#luca the cutest husband ever

[peppymintdreams]

I don’t want you to leave

Luca x Mc

Luca once said “I just want to pull you back in”

The first light of dawn crept through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room. Luca stirred, eyes half-closed as he stretched beneath the covers, feeling the lingering warmth of his partner beside him. It was still early, the world outside wrapped in silence, and there was something soothing about the softness of the morning.

He shifted slightly, letting his hand instinctively drift across the bed, seeking out the familiar shape beside him. But just as he nestled closer, he felt them begin to move. He opened his eyes just a sliver, enough to catch them sitting up, their hair tousled and their movements slow, still clinging to sleep as they reached for their phone on the nightstand.

They yawned quietly, eyes barely open, and started to push the blankets aside, ready to slip out of bed. Watching them begin their routine, Luca felt a tug of reluctance, a warm ache that urged him to hold onto the moment just a little longer. He loved these quiet mornings, the feeling of waking up with them beside him, both of them wrapped in that fragile peace that only dawn could bring.

Before he could think twice, he reached out and caught their hand, his grip gentle but insistent. “Hey… where do you think you’re going?” he murmured, his voice a low, sleepy rasp, laced with affection.

They turned, surprised to find him awake, and laughed softly, their face lit by the early morning glow. “I have to get ready for work,” they whispered, leaning down to give him a quick kiss on the forehead. But their resolve seemed to falter as they met his sleepy, pleading gaze.

Luca gave a lazy smile, pulling them back down until they were lying beside him once again. “Five more minutes,” he murmured, curling his arms around them and holding them close. “Just stay a little longer…”

They chuckled, melting into his embrace as he nuzzled his face into their shoulder, his breath warm against their skin. “You know I’ll be late if I don’t get up soon,” they teased, though their voice was gentle, already giving in to the comfort of his hold.

“Then be a little late,” Luca murmured, his voice soft and full of warmth. “I just… I like waking up with you here. Mornings are better this way.”

They smiled, pressing their forehead against his as they let themselves sink back into his arms, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing. The whole world felt quiet, as if they’d carved out a small, sacred space where nothing existed beyond the warmth of their embrace and the gentle light spilling through the window.

Luca’s fingers traced lazy circles along their back, and he sighed contentedly, his voice barely a whisper. “Promise me we’ll have mornings like this forever,” he murmured, a hint of longing in his words.

They pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, their heart swelling at the simple, honest vulnerability in his voice. “I promise,” they whispered, threading their fingers through his hair. “But only if you promise to keep pulling me back in like this.”

He chuckled softly, his eyes still closed as he tightened his arms around them. “Deal.”

They lay together in the gentle warmth, neither of them in any rush to move, as if they could hold onto this sliver of morning forever. And for those few minutes, they did—wrapped in each other’s arms, the world outside feeling far away, as the dawn quietly rose around them.

[sequinsmile-x]

Fourth - Chapter 2 - One Week Old

Emily and Aaron get through the newborn stage, also known as the 'fourth trimester', together.

-x-

Hi friends,

Thanks so much for the love on part 1. I really hope you like this too. As always let me know what you think <3

-x-

Warnings: List of tags can be found on the Master List

Words: 2k

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

Emily had always prided herself on being able to function on very little sleep. It started when she was young, a wild teenager who’d sneak back into the embassy just a handful of hours before she had to be at school, and it was a skill she refined as she got older, her chosen career not one that was kind to someone who needed a full nights sleep. It had lulled her into a false sense of security, a lick of arrogance in her veins before Lucas had been born whenever someone told her she’d never known tiredness like it.

It turned out, much to her irritation and embarrassment, that they’d been right. 

Lucas hated sleep. In the week since he’d been born, he’d slept no more than an hour at a time, and when he did sleep he’d only do it in her arms or Aaron’s, his cheek pressed against one of their chests when he finally gave into the sleep he fought so hard. His preference for Emily was clear, his cries and whimpers taking longer to give way to precious silence whenever he was with Aaron.

She felt like a raw nerve, stripped back of everything that made her her, and no matter how often Aaron told her she was doing a good job, that she was an excellent mother, she didn’t believe him. 

She suppresses a yawn and kisses Lucas’s temple, tilting her head just enough to make sure he is still asleep. Relief and love rush through her in equal measure at his relaxed face, his kissable cheek squished against her sternum. 

“You’re so lucky you’re the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, sweet boy,” she whispers, kissing his temple again, leaving her lips pressed against his soft skin, “And I hope you know that in approximately 14 years when I’m the most embarrassing person in your life, I’ll be telling all your friends how you used to refuse to sleep anywhere but right here.” 

She hears a soft, chuckle from the doorway and looks up to find her husband standing there, his smile tired as he looks at them on the couch, “I have a feeling he’ll always want to be exactly where you are.” 

She rests her cheek on top of her son’s head, her eyes drifting closed as she breathes him in, humming disbelievingly, “We’ll see.”

“JJ and Will just arrived,” he says quietly, nodding towards the front door, “They are on the porch armed with casseroles and what I think is a box full of Will’s famous beignets,” he smiles when her eyes flash. The mention of the sweet treat draws some joy out of the relentless tiredness that had settled over their home the last week, exhaustion and happiness so deeply intertwined since they’d brought Lucas home that Aaron thinks it may have leached into the walls, permanently changing the foundations of their home and their family, “JJ said they could come in or just leave the food and go home.”

Emily is sure she’s never loved their friends more, their offer one born out of being parents themselves, a level of understanding of the relentless nature of early parenthood that those without children didn’t have. 

“Tell them they can come in,” she says, “It will be nice having some adult company that isn’t you,” her eyes go wide as she says it, as if she hadn’t realised she was going to and she winces, “No offence.” 

His smile only gets wider and he winks at her, “None taken sweetheart. I’ll go let them in.” 

She briefly thinks about what she looks like, her outfit made up of a tank top, chosen for ease for whenever she needs to feed her son, that had a couple of stains on it that she couldn’t, and frankly didn’t want to, name, and a pair of Aaron’s sweatpants to accommodate the diaper she was still in. He’d diligently rolled up the pant legs of the sweatpants for her that morning so she wouldn’t trip when pacing back and forth or swaying on the spot with Lucas as she tried to lull him to sleep. 

Her concerns about her appearance, her unkempt clothes and unwashed hair, disappear the moment JJ and Will, laden with trays of casseroles, step into the room, wide smiles on their faces as they get closer.

“Look Lucas,” Emily says, shifting so the still sleeping baby’s face is visible to them, “It’s your Aunt JJ and Uncle Will.” 

JJ smiles and settles on the couch next to her, “He looks so much like you, Em.”

“That’s what I keep saying,” Aaron interjects from the doorway, his smile only getting wider when Emily raises her eyebrow at him, “But she says he looks just like me.” 

“He’s a lucky boy either way,” Will says, “He’s even more precious than the pictures showed,” he smiles at Emily, “How are you doing?”

She hums and chokes on a laugh, “Tired. Happy,” she says, something in her chest easing when he smiles at her with nothing but understanding shining in his eyes, “Overwhelmed.” Lucas shifts in her arms, drawing the attention of the adults in the room as he starts to whine, his face rubbing against her chest as he starts to root. Emily chuckles, “Excellent timing, Lukey.” 

“I’ll take these through to the kitchen,” Will says as he turns to Aaron, “Is there anything that needs doing around the house I can help with?” 

“Jack’s new game console isn’t working, he’s in the den, are you any good with electronics?” Aaron asks and Will shrugs, following him out into the hallway, his response fading as they walk away. 

“Will did all the cooking and baking,” JJ says conversationally as she looks at Emily, watching as her friend soothes her son, already a natural at something she always knew she would be, “He even put post-it notes with reheating instructions on each of the casseroles. His mom always says you should never go visit a new mama empty-handed.”

Emily hums gratefully as she adjusts her hold on Lucas and pulls one side of her tank top down and unhooks her nursing bra, “You married a good one.” 

JJ smiles nodding, as she twists her wedding ring around her finger, “So did you. Do you want me to give you some privacy?”, and Emily shakes her head, chuckling as Lucas latches on. 

“You saw much worse at my bachelorette party,” Emily quips, a shiver passing through her at the memory of it, “Pen and absinthe are a dangerous combination.” 

JJ laughs and nods, settling back on onto the couch, “Speaking of Pen,” she says, not missing how Emily tenses a little, “When I saw her today she said she was worried she’d upset you.” 

Emily sighs, her gaze fixed on her son, the love she felt for him somehow even more overwhelming than it had been a week ago when she first saw his face. 

“She dropped by unexpectedly a couple of days ago when you were all away on a case,” she explains as she looks up at JJ, understanding painted across her face as she nods, “It was right as we were trying to settle him down for a nap and…I may have snapped at her when she offered to take him from me,” she blows out a slow breath, “I meant to text her and apologise but I haven’t had a chance.” 

She knew Penelope had meant well, that her offer of holding Lucas, of taking the tiny, screaming, baby from her was only done with love in mind, but it had tipped Emily over the edge. Her frayed nerves finally falling apart as she yelled at her friend that she knew what she was doing, that Lucas was her baby and she was the best thing for him. The guilt had been immediate when Penelope’s face fell, only made worse when she made a hasty exit only a few minutes later, a tight smile on her face as Aaron walked her out, their conversation muted as Emily focused on getting Lucas to sleep. 

“You have nothing to apologise for, Em,” JJ assures her, her smile kind, “We both know she has a habit of overstepping sometimes and so does she. She’ll be fine.” 

Emily hums as Lucas unlatches and she rests him against her shoulder, readjusting her clothes as she starts to pat his back, “Doesn’t make me feel any better about it though.” 

“I know it doesn’t,” JJ says, smiling along with her as Lucas’s burp is punctuated by Aaron, Jack and Will exclaiming in joy from a few rooms over.

“I’m guessing Will got it working,” Emily says, “It was probably just unplugged or something but neither of us have slept in a week.” 

JJ hears the self-deprecation in her friend’s voice, the uncharacteristic nervousness brought on by a lack of sleep and fluctuating hormones she knew all too well. 

“Will is going to keep Jack busy for a while,” JJ says, smiling softly, “Or, more accurately, I’m imagining Jack and his video games will keep Will busy,” she laughs when Emily does, a flash of her usual self peeking out from behind the exhaustion, “So what do you need from me? I can take Lucas for a while if you need a break, or I can do some chores. Whatever you need.” 

Emily sighs gratefully, not sure why it catches in her throat, the sound wet as it’s caught up in tears she never seemed to stop shedding, “It’s easier if I hold him,” she says, “He cries if anyone else tries. Can we…” 

She drifts off, the request seeming nothing short of absurd as she chokes the words back. JJ reaches out for her, her hand on her arm as she squeezes, “Em, I won’t judge you no matter what it is. Can we what?” 

She blows out a shaky breath and shakes her head at herself, unhooking one arm from around Lucas as she wipes tears from her cheeks, “Can we just…talk? About anything? All I’ve talked about in the last week is Lucas and I love him. I love him so much, but I need…”

She drifts off again and JJ smiles, finishing her sentence for her, “To feel like a person, not just a Mom.”

Emily’s shoulders almost sag with relief and she nods, more tears slipping onto her cheeks, “God yes.” 

JJ smiles widely, her hand still on her arm, “Derek has started a new prank war with Spence, and it is not going well for him.” 

She sighs contentedly, holding her son against her chest, as her friend gives her a taste of life outside of the small, happy, exhausting, bubble she’d been living in for a week. 

___

“He’s asleep,” Aaron says, looking down at the baby fast asleep on his chest as Emily walks out of the bathroom, the five minute shower she’d taken transformative, “You could have taken longer, we would have been fine.” 

She hums tiredly as she crawls onto the bed and settles next to him, her head on his shoulder, her damp hair pressing against his cheek. She reaches out and places her hand over his on Lucas’s back.

“I think if I’d stayed in there any longer I would have fallen asleep standing up.” She sighs, unable to stop herself from staring at her baby’s sweet face, “Does it get any easier?” 

“No,” he replies, smiling softly when she looks up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. 

She scoffs, “You couldn’t have lied to me?” 

“Never,” he says, leaning in to kiss her, his lips catching the corners of hers, “It doesn’t get easier, it just…changes as they get older. It grows with them. You’ll get more sleep, they won’t be attached to you 24/7, but then you start worrying about other things.” 

She huffs and rests her head back on his shoulder, “Right now, the more sleep thing sounds like enough to me.” 

He chuckles and presses a kiss to her temple, “Try and get some sleep, sweetheart,” he says, kissing her again, “I’ve got him.”

Emily nods, too tired to even try to fight him on it, and she closes her eyes, lulled to sleep by the sound of her husband and son’s breathing. 

-x-

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[irish-urn]

SPOILER - I wanna talk about the GOOD and the BAD! Let’s start off with the good: Casey and Derek were true to their characters and I loved that Derek matured, like it’s still him but he’s grown now and he’s a good father! Second, Dasey acted like a married couple! Sorry Case, but I’m so glad she’s having marriage troubles with her husband Peter. I liked Simons character, he’s a bit like Derek, he’s goofy, friendly, and has a good heart. The bathroom scene! Casey secretly wanted to take a bath with Derek. It’s not mentioned directly in the movie, but I think it’s safe to say Casey DID go to Queens and ditched dancing in New York because she talks about the first year at Queens with Derek. That bugged me about VWD. Now for the bad, Derek dropped out of his first year of college, what! Dasey never happened in college? I’m the #1 Dasey in College fan so this felt like if someone poured pickle juice on me and then slapped me and then threw a tomato at me. Sorry, but on my rewatches I skipped the Skylar and Luca scenes. I understand why Marti, Lizzie, and Edwin weren’t in the movie, but still, I wanted to see them so bad. And Emily. I liked Simon but I wish he didn’t exist, for Dasey reasons. Derek being a musician that lives in Paris isn’t OOC, but it’s also not what me or a lot of people expected. I wanted famous hockey player Derek, dammit! Derek and Casey having kids at a young age IS OOC to me, but it’s whatever. Life happens. I didn’t like how Casey and Derek spent years apart. One is a lawyer and the other is a musician who’s always on tour so it makes sense, but it’s fiction so make it happen anyways! That’s all I can think of right now, but even with the bad, I still thought it was a pretty good movie! I have a feeling the follow up movie or series is going to be even better. Anyways, what’s your good or bad?

OH BOY. my good and bad.

My Good: The characterizations were everything I hoped for. Everyone was so in-character for the situations that they were in. I LOVED Simon. He wasn't what I was expecting but I really really enjoyed him. I also VERY MUCH liked the new kids. Was Luca kind of a jerk? Yes, but I knew WHY and so I'm looking forward to seeing him grow. Molly and Kai were the cutest things I've ever seen and I loved them. Skyler has the potential to be super annoying and instead I adored her.

I also super liked the aesthetic of it and the way they did the spliced screens. I just liked the look of it.

The Bads: Nora and George's plot annoyed me but thankfully their scenes were short enough I could deal with it (although I probably will skip them on my rewatch). I missed the kids as much as everyone did, but remain hopeful.

My main issue with it is: I think they were really mean to Derek and Casey in order to get them to where they are now.

So, before I'm a Dasey shipper, I'm a Derek Venturi stan and a member of the Casey McDonald defense squad. As long as they are happy, I am willing to give the plotline a lot of slack.

But Derek and Casey? They aren't happy. One of them is lonely and afraid, and the other is miserable and overwhelmed.

I'm going to have to do another post just about my take on Derek Venturi, and another one for the McDonald family, but tldr: Derek and Skyler need family and connection, and the McDonalds need breathing room. They've set it up so that these two families need each other and I really hope we get the chance to see them work together... Because my babies are so so sad without each other. And I'm not talking as a shipper or because I think they should bone. They just work better as a team, and I hate that they tore them apart for so long.

[dejunectar]

IFLY | Lucas

«« genre »» husband!lucas fluff, smut

«« pairings »» lucas x reader

«« warnings »» this is the cheesiest shit I think i’ve ever written,, but other than that there’s some 18+ content in here, vanilla, unprotected sex, praise kinks & hair pulling

«« summary »» the first day of your and lucas’s honeymoon, and being married only makes the both of you feel like giddy teenagers in love all over again <3

«« song/inspiration »» I.F.L.Y. by Bazzi & my anon who came up with this super adorable idea <33

———————————————————

You felt the sun warm your face as you fluttered your eyes open.

The sound of birds singing and water running filled your ears. A smile sprouted across your lips as you felt the bed dip in beside you and a familiar pair of arms slide around you.

“Good morning, Mrs.Huang,” Lucas murmured against your neck before pressing soft kisses along your skin. You giggled in response, turning to face your newlywed husband.

“Good morning, my love,” you replied and leaned up to kiss him. Your hands lazily tangled themselves in his hair whilst his hands ran down your sides tenderly.

With the warmth from the sun and the feeling of the man you love above you, happiness filled your soul. You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. It made Lucas laugh as well, separating from your kiss and running a hand up your neck to cup your cheek. “We should get the day started. It’s already noon,” he informed you before sitting up and attempting to pull you up with him.

His tries failed miserably as you equally pulled him towards yourself and the mattress beneath you. He giggled at your childishness and quickly pecked your hand before pulling you up to him at last. “What’s on the schedule today, Mr.Huang?” you asked, finding his fingers in your own.

The white sheet that was once held against you as you slept was quickly beginning to fall, revealing your choice of clothing from the previous night’s activities. Lucas was quick to notice and subtly smirked yet kept the conversation light, replying, “We could go grab lunch, explore the city, go sightseeing, I could fuck you until you’re seeing stars, we could drop water balloons on people from the roof..."

Your eyes widened and you felt the butterflies in your stomach at his list; more importantly, what was in his list. "The fourth option seems tempting, I must admit," you sighed with a grin. He mumbled a small, "oh really?" before leaning in and smashing his lips against yours and cupping the back of your head to bring you closer.

Shivers ran down your spine as you adjusted yourself to sit on his lap. The sheet once covering you was now the only thing between you and Lucas, besides your underwear and his loose shorts. Your arms absentmindedly wrapped themselves around his neck as the kiss got deeper and deeper.

Whilst one hand slid down your back, his other lifted to your breast and squeezed lightly. You laughed quietly, muttering, "I can't believe we're married." He hummed in agreement before leaning against you causing you to fall back onto the bed beneath you. Kisses were exchanged in hushed giggles and hands were exploring each other's bodies.

Pure bliss ran through your veins as your legs became tangled in Lucas's. "I wouldn't wanna call anyone else my wife, the love of my life," he began whispering, gazing deeply into your own eyes, "the holder of my heart... the person I trust most with every fiber of my being. I meant every word of my vows, Y/N."

Your heart swelled at his words and your fingertips ran through his hair. "I feel the exact same way, Xuxi." He grinned at you, dimples showing clear as day. Once again, he began placing soft kisses down your skin, reaching your stomach.

Hums of satisfaction left your lips as he massaged your boobs with every kiss. You snapped your eyes down to him at the feeling of his teeth gently pulling down your lingerie from the night before. He smirked up at you, coming back up and swerving to the side to retrieve a condom. You rolled your eyes and snatched the condom from his fingertips.

"We're married, Xuxi, there's no need for this anymore," you laughed lightly, tossing it back to the nightstand. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure, baby? I know you're not on the pill anymore."

You smiled, pulling him down to you by his chin. "I trust you."

He sighed softly and pressed a kiss against your lips once more before pulling his boxers down and gently pressing his tip against your entrance. You hummed quietly and locked eyes with your husband before nodding.

Soon enough, you were switching positions back and forth. One moment you were bouncing on his thick cock with him coaxing and encouraging you, the next you had your knees folded to your chest as Lucas plunged deep into you.

Curse, moans, and grunts were thrown around the room. Your hands were intertwined for the most time and words of praise and approval were thrown into the mix. Whenever Lucas felt you coming closer to your high, he'd lean in close to encourage you, "I can feel it, baby, c'mon. Cum for me, yeah?" That was only the first time.

The second time, you both came much quicker but rode out each other's highs. He had been fucking you from the back but he pulled at your hair, bringing your back to his chest. You cried aloud as you reached back and dug your nails into his shoulders. "You wanna mark me up so badly, don't you, princess?" he teased with a lazy smirk. Nonetheless, he kissed and sucked at your neck, marking you up as well.

You were only able to go another round before you both had tired each other out.

In the end, there was a mess between your legs from Lucas's many loads, as well as yours. You hardly minded, but he apologized and took his time cleaning it up with his mouth. "Keep your eyes on me, baby, okay?" he urged before diving into your sweet mess. You couldn't help but roll your eyes back in euphoria. The way he worked his tongue was something magical.

He sucked delicately at your clit, knowing how sensitive it already was from the three rounds before. "Ah, ah, ah," he tsked, biting your thigh and making you whimper, "eyes on me, angel." You obeyed his orders and kept your eyes on him as he ate you out and watched him work at your fourth orgasm.

Soon enough, your legs were shaking and your fingers gripped the sheets beneath you as you came again. Lucas cleaned the mess up again, overstimulating you in the best way.

Once it was done, he came back up to face you and met your lips. You kissed him back passionately, grinning and laughing.

"I love you so much, Xuxi."

"And I love you, Mrs.Huang."

[janesaridoll]

Ice cream

Pairing || Chris evans x woc!reader

Summary || based on this tiktok

Genera || pure fluff

Warning || pregnancy(?)

To love masterlist

Kofi

Marlyn is 2 - Marcus is 4 - pregnant with Lucas

After picking up your kids, Marlyn and Marcus from day care, Chris was meeting you for lunch. as part of your daily routine with your yet small family

You were waiting at the restaurant where you always frequent, which is close to your workplace,

you were seated at your normal table, your husband entered with Marlyn in one hand and your boy's hand in the other. As soon as your son sees you, he races towards you, disregarding his father screaming for him to slow down behind him and yelling "mommmyyy”

He throw himself at you and you hugged him and lifted him up to sit on your lap

Your husband gave you a look “what?” You asked “You’re heavily pregnant don’t lift him up” he said while buckling your daughter into the kids chair, before he sits down he kissed you cheeks

“But I can’t resist him” hugging you boy and kissing his cheeks repeatedly while he laughed loudly

you ate your lunch, and made sure that your kids are well fed, you asked your boy how’s his day at school “Marcus baby, did you gave your teacher your homework?” the teacher gave the students a homework a week ago and your son didn’t give it to his teacher due to him being really shy about it. He is not the most out going person. Just like you. You have struggled with shyness so being a mom to shy baby was a little bit hard, but through him growing up you learned how to deal with it.

It took you weeks before getting him into school, but through practice of leaving him around new kids he got used to them but not the teachers, he is still very shy around them. You thought that letting him take his homework to his teacher by himself would be a good practice for him but you gave him time to do it and inform the teacher who was kind enough to let it happen.

he nodded his head excitedly and said “katie helped me” katie is your son best friend she’s great with him, she helped him a lot, he prefers spending time with her than you. Which’s upseting for you.

“oh that’s good, you’re so brave baby” you complement him and kissed his head.

Chris looked at you weird while he fed your daughter her ice cream.

“What?” You asked.

“you look so jealous when he mentioned katie” chris said with smirk on his face.

“No! Im not jealous of my son’s friend!” you scoffed at him.

“Oh yeah you’re, you gave the same look whenever sara is mentioned”

“Okay I may be a little annoyed at katie. For god sack she wants to have the same birthday party as him?? Wtf?? I want ot give my baby a special birthday for him!! Alone. Second of all don’t bring that’s bitch up again”

“Okay okay, im sorry, but come on he have his first ever girlfriend”

“She’s not his girlfriend, my baby is too young to love anyone other than his mommy” it might be weird but blame it on the pregnancy hormones. you feel attached to your boy more than ever, he was your first. And you two have been through a lot together. It’s really hard not to feel that, the bond you made with your boy are little by little are getting broken and its too soon for him to unattach himself from you, you thought it will happen when he is in his teenage years, by the time you could prepared yourself.

“Anyway you won’t believe what happened at Marlyn class” Chris said laughing as soon as he remembered what had happened.

“What?” You asked tearing your eyes away from you boy to your daughter who is playing with her ice cream, with her two fluffy pigtails and a bow she’s the cutest baby ever. Hands down, you and Chris produce the cutest babies ever.

"When I arrived to pick her up, she was staring at a kid with a toy, so I waited to see what she'd do. He then sees her gazing at him and he comes close to her, and I thought okay, maybe this lad is going to be katie to my little girl,"

“Now you know how i feel” you said before making him continue.

“No no , wait and hear me, they looked at each of seconds before he shoved Marlyn away” he laughed , adding, "I genuinely thought I was going to kick some two-year-old ass, but she started laughing hysterically, till she saw me, and it was simply like nothing happened."

You stared at him, your smile gone, and asked, "What?"

“yeah!, and she didn’t seem to mind. At all”

"someone pushed my daughter?" Your lips trembled, and tears welled up in your eyes.

"She was fine," Chris said, laughing. "No!, Some kid is bullying my daughter," you say, looking at your daughter, who has an ice cream in her face and is unfazed by anything!

"How come you're crying?"

"What do you expect from me when another kid shoves my daughter around?" You cried, your kids were staring at you strangely, and you weren't sure if it was the hormones or the fear of your baby girl being bullied that made you weep.

"I thought it was amusing..." Chris stared at you, puzzled, and requested a passing waitress to bring another bowl of ice cream to the table.

"Vanilla please," you said as you stared at them sniffling. The waitress nodded and returned to the kitchen.

You returned your gaze to your daughter. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You weren't hurt by the boy? Right?”

The young girl looked at your eyes, which were quite identical to hers, and batted her long lashes at you, saying, "no mommy, I'm fine." She gave you a happy face.

You returned your gaze to Chris. "My kids are too good for this world"

"That's why I'm planning to have more," Chris joked he continues "You're so cute and hot at the same time when you're protective of our kids,"

[im-in-love-with-pizza-bites]

Yours, Mine, Ours: Epilogue

Single-Dad!Chris Evans X Single-Mom!Reader

Series MasterList

List of OCs for this series

Series Summary: Your husband Caspian Richardson Senior died while serving in the military, so you move your three sons to Boston, MA. Where you meet an actor and his sweet daughter.

Series Warnings: Death of a spouse/parent, divorce of parents,

You and Chris got married on July 7th, 2026. While engaged, you bought a house together. 7 bed, 4 bath with a large yard, also with a pool like Jace wanted. Caspian had the smallest room since he wasn't technically living with you guys and really it was just going to be there to hold his belongings. Okay, let's talk about the wedding! It wasn't small but it wasn't huge either, since you both were married before. It had family and friends at it. Chris chose Scott as his best man, then his groomsmen were Anthony, Sebastian, Caspian, Jace, Connor, and Benjamin. A lot of the marvel cast was also invited but weren't a part of the wedding party. You chose, Maya as your maid of honor obviously, then, Shanna, Carly, and four of your other friends. Most are also wives of soldiers that you met before Caspian's death, but one was a woman who served with him who you became friends with. Now you may be wondering if the boys are groomsmen what was June? She was the cutest flower girl ever with Chris' niece, Stella. Then his nephews were the ring bearers. You guys also invited Senior's family to the wedding since they are also your family. They showed up of course to support you but you knew it was hard for them. You changed your name from Y/n L/n-Richardson to Richardson-Evans. So you could have the same last name as all four of your kids, June included. Chris could've cared less if you changed your name as long as you are happy. You two didn't plan on having any more kids, deciding four kids were enough especially since your oldest already moved out and the other three were all in school and everything. But you ended up getting pregnant a year after you got married and had another boy, named August. You quit the job you hated to be a stay-at-home mom again. If it was a job you liked you probably would've kept it despite your husband being rich. But you wanted to be a stay at mom for June and August like you were for your oldest three while they're young. Also you despised that job. Anyway onto the kids!

Caspian ended up proposing to his girlfriend, Kelly after dating her for a year and a half. Her brother, his basic training buddy was both excited and pissed. Caspian and Kelly had three kids together, Gregory, Milly, Jackie, and Luca. Gregory was named after him, his dad, and his grandpa. Since his and his dad's middle name is Gregory after his grandpa. Gregory was also named after your dad, with his middle name being Robert. Now, Milly, she's named after you, while Jackie is named after Kelly's family. Luca was named after Chris though, his name being Luca Christopher Richardson. Chris was ecstatic, he couldn't believe that Caspian would want to name his son after him. He cried, it's on video. Okay on to other things, Caspian retired from the army at 40 as a Sergeant Major. He then moved back to Boston with his family. After retirement, he started working for a construction company after a few years of being a stay-at-home dad for his kids.

Now let's talk about Jace! So he continued playing baseball during middle school and high school before getting a full-ride scholarship to play baseball for Mississippi State. He then went on to play for the major leagues. The teams he played for are, Tampa bay rays, Toronto blue jays, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and finally the Boston red sox. He was super excited when he got traded to the red sox since her be close to you and Chris, and his siblings. Now as for his family life outside of you and Chris. He married a girl his college girlfriend, Michelle.. They adopted three kids they're a sibling group so they're all biological siblings, their names are Dion, Josephina, and Esme. They continued to foster but didn't adopt again after that. Okay anyway, Jace is pretty famous. Mostly in the sports world, but some people not into sports know his name. Some claim it's only cause he's Chris' step-son. Also in interviews that either of them may have. If they're asked about each other. Chris always expresses how proud he is of Jace and how he loves going to his games. Not just cause he gets to sit in the box. Okay, that's one of the reasons. Jace always says that he loves having Chris as a step-dad and he tells some random story about something that Chris did when Jace was in high school at one of his games.

Alright moving on to Connor! He continued playing soccer all through middle and high school but unlike Jace, he didn't go pro, instead, he became an officer in the army. Caspian was a little salty cause his brother outranked him right when he joined. But he was proud since he knows Connor had to work twice as hard to become an officer over just enlisting as he did. Okay so Connor married a fellow army officer, Camilla Diaz, they had two daughters, Elana and Luna. If both Camilla and Connor got deployed the girls would either stay with you and Chris or Camilla's sister depending on who would be better available to take them for however long until one of them came home. Most of the time it was you and Chris since you were a stay-at-home mom for August anyway while Camilla's sister was working and didn't have the time to care for them especially when they were super young. Anyways Connor retired at 46. His wife retired at 40 though. Anyway, they decided to move back to Boston and they opened a sandwich/hoagie shop. It's called War-Subs, it's really popular. Especially for veterans, and active duty since they offer a discount. Obviously, since it's veteran run, anyway both Jace and Chris have slightly advertised it. Like when they opened Chris posted photos and stuff about opening day, and while Jace couldn't be there he reposted his brothers' story on his saying he couldn't wait to try it. So yes some of its popularity comes from his famous family but they didn't post much about it after. Though people could often find Chris there hanging out with his grandkids or having lunch with you. Also, Connor hired his nieces, nephews, daughters, and August to work there during high school/ college. It's a family-owned and run business.

Okay, let's pause before we talk about June. The boys started a non-profit. It's called Families in war. Its whole purpose is to help widows/widowers of soldiers rebuild their lives, get jobs, finding housing, childcare, schools. All the things that probably would've helped you so much those first few months. They also help veterans, with the same things, it's helped lower the veteran homelessness rate. Now the charity is obviously for Americans but they did once work with the brothers trust and put 50% of profits towards paying for Christmas presents and food for the veterans/widows and widowers of American soldiers and the other 50% was to do the same but for UK soldiers. It worked perfectly since the big prize thing was a dinner with Chris Evans, you, the Hollands, Jace, Caspian, Connor, and June, as well as their spouses. Not August cause he was a teen and really didnt want to go. Also, you'll find out why June went now!

Before we get into that though. You adopted June when she was 10, her mom tried objecting but since she skipped town when she was 2 the judge didn't pay any mind to her. Now for the good part, she joined tackle football in 4th grade, it was a boys team because they could find a girls team and thought it would be fine. She started as a kicker but eventually got moved to running back which was the position she stayed in. Well, she went on playing football, on an all-boys team until college where she got a free ride scholarship to play football for the Oklahoma state cowboys. She then went on to be drafted to play for the NFL like a fucking girl boss. Anywho the teams she played for are Pittsburgh Steelers, then the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Kansas City Chiefs. She went to two super bowls while on the Kansas City Chiefs but only won one. She never played for the Patriots though but she was really hoping she would. Also, she's famous, like super famous and a ton of young girls look up to her! That's why she went to the dinner since she too was famous it was a big deal cause the winner and 2 of their friends could have dinner with four famous actors/ athletes and their families. Now I do think she retires earlier than most players do. Just cause she is playing a male-dominated sport so she was playing against a lot of people who were either bigger or stronger than herself. Now onto other things like love! Who did she marry? Matthew butler. Her childhood best friend, and obviously your best friend's oldest son. Maya and Butler ended up having another baby the same year you had August. But we're not talking about them we're talking about June and Matty. Now of course he stopped going by Matty in middle school, he started going by Matt to everyone except family. Your family obviously included in that. Her and Matt had a son and daughter, Griffin and Violet. Both are very athletic, like there parents. Matt played football with her in middle and high school but enlisted in the army for four years before going to college for engineering.

And I don't have a personality for August yet so there's nothing for him. PLEASE READ MY A/N IT GIVES YOU ALL THE SEQUEL INFO THANK YOU

Taglist: @anacrcarvalho @traceyaudette @deputy-videogamer @stillthatbetch @queenofthepouges @dontbescaredtosingalong @hauntedmuffinpersonarascal @food8me @cedricdiggorysimpp @findthebeautyinbreakdowns @selluequestrian @killerqueenfan @lharrietg @liecastillo @denisemarieangelina @wisepeanutlady @unicornblueberry @stitchattacks @milacolibri @spooky-stoner @marvelmenwhore @saahmi @boldlypessimistic @freakyevanss @asuni921 @srhxpci @supriseeshawtyy @nova10711 @nik2write @blueeyeddemon1016 @happinessinthebeing @winterberryfox @sunwardsss @ellerosie2332 @tanyaherondale @hollzo-03 @xuxszx @patzammit @dakotazzzzz @scarletmeii @janaev4ns @channiechanchan @hibernocaledonian

A/n: Hi, you may be wondering, will there be a sequel. No, I honestly think it would be forced and not that good since I don't have a place to pick the series back up at. But good news! Once I open my requests you can request headcanons, side chapters, and just talk to me about the series if you would like. It's up to all of you whether or not the series ends completely, but I do have some ideas so the first few side chapters probably won't be requests. Also if you just want to talk about the series you don't need to wait until my requests are opened.

[anextraordinarymuse]

Waiting for your thoughts on last night's WCTH. Still not over that opening scene.

NONNIE. THAT OPENING SCENE. 

I feel like I was blessed and assassinated all at once. Like ... *le sigh* Do I even have any thoughts after that? I’ll try to string some together. This is so long ... are they ever not at this point?

Everything about that opening scene is absolutely fantastic. Playful, silly Nathan? Please me with more of this for the rest of forever. This is what we’ve been missing this season: the fun, the levity, the cute little moments of flirting and happiness. This moment was so fun and lighthearted. It was entertaining to see Elizabeth kind of put her foot in her mouth and be awkward for once although who can blame her for telling Nathan to undress because, same, girl. We’re so used to seeing Nathan like this that it’s fun to see the tables turned for a minute. More than that, though, this moment feels like a return to the Elizabeth we’ve known for so many years. She notes that Nathan is cold and instead of ignoring it, she immediately offers relief. There’s also a naturalness to Elizabeth, and Nathan, and their interaction in this scene. Elizabeth doesn’t seem nervous about offering Nathan something hot to drink, or a pair of Jack’s gloves if she has them, or even offering to warm up his serge. She’s nervous about her little Freudian slip of telling him to take off his serge, but only after it occurs to her how it sounds because Nathan’s reaction is so taken aback. Then, when she asks Nathan about the bouquet and he tells her he forgot to give it to her - this moment is so reminiscent of a husband telling his wife he forgot to do something. Even the way Elizabeth looks at him and then chuckles when he sheepishly answers her question is so ... intimate. It’s just the cutest damn thing.

Now, I’ve seen a lot of different reactions to this scene. One that caught me off guard is that some people are upset that Elizabeth mentions Jack here. “I used to do this for Jack on chilly mornings.” People seem to be upset that Elizabeth mentions Jack in this moment, and saying that this is an indicator that Elizabeth will always equate Nathan to Jack, or that the two men occupy the same place in her mind and heart ... and I have no idea where they’re getting that. I don’t feel that way at all. I had the opposite reaction. When Elizabeth made that remark, I thought to myself: this is what she’s missing with Lucas. She never mentions Jack to Lucas, or talks about her past, or anything like that. Elizabeth is comfortable with Nathan; she’s secure in their bond and their relationship, even though both of those things have taken a hell of a beating this season. And Nathan isn’t upset by the comment at all: he looks peaceful, and touched by the thought of it. Watch the little snort/chuckle he gives as he watches her. Elizabeth is sharing something of herself in that moment. It’s not huge, it’s not a crazy admission or even an overtly emotional moment. Just something quiet and honest. Also, expecting Elizabeth to just never mention Jack again is neither realistic or healthy. 

Her mention of Jack doesn’t disrupt the moment or their comfort/peace with another at all. You know what does? A rather subtle mention of Lucas. When Nathan says “I guess she thought that you were the next to be married” there’s a hidden gravity to it because Nathan is making a veiled reference to her relationship with Lucas. At this point, Elizabeth and Lucas have been courting for a few months, so if Florence thinks that Elizabeth is the next one to get married the natural assumption is that things with Elizabeth and Lucas are further along than we (or Nathan) think they are. It's this reference to the (uncertain) future that breaks the moment, not Elizabeth's mention of Jack.

Everything in this scene comes naturally to Elizabeth. She's acting by instinct. The way she helps Nathan into his serge isn't remotely forced, and neither is the way she runs her hands over his back to smooth it down, or grabs his lapels and begins to help him put the serge back on. This is part of what makes this moment feel so intimate: this is a glimpse into the future. It feels like we're looking in on a moment between a wife helping her husband prepare for his day. You know what else I found striking about this moment though? Elizabeth and Lucas have been dating all season, yet Elizabeth isn't comfortable with and doesn't really allow/invite much physical contact. We have repeatedly been shown that she struggles with that. Lucas wants to touch her; he wants her to be comfortable touching him. But that never happens. The few times Elizabeth does allow that physical contact it feels ... maybe not forced, but deliberate. Like she's making a conscious effort to let it happen and be okay with it. It's not natural, it's not a compulsion. In fact, when it comes to Lucas Elizabeth's instinct is not to let him touch her - to withdraw. We have a great example of that in this episode, when Lucas is at the schoolhouse and goes to help her hang the banner and Elizabeth immediately withdraws from him. They hardly touch at all in that moment; Elizabeth immediately pulls away the arm of hers that is closest to him and then walks away without even so much as a brush against him as she passes.

This is the first scene that Elizabeth and Lucas share in this episode. Timeline wise, we can also reasonably assume that this moment comes not long after the moment she shares with Nathan in her house. It's an interesting juxtaposition: Elizabeth can't seem to keep herself from touching Nathan. She does it without thought or hesitation - in fact, it takes conscious thought to stop herself. But the opposite is true with Lucas: her natural inclination is to keep her distance with him, and it takes conscious thought to allow or initiate contact with him. Elizabeth's actions and instincts give her away. Her heart belongs to someone else, and she's instinctively trying to preserve the sanctity of that bond and that relationship (as in, you don't let someone else hold your hand or be in your physical space when you're in a relationship with someone else). The roles should be flipped - Elizabeth should be withdrawing from Nathan and any opportunity for closeness with him, physical or emotional, and seeking them out with Lucas - but she isn't. She says she's in a relationship with Lucas, but she behaves like she's in a relationship with Nathan. And this has been the crux of her struggle this season: this misalignment between word and deed, between heart and head. Nathan and Elizabeth haven't went on a single date this season, shared a single meal, etc. but we have undoubtedly been watching their relationship grow and progress and struggle all season.

And Lucas has finally allowed himself to acknowledge that. He goes to Elizabeth's house in the morning only to find Nathan already there (and inside the house); he goes to the schoolhouse later (and he says he decided to stop by on a whim, but we know that's not true - he stopped by because Nathan was at her house that morning) and catches Elizabeth staring at Nathan as he rides by in a moment where Nathan is oblivious to her regard. When Carson is talking to Lucas about his struggles with Faith, Lucas removes the veil he's put over his eyes. Elizabeth has never been in this with him - not really. He's in the middle of what's basically a lovers' quarrel. I think he's always known it on some level, which is why he's never accepted any of Elizabeth's invitations to enter her home. Lucas doesn't feel comfortable in such a private, intimate space because that space isn't his to occupy. When he finally breaks up with Elizabeth, he uses very deliberate wording: what he says tells both the audience and Elizabeth that Lucas understands and accepts that he's stepped into a place that he shouldn't be in. Let's break that breakup scene down:

Lucas: "Elizabeth, you've always maintained that love is worth fighting for. And that includes when it needs defending."

Emphasis is mine. Now, Lucas leads with this which sets the tone right out the gate, because we know that Lucas doesn't share Elizabeth's sentiments here. He hasn't fought for her at all this season; when Nathan confronted him and told him that he hadn't given up on Elizabeth, Lucas tells him to do whatever he wants and walks away. Lucas has been on offense all season.

Nathan, however, has been on defense. Nathan and Elizabeth actually, though they've been defending from different angles and against different things. Nathan has outright been defending himself as well as his love for and relationship with Elizabeth against everyone; but, in a more subtle way, Elizabeth has also been defending herself, and Nathan, and their relationship. We see some of this onscreen: Elizabeth declines Lucas's offer to confront Nathan about the Jack situation, rebuffs Lucas's attempts to show her physical affection, keeps her and Nathan's issues/conversations/interactions mostly private ... but this next bit of conversation makes me wonder about something else.

Lucas: "... And while I'm not resentful, from what I've seen, and from what you've told me, I believe that you and Nathan still ... Love is not just an emotion. It's also an act of will. It can't be demanded. It can't be forced. I want you to find your true love. And in order to do that, I want ... I need to set you free."

This was such a strong moment for Lucas. He is telling Elizabeth in a direct but compassionate way that he understands that she's not really in this with him - and that it's okay. He's bowing out with grace. But, this also makes me wonder how those conversations between Elizabeth and Lucas went that we didn't get to see onscreen. We know from things we've seen on screen that at least two of Elizabeth and Lucas's conversations were pushed off from the moment so that they could be discussed later. One of those conversations was about Allie after the stunt she pulled at the adoption ceremony. While it's subtle, Elizabeth does defend Allie when she's talking to Lucas by saying something about how she doesn't think that it's just a matter of explaining to Allie why Elizabeth and Nathan weren't together. How did that conversation go later? Has Elizabeth been quietly defending Nathan, and Allie, and her relationship with both in private moments with Lucas? Because it has been made clear this season that Elizabeth's relationship with Nathan, and Allie, is private and she doesn't really allow anyone else to get involved with that. Not really. Elizabeth and Nathan deal with their own relationship and issues, and they co-parent Allie and discuss her behavior and relationships, but no one else is really welcome in those conversations. We don't see Nathan even attempt to have those conversations with anyone else, and any time Lucas tries to talk about it with Elizabeth she shuts him down or deflects. And I do say that Elizabeth and Nathan are still co-parenting Allie, though we've mostly seen Nathan doing it alone this season. Still, it was no accident that when Elizabeth and Nathan were arguing at the parade she says "WE have to find a way to make things alright for her." That wasn't the royal we. Elizabeth means we as in her and Nathan.

And there's the rub, my friends. Elizabeth tells everyone that she and Nathan are not in a relationship but she never stops acting like they are. She chooses Nathan (and Allie) over and over again, without fail. Because love isn't just an emotion, it's a choice (or an act of will, as Lucas says). Elizabeth keeps choosing Nathan. Whether she means to or not, whether she's even consciously aware she is doing it, even in moments where she tries to do the opposite, the result is always the same.

And Lucas has finally accepted that. More importantly, Elizabeth has finally accepted that. She's finally made it to the place where choosing Nathan is no longer frightening. It's no coincidence that Elizabeth isn't ready to remove her wedding rings until Lucas breaks up with her - until after she's offered to give a pair of her late husband's gloves to Nathan. She is finally ready to let Jack go, and to stop hiding behind Lucas. It has been a long, rough season for those of us who have wanted Nathan and Elizabeth together, but we've made it! There is nothing in their way now; we, and they, have made it through all of the obstacles. The only thing left now is one last declaration of love: Elizabeth's.

And I just can't wait!

[jacnaylor]

romance book recs!!

romance is my feel good genre, and it’s also usually somewhat easier to read during stressful times, so here’s a list of some books that are either romance or have a romance element i feel like mentioning.

(EDIT: I STAYED UP TILL 2 AM DOING THIS HELP. this is why some of the comments. don’t make any fucking sense.)

romance books and authors:

CONTEMPORARY:

1. The Bromance bookclub series by Lyssa Kay Adams (A group of men form a bookclub dedicated to romance books in order to understand women, improve their relationships and become better men. It’s funny, cute, and all about dismantling toxic masculinity one romance book at a time)

2. Mariana Zapata books (The queen of slowburn romance. The only book I’ve read by her is ‘Under Locke’, but ‘From Lukov with love’ and ‘Kulti’ have rave reviews. There is so much build up and SO much sexual tension with a great pay off)

3. Milly Johnson books (A uk author whose books are primarily set in the north, these are total feel good books. Not so much graphic and more romantic, but her characters are great and her plot lines really hook you in.)

4. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (Super cute, quick enemies-to-lovers story about a bridesmaid who has to go on a honeymoon with the best man when the bride and groom get food poisoning. Obviously this means the holy of holies: fake relationship!)

5. Well met by Jen De Luca (Oh my gosh! Super fun, the characters are just wonderful especially our heroine. A hate-to-love romance set at a renaissance fair! All about overcoming the limits you set on yourself and rethinking your first impressions.)

6. Katherine Center books (My personal favourites are ‘How to walk away’ about a woman who falls for her PT after a near fatal plane crash. And ‘Happiness for beginners’ about a woman taking part in a wilderness trail with her brothers annoying best friend. She writes such great plots and you really feel all the emotions!)

7. Mhairi Mcfarlane books (my personal favourites are ‘Here’s looking at you’ about a woman who comes face to face with her high school bully years later - only he doesn’t recognize her. And he’s not awful? Don’t worry. I know how that synopsis sounds. He’s not excused his actions, but you also understand how he’s grown and changed. It definitely gets you in the feels though. As does ‘You had me at hello’ Which is about a couple from university meeting again years later. God this woman can write angst and yearning!!)

8. A part of me by Anouska Knight (On the same day she and her husband have been accepted into the adoption process, their marriage implodes. This has such a cute romance which follows hate-to friends- to love and it’s v funny)

9. Southern Eclectic series by Molly harper (Just as it sounds. Southern small town romance with a great, quirky cast of characters)

10. Maggie’s man by Lisa Gardner (writing as Alicia Scott) (An escaped convict kidnaps a woman from the courthouse to act as his hostage whilst he tries to prove his innocence. Surprisingly funny and warm. Maggie as a heroine is an absolute joy. They’re sort of chaotic together and it’s a wild ride.)

11. The Mister by E.L James (LISTEN OK - SIT BACK DOWN - It’s not winning awards but it’s actually decent! I was skeptical, but I will admit I was won over. I mean parts are cheesy but it’s so addictive. Basically a rich man falls for his cleaning lady - but it’s also about the yearning. It’s also quite action packed as there’s danger, drama and a chase across europe to get the girl.)

12. RECENT Colleen Hoover (Now, you may enjoy older CH books. Personally I find them very problematic. Now I’ve really enjoyed her recent books though. Especially ‘Without Merit’ and ‘It ends with us’ and ‘Regretting you’. High angst, high drama, dark topics for all of her books. But you can tell she’s matured with her writing. She isn’t for everyone but they’re addictive, fast paced reads.

13. The Austenland duology by Shannon Hale (You might have seen the Austenland movie - The cutest, cheesiest, sweetest, campiest movie ever. Well there’s a book! It’s about women who go on a holiday and live their own Jane Austen story with actors. The first book leans towards Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield park. The second book is more Northanger abbey and Emma.

14. Brigid Kemmerer contemporaries (She is an auto-buy author for me, especially her contemporaries. She writes the best teenage characters, the best teenage boys I’ve ever read about. Her characters are real, she writes about kids trying their best, struggling, and being good, and kind, and the world not being kind to them. Usually the books have a pov from both the female and male love interest. I would rec any of them tbh. ‘Letters to the lost’ comes before it’s companion novel ‘More than we can tell’. I loved ‘Call it what you want’ with has modern Robin Hood elements!!!! seriously she is my favourite YA contemporary author.

15. Sophie Kinsella books (If you haven’t picked up her stand alone novels then what are you doing???? she is the queen!!!! Personal favourites are ‘Can you keep a secret’ and ‘I’ve got your number)

16. A quiet kind of thunder by Sara Barnard (I love her ok. Her books are short and sweet but she packs a punch. TBH these aren’t primarily romance, they’re more just about teenage girls but this one has a good romance element so I’m putting it on here. It’s about Steffi, a selective mute who sometimes communicates with basic sign language who is assigned to look after the new boy at school Rhys, who is deaf.)

17. Meet me at the museum by Anne Youngson (GORGEOUS! moving, tender. A lonely housewifes strikes up a correspondence with a widowed museum curator in Denmark. Oh gosh. I just love this one. It’s about friendship, love, grief, second chances, the choices we make. Seriously love this one and it’s not that long.)

FANTASY:

1. Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson (Elisabeth has grown up in the great library, protecting grimoires with powers and fearing sorcerers. When a dangerous grimoire is released, she’s forced to team up with an enigmatic sorcerer and his demonic servant in order to save the world.)

2. Sky in the deep duology by Adrienne Young (A viking inspired story about a warrior who is captured by the tribe she is at war with. Such good tension and it’s also got a lot of action. Battle couple romance! Mutual respect! Hate to love!)

3. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (I’ve reread this book once but will end up reading it again. It’s a time travel romance about a woman staying in cornwall dealing with the death of her sister who is transported back and forth to the 17th century. It’s a favourite. The romance is wonderful but the stakes are really high too. I also love ‘Belleweather’ by the same author)

4. An ember in the ashes series by Sabaa Tahir (Oh god, the romance. THE ROMANCE! it’s so much. The angst, the pining, the longing. The first book follows Laia, part of a slave class in a roman inspired world. She begins spying in the top military academy and meets Elias, a reluctant soldier. This is a proper fantasy series with only the first three books out, but it’s so great.)

5. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen (Let me just copy the blurb ok: “Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan's rules.” I MEAN COME ON. a gorgeous adult fairytale with love and redemption at the center.

6. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot (Obviously Meg Cabot is the most iconic and we stan. But this series is my absolute favourite by her. About Suze Simon, a kickass, no nonsense mediator - Someone who helps ghosts move on to the other side. Sometimes by force. She has to move house and ends up sharing her room with a 100 year old hot ghost named Jesse. The tension. The angst. THE BANTER!!!!)

7. House of Earth and Blood by Sara J Maas (a half fae half mortal girl tries to solve a murder with the help of a fallen angel. It’s a LONG book, but for me personally it flew by. It’s a big new fantasy world but the romance has a great build. Overcoming grief! Being normal together! Being in danger together! THE UST! the characters are so good. I ahven’t been this impressed by a new series for a while)

8. Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer (yep, she gets another mention. This one is a beauty and the best retelling about a man forced to relive the same season over and over, becoming a literal beat, until a girl from our world can break the curse. The second book, following secondary characters, is my fave so far. But both feature kickass ladies and those small romantic moments BK is so good at)

9. A court of thorns and roses series by Sara J Maas (a fae inspired beauty and the beast retelling. The only time you support a ship switch. Also the secondary ships are getting their own books and oh my god. I’m so excited.)

HISTORICAL/CLASSICS/MILLS AND BOON

1. Jane Austen (The original rom com queen, obviously. Pride and prejudice and Emma are faves. Also I have a major soft spot for the alwayc chaotic and underrated Northanger Abbey)

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Actually might be my favourite classic ever. Often described at an industrial p&p. Margaret, from the south, comes face to face with the harsh reality of the world when she moves up north and comes face to face with a brooding millowner. There’s obviously a lot more nuance than that but. THE PINING!!!!!! THE MISCOMMUNICATION! THE DRAMA!)

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (You might have seen the film. Please also read the book. Told entirely in letters. The sharp witted author Juliet Ashton falls in love with Guernsey and it’s characters whilst researching what happened there during the war. Funny, moving and romantic.)

4. The Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn (A butterfly hunter foils her own kidnap and is paired together with a reclusive natural historian. They solve mysteries together. They can’t admit they wanna sleep together. The tension.......unbearable. See also the Julia Grey mysteries by the same author)

5. The warrior knight and the widow by Ella Matthews (So last year I discovered Mills and Boon and I have no shame about it whatsoever. This is a medieval beauty and the beast retelling about a woman being escorted to her fathers estate by an enigmatic and scarred knight. She’s hoping to convince her father to let her steward her own lands, and of course trying not to fall for her escort.)

6. The bareknuckle bastards series by Sarah Maclean (A badass, brooding trio of siblings who rule the underbelly of Covent Garden fall for smart, beautiful women. Opposites attract, Good girl/bad boy, strong women, banter. Super fun historical romance)

7. Redeeming the reclusive earl by Virginia Heath (I just read this and it was seriously cute!!!! And book where the hero blushes even once is a good book in my opinion. Basically aspiring antiquarian named Effie barrels into the life of a new earl - who really just wants to be left alone to be grumpy and sad and disfigured. ALONE. But Effie wants to dig on his land. And she won’t take no for an answer. She also talks A LOT.

8. A family for the widowed governess by Ann Lethbridge (Technically this is part of a series but you don’t need to read them in order and this is the best one. A widow who is being blackmailed accepts a governess post. She can’t tell her employer about the blackmail especially when she starts falling for him.)

9. The bedlam stacks by Natasha Pulley (I read watchmaker and didn’t like it but you might like it. This one also FEAUTRES A M/M ROMANCE. I know this list was super straight im sorry. Anyway this is about a botanist falling in love with a priest in the jungle.

10. The wilderness series by Sara Donati (Think outlander without the time travel and also not set in scotland. Basically Last of the Mohicans fanfiction about Hawkeye’s grown up son. An english woman moves to america when her father promises she can be a school teacher there. Little does she know he actually has plans to marry her off. Things get more complicated when she falls for Nathaniel Bonner, a white man raised native american and who’s daughter and extended family is Native American. Like outlander there’s romance, adventure, history. But unlike the outlander books the love interest is a decent guy (i say as if i don’t love the tv show)

STUFF THAT REALLY ISN’T ROMANCE AT ALL. BUT I SHIP A SHIP.

1. The Lacey Flint series by Sharon Bolton (Lacey Flint is a police officer who becomes involved in the hunt to catch a Jack the ripper copycat. There actually is a strong romantic element with the other lead police officer.)

2. The last hours duology by Minette Walters. A novel about the black death and a closed estate lead by a woman who’s trying to protect her people. There’s also a kind of murder mystery. But she also has a close relationship to one of the surfs that I got super invested in.

3. The Strike series by J.k Rowling (I know we don’t stan anymore but. This series about  PI and his assistant slowly growing closer? Becoming best friends and partners? Not acknowledging any feelings for each other?

[peppymintdreams]

You’re my everything I’m glad your here

Luca x Mc

Today was tiring a Luca gets home, well before Mc does. he just want to cuddle,

Luca dragged himself through the door, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. It had been one of those days endless meetings, a mountain of paperwork, and the slow, tiring commute home. All he wanted was to kick back and let his mind drift. He toed off his shoes, shrugged out of his jacket, and collapsed onto the couch, switching on the TV without a second thought. A random sitcom filled the room with laughter, but his thoughts were elsewhere, lingering on how quiet the house felt without Mc there.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the room in a warm, orange glow, Luca sighed, feeling a pang of loneliness. The fatigue he felt wasn’t just from work; it was the absence of them, the one who brought so much life and light into this quiet space.

Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of keys jingling at the front door. He perked up as it swung open, revealing Mc, carrying bags of groceries. Luca’s face instantly brightened, and he sat up, eyes fixed on them.

“Hey, you’re home!” he called, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

They smiled back at him, setting the bags on the counter. “Yeah, thought I’d pick up a few things for us,” they replied, giving him a soft look that told him they’d missed him, too. “Long day?”

“You have no idea.” Luca sighed, watching as they began to unpack. “Just seeing you walk in made it better, though.”

As the evening settled into full darkness, the only light in the room came from the soft, flickering glow of the TV. After a quick shower, they returned to the kitchen, hair still damp, pulling out pots and ingredients. Luca’s eyes followed their every move as they began making ramen, their gentle humming drifting into the room.

“Do you need any help?” he offered, knowing full well they’d probably wave him off.

They glanced over with a smirk. “Stay where you are, mister. You’ve had a long day. Just relax, okay?” They spoke, giving Luca a wink.

Luca chuckled, sinking further into the couch as he continued to watch. There was something endlessly soothing about seeing them move around the kitchen, doing something so simple yet so filled with love and care. He watched every little thing they did, the way they stirred the pot, the way they hummed softly to themselves, the way their eyes lit up as they added a dash of spices, always making things just right.

After a few minutes, they came over with two steaming bowls of ramen, setting them on the small table by the couch. As they straightened up, they caught sight of Luca’s pleading expression, his hands held out doing slight grabbing gestures like a child asking for candy.

“C’mere,” he murmured, voice low and inviting, a warm smile spreading across his face.

They laughed, setting the bowls aside before falling into his waiting arms, nestling their head against his chest. Luca wrapped his arms around them tightly, resting his chin on their head.

“I missed you,” he whispered softly, his breath warm against their hair. “The house feels so empty without you.”

They looked up, their eyes soft as they reached up to trace his jawline with their thumb. “I missed you too, you big softie,” they teased, but their eyes gave away just how much they meant it. “But now I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to their forehead. “You better not.”

They both laughed, warmth blooming between them, then finally sat up to eat their ramen, snuggled close on the couch. The hot, savory noodles were exactly what Luca needed, and he let out a soft sigh as he took his first bite.

“Nothing beats your cooking,” he murmured between bites, his voice filled with gratitude. “You always know how to make everything better.”

They nudged him playfully. “Flattery will get you everywhere, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he leaned over, planting a quick kiss on their cheek.

They ate in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging glances and small smiles as they watched the TV, each perfectly content in the other’s presence. When their bowls were empty, they both leaned back into the couch, lulled by the warmth of the food and each other’s company. Before long, the two of them drifted off, still cuddled close, a quiet contentment settling over them like a cozy blanket.

Hours later, Luca stirred, the dim glow of the TV still casting soft shadows around the room. A romance movie was playing, and the characters on-screen whispered words of love. He looked down to find Mc still snuggled against him, their arms wrapped around him possessively, their hair a bit messy and spilling over his shoulder.

A soft smile touched his lips as he brushed a stray strand of hair from their face, his heart swelling with gratitude and love. He still couldn’t quite believe that they were here with him, that he was lucky enough to share his life with someone who meant everything to him. He gently pressed a kiss to the top of their head, whispering softly, “You’re my everything, you know that?”

They stirred slightly, murmuring something incoherent but cozy, pressing closer in their sleep. Luca chuckled quietly, pulling them even tighter against him.

“I’m so glad you’re here. So, so glad,” he whispered, letting his words fall softly in the quiet night.

He closed his eyes, feeling the comforting weight of their arms around him, the steady rise and fall of their breathing against his chest. And as he drifted back to sleep, he knew there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be, wrapped up in the warmth of the one he loved, the one who made every day worth it.

[tabloidtoc]

People, November 30

Cover: Sexiest Man Alive Michael B. Jordan 

Page 7: Chatter -- Dolly Parton on parenthood, Jason Momoa on wearing pink, Kurt Russell on making a negative first impression with longtime love Goldie Hawn, Taylor Swift on dating Joe Alwyn, Keke Palmer on preferring leggings, Viola Davis on processing the state of the world 

Page 8: 5 Things We’re Talking About This Week -- stars prep a seasonal singalong, a Baby Yoda cocktail wins over famous fans, The Bachelor mansion hits Airbnb, Arnold Schwarzenegger heads to Netflix, Blue Ivy narrates an audiobook 

Page 11: Contents 

Page 12: Contents, Editor’s Letter 

Page 14: StarTracks -- Famous Families -- John Legend and Chrissy Teigen attended the drive-in premiere of Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey in L.A. with their kids Miles and Luna 

Page 15: LeBron James with mom Gloria, Gabrielle Union backyard with daughter Kaavia, Chris Hemsworth and his mother Leonie, Rupert Grint and daughter Wednesday G. Grint

Page 16: Kit Harington filmed a scene for the second season of Modern Love in Dublin, Tiger Woods awarded a green jacket to 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson, Patricia Clarkson showed off a shimmering gown at Housing Works’ annual Fashion for Action Benefit 

Page 17: Nashville’s Biggest Night -- Carrie Underwood and husband Mike Fisher attended the 54th annual Country Music Association Awards, Charley Pride performed with Jimmie Allen before accepting his CMA Lifetime Achievement Award, Miranda Lambert with husband Brendan McLoughlin, Maren Morris won three awards and shone a light on Black female country artists 

Page 19: Timothee Chalamet packed on some layers for a bike ride along Manhattan’s Hudson River Park, Molly Bernard and Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff during a break from filming for Younger in New York City’s Upper West Side, Mandy Moore cradled her pregnant belly at the E! People’s Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Tyler Perry at the E! People’s Choice Awards 

Page 23: Scoop -- Healing on Grey’s Anatomy -- inside Patrick Dempsey’s surprise return 

Page 24: Lena Dunham reveals her struggle with infertility and IVF 

Page 26: Heart Monitor -- Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis surprise split, Ryan Cabrera and Alexa Bliss engaged, Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley happy anniversary, Kristin Cavallari and Jeff Dye dating 

Page 29: Britney Spears’ battle with her dad continues, Britney and Sam Asghari’s island getaway 

Page 30: Ciara and Russell Wilson’s new family moves, Buddy Valastro making progress after his accident 

Page 32: Rebel Wilson -- my year of health and love, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond becomes a proud foster mom 

Page 34: Passages, Why I Care -- after losing her mother to pancreatic cancer in 2012 Mindy Kaling is raising awareness about the disease 

Page 37: Stories to Make You Smile -- there’s no debate about who won the popular vote in Rabbit Hash in Kentucky: a 6-month-old dog named Wilbur, a tiny preemie grows into a healthy 4-year-old with Superman by his side 

Page 41: People Picks -- The Flight Attendant 

Page 42: Hillbilly Elegy, Happiest Season, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Q&A Lindsey Vonn 

Page 43: Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, People Presents: Once upon a Main Street, Small Axe, One to Watch -- The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two’s Darby Camp 

Page 45: Books 

Page 47: Jewel -- what I know now -- she went from homelessness to pop stardom 25 years ago and now the singer gets candid about healing from her abusive childhood and finding true happiness 

Page 53: At home with The Undertaker -- the (family) man behind the WWE legend -- after 30 years in the ring Mark Calaway reflects on his career and catching up on lost time as a dad 

Page 56: At 51 Julie Loving becomes her daughter’s surrogate -- a mother’s amazing gift -- after years of struggling with infertility Breanna Lockwood thought she’d never have a child and then her mom stepped up and gave birth to a healthy baby girl 

Page 60: John Belushi -- the private world of a comedy legend -- nearly four decades after the groundbreaking actor’s tragic death at age 33 those closest to him open up about the legacy he left behind 

Page 64: Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds -- kids asked and they answered -- the stars of The Croods: A New Age take questions from their youngest fans 

Page 66: A High School Coach’s Betrayal -- shattered justice -- Emilie Morris told police her former track coach had sexually abused her but charges were dropped when she died; now her family hopes a new TV special will bring fresh attention to the case 

Page 72: Michael B. Jordan is the Sexiest Man Alive -- he’s driven and compassionate and playful and doing more than his fair share to help change the world 

Page 83: Men of the Year -- Chris Evans 

Page 84: Harry Styles 

Page 85: Trevor Noah, Kevin Costner, Maluma, Lakeith Stanfield 

Page 86: Paul Rudd, Steve Kornacki, William Zabka, Ryan Seacrest, Darren Barnet 

Page 87: Brad Pitt, The Weeknd, Paul Mescal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II 

Page 88: Manny Jacinto, Dr. Elvis Francois, Stephen Colbert, Robert Pattinson 

Page 89: John David Washington 

Page 90: Dwayne Johnson, Lucas Bravo, Dr. Anthony Fauci 

Page 91: Pedro Pascal 

Page 92: Chris Rock, Matt Bomer, Penn Badgley, Andrew Cuomo, Justin Bieber, Jonathan Majors 

Page 98: The People Have Spoken -- readers exercised their right to vote by picking their favorites in an online poll 

* Sexiest Star Who Kept Us Smiling -- John Krasinski 

* Sexiest Small-Screen Star -- Jensen Ackles 

* Sexiest Royal -- Prince Harry 

Page 99: Sexiest International Man -- Jeon Jungkook 

* Sexiest New Dad -- Joe Jonas 

* Sexiest Happily Settled Guy -- Ryan Reynolds 

Page 100: Sexiest Sports Star -- Patrick Mahomes 

* Sexiest Social Media Star -- Shawn Mendes 

* Sexiest Brothers -- Liam Hemsworth and Chris Hemsworth

* Sexiest Netflix Heartthrob -- Noah Centineo 

Page 106: Dan Levy -- sexiest man in quarantine -- baking and jigsaw puzzles and so many Zooms: whatever quarantine had to offer the Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star tried it all 

Page 115: Hottest Couples -- these twosomes make being in love look good -- Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Matthew and Camila McConaughey, Kevin and Eniko Hart, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt and Chris Pratt, Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez 

Page 117: The Eyes Have It -- in the era of face masks these men are still able to flaunt their finest feature -- Idris Elba, Bradley Cooper, Jesse Williams, Mark Consuelos, Boris Kodjoe, Henry Golding, Zac Efron, Ian Somerhalder 

Page 120: A Sexy Man’s Best (Instafamous) Friend -- Nick Jonas with Gino Chopra Jonas 

Page 123: Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka with Gidget and Spike 

Page 124: Harry Connick Jr. with Tuka 

Page 127: Cats Are Instafamous Too -- these felines and their sexy celeb owners prove they’re just as worthy of social media stardom -- Ed Sheeran with Calippo, Bobby Flay with Nacho, Keegan Allen with Tyn, Ricky Gervais with Pickle 

Page 129: Sexy at Every Age 

Page 130: Silver Foxes -- they’ve still got it -- these former cover stars are as smoldering as ever proving sexiness gets better with age -- Richard Gere, Harrison Ford 

Page 131: Pierce Brosnan, Harry Hamlin, Mark Harmon 

Page 132: All Glowed Up -- this group of guys outgrew their sweet baby faces to become dashingly handsome men -- Adam Rippon, Charlie Puth, Josh Peck, Mario Lopez, Michele Morrone, Skylar Astin 

Page 133: Orlando Bloom, Ramy Youssef, Brooklyn Beckham, Hunter Hayes, Wilson Cruz, Chase Stokes, Jordan Fisher 

Page 134: A Change of Scenery -- we’re all sick of staying home so luckily these sizzling guys have found plenty of ways to get things done outdoors -- Paul Wesley goes camping in his yard 

Page 136: Cole Hauser takes a bath 

Page 137: Common gets a shave and a haircut 

Page 138: Edgar Ramirez enjoys coffee and a book 

Page 140: Derek Hough does his laundry 

Page 143: Cutest Baby Alive -- CNN anchor Anderson Cooper’s sweet son Wyatt 

Page 151: Second Look -- Melissa McCarthy in Superintelligence 

Page 152: One Last Thing -- Kate Mara -- the actress stars in the new limited series A Teacher

[myforeverforlife]

familiar stranger (final).

“It doesn’t feel like home when you’re not with me."

Jongdae’s eyelids fluttered shut, the weight of your words touching the depths of his heart. "You’ll always have me, no matter what. Home hasn’t been the same without you.” His eyes opened, brown pools of color full of adoration as he stared back at you.

Everything was falling back into place.

Disclaimer: This series was planned out before Jongdae’s announcement, and I wanted to finish this for everyone who’s been reading and following along since part one. As always, everything in this is fictional, the only things linked to reality are the use of some character names.

Word Count: 5,734

Masterlist

Series masterlist: ( 1 )  ( 2 )  ( 3 )  ( Final )

Moving day was more organized than you expected. You only had to bring over the pile of stuff you accumulated while staying with Minseok, and the rest already had a place at home with Jongdae. Most of your items were easily settled and in their places within a couple of hours, much to your satisfaction. The only thing left to do was to get the remainder of your clothes put away. 

As you folded and hung up your clothes, it hit you that while most of your other tastes had stayed the same, your choice in clothing hadn't. In the course of six years, your wardrobe had changed almost completely. 

"I feel like I'm shopping through my own closet," you said over your shoulder. Rummaging through coats and sweaters, you were impressed by certain fashions choices, and oddly confused at others. "Did I really wear this orange sweater?" You took it out by the hanger, lifting it up just as Jongdae peeked out from the bathroom. 

"You did, and I always said that you looked like a pumpkin. A very cute pumpkin, I might add." Jongdae laughed, even with his mouth full of toothpaste. 

You hung the fuzzy blob of a sweater back up, failing to hide the smile working its way onto your face at Jongdae's words. "I guess I know why I kept it," you said to yourself as Jongdae finished brushing his teeth. He joined you at the closet soon after, similarly dressed in his well-loved pajamas. 

"I forgot you even had this," he chuckled. Jongdae reached out, fingers running down the woolen fabric of the sweater. "I never knew why you didn't donate or throw it away. You always said it was too scratchy to wear." 

Eyebrows raised in disbelief, you crossed your arms over your chest. "Really? You honestly don't have any idea why?" 

Jongdae was still confused, staring harder at the sweater as if he would find the answer there. "No... why?" 

"I probably kept it because you liked it so much! Who doesn't want to be called a 'cute pumpkin' by their husband?" 

"Huh." Jongdae's head cocked to the head slightly, studying the article of clothing one last time before turning to you. "You didn't have to do that. I know you don't usually like this style." 

"I mean, technically I didn't do anything. 'Past me' did." 

Jongdae smiled, closing the distance and putting his arms around your waist. "Well, 'past you' is still you." He kissed the crown of your head, his lips lingering a but longer before he rested his cheek against your hair. "Ready for bed?" 

It amused Jongdae to watch you hop in on the left side of the bed, a spot you always claimed. You pulled a pillow close to you as you brought the fluffy blanket over your shoulders, sniffing curiously as you caught a whiff of a familiar scent. 

"Lavender," you mused, diving down for another sniff. 

"To help you sleep," Jongdae explained as he turned off the light on the nightstand. "You used to talk about how it takes forever for you to fall asleep." He stifled a laugh as he lay down, resting his head on the pillow underneath. "And if we're being honest, you were sort of jealous of my ability to fall asleep in five seconds flat." 

You mirrored Jongdae, lying down and facing him as you clutched the pillow tightly to you with both arms. "I'm still jealous, now that you've brought that up," you pouted. 

Jongdae cooed with sympathy, scooting closer and bringing one arm up to encircle as much of you as he could. "Hopefully the lavender helps tonight."

"I'm sure it will." You smiled up at him before hugging him back, the pillow between both of you making it hard to get your arm over his waist. To Jongdae's amusement, you shoved the pillow out of the way before snuggling closer, nose pressed into his shirt. 

And sure enough, you slept better than you did in a long time. 

"Y/N, can you bring me the scallops?"

"Yes, chef!" You picked up the hot pan with a towel, warning your fellow chefs as you stepped past before placing on the counter next to Key. He finished plating his risotto before reaching for the scallops, sending you a quick thanks before focusing entirely on the food before him. 

"Mingyu, I need garnish soon! Kyungsoo, get ready to have your salmon up to the counter!" 

Both men were quick to respond to the head chef, Mingyu readying dainty flowers to be sprinkled atop the scallop risotto while Kyungsoo wiped the edges of his salmon dishes. 

You went to check on the meal ticket one last time, making sure that nothing was missing. Under Key's supervision, his dishes were immaculate and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 

Once Jaehyun came to take the dishes out, the whole process started all over again. Key led your team through a couple orders of spicy pork over cauliflower rice and, much to Kyungsoo's delight, wasabi tacos. Time seemed to fly past as you all finished up the last of the main dishes and started on desserts. 

Service ended with a last order of lychee cheesecake and mini red bean pancakes topped with French vanilla ice cream, your mouth watering at the sight of them. 

"Good work tonight, everybody. That was the best service we've had in a long time. Maybe even since Y/N was last here," he added, giving you a thumbs-up. "Alright, let's clean up and get the hell out of here. I'm dying for a drink." 

You rolled back your shoulders, stretching out the sore muscles and moving onto your neck when Kyungsoo called out to you. "You okay?" 

"Yeah, my body's just stiff. Too much sitting around at home for me really left me out of shape," you joked. 

Kyungsoo's eyes softened in sympathy. "It's tough jumping back into this after so long. You'll get used to it again though."

"Sounds like you speak from experience?"

"Yeah, before I got hired here, I did my military service. I had to leave my job at Junmyeon's old restaurant, Oasis, but he offered me one here once I got out. I thought I'd ease back in like I never left, but it was weird to get back into the habit of cooking in an environment like this. Not just physically, but mentally as well." He leaned back against the counter, throwing the towel in his hand onto his shoulder and crossing his arms. "Luckily, Key is a decent head chef, when he's not sending drunk texts to the groupchat."

"I can hear you Do Kyungsoo, and those counters won't wipe themselves!" Key yelled from the walk-in fridge. 

You stifled your giggles as Kyungsoo flinched, immediately reaching up for his towel and searching for the nearest surface to start cleaning. 

Sure, your body wasn't used to the stress of pulling through a service like this, but you felt better than you had in a long time. It also helped that you had been welcomed back so cheerfully. Of course, everyone in the kitchen was overjoyed to have you there. Your tasks had been divvied up and shared among the remaining four chefs, the managers even stepping in to help wherever they could. 

But you could feel the camaraderie between everyone, and the way that this same friendship was extended towards you. The younger ones liked to rope you into their antics, Lucas and Mark often looking to you for your opinion whenever they got into an enthusiastic discussion about, well, anything. The latest debate had been over which Smash Bros character was the best. 

Your happiness at work filtered into your cheeriness at home, and vice versa. Your parents were even able to pick up on your cheery mood as you talked to them over the phone. Although they were cities away and unable to come up to Seoul as often as they liked, you made the effort to call them at least once a week. 

Jongdae liked to say hi to your parents whenever he heard that you were on the phone with them. Nothing more than the usual effervescent, genuine greeting, and then he left you with a kiss and your privacy to continue your phone call. As familiar as he was with your parents, you were almost terrified about meeting his. It was slightly comforting to know that they loved you already, but meeting your partner's parents was always a nerve-wracking event. Jongdae never pushed you to meet them, much less talk to then until you were ready. 

But deep down, you knew that this was something you would have to do eventually. 

You met them for the first time (again) at his parents on a sunny weekend in March, during a family get-together at their house. Jongdae's older brother was there too with his wife, their little daughter back home spending some time with her maternal grandmother.

It was easy to see where Jongdae's assorted charms came from as you observed his parents. His father was reliable and always ready to lend a hand, even when you didn't say anything. His mother was bubbly and optimistic, constantly refreshing others with a kind word and a warm smile. 

And Jongdae, sweet as ever, was by your side throughout it all. A hand on your waist as you talked to his mom, a hearty laugh when you innocently pointed out that his brother had a piece of spinach stuck in his teeth. 

His childhood home was gone, but his parents still kept a room reserved for him and his brother in their new apartment. Boxes of artifacts from his youth were stacked against the wall, full of yearbooks, letters and stuffed plushies spilling out when you opened them up. 

"You have a teddy bear collection?" you asked, picking up one with a plush skateboard attached to its feet. "This might be the cutest thing I've ever seen."

"Stop," Jongdae whined, falling to the floor and covering his face with his hands as you laughed. "I feel bad about throwing them out."

"I'm serious, Dae. This is adorable." You sat the bear up against the pillows on his bed, lining up bear after bear until you had an entire row there. Some were in better condition than others, but all had been well-loved. 

Jongdae showed you old photos of the band he was in during high-school, an adolescent version of him sporting different hairstyles that his friend did for him. "I let him practice on me, but I drew the line at mohawks. My mom would've killed me, and Jongdeok would've teased me about it forever. Not that he doesn't tease me enough already," he added with a good-natured roll of his eyes.

"How about now?" you asked, wiggling your eyebrows. "I think you'd look good in one."

Jongdae choked on his laughter, tears welling in the corners of his eyes as you frantically got him up to a sitting position. "I'm fine," he assured you, coughing in between chuckles. "You just surprised me." 

"You mean you don't want a hairstyle that makes you look like a rooster?" you quipped, joining in as Jongdae erupted into giggles once more.

"Okay, that's it, I'm never going with you to the hair salon." His chest continued to rumble with laughter as he leaned against you, his cheek pressed against your head. "I'm glad you're having a good time here."

"Your family's so sweet, how can I not?" 

Jongdae smiled to himself, head ducking down to kiss you. "I'm happy that you're happy, darling." 

Jongdae's family members were so similar to himself, how could you not love them? They welcomed you into the family a second time, your personality suiting their easygoing ways. 

And something you really appreciated — not once did any of them comment on your ring-less finger. 

It had been a journey wracked with guilt and confusion, but you had reached the point where looking at your wedding ring didn't send you into a whirlpool of nervousness. 

A few weeks and sessions unpacking your guilt with Dr. Suh later, you even took to wearing your wedding ring again — although not where you were traditionally expected to. The elegant piece of jewelry hung from a thin silver chain around your neck, an old Christmas present from your father. 

Your ring was the bridge between your present and past — but more importantly, your future. Wearing your ring grounded you, reminded you about how lucky you were to be here now, even if you couldn't remember the past six years. It was comforting to feel the slight pull on your necklace when you leaned forward, the ring swinging forward and catching the light. 

What warmed your heart even more was Jongdae's reaction to seeing it again. 

You had been antsy all day, the ring hidden under your shirt. For all Jongdae knew, you were just wearing a necklace you had rediscovered. But when you leaned down to pick up a pair of shoes, the ring slipped out from its hiding place. Jongdae, who tended to be completely oblivious to his surroundings, took a bit to realize what he was seeing. Once he did, however, his mouth fell open, eyes trained solely on the ring at your neck. No matter how many times you replayed it in your mind, you couldn't figure out who had moved first. All you knew was that both of you were in each other's arms, Jongdae's lips on yours as he kissed you like his life depended on it. 

When he managed to finally pull away, he looked you in the eye, asking why you chose to wear it.

"It just feels right," you murmured, fingers tracing over his collarbones. You couldn't meet his gaze, feeling the the intensity of his eyes on yours. You needed to be clear-headed if you wanted to get your thoughts out correctly. "I used to be scared of it. I knew that I loved you, but I wasn't sure if I was ready for a big commitment like this. It's my first time being married," you finished with a soft laugh. 

Jongdae lifted your chin up gently, waiting until you were looking at him. "You didn't do this just for me, right?" He swallowed back the nervousness creeping up his throat.

You shook your head. "Not just for you or me, but for us, darling." 

Jongdae froze for a second before his hands came up to your cheeks, caressing them softly. “Say it again, please.” His voice was shaky, despite the steadiness of his hands. "I've missed hearing that." 

"Darling Jongdae," you whispered back, your own hands trembling as they reached up to cover Jongdae's where they rested on your face. "I love you. I don't think I ever really stopped." 

Jongdae let out an unexpected sob, closing his eyes and ducking his head. His hands dropped from your face, taking yours down with him. 

"Dae, don't cry," you pleaded, reaching out to be the one to cradle his face now. "Dae," you said tenderly, brushing his bangs back as he tried to hide his tears.

He turned his head, wiping his face on his sleeve before turning back to you. His eyes were red-rimmed, tears clumping his eyelashes together. "I'm happy," he choked out, taking in a shuddering, raspy breath. "You make me happy, Y/N, no matter what you do. But this... nothing even compares to this.” 

"But I'm not even wearing the ring the right way," you murmured, surprised by his strong reaction. 

Jongdae shook his head, brows drawn low over his face, a serious glint to his eye. "It doesn't matter where you wear it. You could wear it on your pinky toe, for all that I care. But I'm... I'm honored that you would choose to wear it again. To choose me again." 

"It's only ever been you, Jongdae. I'd fall for you again, a million times over if it meant I got to be with you." You kissed him, feeling the subtle tickle of his eyelashes against your skin when he closed his eyes. 

"I love you," he breathed, unwilling to move even an inch away when he was already drunk off of you. 

"I love you too, Dae." 

And in your soul, you felt that truer words had never been spoken. 

Winter ended and with it came sunnier spring days, each with their fair share of rainy ones. You and Jongdae had spent these early months of the year cuddled up in late winter's warmth, discovering new things about each other as the first seeds began to sprout. It was normal now for Jongdae to pick you up from work, for both of you to come home and talk about your days over dinner and then spend the rest of the night lazing around. 

Your old worries tended to creep up on you from time to time, but your circle of supporters were always ready to listen and comfort. You confided in Dr. Suh, sharing your deepest, darkest fears about not being able to live up to the person you had been before the accident. It took a lot of talking out your thoughts and thinking through the realities of them, sorting through what was fact and fiction, and the importance of living for now. 

You had gotten so used to having Dr. Suh as another shoulder to lean on that it knocked your world off balance when you got down to your last sessions. 

"I don't think there's anything left for me to help you with," she explained. "You've done an amazing job learning to talk through your problems, and not just to me. I've seen how much you and Jongdae have improved, and I think it's time that I take a step back." 

"This is so weird, it feels like it was only a couple of weeks ago that I came in here for the first time," you mused.

"Time really has flown by, hasn’t it?” Dr. Suh took off her glasses, resting them on top of her leg. "You've made so much progress, and I have faith in your abilities to continue your good work. I'll miss my sessions with you and Jongdae, but I sincerely believe that neither of you need me anymore. I'm proud of you both." 

A sudden wave of emotion came over you, gratitude towards Dr. Suh for all of her help over the past months, to uncertainty about the days ahead without these confidential talks in her office. "Are you sure?" you asked meekly. "What do I do if I need help again?" 

"Then I'll always be here. But I think you and Jongdae have done more for each other than I have." Her lips curled upwards, bringing an uncommon youthfulness to her usually calm demeanor. 

"I'm sure together, the two of you will be just fine."

Six months later... 

Your played with the ring hanging from your neck, one foot tapping anxiously against the floor. Tonight was the night. It wasn't your first holiday with Jongdae, and some people wouldn't consider a birthday a "real" holiday anyways, but in your eyes, it was absolutely imperative that everything go smoothly tonight. 

"Y/N, relax, he'll be here soon," Key said, wiping off a few beads of sweat from his forehead. "If you stay in the kitchen any longer, you'll end up sweating in that outfit." 

He had a point. "Are you sure you don't need any help?" you asked, leaning across the counter. Key had done his best to keep you out of the kitchen, sparing one glance at your dress and stating that he wouldn't be the one to get oil or food residue on your outfit. After you begged and pleaded, he begrudgingly agreed to let you sit and watch from across the counter.

"I'm sure," Key emphasized, waving you away with one hand. "Now hurry and get out there before your dress starts to smell like beef or something."

With a snort, you hopped off the stool, pushing open the kitchen door and leaving the chefs to their own devices.

The restaurant was nearly empty, the last few customers finishing up their meals and settling their checks. You had offered to work today, but Irene wouldn't hear of it, especially after hearing of your plans to celebrate Jongdae's birthday. She even insisted that you take your time off to go and treat yourself to some time at a salon. That didn't stop you from showing up an hour before you told Jongdae to meet you, running through your plans and finalizing them. 

For your sake, the restaurant was closing early tonight so that you and Jongdae would have the whole place to yourselves. Well, yourselves, and the rest of the staff who you knew would be eavesdropping at every moment. 

"Y/N!" Junmyeon called out, coming over with two copies of your menu. "We finally got the printer to work, what do you think?" 

In his hands were two menus, the thick leaves of paper already laminated and placed inside the leather bindings. You read down the list, nodding contentedly at what you saw there. "Perfect! Thanks so much, Myeon. I know how much trouble the printer was giving you." 

"If it's for you and Jongdae, it's not a problem. You can pay me in leftover food, though." He laughed as he walked away, the apples of his cheeks tinged pink with mirth. 

One table by the window had been especially reserved for both of you, the table settings already freshly cleaned after the previous diners. You leaned over, rearranging the petite flowers in the vase that sat there, the golden sunshine of their petals instantly lifting your mood. The simple arrangement held a mix of dandelions and black-eyed Susans, with some sprigs of baby's breath to add some subtle contrast. As much as you and Jongdae both loved lavender, you noticed how he was always drawn to any sort of buttery, yellow flower. His face had brightened up when you brought some home the other day, his nose disappearing into the depth of petals as he smelled the fragrant scent. He made you laugh when he picked one out, sticking it behind his ear as you both did the rest of your Saturday chores. 

"Y/N, it's almost time!" Irene came up from behind, smoothing down your hair and giving you a final look-over. She nodded to herself when she was satisfied, gently pushing you into a chair.

"Irene, I'm probably gonna stand up again once he comes in," you said, even as your boss meticulously straightened out every little bit and piece on the table. 

"That might be true, but when Jongdae walks up to the entrance, the first thing he's going to see is you sitting here by the window. With the light coming at you from this angle and your vase of flowers here, you look like you belong in a painting. Jongdae will be at a complete loss for words."

Your lips quirked up at the unexpected compliments, thanking your friend for her help tonight.

"I'm happy to do this for you, Y/N. We all are." She glanced up, spotting something through the window. "I'd say good luck, but I know that you won't need it."

You followed her line of sight, sitting up in your seat and craning your neck until you saw Jongdae, frozen on the path leading up to the restaurant. He broke out of his stupor when he met your eye, raising a hand to wave shyly. You didn't even notice Irene as she slipped away discreetly, your heart melting at the sight of Jongdae. Your boss may have tried to frame you like a portrait in a museum, picturesque and pleasing to the eye, but no work of art could surpass Jongdae's beauty in your eyes. 

Jongdae greeted Johnny at the entrance, following through the charade as the taller man led him to your table — the only occupied table in the entire restaurant. He took his seat, fingers tapping nervously against his legs as he gave you a crooked smile. "Hi, darling. I didn't think we'd be the only ones here tonight." 

"Being friends with the owner has its perks," you shrugged nonchalantly. "Happy birthday, Dae." You had already wished him a happy birthday multiple times already, but you were overflowing with festive cheer. It was your first time celebrating his birthday, and you intended to make this a night he wouldn't forget. 

"Thank you," Jongdae replied sweetly, his hand reaching over the table to meet yours. 

Johnny came back with drinks and your specially crafted menus. There was only one option listed for each course, but you had made sure to pick dishes that Jongdae absolutely loved. His face lit up as he read down the list, unconsciously swallowing as if he could already taste the food. "Babe, this all sounds amazing. How am I gonna eat all of this?"

"I'm sure we'll find a way. And if we don't, at least we've got a full staff to help us out." You nodded towards the kitchen, Jongdae following suit only to see Key staring through the window. The head chef was unfazed at being caught, waving quickly before he disappeared from view and sending you and Jongdae into a fit of giggles. 

The first course was the appetizer: a sampler of short ribs cooked in several ways. The bites were small, but enough to hold you over until the next course. Jongdae, ever the carnivore, dug in with gusto. "This isn't a dish on the menu, is it? Did you come up with this?" he asked in awe.

"I planned it with Key and Soo. They both helped me with the flavor combinations." 

Jongdae sighed happily. "You're a genius. I could kiss you right now, you know?"

"I'd be fine with that," you smiled, leaning closer.

The door to the kitchen swung open, Ten coming to bring you the main course. You and Jongdae both jumped back in your seats, laughing quietly at your shared embarrassment.

If Jongdae was ecstatic at the sight of the appetizer, he was completely overjoyed when he saw what the main course was. "It's your kimchi stew," he gaped in wonder. 

You had practiced the beloved recipe, the one from your cookbook that reduced you to tears months ago. It had taken a couple of test trials in the kitchen before you felt that it was absolutely perfect, nothing less than what you wanted to present to Jongdae. Tonight, Kyungsoo was in charge of it, but you trusted him with your recipe wholeheartedly. 

Jongdae closed his eyes as soon as he took the first bite, the familiar spiciness and warmth rushing over him. "God, this is so good," he gushed, opening his eyes to meet your proud smile. 

"I'm glad you like it. Kyungsoo did a great job with it tonight." 

Jongdae nodded, scooping up some rice from the stone bowl beside his stew. "I'll have to give my compliments to the chef," he joked with a twinkle in his eye.  

When both of you were done and felt like you couldn't eat any more, Ten came back to clear your dishes. You knew what was going to happen next, and the dormant butterflies in your stomach began to fly into a frenzy. Across from you, Jongdae sat oblivious to your inner turmoil.

"I don't know if I can eat any more. But then again, Mom always said I had a separate stomach for dessert." He laughed, hands resting over his full belly as you joined in. 

"Well, I guess we'll see if that's true." 

Jongdae raised an eyebrow, about to ask something when some of the lights went out, only your little corner by the window still illuminated by light. A chorus of singing could be heard from the kitchen, only to come flooding out once the doors opened. 

Junmyeon carried the cake out, concentrating hard on singing and walking at the same time. Irene was beside him, hands outstretched as if she expected the cake to fall at any moment. Kyungsoo was right behind, the cake knife wrapped in a cloth napkin and held carefully in his hands as his cheeks glowed with excitement. The rest of the staff followed along, singing turning to shouts and cheers as the fun of it all started to sink in. Even Minseok and Baekhyun were there, Minseok recording on his phone and Baekhyun with a party hat on his head.

"Happy birthday!" Baekhyun yelled once the singing was over and the applause died down. He took off his hat to put it on Jongdae's head instead. Of course, always ready to go along with the fun, Jongdae let his best friend put the silly hat on him. It was much too small, and you were sure that he would have a mark on his chin from the rubber band, but none of it bothered him at all. 

Junmyeon managed to get the cake onto the table without any incidents, much to everyone's relief. He hid behind Mingyu to wipe away the sweat at his temples while Jongdae grinned appreciatively at the cake.

"Matcha cheesecake?" he asked, eyes flashing up to meet yours. 

"The one and only. I hope you like it, Dae." 

"I love it, all of this. Thank you so much, darling." He brought your hand up, pressing a feather-light kiss to the knuckles there. 

"Don't forget to make a wish," Minseok spoke up, still recording every moment. 

Jongdae took in a deep breath as he closed his eyes. It was almost like watching him pray, the way he whispered to himself so softly, no one else could hear. He opened his eyes and blew out the candles, the room erupting into cheers and applause once more. 

Soon, the cake was cut and pieces passed around. Jongdae had tried to cut it at first, but the slices were in danger of coming out horribly uneven, so Kyungsoo stepped in. Everyone was scattered throughout the restaurant, lounging around and talking over their cake. They were mindful of your privacy, varied conversations never interrupting the intimacy shared at your table. 

"Y/N, thank you so much for tonight," Jongdae murmured, now without his birthday hat. "This is the best birthday I've ever had."

"Really?" you asked, fork stopping halfway to your mouth as your froze, taken off-guard.

"Really," he repeated. "I can tell how much work you put into this, you and everyone here. I still can't believe how lucky I am to have someone do this for me." 

"I do it because I love you, Dae." You set your fork down, the metal clattering against the ceramic plate. "I actually have one last surprise," you stammered out. The butterflies in your stomach had now reached peak frenzy, almost rendering you frozen. 

Jongdae watched, half intrigued and the other half worried by the trembling of your fingers. You reached up to undo the clasp of your necklace, slipping your ring off of the chain and cradling it in your other hand. 

"At the beginning of this year, I wasn't sure what would happen to me. I was terrified and lost, and it took everything I had to even try to piece my life back together." You paused, licking your dry lips and readying yourself for the next words. Jongdae's eyes were wide, emotion swirling in that expressive face of his. The love and awe that you saw there spurred you on, words coming more readily. 

"I was scared of falling back in love with you because I knew even less about you than I knew about myself. And the more I found out about you, the deeper I fell. It was the biggest leap of faith I'd ever taken, trusting myself to you and hoping that we would both come out unscathed. And now, every single day, I'm so thankful to have you in my life. I love you more than I can say in words, more than I will ever remember. Kim Jongdae, will you marry me a second time?" 

Jongdae jumped up, surprising you and everyone else in the room who had been listening in. He came around the table, stooping down to cup your cheeks gently before he kissed you. 

Someone started hooting and cheering, but it was merely background noise to you. How could you focus on anything else when Jongdae was kissing you like you were the most precious thing he had ever set eyes on? 

"Is that a yes?" you mumbled against his lips, raising an eyebrow when Jongdae chuckled softly. 

"Yes, with all of my heart." Jongdae crouched down beside you, on his knees as he took the ring from your hand. Both of you watched as he slid it carefully onto the finger that had been bare for so long. Once it was nestled safely against your skin, you pulled him back in for another kiss, giggling when your friends began to crowd the two of you again. 

"Yo, but can people really get married twice?" Mark asked to no one in particular, looking from face to face for his answer.

"I was thinking more of us renewing our vows, but asking him to marry me just seemed more romantic," you explained with a laugh. 

"And it worked," Jongdae added, his hand stroking the side of your face. "I'd marry you a thousand times over, if you asked me to." 

"Don't say that, she'll really make you do it," Minseok interrupted.

You stuck your tongue out at your older brother, ignoring the chuckles of amusement at your childish reaction. Jongdae reached down to pick up your left hand, his thumb running reverently over the ring there. 

"Thank you," he whispered to you, his forehead resting against yours. "Thank you for choosing me again, even after everything." 

"Darling, I always will. Even after every hardship, every unexpected thing that comes out way, we’ve managed to still make it out together. With you, I'm never lost." 

Jongdae's gaze softened, his brown eyes reflecting your own hopes and dreams back for you to see. You felt his thumb run over your ring again, the touch comforting and immediately putting you at ease. "You'll never be lost again," he said sincerely. 

"I promise." 

Series masterlist: ( 1 )  ( 2 )  ( 3 )  ( Final )

A/N: and that’s a wrap! thank you to everyone who’s been reading not only this series, but any of my jongdae fics since I started posting them here! 💕💕💕

for the flowers in the vase: baby's breath means long lasting love, dandelions can mean bravery, personal growth, healing, perseverance (there were lots of mixed meanings) and black-eyed susans mean encouragement.

if you guys remember the small paragraph I shared of this a long, long time ago before I really started working on the series, this will seem pretty different from that. I went through a lot of changes after hearing about jongdae's good news because I didn't want to write a jongdae scenario so close to reality. i’m still happy to end this series on a good note, and I can genuinely say that i’ve enjoyed every moment not only of writing this, but for writing everything i’ve done for jongdae. I won’t be writing any reader x jongdae fics anymore, but there’s always a good chance he’ll show up as a side character in future works! 

tag list: @khelmatic​ @chogi-wae​ @wongxiexie​

[music-es-vida]

SOULMATE AU - LUCAS/DOYOUNG

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Seven Years Ago…

It was the first week of middle school for you, and you had just changed school districts, so you had no friends. There was this one kid, though- Lucas, who helped you find your way around the school. He was at an advantage because he had an older sister that showed him where everything in the school was, weeks before- on back to school night.

You thought he was the cutest boy ever, and just the fact that he was so helpful made you develop a crush on him, so obviously- you told him that.

Little did he know, you’d end up becoming his best friend.

…

When recess came along, you ate and then followed Lucas outside. Compared to elementary school, recess was pretty dry. 

There was only a basketball court and hopscotch marks on the ground. Everyone else was just walking around with their friends, so you decided you wanted to walk around with Lucas.

When you found him, he was busy though.

“Hey,” “Hey, Y/n.. I’m kind of in the middle of-- playing a basketball game right now,” Lucas tried explaining to you as he passed the ball to someone else.

“I know, sorry- I just wanted to thank you for how helpful you’ve been to me all week. I really appreciate that,” “Oh yeah, no problem. You looked lost, so I had to help you,” he laughs a bit, not taking his eyes off the basketball.

“..I like you.”

Lucas freezes when he hears that, and turns to face you with wide-eyes.

“You what-?” He asked, right before getting hit square in the face with the basketball.

..He had to go to the nurse’ office after that.

…

You felt like it was your fault he’d gotten hit in the face- because you’d distracted him, but at least he didn’t reject you (which he would eventually do the next time you told him).

As you were walking through the hallways after being denied entry into the nurse’ office, you turned a corner and bumped into this kid who was reading a book.

After regaining your composure, you scowled at him, saying, “Watch where you’re going, bookworm!” You recognized him from your homeroom- he was always reading some book. 

To your surprise, he scowls back at you and blows a raspberry in your face. “Ew- Doyoung, you’re so gross!” You complained, running off to the bathroom to go wipe your face off. 

Doyoung rolled his eyes and went back to reading his book.

…

Finally, after what seemed like forever, classes ended. 

For some reason, the days at school just seemed longer now.

Since you lived right down the street from the school, your mom picked you up everyday instead of having you take the bus. 

As you were walking out of the building, Bruce, who had just happened to come across this same school to enroll Isabella in, was walking up, but quickly hid himself and his daughter around the corner of the building as soon as he saw you. “Y/n goes here?” He panics to himself, watching as you walked through the sea of students to get to your mom’s car. “Sandra…” He muttered to himself. Part of him wanted to go over there and speak to her before she drove off, but he knew he couldn’t.

“Daddy? Why are we hiding?” Isabella asks, wondering why her dad was holding her against the wall like some monster was on the other side. “Oh, um.. No reason.” He answers, letting go of her. “You’re acting weird..” “ I know, I just... I just saw somebody I used to know,” he says with a distant look in his eyes.

“Come on Bella, let’s go back to the car. I changed my mind on this school. We’ll find a better one,” Bruce says, and she stares at him in confusion for a moment, but then shrugs before following him back into the parking lot. 

Bruce figured since he was making more money now- sending Isabella to a private school wouldn’t be such a big deal. They could afford it, so why not? 

Anything to avoid an encounter with his past...

…

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Isabella crossed her arms. She was sitting next to her mom on the other couch, across the room from her dad and you.

She had no idea what any of this was about- neither did her brother, Will, who was standing in the corner with Yangyang, Melody’s other son.

“I don’t even know where to start..” Bruce trailed off. “How about with what happened before we got together,” Melody suggests, and he nods.

You still hadn’t looked up from the ground. It was like you were there in the room, but your mind was somewhere else.

“Was I a mistake?”

“Okay, so.. kids— I know I should’ve told you both this long before we got to this point, but.. I wasn’t always with your mother,” Bruce says nervously, obviously to Will and Isabella. 

“What?” They both say simultaneously, and Yangyang already knows where this is going since he’d already experienced this himself.

“But daddy, you said you and mom were high school sweethearts, and then also turned out to be soulmates,” Isabella says in confusion. “Seems like everyone’s heard a different version of this story,” you realize, bitterly.

“Yes, that is true- but I left out that me and your mother weren’t always soulmates..” Bruce says carefully, but it confuses Isabella even more.

Bruce pulls out his phone to show them the same picture he’d shown you that day at the car dealership. 

“This is Sandra, Y/n’s mom… my first soulmate—” 

“Your what?!” “Did you two get married?” The 5-year old asks, noticing the outfits. “Yes we did, Will.. you see our soulmarks?” “Red roses! But yours is pink now..” Will says, making the connection before Isabella did. She was still hung up on the fact that her father hadn’t always been with her mom. She was hurt that he never told them about this important part of his life- even if he did consider it his past.

Melody was silent, but looked at the picture as well. It was making her think back to her ex-husband, and how they used to have matching soulmarks too. 

“Daddy, what happened? How did you end up with mom then?” Isabella asks, looking shocked and hurt. “Well, I had been dating your mom when soulmarks came in, but ours didn’t match, so we broke up..”

Bruce continued talking, but you just drowned his voice out since you’d already heard this part. 

The part you were waiting for him to get to was the one where he explained how you and Isabella were basically the same age. You knew it involved cheating, but needed to hear him confirm it. “Mom probably doesn’t even know.”

“And Sandra and I ended up getting married..”

…

Two years after Bruce and Sandra got married, he got a call from Melody- to his surprise. He hadn’t spoken to her since they parted ways, all those years ago.

Melody told him that her soulmark changed. 

She wasn’t certain of it, but she just had a feeling that Bruce’ had changed too. She knew they were meant to be together from the beginning. As soon as Melody told him, he got up and walked out of the apartment to continue the call. He didn’t want Sandra to overhear anything. Afterall, he’d been hiding his own changed soulmark from her for weeks.

After he told Melody his changed too, she started crying tears of joy, but also of sadness. She didn’t want to leave her family. She already had a young son.

They ended up talking about this for a while, and soon it had gotten late. 

Melody suggested they see each other in person to make sure they really matched, and Bruce agreed to it, telling Sandra he was just going to a last minute work conference, and she foolishly believed him.

…

Bruce made a mistake that night.

Maybe it was because they were emotional after seeing each other for the first time in years, - maybe it was because they had one too many drinks. 

Maybe it was because their soulmarks matched now, and they thought it would be okay. 

They both made a selfish decision without thinking about anybody else but themselves.

Bruce didn’t go home that night.

…

The next morning, when he returned, he was welcomed home by a smiling, yet teary-eyed Sandra, who was holding up a pregnancy test. 

As soon as Bruce realized what was going on, he became teary-eyed as well, but not for the same reason. He regretted cheating with Melody. He knew it was a mistake, but couldn’t gather up the courage to tell Sandra what happened. 

Instead he just decided to act like it never happened. He tried cutting Melody off, not replying back to any of her texts, just trying to focus on his family- Sandra, and the baby. He didn’t want Melody to think he hated her, but he just didn’t know how else to handle the situation. She eventually gave up and stopped trying to contact him.

…

About a month later, he got another call from Melody- which he ignored, but she was persistent and kept calling him, so he eventually answered.

“What do you want? I told you to stop contacting me- what we did was a mistake! Who cares if the soulmarks changed? We already chose who we’d be with--”

“Bruce, i’m pregnant… It’s yours.” Was all she said, and he dropped to his knees.

Of course this would happen to him. He had to pay for his mistakes.

…

Instead of telling Sandra the full truth, he decided to use the ‘soulmarks changing’ thing as an excuse to leave her. Bruce knew that if Sandra found out the whole story, she'd be so hurt- maybe even sick.. He didn’t want anything to happen to the baby, so he just told her half of the story, finally revealing his changed soulmark to her.

She was in complete shock when she found out. She’d never heard of something like this happening before. 

They ended up fighting about it, which led to her kicking Bruce out.

She didn’t really expect him to leave, but she just felt betrayed. He didn’t want to leave either, but knew he had to- if he was going to keep this ‘changing soulmark’ charade up. It was just easier for him to leave her, than to admit to being unfaithful.

…

After he left, Sandra went into a depression.

She hadn’t seen Bruce again until the day you were born— which was the last time she’d see him for years. She told him she didn’t want him around her baby— again, not expecting him to actually leave. She was just saying things because she was hurt.

...

Thankfully, you brought the light back to her life, and she was eventually able to get through the hardships of being a single-mother.

...

After hearing the whole story, you ran out the front door. You couldn’t take anymore of this.

The tears were blurring your vision, and you tripped over your own feet, landing on your knees in the grass. You couldn’t even pick yourself back up, you felt so weak.

“Y/n..” A voice you didn’t recognize said, above you.

It was Yangyang.

He’d told everyone else to stay inside while he talked to you. He explained that he was the only one that truly knew how you felt- but even he couldn’t completely relate- since his mother never abandoned him.

Yangyang knelt down beside you, just patting you on the back softly as you sobbed.

Eventually you looked up at him. 

He looked nothing like Melody.

“..Why do I feel like I was a mistake that shouldn’t have happened? Like the soulmarks... What if my dad and Melody were meant to be together all along, and he should’ve never been with my mom?” You ask him. Your lips trembled as you spoke with a shaky voice. Yangyang just shook his head. 

He’d had those same thoughts once too, but his parents assured him that he definitely was not a mistake.

Melody was with Bruce now, but she made sure Yangyang knew that she loved his father once, and that she didn’t regret a thing. She didn’t regret having him for a son. It was what he needed to hear— and it was what you needed to hear now, as well.

“Soulmarks don’t make mistakes. Maybe at some point, your mom and Bruce really were meant to be together. And then they had you. Maybe that was the reason they were soulmates.. So you could be brought into this world,” he tells you.

“But i’m not even that special,” “Don’t say that.. I thought the same thing- but my dad told me I was the one who pulled him out of his depression after mom left him. I’m sure you had the same effect on your mother.” He says, and you nod, sniffling a bit.

“Maybe he’s right..”

…

Meanwhile, inside the house, Isabella had run up to her room and slammed the door. Her whole life had been a lie. She thought her parents were the best people in the world, only to find out they’d caused so much trouble. 

Isabella already had a strained relationship with her mom before— for what she did to Yangyang and her ex, (After hearing it from her half-brother’s point of view, she began to despise her mom for what she did) but they had recently worked it out, and were starting to get along again. That’s why she considered herself a ‘daddy’s girl’— in her eyes, he never did anything wrong— never messed up. But now, she knew the truth.

She actually felt bad for you. For what happened to you and your mom— getting abandoned like that. “I was a mistake..” she says to herself, plopping down onto her bed. 

Her thoughts echoed your own.

She thought she was the mistake, since her parents cheated on their original soulmates. 

“What if the soulmarks were never supposed to change?”

She realized that her parents' marks changing had ruined two families.

It wasn’t fair.

…

Eventually you got up and left to go home.

You were still sad, but thanks to Yangyang, you felt a little less broken now.

“So, how’d it go?” Your mom asks, with a hopeful tone in her voice once you got back home.

As soon as she asked that, you broke down into tears again. You didn’t know how you were gonna tell her about your dad's whole other family— about how she was cheated on and never knew about it. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell her…”

“I probably should because what if she finds out herself, someday, and is angry with me for not telling her..”

“Honey, what’s wrong?” She asks you, looking concerned.

“You were right.. I shouldn’t have trusted him,” you said through your tears. A somber, but knowing look came across her face. She wanted to say ‘i told you so,’ but refrained because she was worried about what happened. 

A part of her really wanted this thing to work out. She was sorry that you’d never had a real relationship with your dad, but she just didn’t trust him.

…

After you told her everything, she could feel her blood boiling. Her anger towards Bruce grew- but not even because he cheated and lied about it, but because he’d hurt you so much. “I don’t want you going back to see that man ever again, you hear me, Y/n?” She says in a serious tone with a deep scowl on her face.

You were both cuddled up on the couch, and you looked up at her and nodded.

“You know.. he said he did want me to meet my little brother and sister eventually, but that he wanted to ease into that instead of just telling me upfront.” “Bull.” “I know.. But it’s crazy because he even lied to them— they didn’t even know I existed.” “I’m not even surprised. Once a compulsive liar, always a compulsive liar. He can’t own up to his mistakes unless he’s forced to,” your mom rolls her eyes.

You sighed, getting up for a glass of water.

“Are you okay?” “..I don’t know if I ever will be, mom,” you shrug with a bitter smile. “My own sister is my best friend’s soulmate, and not me,” you said bitterly. It felt weird, saying that you had a sister. “Why?! Why does she get Lucas— and dad? It’s not fair,” you yelled all of a sudden, wondering if you were only brought into this world to suffer, but then Yangyang’s words returned to your memory. 

“Soulmarks don’t make mistakes.”

...

After all this drama, you’d forgotten about the party tonight.

Both you and Isabella didn’t even feel like going anymore, but when you’d gotten a text from Aisha saying, “y/n, the party started an hour ago! are you still coming?” you’d decided, “Why not? I need to get my mind off of things anyway..”

Eventually you’d realize this was a mistake, and that you should’ve just stayed home.

[sandalwoodhusbands]

🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝

ooh 7? we're starting strong

- @choupielu: my incorrect quotes rival *squints eyes*. she's so fucking funny and her quotes are always on point. she's my daughter so naturally im love her a lot <3

- @demaury: the gifs she makes. the excellence. the captions. i love her fics so much, she has such a great way with words 🤧

- @loca-over-luca: oh my god she's so supportive of this fandom??? she goes through every post in the tags and always supports the artists/writers. also her gifsets are kssksksk i always laugh a lot

- @mabubblebulle: HER FANART. it's the cutest shit ever and i always want to cry when she illustrates my quotes. also she's super cute so there's that

- @jebentnietalleen: hello have we ever seen someone as good at giving her opinions as tara? i don't think so. she's the perfect person to go to if you ever want to know anything skam france related. it's incredible 🤧

- @breakalltheclocksandthemirrors: ahh my wife who doesn't know when to shut up and embarrasses herself on a daily basis <33 she's super funny and witty and her posts always go viral on instagram (and her face. you know that be gay do crimes photo? THAT'S MY WIFE)

- @lifeisevak: a literal trainwreck but i love when she 1. gets drunk 2. watches skam france with her husband (HI PETE) and 3. every other time who am i kidding 🥺 she's also skam og trash and even bech naesheim #1 trash and i relate to that

for every 🥝 i get, i’ll recommend a blog i love

[australiancarisi]

Sonny Carisi ~ Mine

A lazy sunday morning with your husband and son words: 1280

Sunday mornings were your favourite. They never used to be. They used to be filled with greasy food, Advil and a pounding headache. Now though, you’re older and it is spent wrapped in your husband's arms until your little bundle of joy decides to make themselves known.

You and Sonny had been married for 2 and a half years now. You transferred to SVU and became Sonny’s partner while Rollins had been on maternity leave. You weren’t supposed to stay but you fit in so well with the squad so Liv fought to keep you.

“What’s the time?” Sonny mumbled into the back of your neck, lightly placing kissing down it.

“8am” you smiled at him over your shoulder

“That must be some kind of record for him” Sonny said. As if he could hear you, your son started making noises in his room.

“You jinxed us” you huffed pushing the covers back only to be pulled back by Sonny

“I’ll get him” Sonny smiled rolling out of bed. You watched your lanky man head down the hall, smiling when you heard him talk.

“Hi Champ” he said in a hushed tone. Your son’s cries instantly stopped. Sonny was an amazing father. You always knew he would be but it was 8 months into your relationship when it was proven. Your relationship had still been a secret at that point. You hadn’t been feeling well and you were late. All signs were pointing to you being pregnant. You told Sonny your hunch and he brought a pregnancy test for you. You had been so worried. Thankfully it came back negative. That pregnancy scare was what changed everything. You had never thought about kids before. Being a cop you saw the worst of the world, you didn’t think you wanted to bring kids into a world that was so horrible and cruel. But after seeing the ‘not pregnant’ sign on that little plastic stick you couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. From then on it felt like every night you dreamt about Sonny and your future, Living in a big house in Staten Island with kids running amuck.

The pregnancy scare also made you disclose to Liv about your relationship. Thankfully SVU was understaffed as it was and neither of you were forced to change departments.

You and Sonny got married after 2 and a half years of being together and started trying for a baby on your honeymoon. Now here you are with a beautiful and healthy 18-month baby boy, Luca Dominick Carisi. Your heart melted as Sonny walked back to your bedroom with Luca who’s small hand was gripping tight to Sonny’s shirt while laying his head on his shoulder.

“Look Luca who’s that?” Sonny cooed turning slightly so Luca could see you.

“Mama” Luca smiled reaching towards you. Sonny put Luca on the bed who quickly crawled up to you and wrapped his arms around you.

“Hi gorgeous boy” you kissed his cheek

“Mama” Luca repeated putting his finger on your nose. Luca has just recently learnt to call you and only you ‘mama’. He knew a few other words. He mostly just babbled and would sometimes repeat what others said.

“That’s right” you said before turning him to face Sonny who was now sitting at the opposite end of the bed “and who’s that? Can you say Daddy? Daddy” you pointed to Sonny

“Dooooo” Luca laughed before turning back to you

“There is no doubt that he is a mummy’s boy” Sonny smiled at you

“Don’t worry when we have a girl I bet she will be a daddy’s girl. She’ll have you wrapped around her little finger” you said

“When we have... does that mean you’re ready for another already?” Sonny raised his eyebrows. When pregnant with Luca, you and Sonny talked about how many kids you wanted and how long you wanted to wait. You loved Luca and being a mum but you also loved being a detective and loved going to work.

“In a couple of months, we can start trying, cause if baby number two is anything like this guy it won’t be very hard” you grinned. Sonny looked like he just won the lottery

“Are you serious Doll?” Sonny moves up the bed to be sitting next to you

“Yes I’m serious”

“I love you” Sonny whispered leaning his forehead onto you

“I love you too” you whispered back “and I love you” you said to Luca lifting him in the air slightly making him giggle

“What if we have another boy?” Sonny asked moving behind you slightly so he could comfortably rest his head on your shoulder

“Then we’ll just have to keep going until we get you a girl” you said while Luca played with your hands

“Have I mentioned I love you?” Sonny grinned

“Once or twice but I’ll never get tired of hearing it” you shrugged looking at Luca

“I love you” Sonny said using his hand to turn your head to him so he could kiss you. As your lips touched his Luca let out a squeal.

“What was that bud?” Sonny asked

“Ahhhhhh” Luca replied

“I know mama is a great kisser” Sonny smiled pulling you back for kiss. Again Luca squealed, pulling himself up so he was standing in front of you and Sonny.

“What do you want some love too?” You cooed before placing kisses all over his little face, Luca giggled in response.

“Okay back to me” Sonny smirked. Before your lips could even touch Luca squealed again. He had a little frown on his face that was just the cutest thing you had ever seen.

“No no no no no no no” Luca babbled shaking his head

“What? I just want a kiss” Sonny said moving closer to you, again, Luca squealed, this time pushing Sonny away from you.

“Mine” Luca said wrapping his tiny arms around your neck making you burst out laughing.

“Sorry champ but she was mine first” Sonny playfully huffed

“Mine mine mine mine” Luca said. Every time Sonny would move closer and almost kiss you Luca would push him away. Your stomach hurt so much from laughing.

“I’m glad you think this is funny” Sonny pokes your ribs “Luca, bud, she might be your mama but she’s my wife”

“Mine” Luca squealed pulling away from you

“Just wait till I get my little girl” Sonny said moving you so you sat in between his legs, his arms around your waist. Luca stood in front of the two of you slightly jumping up and down.

“A couple months and we can try” you reminded him

“Doesn’t mean we can practice” Sonny smirked and kissed you, this time ignoring Luca’s squeals. Luca grabbed the top of your shirt and started pulling at it while you kissed Sonny.

“Alright I’m giving you attention” you looked at Luca who kept pulling at your shirt “what is he doing?”

“Teamwork” Sonny simply replied

“Teamwork?”

“He is giving daddy a perfect view down your shirt” Sonny smirked. You gasped, pulling Luca’s hands off your shirt to cover yourself.

“You are a pervert” you playfully glared at him, using your elbow to nudge him.

“I’m your husband I’m allowed” he whispered before kissing behind your ear

“Just for that, you are cooking breakfast”

“I always cook” Sonny pointed out

“Well then get to cooking while me and Luca get to lie in bed, go on get going. I’m waiting” you said pushing him off the bed, much to Luca’s amusement “that was funny wasn’t it baby? Mama is funny”

“Just wait for my baby girl” Sonny mumbled heading out to the kitchen.

[slutsofren]

I bet you and your husband go on the cutest disney dates! has he ever cosplayed as Kylo for you?

edit: now that i think about it i havent been to disneyland since i was able to do that special first day premiere of Galaxys Edge and had to be at the parks at like fucking midnight in a wheelchair since it was only a month after i got disabled lol wild

we don’t go on disney dates buuuuuut my husband does cosplay, although he hasn’t in a few years. the last one he did was Red Hood / Jason Todd which got me all hot and bothered oh my goodness, he was so fucking sexy god i wanted to jump his bones so fucking bad oh my GOSH

if you’re not into DC/Batman comics- Jason/Red Hood is more or less similar to Kylo, both aggressive, don’t mind killing people, definitely has some unresolved anger/family problems, their creators failed them and canonicly killed them AND FOR WHAT

ANYWHO

now my best friend on the other hand? they cosplay as Kylo and is so fucking HOT when they do, i’ve told them on multiple occasions i need them to cosplay as him for me one day so we can take all the self-indulgent selfies lol if anybody wants to see the award winning- lucas film approved (!!!) Kylo cosplays then look under the cut :3c

the second photo is them as both Kylo and Poe 😂

[valsmobau]

Lyd's Mob AU character list

ill be going into more depth later 🖤

Athena: Das you! Y/N L/N. A fucking badass. Goth icon (kinda (you just wear a lot of black okay)) Dedicated. Gentle. Mother to Luca, wife to Gwilym. Exwife of Adrian.

Atlas: Brian May. Head of Olympus. Space nerd. Poodle hair.

Azariah: Luca Lee. Son of Y/N and Adrian. He hates his dad. Mama's boy. Nervous™ In love w Sylvania

Beezlebub: Adam freaking Lambert. The gay sassy assassin. I'm obsessed. TATTOOS

Conquest: Gwilym Lee. Loves dogs, Y/N and her son Luca. ALSO TATTOOS

Death: Rami Malek. Deadly assassin. Damaged™ Loves and misses Lucy so much :(

Elpis: Sylvania Mazzello. Daughter of Rose and Joe Actual ray of sunshine. To pure for this world. In love with Luca.

Eris: Priya Blackburn. Feminist icon. Badass. Done w ur shit.

Famine: Joe Mazzello. Very soft. Loving father to Sylvania and husband to Rose. Soldier. Disaster. Gruesome Twosome™

Frankie: Ben's baby. A beagle. An angel.

Hera: Lucy Boynton. My fucking wife. In love w Rami (just let them be together dammit) Her makeup tho??? That graphic eyeliner. sign me tf up.

Hestia: Anita Dobson. MOM™ wife of Brian. Dont fuck with her girls.

Lilith: Sarina Taylor. MOM™ AGAIN. Wife of Roger. Don't fuck with her boys.

Lucifer: Roger Taylor. Devil daddy™ Head of the Horsemen. Husband of Sarina. Velvet suits 👀

Maria: Maria Leech. SOFT IM SO IN LOVE W HER WOWOWOOWOWOWOW. Wife of Allen. Flower shop owner. Badass. Gentle. Kind of a Second mother figure to Luca and Sylvania.

Orpheus: Adrian Roth. Actual garbage human being. Ex husband to Y/N and biological father to Luca. I have plans for him mwahahahaha I will make him suffer

Rose: Rose Mazzello. Nurse in WWl. Mother of Sylvania. Wife of Joe. Don't underestimate this woman. Just don't. Probably bisexual. Probably has a tiny crush on Y/N. NEW YORK ACCENT

Silence: Allen Leech. Literally the most sassy MOFO. Tired™ Husband of Maria. Is fucking whipped for Maria. Y/N's best friend.

Stacy: Gwilym's baby. A doberman. Cutest hellhound ever. Pure. DoN'T HURT HER FAMILY

War: Ben Hardy. Oh baby baby boy. Boxer. Gruesome twosome™ 1000% bisexual. LET HIM BE HAPPY

---

like I said ill go more into detail later.

any questions? dont be afraid to ask. 🖤