#luckily i’m much more guarded than i used to be

[idontmindifuforgetme]

i’m literally done with men until the day i die

[beenbaanbuun]

guard dog pt.2 w/ jeong yunho

idk if this will become a series (it absolutely will, i love him). if you have any asks about this little series then i’ll be more than happy to answer them 🥰

warnings - yandere!yunho, hybrid!yunho, role reversal, yunho calls reader puppy, talk of murder, talk of living in a bad neighbourhood, allusions to masturbation, choking

pt1

you were under the impression that by wearing yunho’s jumper, it might piss him off just a little bit

but as you walk into the living room where he lays, limbs slung across the couch that he deemed beneath him no more than a few nights ago, you’re shocked to see a smirk playing on his lips

if you had much more on beneath it, you might have torn it from your body and thrown it at his smug face, but you wouldn’t want to give the mutt the satisfaction of seeing your tits

“going somewhere, puppy?” it’s been three long, arduous days and he still hasn’t dropped the nickname

you’re this close to getting your name tattooed in hold across your forehead; maybe then he won’t forget it

“the shop,” you walk over to grab your boots; heavy and intimidating and perfect for kicking any creep that gets too close, “i want a snack.”

“there’s plenty of food in the fridge,” he deadpans as you make your way over to the sofa

he doesn’t move, not even when you glare so hard at his legs that he can practically feel you burning holes in them

annoying prick

you settle for sitting right on the edge of the cushion, just far enough on to keep yourself from toppling to the floor as you slip your shoes onto your feet

“i don’t want the food in the fridge,” you say simply as you tie your laces, “if i wanted the food in the fridge, i’d eat the food in the fridge.”

a few seconds of silence pass by, and you’re almost positive that he spends them rolling his eyes behind your back

“it’s dangerous to go out at this time on your own,” as if that’s not the most obvious thing in the world

luckily for you, you have the safe streets memorised, and you carry your keys tight in your fist as a make-shift shiv

yunho seems to forget that you’ve lived here far longer than he has; you’re far too used to how dangerous it can be when twilight hits

“nothing stopping you from coming with,” you suggest, although you hope to everything that is holy that he says no

“i’m not getting changed out of my pyjamas, puppy,” a sigh of relief escapes your mouth as he gives you what want

“well, i’m going either way,” you insist, and he nods in understanding, expecting no less of you

you’re not ashamed to admit that you’re stubborn, maybe even sometimes to the point of being a brat

it’s just so fun to see your victim’s get riled up as you push each of their buttons over and over again

part of you hoped you would’ve learned yunho’s buttons by now, enough to get a little rise out of him, at least

but as he looks you up and down with nothing but neutrality in his eyes, you know that yet again you’ve failed

perhaps you’ve met your match, at long last; the person who can turn each and every jab around and aim them back at you

as your annoyance rises within you, making your bones buzz and your heart clench tight in your chest, you understand just how true that is

and you’re fucking stuck with him

“have fun getting murdered down some dark alley, then,” he just waves you off, only serving to piss you off more

“you’re a prick,” you spit in retaliation

your footsteps are heavy as you head to the door, eyes already trained on the little table you stash your keys on for safekeeping

the little silver stash normally takes pride of place, sitting pretty in the centre so as to not go unseen whenever you’re in a rush to leave

but the table is empty, and you know you won’t have put your keys anywhere else

but then there’s a tinkle behind you; the gentle sound of metal upon metal drawing your attention away from where the keys should be to where they actually are

the mutt’s black ears twitch atop his head as he gently fingers the bundle

you watch as the light catches, reflecting back on his stupidly handsome face in dots of shimmering light

fortunately, his prettiness only makes him that much easier to hate; of course the bastard is a prick when he looks like that

“yunho, give me my keys,” your voice is stern, tired of whatever game it is he’s playing already

“don’t want to,” he says, amusement laced through his words

the keys clink louder this time as he takes them in his fist before slipping them into his sweatpants without another word

“yunh—”

“let’s play a game, puppy,” he cuts you off, “if you fetch the keys like a good pup, i’ll let you go to the store. that sound good?”

the smile he wears is wicked, all teeth like he’s a snarling beast

he might look human, for the most part, but the sharp canines that dig into his bottom lip are a harsh reminder that he’s closer to that beast than he seems

but you’re not in the business of losing, and you certainly refuse to give up without a fair fight

if he wants to play dirty, then dirty is what he’ll get

it takes a mere few seconds for you to cross the room back to the couch, shimmying round it until you’re standing in front of him, legs lined up with his crotch

you sink to your knees, not daring to look at his face despite hearing the deep chuckle he gives you in response

“which pocket?” you spit, words sharp and impatient

“work it out, pup.”

you jump at the feeling of a warm hand petting the top of your head, fingers curling around an invisible pair of dog ears to match his own

you try your best to ignore everything about the situation; the game of fetch, the way you’re knelt at his feet, the way his hand absentmindedly plays with your hair

everything about it screams puppy, and that is not your fucking name

your fingers dip into his left pocket, feeling around for a moment or two before coming out empty handed

you don’t even allow a second to tick my before you delve your fingers into his other pocket and feel around in a similar way

but you can’t feel anything in there either, and it stumps you

yunho hums as you draw your fingers back, finally shifting your unamused gaze back to his face

“you know what i think?” he starts, and you nod, desperate for a hint of some kind, “i think you’d be so pretty with a collar wrapped around that lovely little neck of yours.”

it takes you off guard a little, not at all what you were expecting to drop from his mouth

and yet somehow, as the words sink in a little, you find yourself rather unsurprised

you shoot him the harshest glare you can muster before pushing his hand firmly away from your head

“well i don’t have a collar around my nec—”

the warm palm you pushed from your skull not a second prior, now lies on your throat

you can feel it, gentle yet firm as it holds you in place and pushes your protests away

“are you sure about that, puppy?” he growls; a sound that travels straight to your core, “from where i’m sitting, it looks like you do.”

it takes everything in you to shuffle back, just far enough away that his hand slips free of your neck and falls flat against the leather of your sofa

you stand on shaky legs, taking a few steps towards the bathroom as you do everything in your power to not look at him

if you do, you’re not quite sure what will happen

but your avoidant eyes miss the way he slips the keys free of his waistband and tosses them onto the coffee table, satisfied enough in his win to know he doesn’t have to hide them anymore

“i’m going for a shower,” you say with a shaky voice, slipping out of his sight as he gives you a hum of affirmation

it looks like the shower head will come in handy tonight

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One Two Three

“Ow, not so hard man.” Eddie seems to be absolutely fascinated with Steve’s leg hair. Which, okay, Steve kind of understands, Eddie has neither legs nor leg hair, so he gets why it would be weird. He kind of wishes Eddie wouldn’t tug quite so hard though.

Eddie’s just demolished a big bowl of green things, and Steve’s sitting on the edge, legs dangling in the water where Eddie’s hovering, touching Steve’s skin with his slightly warmer than pool water temperature fingers. He’s scratching a little too, but it’s only a tiny bit, very gently, so Steve doesn’t mind. Eddie clearly doesn’t intend to harm him, and seems more fascinated with the thin white lines he’s leaving on Steve’s tanned skin.

Eddie gives a particularly vicious tug, Steve jerks, “Ow! Fuck. No, no more. Finished.” He sits up, pulling his legs clear of the water, waving Eddie away.

“Inied?”

“Yeah, finished. Ow. It hurts. You hurt me.”

Eddie tilts his head, swimming closer, “Steeee. Ow.”

Steve sighs, “Yes, ow. I’ll be back later.”

“I’m sure. Steve is the only one who feeds him, right?”

Steve and Robin both nod.

“Right, so, from his point of view, if he interpreted that as Robin trying to like, harm Steve, then his food supply would be jeopardized. He's just, resource guarding or whatever.”

“So...no play fighting within Eddie flopping distance?”

Dustin nods, “pretty much yeah, anything that could be interpreted as risk to Steve, I guess. Or, when Robin is here, she takes Eddie his food. Or anyone really, anytime anyone else is here. That way Eddie will start to see Steve isn’t his only resource.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s probably a good idea anyway,” Steve easily agrees, the now bare patches on his shins are still kind of stinging.

Robin returns with her bowl still full of veg, “he just won’t touch it. There’s still peas floating in the pool from last time.”

Steve sighs, “I really don’t know why he’s being like this.”

“Maybe he’s just pissed at me,” she shoves the bowl at Dustin, “you try.”

They all watch through the window as Dustin heads to the pool. They can tell from how he’s standing that Eddie’s at the end furthest away. Dustin kneels, tries offering things. It’s not long before he quits and comes back.

“How long did it take before he would eat? Maybe we just need to persevere?”

Robin disagrees, “once we figured what he would eat, it was pretty much straight away he was taking stuff from Steve.”

“Okay, so maybe it’s like, a trust thing, so if we stick this out long enough, eventually he will get hungry enough to give in, right?”

“We’re not doing that,” it just immediately strikes Steve as cruel, “he’s not put on enough weight yet for us to be fucking with his food supply.”

“Okay...okay yeah.”

Steve blinks awake. He’s not sure what woke him, but he’s almost certain he just heard something. He lies still straining to listen and yeah, he definitely heard something. Something or someone moving around downstairs. Steve quietly shifts, groping for the nail bat leaning against the wall as he slides out of bed, his heart feels like it's crawling up into his throat. He almost hopes it's a regular old burglary and not, like, monsters.

He creeps downstairs, luckily he was already sleeping in a tank top and shorts. He’s nearly to the bottom of the stairs when he hears it; a clunking noise and then, “Steee.”

He carefully puts the bat down immediately; figures Eddie got into the house somehow. Steve allows himself a moment to calm down, breathe deep and slow for a minute even as, in his head, he's calling Dustin a little shithead and blaming him for leaving the back door unlocked.

At the bottom of the stairs he can peer around the corner to see Eddie sitting in the hall. It’s light enough for Steve to make out that Eddie’s sitting quite tall, his tail curled into an ‘s’ shape underneath him. He has the phone from the hall side table held carefully next to his head, exactly like...well...like a regular person on the phone would, and while Steve is there, he says, “Steee,” uncertainly into the receiver.

For a moment, Steve is tempted to sneak up to the phone in his parents room and lift the receiver so he can answer Eddie, but quickly dismisses it; Eddie’s limited vocabulary makes it kind of pointless, anyway.

“Hey Eddie,” Steve steps off the bottom step.

“Stee!” Eddie turns to Steve, it's almost strange to see him without his sunglasses on now, and his eyes reflect what little light there is in a strange, silvery flash. He seems to remember then that he's holding something, forgotten for a second with the clear excitement of finding Steve, and he replaces the receiver on the cradle with surprising care; Steve wonders vaguely if he was just listening to the dial tone.

Eddie moves through the house, walking on his hands and using a unexpectedly efficient twist of his tail to push him along; he’s much more comfortable on land than Steve would have given him credit for. He stops and looks back, clearly waiting for Steve to follow him. Steve does. Dutifully following Eddie through the house, and it’s not until Steve’s at the door that he realizes it's not Dustin's fault at all – the spare key is in the lock. He doesn’t keep one out front – that’s just asking for trouble – but he keeps one out back. One that is only for absolute emergencies only, and it’s very specifically under the third plant pot along. Eddie must have seen Robin or one of the kids let themselves in and then just...worked it out for himself.

Well, huh, Steve thinks as he follows Eddie out into the yard and across the grass, past the pool and along to the tree line.

Steve wonders vaguely if Eddie actually does this often, getting out of the pool and exploring at night; he doesn’t seem to struggle, and he clearly knows where he’s going, passing through the tree line at the bottom of the yard and then a little further in.

Eddie comes to a stop, and when Steve gets there he sees what Eddie is looking at. It’s a bird. A pigeon probably, like a wood pigeon or something, if Steve’s very limited knowledge of birds is to be believed. It’s lying on the grass, clearly dead.

Steve crouches and watches as Eddie, very gently strokes the fluffy breast feathers of the bird, “Ow. Inied.”

Steve sighs he guesses finished is one way to put it, “yeah, yeah buddy. Uhm. Dead,” Steve pulls Eddie’s hand away, “dead. Don’t touch it. It’s dead.”

“Dead,” Eddie cocks his head.

“Yeah,” Steve yawns, getting sleepy again now the adrenaline’s died down and there’s clearly no danger, “come on, back to bed. Or, you know, the pool.”

Eddie’s reluctant to move at first, but then does when Steve gestures, sliding soundlessly back into the water.

“See you tomorrow buddy.”

“Budidy. Edidie.”

“Yeah, near enough.”

“Do you think he killed the bird?”

“Nah, there wasn’t any obvious like, injury or anything. And you should have seen how gentle he was with it Robs...it was like he felt bad, you know.”

She hums in agreement, “he must have seen someone at the lab use a phone, do you think?”

Steve figured the same, once he’d finished his night’s sleep and actually pondered on it. “Pretty sure he doesn’t know how to actually use it, he was just copying. But the fact that he worked out they were using it to talk to other people, that’s pretty smart, right?”

“Maybe we can teach him to use it?” Robin eats more waffle with her fingers, smearing the broken up bits through the cream. They’re sitting out on the pool chairs for breakfast.

“Dunno, numbers and stuff. A walkie though? I think he might be able to-”

“Steee! Steeee!” Eddie calls him from the water, arms resting on the sides. He’s smiling, looking happy, shades firmly in place today.

“What buddy?”

Eddie points confidently at the sky, “dead!”

Steve looks up; birds. There’s birds flying over.

“Oh no- birds. Eddie those are birds.”

He looks so confused, but Steve suddenly has an idea, “where you going dingus?”

“Be right back a second,” Steve heads into the lounge and runs his fingers along the lowest shelf of books, easily finding the thick children's encyclopedia he got for his birthday one year when he was little. He’s never even opened it, thought it was a shit present, but it’ll do for this.

He opens it on his way back to the pool, finding a page with a big colorful picture of loads of birds on it, sitting by the side of the pool where Eddie can see, “bird.”

“Buurd,” Eddie drags the word out, definitely making it more than a ‘u’ than an ‘i’ sound, but it’s definitely near enough.

“Yeah that’s right,” Steve lays the book out on the edge of the pool, “don’t get it too wet.”

Eddie tilts his head, “et.”

Steve slaps the water, “wet. Uhm.” Tapping the book, Steve says, “finished.”

Eddie looks at his hands, frowning.

“Right, wait,” Steve goes and grabs a towel, left forgotten on a pool chair, and brings it to the edge, “here,” Eddie’s close enough for Steve to take his hands easily, “wet,” after a moment of ruffling Eddie’s hands with the towel, Steve tells him, “dry.” Then he taps the book, “dry. Wet finished.”

He waits to see what Eddie will do, but he holds his hands carefully out of the water before he lifts himself to touch the book.

Steve turns to a page at random, showing Eddie a page with all sorts of big cats on it, lions and tigers and stuff like that, “go on, you do it.”

Steve gestures at Eddie, and, cautiously as he lets his elbows take his weight, Eddie carefully turns the page.

Part five

[steventhusiast]

modern au where eddie and robin are roommates and steve is italian <3

-

eddie has always known that his roommate robin is in the US for college, but grew up in and is from italy. sure, sometimes he forgets, because she somehow has a near-perfect american accent and also speaks two other languages, but he’s always known.

and for the past year and a bit, he’s known how much robin wants her best friend stevie to come visit. she talks about them all the time, and ever since she and eddie moved out of the dorms and into an apartment together for their next year of university a month ago, he’s known stevie is going to come and visit.

he just kind of forgot the exact day stevie would be arriving.

so when he, clad in nothing but his garfield pyjama pants and a metallica t-shirt that’s falling apart, walks into the kitchen one morning and sees someone he doesn’t know at the kitchen counter fiddling with their instant coffee machine, he almost shits himself.

luckily, he doesn’t, because he remembers in that split second that stevie was due to arrive last night. but he still flinches pretty hard at the fright and grabs for the nearest grabbable thing, which turns out to be the doorframe. somehow, he makes a noise loud enough to get the mystery person’s attention, and they turn around.

holy shit. eddie did not know stevie is hot. or that stevie’s actually a guy. he kind of just assumed, with the nickname and all? but the man standing there looks like he could’ve been carved by the gods eddie doesn’t believe in, and- eddie realises he’s been staring at the guy for a few seconds now, and decides to talk like a normal human being. he first adjusts his position so he’s no longer holding onto the archway of the kitchen for support, and smiles at the guy.

“hi, you must be stevie?” he offers, and stevie takes a few seconds to process his words before nodding with a smile.

“my name is steve. robbie just is… hm, silly?”

eddie blinks a couple times, because steve has an accent. a thick one. he should’ve expected that, because- hello? they’re both literally from italy. but it catches him off guard, and adds to steve’s hot factor. why didn’t robin warn him about this.

“yeah, robin is very silly.” he agrees with a chuckle, and then realises steve might not know him, “i’m eddie. robin’s roommate. you probably knew that already though, so now i probably look like an idiot. well- more of an idiot than i already do in these clothes…”

he lets his words trail off as he realises steve is frowning at him in subtle confusion. he’s picked up robin’s rambling-when-nervous habit over their friendship, and hot guys tend to make him pretty nervous. but then he realises maybe steve isn’t as fluent in english as robin is, and even if he is eddie’s a fast talker that doesn’t always pronounce things fully.

“i am sorry,” steve looks embarrassed, “my english is not as good as robin.”

eddie feels so guilty at the pink that’s made itself known on steve’s cheeks, and shakes his head immediately.

“no! you don’t need to be sorry. i just talk a lot when i’m nervous.” he confesses. why did he say that? now steve knows he’s nervous. or does he? maybe he didn’t catch his full sentence.

steve raises one eyebrow at eddie though, and one side of his mouth quirks up into a smile as he turns around to keep trying to make himself a cup of coffee.

“i am making you nervous? why?” steve asks, his back still turned. now eddie’s the one with red cheeks. dammit.

“it’s because eddie here thinks you’re hot, stevie.”

eddie’s flinch at robin’s magical appearance behind him is somehow more spectacular than earlier, and he clutches dramatically at his heart and spins around to glare at robin.

“robin! what the fuck, man!” he yelps when he realises what she’s said. but robin isn’t listening, she’s too busy speaking to steve in italian about who knows what.

probably about how she knows all eddie’s tells for when he finds a guy attractive and how she knows eddie’s type and steve checks every single box. or, eddie squints at the pair as robin tsks at steve and takes over manning the coffee machine, maybe robin’s just telling steve how to make a coffee with the machine?

“you think i am…” steve starts as he spins around to look at eddie, and seems to be searching for a word for a few moments, “attractive?”

eddie’s eyes widen, and then he sighs and fixes a glare on robin. robin just shrugs and makes a very insincere ‘oopsie’ expression, and eddie is about to start denying like his life depends on it, but he looks back at steve.

and steve has that blush back on his face, and a tiny smile, and he’s looking eddie up and down even in his ridiculous outfit.

“um, yes.” eddie practically squeaks, not used to having someone’s eyes on him like this.

steve says something to robin in italian that sounds like it ends with a question mark, and robin rolls her eyes.

“steve wants me to translate a pick up line he wants to use on you, but i literally refuse to do that. google translate is free.”

and with that, she leaves the kitchen.

[lemonlover1110]

𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝

Toji Fushiguro

[Chapter 13] Payback

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Pairing: Toji Fushiguro x f!Reader

Chapter Warnings: MDNI, Shiu x Reader, Smut, Handjob

Discord +18 - Twitter - Ko-Fi

Toji takes you out to dinner, bringing Megumi along so it’s not seen as a date. He takes you to one of your favorite places to eat, and you’re sure he has something up his sleeve. What can Toji possibly do this time around? You try not to think too much as to what Toji can possibly do since you are eating something you like, and something your baby seems to enjoy.

You’re mostly talking with Megumi, completely forgetting about Toji’s existence while the two of you talk. Occasionally Toji chimes in with something stupid, it does earn a chuckle from you each and every time though. You eat in peace, and you almost feel like a family.

“We have to talk about something.” Toji ruins your peaceful moment after you order dessert. Your eyebrows perk up, and you wait for him to speak up. What does Toji need now? He’s not going to beg when his son is right there.

“What is it?” You ask him, not being patient enough to wait for him to spit it out. Megumi adverts his gaze, too embarrassed to look at his father.

“I’m seeing someone.” Toji reveals, and your eyes grow wide. The same man that was begging you to get back together not even a week ago is telling you that he’s seeing someone. It’s fair to say that you’re speechless with the announcement. You have no idea what one says with this type of announcement.

“That’s good…” You try to remain stoic with the news. He wants a reaction from you, and you’ll make sure not to give it to him. You have a lot of questions, but maybe it’s best if you keep them to yourself– Maybe ask Shiu or even Megumi. 

“Don’t you have any questions?” Toji asks, and to his disappointment, you shake your head. Megumi still isn’t looking at his dad, and Toji sighs defeatedly. “I have to use the bathroom, I’ll be back.”

“He isn’t seeing anyone.” Megumi quickly reveals when Toji gets up and leaves to use the bathroom. You furrow your brows, knowing that a teenager is involved in his father’s affairs. You can’t help but roll your eyes, knowing that Toji just can’t help but share everything with the world, “There’s a woman that visits him and does like him a lot but he’s not into her. They went on a date… But he’s just doing this to make you jealous.”

“I figured as much.” You chuckle. It does make you feel better, but it also upsets you. He goes through great lengths to make your life more difficult. You click your tongue before saying, “Your dad’s a dumbass.”

“Tell me about it.” Megumi responds, and you two change the topic into something more lighthearted. The conversation dies when Toji comes back from the bathroom, but luckily for you, dessert gets to the table.

You dive right into the sweet treat, noticing how neither of them grab their spoons and begin to eat. You knew they would agree to order dessert but proceed to not eat any of it. They’ll just say anything to please you.

“Do you want to come over and watch a movie?” Toji asks, catching you off guard. You can’t help but roll your eyes at the audacity. First, he says that he’s seeing someone, then he proceeds to invite you back to his place; you know better than anyone that Toji doesn’t mean anything platonic when he invites you back to his home.

