living in the same city. They hung out so much everyone assumed they were dating.

It was a normal Friday; he, Carina, and their two friends, Mandy Milkovich and Ian Gallagher, were hanging out during a break.

People loved talking about those four, an unlikely group, really. Two kids from “problematic” families, the token smart and pretty popular girl and the unbelievably nice child of the Andersons. 

“I want to go home already…” Carina whined. 

“Only two hours of torture left.”  Ian replied.

Engrossed in their conversation, they didn’t hear some older guy approach them.

“Hey! We’re throwing a party tonight. We're inviting everyone, you guys should come.”

Rust turned around, looking up and down at the other boy.

“We’ll think about it, thanks for inviting us, tho.”

“Cool, hope to see you tonight.”

With that, the guy turned around and disappeared. 

“Seems like we have something to look forward to tonight, then!” - Mandy exclaimed, shoving Carina’s arm slightly.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan.” Ian replied.

“We can meet at mine before… 6.30 sound good?” 

“Yeah!” The other three exclaimed.

…

It was around 6 when the doorbell first rang. Rust ran down the stairs and opened it to see Carina, who was carrying a bag full of clothes to get ready. 

“You sure do come prepared.” Rust said sarcastically. 

They made their way to Rust’s room, which was neatly decorated with witchy and music stuff. Turning on some music, they started getting ready, up until about half an hour later, when the doorbell rang again. 

Carina was putting on her makeup when Rust came back with Ian and Mandy behind him. 

“Wow, you guys took this seriously!” Ian said while observing the mess in Rust’s room and the elaborate outfits they had picked out. 

“Antes muerta que sencilla” (I prefer being dead than looking boring), Carina retorts.

Rust chuckles, taking out a bottle of vodka from under his pillow.

“Let's get this started then!” Rust wiggles the bottle while grinning. 

“Fuck yeah!” - Ian exclaims.

They changed the music to something more lively to get into the party spirit and started taking shots. 

The time to get to the party approached. It was 8h30, and the alcohol had already started working its effects. 

They made their way to some warehouse the guy from before had given them. Rust and Karina were dancing around while Ian and Mandy were laughing together, seeing how excited their two friends were for the party. 

Once they arrived, they noticed how lively the atmosphere was. A bunch of people were dancing, making out in the corners, talking… and the bar wasn't short of drinks. 

“I could go for another drink.” Ian said, looking at the group. 

“Yeah, downing a whole bottle obviously wasn't enough.” Rust replies, chuckling. 

“Mandy and I are going to go dance, we’ll join you guys later.” Carina said. 

The guys waved them goodbye while they made their way to the makeshift bar the students had created. A guy from an upper grade greeted them. 

“Oh shit! Another Gallagher. I’ve seen your brother around here somewhere.”

“Lip is here?” Rust exclaimed, raising an eyebrow. 

“He did say he had something to do…” Ian replied.

“Ok then, what should I pour you guys?” 

“I'll take a vodka soda, better to not mix alcohols.” 

“Yeah, I'll take one too.” 

The guy poured their drinks and handed them to the pair. 

That's when they felt a hand on their shoulders. Turning to see who it is, they see Lip, cigarette between his lips. 

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.” Rust exclaimed, smiling. 

Ian rolled his eyes and turned fully to his brother. 

“You didn't say you were coming.” Ian stated dryly.

“I didn't know you guys would be here. Why bother telling you.” He looked around. “Where are the girls?” 

“Somewhere, dancing around. We were gonna join them.”

Lip looked up and down his brother's best friend's body, admiring how well he was dressed and how his clothes hugged his figure. 

“I'll go with you guys, my friend ditched me for some chick. He won't be back anytime soon.” 

Rust chuckled and Ian sighed. They made their way to the dance floor, where their two friends were already dancing. Rust immediately joined them, but the two brothers stayed a little behind, moving a bit awkwardly. 

They couldn't help but chuckle at how their friends were commanding the attention, already having people join their circle while dancing. 

Mandy had already started flirting with some guy, Carina was shining under the spotlight put on her, and Rust, well, let's just say he was a little touchy with a girl that he had started dancing with. 

It was a weird feeling, but Lip felt a pang of jealousy… was it jealousy? He didn't really know, but what he did understand was that he wanted it to stop. 

When he looked around, he found that Ian had disappeared, but he caught a glimpse of him walking out with someone… Was that Milkovich? 

To be honest, he couldn't care less right now. He looked back at the other three, deciding to join them. There was nothing to lose, right? 

As he was approaching, Rust grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the circle beside him. 

Even though Rust was still dancing with a girl, this action made Lip’s heart skip a beat. And the way he was looking at him while still grinding on her. He knew what he was doing, right? He had to.

After a little while, Lip and Rust made their way to the bar again, where they ordered another round. Once they got their drink, Lip got up.

“I'm gonna go for a smoke.”

“I'll go with you, I need some fresh air.” 

They got out via the back door and sat on some stacked crates not far away. 

The weird intimacy of the moment made Lip's heart rate accelerate. It was rare for him to feel like this for anyone, let alone a guy. He sighed. 

This made Rust smile. 

“No luck with the ladies today, huh?” 

“Hmm. Can't say the same about you. That girl was enamored. And the guy at the bar was almost drooling while looking at you.” 

“Someone jealous?” Rust said jokingly. 

He really didn't know, did he? The effect he had on people. The way everyone would feel welcome by his demeanor. The way he would be so enticing while dancing, the way he made Lip's heart rate speed up…

“No.” He said while exhaling the smoke. He handed it to Rust with a raised eyebrow. 

“No thanks, I have enough with the edible Carina gave me.”

Lip chuckled. 

“How… how did you know you were bi?”

Rust looked at him, raising an eyebrow, shocked by the sudden question. He didn't feel like joking around, so he answered truthfully Lip's question.

“Trust me, you know. A sudden crush on some guy you know, the urge to kiss him…” 

Lip hummed. 

“Why? Someone caught your eye?” Rust asked. 

Lip sighed, looking at him. The alcohol had clouded his thoughts, and the weed wasn't helping his case. He leaned in and pressed his lips against Rust's. 

Rust let out a muffled sound. He debated whether or not to pull back. But god, he had wanted this for so long. 

When Lip pulled back, he looked at the other boy. He was scared, to say the least. What the fuck did he just do? Did he ruin one of the best friendships he had? 

“I'm sorry, I got carried away. I…” Lip said. 

“Lip…” 

“It's just… I… I don't know what came over me. You just looked so good, and I wanted to kiss you… I'm sorry.” 

“Lip, I didn't pull away, did I?”

He looked up, surprised by his response. 

“Can I… do it again?”

“Bring it on.” 

They made out for a while until they decided to go back inside since it was getting cold. They spent the remainder of the night dancing together. Luckily, people were too drunk to remember, and Ian was still somewhere with Mickey. Oh, and Carina and Mandy… they didn't care and were occupied with something, or rather, someone else.

[nephilimeq]

Accidentally in Love

Prompt: Didn't Realize They Were Dating

@bucktommyfluffebruary

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62721625/chapters/161775760

Buck stared at the calendar that he and Tommy left on the front of their fridge, checking to see when they were next going to the farmer’s market, as they were getting low on a few things that he needed for his next dinner dish that he wanted to try out.

He heard Tommy come in from the garage and called out over his shoulder, “Hey, babe, you need more organic apples for your smoothies?”

“Nope, switching over to blueberries,” his boyfriend replied.

Buck smiled at that, loving the fact that Tommy constantly switched between fruits every few weeks. He’d go on a kick for about a month at a time, all depending on whatever suited his mood, nothing to do with what was in season, and then would use only that fruit and talk obsessively about it during that time, going on deep dives in the same way that Buck usually did with his own interests. It was one of those things that he’d found out about him after they had started dating a second time, his obsession at the time being pears.

He made a note on their shopping list and then looked at when their next time having the kids over was supposed to be. After their weekend with all five of them, they had found that they wanted to do it again and so had made the arrangements…and from the look of things, it was still another three weeks until the sleepover.

Buck then sighed as he noted the lack of date nights on their calendar.

In fact, it had been a while since they’d gone a date, now that he thought of it.

They’d had their beach weekend, as well as their date two months ago for Valentine’s Day, but since then they hadn’t gone out for another date. Had they become complacent? He hated to think that after just a few months of living together, they had already fallen into a rut.

Feeling a bit unsettled, he looked at the rest of their calendar.

Under Thursday it said, 2pm p/u new gym equipment. Tommy had found a better lateral lift set up than the one he had and had made a deal with the guy online to trade it for some free car maintenance, and then they would be loading it into the back of his truck and bringing it home. Friday had a small note scrawled in red pen, Muay Thai practice w/ Evan, and on Saturday it said, farmers market, 11am, and as much as he enjoyed doing both of those things with him, he couldn’t help but feel like they had become a habit.

“Hey, uh…we should do something Saturday night,” he suggested as Tommy walked into the kitchen, wiping himself down with his workout towel.

His boyfriend gave him a look.

“Yeah, sure, I guess if you really wanna go out,” he said, opening the fridge and giving the shelves a once over. “But we have that amazing new recipe we were gonna try and I was finally going to get you to watch Serendipity with me—but if you want to, we can find something else to do…”

Buck shook his head.

“No, not…I mean, like…like a date. I thought we could go on a date,” he said, somehow feeling as flustered as he’d been when Tommy had first asked him out, and his boyfriend looked up from where he was seemingly debating whether or not their cheese was still good and arched an eyebrow at him.

“Evan, are you asking me out?” he said with a flirtatious smirk, popping out his hip, and he huffed out a laugh and shook his head a second time and said, “Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, c’mon, Tommy. Between the trips to the farmer’s market and the Muay Thai and the-the random trips to trade either my baked goods or your car maintenance skill for some new thing for the garage or the home gym, we don’t…we’ve not exactly been doing all that much,” he finished, feeling a bit put on the spot.

Tommys brow furrowed, and he gave Buck a look…

…and then he said, “Evan, we go out all the time. Do you not remember that cupcake place we went to yesterday?”

Buck shuffled his feet and replied, “Well, yeah, but that’s because you were searching for a new place that had some decent gluten free options after your doctor told you that you had a sensitivity,” and grabbed at the towel over his shoulder, needing something in his hands.

His boyfriend raised an eyebrow.

“Two weeks ago, we had lunch at the new place that Hen’s been telling you about for the past month, and just last week we went to the private tour that I gifted you for Valentine’s Day,” he added, and Buck nodded.

“Yeah, but that lunch was because neither of us had time to go home to pick up the leftovers that we were supposed to have,” the younger firefighter explained away a second time, still not sure why his boyfriend kept on giving him a look. “And-and the tour was a gift, and you’re not really a fan of that sort of thing, so it doesn’t count…”

His voice trailed off and he stared at Tommy, trying to figure out what was going on…

And then the older man started laughing, his eyes crinkling up in the corners as he shook his head and said, “Oh, god, you are so cute…”

Buck felt off-footed at his boyfriend’s amusement and stood there in the middle of the kitchen with a dish towel in his hands feeling like he had missed some part of their conversation—and then Tommy moved towards him and said, “Babe, we go out on dates all the time. Did someone tell you that a date had to have dinner or sex to make it a date?” he asked jokingly, and Buck flushed, not wanting to admit that he had thought it had to have some sort of romantic component to make it a date.

“Uh, I…uh I thought that one of us had to at least ask the other person out,” he hesitantly said, and Tommy grinned and replied, “I mean, yeah, sure, that’s always nice, but every single time we go out, just the two of us, and it doesn’t involve groceries,” he amended, “Then…yeah. I think of it as a date…”

Buck raised an eyebrow.

“You do?”

Tommy nodded.

“Yeah, I do. I mean, I do love our nicer dates, for sure, but I’ve been trying to make sure that we do things together every week so that neither of us feels neglected,” he explained, moving in closer than before and hooking a finger through one of firefighter’s belt loops. “If you want something nicer, though, to be reminded that you’re still being romanced, we can do that, too. I don’t want you to feel like I’m neglecting you…”

Buck felt his heart swell in his chest at his boyfriend’s sweet words and he tilted his head and regarded him softly, and then said, “You’re not neglecting me.”

“…But you’d like something fancy once in a while?”

He licked his lips. Nodded.

Tommy gave him one of those crinkly smiles that he loved so much and said, “I can do that. Hell, I love seeing you dressed up in a suit, so I’m not complaining. How about this, then.” He wrapped his arms around Buck’s waist. “Once a month I take us out someplace where we have to dress up. Doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does have to be an excuse where we get to see each other all fancy, and we can end the night with hot and sweaty sex every time. Does that sound good?” he asked, squeezing his waist…

…and Buck nodded a second time and said a bit emphatically, “Hell, yes. Besides, this means I get to see you in a suit, and that’s always a good thing, too,” and they grinned…and then leaned in at the same time and kissed, and Buck melted into the heat of it, never getting tired of feeling Tommy’s lips on his own.

Just as things started to heat up, however, his boyfriend’s phone suddenly went off.

“Mmf, have to get that,” he said, pulling away from the kiss to answer it.

He briefly glanced at the screen—and then Buck stared as the airman coldly and abruptly walked away from him as he took the call, catching a few words from the other end of the line that didn’t quite make sense, but he knew it was a man’s voice, and Tommy looked far too serious as he mouthed to him, ‘I’ll take it in the garage’, and then disappeared back where he had come from.

Okay, so they had some more dates planned—but what the hell had just happened?

Seconds ago they had been well on their way to nice, hot makeout session…but then with one phone call it had stopped?

Usually if someone called while they were making out, Tommy would let Buck go to town on his neck and jawline while he took the call and tried to make them finish it up as quickly as possible without them being any the wiser that anything was going on. It was a sort of game for the two of them to see how long the airman could keep quiet as Buck did his best to make him lose it enough to hangup on the person on the other end.

Instead, he was being given the cold shoulder.

Confused by the mixed signals, he went back to cleaning up the kitchen...and then less than a couple minutes later, his boyfriend was back, plastering himself to his back, saying into his ear, “Sorry about that, it was a work call. Looks like I’m gonna have to switch shifts with Lucy next week. I’ll be working Tuesday and Wednesday, instead of Wednesday and Thursday. You okay with that?”

Buck did his best to act unaffected, nodding and saying, “Yeah, that’s fine,” but fully knowing that it hadn’t been Lucy on the line.

It had been a man.

…why was his boyfriend lying to him?

But before he could think on it for too long, two warm hands slid down under the front of his sweatpants and a hot, wet mouth was on his ear, and everything was forgotten, especially when gentle teeth began to tug at his earlobe, short circuiting his brain in the best way possible, erasing any questions he had in his mind.

“So, I was thinking,” Tommy panted into his neck. “Saturday night, we skip the stay at home date and instead I take you out to this little place I know that has a dress code. How does that sound?”

He stared for a moment—and then nodded.

“Yeah, that-that sounds great,” he replied as his boyfriend’s hands dipped down even further and teased at his hips, fingers going dangerously close to where he really wanted them, his mouth now firmly attached to the back of neck where it felt like he was about to leave a very nicely sized bite mark. Buck let out a soft whine and panted as Tommy finally put his hand on his rising erection at the same time he bit sharply against his skin.

“Da…daddy,” he gasped out and he could feel Tommy grin against his neck as he said, “Yeah, I got you, baby boy…wanna take this upstairs?” and he nodded, soon all thoughts of the odd phone call erased from his mind as his boyfriend hauled them both upstairs to their bedroom.

It could wait.

[nexstage]

Stars and Pyramids AU

The plushie

“And those were some of the effects of the instability of the USA economy during the Vietnam War. Now, as homework, I want a 10000-word essay about some of the most controversial methods used to improve the economy during that time. It’ll be for next Friday so take your time but don’t leave it at the last hour, ok? Good luck, kids!”

Right after the teacher bid them farewell, Mabel stored her stuff back into her bag pack and got up. The report for anyone, including her, resembled a giant looming on a defenseless village, but she had enough experience to face such huge tasks, especially because adapting to high school life without Dipper taught her to find ways to keep her grades decent no matter the subject. Although, if someone asked her, math and science were overrated at this point.

