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fizzyxcustard · 1 month ago

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Covert Eyes (25)

Masterlist of fan fiction

Fandom: Spooks

Pairings: Lucas North x OC (Amy Holland)

Warnings: Stalking behaviour, anxiety, language, sexual references, angst, smut, heartbreak, gunshot wounds and recovery, abduction, hostage situation, PTSD, torture mention.

Summary: Lucas takes notice of a young woman, Amy, but his obsession and want to get to know her begin to spiral out of control. Amy is now working for MI-5, after being recruited by Ros. But will her involvement with Lucas cause even more problems and heartbreak?

When Amy's parents get involved, how will things pan out for Amy and Lucas?

Official soundtrack list: here

Comments/Notes: If you wish to be tagged in any of my tag lists for fics or characters, please let me know, and stipulate what you want to be tagged in. People who don't engage are gradually being removed from my tag list.

This fic does have an ending in sight...finally. :)

Feedback, comments and suggestions are always very valuable. My messages and ask box (including anons!) are open.

Thank you so much to those of you who have remained with me through this journey writing this story, and while we are very close to the end of this story, it's not the end of Lucas and Amy! ;)

Morning sickness began, or at least got stronger; Amy couldn’t quite tell. Most mornings that Amy had got up in the last month and she had felt nauseous, probably due to her anxiety spikes, and not just the hormones beginning to surge.

On the day that Amy was due to meet with Ros and she could barely keep any food in her stomach. Two rounds of toast had been immediately thrown back up. Three days later would be Amy’s booking appointment, where she would speak to a doctor or midwife face to face and begin the process of booking her first scan.

Amy was shaking in the bathroom, unable to control the emotions that were flooding her. She couldn’t face the mirror and turned away, feeling the tears begin to fall. They had been relentless the last six weeks. And after she had been faced with three positive pregnancy tests and then been pushed away again by Lucas, that huge, gaping hole in her gut had grown exponentially. It was overpowering her now, rendering her broken.

Nights were the worst. Amy was left alone with nothing but her thoughts, and she would always think of Lucas. She replayed the memories of when he tickled her under the bedclothes, when he would come behind her in the kitchen and wind his arms around her, the feel of his hand in hers, the smell of his cologne, the sound of his voice. Every night and she prayed he would contact her, but he didn’t. Her texts and WhatsApp remained empty of any new messages from Lucas North.

Even her dreams reflected her deep longing for him, and the emptiness that was dragging her down, pulling her into a black sea of nothingness. Upon waking she would remember shards of her dreams in which she was calling for him, crying out, begging. And when she woke, she would feel tears clinging to her cheeks.

Ros waited for Amy in a Costa, which was in the city centre of Coventry. She slipped away towards the back of the shop and waited. It wasn’t long before she saw Amy’s familiar figure step into the building.

Amy stopped, scanned the sea of heads and then nodded as she caught Ros’ gaze.

“What would you like? I’ll get it,” Ros offered with a faint smile.

“Just a cup of tea, please. I need to keep it a little more bland. I’ve been really sick the last day or two,” Amy said.

Ros didn’t answer, but instead walked to the counter and placed her order.

Amy sat down, being temporarily taken back to the café she frequented with Lucas. The place where it all began just over a year ago. It would be their one year anniversary the following week if they had still remained together. The night when Amy had fully let him in, the beginning of their rocky relationship.

Amy watched Ros order their drinks. Why did these people sacrifice everything in their lives just for the sake of a job? What was it about MI5 that was so special? They had given up their normal lives, friends, family, for this job. Lucas thought he could have a normal life, but that had all turned out to be false. No one had a normal life. The long list of casualties on the job proved that. Amy had heard about many of them. Surveillance operatives who had found themselves in deeper shit than they could have ever imagined.

A tightness was growing in Amy’s chest now, that sensation which had been a friend of hers since Lucas left her life. She woke up with it every morning now, sometimes accompanied with a tension headache and a sense of dread at facing a new day.

“What should I do?” Amy asked simply, as Ros placed the drinks down on the table. “Lucas is adamant that my parents are right, and has told me he’ll come to the scans and birth but won’t be with me. How can I get through to him?”

Ros sighed and began opening a sachet of sugar. “Lucas is stubborn at the best of times. But if you want to be together enough then you’ll do it. Lucas wants you safe, and neither of us can argue with that.”

“I’m not worth the fight for him.”

“No, it’s not that at all,” Ros said, shaking her head for emphasis. “I’ve known him about three years now, and never saw him as content as when he was with you. He finally seemed at peace with himself. You really bring out the best in him, and he adores you. Never think anything less than that. Lucas never does anything by half measure, especially when it comes to you.”

Amy looked down into her lap and felt the tears come again. “I wish he would let me make up my own mind. He’s always making decisions for me.”

“I know, and I’ve told him that. By your parents and Lucas protecting you, they’re suffocating you. We’ve all got to make our own way in life sooner or later. I’ve made enough of my own choices in life, some good and some bad. I know full well that this job comes with risk to those you love. I lost someone I loved through it.”

“I’m so sorry, Ros. I had no idea,” Amy replied.

Ros smiled at Amy. “You didn’t know him, but you’ve probably heard his name mentioned. Adam Carter. Things wouldn’t have worked out between us. I always knew that. The job kept us apart, but he died on the job, same as his wife, Fiona. MI5 will either make or break you, Amy. But either way, once you’re in, you don’t leave. You and Lucas are truly devoted to each other, and you deserve happiness.”

***

“You’re approximately twelve weeks,” the midwife told Amy. “Baby is growing well. Seems quite active.”

Then Amy heard it: the first actual sound of her baby’s heartbeat. Amy smiled, staring at the screen, looking at the moving mass. Sharon held Amy’s hand, watching her daughter’s face as it lit up for the first time in six weeks since being home in Coventry.

“I estimate your due date approximately the last week of August.” The midwife wiped the gel from Amy’s stomach and paused the image on the screen, printing the scan. “I’ll book you for your next scan, and hopefully then we can determine the sex of the baby, if you want to know.”

Amy smiled. “I’d love to know. I always had it planned out in my head that if I had children, I’d want to know. It helps me get to know them better.”

The midwife, a middle-aged lady with short greying hair and glasses, smiled. “That’s nice,” she said simply.

Amy looked away and sighed. Of course the midwife wouldn’t be as interested; she saw dozens of pregnant women every day, and no doubt they all sounded like a broken record to her.

Would Lucas want to know the sex of their child? He should have been here, but Amy couldn’t stand the idea of him being half in and half out, having to see him at scans but not being able to go home with him. Everything at the moment was a mixture of emotion, and it was confusing. One minute she was sad, the next angry. The grief of an ended relationship, and the anger of Lucas making the decision he had, alternated frequently, like a whirlwind.

In the car and Amy sat in the passenger seat, her thumb trailing the curve of the baby’s head. “Should I send a copy to Lucas?” she asked absently.

“I still think it’s best he has no part in this,” Sharon hissed. “We’ll all pull together as a family, we always do.”

***

Time passed, weeks turning into months.

Amy felt the tension and anxiety lessen, as the nausea got worse by her fifth month, and then eased again. The fluttering sensations began, something she knew was inevitable as the baby grew. Her stomach was becoming harder and more prominent, resting a little heavier on the waist of her trousers.

Ros still remained in touch, having formally put Amy on early maternity leave after two months of sick leave. She had done all she could to keep the position open for Amy and also enable money to continue coming in, so she at least had something to live off.

Lucas was silent. Sometimes his deafening silence brought her to tears in the middle of the night as she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, praying he would be back beside her one day. She tried to imagine what the baby would look like, giving it Lucas’ grey blue eyes. But thinking on the baby’s appearance, always caused her to break down again.

***

Over a hundred miles away, in London, Lucas sat at the dining room table. He stared at the wall, the lifeless atmosphere of the place seeping into every fibre of his being. Three and a half months now he had lived by himself, haunted by Amy. Every inch of the place reminded him of her. After all, it was her flat originally. Living with her had been bliss; he would kiss her on his way out of the door, or at the main door to their office as they travelled in, pining for the end of the day when he would see her again.

Lucas walked slowly into the kitchen and looked out of the window, into the communal garden. It was growing dusk, with longer days moving in as the weeks passed quickly through spring. He thought of Amy, imagining her sitting in the garden, holding a baby on her lap, reading her old battered copy of The Hobbit, with a warm sun high in the sky. He had given her the ultimate gift, the one thing she had wanted for a while now, but he couldn’t enjoy it with her. Lucas knew she would be an amazing mother; doting, kind, eager to play and re-live her own childhood through their little one.

Work seemed to be the only thing that got Lucas through each day, making him soldier on in this empty existence. It felt like being back in prison. Rather than being locked in a cell, he was locked in loneliness within his own mind. Memories of Amy were all around him. Would he ever be able to let go? The more he pondered on that fact, the more he knew the answer. The years Lucas had spent with Elizabeta had revolved around their work as operatives, and upon his return to the UK from Russia, their temporary ties were still work-based, her being his handler. The months with Sarah were, again, work-based. Everything revolved around MI5. Amy was so different. Their relationship had been built away from work, despite work being the thing that was constantly pushing them toward breaking point. Their love for each other was almost innocent, pure. It didn’t revolve around necessity.

One way to numb the pain was alcohol. In the last few weeks and Lucas had welcomed whiskey and vodka into his life on a more permanent basis. The bedside table housed half empty bottles.

Lucas even made himself feel the pain of showers, turning on the fast jet of water so he could be taken back to his days of torture in Lushanka. Re-live the waterboarding, where ice cold water was thrown over him as he begged for mercy and tried desperately to hold onto the information the Russians so badly wanted. He deserved the pain and the anguish. Beneath the water he shivered and wept, waiting and wishing for everything to end. Then maybe upon his deathbed, he could at least see her one last time in his moments of euphoria.

That night and he sat on the edge of the bed, downing whiskey from the bottle. He rubbed his stubbled chin and stared aimlessly through the gloom.

Amy was so ready to fight for you and you just let her go.

But she needs to be protected. Her and the baby.

You want her and she wants you. Fuck what her parents think.

The arguments raged. Back and forth the voices went, turning into whispers the more that Lucas drank from the bottle.

Tears trickled down Lucas’ cheek as he picked up his phone, and for the first time in months, he sent a single message to Amy. The alcohol had worn his inhibitions right down.

I love you.

***

Amy stared at the message, unable to comprehend that Lucas had actually sent her something. He’d been silent now for months, so she had taken this as her sign to leave him be and go through her pregnancy alone. The timestamp on the message was 2:04am. Messages in the dead of night were always a cry for help in some way. She whispered his name, still feeling stunned and not sure what to do.

A few hours passed and Amy still wondered what on earth to do with the message from Lucas. She’d looked back at the message multiple times, making sure that she wasn’t imagining it all. But it was still there. Three simple, desperate words.

An incoming call came from Ros.

“Hi, Ros. Is everything okay?” Amy asked, trying to force a cheerful tone.

“I wish I could say it was,” she replied. “Lucas didn’t turn up for work this morning, and has been coming in smelling of drink. Amy, he’s not doing well. He needs you.”

Amy sighed and swallowed hard. “He’s stubborn, Ros. No matter what I say and do, he won’t let me come back. You know he won’t.”

“Something tells me not this time.”

A short time later and Amy was staring at a letter she had left on her parents’ dining table. She had explained that she needed to go back to London and was taking the next available train out to London Euston. Amy knew her parents would go absolutely ballistic, especially her mum. But there was no way she could let Lucas remain alone and suffer.

Lucas had suffered enough in his life and all Amy wanted was to see him find peace, wherever and whoever he found that with. He deserved peace; after all, he put his life on the line daily to protect the UK public. Of course he deserved some peace. She wanted to embrace him, comfort him, just be there and hold him during his dark hours.

On the train an hour later and Amy flicked through her purse, checking that she had enough cash to get her across London to her old flat. But as she rummaged in the coin compartment, she felt something long against her fingers. It was her original flat keys; two of them held together on a ring. One got her through the front door into the lobby area, and the other got her into the flat itself. Why had she kept them all this time? Was it because she always knew she would one day be going back?

The flashing of buildings and landscape somehow soothed her, while a teenage girl of around sixteen years of age sat next to Amy, flicking through Instagram, and occasionally posing in her front facing camera.

The closer she got to London and the more she could feel the fluttering in her belly, which was now showing.

For a second, she placed her hand on her bump and smiled.

We’re going to see your daddy.

Apprehension and excitement both rose inside Amy. She had missed Lucas more than she could ever express, and while on the underground and then walking the street, getting closer to the flat, she could feel her anxiety taking hold.

The last time she had been in London and it had been cold, but now it was mild, a sure sign of spring. It was just after six in the evening when she made it to her old building and looked at the familiar sight. Sadness rose in her chest and she thought back on the day she had moved in, nervous at the prospect of a new beginning. Now she had another new beginning on the horizon, one that involved a new person, a new life.

Amy let herself into the main front entrance of the building, and then walked down the corridor to flat number three. With a deep breath, she knocked, waiting for a response.

***

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#Richard Armitage #Spooks #MI5 #Lucas North #Lucas North x Original Female Character #Lucas North x OFC #Lucas North x OC #Writing #Fanfiction

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hoppers-babygirl · 2 years ago

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Beat his ass

Author: Hoppers-babygirl

ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/hoppers_babygirl

Word count: 2316

There was still an awkward distance between Cassie and Steve but that didn’t stop her from riding along with Steve, Dustin and a couple of his friends. Everyone knew she had been seeing Billy once Steve and Nancy got together but no one ever quite spoke about it out loud. That was until Cassie asked Steve to drive her over to his house. Things had been uneasy between the unlikely couple but Cassie tried her best not to let it show. It had been two weeks since Billy last spoke to her, she was sick and tired of his silence so she took matters into her own hands.

Steve stayed silent as he drove towards Billy’s house, his knee bounced anxiously on his free leg. It struck up a bit of anxiety in Cassie but she took a few deep breaths. After Steve dumped her for Nancy; Cassie and Billy started seeing one another, even though they were an unlikely couple, the pair enjoyed one another’s company. They dated six months before this air grew tense between them. Cassie never thought he would act this way toward her but she was wrong in the end. She assumed Billy heard that Nancy broke things off with Steve, maybe thinking that he would try to swoop in and take Cassie away from him but that wasn’t the case.

The matter of the fact is that Cassie grew sick, some days worse than before. She assumed it was just a simple cold, nothing more than the flu. Only she was wrong, after taking a test the liquid in the tube turned blue. Her stomach knotted up at the sight, causing her to fall to her knees in front of the porcelain bowl as she grew sick.

Eventually Steve pulled up to the all too familiar blue house, except he was pulled off on the side of the road, across from the house. Snapping from her thoughts she looked over, her brows pinched together.

Steve spoke up. “I know you just wanted a ride but I don’t trust the guy. I’ll stay here for ten minutes and if you don’t come out then I’ll leave. Just for my sanity, okay?” He offered her a small smile.

She took a shaky deep breath and nodded before slapping a fake smile on her lips. No one except Jonathan knew what was actually going on with Cass, which she was thankful for as she knew she could trust him with her life. Even now she felt guilty asking for this from Steve especially while her little brother rode shotgun but she had bigger worries to deal with right now and that’s what she was focused on. Taking another deep breath she actually opened the door and stepped out the car, her legs felt like jello but she couldn’t stop her movement. It was like she wasn’t even in control of her body as she walked up the little stairs and up to the door.

Cassie knew Max was home as she could see her bike still outside. It helped her feel a little at ease but soon her knuckles rapped at the door. Moments later Billy opened the door, his usual smirk not prominent on his lips as he took in the sight before him. Steve's car in the distance, Cassie in front of him wringing her hands and the dark circles under her eyes. He snorted and walked back down to his room to which Cassie followed behind him. “Hello to you too, Billy. Do you know that I’ve tried calling you for the past two weeks only to have Max lie to me? Because I know it's a goddamn lie.” She started in on him soon after closing the front door.

He began to puff on a cigarette and opened his bedroom door. “Listen little bird, it's over. Whatever you thought we had going on is over, you’re a waste of my time.” Cassie scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “You think?” She sassed back. He turned and blew the smoke in her face, making her turn away and let out a quiet cough. “I didn’t fucking invite you here. You showed up, princess.” His voice dripped with venom but when the smoke cleared Cassie could see the mark crossing his cheekbone but with his attitude he wasn’t going to talk about it. “Yeah well maybe if you knew how to pick up the phone then I wouldn’t have had to come here and tell you.” Her voice began to hush. “Tell me what? That you’re not gonna be my whore of the week anymore?” He replied as he began to slip a shirt on.

She shook her head, “I guess you just forgot the past six months then huh? That surely doesn’t add up to a week.” She replied just as harshly. Billy huffed out a breath almost like an annoyed bull would. “Get to your point or get the fuck out.” His voice had risen. Cassie assumed he and his father had a fight which only added to his annoyed attitude. “Look this isn’t the easiest to fucking say, okay?!” She raised her voice to match his. Anger and hurt welling up in her chest. Max must’ve heard their yelling and slammed her door shut which on some level helped Cassie calm down. One less set of ears to share the news with right now.

“I know we’ve been pretty careful about things but uhm… well it seems that we weren’t as careful as we thought. I’m pregnant Billy. I’m fucking pregnant and you’ve been ignoring me.” She finally let it out. Billy was the first and only person to know. Billy began to shake his head and pace his room. “I knew you were just like the rest. Just a stupid whore.” He muttered under his breath. Her heart fell to the floor. Sure she didn’t expect to be spun around in his arms and given a big kiss but to be called such harsh words as if this was her fault?

“I don’t give a fuck, Princess. Tell whoever else you’ve fucked that it’s their problem because you’re not going to make it my problem.” His teeth grit as he speaks. Tears formed in her eyes and her lip began to wobble. This caused Billy to laugh. “It isn’t a problem I made by myself. You know damn well that I’ve only been with you so there’s no need to try and deny that. Just because your father treats you like a piece of shit doesn’t-” Just like that she was on the ground on her ass. Cassie sat in shock on the floor for just a moment before the pain in her jaw really hit her. Her hands shook as she stood up on jelly like legs, one hand protecting her stomach. “Fuck you Billy.” She spat at him before she turned and began to walk out the house, Billy hot on her ass, wiping his face from her spit.

“You’re a stuck up little bitch. You opened your legs and got knocked up and now I’m supposed to care?!” He yelled as he followed after her, grabbing her wrist harshly. “Get the fuck off me!” Cassie screamed, tugging her wrist back to her body as tears now spilled down her cheeks freely. “I’m not the dumbass who bought cheap condoms!” She replied, still tugging her wrist from his grip which only tightened causing her to whimper. “Don’t think you’re getting a fucking thing from me. You laid on your back and took what I gave you.” He sneered.

By now Max slipped out of her room and outside unbeknownst to Cassie and Billy. Finally she freed her arm from his grip causing her to stumble back and hit her hip into the table that was in the hallway. She yelped and began to move back to the front door. Only to tumble to which Billy used to his advantage, he pinned her hips down as he straddled her and grabbed both wrists to slam her down into the floor causing her to curse out. Her head rang, she hadn’t ever seen Billy act this way with her before but he figured that he wasn’t really fighting her but the things that angered him. She squirmed underneath him and tried to get out his hold but instead he was steadily screaming in her face, her head throbbed so badly that she wasn’t even sure what he was saying but she could hear the high pitched scream. Both Billy and Cassie looked up, Max stood in the front doorway screaming at the sight only to be replaced by Steve.

There must’ve been blood as Cassie could see red streaks but they surprisingly hadn’t come from her head. Dustin helped her up with a devastated look on his sweet features. How the hell could he and Steve have known about the fight that was happening inside the house but she figured it was all due to Max’s scream.

Meanwhile Max had gone out her window as Cassie and Billy had their scream fest. Max hadn’t realized that no one except Cassie and Billy knew about the baby. But everyone sat with a shocked expression. Steve gripped the steering wheel and questioned Max about what was going on inside but Cassie’s scream sounded through the house causing Max to run back to the house and the others to follow along. Upon opening the door and seeing Cassie on her back pinned under a screaming angry Billy, Max let out her screech alarming the rest of the group. Steve, Dustin and Lucas jumped from the car.

Soon Steve had Billy by the shoulder pulling him off of Cassie. It was the first time Dustin had ever seen Cassie so scared, he ran over to her and helped her up off the ground. She looked sleepy but sad in a way. It scared Dustin to see his sister like this. Usually she was so sweet and funny, she had only ever seen her sad when they were younger.

Cassie sat up and wiped her lip, it was split and she hadn’t even realized that the slap from earlier had caused her lip to split open. Dustin tugged her toward the kitchen to grab a rag to clean the blood. The house was loud as Billy and Steve wrestled together, Max yelling at BIlly to stop it and leave her friends alone and Lucas trying to calm her down. Cassie sighed and wiped her lip clean and gave Dustin a hug, her other cheek rested against his head.

“I’m so sorry to have to see this bullshit.” She mumbled against his curls.

“Why didn’t you tell me first?” He asked quietly. His question confused her at first but then the realization hit her.

“Because he deserved to know. Or at least I thought he did.” She replied, his arms tightened around her as they hugged.

“Come on, we gotta get Steve out of here before he and Billy get too fucked up.” She kissed his forehead and led him back out to where the guys were fighting.

“Let's go Steve. It’s not even worth it. I just want to go home.” Steve shoved Billy away and threatened him which caused the other man to laugh. Max was in tears as Lucas ushered her out the door to which Cassie did the same with Dustin.

Now stood Steve, Billy and Cassie. She sighed, “I’m sorry I ever met you and I’m glad our child never will.” Her lip quivered but she turned and walked out the door, Steve trailing behind her after a few moments.

His hand on her back caused her to jump. “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay? Is the- is everything okay?” He asked shyly. Great so everyone knew, Max must’ve heard their fight.

“I’ll be fine. Thank you for stepping in, if you hadn’t then who knows what could’ve happened. But I’ll probably make up some lies and go to the doctors just to make sure.” She shrugged and gently tapped her lip to check and make sure the blood stopped.

“You know, if you ever need anything, I’ll be there to help you. It’s the least I can do.” He gave her a small smile to which she returned.

“Thanks Steve, I’m sure I’ll need all the help I can get.” He pulled her into a careful hug. A much needed hug.

Eventually Steve took Cassie and Dustin home, but when Cassie climbed out the car Max followed. Lucas shrugged at Steve but he waited for the redhead.

“Hey Cassie… I know you’re never going to go around Billy anymore and I’m not really related to you like Dustin is but..” The young girl trailed off.

Cassie smiled and nodded. “You’re gonna be the best aunt ever, Max.” Cassie finished the girl's sentence which caused her to smile. She gave Cassie a quick hug and ran back to the car and got back in with Lucas before they drove off. Cassie went inside and cleaned up, making lunch for herself and for Dustin. Afterwards the siblings sat and talked and even watched a bit of television to try and make the day feel any bit normal.

A few weeks later Cassie went to the doctors, thankful her tussle with Billy hadn’t affected anything seriously. She would have a little scar on her lip but she didn’t care much about that. She was just glad to hear that her little boy was doing just fine. Even after getting bumped and shook around she was beyond relieved to hear everything was doing good. Even if she was doing it on her own. But she wasn’t really alone was she? No. She had a family that she was lucky enough to have as her support.

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wildsupernova · 2 years ago

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cupid’s chokehold | steve harrington x fem! oc

summary: delphi walker’s world turned upside down when her brother was found dead. her entire life turned into a downward spiral into social suicide, from her mother’s self-destructive lifestyle and the steady loss of her best friend. when another boy goes missing a year later, she find herself caught in something far bigger than she ever knew, and she herself down a path to a brand new life.

cupid’s chokehold chapter masterlist

word count: 3.1k

warnings: vulgar language, underage drinking, smoking, demeaning words towards women (whore, slut, etc.), mentions of sexual content

authors note

hey guys! it’s been a while since i posted anything but college has been suuuuper hectic for me lately and my motivation hasn’t been the best. i’m working on getting stuff out a bit more consistently, but i always value quality over quantity and want to make sure what i’m giving you guys is good quality content. again, sorry for the hiatus, but here’s another chapter!

words in ‘’ quotations and italics are character narration

chapter four

‘I should have taken that camera out of Jonathan’s hand. I should have thrown it to the ground and never let him develop that film, but if I had, we never would have found out what really happened to Barb that night.’

Delphi tried to stop the shaking of her hands as she walked back to her car, staring at the ground while she tried to hold back the overwhelming rush of tears she hadn’t expected to push against her eyes. Her and Jonathan didn’t say a word as they made their way out of the woods, not even giving eachother a gesture of goodbye as they got into their respective cars and drove away. She had to take a minute to collect her composure, considering she was so upset that her foot had pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor of the car. She stopped for an extra few seconds at a stop sign, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

It wasn’t like she didn’t know why she was feeling the way she was; it was pretty obvious when she faced the problem head on. Jealousy was a killer, and had always been her biggest flaw.

‘For as long as I could remember, I always wanted to be like Nancy Wheeler. Since the day I met her, she was this perfect, unflawed person; effortlessly beautiful, smart without even trying, compassionate to a fault. She lived a perfect life, in a perfect house down a perfect street with perfect parents and a perfect future set out for her. I thought that she’d always had everything I’d ever wanted. She had money, a mother who cared about her, a father who was still around. A brother who was still alive. But I was wrong. The day she got Steve Harrington was the day she got everything I’d ever wanted.’

A drink was sounding really, really good right now. As tempting as it was to just grab the bottle from her glove box and take a swig right now, she was only a few blocks away from her house, so she held off for a few more minutes. When she pulled into the rocky, broken driveway, she noticed the extra car parked in front of her house, rolling her eyes at the fact that her mother had brought home yet another horny 18-20 something to drown her lonely nights in. She ignored her mother’s closed bedroom door on the way to her own, slamming it shut and collapsing on the bed without changing or turning on the lights. Deciding to finish off whatever liquor was left in the bottle she’d been drinking from earlier tonight, she uncapped the bottle, bringing it to her lips and chugging down however much her throat could handle in one go.

The loud noises of her mother and whatever guy she’d brought home tonight traveled down the hallway, slipping through the crack in her door as she covered her ears with her pillow. She waited a few moments for the sound to die down, but when they just continued, she opened her door and yelled out into the hallway.

“If you’re gonna be a whore and fuck someone while I’m home at least be quiet about it!” She slammed the door again and climbed under the covers, soaking her pillow with tears and staining her sheets with her running mascara.

When she finally fell asleep that night, she wished she’d never wake up.

‘Unfortunately, wishes don’t come true. I had no idea about the shitstorm that was about to hit me full force the next morning, and I really wish I had, because then maybe I could have prepared myself for all of the crazy shit I had no idea was happening right inside of Hawkins.’

Waking up with a pounding in her head and a strong urge to vomit up the little food she’d put in her stomach the night before, Delphi simply went through the motions she did every morning. Shower, get dressed in whatever clean clothes she had left before laundry day, eat yet another bowl of Corn Puffs for the 5th day in a row, and leave for school without so much as a goodbye to her mother. Unsurprisingly, the car that had been parked out front the night before was gone, making Delphi scoff and shake her head as she got into her own.

She wasn’t necessarily concerned when Barb didn’t meet her at the door to the school when she arrived, considering it wasn’t a daily occurrence that she did, but she figured that at least after last night she’d need someone to rant to about how much she hated Steve’s friends or how Nancy seemingly ditched her for a guy she changed her entire personality to be with. She found it slightly odd, but she essentially paid no mind to it.

She stopped at her locker briefly to make sure she had all her stuff, hoping and praying she didn’t forget any more books at home. As much as she would rather do anything else, she actually did want to make an effort to keep her grades up, considering she really didn’t want to get held back the second year in a row. Having to redo her sophomore year was enough, and already gave plenty of people the fuel they needed to make her hate herself even more than she already did.

The only thing she seemed to be missing were the notes for Mr. Wilson’s 8th period English class, but she was sure she could just get them from Nancy and copy them down during study hall. She waited a few seconds until the hallways seemed clear enough that she wouldn’t have to bob and weave through anyone, letting her feet carry her down in the direction of Nancy’s locker. When she turned the corner and looked up, she stopped her movements with a sigh and a shake of her head.

Nancy stood in front of her locker, but while Delphi had expected her to be with Barb, Steve was the one who stood next to her instead. While she couldn’t hear whatever words the two were exchanging, she assumed it was about last night, and she was in no mood to walk into or eavesdrop on that conversation. She decided she’d just try to get the notes from Nancy during first period, turning on her heels and walking down the hall a few steps.

She was a little surprised when she didn’t see Barb in her usual seat when she walked in, but still, at least for Delphi, it didn’t seem like there was any cause for concern. Her confusion only grew when Nancy walked in right before the bell, but Barb wasn’t with her. She sat in her usual desk one row behind Delphi, tapping her on her shoulder to force her to turn around.

“Have you seen Barb at all this morning?”

“No, I thought she’d be with you.” Delphi raised a brow at Nancy, who began looking around somewhat nervously. “You don’t think something happened to her, do you?”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I brought her to that party at Steve’s last night but she was gone by the time I left.”“Didn’t she drive you there?”

“Uhm…”

“You know what, I don’t need details.” Seeing it was enough. “I’ll let you know if I see her though. And I hope it’s not bad timing, but could I get those notes for Wilson’s from you? I left mine at home.”

“Yeah, yeah sure. I’ll just get them back from you in 7th period.” Nancy handed her a piece of paper, Delphi taking it with a response of gratitude. She slipped it into her binder and turned to the front of the classroom, biting her pencil as her mind ran wild.

‘Barb never skipped school. Even when she seemed to be deathly sick she still showed, no matter how many times we told her that if she felt that bad she should just leave. Her not being there the night after she left a party by herself was certainly something to be concerned about, and suddenly my small worry that she’d just gotten sick after last night turned into full blown panic that something bigger than anybody thought was going on in Hawkins.’

Delphi was mostly on autopilot for the remainder of the morning, barely tuning back into reality at lunch. She really wasn’t a fan of school food, so she spent most of her lunch hour drawing in notebooks or mindlessly watching the other kids around her. Today was much the same, except this time, she let her hand move on the paper in an effort to forget about the creeping dread in her gut.

Her luck had been so bad that, at the beginning of the year, she’d somehow ended up one table down from Steve and his posse, meaning every single day was filled with unwanted eavesdropping on whatever stupid conversation they were having on any given day. Today’s conversation had to do with the party last night, so she tuned it out, as was common practice these days. When Nancy brought up Barb to the rest of the group, she let herself listen, although none of what she heard seemed to be of any worth to her. The sudden change to sex jokes about Steve and Nancy made her swallow down vomit, and once she had a enough, she grabbed her notebooks and left the cafeteria.

As usual, the rest of the day went by with the same nauseating routine, complete with the grating, mindless droning of her teachers and the unwanted snickers from classmates. Once the bell rang, she practically ran to her locker, hoping to get home as soon as possible. On her way out of the building, she ran into Jonathan, stopping him in his tracks. He held something in his hands, glancing around nervously.

“Hey, what’s up with you?”

“Nothing, I’m fine.” Delphi glanced down at what sat in his hands, snatching the papers away once she realized what they were.

“You fucking developed these? Are you insane?”“What else was I supposed to do with them?”

“Throw them away, burn them, anything but this! It’s creepy, Jonathan. The photos you took in the woods? Fine. But creeper photos of people who hate you? Those should go in the trash man.”

“Who knows, maybe there’s something important in them?”

“Seriously?!” Jonathan just gave her a blank look, making her scoff and roll her eyes. “Did anyone see you with these?” Yet again there was no response, but his eyes wouldn’t meet hers.

“You’re fucking with me, right? Put the damn things in your bag and let's get out of here, who knows what problems those things are going to bring.”

Delphi hurried out of the school with Jonathan in tow, both of them keeping their heads down and staring at the asphalt. Thankfully, she had parked her car next to Jonathan’s today, so the venture wasn’t too far out of her norm, but it didn’t help any of the nerves that kept creeping into her gut. The nerves reached an all time high when they breached the hill, noticing Steve and the rest of his group hanging around Jonathan’s car. They seemed to notice the two approaching, standing a little taller and smiling wide.

“What's going on, man?” The two were forced to stop walking, being cut off by the group in front of them. They largely ignored Delphi even being there, and she shoved her hands in her pockets and rolled her eyes.

“What do you want?” “Nothing. We just heard you were quite the artist and we wanted to see…your work.”

“Come on Jonathan, let’s just go.” Carol stood in front of Delphi, stopping her in her tracks with a sick smile. Delphi glared at her, giving her the same grin. “Get out of my damn way.”

“No thanks.”

Before she could stop it, Tommy had snatched Jonathan’s bag from him, rifling through the contents and pulling out the pictures. They muttered something Delphi didn’t really care to understand, looking through every picture Jonathan had taken last night.

“Seriously? Like this isn’t creepy.”

“I told you you shouldn’t have taken those pictures.” “Yeah, I get it now.”

“What’s going on?” As if the moment couldn’t get any worse, Nancy had to walk up right then, making Delphi hang her head.

“Our little friend here decided he wanted to spy on us last night.” Carol handed Nancy one of the pictures, presumably the one of her.

“He was just looking for his brother.”

“Oh, was he? And how would you know that?” Realizing her slip up caused Delphi to be unable to answer, opening her mouth without saying anything. “You were with him, huh?” Knowing any response to Carol would only make things worse, she didn’t speak. “What, are you obsessed with us or something?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. There isn’t really much to be obsessed with.”

Steve seemed to ignore the entire exchange between Carol and Delphi, instead continuing to focus on Jonathan, who now stood, practically cowering, in front of him. He ripped up the picture he held in his hand and dropped the pieces to the ground, and once his hands were free, he picked up the camera off the trunk of Jonathan’s car. There was so much going on it was hard for Delphi to focus, but when the sound of the camera hitting the ground echoed through the air, she seemed to break.

“What the hell, Steve?!” She rushed in an attempt to pick up the pieces of the broken device, realizing the endeavor was essentially hopeless. She stood back up and placed her palms against Steve’s chest, shoving him backward a few feet. She couldn’t place the look on his face, unable to read any sort of emotion. “Are you fucking insane?”

“What, upset that your little boyfriend can’t take pictures of you anymore?” Delphi’s head whipped to Carol, using her hand to shove her against the bumper of Jonathan’s car. Carol’s face twisted in fear as her chest heaved with nervous breaths, Delphi’s own making the same motions out of anger.

“I suggest you shut that mouth of yours before I do it for you.”

After a few seconds, she backed away, Carol keeping her eyes on Delphi as she walked away with Tommy and Steve in tow. Delphi’s rough facade faded away as she helped Jonathan pick up the ripped pieces of his pictures, meeting eyes with Nancy, who was doing the same. When she stood up and turned to leave, Delphi called out to her.

“Nancy!” She turned, raising a brow. “I’m sorry. I told him not to, if it’s any consolation.”

Nancy didn’t offer a verbal response, only a nod, but it gave her a little peace of mind that there didn’t seem to be any hard feelings. She turned back around to Jonathan, who continued to stare at the ground in defeat.

“I’ll stay here in case they come out here again. You should get out of here, though.” Once again, he didn’t say anything, simply getting in his car and leaving the parking lot as quickly as possible.

‘As much as I hated Steve and his popular posse, they were right. What Jonathan had done was wrong, and no matter how many times I tried to tell him that, it only seemed to get through to him when he lost something important to him.’

Delphi let out the smoke that had collected in her mouth from the cigarette, allowing it to float off into the crisp autumn air. A call of her name had her head turning back towards the school, narrowing her eyes in confusion as she saw Nancy running towards her.

“Nancy? What are you doing out here, aren’t you gonna watch the game?” “I think something happened to Barb.”

“I don’t know, I’m sure she’s fine.”

“Will you please just…indulge me? You’re the only one I think could help.”

“Why me? Why not ask one of your new best buds?”“Because I know you’ll believe me. They don’t give a damn about Barb, so please, help me find out what happened.” Delphi let it sit for only a moment, nodding her head and tossing her cigarette into the grass.

“Hop in.”

‘The last place I expected to be that day was back at Steve Harrington’s house, let alone with Nancy Wheeler. She insisted on taking the same road her and Barb had the night before, and as if things weren’t confusing before, they were about to get a whole lot crazier.’

“That’s Barb’s car.” Nancy pointed out the window, Delphi slowing to a soft stop.

“So she never went home last night? I can’t imagine she walked the whole way.”

“Keep driving. The best thing I can think of to do is retrace our steps.”

Delphi parked outside of Steve’s house, reluctantly exiting the car and following Nancy into the backyard. She wasn’t sure what they were looking for, so she let Nancy take the lead, wandering around the area until she headed into the woods surrounding the property.

Delphi’s stomach flipped, unsure of whether it was from the nervousness of being in the woods again or the rush of emotion that had pelted her the moment she arrived at the house. She helped Nancy call out for Barb, snapping her body towards the sound of a breaking twig.

“What the hell was that?”

“Maybe it’s…just a squirrel. Yeah, I’m sure it’s just a squirrel.”

Another twig snapped a few feet away from the last one, making them turn once again. They waited a few moments until they were satisfied that it was just some woodland creature, but a large figure running in front of them caused Nancy to fall and Delphi to let out a small scream. Delphi helped Nancy to her feet, the pair running out of the woods as fast as possible. Once they were back in the car, they panted for breath, trying to calm their beating hearts.

“What the hell was that thing?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s good.”

‘We had no idea the importance of what we saw that day. We didn’t talk about it the entire drive back to Nancy’s house, and there was barely a goodbye when she left. I tried to keep the creature out of my mind the rest of my way home, hoping to sleep off the shock, but the night of rest didn’t help much. I’d hoped everything would return to a small bit of normalcy come the next morning, but it was the exact opposite.

‘Because that night, they’d found Will Byers' body.’

#steve harrington #stranger things #fanfic #steve harrington angst #steve x oc #women writers #series #original female character #fem!oc #lucas stranger things #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #nancy stranger things #joe keery #jonathan byers #steve x reader #steve harrington x reader

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stevessunglasses · 2 years ago

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COULD’VE, SHOULD’VE, WOULD’VE

Chapter 25 of In the Midnight Hour

“Thought you’d be inside,” Lori said eventually.

Steve looked over his shoulder before shrugging and turning back to the pool and the forest. “Not really my scene at the moment.”

“Your party though,” Lori said.

“That was Dylan’s idea,” Steve said, rolling his eyes. “Said since it’s my eighteenth, I had to go big or go home. When I said I’d just go home, he invited the entire class.”

#stranger things #steve harrington #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington x oc #ao3 #ao3 link #fanfic #fanfiction #original character #female oc #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #lucas sinclair

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grlsbstshot · 20 days ago

Text

NEON LIGHTS

Pairing (Original Characters):

Jameson Lucas (Aaron Pierre) x Imani St. Cirie (Megan thee Stallion) Genie Adesanya (Jayme Lawson) x Ellington “EJ” Dupree (Kelvin Harrison Jr.)

Chapters:

Neon Lights Masterlist

Chapter Synopsis: The crew nears the end of their Aspen vacation and two lives change forever.

Warnings: smut (!!!!! -- minors dni), mentions of cheating, p in v, oral (female receiving), rough sex, dirty talking, daddy kink (shout out to jameson), toxic relationship, mentions of therapy, mentions of depression & deception in relationships -- if we missed anything, let us know!

Word Count: 7.5k

Divider Template: @cafekitsune

Notes:

The following characters are original creations. Their voice claims are Usher / Lucky Daye (Jameson) & Summer Walker / SZA (Imani). We have no affiliation to any of those artists.

Gently, almost hesitantly, Imani said, “Baby, I don’t think we should tell anyone about us yet. Not even EJ or Genie.” Her words hung in the air.

He had only stopped by to check on her before Genie and EJ’s engagement dinner…or so he said. But somehow they had ended up entwined again. “Okay.” Jameson mumbled, immediately agreeing as he hugged her tightly, placing reverent kisses against her neck.

Imani’s fingers played with the hairs at the nape of his neck as she tilted her head back, reveling in the sensation of his plump lips against her skin. It was unbelievable she had let this go. How could she? “We need to focus on each other first and figure things out.” Imani murmured softly, caught up in the warmth of him.

“It's whatever you wanna do, baby.” His breath fanned across her skin as he found more places to kiss, walking them backward towards her bed. Imani pushed him gently onto it and straddled his waist.

A playful quirk appeared on her lips as she teasingly asked, “You sure you can keep a secret like that from your bestie?” She knew how excited he got over her; after all, she felt the same way. But for now, she relished in the idea of keeping their relationship private. It meant she had Jameson all to herself.

Jameson paused, glancing up at the ceiling as if thinking about it. Imani laughed as he reluctantly agreed. “Okay, usually…I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret but he’s not your biggest fan right now so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Not my biggest fan?” She raised both eyebrows in surprise, never hearing this before.

Imani suspected EJ might not have liked her because of everything that happened with Genie, which she understood. He was protective over her just like she was. But after reconciling with Genie, she thought everything would be fine between her and EJ. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“He rides hard for Genie.” Jameson told her softly as if he was breaking it to her easy. “And he was there when we…when it was over. I was a mess, Mani. Give him some time, he’ll come around.”

Imani sighed softly. Truthfully, she wouldn’t have liked EJ either if he had been the one who hurt Genie and Jameson. But deep down, EJ’s opinion of her didn’t matter. It was Genie and Jameson who she had left behind. They were the only ones she cared about.

“I understand.” Her finger mindlessly traced patterns on his chest, feeling the muscles ripple beneath her touch. “Well, as long as y’all forgive me, that’s really all that matters.”

“I do.” he said softly, nodding. “I forgive you. I want you to forgive me too. We can work on us as long as I know we’re both really in it this time.”

“I do. And I’m really in it, baby. I want us to work.” Her eyes locked with his as she pointed to herself and then him. “Us,” she said firmly. “means everything to me. I don’t want to lose that ever again.”

“That’s everything I need to hear,” he admitted softly, ending their conversation by kissing her. It quickly unraveled into a passionate kiss.

As her tongue explored his mouth, Imani felt completely at home. No one could make her feel like this way but Jameson. Every kiss she had shared with someone else after their breakup felt foreign and lacking in comparison. But being with Jameson now, she knew without a doubt this was where she belonged. This was home.

Her fingers tangled in his curls as the world around them faded away. But all too soon, reality came crashing back in the form of a knock on the door. Ella’s voice cut through the haze, “dinner in thirty minutes!”

Imani let out a frustrated sigh, pulling away from Jameson’s lips. “Okay!” She called back at Ella, turning to look back at Jameson. Her smile dropped at the thought of having to keep their reunion a secret and not being able to openly show affection for each other at the engagement dinner. Of course, she was happy for Genie, but she would have loved to share the moment beside Jameson.

She waited until she couldn’t hear footsteps anymore then she spoke again. “Stay with me for a little while? I’m not ready for you to leave yet.” Just like that, she was back lost in the realms of their love. But she didn’t want to leave this time.

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the small velvet box in his hands. The diamond ring inside sparkled faintly, catching the light every time he opened and closed the lid. Nervousness had him in a chokehold. Genie had told him not to worry. That she would say yes. She wanted to say yes. But something had him anxious. Maybe it was the fact that their families were there or reality staring him in the face. Either way…he was dragging his feet in heading downstairs.

His leg bounced nervously, and he let out a shaky breath, shaking his head slowly.

This was it. The moment he’d envisioned for months, planned meticulously for weeks, and desperately did his best to make sure was ‘perfect’ during the entire chaotic Aspen trip – yet his confidence wavered now that it was here. What if he messed up? What if Genie didn’t feel ready? What if he couldn’t find the right words?

A soft knock at the door startled him out of his thoughts.

“Come in,” he called, his voice quieter than usual.

The door opened to reveal his mother, her expression warm but curious. “Hey, baby,” she said, excitement obvious in her tone before she stepped inside the room EJ shared with Genie. “You’re gonna be late. We got dinner all ready. Genie’s out on the deck with her father.”

EJ quickly shut the ring box and slowly tucked it into his pocket but she had already noticed. Her eyes lit up, and a knowing smile spread across her face. “Oh,” she said softly, sitting beside him on the bed. “The nerves getting you good, huh?”

EJ sighed, slumping forward with his elbows on his knees. “Yeah. I don’t know why but I’m just…terrified,” he admitted, looking over at her with a wry smile. “I mean, what if I say the wrong thing? Or what if she…what if it’s not what she dreamed of? What if I’m not what she dreams of?”

Nina chuckled gently, her hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. “EJ, you’ve been in love with that girl since the minute you met her. And from what I’ve seen, she feels the same way about you. There’s no way she’s saying no.”

He knew that. Genie had told him herself that she was going to say yes. But the fears remained. “But what if I mess it up?” he pressed. “What if I don’t say everything I’m supposed to? What if I forget the words I’ve been practicing?”

Nina tilted her head, giving him a look that was equal parts confusion and affectionate. “EJ, you don’t need to rehearse anything. Just speak from your heart. Genie loves you for who you are, not for some perfect speech. Trust me, when you get down on one knee and look into her eyes, the right words will come to you.”

EJ nodded, her words sinking in but not completely calming his nerves. He thought of the ring again and slowly pulled the box out of his pocket before handing it to his mother. “Do you think she’ll like it?”

He had loved the unique design – and immediately thought of Genie when he saw it. He picked it alone, without input from her best friends, brother, or father. It was the perfect bridge for their relationship.

Nina smiled as she reached for the box, turning and angling it to examine the ring without removing it. “It’s beautiful. Just like her. She’s going to love it because it came from you.”

That sentence alone sent relief through his system. His shoulders dropped, the tenseness he held in his body slowly easing as he let out a small laugh. It was true. He could buy her a cardboard box and Genie would tell him he did his best and pat him on the head. She loved him so much that she had immeasurable patience. “Thanks, Mama.”

She smiled at him before patting his back “It’s going to be fine, baby. You’ve got a good heart, and Genie knows that better than anyone. Just trust in the love you two have.” With a kiss to his head, Nina stood up and headed for the door.

EJ stared at the ring for another moment after she left then took a deep breath and put it back in his pocket. “Just speak from the heart,” he murmured to himself, getting up and adjusting his tie. He forced himself to think about Genie’s gentle smile, the way she had overcome her fear and put trust in him. Knowing she believed in him that much brought him a sense of peace…and he was ready to face anything to see her.

The snow fell in a soft, steady rhythm, blanketing everything as far as her eye could see in white. Genie stood on the deck, her hands wrapped around a warm mug of cocoa. The leather shearling coat she wore made her feel just as warm outside as she did inside. The heat seeped into her fingers, grounding her as she stared out into the night. Inside, laughter and voices hummed, muffled by the glass door behind her. This trip was everything she’d hoped for — despite a few bumps in the road – and was her chance to be with the people she loved most, to savor this fleeting moment of peace before everything changed.

She knew what was coming. EJ’s proposal wasn’t a secret to her, not really. Finding the ring in his bag had been a fluke that made her heart leap into her throat. It took adjusting to but Genie was ready. She wanted to be EJ’s wife. For EJ’s part, he’d been nervous but determined all week. It was endearing, and it made her heart ache in the best way. Neither of them told their guests that the surprise engagement was just a normal engagement now. It felt like they were holding onto a tiny spark of magic, something just for them.

The door creaked open, and she glanced over her shoulder to see her father stepping out. With his coat zipped up and his hands buried in his pockets, he looked like he belonged in a painting against the snowy backdrop. He gave her a small smile as he joined her at the railing.

“You’re not cold?” he asked, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Genie shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Nope. I love it out here. It’s peaceful.”

He nodded, leaning against the railing beside her. “This trip’s been good for you. You look... happy.”

“I am,” she admitted, her voice soft but sure. “Everything feels right.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the kind that only existed between people who knew each other deeply. Genie felt a surge of gratitude. For this moment, for this trip, for her father’s steady presence in her life. But then he spoke again, and the warmth in her chest dimmed just a little.

“I saw a girl leaving earlier...Camille, right?”

Genie’s grip on her mug tightened, but she kept her tone even. “Yes. Camille.” Genie hadn’t seen her around after their confrontation. Jameson hadn’t mentioned her absence and she knew it meant they were over.

“She looked upset,” Kendrick said, his voice careful. “Did something happen?”

Genie hesitated, her thoughts swirling. Camille wasn’t her problem anymore. She’d made her choices, and Genie didn’t owe her anything. But still, there was a flicker of guilt, faint and unwelcome. “She wasn’t supposed to be here so now she’s gone,” Genie said finally, her words measured. “It’s better for everyone that she left.”

Kendrick frowned, his gaze thoughtful. “I don’t know. She seemed like she was having a rough time. She mentioned that you…wanted her head. Were you angry with her?”

“Yes. I did.” Genie turned to him, her expression softening despite her unapologetic tone. “I understand, Daddy. You always want to help people. But trust me, Camille leaving was for the best. For her and for everyone else. Especially Jamie.”

Her father studied her, his eyes searching. “Maybe. But sometimes people just need a little grace, even when they don’t deserve it.”

The words hit her harder than she expected, stirring something deep and uncomfortable. She looked away, focusing on the snow-covered trees in the distance. “Maybe.” she said quietly, her voice noncommittal.

She didn’t want to think about Camille. Not tonight. Not when everything else felt so perfect.

Kendrick must have sensed her reluctance because he let the subject drop. Instead, he reached over and squeezed her shoulder gently. “I’m glad I’m here,” he said, his voice warm. “Glad I get to see you so happy.”

Genie smiled, the tension in her chest easing. “I’m glad you’re here too. My whole family. Right where I can see you all. It’s everything I could’ve asked for.”

Her father smiled back, his expression softening. “You deserve it, my baby.”

A surge of love rushed through Genie’s chest as she leaned over and kissed her father’s cheek, the gesture filled with affection. “Thank you, Daddy. I’m gonna head inside before this cocoa gets cold. I miss my boyfriend.”

“Well, damn!,” he exclaimed, laughing out loud as she turned to leave. “Am I chopped liver now?”

“Of course not.” Genie said, “I just think he’s cute and perfect and wonderful and want to spend all my time with him. That’s it.” When she headed back into the house, she saw EJ enter the room – his smile lighting up the space. Everything else faded. She was happy. She was loved. And that was everything.

The fire crackled in the hearth, filling the quiet sun room with a warm, uneven rhythm. Jameson stared into the flames, leaning back in the large comfortable chair. The warmth of the fire barely touched him; his thoughts were heavier, looping endlessly through the events of the past twenty-four hours. He could hear everybody else getting ready to sit for dinner but he took a minute to sit alone with his thoughts, his feelings, and everything in between.

He’d done the right thing. That’s what he kept telling himself. Breaking up with Camille had been the only choice—necessary, inevitable. But even as he tried to believe it, the guilt gnawed at him. Camille hadn’t deserved the way things had unraveled. She hadn’t deserved his betrayal. Even if he also felt betrayed – he should have been better at ending things in a less messy manner.

The sound of footsteps pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up as Kendrick entered the room, his easy presence a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling in Jameson’s chest.

“You hiding out in here?” Kendrick asked, his tone casual as he took the chair opposite Jameson.

“Nah,” Jameson replied, his voice low. “Just thinking.”

Kendrick didn’t press, just settled into his chair with the kind of patience that made Jameson feel both comforted and exposed. The silence stretched, and for a moment, Jameson thought he could get away without saying anything more. But the weight of it all was too much to keep inside.

“My girlfriend and I broke up,” he said finally, the words falling heavily between them.

Kendrick didn’t look surprised, but his brow furrowed slightly. “You alright?”

Jameson shrugged, unsure how to answer. “I don’t know. It’s... complicated.”

“Breakups usually are,” Kendrick said, his voice steady. “What happened?”

Jameson exhaled slowly, his gaze dropping to the fire again. “I couldn’t keep pretending. My feelings for Imani never went away. I just kept kicking them under the rug and it got harder to hide. We’re stuck in this damn house together and I just couldn’t…I couldn’t pretend anymore. And it wasn’t fair to Camille. She deserved better than that.”

Saying it out loud made it feel more real and more final. The shame twisted in his gut, but there was also relief in the admission. It felt good to admit they weren’t together because he wanted someone else.

Kendrick leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful. “Takes a lot to admit that. Most people wouldn’t.”

Jameson nodded, though the reassurance did little to ease the ache in his chest. “It wasn’t just me though,” he said after a pause. “Camille was keeping secrets, too. I don’t even know everything, but... it doesn’t matter. We weren’t meant to be.”

The words hung in the air, stark and undeniable...and true. He felt Kendrick’s eyes on him, steady and unjudging.

“You did what you thought was right, son.” Kendrick said after a moment. “That’s all you can do. But it’s okay to feel conflicted about it. You cared about her, even if it wasn’t enough.”

Jameson’s throat tightened, but he nodded. “It really wasn’t. I tried to make it enough. I wanted it to be enough. But…I swear to god, nothing I had with Camille felt as good as arguing with Imani. It didn’t feel as good as just looking at her. I just feel guilty about how it ended. That it ended here.”

Kendrick leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant for a moment. “Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone is let them go. It’s not easy, but it’s honest. Believe me. I know it.” Jameson could see in his eyes that Kendrick meant his mother.

He let the words settle over him, the truth of them sinking in slowly. He glanced at the rose on the table beside him, its soft petals a stark contrast to the heaviness in his chest. “I’m supposed to be the first one to give Genie a rose. Kick this whole thing off.” he said, his voice quiet.

Kendrick raised an eyebrow. “Yeah I know. I’m last. You don’t want to?”

Jameson shook his head, picking up the flower and turning it in his hands. “It doesn’t feel right. After everything that’s happened... I think it should come from her brother and her best friend.”

Kendrick’s curiosity about their situation was evident, but he didn’t push.

Jameson said, the decision made in his mind. “She’s part of this family. She should be part of this moment too.”

Kendrick nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “If that’s what feels right to you, then go with it.”

Jameson stood, gripping the rose tightly for a moment before setting it down. “Thanks,” he said quietly. “For listening. And for not judging.”

Kendrick smiled faintly, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. “That’s what I’m here for. I will always be here for you, Jameson.”

Jameson nodded, his chest feeling a little lighter as he headed toward the dining room. The guilt and uncertainty still lingered, but for the first time in days, he felt like he was taking a step forward—however small it might be.

Ella fumbled with the camera briefly, her skilled hands nervous once she realized she was capturing the greatest moment of her brother’s personal life. The long, polished wooden table was adorned with flickering candles and garlands of evergreen, creating a cozy yet elegant atmosphere. As she turned the camera, glimpses of snow covered mountains could be seen through the floor to ceiling glass.

Genie sat at the center of the table, her infectious laughter filling the room as she leaned over and whispered to Nina. EJ was seated to her right, a soft smile on his face as he watched her with obvious affection. The rest of their family and friends were lively conversating before Jameson stood up from his chair. He walked around the table, pulling out Imani’s seat and she gracefully stood. He handed her a single red rose, Ella’s camera zooming in as Imani took it from his hand and made her way to Genie.

With a curious look on her face, Genie accepted the rose from her friend. Imani was visibly moved despite the two not exchanging a word. She leaned in and kissed Genie’s cheek softly. There was a tag on the end of the flower and Genie lifted it to read, her own eyes bright as she fought off tears.

It said a single word: Joy

Jameson didn’t say a word either but he approached Genie and placed a kiss against her cheek as well. Once he moved aside, Nina stood up from her seat, now holding a single red rose in her hand. The room grew quiet as all eyes remained on Genie.

“Imogen,” she began, "you have brought so much beauty into my son's life. It is only fitting that I give you this rose in recognition of that." She placed the rose in Genie's hand and kissed her cheek. She didn’t return to her seat but instead, she followed Jameson and Imani to the other side of the room.

Her rose held a tag with a single word as well: Beauty

It was Kendrick’s turn then. He didn’t have a single rose for his only daughter — he had several. When she saw him with a bouquet, Genie laughed out loud and ended with a little sob. Each rose had a tag. Different words were written, so many that Genie couldn’t catch them all.

Transformative. Challenging. Proud. Grateful. Privilege. Nurturing. Protective. Honest. Unbreakable. Sacred.

“Each rose is a memory. A word. Being your father is the greatest pleasure of my life. I grew up with you. I learned from you. Your mother would be so proud. Look at this wonderful girl we made.” Kendrick spoke softly, fighting off his tears much like everyone else did. “It’s fitting that I could only give you to someone I could trust not to dim your light. Someone could make you feel these very same things I felt while raising you. I love you, my baby.”

She was openly crying, holding the bouquet tightly to her chest as she told her father she loved him as well. Kendrick stepped closer, hugging her tightly before he pressed a kiss to her head and gently turned Genie in EJ’s direction.

EJ was standing, holding the final rose - a perfect white one with a small velvet box tied to the stem. The room fell silent, with the only sound being the crackling of the fireplace. Slowly, he knelt in front of her, holding the white rose in one hand and the box in the other. "Genie," he began, his voice steady yet filled with emotion. "Every word you have heard tonight describes what you have brought into our lives. You have given us all the gift of knowing you. And now I ask you to give me the gift of loving you for the rest of my life."

Tears streamed down Genie's face as she whispered his name, her hands trembling as she dropped the roses onto the table. EJ wasn’t even done talking but she began nodding.

Everybody erupted into a smattering of laughing. “Let me ask, baby.” He told her softly. “Imogen Evelyn Adesanya — will you marry me?”

"Yes," she managed to say through tears. "Yes, yes, yes."

The room erupted into cheers and applause as EJ slipped the stunning diamond ring onto her finger. Pink and white diamonds twisted around her finger — perfectly unique. He stood up and pulled her into a tight embrace as Ella's camera captured every teary smile and joyful laugh.

In the background, Ella could be heard crying softly. “Ah shit. They got me.” The video ended with Genie and EJ sharing a tender kiss, surrounded by their cheering loved ones.

The moment Jameson laid eyes on Imani in her stunning purple dress, he couldn’t tear his gaze away. The fabric hugged her curves in all the right places and the low neckline offered a tantalizing glimpse of her breast. Father God, have mercy on me. He could feel his pulse quicken as he watched her dance and laugh with Genie and Ella. She was like a goddess among mortals, radiating beauty and charm with every move she made. Did she understand the power she held over him with just a look? He knew he was completely under her spell. He was fucked.

But as much as he tried to keep it together and not give away their secret reunion, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to not touch her. Imani came and took a seat next to him, fanning herself and avoiding his obvious gaze. “Stop staring. You’re going to give us away…” her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“I can’t help it,” he chuckled, unable to hide his admiration. “You look good tonight.”

“Yeah, I know.” she teased. Imani playfully stuck her tongue out at him before turning to look back at their engaged friends. It was hard to believe that just a year ago, they never would have imagined this future for themselves.

“Did you ever think this would happen?” she asked, mirroring his thoughts.

Shaking his head, Jameson replied, “No, did you?”

“Nah, not at all,” Imani’s voice held a note of contentment as she took in the happy couple before looking back at Jameson. “But I’m glad it did. My girl looks so happy.”

“Yeah, she does,” Jameson agreed with a smile.

“And that ring? Your boy did his thing.”

“He did, but it’ll have competition when I replace this,” he said, reaching across the table to discreetly tapping her promise ring on her finger. He noticed all the little details about her tonight, but the ring stuck out the most. Unlike this morning, she wasn’t trying to hide it from him. Imani made sure he saw it.

Just as she was about to say something, the song “What a Diff’rence A Day Made” by Dinah Washington started playing through the speakers. “Ooooh, this is my song!” Kendrick exclaimed in the distance. He asked Nina for a dance and Jameson got an idea.

“Dance with me,” he said, turning to Imani. “Jameson, everybody —” “No one’s looking at us. They’re all dancing. We’re the only ones sitting here. Dance with me.”

Imani hesitated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. A smile spread across Jameson’s face as he led her onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close as they swayed to the music.

“You don’t know how happy I am to have you back in my arms,” he whispered in her ear.

“You can’t be as happy as me. I missed you so much,” Imani replied softly.

“I missed you more,” Jameson countered, meeting her gaze. “Can I sleep with you tonight? I just want to hold you.”

Imani’s expression softened, and she spoke in a hushed tone. “Baby, I told you this morning that last night needed to be the last time I slept without you in my arms…and I meant that.” She paused and then added firmly, “you already know the answer to that question.”

The dinner party buzzed with warmth and laughter, the kind of energy that only family and close friends could create. Kendrick leaned against the doorway, a glass of wine cradled in his hand, watching the room with a quiet smile. The glow of the fireplace bathed everyone in a golden light, and the faint hum of a jazz tune played softly in the background. He was somewhat drunk — he could admit that to himself. But it was a glorious night.

At the center of it all was Genie. His little girl. His only girl. She sat at the head of the table, her smile as radiant as the ring she kept glancing at every few minutes. It sparkled with every movement of her hand, catching the light like it was made for her. Kendrick had never seen her so happy, so effortlessly herself. She laughed at something Ella said, her head tilting back, her joy infectious. His heart swelled, but it also ached. How quickly time had passed.

Across the room, Jameson stood near the edge of the makeshift dance floor, his eyes locked on Imani as they swayed to the music. They were in their own world, something unspoken passing between them. Kendrick had always been able to read his son like a book, and tonight was no different. Jameson was smitten, completely and utterly. He wasn’t as conflicted as his mother thought.

Kendrick took a sip of his wine, his chest tightening with emotion. His kids weren’t kids anymore. They were grown, navigating their own lives, their own loves. And despite all the twists and turns, they were happy. He could still see them as children, laying on the couch watching tv or annoying one another so much that he had to send them to their own rooms. The thought brought a lump to his throat.

“Daddy, are you okay?” Genie's voice broke through his memories. She was standing beside him now, her hand lightly touching his arm. Her eyes, so much like her mother’s, were filled with concern.

“I’m fine, baby,” Kendrick said, his voice thick. He reached out and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “Just taking it all in.”

Genie’s gaze softened, and she looked back at the room. “It’s a good night, isn’t it?”

