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missnxthingg · 10 months ago

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I CAN'T LIE TO YOU ✮ LN4

pairing: Lando Norris x bestie!Reader (childhood best friends to lovers) summary: Lando Norris decides to surprise his best friend after being a long time away from home. What she didn't expect was that he had a big secret that he couldn't share with her words: 4.5K - warnings: swearing, suggestive content & not proof read author's notes: I'm back once again! Now you just know I'm a sucker for childhood besties to lovers. Also, I may have already started writing a part two for this one... let me know if you want it!

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The days in England have become more boring with time. Y/N was losing her mind over the repetitive routine that follows the life of a college student. Work, study, beer with close friends and bed. So when her mother invited her for a family dinner, she worried about how excited she got with the event. It wasn’t supposed to be anything special, just her parents and a few of their close friends gathered to catch up over nice food.

Coming home felt way too good. It’s a feeling most college students get when they go back to their hometown, leaving their crappy flat in university to be served with their parents pampering during their quick visit. Y/N was supposed to be back to her place in just a couple of days, but she felt satisfied to be in a different place than the four walls of her house. Not to mention that she was having a good laugh with everyone at the table.

Her mother always takes dinner parties to another level, serving the best food in her special crockery, saved for moments like this. So Y/N packed a nice new outfit; a cute long-sleeved dress that looked perfect with tights and heels. Not that the guests cared about how she was dressed, but it felt nice to look beautiful and all put together for once after months of hoodies and leggings.

As usual, her parents invited the Norris family, as they’ve been the best of friends for the longest time. Not only they lived next to each other for years back when she was younger, all of their kids were really close friends with Y/N. But the spotlight always goes to Lando, who is the same age as her, making them grow up attached to the hip.

They all grew up going to the same school, not to mention that she would always tag along in Lando and his brother’s karting sessions, having the best time watching them drive flawlessly on tracks. He always enjoyed the times when she’d steal her parents cameras so they could make some homemade videos of their time together. Or when they would sit back, watch their dads play golf every Saturday and share candies in the cart.

Y/N and Lando have been inseparable since the age of four, growing up side by side, going through everything together. She was so important to him that, when he joined Formula 1 and had to choose a number to race, he chose the age the two of them had become friends.

“The number four is for my best friend, Y/N. She was the one to suggest it, and the meaning behind it is very cute. Actually, I don’t want to tell you to not spoil anything, but I can only say that it’s very dear to my heart”, Lando said once in an interview during his second season in F1, making every single one of his fans curious about the meaning.

But it’s been a while since the infamous duo had been together. They supported each other from afar; Y/N sometimes joining him for race weekends and Lando coming back to see her on birthdays and weekends in London, while he visited the McLaren factory. But the last time they had been together was four months ago, during summer break, when he dragged her to join him for his crazy trips around the world. When racing and university was back on, they lost a little bit of touch; almost no calls and only a few texting breaks so they wouldn’t fall apart.

A lot happened in those four months. Lando had a new gorgeous girlfriend; a model who everyone had become obsessed with her TikTok videos for beauty tips. They had been seen together a few times around the world, her joining him for the races and a lot of make-outs behind DJ booths at parties. Y/N, on the other hand, was lacking in the dating department. But the friends she made over the past year made everything worthy. After years of pretty much having Lando as her only very close friend, she finally found new people to go out and have fun as a normal 20-year-old.

With that, Y/N and Lando’s friendship got weird. He had been avoiding her for a while, with the excuse of being too busy with racing, but actually not wanting to talk about his personal life with someone who knew him like the palm of her hand. Meanwhile, she was having a good time with her friends to be bothered by anything. But lately, life had become more boring and Y/N felt like having Lando back would bring some more fun into her life again, with all the epic parties and the good times they always managed to happen.

“Only one month left”, she thought, as winter break was approaching, meaning that Lando would finally be free to come home for the holidays.

She was pushed out of her thoughts by Adam Norris, who now seemed interest in Y/N’s life after a long catching up with her dad. “Tell us more about college! Are you having fun? Learning anything special?”, he asked with a kind smile.

“Oh, I’m graduating this spring, so it’s been… rough”, she chuckled. “But everything has been amazing, you know? The internship is so cool and the people are nice as well”.

“I just can’t believe it will all be over soon”, his wife, Cisca, responded. “It feels like it was just yesterday when you joined uni and Lando started his first season in F1. Time really flies, uhm?”

Every mention of his name made Y/N smile like a fool. But lately, it has been accompanied by a ting of pain on her chest. God, she missed him so much.

“What is it that you miss?”, Cisca asked, pulling Y/N out of her thoughts. Shit, did she say that out loud?

“I said I missed your pie so much, Cis. You know I have always loved it growing up”, Y/N tried to cover it up by stuffing her mouth with the cheesy pie, trying to keep her thoughts of being spoken out loud. But something caught her by surprise.

“Yeah, mum’s pie is the best in the world, isn’t it?”, a male voice said from behind her, one that she hadn’t heard in person for a while. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was, only to turn around and see Lando standing right behind her tugged into his signature comfortable hoodie, with a giant smile plastered on his face, and a bouquet in his hands. “Surprise!”

Y/N brought her hands up to her mouth, trying not to cry at the sight. She couldn’t believe what was standing in front of her. So she jumped out of her seat and jumped into his arms, not caring about anyone else in the room or the flowers being crumpled up in his hands. Lando buried his nose in her hair, taking in her scent, making him feel at ease for once

“What are you doing here?”, she leaned back, holding his face between her hands. His soft eyes looked down at her, his smile never faltering.

“I thought I could surprise my best girl”, he admitted, digging one of his hands into her hips, making her securely close to him. “I had a break before the end of the season, and it had been so long…”

“Shut up, you idiot. I just want to hug you”, she cut him mid-sentence, burying her face in his neck, making his smile even wider, if that was possible. Everyone on the table laughed at her reaction, but let them have their moment after months without seeing each other. It felt too good to be true.

“I missed you so much”, he whispered in her ear, pressing a small kiss to the top of her head.

“I missed you too. Welcome home, Lan”, she leaned back and kissed his cheek, making it tinted red. Lando was so cute when he blushed. “You brought me flowers! How cute is this?”

She took the giant bouquet filled with red and pink roses out of his hands, bringing it close to her body. “It’s an apology for not being here as much as I should”, he said, making her heart so warm with the thoughtful gift.

“You being here is enough”, she pressed another kiss to his cheek and quickly pulled him for another hug. They just couldn’t get enough of each other.

“Alright, we all know you both really miss each other, but you can catch up after dinner. Food is getting cold and poor Lando must be starving”, her mother cut them off, making Y/N look back at the table, her face burning in embarrassment. He laughed at her behavior and pulled the chair next to her so they could sit together.

Through the whole dinner, Lando told all of his amazing stories traveling the world, leaving all the ‘best friends only’ parts for later, when he would be alone with Y/N. She felt so happy to finally have him by her side, making fun of her table manners, resting his hand on her knee and cracking any bad jokes just to see her roll her eyes. And even though he lived those many adventures, Lando knew life couldn’t get better than having his favourite person in the world back on his side.

“So, Lando, what finally brings you back home?”, Y/N’s father asked, making him shrug.

“You know, the championship could’ve been better and I feel really tired, you know?”, Lando searched for his best friend’s hand under the table, entwining their fingers once they met. Then he looked at her with an adoring smile on his face. “I just need some recharging. Thought I could use some home time before the last few races of the year”.

“You’re always welcomed to recharge in our house if you want to, Lando”, her mother said before the conversation was taken somewhere else once again.

While everyone else chatted, Y/N and Lando updated their phone gallery with new pictures of them. A lot of cute selfies and pictures of their homemade dinner which soon found their place on their Instagrams.

y/username

liked by landonorris and 3,419 others

y/username: always feels good to have my best friend back in the house

tagged: landonorris

landonorris Besties reunited LFG!

↪ y/username you’re such a bore

fanacc1 FINALLY SOME Y/N AND LANDO CONTENT

fanacc2 Wasn’t him dating a model?

↪fanacc3 He is, but Y/N is his childhood best friend

fanacc4 ugh, if i was his gf, i would be so jealous of them together

↪fanacc5 I bet his girlfriend actually hates them

fanacc6 Does this mean more Y/N around the paddock?

The dinner was coming to an end with the delicious sweet treats they prepared for dessert. At that point, Lando and Y/N were just existing at the conversation. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and she found a comfortable spot to lean into him and keep sipping on her wine while they shared a slice of cake. But even though they were quiet, they surely weren’t tired. So as the rest of the adults continued with their chat, they took their glasses of wine to the backyard, just so they could have some alone time.

Lando chuckled when he saw what was still standing strong in her backyard. “You still have our old treehouse?”, he asked and she nodded excitedly. “Wow, it looks so much nicer than before”.

“It’s because I renovated it, you fool. Haven’t I told you?”, she asked, but Lando shook his head. “Oh my… you have to see this! Now it’s a grown up treehouse! Take a look”.

Y/N dragged him to the small construction and made him climb all the way up to the house. It changed a lot with the renovations. Their wall doodles from when they were little kids were preserved by a varnish coat on the wood. She also substituted the old toys for books and her collection of vinyls, making the place look extra cozy. There was even a table for afternoon tea and card games, a TV and a huge futon, with lots of cushions, so they could just lie down and spend the rest of the day hidden from the world.

“What a glow up!”, he joked. “I loved it. This is amazing”, Lando took a place next to the window, where the moonlight invaded the room. Y/N sat next to him and almost immediately pulled out her camera just to capture the moment. And just like old times, they had fun doing a tiny photoshoot together, only to be cut off by his mom, calling them from the ground.

“Are you coming, Lando?”, Cisca asked, making him look over to Y/N, who replied for him.

“I’m not letting him go anywhere, Cisca”, she joked, throwing her arms around Lando, making his mother laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your son”.

“Have fun you two”, they waved at her and sighed after finally being left alone for a proper catching up between best friends. Lando had a satisfied smile on his face and he felt so calm at that moment. He threw both of his arms around his best friend and hugged her tightly.

“Home, at last”, his cheek was pressed on the side of her face, making her giggle with the contact. “I want to know everything going on with you. Just blurt it all out. I owe you this”.

“Oh, nothing great happened”, she shrugged. “Nothing that you didn’t know already. The internship is nice, but it’s coming to an end soon and I’m not sure they’ll keep me with them. And college is almost finished, so that’s kind of bittersweet”.

“I thought you were excited to have a degree”, he said, making her sigh. “Are you not happy about graduating?”

“Of course I am. You more than anyone knows how important this is to me”, she answered. “And I made so many good friends and I’ve been having the best time with them. I know graduating will make us grow apart”.

“Endings aren’t always nice, uhm? But you have to look at the bright side of things”, he started. “You’re finally achieving something great and you managed to have a really good time along the way. Made friends and worked really hard to become the best professional out there. I’m so proud of you!”

Lando has always been her biggest supporter on pursuing her academic path. He remembers all the talks they had about her wanting to master in communications. While he didn’t get to finish school to up his game in racing, he was there for every step his best friend took until enrolling in university. So when they talk about it, he always has that beautiful proud smile on his face, to which Y/N loved seeing.

“Thank you”, she smiled shyly. “And what about you, Mr Worldwide? You’ve been everywhere these past months. How was it?”

“Oh, always amazing”, he beamed. “I got to see so many amazing places around the world. You would’ve loved all the clubs I went to. The DJ booths are amazing. Oh, and the golf courts… breathtaking”.

“Yeah, I saw all the pictures”, Y/N arched her brows and rolled her eyes. “You didn’t even bother on calling, telling me about your adventures”.

“Sorry, I lacked in that department”, he apologized. “Even though everything has been amazing, I’m so tired of this year. I could’ve done better on the track and the last few races have been exhausting. I knew that I needed to recharge before the last two races, so I came back to you”.

“It’s always a pleasure to have you home”, she ran her hand through his curls and smiled. Lando always saw Y/N as his home. She always brings him that sense of familiarity, and her absence in his travels around the world were taking a toll on him.

Not to mention that hiding a big secret from his best friend also wasn’t doing him any good.

“But I’m not here to talk about me. I want to know everything about you”, he poked her side with his index finger and smirked. “Anyone special appeared in your life in the past few months?”

“Please”, she rolled her eyes. “The last time I had a proper hook up was during our summer trip to Bali with that guy on the club”.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad”, he giggled, but Y/N’s face was burning in embarrassment.

“I had a few dates in the past months, but fuck me, they were annoying”, Lando laughed at her statement. “One of them found out you’re my best friend and spent the entire time asking questions about you. And the only guy who was actually decent came in his pants when we were making out in his car. Didn’t even get to touch me”.

“Oh, poor you”, he giggled. “So no boy to be my new best friend? I mean, come on, we need more male energy in this friendship”.

“Sorry, Lan. No boyfriend this time”, she said. “You, on the other hand, started dating this gorgeous model and forgot to tell me about everything.”

And there she said it: the topic Lando had been avoiding the most throughout the whole night. He really didn’t want to talk about it with Y/N, because his big secret had been hiding right there. He knew he couldn’t, and didn’t want to, lie about anything to her. And he also knew that he really needed to vent about this secret with her as well.

Lando turned really quiet, and looked away, avoiding her eyes. “Don’t start now, Y/N. I mean, there’s not much to say, to be fair”, he mumbled.

“Come on, I want to know everything about the woman who stole my bestie’s heart”, she poked him, but Lando didn’t dare to look Y/N in the eyes. “I mean, everybody loves her and she seems sweet. Why don’t you want to tell me about her?”

“Because we’re not together”.

“What do you mean? I’ve seen the Instagram pictures and the gossip pages posting videos of you two kissing in the club. I thought you were becoming a thing”.

“Y/N, don’t push it”, he asked, his voice bargaining on his throat.

“Why don’t you want to tell me about her?”

“Because we’re not together, I told you”, he sighed. “She’s a PR stunt. She’s not my girlfriend, and it’s been consuming me from the inside ever since we started this little thing”.

Lando finally looked her in the eyes and Y/N saw them brimming with tears. As an immediate response, she rested a hand on his arm and waited until he was ready to talk more. He leaned into her touch and the tears started to stream down his face. He’s never one to cry for anything, so the tears meant that it was so much more than he was letting show. Her heart broke at the sight of her best friend.

“Is this why you look more tired than usual?”, Y/N asked and he nodded, making the tears fall harder. “Oh, Lan… Come here”.

She pulled his head to rest on her chest and Lando wrapped his arms around her, needing some sort of comfort. He didn’t say much for a couple of minutes after, feeling his heart aching on his chest. He wanted to talk about everything with Y/N, because he knew she would understand him. He always feels vulnerable and safe enough to talk about anything with his best friend.

“Everything is so fucked up, Y/N”, Lando cried out. “God, I can’t take this fake relationship anymore. Do you know how disgusting it feels to pretend to be in love with someone you’re not? And to lie to everyone, hiding it from my parents. From you. I can’t stand it”

“I’m sure you have a good reason to be doing so”, she said, fingers running through his curls and making him sure that she was right there with him. Y/N felt his fingers clinging tighter onto her. “You’re just doing your job and that’s okay. This won’t last forever”.

“I feel so lonely, you know? I was doing so bad on the last few races and I missed home so much. I missed talking to my dad and hugging my mom. I missed making fun of my sisters and going for a drive with my brother. And I missed you so much. I wish I could just stay here for a long while”.

“Soon you’ll get to be here for as long as you want, baby”, Y/N pressed a kiss on top of his head and Lando sighed in comfort. It ached a little less with her there. “And we’ll get to spend so much time together. You can come over and we’ll have sleepovers. We can take the car, drive around and go clubbing until sunrise. Whatever you want”.

“God, it would be so easy if it was you”, he whispered, still holding onto her as if his life depended on it. What did he mean with that? Just those single words made Y/N’s heart skip a beat. Truth is, while her heart ached for her best friend, she was relieved he’s not in love with someone else. Did he have feelings for her?

“You know, I looked over my so-called girlfriend one night while we were hanging out at the club and I wanted to shout to everyone that it was all an act. She’s like a solid reminder of how lonely I am all the damn time. It’s ridiculous”, he grunted.

“Come on, look at me”, Y/N pulled his face to look up and held his head between her hands. “Lan, you are never alone, okay? Even if you feel like you are, and even if I’m not there physically, you know that I’m always with you. I’m right here”, she rested a hand over his heart, making him smile through his tears. “I've been in your heart since the moment we met”.

“I…”, he started, but couldn’t get to say the rest. After all this time, Lando was afraid that the next move would ruin their friendship forever. But looking her in the eyes, comforting him through this rough time, he knew she felt the same. “I love you, Y/N”.

She was expecting anything. ‘I know’, maybe. That was so much bigger than what she imagined. Lando had said he loved her countless times over the years they’ve known each other; after all, they grew up together, almost like brother and sister. But this time, it was different. Y/N knew it, and Lando knew it too.

Y/N was too stunned to speak, so he continued with his confession. “I always have, you know? And I only hid everything from you because I can’t lie to you. And because I thought you’d never look at me the same way if you found out”.

“Lando, I…” she stopped mid-sentence, trying to catch some air. “Fuck, this is a lot. Just wait a second”.

They giggled together and he leaned his forehead against hers. “It’s okay to not say anything right now. I just dropped a giant bomb on your lap. This wasn’t the way I wanted to confess to you, but I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore”.

“Are you saying this because you’re emotional? Because I swear to God, if you are, I’m gonna kill you for misleading me”, her eyes were brimming with tears and Lando whipped them away.

“I’m telling you the truth”, he assured. “I think I’ve loved you my entire life. With all the crazy things I’ve experienced in my life, you were the only constant. You’re home, Y/N”.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”, she asked and he took a deep breath.

“Because I was afraid of losing you. Scared this might ruin our friendship somehow”, he admitted. “You’re the most precious thing in my life. Do you know how scary it is to fall in love with your best friend when you’re just a kid? And then grow up, and those feelings never go away, just getting stronger every day. I just didn’t want to lose you”.

“You weren’t going to lose me, Lan”, her eyes softened at his confession and now he was the one wiping her tears. Y/N brought him back for a hug and even though he didn’t have an answer, deep down he knew she felt the same.

“I’ve loved you since we were four. There’s a reason why I always carry this number with me”, Lando confessed. “God, look what you do to me. I never cry”.

“You only cry for the important things”, she reminded. “That’s why I love you, Lando. I’ve been in love with you for my entire life too, idiot”.

His eyes widened as he looked up to her, who had a smirk plastered on her face. “Can I kiss you?”, Lando asked, but before she could properly shake her head in agreement, he crashed his lips into hers. He needed to be home, and Y/N has always been home for him. It was the most intense kiss they ever had, like years of lingering had finally paid off for both of them.

Lando pulled her closer with a hand on the back of her head. She wrapped her fingers around his neck, smiling into his lips. Then, as if it wasn't enough, he pulled her to sit on lap, making them closer somehow. She slowed down the pace, making the kiss needier and more delicious. Lando even let out a satisfied throaty moan, his heart speeding on his chest. Her touches made him feral, knowing that after years of pinning, he finally had his dream girl.

“Thank you for this”, he whispered against her lips, a wide and satisfied smile on his face. “Thank you for all the years, all the times you've been here for me, to tell me everything is going to be alright.”

“Always, Lan”, she played with the hairs on his nape. “I love you so much”.

“I love you too. So much”, he left one more peck on her lips before hugging her again. “I don't know what I'd do without you”.

“Yeah, me too”.

The story of how they fell in love with each other was long, but beautiful. Lando and Y/N sat in that tree house all night and shared all of those stories with each other. And for a second, he really believed everything was going to work out. After all, if he had Y/N, Lando would be just fine.

❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁

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pbaz7 · 6 days ago

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CROSSING THE LINE — PART ONE ♡

paige x azzi

trope: ‘player’ p to ‘lover’ p

word count: 7.7k

A/N: This is another Pazzi series but in this one they don’t know each other well prior to Uconn. This story is also based off of the 23-24 roster so Nika and Aaliyah will be in it. Let me know what you think about the first chapter if you can!

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

June 2023

The air in Storrs was thick with early summer humidity as Azzi Fudd stood outside her new dorm suite, taking in the moment. The sunlight reflected off the glass windows of the building, casting sharp shadows on the sidewalk, and a slight breeze brushed through the trees. It was time for the summer session, and though she was excited, a nervous edge clung to her as she stared at the door in front of her.

It was one thing to have visited campus on her official trip, a whirlwind tour that had felt like a dream. But this—this was different. This was real. She was officially here now, transferring from the University of Maryland, a school much closer to her home state of Virginia. And everything felt... uncertain.

Azzi glanced back at her parents, Katie and Tim, who were busy unloading boxes from the trunk of the family car. Her mom smiled warmly, but Azzi could see the pride and slight sadness behind her eyes. They’d spent so many years together, traveling from court to court, celebrating wins and comforting losses together. Azzi knew that this moment wasn’t just a transition for her, but for them too.

“Everything okay?” her mom called out, noticing the hesitation in Azzi’s stance. “You good?”

Azzi nodded quickly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, Mom. Just thinking.”

“Thinking about what?” Tim asked, as he hefted a large duffel bag onto his shoulder. His voice, deep and steady, was always a source of comfort, even now, when he was trying to hide the slight lump in his throat.

Azzi let out a breath and smiled. “Just... everything, I guess. Feels different now. I’m really here, you know?”

Tim chuckled softly, giving her a quick side hug. “You’ve been ready for this since you were six years old, Azzi.”

“Yeah,” she said, a little louder this time, trying to shake off the butterflies in her stomach. “I guess so.”

Just as Azzi was about to walk inside, she heard voices from inside the suite. She unlocks the door to the common area and she sees two figures on the couch.

It was Ice Brady and KK Arnold, two familiar faces from the team. Ice had been at UConn for a year now, and KK, like Azzi, was a newcomer. They’d both greeted Azzi warmly during her official visit, but this was different. Now, they were teammates, and the real journey was about to begin.

“Yo, Azzi!” Ice’s voice was full of energy as she spotted her standing there. She exchanged a quick glance with KK before both girls shot up from the couch in the living room.

“Hey!” KK added, giving Azzi a huge smile. “We thought you were coming in tomorrow!”

Azzi returned the smile, shrugging a little as she closed the car door behind her. “Yeah, I was supposed to. But I figured I’d come today so my parents could be at Jose’s game tomorrow.”

“Oh that’s nice,” Ice said with a nod. “How’s he doing, by the way?”

Azzi’s heart softened at the mention of her brother. “He’s good. Really excited. His team has this big AAU tournament this weekend so he’s been talking about it nonstop.

“That’s awesome,” KK said. “I’m sure he’ll be great.”

Azzi agreed. "Yeah. are you guys who I'm rooming with?"

Ice gave her a playful smile. "No, the suite is going to be you, me and Paige. My room is the one right across from yours.”

Azzi’s eyebrows lifted slightly at the mention of Paige. She already knew her from the USA U16 team, though they hadn’t spent much time together there, barely even spoke in fact. But she’d heard a lot about Paige from her best friend Caroline Ducharme who had filled Azzi in on some of the colorful details of Paige’s reputation on campus. On one hand, Caroline had talked about how great of a leader Paige was on the court, how she was the best teammate and friend anyone could ask for. On the other, Caroline had shared some of the more... interesting sides of Paige's social life. The way she seemed to move effortlessly from girl to girl, never sticking around too long with anyone, always leaving an impression, but rarely giving anything more than that.

Azzi blinked, her surprise not just from the name but from the mixed impression she’d formed of Paige. She wasn’t sure what to make of it yet, but there was no denying the complexity of the person she’d be sharing a suite with and Azzi was always one to try to understand people.

“Paige?” Azzi repeated, trying to mask the hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Yeah,” KK said with a nod. “She’s not here right now, but I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Azzi nodded, still processing. “I hope she doesn’t mind me taking up all the space with my stuff,” she joked, looking down at the suitcase, bags, and boxes stacked beside her.

“Nah,” Ice said, laughing as she led the way inside. “We’ve got plenty of room, trust me. Besides, Paige prolly has more shoes and clothes than me and you combined.”

As the three of them carried Azzi’s things into the suite, the easy camaraderie between them put her at ease. They chatted about the upcoming summer practices, the team’s expectations for the season, and the plans for team bonding over the next few weeks.

"Everyone’s cool," Ice said as she dropped Azzi’s bag next to the door. “Caroline’s been telling us about you so you’ll fit right in.”

KK agreed. “Yeah, I think you’re gonna love it here. I already do.”

Azzi smiled, feeling a little more comfortable with each passing minute. The transition wasn’t going to be easy—nothing ever was. Leaving Maryland, her home state of Virginia, and her family was tough, but UConn felt like the right place for her. The team, the tradition, the opportunity to grow—it was all right there in front of her.

After a few more minutes of chatting, and once everything was settled in her room Azzi turned to her parents, who were standing by the door with proud but reluctant expressions.

“You good?” Tim asked again, his eyes scanning the room, making sure all the boxes and bags were there.

“Yeah,” Azzi said softly, her smile genuine but a little sad. “I’m good.”

Katie pulled her into a tight hug, whispering into her ear, “We’re so proud of you. This is your time now. Just remember, we’re always here.”

Azzi squeezed her mom back, and then pulled away to face her dad, who nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I’ll call you tonight,” Azzi promised, blinking back any trace of emotion. It wasn’t goodbye—it was just a see you later.

With one final glance around the suite, she gave her parents one last hug and waved them off. Watching their car drive away from the curb, Azzi felt a weight settle into her chest, but she didn’t let it break her. This was the next chapter. She was here. She was a Husky now.

As Ice and KK returned to their spots on the couch, Azzi took a deep breath and sat down beside them. The nerves were still there, but the excitement was starting to overshadow them.

…

It had been a busy, chaotic afternoon for Azzi, but the mood in the suite was starting to shift. The moving boxes were scattered across the floor, and though not everything was in its place, Azzi felt a little more settled. Ice had been a huge help—her energy contagious as she bounced from one task to the next, organizing, unpacking, and offering friendly banter that made Azzi feel like part of the team already.

Now, with a little bit of space to breathe, Azzi found herself in the kitchen, sorting through a few snacks she’d brought from home. Ice was at the counter, casually chatting with Azzi about everything from her childhood in Virginia to the UConn program, and how Ice had felt when she first stepped onto campus.

“I swear, when I first got here, it was like everyone already knew everyone,” Ice said, tossing a bag of chips into the pantry. “I felt like I was in high school again, trying to make new friends, but, you know, in a D1 college locker room where everyone’s the best.”

Azzi laughed, thinking about her own transition. “Yeah, I can’t imagine. It was weird enough transferring from Maryland. Different atmosphere. Different vibe.”

Ice gave her a sympathetic look. “You’ll get used to it. You’re a Husky now. Everyone has your back.”

Just as Azzi was about to reply, the door swung open, and in walked Paige. Azzi wasn’t sure what she expected, but it certainly wasn’t this: Paige, striding into the kitchen with her arm slung casually over the shoulder of a girl Azzi didn’t recognize. Paige’s eyes widened the moment she saw Azzi.

“Oh shit, you’re here already?” Paige said, surprised. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”

Azzi didn’t miss a beat, still calm and laid-back as she looked over at her. “Yeah I was supposed to,” she replied, shrugging. “But we figured it’d be easier to settle in today so my parents can go to my brother’s game tomorrow.”

Paige smiled, her tone lightening. “Ah, right. Family stuff. I get it.” Then she sauntered over to Azzi, giving her a quick, casual hug. Azzi, surprised slightly by the physicality returned it with an easy smile.

“I should’ve been here to help you get settled. Let me know if you need anything else. Seriously. I can help.”

“It’s fine, really. Ice and KK helped a lot already so I’m good for now, just getting organized.”

The girl Paige had walked in with stood awkwardly by the door, waiting for her attention as she cleared her throat.

Paige blinked and glanced at the girl, momentarily forgetting her presence, trying to be a helpful teammate and all. She smiled at the girl and gave a little wave. “Right, right. Sorry about that. One second.” She turned to Azzi and Ice. “Let me just take care of this real quick.”

Azzi watched with mild curiosity as Paige turned back to the girl, her tone shifting. “Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t know my roommate was moving in but don’t worry. I’ll call you later, alright?”

The girl crossed her arms. “You promise?”

Paige grinned, though she hesitated for just a moment. “Uh, yeah. I swear. I’ll call you.”

The girl wasn’t convinced. “How are you going to call me when you don’t even have my number?”

Azzi, looking on with mild amusement, couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath. Ice, who had clearly seen this routine a million times before, let out a snicker. Azzi found it just a little funny seeing this first hand.

Paige shot Ice a brief glare before reaching for a random piece of paper, scribbling a number on it, and passing it over with a grin. “Here, I got you covered. Call me later.”

The girl took the paper, looked it over for a second, then gave Paige a satisfied nod and walked out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Once the door was shut, Ice laughed and shook her head. “You didn’t even give her your real number, did you?”

Paige looked at Ice, looking completely unbothered as she grabbed a snack from the counter. “Nah. Why would I?

Azzi leaned back, still amused. “That’s... bold.”

Ice snorted from across the room. “Bold? Nah, it’s fine and dandy until you hear her overdramatic ass crying on a random Tuesday night knocking on the door. You know, ‘I can’t believe you don’t answer my texts, Paige!’” Ice mimicked in a high-pitched voice, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Paige shot her an unimpressed look. “I’m not that bad.”

Ice just snorted again, walking over to the counter with a teasing grin. “Yeah, right. You’d be better off giving out your real number to the next girl so I can actually get some sleep for once.

Azzi chuckled, clearly entertained. “I feel like that’s something I’m going to hear a lot around here.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-accusing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Azzi shrugged with an easy grin, her tone still relaxed. “Just... a feeling. You don’t seem like the ‘long-term’ type.”

Paige smirked, leaning back against the counter. “I’m not. You’re quick.”

Azzi smiled back casually. “I’ve got my ways.”

…

Later that night, Azzi was standing in her room, staring at the drill in her hands, an increasingly frustrated frown spreading across her face. She had tried several times to drill a screw into the wall, but it wasn’t going well. The screw wouldn’t go in, and she couldn’t quite get the angle right. The half-hung poster she was attempting to place was starting to look like it might end up in a mess on the floor if she didn’t figure it out soon.

After a few more failed attempts, Azzi huffed and placed the drill down on her desk. She let out a deep sigh and then, with a resigned look, walked across the hall to Ice’s room.

Ice was stretched out on her bed, propped up on one elbow, scrolling through her phone. She seemed to notice Azzi’s presence as she looked up from her phone. “What’s up?”

Azzi stood at the door for a second, considering. “Do you know how to work a drill?” she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and frustration.

Ice snorted without even thinking. “Nope. But Paige’s your girl for that, she hung up and put together literally everything in here” she said, as if the thought of using a drill had never crossed her mind.

Azzi shot Ice a look, not really surprised but not quite ready to give up just yet. “Alright, thanks.” She turned on her heel and walked back down the hall, stopping in front of Paige’s door.

She hesitated for a moment not knocking if the girl was asleep before knocking lightly on the door. “Paige?” she called.

From inside, Paige’s voice floated through the door. “Come in.”

Azzi opened the door slowly and walked inside. Paige was lounging on her bed, gaming controller in hand, completely immersed in whatever game she was playing. The sound of a loud explosion from the TV made Azzi pause, unsure if she should interrupt.

Paige didn’t notice Azzi standing there at first, so Azzi spoke up, half-joking, “Never mind, I didn’t want to bother you…”

Paige immediately hit the pause button on the game, her focus shifting toward Azzi as she leaned forward. “Nah, wassup? You need something?”

Azzi couldn’t help but laugh at how quick Paige was to drop her game. “Yeah, actually. Can you help me with something in my room? I can’t get the damn screw in the wall.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Sure thing, no problem.” She stood up, tossing the controller aside. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”

The two of them made their way down the hall to Azzi’s room. Azzi moved aside so Paige could have space to look at the wall, where a lone screw still stubbornly jutted out, barely halfway drilled in.

Paige couldn’t help but laugh as she inspected the job Azzi had done so far. “Okay, no offense, but this is probably the worst drill job I’ve ever seen,” she teased, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Azzi raised an eyebrow and grinned, folding her arms across her chest. “Shut up, Paige. It’s not that bad.”

Paige chuckled again but didn’t say anything more as she grabbed the drill from the desk and started to work. She quickly fixed the screw, tightening it into the wall with ease. The sound of the drill whirring made Azzi relax as Paige went about the task with no problem at all.

“So, how’d the move-in go?” Paige asked casually, her tone more laid-back now that she was drilling screws into the wall.

Azzi leaned against her desk, watching Paige work. “It was alright. A little chaotic, but Ice and KK helped me get most of the stuff in. This place is a lot bigger than I thought tho. Not what I expected when I saw it on the tours.”

Paige nodded, glancing over at her briefly. “Yeah, I get that. I had the same reaction when I first moved in. It’s like... huge, but at the same time, it feels like home. You’ll get used to it.”

Azzi smiled. “I think I already am, actually. Everyone’s been so chill.”

Paige finished drilling the last screw into the wall and stepped back, inspecting her work. “There we go. Nice and sturdy,” she said, wiping her hands on her pajama pants. “You’re all set.”

Azzi stepped over to the wall and lightly tested the screws. “I’m impressed,” she said, grinning.

Paige shrugged nonchalantly, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve done it a few times.” Then her expression softened as she glanced at Azzi. “But seriously, anytime you need help, don’t hesitate. I’m here.”

Azzi returned her smile, genuinely appreciating the offer. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two of them stood there for a moment, looking at the poster now hanging neatly and safely on the wall. Azzi stretched and yawned. “You probably saved my life. I’m pretty sure if I did it we would’ve been in the emergency room in the middle of the night.”

Paige just grinned as she laughed lightly. “It’s all part of the job. Just don’t make me do everything in your room like Ice did okay?”

Azzi chuckled. “I’m not making any promises. But thanks again Paige. Goodnight.”

Paige gave a small wave, then turned to head out the door. “Goodnight.”

Azzi watched her go, feeling that familiar sense of quiet satisfaction after a day of transitions. She took a moment to look around her room again, now that the poster was securely on the wall and a few of her things were more organized. It felt more like home already.

With a quiet sigh, Azzi grabbed her phone, checking the time, then turned off the lights, closed her door and slid under the covers.

Through her closed door she could hear a faint “Goodnight Paigey” from Ice across the hall, followed by a low laugh.

Azzi smiled to herself, feeling a bit more at ease than she had earlier in the day. It was the first night, but she already felt like this could be her place. She closed her eyes, letting the day’s chaos finally fade away, as the soft hum of the dorm drifted into the quiet of the night.

The first few weeks of the summer session had flown by for Azzi. At first, the pace had been overwhelming—everything from the practices to getting used to the new schedule—but after about the fourth day, she settled into a nice rhythm. The hustle and bustle of UConn life started to feel less like a challenge and more like second nature.

She was quickly getting to know her teammates and Caroline had made sure to introduce Azzi to everyone. The familiar faces were starting to feel like family, and it was easy to see who she’d click with.

Paige and Ice were definitely among the first she’d bonded with. The three of them had been roommates since the start of the summer, and they’d already established a little routine. Ice was always bouncing around, full of energy, and Paige was—well, Paige. Confident. Unapologetically confident, Azzi quickly learned. But it was more than that. Paige had this magnetic, charming way about her that made it hard to not like her, and Azzi found herself laughing along with her obnoxious jokes more often than not.

Their banter was effortless—teasing, joking, the kind of friendship where they didn’t have to work at it at all. Azzi had quickly grown fond of their inside jokes, especially as Paige continued to narrate her escapades with her "friends." Azzi didn’t mind. In fact, she found it hilarious hearing all the excuses Paige came up with.

Azzi had only been woken up by random girls being a little too loud a few times —which, all things considered, wasn’t that bad. Ice had painted a very different picture, so Azzi was feeling pretty lucky. She figured if that was the worst of it, she could deal. Still, it was always interesting to see the fallout the next day especially with how unapologetic she was about it.

Though one night Azzi had a test for one of her summer classes early the next morning and the noise coming from Paige’s room had reached a new level of obnoxious. So Azzi started with a text:

Azzi: Please tell her it can’t be that good. Big test tomorrow.

When no response came after some time, Azzi groaned knowing she would have to get up. She padded over to Paige’s door and knocked. The noise stopped, and after a beat, the door cracked open.

Paige appeared, shirtless, wearing only a sports bra that revealed her toned stomach that was slightly glistening. Her athletic shorts hung low on her hips as she leaned casually against the doorframe. Azzi felt her breath catch for half a second, her eyes involuntarily sweeping over Paige before snapping back up.

“Like what you see?” Paige asked, her grin widening as amusement sparkled in her blue eyes.

Azzi rolled her eyes, though her cheeks warmed. “Shut up,” she shot back, unable to stop the laugh that slipped out. “Please tell her it can’t be that good. Some of us do like to sleep around here.”

Paige snorted, tilting her head as if considering. “Trust me, it definitely is,” she said, her smirk returning.

Azzi groaned, her exasperation melting into amusement. “Oh my god you’re so full of yourself,” she said, shaking her head before crossing her arms. “But seriously I have a test in the morning. Can you find a way to make her less–you know?”

“Say no more,” Paige said, already stepping back into the room. “Give me two seconds.”

Before Azzi could respond, Paige turned and strode into her room. A moment later, Azzi watched, equal parts amused and stunned, as a girl—clearly embarrassed and trying to straighten her shirt—was ushered out of the suite. Paige reappeared moments later, leaning against the doorframe again like nothing had happened.

“All set,” Paige said, grinning. “Now get some sleep so you can ace that test.”

Azzi blinked, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. “You’re awful.”

“You’re welcome,” Paige quipped, shooting her a wink before closing the door.

Shaking her head, Azzi walked back to her room, equal parts exasperated and charmed.

…

Today was Saturday, and Azzi was sprawled out on the couch in the common area of the suite, waiting for Caroline so they could grab some food. It was quiet, unusually so, and Azzi had almost forgotten what it felt like to have some peace.

That peace, of course, was short-lived.

The door to Paige’s room creaked open, and out strolled Paige, looking like she’d just rolled out of bed. Her hair was messy, and she was wearing a hoodie with the sleeves rolled up, but she was walking down the hallway like she owned the place, much like she always did. And she wasn’t alone.

Azzi looked up, already knowing what was bound to happen. Paige was walking with some random girl, chatting casually with her, but Azzi could tell the vibe already. It wasn’t unusual—Paige was… well, Paige and they hung onto every word she said. She was definitely one of those girls who lived in the moment, and the moment often involved a lot of moments with other girls.

They exchanged a glance—Azzi’s eyebrow lifting slightly, Paige’s lips curling into a small grin. Both of them silently acknowledged the situation without saying a word.

Paige was clearly trying to move things along and get the girl out of the suite without making it awkward.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” the girl asked, voice sweet, almost hopeful. She didn’t seem to want to leave.

Paige, flashed the girl a smile. “I really appreciate the offer, but I’ve got a busy day ahead,” she said smoothly, despite the fact that the team was off today.

Azzi couldn’t help but react to that, silently amused by the lie. But Paige said it with such conviction that it almost sounded believable.

The girl, however, wasn’t so easily deterred. She tilted her head, her smile faltering. “Oh, come on. You sure? I can hang out for a bit longer.”

Paige held her ground, gently guiding the girl toward the door. “Really. I’ve got a ton of things to do. A busy day ahead. But I had a great time last night, Kelly.”

The girl froze for a second, the name clearly not sitting right with her. “It’s Kelsy, not Kelly,” she corrected, voice suddenly sharp.

Azzi, who had been sipping her water on the couch, didn’t manage to swallow in time. She choked, water spluttering out of her mouth as she tried desperately not to laugh.

The girl shot her a glare, clearly annoyed by the interruption. Azzi, trying to regain composure, quickly cleared her throat. “Sorry,” she said, though it was clear she was doing everything she could to hold back a laugh. “I just—uh, you know water went down the wrong way”

Paige, without missing a beat, gave a shrug, offering the girl a small, unbothered smile. “Yeah, right. My bad, Kelsy,” she said, waving her off with exaggerated sincerity.

The girl, not buying it, huffed, clearly upset, before storming out of the suite. The door slammed behind her with an almost dramatic finality.

Azzi stood there for a moment, her mouth hanging open in disbelief, before she finally let out a full laugh, shaking her head. “I didn’t think it could get worse than the Tiffany thing, but wow. That was a level of awkward I didn’t even expect from you.”

Paige, who had been casually leaning against the door frame, just gave a small laugh herself. “What can I say? People get confused. It happens.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what happened.”

Paige smirked, clearly amused by her own antics. “Well, what do you expect? I’m a very popular girl.”

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re something else.”

Paige grinned, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I know.”

Before Azzi could say anything else, the door to the suite opened again, and Caroline appeared, looking like she’d seen the fallout of the chaos that just ensued inside the suite.

“I have no idea what just happened but you ready to eat Azzi, I’m starving?” Caroline asked .

Azzi, still grinning, grabbed her bag. “I think I’m ready for food. The whole situation that unfolded was enough for me.”

Paige gave her a wink. “You’re welcome for the entertainment.”

Azzi followed Caroline out the door, still smiling to herself as they walked down the hallway. Behind them, Paige went back into her room.

…

Later that evening, after hours of texting back and forth in the group chat, the team decided to gather in Nika, KK, and Aubrey’s room. The campus was eerily quiet, and the rain that had started around noon was still pouring, giving everyone the perfect excuse to stay indoors and hang out.

When Azzi arrived with Caroline and Jana, the atmosphere in Nika’s room was already buzzing with energy. The team was always a little chaotic when they came together, and tonight was no exception.

Caroline and Jana waved as they entered, heading straight for Ayanna, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, scrolling through her phone. They quickly fell into an easy conversation as the three of them always did.

Azzi, however, was drawn to the couch where Paige and Nika were lounging. The two of them were in the middle of a low-key conversation, but when Azzi walked in, Paige grinned and gave her an exaggerated wave. “Oh wow look who finally made it!”

Azzi smirked as she plopped down beside Paige, nudging her with her shoulder as she did. “Things were just so boring without me huh?”

Paige rolled her eyes, leaning into Azzi’s side. “Yeah, well, we were thinking about getting a game started anyway, but we’re so glad you graced us with your presence”

Nika looked over at the two of them, her voice light but teasing. “You two are honestly the worst at acting like you’re not attached at the hip already.”

Azzi and Paige shared a glance, both of them laughing before Paige nudged Azzi again. “What can I say? I’m her favorite person.”

Azzi gave her a knowing look. “I was gonna say ‘I’m yours,’ but we’ll keep it PG.”

Paige snorted. “Please, you can’t even hide it. It’s ok to admit it.”

KK, who was pacing around the room like a ball of energy, jumped in. “I’m so bored! Somebody needs to come up with something fun. Right now. I can’t handle another second of just sitting here.”

Aubrey, who had been quietly observing the back-and-forth, laughed. “You can’t sit still for five minutes without going stir-crazy. We do need a game for the drinks, though.”

“How about something that makes us talk?” Caroline suggested from the corner of the room, already leaning in toward the group. “Like Two Truths and a Lie or something.”

“Or Truth or Drink?” Paige suggested, raising an eyebrow at the rest of the group. “You know, if you’re not feeling brave enough for truth, you just take a shot. Keeps things interesting.”

KK immediately jumped on that idea. “I love it. I’m in.”

Azzi added in, “No one gets to make up anything too wild. Yes I’m looking at you Paige.”

Paige grinned and leaned back against the couch. “You know I’m just here for the drama, all my business is out there.”

Eventually Nika grabbed a bottle of tequila from her dresser and set it on the table. Everyone shifted in their seats, eager for the game to start. They hadn’t even taken a sip yet, but the excitement was already buzzing.

“Alright,” Nika said, giving a cheeky grin, “Truth or Drink time. No backing out, no chicken-out answers. If we ask for more details you have to answer. If you can’t answer honestly, you drink.”

Caroline picked up a drink, already eyeing it. “You all know I’m going to answer everything honestly. I'm basically an open book.”

Paige rolled her eyes at Caroline’s proclamation. “Don’t get too cocky. I’m pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me.”

Everyone laughed as the game began casually, with people picking easy questions to warm up. It was now maybe the second round and Ayanna was up.

“Okay, Azzi,” she said with a mischievous smile, “who was your first crush?”

Azzi’s eyes widened a little. She wasn’t exactly ready to dive deep yet, especially with her knowing the answer. “Uh, I’m gonna have to pass on that one. Drink it is.”

She grabbed a shot and took it without hesitation, laughing it off. “Some things are just better left a secret.”

“Alright, alright,” Nika said, playfully waving her hand. “We’ll keep it light for now, but I’m coming for the good stuff later.”

They moved around the circle, everyone keeping it easy until the questions started getting a little more personal. That’s when Nika’s turn came up.

“Okay, Nika,” KK asked, leaning in with a grin, “tell us about the boy you’ve been talking to from the basketball team.”

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Nika, who instantly blushed.

She raised her hands in mock surrender. “Oh no, I’m not answering that. I’ll just drink.”

Without missing a beat, Nika poured herself a shot and knocked it back, looking like she regretted the decision immediately. The group burst out laughing, KK throwing her hands up.

“That’s what I thought!” KK said with a bright smile. “Girl boo you not fooling anyone.”

The game continued with increasing energy, the shots flowing and the questions getting juicier. Paige had successfully dodged every question so far, but she couldn’t dodge forever.

Nika said, smirking as she looked at Paige. “Okay, who was your last kiss?”

Paige didn’t hesitate for a second. “Kelsy.”

Azzi’s eyes widened for a second, then she burst out laughing as she caught the memory from earlier in the day.

Paige shot Azzi a look. “You don’t get to bring that up again. That was a one-time thing,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Azzi just chuckled harder. “It definitely wasn’t but whatever you say,” she grinned.

“Anyway,” Paige said, raising her cup, “it’s not like it’s a big deal.” She took a sip, clearly proud of herself for answering that one without flinching.

“Alright, alright,” Ayanna said with a laugh. “You earned that one. But here’s a harder one—How many people have you slept with?”

Paige shrugged, genuinely indifferent. “Honestly? I don’t know. It’s a little too much to keep track of.”

There was a brief pause. Everyone exchanged looks, a mix of shock and amusement. KK adding in, “What does that even mean? You lost count?!”

Paige just raised an eyebrow, looking unfazed. “I wouldn’t say lost count. More so like I never started.”

“Okay, okay,” Nika said, shaking her head in mock disapproval. “Here’s a real question—Have you ever actually fallen for someone?”

The room went quiet, the group waiting for Paige’s answer. She glanced around the room then shrugged. “Nope,” she said flatly, taking a sip of her drink anyway.

Azzi blinked. “Never? Not even a little? Not once?”

“Nope,” Paige repeated with a grin. “It’s all just... whatever.

“Alright, I’m curious about this one. What made you start sleeping around?” KK asked, raising an eyebrow.

Paige let out a small laugh. “Honestly? It was easy. And I don’t like getting too attached to people. It’s not complicated.”

Everyone nodded, though there were a few knowing looks exchanged, especially between Azzi and Nika, the two of them knowing Paige the best.

“I feel like I’m getting to know you a little too well,” Azzi said, teasing her friend.

“I’ve got nothing to hide,” Paige replied with a grin, pouring herself another shot.

Nika was next, clearly prepared to ask a question. She knew exactly how to get Paige to squirm.

“Alright, Paige,” Nika said, her grin wicked. “Who in this room would you sleep with if you had the chance?”

The room went dead silent. Everyone leaned in, waiting for the answer, expecting Paige to dodge.

Without missing a beat, Paige smirked. “Azzi.”

The room erupted into fake cheers and exaggerated reactions. KK threw her arms up like she’d just won a championship. “Now see that’s positive attention!”

Azzi blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what?” she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement.

“I knew there was tension there,” Nika said, grinning knowingly as she pointed between the two.

“Nah, no tension,” Paige said with a wave of her hand, leaning back casually. “Azzi couldn’t handle me.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile. “Oh, is that right?” she shot back. “You’re lucky I’m too classy to argue with you about this in front of everyone.”

The room howled with laughter, KK practically falling over.

“Y’all are killing me,” Ice said, pretending to wipe a tear. “But for real, Paige, I’m offended. Not even a second thought for your other roommate? What am I, invisible?”

“Sorry, Ice,” Paige said with a teasing grin. “But we all know you’d fall in love with me.”

Ice gasped dramatically. “Excuse you, I’m not a simp.”

Nika shook her head, still laughing. “Alright, that’s it for me. I can’t keep drinking when Paige just steamrolls through everything. I’m done.”

“Agreed,” Ice said, standing and stretching. “This was fun until I got my feelings hurt.”

As the group began to disband, KK teased, “P boogers, you better sleep with one eye open. Ice coming for you.”

Paige laughs as she and Azzi stand up as well, exchanging a quick look. Azzi grabs her phone, checking the time. “You heading to bed too?”

Paige shrugs. “Yeah, it’s been a long day. You ready?”

Azzi nods, her hand already on the door handle. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Before they leave, they glance over at Ice, who’s sitting with KK, who was pulling out her laptop.

“Hey, Ice, you coming?” Azzi calls out.

Ice looks up from KK’s laptop, giving them a thumbs-up. “I’ll be there later, after I help KK with something. Don’t wait for me.”

They head out of Nika's room, walking down the hallway side by side. The sound of the rain is a steady backdrop to their conversation, the soft rhythm adding to the relaxed vibe between them.

After some time Paige glances over at Azzi, a bit curious.

"So, back in U16," Paige begins, looking over at her with a slight grin, "why didn’t you ever talk to me? I could’ve been harassing you for years by now."

Azzi laughs lightly and stops walking for a moment, thinking, before glancing at Paige. "Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to you. You just... kind of gave off a vibe."

Paige raises an eyebrow, incredulous. "A vibe? What kind of vibe?"

Azzi hesitates, trying to use the right words. "You seemed kind of distant. Like, you weren’t exactly there to make friends. You had this... I don’t know... serious energy. Like you were always focused on something else. It felt like you were... in your own world so I just let you be."

Paige shrugs, not offended but now more curious. "I was honestly dealing with some things at the time so I wasn’t as friendly as I usually am so I can see that."

Azzi nods, taking it in. "Yeah, I get that. It didn’t help that you looked... intimidating, too."

Paige’s eyebrows shoot up. "Intimidating? Me?"

Azzi chuckles softly. "Yeah, you. You never smiled, and your eyes were always sharp, like you were constantly analyzing everything around you. I don’t know, you just... didn’t seem like someone I could approach easily and be like, Hey I’m Azzi.”

Paige laughs, a little embarrassed now. "I had no idea I came off that way. I was probably just lost in my head all the time. Sorry if I freaked you out."

Azzi grins. "Nah, don’t apologize. Honestly, it was kind of intriguing. I spent the whole time trying to figure out what was going on in your head. You were like a puzzle I didn’t know how to solve."

Paige smirks, amused by the whole thing. "Well, if I was a puzzle, I definitely wasn't making it easy."

Azzi shrugs, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "True. But hey, the mystery was kind of cool. It was like you had your own world, and I didn’t want to disturb it."

Paige hums thoughtfully, looking sideways at Azzi. "Well, that was probably true. I wasn't the best at making people feel included. But... I’m not exactly the best at making the first move either."

Azzi’s grin widens. "You know, I had a little crush on you back then. That’s why I didn’t answer back in Nika’s room.”

Paige stops in her tracks, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wait, what? You liked me?"

Azzi laughs, shaking her head. "I didn’t say I liked you, I said I had a slight crush. Big difference. I just thought you were attractive."

Paige bursts out laughing, incredulity in her voice. "Me? I was scrawny as hell back then."

Azzi grins, slightly blushing now. "Yeah, but it was that... vibe you had. You know, the whole ‘don’t smile or talk to anyone’ thing? It was... kind of hot."

Paige smirks, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, so you’re saying I must be way more attractive now, huh?"

Azzi pushes her lightly, rolling her eyes. "Don’t flatter yourself, Paige."

“Yeah, yeah. I know you like what you see.” But then Paige stops for a moment, looking at Azzi in slight shock. "Wait hold on, you're gay?"

Azzi hesitates, then shrugs casually. "Eh."

Paige looks at her, clearly confused. "What the hell does ‘eh’ mean?"

Azzi chuckles. "It means I’ve never been with a girl. But, yeah, I’ve been attracted to them before. Just never really... explored it, I guess."

Paige hums thoughtfully, processing what Azzi’s just said. She shrugs, her tone casual as they reach the door to their room. "Huh. Interesting. Guess I never would’ve pegged you for that."

Azzi laughs softly, her eyes meeting Paige’s for a second before she opens the door. "Well, I don’t exactly go around talking about it. It’s just... a thing. But it’s not really something I’ve acted on."

Paige gives her a sidelong glance, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Hey, whatever works for you."

Azzi laughs again, pushing the door open to their suite.

The two of them walk in, with Azzi dropping onto the couch and Paige tossing her bag aside before sitting down next to her. They’re both comfortable here, the casual vibe making it easy to just exist together.

Azzi stretches her legs out on the couch, leaning back. “You know, I was thinking about something earlier... You said you’ve never fallen for anyone. Ever.”

Paige looks at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, I said that. Why?”

Azzi hesitates for a second, watching her. “I don’t know... I just— I guess I was surprised. I thought maybe... I don’t know. You’d had some kind of experience that made you feel different about people.”

Paige chuckles, leaning her head back. “Nope. You know me. Always avoiding anything that smells like feelings.”

Azzi raises an eyebrow. “Yeah I know that, but like, why though? I mean, even after all this time?”

Paige’s expression softens, and she pauses for a moment, clearly thinking about her words. Then she shrugs slightly, turning her head to meet Azzi’s gaze. “I guess... when my parents divorced, my mom left when I was really young. I don’t know. After that it kinda just changed my view and I just didn’t see the point. I figured, why get close to anyone when they’re probably just going to leave eventually? I mean, people don’t stick around forever.”

Azzi’s breath catches in her throat at the honesty in Paige’s voice. She had no idea that was part of Paige’s story. There’s a brief silence before Azzi speaks, her voice softer. “I didn’t know that.”

Paige just nods, her gaze distant for a second. “Yeah, well... it’s just the way it is, you know? No one really sticks around. So why bother?”

Azzi, still processing what Paige’s said, doesn’t want to make things awkward. It’s one of those moments where they don’t need to say much, but it means something—something shared. She shifts a bit, her voice a little quieter but still filled with warmth. “I get it. But, you know... not everyone’s like that. People stick around if they want to.”

Paige gives a small, rueful smile. “Maybe. But it’s easier to just keep things light. No strings. Doesn’t really give them the chance to decide for me.”

Azzi nods, a little thoughtfully, but then shifts the mood back to a lighter tone. “Fair enough. Well, your rules definitely make it clear that you’re not looking for a relationship. But I gotta ask...” She raises an eyebrow mischievously. “You’re always talking about rules but what are your actual rules when it comes to... sleeping with people? How have you made it work?

Paige looks at her for a moment, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. “Why? You finally ready to admit you’re interested?” she says, raising an eyebrow.

Azzi snorts and grabs a pillow, tossing it at Paige hard enough that it lands squarely on her face. Paige laughs, throwing the pillow back, but Azzi ducks it and grins.

“Paigeee, what are your rules?” Azzi demands, still laughing.

Paige throws her hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright! I’ll answer. But don’t get any ideas.” She shifts on the couch, getting more serious for a moment. “I don’t sleep with the same person twice. That’s rule number one. I don’t want anything complicated. And I try to make it clear to people that I’m not looking for anything serious. No feelings involved. And rule number two? No athletes. I see them way too often in the Pavilion. It’s just... weird, you know?”

Azzi raises her eyebrows, impressed. “Wow, no athletes? So you’re telling me, if I wasn’t your teammate, I’d be on the table?”

Paige smirks, then glances over at Azzi, her eyes glinting. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve seen you and you’re too much of a tease you’d probably want me to chase you.”

Azzi laughs again, shaking her head. “Wow, you really know how to sweep a woman off her feet.”

“I try,” Paige says, her voice filled with easy humor, the tension of the earlier conversation fading into their usual rhythm.

Azzi looks over at Paige, her smile softening. “You know, for what it’s worth, I think you’re full of surprises. I think you just need someone who’s not... afraid of sticking around, you know?”

Paige’s gaze softens at Azzi’s words, and she offers a small, genuine smile. “Maybe. But I’m good. I’ve got it all figured out for now.”

Azzi gives her a knowing look, but says nothing more. They both fall into a quiet, comfortable silence, the night outside slowly quieting down, just the sound of rain lightly tapping at the window as they relax together.

Azzi glanced at the time on her phone and stretched her arms overhead, stifling a yawn. “I guess we should probably get some sleep, huh?”

Paige stood up, stretching also. “Yeah, it’s been a long day. You ready for bed?”

Azzi smiled, pushing herself off the couch. “Yeah. I think I’m done trying to figure you out for tonight,” she teased lightly.

Paige grinned, a twinkle in her eye. “Good. Let me know when you’re ready to start again tomorrow.”

Azzi shook her head with a laugh as she made her way to her door. “Night, Paige. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Paige smirked, opening her door. “No promises.”

“Of course not,” Azzi said with a grin, stepping into her room. “See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” Paige called after her, before stepping back into her own room.

The doors clicked softly behind them, the quiet of the night settling once again.

#pazzi #paige x azzi #pazzi fics

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zepskies · 7 months ago

Text

A Line and a Half

Pairing: Russell Shaw x F. Reader

Summary: When Dory’s eldest brother comes to visit her at Wyoming University, you don’t know quite what to make of Russell Shaw. But he knows exactly what he wants to make of you.

AN: Okay, here’s my first toe-dip into the world of Tracker with Russell Shaw! 1x12 gave me too many ideas not to explore this intriguing character. This is set before episode 12, but I have a little series I want to sketch out that will continue after this one-shot, so think of this as a “Part 1,” if you will. 😉

Word Count: 3.2K

Tags/Warnings: A kind of “meet cute,” attempts at flirting, and hints of setup for more to come…

You watched, silently simmering, as Dr. Goldstein added yet another packet of internship applications from his graduate students onto your desk.

Applicants that he, as the History Department Chairman, was supposed to review himself. Instead, he’d been adding these hours quite literally onto your desk.

“If you could review these for me as well, sweetheart. Thank you,” he said. “Get ‘em back to me by Thursday, okay?”

As a Professor of History with two doctorates in your name, you once again grated internally at sweetheart, but you tried to keep that cringe off your face as well.

Goldstein barely even met your eyes when he dropped off his burden, and then aimed to leave your office.

“Uh, Paul,” you called out, raising a finger. You stood from your desk as quickly as you could in your pencil skirt, but the man was already out the door. You followed him out, your heels clacking on the tile floor.

Damn it. Knew I should’ve gone with pants, you said, continuing to hasten after your boss.

“Paul! Just a second,” you said. That finally managed to turn the man’s head off of his phone. He glanced at you while checking his watch.

“About the internship applications…and your midterm exam essays for that matter. Don’t you think—” you started to say, but the man spoke over you.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to run. Meeting my massage therapist at noon,” he said, and rolled a seemingly stiff shoulder under his tailored blazer. “Something’s just not right here after my trip to Cali last weekend. I don’t know what I did, pulled muscle or something. But hey, they do say parasailing is a sport.”

You quirked a brow. “Do they?”

You weren’t sure that being strapped into a parachute for a nice air glide over the Pacific counted as a sport.

Goldstein shrugged at your question and he kept walking down the hall. Though he turned back to toss you a pointed finger.

“Need those by Thursday. Thanks, you’re the best,” he said.

You watched him go, as proverbial steam began to escape through your ears. Slowly you pivoted on your heels, and you went back to your office. You grimaced at the large stack of applications. You were pretty sure he padded them with an extra section of midterm exams.

Tapping your nails on your desk, you grabbed your phone next to your desktop and checked the time. 11:30 a.m.

Screw it. I’m going to lunch, you thought.

Dory had to be out of her Intro Physics class by now, which meant she’d be in her office, ready for you to drop in on her a little early. You took up your purse and almost made it out the door…but at the last moment, your anal brain made you turn back to grab a shoulder bag and the pile of applications. Maybe you could knock out a few during lunch.

Friggin’ doormat, as your brother would say. Laughing at you, probably.

You rolled your eyes and headed back out the door with your haul of papers, purse, work bag, and keys, locking your office behind you.

Why, oh why did the Sciences building have to be on the other side of campus?

It was damn near a mile walk from your Humanities building over to Dory’s office on the second floor. Your hands were laden with packets that couldn’t be contained by your heavy work bag, your purse was slipping off your shoulder, and these heels were killing your feet.

It was a miracle you and Dory had ever met on this campus. On your first day of teaching, you’d of course been hopelessly lost. Somehow you ended up at the tail-end of one of her classes in one of the science auditoriums.

She’d been gracious enough to help you, and even walked you all the way to the Humanities building so you could find your World History class before the students decided to just get up and leave. (And after fifteen minutes, they very well would.)

That day, she became your first real friend at Wyoming University. In the three years since, she’d become your best friend.

And now, her door was mercifully open halfway. You pushed it open and stumbled just a little from the transition of tile to carpet inside her office. Your papers nearly flew from your hands, so you struggled to right yourself and contain them all back into the semblance of neatness.

“Hey, girl. You better be ready for lunch because Jesus fucking Christ. Goldstein’s up my ass again and all I’ve had today is a crusty donut from the teacher’s lounge, which I’m pretty sure was stale,” you said, with your brows furrowed in frustration.

When you finally looked up from your struggles, you realized that Dory wasn’t alone. She smiled at you in amusement, sitting at her desk beside a man who made you pause. Your eyes widened.

He was leaning casually with an elbow propped up on her desk, dressed in jeans and a worn, pale green jacket—a good match for his eyes. He looked a little rugged for Dory’s tastes, but you couldn’t fault her, with the cut of that bearded jaw, and the smile raising the corners of his lips.

“Hey,” Dory laughed. “I see you’re having a good day.”

You bit your lip in embarrassment, probably smudging your lipstick.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve knocked first,” you said, though you could see she seemed to be having an actual good day. Office picnic? Or maybe the handsome stranger was getting ready to take her out.

Dory just waved you in. She stood and set a hand on her companion’s shoulder, and he got up along with her.

“It’s okay. This is my brother, Russell,” she said, and she introduced you in kind.

“Well, hi there,” he said. He subtly took you in with his eyes as he held out his hand. Already you felt your face heating up with more than just embarrassment.

You were a bit shocked as well, to say the least. Dory had told you some…interesting things about her family, including the fact that she had two older brothers. You wondered which one this was, the middle child, or the eldest.

“Hi! Sorry. Again. Nice to meet you,” you said. You tried to hold your hand out to reach his, but a few papers began to spill out. You clutched at them on reflex, but Russell drew in quickly to help you.

“Got yourself a load there,” he said. You agreed with an awkward laugh and a shrug of your shoulders.

“My boss’s idea of extra credit,” you said wryly.

“You can set it down on that chair over there,” Dory said, pointing to one against the back wall, next to a tall filing cabinet.

You and Russell meandered over and managed to set down the stack without casualty. You were able to pull up the straps of your bag and your purse from falling off your shoulder and give him a grateful look.

“Thanks,” you said.

“No problem,” he said, giving you an easy smile back. “I actually crashed in unannounced, so if you two wanna to head to lunch, you go right ahead.”

“Uh, no. I haven’t seen you in months! You should come with us,” Dory said. She grabbed her purse to join you and Russell by the door.

You raised your hands in placation. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve seen each other. You guys should catch up.”

Dory shook her head and grabbed your hand.

“Uh, uh. I want to hear the latest on Paul’s bullshit, and why you’re carrying half your office across campus. Let’s go,” she said, and gestured at your work bag. “Leave that here. You’re gonna eat and talk to me. No working involved.”

You laughed, but you agreed to her cajoling. With another glance at her brother, and those green eyes that seemed to be dancing, you joined them for lunch.

The three of you ended up at a diner that you and Dory frequented at least once a week. The food was good, the service was quick, and it was close to campus. Wins all around. Russell seemed to be enjoying himself, as he hummed in delight after the very first bite of his Philly cheesesteak.

“Sriracha on fries, huh?” you remarked, gesturing at the man’s plate. Your brow was quirked, but he shot you a smile.

“I said avert your eyes,” he teased. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, sweetheart.”

Ugh. Another sweethearting man. You narrowed your own eyes at him a bit. He caught the look and raised a hand in defense (the one that wasn’t holding his cheesesteak).

“Uh oh. What’d I do?” he asked.

“You gave her some PTSD,” Dory said with a laugh. “Dr. Goldstein likes to sugar coat his demands with sexism.”

Russell noted your souring look with apology. You’d just finished recounting your morning for your friend, and recapping years of “sugar-coated demands” for Russell.

“Why don’t you just tell him to cram it up his…uh…” he paused. Seeing his little sister’s look of amusement, he amended. “Or you know, stuff it.”

A smile twitched at your lips. “Oh, believe me, I’d love to tell him to stuff it. But he’s technically my boss, and the department chair. Even though I’ve basically been doing his job for two years now.”

“Well, that sucks,” Russell said. “And I feel for ya. I’ve had my share of shitty bosses in my time.”

You sighed and accepted his commiseration with a nod.

It wasn’t fair, but Goldstein planned to retire early in a few years. Must be nice.

When he did, it would make you the most likely candidate to replace him as department chair. The way you saw it, this was giving you plenty of practice before you (hopefully) inherited the position.

Anyway, you shook your head. You didn’t want to talk about it anymore. You were more curious about one Russell Shaw. You now knew he was an army vet, and he carried himself like one. Calm, controlled, even though his smiles came easy. His tousled hair and beard, while well-trimmed and neat, still gave him a roguish quality.

“So let me guess. You’re…the eldest?” you asked. You blotted at your mouth with a napkin, having finished your chicken panini.

Russell treated you to another one of those smiles, though this one held a hint of more.

“Guilty. Though I’m the handsome one,” he said with a wink.

You found yourself smiling behind your napkin.

“I’m sure,” you replied.

Dory rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him. Apparently my brother’s an incorrigible flirt.”

He chuckled and sipped at his beer, but then he grimaced.

“Ech. Friggin’ weak,” he said. “I brew better than this outta the trunk of my car.”

You raised a brow at that. “You make your own beer?”

“Damn straight,” he said. His gaze turned a hint more playful. “Next time I’ll bring you some. You can tell me what you think.”

You shared a telling look with Dory.

“Next time, huh?” you asked.

“Sure,” he inclined his head. “I pop into town from time to time. Gotta check in and pester my little sister, the physics professor.”

He laid a hand on Dory’s shoulder, squeezing warmly. You could see the pride in his eyes, and it warmed you as well.

She turned to him with a smile, reaching up to cover his hand with hers.

“You don’t pester me. I’d love it if I got to see you more often,” she said.

“Ah, I know, I’m sorry,” he said, releasing her. “My job’s got me all over the place. But I’ll be here for a week or so on this gig.”

That intrigued you. “What do you do for work?”

“Ah, well, you could say I'm a contractor. Private security mainly,” said Russell. His shoulders shifted as he became a little more guarded, you noticed. “My company connects me with the client for as long as the job lasts. Could be a few months, sometimes a few days, depending.”

“Oh, wow. Do you live here in Wyoming?” you asked. He paused, but tilted his head a little, back and forth as he considered your question.

“I kinda bounce around,” he said. “Just go from one job to the next. Sounds a bit unorthodox, I know, but it’s a living.”

“Interesting,” you nodded, but inside, you thought that sounded like a hard way to live.

Unstable…and lonely.

“You know, it’s amazing how much you and Colter have in common,” Dory said. She folded her hands on the table and met her brother with a pointed look.

He huffed in response, though he glanced at you, then back at his sister. As if he was saying, You really want to do this now?

Dory had told you before that Colter was a “rewardist,” or some kind of bounty hunter. The nature of his work kept him busy, and seemingly too busy for his sister. But you also sensed there was an edgier history here.

For the first time, you felt like you were intruding in a moment between brother and sister that went beyond words.

After a moment, Russell shook his head.

“Look, I tried with him, all right? He won’t talk to me,” he said. He went back to eating, polishing off his fries. He offered you one that was half-smothered in sriracha.

“Come on. Live on the edge with me,” he teased.

You eyed the sauce-covered fry in distaste, but after glancing up at his more playful smile, you accepted his offer. You chewed in contemplation, and found that the tangy hint of kick wasn’t so bad.

“Eh? Eeeh? Delicious, am I right?” he said, his hands going wide.

You rolled your eyes, but you nodded in agreement.

“It’s all right,” you replied.

“Yes!” Russell’s hands swept up higher, like he was celebrating a touchdown. "See, I told ya."

You couldn’t help but laugh. Dory shook her head fondly and gave him a clean napkin for the bit of schmutz she spotted at the corner of his mouth.

“Here, wipe your sriracha face.”

“You really don’t have to,” you said, as Russell helped you gather your stack of papers and slung your work bag over his shoulder.

“No, no. I’m a bonafide gentleman. Ain’t that right, D?” he asked his sister. She barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, but she did give you a knowing smile.

“Oh, his intentions are pure,” she said.

And by that, you both understood her meaning. His intentions couldn’t be any clearer than a mallet over the head, but you kind of found it endearing.

This man really carried your stuff from the Sciences building across the entire campus to your office. All the while, he asked you about how you and Dory met, the kinds of things you two did together, and if you thought she was happy working here.

You had a feeling he was trying to learn more about his sister’s life. On one hand, it was rather sweet. On the other, it made you realize that there was distance in this family, both literal and figurative. You were glad to hear that Russell, at least, was trying to bridge that gap with his sister. Dory deserved to have more of that in her life.

As you explained to Russell while you led him down the hall to your office, your friendship with her had just…clicked. From the very beginning.

“Dory, you know. She’s more than kind,” you said. “She’s a real one. I can rely on her, even when I can’t rely on my own family.”

Russell hummed at that. “That sounds like a story.”

“Yeah,” you said, glancing away for a moment. You smiled and met his gaze once more. “Maybe one for another time.”

“So you’re on board with a ‘next time.’ Good to know,” Russell remarked. Your smile deepened.

It was good timing when you two finally reached your office. You unlocked it and let him inside, so he could set down your bag, and the god-forsaken stack of internship applications back onto your desk. You’d probably be stuck here working late on those.

“Well, thank you so much. You really didn’t have to schlep for me,” you said.

When you turned, Russell was a bit close. Not uncomfortably so, but enough to make a trill of something zip up your spine. You smelled more intensely his cologne, woodsy and warm. Looking up at him, you once again found his smile.

“It’s no problem,” he said, but his eyes met yours for a moment, as if he lost his train of thought.

“What?” you asked, a bit nervous.

“Anybody ever tell you, you got soulful eyes?” he asked.

It took your brain a second or two to compute, but when his words registered, you had to laugh. You held it behind your hand, while the other went to steady yourself on your desk.

“Well, that’s a line if I’ve ever heard one,” you said, shading your “soulful” eyes with a hand.

You didn’t know it, but Russell’s face warmed in slight embarrassment. He recovered though, taking in your pretty laugh, and the shade of your hair, let loose around your shoulders, and yes, your eyes, when you let him see them again.

If he hadn’t known before, now he was convinced.

He wanted to see more of you before he left town.

“Hey, now that was 100% genuine,” Russell said, but his grin spoke volumes. When your mirth died down, he scratched the back of his head.

“Okay, cards on the table. Would you be interested in grabbing a drink with me sometime?” he asked.

You took in a breath at that. You actually did consider his offer, because homebrew and sriracha fries be damned, there was something more to him. It was lying in wait, behind those eyes that were drawing you in.

However, this was also a man whose job basically made him a nomad. It didn’t exactly scream relationship material.

Which only left the alternative: something…casual.

You just didn’t know if that alternative was such a good idea. Not with your best friend’s brother.

“Just a drink. No frills, no more grilling you about my sister,” Russell said, breaking you from your deliberation. He gestured a hand between the two of you. “Just this. You and me.”

Eventually, you sighed. Your lips raised into a more genuine smile.

“Sometime, huh?” you asked.

He smiled back. “Tonight?”

You hesitated, but despite your better judgment, you nodded before you could change your mind. You still weren’t sure what to make of this guy, but you were willing to find out.

“Sure,” you said. “Howley’s at eight?”

“Well, all right,” Russell said.

He surprised you by sweeping up your hand into his. You looked up at him, curious, but not wary. Anticipation tingled down your spine.

He pressed his lips to the back of your hand. Soft shock made your eyes widen as you blushed, feeling the subtle graze of his beard against your skin.

Who is this guy, Cary Grant? you thought.

But when he pulled away, you had to remind yourself to breathe. Again, you caught sight of his cheeky grin.

“See you tonight,” he said.

AN: He is beauty he is grace, he is Mr. Sriracha Face. 😆

Let me know if you guys liked this! 💜 It's my first time writing a character based solely on one episode, but next up is a series that will continue this one-shot. It's called Every Second Counts.

Next Time in Part 1:

“Are you absolutely sure?” you asked, with your hands on your hips.

You wanted no miscommunication here, no read-between-the-lines mishaps, no subtext or nuance to bite you in the ass later. So here you stood in the middle of your best friend’s office, still on the Wyoming University campus after your last class.

Dory had to laugh at you. She pushed away from her desk and threw her hands up.

“Yes, for the love of God, you can grab a drink with my brother,” she said.

▶️ Keep Reading: Part 1

Ko-Fi Me ☕

Russell Shaw Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Russell S. Tag List:

@kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007

@wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb @roseblue373

@brianochka @branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum

@waywardxwords @deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady

@leigh70 @clinicallydepresso @xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy

@kmc1989 @jackles010378 @emily-winchester @waynes-multiverse @jessjad

@my-stories-vault @deans-spinster-witch @syrma-sensei @stellasfictionalworld @ultimatecin73

@jesllianaquilesrolonsworld @pieandmonsters @lhymer1995 @taehyungxjungkookistaekook @lovelystoriesaj

@nicksalchemy1 @spnwoman @onlyangel-444 @sexyvixen7 @illicithallways

@wolkenprinzessin007 @alwaystiredandconfused @carpenterswife @cheynovak @grilledcheeseandtomato

#A Line and a Half #russell shaw #tracker #russell shaw x reader #russell shaw x female reader #russell shaw x you #russell shaw fanfiction #russell shaw fanfic #dory shaw #colter shaw #jensen ackles #jensen ackles characters #tracker fanfiction #tracker cbs #russell shaw series #tracker series #zepskies writes

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sofiawritesstuff · 5 months ago

Text

PLATONIC

part 9

summary: When Lando's "playboy" image is setting a bad reputation for him. He's turns to the person he trust most in this world for help.

pairing: landonorris x bestfriend!reader

warnings: suggestive

part 8

IT'S HERE!!! I apologise for the lack of uploads, I was in Spain and visited family in Italy, my car broke down and the plane was delayed. I was then in work for 5 day straight and I'm in for a further two nights too. No more excuses I will be back more consistently.

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

You with your arm wrapped around Lando's waited at baggage claim at the airport. While he called his brother updating him on how long the two of you would be, you decided to go onto the F1 gossip page.

f1gossippage

f1gossippage Lando already enjoying his week off with girlfriend Y/N L/N. They were spotted this morning at the airport and appeared to be heading back home to the UK. Y/N also posted a picture with her holding a man's hand with the caption "home for the week".

"Well we've made it to the gossip pages again, a fan must have took a photo of us at the airport" you show Lando your phone, he looks down and your phone, humming kissing the top of your head.

As the two of you waited for your luggage to appear on the carousel, Lando tried to wake himself up by looking as the gossip pages "Cute picture of us though"

"At least Zak will be happy" you shrug "This is our week, let's not think about him. We will spend the night at Max's apartment, you will go to your meeting, I will pick you up and we will head to my parents. Just us, no Zak"

The noise of the carousel drew your attention to the suitcases arriving, luckily for both of you, your suitcases were the first ones out. You watched as Lando effortlessly lifted both cases off and nod towards the exit.

"Don't worry, I'll take it" he tells you as you go to take your case from him "Thank you, is Oliver outside?" you asked "Mhm, he has the car parked right outside"

The two of you walked out of the airport you saw Oliver stood outside the car "Ollie!" you smile running towards him "Hi sis, how are you" he smiles, hugging you tightly "I'm good how are you, how are my girls?"

"We're all good, the girls are desperate to see you and their Uncle Lala" he teases Lando ruffling his hair "Get off" Lando laughs hugging his brother

"You two have a lot to answer for by the way, Mum has seen the photos and I think her heart could have exploded with how excited she was that you two were finally together" Olivier says putting thr cases in the car

You felt your heart drop, Lando's mother had been like a mother to you for as long as you could remember, someone who had been longing for you and Lando to get together.

You and Lando looked at each other, frowns on both your faces "What?" Olivier questions looking between the you "Uhm" Lando starts "Listen, we're planning to go to Mum's and Dad's tomorrow night. We need to talk to everyone about what's been going on. Can you bring Savannah?"

"Okay, I have just felt my heart fall to my stomach. What's been going on?" he asks getting into the car "We will explain everything tomorrow, I promise you will know everything"

The drive to Max's apartment was nice, empty roads and hearing all about the children's lives, Lando's racing and your work place. You had the music blasting until Lando fell asleep on your shoulder.

"Still a big baby, I see" Olivier smiles, looking in the mirror "Yeah" you run a hand through his hair "He's exhausted, he has only just started to get a goodnight's sleep. Hopefully being back home he will sleep as good as the girls"

"Are you going to Canada?"

"Yeah, that's what my meeting is about tomorrow at work. My boss wants to see me just go see how I'm doing and about working from different places, trying to get a few clients. Get a few more posts on social media"

"Do you still like the job?”

“I like how flexible it is, my boss is literally so amazing but sometimes I wish i didn’t have to work during the weekends, I like just being able to put all of my focus into Lando”

“He appreciates everything you do for him you know, that one time when he was feeling down about the race and he came home to his favourite dinner and snacks. He messaged me telling me how grateful he was for you”

You blush, kissing Lando’s head making him snuggle into you more “He’d do the same for me”

“So are you going to tell me what’s been going on, or do I have to wait until tomorrow?”

“It’s best we tell everyone together” you admit as he brings the car to a slow stop “I understand, if there’s anything you need. Just give me a call”

“I will. Now do you want to do the honours of waking him up or will I?” you ask with a smirk “Give me the keys and I will take your cases inside. He will be less cranky waking up to you rather than me” he jokes, getting out of the car

You watch as he drags the suitcases to the door, you gently shake Lando awake "Baby come on, we're home"

He groans mumbling, wrapping his arm around you "Lan, we can sleep again in about ten minutes"

"That was a quick drive" he says waking up "Yeah for you, you slept the whole hour. Are you ready to go inside. Get some sleep in a bed"

He nods, leaning over giving you a quick kiss just as his brother gets back in the car "You're awake" Olivier says loudly making you two of you pull away "Yeah, thanks for the ride. I'll see you tomorrow" Lando says quickly getting out the car

"Thanks Ollie" you rush out following him. He takes you hand rushing you inside. Closing the door behind him.

You enter the apartment, following Lando straight to the bedroom "It feels good being home doesn't it?" you tell Lando watching him take his shirt and trousers off getting into bed

"Yeah. I love Monaco but it feels good being here. Now come on get into bed"

The next morning, you woke up in just your underwear and the shirt Lando was wearing the day previously. You weren't used to the 7am wake up calls, you hadn't been for the past two years.

"What time is it?" Lando asks waking up "Sh, sh, sh. Go back to sleep. I'm going to work. Pick me up at 1pm okay?" you hold his face, kissing him quickly leaving the bed.

You head towards the hall, getting clothes from your suitcase, and got ready for the day. Just as you were about to leave Lando comes into the kitchen fully clothed and putting his shoes on.

"You ready to go?" he asks grabbing his keys "What are you doing up?"

"Taking you to work, there's no way I am letting you get a cab at this time in the morning, plus i'm going to drop our cases off at my parents"

"Thank you but I need to come back here after work to get changed anyway"

“All sorted, I’ve left clothes out for you” he says proudly. You walked into the bedroom to see a pair of jeans and shirt left out neatly on the bed for you.

“Thank you” you smile coming back through to thee kitchen. You grab your bag and follow him out the apartment, getting into the car

"How are you feeling about the meeting?" he asks reversing out of the drive "I'm not nervous about the meeting but I am nervous to go back into the office, so many of the girls hate me"

"They don't hate you"

"No they do, they hate me because you're in my life and not theirs. They only want you for your money and to fuck you" you scoff, he laughs putting his hand on your legs

"They will never get the chance baby, the only person that will ever get to fuck me in that office is you" he squeezes your leg sending you a wink

You look out of the window, hiding your smile. Watching as the weekday morning traffic slowly building up.

“Well I’ve definitely not missed this” you mumble turning your hand to Lando “Neither have I, how long is your meeting today?”

“Mark said I would be done by 12. Meeting starts at 10. I don’t think it will even last that long”

“Well I will be waiting for you at 11:45 where I drop you off. Do you want anything brought in for lunch? I can stop at the cafe just around the corner”

“No, no. I’ll be okay and get something at work. Get yourself something though” you smile rubbing his shoulder

“Will you though?” he asks turning the corner into the car park of your work “Yes. Thank you” you say taking your seatbelt off

Lando looks at you, staring out the window. Takes your hand in his in attempt to calm your nerves “You’ll be okay, I know you will. Go in and ignore anyone that has a problem with you. You know everything you need to do”

“Thank you” you smile “I love you, have a good day and I will be waiting here for you when you’re done”

“I love you too”

He leans in, giving you a kiss to the lips before kissing your head “Have fun” he says as you leave the car, you close the car door, waving at him through the window.

Entering the office, people come up to you greeting you, including your best friend Robert

“I’ve missed you so much, this place is hell without you” he hugs you tightly “It can’t have been that bad” you laugh sitting down at his desk

“Oh it is, I have so much to tell you but first tell me how you’ve been?”

“I’ve been great to be honest, I’ve absolutely loved travelling with Lando. Getting to experience his first win, we’ve tried so many different foods and countries. It’s been so good. We’re staying with his parents this week before heading to Canada”

“Yeah i’ve noticed how much you’ve enjoyed your time with Lando. I’ve seen the photo of you two kissing. He’s finally your boyfriend?” Robbie squeals

“Yeah, he is” you lie staring at the man across from you “So how did it all happen? I need all the details”

Before you can say anything Mark appears at the meeting room doors, signalling you both over. You thanked him in your head. Glad you don’t need to make up another lie.

“Tell me later” Robbie smiles, leading the way to the office “Okay” you nod

Everyone sits around the table, the few girls that you didn’t like sat across from you “Good morning everyone, thank you for those who aren’t here everyday for coming in. Also a big welcome back to Y/N who has been doing an incredible job getting clients in every country she’s been too. How have you been doing Y/N”

“Yes great thanks, so far I have gathered 12 clients and I'm off to Canada next weekend so I'm hoping to meet a target of fifteen then"

"And how are you going to do that attached to your boyfriends hip?" Emma asks with a smirk on her face "Well funnily enough I do have a life outside of my boyfriend, I'm not with him 100% of the weekend, I also use Thursdays to gather clients and have meetings with them throughout the weekend"

"Well we all appreciate your efforts Y/N, we only require you to work eight hours a day Monday to Friday so we are grateful for the overtime that you do and the calls that we have had since you've been away are great"

The hours fly by and before you knew it, it was 11:50. You gathered your belongings, putting them all in your bag. "So how are you getting home? Do you need a ride?" Robbie asks handing you your charger

"No, Lando is outside for me, we're heading back to his apartment so I can shower and then going to his parents for the week"

"That sounds nice" he says opening the door for you, you talk about the week ahead while heading down in the elevator "Well there's Lando and it looks like he brought you lunch too" he nods over to Lando leaning on the car

"Hey Lando!" Robbie waves "Hi Rob" he waves back "How was it?" he asks leaning down giving you a kiss "Better than I thought"

"I'm glad to hear, you had a slice of toast this morning and I know the most you'd have in there was a coffee so I got you a sandwich and a drink"

"Thank you" you lean up kissing him, he walks around opening the door for you "What a gentleman" you smile getting into the car.

part 10

TAGS

@harrysdimple05 @ironmaiden1313 @charli123456789 @alltoomaples @jule239 @panicsinvirgo @cmleitora @imboredway2much @landoslutmeout @obxstiles @morenofilm @formula1mount @dreamercrowd @brekkers-whore @sialexia @bokutos-babyowl @wobblymug @merchelsea @lexiecamposv @lunamelona @nightlockcornucopia

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sweetdispatch · 10 days ago

Text

What are we? - J. Marino

pairing: John Marino x Hughes!reader

summary: You transferred to New York for university and John caught your eye but the problem is that he's your brothers teammate

warning: none

words: 1.3k

note: based on another great request from @toasttt11, sending all my love to you pookie🩷

masterlist

---

You, as your twin brother Luke, were going to the same University in Michigan. When he left to play for the New Jersey Devils, you were afraid that you’re gonna be feeling left out in Ann Arbor but there was a great opportunity for you and your fellow colleagues. Your major had an application to exchange students to New York and you applied. Luckily for you, your grades were enough to transfer you there.

Jack and Luke told you that you can live with them in New Jersey but you didn’t want that. Spending an hour travelling from their apartment to your university was the last thing you wanted. That’s why you’ve decided to stay in a dorm but on weekends, you were visiting them. Obviously, you were going to their every home game. During the home opener, Luke met you with the team and one of the guys caught your eye.

“Hi, I’m Y/N and you are…?” You felt brave to make a move on him. Confidence was your strong personality trait.

“I’m John. Wait, are you Hughes’ sister?” He asked you.

“Yeah. In fact, I’m Luke’ twin sister” You laughed.

“Oh so you’re the famous sister that is smarter than these two together” John chuckled and pointed at your brothers bringing their attention.

“Yup, that’s exactly me and even smarter than Quinn” You joked.

“Smarter and prettier” You blushed at John’ words.

You’ve been chatting with him a little longer until your brothers pulled you out of him. It was friday night which means you’re spending the weekend with them. Luke, as your twin, could read you like an open book and he knew that someone caught your eye by your nonchalant behaviour. He didn’t bring this up, knowing that Jack is protective over you.

With every home game, you and John became closer with each other. Luck was on your side because he was one of the guys to leave the locker room after the game as first when it took your brothers forever to get ready. You two were having a conversation about every topic you could think of. You started falling for him because he was smart and incredibly hot.

In December, Luke took you to a team’ Christmas party but instead of staying by his or Jack's side, you were chatting with John. You two spent the whole evening talking about life and joking about hockey. It felt so natural for the two of you to talk without feeling judgemental just like you knew each other forever. John was impressed that despite being 6 years younger, you were well spoken.

At the next games, you started flirting with John. You didn’t feel ashamed about that. Your crush on him was huge and wanted to prove to him that he also had a crush on you. You didn’t know if he had but you wished for that. To your brothers surprise, you started coming to the games in dresses with flawless makeup. You never did that until now.

John seeing you all dressed up started falling for you. He loved the conversations you two always had but now, he started seeing you in a different light. Not as the sister of his teammates but as a love interest. Although, he’s been conflicted. He really liked you but you were the sister of his teammates and you are 6 years younger.

In free time, John was visiting you in a dorm. You two finally left the hockey arena and started hanging out as friends. With each trip to New York, he was obsessed with you. You were a genuine person who never saw him like a player but as a person. He was searching for a girl like that for a long time and now, he finally found it.

You kept your mouth shut and said nothing to your brothers. Luke was asking you tons of questions about your love life but you knew that it’s not the right moment to tell him that you have a crush on their teammate.

“Oh c’mon, there has to be someone in your life” Luke said.

“I swear, there’s no one!”

“I don’t believe you. You’re happier than ever. The last time you were that happy was with your ex”

“I’m just enjoying the New York life, that’s all” You shrugged.

You and John were spending a lot of time together. It got to the point that you were ditching on your brothers during weekends to spend them with John in his apartment. You knew this was wrong to lie to Luke but you didn’t want to say anything until you and John settled things down. None of you brought up the conversation about what you two are, simply just enjoying each other’s company.

You were showing up to the games and with time, everyone could tell that there’s chemistry between you and John. After games, he was the only one you hugged except your brothers. You always talked with him even when your brothers were around. You two lived in a bubble trying to cover the feelings you have, always saying that you’re just friends.

One night, you were laying on John’ couch when he went for a drink.

“What are we?” He casually said.

“I don’t understand?”

“What are we? We’re not friends because friends don’t sleep in each other's bed and don’t cuddle on the couch but we’re also not in a relationship so what are we?”

“I don’t know. What do you want us to be?” You sat up and looked at him. He stood in the kitchen pouring his drink into the glass.

“I would love to have you as my girlfriend but I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, you’re great but you're the sister of my teammates…” He took a sip and continued. “Plus, I’m 27 while you’re 21”

“Is this all about?” You stood up and walked to him. “You don’t want to date me because Luke and Jack are my brothers and I’m 21?” You laughed. You couldn’t believe his words. “Don’t be an idiot Johnny. If you feel something to me, the last priority for you should be my age especially that I’m adult and to who I am related to”

“Easier say than do” Hu muttered. “I don’t want to ruin the dynamic, especially that me and Luke are together in defence”

You grabbed his face and kissed him. “Now�� You still don’t want to date me?” You looked at him with a smirk.

“You’re impossible woman” He placed hands on your hips and pulled you into another kiss.

You two started dating. It was like a dream come true and John was a perfect man for you. You decided that it’s not the right time to break the news to your brothers so you were sneaking around. Everyone saw that you two were flirty but now, when you became a couple it felt weird.

Your graduation was three days before the end of the season party. You and John decided to show up together as a couple. This was perfect timing knowing that both of you closed a certain chapter in your lifes. You walked with John holding each other's hands. The first to notice was Luke.

“I knew it! Jack you owe me $100” He screamed and you two stood there confused.

“What?” You decided to finally ask.

“Oh please, you’re not as sneaky as you thought. I was suspecting you going out with Johnny” He shrugged.

“So you’re not mad?” John spoke.

“I know I should be but seeing this short one happy is important to me and she’s happy with you” Luke placed hand on John’ shoulder. “But break her heart and I’m gonna break you” He slapped his shoulder and left.

With the party going on, you found out that the whole team was thinking that you and John are dating and it was no shock for anyone that you’re actually together.

“Well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought” You said.

“I guess we’re terrible at acting. Everyone knew, literally everyone” John chuckled.

“Good thing that we don’t have to hide it anymore” You kissed his lips when you heard.

“I know I said I’m happy but I don’t want to see you kissing him” Luke screamed and made you and John laugh.

#john marino #john marino x reader #john marino imagine #john marino fanfiction #john marino oneshot #nhl #nhl imagine #nhl fanfiction #utah hockey club #luke hughes x reader #new jersey devils #v' work

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sturniozo · 11 months ago

Text

Our Lips Are Sealed I

masterlist

For as long as I can remember, my older brother Nate has been best friends with the Sturniolo triplets that live down the street from us.

I was always a little jealous of the triplets. They’re so outgoing and have loving parents and just seem to happy all the time. Things are different with me and Nate.

While Nate and I are siblings, it’s only half-siblings. We have different fathers, and we live with our mother. Every other weekend I go see my father, but Nate’s old enough to decide he didn’t want to go visit his dad anymore.

I don’t blame him. I’m going to do the same thing next year, when I’m able to. What can I say, our mother has a type. Douchebags that don’t care about anyone but themselves.

I don’t need a father anyways, I have Nate, my big brother. He’s better than anything I could ask for. He’s always been there for me, always looked out for me, always cheered me on.

Of course, he’s my brother and we argue. A lot. Lately about his friends, the Sturniolo triplets. Nate has noticed how I feel about Chris, and warned me against it. But what can I do about it, Chris is over all the time.

I pack my clothes into my bag. Today’s Sunday so I’m going back to my moms after spending the weekend with my father. The weekend was as it usually is. I was locked away in my room while my dad was out doing whatever. He didn’t trust me to be in the house myself. He thinks I might break something.

I’m glad to be going back home. My mother might have the worst taste in men but she’s the sweetest woman I’ve ever known. She takes care of my brother and me all on her own.

I shut off the light to my room and walk downstairs, bag in arm. “Come on, i don’t have all day. There’s a game in tonight, I want to get back before it starts.” My dad says.

“I’m coming.” I mumble as I walk down the stairs. This will be the last time I’m here. I turn 18 next week, then I’ll be old enough to decide whether or not I come here, just like Nate.

My dad ushers me out the front door, and I walk to his truck in the drive way. I get in the back seat, since his passenger seat is covered in trash from take out.

My dad gents into the truck, pushing some trash to the side. He mumbles to himself “mother can’t even get her own kid.”

I just roll my eyes and lean back in the seat. My phone buzzes with a text from my brother.

Nate 💩 :

You on your way home?

I smile at the text and send a reply.

Me :

Yeah, I’ll be there soon

Nate 💩:

Good moms making supper she wanted to know if you’ll be here

Me:

I’ll be home in 20

I shut my phone off and stare out the window as we back out of the driveway. It’s a silent drive, if you don’t include my dad bitching about my mom.

I don’t understand how someone could talk so crudely about someone so sweet. I ignore his voice and just stare out the window during the drive home.

My dad pulls into the driveway of my home. I quickly get out of the truck and run to the door, only waving goodbye. He pulls out of the driveway as soon as I have the back side door closed.

I set my bag down on the couch and walk into the kitchen where Nate sits at the island counter on his phone while our mother cooks. My mom looks up and smiles “Sweetie! You’re home!” She says.

I smile back at her. Nate turns around and sees me. “You look like you need a shower.” He says

I stick my tongue out at him and he just smiles at me. “I do, I’m scared of dad’s shower.”

“What’s wrong with his shower?” Mom asks.

“I think it’s infested.” I reply.

“Infested? With what?” Mom laughs as she cuts vegetables.

“Cockroaches, ants, centipedes.” I shiver.

“Oh, you’re just being dramatic.” My mom says.

“I’m serious, it’s disgusting. And his shower is yellow, too. Like stained yellow.”

My mom rolls her eyes and sighs. “Go shower, be down for supper.” She says with a slight smile.

I run up the stairs to my bedroom to grab some clothes and take a quick shower. After I run back downstairs and to the kitchen. I sit down next to Nate at the island counter.

I peak over his shoulder and see a message with my name, and see him texting Chris. I blush slightly and bite my lip as I try to read his messages, only for Nate to catch me.

“Hey!” He says as he turns his phone to the side so I can’t see.

“I wasn’t doing anything!” I say as I hold my hands up in surrender.

“You were snooping on me!”

“I was not!” I lie blatantly.

“Mom, she’s snooping on me!” Nate tells mom.

“Snitch!” I yell back at him.

“Will you two get along?” Mom says to us.

“When she stops looking over my shoulder and reading my texts, yeah.” Nate mumbles.

“Y/n respect his privacy.” Mom says.

“He’s talking about me, I saw my name in one of the messages!” I say back.

“Don’t talk about your sister behind her back, Nathan.” Mom says sternly.

“Chris just wanted to know when the camping trip for Y/n’s birthday was.” Nate says.

I blush slightly. “Why does he want to know that?” I ask.

“Because him and Nick and Matt are coming, dumbass.” Nate reply’s.

“Watch your mouth.” Our mom says.

My blush gets deeper. “Chris is coming on the camping trip?”

“Yeah, mom said they could yesterday.”

“They’ve never come before.”

“Chris asked me about it.” Nate shrugs.

I look down, trying to hide my blushing face. Chris wanted to come to my birthday?

TAGS: @urfavpouge @savageking3 @tastesousweet @jko3005 @sturniolo0ntop @dwalk41202 @stvrnise @bernardenjoyer @sturniolosreads @mbbsgf @xxsadlovexx @whicked-hazlatwhore @sturnsgirl @keira324 @stuniolobbg @timmyscomputer @meg-sturniolo @sturnioloenthusiast

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inthedayswhenlandswerefew · 8 months ago

Text

1968 [Chapter 6: Athena, Goddess Of Wisdom]

Series Summary: Aemond is embroiled in a fierce battle to secure the Democratic Party nomination and defeat his archnemesis, Richard Nixon, in the presidential election. You are his wife of two years and wholeheartedly indoctrinated into the Targaryen political dynasty. But you have an archnemesis of your own: Aemond’s chronically delinquent brother Aegon.

Series Warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, character deaths, New Jersey, age-gap relationships, drinking, smoking, drugs, pregnancy and childbirth, kids with weird Greek names, historical topics including war and discrimination, math.

Word Count: 5.2k

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged! 🥰

💜 All of my writing can be found HERE! 💜

Here at the midway point in our journey—like Dante stumbling upon the gates of the Inferno—would it be the right moment to review what’s at stake? Let’s begin.

It’s the end of August. The delegates of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago officially vote to name Aemond the party’s presidential candidate. His ascension is aided by 10,000 antiwar demonstrators who flood into the city and threaten to set it ablaze if Hubert Humphrey is chosen instead. At the end—in his death rattle—Humphrey begs to be Aemond’s running mate, one last humiliation he cannot resist. Humphrey is denied. Eugene McCarthy, dignity intact, boards a commercial flight to his home state of Minnesota without looking back.

Aemond selects U.S. Ambassador to France, Sargent Shriver, to be his vice president. Shriver is a Kennedy by marriage—his wife, JFK’s younger sister Eunice, just founded the Special Olympics—and has previously headed the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Peace Corps, and the Chicago Board of Education. He also served as the architect of the president’s “War on Poverty” before distancing himself from the imploding Johnson administration. Shriver is not a concession to fence-sitting moderates or Southern Dixiecrats, but an embodiment of Aemond’s commitment to unapologetic progressivism. Richard Nixon spends the weekend campaigning in his native California, a gold vein of votes like the mines settlers rushed to in 1848. George Wallace announces that he will run as an Independent. Racists everywhere rejoice.

Phase III of the Tet Offensive is underway in Vietnam; 700 American soldiers have been killed this month alone. Riots break out in military prisons where the U.S. Army is keeping their deserters. The North Vietnamese refuse to allow Pope Paul VI to visit Hanoi on a peace mission. President Johnson calls both Aemond and Nixon to personally inform them of this latest evidence of the communists’ unwillingness to negotiate in good faith. Daeron and John McCain remain in Hỏa Lò Prison. The draft swallows men like the titan Cronus devoured his own children.

In Eastern Europe, the Russians are crushing pro-democracy protests in the largest military operation since World War II as half a million troops roll into Czechoslovakia. In Caswell County, North Carolina, the last remaining segregated school district in the nation is ordered by a federal judge to integrate after years of stalling. On the Fangataufa Atoll in the South Pacific, France becomes the fifth nation to successfully explode a hydrogen bomb. In Mexico City, 300,000 students gather to protest the authoritarian regime of President Diaz Ordaz. In Guatemala, American ambassador John Gordon Mein is murdered by a Marxist guerilla organization called the Rebel Armed Forces. In Columbus, Ohio, nine guards are held hostage during a prison riot; after 30 hours, they’re rescued by a SWAT team.

The latest issue of Life magazine brings worldwide attention to catastrophic industrial pollution in the Great Lakes. The first successful multiorgan transplant is carried out at Houston Methodist Hospital. The Beatles release Hey Jude, the best-selling single of 1968 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. NASA’s Apollo lunar landing program plans to launch a crewed shuttle next year, just in time to fulfill John F. Kennedy’s 1962 promise to put a man on the moon “before the end of the decade.” If this is successful, the United States will win the Space Race and prove the superiority of capitalism. If it fails, the martyred astronauts will join all the other ghosts of this apocalyptic age, an epoch born under bad stars.

The night sky glows with the ancient debris of the Aurigid meteor shower. From down here on Earth, Jupiter is a radiant white gleam, visible with the naked eye and admired since humans were making cave paintings and Stonehenge. But Io is a mystery. With a telescope, she becomes a dust mote entrapped by Jupiter’s gravity; to the casual observer, she doesn’t exist at all.

~~~~~~~~~~

What was it like, that very first time? It’s strange to remember. You’re both different people now.

It’s May, 1966. You and Aemond are engaged, due to be married in three short weeks, and if you get pregnant then it’s no harm, no foul. In reality, it will end up taking you over a year to conceive, but no one knows that yet; you are living in the liminal space between what you imagine your life will be and the cold blade of the truth. Aemond has brought you to Asteria for the weekend, an increasingly common occurrence. The Targaryens—minus one, that holdout prodigal son, always glowering from behind swigs of rum and clouds of smoke—have already begun to treat you like a member of the family. The flock of Alopekis yap excitedly and lick your shins. Eudoxia learns your favorite snacks so she can have them ready when you arrive.

One night Aemond takes your hand and leads you to Helaena’s garden, darkness turned to twilight in the artificial luminance of the main house. You can hear distant voices, chatter and laughter, and the Beatles’ Rubber Soul spinning on the record player in the living room like a black hole, gravity that not even light can escape when it is wrenched over the event horizon.

You’re giggling as Aemond pulls you along, faster and faster, weaving through pathways lined with roses and sunflowers and butterfly bushes. Your high heels sink into soft, fertile earth; the air in your lungs is cool and infinite. “Where are we going?”

And Aemond grins back at you as he replies: “To Olympus.”

In the circle of hedges guarded by thirteen gods of stone, Aemond unzips your modest pink sundress and slips your heels off your feet, kneeling like he’s proposing to you again. When you are bare and secretless, he draws you down onto the grass and opens you, claims you, fills you to the brim as the crystalline water of the fountain patters and Zeus hurls his lightning bolts, an eternal storm, unending war. It’s intense in a way it never was with your first boyfriend, a sweet polite boy who talked about feminist theory and followed his enlightened conscience all the way to Vietnam. This isn’t just a pleasant way to pass a Friday night, something to look forward to between differential equations textbooks and calculus proofs. With Aemond it’s a ritual; it’s something so overpowering it almost scares you.

“Aphrodite,” Aemond murmurs against your throat, and when you try to get on top he stops you, pins you to the ground, thrusts hard and deep, and you try not to moan too loudly as you surrender, his weight on you like a prophesy. This is how he wants you. This is where you belong.

Has someone ever stitched you to their side, pushing the needle through your skin again and again as the fabric latticework takes shape, until their blood spills into your veins and your antibodies can no longer tell the difference? He makes you think you’ve forgotten who you were before. He makes you want to believe in things the world taught you were myths.

But that was over two years ago. Now Aemond is not your spellbinding almost-stranger of a fiancé—shrouded in just the right amount of mystery—but your husband, the father of your dead child, the presidential candidate. You miss when he was a mirage. You miss what it felt like to get high on the idea of him, each taste a hit, each touch a rush of toxins to the bloodstream.

Seven weeks after your emergency c-section, you are healing. Your belly no longer aches, your bleeding stops, you can rejoin the living in this last gasp of summer. Ludwika takes you shopping and you pick out new swimsuits; you’ve gone up a size since the baby, and it shows no signs of vanishing. In the fitting room, Ludwika chain-smokes Camel cigarettes and claps when you show her each outfit, ordering you to spin around, telling you that there’s nothing like Oleg Cassini back in Poland. You plan to buy three swimsuits. Ludwika insists you get five. She pays with Otto’s American Express.

That afternoon at home in your blue bedroom, you get changed to join the rest of the family down by the pool, your first swim since Ari was born. You choose Ludwika’s favorite: a dreamy turquoise two-piece with flowing transparent fabric that drapes your midsection. You can still see the dark vertical line of where the doctors stitched you closed. Now you and Aemond match; he got his scar on the floor of the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, you earned yours at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. There are gold chains on your wrist and looped around your neck. Warm sunlight and ocean wind pours in through the open windows.

Aemond appears in the doorway and you turn to show him, proud of how you’ve pulled yourself together, how this past year hasn’t put you in an asylum. His right eye catches on your scar and stays there for a long time. Then at last he says: “You don’t have something else to wear?”

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s Labor Day, and Asteria has been descended upon by guests invited to celebrate Aemond’s nomination. The dining room table is overflowing with champagne, Agiorgitiko wine, platters of mini spanakopitas, lamb gyros, pita bread with hummus and tzatziki, feta cheese and cured meats, grilled octopus, baklava, and kourabiethes. Eudoxia is rushing around sweeping up crumbs and shooing tipsy visitors away from antique vases shipped here from Greece. Aemond’s celebrity endorsers include Sammy Davis Jr., Sonny and Cher, Andy Williams, Bobby Darin, Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, Claudine Longet, and a number of politicians; but the most notable attendee is President Lyndon Baines Johnson, shadowed by Secret Service agents. He won’t be making any surprise appearances on the campaign trail for Aemond—in the present political climate, he would be more of a liability than an asset—but he has travelled to Long Beach Island tonight to offer his well-wishes. From the record player thrums Jimi Hendrix’s All Along The Watchtower.

When you finish getting ready and arrive downstairs, you spot Aegon: slouching in a velvet chair over a century old, hair shagging in his eyes, sipping something out of a chipped mug he clasps with both hands, flirting with a bubbly early-twenties campaign staffer. Aegon smiles and waves when he sees you. You wave back. And you think: When did he become the person I look for when I walk into a room?

Now Aemond is beside you in a blue suit—beaming, confident, his glass eye in place, a hand resting on your waist—and Aegon isn’t smiling anymore. He takes a gulp of what is almost certainly straight rum from his mug and returns his attention to the campaign staffer, his lady of the hour. You picture him undressing her on his shag carpet and feel disorienting, violent envy like a bullet.

Viserys is already fast asleep upstairs, but the rest of the family is out en masse to charm the invitees and pose for photographs. Alicent, Helaena, and Mimi—trying very hard to act sober, blinking too often—are chit-chatting with the other political wives. Otto is complaining about something to Criston; Criston is pretending to listen as he stares at Alicent. Ludwika is smoking her Camels and talking to several young journalists who are ogling her, enraptured. Fosco and Sargent Shriver are entertaining a group of guests with a boisterous, lighthearted debate on the merits of Italian versus French cuisine, though they agree that both are superior to Greek. The nannies have brought the eight children to be paraded around before bedtime. All Cosmo wants to do is clutch your hand and “help” you navigate around the living room, warning you not to step on the small, weaving Alopekis. When Mimi attempts to steal her youngest son away, he ignores her, and as she begins to make a scene you rebuke her with a harsh glare. Mimi retreats meekly. She has never argued with you, not once in over two years. You speak for Aemond, and Aemond is a god.

As the children are herded off to their beds by the nannies, Bobby Kennedy—presently serving as a New York senator despite residing primarily on his family’s compound in Massachusetts—approaches to congratulate Aemond. His wife Ethel is a tiny, nasally, scrappy but not terribly bright woman, five months pregnant with her eleventh child, and you have to get away from her like a hand pulled from a hot stove.

“You know, I was considering running,” Bobby says to Aemond, chuckling, good-natured. “But when I saw you get in the race, I thought better of it! Maybe I’ll give it a go in ’76, huh?”

“Hey, kid, what a tough year you’ve had,” Ethel tells you, patting your forearm. You can’t tear your eyes from her small belly. She has ten living children already. I couldn’t keep one. What kind of sense does that make? “We’re real sorry for your trouble, aren’t we, Bobby?”

Now he is nodding somberly. “We are. We sure are. We’ve been praying for you both.”

Aemond is thanking them, sounding touched but entirely collected. You manage some hurried response and then excuse yourself. Your hands are shaking as you cross the room, not really seeing it. You walk right into Lady Bird Johnson. She takes pity on you; she seems to perceive how rattled you are. “Oh Lyndon, look, it’s just who we were hoping to speak to! The next first lady of the United States. And how beautiful you are, just radiant. How do you keep your hair so perfect? That glamorous updo. You never have a single strand out of place.” Lady Bird lays a palm tenderly on your bare shoulder. She has an unusual, angular face, but a wise sort of compassion that only comes from suffering. Her husband is an unrepentant serial cheater. “I’ll make you a list of everything you need to know about the White House. All the quirks of the property, and the hidden gems too!”

“You’re so kind. We’ll see what happens in November…”

“Good evening, ma’am,” President Johnson says, smiling warmly. He’s an ugly man, but there’s something hypnotic that lives inside him and shines through his eyes like the blaze of a lighthouse. He pulls you in through the dark, through the storm; he promises you answers to questions you haven’t thought of yet. LBJ is 6’4 and known for bullying his political adversaries with the so-called “Johnson Treatment”; he leans in and makes rapid-fire demands until they forget he’s not allowed to hit them. “I have to tell you frankly, I don’t envy anyone who inherits that den of rattlesnakes in Washington D.C.”

“Lyndon, don’t frighten her,” Lady Bird scolds fondly.

“Everyone thinks they know what to do about Vietnam,” LBJ plods onwards. “But it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t clusterfuck. If you keep fighting, they call you a murderer. But if you pull the troops out and South Vietnam falls to the communists, every single man lost was for nothing, and you think the families will stand for that? Their kid in a body bag, or his legs blown off, or his brain scrambled? There’s no easy answer. It’s a goddamn bitch of a quagmire.”

Lady Bird offers you a sympathetic smirk. Sorry about all this unpleasantness, she means. When he gets himself worked up, I can’t stop him. But you find yourself feeling sorry for President Johnson. It will be difficult for him to learn how to fade into disgraced obscurity after once being so omnipotent, so beloved. Reinvention hurts like hell: fevers raging, bones mending, healing flesh that itches so ferociously you want to claw it off.

LBJ gives Lady Bird a look, quick but meaningful. She acquiesces. This has happened a thousand times before. “It was so nice talking to you, dear,” she tells you, then crosses the living room to pay her respects to Alicent.

The president steps closer, looming, towering. The Johnson Treatment?? you think, but no; he isn’t trying to intimidate you. He’s just curious.

“Do you know what Aemond’s plan is for ‘Nam?” LBJ asks, eyes urgent, voice low. “I’m sure he has one. He’s sworn to end the draft as soon as he gets into office, but how is he going to make sure the South Vietnamese can fend off the North themselves? We’re trying to train the bastards, but if we left they’d fold in months. It would be the first war the U.S. ever lost. Does he understand that?”

“He doesn’t really discuss it with me.” That’s true; you know his policies, but only because they are a constant subject of conversation within the family, something you all breathe like oxygen.

“We can’t let Nixon win,” LBJ continues. “It’s mass suicide to leave the country in his hands. The man can’t hold his liquor anymore, getting robbed by Kennedy in ’60 broke something in him. He gets sloshed and shoves his aids around, makes up conspiracies in his head. He’s a paranoid little prick. He’ll surveille the American people. He’ll launch a nuke at Moscow.”

You honestly don’t know what he expects you to say. “I’ll pass the message along to Aemond.”

“People love you, Mrs. Targaryen.” LBJ watching you closely. “Believe it or not, they used to love me too. But I still remember how to play the game. You’re the only reason Aemond is leading the polls in Florida. You can get him other states too. Jack needed Jackie. Aemond needs you. And you’ve had tragedies, and that’s a damn shame. But don’t you miss an opportunity. You take every disappointment, every fucked up cruelty of life and find a way to make it work for you. You pin it to your chest like a goddamn medal. Every single scar makes you look more mortal to those people going to the ballot box in November. You want them to be able to see themselves in you. It helps the mansions and the millions go down smoother.”

“President Johnson!” Aegon says as he saunters over, huge mocking grin. He thumps a closed fist against the Texan’s broad chest; the Secret Service agents standing ten feet away observe this sternly. “How thoughtful of you to be here, taking time out of your busy schedule, squeezing us in between war crimes.”

“The mayor of Trenton,” LBJ jabs.

“The butcher of Saigon.”

Now the president is no longer amused. “You’ve never accomplished anything in your whole damn life, son. Your obituary will be the size of a postage stamp. I’m looking forward to reading it someday soon.” He leaves, rejoining Lady Bird at the opposite end of the room.

You frown at Aegon, disapproving. You’re dressed in a sparkling, royal blue gown that Aemond chose. “That was unnecessary.”

Aegon is wearing an ill-fitting green shirt—half the buttons undone—khaki pants, and tan moccasins. “I just did you a favor.”

“What happened to your new girlfriend? Shouldn’t she be getting railed in your basement right now? Did she have a prior commitment? Did she have a spelling test to study for? Those can be tricky, such complex words. Juvenile. Inappropriate. Infidelity.”

“You know what he brags about?” Aegon says, meaning LBJ. “That he’s fucked more women by accident than John F. Kennedy ever did on purpose.”

“That sounds…logistically challenging.”

“He’s a lech. He’s a freak. He tells everyone on Capitol Hill how big his cock is. He takes it out and swings it around during meetings.”

“And that’s all far less than admirable, but he’s not going to do something like that around me.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he’s not an idiot,” you say impatiently. “He was perfectly civil. And I was getting interesting advice.”

Aegon rolls his eyes, exasperated. “Yeah, okay, I’m sorry I crashed your cute little pep talk with Lyndon Johnson, the most hated man on the planet.”

“I guess you can’t stop Aemond from touching me, so you have to terrorize LBJ instead.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Aegon hisses, and his venom stuns you. And now you’re both trapped: you loosed the arrow, he proved you hit the mark. He’s flushing a deep, mortified red. Your guts are twisting with remorse.

“Aegon, wait, I didn’t mean—”

He whirls and storms off, shoving his way through the crowd. People glare at him as they clutch their glasses and plates, sighing in that What else do you expect from the worthless son? sort of way. You’re still gaping blankly at the place where Aegon stood when Aemond finds you, snakes a hand around the back of your neck, and whispers through the painstakingly-arranged wisps of hair that fall around your ear: “Follow me.”

It’s not a question. It’s a command. You trail him through the living room, into the foyer, and through the front door, not knowing what he wants. Outside the moon is a sliver; the light from the main house makes the stars hard to see. “Aemond, you’ll never believe the conversation I just had with LBJ. He really unloaded, I think the stress is driving him insane. I have to tell you what he said about—”

“Later.” And this is jarring; Aemond doesn’t put anything before strategy. He grabs your hand as he turns into Helaena’s garden, and only then do you understand what he wants. Instinctively, your legs lock up and your feet stop moving. Aemond tugs you onward. He wants it to be like the very first time. He intends to start over with you, the dawning of a new age in the dead of night.

Hidden in the circle of hedges, he takes your face roughly in his hands and kisses you, drinks you down like a vampire, consumes you like wildfire. But your skull echoes with panic. I don’t want him touching me. I don’t want another child with him. “Aemond…”

He doesn’t hear you, or acts like he doesn’t, or mistakes it for a murmur of desire, or chooses to believe it is. He has you down on the grass under the vengeful gaze of Zeus, the fountain splashing, the sounds of the house a low foreign drone. He yanks off your panties, but he doesn’t want you naked like he always did before. He pushes the hem of your shimmering cobalt gown up to your hips and unbuckles his trousers. And you realize as he’s touching you, as he’s easing himself into you: He doesn’t want to have to look at my scar.

You can’t ignore him, you can’t pretend it’s not happening. He’s too big for that. It’s a biting fullness that demands to be felt. So you kiss him back, and knot your fingers in his short hair like you used to, and try to remember the things you always said to him before. And when Aemond is too absorbed to notice, you look away from him, from the statue of Zeus, and peer up into the stone face of Athena instead: the goddess who never married and who knows the answer to every question.

“I love you,” Aemond says when it’s over, marveling at the slopes of your face in the dim ethereal light. “Everything will be right again soon. Everything will be perfect.”

You conjure up a smile and nod like you believe him.

“What did LBJ say?”

“Can I tell you later tonight? After the party, maybe? I just need a few minutes.”

“Of course.” And now Aemond pretends to be patient. He buckles his belt and returns to the main house, his blood coursing with the possibilities only you can make real, his skin damp with your sweat.

For a while—ten minutes, twenty minutes—you lie there on the cool grass wondering what it was like for all those mortals and nymphs, being pinned down by Zeus and then having Hera try to kill them afterwards, raising ill-fated reviled bastards they couldn’t help but love. What is heaven if the realm of the immortals is so cruel? Why does the god of justice seem so immune to it?

When at last you rise and walk back towards the house, you find Mimi at the edge of the garden. She’s on her knees and retching into a rose bush; she’s cut her face on the thorns, but she hasn’t noticed yet. She’s groaning; she seems lost.

You reach for her, gripping her bony shoulders. “Mimi, here, let’s get you upstairs…”

“No,” she blubbers, tears streaming down her scratched cheeks. “Just go away. Leave me.”

“Mimi—”

“No!” she roars, a mournful hemorrhage as she slaps your hands until you release her.

“You don’t have to be this way,” you tell her, distraught. “You can give up drinking. We’ll help you, me and Fosco and Ludwika. You can start over. You can be healthy and present again, you can live a real life.”

Mimi stares up at you, her grey eyes glassy and bloodshot but with a vicious, piercing honesty. “My husband hates me. My kids don’t know I exist. What the hell do I have to be sober for?”

You weren’t expecting this. You don’t know what to say. “We can help make the world better.”

“The world would be better without me in it.”

Then Mimi curls up on the grass under the rose bush, and stays there until you return with Fosco to drag her upstairs to her empty bed.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next afternoon, you’re lying on a lounge chair by the pool. Tomorrow the family will leave Asteria and embark upon a vigorous campaign schedule that will continue, with very few breaks, until Election Day on Tuesday, November 5th. The children are splashing and shrieking in the pool with Fosco, but you aren’t looking at them. You’re staring across the sun-drenched emerald lawn at the Atlantic Ocean. You’re envisioning all the bones and splinters of sunken ships that must litter the silt of the abyss; you’re thinking that it’s a graveyard with no headstones, no memory. Your swimsuit is a red one-piece. Your eyes are shielded by large black Ray Bans aviator sunglasses. Your gaze flicks up to the cloudless blue sky, where all the stars and planets are invisible.

Jupiter has nearly a hundred moons; the largest four were discovered by Galileo in 1610. Europa is a smooth white cosmic marble with a crust of ice, beautiful, immaculate. Ganymede, the largest moon in our solar system and the only satellite with its own magnetic field, is rumored to have a vast underground saltwater ocean that may contain life. Callisto is dark and indomitable, riddled with impact craters; because of her dynamic atmosphere and location beyond Jupiter’s radiation belts, she is considered the best location for possible future crewed missions to the Jovian system. But Io is a wasteland. She has no water and no oxygen. Her only children are 400 active volcanoes, sulfur plumes and lava flows, mountains of silicate rock higher than Mount Everest, cataclysmic earthquakes as her crust slips around on a mantle of magma. Her daily radiation levels are 36 times the lethal limit for humans. If Hades had a home in our corner of the galaxy, it would be Io. She glows ruby and gold with barren apocalyptic fury. You can feel yourself turning poisonous like she is. You can feel your skin splitting open as the lava spills out.

Aegon trots out of the house—red swim trunks, cheap red plastic sunglasses, no shirt, a beach towel slung around his neck, flip flops—and kicks your chair. “Get up. We’re going sailing.”

“I don’t want to talk to anybody.”

“Great, because I’m not asking you to talk. I’m telling you to get in my boat.”

You don’t reply. You don’t think you can without your voice cracking. Aegon crouches down beside your chair and pushes your sunglasses up into your Brigitte Bardot-inspired hair so he can see your face. Your eyes are pink, wet, desperately sad. Deep troubled grooves appear in his forehead as he studies you. Gently, wordlessly, he pats your cheek twice and lowers your sunglasses back over your eyes. Then he stands up again and offers you his hand.

“Let’s go,” Aegon says, softly this time. You take his hand and follow him down to the boathouse.

Five vessels are currently kept there. Aegon’s sailboat is a 25-foot Wianno Senior sloop, just roomy enough for a few passengers. He’s had it since long before you married into the Targaryen family. It is white with hand-painted gold accents; the name Sunfyre adorns the stern. He unmoors the boat, pushes it out into the open water, and raises the sails.

You glide eastbound over the glittering crests of waves, slowly at first, then faster as the sails catch the wind. Aegon has one hand on the rudder, the other grasping the ropes. And the farther you get from shore, the smaller Asteria seems, and the Targaryen family, and the presidential election, and the United States itself. Now all that exists is this boat: you, Aegon, the squawking gulls, the school of mackerel, the ocean. The sun beats down; the breeze rips strands of your hair free. The battery-powered record player is blasting White Room by Cream. When you are far enough from land that no journalists would be able to get a photo, Aegon takes two joints and his Zippo out of the pocket of his swim trunks. He puts both joints between his lips, lights them, and passes you one. Then he stretches out beside you on the deck, gazing up at the September sky.

You ask as your muscles unravel and your thoughts turn light and easy to share: “Why did you bring me out here?”

“So you can drown yourself,” Aegon says, and you both laugh. “Nah. I used to go sailing all the time when I was a teenager. It always made me feel better. It was the only place where I could really be alone.”

You consider the math. “Wow. You haven’t been a teenager since before I was in kindergarten.”

“It’s weird to think about. You don’t seem that young.”

“Thanks, I guess. You don’t seem that old.”

“Maybe we’re meeting in the middle.” He inhales deeply and then exhales in a rush of smoke. “What do you think, should I get an earring?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“It might shock Otto so bad it kills him.”

“I’ll get two.” And then Aegon says: “It’s not cool for you to mock me.”

You are dismayed; you didn’t mean to hurt him. “I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were. You were mocking me. You mocked me about the receipt under my ashtray, and then you mocked me again last night. I’m up for a lot of things, but I can’t handle that. Okay?”

“Okay.” You turn your head so you can see him: shaggy blonde hair, stubble, perpetual sunburn, the softness of his belly and his chest, flesh you long to vanish into like rain through parched earth. “Aegon?”

He looks over at you. “Io?”

“I don’t want Aemond to touch me either.”

He’s surprised; not by what you feel, but because you’ve said it aloud, a treason like Prometheus giving mankind the gift of fire. “What are we gonna do about it?”

If you were the goddess of wisdom, maybe you’d know.

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starkwlkr · 2 years ago

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Hi can you write a verstappen reader x charles where they're dating in secret but max founds out and he gets mad, you can work out the story, maybe a lot of angst but a happy ending, I love your writing.

friends don’t kiss friends | charles leclerc

btw max and charles hate each other in this so i apologize in advance for all the lestappen fans <3

Max would kill Charles. No, he was going to kill Charles. It was an exaggeration, but it would probably come true.

Y/n Verstappen knew her true feelings. She knew what she wanted and what she wanted more than anything in the world was to be with Charles. He was caring, loving, the perfect man in her eyes. But Max would never allow his older sister to be with him.

So they saw each other in secret.

Max had almost caught the couple once. He had stopped by his sister’s apartment in Monaco and saw Charles’ Ferrari parked outside. When he knocked on the door, Charles opened it thinking it was the food they had ordered.

“Y/n, it’s your brother.” Charles called out to his girlfriend. “Excuse me mate, go to go.”

“Leaving so soon?” Max asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got a family lunch tomorrow. Good to see you.” Charles said coldly.

Y/n appeared, having changed from Charles’ shirt to one of her own. “You didn’t tell me you were coming over.” Y/n said to Max, who was busy glaring at Charles.

“I didn’t think I’d have to. You’re my sister.” Max replied. “I was just about to ask Charles here why he could come over but I can’t.”

Charles’ heart started beating faster. What was he supposed to say? Confess to their secret relationship? ‘Hey, by the way, I’m having sex with your sister!’

“I asked him to.” Y/n spoke. “He mentioned he wanted to make something for his family lunch tomorrow so I told him he could borrow my book where I keep all my recipes.”

“Then where’s the book?” Max asked.

Y/n then brought out a book she had been hiding behind her back. She then handed it to Charles. “He was just leaving, Max.”

Charles grabbed the book. “Thank you.” Was all he said before he walked to his Ferrari. Once inside, he watched Max start to argue with Y/n. He started feeling guilty knowing he was the cause of it.

He wanted to be able to kiss Y/n in public, hold her hand, take her on dates. He was sure Y/n wanted that too, but if she ever revealed that she was dating her brother’s rival, the name Verstappen would no longer belong to her.

After that day, Charles was more careful when he visited Y/n. Instead of taking his Ferrari, he would order an Uber to her apartment. Sometimes he would spend the night because Y/n convinced him to. (And also because those were the nights Max wasn’t in Monaco so they didn’t have to worry about him coming over)

Y/n was happy with Charles. He treated her with respect, she did the same to him. Their love was real, something Max would have trouble understanding.

When Max finally found out, he refused to talk to his sister. It was during the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. Y/n had watched her brother win the race while her brother came in second. It was a good weekend so far. When the podium ceremony came, instead of wearing hats, they were given football helmets. Y/n laughed at Charles, who found her in the crowd of people and winked at her.

After the ceremony, she made her way to the Red Bull Garage. She wanted no more than to celebrate both Charles and Max, but that would never happen. When Max found her, he grabbed her forcefully by the arm and dragged her to his driver’s room, ignoring her insults she had thrown at him.

“You fucker! You’re hurting my arm!” Y/n punched Max’s shoulder, trying to get him to let her go. Finally, they reached the room where Max had let her go and closed the door behind them. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“How long has this been happening?” Max asked.

Y/n saw the look in Max’s eyes. He was furious. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said.

“Don’t act dumb. How long have you been sleeping with him? Days? Weeks?” Max threw his 1st place football helmet to the ground.

“It’s my life. You don’t get to control who I see!” Y/n tried to leave, but Max held her back. ��Let me go!”

“Why are you doing this to me? Why him?” Max asked. He felt betrayed.

“I’m not doing anything to you. He loves me.” Y/n defended the love of her life.

“Does he?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I know him. I know how he is, how he thinks and he’s the worst.” Max went on.

“Well I know him too and I know he would never hurt me. But you are. You’re my brother, Max.” Y/n felt a tear go down her cheek.

Max shook his head. “You’re not my sister.”

Those words hit Y/n hard. Why wouldn’t they? Max was always there for her, cared for her, loved her. That day, Y/n and Max stopped talking.

When Charles found Y/n, she was a crying mess. She had explained everything to him.

“He hates me. He said I’m not his sister anymore.” Y/n cried to Charles in his driver’s room.

“Hey, you’re going to be okay. You’ve got me and my family. They love you more than anything. We’re going to be okay.”

Charles kept his word. The Leclerc family became her own. When she attended races, the Ferrari garage became her home instead of the Red Bull garage. She would sometimes pass by it, but never looked inside or asked for Max. They were strangers now.

Y/n spent all the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with the Leclercs. Soon enough, she was planning a wedding with Charles.

“The invitations came in.” Y/n told Charles as she showed him the wedding invitations she had custom made.

“They look great, mon amour.” Charles kissed her cheek. “Lorenzo and I are going to take Arthur suit shopping. He says he can’t find the right one. I’ll be back soon.”

Y/n nodded and kissed Charles’ lips. After he left, Y/n was all by herself in their shared apartment. She picked up an invitation and stared at it. She was finally going to get married. But of course something was missing, or rather someone. She still wasn’t in contact with Max. Sure they were at the same events all year, but they never asked for each other. She missed him everyday.

When they were younger, Y/n always thought Max would attended her wedding. He would be by her side, dance with her, but none of that was happening.

Yet.

Charles hated lying to his fiancée. He hated it with a burning passion, but he knew he had to to something about Max. Truth was, Arthur had found his suit the day after Charles and Y/n announced their engagement. Now Charles stood in Max’s apartment. Kelly had let him in while Max had just gotten out of the shower.

“What are you doing here? Did you let him in?” Max asked Kelly.

“She did. I’m here to talk to you about Y/n.” Charles said. “We’re getting married.” Kelly excused herself and left the two men to talk.

“And you want me to congratulate you?” Max scoffed.

“No, I’m here to invite you to the wedding. She’d want you there believe it or not. She does care about you, Max—”

“Then why did she have to fall in love with you? She could’ve had anyone and she chose you.” Max interrupted. “She chose you over her own family.”

“She didn’t. You disowned her. You left her hurt. She cried every night for three weeks and guess who was there? Me. I love her and if you can’t see that then you’re obviously blind as shit.” Charles dug into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “That’s the address.” He put it on the coffee table.

“What? No proper invitation?” Max rolled eyes eyes.

“Don’t push it.”

The day of the wedding finally came. Y/n couldn’t wait to call Charles her husband. She stood in front a full length mirror admiring her white dress. Pascale had helped her with her hair while she applied her makeup.

“Thank you again, Pascale.” Y/n said to the older woman.

“You look beautiful. Charles is going to cry when he sees you.” Pascale smiled. As Y/n looked at herself in the mirror, Pascale heard a light knock on the door to the dressing room. The Leclerc woman walked to the door and slightly opened it thinking it was Charles trying to take a look at Y/n’s dress. She was surprised to see Max in a suit.

Pascale looked back at Y/n, who was too busy fixing her veil. She then turned to Max. “Does she know?” Max shook his head. Pascale sighed and asked Max to wait. She closed the door and walked back to the bride. “ma fille, there is someone here to see you.”

Pascale’s words made Y/n froze. She could only think of one person. She turned to face Pascale. “He can come in.” She nodded at the woman.

As Pascale went to let Max in, Y/n started to take deep breaths. Was she actually ready to face Max? She didn’t know. Was it even a good idea for him to be there? Again, she couldn’t tell.

“I’ll leave you two alone. I’m going to check on Charles.” Pascale excused herself and left the room.

Y/n had her back turned to Max, only this time she was looking at him through the mirror. “You look dumb.” She said.

“So do you.” Max replied with a dry laugh. “You look pretty.” He cleared his throat.

Y/n laughed. She knew how Max was when trying to compliment someone else. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Yeah, well your future husband insisted I come. He told me you care about me.”

“I didn’t stop, Max. You’re my brother.” Y/n finally turned around to face him. “Why do you hate Charles so much? He makes me happy.”

“I guess I didn’t want you to leave me.”

Y/n’s heart broke. Everyone knew how hard Jos Verstappen was on his children, especially Max. Over the years, Max had gone to his older sister for comfort, something Jos was unfamiliar with.

“I know it’s selfish of me. You can hate me all you want, hate me until you die, but I just want to say I’m sorry for everything I ever did and said to you. You’re always going to be my sister.” Max confessed.

Y/n wiped away a tear. “I don’t hate you and I’m not going to hate you until I die. You’re so fucking dramatic.” She laughed through her tears.

“I can leave if you want me to. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry.” Max nodded. He was about to leave the room when Y/n spoke once again.

“Stay.”

The wedding was the most beautiful wedding Max had ever attended. He sat next to Charles’ brothers. As he looked at Charles and Y/n, he felt proud of the life his sister had made.

“You may kiss the bride.” The priest announced. Charles didn’t have to be told twice. He kissed Y/n as if it was the last time they would ever kiss. To them, it was like they were the only ones in the room.

“You know, Y/n once told me her and Charles were just friends.” Max whispered to Arthur, who lightly laughed. “Friends don’t kiss friends.”

#formula 1 #f1 x reader #formula 1 imagine #f1 imagine #f1 x you #charles leclerc #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc one shot #cl16 x reader #ferrari f1 #verstappen!reader #charles leclerc imagine

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rubyuji · 8 months ago

Text

The Reason for My Smile (Kim Mingyu) 🪡

“Guys come on, Mingyu is approved by my brother! How can I not care? I know I’m still scared because of the whole Chan fiasco but can you blame me?” ✮⋆˙

Genre: Angst, Fluff

AU: University!au, Nonidol!au

Pairing: Ex!Chan x Fem!Reader, Brother’s Best Friend!Mingyu x Fem!Reader (Literally Seungcheol’s younger sister)

Warnings: A bit of cursing, a break up over text but that’s about it.

Synopsis: Diving into a long-term relationship is scary for anyone for that matter, except the breakup from yours had left you traumatized because it happened over text. From then on you vowed to never wear your heart on your sleeve ever again, but your brother’s own best friend promised to change your perspective.

Note: My first ever Seventeen fic on this account, so it’s still a work in progress, but it’s definitely something! (Esp since I haven’t written in awhile). It used to be an Enhypen fic originally, but it took a lot of editing and proofreading, along with a lot of changes. Happy reading! Don’t forget to like + reblog! It would mean the world.

Word Count: 7.7k words (I’ve never written so much)

Your relationship with Chan wasn’t precisely the dreamy or ideal relationship you had hoped for but as someone who had almost no experience, put that and being a people pleaser together, and you have whatever is left of your so-called relationship.

It’s not like Chan was a bad person or anything, the boy was quite the softie, so he’s probably just as overwhelmed as you were when it came to dating.

The latter part of the relationship consisted of you trying to understand him as best as you could, that was until inconsistencies started popping up a lot more.

Chan felt distant, he was more busy, despite the two of you being in the same major. That was the whole basis of your relationship after all. At the beginning of your relationship, it was sweet and full of the first times. Chan used to hold your hand, his other one holding your bag, as you would walk to the diner across campus and stay there for hours just talking about your day.

The soft gazes he’d give you whenever your eyes met, the flowers he’d give you on a random day, and the late-night calls wherein one of you ended up asleep. It was like a broken record that rewind itself during the late hours when you would start to question his love for you.

Those moments seem like old memories to you now as you see another apologetic text from your boyfriend. Another text where he promised to make it up to you and that he’d do better next time, it was starting to become a routine where you got stood up by him.

You wondered what on earth would keep your boyfriend so busy, especially when you both had ended up together because you took the same classes. You weren’t a slacker and always got your work done on time, so things weren’t adding up, especially when you both always tried to help one another.

The week after your midterms, you decided to visit your family and stay at home for a little bit.

Your family lived thirty minutes away from campus and you honestly couldn’t bother to make a drive that long every day, so you opted to stay in the dorms to save time, but on occasion, you would suck it up for a few days whenever your living space felt too tight.

Today was one of those days, but it felt a lot worse than you’d like to admit.

“Hey, I’m gonna go stay at my family’s for the weekend, and on Monday, just try not to make a mess here or anything.” You say to your roommate, Bora, who nods without looking at you.

Your roommate had an annoying habit of not looking at people whenever she was focused on her work, but you grew quite used to it and just shrugged it off after a few months.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I only ever have Chaeyoung or Hyewon over so no mess and no broken belongings. Have fun and say hi to Seungcheol for me if you see him, will you? Drive safe Y/n,” Bora finally turns to you from her bed and you laugh.

Seungcheol was a good brother and had a heart of gold, but you couldn’t handle your friends gushing over him in front of your face, it just felt weird when you grew up right beside him, the image of a younger Cheol picking his nose suddenly registering itself into your brain as you cringed.

You couldn’t care less about who he’d date though, it was none of your business, even as his little sister. As long as he didn’t end up hurt or hurting anyone, your brother was free to be with who he liked.

“Sure, I’ll leave a word when I see him. Tell me if anything comes up, and now I’ll get going! Bye, Bora!” You picked up your backpack and made the short walk to your car, ready to go home and lay on your childhood bed, which was admittedly more comfortable than the one you had in the dorm.

You text Chan about going to your family’s place, and the boy follows up with a thumbs-up emoji and an ‘I love you, stay safe’ text.

Your boyfriend didn’t have much to say anyway, and you were starting to grow bored with the way things were going. He probably felt the same way and you couldn’t blame him when you couldn’t keep your mouth shut either, since you seemed to be the only one exerting effort at this point.

He might even find you annoying now but didn’t have the heart to tell you because he was just that nice.

“Breaking up is honestly super tempting right now and I honestly can’t stand it anymore! It’s driving me mad, Cheol!” You whine as you stop at the intersection that leads into your neighborhood.

You didn’t mean to rub it in or anything, but you did live in a wealthier part of town, which explained the long drive home, and you were so glad to see the familiar area after a stressful trip.

It just so happened that halfway through the drive, your poor brother had to endure fifteen minutes of your rambling like some counselor even though he simply just wanted to check up on you.

“Y/n, just break up with him then, simple. It’s been months since you started telling me about how bad it’s getting, and honestly, I’m horrified to hear about what else is to come once you get here. I love you so much, really I do, but this boy is full of empty promises and lies,” Seungcheol sighs deeply.

The light turns green and you finally drive into your street, completely forgetting you were on the phone.

“Fuck don’t ignore me like that, I know how much you both liked your sweet puppy love phase, but get a grip Y/n. Chan is draining you, and he’s probably just as tired as you are. It’s time to stop hanging onto that year you both had,” You pull into your driveway and click your tongue.

Your brother was right, but it also killed you knowing you’d hate the thought of not having Chan around anymore. It was all easier said than done, especially when you felt incomplete without him.

“I see your ass in the driveway, Mom and Dad went out to get food so you have a fuck ton of explaining to do.” You see Seungcheol in the window and laugh before honking at him, scaring the living daylights out of him in the process.

“I’ll be in, like five. Let me get my bag ok? And tell Kkuma I’m here, I missed her.” You turn the engine off and grab your bag from the back, a wave of comfort and warmth washing over your form as you look at the house.

“Anyways, I’ve been contemplating on wanting to break up with him because I think he’s tired of me and maybe I did become quite annoying. Unless I’m invalidating my feelings and gaslighting myself into thinking I’m the problem,” You go on.

At this point, it was past dinner time and you and Seungcheol were in your room, dressed for bed and still talking about your problems. Poor Kkuma looked ready to curl up beside you and sleep but was forced to stay awake because of how miserable you were over some boy.

Seungcheol grimaced and set down a makeshift bed for the poor dog to lie on before turning to look at you with a concerned expression. “I think the latter, but you can be the judge of that. Now-” Cheol was cut off by your phone chiming and you turned to look at who on earth was texting you at one in the morning.

Your face turns pale as you look at the screen, and this automatically worries your brother, but his expression immediately hardens as he knows who it could be from.

“It’s from him isn’t it?” You nod slowly, the tears starting to fall from your eyes, dripping down your cheeks and onto the comforter you were on. Every word hit you like a ton of bricks, you felt helpless.

From: Chanie ^^

I think we need to break up. This relationship is holding me back and it’s starting to feel like a chore, I’m sorry I couldn’t do enough for you Y/n. I started to grow bored and you irritated me to no end, I don’t even think we would work even if we tried. This is my last goodbye to you, I’m sorry again that it had to end this way but I’m still young and feel like I’m not ready for something as serious as this.

You showed Seungcheol the message, only then realizing that your number was also blocked, preventing you from saying anything more. You were appalled, to say the least, your mouth hanging wide open as choked sobs started to come out slowly.

A year, a year went to waste with the person you thought would understand you best, the person you thought would hold your heart close to his, only for him to break it. The person who did the most and still managed to disappoint you.

Seungcheol held you close and you cried into his chest, Kkuma was suddenly on the bed licking your face and the world fell still at that exact moment. The moment you vowed to never trust anyone with your heart ever again.

You were a mess the rest of the semester following the text, crying on the couch the entire weekend as Seungcheol tried to console you, along with your oldest brother, but nothing worked.

You did go to class as normal, but you completely shut everyone out and limited socializing to only your family and friends until after finals.

Your break was coming up, and you were honestly relieved, to say the least. Bora was on the other side of the room getting ready to go home to see her family as well, packing up everything on her side in the process, but then you heard her huff as a pillow hit your head, interrupting the silence that was shared.

“What the fuck Kim?” You whined, taking the pillow and hugging it. Bora plants herself on the spot next to you, you look at her with a frown as she laughs.

“I’m gonna miss you roomie, but I’ll visit you often either way since you’re technically my best friend now. Now stop frowning, Chan was an idiot for breaking up with you. How you managed to get through the rest of the semester, I will never know, but you should go put yourself out there again! There’s bound to be another guy ready to treat you better, so stop moping ok? I know it’ll be hard, but I promise it’s not that bad. Have a bit of fun with it,” You pout at Bora’s words.

She was right, but the breakup over a text fiasco left you traumatized. Chan wasn’t the best boyfriend, and you both had your moments, but you weren’t ready to trust someone again just yet.

What if it ends the same way, or even worse? What if you were too boring? Questions swirl through your mind but Bora snaps you out of it.

“Hey, take it easy. Let’s hang out over break, just us girls showing Chan what he’s missing out on! Can you believe he left you? You’re a gem Y/n, a lot more people want you than you think. Now hurry up and pack the rest of your things!” You take in Bora’s words and nod.

It would be hard, but taking baby steps and meeting new people wouldn’t hurt. No rushing into serious connections just yet.

When you got home that day, you were happy enough to lay on your bed once again, all worries and concerns gone for the next few months. Suddenly, you hear a knock at the door and see Seungcheol walking in. You raise your eyebrow at him and your brother chuckles awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I was wondering if maybe we can hang out? Like all of your friends and mine,” Seungcheol looks down and plays with his fingers nervously. You were confused by his proposal but urged him to continue.

“Look, I like Bora and Minghao has this huge crush on Hyewon. Can you at least help us? Please? Look, I’ll take you shopping and even buy you food if I have to,” Your brother sounded like he was pleading almost so you really couldn’t help but feel bad.

“Cheol it’s ok, I’ll take you up on the shopping, now give me a date so I can tell the girls.” You smiled softly. Seungcheol punches the air and you laugh at his antics, you knew Bora also had the biggest crush on him so setting them up would be a breeze. Hyewon was a mystery you had yet to uncover though.

“I barely know your friends though, like I’ve met Jeonghan but who the hell is Minghao and how does he know about Hyewon?” Seungcheol lies down beside you on the bed and opens his phone, showing you a picture of him and three other guys.

Seungcheol then starts pointing out the two new faces to you. The lean and prince-looking one was Minghao and the tall, puppy-looking guy was named Mingyu. You couldn’t help but pay more attention to Mingyu, he was really attractive and you wanted to get to know him.

“Anyways, they’re the two new people in my frat. They’re super cool and like-” “Are you gonna bring Mingyu?” You cut him off mid-sentence, still in awe at Mingyu. Seungcheol’s brows knit and he rolls his eyes at you whilst you stick your tongue out at him.

“What happened to not dating? Come on Y/n, be serious,” You slap your brother’s face jokingly, the male screaming dramatically from beside you.

You didn’t want to get your heart broken again, but putting yourself out there wouldn’t hurt, as long as it didn’t get too serious, you were going to be ok.

“Shut up, it’s not like it’s gonna be a super serious thing just yet. Mingyu looks like a total hottie, I just wanna get to know him, have a little fun and get a bit of attention again,” You were ass at lying, so Seungcheol could only laugh at you.

“I trust you with him, Mingyu’s a very easygoing guy if that’s important to you. He’s also super single because he’s waiting for the right person,” he smirks at you.

Easygoing? And he’s waiting for the right person? On top of all that he’s cute and your brother trusts him with you? It sounded too good to be true.

You were happy for a moment, but doubts started to cloud your judgment once again. He sounded like a good guy, but how long until he turns into Chan and gets bored of you? It was starting to scare you again.

“Cheol, I don’t know-” Your brother gives you a serious look and sits up.

“I hope you understand that he’s not Chan, Y/n. Not all relationships are going to be like your last unless you try to take that leap. I promise you, he’s not a bad guy. Like, if he hurts you, I’ll hurt him because you mean a lot to me” You nod at Seungcheol, finally thinking positively and securely.

Not everyone is going to be like Chan, you knew that, but your memories and feelings for the boy held you back.

“Now, how does nineteenth sound?” Your brother asks you. You text your friends, immediately getting the green light from the three of them, Bora sounding the most excited.

“Perfect, and your girlfriend is just as excited as you are,” Cheol’s face turns a deep red before he runs out of your room in embarrassment, yelling about something along the lines of planning the perfect outfit. You guessed it was probably to impress Bora anyway, so you didn’t question him.

The silence of your room welcomes you once again and you are back into your thoughts. Mingyu sounded like a guy who would take someone seriously, maybe it’s just what you needed because guys your age didn’t have that much to go off of.

He was Seungcheol approved, and you told yourself that a million times, only because he hadn’t approved of anyone else but Mingyu. Chan could get past your parents and oldest brother, but not Cheol, so it was an odd situation to be in.

“I’ll figure it out later, right now, I need to sleep.” You put your phone off to the side and close your eyes.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to figure everything out once the nineteenth rolls around, both Seungcheol and Bora did say similar things, so maybe those two had a point. ‘No wonder they like each other, they’re the same person,’ you thought as the sleep took over.

Two days had passed and the dreaded day had rolled around much quicker than you had anticipated. As you put on light makeup, your friends are in the background screaming at each other throughout the entirety of your Facetime call because you all decided that it was a good idea to get ready together.

“Bora, it’s Seungcheol! He’s like Y/n’s male version so you don’t need to freak out that much! Now Y/n, show us the fit. You’re the only one who didn’t show us yet!” Hyewon whined over the phone.

“I’m wearing a gray long-sleeved, asymmetrical knit top, black skirt, and combat boots. For hair, I’m leaving it down and wavy, I don’t care much,” You say softly.

The girls suddenly burst out laughing as you put on your outfit, they didn’t seem to believe you one bit when you said you didn’t care because they knew you genuinely did care and tried not to.

“Guys come on, Mingyu is approved by my brother! How can I not care? I know I’m still scared because of the whole Chan fiasco but can you blame me?” Your friends hum in agreement until you hear the door behind you open.

“Y/n— Are you calling your friends right now? We’re leaving in a minute because Mingyu’s driving so hurry your ass up will you. Also hi Bora! Hi Hyewon and Chaeyoung,” Seungcheol grins stupidly.

You roll your eyes at your brother for obviously singling Bora out and tell your friends that you are going to see them in a bit.

“Bye, Y/n! Have fun looking at your new boy toy driving, already a huge upgrade from Chan!” Wonyoung laughs.

You end the Facetime call with a roll of your eyes before turning to look at Seungcheol with an eyebrow raised. Seungcheol puts his hands up defensively before you both hear a car honking outside.

“Mingyu’s here, grab your bag, and let’s go!” You huff as your brother rushes you, he was practically itching to see his crush, and embarrassingly enough, you too were excited to meet Mingyu and Minghao.

With your bag in hand, along with your phone, you finally follow Cheol outside and see a Range Rover of the latest model in black. Damn, Mingyu was in a different league that was for sure.

Seungcheol opens the door for you as you head in. You see Jeonghan riding shotgun and Wonwoo in the back smiling at you. “Y/n! So happy to see you again, I think this is your first time meeting Mingyu and Minghao,” Jeonghan says from the front.

You squeeze in the center comfortably and nod. Wonwoo was cute, he greeted you politely and was very friendly, but when your eyes met Mingyu’s, you suddenly became quite flustered. He held a sharp gaze, the watch on his wrist not helping you in the slightest.

“The shopping center downtown right?” Seungcheol nods at Mingyu’s words, his deep voice causing you to flush. You prayed to whoever was up there that you would at least survive the day because the tension in the car with him was enough to drive you nuts.

“So Y/n, how’s that thing with Chan?” You freeze up when Jeonghan suddenly brings up your ex, but you forget not everyone knew about the devastating breakup over text.

“We broke up over text...” You reply awkwardly. Jeonghan gasps as your brother runs his palm down his face, he knew better than anyone not to bring up Chan during the time you were still trying to move on.

“Hyung, give her a break. Sounds like it must’ve been rough, I’m sorry about that. He seems like a shitty guy, breaking up with you over text? Are you sure this isn’t a sitcom Y/n?” Mingyu speaks up as he looks at you from the rearview mirror. You feel your cheeks heat up slightly, nodding in embarrassment, but for some reason, you were shocked upon hearing Mingyu’s words.

Wow, he really picked Chan apart in a way you wouldn’t ever dare to. His bluntness snapped you right back to reality and you could hear Minghao chuckle from beside you. “What’s so funny?” You raise a brow at the boy.

“Mingyu hasn’t been this disheartened over anything in a while, it’s crazy that he’s already scrutinizing your ex based on how you broke up,” Minghao explains. Mingyu glares at him and huffs, looking so done and just ready to explain himself.

“Listen, in my personal opinion, I think breaking up with a long-term partner over text is stupid and a cowardly move. There were so many other ways he could have gone about it but over text? At least call or something instead, it’s super disrespectful towards your partner to leave them hanging without proper closure.” Your eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets upon hearing the reason behind his agitation.

So far, Mingyu was seriously proving you wrong the more he opened his mouth to say something, but you still weren’t ready because what if he’s even worse? The feeling still lingers and it’s almost like the ghost of your ex is not letting you go just yet.

“Mingyu’s right, I thought you both had something to be fair. Seeing how puppy love was just a phase makes me think I was quite wrong, you deserve better. Like Mingyu here for example! He’s very single and is looking for the right person, which could be you.” Jeonghan jokingly says.

You notice Mingyu’s ears turn red as he pulls into the shopping center. The car was suddenly filled with an awkward silence, everyone stunned at the oldest’s proposition. You and Mingyu had just met, what was he on about with you being his possible partner? It was crazy.

After Mingyu had parked his car, you all made your way toward your designated meeting spot. You could see Cheol and Minghao freeze up upon seeing Bora and Hyewon, causing a laugh to make its way out of your throat.

“Y/n! Over here!” The girls beckoned you over as you purposely ran in their direction to tease the guys.

It was a day to bring them together was it not? Yet you still took the opportunity to tease the boys as you wished. It was pretty funny to look at their reactions knowing they liked your friends.

“Hi guys, I brought Cheol and Jeonghan. The newbies are Minghao and, Mingyu” You say with a pause. Your friends squeal wildly at the mention of Mingyu’s name, shoving you with their elbows as you all laugh.

“Minghao is so cute actually, is he single by any chance?” Hyewon smirks, eyeing the male up and down.

You giggle and nod, your friend had no idea that the said boy was here for her, which made your job of setting them up much easier. Your work was basically cut out for you the moment they laid their eyes on each other.

“Oh don’t worry, you’ll know in a bit. For now, let’s all focus on having fun today shall we?” You sling your hand over Bora’s shoulder, not noticing Mingyu’s intense stare at your form. Seungcheol and Jeonghan notice the action, causing the two of them to nudge the boy playfully.

“Bro, go shoot your shot. There’s so much tension between the two of you, I hope you know that” Cheol laughs.

Mingyu shakes his head at his words profusely, there was no way he was going to overstep a boundary, even if it was Seungcheol himself encouraging it.

You notice the boys talking amongst themselves but decide to shrug it off, they were probably planning their moves on your friends, but how do you tell them that they didn’t even need to try that much? They all seemed to like each other after all.

Between Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s continuous pestering, Mingyu had felt your gaze on them, causing his cheeks to grow hot. You were really pretty, and that goes without saying, but you had just gotten out of something long-term.

The time needed to heal you first, or at least that’s what he thought, since his mom had always taught him to be patient with the ones he loved or cared about.

“Give her time guys, I don’t think I can just rush in like that. Y/n came out of a slightly traumatizing event, so if you jump right in, it will only push the person away further. I should be friends with her at most while we’re still getting to know each other,” Mingyu makes eye contact with you and notices how you quickly avoid his eyes.

The day had gone by quite smoothly since then, each of you dispersing into little pairs after a while because your friends couldn’t seem to help themselves, which is what led you to where you were now. In a store, with Mingyu, picking out clothes for him to try on.

You had nothing better to do anyway, so why not style your brother’s hot friend, even though Mingyu himself already had impeccable fashion taste?

You bite your lip as you focus on the outfit, visualizing what it would look like on Mingyu, and how you could coordinate everything.

Mingyu thought it was adorable with how much thought and focus you had decided to put in when you were only doing this for fun, he ultimately decided to buy the outfit once he was done trying it on.

“Here, sorry I took so long. I haven’t styled anyone since my ex and my older brother, so this is the best you’re gonna get for now,” You handed him the items in your arms and pushed him toward the fitting rooms, eager to see how well you did.

“It’s no problem because you did put the time and effort into styling me, I might go ahead and buy it if it does end up being my style,” Mingyu smiles at you softly.

He was sweet, you had to admit. It wasn’t like Chan had noticed you putting effort into styling him so a little affirmation made your heart swell.

“You don’t have to, I kind of play around with it. I bet you will look good since you seem like you’d look good in anything” You admit shyly.

Mingyu was fun to be around, even if it was your first time meeting, you already felt as if you had known the man for a while. All around Mingyu was just considerate and one of the best people you could’ve ever met.

“Yeah, sure you do, I know you put a lot more effort either way. Let me try this on now, otherwise, I’d be too distracted looking into your eyes. Give me a minute and I’ll show you how it looks,” You nod as Mingyu closes the curtain, only then taking in what he had said to you. He was not being serious but was so smooth with how he flirted with you just now.

A minute had gone by and you heard Mingyu call your name, so you made your way over, only to find your heart nearly falling out of your ass the moment you saw him. He looked so good, great even, and you couldn’t help but stare.

Mingyu adorned a white shirt underneath a black zip-up jacket, adding detail by zipping up the bottom of it, and light-wash jeans. It was a really simple outfit, but you had to admit, he did tie the whole look together.

“How does it look? I think you did well honestly, I’ll buy the entire outfit right now. Let me go change so we can go meet up with the others,” Mingyu smiles.

You were amazing at what you did, it impressed him how you were able to pull such an outfit together in just a few minutes.

“I think it looks great, I’m flattered you like it so much that you’d buy it right now. Maybe I can style you again if there is a next time?” You reply shyly. You couldn’t meet Mingyu’s eyes because he looked so good.

From that moment on, Mingyu made it his mission to heal your heart and prove to you that you deserved a second chance at being treated better.

He had come to your house quite often and taken you out a few times, so much to the point that everyone around you started noticing that you were almost always with each other.

“You know what, this is the happiest I’ve seen you. Your relationship with Chan started to strain and you had become more dull and miserable, but being around Mingyu gave you a new kind of glow for some reason,” Chaeyoung quips.

You tilt your head in confusion, you liked his company but you hadn’t noticed any other changes.

“He’s great, but I’m still hesitant. You know how I am, as I get he’s not Chan, but who knows how everything would play out in the long run?” You say sadly.

Mingyu was more than amazing, he respected your wishes not to have a relationship, but still treated you in ways people could only dream of, but in his words, he was ‘courting’ you, something people don’t do much these days.

He was attentive, took care of you well, and would always be there for you no matter what. He truly was the real definition of being ‘one call away’. This was all so new to you, even being courted was something totally out of the ordinary.

“Y/n, he’s courting you. Not enough people willingly do that these days, so you have the guy wrapped around your finger. He’s patiently waiting for an answer from you, like do you remember everything you’ve told us?” Hyewon huffs out from above you as she is doing your hair.

It was girl’s night and you had decided to bring up your worries and updates to your friends, but you had forgotten the fact that you had also told them the details about your escapades with Mingyu.

From where you would go to what you did, down to the time he took you home, and if Seungcheol truly did approve of him.

“Did Chan ever actually think about how you felt in a certain situation? You know besides you telling him it’s ok and all? Usually being together with someone for over a year would allow you to read them better, but Chan barely knew your little habits. Bora took them in after a month of knowing you, which is concerning. Now on to Mingyu, what did he say that one time?” Chaeyoung snaps her fingers and you instantly know what she is talking about.

You came home one day and had gone the whole day without eating. You were out with your parents and they hadn’t considered if you were hungry or not since they were busy and had already eaten, so when you got home, you quietly slipped next to Mingyu in the living room after seeing the guys watching a movie.

“Hey, you’re home. How was spending the day with your parents?” Mingyu whispers from beside you. You shrug and he gives you a look that encourages you to tell him more.

“I hadn’t eaten anything, but honestly it’s ok now since I’m not hungry at all…” You trail off.

Mingyu shakes his head and takes his phone out, but you go over to stop him. He shouldn’t spend anything on you, and you already told him you weren't hungry so you felt as if you were only bothering him.

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?” You see your favorite restaurant on the delivery app on his phone and blush. Did he remember your favorite restaurant and order? That was sweet of him.

“No it’s ok I can manage,” You pretended not to see him already inputting the order and paying for it, but you still couldn’t help it when your stomach growled loudly. