#maybe I’m just being dramatic and I’ll sleep fine tonight.

[the-meme-monarch]

i’m kinda just at a point where i hate sleeping bc i hate waking up feeling lethargic or in pain. i can’t sleep off the lethargy or pain i acquired during the day bc sleeping doesn’t fix it and often makes it worse. i just want to sleep.

[paxtito]

pretty girl

pairings: wednesday x fem!reader

word count: 3685

warnings: smut 18+. just lesbian sex innit (w receiving)— (all characters are 18+)

summary: wednesday put together a little surprise date night, but, enid being enid, couldn’t keep it a secret

a/n: based on this request: ‘I love your writing and was wondering if you could make another smut fic with Wednesday? Maybe something sorta soft, honestly anything would do. Thanks!’ hope this is what you were looking for and thank you!! spent the day resting which gave me plenty of time to do this because my lil’ anger issues of a dog bit my cheek after wanting my birthday cake 😒

MASTERLIST

The morning air is crisp as you walk across campus with Enid, her usual vibrant energy making up for your grogginess. You clutch your coffee tightly, half-listening as she chatters about the latest gossip in the werewolf pack.

“And then Ajax tried to—are you even listening to me?” she asks, bumping her shoulder into yours playfully.

“Barely,” you admit with a small smile, taking another sip of your coffee. “It’s too early for full Enid mode.”

“Rude,” she pouts dramatically before grinning. “But fine, I’ll get to the point. I’m sleeping over at Yoko’s tonight!”

“Wait, what?” you ask, blinking at her. “Why?”

Enid’s steps falter, and she looks away for a moment, biting her lip. “Oh, uh, no reason!”

You narrow your eyes at her, immediately suspicious. “Enid…”

“It’s nothing!” she insists, waving her hands defensively. “Totally normal, just, uh, bestie stuff. You know, girl talk, vampire-werewolf bonding, that kind of thing.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You’re a terrible liar.”

She groans, throwing her head back dramatically. “Fine! But you can’t tell Wednesday I told you, okay? She’d literally kill me. Like, for real this time.”

Your heart skips a beat at the mention of Wednesday. “What does she have to do with this?”

Enid hesitates, looking torn. “Ugh, okay, fine,” she blurts out, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “She’s planning something for you tonight. Like, a date night or something. She told me to clear out so you two could have the dorm to yourselves.”

A warm, unexpected blush creeps up your neck. “Wait… Wednesday planned something? For me?”

Enid nods, her grin widening. “Yup! And let me tell you, she’s been stressing about it all week. She even glared at me less than usual yesterday, so you know it’s serious.”

You can’t help but smile, your heart fluttering at the thought of Wednesday going out of her way to plan something for you. “That’s… actually really sweet.”

“Right? But don’t tell her I told you, okay?” Enid warns, gripping your arm. “She swore me to secrecy and gave me this whole creepy ‘I’ll bury you alive’ speech. Classic Wednesday.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

“Good. Because I value my life,” Enid says with mock seriousness before breaking into a smile. “But seriously, I’m happy for you guys. She’s got a soft spot for you, you know.”

Your smile grows as you think about Wednesday, her deadpan expression softening ever so slightly when she’s around you, the way her hand lingers in yours when no one’s looking. “Yeah,” you say quietly, more to yourself than to Enid. “I know.”

As the two of you reach the doors to your next class, you can’t help but feel a little giddy. Whatever Wednesday has planned, you know it’ll be something only she could come up with—quiet, dark, and maybe a little macabre. And you can’t wait to see what she’s put together.

—

The afternoon sun filters through the classroom windows, casting a warm glow across your desk. Your fingers absentmindedly tap against the surface as you try to focus on the teacher's droning voice, but your thoughts keep drifting to Wednesday and the surprise she has planned for you.

Despite your best efforts to keep a straight face, a small, giddy smile tugs at the corners of your mouth. You sneak a glance at Wednesday from the corner of your eye, trying to gauge her reaction.

To your surprise, she's already staring at you, her dark eyes narrowed in suspicion. Your gaze meets hers, and you quickly look away, feeling your cheeks heat up under her intense scrutiny.

"You," she says flatly, her voice cutting through the monotony of the lecture. "Are you feeling alright? You seem... distracted."

You swallow hard, your mind racing for an excuse. "I'm fine," you manage, keeping your tone as neutral as possible. "Just thinking about the assignment."

Wednesday raises an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. Her gaze bores into you, as if she's trying to read your thoughts.

You squirm in your seat, suddenly feeling like a bug under a microscope. You can practically hear Enid's voice in your head, warning you not to blow her cover.

But it's too late. Wednesday's eyes widen slightly, a flicker of panic crossing her face before she schools her features back into a neutral expression.

"Ah," she says slowly, leaning back in her chair. "Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

You bite your lip, wondering if you should press further. But before you can open your mouth, the bell rings, signaling the end of class.

Wednesday stands abruptly, gathering her books without another word. She brushes past you, her shoulder bumping against yours in a way that feels almost like a dismissal.

You watch her go, your heart sinking. You've blown it, haven't you? Ruined whatever surprise she had planned.

You scramble to your feet, nearly tripping over your chair in your haste. Your backpack slips off the desk, scattering your belongings across the floor.

"Wednesday, wait!" you call out, your voice echoing in the now-empty classroom.

You chase after her, weaving through the throng of students in the hallway. Your heart pounds in your chest as you catch up to her, reaching out to grasp her arm.

Wednesday whirls around, her dark eyes flashing with irritation. "What?" she snaps, her voice sharp.

You swallow hard, trying to find the right words. "I... I'm sorry," you manage, your voice coming out smaller than you intended. "I didn't mean to ruin your surprise. I just... I couldn't help myself."

For a moment, Wednesday just stares at you, her expression unreadable. Then, to your surprise, her shoulders slump slightly, and she lets out a sigh.

"You're impossible," she mutters, but there's no real heat behind her words.

You blink, taken aback by her sudden shift in demeanor. "I... I know," you say softly, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "But I meant what I said. I'm sorry."

Wednesday is silent for a moment, and then she nods, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Fine," she says, her tone grudging. "But don't think this means you're off the hook. You owe me one."

You grin, relief washing over you. "I can live with that," you say, your voice light and teasing. "So... are you going to tell me what you have planned, or do I have to guess?"

Wednesday rolls her eyes, but there's a hint of amusement in her gaze. "Guess," she says simply, before turning and walking away, leaving you to follow in her wake.

—

You stand outside Wednesday's dorm room, your hand hovering over the doorknob. You take a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in your stomach.

Despite your earlier promise to keep quiet, you can't shake the nagging feeling that you've ruined whatever surprise she had planned. You glance down at your uniform, suddenly self-conscious about your appearance.

"Get it together," you mutter to yourself, giving your skirt a quick smoothing. "She's not going to bite."

With a final nod of determination, you raise your hand and knock on the door. The sound echoes through the empty hallway, making you wince.

Silence greets you for a moment, and you wonder if Wednesday is ignoring you. But then, the door swings open, revealing Wednesday standing in the doorway.

She's changed out of her school uniform, now wearing a simple black dress that falls to her knees. Her hair is loose, tumbling down her back in dark waves.

For a moment, you're struck dumb, your brain short-circuiting at the sight of her. She looks... pretty. Soft. Nothing like her usual sharp edges and icy demeanor.

Wednesday arches an eyebrow, her lips twisting into a smirk. "Cat got your tongue?" she asks, her voice dry.

You shake your head, feeling your cheeks heat up. "No," you manage, clearing your throat. "I just... I didn't expect you to look so..."

You trail off, not quite sure how to finish that sentence without sounding like a complete fool. Wednesday's smirk widens, and she steps aside, gesturing for you to enter.

"Come in," she says simply, before closing the door behind you with a soft click.

You step into Wednesday's dorm room, your eyes widening as you take in the scene before you. The furniture has been pushed to the sides, creating a large open space in the center of the room. Soft, ambient lighting casts a warm glow over everything, making the room feel intimate and cozy.

In the middle of it all stands Wednesday, her posture perfect, her expression unreadable. She's holding out her hand to you, a silent invitation.

"What's all this?" you ask, your voice coming out a little breathless.

Wednesday's lips curve into a small, enigmatic smile. "I'm going to teach you how to dance," she says simply, her tone matter-of-fact.

You blink, taken aback by her words. "Dance?" you repeat, feeling a little foolish. "Like... ballroom dancing?"

Wednesday nods, her dark eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Yes," she confirms, her voice dry. "Like my parents do. It's a family tradition."

You feel your heart skip a beat at the thought of Wednesday's parents, of the life she leads outside of Nevermore. It's a side of her you've never seen before, and the idea of being a part of it, even in a small way, makes your stomach flutter.

"I... I'd like that," you manage, stepping forward to take her hand.

Wednesday's fingers are cool against yours, her grip firm and steady. She pulls you closer, her body mere inches from yours.

"Good," she says simply, before beginning to guide you through the steps.

You stumble a little at first. But Wednesday is patient, her instructions clear and concise. Slowly, you begin to find your rhythm, moving in tandem with her.

As you dance, you can't help but notice the way Wednesday's eyes never leave yours. There's an intensity there, a depth of emotion that makes your breath catch in your throat.

"You're doing well," she murmurs, her voice soft. "Just follow my lead."

You move gracefully in Wednesday's arms, your body reacting instinctively to her guidance. The fabric of your black trousers brushes against her dress as you spin, the sensation sending a shiver down your spine.

Wednesday's gaze is intense, her dark eyes boring into yours with an unspoken question. You swallow hard, trying to ignore the way your heart races at her proximity.

"You're a natural," she murmurs, her voice low and intimate. "I knew you'd be good at this."

You duck your head, feeling a blush creep up your neck. "It's easy when I have a good partner," you manage, the words slipping out before you can stop them.

Wednesday's lips curve into a small, enigmatic smile. "Is that so?" she asks, her tone teasing.

You nod, your gaze flickering down to her lips for a brief moment before meeting her eyes again. "Definitely," you confirm, your voice barely above a whisper.

Wednesday hums, her fingers tightening around yours. "Good," she says simply, before pulling you closer, your bodies now just inches apart.

You can feel the heat radiating off her skin, the scent of her perfume filling your nostrils. Your breath hitches, your pulse pounding in your ears.

"Now," Wednesday says, her voice low and husky. "Let's try something a little more... challenging."

She steps back, her hand leaving yours. You feel a momentary pang of loss, your fingers aching to touch her again.

But then Wednesday begins to move, her body swaying to a beat only she can hear. She extends her hand, a silent invitation for you to join her.

You hesitate for a moment, your heart hammering in your chest. But then, with a deep breath, you step forward, ready to follow wherever she leads.

You take Wednesday's hand, her fingers cool and strong in your grasp. She pulls you close, your bodies pressing together as she guides you into a new dance.

This one is more sensual, the steps slower and more deliberate. Wednesday's gaze never leaves yours, her dark eyes smoldering with an intensity that makes your breath catch in your throat.

You move together, your bodies swaying in perfect sync. The world around you fades away, until there is nothing but the two of you, lost in the rhythm of the dance.

Wednesday's hand slides up your arm, her fingers trailing over your skin. You shiver at the contact, your nerve endings igniting with each touch.

"You're doing well," she murmurs, her lips barely brushing against your ear. "Keep going."

You nod, your body responding to her commands without hesitation. You've never felt so in tune with another person, so utterly in sync.

As the dance comes to an end, Wednesday pulls you into a final, tight embrace. You can feel the heat of her body against yours, the softness of her breasts pressing into your chest.

For a moment, you're frozen, your heart pounding in your ears. You know you should pull away, put some distance between you. But you can't bring yourself to move, not when Wednesday feels so perfect in your arms.

Slowly, tentatively, you raise your hand, your fingers brushing against the silky strands of her hair. Wednesday's eyes flutter closed, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Y/N," she breathes, your name a prayer on her tongue. "I..."

Your heart races as Wednesday's breathy voice caresses your name. In this moment, suspended in time, the world seems to fall away, leaving only the two of you, hearts beating as one.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, you lean in closer, your forehead resting against hers. Your hands slide up to cup her face, thumbs gently stroking her high cheekbones.

Wednesday's eyes flutter open, dark and filled with a vulnerability you've never seen before. Her hands come up to rest on your waist, fingers curling into the fabric of your shirt.

"I..." she starts, her voice barely a whisper. "I want..."

But she trails off, unable to finish the thought. Instead, she closes the remaining distance between you, pressing her lips to yours in a kiss that steals your breath away.

You melt into the kiss, your body molding against hers like it was made to fit. Wednesday's lips are soft and warm, moving against yours with a desperate hunger.

Your hands slide into her hair, tangling in the silky strands as you deepen the kiss. Wednesday makes a soft noise in the back of her throat, a sound of pure need.

Time seems to stand still as you lose yourself in the taste and feel of her. The rest of the world fades away, leaving only this moment, this connection.

When you finally break apart, you're both breathing heavily, your cheeks flushed and eyes glazed. Wednesday rests her forehead against yours, her hands still gripping your waist tightly.

"That was..." she starts, her voice rough with emotion.

"Perfect," you finish for her, a small smile tugging at your lips.

Wednesday hums in agreement, nuzzling her nose against yours. "I've wanted to do that for a while now," she admits, her tone shy.

You chuckle softly, your fingers carding through her hair. "I'm glad you did," you murmur, bringing your lips to hers once more.

As you kiss, you know that this is just the beginning. The start of something new, something beautiful and terrifying and utterly intoxicating.

Wednesday's hands slide down to your hips, her fingers gripping your waistband tightly. With a sudden tug, she pulls you flush against her, your body pressing into hers.

You gasp at the contact, your hands flying up to grip her shoulders for balance. Wednesday takes advantage of your momentary distraction, walking you backwards until the backs of your knees hit the bed.

With a soft push, she sends you tumbling onto the mattress, her body following yours. You land with a bounce, your breath knocked from your lungs as Wednesday settles on top of you, her weight pinning you in place.

"Wednesday," you breathe, your voice barely above a whisper. "What are you..."

But your question is cut off as Wednesday captures your lips in another searing kiss. Her tongue delves into your mouth, exploring every inch of you with a desperate hunger.

You moan into the kiss, your hands sliding down to grip her hips, urging her closer. Wednesday grinds against you, the heat of her core seeping through the thin layers of fabric separating you.

Wednesday breaks the kiss, her dark eyes boring into yours with an intensity that steals your breath. She sits up, straddling your hips, her hands resting on your chest.

"I want you," she whispers, her voice low and husky. "But we don't have to..."

You reach up, cupping her face in your hands. "I want this," you assure her, your thumb brushing over her bottom lip. "I want you."

Wednesday nods, her gaze never leaving yours. Slowly, she leans down, pressing her lips to yours in a deep, passionate kiss.

Your hands slide down her back, settling on her hips. You guide her movements, encouraging her to grind against you. The friction is delicious, the heat building between your legs.

Wednesday gasps into your mouth, her hips moving faster, more urgently. You can feel her growing wetter, her arousal soaking through your clothes.

You break the kiss, panting heavily. "Let me," you plead, your voice rough with desire.

Wednesday nods, shifting off of you. You sit up, your fingers trembling slightly as you reach for the hem of her dress. With a swift movement, you pull it over her head, tossing it aside.

She sits before you, clad only in a black lace bra and matching panties. Your breath catches in your throat at the sight of her, her pale skin flawless in the dim light.

You lean forward, pressing reverent kisses along her collarbone, down the swell of her breasts. Wednesday shivers, her fingers tangling in your hair.

You take a moment to drink in the sight of her, your gaze roaming over her body appreciatively. Wednesday flushes under your attention, her thighs pressing together shyly.

"You're so beautiful," you whisper, your voice filled with awe.

Wednesday shakes her head, her dark hair falling in waves around her face. "I'm not..." she starts, but you silence her with a kiss.

Switching positions, you lay Wednesday down on the bed, your body covering hers. You capture her lips in a searing kiss, your tongue delving into her mouth, exploring every inch of her.

Wednesday moans softly into the kiss, her hips arching up to meet yours. Your hands slide down her sides, cupping her breasts through the thin lace of her bra.

You break the kiss, your lips trailing down her neck, nipping at her collarbone. Wednesday gasps, her fingers digging into your back, urging you on.

Your hand slides down her stomach, teasing the edge of her panties. Wednesday's breath hitches, her thighs parting slightly in invitation.

You dip your fingers beneath the fabric, finding her slick and ready for you. Wednesday whimpers, her hips bucking into your touch.

Your fingers glide through Wednesday's slick folds, finding her sensitive bud. She gasps, her hips jerking at the sudden contact.

"Y/N," she breathes, your name a prayer on her lips.

You circle her clit with teasing strokes, reveling in the way her body responds to your touch. Wednesday's thighs tremble, her hands fisting in the sheets beneath her.

Slowly, you slide a finger inside her, groaning at the way her walls clench around you. Wednesday is so hot, so tight, so perfect.

You add a second finger, pumping them in and out of her slick heat. Wednesday's head thrashes on the pillow, her mouth falling open in a silent cry of pleasure.

Your thumb finds her clit again, rubbing firm circles around the sensitive nub. Wednesday's hips buck wildly, her body chasing the release you're so eager to give her.

"Please," she whimpers, her voice barely audible. "I need..."

But she doesn't finish the thought, her body arching off the bed as you curl your fingers just right. You can feel her getting closer, her walls fluttering around your digits.

With a final twist of your wrist, Wednesday comes undone, her body shaking with the force of her orgasm. You hold her through it, whispering words of praise and encouragement.

As she comes down from her high, you press soft kisses to her sweat-dampened skin, murmuring your love and devotion. Wednesday clings to you, her body still trembling with aftershocks.

In this moment, the rest of the world fades away. There is only the two of you, wrapped in each other's arms, basking in the afterglow of love and passion.

—

You wake to the sound of the door opening, your eyes fluttering open to find Wednesday still asleep beside you. For a moment, you simply lie there, taking in the sight of her.

Her dark hair is fanned out across the pillow, her face relaxed in sleep. Your gaze travels down her body, tracing the curves and dips you explored so thoroughly the night before.

The door swings open fully, revealing a surprised Enid standing in the doorway. Her eyes widen as she takes in the scene before her - you and Wednesday, tangled together in the afterglow.

"Oh," she breathes, her cheeks flushing pink. "I... I didn't know you two were..."

You sit up quickly, pulling the covers up to your chin. Wednesday stirs, her eyes blinking open in confusion.

"Enid?" she mumbles, her voice thick with sleep.

Enid clears her throat, averting her gaze. "Sorry," she says, backing out of the room. "I'll just... I'll leave you two alone."

The door clicks shut behind her, leaving you and Wednesday in a tense silence. You glance at her, unsure of what to say.

But Wednesday just sighs, turning to face you. "Well," she says, her tone dry. "That's one way to start the day."

[eccentricwritingbaby]

meet-cute

part one part two! part three

lando norris x fem!reader

summary - y/n is giving lando a run for his money in playing hard to get, and lando knows he's in love so so soon. 

masterlist

author's note! should i make another part or possibly make this into a series? lmk what ya think!

-

you woke up to a distant ringing running throughout the room. slowly rubbing your eyes and giving a bit of a stretch, you roll over in an attempt to find your phone. once found, you grimace at the time yet your smirk grows when seeing the contact read ‘mr mclaren’. 

“yes?” you answer the phone while letting out a cough to remove the sleep from your throat.

“did you just wake, love?” lando replies. you can practically see his teasing smile through the phone as he questions you. you rearrange your body so that you’re leaning against the headboard of the bed while biting into your answer, “mclaren, it’s currently 8am on a sunday, no person alive should be awake right now,”

you hear lando’s contagious chuckle from the other line along with a bit of shuffling around on his end, “i wanted to know if you were busy tonight,” he gently asks. you could tell he was a bit nervous from the small quiver in his voice. it had been around two weeks since your first meeting at the coffee shop, since then there were texts and calls constantly, but never an in person meeting since. you didn’t want to just be used by lando, expecting him to be a prick due to his celebrity status. there were certain insecurities that would become undone with seeing him in person that you were yearning to keep at bay for the time being. lando, on the other hand, only grew more attached to you. ever since he even saw you in the coffee shop he was beyond forward which he had never done before. sure there were girls in clubs that he could easily chat up, but he would never be so bold. and so sober. he knew from that moment - you were something special. something he needed. he enjoyed that you didn’t care about his celebrity status and were making him work, it gave him the reassurance that you liked him, not his wallet size. 

“i have dinner tonight for a friend's birthday,” you sigh, “maybe a quick lunch before?” you add on in haste for lando’s peace of mind. you honestly were not trying to avoid him, but his schedule was hectic with travel and you had many friends with whom you’ve made previous plans. 

“i’ve got plans during lunchtime,” lando says, you could practically hear the irritation in his voice, therefore leading to your next line, “i’m really not trying to avoid you, lando. I’ve just got a loaded schedule,” your words are gently said, attempting to ease his brain. 

“I know, love. I just really want to see you,” 

and then your next words came out of your mouth so quick you couldn’t even think, “come over,”

“what? i-i mean, are you sure?” his excitement was not hidden, yet the hesitation was purely based on his knowledge that you had just woken up, and only ever been with each other in person once. and that was your first time meeting. and nothing overly romantic happened. and now he’s invited straight to your place. 

“well, shit, if you don’t want to come thats fine ill just head back to sleep-”

“no no no no,” he interrupts sporadically, “i’ll be there soon, send me your address please,”

“hmm, i don’t know. you’re lack of excitement really turned me off from the whole idea i think i’ll keep my address to myself,”  you giggle a bit into your teasing. lando wants to be annoyed - he truly does. and if this was any other girl he just may have been. he most likely would have given up this chase the minute any other girl turned his request down in the first place. yet - there was something about you. you were different. and you were so worth it. 

lando clears his throat and begins to speak in a dramatic tone while giving your teasing right back, “that’s alright, y/n. i will drive all day and night if i have to, knock on every door. trust, my love, i shall find you,” your loud laughter rings through the phone and he swears his heart skips a beat. 