“The best night,” Kendrick said. He looked at her again, at the ring on her finger, and felt a wave of pride and bittersweet joy. “You’ve got a good man, Genie. He loves you. But don’t forget who you are. Even when you’re Imogen Dupree — you were born with something special in you. Don’t ever settle for less.”

“I know,” she said, her voice quiet but sure. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. “I’m lucky.”

“We’re all lucky,” Kendrick murmured, his eyes sweeping over the room one last time. His family was far from perfect, but they were his. And tonight, they were whole. He kissed the top of Genie’s head, letting himself savor the moment before she pulled away to rejoin the others. As he watched her go, Kendrick felt the tears welling up. He didn’t fight them.

The engagement celebration was long over. Dinner had been consumed, champagne bottles had been popped, and tears had been shed. It was a beautiful night…but everybody had retreated to their rooms. She was thankful for it because it meant she could be alone with Jameson. They didn’t have to worry about any eyes or ears on them.

After taking a refreshing shower and pampering her skin with her lotion, Imani spritzed herself with a signature scent. She stood in front of her open suitcase, sifting through clothes in search of the perfect outfit. It was the first night she and Jameson were going to be together in over a year. She wanted it to be special.

As she exhaled deeply, her heart raced with anticipation. It was hard to believe that just twelve hours ago, she had been consumed with frustration and anger towards Jameson. She was damn near ready to chop his head off in the games they played. But now, as they were reunited once again, she found herself completely infatuated with him.

A smile spread across her lips as she pulled out a red satin bra and lace g-string panty set from her suitcase. She knew it would drive him wild. Thanking her past self for packing it, she slipped into the lingerie before neatly organizing all the clothes back into her suitcase.

Finally, she turned to the nightstand, where a small lighter and a scented candle sat. She lit the wick with a flick of her thumb and placed it back down, filling the room with a soft, romantic glow. Imani picked up her phone, unlocked it, and scrolled through her playlist of sensual songs. With a quick tap, the room was filled with slow bass and seductive melodies.

Before she could even catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror, there was a knock at the door. Her heart skipped a beat as she hurried to answer it, pulling Jameson inside and closing the door behind them. “Took you long enough,” she teased playfully.

“I was waiting til everybody fell asl...” He seemed to lose his train of thought as his eyes trailed over her figure, clad in the seductive lingerie. “My god. It’s so damn good to be home…” he breathed out, biting his lip as his gaze lingered on every curve.

Imani couldn’t help but giggle at his reaction, doing a small turn to show off the outfit. “You like it?”

“Like it?” he repeated, stepping closer to her and pulling her into his embrace. Imani turned around to face him. “I love it. I love you.” His fingers traced over her curves, coming to rest on her ass. Imani’s arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.

“All for you, baby,” Imani whispered, gazing up at him with adoration. “And only you.” They stood there for a moment, lost in each other’s arms and the intense chemistry between them.

They both knew what they desired most at that moment, but neither dared to make the first move. So they stood there, basking in each other’s embrace, savoring the feeling of being reunited after what felt like an eternity apart. The touch of their skin was electric, sending shivers down their spines and igniting a fire within them. Every second felt precious, as if time stood still just for them in that moment.

When he finally reached for her, Imani was practically breathless.

His fingers traced along her jawline, trailing down her neck before meeting the soft skin of her shoulder. With each brush of his fingertips against her exposed skin, she shivered slightly, goosebumps rising to the surface. “I used to dream about you.” He said softly. “And now you’re back in front of me and I…I’m grateful.”

She closed her eyes tightly, savoring every sensation - a mix of desire, love, and anticipation coursing through her veins. Jameson’s fingertips brushed against the strap of her bra. He carefully pulled the fabric down, letting it drift down her shoulder.

He repeated the action with the other strap, moving in close so that he could reach around and unfasten the bra.

As it fell to the ground, she let out a soft gasp of pleasure. She had never felt so vulnerable and yet so desired at the same time. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of desire and uncertainty.

But he didn't give her much time to think. He took one step back and admired her body, his gaze roaming over every inch of her. He’d seen it all before and had been all over her mere hours before but this was different. They weren’t in a haze of anger and lust. They weren’t under pressure and on a time limit.

Without warning, he held her up and carried her towards the bed. As he gently laid her down on the soft sheets, he leaned down and captured her lips in a heated kiss. He grasped the back of her neck and pressed his mouth to hers, tongues gliding each other. His hands roamed all over her body, caressing every curve and sending shivers of pleasure through her. He grasped her thong, slowly tugging the flimsy fabric over her hips and down her thighs.

“Spread.” He said the words softly but they were a command. He slipped the fabric into the pocket of his pajamas. Imani did exactly what he said, hesitation and no teasing. His hand slid between her legs, index and middle fingers pressing inside her. Imani groaned softly, dropping her head back as she circled her hips and provided friction.

“Just like that.” Imani murmured with pleasure as he continued. He kissed her thighs gently and nestled himself between her legs on the bed. Withdrawing his fingers, he spread her wetness around, teasing and pleasing her. Then he grasped the back of her thighs, jerked her legs onto his shoulders, and pressed his face between her legs.

Her eyes closed tightly as pleasure ripped through her body. She shuddered and writhed as he licked and sucked around her clit until she was desperate. She gave breathy, frustrated moans. Still, he didn’t give her what she needed. “D-Don’t stop, please.”

He chuckled, the vibrations from his laughter causing her to shiver even more. But instead of relenting, he continued using his tongue to explore every inch of her pussy. Imani was lost in a world of pleasure, her mind unable to focus on anything but the intense sensations coursing through her body.

As he continued to tease her, her hands clenched tightly onto the sheets beneath her. She could feel herself reaching the edge, the build-up of pleasure becoming almost unbearable. But when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he suddenly stopped and pulled away. Imani let out a frustrated groan, aching for release.

He looked up at her with a smirk on his lips. "Not yet," he whispered huskily. “Jameson, please.” “I like how you sound when you beg me.” “Please, baby! I'm not asking again."

Somehow, it worked. Jameson kissed her to her thigh and the first thing he did was suck her clit into his mouth. Imani inhaled sharply, her thighs pressing to his head and her nails digging into his shoulders.

She arched her back, wordlessly wanting more from him.

He was too damn good at this. It had been a year since she’d let him between her legs this way but he still knew what to do. He still flicked his tongue in the way she liked, he still sucked at her folds the way she needed him to, he still used his fingers to fuck her into losing her mind. Her hips surged up as he plunged knuckle deep into her.

“Fuck, baby. I missed this.” Imani moaned out. It was so good that her orgasm snuck up on her. He didn’t stop. His tongue, his fingers, and mouth kept working her over. “I missed you.”

Something about that simple statement was like a cheat code when it came to Jameson. He lifted his head, drawing is hand from her. He licked his fingers clean then wiped the back of his mouth – the action so uncouth that it turned her on a little bit.

Imani lay on the bed, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Her body was still buzzing from the intense orgasm he had just given her. Their lips met hungrily, tongues tangling and exploring each other's mouths. She could taste her orgasm on his tongue. Jameson's hand trailed down to cup her breast, squeezing gently.

Imani almost cursed when he began to pull away…until she realized he did it to undress. He pulled the t-shirt over his head, tossing it aside – much like he had done earlier in the day. He pulled his pajama bottoms down, his length springing up once he rolled the fabric down his legs.

One second, they were staring at each other and the next? He hauled Imani's body towards the middle of the bed until she was positioned exactly how he wanted - with her legs spread wide and her pussy on full display. Flexibility was the name of the game and Imani excelled at it. She pressed her hands to the back of her knees, helping him position her body.

“Don’t you move. Keep that pretty pussy right where I can see it.”

His dick was fully erect. The way it glistened in the candlelight – her mouth providing the right shine to him – made her toes curl in anticipation. "Please, make love to me," Imani whispered, urging him on.

With one hand, he reached down and grasped his dick, parted her folds as he slipped into her. They both groaned with relief, Jameson’s jaw dropping as he reveled in the slick warmth that greeted him. Moans escaped their lips as Jameson found the rhythm for them. The slap of their bodies colliding reverberated through the room like a drumbeat, syncing with their rapid breathing.

She couldn’t even recognize the song playing, Imani was too busy watching Jameson. She hadn’t seen his face when they were in the shower but now it was all too clear: He really did miss her. His hands grasped her thighs, fingers pressing into her thighs so roughly that she knew he’d leave marks. “Harder, baby, harder.”

Her demand was greeted with sharp thrusts, plunging deeper and harder than he had been before. His left hand lingered against her thigh before moving. When his thumb began to flick at her clit, Imani whined out loud – head tossing and turning against the bed. She was trapped under his body as he played with her any way he wanted.

As they moved together in perfect harmony, heat rose in their bodies and transferred onto the sheets beneath them. The scent of sex filled the air – no candle or music was hiding what they were doing. Even though they were in a different area of the house, Imani was aware that her moans and the sound of their bodies colliding could still be heard. The occasional moments of quiet couldn't mask the faint noises of the bed squeaking or the wet sounds coming from between her legs.

“I love you, Daddy. I love you so much.” “I love you too.” Jameson mumbled. “You look so pretty taking this dick. Look at you.”

Imani lifted her head to peer down between them, gasping at what she saw. His dick was throbbing inside her. As he pulled out, she saw him coated in her creamy release. Imani panted as he shifted his hips and thrust himself back inside her. He did it a few more times, picking up the pace the more she watched. She couldn’t take anymore. Her eyes rolled damn near in the back of her head as her toes curled so hard they cracked.

“F-fuck, I swear I’m not leaving you ever again.” She said with a vehement shake of her head. “Un-uh. Even if you want to, I won’t let you. Tell me again.” “I won’t ever leave you.” she repeated. “Again.” “Jamie, please!”

He picked up the pace every time she promised not to leave him. His fingers had gone from leisurely swiping across her clit to every single digit fanning across. She was overwhelmed with pleasure, thighs trembling as she did her best to keep her legs raised for him. She could feel her orgasm racing up her spine and vocalized it to him.

“Fuck…Baby! Make your pussy cum. Mhm, yeah…” Imani whispered, voice trembling. “Nobody taking my baby from me.” He grunted, seemingly lost in his own world. “It’s like this shit was made for me, Mani. It’s mine.” “It is. Oh my god. Daddy, I love you. Please, don’t stop!” “Shit. I swear to god – nobody fuck me like you do.” “Yes, baby. Like that! Right there!”

His gaze kept straying. From her face to between her legs. He watched her pussy gush, coating him in her enthusiasm. Every time he slid in, more and more of his control slipped. Imani could see it. So she gave him what he needed.

“Y-You mean everything to me, Jamie. I love you so much.” “I love you, baby.” His breathing hitched as he said the words and Imani couldn’t take anymore. She arched her back and came hard over him. They both cried out when she did, his hands pressed to her thighs to keep her legs by her head. Jameson leveraged his weight over her to keep her pinned down.

He kept her still, fucking into her quickly as her orgasm kept her squirming. When he came, it was with a few short but rough jerks of his hips. He finally released her from the pinned hold and lay between he legs, grasping her hips tightly as he spilled into her. “I’m yours forever.” He mumbled against her ear. They both circled their hips, wringing the last bit of pleasure that they could from one another.

The aftermath left them both panting heavily against each other's skin — words escaping them both. It took several moments before either one could find words. They kissed and stroked each other, his hands brushing strands of hair from her sweat soaked face.

“We’re gonna be okay,” he whispered against her earlobe nibbling softly causing goosebumps along her flesh – his strong arms holding her close. “We’re going to work it out. This is too real. We can’t let it go again.”

She smiled weakly feeling utterly content yet slightly vulnerable knowing full well how easy it could be for them to lose it all. They had before. But not this time, she was determined that it would be different. She pulled back slightly looking into his eyes. "I promise we will." she whispered against his lips reassuring him that no matter what happened from here on out — they would always find their way back into each other arms — because that was how it was meant to be.

#aaron pierre #megan thee stallion #aaron pierre x black!oc #megan thee stallion fanfic #aaron pierre fanfic #megan thee stallion x black!oc #original characters #celebrity ocs #celebrity fanfiction #fic: neon lights #we late af #we sorry #forgive usssss!#Spotify

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dotthings · 10 months ago

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Congrats to the fans of the wee woo show. I don’t go here but it makes me happy to witness how this arc for Evan Buckley got to bloom and I’m happy because I hope this reflects another shift in the TV industry.

For some media commentary context for you: ABC network is owned by Disney. Fox network was owned by Rupert Murdoch. So I can see how the network change for 911 can easily be a factor on how this got greenlit, after years of creator Tim Minear’s intention to work in hints, on the off chance he could take it there. (I don’t go here, but I did my reading). Oliver Stark who plays Buck also revealed he's been for it and couldn't say anything, until he was sure they could do it, until it aired and was out there. (*steeples fingers*)

For further context, Bob Iger—with George Lucas’ vocal support—just fended off a right wing coup on the Disney board from the kinds of people (like Peltz) who complain “why do we need so many female leads” “why do we need movies with all Black leads.” While it doesn’t mean Disney is no longer an evil megacorp, I’m pointing out that its CEO defended inclusive Disney brand content to the shareholders and the board, as well as dismantling the idea that it can’t be entertainment while being diverse.

The ripple of this goes outside of the wee woo show fandom. I’m seeing the joy on my dash from people who don’t watch the show or don’t watch it regularly, as well as from people who have been watching a long time and noticed things and realized there was a progression and it was there all along, and I know how much this must mean to a lot of people. With the world being how it is, with what people are facing inside the US from the far right, in their real lives.

It’s very hopeful in general for inclusion levels on a major network TV show, owned by a big evil megacorp. Representation matters.

Also I'm aware the wee woo show already had a queer couple, plus it's already an intersectional inclusive series, that’s great.

There shouldn't be limits placed on inclusion though. “But you already have X” shouldn't be weaponized to tell people to shut up. There is no “enough” or “too much” when it comes to inclusion. While I'm not for undermining the inclusion that's there, I've seen that weaponization used with a series that hasn't been great on inclusion, and I've seen that weaponization used for 911, which is. It's a sus argument.

Indirect and unintentional as it is, also bi Buck shut down every concern troll, every gaslight, every denial, every rationale I've ever seen people deploy against bi Dean. Everything from people who don’t understand what bi actual means—“but he likes girls so he can’t be bi”—to “but he wasn’t declared bi from the start of the show so he can’t”—yes he can and the wee woo show just did. On one of the original big three networks. Or people who say it would "ruin the character." Really? “But he’s an action hero”—so what? Evan Buckley is a hero, Dean is a hero, both badass action heroes. “People who see this as canon are delusional”—Evan Buckley went O RLY? Not so delusional now, is it.

Evan Buckley avenged bi Dean.

It’s self-evident. It’s right there. Different show, different network, but the concepts are familiar, the situation has a certain familiarity. This turn of events on an ABC show didn't just make bi Dean fans valid. bi Dean fans were always valid, the bi Dean reading was always valid. But I appreciate how much what happened on the wee woo show bonked people with a truth stick, about self discovery, character arcing, queer readings, queer coding, and the validity of merely noticing things.

#bi Dean #dot trolls the media #dot trolls fandom

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twins-write · 3 months ago

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Request Information

We write x reader and x OC stories/oneshots, so don't be afraid to give your character a name, unless you prefer it being the reader!

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We write for a lot of things, but here is the list if you want to go through it all! If you don't see a specific person/show or anything on the list, still feel free to request it. We might have accidentally left it out, but if not, we can still attempt to write that person for you!

You can submit requests by clicking the link at the bottom of this post or the link at the top of the blog, both will take you to a form to submit your request!

FULL LIST OF WHAT WE WRITE FOR:

Shows/movies:

13 Reasons Why

Clay Jensen

Justin Foley

911 (Lonestar and the original)

Eddie Diaz

Evan Buckley

Judd Ryder

Owen Strand

Paul Strickland

TK Strand

Wyatt Harris

American Horror Story

Jimmy Darling

Kit Walker

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Attack On Titan

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Big Time Rush

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Breaking Bad

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Criminal Minds

Aaron Hotchner

Derek Morgan

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Game of Thrones

Bronn

Jaime Lannister

Jon Snow

Robb Stark

Goosebumps

James Etten

Lucas Parker

Gossip Girl

Chuck Bass

Eric Van Der Woodsen

Nate Archibald

Grey’s Anatomy

George O’Malley

Mark Sloan

Bill Denbrough

Eddie Kaspbrak

Richie Tozier

Jujustu Kaisen

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Satoru Gojo

Toge Inumaki

Yuji Itadori

Lab Rats

Chase Davenport

Malcolm In The Middle

Francis Wilkerson

Reese Wilkerson

Malcolm Wilkerson

Marvel

Bucky Barnes

Deadpool

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writingonleaves · 1 year ago

Text

i tell you that i think i'm falling back in love with you - luca fantilli

pairing: luca fantilli x original female character

warnings: swearing, slight angst, mostly fluff, like one mention of COVID, proofread maybe once, probably too many taylor swift references

word count: 9.2k

based on: "the alcott" by the national ft. taylor swift + "this love" by taylor swift. title from "the alcott"

author's note: first one ahhh!!! had this done months ago when i saw that day in the life video the umich social team posted of luca and then promptly went on a six hour plane ride and banged this out. apologies if some of the details are inaccurate — i tried my best though some are also made purposefully to fit with the narrative

*****

Melody Lin rarely talks about it.

In the instance that it gets brought up, she just shrugs, always giving just a brief overview because there’s no point in summing up 18 years of history in a few sentences, especially when she knows if she thinks about it too much and talks about it out loud she’ll get emotional.

Growing up in the suburbs of Toronto was the typical suburban experience. She grew up only a street and a 2 minute car ride from her best friend Shayla and even though Shayla ended up going to University of Michigan and she went to Northwestern, they remained the closest of friends. Melody’s close with the whole Gallo family to the point where she just walks in and no one bats an eye anymore. Wherever Melody is, Shayla isn’t far behind, and vice versa.

Being close with the Gallo family means she’s been to almost every family gathering, every big family event. Everyone in their families knows the other because the two girls are so close that they’re pretty much sisters.

Melody doesn’t even remember the day she met Luca Fantilli.

Luca is one of Shayla’s many cousins, only two years younger than Shayla. His family lives around a 10 minute drive away, so their parents love to gather on the weekends, therefore bringing the kids close together. Age wise, it goes Shayla, then Luca two years later, then Adam and Katie, Shayla’s younger sister, are the same age. There’s other cousins, older and younger, but these four have always been close, finding themselves naturally in a group when their families get together.

That means that naturally, Melody grew up also being close with the four, coming by many weekends when the cousins gathered and being dragged into their shenanigans, from playing tag when they were kids to piling in a car to get ice cream when they were teenagers. And they loved her too. Katie loved having another older sister figure with Melody being more calm compared to Shayla. Adam loved how funny she was and how no matter how much shit they gave her, she’d brush it all off with an easy smile.

And then Luca. Like his brother and cousins, he loved how friendly she was. During the few years they overlapped in the same school, she always said hi to him in the hallways, never treating him or his brother any differently just because they were younger. When he needed a ride, whether it was to the rink or gym or that he just wanted to get out of the house, he could always text her and she would drive him, even if she gave him flack for it. And even though she started out as just Shayla’s friend, they quickly grew to have their own friendship, texting from time to time even when he was at Kimball for two years and she went off to college. He loved how giving she was and how smart she was and how no one ever really seemed to have a bad word to say about her. He’d always light up at seeing her and looked forward to the crushing hugs she would give him, especially after a few months of not seeing each other.

Those weekends are imprinted in Melody’s brain, when the Gallo house is loud and lively and all the adults are chatting and laughing and the kids are off doing whatever they want, her and Shayla always being put in charge because they’re the oldest of the five. Sometimes there were guest stars — Shayla’s high school boyfriend, Adam’s high school girlfriend, whoever the hell Luca was dating at the time, Katie and her best friend — but it was mostly just the five of them.

It was always Shay, Mel, Luca, Adam and Katie.

(If you ask Luca now, he probably fell in love with her back when they were teenagers, somewhere between when she would drive him and his brother home after a rough practice and let them rant and when she’d laugh so loudly by the pool during the summer that she’d snort)

(Melody obviously loved everything about Shayla, thought Adam was one of the sweetest boys she’s ever met and adored Katie like a younger sibling. But even from the start, she had a special place in her heart for Luca, with his infectious smile and his positive energy. Somewhere along the way, he stopped being just Shayla’s cousin)

That friendship strengthened when he and Adam signed a commitment to play with the Chicago Steel starting Melody’s sophomore year at Northwestern. Shayla was thankful that her best friend was there for her two younger cousins, though the two hockey players never needed anyone to look after them. Since Melody had a car and her and Shayla’s breaks often overlapped, Melody would grab Adam and Luca in Chicago and then drive through Ann Arbor to pick Shayla up as they all headed home. The drive wasn’t all that bad, especially with the company.

