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peakyblindersxx · 3 years

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whiskey buisness - john shelby x reader (part 2 of ?)

read part one here!

a/n: hey loves! i'm finishing up school rn, but i had to get this out and i'm about to start working on a tommy request immediately after i upload this. anyways, i'm so excited to post this series, it's incredible and i can't thank my bestie @stxdyblr-2k enough. she is a fucking genius :)

prompt: you can't get john out of your head. lo and behold, here he is.

warnings: fluff, mentions of smut, angsty af, soft john (ugh my heart)

Despite your best efforts, you'd been unable to stop yourself yearning for John Shelby. Your pokey flat now often lay empty; you were far too busy to mope at home due to your career as a personal assistant to a local solicitor who was allied with the Shelby's, attending rallies and lectures with Ada and the drunken nights you'd spend at various mansions, galleries and club openings with the "razor chasers" you'd become friendly with due to their refusal to leave Ada alone. Yet still, in those odd seconds of calm you seized over a cigarette, the first seconds after a bump of Tokyo, when you carefully applied your makeup, styled your hair or bathed, you'd think of him. The way the pads of his fingertips felt on your skin, how he’d muttered in your ear how pretty you looked.

But this was different to when you were dreaming about John at 15; he was no longer the allusive older brother of Ada who had a string of beautiful girls on rotation. He wasn’t a fantasy anymore. He was true flesh and blood, and for a moment he had wanted you.

It would be delicious if the whole situation hadn't left a bitter taste in your mouth. Of course you came back to Brum to only immediately fuck it up. The first night, and already you were so close to ruining everything? Looking back, now that you were so close with Ada once more, now that you knew who John had grown to be, that night was cringe inducing. Luckily, no one had seemed to catch on. Luckily, you thrived in the Small Heath rumour mill once again. All the gossip about you was mainly about your substance use, the lads you were seen curling up with outside nightclubs, your intelligence, your helpful nature, sometimes your questionable politics but that was all. John's was far darker, stories of blood, death and gasoline. Recently, the tales of his conquests had quietened, but only due to the lurid delight taken by the factory workers in talking about the recent blinding of some poor fucker who'd crossed the wrong person. Obviously, a lot of the detail had to be exaggerated for shock value and to boost the Shelby status, solidifying them as notorious throughout Birmingham city and its rural surroundings. There were murmurs everywhere about the violent John Shelby: ruthless, cocky, vengeful. It seemed impossible that the same man who cracked shit jokes just to see you smile, kissed you with so much desperation, and prioritised getting you off first could cause such harm without an ounce of guilt or shame to slow his swagger.

Whispers of war were far more constant, but then again, people would say anything for a reaction. You didn't bring it up with Ada. You refused to (openly) partake in mindless gossip on principle, yet you were hungry for information about him.

***********

You'd long forgotten whose wedding you were at. Some loyal blinder, a close friend of the Shelby's, the occasion calling for a large white marquee to be built onto one of Tommy's gardens, fully staffed with the best chef and service team money could buy (from a London restaurant at short notice; when Finn told you the extortionate figure Tommy had paid, your jaw had dropped). The cake, dress and decorations were stunning; you weren't sure exactly what the groom had done for the Shelby's but you could only assume the worst for what they'd splashed out on him.

However, thinking like that only spoilt your night: you'd realised at your fifth club takeover, now you repeated it like a mantra constantly. You'd quickly learnt every excess the Shelby's granted to those outside their circle were due to some perceived sacrifice for being associated with them. Well, that's what you chose to believe after John had sent a junior blinder to your office with a bouquet, the Monday morning after he turned you down. So, it was best to smile and take the shit, get paid, and get out as soon as possible. You were to keep your head down until then.

Yet, keeping your head down was difficult tonight. Ada had treated you to a shopping trip to London for the occasion this morning, Arthur forcing the junior blinders to tag along next to you on the train and trailing less than two metres behind you for hours. You missed the days when it was just you and Ada. It was far more simple without the stares whenever the two of you stepped out. Ada had gotten used to it, she'd devised her own methods of being completely alone; complex plans involving leaving a window open, knotting sheets into a rope and twisting her ankles. Not that she minded, she reckoned the suffocation of being a Shelby was much worse than a few bruised ankles.

You were wearing a clingy emerald green dress from some fancy French boutique you couldn't even pronounce, the diamond necklace sitting along your collarbone and the jewels dangling through your ears were on loan from Ada. You felt eyes unpicking you the moment you entered the after-party. Your arm was linked through Ada's as per usual, she looked equally stylish in a peacock blue number that set off her eyes, her delicate features perfected with makeup.

You'd quickly found your gaggle and began drinking and dancing the night away. Whispers about snow arose from your table, people disappearing to the toilets to rail a line on the bathroom counter, then to the dance floor or to the lap of the poor fucker who'd hold back their hair while they vomited in just a few hours. At least the Blinders were polite about it. Isaiah would kill them if they weren’t. You'd let your arm be tugged on various bathroom trips, treated among your group like secret missions although you weren't entirely subtle about it.

What you weren't aware of was across the marquee, you were being watched by the three men in your life who you'd never want to see you in this state: the Shelby's.

"Looks like Finn's taken your spot, John." Arthur yelled in John's ear over the loud music, gesturing to the youngest Shelby sat at the table next to you who was staring up at you in complete adoration as you chatted across him to Michael, seemingly arguing with him. By the looks of it, you were winning.

John pulled a face at Arthur. “Fuck off, old man. That'll never happen. Finn’s too young for her." He immediately regretted the words that had fallen out of his mouth, revealing far too much for his comfort.

"It's not impossible."

"He's just not right for her, yeah?"

"And you are?"

John didn't bother to bless him with a verbal response, instead flipping him off and downing the rest of his whiskey. "It's not like that."

"What's it like then? Because from where I'm sitting, it's pretty fucking clear, John." Arthur slurred, glass of whiskey sloshing onto his sleeve.

"You're too gone to even know you're chatting shit." John sneered, standing up, "I'm off for a smoke and some fresh air. Try not to fuck anything in my absence, both of you."

His brothers cursed him out as he left. John took a second to figure out his route, purposefully having to cross your path, gesturing for you to follow him subtly. He was surprised you came trailing after him, telling Michael that you weren’t done yelling at him and you’d be back. When you were both only metres from the marquee, he knew you were fucked. You were instantly bored, begging him for a cigarette, which he lit for you, shaking his head at your state.

"You're a fucking mess, love." He said, mouth sloping attractively to one side.

"Takes one to know one, John-boy. Where are we off to, then?"

"Somewhere fucking quiet, can barely hear myself think. Plus, you need to sober the fuck up, lass." He said, softly, as he walked across the dew soaked grass. You followed, heels in hand, holding your dress up as not to ruin it. He sighed, taking the shoes from your hands and wrapping his blazer around your shoulders, linking your arm through his for stability. He kept the distance respectful, but there wasn’t any denying the thick tension in the summer air between the two of you. Ahead, there was a small stone bench sat at the foot of one of Thomas' manicured gardens, and John offered his hand to help you sit. You made small talk and caught up on each other's lives, and you noted John only seemed to glow when you asked about his kids. He talked at length, the drink seemingly unhinging his jaw. There he was again, the John you knew and had admired for so many years. You could sit here forever, watching his blue eyes sparkle in the sunlight. Yet, it just wasn’t meant to be. You wished you could stop time just for a bit, give you enough moments to memorize the freckles on his skin.

"You know the night I first came home?" The alcohol and snow had loosened your lips. You were teetering on the edge of your boundaries, but you couldn't care enough to hold back.

"The night where absolutely nothing happened?" He joked, raising an eyebrow at you, cautious that you'd randomly brought it up in your state. "Sweetheart, this can wait."

He was warning you. For a second you managed to bite your tongue, but curiosity tipped you over the edge.

"But something nearly happened, right?"

"Y/N. Don't." He warned, his tone icy, suddenly distancing from you, hiding between an emotional boundary which he didn't wish to explore.

"John, it's just us. Can't we even talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about, though. You were off your face then, and now. That's fine. We know where we stand. It can't happen."

"I wanted to. I do want to."

"You don't. Trust me. You need a nice lad who'll marry you and look after you. Just need to keep your nose clean long enough yeah?" He teased, trying to lighten the mood, blue eyes begging you to move on.

Your head turned to face him, your face contorting in a mixture of confusion and irritation. "You don't get to tell me what I want or need. The last thing I want is to marry any lad, nice or not."

"I didn't mean it like that, right? Look, I just meant you deserve better than Shelby scum. You're going places you know? Don't settle for Small Heath." John responded with a pained sigh. He didn’t want to get into it with you; not here, not like this. He'd thought about it, naturally. You were constantly on his mind, yet only problems ever seemed to appear, never solutions. It was best for him to avoid you. Why the fuck did he drag you out here? Horrible idea.

"Your family isn't scum. Where the fuck did you get that from?" Your face was screwed up in genuine rage. "I-"

"Y/N, fuckin’ leave it."

His face had hardened completely now. He'd snapped at you. His voice hadn't raised, it was just the power he spat his order out with. You held up your hands in mock surrender, pointedly taking a cigarette from his front pocket and light it silently, not saying a word.

"Why are you so bothered, anyways?" He asked, breaking the silence like you knew he would. John always had to ask questions.

"Fuck off with that, John. I'm not in the mood."

"What do you mean?" He looked completely lost.

"We nearly had sex. Just sex, nothing else right?"

John remained silent.

"Would it be the worst thing in the world?" You asked, your voice wavering. It was hard enough to get the words out, let alone imagine the response.

"You're far too wasted to chat about this, love."

"John, I’m not-"

"I'm serious. You're fucking mashed like my brothers aren't you? Like all those other fuckers in there." He sounded genuinely angry. In the glow of the sunset he looked so much younger, so hurt and lonely. Why hadn't you noticed before?

He turned to you, eyes widened and shocked at his own outburst. "You're not the only one gone yeah? Ignore me, I'm fucked, sorry."

You reached out your hand and linked your fingers through his in silence, the warm evening wind ruffling your hair and dress, blocked from your skin by John's suit jacket which was wrapped around your shoulders. Not that anyone would notice or care. As long as Ada wasn't with you, you could disappear for hours without any alarm. There you sat in the tranquil last few moments of the day, your hand linked with John's, both beyond tipsy. You weren’t thinking properly but it felt right. You felt safe. You didn't want to have to return to the chaos of the party, to have to catch up on who your friends were currently trying to screw. None of that seemed to matter anymore.

Was it too much to ask for something to be simple? Maybe you didn't have to fuck him. Maybe just these small moments were enough. You laughed at the thought when it crossed your mind; neither you nor John were known for consistency or stability in relationships, you being admittedly rather inexperienced, only having been with a few men, and he had his fair share of escapades. But he was just so different. You wouldn't admit that he'd gotten your attention in any way than purely sexually (which surprised you to admit) and for fun, but you genuinely enjoyed his presence.

He was right though. It wasn't a good idea at all to hook up. There was far too much baggage for both of you to make it worth it.

Just once?

You glanced over at John. He rolled his eyes at you, but the edges of his lips were slightly upturned, his dimples faintly peeking through his defined cheeks.

Just once couldn't hurt.

***

The sky was streaked with shades of gold, amber and blood. John could feel the friction from your knee barely knocking against his, the pressure putting him on edge. In fairness, he had drunk heavily, and that's what happens when you let your guard down around beautiful women. He couldn't believe you had told him you wanted to have sex with him still. He'd chalked the whole situation down to a drunken mistake that would have progressed into a far more significant drunken mistake. Ada would never forgive him if he went for another of her mates. Especially Y/N. No matter if he said that Y/N could be different, that you wasn't just another conquest. But who'd believe him?

Far better to keep his mouth shut.

Far better to play safe.

As you were called back to the party by the gaggle of girls John vaguely recognised from hanging off the arms of other blinders, he realised (despite his state) that you were right. Having sex with you wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. In fact, it might be one of the best.

Just once?

He watched your figure disappear back into the marquee, waiting for you to turn back and look for him. You do. He would have done the same if it was him.

Maybe just once wouldn't hurt.

***

to be continued!

#john shelby fluff #john shelby #john shelby x reader #john shelby imagine #john shelby reader insert #peaky blinders fluff #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders

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thecarnivorousmuffinmeta · 3 years

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Hey! I love your meta’s, a little while ago you talked about The Order of the Phoenix as an organization could you talk about the Death Eaters?

The post anon is referencing.

TL;DR the Order is incompetently hilarious and Dumbledore is a man who trusts no one.

Oh, the Death Eaters, what to say about the Death Eaters...

In a World Without Voldemort, They'd Probably Be Arsonists

One of the things JKR implies in the series, and something fandom seems to take for granted, is that Tom Riddle is the ultimate corrupting influence.

Were it not for him, the Wizarding World would be a much better place, and people like Bellatrix LeStrange would be productive members of society.

As soon as he is killed, even, by Harry, the good guys win, their problems all presumably solved, and Harry tells his son Albus Severus that it's totally fine if he's put into Slytherin.

I don't believe that though.

To me, it's not so much that Tom Riddle corrupted these people, but that he gave them an organized cause. The people themselves, oh, they were itching for a fight.

In a world without Tom I think they'd be a loosely, poorly organized, group (probably with Bellatrix as the ring leader) where they commit acts of domestic terrorism probably involving burning offensive shops to the ground or attacking muggleborns, halfbloods, and blood traitors.

Voldemort, to me, is designed to pander to them (and not the other way around).

The Death Eaters' Beginnings

So, first off, I think Tom's goals are not what he says they are. What he represents to his followers is exactly what they want to hear, wrapped in a grandiose theatric bow that they just love.

But how did this all start?

First, I don't believe in the Knights of Walpurgis. Instead I think Tom came relatively out of nowhere in the 70's uses parseltongue to prove his heritage as the Heir of Slytherin and thus of purer blood than any of them.

He throws these exciting rallies/parties that the rebellious, angsty, teenage heirs all go to. There he says everything they wanted to hear in the most eloquent manner they've ever heard, promises them the action that their fathers have never delivered, promises them a role in the glorious revolution and a place in history, and probably offers them mounds of cocaine.

All the Death Eaters we see, or the core of them, appear to be in this age range where they'd be in Hogwarts or just out of it when Voldemort came knocking. I can imagine they're all whipped up with excitement, YEAH LET'S BLOW UP THE MUDBLOODS and for some that's great, for others... things don't go the way they expected.

October 31, 1981: It All Falls Apart

Regulus famously steals Tom's horcrux. I imagine it wasn't so much that he learned the error of his ways but that he saw what Tom Riddle was really after: the destruction of his very society.

Lucius is riding high until October 31, 1981 and he sees the complete destruction of the entire Black family. Lucius' priorities greatly shift and as he grows older he prays Voldemort never returns. Unfortunately, Tom does, and he charges interest.

Bellatrix absolutely loses her mind, refuses to accept reality, and tries to torture the Longbottoms for information they do not possess. She is imprisoned in Azkaban and never truly recovers from this.

Snape ends up the cause of death for Lily Evans and must forever live with the guilt and be tied to her prophesied son. He also becomes Dumbledore's lackey forever, which ultimately gets him killed.

Point being, no one's having a good time. Some because they figure out being a Death Eater wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and others because they had the Voldemort rug pulled out from under their feet when Tom Riddle disappears.

Pettigrew flees and lives as the Weasley rat for nearly fifteen years.

They're left making a mad scramble as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Canon Catches Up

More than ten years go by and then suddenly, in a muggle graveyard, the surviving Death Eaters discover that they are bound to Voldemort for the rest of their lives.

Death cannot stop this man and he has branded them: there's no escape.

Some are still enthusiastic supporters of the cause: Bellatrix is vindicated that her lord has returned, he rescues her from hell on earth, and everything's finally coming up Bella. Barty is similar in actively working for Voldemort's resurrection.

Lucius, meanwhile, lives in constant terror. Karkaroff desperately flees the country and hopes Tom will not find him. Snape, is in fact, Dumbledore's agent. Pettigrew only returned in utter desperation and has now cut off his own hand.

They're not the young men they were, some of them have families, to some of the past ten years have been utterly miserable. They have to watch as their children make the same damn mistakes they did, be sucked into this same hell hole, and there's nothing they can do about it.

There is a notable reluctance for the cause, and yet, they have to try with the same vigor or this madman will kill them all.

And it's all worthless anyway: come 1998, Voldemort dies again (perhaps for real this time, who knows, Harry Potter seems to think so for whatever reason) and then they are imprisoned for their acts as Death Eaters.

And they just laugh, because how badly Lucius wishes he could go back in time and tell his eighteen-year-old self, "YOU DUMB FUCK, LEAVE NOW!"

But Do They Learn Anything?

No.

Just because we see some of them regret being Death Eaters doesn't mean they regret their beliefs. Their beliefs were fine, even blowing up people here and there, a bit gauche but fine.

But maybe following Voldemort blindly was a bad idea.

Are They More Competent Than the Order?

No.

Tom Riddle is terrifyingly competent in that he infiltrates the government with ease, has spies everywhere, and all but proclaims himself minister one day and nobody blinks.

He gains the full support of most of the wizarding world's wealthiest and prestigious families.

But he doesn't actually give these people anything to do. Because there's nothing for them to do, with them, Tom's won. He owns the Wizengamot, the Ministry, everything.

There's no need to fight. It's over, there never was a war. Society is primed to accept Tom Riddle as their ruler.

However, the likes of Bellatrix LeStrange thinks there's a glorious war on, so "uh, go out and blow up a few muggles, have fun." And the young Death Eaters (and the older ones), think they've committed this great, daring, brave, and very important act.

Tom only seems to hand out real assignments when in desperate straits or else when being particularly vindictive.

Lucius, after messing up with the diary, is told to retrieve a prophecy he is not allowed to touch in a department of the ministry he should have no access to. If he fails: Tom kills his entire family. When Lucius does fail, Tom assigns his son to assassinate an already dying Dumbledore. These aren't real tasks, though they do have the appearance of one, and consequences for failure.

Barty, Tom is forced to rely on, as he is trapped in this dying infant's body. And better Barty, someone who is truly loyal and seems fairly clever, than Peter Pettigrew who is a miserable scum bag who'd sell his grandmother for a bar of soap.

Barty, of course, fucks this up. Rather than just kidnap Harry Potter at any of the many easy points this could be done (Hogsmeade trip, lure Harry out to Hogsmeade with super secret serial information about Voldemort/Snape being a Death Eater, etc.), Barty is determined to make use of the Triwizard Tournament to destroy his father's legacy.

This means rather than a few weeks, it takes months to kidnap Harry, and even then they bring along an extra boy who then gets killed and provides some evidence that Tom Riddle has in fact returned. (Somebody murdered Cedric). It takes months and Barty actively ensuring Harry makes it through the tournament and does well, leaving open the possibility that he might get caught helping Harry cheat at any moment. And of course, Barty has to pretend to be Madeye Moody for months, keeping his man locked and drugged in his trunk.

Thankfully, Moody's such a paranoid wreck, no one even notices.

Quirrell, Tom is forced to rely on. Quirrell fucks up, though admittedly not as badly as Barty. Quirrell fails to steal the stone when it's in transit/in Gringotts. He fails to murder Harry Potter, an eleven year old boy in the world's most dangerous school. He rouses Snape's suspicion almost immediately. Then of course he doesn't get the stone. He at least gets to the room with the stone and nearly overpowers Harry and gets it had he not been mysteriously lit on fire by the power of love/Lily Evans.

The only one Tom ever really relies on by choice is Snape. Snape is charged with spying on Dumbledore and later running Hogwarts (which he fucks up).

There is only one competent man in Britain: Severus Snape. Which is, of course, why he's a double agent that Dumbledore and Tom both extensively rely on despite his being a double agent.

There's no one else.

Tom Riddle doesn't make use of the Death Eaters but given they prove themselves enthusiastically incompetent at every turn I don't blame him. Just pretend to give them something to do and hope it makes them feel important.

That's all I've got in general, you want anything else you'll have to ask for something more specific.

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dokifluffs · 4 years

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Just a Little Crush | Tsukishima Kei

Pairing: Tsukishima X Reader (female)

Genre: shy fluff?? 👀

Request: “Tsukishima having a crush on Kuroo little sister who’s a 2nd year manager”

Author’s Note: honestly felt iffy writing this since I’ve never done an imagine like this but i think it came out better than I thought?? Also note: I made Kuroo a returning Nekoma alum and Tsuki a second year too 👉👈 Thanks for requesting! Happy reading~

He couldn’t keep his eyes from glancing over to you every so often

The way you sat so focused on the game, keeping track of the score, the way your knuckles turned white every now and then as you grasped the notebook and pen in your hand sitting beside Nekomata

He couldn’t help but enjoy the way you looked: your features, raven hair similar to someone but he couldn’t put his finger on it

The game was intense with the way all the sneakers were squeaking off the gym floors, everyone was sweaty and tired in these practice matches with Karasuno vs. Nekoma

Both teams took turns making the drive to both schools so it wouldn’t just be one so today, it was Karasuno’s turn to come to Nekoma

Tsuki slept peacefully in the bus ride as always with yamaguchi either chatting with Hinata and co or even Ennoshita

Teams were different this year especially without the third years. This meant no more suga, daichi deadchi (Tanaka nice kill!), Akashi or Kiyoko for karasuno

As for Nekoma, no Yaku, no kai, and no Kuroo

Arriving there, it was the same old same old. He had seen this school more than he thought he would

But entering the gym, this is when the story changed for him. He noticed the manager who wasn’t there last year but there was something familiar about the way you looked

During warm up, he couldn’t wrap around where he had seen you before or how you were familiar, so this meant numerous glances for him

But as discrete as he tried to be, it didn’t go unnoticed- specifically by yams, yachi, and even you

You kept to yourself and cheered on for Nekoma throughout the game, stepping out every now and then between rallies to fill up water bottles, hand then towels

Despite all the sounds in the gym from breathing and chatter in time outs or between sets, his ears somehow picked up on the sound of your voice

Strategically he listened in on some advice you gave about Karasuno and what are some things they could do instead but the words ended up droning out and he could hear your voice

“Oi, Y/N, who won the first set?” A voice so familiar, he didn’t even need to think of who’s person it went with. He knew this too by the way his body froze

“Nekoma did. It was 25-23 and Tetsu, stop using me as an arm rest, I’m not that short,” you retorted

“But the thing is you are since you’re my little sister.”