“ah mr. norris, your lovely sense of humor and perseverance have allowed you access to my apartment,” you smile once more and rattle off your address. once the call has ended, you jump out of bed and begin to get ready as lando said the ride would only be about 10 minutes. face washed, teeth brushed, perfume and lotion on, quick change of clothes from your ratty old pajamas to cuter loungewear, hair tied up to look as though you didn’t even try - all in record time. just as you finished the last spritz of your perfume, the knock on your door echoed through your home. 

sauntering over towards the door and swinging it open, you’re met with the face you hadn’t realized you miss so dearly. “why hello sleepyhead,” he chuckles. you usher him into your home while replying, “y’know you’re the one being irrational here? its currently 830 in the morning, it is crazy to be up right now. on a sunday,” he laughs once more while grabbing your wrists and lightly tossing them around his waist. his own arms then wrap around your shoulders as he plants a kiss to the top of your head. “i’m not being irrational, darling. but if you want to head back to sleep i would not be opposed to a nap,” you look up at him from where your face was resting against his chest, “please,” lando plants a kiss to your nose, “lead the way,” 

lando wakes up around an hour later, tucked into your bed with your head adorably pushed into his neck. he soaks in your appearance, one leg thrown over his hip, head cuddled into him, arm thrown over his chest and he relishes in it. the two of you hadn’t even kissed, hadn’t gone on a proper date, for the past two weeks only had fleeting phone calls and yet - this was normal. this was home. you were home. he thought as he laid with you curled into his side, he thought about a future, about a new beginning, about how adorable you would look in a certain papaya color, and god how his mother would just love you. lando couldn’t help the thoughts. he didn’t even know if you had siblings or anything remotely deep about you however he knew for sure three things. one - he was and forever will be completely, head over heels, insanely in love with you. two - his future has you and you only in it. and three - you both were so unconventional in your ways and in your soon to be love story that he knew his life would never be boring as long as you were in it.

[trashbag-baby666]

Prompt: 62. “It’s only one night, we’ll just share the bed.”

Pairing: Clegan

Hope you enjoy pooki <33

mota masterlist!

The two of them made their way up the narrow staircase of John’s grandma’s house, shoulders brushing against the walls as they ascended. John couldn't help but notice how tight the space felt—though, to be fair, he hadn't been here since high school, and maybe he’d just grown.

Reaching the top, they both stood awkwardly in front of the full-sized bed, staring at it with a mix of disbelief and resignation. It was definitely a step down from their California king at home.

"It’s only one night," John said with a shrug, slinging his backpack off his shoulder. "We’ll just share the bed."

It could’ve been worse—they could have been left with just the couch and chair for the night. Their unexpected stop in Manitowoc wasn’t exactly part of the plan, but they’d make do.

Gale eyed the bed warily, then glanced at John. "First time you kick me, I’m going to the couch," he warned, giving John a playful glare.

Gale raised an eyebrow, but there was a playful gleam in his eye as he kicked off his shoes and stretched his arms. “You say that now, but we both know how this is going to end. You hog the blankets, I get shoved to the edge, and then—bam—I’m on the floor.”

John let out a laugh, shaking his head as he sat on the edge of the bed and began untying his shoes. “If anyone’s falling off this bed, it’s me. You’re like a damn rock in your sleep.”

"That’s because I don’t move," Gale shot back with a smirk, "unlike someone I know who does this octopus thing with his legs."

John kicked off his shoes and stood up, walking over to the window that looked out over his grandma’s quiet street. The nostalgia hit him again, that feeling of stepping back into a time capsule of their high school days. When John would come visit and he’d call Gale every night because he really couldn’t stand being away from him. “This place hasn’t changed a bit,” he mused, glancing back at Gale.

Gale rolled his eyes, pulling back the covers on the bed. “Yeah, well, neither has the bed size, clearly.”

John grinned and crossed the room, slipping under the covers next to Gale. They lay there for a moment, adjusting to the awkward proximity in the small bed, arms and legs brushing awkwardly against each other.

After a beat of silence, Gale sighed dramatically. “Alright, just try not to elbow me in the face tonight.”

John turned on his side, facing Gale with a mischievous smile. “No promises, but if you wake up on the floor, I’ll personally tuck you back in.”

“Gee, thanks,” Gale muttered, but there was a softness in his voice. He rolled over, getting comfortable despite the cramped space.

John’s hand found its way to Gale’s side, pulling him just a little closer, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “I’ll take the couch if you really want, you know.”

Gale, already half-asleep, mumbled back, “Nah, it’s fine. Just… don’t kick.”

“Deal,” John whispered, closing his eyes.

The bed may have been smaller than what they were used to, but as the quiet of the house settled around them, the closeness didn’t feel so bad after all. One night in a tight space, sharing warmth and stealing moments of comfort—they could handle that.

And if Gale ended up kicking him halfway through the night, John would just smile and tuck him back in.

[oneirataxia-haechan]

Call D C

Taeyong and Ten come over for cuddles when you’ve had a rough day.

Pairing: Taeyong x Ten x reader

Word count: 768 words

Genre: Fluff

Out of all the members if you ever needed anything from advice to company for dinner, you knew who to call. Taeyong or Ten. They both always answered your calls if they could, and if not they’d make sure to text to ensure all was okay. Tonight you were having a particularly hard night. You had had an emotional day, making for an emotional night, as well as some lovely insomnia. It was late and you didn’t expect an answer but you tried them anyways. First was Ten. He didn’t answer which you figured due to their busy schedules. You tried Taeyong this time, not very hopeful for an answer.

“Well good evening.” You heard a groggy voice say, it continued. “What’s the matter?”

“I’m really sorry to be calling this late but I can’t sleep.”

He noticed your puffy red eyes and knew you probably went back and forth on wanting to call him. He thought for a second, still sleepy.

“Give me a few and I’ll be right over.”

Before you could disagree and say you just wanted to talk, Taeyong hung up. Your phone began to ring and you answered it before you could even read the name, thinking he hung up on accident.

“Hello sweets.” This voice was definitely softer than the previous sleepy speech.

Noticing your face, just like Taeyong, he began again before you could.

“I had a feeling there was a reason I couldn’t sleep. I’ll clean up my work and head over.”

“Ten no, I’m okay, I just wanted to talk.” You pleaded, not needing them both to mess up their schedules just for you.

“Hmmmm…. I’m not sure I believe that.” He said giggling, trying to make you feel a little more lighthearted. “I’ll see you shortly.”

Now both were on their ways to you, and you really just wanted to talk to them. You decided to text Ten to tell him that Taeyong was already on his way. He answered back with, ‘not if i beat him there!’ All you could say was ‘fine.’ Both of them are determined and won’t let you say no to their no invitation visit. You accepted your fate and just waited.

While waiting you went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. Then you heard a light knock. You were slightly curious who got here fastest. Opening the door you saw the sweet warm smile of Ten. He really wasn’t lying when he said he was going to beat Taeyong here. You both ended up in the kitchen waiting for Taeyong. He arrived maybe 5 minutes after Ten and was surprised to see someone else with you when you let him inside.

“I tried to tell both of you no but neither of you listened so now both of you are here.”

They both laughed, pulling you into a big hug in between them.

“Weirdos.” You said while being squished, then getting room to breathe again. You took in a dramatic deep breath like you were dying for some air. They both gave you the same annoyed ‘for real?’ look as you giggled. You were already feeling better just being with them. Taeyong then took off his shoes and went straight for the bedroom. He was still tired since you woke him up in the middle of his nice sleep, again you tried to tell him no. You could hear him fall down onto the bed in the silence surrounding you. Ten began to make some hot tea thinking this may help some. It felt like it took no time at all to make and you and him were drinking tea and talking about your days. You shed a few tears talking about yours, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you to him. Exhaustion and the calming tea finally caught up to you and you were getting tired. Making your way to the bedroom, he followed tirelessly behind you. You giggled as you stood at the end of your bed seeing Taeyong cuddled up with your blanket.

“He really is cute when he’s not being annoying, right?” Ten started laughing lightly then continued. “You know I’m right y/n.” You answered with a smile. You both decided to climb into bed trying not to wake Taeyong up. Luckily he was on the side of your bed so you laid next to him, in the middle. Ten wrapped his arm around your waist and snuggled his head in the crease of your neck.

“Thank you again.” You said sleepily.

All Ten could do in response was smile into your neck.

[3rizu]

A Weeping Willows Dream

His pretty toy

Contents: Gojo x fem!reader - Shoko x Utahime - modern au! - pet names (sweetheart, pretty girl, and etc) - ooc

Word Count: 2,519

A/N: This is a bit shorter bc I had a project

Masterlist

It was nice and warm in the morning due to Utahime keeping the heater on, and Shoko had woken up, though she was a bit angry after Utahime told her about what Suguru had said and done to you.

“Gosh, you know he’s such an asshole. I can’t believe he did that to you.”

“You can say it; I know you want to.” You said knowing she wanted to say that she was right all along, and you messed up by not listening.

“I’m not going to be bitchy—I told you so. I’m sorry, you know I had to; it was tempting.”

Shokos said apologetically, though she was a bit glad Suguru was going to be gone from your life. Although Shoko hated the way he had hurt you before leaving, she was happy he left. At least for a little while, and hopefully enough time by the time he came back, you had someone else in your mind, preferably not somebody who was just as toxic as him.

“Nope, I knew you would. Although I am definitely taking your advice next time, I do not want to repeat those things again.”

"Well, I’m just glad you’ll finally be able to get over him. Though there’s a party happening, it's the birthday party of some girl, but everyone’s invited, so wanna come with me and Utahime?” She asked, though she was a bit nervous if you rejected the offer, knowing it’d either be because of Suguru or you just don’t want to go.

“Oh, really? Uhm… you know why not?" You said after thinking about it in your mind for a bit.

"Okay, that’s great. I’m sure they’ll be umm guys for you or whatever you like." Shoko said trying to coax you into coming with her and Utahime

"Yeah, after what happened, maybe not, but if I feel like it, I’ll definitely come with you guys.”

“Hah! Come” Shoko laughed at your words before settling down.

“Shut up”

—

11:31 pm

It was already late at night while you were watching a movie after not being able to sleep and having been worried if the girls would need a ride home. So you decided to watch whatever movie seemed interesting to you. Your phone rang, thinking it was Shoko or Utahime. You grabbed it and answered, not stopping to check the contact name.

“Shoko? Utahime?”

“Hey, sweetheart. It’s Satoru, not whoever you’re calling out to.” He said softly to you after hearing the worry in your voice.

“Oh, it’s you?” You said taking your phone away from your ear to see his contact name, ‘Weirdo🐇’

“Yes, I was calling to see if you hadn’t slept yet.”

"Well, I haven't, so is that all?”

“No! Uhm, I mean no. Anyway, I was going to ask if you wanted to come over tonight.”

"Uhm, I’m not sure about that.”

“Pretty please? I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

"Fine, I’ll come; just you pick me up. I don’t feel like driving.”

“Got it, princess.”

—

Gojo hummed while he walked to your door, knocking on it, waiting for you to answer. You opened the door a bit surprised, forgetting that he was coming to pick you up.

“I completely forgot that you were coming.”

“Have you really forgotten me so easily, sweetheart?” He said, acting dramatic and putting his hand over his heart as if he were truly hurt by your words.

“Yes.”

“I hate you.”

“Yeah, you’re a liar.”

“I know, I could never hate my future wife.”

You rolled your eyes at his comment while you closed the door behind yourself. His hand grabbed onto yours, leading you into the car and opening the door for you.

“Such a gentleman, hm?” You hummed getting inside the car.

“Of course, why would I ever treat less than you deserve?” The door closed while he walked to the driver's seat.

“Do you want to stop anywhere before we go to my place?”

“Uhm, no, I’m fine; we can just go.”

“Yes, ma’am. Though do you want any music playing?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Alright”

He continued driving while you kept your gaze on the road, turning your head to your window to watch as you both passed buildings. He looked at you while the light was red. Seeing if it was alright to hold onto your hand, you shook your head. You weren’t yet ready to start with another guy; your heart was still recovering from Geto. He nodded as you declined with a shake of your head, and he put both of his hands back on the steering wheel.

Finally, after a couple minutes, he arrived at his place. He opened your door as per usual. His hand led you inside the house while he locked his car and closed the door behind the both of you. He turned on the lights so he could see you more clearly and also so neither of you would run into something by accident.

“So what do you want to do, sweetheart? Watch a movie? Or do we want to bake something together?”

"Mm, you know what baking something sounds like?”

“Alright, what should we bake?” He said turning on the kitchen lights and heading to his pantry, which was stoked up on a lot of junk food, though he had some healthy things.

“I hope you actually have a healthy diet, but uhm, I’m not sure. Maybe a cake or cupcakes?” You said after having glanced inside his pantry.

"Oh, don’t worry, I do, but uhm, we can do both if you want to.”

“Really? Can we do both?” You said, smiling happily at his words.

“Yeah, of course, anything for my sweet girl.”

"Okay, but if you play careless whisper, I’m out." You said it jokingly while he frowned at your words.

“You wouldn’t dare, and I was going to play it, y'know, be romantic again.”

“Oh yeah, definitely you had me on my knees.”

He chuckled, smiling at your words. His smile was beautiful; gosh, if you hadn't known any better, you would’ve thought he was an angel.

"Yup, I did.” He said, finally grabbing the ingredients for you and him to make the cake and cupcakes.

"Totally.” You giggled before helping him out with grabbing a bowl and a whisk. He hummed, pulling you closer to him.

“What’s with you?” You said look as his hand wrapped around your waist.

“Can’t I be romantic? I mean, you’re going to be my future girlfriend.”

"Yeah, calm down, mister, it's not going to happen.” You said, patting his shoulder before focusing your attention back onto making the cupcakes.

“Well, I’ll work on the cupcakes, and you can make the cake.”

"Alright, I got it, ma’am.” He said moving away and starting to work on the cake.

"Great, now it better look decent.” you said, starting to grab the eggs out of the fridge for the both of you.

“Of course I'll try my absolute hardest to make it look as pretty as you.”

He said, cracking the egg against the edge of the bowl, letting the egg fall into the bowl. His movements continued, and you watched him. You liked the way he looked, the way he spoke to you kindly, his beautiful diamond eyes, and most of all, the way he treated you.

“Princess? Are you okay? You’re staring at me." His said his tone soft while he seemed concerned. You shook your head no and focused on making your cupcakes.

“Wanna listen to some music?” He said, looking at you before his gaze focused back on the bowl with the batter.

“Can we listen to Heavenly?” You said focusing on your own batter of cupcakes.

He smiled at your words and then spoke with that soft tone he always used when speaking to you. “Cigarettes After Sex? I would’ve never known.”

“Well, Alexa? Play Heavenly by Cigarettes After Sex.”

"Well, I just like it. It sounds nice to me. It’s kind of calming or peaceful.”

—

After having baked and waiting for the cake and cupcakes to cool down, Satoru ate some then went to bed. Although there he was watching over you while you slept like a guardian angel, he loved looking at your peaceful face. He knew you were home, and he hoped whichever spiritual being existed that they blessed him with having you in his arms. Gosh, how he longed to feel you in his arms; he’d treated you beautifully like a queen; no man would ever hurt you in his presence.

You shifted in your sleep, causing one strand of hair to cover your face. He hated that, so he moved it and tucked it behind your ear. He smiled as you moved and tried to get warmed under the blankets. He kissed your forehead and went back to his own bedroom to fall asleep thinking about you.

—

You were back at home, and Shoko was asking you all types of questions, asking who you were with last night. She seemed eager to know who interested you so much you stayed overnight. Although you kept dismissing her questions and got ready to go out to the mall together, she was already ready, and so was Utahime.

“Come on? Answer me” Shoko said, obviously impatient, and she had to know which man it was and if he was a good man to you.

“Shoko, he’s just a friend.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes at your stupid words. “Ha! You expect me to believe that bullshit?”

“Fine, he may or may not be someone who’s interested in being with me." The words came out of your mouth softly and too quickly for her to fully understand, but it clicked soon enough.

“Is he a good man? No more Suguru situation, right?

“Yeah no. He’s uhm something.” You said a bit nervous; you still weren’t sure what you classified your relationship or friendship as.”

 

“That’s great, gosh, am I glad it’s not some toxic guy? Anyway, come on, let's go to the mall now.”

 

—

 

Shoko and Utahime were looking at jewelry, and you wandered off still near them, but instead you entered another store and looked around. It was a candy store where you wanted to see if they had anything you liked, so you kept looking around till you finally found something you liked. You grabbed it and looked for anything else, grabbing other things. You went up to the cashier and bought your candy.

 

Finally, Shoko and Utahime came back after Shoko bought Utahime a necklace. You left the store and went into another to see if you wanted any clothing.

 

"Oh, this would look great if you tried it on.” Utahime said sweetly to you, and you listened, going into the changing rooms while they followed and sat on one of the benches. You changed and looked in the mirror. You looked nice just as Utahime said you would; you opened the door, and Utahime nodded. 

 

“You have to get it. It looks beautiful on you.” She smiled, and Shoko nodded, agreeing with her girlfriend.

 

“Really? You think so?” 

 

You went into the changing room, looking at yourself in the mirror. You looked lovely, but at that moment you didn’t think of that but how Satoru would react to the dress.

 

“Maybe your ‘friend’ will love it.” Shoko said, making air quotes while saying friend.

 

“Shut up.” 

 

She shrugged as she kept speaking. “The truth hurts.” 

 

"Well, we can leave after this because that should be all for us, right?”

 

“You we’re done.”

 

—

 

Utahime and Shoko had long left to go out together for a date while you texted for Satoru to come over. 

 

You: Wanna come to my place, Gojo?”

 

Weirdo🐇: Yeah, that’d be lovely.

 

You: Okay, come over now.

 

Gojo🐇🎀: So demanding, sweetheart.

 

You: I’ll see you in a bit.

 

Gojo🐇🎀: Okay, bye, honey.

—

He made himself comfortable on the sofa while you both watched a movie. You decided to watch a kids movie. He didn't mind at all if anything; he found it adorable that you would want to watch such a thing with him, and you must’ve been comfortable to watch such things as Sleeping Beauty. A blanket was draped over the both of you while you leaned a bit closer to him. He wrapped his arm around you and kept you close to his chest.

 

“Why is the beginning so long?” You hummed as the beginning was a bit too long for your liking and also because you were impatient.

 

“Just wait, princess. I promise you’ll like this movie.” 

 

"Mhm, I will." You hummed, focusing back onto the screen, the fairies appearing and giving Aurora one gift. The singing was nice and peaceful. You loved the way it was made; although it was years ago, it was your second time watching after forgetting what happened when you watched it for the very first time. 

 

 

He nodded and kissed your forehead while still focusing on the movie. You tucked yourself deeper into the blankets, sleep overtook you slowly but surely, and you got tired. Satoru noticed your sleepiness and smiled. He let you doze off; you closed your eyes and opened them, drifting in and out of consciousness.

 

He chuckled and kept you closer soon enough; your head lay against his chest fully, and you were asleep. He turned the TV off and carried you into your bedroom, laying you under your blankets.

 

"Satoru, don’t leave." You mumbled sleepily, and you grabbed onto his arm. He seemed conflicted but nodded and got into bed with you. He held you close enough that you were practically molded together. 

 

You smiled, and he closed his eyes, finally falling asleep with you in his arms.

—

It was 7:30 am, and Satoru was still in bed with you snoring softly and his leg thrown over your body. It felt somewhat suffocating, but it was fine; you didn’t mind one bit. The only thing on your mind at the moment was how pretty he looked over the night. You had changed positions, and you could see his pretty face. You moved closer to him, and his arms instinctively wrapped around your body, pulling you closer to his chest.

 

“Oh princess?” He said a bit groggily he had just woken up and his eyes opened, taking a bit to adjust to the light peeking from your blinds.

 

“Yes?” You said while he moved one of his hands away from you and clasped it with yours.

 

“Nothing; you’re so pretty." You smiled at his kind words, cuddling ever closer if it was even possible to do so.

 

“Wait, how come you’re in my bed?” 

 

“Last night you asked me to sleep with you; not that way, just sleep.”

 

“And you stayed?” You said a bit taken aback he had listened to you, although you were half asleep while saying it.

 

“Should I go? No, yeah, I totally should’ve let you sleep." He seemed a bit nervous and scared to hear that you were weirded out by him.

 

“No, stay, Satoru; you're like my personal heater.

[batty4steddie]

The Christmas Cold

For day 20 of @steddiemas Sick Day/Winter Blues ❄️💙❄️ written in partnership with @spicycinnabun💙 | WC: 5,848 | Rating: T | Read, kudos or comment on ao3 💙

The week leading up to Christmas, Steve was in the middle of a Christmas cookie bake-off with his mother. He hadn’t heard from Eddie. He thought that they were going to go ice skating tonight, but Eddie sounded horrible.

Steve took the call in his bedroom. “Baby, what’s the matter?” he asked, dusting flour off his apron nervously. He was already concerned about how nasally his boyfriend sounded.

Instead of an answer, a coughing fit followed by three sneezes was all he heard. 

“Bless you,” Steve said cautiously, worried there would be another sneeze.

Eddie had really wanted to go ice skating. He’d planned to surprise Steve with a light show of illegal fireworks helpfully set off by Gareth and the boys. He also had a special gift that he was going to present to Steve at the end of it. 

That wasn’t happening now, and it was all his stupid body’s fault. 

There had been a tickle in Eddie’s throat that he had been stubbornly ignoring all week, and last night, it had finally turned into an all-out cold with bonus fever. He was so disappointed he’d ruined their Christmas date.

“Steeb, I’m sick,” Eddie eventually said after blowing his nose loudly. 

Steve held the phone away from his ear as his heart ached for him. “You sound it,” he said softly. “You need me to bring you something? Medicine? Soup? Yeah, I’ll make you some soup when I come over. We just finished baking Christmas cookies. I’ll bring you and Wayne some of those, too.”

Eddie clutched the phone, listening to his boyfriend’s angelic voice crooning in his ear. “Yes, please. Sweet aygel, sweetheart. Cub over.”

This wasn’t the first time that Eddie had called Steve an angel. It was becoming more and more of a thing. The last time Eddie had called him that, they were in a very intimate situation. Steve’s cheeks got rosy from the memory.

“I just hope I doht pass away before you get here,” Eddie added. 

Eddie was dying. When he swallowed, it felt like his throat was lined with razor blades. His eyes were red from getting no sleep (and maybe a tinybout of emotional weeping), and he was getting a cough that was steadily worsening and rattling his chest. His nostrils were absolutely fucking useless at this point, too. He couldn’t breathe out of either one, but they were simultaneously leaking like a faucet. 

He had a mountain of used Kleenex by his bed, and Wayne had even set up the Vicks vaporizer on his nightstand that was steaming away by his pathetic, puffy face.

“What?” Steve furrowed his brow in concern. What Eddie said was jarring. “Eddie? Are you there? Eddie bear, are you okay?”

Eddie thought he said a garbled see you soon and love you to Steve, but he’d actually just passed out with the phone smooshed against his cheek mid-conversation. 

Wayne eased it away and held it to his ear after wiping the receiver off on his shirt. “This is Wayne. He fell asleep.”

Steve was startled when Wayne’s voice replaced Eddie’s, but he relaxed because Wayne didn’t sound concerned. Eddie wasn’t dying. He was just being as dramatic as he normally was. “Oh.” Of course.

Eddie had fallen asleep on the phone with him before, but the last time was because they were arguing about who should hang up first. Steve had been pissed when Eddie actually fell asleep. That made him have to hang up first. Steve had given him the cold shoulder for an entire day. He was surprised he’d made it that long. Ultimately, he hadn’t been able to stand not talking to Eddie anymore, and he’d gotten over it.

This was different, though. Steve wasn’t mad. He was worried. At least Wayne was there for now.

Wayne looked at his nephew, who let out a soft, wheezing snore. He looked miserable, wearing a pout like he was eight years old again. “Appreciate you comin’ over. I gotta head to work in half an hour.” 

Eddie was an adult and would have been fine on his own, but Wayne still didn’t want his kid to be alone. It was far from his first time taking care of Eddie like this. When he was just a kiddo and he got sick, Wayne would step in since his dipshit of a brother was never there to take care of the boy. Not when he was really needed as a parent. Always conveniently missing in those times.

Steve blushed when he realized the last thing he had said was Eddie’s pet name. Had Wayne overheard that? God. “I’ll be there soon.” He rubbed his hand over his face after he ended the call.

He didn’t have long to get there before Wayne had to go to work. Steve packed an overnight bag with some clothes and toiletries. He raided the medicine cabinet for a few different cold medicines, then the pantry for various soups and flavors he thought Eddie would like.

Steve already had his date outfit picked out. He ditched the apron and put on his holiday reindeer sweater.

Before leaving, he put together two different containers of cookies so Eddie and Wayne would each have their own. They both had bad sweet tooths. 

When Steve arrived, Wayne accepted the Christmas cookies and ruffled his hair in thanks. Steve looked a little embarrassed by the gesture, blushing visibly like he did whenever Wayne did anything fatherly to him, but Wayne didn’t think he minded. From what Eddie had told him, Steve’s dad was about just as useless as Al, though in a different way. 

Wayne had two kids now. Eddie was infatuated with the Harrington boy, and that made them family. Wayne had given Steve a bit of a hard time in the beginning, protective as he was of Eddie, but it hadn’t taken him long to figure out Steve was an honest, genuine individual who cared for Eddie very much. 

“Tell your mother thank you for me,” Wayne said as he put on his coat and cap by the door. He grabbed the Tupperware and tucked it under his arm. “These are delicious.” He was taking the rest to eat during his break.

Wayne was always about a thousand times more affectionate towards him than Steve’s own dad had ever been. It still made him feel flustered whenever Wayne was warm to him.

“Promise I will,” he agreed. “Have a good night at work.”

Wayne headed out the door, and Steve went into the kitchen to drop off the cookies and cans of soup he brought. He heard Eddie's labored stuffed-up snoring while he was standing in the kitchen, so he took himself and his bag down the hallway to Eddie’s room.

Eddie’s nose looked bright red when Steve saw him, giving Rudolph a run for his money. The rest of him was even paler than usual. Steve still found him really fucking cute. His heart was fluttering like usual, though he felt bad that Eddie was so sick. 

Steve did a quick tidying of all the used tissues. Eddie’s room was even more chaotic than usual. He straightened the rest of it up, too. He just wasn’t sure what else to do. Eddie was dead asleep, and he’d never taken care of someone who was sick before. He knew that he could do it, and he wanted to. He didn’t want to disturb Eddie’s sleep either. If he was asleep, he was fine.

Once Steve was done cleaning, he carefully sat on the edge of Eddie’s bed and felt his forehead. He was burning up. Steve got up and went into the bathroom for a washcloth. He ran cold water over it to get it nice and cool before wringing it out. When he returned, he gently placed it on Eddie’s forehead in hopes of cooling the fever down some. 

Eddie had fallen into a deep doze. That was rare. He was a guy who usually slept lightly, with weird shit dreams fueled by Miss Mary Jane or nightmares that spooked him into waking. His body was getting uncomfortably hot underneath the covers, though, and as he started to sweat, he came back to consciousness. 

His eyelids fluttered when something cool landed on his forehead. It was a relief, and it made him whimper quietly. His eyes cracked open, and he saw a brown-eyed, brown-haired angel hovering over him.

“Steeby,” Eddie said, giving him a loopy smile. “You’re here.” 

“I am,” Steve said, smiling back.

Eddie was so happy to see him. He sat up even though his head was pounding, the damp cloth falling onto his lap, and held out his arms. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to be held by his gorgeous hunk in his incredibly dorky reindeer sweater. Steve would make everything better. He looked so cozy and probably smelled lovely, like warm cinnamon from the cookies and his cologne, and… 

Eddie wasn’t even going to be able to smell him. Fuck, that made him sad.

He realized something as he sat there with his arms out like an expectant toddler. He was contagious. Also disgusting. Eddie deflated, dropping them by his sides morosely. “Oh, I guess you probably doht wadda hug be right dow, huh.” Why did Eddie sound so adorable and pitiful right now?

Steve wasn’t expecting him to be so happy that he was there or to sit up so quickly. Of course he wanted a cuddle. Steve wanted to embrace him, too. He didn’t care that Eddie was sick. He just wanted to make him feel better. His face softened, and he shook his head. “Hey, no, that’s not true.” 

Steve picked up the washcloth that had fallen into Eddie’s lap and unfolded it. “You just need a little tidying. You’re still cute, though. You might have to call me Steeby when you don’t have a cold. I like it.” Steve chuckled as he gently wiped the crusty bits from Eddie’s pretty face.

It was a little embarrassing to be de-snotified. If Eddie weren’t already burning up, he’d probably blush under the gentle swipes of the cloth and equally soft teasing. It felt nice to be doted on, though. Steve was such a sweetheart. Eddie didn’t deserve him.

“I’m gonna hug the hell out of you now.” Steve put the cloth on the nightstand and then shifted Eddie to lie back.

Eddie perked up visibly at the words, letting himself be moved wherever Steve pleased as his boyfriend climbed onto the bed with him.

Steve moved to lay beside him comfortably and pulled Eddie into his arms. “I’m sorry you’re not feelin' good, baby.” 

When Steve’s arms were snug around him, and Eddie was pulled against that broad, reindeer-covered chest, he made an audible moan of happiness, nuzzling into the soft, fleecy fabric. “Oh yeah. Shit, I feel better already. Ad I’b the sorry wod, Steeb. I ruid our Christmas date.”

Eddie glanced at the door. His rented hockey skates were hanging on the doorknob by the laces, the sharp blades covered with black protectors. Steve’s present was hidden in his dresser drawer. 

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You couldn’t help getting sick,” Steve told Eddie while lightly stroking his warm cheek with his thumb. “This is exactly how I wanted our date to end anyway. Us in your bed, cuddling just like this.”

‘Course, he had figured they would’ve gotten to fuck before the cuddles, but he loved being close to Eddie in any way he could be.

Eddie let out a wheezing sigh. Unfortunately, that prompted a coughing fit, which he tried to shelter Steve from by curling away as he hacked. Steve winced a little. Eddie flopped back against Steve when it was over, head-butting gently under his chin. Steve rubbed Eddie’s chest, then rested his hand over his heart.

“Did you have fud bakig with your bob?” Eddie asked.

He knew Steve had spent the afternoon in the kitchen whipping up holiday treats. Eddie was picturing Steve in a frilly little apron covered in flour, bending over to put cookies in the oven. (Mrs. Harrington was excluded from his mental picture because it wasn’t exactly an innocent one. Even being on death’s doorstep couldn’t totally fry Eddie’s libido. He couldn’t wait to feel better again so he could eat his boyfriend’s goodies. The cookies, too.)

“Yeah, of course. We listened to Christmas music, and I got to lick all of the spoons.” Steve chuckled. “I brought you some of everything we made. You don’t even have to share with Wayne. I brought him his own.” 

Eddie hated sharing. That was great news. 

“You’re such a geb, Steeby,” Eddie replied, smiling. That was a tiny hint about Steve’s Christmas gift —not that Steve would catch on. Steve’s expression said he didn’t understand what the fuck Eddie had said at all. “A diabud?” More confused lip pursing from Steve. “A precious stode?”

Eddie must’ve been delirious. Steve couldn’t make out what he was saying like he could earlier. He was trying to listen, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. He even turned his ear towards Eddie’s mouth, but none of it made sense. He was a geb, diabud and stode?

“What?” Steve asked.

Eddie sighed. Being cute wasn’t working.

“You’re the best boyfred,” he clarified. That, at least, couldn’t be misconstrued by his nasal inability to pronounce any m' s or n' s.

 “Aw.”

Steve was beyond flattered. He figured that those other things were just various compliments. The last statement, though, made his chest puff up with pride. He tried to and wanted to be a good boyfriend, but the best? Yeah, he’d take that.

“Love you,” Eddie continued in a softer tone as his eyelids grew heavy again. 

Steve smiled and managed to say that he loved Eddie back, but he wasn’t sure if Eddie had heard it. Loud, stuffed-up snoring resumed within seconds of Eddie’s eyes falling shut. 

It took a week for Eddie’s cold to ease up enough for him to do everyday things like leave the trailer. 

After he had woken up, Steve had herded him into the shower, and then mother henned him with hot soup and more cuddles. He’d taken care of Eddie even after Wayne got back and kept stopping by through the week to see him and spend time with him. 

Eddie was more than grateful because he had been so fucking bored being stuck in his bed that he had been driving himself (and Wayne) insane. He hadn’t been able to focus enough to read any of his books, and his headaches had made listening to music or playing his guitar a miserable experience. 

But he and Steve had watched many movies snuggled up on the La-Z-boy together. With the volume low, it had been perfect. Eddie was pretty sure they’d gone through Family Video’s entire catalogue. It’d also given him a lot of insight into the types of movies Steve liked (bad ones).

Unfortunately, Eddie didn’t get better as quickly as Steve thought he would. Eddie hadn’t gotten to work, play music or run campaigns. It was a real Christmas miracle that he was all better by Christmas Eve, and they could go on their much anticipated ice-skating date.

Steve had been diligent in taking care of him every night after work. He’d bring a new movie, make dinner to ensure Eddie had one good meal, and make sure he was taking his medicine. Steve had allowed him one Christmas cookie during their nightly movies.

Usually, Eddie ended up falling asleep halfway through. Steve had known by the second night that it probably hadn’t had much to do with him being sick. Steve had cackled at all the dumb and funny parts, but Eddie had seemed disinterested and had only smiled at Steve’s delight. Steve hadn’t minded.

The way Eddie had clung to him when he was sick had been different than usual. Steve liked feeling needed, and it had felt like they’d gotten even closer. That was the snuggliest Eddie had ever been with him. He had been more than earning his Eddie bear nickname. 

Eddie was excited to be outside, breathing fresh air. And while there wouldn’t be any fireworks that night, sadly, since Eddie’s boys had Christmas Eve plans of their own, some cheerful holiday music was being played from the ice rink speakers, and snow was falling, making the ground sparkle. It was acceptably romantic.

Eddie liked how the cold air made Steve’s cheeks and lips look so pink, and he had snowflakes in his hair, catching in his eyelashes. 

“You better not fucking laugh when I fall on my face,” Eddie said, giving Steve a look as he took both of his mittened hands and shuffled onto the ice like an awkward baby deer. He knew he should have practiced first. Skating was more challenging than he thought it would be.

“No falling on your face. There is a proper way to fall, and it is on your butt. Falling is par for the course,” Steve promised.

“And of course you’re perfect at skating, you talented hunk,” Eddie muttered, flailing a little when Steve let go of his hands. Steve was standing there on the ice with the same confident posture he wore on the basketball court.

Steve laughed. He’d played ice hockey growing up, so he had advanced skills, but he could teach Eddie, too. It really wasn’t that hard. “Thanks. You kind of look even more like Bambi on those skates than you normally do.”

Eddie was so cute Steve could barely stand it. He was in his leather jacket, but his appearance was softened by the fabric of his scarf, gloves and hat. Steve was beyond smitten. The light snow made it the most Christmas-y atmosphere ever.

Eddie huffed lightly. Or he would’ve if he could concentrate on anything but the frigid dancefloor his feet were slipping and sliding all over. Steve loved to compare him to cute little forest animals instead of the metal badass he was. He would admit, though, that he wasn’t doing his best impression of badassery right then. “Just watch me for a second.” Steve fell back comically to soften the blow on the ice. He smiled up at Eddie from down on his butt. “Try to fall like that. Remember, if you feel like you’re going to fall, put your hands on your knees, then fall on your butt.”

“I don’t have as much cushioning as you do,” Eddie complained. “You know my ass is ninety-five percent bone!”

Steve shifted onto his hands and knees. “Then to get up, turn over like this.” Steve winked after he got into the position. He knew Eddie could easily get on all fours since he’d done it for him.

Eddie’s eyes widened, mock scandalized. "Steven! You hussy!”

He was going to have fantasies now of them doing it doggy-style in their skates. But hey, Steve’s scarf was perfect for using like a leash…

Steve lifted a knee so one of his skate blades rested on the ice. “Put both hands on your knee and push yourself up.” Steve did that and got himself up with no problem.

“Alright, okay,” Eddie said, putting his hands on his hips and then quickly thinking better of it when that made him tip. Keeping balance, even just standing on the ice, was proving complicated.

He kept his arms out like a fool instead while he watched Steve. Eddie’s legs tensed as he slowly glided forward and almost ran into someone zipping around the rink. Since he had rented hockey skates and not figure skates, there was none of those toe-spikey things to stop him.

“To get started, you march.” Steve did a little march forward to get moving. “Once you have momentum, you can glide forward. Squeeze your butt.” Steve squeezed his cheeks as he glided along, smirking as Eddie’s eyes dipped to his ass. 

“Nice form, Coach Harrington,” Eddie teased.

“I can also show you a trick. It’s called a swizzle. Swizzling is just forming two shapes. An A and V with the skates. It’s easy and fun once you get it down.” Steve continued with the demonstration. “To go backwards, all you gotta do is wiggle your butt while doing the opposite with the skates. V then the A shape.”

Eddie appreciated the demonstration. It made him feel like less of a complete failure, and Steve was a cute teacher. He tried to focus on what Steve was saying, but it was difficult to with all the butt flexing and wiggling going on. Steve’s butt was truly a gift to the world. Eddie’s world, especially.  

Steve got to wiggling his butt and quickly made his way back to where Eddie was standing. He stopped with precision right in front of him. “Got it?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Absolutely,” Eddie responded confidently. He absolutely did not have it.

Steve took Eddie’s hands and placed them on his hips. He looked forward again and started to march like he had instructed Eddie to do when you began to skate. He smiled when he felt Eddie starting to march along with him. They went forward. “That’s right. Just like this.”

Eddie squeezed Steve’s hips as Steve led him along like a mother duck leading its duckling, barely able to feel them through the thickness of his puffer jacket. Eddie copied his movements as best as he could and grinned when they started picking up speed. It was making his heart race. It was fun.

Steve smiled, and when they began to glide together, he broke away from Eddie’s hold. He quickly picked up momentum by swizzling his way around the rink. He was confident that Eddie could do it once he wasn’t holding onto him anymore.

Eddie wasn’t totally ready for Steve to let go, but he kept up with the simple gliding and managed not to faceplant as Steve showed him his swizzle trick. It was cool to see. Steve had a lot of skill on the ice. He made it look so easy and natural.

Eddie watched in amusement as Steve turned around and came back to him, starting to skate circles around him. “Show off.” On his next pass, Eddie reached out and tried to catch him, laughing when he missed and remembering to clench so he didn’t fall. “You slippery fucker!”

When they got tired of playing, and Eddie had fallen a handful of times - not hurting himself or his bony ass thanks to Steve’s method – they got off the pond and put on their skate guards, heading over to the large, windowed pavilion with their duffle bags. It was heated inside, and there was a vending machine that sold hot coffee and hot chocolate. Eddie bought them a hot chocolate while Steve saved them a bench by one of the floor heaters.

After they removed their skates, they sat down with their styrofoam cups cupped in their hands and their woolly-socked feet toasting over the vent. Eddie watched through the windows at the other couples on the pond. He felt a pang of longing. They were all holding hands. He wished he could’ve held Steve’s hand while they’d skated, but they had to keep up the friends-only charade in public. It was bullshit.

Usually, Eddie didn’t give a crap about following societal norms even if people hated him for it, but this was a situation where he couldn’t just stick his middle finger in the air and say fuck it. Steve’s safety was on the line. Eddie had heard about what happened to homo couples on the news plenty of times.

If he showed his affection where people could see it, they could be targeted. Steve could end up hurt or worse. Eddie absolutely wouldn’t risk that, no matter how angry it made him.

Maybe if they moved to LA or the Big Apple, where people were more open-minded, they could have the luxury of being themselves, of being together for real.

So, instead of wrapping his arm around Steve’s shoulders, Eddie kept his hands to himself, but he did sit close enough that their thighs were touching. “Cold,” he said to excuse it.

Steve had so much fun showing off and skating with Eddie. They’d both fallen a couple of times and had fun chasing each other. Steve would’ve loved to hold Eddie’s hand and twirl him around. It was hard not getting to participate in the same public displays of affection he was used to, but when they were alone, it was always worth the wait.

Eddie wondered if Steve had ever done this with Nancy. He had probably held her hand. Steve had given up a lot by entering into a relationship with him. Eddie suppressed a sigh. The small velvet box in his coat felt weighted like a stone. Eddie put his hand in his pocket and wrapped his fingers around it. If he gave it to Steve, would he just be trapping him?

They had arrived at the pond pretty late, so by the time they finished their cocoas, almost everyone had gone home. Eddie was still stewing over whether or not his gift was a good idea, lost in moody silence. 

Eddie was uncharacteristically quiet as they had their cocoa and warmed up. Steve was wondering why. He saw that Eddie’s gaze was lingering on the rink. He wished that he could read his mind. He hoped that Eddie had fun. Going skating had been his idea. 

It must’ve been getting close to closing time. Steve noticed they were alone, and the soft background Christmas music had stopped. Steve squeezed Eddie’s thigh to get his attention. “Hey, do you want your Christmas present now?”

Eddie had been so disappointed when Metallica cancelled their last Indiana show because the lead singer had broken his wrist the day of. When Steve had heard there was a chance to win tickets and backstage passes to their show in the new year on the radio, he’d kept it tuned to the rock station while he’d worked. He’d even roped Robin into using the store’s second line just so he could get through. Due to his dumb luck and fast fingers, he had been caller number twenty.

Eddie’s frown smoothed out, and he turned towards Steve with a soft smile. “Yeah,” he said, touched that Steve had bought him something. Steve quickly unzipped his coat and pulled out a thick red envelope. He handed it over with a nervous smile. He’d written Eddie’s name on the outside. The I of Eddie had been dotted with a heart. Inside was a cute Christmas card representing the nickname he’d used tonight, and the tickets and passes he’d won were tucked inside it. Under them was a short and sweet message: Merry Christmas, baby! Love, Stevie

He bit down on his lower lip while Eddie opened the envelope, then laughed happily when Eddie immediately fawned over the deer.

“This is so fucking cute,” Eddie told him.

“Yeah, that’s you,” Steve agreed. His smile grew when Eddie opened the card, and the actual present came into view. Eddie’s expression turned from disbelief to pure delight. 

There were sparkles in Eddie’s eyes as he lifted the tickets and read them. The card had been enough itself. It was the sweetest thing, and Eddie would keep it forever. But these —tickets!!!  

“Oh my god! Steve! ” Eddie threw his arms around Steve, hugging him tightly. He didn’t even think to look around and make sure the pavilion was empty first. “This is so fucking cool, sweetheart, thank you so much. I can’t wait to go with you.” 

Eddie’s reaction was better than Steve could’ve imagined. He was thrilled when Eddie yelled and instantly pulled him into a hug. Steve squeezed him back and smiled so big that it hurt.

Eddie was grinning when he pulled back in a way that he was sure looked completely fucking manic, but he had been positive he wasn’t going to be seeing Metallica any time soon. Especially after he’d been stiffed his refund for the last cancelled show. “How did you get these?” 

As far as he knew, the show had already been sold out for a few weeks. His jaw dropped when Steve told him he’d won them over the radio. “Are you serious? I tried calling in all afternoon!” Eddie yelled, taking Steve’s shoulders and shaking him playfully. He laughed. “I was so mad! I had to stop because I had to go to work. I didn’t get to hear the winner.” 

Steve laughed, too. He felt a little woozy from being squeezed and shaken up, especially after consuming the hot chocolate. It was so comical that they both had been calling. Luckily, Steve had already been at work, and it was a good thing Eddie hadn’t heard that a guy from Hawkins had won.

Eddie laughed to himself again, rubbing the tickets between his fingers like they were made of pure gold. His smile shrank a little as that reminded him of the ring. 

He swallowed hard, his hands starting to tremble and sweat. He was excited but nervous. He had his fears about the future of their relationship, but his fears were more founded on how the world outside the two of them would try to break them apart. Steve was his person, his soulmate.Eddie felt that so strongly, with all his heart, that it was terrifying as much as it was thrilling. He hoped Steve felt the same way about him. That he wanted Eddie for real, for keeps.

“I got you something, too.” Eddie carefully tucked the tickets back into the card, hand going to his pocket again. He pulled out the velvet box, watching Steve’s face. His heart was pounding so hard Steve could probably hear it. 

He wasn’t proposing —it wasn’t fucking legal, for one - but for how serious he felt, he may as well have been down on one knee. 

They hadn’t planned on exchanging gifts that night or at least hadn’t said they were. Steve had thought they might. That was why he’d brought the tickets, but hearing that Eddie had something for him, too, made him flush a little. He wasn’t used to receiving gifts. He loved giving more, and of course, his parents had gotten him nice things because they could, but he’d worked for everything he had now.

Eddie seemed nervous. He was shaking like a little leaf, but his hand steadied when he pulled the gift out. 

Steve instantly knew it was a jewelry box. His mind went to the necklace Eddie had given him, and he smiled. It hadn’t come in a box like this, but Eddie had put it on him one night when they were lying in bed, and he hadn’t taken it off since.

Eddie popped the little clasp with his thumb, and the box opened, revealing a yellow-gold band with a small square sapphire in the center. It was the most extravagant thing he’d ever purchased. He’d done everything he could to save up for it. He’d even borrowed some money from Uncle Wayne (which he’d tried to refuse multiple times, but Wayne hadn’t let him). 

Steve’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t believe Eddie was giving him a ring. An incredibly beautiful and expensive-looking ring. 

“I really love you, Steve. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I only want to be with you, and I’ve known that for a while now.” Eddie’s voice was low and thick with emotion. “This ring symbolizes my loyalty and commitment to you. And… it would be an honor if you would accept it.” 

Eddie didn’t take the ring out of the box or say it would make him the happiest man alive, although it would. The last thing he wanted to do was guilt Steve into wearing it.

Despite most signs pointing to Steve accepting, Eddie was still braced for a rejection. Since it was Steve – the big sweetheart - it would be a gentle one, at least. Steve would be logical. Maybe he’d say it was too soon, that they hadn’t been dating long enough to really know they wanted each other for the long haul. They were going steady, but they weren’t promise ring steady yet, and that was okay, but now just wasn’t the time.

Life, after all, rarely went the way you wanted it to. Eddie had experienced more than his share of letdowns through the years. It hadn’t stopped him from being naïve as hell, hadn’t stopped him from continuously being the idiot who got his hopes up, who wished and waited, even when the odds were laughably slim.

But Steve wasn’t like his dad, and Steve wasn’t someone who saw him as nothing but his last name. Steve wasn’t using him or blackmailing him. Steve saw the real him, the real Eddie, and still wanted to be around him. Wanted him for the right reasons and not because he just needed something from him.

They were already going steady, but Steve listened to what Eddie had to say. It felt like he was going to melt. His cheeks got even rosier, and his eyes started to sting really bad. “Eddie, I love you too. I want that, too. I’m never going to take it off,” he promised as he took it out of the box and put it on.

Steve wasn’t rejecting him. Eddie was a little horrified when Steve’s eyes got glassy and filled with tears until he spoke, and Eddie realized they were happy tears and Steve was putting on his ring, saying everything Eddie had hoped to hear.

Steve wasn’t sure how, but it fit perfectly on his ring finger. Steve let a couple of tears fall as he looked at it, then took his ring-clad hand, cupped Eddie’s face with it and kissed him.

Eddie could feel the cool metal of the ring on his cheek, a stark contrast to the warmth of Steve’s palm. It sent a bolt of emotion zinging through Eddie. Steve was wearing his ring! Steve wanted him! Steve loved him! Those thoughts twirled in Eddie’s head like a carousel as Steve kissed him. Of course, Steve had told him he loved him already more than a few times, but this cemented it. Eddie kissed him back tenderly, sparks flying behind his closed eyelids.

Not even a mountain of perkies could give Eddie the feelings he was experiencing now. He felt like he was a million miles up in the sky, like his heart was too big for his chest and it would explode.

Eddie reached up to brush away the tears leaking from Steve’s eyes. Tears of happiness. When they broke apart, Eddie pulled Steve’s hand off his cheek and kissed his palm, warming the ring with his lips. His smile was as bright as the lights as he lowered Steve’s hand and cradled it between his own. “Merry Christmas, Stevie.”

[let-them-read-fics]

You Again?

Pairing: Jiu x Fem!Reader

AU: Non-Idol

Warnings / Misc. -- Some Angst, Smut, Fluff, Happy Ending :)

Word Count: 9,955

Summary: Y/N and Jiu have history. Unresolved tension, unanswered questions, lingering desire: the inconvenient kind. But when they both unwittingly agree to attend a mutual friend's vacation trip, they're forced to confront their feelings head on and learn to live with one another again.

Why, exactly?

Because they just so happen to be rooming together.

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hi everyone! I apologize for my absence, but I hope you enjoy this piece :) I have more stories coming, so stay tuned! 💖 Make sure to eat something good today and drink plenty of water.

💖 Happy Reading 🌹

◂ ❚ ⊱ꕥ⊰ ❚ ▸◂ ❚ ⊱ꕥ⊰ ❚ ▸◂ ❚ ⊱ꕥ⊰ ❚ ▸◂ ❚ ⊱ꕥ⊰ ❚

This has got to be a day for the record books. One of the worst, most unfair in all of human history. 

Well, let’s be realistic: one of the worst in your life. Maybe “human history” is a bit of a stretch – though you can’t exactly blame yourself for giving into the dramatics at a time like this.

The sound of your best friend sighing in frustration brings you out of your annoyed daze, pulling your attention back to her. 

“Y/N, you’re acting like a child. It’s only for one night.”

“Exactly, Y/BFFs/N; one night is far too long for the two of us to be around each other.”

She scoffs, but you don't budge. There's no way you're accepting this without a fight. 

"Why don't we have somebody else switch?" You suggest. 

She shakes her head, dismissing you. "Most of the girls already went up," she explains, motioning behind herself to the cabin. Sure enough, you can see shadows moving within the rooms – forms hidden behind pulled curtains, almost taunting as they shift around in the visible lamplight.

“And I’ve already told Jiu about it.”

You roll your eyes.

"Plus we all sorted this out beforehand." She shrugs. "Since you both joined at the last minute, it only makes sense to put you together."

Now it's your turn to sigh. Suddenly, an idea pops into your head. 

"How about I sleep in the car?" You brighten at the thought of your own scheme; quite literally anything would be better than being trapped between four walls with Jiu. 

"Ha ha, very funny," Y/BFFs/N mocks, clearly not amused. "You can't stay out here. You'll either freeze to death or waste all of our gas trying not to, and I don't think you really wanna do that." 

A disappointed tut leaves you; your warm breath turns to a puff of white air before dissipating into the night. 

Alright, maybe it's colder than you thought. Maybe.

"I'll talk to the others tomorrow morning and see what I can do, okay?" She offers, bringing a hand up to rub the back of her neck. She looks tired, and a pang of guilt washes over you when you notice it.

"Okay. I'm sorry." Regret shines in your eyes, but it's quickly eased by the growing, sleepy smile on her face. 

"Don't worry about it," she reassures you, looping an arm with yours. The two of you fall in step together, heading back to the cabin. 

"I know it's difficult, after everything. But it's just a few hours. I'm sure you can survive that, no?" 

You shake your head, though you're grinning. 

"We'll have to see. I'm sure she'll make it hard." 

Y/BFFs/N slides her free hand along the polished oak handle of the porch's glass door, opening it for the two of you. 

"Just be civil and it'll all be fine. You don't even have to talk." 

The resulting glare you send her makes her laugh. 

Tonight will definitely be the death of you. 

–

Across the first floor, tucked away in the kitchen, Jiu is hard at work. She stands in a pair of shorts and an oversized sweatshirt, cleaning the grill she helped prepare dinner on earlier. A few strands of her hair have evaded the grasp of her ponytail holder, coming down to frame her face as she scrubs away. 

“Why don’t you just save that for the morning?” Someone unseen inquires, sounding half asleep. 

She turns around to find one of your friend’s other invites moseying over to the center island, bottle of water in hand. Her face is scrunched up some, and the small bags under her eyes immediately remind Jiu of who she is.

It’s Sua, the person who pre-gamed too early and overexerted herself when the group first arrived at the cabin earlier this morning. She’s been nursing a headache for the past few hours as a result. 

The low groan that she lets out as she hauls herself onto the high-top chair makes Jiu giggle, but she stifles it to the best of her ability. The younger girl has managed to brighten everybody’s moods all day long despite feeling how she does; she's truly a gift. 

“I want to get it done so I can rest easy,” Jiu finally answers. 

Sua rolls her eyes. “Sleep now, clean later. This is a vacation for a reason, you know? We deserve to procrastinate.” She raises her bottle to her lips, taking a long drink. 

“You do that, I’ll clean,” Jiu resolves, nodding to herself. 

“Suit yourself, pabo.” 

Sua folds her arms on the countertop and lays her head down, yawning as she nuzzles her cheek against the soft material of her sweater. Jiu glances at her and smiles, amused. She appreciates her nonchalance likely more than anyone else on this trip; it’s distracted her from her worries.  

Namely, you: her biggest inconvenience. 

When news reached her of Y/BFFs/N’s plans for a week-long getaway, she was intrigued. Work had been a hassle, she was stressed, and all in all she just needed a break. So, she pulled some strings, got her shifts covered, and took the time off.

All was well for the first few hours, when everyone was at Y/BFFs/N’s house, readying up to make the long drive to the forest resort; but then you made a surprise appearance there, busting in and looking just as good as you did the last time Jiu saw you. 

Effectively, it ruined her mood.

You’d glanced at her, then, when you first walked through the door. She was the one closest to you, having been on her way to get a refill of the drink she had in hand. Truthfully, it felt like slow motion; for a second, it was like the two of you were back to where you had been all that time ago. 

When you were still together.

You crossed the threshold with an eager smile, luggage bags weighing heavy in your hands before you allowed them to slip off your fingertips and land on the ground with a soft noise of impact. She met your eye for a fleeting moment, and she unconsciously took a small step toward you. Her lips began to pull back in the soft grin that you always told her you loved, mimicking the happy expression on your face. For that foolish second, she was transfixed. Foolish.

It was as if you were looking through her; you hadn’t actually perceived her at all, really. She was a passing face as you searched for Y/BFFs/N’s, only caring to register hers. 

Just before Jiu could utter a word or reach you, a loud cheer rang out from behind her. The entirety of the group had picked up on your arrival, word spreading fast throughout the living room once one of them caught a glimpse of you. 

She cursed quietly and retreated a few steps, allowing the excited crowd to gather around you and visit. 

You happily shared the story of how your boss – who’s always regarded you with a distant indifference – finally showed her humanity and adjusted the schedules so that you could have some time off. Not the entire week, of course, but a few days to go and be with your friends. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to see you; even the ones who barely knew you, having only heard of your existence through the stories that Y/BFFs/N had told them. It all made Jiu feel like the odd one out.

But she could remember a time when just hearing your name made her heart flutter, too, so she couldn’t exactly fault them. 

From a distance, she watched you. How you moved. How your hands danced around as you explained your stories. The way your lips pouted and pursed with every syllable, almost taunting her. 

She thought she had gotten over you months ago, after things ended. She thought she was stronger than this; but clearly, moving on would be impossible with you around. That was to be done separate, no more strings attached. The idea of having to look at you, to hear your laugh, to be near you in such a way and pretend like everything was fine seemed unfathomable. With every trace of you gone, maybe, maybe then she could move on. 

Anything less destroyed even the chance of closure for her. But, she supposed, closure would just have to wait a week or so. 

—

25 Minutes Later

Put lightly, Jiu is avoiding you. 

After washing the grill and dishes, she took her time with leading a groggy Sua back to her room and making sure she got settled fine. She made some small talk with some of the other girls in passing, but nothing as serious as she was looking for.

She’d be happy to debate the meaning of life right now if it kept the two of you apart for a little longer.

But with lights out rapidly approaching and everyone dragging themselves to their respective rooms, she knows the chances of that are nearing zero. So, begrudgingly, she makes her way up to the suite. 

With every step she takes, she wonders what you’re doing in there. Are you already asleep? Reading? Watching television? Maybe you’re scrolling mindlessly on your phone. Maybe you’re not even in there at all. 

The questions pile up in her mind until she eventually gets fed up and decides to be unaffected for once. Or, at least, to appear that way. She shouldn’t care regardless, and she reminds herself of that fact. All the two of you have to do is make it through the night, and then something can be arranged so that you can stay far, far away from one another. Not so hard, right?

Wrong. Certifiably, absolutely, unequivocally wrong. 

When Jiu opens the bedroom door, she finds you fresh out of the shower. A lacy bra adorns your upper half, while a towel is wrapped around your waist; you’re bent over your suitcase in search of some shorts to wear.

She looks away quickly, but it’s too little too late; even as she shuts the door and turns around, pressing her forehead to the wooden surface, she can picture your body. 

She mentally curses the water droplets that run their paths down your chest and abdomen, free as they edge closer and closer to where the towel meets your waist. They touch you in a way that she never can again, and she hates that.

More specifically, she hates the fact that she wants to.

Your eyes land on her as you stand up, shorts in hand. A heavy feeling of embarrassment settles over you. 

“Uh, sorry,” you mumble, not knowing what to do. 

She turns back around to face you after a moment, but she refuses to meet your gaze. If she does, her resolve will surely falter and crumble.

“There should still be plenty of hot water left if you’d like to take a shower,” you offer, extending an olive branch of sorts. From the angle you have of her face, you can see relief spread across it. 

She wastes no time in sending you a quick thank you and slipping off to the safety of the bathroom, leaving you to question what the hell just happened.

Most of the time, she’s engaging and bold; her liveliness is one of the things that made you fall in love with her. Even at the end of your relationship, when things were falling apart, it was never like this; she never refused to look at you as many times as she had today, or been so weary anytime you entered a room. She never used to despise you so much, and as that sinks in you realize just how much it hurts.

Despite everything, you hate how unbothered she is. 

While you’ve watched her from afar all day, agonizing over the curl of her lip when someone said something witty or the sound of her easy banter with the other girls, she’s clearly been fine. Paying you no mind doesn’t seem to be a challenge for her anymore, and you dislike that more than you thought you would. 

Truth be told, you hadn’t prepared yourself for that. With the scope of your relationship and the lack of closure you received, it only made sense for you to assume she’d miss you as much as you miss her. To be just as affected now, by it all, as you have been. 

But that’s clearly not the case. 

—

Once she’s alone, Jiu takes the opportunity to steady herself. Her hands find their way to the cool marble countertop of the sink, and she draws in a deep breath. 

She can’t stand you. 

Now, from just that small interaction, all she can think about is you. The subdued lighting of the room only brought out your features more, leaving shadows to fall across the parts of you that were untouched by it. Your muscles pulled and strained as you sifted through your bag, parting clothes left and right in search of your shorts. She could see your face, too, looking just as kissable as always. 

She really can’t stand you. 

Defeatedly, she turns the water on. The cold streams down, unaccompanied by any real heat whatsoever; this will be a freezing shower, she’s decided. She doesn’t trust what she might do otherwise, alone in here with her thoughts of you and steam clouding her judgement. 

The subtle throb between her legs is enough to warn her; she knows she’ll do something stupid if she doesn’t stop herself now, before it has the chance to start. 

When she strips out of her clothes, she does her best to think of anything other than the way you used to undress her. How you sat on your knees before her, slowly inching her pants down as your warm lips left kisses in their wake. How you’d take your time with her panties afterward, holding eye contact with her and stopping your motions anytime she looked away. 

Even now, goosebumps rise to her skin at the memory. It was torture then, but for entirely different reasons. 

She was promised sweet release then, no matter how much you may have edged or tested her. Now she'd consider herself lucky to even be rewarded with a conversation. 

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she steps into the tub. The frigid water makes contact with her back, and she has to sink her teeth into her lower lip to keep from shouting. But if this is what it takes to keep you out of her mind, then so be it. 

–

The muscles of your neck and shoulders ache as you sit at the mahogany desk on the far side of the room, half-heartedly working on the report your boss asked you to start. It was what you had to give in order to take the time off, which is only reasonable. Even still, you're having a hard time staying focused. 

The desk faces one of the large bay windows of the room, overlooking the forest and mountains that surround you. Darkness completely envelops the land, save for the occasional house light far off in the distance. Moonbeams hit the treetops, coating them in a sparkle that contrasts with the midnight sky. 

Nearby, an electric fireplace crackles, reminding you of its presence. It's situated as the centerpiece of the lounge area of the suite, providing the room with some additional warmth and light from its place beneath the television. Faux flames waver within it, vibrant as they mingle with one another. Some burn brightly while others glow dimly; the wild versus the tamed.

Despite everything, maybe this trip will do you some good. Escaping the hustle and bustle of your life back home is always a plus, and being in nature never fails to ground you again. Some circumstances might be unsatisfactory, sure, but you're determined to not let that stop you from enjoying this time away. You deserve it, after all.

Just as you find the inspiration to start your reporting again, another one of your distractions makes herself known. 

From the bathroom, a pleasant humming fades in; it's Jiu, reciting the chorus to one of her favorite songs. She breaks into vocals occasionally, switching between the two. 

No matter how much you wish you could, you can't deny that it sounds perfect, coupled with the atmosphere that surrounds you. Given its range and ease, her voice has always been a comfort; getting sick of it is simply impossible. That fact annoys you, but at the same time you give up trying to fight it; you know there's no use.

It takes you back in more ways than you know how to handle, but you don’t complain. For now, you’ll bottle up this feeling and store it away for later, when you part ways and return to the chaos of your own lives. 

Maybe then you could open such a Pandora’s Box.

-

A few minutes later, she finally emerges from the bathroom; you attempt to ignore the urge to perk up. It's difficult, no doubt, after being left to your own devices for so long. Knowing she's so close and yet so unattainable doesn't help either. 

You don't turn around, just in case she isn't fully clothed.

It isn't anything you haven't seen before, but you're afraid you don't have that kind of permission anymore. The last thing you want to do is overstep.

Jiu wishes you'd look at her.

One thing she misses the most about you is your attention. You always paid it so freely – so willingly – rarely taking it off of her. It was ready for her anytime she wanted it, mainly because she had you so enraptured. 

Just the same as you’d always watched her, she watched you. She lived for the way your eyes lit up whenever she smiled or laughed, shining beautifully in a way they never did otherwise. She ached over how they darkened when she'd strip, parting her legs for you and putting herself on display. 

She was the art and you were the beholder. The only one she ever wanted to share herself with.

But now is a totally different time. You don't even so much as glance in her direction when she comes out, with her towel draped precariously around her body in a way that she was sure would drive you crazy.

It’s disheartening, but it doesn't make her want you any less. As she opens her bag and retrieves her clothes, slipping them on, she keeps an eye on you through the standing mirror in the corner of the room. 

Your legs spread as you readjust in the chair, making an attempt to rid your muscles of the tension within them. They're tight with the culmination of all the stress you've felt lately. 

When you allow your head to loll back, rolling from one side to the other, Jiu has to stop her wandering hands. The angle of the mirror allows her to see the way your brows knit together, pain and pleasure intermingling. She doesn't know how much longer she can stand this. 

One of your hands finds its way to your shoulder, rubbing a knot there, and Jiu gets an idea. Is it wise? Not in the slightest. But is she going to give in and go with it? Absolutely. 

What was it that Sua said earlier? This is a vacation for a reason. She can escape sound judgement and reason for now. Surely they'll return in full once you're out of the equation again, anyway.

She deserves to be a little reckless for once.

"Y/N," she calls, getting your attention. You wordlessly turn to look at her.

A bottle of lotion rests in her hands; she nervously toys with it.

"You can use some of this for your shoulders, if you want. It works pretty well." 

You consider her offer. "Thanks, but I'm alright," you declare, turning her down. "I can't reach what really hurts anyway." 

A beat passes before her eyebrows gently raise. "I can help you," she says, trying to keep the eager tone of her voice at bay. 

You pull a face. "Are you sure? You don't have to do that."

I want to, she thinks to herself.

"It's not a problem." She shakes her head, cementing her decision. "Just come here and lay down." 

You stand and relent with a soft noise of acceptance, almost imperceptibly. She takes notice of the way your eyes track down her body before dropping to the floor, lingering just a second too long for innocence. 

She dismisses the thought at once, not wanting to give herself hope.

When you cross in front of her and pause, though, slipping your shirt over your head with a subtle glance at her, it’s all she can do to restrain herself. The fading sunburn that you received earlier in the day, stretching across your nose and cheeks, looks like a natural blush from this close. 

She wants to kiss it.

“Thank you in advance,” you say over your shoulder, carefully laying down on your stomach. The fluffy comforter welcomes you in full, partially distracting and preventing you from overthinking what you’re about to experience.

She takes a steadying breath and releases it, glancing up at the ceiling like she’s pleading with a higher power. 

"Don't mention it," she dismisses, getting on the bed after you. 

In her mind, she debates the best way to go about this. Where should she sit? Overstepping the unspoken boundaries you've established isn't something she wants to do. 

Her fingertips play with the hook of your bra, sliding over the material. "Can I…" she trails off, both of you aware of what she's asking. 

"Go ahead," you permit.

She unclips the fastener and watches as the two sides fall down, fully exposing your back to her. Once you slip it off of your arms and toss it towards your suitcase, her fingertips ghost over your skin, tracing the gentle curve of your spine. 

She dons a musing smile when she notices goosebumps appearing in their wake. 

Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe all along, you've been the art and she the beholder. 

Her knees go to either side of your waist as she moves to straddle you, settling down onto you. Once she's sure you're comfortable, she retrieves the bottle of lotion from its place on the bed and squeezes some out onto her fingertips. 

It's smooth as it slides against them, medicated and cool. Her favorite brand makes it, and she never leaves the house without it. She'll be thanking her lucky stars endlessly for that habit after tonight.

Something crossed between a hiss and sigh fights past your lips when she makes contact for the first time, spreading the chilly cream across your shoulders. The attempt she made to warm it beforehand clearly didn't work as well as she thought, and she has to stifle a laugh at your reaction. 

Beneath her fingers, your muscles tense and jump; you do your best to relax them as she pushes harder, kneading them with care. She does so with a steady rhythm, using the base of her hands to loosen you up first before focusing her fingers on the more persistent knots. Every circle of her hands against you warms the lotion up more, convincing you to relax and give into the relief she’s able to provide.

You close your eyes, wanting to focus on her motions. 

What you failed to prepare yourself for, though, is the notion that she’s closer to you than ever. Only separated by the material of your shorts and hers, she sits atop you, her warm thighs trembling slightly with effort anytime she has to push herself up to reach you better. 

When she steadies herself on your lower back, splaying a hand across it, you can feel the subtle way her hips rut against your ass as she readjusts her position. 

Maybe you're just imagining it.

Serious work is put into leaving that idea behind, but at every opportunity she gets, Jiu seems to enjoy feeding your delusion. 

When she accidentally gets too much lotion at once, her solution comes in the form of leaning down and running her hands up your outstretched arms, reaching as far as she can to further spread it. In the process, her front presses against the length of your body; her breathing is shuddered, too, just like yours. 

Did she do that to show you it’s mutual?

If only you knew.

Her eager eyes rake over your body, pleased to have you like this in front of her. At her mercy, reacting to the faintest of touches. Possessing this kind of power again makes her feel brave in a dangerous way; should things continue like this unchecked, she might do something impulsive.

But, is she to be blamed? No; she rejects that. 

The subtle rock of your hips is far guiltier than her, adding fuel to the fire of her imagination. The way your hands fist in the sheets, fingers twisting in a show of pain and pleasure whenever she hits a particularly sensitive spot, are in the wrong; the sight makes her wonder, for a desperate second, how they would feel in her hair. 

Her motions – now more wanton, unafraid of touching you – grow a little more rough, shying away from demurity. They’ve arrived at your waist now; a risky place to be. 

She can tell that the appropriate amount of time for two exes to spend doing something like this is dwindling fast; the window of propriety will be closing soon, leaving any further contact between the two of you up for suspicion. She’s aware of that, and yet she has no desire to stop.

In this game of yours, she’s merely a pawn; that’s something she realizes when the sound of a guttural, appreciative moan from you makes her heart flutter wildly. 

She freezes in place, taking a cautious breath; she shouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as she did.

A few beats pass… one…. another…. before you ultimately take her stunned reaction as a sign of discomfort.

“Uh, thanks again,” you say quietly, suddenly feeling ten times too exposed and five hundred degrees too hot. A couple taps to her leg gives her the memo, and she climbs off of you.

Embarrassed and upset with yourself for doing such a thing, you refuse to even so much as make eye contact with her again. 

An apology from you fizzles into the air, but she’s still too overwhelmed to fully process what just transpired. It all happened too fast; she wants to go back and relive it, but it’s too late. You’re already slipping your shirt back on and burying yourself under the covers, humiliated. When you cover your face with the pillow, debating on smothering yourself, she spares you by reaching over and turning the lamp off. 

She lifts her side of the covers afterward, getting in beside you. You face away from one another, back to back, establishing distance once again.

This night is proving to be anything but predictable.

—

2:07 AM

Insects perform their songs outside, languidly calling to one another from high above – nestled in the leaves of the tree tops – and far below, amid the grassy trails and branching networks of hills. All is calm… until it isn’t.

Suddenly, the stillness of the night is interrupted by a recurring, unintelligible noise. 

The first time you hear it, you ignore it, opting instead to bury your head a little deeper into your pillow. It's probably just the house settling or something outside, you reason.

The second time, you're annoyed enough to pause your attempt at restful sleep with the hopes of discovering its source and stopping it.

It comes again a little later, but from somewhere you never would've expected. Rather, you suppose, someone.

Your name takes the shape of a mumble as it slips through Jiu's lips, altered slightly from how her cheek is pressed to her pillow. Any other time you might find it exciting to hear her say it, but here and now, you can't say you do. 

Warmth spreads to your cheeks as your sleepy mind recalls what happened just a few hours ago, making you relive your embarrassment.

The noise comes again, and a little louder this time; an irritated groan leaves you as you take one of the throw pillows and nudge her, attempting to quiet her. It seems to work for a minute, but just as you settle back down to rest again, something even worse happens.

"Y/N… ah," she moans, her voice breathy and ragged. 

Is she...?

Your eyes open wide when you realize what's taking place right beside you.

Jiu is totally having a sex dream about you.

What a revelation to have.

She writhes in search of relief, causing the covers to fall down her body and expose more of it. Her pajama top, too, has ridden up and ruffled in her pursuit of friction. 

She looks an absolute mess, you realize, as you roll over to look at her. Her hair splays across the pillow in every which way, her chest rises and falls at a faster rate than normal, and her thighs push together to lessen the throbbing between them. Your blood runs cold when you notice that she isn’t wearing her shorts anymore. Only a pair of lacy, white panties conceal her, gleaming in the moonlight with a softness that begs to be touched.

Hot and bothered is the only way to describe her.

"Please," she whines, desperation hanging heavy on the tones of her voice. 

Selfishly, you don’t wake her right away. Seeing her like this, so close and beautiful, is something you don’t want to give up again. At least not yet.

Her full lips part as her head pushes into the pillow, exposing her neck. Her muscles are pulled taut as she squirms; her hands fisted in the sheets at her sides. A thin sheen of sweat is visible on her forehead, showing just how affected she is. 

Maybe you should play nice and put an end to her suffering…

Her hips begin to rock, slowly at first; the motion draws a soft sigh from her as she finally gets some relief. Your body begs you to touch her in some way, feeling your own desire grow at the sight of her. 

Unconsciously – and to prevent you from reaching out to her – your fingers thread themselves in the cover that's thrown haphazardly over you. You bite your lip to keep it busy; otherwise you'd be tempted to wake her up with your mouth, as she's asked you to before.

Only when your own arousal becomes too much to bear do you decide to end this little game. 

She whimpers when you move in closer, still a world away. Her hand falls on your thigh, however, making you falter for a moment. It's warm and dangerously close to your center, trembling slightly against you. Her nails threaten to leave indentations, should she flex her fingers the right way.

Unable to deny yourself such a simple pleasure, you allow it to stay where it is. 

"Jiu." 

She doesn't stir. If anything, the sound of your voice only drags her further under. Her breath hitches in time with another stutter of her hips.

You'll have to try harder.

“Jiu, wake up,” you whisper, leaving a kiss on her cheek. Your lips hover nearby to utter her name again, should they need to.

Gently, you bring a hand to her shoulder and shake it, hoping to coax her out of her dream and back to reality. After a moment, your plan works; her eyes open gingerly, blinking a few times to adjust from her daze. 

“Y/N?” Confusion is prevalent in her voice, coupled with her drowsiness. It’s cute, really, and it takes you back to all the mornings you would wake up by her side. 

“It’s me; I'm here,” you reassure her, moving your hand to her hip. Now with your arm stretched across her body, you can feel the warmth radiating from her. It starkly contrasts with the chilly air of the room, making you want to hide away under the covers and pull her in close. 

But, of course, you refrain. That’s not something you can do anymore.

Her dark eyes shine in what little light the room has to offer, gazing up at you with a sweet innocence that you find endearing. She's vulnerable in this state, and yet by the way she shifts closer in your arms, she makes it known that she trusts you. 

You watch as her gaze travels down your arm, towards where your hand still rests against her hip. Momentarily, she looks as if she's questioning something within her mind – attempting to piece something together. 

"Y/N, did we…?" She trails off, unsure. 

"Did we what?" You push, testing the waters. You have an idea of what she wants to know, but hearing her say it would be so much better. 

Surprisingly, she puts her hand over yours, keeping it in place. 

"Did we have sex?" The question comes out in a husky whisper as she makes an effort to be quiet.

You shake your head in reply as a slightly humored smile works its way onto your lips. 

The movement draws her attention to them; they're a beautiful shade, with the moonlight hitting them just right. She can't find it in herself to look away. 

A few seconds pass before you speak again; her hand grips yours a little tighter. 

"It was just a dream. You–"

Your explanation is cut short by her lips as they press to your own in a swift kiss. 

Reckless. 

You pull away at once, almost like you've been burned. Why would she do that? 

Both of you pause, regarding one another. Your eyes work hard to decipher her intentions – what she wants – through the darkness of the room, as if they have such a gift. Hers do the same, searching your face for the answer she wants.

She gets it in another form, however, as your hand slides higher on her waist. Her heart lurches in her chest, its rate increasing somehow. Part of her is afraid you can feel it; but, truthfully, that's exactly what she wants. If you could feel how badly she needs you in this moment, maybe you'd show some mercy and help her. 

Maybe.

Tension hangs heavy in the air of the room as she slips her hand higher, too, moving it between your thighs. The heat that's come to pool there encourages her, compelling her to cup you through your clothes. 

You gasp, earning a smile from her. You clearly aren't as over her as you pretend to be. 

Empowered, she rolls you over, trading your positions. Now she hovers over you as you lie on your back, waiting with bated breath to see what she'll do. 

Her hand slides up and over the waistband of your shorts slowly, edging closer and closer to your center with only your panties separating her from you. Your eyes flutter closed in response.

"I'm going to kiss you again," she whispers, sounding more confident than ever. "If you want me to stop, tell me. Okay?" 

You nod, trying to stay still. Fighting the urge to rock your hips into her hand is easier said than done.

She leans into you, letting her body mold into yours as she shuffles closer. She replaces the hand between your thighs with a leg, giving you something to grind against. You thank her by slipping your hands beneath her top and pulling it over her head.

"Beautiful," you whisper against her lips, as she presses them to yours again. You take her into your arms in a safe embrace, sighing into her mouth when her bare chest rubs against you. The thin material of your shirt does little to obstruct the feeling. 

Though the shadows hide it, a deep, crimson blush warms her cheeks. She can taste the cinnamon toothpaste that you used earlier and smell the familiar scent of your hair products. You still use the same ones, she realizes. 

Her leg flexes instinctively as you cup her cheek and deepen the kiss, tilting your head to the side. As you raise your hips to meet hers, she slides a hand up to your chest to offer it some attention. A pitiful noise leaves you when she makes contact, cupping your breasts. She pulls away from your lips to admire you, wanting to see the effect she has.

“Such a pretty thing,” she compliments, feeling arrogant when you bite your lip to stifle a moan. She toys with you like a plaything, switching her movements every so often to garner different reactions. You’re restoring her confidence without even trying; such sweet oblivion.

What she doesn’t fully grasp in the moment, though, is that your arrangement is very much so a two way street. You demonstrate the power you still have over her as you take hold of her hips, pulling them down as you thrust up to meet them. 

Just as her thigh is between your legs, so is yours between hers; the mutual relief you receive at the motion entices you, making you repeat it.

She curses into your ear, the sound so full of raw desire that you nearly lose all sense of reason right then and there. Her head falls against your shoulder in ecstasy as she revels a little longer, enjoying the heat that spreads throughout her body the more you touch her.

It’s just like it used to be in so many ways, but somehow new. Still exciting. Still everything she hoped for.

Her lips find their way to your cheek in the darkness, leaving a trail of kisses downward, along your jawline and neck. They’re desperate and needy, accompanied by her shuddered breaths as she attempts to convey everything you’re making her feel. She can only cross her fingers and hope that it’s mutual.

“Come here,” you instruct, tapping her leg. She understands in an instant, wordlessly repositioning herself so that she’s straddling your waist now. The new angle is even more comfortable, and she sits back to give you a better look at her body as a way of expressing her gratitude. Her perky breasts are on full display, looking absolutely divine above the lines of her abs. You run a finger over the latter, tracing the hard-earned muscles in admiration. 

Subtly, her hips begin to gyrate. She wants the movement to be tortuous, starting slow and building up until you can’t take it anymore. It’s only fair to give you a taste of your own medicine after all this time. 

“Shit, Jiu,” you exhale, glancing down to where you’re joined. Her panties glisten as she writhes, displaying the wet spot that you’ve caused; when her grinding becomes a little sloppier, you can feel her slick spread to your abdomen. 

"You like that, baby?" She muses, breathing heavy. You nod vehemently, not quite trusting your voice enough to speak yet. 

You splay a hand across her pelvis, using your thumb to tease her clit. 

She shakes as a surprised, broken moan slips out of her mouth. It’s louder than either of you expected it to be, and you find yourselves wanting to laugh for a moment.

“Play fair,” she warns, glaring at you. “...unless you want to wake everyone in the house up?” It’s posed as a question rather than a statement. 

“I wouldn’t be–” you pause, exhaling when she presses into you a little harder, cocking a brow, “...opposed to that, necessarily.” 

A sexy smile plays on her lips, making them look more kissable than ever. “No?” Something dangerous shines in her eyes.

“Try me.”

She bites her lip, weighing her options. You asked for it.

Her voice is whiny when she speaks again, and about five times louder than necessary at that. “I need you, Y/N. Please…” her hands thread into her hair exaggeratedly, playing into the show she’s giving. “Fuck me–”

You sit up at once, clasping a hand over her mouth and using the length of your body to push her backwards and pin her down against the bed. Adrenaline surges through your veins as you remain deathly still for a few tense seconds, trying to make sure her little stunt didn’t actually wake anybody up. 

You didn’t really think she’d do it.

The sound of distant footsteps fills the hall, a series of padding and waiting, before the latch of a bedroom door clicks. The floorboards creak… someone's weight shifting from one foot to the other as they peek into the hall. 

Jiu smiles against your palm, feeling every thump of your nervous heart. 

When she wraps her legs around your waist and slips a hand between your bodies, your eyes screw tightly shut. 

"Stop," you whisper, the noise like harsh wind on a calm night. 

Her wanting eyes peer up at you, observing. The situation is delicate, so that's exactly how she'll treat it. 

Slowly, she places her free hand beside her head on the bed and glances at it, inviting you to hold it. Upon hesitantly removing your own from her mouth, you thread your fingers with hers as you pin it down.

Innocently, she kisses your neck again, just above your pulse point. Her warm breath tickles your skin, only further stirring the fire within you. 

"Do you really want me to?" She asks, voice sinful and rich. Her lips still, full and tempting, awaiting your answer.

Another door opens somewhere else in the house, followed by heavy footsteps. Someone trekking to the kitchen, it seems. Your mouth runs dry.

Her fingers toy with the hem of your shorts, edging them down little by little. "Say it again and I will," she promises. "Tell me you don't want me and I'll stop." 

You sigh as she pulls your panties to the side, finally slipping her hand past the material. She finds your clit easily, with no real effort necessary; she knows your body now just the same as she did before. 

"I…" you start, fighting back a stutter. Two of her fingers dip down to your entrance, gathering up some of your wetness. "...I can't." 

"You can't what, Y/N?" She moves her fingers left and right, teasing. 

"I can't say I don't want you," you groan, annoyance bubbling up within you. 

"Why not?" You can tell she's smirking just by the sound of her voice. 

"Because I'm sick of lying," you admit. "I've always wanted you." 

Her cocky attitude falters. 

A beat passes.

All footsteps outside retreat back into their respective rooms, and closing doors resound shortly after. 

Effectively, the two of you are alone again.

Silence prevails following your confession – an eternal moment unbroken by any words of reciprocation from her. It lends your mind to chaos, filling it with worry.

You shouldn't have said anything. This was a mistake. 

Embarrassed, you sit up and remove yourself from Jiu, moving towards the edge of the bed. She reaches out for you, though you don't see it. 

"I'm sorry," your head shakes, discontent. "I shouldn't have–"

"Shush," she commands, surprising you. She refuses to let this end like before, with you retreating and shutting her out.

Your eyebrows raise as you turn to look at her; she still lays where you left her, only now she's propped up on her elbows. 

"Don't say you regret it. Please." Her voice sounds small. 

"But I thought…" 

Her eyes remain on you as she sits up, carefully moving to sit next to you on her knees. 

"I never stopped either, Y/N. I just couldn't believe you've felt the same all this time." She explains, not wanting you to misinterpret her silence any longer. 

Your fingers toy at your thighs, still jittery with nerves. She notices, and lays a comforting hand on top of them.

"I've missed you," she adds. Softly, quietly. So as to not disturb this process. Together, you're beginning to pick up the pieces of what you let slip through your fingers before. 

"Me too," you reassure her, bringing a hand up to caress her cheek. She leans into your touch, letting her eyes fall shut. 

The walls she so adamantly built around her heart are lowering, little by little, and the notion scares her. If she gives herself to you tonight and you end up walking away, she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to recover. 

“I’ve got you." The phrase sounds like a promise from your heart to hers; it’s as if you read her mind. “I won’t let things get in the way like before.”

She looks at you again, peeking her eyes open. The earnest look on your face is sincere enough to convince her of anything. “I’ll spend however long it takes proving it to you, Jiu.”

Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “I believe that.”

“Good,” you say, releasing a small breath of anticipation you hadn’t realized you were holding in.

She squeezes your hand three times, reminding you of the past. 

Nostalgia befalls you, both in good ways and bad. So much regret exists between the two of you, centering around the breakup that neither of you really wanted in the first place. Life got in the way, then, and you were both too naive to fight against what you thought were fate’s currents. 

It was decided that if you couldn’t be together, you’d have to settle for the ghost of one another. 

Jiu found you in midnight moonlight, shining brightly amid the darkest of hours. You ruled from high above, with your impact spanning further than you ever realized. 

She found you in the sound of laughter – the kind that starts by surprise, bubbling up from within and spilling out in a way that couldn’t not be contagious. The kind that everyone appreciates when they tell a joke with their fingers crossed, hoping it lands. 

In warm tea and fireside reading you resided; a comforting hug on winter’s coldest day.

But traces of you were left behind in unwanted places, too, like fingerprints on a window. No matter how many cycles of washing and drying her sheets went through, they still smelled like you. 

Her skin still remembered the way you touched her, igniting a fire that only you could put out. Her lips remembered your taste, knowing nothing could compare. She tried, for a time, to replace the imprints you left behind; but her efforts were in vain. 

You were her mirage in the desert; a distant, elusive dream. Glimmering with untapped potential, waiting to be caught. She ebbed, you flowed. That’s how you would be, then and forever.

Or so she thought.

Had she known that she was the Sun to you, perhaps her hope would’ve been restored. 

Or maybe she would have laughed, knowing that you found her in the strangest of places. Like seatbelts, for instance, and napkins; always necessary, and always staving off the bad that the world had to offer. 

She was the chilly blast of air provided by the AC on summer’s most humid day, greeting you at the door of every shop you entered. 

She was the sleepy delirium you slipped into on your days off, all pleasant dreams and comfortable positions.

The flowers and blossoms of the world were all her kisses, like a goddess’s gift to the Earth. Elegant, sweet, perfect. Being showered in them was a good luck charm; they rode the air currents on spring days, fluttering greetings on their way.

Coming home. To you, that was her. The familiarity of the floorboards, knowing where to step to avoid them creaking; the refrigerator light against a pitch-black kitchen, its crescent shape holding the darkness at bay; the support of your bed, offering relief to the parts of you that needed it most.

Truth be told, both of you found each other in everything. Bits and pieces, all fragments far too small to equate to the immensity of what you shared. Glimpses would never do in the long run, and you knew that. But what else were you to do?

Perhaps that silent hope that you held out, all daydreams and utterances of what if, swayed the universe into this. Into giving you an in; an opportunity to right your wrongs. A chance to hold tighter, this time, and accept trials and tribulations as signs of growth to be handled together – not reasons to give up. 

You feel yourself smiling before you realize you’re even doing it. Her presence has a whole new meaning now, a whole slew of possible outcomes. Wherever the two of you decide to take things is up to you again; there’s nothing holding you back anymore. 

She brings a hand up to your cheek, brushing her thumb across your soft skin. Even just holding you like this, so simply, is something she’s been longing for. Since the day you walked into her life, you’ve ruled her world without even knowing it. Sweet oblivion, yet again.

“Kiss me,” she says, after a moment. It draws you from the hold of her spell, bringing you back down to Earth. 

You obey with a smile, but just before your lips meet hers, she stops you. She didn’t mean there.

“Here,” she corrects, as her hand guides yours back between her thighs. She’s wetter now than she was before, somehow, and you moan against her at the feeling. She muffles the noise with a kiss of her own, knowing how badly you need it. 

She bites your lip as she pulls away. “We’re not leaving this bed until you’ve made up for every night we’ve been apart. Do you understand me?”

You sigh, half-amused. “I’m fairly certain that the group is going hiking in the morning,” you inform, “...so I think it’s important that you’re still able to walk for that.”

“Who says we have to join them?” She raises a brow, pushing you down onto the bed and moving to straddle you again. 

You pull a face, feigning concern. “You wouldn’t want to be improper, now would you?” 

Her shoulders rise and fall in a shrug, accepting no blame. “What happens is up to you. Take me now or forever hold your peace.” She declares it proudly, posing herself before you. 

The view of her on top of you – nearly naked, her body humming with want, waiting for your touch – dispels any and all remnants of humor. Your shared desire wins out, filling the air of the room; she’s aware of her power over you, but she’d be a liar to act as if watching your eyes darken didn’t make her stomach flip just like it did the first time you ever took her. 

With a hushed curse, you capture her lips in a searing kiss. She gasps into it when you roughly pull her panties down, showing little care in being gentle now. Her response comes in a similar form, with her hastily tugging your shirt over your head; once you’re exposed to her, she can’t help but stare. She admires every curve like it’s the first time she’s seen it; every line like it’s her last. It’s adoration and desperation, all at once; appreciating it all is important to her, but so too is relearning it. 

Luckily for you, she happens to be best at a hands-on approach.

Her nails drag across your abdomen on their way downward, leaving faint marks on your sensitive skin; she can’t wait to see how many she can leave on you. It’s always been one of her favorite things to do.

In one fluid motion you flip her over, cradling her close in the process. Her hands cup your cheeks as she kisses you, and you hurriedly remove any remaining clothes from your bodies. 

She spreads her legs for you as you begin to slide down her body, leaving one final kiss to her lips. 

Her hands hold your hair up as you explore her abdomen, painting her fair skin with an array of love bites. Her nails dig into your scalp when her impatience hits a high, making you smile against her despite the sting. 

She hums appreciatively when you finally slide your hand down, ready to prepare her for what she wants most. She’s absolutely soaked, and by the whine that she lets out when you press your palm to her clit, it’s safe to say that she’ll only get worse. The bed sheets below her have already received some of her slick, proudly displaying a wet spot for you to bear witness to. 

“Enough teasing, jagi,” she groans, breathless and tired of your games. With shut eyes and furrowed brows, she pushes her head back into her pillow and takes up the writhing again that she had become so good at earlier. Her hands fall to your shoulders, pushing you down further.

You settle her thighs on your shoulders, basking in how smooth and warm they are around you. She’s perfection in human form; divinity personified.

“Keep it down, Jiu,” you command, taking control. “If you pull another stunt like earlier, I’m stopping altogether.”

She nods feverishly, lacking the desire to be a brat anymore. If playing nice is what it takes to have you, then so be it. That promise of release is finally back again, after all this time, and she can let herself get lost in you. 

These four walls – what she once loathed – are creating an oasis.

Her personal utopia.

—

The Next Morning

Overzealous birds work as your alarm clock of sorts, claiming the prize of waking you up. You blink the sleep from your eyes and stretch, feeling a pleasant soreness in parts of your body it hadn’t been before last night. The ache reminds you of everything you did just a few hours ago, and you find yourself smiling like an idiot as you roll over to greet the resident sadist next to you.

When your hand meets the cold, empty expanse of the bed instead, your expression sours.

The bedside table is void of any note or message, too, you discover, though your phone sits atop it, charging. At some point this morning she must’ve plugged it in for you. Sweet, but not enough. You wanted to wake up in her arms, or at the very least next to her. 

Grumbling, you sit up and head to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

You have no idea what the day will hold for the two of you.

–

Clean and dressed, you take a seat on the bed. Your fingertips mindlessly press to the hickey on your neck – one of the many, many that you discovered as you got ready – rubbing patterns against the abused skin there.

