#maybe i’ll actually make more/better ones when i get a new laptop

[fineline-b]

this is who louis truly is.

17 Sept 2011 Club G-A-Y

Second Angle <3

[moonlight-records]

Rich Boys Don't Have Hearts I LN4 (Pt. II)

pairing: Jock!Lando Norris x Nerd!Reader

summary: Formula Ivy Academy, or FIA for short, is the most renowned private in the world who takes such a select few. Usually those from wealth with status and secrets and so much to lose. Yet, you are selected to join the FIA on a full scholarship. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain scares a lot students, especially their star athlete who will do anything to protect those he cares about. Though, he didn't expect you to have as much of a...bite to you for a little nobody.

warning: jealous!lando. also possessive lando again, ig. bestie!charles, MESSY!FRANCO!!! god it becomes SO messy!!! franco is so smooth too. mention of make out. mention of eating out & fingering (f receiving). um idk after, kinda dying like ferrari's strategy by not having it beta read

fc: none!

a/n: since everyone is asking!!! here’s a new part!!! also once again, i opened a ko-fi! feel free to show extra love 💕

wc: 4.5K

part 1 | current | part 3 | part 4

“Has Lando’s attitude gotten any better since last week?”

“No.”

“Ha! Well, surely he’s been a bit better at practices, no?”

“That, he has. I think it’s because Max snapped at him and the coach backed Max up. Though he still gives me dirty glares during practice when he’s not speaking to me.” Charles shrugs, “though I am unbothered. I wasn’t the one who tried to bribe someone out of this school for people who don’t actually truly like me. Still baffles me that he did that considering how half the school talks poorly about him behind his back. Some are not as subtle as others.”

“Well, everyone has their reasons. Maybe he was more so worried about his friends. Max, Oscar, you—”

“I don't know if I would qualify as a friend anymore.”

“I would consider you a friend if I was Lando,” you admit with a small smile, “friends fight. That’s just the nature of any relationship, romantic or not. I bet he’ll let it go and muster up some apology for being such a dick to you.”

“And you.”

You let out a bitter laugh, “Lando apologize to me? My dear friend, are you sure you don’t smoke anything? Because that sounds like straight delusion. Did you find the delusion at the store? If so, did you get extra because I would love some.” You remark.

“Y/N. I’m serious here.”

“So am I, Charlie. Lando is never going to apologize to me for the shit he tried to pull on me last week.” You lean forward in your seat while making a face at the thought of Lando actually apologizing to you, “Him apologizing means that he was wrong and him admitting that he’s wrong is like hell freezing over or God admitting he was wrong to cast Lucifer out of heaven or like a guy actually knowing where the clit is or—”

“Y/N!” Charles almost shrieks before shuffling closer and murmuring, “you cannot just say things like that! You know how they are about language—”

“Oh bite me.” You groan softly while looking at Charles unimpressed, “The FIA only made that rule because Max was stupid enough to curse at his advisor. Though Marko totally deserved it, if you ask me. Besides.” You take a chance to look on either side of you before looking back at Charles, “we’re the only two here so I doubt anybody heard me. If they did, I think a lot of the girls would be agreeing with my statement and if it was faculty, I will happily take my community service hours because I am not apologizing for telling the truth.” You lean back in your seat with a shrug.

You watch Charles open and close his mouth as he tries to think of something to say and him growing increasingly frustrated because he really had nothing to say besides ‘you’re right, y/n’. You giggle seeing Charles huff and lean back in his chair, grumbling that “ you have some fair points.” You just nod before looking back down at all your notebook. You take a moment before tipping your laptop screen back as you go back to rewriting your notes as silence falls over you and Charles.

“I’ll be right back.” You tear your gaze away from your laptop looking at Charles who is gently pushing his books and laptop back onto the table. “I promised Arthur I would help him with piano and I have to meet him in ten minutes. I’ll be back soon,” Charles is rapidly telling you as he grabs his coat, hastily walking away. You stare, mouth a bit open before just accepting your fate and turning back around. Whatever, it’s fine.

You start finding your groove again as you see just a flash of color across from you. Still, you didn’t even acknowledge the other as you continued to take these notes down. You take a few more minutes to get through the section and let out a sigh of relief. That was one out of four, anyway. Leaning back, you rub your eyes and decide you can take a five minute break. Dropping your hands, you expect to see Charles sitting across from you once again. Instead, someone else sat in Charles' seat.

The universe just loves to test your patience. It has barely been a week since the incident with Lando that you had swore you were done. No more curly hair, greenish eyes, stupid contagious smile, friendly heartthrobs in your life. It was so oddly specific that you were certain the universe would listen but instead the universe decided to test you if you were really done since you now have curly hair, hazel green eyes, stupidly friendly and contagious smile sitting right across from you who was watching you with a gentle smile.

“Franco?”

“Y/N. There you are.” Franco leans forward and puts his elbows on the table, “Leave it to you to find the coolest hidden spot in the library.” He leans over to look at your laptop and then sits back down. “Are you rewriting notes? Gross. I am very sure you have an uh…” he pauses, “photographic memory. That is the word. You already know the things, please put the notes down and have social interactions?”

“Oh why thank you for thinking I have a photographic memory but I do in fact study a lot.” You giggle and feel a blush creep onto your face at the compliment. “I am having social interaction. Am I not talking to you?” You raise a brow at him smiling. “I can talk to you while rewriting my notes, you know.”

“Yes but I do not want you to do that but that means I only have half your attention,” Franco complains as he gently closes your laptop screen shut and grabs your hands. You look at Franco and feel your face turn as red as the school’s hoodie while looking at the other, “and that just will not do.” Franco brings your hand to cup his cheek while looking at you, “you’re always taking notes and talking. I want one hundred percent of your time. Just this once, please?”

You were not the universe’s strongest warrior. The way that Franco looked at you with those wide eyes and small pout. You had found yourself letting your resolve melt quickly as you gently shut your laptop, elbow on the table while resting your cheek against your palm. “Yeah,” you find yourself saying while smiling dreamily at your fellow classmate, “I can do that.”

“Wonderful!” Franco praises as he leans back slightly. “Now, where were we last time we talked?” Franco thinks trying to recall, “I think we were talking about Hamilton—”

“And Toto,” you add on with a grin.

“Right, right,” Franco nods while glancing around before leaning in slightly. “I’m going fucking insane. They have Hamilton coming in as the guest designer for the fashion students this year and they moved the fashion kids into the arts building after that fire. Which means,” Franco grumbles, “I have the fortunate bad luck of seeing Lewis four times a week almost all day.”

“Why is that bad? He’s like your biggest celebrity crush.”

“That’s the thing!” Franco hisses, “He’s a celebrity crush. A crush that was never to see my existence or anything. Now instead of kilometers separating us, it’s just one floor! You think a man that is perfect should be looking at someone like me?” Franco looks at you, horrified, “Y/N. Please. I’ve never been so stressed over my looks before going to class. I don’t know how much longer my fragile heart can take seeing Lewis in all his glorious outfits with all those lovely rings…and tattoos…and stay sane.” Franco drops his head in defeat before looking back up at you. “Well, what about you? How’s your celebrity crush on Toto?”

You sigh and look away defeated. “Sadly, he is no longer a celebrity crush. He’s…” You cover your mouth as you take a moment. You close your eyes before taking a deep breath in and out. “Toto Wolff is…off the roster,” you whisper dramatically while looking at Franco. Franco gasps loudly, covering his mouth.

“What?! Say it ain’t so! Toto Wolff has been on the roster since the day we created the rosters,” Franco stares in disbelief, “What happened? What did he do that was so…dirty that you had to take him off the roster completely.

You stare at Franco before looking away, shaking your head slightly. “He did the one thing that I was terrified of. The only thing that would have me kick a man such as Toto Wolff off the damn roster…he became a full time professor here.” You finally admit, covering your mouth again in disbelief that your worst nightmare came true. You hear Franco gasp again and you nod, “I know. It’s such a sad day. We lost one of our strongest.”

“Here lies Toto Wolff. That man saw the rise of your beautifully curated roster. A moment of silence for our beloved.” Franco whispers as he sits there with you. You two glance at each other and you two break out into laughter. You both lean in, giggling while trying to hush the other so you two don’t get in trouble for being so loud. “Though seriously, he became a full time professor here? Good for him but that truly is a shame. We got new eye candy but at what cost?”

“I know! But hey, at least his teaching style is unique so at least I am very engaged which is really a good thing plus him looking as hot as he does since he’s a psychopath. Who the hell has classes at eight in the morning? I can’t even be happy that it’s once a week because it’s a three hour class that starts promptly at eight in the morning on Monday. Maybe it is a good thing Toto became a professor because this is too much.”

Franco’s been laughing silently the entire time, silently getting more dramatic as you spoke so he wouldn’t scream in the middle of the library. You watch him for a moment before laughing as well, grabbing onto his arms as the two of you laugh.

You two calm down and lean back as someone clears their throat. The two of you look up and your face falls to horror when cold stormy green eyes land on you. You shift uncomfortably as you become defensive. Shoulder a bit further back. Back a bit straighter. Chin a bit higher. You force a smile at the British student while trying to explode him with your mind.

“Y/N.” Lando remarks while looking down at you with pure raging dislike, “Funny seeing you here.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“Ha.” Lando looks at Franco and relaxes slightly. “Dude. Come on. I’ve been looking for you for the past ten minutes, we have to grab Oscar before meeting up with Max and Carlos soon. I really don’t need Carlos getting on me for being late.”

“Oh sorry. I just got so distracted.” Franco tells Lando and stands.

“What were you even doing? Speaking to Y/N?” You glare at Lando. Franco is way too sweet to be dragged into your bullshit with Lando before looking back at Franco. It seems that the Brit has a soft spot for your fellow freshman or something because Lando clears his throat before he keeps speaking, “I didn’t realize you two knew each other. Didn’t mean to sound so rude…sorry.”

Holy shit. Did hell finally freeze over? Maybe it’s pigs flying. Or he’s finally getting laid. It really doesn’t matter the reason why right now because you were still in disbelief that Lando apologized. You never thought you’d live to see the day where Lando apologized in general but apologizing because of the rude tone he had when speaking about you? Did you end up in the Twilight Zone? No no this must be a joke. Okay, cut the cameras. Seriously the cameras can STOP rolling.

“Oh of course I know Y/N! We’re in the same graduating class and we have a few gen eds together. It’s just hard given our schedules but,” Franco grins, “We make it work. Though! Before I leave I actually want to know if you’d be interested in grabbing lunch with me tomorrow” Franco announces as he looks at you, smiling, “could be a date if you want?”

Suddenly the world just freezes and you’re stuck at the library table staring in complete shock at the turn of the events. You hadn’t even told Franco about Lando, not having the heart for his poor heart to be crushed by how Lando could be so nasty. Still, you’re trying to figure out how the hell this conversation got onto the topic of Franco asking you out on a date.

In the heat of the moment, you can’t help but turn to look at Lando as if he heard Franco correctly. Maybe you’ve just fallen asleep and this is some weird dream or something. You come to the shocking yet unsuspecting realization that this is not a dream when Lando meets your gaze having the same idea. You both look back at Franco in a state of shock and confusion. “A date?” You and Lando ask in union.

“Yes.” Franco laughs and smiles widely at you and Lando before looking back at you, “well? Would you like to get lunch with me? As a date?”

“Yes.” You smile while nodding, “I would love to get lunch with you as a date.”

You stare at Franco with a stupid smile. You hadn’t expected this was how your evening would go but you were more than happy about it. You were so happy, that Lando’s look of shock turned to disgust didn’t even phase you. Finally, you’re crashing back to reality when Lando annoyingly clears his throat while looking down at the two of you. “Well, lovebirds,” Lando forces a smile but you can feel the burn his venomous words carry, “sorry to cut the moment short but we really have to leave now, Franco.” Lando manages through gritted teeth.

“Right! Sorry again.” Franco gathers his things and looks at you, “I’ll text you later. Bye Y/N,” Franco waves before Lando sends him off, telling him he’ll be right out.

You watch Franco go off and sigh dreamily. You glance away for a moment before doing a double take. Your smile morphs into a scowl while looking at Lando who—hasn’t moved yet. Looking him up and down, you raise a brow. “Can I help you?”

“Why did you say yes to Franco?”

“You really think you’re entitled to that after the shit you pulled last week?” You raise a brow while clicking your tongue, “besides. Why do you even care?”

“Because Franco’s a freshman and I don’t need him distracted,” Lando snaps and you roll your eyes. Here he goes again about distractions and shit. Lando glances away and huffs. “Also because he’s a bit of a player.”

“Takes one to know one, yeah?”

Lando glares at you and sneers slightly. “So what? I wouldn’t want him wasting any of his time on you.”

“Why?”

“You’d probably bore him to death.” Looking down at you as Lando gives it a beat. “Also I doubt you’d know how to get him off for your first time. Hell, I don’t think you’d know how to get anybody off. Not even yourself.” Giving you a condescending smile, “I would hate for him to be a part of your body count.”

“Oh.” You laugh slightly, “That’s adorable. Well. You know what? I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

Lando’s a bit taken aback. “I—what?”

“You know. I’ve been doing some thinking. I think we didn’t quite see eye-to-eye.” You continue as you pack your things. “Which isn’t really fair because you were truly just looking out for your friends. Like you’re doing right now.” Standing straight, “which I just wanna say is the sweetest thing ever so. I want to thank you and I’ve figured out the best way to do that.”

“…Which is…?” Lando leans in slightly, waiting for your answer.

“Which is…letting you know in great detail not only how good Franco’s gonna fuck me this weekend but you’ll also have to listen how Franco’s not going to want anybody else when I’m done with him.” You feign innocence to Lando as you sling your backpack over your shoulders before walking away.

“Now, don’t you move a single muscle,” Franco kisses your forehead with a smile “You just focus on resting and I’ll handle everything for dinner tonight, okay?”

“Uh huh.”

“Good girl.” Franco winks before leaving your dorm. 

You lay in your bed staring where Franco had just left before rolling over, grunting as your legs failed to work with you. Fumbling around the messy sheets and pillows till you find your phone and immediately open the texts messages because you had to tell someone about the date you just had:

A MINX. HE’S A MINX I TELL YOU. - YN

WHO? WHAT? THE FUCK IS HAPPENING??? - CL

FRANCO. FRANCO IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MINX!!!!-YN

??????-CL

So Franco asked me out on a date for lunch today—YN

HE WHAT?! WHEN?-YN

Yesterday after you disappeared. He showed up and Lando came looking for him.-YN

LANDO? WHAT? Oh my god was he nasty to you? I’ll hurt him istg-CL

No. No he was…civil. Or civilish while Franco was around. But anyway, yeah Lando was asking like why Franco was talking to me cause we don’t really talk and like they had to go to Max’s place and Franco was like “oh we’re in the same graduating class” and stuff but before he left he was like “oh do you wanna get lunch with me tomorrow as a date?'“-YN

And I was gagged! I thought it heard it wrong so I looked at Lando who was LOOKING AT ME THE SAME WAY so we realize oh this is real. This is happening and Franco wants to grab lunch with me like a date. So I say yes, obviously.-YN

IN FRONT OF LANDO!?-CL

Yeah cause fuck him!!! If my happiness is his kryptonite to having a good day, then so fucking be it. But wait!! There’s more!-YN

TELL ME! TELL ME!-CL

So Lando hangs behind and Franco leaves. Then Lando looks at me all like “why’d you say yes?” Bitch what do you mean???-YN

Oh my god, he did not!!-CL

He totally did!!!-YN

Ew. Why does it have a jealous undertone?? possessiveness???-CL

It’s giving ‘you belong to me’ or like ‘nobody else can have you because I want you’ like some dark romance MMC. This is not a bully romance with a mafia subplot or some shit!!-YN

PREACH 👏👏👏. So what happened after?!-CL

Oh so I was like “i’m not telling you after the shit you pulled last week” and asking why he cares and he’s going on about how Franco’s a freshman and he can’t get distracted and how he’s a bit of a player, which he isn’t he’s just kind of a himbo, and I was like “oh takes one to know one, yeah?”-YN

YOU DID NOT. SHUT UP OH Y/N I LOVE YOU SO MUCH-CL

I did and that pissed Lando off. He starts going on about how I don’t know how to get anybody off and I’d bore Franco to death and how he would never want Franco a part of my body count. First off I got three bodies and I have pleased all three, thank you very much but also like fuck Lando!! His opinion? Doesn’t matter!! So I started bout how ‘oh we got off on the wrong foot’ and ‘you’re right’ to throw him for a loop before I told him I wanted to ‘thank him’ for ‘opening my eyes’ and his thank you is listening, in great detail, to Franco fuck me this entire weekend and then listening to Franco wanting nobody else 💋-YN

YNNNN!!! OH MY GOOOOOD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! Ugh yes that’s some queen shit. Though how does that tie into Franco being a minx??-CL

BECAUSE. It’s Friday. He has no classes. Mine got canceled so I decided, oh why don’t we stay in today, right? soooo like, we go to the cafe, i get food (that Franco paid for) cause he’s not hungry right now which is whatever, and then we head back to my dorm. We’re watching tv, we’re talking, and I finish eating. It’s great, right??-YN

Yes, correct.-CL

So as I’m talking, I start talking about Lando. Franco’s apologizing, I’m telling him he shouldn’t be apologizing. He’s asking if he should stop hanging out with Lando and you know me. I’m not gonna police people on their friends so I told him no. As long as he holds Lando accountable, then I don’t care. If Franco wants to drop Lando that’s his own doing.-YN

Anyway, we keep talking and laughing. We’re getting closer. And then…you know-YN

…What happened? 👀👀-CL

We start kissing. Then it turns into a lazy makeout. Hands start wandering, nothing real scandalous ya know?-YN

Uh huh…-CL

Then this mf pulls away and is like “Oh, I’m real hungry”-YN

FRANCO!!! WTFF!!!!-CL

OH WAIT!! Cause that’s what I thought. I was like “Oh really? Like now? I mean I guess we can go back to the cafe.” Meanwhile he’s actively getting off the bed. Then Franco pulls me by my ankles to the edge of the bed. so i'm thinking he’s really hungry so I go to sit up and he pushes me back down talking bout some “where’re you going mami?”-YN

SIR?? EXCUSE ME??? I can hear the accent now, oh my god that’s—wow-CL

OH BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE!!!-YN

So first, don’t be calling me mami unless you plan on making me an actual mom. Second, I’m looking at him confused like “you said you were hungry” and he’s like “yeah?” and I was like “Oh I’m sorry, I just thought you’d want me to join you going to the cafe to get lunch” and he’s looking at me like I got ten heads before going like “the cafe? Why would we go to the cafe?” He’s actively like leaning over me while holding my thighs and slowly pushing them opening talking bout “I don’t need the cafe when I got a full five meal course right here sprawled out in front of me.”-YN

FRANCO!?! OH MY GOD—I have to fan myself. Wow that was—🥵🥵🥵🥵-CL

RIGHT?!?!-YN

WELL??-CL

…Charles when I tell you. I do not believe in god but I am pretty sure I was knocking on his door. Two hours. I was seeing god for TWO HOURS!!! Charles when I tell you that man had me screaming crying throwing up I MEAN IT. Charles, I'm still in bed. My legs are still shaking. I can’t feel them.-YN

What I wouldn’t give to be sucked off like that—CL

But wait. There’s a cherry on top of all of this.-YN

WHAT COULD TOP THIS?-CL

Franco really had to make sure everyone knew what was happening. I mean, he’s on his knee with my hips hanging off. He’s got one hand gripping my ass like it’s his lifeline to this world. He’s between my thighs and eating me out like he is a man up next on death row and I am his final fucking meal. He pushed all the pillows away. Got my wrists pinned to my stomach with his other hand. I am solely at his mercy and I cannot keep quiet for the life of me and he ate it up. I was so loud, I heard banging from upstairs.-YN

Banging?-CL

Yeah. Like someone was hitting a broom against the floor. To signal to shut up, which Franco and I ignored. More Franco than me, I couldn’t see straight and that was an hour in. Do you know, what the banging was though???-YN

A disgruntled upstairs neighbor???-CL

Yeah. Do you remember who my upstairs neighbor is?-YN

…OH MY FUCKING GOD, LANDO LISTENED TO YOU GETTING THE BEST HEAD OF YOUR LIFE?-CL

Yes SIIIIIIIIRRRRRR. Dude Lando got so mad he CALLED Franco in the middle of it and he answered.-YN

HE ANSWERED?!-CL

Yes. He answered. Pulls back enough to start fingering me and hands be a pillow telling me to bite down on it which I do without a second fucking thought. But tell me why Franco put Lando on speaker and Lando asking “what are you doing right now??” and Franco looks me dead in the fucking eyes going on bout “Oh I’m just having lunch right now with Y/N.” and Lando’s like “oh yeah? Is that so? Then why the fuck is she screaming so god damn loud? Huh? Thought it was a lunch date?” and Charles. I shit you the fuck NOT, Franco without missing a beat goes, “It is. She’s my lunch and my mother always told me to finish everything on my plate and I plan to do just that.” THEN HUNG UP THE PHONE AND WENT RIGHT BACK TO EATING ME OUT.-YN

Y/N…you are the luckiest bitch around. Holy fucking shit. I need a man like Franco—do we know if Franco swings both ways??-CL

He does. Though you might not like him. He’s got a huge crush on Lewis—YN

Never mind. You keep Franco. Gives me an easier chance to steal Lewis' heart. Or just get one chance with him.-CL

I think you can do it. I believe. Anyway, yeah so that happened and—YN

You accidentally send your message to Charles early when a new text comes through. It’s by an unknown number and you click on it.

Lacrosse field. 8pm. We need to talk.-Unk

You think for a moment trying to figure out who this could be. No names come to your mind so you think that someone texted the wrong number. Typically, you’d leave unknown numbers alone but you got the impression that this was something important and urgent that you respond.

Oh I’m sorry, you have the wrong number-YN

I don’t-Unk

Excuse me?-YN

You look up hearing the familiar broom hitting against the floor. You scowl at Lando and his antics before looking back at your phone. Huh. That was…too coincidental. You lay there for a moment before the banging came again, this time a bit more urgent. You send your message before realizing it.

Lando?-YN

The banging stops. Suddenly, your dorm is eerily quiet and you hold your breath. You watch the familiar three bubbles appear and disappear before appearing again as your heart sinks.

Bingo. 8pm. Tonight. Lacrosse field. Alone.-LN

tag list: @dripostsstuff, @tinyhrry, @formulaho, @green--beanie, @brekkers-whore.

@fat-meh, @landossainz, @jaydensluv, @carpediem241108, @rayaharper,

@bookishnerd1132, @asmoothoperator, @loloekie, @kawaiifurychaos

@st0rmzi3, @tygecjjd, @eclipsedcherry, @linnygirl09, @ln4-cl16-world

@poppymelonz, @katiascraft, @fangirl125reader, @taliya8346282844eliviahdgdajs, @norrisleclercf1

[xoxo-ives]

turning saints into the sea

earrings, jealousy, and hot cocoa

or, tim doesn't like how well reader gets on with his brother

wc: 2119

(title from 'mr brightside' by the killers)

You glance down at your phone as it buzzes, a laugh bubbling up in your throat at the text. You type a response quickly, watching as the little bubble that indicates the other person is typing appears on the screen. When the message comes through, you grin down at your phone. Tim glances at you from across the table, spoon of cereal halfway to his mouth.

“Thought the rule was no phones when we’re eating,” he says drily, not wanting to make it an issue but a little annoyed that you aren’t following the rule you proposed. “I distinctly remember you saying something about ‘quality time’ or whatever.”

“Sorry,” you mumble, typing something and putting your phone down. It buzzes again, and your eyes flick to it, but you leave it on the table and return to your own bowl of cereal.

“So, who’s got you smiling like that at six in the morning?” Tim asks, words tinged with a shade of bitterness, though you barely notice.

“Uh…just a friend,” you say cagily. Tim gives you a deadpan look, and you sigh. “Fine. Your brother.”

“What?” he says, eyes wide. “You’re texting my brother at six in the morning? Instead of talking to me?”

“In my defense, you’re kind of a bitch in the morning,” you mutter.

“Oh my God, you hate me,” he says, pouting and feigning hurt. “You hate me so much.”

“You’re such a baby,” you laugh. “I’m allowed to have other friends.”

“Yeah. Friends who aren’t Dick Grayson,” he says, sticking his tongue out. “You can’t be friends with him. You’re already my best friend, he can’t have you. Tell him he has to find a new friend.”

“I’m not doing that,” you laugh. “You tell him, if you care that much.”

“Fine, maybe I will.”

Your phone buzzes again when you’re walking home from class, and you glance down at it and smile. 

Tell me why I just got a text from Tim yelling at me for stealing you away from him?

Of course he’d actually done it. You thought it was just a joke, but Tim was actually upset that you’re friends with Dick. He’s nothing if not dramatic, and he’s a sucker for attention. 

He’s being stupid. Ignore him.

I would, except he threatened to break my nose.

He’s like five foot six. You could totally kick his ass. I’ll talk to him.

When you get back to your apartment, you find Tim on the couch, working on his laptop. You stand in front of him, pushing it closed when he doesn’t look up at you. He closes his eyes, sighs deeply, and glances up.

“You’d better hope my laptop doesn’t disconnect from the internet, because I’ve been working on that document for two hours and nothing is saved,” he says, annoyed.

“First of all, use the save button. It’s on your computer for a reason. Second, why did you tell Dick you’d break his nose if he didn’t stop talking to me?” Tim has the decency to look sheepish, averting his eyes.

“Oh, he told you about that? You, uh…you weren’t supposed to know.”

“I have a life outside of this apartment, you know. I have other friends. And it’s not fair for you to tell me I can’t.” Tim sighs.

“Yeah, but…come on. Dick? Really?”

“What, are you jealous?” you ask. He says nothing, looking away again. “You are, aren’t you? You’re jealous that I have other friends. You’re still my favorite Robin, don’t worry.”

“You promise?” he says, voice small. He almost seems vulnerable now, as if this means a lot more to him than he’s letting on.

“Timothy. We live together. You’ve been my best friend since the sixth grade. I’ve been more than friendly with you. You’re definitely my favorite,” you say, kissing his cheek. “Besides, you’re the only one who buys me that ice cream I really like, so you have to be my favorite.”

“Really?” he laughs. “That’s how I won you over? Ice cream? Not the fact that I’ve been your best friend for eight years? Not the fact that I protect the city? Not the fact that I always come to walk you home from your evening classes so that you’re not out alone after the sunset? I didn’t realize you were so shallow.”

“Shallow and I mother you and I’m clingy,” you add, nudging him with a grin.

“Mmhmm. You try too hard to take care of me.”

“And you like it, even though you’re a liar and you won’t admit it.”

“Hey,” Dick says, poking your shoulder. “Pay attention to me.”

“I’m working on something,” you mumble, not looking up from what you’re writing. “Give me five minutes.”

“That’s what you said a half hour ago,” he groans. “You’re not giving me adequate attention.”

“You’re so needy,” you laugh. “Tim isn’t like this.” You set your pen down, pushing the paper aside and taking a sip of your coffee. The cafe you’re sitting in is quiet, and it’s a nice change of pace from hiding in a chair in the corner of the student union. “What do you want?”

“Do you want to come with me to a charity event Bruce is having on Friday night?” 

You pause. You hadn’t known there was an event this week. You usually go with Tim, who hasn’t mentioned anything yet. What’s the harm, you think. Just this once. Tim will survive. 

“Sure,” you say. “Should I wear a specific color? So that we match? Tim likes to color-coordinate, so…”

“Blue is good. You know, you talk about Tim an awful lot,” he says, smiling knowingly.

“I mean, he’s my roommate. I see him a lot. of course I talk about him.”

“Uh-huh,” Dick says. It’s clear he doesn’t believe you, but he isn’t going to call you out on it. “I’ll pick you up around six?”

“Six is fine. Now, seriously, I’ve gotta get this work done.”

Quarter to six on Friday afternoon rolls around, and suddenly, you’re rushing around the apartment, trying very hard not to trip in your heels and dress, looking for a pair of earrings. Tim comes in the door and stops halfway across the living room.

“Um…hi. You good?” he asks, frowning.

“Yeah, just looking for my earrings. You know the silver ones with the butterflies?” You don’t look up, still rifling through drawers.

“Your gala earrings? What do you need those for? I’m not going to the event tonight.”

“Oh. Um. I assumed you were going.”

“No, I told Bruce I wouldn’t be there. I wanted to spend the evening with you. Since we’ve both been so busy.”

And without meaning to or realizing it, Tim has made you feel like the worst person in the world. Of course the one time you agree to go without him is the one time he’s canceled to spend time with you. But you can’t bail on Dick, not at the last minute. And so you find yourself facing Tim, tongue between your teeth, face burning.

“I actually…have plans tonight?” you say hesitantly.

“Plans that you need your fancy earrings for?”

“Well, see…I initially thought you’d be at the gala, and I kind of…am going?”