Turning around, it felt like it clicked. The same raven hair, similar features. Even hearing you laugh once, he could hear the resemblance (though you never sounded like Kuroo’s hyena laugh)

Little sister

He didn’t know what to think but you still occupied his mind and thoughts despite knowing nothing about you

Both teams were suddenly pulled back into the a new set that started with Karasuno’s serve

With an easy pass up and a set from Kenma to Lev, Tsuki’s footing was a beat behind, making him late for a block besides Kageyama which made him sigh knowing he wouldn’t hear the end of it from who he called the king himself

And he was right. Many boke’s were thrown his way for the rest of the set. Coach even considered taking him out and he had yachi keep track of how many errors he made, sure to fix them next practice

Yams watched anxiously from the side since he had never seen his friend play like this before. No, he had never seen him like this before

He began to get annoyed with himself since he didn’t know what was happening or why he felt like this when nothing was physically wrong

He blocked everything out and got his head back to the game, able to bring back a couple of points that were lost but ultimately, the point gap widened to Nekoma’s favor, allowing them to win the second set

Sat on the bench and drinking water for a little ten minute break, he wiped his sweat, the gears in his mind turning as he tried to figure out what was going on

Why did his mind lead to you? How did you entrance him so??

The break was able to cook him down a bit before the final set of the day but then a hand clamped down on his shoulders

“What happened out there, tsuki?” Kuroo asked as he stood behind the bench, resting his folded arms on the chair beside him. “I taught you better than that”

“It’s nothing.” He brushed him off before he set his things out and played the final set

He was determined to settle himself down. This wasn’t nothing big or life changing. All he needed to do was focus

So he did

He played a lot more normally, focusing his mind on the game and his team. However, it was inevitable to sneak a glance over to the bench when Nekoma scored a point

The way your eyes lit up like Yachi’s, your aura bright and from what he was able to gather from very little, kind

Though of course, Kuroo didn’t miss this either

After the match, it was time for Karasuno to head back home. Both teams packed up the gym together as the sun was about to begin setting, the golden light shining on the ceiling through the windows at the top of the gym

“Tsuki, what happened?” yamaguchi asked while he helped him pack one of the two poles

“It’s nothing, Yamaguchi. I’m just tired,” he spoke the truth halfway. Physically, he could collapse on the bus the moment he sat down but there was another part of him that was just fully awake

Hinata and Lev and Inuoka talked loudly about the match as Kenma was finishing up, preparing to join them but felt chills run down his spine feeling Kageyama’s stares from across the gym

Packing up his bag, he looked back up, for the last time he told himself, and he could see you and yachi talking together and Kuroo beside you

But just as he looked up from you, him and Kuroo locked eyes, making the older one come over

“Well that was interesting to watch.” A smug look on his face. “You know, you really should work on blocking out.. distractions..” he said

“Mmhm..” he hummed

“Oh by the way, here.” Kuroo pressed a folded piece of paper to his chest before he parted, you and Tsuki locked eyes from a distance for just a brief moment

Opening the wad of paper, it was a a phone number with your name: Kuroo Y/N

He folded the paper back up and tucked it safely and securely into his pocket, zipping up his club jacket as high as he could to hide the blush that rose to his cheeks for a bit

But he couldn’t hide the redness in the tips of his ears that peaked above the collar of his jacket