“I can’t.” You proceed to put your hand on your bump. “Baby makes me sleepy and I’d rather not fall asleep on your couch.”

“I’ll carry you to our bed.” Toji says, and you bite your tongue. You shake your head disappointedly.

“Aren’t you seeing someone, Toji?” You point out, and he remains unphased. He’s seeing someone but he couldn’t make it clear that he doesn’t respect them enough. Right then and there, the best idea comes to your mind, and you blurt out, “Plus, Shiu wouldn’t be okay with it.”

“What does that idiot have to do with anything?” Toji quickly asks, wondering why you're bringing his best friend into this. 

“You’re not the only one seeing someone else.” You lie to him, and you know that it’ll cause some issues for Shiu but right now the look on Toji's face is priceless. He’s gone completely white, completely speechless.

“What do you mean?” Toji tries to see if his ears deceive him. But your next words reaffirm what he just heard,

“I’m seeing Shiu.” 

“You..” He begins but for some reason he can’t finish his sentence. Toji Fushiguro, who is never at a loss for words, can’t speak. “You’re seeing my best friend? Romantically?”

“Yes.” You nod in response, and the man has to take a sip of his water to calm himself down. He’s a little too young to have a heart attack, no? Why is his heart beating so fast?

“Megumi, keep an ambulance on standby. I’m going to be sick.” Toji says, putting his hand over his chest, and Megumi rolls his eyes at how dramatic his father is.

“You’re so dramatic.” Megumi mutters, crossing his arms. “I thought you were seeing someone too?”

“She’s seeing my best friend!” Toji yells, and you take a deep breath. All eyes are on you. He’s so dramatic over nothing.

“You kept sending him over, what else did you expect?” You ask him, adding fuel to the fire. You don’t want to sit by and watch Toji act as if he’s a victim. “I’m not really in the mood tonight, Toji. If you need anything, text me.” 

“Wait!” He yells, but his plea falls on deaf ears.

An hour after you get home, there’s a knock on your door. Your mind immediately goes to Toji, and you’re about to ignore it since you’re not really in the mood for talking. But after thinking it over, and as the knocking becomes more desperate, you realize that Toji wouldn’t be at your door yet.

“Shiu… He told you.” Are the first words to leave your mouth as you open the door. He doesn’t look as mad as you expected him to be… Matter of fact, he looks amused. “Sorry, he just said something and I wanted to piss him off.”

“I’m not mad. Well, maybe a bit.” He licks his lips. You’re trying to read his expression, trying to decipher what he’s feeling. Shiu is just like Toji, hard for you to read. But you luckily got to know Toji enough to be able to read him like the palm of your hand; Shiu, on the other hand, is still foreign to you.

“Why?” You ask him, moving aside to let him into the place. He takes the hint, stepping inside the apartment. He takes off his shoes and loosens the tie that’s around his neck before making himself comfortable on your couch.

“You got me in trouble with Toji and I didn’t get anything in return.” He says, and you can’t help but smirk. You walk over to him, sitting down beside him.

“What do you want in return then? I’m at your service.” You look mischievous, and he’s about to match your energy. You’re moving closer to him, and he doesn’t even try to move away.

“A nice candle lit dinner will do.” He answers, though it’s not what you have in mind. And you know that it isn’t what he has in mind either. You move closer until you’re practically breathing down his neck. He knows that whatever you’re going to do, you’ll do it with the sole purpose of getting back at Toji. 

“How about I give you something else?” You whisper into his ear and a chill runs down his spine. He bites down his lips before nodding in response. He doesn’t care that this will have consequences. He can’t just tell Toji that you were lying because it did happen.

Your lips lightly press against his, quickly pulling away before you ask him, “Do you want this? I can stop.”

“I want it.” He confirms, your lips going back on his but not pulling away. Your tongue swipes over his bottom lip, before his mouth parts. Your tongue enters his mouth, quickly pressing against his own tongue, while your hand caresses his thigh.

All of Shiu’s blood rushes to his dick, and he could moan even if you’re not doing anything yet. Since the moment he laid eyes on you, Shiu has wanted to do this. He’s been waiting an eternity to feel your lips on his, and he can’t control himself when he finally feels you.

His hand goes to the back of your head, pulling you closer as his tongue takes control. Your hand goes to unbuckle his belt, struggling since you only use one hand. He helps you out, in a rush to feel your hands on him.

“Are you sure?” You pull away from the kiss to ask him. He feels your hand play with the waistband of his briefs. He wants to scream yes into the air, over and over again. He’s never wanted something more. “I don’t want to ruin your friendship with Toji.”

“You already did.” He chuckles before his lips land on yours again. Your hand goes into his briefs, your thumb circling over the tip of his cock before your hand moves down to the base. You begin to lazily stroking his cock, and the man moans into the kiss even when you’ve yet to do much. 

You pull away from the kiss, taking your hand out and spitting on it before going back to pumping his cock. You peck his lips, before kissing his cheek and making your way to his ear. Your teeth begin to nibble on his earlobe as Shiu throws his head back and moans into the air.

He’s red, already sweating and out of breath with how good you’re making him feel. He shuts his eyes, moaning your name as your hand twists on his dick. It’s just a handjob, nothing that warrants the reaction that he gives you. But he couldn’t care less.

“Fuck– Like that.” He moans as your hand picks up speed. His cheek is pressing against your head, his hand gripping your shirt as he feels his release near. His mind is focused on you, and only you. Lately you’re all that he’s thinking about, and this isn’t going to help him.

Shiu will do just about anything for you.

He’s moaning your name over and over again until a groan leaves his lips, his cum ruining his shirt and coating your hand. He looks at you, eyes filled with lust. He’s in need of more. But just in a brief moment, guilt takes over.

“Do you want more?” You ask him, and he does. But he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be doing this in the first place, he swore to himself he wouldn’t do this to Toji. Moreover, you’re simply doing this to get back at Toji, and it doesn’t feel right.

Shiu was willing to do this no matter what at first, but tonight he doesn’t want to be used. Maybe his feelings for you go deeper than mere lust.

“Maybe another time.” He answers, and you get off him. He stands up and makes his way to your bathroom to fix himself up. 

“Will this make up for the candle lit dinner or do you want something else?!” You shout, while you look for some tissues to clean yourself up as well. 

“We’re even!” He yells back, and you’re fighting back a smirk, biting on the inside of your cheek. You know that he’s going to want more even though he claims you’re even.

You just have to give it some time before he comes knocking at your door again, asking for more.

[miffysrambles]

Hello! I love your headcannons! What are your headcannons for when S/O is gravely injured? Like, the S/O is fighting against some demons along with MK, Wukong and Macaque and they get very seriously injured, to the point of passing out. What would their reactions be?

Wukong, Macaque, and MK With a Gravely Injured S/O

(This one took a bit, sorry about that!)

Wukong:

Oh, he is livid.

He shouts at MK to take you somewhere safe, as far away from his location as the boy could go.

“Get them out of here kid, get them help! I’ll handle this!”

He needs to beat some sense into this bastard, right here and right now.

Uses almost every single one of his powers to strike the demon, soon enough scaring them off into never hurting you or even going near you again.

Grabs them by the collar as they fall to the ground, bearing his fangs as speaks through his teeth. 

“If I see you even stand close to that mortal ever again, I will not hesitate to kill you next time…”

Eventually travels back to you and MK on his cloud, finding the both of you in your apartment as the noodle boy patches you up.

He sends MK home, ensuring you’ll be ok.

“Don’t worry bud, they’ll be fine. Get some rest, ya earned it.”

He sits down next to you on the couch as he lays your head in his lap.

His fingers intertwine with your hair, his other hand caressing your face as you rest from the intensity of your wounds.

He stays like this for quite some time, maybe even hours as he does not dare to move a muscle.

His heart skips a beat as you shift awake, smiling up at him as you regain consciousness.

He smiles back at you, it might have been the fact you were still a bit tired but you swear you could see small tears in his eyes.

“Peaches, oh thank Gods! It’s ok! You’re ok, you’re safe…”

He wants nothing more than to scoop you up in his arms and cover your gorgeous face in kisses but does not want to move you when you’re in pain.

Soon enough when you’re ready to move he does just that, laying you on his chest as he presses soft kisses all over your face.

He holds you close as if you were about to disappear any second, you’re guessing he really was scared today -which is super rare.-

“I love you, oh I love you so much. I’m so glad you’re ok.”

Macaque:

His first instinct is to get you the hell out of there. 

As soon as his six ears hear your breath falter, he pulls you through into the shadows and gets you both out of the fight.

“Damnit, damnit, damnit! You're going to be okay sweet cheeks, don’t close your eyes on me. Keep those gorgeous eyes open.”

He falls into his living room with you in his arms, frantically kissing your forehead as he sets you down on the couch. 

He’s scrambling through his dojo to find stuff to patch up your wounds, he doesn’t have much because, well, he’s immortal.

After patching you up, –which is sloppily done by his shaking fingers–, he leaves you alone to rest.

“Gods damnit!” He punches a hole through the wall of the dojo, taking his rage out on the crumbling drywall. 

He needs to direct his anger towards something else before the entire building falls.

And luckily for him, he has just the target.

Oh, the demon didn’t win like they thought they did, not even close.

As soon as Macaque sees they let their guard down, he emerges from the shadows to summon his smoke monster.

It grabs the demon within its giant grasp as it forces them into the gravel below, crushing them with its sheer force.

“So! Do you really think you got away with hurting that mortal? Big mistake on your part…”

After beating the demon to a pulp, he travels back to you through the shadows.

You open your eyes to see him land on the living room floor, his ears perking up from the sound of your breath hitching as he rushes to your side. 

You smile up at him through your pain, your bandages wrapped a little too tight.

“Macaque? I love you and appreciate it so much but you tied these a little too tight…”

He blinks in surprise as he reapplies the white strips on your wounds, smiling as he kisses your nose.

“Heh, sorry about that starshine. Glad you’re ok…”

MK:

You don’t think you’ve ever seen your bright bubbly boyfriend so angry.

In fact, he is beyond furious.

To the point, he turns into his monkey form and beats the demon into a pulp. 

Pigsy and Sandy were helping you stand as you stared at the sight in front of you, MK glowing a bright gold color as the two flew through the sky so fast you couldn’t keep your eyes up with them.

At one point, the demon tried to teleport away but MK was two steps ahead as he reached his arm out and grabbed them by the collar.

“Hey! Who– Said– I– Was– Done with you yet!”

He was throwing the demon around the mountains in between his words, finally, the demon was defeated as Mk ran up to you.

“(Name)! Oh, please be ok!” He wraps his arms around you, earning a gasp of pain from you.

“Careful kid, they’re hurt bad…” Pigsy put his hands up to warn your worried boyfriend.

“Right, right. Come on, let’s get them home.”

MK scooped you up in his arms as he carried you to your apartment, using the key that you gave him to set you down on the couch.

“Stay here, I’ll get you some bandages.”

He kissed your forehead as he left the room, coming back with white gauze and a waterproof marker.

You raised your eyebrow at the marker, earning a small smile from him as he slightly laughed.

“I was gonna draw on your bandages, add a little happy touch to the sadness!”

You laughed softly, nodding at the idea.

“Sounds fun, let's do it.”

He beamed as he applied the white strips, drawing various doodles on your bandages such as a doodle of the two of you kissing, one of the Monkey King (of course), and little hearts and stars everywhere.

You smiled as he held up his phone camera to you so you could see, giving him a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you babes, I look so colorful!’

His cheeks flushed red as he kissed your cheeks several times in return, “Of course, I think you look goood! I’m so glad you’re feeling better sweetie”

[bxnfire]

Lines Blurred || Satoru Gojo

✎ synopsis: Heartbroken after dating “the boy of your dreams” you’re looking towards living a new life, one with new people and possibly new experiences, except the light hearted fun you hoped for became something stronger than that

✎ warnings/content: smut, fluff, tiiiny bit of angst, fingering, oral (both receiving), p in v, fwb, pet names, college!au

✎ a/n: this is my first ever fic!! english is not my first language, so please excuse any faulty grammar. please lmk if you have any suggestions or comments, they’d help a lot ❤️

✎ part 2 here

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏMINORS DNI ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏ

It had been 3 months since your last relationship ended. You dated one of your closest friends, and tauntingly enough, he was also in your friend group. Having spent your summer heartbroken and trying to move past things, if you were certain of anything it was that you wanted to spend the least amount of time in his presence, something near impossible if you also wanted to be around your friend group, therefore, you decided it was time for a change.

You had been friends with Shoko for a while, but didn’t really know her friends nor hung around her much, and seeing how she got you through your heart ache you decided it’d be a good idea to stick to her.

💬 Shoko ❤️: you comin w us for lunch?

💬 You: sure thing!

You were nervous. Geto seemed so hard to read, you wondered if he’d be annoyed by your presence, and you didn’t know Gojo at all. Would they like you? Would they make you wish you were back with your other friends? Would they welcome you like Shoko did?

All your questions suddenly coming to a stop when you felt someone bump into you.

“My bad! I got caught up playing ball over there, please let me know if I hurt you,” said an energetic but apologetic voice. As you turned to look at the speaker, you noticed you were met with his chest instead, and looking up at him, you realized it was none other than Satoru Gojo.

“No worries! You just caught me off guard, but I’m good,” you said reassuringly.

“Wait! Aren’t you Shoko’s friend? What was it,” he hesitated, then said “Y/l/n, right?”

Surprised he knew about you at all, you unknowingly smiled at his recognition. “Yes, that’s me!”

“I remember her talking about you,” he smiled, “she said you were going through it. Is that true? Are you feeling better now?”

Embarrassment ran through you. As your cheeks turned pinker than usual, you scratched your head and replied “yes, that’s true. Luckily, I’m doing better, but as you’ve probably heard I’ll be hanging with you guys for now. I hope we can get acquainted soon!”

“Sure we will, see ya around Y/l/n!” He said as he ran off back into the field to play once again.

You didn’t know it yet, but in no time Gojo would be your door to a new world.

ˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏ

One month had passed, and Gojo was more than just your friend. It had started innocently enough, sending each other dumb reels, sharing snacks, and even studying together.

You found yourself enjoying your conversations with him more than you enjoyed anyone else’s. He was really easy to talk to, and was always there to lift you up and make you smile whenever you felt down. His easygoing nature making you feel at ease with him, something you realized you were missing more than you originally thought.

It was no secret that he was very attractive, his beautiful blue eyes every girl seemed to fall for surely had similar effects on you. His cocky confidence made him even more likable to you, was there anything this man couldn’t do? His build was also very attractive, not too muscular but still built enough to be easily noticeable whenever he hugged you or took his shirt off, something you found yourself treasuring more and more.

It was all friendly until one night the jokes started to change tone, and after a week of tension, and stolen glances, you finally had enough of his teasing.

💬 Gojo 🍰: y/l/n, do u think u could do this?

💬 Gojo 🍰: *VID*

💬You: oh please, that’s nothing. i’ve fit bigger things than that banana in my mouth before

💬 Gojo 🍰: oh is that so?

💬 You: yes 🤭

💬 Gojo 🍰: what if i don’t believe you?

💬 You: well in that case i’d have to convince you right?

💬 Gojo 🍰: and how would that be?

💬 You: come to my dorm and find out

Gojo was running. Unbeknownst to you, he had been into you for a while, even before you two officially met. He remembers the beginning of your sophomore year in college. You two had ethics together, and he remembers you as the kind girl who helped everyone around you. Anybody could come to you if they didn’t understand something, and indirectly, he’s learned a lot from you. Shit, you were the only reason why he passed that boof ass course. The only reason to keep him coming. In the halls, he’d gotten to see your humor. Playing silly pranks in your friends, hiding phones for fun, having sassy remarks ready whenever the time called for them, and how loudly, although cutely in his eyes, you laughed at your friends’ jokes.

In no time, he found himself easily picking out your voice from others, differentiating your laugh in a sea of noise, and noticing you whenever you were around. But oh, he really disliked your boyfriend. Not hated of course! Never that, he wasn’t a hateful person… Though if he were to be, he’d hate him. Your stupid boyfriend who didn’t do well in class and didn’t care enough to ask for your help, who believed anyone’s opinions about your relationship over yours, and who, in the end, preferred to spend time with anyone else but you.

In retrospective, he didn’t really hate your ex; if anything, he started to like him. After all, after he proved he was too shitty for you, you were smart enough to leave him, meaning Satoru finally had a chance with you. He was more than psyched when Shoko told him you were sticking around for a bit, something that didn’t go unnoticed by her, but she knew Satoru could do you better than your ex did, so she let it slide.

You, on the other hand, were a wreck. Letting your lust get the best of you didn’t let you truly think through what you were about to do. What if this screwed your newfound friendship over? What if he didn’t actually want you? What if…

Your thoughts were interrupted once again by Gojo, but this time it was through a text.

💬 Gojo 🍰: open ur door

Running to your door, you gave yourself a second to shake the nerves off before opening the door. There stood Gojo, so handsome even with his white hair messy from running and his clothes a little rustled, making it obvious he wanted to waste no time getting here. His smile, shy but curious, didn’t go unnoticed by you.

“You’re so goddamn thirsty,” you tell him, finding enough confidence to smile back.

“You don’t even know,” he whispers as he gets closer to you while shutting the door behind him.

Next thing you know, you’re pinned against the wall with his hands all over your body. His kisses are desperate yet gentle, as if he had been waiting for so long he was scared this was just a dream, one he didn’t dare wake up from. Flushing at that thought, you tangled your hands in his hair and pulled him even closer, something that ignited a fire in him.

Until he woke up and stopped. He pulled away for a second, looking into your confused eyes.

“Are you sure you want to do this? Don’t get me wrong, I want to keep going, but I’d rather not make you uncomfortable ‘cause I know you may not be ready yet.”

This makes you smile. Couldn’t he tell how down bad you were for him? You truly found it sweet that he cared, but in that moment all you wanted was to have him down your throat. “I’m as ready as all I’ll ever be, unless you’re scared of course,” you reply, trying to bring back the mood.

“Scared? Baby you have no idea of how long I’ve waited for this, if anything, you should be scared of how desperately I want you,” and with that, he pulls you back in for a more passionate kiss.

Your response gave him the confidence to get bolder. His hands now ran under your shirt, every breath you took making them go a centimeter upper, until he eventually reached the hem of your bra. Shifting from your mouth to your neck, his kisses starting to get slower but more calculated, you started to moan at his touch, and in no time you felt something starting to poke your stomach. This made you even more flustered, and a familiar warmth pooled between your legs.

He picked you up and laid you down on your bed. Kissing your neck slowly, your whimpers get louder and louder as he presses him self against you, giving your soaking cunt well-received pressure.

Wanting to please him, you instinctively changed your positions so that you were on top of him and kissing down his body.

“Take this off,” you commanded.

“Who’s the thirsty one now?” He asked as he took his shirt off.

“Shut up. You came here so I could prove my point yeah?” You asked trying to hold on to you wavering confidence. His bulge was big, bigger than you would’ve thought it to be, but you were ready to take it, you wanted to taste him so bad.

Going over to him and taking his pants off, he stopped your hand from going further. You look up at him confused, wondering if you were doing something wrong.

“I want you to promise me something.” He said, looking deep into your eyes.

“And what would that be?” You asked, trying to guess what he could possibly be asking you.

“If you’re gonna show me your skills, it’s only fair I get to show you mine. Can’t let you one up me,” he said playfully, hoping you’ll let him in a little closer.

“Sounds good to me, but I don’t think you’ll be one upping me in any way,” you say, not wasting any time and going back to what you were doing.

Sliding down his underwear, his arousal sprung out, bigger and thicker than you thought it’d be. Giving it a few experimental strokes, your hand moved along his shaft trying to see what he liked, but to no avail, given that he was very reactive to all your touches, and this only encouraged you. Opting for leaving one hand at his balls and getting closer to him, you lick all over his dick.

Gojo is fucking losing it. He’s gripping the sides of your couch trying not to buck his hips into you. Who would’ve thought that all those late nights hopelessly scrolling through your profile stroking himself silly would eventually lead him to your bed were your mouth would finally replace his hands?

“F-Fuck, yeah, just like that,” he breathed out, lost in the feeling of your tongue deliciously swirling around his tip as you took him deeper in your mouth.

He started bucking his hips into your mouth soon after, gripping your hair and guiding your movements, fucking your face as he noticed how well you were taking it. As he was near the edge, he pulled your head away, once again leaving you confused.

“Why didn’t you let me finish the job?” You asked him almost mad, you wanted to see how he tasted.

“I want to make you cum first, told ya you won’t be one upping me tonight.”

“Oh really? You know I don’t need my mouth to make you cum right?” You say as you sit on his lap and start making out with him and put your hand to work. Since he was close not that long ago, you knew he’d be worked up enough to not take long to cum. Gojo was no longer kissing you as dominantly as before, having to take breaks to breathe and even moan under your touch.

Not even 10 minutes passed until he came all over your hand. Sticky ropes of cum shooting out coating your fingers, his abdomen, and your pants. Moving your hand to your mouth to suck his cum off your fingers, you look at him seductively. He wanted to be a brat and take control, but just watching you do that made him his dick throb once again.

Kissing you, now tasting himself in your mouth, he took your shirt off and tried to take your bra off. Inexperienced, he fumbled many times, which made you both laugh.

“Talk about one upping me and you can’t even take my bra off. What’s next, you won’t be able to find my clit?” You tease, doing the job for him.

“Oh please, let’s see who ends up begging for more by the end of the night,” he challenged, and for the first time, you realized you wouldn’t mind losing at all.

You were about to reply, but you realized he was no longer focused on your little banter. His eyes were glued to your bare chest, scanning every inch of your skin, wanting to remember everything for later, archive it in a special place in his brain.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says.

“You’re so fucking horny,” you reply, knowing better than to believe lust-filled words.

“I mean it! I’ve thought so even before we met,” he confessed, giving you no time to respond as he took one of your tits into his mouth while he played with the nipple in your other tit by rubbing it between his thumb and index finger.

Moans took over the room. Your smart mouth not shut, but rather occupied making progressively louder sounds in response to Gojo’s touch.

“Oh p-please G-Gojo!” You mewl, melting in his touch.

“Satoru.” He responds

“H-Huh?”

“Call me Satoru. You tried my nut, I think that’s enough to be on first name basis,” he joked, and in any other circumstance you would’ve laughed, but you were too caught up in the pleasure he was giving you.

“S-Satoru I-I need m-more!! Please give me more!!” You struggled to get out, but once you did, Satoru got to work quick pulling down your shorts and kissing down your torso to reach your thighs.

He licked, bit, and kissed around them, wanting to test how impatient you could get. It didn’t take you long to tug on his hair and pull him into you, his nose deliciously coming in contact with your soaked cunt, only the thin, wet fabric of your panties between you. Bringing one hand down to jerk himself while the other pulled your panties down to start kissing your sweet pussy, until he goes up to your clit and starts sucking it lightly, making sure you knew he was well aware of where it was and how to treat it.

His other hand reached up to your entrance and one digit started pumping into you. Your moans got louder and louder, and Satoru was wondering just how much longer he had until you were over the edge. Sticking in another digit and matching its curling pattern to the one inside made you start seeing stars, so lost in your own pleasure you couldn’t even manage to tell him you were about to come undone.

Eager to see you cry for him, all of a sudden he stopped, seeing your cute little flushed face with teary eyes look at him enraged.

“Why’d you stop?” You ask, forgetting all your pride and letting him know just how much he worked you up.

“Can’t have you wasting your arousal sweets. If you’re gonna cum, it better be all over my cock.” He said, waiting to see if he had fingered you dumb or if you had a smart remark for him.

“Then don’t fucking waste your time.” You replied, sitting on his dick and riding him to your own pleasure.

“S-Shit! You’re s-so big!” You moan, ecstasy reaching your system once again.

“This dick is all yours babe. Do as you p-please with me,” he replied, having a hard time keeping his composure as he watched your tits bounce in his face and feel you clenching his dick so fucking good.

It didn’t take you long to reach your climax, and seeing that you were unable to keep up with your own pace, Satoru took over and fucked you through your orgasm as he came closer and closer to his own. Pulling out in one quick motion, he came on your belly and kissed you as he did.

You both laid there quietly, trying to process everything that had just happened, not daring to say a word but also make a move away from each other. You were consumed in your thoughts until Satoru snaps you out of it.

“You impressed me sweets, you’re even sweeter than you look, and you take dick like a fuckin’ soldier,” he said as he caressed your face and you laughed with him.

“You’ve fucked a soldier before? Do those uniforms turn you on?” You reply playfully, happy that it’s almost like nothing has changed at all.

“Yes I have, she’s right in front of me, and I’ll need that soldier pussy putting me out of combat often,” he laughed as he said so, returning your energy as he always did.

You lay there naked just basking in each other’s presence, giving the bubble separating you from the rest of the world a little more time before bursting. Satoru ended up spending the night, but since he had a morning class the day after and you didn’t, he bought you breakfast before leaving your dorm.

You woke up to your favorite kind of coffee along with a butter croissant and a note in his unmistakable handwriting.

“Don’t miss me too much!! After lab is over I’m coming right back, so don’t leave juuust yet, I wanna see ya again ❤️

—Satoru”

Giggling, you sipped the drink as you recounted the events from last night, the memories flooding through and clouding your brain, making you genuinely wish he would come back soon.

Even then, after your daze was over, you really sat down to think of it all. Satoru was known for being a ladies’ man, could you just be another one of his conquests? You loved him, but you couldn’t stand to lose yet another friend due to your stupid feelings. Unsuspecting of his feelings for you, you decided to make it clear that you would just stay friends once he came back. Friends that were there for each other, but if the time came, friends that could call each other on those late, restless nights. This would be a sweet deal would it not? Or at least that’s what you told yourself.

Once Satoru came you acted normal. The usual banter between you two never failing to appear, but you could tell something had shifted. High fives or fist bumps were changed to hugs a little too long or kisses a little too intimate. Whenever people couldn’t see you, your usual friendly bickering turned into heated makeout sessions, always testing who gave into the other first.

Even if you placed the boundaries, ones that Satoru adhered to and respected almost religiously, you felt the dangerous beat of your heart whenever his name popped up on your phone or you happened to see him by chance. Once calling each other friends started to hurt, you knew you were screwed.

What you didn’t know though was how hurt he was too. How it pained him to have to hide his love for you all because he was scared you didn’t want to date him after all. He spent an awful lot of time dreaming of what it could be like if you were more than just friends with fucking benefits, if you would let him truly take care of you the way you deserved to be taken care of, if you could only give him a chance to prove that love, when good, is worth it after all. But he knew better than to push your limits, and so, he kept stealing glances, longing for your touch, and clinging to your little fuck sessions in hopes that one day, you’d see he had loved you all along.

[mcrdvcks]

—what is this feeling? part 2

summary: You and Peter have known each other since you were kids—only because you were friends with his distant cousin Olivia. While you have harbored a crush on him for years, you're sure he doesn't feel the same.

word count: 15.3k+ (31.6k+ total)

pairing: Peter Lyman x fem!reader

notes: this is the second part to this (long) oneshot since tumblr has a word limit. the summary and warning/tags are the same

warnings/tags: loosely follows event of scoop (2006) but not canon, miscommunication, shy!reader, slow burn, jealousy, angst, mention of murder/death, toxic peter lyman, but also sweet peter lyman (the duality of man), happy ending, not proofread

⁠♡ part 1 ♡

You had taken off work for a few days, ruminating in what felt like heartbreak. Luckily you were someone who almost never took off work, so you had more than enough hours piled up to use.

The TV played reruns of Doctor Who while you ate out of a tub of ice cream, staring blankly at the screen. You weren’t even sure which episode you were watching; it all blurred together in the haze of your thoughts. The sound of the doorbell broke through, and you froze, the spoon halfway to your mouth.

You sighed, setting the ice cream down and dragging yourself to the door. Peeking through the peephole, you felt your breath hitch. It was Peter.

He stood there, impossibly calm, dressed casually but still somehow looking polished. His hand rested lightly against the doorframe, and for a moment, he seemed to glance around the hallway as if debating whether to knock again.

Your heart thumped heavily in your chest, but you didn’t open the door. You didn’t even say anything, staying completely still as you stared through the peephole.

Peter shifted slightly, running a hand through his hair before leaning closer to the door. “Y/N, I know you’re in there,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “I saw the light on.”

You stayed silent, leaning against the door for balance.

He sighed, a faint edge of frustration creeping into his tone. “Please, just let me talk to you. Five minutes, that’s all I’m asking.”

You bit your lip, your fingers twitching against the lock, but you didn’t move.

“I know I’ve made a mess of things,” Peter continued, his voice quieter now. “But I can’t fix it if you won’t talk to me.”

You leaned your forehead against the door, closing your eyes. The ice cream was melting on the coffee table, the TV droning on in the background, but none of it mattered in this moment.

Peter exhaled sharply, the sound muffled through the door. “Alright,” he said finally, his tone resigned. “If you don’t want to see me, I’ll go. But, Y/N, I need you to know something.”

You tensed, waiting.

“I meant what I said at the garden party,” he said, his voice carrying a rare vulnerability that caught you off guard. “You don’t have to stay with him. You deserve better than Joshua—or anyone else who makes you feel like you’re just… settling.”

Your heart clenched, but you didn’t move.

“And Jade…” Peter hesitated, his voice faltering for the first time. “That’s nothing. It’s always been nothing. I don’t… I didn’t handle it the right way. But I thought—” He stopped, taking a breath. “It doesn’t matter. None of it does if you don’t believe me.”

Silence fell between you, thick and heavy. Peter waited for a beat longer before stepping back. “I’ll leave you alone,” he said quietly. “But if you change your mind… you know where to find me.”

You heard his footsteps retreating down the hall, but you stayed frozen in place, your forehead still pressed against the door. Your chest ached with the weight of his words, but no matter how much you wanted to, you couldn’t bring yourself to open the door.

Not yet.

---

Joshua, over the course of the next week, brought you flowers and takeout, even going as far as cleaning your living room and kitchen while you were at work.

"Y/N," Olivia said on the phone one evening while you sat on the couch surrounded by fresh blooms, the faint smell of lemon cleaner still hanging in the air. "He cleaned your apartment? Like, voluntarily?"

"Yes," you replied, sinking deeper into the cushions. "He said it was no trouble and that he just wanted to help while I was busy with work."

Olivia let out a low whistle. "Wow. That’s… effort. Are you sure he’s not angling for sainthood?"

You rolled your eyes, though a small smile tugged at your lips. "He’s just thoughtful, Liv. It’s nice."

"Nice," she echoed, her tone skeptical. "You’ve been using that word a lot lately. You sure you’re not just convincing yourself?"

You frowned, fiddling with the hem of your shirt. "I don’t know. He’s been really sweet, and he’s easy to talk to. It’s just… I feel like something’s missing."

"Uh, yeah," Olivia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That ‘something’ is probably tall, charming, and currently sulking somewhere because you won’t talk to him."

"Don’t," you warned, closing your eyes.

"Y/N," Olivia pressed. "You can’t avoid Peter forever. He’s not the type to let things go."

"I’m not avoiding him," you said weakly.

"You are, and honestly? I get it. He was a complete ass," Olivia admitted. "But I also know you. You’re still into him, aren’t you?"

You stayed quiet, the weight of her question pressing down on your chest.

"That’s what I thought," Olivia said softly. "Look, I’m not saying you should forgive him or whatever. But maybe you should at least hear him out. If he really feels bad, he’ll make it right."

"Maybe," you murmured, but the doubt still lingered.

"Just think about it," Olivia said before changing the subject to the latest gossip about her coworkers.

---

Two days later, the inevitable happened. You were leaving work, your bag slung over your shoulder as you stepped into the cool evening air. And there he was.

Peter leaned against the side of his car, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat. His hair was slightly tousled, like he’d been running his fingers through it, and his gaze was fixed on you with an intensity that made your steps falter.

"Y/N," he said, straightening as you approached.

You stopped a few feet away, your heart hammering in your chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to talk to you," he said, his voice softer than you expected. "Just for a minute. Please."

You hesitated, glancing around as if searching for an escape, but you knew there wasn’t one. With a sigh, you nodded. "Fine. One minute."

Peter’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and he took a step closer. "I owe you an apology," he began, his tone earnest. "For everything. For what I said, for what I did… for all of it."

You looked down, gripping the strap of your bag tightly. "You hurt me, Peter. You can’t just… say things like that and then do the opposite. It’s not fair."

"I know," he said quickly. "And you’re right. I was out of line. I thought I could—" He stopped, running a hand through his hair. "I thought I could make you see how much I cared by… I don’t even know what I was thinking. But it was stupid, and I’m sorry."

You glanced up at him, your chest tightening at the genuine regret in his eyes. "Why did you do it?"

Peter hesitated, his gaze searching yours. "Because I didn’t know how else to get your attention. I didn’t want to just tell you how I felt and risk losing you altogether."

"Felt?" you echoed, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Feel," he corrected softly, stepping closer. "Y/N, I’ve cared about you for longer than I want to admit. And seeing you with Joshua… it drove me mad. But that doesn’t excuse what I did."

You swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over you. "Peter…"

"I don’t expect you to forgive me right away," he said, his voice low. "But I couldn’t let things end the way they did. You mean too much to me."

Your eyes stung with unshed tears, but you blinked them away, nodding slowly. "I don’t know if I can trust you, Peter. Not yet."

"I’ll earn it," he said firmly, his gaze unwavering. "Whatever it takes."

For the first time in weeks, you felt a glimmer of hope. It didn’t erase the hurt, but it was enough to let him back in—just a little.

"Okay," you said softly. "But don’t make me regret it."

Peter’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he nodded. "I won’t."

---

Over the next week, Peter kept his word. He didn’t overwhelm you with grand gestures, but he was present in small, meaningful ways. He texted to check in, brought you your favorite tea during your lunch break, and even helped Olivia fix her leaky faucet when he visited her apartment.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to remind you of why you’d fallen for him in the first place.

But you still weren’t completely over what he did, which is why when Joshua invited you to his father’s Bonfire Night party you hesitated, before ultimately saying yes.

Olivia stood by you, her gold dress shimmering in the setting sun. “I can’t believe you almost ditched me.”

You adjusted the strap of your dress, avoiding her pointed look. “I wasn’t ditching you. I just… wasn’t sure I wanted to come.”

“Because Peter’s here,” Olivia said flatly, crossing her arms. “And because you’re here with Joshua.”

You winced. “It’s not that simple.”

“Sure it is,” she shot back, her voice light but sharp. “You like Peter. You’re dating Joshua. And you’re stuck in the world’s most uncomfortable love triangle.”

“Olivia,” you groaned, rubbing your temples. “Can we not do this right now?”

She raised an eyebrow, her tone softening slightly. “I’m just saying, Y/N. You’re not going to magically figure this out by avoiding the problem.”

“I’m not avoiding anything,” you muttered, though even you didn’t believe it.

Olivia sighed dramatically. “Fine. Let’s focus on surviving the party. Smile, mingle, and try not to look like you’re walking on eggshells the whole night.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” you said dryly.

“You’re welcome,” she quipped, looping her arm through yours. “Now come on. Joshua’s looking for you.”

You spotted Joshua near one of the fire pits, his easy smile and polished demeanor perfectly suited for the crowd. He waved when he saw you, and you managed a small wave back.

“I’ll catch you later,” Olivia said, giving you a knowing look before slipping into the crowd.

Joshua greeted you with a kiss on the cheek and handed you a glass of champagne. “You look stunning,” he said warmly.

“Thanks,” you replied, feeling a little stiff. “This party’s… something.”

“Father does enjoy going all out,” Joshua said with a chuckle, his hand resting lightly on your back. “Shall we?”

You nodded, letting him guide you toward a group of guests.

---

It wasn’t long before you saw him. Peter stood near the bar, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that made him look effortlessly sophisticated. He was talking to a small group, his charm on full display, but his eyes flicked to you the moment you entered his line of sight.

You quickly looked away, focusing on the champagne flute in your hand.

“Everything alright?” Joshua asked, his voice low.

“Yeah,” you said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just a little overwhelmed.”

“I’ll get us some air later,” he promised, brushing his fingers against yours.

You nodded, grateful for his thoughtfulness, even as your heart raced for entirely different reasons.

---

As the night wore on, you found yourself standing near one of the smaller fire pits, Joshua engaged in a conversation with Lord Westford. You sipped your champagne quietly, your gaze drifting to the crowd.

“Enjoying yourself?” Peter’s voice came from behind you, smooth and calm.

You turned, finding him closer than you expected. “Peter,” you said, your voice slightly breathless. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a party,” he said with a faint smirk. “What are you doing here?”

You frowned. “I was invited.”

“Ah,” he said, his gaze flicking briefly toward Joshua before settling back on you. “Of course.”

“Is there something you need?” you asked, your tone more defensive than you intended.

Peter’s smirk faded, replaced by something softer. “I wanted to check on you. You aren’t exactly the biggest fan of fireworks.”

Your eyes momentarily widened. Through all your mixed feelings, you had forgotten what today really was. Bonfire Night.

"I…" you started, gripping the edge of your champagne flute. "I’m fine. It’s just a little loud, that’s all."

Peter’s gaze softened, his hands resting casually in his pockets. "You’ve never liked fireworks."

You shrugged, trying to brush it off. "I’ve gotten better about it."

"Have you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because if memory serves, you’d always end up inside with a book before the first rocket went off."

You glanced away, heat rising to your cheeks. "That was years ago."

"Not that many years," Peter said lightly, tilting his head toward the nearby house. "Come on. Let’s go inside."

"I’m fine," you protested quickly, though your voice wavered. "I don’t need to hide from a few fireworks anymore."

Peter didn’t move, his expression calm but insistent. "It’s not hiding, Y/N. It’s taking care of yourself. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone."

You hesitated, glancing toward the sky where a few bursts of color lit up the night. The sound wasn’t deafening yet, but you could feel the familiar knot forming in your chest.

Peter waited, watching you carefully. "We don’t have to stay inside the whole night," he added softly. "Just long enough to avoid the worst of it. Like old times."

The way he said it—gentle, without judgment—made you waver. He wasn’t pushing, just… offering. And you knew he had your best interests in mind, as he always had when it came to this.

"Okay," you said finally, your voice barely audible.

Peter smiled, his relief barely noticeable but there. He held out his hand, not in an exaggerated gesture, but simple and natural, like he’d done a hundred times before.

You didn’t hesitate long before slipping your hand into his.

---

Inside the house, the noise from outside was muffled, the steady hum of distant conversations replacing the sharp pops and whistles of the fireworks. Peter led you to a quiet sitting room with a plush sofa and an unlit fireplace.

“Better?” he asked, glancing back at you.

You nodded, taking a seat on the sofa. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Peter settled into the armchair across from you, his posture relaxed but his gaze attentive. “You always hated the noise,” he said, his tone casual. “Even when Olivia and I tried to drag you outside to watch.”

“You didn’t try that hard,” you pointed out, a faint smile tugging at your lips. “You usually gave up after five minutes and left me alone.”

Peter chuckled. “Fair. Olivia’s the persistent one.”

You shook your head, leaning back against the cushions. “She still is. She made me come tonight, even though I wasn’t sure…” You trailed off, catching yourself.

Peter’s expression softened, but he didn’t press. “I’m glad you did,” he said after a moment. “It’s nice to see you outside of work or… tense situations.”

You glanced at him, your cheeks warming. “Yeah. It’s… nice.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The quiet was comfortable, the kind of silence that didn’t demand to be filled.

Peter broke it first, his voice low. “Do you remember that time Olivia dared me to set off fireworks in her backyard? You were so mad at me.”

“I wasn’t mad,” you said quickly, though you couldn’t stop the smile spreading across your face. “I was terrified. You nearly burned down her dad’s shed.”

“Nearly,” Peter emphasized, his grin widening. “And I apologized. Multiple times.”

“You should’ve apologized to her dad,” you teased. “I’m pretty sure he still doesn’t trust you near anything flammable.”

Peter laughed, the sound warm and familiar. “Probably not. But it was worth it to see Olivia’s face when the rocket tipped over.”

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe,” he said lightly, his gaze steady on yours. “But you’re smiling. That’s progress.”

You hesitated, your heart skipping a beat under his watchful eyes. “Thanks for… this,” you said softly, gesturing to the quiet room around you. “I didn’t realize how much I needed it.”

Peter leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “Anytime, Y/N. You know that.”

The sincerity in his voice caught you off guard, and you looked away, suddenly shy. “We should probably head back soon,” you said, though you made no move to leave.

“Not yet,” Peter said gently. “Let’s give it a few more minutes. You deserve a break.”

You glanced at him, his expression calm and unhurried, and nodded. “Alright. A few more minutes.”

As the muffled sound of fireworks continued outside, you let yourself relax, grateful for the quiet—and for Peter.

---

“No, to the right. Now a little to the left… and, stop! Right there.” Olivia looked over at you, “ah, don’t you just love Christmas?”

You took a sip of your eggnog. “You mean the one time every year where your parents let you decorate for the Christmas party and you get to be your true, controlling self?”

Olivia smirked, adjusting the garland draped over the banister. “Exactly. They’re too busy hosting to care, and I get to make this place look perfect. It’s a win-win.”

You laughed softly, watching as she repositioned an ornament for the third time. “It’s a little terrifying how seriously you take this.”

“Hey, you’re drinking my eggnog, so I don’t want to hear it,” Olivia retorted, sticking her tongue out at you.

“Fair point,” you admitted, raising your glass in mock salute.

Just then, the front door opened, and the familiar sound of Peter’s voice carried through the entryway. “I’m not late, am I?”

“Peter!” Olivia called, her tone sharp but playful. “You’re always late. You’re just lucky the party hasn’t officially started yet.”

Peter stepped into the living room, shrugging out of his coat. He wore a dark sweater that hugged his frame just right, and the effortless confidence in his stride made your chest tighten. “Fashionably late,” he corrected, hanging his coat on the rack. His eyes found you almost immediately. “Y/N. I didn’t realize you’d be here so early.”

You held up your eggnog as if it were an explanation. “Olivia bribed me with holiday cheer.”

“And she’s been an excellent assistant,” Olivia added, grinning. “Even if she’s a bit snarky.”

Peter chuckled, leaning casually against the doorframe. “I’d expect nothing less.”

You glanced down at your glass, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his gaze. “Are you staying for the party?” you asked, your voice quieter than intended.

“Of course,” Peter replied, his tone warm. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good,” Olivia interjected, hands on her hips. “Because you’re helping me hang the lights. Y/N’s been slacking.”

“Hey!” you protested, but Olivia just winked at you.

Peter’s smirk widened. “I’m happy to help.” He crossed the room, grabbing the box of lights from the corner. “Where do you want them?”

“Up by the fireplace,” Olivia instructed, already moving to supervise. “And try not to break anything. My dad still hasn’t forgiven you for the Great Vase Incident of ’98.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “That was your fault, as I recall.”

“Details,” Olivia said breezily, waving him off.

You watched the two of them banter, a familiar pang tugging at your chest. They’d always been so comfortable with each other, their dynamic effortless and easy. And while Olivia never made you feel like an outsider, you couldn’t help but feel a little out of place when Peter was around.

“Y/N,” Peter said, pulling you out of your thoughts. He was holding up a strand of lights, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Care to lend a hand? Or are you too busy with your eggnog?”

You hesitated, your cheeks warming. “I—uh—sure.”

“Great,” he said, motioning for you to join him by the fireplace. “I’ll hold these up, and you can tell me if they’re straight.”

“Why do I feel like I’m being set up?” you asked, setting your glass down and walking over.

Peter grinned. “Because you are.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto your face.

---

As the three of you worked, the doorbell rang, and Olivia hurried to answer it. Joshua stepped inside, his polished appearance contrasting with the slightly chaotic energy of the room. “Y/N,” he said warmly, spotting you immediately. “You look lovely.”

“Thanks,” you said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “You made it just in time.”

“Perfect timing, as always,” Joshua replied, stepping closer. He glanced at Peter, who was adjusting the lights. “Peter.”

“Joshua,” Peter said evenly, not looking away from his task. His tone was polite, but there was an edge to it that you couldn’t ignore.

Joshua slid an arm lightly around your waist, and you tensed, feeling Peter’s gaze flick toward you. “This place looks great,” Joshua said, addressing Olivia as she returned. “You’ve outdone yourself.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said, her eyes darting between him and Peter. “It’s a team effort, though. Y/N’s been helping.”

“She always has good taste,” Joshua said, giving you a small squeeze.

Peter straightened, stepping down from the stool and dusting off his hands. “Well, the lights are up. Anything else, Liv?”

“Not for now,” Olivia said, her tone tight as she glanced at you. “Why don’t we all grab a drink and relax before the guests arrive?”

“Excellent idea,” Joshua said, steering you toward the kitchen. “Come on, Y/N.”

You followed him, feeling Peter’s eyes on you the entire way.

---

The party was in full swing now, the hum of conversation and soft clinking of glasses filling Olivia’s house. You and Joshua had been mingling for a while, though he seemed perfectly at ease, charming the small groups you joined. You, on the other hand, felt slightly out of place, your smile starting to feel a little forced as the evening dragged on.

“Having a good time?” Joshua asked, leaning closer so you could hear him over the noise.

“Yeah,” you said, nodding. “It’s nice.”

His lips quirked into a small smile. “Nice? That’s all?”

Before you could reply, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Y/N,” Peter said, stepping up beside you. His tone was polite, but his eyes were focused entirely on you. “Could I borrow you for a moment?”

Joshua’s brow furrowed slightly, though his expression remained composed. “Is it urgent?”

Peter smiled faintly. “I won’t keep her long.”

You hesitated, glancing at Joshua, who gave a small nod. “Go ahead. I’ll be here.”

“Thanks,” you said softly before turning to Peter. “Alright.”

Peter led you out of the crowded room and down the hall to a quieter corner near the library. The muffled sounds of the party faded as he closed the door behind you.

“Is everything okay?” you asked, your voice hesitant.

“Everything’s fine,” Peter said, his tone gentler now. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, tied with a neat bow. “I just wanted to give you this.”

Your eyebrows shot up as you took the box from his hand. “What is it?”

“Open it and see,” he said, leaning casually against the wall, though his gaze never left your face.

You carefully untied the bow and lifted the lid. Inside was a delicate necklace with a simple arrow pendant, the silver catching the soft light of the room.

“Peter,” you breathed, your fingers brushing over the pendant. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he said, his voice low. “It reminded me of you.”

“Of me?” you asked, looking up at him.

He smiled, a small, genuine curve of his lips. “Of the time Olivia convinced you to take archery lessons with her. You were better than all of us, even though you swore you’d be terrible.”

You laughed softly, a faint blush rising to your cheeks. “I forgot about that.”

“I didn’t,” he said simply, his eyes warm.

You hesitated, your thumb grazing the pendant again. “Thank you. It’s… really thoughtful.”

“Turn around,” he said gently, holding out his hand for the box. You passed it to him, feeling your heart race as you turned.

Peter stepped closer, his presence warm behind you. You held your breath as his fingers brushed your neck, clasping the necklace with a practiced ease. He lingered for a moment, his hands resting lightly on your shoulders before stepping back.

You turned to face him, your hand instinctively reaching for the pendant. “It’s perfect,” you said quietly, meeting his gaze.

Peter’s expression softened, but there was something unreadable in his eyes. “It suits you.”

You hesitated, your voice wavering as you asked, “Where’s Jade?”

He didn’t flinch, but his smile faded slightly. “She’s gone.”

“Gone?” you repeated, your brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

Peter shrugged, his tone calm but final. “She left. That’s all there is to it.”

The way he said it left no room for further questions, and you weren’t sure if you wanted to press him anyway. Instead, you nodded slowly, your fingers still lightly gripping the pendant.

“Thank you, Peter,” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled again, a faint curve of his lips as he stepped closer. “You’re welcome, Y/N. Always.”

Before you could respond, the faint sound of someone calling your name reached the hallway. Peter glanced toward the door, his smile tightening.

“You should get back,” he said, his tone polite but distant.

“Right,” you said quickly, stepping toward the door. “Thanks again.”

Peter didn’t follow, leaning against the wall as you left. His eyes lingered on the empty doorway for a moment before he let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable.

---

Back in the main room, Joshua found you almost immediately. “There you are,” he said, his voice warm. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” you said quickly, offering a small smile. “Peter just… wanted to talk.”

Joshua studied you for a moment, his gaze flicking briefly to the necklace around your neck. “It’s nice,” he said evenly.

“Thanks,” you replied, your hand instinctively touching the pendant. “It was a gift.”

Joshua’s smile didn’t falter, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. “Shall we?” he asked, offering his arm.

You nodded, looping your arm through his and letting him guide you back into the crowd. But as the night went on, you couldn’t shake the weight of the pendant resting against your collarbone—or the memory of Peter’s words.

---

Joshua walked you to your apartment door, his demeanor as composed as ever, though there was a subtle tension in his posture. He stood just inside the threshold, his hands in his coat pockets, glancing around the small entryway.

“You’re quiet,” you said softly, breaking the silence as you set your purse on the side table.

He gave you a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Just thinking.”

You hesitated, unsure of what to say. “About what?”

Joshua took a slow breath, stepping closer. “About us.” He paused, his gaze steady. “Y/N, I know we’ve never… officially defined what we are, but I care about you. I need you to know that.”

Your chest tightened, and you glanced down, unable to meet his eyes. “I care about you too, Joshua.”

He tilted his head slightly, studying you. “I believe that. But I also think… you’re conflicted. And you have been for a while.”

You opened your mouth to protest, but he held up a hand, his tone gentle. “I’m not angry, Y/N. And I’m not trying to make this harder for you. I just think it’s time to acknowledge what’s been hanging between us.”

You bit your lip, your fingers curling against the edge of the table. “I’m sorry,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t apologize,” he said quickly, stepping closer. “You haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve been honest with me, and I appreciate that. But I can see it, Y/N. You’re trying to force yourself to feel something you’re not sure about.”

Tears pricked at your eyes, but you blinked them away. “You’re a wonderful person, Joshua. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He smiled softly, the sadness in his eyes making your chest ache. “I know you don’t. And that’s why I’m telling you this now—so you have time to figure out what you really want.”

You frowned, your voice barely audible. “What do you mean?”

Joshua straightened slightly, his tone calm but resolute. “I’m leaving for a business trip tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a week. While I’m away, I want you to think about this—about us. And about him.”

Your breath hitched, and you looked up at him sharply. “Him?”

Joshua’s expression remained steady. “You don’t have to say it, Y/N. I know Peter’s a part of this, whether you realize it or not. I’ve seen the way you look at him, the way he looks at you. It’s not something you can ignore.”

You felt a lump forming in your throat, but you couldn’t find the words to respond.

“I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty,” Joshua continued gently. “I just… I need you to be honest with yourself. And with me.”

“Joshua…” you started, your voice breaking.

He gave you a reassuring smile, reaching out to lightly touch your arm. “It’s okay, Y/N. Whatever happens, I want you to be happy. That’s all that matters.”

Tears blurred your vision as you nodded, your voice trembling. “Thank you.”

He stepped back, his hand falling to his side. “Take care of yourself, alright? I’ll call you when I get back.”

You managed a small nod, watching as he turned and walked down the hall. The door clicked softly shut behind him, leaving you standing alone in the silence.

Your gaze dropped to the pendant around your neck, your fingers brushing against it lightly. The weight of his words settled over you, leaving you torn between guilt and relief. And as much as you tried to push it away, one thought lingered in the back of your mind:

You needed to figure out what you wanted. And it wasn’t just about Joshua. It was about Peter, too.

---

A few days later, you and Olivia stumbled into her apartment after a night at the club, a place you notoriously hate because of the crowds and loud noise. But you thought it couldn’t hurt to get out of your head a little bit, especially with what Joshua said before he left on his business trip.

Olivia reached for the coat hook by her front door, trying to place her coat on the rack as it fell to the ground. “Ah, fuck it. ‘M not gonna pick that up.”

You giggled, stumbling toward the couch. “You’re such a mess, Liv.”

“I’m a masterpiece, actually,” Olivia countered, pointing a finger in your direction before tripping slightly on the edge of the rug. “Oops. See? Flawless recovery.”

“You’re ridiculous,” you muttered, flopping onto the couch and kicking off your heels. Your feet ached, and your head was already buzzing from the drinks, but for the first time in days, you didn’t feel like crying.

Olivia flopped down next to you, grabbing a throw pillow and hugging it to her chest. “I’m not ridiculous. I’m living my best life. You’re the one who never lets loose.”

“Excuse me?” you said, raising an eyebrow. “Who just spent the entire night dancing, even though they hate crowds?”

“That’s fair,” she admitted, waving the pillow at you. “I’m proud of you for actually showing up. I thought I’d have to drag you there kicking and screaming.”

“You practically did,” you pointed out, leaning your head back against the couch. “But it wasn’t… the worst thing ever.”

Olivia gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Did Y/N just admit she had fun? Someone call the press!”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help smiling. “Don’t push it.”

She smirked, tossing the pillow aside and grabbing the remote. “So, what’s the plan? Sleep? Food? Another drink?”

“I can’t even think about drinking right now,” you said, groaning. “I need water and something greasy, or I’m going to regret this in the morning.”

“Got it,” Olivia said, standing unsteadily and heading toward the kitchen. “I think I’ve got leftover pizza in the fridge. Want me to heat it up, or are we going full savage mode?”

“Savage mode,” you said, laughing. “I’m too tired to wait.”

Olivia returned with a box of cold pizza and two bottles of water, dropping onto the couch with a triumphant grin. “Bon appétit.”

You grabbed a slice, taking a bite and sighing contentedly. “This is exactly what I needed.”

“See? Clubbing isn’t so bad,” Olivia said, grabbing a slice for herself. “You just need the right ending.”

“Clubbing is still bad,” you replied between bites. “But this? This is good.”

She laughed, nudging your shoulder. “I’ll take it. Baby steps, Y/N.”

You both sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of the TV filling the room as you worked through the pizza.

Eventually, Olivia broke the quiet. “So… how’re you feeling about everything? With Joshua, I mean.”

You paused, your fingers playing with the edge of the pizza box. “I don’t know. He’s been amazing. Thoughtful, sweet, everything you’d want, right?”

“But?” Olivia prompted, tilting her head.

You sighed, leaning back against the couch. “But I keep second-guessing everything. Like, is it fair to him if I’m not… all in? Am I being honest with myself? I just feel so—”

“Conflicted?” Olivia finished gently.

“Yeah,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

She reached over, squeezing your hand. “Hey, it’s okay to feel that way. You’re not a robot. And you’re not a villain for trying to figure out what you want.”

You nodded, but the guilt still gnawed at you. “I just don’t want to hurt him. He doesn’t deserve that.”

“No one does,” Olivia said softly. “But being with someone when you’re not sure? That’s not fair to either of you.”

You stayed quiet, her words sinking in.

“And let’s be real,” she added with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. “You’ve been hung up on Peter since forever. That’s not going to just disappear because someone else comes along.”

You groaned, covering your face with your hands. “Don’t remind me.”

“I’m just saying,” Olivia said, nudging your knee with hers. “If you don’t deal with that, it’s always going to be there. No matter how great Joshua is.”

You peeked at her through your fingers, your voice muffled. “Why are you always right?”

“It’s a curse,” she said dramatically, throwing her arm over her eyes. “But seriously, Y/N. Take your time. Figure it out. And whatever you decide, I’ll be here to back you up.”

You smiled weakly, lowering your hands. “Thanks, Liv.”

“Anytime,” she said, grabbing another slice of pizza. “Now, shut up and eat. We’re not leaving any leftovers.”

You laughed, shaking your head as you reached for another slice. For the first time in weeks, you felt like maybe, just maybe, you’d find your way through this mess.

---

“Hey, Joshua. I know you said you were gonna call when you got back, but… if I’m being honest I’m really drunk right now since Olivia dragged me out to a club. But in hindsight, I still feel a bit more confident than usual so I thought I might… say what I needed to say, ‘cause I’d probably chicken out when I see you.”

“You were right. My feelings are complicated toward Peter, but I do really like you. But you were right… I need to be honest with myself. I like Peter—hell, I think I’ve loved him since we were, uh… little people? Point is, I really like you, and I never wanted to hurt you. Call me back when you’re free?”

There was a soft beep as the voicemail ended and then… silence.

The line went dead.

---

Two weeks later you were jittery and nervous. Joshua said he would be back in a week and had never returned, let alone call you back.

Olivia placed her tray on the table across from you, your work calendar underneath it, and flopped into the seat with a dramatic sigh. “Alright, spill. Why do you look like you haven’t slept in a week?”

You pushed the lettuce around on your sandwich, your appetite completely gone. “I haven’t heard from Joshua.”

Olivia blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What do you mean? He hasn’t called you since he left?”

You shook your head, setting the sandwich down. “Nothing. No calls, no texts. It’s like he disappeared.”

She frowned, her brow furrowing. “That’s weird, even for him. Did you try calling him again?”

You hesitated, fiddling with the edge of your napkin. “I left a voicemail. After we went out that night.”

“Oh, God.” Olivia’s eyes widened slightly. “You didn’t confess on a drunk voicemail, did you?”

You winced, nodding. “I did.”

Olivia groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “Y/N. Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“Because I feel like an idiot,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “I was honest with him, but now I’m worried I said too much. Or scared him off.”

Olivia sat up, her expression softening. “Hey, you were just being real with him. If he can’t handle that, then maybe it’s better you know now.”

“I just…” You sighed, resting your chin in your hand. “I didn’t want things to end like this. He deserves better than that.”

“And so do you,” Olivia pointed out. She reached across the table, squeezing your hand. “Look, maybe he’s just busy. You said he’s on a work trip, right? He could still call when he gets back.”

“It’s been two weeks,” you said, your voice breaking slightly. “I think that’s long enough for a call.”

Olivia hesitated, clearly unsure of what to say. “Alright, then maybe it’s time to move on. You’ve done what you can, Y/N. If he’s not responding, you can’t put your life on hold for him.”

“I know,” you murmured, though the words felt hollow. “It just… sucks.”

“Yeah,” Olivia agreed, leaning back in her chair. “It does. But hey, at least you’ve got me to keep you sane.”

You managed a weak smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She grinned, grabbing a fry from her tray. “Probably starve. Speaking of which, eat your sandwich. You’re no good to anyone if you’re hangry.”

You rolled your eyes but picked up the sandwich again, taking a small bite. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

---

Later that day after taking a relaxing bath, you walked into the kitchen to debate whether you wanted to cook something or order takeout. You didn’t get far before Olivia called you. You flipped open your phone. “Hey. I was just deciding what I wanted for dinner. Does Thai or Indian sound bett—”

“Have you checked the news?”

The phone nearly slipped from your fingers. “What? No, I haven’t. Why?”

Olivia’s voice was tense, clipped with urgency. “Turn on the TV. It’s on every channel.”

Your chest tightened as you moved quickly to the living room. You fumbled with the remote, flipping through channels until a familiar news anchor appeared on the screen. The banner running across the bottom made your stomach drop.

MISSING: LORD BECKETT’S SON, JOSHUA BECKETT

The screen displayed an image of Joshua smiling at some event, dressed in one of his tailored suits, looking perfectly at ease. The anchor’s voice filled the room:

“…last seen departing for a business trip nearly two weeks ago. Despite extensive efforts to contact him, friends and family have received no communication. Authorities are investigating his disappearance. More details are expected to follow—”

You muted the TV, your hand trembling as you pressed the button.

“Y/N?” Olivia’s voice came through the phone, softer now. “Are you seeing this?”

You sank onto the couch, your heart racing. “I… Yeah. I’m seeing it.”

“What the hell is going on?” she asked, her voice tinged with unease.

“I don’t know,” you whispered. “He didn’t say anything before he left—just that he’d call when he got back. I thought… I thought he was just busy.”

“Two weeks is more than busy,” Olivia said flatly. “This is serious.”

You swallowed hard, trying to steady your breathing. “Do you think something happened to him?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia admitted. “But if he hasn’t been in touch with anyone, it’s not a good sign.”

Your chest tightened, a sick feeling settling in your stomach. “This doesn’t make any sense. He was fine before he left. He didn’t seem… worried about anything.”

“Do you think he—” Olivia hesitated, lowering her voice. “Do you think he left on purpose? Like, to get space or something?”

“No,” you said quickly, shaking your head even though she couldn’t see you. “Joshua wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t just… disappear without telling anyone.”

“Alright,” Olivia said, though she still sounded uncertain. “Then we have to assume something’s happened. Have the police contacted you?”

“No,” you said, glancing at your phone. “Why would they?”

“You were dating him,” Olivia pointed out. “If they’re investigating, they might reach out to people close to him.”

Your stomach churned. “I don’t know anything, Liv. If they ask me, what am I supposed to say?”

“Just tell them the truth,” Olivia said gently. “That’s all you can do.”

You nodded weakly, your eyes flicking back to the muted TV. The image of Joshua remained on the screen, a stark reminder of how little you understood what was happening.

---

The knock on your apartment door startled you. You froze on the couch, your mind spinning with thoughts of Joshua, the news reports, and the uneasy ache that had settled in your chest over the past few days. Slowly, you got up, wiping your hands on your sweatpants as you approached the door.

You peeked through the peephole, your breath catching when you saw Peter. His expression was calm but tinged with something you couldn’t quite place.

“Y/N?” His voice was soft, just loud enough to carry through the door. “Can I come in?”

You hesitated for a moment before unlocking the door and opening it. “Peter,” you said quietly, stepping aside to let him in.

He offered a faint smile, his eyes scanning your face as if trying to gauge your mood. “Hey. I heard about the news… I wanted to check on you.”

You nodded, shutting the door behind him. “Thanks. I’m… I don’t even know what I am, honestly.”

Peter’s gaze softened, and he reached out, his hand brushing lightly against your arm. “Come sit down. You shouldn’t be standing here like this.”

You let him guide you back to the couch, sinking into the cushions as he sat beside you. The air felt heavy, the unspoken weight of everything pressing down on both of you.

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “He just… vanished. And no one knows anything. It doesn’t make sense.”

Peter nodded, his expression steady but unreadable. “It’s unsettling. And it’s not something anyone should have to go through.”

You looked down at your hands, twisting your fingers together nervously. “I keep going over every conversation we had before he left. Wondering if I missed something—if he was trying to tell me something, and I didn’t pick up on it.”

“Y/N,” Peter said gently, his hand resting on your knee. “Don’t do that to yourself. You couldn’t have known. This isn’t your fault.”

“But what if—” you started, but he shook his head.

“There are no ‘what ifs,’” he said firmly, his hand warm and steady against your leg. “You cared about him. You were there for him. That’s what matters.”

You blinked back the sting of tears, nodding weakly. “It just… it doesn’t feel real. He was here, and now he’s not. It’s like the ground’s been pulled out from under me.”

Peter’s arm slid around your shoulders, pulling you gently against him. “I know,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I’m so sorry.”

You let yourself lean into him, your cheek resting against his chest. The steady rhythm of his breathing was oddly soothing, grounding you in a way you hadn’t expected. His other hand came up, brushing lightly over your hair as he held you close.

“It’s not fair,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “He didn’t deserve this.”

“No, he didn’t,” Peter agreed, his voice low. “But you don’t deserve to carry this on your own, either.”

You closed your eyes, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the warmth of his embrace. For a moment, the weight on your chest eased, replaced by a strange sense of comfort you hadn’t felt in weeks.

“You don’t have to stay,” you said quietly, though you didn’t move away. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Peter said firmly. “Not until you’re okay.”

You didn’t respond, too lost in the haze of your emotions to argue. Instead, you stayed where you were, letting the steady beat of his heart and the warmth of his arms lull you into a fragile sense of calm.

---

When you and Olivia walked into your apartment after going out to dinner together, the first thing you noticed was the large vase of hydrangeas on your coffee table, along with a small box of expensive caramels.

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up as she shrugged off her coat. “Well, well, what’s this? Did you pick up a secret admirer while I wasn’t looking?”

You blinked, setting your bag down and approaching the table. A small card sat propped against the vase. “I… have no idea,” you murmured, picking up the card.

Olivia leaned over your shoulder, her curiosity on full display. “Read it! What does it say?”

You opened the card, your fingers brushing over the neat handwriting. “To brighten your day. -Peter.”

Olivia let out a low whistle. “Peter, huh? He’s pulling out all the stops, isn’t he?”

You felt your cheeks warm as you set the card back down. “He’s just… being thoughtful.”

Olivia flopped onto the couch, crossing her legs. “Thoughtful, sure. But come on, Y/N, hydrangeas and fancy caramels? That’s not just thoughtful—that’s calculated. The man knows what he’s doing.”

You sighed, sitting down beside her and fiddling with the edge of the coffee table. “He’s been really sweet lately. Ever since… you know.”

“Since Joshua?” Olivia supplied, raising an eyebrow.

You nodded, biting your lip. “I don’t know how to feel about it. I mean, Peter’s been there for me through everything, but I can’t shake this feeling like he’s… I don’t know. Trying to prove something.”

Olivia tilted her head, studying you. “Maybe he is. But is that a bad thing? You’ve had a thing for him forever, and now he’s finally making an effort. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“It’s not that simple,” you muttered, leaning back against the couch. “I don’t want him to feel like he has to… compete or something. Especially after what happened with Joshua.”

Olivia snorted, grabbing one of the caramels and unwrapping it. “Y/N, Peter’s not the kind of guy who does anything he doesn’t want to do. If he’s stepping up now, it’s because he wants to. Not because he feels obligated.”

You frowned, her words sinking in. “But what if it’s too late? What if everything with Joshua just… ruined it?”

Olivia rolled her eyes, popping the caramel into her mouth. “Ruined what? You and Peter were always circling each other, even when you were with Joshua. This isn’t about timing—it’s about you deciding what you actually want.”