“You’re going. Without me. Alone? If you’re going alone, just cancel. Bruce won’t care,” Tim says easily.

“That’s kind of the problem. I’m not…going alone,” you mumble. The situation is already awkward, and is only going to get worse if Tim asks, as he inevitably will, who you’re going with.

“You have a date. Who’s your date?”

At the moment he asks, like some parody of being saved by the bell, there’s a knock on the door. Tim gives you a look and opens it, jaw twitching when he sees who it is. He steps back, opening the door all the way.

“She’s over there,” he grits out, gesturing to you standing in the living room. Dick steps inside, beaming at you, and you smile back weakly. You finally find your earrings, putting them on, and you check your reflection in the microwave quickly. Tim is glaring at you, but you’re ignoring him.

“I’ll be back…some time tonight,” you say. “Whenever the gala’s over. You don’t have to wait up.”

You don’t get an answer, but you weren’t expecting one. You slip your arm into Dick’s, walking with him down to his car. You see the car, and you sigh, looking over at him.

“You know Tim is watching us from the window. You knew he’d do that. And this is the car you brought?”

It’s a car you’ve seen at many a gala, a car you’ve seen around the manor. It’s a dark gray, flashy, and, like most of what Dick Grayson owns, expensive. He grins, clearly knowing exactly what he’s doing.

“I can’t say I know what you mean. This is just my car.”

“Richard,” you say flatly. “You’re not stupid. You know how this is going to look to Tim. You really want to tell me you’re innocent in this?”

“Okay, fine, maybe I’m trying to rile him up a little. But I have a plan, just trust me.”

“Care to enlighten me? I don’t like you messing with my life.” Dick rolls his eyes, putting an arm around your shoulders and walking you to the passenger side of the car. He looks up at the window, making eye contact with Tim and winking at him. When he gets into the car, he looks over at you with a smug expression.

“Trust me,” he repeats. “I have a plan.”

The event itself is predictable. It’s the same as every other charity event that you’ve been to, except people keep looking at you. You suppose it’s a side effect of being there with Gotham’s favorite bachelor, but it’s off putting. You’re used to sitting with Tim, drinking sparkling grape juice because Bruce won’t let you anywhere near the champagne, laughing at the stuffy rich people. 

Now all of a sudden, you’re expected to be one of the stuffy rich people, following around after Dick and charming people whose closets are the size of your bedroom. By the time the event is over, you’re exhausted and frustrated, eager to go home. You get in the car and tilt your face up to the roof, sighing heavily.

“That was awful,” you say. “How do you do that every time?” Dick just laughs, still looking completely put together and awake. He shrugs.

“It’s not that bad. I guess you get used to it when everyone wants to talk to you at these kinds of things.”

“I have so much more respect for you now. Like, actual respect.”

“You saying you didn't respect me before?” he teases.

“That is absolutely what I’m saying, yes. Can you take me home please?”

He drives you back to your apartment, offering to walk you up. You decline, knowing Tim is likely sitting in the kitchen, brooding, and bringing Dick in will only stir the pot. You climb the stairs slowly, wanting to buy yourself some time. You put the key in the lock, and the door swings open from the inside. Tim is standing there, blue eyes sharp, a question on his lips. Did you enjoy it more than you would have with me?

“Hi,” you say quietly. “Have a good night?”

“No,” Tim answers bluntly. “I had nothing to do.”

“If it’s any consolation, my night was also shit. I never realized how many people want to talk to Dick at those events. I think I met more people tonight than I have in the entire rest of my life.”

“Yeah, Gotham’s most eligible bachelor,” Tim says bitterly. “Pretty face and more money than he knows what to do with.”

“Yeah. Um…you know it wasn’t, like, a date, right? Like, Dick and I just went as friends?” you say. “He’s not stealing your best friend or anything. And I’d never do that to you. Family is off-limits. And he’s like my older brother, honestly.”

Tim doesn’t say anything, but the harsh lines of his face seem to soften a bit. He makes a small sound that borders suspiciously on a harrumph and turns away. You sigh and head to your room, changing out of the stuffy formal clothes and into your pajamas, which are actually an old hoodie and a pair of Tim’s shorts that you stole. 

“I really didn’t mean to upset you,” you say softly. “I’m sorry that I did. Do you want hot chocolate?”

Tim still says nothing, but he moves to the kitchen and gets out two mugs, setting them down on the counter. You sigh and smile fondly. He’s stubborn and difficult, but he’s yours.

[extremelyblackandwhite]

pairing: dad!bucky barnes x au pair!reader

warnings: age gap (reader is 10 years younger than bucky), smut (18+, dni if under 18)

masterlist

'cause when emma falls in love, she's in it for keeps she won't walk away unless she knows she absolutely has to leave

Y/N knew she shouldn’t care if Bucky wanted to introduce Sadie to her mother or not - after all, she had better and more important things to do such as trying to fix her apparently “unfixable” thesis. Nevertheless, she was worried. Sadie wasn’t her daughter but she cared for her and she couldn’t imagine how confusing things may be in her head, how she could cope with the question of why her mother was only appearing now. Yet again, as Bucky had made it abundantly clear, it wasn’t her place to give an opinion. So, she put it in the back of her head and focused on fixing the unfixable. 

Maybe she hadn’t been clear enough. After all, she tended to go round and round to try to make a point and was know to get lost in narration. Or maybe she hadn’t used enough thousand dollar words, after all, she was at Columbia, a prestigious university, they required those thousand dollar words. Maybe she hadn’t put in the best references or ... or maybe her whole theory was just bullshit and she was about to become a street psychologist. So long dreams of being part of the academic board of a good university. 

She sighed, burying her hands in her hair as she continued to re-read her thesis from the fake brightness of her laptop which was close to dying from the amount of times she had destroyed the battery with the continuous plugging and unplugging. Just as she was about to start crying due to pure desperation - not a first as a PhD student - her phone started buzzing against her pocket. Everyone in the library turned to stare at her, giving her gazes and side eyes which she couldn’t stand and followed by a string of mumbled apologies and hitting her hip against the table on the way out, she found herself a secluded place in the garden outside the library to pick up the phone.

      - Stan? - she thought to herself as she answered the phone, holding her laptop and things on the other hand. - Hello? 

      - Miss? - his voice came from the other end of the call. - I am so sorry to be bothering you. 

      - That’s alright. Is everything ok? Is James okay?

      - I think so, I’m not sure. Sadie is asking for you and I know it’s your day off but she’s insistent. 

      - Okay. - she sighed. There was no point putting another hour towards the 5 she’d already spent. Actually, if she spent another hour trying to decipher what was wrong with it, she may actually go insane. - Send me an address and I’ll be there. 

Had Sadie gotten into trouble at school? Had Bucky gotten into trouble himself? She tended to lean towards the latter as Stan sent him an address to a law firm. Maybe they were meeting Anna there and Sadie was making a fit. She didn’t seem too keen on meeting her mother this morning and while Y/N believed she shouldn’t be forced to do so, if Sadie needed her then she was gonna be there. She got a taxi to the address, making a mental memo to charge Bucky for it as there was no way in hell she was going to pay for a taxi at midday in New York. She soon was dropped in front of a law firm, staring at the big glass doors for a while before Stan called for her attention from the car. 

     - What happened? - she asked as she got inside the car, Sadie immediately making a grabbing motion towards her. 

     - Daddy is sad. - she said as Y/N undid her seat belt to put her on her lap.

     - She didn’t show. - Stan mumbled from the driver’s seat and Y/N didn’t know what to feel.

Part of her had to admit she thought it may happen, after all no one makes a complicated decision that fast and actually sticks with it. Not one as hard as meeting one’s estranged daughter at least. She had told Bucky just that and he chose not to listen and while her ego would like to say she’d told him so, truth was her heart was clenching at the mere idea of it. Sure she knew she was probably in the right but she wished she wasn’t. She wished Sadie’s mum had come despite Sadie’s objections. She couldn’t even fantom what Sadie was thinking or feeling at the moment. She didn’t think she would tell her either. She was too young to be able to articulate what it felt like and, maybe, too young the understand the situation in its entirety. She hoped the latter was true but she knew how observant children were. 

    - You’re okay, baby? - she caressed her face, moving her ginger hair away from her face. She didn’t looked to bothered, holding her Bingo toy against her chest. - Hm? Just squeeze my hand if you’re ok, yeah?

Sadie looked at her for a few seconds before squeezing her hand and leaning her head against her chest. She sighed, relief slightly taking over her worry which was quickly replaced by anger as she watched Bucky make his way to the door. She got out of the car angrily, holding Sadie against her chest like a wounded mother bear ready to claw anyone. How dare he? How dare he screw up like this and then just leave Sadie in the car with the driver? Was he insane?

Her blood boiled and she was ready to shout something that was sure to get her fired, but something stopped her. His eyes were rimmed red and he looked on the verge of crying, strongly holding it to continue showing his unbothered nature. The clothes which were always perfectly ironed and tucked were untucked and the tie which always sat well against his neck, tied to perfection, was loose and hanging from the side. For a split second, she wanted to comfort him, she wanted to cup his face, dry his tears and hold him as close as she was holding his daughter. For a split second, she wanted to tell him she understood where he was coming from, that the pain he was feeling wasn’t a punishment for his actions. But that was only a split second, he’d made it perfectly clear where they stood - she was his employee and he was the boss. 

    - You’re here.

    - She needed me.

She needed her and Bucky needed her, he needed her badly. However, she merely got back into the car, buckling Sadie’s seat belt and turning her face away from his. Silence filled the car and Bucky swore that in all his years of running a company, of his years in the army, he’d never heard a silence quite this loud.

(...)

It was clear she wasn’t speaking to him. The drive back home was unbearable and even as they got back home, she continued as if he wasn’t there, instead devoting all her time to looking after Sadie from bathing her and feeding her. Bucky merely stood back, an observer in his own house. He wanted to be angry, he so much wanted to go and tell her he didn’t deserve this treatment, that she no place being angry. Except she did, and Bucky knew this. He knew she was perhaps waiting an apology but he’d been in his right as well. Sadie was his daughter, decisions regarding her first came to him. She didn’t make those for him. He made them and he didn’t care if she liked it or not.

At least he thought so. Truth was, he found himself outside his daughter’s bedroom, waiting for Y/N to be finished reading all her stories. She would have to eventually talk to him but if she wanted to be a brat, he could deal with it. At least he had ideas of how to deal with it, ideas which he probably couldn’t put to fruition - unprofessional ideas. 

     - Is she down yet? - he asked as she stepped out of the bedroom. 

Y/N looked at him up and down as if he were nothing but a maggot, before shrugging and walking off to her bedroom. It made both his heart break and his blood boil. What did she even have to be mad about? She should be happy about being right. Yet, right now he had to look after Sadie. Opening her bedroom door, he found his two year old tucked into her sheets, Bluey playing lowly from the TV in her bedroom which was often turned off. He took a seat on the side of the mattress, leaning his arm over the bed rest. 

    - Are you okay, Sadie? - the two year old didn’t reply, too invested on the hijinks of Bluey. - I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, Sisi. I didn’t want it to go like that. 

How does someone even explain to a two year old what had just happened? He could barely explain it to himself more less to Sadie who only saw things still in black and white. Y/N had said so herself, she understands who shows up and who doesn’t, not the nuances behind it. His lips pursed in a tense line as he moved a bit closer to his daughter.

    - I love you, Sadie. - he kissed the top of her head. - So so much. 

She cuddled next to her dad, her shining eyes which mirrored his, a permanent reminder she was part of him, looking at the low almost soothing sound coming from the TV. Bucky was sure he couldn’t do anything purer than her, anything better than her. She was his little miracle. 

(...)

Y/N was still angry at him. She acted as if he didn’t exist, continuing on with her life as if he was merely a spectre she didn’t care much for. He had tried to make things better, sending her flowers and chocolates only to find them all delivered right back to him. She didn’t even complain when he purposely only sent her pay check a day late, instead finding an angry e-mail from her written in the most professional writing he’d ever witnessed. She wasn’t budging, stubborn as ever. 

     - Good evening, Y/N. - he said as he saw her the first time today, busy cleaning up the dishes from her and Sadie’s dinner. - Your hair looks different, you did something to it?

She rolled her eyes, turning the tap and putting on the bright pink gloves he always poked fun of. He had to give it to her, she would’ve been great in the army with that poker face. 

     - I have a charity dinner tomorrow and my mum’s watching over Sadie. I was thinking maybe you’d like to go as my plus one. A lot of Columbia alumni and staff tend to go, it’d be a great opportunity for you. 

     - No, thank you. 

     - You’d be doing me a favour if you went. 

     - Then definitely no. Thank you, Sergeant Barnes. 

     - What if I pay you?

     - I am your daughter’s au pair, not your escort neither do I wish to become one. So once again, no thank you. 

     - Just let me do this for you. - he sighed, going after her as she continued with her nightly tasks.  - Please. You were really great with Sadie when Anna didn’t show up and those people at that charity dinner can get you a job or something published in a good journal. I’m trying to repay you. 

     - I don’t need charity to know my value, Sergeant Barnes, neither do I need you to pay me back for doing a good job with your daughter as that is part of my job description. 

     - Just how many jobs do you think are in academia? In New York or a good college that can actually pay you a liveable wage? Or enough of a wage to even rent here?

     - I’ll figure out a way. 

     - I’m trying to offer you a way to prove your value to someone face to face and not by a CV which will lay dormant on someone’s desk. You don’t even have to speak to me the whole night.

     - Yes because what picture perfect that would be. Your plus one not talking to you, then they’d definitely think you picked the lowest price escort. 

     - I don’t need escorts. I can ask anyone in my office and they’d say yes. Being in my favour pays off either you like it or not and I know people at Columbia, Harvard, Yale and all those Ivys because I donate there. 

     - So does every rich person to get their kid in there someday.

     - Point is, everyone will listen to you, to your opinions, if you go. It’s not an even playing field and you, cynical as you are, should know. 

     - I am not cynical, I am a realist. I’m sorry if I don’t believe that great things happen to good people. 

     - And what are you gonna do tonight, then? You gonna re-read your thesis for the 500th time? You don’t particularly have an active social life.

She crossed her arms, glaring at him. She really didn’t want to be next to Bucky, neither did she want to forgive him. She needed time to work through her anger and come face to face with the fact that someone who she thought was her friend threatened her job so easily. She knew Bucky was a hard pill to swallow, but she’d never had it directly thrown at her. Yet again, he did present a good bargain and she needed to figure out something if she failed her viva. 

     - What time is it?

     - Starts at 9 but we leave at 8. 

     - Dress code?

     - Black tie. 

     - What colour bow tie are you wearing?

     - Why does it matter?

     - It’s customary for someone’s plus one outfit to match but you’d know that if you actually took someone to these things.

     - It’s black. Do you need to buy a dress?

     - I have a dress. 

     - It was great negotiating with you, Y/N. - he winked, leaving victorious.

     - Fucker. - she mumbled to herself and returned to doing the dishes.  

(...)

Y/N knew this wasn’t Bucky being charitable. Not that he wasn’t charitable, he was, but he was also a master manipulator and usually did things with a purpose. He’d been educated in that manner, he knew how to behave and how to get people to like him, even though he didn’t particularly care if they did or not. For Bucky, it was all about the ability to do so. She knew this whole dinner invite was a ploy to try and soften her up but if he thought he would slip by without even a sorry, he was dead wrong. 

Yet again, Y/N knew when to grab an opportunity so she did was she did best, look her best with the little she had. She had a black dress she’d worn for her graduation and with a bit of help from youtube she’d managed to slick her hair back in a bun, gold hoop earrings being the only thing that adorned her jewellery wise and Bucky swore he’d never seen such display of elegance as he saw her for the first time. Her dress cut was low, displaying the top of her cleavage and her collarbones which were sure to have been dusted with some sort of illuminating powder. She looked exactly like the type of person who’d sit next to a powerful one, equally magnetic and miles away from the cardigans she usually wore, sometimes stained with pen and markers due to Sadie getting to them. He almost forgot she was mad at him, gawking at her like a teenage boy. 

     - It’s 8. - she reminded him, effectively bursting him out of his bubble. - Are we leaving or not? 

     - Don’t be icy. - he offered her his arm but she refused, instead holding onto her heart shaped white clutch. - Car’s downstairs, you sure you don’t need help wearing those heels?

     - I can walk in heels perfectly fine, Sergeant Barnes. Do you need help?

     - I feel there’s an old man joke in there somewhere. - he helped her put on her coat, a tiny white chiffon bolero. - Shall we?

He wasn’t getting any close to her being any less detached from him, but he couldn’t help but admire her. She was a beautiful woman, that he knew, and she was definitely magnetic although she’d prefer to hide it. Yet, there was something about the way she looked tonight, so confident. 

     - You do look beautiful, Y/N. - he broke the silence that had been filling the car for the past ten minutes and for the first time in weeks, she finally looked him in the eye, a light dusting of heat covering her cheeks. - You do. 

     - You don’t look bad yourself. Except for the crooked tie. 

     - My tie is not crooked. - he fought back. 

     - Yes it is. - she turned her body to face him, her hands moving to undo his tie before she started to re-do it again. It was such a small action, such a simple and almost worthless action yet it reminded Bucky of some hopeless romantic notions he used to have. It was so simple, such a soft touch. - You can’t tie a tie to save your life. You never did. 

     - You’d been letting me walk around with crooked ties and you didn’t say anything? That’s cold, Y/N. 

     - That’s why you can’t braid Sadie’s hair to save your life.

     - What are you talking about? She loves it when I braid her hair. 

     - If that’s what helps you sleep at night. - she smirked. - Do they have good food?

     - Pardon?

     - Do they have good food at the charity ball or is this an entree and champagne sort of event?

     - Why? Are you hungry? Want us to drive by Five Guys and get you a burger or something?

     - I know you’re joking but I actually would like that very much. 

     - They will be serving dinner at the charity dinner, Y/N. 

     - Won’t be as good as a Five Guys burger. 

     - Wouldn’t know. 

     - What do you mean you wouldn’t know?

     - I’ve never had one. Not a fast food kinda guy.

     - Urgh, you’re such a man. - she rolled her eyes in a playful manner. - Tell you what, after this is done I’ll buy you a Five Guys burger. 

Bucky left the conversation there, happy to have gotten some smiles and smirks from her. At least he knew there was a chance for reconciliation whenever the time came for him to massively screw up in a way which made her forget the events which had made her mad currently.

He liked her company, she was never trying to suck up to him or sweet talk him into bed. She just talked to him as if he were anybody else on the street, as if he were someone she’d known forever, not caring for formalities or conduct. However, she knew how to be the right one for this kind of event. Bucky found that immediately as they walked in and he introduced her. Everyone was enchanted by her, complimenting her and questioning more and more about what she did. She hid from most of it, replying politely yet refusing to share more than surface level information but even so, Bucky had to admit she even managed to steal the spotlight for a bit, while she had to admit she wasn’t hating this as much as she expected to hate it. At least as long as he stuck by her side. His touch on her naked shoulder as he helped her take off her jacket, his hand resting against her hip as he introduced her to CEOs and CFOs as if she were more than just the nanny. It lulled her almost in a fantasy like state. 

     - Y/N, this is Delia. She works at marketing down at Saks. 

     - You didn’t tell me you were bringing a date, Barnes. - she smiled. - I wouldn’t have bothered coming if you were bringing a date.

     - Y/N’s my plus one. - Bucky said. He wasn’t wrong, she said she’d be his plus one, but did he have to say it so fast. 

      - You’re still trying to impress her then. - she playfully put her hand on his arm making Y/N uncomfortable. She clearly wasn’t meant to be in the middle of whatever this is. She didn’t want to be in the middle of whatever this is. - You know, he can be very ... persuasive. 

      - Will you excuse me?

She made her way away from the two who were more interested in each other, at least as she saw it. She knew Bucky was a bit of a ladies’ man but it didn’t mean she wanted to experience it, or see it for any matter. It always made her somewhat uncomfortable, like her heart stopped for a second. Instead she just leaned against a wall, watching as the people walked by and stopped to chat to each other. When she was little, this was exactly what she expected these sort of events to be like - beautiful women and handsome men just walking hand in hand in expensive clothing, talking of the world and its affairs. She just never expected to be looking at it, instead of being part of it. Not that she wanted it, at least that’s what she told herself as she nursed a glass of expensive champagne. It was as if a dark cloud descended upon her as she watched from the outside, doing the best of her ability not to look at Bucky still in high talks with Delia. Why he bothered with Anna when he could easily find anyone else was beyond her. 

    - I thought it was you, Miss Y/N. 

    - Professor Anderson. - she straightened her back as if her mother had scolded her. - How was your holiday? 

    - It was great yet here I am back to work with a load of work on my desk. Yours being one of them. I have to say, I am very excited to see what you came up with. 

    - I wouldn’t be too keen. My other supervisor doesn’t seem to have taken a big interest but I’m working on another version. Making it a bit more succinct, easier to digest. 

   - But that has never been your forte, has it Miss Y/N? - she wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or an insult, either way it was a correct observation, so she merely smiled nervously. Supervisors didn’t tend to disagree to a degree where she could just relax and not consider another year of expenses. 

    - Well, thank you for taking the time in advance. 

    - It’s what I work for. Bright people, new ideas. - she slightly raised her glass in a cheering manner. - Actually, I must introduce you to someone. 

     - It’s really not necessary. - last thing she wanted was to make a fool of herself in front of someone important or see Bucky yet in another flirtatious conversation. His sex habits didn’t really interest her ... not right now, at least. 

     - Mr. Davis. - she approached a man who had equally found solace in the quietness of a corner. - May I introduce you to my PhD student, Miss Y/N?

     - It’s nice to put a name to a face. - he extended his hand towards hers, smiling with an ease that made him look as if he had come straight of a fairytale book. 

      - Mr. Davis graduated top of his masters’ class in Psychology just a few years before you started at Columbia. It is a shame he didn’t stick with us for graduate school. 

      - Alas, I wanted to experience the real world. 

      - I should leave you two to discuss things. I’m sure you’ll find you have much in common. 

She felt nervous around this man. He was attractive, attractive in a way which usually made her believe he’d want nothing with her. Attractive men usually didn’t yet he was eyeing her as if he’d never seen nothing like her. Perhaps he’d discovered that her dress was bought at a TJ Maxx for 70% the original asking price or maybe he’d noticed a scuff on her shoes. 

     - I saw you come in with Sergeant Barnes, I was hoping he’d introduce you.

     - You know Sergeant Barnes?

     - I work for him. - the poor thing. - Marketing division.

     - What is a psychology graduate doing working in the marketing division?

     - I believe you should understand your customer before you try to sell them anything. 

     - What? Like the colour pink makes people believe things are sweeter?

     - You can’t sell someone something by portraying it as a fantasy. People turn against it eventually. - he quipped. - But you’d know that, considering you’re every males’ fantasy right now and every woman has made you the enemy. 

     - I hardly believe that’s true. 

     - You walked in by the side of New York’s most eligible bachelor, I’d say that’s true. Yet again, who can blame him? Smart and beautiful? I too would be parading you by my side. 

     - Would you?

     - Actually, if you were my date I would’ve kept you home. God knows the things these men would actually do to get your attention. 

     - Like being a psychology graduate? - she smirked. - Sergeant Barnes is my boss. I look after his daughter Sadie. Helps pay for graduate school and it’s a rent free place to live. Besides, Sadie is just the most adorable girl I’ve ever seen. 

     - You mean to tell me I’m the first one to know that you are available?

     - I wouldn’t say I’m available. Maybe just browsing. 

     - I do work in marketing, beautiful. I can sell myself pretty well, if you’d ask me. 

     - Huh, and how would you do that?

     - You’re a Columbia student. I could maybe take you to the riverside park, we’d go on a walk, I’d woe you with my distaste of Freud’s theories and methods, and then we’d finish with a picnic.

    - Maybe I like Freud’s theories, have you considered that?

    - Nonsense, no smart woman would. 

    - I’m free Sunday night. 

    - So am I.

[no-goodbyes-no-regrets]

Happy (belated, sorry, I'm bad at planning and deadlines!) Valentine's day @tellmegoodbye ! Here's your gift for the @tarlos-secret-cupid exchange!

You said you liked different first meeting AUs, and those are some of my favourite things to write, so I hope you'll like this one.

For one weekend only (AO3)

What if Carlos and TK had met in NYC before Owen and TK came to Austin?

----

"What are you doing for valentines day?" Luisa asked, walking into Carlos' town house without bothering to ring the doorbell or even knock.

"Do you mind?!" Carlos demanded, quickly closing his laptop. "I'm busy. And how did you get in?"

Luisa held up a key.

"Mom and dad have a spare key."

"Yes they do. For emergencies. This is not an emergency and you shouldn't have that key."

"I told mom you borrowed something of mine that I needed and you were at work." she sat down on one of the barstools in Carlos' kitchen. "I didn't think I'd be walking in on my little brother watching porn though." she nodded at his laptop.

"I wasn't watching porn!" Carlos protested. "And even if I was, that's none of your business. Now what are you doing here?"

"How would you like to go to New York City?"

Carlos frowned.

"New York City?"

"Yeah. Big city on the east coast. Times square, statue of liberty, Broadway, that kind of thing."

"Yes I'm familiar with it, thanks."

"Ok so, how would you like to see it for yourself?."

"Are you offering me a trip to NYC?"

"Yes. Kind of. You and me together." Luisa told him. "It'll be a nice brother and sister bonding trip."

"You want to go to New York with me... What's the catch?"

"What makes you think there's a catch?"

"Because the last time you were nice to me for no apparent reason was when I was 10 and you got Miguel to put a lizard in my bed on the ranch."

Luisa laughed a little at the memory.

"I never knew you could scream that loudly."

"Yeah, yeah, it was hilarious. So now tell me what's up with this trip to new York?"

Luisa rolled her eyes.

"You're so suspicious. You're just like dad."

"Lu…"

"Ok fine. Remember that guy I was dating? Ricardo?"

"Hmm."

"I dumped him."

"Good. He was a tool."

"You only met him once!"

"And yet I know he's a tool. You only ever date tools."

Luisa rolled her eyes. She knew Carlos had a point but she'd be damned if she was going to admit it.

"Anyway, he was sleeping with two other girls behind my back."

"See? A tool."

"I only found out because one of the other girls DM-ed me and showed me pictures."

"Still not beating the tool allegations."

"So I dumped him but I'd booked a trip to NYC for us for valentines day."

"Ok…"

"And everything is paid for and I'll lose my deposits if I cancel. And the flights are non refundable."

"Right."

"So I thought I'd take my baby brother to the big city." she clapped in her hands. "We can go to a gay bar and get you a guy. And who knows, maybe I'll find a girl who is worth my time."

"Since when do you date girls?"

"I don't. Well. Not yet. I've never been with a girl so I don't know if I'm actually into girls or not. This could be my gay awakening."

Carlos sighed but decided against arguing with his sister about the details of her sexuality.

"Come on Carlitos. You and me and a wild weekend in the big city. There on the Thursday, back on the Monday."

"What if I'm working?"

"You can take a few days off."

"Ok. Fine. But I'm not sharing a bed with you so you better make sure there are two beds in that hotel room."

“Fine. I wouldn’t want to share a bed with you anyway. I’d end up with a black eye. You’re such a restless sleeper. Even as a baby.”

“Never had any complaints.”

“Yeah? And when was the last time you shared a bed with someone for more than a quick hook up?”

“No comment.”

“Thought so.” Luisa said and got up. “Anyway, the flight is booked for 4pm on the Thursday and I booked an airport shuttle to drop us off at the hotel there. You do have a valid ID right?”

“Of course.”

“Good. I’ll pick you up around two. Don’t pack too much, we only have a carry on bag each.”

“You’re driving? You want to pay for airport parking the entire weekend?”

“No. Ricardo is. He just doesn’t know it yet.” Luisa gave him a sweet smile and walked to the door. “Be ready on time. And don’t forget condoms!”

“Lu!”

By the time Thursday rolled around, Carlos had to admit he was getting excited about this trip. It wasn’t every day he got the chance to visit a big city like New York for free.

Even if it was with his big sister.

Luisa picked him up in a car that was definitely not hers, and just grinned when Carlos asked whose car it was.

Their flight was delayed and by the time they got to their hotel in NYC, all either of them wanted was food and sleep.

They decided to grab a quick burger from the place around the corner from their hotel and planned out their itinerary for the next few days.

“Do you want to do the tourist thing?” Luisa asked. “Statue of liberty and all that? The hotel offers all day walking tours.”

“That could be fun.” Carlos shrugged. “We could try to get tickets to a Broadway show. Don’t they have this lottery deal? I read about it online.”

Luisa nodded.

“I kind of want to do something more… active than sit in a theatre though.”

“Like that tour?”

“Maybe. Or we could just walk around and see where we end up? I had all these romantic things planned… but I don’t want to go on a horse-drawn carriage ride through central park with you.”

“I could drive one of those myself.” Carlos commented around a bite of food. “Remember when dad and uncle Emilio let us drive one around the ranch?”

“I hated that thing. You always tried to crash it.” Luisa pointed a fry at her brother. “But you never got in trouble because you were the baby. Carlitos wouldn’t do such a thing.” she mocked.

“You and Ana got me in trouble plenty of times!”

Luisa shrugged.

“Payback is a bitch.”

They spent the rest of the night just hanging out in their hotel room and the next day they decided to do all the touristy things you’d see on TV.

They walked around Times square, went to the Natural History museum, had lunch in central park, and hit up some of the tacky touristy shops for some souvenirs.

Though Carlos drew the line at I ♥ NYC t-shirts, Luisa did convince him to buy a shirt with the NYPD logo and a key chain of the New York city skyline.

“So I got a reservation at this restaurant in Manhattan that’s supposed to be really good.” Luisa said when it was nearing dinner time and they were walking through the city on the way back to their hotel. “It’s also supposed to be really romantic and a great place for couples to get engaged.”

“I’m not fake proposing to you to get free dessert.” Carlos said immediately. “Or have you fake propose to me.”

“I wasn’t going to suggest that! It’s just… that’s why I booked it you know?”

“You were going to propose to the tool?”

“No! Well… maybe?” Luisa groaned and dropped her head in her hands. “Things were going so well between us. I really thought… well…” She sighed. “I thought he was the one. That I was the one for him… but I was just one of many.”

Carlos’ face softened.

Despite her questionable taste in men, he did love his sister and wanted nothing more than for her to find a guy who was actually worthy of her and be happy.

“I’m sorry Lu.” He let her link her arm through his. “Tell me about this restaurant. Can we eat there and not max out our credit cards?”

She smiled.

“It’s not that bad. I looked for mid range prices. Something nice but not too expensive… Not gold plated truffles, but no fast food either.”

“Alright. I’m in. But I’m still not fake proposing to you.”

After a quick stop at their hotel to change and freshen up, they made it to the restaurant and Carlos had to admit it was a nice place. Though they definitely had gone all out for the holiday and there were pink and red hearts all over the place. They even had a guy sell roses at the tables.

Carlos declined but Luisa ended up buying one for him and calling it feminism.

The food was nice and they talked about everything and nothing and just enjoyed catching up, not paying much attention to the couples around them.

That was until Luisa excused herself to go to the bathroom and Carlos was alone at the table. He played with the swizzle stick in his drink and tried to subtly look around.

He didn’t want to be the weirdo openly staring at people.

There was an elderly couple at a table to his left, holding hands and looking every bit as in love as Carlos imagined them to have been when they first got together.

A little further away there was a couple who were barely looking at each other. She seemed bored and looked longingly at the exit, but the guy didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he just didn’t care.

He shifted his focus to the other side of the restaurant and saw a guy by himself at a table. He seemed nervous. Constantly looking to the door, playing with the table decorations, his leg bouncing up and down, and taking deep breaths to calm himself; which didn’t seem to be working much.

After a minute another guy walked in and the first guy’s face lit up. He smiled and got up to greet the second guy with a hug and a kiss.

Oh. They’re on a date.

Carlos kept watching them. He figured it must be a first date, given the first guy’s nerves, though they seemed comfortable around each other.

Maybe they’d been friends for a long time?

“Next time I’m going to the men’s toilets. There was a line a mile long for the ladies’ and the entire time I was waiting, only one man went into the men’s.” Luisa complained when she got back to their table. “I’ll pee in a urinal if I have to, I don’t care.”

Carlos scrunched up his face in mild disgust.

“Can we not talk about you peeing while we’re eating please?”

“We’re not eating anymore.” Luisa pointed out. “Do you want another drink or dessert?”

“No, I’m good.”

Luisa nodded and put up her hand to call over a waiter and ask for the bill.

They paid and made their way outside, but as they were trying to decide what to do next, Carlos was suddenly knocked to the ground by someone rushing out of the restaurant.

He wanted to yell at them, but the second he gathered his bearings enough to do so, he noticed it was the nervous guy from before and he didn’t look very happy. The date must not have gone well.

"Are you ok?" he asked, getting up and holding out a hand to help the other man up.

"I'm fine." he said, dusting himself off and avoiding Carlos' gaze and ignoring his outstretched hand. "Just look where you're going next time."

"Uhm you ran into me." Carlos pointed out. "You couldn't get out of that restaurant fast enough.”

"Exactly. So please move aside so I can get out of here. I haven't had the best night ok, I just want to go home."

Carlos stepped aside to let the man pass, but then saw a small box on the pavement.

"Hey, wait, you dropped this."

The man glanced over his shoulder and Carlos swore he saw tears in his eyes.

"Keep it." he said and started walking again.

Carlos frowned and opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

"That's an engagement ring." Luisa said, looking over his shoulder. "Go after him."

“I don’t think he’s really in the mood for company, Lu.”

Luisa rolled her eyes and ran a few steps after the guy.

“Hey, we were thinking of going dancing somewhere, want to come with us?”

The man looked at her like she’d lost her mind, Carlos thought she might have but still went after her.

“Why would I do that?”

“To improve your night? To show a few helpless tourists a good time?”

“Wow, hold it right there.” the man stopped walking and looked back between her and Carlos. “I don’t know what your deal is.” he motioned to the two of them. “But I’m not looking to be anyone’s third. And I don’t do women. I’m gay.”

“So is Carlos.” Luisa said happily, like that was the best thing to come from the entire exchange.

“And she’s my sister.” Carlos clarified. “We are not together. Not like that.” he shuddered and Luisa punched him on the arm. “What?! You’re my sister. I’m not supposed to find you hot.”

“You didn’t have to be all disgusted. Way to make a girl feel special!”

“I apologise for my sister. Obviously I’m the only normal one in this family.” Carlos explained. “But the offer does still stand. If you’re maybe in the mood to forget what happened in there?” he nodded at the restaurant.

“I don’t know, I don’t think I’ll be very good company tonight. And I’m not much of a dancer.”

“Neither is Carlos. He does a little shimmy, puts on a tight shirt, and turns on the fuck me eyes, and thinks that counts as dancing.”

“Whereas Luisa is obviously America’s next top… dancer?” Carlos said and laughed a little.

The man smiled.

“Alright. I think I know a place. I’m TK.” he said and shook hands with both Reyes siblings when they introduced themselves.

They followed TK and ended up in a bar where he seemed to know everyone. The bouncer let them in without question and once inside several people came to say hello. He introduced them to some people and soon Luisa was dancing with a girl with green hair and a drag queen in 9 inch heels.

“Looks like your sister is enjoying herself.” TK commented. He and Carlos were standing by the bar, nursing a drink, and watching people let loose on the dance floor.

“Yeah. She usually does. She’s a people person.”

“And what about you? Does it run in the family?”

Carlos smiled.

“Sometimes. But I tend to prefer smaller groups of people.”

“Yeah? How small?” TK’s eyes flicked down to Carlos’ lips

“I think… two people is probably my limit.”

TK took Carlos’ drink from his hand and put it on the bar, before running his hand up Carlos’ arm until he reached his neck, and pulled him in for a kiss.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Carlos knew it was a bad idea. The guy had just broken up with his boyfriend (Probably? Maybe?) and a weekend hook up was definitely not his style, but TK was kissing him like a man possessed and Carlos would be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying every second of it.

So he decided to just let go.

They ended up on the dance floor, kissing, grinding, groping, not caring who saw them.

At some point TK’s shirt had become unbuttoned, and Carlos’ own shirt was hanging from his back pocket.

He’d felt exposed for about .03 seconds after he’d taken it off, but TK running his hands over his chest and abs had quickly made him forget any discomfort.

And when TK started kissing his neck and slipping his hands into the back of his jeans to pull him even closer, every coherent thought Carlos had ever had went out the window.

“Do you want to get out of here?” TK asked him, breath hot on his ear.

Carlos could only nod and let TK drag him to the toilets.

They ended up in the last stall, and before Carlos’ brain had caught up with what was happening, TK was on his knees giving him the blowjob of a lifetime.

He grinned and wiped his mouth after he was done and pulled Carlos’ in for a lazy kiss, letting him taste himself on TK’s tongue.

“I bet you didn’t expect that when you came to NYC with your sister.” He said, sounding rather smug.

“I really don’t want to talk about my sister right now.” he pushed TK back against the wall and slowly kissed down his chest as he sank to his knees. He undid TK’s jeans and looked up at him as the other man ran a hand through his hair and tugged on his curls.

He had better things to occupy his mouth with.

---

A few months later.

“Morning.” Lexi greeted Carlos as she walked into the locker room to change into her uniform before their shift. “How was your weekend?”

Carlos shrugged and finished the last of his coffee.

“Not bad. It was my nephew’s birthday. He turned 5. So I kind of helped my sister and her husband wrangle twenty hyper five year olds.” he said and Lexi winced. “The kids had fun, that’s what matters.”

He waited until Lexi finished changing and the two of them made their way to the precinct garage to get their patrol car for the day.

“I’m driving.” Lexi insisted, and after the weekend he’d had, Carlos was happy to sit back and let her.

"Did you hear about fire station 126?" Lexi asked, fastening her seatbelt while Carlos did the same.

“Yeah they lost the whole crew a couple of weeks ago, didn't they?”

"Yeah, my sister is AFD, she said the whole department took it pretty badly. Only one guy survived."

"Damn…"

“Yeah...” she trailed off. “But they brought in this big shot fire captain from New York to rebuild the place. It's in our jurisdiction so I figured we should go say hello? We're going to be working with this guy and his crew, might as well get to know them.”

"Sure."

They drove to the fire station where somehow every builder in Austin seemed to be working at the same time.

"Officers, what can I do for you?" a man in his 50s in an AFD uniform approached them as they walked in.

"We're just coming to say hello to the new neighbours. Welcome you to the neighbourhood." Lexi told him and extended her hand. "I'm Lexi Mitchell, this is my partner Carlos Reyes. We work this part of the city too so we'll probably run into each other in the field from time to time."

"Oh well thank you for the welcome." the man shook her hand before moving onto Carlos. "I'm Owen Strand, I just moved here from new York City with my son... Who should be around here somewhere." he looked around. "TK!"

"What?" came a voice from further into the fire station.

"Come down here a second."

They heard footsteps coming closer and someone walked down the stairs. When TK came into view Carlos had to remind himself how to breathe.

TK the new fire captain's son, was the same TK he'd spent the weekend in New York with. One of the best weekends of his life.

He was vaguely aware of Lexi introducing them and shook hands with TK on auto pilot.

He remembered the way those hands had felt on his body. How it had felt to kiss those lips.

"Nice to meet you both officers." TK said politely.

But apparently TK didn't remember him. Or didn’t want to remember him.

It wasn’t like they’d kept in touch after that one weekend, or even exchanged phone numbers. TK didn’t owe him anything. They didn’t owe each other anything. They weren’t dating.

“You too. You work here too?” Carlos asked and TK nodded. “Yeah, I’m a firefighter, just like my dad.”

“Yeah it’s a family affair here.” The fire captain joked. “We’re working on getting the house back in order and getting a new crew together. Hopefully station 126 will be back in business soon.”

Carlos gave him his most professional smile and nod.

“I look forward to working with you, sir. Station 126 has always been an important part of our city.”

They exchanged pleasantries for a few more minutes before Carlos and Lexi left the station to continue their shift.

“What was that?” Lexi asked, pulling out of the parking space by the fire station.

“What was what?”

“You sucking up to the new fire captain and his son? Are you switching teams on me Reyes?”

“What are you talking about? I just said hello. Welcomed him to the city.”

“Please. The guy is probably wondering when your application will be coming in.”

Carlos rolled his eyes and debated telling Lexi about his weekend with TK, but decided against it. TK clearly wasn’t interested in a repeat performance and Lexi didn’t have to know everything about him.

“Whatever.” he mumbled, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

The rest of their shift was thankfully uneventful, as was the rest of the week, and by Friday Carlos had convinced himself he didn’t care about TK Strand and accepted the invitation from some of his coworkers to go out for drinks after work.

Jason from Missing Persons wasn’t bad to look at after all.

The place was busy when he arrived, and he looked around for Jason and the other guys from work. When he didn’t see them, he figured he was the first one there, and ordered himself a drink. He sat down on a free stool at the bar and watched a group of people laughing and line dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

He recognised the new fire captain and found himself looking around to see if his son was there too.

“Fancy meeting you here.” A voice in his ear made him jump. He turned around and came face to face with TK.

“Oh… uh… yeah… hi.”

TK smiled.

“Hi. You come here often?”

Carlos raised an eyebrow at the cheesy come on.

“Sometimes. I’m supposed to meet some people from work.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. But they’re not here yet.”

“Good. That means I’ve got you all to myself.” TK said, and didn’t give Carlos more than a second to think before he put his drink on the bar and pulled him in for a kiss. The move so much like what he’d done in New York it gave Carlos a sense of deja vu.

And also he remembered he really liked kissing TK.

“I was hoping I’d run into you here sooner or later. I heard a lot of cops come to this place too.” TK admitted after they’d come up for air.

"Wait… So you do like me?" Carlos asked, confused. Between TK’s kisses and the cold shoulder from earlier in the week, he had trouble keeping up.

"Yeah... I thought that was obvious. Especially after what we did in New York.”

“But you pretended not to know who I was when I came into the fire station.”

“I know… but you were working. And my dad was right there. I had to keep it somewhat professional."

Carlos nodded. He understood keeping up appearances while on the job.

“So… if this had been the first time you would have seen me again… what would you have done?”

TK grinned and pushed open Carlos’ legs and stepped between them, hands coming to rest on his thighs as he leaned forward, face inches from his.

“I think you know.”

[berrywinner]

on the topic of family figures would you also write a brotherly chase for me pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaasseeeeeeeeeeee just like casual scenarios at work or or something :]

Big Brother

Him being into Overprotective Mode

You were finally going on a date after weeks of Chase making fun of you for being "married to the job." But the moment your date arrived at the hospital to pick you up, Chase took it upon himself to have a "chat" with them. You watched in horror as he pulled them aside, arms crossed over his chest, speaking in his calm, clinical tone.

"You know, the human body is incredibly fragile. A single misplaced injury could cause permanent nerve damage. Not to mention the numerous diseases one could catch just from kissing the wrong person," he said, giving your date a pointed look.

"Chase!" you hissed, dragging him away.

"What? I’m just making sure they understand that if they hurt you, they might mysteriously develop a chronic condition," he replied innocently.

Your date looked between the two of you, clearly second-guessing their life choices.