You unplug your phone and turn it on, mentally crossing your fingers as you scan through your message notifications for her name. 

Your pursuit proves fruitless. Not even a text.

You huff like a child, rolling your eyes. So much for a vacation; now you’re stressed all over again. 

When staring a hole into your phone doesn’t result in her notification magically popping up, you decide to give it a rest.

Standing up, you slip it into your back pocket and head for the door, ready to track Y/BFFs/N down and tell her everything.

However those plans, too, come to a screeching halt right before your eyes as you swing the door open to reveal a shocked Jiu. Your timing truly is impeccable.

“AHHH!” She shrieks, frightened. 

She hastily scrambles to keep the large tray in her hands upright and off of the floor. 

Spilling the spread of foods she just finished preparing for the two of you doesn’t sound too appealing to her, after all.

Immediately, you spring into action and successfully help steady it. Some fruits fell out of their separate containers and a bit of milk spilled over the side of its jar, but all of that is easily fixable. Jiu releases a tense breath as she realizes that the worst case scenario was avoided, but she glares at you as she pushes her way into the room.

“Pabo,” she mutters, striding over to the bed. The slight limp in her step makes you smile inwardly, proud of yourself.

Once the food is safely laid down and she cleans up what spilled, she turns to look at you. 

“Sorry,” you mitigate, grimacing. When you approach her and look at everything she put together, your annoyance from before gives way to guilt. A plethora of your favorite foods decorates the tray, assembled with love.

She regards you for a moment, pretending to be angry. When her eyes land on one of the darkening marks on your neck, pleased mischief comes to gleam in them.

“You’re lucky I like you,” she threatens, pointing a finger at you.

Playfully, you bite the tip of it. 

“I’m aware, jagi.”

Cautiously, you ease your arms around her waist, ready to pull away if need be. Although her lips still rest in an unamused pout, she doesn’t stop you. 

The jackhammering of her heart has eased now, and you can feel its pace returning to normal as you draw her into your arms. She loops hers around your neck and sweetly presses her cheek to yours, content with staying like that for a bit.

You sway gently, rocking from side to side. This definitely makes up for the rude awakening you received earlier.

Once you’re satisfied, you pull away enough to look at her. Your fingertips brush a few stray strands of hair out of her face, tucking them behind her ear. She leans in, finally kissing you good morning.

“Ready to eat?”

Your lips purse in mock contemplation as you scan the food again. 

"Mmm, five more minutes?" You suggest, leaning forward to kiss her again. She laughs into the embrace lightly, returning the gesture. 

Her lips taste of the strawberries and cherries that she stole bites of earlier, as she cooked. It's addicting, you find, when she deepens the kiss and wraps herself around you, melting into your arms. You hold her close, just like she wants. 

"Does this mean…" she mumbles between kisses, "we're still gonna room together?" 

You pause to laugh. "Yeah, jagi. We're still roommates. No getting rid of me now." 

She replaces her lips on yours, kissing them again and again as you attempt to control the growing smile on your face. She sweetly cups your cheeks, rubbing her thumbs across them as you continue.

Abruptly, jarring clapping resounds from the doorway. Fake sniffling can also be heard, and so the two of you look up to investigate. 

It's none other than Sua and Y/BFFs/N, standing side by side with their hands clasped tightly together like proud parents. 

"I told you it would happen," Sua wails, dabbing fake tears from the corner of her eye. Y/BFFs/N agrees, nodding enthusiastically. 

“Mission accomplished,” she quips, looking straight at you. 

It seems as though they had been playing Cupid all along…

Sneaky.

[bella-rose29]

Chapter 7 - The Demon

I'm back from my holiday and still mildly sleep deprived from the flight but here's the next chapter! This is the second to last chapter (not including an epilogue), and I hope you all enjoy this one! As always, if you want to be added to/ removed from the tag list please let me know, and requests are always welcome :)

We start off with Tamar's point of view for this one, then switch to the reader, which again has been marked by the --- (because I still don't know how best to show a change in perspective).

Warnings: gets a lil steamy at one point (but I can't write it for the life of me)

Word count: 3.1k

Series master list

Tag list: @kentucky-criedfricken, @hauntedenthusiasttragedy, @kateswone, @historianthesecond, @polli05927, @ell0ra-br3kk3r, @simbaaas-stuff (sorry if I've missed anyone, let me know if I have!)

So far, everything was going swimmingly. 

Tamar couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy at just how easily this tour was going, but with only one night left she was hoping they would have an uneventful journey home the next day. 

Saints, she missed Nadia. Getting back home and showing her partner just how much she had been missed was high on Tamar’s list of things to do. 

Right now, however, she was frustrated with the server behind the counter at the inn. 

Apparently the King and Queen of Ravka would have to sleep in separate rooms tonight, due to the somewhat… conservative views of the owners, but looking over at the monarchs now, Tamar wasn’t sure how she’d ever be able to peel them apart. 

She also wasn’t sure what had changed, but the past week had seen a dramatic difference in the couples’ behaviour; both being far more touchy, never leaving each others' side, making out in the carriage rides (which was a pain in the ass to Tailor) and at night. 

On second thoughts, maybe it would be good for them to spend a night apart. 

Sighing and removing her hands from where they rested on the tops of her axes, Tamar accepted the keys from the inn owner, promising to separate the lovers with a grimace. She wasn’t looking forward to that at all. 

“Room keys,” she said to the travelling party, jangling the items in the air. Her twin immediately shot up, snatching a key and tearing up the stairs. He’d needed the toilet for 'the last three days’ apparently (his words, not Tamar’s), but had refused to just go pee in a bush (it was too undignified, apparently, as if Tamar hadn't seen him do some of the most undignified things in the world). Zoya took the next key, looking exhausted from all the travelling and like she very much needed her own bed. Tamar handed out keys to the remaining members of the group, then turned to Nikolai and Y/N. 

“Alright lovebirds. You’re gonna have to split up tonight.” At their pouts, Tamar couldn’t help but roll her eyes, a smile forming on her face as she recognised the look she had worn when told Nadia wasn’t coming with them. 

“Are you going to be okay, darling?”

“I’ll be fine, Kolya, it’s you I’m worried about.”

Saints, they were insufferable now. Tolya would be soaking this up if he were here, going on about how they were straight out of one of his beloved poems. 

After ten minutes and many more sentiments and kisses, Tamar managed to wrangle them into their respective rooms, with promises that yes, they would be allowed to sit next to each other at breakfast (that was Y/N asking) and no, she wasn’t asking them to get divorced and never see each other again (that was Nikolai, far more dramatic than his wife). 

She let out a breath as she leaned against her own door to the room she’d be sharing with Tolya, before entering and telling him to take first watch, and slipping into a light sleep. 

Two hours later she was woken by her brother, taking the next round of standing guard. Going to stand in the corridor and resting her back against the wall, she settled in as best she could for the next two hours. Something sharp jammed into her back and she whirled round, hand on her axe, only to realise it was a rogue nail sticking out the wall. 

I can’t wait to be back in the Palace, she thought. She was skittish, the lack of incidents making her paranoid and pushing her further towards the edge of insanity, so she took a deep breath to calm herself. 

For the next hour or so, Tamar maintained her stoic watch in the dimly lit corridor, standing so still anyone passing might have thought her a statue (one particularly drunk customer did as he passed on his way to his room, commenting on the strange decor of the inn). She was just thinking idly about things that needed doing the next morning when the handle to Nikolai’s room twisted. 

Immediately on high alert, her hands formed the motions she needed, but frowned when she only felt one steady heartbeat that she recognised as the King’s. The door opened, and Tamar held her breath as a figure shuffled out cautiously. 

Saints, can they really not leave each other alone?

Her thoughts were cut off when she realised that her king was on all fours, two dark shapes protruding out of his back. 

The demon was here. 

But why now? she thought, confusion lacing her expression again. And why isn’t it attacking?

The demon had never just… walked around like this before, and Tamar was torn between fetching Zoya and Tolya or just watching and waiting to see what would happen. Peering through the open door, Tamar was startled to find the bed stripped, the pillows and sheets on the floor. Nothing looked damaged (thankfully, she didn’t feel like compensating the owners for any damage), and her confusion only grew. 

It was moving again, having stopped briefly to stare up at her with voids of black shining out in place of the usual blue. It had put its nose in the air as it sniffed around for something and, seemingly finding what it had been looking for (smelling for?), Tamar tensed, hoping that it wasn’t hungry for Heartrender. She was surprised again when it turned to Y/N’s room instead and opened the door (and since when could it open doors?), going inside while still on all fours, wings trailing behind. The demon’s claws clacked on the wooden floorboards, and Tamar followed a few paces behind, still monitoring the situation. 

It shuffled closer to Y/N’s bed, pausing every few steps to check she was still sleeping and it hadn't woken her up, then reached up to pull back the cover from her face when it stopped next to the bed. 

“What are you doing?” Tamar muttered to herself, hands fluttering nervously at her sides, torn between her axes and her powers. The demon pulled the whole cover off, then with surprising gentleness lifted Y/N out of the bed. It paused again, reaching a few clawed fingers out to grab a hold of her duvet, then set off slowly in the direction of the door where Tamar was stood. She hurried out of the way, not wanting anything to trigger an attack on her or the Queen, and it paid her no attention as it trudged slowly back to Nikolai’s room. 

Tamar knocked lightly on Zoya and Tolya’s doors, hoping it would be enough to wake them up but not alert the demon. A few moments later a bleary-eyed General appeared, blue robe wrapped around her body and her hair mussed from sleep, clearly unimpressed. Tolya didn’t appear for another five minutes, finding the two women stood outside the King’s bedroom door, gaping at the scene in front of them. 

“Why did you have to wake me up?” Tolya grumbled quietly. “I was having an excellent dream wher-“ He didn’t get to finish since Tamar had slapped a hand over his mouth, the demon staring at them, teeth bared at the disturbance. He removed her hand, eyes wide. 

“What the…”

The demon was still growling slightly at them, a low rumble in its throat, when a murmur came from the pile of sheets in the middle of the floor. It snapped its head round to Y/N, noticing that she was waking up. She rubbed her eyes, and Tamar held her breath. 

"Wha-"

“Don’t move too much, alright?” She said to her Queen in a whisper. Y/N was sat in the weird pillow-and sheet-nest that the demon had made (and was now making little alterations to, pulling folds out to be just right), staring at the demon that had taken over her husband’s body. 

“What… Tamar? Zoya? What’s going on? Is he… is this normal?” She stiffened when the demon came back to her side and pushed her gently back into the pillows, then moved to lie down next to her, one arm circling her waist as it pulled her back against its chest. 

“This is… to be honest, we don’t know what’s going on. This has never happened before. Tolya and I will monitor from here for the rest of the night,” -at his disgruntled sound she elbowed him in the ribs- “and you won’t leave our sight.”

She nodded, eyes still wide in fear and surprise. Zoya offered a few words of comfort to her friend before going back to bed, and Tamar and her brother settled in for the rest of the night. 

---

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, bringing Y/N out of her slumber. At the feel of a warm body underneath her, she panicked, remembering the demon from the night before, but when her eyes opened to land on her very much demon-less husband, she let out a soft sigh of relief. Looking around at the room, she noticed that the twins had disappeared, having left a note next to the couple saying 'Gone to get people up and moving, back in 30'. 

Nikolai woke then, rubbing his eye with blackened fingers before groaning in slight pain at their position.

"Why, in the name of all the Saints, does my back hurt so much?" He croaked out, and Y/N couldn't help but giggle.

"Maybe because we're on the floor?" Nikolai's eyes went wide, his head whipping around to take a proper look at where they were, and then he seemed to register the fact that she was with him.

"Wait... did we have passionate and mind-blowing sex that was so good it gave me amnesia? Because that would be a tragedy and we might have to-"

"NO!" she shouted, using a nearby pillow to whack him in the face as her cheeks went red and her mind filled in the rest of his sentence. "Why does your mind always go there? No, you um... the demon got lonely and wanted a hug?" She didn't mean for it to end in a question, but she still wasn't entirely sure herself what had happened the night before. Her husband stared at her, blinking a few times. When he spoke his voice was smaller than she'd ever heard it before.

"Did I hurt you?" His hand had been reaching up to cup her face, but now Nikolai hesitated in anticipation. She gently took it and guided it to her cheek, leaning in to the warmth of his palm.

"No, Kolya, you didn't hurt me. I think it genuinely just got lonely or something. Made this weird nest thing on the floor, which on a side note, I'd love to get into to research the behaviours of- wait, why are you staring at me like that?" Her nose wrinkled as she took in his expression, then smoothed out when he leaned up to kiss her.

"You definitely can't be too traumatised from being accosted by my other half if you want to research its behaviours, darling. I'm just glad you're okay."

"I thought I was your other half? What, does our marriage mean nothing to you anymore?" she joked, pleased when he cracked a smile. She could get drunk on his smiles, the ones that were specifically for her; they were like the sun to her.

"Sorry, darling," he replied, and Saints, she'd said that she didn't like being called the pet name, but it was really doing things to her. She hadn't missed how Nikolai had continually called her 'darling' since that carriage ride, and she also hadn't missed how he'd responded when the bump in the road threw her on to him.

Just like how she now didn't miss his smile turning wolfish moments before he gripped her waist lightly and flipped her on her back. She squealed, which turned into a muffled moan when he pressed his lips and body against hers. Y/N was completely certain that everybody knew they were making out in the carriage rides and basically any other opportunity they got, but she couldn't bring herself to care when he felt like heaven.

Her arms circled around him, pulling him closer, and when he came up for air he asked "Is this alright, Y/N?" and she could have died right there at how gentle he was being.

"This is definitely alright, Nikolai." She brought him back in, and this time some of their restraint had slipped away, tongues deepening the kiss. One of his arms was propping him up and playing with a strand of her hair; the other was caressing her side, toying with the hem of her night shirt, his fingers grazing her bare skin underneath. Her own hands were exploring the expanse of his back (which she totally hadn't already memorised) and moving through his hair, and she'd lifted a leg to wrap around his waist. She moaned again when he moved the hand that was stroking her side to grip her thigh tightly instead, and when she arched her body up in response, hips pressing into his, they groaned into each other's skin at the contact, at feeling everything so closely. Nikolai had moved onto her neck, leaving kisses down it, occasionally nipping at the skin and testing her reactions, staying in one place for longer when he got one he liked. Her mind was a mess, what with his hands stroking her neck and thigh (the latter getting progressively higher as time went on), but did manage to think about how maybe they would be having mind-blowing sex. No sooner than she'd had that thought, however, was Nikolai pulling away, hair mussed from where her hands had been running through and pulling it, lips swollen and pupils blown. She was sure she looked the same, although he wasn't frowning at the lack of contact.

"Why... what..." she swallowed, trying to get her breath back and her thoughts in some sort of order.

"I don't think- I can't..." he paused, doing the same as her and taking deep breaths, and for a moment she panicked, thinking he didn't want this, didn't want her, but then when he spoke she didn't know why she'd worried in the first place.

"I refuse to let the first time I make love to you be on the floor of someone else's bedroom, Y/N, no matter how badly I want you right now."

Saints, this man.

