#my dad and sister are really good photographers

[fictionalmenxyn]

hi can you write rafe x wife. Happily married and have 3 teen kids. Sons friends comes over and talks about mom as milf( idk maybe something else up to u) and Rafe and his wife hear it! Then Rafe f*cks her

of course I can!!

•———•

ఌ𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧ఌ

Pairing: husband!rafe x wife!reader

Warnings: SMUT, language, p in v, fingering, no mentions of protection (be safe, wrap it before u tap it!), breeding kink, dirty talk, possessive/jealous Rafe.

Feel free to send more reqs! Thinking of doing dad!Rafe so send me things you’d like to see! Or more husband!rafe idm! Anything!

🝮🝮🝮

Just getting home from work, you got out of your Range Rover. Collecting your handbag, laptop and some papers from the back seat.

You headed into yours and Rafe’s estate. Walking through the front door. You already knew your three sons had friends over. Your eldest, Cody had asked you over text. You slip your heels off by the door and walk through the large foyer and over to the spacious living room. You smiled as you saw your boys Cody (17), Morgan (16) and Ollie (14 1/2). You spoke “hey boys, you all having fun?” They all said their “heys” and “yeah, thanks”.

You subtly noticed the way their friends eyed you up. Teenage boys never really cared if you saw them checking woman out. Well, these lot didn’t. You looked over to the attached large kitchen, smiling as you see Rafe.

You walked over, putting your things onto the counter. Rafe was leaning forward. His elbows on the counter as he watched the tv from the kitchen as your sons and their friends had soccer on. You walked over to Rafe. Smiling as you put your hand on his back. “Hey, love, you ok?” He turns his head to look at you. His famous grin plastered on his face. “Yeah, all good, how’s work?” He pulls you by the waist. Giving you a soft but firm kiss, showing you how much he missed you since you left this morning. You pull away to answer “good, made some great photos today, all I have to do is change the lighting and tone..” he smiled and pecked your lips “good, can I watch it while you do it?”

Rafe loved what you did. You were a photographer for models, perfume/jewellery commercials or fashion designers. You took the photos and edited them to put on magazines or advertisements. He loved how much you enjoyed your job to.

You nodded “of course, Rafey” he smiled “good girl..” you pecked his cheek.

You sat at the island counter, going through the photos on your laptop. As Rafe leaned against the counter, arms crossed, taking the occasional sip from his drink.

You both overheard Cody and his friend talk. His friend, Jack, asked “dude, is that your older sister or something?” Cody asked “who?” Jack replied “the one that’s in the kitchen with your dad.” Cody shook his head “nah man, that’s my mom.” Jack replied “no fucking way?? She’s so hot, dude, your mom is such a milf, no joke.”

Rafe practically chocked on his drink, as your eyes widen and press your hand to your forehead. A quiet gasp escaped your lips. What did Jack just say? You couldn’t be going mad, Rafe heard the same thing.

Cody spoke “shut up! Don’t say that!” Jack shrugged nonchalantly “dude, I’m just saying, I’d tap that if I could.”

Your eyes widen, Rafe’s jaw clenched. Rafe didn’t need to be and wasn’t jealous… not exactly… he just didn’t like the fact that a seventeen year old friend of your sons had just said that about you… his wife, the mother of his children, his childhood friend, his lover…

Through the rest of the day, Rafe stuck to your side. You’d changed into some sweats and a crop top. Once you were done you both sat on the couch; Rafe next to you. He had his arm around you the whole time. Occasionally kissing your cheek or temple. Showing the boys, your his. He’s the one that put that beautiful diamond ring on your finger. He’s the one that put three beautiful and handsome boys in you. He helped you create life. He’s the one that gives you happiness.

🝮🝮🝮

Soon after, the sun started to set. Your three sons had asked both Rafe and yourself if they could stay the night at one of the boys house. Rafe agreed and told them to be safe and have fun.

As soon as he had shut that front door. You were in for a real treat tonight. Rafe walked back over to the couch. He put his one knee on the seat and he placed a hand on the side of your neck. His cold metal of his rings and watch press gently into your warm neck. He crashes his lips into yours like a starved man. His tongue quick to be shoved into your mouth. You knew what he was up to. You could tell it from the exact moment Cody’s friend said what he said about you.

You knew Rafe since day one, knew him better than he knew himself. So you knew what he was doing. And you were definitely not complaining.

Rafe placed one hand one your thigh and guided you so you laid back on the couch. While he stayed on top of you. He groaned against your lips. He mumbled “‘m gonna make you feel so good, baby” you gasped softly when you feel Rafe’s hips press against yours. He puts his free hand from your thigh, moving it to the waistband of your sweats.

Putting his hand down your sweats he could feel the material of your panties and your soft, wet skin. He groaned “you wearing the black lace ones?” You nodded. He grinned “all f’me…mine” you mumbled “yes, Rafey…”

His fingers slowly move up and down against your heat. You moaned softly. You gasp when you felt his middle finger slip in. He tilted his head and started to kiss along your neck. He groaned, his finger slowly pulling in and out. As he inhaled the sent of your vanilla perfume, he groaned once again. He mumbled against your soft skin “feel so good on my finger, want another, babe?” You nodded. He replied “words. y/n.” You whispered “another, please, Rafe” he slipped his ring finger in. Causing you to gasp softly.

After a few more seconds he pulled his fingers out. You whimpered, he grinned “oh we aren’t done, just wanna take you upstairs… prefer the bed.” Your mouth practically waters as you watch him move his fingers to his mouth. Cleaning you off his digits.

He picks you up, over his shoulder. Taking you upstairs and not wasting anymore time.

Placing you down on the bed, he was quick to take your clothes off. All piece of clothing on the floor. While he starts to take his off, you watched in awe. Your reaction to him will always be the same. It’s like looking at him for the first time, over and over. You never got tired of him. Never have and never will.

You watched as he was swift to remove his boxers. His huge length springing free. He moved onto the bed. His lips go to yours as his hand moves to his length. Pumping it a few times, then lining up with your entrance. You gasp as he started to push in. Once he was all the way in he leaned over you. His chain dangles by your chin. His hands either side of your shoulders. His biceps flex as he looks down at you.

“You’re so pretty under me, sweetheart.” You moaned softly as he slowly started to move in and out. He chuckled lowly “you know, what the boys said… was right..” he groaned. “You are a milf… my milf… such a hot momma, baby… I know you want another… want me to give you one?” You moaned as he picked up the pace a little more. “Words, sweetheart.” You nodded “yes, fuck! Want another…”

He moaned hearing your words, “fuck Y/n, I’ll give you another… I’ll fill you up, make your baby bump come back. Love you baby bumps… every one of them…” you moaned. His one hand moves to your lower stomach, pushing on the bulge on your lower abdomen. Causing you to moan, as he goes deeper.

He picks up his pace, he moaned “fuck, gonna make you pregnant again. Wanna see you with my baby in you again.” He goes harder. “Fuck can feel you round me, that make you excited, baby? Thinking of me getting you pregnant again?”

You nodded, grabbing onto his bicep. Nails digging into his tan skin. He groans at the feeling. He spoke “gonna give ya a girl this time, I wanna girl, so I can spoil you both, yeah? Let you two have the world.” You moan “oh Rafey!” He grinned. “Yeah? Like that?” You nodded. He leaned back. Grabbing your hips, guiding you against him as he thrusts into you.

He can feel your close, “gonna come f’me? Let me have it, sweetheart. You do that f’me and I’ll do it for ya..” you placed your hand on his chest. Then holding his chain. Wanting him closer, he knew you well. He knew that meant you were about to finish. He leaned down. You moaned “fuck, gonna-” “do it, finish over my cock f’me, love…” those words hit you like a brick wall. Every. God. Damn. Time.

And he knew it too.

You moaned one last time, then finishing. Causing you to tighten around him. He chased his realise and finished inside you.

He moaned as he slowed his pace. Still thrusting, just slowing down. Chasing both of your climaxes. Once he came to a spot. You had you usual ‘thank you’. He kissed both cheeks, then your forehead, temples, chin, nose and then your lips. He mumbled against your lips “you ok? Feel good, baby? You did so good..” You nodded “so good.”

He gently pulled out, causing you both to inhale sharply. He gently picked you up. Going ahead and doing your aftercare. For all the time you both knew each other. And past Rafe, with his many hook ups. Not once did he do aftercare. But for you? His childhood friend to girlfriend to fiancée to wife to mother of his children?

He’d give you the world, he’d kill for you. Protect you. Die for you, live for you. He’d do anything for you. Even if it’s as simple as aftercare. He loves you. You love him.

🝮🝮🝮

[luveline]

hotch’s daughter and him looking thru baby n childhood pics n realizing just how much they missed angst (her missing out on having a present father n him missing out on raising her)

Aaron’s winded when he sees you that morning. You’re smiling, in sweatpants and a hoodie with a bag on your shoulder that promises an overnight stay, but what hits hardest is the way you light up when he opens the front door. He sees you coming through the window and can’t wait for you to knock. 

“Hey, honey, you’re early!” he says. 

“I know,” you say, stopping just a paving stone away, “but I got this magic jigsaw for Jack that I thought he’d like. Once you complete it you can move it around and create a new jigsaw in the middle.” You smile. “You look happy. Good breakfast?” 

“I’m happy to see you, that’s all.” 

You cross that last step. “Thanks, dad.” You bite your bottom lip, ever so slightly bashful. 

He literally couldn’t be happier. “Did you eat?” 

Aaron brings you inside. Jack is already awake and eating his second breakfast in a meandering picking by the TV. 

You love being a big sister. It’s all the more endearing. “Hey, babe. What are you upto?” you ask. 

Jack whirls and sends a couple of grapes flying. “Oh my gosh yes!” he says, to your laughter and Aaron’s disbelief. He races across the rug in a blur of blue pyjamas to wrap himself around your thighs, face pressed to your hip. “You’re here!” 

“We said Saturday sleepover, right?” 

You get down on your knees to hug him. Your arms around his back, your face to his, you aren’t as rough as you could be —how do sisters hug their brothers? Aaron doesn’t know. But you rub his back in a gentle up and down and lower your voice to say hello. “Hi, Jack. You’re happy to see me?” 

“I’m so happy.” 

“Me too, I’m so happy. I brought you something.” 

“A present?” Jack asks, leaning out of your arms. 

“Not really, it’s for me and you, but I brought you cookies too.” 

“Dad,” Jack says, “can we have some?” 

Aaron holds up a finger. One cookie is enough sugar for the morning. “We can have a couple more after dinner tonight, okay?” 

You take the cookies from your bag, a huge box of palm-sized cookies, chocolate chips shaped like stars, the best kind of indulgence from the bakery not far from here. Aaron catches a look at the inside of your bag, spying a slim white photo album against your weekly medication divider and the plastic wrapped jigsaw puzzle. 

“What’s the album?” he asks. 

“Oh.” You slide your thumb along the sticker that seals the cookies and crack them open for Jack to take his spoils. “They’re my baby photos.” 

He stills. “They are?” 

“And some of me growing up.” You tip your head at him and smile. A little shy, more happy. “I was thinking about Jack, how we both do that chokey laugh when we’re tired, and I wondered if we had any other similarities. And then I realised you’ve never actually seen any of my photos. Would you want to look at them?” 

“Please,” he says immediately. “Yes. I’d love to see them.” 

You lay the album out on the coffee table. Aaron sits beside you on the couch, and Jack sits on his feet, and together you look through your baby album one page at a time. At first, he’s quiet. He has no idea what to say. You are a beautiful kid, you’re perfect, little baby you with a pacifier on your tummy, or in the summer sun with mud on your little hands, wearing a pink dress with matching canvas shoes and a smile so wide he can see all your baby teeth, or sitting beside a fish tank with a party hat on. 

His favourite is a photograph of you that’s been printed oddly, more sepia than colour, where you look to be eight or nine years old. He can see everything in your adult face right there in ink, your smile, the trusting warmth in your eyes when you love the person it’s directed at. Maybe he’s full of himself, but he swears it’s his smile, and Jack’s smile. Hotchner through and through. 

“I wish I’d seen you in person,” he says quietly. “Just once.” 

You tease the photograph from the plastic sleeve and offer it to him. “Sorry.” 

He doesn’t want you to be sorry. Aaron takes the photograph and stares at it against his leg, your little face, your hands behind your back, your left knee wrapped in a bandage. “We missed out on so much,” he says softly. 

“I know.” 

He places the photo on the armrest, precious and needing a frame. You melt into his arm as he wraps it around your shoulder, and you let him kiss your temple, even if he doesn’t deserve to do it yet. He’s polite about it, he knows his sincerity might feel gratuitous to you —after all, he missed out on so much. But you don’t go rigid at his affection, you just breathe. 

“I would’ve loved to have seen it,” he says, too old for tears, and yet a warmth collects behind his eyes anyhow. He won’t cry, only the feeling is there and aching as you move back and give him a typical Hotchner smile. Like he’s being silly, and like you love him. 

“It’ll be okay,” you say, “you’ve got, what, a good ten years left? You can see my golden years.” 

He laughs suddenly. “Ten? How old do you think I am?” 

“You act like you’re nearing seventy.” 

“Oh, I do?” 

You roll your eyes and lean across the photo album for another cookie. “You do! I wish we didn’t have to wait so long to meet, but it’s not like I’m going anywhere. You won’t find me so charming in a few years, so don’t worry. Now, could you leave me and Jack alone for a bit? I’m trying to sneak him another cookie and you’re getting in the way.” 

Aaron hugs you whether you want him to or not, a tight squeeze that you always seem to enjoy, before doing as you’ve asked, promising to find the jigsaw board in the garage so you and Jack can start the newest one. 

“Did you miss him?” he hears Jack asks inexplicably. 

“Who, dad?” Aaron watches you from the door that leads into the garage. He can only see your hands from this angle, your left one landing on Jack’s shoulder for a small squeeze. “I missed him so much you couldn’t believe it.” 

“Thank you for the cookie.” 

“You’re welcome! I missed you too, you know? I have to make up for all my lost time being your big sister. Here, you can hide this one in your pocket, if you want. Just don’t forget it’s there.” 

[sunrizef1]

Camera Man and Mystery Girl

Pairing: Jude Bellingham x Norris!Reader

Warnings: Cursing, hate comments

Notes: I am the opposite of locked in

Requested: Yes/No

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littlenorris

liked by landonorris carlossainz55 and 111,888 others

littlenorris swimsuit season 🐠👙

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user1 so prettyyyy ☺️

user2 love

littlenorris no u 🫶

user3 my British queen

liked by littlenorris

landonorris put some clothes on lad

littlenorris ur not my dad

landonorris no but I’ll tell him to tell you

littlenorris he likes me better than you

landonorris :(

user4 omg wait is this lando’s sister 🤩

user5 yesss

user6 3 different vacations but she's serving in all of them 🙂‍↕️

liked by littlenorris

user7 we all know who took these photos…

user8 Mr camera man ofc 🙂‍↕️

user1 🤩🤩🤩

maxfewtrell what do I comment on this

littlenorris just press send on an emoji and move on

maxfewtrell ☀️

littlenorris thanks mate

user9 living the life

user10 photographer face reveal when

littlenorris not until he's trained

user10 is he a dog?? 😭

littlenorris acts like it 🤩

user10 lol and the fact he can't even defend himself 😭

liked by littlenorris

user11 she's legitimately fine asl I'm not kidding

user8 its the return of Mr camera man!!!!!

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littlenorris

liked by trentarnold66 alex_albon and 102,009 others

littlenorris dumplings 🥟💜

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user12 she's so pretty

liked by littlenorris

user13 I love that shade of purple

user15 the outfit and the rings matching the dumplings???

user16 do we think she did that on purpose???

user17 had to have!! Its too perfect 🙂‍↕️

user18 the difference between camera mans hand and y/n’s is so funny

liked by littlenorris

user19 just all the rings and nails and the sleeves vs one bracelet 😭

trentarnold66 🥟

likes by littlenorris

user20 camera man is Trent, dhmu 🫣

user21 that food looks so good 😭

user22 where'd you get your rings???

littlenorris camera man picked them out at a little thrift shop in London 💂‍♂️🌺

user23 they’re adorable

landonorris bring me leftovers

littlenorris I’m in Asia dumbass

landonorris I can wait 🤷‍♂️

user24 she looks so good 🫦

user24 BAEEEEEEE

liked by littlenorris

user25 loml fr fr

mclaren hey queen!

liked by littlenorris

carlossainz55 what is it the kids say? “Hey bestie”?

littlenorris hey bestie boo 🫦

carlossainz55 I feel slightly intimidated

littlenorris good, luv u 🫶

user26 HAWT 🫦

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judebellingham added to their story

landonorris

Is that my sister????

Where’d her hair go 🤨

judebellingham

Idk mate

It walked away

landonorris

I am going to kill you

judebellingham

Ily2 future brother-in-law

landonorris

Gross

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littlenorris

liked by landonorris maxfewtrell and 145,007 others

littlenorris blue 🫐

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user27 ATE

liked by littlenorris

user28 SHE LOOKS SO GOODDDDDD

user29 my favorite blueberry 🫐

liked by littlenorris

landonorris oh no… no no no no no no no no no

littlenorris kys, papaya boy

landonorris 😦

user30 my beautiful Smurf queen

liked by littlenorris

user31 who did ur hair bestie???

littlenorris camera man 🙂‍↕️

user32 guys… I love camera man and we’ve never even seen his face 🫣

littlenorris me too girl, dw

user33 never seen someone looks so good with a buzzcut

liked by littlenorris

landonorris keep those clippers to yourself from now on

littlenorris ur next, mullet boy

user34 did she dye her hair just to match the outfit???

user35 I’m gonna hold ur hand when I say this…

user35 she definitely matched her outfit to her hair… not the other way around…

user36 PRETTYYYYY

user37 it actually looks so good, I need camera mans tea fr

liked by littlenorris

oscarpiastri for the record, I think it looks nice

littlenorris thank you, new bsf

user38 queen shit

user39 with the short hair you can tell just how pretty she really is

liked by littlenorris

littlenorris I love you 🫶🥹

user40 hot girl shit

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TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

judebellingham

liked by trentarnold66 kylianmbappe and 12,000,999 others

judebellingham 304

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user41 he was in Miami during the Miami gp and we didn’t see him at the race??? lol????

user42 so sorry??? What is going on in slide two???

user43 it’s the soft-launch he’s been doing for months and months and months 😭

user43 he stopped doing it for a while in the time he was getting more popular but it seems mystery girl is back 🙂‍↕️

user44 my man my man my man

user45 he’s so fine I actually can’t

user46 why tf was this man not at the Miami gp I’m fuming

user47 he’s dodging these races like his life depends on it

user47 Trent should’ve dragged him to one by now

landonorris it was nice seeing you bro!

judebellingham it was hard to miss you with all that partying 😅

landonorris we’re a bit loud, I’ll give you that 😅

user48 Lando x Jude??? Wasn’t expecting that tbh

user49 slide three???? Fine asllll

user50 mystery girl??? lol??? Who tf is that? 🤨

trentarnold66 🔥

liked by judebellingham

user51 THAT SHOULD BE ME HOLDING YOUR HAND THAT SHOULD BE ME MAKING YOU LAUGH

user52 yeah good cover photo, thanks Jude

user53 now who tf 🤨

rodrygo yes man 👏

liked by judebellingham

user54 do any og Jude fans know who the girl is?

user55 no one has any idea 😭

user55 past glimpses say she might be brunette??? But we’ve also seen blonde???

user55 moral of the story is, no one knows like… at all…😔🤞

user56 my fav Barca player or wtvr

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judebellingham added to their story

user57

Now sir, who took this

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user58

OH MY GOD???

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user59

The return of mystery girl, we love

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user60

Bitch you think ur slick????

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landonorris

Let me tell you

this was the worst thing that could've popped up FIRST on my stories

I did NOT want to see this

judebellingham

Cope

landonorris

Bitch 😒

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INSTAGRAM

littlenorris added to their story

user61

Camera man is back 🙂‍↕️

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user62

Sincerely hope camera boy took this

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user63

Y u write like that

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judebellingham

I'm such a good photographer ofc 🙂‍↕️

littlenorris

Yes u r baby

Tysm 🙂‍↕️

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yourusername

📍Barcelona, Madrid

liked by landonorris oscarpiastri and 3,777,115 others

yourusername whats pottery in Spanish

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user64 ceramica 🙂‍↕️

liked by littlenorris

user65 the jump in likes from last post to this one is actually insane

user66 MY versace brand ambassador

user67 I don't understand how becoming a brand ambassador made her so much more popular???

user68 its a mix of that and dts and some of her photoshoots going viral on tiktol

user68 I also think some people are just now realizing Lando's even got a sister lol

user69 ily queen

user70 in Spain for what

user71 my bilingual icon

user72 girl why is she not responding to a single comment lmfao

user73 she's ghosting us 😭

user74 my new fav Norris

landonorris put ur ass away

liked by littlenorris

user75 not even Lando gets a response???😭 lol???😭

user76 I hate her

user76 overrated asf, just a nepo baby who's only talent is having a pretty face

user77 y'all rly scared her off I can't believe this

user78 usually someone would ask about Mr camera man and she would respond but I don't want to embarrass myself by asking and getting ignored lollll

user79 it girl

user80 but can we talk about the fit 🙂‍↕️🫣

user81 I miss my relatable indie model girlie 🥲

user82 no fr, I can't tell if a social media team got to her and took away her commenting privileges or if she's just been scared away by the amount of people 😔

user83 she doesn't deserve her fame

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judebellingham

liked by vinijr landonorris and 7,888,234 others

judebellingham calma

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user84 yassssssss bilingual king

user85 he's so fine 😭

user86 disappointed in the only picture of him being the first one

user87 every time I swiped I got sadder

vinijr ceramica?? 🪴

judebellingham im a man of many talents 🤞

user88 has Lando found his new bf

user89 for the record, that's Barcelona, not madrid

user90 I take it he's enjoying his summer then

landonorris my man 👊

liked by judebellingham

user91 lol’ing at a footballer having a peaceful summer break instead of partying in Ibiza or something

user92 Jude, Dortmund misses you

user93 where's mystery girl

user94 anyways, how have he and his gf not been papped a single time, I feel like they've been together for like 4 years or something like that

user95 they got together when he was still playing in England so like 5 years

user95 or at least that's when he first posted her/ the earliest his current Insta posts go back

user94 exactly like… ur telling me these 16 year olds were secret enough to not be photographs?? I don't believe you

user96 I believe it was some also-famous teenager who kept it a secret

user96 because why else would a teenager keep their relationship with a Birmingham player a secret

user97 I think maybe y'all think about Jude Bellingham too much

user98 anyway, I'm in so much love with him

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littlenorris added to their story

landonorris

I don't believe you

littlenorris

stfu lad

u can ask him

he lost by so much

landonorris

Yeah idk

He plays for real Madrid

He doesn't seem like the type to lose 🤷‍♂️

littlenorris

he watches you enough to be familiar with the concept by now

you fucking loser

landonorris

Hello?????

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littlenorris added to their story

user99

Lol, Lando being up high somewhere and you being in the crowd is so funny to me idk why 😭

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user100

yassssss my humble queen mingling with the peasants 🌺❤️

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user101

Supporting ur country we love to see it 🙂‍↕️

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user102

Yeahh…

Viva la espana

Sorry queen

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littlenorris added to their story

landonorris

Hope ur having fun in Ibiza bitch

Wish I could've been there but you chose a week where I have work

littlenorris

That was on purpose

Leave me and my bf alone

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user103

Wait we love Spain

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user104

Losing the euros to Spain and then immediately going there??? Lol??!!

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littlenorris

📍Ibiza, Spain

liked by judebellingham landonorris and 12,888,009 others

littlenorris not a lot going on at the moment

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user105 girl gtfo of here the swifties don't claim you

user106 ugly bitch

user107 and that's why her hair looks like shit

user108 y'all r being so rude to this girl for no good reason

user109 idc I don't like her

user110 lol she's so lovely y'all need to stfu

user111 my beautiful beautiful queen

user112 Jude deserves better

user113 girl shut up, Jude ain't gonna fuck you

user114 trying to act like she didn't just get papped and posting like normal is actually crazyyyy

user115 and if she including him y'all would hate her all the same and try and say she was using him

user115 now what.

user116 I've met her like six times and she is the nicest person on the entire planet. Some of y'all need to get it together.

landonorris I love you

littlenorris I love you too

user117 they're both being nice to each other. Do y'all know how bad the situation has to be for them to be kind to the other?

user118 free my girl from the shackles of these crazy fan girls

user119 no literally, these ones are worse than the dts ones

user120 like she legit got attacked for “flirting” with Daniel at a race when all she did was stand near him 😭

user121 but then they were never seen together again, we lost 🥲✊

user122 both norris’s are washed

user123 fame fuckerrrrrr

user124 they've been together since they were 16 be so fr

user125 I can not stand any of you.

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judebellingham

liked by littlenorris landonorris and 15,888,998 others

judebellingham for the past seven years, y/n has been my best friend and the love of my life. She has been by my side since day one and I would give anything to keep her there. She's been here through the ups and the downs, through the wins and the losses and not once has she faltered in her love and loyalty to me and our relationship. I don't think there's ever been a person I had more trust in that wasn't literally related to me. I love her with my entire being and I know I always will.

When we got together, y/n had already gotten a slight taste of what fame could bring with Lando’s involvement in racing. Because of this, we decided to keep our relationship to ourselves and away from the public opinion. It was never out attention to hide from anyone but, instead, to be able to love and have something without anyone trying to ruin it.

That being said, the hate y/n has been receiving these past few days is unacceptable. The only thing she has done is be in a relationship, a fact that has been known for as long as she has been a public figure. The only thing bringing this hate one is the knowledge that the person she loves is me. In case you need it, here is a reminder that you do not know us. You don't know our life or our relationship and this is the reason we were a “secret” for so many years. You can not call yourself a fan of mine if you are sending hate to the person I love most in the world.

And if you're someone who's hoping we break up, trust me, I fully intend on spending the rest of our lives together. So don't hold your breath.

load comments.…

user126 CLOCK THOSE HATER-ASS BITCHES JUDEEEEE YASSSS

user127 oh he's so lovely

user128 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

landonorris no one is rather have marry my sister

judebellingham is this me getting your blessing

landonorris mate you've had my blessing since you got drunk on your birthday and babbled about marrying her for like an hour

judebellingham you need to never tell that story again

landonorris too late 🤷‍♂️ its already in my best man speech

user129 “don't hold your breath” omg welcome back unfiltered footballers

user130 he ate that little one thing

user131 get yourself a man who defends you like this

user132 awww I'm in love with them

user133 oh to be jude bellinghams “best friend and the love of my life”

maxfewtrell hey, i know her

judebellingham she says she doesn't know you

maxfewtrell tell that lying bitch I'm coming for her

user134 I feel so bad for y/n

user135 I feel like Jude definitely recognized that he got zero hate for this

littlelando I love you 🌺💕😭

judebellingham 💕

user136 ok wait they're adorable

user137 AWWWWWW

——

littlenorris added to their story

judebellingham

Yeah I am 🙂‍↕️

littlelando

I love you so much you dork

judebellingham

I love you too

Always and forever, don't even worry about it

littlelando

Trust me, i wasnt worried 💕

——

Tags:

@c-losur3 @llando4norris @lokideservesahug @casperlikej @evie-119 @awritingtree

[tpwk-formula1]

Kinktober Day 5 - Corruption - LH44

Lewis Hamilton X Reader

I am more than willing to write a part 2 to this one shot as there was no sex in this one. I felt to keep the realism of the story it didn't feel right for the character to lose her virginity the same night she had her first kiss.

TW - Virgin, smut, oral (male and female receiving), NO ACTUAL SEX

WC - 3100+

Y/N POV

August 2024

Walking through the paddock I can't help but speed my way toward the Mercedes Hospitality knowing as soon as I got in there, there would be no more eyes on me. I mean I know realistically no one gives a fuck who I am but with all the hustle and bustle around me I can't help but feel anxious.

Once I am in the comfort of a quiet room in the hospitality I pull out my laptop and get right to work knowing I didn't have much time before I would need to be in the garage to take pictures for the official Mercedes accounts.

Being one of the main photographers for Mercedes definitely has its perks but being as quiet as I am it has been hard making friends with people.

As I am editing a photo of Kimi and George for Instagram I hear a soft knock on the door.

"Um, come in?" I stutter a little making it sound more like a question than a statement. When the door opens slowly I see Lewis's head peek in to see who was occupying one of the only empty meeting rooms in the whole hospitality.

"Oh hi Y/N," I hear Lewis say softly before he comes into the room and closes the door.

"Hi, Lew. How are you doing today?" I ask softly while still looking at my computer too intimidated to make eye contact with Lewis.

"I'm good, just trying to get away from all of the noise," Lewis tells me making me finally look up and nod my head softly.

"I get that," I tell Lewis softly finally closing my laptop to give him my full attention.

"What are you working on today?" Lewis asks me showing a real interest in my work.

"I'm actually working on more promotional photos for Kimi and George for next season," I tell Lewis making him smile.

"I've been working for Mercedes for the past 3 years and I'm gonna be completely honest it feels strange editing photos for the team without you in them," I tell Lewis for whatever reason. This makes him chuckle a little.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you're doing what is best for your career," I double down in slight embarrassment hoping I didn't offend Lewis.

"I know what you mean. I don't think anyone even myself expected it," Lewis tells me in a reassuring voice to make sure I knew I didn't offend him in any way.

"I have a hard time grasping that you have worked for Mercedes for 3 years know and I feel like I barely know anything about you," Lewis tells me honestly making me smile a little.

"I don't think anyone really knows anything about me if I'm being completely honest," I tell him.

"Well tell me about yourself then," Lewis says with a smile on his face.

"Well, what do you want to know?" I ask back in a softer tone than I intended.

"Whatever you want," Lewis tells me leaving the ball in my court. I can feel my anxiety start to grow slightly from the pressure of having to tell him about myself.

"Well, I'm from Brisbane and grew up with 2 older brothers and a little sister. I always loved taking pictures when I was really little, so it makes sense that I went on to become a photographer. I moved out on my own only a year ago when my parents retired and decided to sell our house and travel the world forcing me to finally leave the nest. I always grew up really quiet which made it really hard to get through school but eventually I made a core group of friends. I'm so sorry I'm rambling," I finally realize I'm word-vomiting to Lewis.

"No I enjoy listening to you talk. Keep going if you'd like," Lewis tells me clearly interested in what I have to say.

"Well then, my dad was always into Formula 1 and even put my little brothers into karting but they both were shit and it was too expensive to get them the proper training and equipment to help them be good. I ended up being the only one into racing like him so we would go to the Australian Grand Prix together every year. That was when I knew I was gonna be a Formula 1 photographer someday. You were actually the first driver I ever met. I was like 13 and this awkward quiet kid and my dad had surprised me with paddock passes. You signed the hat I was wearing and just all around really sweet. You ended up winning that year and I was so excited," I tell him some more looking up to realize Lewis is smiling and clearly listening to every word I was saying.

"Oh wow, I knew you were young I didn't realize how young you were. I'm assuming that was 2015?" Lewis's comments make me nod and laugh a little.

"Ya I turned 22 back a few months ago," I comment softly which has him nodding his head.

"Tell me more, I haven't heard you talk this much and if I'm being honest I love your voice," Lewis tells me making my cheeks grow red in a blush. I don't know the last time someone had complimented me.

"Well, when I went to Uni everyone tried to convince me to pick a more reliable career, but I knew what I wanted. As soon as I graduated I started applying to every position in photography F1 could offer and basically, now I'm here. Uh, I've never had my first kiss, matter a fact I've never even had a boy frie-," I finally cut myself off realizing I was starting to anxiously ramble about the most embarrassing aspect of my life.

When I look up at Lewis in sheer embarrassment I notice a look in his eyes that I had never seen before. It wasn't a bad thing but it made my body heat up in a way I had never felt before.

PRESENT TIME

"Y/n can I kiss you," Lewis asks softly. We are standing in my small apartment after another one of the many dates we have been going since the day in the meeting room. After I embarrassingly spilled my guts about never being in a relationship Lewis matched my energy by admitting he had been in a relationship since the one he got out of in 2015.

A few weeks after that conversation and many more after he finally asked me out on a date. I was worried given our drastic age difference however over time I realized it wasn't a problem if we didn't make it one.

"Yes," I finally whisper out before feeling Lewis's lips graze mine softly. When he finally places his lips on mine and starts to kiss me I instantly start kissing back, not entirely confident in my ability but I knew that whatever I was doing felt good. I could feel the start of a heat rising in me, one I only felt when I was with Lewis but this time it was stronger that I had ever felt before.

This being my first kiss I lose my breath fairly quickly so I'm pulling back gasping in softly. When I make eye contact with Lewis I notice the look he gave me back in the office.

"Was I okay?" I ask nervously not entirely confident in my previous actions.

"Baby, it was perfect. But just to be sure should we try again?" Lewis asks softly making me laugh a little at how cheesy he was being. Instead of using my words I pull Lewis closer by his neck and crashing my lips against his.

This time when I part my lips slightly I feel Lewis slip his tongue into my mouth making me instantly gasp at the feeling before following suit and allowing my tongue to tangle with his. In the midst of out make out session I feel Lewis pick me up and placing my thighs on either side of his waist and moving us towards my room.

When we get into my room he softly lays me on my mattress.

"Is this all you want tonight?" Lewis asks me before he moves any further.

"No, Lew I need something," I tell him softly.

"Pretty girl, what do you need?" Lewis asks me back while looking into my eyes.

"I don't know how to explain it. I've never felt like this before," I tell him honestly. While I was completely innocent and had never even masturbated I can only assume this is what it feels like to be turned on but I'm far too embarrassed to admit it.

"I think you do know what you need," Lewis tells me urging me to be honest with him. I close my eyes refusing to look at him before I say, "I need you to touch me."

"Are you sure?" Lewis asks softly which has me opening my eyes and making eye contact with him.

"If you're sure," I tell him not wanting him to feel the need to do something just becaus I wanted something.

"No, this is about you. Are you ready?" Lewis says repeating himself but using a more stern voice and vocab.

"Yes," I tell him firmly when I get a sudden rush of confidence. I instantly feel Lewis's hands graze my sides slowly pulling my top up exposing the lacey white bra I had worn today. I lift my body slightly to allow Lewis to pull my shirt completely off. Once it is completely off Lewis immediately brings his hands down to my tits to grip them through my bra.

"Fuck Lew," I moan out the second I feel Lewis's hands.

Lewis starts kissing down my neck making his way to my covered tits but they didn't stay covered for long because Lewis was helping me sit up slightly to unclip and pull off my bra. Once I'm free from my bra Lewis brings his lips back down to mine where he slowly lays me back down where he starts his trail of kisses again.

When he reaches my tits he almost instantly takes one of my nipples into his mouth while playing with the other.

"Lewis," I whine out dragging his name slightly from the pleasure. I feel Lewis slightly smile against me before moving to the other tit to suck my other nipple into his warm mouth.

While he is still pleasuring my tits I feel him move his hands down to the jeans I was wearing where I could feel Lewis starting to unbutton them before slowly pulling them down with my already soaked panties. Once my jeans are fully off Lewis slowly trails his kisses from my tits down my stomach.

"Lewis, hurry up," I tell him while getting impatient with him.

"patience, pretty girl," Lewis tells me still not going where I want him the most.

I start to feel Lewis, ghost kisses all over my thighs making me gasps out in shock.

"Please," I whine out to Lewis growing more impatient by the second.

Lewis finally brought his mouth to my pussy taking a long strip from my virgin hole to my aching clit.

"Fuck, Lew," I gasp out the second his tongue grazes my clit.

While Lewis was keeping a steady pace he was eating me out like it was the last meal he was ever going to eat.

"I think- fuck Lewis, something's happening," I stutter out when I feel an overwhelming pleasure I had never once felt before. My words only spurred Lewis's movements to pick up pace bringing me closer to the edge.

"Oh, fuck, fuck," I moan out the second my body was thrown over the edge for the first time ever. Lewis continued to eat me out to help me ride out my orgasm that felt like it was going to last forever.

When I finally come down from the intensity of my orgasm, my legs still shaking from the intense pleasure Lewis lays down next to me pulling me into in chest.

"Thank you," I whisper out to Lewis not really sure how to have pillow talk. Lewis just chuckles a little before placing a kiss on my forehead.

When I shift around a little I feel something poking my side. When I reached down to see what it was it had Lewis gasping at the touch. When it finally registered in my brain what I was touching I make eye contact with Lewis while still rubbing him threw his jeans.

"Y/N if you keep doing that I'll cum in my pants," Lewis gasps out through a light laugh.

"Then take your pants off," I finally gather enough courage to take the lead knowing if I did something wrong Lewis wouldn't judge me.

"This was about you tonight," Lewis tells me while his breathing began to grow labored signifying he was growing closer to cumming. When I realize he wasn't going to help me help him out I sit up all the way before climbing on top of Lewis and sitting on his legs so I can still unbotton his pants and pull his hard cock out of the jeans that had grown to be comfortably tight. at some point in the night Lewis had lost his shirt, making it easy to place soft kisses all over his chest.

Once I finally get Lewis's hard cock out of his jeans I look up to Lewis and ask, "I wanna make you feel good, please."

"Fuck, whatever your comfortable with, pretty girl," Lewis finally says giving me full permission to explore his cock and body.

I take my time exploring Lewis's body with my mouth. Spotting tattoos I had never seen before, which I softly traced with my finger before making my way down to his cock which was starting to leak precum with how hard he was.

I slowly start jerking his cock off while holding eye contact with Lewis. I can see how Lewis's breathing was starting to pick up again before his eyes rolled back signifying he was experiencing pure pleasure. When I realize his eyes were going to stay closed I decided to shock the both of us by leaning down and pulling the tip of his cock into my mouth.

The second my tongue started teasing his tip Lewis's eyes flew open realizing it was no longer my hands that were touching him.

"Y/N what are you doing," Lewis gasps out when I start slowly taking him further in my mouth trying to test the waters. Instead of answering him, I start bobbing my head trying to bring him more pleasure.

"Fuck, so good baby," Lewis moans out which only encourages me to go faster, which resulted in me going a bit too fast and hitting my gag reflex making me gag quite hard around Lewis's cock which instantly had Lewis gathering my hair in his hands and pulling me off.

"You've got to take it a little slower, pretty girl. This isn't some kind of race," Lewis tells me while I'm still gasping lightly for some air while allowing a couple tears to fall.

"I wanna make you feel good, besides, I kinda liked it," I admit making my cheeks heat up. I can't believe I just admitted to enjoying it when choked myself on Lewis's cock.

"You liked it huh?" Lewis teased me slightly making my cheeks grow more red.

Instead of answering him I went back to work with my mouth this time being a little less cautious with my movements which resulted in me occasionally gagging around his cock.

"Who knew my pretty girl was such a dirty slut," Lewis moaned out making me moan out around his cock from the degrading word.

"You like being called a slut don't you?" Lewis questioned which had me nodding my head the best I could with my mouth still full of his cock.

It doesn't take long before Lewis is grasping my hair to try and pull me off his cock.

"Baby, if you keep doing that I'm gonna cum in your mouth," Lewis gasped out while still trying to pull me off but instead of pulling back I pushed my head down as far as I could making me gag and choke a bit around his cock. This sent Lewis over the edge making him cum straight down my throat. He's still cumming when I pull back slightly to bob my head a little to help him ride his orgasm out the same way he had done to me.

When Lewis was done cumming I pulled off his cock with some of his cum still in my mouth.

"You can spit it baby," Lewis tells me softly but instead of listening I swallowed down every last drop and even licked the little bead of cum that was still left on the tip of his dick.

"What the fuck," Lewis gasps at how the girl who never even kissed a boy an hour ago was now licking his cock clean.

"Was I okay Lew?" I finally ask once we are cuddled up comfortably.

"Are you sure that was your first time?" Lewis joked clearly having enjoyed himself.

"Ya, I liked it though. I wanna do it again and again. I liked when yo called me the dirty name too," I tell him too embarrassed to say it myself.

"I don't remember what I said," Lewis says clearly wanting the dirty words to slip past my lips.

"I- uh, well you called me a slut," I whisper out which makes me realize how insane I was for enjoying such a term.

"Ya? Do you wanna be my little slut pretty girl?" Lewis asked softly making my thighs clench together. I just nod my head too embarrassed to say it again.

"No, I want words. Who are you?" Lewis said a bit sterner than he had ever talked to me before.

"I'm your dirty slut, Lew," I tell him while making direct eye contact with him. While I was embarrassed to say it out loud I couldn't help but bask in the pleasure it was to say that. I enjoyed being a little slut for Lewis and while I was still a virgin I couldn't help but be excited to explore everything more with Lewis.

"Get some rest pretty girl with a mouth and pussy as good as yours I will be going in for seconds before the clock strikes midnight," Lewis tells me making me cuddle further into his side and falling into a light sleep. Lewis kept his promise, by morning time he had managed to make me cum a dozen more times with just his mouth and fingers.

[mostly-marvel-musings]

Chapter 1 - An affair to remember

A/N: Here we have a new idea of mine, I thought I’d give it a shot. Leave a comment, heart or reblog if you enjoyed reading this! 

Pairing: Tony Stark x F! Reader 

Warning: 18+ age gap.

Word count: 2.8k

An affair to remember

.

You tiptoed around the foyer to head upstairs, being as silent as you could so as to not wake anybody. 

“Ah shit!”

You cursed under your breath as your elbow bumped into the wooden railing of the stairs, smarting a little as you rubbed it. You weren’t much of a rule-breaker but every now and then, you liked to let loose, especially since your best friend Isabelle was back in town. Her travel schedule was crazy and she spent months in remote jungles photographing the wildlife there. 

Tonight you, her and your friend Sebastian met up at Blarney Cove - your favourite pub for a much needed catch-up. One drink led to four and then escalated until you lost count, you danced and sang your heart out, shared gossip and avoided Sebastian’s drunken advances all night. You wished he would just give up, you practically grew up together and he was always a friend for you, but his feelings developed into something more, your didn’t. A part of you felt bad for having rejected him so many times, especially since he was quite the catch. He was tall, handsome, a smooth-talker plus his family was filthy rich and had the world at their feet. You two got along like a house on fire and it was always a good time with him but you just wished he would stay in his limits. 

Izzy had been a witness to it all, she was your sounding board, and someone who always knew the right things to say. Somewhere her heart went out to Sebastian since he was so evidently smitten but she never coaxed you to do or act on something you were never going to feel. Only a couple of years older, she was like the sister you never had. And with her gone most of the year, this meetup was extra special.  

You stumbled your way up to your room, closing the door quietly before rushing to the bathroom where you hurled the contents of your stomach down the toilet, cursing yourself for having made terrible choices of drinks. 

Who’s idea was it to down five tequila shots back to back anyways? Oh yeah, that was you. 

Not bothering to change, you threw yourself on your plush bed, falling asleep almost instantly, thinking of the absolute field day you’d have tomorrow. 

.

Faint music reached your ears as you roused from your slumber, a dull ache in your muscles and head made itself evident almost instantly as you sat up, rubbing sleep from your eyes. Letting out a groan at the sight of your runny mascara now stuck to the back of your hands, you threw the duvet off your legs and made your way to the bathroom to clean up.

The Advil you stashed in the mirror cabinet came in handy, you really were ready to sleep off that hangover but you realized it wouldn’t be possible since your parents were hosting a party today for a bunch of people you didn’t care about. Still, as a part of the Y/L/N family, you were expected to show up. 

Texting your friends to come over for a pool party, you got dressed in a cute summer dress and made yourself look less hungover with a little bit of makeup. With one last glance in the mirror, you made your way downstairs where polite chatter and terrible lounge music grew louder and louder. 

Plastering on a smile you greeted everybody, making polite conversation while looking out for your parents who were deep in conversation with one of their suit-clad friends who had his back to you. Your father beckoned you over with a wide grin on his face upon locating you, by the looks of it, the champagne had been popped rather early today. And your Dad was already on his third mimosa, chuckling loudly at a funny remark his friend made before wrapping you in a hug. 

“There you are, my love. Meet Mr. Stark, he’s a dear friend of mine. And Anthony, meet Y/N, my slightly hungover daughter.” 

“Dad!” you nudged him, not missing the eye-roll your mother threw your way. Nothing ever got past him, but still, he was the coolest Dad you could’ve asked for. You smiled at the man in front of you, offering your hand confidently. 

“In her defense Carl, Saturdays are officially meant for nursing hangovers. Nice to meet you, Miss Y/L/N.” he shook your hand with a friendly smile. As your hands touched, there was an unmistakable spark you felt, something warm, cozy and yet electric. You were sure he felt it too because he glanced down at the same time you did, releasing it with a deliberate chuckle. 

“Kids and their cliched habits.” your mother muttered, shaking her head disapprovingly. 

“Parents and their stereotypical beliefs.” you retaliated, grabbing a mimosa for yourself from one the trays the waiters were passing around. 

“Come on Jen, she’s visiting, play nice.” your father pulled her aside before you could react, not wanting the situation to escalate further. You saw them bicker in hushed whispers as they walked away, leaving you with Mr. Stark who raised his glass, waiting with a sympathetic smile. 

“Troubled childhood?” you asked, not exactly knowing how to make small talk with him.

“Oh you have no idea.” he flashed you a grin before downing the rest of his drink, raising his eyebrows in a challenge while you did the same. 

You couldn’t help but notice how very, very good-looking he was for his age. Neatly trimmed beard, sharp blue suit that looked tailormade for him, a charming smile that caused your tummy to flip. This man was definitely one of the best looking forty something year old you’d ever met. 

“So Miss Y/L/N, what do you do besides rage on a Friday night?” 

“I am a freelance photographer, mostly portraits. I work with fashion magazines and models for portfolios. And please, it’s Y/N, Mr. Stark.” 

“Interesting. And it’s Tony for you. You graduated three years ago, right? I remember Carl showing pictures some time ago.” 

You nodded, continuing to describe your line of work as he asked more questions, showing genuine interest. It made you realize he was quite easy to talk to, he had funny quips and anecdotes to share that had you in splits and you ended up chatting for a long time before your friends showed up and pulled you away.

You felt his lingering stare at the back of your head as you made your way inside, a part of you had not wanted the conversation to end so soon. 

Changing into a red bikini, you slathered waterproof sunscreen down your body and jumped in the pool with your friends while the ‘adults’ carried on with more booze. Izzy was sharing one of her stories about an encounter with a lioness in Tanzania when Sebastian dove in right next to you, making a big splash just to annoy you. 

“What are you twelve?” you grumbled, swimming away from him to let your friend continue her story. He got busy with getting cans of beer with the other guys soon, much to your relief. 

“Is he doing the whole ‘pushing you down the swing and pulling on your pigtails’ from kindergarten now?” Izzy giggled, handing you a bottle of your favourite beer. 

“I mean, ew!” you rolled your eyes, glancing over your shoulder at Sebastian who was smirking at you, giving you a wink. 

“Going out on a date with him wouldn’t do you any harm, Y/N. I’ve heard he’s great in bed and it’s about time you got your cherry popped.” your best friend suggested, yelping when you playfully kicked her so she slipped underwater. 

A couple of hours passed when Tony found himself standing near a window in the guest bedroom that overlooked the pool in the backyard, the dull buzz from the drinks that were had during the course now somewhat settled. His gaze trained on you as you lounged on your favourite flamingo floatie, legs on either side, a relaxed smile adorning your features.

There was something about you that drew him in from the first moment he laid eyes on you, you were intelligent, funny and simply gorgeous. The more you spoke, the more he realized how passionate you were about your work, the way you unconsciously played with your hair when he’d asked questions, the cute little frown as you thought about your answer, he found it all very endearing. 

What was happening to him? Was he attracted to a girl half his age? One he’d only met a few hours ago? The daughter of his business colleague…someone who was young enough to be his child…it was wrong on so many levels. 

Oblivious to his internal monologue, you were joking around with your buddies, Tony felt his pants getting tight at the sight of your wet bikini that did nothing to hide your pebbled nipples; it didn’t help his situation when you simulated riding someone by grabbing the head of the inflated flamingo and rolling your hips suggestively, before falling back in the water in a fit of laughter. 

Glancing down, he felt embarrassed to see his tented pants, running his hands over it, he slipped in the bathroom to take care of it. Lucky for him, the bathroom window also offered a view of the pool, thankful that you couldn’t see what he was up to, Tony freed himself and began steadily stroking his cock, imagining what it would feel like if it were your dainty hands instead, or those perfect lips wrapped around him, swallowing his length until you gagged. He imagined what your pussy would feel like, warm and tight for him to deflower. 

He came with a grunt after a few deliberate strokes, cleaning the mess he had made with tissues before heading back out. He wasn’t used to feeling like this. 

No. 

Nobody had ever evoked such carnal desires before. He certainly never believed he’d find himself masturbating in a bathroom like a horny teenager while watching a girl half his age enjoying herself in the pool. 

As he closed the bedroom door behind him, he collided into you. 

“Oh I’m so sorry, Mr. Stark! I–I mean Tony.” you steadied yourself against his arm, before letting out a nervous chuckle. 

“No harm done. Drink responsibly, kid.” he jested, his previous state of embarrassment washing over him once more as his eyes drank in your form. Still wet from the pool, now a white towel covered your shoulders, small droplets inching their way down the silky smooth skin between your breasts…

“Dad said you’re staying for dinner?”  

He cleared his throat and frowned at your question. 

“Didn’t know I was. But I guess it’s difficult to turn Carl down once he’s exceeded his whiskey limit so I guess I’ll see you.” He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. 

You said your goodbyes and he excused himself to go downstairs, not before seeing you head to your room which happened to be right next to where he’d just come out of.

All through dinner, you could sense simmering tension between the two of you, or maybe you were just imagining it. He didn’t engage in much of a conversation with you, in fact he avoided eye contact for the most part but on a couple of occasions, you found his eyes on you, darting away quickly whenever you caught him.

“You should see Y/N’s work, Tony. She is incredibly talented.” your father bragged, giving you a proud smile. 

“Dad, stop! I don’t think Tony I mean, Mr. Stark’s interested in tha–”

“No. I’d love to see it actually. In fact I have an interview lined up with a magazine soon, I could recommend her if she’s interested.” Tony looked up at you expectantly, completely catching you off guard. 

“Really? I–I would love to! Wow! Thank you so much.” 

Your surprised expression made him smile before your Dad thanked him for giving you the opportunity. Your mother remained quiet as the conversation unfolded, eyeing you two with quiet suspicion. 

“Anyone up for a night cap?”

When Tony politely declined your father’s offer, you took the chance to invite him to your little home studio you had set up down in the basement. Your obsession with photography began in school when you were still living here, and with your Dad’s help, this room had quickly turned into a space where you would spend most of your teenage years.

Switching the light on, you gestured to the room where you had hung several of your previous works of photography up on the walls, a working station that housed all the chemicals that you used to develop them, especially ones with your old film camera that you still used. 

The walls are adorned with pictures you had taken over the years, some black and white portraits of your friends, a few candids of your father and a few others he didn’t recognise. 

“I didn’t know they still used these.” Tony murmured as he looked around, quite impressed with your work. All of the pictures you had up there had managed to capture raw emotion in them, something spontaneous and genuine about the expressions. 

“They probably don’t, but I do. My grandfather gifted me my first camera, I still use it to this day. I can’t ever think of giving it away. I don’t know, I still prefer the old school method of developing, I find it quite charming.” you explained, following him as he stopped to admire more of your photos. 

A faint smile played on your lips as you observed Tony walk around your space, his eyes trained on pictures in front of him, each one evoking a reaction from him as if he could read the true intent hidden behind them. 

You couldn’t pinpoint if it was the lighting in the room that made him look extra handsome or just his general charisma but you grabbed your old camera quietly and decided to photograph him. 

“This is very impressive work, Y/N. Truly, you are a talented indeed, I think–”

He saw a flash that cut him mid-sentence, taking him by surprise as he realized you had taken a picture of him. 

“Sorry. I had to. It’s a good one. Here.” you showed him what you’d captured, standing a little too close for him where he could breathe in the smell of your citrusy shampoo or was it berries? He wasn’t sure. It was enticing enough to become a fast favourite of his. 

Tony didn’t need to see the picture before decided he was going to have you as his photographer for the interview he had. Inhaling your scent, he brushed your hair aside with his fingers, making you look up at him, your heart racing at the simple gesture. 

“You’re hired.” he murmured, his brown eyes glancing at your lips, allowing himself to move just a little closer. You could smell his cologne mixed with a touch of whiskey from earlier, his warm breath unsteady against your own. 

You didn’t know what came over you, but you reached up to press your lips to his very lightly, almost apprehensive about your actions. It ended too quickly as realization of the moment washed over you and you stepped away. 

“I–I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.” 

You sprinted back upstairs without as much as a second glance at the man you left in your basement, feeling his lips that still lingered with your touch, with a mind that contemplated the moment that passed, rethinking if it did or it was all in his head. 

You had kissed him, and Tony’s uncertainties regarding that magnetic pull he felt towards you slowly dissolved into a desire for more. 

That night you lay awake in bed, replaying everything that happened throughout the day. All stray thoughts eventually led to the same thing.

You had kissed Tony Stark. Not an accident.

It was because you wanted to. It was an impulse you couldn’t shake off. Like you had to kiss him, your body was naturally drawn to the man who was twice your age, possibly older. A part of you was sure he had wanted you to do it, while the other part worried how inappropriate it must’ve been.

What if you’d screwed up your chance of that assignment he had offered? Surely he would have thought you had crossed a line? Oh God, what if he was married? As far as you remembered he wasn’t wearing a ring, or was he? It seemed like such a blur now. 

Covering your face with your hands, you groaned loudly before turning to your side, willing yourself to fall asleep. There was a familiar ding of a text message on your phone, when you opened it, it wasn’t from a number you recognized. But upon seeing the name of the sender, a smile made its way on your face. 

Come by Stark tower tomorrow to discuss the details of the photoshoot. And perhaps stay for a drink later? - T.S

[aparttimewriter]

STARSTRUCK: part fifteen

charles leclerc x singer reader x lando norris

summary: y/n had made her choice, but can lando handle the choice she has made

📍 Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, charles_leclerc, y/nsister and 876,567 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yoursuername: mum i brought a f1 driver home x

view all 23,678 comments

oscarpiastri: charles thoughts on the bunnings snag ??

—yourusername: he was very confused

teamleclerc: ahhh he has now met y/n family !!

y/nstans: really believing those proposal rumours now

ferrarileclerc: why does melbourne look so good on him

y/nsister: i’m traumatised thinking about dad attempting to speak french to @charlesleclerc

—yourusername: ahhh please don’t remind me 🫣

charles_leclerc: g’day mate

yourusername added to their story

viewed by landonorris and 22,455 others

yourusername

liked by reneerapp, lilymhe, charles_leclerc and 954,677 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yoursuername: the day i said yes to being yours for the rest of our lives

view all 40,678 comments

charles_leclerc: ❤️❤️❤️

reneerapp: stop I’m ugly crying right now !!

y/nsister: the most perfect couple i have seen

lilymhe: i’m so happy for both of you 🥺

scuderiaferrari: congratulations to charles and y/n on their engagement

arthur_leclerc: can’t wait to have you as my sister in law

teamleclerc: he really did it ! my heart can’t cope

y/nfangirls: she’s finally found the one

yourusername added to their story

viewed by 32,567 others

liked by francisca.cgomes, lilymhe, y/nsister and 934,677 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, lilymhe, francisca.cgomes

yourusername: sending my love to all of my beautiful friends and family, that came to celebrate our engagement

lilymhe: can’t get over how gorgeous how beautiful you looked

y/nsister: can confirm @charles_leclerc can party, see proof on third slide

tifosileclerc: still can’t believe that they are going to get married !!

francisca.cgomes: my two gorgeous girls xx

—yourusername: love you x

norrispapaya: has anyone seen any photos of lando ?? did he get invited

—mclarenboys: so many drivers were photographed at the party, except lando

author note: hey guys!! so all my lando girls i promise i am working on a lando fic for you all xx

tagged list: @urfavnoirette @formulaal @maplesyrupsainz @celestialend @janeholt3 @starz4me1 @landossainz @k4marina @partyinpitlane @nessacarty1 @ssprayberrythings @1655clean @belennasif f @basicchelsea @eviethetheatrefreak @champagneproblems17 @noneofyourfbusinessworld

[thatgaeilgeoirhag]

I'm so alone without you (angst)

Tate Langdon x Reader

Summary: You visit the murder house after Tate's death. Inspired by the song "A House in Nebraska" by Ethel Cain.

Warnings: mentions of death, school shootings and suggested suicide. It's insinuated that Tate and the reader have slept together. No mentions of the reader's gender. No use of y/n.

a/n: this is the first fic that I've ever posted, and I doubt anyone will read this but I had this idea and wanted to write it. any writing advice would be greatly appreciated.

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

There was a chill in the air. Just like the day you first met Tate Langdon, and just like that day in the cemetery with his family. No one came to the funeral except his remaining family, his mother, his sister, and you. Hey, who would show up to the funeral of a guy that shot up a school? Your parents didn't want you to go but you needed to. You needed to grieve the boy you knew, and not that monster that the world now knows him as.

So now, you found yourself outside the gate of his house, where you forged your most precious memories with Tate. You pushed the gate and it made that sharp sound it always had. Your feet treaded the path you walked so many times, up the steps and stopped at the front door. You still had the key Tate had made for you so you could come over as you pleased, now you just hoped that the locks weren't changed when Constance and Addie moved out. You inserted the key into the door and miraculously you heard a click. The door swung open. You hesitated. Was this a good idea?

You took a deep breath and stepped inside. You walked the halls of the house and up the stairs, your feet automatically brought you to what was once Tate's room. Now however, the room is empty. All traces of his gone. No furniture, no posters, nothing. Not even the smell of him remained. You sat against the wall in the space where Tate's bed used to be The bed where he made you his, back in a time where it was you two against the world. When the two of you had nothing except each other He was your home.

You shuffled on the floor into a more comfortable position. "Tate?" you whispered under your breath, "wherever you are, I miss you". The room remained still. "The last time I was here I had just had another fight with Dad. I cried so hard 'cause he didn't even try understand my point of view. I had come here because you were the only one who always understood me. And after I cried in your arms you cracked some stupid joke to make me laugh, and I did, like I always did." You exhaled and leaned your head back against the wall.

"You know, your Mom calls me sometimes to see how I'm doing. I lie. I tell her I'm fine like I tell everyone when they ask me that. What no one knows, is that I'd kill myself just to hold you one more time. Or even just touch your skin or run my fingers through your hair. It hurts to miss you 'cause of what you did. The guilt I feel for not knowing you would do such a thing and try to stop you-" you began to choke on your words as you noticed the tears streaming down your face now.

"Your the only person I could ever talk to about how I really feel. I was never scared to tell you that I hurt. Now, all I can do now is look at old photographs and talk to myself in your old house like an idiot." You stood up suddenly. "This is stupid."

You stormed out of the room, but just as you stepped into the hallway you heard an all too familiar voice behind you. "Don't go." You stopped in your tracks. There's no way. You slowly turned around, afraid of what you might see, or maybe even worse, what you don't see.

There, in the center of the room, stood Tate. Without thinking, you sped into his arms. "Am I dead?" you muttered under your breath. "No, your alive alright" Tate whispered into your ear with a chuckle. You removed your head from his chest and looked up to his face, the face you were sure you'd only ever see again in photographs. "Then how are you here?" you were careful not to let go of him, who knows how long you would be able to do this, "Tate, your dead." You were confused, and rightfully so.

"Yeah, I am" he said softly. There was a moment of silence which was then broken by a harsh smack. Tate raised his hand from your waist to his cheek. "Dude! What was that for?" he snapped. "What was that for?" you scoffed, your body became tense "Tate you killed people! You could have talked to me but you decided it was a better idea to set a man on fire and bring a gun to school? What the actual fuck was wrong with you?" You shook Tate's hand off of you and took a step back, flailing your arms at him in anger. The shocked, hurt expression on his face disappeared. His eyes became red and his lips rested into a soft frown. No words left his mouth. The air became thick and heavy as you continued to stare him down, angry and hurt.

The anger dissipated and your body loosens. "You hurt people, Tate" your words were no longer full of anger, they were full of pain, "you hurt me, you left me alone." You took another step away from him. Tate took a step closer to you, "I-" he exhaled helplessly "I'm sorry, I know that doesn't erase the things I did."

You finally turned around to leave, "maybe you could visit me from time to time?" Tate pleaded, "it gets lonely here, we could pretend nothing happened if you want to." You stood there, hesitating. You could never forgive him, but just minutes ago you begged to be with him again, to talk to him, to hold him.

Without a word, you fled the house, leaving Tate there in his empty room.

[agendabymooner]

ditty and estie greet the world || eo31 scenario

dad!esteban ocon x mom!ofc (british royal!ofc) ft. ocon!baby

POTENTIAL EXTENSION TO THE ROYAL RESEMBLANCE (SMAU)

Summary: Diana ‘Ditty’ Ocon made her presence known to the formula one world as a two year old during the FIA prize giving ceremony. Her sweetness, however, was what encouraged her parents Albertine and Esteban to show the world her capabilities as a shy toddler. 

Content warning: dad!Esteban content 😚, fluff, based on an idea I brought up to a moot, shitty French translation, Lissie Mackintosh segment, shy toddler being cheered on, OFC and baby resembles Princess Diana

Note: Having an Oscar Piastri brain rot atm but I need to get wholesome dad!F1 driver out of my system. I’m currently restraining my brain from writing more smut rn.

My friend would’ve gotten twenty dollars from me if Ferrari won this race but noooo they didn’t soooo. Enjoy xx

a - n masterlist

o - z masterlist

“Tu es très jolie, Ditty ! Maman t'a-t-elle habillée?” You look very pretty, Ditty! Did Mummy dress you up? 

“Mummy m'habille!” Mummy dress me! The little girl who sat on the Alpine driver’s lap grinned toothily at her father, babbling at her parents as she continued to speak, “Papa, rentre bientôt chez toi?” Go home soon? 

“Darling,” Albie laughed heartily, “Nous venons de quitter l'hôtel!” We just left the hotel.

“But go home soon?” Diana Marie-François Elisabeth Ocon-Khelfane, or Ditty to most, was a delightful little girl. Her great uncle Charles Spencer recalled his eldest sister’s childhood photos and how much resemblance did Ditty have to Princess Diana. Everyone in Esteban and Albertine’s family knew that, much like Albie, Ditty was a carbon copy of Diana Spencer.

Though if you were to ask anyone, Ditty was more like Diana than Albie was. Ditty was more reserved and shy— she had gotten her personality from Esteban, who often took a while to get used to new people before warming up to them. It was no wonder why Estie and Ditty made the bestest of friends— they liked to attach themselves to each other AND to Albie. 

“We’re not going home soon, pretty,” Albie told Ditty gently, fixing her daughter’s bow as the girl continued to look up with the brightest blue eyes to have ever existed. Her eyes, no matter how bright, were shaped like her father’s— so no one could really oppose and say that she wasn’t her father’s daughter. “Papa’s going to get his award soon, no? We’ll be there for Papa, Ditty.” 

“A- ‘wawd?” Ditty’s brows furrowed a little as she looked up at Estie with a puzzled look. “What is ‘ward?” 

“C'est quand vous avez fait quelque chose de vraiment, vraiment bien et que vous en obtenez quelque chose de bon,” It’s when you do something really really good that you get something good out of it. Esteban explained to Ditty with a grin. 

“Like you eating your veggies,” Estie continued. “What does Mummy give you?”

“Pain au choc’lat?” 

“Oui, mon bebe,” Estie nodded. “Except Papa’s getting something else. Not pain au chocolat!” 

Apparently, it was going to be a struggle— getting Ditty to socialize with everyone around them. It took Albie a while to unattach the toddler in her arms. 

Only for the girl to cling to Esteban as she hid her face away from the press and other people. She kept her hands wrapped around Estie’s neck as her blonde hair appeared in the pictures, journalists and photographers asking Estie and Albie to pose for the cameras. They didn’t relent, allowing Ditty to hide her little cherub face away for a brief moment as the couple waved and smiled. 

Albie, realizing that she had the little mouse plush on her hand (one that Ditty called ‘Cheese’), put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder gently and caught the toddler’s attention. “Want your friend Cheese, Dit?” 

Ditty lifted her face off her dad’s shoulder for a brief moment and nodded, “Mewci, Mummy,” before hiding away again. 

Estie and Albie exchanged looks and chuckled, amused at their daughter’s demeanour. 

“Ditty, bebe,” Estie told the girl, “Cheese wants to say hi to everyone. You want to wave too?” 

“Oh, I want to say hi, indeed, Papa!” Albie mimicked a different voice, as if she was pretending to be Cheese. “Pouvons-nous dire bonjour ensemble, Ditty?” Can we please say hi together, Ditty?

“See? He wants to wave— show him, like this—“ Estie smiled at the cameras and waved. Albie followed along, cameras flashing as they smiled. 

Slowly but surely, Ditty’s hand began to wave. She hadn’t realized that Cheese was on her hand, but she was doing what her Mummy and Papa were doing. That was enough for her. 

And when they reached the F1 host for the red carpet, Ditty went back to hiding. This time, she clutched Cheese in her hand as Esteban got interviewed by Lissie Mackintosh. 

“This is actually amazing— seeing you in P3 in the championship’s. I’m quite happy to see you become successful this season,” Lissie complimented Esteban. “Are you looking forward to the next one? Do you know what your next steps are?”

“I— I’m actually really excited for the next season,” Esteban grinned, not even aware that he’s carrying her daughter in his arms as he continued to answer. “With how things went with the car and successful communication between my team and I, I thought that it gave me more confidence to move on with the next season. And even if there will be a struggle, I know that we’ll be able to sort it out.”

“I like that,” Lissie nodded before she noticed the girl hiding away in Esteban’s arms. The host continued to ask regardless, “But for now you’re just here to celebrate your successes and you’ll be getting your prize for the P3. And I can tell that you’re here with your family too! How amazing is that!” 

“—Mrs. Albertine Ocon, it’s very nice to see you,” Lissie continued as the royal princess smiled and greeted back. “It’s been quite a handful this season, huh? I’m very glad to see you back in the Formula One celebrations and events— we’ve missed your presence in the paddock.”

“Ah yes,” the British princess chuckled, “just because I was gone for a while it didn’t mean I wasn’t doing anything.” 

“We all know that,” Lissie rolled her eyes playfully. “You probably had been working harder than your husband in here!”

“Hey!” Esteban laughed alongside the two women before he nodded in agreement, “Well, I can’t really deny that! This little darling right here was a hard work made by Albie and me but… Albie’s done more to help her grow, you know?”

Speaking of the devil…

Ditty Ocon finally grew tired of hiding away as she lifted her head and looked in front of her, cowering under the watchful eyes and camera pointed at her and her family before she hid again.

Esteban chuckled and reassured, “No, no, it’s okay, bebe! Just wave! Like we did!” 

Ditty, feeling a bit hesitant, waved lightly and continued to clutch Cheese the mouse in her hand.

“You look absolutely beautiful!” Lissie complimented the girl with a grin, trying to be as chill to allow the girl to grow comfortable with her. “Can you tell us what your name is?” 

Ditty looked at her parents as she hid her face from everyone, earning soft chuckles and a series of ‘awww’ from her surroundings.

Everyone already knew that she was Princess Diana in the making with the shyness that she showed everyone. 

But Esteban and Albertine Ocon weren’t about to let her meekness get in the way of her opportunity to be friendly to others. 

Esteban started, “It’s okay if you want to speak French, mon ange.”

He looked back at Lissie, “She prefers talking to people in French first before English.”

“Ah,” Lissie nodded.

“It’s okay, darling,” Albie cooed quietly, tucking the girl’s hair behind her ears as the princess continued, “they're nice people. We talk to them.” 

