#listen i saw this and i had to respond to it

[vacationbimboschool]

Everybody knows I’m a good girl, officer.

Cop!Rafe Cameron x reader

Content below: smut, ass slapping, oral (m receiving), rough intercourse.

Words: 2.1k

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Rafe muttered as he turned you around, securing handcuffs around your wrists.

"Now, what did I tell you about running off? Haven’t you learned by now that you should do as I say?" he continued, his tone laced with amusement.

You huffed in frustration, rolling your eyes. "This is unbelievable! I wasn’t even the one who threw that party!" you protested.

Rafe swiftly turned you back around, forcing you to face him while keeping your hands restrained behind your back.

"You were the only one who ran when you saw me. That’s illegal, you know?" he remarked with a smirk, his grip firm on your shoulders.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

"But don’t worry," he added, opening the back door of his car. "I’ve got just the thing to make you learn."

"Get in," Rafe commanded.

Taking a deep breath, you complied, stepping into the police car. It was official—your parents were going to kill you.

As Rafe got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, you gazed out the window. However, confusion set in as you noticed you had passed the station.

Your brows furrowed as the car approached a house instead. A two-story white beach house came into view, its luxurious exterior standing out even in the dim glow of the night.

Rafe pulled up in front of the house and stepped out, making his way to the back door of the car. As he opened it, you remained seated, staring at him in confusion, unsure of what to do.

"Come on, get out of the car," Rafe commanded.

Slowly, you stepped out, your gaze fixed on the grand house before you. The cool night breeze tugged at the fabric of your white sundress, making it sway gently.

"Shouldn’t we be at the station?" you questioned, your voice laced with uncertainty.

Rafe merely smirked, unlocking the front door. "Don’t worry," he said nonchalantly. "My methods of discipline are just as effective."

He opened the door, stretching out his hand insinuating for you to walk first.

“Thank you, sir” you thanked him as you walked in

“No need to thank me yet” he said, walking right behind you suddenly gripping on your wrist. They were still handcuffed and guiding you through his home.

When you finally made it upstairs, you could see there were four rooms: Two on each side, all with open doors. Rafe guided you through the third door, which was on the left. You both entered his bedroom.

You looked around. It was simple but elegant. Everything was perfectly clean and organized. His room was pretty big, just like the rest of the house.

. A king-sized bed sat against the wall, covered with a black duvet. There was a desk and chair in the corner, and a dresser with a flat screen TV on top.

Rafe closed the door behind you and let go of your wrist, gesturing towards the bed.

"Sit down," he commanded, his voice firm but with a hint of excitement.

"I said sit down," Rafe repeated, his voice firm. You reluctantly obeyed and sat on the edge of the bed, your eyes darting around the room nervously. He stood between your legs, looking down at you with a mixture of authority and desire.

"Good girl," he said, placing his hands on your hips and pulling you closer to him.

"You're going to be a good girl for me, aren't you?" he asked, his fingers tracing lazy circles on your thighs. "You're going to listen to everything I say and do as I say, right?"

You nodded silently, unable to form words as his touch sent shivers down your spine. He chuckled, clearly enjoying your submission.

"That's what I like to hear," he said, his hands moving further up your thighs.

He suddenly stood up and grabbed your wrists, pulling you up with him. He bent you over his lap, your chest pressed against the bed. You gasped in surprise as he roughly pulled your dress up to your waist, exposing your backside.

"This is for not obeying," he said, his hand coming down hard on your ass with a loud smack.

"Oh," you gasped, your body jerking forward from the impact. It hurt, but there was something else there too - a mixture of pain and pleasure that made you want more.

He chuckled again, rubbing your sore skin with his hand. "Count for me," he ordered.

"One," you said shakily, trying to keep your composure. He brought his hand down again, even harder this time.

"Two," you gasped out, your body trembling. You were starting to feel a heat pooling between your legs, despite the stinging pain.

He continued to spank you, each hit landing harder than the last. Your mind was reeling, a mixture of pain and humiliation flooding your senses. You could feel your arousal growing with every strike, and you were beginning to crave more.

"Five," you moaned, unable to hold back any longer.

He stopped spanking you and ran his hand over your red, sore skin. "Good girl," he said again, "Taking your punishment so well."

He leaned down and whispered in your ear. "Do you want me to make you feel good now?"

You nodded desperately, the sting of the spanking still fresh in your mind. "Yes," you whimpered.

"Please."

He chuckled and flipped you over so that you were lying on your back. He spread your legs apart and positioned himself between them.

"You're such a needy little thing," he said, his eyes roaming over your body. "I love seeing you like this."

He began to slowly pull up the hem of your dress, exposing your legs to the cool air of the room.

Once the dress was fully unbuttoned, he slid it off your body and tossed it aside. He took a moment to admire you in just your underwear, his gaze lingering on your breasts.

He reached down and traced a finger along the edge of your underwear, his touch sending shivers down your spine. "I think it's time to take these off too," he said, his eyes dark with desire.

You lifted your hips up slightly to allow him to slide your underwear down your legs. Once they were off, he tossed them aside as well, leaving you completely naked beneath him.

He pushed you down onto the bed and pinned your arms above your head, moving his face close to yours, his breath hot against your skin. "You know how much I hate when you disobey me."

He flipped you over and grabbed a fistful of your hair, pulling your head back roughly. “I’m gonna make sure you listen this time”

You nodded, your heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement. You knew that when he was angry, he was rough, and you loved it.

He guided you down to your knees, his eyes locked on yours as he watched you settle between his legs.

"Open your mouth," he commanded, his voice firm.

You obeyed, parting your lips and sticking out your tongue, eager to please him. He ran his fingers through your hair, guiding your head towards his cock.

"Mhm," he praised as you took him into your mouth. "Just like that."

He held your head in place as he began to slowly thrust into your mouth, savoring the feeling of your warm, wet mouth around him.

"That's it," he groaned. "Take it all. I want to feel the back of your throat."

He held your head in place, thrusting into your mouth at a speedy pace. He was hitting the back of your throat with every thrust, and tears started to stream down your face as you struggled to breathe.

"You look so pretty like this," he grunted.

He continued to fuck your throat, his grip on your hair tightening as he got closer to his climax.

You could feel your own arousal building again.

"I'm going to cum down your throat," he warned, his thrusts becoming erratic. "And you're going to swallow every last drop."

You nodded as best as you could, your eyes locked on his as you braced yourself for his release. He suddenly pulled out of your mouth and began to stroke himself quickly, looking down at you with a predatory gaze.

"Open," he ordered again, and you obeyed, sticking out your tongue and waiting for him to finish.

With a deep groan, he came, shooting ropes of hot cum onto your face and into your mouth. You swallowed what you could, but some of it dripped down your chin and onto your chest.

He watched as you licked your lips clean, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Such a messy little thing," he said, reaching down to wipe the remaining cum off your face. "You did well. But we're not done yet."

He pushed you onto your back again and spread your legs wide. "Now it's my turn to have some fun," he said with a wicked grin.

He positioned himself between your legs and wasted no time in thrusting into you. He grabbed your thighs and pushed them up against your chest, folding you in half as he pounded into you relentlessly.

"You're so tight," he grunted. "I could fuck you all day long."

He was hitting your G-spot with every thrust, and you were moaning and writhing beneath him in pleasure. You were already sensitive from the earlier throat fucking, and you knew you wouldn't last long.

"I'm close," you panted. "Please, let me cum."

He leaned down and whispered in your ear, "Cum for me, and maybe I'll consider letting you off easy."

His words sent you over the edge again, and you came hard, screaming his name as your body shook. He continued to fuck you through your orgasm, his pace never faltering.

"Good girl," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

"But we're not done until I'm satisfied."

He flipped you over onto your stomach and pulled you up onto your hands and knees. He gripped your hips and began to pound into you from behind, his thrusts even harder than before.

"I want to see your ass bounce as I fuck you," he growled, smacking your ass hard.

You let out a cry of pain and pleasure, your ass stinging from the impact. You pushed back against him, trying to meet his thrusts, and he rewarded you by smacking your ass again.

"You like that, don't you?" he asked, his hand coming down on your ass repeatedly.

"You like being punished like the naughty girl you are."

You could only moan in response, your mind hazy with a mixture of pain and pleasure. Your body was sore, and you knew you wouldn't be able to walk properly for days after this, but you didn't care. You were completely at his mercy, and you loved every second of it.

He continued to spank you as he fucked you, leaving red handprints all over your skin. "You're going to feel this tomorrow," he promised. "Every time you sit down, you'll remember who owns you."

He finally stopped spanking you and grabbed a handful of your hair again, pulling you up so that your back was pressed against his chest. He reached around and started rubbing your clit again, his fingers working you roughly.

"I want you to cum one more time," he commanded. "And I want you to say my name when you do."

You were a mess, your body trembling with exhaustion and overstimulation. But you obeyed him, his fingers working their magic on your sensitive clit.

"Rafe..," you stuttered out, barely able to form the word. "Please, I can't take anymore..."

He chuckled, amused by your pleas. "Oh, you can take it. You're my good girl, remember? You'll do as I say."

He bit down on your shoulder, his teeth sinking into your skin as he continued to rub your clit.

"Cum for me one last time."

The combination of pain and pleasure was too much, and you came again, this time harder than ever before. You screamed his name at the top of your lungs, your body shaking uncontrollably as you reached your limit.

He held you tightly as you came, his grip on your hair loosening as he felt you go limp in his arms.

He finally pulled out of you and laid you down on the bed, admiring his handiwork.

"Hope you learnt your lesson."he said again, stroking your hair.

You lay there, panting and exhausted, your body aching in all the right places.

He leaned down and kissed your forehead. "I'm going to get you cleaned up and I’ll take you back to your parents house," he said softly.

[cryinggirlnamedhelen]

seven - m. kaiser

you were seven years old when you first met the piece of trash named michael kaiser.

sitting on the swings alone with a busted violet lip and ripped jeans and scratched up, bloody knees wasn’t considered the ideal invitation for a friendship. but you had mindlessly approached him, sitting on the swing next to him before waving to him.

subhuman garbage looked up, wondering why such a nice girl would be looking at him, talking to him. but he didn’t question it and instead listened to you talk, introducing himself.

“but i don’t like to be called michael, so don’t call me that.”

“got it! you’re mihya then!”

subhuman shit—no, newly named mihya felt his heart skip a beat. no one was ever affectionate enough to give him a nickname, so such an experience made mihya strangely ecstatic. he nodded, a small smile slowly making way onto his swollen lips. “right. im mihya.”

the second time you saw mihya was only a few days later.

he had been sitting on the swings, crying his eyes out. this time he had a nosebleed, angry red marks on his neck, and his hands were nearly purple. you had approached him, your eyebrows knit together.

“mihya? what’s wrong?”

mihya had sniffled before looking up at you. “will you get mad at me…?” he choked out weakly. your jaw dropped, grasping both of his hands.

“mihya, i would never get mad at you!” you exclaimed. “you’re my friend!”

mihya muttered something incoherent before sighing. “…my dad. he gets mad a lot.”

you blinked a few times, your seven year old mind not quite comprehending the situation. but you frowned, looking up at the sky. “oh, i really hate it whenever mama and dad get mad at me. your dad is always mad? that sounds so bad. im so sorry, mihya.”

mihya nodded. “it’s…don’t worry about it.”

one day, after many encounters and at eight years old, you finally spoke your thoughts.

“i think your house is haunted.”

mihya, who had been chewing on garlic and sugar flavored bread from the bakery, stopped mid chew. “why?”

“well, your dad is always mad, and you’re always crying. you’re outside as much as you possibly can, and you don’t wanna be there. that sounds haunted to me. and when you are, you hide from him.” you muttered. “i don’t like that. i don’t like how you’re always crying and hiding.”

mihya hummed, quick to respond. “well, i guess i really got no other choice. i wanna avoid getting hit as much as i can.”

your chest tightened to the point where it hurt, a frown making way onto your face. “i love you, you know that? to the moon and saturn, i really do love you.”

mihya’s heart stopped.

and eight years old, having such a crush probably won’t end good for him. but no one had ever told him that they loved him before, and yet you say it out of nowhere, and to the moon and saturn? he might just die of happiness.

heat spread throughout his cheeks before he squeaked out. “i-i love you…too?” you gave him a toothy grin and gave him a high-five.

at ten years old, you’re on the swings once more, this time with a blue raspberry popsicle in between your lips. mihya has a strawberry flavored one, bought using your money.

“you know, mihya. we should move away forever. or maybe we could be pirates or something. y’know, like from one piece.” you said dreamily.

“that came out of nowhere. why?” mihya replied, tossing his now empty stick into the trash can of the park.

“so that we could get away from your damn father and you won’t have to cry anymore.” you muttered, pouting. “i’ve never even met the guy, and yet i hate him.” you chomped down on the popsicle stick, breaking it in half.

mihya laughed. “yeah? i want to leave too. and it sounds nice to leave with you.”

at fourteen, the news arrived.

you sat on the swings, sobbing into your hands. mihya had come from behind you, his heart aching when he saw your tears. you were the love of his life (you just didn’t know it yet), and your tears hurt him.

“mihya, im moving.”

three words, and yet it wasn’t the usual three words that was like music to mihya’s ears.

he swallowed, tears stinging his own eyes. “to where…?”

“japan. apparently it’s supposed to be a safer environment there or something like that. i have to learn the language and the customs and everything.” you sniffled. “but i don’t want to. i don’t want to leave everything i know. but i mostly don’t want to leave you, mihya.”

mihya wanted to go to your family and interrogate them and to beg them to let you stay. he couldn’t live without you, he wouldn’t be able to survive without the light of his life. you would leave and forget him within a month or two because you have all new friends, and he’ll just be another piece of your forgotten childhood. but you would still be his whole life; you were his first friend, his only real friend.

the only person who he will ever love and the only person who will ever love him.

“right. got it.” mihya replied, his throat dry.

two weeks later, mihya became subhuman piece of shit again.

however, at fifteen, the subhuman was arrested and eventually scouted.

subhuman became kaiser.

at nineteen, kaiser traveled to japan to participate in the still fairly recent blue lock program. although he was interested in blue lock’s new rising player isagi yoichi, he wondered if he could coincidentally see you.

nothing was impossible, after all.

—

for the past five years, you’ve been lonely.

the language barrier was resolved within three years of hard work, but unknown customs and a personality that didn’t match the japanese status quo just made everything worse. for years, you had no friends, you spent lunchtime alone, and worst of all?

you didn’t have mihya in your life.

there were nights when you felt so alone that you would just curl up with your pillow and remember mihya. your mihya. those beautiful seven years spent with him, years that you will never forget.

there was a night where you forgot what he looked like.

panicked and crying, you had opened up your phone immediately too look at a picture of him. after a few minutes of staring, your tears stopped as you memorized his face once more. you never wanted to forget him, not a single bit.

at nineteen and in desperation of college credit and money, you volunteered to be a manager of the blue lock program. ego jinpachi was a strange man, but everything was worth it for the money.

and you couldn’t help but think of your mihya, who you remembered bought a soccer ball for his twelfth birthday and adored it.

for years, you’ve refused to check soccer news out of heartbreak.

after blue lock won against the japanese u20 team, you were given a two week break, and was afterwards immediately shoved into the hell of the neo egoist league.

responsible for helping bastard münchen (“for it’s undeniable potential” said ego, although you really couldn’t care less.), you had walked to the germany wing expecting to have the rest the next few months surrounded by the company of isagi, kurona, yukimiya, hiori, and the others.

and yet when you entered, the first thing you saw was pale blonde hair.

the same that mihya had.

kaiser turned to you, as did the other blue lockers and bastard münchen members.

and finally, kaiser became mihya again.

BASED OFF OF THE TAYLOR SWIFT SONG “seven”

[thetadispatcher]

The android nodded in agreement, at least there were humans that understood his methods and saw no problem with them. Even if Bishop was the first human he'd met that agreed with him, and his system had already calculated the likelihood of him meeting more to be slim, he could still appreciate that maybe one day he'd get to work with a human who wouldn't complain about his work ethics.

"If only I could get the humans, and androids, I work with to understand, although I see no possibility of that happening. Shame really, but such is life. Once you develop freewill, everything you do will be scrutinized differently, instead of them simply chalking it up to a machine being cold and unfeeling." Even if Gavin did occasionally question if the RK900 was truly deviant or just pretending. Something he'd never give the human a straight answer for, he felt it was a good chance for the detective to prove his skills, and just a good opportunity to mess with the man more.

John glanced at Bishop, raising his eyebrow slightly as he listened to the man talk about the fact there was a human version of him. "Hm... Well, even being human can't stop the military from getting their hands on me. Good to know, I had wondered that once." It had only been a brief thought, and not one he felt would ever be answered. But it seemed like anything was possible, so he'd have to take that into consideration when wondering things in the future.

"I can say Peter cares about me, although I sometimes suspect that's just due to me being the first deviant he actually got to experience. Another of Cyberlife's great plans, hide the units they lied about destroying with employees, and people they could trust to keep quiet about it. Catherine, his Cyberlife friend, made a pretty good argument for him being a good candidate for that activity. Didn't bother to warn him as they thought he already knew thanks to her, so he was a bit freaked out the day he came home from work and found me in his old apartment... I might've ruffed him up a bit more then necessary, but I wasn't prepared for him to start trying to fight me."

John couldn't blame Peter for reacting how he had to a stranger showing up in his home unannounced, and Peter didn't hold it against the android for defending himself against a clearly panicked human. But they did eventually get things worked out after he'd managed to restrain the young man, and prove to him he wasn't actually there to harm him.

"Oh, the talking corpse." Nines said calmly, ignoring Hugh giving him a shocked look at his choice of words. "I'm not shocked to hear he has a bond with another version of John, for having very different personalities they get along quite well. Although it seems things went down a more tragic path for them, if the smell of a roughly five month old corpse that been sitting on the ocean floor is any indicator." Hugh attempted to silence the RK900 by giving the unit a harsh shove to his shoulder and a very upset look.

Nines just gave him a bored look, as if he saw no problem with how blunt he was being about the odd man currently in the house. "I can provide further evidence, such as the black gel on his body. Any normal human would clean that from their skin, but he hasn't. So, that would lead one to believe it might be part of the reason why he's up and about." He glanced at John as the android wirelessly criticized him then shifted his focus to Bishop. "Am I correct?"

Kelvin didn't respond through the link as the damage he'd suffered made his attempts turn into a garbled mess of useless noise that overwhelmed whoever he was linked with, and he wasn't actually used to hearing the other speak through the link clearly since it was usually a dull buzz for him.

He perked up a bit upon being able to make out actual words through the low droning sound in his mind, to which he eagerly nodded as he understood what was being asked of him.

He allowed her access to his memories from the day he was damaged, the data was corrupted, but he felt there was enough still intact to be useful.

The memory file opened to the sound of a helicopter, briefly showing that to his left there was a vast ocean and his right there was another android in a similar outfit to his with an island visible out the window. The image of a human male on a laptop sat across from the other unit flashed before being distorted by the corruption, causing a lapse in time before the memories cleared.

Kelvin was back looking out the window at the water below before the window cracked, seconds later he was being tossed around the helicopter as it lost control. The helicopter came to a halt on the top of a cliff face, the landing jarring a door open causing the other android to fly from the aircraft and plummeting into the ocean below.

Kelvin was nearly flung out with the other unit, but had managed to grab hold of the seat. He struggled to pull himself up and back inside, the human reached to help him as he slipped, dangling from the very edge before he too fell into the water.

His system had been sending messages to Cyberlife and the company he was owned by, attempting to alert them of the situation, but his attempts were nothing but panicked jumbled words and code. Something that shouldn't have happened with a non-deviant android.

Kelvin's memory corrupted as he slammed into the water, shattering the inner mechanics of his ears, and severely damaging his brain as it was violently slammed against it's housing. Error messages flooded his HUD, obstructing his vision, somehow he managed to find his way out of the water as his system registered sand underneath him. Before the errors and agonizing pain overwhelmed his system, in response he desperately tried to send error reports as he didn't understand what was happening or the pain he was experiencing.

His memory continued after another time lapse, showing the human once again now looking the unit over, checking his visible damage and testing to make sure he was still functional enough to be useful.

The remaining intact sections of his memory were of the human giving him orders on a notepad that he happily completed without question. Kelvin seemed to believe the man was his friend as the human allowed him to stay inside the shelter he made, gave him tasks, and would scare off or attack the savage island natives Kelvin pointed out to him. The android took the actions as kindness, not that the man saw him as useful and therefoe was decided to keep him around.

Eventually the pair was rescued and returned to civilization, where the human seemed to have been given a choice regarding Kelvin as the company no longer wanted the android. The man glanced at the damaged unit and shook his head, Kelvin was then lead away by a pair of Cyberlife technicians, clearly not understanding what was happening. He kept looking back at the man, waiting for him to follow them. Moments before his system was deactivated did he understand what was going on, he glanced at the doors waiting for the man he'd believed was his friend to come save him before everything went black.

The next time he opened his eyes was to a very confused Peter staring down at him then looking at an equally perplexed Dan, his first thoughts were of him being hopeful that his human friend was coming to take him home. A hope the unit clearly still had, he seemed to believe the human was coming to get him, doing whatever tasks he could find well he waited for the man to arrive.

Sixty watched the two closely, tucking himself behind Strasky as he was still convinced the connection wouldn't end well.

"Oddly, he really doesn't yell, it's more of a calm type of rage. I think he just keeps his voice down 'cause of the more skittish units. He doesn't wanna start yellin' 'nd make 'em think he's gonna start beatin' on 'em, like their old owners did." He could understand why the human restrained himself from simply screaming, instead showing his anger in other ways as to not cause the traumatized units any unnecessary distress.

Ellis tucked the rag into the pocket of his Cyberlife issued coveralls, he had a feeling he'd be needing it again, so he felt it best to carry it on him so he wouldn't have to get up again.

"Yep, we get a warnin' if it's startin' to run low. Most units don't need to get it refilled that often, if ever. But ones like me, we're always gettin' somethin' in our eyes, so it's more of a monthly thing then a yearly. 'nd no, givin' us eye protection never seems to cross our owners minds." At least from the units he'd spoken with, it seemed the humans thought they didn't need to provide safety glasses to androids as their eyes were different from a humans.

"I always just thought it was my owner doin' all the brain dead crap, don't know if it makes me feel better learin' that isn't the case. Ugh, that man... He always felt the need to correct me on the stuff I was made to do, never made any sense to me, but I had to listen. I think he just liked feelin' superior to a machine, even if he was wrong 'nd the reason we were loosin' business... Which I, of course, was blamed for. I seemed to be his go-to when things when wrong, or when he decided to manifest issues." He rolled his eyes before he got back under the vehicle.

"Grade A idiot he was if ya ask me. I like it here a lot more, I can do things my way 'nd no one will try to tell me I'm wrong, or how somethin' I had nothin' to do with was my fault." He preferred his new life over his old one, and he had no desire to even see how his old owner was doing as he rather forget the man ever existed.

It was hard to say what the intention was there. Even Bishop's compliments sounded condescending.

"I can attest to the effectiveness of that method. There is no place for personal feelings while on duty."

Then one could be particularly wise and never stop working to avoid it completely. Bishop shuffled his cards as he waited on the androids. The question got no major reaction out of him other than the vague frown any attempt at asking him to disclose information got. He sat with his back straight, as expected from an agent of his caliber.

"Well, if you want to know about the human that looks like him," he pointed to John, "Claiming that I know him would be an overstatement. We met less than 48 hours ago. The brief conversations we had and all the flattering things I was told hardly make up for that. All I can tell you is that he was in the military and is of particular importance for Strasky."

And he was mostly neutral despite his interest in the skills of a fellow military men.

Willow showed a distinctively cautious approach as well as the link was established. While she had connected to unstable systems before, it was always best to feel around first, before risking to cause additional damage.

Though she was still confident she could handle this and even attempted talking back. "I would like to have a look at your memories. The others here believe it would help them understand you better if they knew how you were damaged. Additionally, I may be able to repair some of it as well."

Rook shrugged, "It isn't really what I'm aiming for with my streams, but I could steal some of those lines. It might throw them off enough to shut up whenever I stop playing to go back to Minecraft. I just can't be bothered and I don't want to scare my pets with random screams."

She made sure to keep her distance, knowing better than to get in the way while somebody was working.

"Yeah, I figured that was the case. Does that mean you've got to refill sometimes? Like wiper fluid or something like that."

[lemonlover1110]

For a request could you do like a "What if?" situation, what could've happened if Toji won against Gojo and Geto, coming back to Megumi and a girl he met and wanting to be better for them and be happy, with fluff? I hope I explained myself 🥹

Pairing: Toji Fushiguro x f!Reader Warnings: Fluff

Toji would have never imagined that he’d find himself in this spot. Falling in love again was not in his cards. He lost his damn mind, and for a moment all was bleak.

Life was the same. Job after job. Another life taken, a stupid amount of money wasted in a matter of days, leeching off women until another job was available— But after a damn near death experience with the stupid Gojo brat, Toji decided to change something… Yeah, that’s what he tells you.

Toji had no plans on changing anything until he met you.

He doesn’t know what it was. He saw you and couldn’t tear his eyes off you, until he got his ass off his chair and walked over to you. He took you out, laughed for the first time in what felt like eons, paid the bill and got your number. All to be repeated once again. And again. And again.

A moment of clarity hit, and his life took a turning point. He picked up his act, along with his kid. Though he might regret it now.

“Seriously? This stupid movie again?” Toji complains, watching as Megumi picks the same movie. A film that the poor man has had to watch five times over the past week. Five-year-old Megumi just fixates on something and won’t let it go for months.

“It’s a good movie! You can’t blame Megumi for choosing it.” You quickly defend the child, not wanting Megumi to listen to the criticism from his father. Toji’s a big whiner— He’s just bored because nobody is getting shot in the film.

“Yeah, whatever.” Toji rolls his eyes as he plops down on the couch, right beside you. The bucket of popcorn that he holds is quickly taken, seized by you. Toji throws his arm over your shoulder, bringing you closer to him before placing a chaste kiss on your temple.

You smile at him, a look that somehow conquered the man’s heart. He doesn’t know what it was… What it is. But you’ve managed to make him fall head over heels for you.

The purest thoughts run through his head, but your dirty dirty mind decides to speak. Your lips go to his ear, whispering, “Let’s save the X-Rated movie for later.”

He smirks, loving the idea. He’ll just have to find a way to knock Megumi out, but he can do that, no doubt.

“Okay, it’s ready!” Megumi exclaims as he runs to the couch to take a seat between the two of you. It’s what makes Toji regret ever picking up the brat. Megumi can’t give you two an ounce of space, he’s always plopped right in between.

“You managed to set up the movie all on your own? Good job, Megumi.” Toji ends up praising the boy, ruffling the child’s hair. He ends up smiling at his blessing, the slight annoyance quickly fading away.

“He’s smart, Toji. He can set it up faster than you.” You joke, your finger reaching over to poke the man’s cheek. Toji ends up scoffing.

“Yeah, yeah.” The man responds. He’s falling asleep at the opening music, already finding himself bored. He can’t believe it. He got himself a shit job that pays little to no money to support you two. All to not be able to pick the movie he wants to watch, for the popcorn to be taken from him, and for a stinky child to be in the middle of him and his girlfriend.

Toji shakes his head disappointedly, reaching over and taking the bowl of popcorn from your lap. All for you to whine, which makes him give it back.

It might not be ideal, but Toji wouldn’t have it any other way. His life has color once again, and he has no one else to thank but you.

[scribblesofagoonerr]

𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓀𝑒𝓎 Our Girl: Growing Up | 𝒮𝑜, 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃’, 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃’, 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐵𝓎 𝑀𝑒

summary: leah and jordan are finally made aware of the extent of abuse monkey has suffered at the hands of mark

our girl: growing up masterlist

“Honestly, Mum. I don’t know what he was thinking,” Leah sat at the kitchen table, elbows resting on the surface as she rubbed her temples in frustration. Jordan and Amanda sat across from her, mirroring her serious expression, “You should have seen acting the way he was at the match. It’s no wonder that Monkey is so… terrified of him.”

Amanda’s expression darkened, “Did he really say that? In front of everyone?”

“Yeah, without a care in the world,” Leah sighed, nodding in agreement, “He just came up to us at the end– And he was loud enough for everyone else to hear!”

“You’re kidding?” Amanda’s voice was laced with disbelief.

Jordan let out a humourless laugh, “We’re not. It’s like that man has no shame now. Like, he doesn’t even try to hide it anymore, Amanda.”

Before either Leah or Amanda could respond, the shrill ring of Leah’s phone cut through the tense atmosphere. Instinctively, she reached for it, her stomach twisting as she saw the caller ID.

“Who is it?” Jordan asked, curiously as she noted the worried expression on her girlfriend’s face.

“It’s Monkey,” Leah murmured, an uneasy feeling creeping into her chest.

The three of them exchanged a look, dread settling between them like a heavy fog.

Leah quickly swiped to answer, pressing the phone to her ear, “Monkey?”

A trembling whisper came through the line, barely audible over shaky breaths, “L… Le! I need… I need your help. Please.”

“What’s wrong, my girl?” Leah shot up from her chair, her heartbeat hammering in her ears, “Where are you? I’m coming. I’m coming right now!”

“I… I need you, Le. Please. Help me,” Your voice cracked, choked with fear, “I… I’m scared, Le. I’m so– I… I don’t want him to hurt me. Not again.”

Leah’s grip on her phone tightened, “I’m coming, Monkey. I’m coming. Just… Just stay on the phone, yeah? Don’t hang up, alright?”

“O… Okay,” You shakily replied.

“Where’s my keys?” Leah frantically scanned the kitchen, “Where are they? I can’t see them anywhere! I need them. I need to get to Monkey. Now.”

“They’re right here, Bubba,” Amanda motioned to them, handing them over.

Jordan was already on her feet, “I’m coming with you.”

Amanda’s face had gone pale, “Be careful. And bring her home.”

Leah barely nodded, her phone still glued to her ear before she was out the front door and climbing into her car, her entire world narrowing to one singular thought.

Get to you. Now.

“Le, slow down,” Jordan warned, gripping the dashboard as Leah sped through the dark streets.

“I’m not stopping until we get to her,” Leah’s voice was razor-sharp, her knuckles turning white against the steering wheel.

Jordan exhaled a sigh, “Le, listen I know you’re worried, and so am I. But if you don’t slow down, you’re going to end up in a wreck before we even get to her.”

Leah barely registered Jordan’s words, her mind solely focused on you–on the terrified, broken voice that had been whispering through the speakerphone for the past five minutes.

“Please hurry, Le,” Your voice trembled, cracking under the weight of fear, “I’m… I’m scared. I don’t want him to hurt me again.”

Leah’s jaw was clenched, stomach twisting painfully as her grip on the wheel tightened, “We’re on our way, Monkey. Just… Just hang in there, alright? Stay on the phone with us. We’ll be there soon.”

“Le,” Your voice was small, almost childlike, “I’m… I’m really scared.”

“I know, my girl,” Leah exhaled sharply, forcing herself to keep her emotions in check, “I know you’re scared, but we’re coming. Just stay on the phone and talk to Jordy, yeah? Talk to Jordy for me.”

“Uh huh,” You mumbled hesitantly. After a moment, your voice wavered again, “Jordy?”

“Hi, little one, I’m here,” Jordan reassured you in a soothing tone of voice, her own voice being a steady contrast to Leah’s barely contained rage, “We’re right around the corner now. Just hold on for us, okay? You’re being so brave, Monkey.”

“I’m scared,” You whimpered in fear, “I… I don’t like this.”

Jordan swallowed a lump that formed in her throat, “I know, little one. But just a few more minutes, and you’ll be safe in the car with us, yeah?”

“Please hurry,” You sniffed, your breath shaky, “Please, I… I don’t want him to find me.”

Leah clenched her jaw so tightly it hurt. If she ever saw your father again–no, when she saw him again–she didn’t trust herself to hold back.

None of that was important right now. You were her priority. Getting you out of there was all that mattered.

“You’re near?” You asked.

“We’re round the corner, my girl,” Leah replied as she turned the corner.

Her heart leapt into her throat.

There you were. 

Small. Shaking. Curled in on yourself near the edge of the pavement with your arms wrapped tightly around your knees. The loose-fitting football kit you were still wearing was drenched in the night air, clinging to your trembling frame. You looked so tiny–so scared.

Leah slammed on the brakes, barely shifting the car into park before she threw the door open and sprinted toward you, “Monkey!” 

Your head snapped up at her voice, your breath hitching as fresh tears spilled down your cheeks, “L… Le,” You whimpered.

Leah was on her knees in front of you in an instant, wrapping her arms around you and pulling you into a tight hug. You collapsed into her, your body wracked with silent sobs as you buried your face in her shoulder.

“I’m here, my girl,” Leah murmured, her voice soft but unshakable, “I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

You clutched at her jacket with trembling fingers, holding on as if she might disappear if you let go, “You… You came,” You choked out, “I thought… I thought he would find me. I thought he would hurt me again.”

Leah felt something deep inside her crack.

“Of course I am,” Leah whispered, pressing a firm kiss to the side of your head, “I’ll always be here when you need me. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, okay? I’ve got you.”

You peered up at her, searching her eyes, “You… You promise?”

Leah exhaled shakily, “I… I can’t promise, my girl. But I swear I will do everything in my power to keep you safe now. He won’t touch you again.”

“I don’t want to go back,” Your voice broke,  “I don’t want to go back to that house. Please don’t take me back.”

Leah tightened her arms around you, her decision already made, “You’re coming home with me, my girl.”

There was no need for her to say anything else. She just scooped you up, carrying you as if you weighed nothing, and settled into the backseat of the car. Jordan had already moved to the driver’s seat, eyes dark with determination.

The warmth of the car was an overwhelming contrast to the cold night air, but you still trembled. Your small hands clung to Leah’s coat, refusing to let go. Leah pulled you against her chest, wrapping both arms securely around you.

“You’re safe now, my girl,” Leah whispered, rubbing slow, soothing circles against your back.

Jordan glanced at the rearview mirror, her brows furrowed in concern, “She looks absolutely freezing, Le.”

“I know,” Leah murmured, shifting to wrap more of her coat around you as she pressed another kiss to your temple, her voice unwavering, “We’ll get her warm as soon as we’re home.”

“Mum? We’re back,” Leah called as she stepped inside, tightening her grip on you.

“Oh, thank God,” Amanda’s voice was laced with relief as she saw you, before turning to Leah with a firm look, “You’d better have not been speeding in the car, Leah Cathrine!”

“What– No! Of course not,” Leah huffed, shaking her head, obviously not going to tell her the truth.

“The way you rushed out of here, I had my doubts…” Amanda raised an eyebrow, “And you’d better have not been speeding with Monkey in the car, either!”

Leah exhaled sharply, not in the mood to argue, “Mum, I need to get Monkey warm. She’s freezing and trembling like a leaf. I’m running her a bath.”

Amanda’s expression softened as she turned to you, “Hi, Monkey.”

“Hi, ‘Manda,” You barely managed a whisper.

“I have an idea,” Amanda crouched slightly, keeping her voice gentle, “How about after your bath when you’re all comfy in pyjamas, I make a hot chocolate? It won’t be as good as David, but I promise it’ll still be pretty great.”

You hesitated before giving a tiny nod, “O…Okay.”

Leah pressed a kiss to the top of your head, “Come on, my girl.” She murmured, leading you upstairs, and guiding you gently while you clung to her.

As soon as you reached the bathroom, you sank onto the closed toilet lid, too cold and drained to move as Leah busied herself with the taps.

The sound of rushing water filled the space, steam curling into the air. Leah turned back to you with a small smile, “Do you want a lot of bubbles? Or just a few?”

You didn’t answer. You just stared into space, you didn’t know what to say.

Leah watched you carefully, her heart aching at how small you looked, curled in on yourself, trembling. She kept her voice soft, and gentle, “Monkey?”

You blinked slowly, still shivering before shrugging a little, “A… A lot?”

“A lot of bubbles, coming right up,” Leah smiled and poured in a generous amount of bubble bath and sat on the edge of the tub, swirling her hand in the warm water as the bubbles grew. She glanced over, taking in the sight of you–curled in on yourself while sitting on the toilet lid, your arms wrapped tightly around you, and looking so small.

“I’ll let you get in, yeah?” Leah murmured, standing up and wiping her hands on her joggers, “I’ll be in my bedroom if you need me.”

You nodded stiffly with your gaze fixed on the tiled floor. Leah hesitated, waiting to see if you’d say anything else, but when you remained silent, she turned towards the door.

“W… Wait,” Leah’s hands were about to grip the handle when your voice, small and hesitant, stopped her.

Leah turned back immediately, “You okay, my girl?”

Your fingers curled into the hem of your football shorts. You swallowed, not meeting her eyes.

“Can you… Can you stay outside? On… on the other side of the door?” You mumbled.

Leah’s expression softened, “Of course, Monkey. Whatever you need,” She said, before stepping outside, pulling the door almost closed but leaving a small gap, just enough to show you she was still there.

You heard her settle against the wall, the quiet rustle of fabric as she sat down.

Taking a shaky breath, you forced yourself to move, peeling off your kit piece by piece. Your body ached as you climbed into the tub, the heat of the water making your bruises sting. You hissed, biting your lip as you sank lower.

The warmth helped, but it didn’t take away the exhaustion that weighed on you, nor the way your limbs felt too heavy.

For a few minutes, you just sat there, knees drawn up, letting the water lap at your skin. But then, as you reached for the shampoo bottle, your hands trembled.

You poured some into your palm and hesitated. The moment you tried to lift your arms, you felt a sharp, searing pain shoot through your ribs.

You sucked in a breath, wincing, “Ow,” You whimpered in pain.

You tried again, but your limbs felt weak. Useless.

The frustration burned behind your eyes and your throat tightened.

You hated this.

You hated feeling this weak.

Your fingers clenched into a fist, nails digging into your palm. But no matter how much you tried, you couldn’t do it.

And the worst part? You knew you wanted–needed the help.

But if you called Leah in… then she’d see the dark, ugly marks trailing along your ribs, your back and arms.

You knew she’d see the proof of everything–You didn’t want to see her face when she looked at you, and you didn’t want her to see how broken you were.

But your arms hurt. Your ribs ached. And no matter how much you willed yourself to move, you couldn’t.

“L… Le,” Your voice wavered, a lump formed in your throat, ”I… I need help.”

The door opened instantly, and Leah stepped in, her movements were quick but careful.

But the second she took in the sight of you–curled up in the tub, your arms wrapped around yourself and the bruises littering your skin–she froze.

“Oh…” Leah’s breath hitched, “Oh my God,” She looked horrified as a storm flashed behind her eyes, something dark, something furious.

Until her gaze flickered back to you, and she saw how small you looked. How vulnerable.

Leah inhaled sharply through her nose, forcing herself to push the anger aside. That could wait. Right now, you needed her.

“I… I need your help to wash my hair,” You stuttered out.

“Alright, my girl,” Leah murmured, kneeling beside the tub, “That’s not a problem. Lets’ get your hair washed, yeah?”

You nodded wordlessly.

Leah rolled her sleeves up, scooping some water in her hands before gently wetting your hair. Her touch was light, and delicate, as if she was afraid you might shatter under her hands.

Working in silence, Leah carefully lathered the shampoo before rinsing it out. Her fingers gently massaged your scalp, slow and soothing. She could feel the tension in your body, the way you were still curled in on yourself.

She didn’t rush. She didn’t push. She just kept moving, steady and calm.

When she finished, she grabbed a towel and held it open, “Come on then, out you get, my girl.”

You hesitated, but eventually, you let her wrap you up, her arms tightening just slightly around you.

Leah pressed a kiss to the top of your damp hair, “I’ve got you, my girl.”

“You get dressed, yeah? I’ll be outside the door. I’m not going far,” Leah reassured gently, her voice softer than usual.

“O… Okay. Do… Don’t go far,” You mumbled, clutching the pyjamas she handed you.

“I won’t, my girl. I promise,” Leah promised you before moving to step outside of the bedroom door, closing it with a quiet click before leaning against it. She pressed her back against the door as she tried to steady her breathing. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms. 

The image of your bruised skin, the way you had flinched when she touched you–it was burned into her mind, and the rage in her chest only grew heavier with each passing second.

How could he do that to you? 

You were so young. You were small. You didn’t deserve any of this. Swallowing hard, Leah tried to keep it together. But when she heard footsteps on the stairs, she didn’t even need to look up to know it was Jordan.

The moment Jordan reached the landing and caught sight of Leah’s face, she knew there was something wrong.

“Le,” Jordan’s voice was cautious as she stepped forward, “Hey, what’s wrong?” She asked, stepping closer.

Leah let out a sharp, ragged breath, her whole body vibrating with tension. And then, suddenly, it all came spilling out.

“She’s covered in bruises, Jord,” Her voice cracked, and she slammed a fist against the wall beside her, “Fucking covered in them. That bastard–”

Jordan’s jaw tightened, “Leah–”

“No, don’t,” Leah’s voice wavered, her eyes burning with fury, “If you’re going to tell me to calm down then I don’t want to fucking hear it,” She turned on Jordan, her whole body trembling.

“I wasn’t going to,” Jordan murmured, exhaling a sigh and without hesitation, pulled Leah into a hug.

And just like that, Leah broke. The anger, the fear, the helplessness–it all came crashing down at once, and before she could stop it, she was sobbing into Jordan’s shoulder.

Jordan didn’t say anything. She just held on, letting Leah get it all out.

“I swear to God, if I ever see him again, I won’t be able to stop myself,” Leah whispered, her voice shaking, “I’ll fucking kill him, Jordan. He hurt her. He hurt our Monkey. And she was too scared to tell anyone about it. I knew it was bad… but fuck, I didn’t know it was this bad!”

Leah’s breath hitched, the anger cracking into something else–something raw and broken. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, blinking back the tears that blurred her vision.

“She’s here now,” Jordan told her, squeezing Leah a bit tighter, “With us. And she’s not going back.”

Leah nodded sharply, exhaling through gritted teeth, “I need to make the call to social services. I need to tell them that she is here.”

Jordan hesitated for a moment, “If you think that is the right thing to do.”

“As much as I don’t want to, I have to,” Leah muttered, voice thick with emotion, “I have to play by their rules.”

Jordan sighed, rubbing a hand over her face, “At least make the call when Monkey is settled and in bed. She’s been through enough today.”

Before Leah could respond, the door behind her cracked open.

You stood there, small and hesitant, wrapped in the warmth of the pyjamas and fluffy socks that Leah had brought you earlier in the week. They were slightly too big, but that only made them cosier.

Jordan’s face softened instantly, “Hey, speak of the devil. How’re you doing, little one?”

You hesitated, “Were you… Were you guys talking about me?”

Leah forced a small smile, crouching down to your level, “We’re just concerned about you, my girl. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure you’re safe.”

Your eyes darted between them, uncertainty clouding your expression, “I… I don’t want to go back there.”

“No, no,” Leah’s stomach twisted as she reached out, brushing a hand over your arm, “Not if I can help it.”

Tears welled in your eyes, “H… He scares me, Le.”

Leah’s heart ached at the broken whisper. She cupped your cheek gently, “I know, my girl. I know you are. But I’m going to do my very best to make sure that doesn’t happen, alright?”

“O… Okay,” You hesitated, giving a tiny nod.

“Right then,” Jordan sensed the shift in mood and clapped her hands together with a grin, “I know for a fact there’s a hot chocolate downstairs with your name on it.”

The change in your expression was instant. The tension in your shoulders eased slightly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, there was a genuine flicker of happiness in your eyes.

“Wow. That looks great, Monkey!” Amanda praised, smiling warmly at you as she admired the LEGO set you had just finished assembling.

“T… Thanks,” You stuttered, your fingers fidgeting slightly with one of the pieces, “Can I build another set?”

“Yeah, we should!” Jacob chipped in eagerly, already reaching for another box.

Leah glanced at the clock, her expression shifting slightly. It was only 8:30 pm. Tomorrow was going to be long enough without you staying up for longer.

