#love is stored in the omelet

[sweetfirebird]

screams

Jerry nodded without raising his head. “It’s not like there’s a manual.”

“How could there be? It’s always different for everyone.” Lincoln’s voice had a rasp to it. Ice clinked against his glass as he had another drink. “Obviously, I can’t speak for every gay man out there. But… would you like some basic rules—no, guidelines? No—concepts? Concepts is better. That is, if you said what you said because you were thinking of trying to date.”

Jerry reached for his wine, still not noticing anything about it except that it tasted better than church wine. “Okay,” he agreed cautiously after putting down the glass.

“First, I suppose, would be to know what you want enough to go after it.” Lincoln’s voice was faintly hoarse. “For some, that’s apps or bars, and that is all perfectly fine, even if it’s not for you personally. But you have to be willing to pursue something, and to do that you have to show you’re interested.”

Jerry focused on the food although he was listening to every word.

“There are lots of ways to make that clear.” Lincoln was quiet. “For example, you could be a flirty, forward, brutish thing, like me.” When Jerry didn’t say anything there, Lincoln cleared his throat and went on. “See if you get a response and then stop when you don’t.”

Jerry protested softly. “You’re not brutish.”

He wondered if Lincoln shrugged or waved that away. “Sometimes it feels as if I am when I’m around someone fragile and pretty. Well, someone who looks fragile and is pretty.”

It was on the tip of Jerry’s tongue to ask about Kevin, if that was Lincoln’s type, but he drowned the words in wine. “You’re not brutish,” he said again instead. “You’ve never made me uncomfortable, although I’m not fragile. Or… or pretty.”

Lincoln was silent for another few moments. Then he swallowed, possibly more wine, before speaking again. “But you might be wondering, what if you aren’t a flirty, forward thing? What is a girl to do if making eyes across a crowded bakery isn’t her style?”

Jerry had to take a second to decipher that. He watched the butter melting in the pan. “I don’t know,” he admitted at last. “Be close to the person? Talk to them? Help them, if you can?”

“Help them?” Lincoln echoed. “Ah. Help them. As in, say, fixing things for them?”

Jerry poured the eggs into the pan then went to the sink to rinse the bowl. He kept his back to Lincoln. “Yes. If that’s something you can do.” His stomach was a knot of nerves but alcohol in his blood made him slow. He stayed where he was and let Lincoln study the tense line of him.

“That’s good. That’s very good. But that sort of gesture is also easily confused with friendship.” Just the sound of Lincoln’s voice was enough to make Jerry flush. “Which is perfectly fine,” Lincoln was quick to add. “Unless that’s not what you were hoping to convey.”

Friendship was all Jerry had hoped for. Everything else was uncharted. He was supposed to grate the cheese over the eggs but he just stood there. “So what do I do?”

He was breathless. A grown man shouldn’t be breathless over this.

“Hmm,” Lincoln said again, but playful and warm and—Jerry hoped he wasn’t imagining—relieved. “Invite them into your personal space? That’s always a good start.”

Jerry’s mouth went dry. Some of it was fear. Most of it wasn’t.

“Lincoln.” He didn’t look over. “I think I’ve had too much. I don’t think I can deal with the grater by myself right now.” He honestly didn’t. His limbs were heavy and his hands weren’t steady.

Lincoln was suddenly there at his back, hot without even touching him. “I’ve got you.”

Jericho Candelario's Gay Debut

contemporary m/m romance novella

Jerry Candelario has spent his entire life focused on raising his siblings and his young niece. But everyone has grown up or moved out. Now that Jerry’s evenings are free, all he wants to do is spend them with his friend Lincoln. Jerry knows nothing about gay culture, or dating, or being in love. With Lincoln, he wants to try, but is he making a fool of himself, or is his someday finally here?

Reminder that Jericho Candelario's Gay Debut is Free/Reader Sets the Price on Smashwords *always*

[louisinart]

i am going. to make myself an om-let. i am going. to make myself an om-let.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Herbs, Spices & Seasoning

Herbs and spices can add flavor and variety to your food.

Use a little at first, then add more when you are sure you like the flavor.

To substitute dry herbs for fresh, use ¼ teaspoon powder or 1 teaspoon crushed for 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs. Some herbs and spices are expensive.

You might want to buy only a few of the less expensive herbs and spices you will use.

Herbs and spices lose flavor and can spoil or get buggy if kept in the cupboard longer than a year.

If you use herbs and spices slowly, buy small containers, or store them in the freezer.

Uses of Herbs, Spices & Seasonings

Allspice - A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Use in fruit desserts, pumpkin pie, apple cider, cakes, cookies, chicken, beef and fish dishes.

Basil - Tomato and egg dishes, stews, soups and salads

Bay leaves - Tomato dishes, fish and meat dishes

Celery seed - Juices, soups, salads, vegetables, pot roasts, poultry, rolls and biscuits

Chili powder - Chili, bean and rice dishes

Chives - Potato dishes, soups, dips and sauces

Cilantro - Latin American, Indian and Chinese dishes, salsa, stir fries, (Coriander leaves) legume or rice salads, hot cooked rice, grilled chicken or fish, or a dish of ripe tomatoes. Use fresh if possible.

Cinnamon - French toast, fruit and fruit salads, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash, puddings and apple desserts, ham or pork chops

Cloves - Whole cloves on ham or pork roast; ground cloves to season pear or apple desserts, beets, beans, tomatoes, squash and sweet potatoes

Coriander seed - Middle Eastern dishes, spice cakes and cookies, soups, roast pork and salad dressing

Cumin - Mexican, Middle Eastern and Indian dishes; beef and lamb, dry bean dishes, marinades, chili and tomato sauces; ingredient in curry powder

Dillweed - Tuna or salmon salad, potato salad, pickles, dips and sauces

Garlic - Mexican, Italian and Oriental dishes and in salad dressings; can be used fresh or dried, minced or powder

Ginger (fresh) - Oriental dishes, marinades for chicken or fish, fruit salad, dressings

Ginger (ground) - Gingerbread, spice cake, pumpkin pie, poultry or meat, soups, stews, stuffing, squash, sweet potatoes

Ground peppers: black, Cayenne & white pepper - Meats, casseroles, vegetables and soups

Italian seasoning - A mixture of marjoram, oregano, basil and rosemary; use in Italian dishes such as spaghetti

Marjoram - Egg and cheese dishes, meats, fish, poultry and vegetables

Mint - Fruit salads and fruit soups, melon, berries, cold fruit beverages, cooked carrots or peas, chilled yogurt soup, lamb, tabbouleh

Mustard - Sauces for meat and fish, in marinades, salad dressings, chutneys, pickles and relishes

Nutmeg - Cooked fruits, pies and desserts, baked items, spinach, sweet potatoes, eggnog and French toast

Onion - Any dish where onion flavor is desired; can be used fresh or dried (minced or powder)

Oregano - Italian dishes, chili, omelets, beef stew, meat loaf, pork and vegetables such as broccoli or tomatoes

Parsley - Meat, soup or vegetable dishes; adds color

Paprika - Stew, chicken, fish, potatoes, rice and hard-cooked eggs

Rosemary - Egg dishes, meats, fish, soups and stews, and vegetables

Thyme - Fish, poultry or meats, in soups or stews, vegetable salads

If these writing notes help with your poem/story, do tag me. Or send me a link. I'd love to read them!

More: On Food More: Word Lists

[glamatron3000]

The Unofficial Malto Family Cookbook

I was inspired by the longing of @ihatebrainstorm for Alex's cooking to do a deep dive into just what Earthspark's best dad was making, so here it is! The Unofficial Malto Family Cookbook!

Just a note, I am in no way familiar with Filipino cooking (I mostly cook American, European, and Japanese-inspired food in my day to day) but I'd like to think I am a skilled practitioner of Google-Fu, so here's what I was able to find!

These dishes were either shown or mentioned, sometimes both, in season 1 and the first half of season 2. I believe I got them all, but I did pan through the episodes pretty quickly, so let me know if I missed any!

Embutido

First up is the main dish from episode 1, which already sent me on an adventure trying to identify because it was never named. After poking around a few Filipino recipe sites I managed to identify it as embutido, which is described as a Filipino meatloaf. Dot mentions that it is her favorite dish.

Lumpia

The side dish of Dot's celebratory new job meal is lumpia, Filipino egg rolls! This dish appears regularly in the Malto family's meals, seen twice again in the first half of season 2.

Pandesal

Okay, so technically this is probably just a store-bought dinner roll, but why not try to find if there's a Filipino recipe it could be? Our boy Alex seems like the type of guy to pull out all the stops when it comes to feeding his family. The closest I could find is pandesal to round out our episode 1 meal.

Breakfast Burrito

In episode 2, we see Robbie lure Alex out to the barn with a picnic of breakfast burritos. Now surely there's also a Filipino style recipe for this, yes? Yes!

Longganisa

In episode 3, we see Alex frying up a pan of sausage for breakfast. Could be store bought, but it's also possible that it's a traditional Filipino pork sausage called longganisa.

Tortang

Here's our first one that was only mentioned and not shown. In episode 4, Alex tries twice to coax Bee into frying tortillas with his stingers. At first I thought he meant just regular flour or corn tortillas, but the way he was talking made it sound like a main dish and not just an ingredient. So after a bit of digging I found a dish called tortang, which is sometimes referred to as tortilla from what I can gather (citation needed -- I am a dumb American). Unlike the sort of tortilla you would use in a wrap or burrito, this dish is closer to an omelet. Those with more knowledge of Filipino cooking please feel free to correct me if I got this wrong.

Bibingka

Another only mentioned in episode 4, this is the dish Robbie would have picked to have for dinner for a week if he'd won the weekly chore race. Of course a child would pick a sweet dessert for dinner if he could.

Spam Steak

Okay, this was another mystery for me, particularly because of the way everything is stylized in the show. In episode 5, we see Alex frying up another breakfast food. I thought maybe it was a kind of french toast, but the browning texture didn't look quite right for that. So I browsed through the breakfast section of the recipe website I've been using and the closest I've found is this crispy spam steak recipe. Apparently spam is pretty popular in the Philippines, so it's possible! Again, if anyone more knowledgeable has another option, please correct me.

Snickerdoodles

In episode 7, Alex makes bagged lunches for Mo and Robbie's first day at school. While we don't know what's in those lunches, Alex did mention that he included his homemade snickerdoodles. Snickerdoodles originate from Dutch/German immigrants who settled in New England, and since there's a lot of Dutch/German heritage in Pennsylvania where the Maltos live, I'm fairly confident this is something Alex picked up in America. But just for fun, I did find an interesting Filipino/Mexican-inspired variant of this classic cookie, so you get a two for one deal with this one!

Unfortunately, Tumblr won't let me post more in a single post, so the rest will have to be in a Part 2 reblog!

[redroomreflections]

Threads of A Promise - The Loud House One Shot

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!reader

This is a story directly tied to my fic The Loud House on a03

W/c:6.2k

Summary: Natasha and R are a few years into marriage and experience loss and grief.

Note: this is a glimpse into their earlier years of marriage. a time R has mentioned before.

Trigger warning: mentions of blood. miscarriage. pregnancy

Note: This is a super angsty one-shot. 

"Yes, I've already informed Mr. Davis about the new evidence. We'll review it before the meeting at 10 a.m.," You said, your voice calm and efficient. "Thank you, Susan. See you then." You confirmed as you stood at the counter, slicing fresh vegetables for your breakfast scramble, while Natasha stirred eggs and bacon in a sizzling pan. The smell of cooking filled the air, blending with the quiet sounds of the slow morning routine. You glanced up from your chopping, a small smile on your lips. You loved watching her concentrate on something as simple as cooking. 

“I have back-to-back meetings today,” You sighed as you set your cell phone on the counter. 

“Sounds like a busy morning,” Natasha commented as she reached into the fridge to grab bell peppers for you to dice. You hum in acknowledgment. You passed her the things you’d already chopped to get started on something else. 

"I’m heading to the shelter after work today," You said casually. "They need extra hands for the evening shift."

Natasha turned, a curious look on her face. "Volunteering again? You don’t quit," she said. "You’re going to tire yourself out.” 

You paused, realizing how packed your schedule had become lately. "I know, but it’s important to me," you replied, glancing at Natasha with guilt. "And it’s just a few hours. I’ll be home before dinner. Brandon has Willow for the day. We’re free tonight."

Natasha nodded, her expression softening. "I know you care. Just don’t forget to take care of yourself too."

You smiled gratefully at her, appreciating her understanding. "I won’t forget.”

“Speaking of not forgetting, you’ve set time aside for the insemination appointment tomorrow, right?” Natasha turned off the stove, maneuvering around you to place an omelet on each plate.

“Insemination appointment?” You narrowed your eyes, a flicker of concern crossing your face. “Right, what time is that again?” you asked, trying to hide the uncertainty in your voice. 

Natasha paused, noticing your hesitation. She reached over to gently squeeze your hand. “It’s at 9 a.m. I mentioned it last week, remember?”

You nodded slowly, the memory coming back to you. “Right, 9 a.m.,” You repeated, trying to reassure both Natasha and yourself. “It’s stored up here.” You knocked on your head. You grabbed a protein shake from the fridge and cracked it open. Natasha watched you for a few seconds more. 

“You don’t sound so enthused about it,” She pointed out. “It’s not like you to forget something as important as that. If you’re having second thoughts about us having a baby we can-” 

Natasha’s words hung in the air, her concern palpable. You paused, setting down the protein shake and turning to face her fully. The mix of emotions — nerves, excitement, and a touch of apprehension — played across your features.

“It’s not that,” You began softly, reaching out to take Natasha’s hands in yours. “I want this more than anything. It’s just… everything feels so overwhelming sometimes. Between work, volunteering, and now this…” Your voice trailed off, unsure how to articulate the jumble of emotions swirling inside you. “This being our second round. It just feels…” You stepped closer to her as she reached out her arms for you. 

Natasha’s expression softened, her thumb gently stroking your hand. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready,” she said quietly, her love and understanding evident in her eyes.

You shook your head, squeezing her hands reassuringly. “No, I am ready. I know I am. It’s just a lot to take in, you know?” You admitted, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders as you spoke your truth. “I want this for us. We talked about it.”

“And it was my idea in the first place,” Natasha mentioned. “I don’t want you to feel pressured. If a baby isn’t something you want we can just shelve it or reschedule.” 

Natasha’s voice was calm and steady, her concern evident as she watched you closely. Her willingness to accommodate your feelings touched you deeply. 

“I appreciate that,” You replied sincerely, your eyes meeting hers with gratitude. “But I want this, Natasha. I really do. I may be nervous, but I’ve never been surer about anything in my life.”

Natasha smiled warmly, pulling you into a tight hug. “Then that’s all that matters,” she murmured against your ear, her arms holding you close.

“I will be at the appointment,” You said pointedly as you pulled away. You sat on the stool right next to her. 

“What appointment?” Brandon your brother asked as he carried a half-dressed Willow into the kitchen. He shook his head. He didn’t have the time to question it. He reached over to your plate, scooping a mouthful of eggs.“Sorry, we’re running late for preschool. I have class in about forty minutes so we have to rush. Can one of you tell her to put her shoes on?” He begged knowing she would listen to you. 

“Hi, Mama,” Willow waved as Brandon set her down on her feet. She raced straight for Natasha and held her arms out expectantly. 

Natasha smiled warmly, scooping Willow up into her arms. “Hey, sweetie! Let’s get those shoes on, okay?”

You chuckled softly, watching the familiar scene unfold. “We’ve got it covered, Brandon. Go ahead, we’ll take care of the shoes and school.”

Brandon nodded gratefully, quickly grabbing his things before heading toward the door. “Thanks, guys! See you later, Willow. Love you!”

“Bye, Daddy!” Willow called out cheerfully, wiggling her toes as Natasha gently slipped on her shoes.

Natasha glanced over at you with a fond smile. “Looks like we’re on shoe duty,” she teased gently, her eyes sparkling with affection. 

You nodded, feeling a warm sense of contentment settle over you as you helped Willow get ready for her day. Moments like these reminded you of the family you were building together. Soon there would be two little people running around. It didn’t sound so bad. 

***********

"I know you've been worried," You murmured, your voice barely above a whisper. "About whether I'm still... in this."

Natasha tightened her hold on you, rubbing her fingers across your bare skin. "I... I just want this so much for us," she admitted quietly. 

"Natasha, I am in this," You reassured, your words steady and earnest. "I want a baby too. You’ve never had to convince me. Not truly. Having a family with you is a dream. Whatever that looks like for us. We will get there.” 

Natasha rested her chin on your shoulder, her breath warm against your neck. "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "It's just... sometimes I worry that I'm not doing enough, that I can't give you everything you deserve."

"You give me everything," You said firmly, your eyes locking with Natasha's. "I don’t want you to doubt yourself or worry.” 

Natasha pressed a kiss to your forehead. She felt more at ease about this entire thing. 

*************

Coming to the doctor’s office isn’t always the breath of fresh air you wish it to be. You dislike hospitals and by extension this clinic. The examination room is cool and sterile, the hum of medical equipment a constant background noise. You lay on the padded table, your hand clasped tightly in Natasha's. You tried to think on the bright side of all this. You would be pregnant. There would be a happy baby with your skin and Natasha’s smile. Your treasure at the end of the rainbow. 

Dr. Patel entered the room, her demeanor calm and professional. "Y/n, Natasha, good to see you both," she greeted warmly. "Are you ready to get started?"

You nodded, your grip on Natasha's hand tightening slightly. "Yes, we're ready."

Natasha gave you an encouraging smile. "We're in this together," she whispered, kissing your knuckles. All you needed was her comfort right now. 

Dr. Patel moved to the end of the table, preparing the necessary instruments. "This will be a quick procedure," she explained. "I’ll walk you through each step as we go."

You took a deep breath, focusing on Natasha's reassuring presence by her side. "We've got this," you murmured, more to yourself than anyone else.

Natasha leaned in closer, her thumb gently stroking your hand. "We do," she affirmed softly.

You took another deep breath as the nurse positioned the ultrasound equipment on your abdomen. The cool gel and gentle pressure of the transducer were a familiar sensation, grounding you in the moment. This was the easy part. 

After a bunch of medical stuff you’d rather not remember you could hear the murmur of the staff talking with each other. 

"The embryos are ready," the embryologist announced, handing the catheter containing the precious cargo to Dr. Patel.

She began the procedure, her movements precise and efficient. "I'm going to insert the catheter now," she explained. "You might feel a little pressure, but it shouldn’t be painful."

You nodded, your eyes never leaving Natasha's. As the procedure progressed, the room seemed to shrink around you, the outside world fading away. It was just the two of you, your hopes and dreams intertwined in this pivotal moment.

Natasha leaned closer, her voice a soothing whisper. "We’re almost there, love. Just breathe."

You nodded, her grip tightening as Dr. Patel carefully inserted the catheter through your cervix and into your uterus. The room was silent, save for the soft hum of the ultrasound machine, as everyone focused on the delicate task.

After a few minutes, Dr. Patel finished the insemination and stepped back. "All done," she said with a reassuring smile. "Now we wait. I’ll schedule a follow-up appointment in two weeks to check on everything."

You exhaled a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. "The second time’s the charm right?” You felt Natasha’s gentle kiss against your forehead. 

*********

Two lines. Two. The test was positive. Pregnant. Natasha’s baby was inside you. You were pregnant. The thought left you breathless and giddy. Here you were at home on a Monday afternoon, the only time you'd get alone in the house, staring at two pregnancy tests. You’d waited three weeks. It was hard to satiate Natasha's curiosity, but you wanted to be sure this time. And now, here you were, with two sticks confirming your dreams. You slid down onto the bathroom floor, overwhelmed. You could hardly believe it. There was a baby inside you.

There are so many people you want to call right now but you’d rather keep it to yourself. You want Natasha to be the first person to know. 

“Oh God!” You gasped, holding the sticks in your hands. You’re going to be a mom. You’re going to have a baby. There’s life growing inside of you.

A whirlwind of emotions surged through you—excitement, joy, and a touch of anxiety. The reality of it all was immense. Would you be a good mother? Could you balance your career and this new life you were bringing into the world? The questions swirled in your mind, but the overwhelming feeling was one of pure, unadulterated happiness.

You thought about Natasha's reaction. Her eyes lit up, her hands gently touching your stomach, the way she would pull you into a tight embrace, whispering promises of a beautiful future together. The thought made your heart swell with love and anticipation.

You stood up slowly, still clutching the pregnancy tests, and looked at your reflection in the mirror. A wide smile spread across your face, despite the tears that began to blur your vision. This was real. This was happening. You were going to be a mom. You and the love of your life are going to have a baby. 

*********

So you may have gone overboard with preparation. You only had a few hours until Natasha was home, but you wanted to make this special. You’d traveled to Target and then a few other stores to find the perfect little trinkets for a pregnancy announcement. 

Back home, you laid out your finds on the kitchen table: a tiny pair of Avengers-themed baby booties, the two pregnancy tests you’d taken earlier, and a baby onesie that read "Future Avenger in Training." You smiled, knowing how much Natasha would love the references. 

You set to work, arranging everything in a cute gift box. You carefully wrapped the baby booties in tissue paper and placed them at the bottom. On top, you added the pregnancy tests. Finally, you laid the onesie on top, its message visible as soon as the box was opened.

As you worked, a wave of excitement washed over you, momentarily pushing aside your earlier anxiety. This was your moment, and you wanted it to be perfect. You added a note to the box, written in your neatest handwriting:

"To my amazing wife, the strongest Avenger, and soon-to-be mom. I can't wait to embark on this incredible journey with you. Love, y/n."

With the box prepared, you set it in the living room, positioning it where Natasha would see it as soon as she walked in. You took a step back, admiring your handiwork. It was simple yet heartfelt, and you knew Natasha would appreciate the thought and effort you put into it.

Now, all that was left to do was wait. You glanced at the clock, feeling the minutes tick by slowly. Your heart raced with anticipation as you imagined Natasha's reaction. Would she cry? Laugh? Probably both, knowing her.

Finally, you heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. Natasha was home. You took a deep breath, steadying yourself as you prepared to share the most wonderful news. You could hear the subtle footsteps from Natasha as she shuffled through the foyer, dropping her keys in the bowl, before she made her way through the house. She didn’t even know you were home so she takes a little more time than usual. Finally, you became impatient. 

“Hey, babe,” You called out to her. “Can you come here?”

You heard the light shuffling of footsteps as Natasha made her way to the living room. She paused in the doorway, taking in the scene before her. The small gift box sat on the coffee table, your handwriting visible on the note.

"Y/N, what is this?" She asked, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of amusement. “I didn’t know you’d be home so soon. I would have picked up food or something.”

“I’m not hungry,” You couldn't contain your grin as you motioned for her to open the box. "Just a little something I put together," you said coyly. "I think you'll like it."

Natasha picked up the box, her gaze darting between you and the gift. She read the note first, glancing at you with tears in her eyes before she opened the box. Her gasp was telling and her reaction was instant. She moved to hug you, pulling you tightly against her, and kissing your head. 

"Oh, y/n," she choked out, her emotions getting the best of her. "I can't believe it. We're going to be moms. Are you happy?"

You clung to her, your tears threatening to spill. "I know," you said, your voice thick with emotion. "I'm so happy, Tasha."

She pulled back slightly, her eyes shining with tears and pure joy. She cupped your cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb.

“We’re going to have a baby,” Natasha said. “Your belly’s going to get so big.” 

"I know," you giggled, imagining the future. "But it'll be worth it. To see you and our baby...it'll all be worth it."

She laughed, her face radiating pure joy. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” She hugged you to her, lifting you off your feet and spinning in a circle. "I love you, I love you so much," She said.

"I love you too," You couldn't hold back the happy tears. "We're going to have a baby, Tasha."

"I can't believe it," She said, kissing you again. "I can't wait to tell everyone."

You couldn't stop smiling. This was truly the beginning of the rest of your lives.

********

After a lot of prompting, you and Natasha decided to keep everything a secret until the second trimester. Which was a feat within itself. There was so much you wanted to say. Your family was huge and so was Natasha’s. The entire Avengers team always knew all of your business but this time was different. You hadn’t even told Brandon yet as you wanted to keep this just between the two of you. 

You and Natasha had your little secret. A baby. Well, not a baby yet. 

“Our baby’s the size of a blueberry right now,” Natasha mentioned to you as you brushed your teeth. After a bout of morning sickness, you needed to feel clean. Your first appointment was today. Hopefully, you’d get to hear the baby’s heartbeat. “Maybe that’s what we should call him. Blueberry.” 

You smiled around your toothbrush, spitting the paste out into the sink. You rinsed and turned to look at Natasha. "That's actually a really cute name," you said. "It's unique and special. How are you so sure our baby is a boy?"

She shrugged, leaning against the doorway. "Just a feeling," she replied, a soft smile gracing her lips. "A mother's intuition."

"Well, you'll be the most badass boy mama there ever was," You leaned up to kiss her. 

“How do you like the name James?” She asked. 

“You’re already thinking of names too? You’re light years ahead of me,” You laughed. Natasha smiled, wrapping her arms around your waist and pulling you close. "James Romanoff-L/N," you said, testing the name out. "I love it."

"Me too," She agreed, kissing the side of your head. 

"What if Blueberry is a girl though? Would be pretty hard to walk around with that name."

Natasha chuckled. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she replied. "But whatever we choose, I know they'll be perfect."

An hour later you’re lying in a familiar position, the transducer against your belly as you listen to OB/GYN talk. 

“You’re seven weeks today right?” Dr. Wendell estimated "According to your chart and baby's size."

Natasha looks at you, nodding her head. This is it. Your first sonogram.

She squeezes your hand, her eyes never leaving the screen. "This is so surreal," she whispered, her gaze transfixed on the black-and-white image.

You grinned, the excitement palpable. "I know," you murmured, your eyes locked on the grainy image.

You and Natasha both watched as the doctor maneuvered the transducer across your stomach, searching for the best angle. "There we go," she said after a moment, her finger tracing the tiny speck on the screen. "Your baby."

You gasped, the realization hitting you. "Our baby," you breathed, your heart swelling with love and joy. "Wow."

Natasha pressed a gentle kiss to the back of your hand, her eyes glistening with tears. "I can't believe we're really doing this," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

This picture was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen. 

“In about 4 weeks you will be able to see the sex of the baby,” Dr. Wendell informed you. “You guys can come back then. For now, everything looks healthy.” 

"This is really happening," Natasha whispered, her eyes filled with wonder and joy. "We're going to be moms."

You leaned into her side, basking in the warmth of her presence. This was the happiest you’d ever been. 

********

Of course, with pregnancy comes pregnancy symptoms. Morning sickness, sensitive breasts, and fatigue. The fatigue had to be the worst part. You could fall asleep anywhere these days: at your desk, as soon as you got home, even in the shower. It’s a miracle you’d been able to keep up with everything. Which is why you said yes to tonight. Tony and the rest of the team were having a family dinner, and you wanted to be there. You wanted everything to be normal for you.

As you prepared for the evening, you felt a wave of exhaustion wash over you. You glanced at the clock, wishing for a quick nap but knowing you didn’t have time. Instead, you splashed cold water on your face, hoping it would give you the boost you needed to get through the night.

Natasha found you in the bathroom, her concerned eyes meeting yours in the mirror. “You okay?” she asked, wrapping her arms around you from behind.

“Just tired,” you admitted, leaning into her embrace. “But I really want to go tonight. I miss everyone.”

Natasha kissed your temple gently. “You sure? We can stay home and rest if you need to.”

You shook your head, turning to face her. “No, I want to go. I need a bit of normalcy. Besides, I miss seeing you with the team. It’ll be fun.”

Natasha studied your face for a moment before nodding. “Alright, but promise me you’ll let me know if you need to leave early. Your health comes first.”

“I promise,” you said, smiling up at her. 

“You’re starting to show,” She smirked. 

“Am I? It just looks like I ate a big breakfast,” You grinned as she rested her hand on your belly. 

"You're beautiful," she murmured, her hand resting protectively over your growing bump.

The dinner party was just the kind of escape you needed. Seeing all your friends, laughing, eating, and dancing made you happy . Keeping baby Romanoff a secret for a little while longer would be a feat but you could do it. 

The drive to Tony’s was filled with your usual banter, but you couldn’t ignore the growing fatigue. By the time you arrived, you were already craving your bed. Still, you put on a brave face, determined to enjoy the evening.

The warmth and laughter that greeted you as you walked into the compound made the effort worthwhile. It felt good to be surrounded by friends who were more like family.

As the night progressed, you found yourself slipping into conversations, laughing at Tony’s jokes, and watching Natasha interact with the team. She was in her element, and seeing her so happy filled your heart with joy.

But the fatigue was relentless. You found a quiet corner to sit down, hoping to rest for a moment without anyone noticing. Natasha, ever-attentive, quickly picked up on your exhaustion and made her way over to you.

“Hey, you holding up okay?” she asked, concern etched in her features.

“Yeah, just needed a breather,” You admitted, rubbing your tired eyes.

Natasha nodded and took your hand. “How about we sneak away early? I’m sure Tony will understand.”

You hesitated for a moment, glancing around at your friends. “No, I’m fine. I’m just going to go into the kitchen and drink some water. I want another hour.” 

“If you’re sure,” Natasha looked at you suspiciously. 

“I’m positive,” You nodded. 

Natasha helped you up and watched as you quietly walked into the kitchen. In the kitchen, you grabbed a glass and filled your cup with ice. The water was refreshing and freezing cold. Just as you liked it. The hot flashes were no joke either. 

“I believe congratulations are in order,” Wanda’s voice startled you as she entered the kitchen. 

“Wanda? How did you know?”

“I’m a witch remember?” She smiled. ��Don’t worry. I won’t tell the others.” 

You chuckled, feeling relief at her promise. “Thanks, Wanda. It’s still early, and I want to keep it between Natasha and me for a bit longer.”

Wanda nodded understandingly. “Of course. How are you feeling?”

You took a deep breath, leaning against the counter. “Excited, anxious, exhausted… all of it. The symptoms are hitting me hard, but I’m managing.”

Wanda’s eyes softened with empathy. “If you need any support, magical or otherwise, you know you can count on me.”

“Thank you, Wanda. That means a lot,” you said sincerely.

She gave you a reassuring smile. “You’re going to be a great mom, y/n. And Natasha will be an amazing co-parent.”

Hearing those words, you felt a wave of emotion wash over you. “I hope so. We’ve wanted this for so long.”

Wanda placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “You two are one of the strongest couples I know. You’ll handle whatever comes your way.”

You nodded, feeling bolstered by her words. “That means a lot, Wanda.”You smiled and took another sip of your water, the coldness helping to steady you. 

Together, you walked back into the living room. Natasha’s eyes met yours, her concern melting into a smile as she saw you were feeling better. You gave her a reassuring nod and rejoined the group, determined to make the most of the evening with your chosen family.

********

At night, as your pregnancy progressed, Natasha’s obsession with your baby became more apparent. You were barely showing and it was all she could think about. Whenever it was time for bed she’d spend a few minutes massaging your belly and grinning at you. "Blueberry is still a blueberry," You mentioned to her. "He's not going to turn into a watermelon overnight."

"I know, but I love feeling him," Natasha said, her voice full of awe. "And besides, blueberry is growing."

"Just barely," You joked. "I'm not even ten weeks yet."

Natasha chuckled, placing a soft kiss against your stomach. "Well, he's still the cutest little blueberry I've ever seen," she said.

"He is, isn't he?"

"How are you feeling?" Natasha said as she came up to look into your eyes. When her hand touches your breast accidentally she quickly apologizes. You've become way too sensitive and any form of touch, accidental or not practically sends you into shock.

"Sensitive," You answer truthfully. "I think the baby is making them grow."

"I've noticed," She smirks. "No morning sickness?"

"There's always that but it's manageable," You shrug.

She kisses your cheek, hugging you to her. "Good," she whispers, her hands coming down to rest on your stomach again. "I want the both of you healthy."

"I'm trying my best," You reassure her.

"I know," She said. "But you're still my responsibility."

"Oh, is that what we're calling it?"

"Yes, I'm the boss," She kissed you softly.

"Well, boss, can you cut the lights out, I'd like to sleep now," You closed your eyes.

"As you wish,"  She turns off the lights before spooning you. She holds you close, one arm wrapped securely around your waist, her hand resting on your stomach. "Sleep well, my loves."

*********

Nine weeks, two days, and five hours. That’s how long you got to spend with blueberry safely housed inside of you. You’d woken up that morning like any other day. It’s a PTO day. You, Natasha, and Willow were supposed to spend it in the park. When you opened your eyes, you felt an unsettling feeling in the base of your belly. A slight ache you’d never experienced before. Dr. Wendell and Dr. Patel mentioned there would be some cramping but this felt different. The moment you felt a slight wetness between your thighs you knew. 

You slipped from the bed, hoping not to wake Natasha, as you rushed into your ensuite bathroom. 

In one swift motion, you'd thrown the toilet lid up and pushed your panties down.

It was too late.

You'd caught sight of the bright red stain on the once pristine white cotton and immediately burst into tears.

This was all the confirmation you needed. It was over. Blueberry was gone.

Spotting is normal too. You’d read countless online articles that confirmed this very thing. This isn't spotting. You reach blindly for toilet paper, tearing off a decent amount, before you wipe. It won't stop. There's so much. So much.

You're shaking as you kick your underwear to the side, the stain obvious now. You can't help but cry as you stumble over to the bathtub. You know you should get Natasha. You should yell out to her and she would come running. Instead, you lock the door. You turn on the shower and position yourself against the bottom of the tub. The dull ache is now stronger. There's nothing anyone can do for you.

You don't remember how long you sat under the warm spray of the water. The tears wouldn’t stop. They keep flowing like a never-ending stream. You couldn’t breathe.

Outside of the bathroom, Natasha awakened to find your side of the bed empty. She hummed contently as she stretched before she reached out to pull you closer. Only you aren't there.

"Y/n?" Natasha called out, her eyes searching the room. When you didn’t respond, she frowned. "Y/n? Babe, where are you?"

Natasha pulled herself out of bed, her brow furrowed as she searched the room. The bathroom door was closed, and she could hear the faint sound of running water.

"Y/n?" Natasha tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

Natasha frowned, concern etched on her face. "Y/n, open the door," she called out, her voice slightly muffled by the door.

There was no answer.

Natasha jiggled the handle again, more forcefully this time. You never truly lock doors. Natasha doesn't want to break the door down. She needed you to open it.

"Babe, please, open the door," Natasha pleaded, her voice laced with worry. "You're scaring me."

"Go away," You yelled back weakly. "I'm fine. Just please go away." You don't want her to see you like this. You don't want her to know that you lost the baby. You don't want to disappoint her. You couldn't be the one who failed.

"I'm not going anywhere," Natasha replied, her tone firm. "Now, open the door."

"No!" You cried out, your voice was raw with emotion. "Please, just leave me alone."

"Y/n," Natasha's voice was soft, but you can hear the underlying concern. "Please, just let me in. Whatever it is, we can get through it together." Natasha doesn't wait a moment longer. She squared her shoulders and kicked the door down. The sound of wood splintering is the only sound you can hear as the door gives way.

"Oh, y/n," Natasha gasped as she took in the scene before her. The tub was half-full of water and the bottom was stained red. Her eyes flew to you half awake and lying tiredly against the cold tile. You're sitting in a pool of blood. Natasha immediately rushed over to you, her eyes filled with concern and worry. "Y/n, baby. I think we need to go to a hospital. " She swallowed thickly.

"No," You choke out, shaking your head. "No, I hate hospitals."

"There's too much blood, y/n," Natasha attempted to convince you.

"I'll be fine," You said, your voice trembling slightly. "Just need to stay in the shower a little longer."

Natasha shook her head. "We don't have any longer. You can't stay like this. Baby, I can't let you stay like this." She turned off the water, calling out for Brandon as she began to scoop you up. You crumple in her arms, whimpering at the pain you feel from the movement. "I'm sorry baby. I know it hurts. I'm going to take you to a hospital."

"Nat," You mumbled.

"What is it, baby? What can I do?" She asked, her eyes searching yours.

"Don't let go."

"Never."

"What's going on?" Brandon tiredly stepped into your ensuite. He didn’t need to ask as he spotted the blood. "Holy fuck, what do you need me to do? I'll drive you."

"No, you have Willow," Natasha murmured. She was unsure what to do but she knew she needed to act fast. "I am going to drive her. Just call ahead and let them know we're coming."

Brandon nodded, already heading out the door. "Will do."

"I've got you," Natasha whispered as she carried you through the apartment. She held you tightly, her arms wrapped protectively around you.

"I'm sorry," You whimpered into her neck tiredly. You were in so much pain. The cramps were excruciating.

"It's not your fault, baby. None of this is your fault," Natasha reassured you, her voice filled with emotion.

"I'm sorry," You whispered again. It was all you could say.

"Shh, don't apologize," Natasha soothed. "You did nothing wrong."

Natasha managed to get you into her car without causing too much distress. Your clothes were soaked through with blood, but you didn't care. She just needed to get help. 

***********

These kinds of things happen they say. There’s not always an answer. It’s crazy how just a few weeks ago you’d gotten a heartbeat. You’d been able to see your baby’s tiny little body on a screen and now nothing. You feel empty. Stepping back into your home, to no baby, no future. 

It's like everything has changed. It's as if the color has faded and the world has lost its luster. Everything feels hollow. There's a deep emptiness inside of you.

"Let's get you to bed," Natasha murmured, her arms tight around you as she guided you to the bedroom. After spending three days in the hospital coming home felt weird. She'd asked Brandon to hire cleaners to come and tidy everything. She'd paid them a hefty amount to make sure no trace or memory of what happened that day was here.

You were quiet as Natasha helped you into bed, her hands gentle as she pulled the covers over you. You lay there, staring blankly at the wall, the ache in your chest only growing with each passing moment.

"Do you need anything?" She asked. Her voice was soft and soothing, but you couldn't bring yourself to respond.

You didn't deserve this. This is a punishment. A test. For what you can't say but that's the only explanation.

You hadn't spoken since before she brought you to the hospital. You couldn't bring yourself to speak. Natasha had been by your side the whole time, never leaving you alone. She'd held your hand, rubbed your back, and even sang softly to you. But nothing she did seemed to reach you. She felt hopeless.

She took one last look at you before she stood.

"I want the ultrasound picture," You requested quietly.

"Of course, love?" She searched your nightstand for it. It pained her to look at it too.

"And the little booties,"

Natasha handed you the photo and booties, watching as you cradled them close to your chest. She could see the tears welling in your eyes.

"Can I hold you?" She asked. You hadn't been open to her touch and comfort so it was a bit of a long shot.

You nodded, holding your arms out for her. She crawled into bed, curling up beside you. You leaned into her, resting your head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around you, pulling you closer.

"I'm sorry, Nat," You began. "I'm sorry I lost our baby."

"Don't apologize, love," Natasha whispered. "This isn't your fault. These things just happen. There was nothing you could have done. I know how much you wanted this. How much we both wanted this." You could try again. That part was left unsaid. Only because she knows you and knew it wouldn't be comforting in the slightest.

"This is the second time," You furrowed your brows. "This was our second try. I did everything right. Right? I took all of my vitamins. I only exercised lightly." You were starting to ramble.

"You were perfect," Natasha reassured you. "You are perfect. This doesn't mean that it will never happen. There's still a chance."

"What if it doesn't happen?" You whispered. You swallowed thickly. "I don't think I want to try again. Please don't make me go through that again."

Natasha stroked your hair, pressing a soft kiss against the top of your head. "Whatever you want, love. I'll support you."

"I'm not sure how to feel," You confessed. "I know I didn't act like it at times. I wanted this baby. I wanted him. He was mine. He was ours. We were so close to our dream."

"We were," Natasha agreed.

"Why is this so hard?" You cried, burying your face into her chest.

"I don't know, love," Natasha soothed, rubbing circles on your back.

"I wanted to welcome him into this world," You sobbed. "We won't get to do that. He won't get to experience anything. His heart was beating and then it stopped. Why? Why did it stop?"

"Shh," Natasha soothed. If she didn't calm you down soon you were going to become hysterical.

"He was a baby. A precious innocent little baby. We made a baby. We were pregnant," You cried, clinging to her. "Why does everything have to be so fucking hard? It's not fair."

"I know, baby. I know," Natasha whispered, stroking your hair. "It's okay. Let it out. Just let it out."

You couldn't stop crying. You sobbed and sobbed.

How could you ever be okay after this? A baby with Natasha was all you wanted. A family with your wife. His heartbeat was the most beautiful music you'd ever heard. And it's gone.

Your cries soon turn into soft whimpers and your whimpers turn into sniffles. The room is silent. Natasha continues to hold you, her arms tight around you.

our little family - a continuation

[glorious-spoon]

17 and/or 28?

hello nonnie! i went with 28: surprising them with their favorite treat. love is stored in the kitchen, etc.

-

"No, no, I'm not doing it for you," Abuela says, swatting his arm lightly with her dishtowel in that way that makes Eddie feel like he's taken a step backward through time, back to the sunny little kitchen in the house she sold three years ago to move back to Texas, back to being eight years old again and hanging around while she baked, even though he was supposed to be too old for all that by then. She's frailer now, but her eyes are just as sharp as she folds Eddie's fingers back around the egg he's trying to hand to her. "You're never going to learn if I do it for you."

"We're going to run out of eggs before I get it right at this point," he complains. They've gone through three already, the yolks broken and bleeding into the whites and therefore useless.

"You can use them to make a frittata. Or an omelet. Something. They won't go to waste."

He squints at her. "Was that a metaphor?"

"Come on, come on. Josephina is picking me up in an hour, if you want this cake to happen it's got to happen now."

"I could just buy one," Eddie says halfheartedly, like this whole enterprise wasn't his idea in the first place. God knows why. He's managed to drag himself a good few steps above boxed mac and cheese in the cooking department, but baking remains an intimidating mystery. It's not like he couldn't just buy one. It's Los Angeles. Plenty of places local to find tres leches cake, even if it won't be his abuela's recipe.

She probably would have made him one herself if he asked. Almost definitely would have. But once he got the idea in his head it felt—important, like Buck's laborious perfecting of the lasagna he's planning to make for them tomorrow, like Bobby's home-cooked meals at the station. Something about doing it himself.

Something about home-cooked meals, and about love, that it's definitely too early to say to Buck, at least in so many words. But he kind of wants to say it all the same.

He cracks the egg—gently, this time. The glistening yellow yolk remains intact, cradled in one half of the shell as the white slides away into the bowl beneath. Eddie holds his breath, holding his hand still until the separation is complete, feeling more than a little bit like he's defusing a bomb here. Then he finally drops the yolk into its own separate bowl with a feeling of absurd triumph.

Abuela squeezes him with a startling amount of strength for a woman who's more than a few years past eighty, but her voice is very gentle. "Perfect, Eddito. Now we just need four more like that."

Eddie breathes out a shaky laugh and reaches for another egg.

-

By six o'clock, Pepa is on her way over and the cake is cooling in the refrigerator, waiting for the leches mixture—the counter wiped clean, Abuela installed in a dining room chair sipping a cafecito from one of the little red cups that she bequeathed to Eddie when she moved away. They talk about inconsequential things: Christopher, his dad's retirement, his parents' tentative plans for a cruise, which makes Eddie wince and bite his tongue. Christopher again. Buck's name comes up, because of course it does, it always has. For years he's been so entwined with their lives that there's no way to talk about Eddie and Christopher for any length of time without mentioning Buck.

It feels more revealing now. Or maybe that's just that now Eddie knows there's something to reveal.

He's not trying to hide it. It's new, but he's never felt so sure about something in his life. He just doesn't know quite how to go about saying it; any of the words he can come up with feel too clumsy, too inadequate.

It's not until Pepa's car pulls in the driveway that she leans over to pat his hand where it's resting on the table. "He's going to love it. Tu novio, he'll be so happy you baked that just for him."

"That's assuming I don't mess anything else up," Eddie says, and then registers the rest of that sentence. Your boyfriend. His heart stutters for a moment, but settles fast. She's still smiling at him.

"You won't," she says.

He breathes out; laughs a little, breathless. "How did you know?"

"I'm old and wise," she says puckishly. Then, gentler, "You talk about him like you're in love."

Outside, the car door opens and shuts. Pepa starts up the walk. Eddie takes another breath, and nods. He feels a little flayed open, but it's a good feeling, to be seen like this. A little raw, but good. "I am. I—really am."

Abuela slides out of her chair and holds out her arms; Eddie folds into them like he's not a head taller than her these days. They're still standing like that, swaying a little, when Pepa comes in.

-

Buck is over the next night for dinner, a frequent if irregular occurrence whenever they both have the same evening off. They don't actually cook together, because Buck is kind of a control freak in the kitchen, but Eddie sets the table with Chris's sullen adolescent assistance, and puts on some music, and he remembers as he does it those evenings when he'd see his grandparents dancing together in the kitchen after dinner, the easy sway of their bodies. He's half-tempted to try and pull Buck into a dance, but right now Buck is frazzled and wearing an apron splattered with béchamel as he swears under his breath at the lasagna, so Eddie can wait.

It all comes out perfectly, because of course it does, and Eddie kisses him after he sets it down on the table, ignoring Chris's disgruntled noise. Buck smiles against his lips and kisses him back.

"Smells amazing," Eddie offers.

"It only took me five tries to get it right."

"Well, I appreciate you not burning my kitchen down."

"You're not funny," Buck pouts, but he leans in for another kiss.

"I'm starving," Chris says pointedly, and they break apart, laughing.

"You forget how to serve yourself, mijo?"

"No," Chris says, but he's smirking a little as he dishes himself a generous helping of lasagna and passes the spatula over to Eddie.

It's not that different, all told, from any of the other meals they've had together over the years. That's something that keeps tripping Eddie up: how little has actually changed. Other than the part where he's allowed to touch Buck as much as he wants now; other than the fact that he lets himself notice how much he wants.

For Chris's sake, he's discreet about it, but he curls his hand over Buck's knee under the table once they're all served. Buck ducks his head and smiles, a pretty flush dusting his cheeks, and Eddie leaves his hand there for the rest of the meal.

They clean up together, and Buck insists on helping even when Eddie tries to shoo him out of the kitchen, though he honestly doesn't try that hard. Chris escapes into the dining room when Buck pulls Eddie into a shuffling, impromptu dance to some Taylor Swift song on the radio—he must have stealthily changed the station when Eddie wasn't paying attention—but he ducks his head back in a few minutes later to ask if they're going to eat the cake.

"There's cake?" Buck asks, bemused.

"Tres leches," Eddie admits, and now he's blushing. "Abuela's recipe."

"You got Isabel to make me tres leches?" Buck asks, looking delighted.

"Okay, okay, it's not just for you—"

"Dad made it," interjects Chris, the traitor. "Can we please eat it now?"

Now Buck's expression has gone all soft, so sparkling and warm that Eddie can barely look directly at it. "You made me a cake?"

"You cooked dinner," Eddie counters, crossing over to open the fridge and pull the covered pan out. The whipped cream isn't in those graceful swirls that his abuela always did, but he's pretty sure it'll taste okay. It all looks okay, anyway. "Don't worry, I had supervision. It's probably edible."

"It looks amazing," Buck says, but he's not looking at the cake; he's looking at Eddie. Eddie tries to duck his head, and Buck catches his chin before he can manage it, and kisses him. It lingers sweetly for a moment, and then he grins and pulls away. "You made me a cake."

"Yeah, yeah," Eddie says, and thinks, I love you, I love you.

He doesn't say it out loud, not yet. But by the way Buck is beaming at him, Eddie thinks maybe he got it all the same.

[mattspoetdepartment]

Pumpkins adoption day

This is a collaboration with the incredible and insanely talented @harlowcomehome 🩷🩷🩷 thank you so much for working with me and just everything 🩷🩷

Jack had been having a tough time lately, adjusting to life back home after the whirlwind of his life the last three years.

“Baby” you kissed his shoulder blades as he softly snored beside you.

You knew he had only just fallen asleep after yet another sleepless night. Christmas was around the corner, and he had been overworking himself to get this album done, intending for a late January or early February release.

You went into the guest bathroom and got ready hoping to leave the house before he woke up for the day.

Your phone vibrating as you had finally gotten the call you’d been hoping for.

Jack had been casually mentioning how much he wanted a dog for the past couple of months, often reminiscing about his childhood pet. You had been going to an animal shelter looking for a specific breed, hoping that you’d get lucky.

You remembered how often Jack would tell you how much he loved his family dog and how he wanted the have one of his own someday. Considering how much he had been going through you thought getting him a dog now would somehow make him feel better, or ease the load.

After you had been consistently showing up at the shelter for a while, one of the girls who worked there reached out to you asking what you were looking for and putting you on a list to be called if a dog in that breed ever came in.

You were starting to give up hope until you had gotten the call this morning. Once you had finished getting ready you went into the bedroom to check if Jack was still asleep. When you saw him sleeping you kissed his head gently before quietly leaving, eager to go to the shelter first thing.

You drove down to the shelter, worried they’d place her with someone else if you didn’t hurry.

When you arrived she was up front with the staff, being passed around from arm to arm.

“Where do I sign?” You asked, holding the puppy close to you worried someone would take her away.

The employees smiled at you, printing out the necessary paperwork.

“Would you like to pick out a collar? We usually give out free ones with any adoption!”

You nodded looking through their options before picking out a silky purple one with a bow on it. You slipped it on her admiring how adorable she looked.

“Such a beautiful girl!” You cooed at her, kissing her on the curly head.

After you signed the paperwork she was officially adopted and all yours. You had carefully placed her on a pile of blankets in your passenger seat and wrapped her up in one for security.

You went to the nearest pet store to buy her all the things she needed, knowing full well you were going overboard the second you walked in.

“Your daddy is gonna love you so much,” you said, reaching your hand out to pet her head. You softly giggled noticing her and Jack had matching hairstyles.

Once you had gotten to the pet store you put her in the cart like she was a child.

You were definitely taking this mothering thing to a whole new level with her already.

“Okay, little missy what kind of bed do you want? Looks like we have a sad beige color” You looked at her and smiled when she didn’t find your antics amusing.

“Yeah, I don’t blame you girl, oh what about this pink one!” You held the bed out to her and her tail wagged so you took that as a yes.

“Pink it is! Let’s go find you some toys” Once you had picked out quite a few toys she liked you of course picked up a pink leash to go with her bed.

You also got treats, puppy food, food bowls, and puppy pads thinking you were likely all set.

When you left the store you could hardly contain your excitement.

You made it home safely leaving the bags in the car as you wrapped her in a blanket and walked inside with her.

Jack was in the kitchen making himself something to eat when he heard the door shut.

“I’m making omelets!” He shouted over the music he was currently playing.

“Babe, can you turn that down? You’re scaring her” you stifled a giggle.

“Scaring who?” He turned the music off as he questioned you. Emerging from the kitchen with a spatula in his hands.

He immediately stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes hyper-fixated on the small puppy in your arms.

“Babe” his voice cracked. “Babe, you didn’t.”

“I did” You walked toward him, trading him the puppy for the spatula he was holding.

She started licking his hands immediately, he held her up in the air above him.

“Hi pretty baby” he spoke to her in a soft baby voice that you’d never heard before.

“Is she ours?”

“Yes,” you smiled, going to the kitchen to tend to his food before it burned. You quickly plated it and turned the stove off returning to the living room where Jack was now sitting on the floor with her.

“We have to get you a bed and some food. Yes, we do” Jack spoke to her in the same tone as he booped her nose.

“I actually got all of that, it’s in the car” you smiled before sitting down beside the two of them.

Jack's eyes were glossy and filled with emotion.

“You didn’t have to do this” he whispered as he watched his new fur baby hop around your shared apartment.

“I wanted to” You leaned your head on his shoulder as he kissed the top of your head.

You both had only looked away for a moment before you realized the puppy was out of sight.

“Pumpkin?” Jack panicked the name rolling off his tongue without thinking.

Pumpkin was chewing on a pair of fresh new balance laces in the corner of the room.

“Pumpkin huh?” You giggled as you followed Jack over to her.

“Is that okay? Do you like it? We can change it” he continued rambling only making you giggle once more.

“It’s perfect. Pumpkin is perfect.”

[cera-writes]

Domestic Nightcrawler headcanons

Domestic Nightcrawler Headcanons

Kurt would be surprisingly content with a quiet domestic life. After years of adventuring and facing chaos, he finds solace in routine and normalcy. He enjoys curling up with a good book by a crackling fireplace (his teleporting abilities making it very easy to acquire firewood).

I feel like he'd love spending evenings baking bread or any kind of sweets for that matter. The rhythmic kneading of dough is oddly therapeutic for him, and the delicious scent that fills the house brings him a childlike happiness. Plus, I think he'd love baking cookies and cakes for his s/o.

Breakfast is his specialty. He loves whipping up elaborate omelets with teleported ingredients, teleporting coffee from a cozy Parisian cafe, and even teleporting a single, perfect red rose for his partner.

Movie nights are a must. He loves cuddling on the couch, his tail wrapped protectively around his partner. Kurt is a sucker for films, so he'd have a collection in the house and you'd never run out of movies to watch.

He's definitely a house husband. He'd use his teleporting abilities to make everyday chores a breeze. Need to take out the trash? Bam! It's gone. Need groceries? He can teleport a shopping list directly to the store and bring back the bags in a flash - though he would likely still enjoy strolling through the farmer's market and picking out fresh produce, just cause I feel like he'd want to support local business.

Folding laundry is a chore I think he actually finds oddly calming (?) He likes the act of smoothing out wrinkles and organizing clothes. Plus, with a teleport here and there, he can put laundry away much faster than anyone else. He always looks for ways to help you out any way he can around the house.

When it comes to kids, Kurt would be the most supportive dad ever. He'd instill a strong sense of empathy and kindness in his children. He'd use his experiences with prejudice to teach them to accept others for who they are, regardless of appearance.

Discipline might be a tad unconventional. Grounding wouldn't work – a teleport to their room wouldn't hold much weight. Instead, he'd rely on open communication and creative problem-solving, always trying to understand the root of the issue.

Despite his faith, Kurt can still be plagued by nightmares of his past. He might wake up in a cold sweat, disoriented and needing comfort. His partner would be there for him, holding him close and whispering reassurances until he calms down.

He wouldn't want to burden his partner with his past, but his inability to hide his emotions would make it clear when he's troubled. His partner would appreciate his honesty and offer unwavering support.

Sex - Consent is paramount to Kurt. He'd never pressure his partner and would always prioritize their comfort and enjoyment. Open communication is key, and he'd be happy to discuss boundaries and preferences.

He's a master at creating a sensual atmosphere. Imagine him teleporting flickering candles around the room, or teleporting rose petals all over the bed just for you.

He'd run your bath water for you, letting you relax while he gets the bedroom ready.

Foreplay for Kurt would involve a lot of pampering. He'd treat you like a god or goddess, making sure your needs were met before his.

Kurt cherishes every moment with his partner. Knowing they might get caught up in superhero duties, he might teleport them both to a timeless pocket dimension for a stolen romantic getaway, returning them refreshed and ready to face whatever challenges await.

[lunardragon00]

Don't Wanna Break Up Again (Seonghwa x Reader)

Eternal Sunshine Masterlist

BF!Seonghwa x Reader

Authors Note: Hey guys, sorry this is coming out a bit late. I wanted to post it earlier last week but then I had a new idea for the story, so I had to rewrite everything. I hope you enjoy!!

I don't wanna fuck with your head It's breakin' my heart To keep breakin' yours again

Seonghwa and Y/N's love story began like a scene from a romantic movie, set against the backdrop of a bustling college campus. They met at a mutual friend's party, their eyes locking across the crowded room as if drawn together by fate. Y/N was immediately captivated by Seonghwa's warm smile and gentle demeanor, while Seonghwa found himself drawn to Y/N's infectious laughter and kind heart.

Their connection was instant, sparks flying as they talked late into the night, sharing dreams, aspirations, and secrets they had never dared to confide in anyone else. From that moment on, they were inseparable, spending every spare moment together exploring the city, trying new foods, and discovering shared passions.

As their love blossomed, so did their dreams for the future. After graduating from college, they took the leap and moved into a cozy apartment together, transforming it into a sanctuary of love and laughter. Y/N pursued her passion for baking, working tirelessly at a small bakery shop while dreaming of one day opening her own store. Seonghwa, with his unwavering support and encouragement, embarked on a promising career at a prestigious company, his ambition matched only by his dedication to Y/N.

For five blissful years, they navigated life's ups and downs hand in hand, weathering every storm that came their way with unwavering love and devotion. Their apartment became more than just a place to live; it was their sanctuary, a haven where they could escape the chaos of the outside world and revel in the joy of each other's company.

But as time went on, cracks began to form in their seemingly perfect relationship. Seonghwa's demanding job at the office grew increasingly demanding, consuming more and more of his time and energy. Long nights turned into early mornings, and Y/N found herself waking up alone in their bed more often than not, the warmth of Seonghwa's presence replaced by the cold emptiness of their apartment.

Despite her best efforts to be understanding and supportive, Y/N couldn't shake the growing sense of loneliness that gnawed at her heart. She missed Seonghwa, missed the sound of his laughter, the touch of his hand, the comfort of his embrace. 

Which is where she's found herself once again, woken up by the sun shining through the curtains and the spot on the bed next to her untouched and cold. Seeing his side of the room is already neat, she can tell he'd left for work a long time ago. Checking her phone, she sees his message. 

- Hi baby, sorry I had to leave early, they called me in last minute. There's a omelet in the fridge if you're hungry. - 

Y/N's footsteps echoed softly in the quiet apartment as she made her way to the bathroom, the cold tiles beneath her feet a stark reminder of the emptiness that filled her heart. She couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as she read Seonghwa's message, his absence once again a painful reminder of the growing distance between them.

With a heavy sigh, Y/N pushed aside her feelings of resentment and loneliness, determined to face the day ahead with a brave face. As she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, she couldn't help but notice the tired lines that marred her reflection.

With practiced ease, Y/N went through the motions of her morning routine, the familiar tasks providing a small sense of comfort amidst the chaos of her thoughts. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and pulled her hair into a messy bun, each action a silent prayer for strength and resilience.

As she made her way to the kitchen, the scent of Seonghwa's cooking lingered in the air, a bittersweet reminder of happier times when they would share lazy Sunday mornings together, lost in each other's company. With a heavy heart, Y/N opened the fridge and retrieved the omelet Seonghwa had left for her. She sat alone at the kitchen table, the silence of the apartment pressing in around her, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that consumed her. She missed Seonghwa, missed the warmth of his presence, the sound of his laughter, the touch of his hand against hers.

But most of all, she missed the love they once shared, the connection that had once bound them together like two souls intertwined in an unbreakable bond. And as tears welled up in her eyes, Y/N couldn't help but wonder if their love was strong enough to weather the storm that threatened to tear them apart. Sure, they had their hardships, but they were stronger then this. Ever since Seonghwa got that promotion at work, he's been busy nonstop. 

She feels guilty, she was so proud of him when he told her the news, she even went out and bought a cake so they could celebrate when he got home later that night. At first, things were as they always were, completely normal. But within the past 3 months, it's like she no longer has a boyfriend. 

She knew Seonghwa's dedication to his work was one of the qualities she admired most about him, but lately, it felt as though their relationship had been pushed to the sidelines in favor of his career ambitions. As she took a hesitant bite of the omelet, the taste of loneliness lingered on her tongue, the once-familiar flavors now tainted by the bitter taste of disappointment. She couldn't help but replay the countless missed dinners, canceled plans, and late nights spent waiting for Seonghwa to come home.

But despite the growing resentment that gnawed at her heart, Y/N couldn't bring herself to blame Seonghwa entirely. She knew he was under immense pressure at work, juggling deadlines, meetings, and endless responsibilities with an unwavering determination that both inspired and frustrated her.

She wanted to believe that they were stronger than this, that their love was unbreakable, but the doubts lingered like shadows in the corners of her mind, threatening to engulf her in darkness.

With a heavy heart, Y/N wiped away her tears and pushed away the omelet, no longer having an appetite. She rose from the table and made her way to the living room, the silence of the apartment pressing in around her like a suffocating blanket. She sank onto the couch, her thoughts consumed by the unanswered questions that lingered between her and Seonghwa, their relationship hanging precariously in the balance.

But amidst the darkness that threatened to consume her, a flicker of determination sparked within Y/N's heart. She refused to let their love be swallowed by the shadows, refused to give up on the bond they shared, no matter how daunting the obstacles that lay ahead.

With renewed resolve, Y/N reached for her phone and dialed Seonghwa's number, her fingers trembling with nervous anticipation. After a few rings, he picked up. 

"Hi my love, everything ok?" Seonghwa's voice was soft, Y/N could hear groups of people talking in the background. 

"Hey, everything's fine. You left early this morning." Y/N fiddled with a loose string on her hoodie, or, more like Seonghwa's hoodie. 

"I know, I know I'm sorry. It's just - yeah hang on a second - It's just we have that big presentation I told you about coming up, there's a lot of last minute things we need to do." Y/N furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Presentation? What presentation?" She asked. Suddenly, she heard a man's voice shout to Seonghwa, saying to just call that person back later, that the project was more important. 

"Look baby I'm sorry, but I have to go. The guys are yelling at me." Y/N's heart sunk.

"Wait, I just have one question. Do you remember what day it is?" Her heart was racing, she prayed and hoped that maybe, just maybe, he'll prove her wrong. 

"It's Sunday, seriously Y/N I've got to go, ok? I love you, I'll call you back later." Before she could respond he hung up the phone. Y/N's heart sank as Seonghwa's hurried words echoed in her ears, the weight of disappointment settling heavily in her chest. She had hoped that their conversation would provide some clarity, some reassurance that their love was still strong despite the distance that threatened to tear them apart.

But as she stared down at the phone in her hand, the realization dawned on her like a punch to the gut. With trembling hands, Y/N set the phone down on the coffee table, her mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt and betrayal at Seonghwa's dismissal of her question, his priorities clearly lying elsewhere as he brushed her off with casual indifference.

He forgot, he's been so caught up with work he forgot. She wanted to call in back, she wanted to scream that no, it wasn't just any regular Sunday, it was their Sunday. Five years, five years they have been together and not once had they missed an anniversary. Today would mark when he took her on their first date. She knows that for some people, it's not a big milestone a couple would celebrate years down the road, but for them it was. 

Y/N remembers that day like the back of her hand. It had been a month after they initially met. Both of them didn't really have money back then to splurge at a restaurant, so they went to a convenience store and bought ramen that they made back at her dorm. It was the start of their journey together, what got them to where they are now. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the realization that their once cherished traditions had been forgotten.

She took a deep breathe and tried to slow down her thoughts. Ok, things had been busy, yes. She knows he's been pulling all nighters for the past few weeks, he's under a lot of stress right now. So, it should be expected his mind is not on top of things right now....right? 

Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, Y/N set about preparing a special surprise for Seonghwa, a reminder of the love they had shared and the memories they had created together over the years. She rummaged through their closet, searching for the perfect outfit, and went out to buy a bouquet of flowers for the dining table. Later in the afternoon, she messaged him asking what time he was planning on coming home. Once he responded, saying he's planning to leave at 5, she compiled a list of ingredients and shopped for groceries to cook for the night. 

And as she waited for Seonghwa to return home, her heart filled with hope and anticipation, Y/N couldn't help but cling to the belief that their love was strong enough to weather any storm, that no matter how far apart they may feel, they would always find their way back to each other in the end. For their love was not just a fleeting moment in time, but a bond that transcended the trials and tribulations of everyday life, a love that would endure for eternity.

"Hey, why don't you go home and get some rest. You look exhausted." Seonghwa peeked up from the pile of paper's he was sorting through. Checking his watch, the time read 10:32pm. Shit, he thought, he hadn't been paying attention to the time. 

"Are you sure? There's still a lot that needs to get done." He asks, looking up at his coworker. The person nods, offering him a kind smile. 

"Yeah, the other guys should be coming back in a minute. Go ahead and head out, I'm sure your girlfriend's waiting on you." Hearing that, Seonghwa gathered all his belongings and waved goodbye to his colleagues. As he walked home, his phone started ringing. Seeing it was his friend, Hongjoong, he answered. 

"Hey bro," He said, adjusting his bag dangling on his side. 

"Hey man, how's your day been?" Seonghwa scoffed.

"A complete shit show, I swear, some of these people are so incompetent. We had to go through every single file to make sure there were no typos or wrong information in them." He heard Hongjoong hum in acknowledgement. 

"Damn, that's rough. Well, at least you got to spend the rest of the day with Y/N, I'm sure that made it better huh? Oh, where is she by the way, I had a baking question for her." Seonghwa's heart sank as Hongjoong's words pierced through the facade of his exhaustion.

"Uh, actually, I'm not sure where she is right now," Seonghwa admitted sheepishly, his footsteps faltering slightly as he navigated the familiar streets on his way home. "I've been so caught up with work that I haven't really had a chance to talk to her today."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the distant sounds of traffic and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Seonghwa could practically hear the gears turning in Hongjoong's mind as he processed the significance of his words, the weight of his unintentional neglect hanging heavy in the air between them.

"Oh," Hongjoong finally said, his voice tinged with concern. "I thought you guys were be out at dinner or something."

"Why would we got out? You know she doesn't really like going out in public." Seonghwa was confused on where Hongjoong's assumption came from. Y/N was never really the one to go out and eat unless it was for a special occassion. Typically, her and Seonghwa - mostly Seonghwa while Y/N stays near him and rambles on about a show - cooked at home. 

Another moment of silence, before Hongjoong sighs. "Dude, do you even know what day it is?" Now he was even more confused. 

"It's Sunda- why do people keep asking me that today? Did everyone forget to check their calendar?" Seonghwa chuckles, but it was completely one sided as Hongjoong continued to make no sound. 

"Shit dude, you forgot." Seonghwa stopped in his tracks. He forgot? Forgot what? Questions circled around his head, until he decided to open up his own calendar. His heart sank, heavy with the weight of his own forgetfulness, as Hongjoong's words echoed in his ears like a harsh rebuke. How could he have been so blind, so oblivious to the significance of the day that held such special meaning for both him and Y/N?

"I..." Seonghwa faltered, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find the words to convey the depth of his regret. He could practically feel the disappointment radiating through the phone, a tangible reminder of his own shortcomings as a boyfriend. "I'm such an idiot," Seonghwa finally admitted, his voice filled with remorse. "I completely forgot about our anniversary, didn't I?"

There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the sound of Seonghwa's ragged breathing as he awaited Hongjoong's response. He could practically feel the weight of his friend's disappointment pressing down on him like a physical burden, a reminder of the gravity of his mistake.

"Yeah, man," Hongjoong finally said, his voice tinged with sympathy. "You really screwed up this time."

Seonghwa winced at the blunt truth of Hongjoong's words, the sting of his own negligence burning hot in his chest. He knew that he had let Y/N down, that he had failed to show her the love and appreciation she deserved on their special day. And now, as the reality of his mistake settled in like a bitter pill, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret for letting her down.

"I have to go." And with that, Seonghwa hung up the phone and tried calling his girlfriend as he rushes home. On his third try calling, he simply gave up and started sprinting. 

Seonghwa unlocked the apartment door, slowly creeping in and noticing all the lights were turned off. Once he flipped the living room light switch, he almost dropped to his knees. On the table, a vase of roses stood tall, decorative plate sheets placed where the two usually ate. A small card sat on the table, the envelope yellow with his name written across on the front with little hearts surrounding it. Placing his bag on the chair, he looked towards the living room. 

On the couch, two pillows were placed intentionally and the blanket they usually shared was spread across. And on the coffee table placed in front, two face masks and two glasses of wine sat on coasters, a bowl of his favorite chips set in the middle. Seonghwa stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as he took in the scene before him.

His eyes lingered on the card sitting on the table, and with trembling hands, Seonghwa reached out and picked up the card. His fingers brushing against the smooth surface as he turned it over to read the message inside. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Y/N's handwriting scrawled across the page, the words written with love and sincerity that brought tears to his eyes.

"Seonghwa," the card read, each letter a testament to the depth of her affection. "I know things have been tough lately, and I just wanted to remind you how much you mean to me. Today marks five years since we shared our first date, and I wanted to celebrate the love and joy you bring into my life every single day. I know you've been busy with work, but I want you to know that I'm here for you, always. I love you more than words can say, and I can't wait to spend many more years by your side. Happy anniversary, my love."

Tears welled up in Seonghwa's eyes as he read the heartfelt words, his heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and regret. How could he have been so blind, so oblivious to the love and devotion that Y/N had shown him despite his own neglect? He felt a lump form in his throat as he realized just how much he had taken her for granted, how little he had done to show her the love and appreciation she deserved.

He made his way towards the bedroom quietly, unsure if she was still awake. He reached for the doornob, but when he went to turn it, it stuck. Seonghwa, confused and exhausted, tried twisting it again but was bet with resistance. Figuring the door had been stuck again, like it had once done in the past, he surrenders and heads to the guest bathroom so he could at least wash. his face. Flipping on the light, he sees a stack of clothes and a sticky note on the mirror. 

"Couch is set, don't bother." Was all it said. Upon inspecting the clothes, he realizes they're his pajamas. A pair of clean boxers was folded along with them and his toothbrush and facial care products were on the sink too. 

He couldn't blame her for wanting space, for needing time to process the depth of his neglect and the pain it had caused her. With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to the reality of the situation, knowing that he had no one to blame but himself for the rift that had formed between them. With slow, deliberate movements, Seonghwa began to undress, the weight of his guilt hanging heavy in the air as he changed into his pajamas. Each article of clothing felt like a tangible reminder of his own shortcomings, a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between him and the woman he loved.

As he washed his face and went through his nightly skincare routine, Seonghwa couldn't help but replay the events of the day in his mind, each moment a painful reminder of his own neglect and the consequences it had wrought. He knew that he had a long road ahead of him to make things right with Y/N, to rebuild the trust and connection that had been shattered by his own neglect.

But amidst the darkness of his own guilt, a flicker of determination ignited within Seonghwa's heart, a resolve to do whatever it took to earn back Y/N's love and forgiveness. He knew that it wouldn't be easy, that there would be obstacles and challenges along the way, but he was willing to fight for their relationship with every fiber of his being.

And as he settled onto the couch, the weight of Y/N's absence pressing down on him like a physical weight, Seonghwa knew that he had a long journey ahead of him to make things right. But he was determined to do whatever it took to show Y/N just how much she meant to him, to prove to her that he was worthy of her love and forgiveness. For he knew that their love was worth fighting for, even in the darkest of times.

Y/N didn't get much sleep that night, her face felt stiff from the amount of tears that streamed down her face when she realized he wasn't coming home on time. She kept her gaze on the empty side of the bed, emotions void and heart breaking bit by bit. Y/N buried her face in the pillow, her sobs muffled against the soft fabric as she allowed herself to succumb to the tidal wave of grief that threatened to engulf her. She felt as though her heart had been shattered into a million pieces, each fragment a painful reminder of the love she had lost. As she wept into the sheets, a knock sounded at the door. 

"Y/N...." Y/N's heart lurched at the sound of Seonghwa's voice, the familiar warmth of his tone cutting through the darkness of her despair like a ray of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. She lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes red and swollen from hours of crying, as she struggled to comprehend the reality of his presence.

"Seonghwa..." Y/N whispered, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper as she fought to regain control of her emotions. She felt a jumble of conflicting emotions swirling within her, a mixture of relief and anger, love and betrayal, all vying for dominance within her fractured heart.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Y/N pushed herself up from the bed, walking towards the bedroom door to unlock it. Upon opening it, her eyes locked with Seonghwa's, who stood in the doorway, his expression a mixture of guilt and remorse. She could see the weight of his own emotions reflected in his eyes, the shadows of regret etched into the lines of his face.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. But then, with a tentative step forward, Seonghwa crossed the threshold into the room, his eyes never leaving Y/N's as he approached her with cautious uncertainty.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," Seonghwa murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached out a trembling hand to brush away the tears that stained her cheeks. "I never meant to hurt you like this."

Y/N's heart clenched at the sincerity in Seonghwa's words, the raw vulnerability of his confession piercing through the walls she had erected around her wounded heart. She could see the pain etched into every line of his face, the depth of his regret mirrored in the depths of his eyes. And in that moment, as their gazes locked and their hearts laid bare, Y/N knew that she couldn't turn her back on the love they shared, no matter how deep the wounds that had been inflicted upon it. 

"You forgot.....you never forget." She whispered, softly pushing his hand away from her and crossed her arms. 

"I know, I know." Seonghwa slowly pulled his hand back, returning it to his side. "Honey I.....I'm so sorry." Y/N's heart ached at Seonghwa's admission, the weight of his apology hanging heavy in the air between them. She could feel the turmoil churning within her, torn between the pain of his betrayal and the love that still lingered in her heart.

"Seonghwa, how could you forget?" Y/N's voice wavered with emotion, her eyes brimming with tears as she struggled to make sense of the hurt that consumed her. "Our anniversary, it's... it's not just any date. It's a reminder of the love we share, the memories we've built together. How could you forget something so important to us?"

Seonghwa's shoulders slumped under the weight of Y/N's words, his own guilt and regret written plainly on his face. "I don't have an excuse. I let work consume me, and I neglected the most important thing in my life. I'm sorry, I truly am."

Y/N felt a pang of anguish as she looked into Seonghwa's eyes, seeing the depth of his remorse mirrored back at her. Despite the hurt he had caused, she couldn't deny the love she still felt for him, the longing to rebuild what they had lost.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Y/N admitted, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "Seonghwa I....I don't know if I can do this anymore." Seonghwa's eyes widen in panic, quickly bringing his arms around her. 

"No no no, don't say that. Please, let me make it up to you. Please Y/N." Seonghwa's arms enveloped Y/N in a tight embrace, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the storm of emotions that raged within her. She could feel the warmth of his body against hers, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat echoing her own tumultuous thoughts.

"I don't want to lose you, Y/N," Seonghwa whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "You mean everything to me. Please, give me another chance to make things right. I'll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust, to prove to you how much you mean to me."

Y/N leaned into Seonghwa's embrace, his scent and the familiarity of his presence soothing her frayed nerves. Despite the pain and uncertainty that lingered in her heart, she couldn't deny the longing she felt to hold onto the love they shared, to believe in the possibility of a future together.

"I want to believe you, Seonghwa," Y/N murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. "But I need time... time to heal." Seonghwa nodded, his grip on Y/N tightening ever so slightly as he held her close. 

"I understand, Y/N. Take all the time you need. I'll be here, waiting for you, ready to do whatever it takes to make things right." And as they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Y/N knew that their journey back to each other would be long and arduous.

It had been a week now since the incident, a little bit had changed. Seonghwa was good about giving Y/N her space. He had been sleeping on the couch the past few nights to respect her wishes of wanting to be alone. Seonghwa wasn't going to lie, this had been one of the worst weeks of his life. Being so close to the women he loved but having to stay far from her had been a difficult task. Though, he reminds himself that it's what he had been doing the past few months, it's just now, he was conscious of it. 

Yesterday had been the last day of finalizing everything for the project he and the team had been working night and day on. As a rewards, he was given a few payed days off, and Seonghwa was going to use them wisely.  As he stretched his stiff muscles, a sense of determination filled him, knowing that today was the day he would begin to make things right with Y/N.

With quiet steps, Seonghwa grabbed his coat and keys, intent on making the most of his days off. He had a plan in mind, a way to show Y/N just how much she meant to him and how committed he was to repairing their relationship.

As he stepped out into the crisp morning air, Seonghwa couldn't help but feel a sense of hope stirring within him. Despite the challenges that lay ahead, he was determined to win back Y/N's trust and rebuild the love they had shared.

And as he set off on his journey, Seonghwa knew that with patience, perseverance, and unwavering devotion, anything was possible. For he was willing to do whatever it took to make things right with the woman he loved, to prove to her that their love was worth fighting for, even in the darkest of times.

By the time Y/N woke up and walked into the kitchen, everything was set up. She saw a vase of her favorite flowers sitting on the dining table. Along with them were fresh crepe's from her favorite breakfast spot and a cup of iced coffee. Seonghwa was seated at the table, legs bouncing in anticipation while he waited for her. 

"What's this?" She asked, voice still groggy since she'd woken up not too long ago. Seonghwa looked up from the table, a smile lighting up his face as he saw Y/N enter the room. He motioned for her to take a seat, the anticipation evident in his eyes as he waited for her reaction.

"It's breakfast," Seonghwa replied, his voice soft with sincerity. "I thought we could start the day off right, together."

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the spread before her, the aroma of fresh crepes and coffee filling the air. She couldn't help but feel a flutter of warmth in her chest at the thoughtfulness of Seonghwa's gesture, the love and effort he had put into making her feel special.

"Oh, Seonghwa," Y/N breathed, her voice filled with emotion as she moved to sit across from him at the table. "This is... this is so sweet."

Seonghwa's smile widened at Y/N's reaction, his heart swelling with happiness at the sight of her appreciating his efforts. He reached across the table to take her hand in his, his gaze locking with hers in silent understanding.

"I know I haven't been the best lately, Y/N," Seonghwa began, his voice filled with sincerity. "But I want you to know that I'm committed to making things right, to proving to you how much you mean to me. I love you more than words can say, and I'll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust and rebuild our relationship."

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat at Seonghwa's heartfelt words, her eyes brimming with tears at the depth of his sincerity. She squeezed his hand gently, a silent affirmation of her love and forgiveness. "I love you too, Seonghwa," Y/N whispered, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "Let's take it one step at a time, together." 

Seonghwa's heart swelled with gratitude and relief as he listened to Y/N's words, the weight of her forgiveness lifting the burden of guilt from his shoulders. He squeezed her hand gently, his gaze softening with love and appreciation as he leaned forward to press a tender kiss to her forehead. 

"Are you fucking kidding me Seonghwa, again. This happened AGAIN." Y/N stormed off into the bedroom, hands tangled in her hair as she tried to not lash out at him. Seonghwa remained in the apartment doorway, head hung low in regret. It had now been a month since their last dispute. Tonight, they were supposed to meet Y/N and his friends at an arcade and bar to celebrate someone's promotion. But, of course, Seonghwa was a no call no show. 

Seonghwa's heart sank as he watched Y/N storm off into the bedroom, her words ringing in his ears like a painful echo of his own failures. He knew he had messed up again, that his repeated absences and broken promises had pushed Y/N to her breaking point. He stood there in the doorway, his shoulders slumped with the weight of his own guilt and regret. How many times could he apologize, how many promises could he make before they became meaningless?

Slowly, Seonghwa made his way to the bedroom, steeling himself for the confrontation that awaited him. He found Y/N sitting on the edge of the bed, her back turned to him as she stared blankly at the wall.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," Seonghwa murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I know I messed up, again. I don't have any excuses, I just... I lost track of time, I lost sight of what's important. But please, believe me when I say that I never meant to hurt you. I love you, more than anything in this world, and I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

Y/N remained silent, her fists clenched at her sides as she struggled to contain her anger and frustration. She wanted to believe Seonghwa, wanted to believe that he was capable of change, but the wounds of his repeated betrayals ran deep.

"It's not just about tonight, Seonghwa," Y/N finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's about all the times you've let me down, all the broken promises and empty apologies. I don't know how much more of this I can take." Seonghwa's heart clenched at Y/N's words, the fear of losing her threatening to consume him. He knelt before her, his eyes pleading for another chance, for one more opportunity to prove himself worthy of her love.

"Please, Y/N," Seonghwa begged, his voice trembling with emotion. "Give me one more chance to make things right. I'll do whatever it takes, I'll change, I'll be better. Just please... don't give up on us."

Y/N's heart ached as she looked into Seonghwa's pleading eyes, torn between the love she still felt for him and the pain of his repeated betrayals. She could see the sincerity in his gaze, the desperation in his voice, and a part of her wanted to believe that he was capable of change.

But the wounds of his broken promises ran deep, and she couldn't shake the nagging doubt that lingered in the back of her mind. How many times could she forgive him, how many chances could she give before she lost herself entirely?

"I don't know, Seonghwa," Y/N whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I want to believe you, I really do. But I don't know if I can keep going through this cycle of hurt and disappointment." Seonghwa's heart sank at Y/N's words, the weight of her uncertainty crushing him like a tidal wave. He had hoped that this time would be different, that his words would be enough to convince her of his sincerity. But he knew that actions spoke louder than words, and he had seen how much this had hurt her the last time. 

Seonghwa knew what needed to happen, quite frankly both of them did. But he knew why it hadn't been brought up yet, why it had never been suggested. They loved each other too much, he knew that Y/N would never bring it up because she'll give him the benefit of the doubt no matter what. Now it was time to make a decision, and it's one that he knew he had to make himself. 

Slowly, he sat by Y/N. Seonghwa felt the weight of the silence pressing in around them, suffocating him with the weight of their unresolved emotions. He couldn't bear to see Y/N in such pain, couldn't bear the thought of losing her, but he knew that their relationship couldn't continue like this.

Taking a deep breath, Seonghwa reached out to gently take Y/N's hand in his, his touch a silent reassurance of his love and support. He knew what needed to be done, knew that it would be the hardest decision he would ever have to make, but he also knew that it was the right one for both of them.

"Y/N," Seonghwa began, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him. "I... I think we need to take a break."

Y/N's eyes widened in shock at Seonghwa's words, her heart clenching with a mixture of pain and disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest, to beg him not to leave her, but the words caught in her throat as she saw the resolve in Seonghwa's gaze.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, and it's not what I want either," Seonghwa continued, his voice thick with emotion. "But I think we both need some time apart to figure things out, to heal from all the hurt and disappointment. I love you, Y/N, more than anything in this world, but I can't keep hurting you like this."

Tears welled up in Y/N's eyes as she listened to Seonghwa's words, the pain of his decision piercing her heart like a dagger. She wanted to fight against it, to cling to him and beg him not to leave, but deep down she knew that he was right. Slowly, she nodded, her voice choked with emotion as she whispered, "ok."

And as they sat there, hand in hand, their hearts heavy with sorrow and uncertainty, Y/N couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the end of their love story, or if it was merely the beginning of a new chapter, one filled with hope and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Seonghwa squeezed Y/N's hand gently, his heart aching with the pain of their parting but also with the hope of a better future. He leaned forward to press a tender kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin for a moment before he reluctantly pulled away.

"I'll always love you, Y/N," Seonghwa murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "No matter what happens, please remember that."

Y/N nodded, her own tears cascading down her cheeks as she watched Seonghwa stand up and make his way towards the door. She wanted to reach out, to beg him to stay, but she knew that this was something they both needed to do.

As the door closed behind Seonghwa, Y/N was left alone with her thoughts, her heart heavy with sorrow but also with a glimmer of hope for the future. She didn't know what lay ahead for them, didn't know if they would ever find their way back to each other, but she was willing to take the chance, to believe in the possibility of a brighter tomorrow.

And as she curled up on the bed, surrounded by the echoes of their love and the memories of happier times, Y/N couldn't help but hold on to that hope, to cling to the belief that someday, somehow, they would find their way back to each other.

next story coming soon......

Thank you guys for enjoying the series, it means a lot to see so many people like the posts. If you want to join the taglist, please let me know.

Taglist: @scarfac3 @bts-army380 @ssrnghwa @philijack

[obamousse]

Osamu always cooks, but he also has Onigiri Miya to run, so Suna takes it as his responsibility to cook up a meal for the both of them for one night. For no particular reason, not that he's concerned for Osamu. He fumbles - only having few experiences microwaving konbini packaged food or decorating bentos for his little sister. But he succeeds. He makes a simple rice meal with "grilled" fish which he fried, salad bought from store, tamagoyaki he gives up half-way and passes it as an omelet, and miso soup. He is proud of his efforts, and even texts Osamu.

Osamu is pleasantly surprised to see his bae cooking for him. Turns out Suna is affectionate - him speaking in his silent love language is so adorable. He closes the restaurant and races home, butterflies in his stomach for no reason.

Suna forgets to turn on the rice cooker.

[pudgewizard]

Day 1: Farmers market

My feet crunched upon the autumn leaves that riddled the ground. The farmers market was at its peak at this time of year. People came here to sell their goods every year. I always came to the farmers market for the good food people had in store. As I stepped inside, I felt my belly rumble beneath my jacket. I patted it reassuringly and continued in.

The apples caught my eye first. Honey Crisp. One of my favorites. The name said it all; sweet like honey, and as crisp as they came. My mouth salivated at the thought of digging my teeth into one of them. So of course I grabbed a few.

As I browsed, some cheeses caught my eye. Particularly, pepper jack, brie and mozzarella. Cheese was one of my favorite foods. I imagined myself like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit; sitting on the moon, slicing a glob of cheese out of it, spreading it on a cracker and taking a satisfying bite out of it. It made me feel giddy just thinking about it. I grabbed the cheese.

I snagged some eggs too. Eggs were easy to cook. You could do anything with them. Scramble, hard boil, cook into an omelet!

*Grrrrrmble*

I felt my belly eagerly vibrate again.

I know, I chuckled to myself as I patted my tummy.

Feeling satisfied with my purchases, and very hungry, I paid and went home to indulge.

-

First, I ate the apple, and it was just as good as I imagined. My teeth crunched into the hard skin to be rewarded with sweet, tart juice. I sheared the apple to the core, licking my lips and licking my sticky, juicy fingers.

Next, I made myself a cheese board. I placed some Ritz crackers, my cheeses, and a little cheese knife on my plate. I started with the pepper jack, as it's one of my favorites. The savory, spicy taste paired with the salty cracker was a brilliant combination. The brie was so soft and creamy. It melted in my eager mouth. The mozzarella was a little less soft, but that certainly didn't deduct points at all, as it was just as flavorful as all the other cheeses.

While I was eating the cheeses, the eggs were cooling off after hard boiling. I always loved peeling the shell from hard boiled eggs. Whether or not they came off in one piece, it was always fun for me. It was like digging to get to treasure. Once I got to the squishy egg, I sprinkled some salt on top and bit right into it. Perfection. A perfect balance of white and yolk. Salty and savory. I couldn't help myself. Once done with the first egg, I went through the rest of the bunch.

*BUURRRAAAAAP!*

I covered my mouth in surprise. I did just eat…a lot.

*Brbrbrbrl*

My belly glorped and gurgled like a coffee pot. Full of food and gas. I patted my tummy and it sounded like a drum. I laid down and turned on my side, causing my belly to slosh and shift, causing a storm to erupt inside.

“Shhhh,” I whispered, rubbing my swollen gut. “Let’s rest. We had a long day.”

I love the farmers market.

[bengiyo]

Love Sea Ep 5 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Mut followed Tongrak to Bangkok, and had to suffer the Mook Worrywart Gauntlet. Tongrak has put up walls again, and Mook had Mut sign a contract with Rak about how their relationship will function. Rak is prepared to support Mut, and even pay for school, but Mut keeps insisting that he is worth whatever Rak wants to pay. Vie is having a great time with all of this, and went with Mook to buy clothes for Mut, who also reminded Rak that a contract can't control his heart.

I feel like Vie definitely gave Mook an order to give the guys some space.

I do like Mut using this ridiculous contract against Rak.

Chapter 5: Supporting a Guy is No Big Deal

I really like the clothes Vie got for Mut. She gets him.

Hold on, this omelet with crab curry sounds good.

Congratulations to Mook on finding a suitor who likes listening to her bemoan her responsibilities that she clearly takes seriously.

I love this woman who handed Mook a drink. She said, "Drink your juice, Shelby."

Grocery date my beloved. I also like grocery shopping after a decent meal. I find I buy more practical things. This is the kind of sponsorship and product placement I don't mind.

Mut is actually so attractive for insisting he will take care of Rak in a grocery store.

I love the idea of Mut and Vie becoming friends and teaming up.

Yes, Mook, please spell out the plot and themes for the audience. We can't let the Wedding Plan discourse run unchecked again.

Wow, we have two shows running where a big ole lesbian thinks they're being hit on by a straight girl.

Wow, is Prin a half sister from the dad's new marriage? She is so rude. Why come to this man's house to start shit?

"Can I walk to you?" My man.

My man Mut made all this real food and it's going to waste.

Y'all, if I am ever crying over an omelette and rice, please send help immediately.

I really love this changing room scene. From Mut dropping the bullshit and making Rak be real, to tucking that shirt back in.

So much of this show works because Peat is really good at expressing feelings with his face.

Okay, I really don't like Prin. We haven't had a woman show up being this rude in a long time. I'm glad Mook spent much of the episode away from Mut, since it revealed she just has an incessant need to be useful and also complain. I'm also relieved that Mut got Rak back on the romance track. I was frustrated last week.

[bwabys-scenarios]

Fixer Upper

Part 2

Perv!Kurapika x Fem!Reader

part 1

part 3

taglist: @fabitheraven @tsukilover11 @ashdownunderscorebeloved @lemonslut @homeinmydreams @superweeniehutjrsblog

if you’d like to be ADDED to the taglist, please comment a red heart ❤️, make sure you’re able to be tagged/mentioned, and have your age in your bio(IF YOU ARE ALREADY ON THE TAGLIST, YOU DON’T NEED TO ASK TO BE ADDED AGAIN!!)

warnings: mentions of Kurapika injuring reader in the past

(Name) threw the last article of clothing into the washing machine before starting it. It was around 7:30 am, and the boys were in the kitchen eating breakfast as she did some last minute cleaning.

“Killua, will you put this load of laundry on when it’s done? Kurapika and I are going into town to run some errands.”

Killua nodded, his mouth full of some sugary cereal he’d picked out.

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to pick you up some more chocolate robots.”

His eyes widened and he nodded frantically, seemingly excited.

“I should get ready. We leave in 30 minutes!”

She turned on her heels and ran upstairs, tripping halfway up before running up the rest.

Killua snickered. “She always trips on the 6th step. I think it’s slightly taller than the others.”

Kurapika hummed in response. He wasn’t paying much attention, focused on his breakfast. Today it was a fluffy omelet with a side of mixed fruit.

Now that he wasn’t shoving the food into his mouth so fast he could choke, he had to admit it was pretty good.

Once he was finished, he left to get dressed. (Name) had laid out his tabard and his old shirt. The torn sleeve of his shirt had been messily sown up, but it would do until he could get another one today.

As he pulled the shirt over his head, he noticed how good his clothing smelled. Usually he would just wash it with scentless detergent, but now it smelt floral.

‘Mmm… I wonder what detergent she used.’

He pulled the tabard on and looked at himself in the mirror.

For the most part he looked… okay. His hair had grown out to graze his shoulders, in need of a trim. Kurapika rubbed a strand of his hair between his fingers.

The day before his hair had been dry, yet oily at the same time, but now it was soft and smooth. Her shampoo worked miracles for him, but it didn’t fix his hair entirely. There were still split ends, but overall he felt a lot… better. Slightly more put together than he had been in a while.

After quickly combing his hair, Kurapika left his room.

(Name) was waiting by the front door, and he had to admit, she looked awfully cute.

Today she wore a floral tank top and jean shorts. On her back was a hello kitty themed backpack, several keychains hanging from it.

He recognized one of the keychains, his chest tightening slightly.

“You ready?”

He gave a curt nod, (Name) opening the door. “Alright, let’s go!”

——————

Kurapika climbed into the passenger seat of (Name)’s car. The front seat was clean and tidy, but one look in the backseat told him Killua had been there.

There were chocolate robot boxes strewn across the car floor along with random toys and gadgets.

“… does killua ride along with you often?”

(Name) laughed. “Yeah, he does. I take him wherever he needs to go, that includes to the airport when we pick up Gon or Alluka.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Gon stays with you as well?”

“Yeah, unlike Killua he has a loving home to return to, so he’s here less, but he visits for at least a week or two every other month. You should see the car when HE’S here.”

“I assume it’s worse?”

“You assumption is correct.”

The two laugh, (Name) cranking up the car and backing out of the driveway.

“What’s our plan for the day?” Kurapika asked, staring out the window as they drove through the neighborhood.

“First, we’re stopping at the nearest men’s clothing store and getting you some clothes.”

“Then?”

“Then we’ll stop and get you your own soap and toiletries.”

He nodded.

“We’ll grab some groceries, and should be home before lunch.”

Kurapika pulled his satchel into his lap and looked around. He still had his wallet, thank god. While running the other night, he’d dropped several of his personal items, including a pair of sunglasses, his portable soap, and his spare change of clothes.

“We’re pulling up!”

Kurapika glanced up to see they’d pulled into a small parking lot, (Name) parking before getting out and stretching.

“Ugh, I hate shopping so early in the morning, but I hate the crowds even more.”

“I second that.”

Kurapika joined her, making sure his weapon had been left in the car. He didn’t want to make a scene in case it were to fall from his satchel.

The two walked in, (Name) picking up a basket at the door.

“Hmm, Kurapika, what are you looking for exactly?”

“A few pairs of pants, shirts. Maybe a set of pajamas. I won’t be staying with you long.”

She nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him to where he needed to go.

Her hands were always so soft and warm, a sharp contrast to his cold and calloused ones. He looked down to where their hands connected, his eyes softening.

“Oh, here it is!”

She let go and pointed. “You should be able find everything you need over here. I’m going to go look at the kids section. Killua’s grown out of his favorite pair of shorts, so I’m going to get him a bigger size. He’s pretty particular about what he’ll wear. Not as bad as Gon, though.”

She giggled to herself. Kurapika nodded, making a fist with the hand she’d held in an attempt to keep her warmth from escaping.

“Alright. I’ll meet you back at the car in 15 minutes.”

(Name) left the store with a shopping bag full of clothes, Kurapika raising an eyebrow.

“Didn’t you say he only needed a new pair of shorts?”

She purses her lips. “Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized he’s grown out of his dress pants, and several shirts. Oh, and he’s always losing his socks.”

He smiled. ‘She’s like a mother. It’s… sweet.’

“I see. Well, if we want to get back before lunch we should get going.”

Her eyes widened before she unlocked the car. “Crap, you’re right! Let’s go!”

He almost laughed at how fast she slipped into her seat, following behind her.

—————

The next place they stopped at was a large grocery store. Kurapika and (Name) walked together to the hygiene care aisle.

“Mmm, are you okay with normal mint flavored tooth paste?”

“Yes. I’m not exactly picky.”

She nodded, placing a tube of toothpaste into the shopping cart, along with a red tooth brush and floss.

“Hmm.”

(Name) looked over the small selection of men’s hair and body wash. Between the 5in1 bottles to the soap that smelled too intense, (Name) was having trouble helping Kurapika pick.

“What do you usually use?”

“The scentless kind.”

She hummed in response. “Is there a specific scent you’re going for?”

“Not really, again I’m not picky.”

(Name) peeked at him, thinking of her next words carefully.

“So… you wouldn’t mind checking out the women’s selection then?”

He glanced at her. “I wouldn’t, but why do you ask?”

“Well…”

He knew exactly what she was thinking of.

While in York New together, the group of five had gone out to dinner. When the waiter stopped at their table, he hit on Kurapika, thinking he was a woman.

It was very awkward. Kurtapika didn’t hear the end of it the entire night, the other boys only stopping when (Name) put an end to it by saying they were jealous he was pretty enough to be hit on.

The memory of her words still made his heart flutter.

“No reason. The women’s section just has…”

She stared at the 5in1 bottle with a frown.

“Better options.”

He couldn’t argue with that.

The women’s section was something Kurapika had only ever looked at in passing, the man staring at all the options in shock.

“There’s more neutral scents down here. How about this one?”

She handed him a bottle, the man lifting the lid and taking a whiff.

It smelled tropical, like mango and coconuts. While smelling good, it wasn’t too intense.

“This is fine.”

She added it and a matching set of conditioner to the basket. “How about a body wash with a similar scent?”

He nodded, not paying much attention. Kurapika didn’t care too much about what she picked for him, knowing it would smell good and be good quality. She always worried about small details like that.

“Oh, wait.”

He blinked, staring down at her.

“I forgot, you had a bad reaction to this brand when we bought it in York New. Let’s try another one.”

Kurapika was surprised. He hadn’t even remembered that, how had she?

“Let’s do this brand instead. It’s a similar scent too!”

Kurapika grabbed the basket after she set the new set of hair wash in, the girl giving him a questioning look.

“… I’ll carry it for you.”

It was the least he could do.

She didn’t argue, only smiling up at him. “What a gentleman.”

His cheeks turned pink, the man quickly turning to walk toward the food section of the grocery store.

“Hehe, thank you sweetheart.”

That didn’t help his cheeks cool down at all.

(Name) walked along the aisles of food, tossing random items in.

“Mmm, we’re out of crackers… oh and Killua’s favorite cereal…”

She stopped suddenly, turning back to Kurapika with a grin. “If you see anything you like, just toss it in!”

The blonde nodded hesitantly, following behind her.

After a few minutes, he spotted the pretzels he would snack on the most often.

(Name) caught him looking, immediately grabbing the bag and dropping it into the cart.

“… thanks.”

She didn’t respond, but sent him a smile before throwing another item into the cart.

Kurapika began to notice that nothing she had gathered was for her. She’d say this or that was for Killua or Leorio, but not a single thing was just for her.

“Oh, I need to grab some more meat, used the last bit of chicken a few days ago.”

She was talking to herself, off in a different world as she left the snack aisle, leaving without something of her own.

“Ahh, finally.”

The two were back in her car, the girl groaning. “Grocery shopping is the worst.”

Kurapika buckled himself in, watching as she pulled out of the parking lot.

“We’ll get home just before lunch time. Anything you want?”

He shrugged. “I’m-“

“I get it, you’re not picky, but is there something you’d prefer?”

Kurapika thought for a moment. Was there a food he liked more than others? He knew there were, but nothing that she would be able to cook. They were all Kurtan recipes.

But one thing did come to mind.

“… sandwiches.”

She nodded. “Alright, we’ll have sandwiches for lunch!”

Kurapika stared out the window for the rest of the car ride. For the first time in a while, he was looking forward to lunch.

———————

They pulled into (Name)’s driveway about 15 minutes later. Before getting out, she sent a text to Killua.

“Why are you texting him?” Kurapika asked.

‘She’s about to to inside, can’t she just tell him whatever she needs to then?’

His question was answered when killua came sprinting out of the house, throwing open the door to the car and grabbing grocery bags quicker than a normal person would be able to process.

“Was… was that-“

“Killua? Yeah. He takes the groceries inside in exchange for chocolate robots.”

The two leave the car, Kurapika opening the front door for her.

“(Name)!”

Killua stopped mid bite of a freshly unwrapped chocolate robot to jump up and smile. “What’s for lunch?”

(Name) hummed as she walked into the kitchen, Kurapika following behind. “We’re having sandwiches today.”

“I want ham and cheese!”

“Coming up!”

Kurapika watched from behind the kitchen counter awkwardly.

“Are you going to help her put up groceries, or are you just going to stand there looking dumb?”

Kurapika turned to see Killua staring at him with an annoyed expression.

“I was going to.”

Kurapika brushed past the boy, picking up a random item and staring at it.

“(Name), where does this go?”

“Oh, in the cabinet on the left!”

Killua snickered from his seat, Kurapika shooting him a look before putting the item away.

This went on until they were finished, (Name) patting him on the back.

“Thanks for the help! Now I can get lunch done faster.”

He just nodded in response, lingering in the kitchen. Kurapika wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself when he wasn’t busy. Should he sit and watch TV? Help (Name) with lunch? Go rest in his room?

His decision was made for him when (Name) grabbed his hand.

“Kurapika, why don’t you go sit down and I’ll bring you some lunch? You’re still not fully recovered, some rest will do you some good.”

Kurapika let out a relieved sigh. “Alright.”

He sat down on the couch, trying to relax. Kurapika wanted to recover as soon as possible. The faster he recovered, the faster he could get back to finding the scarlet eyes.

Killua jumped slightly when his side vibrated, patting his pocket and then pulling out his phone.

He put in his password before answering.

“Gon? Hey.”

Kurapika perked up. It had been a while since he’d seen Gon. He’d felt guilty about not being there for him when he’d nearly died around a year ago, so he’d been avoiding him along with (Name).

“Yeah. I’m sure she won’t mind. Hey, (Name)?”

The woman in question hummed in response, placing a finished sandwich on a plate.

“Gon’s asking if he can come over this week and stay for a month while his family renovates their house.”

“That’s fine, make sure he tells Aunt Mito I appreciate that basket she sent me after…”

She trailed off. Killua seemed to know what she was talking about, glancing at Kurapika with a frown.

“I will. I’ll be right back.”

Killua walked out of the room, continuing to talk to Gon while he did.

This interaction troubled Kurapika. Were they keeping something from him?

‘I’ll ask a few questions, perhaps it’s just my imagination.’

“She sent you a basket? What kind?”

(Name) paused, a piece of ham falling onto the floor. Kurapika noticed this, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, just a gift basket. Nothing special.”

“Uh huh…”

He began to ask her another question, but Killua walked in beaming.

“He’s catching a flight tonight and will be here in the morning!”

(Name) composed herself, giving him a smile back. “Oh dear, I may have to do another grocery run if Gon is coming. I’ll call Leorio and see if he wants to meet up as well. It’s been a while since we’ve all been in one place!”

Kurapika froze, another memory flooding back.

“No… no (Name), you can’t. I won’t let you.”

The girl wrenched her wrist away from the rage filled blonde, wincing at the pain blooming beneath her skin.

“I can, and I will. Why won’t you let me help you? You had no issue with Gon and Killua-“

“That’s because they aren’t fucking weak like you!”

Kurapika would never forget the look on her face when he yelled at her for the first time. Leorio had to step in to make sure she was okay, saying Kurapika had fractured her wrist.

The man glanced at the girls arm, seeing no injury. It had been two years, of course she wasn’t still hurt, but the memory of the pain he’d caused her would haunt him forever.

He was torn from his thoughts when (Name) called for him. How she still managed to smile at him after he’d hurt her didn’t make sense to him.

Kurapika was still that same man, willing to do anything to fulfill his mission. He knew, if he had to, he could bring himself to hurt her again.

And that’s why he couldn’t stay for long. It was better if he was gone, where he couldn’t hurt anyone he loved.

The sandwich he’d been looking forward to sat in front of him, the crust cut off the ends.

She’d remembered he didn’t like the crust.

He took a bite, letting himself enjoy a meal with his friends by his side. Kurapika knew this wouldn’t last forever, but just for a moment (Name) was sitting next to him, and Killua was laughing away at something random on TV.

It was peaceful, not quiet, but… calm.

—————

“Killua, I know you’re excited, but you should go to bed. We have to get up early to pick up Gon.”

Killua was currently pacing the hallways. He was in his new pajamas, staring up at the clock as it ticked away. (Name) flicked the light on and yawned, leading the boy into the kitchen.

“Let’s warm you up some milk. Should help you sleep.”

The sound of a door opening caused her to jump, the girl turning to see Kurapika rubbing his eyes from the doorway to his room.

“Is something the matter?”

(Name) tried not to react. The man was shirtless, only wearing a pair of baggy sweatpants.

“No, Killua is just having trouble sleeping.”

The boy pouted. “I can stay up for three days at a time you know.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should.”

She ruffled his hair, the boy swatting at her hands, but Kurapika could tell he didn’t mind it at all by the way Killua was smiling.

“Sorry for waking you. Would you like some tea? I’ll be back down in a minute.”

Kurapika nodded, opening his door all the way and walking out into the living room. Killua raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you half naked? (Name) is right here.”

The man looked down then back up. “The clothing I bought today is still being dried.”

(Name) waved her hand dismissively. “I promise I don’t mind. Come on Killua, let’s get you to bed.”

She rushed off, dragging the boy behind her.

Kurapika watched in mild amusement, leaning against the counter.

He looked down at his torso again, frowning lightly.

Kurapika had lost weight again. When alone, he only ate just enough to fuel himself, rarely eating a full meal.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat, he was just way too busy to have the time to. He’d get cranky in the middle of the day just to remember he had yet to have eaten anything.

A sigh escaped his lips. He ran his fingers through his hair. Kurapika didn’t want to worry her, he’d seen the way her smile faltered when he said he hadn’t been eating right.

He stood up and began to rummage through her cabinets.

——————

“You’re too trusting of him.”

(Name) sighed, plopping down onto the rocking chair beside Killua’s bed. When he had trouble sleeping or the occasional nightmare, (Name) would stay by his side singing lullabies until he drifted off.

“He didn’t mean to hurt me, he just has trouble controlling his strength when he’s angry. He already apologized for that”

Killua scoffed. ‘Yeah, and for that only.’

“It could happen again. And if I did I would-“

“It won’t.”

She pushed back the hair on his forehead and planted a kiss. “He’s going through a lot, and I know that doesn’t excuse his actions, but let’s enjoy the time we have with him, alright?”

The boy sighed. “You’re too forgiving.”

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t let you live here,” she teased as she ruffled his hair. “I’m glad I don’t rent, with the amount of damage you’ve caused.”

He pouted, obviously embarrassed from the trouble he’d caused.

“Try to be nice, alright? He’s our guest.”

“As long as he’s nice to you.”

(Name) groaned. “No, Killua, you should be nice to him regardless. Even if-“

“Even if people are unkind, you shouldn’t let it influence your actions, blah blah blah. You’re being hypocritical. Didn’t you chew Illumi a new one during the final phase of the Hunter Exam?”

She pursed her lips. “That’s different. Adults stand up for children, not the other way around.”

She stood up, leaning down to tuck him in.

“Now, sleep. I’ll come check on you in an hour, come knock on my door if you need me.”

She stood up, making sure his nightlight was on before leaving the room. “Goodnight Killua, sleep tight.”

“Goodnight…”

She closed the door behind her.

(Name) began the decent downstairs, humming to herself. She could smell something, but couldn’t quite place the scent.

“(Name)? Perfect timing, the tea is almost ready.

(Name) peeled into the kitchen, seeing a tea kettle on the stove.

“Oh, thanks! You didn’t have to.”

He shook his head, placing two cups on the counter and inserting a tea bag into each.

“It’s… the least I could do.”

It was hard to look her in the eye now. He’d only been able to do it once during his stay, quickly shying away after.

He missed seeing the pretty (e/c) color of her eyes.

Kurapika set the cup of tea in front of her, (Name) inhaling the scent with a happy sigh. “Mmm, it smells amazing.”

She smiled up at him, those eyes staring right into his.

He looked away immediately, moving to sit right beside her to make eye contact harder to achieve.

“Have trouble sleeping?”

Kurapika took a moment to answer. “Yes. I get nightmares sometimes.”

He’d told her about that before, during the Hunter Exam. She placed her hand on top of his, pretending to not notice him flinch.

“We can watch a movie until you’re ready to sleep.”

He nodded. “Alright.”

He wanted to say no, to go back to his room and suffer in silence, but he couldn’t. He needed to be with another human being right now, to feel their warmth next to him.

It helped that it was (Name), one of the only people he could tolerate.

The two carried their cups to the couch, (Name) offering him a throw blanket before grabbing one of her own.

“Let’s see what’s on…”

(Name) turned on the TV, the last channel on being the news.

“It’s been reported that a member of The Phantom Troupe has been spotted downtown, causing havoc. Citizens are warned to stay indoors-“

(Name) changed the channel quickly.

“That’s unfortunate but-“

She was interrupted by the sound of his cup crashing onto the floor, the man standing up and rushing to the laundry room.

When he returned, she could see his eyes flowing a bright red.

“I’m leaving to check out that report.”

(Name) stood, grabbing his sleeve. “Kurapika, you shouldn’t, it’s late and you’re not fully recovered y-“

Kurapika whipped his head around, his enraged face enough to make her let go and shrink away. It he wasn’t so angry, he’d feel awful that he could cause such a reaction in her. Calming himself enough to talk without screaming, he gave her a small smile.

“… I’ll be careful. Don’t wait up for me.”

He left without another word.

——————

Killua woke up to (Name) shaking him.

“Come on, get ready. We’ve got to be at the airport in 30 minutes.”

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, pausing.

“I don’t sense Kurapika. Did he leave or something?”

Killua finally got a good look at (Name). Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were red with dark bags decorating them.

“He… it was reported that a member of the Phantom Troupe was causing trouble down town, so he left to see if it was true.”

Killua jumped up. “When did he leave?”

(Name) sighed. “At around 1 am, so 6 hours ago. He…”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “He hasn’t answered my calls.”

“Did you get any sleep?”

(Name) shook her head. “No, but I just had a cup of coffee so I should be fine. I’m taking a nap after we pick up Gon, so don’t worry.”

Killua nodded, pulling out his phone to text Gon. The two may need to go searching for the blonde later.

The two got dressed, (Name) downing another cup of coffee before getting in her car.

“We’ll pick up some breakfast after getting Gon.”

“Alright. He said he’s getting his luggage now.”

The two sat in silence, the only sound a random pop song playing on the radio.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the airport. As they waited outside for Gon, (Name) attempted to call Kurapika again.

Killua frowned when she pocketed her phone.

“He’s still not answering?”

She shook her head. “No. He’s… he’s probably busy.”

This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. Killua remembered the countless phone calls him and Leorio had made when Gon had been hospitalized.

If only Kurapika knew (Name) had been in critical condition too.

Killua hoped that if he had known, he would have come. That hope was the only reason he was able to allow Kurapika in (Name)’s home.

She’d begged them not to tell him, though she wouldn’t say why.

“Killua, (Name)!”

The two looked up to see Gon sprinting towards him, his luggage flying through the air behind him.

The boy jumped into the air, pulling them both into a hug so fast they all toppled over.

“Hey, careful! (Name) could of gotten hurt!” Killua scolded while squeezing Gon tight.

“I’m fine, Gon you’ve gotten taller!”

The three laughed, Gon pulling (Name) to her feet. “Aunt Mito says she’s going to put a brick on my head to keep me from getting taller than her.”

Killua stood as well, pausing when he stood in front of Gon.

“I have to agree with her. You’re taller than me now!”

It was true, Gon had grown to be an inch taller than his white haired friend.

“Aww he’s just having a growth spurt. You’ll have one too, maybe if you’d eat more of your vegetables-“

He smacked a hand over her mouth.

“(Name)! I eat plenty of vegetables.”

“Do chocolate robots count as vegetables?” Gon asked, giving him a sly grin.

“Shut up, both of you.”

—————

(Name) and the boys entered a small diner, Leorio waiting for them inside.

“(Name), Gon, Killua! It’s been forever!”

The man pulled them into another hug, Killua squirming free.

“It’s only been three months.”

“That’s way too long!”

(Name) laughed. “It’s going to be nice to finally have the whole gang back together!”

Killua and Leorio shared a look.

“I heard Kurapika was in town. Where’s he at now?”

Killua shot him a look, shaking his head.

“Ah. Did something happen?”

The three sat an a random booth, the boys sitting together on one side and the adults on the other.

“He… last night he saw the news reporting there was a member of the Phantom Troupe in town.”

Leorio groaned. “I saw that too, I was just hoping he wouldn’t. What, did he go to check it out?”

She nodded. “He left at around 1 am and hasn’t answered any of my calls.”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Kurapika is strong. We should try not to worry.”

Gon wasn’t wrong, but Leorio knew (Name) would worry anyways.

“Didn’t get much sleep last night?”

Leorio glanced from the dark circles under her eyes to her nails tapping against the table.

“Yeah. Was…”

“Waiting for him to get home?”

She nodded, picking up her menu. “I’m alright though. I’ll take a nap and be good as new.”

Gon noticed Killua frown. The boy nudged his friend.

“Is something up?”

“… no, just…”

He sighed. “Just worried about the current situation.”

Gon hummed, leaning his head against the table. “We can go look for him later if he doesn’t show up by lunch time.”

The waitress took their orders, leaving the group in silence.

“Hey, why don’t we have a get together to celebrate Kurapika being in town?”

Gon didn’t seem to get that the man was a sore subject right now.

“We can have a sleepover at (Name)’s! It’ll be just like the Hunter exam when we all slept together on the airship!”

(Name) grimaced. “Ugh, sleeping on the floor then made my back hurt so bad I thought I was going to die.”

“That’s because you’re a baby. We were fine.”

“Well I’m sorry I wasn’t raised to be an assassin that can sleep anywhere or a mountain boy that could sleep on a bed of nails and wake up refreshed.”

Killua snickered, Gon tilting his head. “I haven’t slept on a bed of nails, but I have slept on a bunch of rocks.”

“My point stands.”

The three laughed, Gon joining in their laughter after a moment.

“Alright, we’ll have a sleepover. How about tomorrow night?”

Leorio nodded. “That’s okay with me. I’m free the rest of the week.”

(Name) leaned against her seat, humming in thought. “I’ll have to go grocery shopping tomorrow morning, then. Everyone send me a list of what you want, including snacks and finger foods.”

———————

Leorio joined the group at (Name)’s, following behind her in his car.

The boys requested to ride with him, Leorio saying he needed to stop to get gas before coming home.

(Name) exited her car, carrying a takeout box she’d ordered for Kurapika. When she reached her door, she paused.

It was open.

And there was a trail of blood leading through the doorway.

(Name) stared at it for a split second, her eyes going wide.

She set the box down by the door and walked in, careful not to step in the blood.

She could sense someone was here, but their presence was faint. (Name) followed the trail, her heart thumping against her chest as she climbed up the stairs.

She already knew who would be at the end of the trail, all could she do was hope he would be alive.

(Name) stopped in front of the bathroom door, the sound of the shower turning off causing her to pause.

She could hear someone approach the door, then walk away again. (Name) waited a few minutes before the door finally opened.

“(Name), you’re home.”

Kurapika stood before her, his hair still wet from his shower. She stared up at him, tears falling from her eyes.

“You… all that blood…”

“None of it was mine, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

An instant relief washed over her, the grip she’d had on her shirt relaxing.

“I see. You’re okay, then?”

“Mostly. Just… tired.”

(Name) leaned her head against his chest, the man becoming stiff as a board. His hands stayed at his sides as his eyes bore into her.

He wanted to embrace her and apologize for making her worry. From just one look he could tell she hadn’t listened and had stayed up waiting for him.

“You wouldn’t answer me, I was so scared…”

She gripped the front of his shirt, tears soaking into the fabric.

“I… it was hard to answer with my hands covered in blood.”

(Name) sniffled before pulling back and rubbing the tears from her eyes. He’d done it, he’d made her cry again. Just how many tears would he make her cry over him?

“(Name) we’re- HOLY SHIT IS THAT BLOOD!?”

The sound of several sets of footsteps running inside made (Name) sigh. “It’s okay, I’m upstairs.”

Killua was the first one there, grabbing (Name)’s arms and looking over her. “You’re not hurt? Wait is that Kurapika?”

“Kurapika!!!”

Gon launched into the air and hugged the blonde, who laughed and patted his head. (Name) watched with a halfhearted smile. She wish he’d give her some affection too.

Kurapika explained the situation to the other three, the boys nodding along.

“So, was it really a member of the Phantom Troupe.”

“No, just a copycat.”

(Name) walked downstairs carrying the bathroom laundry hamper. His clothes had been completely soaked with blood, and would need to be hand washed before going in the washing machine.

Kurapika sighed, rubbing his temple. “I dealt with them as quickly as possible, but… I needed a moment to calm down.”

“(Name) didn’t sleep last night, you know. Could have at least called her.”

Kurapika frowned. “I left my phone at home.”

“That’s…”

(Name) looked at him with confusion. “That’s not what you said earlier…”

The four stared at him.

“Why didn’t you call us? Be honest.”

Leorio put a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed.

“I… I couldn’t. I didn’t want to admit I was tricked into thinking a Troupe member was actually here.”

(Name) sat down next to him and squeezed his hand. “It’s alright. Just don’t do it in the future, okay?”

Gon and Killua shared a look. Kurapika hasn’t been completely honest, and they could tell.

‘If she knew I didn’t call her because I couldn’t stand to hear her worry over me, she’d think I was an asshole. Who the fuck gets angry over their loved ones caring about them?’

Kurapika ate his takeout silently as the others chatted, only stopping when they mentioned something about a sleepover. He coughed on his food, (Name) patting his back.

“A what?”

“A sleepover! Since you’re in town, we wanted to celebrate! We’re going to have a sleepover like we did on the airship.”

“That wasn’t really a sleepover, also I got drooled on by (Name).”

She gasped and smacked Kurapika’s shoulder. “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!”

He tried to keep a neutral expression, but his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Did I? I don’t seem to remember that.”

She folded her arms to her chest and leaned against the couch with a huff.

The others laughed, even Kurapika joining in.

“Ugh. I’m going to take a nap, wake me up before 3 pm.”

She stood, leaving the four alone.

——————

The group of four sat in silence for a while, Kurapika staring down at his lap with tired eyes.

“You’ve been MIA for a while.”

Leorio was the one to break the silence.

“(Name) wasn’t sure why you hadn’t updated her. She had to call me to get any kind of update on your well being.” Leorio stated, running his hands through his hair.

“I… I’ve been busy. It’s dangerous for me to be contacting too many people.”

“Is that the excuse you’re using?”

“We’ve all been really worried…”

Killua and Gon sat together in front of the TV, having turned around to face Kurapika.

“I know. I’m… sorry.”

Killua looked him up and down. “You should be saying that to (Name). I haven’t forgot what you said to her.”

Kurapika froze.

He hadn’t forgotten either. Not for a single day since.

“… I can’t apologize for that. It would be dishonest.”

“You didn’t have any trouble lying to her earlier.”

The blondes eyes widened.

“What was the real reason you didn’t call her, huh?”

Kurapika shook his head. “It’s none of your business.”

“If it’s affecting (Name), I think it is.”

Killua and Kurapika had a stand off, the two glaring at each other. Gon stepped in between the two.

“Hey, let’s not fight! Maybe Kurapika has his own reasons for not sharing why he couldn’t call her. Let’s just get along, okay?”

Killua huffed and sat back down. “Whatever.”

Kurapika stood up. “Im going to nap as well. Talk to you all later.”

He left, closing his bedroom door behind him.

[thewritetofreespeech]

Could I request the GoM with an s/o who loves to cook for them everyday?

Bentos, little snacks, sometimes breakfast and dinner if possible.

GoM + Kagami - S/O who cooks for them

Akashi

He loves it.

He has some of the finest chefs in the world preparing his food on a daily basis, but he prefers your cooking.

It might not objectively be better, but it’s from you and from the heart.

Will actively throw his 5 star lunches away if you’ve made him something. Insists on having you prepare his meals for travel games as he doesn’t want anything else in his body.

Aomine

He sort of expects it at this point.

It probably started off with him stealing food from them during lunch. In a flirtatious, but also ‘I’m hungry gimme’ kind of way.

He really liked the way they cooked though, so he started just stealing more.

In the end, it was just easier to make him his own so they could at least having something for lunch of their own.

Kise

Loves it, and gushes over each one every time.

Cute s/o’s making cute bentos is the pinnacle of the aesthetic he’s trying to build for himself.

Takes a dozen pictures of each one and posts them on Instagram with the hastag #bae-nto.

He really does like their cooking their. Their omelet rolls are almost as good as his mom’s.

Kuroko

He doesn’t have a big appetite, but he’ll make an exception for s/o’s bentos.

They actually started making them for him because they were concerned about Kuroko’s nutrition. Despite living this long already, he apparently couldn’t live on convenience store bread and vanilla shakes forever.

It gives him a bit of nostalgia, as his grandmother used to make them for him. He stopped asking as she got older as he didn’t want to burden her, and switched to the quick-fix lunches.

His favorite part is just sitting with s/o and enjoying their lunches together.

Midorima

Surprised by it.

His parents work very long hours (it’s my personal headcanon that they are both doctors, which is why he wants to be one) so he ends up making lunches for him and his sister.

Having someone make a lunch for him is a rare treat at this point. Senna has tried, but given her age and small hands it usually ends up being animal crackers and seaweed chips.

S/O is even cognizant of the color of the day for Oha Asa and tries to curate bentos related to that.

Murasakibara

He’ll eat them but he’s not happy about it.

Like Kuroko, s/o started making lunches for him because they were concerned about his nutrition. He can’t just eat junk food.

But he wants to only eat junk food, so when s/o brings him healthy lunches & snacks he gets moody.

The gesture is appreciated of course, deep down, but couldn’t they add more treats for him as a reward if he eats the stupid salad??

+ Kagami

Surprised, but in a really heart warming kind of way. He hasn’t had anyone make a lunch for him since he was a real little kid.

His dad didn’t cook. He usually ate the lunches provided at school in the US. The day to day cooking was provided either by takeout, microwave quick meals, or their housekeeper/nanny his dad hired. Kagami actually learned to cook so he could have some sort of homecooked meal as he got older.

So the fact that someone would want to cook for him for a change is a real punch in the old doki-doki muscle.

Plus, the way to any man’s heart is through his stomach 😉

[fantasylandbitch]

Summary: You stay the night at Sam and Tara’s apartment where Sam gives you her spare clothes to put on before bed when a sudden nightmare strikes you both causing you and Sam to become closer before Ghost Face makes his presents known.

Warnings: Long Story, Fluff, 

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 2.5 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 4.5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5.5  Chapter 6 Chapter 6.5 Chapter 7 Chapter 7.5 Chapter 8 Chapter 8.5 Chapter 9 (Chapter 9.5 Coming Soon)

When Sam wakes up the next day, she reaches out for your body ready to embrace you, only to feel a cold empty space next to her on the mattress, and opening her eyes she realizes that she's alone in her bedroom. A pang of sadness and longing settles in her chest as she sits up, she begins contemplating, wondering if sleeping next to you was nothing but a dream as she walks to the bathroom to wash up before heading to the kitchen to get something to eat.

“Good morning Sam” she hears Mindy say catching Sam outside her room when Tara pipes up.

“Don’t bother with the laundry” causing Sam to look at her little sister with a confused look while she takes a seat at the table.

“Why?” She asks when Quinn chimes.

“Y/n did everybody’s laundry before she left for work this morning”

And Sam mentally kicks herself in the ass before Chad brings over her breakfast and Sam notices that the breakfast is inside a semi thin container, asking everyone a question “Did you guys order these?”

And Ethan replies “We didn’t.…Y/n..bought us this,” he says stuffing his face causing Chad to finish his sentence.

“Y/n bought breakfast from a store she’s helping in lower Manhattan, it’s called A Mothers Love, A Woman's Bakery” he explains.

Sam nods as she opens her container as she was graced with a Mexican style omelet completed with a side of black beans and cut up sweet potatoes taking her first bite and humming as her taste buds are lit up with different flavors.

“I think it's nice that Y/n bought us breakfast, she's so sweet,” Anika says, causing Sam to lookover in her direction when Mindy voices her concerns.

“Do you guys think it was safe for Y/n to drive this morning?” and Sam tilts her head.

“Why did something happen?” she asks and Tara explains.

“When we saw her last she looked as if she didn’t get proper sleep”

And Sam nods thinking about you now as the conversation ended. After Sam finishes up her breakfast she quickly retrieves her keys and wallet before going to work and on the way out she asks Tara for your number and her little sister nods, picking up her phone and sending it to her “I’ll go check on her after work. See you guys later."

Later that day at the Colonial Lanes Bowling Alley where Sam works and after working for six hours talking to customers about the prices they have, what they do at the bowling alley, and helping resolve customer complaints Sam was able to go on break. The whole day she couldn't stop thinking about what her sister and roommates said about you, and it worried her that you would even think of driving with less than no sleep, so while on break she saved your number to her phone that her sister sent her and called you. The phone rings a bit causing Sam to go out the back door for a smoke before you finally pick up or so she thought.

"Hello who is this?" a woman says with a relatively thick spanish accent on the phone.

"Hi I was just calling for Y/n-" Sam starts.

"Give me a sec to get her honey" the woman interrupts.

As Sam waits on the phone she hears the clanging of pots, something sizzling, and a stove alarm going off in the background before hearing your voice that sounded far away.

"Hey mami!" the woman yells.

"Yes Tía? I'm helping a customer" and the spanish woman sounds a little eager to give you the phone.

"Let me take over before my wife comes back with a chancla and besides there's a beautiful woman on the phone for you," she says causing Sam and you to laugh.

"A beautiful woman on the phone?..Hello?" you say answering the phone as Sam takes a moment to formulate her thoughts.

"Hey it's Sam sorry to bother you at work," she says wanting to hang up the phone now.

"Oh, Erika wasn’t lying there is a beautiful woman on the phone," you flirted playfully as you walk to the backroom of the shop closing the door behind you while Sam smiles behind her phone "What's up? Is everything okay with Tara? I have a spare inhaler for her in the car." You say and that bit of information makes Sam short circuit.

"Tara's fine she's-wait you have a spare inhaler in your car for Tara?" she says with surprise and you nod even though she can't see you.

"Yeah I actually have several but they're not all in my car..but that's beside the point" Sam takes a deep breath "What's really wrong Sammy?" you ask and Sam softens at her nickname.

"Nothing everyone at the apartment wanted me to call you to see if you were alright” she says hiding how she really feels.

And it takes you a bit to think of what to say next “Oh yeah? Thats very sweet of them but I’m fine really I just couldn’t sleep last night but I hope everyone liked their breakfast” you say.

Sam smiles looking down at her shoes “Everyone really loved it actually” she says before you ask her a question.

“Hey Sam, does the number three mean anything to you?” and Sam thought that was a weird question for you to ask but muses you anyway.

“Not that I know of no but depending on which position it's in it could mean either being overthrown or you need to trust your friends for guidance, why?” and you were going to say more until Sam's phone alarm goes off, making her jump “Shit, I have to go back to work. How about we pick this up later okay?”

And you nod “Yeah that would be great, later” before getting off the phone.

"Hey mami," Erika says to you and you look up to find her and her wife by the door smiling softly at you.

“Why don’t you take a nap in the office for now” Luna suggests and you shake your head.

“Maybe after making a few designs” and they nod before bringing you something to eat as you work and that is what you did for the next few hours designing, then redesigning, and then making a good design and then it repeated until you fell asleep. When later came, the door bell sings letting the owners know that someone walked into their shop and when Erika and Luna looked up they see a women clad in combat boots, jeans, and a gray henley, automatically knowing who she was looking for, so they send her to the back where you slept. As Sam enters the office she looks around the room seeing your designs before her eyes land on your sleeping figure in the chair making her smile as she was half holding back from taking a picture of you and half enjoying watching you sleep as she took a seat in front you, when you started to stir awake in her presence.

“Hey you” you say rubbing your face.

Causing Sam to smile “Hey sleepy head.”

And when you removed your hand from your face the sun peers through the window hitting your features just right causing Sam to stop breathing for a moment, as the sun casts a silhouette across your face highlighting your soft jawline and making your e/c eyes look absolutely captivating causing Sam to get up from her chair before asking you a question.

“Would you like to join me to go grocery shopping?”

And you nod while still waking up as you get up from your chair to pack your designs away before walking out of the store saying your goodbyes as you and Sam walk to your car to drive to go to the grocery store where as soon as the cold air hit you were awake. While you were at the grocery store, Sam sends you her half of the grocery list so you both can find the items that she needed for the apartment and after searching around for items, it finally came down to three items. The last remaining items were Milk, tomato sauce and cold cuts. Luckily for you and Sam, you both didn't have to go far, so you both ended up going down the same aisle searching for different perishables when your eyes landed on the tomato sauce. When you find it you call Sam for help.

“Hey Sam?” you call as she was behind you picking up milk.

“Yeah, what's up?” she responds before picking up cold cuts to use for sandwiches.

"Can you get this tomato sauce for me, it’s on the top shelf,” you ask as Sam turns around reaching up for the tomato sauce for you, and as she brings the sauce down to put in your cart she looks down at you with a smile.

“Here you go” and you look up at her smiling back.

“Thank you,” you say while you both look at each other almost getting lost in each other's eyes when someone pushes past her causing her to put her arms around you protectively, shielding you with her body while throwing looks at the offender passing by and after the person disappears she gently turns you towards the direction of the registers with her hand holding onto your waist briefly. After getting the groceries and scanning them you guys headed back to your car so you can drive Sam back to her apartment and when you guys arrive there you two decided to make conversation to the point where you both didn’t realize you were at the front door to which you pull the keys from Sams pocket and unlock the door letting her walk in first, before yourself not realizing that Tara was watching how you were conversing with her older sister.

“Hey, Y/n can I talk to you?” Tara asks as you put the grocery bag on the counter.

“Yeah? What’s up?” you say stopping what you were doing to give her your full attention.

“You can’t date anyone in this apartment…except Ethan and Quinn.”

And you gave her a questioning look “I’m confused, so you're allowed to go after the King of Smiles behind you on the couch and I’m stuck with a Sex Positive Advocate and a Charming Fact Checker?” You say offended before starting to take the groceries out of the bag “That is so unfair Tara” you say not noticing that Mindy and Anika are listening to your conversation.

"Yeah well, while I'm grounded and even when I'm not my sister is off limits" Tara admits to you.

Before your eyes catch the news on the tv as it mentioned Sam's name and a few others like Richie and Amber to which Chad calls Sam into the living room and it dawns on you about why you had the dream. Your subconscious was telling you that danger was close to the people you now call family and this revelation causes you to become silent and withdrawn as the volume of the tv was interrupted by Sam as she mutes the tv telling the core 4 to pack up but they don’t get very far. Everyone's phones in the apartment started ringing causing you to look at your own when the hairs on your skin started to stand up as you saw the picture of Sam's ex show up on your phone when you know he was supposed to be dead. 

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 2.5 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 4.5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5.5  Chapter 6 Chapter 6.5 Chapter 7 Chapter 7.5 Chapter 8 Chapter 8.5 Chapter 9 (Chapter 9.5 Coming Soon)

Tía means Aunt

Mami is a slang word for mommy, attractive woman, close female friend

Chancla means Slipper

Scream 6 : A Love so Understanding Playlist

[moony-ghoul]

ghouls go to breakfast hcs:

dew: dew gets nauseous if he eats too early in the morning so he usually will just have coffee while the others eat, despite this he always helps first thing in the morning when it comes to making breakfast, swiss cuts him up some fruit after they clean up and he’ll snack on that before lunch. he has his coffee w oat milk and pretends like he doesn’t want any sugar but will scoop about 4 tablespoons in after the first sip

rain: he’s not the biggest fan of ‘traditional’ breakfast foods, he loves bibimbap, rice w a shit ton of lil side plates to add in? he goes crazy. however rain loves a good sleep in and doesn’t like having to wait for the rice to cook AND cut up veggies AND fry eggs, luckily there’s a lil fire ghoul who’s love language is acts of service who will make sure all of rains side plates are ready for him the moment he wakes up. after breakfast he likes to sit outside w his herbal tea and a good book, he’s not 100% sure what the tea is but mount said it’s good for digestion

phantom: complete opposite of dew. this mf needs food in their mouth as soon as they open their eyes or they will die (they won’t). thankfully much like rain has dew, ant has swiss who wakes up at a ridiculous time and makes sure his lil bat has a 3 course meal to wake up to. ant eats a lot and they eat fast, they’ll have something that resembles a full english breakfast and a bowl of cereal and fruit and whatever left overs the others don’t want. nobody knows how that ghoul can possibly fit so much food in them and absolutely no one is shocked when they’re curled on the couch 30 minutes later complaining about a stomach ache before having their post breakfast nap

swiss: swiss is easy when it comes to breakfast, he’s typically cooking most of everyone else’s so he makes a plate w a lil bit of everyone else’s food. he will have at least three different kinds of eggs tho usually one fried, one scrambled and an omelet (“gotta have protein for the gainz”). he switches up between tea and coffee depending on his mood but he always drinks it straight no milk no sweetener “i’m sweet enough”

mount: mount much like dew and swiss is one of the dens chefs. he doesn’t touch any of the meat tho the texture causes him problems so that’s left to dew and swiss, mount is a master at omelettes tho he has a secret cheese dealer and always has the most amazing cheese that compliment the rest of the omelet perfectly, along w his home grown veggies and herbs. the abbey does have a few chickens that mount will help care for but that’s mostly up to zeph. every morning he starts off w one of his homemade teas he’s got a cupboard full of different mixes of herbs that he’ll switch between depending on what the day has in store

cumulus: forever mounts princess cumulus tends to wake up to a beautiful steaming mug of chamomile tea in bed, she enjoys it while she spends time freshening herself up for the day (washing her face, taking off her silk cap and fixing her hair up). by the time she wanders into the kitchen mount always has her fav of his omelettes ready, ricotta and spinach with a side of sliced up strawberries. he quite literally has it ready on a silver platter for her

cirrus: cirrus is basically half alive in the morning until she has at least 2 mugs of close to boiling black coffee. she goes absolutely ham on the sausages, heat does not effect her so she’ll grab them straight out of the pan while swiss is still cooking them, if they’re still raw in the middle she honestly prefers it. she might snack on some pineapple if she’s feeling peckish but for the most part her mornings start off w a plate full of pork (bacon and sausage)

aurora: if you wake up aurora before she’s done having her beauty sleep all hell will break loose. she’s usually the last one up and is also one of swiss’ morning princesses. she sits at the head of the table every morning and swiss brings her a bowl of yogurt, granola (ofc made by mount) and berries. he would not dare forget to serve it with a kiss

this post is inspired by this one from @iamthecomet