“Can you say… ‘je’…” Esteban instructed his daughter.

Ditty, with all her capabilities at the moment, had mumbled to the microphone, “Je…”

“Suis…” 

“Su’…”

“…Ditty.”

“…D—tty,” the girl mumbled with lack of confidence.

“Je suis Ditty!” Esteban repeated with a grin, his smile infecting the girl as she enthusiastically repeated this time with, “Je suis Di-tty!” I am Ditty! 

Rounds of applause were heard and given as they applauded the girl’s words. Estie and Albie both grinned as they praised Ditty.

“Good job, my girl!” Albie exclaimed with a wide, supportive smile. 

“Très bon, bébé!” Very good, baby! Estie hyped up Ditty as he clapped his hands. 

Ditty looked around her and grinned, her little hands now clapping as she clapped for herself.

Yeah… she could get used to this. Maybe her meekness will grow and she’ll become a confident girl like her mother and grandmother were.

All she needed was to be provided with endless support. This was what Esteban and Albertine Ocon were here for.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮

(What’s the limit lol)

Okay so this is an ask for 270 sentences! I LOVE the enthusiasm. I will do 270 or 1k words. Whatever comes first haha.

---

“That doesn’t mean you have to,” Eddie says. “We could be sick.”

“All of us?”

Eddie nods. “Yeah, I think my throat tingles. Your sister is pregnant. Wouldn’t wanna risk it.”

Buck smiles. “I love you.”

Eddie winks. 

“But I don’t want to leave Maddie on her own either,” Buck says. 

Eddie nods. “I get that. And, hey, I’m there to back you up. A hundred percent, okay?”

Buck leans forward to kiss his head.

 “You’re the best. You know that right?”

Eddie smiles warmly. 

“Just for you.”

ii.

The energy is weird even before Buck’s parents arrive. Maybe it’s just nerves. But if that was the case, then wouldn’t it be Maddie and Buck acting most strangely? Except, it’s not. It’s Chim behaving the most erratically. And, sure. Buck can empathize with the fact that he’s about to meet the estranged parents of not only the woman he loves, but the woman he got pregnant rather unexpectedly. Buck has never been in that position, but he assumes it isn’t super easy. But, the weird part is, he’s mostly being iffy around Buck. 

Buck isn’t sure why. He hasn’t said anything to Chim. He hasn’t said anything at all, really. The four of them have shown up, with lots of homemade dishes Buck made in an anxiety spiral, and Eddie has mostly done the conversing for Buck. Usually, Buck is the chatty one between the two of them, but Eddie can sure turn it on when he needs to. Still, Buck gets the weird sense Chim is avoiding him. If he’s in the kitchen, Chim is in the living room. And vice versa. For a small apartment, they almost never cross paths. 

“Did I do something?” He asks Maddie at one point. “He’s being weird.”

“Did you… No,” Maddie shakes her head. “No, you haven’t done anything, Evan. He’s just nervous.”

Nervous. RIght. Fine. 

Not every bad mood or upset is about you or your fault, he can hear Dr. Copeland saying. And it’s always been good advice in the past. So he’ll try to take it now. 

It hardly matters. Before he can dwell too much more on it, his parents arrive. 

Maddie gets a warm, effervescent greeting from them both. Presents. Hugs. Giddy joy at the prospect of their impending grandparenthood. They’re happy to meet Chim. They’re happy to be in Los Angeles. Happy to be reunited with their daughter. 

Buck doesn’t get the same. 

“Evan,” his mother says. It’s like someone turned the thermostat way down on her voice. 

“Hey,” he replies uncomfortably.

It’s the first time they’ve seen him in eight years, beyond photographs. They can’t even crack a believable smile?

“You look… You look different, son,” his father says. 

Different. Buck looks down at his prosthetic left foot. Covered by a shoe and pant leg, the whole thing appears normal. That’s not what they’re talking about. The obvious difference. The missing limb. That isn’t the change they mean. He looks at himself a bit more generally, and then at Cranberry sitting in heel quietly. Anxiety twists in his stomach. A lot of things have changed, he guesses. 

The last time they saw him, he was barely more than a kid. Skinny and angry. Crashing his bike. It’s been so long. He’ll be thirty soon. He bulked up for the job. Spent a summer waiting for Abby obsessing about his physique when he had nothing else to do. Then he lost his damn leg, and… Well, he hasn’t stayed in the same shape. He’s not in bad shape. Not at all. But he’s softer, maybe? He no longer needs to be in the same working condition, and it’s not like he could hit the gym the same way during Covid, and he’s in a new relationship where he’s comfortable and secure and…

And he’s suddenly feeling very insecure about himself. 

“Uh, well…” Buck trails off. “It’s been a while.”

“It has,” his mother replies coolly. 

“Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Eddie,” Buck says, motioning towards where Eddie and Chris are standing. “And Eddie’s son, Christopher.”

Margaret and Phillip give each other a quick look before looking at Eddie and Chris. 

“Nice to meet you both,” Phillip replies.

Eddie steps forward to shake their hands, and after a brief, awkward little meeting, they move on to Albert. Fine. Good. Whatever. Would it have been nice if they showed a little enthusiasm or interest in his partner and sort-of stepchild? Like, yes. But Buck supposes they don’t know the extent of the relationship. 

Everything is fine - albeit awkward - until they sit down to eat. Meaning, everything is fine until Buck’s mother finds a way to target him. Some things never change. 

There aren’t enough seats for all eight of them at the kitchen table, so they eat around the living room. Buck pulls one of the kitchen chairs into the space for himself, and when he takes a seat, Cranberry tucks herself under him. 

“Oh, Evan,” his mother says. “Why don’t you put the dog away while we eat?”

Buck blinks. “Oh. Uh, she usually stays with me.”

“Well, it’s sort of unsanitary, don’t you think?” Margaret asks. “Having a dog around the food?”

“She’s not going to touch the food, Mom,” Buck assures her. “She’s trained.”

“Don’t worry about Cranberry, Mom,” Maddie says. “She’s really good.”

“Well, I don’t see why we can’t put the dog away for one meal,” Margaret presses. “I mean, should dogs be around pregnant people? Their noses and paws are everywhere and this is not a clean city.”

“Cranberry is a service dog,” Christopher says. His little voice is staunch. 

Everyone turns their heads to look at him. 

“She’s working,” he continues. “She needs to be near Buck.”

“Chris, it’s okay,” Buck says. 

“No,” Eddie shakes his head. “Chris is right. Cranberry is working.”

“A service dog,” Phillip says. “I thought those were for blind people.”

“Those are seeing eye dogs,” Chimney corrects.

[inkspottie]

Same anon who asked for takahides lore + has a sliiight hyperfix on him

Does he have any background lore? Like his family, where he's from, stuff like that?

He does!

He’s gay, loves animals, has a photographic memory. Rambles when he’s nervous and is a fun fact sort of guy. Always has some sort of trivia because of his memory. Not much of a yapper tho, keeps to himself and only opens up when he’s really really comfortable. A good listener.

He was born in Japan, with two sisters and a brother, he’s the youngest. They moved to America when he was young, but he moved back in his early twenties to reconnect with his family.

He wanted to become a marine biologist but found out he got terribly sea sick and had to change courses (fun fact that’s what happened with my dad lol)

Then his brother got injured and he sort of had a moment where he wanted to try and alleviate his pain. So he went to school and eventually got hired as a geneticist for Urbanshade in the Japanese division.

Only then to be transferred a month before Brahams died and immediately was placed to overlook Sebastian’s project.

[iampowerhungry]

48HC Update!

Don't worry, I'll try keeping things short. So, following ahead from this post. I have managed to manifest all of them with the 3D having no choice but to catch up and reflect my 4D. Don't worry huns, I'll show off some pictures.

I swear to god, I really need to update those circles but they're already so pretty ugh.

Desired Appearance - I actually think I look a lot more like Kang Sujin and Seo Nari combined, my waist is snatched and my skin is clear fr fr. I gained weight as I intended and my stomach feels so tight, abs you know? I love having a toned body oh and bigger cherries, I have to buy some new bra size because the old ones don't fit anymore, fun.

Inhumane / Supernatural Beauty ability ( The biggest Glo - Up ) - Compliments, stares, people having a crush on me, and being everyone's crush.

Becoming the personification of 'The Art of Seduction'- Reading people became a lot easier, and persuading them too, I didn't even need to ask my dad twice to buy me Prada.

Desired weight - Coming close! My ideal weight is 57kg, and I have a bigger appetite.

Martial Arts Expert / Master / Peak Human Reflexes - My stamina is basically unlimited! No more leg pains after leg day.

Grades Revision ( Being highly respected as the top student ) - People always ask me when it comes down to the knowledge of everything, literally.

Enhanced soft skills ability, charisma, leadership, and empathy - I've always had it, and so many more people love me.

Being the Mysterious It Girl + Beauty & Brains - Not a surprise really, someone said reading me is basically like trying to read a new language entirely.

Trophies, Medallions, more gold medals. Specifically Olympics - a lot more competitions! I also won one of my competitions, first place!

SP ( Upcoming success story coming up that's for sure, and love - dovey love story behind that ) - Many of his friends like e, not sure how to take that but I'll take it and many of them ship us still haha. He's coming along soon, don't worry my doves.

Being able to manifest anything instantly through perfect sc (self-concept), literally, I already have perfect sc. - I literally got a smartwatch, Bakugo figurine, and a t-shirt I wanted by affirming once.

All my other notes app desires lmao - I'm very much indifferent to my sps or desired people, to be honest, I'm stuck with myself and I'm happy with that. I have a much closer relationship to my family and desired people.

Photographic Memory - Better memory! Still ongoing since I didn't focus on this too much, honestly I completely forgot about this.

Heal my Keratosis Pilaris ( Clear Perfect Skin) - It's basically clearing up!

That's all! I'm planning to do other challenges soon, I recommend doing this challenge, seriously, it's so good. And let's not forget a happy birthday to my beloved sister! @deusexmachinawitch, and a thank you to @zen-shu for creating this challenge. See you guys!

"Happy Birthday! @deusexmachinawitch"

[chronicangel]

i steal a few breaths from the world for a minute

Link to this fic on AO3. Words: 2487 Date posted: November 11, 2024 Summary:

Dipper loves being a stay-at-home dad. No, seriously, he does. No buts.

I wrote this for @flxnce but I'm sure some of you will like it also.

Dipper loves being a stay-at-home dad. No, seriously, he does. No buts.

He cycled through extremely specific life plans as a teenager the way his sister cycles through sweaters, until he was eventually forced to admit that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Being a professional ghost hunter was unrealistic, and he couldn’t get into the sciences the way Great Uncle Ford did.

That was something he had admired so much about Pacifica. When they started dating, he was finishing up his first year of a photography degree he still had no idea what he was going to do with while she’d had a stable job at Greasy’s for almost five years. And okay, sure, it’s not like food service was exactly her dream, but he admired that she was able to stick with something for so long—something so notoriously difficult.

And now the work that she does is so important, and he’d had to swallow some pride about that for a while, not because his wife shouldn’t do something more important than him or whatever but simply because it was hard to admit that he just didn’t know himself or the world as much as he liked to think that he did.

But then Polaris was born.

Becoming a dad before he was 25 was not exactly on Dipper’s bingo card. Really, he hadn’t thought about whether or not he wanted kids at all before Pacifica told him that she was pregnant, and she seemed so petrified that making sure she felt okay about it was his top priority. What if I’m a terrible mother? What if I’m just like my parents? I don’t know how normal people parent, she’d sobbed, and he can count on one hand the number of times he’s ever seen Pacifica in hysterics—still, even after her pregnancy—but in that moment she was definitely in hysterics.

The terror didn’t really set in for Dipper until the last month or so of her pregnancy—which was, he determined, the worst time for the terror to set in. Pacifica had started maternity leave, and somehow that connected the dots in his brain that one of them was actually going to have to stay home to take care of this kid, and he wasn’t about to ask Pacifica to give up everything. Not when she deserved so much. His work as a photographer was pretty flexible, but babies weren’t, and if he wanted to be a good dad, the baby would have to become his everything.

But that wasn’t a problem. As quickly as it had arrived, the terror dissipated entirely the first time his tiny daughter was placed in his arms, face red and scrunched up with wailing fury that she was forced to exist—which seemed fair, she wasn’t given much choice in the matter.

That was four months ago, and even as he is awake at two in the morning rocking a wailing infant against his chest and trying to get her to just latch onto her damn bottle already (which he might mutter out loud more than once) and he wants a cigarette more than anything, he still doesn’t have a single regret about becoming a stay-at-home parent.

“Kid, you’ve gotta work with me here,” he says, and immediately feels like he’s doing an impression of Grunkle Stan. Putting on a softer, more baby-appropriate voice, he continues, “If you don’t want your bottle and your diaper’s not dirty, why don’t you just go back to sleep? You were sleeping so good a week ago!”

He might be willing to call this karma for telling Mabel that she’s basically sleeping through the night if he believed in that sort of thing.

He trails from her nursery to the living room and sets the bottle down on the side table as he passes it before sinking into the couch. Well, not so much sinks into it as sort of plops down onto it and springs a little bit, since they’d finally been forced to replace that horrible 40-year-old sectional when they had to contemplate the possibility of having a baby around it.

When they’re settled into the couch, he shifts Polaris around a bit so instead of being cradled against his chest she’s sitting up in his lap facing him. She generally likes it better when she can look at whoever is holding her, and like usual, she calms down pretty quickly like this.

As watery as they are and contrasted against the red of her skin, the grey-blue color of Polaris’ eyes stands out even more than usual. Pacifica and Mabel insist that they’ll be brown in the end, but Dipper is pretty sure she got Pacifica’s blue, and the window to prove him wrong is closing.

“There we go,” he says, moving the hand that’s not bracing her back to wipe at the tears still clinging to her cheeks. “Happy now?”

She hasn’t quite started babbling yet, so she just stares back at him, which is actually fine. After fifteen straight minutes of screaming, he’s happy to sit in the quiet for a little while. That is, until he hears the door opening and keys jingling as they drop into the little dish next to the door from the back porch. “Mom’s home,” he says, but makes no effort to get up just yet.

Pacifica was supposed to be home two hours ago, but this is so far from the first time that she’s had to stay late at the hospital for some reason or other that he barely even keeps track of when she’s supposed to be home anymore. Who would have guessed that in addition to working twice as hard as doctors, nurses have to stay late twice as often?

It’s a long minute before she trails into the living room, but just when he’s about to stand up and go look for her, she walks into the room with the breast pump in one hand and a soda in the other, except the soda quickly gets dropped to the floor as she yelps in surprise, evidently startled to see him. “Jesus Christ, Dipper, it’s two in the morning. Were you just sitting here waiting for me in the dark? Creep.”

He can’t help but snort a laugh at her outrage, and he holds Polaris up over his head where she can see her. “I wish I was just being a creep. We’re on a sleep strike.”

As she stoops over to pick up the can, at least half of the contents of which have already poured all over the wood floor, she replies, “Oh, yeah? What are we striking?” An amused tone has at least managed to bleed into her voice.

“Dunno yet. Think it might still be existing.” By the time she straightens back up, he’s standing in front of her, but she’s used to this enough not to startle a second time. “Let me get you a new one of those,” he says, plucking the half-empty can out of her hand without waiting for a reply.

By the time he’s back with a can of Mountain Don’t Aught and a small handful of paper towels, she’s stolen his spot on the couch and hooked up the breast pump so it’s making its awful mechanical sucking noises—he can’t really describe it.

When the mess is cleaned up, he wads up the paper towels and tosses them into the little trashcan in the living room (because when you have a baby, there’s a little trashcan in every room, although he’s not sure how this system will hold up when she can move). “How was work?”

She groans. “How was baby duty?”

He groans back. He leans down to set Polaris on the floor for impromptu tummy time. If you’re not going to sleep then you can work, he thinks, and now he really feels like Grunkle Stan. While he looks around for a toy (literally any toy, she’s not old enough to have favorites yet) to set in front of her, he adds, “She didn’t spit up at all today, at least.”

“That’s progress!” Pacifica says. Then, when he sits on the couch next to her, she adds, “You have drool on your shirt, though.”

“What—Ugh!” Normally just drool isn’t enough to get him to take a shirt off, but he’s been wearing this one for two days anyway. Well, he thinks it’s been two days… At least two days. Pacifica checks him out appreciatively, and he rolls his eyes. “You know, you’ve seen me shirtless like a million times by now.”

“You’ve seen me shirtless like a million times by now and you still stare.”

“I’m not staring right now,” he points out, gesturing with his hand at the pump that barely obscures her bare boob.

“I know. I feel like a cow,” she whines, and he can’t help but laugh even though he knows the complaint is at least half-real.

Despite the glamorized image painted by movies and TV and Pacifica’s own social media profiles, motherhood has not been an endlessly joyful experience for Pacifica. When she’s not lamenting the baby fat she still hasn’t lost or the fact that their daughter seems to think of her primarily as a food factory, she’s wallowing in guilt and shame about the fact that she works more often than she’s home. And what is he supposed to say to that, when he’s at home with their daughter almost 24/7 and he’s her favorite person in the world save perhaps Mabel?