Late-Night Emergency Calls

It was 2 a.m., and you felt like death. Feverish, nauseous, and absolutely miserable. You debated whether to call Chase but ultimately gave in, dialing his number.

"Mmhhph—hello?" his groggy voice answered.

"I think I'm dying," you whined dramatically.

There was a long pause before he sighed. "You have a cold, don’t you?"

"Maybe," you admitted.

"Alright, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes."

Sure enough, he showed up in his pajama pants, hair sticking up in all directions, with a bag of medicine and tea. He shoved a thermometer in your mouth and sat on your couch, arms crossed. "You’re an actual doctor, you know. Next time, try self-diagnosing before waking me up."

You just grinned, sipping the tea he brought. "You said you're like a big brother to me. What are big brothers for?"

"Remind me to revoke that title," he muttered, but he didn’t leave until you fell asleep.

Teasing You Relentlessly

It wasn’t a secret that you had a thing for one of the new doctors, but unfortunately, Chase noticed. And when Chase noticed something, he never let it go.

You were standing at the coffee machine when he appeared beside you, smirking. "So, how's your favorite person in the hospital doing today?"

You nearly choked on your coffee. "Who?"

"Oh, you know. Dr. 'Oh my God, I totally don’t like them, I just get weirdly nervous when they walk into a room'?"

"Robert," you warned.

"Relax," he said, clapping a hand on your shoulder. "I think it's cute. And I bet they totally like you back."

You turned to glare at him. "I hate you."

"That’s not what you said when I covered your shift last week," he teased, walking off.

Stealing Your Food

You had finally managed to sit down and eat after a grueling shift when Chase sat across from you and immediately reached for your fries.

"Robert—" you tried to stop him, but he had already taken a handful.

"You should really get more food," he said through a mouthful.

"I got enough food for me. Not for you," you snapped, pulling your plate closer.

Chase just shrugged and stole another fry. "You wouldn’t let your brother go hungry, would you?"

"You're learning too much from House. You can buy your own food."

"Yeah, but yours tastes better," he said, reaching for more.

You sighed in defeat. At this point, you should’ve just ordered extra.

Forcing You to Take Breaks

You had been working nonstop for hours when Chase walked in, took one look at you, and shook his head.

"Alright, that’s enough," he said, shutting your laptop.

"Hey—"

"Nope," he said firmly, pulling you up. "Come on, coffee break."

"But—"

"Do you want me to carry you?" he threatened.

You groaned but let him drag you outside. He handed you a cup of coffee and leaned against the wall. "You can thank me when you don’t pass out from exhaustion."

You sighed. "Fine. Thanks."

He grinned. "See? Was that so hard?"

Giving You the ‘Brotherly Talk’

Chase sat across from you, arms crossed. You had just had a date with THAT doctor. "Alright, tell me about them."

You groaned. "Oh my God, Robert—"

"Nope, I need details. Are they smart? Funny? Are they going to break your heart? Because if they do, I’ll have to make their life very difficult."

You sighed. "They’re… nice. And smart. And maybe I kind of like them."

Chase smirked. "Called it."

Being Your Partner in Crime

House had sent you both on a ridiculous errand, and you and Chase exchanged a look before deciding to make the best of it.

"You drive," you said.

Chase raised an eyebrow. "And why do I have to drive?"

"Because I don’t trust you as a passenger," you shot back.

He scoffed. "Fine. But you’re buying snacks."

Showing Up When You Need Him Most

After a particularly rough day, you were curled up on your couch when there was a knock at your door.

You opened it to find Chase holding a bag of takeout and beer.

"I figured you’d need this," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

You sighed, but a small smile crept onto your face. "Thanks, Rob."

"Anytime," he said, tossing you a beer. "Now, tell me everything."

[goatcheesecak3]

Maybe a story where the reader helps clean and patch up Gavin after a rough bar fight.

Gavin Ellis X F!reader

Fic type: fluff

Warnings: mention of physical altercation, blood, alcohol

Summary: Your boyfriend, Gavin, comes home drunk out of his mind and it's your job to patch him up.

A/N hello! sorry it took me so long to get around to this, but i hope you enjoy it! if anyone wants the m!reader version just let me know! also, sorry if the formatting is weird, i'm posting this from my laptop lmao

Midnight. Gavin had gone out for drinks with Ray a few hours ago, and he still wasn’t home. Initially, y/n hadn’t been worried, she knew Gavin wouldn’t risk going anywhere too sleazy with Ray, not after the last time he had roped Ray into that world. Unbelievably, even being used as a drug mule by Gavin wasn’t enough to make Ray give up on him. They needed eachother in certain ways, Ray kept Gavin grounded and sensible, and Gavin made sure Ray actually had fun – y/n was more than grateful that her asshole boyfriend had at least one responsible and kind friend. However, as the minutes ticked on by, she felt herself growing anxious. What if Gav had left Ray to go see some of his old “work associates”? what if he’d gotten himself arrested? Oh god, what if he was dead in a ditch somewhere? What if- *CLUNK * - the front door opened.

“y/n? are you up?” she heard a familiar voice call softly from the hall. It was Ray, with a nearly comatose Gavin slung over his shoulder like a bindle.

“Christ! How much did the silly prick drink?” y/n gasped.

“Enough to get in a punch up with a guy twice his size” Ray answered, his voice shy, but light hearted, as though he was unsure if he was allowed to laugh.

“Just dump him on the sofa, Ray, I’ll take him up to bed after I clean that blood off his face”

Ray obliged.

“You’re a saint for putting up with him,” y/n chuckled, reaching into her purse, “here, get yourself a cab home, your mum must be worried sick by now”

…

“Agh… what the…” Gavin winced as he came back around

“Shhh, don’t be a baby” y/n teased, dabbing a cut on his lip with an alcohol pad.

“When did I get hom- OW! Can you cut that out?!”

“about ten minutes ago, Ray carried you here”

Gavin’s tired eyes filled with dread.

“did he tell you about…”

“the fistfight? Yeah, it might’ve come up” y/n said, raising her eyebrows and shooting him a pissed off look.

Gavin knew he fucked up, he’d promised y/n he’d stay on the straight and narrow, he knew how much it upset her when he got into fights. He was on thin ice with the law as it was, he should have been keeping his head down and his nose clean- easy as pie in theory, but when some cunt at the bar shouts “Oi Gav, yer new bird dresses like a slag” it gets particularly difficult.

“Babe, it’s not what you think, this dickhead was saying all sorts of horrible shit about you, I was like… defending your honour” Gavin stumbled over his words, desperately trying to explain himself.

Y/n’s expression softened.

“You’re an idiot, Gav. I don’t need you to beat people up for me. That guy probably didn’t even know who I was, more than likely he just wanted to get a rise out of you” She sighed as she applied some ointment – more gently this time – onto a scrape on his cheek.

“C’mon, don’t I get any credit at all for trying to stick up for you? Look at how busted up my lip is!” Gavin whined slightly, a cheeky grin forming on his face.

Y/n attempted to stay serious, but she couldn’t help herself from smiling.

“If I kiss it better will you pack it in?”

“Maybe”

She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss onto Gavin’s still slightly bloody lips.

“better?”

“much better” Gavin grinned, his eyes droopy and a big dopey smile plastered on his face.

“c’mon you big softie, let’s get you some rest. You’ve got a lovely headache to look forward to tomorrow” Y/N teased, taking Gavin’s hand and kissing his cheek lovingly. God he was an idiot, but a cute idiot.

[slutfor-fictionalmen]

Thinking of a series or at least 3 chapters of an internally!softer! Ghost and a super smart/ strong headed! Reader who works on their mission routes and tactical strategies, they obviously like eachother but won’t say anything (for now)

A little suggestive below cut but more of a preview!

Your head is pounding from the strain on your eyes, overtime has kicked your ass, even with help you’ve gotten, your entire life has been your work.

“Oh fuck me!” a rumble of laughter escapes the man next to you as you change positions.

“You can say that again.” a sigh escapes your lips as you close your laptop as violently as you can without causing harm to it, after all, why would you cause harm to something you saved up for months to buy even though work has more use of it then you do .

“Si, do we really have to do this?” His screen closes shortly after.

“Do you want to continue having a job cause these reports are just as important as my fieldwork love.”

“Maybe its time for me to find a new fucking job,” you grumble. Your misery incites another laugh out of the man,

“Hey let me know when you do that ill be right behind you.”

“The government would sooner kill both of our families and us than let us go, the misfortune of being too valuable i fear,” you turn over and face him attempting to lessen the twinge in your back with a new position.

“Ah, too bad you’re too amazing.”

“Yeah yeah smooth talker you're just trying to butter me up, get me to do your reports for you, I won't be tricked, not again that is.” His calloused hand touches yours releasing a breath that you were unaware you were holding.

“It’s nice to be with you again you know ,” you hold his hand, squeezing gently, “to talk to you and not have to worry about whether or not you’re going to die in a few minutes.”

“You know me better than to worry about that, what kind of man of the 141 would I be if I'm not evading death at all turns, gonna take a lot more than some pesky bullets to take me out darling.”

A dry chuckle escapes your mouth “I’ll hold you to that.”

You play the memory over in your brain, again, and again, and again. Your brain was flooded with thoughts of simon, his hands, his chest, the way his eyes crinkled under his mask when you make him laugh. The way your interactions were always so calm, so intimate. His talk of marriage, of future, how he hopes love but has the worst love life of anyone you know.

You cant say more for yourself, failed dates, hookups, and your fair share of blind dates you often felt as if the love you craved is out of your reach, it doesn’t exist. Or it didn’t until you met a tall intimidating man that ruined any prospective males for you without even knowing the damage he’s inflicted, the nights you’ve spent dreaming of him, his smile. Everything from what your wedding would be like to what he’d look like between your thighs, him finally being the one to pull his name from your lips and not your vibrator that’s worked double time since you’ve gotten closer to the man.

You shake your head at the thought, forcibly ridding it from your brain before you dive deeper into a fantasy with the man standing next to you, going over plans for their next mission, protocols and resources, how long they’re expecting to be away and where they should be to come back. You briefly wonder if you should have said yes, what ghost would have said if you actually quit, maybe you would have run from the law together, or maybe you would have been stuck back in this very room as deserters, you allow your mind to focus on the more positive side before you zone back into work.

~

Simon’s thoughts have been everywhere but focused today, he’s known lust, he’s even known obsession, but never something like this. He’s a professional, a killer, he’s trained to withstand torture but he can’t stand you on his mind without going crazy with the need to fuck his fist, picturing your soft mound, wondering how your thick thighs and tight pussy would squeeze around him if he told you all the dirty thoughts he had while you bent over the table to emphasize an evacuation route if anything goes wrong. You were a strategist, a smart, beautiful, highly respected woman who earned every role you had, every medal you earned, and yet he can’t stop thinking about how many times you’d need to cum before he can get that beautiful brain to slow down.

He’d feel guilty if his thick cock wasn’t pressing painfully against the zipper of his uniform disrupting any thoughts he could have potentially had.

“Enter Ghost, through this wall, try not to use too many grenades, as much as we want the base destroyed, we don’t want you inside of it.” You look out of the corner of your eye till you hear a deep grunt indicating his reception to your words.

His eyes don’t leave you, he loves your voice but his brain is on everything but this mission, he almost wants to tell you to have more faith in him, he’d always come home to you, after all when has he ever let you down?

“You’ve gone over this at least 3 times, why don’t you let us get this done? We promise we’ll be good.” Soap says with a hand over his heart and the other in the air, a cheesy promise to you inciting scattered chuckles from various teammates around the room.

You sigh in defeat, “follow my orders, or at least try to…. Please,” you shut off the screen and turn to the group but make an effort to look at Simon, “ Come home safe for me.”

His eyes bore into you as he internally promises just as he always does “I Will.”

Let me know if you want more!!

[delugyu]

h-hi.. i say, shaken and disheveled after all the love language era content 😭😭 for my mental health i cannot even begin to talk about the mv alone without my words becoming incomprehensible or just straight up BARKING. ok fine only two words. KAI’S ABS…… [flatline noise.]

ooohh congrats about the interview and the pierce the veil concert!! and good luck with your interview, what an amazing opportunity 🫶🏾 the discord thing is so tru tho.. i added people (not from tumblr) a few years ago for ‘casual friendship..’ again, i have a 12th house stellium so we kno how that goes 💀 those people are some of my closest friends to date, our friendship goes far beyond just ‘internet friends’

wait… taehyun as jennifer in a jennifer’s body au?! ITS A NEED NOT A WANT!!! brief / random lore dump: why was the ✨kiss scene✨ in that movie like my first gay awakening LMFAOOO surely most people relate to that.. right? 🤔 reimagining that with taehyun tho.. *duck shaking head with cigarette gif* yea… #needthat

OFC U GET MEEEE!! silly beomgyu thinking that taehyun would EVER let him get a taste of mc again (at the very least not until he broke the both of them. saying sorry isn’t enough, he’s a brat tamer dealing with *two* brats after all 💔) mc knows better than to try to override taehyun’s decision, she might as well just smile and wave gyu goodbye 😭

girl i’ve been wanting to play the sims too !! also a new game called inzoi came out. purely out of jealousy i haven’t watched people play it much 😭 my poor macbook starts sweating and the fan starts blowing loud asl if i even hover over the sims icon so i wouldn’t dare buy / install it LMFAOO

— ♐️ stellium anon

ps: i fear u were right about the writers curse 😟 JKJK take ur time, we will wait until it’s to your standards !! it’ll be worth the wait <3

HEYYYYY 😚😚😚 literally this era has me folding over crying out in agony that i’ll never get to wife all of txt up… is this not cruel and unusual like omg. i need them badly.

hehe tyyyy i just had my interview last friday and it went super super well so i was cheesing so hard the rest of the day!!! it starts in the fall semester so i’ll update in a few months on how that goes 😋 LOLLL those lifelong bonds a 12th house stellium makes are soooo karmic and spiritual like u guys are locked in forever!! i honestly might give in and get discord soon LMAO but idkkkk we’ll see! i like the ppl on this side of tumblr so i’m slowly getting convinced

YESSS i love jennifer’s body so much, ive read a few aus and i just love the concept so much. i almost wrote one for the last fandom i was in but that was years ago lmao. decided against it at the time but now that my writing’s matured and i’m more confident with delivering that kind of concept, i think it’ll be super fun. the jennifer’s body gay awakening is SOOOO REAL needy and jennifer are so insanely hot together 😵‍💫 and as i’ve said before i am such a huge sucker for best friend tropes especially when it gets toxic and clingy and obsessive 😇 so like is that not perfect?!? and taehyun as jennifer makes my head spin…. god complex taehyun with demonic powers I NEED YOUUUU

brat tamer taehyun dealing with gyu and mc… that’s so beautiful… no but i literally love this idea so much i lowkey wanna write it but it wouldn’t fit with the storyline i’m going for 😫 maybe as an extra once i’m done with the series because this thought is actually so delicious

omg i’ve never heard of inzoi before i’m looking it up rn. the graphics look like a cross between sims and gta lol cute. also twin for avoiding watching other ppl enjoy something out of jealousy cause i do that too 🤞 im crying so bad at ur macbook screaming for help the second u even think abt opening the sims 😭😭😭 i can literally only download and play it for like a month at a time cause any longer than that my laptop starts freaking out and threatening to explode. my last sims family had a serial arsonist (extremely bad chef) and i broke out in a sweat every time she walked into the kitchen. the amount of times i had to motherlode to replace the appliances. i almost had the other girls beat her i was so annoyed 😭

SHUT UPPPPAKJAJKSHSH the writers curse is so real 😭😭😭 thank u tho bae teehee i’m glad everyone’s super patient cause i was lowkey preparing myself to get hate for that LMAO idk why bc i’ve literally never had a negative experience on here. i mean it’s only been 4 months but still. that was actually one of the reasons i hesitated making this account for so long, i was worried abt getting hated and doxxed and shit 😭 well also the moral implications of writing smut about real people but. i’m well beyond redemption for that now lmao. but honestly i’ve had a super pleasant experience so far!

hehe ty for popping innnn 🤍🤍🤍

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter One (Part 2)

“Look at this picture.” I’d said to Claire one day in January as we hung out in my room trying to study.  She’d turned my laptop around to examine the screen. “Yeah, it’s Jude and his friends at some restaurant.” She then sighed. “I can’t believe you’re still checking his profile.”

“Yeah but look at his right hand.”

“Okay. He’s just resting it on the seat.”

“Against that girl’s thigh.”

“That doesn’t mean anything, he’s probably just accidentally touching her. That’s barely even noticeable.”

“They’re together.” I’d concluded. “I just have a feeling.”

“There’s no way you can know that just by looking at his hand.”

“I’m sure I’m right.”

And I was. That’s how I found out about his new girlfriend. Her name is Astrid and she’s from Denmark. She has very light, white blonde hair and is always wearing something black with a flattering cut, putting together trendy outfits with items that you can’t get in the shops in Ireland. I know all about her. They go to college together, she studies ceramics and she’s twenty, a whole year older than he is, and two years older than me, which makes her seem tenfold more threatening. Sometimes when I’m feeling particularly masochistic I’ll scroll through her social media and take note of all the things about her that make me feel bad. Her skin, her eyelashes, her lips, her hair, her boobs, her nails, the fact that her boyfriend has his arms around her in her profile picture when those arms could have been around me instead.

‘She’s not that pretty.” Claire reassures me once we get to Starbucks, because once again, like a broken record, I’m talking about Astrid. We’d only settled into our seats with our coffees when I’d come across yet another photo of her, sitting on a carousel shot in monochromatic 35mm film. Very arty. 

“I think she is.” I say mournfully.

“She’s not. She just has nice hair.”

“Unlike some of us.” I reach up to touch the nape of my neck where my hair now abruptly stops. I had to have six inches chopped off on account of my split ends and heat damage, and I’ve never gotten used to how plain the cut makes me look and feel. My mam insists that it makes me look French, but I know it actually makes me look five.

“Come on Evie, what does it matter? She’s a random Danish girl and I bet she’s really pretentious and boring.”

“She can’t be boring. Not if he likes her.”

“Maybe he likes her because she drops her knickers for him.”

I frown, disturbed by the thought of that. I look at my iPhone 4 and scroll to the next photo of her. “Look at her here, you can see her better. She is actually just objectively pretty.”

“I don’t need to see her, you’ve already forced me to look at her enough times.”

“Do you think I should wear more black? Like do you think this is the look for me?”

Claire confiscates my phone. “Stop looking at her. It’s bad for your brain. You’re fine the way you are, now can we please stop talking about Astrid the boring Dane and talk about the exam instead?”

“The exam!” I cry, putting my forehead onto the table. “I’m doomed.”

“If you’re doomed, imagine how I feel! That whole paper was bonkers.”

“English Paper Two will be worse.”

“And let’s not even think about the rest of them.”

“I wish I could be put down.”

She puts her hand on the back of my head and smooths down my hair. “No, look, we’ll be fine. You were right, we can’t fail.”

“And if we do?”

“Well, you already sorted with your NCAD pre-offer, and as for me, whatever. My dad will sort something out.” By that she means he will enrol her in a private university where nobody cares about how much you got in the Leaving Cert, only how much money is in your dad’s wallet. 

“We still need to pass.” I moan. “For like, the principle of it. Imagine how humiliating it would be to open up that envelope in August and see a complete shambles.”

“Yeah, and Christ, imagine what Kelly would say. I’d never get over that.” I glance up to see her smirking, and then I smile too, and before we know it we’re in peals of laughter over our coffee. Claire does an impression of Kelly’s smug face, perfectly emulating the way that she flicks her hair and pushes her chin out, and then I join in too, doing my best Kelly voice, imagining her in all kinds of insane scenarios where she’d be trying her best to make us feel bad, but failing hilariously. After a few minutes we’re in pieces, shoulders shaking, tears rolling down our cheeks, not even caring that people are looking at us. 

“God.” She says between gasps of laughter “I love you, Evie.”

“Same.” I say. “I dunno what I’d do without you.”

We survive the rest of the Leaving Cert, and after I hand in my final paper I don’t think about any of the exams again. I can’t face the uncertainty of it hanging over me, even though I know I probably did alright, but I’m not going to make my parents proud with my results. 

I work in a café for the summer, spending my days serving coffee, even learning how to create hearts and flowers with the foam. The women I work with swear that I can do it so well because I’m an artist, but I’m not convinced that’s true. I think it’s more to do with focus. I find that when I’m working, when I’m really truly immersed in something that’s physical, like loading up the dishwasher or wiping down the fridges, I don’t really have time to get lost in my thoughts, and it suits me. I don’t have to spend the long summer days mourning last year, wishing I could be in the water every day again, picturing the feeling of the warm sand under my feet and the possibilities of what was ahead of me. Now my days are just routine, endless polishing of cutlery, mopping floors and tossing frozen scones into the oven again and again until my back aches, my feet hurt and I’m too exhausted to worry about anything else.

On slower days I get carried away and imagine all sorts of fantastical things, like what I would do if one day I looked up and Jude was in the queue, ordering a coffee from me. I wonder what kind he would get. An espresso? Americano? Does he even drink coffee? There’s so many things I don’t know about him. When I start wishing he would talk to me, I know it’s time that I find something to keep me busy.

I’m blandly content here, working, serving, waiting for August to come. Waiting to get my college offers so that I can leave Tullamore and move to Dublin and start all over again as a new and improved version of myself who isn’t obsessed with a boy who doesn’t like her. 

Prev // Next

[sirianasims]

One evening, Cora comes home late and Aidan is already asleep, so she decides to go visit the local bar, The Sandtrap, alone.

The Sandtrap is right across the street from Cora and Aidan’s trailer, and her mother has told Cora that the previous owner was very nice to her, and often gave her free snacks while she was homeless.

The bar is under new management now, but Cora decides to check it out, meet some locals. Maybe someone knows more about the alien visits.

Unfortunately, most of the bar patrons seem to be too young to know much about the aliens. All Cora gets is some rumours.

It isn’t until the bartender herself joins the conversation that Cora learns that the previous owner actually claimed that he was going to move to Sixam when he retired. People din’t believe him back then, but no one have heard from him since.

Back home, Aidan barely stirs as Cora snuggles up to him.

Cora quickly falls asleep and doesn’t even notice that Aidan wakes up. He lies awake for a while.

The next day at breakfast, Aidan is angry. He doesn’t like that Cora just disappeared last night without saying anything.

“Cora, sometimes I feel like you’re so obsessed with what might be out there that you don’t see what’s right here. You don’t consider my feelings, you’re barely interested in my work.”

“Aidan, do you have any idea how important it would be if I managed to reestablish contact with Sixam? It would be the discovery of the decade! Two decades, in fact!”

Cora angrily storms off and throws herself on the bed. Aidan sighs deeply before he gets up and follows her.

“Cora, I love you. But this relationship could die if you’re too preoccupied to help me keep it alive.”

“I know Aidan. I’m sorry. My work is very important to me, but so are you. I’ll try to do better.”

And for a while, Cora really makes an effort. In the evenings, she remembers to ask Aidan about his day. And she often gives him a massage, as he gets tense from sitting hunched over his laptop all day.

Everything seems fine as Winterfest approaches.

beginning / previous / next

[tariah23]

Omgggg

Sksjsks I went onto my insta and saw that someone liked this… old Jolynes from like, 2015-17 or so that I never got to finish (they’re all on my old laptop… I will rescue my files one day… this was my old cartoony style. I’ve revamped it a LOT. It used to be so much more loose… I kind of wish that it still was because it made the style look more simplistic and free? I’ve always been a huge fan of simple art styles!) I remember making an attempt at drawing every canon Jolyne outfit that I could find (at least the official colored drawings, not the ones from the manga since that would’ve been too much for me. I have the Jojoveller (I bought the Jojoveller back when it first came out from Japan and paid like, almost $200 for it orz….. should’ve waited for the price drop lol. I have every JJBA artbook tbh. But that helped me track down most of the official Jolyne stuff. Not all but a lot of it!) I’d drawn up at least 20 outfits at this point. At least I think so? These were just some of them. Hopefully, I’ll be able to retrieve my drawings again… the faces that I used to draw on my old style used to be so ugly, sorry.

Here’s an example of this same style but revamped to now lol…

(Yuki wip…. The bodies have more standard anatomy but the hands are still blocky like??? The faces are prettier tho…. Has it lost a bit of personality? Maybe… I do like my new style tho… But could I still even call it a cartoony style, especially since it looks more anime than before :/…. Uh, I’m thinking too hard on this :(….)

Another example is this Rengoku… it’s a little diff from the Yuki one despite being the same cartoon like style? (Barely cartoon anymore…) I don’t usually draw the nostril slit for this style but I did so for Yuki since it just looked better… idk if I’m gonna start doing that or not, I’ve literally been driving myself insane over deciding if I want to start drawing nostrils or not… for this Rengoku, it’s definitely more accurate to the style that I was pushing for but hm….. Similar to these Makima’s…. I didn’t draw the nostril…

I like to keep the ears very simple in this style as well and again, look at Makima’s hands. They’re supposed to be blocky like this hehe. The Yuki wip is more of an improvement of this same style but I’ve been so all over the place with it… I feel so bad, omg. The most polished example that I could find immediately of the original cartoon style was of these Shinobu’s… see how round and free everything is!?

Don’t even get my started on the chibi styles…. I have a handful… because I’m indecisive. The Sukuna wips are from a new chibi style that I’ve been thinking about and I rly like it… The Kak/Oc chibi was for a commission that I had sm fun drawing for. I still like the style! I’ve always loved when artists left the pupils white for some reason? I wanted to do that, too! I forgot to color the lineart in the girls skirt lol….

This style with Sanemi and Uzui is rly cute to me as well… I will not be retiring it. I kind of hate the old chibi style with Josuyasu tho. Hideous to me. And overly complicated. I don’t really like chibi styles that have TOO much going on, especially if they’re not as cute since chibi’s are supposed to be cute. I said ugly but beauty in art is subjective sjsjs… if they’re pretty and cute than idc. So I technically have three chibi styles that I like.

Ohh actually, I have two other chibi styles….. fuck, I just don’t have any pics of them that I’ve uploaded, only saved as files. One isn’t really a serious style at all tho, they were for fun (experimental) and the chibi that you can see hanging in the corner of Yuki in the wip above is of another simpler style as well…

[drrealityslenderverse]

Coffee Shop

A03 Request: Vinny and Tim meet each other at a coffee shop and find each other cute

Back to main Contents || Back to One-shot Contents

Vinny rarely found time for himself where he didn’t feel like HABIT would leap out with some mocking words or some vague direction to point him in saying things would get better. But the coffee shop in town was nice. Peaceful. He could sit at one of the little tables and watch people go about their lives oblivious to the monsters lurking out there. How lucky they were…

Things changed a few days ago. A new guy had been behind the counter with ‘Tim’ written on his nametag. Vinny couldn’t pinpoint what it was about the dark haired man but he found his gaze slipping from the laptop he pretended to work on or the coffee his sipped at to simply stare at the short man while he worked, always quick to look away when dark eyes darted his way as if Tim could sense the stares.

Today was starting out much like the past couple days had been. He ordered and found his usual table, pulled out his laptop, and began people-watching while scrolling every now and then through various notes about the mess HABIT had created of his life. Eyes drifted from the teens laughing over something on their screens to the counter where Tim usually stood to see… He was gone?

“Oh.” Disappointment went through him. Maybe he’d gone on break and would come back later. 

“Looking for someone?” Tim’s voice had already become all too recognizable and when he spoke right next to him Vinny visibly jumped.

“Oh, uh, no. Just spacing out I guess.” 

Brown eyes bore into him and Tim sat Vinny’s order on the table before leaning on the flat surface. He could see right through that lie. “You’ve been watching me. Who are you?”

Vinny knew well enough what paranoia sounded like. Who was Tim? Besides even more handsome up close apparently. He was glad his beard helped hide the blush on his cheeks. 

“Vinny. I just… I come here for coffee a lot.” Not a complete lie and the other employees could back up that without hesitation.

“And?” Tim slid into the seat next to him, eyes never breaking contact. 

Heat warmed his cheeks and ear tips. “And I might’ve noticed you’re new here… and that you’re cute, and stared a few times.” 

He’d say he wanted to be anywhere but here confessing he's practically been spying on a cute guy, to the cute guy, but he would prefer this for eternity than whatever diabolical scheme HABIT was probably cooking up. Vinny stared at the screen as prismatic screensaver bubbles floated across the otherwise black screen. This guy was going to think he was a complete weirdo and he’d have to find another coffee shop to lurk in. 

Tim chuckled next to him. One of relief that momentarily made Vinny wonder what he’d thought the answer would be. 

“Sorry.” Tim apologized, settling more comfortably in the seat and staring at him with dark eyes that had melted of most suspicion. “I’m new in town… Had some bad history with stalking before so… Can’t be too careful. Name’s Tim but, uh, you probably knew that with the nametag and everything, huh?” 