Somewhere during the start of her sophomore year, she and Luca confessed to each other that they had feelings towards each other and started dating. It started out well. Inbetween her classes and college commitments and his practices and games, they’d find time to see each other. It helped that they both had cars as well.

There was this cafe / book bar place between them called The Alcott that she had discovered by a recommendation from a friend who lived around the area that wasn’t closed because of COVID. That started to become the place for them to meet. Whether she had to drag along her laptop and notebooks or not, it started to become their place. She tried to go to as many of his games as she could and he tried to come to campus to be with her, even when she was cramming for exams and couldn’t give him much attention.

She’d feel bad during the days where she wasn’t much fun, but he didn’t care. Being in her presence was enough, he’d always say with an encouraging kiss and a promise for milkshakes after dinner as a treat before he’d have to go back to Chicago. She met his teammates and he met her college friends and they tried and tried to make it work. When the Chicago Steel won the Clark Cup, she made it a priority to go to watch the final, not having been able to go to his last regular season game and all of playoffs due to final projects and labs. At the end, she had leaned over the boards to crush Adam in a tight hug before kissing Luca sweetly.

And then two weeks after that, when summer was about to start — which should’ve been the time they would be at their best and brightest together, things started to fall apart. Though, when Melody looks back at it now, things were slowly falling apart for a bit before then. Pointed questions about what each other’s plans were for the night when they could’ve been together, weak excuses for skipping the nightly FaceTime call, just generally not as much effort from both sides.

Even throughout it all, she still deeply cared about him. That didn’t change even during their last argument that led to their break up.

“Mel, I don’t know what you want me to do at this point,” Luca says, pacing around her room and running his hair through his hair.

“I don’t ask for much,” she says, biting her lip, watching him pace and trying to keep her control. “I know hockey keeps you busy. I get it. I knew what I was signing up for. But I didn’t hear from you for a week, Luca. Not a call. Not even a good morning text. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?”

“I told you I was going to be busy, angel.” Even the pet name doesn’t soften her. She starts raising her voice.

“Goddammit, Luca. I know! But guess what? I’m also busy too. You think college is easy? I don’t know if I’ve slept for more than 5 hours a night this last month. But I still make the time.”

“Do you?” His eyes flash with something she’s never seen from him before. He’s not quite yelling, but he’s not talking at a normal volume either. “When’s the last time we went out to dinner? When’s the last time before the final that you came to one of my games? Jackson asked me before the final if we were still together since he hadn’t seen you. Do you know how fucked up that is?”

“Since when the fuck do you care about what anyone has to say?”

“Since all of their girlfriends are in the stands every week!”

She flinches. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to playoffs but you told me it was okay. I didn’t know you felt that way because you don’t talk to me anymore. I can’t read your mind. I’m trying my best here.”

“You know what? I can’t do this anymore.”

“Can’t do what?” She whispers.

“This. Us. It’s clearly not working.”

“Luca.”

He sits down on the chair across from her and puts his head in his hands momentarily. “You’re right. We barely talk. We’re both so busy. The last thing I want is for you to resent me.”

“So that’s it?” She croaks out.

His eyes are watery. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be, angel.”

“You’re the one making this hard!” She bites her lip and looks up to keep the tears from falling, which isn’t working because a couple tears still slip out. She fights a brief battle with herself and then deflates. “I’m always going to be your biggest supporter.”

He lets out a shaky breath. “Mel.”

“I mean it. I meant it years ago when we were kids. I mean it now. I’ll mean it forever.”

He laughs hollowly. “This sucks.” He lets out a shaky breath. “Do you think we could still be friends?”

She tries to smile. “Well, I’m still best friends with your cousin and that’s not gonna change. So I’m sure I’ll see you around.” She swallows. “I need time though, if we want to be friends in the future.”

“I get it. Yeah.” He sighs. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugs dejectedly. “I’m sorry too.”

“Can I get one more hug?”

The hug is already sad enough. The kiss in her hair has her crying into his chest.

It was tough that summer especially, because she still wanted to spend time with Shayla and she also knew that Shayla still wanted to see Luca. But it was still too fresh, so when she knew that Luca was coming by, she avoided going to Shayla’s, which her best friend understood. She took Adam out for ice cream a couple of times, genuinely wanting to see how he was doing and catch up and everything was good and normal as they steered away from topics that were still fresh. Except during one hug as she dropped him off, where he whispered in her ear, “I know it’s too soon. I completely get it. But I know Luca would love to see you before you head back to school.”

(She doesn’t end up seeing him)

Junior year comes and goes. She has a great time despite the hours of studying for exams and the stress of classes. She makes new friends, gets closer with her old ones, collects new memories and laughs until there’s no sound coming out of her mouth. She sometimes wakes up with a hangover, but has to trudge to the library anyway to cram for a Monday morning exam. The first time she goes to The Alcott post break-up, she tries to sit in the spot by the corner and she has to leave within 5 minutes so she doesn’t have a meltdown in public.

Shayla tells her that Luca and Adam are both officially committed to play at Michigan next year, and she’s not sure if she should text them. She ends up texting them both separately right when they post on Instagram though because she’s so happy and excited and proud of them, even if Luca isn’t hers anymore.

i heard about the good news!! congrats on umich (officially)!!

Thanks Mel!! So good to hear from you. I hope all is good at Northwestern

all’s good here! seriously, luca. i’m so proud of you.

He simply had liked the text and it was enough for the both of them. It had to be enough.

She tried her best to steer away from hearing about him, but it was really hard, especially when both him and Adam were doing so well in hockey and were the talk of the town, especially back home. They always had been, but nowadays it was more and more and it was bittersweet to hear.

She didn’t come back home for the summer of her senior year, her internship leading her to New York City. And while it was sad because she couldn’t see Shayla, who herself was doing an internship in Detroit, it gave her a bit of relief that she wasn’t going to be in her hometown when a large reason she calls it home is because of the boy who she had given her heart to. She had fun in New York, went on a couple of dates — which was the most she’s done with her romantic life since her breakup — but while her friends were living up their summers and she was cheering them on, she couldn’t shake the feeling of the younger Italian hockey player away from her mind. She hated that she couldn’t shake him off.

(You’ve been friends for almost two decades, Shayla would remind her. Of course you’re not gonna get over it quickly. There’s too much history there)

As Melody entered her senior year, she set out a goal to have fun. Work hard, of course, but also to have fun and really enjoy her last year. With parts of her college experience being interrupted by the pandemic, she felt like it was only right to give herself some time before she’d be in labs and research the rest of her life.

She still followed Luca on social media, so she saw his Snapchat stories and his Instagram posts. He looked like he was having a blast at Michigan and she honestly couldn’t have been any happier for him, even if there was always a stab of something in her heart seeing him pop up on her feed. She still drove through Ann Arbor during school breaks to pick up Shayla, and now Adam and Luca as well when they didn’t have to stay for hockey commitments. Shayla tried telling her friend that she didn’t have to, but Melody always waved her off. Luca texted her happy birthday and she did the same and she ended up crying in the shower both times.

Shayla had convinced her to come to a Michigan vs Michigan State hockey game and Melody didn’t really have an excuse, since she was gonna drive up that morning from Northwestern to go home for winter break. She had been hesitant, not wanting to overstep but Shayla had just laughed in her face. Come to Michigan, stay the night with me, and then we’ll all head back to Ontario in the morning. Shayla had even gotten Adam and Luca to text her to convince her, with Luca’s text being the final push

Heard from Shay and Adam that you were hesitant on coming to the game. If that hesitancy is because of me, please don’t let it be. It’ll be a fun one.)

The game is fun and thrilling, just like Luca promised it would be. Melody’s met some of Shayla’s college friends before and they’re no less welcoming than they always are. After the game ends, Shayla and her are walking back to her apartment when Shayla stops. Adam just texted me, she says. They’re all at one of the hockey houses and they want to meet you. Let’s stop by. Melody stills for a moment before letting Shayla lead her in the opposite direction. She knows Shayla knows some of the guys, but she’s never met any of them and she doesn’t want to make it awkward.

But that thought immediately goes away as Adam hugs her and spins her around as soon as they walk in, causing her to laugh and Shayla to pout playfully. Adam just rolls his eyes after setting Melody down. Shay, I see you all the time, he says. Melody gets on her tiptoes and kisses him quickly on the cheek, rolling her eyes as he playfully wipes it off. He leads them into the house and Melody’s thrown into a round of introductions and she’s a bit overwhelmed but she’s smiley and friendly and congratulates them all on the win. She’s immediately enraptured in a brief conversation with Nolan Moyle, Mark Estapa and Luke Hughes and she pretends to not see the other guys eyeing Luca with a knowing look.

Melody Lin rarely talks about it. She wonders how much Luca Fantilli does, especially since they all seem to know who she is.

She would be the slightest bit uncomfortable, but a majority of them are younger than her and she knows how to deal with the rowdiness of hockey boys. So weirdly enough, she feels right at home, even though it’s her first time here.

When she finally makes her way to Luca, she smiles, even if it’s a bit dimmed. She’s keenly aware of eyes on her but she tries to ignore them as she hugs him tightly, trying not to breathe in his cologne too much.

“Good game,” she mutters into his ear before pulling away.

“Thanks, angel.”

She kinda wants to kill him. He lost his right to call her that when he broke up with her. But she just smiles before turning to introduce herself to Ethan Edwards.

When she pulls up to Adam and Luca’s place the next morning with a big yawn, Shayla in the seat next to her, Adam hands Shayla a hot chocolate and she’s pleasantly surprised when Luca hands her an iced coffee. She takes a sip as they dump their bags in the trunk. A latte with two pumps of vanilla syrup. He still remembers.

She hates him. She loves him. She’ll always love him

(She watches the game on her laptop and sighs sadly when Michigan’s run at the Frozen Four is cut short. She texts in the group chat consisting of Shayla, Katie, Adam, Luca and her rather than individually.

💛💙proud of you both always

When Adam wins the Hobey Baker the day after, she immediately calls him, not expecting him to answer and ready to leave a voicemail. But he answers after two rings, and the first thing he asks is if they can switch to FaceTime. Suddenly, her screen is filled with Adam with his shades on in the Florida sun with the disgusting mullet. She just grins and congratulates him while he’s positively beaming. He shows her the trophy briefly and she hears some of his teammates yelling their greetings and she just laughs at all the chaos. She lets him go after another round of congratulations and tries not to let her smile fade when Luca comes on the screen with a wave.

Her heart aches.)

Graduation week is crazy and bittersweet and wonderful as she says goodbye to her younger friends and holds on to make some last minute memories with her best friends before her family and loved ones come to celebrate officially at the ceremony. She has dinner with her parents, her older sister Elena, Shayla and Shayla’s parents the night before her school convocation. She cheers for her friends when they walk across the stage the next morning, tries not to trip when she walks across and honestly kind of blacks out. Shespots her family in the stands purely from Shayla waving like crazy and laughs, waving back. Through all the chaos, she finds her family afterwards and pauses.

Because there’s Luca. Dressed in a white short sleeved button down and blue jeans, hair out of a baseball cap for once and standing there with a sheepish smile, a beautiful bouquet of purple and white flowers in his hand.

Why is he here?

She tears her eyes away from him as she hugs her parents and sister with a big smile. She squeals as she hugs Shayla, swaying side by side, reflecting back to late April when Shayla was the one graduating and the positions were reversed.

But all she can see is Luca. You, you, you, her mind whispers.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

“I didn’t know you were coming.”

He shrugs. “Wanted to surprise you.” He hugs her and she can’t help but smile being tucked into his chest. “Congrats, Mel. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks,” She mutters, blinking as he gives her the flowers. “These are beautiful. Jesus.”

“Here, let me hold something for you.” He takes her bag off her shoulder as well as her diploma out of her hands as she adjusts the three bouquets of flowers she’s gotten, trying not to crush any of them.

“Picture time!” Melody’s mom exclaims and then there’s a flurry of smiling and picture taking and lighting and angles and every combination possible, ending with Melody and Luca.

(When her mom sends the pictures later that night, she blinks at how couply they look. There’s a particular picture where she’s laughing at something Shayla said off camera and he’s looking at her like he might still be in love with her)

They stop by her apartment briefly so they can change before they all go to dinner. Apparently, everyone else knew Luca was coming because no one bats an eye as he comes along to their dinner. She’ll have to talk to Shayla about that later.

And it’s good, really. The conversation is easy and the food is good and she tries to ignore everytime her elbows brush against Luca’s and notes when his arm is around her chair so she doesn't lean back. They discuss the plan for the next day where Melody is just planning on packing before the all university commencement the day after. Her family is planning to explore the Chicago area while Shayla is attending another friend’s commencement at University of Chicago. When Luca’s asked of his plans, he hesitates. She doesn’t know what makes her say her next sentence, but she says it.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I could use another set of hands to help me pack.”

His head whips to her, mouth open a little. She tries to smile assuringly. He nods. “I don’t mind.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’ll be fun.”

She snorts. “Packing is not fun ever, but I like the enthusiasm.”

The next morning, she picks him up from the hotel all of them are staying at (“I’m in a room with Shayla and it’s a nightmare. How does someone’s shit get everywhere in such a short period of time?”) and drives in the opposite direction from her apartment. It takes him a surprisingly short amount of time to realize that they’re going in the wrong direction. When he asks where they’re going, she bites her lip.

“I’m craving one last iced vanilla latte from The Alcott.”

Silence and then a small chuckle. “Are their blueberry muffins still as good?”

“Yup.”

“We gotta get some of those too then.”

And conversation is surprisingly easy. They talk about Michigan’s run to the Frozen Four and how that was cut short but what an amazing season they had, Adam’s World Championship win with Canada and his upcoming draft (she was invited months ago by Adam and the entire Fantilli family to Nashville, to which everyone but her was not surprised about), her last year at Northwestern, his first year at Michigan, and anything and everything in between. It’s so easy that it almost aches, the familiarity of The Alcott and what it means to her and what it means to them as she watches him order for the both of them and pays even though she tries to fight. She wanders over to the corner — their old spot — because she wants to savor this one more time before she has to let go. Before she has to let go of this place and this boy. Because she can’t keep him. He was never hers to begin with.

“Do you remember when we were snowed in here?”

She turns her head to look back at him before letting out a small chuckle at the memory. “Yeah. You were panicking because you thought your game was still on and I was surprised when it was cancelled, considering it’s Chicago and they never cancel anything due to snow.”

“And then they gave out free coffee refills and you were probably the happiest person in this place, just studying and humming along or scribbling in your journal.”

“We must’ve been here for, what, 6 hours?”

“Probably more, to be honest. Donna wouldn’t let a single person even think about driving until the storm had passed.”

She smiles, even if a bit sad. “Good times.”

He hums in agreement, and if she was looking at him and not out the window, she would notice that he’s looking at her fondly. “You’re a college graduate.”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“You’re right. It’s not, because we all knew you were always the smart one. But it is a big deal because it’s just crazy how time moves so fast.”

“How do you think I feel watching you and Adam get old and go to college? Not that you were innocent before, but Adam sent me some snapchats of your shenanigans at frat parties and sometimes I genuinely wonder how you’re alive and kicking for practice the next morning.”

“Fucking Adam. Always painting me in a bad light,” Luca scoffs, before clearing his throat. “How have you been? How do you feel?”

She lets out something between a laugh and a sigh. “Okay, I think. Overwhelmed. Excited. Scared. Thankful. Thinking about all the stuff I have to pack.”

“Do you have most of it done?”

She snorts. “Absolutely not. That’s what you’re here for.”

“Glad I could be of service.”

She stands up with her drink. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Once they get to her place, Melody puts Luca to work immediately, instructing him on which boxes to put things in as she cleans up her room. They work well together. When he’s stepping behind her to get somewhere or something, he always touches her back or elbow or shoulder gently and he doesn’t get annoyed at her indecisiveness on how to pack things, just dutifully following all her instructions. They’re about 70% done when her roommates Alison and Carey come in briefly and they meet Luca and they know exactly who he is but Melody’s thankful that they don’t let it show and gives them a meaningful look as they leave.

By the time most of her things are packed, it’s dinner time and she suggests that they drive to another one of her favorite spots on campus to grab a bite. A little sweaty, a little exhausted, she has to stop in her tracks when he shoots her the sweetest smile, adjusting the hat on his head and washing his hands before they head out.

And because it’s only seniors left on campus, it’s not surprising when she runs into a couple people she knows, weaving through to order and find a place to sit at the bar. More often than not she’s stopped and she introduces Luca to everyone and he’s smiling and she knows that everyone is immediately charmed because it’s Luca and that’s always been his effect on people, ever since they were kids. He’s wearing a Michigan hat and gets some chirps that he takes in stride and that make her giggle.

(If you were to ask Luca, it makes complete sense that everyone they’ve run into has nothing but a smile on their faces. Melody’s always been able to make anyone she’s come into contact with fall in love with her)

She heads to the bathroom at one point and when she walks back out, she sees a drop dead gorgeous blonde girl sitting where she sat and Melody’s not surprised but her heart falls a bit, watching the girl clearly flirt with him, if her body language indicates anything. She observes for a couple of seconds before taking a deep breath and walking back. She platers on the largest smile she can muster, her lips softening to a more genuine one when she sees him perk up.

“And there she is! The reason I’m here and the star herself.”

She can’t help but chuckle. “You’re sweet.” She turns to the girl. “Hey, I’m Melody. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Connie. Nice to meet you too. You graduated this weekend too?”

“Yup. You?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, congratulations.”

“Congratulations to you as well.”

Connie turns to Luca and Melody tries her best to not roll her eyes. “It was nice to meet you, Luca. I hope Melody gives you a proper tour of Evanston.”

“Best tour guide there is,” Luca responds easily, and Connie slips out of her chair with one last smile before Melody sits back in her seat. “Cool it with the death glare.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Uh huh.”

She takes a sip of her coke, determinedly staring at his water. “You can flirt with anyone you want.”

“She was flirting. I wasn’t flirting back.”

“That doesn’t sound like you,” she tries to tease lightly. “I’m sure girls fall at your feet at Michigan.” I know what that’s like, she thinks to herself. “Speaking of, anyone I should know about? Just so I can prepare myself for when I get jumpscared when I take you out for ice cream.”

“First of all, that’s an Adam move. And nope. No one’s caught my eye.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Surprising.”

He shrugs.

She hums, letting it go and steering towards safer conversation topics.

In the car on the way back to the hotel, she gets the courage.

“Luca.”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you break up with me?”

A sharp inhale. The words linger in the air. She grips her steering wheel.

“I don’t know.”

Silence. A disbelieving scoff.

“Thanks, Luca.”

“No, no. Give me a second. I truly mean it, especially now looking back. At the time I thought it was what was best so that we would stay friends and not grow to hate each other, but when I think about it more and more, that reasoning is shit so I don’t know anymore. You deserved better.”

(Honestly, it’s probably good that they’re hashing this out now. She was far too nice to him two years ago.)

“If I deserved better why didn’t you do better?” She whispers. “Luca, you didn't even give me a chance to fix it.”

“I know. I know. I panicked and I ran and I lost you.”

“You’ve never lost me. I’m best friends with your cousin. I’ve driven you and Adam to and from school. I’m still here. The last thing I wanted to do that night was break up. You practically jumped at the chance..”

“But I lost you in the way it mattered.” He reaches over to grab her hand and she doesn’t pull away. He takes that as a good sign. “I fucked it all up, didn’t I? All this time we could’ve been together but we weren’t because I just ran away.”

“Why did you break up with me?” She repeats stoically.

“I guess, I guess I got it into my head that you deserve so much better than me. I mean, I was playing junior hockey and you were at fucking Northwestern and you’ve always been so much smarter than I am which I love, don’t get me wrong. You are so, so beautiful and kind to everyone and generous and you’ve literally been there for me since forever and… I just felt like I was holding you back and you deserve better and-“

“It’s not your choice to determine what I think I deserve,” she says firmly. “If you had just talked to me about it…Luca. All I wanted was for you to talk to me that night. And the few weeks before. I loved you for who you were, junior hockey and all or whatever the fuck else you said. Do you forget that we grew up together? I’ve seen it all, and I’ve stuck by you because I loved you.”

He takes a deep breath. “Do you know why no one’s caught my eye at Michigan?”

She freezes, having a feeling what the answer is but hoping it isn’t true (or hoping it is true). “Why?”

“Because the only girl who I see myself with is in Chicago.”

She swallows roughly. “You can’t just say that shit, Luca. It’s not fair.”

“I know, I know. I just-I…I’m sorry. I know I’m not being fair. I just…I miss you. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was coming to your graduation but I couldn’t miss it. I really am so proud of you. I’ve always been your biggest fan.”

She stops at a red light and looks at him. “I hated you for a bit.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“But looking back, I don’t think I ever hated you. I was just sad and heartbroken.”

He squeezes his eyes shut. He had always vowed to himself that he would never hurt her. The light turns green and she drives again.

She speaks up again. “Everyone always told me time is the best thing after a breakup. I didn’t know what they meant until I did. And seeing you got easier everytime, and I still wanted the best for you, even if I wasn’t the one by your side anymore. I still do. But at the same time, I wanted to forget you.”

“Would you consider trying again?”

“Luca-”

“I, just hear me out. I fucked up. I know that. God, I knew that the second I walked out of your place that night. I love you. I still love you. And I know I’m being unfair about all of this. But I just…my life is so much better with you by my side. I’ve realized that more than ever these last two years. And if you don’t feel the same way anymore, I get it. We can keep being friends or I can give you space if you want…whatever you need. I just had to say it. I love you. I can’t really see myself ever stopping, to be honest.”

In the middle of his little speech, she had pulled into the hotel and parked, killing the engine. It’s silent for a few moments as she mulls over his words.

“You really hurt me, Luca. I don’t know if I love you anymore.” His face starts falling, but she quickly continues. “But I think I could. Love you again, I mean. Maybe. But it has to be different this time.” He perks up but she holds up a hand and he listens. “We need to communicate better. We have to talk through our problems when they come up, not run away from them. We can’t just sweep things under the rug.”

“Deal.”

“I’m gonna be working in Chicago and you’re gonna be in Ann Arbor. The distance is still gonna be like before. We’re probably gonna be away from each other more than we’re together.”

“Worth it,” a soft smile appears on his lips. “Congratulations, by the way. On the job. I don’t know if I mentioned it yet.”

“Thank you,” she looks down at her hands. She sighs. “I wanted us to work the first time. I really did. God, Luca. You’re one of the most important people in my life.”

“I’m gonna try so hard to be someone that you deserved the first time and that you deserve now.”

She smiles a bit sadly at that. “All you need to be is yourself. That’s all I ask.”

“Deal.”

“I know things are kinda busy coming up, with your cousin’s wedding and Adam’s draft and me going on my trip. But, uh, maybe we can go on a date when I’m back? If it isn’t too late.”

“It’s never too late when it comes to you,” Luca says. “I’d love that.” He leans in to kiss her cheek.

“Come on. I’ll walk you up to your room.”

Things still don’t quite fall into place after that weekend. The next time she sees Luca is when she comes to Nashville for the draft. Luca’s been beaming all day, extremely proud of his brother, but it doesn’t compare to the feeling he felt earlier when Melody and Shayla walked out of their hotel room, Melody wearing a blue satin jumpsuit and looking as stunning as ever. When she greeted him with a hug, he planted a brief kiss in her hair and watched fondly as she embraced Adam, straightening out his collar and placing a sweet kiss on his cheek, muttering some words to him that only those two could hear, Adam closing his eyes and nodding as she smiled. Luca knows how much her being here means to Adam.

(Only close family knew that on Adam’s vest on the back are the names of the important people in his life. When he takes off the suit jacket to show Shayla and Melody, the former beams while the latter starts sniffling. Both so proud of him. Both honored to be on his back in cursive. And Luca just hands her a tissue when she sees a particular picture on the inside of his jacket of the four of them when they were younger at the beach. It’s one of her favorites. It means so much.)

She cries when Adam gets picked third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets and squeezes Shayla’s hand in excitement as Adam walks onto the stage. Afterwards when she sees him, she practically leaps onto him and squeezes him so tight as he spins her around.

(“Oh, Adam,” she says with a sniffle. “I’m so, so proud of you. Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Mel.” He says into her shoulder. “Thank you for everything. Everything.”

She pulls away but can’t help herself and hugs him again. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he says as she backs away, biting her lip while placing her hands on his cheek.)

She’s then traveling with a couple friends around Europe and he’s in Pittsburgh for a few days for development camp before hanging out with friends and training. They text semi-frequently but she’s abroad and having fun and he respects that. He’s trying to figure out how to show her that he’s serious about the second chance she’s given him while trying not to overstep.

When he picks her up from Toronto Pearson Airport in mid July, it’s 7 am and she looks and feels like shit. But she comes out of Arrivals and immediately sees Luca waving, big smile on his face, a Michigan shirt on, a hat flipped backwards on his hair and a bouquet of carnations in his hands, looking at her like she’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. She hugs him, taking the flowers with a smile as he grabs her duffle from her shoulder. Whether from exhaustion or simply because she’s missed him in more ways than she’d like to admit, she leans into his side as they walk out of the airport and into the parking lot and he immediately responds by putting an arm around her shoulder and pressing a kiss on her forehead.

It’s so easy to fall back into rhythm with him, as she just admires him while he’s driving, too tired at the moment to recount her travels. Once they get off the highway, he puts the windows down and opens the skylight and there’s a pang of deja vu as he turns up the music a bit, humming along to some country tune. He slows down in front of Betty’s Diner and she furrows her eyebrows.

He smiles, stopping the engine. “I’m gonna go in real quick and grab some food, okay? Told Betty you were coming back today and she insisted on cooking you your favorite. I convinced her to put it in a to-go box but I promised her we’d come back to eat in at some point.”

Melody’s heart practically melts at the thoughtfulness. “Thanks, Lu.”

(He almost trips over himself getting out of the car. She hasn’t called him Lu in so long)

Luca’s house is empty, as Adam is training and his parents are both at work. Melody takes a quick shower to wash off the grime of the plane and when she comes out — in a UMich shirt and sweats she has to roll up that he laid out— the breakfast is all heated up on plates, the bouquet of flowers he gave her still wrapped but in a cup of water so they don’t die. Luca turns around at the sound of footsteps and something flashes through his eyes at the sight of her wearing his clothes again but he shakes himself out of it, instead just sliding a plate towards her. She slumps down on the kitchen island and thanks him with a hum before diving in.

Once she’s full and Luca’s taking all the plates and washing them before she can even blink, she speaks up. “Is this the date?”

“No,” he admits. “I figured I’d give you a couple of days to get over the jetlag before taking you out for real. I just, I wanted to do something nice.”

She wipes her lips with a napkin. “Not that I don’t appreciate all of this, because I do, but what…why?”

“You gave me a second chance. I’m not gonna waste that chance.” His eyes widen in fear. “I-I’m sorry if I’m overwhelming you or being too forward. I-if you wanna go home or to Shayla’s, I can drop you off or-”

She smiles slightly. “Relax, Luca.” He blinks. It’s times like this he remembers that she’s two years older and much more level headed than he is. “I was just curious. You don’t have to do this all for me, you know?”

“I want to,” Luca replies simply. “Making up for lost time, I guess.”

“Then come over and finish up these waffles for me,” she says with a small smile, laughing when he barrels over and inhales them.

After breakfast, he can tell she needs sleep even if she won’t admit it. So he puts on Abbot Elementary and puts an arm around her shoulder as she leans into him on the couch. Halfway through the episode, she’s fallen asleep on his chest and he just smiles, staring down at her. He very carefully turns the volume down and shifts so that they’re both more in a comfortable position.

(When Adam comes back from training, he walks into the sight of his older brother and someone who might as well be his older sister cuddling, both asleep with Abbot Elementary still playing. He turns the TV off and tosses a blanket over them, staring at them both thoughtfully before heading to his room)

They do end up going on a date a couple days later. Luca picks her up at the door of her childhood home, waves to her mom and dad and gives her another bouquet of flowers (daisies this time). He then drives them to a nearby park that she hasn’t been to in at least 5 years and then pulls out a picnic basket of sandwiches, fruit, pasta salad, chips and cans of seltzer. She blinks as he lays it all out, because he’s really pulling out the stops and she has to stop herself from just leaning in and kissing him.

And the conversation between them is, yet again, so easy, reminding her of one of the many reasons she always liked him, even before they started dating. Their ability to bounce off of each other and talk about practically everything isn’t something that she’s been able to replicate with anyone else quite yet. There are some instances where they slip into some dangerous territory, but they successfully steer away from it. Those are conversations that need to be had, but not today.

For awhile, especially after their breakup, Melody had only fixated on their differences, with his hockey and party life at Michigan and her research and much tamer college life at Northwestern. But during that picnic, laying down with her head on his lap, she had a realization that they were similar in many ways she hadn’t thought about before — their love for Toronto, their distaste for judgemental people, their passion for leaving an impact, the way they love their friends and family, their love for music.

(It probably only took that date for Melody to fall in love with Luca again, but she would never admit that to herself)

They book a last minute trip to Seattle in late July— it’s purely because Melody found tickets to Taylor Swift last minute that were a reasonable price. She would’ve taken Shayla, but she already saw Taylor in Detroit two days before Melody’s graduation. So the couple hike some trails, eat some good food and have a blast at Taylor Swift.

(During ‘Fearless,’ which is one of Melody’s favorites, she’s hyper emotional, feeling Luca’s hands around her waist and him singing softly into her ear. He must also remember all the times she played this in the car growing up. During ‘Love Story,’ which is Luca’s favorite, she swears the stadium is shaking and it’s such a wonderful feeling to be a part of something like this. In the middle of the second chorus, she looks back at him with a smile, and he kisses her probably too deeply for what’s considered proper in public. But she can’t care less. And when he sings the last four lines to her in her ear, it feels something like a promise.)

He drives down with her to Chicago mid-August to help her move into her new apartment with a mutual friend from college who’s coming in September. Just like when he helped her move out, he doesn’t complain once. But this time, inbetween moving boxes, he puckers his lips and gets a kiss. The moment she realizes that she’s in her new home for the foreseeable future is when she’s placing some framed pictures around in her room, this particular one being of Shayla, Adam, Luca, Katie and her at the draft just under two months before. She doesn’t have that many framed pictures around, but this one was important to her to have up. She sets it down on the desk and just looks at it, even as Luca comes up to hug her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Shayla’s off to Houston for her job, Adam is off to Columbus to play in the NHL, Luca’s going back to Ann Arbor to do what he loves, Katie is going back to UCLA for her second year and she’s starting her job in Chicago.

All five of them doing what they love, excited for the future, grateful for the past. And doing it together, even if they’re all in different states.

He stays with her for a couple of days before heading back to Michigan. That goodbye sucks in particular, as she clings onto him. She’s trying so hard not to let tears fall, but when he softly mutters that he loves her (the first time he’s said those words since they decided to try again), the waterfall starts and she just sobs into his chest as he quietly whispers sweet nothings and rubs her back, kissing her hair and face and fingers and whispering that they’ll see each other in no time — which isn’t true. She has no idea when she’ll be able to get some time off as a new employee and he’s not gonna have that much time to spare once hockey season officially starts.

(She doesn’t say it back yet, something inexplicable holding her back. But as he kisses her soundly at the airport before heading through security, she knows she does)

As she’s driving to Ann Arbor in December it takes her an embarrassingly long time to realize why it feels like deja vu.

Last year around this time, she made this exact same drive to see a game against the exact same team. Except this time, it’s different. Adam isn’t there. Shayla isn’t there. The team is different. Her and Luca are different.

And as she’s driving to Ann Arbor, she knows she has to let him know. She has to let him know she loves him.

This is only the third time she’s seen him since he helped her move in August. She would be lying if she said it hasn’t been tough and there haven’t been moments where she wonders if it’s worth it. But then her phone lights up, signaling a text from him or food she didn’t order ends up at her doorstep or she watches streams of UMich games and watches him score and then she’s reminded that she made the right choice in giving Luca a second chance.

She loves watching hockey. She loves watching Luca play hockey.

She got the number of Maggie, Kienan’s girlfriend, from Luca because she would only be able to make it to Michigan right before the game started, and Maggie was more than happy to lead her inside with her media pass and introduce her to some of the other significant others before she’d actually have to get back to work. It was a bit weird, being one of those significant others and being a bit older, but she was a college student up until June, so it’s not like she feels completely out of place.

She parks outside of Yost and texts Maggie, who directs her on which door to walk to. After an enthusiastic hug, she leads Melody through the back way into the arena, saying that the boys are already on the ice for warmups and that everyone is excited to meet her (“We’ve heard so much about you, from Luca and even from Adam last year, so we’re all really excited to meet you.”)

She gets introduced to Ellie and Kayleigh, Jacob and Rutger’s girlfriends respectively, and they’re so peppy and excited and nice that she doesn’t feel as nervous as she sits down as they immediately want to get to know more about her. They have decent seats, so she can see some of the players’ expressions if she looks hard enough. She immediately spots 63 and just smiles before turning back to the girls, not wanting to distract him from warmups, even though she finds herself eyeing him while talking. It isn’t until one of the guys, Ethan, if she remembers his number correctly, nudges Luca and nods in their direction does she smile and give a small wave. Even from this far, she sees him light up and wave back before focusing on warming up again.

The game, like any Michigan vs Michigan State one, is chippy, loud and exciting. She’s watched so many of Luca and Adam’s games growing up, yet she still finds herself nervously playing with her sleeves. Michigan ends up winning 2-1 and everyone’s in happy spirits as they leave the arena. She bids farewell to the girls and thanks them for letting her sit with them before Maggie’s back to lead her towards the locker room to meet up with Luca.

She waits patiently outside of the locker room with Maggie, just chatting casually, smiling when Kienan comes out and they embrace. Melody gives him a hug as well. The next guys to come out are Mark, Ethan and Seamus, who she remembers from last year and they all give her hugs before she wishes them a good holiday break. She tells them that they don’t have to stay and they all wave her off. (“Are you kidding? I’m not missing this reunion. Luca’s been talking about seeing you non-stop for forever.” Ethan jokes.)

They don’t have to wait long, as Luca’s the next one to come out. His cheeks are a bit flushed and he’s dressed in her favorite suit of his. His eyes dart all over until they meet hers. He immediately shrugs off his backpack and lifts Melody up in a hug. She lets out a little squeal and laughs as he spins her around.

“Hi.” She mutters into his shoulder.

“Hi angel.” He pulls away and kisses her twice. “I missed you.”

She pulls back and runs a hand through his hair with a light smile. “Missed you. Good game.” She looks beyond his shoulder to see the rest of his teammates smiling or smirking, some she recognizes, others she doesn’t. She detaches herself from him and nudges him. “Introduce me to your teammates.”

He groans playfully. “Do I have to?”

She rolls her eyes and smiles at the boys warmly. “Hi. I’m Melody, if we haven’t met.” She gives everybody a quick hug as the freshmen introduce themselves, laughing when Dylan wiggles her around.

Everyone’s a bit tired, so within 10 minutes, everyone’s saying goodbye and leaving the arena. She insists on driving Seamus, Rutger and Gavin since they all live together. When they get back, she’s helping him fold clothes to bring back to Toronto for break as he sits back on his bed, one hand behind his head and just looking at her. She’s grown out her hair and got a perm as a treat to herself after her first paycheck. And she had FaceTimed him immediately after she walked out of the salon, but seeing it in person is something entirely different. Still donned in his MIchigan crewneck that mysteriously disappeared from his closet over the summer and a yellow bow in her hair, she’s wearing flannel pajama pants now instead of jeans and folding a pair of his jeans before tossing it into his duffle and zipping it up. Luca’s suddenly overwhelmed by how blessed he is.

The next morning, after brunch at one of Luca’s favorite spots around campus, when they’re at the start of their drive back to Toronto and at a long stoplight, she remembers.

“Hey, Lu?”

“Hm?” He immediately looks at her and places a kiss on the back of her hand that he’s been holding.

“I love you.”

Luca’s eyes light up and she bites her lip so she doesn’t grin like a crazy woman. “Yeah?” He breathes out.

“Yeah. I love you.”

He leans to press a sweet kiss on her lips and then her cheek, and mutters against her skin. “I love you, angel. So much. Always have. Always will.”

And she chuckles under her breath when she tunes into what song is playing through the speakers of her car.

This love came back to her, indeed.

#k writes #hockey fanfiction #hockey fanfic #umich #umich hockey #luca fantilli #luca fantilli fic #luca fantilli x oc #adam fantilli #team 101 #luca fantilli blurb #hockey blurb

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pretty-batty · 6 months ago

Text

Return to Skull Rock

Eddie x Original Female Character Pt 6 of Eldath's Priestess 4184 words

Warnings: SMUT (18+ only), descriptions of bodily injuries and scars, borderline grotesque facial deformities, Monster F*cking (Eddie is not quite human anymore), reunion sex, oral (m receiving), fingering (f receiving), p in v, unprotected sex (oral contraceptive implied), creampie, body worship. Now on ao3 Thank you again to @anakinkshamer as my beta reader.

Summary: Judy's trip with the old "Silly Simon" leads her to Eddie's location. But he is no longer the Eddie she knew.

Notes: This is my magnum opus. I hope you enjoy our new Eddie.

Judy had returned to the void she had tried to forget, walking through the nothingness.

She continued to think of him, her Eddie. From when she closed her eyes, she focused solely on him. How he smelled, how he sounded, how he looked at her with warmth and wonder.

The air grew colder, smelling of burned trees and rot. In the distance, she saw it, a rounded rock formation known by the youth of the area. A common make-out spot that she had yet to see in person. Eddie never took her there, insisting on being closer to the lake itself.

“People are assholes,” he’d explain, “and I don’t like sharing your attention with assholes.”

She approached the rock, gazing upon the newly killed animal, mauled beyond recognition. Her heart sank as she instinctively brought her hand to her chest, face crumpling in sorrow.

Her attention was brought to a hoard of screeching from high above. Still nothing to be seen, but she still followed the noises. The ground began to slant down beneath her feet, she found balancing to be easy as she made her way, the cold soon growing damp. A cave, most likely near the grave of lover’s lake, along the shoreline.

A shaking sigh echoed from within. She continued, rushing into its craggy stone mouth. There had been doubts through this experience, the biggest being the ghost of Joey’s death. But all of those fears melted away when she saw a trembling Eddie, or at least a mop of filthy curls hanging over a huddled body. She reached for him, touching his warm shoulder before being yanked away.

Judy snapped awake, being shaken by her aunt’s hands and voice. She shot upright, meeting her aunt’s gaze. “What?”

“Oh, thank fuck, you stopped breathing for a second.” Margie sighed, wrapping her arms around Judy and bringing her into an embrace.

The others had gathered due to Margie’s panicked attempts at waking Judy. They now watched as the young woman pried herself from her aunt and take a deep breath.

“South of skull rock, along the tip of Lover’s Lake, there is a cave. He’s alive, scared shitless but alive.” Her voice regained its strength, bolstered by the excited and relieved exhales, “but there are things in the trees. I don’t think we can risk navigating at night.”

Judy gave the parameters, but her brain was not in a position for strategy. The shrooms were still affecting her, as she wondered into the kitchen and laid on the tile. It swam like white water. She liked that.

It had been some time before they had hammered out a foolproof plan. All that was left was for Judy’s trip to end, which took longer than desired.

Late in the afternoon, it was time to put the plan into action.

“If we’re going to get him, we have to be in teams. One to locate the cave, the other to extract him.”

Judy, Robin, Steve, Dustin, and Lucas would start at Skull rock and find the cave. Upon doing so, they would radio to the pickup team and wait for extraction. Hopefully, Eddie was still there.

The plan seemed straight-forward and simple, get there and get out. Judy wasn’t sure if it was the shrooms still lingering or if she was incredibly naïve, but she was confident in their ability to carry this out.

That was before she was met with Skull Rock and turned south. Trees. So many trees. The creatures were quiet, no doubt sleeping. She had hoped for a straight shot to the cave, as her walk through the void was. But she stumbled through the woods all the same, trailing behind Steve and Robin who took point, makeshift weapons at the ready.

What took mere seconds in her dream took a half an hour, and the sun was beginning to set. They reached the mouth of the former Lover’s Lake, the ground slanting into its smoking maw.

“No way in hell we’re reaching that.” Steve said, stopping amongst the grass, “you sure it’s here?”

Judy rubbed the back of her head, as if to stimulate a memory from her trip. But nothing. She saw nothing else. Her back to the rock, she walked, the ground slanted and the trees shrieked, the cave was wet.

Wait. the cave. It was wet. Damp. So, there was moving water near it.

She looked to the two younger boys, “Can you use your boy scout senses and find water?”

Lucas shrugged, “I can use my eyes.” He motioned to a deer slowly making its way through the woods. “It’s either going towards water, or away from it. My money is on towards.”

Without a doubt, Lucas was right. With each step they took through the thin tree line, the earth began to soften, plants flowering in the path of the moistened earth. Within ten minutes, they had reached it. Along a brook, beneath a small cliff, there was the craggy stone mouth of the cave.

But the anxiety froze Judy, barring her from going in. “I’ll call the location,” she insisted.

Dustin handed over the walkie-talkie before following into the cave behind the others. After a moment of conveying their location, reading the numbers off the notepad in her hand, and receiving assurance that it was received, she turned to the mouth of the cave.

Silence.

How far did it go?

How far had they gone?

Taking those first few steps, the cave felt as it had in her dream. Passing through the threshold, she could finally hear their voices. Very distant but discernable.