You stayed quiet, your fingers brushing over the edge of the card again. “What if I don’t know what I want?”

Olivia nudged your shoulder, her voice softer now. “Then maybe it’s time to figure it out. Peter’s not going anywhere, Y/N. But you owe it to yourself to stop holding back.”

You glanced at her, her words settling in your chest like a weight. “Do you think he really…?”

“Likes you?” Olivia finished, smirking. “Y/N, that man’s been pining after you for years. He’s just too proud—or too stubborn—to admit it outright.”

Your cheeks burned, and you quickly looked away. “You don’t know that.”

“Don’t I?” Olivia said, grinning. “He sent you hydrangeas, Y/N. Your favorite kind of flower that you probably mentioned one time to him when you were younger, and he remembered.”

You rolled your eyes, even as your cheeks flushed. “He’s just being nice.”

“Nice?” Olivia scoffed, popping another caramel into her mouth. “Y/N, this isn’t nice. This is strategic. He’s playing the long game, and you’re falling for it.”

“I’m not falling for anything,” you muttered, fidgeting with the card in your hand.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Oh, please. He’s practically wrapped around your finger, and you’re still pretending like he’s not into you. Wake up, Y/N.”

You sighed, setting the card back on the table. “It’s complicated, Liv.”

“Only because you’re making it complicated,” she shot back. “You’ve been into him since we were kids. He’s finally giving you his full attention, and you’re sitting here overthinking it.”

You hesitated, your fingers brushing over the edge of the vase. “It’s just… everything with Joshua. It feels wrong to move on so fast.”

“Joshua wouldn’t want you to sit around moping,” Olivia said firmly. “And let’s be real, you weren’t head-over-heels for him. You liked him, sure, but not like this.”

You looked at her, surprised. “Not like what?”

“Not like the way you look at Peter,” Olivia said simply, crossing her arms. “Or the way you get all flustered when he so much as breathes near you.”

“I do not,” you protested weakly, but Olivia just smirked.

“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that,” she said, standing and stretching. “Anyway, I’m thirsty. Wine, good?”

You managed a weak laugh, grateful for her ability to lighten the mood. “Wine’s good.”

“And while we wait, you can tell me how you’re going to handle Peter. Because ignoring him isn’t an option anymore.”

You sighed, leaning back against the couch. “I don’t know, Liv. I really don’t.”

“Well, figure it out,” she said, closing your cupboard’s door. “Because knowing Peter, he’s not going to let you avoid him for long.”

---

A knock on your apartment door the next evening made your heart skip a beat. You weren’t expecting anyone, and Olivia had her own plans tonight. Setting down the tea you’d been sipping, you walked cautiously to the door and peeked through the peephole.

Peter stood on the other side, dressed casually in a gray sweater and dark jeans, holding a small bag in one hand. He caught sight of the peephole and gave a faint smile, as if sensing you were there.

“Y/N,” he said softly, his voice just loud enough to carry through the door. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

You hesitated, your hand resting on the doorknob before finally unlocking it and opening the door. “Peter. What are you doing here?”

He held up the bag with a sheepish grin. “I brought takeout. Thought you might be hungry.”

Your eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You brought me dinner?”

He shrugged, stepping inside as you moved aside to let him in. “It’s not exactly gourmet, but I figured it’s better than you eating instant noodles.”

“Bold of you to assume I had instant noodles planned,” you said, closing the door.

Peter smirked, setting the bag on the kitchen counter. “It’s a hunch.”

You crossed your arms, leaning against the counter as he unpacked the food. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” he said simply, glancing at you. “I know things have been… a lot lately. I thought a quiet dinner might help.”

Your chest tightened, and you looked away, fiddling with the hem of your sweater. “You’ve been doing a lot for me lately.”

Peter’s expression softened. “I care about you, Y/N. I’m just trying to be here for you.”

You glanced up at him, his words settling over you like a warm blanket. “Thank you. Really.”

He smiled faintly, pushing one of the takeout containers toward you. “Come on. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

---

Dinner with Peter was easy, the conversation flowing effortlessly as you talked about everything and nothing. He had a way of making you laugh, his wit sharp but never cutting. For the first time in weeks, the weight on your chest felt lighter.

As the evening wore on, Peter leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on you. “You seem more like yourself tonight.”

You smiled softly, swirling your drink in its glass. “I think I’m starting to feel… okay again. It’s still weird not hearing from Joshua, but I’m not as upset as I thought I’d be.”

Peter nodded, his expression unreadable. “That’s good. You deserve to feel at peace.”

You hesitated, the words tumbling out before you could stop them. “Do you think he’s okay? Wherever he is?”

Peter’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but his tone was calm when he replied. “I think he’d want you to be happy, no matter what.”

Something about the way he said it made you pause, your gaze lingering on his face. “You really think that?”

“I do,” he said firmly, his eyes meeting yours. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to help you get there.”

Your heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of you. You swallowed hard, looking down at your drink. “You’ve already done so much, Peter. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

He leaned forward slightly, his voice low and steady. “You don’t owe me anything, Y/N. Just let me be here for you. That’s all I want.”

You glanced up, your breath catching at the intensity in his gaze. The warmth of his presence, the sincerity in his words—it was all too much and not enough at the same time.

“Okay,” you said softly, your voice barely audible. “Thank you.”

Peter’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile. “Anytime.”

---

“How was your date last night?” you asked as the nail tech painted a soft coral onto your nails.

Olivia grinned, glancing at you over her magazine. “It was… interesting. He showed up in a leather jacket, which I thought was bold for a guy who works in finance, but then he ordered a piña colada at dinner.”

You laughed softly. “That’s a choice.”

“Right?” Olivia said, shaking her head. “I mean, I’m all for a guy who knows what he likes, but it just didn’t vibe with the whole Wall Street aesthetic he was going for.”

“Did you tell him that?”

She smirked. “Of course not. I’m not a monster. But the date kind of fizzled after that. Turns out, he’s one of those people who think working for a magazine is ‘cute.’”

You winced. “Ouch.”

“Exactly,” Olivia said, leaning back in her chair. “So, no second date for Mr. Leather-and-piña-colada.”

“You’re ruthless,” you teased, shaking your head.

“I have standards,” she replied, flipping the page of her magazine. “How’s work been? Any new scandals in the accounting world?”

You rolled your eyes. “It’s been fine. Mostly just year-end audits and tax prep.”

“Sounds thrilling,” Olivia said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Hey, it pays the bills,” you replied with a shrug. “And it’s not all spreadsheets. Sometimes there’s… client drama.”

“Oh, client drama,” Olivia said, perking up. “Now we’re talking. Spill.”

You hesitated, glancing at the nail tech, who was focused on your hand. Lowering your voice slightly, you said, “we had this one client who tried to write off their yacht as a business expense. They even had fake invoices to back it up.”

Olivia gasped, clearly delighted. “No! Did they get away with it?”

“Not a chance,” you said, smirking. “My boss caught it immediately. The guy was not happy when we told him he couldn’t claim it.”

“Let me guess,” Olivia said, narrowing her eyes. “He tried to threaten you with his ‘connections.’”

“Something like that,” you replied, laughing. “But we stood our ground. It was kind of satisfying watching him squirm.”

“You’re secretly a savage,” Olivia said, grinning. “I love it.”

You shook your head, smiling. “Not really. I just don’t like people thinking they can get away with stuff like that.”

“Well, remind me never to try and cheat my taxes,” Olivia said, raising her hands in mock surrender.

“Smart choice,” you replied, your tone teasing.

The nail tech finished your last finger, carefully blowing on the polish to help it dry. Olivia glanced at your hands and nodded approvingly. “That color’s perfect on you.”

“Thanks,” you said, admiring the soft, summery shade. “Ready to head out?”

“Absolutely,” Olivia said, standing and grabbing her purse. “But first, we’re getting coffee. I need something to recover from the mental image of a guy sipping a piña colada in a suit.”

You laughed, following her to the counter to settle the bill. “You really know how to pick them, Liv.”

“I live to entertain,” she said with a wink.

---

“Hey there, Dotty.”

You let out a slight gasp as you turned around to come face to face with Olivia’s twin brother, Oscar. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, how do ya think Ollie got the tickets? I’ve got connections you know.”

Olivia walked over holding her clutch and a glass of wine. “Oscar,” she hissed.

He turned to look at her, “what? I’m just speakin’ the truth.”

“Five years in America and you’ve turned into more of a pretentious arsehole.” Olivia muttered.

“I heard that. And I resent it.” Oscar replied, reaching over to ruffle her hair, which she dodged.

Peter walked over, placing a hand on your waist and gently moving you aside as Olivia and Oscar continued their bickering. His touch was warm, firm, and effortlessly reassuring, making your breath hitch for a split second.

“Let’s not get caught in the crossfire,” Peter murmured close to your ear, his tone laced with amusement.

“Good idea,” you replied softly, letting him guide you a few steps away. Your heart gave an annoyingly noticeable thump as his hand lingered for a moment longer than necessary before he let it drop.

The theatre lobby was bustling, everyone dressed to the nines for the evening performance of The Phantom of the Opera. Olivia’s enthusiasm for the musical had been borderline infectious, but Peter’s presence was what had truly made you agree to come tonight. You wouldn’t admit it out loud, but you were looking forward to sitting next to him in the darkened theatre.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Peter said, studying your face. His gaze was steady, calm, yet probing in a way that always made you feel like he saw more than you were ready to show.

“Just taking everything in,” you said, gesturing to the opulent decor around you. “This place is beautiful.”

Peter smiled, his expression softening. “It is. But I meant you. Something on your mind?”

You hesitated, glancing toward Olivia and Oscar, who had moved on to teasing each other about their wine preferences. “I guess I’m just… nervous. I haven’t been to something like this in a long time.”

“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Peter assured you. His voice dipped slightly, and you swore his eyes darkened just a fraction. “You look incredible, by the way.”

Your cheeks flushed, and you glanced down at the neckline of your dress. “Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself.”

Peter chuckled, the sound low and warm. “I try.”

Before the conversation could deepen, Olivia swooped in, dragging Oscar behind her. “Alright, let’s get to our seats before the ushers start giving us dirty looks.”

Oscar rolled his eyes but followed, grinning as Olivia nudged him toward the row. “You’re bossy, you know that?”

“You love it,” Olivia shot back, sliding into her seat.

Peter motioned for you to go ahead of him, and as you slid past him to take your seat, his hand brushed lightly against your back again. The touch was fleeting but intentional, and it sent a shiver down your spine.

You tried to focus on the grandeur of the theatre as the lights dimmed, the murmurs of the crowd fading into anticipation. But Peter, seated just to your right, made it impossible to ignore the steady hum of awareness that had been building between you.

---

The performance was breathtaking. You’d been completely captivated by the haunting music and the tension between the Phantom and Christine, though the parallels to your own tangled emotions didn’t escape you. Peter, seated so close, made every small movement—every shift, every glance—feel magnified.

As the final notes of Music of the Night faded into the silence of the audience, you turned slightly toward him, your expression unguarded. “That was… incredible.”

Peter was already watching you, his eyes unreadable in the dim light. “It’s one of my favorites,” he said softly. “I knew you’d like it.”

“You did?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, leaning slightly closer. “You’ve always been drawn to stories like this. Beautiful, bittersweet, with just a hint of danger.”

Your breath hitched, his words hitting closer to home than he probably realized. Or maybe he did realize—it was Peter, after all.

Before you could respond, Olivia leaned across Oscar from her seat on the other side. “Is it just me, or does this whole ‘Phantom versus Raoul’ thing feel unnecessarily stressful?”

Oscar smirked. “It’s just you. You’re always Team Raoul.”

“And you’re always wrong,” Olivia retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

Peter chuckled, leaning back slightly but not breaking his gaze from yours. “I’d say the drama is what makes it worthwhile.”

“Exactly,” you said, a faint smile tugging at your lips. “What’s the point without a little tension?”

Peter’s lips quirked into a knowing smile. “My thoughts exactly.”

---

After the show, the four of you stepped into the cool night air, the buzz of the performance still lingering in the air. Olivia and Oscar were ahead, debating the musical’s ending, leaving you and Peter a few steps behind.

“You’re quiet again,” Peter noted, glancing at you. “Second thoughts about the story?”

You shook your head, pulling your coat tighter around you. “No, it was perfect. Just… a lot to process.”

“I get that,” he said softly, his hands tucked into his pockets. “It has a way of sticking with you.”

You hesitated, your gaze flicking to him. “Which side were you on? The Phantom or Raoul?”

Peter tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “The Phantom, of course.”

“Of course?” you asked, arching an eyebrow.

He nodded, his tone teasing but layered with something deeper. “The Phantom’s not perfect, but he’s passionate. Compelling. He knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to take risks to get it.”

“And Raoul?” you pressed, though your voice was softer now.

Peter shrugged, his gaze steady on yours. “Raoul’s safe. Predictable. But sometimes, safe isn’t what we need.”

Your breath caught, his words hanging in the space between you like a challenge. You opened your mouth to respond, but Olivia’s voice called back to you, breaking the moment.

“Y/N, come on! Oscar wants to hit a diner before heading back.”

You turned toward her, grateful for the distraction. “Coming!”

Peter’s hand brushed lightly against your arm, stopping you for just a moment longer. “Think about it, Y/N,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. “What’s worth the risk?”

You stared at him, your heart pounding in your chest, but he didn’t wait for an answer. With a faint smile, he followed Olivia and Oscar down the street, leaving you to catch up and wonder if the Phantom’s shadow was closer than you’d realized.

---

Peter’s father was having another party, celebrating something in the aristocratic circle you were sure you wouldn’t understand.

The Lyman estate was as grand as ever, with its sprawling grounds and towering facade lit up against the evening sky. You adjusted the strap of your dress, feeling slightly out of place despite the polished look Olivia had helped you put together.

“It’s just a party,” Olivia had said as she zipped up your dress. “The same champagne, the same tiny hors d'oeuvres, and the same people trying to one-up each other with stories about their vacations. You’ll survive.”

Easy for her to say—this was her family. For you, it felt like stepping into a world you’d never quite belong to, even if you’d been tagging along to events like this since you were kids.

“Y/N,” Peter’s familiar voice drew your attention as you lingered near the garden entrance, trying to avoid the bustle of the main hall. He approached, his navy suit tailored to perfection and his tie slightly loosened, as if to project effortless ease.

“You’re hiding,” he teased, stopping a few paces away.

“Not hiding,” you countered softly, fiddling with your clutch. “Just… taking a moment.”

Peter smiled faintly, his gaze flicking over you. “You look stunning tonight.”

Your cheeks warmed, and you glanced away. “Thanks. Olivia helped.”

“She has good taste,” Peter said, stepping closer. “Though, I’m sure you’d look stunning regardless.”

The compliment hung in the air, and you struggled to find a response. Before you could, Peter gestured toward the garden path. “Walk with me?”

You hesitated but nodded, falling into step beside him. The air outside was cooler, the faint hum of the party muffled by the hedges and tall trees.

“You’ve been avoiding the main hall,” Peter said after a moment, his tone casual.

You shrugged. “It’s… a lot. These parties always feel a little overwhelming.”

“I get that,” he replied, his hands tucked into his pockets. “It’s all so… polished. A show, really.”

You glanced at him, surprised by the hint of disdain in his tone. “You don’t like them?”

Peter chuckled softly. “I tolerate them. But if I had a choice? I’d skip the champagne and small talk for something a bit more… real.”

“Real?” you echoed, curious.

He tilted his head, his gaze meeting yours. “Something like this. A quiet walk. No pretense, no expectations.”

Your heart skipped a beat, the sincerity in his voice catching you off guard. “That does sound nice.”

Peter’s smile softened, and for a moment, the air between you felt charged with something unspoken. But before either of you could say more, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses drifted toward you, pulling you back to reality.

“Shall we head back?” you asked, your voice quieter now.

“Not yet,” Peter said, his tone light but firm. “You’ve spent enough time worrying about everyone else tonight. Let me distract you a bit longer.”

You hesitated, your fingers brushing against the pendant around your neck—a small habit you’d picked up since he gave it to you. Finally, you nodded. “Alright. Distract me.”

Peter’s lips quirked into a small smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Gladly.”

You followed him down the garden path, the faint glow of lanterns lining the way. The chill in the air nipped at your skin, and you hugged your arms to yourself, regretting not bringing a shawl. Peter noticed almost instantly.

“You’re cold,” he said, his tone leaving no room for denial.

“I’m fine,” you replied quickly, though your shiver betrayed you.

Peter stopped walking, shrugging off his blazer in one fluid motion. Before you could protest, he draped it over your shoulders, his hands lingering for a moment as he adjusted it. The warmth of the fabric and the faint scent of his cologne made your heart skip a beat.

“Better?” he asked, stepping back.

You nodded, your voice soft. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, starting down the path again. “I can’t have you freezing out here. It’d ruin my distraction plan.”

You laughed lightly, shaking your head. “Your plan’s working, by the way. I don’t think I’ve thought about anything else tonight.”

“Good,” Peter said, his gaze flicking to you briefly. “That’s the goal.”

The two of you walked in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of gravel crunching underfoot the only thing breaking the stillness. The garden was peaceful, the faint hum of the party fading into the background. It felt like you were in your own little world, away from the chaos and expectations.

“You’ve always been good at this,” you said suddenly, glancing at him.

Peter raised an eyebrow. “At what?”

“Making people feel like they’re the only one in the room,” you replied, your cheeks warming slightly. “It’s… a talent.”

He chuckled, the sound low and warm. “I think you give me too much credit.”

“I don’t think I do,” you said softly, your gaze dropping to the path. “You’re good at making people feel seen. Heard.”

Peter stopped walking, turning to face you. “What about you, Y/N?” he asked, his voice quiet but pointed. “Do you feel seen?”

Your breath hitched, and you looked up at him, his expression open but intense. “Sometimes,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “When it’s you.”

The faintest smile touched his lips, and he took a small step closer. “Good.”

The air between you felt charged, the unspoken tension that had been building for weeks finally coming to a head. Peter’s eyes searched yours, his gaze dropping briefly to your lips before meeting your eyes again. He leaned in slightly, as if testing the waters, and your heart raced.

But before either of you could close the gap, a distant voice called out. “Peter? Are you out here?”

The spell broke, and you stepped back, your cheeks burning. Peter exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he glanced toward the direction of the voice.

“We should get back,” you said quickly, your voice unsteady. “They’ll be looking for us.”

Peter turned back to you, his eyes unreadable. “Y/N—”

You shook your head, stepping past him. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

You barely made it a few steps before his hand caught your wrist, stopping you in your tracks. “Wait,” he said, his tone low but insistent.

You turned back, your heart pounding as he stepped closer. Before you could say anything, his hand moved to your cheek, and he kissed you.

It wasn’t rushed or hesitant. It was steady, purposeful, and everything you hadn’t let yourself imagine. His lips were warm against yours, his touch grounding, and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away.

When he pulled back, just enough to look at you, his hand still rested gently against your cheek. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”

Your breath caught in your throat, your fingers brushing the fabric of his jacket draped over your shoulders. “Peter…”

He searched your face, his expression open but cautious. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

You didn’t say anything right away, your mind racing. The kiss had sent a thrill through you, a warmth that settled in your chest, but there was also a lingering uncertainty. You had spent so long trying to untangle your feelings—toward him, toward Joshua, toward everything. But in this moment, none of it seemed to matter.

“I don’t want you to stop,” you said softly, the words tumbling out before you could overthink them.

Peter exhaled, relief flashing across his face before his hand moved to the back of your neck, pulling you into another kiss. This one was deeper, hungrier, like he’d been holding back for years and couldn’t any longer.

When you finally broke apart, your heart was racing, and you could barely catch your breath. Peter rested his forehead against yours, his voice low. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to say that.”

You managed a small laugh, though your voice shook. “Probably not as long as I’ve waited for you.”

He tilted his head, his smile soft but teasing. “Is that so?”

You nodded, looking down at the ground. “Since we were kids. Maybe not this exact thing, but… yeah.”

Peter’s hand moved to your chin, tilting your face up to meet his gaze. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was steady. “I wish I’d known sooner. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so much of an idiot.”

“You’re still an idiot,” you said, though there was no heat in your tone.

He laughed, a sound that made your chest tighten in the best way. “Fair enough. But I’m trying, Y/N. I need you to know that.”

You nodded, your fingers brushing the edge of his sleeve. “I know. And I see it. I do.”

Peter looked at you like he wanted to say more, but the distant sound of footsteps on gravel interrupted the moment. He straightened slightly, his hand falling away from your cheek. “We should get back before they start sending a search party.”

“Right,” you said quickly, adjusting his jacket around your shoulders. “We don’t want to draw any more attention.”

He smirked, offering you his arm. “Shall we?”

You hesitated, then slid your hand into the crook of his elbow. As you walked back toward the main house, his closeness felt like a shield against the noise and expectations waiting for you inside.

Neither of you spoke as you reentered the party, but Peter’s hand brushed against yours, a silent promise that left your heart fluttering.

---

You opened your apartment door to see Peter in his usual outfit. He looked you up and down, a slight frown on his face. “It’s cold outside, why don’t you have a jacket?”

You gave him a slight pout, “it’ll ruin my outfit.”

Peter’s lips twitched into a small smirk, though the concern in his eyes didn’t waver. “Though that dress looks incredible on you,” he said, his voice soft but insistent, “I don’t want you to get sick again. Humor me?”

You sighed dramatically, rolling your eyes. “Fine. You’re impossible, you know that?”

Peter grinned, stepping back to lean casually against the doorframe. “I’ve been told. But I’m also right, aren’t I?”

You gave him a quick, light kiss, feeling his smile against your lips. “Don’t let it go to your head,” you murmured, turning toward your bedroom. “I’ll grab a jacket.”

As you disappeared down the hall, Peter watched you with a faint smile, his hands tucked into his pockets. When you returned, shrugging into a light jacket that didn’t clash with your dress, he straightened, his expression smug.

“There,” you said, raising an eyebrow. “Happy now?”

“Delighted,” he replied smoothly, reaching for the door. “Shall we?”

You locked up and stepped into the crisp evening air, Peter’s hand resting lightly on the small of your back as he guided you toward the car.