His heart was really going doki doki

~~~~~ Thanks for reading! Masterlist for more! Please do not repost anywhere else!

Tags (let me know if you wanna be tagged for all my haikyuu posts): @yams046 @mazey-chan @sunboikyo00 @kara-grayson04 @fortheloveofbakugo

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cheri-translates · 4 years

Text

[CN] Fireworks Event - Kiro

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an event which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

Previous section: here

3rd Anniversary Masterlist: here

Prior to the Carnival, there were questions posed in the Go See You feature which affects which scenario the player sees during the Fireworks Event:

Question 1: Without thinking of any external reasons, if you were to visit the amusement park again, which attraction would Miss Chips want to experience the most?

Option A: Rollercoaster! I think this attraction really alleviates stress.

Option B: Hehehe, the haunted house should be given a name.

Option C: The dessert store! There are so many delicious foods in the amusement park.

Question 2:

Question: To Miss Chips, what is an essential element in a “perfect day”?

Option A: For you to be as romantic as in a fairytale.

Option B: For people to witness the most romantic moment. [no footage found]

[ PART ONE PROLOGUE ]

Time truly passes when one is having fun. In a blink of an eye, the night has already overtaken the sky.

I look at the guide map in my hands, thinking about which attraction should end our itinerary for today’s carnival.

Suddenly, Kiro grabs my hand.

Kiro: Let’s go!

MC: Have you thought of what we’re going to do last?

Kiro: Haven’t we already decided this since a long time ago~

[ Option A: Rollercoaster! I think this attraction really alleviates stress. ]

At night, the tracks of the rollercoaster are full of coloured lights. From afar, it looks like a dream-like track hanging in the sky.

It suddenly occurs to me that the seemingly insignificant question he asked a few days ago actually had a reason behind it.

Kiro: This time, we can enjoy the pleasures of the rollercoaster to our heart’s content!

He offers his hand to me, eyes sparkling despite being in the curtain of darkness.

MC: It’s the first time I’m riding a rollercoaster at night!

We’re seated in the last row, gradually climbing towards the peak. Our entire field of vision consists of the night and neon.

Kiro: MC, do you know about the legend related to rollercoasters?

MC: Do you create stories that quickly? We just sat on it.

Kiro: Nonsense, I was already thinking about it when we were in the queue!

MC: ...

Kiro: ...

Kiro suddenly clears his throat, his fingers making twirls in the air in a counterclockwise direction. Then, he lets out a soft “ding” sound.

Kiro: Miss Chips, do you know about the legend related to rollercoasters?

MC: Pfft.

Cooperating with him, I pretend to look contemplative.

MC: There are sayings related to rollercoasters?

Kiro: Hmph. Not everyone knows about this legend, because it’s only used for rollercoasters at night, and when you’re seated at the last row.

MC: Ah! What else?

Kiro: The rollercoaster will take 55 seconds from the moment it leaves the peak. If you have any wishes you’d like fulfilled, say it silently in your heart, then hold your breath. As long as you can press on till the end, this wish will be fulfilled.

MC: Isn’t the original setting in an elevator?

Kiro: Any similarities are mere coincidences. We’re reaching the peak soon. So? Want to give it a try?

MC: This legend has yet to be put to the test.

Looking at his sparkling eyes, I can’t help but want to tease him.

Kiro: You don’t trust me! But that’s okay, I can prove its success rate to you first.

With this, he closes his eyes, and I have no idea what wish he’s making.

Neon colours fall on his eyelashes, making his side profile look especially handsome.

Kiro: Done.

We’re about to reach the peak. Kiro grips my hand, his face filled with anticipation and eagerness.

Kiro: Let’s go!

MC: Ahh--!

Kiro: Haa... haa...

Kiro is breathing in as much fresh air as he can, and I can’t help but laugh while looking at his flushed face.

MC: You’ve worked hard. From the bottom of my heart, I hope your wish can be fulfilled.

Kiro: Are you secretly laughing at me? Don’t be envious when my wish comes true.

MC: What did you wish for just now?

Kiro: What I wished for...

He turns his eyes to me, then leans downwards slightly such that his face is in front of mine. He closes his eyes gently.

Kiro: I wonder if the intelligent MC can guess what it is.

MC: You’re just being unreasonable!

Kiro: I’m not. Maybe this is the result of my hard work from earlier?

Looking at the person before me who’s pretending to be innocent, I find it quite ticklish.

With a flushed face, I give the corner of his lips a light peck. He seems to have waited for a very long time. Just as I plan to flee, he pulls me back, once again locking me in a trance.

Kiro: Look - I said the legend was effective. You believe it now, don't you?

[ Option B: Hehehe, the haunted house should be given a name. ]

At night, the haunted house looks even more terrifying than usual. The gloomy and cold lights seem to be waiting for challengers to arrive.

Looking at the slightly tense Kiro beside me, it suddenly occurs to me that the seemingly insignificant question he asked a few days ago actually had a reason behind it.

Kiro: Miss Chips, let’s go!

MC: Actually, it’s okay even if we don’t go for this...

Kiro: It’s all right.

He pats his chest confidently, pushing his sunglasses down with one hand.

Kiro: This time, I came prepared.

In the narrow, strange and long corridor, Kiro and I walk unhurriedly, following the directions of the arrows.

Kiro: This is the third time we’ve come to a haunted house, isn’t it?

MC: Yup. It seems like we always have memories of running wildly in haunted houses.

Kiro: In that case, let’s walk slowly this time, and slowly enjoy the delights of the haunted house.

Just as he finishes speaking, a bloodied handprint appears on the paper door at the side with a thud.

MC: !

Before I can rally my emotions, continuous streams of ghost-like cries drift from the paper door beside us.

Kiro holds my hand, scanning the surroundings “coldly”---

From an unknown place, Kiro takes out a gigantic white sheet, covering it over us.

Kiro: If we can’t beat then, let’s join them!!

MC: Pfft!

Kiro wraps me in his arms. His breath is at my ear, which gives me an especially ticklish sensation in my heart.

Kiro: See? It’s no longer scary, isn’t it? When we hear sounds, we’ll simply return fire!

Passerby couple: Erm...

Kiro: [ghostly] Mmm...?

Kiro and I turn around at the same time.

Passerby couple: Ahhhh----!!!!!!

After a short silence, I lift up my head, and just so happen to meet Kiro’s lowered gaze.

Kiro: [chuckles] Even though I feel a little bad, but...

We burst into laughter at the same time. The white sheet seems to be a small protective screen, making us the only two people in the entire world, becoming our secret accomplice.

Kiro: I’ve finally found a way to decode the haunted house!

MC: Next time, why don’t we...

Kiro: Be the ghosts!

We complete each others’ sentences as always.

Kiro: This way, it doesn’t feel scary at all.

MC: You’ve got a good method~

Kiro: The method is one aspect of it. The other aspect is because you’re with me. Frightening things will always be frightening, and courage isn’t something that can be added or subtracted.

MC: But won’t you become braver after going through it more often and having more experience?

Kiro: That’s called getting used to it and growing up. It doesn’t mean you’re no longer scared. It’s because there are other things which triumph over the fear.

His voice is very soft, and his eyes turn from the view outside the sheet to me.

Kiro: For example, right now.

MC: It’s all right even if you’re scared. I’m here, and you aren’t alone!

Kiro: In that case, could I come nearer to you?

As he says this, he takes a step closer.

MC: [blushing] The staff would laugh at us if they see this...

Kiro: That’s fine.

His lips are at my ear, bringing with them a smile of someone who has gotten his way.

Kiro: No one will see us.

[ Option C: The dessert store! There are so many delicious foods in the amusement park. ]

At night, the dessert store looks even more well-lit. The adorable decor, together with the colourful neon lights, are reminiscent of the sweetest kiss of a couple.

It suddenly occurs to me that the seemingly insignificant question he asked a few days ago actually had a reason behind it.

MC: Doesn't this place require a reservation?

He smiles while talking out two reservation coupons from his pocket, a satisfied look on his face.

Kiro: Hehe. It’s been a long wait, my Miss Chips.

I scan the various limited edition couple desserts on the menu, each one of them looking utterly delicious, as though I can smell their sweet fragrance just from the pictures.

In the end, I decide to pick the dessert which Kiro is recommending whole-heartedly and with great force--

The double lava layer chocolate brownie.

Kiro: Trust me, this is the one. I’ve done a recon before, and found the most premium product from these premium products.

Under his solemn gaze, the double lava layer chocolate brownie is brought to our table.

It looks like a chocolate brownie with some frosting sprinkled on it, and seems to be pretty normal.

Kiro: Give it a try! I haven’t forgotten its taste even till now.

I cut it open gently, and discover that underneath the chocolate exterior, there’s a soft chocolate cake. Chocolate sauce in the centre flows out slowly.

Cutting a small piece carefully, I place it into my mouth.

In a mere instant, my throat, nose, and even the air I inhale, are all sweet.

The strong sweetness sweeps through all my senses. My tongue goes haywire, and it’s as though I'm biting into a hundred macarons at the same time.

Kiro sits opposite me, his eyebrows arching slightly, an insuppressible anticipation and teasing look in his eyes.

He has also prepared a guilty and apologetic look.

I see through it immediately.

MC: Not bad. As expected of your recommendation!

Kiro: Hm?

MC: It’s really delicious.

While saying this, I lift up the fork again, preparing to get another piece.

Kiro: Wait wait wait!

He immediately grabs my hand, his face filled with disbelief. Looking at me, he lowers his head and stares at the “scheme”.

Kiro: The taste is just right?

MC: Yeah, it is. Weren't you the one who recommended it?

Kiro: Well... you’re not wrong.

He looks at the brownie on the table hesitantly. He’s probably guessing that the store had changed its method of preparation, resulting in a different effect.

At this moment, it’s a showdown between Kiro the glutton and reason.

Slowly, he picks up the fork, and brings a small piece into his mouth.

Kiro: [groans] !!!

I immediately grab the lemon water at the side, flushing my ruined taste buds.

Kiro: You...!

His features are scrunched, and I can't help but laugh when I see this.

Kiro: Although I did it somewhat on purpose, you really endured it too well!

MC: Seeing this image before me is worth it hahaha.

Kiro: I’m letting you experience the wrong path I once walked on.

Saying this, he comes over to my side.

Kiro: If I’m at fault, you should have punished me by using the law! Not by killing me with this sickeningly sweet dessert!

MC: If you went down the wrong path, you shouldn’t have let others experience it either!

Kiro: But you’re special. I’ve suffered twice the harm and need treatment.

MC: Mr Kiro, you’re insatiable.

Despite saying this, I don't stop him when he slowly draws closer to me.

Kiro: [chuckles] All I need is a little normal sweetness.

[ PART TWO ]

By the time we return to the vicinity of the castle in the plaza, the fireworks display is about to begin.

Considering Kiro’s special situation, his wig and props have more or less finished serving their function. I decide to find a location with fewer people.

But suddenly...

I realise that Kiro is gone.

Scanning my surroundings, I just can’t find any trace of him.

??: Beautiful Miss Princess, what are you looking at?

I freeze.

As the fireworks from the castle continuously scuttle to the skies, I see a figure at the end of the light.

At the top of the castle, he’s wearing a white coloured suit. His white cape is flying in the night, and an exquisite white mask conceals his entire face.

Just like the phantom thief under the moonlight.

Passerby: Is that a performance?

MC: Ki-!

Akin to magic, he soars downwards, stepping through the night, his cape kneading the moonlight as it flaps up and down, descending before me.

Wearing a pair of white gloves, he reaches out and places his forefinger on my lips.

Kiro: Shh.

The entire world seems to have become silent in an instant, leaving behind only the sound of my violently beating heart.

He takes half a step back, his left hand behind him, giving me a slight bow while offering his right hand to me.

Kiro: Beautiful Miss Princess, are you willing to come with me?

A pair of sapphire-like eyes hide behind the mask, leaving me unable to see his expression.

Seeing the arm he’s holding out in mid-air, I grip his hand without hesitation.

MC: It would be my honour!

Once the words leave my lips, he wraps an arm around my waist and carries me up, bringing me into the deep blue ocean.

Kiro: Hold me tight.

He presses a special mechanism, and strings pull the both of us upwards, as though we’re treading on moonlight.

When we reach the roof of the castle, he lets me step onto the bricks steadily, then removes the mask from his face.

Kiro: The performance has begun.

He snaps his fingers. At the same time, all the fireworks in the night sky bloom.

[ FIREWORKS ]

The colour I had selected is especially brilliant, and it blooms under Kiro’s command.

It’s as though he's standing in the middle of the stage, and every firework is a musical instrument under his control. With his guidance, they become the most beautiful musical composition in the night sky.

I think about that question related to a perfect day, and a him who is as romantic as in a fairytale.

As the fireworks come to an end, he once again gives me a bow, and walks towards me.

Kiro: I wish to ask my princess if the me of right now has the qualifications to steal your heart?

MC: [blushing] Haven’t you already stolen it since a long time ago?

Kiro: Is that so?

Under the moonlight of this winter day, his fringe is damp with sweat, and his eyes are filled with surprise.

Kiro: In that case, I won’t be returning it. Anyway, my heart happens to be with you too. Happy third anniversary, my Miss Chips.

Even the most precious day has to come to an end.

But the meaning residing in the future, which is the time we have next, will definitely be even more wonderful, and even more precious.

Until the end of life.

MC: Let’s go home!

Kiro: Mm! Let’s go home.

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc kiro

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magic-number-3 · 4 years

Note

omg pls give us the finn inspiring a storm trooper rebellion speech my body is ready for some good takes 👀

oh iz! oh dear. I’m so flattered but I’m afraid I’ve misled you! I know I referenced in the tags of this post about a story I was drumming up regarding force-sensitive finn. However, what I was referring to was a separate, non star wars affiliated story that (i hope) fulfills the force-sensitive finn storyline many of us were looking for. Cause then itd be cool to actually make it someday! haha. I will be posting some moodboard stuff for that sometime this week or next week. In the meantime, there’s this great post about a force-sensitive finn that matches a lot of the same energy (not to mention just excellent writing)!

And also some force-sensitive finn takes anyway;

a) First of all, JJ or whoever did confirm after TROS that what finn was trying to tell rey was that he was force-sensitive, but that he never got the opportunity, and this PISSES ME OFF for a number of reasons. don't try and retcon something like that and make it canon. same energy as jkr saying Dumbledore was gay for the diversity points. obviously its a little different here cause it wasn't for diversity, but my point still stands. its lazy and if that's what it was supposed to mean it should've been explicitly in the text. I, and as far as I’m aware many others, wanted force-sensitive finn and ASSUMED we’d be getting him and tros failed to give that to us. ESPECIALLY when JJ was signed back on for 9 and he gave us finn with a lightsaber in 7 which was abandoned in 8. anyway I obviously have lots of feelings about this trilogy. And I don’t want to go too hard on JJ here specifically because i’ve heard there was lots of behind-the-scenes stuff going on with the writing of this movie, but I'm still upset about it. either put it in explicitly or don't bother to tease it all. that whole back and forth of finn trying and failing to tell rey came off more disappointing than anything else because it didn't amount to anything; all of that suspense of that just deflated when the movie gave the ending it did for me

b) If you know that's what he was going to say, just put it in there! for all the craziness that was tros it would've been so easy to slip that in there and tie up the storyline in a simple conversation. (lit rally have not watched this movie since I saw it in the theatre but) doesn't he try to tell rey but she stops him and goes ‘i know’? WTF??? Just tell the audience then And make it clear!! just add ‘i know you're force senstive’ or something!!! or she goes ‘i know’ and poe is like ‘am i missing something??’ and then finn tells him!!!! there's a whole storyline about how it creates a rift between poe and finn for petes sake!!! you need to tie that up!! it would've been so much cooler to have poe trying to tell rey the entire film and then in the final battle there could be an AMAZING REVEAL when he saves her or just anyone using the force when they thought they were done for that helps renew peoples sense of hope and turns the tide of the battle. imagine that energy!!! the audience would be in uproar!! it would be MAGIC!!! but rey had to have her showdown with Palpatine to give ben a moment to redeem himself, so whatever. I'm still ENRAGED

c) speaking of things that make me enraged lets talk about my man john finn boyega. my heart! did you SEE his excitement for tfa??? gigantic billboards of him holding a lightsaber!!! he could not shut up about his excitement! we all know the iconic Instagram caption! they told him he was the next star of star wars!! and then that was COMPLETELY SIDELINED in tlj with very little more done in tros! i want to see john finn boyega SCREAMING that heartfelt speech to a sea of stormtroopers to show them they can be their own people and make their own decisions, because that speech exists out there somewhere. not that its been written by anyone professionally involved with star wars, but that idea exists in the world and its a damn shame it never came to fruition

d) also lets just think about the power of a force sensitive finn storyline would have at all. you cant discuss his character without discussing ex-stormtrooper. So you have finn, who in tfa and tlj is largely just a bug the first order was trying to squash because he had the audacity to betray them and they needed to set an example in case anyone else got ideas. but he isn't just a bug, as a force sensitive he becomes one of the key players on the board and just like!!! isn't that the biggest fuck you!!! like hell yeah!!! finn spent his entire life putting his life on the line for an organization that removed him from whatever his home and family looked like in his youth and actively oppressed him and told him he was nothing and now he gets to tear it apart with his own force sensitive hands!!! LIKE?????

anyways I’m sure i have many more thoughts on this but I'm very busy today and this is all i came up with. hope this is in the realm of what you were looking for have a nice day ❤️

#long post #john boyega #force sensitive finn #finn #sw #star wars #my posts #my asks #of skies & stars

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shhhlikeme · 4 years

Text

“Losty Aone” / “Losty Mountain Man🏔” Series:

Outtake Collection #1

If you enjoyed my Aone series as much as I enjoyed writing it: then you may enjoy this........

Writer’s block is a bitch rn but at least I have drafts to post! I have like 10 or so of these mini outtakes so if y’all want them all please let me know. Personally I’m in love with them cause you guys know how much I love our Mountain Man😭

This is are not a story per se: they are outtakes from my Aone series) that do not follow a strict timeline. But same story line.

What is an Outtake?

Basically, outtakes are parts of yours & Aone’s love story that weren’t included where Part 0 picked up because it happened either before or after the series.

Remember that Aone crushed on you for 2 years before you two got together detailed in this matchup, so these are glimpses of what kind of interesting things happened during his crushing period.... all the way up until today when you two are happily together. Some are PG and some will be straight up smut after y’all get together. I love writing these omg! If you need any help understanding shoot me a message, but it’s fairly straightforward.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SERIES’ TABLE OF CONTENTS!

Enjoy my babies:

————————————

Aone 2 Weeks Into Crushing On You:

“Aone...... stop staring at her.” Kenji scoffs at his friend as they sat down at lunch.

“I’m not.” Muttered mountain man as he dug into his food.

“Okay but you say that.......while still staring at her.” Kenji deadpans in annoyance. He had been watching his best friend stare at his crush on the other side of the cafeteria for the past 20 minutes. Y/N was with the rest of the cheer team—basically the smallest one—laughing vibrantly with her friends. Aone’s heart was tight as he watched you laugh, once again silently wishing you would notice him and perhaps laugh at something he said like that.

“The cheerleaders look really good in their new uniforms this school year, huh?” Kenji tried.

His big friend grunted in agreement but he really only thought Y/N looked phenomenal in uniform. Everyone else looked whatever.

“You should tell her how pretty you think she looks today.”

“Uh, I......can’t.” Aone said without changing his expression. Inside, though, he was a big blushy baby.

“Why not? It’s been two weeks since you first saw her and you obviously kinda like her so I think you should!”

Aone shook his head tightly. “Is that what you would do?” He finally looked at his friend: the only person in Aone’s life that he actually confided in. Kenji nodded.

“Oh, most def. See Y/N’s cheer captain, Katana? I have a little crush on her. Want to see how I tell her?”

“You’re attracted to her. You don’t have a crush on her. There’s a difference.”

“Tomatoe Tomahtoh! Watch.” Kenji calls Y/N’s friend’s name from across the caf at the cheerleaders table. Her face brightens when she sees it was Kenji calling her, and she skips over to their table.

Aone blended into the background as usual when bubbly girls came around. Someone with his silent demeanour didn’t really make waves to them.

Kenji spoke to her while remaining seated, ever the nonchalant semi-fuckboy. He had his hands in his pockets the entire time and Aone just knew that he’d never be able to pull that “I don’t care” vibe off with his crush. When you came around, every nerve in Aone’s body stood at attention and he just focused in on you. He couldn’t help it.

“You look really good in your uniform by the way. Fits like a glove.” Kenji flirted passively.

Y/N’s captain beamed like a newly chosen puppy at the pet mart. “Really?! You think so?! Thanks a lot, Futakuchi!!!”

Aone resisted the urge to roll his eyes at how much these ladies fell over his friends antics.

But Aone couldn’t help but wish you would look at him like Katana looked at Kenji. It had only been two weeks since he’s first laid eyes on you, but you brightened his days unknowingly and he just wanted to be the reason for your smile.

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺😭

Aone heard a tiny squeal coming from his right where the cheerleaders were so he looked over to see you skipping towards them.

🚨 🚨 🚨 HOLY FUCK you were coming to his table! 🚨 🚨 🚨

Aone’s heart literally stopped. He looked to Futakuchi in alarm, though his face seemed unaffected to the average person.

Kenji smirked back at the white haired giant, as if to say “exactly according to plan.”

You approached the table like the bundle of energy you are and Takanobu practically let his static demeanour switch so he could sigh happily as the fruity scent you wore hit him.

You were so close: you were so perfect: and you were so beautiful. Aone’s eyes didn’t leave you for a second.

You stopped beside the table with a smile for your cheer captain.

“Katana! Coach wants us stretching on the field in 3 minutes, let’s go!” Not noticing anyone else, you tugged on your captain’s sleeve and then grabbed her wrist to bring her back to the team.

Katana waved at Kenji as she was being dragged away. “Oh, okay, so I’ll see you Saturday night Kenji?! You can pick me up at 8!”

Kenji nodded nonchalantly, his attention mainly back to his friend who was staring at his retreating crush.

“You could have at least said hi.” Kenji crumpled his napkin, annoyed. “The only reason I asked Katana out is because your crush doesn’t leave her alone for two seconds so I knew she’d come over here. That was your chance!”

Takanobu ate a spoonful of his yogurt, turning only to his brown-eyed future captain solely because you had exited the cafeteria. “Well, I happen to think that was a successful greeting between Y/N and I.” He deduced.

“What?! Are you kidding me?! How?!”

“She’s never been that close to me before. She smells good. Like apples. I like apples, very much.”

Kenji deadpanned. “You hate apples.”

“And now I like them. So, I deem that a success.”

Kenji sighed in defeat as the bell rang to signify the end of lunch. “Listen Aone-san I know this is your first crush and it’s super intense and all, but please—you better not go this slowly in your pursuit of her. A freaking snail is beating you in a race to her heart, man. Y/N is one of the prettiest girls in this school and definitely the cutest on the cheer team so a lot of guys want her.”

Aone frowned, visibly upset at the idea that other men wanted his crush. But he knew that given how perfect you are to him, it just wasn’t logical to believe he’d be the only one who desired you. “I’m well aware, Futakuchi—“

“Good. I’m just saying. You better not wait like 2 years or something to finally make a move. Please, promise me you won’t do that.”

————————————

Aone 1 Month Into Crushing On You When He’s Eager To See You:

“Team, please hurry. We shouldn’t be late to our own pep rally.” Commander-Takanobu of the boys Date Tech volleyball team commanded.

The team of giants was on their way to the gymnasium for the Date Tech High School’s annual pep rally that shone light on the schools most prominent athletic teams: Boys Soccer, Boys Golf, Girls Tennis and the team of yours truly (MOUNTAIN MAN! 🏔).

Kanji laughed as he spun a volleyball on his finger then scrambled to pick it up because it dropped. “It’s cooler to be fashionably late!” He exclaimed loudly in the halls before Futakuchi shot him a look of irritation when the ball he dropped again hit him on the side of the head.

“Heh. Sorry.. senpai. I’m just saying to Aone-kun that Y/N is more likely to notice him if we come into the pep rally looking all cool and late.”

Stopping dead in his tracks, the giant mountain man almost tripped up the rest of the team who was following close behind him. They all yelled in protest as they regained their footing.

Aone ignored everyone, turning around to peer at his early growth-spurted underclassman. “Is this true?” He asked sincerely. “Y/N will notice...uh....me....if we walk in late?”

Stepping in, Futakuchi put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, shooting Koganegawa another glare as he did so.

“Absolutely no guarantee, buddy.” Kenji assured Aone. “Y/N will be really busy cheering, right? Just like the first time you saw her and she didn’t notice you pointing at all. So, chances are slim now, too.”

Aone sighed, disappointed though you couldn’t tell by looking at his face if you weren’t Kenji Futakuchi.

“Oh, okay.”

🙁😩🥺🥺🥺🥺

“You really like her, Aone?” Asked Koganegawa, feeling bad for getting his nice teammate’s hopes up.

Aone nodded, feeling an ache in his heart as he thought about how much he cared for you, his perfect crush.

“But you guys are so...........different. I mean she’s like always overly nice and bouncing off the walls and talking in class and stuff, right? And you’re just............not?”

“I like Y/N just the way she is, and for everything that she is.”

“But.... and I mean NO disrespect, but.........does she even notice you? Uh... she just seems so consumed with cheer and all things rainbow. She’s always ignoring anyone who isn’t in her social level—“

Aone shakes his head as the ache in his heart becomes a bit more painful at his teammates words.

“Y/N does not notice me. Not at all, unfortunately. But I notice her. Everyday. And that in itself makes me happy.”

GUYS I CANT —— ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️😭

The team nodded in pity, the lot of them collectively feeling really sorry for their best player and his unrequited love.

Kenji clapped his hands, startling everyone out of their misery filled states.

“Okay! The good news is that we have a pep rally to attend, right now, right?! Aone, be happy— you get to see Y/N in uniform again today!”

Aone’s eyes lit up, only recognizable by Futakuchi, as he nodded.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Kenji Futakuchi stayed behind a few extra seconds as his teammates strolled on ahead. He had to take a moment to himself to think about how he would be there for Aone when his heart got shattered for the first time....by a girl (you) who is in the same school and class but hasn’t even noticed his existence yet.

Y/N didn’t return Takanobu’s strong feelings—that Kenji knew for sure—and so he just prayed that his big scary looking friend would never have to find that out for himself.

————————————

Aone 4 Months Into Crushing On You And Hears That You Have A Crush On Someone Else ☹️:

Sprinting outdoors, Kenji had to clasp a hand over his open gym bag to catch up to his friend who had already started walking home without him

Being that Aone has waited to walk home with Kenji every single day since they started first year together ... it was clear to Kenji that whenever his friend did this.... it was a sign that he was very upset

“Hey, big guy!” Kenji fell into step with his white haired friend, chancing a glance up at him.

Takanobu was famous for his perpetual scowl or angry frown which he had on his face even now, but Kenji knew better than to believe it. He could tell whenever his friend was deeply upset or hurt, just like Aone had been when they were 10 and the Takanobu’s divorced.....but right now, by Futakuchi’s analysis: Aone was feeling far worse than he did back then.

“Who told you, big guy?” Asked Kenji with an accompanied sigh.

“Koganegawa. It slipped.” Carrying on the silent topic-less conversation.

Kenji growled. “That big boned setter! When I see him next practice I’m gonna—“

“No. It wasn’t his fault. I was going to find out eventually. But why didn’t you tell me, Kenji? I would have much rather heard it from you.”

“I’m so sorry man. I was going to on our walk home today.”

Aone nodded, instantly being able to tell that that was Futakuchi’s true intention.

“Y/N’s crush......the guy on the baseball team.....He likes her...back?” Mountain man only stared straight ahead, trying not to let his hurt seep through his voice.

The brunette boy stuffed his hands in his pockets, dreading this conversation already.

“From what I heard of their conversation....y-yeah. Apparently they met at the last baseball game and it started raining so he gave her his team jacket to keep warm—“

“—I don’t need to hear the logistics.” Aone felt his heart tighten even more as his usual fantasy of you looking beautiful wearing his “#7” Date Tech Volleyball Jacket being bumped to the side by a visual of you wearing the baseball jacket of some guy who doesn’t deserve you.

“Hey, no one knows how serious they are, right? They’re just talking.”

“Does he make her happy? I mean... did Y/N look happy when he gave her his jacket?” Even though it was killing Aone to even ask, he was glad he did.

The brunette player, on the other hand, did not want to answer. For when he saw his best friend’s crush and her new crush together, she looked extremely happy. It formed an immediate knot in Kenji’s stomach because he knew how much seeing those two would hurt his best friend. But if he was being honest when that jacket was put over your shoulders your smile had been wider than Kenji would like to admit.

“Relatively..uh...happy, I guess.”

Aone’s frown deepened. He knew Kenji well enough to know that he was trying protect his heart on Aone’s behalf. He didn’t call him out on it though, he knew that your smile must have been wide. You probably did seem happy..

It hurt him intensely. Looking away, Aone stated something matter of fact:

“Well, he isn’t good enough for her.”

Futakuchi looked up at mountain man. “You know him?!”

“No. I don’t need to in order to know that she’s too good for any guy at this school, including me.”

Kenji laughed, patting his friend on the back. “You’re closest though,” he encouraged. “Maybe you should—“

Kenji was immediately silenced as both him and mountain man were greeted with an ugly sight. A depressing sight, actually.

Standing to the right of the front school doors was Y/N and the baseball boy. Y/N had her hair up in a high ponytail that looked absolutely gorgeous on her in Aone’s opinion. What wasn’t gorgeous, however, was how you were swatting the baseball player’s arm flirtatiously and speaking energetically with him. You held your school books close to your chest like Aone loved because you looked so cute and smart even though he knew you never opened those books.

He tried to look away—he did—but the team knew that Aone never looked away when he saw you at school and unfortunately that kind of old habit is sure to die hard.

“Just keep walking, buddy....” Kenji tried, swapping spots with Aone so that Kenji was at least partially blocking the heart-breaking view that is his best friend’s crush flirting with one of her many pursuers. Kenji kind of wanted to push the guy into the doors as they walked past them “accidentally” but his better judgement told him otherwise.

————————————

Aone 4 1/2 Months Into Crushing On You While You Have A Crush On Someone Else 💔:

Back at their signature lunch table, Aone sat with his best friend and some other members of the volleyball team.

The big-boned setter was exuberantly telling the team a story about him and his brother when Futakuchi noticed that his white haired friend was the only one at the table not listening at all

In Aone’s defence, he was paying attention during the first half of his underclassman’s story tale.....well, until you walked in to the cafeteria.

No one even blamed him because they knew about his intense crush on you—

You captured all of the big man’s attention whenever you walked into a room, it was just second nature now.

Aone loved seeing you smile and talk with your friends but he hated when you would talk to those who liked you as more than a friend—

That damn baseball player had approached you again just now and it really pissed Aone off.

You looked up and chatted with the baseball boy happily, just as you did with everyone (except for your enemy: the class snitch because fuck that guy)

Aone’s eyes fixated on the pair of you.

He was so sad because he liked you so much 💔

His feelings grew stronger everyday, and it hurt him to see you two in the hallway or in class flirting like it wasn’t destroying his heart

Aone knew that it wasn’t logical that he could choose to never make a move on you and still expect you to like him .... that much he admitted to himself

But he at the very least hoped you’d notice him.

Even though he was silently crushing: once you noticed him he’d take it from there, he knew he would

But until then...... you just went about your days looking beautiful as ever, chatting your business loudly in class so Aone could hear, ultimately making him fall for you even more

In the cafeteria that day you had not a clue that when you were just being friendly to one of your admirers (that you actually had 0 feelings for), in actuality— you were simultaneously crumbling the heart of a certain white haired giant who would one day become the most important person to you .......in a year and a half.

————————————

Outtake #2: CLICK HERE!

#aone can get it #aone takanobu smut #aone takanobu #aone takanobu x you #aone x y/n #aone x reader #hq aone #haikyu aone #kenji futakuchi #sexy hq boys #losty aone #mountain man #haikyu headcanon #koganegawa kanji #haikyuu boys #haikyuu fluff

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mrsdr-ethan-ramsey · 4 years

Text

God, Have Mercy pt. 3 (Ethan Ramsey x f!MC)

Here is fluffy part threeee! Part 1 and Part 2 are here if you haven’t read them. I hope y’all like it. I’m not sure how I feel about this...kinda just some filler fluff I feel like. Tell me what you think. I have an idea for another part if y’all want more. I’m thinking this’ll get sweeter and spicer until KABOOM smut.

Here’s the song they dance to!

Tag List (Feel free to asked to be added or removed) : @the-soot-sprite @ethandaddyramsey @silverlitskies @trappedinfandoms @samihatuli @sherlockedmcu @marywitchjane @awalker965 @openheart12 @flyawayboo @hatescapsicum @edith-eggs1 @princess-geek @akacalliope @my-heart-beats-for-ya @hipstercoffeeshop @miyakokurono @riverrune @chasingrobbie @sekizincimektup @canthandlechoices @thatysn @virtualrain202 @myusualnerdyself @verachoices @lilyvalentine @infinitiestones @junehiratas @desmaranji @noboundariesplease

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Parker Kennedy)

Summary: Ethan and Parker have to attend a gala to help get funding for the hospital and Parker makes sure he doesn’t forgot how she looked in her dress.

Warnings: None I think?

Word Count: ~3100

As Parker got ready to leave the hospital for the day, a part of her was bubbling with excitement. Tonight Edenbrook was hosting a gala for the rich and famous in the Boston area. The higher up staff members were going to be there to suck up and woo the money straight out of their pockets. Parker was specifically asked to go and stay glued to Ethan’s side so he “plays nice” as Naveen said when he almost begged her to come. She could hardly wait to see the look on his face when he saw the dress she had picked for the evening. He was going to be knocked off his feet, and to make it better she was going to make sure the image lived on on her pictagram account.

Her commute from the hospital to her apartment was quick. She had plenty of time to get ready for the evening. Time to set operation Pictagram into action. Since Ethan decided to actually use his pitacgram to post shirtless photos, Parker decided that she was going to make him regret the game he started. She got ready for the night, and Sienna had happily agreed to take a photo of her in the dress she had picked out.

“Parker! Your date is here!” Jackie shouted loudly from the kitchen.

Doing one more check in the mirror, Parker grabbed her clutch and exited her room. As she strode confidently to the door, it took everything in her not to swoon. Ethan stood awkwardly in the doorway, her friends hovering around him. His fingers were playing with his cufflinks as he waited for Parker to make her entrance. Ethan stood in her domain in a perfectly tailored tux, and he looked absolutely mouthwatering in it.

“Thanks for getting the door guys,” Parker said casually as she made her presence known. She felt all eyes on her, but none burned quite as hard on her as Ethan’s.

Sienna gasped. “Parker! You look beautiful!”

“Thank you,” Parker said with a flush, spinning around in the floor length black dress. It was appropriate, but sexy enough to charm men for money and drive Ethan wild. The dress had a solid black short dress underneath it, with a long sleeved sheer cover over it. All of her skin was covered, but all eyes went to her legs that could be seen through the gauzy fabric.

Elijah put a fake glare on his face, “I want her home by 12:30 mister, no later.”

Ethan’s eyes widened, darting away from Parker and towards Elijah. “What?”

“Don’t tease him Elijah,” Parker scolded.

“Ah,” Ethan cleared his throat, “Are you ready Kennedy?”

“Let’s go rob ‘em blind.”

Parker threw a wink at Sienna, before she followed Ethan out the door and to his car. Walking side by side, Ethan glanced down at her and swallowed hard. This night was not going to be as easy as he thought it would be. The sheer black material kissed her skin. He couldn’t help but think that it was worse than her skin being bare. She looked powerful, the thin material flowing around her legs like she was walking on a storm cloud. She was not to be messed with tonight.

“See something you like?”

Her voice broke him out of his staring, making a slight flush stain his cheeks and neck. “Oh, um, you look decent tonight.”

“I’ll take that compliment,” a wry smile came across her face.

Ethan rolled his eyes as he unlocked his car, helping Parker in before going around to the driver’s side. As he pulled into traffic, he navigated towards the waterfront.

“You drove in from the bay to pick me up, only to drive back to the bay?”

Ethan's eyes looked over at her where she was grinning. “Don’t think too much about it. Did you want to ride the train in that dress?”

“I could have gotten an Uber.”

“You want to ride with a stranger in that dress?”

“You’re really focused on my dress tonight.”

Ethan mumbled something Parker couldn’t quite hear, but she was sure it was something about her legs. With a satisfied smile on her face, Parker opted to drop the topic and watch the city pass by on their way to the waterfront.

Pulling up in front of the Boston Harbor Hotel, Parker looked over him with wide eyes. “This is where the gala is?!”

“Only the best for Boston’s elite,” Ethan grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah eat the rich, but it’s still gorgeous.”

“C’mon Kennedy, wipe the drool off your face. You won’t charm anyone ogling at the room.”

Together they exited the car and Ethan passed the keys to the valet. Holding out an arm to his ‘date’ for the night, Parker slid hers through and they walked into the over the top hotel. A worker guided them to the event space where they were let in with a flash of their tickets. The ballroom was lit softly, tables surrounding a dance floor in the middle of the room. The walls were lined with windows, giving a beautiful up close view of the water. High up Doctors, nurses, and nonclinical works mingled around the room chatting up the other guests.

“Ah! Ethan, Parker! I’m so glad you’re here!” Naveen said happily as he made his way towards them.

“Dr. Banerji,” Parker greeted with a warm smile.

“Naveen.”

“Now Parker,” Naveen started, turning towards her, “I expect you to stay by his side all night. Keep an eye on him. You know how he can get.”

Ethan grumbled while Parker let out a giggle. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll keep him on his best behavior.”

“Good. Then go ahead and mingle.”

Ethan and Parker started making a round around the room. Ethan didn’t do much talking unless it was about Edenbrook. It was Parker who shined. Ethan was captivated by the way her smile lit up her eyes and how she knew exactly what to say and ask the person. This is why she made the diagnostics team. A glance down for a ring and she’d ask about a spouse. If someone looked like they weren’t there 100%, she would bring up their work. She got personal with them, talking about her family or the hospital so they would bring up their own personal experiences. She would never talk as much as them until the end, where she would seal their donation. She was thriving in this environment.

“Alright Kennedy,” Ethan looked down at her with a smirk, as another person walked away from them to go look through the auction items again. “I bet you can’t charm everybody here.” “Is that a bet Dr. Ramsey?”

“If you can charm the person I pick to donate to the hospital, I’ll run the tests on the diagnostic patients for two weeks.”

Parker grinned. She wouldn’t have to run up and down the floors for the next two weeks? Oh yea, she could do this. “Pick my target.”

Ethan’s head gestured to a man talking loudly about an app he had created. “Mr. Guy Ledford.”

Parker eyed him up. He looked fresh out of a frat house, and from how loud he was talking he thought a lot of himself.

“What’s his thing?”

“Started some snacking app. I’m not sure, but from what I’ve heard he’s trying to get his image back after he lost an ugly custody lawsuit with his ex-wife.”

“Alright, stand back and watch the magic happen Dr. Ramsey.”

Putting on her best smile, Parker glided over to Mr. Leadford and gently brushed up against him. Ethan moved a little closer to them, picking up pieces of the conversation.

“Oh my gosh! You’re Guy Ledford! You created my favorite snaking app!”

Well played Kennedy, Ethan thought as Mr. Ledford jumped at the chance to talk about himself.

“You use Nomme?”

“Of course! I’m always so tired after work at Edenbrook. The only thing that gets me through my shift are the snacks picked out for me!”

“Let me guess…” His eyes scanned over Parker’s body, staying too long on her legs and chest for Ethan’s liking. “You’re a dolphin?”

Parker faked a shocked expression on her face, her hand reaching to hold on his upper arm. “How did you know?!”

Ethan rolled his eyes at her theatrics, but that was why she was getting more people to donate. She made everyone feel like the most important person in the room. Ethan on the other hand...if it was up to him to rally people around the hospital it would be shut down by the end of the week. Having had enough of her show, and knowing she would get him to donate, Ethan moved to the bar to refresh his drink. When he got back, Parker was in Mr. Ledford’s arms on the dance floor swaying to the music.

“Ugh,” Ethan groaned, watching her in the arms of another man. He should have gotten more to drink, he thought to himself.

“Ethan!” Naveen came over to him. “How are you and Parker doing.”

He gestured to the dance floor. “How does it look?”

Naveen followed his eyes to where Parker was beaming and fawning over Mr. Ledford. “Looks to me like she’s doing exactly what I hoped she would.”

“She’s good at it,” Ethan mumbled into his drink.

“Ah,” Naveen looked back over at his protegee, “You don’t like sharing her.”

“What!?” Ethan coughed out, glaring at the older man.

“You’re so used to Dr. Kennedy only having eyes for you at the hospital. You’re not used to having to share her like this.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Naveen chucked, giving him a pat on his shoulder before he was called away to speak with another donor. Ethan’s eyes stayed fixed on the blonde, making sure Mr. Ledford’s hands didn’t fall too low on her waist. He wouldn’t allow him to feel up Parker just to get him to donate to the hospital.

It felt like an eternity to Parker, but finally the song ended and she pulled away from Mr. Ledford. Flashing another smile at him, she thanked him for his kind donation then excused herself to go find a drink.

“That wasn’t dancing,” Ethan grumbled under his breath as Parker came to his side.

“What do you mean that wasn’t dancing?”

“I mean, swaying back and forth isn’t dancing.”

“Well it worked to get him to donate to Edenbrook. Enjoy your two weeks of running tests.”

Ethan just let a soft scuff leave his mouth, his eyes staying on the other couples dancing and swaying to a Frank Sinatra song.

Parker raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, the only experience I have dancing with a man is from my middle school dances and prom.”

“Well then you’ve never actually danced.”

Heat rose to Parker’s cheek. She loved to ‘dance’ and to have Ethan criticize her swaying got under her skin. She knew she wasn’t actually dancing, but she loved the idea of romantically dancing with a partner in a ballroom or around the house. She just hadn't found the time to take dance lessons yet. She would eventually.

“And I suppose you have?” She couldn’t help but challenge.

Finishing off his drink, Ethan held out a hand to her. “Why don’t you find out.”

Parker looked down at his hands, then up to his steel blue eyes. If she danced with Ethan, and he was as good as she thought he would be, she would never come back from this. Her stomach knotted, heart beating erratically as she delicately placed her hand in Ethan’s. A gentle smile pulled across his face as he led her onto the dance floor as the next song started, “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers.

Ethan’s left hand fell securely on her upper back by her armpit. Maybe she really knew nothing about dancing...she thought it was supposed to be on her waist, but she was not about to challenge him. He took her right hand and pulled it up with his as Parker laid her left on his shoulder, suddenly extremely nervous to be dancing with him. She had almost no experience dancing (besides swaying).

As if he could read her mind, Ethan looked down at her and said softly, “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

With the start of the song, his feet began moving in a practiced waltz. Stumbling for a second, it didn’t take long for Parker to fall into step with the handsome doctor as he moved them across the floor. Her dress swung around them, making the twirls look more dramatic than what her feet were actually doing. Ethan stepped confidently, leading Parker’s body exactly where she needed to be. Together, they looked graceful to their onlookers.

Parker was breathless, her eyes unable to stray from the tender smile on Ethan’s face as they moved together in perfect sync. This felt a hell of a lot more intimate to her than what they had ever done before. Just as she was getting comfortable with their steps he threw a curveball her way. Parker felt as Ethan moved his hand to her center back and pulled her body closer to his.

His mouth moved to near her ear, singing only for her, “Time goes by so slowly. And time can do so much. Are you still mine?”

“Ethan…” she gasped, heart pounding out of her chest. She had never heard him sing before and it honestly took her breath away. His voice was low, rasping softly against her ear.

“I know.”

Ethan pulled back from Parker, spinning her one more time before pulling her back and dipping her body as the song came to an end much too soon. The sound of distant clapping could be heard around them, but Parker’s murky green eyes couldn’t pull away from Ethan’s slowly darkening blue ones. It felt like they were the only two in the room until he finally pulled her back up to her feet and took a step back.

“Well,” Ethan cleared his throat, “That was a real dance.”

Parker opened her mouth, but nothing would come out for a second until a quiet, “Thank you?” escaped her lips.

Ethan nodded, walking swiftly off the dance floor. Parker was rooted there for a second until the next song started and she darted to get out of the way. Thank you?! God she sounded so stupid, Parker thought as she darted towards the bar to try and forget the tingling feeling where Ethan had touched her.

****

The rest of the night went smoothly, and Parker was happy to hear from Naveen that they had met their goal in donations thanks to the silent auction and all the schmoozing she and her colleagues had done. By midnight, Parker was yawning while she sat at a table. The only two people left on the dance floor were Zaid and Ines. She had never seen Zaid so sweet, but as he swayed with her, Parker couldn’t help but smile at them.

“Are you ready to head out?” a voice said over Parker.

Parker lifted her head up to see Ethan hovering behind her chair. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

Together they said a few goodbyes, then went to retrieve Ethan’s car. They sat in silence and they made their way towards Parker’s apartment, the radio playing softly. Parker looked over again at Ethan, his eyes locked on the road ahead of them.

“Where did you learn to dance like that?” Parker asked, her voice cutting through the song currently playing.

“I took lessons as a kid.”

“And it just stuck this whole time?”

Ethan shrugged. “That was only a basic waltz, not much to mess up.”

“Well I thought it was amazing.”

Ethan’s eyes pulled away from the road to look at the sleepy woman. She had kicked off her heels the second she got in the car and curled up happily in the seat. Her body was turned towards him, trying to fight off sleep and give him all her attention.

“I’ll have to teach you some real steps to make it more complicated.”

With how fast her heart was going, she almost told Ethan to turn the car towards Edenbrook to make sure she wasn’t dying. “I’d like that a lot…”

Pulling over on the quiet street with Parker’s apartment, Ethan put the car in park and looked over. Parker was half asleep in his passenger seat and he wished nothing more that he was in front of their apartment and he could carry her inside to their bed. He didn’t want the night to end here, but he knew it had to.

He put it off as long as he could, until he knew he had to go. Ethan gave her a gentle shake and whispered, “Parker, we’re at your apartment.”

Parker stretched out like a cat, sending a sleepy smile his way. Now it was his turn for his heart beat to go erratic. “Thank you for driving me Ethan. I had a lot of fun tonight.”

“I did too.”

They exchanged good nights, then Parker got out with her heels in her hands and went into her apartment. Ethan waited, until he saw a light flick on in her apartment before he drove away.

****

Ethan woke up the next morning a little later than he usually did. He didn’t work today and decided last night today would be his rest day. Reaching for his phone on the bedside table. He really was turning into a millennial as he opened the Pictagram app. He followed no one but Parker, so his breath hitched as her latest post loaded.

She looked just as stunning as he had remembered, but it was her caption that stole the air from his lung.

“Oh, my love, my darling...I’ve hungered for your touch a long, lonely time…” he whispered. The lyrics from the song they danced to.

He had never hit the like button faster than he did once he read what she posted. It was for him. Is this what it felt like to be in love? She wasn’t anywhere near him, but he longed for her touch, her smile, to see her eyes light up. Last night felt like a fever dream to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a good time attending an event like that, but Parker managed to make it more than tolerable. If she was going to send secret messages for him, he could do the same. He may not be good at voicing his feelings in person, but an ambiguous caption to the internet? He could to put a caption that could be about the gorgeous doctor that consumed his thoughts. He just needed to find the perfect photo from his father...

#ethan ramsey #ethan x mc #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey fanfiction #dr ethan ramsey #parker kennedy #parker kennedy x ethan ramsey #open heart fanfiction #open heart 2 #choices open heart #open heart #oph 2 #oph #choices #choices stories you play #playchoices #ethan ramsey fluff

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maaaaaatryoshka0325 · 5 years

Text

Fight For You - Lee Know Gang Au Collab

Warnings: blood, violence, mafia AU, angst, fluff

Was supposed to be a collab but shit happens 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ll link some of the other writings when they’re posted ❤️

I love your works! And I wanted to ask you and my top two other writers (and more if you can rally that many) @ and @Maaaaaatryoshka0325 to maybe make a scenario with a member being in a gang and they protect the reader and get hurt? Lots of after care! But here’s the catch: you all write it separately, I’m curious to see how people handle the scenario differently! Maybe even do other members each?! Whatever you guys can decide if you’re up for it! Fighting! ��

Chan -

Changbin - @backhugsforhyunjin

Felix -

Seungmin -

Jeongin -

Your hand was holding Minho’s, your fingers locked together as you walked down the streets of the city. He had just taken you to get some bubble tea, and now you were both headed to see a movie.

“What was it you wanted to see again?” He asked, turning his head just enough to look at you.

“The new Grudge movie!” You said excitedly.

“Aish, what’s your deal with horror movies?” He asked with a chuckle.

“I love them, I love the thrill.” You giggled.

“Well, if that’s what you wanna see.” He said, leading you to the ticket booth.

He grabbed you both drinks and some snacks and opened the door for you, a smile on his pretty face.

“What a gentleman.” You giggled, cupping his chin and pecking his lips before walking through the open door.

He smirked as he watched you walk in, his eyes full of affection as he followed you to your seats. You both sat down and put your snacks down just as the movie started.

“We always make the perfect timing.” You pointed out with a smile.

“I noticed.” He chuckled bringing your hand up and giving it a sweet kiss.

You smiled at him as you laid your head on his shoulder, your fingers intertwined. The movie got to a jump scare and you jumped, burying your face into Minho’s shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the crown of your head, laughing lightly through his nose.

“For someone who likes scary movies you sure do jump a lot.” He pointed out with a grin.

“I can get scared and enjoy it too ya know.” You laughed.

“Kinky.” He joked, scrunching his nose.

You flicked a piece of chocolate at him and it bounces off his cheek. His dangly ear piercing jingled as he flicked you in your forehead.

“Ow! Jerk!” You whisper yelled, not wanting to get yelled at for actually yelling at him and disrupting the movie.

He grinned and turned his head back towards the movie, and you admired his side profile. His sharp features were outlined by the light coming from the big screen, his long eyelashes outlined as well. His lips were the perfect kind of plump, the kind you loved. His eyes switched over to you, catching you looking at him from the side.

“Like what you see babe?” He asked, turning his head and quirking a brow.

“I do.” You said with a smile, kissing his cheek and laying your head back on his shoulder.

He let out a small laugh and rested his cheek on your head, his hand resting on your knee. Your eyes went to his knuckles, a dark scar on his middle knuckle from fighting. Minho being in a gang meant a lot of nights bandaging him and the guys up, and lecturing them on how fighting was never the answer. You were glad he wasn’t as clumsy as Hyunjin and Jisung, as the two always came back with more wounds than they should. Minho being in a gang also meant a lot of worrying about where he was, and if he was hurt- or if he was even going to make it back home. The one night he and Chan dragged Seungmin to your apartment with a stab wound, and you quite literally flipped out on both of them for not being careful. You and Minho had almost broken up after that incident, and after you were nearly mugged a few days after that event. But he had shown you how much he loves you, and how far he’s willing to go to protect you and to keep you by his side. Another jump scare snapped you out of your thoughts, your head bumping Minho’s jaw. He grunted and looked down at you, holding his jaw.

“Sorry.” You giggled.

“Sure you are.” He muttered, a pout on his lips as you giggled.

You leaned over and gave his jaw a smooch, making him smile. The rest of the movie you both stayed glued to each other, except when a jump scare would pop up- as he’d jump with you so your head wouldn’t smack off his jaw again. When the movie was over, you both headed out of the theater. You shivered as it had gotten colder after it had gotten dark, and Minho quickly took his hoodie off and handed it to you.

“You’ll get cold silly.” You pointed out.

“Better than you being cold.” He said with a smile, putting it over your head and on your body.

His body heat and scent covered the hoodie, and you felt like you’d melt from how sweet he was being. Sweet moments with Minho didn’t happen as often as they used too, as he was always busy or stressed about the other members and whatever was going on in the gang. You truly missed the easy days, where you both had time for each other and he wasn’t constantly stressed out.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked, stopping in front of you and looking at you.

You shrugged and smiled at him, not wanting to ruin the moment.

“Come on Y/N, I know something’s on your mind.” He pointed out, tilting his head.

You stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his lips, a small smile on your lips.

“Nothing, I just missed you a lot recently. Thank you for taking me out tonight, I missed doing this.” You said against his lips.

His eyes softened as he pulled you close, his lips pressing against your forehead.

“I know baby, I’m sorry.” He said gently.

“It’s okay, I understand.” You said with a sad smile.

He pulled away and lifted your chin to look at him, his eyes on yours as he stroked your jaw.

“You know I love you, right?” He asked.

You gave him a smile and nodded. “I know, and I love you too Minho.”

He smiled at you as he pressed a sweet kiss to your lips before wrapping his arm around your waist and walking you through the streets. He kept stealing glances and kisses from you, and you never wanted that night to end. The moonlight lit up the lake as you both walked around it, the both of you silent. It wasn’t that you guys didn’t have anything to talk about, but you both just wanted to enjoy each other’s company in silence. The feeling of his warm arm around you brought you a sense of security, the security you’ve been craving at night.

“Can you spend the night?” You asked, your eyes pleading. “I miss sleeping next to you.”

“Sleeping next to me or sleeping with me?” Minho asked, raising his eyebrows.

You smacked his arm and he laughed as you smacked him again.

“Yah! Pervert!” You yelled.

His loud laugh echoed and rippled along the calm water as he grabbed your wrists and pulled you into him, rubbing his nose on yours.

“I was only kidding.” He giggled.

“Whatever.” You mumbled, pouting.

He chuckled and kissed your pouty lips, his eyes softening when he saw your pleading eyes.

“Y/N, I really wish I could. You know I’ve been busy.” He sighed.

Your heart dropped, but you managed to smile at him.

“It’s fine. It’s getting late, I should get home soon.” You said.

His eyes were sad as he hesitantly nodded, pulling your head towards him and planting a kiss on it. You stepped out of his embrace faster than he wanted, and he felt guilt fill his heart. He knew you missed him, and he was thankful you had been as patient as ever with him. You both walked in an almost awkward silence, neither of you knowing what to say. Minho slipped his hand into yours, his fingers gently running over your own in an attempt to comfort you. You went to give him a smile, when he did a double take, his eyes shifting to uneasiness.

“What is it?” You asked, about to turn your head.

“Don’t!” He whispered, making you look at him. “Don’t look back, and walk as fast as you can.”

“Minho what-”

Before you could finish your sentence, he began to pull you through empty streets, taking random turns down hidden alleys, leading you further from your apartment.

“Minho, what is going on?” You asked, pulling your arm from his hold.

“Y/N, now’s not the time for explanations.” He said, almost panicked.

“You nearly popped my shoulder from it’s socket, I think I deserve an explanation!” You pointed out, rubbing your arm.

“Listen,” He started, grabbing your cheeks and squishing them. “There’s men after me, and I saw one, and there’s bound to be more of them. I have to get you out of here- fast.”

“What?” You asked, your eyes widening as you pulled his hands off of your cheeks.

“Come on, I have to hide you somewhere.” He said, grabbing your hand and leading you away again.

“But what about you?” You asked.

“What about me Y/N? I’ll be fine.” He assured you.

“I’m not hiding anywhere without you Minho, if there’s multiple you’ll be in danger!” You said, panic edging your tone.

He stopped and cupped your cheek, his eyes soft as he looked down at you.

“As long as you’re safe I’ll be okay.” He said gently, kissing your forehead.

“Isn’t that touching.”

Minho jumped, his head whipping around to look at a tall, muscular boy. Minho instantly pushed you behind him, and you grabbed the back of his shirt tightly.

“What are you doing here?” Minho asked.

“Looking for you of course, we have a score to settle Lee Minho.” The boy growled.

A dark chuckle made you turn your head as two more men appeared, older than the first. Their eyes were on you, and Minho quickly back you into a corner.

“Let her get through, it’s me you’re after.” Minho said firmly.

“I don’t think so. Besides, I’m sure the lady would love to stay.” One said with a sadistic smirk.

“Minho..” You whispered, your voice shaking.

He quickly reached behind himself and squeezed your hand reassuringly, and you felt his phone slip into your hand.

“When I move, I need you to run and call Chan. Tell him where I am, and hide.” He whispered.

“Minho no-”

“Y/N don’t argue with me!” He growled.

You nodded as the men began to approach the both of you, and just as they closed in on Minho, he leaped on the two and they went down in a mass of fists and legs. You quickly bolted away, running down the path, Chan’s number going through as you ran. The younger boy saw you take off and ran after you, but Minho leaped on him, taking him to the ground with him. He slammed Minho against the wall, a cracking sound filling the ally way, making you turn around. Minho was on the ground, clutching his back as the boy kicked him in the face, making him grunt.

“Minho!” You gasped, covering your mouth.

Two big arms grabbed you and you squealed as you were lifted up, Minho’s phone falling from your hand.

“No!” Minho gasped, lifting himself up.

The younger boy grabbed Minho by his throat and slammed him on the ground, a pained grunt leaving Minho’s lips as he began to punch his face. Loud smacking sounds echoed off the brick walls as you kicked against the man that was holding you, sobs starting to leave your lips.

“Get off of him! Leave him alone!” You sobbed.

No matter how much you kicked and screamed, they wouldn’t let up on him, splatters of blood covering the ground.

“Minho!” You sobbed, your body started to grow weak from fighting against the man twice your size and from crying.

One of the older ones grabbed Minho by the back of his shirt and lifted him, throwing him on his hand and knees in front of you. He spit the blood from his mouth and began to push himself up, when the same one stepped on his back and made him hit the ground again.

“Your boyfriends a weak one baby.” He cooed. “You should’ve gone for a real man.”

He kicked Minho in his side, eliciting a grunt from him as he started to push himself up. You threw your head back and caught the man holding you in the nose, making him drop you as he clutched his gushing nose.

“Fucking bitch!” He yelled, throwing his fist at you.

You closed your eyes, expecting his fist to connect with your face, but instead, it made a loud smacking sound as it connected with Minho’s. Your eyes widened as Minho pressed his body against yours, caging you between his arms and a wall. Blood was pouring down his face, his one eye closed and a large gash sitting below it. His lips were gushing, and his eyebrow was split open, along with the scrapes that ran along his body.

The same man threw a hit and caught Minho in the side of the head, and he quickly shook it off as he completely covered your frame with his own. You covered your eyes and sobbed as you heard them punching his back and shoulders, grunts leaving his lips. You felt his body being thrown as he hit the ground, instantly pushing himself up. The muscular boy grabbed him and gripped his jaw, making him look at you as another grabbed your face.

“Maybe I should make her mine instead.” He purred. “You deserve a strong man, hm?”

Before you could even react, a yelp and a hand grabbing the man’s face and smashing it into the wall made you leap back as blood splattered the wall next to you. Minho’s hand was on the man’s face, the man’s eyes opened wide as he slumped down, blood splattered on the side of his face.

“Fuck!” One yelled, grabbing a hold of him.

“Fucker!” Another screamed, catching Minho in the face again.

Minho didn’t even flinch, his eyes just locked with the one that hit him, making him step back.

“If any of you ever lay your filthy hands on her again, I’ll kill you all.” He growled.

The men scrambled away, lifting their injured friend and running off. Your sniffles brought Minho back, as he turned towards you, his good eye narrowed.

“M-Minho I’m so sor-”

*Thud*

Before you could even get an apology out, Minho hit the ground, a groan leaving his lips. You quickly dropped beside him, grabbing his bloody face as tears spilled down your cheeks.

“Oh Minho..” You sobbed.

His hand went over yours as his eye opened, his vision blurry.

“Are you… Hurt?” He panted out.

“No.” You sobbed holding him to your chest.

He gave you a pained smile as he buried his face into your chest as you stroked his hair, holding him to you tightly. You heard footsteps and Minho tried to push you off just in case he needed to defend you, but you instantly pressed yourself over him.

“N-No..” He rasped.

Relief filled you when you saw Chan run through the alley, his eyes wide when he saw the bloody mess that was Minho, and that filled the ally way.

“Fuck..” He gasped, dropping next to Minho.

Minho looked up at Chan, his eye full of pain.

“Hyung..” He rasped.

“Don’t talk, it’s going to be okay.” Chan reassured him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

“Make sure… They don’t come back and hurt her.” Minho rasped out.

“Idiot… You’re the one that’s hurt.” You sobbed.

His mouth opened to respond, and instead of words, a groan slipped out as he shut his eyes tight, his hand going to his back.

“We’ll get both of you back safe..” Chan reassured him as Jisung and Hyunjin appeared.

“Hyung!” Jisung gasped, running beside him and dropped down to his level.

“Oh my god.” He gasped, covering his mouth.

“He’ll be okay Jisung, we have to get him out of here.” Hyunjin reassured him.

Chan and Hyunjin both hoisted Minho up and helped him to one of the cars. You got in the back as he laid in the back seat, his head on your thigh. You softly stroked his hair, trying to bring as much comfort to him as you can. He slowly pushed himself onto his back and looked up at you, his good eye bloodshot and glassy.

“I’m so glad you’re safe…. And that you’re not hurt…. That I could protect you.” He rasped out.

“Stop talking idiot.” You whispered as a small sob left your lips.

“I’m so sorry that this happened… Especially in front of you.” He whispered.

You pressed your forehead to his, making his eyes close as your tears dripped onto his face. Your fingers stroked his cheek, being careful of his injuries as Chan sped off towards their home.

“What the Hell happened?!” Woojin gasped as Chan hauled Minho into a small makeshift infirmary room.

“They found Minho and Y/N out on a date.” Chan sighed, laying Minho down.

You followed in behind them, sitting down Beside Minho. His eyes were closed, his teeth grit in pain as Woojin looked him over.

“He was thrown into a wall on his back… I think he might’ve broken a rib.” You said to Woojin.

He nodded and ripped Minho’s shirt off, revealing cuts and bruises down his body. He turned him over slightly, a giant bruise over his right side and back made Woojin shake his head.

“Jeez… This is the worst they got anyone.” He said, gently pressing his hand against the bruise.

Minho let out a grunt and jerked his body away from Woojin’s touch, and you reached forward and soothingly rubbed his cheek.

“It’s okay babe, he’s just checking you.” You whispered reassuringly.

His hand grabbed yours as his one eye opened and looked at you. The pain in his eye made tears fill your own, making him give you a comforting smile.

“I’m okay baby… Please don’t cry again.” He whispered.

“I’ll clean him up.” You said to Woojin.

Woojin nodded, knowing you just needed a moment with you’re injured boyfriend.

“I’ll be back, he’ll need stitches.” He said, stepping out.

You say on the bed beside Minho, wetting a cotton ball and rubbing it against the open wound on his chest. He winced as the disinfectant entered the wound, but relaxed right when you pressed your hand to his chest. His eye was searching your face, and he could tell you were holding back your tears. He lifted his hand and stroked your cheek, making your eyes slowly lift to his. His thumb gently ran across your skin, a soft smile on his face.

“I love you….. I don’t say it enough.” He rasped.

His eyes softened as tears dropped onto his hand from your eyes.

“I love you too, idiot.” You whispered, your voice shaking.

His hand went to the back of your head and pulled you into his arms, his fingers running through your soft hair.

“Shhh… It’s okay baby. I’m okay, I promise.” He whispered soothingly in your ear.

You buried your face into the crook of his neck as he sat up slowly, cradling your head to him.

“I was so scared.” You sobbed.

“I know baby.” He whispered. “I know.”

“I thought they were going to kill you.” You whimpered into his skin.

“Shhh… I’m here baby. No ones taking me from you.” He said soothingly, his voice softer than usual.

You started to calm down in his embrace, his lips brushing against your ear and whispering soothingly in it. When you finally pulled away, you wiped your eyes and picked up the disinfectant and cleaned the dried blood off his face and his wounds. Woojin came in and gave him stitches in his injured eye and his cheek, then forcing him to remain on bedrest. You couldn’t help but let a small smile creep across your face as your boyfriend pouted.

“What’s wrong Minho?” You asked.

“I don’t see why I have to be in bed rest, I’m fine.” He mumbled.

“Because you’re hurt pretty badly dummy.” You said.

“It’s not that bad.” He insisted.

“Minho, it’s really bad! Stop arguing over this!” Your voice raised slightly, making his eyes widen with shock.

“I-I’m sorry…” You whispered, your glassy.

He opened his arms, his eyes gentle as you laid on his chest, your face buried into him as he rubbed your back.

“It’s okay baby, I know you’re just worried. I’m sorry for all of this. I’ll stay in bed rest, I’ll get better soon. Just please… Don’t cry anymore.” He whispered.

You sucked up enough courage to stop your tears, but kept your face in his chest. His hands gently rubbed your back, his lips gently pressing against your head. You looked up at him and he smiled when you kissed his forehead, before laying beside him. Your bodies intertwined as he laid his head on your chest, your fingers in his hair as he draped his arm over your waist.

“Y/N?” Minho asked.

“Hm?” You hummed softly.

“Do you… Feel safe with me?” He asked.

His question caught you off guard and you looked at him in shock.

“Of course I do, why do you ask?” You asked.

“Because of tonight… I know it looked bad because I got beaten up.” He whispered, not looking at you.

“Minho, you did everything you could to protect me, and I know that’s the only reason you had gotten hurt. I know you could’ve beaten them, but you were too worried about me. I’ve never felt safe with anyone, until I met you. And I know, especially after tonight, that you’ll protect me.” You whispered, kissing his head. “I feel so safe with you Minho.”

He looked up at you, a pained smile on his face.

“I’ll do anything I can to make sure you don’t get hurt.” He whispered.

“I know.” You whispered back, pushing his hair out of his face. “But you need to worry about yourself too.”

Before you could thread your fingers back into his hair, his hand grabbed your wrist, his eye dark as he looked at you.

“Y/N, you’re my girlfriend and the love of my life, you will always come above me. I know I haven’t been spending a lot of time with you because I’m so busy, but I can’t imagine life without you or losing you. I will never allow you to get hurt, or anyone to lay their filthy hands on you.” The edge in his tone surprised you, but the surprise didn’t last long.

You slid your hand on his cheek and pressed your lips to his softly, your hands gently rubbing his arms.

“I love you so much Minho.” You whispered against his lips.

He smiled and laid back down on you, his face in the crook of your neck. “I love you too, so so much Y/N.”

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joe-mazzello-archive · 4 years

Text

Drops of Jupiter - Part Two

Summary: A story about how one extremely unassuming person became the most important person you had ever met. And then he broke your heart. And then you broke his. Only fair, right?

Word Count: 11k, I AM SO SORRY someone take google docs away from me

Rating: 18+

Warnings: dash of fluff, dash of angst, dash of smut, little of everything my friends

A/N: surprise! almost three months later, and we’re finally back with part two. this monster is going to be at LEAST another two parts. maybe three? we’ll see how wordy i get. i hope you guys enjoy. taglist is still open :)

As soon as you heard the comforting sound of the door clicking, you let out a shaky breath and dropped all of your clothes onto the floor. You glanced at yourself in the mirror; you were quite a sight. Stark naked, hair a mess. You looked absolutely fucked out. Your pussy throbbed with arousal, contracting around nothing. You took a deeper breath and attempted to put yourself together, the distant voices of Joe interacting with your other friends downstairs bringing you back to reality. Once you were as satisfied as you could be (considering you hadn’t been satisfied in that way), you made your way downstairs in what felt like a weird version of the walk of shame.

Joe, Rob, and the rest of the condo’s inhabitants were congregating in the kitchen when you made your awkward entrance.

“Sorry for the cockblock,” Rob said with a chuckle, causing you to roll your eyes. He always did lack a filter.

“It’s okay,” you answered with a shrug. “We’ll just fuck in your bed to make up for it.” Joe threw his head back and let out a deep belly laugh and you beamed. Any time you could make him laugh felt like a victory. Rob rolled his eyes with a smile.

“Still earning that nickname, Miss Chaos,” Rob countered with a smirk. You shook your head, trying to hide your grin while flipping him off.

“Well,” you said, slapping both hands down on the kitchen counter. “I still feel like shit from being fucking drugged and I haven’t eaten yet. So if you will all excuse me.” You shot Joe a quick glance, curious to see how he’d react, before heading towards the front door.

“I’m pretty hungry, too,” came Joe’s voice from behind you and you grinned at your success. Once you had both made it to the hallway, his arm snaked around your back to grip your hip and pull you into him. You giggled as your bodies bumped together as you walked. “Pizza?”

“Pizza.”

The two of you wandered down the street in search of the pizza place your group often frequented when everyone was in town. Once you reached your destination, you each ordered a slice and took a seat at a small table in the corner.

“Hey remember that time we tried to have sex in the condo and then everyone got back and we had to stop?” Joe asked sarcastically. You chuckled and rolled your eyes, gently kicking him under the table.

“Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday. Or maybe less than an hour ago,” you replied with a wink. Joe grinned back at you, and, fuck, there wasn’t a more beautiful sight than that man’s smile. You could stare at his face for hours.

“Well, here we are,” he countered. “Fully clothed. Completely sober. Not a roofie in sight.” You cringed and he noticed. “Too soon?” You chuckled.

“Considering it hasn’t even been twenty four hours, I’d say so,” you replied.

“What I’m trying to say is this is the first time we’ve been alone with no distractions,” Joe explained. You arched an eyebrow, curious as to where he was going with this. “So tell me about yourself.”

So you did. You told him about your family back in your home state. You talked about your job and told horror stories about customers you’d encountered. You complained about your roommate. You gushed about your favorite movies and tv shows. All the while, Joe listened. Like, actually listened. He asked questions and laughed along at your jokes. He brought up things that he had seen you post on social media over the past year and you were surprised he had remembered. His eyes lit up every time he learned something new. It felt different…you felt like you could be yourself with no hesitation. Nothing holding you back. It was freeing.

Then it was his turn. He passionately ranted about his life back home. He hated his job but it paid the bills. He was close with his family and had a ride-or-die group of friends he always got into trouble with. He dreamed of traveling the world, a passion instilled in him by his great aunt. He loved video games and his guilty pleasure was reality tv shows.

You were lost in him, transfixed on every word he said. You wanted to listen to him talk for hours and hours and hours. And you quickly realized you had. The pizza had long been eaten, the table long since cleared. The two of you decided to start heading back to the condo to see what the game plan was for the rest of the evening. But you didn’t want him to stop.

“Finish your story,” you requested, nudging him in the shoulder as you began your walk back to your building.

“Oh come on, I’m sure you’ve gotta be tired of me talking by now,” Joe replied, nudging you back. You chuckled and shook your head.

“Not in the slightest.” In fact, you’d never get tired of him talking. You barely watched where you were walking, you were so captivated by him. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. The way his hands never stopped moving as he spoke. The way he got excited whenever you’d ask a question he could answer.

By the time the two of you walked through the front door of your condo, he was excitedly recounting a story from his recent trip to Thailand. The two of you plopped down on your bed as he pulled out his phone, showing you picture after picture of the places he saw and the people he had met.

It suddenly occurred to you what made him so enrapturing. His passion. The man was so goddamn passionate. He was passionate in the way he told stories, so animated and full of life. He was passionate in the way he had kissed you, holding you close and giving it his all. He was just passionate about life. It was both attractive and inspiring. You’d never met someone so fervent and free in your entire life.

And that’s when you knew you were fucked.

No longer was this a hookup between friends, a quick little summer fling to tide you over. You had caught feelings. And as the man in front of you enthusiastically detailed his experiences in Phuket, a slight sadness overcame you. Because in a few days time, this man -- this beautiful, clever, funny, and passionate man -- would board a plane back home. And you wouldn’t see him for another year.

You were so fucked.

The sound of the front door opening brought you out of your trance. You both turned to see Dan and Matt entering, each holding a snow cone. Dan’s face immediately hardened at the sight of Joe. You jumped to your feet in an instant, passing by a confused Matt and grabbing Dan’s arm, pulling him out into the hallway with you and slamming the door behind you.

“I thought I made it clear that he was not welcome--”

“He didn’t do it,” you cut in, shutting him up. “I promise you he didn’t. There was another guy at the bar who did it. I’m certain of it.” Dan was still tense, a frown taking up residence on his face. You adored Dan. As the oldest of your friends, he had accidentally become the leader of the crew. He booked the condo, organized airport pickups, and attempted to rally your friends for group outings when he could. He was your big brother essentially, and you knew he cared about you. He had met Joe last year when you did, so who could blame him for not trusting his character? He didn’t really know him. You hadn’t before now.

“I just--” he began, taking a breath before continuing. “When I saw him try to get into your bed after you had passed out, I snapped. I didn’t want him to try anything.” You reached out and pulled him into a hug, being careful to mind the melting snow cone he still had in his hand.

“Thank you for looking out for me,” you replied before pulling away and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “I appreciate you. But Joe is one of the good ones.” Dan let out a sigh.

“He still needs to sleep in his own bed,” he argued. “But his ban has been lifted.” You enveloped him in another hug, this time forgetting about the snow cone. You squealed as some of the blue liquid dripped onto your skin and finally Dan broke, laughing at your reaction. You nodded towards the door, and the two of you rejoined the rest of your friends who were huddled around the living room, chatting about who knows what.

A hush fell over the room as you and Dan made your entrance.

“Hey, Joe,” Dan said, breaking the awkward silence. He nodded toward the hallway you had just come from. “Wanna chat?”

Joe shot you a look, almost as if he was asking if it was safe. You smiled and nodded, signalling that things were good.

“Yeah, sure,” Joe replied with a slight smile, getting to his feet and following Dan out, but not before giving your hand a quick squeeze as he passed. The touch brought that same heat to your chest you’d been feeling since that first night. Fuck, you wanted him. No, needed him. You two needed to find a way to get privacy while he was here or you were going to burst.

✧✧✧

After grabbing dinner as one big group at a nearby Mexican restaurant, everyone voted to skip the normal nighttime itinerary of heading out to the bars. What with your...incident...and the fact that everyone was exhausted from the first two nights of partying, the group agreed that it was better to have a relaxing night-in.

So you did what a huge group of nerds looking for a calm night-in did best: grabbed every blanket and pillow you could find, made a giant cuddle puddle in the living room, and queued up The Fellowship of the Ring.

You ended up sandwiched between Kayla and Joe on the couch, snuggled under a cozy blanket with a giant bowl of popcorn on your lap. As you watched the movie, passing around the popcorn amongst your friends, you found yourself sneaking peeks at Joe out of the corner of your eye every once in a while. How he could be so effortlessly good-looking clad in a plain t-shirt made absolutely no sense. You noticed him shift slightly and you snuck a peek at him again, only to be met with him looking directly at you with a smile. You felt your face heat up, knowing you had been caught. Joe simply rolled his bottom lip through his teeth and winked at you. And just when you thought your body’s temperature couldn’t increase anymore, you felt Joe’s hand come to a rest on your thigh under the blanket. Fuck, it took every fiber of your being not to jump his bones right then and there. But you kept your composure, letting the man trace gentle shapes across your skin with his thumb. And none of your friends were the wiser.

You hadn’t even realized you had fallen asleep until you felt movement next to you, bringing you back to reality. You had dozed off on Joe’s shoulder, who himself had fallen asleep as well, his hand still resting on your thigh. The movement turned out to be Kayla getting up to move to her bed, and you quickly noticed most of the room had emptied out. You turned towards the slumbering Joe and smiled. God, he was even gorgeous while he was sleeping. You reached up and gently caressed his stubble.

“Hey, you,” you said softly, trying not to startle him. His eyes blinked rapidly a few times as he took in his surroundings before settling on you and smiling.

“Hey, beautiful,” he replied, sending instant heat to your cheeks. How he managed to continue to fluster you, you’d never know. You pinched his cheek, causing him to crinkle his face at the action.

“Bedtime?”

“Yeah that’s probably a good idea.”

You stood up first, offering a hand to Joe and yanking him to his feet. He glanced around the room for a few moments, almost as if he was looking for something or someone, and you watched him curiously. When his eyes met yours again, in an instant he slid his arm around you and pulled you into a bruising kiss.

You kissed him back eagerly, a soft moan vibrating through your throat as you slid your hands up his chest. But as fast as he had initiated the kiss he pulled away, staring at you intensely for a moment.

“Walk with me,” he said before grabbing his phone and heading towards the front door. Confused and a tad flustered from the kiss, you followed him obediently, grabbing your own phone and sliding on a pair of flip flops.

Instead of turning left and heading towards his own condo, he turned right and pushed open the door to the stairwell. You had no idea where he was leading you, but of course you were going to follow him. You were right on his heels as he climbed up the steps, passing the other floors of the condo building before leading you to the last door at the top of the staircase, with red letters painted on it: ROOF ACCESS. With a smirk, he opened the door and gestured through it.

“After you.”

Eyeing him with a suspicious look, you passed through the door and out into the night. The warm breeze of the evening hit your skin and you relaxed instantly. You floated over to the railing at the edge of the roof and leaned on it, looking out onto the street below. The city was gorgeous and so full of life. The sounds of cars passing and people enjoying the nightlife echoed below you. You couldn’t help but smile. Joe leaned on the railing right next to you.

“I’m not having sex with you on a dirty rooftop, if that’s what you’re thinking,” you announced, breaking the silence. Joe let out a hearty laugh before placing a kiss on your shoulder.

“As much as I would like to eventually have my way with you,” he replied, sending a chill down your spine at the thought. “I just wanted to talk.”

You turned to look at Joe fully. He truly was breathtaking. The glow of the city lights reflected on his face, painting his skin in blues and pinks and yellows. You wanted to frame the image of him, standing there looking at you like you put the moon in the sky.

“I’ve got two more full days here before I head home,” he said, shattering the illusion. You turned to face the city once again and let out a sigh. Must he bring reality into this? Couldn’t he just be like you and enjoy the moment? Did he have to be so smart and responsible?

“I know,” you answered. “Is that what you brought me up here to tell me?” You raised an eyebrow as you eyed the man next to you. He chuckled at your question.

“I wanted to see...I wanted to ask you…” he paused, trying to find the words. “What happens once I go home? To us?”

You felt your chest tighten. It made your heart soar and break simultaneously. It made you breathe a sigh of relief that he appeared to be feeling the same way you did. He was worried what the future brought because he wanted you, too.

But honestly, you had been dreading this conversation. Not because you knew what you had to say and you didn’t want to say it. No, you weren’t looking forward to this talk because you had no idea what to say. You didn’t want this to end. The selfish part of you wanted to do this for real, to make him yours and let him claim you as his. But long distance was complicated and messy. You had done it before and it had ended poorly, and that guy had only lived an hour from you. Joe lived over 700 miles away. A two-hour plane trip. A fucking fourteen-hour car ride. That was the kind of relationship that took a lot of work.

And to make that commitment to someone you had only just started something with? It seemed crazy. Unrealistic.

But to say goodbye and end whatever the two of you were doing outright? It hurt to think about.

However there was always the third option: decide not to decide.

“How about this?” you began, immediately capturing Joe’s attention. “How about we enjoy ourselves the next two days? And then when you go home, we can just…take it a day at a time. We don’t make any commitments but we don’t end things altogether. We just...see where the wind takes us.”

Joe studied you for a moment, as if he was trying to get a read on you. Trying to see if there was anything underlying in your proposal. He took a step forward and reached for you, his hands settling on the exposed skin just above your shorts. You instinctively let your arms wrap around his torso as well, pulling him as close to you as you could.

“Sounds like a plan,” he practically whispered before placing a kiss on your forehead. You leaned up and placed a hand on his cheek, bringing his lips to yours.

Something about this kiss was different. While most of your other kisses had been fiery and passionate, exchanged in the heat of the moment, this one was slow and delicate. Like you were taking your time and memorizing the feeling of each other’s lips, knowing you had a finite number of kisses remaining.

You didn’t stay too much longer on the roof, the pair of you completely exhausted. As you both made your way back to the door to the building, Joe’s hand found yours, interlacing his fingers and squeezing. He held your hand all the way back down the stairs to your floor. As you approached the door to your condo, he brought your hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on your knuckles.

“Goodnight, beautiful.”

“Goodnight.”

You quietly slipped into the condo, knowing that everyone was probably asleep. As you collapsed on your bed, the events of the past three days ran through your head like a highlight reel. As each memory played back, you couldn’t help but think about Joe. In just three days he had woven his way into your life like no one else had before. And you couldn’t be happier.

You drifted off to sleep with a smile on your face, thinking of nothing but the beautiful man two doors down. And you couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking about you, too.

✧✧✧

Not waking up with a hangover was a marvelous thing. For the first time since the week began, you actually felt refreshed and ready to conquer the day.

But you were also insanely horny.

Not only had Joe invaded your life in the best way possible (you weren’t complaining by any means), but last night he had also invaded your dreams. Before you woke up, you had been enjoying an extremely arousing vision where Joe’s face had taken up permanent residence between your thighs.

And now you were determined to make that reality.

As you showered and got ready for the day, you wracked your brain for a way to get him alone without the worry of your friends interrupting you. You were exiting the bathroom, headed downstairs to hear what the plan was for the day, when you were greeted with a series of loud cheers.

“HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, MOTHER FUCKERS!” Matt’s booming voice rang out throughout the entire condo. You chuckled as you descended the stairs into the living room.

“Excited are we?” you jested as you plopped down on the couch.

“Fuck yeah! Let’s blow some shit up tonight!” Nick added, pumping his first into the air.

“Considering we’re in the middle of the city, I think we should just let the experts take care of the fireworks,” Kayla countered with a laugh as she took the seat next to you.

“So do we have a gameplan for the day?” you asked as you wrapped your arms around Kayla and pulled her against your chest.

“I was thinking we could go for a swim in the river and then just hang out in the park for the fireworks show later,” Dan replied with a shrug, trying to play it casual as if he hadn’t been planning it all week. The friends that had gathered in the living room all sounded their agreements. You liked the idea yourself until you realized something: you hadn’t packed your bathing suit.

“I’d love to join you guys,” you commented. “But I will have to run up to my apartment to grab my swimsuit.”

And that’s when it clicked. Your apartment. You had a perfectly empty apartment a couple of miles north of the city. That’s how you were going to get your privacy with Joe.

“No worries, we probably won’t be heading there for a few hours,” Dan responded, pulling you from your thoughts. With a nod, you pulled out your phone to shoot Joe a text.

You: Want to go on a short adventure?

His reply was almost instant.

Joe: Should I be afraid?

You: Not at all, haha. I need to run up to my apartment to grab my bathing suit for today. My EMPTY apartment...if you catch my drift.

Joe: Drift definitely caught. I’m on my way over to you.

You took a deep breath, trying to contain your excitement. Almost seconds later there was a knock on the front door.

“I’ll get it!” you shouted, way too enthusiastically, completely dropping your attempt to be casual. You yanked the door open to reveal the source of your sexual frustration that morning. He greeted you with a chaste kiss before stepping inside to say hello to the rest of the condo inhabitants. You snatched up your purse, keys, and phone before sliding on your flip flops and grabbing Joe by the wrist.

“We’ll see you guys in an hour or so!” you called over your shoulder as you practically dragged Joe out the door, eager to get on with the day’s events. You let Joe’s arm go but continued to head down the hallway quickly before being pushed against the wall, letting out an “oof” as Joe’s body covered yours.

“You seem to be in a hurry,” he commented, his hands sliding down your sides before settling on your hips. “Got somewhere you need to be?” You keened into his touch as flashes of last night’s dream played across your mind.

“Just want to get you alone,” you murmured, running your fingernails across his shoulder blades. Your lips connected as he pressed his body firmly against yours. “You trying to get me all riled up? Because I’m already at that point.”

“Oh yeah?” he mumbled into the sensitive skin of your neck. “Already?”

“Might have had a dream about you last night,” you sighed as you slid your hands around his neck to land on his chest. You felt him groan as he pressed his forehead to your chest.

“Okay, as soon as we get to your apartment, you are explaining the dream in detail,” he stated as he pulled away. You chuckled and grabbed his hand, lacing your fingers with his and leading him towards the parking garage.

Before you knew it the two of you were flying down the highway in your car with the windows rolled down, blasting music and singing along. You glanced over at Joe, still amazed at the man’s effortless beauty. He grinned back at you, and you felt that familiar tickle in your stomach. You couldn’t remember the last time you had felt this way about a person.

The song changed and you couldn’t help but smile as one of your favorite songs ever began to play.

Now that she's back in the atmosphere /

With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey /

She acts like summer and walks like rain /

Reminds me that there's a-time to change, hey, hey /

Since the return of her stay on the moon /

She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey /

Hey, hey /

But tell me did you sail across the sun /

Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded /

And that heaven is overrated? /

Tell me did you fall from a shooting star /

One without a permanent scar /

And did you miss me while you were /

looking for yourself out there? /

You sang along as you drove, feeling unafraid to belt out the lyrics. While other people sometimes made you feel self-conscious, Joe’s presence simply calmed you, letting you be yourself, free from judgment. You finished singing the pop song just as you pulled into the parking garage of your apartment building.

“I could listen to you sing for hours,” Joe commented as he climbed out of your car. You felt your cheeks warm once again.

“You flatter me,” you replied as you joined him on the other side of the car. You grabbed his hand once again before the two of you headed into your building and down the hall.

“So your roommate won’t be home?” Joe clarified as you both made your way towards your apartment door.

“Nah, she’s always at her boyfriend’s,” you explained as you came to a stop in front of your door, sliding your key into the lock. “Especially since today is the Fourth--”

Your words faded away as you opened your apartment door to reveal your roommate, her boyfriend, and two older adults sitting in the living room. Fuck.

“Oh hey!” your roommate greeted. You and Joe awkwardly entered the small apartment, fake smiles plastered on your faces.

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting you to be home!” you stated, trying to hide your annoyance at the situation. The one time you needed the apartment to yourself, she’s home. With guests.

“Oh yeah, my parents are in town for the holiday, and we’re just hanging out here for a little bit before we head to the park to watch fireworks,” she explained, gesturing to the others seated around the room who each waved at you. You gave a quick wave in response before remembering you had Joe next to you.

“Very cool,” you responded awkwardly as you started to make your way towards your bedroom. “Um, this is my friend, Joe.” Joe followed behind you, giving the group a quick wave as well. The group let out a chorus of greetings as the two of you finally closed the distance to your bedroom door.

You pulled Joe inside and closed the door, ending the awkward exchange.

“Well, so much for privacy,” you groaned, plopping down on your bed and throwing an arm across your eyes. When Joe didn’t respond after a few moments, you leaned up on your elbows to see Joe wandering around your room, a slight smile on his face. “What are you doing?”

“A person’s bedroom can tell you a lot about that person,” he replied before his eyes met yours. “I’m learning all I can about you.” You couldn’t help but mirror his smile. You sat up on the bed, reaching your arms out and making grabby hands at him. All you could think about was just touching him. He chuckled and stepped towards you, allowing you to pull him towards you.

“My diabolical plan to fuck you senseless in my apartment has failed,” you commented, your voice low as you ran your hands up and down his sides. Joe let out a long hum as he leaned down to rest his forehead against yours, his hands sliding up your thighs. You held back a whimper at his touch. Fuck, you were so fucking horny and you just needed this man more than anything.

“What if we’re just really quiet?” he proposed, his voice thick with want. You groaned as his fingers strayed closer and closer to the place you wanted them.

“I don’t know if I’m capable of being quiet,” you countered. “Besides, these walls are paper thin. I would know. My roommate and her boyfriend are not as quiet as they think they are.” You cringed at the memory, the night that made you add “ear plugs” to your next shopping list. “They did say they were heading to the park. Maybe we can just wait it out?”

“Fine by me.”

So you waited. The two of you chatted, you sharing stories about objects displayed in your room and him laughing along to those stories. You mutually decided to keep your hands to yourselves for the time being, wordlessly agreeing that it would only lead to more sexual tension. You both kept your ears open to the sounds coming from the living room, hoping to hear a shuffle of feet and a door closing to signal that you were alone.

But an hour later, laughter and idle chatter still sounded from the other side of the wall, leaving you and Joe bored, hungry, and sexually frustrated.

“Well, I have no idea when these people are gonna leave,” you suddenly announced. “So I think I should just grab my bathing suit and we can go grab some food before we head back downtown.” Joe let out a sigh next to you.

“I think that’s probably a good idea,” he agreed. You leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before pushing yourself off of the bed. You yanked open a drawer from your dresser and pulled out the first bathing suit you saw.

“Are you really planning on getting undressed and putting that suit on right now, in front of me, and expecting me not to jump your bones?” Joe asked incredulously, still sprawled across your mattress. You turned to face him with a giggle.

“I would never be that cruel,” you countered before heading into your bathroom and closing the door behind you. You let out a deep breath you didn’t realize you were holding. You couldn’t remember another time where you had this much sexual tension with someone before. You cursed the universe for presenting you with this beautiful, funny, charming man but not letting you have him the way you wanted.

After pulling on your bikini and throwing your street clothes on top of it, you rejoined Joe in your bedroom, finding him tapping away at his phone. He glanced up at your entrance and that familiar, contagious smile of his appeared.

“Shall we?”

The two of your made your awkward exit from the apartment, you squeaking out a “see ya” to your roommate and her company. You piled back into your car and made your way towards your favorite burger joint that happened to be halfway between your apartment and the downtown condo. The pair of you had realized you hadn’t eaten at all that day and were tearing into your burgers and fries when your phone buzzed.

Kayla: we’re heading over to the river now, so you guys can just meet us there

You replied with a thumbs up emoji and went back to devouring your lunch.

“Who was that?” Joe asked, his voice muffled by the fries he had stuffed into his mouth.

“Kayla,” you replied quickly, not wanting to pause eating for too long. “She said they’re all headed to the river, so we can just go straight there instead of back to the condo.” Joe finally swallowed and reached for his soda.

“Well I don’t have my suit with me, so we have to go back to my condo anyway…”

Joe trailed off as you processed his statement. Then, as if your brains were connected, you both suddenly came to the same realization.

Everyone was already at the river. That meant your condo was empty.

Fuck. Yes.

Your eyes widened as you looked across the table at Joe. His eyes had glazed over and his mouth hung open slightly. You knew that look. It was the same look he had given you when the two of you almost had sex the day before. You let out a deep breath before shooting Joe a quick wink.

“Well,” you said, breaking the silence. “I guess we better finish up and head back to the condos.”

The two of you finished your meals unhealthily fast and quickly climbed back into your car. The ride was brimming with anticipation, made worse by Joe making the tortuous decision to run his hand up and down your thigh as you drove.

By the time the pair of you burst through the condo front door, you were already attached to each other, Joe’s hands gripping your hips and your arms looped around his neck. Joe practically flung you onto your tiny bed before pouncing on top of you, his lips devouring yours. You slid a hand to his chest and gently pushed him away.

“Wait,” you said breathlessly. “Let’s make sure we’re actually alone.” Joe nodded before leaning back down to press a quick peck to your cheek.

“Good idea.”

The two of you split up, you taking the upstairs and him downstairs, searching for any signs that one of your friends was still lingering in the condo somewhere. After not finding a single trace of anyone upstairs, you smirked.

Finally. Fucking privacy.

“We’re clear up here,” you called out as you made your way back down the steps.

“Same here,” Joe responded as you turned the corner and met his gaze. You slowly walked towards him, his eyes watching you intently, waiting to see what you would do next. Your eyes fell to his chest as you gently ran both of your hands across the expanse of his cotton t-shirt. Your touches traveled up towards his neck before finally resting your hands on the side of his face.

“Fuck me, Joe,” you whispered before crashing your lips to his.

It was like a switch had been flipped. The two of you clawed at each other as your lips connected again, all passion and tongue. You practically floated back over to the bed, yanking Joe down on top of you.

Hands yanked at t-shirts and fingers pulled at zippers, and after getting momentarily caught in the straps of your bikini top, the two of you were finally naked, latching onto each other like you couldn’t bear to spend a moment not touching. Joe’s one hand cupped your jaw as he devoured your mouth, his other hand lighting a fiery trail of touches down your ribs, your hip, your thigh. While his touches were slow, like he was trying to memorize your curves, your touches were desperate and needy, running your hands along the expanse of his back before circling his neck. You just couldn’t get enough of him, couldn’t stop touching him. The feeling of his bare skin against yours was ecstasy, setting your soul aflame. His long fingers found your folds, wet and aching to be massaged. A deep groan vibrated through his chest as he buried his head into your shoulder.

“Fuck, you’re fucking soaked,” Joe mumbled against your skin, his fingers continuing their exploration. You whimpered in response, completely melting against his ministrations. He painted your pussy with your own juices before centering in on the bundle of nerves that had been longing for his attention. The weight of his body kept your hips pinned as he worked, playing your body like a finely-tuned instrument; each knead of his thumb making you sing, filling the room with moans and whines. Two fingers slid into you with ease as his mouth worked to decorate your collarbone with dark marks, nipping and sucking the sensitive skin.

You were at his mercy, left to simply tug at his auburn locks and dig your nails into his back. The man stroked a fire in your belly, the pressure in your core building as every cell of your body cried out with pleasure. Your thoughts were foggy, but the same question from the first night plagued your mind once again: had it ever been this good before? How was it possible that one man had this innate power to flood your heart, your mind, your body with every good feeling in the world?

The edge drew nearer and nearer as Joe’s nimble fingers caressed and rubbed in all the right places. His breath against your neck, his hand gripping your shoulder -- the man was everywhere and you wanted nothing more than to drown in him.

You came with a yell, the noise from deep in your chest escaping like it had been trapped inside. Your walls clenched around those long fingers of his and your nails left little half-moons in his pale flesh, hips bucking hard against his hand. You hadn’t even realized you had squeezed your eyes shut until they shot open, eyesight blurry as rush after rush of bliss racked through your body. Your vision cleared, revealing two piercing amber eyes watching with you with intensity.

Jaw slack and chest heaving, Joe slowly eased his fingers out of you, pushing himself onto his knees, your thighs still trapped beneath him.

“That was the hottest fucking thing I have ever seen,” he growled, bottom lip rolling between his teeth. You let out a pleasant hum.

“You should probably make me do it again,” you countered with a weary smirk as you pushed yourself onto your elbows. You took the opportunity to shamelessly ogle the man straddling you, your eyes tracing a path down his chest to his soft belly before landing on his cock, hard and pink in his hand. Your gaze shot back up to Joe’s face, his eyes hooded as he stared back at you, leisurely pumping himself. “As sexy as you look right now, I’m going to need you to put that in me ASAP. I don’t even want to entertain the notion of us being interrupted again.”

With a classic Joe grin, the man leaned over to reach his discarded shorts, pulling a condom from his pocket. He rolled it on, the smirk never leaving his face as he felt you watching him. You were entranced by him, the way the muscles in his arm flexed as he fisted himself, the way he bit down on his lip, the way he eyed your body with hunger.

He leaned over you, steadying himself on his elbow while he lined himself up. Your hands found his biceps again, gripping hard as sheathed himself inside of you, twin moans reverberating throughout the condo. Pausing only for a moment to glance down at you, Joe gripped your thigh, hooking it around his hip before giving an experimental thrust.

Your whimper and the way you latched onto him harder must have given him the confirmation he needed. He began to move, grinding deep inside you, impaling you on his cock with each pump of his hips. His grunts mixed with your cries of pleasure as you suffocated in everything that was Joe. Your fingers curled against his scalp as you yanked him down to meet your lips, wanting him to take your mouth, too. He tasted like Dr Pepper and smelled like summer, and you willed yourself to memorize every detail because deep down you knew you were lucky to have this, to have him.

For what felt like hours, the two of you moved as one, clinging to each other with the ferocity of two people who were deprived of one another for far too long. Joe let go of your thigh, leaving soft blue spots behind before planting his palm flat above your shoulder. The new position drove his cock into you deeper and faster and you couldn’t help but cry out. Your eyes bore into his as he pounded into you, his own groans like music to your ears. You were nearing the edge once again, your own hips meeting his with more and more desperation.

“Joe,” you breathed out, the single syllable all you were capable of producing. He understood though, dropping back to his elbow and reaching between the two of you in the same motion. His thumb connected with your clit with a perfectly timed thrust and then...euphoria.

Loudly and roughly, you came, walls tensing around him like a vice. You thrashed against him while you experienced wave after wave of pure elation, but his pace never slowed. His thumb continued to work at you as his hips pistoned against yours. You weakly swiped at his hand to stop his strokes against your overworked bundle of nerves and he finally relented, his own thrusts becoming sloppier.

With a roaring groan, his cock throbbed inside of you while his hips stilled, his body going rigid above you. You watched his face in awe as he lost himself in his own pleasure, etching the image into your brain. And with a deep breath, he collapsed into you, and you reveled in the feeling of his bare chest pressing against yours.

The condo echoed with the sounds of heavy panting as you both came down from your shared high. Joe’s head nestled into the crook of your neck and you instinctively brought a hand up to run your fingers through his locks.

“That was...well worth the wait,” Joe mumbled into your skin, causing you to chuckle in response. Your laugh shook both of your trembling bodies and suddenly you were reminded that he was still inside you.

“Well, it would have been nice to have been able to do that all week,” you countered. You felt Joe smile against your neck before he pushed himself up onto his elbows to look at you.

“To be fair, we did try,” he argued with a grin. That sent you both into a fit of giggles, and you couldn’t help but shake your head at the ridiculous situation the two of you had found yourselves in the day before...and earlier that day. You laid there in each other’s nude embrace for a few moments longer, soaking up the feeling, exchanging soft caresses and gentle kisses. You both knew that it was very likely that you wouldn’t find yourselves in this position again. At least, not in the near future.

“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but you’re crushing me,” you finally said after another minute. Joe let out a mock scoff before slowly easing himself out of you, both of you wincing at the sensation. He came to a stand next to the bed, politely offering a hand to you. You smiled and let him pull you to your feet and into his arms. His lips were heavenly against yours, the soft and slow kiss a stark contrast to the ones that had been exchanged during your escapade.

“Not to ruin this wonderful moment,” Joe murmured against your lips, “but we should probably start making our way to the river.” You groaned. He was right, annoyingly so. It had now been a few hours since you originally left to get your suit. You were both supposed to be spending time with all of your friends, not just each other, no matter how much you wanted to.

You both got yourselves cleaned up and dressed before heading down the hall to retrieve Joe’s swim trunks. Your hand twitched as you instinctively felt the need to reach for Joe’s hand, but you opted against it, suddenly feeling sheepish. Even though the two of you had held hands several times already, and the man had been buried inside you mere minutes ago, holding his hand right then seemed too...intimate all of a sudden.

Joe changed and gathered towels for the two of you before you headed downstairs, out onto the bustling street, and down towards the park, feeling different.

✧✧✧

You didn’t even get a chance to swim in the river.

After all of the effort on your part, the group had decided they were done with swimming and headed to grab some food by the time you made it to the park. You and Joe linked up with Matt and Dan, both sporting their usual snow cones, and found a spot in the grass to lay out your towels and wait for the rest of the group to arrive.

Things were weird right away. You noticed it immediately. As your friends started to trickle over, they greeted you with muted smiles and limited words. Something was brewing, and you seemed to be the only one who didn’t know what it was. Joe, on the other hand, seemed totally unaware, as he conversed with your gaggle of friends as they all got settled on their towels and blankets.

You were exhausted by how much your head was swimming. Most of the week, all you could think about was Joe. You overthought everything you said to him, every time you two touched, every time he glanced your way. You were so caught up in thinking about what to do with this new spark in your life. You practically didn’t have any brain power left to even ponder why everyone was acting so weird around you.

Dan, in his big brother wisdom, seemed to sense your confusion and squatted next to you.

“You should talk to Kayla,” was all he offered before standing up and returning to his spot next to Herbie. You furrowed your brows in confusion. Had you done something to Kayla?

You got your answer almost instantly as the petite brunette in question stomped over to your growing group, giving you a quick glare before plopping down a few towels in front of you beside Nick.

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Classic Kayla. If she had a problem with you, she should be the one to tell you what it was. But this was a textbook move for her. Make it abundantly clear she’s upset but not be grown up enough to confront you about it. You sighed and glanced at the back of her head in front of you.

You were suddenly overcome with a sense of loneliness. Joe was a few blankets away, wooing the small crowd with his endless charm and wit, not even paying you any mind. Dan had decided that you were only worth a single sentence explanation before separating himself. And now your closest friend, your confidant, your wifey, was giving you the cold shoulder.

As the sun began to set and the crowd in the park grew around you, you gazed at Joe. He was animatedly telling some story to Rob and your heart panged at the sight. You wanted nothing more than to burrow yourself into his side, to feel his arms around you. Despite your anxiety about what was going to happen once Joe left, you felt safe and comfortable with him.

You continued to stare at him longingly, feeling almost jealous of Rob for having Joe’s attention. You knew you were being irrational; you had spent hours alone with Joe today. It was only fair that everyone else got to spend time with him now. But the selfish part of you wanted him all to yourself.

But he wasn’t yours. Not officially. That was the deal.

You were roused from your thoughts by fireworks exploding above you. It was all too overwhelming. The mobs of people decorating the park. The eruptions in the sky. Dan. Kayla. Joe. The past few days had been a roller coaster full of ups and downs, and it was as if it was finally catching up to you.

You felt a tear escape. Shouldn’t you be happy? You were surrounded by friends, you were smack in the middle of a whirlwind romance. The weather was amazing and you hadn’t had to think about work or real life in days.

So why were you crying? How was it possible to feel so alone when you were completely surrounded?

You stubbornly wiped at your face, annoyed with yourself. You couldn’t even focus on the colorful lights across the evening sky, too caught up in your own bullshit to appreciate it.

Then you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“She’s upset that we ditched the group for so long,” Joe said, loud enough for you to hear over the crashes and bangs but low enough to keep it between the two of you. You didn’t look at him, even as he settled next to you and began to trace soft circles on your knee. “Herbie told me.” You pondered his words, shaking your head in confusion. “Her view is that this week is about spending time with all of us together. So the two of us disappearing for hours and hours just to spend time with each other was a lame move in her eyes.” He paused, most likely hoping for a response from you, but you didn’t say a word, continuing to be annoyed at yourself for crying.