A piece of paper fell to the ground during her walk through the hallways. A bit of its contents warned her about the importance of the paper; her hand shot to to pick it up until another one grabbed it by the corner.

“Yeeesh, Mabes. You need to be more careful. Littering can be a big problem, you know?” A male voice teased her. The girl blushed a bit, thanking the boy sheepishly.

“Hey, Josh,” She brightened after recognizing him. “Excited for the new report?”

“Ennui and that are kind of the same thing. I bet that long, tedious essays will be the synonym for boredom one of these days.”

“Haha, yeah.” She smiled, scratching her head. Summer romance and romance in general had become a truck of good and bad memories, hidden in a corner of her mind. Meeting Josh in one of her classes, on the other hand, wasn’t that bad. She could admit she liked him but falling in love went to another level Mabel wasn’t interested in anymore.

She pondered endlessly if maturing and growing up had pushed away her desire for a romantic relationship. That fateful summer in Gravity Falls played in her head lots of times showing her Mermando, Gabe, the gnomes disguised, Gideon, helping Robbie get over Wendy, Dipper’s impossible crush on Wendy. The circumstances that built the romance around those memories were far beyond anything she had expected in a summer far away from home. From time traveler agents and devices to a hippy version of Cupid, you could say things were too messy for a real romance.

So yeah, in the past, romance was all over the place for Mabel. Now, bigger issues have replaced it. For example, keeping secret the fact that such a piece of paper possessed the design for Bill’s plushie.

“Hey, any reason why you were drawing a cartoonish version of the Eye of Providence? Are you into the Illuminati conspiracy theory or something?” Well, not that secret anymore, but Josh’s ideas were less than accurate.

“…Just a design for an experiment. I want to start my own business. A yarn plushie business!” She drew an arc above her to accentuate her words. “I think Instagram would be great to get everyone’s attention. Lots of followers and maybe one or two influencers!”

“Awesome! That gives me a cool idea! I have a cousin who has been working for an online business. She’s great at digital marketing and digital design. Maybe she can give you some tips.”

“That would be great,” Mabel tried to keep her smile as bright as she used to be despite the guilt from the lies. “But maybe later, Josh. There is a huge report to do and I want to get an A+. Anyway, have a good weekend!”

“You too,” he waved, grinning.

Mabel was relieved her hurry didn’t instigate any suspicion which worsened the guilt. She’d better begin with both things quickly or the weight of the lies would leave her unable to sleep.

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

One thing Mabel wished right now, as she was engraving ancient runes in stones she had picked on the way home, was to have those tools artists used to carve in wood and rocks. Maybe indelible markers would’ve been better than knives but if she wanted this spell to be cast smoothly, she had to take necessary measures.

“Ouch!” A few droplets of blood dampened the carpet. Thank goodness it was dark red. She hurried up to the bathroom, washed her hands thoroughly, and put a bandaid on the wound. “Just two more stones and then I’ll make the Spell Core.”

She snorted at that name. It was one of her ideas after Bill showed her the runes. While it sounded fancy and mysterious in a fantasy-like way, the premise was simple: connect all the rune-engraved stones with yarn. It would be a rustic collar but she would put it inside the plushie to serve as a battery once Bill possessed it.

Honestly, it was kind of weird and convoluted. Why not just make a deal with her to possess one of her dolls or plushies? However, she’d rather knit a body for Bill to inhabit than let him near her beloved stuffed toys. She’d have to ask him later.

4 hours of hand-crafting later and the collar and the plushie were done. A wave of pride washed over her at her creations; a conflict surfaced in her heart knowing who would benefit from this but as long as she pushed on the deal to be communicated with Bill, maybe he wouldn’t do something catastrophic. Anyway, it was time to fill the plushie with fluff and the collar, and then once she contacted Bill, the rest would be easy.

“Now… My homework,” her hands were kind of exhausted from the knitting and making the Spell Core; alas, that A+ wasn’t going to be obtained with complaining so maybe a few more hours of research and draft writing before a little break.