While he mulls that question over, Polaris rolls over onto her back to escape the dreaded tummy time, which she’s been doing a lot since she learned how to. He fixes her onto her stomach again and then finally says, “Mabel says that she’s gonna try to come down for another visit next week. I guess it’s already spring break.”

“It is so not fair that she gets a spring break when she has no kids and she loves her job more than anything while I haven’t had a day off in ten days.”

Dipper purses his lips, once again unsure of what to say. Is he supposed to point out that Mabel’s job isn’t all sunshine and rainbows either, and that she just radiates positivity because she’s Like That, capital L capital T? Or should he try suggesting that she take a sick day when she’s basically the sole breadwinner in their household and she knows it?

The breast pump turns off, and she sags against him without any warning and without fixing her shirt. He fixes it for her and then runs a hand up against the back of her neck, tucking her head under his chin. “I’m just tired, Dipper. And it’s like, it never stops, and I just want a second to breathe,” she murmurs, and her voice sounds tight. He squeezes her a little tighter.

“I know, Paz,” he mumbles against the top of her head, ghosting a kiss against her hair. “I wish I could do anything to make it better. I feel useless.”

“You’re not useless,” she says, but it sounds more begrudging than reassuring. Wait, is he doing that thing again where she complains about something and then he makes it about him? Mabel’s told him that he does that sometimes, but he was just trying to—“Hey, quit spiraling up there.”

He huffs a laugh, looking down to make eye contact where she’s peeled herself away just enough to look up at him. She’s got a little smile, though. A tiny one, but he’ll take what he can get. “Sorry, sorry. You’ve got the stage here. Vent away.”

It doesn’t take long for that little smile to crumble away, and his heart squeezes painfully. Her eyes slide away from him and toward Polaris, who has rolled onto her back again. Well, I’m not getting up right now, so I guess she can just stay that way, he thinks.

“It just feels like I’m being torn in two different directions. Like, on the one hand, I like working. Which is weird, because I never had to work for anything growing up, but the fact that I can and that I’m good at it feels so nice. But on the other hand, it’s like I’m missing everything. Is she even gonna know who I am in a year? And then it’s like… does what I’m doing even matter?”

“Okay, well, first of all, you’re not that good at it,” he teases, and she snorts and jabs a finger against his ribs. “Ah! Hey! You laughed, you’re not allowed to be mad! Those are the rules!” He grabs her wrist to stop another jab, and then it’s kind of a wrestling match. When she finally settles back into his chest, he presses another kiss against the top of her head and continues, “Of course what you’re doing matters. It matters more than anything. Almost anything,” he amends when she glares and gestures with a hand at their drooling infant. “But seriously, Pacifica, the whole hospital isn’t gonna topple down without you. You’re doing things that are important, but it’s okay to need a break. It’s okay to take a break.”

She lays there in silence for a minute, and he can practically hear the gears turning in her head. Before she can answer him, though, Polaris finally seems to realize that she’s been laying on the floor without attention for a while and starts fussing again, and he carefully peels himself away from his wife to pick her up before it can become a real cry. He doesn’t even pull a face anymore when drool smears against his bare chest. He just holds her tight while he leans over to press a third kiss against the top of Pacifica’s head and then says, “Okay, you know what we’re going to do?”

“What?” She says, already sounding skeptical.

“You are gonna go take a shower and lay down before your shift in seven hours. I am gonna try to feed this little bear her bottle again and get her back to sleep. And if you’re still awake when I manage to do that, then I’m gonna give you a manicure. How does that sound?”

She sighs and sinks a little further against the couch. “Perfect.” Then, after a second of consideration, she amends, “Almost perfect. I want a cigarette.”

He laughs. “Christ, yeah. These all-nighters were so much easier to pull when I was smoking,” he agrees, and then holds a hand out to help pull her to her feet, leaning down to meet her in the middle for a kiss. When he pulls away with a grin, he murmurs, “You’re doing a great job.”

She takes in a sharp breath. “Yeah. I know,” she says, which he knows means Thanks.

[angelsanarchy]

Alkaline: Euronymous x Y/N Series CH 15

Tagging: @ophelialaufey@madamemaximoff06@forever-not-gonna-sink@ajmiila02@liquidsmoothdomme@shady-the-simp @auggiethecreator @tempt-ress @blacksoul-27

Oystein had finally made it home for the holidays. He promised his mom he would stay the week but all he wanted to do was sleep. They had finally gotten the album out and actually making some money back after a year and a half of dedication. They had already started working on what comes next but going into the next year, Oystein wanted to take things to the extreme.

"Honey, please don't fall asleep yet. I have groceries coming and I don't think your dad will be back in time to help." He wasn't asleep yet but the TV wasn't helping.

"The TV is nauseating. There's nothing on it." He complained switching the channels.

"You look exhausted honey. You need a vacation away from here." Oystein rolled his eyes.

"This is my vacation Mom." He could see the concern on her face but she kissed his head gently as he continued to loaf across the couch. The doorbell rang just as he was starting to get comfortable and he let out a sigh.

"Can you get that please?" Oystein held his hand up at his mom who popped her head back out the kitchen as he walked to the door.

"Hey man-" Oystein opened the door expecting anyone but her but there she was, Y/n standing there looking completely different from the last time he saw her.

"Um...your mom has a pretty big order..." Y/n gestured over her shoulder and Oystein followed her down the steps quietly stunned. They hadn't spoken in two years and Oystein couldn't even remember the last time he saw her. He decided the night she told him to fuck off that he would throw his every thought into their album. He wasn't going to let her ruin what he was building. He had a brief stint with a photographer who took shots for the album cover but once that dwindled out, he decided no more fucking around until they had reached the pinnacle of what they were creating, what he was cultivating.

"I'm sorry if this is awkward, I honestly didn't know you had come home." Y/n said honestly.

"I'm visiting on holiday. I promised I would come home after we finished the album but never made it so this is me making up for it." Oystein explained grabbing bags from the back.

"I'm sure they loved that. Your dad hasn't stopped bragging about you whenever I bring groceries." Y/n smiled and it made Oystein's chest hurt.

"You changed your hair." He blurted making her laugh.

"I did. It was starting to get too long so-"

"It looks good." Oystein added. She reached out and touched the top of his making him freeze.

"Your roots could use a touch up. Your evil is bleeding out." Y/n joked. He wanted to laugh but the last time they spoke, she was shitting on his image. She had no idea who he was now.

"I've been a bit busy." Oystein tossed more of the groceries at the bottom of the steps and Y/n nodded realizing he apparently didn't appreciate the joke.

"That's what I hear. Congratulations on the album. Your sister actually gifted it to me for Christmas." Oystein didn't know why he felt self conscious that she actually owned a copy of their record but he tried not to let it show.

"I'm sure it's getting a lot of use in a drawer somewhere." He grabbed the last of the groceries and started to walk away.

"It's not...and it's really good. I don't understand most of it but it's good Oystein." He finally looked at her face and she held a sincere gaze as she complimented him, almost like she was proud of him.

"Well I guess we didn't need a list of backup singers after all considering Pelle is still alive and kicking." Oystein shot watching her face fall.

"Tell your mom I said happy holiday." She turned her back on him and started down the driveway to the car but he followed.

"You know you should consider growing up and finding a legitimate job. I mean I thought you would have moved on by now but here you are still slinging groceries." Y/n laughed out loud at Oystein's bitter jab at her employment again.

"What? You don't want to talk about how much of a poser I am? Or how I don't give a shit about my band? You've got nothing to say now?" He pressed continuing to follow her as she slammed her trunk shut.

"I'm not going to fight you Euronymous. It would be a waste of both our times. The only thing you're doing now is revealing how absolutely full of shit you are still. I can see you haven't changed one bit." She got into her car and he felt his blood boiling. He wanted to fight. He wanted to get under her skin. Anything just to keep her talking to him. Before he could say anything else, she was backing out of the driveway as his dad was pulling in. He gave her a wave before parking in front of Oystein who was clenching his fists, stalking back to the groceries at the bottom of the steps to drag inside.

"Blast from the past! I bet you and Y/n had a lot to catch up on." His dad clearly didn't realize they were no longer on speaking terms.

"Hardly. Honestly I thought she would have gotten a real job by now. It's pretty pathetic to still be delivering groceries at her age." Oystein's dad halted his son with a firm grip.

"Oystein...you didn't say that to her did you? That is incredibly inappropriate and hurtful. She works really hard to support her family, especially after what happened with her mother." Oystein had no idea what his dad was talking about but he was actually upset with him.

"What happened to her mom?" He asked curiously.

"She had a psychotic breakdown. Tried to kill herself in front of the kids. Her dad had to have her committed just to be able to care for her. Y/n has to work like she does to take care of her brothers. I think even one of her brothers has the same problems her mother has. It's incredibly sad." Oystein couldn't lie. He felt like a dick for saying what he said but there was nothing he could do about it.

They were just two different people who couldn't make it work. It was bittersweet but not surprising. He couldn't let her take him back to where he was then. He had to stay focused on keeping the image that he worked so hard for.

[francesderwent]

what is stranger things saying about the dichotomy of ordinary versus strange? it’s more complicated than you think

1x01 Hopper tries to tell Joyce that Will is probably with Lonnie, saying, "99 out of 100 times, kid goes missing, the kid is with a parent or relative." She answers, "What about the other time? You said 99 out of 100. What about the other time, the one?" Over the course of the season, her willingness to entertain unlikely options is proven correct (pro-strange)

1x02 In a flashback, Lonnie skips out on a baseball game with Will and Jonathan tells Will, “He's trying to force you to like normal things. And you shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to. Okay? Especially not him.” (pro-strange)

1x04 Jonathan tells Nancy why he does photography: "I guess I'd rather observe people than, you know..." "Talk to them," she finishes. "I know, it's weird," he says. "No," she says. "No, it is. It's just, sometimes, people don't really say what they're really thinking. But you capture the right moment, it says more." (pro-strange; verging very slightly into anti-ordinary because Jonathan doesn't trust people to tell the truth from their own lips, he has to seek it out and capture it.)

1x05 The infamous Nancy and Jonathan scene, Nancy says why she thinks her parents got married, "I don't think my parents ever loved each other." "They must've married for some reasons," Jonathan answers. "My mom was young, my dad was older but he had a cushy job, money, came from a good family. So they bought a nice house at the end of the cul-de-sac and started their nuclear family." "Screw that," says Jonathan. "Yeah," Nancy agrees. "Screw that." (pro-strange, starting to creep into anti-ordinary)

1x05 Jonathan explaining what he saw in Nancy's photograph: "I saw this girl trying to be someone else, but for that moment, it was like you were alone, or you thought you were, and you know, you could just be yourself." "That is such bullshit," Nancy says, "I am not trying o be someone else just because I'm dating Steve and you don't like him." They fight, he says, "Does that mean I have to like [Steve]?" Nancy says, "No." "Jonathan says, "Listen, don't take it so personally, okay? I don't like most people. He's in the vast majority." Nancy says, "I was actually starting to think you were okay. I was thinking, Jonathan Byers, maybe he's not the pretentious creep everyone says he is." Jonathan answers, "I was just starting to think you were okay, I was thinking Nancy Wheeler, she's not just another suburban girl who thinks she's rebelling by doing exactly what every other suburban girl does, until that phase passes and they marry some boring one-time jock who now works sales, and live out a perfectly boring little life at the end of a cul-de-sac, exactly like their parents, who they thought were so depressing." (this is a clash of perspective; Nancy is vaguely, defensively pro-ordinary and Jonathan is pro-strange and pretty-anti-ordinary)

1x06 Eleven confesses that she opened the gate and she's the monster. Mike says, "No, El, you're not the monster. You saved me." (her powers and her difference make her a hero; pro-strange)

1x08 Steve, the boring, popular one-time jock, comes back to fight the demogorgon alongside Nancy and Jonathan. (pro-ordinary)

1x08 Mike tells Eleven that when it's all over she can have a real bed in his basement and his parents will be like her parents and Nancy will be like her sister. "I was thinking, I don't know, maybe we can go to the Snow Ball together. It's this cheesy school dance where you go in the gym and dance to music and stuff." (cheesy ordinary school stuff that Mike wouldn't have considered going to before is now a desirable ending. pro-ordinary)

so the main thrust of season 1 is strongly pro-strange. ordinary people are blind to the evil and suffering in the world, and blind to the strengths of people like El and Will. Joyce is contrasted to the perfect prim Mrs. Wheeler; where Mrs. Wheeler's comfort and advice is useless, Joyce sees the truth and saves her child. Nancy and Jonathan butt heads, but end up being an effective team. there's just a little bit of ambiguity introduced at the tail end of the season: Mike doesn't want to escape or rebel against his family, he wants to bring El into it, and wants them both to go to the Snow Ball - the epitome of ordinary - together. and ordinary, shallow Steve surprises everyone (including the writers, who'd planned to kill him off) by showing courage and selflessness when it counts.

2x01 Steve talks to Nancy about the future: "I'm just going to end up working for my dad anyway. Is that such a bad thing? There's insurance and benefits and all that adult stuff." (the scene is about Nancy's fear of following in her parents’ footsteps, and so it leans pro-strange)

2x01 Will tells Jonathan that treating him like he's fragile just makes him feel like more of a freak. "You're not a freak," Jonathan tells him. "Yeah, I am. I am," Will answers. "You know what, you're right," Jonathan says. "You are a freak, but what? Do you want to be normal? Do you wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best, I'm a freak." "Is that why you don't have any friends?" Will asks. "I have friends, Will." "Then why are you always hanging out with me?" "Because you're my best friend, right? And I would rather be best friends with Zombie Boy than with a boring nobody. You know what I mean? Okay, look, who would you rather be friends with? Bowie, or Kenny Rogers." Will grimaces. "Exactly, it's no contest," Jonathan says. "The thing is, nobody normal every accomplished anything meaningful in this world. Got it?" "Well," Will says thoughtfully, "some people like Kenny Rogers." Bob, passing by in the hallway, says "Kenny Rogers? I love Kenny Rogers!" (strongly pro-strange, strongly anti-ordinary)

2x02 Nancy and Steve fight about whether to tell Barb's parents the truth or keep on pretending everything's alright. Steve says, "It's hard, but let's just go to Tina's stupid party, wear our stupid costumes that we've been working on for a stupid amount of time, and just pretend like we're stupid teenagers, okay?" (this scene is ambiguous, leaning pro-strange, because they both use the language of "pretend"--ordinariness is all a performance, a lie)

2x02 Bob asks Joyce, "What if we were to move out of Hawkins together? I was thinking about what you said, we have all these memories here and you wish you had enough money to move. My parents are selling their house in Maine, there's a Radio Shack nearby I'm sure they'd take me on. We could just..." He sees Joyce's reaction, and says ruefully, "My turn to be silly now." "No, it's just so hard to explain," she says. "It's just this...this is not a normal family." "It could be," Bob says. (this scene is ambiguous, leaning pro-strange. Bob means well but Joyce doesn't see his hopes as possible or realistic given the complications of their life)

2x02 Nancy drunkenly accuses Steve in the bathroom, "You're bullshit. You're pretending like everything's okay, you know, like we didn't...like we didn't kill Barb. Like it's great. Like we're in love, and we're partying." Steve echoes, "Like we're in love?" Nancy says venomously, "It's bullshit." Steve asks, "You don't love me?" (the scene is mostly pro-strange, but with a little ambiguity injected because we can see how much this hurts Steve)

2x02 Will tells Mike about his episodes, Mike tells Will about feeling like he sees Eleven. "I don't know, sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy," Mike says. "Me, too," Will says. "Hey, well, if we're both going crazy, then we'll go crazy together, right?" Mike says. "Yeah, crazy together," Will agrees. (pro-strange)

2x03 Nancy and Jonathan discuss the burden of carrying on after loss. "Maybe things just can't go back to the way they were," Jonathan says. "Doesn't that make you mad?" Nancy asks. (ambiguous! "the way things were" being possibly gone forever is a loss, according to Nancy.)

2x05 Bob deciphers Will's drawings, saving Hopper's life. (pro-ordinary)

2x06 Murray tells Nancy, "Probably, like everyone, you're afraid of what would happen if you accepted yourself for who you really are, and retreated back to the safety of...name? Name!" "Steve," Jonathan supplies. "Steve!" exclaims Murray. "We like Steve, but we don't love Steve." "We - I do!" Nancy protests. (pro-strange and anti-ordinary; Steve's only desirable characteristic is that he's safe, he's being set up as another Mr. Wheeler, the husband in another loveless marriage)

Bob tells Joyce, "I thought stuff like this happened in comic books and movies, not in Hawkins and certainly not to people like you." "Or you," she says. He chuckles, jokes, "Bob Newby, superhero." She asks if he's cold, he tells her not to worry about him. "It's not as if you didn't warn me, this is not a normal family, isn't that what you said? Kind of makes my idea of moving to Maine seem a little less crazy, doesn't it." Joyce says, "Oh, it's not crazy." (still ambiguous; Bob's heart isn't in question but it's still unclear whether he can keep up with the world he's been thrown into. his plan is to flee it, but is that admirable?)

2x07 Kali tells El, "We will always be monsters to them. Let me guess, your policeman, he also stops you from using your gifts? What you can do it incredible, it makes you very special, Jane." (pro-strange, anti-ordinary)

2x07 El tells Kali that she has to go back because her friends are in danger. Kali says, "There's nothing for you back there. They cannot save you, Jane." El answers, "No, but I can save them." (pro-strange but with nuance! the strange and the special have something to offer the ordinary)

2x08 Bob gets Joyce, Hopper, Will, and Mike out of the lab, saves all their lives. Mike tells everyone that Bob was the original founder of Hawkins AV club, that their teacher Mr. Clark learned everything he knows from Bob. (strongly pro-ordinary! not only is Bob a hero, but he's shown to have been just like the boys, and even though he grew up and became the epitome of normal, his legacy helps other little nerds)

so season two is more complex than season one. on the one hand, Nancy finishes the arc she started in season one: rejects Steve and chooses Jonathan, rejects ordinary and chooses strange, precisely because she sees being with Steve as buying into the whole suburban destiny that she now knows is a lie. on the other hand, the two main heroes of the season are Bob - Mr. Ordinary - and El, who rejects her sister's anti-ordinary worldview and chooses to use her strange gifts in service of her ordinary friends.

3x03 Joyce tells Hopper that the magnets can't be a coincidence, and he says "I don't think it's a joke, I think that when I asked you out, I think you got scared. I think you got scared, and now, you're inventing things. You're inventing things to get worked up about so that you can push me away, because God forbid any of us move on! Because that, that would be too much, right Joyce?" (the strange happenings are seen as an excuse to stay away from ordinary vulnerabilities; the scene is vaguely pro-ordinary, filtered through angry hungover yelling)

3x03 Dustin tries to tell Steve that he should date Robin, Steve tells him she's not his type: "For your information, she's still in school. And she's weird. She's a weirdo. And she's hyper. I don't like that she's hyper. And she did drama. That's a bad look. And she's in band? No." Dustin says, "Now that you're out of high school, which means you're technically an adult, don't you think it's time you move on from primitive constructs such as popularity?" (pro-strange)

3x07 Steve confesses to Robin on the bathroom floor, "The point is, this girl, you know, the one that I like, it's somebody that I didn't even talk to in school. And I don't even know why. Maybe cause Tommy H would have made fun of me, or I wouldn't be...prom king? It's stupid. I mean, Dustin's right, it's all just a bunch of bullshit anyways. Because when I think about it, I should've been hanging out with this girl the whole time. First of all, she's hilarious. She's so funny. I feel like this summer I have laughed harder than I have laughed in a really long time. And she's smart. Way smarter than me. You now, she can crack, like, top secret Russian codes and, you know, she's honestly unlike anyone I've ever even met before." Robin tells him he's not thinking straight, he says he's thinking a lot more clearly than normal. She says, "Look, he doesn't even know this girl, and if he did know her, like, really know her, I don't think he'd even want to be her friend." "No, that's not true, no way is that true," Steve says. (pro-strange)

3x08 Joyce re-initiates her date with Hopper, calling it what it is this time. If the world doesn't end, they deserve to celebrate. They deserve to move on. (pro-ordinary)

season three takes a step back from the focus on these themes or any themes. as in s2, Joyce tries to have the courage to seek an ordinary happy ending again, and again, experiences loss. the only person still grappling is Steve, who's coming to see more deeply the parts of "normalcy" that deserve to be rejected.

4x01 Eddie's introduction speech: "We're the freaks because we like to play a fantasy game. But as long as you're into band or science or parties or a game where you toss balls into laundry baskets...it's forced conformity, that's what's killing the kids. That's the real monster." (pro strange, casually anti-ordinary)

4x01 Chrissy confesses to Eddie, "You know, you're not what I thought you'd be like." "Mean and scary?" he guesses. "Yeah." "Yeah, well, I actually kinda thought you'd be kinda mean and scary too." (this scene is pro-strange AND pro-ordinary! neither of them is what the other thought they'd be, underneath the "freak" and "queen of Hawkins High" facade)

4x07 One's manifesto: "Why would you cry for them, Eleven, after all they did to you? You think you need them but you don't, you don't. Oh, but I know you're just scared. I was scared once, too. I know what it's like to be different, to be alone in this world. Like you, I didn't fit in with the other children. Something was wrong with me. All the teachers and the doctors said I was...broken, they said. My parents thought a change of scenery, a fresh start in Hawkins might just cure me. It was absurd. As if the world would be any different here. But then, to my surprise our new home provided a discovery and a newfound sense of purpose. I found a nest of black widows living inside a vent. Most people fear spiders, they detest them, and yet I found them endlessly fascinating. More than that, I found a great comfort in them, a kinship. Like me, they are solitary creatures and deeply misunderstood. They are gods of our world, the most important of all predators. They immobilize and feed on the weak, bringing balance and order to an unstable ecosystem. But the human world was disrupting this harmony. You see, humans are a unique type of pest, multiplying and poisoning our world, all while enforcing a structure of their own - a deeply unnatural structure. Where others saw order, I saw a straitjacket, a cruel, oppressive world dictated by made-up rules. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, each life a faded, lesser copy of the one before. Wake up, eat, work, sleep, reproduce and die. Everyone is just waiting, waiting for it all to be over, all while performing in a silly, terrible play, day after day. I could not do that. I could not close off my mind and join in the madness, I could not pretend. And I realized...I didn't have to. I could make my own rules. I could restore balance to a broken world. A predator, but for good....I could reach into others, into their minds, their memories. I became an explorer. I saw my parents for what they truly were. To the world, they presented themselves as good, normal people, but like everything else in this world it was all a lie, a terrible lie. They had done things, Eleven, such awful things. I showed them who they really were, I held up a mirror....To your papa, Eleven, you are just an animal, a monster, a lab rat to be tamed, but the truth is just the opposite. You are better than they are. Superior....If you come with me for the first time in your life you will be free. Imagine what we could do together. We could reshape the world, remake it however we see fit." (this is explicitly the villain’s perspective which it is clear we are not supposed to share, and so the scene circles back around to pro-ordinary. moreover El, our hero, rejects his proposal, and so we see that the heart of the strange doesn't have to be about superiority and resentment, and so it's also pro-strange)

4x08 Will's speech to Mike, about El and about himself: "These past few months she's been so lost without you. It's just, she's so different from other people, and when you're...when you're different, sometimes you feel like a mistake. But you make her feel like she's not a mistake at all, like she's better for being different. And that gives her the courage to fight on." (pro-strange & pro ordinary! ordinary Mike makes his strange loved ones feel like they belong; they fit together)

4x08 Steve's speech in the Winnebago while Fire and Rain plays: "It's silly, but I've actually...I always had this dream that I'd have this really, really big family. I'm talking like a full brood of Harringtons. Like, five, six kids?" "Six?" Nancy repeats. "Yeah, six little nuggets. Three girls, three boys. And every summer I figured all of us Harringtons we'd pack into something like this and just see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone, end up in some beachside town in California, spend a week parked in the sand, learn how to surf or something." Nancy says, "That sounds nice." "Yeah?" Steve asks. "Yeah," she says, then shakes herself and adds, "Well, um, except for the six kid part, that sounds like a total nightmare." Steve gestures around the kid-filled RV and says wryly, "If only I had some practice!" Nancy smiles, and says, "All right, fair. That's fair." (strongly pro-ordinary! but at least a little ambiguous because Nancy tries to brush it off after.)

4x09 Max hides "in the light": the Snow Ball. its ordinary goodness is a haven against the darkness, which is invisible to Vecna who can only see the evil of the world. (pro-ordinary)

4x09 Jason tells Lucas, "I was wrong about you. I never should've let you in the door." Lucas answers, "And I never should have knocked. I thought I wanted to be like you. Popular. Normal. But it turns out, normal's just a raging psychopath." (pro-strange, anti-ordinary)

4x09 El tries to get through to Vecna: "I know what [Papa] did to you. You were different, like me. And he hurt you. He made you into this. He is the monster, Henry, not you. Not you!" "You're right," Vecna answers, "you and I, we are different. And Papa did hurt me, but he was no monster. He was just a man, an ordinary, mediocre man. That is why he sought greatness in others, in you, and me. But in the end, he could not control us, he could not shape us, he could not change us. Do you not see, Eleven? He did not make me into this. You did." (this scene is more ambiguous than his previous one--it's clear we ought to reject his extreme anti-ordinary views that make him want to destroy the world, but it's less clear what we are to make of the fact that El did reshape him)

4x09 Mike's speech to El: “I love you on your good days, I love you on your bad days. I love you with your powers, without your powers. I love you for exactly who you are. You're my superhero.” (like his conversation with Will, it's both pro-strange and pro-ordinary)

4x09 El uses her powers to restart Max's heart, focusing on their happy memories together rather than any anger - her power is more than violence, it can also be beauty. (pro-strange)

season four, things are coming to a head! the "normal" townspeople are shown to be afraid of what they don't understand, and prone to blaming the wrong person just because they're different - but if we look closely, Jason isn't evil, he's just misdirected. he does want to kill Eddie, but then again all our main characters want to kill Henry, and it just so happens that they're correct about who's to blame. Jason's biases are wrong, but his intent- Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good - is very much right and in line with the message of the show. Jonathan and Nancy's forays into anti-ordinary thinking are shown to be eerily similar to that of the monster haunting them - and moreover, Jonathan's solitary ways lead to him smoking so much pot that he can't even be there for the people he does care about. El remains committed to using her powers to help her friends; she doesn't want to be a monster just because she is different. and Steve finally reveals himself as the anti-Vecna, completing his transformation into the embodiment of ordinary. his prior classification as "babysitter", an unorthodox role for a teenage boy to choose, has been replaced by a sincere desire for the most orthodox of destinies for an adult man: fatherhood.

[alltoowelltom]

Please please pls since it’s the holidays can you write some dad!tom where they take their baby to meet Santa and how they react 🥺🥺 my sister just recently took her baby to get photos with Santa and omg did it melt my heart and make me giggle

You follow the worker dressed as an elf thorough a wonderland of trees covered in fake snow, Miles safe in Tom's arms as they oooed and aahed at the glowing lights strung up between the path. The worker opens up a door and you all step into a red little room. Miles gasps at the sight of Santa sitting on a large sleigh, surrounded by beautifully wrapped gifts and 'elves'. A photographer set up in front waits patiently.

"Look who it is, honey!" you say excitedly, leaning towards Miles and pointing at Santa. Miles opens his little mouth wide, blinking at the sight. He's relatively familiar with who Santa is, having watched a few Christmas movies with you and Tom earlier on in the month.

"Do you want to sit on his lap?" Tom asks, bringing Miles over to the sleigh.

"And have you been a good boy this year?" Santa asks and Miles jumps slightly at his booming voice. He's used to his own quiet home with just you, Tom and Tessa.

Tom places Miles in Santa's waiting arms and steps back, grinning at how tiny his soon looks in comparison. The photographer lines up the shot, but before he can take it Miles whines, bringing one fist up to his eyes and beginning to cry.

"What's the matter, little one?" Santa asks, looking to you and Tom for help.

"Dada!" Miles whines.

"He doesn't like being away from Tom," you explain, gesturing to your husband.

Miles continues to whine, reaching out for Tom.

"Tom, you have to go sit with him." you say, pushing him forward.

"What?" Tom laughs. "I think I'm a bit big for that, love."

"You have to go too or we won't get the picture." you insist. "It's not a big deal, it'll be two seconds."

Tom rolls his eyes. "Fuck me," he complains, nodding at Santa apologetically as he crouches down into a half seated position, hovering in the air just above Santa's other knee. Miles immediately grins, knowing he's safe now his dad is close by.

The photographer hides her smile, snapping the photo and handing it to you in a little red booklet. You thank her, opening it up and your heart swelling at the photo of your two boys, sitting together on Santa's lap. You'd definitely be making copies of this one for the whole family.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡

ty for reading, please reblog if you enjoyed as it really helps a writer out <3

sorry for the wait on this one, i've been absolutely swamped with work but it was sooo cute i just had to write on my break

[unhinged-summer-fun]

common grounds (oshamir) - chapter 9

Pairing: Osha Aniseya x Qimir "The Stranger"

A/N: dividers by @cafekitsune

series masterlist

chapter 9: baseline

Sol’s apartment was too big. In recent years, he had repeatedly tried for something approaching minimalism. Every time the empty beige walls would echo harshly at any disruption in the silence, his sentimentality would creep back in. Like kudzu, functionality and aesthetic would become choked by nostalgia. News clippings, photographs, pressed flowers, and sometimes even torn pages from books.

Sol’s house was also too quiet. All that space made the silence seem like another being was in the room, unspeaking but observing. It unnerved Osha at first. After the accident, she wasn’t released from the hospital for a week. Mae had already been living with Sol, and by the time Osha got there, it felt like there had been no room left for her to exist.

Just Sol, Mae, and the silence.

It was the opposite of her stranger’s apartment.

Right now, she wished she was there and not here.

A dark raincloud hung over the dinner table. It was full of everything that had happened over the last week: the issues with her job, her access to gym classes, not to mention the entirely new person in her life. The drama with the junior trainer job seemed like a goddamn lifetime ago. It made the buildup of this family dinner feel fraught with tension: any topic could be on the table, and with how long it had been, Osha wasn’t confident which secrets were off the table or not. 

She was thinking about her first training session with the stranger that evening—good motivation to survive the meal. She had been looking forward to it all day, resting just like he’d told her to. She even admitted she felt relaxed for the first time, and then—

“Are we not going to talk about it?”

Osha stabbed her food a bit violently in response to Sol’s question.

Mae said nothing.

“Why aren’t we talking about it?” he tried again.

“Because we don’t want to talk about it,” Osha said with forced lightness.

“Oshie, come on…”

“Whaaat?” Osha groaned. “I’m fucking over it. Take the job, I don’t care anymore.”

“That’s not what we’re talking about,” Sol said. He set down his utensils, abandoning any pretense that this was to be their usual scripted dinner conversation. 

She sighed and did the same. “If you want to do an intervention, you’re a few days late. I’ve already gone cold turkey from the gym.”

“So you did quit?” Mae said softly.

“It was more that I was quit on. For fucking boxing classes.”

“Vernestra’s request wasn’t unreasonable, Osha,” Sol sighed. 

Very well. They were talking about it.

“Vernestra didn’t request shit from me. Is that what she told you? She restricted my membership to the fuckin Groupon level for no reason! No upper-level classes, no more than twice a week? Those classes literally happen during my shifts. I’d have to come in on my three remaining days off to take any classes. Why, what did she fuckin’ tell you, Sol? What did the fuckin’ group chats tell you, Mae?”

“Language, please,” he said in a pained voice, rubbing at his eyes. “You were obviously upset in my class the last time I saw you. Is training at the Temple really somewhere you want to be four days a week if you are so upset?”

“Have you asked yourself why I was upset yesterday? I was upset when I walked in. Ask Mae about it.”

Osha got up from the table despite protests from her sister and her dad. She ignored them and went to the bathroom in the hall, frustrated to all hell. Her phone was back in her bag, so she couldn’t just waste time until she could leave. Still, she managed to fuck around doing nothing for all of ten minutes before Mae came knocking.

“I have to talk to you.”

“Mae, just go away—”

“It’s about—well. You know who.”

Osha opened the door and came out quietly. “Where’s Sol?” she murmured, crossing her arms and leaning on the doorframe.

“He said he had to get something in his car. I think he needs a second to himself.”

“You mean he’s avoiding an uncomfortable situation.”

I didn’t hear from Vernestra or any of the other trainers at the Temple once.

Part of Osha wanted to feel bad for snapping at her dad like that, but the louder part said that she was hurt more. She spoke the truth to her stranger yesterday; she was tired of this shit. Besides, it wasn’t her job to suppress her emotions just for a grown man to feel better about himself.

“What do you want, Mae?”

“I need to ask you if all this, all the lashing out, was done on purpose because you wanted to train with Qimir.”

Huh. What?

“…who the fuck is Qimir?”

Mae looked like Osha had grown another head. “The guy I trained with for two years?” she said slowly.

Qimir.

When Mae said the name, dripping with disdain, it didn’t suit him. Osha’s mind completely rejected it. If it truly was his name, it only suited part of him—a mistranslation of who he actually was. The new information slid off Osha’s impression of the stranger like water on glass.

No, that suited him better—the stranger.

“What about him?” Osha asked, trying to control the shake in her voice.

Mae crossed her arms, matching Osha and leaning on the wall opposite her. Osha didn’t meet her eyes; instead, she looked at the frames behind her shoulder and above her head. Mae’s frustration mounted, and after Osha’s deliberate obtuseness, she huffed, “Did you quit the Temple to train with him?”

Osha’s eye twitched. What right did Mae have to her personal life when she’d been so prohibitive about her own? She matched her sister’s pose but still refused to look at her. “Weren’t you listening? I didn’t quit, I was quit on.”

“You don’t think Vernestra has a point?”

“No.”

Mae stuttered a bit, clearly meaning it as a rhetorical question but getting an honest answer anyway. “I mean, you’re not—” Mae shifted from foot to foot. “It’s been a long time since you, uh.”