“I get it to a point,” Joe continued. Fuck, you thought, this is the part where he says he regrets everything. You winced, silently hoping he’d let you down easy. “But today was like...the best day I’ve had in a long time.”

You finally looked at him and were greeted with Joe’s soft smile. He wove his fingers with yours and placed a kiss to your knuckles, and it was as if he kissed away every anxiety in your body. You instantly relaxed at the gesture, and just like that, you were back.

“You’re just saying that because you got laid,” you jested, nudging him with your elbow.

“Oh, absolutely.”

“Shut up.”

You pulled him in for a kiss, wordlessly thanking him for just...everything. For making the past few days incredible. For making you laugh. For giving you several orgasms. For just being him. For just being Joe.

Your lips moved against his passionately as you poured every emotion you were feeling into the kiss. Every giddy smile that tugged at your lips when he flirted with you. Every shiver down your spine each time his fingers brushed your skin. Every moment of feeling seen and adored.

When you finally pulled away, you were both breathless, foreheads pressed together. You couldn’t bring yourself to tear your gaze away from those chestnut eyes that seemed to stare right into your soul. Who gives a shit about fireworks when the most beautiful thing in the world was right in front of you?

The next hour passed by in a blur. You were too caught up in the feeling of Joe’s body pressed against your side, the feeling of his thumb caressing the back of your hand, the feeling of your shoulders brushing against each other’s as you walked back towards the condo. You could hear the rambling conversations of your friends around you, but they sounded miles away.

By the time you stumbled back into the condo, you were exhausted. It had been a long day, and you wanted nothing more than to cuddle up into Joe’s arms and pass out. It seemed like everyone was on a similar wavelength as you noticed the condo begin to settle down a lot earlier than usual. The awkwardness from the park had seemingly vanished for the most part; you assumed it was because everyone who knew why Kayla was upset with you had either forgotten about it or didn’t care themselves.

After grabbing a cup of water and heading back towards your bed to join Joe, you found he was not alone.

“We should talk,” Kayla stated, glaring at you. Your eyes immediately found Joe’s, his face offering nothing but sympathy.

He said goodnight with a chaste kiss to your temple and a squeeze of your hand before disappearing through the front door, leaving you alone with the angry brunette perched on the edge of your bed.

“I guess you’re done giving me the silent treatment?” you accused, dropping onto the bed and stretching out your legs behind her.

“Well I mean considering you ditched us all for like five hours today, I assumed you didn’t want to talk to me,” she countered. You rolled your eyes.

“Come on,” you grumbled, crossing your arms. “Can we be fucking adults here? Why is it so bad that Joe and I spent some time alone today? I mean you were the one who suggested I hook up with him in the first place--”

“It was a joke! I didn’t think you’d actually take me seriously! And now…” she trailed off. You furrowed your brow as you waited for her to continue. She turned to you, a pained look on her face as if she was dreading the words she was about to say. “I’m worried about whatever this is turning into.”

“What what is turning into?” you questioned, your brows remaining knitted together, trying to decipher what she was trying to say.

“You and Joe.”

Her confession did nothing to ease your confusion, so you simply sat there and stared at her, silently asking for further explanation.

“It just seems like...with the way you’re acting...I don’t know. It just seems a lot more serious than a quick fling.”

You pondered her words. There was definitely a truth to them; the status of your...connection with Joe was practically all you could think about. It was definitely beyond just a simple fling. But Kayla’s concern about it just confused you even more. It took several moments for you to finally respond.

“Are you...are you jealous?” You almost felt bad asking. Kayla had a long-term boyfriend back home. He hadn’t been able to get the time off from work to join the group during the yearly get-together this time. But her actions and words gave off an air of jealousy. Hell, she had said it herself: she was mad that you had spent time with Joe away from everyone else.

“No, not at all,” she confirmed, shaking her head. “I’m...I’m just concerned that this isn’t going to end well. One or both of you are going to get hurt.”

Of course you had entertained that possibility. Fuck, you’d spent most of the week overanalyzing everything about the situation. As hard as you were trying to maintain that this thing with Joe was casual, that you were gonna take it a day at a time, all it took was his hundred-watt smile to make you melt. This thing was what, five days old? But you had to face it, you had it bad.

But at the end of the day, if this whole thing was a mistake, it was your mistake to make.

You let out a sigh, your frustration with Kayla fading away.

“I appreciate you worrying about me,” you admitted, scooting closer to her on the bed, signaling you were backing down. “But Joe and I have talked about it. We’re not jumping into this head first. We’re gonna take it a day at a time.”

Her face revealed she wasn’t convinced. She eyed you warily, looking for something, you weren’t sure what.

“Just...be careful, okay?” she insisted, grabbing your hand and giving it a squeeze. “You know I love you a lot.” The frustrated frown that had taken up residence on your face ebbed away and you offered a soft smile.

“I love you too, wifey.”

✧✧✧

You were roused from your peaceful sleep by a buzzing under your head. With a groan, you flopped onto your stomach, pulling the vibrating phone out from under your pillow, revealing your boss’s name in big bold letters.

“Aaron, it’s eight in the morning, dude,” you grumbled into the phone.

“I know, and I’m sorry, but I’m desperate. I know you’re supposed to be off today, but is there any way you can close tonight? Both of the other managers called out with the flu.”

You let out another groan, making sure your boss knew exactly how grumpy you were. Of course you would have to go into work. The last few days had been too good and the universe needed to balance itself out. After a long silence, you finally relented, knowing you really didn’t have a choice.

“I’ll be there at two.”

“Oh my god, thank you! I owe you lunch or something! Thank you so much.”

After hanging up with your boss, you let out another loud groan, knowing you were going to have to break the news to your friends. And Joe.

Fuck. You were gonna lose your last day with Joe.

You waited until the rest of the condo was up and moving, or at least relatively close, before letting them know, collecting your ragtag group of friends, Joe included, into the condo living room to break the news. Everyone was disappointed, as you expected, especially at the fact that logistically, you wouldn’t be able to come back to the condo after work, as you were supposed to work an early shift the next day. When your eyes landed on Joe, instead of disappointment, you were met with what could only be described as a focused glare.

As your gaggle of friends debated where they were going to go for lunch, you moved towards him, his concentrated gaze watching your movements.

“You look like you’re scheming, Mazzello,” you commented as you wrapped your arms around his neck. His arms looped around your waist, the two of you fitting together like puzzle pieces.

“What if when you leave for work, the two of us didn’t have to say our goodbyes yet?”

The plan was simple. The second you were off work, Joe would Uber up to your apartment where he’d stay with you before you would take him to the airport for his ungodly early flight. You’d be able to have a few more hours together before reality would kick in and the past few days of absolute joy would come to an end.

You were passed around the room as each one of your friends pulled you in for a hug, exchanging words of love and about how next year couldn’t come fast enough.

Joe helped you finish packing your suitcase and walked you to the parking garage, leaving you with a passionate kiss and a strong internal battle over whether or not to call your boss and let him know you changed your mind.

But instead you drove yourself home, throwing on some more work-appropriate garb and heading down the street to rejoin the world of retail.

✧✧✧

It didn’t feel like it was possible for time to pass so slowly. But each second was like a minute, each minute an hour. Customers were grinding your gears more so than normal. The associates seemed determined to anything except their jobs. It was oddly busy for a weeknight, meaning more to straighten up and a longer shift. And all you could think about was the night you had ahead of you the second you clocked out.

You could barely concentrate as you counted the night’s deposit. You barely heard the associates wishing you a good night as you locked up the door, your entire focus centered on determinedly tapping away at your phone as you walked towards your apartment.

You: FREEDOM

Joe: I’m on my way.

Two minutes later, you arrived at your apartment to find it completely empty and you sighed in relief. Another fifteen agonizing minutes later, you yanked Joe through your front door, his suitcase falling to the ground behind him. You kissed him as if you hadn’t seen him in days, instead of only a few hours. He kissed you back just as hungrily, holding you impossibly close.

Joe eventually collected his forgotten suitcase and the two of you settled into your bed, cuddling close as you recounted your stressful workday. He caressed your back and patiently listened while you complained, shaking his head lovingly at your overdramatic retellings of the events of your night. You ran your fingers through his hair as he told you about his day, telling you about the condo’s shenanigans while trying not to make you upset for missing out. At this point you didn’t care. You had Joe in your arms right then and that’s all that mattered to you.

After your third yawn, Joe suggested the two of you attempt to get some sleep before your early alarm would go off, signaling the end of your slowly dwindling time together. You burrowed under the covers as Joe spooned up behind you, his arm protectively wrapping around your middle. He whispered a soft goodnight into your ear, and as soon as you relaxed into his embrace, you were out like a light.

Somewhere in your dreaming you noticed something. There was a gentle tickle against your neck and shoulders. It was soft and you relaxed into the touch as if you were afraid it would disappear. You slowly began to come to and as your mind became more clear, it suddenly registered that the pleasant touch was Joe’s lips against your skin. You let out a soft moan as you stretched, arching into his kisses.

“We have a half hour until we have to leave,” Joe mumbled into your hair, his hands sliding up to caress your ribs now that he knew you were awake. You hummed in response, immediately understanding what he was saying. You gave your hips an experimental roll backwards against him, meeting with his rigid cock behind you and earning a growl in your ear.

In retrospect, it was silly of the two of you to wear clothes to bed, knowing full well you’d be stripped of them at some point. Clumsily and sleepily, the two of you shed each other of your sleepwear, the need to feel each other’s skin driving your actions. His lips found yours in the dark, greedily licking into your mouth like a starved man. His grip on you was like a vice as he rolled his hips against yours, his hard on trapped between your bellies. The pitch black of your room made everything more intense, it felt like that first night all over again. Joe was everywhere all at once, kissing you, stroking the heat between your thighs, massaging your breasts. When he thrust into you, locking his hips into place like he belonged there, you couldn’t help but whine. Every time was better than the last and you had a feeling this man was about to ruin you in the best way. No one was ever going to be able to bring you to pleasure like this ever again. The thought was both scary and exhilarating.

His large hands yanked you and pushed you where he pleased, and you gladly moved with him, his touch pulling nothing but pleasure. No matter what happened next, no matter what happened once the two of you got into your car and drove to the airport, you knew in this moment that you were his. You wanted to give yourself to him. You needed him to take you.

“Please, Joe,” you whimpered out. “Just fuckin’....use me.”

In an instant you were flipped on to your stomach and dragged to the edge of the bed, your feet hitting the floor, your body folded in half under Joe’s. He railed into you, groaning into your ear. You couldn’t make out the mumbled words against your skin, too lost in your own pleasure as he drove deeper and deeper inside you. You reached behind you to grip his wrists where his hands rested on your hips, holding on as if he’d disappear if you let go, as if this was nothing more than a dream.

You came with a loud moan, pleasure rushing through every cell in your body. Joe continued to impale you on his cock as you rode out your high, then with a strangled groan, he pulled out and panted your bare back with white streaks. He left you slumped over the bed, absolutely boneless and blissed out while he fumbled through your dark bathroom for a washcloth.

You let out a pleased hum as he cleaned you up, and again as he placed a gentle kiss between your shoulder blades. You pushed yourself up on shaky legs, turning around and reaching for Joe instinctively. You knew you had minutes left and you wanted to make sure you were touching him at all times. You looped your arms around his neck and kissed him, willing your brain to memorize every aspect of the moment, because you had no idea when or even if you’d be lucky enough to have him again. The softness of his lips, the way he pressed his chest against yours, the little noises he made as you pressed your lips to his neck. You etched it all into your brain before pulling back to gaze into his eyes.

“We better get going,” he said before pressing a quick kiss to your cheek. He smiled at you, but his eyes were sad, as if he regretted being the one to pull you both back to reality.

You threw your sleep clothes back on, uncaring of your appearance considering the sun wasn’t even up yet. You helped him make sure that he had all of his things, and then the two of you piled into your car for the last time.

You hummed along to your shuffling playlist as you drove down the empty highway, your car the only one for miles on account of the ungodly hour. One hand steered the car and the other held Joe’s hand tightly, your fingers woven together. No words were spoken; they weren’t needed. You both knew how you felt about each other. You both knew that this sucked. And you both were afraid of what was going to come next.

But you were in it together. Taking it one day at a time. That was the deal.

The song on the stereo changed to “Don’t You Forget About Me” as you passed the welcome sign for the airport, and you rolled your eyes at the spot-on song choice.

You slowed the car to a stop at the curb below the sign for Joe’s airline, hopping out to help him free his suitcase from your trunk. The two of you stared at each other for a few moments before Joe pulled you into a crushing embrace, tucking his head into your shoulder.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?”

You were a bit choked up, unable to get words out, so you simply nodded, hoping to whatever higher power there was that his words would ring true.

You reluctantly let go of him and watched him with a smile as he wheeled his suitcase through the doors before you, throwing a glance over his shoulder to see you waving back at him.

It wasn’t until you were halfway home that you let yourself cry.

✧✧✧

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blankdblank · 4 years

Text

Next Caller Pt 49

All the same one wave of flashes soon traded for another once you were being let out in front of the Grand Palace Theatre. White stone with blue and gold accents glowed with fire lamps and flashes from the press and crowd here for the show, confirming he had the tickets in his pocket Thorin rested his arm back to where it felt at home, keeping you close to his side. Across the courtyard entrance he led the way passing up the rows of press that took turns shifting to steal pictures of you on the way in among the few other famous faces in the mix drawing points and stares from scattered people in the sea you waded through. Those flashes only bringing out the subtle glimmer of your eyes and clan markings across your skin underneath the stunning blue moon lighting up the night luring this reaction from you at its rarity. Straight up the steps past the front hall following the signs once tickets were presented a private path was named for you to walk behind one of the teen aids tasked with escorting box seat guests to their designated show.

Oddly warm the steps up to the private box reminded you of the shawl you had initially intended to bring forgotten at home leading surely to thoughts of stealing Thorin’s coat, a request he’d no doubt jump out of his jacket to oblige that request. Lit solely by lanterns on the wall the box set for four seats inside one of the eight private boxes, of which this was the best view of the show just off to the side of the upper balcony of public seating filling right now.

More gasps and stolen pictures came from those people watching while the teen motioned you towards your seats taking notice of your ears to mutter, “Elf ears.” Curiously you glanced to Thorin who inhaled sharply only to watch him turn a switch to guide the shine screen, much like a two way mirror works, across the front of the box, “Helps to keep your shine to yourselves, the upper balcony has them too while the main floor is lined up to not distract the cast.”

Out he hurried wishing you an enjoyable show to help the next group of ticket holders. Wetting his lips Thorin motioned to the two chairs, “Where do you want to sit?”

“Um, your right, I suppose.”

Grinning through a nod he replied, “Good, let me be buffer between you and our company for the evening.” Down you settled and at once his hand folded back in yours to rest across your lap, ready however to pull back at his question of, “Are you cold? My jacket’s yours if you do get cold.”

“Nice and warm, but thank you.”

Over his arm your hand eased and an irritated grumble came from the Dwarf and Dam entering, both oddly tall who looked you over judgingly when you glanced at the curious pair who promptly turned to make a fuss and see who would trade booths with them. “Do you know them?” you whispered and he shook his head.

Muttering back lowly, “Not a clue. Perhaps it was the screen…”

The excited squeal of the two Hobbit lasses who waved your way. The taller of the two saying, “This is such a better booth!”

While the shorter gave you both a grin saying encouragingly, “No worries, we have no issue with the Frankfurt clan.”

Your eyes narrowed curiously while Thorin rumbled back, “I’m from the Longbeard clan.”

Making her brows furrow and the taller say, “No, they distinctly said they didn’t wish to sit near a pair of Frankfurts.”

Thorin, “I have no idea where that comes from,”

Softly you asked, “Isn’t that sausage?”

Making Thorin look your way, “There is one similarly named…”

The taller however hurried to claim her seat grinning at you both saying, “Either way, no take backs.” Settling her skirt around her lap making Thorin chuckle to himself at the shorter settling down right next to her just as excitedly. “I have seen you though, in magazines.”

Thorin reached over extending his free hand hers folded into, “Thorin Durin,”

“Hey! Durin, just like in the Bunny Show! How do you all like it?”

He chuckled again at her releasing his hand, “We absolutely adore the show.”

Her eyes snapped to you asking, “Do you like the show?”

“Well I work on it,”

That had them both gasping and the shorter saying, “No! What aspect?!”

Thorin grinned saying, “This is Jaqi Pear,” where gasps should have come their jaws dropped with only squeaks escaping the excited pair whose mouths clamped shut to the warning for everyone to silence their phones signaling the three minute warning to the show.

Excitedly in a hushed whisper the shorter asked, “Could we get an autograph after?”

“Um,” you said opening your clutch to bring out a flip notepad and a pen the pair gave you their names to be added to the messages wanted and signed underneath to go with an angled picture by the taller one, capturing all your heads in a line before their wide smiling thanks and group pocketing of distractions to the dimming of the lights.

Drums echoed through the theater from behind the still closed curtains that slowly began to inch back revealing the opening scene of men calling to arms for the build up of the wartime era show. Quietly Thorin eased his arm more in its usual place resting across your lap allowing your free hand to rest on top of it while, if you wished it was there to be used as a pillow to lean against if you so wished. Sudden silence brought on the opening monologue from the official rallying the people to volunteer to fight in the looming war growing closer by the day branching to what would be the bitter sweet romance of the show.

Absolute wonder, the quote wasn’t wrong in the reviews commonly popping up and between the effects, acting and amazing script flooded with musical numbers hindering focus being anywhere but the stage. Tucked nicely against Thorin’s side your shimmering self didn’t bother anyone behind the screen aiding your two show buddies in hiding their own joyful shimmers. Nearly three hours and a near blush inducing shout out to all the lovers both together and apart between their final bows came before the final closing of the curtains.

Once on your feet you asked, “There a bathroom up here?”

Thorin nodded, “Yes, just out here,” wetting his lips he kept hold of your hand guiding you out of the booth and down the hall to your left to the private toilet open and lit up you stepped into and closed the door ensuring it was locked behind you to quickly relieve yourself as he waited outside. As if anyone would dare to try and pass him up to get inside protectively a scowl fought to ease onto his face, promptly leaving upon hearing the lock shift and the door easing open again.

Trading places he slipped inside while the duo from your box waited in line gushing about the show eager to hear your own thoughts and to share they were off home once Thorin was out again to keep watch, both having met the cast months prior in a different show in Orcarni. Waves parted you in their joint step inside the toilet Thorin had just exited keeping their conversation going.

Hand in hand once more he kept hold ensuring through the trip down the steps there were no stumbles until at the base he could ease his arm back around your back. Lingering behind the crowds to the little gift shop you went smirking at Thorin’s taking hold of a wooden block to be traded for a copy of the cast recording of the show. A postcard set for your sisters was chosen and brought over to the register Thorin insisted on paying for that you set inside your clutch on the way to the crowded inner courtyard with more stands to browse with show merchandise.

Woven bracelets seemed to be snapped up very fast leaving just a few bell key chains that from your glance away seemed to vanish traded for money in the hands of those manning the stands realizing there was a group circling behind the both of you picking like vultures anything you seemed to take an interest in led by none other than the sausage couple who refused to sit by you. “Evening,” Thorin stated curtly to the Dwarf trying to cut in front of him beside the husband of the couple in charge. The latter he turned to ask, “Frankfurts?”

The Dwarf snorted then huffed out, “I don’t mingle with the likes of your clan.”

Guiding his wife away only to hear a teen chuckle out, “Bit hard to dodge the Longbeards in Erebor.”

“Longbeard?!” The husband asked while Thorin led you onwards to the next stand not bothering to get an apology or explanation once he caught the cast of the show near to the end of the common seat ticket holders wishing to linger for autographs and pictures sharing whispers that the currently gossiped about new couple was to be meeting them soon. The wait didn’t seem to last too long as smiling through a series of people approaching you both as well kept you plenty busy for the final stands of anchor related merch to sell out robbing you of a tiny canon you really wanted.

One overly excited fan by a worker there was managed away from you both saying, “Miss Pear, Mr Durin, your group of booth are up for the meetings now.” Then proceeded to distract the fan all the way out to the front courtyard ensuring they were guided to a waiting taxi so they wouldn’t be around when you did go to leave yourselves.

Quite excitedly the cast listened to your praising comments and proceeded to gush about not just your show but some of the teas they had taken to trying from a book recommended from the Brew and Grew’s website brightening his grin. A few from the group took to asking more questions on their tea topic while coyly secrets were tried to be asked about the show while one brought up the ad on his phone asking, “This book, Venture posted about, I don’t need to know when, please just tell me there’s a book.”

With a giggle you replied, “From what I know a book is in the works.” Causing his arms to shoot up in an excited swiveling kick of his leg for a brief circle of his spot making you say, “Which part were you wanting to read more on?”

His and three others blurted out, “The Countess!” Making you giggle again to one saying, “Guh, just everything about her mysterious past and how she talked about growing up with Wolsey and Raul and the Duke and Adrianna.”

Another said, “And we do love Bunny! Just, we jumped right into the tale with her and just the detail of those Dams we just have to know more!”

Thorin chuckled rumbling, “I did tell you Dams are more popular than Dwarrows.”

“Well,” you said pausing to wet your lips causing their brows to arch up excitedly freeing an anxious giggle from you. “I will say in taking a story, between a screenplay, a radio show, a cartoon or a book they have to be presented differently. So I know the show so far is very condensed compared to the whole-, um,” waving your hand in search for the word you were trying to lead up to.

Thorin chuckled saying, “What she means is you start the book with the lore, build the world and then the story takes place. However the book would go it would have illustrations and fuller descriptions that would allow you to see it in your mind. With that no doubt back stories will be fleshed out. I know my sister especially loves hearing anything available about the Countess. And those stickers were loved by my clan, they just poured over them memorizing her to picture her in speaking on the show.”

You pointed and nodded to Thorin’s answer and one of the cast asked, “There will be more stickers coming out? I have three sheets left from my set of the Countess, I can’t wait to see who’s next!”

“Well they should be up tomorrow,” encouraging excited squeaks and smiles from the group who at a grumble and frown met mumble from one of the aids there huffed at having to halt the conversation to take pictures and sign the playbills and even the postcards you brought out for you to do so.

One of the cast said, “I am surprised no one has asked me to sign a cannon yet,”

To which you replied, “They were out when I got there, or I would-,”

That had his beard bristling up and off he stormed making you look to Thorin who simply chuckled and eased his arm again across your back, the look on your face causing a chuckling cast member to say, “They’re always a bit stingy on the canons for some reason. Every time we try to find a reason it always changes, we do love the canons.”

“Who wouldn’t love a good cannon. Would look nice next to my catapult collection.” That had smirks easing out and brows raised in curiosity making you giggle and say, “My baby sisters and I had some fun times having mock battles with their building block castles. Then they were banned for a time on rather biased grounds when I got a bit too in depth on the battles.” Making the group chuckle as Thorin tried to hold back his laughter by wiping his free hand across his lips and beard.

“We all have those moments,” one of the cast replied seeing the one returning with a canon in hand he pulled out a marker to sign for you then pass over parting your lips.

“One canon, even added my, ‘Be the boom you wish to feel’ line from the show.” From his palm he passed Thorin an anchor medallion adding, “Did not forget you, found this hidden as well, it has the kraken on it if you spin it fast enough taking down a ship.”

“Thank you,” Thorin hummed eyeing the silver medallion with the holes used to let light in for the illusion.

“Thank you,” you said accepting it, “I’ll go pay-,”

He shook his head lifting a hand, “Least we could do consider it a fair trade, part of our show does have a number based off of one of your old songs on the album you put out. Wouldn’t be nearly as big a hit without it.”

“Thank you, really.” More groans came at the next reminder to go and you both waved saying goodnight to the departing cast you split from to walk the other way to the distant car. Excitedly however you squeaked out to Thorin, “I got a cannon!”

Lowly he chuckled leaning in to kiss your forehead, “Yes, it will look lovely with the catapults.”

“Can we move those to the parlor?”

“Absolutely. We can wage our own battles one day.”

Lowly you said, “They didn’t have to give me the canon,”

He chuckled again, “I think it was a matter of principal, fans were being unable to purchase canons they love to sign. Besides, I have been wanting one of these for years. Even online, super rare.”