“It’s getting a bit late now. Let’s put it aside for now and you can continue it tomorrow, can’t you?” Leah suggested, bracing herself for the inevitable protest.

“Nooo,” You whined, shaking your head stubbornly. Your grip on the LEGO tightened.

“Mhm, I think so. Judging by the tiredness in your eyes and the whining, it might be bedtime, hm?” Leah teased, arching a brow.

You furrowed your eyebrows, “N… No, not yet! I’m still buildin’ LEGO, Le!”

Leah didn’t waver, pursing her lips, “And it’ll still be there for you tomorrow. It’s not going anywhere.”

You pretended to ignore her, prying open another set, hands moving faster.

“Monkey,” Leah gave you a warning look.

“It won’t take long to do!” You insisted, ignoring her gaze and emptying the contents of the LEGO on the carpet.

Leah exhaled a sigh, shaking her head, “Er no, I don’t think so madam,” Gently attempting to retrieve the LEGO set out of your hands, “I’ve already said no.”

You glared at her, hugging the LEGO set to your chest like it was a lifeline, “You’re being mean!”

“That’s okay to think that,” Leah replied, keeping her voice calm, “But it’s been a very long day. I know you’re tired now, aren’t you?”

“Give it back!” You whined, your voice growing sharper as you snatched the LEGO back from Leah.

Leah sucked in a surprise breath. That was new.

“Monkey,” Leah said firmly, shocked where this sudden misbehaviour had come from, “You don’t snatch. I’ve already said no, three times now. It’s bedtime.”

Your heart pounded. Bedtime meant quiet, and quiet meant your thoughts creeping in. The darkness, the loneliness–it was too much.

You shook your head quickly, refusing to let go of the LEGO set. You went as far as to rip open one of the packets, sending the small bricks spilling onto the floor.

“Hey, little one,” Jordan stepped in with a gentle but firm look, “I think it would be a good idea if we listened and put the LEGO away for tonight, yeah?”

“Don’t wanna,” You murmured, tearing into the next packet as though the plastic was a distraction from the lump in your throat, “I don’t need to go to bed.”

Leah exhaled a sigh, wordlessly collecting the spilled pieces from the carpet.

“Leah!” You turned and shot her a glare, “I was building that!” You shouted, voice shaking more than you wanted it to.

“And I’ve already told you–not tonight,” Leah said, still gentle but unwavering as she placed the LEGO out of reach, “I think you need to start using your listening ears, my girl.”

“No, I don’t want to go to bed. I want to build more LEGO!” Your voice rose in panic as you threw yourself onto the floor.

Leah didn’t bat an eyelid. She was more prepared for the emotional outburst while Jordan and Amanda exchanged shocked glances, and Jacob sat frozen, confused.

“It’s bedtime, Monkey,” Leah repeated, watching as she watched you have a complete meltdown in the space of less than five minutes.

“Sweetheart,” Amanda tried a more gentle approach, “I know today’s been a lot. I think getting a good night’s sleep might help, don’t you?” She tried her luck to get you to listen.

“No! I don’t wanna go to bed,” You mumbled, barely glancing in Amanda’s direction, “I don’t want to!”

Leah rubbed her temples, this was completely different to how it had been earlier on. The exhaustion of the day was catching up to all of them, but especially you, “Right, come on, enough of this. Bed, now.”

“I don’t wanna,” You whined, not making any attempt to get up from the floor.

Leah sighed, but this time, she softened slightly, crouching down next to you, “Monkey, listen to me.”

You turned away, arms crossed, “I… I’m not going! You can’t make me!”

“I know bedtime might feel a bit scary tonight,” Leah murmured, rubbing your back for a moment before gently taking your hand, “But you’re safe now. You’re not alone. I’ll be right there, okay?”

“No!” You screamed.

Leah didn’t hesitate, “Alright, that’s enough,” She murmured, scooping you up off the floor in one swift motion, “Bedtime, now.”

You let out a yelp of surprise, “B… But Le–”

“No buts,” Leah’s voice was firm, her grip secure as she held you against her hip, “It’s clear that you’re tired, I’m not going to stand here and argue with you about this now, so come on.”

Your pre-teenage attitude was nothing Leah or Jordan were prepared for, in comparison to the 360 mood change.

Your body tensed, but the warmth of being held was grounding. Your limbs twitched in weak protest but ultimately sagging against her.

Leah adjusted you in her arms, rubbing soothing circles into your back, “Come on, now. Let’s say goodnight.”

You huffed, glancing at Jordan, “Night, Jordy.”

“Night, little one,” Jordan smiled softly, ruffling your hair.

You turned to glance in Amanda’s direction, “Night, ‘Manda.”

“Night, sweetheart. Sleep well,” Amanda said kindly.

“Goodnight, Monkey!” Jacob grinned, peering up from his phone.

“Night, J,” You grumbled, slumping your shoulders. Then, desperate for another delay, you blurted, “Wait! I need to say goodnight to Bella!”

Jordan chuckled in amusement, “Pretty sure she’ll follow you up.”

“I’m thirsty,” You tried next.

“Oh, how convenient,” Jordan teased, rolling her eyes, “I’ll bring one up to you in bed.”

“Hello! I’m home!” David called as he stepped inside the house.

Your eyes lit up. A perfect distraction, “David’s home!”

“Oh, I thought I heard your voice,” The older man smiled, stepping into the room, “Well, this is a nice surprise having you here. Are you here for the night?”

“I’m just trying to get her up to bed but it’s proving difficult,” Leah said, shifting her grip on you as she shared a playful knowing look with David, “Maybe you’d have better luck?”

“You heard Le, time for bed champ,” David ruffled your hair, gesturing in the direction of the stairs.

Your face scrunched in defeat, “Fine.”

Leah hid a smile, carrying you up the stairs to stop you from making an escape,  “I’ll be back down once she’s settled.”

“You sound very grown up,” Jacob snickered.

Leah huffed, rolling her eyes, “Shut it, you.”

“Do I even want to ask what that was about?” David chuckled, amusedly, glancing at Amanda.

“Probably not, no,” Amanda responded.

“Sounds like Leah has her work cut out for her tonight,” David noted.

“Teenagers,” Jacob quipped.

“Speak for yourself,” Jordan laughed as she got up off the sofa to go make you a glass of water per your request.

“That’s not the way to the bathroom, last time I checked,” Leah noted with a raised eyebrow. She’s placed you back down on the floor once she was sure you wouldn’t try to make a break for it.

You ignored her completely, your focus snapping to something familiar on the bed. A rush of relief flooded through you as you darted into your temporary bedroom, eyes wide with excitement, “My monkey!” You gasped, snatching up the stuffed toy you thought you’d lost forever.

Leah’s stern expression softened, her arms crossing loosely over her chest as she leaned against the doorframe, “I thought you’d miss it.”

“You found it! I thought… I thought I lost it!” You clutched the plush close to your chest, the comfort of it grounding you in a way you desperately needed.

“Jacob found it on the stairs the night you left. I kept it here safe for you,” Leah explained gently.

You squeezed your stuffed toy tighter, the overwhelming emotions making your throat tighten, “I’ve missed him.”

Leah smiled faintly, “I know.”

But she didn’t give you too much time to get lost in your thoughts, “Right, come on you. Bathroom–go brush your teeth. I want to see those pearly whites,” She instructed, nudging you lightly toward the hallway.

You groaned, dragging your feet, “Pearly whites?”

“It’s just another phrase for teeth,” Leah clarified, walking beside you to make sure you actually follow through.

You begrudgingly brushed your teeth, only because Leah was watching you like a hawk the entire time. When you finished, you hesitantly turned to face her.

“Let’s have a look–” Leah leaned forward dramatically, inspecting your mouth with exaggerated scrutiny, “Ooo,  they’re lovely and shiny.”

You rolled your eyes but giggled despite yourself, “You’re silly.”

“It’s the best way to be,” Leah smirked, following as you wandered back into the bedroom. She pulled back the duvet, patting the mattress, “Right, into bed.”

You didn’t hesitate to crawl under the covers, still clutching your stuffed animal, “I’m not tired.”

Leah gave you a knowing look, “I think we both know that’s not true.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, “It’s too early to go to sleep.”

“It might be usually, but you’ve had such a long day, and tomorrow is going to be just as busy,” Leah reasoned, keeping her tone of voice soft but firm, “I just want to make sure you’ve had enough rest.”

You frowned, “J’s still awake, though.”

“Well, J is a little bit older than you, isn’t he?” Leah reminded you.

“Not fair–” You shifted restlessly, then suddenly sat up, “I’m hungry! Can I have a biscuit?”

Leah exhaled a sigh, “You’ve already eaten dinner, and you had pudding as well. And chocolate. I think if you have any more, you’re going to end up with a bit of a tummy ache, won’t you?”

You pouted, “Please, Le?”

“No, Monkey,” Leah remained firm on her decision, “Come on now, it’s time to sleep.”

You flopped back onto the pillow with a dramatic groan, “How can I sleep if I’m not tired?”

“You have to close your eyes and try,” Leah smirked, tucking you in, “Now, any more questions?”

Silence lingered for a moment before you blurted out your next question, “How much do sharks weigh?”

Leah blinked at the sudden change of topic, “I… I don’t know.”

“That’s no good,” You let out an exaggerated sigh, “I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

Leah snorted, shaking her head, “I am smart, Monkey. But I don’t just have random shark facts stored in my brain.”

You frowned, “Well, Google it, then. Duh.”

Leah shot you a pointed look just as Jordan appeared in the doorway, holding a glass of water.

“Still fighting the bedtime battle?” Jordan teased, handing the glass over.

“Just a bit,” Leah deadpanned before turning back to you. She arched an eyebrow, “Alright, little miss attitude, why don’t you tell me the real reason you don’t want to sleep, hm?”

You hesitated, fiddling with the hem of the duvet, “I… I’m just not tired,” You muttered.

Jordan lingered for a moment, watching the exchange before giving Leah a knowing look. She knew you’d settle faster with just one person in the room, “I’ll leave you to it,” She murmured before quietly slipping out, pulling the door ajar behind her.

Leah waited until she was gone before lowering herself onto the edge of the bed, “Come on, Monkey. This is me you’re talking to. What’s really going on?”

Your throat tightened as you clutched your stuffed animal closer, “I… I don’t want to sleep. What if… I… I…” You struggled to get the words out.

Leah’s expression softened, “You can do it, my girl. Tell me how you’re feeling. I’m listening to you.”

“I… I don’t want you to leave me,” You said, tears pricking at your eyes.

“I’m right here, my girl,” Leah’s heart clenched, “I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to be scared about that.”

“You promise?” You asked, holding out your pinky finger.

Leah wrapped her own pinky around yours, “I promise, Monkey. You’re staying here with me, I’m going to make sure of it this time,” She told you, “I love you so much, my girl.”

Your lips wobbled slightly before you whispered, “I love you too, Le.”

Leah smiled, leaning forward and running a hand through your hair, “I don’t want you to go through any more hurt or pain, and I’m going to fight to protect you. I messed up before, but I won’t let it happen this time.”

Without any hesitation, you leaned forward and threw your arms around her, “I was… I was so scared. I thought he would find me before you both arrived. I didn’t… I didn’t want him to find me.”

“I know you were,” Leah murmured, gently continuing to run her hands through your hair as she held you close, “But you’re safe now. You’re with us, and nothing is going to hurt you anymore. We’ll always keep you safe, I promise.”

You buried your face into her chest, feeling the warmth of her embrace wrapping around you like a shield, “I… I didn’t want him to hurt me. I thought he… I thought he would, Le,” Tears begin to flow, a flood of emotions finally pouring out all at once, “I don’t want to go back there–I don’t want to!”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re here now, you’re here with us, and I won’t ever let him hurt you again. Okay?” Leah fought to push down her own anger, focusing instead on comforting you as she held you tight, letting you cry in her arms.

You sniffled, still not fully able to shake the fear that had gripped you, but slowly, you relaxed yourself into her arms.

Leah gently wiped away a tear from your cheek, her heart aching at the vulnerability you were showing. She held you tighter for a moment, feeling her protectiveness instincts surge as she kissed the top of your head, “I won’t let him hurt you again, I promise. No one is ever going to hurt you again,” She whispered, her voice low and soothing.

Eventually, after a few minutes, Leah pulled back just enough to look at your face, “You’re so strong, Monkey,” She said softly, brushing a strand of hair from your forehead, “And I’m so proud of you. You know that?”

You looked up at her, your eyes wide and vulnerable. You didn’t have the words, but you nodded slowly, feeling comforted by the tenderness in her eyes.

With a final reassuring squeeze, Leah helped you settle back onto your pillows, smoothing the covers around you, “I’ll stay right here until you fall asleep, okay?” She said, her voice a gentle murmur as she tucked you in snugly, “Do you want me to read you a story?” She teased.

And to Leah’s surprise, you nodded, “I want that book,” You mumbled tiredly, pointing to the familiar book cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone resting on the nightstand.

Leah grinned, picking up the book and flipping it open to the first page, "Mr and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much,” She began, glancing down at you with a mischievous smile, “I don’t know about that now, do you?” She joked, her playful manner still in her voice.

You were too tired to respond, but you listened to the rhythm of her voice, the warmth of it enough to make you feel safe as your eyelids began to flutter shut.

Leah, absorbed in the book, glanced down at you and noticed your half-asleep state, “I think that’s enough reading for tonight," She murmured with a soft smile, gently closing the book and careful not to disturb the peace of the room, “Sweet dreams, my girl.” She whispered, pressing a tender kiss to the top of your head.

“Night, Le,” You mumbled, your eyes barely open as you clutched your stuffed Monkey tightly in your arms, “Love you.”

“I love you too, Monkey,” Leah smiled softly, standing up from the bed, ready to turn off the bedside light.

“No, don’t,” You panicked slightly, your voice small, “Can you… Can you leave it on, please?”

“Of course,” Leah replied with a warm nod, her heart softening at the request. She left the room quietly, pulling the door ajar just enough so she could hear if you woke up and needed her. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching over you until you fell asleep.

You were safe. You were home.

“She’s finally asleep,” Leah murmured as she walked back into the living room, exhaustion evident in her posture as she flopped down on the sofa beside Jordan, “I wasn’t prepared for that battle tonight.”

“You handled it well, Bubba,” Amanda reassured her with a soft smile, “I was just filling your dad in on everything that happened today.”

David hummed in disapproval, “She went off to sleep okay?”

Leah nodded as she took a seat, her eyes softening as she thought about the moment she’s just shared with you, “Yeah, she’s asleep now. Took a little while, but she’s settled now.”

Jordan glanced up from where she was sitting, a warm, knowing smile on her face, “It’s good that she’s getting some rest. It’s been a long day.

David let out a low sigh, still not entirely convinced about the situation, “I just don’t like how all of this is affecting her. It’s not right, Leah.”

Leah met his gaze, her expression firm but compassionate, “I know, I don’t like it either but I’m going to do everything I can in my power to make sure she’s safe. I’m not going to fail this time.”

Jacob looked up from his phone briefly, his casual demeanor replaced by something more serious, “I’m glad she’s got you both. It sucks what she’s been throgh,” He paused for a moment before his eyes shifted back to the screen, “But is she… okay?”

Leah exhaled softly, a slight frown tugging at her lips, “She will be. It’s just going to take a bit of time. But we’ll help her get there, one step at a time.”

“We’re here to support you, Bubba,” Amanda gave Leah a reassuring glance, “You’re not going to be alone in this. She’s got a solid support system. That counts for something.”

Leah smiled faintly, looking down at her hands for a moment, “Yeah…I just want to protect her from everything that’s happened. All of it,” Her voice softened with the weight of her words, “I won’t let anyone hurt my kid again.”

“I know you won’t,” David’s expression softened a little, though still edged with concern.

“Do you think the hot chocolate helped?” Amanda joked, shifting to keep the atmosphere in the room light with a playful smile.

“It might’ve done the trick,” Leah said with a tired grin.

“Not as good as mine, I bet,” David said with a knowing look.

Amanda shot him a playful glance, “I tried my best.”

“Did you find out what that meltdown was all about earlier?” Jordan asked, curiously.

Leah exhaled a sigh, running her hand through her hair, “Yeah… she didn’t want to sleep, because she was afraid that I would leave her. She thought that tomorrow morning she’ll have to go back to her dad’s house.”

“I see,” Jordan replied, exhaling a matching sigh, “She’s a good kid, ain’t she? She doesn’t deserve any of this.”

“That scumbag never deserved her,” Leah spat, her anger resurfacing now that you were asleep, and she didn’t have to hold back.

Amanda placed a calming hand on Leah’s arm, “Bubba, I know you’re angry, but lashing out isn’t going to help.”

“Your mum’s right, sweetheart,” David added gently.

Amanda gave her a sad smile, “We need to think about what happens next, don’t we?”

Leah nodded, her thoughts already shifting to the practical next steps, “I know. I need to call Monkey’s social worker,” She mumbled, not exactly thrilled to have that conversation, but it was necessary.

It was now or never.

Leah dialed the number, her fingers hovering nervously over the screen before she placed the call, “Hello, this is Leah Williamson. I need to talk to a social worker about an ongoing case.”

“Is Monkey going to live with us now?” Jacob piped in, his voice tinged with curiosity.

“We don’t know that yet, son,” David replied with a heavy sigh, trying to follow Leah’s conversation as she explained the situation briefly.

When Leah hung up, she exhaled in relief, setting her phone down on the sofa, “They’re sending someone round tomorrow afternoon to talk to us.”

Jordan nodded, rubbing a hand over her face, “Alright. That’s good.”

Leah’s expression darkened again, “She doesn’t have anything here. Other than her pyjamas which I brought her, and her football kit, she doesn’t have clothes–nothing.”

“She didn’t have a bag with her?” David asked, frowning.

“No, she came here with clothes on her back,” Leah replied, “She’s going to need more. She needs… just– she needs stuff. Jord, go to Tesco. Grab what you can. Anything she might need.”

Jordan blinked in surprise, “Uh–what stuff?”

Leah huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, “Clothes, Jord. Pyjamas. Socks. Toothbrush. Just… I don’t know. Whatever she needs. Just get it.”

Jordan shifted awkwardly, “What size is she?”

Leah groaned, rubbing her temples, “I don’t fucking know–just guess, Jord. Use your common sense!”

“Leah!” Amanda snapped, her voice sharp, “We know you’re frustrated, but don’t swear at Jordan. We have raised you better than that.”

“I… I’m sorry,” Leah quickly apologised, her anger deflating with the reprimand.

“You need to take a minute to calm down,” Amanda told her firmly, standing up and grabbing her car keys, “Look, Jord and I will go to Tesco now and grab some essentials for her. You stay here, in case Monkey needs you, okay?”

Leah nodded, finally taking a deep breath as her frustration gave way to exhaustion, “Thanks, Mum.”

“I’m coming!” Jacob insisted, wasting no time to grab his trainers, “She needs snacks. Food always helps when you’re feeling sad, don’t it?”

Amanda chuckled, nodding in agreement, “You’re right there, son. Come on then.”

“I know you’re frustrated, sweetheart, but you have to stay calm,” David told her as the two of them sat alone in the room, “You won’t be any good to Monkey if you’re letting your anger get the best of you.”

“I know, Dad. I just… I don’t want to let her down. I can’t let it happen. Not again,” Leah’s voice trembled with emotion.

David nodding in understanding, reaching forward to squeeze Leah’s knee in reassurance, “Just… don’t burn yourself out trying to fix it all at once.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Leah met his gaze, a small but grateful smile playing on her lips, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“This will be worth it in the end,” He added with a teasing grin, “Mind you, I never imagined your mum and I would become grandparents so young.”

“Le?” Jordan shifted, waking up to find Leah awake, “How long have you been–”

“Can you hear that?” Leah cut her off, gesturing to the faint nose in the background, “It sounds like…” Her words were cut short by a blood-curdling scream that shattered the night.

Leah’s heart stopped for a moment before it began racing in her chest. She shot up in bed, the panic rising in her throat, her instincts already pulling her towards the door. Jordan, Amanda and David were right behind her.

“Monkey!” Leah yelled, as she hurried into the hallway, her feet pounding against the wooden floor.

Jacob appeared out of his bedroom, half-asleep, he looked confused, “What’s that noise?”

David placed his hand on Jacob’s shoulder, “I think Monkey had a nightmare. You should go back to sleep, it’s late and you have school tomorrow,” He told him with a knowing look, “Your  sister has it under control.”

Leah burst into the room, her eyes immediately finding you thrashing under the duvet, your cries raw and panicked as you gasped for breath between sobs. Your arms flailed, hands twisting into fists as you kicked at the sheets, trying to escape something only you could see.

“Monkey! Monkey, it’s okay! You’re safe,” Leah’s voice was firm but gentle as she reached for you, but the moment her fingers brushed against your arm, you recoiled violently, another piercing scream ripping from your throat.

Jordan winced at the sound, glancing at Amanda with wide, uncertain eyes, “She’s not awake.”

“Shh, sweetheart, we’re here,” Amanda’s voice was soothing as she flicked on the lamp, casting a warm glow over the room.

Your chest heaved, breaths coming too fast, too shallow. You didn’t like the light. It was too bright, too sudden. You curled in on yourself, hands flying to your ears as a whimper escaped your lips. The noise, the movement–it was all too much.

Leah crouched beside you, hands resting on her knee and making sure she wasn’t too close, “Monkey, it’s me. It’s Le,” She said softly, “You’re safe. You’re at home, my girl.”

At the sound of her voice, your head jerked up, eyes wild and unfocused, “He… He was–” You breath hitched as your face crumpled.

“I know, my girl,” Leah’s heart clenched, nodding slowly, “But he’s not here. I promise, you’re safe.”

You let out a broken sob, still trembling, your whole body buzzing with restless energy. Leah hesitated only for a moment before reaching forward again. Only this time you didn’t flinch away when she gently wrapped her arms around you, pulling you against her chest.

“I… It was real–It felt so real,” You whimpered, clutching at her like she might disappear.

“You’re okay,” Leah murmured, rocking you slightly, “Breath with me, yeah? In… and out…”

You tried, but your breaths were still shallow, your body still twitching like you needed to move–like you couldn’t stop moving. Leah ran a hand up and down your back, grounding you.

“Feel my breathing, Monkey. Can you match mine?” Leah encouraged.

Slowly, you did. Your fingers fidgeted with the hem of Leah’s shirt as your gasps evened out, your body sagging against her as exhaustion started creeping back in.

“I’m sleepy,” You mumbled, voice thick with tears.

Leah nodded, adjusting you slightly so you were more comfortable, “I know, Monkey. I’ve got you.”

She felt it immediately–the dampness seeping through your pyjamas.

Your whole body tensed as you realised what had happened.

“I… I didn’t mean to… I–” Your voice came out small, barely above a whisper.

Leah didn’t let you finish, “It’s okay,” She said simply, squeezing you a little tighter, “You got scared, that’s all. It’s not a big deal, I promise.”

But you wouldn’t meet her eyes, curling in on yourself.

“I didn’t even feel it,” You mumbled.

“I know, my girl,” Leah soothed, “That happens sometimes when you have a really bad nightmare. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Amanda, still standing in the doorway, gave Leah a soft nod and quietly went to grab clean sheets. Jordan followed, muttering something about getting you some water.

“Come on,” Leah coaxed gently, “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”

You hesitated, but when Leah stood and offered her hand, you took it. She helped you into the bathroom, running warm water and handing you a fresh pair of pyjamas from the improvised late night Tesco shopping trip that Jordan, Amanda and Jacob went way too overboard on clothes and toys.

Leah never rushed you, she didn’t make a big deal out of it, but instead she just talked to you softly about Coco Pops and the cartoons you could watch in the morning.

Your fear returned when it was time to return to your bedroom. The thought of being alone again sent a shiver down your spine. You clung to Leah’s arm, trembling as you shook your head, tears still clinging to your lashes, “I… I don’t want to go back. Please don’t make me.”

Leah’s heart twisted at the sight of you, “You’re okay, my girl. You can go back to bed, it’s safe now.”

You didn’t budge, you shook your head, your body trembling with exhaustion and fear, “N… No. Please… Please don’t leave me,” The words were barely above a whisper, desperate. Your lip wobbled as fresh tears welled in your eyes.

Leah crouched down, gently brushing a strand of hair from your face, “Hey, you’re not alone. I’m right here, I promise,” She murmured, her voice thick with emotion, “I tell you what–tonight, you can sleep with me and Jordy tonight, just for tonight, okay?” Ultimately she would have preferred for you to go back to sleep in your bed, but she could tell how shook up you still were, and making sure you were okay was the priority right now.

You nodded quickly, your whole body sagging with relief. You felt safe, finally. You didn’t care that you were 12 or that this was probably a little silly–right now, all you wanted was to feel loved, protected, and not alone.

Leah gave you a gentle time as she helped you into bed, “We have a guest joining us tonight,” She said to Jordan, glancing up at her as she settled beside you.

Jordan’s eyes softened, a fond smile tugging at her lips as she watched you curl up close to Leah, “I see that,” She replied, her voice warm, “Hi, little one.”

Your thumb found its way to your mouth instinctively. Your fingers trembling as you sucked it in, a habit you hadn’t relied on in a long time, but right now, it brought a sense of comfort that nothing else could.

Leah’s arms wrapped around you, pulling you close against her chest, “You’re safe with us, Monkey. I’ve got you, my girl. You can close your eyes and sleep now,” She said, her fingers stroking your hair.

“M’ sleepy,” You mumbled, your eyes fluttered closed, the warmth of Leah’s embrace making you feel like everything would be okay, even if just for tonight.

The rhythmic beat of Leah’s heart and the steady sound of Jordan’s breathing surrounded you like a cocoon, and eventually, you drifted off to sleep, wrapped in the safety of their arms.

“Le, can I… I have cereal for breakfast?” You asked, excitedly as you bounded into the kitchen still dressed in your pajamas, your hair wild like a lion’s mane, “You promised I could!”

“Of course you can, Monkey. You can have anything that you want,” Leah replied, the tiredness evident in her own voice.

Your eyes lit up, “Even Coco pops?”

Leah smiled and nodded, “Even Coco pops.”

“Yeah!” You exclaimed, bouncing on your toes.

Despite the nightmare from the night before, you were up and ready at 7 am, wide awake. Leah, reluctantly getting up with you, switched on the TV for morning cartoons while she made you the promised bowl of Coco Pops.

You sat on the spinny chair in the kitchen, pushing it back and forth, spinning in circles, “Why did Jordy stay in bed? She’s missing out on Spongebob!” You giggled, pointing at the screen. 

“I’m not missing out, I’m just avoiding the early morning Spongebob chaos,” Jordan appeared in the doorway, her voice groggy but playful, “Besides, if I have to listen to Spongebob’s laugh one more time before coffee, I might just turn into Plankton.”

Leah chuckled softly, shaking her head at Jordan’s antics, “Jordy isn’t much of a fan of early mornings,” She explained, “Do you want a bit of milk or a lot of milk?”

“Hm, not too much. It’ll make the cereal yucky!” You scrunched your face in mock disgust as you inspected the milk bottle.

It was remarkable to see how quickly your joy had returned, despite the nightmare that had shaken you both in the middle of the night. Leah had hardly slept, and neither had you. Your scream had woken up the entire house, sending everyone into a flurry of concern, but now, here you were, laughing over breakfast.

Leah sat at the kitchen table, fingers tapping anxiously against the wood. Jordan was across from her, just as tense but they both kept a brave face for you as you sat opposite them, oblivious and munching on your breakfast.

You stared at your bowl, then looked at them, your thoughts turning inward. You knew it was Monday. On Mondays, you always went to school. So why weren’t you today?

“So, Monkey,” Leah began the difficult conversation, keeping her voice soft, “Today, someone is going to come round from social services to talk to us–well, to you.”

“Why?” You asked, your stomach dropping at the unfamiliarity of the situation.

“Because it’s important that it happens I’m afraid,” Leah replied softly, but there was something about the way she said it that made you feel uneasy.

Your eyes widened in fear, instant panic taking over your face, “No, no… They’re just going to send me back to my dad's!”

“They’re not. I won’t let them, okay?” Leah shook her head quickly, her voice firm but gentle, “Not this time. We’ll talk to them, we’ll explain everything that happened, okay? There’s no need to be scared.”

“O… Okay,” You whispered, the fear still gripping your chest.

You really didn’t understand, but you didn’t want to ask again. You hated it when people didn’t answer your questions the way you wanted them to. It felt… off. You didn’t know why, but it made your stomach twist in a way you didn’t like.

“Eat your breakfast before it goes cold, little one,” Jordan encouraged, trying to lift your spirits. 

You giggled, poking your spoon around in your bowl, “It’s cereal, Jordy. It’s already cold.”

“Of course, silly me,” Jordan smiled at you, her voice light, trying to coax a smile from you.

Leah shook her head with a fond smile, “What’s she like, eh?”

“Silly!” You said, a genuine smile spreading across your face as you took another spoonful of your cereal.

By the time lunch had rolled around, the house was filled with the sounds of laughter and light-hearted jokes. You were sitting on the floor in the living room, building your Lego set, your fingers moving quickly as you pieced together a colourful castle. Leah and Jordan were sitting nearby, Leah with her phone, and Jordan struggling to assemble a poorly designed tower that kept collapsing.

“Jordy, that’s not how you build it!” You giggled, pointing at the mess she was creating, “It’s all wrong! The pieces don’t go like that!”

Jordan pouted, clearly amused by her own failure, “Oh, really? I thought it was a… modern abstract tower, that’s all.”

“Nooo, it’s awful!” You told her, grinning as she made an exaggerated face of frustration, “You have to build it properly!”

Leah laughed softly at the two of you, shaking her head, “You two are something else.”

You giggled mischievously in response, feeling more comfortable with them than you had in so long.

But as you clicked the last piece into place on your Lego creation, a sharp knock on the door interrupted the moment.

Leah stood quietly, her mood shifting as she turned towards the door, “Stay here,” She said, her voice gentle but firm, “I’ll go let them in. It’s going to be fine, yeah?”

You nodded, clutching the Lego piece in your hand, feeling a nervous flutter in your chest, “I’m scared, Jordy,” You turned to look at Jordan for her help.

“Hey,” Jordan shifted to move closer and wrap a protective arm around you, “You don’t need to be scared. Leah and I are going to sort this out. We’re not letting you go this time.”

Leah opened the door before the second knock could land, her eyes immediately locking with the woman standing there. The woman was in her mid-thirties, with an expression that was professional but kind.

“Miss Williamson?” She asked.

Leah’s grip tightened on the doorframe, “Yes.”

“My name is Hannah, and I’m from social services,” The lady introduced herself, showing proof of her ID card.

Leah’s jaw tightened, unfamiliar with this lady, “You’re not Monkey’s… I mean, you’re not the one I spoke to before at social services?”

“I’m afraid her case has been reassigned to me,” Hannah explained, her voice steady but with a trace of sympathy.

Leah stepped aside, her eyes momentarily narrowing with a mix of frustration and concern, “Right. Come in,“ She said, ushering the woman inside, “Monkey is in the living room with my partner.”

The moment the door closed behind them, you stiffened, instinctively shrinking back into your seat on the floor, your eyes darting between the unfamiliar woman and the safety of the room.

“Monkey?” Leah approached you with a cautious look, “This is Hannah. She’s from Social Services, and she’d like to talk to you. Think you can do that?”

You froze, feeling a lump in your throat. You didn’t want to talk to her. Didn’t even want to look at her.

“Hi, Monkey,” Hannah greeted you, though you could hear the professionalism still, “I’m Hannah. It’s nice to meet you.”

You didn’t say anything. You couldn’t. Instead, you focused on your Lego, avoiding eye contact, desperately trying to make yourself small, to disappear into the safety of the pieces in your hand.

“I understand that you stayed here with Miss Williamson and her partner last night, is that right?”

“Her name’s Leah, not Miss Williamson,” You mumbled, your voice barely audible.

“Right, of course. You stayed here last night with Leah, and her partner,” Hannah corrected herself, glancing in Jordan’s direction.

“Jordan,” Jordan answered curtly.

Hannah nodded, making a note of it on her clipboard, “So, you stayed here last night. Can you tell me what happened before that?”

You tensed, shrugging your shoulders and uninterested in talking. Your fingers trembled as they fiddled with a piece of Lego, keeping your eyes downcast. You couldn’t bring yourself to speak–not now. Instead, you scrambled up off the floor and reluctantly glued yourself to Leah, pushing to sit directly in her lap as she wrapped her arms around you protectively.

She wouldn’t force you to talk, not if you weren’t ready.

Jordan noticed your withdrawal and sat up from where she was sitting on the carpet originally beside you to move to sit on the sofa beside you and Leah, “Maybe it would be better if one of us spoke about it?” She suggested, offering you a silent but supportive glance.

Hannah nodded, understanding the hesitation, “That’s perfectly fine,” She agreed, her gaze flicking from you to Leah.

Leah inhaled sharply, her voice steady but filled with an intensity that you hadn’t seen before, “I got the phone call from Monkey last night. She was in distress and needed our help. We found her hiding out on the street, terrified and cold. She didn’t want to go back to her dad. Mark. He’s… He’s been hurting her,” She paused, the words heavy, but she didn’t look away, “I tried to talk to her old social worker, and every time, I was brushed off. And now look what’s happened. I’m not letting her go back to him. That’s not an option.”

Hannah regarded her carefully, her face softening with empathy, though her eyes still remained sharp, “Leah, I understand that you’re worried, but–”

“No, you don’t understand,” Leah’s voice cut through, unwavering, “I’m not letting her go back. She’s staying here. With me. With us.”

“Leah,” Hannah’s eyes softened as she took a slow breath, her clipboard held tightly in her hands, “Legally, there’s a process we have to follow.”

“Then follow it. But you’re not taking her away from me,” Leah responded firmly, her posture rigid as she pulled out her phone, “I’ve got proof. I’ve got everything–pictures, recordings. You need to see what happened. The bruises, the fear in her eyes, the way she recoils at the mention of his name–And last night, she had a nightmare. She was screaming blue murder. I had to get up with her in the middle of the night because she was terrified. She had an accident because she was so fearful. She was shaking when I finally got her back to sleep.”

Hannah’s face paled as she watched the footage, looked at the pictures of the bruises, the evidence unmistakable. Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak right away. Instead, she took a moment, her fingers gripping the clipboard harder.

“I’ll be escalating this immediately,” Hannah murmured, her voice low and serious, “This isn’t something that can just be swept aside.”

Leah exhaled sharply, but relief was short-lived. Hannah wasn’t done yet.

“There will need to be a court process,” She continued, “For now, we can arrange for emergency placement with you both, but a judge will need to approve the custody arrangement.”

Leah clenched her jaw, her heart racing, “And what happens if he tries to fight it?”

“The court will give him a chance to try and change his ways. But…” Hannah explained, her voice dropping in tone, “I’ve seen cases like this before. With the evidence you’ve shown me… I doubt they’ll risk sending her back.”

Leah’s stomach churned, but she nodded, her body tense, still holding onto the hope that you were safe. That she had done the right thing.

And somehow, for once, the system worked. A court order was pushed through, and Leah and Jordan were granted joint custody. Your dad was given a second chance to change–He had been allowed to have supervised visits.

Leah wasn’t thrilled, but at least this way you were safe with them for now.

As you sat in Leah’s lap, still curled up, she leaned down and kissed the top of your head softly, “You’re here, you’re safe. This is exactly what Jean wanted all along.”

Leah held you a little tighter, her arms a protective shield around you, and the words hung in the air for a long moment. Jean had always wished for Leah to have custody of you, to keep you safe from your dad.

Now, it was finally happening. For the first time in a long time, you allowed yourself to relax, the fear in your chest easing as you let yourself believe it.

You were safe. You were home.

© scribblesofagoonerr

[everythingmp3]

changing her ways

adult!Van x fem!reader

when Van invites you over to her place, all she expects is just another meaningless hookup - what happens instead is that she ends up breaking her rule of never letting lovers stay over, never being romantic, never being tender, and the next morning, she doesn´t seem to regret it. not one bit.

authors note: felt like writing some more for her and used the idea of spending the morning with her after a hook-up to explore what it might look like if she met someone she actually liked during her era of "getting her needs met". hope you enjoy <3 (around 6k words)

warnings: some smut, both receiving

it had always sounded a bit cliché to you, sentiments like "love will come to you when you’re least looking for it", but there was a truth at its core, one that applied to how you and Van first crossed paths as lovers.

later on, you would come to look back and feel eternally grateful for the boredom you had felt that Friday night when you and her first met, because the only reason you ended up swiping through dating apps was that you had little else to do.

you weren’t really looking to meet up with anyone, it was more of a game to you, but then, out of nowhere, you were struck by the profile of an older woman. for a moment you hesitated but she was too painfully your type to let the chance pass you by, so you forced yourself to get over your nerves and start a chat with her. to your surprise, it only took her about ten minutes to respond, which you tried to take as a good sign, as encouragement to actually try to get somewhere with her.

Van was a dry texter, not one for chit-chat, so after a few brief words, she cut to the chase and asked you "would you maybe wanna come over for a drink?".

you werent naive, you knew that it was just a more polite way of saying "listen, I am just looking to hook up" but you didn’t mind, in fact, something about her being so forward and shameless about her interest thrilled you, it had its appeal after one too many times of wondering whether a woman was actually flirting or just being friendly - it also helped that she was older, a certain thrill to the feeling of being told "come over here" by someone who naturally held a bit of authority, simply due to your age difference. there was a faint smile of anticipation on your face the whole way over to her place, the sun disappearing behind the horizon as you entered her dark store and climbed the stairs up to her apartment.

the moment Van greeted you, not with a hug but an appreciative long glance over your figure as she stood by the counter and prepared a drink for you, it hit you: she was even hotter than expected. shockingly so. her voice immediately struck you at your core, the way she said "please, come in, sit", low and husky, an almost primal quality to the way your body reacted to her, the total conviction when you thought to yourself "I have to have her".

you tried not to stare too obviously as you waited for her on the couch but in person she was naturally much more striking than in the few photos you´d seen of her; her was outfit simple, a pair of well-fitted jeans and a white shirt, but something about the way the fabric hugged her curves made you feel warm all over when she came closer and joined you on the couch and handed you your glass. her hair fell down her shoulders in soft, thick waves and your fingers already ached with the desire to feel it, your heartbeat quicker when she finally looked at you face-on and seemed to like what she saw, undeniably so.

usually, the drink was only a polite gesture she offered people to make the transition from being strangers into having sex more smooth, with most of her lovers she had made it clear that a few minutes of talking were more than enough for her, she was not the type to dance around why she had invited someone over, but with you it was different.

Van found herself actually enjoying your company, the time passed quickly as you sat there and got to know each other a bit, there was a natural chemistry, a spark, both of you genuinely laughing here and there, getting invested in what the other person was saying, urging each other to go on, to share a bit more. the thing that caught her off-guard was that you were different than the other younger women she´d been with before.

Van tended to go for people who were of a different generation because she liked the control it gave her, the predictability of it, she was used to girls being easily flustered by her, being nervous and not really pushing back, letting her take the lead, but from the first minute you started talking, she realized: oh. this is new. she is not intimidated by me. the moment you told her "most of those tapes down there are older than me, you know", almost as if you were judging her, messing with her a bit, she thought "okay. this could be very fun" and let go of her initial fear of being with an equal.

you fell into a nice rhythm of conversation, so eventually she got you a second drink and completely forgot about her rule of keeping the people she slept with at arms length, anonymous, never asking for more details about their personal life than their first name and age. thirty minutes passed before you both remembered why you´d met up in the first place, which suddenly made you go quiet with anticipation, eyeing each other from up close and almost holding your breaths as you felt just how charged the air had become, how quickly you had managed to sink into a deep attraction to each other, a shared feeling of "I need her. badly.".

it was the first time in ages that Van felt butterflies before leaning into kiss someone, but she did, as she put her hand on your face and felt you meet her halfway to kiss her, deeply, her whole body burning with a fire that she´d long thought extinguished, but there it was, her whole face and chest flush pink from it as she held your face in both of her hands while kissing you, almost as if she was afraid you´d leave, pull back, change your mind, but you were just as eager, if not more, pressing yourself up against her and caressing her hair as you moved on the couch to be half on her lap, closer, as close as possible, her hands wandering down to your thighs to support you, her grip almost bruising in its urgency.

Van had gone a long time without indulging in that kind of sensuality, she hardly ever kissed people for longer than necessary during sex or leading up to it, but right then she remembered how much she had missed it, craved it, her hands all over you as you made out and sighed between kisses, her fingers briefly tilting your head up to allow her better access to your neck as her grip on you tightened - she seemingly wanted to devour you, which killed your ability to remain quiet or composed in any way, as you felt her thigh pressing up between your legs and let out a sound that broke down her last bit of restraint, the second she heard you moan like that for her, she pulled you up to lead you to her bedroom.

once you were both on her bed, after a frantic attempt to get undressed as fast as possible, you got lost in a neediness and desperation for each other that almost scared you, both of you shaking from how turned on you were, wet to a degree that almost hurt as you kissed and moved against each other, her eventually holding your arms down by your sides as you felt her lips and tongue, her teeth, all over your chest and stomach, over your underwear, teasing you, savoring the mess you´d made, before she went down on you like she was close to starving, which she was, after only ever allowing herself rushed and impersonal sex for too long, the kind of sex that was only focused on getting off and nothing more, you could feel it in the way she held your thighs apart and moaned from your taste, that she had not felt arousal like that in ages, and you willingly surrendered, letting her take her time with pleasing you, making you come undone, before you eagerly returned the energy, which turned into a long night of both of you taking turns again and again with helping the other person feel as good as possible, you and her both taking a deep pleasure in the way you managed to both worship and wreck each other, to be in a place of joint helplessness against the wave of desire that had swept you up out of nowhere, that left you raw and open in the most delicious way, sensitive to the smallest touch, the lightest kisses and licks, every little thing you did to each other.

in the middle of it, as Van was melting into you, against your mouth, as she felt another orgasm spreading through her already weak limbs, she thought "this is too intense, stop this, tell her to stop and leave" but she couldn´t bring herself to, you had done the thing she´d considered impossible for a stranger to mange: you´d broken down her walls. you´d made her surrender. you´d gotten under her skin, and as much as she wanted to hate it and tell herself to push you away, all she could think when she saw you look up at her with your chin and lips glistening, a tired but pleased smile on your face, was: this is what I´ve been missing.

the thing that drove you insane that night was that she was sensitive in a way you had no expected at all, you could tell that she was getting something she hadn´t in while from the way she moaned, almost in a pained manner, assuring you that she was fine when you paused to give her a moment to breathe, kissed her face and allowed her to take a second before you continued, her hands on the small of your back to ground herself as she sighed "don´t stop when I seem overwhelmed, just keep going, I want you to, okay?", which you didn´t have to be told twice, leaving both of you ruined by the end of the night before you fell asleep satisfied, tired, tangled up in the crumpled sheets, the pillows in the wrong place, and yet, a deep sense of comfort wrapped around you, Van half-conscious still as she wrapped her arms around you and forgot about her rule of sending people home, never sharing her bed. it felt right, healing in a way, to feel her lovers soft breath as she drifted off, her face close enough to you to be lulled to sleep by the scent of your skin, that she´d quickly become addicted to, a light kiss to your shoulder before sleep took her as well.

the next morning, she woke up earlier than you, so after a while of laying there, Van sat up and rested against the headboard and smiled to herself when you moved to rest on top of her. you were still half-asleep as you laid your head on her chest and savored the feeling of being heavy and limp on top of her, her body still warm from sleep, a feeling of utter ease even though you were in a strangers bed.

if anyone had told Van the evening before how she would start the next day, she would have cringed at the idea of allowing that level of intimacy, but the way you were laying there evoked a foreign mix of both affection and protectiveness in her, as she watched you and ran her palm up and down your back, slowly, eventually caressing your hair, which got a purring sound out of you that made her laugh quietly and ask "comfortable there?", a nod from you and a half-mumbled "yeah.. very.." in response as you kept your eyes closed and felt soothed by the feeling of idle, soft touches.

Van´s body felt both soft and firm under you, a strength to her arms as she held you up that contrasted the tenderness she was offering you, so it took you a while before you managed to pull yourself away and fully wake up. it hit you then that she had been sitting up for a while already, so you propped yourself up on your elbows, looked up at her and asked "wait, how long have you been awake?".

Van shrugged and said "hm, like an hour maybe?".

"what? you´ve been waiting for me to wake up for an hour??", you felt a little guilty then but she smiled and cocked her head "well, it´s not like this is torture exactly, having a pretty girl laying on me." you were charmed and gave her a little nudge before you rubbed your eyes and stretched your limbs, as Van kept looking at you and reached out caress your sides, "youre a sweet sleeper you know" she mused.

"how so?" you asked, curious then. "I was half awake when you snuggled up to lay your head here" she pointed at the crook of her neck, "kinda like kitten" she added, to tease you a bit, which made you flush and shrug to brush it off, but she went on, a bit more earnest then, "I´m not used to that.. it felt nice". from her that counted as high praise, you could tell from the way she seemed kinda shy about having said it, so you leaned in closer and grinned, "oh really? you usually kick people out after?".

you were half joking but a look of guilt settle on Van´s face, you could basically see her cringe at some of the memories that your question had brought up, so you laughed and said "oh wow", kind of amused by the idea of her being the type to tell hook-ups to leave in the middle of the night. you moved to put your hands on her shoulders and look at her more closely, stunned by her face in the daylight, her freckles that you had only vaguely been aware of the night before, briefly too enamored to speak before you asked "so, are you regretting it now, that you broke that habit and let me stay?".

Van shook her head and gave you a sheepish smile, "oh no, no quite the opposite actually" while pulling you closer, her arms tight around your back as she kissed your neck and breathed in, started feeling you up a bit, turned on by the sweet, slightly disheveled look of you, the clear difference in your ages admittedly a turn-on for her, a rush of possessiveness as she felt you submit to her touch and thought "yeah she´s mine" even though you definitely weren´t, a content "hmmm" sound from you as you ran your fingers through her hair and let her have her way.

after she pulled back, she stared into your eyes, seemingly searching for something in your expression, and smiled as she asked "I have no idea why the fuck you agree to come here last night. are you sure you´re not having some kind of crisis and I am just taking advantage of it?". the way she phrased that made you laugh before you responded "oh sure, because there no way I could have found you hot otherwise", your eyes sparkling with amusement as she nodded, "yeah, thought so", a subtle smirk that gave away that she was having flashbacks of just how into her you´d been, the things you´d done for her, with her, to her, during the night, so you used the moment of warm silence to briefly snuggle up to her again and rest your head on her shoulder.

after a moment Van nudged you and said "you´re gonna fall asleep again, huh" not displeased by your unconcealed affection, but you protested "no, no I´m good" and sat upright then. "you hungry?" Van asked as she pulled the blanket off and moved to get up "yeah, pretty hungry actually" you admitted while getting out on the other side of the bed, "good, I´ll make you something nice, come, take whatever clothes you want" she told you as she pulled on a shirt and boxer shorts, while gesturing over at her closet, so you quickly opted for a soft oversized t-shirt and some thin cotton shorts, which made her glance over at you with a mix of endearment and lust, the unfamiliar sight of someone in her clothes stirring something deep within her, yet another aspect of romance that shed missed more than she cared to admit.

once you were in her living space again, you instinctively took a seat by the counter as she started rummaging around in the kitchen and told you to sit back and let her do the work, to be her guest, briefly checking for your preferences, how you took your coffee, if you were in the mood for something savory or sweet, if you needed some water or juice or both, taking pleasure in the unfamiliar act of serving her lover something to eat.

as she moved around the kitchen, you sat with your head leaning on your hand, watching her, which she would have shut down with a "you´re staring." if it had been anyone else, but with you, in that moment, the attention was invited, you could tell from the way she carried out certain movements that she was aware of you gaze and enjoying it, playing into it a bit, a silent erotic communication between you. "are you hungover at all?" she asked you, as she put some finishing touches on the two plates she was assorting for you, so you had to suppress a laugh as you eyed her and answered "hungover? from two drinks?...".

Van shot you a glare and waved you off, "forget it. enjoy this while it lasts, its not gonna be so funny when youre my age" flipping her hair over her shoulder before turning around and getting something else from the fridge. "I can only hope to look as good as you then" you told her in a purposely overly sweet tone, batting your eyelashes at her when she turned back around and gave you another critical look, trying her best not to appear flustered, the flush on her cheeks betraying her, "easy there." she warned you, without any true heat behind the words. "you´re trouble, huh" she said, more to herself than you, as she poured the coffee and saw how pleased with yourself you looked, sitting there, taking in the view of her growing a little hot from your unwavering attention, "me?" you asked, feigning innocence, to which she only said "yeah, you miss", smiling, both amused and a little frustrated how easy it was for you to get a rise out of her, after years of her considering herself stone-cold.

after she slid the finished plates over to where you were already sitting, she walked around to join you but stopped as she stood right behind you she paused, and without thinking she followed the instinct she felt then and slid her arms around your waist from behind, rested her head on your shoulder, shut her eyes for a second. you rested your hands over hers and soaked up the unexpected sudden tenderness, the way she audibly breathed out, almost as if some ancient weight was falling off from her shoulders, which perhaps was close to the truth, something about her touch tinged with a mix of gratitude and disbelief, as if she was making sure she hadn´t just dreamed you up.

after a few seconds of allowing herself to fully drop her walls, she pulled herself away and seemed a little shy afterwards as she took her place next to you and joined you in taking a first few bites, you just smiling to yourself instead of commenting on it.

for a few minutes you ate in relative silence, both of you only then realizing how starved the hours of fucking had left you, the morning sun casting the room in a soothing hue of gold, her hair even prettier then than the night before, glowing almost. you paused your eating to look at her from the side as she wiped a few crumbs from her mouth, absentmindedly pushed her hair back, seemed a little zoned out, which gave you the chance to shamelessly stare for a while, your gaze roaming over her, settling on her mid-thighs, where her plaid boxers had moved up a bit, revealing a decent amount of her leg, the faint freckles, which reminded you of how soft her skin had felt against yours, how sexy it was to you, that she had a certain delicate quality, something girl-ish almost in certain lights, fragile even, that opposed her tough vibe, her deep voice, her aura of "don´t mess with me".

you couldn´t help but reach out to caress her thigh, while saying "you look hot like this" tracing a line down her skin, which made her turn to you and say "likewise" in a low tone, as she gave you an equally appraising look and placed her hand over yours and kept it pressed against her leg for a beat longer, a shared pang of need detectable in both of your expressions then, an electricty as you looked eyes and saw your want mirror back to yourself. you both seemed to be getting flashbacks right then as you cleared your throat and removed your hand, trying to act casual, eating a bit more, while you were both left with tingling sensations all over your body where you´d felt the other´s hands and lips the night before, the sounds and taste of it coming back to you as well, the sensations that had banished all thoughts from your mind except one word, repeating, "more, more, more".

"we were pretty eager, huh..." Van said in a barely audible tone, which made you smile and say "yeah..", remembering how you had both moaned desperately just from kissing, how you´d already come close to finishing just from grinding up against each other before actually having sex, the neediness, the way you´d abandoned all pretense and let the other one see you in a state that could be considered undignified, considering the way you´d both begged each other to be taken, devoured. it had been unexpectedly intimate for a first time, it was palpable in the way you glanced at each other then and felt almost a little smug about how well you had fit together, physically, how hot the memories were to you.

you were both quietly getting turned on again, but you managed to keep it subtle for the time being, so you gestured at the empty plates and asked "so, if you dont let people stay usually, I´m assuming this is also not a common occurence?". Van nodded and leaned in a bit as she said "yes, correct, you cheated your way into this position, played some dirty tricks on me" a tap to your forearm, a hint of amusement to her demeanor when she saw the flicker of pride in your eyes, since you did love the idea of being an exception, having her in a way few others did, or even better, nobody else.

you could tell she was thinking of something then, so you nudged her and asked "what?" genuinely curious. "oh it´s just, it´s been a while since it felt the way it did last night..." she said, a little more earnest then, so your curiosity was peaked and you turned to face her more directly, your knee briefly brushing hers, another rush of warmth that you both felt at the same time. "how so?" you asked. she drummed her fingers on the counter and thought for a second before explaining "this might sound a bit corny but I usually feel like people aren´t really seeing me, like they see a role I could play for them, if that makes sense? and sometimes that can be fun or whatever, playing the part, I am fine with that, I sought it out, but with you... I don´t know. you paid attention in a way that felt kinda intense, like you were actually trying to understand me.. you were sweet, hard to describe, but I missed that, feeling like I might like to be friends with the person I am seeing"

you understood what she meant and it flattered you, the way she´d put that, so you made as sound of agreement and said "yeah, it felt natural, easy", "exactly yes" Van affirmed, looking up at you again then, a warm smile before she added "and you know, it also helped that youre fucking hot." she briefly caressed your cheek when she saw the subtle bashfulness she´d elicited with that comment, it came out of nowhere and left her feeling exposed in her affection for you, but the way you leaned into her palm killed any instinct to reel it back in. you returned the energy by leaning over and giving her a lingering kiss, your hand on her neck, remaining only a few inches from her face when you told her "I wouldn´t have been able to tell that youre not used to all this if you hadn´t told me" which you meant, she was far from unromantic and detached with you, which didn´t match her own description of herself, the way she usually went about intimacy, so she grinned and ran her hands down your back as she whispered "well, I had some practice earlier in life".

you nodded and took in her features from up close, her pink lips, her freckled nose, the deep blue of her eyes and said "right. broke some hearts, didn´t you?", which made her laugh and shrug "maybe. got mine shattered too though, so, balances out" you could detect a truth in there, which made you wonder what exactly that heartbreak had entailed, how her life had looked, a sudden need to know much more about this woman you´d so randomly come to feel deeply connected to just within a night. "god that just made me sound old as fuck huh" she sighed and shook her head while taking the dirty dishes over the sink, which made you laugh and play along with it by saying "maybe".

since breakfast was over, you were both eager to be more comfortable again and moved to the couch, where she urged you to lay your legs over her lap, instead of sitting there all polite with them crossed, her hands immediately settling on your knees, rubbing up and down a little. Van was stunned by how easy it was for her to slip back into the physicality she had had with girlfriends, people she´d actually cared for, she realized how good it felt to just lounge around with a lover, that it came naturally to her, that her fears of it had been unjustified, it was a hard truth to accept for her but as you got comfortable with your legs sprawled out over her, she couldn´t deny that in her heart, she´d been longing for it, a girl to call her own again.

"so. are you counting down the minutes until you can leave?" she joked, which amused you, considering just how obviously you were enjoying yourself in that position, so you joked back and said "oh sure, I am clearly dying to run off". "but on a real note, do you want a ride home when you go? Id be happy to drive you home", she asked, and you appreciated the offer but the feel of her hands on you made it hard to accept it, you wanted nothing less than to leave but you also didnt wanna impose, so you tentatively said "well... I mean I don´t really need to be anywhere today, so.." hoping she´d catch on to the subtext there, which she did, charmed by your hesitation, the nervousness that contrasted the boldness you´d already shown her, a mix that she liked, kept her intrigued. "ah, I see, do you maybe wanna stay for a bit longer then?" she suggested, before she could talk herself into sabbotaging this fresh, strangely enjoyable romance shed stumbled into without even realizing at first the night before.

"yes" you said, a bit too fast, eager to accept the offer, sensing that she was also glad to have a bit more time with you, so you pushed your luck a bit and added "I mean, not to be clingy but if you want I could get some of my stuff later and stay another night? I liked sleeping with you.." you meant the actual act of sleeping, but the double meaning was also true, so you didn´t correct yourself when you realized how that had come out. Van smiled and nodded, her hands still on your legs, squeezing lightly, "yeah, me too. and you could also just use my things and not leave at all".

you shared a look of fondness as you both realized that you weren´t alone in your need to stay together for the time being, "yeah, let´s do it that way" you agreed. "but be warned" Van said, lowering her voice for dramatic effect, "you might get really fucking tired of me in like two hours. I am sure you´re used to company that´s more.. well, like you". you leaned in a bit, "like me?", Van pulled you even closer then, grabbed your arm and grinned and as she finished her thought "oh you know, young, fun, dazzling" clearly messing with you, laying it on thick, but a genuine compliment hidden in there, which made you lean closer too and brush a strand of hair out of her face as you smiled, "I´ll manage, and who knows, maybe some of it will rub off on you" teasing her a little, running your hand down her side, leaving it to rest on her waist.

"god willing" she whispered and used her strength to pull you up against her for good, sighing "come here" as she felt you adjust your position and climb half on top of her, your thighs pressing down against hers. it took her only a second to pull you in for a proper kiss, the kind you hadn´t shared yet that morning, a shared sigh as you started making out, slowly, drawing each kiss out, her hands under your shirt, yours on her neck, her taste both sweet and still lightly bitter from the coffee, faint whimpering sounds from her when you grew hungry and licked over her bottom lip, felt for her tongue with yours, felt her surrender to it, her mouth open, a sloppiness to your kisses that made it hard not to wanna do more, so once you felt yourselves growing a bit too hot too fast, you pulled back to breathe, to ground yourselves, hands still gripping each other´s shirts tightly.

you smiled at her, pleased by the sight of her flushed face, her glistening lips, and said "you´re kinda selfish you know". Van was still dazed from before but snapped out of it to respond "huh??", the offense in her tone making you laugh as you played with her hair, "all of this, so much space up here and you never let lovers stay".

"well, I am not great company usually, so, did them a favor" she uttered, her fingers tracing patterns on your back. "so, you work alone downstairs all day and then spend the nights up here alone too?", "yeah pretty much..." she admitted, aware that she lived a kind of hermit lifestyle. "how have you not lost your mind?" you asked, half-joking, which made her grin, a flicker of mischief, "who says I haven´t?" staring into your eyes as she said it.

"right, sure" you said, amused by her quick wit, acutely aware of the heat where your skin was still pressing down against hers, a subtle heat growing where only some very thin fabric was keeping you from feeling her the way you wanted to, a light shit of your position that didn´t escape her, that made her push her thigh up a bit to fuck with you, to hear the sigh you inevitably let out. "yeah don´t say I didn´t warn you later on" she whispered. "warn me? I think I can handle a middle aged loner" you retorted and pushed your hands into her hair, not very gently, payback, aware that it made her weak to be handled like that. "you don´t know the half of it, lady" she said while smiling up at you, not backing down, so you moved one of your hands to her face, tracing her scars with your index finger while asking "oh yeah? something to do with this maybe?".

"maybe" Van echoed, smug, watching you briefly get lost in the act of closely inspecting the red lines that graced her pretty face, pleased by the way she could see the wheels turn behind your eyes. in a way that was perhaps a bit twisted, it did turn her on, to know that you had no idea that she had once been feral, that she had hunted and eaten people before, that she had a capacity for animalistic behavior that surpassed what you were assuming right then, mostly because something told her that you might be the kind of girl who wouldn´t just be shocked but also a little into it, the idea of her being capable of things like that, she´d just known you for a night, but she was nearly certain that the reaction she could get out of you would be priceless.

"tell me then, what dark secret are you keeping?" you asked her, your nose almost brushing hers from how close you were, her breath hot against your lips as she shook her head "lets maybe go on a date first before I spill that to you, hm". "this isn´t a date?" you asked, feigning ignorance, pretending to be a little disappointed, so she laughed "no, this is what you´d call a hookup, sorry to say sweetie" a faux act of consolation then, a few light slaps to your upper thigh. "but" she added "we can turn it into a date". you moved a bit then, to sit next to her again instead of on her, your hand reaching for hers, unwilling to let go of her. "when´s the last time you´ve been on one? do you remember how to behave?" you teased, which earned you a shove in the side "very funny, yes I do recall".

"okay, what do you wanna do today then, hm?" you asked, elbow propped up on the couch to look at her while resting your head against your arm. "oh lets see" she said, while tilting her head back for a second, looking at the ceiling as she felt her fingers laced through yours and thought about it. "we could enjoy the sun, walk around for a bit, go to this nice cafe I know for lunch, its really fucking good" you nodded, more than happy to spend your day like that, but before you could say anything about it, she beat you to it by moving closer to you, snaking her arm around your waist, and saying "but before all that... I think we should go back to bed for a while" an authority, a determination to he tone then that made your face feel hot under her unyielding gaze. "yeah, agree..." you said and pushed her back against the couch cushion to grope her, out of nowhere, a self-satisfied grin when you heard her groan "fuck" from the feel of your fingers digging into her chest over her shirt, "you´re so sensitive" you teased, not letting up, kissing her cheek as she grew needier by the second, "yeah and you´re relentless" she uttered, briefly submitting to your force before she used the position she was in to move her hand down your shorts, only to tease, but the second she brushed over you, the whine you let out told her: keep going. she wants more.

so she held you close as she used the other hand to tease you, not fully jerking you off, but playing with you, moving her fingertips up and down, feeling some of the wetness that had gathered, using it to press down against your clit and draw achingly slow circles as you clung to her, eyes shut, hips jerking a bit to meet her hand, nodding, your lips parted as you sighed "please dont stop..". Van took the chance to kiss your neck, to have you fully melt against her, her fingers adding some more pressure as you grew soaked for her and tilted your head to the side to let her kiss all the way up to your jaw, faint sighs as she breathed in your scent, got high on the feeling of having you that pliant and soft for her, so receptive, whispering sweet things to you as it took you no time at all to feel a climax go through you, less intense than the ones you´d had the night before, but still, enough to leave you weak and wanting more, much more. her fingers were still on you, drawing out some last few jolts of pleasure, as you leaned in to her ear and sighed "I wanna feel you... I wanna feel you come against me..".

"jesus..." Van groaned at the thought, since that was another thing that she´d stopped allowing herself, anything like tribbing was off the table with hookups, since she knew how much she enjoyed it when she was really into someone, how sensitive to that sensation she was, how easily it could turn her into a whimpering mess, but she couldn´t deny you, not then, not while still feeling your mess all over her fingers and already growing wet herself from the thought of having your cunt pressed up against hers, for a torturous amount of time, she wanted it to hurt, to be too much almost, so she nodded, her voice cracked with lust as she said "yeah.. yeah okay, come", pulling you up from the couch to have fantasy become reality as fast as possible.

you both quickly undressed and settled back into her bed, her sitting back against the pillows as you tried to find the best angle and moved her leg up to put yours under it, adjusting your hips until you both moaned in agreement when you found the right spot. you were both turned on enough to a point where you didn´t need spit or lube to make yourselves slick enough, your arousals mixing as you started grinding down against her and saw her shut her eyes, trying her best not to sound pathetic, while already feeling like she might lose her mind just from watching you move against her like that, hearing you whimper from it, since it felt even better than expected, an intensity to the feeling of your cunts almost making out in a way that left you weak in the most maddening way.

Van was happy to just sit there and grab your waist in support as you trapped her in a way, made her submit to your pace, the way you rubbed yourself up against her, that delicious sense of helplessness that she had always craved in bed, which you could tell from the way she shook and uttered broken up phrases between her moans like "god.. don’t stop..." and "so fucking pretty...", watching you in awe as you purposely drew it out and waited until she was close to finishing to join her and feel your orgasms hit you at the same time, eyes locked as you rode it out and were both left wrecked and breathless from it.

after you moved down from her, you could tell that she was still somewhat riled up, so you touched her where she was slicked up from both your and her own cum, moved your head down to lick over her chest and suck on one of her tits, as you felt her hold your head in place, almost as if to prevent you from stopping, to make you keep her sensitive flesh in your mouth, and drew out another high, a follow-up one that was less intense but just a needed extra release, a pleased smiled on her face after you finally moved away and laid down next to her, a barely audible "fucking hell…" that made you feel a rush of pride.

after a minute of satisfied silence, you both turned to look at each other from the side and mirrored the action of tracing each others outline, your leg draped over hers, a the room warm and quiet, the morning sun casting long shadows on the floor, over your figures.

Van was the first to speak again, "thank god you were reckless enough to come to some strangers house without even facetiming or calling before. that was kinda risky you know.." a hint of respect in there for how bold you´d been.

you smiled and answered "well. it paid off. and I am done with all that for now, so, no danger there". Van´s eyes lit up when she registered the subtext there and inquired "oh yeah?" to hear it confirmed, that you wanted to keep seeing her, only her. "yeah" you whispered and caressed her arm, "me too" she said, relieved that the days of meeting strangers for meaningless sex might just be coming to an end, that she was entering a new era, that romance was slowly entering her life again, the doors to it opened by your hands.

there was a deep sense of ease in the air then, neither of you were able to stop smiling from it, you didn´t have to say a thing to know what the other was thinking:

this is only the very beginning. I can´t wait to get to know you. all of you.

[fae-renjun]

🗯✮₊˚⊹ THE ANATOMY OF A ROMANCE — l.jn [ TEASER ]

# pairing.ᐟ lee jeno x fem!reader — [1.1k], college!au, academic rivals to friends to lovers, teaser for the first instalment of how to fall in love (for dummies)

# synopsis.ᐟ  when yn finally got tickets for comic con this year, the last thing she expected was to accidentally coordinate outfits with lee jeno: the boy she had been tied with for the top of every class they had taken together since first year. or in which jeno begins to realise the girl he could never beat in academics has more in common with him than he thought. warnings.ᐟ just swearing for the teaser

# tia speaks.ᐟ est. final wc: 4.5k & est. publish date: 20/03 (the writing in this teaser might be a bit chopped, this is not the final edit)

i. you can’t turn the radio down (& you can’t think of anyone else)

Jeno’s first mistake had been trusting his friends with his hair. 

Looking up nervously as Mark handed him the mirror, Jeno was already braced for disaster after observing the reactions of Jisung (visibly distressed in the corner while biting back a smile) and Chenle (not holding back at all, literally rolling on the floor laughing). 

“This is not fucking green.” “It’s bluish-green?” said Mark hesitantly in response. “It’s mint, Mark,” said Renjun from his spot on the couch. “It could still work,” said Jisung, more as a question than a statement. “Yeah,” Jaemin answered, barely holding back a laugh, “Beast Boy can be minty.”

From the corner of his eye Jeno saw Haechan slowly pull his phone out of his pocket, which was then swiftly returned to its place with Jeno’s warning of putting him in a chokehold.

“I cannot go to comic-con like this.” “Sure you can,” Chenle responded between laughs. “Listen man,” said Renjun, “even if you wanted to fix it, there’s not enough time to do that. Just put on the outfit.” Jeno begrudgingly dragged his feet across the floor to his room, as the conversation continued muffled outside.

Mark shouted, “Yo but why do I actually look so good as spiderman?!” “My Iron Man is better,” retorted Chenle “Why’d you guys assign me the Hulk anyway?” asked Jaemin, as Jeno walked out of his room. Jisung said “Your muscles,” at the same time as Haechan who instead responded with, “So that you and Jeno can have matching green couple outfits.” Renjun, busy adjusting the bow for his Green Arrow costume, just let out a snort-laugh as Jaemin considered both responses for a second before nodding, “Valid.”

Soon Jeno and Renjun were ushering the 5 others out of the house and into the cars to make sure they wouldn’t be late for The Batman 2’s trailer screening.

Y/N opened up the camera app and held her phone close to her face as she made sure the small red plastic crystal she’d bought from the craft store and stuck onto her forehead with lash glue wasn’t crooked. Aeri stood adjacent, combing through her freshly-dyed pink hair with her fingers. 

As a notification popped up on her screen Y/N let out a groan, “Dr. Kwon just assigned us 30 pages of reading for my 8am on Monday!”

“Those Monday morning lecturers love being diabolical, I’m telling you,” said Aeri with a sigh.

In the process of throwing her head back in frustration, Y/N noticed a mint-coloured blob exiting a car out of the corner of her eye. As she turned to get a better look she said to Aeri, “He might have been going for Beast Boy but the poor guy’s hair did not-” Y/N fell silent on seeing the face behind the mint hair. Then she started laughing.

No, said Jeno to himself, this could not be a laugh he recognised, this could not be-

“Holy fucking shit.” “Please,” said Jeno as he made eye contact with the girl, “spare me.” “Absolutely not. That is not green.” “Blame Mark.”

“No, I will actually be thanking Mark. This is incredibly diabolical work,” responded Y/N as she held her phone back up to take a photo. “Oh my god, delete that,” said Jeno with a look of horror. Y/N shook her head, “Don't worry, I won’t post it. Just need it to laugh at.” she said as Jeno’s friends joined in on laughing at the boy’s embarrassment. “I did not consent to that photo Y/N, but I guess you just like looking at my face that much.” “Yeah, I like laughing at it.” “Whatever you say. Nice to know you’re obsessed with my face. What a shame it’s not reciprocated,” said the boy with an obviously mocking look of sympathy.

Before she could retort, Haechan cut through the banter, “Sorry to point out the obvious but has no one else noticed the costumes? You’re Beast Boy, and she’s Raven. They’re lovers in all the comics and shit, no?” Jeno’s mouth fell agape as Y/N’s eyes widened in disbelief. Both of you rushed to defend yourselves, “Lovers is a stretch-” “ Ok but she’s been with other people in the comics, even Starfire, I mean really Aeri is-” The duo's voices were drowned out by their friends falling into a fit of giggles once again.

Y/N lightly slapped Aeri’s arm to get her attention, dragging her inside the convention center and away from the boys, as the pink-haired-girl continued holding in her giggles.

After the two girls had browsed some of the merchandise at the convention, they finally got to The Batman 2’s panel. Y/N just happened to be so lucky that the only free seats (other than those at the opposite end of the hall) were right next to a group of 7 boys, one of whom’s hair stood out like a sore thumb. It was now her turn to groan as Aeri dragged her right into those very unfortunate seats. 

With a whole 15 minutes left until the panel started all Y/N could do to occupy herself was talking to Aeri and staring at the ground and tapping her feet in order to ignore the presence of a certain Lee next to her. As the girls’ conversation reached a lull, Jeno on her other side cleared his throat before asking, “So…do you like comics?”

Y/N nodded, “Yeah…a lot.”

“Well then this is great!” exclaimed Jaemin, “Nono here is the resident comic book nerd in our friend group.”

Y/N’s face broke into a teasing smile, “Nono?”

Jeno closed his eyes in frustration then turned to Jaemin and gave him his best ‘threatening’ glare (but all his friend did was smile back).

“Favourite characters?” asked Y/N, once he had turned back around.

“Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, Miles Morales, Cassandra Cain, John Constantine,” he gestured at his own outfit, “and Beast Boy. Yours?”

“Jason Todd, Kamala Khan, Gwenpool, Zatanna, Rogue, Kori and Raven.” Y/N responded, pointing to her own outfit as she finished.

There was a beat of silence, “Good list.”

“Yours too.”

The two nodded, each clearly having gained some additional level of respect for the other as the lights in the hall dimmed and the event began.

While pulling her hair out of the back of the brown jacket she had put on for the second day of ComicCon, a realization dawned on Y/N, causing her to practically fly across her room to her phone.

Y/N: just so that we don’t accidentally match again Y/N: because i’m sure neither of us wants that Y/N: what are you dressed as today?

Jeno (Anatomy 101): miles morales

Y/N: ok, cool. Y/N: clear.

Jeno (Anatomy 101): you?

Y/N: rogue

Jeno (Anatomy 101): ok Jeno (Anatomy 101): can you delete the picture now

Y/N: nope!

Seen at 11:57am

taglist (strikethrough = can’t tag): @bambisnc @nicholasluvbot @yewshi @lotties-readings @wachimingox @moryymor @andyyjw @ayukas @mystverse @meemememeem @hibernatinghamster @i-lovegood @keemburley @huffnpufffckk @zhapire @yutal0ver @miamoreeee @413ktz @imlonelydontsendhelp @vivisoni @jenocity23 @yangsliuist @dee-zennie @haoss @kstrucknet @k-films

[alittlegiraffe]

Title: No Faking It

You were on the phone, curled up on the couch, thinking you had the house to yourself. Your voice was low, casual, as you reassured your friend.

“I mean, yeah, I faked it last night,” you admitted with a soft laugh. “I was just exhausted, and I didn’t want to make him feel bad. It wasn’t a big deal.”

You didn’t notice the way Marshall froze in the doorway. Didn’t see how his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing slightly as your words sank in.

You faked it?

His grip tightened on the water bottle in his hand, but he stayed quiet, listening as you continued.

“It’s not like it happens all the time,” you added quickly. “And honestly, he’s always so good about making sure I’m taken care of—I just couldn’t keep up last night.”

Marshall exhaled slowly through his nose. He didn’t know whether to be offended, amused, or just straight-up determined.

Scratch that—he was definitely determined.

He didn’t make his presence known until you were off the phone, stretching your arms with a soft sigh. You nearly jumped when you turned and found him standing there, arms crossed, blue eyes locked onto you with that unreadable expression of his.

“Marshall?” You blinked. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” he murmured.

You frowned, about to ask what he meant—until you saw the way his gaze darkened, something almost dangerous flickering behind his smirk.

Oh. Oh.

Your stomach flipped. “Wait—”

“So you faked it?” His voice was calm, casual—too casual. He stepped closer, and you instinctively shrank back against the couch. Not out of fear—out of anticipation.

“Marshall, it wasn’t a big—”

“Nah.” He shook his head slowly, lowering himself onto the couch beside you, one arm draping along the back of it as he leaned in. “See, now it’s a problem.”

Your breath hitched as his fingers trailed up your thigh, slow, teasing. “I—I was just really tired.”

“That right?” He smirked, his voice dropping lower. “Guess that means you’re well rested now.”

Your heart pounded. Oh, you were in trouble.

Marshall tilted his head, brushing his lips against your ear as he whispered, “Let’s see you fake it this time.”

And just like that, you knew—you weren’t getting out of this until he knew for a fact that there was nothing fake about it.

You barely had time to process his words before Marshall was on you, his movements slow, deliberate, and dangerous. His hand slid up your thigh, fingers curling just enough to make you shiver.

“Marshall—”

“Nah.” His voice was rougher now, laced with something primal. “Ain’t got nothin’ to say now, do you?”

Your stomach flipped, anticipation twisting in your gut as he shifted, pressing you back against the couch with his body, his presence all-consuming.

“You really sat here,” he murmured, lips brushing against your jaw, “and told your friend you faked it?” He exhaled sharply, nipping at the skin beneath your ear. “Like that shit don’t matter?”

You swallowed hard, your breath already coming shorter. “I—it wasn’t like that—”

He scoffed, shaking his head, his grip tightening on your waist. “Nah, you don’t get to downplay it now.” His voice was low, commanding. “You really think I’m lettin’ that slide?”

Your fingers curled into his hoodie, clinging to him as heat bloomed beneath your skin. “I—”

“Say it,” he demanded. “Say you faked it.”

You bit your lip, squirming under his gaze. “I faked it.”

His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring. “Not happening again.”

And just like that, he moved—picking you up like you weighed nothing, tossing you over his shoulder in one smooth motion. You gasped, hands smacking against his back in shock.

“Marshall!”

He didn’t respond, didn’t even hesitate as he strode toward the bedroom like a man on a mission. His grip was firm, possessive, one arm locked around your thighs as if daring you to try and escape.

Not that you would.

He kicked the door shut behind him, finally lowering you down onto the bed, his hands gripping your hips before you could even think about sitting up. His blue eyes burned into yours, dark with pure, unrelenting determination.

“You listenin’?” His voice was deep, husky, the edge of a growl beneath his words.

You nodded, your own breath unsteady.

His fingers traced up your thighs, slow and teasing, making you squirm. “Ain’t stoppin’,” he murmured, “till I know for a fact that you ain’t gotta fake shit.”

Your body melted beneath his touch, heat pooling in your stomach. “I—”

He smirked, tilting his head. “Nah, don’t even talk.” His hands gripped you tighter, like he was staking his claim. “Just take it.”

And you did.

---

Marshall didn’t waste any time. He had that look in his eyes—one that meant he wasn’t playing, wasn’t stopping, wasn’t letting up until you forgot what the word fake even meant.

You barely had a second to breathe before he was on you, pressing you down into the mattress, his body caging yours in like he needed you beneath him. His hands gripped your thighs, spreading them just enough to let you know exactly what kind of night you were in for.

“You know what pisses me off the most?” he murmured, his lips dragging slowly down your neck, his voice low and gravelly. “You really thought I’d be okay with that.”

Your breath hitched as his fingers dug into your waist, possessive and unrelenting.

“I—I didn’t think it was a big deal,” you admitted, barely able to focus when his mouth was moving lower, his hands everywhere all at once.

He huffed out a dark, humorless chuckle against your skin. “Not a big deal?” His fingers pressed harder into your hips, like he was trying to hold himself back. “Nah. See, this—” he punctuated his words with a slow, deliberate grind of his hips against yours, making you gasp “—this is a big deal.”

Your hands gripped at his hoodie, your body already trembling under his touch. “Marshall—”

“No,” he cut you off, lifting his head, his blue eyes locked onto yours. “You don’t get to say my name like that. Not yet.”

You swallowed hard, already feeling the heat build between you, already knowing he wasn’t going to let up—not until you felt everything he needed you to.

“You wanna make sounds for me, baby?” he murmured, his fingers trailing lower, teasing, taunting. “Make the right ones.”

Your breath shuddered, your grip on his hoodie tightening as his hands roamed your body like he had all the time in the world.

“You faked it once,” he whispered against your lips, his voice nothing but pure, unfiltered promise. “Let’s see how many times I can make up for it.”

And with that, he really got to work.

Marshall was determined. You could see it in the sharp set of his jaw, the heat in his blue eyes, the way his hands refused to let you go—like he had something to prove. And maybe he did.

Because he wasn’t letting this go. Not until there was zero doubt. Not until you couldn’t breathe without thinking about the way he had you now—trapped, trembling, completely at his mercy.

“You feel that?” His voice was low, rough, a little smug as he pressed his body firmly against yours, leaving no room for escape. “Ain’t gotta fake a damn thing, do you?”

You barely had enough breath to whisper, “No.”

He smirked against your skin. “Damn right.”

His hands moved with purpose, mapping out every inch of you, dragging sounds from you so easily it was embarrassing. He wasn’t playing around—not teasing, not taking his time just to mess with you.

No, this was pure focus.

Marshall wasn’t just setting the record straight—he was rewriting it. Making sure that by the time he was done, the only thing your body would remember was him.

“Say my name,” he muttered, lips trailing fire down your skin.

You did. Breathless, desperate.

He groaned at the sound, his grip tightening. “Not like that.”

You barely had time to process what he meant before he gave you more—more pressure, more intensity, more of everything that made you fall apart right under him.

The second time you said his name, it was loud. Uncontrolled. Real.

And that was what he wanted.

He smirked, brushing his lips over yours, his voice smug as hell. “That’s better.”

But he wasn’t done.

Not until your voice was hoarse, your legs were shaking, and there wasn’t a single doubt in your mind:

You were never faking it again.

Marshall wasn’t stopping. Not yet. Not until he got everything he wanted—until your body gave in, until your voice was raw from saying his name, until you felt exactly how deep his determination ran.

And right now? That determination was burning in his eyes, written in the way he held you down, in the way his hands gripped you like he owned you. Like he was branding the moment into your skin.

“You good?” he murmured, his voice rough, breath warm against your lips.

You could barely form a thought, let alone a sentence, but you managed a weak nod.

He smirked, shaking his head. “Nah, I don’t need you noddin’. Need you talkin’.”

You swallowed, trying to steady yourself, but he was already on you again—teasing, pushing, making sure you felt everything he gave you.

“Tell me you ain’t fakin’ now,” he muttered.

Your fingers curled into his shoulders, a sharp gasp ripping from you as you shook your head frantically. “I’m—not—”

He hummed in approval, his grip tightening as he pulled you even closer, his breath hot against your ear. “Good. ‘Cause I’d hate to have to start all over again just to make sure.”

Your whole body shuddered at the threat—the promise—hidden in his words.

“Marshall—” His name slipped out, raw and desperate.

He groaned, dragging his teeth over your jaw before kissing the spot to soothe it. “That’s what I wanna hear.”

You weren’t sure how much more you could take—your body trembling, your mind spinning, the way he wouldn’t let up until he was completely, absolutely sure.

And finally—finally—when you were nothing but a breathless, spent mess beneath him, he slowed.

His hands softened, his grip turning gentle, his lips pressing softly against your temple.

He exhaled, brushing his nose against your cheek. “Bet you won’t ever pull that fake shit again, huh?”

You let out a weak, breathless laugh, too spent to even respond properly.

He smirked. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

And just like that, his arms wrapped around you, pulling you into his chest, letting you melt into him—safe, warm, and very satisfied.

Lesson learned.

---

The room was quiet now, the air thick with warmth and something deeper—something settled. Marshall’s arms were still wrapped around you, his body loose and relaxed, but his grip on you was firm, like he wasn’t letting you go anytime soon.

You melted into him, completely spent, your head resting against his chest as your breathing slowly evened out. His fingers traced absentminded circles on your back, grounding, comforting.

But then, after a long stretch of silence, he spoke.

“Why’d you do it?”

You blinked, stirring slightly against him. “Do what?”

He shifted, tilting his head to look at you. “Fake it.” His voice wasn’t accusing—just curious. Maybe even a little confused. “Like, for real. You know you ain’t ever gotta do that with me.”

Your stomach tightened. You knew this conversation was coming, but you’d been hoping you could avoid it.

You swallowed, staring at a spot on his hoodie, fingers absentmindedly playing with the fabric. “I dunno,” you muttered. “It’s just… habit.”

Marshall frowned. “Habit?”

You nodded slowly, avoiding his gaze. “With my ex… it was just easier. He’d keep going and going, and I’d just—” You hesitated, sighing. “I’d fake it so he’d stop.”

Marshall’s body tensed underneath you. His fingers stilled against your back, his grip tightening just slightly. “…What?”

You bit your lip, still not looking at him. “It wasn’t… like, bad or anything. Just… I don’t think he ever really cared if I finished. It was more about him, so I just got used to pretending.”

Marshall was silent for a long moment, but you could feel the shift in his energy—felt the way his breathing changed, the way his fingers twitched slightly where they rested against you.

Then, his voice came, low and rough. “You’re tellin’ me… before me, you never—?”

You hesitated, then sighed. “No.”

His whole body stiffened.

Your stomach flipped at the reaction, so you quickly tried to downplay it. “It’s not like I knew what I was missing, you know?” You forced a small laugh. “I just thought maybe that’s how it was supposed to be, like maybe it was harder for me or something.”

Marshall exhaled sharply through his nose. “Harder for you, my ass,” he muttered.

You finally looked up at him, and the expression on his face nearly knocked the air from your lungs.

His jaw was tight, his blue eyes burning—not with anger, not at you, but at the idea of what you’d been through.

He shook his head, running a hand down his face. “That’s some bullshit,” he muttered.

“Marshall, really, it’s fine—”

“Nah.” He cut you off, his voice low, firm. “Ain’t fine.”

You swallowed, unsure of what to say.

He shifted suddenly, flipping you onto your back so he was hovering over you again, eyes scanning your face like he was trying to process this new information.

His voice was softer now, but no less intense. “You really thought that’s all there was to it? Just… go through the motions, pretend it’s good enough?”

You shrugged. “I didn’t think about it. It just… was what it was.”

His jaw clenched, and for a second, he just looked at you, like he was trying to figure out how to undo years of that mindset.

And then, after a long moment, his voice dropped even lower.

“Aight,” he murmured, fingers trailing slowly down your side. “Guess I got more work to do.”

Your breath caught. “Marshall—”

He smirked, but there was something dead serious in his eyes. “Nah, baby. You already know what I’m on.” He leaned down, brushing his lips over yours. “Gotta make up for lost time.”

And just like that, he was proving—again—that with him, you’d never have to fake anything ever again.

[daydreamabout]

The Line That Was Crossed [Tim Bradford Imagine]

Summary: Y/N and Tim end up in Sergeant Grey's office.

The afternoon was unusually quiet at the LAPD precinct, and Tim Bradford couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. It was one of those rare shifts where things seemed a little too calm, which only ever meant one thing: trouble was about to strike. As he sat at his desk, reviewing case files and making notes, he couldn’t help but glance over at Y/N, who was across the room, casually leaning back in her chair and chatting with Smitty. She looked relaxed, but Tim knew that beneath her easy-going exterior, she was just as alert as he was. They’d been working together for over a year now, and in that time, they’d become more than just partners. They’d become something deeper, more personal. Officially, their relationship was still lowkey at work. They’d agreed that it was easier to keep things professional in front of their colleagues, but the unspoken tension and affection between them was always there, simmering just below the surface.

But today, something was different. There was a fire in Y/N’s eyes—something Tim hadn’t noticed until it was too late. He was halfway through a phone call when it happened. A call came in on the radio for a suspected drug deal going down in a nearby alley. Tim immediately grabbed his gear, but before he could turn to Y/N, she was already up and moving, her eyes locked on the door like she was already ten steps ahead.

“Come on, we’ve got work to do,” Y/N said, her voice sharp with determination.

Tim nodded, grabbing his own vest and weapon. “Let’s do this.”

As they arrived at the alley, the tension in the air was thick. The usual suspects were there—two men standing near a car, speaking in low tones, exchanging what looked like a bag of cash. Tim’s instincts were on high alert, but it was Y/N’s energy that was throwing him off. She was moving faster than he expected, eyes narrowed, every muscle tense, but not with caution—no, it was more like she was ready to explode.

“Y/N, slow down!” Tim called out, reaching for her arm, but she was already halfway across the alley.

“Let’s end this,” she snapped, her voice cold as she approached the men.

Tim’s eyes widened. He could already see how this was going to go down. They weren’t dealing with some simple street thugs—they were connected, and any wrong move could escalate things in a heartbeat. Tim started after her, trying to get her to stop before the situation spiraled.

“Y/N!” Tim’s voice was sharper now, his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back gently. “This is a setup—wait for backup!”

But she wasn’t listening. “I don’t need backup,” Y/N said, her voice tight, almost angry. She wasn’t backing down. “These guys aren’t walking away this time. You said it yourself: enough is enough.”

Before he could respond, one of the suspects turned and saw them, and that’s when everything went sideways. The man jerked his hand out of his pocket, and without thinking, Y/N pulled her weapon, pointing it at the man’s chest.

“Drop it!” Y/N shouted, her voice filled with authority, but there was an edge to it—one that made Tim’s stomach drop. He knew her—knew she wasn’t a loose cannon—but this was different. Her finger was on the trigger, and her breath was coming a little too fast.

“Y/N, no!” Tim shouted, rushing forward to intercept her, but it was too late.

The situation had already escalated. The suspect made a move—quick, jerking to the side—and Y/N flinched, her weapon trembling slightly in her hands. Tim grabbed her wrist just as the shot fired, but it wasn’t aimed at the suspect. The bullet slammed into the wall next to them, creating a cloud of dust and debris.

“Drop the gun, now!” the other suspect shouted, pulling his own weapon, aiming it at them.

The situation was out of control, and Tim could see it in Y/N’s eyes—she had reacted in a way that wasn’t like her. It was raw, impulsive, and now they were both in danger because of it.

“Put the gun down!” Tim barked at the suspect, trying to regain control of the scene. “You don’t want to do this.”

Thankfully, backup arrived just in time, and the standoff ended with the suspects being arrested without any further shots fired. Tim and Y/N both were shaken, but as they watched the officers cuff the men and lead them away, Y/N’s hands were still shaking slightly.

Tim’s anger was building now, though not directed at the suspects. He turned to Y/N, his voice low but firm. “What the hell was that, Y/N?”

She glared back at him, her face tight with frustration. “I was doing my job, Tim. I don’t need you babying me.”

Tim’s jaw clenched. “I wasn’t babying you. You were about to make a mistake. I know you’re pissed about the case, but you can’t let it cloud your judgment. You almost got us both killed out there.”

Y/N’s eyes flashed, but she didn’t argue. She knew he was right—part of her had been itching for something like this, something that would let her take all the frustration out on someone. But she knew she had crossed a line, and it felt worse than it should.

Tim softened his tone, trying to reach her. “Look, I get it. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately, but this isn’t the way to handle it.”

But before Y/N could respond, a voice interrupted them.

“Bradford, Y/N—get in my office. Now,” Sergeant Grey’s voice rang out, cold and commanding.

Tim and Y/N exchanged a look. They both knew what this meant.

Ten minutes later, they stood in Sergeant Grey’s office, the door shut behind them. Grey’s stern expression was enough to make anyone nervous, but Tim and Y/N had been in enough trouble before to know this was different. Sergeant Grey stood with his arms crossed, his gaze flicking between the two of them. “Care to explain what the hell happened out there?” he asked, his voice even but heavy with disapproval. Y/N opened her mouth to speak, but Tim cut her off, his voice steady. “It was my fault, Sarge. I should’ve stopped her before it escalated.”

Sergeant Grey narrowed his eyes. “This isn’t about you protecting her, Bradford. This is about judgment. Both of you crossed a line out there, and it’s not something I take lightly.”

Y/N’s face tightened with frustration, but she didn’t interrupt. She knew she’d messed up, and this wasn’t the time for excuses.

“You’ve been partners long enough to know how to keep it together, but today, you didn’t. Y/N, you were reckless. And Bradford, you let her be reckless. The next time, someone won’t be as lucky.”

Y/N swallowed hard, her stomach turning with the weight of his words. “I... I didn’t mean for it to go down like that,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I just—I got caught up in the moment.”

“I know,” Sergeant Grey replied, his tone softening slightly. “But when you're out there, you don't have the luxury of acting on instinct alone. You need to think, not react. You're both better than that. So, this is your warning. Don’t let it happen again.”

There was a heavy silence as both Tim and Y/N nodded in acknowledgment.

Sergeant Grey gave them one last, long look before finally speaking. “Alright. You’re both dismissed. But remember—out there, we don’t just watch each other’s backs. We trust each other to keep it cool. Now, get back to work.”

As they left his office, Tim couldn’t help but feel the weight of the situation. He’d been right to be protective of Y/N, but in doing so, he’d let the situation spiral out of control. Y/N was usually the one to stay level-headed, but today, she’d let her emotions take over.

“You okay?” Tim asked as they walked down the hall, his voice low.

Y/N took a deep breath, nodding. “Yeah. Just... got carried away. I’ll do better.”

He gave her a small smile, offering his silent support. "We both will."

[thereallucifer666]

Lucifer's smirk only grew when she saw her blush deepen. She may be immune to his celestial abilities, but it was nice to know he could still get a reaction without his powers. It was an ego boost, he'd be honest. To know that it wasn't just his angelic powers that made him so magnetic. She was perhaps a bit more challenging, but that's what made it fun.

He had to hold himself back from sneaking in a kiss when she moved her hands. Her expression was near-irresistible. Hearing her response, he tilted his head slightly in curiosity.

Her body's response and her words seemed to contradict, like there were two people fighting for dominance. He could chalk it up to her wanting to show confidence to her new employer, but it was curious to him nonetheless. Just what was going on in that pretty little head of hers?

"I could," He responded, noncommittedly and coyly.

He listened to her explanation, dark eyes locked onto her face and his whole attention on her, like she was the only person in the world and her words were the only thing he needed to hear.

"Loyalty is key here, yes," He acknowledged. "Has to be, with an organization this large. I've gone most of my life where loyalty in....short supply, shall we say. Those that betray that loyalty get," He paused slightly, eyes flashing not dissimilar to a predator, "dealt with."

He cleared his throat, that flash of danger fading away as though it were never there. "However, while you're working with me, you've nothing to worry about. Rival gangs, police, even a mugger on the street, no one will touch you unless they wish too invite dire consequences. You have my word on that, Chloe."

Lucifer grinned at that. He had already brought her into the fold of his organization but that alone wasn't enough to guarantee they'd run into each other again. He had plenty of people in this gang. Some were closer to him than others, some he barely ever saw. Her interest in learning his trick, no matter how miniscule it was, was the promise he'd see her again.

He liked this side of her. Last night, she had openly flirted with him and he certainly didn't mind that, but this was...honest. He didn't blame her for putting on a show last night. She needed to get his attention and keep it, which is not always easy. But now she had it, so she could be more honest.

"Suit yourself," He purred. "And it will definitely live in my imagination. Several times over, in fact."

When she mentioned going to Victoria's Secret, he waggled his brow at her and hummed an interested noise. "Want company?" He teased, knowing she'd likely say no. That was fine. He was just having fun here.

However, with that last question, he sobered up to a more serious and less teasing tone. "Yes. Just one thing. Why are you here? Not just here, in the penthouse currently. But what made you want to join my little band? Call me curious. But you don't seem like the type without anymore options. Intellect, charisma and stubbornness. You could have any job you wanted. Why this one?"

[witchygagirlwrites]

Wildflower-Part 2

Jay Halstead x Reader (Nicknamed Wildflower)

You and Jay both adjust to him being home and someone else figures out Leah’s parentage

As soon as you hit the six week mark to go back to work, Sylvie and Matt helped you to get Leah into the same daycare that Julia was in. You would drop her off in the morning when you headed into shift. It wasn’t far from the station house and well vetted by Voight. You trusted it well enough.

When you woke up the following morning after Jay met Leah you barely wanted to get out of bed. It was only a matter of time before news spread of him being back. No one gossiped more than first responders. Avoiding Hailey when you were pregnant had been a feat in itself. You worked the truck for the first few months up until you got hurt and Kelly threatened to take away your position on squad completely if you didn’t move to light duty.  The times intelligence and fifty one ended up on the same calls Stella and Sylvie were amazing in running interference. You told them it was just because she was a reminder of Jay you didn’t want to face, you prayed they never figured it out.

You laid there for the longest until her little cries filled the air. “I’m coming babygirl” you called out and tossed your blanket off. She could give a damn less about any drama. All she knew was she needed her mommy to get her a bottle and a dry diaper to get her ready for the day.

You parked your truck behind Stella’s jeep and took a deep breath. You could do this. You could face this. This place was yours. The people inside were your family. They always had your back. Kelly and Stella fought for you. Matt and Sylvie comforted you. Violet crawled in the bed and supported you while you gave birth. They would never turn their back on you.

You grabbed everything you needed and opened your door, the cool air brushing across your face made you breathe a little easier. 

______________________

The moment you stepped into the bays Sylvie, Stella and Violet came running at you. “Did you hear?” Stella asked and you shook your head, eyes wide “I don’t think so?” “Jay’s back. Matt saw him with Will this morning” Sylvie told you and your stomach hit your feet, fuck that was fast.

You prayed to anyone and everything listening that your face didn’t come anywhere in the vicinity of betraying your thoughts. You shrugged “Not like he could call me. I changed my number after the issues” your story had been that Leah was the result of a one night stand that the guy was just a bad decision all around. You’d told everyone you’d gone out a few nights after Jay left, which just so happened to have been Mouse’s birthday so your story was believable that you were depressed enough to end up drunk in some random guy's bed. 

You’d had to fake a few harassing phone calls and texts but it protected Jay’s name by selling your story and kept a confrontation with Hailey from happening. 

Stella laughed “He’s gonna be surprised when he does see you. Baby and all” you cut your eyes at her “My baby is the least of his concern. If he’s back now, shouldn't he be worried about a job and his ex wife?”   all three of them started laughing at that and your shoulders loosened a bit. Ok, that’s good. They were laughing which meant they believed your bullshit, right?

Matt walked up “Ladies, shouldn’t you four be getting to work” you shot him a grin “Captain I’m on Squad three” Kelly whistled from where he was sitting in his recliner “Get to work Wildflower” and you rolled your eyes playfully “Fine Sev” and he grinned. See, this was why you loved this bunch.

Violet hooked her arm through yours as the two of you headed inside so you could shove your bag into your locker. “So, how was your two days off?” you shrugged “I cleaned, slept and washed laundry” and nodded “Productive”  you laughed “Not that glamorous of a life there Vi. Single mama and all. Why do you think I always make sure you keep up with your birth control?”

She grinned “And I adore you for it”, the two of you walked through the common area and Sam turned from where he was pouring coffee “Ladies, you two want a cup?” “Yes please” you told him and he nodded “Coming right up” 

Jay was trying to listen to his new boss. He would be working in private security. They worked in tandem with CPD but it was a lot lower risk and a lot more money. He would no longer be bringing danger home with him. When he first signed on for the job it was simply because he was just tired of everything he’d dealt with during his time in intelligence, now? Now all he could think about was a tiny pink bundle that fit so well in his hands and looked so much like you but had his hue of eyes.

“Halstead, you good?” he nodded “Yes sir. Little bit of jet lag” he replied and Stevenson nodded “Understandable. You won’t really be doing much today, just going over our systems mainly. They’re not that much different than you’re used to but just familiarize yourself with them you know?” He nodded “Yes sir” “Good, come with me” he stood to follow the other man through the building. “So Jay, tell me a little more about yourself. Got any family? Kids?”

Jay’s first thought was to gush about Leah. He’d just met her but god she was perfect. He wanted to talk about her but he had promised. “Um, no not yet” he felt his stomach knot with the lie. Fuck, he didn’t like feeling like he was denying her. He would simply because you asked. “Um I got divorced before I deployed so not really any time for anything else” he added and Stevenson laughed “I get that man. Well with this job it’s not easy but it’s definitely not as much bullshit as you had to eat working intelligence”

“Good, I couldn't handle any more of that” he replied with a short laugh. 

You’d worked two wrecks and a water rescue. At least the day had seen fit to not give you much time to sit and think. You finally had a moment to catch your breath so you flopped down in one of the many chairs that were around the table in the bay. Food was being cooked and your stomach was growling but you needed some fresh air. You hadn’t felt truly alone before this moment. No one knew what you were going through and you were honestly terrified.You didn’t know what to do, how to deal with this. 

You pulled out your phone and stared at the photo of Leah that was your wallpaper. “Babygirl I’ll protect you if it’s the last thing I do” “Everything ok?” you snatched your head around to see Stella and Sylvie standing at the end of the table “How long have you two been standing there?” 

Stella nodded towards your phone “Long enough to hear you promise to protect Leah if it’s the last thing you do” you nodded “Just thinking” they exchanged a look “Did something happen?” Sylive asked and you shook your head, slipping your phone into your pocket “No, is food ready?” they nodded so you stood “Let’s go eat then. I’m hungry”

___________________

Can I see her tonight? You stared at the text from Jay for far too long before finally sending back Not tonight, ok? You knew you told him that he could see her but he’d just met her last night. You didn’t to do an every day thing.

Ok. Let me know when was his response. You took a deep breath and slipped your phone into your pocket. You could do this, you’d survived this far. You would continue to survive.

“Hey baby” you spoke lightly as Leah cooed, grabbing your fingers. Jay wanted to come see her. You’d kept him away for the last two weeks since he’d been home, using your work as an excuse. “I want him to be able to see you, I wouldn’t want to keep you from him but I also don’t want to hurt him either” you whispered, letting her play with your fingers.

You told him to go out with Will and Kevin tonight. He needed to see his brother, his friends. He texted you daily to check on her, you. You hadn’t told him you’d been at Mouse’s grave when he called you earlier. Hell you needed someone to talk to. You’d sat under the tree his parents had bought the plot next to, holding Leah while she napped. He loved Hailey enough to marry her, he had a chance to get her back now. He had a new job, a new start. He could have a new life without all the old issues. You were an old issue. You brought memories of the past, memories of pain and so much baggage.

You just wished he would have forgotten about you all together. That would’ve made things so much easier for everyone. If he would’ve forgotten about you, he never would’ve come to your place and never would’ve found out about her. 

She cooed louder and you laughed “Ok ok. I’ll get us both so food ma’am. You don’t have to get all fussy Butt” and scooped her up. You stared down at her for a moment, her seafoam eyes squinting. Why did she have to have those eyes?

Jay stood next to Will, sipping his beer as Kevin racked the pool balls. He was adjusting to his new job. It was a walk in the park compared to intelligence, he was getting paid pretty well and he wasn’t getting shot at every day. “How’s Wildflower? I ain’t seen her around in a minute man” Kevin asked, cutting his eyes up at Jay. Jay shrugged “I’ve only talked to her a couple times since I got back. She seems ok. That baby of hers is adorable” Kevin grinned “Little Leah? Oh that angel is!”

Jay took a long swig of his beer to hide his proud grin. He knew she was adorable. Will nodded “Those two are both strong as hell. I thought I nearly lost Wildflower and Leah that time she got hurt” Jay couldn’t stop his head from how fast it whipped around towards Will “What?” 

Will raised an eyebrow “She didn’t tell you?” Jay shook his head “No” Kevin grimaced “She worked pretty solid the first few months till she had a close call. Nearly died and lost little Leah. It was bad but she healed up pretty good” Jay nodded slowly “Good that she didn’t die or lose her baby” he was hoping he didn’t look as damn stricken as he felt. You’d nearly died, both of you. He felt sick, honestly.

The idea of you being dead and him having no idea? It ripped his fucking heart out and stomped on it. Would he have ever known? Would he have just come home looking for you and someone else be in your apartment? Would Will have had to take him to your grave? Then christ if he would’ve found out you were pregnant when you died on top of it? If he had lost his best friend, the woman he…well you and his baby? Without ever even knowing? He couldn’t even begin to wrap his head around it.

“Ok, that’s enough talking about Wildflower. You two know she hates being the topic of conversation” he grabbed a pool cue and went to line up a shot when he heard Tyler Greene, some beat cop that Kevin had spoken to that was sitting at the bar scoff.

You cut his eyes up “What’s your issue Greene?” he asked and Greene shrugged “Isn’t Wildflower that firefighter chick that don’t even know who the hell the father of her baby is? Doesn’t seem like she had any standards to me” Jay moved without a second thought, he was across the bar with one of Greene’s arms twisted behind his back and his face shoved into the bar “Say it again asshole, I fucking dare you”

“Jay back off man!” Kevin urged, grabbing his arm. “Naw, Tyler here has something to say. Let him” Kevin shook his head “He’s sorry man..aren’t ya Greene?” Greene nodded “S-Sorry”

Jay snatched the man up and spun him around to have him by the collar “Watch your mouth when you’re talking about people because you don’t know who the hell is listening”  then shoved him “Get the hell out of here” 

Kevin and Will both were staring at him afterwards and he shrugged “What?” Kevin shook his head “I was about to hit him so you just saved my hand” he nodded “Ok then let’s finish the damn game”

_______________________

Jay was walking out of the bar to his truck when Will called his name so he stopped to look back at his brother. “Yeah man, what’s up?” Will walked closer to him and stared him in the eyes until it was uncomfortable “What are you doing?” he asked with a nervous laugh and Jay shook his head “Realizing how fucking stupid I am”

“Wow, ok? Can I go?” Jay asked and Will shook his head “No, we need to talk” “About?” Jay asked so Will took a step closer, lowering his voice to no one passing by would hear him say “My niece”  Jay felt his hands go cold. He hadn’t meant for Will to find out, you asked him for no one to know.

“Will, don’t” he pleaded and Will’s eyebrows scrunched together “Why?” “She begged me not to tell anyone” Will shook his head “I don’t understand. Why not tell me?”

Jay shook his head “I don’t know. Protecting me in the way she seen fit? Man please just keep your mouth shut” Will sighed “Fine but she’s my niece, I almost lost her, I care about Wildflower too. Even if she thought you weren’t coming back. That hurts that she didn’t trust me”

Jay found himself getting defensive with his own brother too, “Hey, back off her. She went through a lot too. She found out her best friend got her pregnant then left and chose to do it solo. Please don’t put this on her right now” Will nodded “I’d never stress her out but when she’s ready, I’d really like to see my niece and her to know that I’m her uncle”

“I’ll tell her, the ball is firming in her court though. I’m not giving her an excuse to push me away” Jay told him with a small smile.  Will nodded slowly then a grin slipped onto his face “You have a kid” Jay nodded, a mirror grin on his own face “I do and she’s perfect” Will pulled him into a hug “My little brother is a father!”

You had just got out of the shower when your phone started ringing. You glanced to see Jay’s name. You clicked it and heard him answer “Can I please come see you two?”

You closed your eyes and swallowed hard “Ok” “Ok?” he echoed and you shook your head “Just come over Halstead”

______________________

You opened the door and stepped back to let Jay walk into your apartment next to you.  “What’s the deal with Tyler Greene?” he asked and you raised an eyebrow “Hey Jay, how are you? How’s the job going?”

He turned to face you with a smile “I’m sorry flower. Last night. Me, Kev and Will were talking about you. Nothing bad or revealing. That asshole started saying shit like you didn’t have standards because you didn’t know who the father of your child was?”

You shrugged “It happens. Should’ve seen the look on the guy’s face that Boden had everyone fighting over who got to throw him out of fifty one when I was pregnant” his face fell “How much did you deal with that?” you shook your head “Doesn’t matter. It’s just I had to have a believable story. That meant swallowing a lot of shit Jay. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself and what I can't, I can deal with”

“You don’t have to deal with anything. I’m here. Let me carry some of it” he offered and you shook your head “We’ve gone over this Jay. I’m not ruining your life”

“Our daughter could never ruin my life” he whispered and you smiled slightly “Hailey is single. You loved her enough to marry her. You could have another chance. You could find someone else. Hell you may end up leaving Chicago. Don’t allow us to stand in the way of that. I didn't keep her for a bargaining chip,I kept  her because I wanted to”

He shook his head “I’ll make a deal with you” you crossed your arms “You’re in no position to bargain with me but I have to admit I am intrigued” he grinned “Go out with me as friends! Bring her. Spend time with me like we used to. You’re still my best friend” you sighed “Jay I don’t want people to talk” he shrugged “Sweetheart I don’t care”

“I guess something like lunch or if I run into you at the market and we walk around together doesn’t hurt” you offered and he grinned “Thank you” then his grin fell “There is one thing you need to know but I didn’t tell him. He figured it out the other night from a mixture of how I reacted at finding out that you almost died along with Leah” he trailed off and stared at you for a moment.

You shrugged “I’ll tell you more about that after you finish what you’re saying” he nodded “Will knows” you scrubbed a hand down your face and walked over to the couch, flopping down on it “Jay!” 

“Flower, baby I didn’t tell him” he promised and you cut your eyes up “Don’t call me baby when you don't mean it and don’t act like this isn’t a big deal Jay. I’ve held this secret close at hand for well over a year. I have made myself look horrible to keep your name out of the mud. I have had Kelly and Stella fight for me, Matt and Sylvie comfort me and the day I gave birth? Violet climbed in the bed to support me. I care about you so much Jay and she is your daughter and I wouldn’t try to take her but don’t act like you know better than me. I won’t have it getting out she’s yours. That’s why I gave her my last name, why I put no one on the birth certificate. You’re free and clear Jay”

He sat down next to you “I don’t want to be free and clear. Flower, I’d be here even if you didn’t have babygirl. You’re my best friend. You know me better than anyone, always have. He doesn’t want to start any trouble. He just wants to know his niece” 

You took a deep breath and nodded slowly “I’ll think about it Jay but this? All of it? I never thought you were coming home” he bumped your knee with his “Told ya I’d find my way back to you” you shook your head with a small smile “I’m so happy you’re home. I don’t know if I said that but I am. That feeling of you being outside the door? Whole and alive? Second only to her being healthy”

He grinned “I missed you every damn I was gone. I thought about you, worried about you, hoped you were ok. I thought after what happened you hated me..” he trailed off and you laughed “Why would I hate you for good sex? He barked out a laugh and you shook your head but grinned proudly “On a serious note, I will think about it and if he can keep a secret, just for now I’ll tell Will the truth”

“And I’m taking you and Leah to breakfast tomorrow?” he asked so you grinned “You’re a pain in my ass, I forgot how much so” he shook his head “Naw, I’m a delight” Leah started making noises so you hit his leg “Come on delightful. Our little monster is up and in need a bottle and dry diaper before you can hold her”

”Lead the way” he replied, letting you pull him to his feet. 

@desimarie12

@allisonargent144

@nevaehstreater18

[sturnsblogs]

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆More than best-friends‧₊˚ ⋅* ‧₊

Chapter 7: Distance

Chris tried to convince himself he was fine.

That night, after Avery had made him choose, he laid in bed staring at the ceiling, his thoughts running in circles. He told himself he’d done the right thing. He chose his girlfriend. That’s what he was supposed to do, right? That’s what a good boyfriend does—he prioritizes his relationship.

So why did it feel like he had lost something?

He hadn’t spoken to you in over a month, and now he wasn’t allowed to. The silence, once just an ache in the background, had turned into something suffocating. Every time he unlocked his phone, his fingers hesitated over your contact. He still had your number memorized, still knew exactly what he would say if he got the chance. But he wouldn’t.

Because Avery would know.

And he couldn’t go back on his word.

So instead, he distracted himself. He spent every free moment with Avery, texting her constantly, answering her calls the second his phone buzzed. He made sure she had no reason to doubt him. And it worked—at least on the surface.

Avery was happy. She was glowing, smug in the knowledge that Chris had picked her. She would randomly grab his hand and squeeze it, kiss his cheek out of nowhere, make little comments like “See? Things are better now.” And Chris would nod, forcing a smile, pretending he believed it too.

But the guilt gnawed at him.

He hadn’t realized how much he depended on you until you were gone. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed those late-night conversations, those inside jokes, those moments where he could just be himself without worrying about saying the wrong thing.

With Avery, everything felt like a test now.

One wrong move, one hesitation, and she’d look at him like she was waiting for a reason to doubt him again.

And then, one day, he saw you.

It was a random afternoon in June, and Chris was walking through the parking lot after grabbing lunch with Avery. She was talking about something—he wasn’t really listening—when his eyes landed on you across the lot.

You were laughing at something, your head tilted back slightly, the way you always did when something genuinely amused you. And just for a second, everything else faded.

Chris stopped walking.

Avery noticed immediately.

Her grip on his arm tightened. “Chris,” she said sharply.

He didn’t respond.

You hadn’t seen him yet, but that didn’t stop the wave of emotions that crashed into him all at once. He missed you. He missed you so much it physically hurt.

Avery followed his gaze, and when she saw you, her grip turned vice-like. “Seriously?” she snapped.

Chris flinched, snapping out of it. “What?”

Avery scoffed. “You’re staring at her like a lost puppy. Are you kidding me?”

Chris clenched his jaw, looking away. “I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were.” Avery pulled him forward, her nails digging into his wrist. “Come on. We’re leaving.”

Chris hesitated, glancing back once more.

And that’s when you looked up.

For the first time in over a month, your eyes met.

His breath caught in his throat.

But before he could say anything, before he could even process the look on your face—surprise, sadness, something else—Avery tugged him forward, breaking the moment completely.

He let her.

Because what else could he do?

That night, he couldn’t stop thinking about you.

Chris lay awake, staring at his phone, his fingers hovering over your name. The urge to call you, to hear your voice, to tell you everything—he could barely breathe past it.

He sat up, raking a hand through his hair. Screw it.

Before he could overthink it, he grabbed his hoodie, shoved it on, and slipped out his window.

The walk to your house felt like a blur, his heart pounding harder with every step. He knew this was wrong. He knew Avery would lose her mind if she found out.

But he couldn’t not see you.

When he reached your house, he didn’t hesitate. He climbed up the way he had so many times before, slipping through your window with ease.

You were sitting on your bed, scrolling through your phone. The second you saw him, your eyes widened.

“Chris?”

He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Hey.”

You stared at him like you couldn’t believe he was really there. “What are you doing here?”

Your expression hardened. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know. But I didn’t know where else to go.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “You were always the person I went to when things got bad.”

You looked away, exhaling shakily. “That’s not my role anymore.”

Chris’s stomach twisted. “I don’t want to lose you.”

You met his gaze, and for the first time in over a month, he saw it—the hurt. The anger. The betrayal.

“You already did.”

Chris felt like the air had been knocked from his lungs. His breath came out shaky, uneven. “No, I didn’t. I—I didn’t have a choice. Avery—she made me, she said—” He was scrambling now, desperation creeping into his voice. “She said if I loved her, I wouldn’t pick you, and—” He exhaled sharply, raking his hands through his hair. “I didn’t want to, I swear I didn’t want to.”

You shook your head. “But you still did.”

Chris took a step closer, his hands shaking. “I had to. She said I already lost you.” His voice cracked. “But I didn’t want to. I never wanted to.”

You stared at him, your arms wrapped around yourself like you were trying to hold something together. “Chris…”

“Please.” He stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t do this. I—” He inhaled sharply, his eyes glassy. “I don’t know how to do this without you.”

You exhaled, closing your eyes for a moment. When you opened them, you looked tired. “You should’ve thought about that before you left me.”

Chris clenched his jaw. “I didn’t leave you. I was forced to—”

“No.” Your voice was firm. “She might’ve given you an ultimatum, but the choice was still yours.”

Chris looked away, his breath uneven. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

You let out a small, bitter laugh. “And look where that got us.”

Chris swallowed hard, shaking his head. He was losing you. He already lost you.

But he couldn’t accept it.

“Please.” His voice broke. “I don’t care about any of it anymore. I just need you.”

You hesitated. Just for a second.

But then, you shook your head. “You should go, Chris.”

Chris opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

You turned away.

And that’s when he knew.

It was over.

For the first time, he didn’t just feel like he lost you.

He knew he had.

A/N- I teared up just a bit.

My beautiful babies- @blushsturns @chrislilcumslvt @izzylovesmatt @chrisslut04 @mylittled0ve @oopsiedaisydeer @csturnioloswifey @just-a-girl-1 @sturdyyolo

CHAPTER 6

TAGLIST TO MASTERLIST

[wweasleyhp]

my smoking buddy, my partner in crime, my love (Fred Weasley x reader)

Potential trigger warnings: Smoking, comas (I've never done these before so hopefully I've done that right)

"Are you guys okay?" George asks.

We're on the balcony. The protection spell can be seen surrounding the castle. Any second the Death Eaters will strike. Time is running out.

"Yeah," I reply, "Fred?"

He's still looking up. His eyes are wide. I've never seen him look so scared before.

"Yeah, I'm fine darling," he answers, a forced smile plastered on his face.

I know not to push. We're all terrified. Some are better at hiding it than others. Unfortunately for Fred, he can't hide it from me as well as he thinks.

We're going to be okay. I have to believe that. Otherwise I'll fall apart.

I still haven't confessed to Fred my feelings. I'm terrified of both. The battle and telling the truth to Fred. The thing is I don't think he feels the same.

Suddenly, spells can be heard. The Death Eaters are destroying the protection spell.

"Stay alive, yeah?" I say to the twins.

George nods and moves to go inside the castle. Fred doesn't move yet.

"I mean it," I say, "I need my smoking buddy."

Cigarettes, cigarettes out the window

Cigarettes, cigarettes out the window

I heard Fred's footsteps walking over to me. He sat next to me, by the window. I passed him a cigarette. Second nature.

He chuckled softly as he placed it in his mouth and I lit it for him. I stared out the window watching the sun set.

"Dad got tickets for the Quidditch World Cup," he said as he exhaled.

"That's great," I replied, "Excited?"

He nodded, "I was wondering..."

"Not a good sign," I joked.

He smiled, "Would you wanna come?"

I knew what my answer was but I wanted to tease him a bit. I exaggerated a thinking motion.

"Come on," he rolled his eyes and jokingly punched my arm, "You're basically family."

That stung oddly enough. He was right. Ever since we moved when I was six years old my parents and the Weasleys were best friends. Including Fred and I. However I wondered what that meant Fred saw me as. Just like a sister?

"Fine, I'll go," I said, hiding the slight hurt that I felt.

"Yes!" he responded, "You won't regret it."

We were sixteen then. The only worries were what job we wanted. Who knew that a few months later the world would change as we knew?

As I'm turning to walk away from him, he grabs my hand, "Wait!"

I look back at him, confused.

He leans in closer to me. But then he stops. Inches away from my lips. I lean in and he seals the distance, placing a soft kiss on my lips. He's uncertain. I kiss him back.

The kiss suddenly becomes more passionate. More desperate. As if we've both become aware that this could be our last chance. We're in danger and we don't know whether we'll make it out the other end alive.

We pull apart.

"I love you," I blurt out, eyes stinging.

Be careful.

"I love you too," he replies.

I will, you too.

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

As I'm fighting and throwing spells, I realise Fred and I have been separated. He's okay. I know he is.

Then as I look, I see Harry standing over the dead body of Voldemort. The war is over.

I immediately rush to find Fred. The only thing on my mind. Fred. Fred. Fred.

I notice a group of people with fiery ginger hair. The Weasleys. I run to them. George engulfs me in a hug.

"Hi," I say in a hoarse voice, "Thank Merlin you're okay. Where's Fred?"

"He's alive," he answers.

There's something he's not telling me.

"But?" I ask, my voice shaking.

"There was an explosion, he's in a coma," he says.

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

It's been a month since the Second Wizarding War has officially come to an end. And Fred is still in St Mungo's. In a coma.

I brought you daffodils on a pretty string

I sit by Fred's bedside. I didn't leave his side for the first two days but George had told me to rest. I didn't want to leave him but I knew I had to.

"Hey," I whisper, as if he's listening, "I brought you fresh daffodils."

I had been doing so every day. It's his favourite flower.

"You must be getting tired of me at this point," I laugh weakly, "It's not my fault you're not awake- uh it's not yours either, I'm not blaming you or anything."

But I'm angry at you. I'm angry at you that you're not awake and you just left me with a kiss. Why? Why not when I was sixteen and we were smoking outside my window?

I kiss him lightly on the forehead, "Please wake up. I need you. Please."

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

There's a knock at the door. I open it. It's Ron.

"Hey Ron," I force a smile, "What can I help you with?"

"Fred's awake," he says, "George is with him now."

I nod and immediately grab his hand. We apparate to St Mungo's.

I run to Fred's room. I open the door. George smiles at me but it's not a very enthusiastic one.

"Hey," I say as I see Fred sitting awake.

He's awake.

But before I can say another word, Fred asks, "Who's that?"

It feels like a punch to the gut. He doesn't remember me.

"Fred lost his memory," George explains, "He doesn't quite remember me either."

"Oh," I breathe out, "Uh, I'm Y/N."

He nods, "That seems familiar, were we friends?"

Friends.

"Yeah," I reply.

George looks at me. A slight sad look.

When I told you 'I'm fine' you were lied to

"Are you alright?" he asks.

"I'm fine," I answer, even though I can feel my eyes stinging.

I can't cry. Not right now.

"Well I'm sorry I can't remember you," he says in the sweetest voice.

It makes me feel terrible.

"Don't be," I say, "It's not your fault, you can remember George a bit?"

"Yeah, well, I can tell he's my twin," he answers with a small laugh.

A quiet chuckle escapes my throat along with George.

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

As the days go by, George and I try to help Fred regain his memory. I go in and greet him.

"Good morning," I smile.

"Morning," he answers, "Question; were we trouble makers at school?"

I chuckle softly, "You could say that."

"I have a memory of us two running down the hall, George was running in front of us," he explains, "At one point we had to hide behind a wall."

"Yeah, that's right."

It's crazy what you'll do for a friend

"I can't believe I agreed to help you two!" I shouted angrily as we ran down the corridors.

We had put dungbombs in Filch's office and he immediately saw us.

Fred started laughing. This made me even more angry.

"This isn't funny, Weasley," I said.

"Oh come on darling," Fred responded, "We needed you."

"More like Fred needed you," George retorted.

Suddenly, Fred pulled me to hide behind a wall. I started to breathe heavily and he placed a hand on my mouth. When Filch had gone past us, he took away his hand.

"You needed me?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Is that such a bad thing?" he smiled, "George is my other half while you're my partner in crime."

Partner in crime.

I smiled back at him.

Fred and I start talking about all the antics we were up to during our Hogwarts days. I then leave to give him some rest. I meet with George.

"You love him, don't you?" he asks.

I look at him, "Yeah. A lot."

"Oh you lovesick fools," he says, "I saw a bit of your little make-out session before the battle began."

"Stalker," I joke.

He chuckles.

The next day, he asks about another memory, "My brothers and I are flying around on brooms while you're reading a book by a tree."

"That was at your house, the Burrow."

He's so tall and handsome as hell.

I'm sat by a tree, reading a book. The boys were playing Quidditch. As I'm reading though, my eyes casually drifted upwards. To Fred. It was hot and he had taken off his shirt.

Then I saw him score a goal and he winked at me. I felt a blush rise in my cheeks and I was hoping that he couldn't see it.

After they were done playing, he sat beside me.

"You were staring," he whispered.

I rolled my eyes, "In your dreams."

"Come on darling, admit it," he said.

"And further inflate that ego of yours?"

There's a knock at my front door. I open it. Fred.

"Hey," I say surprised, "Have they let you out?"

He doesn't reply. Instead he leans in and kisses me. I kiss him back and before I realise there's tears falling down my cheeks.

"I remember," he says, "Everything."

"Everything?" I choke.

He kisses the tears running down my cheeks, "I could hear what you said when I was in the coma."

"I love you."

"I love you too," he says, "I'm sorry, my love. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."

"It's alright," I smile, "You have eternity to make up for it."

A/N: This is probably the longest little fanfic I wrote. I used prompts from @creativepromptfills from the Angsty Kisses list and I used inspiration from some songs:

Cigarettes Out The Window by TV Girl

Another Love by Tom Odell

Daddy Issues by The Neighbourhood

Mess It Up by Gracie Abrams

Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift

[matts-girlfriend]

Breakfast In Bed - Matt Sturniolo 2

Part 1

this is the final part to breakfast in bed. read part one before reading this one!

wc: 1266

(english isn’t my first language)

this song inspired this part.

Warnings: angst, smoking, drinking, mentions of being intoxicated, happy ending :)

It had been about two months since the breakup, and I think I had finally come to terms with it. I never thought I’d live my life without Matt, but I couldn’t keep forcing it on myself anymore.

I was out with my friend Mya at one of Nate’s parties. Nate was the only one who still talked to the triplets after they moved. It was crazy to me that they chose to keep in contact with him but left me behind. My thoughts didn’t last long, though, because Nate walked up to me.

“You drinking tonight?” he asked, holding his near-empty cup close to his chest.

“Maybe. I still don’t know if I’m driving home or if Mya is,” I replied, trying my best to make conversation.

“Well, at least smoke this with me, yeah?” he offered, holding up a poorly rolled joint—so bad I almost laughed.

“Did you roll that shit yourself?” I asked, biting back a smile.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Shh, don’t be a kill. And I’m telling you, you’re not gonna wanna be sober tonight,” he said, dragging out the “r” in sober.

I raised an eyebrow but caved, following him outside to the backyard. I lit up the spliff, staring out into the front yard.

We sat there for a while, taking turns hitting the spliff, making easy conversation. It felt natural, like any other night—until Nate turned to me, his expression shifting, a little more serious this time.

“Would you ever get back with Matt?” Nate asked randomly, taking a hit.

His name sent goosebumps down my arms. I cleared my throat, trying to figure out how to respond. “I don’t know.”

Nate hummed in response, passing the joint back. “I think you should talk to him.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “You think I didn’t try? He left me without a second thought—for his career.” My voice faltered at the end.

“I’m just saying, maybe he had a reason, Y/N. I know you’re hurt, believe me, but I don’t think he’d leave you without—”

I cut him off with a bitter laugh. “Look, Nate, I don’t care. He made his choice. He decided to leave. He wanted this for his career. He took everything we had and let it go, so for fuck’s sake, just stop bringing it up. I don’t wanna talk about it, and I don’t wanna hear his name again.”

“Whose name again?”

I turned around to see Mya, clearly drunk, leaning against the backyard door.

“Matt,” Nate answered.

Mya scoffed in disgust. “God, that kid. Don’t bring him up. What’s crazier is I just saw him inside, standing with Chris and Nick, talking to Madi.”

I blanked out.

He’s here? Why is he here? Did Nate know? Oh my god, this was a setup.

I whipped around to Nate. “What the fuck? You didn’t tell me he would be here,” I snapped, standing up and tossing the spliff to the ground.

“Hey, I told you that you wouldn’t wanna be sober tonight. You should’ve guessed it, Y/N,” he said, voice innocent—too innocent. “And maybe this is your chance to talk and fix things.”

I didn’t listen. I just turned and rushed back inside, pushing through the crowd and heading upstairs to grab my purse from Nate’s room so I could leave. But when I pushed open the door, he was already there.

Matt.

Seeing his face after two months made my stomach flip. I almost lost my balance.

“Y/N,” he said.

I ignored him, marching inside to grab my purse. I turned to leave.

“Y/N, please—wait. Let me talk to you.”

The second his hand touched mine, I felt it—goosebumps. I immediately ripped my hand away.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I muttered, voice unsteady.

“Five minutes. Please. That’s all I’m asking. Just five minutes.”

I scoffed, eyes burning. “Like how you gave me five seconds to read the text before you blocked me? Before I even had a chance to respond?” I poked a finger into his chest, my voice cracking, a single tear slipping down my cheek before I even realized it was there.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry.” His voice was raw, desperate. “I should’ve never sent that text. I should’ve never blocked you before you could respond. I should’ve never left you. But you were never not enough.”

He hesitated before lifting his hand, gently wiping the tear from my face. I flinched back.

I swallowed hard, staring at him—hurt, confused, and still so full of love. “Why, Matt? Why’d you leave? Why didn’t you at least tell me this in person? Why didn’t you reach out?” My voice broke as more tears fell.

He exhaled shakily. “I was scared. Scared that you wouldn’t wait for me when I moved away. That you’d get tired of long distance. That you’d find someone better.”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “So you decided to leave me high and dry with a fucking text because you were scared of losing me?”

“I’m so undeniably sorry.” His voice wavered. “I know I fucked up. I know I ruined everything. But I never stopped loving you. Even sending that text, I still loved you so much. And I know it was so incredibly stupid of me. But if you just give me one more chance to show you how sorry I am—how much I love you—I swear, I’ll never make you regret it.”

He reached out, holding my hands.

I swallowed hard. “How can I trust you, Matt?”

“You don’t have to trust me right away,” he said, voice barely above a whisper. “But I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it. I want this more than anything. I love you more than anything. And I can’t live with thinking I lost you because I was an idiot. Please, give me this chance.”

“Promise me you’ll stay this time. Promise me you won’t make me look stupid again.”

Matt let go of my hands, lifting his to cup my face. He stared at me for a long moment before speaking. “I promise, on everything I love, that I will never make that choice again. I will never hurt you again, Y/N.”

“One chance, Matt. And I swear to god, if you make me look stupid again, I will personally beat your ass.”

For the first time that night, Matt let out a small, amused smile before pulling me into a hug, pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head.

“That’s all I need,” he murmured. “I promise I won’t hurt you again.”

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in a silence that, for once, didn’t feel heavy.

“Did Nate know you were gonna talk to me?” I finally asked, my voice quieter.

Matt laughed, pulling back just enough to look at me. “Why do you think he threw this half-ass excuse of a party?”

I shook my head, letting out a breathy laugh. Then, for the first time in two months, I really looked at him—how close he was, how familiar it all still felt.

Matt hesitated before leaning in. “Can I kiss you?”

I nodded.

He smiled softly before closing the distance. The kiss wasn’t desperate, wasn’t hungry—it was real. It was pure. It was love.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine. “I’m never losing you again.”

And for the first time in two months, I felt at peace again.

a/n: sorry if this is a little choppy, i’m still new to writting and i was trying my best to match the plot and still add new people into the story with out making it messy.

(dividers by @bernardsbendystraws )

taglist:@jcsturniolo11 @kayla-hearts4sturniolo @crazbubs @poolover123

[sunshinesfm]

alyssa  tilted  her  head  because  there's  was  some  slight  amusement  in  her  expression  as  she  listened  to  her  friend  speak.  "  that's  one  way  to  look  at  it.  look  at  you!  using  some  inspirational  quotes  right  now.  wasn't  expecting  that  from  you.  "  a  quick  nudge  to  his  arm  following  her  playful  tone  of  voice.  "  i  think  somethings  stick  around.  even  if  they  don't  end  up  being  permanent  we  pretend  or  don't  think  that  they  will.  "  she  responded  with  a  shrug  of  her  shoulders.  sometimes  memories  or  certain  things  last  longer  in  your  mind  than  you'd  want  to  think  about  it.  maybe  it  would  be  an  interesting  experience  for  her  to  just  try  it.  even  if  it  was  just  one  tattoo.  .  .  what  was  the  harm  in  at  least  trying  to  see  if  she  had  wanted  to  get  one?  "  you  will  be,  huh?  i  had  no  doubt  about  that.  i  was  practically  expecting  you  to,  so  that's  just  fine.  "

a  roll  of  her  eyes  now  soon  following  the  next  few  things  that  michael  was  saying.  "  i  could  somewhat  agree  with  you  there,  yes.  they  could've  made  it  her  own  show.  she  deserved  her  own  show.  but  i  don't  know...  then  there's  troy  and  gabriella.  one  of  the  fan  favorites  of  the  entire  movie.  another  thing  that  you  probably  wouldn't  know  about.  "  maybe  he  just  needed  to  sit  down  and  watch  movies  on  his  own  because  he  was  about  to  start  confusing  her.  "  yeah,  you  saw  like  what?  30  minutes  of  an  entire  movie?  that's  like  me  giving  an  opinion  on  a  movie  you  like  that  i  probably  haven't  seen.  and  that's  a  lot  of  movies  to  even  try  to  go  into.  i  suppose  they  could  get  somewhat  repetitive  after  a  while  —  but  i  won't  lie  to  you.  i  happen  to  think  the  second  one  is  the  best  one.  so,  if  you  were  really  curious,  then  yes,  they  do.   "

"well,  it's  reassuring  to  know  it's  an  option,  isn't  it?  even  if  you  don't  end  up  doing  it,  it  puts  things  into  perspective.  nothing  is  ever  really  permenant  if  you  don't  want  it  to  be.  no  matter  what  it  is,"  he  shrugged  casually,  knowing  that  despite  having  a  few  tattoos  he  didn't  particularly  care  for,  he  wouldn't  go  through  the  process  of  getting  them  removed  anyway.  it  felt  like  too  much  of  a  hassle  for  something  that  served  as  memory  on  his  timeline.  significant,  or  not,  he  would  keep  it.  "i'm  noting  that  for  later  though,  just  in  case,  and  yes,  i  will  be  holding  it  against  you,"  he  joked,  knowing  if  it  were  to  happen  he  would  fully  take  advantage  of  an  ‘i  told  you’  so  moment.  "well,  then,  we  agree  here  right?  sharpay  was  superior  and  they  should've  just  made  it  her  own  show  or  musical  or  whatever  it  was  they  had  going  on  for  them,"  at  this  point,  he  wasn't  really  sure  if  he  was  mixing  up  different  movies  together.  "i  saw  enough  to  form  an  opinion  and  judge,  don't  you  think?  it  sort  of  gets  repetitive  throughout.  well,  at  least  tell  me  it  gets  better  in  the  second  or  third  one?"

[solarishashernoseinabook]

Hey! You said your birthday is the "entire month of December", so I'm just sending this in as soon as I can lol, hope I got close! You also said you really like all the close platonic relationships, so, here's the ward girls gossiping on their day off! I hope you like it, Happy Birthday! ^^

[Image ID: Jenny and Alyss in Jenny's kitchen. Pans are hanging on the wall and a large bowl sits on the table. Jenny is holding a tray of cookies with oven mitts. She's got shoulder-length blonde hair, blue eyes, and is chubby, and is wearing a red dress and off-white apron. Alyss is lounging on the couch in a light blue dress. She's also got blue eyes, longer blonde hair, and speech bubbles around her head to indicate she's talking. /end]

PERSEPHONE. persephone. persephone oh my god

[Image ID: A figure with large eyes holding some papers, teary-eyed surrounded by hearts /end]