“You don’t think I can fight competitively either?” Osha said, finally meeting her eyes with a glare. “What did I do to you to make you lose your faith in me?”

Mae flinched a little, hurt but unable to refute Osha’s claim. “Listen, that’s not what I’m talking about. So are you—”

“It’s what I’m talking about. I’m not telling you anything for a while, Mae. If I want to tell you something, I’ll tell you. And like I told you yesterday, when I ask you something, I want honesty. I don’t think you’ll give me that, so that’s why I haven’t asked you anything at all.”

“Well, if you are training with him—”

“I don’t want your advice about this, Mae. Can you just drop it? For, like, maybe an actual week? You had two years to tell me all about him. Give me a while to process it without being supervised.”

“You know what? Fine. Have it your way, Osha. I just wanted to remedy things and warn you about who you’re getting involved with.”

He hasn’t lied to me yet, she didn’t say. Mae walked away, and Osha watched her for a few seconds before rubbing at her chest and pacing the hallway.

She approached the room they used to share. Sol had converted it into a guest room after they’d moved to their new apartment downstairs, but he never had overnight guests. His social circle was the same as the ‘old guard’ trainers: they kept things within the Temple and didn’t make friends from other gyms on principle.

Still, the baseless hope of having someone stay remained.

Osha sat on the end of the bed, with pretty memories of the past warring against the fucked-up present. The light purple walls of childhood, adorned with ribbons and proud accomplishments, had been replaced by model-home greige and even more photographs. Two beds, now one. Pictures of strangers where there used to be pictures of friends.

It hurt to hold onto the nostalgia for too long. Osha abandoned the bed and looked at the pictures hanging on what was once her side of the room.

Sol had no rhyme or reason for the wall decor in his guest room. His more impressive memories and keepsakes were in the living room—the things here were most likely moments that didn’t fit in, but he couldn’t throw them away for whatever reason. Photos of a younger Sol on his college boxing team sat above another photo of Osha at high school graduation, and next to that one was—

There were many children she didn’t recognize in that photograph. As if in a trance, she approached the small frame. She recognized the Temple, of course, but the marked youth of each person she recognized told her it was from a long time ago. Sol was in the back, beside Vernestra, Kelnacca, Indara, and Torbin—who hadn’t yet lost his eye. The five children standing before the coaches smiled with varying enthusiasm, but her eyes remained focused on the grinning little boy in glasses standing before Vernestra.

He looked older than the other children but seemed the most excited of them all. His eyes almost disappeared under the force of his goofy grin, toothy and familiar—he’d grown up since then. This little boy suited the name Mae had told her. Qimir.

Like the frame at the Temple, she popped open the back. She moved carefully as she removed the newspaper clipping from behind the glass, and held it gently as she unfolded the rest of the article.

TEMPLE GYM OUTREACH PROGRAM SETS CHARITABLE STANDARD

Vernestra Rwoh, 36, has owned and managed Temple Gym for ten years. She has started the Padawan Training Program in collaboration with the Federal District Orphanage to provide community support to the underprivileged. “For most children, their first mentors are their parents. For children without parents, finding that kind of personal guidance to navigate the world is much harder,” Rwoh said in an interview. “Though the initial scope of our program is quite small, the biggest changes start with the smallest of actions. We hope to expand to provide more opportunities to underprivileged children in the city.”

The rest of the article felt sterile and self-congratulatory, providing little information about the program.  Osha gathered that it was an outreach program training orphaned children to box. She looked back at the photograph. Beneath it, she found his name listed after Torbin’s in the smallest font.

Qimir Loharne (13)

When I was thirteen, the rods were removed, and the doctors at the spine clinic said I should join this… outreach program that was starting at the Temple.

He was thirteen. Imagining the abuse he went through over the next four years made her stomach turn. Osha refolded the news clipping and carefully tucked it under her shirt, against her skin. Her hands shook with barely repressed anger.

Hastily, she covered up where the article had been with a framed photo of herself winning third at the science fair. Looking around the rest of the room, she wondered if he was hiding—being hidden—in any other frames, but she couldn’t find anything.

She didn’t know why she was disappointed.

He was waiting for her when she came down from her apartment a few hours later. Night had fallen in the city, but city nights were never as dark as she wanted. The crescent moon that had walked her and the stranger home the night before had grown into almost a waxing quarter moon—she’d started keeping track of the moon phases as a brand-new member of Unknown Planet.

His car idled as he leaned on the passenger-side door casually. He looked like a cool, dangerous love interest in a romance movie: dressed all in black, with his hair somewhat falling into his eyes above his glasses, arms crossed, one leg bent slightly in front of the other. Osha couldn’t look that cool if she tried. All that remained of the small cut on his face was a small red line on his cheekbone. His attention was on a little device in his hands she couldn’t see, so engrossed in it that he didn’t look up when she stopped at the sidewalk. 

“Hello,” she greeted him. 

He looked up, watching her approach. “Hello.”

Osha felt rooted in place under his gaze, the weight of his name sitting heavily on her mind. “Hi,” she said, cringing inwardly. Would she ever interact with him where she didn’t act like a fool within the first ten minutes?

“Hi…” His head tilted to the side, his eyes flitting over her frozen state. He pocketed the device and approached. “Are you alright?”

The incident at Sol’s had thoroughly fucked up whatever measure of calm she’d gained from the day’s rest and recovery. Her mind was all over the place, unable to focus on one thing for long. The folded-up newspaper weighed heavily against her heart from inside her jacket. She nodded tightly in response to his question.

His smile faded a little. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No! No.” Osha sighed and pressed her cold hands to her face. “I’m so scatterbrained today; it’s not you.” Some of it’s you.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked, his voice dropping into that soothing tone he used when she was in pain the other day.

“Maybe,” she said. “Can we get out of the cold first?”

“Of course.”

Before she could protest, he’d taken her gym bag off her shoulder and walked back to his car to open the door for her. She followed him like he had her on a damn leash. Wait, did she like that? She really was a goddamn mess tonight.

Once he loaded her bag into the backseat, he paused before getting in. He reached into his pocket to retrieve the device he’d been playing with, only then getting inside.

“Is that an iPod mini?” Osha guffawed.

“If it ain’t broke…” he said with a grin. “I prefer more analog things, if you couldn’t tell.”

“You use a flip phone and drive a car that could survive a nuclear apocalypse. I don’t know why I’m surprised you have an actual iPod. You probably also have a pocket watch and a VHS collection.”

“I resent that,” he huffed. “I have two pocket watches.”

Their banter set her at ease for the rest of the drive to Unknown Planet. The music on his iPod wasn’t what she usually listened to, but she enjoyed it enough not to speak over it. They passed the bar’s street entrance, and he drove down a side street to a private parking lot. He parked but didn’t move to get out just yet.

It’s your call, the silence said. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.

Osha got out of the car.

Her stranger held the door for her as she walked in and followed behind as she took the stairs. This was the path they’d taken after she watched him fight for the first time, the stairs leading up to the third-floor dressing rooms. He unlocked the black door and ushered her inside with a hand on her lower back.

As they removed their winter jackets and shoes, he told her the plan for the evening: “I need to establish a baseline. I told you I’ve seen you fight, but it was only recorded footage and obviously nothing from after your injury. Seeing you move in person will give me a better idea of where to focus first.”

“How much of tonight involves jumping or running?” she asked, eyeing the rolls of tape in her bag.

“None,” he said, digging through his backpack for a pair of shorts. He tossed his glasses on top of the bag before entering the bathroom to change. Osha scrambled to do the same while he’d given her some measure of privacy, peeling off her jeans and t-shirt.

“There are plenty of ways to do cardio without exacerbating injuries,” he continued. This felt a little like their second meeting: when she changed her shirt behind a wall, and he mopped up at the cafe. “Repetitive exercises like jump rope, running, and machine workouts risk worsening your condition the more you rely on them.”

That was promising.

“Then what are we doing for cardio?” she asked, shimmying into her tank top.

“For now, swimming. Eventually, sparring. Can you swim?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know there’s a pool here.”

“There isn’t. You don’t have to worry about that until tomorrow, but we’ll be using the one at home.”

His wording had her hands nearly slipping on her shorts as she pulled them up her thighs. She corrected the fumble, snapping the waistband around her hips and folding it like usual.

“Swimming is easier on injuries,” he continued. “It uses every muscle group, and adding resistance to workouts is much safer.” He emerged from the bathroom without a shirt, going through his bag while he spoke—as if she wasn’t poleaxed seeing him like this from such a short distance. He had nothing on but low-slung basketball shorts and his socks.

“Cool,” Osha said, mind a million miles away. “Cool.”

He pulled a shirt on, followed by his glasses and a black baseball cap that kept his hair out of his eyes. “Let’s get you ready for me, hm?” He gestured to the chair when she didn’t move in response to him.

“Cool!” She wanted to slap herself. She needed to get it the fuck together. “I’ve got tape in my bag—”

“Have you used KT tape before?” He opened a drawer at the small desk beside her, revealing several thick rolls in various colors.

“Kinesiotherapy tape?”

“What’s with the face?”

Osha tried to quit scowling, but she’d already been called out for it. “Well, isn’t it… not as good as athletic tape?”

He placed several rolls beside him in a neat line, along with scissors. “Each has their benefit,” he said. “Neither is wholly better than the other. I’m guessing you haven’t used it before, then?”

“No.”

“Tell me how you wrap your ankle.”

As she explained her usual methods, she couldn’t help peeking at the colorful tapes he had brought out. Some even had little designs on them—shooting stars, rainbow stripes, and the feral river otter mascot of the college he worked at.

It was definitely much cuter than the standard white athletic tape and flesh tone pre-wrap.

He nodded. “Would you mind trying something new? Just to see if you like it.”

Osha was growing familiar with the urge to perform well for him, and it didn’t irritate her as much as it probably should have. She nodded, and he gave her a brilliant smile. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a bird taking flight.

He talked her through what he was doing, first measuring out pieces of tape, then cutting them up and applying them to her foot, ankle, knee, and thigh in bands of red and black. Aside from the aesthetic advantage, she appreciated that she didn’t have to loosen up her sneakers the way she did after layers of pre-wrap and athletic tape.

She also appreciated how his hands felt on her bare skin.

“There. Walk around a bit. If you want it off, the adhesive won’t fully set for another fifteen minutes or so.”

The method she’d been taught to use before had been good for reducing swelling and preventing sprains and strains, but sometimes, it felt like her ankle was just being squished, not supported. The KT tape felt like how she wanted her ankle to feel. With so much more freedom of movement, she almost felt like a newborn deer, amazed she could stand and walk like this. Holy fuck.

“That good?”

Shit, she’d said that out loud. He was still on the floor, putting away the rest of the tape and tugging on his shoes.

“Yeah,” she laughed. “This is crazy.” She bounced on her feet a little. She must have looked silly as hell doing lunges around the dressing room, but he only regarded her with a look of fond amusement she was growing accustomed to. He asked for a hand up.

When he got to his feet, they ended up inches apart, their height difference made glaringly obvious. Osha was surprised to find she liked it. His height, his arms, his broad fucking shoulders—they didn’t intimidate her like they probably had done for Mae. She took a breath, settling into a comfortable, calm mindset.

“Let’s go,” he murmured, touching her waist and spinning her toward the door.

The gym above Unknown Planet looked completely different from the last time she saw it. The cage had been dismantled and replaced by a large sparring mat, where pairs of people faced off—wearing anything from singlets to gis to clothes similar to what Osha was wearing. While a few individuals were locked in at the punching bags or machines, many were clustered in small groups, working together or encouraging one another. They were laughing and having fun.

Osha could count on one hand the number of times she heard laughter at the Temple. She’d need no hands to count the number of times she’d had fun in the last six years.

He led them to an empty area. Her nerves were going wild, and the prospect of disappointing him felt terrible and inevitable. But he trucked ahead. “For our warmups, we’re going to…” He showed her a series of stretches and light calisthenics to get her loose and warm. He never spoke down to her or overexplained his choices. When they were finished warming up, he checked in.

Honesty came easier with him.

“I feel like my ankle’s a little weaker. It’s not weak like failing, but not as strong as I thought. The tape helps a lot.”

He nodded, looking her over. “Can you go up on just your right foot? Flat.” He knelt before her to see better, then put her hand on his shoulder so she’d be balanced. “Up on your toes. Flat. Good. Again.”

Osha was going just a little fucking mad. Just a little, though. He seemed to like flustering her. He tended to get himself into situations where she was above him, and he was on her knees beneath her. She followed his instructions, doing a few calf raise holds on her good leg, then her injured one. Her body obeyed his instruction on autopilot, but her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was honed in on two precise places: where his thumb rubbed back and forth against her ankle, and where her hand lay flat against the shifting muscles in his shoulder.

“I see what you mean,” he said, letting go. He adjusted his glasses and tugged down his sock. “There are a few muscle groups attached to the Achilles tendon…”

He explained exactly what she was feeling, even having her put her hand on the back of his calf while he repeated the same moves she had just done. For once, the uncontrollably horny part of her brain remained silent, instead fascinated by his intelligent explanations. It was a mystery how he could even pretend to be a bumbling idiot.

She asked him so many questions, and he patiently answered each one to her satisfaction. Osha had never felt so respected and cared for in a training setting and wondered when that would change.

The rest of their session passed just like that. They hadn’t done much training overall, but by the end of things, she knew more about her ankle and knee. The formless pain now had names, faces, and weaknesses that could be exploited for her benefit—maybe even defeated.

By the time he brought her back to his dressing room, midnight had already passed. She was more worn out than she expected after so uneventful a training session.

“On the mat, Osha.”

Oh, there was her horny brain—back with a vengeance.

She tried her best to look graceful and attractive as she lowered herself to the mat, but her ankle had finally had enough of her, and it ended up being more like a slow-motion ragdoll collapse. She supposed that was what she deserved, trying to be cool in front of him. Shit, she was more tired than she thought.

But still, the yoga mat felt nice. Being flat felt nice. Her body, for once, felt nice. She groaned happily. “Yeah, mat. Great idea.”

He laughed softly and knelt beside her. His hand went to the back of her right calf, pressing his thumbs into her muscles with light pressure at first, then deeper when she didn’t flinch away in pain.

“What are you doing?” she asked, turning her head.

“You might be two and a half years out of practice, but most call this a massage.”

She kicked blindly at him with her other foot. His hand caught her quickly, avoiding any of her injured areas. She calmed down, and he continued his massage.

“Unlike athletic tapes, the KT tape can be worn for up to five days. It’s waterproof, too, so when we go to the pool tomorrow, you’ll still have the same support correcting your ankle and knee to the right tension. You can take it off at any time with a bit of oil, and if you need me, I’m never too busy to help you.”

It was harder to pay attention to him when he had his hands on her, and between the relief he gave her and the soothing tones of his voice saying such lovely things, she almost fell asleep right there. When he finally finished, she felt like her bones had gone al dente. He gave her time to change in the bathroom, and she was surprised to see the silly smile adorning her face.

You are sooo fucked, she mouthed at her reflection.

She only smiled back.

It was a little after one in the morning when they returned to the apartment complex. He parked in front of her building, idling in one of the covered spots he didn’t own. Neither of them spoke, and she didn’t move to get out. Something in the air felt taut with tension, obvious but unacknowledged. He inhaled like he would break the silence, but her anxious mouth got there first.

“I found another picture of you.” She unzipped her jacket to the inside breast pocket, where she’d carefully tucked the news clipping from Sol’s place. She gave it to him, and his jaw flexed as he looked it over.

She expected all manner of responses from him—So now you know my name. Do you believe my story now? What a long time ago—but instead, he asked her, “Why do you give me these?”

She’d been asking herself that same question. Looking at the little boy in the picture, she said, “You told me, before you took me to the bar the first time, that there was a time that you had no evidence you existed besides your pain. You shouldn’t have been—it’s just—” She exhaled harshly, staring out the windshield and fidgeting with her hands. “You do exist beyond what happened to you. And you deserve to have proof of that.”

After her halting explanation, her mind felt clearer. The nervous buzzing of her thoughts had ceased—at least temporarily. When he—when Qimir—no—when her stranger didn’t say anything for a while, she turned to look at him and was immediately caught in the snare of his gaze.

He’d leaned in toward her, lips slightly parted and eyes a little unfocused as they flitted about—eye to eye, then down to her mouth. Osha couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. She could only endure the wildfire he ignited in her body, heat licking through every inch of her. His teeth slowly sunk into his lower lip, and he moved forward another inch—

“Osha,” he whispered, soft as a prayer and most likely unintentional. The sound of her name on his tongue made her shudder, and her eyes fell shut. He inhaled quickly, reality and reason coming back to him all at once.

She opened her eyes when she felt him sit back in his seat and found him straight-backed and controlled. “Thank you,” he managed to say after some silent seconds. His voice sounded rougher, full of an emotion she couldn’t place. She hoped it was desire and not regret.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered. “I can, um. I can stop pushing them on you if it makes you—”

“No.”

She blinked. “No?”

“I appreciate you bringing them to me. They… you’re right. They’re signs of a life I had taken from me. It’s more than I had of myself yesterday.”

Osha smiled helplessly, leaning back against the headrest to look at him. For the first time in a long while, she felt proud of herself.

CHAPTER TEN