“Jesus christ,” said Dustin.

“What happened to your face?” Lucas questioned.

“Why the hell didn’t you come back?” asked Steve.

“Wayne’s been a mess.” Robin added.

“I couldn’t go back.”

Judy breathed a sigh of relief.

Eddie.

“How the fuck do you think I could come back to them? I mean look at me.” His voice grew louder as she stumbled through the cave, hands running along the walls to navigate. In her desperation to reach him, she had forgotten to pull out her flashlight. Still, she made her way to the voices of her friends, and to her Eddie.

“You know she was blind, for like…a month? When we first met, she was seconds away from having a seizure. Then she was blind. But I didn’t care. I read to her. I helped her. I liked her. Then those guys came in, took her away for days. One morning she was back and,”

Judy finally reached them. His voice came loud and clear from behind the wall of teens, flashlights pointed at the back of the cave.

“She could see again, and she looked at my face…” Eddie cracked a smile, hidden behind his black, necrotic fingers, “I knew I wanted her to look at me like that for the rest of my life.” He ran his hands over his face and through his matted hair, “but not like this.” The young man turned to face his former allies, bringing his now grotesque visage into the many flashlight beams.

Two stitches, about two inches long, from each corner of his mouth. Two more from his top lip, reaching an inch below each eye. And the final one, down his chin, black and filthy. It looked as if it were formed from a Demogorgon-like maw into a mouth that could speak again. The mess took away from his eyes in the darkness of the cave, a striking yellow swirling where the deepest and kindest brown had once resided.

“What are you talking about?” Judy, incensed, pushed through the group to take her place at the front. There was a lull in her movements, as if to gage the danger, but the ache in her chest took over and she plowed another two steps forward. “Show me.”

Eddie instinctively shrunk away before she cupped his face in her hands. He softened in her familiar touch, immediately tucking his chin down to hide. Her grip forced him to meet her gaze.

The flashlights gave her a clear view of every grody stitch, stale sweat on his skin, his eyes glowing back at her. Her thumb ran along his cheek, right beside the highest stitch, as if trying to wipe the grime from his skin. “Eddie…”

“Mm?” He managed to hum, jaw clenching back a cry.

Her hands moved from his cheeks down his arms, taking his taloned hands in hers and bringing them to her shoulders. His blackened grasp clutching to her as she released them, returning to his cheeks, bringing his gaze back to hers. “You can touch me.” She whispered. His hands softened, running down the front of her jacket, over her buttons and homemade patches, before settling on her hips.

“Should we…. go?” Robin asked.

“No. It’s okay…” Judy sighed, smiling up at Eddie, “let’s get you out of here.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eddie stepped out of the shower, the warm plush mat beneath his feet. He couldn’t bring himself to look in the mirror, fearing the horror he’d face in its reflection. The commotion downstairs had quieted down. Judy’s voice was absent. His darkened fingers and thickened claws gripped the fluffy pink towel and held it to his face, taking a deep breath. It smelled like her, like home. Using it to dry himself off, he was able to take inventory of his healed wounds. A massive chunk of his right leg was gone, the memory of crawling on his belly through the Upside-Down came to him, shown by the scars across his chest. Then there were his two matching wounds, now forming inch deep pits over each hip, discolored but smoothed by regenerated skin.

At least he smelled better.

He wrapped the towel around his hips and exited from the bathroom, swiftly ducking into Judy’s open bedroom and closing the door, clicking the lock behind him. Only to be met by his lover’s wide eyes, a smile creeping across her face.

The butterflies in Judy’s stomach reached into her throat, forcing out a “um…”

She took him in, drinking up his form and trying not to cry out in joy. She simply closed her lips, tamping down her smile, “your jammies are in the same drawer they’ve always been.”

“Kept them?” he asked, voice slightly croaked from the shower steam.

“Of course I did. You know me, can’t let go.”

He fished out a pair of Hawkins Tigers sweatpants and the old Led Zeplin shirt he had given her. “Can’t believe you talked me into buying these school spirit pants like a chump.”

“That was when I thought we would graduate together.” Judy turned away, facing the curtained window at the far end of her room, giving him some privacy.

She heard Eddie’s casual footsteps approach her from behind. “After all the things you’ve done to this body, you still worry about my modesty.” He reached out, running the back of his claws along her arms, just as he had without them many times before. His fingers slowly traced down to her hands, enveloping them in his. She felt his gentle breath against the back of her ear, lulling her to close her eyes. He brought one hand to his lips, pressing a kiss on her wrist. The other hand guided behind her, pressing her open hand against his naked cock.

Her eyes snapped open as she whipped around to look at him, slipping her hands from his grip and placing them on his chest, scarred, pale, but just as warm.

“You dropped your towel…” She brought herself closer to him.

“Oopsie.” He smiled, his stitches separating slightly to make his grin a little uncanny. Judy’s fingers reached up to his face, ghosting over his stitched mouth. His smile faded slightly, grabbing her hands and pressing them to his flesh.

“Do they hurt?” she whispered, a tremble in her voice.

“No, baby,” he lied. “Just feel a little weird, is all.”

In truth, the pull was the least of his worries. It was the splitting that occurred when he needed to feed that caused him the most pain. The stitches kept his Demogorgon maw in the shape of a human mouth, but the skin would still split along the seams, the edges becoming fresh each week.

But Judy didn’t need to know about that, not yet.

The feeding frenzy was at the will of the hivemind. At the will of Vecna, as the bats and monsters were. But he had more control than the others. Sleeping in Judy’s bed, hearing her sweet voice and heart-wrenching sobs through the veil had forced him to stay. There was hope that once the Big Bad was defeated, it would be over. He’d have control and would most likely die.

But Judy didn’t need to know that either. She just needed to know that he was here, with her, for as long as possible.

“Tell me honestly, buttercup.” He took one step back, opening his arms and releasing her fingers from his grasp, “is my dick weird?”

She finally looked at him, all of him. The scars and abrasions healed over, purples, magentas, and blacks. Her eyes scanned down each extremity, hands and feet, fingers and toes, were now a dark purple, no longer a necrotic black as they had been. The tips of his fingers and toes, along with his talons still remained black as pitch. His eyes looked more jaundiced than cadmium yellow. It was almost as if being separated from that hellish dimension was healing him.

His cock, however, remained the same. She smiled softly, “not any weirder than it already was.”

He wiggled his hips slightly, his member rocking side to side, making Judy hold back a snort. She forced the corners of her mouth downwards, nostrils flaring. But she was losing the battle. Her eyes darted to her ceiling, but Eddie’s approach guided her gaze to his face. He walked forward and took her hands in his, placing them on his face and taking a deep breath, smelling her palms.

Judy pushed her hands up into his hair, his curls combed out in the shower. Her body pressed against his. He was the naked one now, vulnerable in his lover’s arms. And Judy sheltered his body with hers. She gazed into his big brown eyes, resting their foreheads together. “Hi…” she muttered.

“Hi…” Eddie answered.

“I missed you.” She blinked, her lips finally opening into a smile, “I missed you so much.” Her eyes began to burn as her vision grew blurry.

Eddie snaked his arms around her, walking backwards and drawing her to her bed. “I’m here now, Judy.” The mattress hit the back of his knees and he sat down, his face against her middle, nose to navel, the crown of his head skirting just below her breasts. His grip stayed around her, pulling her bare belly to his face, and pressing his lips against her skin. He closed his eyes, burying his face into the softness of her tummy. A sigh escaped his lips.

“Glad I decided to wear my cropped shirt,” she muttered, running her fingers through his hair. She heard him sniffle, then a broken sigh, knowing it well. Her chest ached, pleading softly, “Lay back, baby.”

He finally separated from her, eyes wet from tears. Slowly, he laid back on to her pillow, grateful that the bed remained unmade. Judy followed, pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to the side. Her breasts dropping back into place, Eddie’s lips parted in a delighted smile, glassy eyes shining up at her. “God you’re somethin’ else, Judy.”

She dipped into a kiss, before traveling down to the scars on his neck. “Tell me if I hit something that hurts.”

“Mhm,” Eddie closed his eyes, his muscles relaxing as his nerves began vibrating with anticipation. Though he had made the mistake of getting his dick sucked by other people, it was never as good. There was something she did that no one else bothered to do. She savored every inch of skin, took her time. Her lips and tongue would latch onto his tenderest parts, lap at him, breathe him in, leave him reeling. She didn’t just suck him off. She went down on him and made him feel like a god. He was glad he snagged her before someone else did.

His treasure. His princess.

Eddie’s grip on her hair relaxed Judy in a way she couldn’t explain. She finally reached the matching scars on his torso, whispering blessings against the pits that were left behind. They were soft, as new skin tended to be, and tender beneath her lips. Her lover squirmed slightly, causing Judy to stop.

“You okay, Eddie?” She asked, “did I hurt you?”

He shook his head, damn near nonverbal as his cock stood, leaking for her.

“You want me to keep going, or just to suck you now?”

The grip in her hair tightened, regaining his composure. His eyes opened, dark and stern. His gaze flicked to his cock, a quiet command. “Your lips, there, now,” and Judy did as he said.

She left out a giggle, almost bouncing as she made her way between his legs. He stopped her half-way, ass pointed at the wall, knees against his scarred thigh. His hand released her hair, running his claws down her back and down her ass, gathering her shorts and panties as he went, pulling them down.

“What? You wanna pet my pussy while I take care of you?” she asked, kissing from his hip to his mound. His scent smacked her in the face when her nose rested on his dried curls, setting her in a hungry trance. It was muted from his shower, but it still lingered.

The back of his talons ran down her naked folds. She took that as the command, her hand taking his shaft, lifting it, and diving to the base of his cock, sucking at the warm crook between the base and his velvet sack. Her nose nestled in his curls fully, breathing him in. She let out a moan. Eddie opened his mouth, gasping for air for a moment before resting his head against the wall, lips curled in a cheshire smile, gazing down his nose as he watched Judy enjoy his cock.

And she did, drooling on his shaft as she ran her tongue to his tip. Her lips wrapped around the head of his cock, tongue running across it, lapping up his release and swallowing it. Her fist softly stroked his shaft. God, she missed the taste. He was perfectly sweet for her, and according to Eddie, she was just as sweet for him.

He ran his fingers along her pussy again, gathering her slick before bringing his claws to his lips. He hummed, satiated, like a bear with a pot of honey. His hand returned to its place, gently slipping his middle digit in her entrance, worried his new manicure would scratch her.

She moaned and opened her mouth more, taking him into her mouth almost fully. Her head slowly and gently bobbing along his length. Her tongue extended along his shaft, allowing him to slide into her mouth and grace the back of her throat. Spit pooled at her lips and ran down to his curls. Her throat clicked around his cock, a gentle whimper accompanying it.

Eddie’s left hand finally gathered her hair in a makeshift ponytail, letting him get a better look at her final few bobs. Their eyes met. “That’s my girl. Suckin’ me so good.” He whispered.

She lifted off his cock, jaw aching as she passed his shaft along her slightly parted lips. “Missed your cock, Eddie.” She whimpered, finally pulling away to catch her breath. In the calmness, she realized Eddie was three fingers in her pussy, knuckle deep. She was so soaked and soft that she hardly noticed. A rarity for her.

“You have been sucking and clenching around these fingers the whole time, buttercup.”

She shrugged, cheeks growing red with embarrassment. “I just…missed this.”

“My cock?”

Judy’s lips tightened, sitting up from her place, shaking her head in earnest, “You know it’s not just-”

“I know, Judy. I’m just lightening the mood.” He smiled, drawing his fingers from her with a wet shlick. He brought his claws to his lips, sucking each one while gazing at her.

Her gaze softened. “You want me to finish you off?”

Eddie shook his head, opening his arms. “C’mere,”

Giddy, Judy bounced back up to his lap, swinging her knee over him, resting her soaked pussy on his skin. “Fuck you’re so warm.” She smiled. Eddie grinned back, talons running through her hair before yanking her down into a sloppy kiss, flavors mixing on their tongues. All it took was a roll of his hips for her to slide down half-way on to his cock. Her pussy swallowing him whole as she eased the rest of the way down.

The valley of her breasts met his maw, open to accept her soft skin beyond his teeth. His tongue swirled around the bruise that was sure to form. His lips migrated from one breast to the other, his cock aching inside her. His hands ran over and gripped her curves. Judy cradled his head to her, smile pressed in his slowly drying curls. Joyful tears slowly slipped down her nose and onto the crown of his head.

Her hips began to move, gliding up and down his cock. The head sliding across her most sensitive zones, each pass along her walls bringing her closer to her peak. She groaned hungrily in his hair, picking up her pace, taking his gasps of pleasure as motivation.

Finally, Eddie managed to speak. His broken voice muffled against her skin. “So…good. Gonna cum.” There was a twinge of shame in his admission. He would have lasted longer, but given the circumstances, his mind was blown from Judy’s lips alone.

Judy understood, chest aching for him to fill her like he used to. Her voice vibrated in her chest as she purred, “It’s okay baby, cum in me. It’s okay.”

He crossed his legs beneath her, his grip on her plush hips tightening painfully as he took over and slammed her on his cock in short pumps. The thrusts growing desperate to stay as deep inside her as possible. His mouth dropped open, spit dripping down his lips as he pulled back to meet Judy’s gaze.

Her eyes were puffy, dried tears sticking on her skin as she bent back, hands bracing herself behind her. All she wanted was more, and she knew with all her patience and diligence, she wasn’t going to get it. Eddie’s gaze was completely lost, staring at the point of their union, and in a few more thrusts she felt that wet heat fill her. His lips parted in a spent groan, before twisting up in a grin. His clawed thumb reaching gently to rub circles over her clit, hips slowly regaining their pace as he fucked his cum into her.

He'd be damned if he let her go without a leg shaking orgasm.

“You still on the pill?” he asked, punctuated by his grunts as he slid in and out of her. A bit too late of a question, but he already knew the answer.

Judy felt her walls flex in more sporadic intervals, managing a simple, “uh-huh.”

“Lost for words, baby girl? Not so in control now.” He smiled, “your turn, lay back for me.”

Without a second thought, Judy leaned back. Eddie gripped her thighs and pulled her up the bed. Her head finally resting on her sheets. One clawed hand on her hip, the other still stroking her clit, Eddie held her still, hips at an angle to keep his cum inside her.

Judy could feel herself spasming, drawing his cock closer inside, holding it and milking the already sensitive organ. The need made him double over, burying his face in her neck, pounding his cock inside her, soaking the sheets beneath them even further. Chest to chest, trapping his hand against her sex. He didn’t think he had anything left, but he was so wrong.

Judy’s entrance clenched around him, a burning ring around his cock as she felt lightning clap through her body. She slammed her head back and let out a gasp, her smile gleaming. Her release streaming down her lips and thighs, covering his as well. Eddie cried out in her neck, cum dripping from his abused cock. Tears pricking her eyes, pushing him off her before he finally removed his thumb from her clit, sliding himself out of her and watching his cum leak from her. A beautiful sight he could never get enough of.

Eddie and Judy gazed at each other, in wonder and relief. Judy managed to whisper his name once before he leaned back down, all of her limbs clamped around him, bringing him back to her chest, cradling his head to her neck, hand splayed out through his hair, still damp.

“Oh Eddie, my Eddie…” She whimpered in his ear, “my Eddie.”

Whew! That was a crazy ride! Our lovers are finally reunited. Thank you for reading, my loves!

Tag list: @loserboysandlithium

#eddie munson #eddie x oc #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fanfic #eddie fanfic #Judy Sondheim #stranger things oc #stranger things fanfiction #fanfic #canon x oc #eddie x judy #smut #eddie munson smut #eddie smut #monster fucker #monster lover #demogorgon!Eddie #demo!Eddie #monster!Eddie

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elioas-diel · 3 days ago

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minho the maze runner

boxer!minho x trainer(strength & conditioning coach) implied fem!reader AU

🎀A/N:: SORRY IF I POSTED A LITTLE LATER THAN I DO!! i was originally going to make this into a boxer!gally AU but all i could think about was will poulter’s role in the bear - luca and i honestly couldn’t take boxer!gally seriously at all. all i could think about was him baking silly little cakes and cookies LMAO.

so i settled for minho, i gotta share the love for my tmr characters eventually... so i hope you enjoy this - it was kind of rushed 😔✊!!

P.S sorry if this A/N was too long :) and sorry if this was kinda ass…. MESSAGE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY TIPS (constructive criticism) i’d honestly be overjoyed🤍 .

🎀:: includes, 1.2k words, boxer!minho, slight angst, eventual fluff and implied female reader (you!)

-🎀-

You were no stranger to athletes overstaying their welcome in your private gym studio. Most of the time they simply lost track of time - spending a few extra minutes between sets or staying late to talk to you after office hours.

Because of this, you made a habit of staying an extra hour in your glass-walled office, located at the back of the reception desk just in case anyone needed to chat.

But it was never really an inconvenience for you; since they all understood your unspoken one-hour window rule. They’d pack up and head out just before that time hit, always offering a friendly wave on their way out.

For years it had stayed that way up until recently - when a new-comer arrived.

By the time you finished setting up a veterans exercise profile, it was already one in the morning.

The gym at this time would usually be peaceful and desolate - the air free from thick sweat and replaced by the sweet smell of honeydew air-freshener, though not tonight.

As you wandered out your office door ready to leave and shut down the power, you heard the rhythmic cries of fists beating on a punching bag.

A feeling of exasperation washed over you as you headed to the gym’s opening.

There was only one person dumb enough to push at your rules, to push against himself.

And sure enough-there he was.

Minho.

A few metres ahead of you going at it, on a black bag.

Who would‘ve guessed?

His fists continued to slam onto the punching bag with ferocity, each blow landing with a force that rattled the chains. His body was a taut line of muscle, his every movement born from frustration, and maybe even something darker.

You leaned against the doorframe, your arms crossed as you watched him.

This wasn’t your first time catching him like this, you’ve grown accustomed to his persona by now.

Never had you met someone so stubborn, so aggravating.

He didn’t know when to quit it or when to rest. He constantly ignored your advice, brushing off your requests to take it easy. If anything , your concerns only made him push harder.

And nothing was worse than him on a losing day.

Unfortunately for you - tonight was one of those nights.

You observed him for a brief minute, the way his technique got sloppier and all his energy slowly ran out - the only thing keeping his contoured muscles working being his anger and disappointment.

“Minho,” you called out, your voice soft but commanding, trying to cut through the noise.

Nothing.

You took a step forward, feeling the familiar weight of concern settle on your shoulders. Minho had been pushing himself harder than usual for weeks. After that loss, you knew—he wasn’t just training, he was punishing himself.

“Minho!” You snapped a little louder this time, your patience starting to thin.

Finally, he stopped, but his chest heaved with exertion, his breathing coming in sharp, shallow bursts. Sweat was dripping down his face, his knuckles raw, bleeding where they’d collided with the bag too many times. He didn’t look at you, though, his gaze stayed fixated on the bag.

An unimpressed look was written all over your face as you walked up to him, “What the hell was that? You’re not gonna get anywhere with whatever you’re doing!”

The shirtless male’s eyes snapped to yours, dark and unreadable. Anger dripped off his tongue, as he responded “I’m already not getting anywhere!”

As he went to resume punching you gripped onto his wrist, “Look if you just rested-“

He scoffed, his jaw clenching at the remark.

“I don’t need rest.” He spat, “What I need is to be better, stronger - you saw it all happen last night! Those guys won because they were ten times those things!” His body sweat furiously, his system trying to keep up with his actions.

Letting go of his wrist gently you went to touch his shoulder, for a second you felt his shoulder tense up but it slowly eased into your touch. “I get it, I understand-“

A large thump of a boxing bag interrupted your sentence, simultaneously he shrugged off your hand. “Just stop okay, stop it - you don’t understand, leave me alone.”

Your patience was wearing thin now, you saw the way his biceps stretched and how his fingers trembled. He was far past his limit. If he kept this up he’d get himself into an irreversible injury, one where he’d sure enough put himself to blame again.

Enough.

You reached out, grabbing his wrist mid-swing, stopping him before he could land another blow. His eyes were wild as he turned to face you, his breathing jagged and uneven.

“Let go of me!” He snarled, trying to pull away.

“No,” you said firmly, your grip tightening, your voice full of authority. “I won’t let you keep doing this to yourself. You need to stop,”

Minho’s face flushed with frustration. “I can’t. I’m not-”

“You’re not fine, Minho,” you interrupted, your voice gentle but insistent. “You’re not invincible, if you keep this up who knows what…” your voice faltered at the phrase before snapping up to meet his eyes, “Look, right now your body needs a break.”

He jerked his arm again, but you didn’t let go. “Please, just listen to me.”

For a moment, it felt like he was about to snap again. His body shook with frustration, his breath ragged as though he was fighting against every word you said. But then, finally, he stopped fighting it all, his shoulders sagging. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something vulnerable.

He let you guide him to a bench where he usually rested, he didn’t fight - he was too tired to.

You reached over to a cabinet where a first-aid kit was stacked along with other emergency necessities. For a long moment neither of you said anything, just basking up the silence that contrasted the once loud room.

You grimaced at his bloodied knuckles, he was insane to train with his bare hands - without any gloves, without any bandages. You saw the way his hands, flinched at the contact of alcohol, cleaning off the redness on his skin.

“Why do you always have to push yourself so far?” You murmured, your voice tinged with both concern and affection.

He shrugged, trying to make out a smirk, “Just been conditioned that way, I guess.”

You sighed whilst rubbing his knuckles soothingly - looking up at him you saw how his eyelids closed at your touch, how his chest moved up and down slower. And for the first time that night, he let himself relax into your presence. The anger, the frustration—it all seemed to melt away, leaving behind just the raw, tender exhaustion.

Tying up the last of his bandages you moved back to the shelf again, this time filling a glass of water, “You really are something huh, Minho?”

A hum and a chuckle was heard leaving his lips, echoing ever so slightly in the studio gym, “Could say the same for you.”

You let out a short laugh in response passing him the half-filled glass of water, he took it steadily, greedily chugging it down.

Sitting down beside him and looking at the same dented punching bag, you ran a hand through your long hair,

“Someone, out there would miss your snarky attitude - if you died - couldn’t let that happen could I?”

Nudging him playfully, you looked at him with a grin, which he reciprocated.

It was quiet now, the blanket of tension now lifting into one of light-hearted conversation.

“Thank you,” he spoke, his voice gentle, “Truly.”

“Anytime Minho.”

-🎀-

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bleulone · 2 years ago

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TO BUILD AGAIN : ii. — En garde.

a Chef Luca fanfiction | Fandom: The Bear. Rating: Mature/Explicit. Status: On going. Slow updates. Type: Multi-Chapters, Pre Canon. Tags: Chef Luca/Orginal Female Character, Disability, Angst and Feels, Character Study, Eventual Smut, Family and Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mature Themes, Mentions of Depression, Romance, Romantic and Sexual Tension, Romantic drama with a happy ending, Slow-burn, Strangers to Reluctant chef partners to Friends to Lovers, Sharing Cultures, Self-Love, Traveling.

CHAPTER SUMMARY : Prior to her impending departure for Copenhagen, Warda elects to make a final visit to her restaurant.

THE ATMOSPHERE AT RADIANCE seemed frozen in time, unchanged since her last visit. However, a persistent thought tugged at Warda's mind, urging her to seriously consider revamping the shopfront. Something about it didn't quite align with her vision. She struggled to pinpoint the exact source of her unease. Was it the stark shade of white, too clinical and lacking warmth? Or perhaps it was the font used for the restaurant's name, its rigid letters devoid of the graceful curves that mirrored her culinary philosophy. These elements seemed to fail to capture the essence of the cuisine she passionately championed—experimental, refined, and a vibrant fusion of Moroccan flavors with a new Nordic twist. (…)

• Read the rest HERE on ao3 (or click HERE to read from the beginning) • Listen to the playlist HERE •

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fizzyxcustard · 3 months ago

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For Her Or My Country?

Fandom: Spooks

Pairing: Lucas North x OC (Amy Holland)

Warning: Non-graphic smut, insecurity, language

Word count: 3731

Summary: Lucas has been given an assignment which means potentially sleeping with a subject who is linked to a Russian subject of interest. After discussing with Amy, will he put his relationship or duty to country first?

Notes: As always, if you wish to be added to my Forever Tag list, let me know. Or you can request to be added to a list for a specific character/fandom. Please contact me if you wish to be added or removed.

Comments and reblogs are always appreciated. :) Any comment at all.

Read on AO3 here

Masha Petrova. Beautiful. Elegant. Rich. Holder of intelligence that MI5 needed. And Lucas had been assigned to the case. Being able to speak Russian himself and having a vast knowledge of the culture and risks that were posed to the United Kingdom, it was only natural that Lucas be placed on this case.

The team of Section D were all seated in the main briefing room, watching as photos appeared on the screen, flipping every few seconds. Harry described each one and gave background to all the subjects and contexts of them.

Lucas was to go undercover in two days’ time, posing as a potential client for Masha Petrova’s prestigious art gallery. She would be hosting an auction, where paintings worth millions of pounds were to be sold, and the money then transferred to her ex-husband, Konstantin Sidorov. But the man had disappeared three years earlier. He was a ghost, with his last movement being on a flight back to Moscow and then nothing. Her motives behind keeping in such close contact with her ex-husband were being questioned.

“Jo will be on standby,” Harry began. He turned to the bleach blonde woman who sat two seats down from him. Her large blue eyes were locked on him, waiting for her instruction. “We’ll need you to mingle with the men, stroke their egos.” That normally meant sleep with them if necessary. “Lucas, Masha is known to always have a string of attractive men on her arm who wish to warm her bed…”

That was it. Amy, desk-based intelligence officer, and also Lucas’ girlfriend of ten months, felt bile rise in her throat. She looked at the photo of Masha Petrova and felt that stab of intense self-hatred rise. This was the kind of woman that Lucas should have been with, not her. He deserved beauty and elegance, not someone like Amy who rarely wore make up and dressed constantly in jeans.

Now Amy knew why she had been kept off the case for as long as she had. With Ruth Evershed on long-term sick leave, the team were bursting at the seams with workload and needed another pair of hands. Amy was the only person available.

Harry gave both Jo and Lucas a briefing pack, outlining their identities which they would need to learn over the next forty eight hours.

Lucas looked down the table at Amy and could see the bright red flush of her cheeks, paired with her inability to keep her eyes out of her lap. He could see her hands moving beneath the table, a sign of her fidgeting, which she always did when nervous. Every expression and movement was something that Lucas had become intimately acquainted with.

Once the meeting had concluded, Harry requested that Lucas stay behind. Everyone else got to their feet, stretching due to the length of time they had all been sitting. Amy dashed out of the room first, being closest to the door. Tears were prickling her eyes. For most of the meeting her imagination had been running wild, churning over a vivid vision of Lucas and Masha Petrova in an erotic position. Amy’s chest tightened, causing her to flap her arms to try and get more air.

“Are you alright?” Jo asked, approaching Amy.

Amy smiled weakly at Jo, knowing that it had always been impossible for her to lie about her feelings. She was transparent, unable to mask any negative feelings. She couldn’t answer.

“I’ll make us a coffee and we can pop outside for some fresh air, yeah?” Jo proposed.

Amy nodded, feeling as if her friend’s kindness was about to open the floodgates and the tears would never stop. But she swallowed hard, feeling the pain in her throat. That damn floodgate would remain closed, even if it killed her.

Outside a few minutes later and Jo lit a cigarette and the two of them stood on the balcony, which gave them a view of London. It was grey and overcast. The colour of the sky was threatening rain.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jo asked.

Amy’s green eyes darted this way and that, anywhere so they didn’t have to focus on Jo. “I don’t know,” she said softly. Then she sighed, and looked out over the Thames. “I just….I always knew this was something that would probably come, but I hoped it wouldn’t.”

“Believe me, Amy, Harry wouldn’t have asked Lucas to do this unless absolutely necessary. He knows the moral dilemma and risks all of us face when we’re asked to go into situations like this.”

Amy took a sip of her coffee. “Why is it always our morals and lives that we have to sacrifice?” Amy knew all this when taking the position, but now that she was here, facing the prospect of her boyfriend having to essentially cheat on her, it was worse than she could have ever imagined.

Those words caused tears to slip down Amy’s cheeks, which she rubbed away angrily with the sleeve of her cardigan. “Lucas loves his job so much, and I should have always known that I would never be truly first.”

“Amy, it’s not that, and you know it isn’t. He loves you. But the world we live and work in is a dark one, so much darker than people on the outside ever realise.”

“I’m still human, Jo, and I think I’m allowed to feel betrayed and heartbroken when my boyfriend has been told to sleep with someone else.”

Jo watched Amy hang her head in shame and defeat. She knew that Amy had incredibly low self-esteem and had been living in constant shock for the last ten months that Lucas would even be interested in her. But Jo could see the chemistry between her two colleagues; Amy’s kindness towards Lucas, and his ability to make Amy feel seen and heard. Even before their relationship had begun, and Jo knew that they would be a perfect couple, despite Amy always having voiced how little she thought of herself. The two of them may not have looked as though they would date, when considering the way they carried themselves, but their interactions cemented the fact they complimented each other perfectly.

Back in the office a short while later and Amy took a seat at her desk. She pulled out her drawer and picked out a Mars bar from the multipack. It was the only thing that could distract her from the fact that Lucas was sitting a few feet away from her, watching. She knew that he knew she was feeling emotional turmoil. If she had to look at him then she would break down.

Tariq’s desk was behind Amy’s and he could see Lucas’ blue gaze studying her. Tariq watched in fascination for a minute and then turned his attention back to making minor amendments to Jo’s briefing pack. For once, he could see that Amy wasn’t smiling at Lucas or gazing at him, but instead keeping her gaze away. In his mind, anyone who didn’t notice Amy’s reactions must have been blind.

For the next hour and Amy took up her time in a meeting with Ros, discussing the ANPR data results for a subject they had been investigating. At least for now, Amy could put her mind elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Lucas remained quiet at his desk, feeling Tariq’s gaze burning into the back of his head. It had been common knowledge amongst all of the staff at Section D, that Tariq had a crush on Amy. All except Amy herself.

Once Amy had emerged from the side room with Ros, Lucas got up and approached her. He stood with his back to everyone else and Amy with her back to the wall, looking down at her, almost shielding her from prying eyes. “Do you want to head out for something to eat?” he asked. Then he pulled his hands from his jeans pocket and picked up her hand, feeling her warm skin against his for a couple of seconds. But he frowned when he saw her look at the floor; he could see her throat quivering. He dropped her hand.

Amy swallowed hard and looked up at him, feeling the overwhelming emotion wash over her. It was painful, so painful. Her beautiful, perfect Lucas. He was Amy’s everything and for some unknown reason, he also wanted her.

“Come on,” Lucas whispered, holding his hand out to her to take.

Amy knew she couldn’t deny him and took his large hand in her small one.

Together, they walked out of the office, and into the mid-day air. It was drizzling, forming a mist in their hair as they walked the two streets to their usual café. They were both quiet for the duration of their walk, with the hustle and bustle of the busy London streets washing around them.

Lucas grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and didn’t even have to ask Amy what she wanted. She’d already made up her mind and was on her way to grab a table. “A strawberry smoothie and a cheese and onion toastie, please,” her voice drifted back over her shoulder.

Lucas sighed and placed their order. Every now and again he would glance towards her, noticing how she still wouldn’t look at him. Instead, she grabbed her sketchbook from her handbag and began to touch up one of her latest drawings.

Suddenly Amy was taken aback as her sketchbook was pulled away from under her face, just as she rested her pencil tip against the paper.

Lucas sat down. “Look at me,” he said sharply.

“Give me my book back.”

“No, you’ll talk to me. Your drawings can wait.”

“What do you want me to say, Lucas?” Amy said, her tone low and her words to the point. “If you had to watch me go and sleep with a man as part of an operation, I’m sure you wouldn’t be particularly happy about it.”

“Of course I wouldn’t,” Lucas hissed. “But this is our job. You know what’s at stake if I don’t do it.”

“Keeping the country safe and all that crap. Yes, I know,” Amy scoffed. “I’m reminded of that every day. Funny how you’re always paired with the beautiful, elegant women.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Lucas snapped.

Amy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

A young woman with blonde hair tied back into a ponytail came and set Amy’s food down on the table, along with hers and Lucas’ drink. She offered a quick smile, immediately recognising the familiar signs of a lover’s tiff.

“No food?” Amy asked.

“Can’t say I’ve got an appetite.”

“Just fatten me up like a pig, then.”

Lucas grit his teeth and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together on the table. He knew her defensive attitude all too well when she became overwhelmed by self-consciousness. Passive-aggression and sarcasm tainted her words as she tried to fling painful darts back at him.

“Not here, please,” Lucas begged. His voice was quiet, full of defeat.

Amy at least silently acquiesced to his request and slipped back into her seat, nibbling on the edge of her toasted sandwich. She adored the very breath of the man sat in front of her, and she was sure he knew that. But she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye, and instead let her gaze trace the crisscross stitch of the red and white tablecloth.

Lucas sipped his coffee and watched Amy for a few seconds before sighing, resigning his gaze toward the framed quote behind her on the wall. It was some cliché shit that seemed to belong on every mantlepiece in the UK, apart from his and Amy’s. Instead, Amy had a line of Disney character figurines across hers, and the thought of it made a smile emerge on his face. This woman he had committed himself to had no idea how amazing and beautiful she was. Curious. Quirky. The kindest person he had ever met. Unbelievably strong of mind and spirit. Underestimated herself. Broken by the arseholes who had taken advantage of her introverted and generous nature.

One way or the other, he would repair her. No ifs, buts or maybes. He would repair her.

***

The flat was dark as Amy stepped back inside. Lucas was required for a further meeting regarding the new operation with Masha Petrova, so wouldn’t be home for a further hour or two yet.

The isolation enveloped her along with the dark.

Tears flowed down Amy’s cheeks as she finally allowed the locked floodgates to open. She dropped back into a chair in the dining room and sobbed. Amy would never be good enough for Lucas, always sitting in the shadow of other women. Everything that they were reflected what Amy wasn’t. These women reminded her of the dark shadow of lack which lived in her chest.

Tension soon began to press down behind Amy’s eyes as she prepared hers and Lucas’ dinner. It felt like a huge weight was crushing Amy from above, pressing her down into the ground as her whole body became weak.

Cheesy 80’s music played on the radio in the small box kitchen, and not even that could lift Amy out of her prison of darkness. All she could think of was Lucas with Masha Petrova. No doubt he would enjoy it. Of course he would. Being ridden by a blonde supermodel of a woman, with the confidence to fully express her sexuality.

It had taken Amy a few months to become more confident in bed with Lucas. It wasn’t until they’d been together for six months that Amy could finally make love to him without the light turned off and not feel the need to shrink back at his touch. Now she openly enjoyed his touch, reciprocating it. But those whispers would still creep up on her when they lay together afterwards, telling her how unworthy she was of such a beautiful man’s love.

Amy loved Lucas with her whole heart, having never felt so drawn to anyone else. Lucas, to her, was incredibly handsome, charming, intelligent, gentle and kind. He was perfection. Even when he woke in the middle of the night, sweating and shouting out, gripped by the horror of his memories of Lushanka, eventually waking her up, it only helped her to love him more. The vulnerability he shared with her helped her move closer to him, bridging the gap which her insecurity had always created.

The closing of the front door suddenly echoed from down the hall. And Amy heard Lucas’ slow footsteps coming towards the kitchen. She felt her hands begin to shake and a painful lump rise in her throat. “Dinner’s almost ready,” she said.

“Dinner can wait,” Lucas instructed. It wasn’t often that Lucas was demanding, but when it came to digging into Amy’s insecurity and bad moods, it was the only way he could defend himself and fight for her.

Amy sighed and placed her hands on the edge of the sink and looked out into the murky evening. She could see fog beginning to descend on the world and the brightness of the streetlamps lighting up the rooftops, showing the gleam of an earlier shower.

Lucas stood beside Amy and curled his arm around her waist, then took her hand in his, kissing it. “The only thing I can say is that I love you, Aim.”

Amy felt everything crumble and she couldn’t help but break down again, becoming a sobbing mess in his arms.

Lucas held her tight, his right hand tangled in her hair and his lips kissing her forehead. “I love you more than anything.” That was all he could say, and he meant every single word, the emotion so overwhelming as he uttered them.

“I should support you, Lucas,” Amy said, sniffing as she pulled from the embrace to look up at him. “I’m so proud of everything you do, but I…”

“I know,” Lucas whispered. “Don’t you think I know? I don’t want to do this.” His eyes were locked on hers, tears swimming in them, making them look even brighter a blue.

“You’re being paid to sleep with someone. Perk of the job, I guess,” Amy said wryly.

“Don’t you dare say that,” Lucas hissed. His eyes became alight with frustration, his frown casting a shadow across his brow. “Why do you always have to turn to sarcasm and pettiness when you’re hurt?”

Amy pulled from Lucas’ grasp and stormed out of the room, casting him an expression of disgust mixed with hurt. Of course he was right; Amy knew it. Sarcasm and pettiness become her defence mechanism when hurt or cornered.

“What do you want me to say, Aim?” Lucas shouted. “Do you want me to leave my job, get down on my knees?”

“Just fuck off!” Amy hissed back. “Leave me alone.”

The room felt as if it were becoming so much smaller as Amy stood facing the wall, sobbing, with breath almost coming in gasps. More than anything, in that moment, she wanted to disappear.

“You don’t mean that, Aim. You never do,” Lucas said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “I know you enough by now. When you tell someone to leave you alone, it means ‘hold me tight’. You want people to get closer when you’re hurting, even though you push them away.”

Amy felt Lucas’ arms wrap around her middle, and she sighed, feeling that all too familiar wave of arousal spiral down her body and the butterflies swarm in her belly. She couldn’t fight off the way he made her feel. All of the attraction and love was far too strong to keep her away.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered. Lucas kissed her cheek, taking in the scent of her. It was strawberries mixed with the faintest hint of her perfume from that morning, Olympea.

Slowly, Amy turned around and looked up at Lucas, sniffing over her blocked nose. Her eyes were sore and red. “It always comes back to this feeling of me not being good enough.”

“And that’s what it is, just a feeling. There is no truth whatsoever in it. It’s a dark voice, nothing more. I chose you, Amy. Above everyone else, I choose you.”

Amy threw her arms around Lucas and they held each other tight, remaining silent. The only sound was the patter of rain against the window, which gradually got louder and heavier.

Heat spread through Amy as she felt his arms encase her, protecting her from the outside world and everything evil that was in it.

The two of them kissed, the heat mounting, until Amy’s hands slipped up Lucas’ chest and she began popping the buttons of his shirt. She pushed the fabric aside to see his chest exposed, which was tattooed with William Blake’s Ancient of Days.

“You could have anyone,” Amy began, “absolutely anyone in this world. And yet you choose me.”

“Why did you choose me?” Lucas whispered. “You don’t see your beauty, and your light. Any man you choose would be blessed beyond anything he could ever imagine, and you don’t see any of that.” His finger brushed a stray hair from her brow, and then the tips of his fingers trailed down her cheek and his thumb brushed her plump lips. “You made me feel again, and I owe you everything.”

They kissed again and began to remove each other’s clothing, slowly.

As Lucas stood before Amy in only his underwear, she traced the tattoos on his chest and stomach. “I thought about getting one, to match yours.”

“Don’t,” Lucas demanded, his tone quiet but stern and saddened. “All they serve is a reminder of the darkness in the world, and I never want to taint you with that. Your skin is perfect as it is, untouched and unblemished.”

“And I want to share everything with you. The good and the bad.”

Lucas lowered Amy to the bed, her arms locked around his neck. And they kissed again, hard and hungry for every fibre of each other.

Amy gasped as Lucas slipped inside her.

A groan fell off his lips as he felt a wave of that beautiful euphoria. This was where he belonged. It was the only place on this Earth he would ever be safe: inside her, one with her, vulnerable and bare. Gradually he moved, rocking his hips against her as his hand gripped her thigh.

Amy pulled him in closer, needing him against her, the closest in physical proximity that was possible. “I love you,” she whispered.

Lucas’ blue gaze locked on hers and he stopped his movement, remaining still. He smiled. It was a content, peaceful smile. The first he had smiled since he was a child. “This is where I belong. It’ll never be anywhere else. I promise.”

A while later and they both lay on their sides, facing each other. Lucas’ arm was draped idly over Amy’s hip. He was smiling at her again. Innocence, kindness, compassion and love had always shone through Amy’s face and been left on anything she touched, a golden light lingering behind from her fingertips.

He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her snub nose.

The happiness in Amy’s face drained and a serious expression rose. “I’m sorry about earlier. I know you need to do this.” A sadness began to wash over her green eyes. Then she forced a smile.

Lucas never answered, but in his mind, he knew what needed to be done. He moved over her and drew her into another embrace, followed by more love making.

***

The next morning, Lucas stood at Harry’s office door. His heart was racing in his chest, something that rarely happened when on the job.

With one last backwards glance to Amy, Lucas knocked on Harry’s door. She looked up from her desk and smiled at him from across the room, those beautiful eyes sparkling so brightly. Lucas knew that he had made the right decision.

For her or my country? Always for her.

“Come in!” Harry’s voice came.

Lucas took a deep breath and slipped inside the office, bracing the inevitable storm.

“Lucas? What can I do for you?” Harry asked, leaning back in his seat.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to stand down from tomorrow’s deployment, Harry.”

***

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