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

“You know, if you want our deal to be more interesting and beneficial to your love life, I could give you some advice on how to charm a guy. Or maybe make him fall to his knees for you~” Bill’s smuggy voice caught her by surprise. Since when they had made contact? Wasn’t she writing?!

Her eyes landed on the triangle who raised his hands, offended. “Hey, I love good mischief here and there, but my relocation is imperative so pissing you off is not the best idea. Besides, your desk and chair looked kind of comfy, didn’t they? No wonder we’re in the Mindscape right now.”

“Ugh! I can’t believe I fell asleep!”

“Look at the bright side, we can talk now. I’ve been getting a bit impatient, Star. You don’t wanna know how fast the Void is advancing.”

Mabel grimaced. “How long do we have until everything is a void?”

“A few months if we’re fast but I wouldn’t push my luck.”

“Then let’s put you inside the plushie already. I have some questions about it but that’ll be for later.” Bill suspected what kind of questions she would ask; he said nothing.

“Ok, step 1, draw a circle with my face and place the doll inside. Step 2, the incantation: leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetaM.”

“Whaaaaaat? Is this another language?”

“No, I made the message backward. The original is ‘Material link, sapphire link, Bill’s steering wheel’.”

“How do you expect me to say an incantation backward?”

Shit. That’s right. This would be her first time using backward spells. “Ok, let’s make teaching you how to talk backward step 1. We’ll give it a few hours before you go to sleep and then we’ll begin the ritual.”

“Couldn’t it be on Saturday? What if Dad finds out about this? I don’t know how I will explain whatever I’m doing.”

“No no, Shooting Star, it has to be now. Trust me, this won’t cause a ruckus. Mistakes aren’t allowed in my relocation.”

She sighed. Oh well…

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

3 am. Mabel had to congratulate herself for the feat of staying awake at such an ungodly hour despite the huge madness she was going to commit. And let’s not include who was her partner in this!

Bill’d better not scream in ecstasy because if he did, she’d burn the plushie with him in it. Wait, would that kill him? Never mind.

“Ritual circle? Check. Plushie and Spell Core? Check. Backward incantation? Kind of check? Ugh! Don’t screw this up, Mabel. Just focus.” She sat cross-legged in front of the circle, inhaled and exhaled deeply, and began. “Leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetam. Leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetam. Leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetam. leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetam. Leehw gnireets s’lliB,knil erihppas,llehs lairetam.”

She didn’t know how many times she repeated the sentence but the tip of her fingers felt a mix of glacier coldness and seething hotness. A spark of electricity popped out from the lines of the circle, an intense brightness emanated from the lines of Bill’s face and it crept into the plushie until it changed its color from yellow to dark blue.

Now the brightness has surpassed the levels of a neon sign from Las Vegas but Mabel didn’t let that distract her as she kept chanting endlessly. A few minutes later, her room and she were consumed by a blue-ish flash that went as fast as the blink of an eye.

A loud gasp was heard right after. “What the—?” Bill looked at himself. His cartoonish black legs and arms were now a mix of black yarn and thin rods. The rest of his body felt squishy and light. Even his eye had other consistency.

“It…It worked… Oh my gosh! It worked!!” Mabel exclaimed then clapped her hands over her mouth. She glanced at the door expecting his father to knock and ask why she shouted or if she had a nightmare. Thankfully, he didn’t.

“Welp, I have to hand it to you, kid. You have a talent for magic!” His hands touched the yarn-made top hat from his temporal body. More thin rods were also used to give it more structure like his limbs.

Aww, that was sweet! Even if it came from a maniacal, genocidal, talking nacho. “Good news is that no one else noticed this, but now that you’re in my house, you must stay as quiet. Super duper quiet. Also, tomorrow we’ll have an interview because there is something that isn’t adding up. For now, let’s just sleep.”

“Sleep?” Bill blew a raspberry. “Kid, have you forgotten—?” Too late. Mabel was already sleeping on the soft carpet.

Great. Perfect even, she is making him wait! Ugh!

===========

Meanwhile on Gravity Falls…

A high-pitched, loud beep echoed in the lab beneath the shack. A sci-fi-looking computer-radar showed in its black screen a singular point and a bit above it there was a sentence saying, “Unknown. Piedmont, California.”