She swallowed again, nodding slightly, then whined - what was she, a puppy? - when he started to get up and move away from her. At the sound Nikolai hesitated, then planted a final kiss on her lips as a promise that 'this will continue' before leaving to get changed. She watched him go, and when Genya inevitably asked when the party got back, Y/N would say that she was most definitely not staring at his ass as he left the room.

~~~

Breakfast passed quickly, and there was a flurry of activity as everybody packed things up for the final stretch of the journey, energy renewed at the knowledge that they'd be sleeping in their own beds tonight. Y/N had taken a little extra time to cool her face that morning, hoping the cold water would help reduce the swelling in her lips before coming downstairs. Tamar had come over in the food hall at one point, checking in on her and asking questions about the night before in a quiet voice.

"Seriously, Tamar, I'm fine. No marks or bruises. Like I said to Nik I'm pretty sure the demon was just feeling lonely, especially since Nik and I have spent the last week or so sharing a bed. Probably just wanted to make sure I was okay."

"That's... not what normally happens," she replied with a frown. "But if you're not hurt, then I guess it's alright."

Within the next ten minutes the touring party had packed up and were on the move, and now Y/N was sat opposite Nikolai in the carriage, knees knocking with his. He was looking out the window, clearly lost in thought as he absentmindedly stroked his fingers over the back of her hand, his wedding ring cool against her warm skin.

"I'm glad it's you," she said. He dragged himself out of his reverie, blinking a few times as he took in what she had said.

"What do you mean, darling?"

"I mean I'm glad that it was you I had to marry."

"I'm glad too, Y/N," he replied with a smile. "Unfortunately I can't take any credit for the decision-making process, although I definitely would have picked you," the last part was said with a wink and a grin as he looked her up and down, making Y/N's cheeks heat up, but she couldn't help but frown at what had come before.

"But I thought that you were the one that picked me to marry you?" she asked, confusion lacing her voice. "When I asked Zoya why I was the one that had to marry you, she just said that I'd 'been chosen'."

"I thought she'd told you? I let the Triumvirate pick, I trust their judgement and I was rather busy trying to convince everyone that the last thing we needed was a civil war and to let me be king."

Y/N was quiet for a minute, thinking.

"I think... I think she didn't tell me that you didn't have any part in it so that she could reduce my stress about the whole thing. It's fair, really; if I thought that you didn't want anything to do with me I probably would have run away or something."

"Good job she didn't, then. I quite like having you around. And as far as whether or not I would have picked you, I think I would. The people clearly love you, and you're going to be an excellent Queen to Ravka because of how much you clearly love them. Sure, court will be difficult, trying to get the nobles properly on side, but I know that you can do it, because you love Ravka and her people and you'll do what you need to to protect them."

"I... thank you, Nikolai. That... that means a lot to me," she swallowed down the lump in her throat at his sincerity.

"I think I've come up with a way to launch the garden project you were talking about, too. We can start making plans tomorrow, if you like?"

"That would be perfect, Kolya."

He smiled back at her, hand still holding hers.

Hope had bloomed in her chest, and she let it grow. There wasn't much that could make this day much better than being here with him, and nothing could bring her mood down now.

Until the window shattered as an arrow shot through it, narrowly missing Nikolai's head.

Chapter 8

[dumbass-tumbler-cryptid]

Do you have any snoppet to share, whatever it is?

Sure!

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

“Do a flip,” Lo’ak yelled from the other side of the skatepark’s bowl. Spider was happy to show off, doing the requested trick and then some, to the cheers of his friends. 

   “That was amazing!” Kiri said, as Spider rolled to a stop in front of her.

     Spider was grinning from ear to ear, “thanks!”

    Lo’ak slung an arm around his shoulder, leading him to the skatepark’s exit. “How about we swing by 7 Eleven, grab some slurpies, some snacks, head home, play some video games, maybe watch a scary movie…”

    “Hell yeah bro!” The boys fist bumped.

     Kiri nodded her approval, “good idea. We shouldn’t be out tonight.”

    The boys gave her matching questioning looks. “Why?”

    Kiri rolled her eyes like it should be obvious. “Because it’s a full moon.” When the boy’s continued to look confused she sighed dramatically. “The full moon makes people crazy.”

   “Sure sis,” Lo’ak said, clearly dismissing his sisters beliefs.

   “It does!” The sibling banter couldn’t help but make Spider smile as he simply watched his friends. A gentle breeze ruffled his braids, the evening summer sun, casting the whole world in a warm orange glow. For mid August the weather was absolutely perfect, not oppressively hot like the past few weeks had been. Spider savored the moment. In just five days, school would be starting again, forcing him back into the confines of its bland monotonous walls, without the company of his foster siblings…

   Miles jolted awake, the happiness he’d felt in his dream, instantly being replaced by sinking dread. The nightmares had started shortly after his one year anniversary in the cabin, increasing in frequency as the days went by. He only classified these dreams as nightmares because of the anxiety they spiked in his waking life. If Pa knew that he was reminiscing about the old days…..

    Things had been so good between them too. Miles could almost pretend like they were a regular father and son, spending their summer on a camping trip, hunting in the woods, fishing, having bonfires, and sleeping under the stars when the weather allowed for it. It had all been so normal. So easy. Of course his treacherous brain would have to mess that all up.

    The following morning Miles attempted to eat breakfast, his chin propped on his elbow, holding up his head as he struggled to stay awake. Pa’s calased hand reached out from behind him, carding through his hair, giving him affectionate scratches behind his ear. “You haven’t been sleeping well lately have you?” Miles simply nodded his head. “Something on your mind?” The question made his heart skip a beat but he forced it down, shaking his head no. “Is your room too stuffy then? We can sleep outside tonight if you want. You always like that.”

    “I’m fine Pa.” his voice came out low, heavy with fatigue. 

     “Mmhm.” The man didn’t buy it, but didn’t continue pushing the subject. “Take a nap after you eat. Your school work and chores aren’t goin' anywhere.” 

     Neither am I, he thought bitterly. “Thank Pa. I’ll do that.” And he did, making himself comfortable on the couch, basking in the sunlight like a spoiled house cat. He was jolted awake again only twenty minutes later. In this dream Kiri and him had been hanging out in her room, playing with a Ouija board, attempting to summon the spirits of their dead moms. They had thought it darkly funny, starting their séance in the middle of a storm, lightning candles everywhere. Her laughter still echoed in his head as he sat up trying to will the thoughts away.

    “Well that didn’t take long.” Miles looked up to find his Pa watching him. The man approached placing a hand on the side of his face. “You were mumbling in your sleep, but I couldn’t make out the words. What were you dreaming about?”

    “Nothing!” His father gave him a stern look. Miles backtracked, “I mean I don’t remember. Must have been a nightmare.”

    “Mmhmm.” Pa didn’t believe him and Miles knew it.

[maria021015]

Part 23 of me convincing you to read my Stiles x oc fanfic using dialogue from ‘Rising Tides’.

Zaida: It feels strange, doesn’t it? Not having something to stress over now that it’s done. For the first time in what feels like forever, I actually don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow.

Stiles: (absent-mindedly) Yeah…

Zaida: Do you wanna talk about it? And don’t try to tell me it’s nothing, because I know you Stilinski. Also, in case you forgot, I can feel your emotions pretty accurately.

Stiles: You were right.

Zaida: Yeah, I usually am though, so you’re going to have to be a bit more specific for me.

Stiles: Everything you said tonight - about me brushing you and Dad off, and getting annoyed. All of it was right. I just felt so completely useless, and it’s not the first time that I’ve been able to do nothing to help and I hate it. I just…I can’t do what you guys can.

Zaida: You’re right. You can’t. You can’t heal, or fight, or hear from a distance, or read people’s feelings.

Stiles: Great. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Zaida: If you want someone who is going to lie to you to make you feel better then you’re talking to the wrong person.

Zaida: (genuine) You can’t do the things we can. But you can do things that the rest of us can’t. That’s what makes us all such a great team. There’s no point in everyone having the same skills. You bring your own strengths to the table, and we couldn’t do any of it without you.

Stiles: (scoffing) Yeah, right.

Zaida: I’m being serious, Stiles. You are so much more than you give yourself credit for. You are smart and perceptive - you notice things the rest of us don’t. Your brain is like a crime-solving machine, and your intuition is unmatched. You knew it was Matt before we even had any reason to believe it was him. Without you, Scott wouldn’t have even known he was a wolf until after he ripped Allison’s throat out on the first full moon - and that’s if he even would have made it that far. Without you, we wouldn’t have figured out half of the things we needed to get to where we are. Without you…I would never have made it through that night after Winter Formal, or that night at the station.

Stiles: I couldn’t have done any of it without you, though.

Zaida: Yes, you could have. I know you could have.

Stiles: I’m really sorry, Zaida. For brushing you to the side when you were just looking out for me. Truth is, you’ve always been there, and I don’t want you to think that I’m taking advantage of that. I do really appreciate it - I appreciate you.

Zaida: I’m sorry too, for lashing out. You were tired, and in pain, and you’d just gone through hell and I snapped at you over something stupid. Of course, you were gonna come with us and it’s what I could have done too, were our situations reversed.

Stiles: You were right about me and Lydia too. I’ve been so hung up on her for so long that I couldn’t see anything past her. Tonight when she was cheering me on she finally looked at me, but it didn’t matter. I’ve realised it’s not even because of Jackson, it’s just because she doesn’t really see me. Not like that, and she never will, and maybe that’s okay.

Zaida: Who are you, and what have you done with Stiles? In all honesty though, acknowledging that is a big step to take. I’m proud of you Stilinski.

BONUS

Stiles: What are we going to do tomorrow?

Zaida: Sleep in? Make eggs and bacon for breakfast? Finish watching ‘Pirates’? Force Scott to sit through ‘Star Wars’? Go for a walk in the preserve? Set the Argents’ house on fire?

Stiles: Okay, but maybe we should put a limit on that last one.

Zaida: (sighs dramatically) Fine! But what’s the verdict on breakfast?

Stiles: I’ll cook the bacon, you make the eggs?

[viitavirginia]

lorelai gilmore please adopt me

[valaryswrites]

hiii! saw you wanted some remus requests and i’m here to deliver :D

i’ve been feeling under the weather so maybe remus comforting reader and being all mushy for reader??

🪐 where after working the whole day, remus finds you sleeping in his quarters.

warnings: fluff, english is not my mother language

The wooden door of Remus Lupin's quarters opened at midnight, revealing his tired but satisfied face. He spent the whole night grading papers and preparing some activities for the students. Lupin cracked his neck the moment he stepped inside, and sighing in relief he looked at the room, just to find you sleeping in his sofa.

The man smiled wide open and before leaving his brown cloak over the desk he search for and old camera in his bag. Lupin always carried one just to capture moments. In this case, literally and metaphorically, he captured you.

The flash made you wake up in a quick movement, making Remus feeling a little bit guilty. Without giving you a chance to do or say something, he sat right next to you while sorrounding your body with his arms.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." he whispered, caressing your hair. "I didn't mean to wake you up. Keep resting.”

"It's okay." you said, letting yourself rest in his chest. "I slept a lot already. This is better."

"Are you okay?" Remus asked. His chin was resting on top of your head. "I thought you were going out tonight, so I stayed in the library doing some paperwork. If I knew you were here, I would've come running." you laughed.

"How dramatic." you said. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just feel a little tired and... weak, I guess."

“Is there something I can do for you to feel better?” He asked, lifting your face with one hand, making you look at him. His eyes had little sparks and the scars from the last full moon were healing perfectly.

“A bath.” you answered. “A bath would be fine. We can do it together.”

He smiled.

“I think...” he said. “I’ll prepare you a bath and I will take care of you.”

After ten minutes you were still resting all over the sofa, when you smelled the sweet scent of lavander and mint. Remus was never the kind of man to take fancy an expensive showers. But he always wants to give you that.

“Come here, love!” he called for you.

Lazy, you stood up and walked out of his room to enter the bathroom. Your face recover it’s color when you notice he was sitting right next to bathtub, with rolled up sleeves of his dark green sweater.

He placed his wand over the sink, with the light coming from it.

“I don’t have any more candles.” He explained. “So I though my wand can be used as something similar.”

You walked towards him and placed a sweet kiss on top of his head. He was sitting on a little chair, so he grabbed your legs with softness and kissed your clothed stomach.

“It’s ok if I undress you?” Remus asked, lifting his head to look at you. His eyes weren’t mischievous; they were full of love, admiration.

“Go ahead, Professor.” you teased, smirking. Your hands were cupping his cheeks.

“If you keep calling me that I’ll have to undress you and take you back to that sofa. But not to make you sleep.” Lupin assured. “Just let me do this without getting hard.” he laughed.

Remus unbuttoned your pants first, pulling them down until he was able to remove them completely. The cold hit your legs but he made sure to warm them up with caresses. Your shirt was next, your bare shoulders making their appearance.

And there you were, letting your body relax in the bathtub, while the man sitting next to you was in charge of covering your body with warm water and the most honest love someone could give. 

“You are too good for me.” you said, with your eyes closed.

Remus placed a kiss in your wet forehead. 

“I could never be good enough to someone like you.” he said in a whisper. “It’s a pleasure for me to come here after a long night and find you.”

[the-amazing-simp]

Spidey Sniffles | UDDUP Collection

📝 Title: Spidey Sniffles

📚 Requested: Yes/No

✍ Summary: Just because he’s Spider-Man doesn’t mean Peter can’t get sick. Luckily, he has you to take care of him.

📖 prompt: first time being sick and getting cared for by their partner

Series Masterlist

“Peter, I’m home!” You called out into his your shared apartment, kicking the door close with your foot.

Hearing no answer, you furrowed your brows as you placed the takeout on the kitchen counter, “Peter?” You called out again.

“I’m here!” You could hear his muffled voice call from the living room just when you’re about to pull out your phone.

“That’s great!” You said, walking to the living room, “I actually got us takeout from that restaurant across the street then we could watch a movie-“

You suddenly stopped in your tracks when you were met with the sight of Peter lying on the couch with a blanket wrapped around him.

You may not have your boyfriend’s Spidey senses, but you knew something was wrong.

“Are you okay?” You asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Peter smiled in an attempt to convince you, “Why do you ask?”

“Because you’re wrapped up in your blanket like a burrito when the cold usually doesn’t bother you.” You deadpanned.

“So?” Peter shrugged innocently, “It’s more cold today than usual.”

You shook your head, “Not fooling me. You’re usually hotter than a heater.”

He grinned cheekily, “Thanks honey.”

Rolling your eyes, you said, “I’m serious, Pete.”

Peter threw the blankets off him and stood up to prove a point, “I’m telling you I’m fine. I’ll even help you with the takeout.”

As soon as he took five steps forward, he was going to crumple onto the floor if you hadn’t caught him.

“Goodness Peter!” You exclaimed as you dragged him over to the couch, “You’re almost literally burning up!”

“I’m not.” He weakly protested as you dropped him onto the couch.

Ignoring him, you grabbed for the thermometer and stuck it in his mouth. 

“Seriously Peter, do you really think you can fool me? Half the reason I basically cling to you is because you’re my personal heater. Now you’re wrapped in blankets and insisting that you’re fine when your temperature is basically at..” Pausing, you plucked the thermometer out of his mouth, “38.4 degrees Celsius!”

“Fine!” Peter jutted his bottom lip out in a pout, “I am sick. But, you don’t have to take care of me, as much as I would love you to play nurse - I don’t want you getting sick too.”

You laughed, going to get him a glass of water and some medicine, “First of all, we literally live together in the same apartment, so there’s no getting rid of me. Second of all, I’m your girlfriend, and I’m taking good care of you whether you like it or not.”

Setting the glass on the coffee table in front of him and putting the pills in his hand, you continued, “And don’t even think about arguing about going on patrol tonight, because you’re not.”

“But-“ he started to protest.

Raising a brow at him, you asked, “Do I need to call Aunt May?”

His eyes widened before he shook his head, “No ma’am.”

You grinned, “I thought so.”

—

Thank goodness you ordered some chicken soup for the takeout.

Peter sneezed as soon as you put down the steaming bowl, “You always seem to know exactly what I need.”

You laughed, “Maybe it’s just the good ol’ girlfriend senses.”

It was Peter’s turn to laugh as you fed him some soup, “Girlfriend senses?”

“Yeah.” You answered casually, “If you have your spidey senses then I have my girlfriend senses, which tells me exactly what you need and how I can make you happy.”

Peter chuckled, raising your hand to his lips, “Your presence is enough to make me happy.”

Playfully rolling your eyes at him, you said, “You’re sick but you’re still cheesy.”

He dramatically feigned offence, “I thought you loved my cheesiness.”

“I do.” You giggled, “And it’s nice to know that you’re not in the worst condition possible since you still have the nerve to be cheesy.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” Peter said sarcastically.

—

“I swear, I’m fine. Go sleep in our bed so you’ll be comfortable.” Peter insisted as you laid out the mattress on the floor beside the couch.

“Peter, I don’t care if I have to sleep on a rock as long as I get to take care of you.” You said.

Peter gave a small smile, “How was I able to get an angel like you to be with an idiot like me, I’m literally no good for you.”

You chuckled as you joked, “Honestly? Aunt May threatened me and is now paying me by the hour.”

He laughed while you pressed a kiss to his forehead, “Jokes aside, I’m the one who’s lucky to have you. If you want, you can just think of this as a way of me repaying you for every time you’ve took care of me.”

“I’m your boyfriend.” He simply states, “It’s my responsibility and pleasure to take care of you.”

“And I’m your girlfriend.” You countered, “So it’s my responsibility and pleasure to take care of you.”

“You’re a remarkable woman.” Peter chuckled.

“I’m fully aware of that.” You smiled.

—

Checking your phone the next morning, you were met with a text from Aunt May: how’s Peter doing?

He seems to be recovering quickly, (mostly thanks to our amazing care for him and not his powers) but he’s still asleep now so I could give you a more specific update later. You replied.

“Gossiping about me, aren’t ya?” Peter’s raspy voice reached your ears as he peaked at you from the edge of the couch, hair sticking up in different directions.

“Of course we are.” You snickered, turning your phone to face away from him, “As a matter of fact, Aunt May and I always gossip about your well-being.”

“While you’re at it.” He smiled sweetly, “Can you get me a glass of water? I’m feeling thirsty.”

You raised a questioning brow at him, “It’s been about 16 hours. Normally you would’ve recovered by now.”

He shrugged before jutting his bottom lip out in a pout and giving you the biggest puppy dog eyes you’ve ever seen, “Please?”

“Fine.” You gave in as you stood up, “But just because your sick and not because of those damned big brown doe eyes of yours.”

The second you had turned away from him, a smack filled the air as Peter’s hand came in contact with your ass.

When you looked at him, he had a cheeky grin and innocently questioned, “What?”

“You seem to be feeling quite better now.” You said.

Peter Parker and Andrew Garfield tag list: @beloved-bucky, @hunnybunimdun, @andrewgarfield2022, @jasmin7813, @andrewgarfieldsbae, @spxiiee, @shaded-echoes, @holy-macncheese-balls, @mcugeekposts, @dwindlinghazee, @anonyymoouussssss

TDDUP Collection: @speeder-sparker

[katelynnwrites]

pairing: Jessie Fleming x f!Reader who plays for arsenal

warnings: so much fluff

word count: 711

summary: snippets of a weekend with your girlfriend

a/n: i don’t actually know what this but i just wanted to write some fluff for my favourite canadian

Jessie

‘I love you bye.’

You end the call before walking into the gym, the smile you only ever had when you around Jessie on your face.

‘What’s got you in such a good mood?’ Katie teases.

‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ You snarkily reply, making Beth snort.

‘The little one’s all grown up.’ Leah proudly says and you roll your eyes.

Being the baby of the team came with teasing comments but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You were happy being part of the big dysfunctional, very chaotic family that was Arsenal WFC.

******

‘Jessie!’ You jumped into her arms and she giggled, catching you easily.

‘Shh love. Not so loud.’ She blushes bright red.

You take in a deep breath and her eyes widen in horror. Clapping her hand over your mouth before you can begin to yell, Jessie shakes her head vigorously.

You smirk, settling on licking her hand instead.

‘Ew…’ Jessie whines, dropping you in favour of wiping her hand on your shirt.

All you do is laugh as she glares at you, trying her best to stay mad but soon dissolving into laughter herself.

******

‘Shut up and let me cook for you Fleming.’ You wave off her protests, pointing to the kitchen counter behind you.

‘Sit there will you?’

‘So bossy.’ Jessie rolls her eyes but does as she’s told.

Five minutes later she pipes up, ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to-’

‘Jessie.’ You groan, setting down the pasta.

Turning around to face the Canadian, you cup her face in your hands, feeling her cheeks heat up.

‘Will you, Jessie Alexandra Fleming let me, your girlfriend, cook you dinner tonight?’

Jessie sighs.

‘Fine.’

‘Thank you.’

Kissing her quickly, your attention goes back to the cooking and you miss the way she smiles softly at you.

******

Waking up to Jessie snuggled into your side was one of your favourite things in the world.

The morning light was shining in just right, illuminating her many freckles as she slept.

You’re content to lie there, admiring her beautiful features but she stirs awake.

‘Stop it you creep.’ Jessie mumbles sleepily.

‘What?’

‘It’s not nice to stare.’ She replies before poking you in the side.

‘Go back to sleep.’

‘But Jessie-’

‘Go back to sleep.’ She insists, pressing herself closer to you.

You stop protesting, kissing her on the top of her head and drifting back off to sleep.

******

The second time you wake up it’s because Jessie is peppering kisses all over your face.

‘Wake up love.’

‘Jess you were the one who said go back to sleep…’ You mumble.

‘Yes but now I’m starving and as athletes we need to eat.’ She presses a kiss to punctuate each word and you giggle.

‘Kiss me one more time and maybe I’ll think about it.’

‘You’re so needy.’ She complains half heartedly and it makes you grin.

‘But you love me anyway.’

The Canadian girl sighs dramatically.

‘That I do.’

******

‘Do you have to go….’ You whine, burying your face in your girlfriend’s hoodie.

‘You know I have to.’ She murmurs sadly.

‘But I will be back to watch your game next week and you’ll be coming to my game the week after so I’ll see you then okay?’

You smile, ‘I’ll see you then Jess. Until then I’ll be counting down the days.’

Jessie grins and you give her one last hug, trying to make it last as long as possible.

‘Bye my love.’ She pulls you towards her by the collar of your shirt, lips meeting yours in a passionate kiss that ends only when you both need to breathe.

‘Bye Jessie.’

She walks towards her train and it’s then that a wicked idea pops into your head. Your poor introverted girlfriend had no clue what you were gonna do as you cupped your hands around your mouth.

‘BYE JESSIE FLEMING! I LOVE YOU AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!’ You shout, startling the surrounding people.

It’s all worth it to see Jessie turn back around, blushing furiously as she gives you a little wave before disappearing out of sight.

As you made your way back to your apartment, all you could think about was how you wished the week would go by faster.

[beccascribbles]

Can i ask for a suna x reader request where the reader is the team’s manager and swear she wouldn’t date another volleyball player after her ex, but suna changes her mind? 👀👀

a/n - this ended up way longer than i intended. whoops. honestly as i wrote this, i forgot all about the original plot. he does still change her mind though! it just became more of a best friends to lovers au (which i’m a big fat lover of). anyway, hope you enjoy :)

You swore off dating volleyball players the night you turned up at his house, tears rolling down your cheeks and red eyes. Your voice was hoarse when you told him, when you told Suna you would never date another volleyball player. The tears dampened his shirt as he held you, as he listened to you rant.

Suna hated to admit it, but a part of him was glad when he saw you on his doorstep that night. It meant you had finally realised what a piece of shit you had been dating and also opened up an avenue that had been previously shut for him. However, none of that mattered when you were in front of him. Any part of him that rejoiced at your broken expression disgusted him.

"All volleyball players are shit," you sobbed, pressing your face into his chest, choosing to forget that you were currently seeking comfort in the arms of one. "Can you believe he cheated on me?"

"I always told you he was a piece of shit," drawled Suna, rubbing soothing circles into your back. You bit back another sob, landing a light smack to his shoulder.

"And you're suddenly Mr Perfect?"

"I wouldn't cheat on you."

"Well, it doesn't really matter anyway," you sighed, curling into the warmth Suna provided, arms wrapping around his waist. "A volleyball player and me will never be a thing again. Fuck that. I'm not going through that pain again."

That whole night Suna was there to offer you comfort. He let you wash in his bathroom, giving you one of his favourite t-shirts and a pair of boxers to wear to bed. He even gave you his bed to sleep in, saying he would sleep on the floor. You couldn't let him do that, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him into the bed beside you. Suna was also the one who called your mother, explaining that you were staying at his house tonight.

And, the next morning, you were awoken to the smell of breakfast wafting through the house, walking down the stairs to be greeted by Suna on a video call with Osamu. It was clear Osamu was instructing him on how to cook, something that Suna struggled with.

"Morning, Rin, Samu," you greeted, waving at the phone screen as you stepped into view. Osamu eyes widened slightly at the sight of your clothing. You were still dressed in Suna's clothes, and, if you didn't know why, you would admit your reaction likely would have been the same.

"Ooh, y/n," sang Atsumu's voice, his head appearing at the top of the frame as Osamu pushed him away. "What have ya -"

He was cut off by Suna's barked 'shut up'. In a quiet voice, you stated simply, "My boyfriend, ex now I suppose, cheated on me."

"Did Suna make ya forget all about that loser?" asked Atsumu, his head now back in frame and pushing against Osamu's as he tried to claim the centre of the screen.

"Sumu!" snapped Osamu, shooting him a glare as he gave him a hard slap to the back of the head.

"If letting me cry and rant to him counts, then yes," you sighed, turning away from them and heading to the cupboard to grab a glass.

"Samu," called Suna, looking up from the pan helplessly, "what do I do now?"

He held up the food to show that it was burnt, charred to the point that it was disintegrating. Osamu let out a sigh. "I can come over and cook for ya if you want."

You nodded enthusiastically in the background, letting out an enthused shout. "Yes please!"

"Okay," he nodded, standing up from where he rested on his bed. "I'll be there in a bit."

"Don't bring Atsumu," pleaded Suna.

"I'm comin’," said Atsumu, poking his tongue out at the camera before Osamu hung up. Suna let out a sigh, looking over at you apologetically. His plan for a quiet morning with you to let you recuperate and prepare to face the world again was coming to an end. Instead, you would be thrust back into it with the presence of the twins, especially Atsumu.

You stepped towards him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Wordlessly, he wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you against him. Head pressed against his chest, you mumbled, "I really don't mind you know. I love hanging out with the twins. You know that."

"I just wanted everything to be good for you, you know?" he admitted, resting his cheek on the top of your head. "Are you feeling better this morning?"