“Where are we going, anyway?” you asked, glancing at him.

Peter’s eyes glinted with amusement. “It’s a surprise.”

You huffed playfully. “You know I hate surprises.”

“Which is exactly why I planned one,” he countered, his tone teasing but gentle.

The drive was filled with soft music and comfortable silence, Peter occasionally stealing glances at you. It had been like this for weeks now—easy, familiar, and strangely comforting. He’d become your rock in the chaos, grounding you without ever pushing too hard.

“Alright, we’re here,” Peter said, pulling into a quiet parking lot.

You looked out the window, your brow furrowing. “An art gallery?”

Peter stepped out of the car and came around to open your door, offering his hand as you stepped out. “Not just any art gallery,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, as if sharing a secret.

Inside, the gallery was quiet, the faint hum of soft lighting illuminating the pieces on display. It wasn’t crowded—just a handful of other people scattered throughout the space, their voices hushed.

“You brought me to a gallery at night?” you asked, glancing at him as he led you toward a small alcove.

“You said you wanted to get out of your head,” Peter replied easily. “Art has a way of doing that. Besides, I thought you’d like this exhibit.”

He stopped in front of a painting, his hand still lightly on your arm as you took it in. It was abstract but vibrant, the colors swirling together in a way that felt both chaotic and intentional.

“It’s beautiful,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

Peter didn’t respond right away, his gaze fixed on you rather than the painting. “It reminded me of you,” he said softly.

You turned to him, your heart skipping a beat. “Why?”

“The way it draws you in,” he said, his voice steady but quiet. “It’s complex, layered… but there’s a warmth to it. Something you can’t look away from.”

Your cheeks flushed, and you looked back at the painting, your fingers brushing lightly over the pendant around your neck. “Peter…”

He stepped closer, his voice low but firm. “I mean it, Y/N. You’re… something else entirely.”

You turned to face him, your heart pounding in your chest. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied, his lips twitching into a small smile. “Just… let me be here. With you.”

You hesitated, the vulnerability in his eyes stealing the breath from your lungs. “You’re already here,” you said softly.

“And I’m not going anywhere,” Peter said, his hand brushing against yours. “Not unless you tell me to.”

You looked up at him, your voice barely audible. “I don’t want you to.”

Peter’s smile deepened, his hand slipping fully into yours as he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Good.”

For the rest of the evening, you wandered the gallery together, his presence grounding you in a way you hadn’t expected. You didn’t think about the past or the uncertainty of the future. For now, it was just the two of you, lost in the quiet beauty of the moment.

---

“I feel bad leaving you at your apartment on Valentine’s, Liv. You sure you don’t want to come to the party with us?” You gave her your best puppy eyes, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Olivia laughed, shaking her head as she finished tying her hair into a loose bun. “Y/N, you’ve got a date. You’re not ditching me. Besides, I’ve got plans.”

You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. “Plans? You didn’t mention that earlier. What plans?”

She smirked, grabbing a glass of wine from the counter. “Plans to spend the night in my pajamas, eating chocolate, and watching Colin Firth movies. It’s a solid tradition.”

“That sounds better than a Valentine’s party,” you admitted with a small laugh.

Olivia grinned. “See? No need to feel guilty. I’m perfectly content.” She pointed at you with her glass. “You, on the other hand, need to stop hovering and finish getting ready. Peter’s going to be here soon.”

Your stomach fluttered at the mention of his name, and you glanced at the clock. “I guess you’re right. Thanks, Liv.”

“Always,” she said, raising her glass in a mock toast. “Now go knock his socks off.”

---

When Peter arrived, he was dressed impeccably, as usual, in a charcoal suit that fit him perfectly. He looked you up and down, his expression softening into a smile. “You look stunning,” he said, his voice warm.

“Thanks,” you said, a shy smile tugging at your lips. “You clean up well too.”

“Ready to go?” he asked, offering his arm.

You nodded, slipping your hand through his. “Let’s do this.”

---

The Valentine’s party was in full swing by the time you arrived, the venue decorated with twinkling lights and an abundance of red and pink. Couples mingled, champagne flutes in hand, while a live band played soft jazz in the background.

Peter stayed close to you, his hand resting lightly on the small of your back as you navigated the crowd. “Not too overwhelming, I hope?” he asked, leaning closer so you could hear him over the music.

“It’s nice,” you said, glancing around. “More elegant than I expected.”

He chuckled. “They like to go all out for these things.”

You sipped the champagne he’d handed you earlier, your nerves settling slightly. Peter had a way of making you feel at ease, even in the most crowded rooms.

---

At one point, Peter led you to the edge of the dance floor, his expression unreadable. “Dance with me?” he asked, his voice soft.

You hesitated, glancing at the couples swaying gracefully to the music. “You know I’m not very good… And there are so many people watching…”

Peter’s smile softened, and he tilted his head, his tone gentle but teasing. “They’re not watching you. Trust me, they’re too busy worrying about how they look.” He held out his hand, his eyes steady on yours. “Come on. I’ll make it easy for you.”

You bit your lip, still unsure, but the warmth in his gaze eased some of your nerves. “Fine. Just… don’t let me trip.”

Peter chuckled as you placed your hand in his. “I wouldn’t dare.” He led you to the edge of the dance floor, his movements fluid and confident. He turned to face you, slipping one hand around your waist while the other held yours. “See? Easy.”

You glanced around, your heart racing. “For you, maybe.”

Peter leaned closer, his voice low. “For us.” His confidence was contagious, and you found yourself relaxing slightly. As he guided you in a gentle rhythm, you tried to focus on him instead of the crowd.

“You’re doing great,” he murmured, his breath warm against your cheek.

“I’m barely moving,” you replied, though you couldn’t keep the smile off your face.

“And yet, you’re perfect,” Peter countered, his lips twitching into a small smirk. He stepped back slightly, spinning you gently in a twirl.

A surprised laugh escaped you as you spun, your dress flowing lightly around you. “Peter!”

He caught you effortlessly, pulling you back into his arms. “What? I had to show you off a little.”

Your cheeks warmed, but you couldn’t help laughing. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet, here you are,” he teased, his hand tightening slightly on your waist as he brought you closer.

The music slowed, and Peter’s steps matched the gentle tempo, keeping you steady even as your nerves started to fade. You glanced up at him, your voice quieter now. “This isn’t so bad.”

“Told you,” he said, his tone soft but smug. “You just needed the right partner.”

You rolled your eyes, but your smile gave you away. “You always have to get the last word, don’t you?”

Peter tilted his head, considering. “Not always. But I’ll make an exception for you.”

The song ended, and the crowd clapped politely, but Peter didn’t release you right away. His gaze lingered on yours, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the room disappeared.

“Thank you,” you said softly, your fingers brushing against his.

“For what?” he asked, his voice low.

“For making me forget how much I hate dancing,” you teased lightly, though the gratitude in your tone was real.

Peter smiled, his hand brushing against your cheek. “I’d say you’ve officially conquered it.”

You opened your mouth to reply, but someone bumped lightly into Peter’s shoulder, pulling you both back to reality. He sighed, stepping aside to let the couple pass. “Looks like the dance floor’s getting crowded. Want to find somewhere quieter?”

You nodded, your chest still fluttering from the moment. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Peter led you away from the crowd, his hand resting lightly on your back as he guided you toward a quieter corner of the venue. As the hum of the party faded into the background, you glanced at him, a soft smile tugging at your lips.

“I’m glad I came tonight,” you said quietly.

Peter looked at you, his expression warm. “So am I.”

---

The chicken and potatoes were placed in the oven. You took off your oven mitt and walked into the living room, where Peter sat on your couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he fiddled with your radio. The TV played on mute, casting a soft glow across the room.

“How’s it going?” you asked, leaning against the doorway with a small smile.

Peter glanced up, a screwdriver in one hand and a look of concentration on his face. “Almost there. I think one of the wires was loose.”

You crossed the room, sitting on the armrest of the couch. “You didn’t have to fix it, you know. I could’ve just bought a new one.”

Peter smirked, glancing at you before returning his attention to the radio. “And let you replace a perfectly good radio just because of a loose wire? Absolutely not. Besides, I like a challenge.”

“Is that what this is? A challenge?” you teased, nudging his arm lightly.

“With this ancient thing? Definitely,” Peter said, chuckling. “But I’m winning.”

You laughed softly, the sound easing the cozy quiet between you. “You’re impossible.”

“So I’ve been told,” he replied, grinning as he twisted the screwdriver one last time. “Alright, moment of truth. Ready?”

“Do I have a choice?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

Peter flicked the switch, and a burst of static filled the room before it smoothed into the soft strains of a classical piano piece. He leaned back, a triumphant look on his face. “There we go.”

You clapped your hands lightly, impressed despite yourself. “Okay, I’m officially convinced. You’re a genius.”

Peter grinned, setting the screwdriver aside. “I’ll try not to let it go to my head.”

“Too late,” you teased, sliding off the armrest and sitting next to him. The warmth of his shoulder brushing against yours made your stomach flip, though you tried not to show it.

Peter’s gaze flicked to you, the teasing glint in his eyes softening. “You’re in a good mood tonight.”

“I wonder why,” you said lightly, gesturing toward the now-working radio. “I mean, how could I not be? I’ve got dinner in the oven and free tech support on my couch.”

Peter chuckled, leaning back against the cushions. “I’ll take the credit for at least half of that.”

You shook your head, a small smile playing on your lips. “Seriously, though. Thanks for fixing it. I know it’s just a radio, but it means a lot.”

He tilted his head, studying you for a moment. “You don’t have to thank me, Y/N. I like doing things for you.”

Your cheeks warmed at his words, and you glanced down at your hands. “You’re just… really good at being here, you know? I don’t think I’ve said that enough.”

Peter reached over, his fingers brushing lightly against yours. “You don’t have to say it. I can see it.”

You looked up at him, his steady gaze making your heart race. “Still… it’s nice to hear sometimes.”

He smiled, his hand lingering on yours. “Then I’ll say it, too. I like being here. With you.”

The room fell quiet, the soft hum of the radio filling the space between you. Finally, Peter stood up, his hand holding yours. “What would you say to a dance?”

You let out a muffled chuckle, “what’s up with you and dancing?”

Peter smirked, tugging lightly at your hand until you stood. “It’s not about the dancing. It’s about the company.”

You rolled your eyes but let him pull you close. His hands rested lightly on your waist, and yours instinctively found their way to his shoulders. “I don’t think this qualifies as dancing,” you teased.

Peter grinned, swaying gently with you to the soft piano music coming from the radio. “It’s our version of dancing. Much better than all that formal nonsense.”

You relaxed into his hold, letting your body move with his. “I think you just like an excuse to pull me into your orbit.”

“Caught me,” he said lightly, though the warmth in his gaze gave his words a deeper meaning.

The two of you swayed in comfortable silence, your head eventually resting against his chest. His hand shifted, brushing lightly against your back as he pressed a kiss to your temple. You tilted your face up to look at him, and the look in his eyes made your heart skip.

Without a word, Peter leaned in and kissed you, his lips soft and deliberate against yours. The music faded into the background, the world narrowing to just the two of you. His hand slid to your jaw, tilting your face to deepen the kiss as he guided you in a slow turn.

Unbeknownst to you, the muted TV caught his attention as the breaking news banner flashed across the screen. The headline read: "Body of Joshua Beckett Found; Foul Play Suspected." A reporter’s voice narrated the grim discovery as images of Joshua’s smiling face and the scene of the investigation played.

Peter’s eyes darkened briefly, but his movements didn’t falter. He smoothly shifted you so your back was to the screen, blocking your view entirely as he deepened the kiss.

“Peter,” you murmured against his lips, your hands gripping his shirt lightly.

“Hmm?” he responded, his voice low, his lips brushing yours with each syllable.

“Nothing,” you whispered, the thought slipping away as he kissed you again.

He swayed you both a few more steps before finally slowing to a stop, pressing one last lingering kiss to your lips. His forehead rested against yours as you caught your breath, your hands still resting on his shoulders.

Peter’s arms tightened slightly around you, guiding your head to rest gently against his chest as the two of you continued to sway. His hand traced light, soothing circles over your back, and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat was calming, almost hypnotic. You let out a soft sigh, closing your eyes and leaning into him.

“Comfortable?” Peter murmured, his voice low and warm, close to your ear.

You nodded, a faint smile tugging at your lips. “Very.”

“Good.” His hand lingered on your lower back as he slowed the swaying to a near standstill. He tilted his head slightly, keeping an eye on the TV just beyond your line of sight. The news anchor’s voice faded, and the screen switched to a cheerful weather update.

Peter exhaled subtly, his grip on you shifting as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. Then, gently, he eased back just enough to look at you. “Fixing that radio was definitely worth it,” he said, his lips quirking into a small, playful smile.

You tilted your head, catching the faint amusement in his tone. “Just the radio?”

Peter chuckled, leaning down to press another soft kiss to your lips. “And maybe the dancing,” he admitted. His hand slid to your jaw, holding you steady as he kissed you again, slower this time, as if savoring the moment.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his voice quiet but steady. “You’re impossible to resist, you know that?”

Your cheeks flushed, and you gave a small laugh, your fingers toying with the fabric of his shirt. “Takes one to know one.”

He grinned, his hand slipping to your waist. “Touché.” His gaze softened, and he tilted his head slightly, brushing his nose against yours. “Should we check on dinner before we get too distracted?”

You nodded, though you made no effort to move just yet. “Probably.”

Peter’s smile deepened, and he kissed you one more time before stepping back and reaching for your hand. “Come on, then. Let’s not burn the place down.”

The two of you moved toward the kitchen, his fingers lacing with yours as he walked beside you. It was easy, natural—like the rhythm you’d fallen into with him over the past few months. You didn’t think about anything else, just the warmth of his hand in yours and the simple comfort of his presence.

And if Peter’s grip on your hand tightened slightly as you passed by the muted TV, you didn’t notice.

so in my head (even though when peter murdered betty it was completely justified, she was blackmailing him!) reader is actually the 'affair.' you're telling me that he would willingly have a relationship with a prostitute when he got upset that reader goes on a date, or even ignores him?? yeah, no. he's too obsessed. which is why i switched it and had him kill joshua.

this was going to be a short oneshot, and after the first two dates with joshua peter was going to reveal his feelings for reader and it was going to be a happy ever after, but then i thought "wait, he could just kill joshua" to keep it somewhat canon to the character of peter. and i know that all of this could've been done quicker if they just talked to each other and confessed their feelings, but as i wrote it, i made it so peter wanted you to confess to him first (which is what he heard when you left that voicemail for joshua, even though you don't know that peter heard it). he may be obsessed with you, but he still wants to know that you actually want him.

anyways, thanks for reading! and i hope it was up to y'all's standards <33

[sorbetisfruity]

So, fun lil fact about me, I’m southern. And I don’t really have the whole southern/country accent unless I get super mad and start yellin’</3

So now I’m thinking about Epel finding out you’re southern and freaking out because omg!!!! You’re like him!!!!!

No one else has the little country accent he does:((((

You, Epel, Grim, and probably Ace, Jack, Sebek, and Deuce are walking around school because you guys have some free time. You guys haven’t seen the entire school because y’all are first years, so you’re exploring together!!

How fun is that?

So, you guys are walking around, pointing out things you haven’t noticed or seen before.

Like classes you haven’t taken and teachers you’ve never heard of.

And it’s all peaceful until you hear someone yelling your name from behind you.

You obviously turn around, thinking it might be one of your other friends or one of the housewardens needing some help.

But instead you’re met nearly fist to face with a Savanaclaw student.

Luckily you were able to dodge before his fist hit you.

“Dude, what the hell? What’s your problem?” You say, staring at his fist that’s now clenched tightly at his side.

“You’re my fuckin problem!! You fucking bitch!!” He screams, his pointer finger digging into your chest.

He continues to scream at you as the guys try to get him off of your ass. Jack is trying to pull him back and Ace and Deuce are cussing him out. Grim is threatening to spit some fire and Epel is helping Jack. Sebek is in front of you, guarding you from any attacks he may lay on you.

(Epel wants to seem more manly in front of you guys</3)

And finally, you get to the point where you’ve had enough and get sick of trying to solve this nicely.

“If ya wan’ a fight then you’re gonna get a fight douchebag..” you say, country accent slipping through.

“The fuck you say? Come on, speak up pussy!” The savanaclaw student growls, pushing past Jack and Epel, and shoving Sebek out of the way to come face-to-face with you.

“I said…” you grabbed the collar of his shirt, “if you wan’ a fight, you’re gonna get one. And don’t call me a pussy, you fuckin’ dipshit!”

You sock him in the jaw, making him fall back and nearly land on Jack and Epel.

The guys are absolutely flabbergasted because one, they didn’t know you had a country accent and two, they weren’t expecting you to HIT him.

You glare at the student on the floor as he holds his jaw in pain.

“Did that knock any sense inta’ ya?” You taunted, continuing to glare up at him as he scrambles to his feet. “Now ya know not to fuck wit’ me, right? Are we clear? Ya know to stay away from me and my pals?”

The savanaclaw student frantically nodded his head, and quickly ran away from you afterwards, tail in between his legs.

“God bless his heart…” you mumbled, turning to face your friends, whom of which were all staring at you with wide eyes.

“…what?”

“Dude…that was AWESOME!!!! You never told us you can punch like that!!!” Ace exclaimed, shaking you frantically.

“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down?” Jack asked, putting a hand on your shoulder.

“No-no, I’m fine sweetheart I’m fine..” you sigh.

Jack blushed at the pet name, tail wagging excitedly.

“Human, do you need me to call Malleus for some assistance? He’s much stronger than you so he’ll be able to take care of that guy for you!!!” Sebek all but screams into your ear.

“That’s a nice offer but, imma have ta’ decline. Sorry Sebek..”

“Prefect, your voice..” Deuce started, pointing at you.

“Ya have an accent?? A country accent? No way!!” Epel looked up at you as he fangirled, grabbing your hands.

“Oh!! Uh, yeah. It only, ya know, pops out when I’m mad and start yellin’, as you can tell..” you giggle nervously, blushing at all of the attention you were now receiving.

“Henchman, that was so cool!” Grim even praised you, jumping onto the shoulder that wasn’t occupied.

And the entire day, all they talked about was how badass it was that you nearly knocked out a savanaclaw student. Bragging to everyone and anyone who’d listen (and who wouldn’t listen) about how cool the Ramshackle Prefect is.

Epel mainly talked about your country accent and asked stuff about your hometown:(((

And you just knowwwww Epel went back to the dorm and told Rook and Vil all about it. Rook is fangirling just like Epel and Vil just couldn’t be more pissed off.

He’s been trying so god damn hard to break Epels accent, now he’s gotta break yours too?!?!

Ugh, must he do everything around here??

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

DUDE WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME HOW HARD IT WAS TO WRITE A COUNTRY ACCENT??? I am never doing that again unless I absolutely need too whhshwhebsbssbsb:((((

[motthe]

Hello! Could I ask for a drabble with snowed in rivals with Mel Medard! I prefer Fem!Reader but G/N works just as well!!

Drink cookies, eat hot coco, and have a happy holidays! 🎁

i will eat ALL the hot coco yes. thank you so much and wish you all the joy this winter season!!!

warnings: one (1) mention of breasts but not in a nsfw way, sassy women, rival attitudes one could say, perhaps a bit of secondhand embarrassment

You hadn’t expected to be snowed in with your fellow council member Mel Medarda of all people. You supposed it could have been worse. While you and Medarda did not always see eye to eye, you were less inclined to strangle her after an hour of being trapped in an office with her. The same could not be said with a few of the other members.

“Surely the enforcers will notice when they make their rounds.”

Your eye twitched as you opened them to the dying flames within the fireplace.

“We both worked far too late for that to be an option,” you said with a wilting patience. “They don’t do rounds this late in the winter—not unless suspicious accidents have occurred, at least.”

“We can’t possibly be stuck here,” she chuckled, much to arrogant as you turned to stare at her, dead faced. “If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be a bit more worried?”

You shrugged. “Only thing I’m worried about is this fire going out. Let’s find some paper, perhaps a newspaper if we’re lucky.”

A search left you with more than enough kindle to keep the fire going throughout the night, though with how fast paper burned you’d might wake too late to add in to the pile.

As you pulled the couch closer, Mel stood off to the side of the fireplace, raising an eyebrow. The chill of the room was getting to her or so her crossed arms revealed.

“Oh, I apologize. Did you want the couch?” you huffed, straightened to gesture to the cushions.

“This is ridiculous!” she said, golden details glinting in the moonlight seeping through the windows. “I’m going to find a flashlight—something to signal for help!”

“In the dark?” you mumbled. The electricity had gone out along with every exit, unless you counted jumping out of a window. “Good luck with that.”

She rolled her eyes, starting out of the room. You scooted your bed for the night as close as you dared to the fireplace, tossing in a few rolls of magazines for good measure. Luckily you’d found some coats left behind and could use them for makeshift blankets.

You’re not sure what time it was, but it was still dark out when you felt a shift. Mel was crouching by the fire, shivering so hard her teeth chattered. She was holding her hands against the flames, but the small amount of heat didn’t seem to help much.

Sitting up with a sigh, you shimmied over and patted the cushions as she looked to you.

“Well? Do you want to freeze?” you grumbled, holding up your pile of coats.

“Honestly,” she whispered, but she accepted the invitation all but melting into your side when she realized how much of your body warmth had seeped into the cushions and jackets. It was already awkward enough being stuck here together, so the two of you remained silent and watched the crumbling paper drift into smoke.

You woke to voices in the hall and thundering footsteps. The urgency was enough to send you upright until you realized you were more or less pinned to your bed.

Wait, no, not bed—couch?

The night raced back as you looked down to find Mel conked out on your chest, her breath warm as she cuddled deeper into your breast.

She was just coming to, outlined eyes a bit smudged but soft as they blinked wearily at you in confusion, when the door slammed open and a couple of guards raced in.

“Here they are!”

“What in—“ Mel began sitting up, yorue not sure if she was more shocked with you being under her or the enforcers.

“We were afraid two of the council members had gone missing,” one of them reported, clearly keeping up their professional duty as they did not question either of you as you rushed to your feet. Mel rushed to fix the skirt of her dress which had ridden up in the night. Your face burned at the sight of so much of her leg.

“We were snowed in,” you announced to the room, a bit shakily. “There was no way to get help so we made do.”

“Yes,” Mel scrambled to agree. You’d never seen her so…out of sorts. “We’re fine. Call off the search.”

“Of course,” the other enforcer replied, marching out of the room. Their partner followed leaving you both to a quiet room once more.

“Well, have a good day,” you sputtered, hurrying towards the door.

“Wait!”

You stopped, blood rushing in your ears as you glanced back. Your fellow council member was at a loss for words before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Thank you for starting the fire last night.”

You blinked, unsure why your heart dropped. What had you been hoping for? “Of course.”

“I know I wasn’t much help, so I just wanted to express my gratitude,” she said, nodding. “That’s all.”

“Right, well… You’re welcome. Good day.”

It wasn’t until you were halfway down the hall that you realized just how cold it was without her against you anymore.

[mikasa-imadebiscults]

Hi I LOVE your writing and I've finally returned to Tumblr after a couple YEARS and it's been GREAT mainly bcuz of you but anywayy

I had this thought about gyomei x promiscuous!wife smut if you want to write it😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏

(HEY OMFG YOU’RE SO NICE. I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY THAT I’VE MADE YOUR EXPERIENCE ON TUMBLR GREAT 🥹 Also I looked up the definition of promiscuous and I hope I got the right definition lol. Anyways I hope you enjoy and have a good day!!)

Favorite Romance

Gyomei Himejima x Promiscuous! FEM! Reader

(Warning: Smut, swearing, and unprotected sex)

|PROMISCUOUS- Having more than one sexual partners, not restricted to one sexual partner|

Your lifestyle was..different from others to say the least. Some people even look down upon it, calling the people who partake in multiple sexual partners “harlots” or “streetwalkers”. Despite how society thinks about your chosen lifestyle, you and your husband’s relationship continues to thrive and grow every day with absolutely no judgment coming from him. You are eternally grateful for that.

Out of all the partners you had, Gyomei has always been your favorite. Not only because of his personality and appearance but the sex was utterly breathtaking, he always put your pleasure in front of his own, unlike others that you’ve experienced.

....

“Mm~” Small moans slipped from your mouth and were instantly muffled by the lips of your husband. From what started off as a passionate kiss turned into a full blown make out session, which also quickly escalated. He was sitting on the edge of the bed while you were on his lap, tongues moving against each other with such pleasure and passion. You craved more.

You started to unbutton his uniform, taking your sweet time to pull off his top all the way and feeling him up slowly with your hands, making him shiver. “Ah you’re quite eager today, may I take care of that?” He inquires.

“Mhm, you don’t even have to ask.” You say against his lips before making your way to his neck, placing a trail of kisses.

He chuckled lightly at your comment, grabbing your chin gently to make you look at him. “I always have to ask, your consent mat-” You cut him off with an abrupt kiss.

“I know dear. I love how much you care, you have a big heart.” You spill out, watching as the genuine smile on his face grows bigger. Your words always somehow manage to make their way deep into his soul, touching his spirit. Gyomei pulled you into a long kiss, his hand on the back of your head.

It felt like it’s been ages since you’ve gotten to spend time like this with him due to both of your hectic schedules and you can feel the slight desperation and desire through the kiss. You hastily took off your bottoms, practically almost ripping off your panties in the process. Still not breaking the kiss, you threw the clothes to the side, abandoning them.

Putting your hands on his shoulders; you massage the tense muscles, making him pull away to exhale and allow you to catch some air. You pushed him onto his back and straddled him, catching him off guard. “I wanna ride you.” You say seductively but yet so needy for him, your voice giving away the desperation you felt.

He went wide eyed at your bluntness but nevertheless he was turned on by it. Very turned on to say the least; you can tell exactly how much those four words affected him by the tent that started to grow and poke you even more.

“If that’s what you wish, then you shall receive.” Gyomei said before pulling you back into a kiss, using one of his arms to move you up a little so that he can take off the rest of his clothes. Luckily he was quick with it. “Let me prepare you first.” He said softly, Gyomei wants to ensure that you’re ready first before moving on. He gathered your wetness with his fingers and slowly entered you.

Letting out a quiet moan, you fought the urge to grind into his fingers, wanting to save your energy for what’s to come. Though there was no doubt that if you did lose all your energy while riding him, he would without a doubt help you through it and guide you to pleasure.

“I’m ready Gyomei.” You stated, holding back the whine that threatened to leave your throat.

He smiled amusingly at your neediness, “Already? You must’ve missed me almost as much as I missed you.” He took out his digits before laying completely flat again, “Do as you wish, my love.”

Those words enticed a whole new level of excitement to your core, wasting no time to angle yourself above his cock; in which he helped you, guiding your hips downwards. Slowly filling you up, painfully slow.

Once you got all of him inside you waited a moment before grinding your hips a little, feeling your hole stretch so good. Getting a little more comfortable, you began to move more in an up and down motion, earning a grunt from your husband.

Sounds of squelches and moans echoed and filled the room almost as loud as the sexual tension and passion in this moment. Praises fell from Gyomei’s lips while he rubbed your clit, the bud twitching from sensitivity. The gesture made your back arch, overwhelmed by the pleasure.

His other hand rested on your hips, you held it for a little while before guiding him up your body. Having his calloused hand feel all over your body.

“You feel so good dear.” He praised through small grunts, listening as your noises became more intense and your movements more erratic. He knew you were close. “You’re close, do you want me to pull out and release after you cum?” He questioned, wanting to make sure that he did exactly what you wanted.

“Cum inside me, please!” You cried out, dangerously close to the edge.

“Then let’s cum together.”

As soon as those words left his lips you both came, waves of erotic pleasure washed over you two. You lean forward to rest on top of him, feeling so full. The both of you were panting and regaining your breath. Gyomei moved so he could pull out of you and continued to hold you close, kissing your head. He reassured you to go to sleep and he’ll clean up everything later while you rested. You smiled at his kindness before letting sleep slowly consume your tired body. You were for sure gonna repay him in the morning.

Masterlist

[7ndipity]

Make an Effort

Namjoon x Reader

Summary: When you ask Joon to be your fake boyfriend, he ends up finding out about your very real crush on him. Luckily for you, the feeling’s mutual.

Word count: 1.5k

Warnings: swearing, mentions of drinking, lil suggestive, not proofread(when are they ever tho?)

A/N: Thanks to the lovely anon who requested this!

Masterlist

Requests are open

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

You and Namjoon had the kind of friendship where you’d known each other long enough that you could ask each other to do pretty much anything and you would more than likely agree. Shoulder to cry on? You’re there. Hide a body? You’ll at least consider it.

And yet, it still managed to catch Joon off guard when you came bolting over to him in the middle of the party you were both attending and latched onto his arm.

“I need you to be my boyfriend for ten minutes.” You said frantically.

“What?!” He spluttered, nearly choking on his drink.

“One of my old roomates from university is here with her husband and I fucked up and told them I had a boyfriend and now they want to meet him!” You explained quickly.

“Why would you tell them that?!” He gaped at you.

“Because I’m a fucking idiot who should not be allowed to speak after drinking tequila, now will you please help me?!” You begged.

He hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. “Fine, ten minutes.”

“Thank youuu!!” You pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before pulling him along behind you through the crowd, oblivious to the sudden flush of crimson that was coloring Joons face due to your actions. He managed to compose himself though before you reached the table where your friend was sitting with a few other people.

“Guys, you remember Namjoon, right?” You said lightly, still holding onto his hand tightly.

There was a brief flurry of greetings as Joon smiled and nodded politely, slightly relieved that he did in fact remember your friend from the early days of your friendship.

You all talked comfortably for a few minutes, Joon finding it slightly too easy to slip into the role of pretend boyfriend, enjoying the feeling of your hand in his. He couldn’t help but wonder if this would be how it felt if he actually had the nerve to confess and tell you how he felt about you.

Too soon though, the moment came to an end as you released your hold on him to go get you both more drinks.

“So, how long have you and Y/n been together?” Your friend asked, trying to make small talk.

“Not long. It’s uh, still pretty new.” He said somewhat awkwardly, glancing towards where you’d disappeared.

“You make a really cute couple.” She said. “It’s nice to see that you two got together, especially considering how Y/n used to have the biggest crush on you back in university.”

“What?” His full attention flicked back to her, suddenly very interested in this conversation. You liked him?! This was brand new information to him.

“They didn’t tell you?” She asked, surprised. “I figured that’s how you got together.”

“No, I mean I knew,” He lied quickly. “I just didn’t realize it was common knowledge.”

“Oh, it wasn’t.” She laughed, understanding. “They never actually told me, but it was pretty obvious, you know? Like, I remember when you started dating some one girl during our senior year, they wouldn’t leave the house for like a week.”

He remembered you avoiding him for a week, but you’d told him it was because you had the flu and didn’t want him to catch it.

Was that the real reason? And if so, why hadn’t you said anything?

He knew the likely answer though before he’d even finished the thought, because it was the same reason why he’d never said anything about his own feelings; you hadn’t wanted to fuck up your friendship in the event that the other person didn’t feel the same way.

The fear of potentially losing one of the most important people in his life had been more than enough to keep him from vocalizing his feelings for this long, he could imagine how it must’ve felt for you.

But now that he knew you did feel the same(or at least used to, but he was hoping it was still true), the question was how to proceed with this information.

He supposed he could just ask you point blank, but knowing you, you would likely bristle and deny it in an attempt to avoid the potential embarrassment or rejection. Something more subtle would be the better route.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by you returning with the drinks.

“What’s got you so smiley?” You asked, noticing his odd expression.

“Just hearing funny stories about you.” He said lightly, a plan beginning to form in his head as he spoke.

“Nothing too compromising, I hope.” You said, only half joking.

“Nah, just interesting.” He said, changing the subject. “Hey, You wanna grab breakfast together tomorrow?”

You looked up in surprise. “I guess. What’s the occasion?”

“Nothing, just thought it’d be fun.” He replied with a shrug.

“Okay, sure.” You nodded.

“Cool, It’s a date.” He said, biting back a grin as he caught the way your eyes flickered to him at his choice in phrasing, but said nothing.

He managed to surprise you again the next morning when you opened the front door to find him waiting with a bouquet of pink carnations.

“Morning.” He said brightly.

“What are those?” You asked, ignoring his greeting, distracted by the flowers.

“They’re for you.” He said, as if it was obvious.

“Why?” You asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

“I saw them on the way over and remembered you saying that they were one of your favorites, so I thought you’d like some.” He said, offering you the bouquet.

Hesitantly, you took them, still eyeing him curiously. “Thank you…”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “Now, breakfast?”

The rest of the morning passed fairly normally, though it didn’t pass your notice that Namjoon seemed to be extra attentive towards you, opening doors and pulling your chair out for you. He also refused to let you pay, even though it was technically your turn.

“I’m the one that asked you out, I should be the one to pay.” He said, quickly swiping his card.

“Don’t say it like that,” You said with an awkward laugh. “It makes it sound like we’re on a date.”

“I mean, I was your fake boyfriend last night.” He said with a smirk, making you flush slightly.

You didn’t say anything more about his behavior until later as he was walking you to your door.

“Did something happen?” You asked suddenly.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“You’re being like, really nice today.” You said, making him laugh.

“Am I not allowed to be nice to you?” He asked.

“No, you are,” You said. “I was just wondering what the reason was.”

“I just felt like it, is that okay?”

“I guess so.” You shrugged. “I’m just not used to having someone put this much effort into a ‘date’.”

“Well, I’m gonna have to change that.” He grinned, trying to quell the thrill in his chest at your referring to the outing as a date.

For the next week, his odd behavior continued, taking you on outings to the park or to dinner, buying you little gifts, texting you good morning every day, he’d even got you both little lego models to build together while you hung out at his place.

“Babe, can you pass me that piece?” He asked distractedly, the simple petname being the thing that finally made you snap, freezing for a moment as you stared at him.

“Why are you doing this?” You asked abruptly.

He glanced up in confusion. “Doing what?”

THIS!” You gestured. “The dates, the gifts, the ‘babe’? Why are you acting like there’s something between us all of a sudden? Why are you trying to get my hopes up when I know nothing will-”

Your words were silenced by his lips suddenly on yours, soft but insistent, as his hands came up to gently cradle your face. After a few seconds, he slowly pulled away, cautiously meeting your wide-eyed stare.

“Because I want there to be something between us.” He confessed. “I want you to get your hopes up. I want you to know what it feels like to have someone make an effort to show their love for you, because I do. I love you, Y/n.”

For several long seconds, you stared at him in shock, before suddenly tackling him, knocking him back against the sofa as you reconnected your lips with his.

“I love you too.” You managed to mumble in between kisses, earning a muffled chuckle from him as he returned your enthusiasm, hands fumbling to find purchase to pull you even closer, winding one arm around your waist while the other hand came up to rest on the back of your neck.

Eventually, you had to pull back for air, staring at each other with hooded eyes.

“So, does this mean I get to be your real boyfriend this time?” He joked, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

You let out a shaky laugh, already leaning back in. “Honey, you can be whatever you want.”

Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @whitefoxgirl @bethanysnow @captainorangegoose

[jessejaredstories]

One Last Adventure

“Did you find anyone yet?”

“Not yet babe, I’m still looking.”

I flipped through the pages of my old high school yearbook while my boyfriend Jack was pacing around our bedroom. He was supposed to be searching through Grindr and Tinder for potential targets, but I knew he was getting frustrated and decided not to push it. My boyfriend has always been the impatient type, but I could understand why he was getting extra antsy tonight. 

About a month ago, my boyfriend and I made a deal with a witch. In exchange for five years off of each of our lifespans, the witch would grant us the supernatural ability to take over other people’s bodies. As you can imagine, Jack and I have been generously using our new powers ever since we got them. We’ve been using them to do whatever we want as whoever we want! Getting easy access to anything we want, getting payback on anyone who’s wronged us, and probably the most fun, fucking as whoever we want. Pretty sweet ability right? 

But of course, an extraordinary power like this doesn’t come without its cost. On top of paying the witch with literal years off of our lives, there were also two conditions we needed to follow. The first condition was the time limit. We got exactly 30 days before our powers expire. Once time’s up, that’s it. No more body hopping fun. The second condition was more of a restriction than anything else. The witch said that we couldn’t just take over anyone’s body. We could only choose people both Jack and I have met in-person before. That condition really limited our options, but even so, that didn’t stop us from having as much fun as possible. 

“Hey, what about these two?” I handed Jack the yearbook with an open page. Unfortunately though, it took him less than a second to shake his head no.

“No good. I knew them but I never actually met them.”

I sighed as I took back the yearbook. Not gonna lie, I was starting to get frustrated too. We just couldn’t find any new bodies to possess! Normally, we wouldn’t get so worked over it, but tonight was different. It was our last day before our powers expired for good. Obviously we couldn’t just let our powers die out without one last body hopping escapade! But after hours of searching, it was not looking good for us…

Or so I thought. I started half-assedly looking through all the faces of our former high school classmates. It was then that two faces stuck out to me. Akshay Khan and Kabir Patel. 

“How about these two? Remember them? The Indian bros?” I asked Jack.

“Oh yeah, I remember them. Can’t say I remember much though,”

“Neither can I.”

Akshay and Kabir were known for being inseparable best friends, but that was it really. They never got involved in any school activities. That’s why they each only had one photo in the yearbook. Easy to miss, but they were still an option nonetheless. 

“C’mon, let’s check out what they’ve been up to,” I said as I pulled out my phone. 

Jack joined me on the couch. He laid against me as I typed in Akshay’s name. Luckily that was all I needed to get a hit on Instagram. His profile came up and surely enough, it was him. He had recently posted on his story too. I clicked on it and up came a picture of him and Kabir working out at some gym together.

“Whoa, they’ve really glowed up since high school. The gym’s been kind to them!” Jack let out a fox whistle when he saw the picture. I turned my head slightly to watch him checking out the goods. I could tell by the hungry look in his eyes that we just found our next targets.

“What do you say bro?” I said while lowering my voice. “You down to hit the showers after we hit this last set?” I caught Jack off guard with my bad Akshay impression, but he caught on right away. We exchanged a knowing look, then proceeded to get ready for the takeover. 

We both laid down on the ground and took deep breaths. We had body possession down to a science with how many times we’ve done it. All that was left to do was to go through steps again. I cleared my mind of all thoughts then I focused on imagining my soul leaving my body, all while maintaining my breathing. Soon enough, I could feel myself becoming lighter as my soul left my physical body. Once I was no longer a slave to the laws of physics, I flew straight to the gym where Akshay and Kabir were. They made the big mistake of tagging their location on social media, which made Jack and I’s job a whole lot easier! 

Thanks to my spirit form, I made it to their location within minutes. I phased through the walls and looked around for the bros. The gym was pretty empty that night for some reason. After some searching, I found Akshay in the locker room area checking himself out in the mirror. He was by himself in there. I crept up behind him, ready to strike while he was distracted! 

“Nrghh… What the fuck?” Akshay exclaimed. He hunched over while holding his stomach. I hesitated jumping into him, then abandoned the idea altogether when I realized what was happening. Jack had beaten me to the punch, he had already begun possessing Akshay.

I decided to stay back a moment and watch as my boyfriend possessed the gym rat. Akshay was groaning loudly. He tried keeping his balance but ended up falling to the ground on all fours. Sweat beads were forming on his face as he began breathing heavily. He then swung his head back with his mouth wide open. I could see his eyes roll back to the back of his head until I only saw the veiny whites of his eyeballs. Akshay then let out a loud, eerie groan. His cheeks and chest puffed up as Jack's soul slithered down his throat. I could see Akshay's Adam's apple bob up and down too! This lasted for a few seconds, then Akshay swallowed the last of Jack's essence in one final gulp. Once it was done, Akshay's eyes went back to normal and he stood up with a cocky grin on his face. 

"Ahh yeahhh... That's the good stuff..." Akshay said while caressing his massive pecs and rock hard abs. Except I knew that wasn't Akshay anymore, that was my loving boyfriend checking out his new body in the mirror. 

I watched as my boyfriend admired his newly obtained muscles in front of the mirror. I couldn't help but smile as Jack flexed his cannons for arms and made his pecs pop. To be honest, I was slightly jealous of him. Akshay was jacked! I wanted to have that body for myself, but no matter, there was still another body up for grabs anyway. 

I turned around and began searching for Kabir. I looked throughout the gym and eventually found him near the dumbbells. Kabir was busy putting some weights back on the rack. He wasn't perfectly alone like Akshay was, but the sight of his plump butt sticking out as he was bent over was too tempting to ignore. I just had to take the risk and dive right in! 

I steadied my aim first and then charged in as fast as I could. Thanks to my spirit form, I was able to phase right through his gym shorts and go straight into his asshole. 

"Ow!! What the fuck!?" Kabir yelped out, presumably from me penetrating him by surprise. The impact of me entering him made Kabir fall onto the ground on his stomach. He grabbed onto his ass cheeks while squirming around on the ground. Unfortunately I wasn't able to possess him in one smooth motion, but it didn't matter. I was already halfway in, and there was nothing Kabir could do to stop a pro like me.

I started wiggling my way up his ass. The deeper I went inside him, the more I could feel through his body as the body takeover process started. 

"Aaargh fuckk!! Ahh!!" 

Kabir was moaning and thrashing around like a madman! I couldn't blame him though, I could feel the stimulation I was giving him by entering through his ass. I bet I was hitting all the right pleasure spots as I slithered up him! 

"Mmmm... yeahh that's the spot..." I purred using Kabir's voice. I was in full control now, and hearing his accent come out of my mouth was making me hard! I stood up and brushed off any dirt on me. I took a moment to admire my newly possessed body. Jack might have gotten the more muscular body, but Kabir was taller and with a well-toned physique too. He was hot— No, I was hot! 

“Hey bro, you good?” 

I felt a hand pat me on the shoulder. Shit! Someone must’ve spotted Kabir thrashing around on the floor! I slowly turned around, but thankfully my worries were for nothing. It was just Jack.

“Yeah man, I’m chilling, all good here,” I answered. Jack shook his head. 

“You sure, Kabir? Looked like you had a pretty ass cramp just now… You don’t need a massage to help ease the pain?”

Getting called “Kabir” threw me off for a moment. Although I quickly caught on when I saw “Akshay” wink at me.

“Actually, you’re right, I could use a massage right now! Think you can lend me a hand bro?” I replied with a smirk. Akshay returned my gesture with a grin. It was moments like this that made me love taking over other people’s bodies with my boyfriend. Nobody but us knew that these two gym rats just got possessed by two other men, and that secret just made it even more fun.

Akshay and I wasted no time in getting to the locker rooms. Luckily for us, there was still nobody back there. We took off our clothes and hopped into one of the shower stalls together. Akshay turned on the water, and then proceeded to pin me to the wall behind me. He planted a big fat kiss on my lips. It was aggressive, but I loved it! 

We made out in the stall with our tongues fighting for dominance while the running water helped cover up our loud kisses and moans. Naturally, our dicks got hard while we kissed. I could feel Akshay’s dick rub against me as we pressed and interlocked our wet bodies against one another. It was strange. Normally when we possess straight men, we could feel their dormant souls try to resist against us having fun with their bodies. I expected Kabir and Akshay to do the same, but they never did! It was almost as if their bodies were enthusiastic about us having our fun. Perhaps, they’ve already done what we were doing?

Whatever. It doesn’t matter. All that mattered was that Akshay had a hand around my neck, choking me while keeping me pressed against the shower wall. I opened my mouth and Akshay spit in my mouth. I swallowed it like a good boy, then I jumped onto Akshay. He held me up while we resumed kissing. Then, while our lips were locked together, he began to lower me down onto his cock. I could feel his dick tap against my hole, then it slid right in.

“OHH FUCKK!!!” I couldn’t hold back my moans. The pleasure of having Akshay’s whole length inside me… My hole expanding to accommodate his girth was too much to hold back!

“You like that? You want this big, brown cock inside you?”

“Fuck yeah! Fuck me!!” 

“Beg for it then.” He started teasing me by thrusting himself into me slowly. 

“Please bro! Please fuck me hard!! I want you… I need you… Arghh!!”

Akshay started picking up the pace of his thrusts. I thought I saw stars with every deep stroke he gave me. We were probably making a lot of noise between my moans and his grunts, but we didn’t care. We fucked like animals with our new jock bodies and we weren’t ashamed of it! 

It only took us another few minutes of fucking before we were both close. Akshay pulled out and let me down to the ground. We then started tugging our dicks together until we covered both ourselves and the shower stall with our cum. We were both panting as we shot load after load of our sweet spunk out. We then made out again one last time while we were still covered with each other’s cum before the shower washed it away. It was hot, and it was definitely the last body hopping adventure we needed before our powers expired for good. 

Once we finished having our fun, Jack and I were ready to leave. We never bothered cleaning up, we just depossessed the bodies and let them take care of it. Jack and I shared one last loving look as Akshay and Kabir before leaving. However, when we tried forcing our souls out of their bodies, we couldn’t! No matter how hard or how much we tried, we just couldn’t leave! We ended up having to clean up after ourselves for once. We did that quickly, then got dressed and left the gym as fast as we could. We had no idea what was going on! But then I caught a glimpse of the time. It was already 1:30AM! It was already the next day! It was supposed to be a quickie, but I guess Jack and I got a little carried away…

All this happened two years ago. We’ve been living as Akshay and Kabir ever since then. Even to this day, neither of us know what could’ve happened that we’d end up trapped in these bodies. If I had to take a guess, I’d wager that when the witch said that our powers would expire permanently, she meant it way more seriously than Jack and I expected. Without those powers, we couldn’t even return to our original bodies! I don’t know, but honestly, I don’t care anymore. If anything, we’ve been blessed to have Akshay and Kabir’s lives as our own. Sure, Akshay’s new family is super traditional and they’re already setting him up for a bride, but that doesn’t matter to us. We still meet up in secret when nobody’s around. No matter who we are, we are lovers and nothing will ever take that away from us. 

We’re not sure how exactly we’re gonna get past an arranged family, but as long as Akshay is by my side, we can overcome anything.

[notelcol]

The Duke and the Doctor.

Mildly edited, apologies for mistakes✨

You were a doctor from Inazuma who came to work at the Fortress infirmary as an escape. You were running from stagnancy and bitter memories. Over time you simultaneously rose up past your pain and through the ranks, to become Sigewinne’s trusted partner.

“Wriothesley?” Your confused voice echoed through the infirmary. “What brings you here?” He did not normally come down to this part of the Fortress. A sheepish smile graced his lips, as he removed his right glove to reveal deep gouges and bruising all along his knuckles.

“I’m afraid our newest inmate is going to be trouble.” His vague explanation left you curious. You decided to ask more.

“What are they in for?” You took his hand in yours and began cleaning as you spoke. The Duke chuckled and gazed at you fondly.

“I sometimes forget how nosy you are.” His voice did not shake despite the sting you knew he would be feeling as you cleaned his wounds. The truth was, he wasn’t noticing the pain. All he was paying attention to was the touch of your gentle hands on his. ‘There is nothing more pure than the hands of a healer.’ Something he read in a book once, that he was beginning to understand.

“You aren’t going to tell me are you?” You grinned, breaking his trance. You had missed his teasing, he did not visit enough.

“I will….next time.” His smile matched your own as his thumb began to rub your hand. You found your mind becoming foggy and all your medical knowledge flew out the non existent window. Luckily, his hand was finished being treated. So why were you still holding it? Your breathing halted as you both moved closer, eyes peering into one another’s souls. Then a throat cleared.

“Duke. There is a situation in the dorms, we can’t contain it.” The guard in the doorway looked uncomfortable as you jumped away from each other.

You let out a long breath and dropped onto an infirmary bed once Wriothesley and the guard left. You cursed Sigewinne for leaving you alone today. She left you prone to be embarrassed without her there to stop you from being silly. You did not get much rest as the same guard from earlier brought in a bloody man before leaving. You raced towards him to help him into a bed. Once you had sat him down, you started cleaning his wounds. It was mostly superficial face wounds, but the nose was definitely broken. It all looked much worse than it was.

“Let me know if I’m hurting you at all.” You told him as you wiped near his nose. The man did not speak. Only staring at your face in a very unnerving way. You felt like the prey of a hunter. You were almost done, when you saw the man shift in the bed. You ignored it, trying to finish treating him as fast as possible. Then you saw the glint in the corner of your eye. A knife. You gulped and tried to take a step back but his other hand pulled you back. Just as you were about to call for help, the knife plunged through your rib cage. White hot pain blinded you as you fell to the ground.

“I’m sorry. I just need to get out of here.” The man frantically paced around your dying body. “They will be so distracted with you that I’ll have time to get away.” His words did not help your fear. But if you were going to die, you would do your damn best to make sure he didn’t escape. But the man wasn’t done. “But not without killing that Duke first.”

It felt like adrenaline was replacing the blood that steadily oozed from your wound. You stumbled to your feet and looked around for something to use as a weapon. You had only done minor treatments today, all the scalpels were in the drawer. The man had noticed you standing now, and had begun to circle you. His breath shook as he too looked around for a weapon, his eyes landed on your torso. The knife was still inside you. It was then you knew what you had to do. You ripped the knife from yourself, feeling the blood gush out with it. Instantly you became dizzy. You knew you only had seconds before you passed out.

“Hey now, Doc.” The man tried to plead. “You don’t really want to hurt me do you?” You didn’t have time to question yourself. Pulling out the knife was as good as killing yourself. So, you used the last of your strength to thrust the bloodied knife into his heart. You knew you would die content in the knowledge that Wriothesley would be safe.

“Hey! Looks like our next visit came sooner than -“ The mighty Duke, who came to deal with the now dead inmate, crumbled upon seeing your body. He kicked the dead man lying next to you when he realised what happened.

“Wriothesley.” You strained. Your eyes were barely open when you reached out for him. He stopped cursing the inmate and appeared at your side. You could feel his hands on your face as you faded away to the sound of sweet whispers and a broken confession.

“I love you.” His voice was like a lullaby, brining you the peace to close your eyes.

Wriothesley blamed himself. He should have hired more medical staff. Then someone would have been there to help you. He shouldn’t have gotten emotional and should have plugged your wound himself. Instead the guard who came with him had to stop your bleeding. That guard saved your life. Not him.

“Wallowing isn’t going to help anyone.” Sigewinne spoke. “She will recover.” Her words were kind and true but did not cure his ailing heart. But it did inspire him. While he awaited your awakening, he hired more medical staff. Never again would a Fortress doctor need to be alone with a dangerous inmate. He also asked Sigewinne to hold a short first aid course for all the guards. The guard who saved you was, by the grace of the Archons, an ex nurse. But, he never wanted to leave life to to luck again.

You awoke to the feeling of your hair being brushed. As your eyes fluttered weakly, the hand stopped brushing. For a moment, everything was a blur until finally you focused in on Wriothesley’s face. You did not think you would be blessed with that sight again. Shakily, you lifted your arm to hold his cheek. He took your hand once it reached his face, as if trying to take on the weight of your arm. He could see the pain behind your eyes as you moved. You did not care though. You were just thankful for this second chance.

“I love you too.” You thought you would never get to say it back.

I almost let reader die but decided not to be evil 🤫

Thank you for reading this💓

[whereianonymouslypostfics]

Distracted

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x reader

Word count: ~1.8k

Summary: Wanda and Y/n spend the night in a club

A/N: This came to mind while I was riding my peloton bike, idk why

Warnings: fluff, angst

Wanda tried to feign interest in the rather one-sided conversation she was having while she sipped on her drink and kept an eye on you. 

Tonight she was working which wasn’t abnormal, but it also happened to be one of the few times where you had accompanied her. She’d decided that it was acceptable for two reasons. One, she wasn’t expecting this meeting to be particularly dangerous, and two Bucky and Steve were both here as well.

They blended in well with the patrons at the night club that Wanda used as her meeting place. It was busy enough that not many, if any people took notice of her in the VIP area, and it wasn’t like it mattered much anyway. Wanda only really cared about keeping an eye on you. 

You had invited some friends out tonight, and you and your group of friends were enjoying the queer-artist inspired set. Although all of your friends were taken, Wanda had to remind herself multiple times not to get jealous when she caught one of them dancing closer to you than she deemed strictly necessary. 

“Do you agree, Ms. Maximoff?” 

The only sign that Wanda was caught off guard by the question was the subtle tightening of her fingers around her glass. She kept her expression neutral as she turned back to the woman across from her and nodded despite not having any idea what she was talking about. Last she remembered; they were reviewing notes for the meeting that should be starting any minute now.

She knew that she had to be more attentive for what came next. The woman she was talking to was visiting from the East Coast to discuss a supposedly mutually beneficial arrangement. Apparently, the sudden surge of competition Wanda found herself facing was due to a runaway wannabe drug lord. She knew she could probably handle it on her own, but when the leader of the most influential group of criminals in New York asked for an audience, she knew she shouldn’t say no.

That said, she wasn’t sure what Bianca Sullivan had to offer her, and if she’d even be able to match it. She realizes she should have paid more attention to her talking points than how you continued to dance with your friends, but it couldn’t be helped. She was only human after all, and you looked way too good in those shorts. 

The first sign that Bianca had arrived was the appearance of two of her guards setting up shop in the VIP area. When Wanda glanced toward the back entrance, she noted unfamiliar faces introducing themselves to her guards and then there she was. 

The brunette was exactly what she expected. She had a severe expression and gave off the impression that she didn’t take shit from anyone. Wanda could respect this and she found herself smiling slightly as she stood up to greet the woman she’d only spoken with once. She watched out of the corner of her eye as her assistant left to get a waiter’s attention. 

“Ms. Sullivan, welcome. I appreciate your willingness to meet here.” 

Wanda didn’t bother to say that she wouldn’t have met her anywhere else. This was her territory, and it was only polite for the brunette to meet her here since she had something she wanted after all. Luckily, she sensed that the woman who offered her a brief yet firm handshake had a formidable business sense. She merely nodded before she settled into the plush seat across from Wanda with an enviable amount of grace. 

“I appreciate you meeting with me at all, Ms. Maximoff. I know it’s a little unconventional.” 

Although it was unnecessary, Wanda offered a small nod before she glanced to the waiter who brought Wanda a new drink and asked Bianca for her order. She isn’t surprised in the least by the other woman’s order, but she keeps her opinion to herself. 

“I have to admit I’m intrigued. The group I’ve been dealing with has only grown since they first declared themselves a couple of weeks ago.” 

Wanda watches as the brunette scowls at the thought, but she doesn’t get a chance to ask for the reason. She’s surprised by how upfront the other mob boss is. She discloses that someone she believed to be her ally, betrayed her, attempted to murder her, but when she’d failed, she fled here. It seemed like a random choice, but Wanda’s realized that very little that happened in her line of work was random. 

It seems that she was right. 

“I’m surprised that she made it this far, but unfortunately, for you, she’s causing trouble.  I think I know how to handle her.” 

Wanda finishes up her drink listening to the woman’s proposition. It seems simple despite the inherent complications of having Bianca’s people operating in her territory for a minimum of three weeks while they work on cleansing her city. She understands why Bianca doesn’t ask her to do it. Simply watching her talk about her former friend is telling enough. She feels responsible for her, and she wants to be the one to take her down. 

“If you’re open to it, I’ll stay for as long as it takes to get rid of her.” 

A familiar song reaches Wanda’s ears and she has to force herself to ignore it as she considers the cons of such an arrangement. She knows that the other woman isn’t here to stay and steal her business, but her presence is going to cause confusion and maybe even panic. She’ll have to spread the word that they have a new ally. 

After almost a minute of deliberation, Wanda nods and sits up in her chair so she can set her glass down on the table between them. 

“I don’t see why not. We’ll work out the arrangements and make sure my people don’t get in the way of yours.” 

Bianca finally cracks a smile and Wanda is in the process of returning it when her gaze moves to over the brunette’s shoulder. 

Baby don’t you like this beat? I made it so you’d sleep with me. 

The way you dance to these words gives Wanda pause and she knows that the woman across from her notices. Still, she recovers quickly and tries to scrub the way your hips move against your friend’s from her brain. At least for now. 

“Have you made hotel arrangements yet? I can offer a few suggestions if not.” 

Bianca politely declines her offer with another genuine smile that Wanda feels is reserved for very few. 

“Thank you, Ms. Maximoff, but my fiancée has already taken care of it.”

Wanda nods and the pair continue to talk logistics until Wanda’s distracted again a few minutes later. She plans on wrapping things up quickly so she can join you. Or maybe drag you from the dancefloor and into the nearest dark corner. 

After arrangements are made to meet again tomorrow and talk strategy, Wanda decides to cut this meeting short. She sees Bianca’s gaze drift over her shoulder once again toward where her guards are, and she wonders who just arrived. 

“Well, I won’t keep you any longer. I look forward to speaking with you again, Ms. Sullivan.”

Bianca nods and they both stand at the same time, their minds already on something else entirely. 

“You as well, and thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Maximoff.” 

Wanda barely notices her leaving the way she came as she makes eye contact with you. You’re smiling at her, and as soon as you realize you have her attention you take advantage of it. Wanda watches your mouth move, and you raise an arm and motion her toward you. 

Baby, why don’t you come over?

Wanda doesn’t hear you say the words, but they still have their desired effect. She abandons the VIP area for the bustling dancefloor nearly running into half a dozen people on her way to you. She notices none of them and they seem to scatter the closer she gets to you. You’re still smiling and dancing as she reaches out for you, and she barely notices how your friends have discreetly turned away and formed a barrier between you and everyone else.

“It’s about time, Wands. I’ve been trying to use my feminine wiles to summon you for ages.” 

Wanda rolls her eyes at your exaggerated tone before she pulls you closer by the hips with a huff. She takes a moment to admire the way you move as the beat of the song picks up. She tightens her hold on you when she remembers that you’ve been dancing like this without her for almost an hour. 

She leans in so she doesn’t have to shout, and she smiles as you wrap your arms around her neck. 

“I’m lucky that I’m the only one you summoned dancing like that.” 

She hears you laugh and she pulls away to see you smiling mischievously before shrugging seemingly unconcerned. 

“What can I say? Your meeting was taking too long.” 

Wanda rolls her eyes again before she leans in to kiss you like she’s been wanting to all night. She pulls you flush against her and allows herself to pretend that it’s just the two of you. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. 

Bianca smiles as she embraces her fiancée with a tired groan. It’s past 2am their time, and she’s exhausted, but at least she’s accomplished something. She’s glad that Wanda is amenable to their alliance because now she’s one step closer to ending things once and for all. 

Maria puts an arm around her shoulders and shoots her a knowing look. She’s suddenly so relieved that her fiancée was willing to make this trip with her. Forget the fact she may not be in New York again for weeks. She always felt more settled when the redhead was around. 

“Is it time to call it a night?” 

Bianca considers having another drink with her fiancée, but it’s loud and she’s practically dead on her feet. So instead of cozying up here, she decides that the hotel that Maria booked will be more than sufficient. 

“I think so. It’s been a long day.” 

Maria smiles as she guides the taller woman down a dimly lit hallway toward the back of the club where they’d parked. She ignores the normal shadows that follow them everywhere and considers how she can help her future wife decompress. 

“Agreed. I think a hot bath and a massage would be a perfect way to end this day, hmm?” 

Bianca smiles brightly as she follows Maria out into the parking lot. She pauses just long enough to plant a kiss on her lips, much to the chagrin of her bodyguards, before nodding in agreement. 

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Masterlist

[dragonnarrative-writes]

Kinktober Day 1 - Voyeurism

Kate Laswell x Bricks (CIA Asset OC)

CW: Dub-con/Non-con voyeurism (one person is not aware they are being watched), surveillance, sex work, dirty talk, degradation, impact play, daddy kink, too many mirrors, too much setup and an abrupt ending, big dogs

“Got me Watcher?” Bricks covers the movement of her mouth by touching up her lipstick in the mirrored wall of the elevator.

“Coming in clear,” Kate answers. “Go ahead and run a final calibration on the lenses.” She marks the edges of the camera range as Bricks sweeps her eyes in a practiced pattern to confirm the fit and function of the contacts. When she crosses her eyes and sticks her tongue out, confusing the feed, Kate chuckles. “Save it for Mendoza.”

“Please,” Bricks snickers. “My best is wasted on him.”

The doors open. Two large men, Mendoza’s bodyguards, usher Bricks forward. Real professionals, Kate notes, neither of them letting their eyes linger on stunning legs or exposed cleavage. One waves a wand over her, hair to heels, and the other takes the clutch from Bricks’ hand. He rifles through it, then doesn’t give it back.

“My second best lipstick is in there,” Bricks protests, half-heartedly. “I’m gonna want that back, later.”

“You’ll get it back when you leave,” the man grunts. “Come with us please.”

“Give me doors,” Kate instructs as they proceed down the hall. The cameras flick almost aimlessly as her asset strides between her escorts, but Kate is ready. “Left again,” she murmurs, quickly tagging frames for review. “Good girl.”

Once Bricks is handed off to Mendoza, the real work starts. Dinner goes as expected. Mendoza brags and paws. Bricks is charming, flirty, and teasing. She plays every bit of her part while Kate half listens and reviews data on the guards. Contractors, she notes as Bricks titters about something. Mendoza is just oggling her tits, so Kate continues reading the dossier. Contractors, good ones. Ex-military, but unlikely to see Bricks for the threat she is. The only problem will be-

“Puppies,” Bricks coos, as two Rottweilers come trotting up to the table. “I love dogs. How old are they?”

“They’re trained as part of the security detail,” Kate states as Mendoza goes on about pedigree. “German commands.”

Bricks kisses one of the dogs on the snout. “Do they know any tricks?”

“They’re trained killers,” the mark brags. “Only listen to me and designated handlers.”

“The handler command is folge mir,” Kate provides. Luckily, Bricks isn’t able to comment on her abysmal accent. “Ruhig. Geh runter.”

It doesn’t take long for Mendoza to send the dogs away, tired of not being the center of attention. And Bricks plays him like a fiddle, drawing him all around the penthouse to give Kate sight lines, the layout, and an unobstructed view of the server room through the kitchen.

When he finally catches her, Kate cant help but snort. “Is he as bad a kisser as he sounds? Your not usually this all over the place."

Bricks doesn’t bother to hold back a soft laugh. Mendoza lifts his mouth from her neck with an almost affronted grin. “What’s so funny?”

“Sorry,” she giggles, with a peck to his lips. “Ticklish, and I just feel good with you.”

“Can I make you feel better?”

“Here’s hoping,” Kate mutters as she counts server racks in Bricks’ periphery. The woman’s laugh rings off the marble counter tops.

Kate doesn’t bother watching the feed as Bricks kisses Mendoza down the hall, eyes closed to avoid any chance he might notice her contacts. When she opens her eyes again, Kate stifles a groan and pulls out her cigarettes. Mendoza’s bedroom has an entire wall of mirrors, and another on the wall above his headboard. Bricks kisses him some more, but in no time, she’s bent over the bed, looking at her own breasts nearly spilling from the top of her dress.

She’s there for… a lot longer than Kate expected. Whatever Mendoza is doing, she looks as bored as she ever does when she’s in character. Kate decides to step in when she moans, rote.

“Oh no,” Kate chuckles, grinning when Bricks’ eyes snap to her reflection. “I know you can do better than that. If I have to watch you have sex, you’re going to make it worth my while. Get that ass in the air, lets’s see if Mendoza can’t be good for something.”

Bricks’ next moan is much more resonant. Mendoza echoes her as he bends over her back, no doubt pressing his cock against her barely there panties.

“Ask for a spanking,” Kate commands, lighting a cigarette. “Ask nice, the way I like.”

“Please spank me, daddy,” Bricks moans, holding eye contact with the mirror, staring directly at Kate.

“Good girl, there you go,” Kate purrs, over Mendoza’s tiresome noises. “Too bad he’s going to be such a shit lay. You’re right, your best is wasted on him. Say thank you.”

Bricks hisses after Mendoza gives her three quick, sloppy strikes. “Thank you, daddy.”

“Fuck, you’re a slut, huh?” Mendoza flips her, and Kate laughs to see the mirrored tiles on the ceiling. “I can be your daddy, baby girl.”

“I’m tired of hearing his voice,” Kate scoffs. “Put his mouth to use.”

Bricks opts to grab a fistful of his hair and drag the man down her body. Kate gets to enjoy the view of her, chest heaving and disheveled as she winks up at her reflection. There’s no rolling eyes - there’s nothing of interest in the room, really, and Mendoza is apparently all noise and no skill.

“Touch yourself,” Kate commands. “Give yourself a show, beautiful.”

Bricks draws the fingers of her free hand down her neck, toying with her necklace before pushing the fabric of her dress down beneath full breasts. Kate makes an appreciative noise when she pinches a nipple. The woman in the mirror moans and arches her hips into the mouth between her thighs. Her eyes go half-lidded, when Mendoza pulls away to pant against her, one hand working its way up to prod at her. He groans something about “wet” and “tight,” like he had anything to do with the first and doesn’t understand the implications of the second.

“Please,” Bricks moans at her reflection.

“Oh,” Kate chuckles, “Is he really that good?”

“Roll over,” Mendoza growls as he stands. He’s dropped his pants and underwear.

“No,” Kate snorts. “I’m not watching your bored face as you compare him to Ghost. Ride him.”

All it takes is one skilled twist of Bricks’ hips before Mendoza is lying on his back, groaning under the woman Kate could command to kill him at any moment.

But Kate simply sits back in her chair. “Finish him off before I finish this cigarette, and I’ll let you come.”

Bricks narrows her eyes at the mirror. Kate can almost hear her calculating how long it’s been since she heard the click of the lighter. And then she balances on the balls of her feet and Kate grins as she watches the woman tear Mendoza’s orgasm from him with brutal efficiency.

“Good girl.”