History of stalking… Instinctively Vinny’s mind began to trail back to the early years when he and his friends had been making a joke health channel only for things to actually start stalking and killing them. Surely not… No. Tim? Tim, the man he’d just met. What were the chances? 

“Didn’t mean to freak you out, I’m not great at spontaneously asking someone out.” The last time he’d dated anyone, they died. Not that he could just say that, but it was a good reminder of why he might not want Tim too close. “Admire him from a distance. Keep him safe.”

“It’s fine.” Tim fiddled with Vinny’s cup, teeth biting his lip for a moment in thought. “I’ll make you a new one, on me. Didn’t mean to let it get cold.” 

And just like that, Tim left his side. Somehow, the air around the table felt colder than the drink probably got after only a few minutes. Vinny watched him remake the order. Had he scared the man off? “Should’ve just… tried to say anything else.” 

Barely a minute later and Tim returned with a new drink, steam rising from the hole in the lid. “I have to get back to work but I get off at six. Usually take my breaks at one, for future reference.” 

Vinny couldn’t open his mouth to respond fast enough before Tim was walking away again. Did Tim actually like him back? Confusion ran through him as he spotted Tim staring at him and making a turning motion. He pulled the cup closer and turned it, eyes widening as his heart skipped a beat. A phone number. Tim’s phone number. 

His gaze sought Tim’s again and he swore the man winked as he ran a hand through his hair while turning to respond to his coworker. Vinny couldn’t believe his luck actually turned out good. 

“Just don’t let HABIT find out.” He felt giddy despite the risk he was about to take by letting Tim get close. “Tim actually likes me back!” 

[missielynne]

Jay's Ghosts-Chapter 10: The Media Circus Begins

News of the discovery of Trevor's body gets around and the first TV journalist comes calling, causing Alberta to advise a now fame and success-hungry Jay to proceed with caution.

“What a day yesterday,” Jay sighed as he sat heavily in one of the chairs at the kitchen table and ran his fingers through his hair as Sam brought him a cup of coffee. “I can’t believe there was a body in our backyard!”

“Oh, I’m sure Trevor would have told you eventually if I hadn’t found it first,” Sam replied before taking a sip of tea.

“And speaking of that, are you okay?” Jay wanted to know as he put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not every day a person accidentally finds a skeleton in a lake and gets questioned about it by the cops.”

“Well, I can’t say it wasn’t a little stressful,” Sam admitted. “But it’s not like we were the ones that killed Trevor, or he was a fresh corpse when I found him. That would have been so much worse.”

“Yeah,” Jay nodded. “That would have been much harder to explain, although I’m sure that when the coroner examined Trevor, we would have been proclaimed innocent eventually.”

“True,” Sam nodded. She then paused. “Maybe you should go talk to Trevor. I don’t know how it is with ghosts but seeing your body like that has to bring up some unpleasant memories. Do you think he was murdered like Alberta? I mean the way he was behaving, he knew his body was in the lake and didn’t want me to find it.”

“Probably thinks it’s a romantic gesture,” Jay scoffed. “I think he has a crush on you or something. But yeah, I’ll go talk to him. I suppose it’s only right.” He got up and put his coffee cup in the sink and then paused to look at Sam again. “Now, are you sure you’re all right? There’s nothing I can do for you? Making sure you’re okay is more important to me than any ghost feelings right now.”

“Thanks, but I’m fine,” Sam swore. “Alberta and I had a talk about it while you were giving the police your statement. It really helped. So, you can focus on Trevor now.”

Jay heaved a big sigh and started off to Trevor’s bedroom but stopped when he found him sitting at his laptop.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m trying to figure out how much money the discovery of my body will bring the B and B, or haunted house, or whatever it is you and Sam are planning to do with this place,” Trevor replied without looking up. “I mean what better publicity for a haunted house than there actually being a body?”

“Well, I came in here to see if you were okay with them finding your body and all, but since you’re already seeing dollar signs, I think you’re okay,” Jay said to himself more than Trevor and took a seat next to him to see what he was doing.

“Do you really think the news about finding your body is going to be good for us? And you’re okay with us profiting from your murder like that?”

This question made Trevor pause and turn to look at him. “You think I was murdered? I wasn’t murdered.”

“Oh,” Jay nodded. “Well…good. Maybe it’s good that we only have one murder victim in this house.”

“At least for now,” Trevor corrected. “Who knows who else Pete’s gonna bring home? Just because someone’s not dangerous doesn’t mean they can’t be a murder victim. I mean, look at Alberta!”

Just then, Isaac let out another sneeze and Jay clung to the chair with one hand and the laptop with the other.  “You know, even though it seems like he sneezes at predictable times, and I should be ready for it, I never am,” he remarked. “But it’ll be a hit with guests.”

“Yeah,” Trevor agreed. “Especially during cold and flu season, the mysterious sneezing ghost will be a big draw.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Jay went to get it, finding a strange woman in a suit with a microphone and a cameraman standing behind her. “Hello,” he said. “Can I help you?”

“Jan Campbell, Channel 12,” she said with a smile and held out her hand. “And this is Jeffery, my camera man. I understand that a body was found in your lake today?”

“Yeah,” Jay nodded. “But I didn’t expect the news to get out so quickly.” He stepped outside and gestured for her to sit in one of the steps on the porch. “So, you’re here to interview me about that?”

“Of course,” Jan nodded. “It’s not every day a body from a murder is discovered.”

“It wasn’t murder,” Jay replied automatically.

“It wasn’t?” Jan’s eyebrows raised high. “How do you know that? The coroner hasn’t even looked at the body yet.”

“Well, I mean…how do you know it’s murder?” Jay asked. “The guy could have just fallen into the lake and died. It could have been an accident.”

“I suppose,” Jan sighed.

“I could get my wife,” Jay volunteered after an awkward silence. “I mean she was the one who found the body, not me.”

“Oh, what a terrific idea,” Jan agreed enthusiastically. “I would love to come in and talk to your wife!”

“All right,” Jay nodded and let the woman in, offering her coffee, much to Hetty’s dismay.

“Who is this person you just let into our house?” She asked. “And why are you making her refreshments?”

Jay gestured for her to follow him to a corner where he would be less likely to be overheard. “She’s a reporter from the TV news here to do a story on the discovery of Trevor’s body. I was against it at first, but then he seemed okay with it, and it will probably be some good publicity for when we get the business running.”

“Oh, I understand,” Hetty nodded and gave him a smile. “Selling Trevor out for money. Good for you. I would have done the same.”

“I’m not selling him out!” Jay cried, perhaps a little too loudly.

“Everything okay over there?” Jan called from the sofa.

“Fine,” Jay replied. “Just…stomach cramp. But I’m fine now. I’ll go get my wife for you.” He paused. “Your coffee is on the counter.”

______________________________________________________________

“…And here he is!” Alberta announced as Jay poked his head into the library where she and Sam were researching. “See, I knew they would want to talk to you, Sam!”

“What would I tell them?” Sam asked. “I’m not really good in front of crowds. I tried to audition for a play once in high school and I got so nervous that it made me sick. I don’t want to get sick in front of a television news woman!”

“There’s nothing to be nervous about!” Alberta told her. “She’s just going to ask how you found the body and what it made you feel like and neither of those are trick questions!”

“I guess you have a point,” Sam nodded and stood up from the laptop, looking at Jay. “Is that what you’re here about? Does the woman in the living room want to talk to me?”

“Well, you know more about finding Trevor’s body than I do,” Jay replied. “So, yes.” He wanted to remind her to do her best because what she said could either really hurt or help the business, but he knew it would make things worse if he did that, so he just gave her a smile and a thumbs up and wished her good luck.

“Thanks,” Sam called. “I’ll need it.”

But she tried to be the picture of composure as she sat down next to Jan. “Hi,” she greeted, not knowing that Trevor had joined Alberta behind her. “Hi,” she told Jan.

“Hello,” Jan replied. “Jan Campbell, Channel 12 news. So…you’re the one who found the body? You’re Samantha Arondekar? What was finding the body like? I’m sure our viewers would love to hear about your experience.”

“It was all very sudden,” Sam began. “I was…exploring out back and decided to take a dip in the lake out back. Then my bare foot touched something hard, and I reached down to grab it. It turned out to be a skull.” She shrugged. “It was startling to be sure, but if it had been fresher, it would have been a lot worse I guess.”

“And you have no idea who the poor soul might be?” Jan questioned. “There were a lot of accidents on the land where this house was built. It has quite a history.”

“Oh, really?” Sam did her best to smile as Alberta whispered in her ear to stay calm and collected. “We just moved in and haven’t had time to look up what’s gone on here all these years.”

“You really should look into it,” Jan encouraged enthusiastically. “I mean who knows how many other bodies you could find around here.”

“What’s going on here?” Isaac asked. “Is that…is that a news person? Am I going to be famous after all?”

“No, they’re here for me,” Trevor corrected. “Sam found my body in the lake.”

“Oh, what a shame,” Isaac sighed. “But I suppose if things like this keep happening, they’ll get to me eventually. Knowing there’s a house with a Founding Father in it is thrilling!”

“Yeah, sure,” Trevor nodded, more intent on Sam.

“I don’t want them to get to me,” Alberta shook her head. “Nope. Fame got me into enough trouble when I was alive. I came here for peace, quiet, and a chance to perform. I’m even thinking of a new name for myself just in case you know who comes looking for me.”

“But he can’t leave the theater where he killed you,” Trevor reminded her. “We’ve told you this a million times, and there’s no way that Pete would bring him anywhere. You’re totally safe.”

“Yeah,” Alberta nodded. “I hope you’re right.”

“So you say you know the history of the house,” Sam turned the tables on Jan, knowing that she was probably violating some ghost rule. “Any deaths involving the lake?”

“You don’t need to ask her,” Alberta said. “She’ll probably lie anyway. Trevor was thrown in there after he died of an overdose in front of some fool friends who did nothing to help and wanted to avoid trouble."

“Oh, I’m sorry, Trevor,” Sam muttered, knowing he'd probably told Alberta cause it was the only way for her to know.

“Trevor?” asked Jan. “Is that the skeleton’s name?”

“No, Trevor is my…imaginary friend,” Sam improvised quickly. “The move’s a bit tough and having Trevor around has helped me adjust.”

“Well, all right,” Jan sighed. “That’s enough for now. I’ll probably be in touch once the identity of the skeleton is confirmed for certain. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“It didn’t take long for the story about Trevor to get around,” Jay said when they found him a few minutes later. “Of course, to everyone else he’s still the body you found in our yard, but news people are calling. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing. And they’ll probably call yours too! We might be able to make a success out of our haunted house after all.”

“Or it could be trouble in disguise,” Alberta scoffed. “Take it from me. We’ll add you both to the plan for keeping Henry and other possibly dangerous people out of the house. I think that it’s for the best. I would feel much better.”

“All right, if you think that’s best,” Jay agreed, then went through the messages on his phone. “Should we start with TV interviews or do an article first?”

“You can pick,” Sam replied. “Alberta and I are going to check on Trevor.”

*Also on A03, I just can't post the link for some reason.

[bisluthq]

How did Apple fuck up the user interface so much though? The reason why I choose Apple over Samsung is that everything about Apple looks pretty, clean and easy to use. I hate and I mean HATE the design of anything Android so much. I’ve tried to give it a chance (look at the phones in a store) and I despise it. Apple is so good at making everything thing else look good, how is Apple TV this bad??

I also don’t understand but it’s all their TV related products imo. Like I love my iPhone and I love my MacBook (because of the user experience) and iPads are also very cool and they’re all laid out in a far more intuitive manner for me than Windows or Android products (I’ve also looked into those - I’ve tried the phones in the shop before I bought this 11 and I actually bought a windows laptop in 2020 during lockdown because the specs were better than the Apple products and the price was a fraction lol and I really needed a new laptop then because my 5.5 year MacBook was dying and I hated it SO much I sold it at a loss obviously and bought this Air eventually) BUT Apple TV (as in the streamer) is very oddly laid out and I also don’t like the Apple TV smart device thingie - we have one but I never use it myself and my bf uses it for if we pirate movies or to watch cuts he’s made of stuff on a bigger screen so essentially it’s a way for him to cast from his iMac to the big screen. When *I* pirate movies he doesn’t care about, I don’t even bother with it though like that’s how useless I find it. I just watch on my laptop then. I’m not sure why they can’t figure TVs out. Maybe because they don’t make the device itself? Idk. But like I love the Samsung TV interface and it makes a lot of sense to me and we have a TCL with the Google features integrated in the bedroom that we bought recently which was SUPER cheap lol like I think cost the same or even less than the little Apple TV smart device thingie (I didn’t buy that thingie and never would lol and the TV I co-bought and had known I like from the shop but yea idk how much he paid for the smart device thingie) that we have on the main TV and it works absolutely fine (granted we mostly use it to watch porn and sometimes sitcoms to fall asleep) and is very sensibly laid out 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

these people should get me to review their products lol I’ll tell them 👌🏼 or ☹️ and Apple TVs and Apple TV+ are both ☹️ from me.

Apple TV+ content is 👌🏼 but the user interface is not it.

[randum-famdoms]

Life update

TL;DR: getting a new laptop tomorrow, next chapter for my fic should be out sometime within the first week of august.

More info below the cut

Soooooo….. my current laptop would be more expensive to fix than to replace. Which sucks, because I’ve got a lot of cool stickers on it. I might be able to pry them off and laminate them to use as keychain pendants though. I will lose my old defunct OG feral luncher icon, though. Which I’m actually kinda mad about. Like, yeah it doesn’t work anymore, but I take a weird sense of pride in having it sitting right next to my emuferal launcher on my screen.

Thankfully this weekend is tax free weekend in TN so I can get a new one for a lot cheaper. Tomorrow my dad’s taking me to Best Buy and I’m getting a new laptop. The new one I’ve picked out should work even better for my gaming, too. As good as a laptop can when you live in the middle of bumfuck nowhere with shitty reception, at least.

The last few days have been really stressful, and I don’t know when I’ll have the energy to write, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to finally finish the chapter by the end of next week.

It’s not the most emotionally intense chapter, which oddly enough makes it harder for me to write when I’m not feeling my best. It’s just harder to get into the characters’ heads. Maybe it’s because the characters are calm and I’m not. Regardless, I think this chapter will be a fun one. Then again I hope that for every chapter, and they can’t all be bangers.

Things are going to start calming down soon - I hope, it feels like everything broke at once the last couple of days, I’m not sure what fate could ruin next to be honest. But at the very least I’ll have a stable way to write after tomorrow, and I don’t have anything big planned after that until school starts.

Anyway, this post is mainly just to let my readers know that my current timeline places the next chapter somewhere around the first week of august. I’ll see y’all then!