"Like you said, he was a piece of shit. I supposed it was about time I realised that."

"Yeah," he sighed, brushing a kiss to the top of your head. "It would've been better if you hadn't been hurt in the process."

"Well hey," you said, looking up at him with a small smile playing on your lips, "at least I know who not to date so don't worry. I won't go running into the arms of anyone on the team to make me feel better."

"You can come to me though," he murmured, voice low. You looked up at him, eyebrows raising in confusion.

"What did you say?" you asked, pulling away and moving across the kitchen to grab a glass from the cupboard.

"Um...," he hesitated, running a hand through his sleep mussed hair. He refused to meet your gaze, focusing instead on a point above your head. "Just that you can run to the twins if you need, preferably Osamu but I suppose Atsumu is good for a hookup. I guess it depends on whose hair you prefer. You've always had a thing for blondes..."

"Rin, I'm going to stop you there," you laughed, holding up a hand and cutting off his tangent. "You don't need to worry. Also, where'd you get the idea that I'm into blondes?"

"Well, your last few boyfriends..."

"Personally, I've always preferred brunettes," you shrugged, heading over to the sink to fill up your glass. You let out a light giggle. "Now that I think about it, it is weird that I always end up dating blondes."

“Evidence of your horrible taste,” he teased, forever thankful that you could take any awkward comment in your stride and put him at ease. It was something so natural to you. In fact, you had grown used to his occasional odd remarks, brushing them under the rug. There were times when you would tease Suna for it, but, most of the time, you let it slide. It was a part of your best friend.

You let out a gasp, holding a hand to your heart in fake shock. But then, you shook your head, face splitting into a grin. “You’re not wrong. Maybe you’ll have to teach me how to find a nice guy.”

“I don’t know if I’m the best choice for that.”

“You don’t know that. You’re always right about how horrible anyone I show an interest in is.”

Suna might always be right, but he was always searching for the bad points of those you dated. Jealousy drove him to overlook any of the good things, like how happy they usually made you the first few weeks you were together.

“Yeah, well,” he admitted, “I’m not necessarily looking for the good things when I judge your boyfriends.”

“You’re so overprotective,” you snorted, dancing around him to take a seat at the kitchen table. He didn’t reply to that, and you glanced upwards, taking note of his furrowed brow. You decided to change the topic of conversation, taking a sip of your water. Before you could, there was a furious knocking at the front door. Suna rolled his eyes as you stated, “The twins.”

“Well done, Captain Obvious,” he teased, ruffling your hair as he walked past you and headed towards the front door. He glanced back over at you. “Are you going to change?”

“Nah, it’s fine. They’ve seen me in worse states.”

That was true, and the fact annoyed Suna whenever he dwelled on it. 

Atsumu, thinking he was being funny, had snuck into the bathroom while you were showering and stole your clothing, leaving your underwear. To be fair to Atsumu, he hadn’t attempted to peek at you in your naked state. It would’ve been difficult if he had tired considering the shower curtain was drawn. If he had attempted to look, he would have been subject to Suna’s wrath, and he had a number of photos of Atsumu in compromising positions that he could release. Suna wished you had just walked to his room and taken some of his clothes. Instead, you had strode downstairs in your underwear, ignoring the looks from the team that Suna had invited over and stood over Atsumu.

“Clothes, now,” you commanded, hands resting on your hips. Suna had been quick to leap up from his position on the sofa, pulling his sweatshirt over his head and tugging it over your own, moving you like a doll as he shoved your arms into the sleeves and pulled it down to cover your lower half. Then, Suna had also fixed a glare on Atsumu.

“You’d better fucking hurry,” he said, the set of his face threatening some kind of consequence. Atsumu hadn’t wanted to find out, getting up from his seat and jogging towards the kitchen, where he thought it would be wise to hide your clothes in a cupboard.

“You’re so irritating,” you grumbled, pulling on the leggings and then removing Suna’s sweatshirt, and throwing your t-shirt on. You held the sweatshirt out to Suna. “Thanks for the cover up.”

“Did you really need to strip again?” he spluttered, blushing furiously as he took his sweatshirt back from you.

“So dramatic,” you sighed, rolling your eyes at Suna’s embarrassment. Atsumu, meanwhile, had looked like a child in a candy store.

“I always knew ya were hot, but damn,” said Atsumu, letting out a low whistle. Though you appreciated the compliment, you didn’t hesitate to give him a hard slap to the back of the head.

“Don’t steal my clothes,” you said, before your lips tugged upwards in a teasing smirk. You leant in. “If you wanted to see, all you had to do was ask.”

It was Atsumu’s turn to blush then, looking away and avoiding your gaze. Both of you were aware your statement was a lie, but he couldn’t help his reaction. Suna watched with his arms crossed, quietly seething. His chest felt tight. Then, you had looked over at him with a bright smile and asked, “You picked out the film yet?”

Suna was jerked from the memory by an increase in the knocking and a loud shout through the door. “Open the fuck up, ya idiot. I’m hungry too.”

“Shut up, Sumu,” he grumbled, swinging open the door. He nodded towards Osamu. “There should be enough food in the fridge but, if you need more, just give me a list and I’ll nip to the shop.”

“I’ll go, too,” you piped up, appearing in the corridor behind him. Atsumu sprinted forward, pulling you into a tight hug which you returned. “Okay, you big oaf. You can let go of me now.”

“If you cry, he’ll let go of ya in an instant,” said Osamu, giving your head a pat as he walked past you and into the kitchen.

“It was one time, Samu,” whined Atsumu, releasing you and following his brother into the kitchen. “I’m great at comforting girls, better than you.”

“I can cook.”

“Yeah, well,” spluttered Atsumu, “I’m hotter than you.”

“We’re identical.”

“Still hotter.”

“Identical. Twins.”

“Just like normal,” you said, grinning over at Suna as he held his head in his hands. Any plans for a quiet morning went down the drain, but, when he glanced over at you to see your smile, he couldn’t deny that he was glad the twins had come over.

That happiness dissipated when Atsumu had been kicked out of the kitchen by Osamu and sent out with you to get the rest of the ingredients. Osamu had insisted that only Suna could be trusted in the kitchen, despite burning what he tried to make earlier. Ultimately, though, Osamu wasn’t going to trust him with cooking. He had simply wanted to talk to his friend, find out what was going through his head.

“So,” Osamu said, taking a sip from the cup of tea Suna had made before continuing, “how is y/n after last night? How are you?”

“I think she’ll be fine,” Suna said, trying to decide how much he was comfortable with sharing. Letting out an exhale, he decided he might as well take the chance to explain how he was feeling. Nothing good came from bottling it up, something that had become all too clear to him when he had almost taken advantage of the alcohol to finally kiss you.

It had been on your eighteenth birthday. Using the excuse that you only turn eighteen once, you had downed drink after drink, slowly growing steadily more drunk, evidenced by the way you had zero inhibitions to jumping up onto a table and swaying your hips enticingly for all to see. Suna had frozen at the sight, the alcohol he had also drunk making him feel slightly braver. He had walked over to you, offering you his hand as he helped you jump down from the table. He leaned in, yelling to be heard over the music.

“You want to go somewhere else?”

You looked at him in confusion, your drunken mind not being able to fully process his request. All you could really concentrate on was the party, the happy buzz lighting your nerves. “Why?”

Suna had drawn in a breath, steeling himself. “I have something to give you. In private.”

The promise of a gift had caused you to loop your arm through his, letting him guide you somewhere else. It barely even registered that he had already given you his present, a beautiful necklace, an ornate and delicate star as the one charm on it. He had pressed a kiss to your cheek after being the one to place it around your neck. In fact, you were wearing it at that moment, the lights glinting off the silver.

“So, what did you want to give me?” you asked under the light of the moon. He reached forward, tracing a finger along the curve of your face. Suna’s hand stopped its movement, cupping your cheek. “Suna?”

He let out a breath that tickled your face. Slowly, carefully, he leaned in, his lips a whisper away before a shout broke through the relative peace of the garden.

“y/n!”

Your head turned in the direction, pulling out of Suna’s grip in the process. Atsumu stumbled towards you, slinging his arm over your shoulder. “Come on. I convinced Kita to play ‘Never Have I Ever’ and he’s usually no fun at parties. You too, Suna.”

That moment between the two of you in the garden had been forgotten by you, but it replayed regularly in Suna’s mind. He buried his face into his hands, Osamu’s quiet support enough to prompt him to continue with what he was saying. “I don’t know if I will be though.”

When he looked up, his eyes were unusually vulnerable. There was a hesitation in his gaze, and Osamu waited a moment before prompting, “Why?”

As Osamu began to chop up some of the ingredients, Suna began to speak again. “She swore off dating volleyball players, and I think that extends to me. To be honest, she’s probably only ever seen me as a friend. Pathetic, right? I invest all this time into our relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I love her friendship. I’ll never take it for granted. It’s just frustrating. Do I act too friendly with her? Am I not flirty enough? Why was I friend-zoned?”

Osamu continued cutting, choosing his next words carefully. “She’s probably never thought to look at you in another way. It would make sense she doesn’t want to risk your friendship, Rin.”

“I understand that,” he sighed, “but, what can I do?”

“All you can do is try to show her how you feel and hope she realises you’re the one for her,” advised Osamu. Suna made note of this, though a part of him wondered if it was the best option. In his opinion, Suna was already showing that he had feelings for you. How could he make that more known? Seeing the uncertainty on his face, Osamu continued. “You could always ask Sumu for advice but I doubt it would be more useful than mine.”

It was some time before Suna was able to broach the topic with Atsumu, though this time with more hypotheticals than outright admissions. Your head was resting in his lap, your breathing steady as one of his hands rubbed absentminded circles into your back. You would be the first to admit you hadn’t had the best of sleep that night, falling asleep as soon as the film Osamu had chosen was playing.

“It must have been really boring if y/n’s already asleep,” teased Atsumu, giving his brother a playful shove which Osamu ignored. “She usually stays up out of pity.”

“Whatever, Sumu,” sighed Osamu, hugging a cushion to his chest as he became fully engrossed in what was unfolding on screen. It was hard to rile Osamu up when he was in his element, and, frankly, this film was one of his favourites. It made him dream of running his own chain of restaurants, though without the mafia using it as a front for drug trades.

“Hey, Atsumu,” began Suna awkwardly, immediately getting the other twin’s attention. Osamu was too focused on the film to care what was being talked about around him, something he would regret when Atsumu bragged about Suna confiding in him the whole way home. “Say you liked this girl, but she was your best friend, and swore off dating volleyball players. How would you change her mind and show her how you feel?”

“I’d just tell y/n how I feel,” he replied. “It is y/n we’re talkin’ about, yeah?”

Suna nodded, though the slight frown that twisted his face told Atsumu he wasn’t happy that he had figured it out. Atsumu simply shrugged, giving his friend’s shoulder a squeeze.

“It’s kind of obvious,” Atsumu said, glancing down at the way Suna gently brushed your hair away from your face, his other hands resting against the curve of your waist. “Anyway, she’d appreciate the honesty. No need to show her. You show her how much ya care everyday anyway. It might not change her mind straight away but havin’ it out in the open might help her come around to the idea.”

“Thanks, Sumu,” said Suna, genuinely meaning the words.

“They don’t call me the Love Maestro for nothin’,” he bragged.

“No one calls you that,” shot Osamu, tuning in for that part of the conversation. Atsumu turned to him, scandalised.

“Do too.”

“Name one person.”

“...”

“Exactly.”

Later that day, Suna walked you home, slinging an arm around your shoulder and leaning a bit of his weight on you as you walked. Your own arm wrapped around his waist instinctively to keep your balance. It felt so natural to walk along with him like this, something you genuinely missed when you were dating someone. It just felt disrespectful to the other person to act as you did with Suna while with them. A part of you recognised that the way you acted around each other could be construed as a relationship, but you had never thought to entertain the idea. He was just Suna, your best friend.

You came to a stop in front of your front door, and he released your shoulder in favour of wrapping both of his arms around your waist to pull you into a hug. Instantly, you relaxed against him, arms winding around his neck. When he pulled away, your hands still rested on his shoulders and you smiled up at him.

“Call me if you need anything,” he said, eyes unusually soft as he stared at you. His eyes landed on the necklace around your neck, the star shining up at him from where it rested just above the neckline of your top. “I’ll see you tomorrow but if you need anything, if you just want to chat, call me, okay?”

You nodded, giving his shoulder a pat before releasing him. However, you made no move to step away and open your front door. Suna leaned forward, pressing a kiss to your cheek. At that, he stepped off your porch, turning away from you. “Goodnight.” I love you.

“Night, Rin.”

When his phone rang at two in the morning, he couldn’t say he hadn’t been expecting it. He was. It was normal for you to call him at random times of the night, particularly when you couldn’t get to sleep or had been awoken by a nightmare.

“Rin?” you breathed, voice quiet to avoid waking anyone up in your house. “Um, hi.”

“Morning, y/n,” he mumbled, switching you onto speaker and placing the phone down beside his head. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I was just having trouble sleeping. Um, can you tell me a story?”

“Don’t you think we’re too old for bedtime stories?” he chuckled, though he was already shifting through his brain for a tale he could tell you that had not already been shared.

“We’re still in high school,” you protested, and he could hear the pout in your voice. “We’re not adults yet.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Are you ready?”

He heard the sound of movement through the speaker, the sound of you getting into bed and placing the phone on the pillow beside you.

“Ready.”

So, Suna began, telling the story of a foolish knight who had fallen for the beautiful princess, a princess who was at home when she was sparring with the knights, when she could forget about all the eligible bachelors from other kingdoms. She was a princess who ate with the Royal Guard, prepared the roster for their training sessions, and offered her support whenever she was needed.

His voice lulled you to sleep, and, before you could question what had inspired such a tale, your eyes had slipped shut and sleep had pulled you under. Suna heard your change in breathing, your soft inhales and exhales slowing until they reached a steady rhythm. He trailed off, reaching for his phone, finger hovering over the button that would end the call. He pulled his finger away, letting his hand fall back down onto the mattress. Suna fell asleep to the sound of your breathing. He could almost pretend that you were beside him.

Your phone was flat when you woke up, and you cursed, hurriedly plugging yours into the charger. You hated being late, hated not knowing what the time was as soon as you woke up. You jogged down the stairs, reading the time on the clock in the kitchen and releasing the tension in one exhale. There was plenty of time. At a more relaxed pace, you continued to prepare for the day.

It was a busy day for you as manager of the volleyball club, something that you were thankful for as it meant you couldn’t dwell on your break up. Even if you weren’t busy with your club duties, the team would provide a distraction. Atsumu and Osamu argued more as third years, the influences of Kita, Aran and the others no longer there to calm them down. Suna was no help, urging them on whenever he could and then documenting the whole affair on his phone to send photos and videos to Kita and Aran later. To be fair, you did little to break it up either, preferring to let them work out their anger. It worked, though Kita insisted there was a better way. If he wanted to come back to Inarizaki and deal with them, he could.

The sound of your phone ringing sent you running back up the stairs, dodging out of the way of a parent that had just emerged from the bathroom. Suna’s name flashed on the screen, and you accepted the call, perching on the edge of the bed.

“I guess we fell asleep on call,” he laughed, his voice rough from having just woken up. “Your phone died, didn’t it?”

“Of course it did, idiot,” you sighed. “Why didn’t you hang up once I’d fallen asleep? You usually do.”

“You sounded cute,” he admitted, glad you could not see the flush that dusted his cheeks. “Plus, I figured you would be smart enough to have it plugged in if I was.”

“Not a valid excuse,” you quipped, resting your head in the palm of your hand. With a laugh, you said, “I panicked this morning thinking I would be late. The coaches wanted me to meet with them before class. You don’t know how pleased I was when I walked down the stairs to see I still had a while before I had to leave the house.”

“Sorry about that,” he muttered sheepishly before clearing his throat. “Is it charged now?”

You glanced down at your phone screen. “It’s at about 20% so it’s probably not going to last the whole day.”

“You can use mine if you need to. It is kind of my fault after all.”

“Kind of?” you questioned, humour in your tone. “Don’t worry though. It should be fine if I leave it off until I need to use it.”

“Just let me know if you need to borrow it, okay?” he insisted. “We have late practice.”

“Yeah, I know, got to make sure you lot are prepared for nationals. No losing to Karasuno this year.”

“Mmhm,” he hummed. “I’ll walk you home, alright?”

“Don’t worry about it, Rin,” you said. “My phone will last till then. Plus, you’ll be tired after practice. I’d be a bad manager if I didn’t make you go straight home to eat.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” he argued. “Besides, I can just eat at your house. Your parents say that I’m always welcome.”

“But then you’ll be going home too late. Won’t your mum be worried?”

“She’ll be fine. I usually stay out late, or are you forgetting the nights I’ve snuck over to yours and we’ve gone on midnight walks?”

“Fine,” you sighed, letting him win this time. “Don’t complain to me if you’re tired at school tomorrow.”

“When am I not half-asleep?”

“I’ll see you at school, Rin.”

“See you.”

There was no arguing with Suna over things like this. He was stubborn to a fault when it came to your safety. You might have been able to convince him to head straight home if your phone was fully charged. When that was the case, he insisted on staying on the phone with you the whole way, not feeling comfortable at the thought of you walking home alone in the dark. Suna wasn’t overbearing. If you honestly didn’t want him walking you home or calling you, he wouldn’t so long as you messaged him when you got home. But, you liked talking to him. That was the simple truth. You enjoyed spending time with Suna, and enjoyed talking to him. It was only Suna who wanted something more.

“So,” asked Atsumu, slinging an arm over Suna’s shoulder yanking him closer, “when are ya goin' to tell her?”

“Tell who?” asked Osamu. The look Suna shot him made him nod his head in realisation. “Ah, y/n… Wait, tell her? What happened to just showin’ her how you feel?”

“If that was going to work, it would’ve already,” said Atsumu, puffing out his chest proudly. “As Suna and I discussed, comin' clean and confessing is the best way forward.”

“I hate to say it, but he had a point Samu,” agreed Suna, sliding out from under Atsumu’s arm. “Anyway, I’m not going to tell her anytime soon. She’s had enough to deal with. She doesn’t need her best friend confessing to her straight after a rough break up. It’s almost nationals time as well. Confessing might throw off the team dynamic and I don’t want to ruin that.”

“I think you’re just being a pussy,” declared Atsumu, lips quirking upwards in a teasing smirk.

“I think you’re being smart,” said Osamu. “Wait until the best time.”

All Suna had done, was continuing to do, was wait. However, he made a concerted effort to be there for you more often, being the shoulder you would lean on for support. Unknown to you consciously, a part of you had begun to reciprocate Suna’s feelings. On occasion, it would be you who would reach out for him, locking your pinkies together and sharing a secret smile across the lunch table.

Over the course of the next few months, there were many late night phone calls, which quickly transformed into video chats. He listened to you, helped you work through the residual feelings from your break up. Being cheated on had left you feeling inferior, and Suna had been there to build you back up.

One day, you turned to face your friend Reo, hardly believing the words that fell from your lips. “Tell me honestly. Do you think I’m falling for another volleyball player?”

“Another one?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow. Then, the realisation finally seemed to hit her and she let out a gasp. “Suna?”

“I don’t know,” you sighed, resting your chin on top of your open palm. “Am I just projecting? Do I really have feelings for him or am I just craving that kind of emotional connection with someone? Plus, it’s Suna. He’s my best friend.”

“Is that all he is to you, though?” she questioned, studying you. “I know he’s your best friend, but I am too. Who did you seek comfort from after your break up? Who do you fall asleep with over the phone every night? Did you ever act the same with people you were in a relationship with that you do with Suna? I mean, I know you haven’t kissed him or anything but you are more physically affectionate and open with him than people you’ve been in a relationship with. I know you’re going to be stubborn about this, say that’s just how you’ve always been, but I want you to think about how you treat each other. If you want my honest opinion, I’d say the feelings have always been there, especially on Suna’s part.”

You blinked at Reo, taking in what she was saying. It made you contemplate, think back on specific moments in your friendship with Suna where it was possible you had crossed some invisible line that you weren’t supposed to. But every moment with Suna felt so natural you couldn’t pinpoint where the line would be, let alone when you would have crossed it. It became clear to you then. You had feelings for Suna Rintaro. There went your vow to never date another volleyball player again.

If only Suna had realised you had made this realisation already. He could have stopped planning out how to confess to you with Osamu and Atsumu, their idea involving him reducing his contact with you until everything was prepared. That fact itself was easier said than done, and they couldn’t control what he did in the quiet of his home (which was find any excuse to phone you and talk to you).

That night, he asked you, “Can you be ready for one in the afternoon tomorrow? I have something planned that I hope you’ll like.”

“Sure,” you agreed. “I have something I want to say to you as well.”

He felt anxiety grip him at your statement, fearing the worst. His fingers tightened around the phone, his breath catching in his throat. You could hear his struggle through the phone and reassured, “Don’t worry. It’s nothing bad, at least I hope you don’t think it is. I’ve just finally realised something and want to tell you in person.”

"Okay," he breathed, though the knot of anxiety in his chest didn't loosen. "I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good sleep. Love you."

"Night, Rin," you replied, feeling your heart flutter slightly at his words. The words had been said before in passing, but always with Suna firmly placed as a friend. "Love you too."

At one the next day, you were sat waiting for him on your front step, fiddling with your phone in your hands. You had just spoken to Reo for advice, her words soothing your nerves. She had told you it was clear that Suna wanted to admit something too, and, for some reason, having that knowledge outlined for you by another put you at ease.

Seeing him approaching, you rose from your seated position, gesturing for him to wait for you on the pavement. Suna came to a stop, holding out his arms for a hug. You were quick to relax into his hold, arms giving his own waist a squeeze before letting go. Smiling up at him with unusual silence, you asked, “Can I tell you something before we go? I just think you deserve to know.”

He hesitated. A part of him was curious, wanted to know, but the rest of him feared that your news would ruin what he had planned. Suna wanted to confess to you before you revealed whatever you had realised. “Um, can I show you what I planned first? It’s kind of important.”

You raised an eyebrow, wondering how it could be so important that he didn’t want to hear what you said. At the nervous look in his eyes, you took his hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Still holding his hand, you pulled him after you, moving with confidence though you had no idea what direction Suna wanted to take you in. He pulled you to a stop, shooting you a smirk. “Wrong way, idiot.”

“It’s not like I can read your mind,” you sighed, throwing your arms up in exasperation. You gave him a grin. “Want to take the lead?”

“With pleasure,” he said, choosing to release his hold on your hand and drape his arm over your shoulder. In response, your own wrapped around his waist and you fell into step beside him.

The sight that greeted you was unexpected and took your breath away. It was oddly beautiful in a simple way, something no one had ever thought to put together for you before, despite its relative simplicity. You looked up at him, mouth dropping open in shock and disbelief. “You really went through the trouble of setting up a picnic for me?”

“Well, yeah,” he replied. “You said you always wanted to go on a picnic with someone you love. I figured I counted at least a little bit.”

“You definitely count,” you said, giving him a slight nudge with your elbow. “I’d probably rather do this with you anyway. On another note, who made the food? Because you can’t cook for shit.”

“Osamu might have helped a little bit.”

“Just a little bit?” you teased, smirking up at him.

“Maybe more than a little bit, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Whatever you say, Rin,” you grinned, wandering over to sit on the blanket. He sank onto the floor beside you, leaning his side against your own. You relaxed against his warmth, letting your head drop against his shoulder. His own head dropped to rest against yours, his hand reaching out to hold yours, tangling your fingers together.

For a moment, you sat in silence, cherishing just being together. Suna cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Before we eat, I have something to say to you. Can you promise whatever I say to you won’t change what we have right now?”

You looked up at him with concern. “I promise.”

Suna drew in a deep breath, releasing your hand and moving to sit in front of you. You let yourself miss the warmth of his body pressed against you, knotting your fingers together as you allowed your eyes to meet his. The hesitation in his face was clear, and you reached forward, resting a hand on his knee.

“Just tell me,” you reassured, smiling at him softly. “Nothing can change how I feel about you.”

“Okay,” he sighed, reaching forward, and clasping the hand you had rested on your knee. In that moment, he went for the bluntest approach. “I have feelings for you.”

You blinked over at him in shock, your grip on his hand tightening. That hadn’t been what you were expecting to hear, but hearing the words made your heart flutter. It made it so much easier to admit what you had finally realised. “I have feelings for you too.”

“Wait, you do?” said Suna, eyes widening in shock. This was far more than he could have hoped for. You nodded slowly, unable to help the own smile that pulled at your lips in response to his own.

Suna moved closer to you, letting his hand come up to rest against your face. He cupped it carefully, his thumb brushing against your cheek. Slowly, giving you the option to pull away he leaned in, only to let out a small gasp in shock when your hands gripped his top and pulled him towards you, pressing your lips against his. His hands slipped into your hair, holding you in place as he deepened the kiss, letting out a low groan of satisfaction at the feel of your hands slipping under the material of his top and rest against his bare skin.

“Fuck,” he breathed, pulling away to rest his forehead against your own. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that for.”

“Hope it was worth it,” you giggled, leaning forward to brush your lips against his. He captured your lips once again, kissing you softly, delicately.

“More than worth it,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you into his lap. You fell into his chest, ear pressed against his beating heart. It was still racing now, even though you had accepted his advances. You lifted your head up, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“Want to eat the food Samu made now?” you questioned, turning in his hold and resting your back against his chest. His stomach let out a low grumble. You leaned forward, grabbing a plate of food and letting out a giggle. “I suppose I’ll take that as an answer then.”