Past the open gate a row of cameras were waiting and through another stolen brush of his hand down his beard he smirked catching the glint of light flashing off his new ring sure to draw some attention. Under the bright moonlight the fountains seemed to light up the path back reminding silently just where the cobbled path turns back to concrete. Tucked back into the car on the other side of the questions sent your way both answered and not about the assumed date, your status and thoughts on the show ended at the closing of the door. A second stop back to Dushin-Mizim and a bag with the desserts and wine were carried out by Thorin, who eagerly hurried back to not give anyone chance to pester you while alone in the car.

Smiling again he cuddled up once again back to his former spot keeping hold of the bag for the drive home again eager to both move those catapults and get to the remainder of the date. Even the driver seemed pleased to get back to the house ensuring the safe return of his passengers on their special night. Keeping watch until the door was locked once on the other side of it. To the parlor you went settling the canon in its new home on the mantle and over the roomba you stepped heading for your room to Thorin’s hum of, “Time to change, then we can dig in and cuddle.” He tried to step back only to the feel of fingers lifting his tie he froze and promptly followed the timid tug on the accessory.

Warm lips met his in a muffle of sighs, barely a few moments it lasted only to end as quick as it had begun. A welcome parting came minutes later in the split of the hall when time came to change for the night granting a chance to change and wash up. Quite easily the makeup on your face came off and back out of the dress and heels you slipped, changing to comfy shorts and a baggy t shirt undoing the braids in your hair that Thorin’s request to braid popped up again. Back in the hall he was waiting in just sweats and his socks beaming at you with bag in hand. Next in the kitchen another bashful glance your way had him purring, “Everything alright?”

“Just, I have wine glasses,” he smirked watching you pull out two wine glasses with dark silver octopi as stems holding up the glass cups luring an adoring smile and chuckle from him.

“Perfect.” Silverware in hand he led the way to the living room only to turn for your bedroom to the sound of squawking from the amorous new raven couple. Easing the door shut he turned watching you switch on the tv and bring out a pop up desk usually used for laptops for a table the wine bottle and glasses were settled on top of. The desserts however went on the towel brought for keeping crumbs and spills in check.

To the wine being uncorked bashfully again his eyes looked you over and he purred, “You took out the flowers.”

Catching his eye his cheeks blushed a faint pink in the reply of, “Well you did say you wanted to braid it tonight.”

“I did,” he cleared his throat and replied, “yes,” from the nightstand where it was left he accepted the comb passed to him and once shifted behind you his fingers tenderly ensured each strip of those unruly curls he absolutely adored was wound back and post shiver from you he grinned tying the braid off.

Both hands rested on your upper arms in a lean forward to claim another warm kiss at the glance back at him. The lingering moment of just noses brushing to the stroke of a thumb across your cheek could have lasted a lifetime if he had his way, yet a loud commercial turned his head and the focus shifted to his opening and pouring the wine to fill these perfect glasses. Teasing nibbles of each dessert were shared between sips and in a trip to the bathroom from you he cleaned up returning to resume cuddling to finish off the near empty wine bottle once the second was in the wine cellar with the two other bottles sent along with the tokens from the clan ravens.

Lost from the film empty glasses and table aside an eye drooping stroke of Thorin’s beard and low growling hums muffled between lips in the melt together following a slide of your leg to lay over his. However he tried to convince even himself to stop the addictive silky skin wafting of apples and honey mingled with his own scent of pine and cinnamon tempted him to keep hold of the body tangling with his. Fingers easing around his side however halted his next broken growl to the kisses peppering down the side of his neck in a pause for air. Down he slid and burrowing his head in your neck his arms tangled around your waist luring an irritated pout from the addictive woman he rumbled to, “Go to bed,” to.

“I am in bed,” you muttered back only making him nestle closer clenching his eyes shut.

“Sleep, sleep.”

“Sleep, sleep?” You repeated curiously.

“More kisses tomorrow. Names for tea are fuzzy, sleep, sleep.”

Rolling your eyes you tugged the blankets higher and laid your arms across his back with a sigh, “Fine, sleep, sleep.”

One groan, a pained hiss and off to the Midwife Balin gathered up his family breaking Frerin from his weeding up his front garden at his new home to claim little Billi as to not disturb the date of their usual sitter, Thorin. Though where smooth sailing was presumed it was not coming as a clear scan of the belly proved the now awkwardly lined up baby had been hiding a sibling from the previous scan.

“This is not good,” echoed in Balin’s ears after having scrubbed up to stand beside his Wife’s head through her c-section they were readying her for. The words were to the spiking worries of their clan waiting in the packed lounge spreading the word that this surprisingly detected chord dilemma pressing the formerly hidden second child inching further down closer to harm as it simply followed its twin lower to greet their clan. The presumed eager false labor pains for the much later than estimated pregnancy with twins no doubt was well past wrong of a conclusion. One simple slice and quite easily within a matter of moments apart the pair of crying babies thwarted of their surprise attack underwent a full physical to confirm to their kin that the pair were in fact the picture of health despite the early scare.

“You’re saying your friend said you smelled like raspberries and honey meaning that labor was coming?”

Balin’s Wife nodded saying, “Cucumbers, not raspberries. She’s part Maiar, happens quite often to her noticing labor a day ahead of the curve.”

The Doctor blinked at her a moment and said, “I will have to look into finding a Maiar assistant then. I do apologize for doubting you, merely it was not long ago that you had found out you were carrying at all.”

Balin grinned nursing his newborn son from the bottle pumped for him stating, “A perfect surprise. Straight from Mahal’s plushy beard.” His mother in law chuckled nursing the boy’s sister while Balin’s Wife was being soaked in an Elvish bath to help her healing from the sudden surgery speed up. Word exploded through the clan while the suite they were stay in overnight was being readied. Even just for caution it was tradition to have one night monitored at least meaning Dwalin and Bilbo would be left to wait until the clan could welcome the duo home the following day.

** hours later at breakfast **

The ring from Thorin’s phone grumbling had him surprisingly awakening alone in his bed back in his old bedroom. Turning his head to the side to reach for said phone only to scream and clamber back on the bed when his hand landed on the drool coated tongue of a hissing turtle. Once turned around however on top of a far too furry comforter his feet shifted in the darkness his eyes couldn’t blink away. Around his middle he felt your legs fold to your hands clenching on his shoulders with your loose bangs and braid falling over your face and down his bare back with rapid pants for air wondering what you had been jerked awake for. “Spider?”

“What?” He muttered realizing his face was in your belly with your breasts pressed awkwardly to the top of his head causing his blindness at his nose catching your shirt. Halfway lost to the feel of your legs clenched to his ribs for dear life as you tried to wake up and find what the danger was.

“Was there a spider? I mint misted the place I shouldn’t have any.”

“No, snapping turtle.” Under your curls your furrowed gaze turned to the side of the room you could see wondering if he had mistaken a brave escaped turtle from your fountain as a snapper. Only for him to lower to his knees and ease you onto his lap muttering to the wave of curls slicking from his back to his chest in the released hand of yours trying to pull the braid and bangs from your face. “Bad dream. Sorry.”

Deeply you sighed and leaned forward resting your head on his shoulders bringing out his grin at he chance to hold you closer to his chest as your legs settled on the bottom of his feet behind him relaxing from the panicked waking.

“I’ll make breakfast. With that pineapple tea you like.”

“Ok, then I have to start on some bread.” Just barely he inched back only to pause at the flick you gave to his beard doubling his grin to your saying, “Just checking.” Off his lap you eased and lowly he chuckled taking hold of your hand he raised to kiss tenderly on the back of it through your joint slide to the edge of the bed.

The night again flashed through his mind and he tried not to blush for how badly he wished to have woken you up to sweet kisses across your cheeks and not screaming through a jolt upright saving you from a giant snapping turtle that wasn’t there. Yet you didn’t seem too put off by the awakening, perhaps to the possibility of your having woken to the discovery of spiders or from nightmares of your own, though most likely not hoisting you off the bed. Lowly he rumbled sheepishly, “I will try my best not to hoist you up next time we cuddle.”

Weakly you giggled replying, “Thran used to do the same thing when we first got home from service. Still does through hail storms.”

Curiously he asked, “Why didn’t you end up together?”

“He married one of my Hobbit cousins, they had Leg.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

You shook your head, “Over 600 years ago, he still misses her terribly while she’s out sailing with Cirdan.”

“She’s alive,”

You nodded and said, “Oh, sorry, yes, half Vanyar too. Taller than me, loves porpoise cannot get enough of her rescue missions and Thran makes certain to ensure she has the freedom to explore to her heart’s content. Some couples just thrive long distance. Sort of a foreplay I think for when they do get to cuddle again. Harshly the opposite from Glori and Echo, who mope terribly when apart, perfectly capable of being so but they are just dreadful mopes.”

Lowly he chuckled and said, “I fear I might just be a mope. Not certain how I could have handled Helm’s Deep without you.”

After a giggle you replied, “I’m not overly certain, I rarely allow myself a moment without distraction to check. I do get moments of being possessive though, just a bit.”

“All Hobbits do,” he hummed stealing a glance your way pleased at least in that he wasn’t alone in experiencing and might be understood if he did again in the future.

Inside the kitchen hands released and to his filling of the kettle the bare stretch of counter was readied for your dough making. Across your kitchen counters bubbles spread as you scrubbed them down and wiped them dry after with wash rags added to your laundry. Bowls sat with supplies around them in your usual conveyer belt fashion for your bread making. To the end of your supplies you mixed a bowl of dough that you kneaded then left to rise. Tucks and rolls of the dough brought Thorin closer and had you giggling out, “Want to give it a try?”

“I’ve made bread before, just like watching you.” Again you giggled to his eyes traveling from your face to the dough and back asking after a few moments, “You do feel safe?”

The question had you pause and look up at him with brow raised, he said, “That was why you stayed in Beryl, you didn’t feel safe to be near your friends when you had to stay away from your Amad.”

“I really am starting to.” He nodded then grinned as you added, “I think I’m getting braver. You?”

“Oh, still adjusting to stepping out from clan roofs. Starting on our own feet.” In starting on breakfast he heated up the oven for you and watched the first set of dough rising between glances of you setting the table. The doorbell rang and curiously you glanced to the door from Kuu’s stroll back to the greenhouse with his bowl of peas. “Who would that be at this hour?”

A shrug was his answer and to the door you went, where once open you eyed Frerin with a smirk and arms full with both sleeping Bili and her things along with a box at his feet, “You got a package, sorry, I dropped it and I had to scoot it up the walk.”

“Oh,” you said crouching to lift the oddly unmarked box that with a shift in your palms had you muttering, “Where did you find it?”

“Didn’t, one of our cousin’s sent those along. Thorin mentioned something about envelopes, and after your ‘Stamp Guy’ message another cousin with a surplus of envelopes, not bunnies but we thought fireflies might suit.”

“I love fireflies,” escaped you in an elated sigh.

Widely his grin split and he replied, “Good,” As you stepped back he joined you in to the kitchen where you caught Thorin’s eye. “Morning, glad I didn’t wake you, thought I’d share the news, labor started last night, Balin and his Wife left me sitting. Dwalin said he’d come by later, twins.”

Your lips parted and Thorin let out an amazed chuckle to your move to open the box to peek at one of the envelopes only to feel eyes on you again as Frerin settled the things down on the empty counter closest to him. When your eyes met his again Thorin glanced between you as his brother said, “Second baby had the chord around its neck nearly, had it dropped lower could have done harm. If she hadn’t been warned-,”

“Please don’t say that, what you’re bound to say, what they’re bound to. I just noticed a musk, I am beyond thrilled both babies and Mom is safe. I didn’t know anything could be wrong, it’s all to chance.”

Frerin grinned coming closer to give you a half hug with his free arm, “All the same, thank you for warning her is all I meant. Now Fundin has three grandbabies from Balin, three more than they had anticipated a decade ago.”

Thorin hummed out, “No doubt Dwalin is beside himself cuddling with Frodo.”

Frerin, “Oh no, Mal has Frodo, at least until Bilbo finishes his latest client then Dwalin when visiting is up will bring the two round here to share the latest checks. So far full bill of health for the three of them and the clan is rambling up a giggle party.”

You looked to Thorin who chuckled saying, “Giggle parties are for presenting newborn Pebbles, first to make the Pebble laugh is their godparent.”

Frerin, “For the added bonus of the one who can name their guiding animals properly.”

Thorin hummed, “I will owe them two gifts.”

“We can share my gifts, already picked them.”

Frerin’s brow inched up, “Gifts?”

You nodded, “Coming from Hobbits I always plan for multiples.” Helping Frerin to set up the high chair for Billi and bring out her jar of food he got to feeding her. The placement of food on the table however had granted Thorin a chance to steal a kiss on your cheek glad for the image of sharing a welcoming gift as a couple on your first official day as one, and Frerin a glimpse of your ring on Thorin’s finger.

Lowly Frerin cleared his throat and looked his widely grinning brother’s face over knowing just why he had made the noise, bringing his hand over in front of him while you brought the fruit spreads over from the fridge. Moving his hand closer Thorin bit back his urge to shout all you had shared on the traditions of protecting your partner on a Blue Moon and calmly boasted the tale then said, “Jaqi made it, Galvorn with Ithildin etchings and a stone from her collection coated in resin.” The materials enough equated to a proposal under certain rather irritating circumstances as like Bunny and Durin that topic was being evaded just barely.

Frerin however looked to you making you glance up at him wide eyed a moment only for him to say with a grin, “Announcement should be on the morning news if you wanted to watch it.”

“About the twins?”

Both brothers shook their heads, “No, tradition to wait a week.”

Thorin continued, “Even news broadcasts refuse to air the news for that window in respect to the mother granting ample time and space for transporting baby home again.”

Frerin, “They know no doubt, have received the news. While I would like to know, how was the show?”

“It was phenomenal, and we even got a canon out of it.”

That had his mouth drop and Thorin chuckling out, “Jaqi mentioned they were holding back and apparently the cast does miss the chance to have cannons to sign went to fetch one for us themselves. Even got me a kraken pendant. They’re up with our catapult shelf.”

“Oh, nearly missed out on more if not for the sausage couple.”

Frerin, “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Thorin, “The couple first sharing a box with us mistook me from some Frankfurt clan. After the show got to trying to swipe everything out of our being able to even see them until I said we’re the Longbeards not the Frankfurts.” Tried to uncover who the mysterious clan was lasted through the meal enough for you to have gotten up to add your dough to the pan to be put in to bake while the meal was finished and cleaned up afterwards.

Pt 50

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @here2have-fun, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore, @mariannetora, @shes-a-killer-kween, @ggbbhehe4455

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim, @jotink78, @pastelhexmaniac

x Thorin – @evyiione, @deepestfirefun, @queenoferebor

Next Caller - @avaria-revallier, @bun-bun-the-rabbit

#Thorin x Reader OC #Tea Shop AU #Hobbit #Date Night #Morning After #Babies

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words-writ-in-starlight · 4 years

Note

SO HOW ABOUT THAT ANGST FOR KITTY/PIOTR EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON AU, HUH?????

YO SO YOU SENT IN “GOTTA STAY QUIET TO AVOID DISCOVERY” AND I STARTED TALKING ABOUT WATCHING THE X-MEN MOVIES TO COMPLAIN AND HERE, TAKE THIS, I DON’T KNOW.

If Kitty’s being totally honest here, and Kitty prides herself on being totally honest, she did not completely expect to live through this deal. It’s not that she expected the bear to break his word--or at least, she would never have said as much to his face--but she’s heard stories before, of maidens and monsters and bargains, a year and a day of company traded for her family’s welfare. And she wasn’t anticipating death, but also she would not have been surprised by dying, which she feels is an important distinction.

But when they came to the ice-bound palace, Kitty was as healthy as ever, if starting to go white and numb with cold, and the bear turned his great metal head to her and asked in a low rumble, “Are you cold, honored lady?”

“No, Lord Bear, I’m quite warm,” Kitty lied outright, because she prides herself on being honest but also is not an idiot. She’s not entirely clear on the exact nature of the beast she’s sworn herself to, even after a full day in the palace, but on the off chance that the question was a test, she delivered the lie as steadily as possible. The bear hadn’t said anything, merely observed her with his impossible blue eyes, glowing like stars imprisoned in his cold clockwork armor, and he had nodded and brought her inside.

Kitty’s spent the past several hours wandering the halls, since then, and hasn’t seen a single living thing, not even her host. If he even counts. Even riding on his back, on the journey to the palace, Kitty hadn’t been able to see even the slightest hint of flesh and blood under the armor, nor hear breathing or a heartbeat, or anything but the click and whir of metal. A--something, a wisp of wind in the shape of a servant, brought her a cloak, so perhaps the bear saw through her lie after all. The cloak is the finest thing Kitty has ever touched in her life, deep blue and lined with soft white fur, as warm as if it had been laid out in the summer sunlight, and she’s been rubbing her cheek against the collar absently as she walks. There’s a crisp, clean scent to it, like the oncoming edge of a blizzard or a thunderstorm.

The cloak is good for Kitty’s nerves, in a strange sort of way. Foremost, freezing to death has never appealed to her, as a way to go, and she’s fairly sure that the cloak wouldn’t have been forthcoming if her host meant to let her die of neglect, or throw her in some kind of dungeon, or add her to a collection of frozen maidens to decorate his castle, or whatever clockwork bears do with peasant girls. More than that, though, the cloak alone must be worth a small fortune, immaculately well-made and perfect in all ways, and Kitty did trade herself into an uncertain future in this icy palace for the assurance that her family would be well-compensated. Forget fixing the roof and buying new quilts--if this cloak is a sample of what the bear can give without a second thought, her family will be able to buy a whole new house.

If she’s smart, and if she can keep being smart for a year and a day, Kitty might even live to see it.

The sky outside grows dark, and Kitty wonders if she should just pick a carpeted room and curl up under the cloak before it grows too dim for her to navigate the palace. Some of the rooms even have furniture, although most of it looks untouched. There was one a few doors back, on the left-hand corridor, with a couch in it that looked plush and comfortable, and it would be a huge improvement over the floor of her family’s cottage.

The return of the wind-servant makes her jump nearly out of her skin, but it comes bearing a lantern that glows with the same cold blue light as the bear’s eyes, and the wall sconces burst to life as it passes. Kitty skitters to one side to let it pass, and it stops in front of her, invisible except for its lantern, and bobs there for a long few moments before Kitty rallies the nerve to talk.

“Um,” Kitty says, “do you want me to come with you?” The lantern bobs toward her, and then further down the hall, and Kitty follows. “Do you have food in this castle?” Kitty asks the lantern, for lack of a more obvious place to direct her questions. “You’re made of wind and your master--is he your master? Lord Bear seems like he’s mostly made of metal, so maybe you don’t have to eat, but I haven’t eaten all day. If you have a kitchen, I could try to cook, but on the other hand I might burn something down.”

The lantern, of course, doesn’t answer, except to keep leading Kitty deeper into the castle, lit by the cold blue magic of the sconces as they flare in its wake. But after a maze of corners, Kitty sees warm golden light ahead, and the lantern floats into a room illuminated by a roaring fire. It’s a dining room, Kitty realizes, but not the grand hall she peeked into before, set up as though to receive kings. This is a private dining room, maybe for family, with a fire casting its warmth over the table and single place setting, and on the table rests a small banquet, fit to feed a dozen people with more individual types of food than Kitty’s ever seen.

Dazed, she allows another wind-servant to usher her into a chair, and it pushes it into the table properly, and more invisible hands begin to pile her plate high with a sample of everything, fill her glass with warm spiced wine, and it’s all absolutely amazing. If this is Kitty’s last meal she doesn’t even care. She eats some of everything, and rather a lot of a few things in particular, until she’s so full that her stomach aches and so tired she could fall asleep right in her chair. But the wind-servant with the lantern returns, or maybe a different wind-servant with a different lantern, and Kitty sighs and stands up, pulling the cloak around her.

The lantern-bearer brings her back through the maze to one of the rooms she passed--one of the rooms she peeked at through the cracked door and immediately abandoned as too private to be investigated. It’s clearly a master bedroom, with a magnificent four-posted bed piled high with blankets and soft pillows, and when the lantern stops at the open door and gestures as if to say after you, Kitty has to take a long moment and breathe before she can force herself over the threshold.

It’s a fine room, fit for royalty, with massive curtained windows and furniture made of dark wood accented with blue cloth and silver fixtures. There is a low fire burning in the hearth, and the room is warmer than the rest of the castle, although not as warm as the dining room.

There is a nightgown laid out on the bed, and the wind-servant sets down its lantern and scoops it up, holding it out to Kitty.

“I can dress myself,” Kitty says, and she’s proud that her voice doesn’t shake. She takes the nightgown--soft, she notices a little numbly, and made of a nicely woven fabric that drapes over her arm and sways with her movement. She doesn’t know enough to identify the fabric, but it seems warm, at least. The wind-servant bows and leaves, and Kitty has reason to be grateful that the room is so chilled. She can’t change slowly, no matter how much she wants to.

She keeps her socks on with the nightgown, because it’s too cold to take them off, and curls up on the bed, sitting up against the headboard with the cloak wrapped around her, on top of the blankets. Kitty means to stay up, to see what’s going to happen to her, but--

As soon as Kitty settles against the pillows, the lantern left by the wind-servant goes dark. The fire vanishes as quickly and completely as a candle blown out, and it leaves the room impenetrably black. Kitty startles, and there’s a terrible weight on her limbs, as if she’s been frozen after all, and for a long moment she can’t do anything but struggle uselessly against the weight of what must be magic, her bargain locking her body into place better than any shackles.

Kitty has barely managed to slow her breathing from its ragged, panicked gasping when the door opens. The lights in the hall must be gone, too, because she can’t see anything, not even shadow-on-shadow, as if she’s gone blind. She strains to listen past the racing of her own heart and--

Heavy metallic footsteps, and the click-whirr of clockwork. Kitty fights to speak, but whatever magic holds her prisoner has locked her tongue against her, strangles her when she tries to make noise, and so she listens to the great steel bear cross the room toward the window.

The sound of metal hitting the ground, one piece at a time, makes her heart stop. There must be something alive under the armor, then, and she tries to be reassured by the solving of this mystery, but Kitty can’t really manage it.

It takes several minutes for all the armor to hit the floor, and then footsteps move back toward her, but--not a bear. She can only hear two feet, and the figure sounds much smaller than the creature who carried her on his back this morning. As it reaches the bed--he? the bear?--Kitty clamps her eyes shut and tries to look asleep.

She hears the figure move, and a hand reaches out to tug the cloak a little higher on her shoulder. The hand doesn’t touch her, doesn’t even brush the nightgown, and Kitty tries not to hyperventilate. He seems--kind, at least, for a given value thereof, but she’s still not an idiot, and she’s not sure she would have made this deal with a man, instead of a bear.

But he doesn’t lie down on the bed. Instead, she hears a very soft scuffle, of cloth on stone, and--

Kitty lies there in the dark, awake, and listens to the breathing of the man who isn’t a bear as he settles on the floor beside the bed. She doesn’t know if he falls asleep. He doesn’t snore, and his breathing is steady, but no slower than it was when he was taking off the armor. Maybe he’s lying there awake too, listening to her listen to him.

If Kitty sleeps all night, it’s no more than a light doze, and she’s awake when the man rises from the floor again. He doesn’t touch her, just hesitates once he’s standing--he feels tall, she has the sense of being towered over--and then goes back to the window. She listens to him resume his armor, and listens to the bear leave. As soon as the door closes behind him, she blinks, and discovers that she can move, and realizes that there is silvery dawn light creeping around the edge of the curtains.

Curled up under the cloak, Kitty closes her eyes, and finally slips into unconsciousness.

#kitty pryde #piotr rasputin #colossus #kiotr #kitty x colossus #xmen #xmen evolution #otp: steel and smoke #fairy tale au #east of the sun and west of the moon #starlight writes stuff #ask meme #fic meme #SORT OF #anyway in the original fairy tale the maiden doesn't know that the bear and the prince are the same person but #*excitable hand gestures* the R O M A N C E though!!!! i think it works better like this. hans my hedgehog vibes.#some other highlights of this au! since this is an evo au magneto is the sorcerer east of the sun west of the moon #and when kitty breaks her promise and smuggles a candle into the castle to look at piotr he's forced to become a knight in magneto's guard #logan is the old soldier who knows how to get to the castle and tells kitty how to break piotr's curse #instead of a shirt stained with tallow piotr has a metal collar that binds him to the bear armor and kitty spills wax on it #ororo is the north wind! kitty looks because of some manipulation by mystique and some interference from lance!#illyana is the servant girl who tells piotr not to eat the drugged food on kitty's third night in the castle eotswotm #and then they kiss!!! actually they kiss well before that during the year and a day in the palace #because the fact that kitty knows piotr is the bear means that they have like a real relationship in the palace #despite piotr's best efforts and profoundest anxieties but like #an important part of any kitty/piotr relationship is kitty going 'i'm going to date that' and arranging things to her satisfaction #piotr: 'i am going to fulfill the terms of the curse as exactly as possible while doing absolutely Nothing to cross a line with this girl'#kitty: 'i'm bored and lonely and i am going to follow this bear around all day and Make Him Talk To Me'#to say nothing of her literally MONTHS LONG crusade to get piotr to sleep in the bed #anyway they're in love and i'm going to bitch about the absence of kitty/colossus in every single movie i talk about

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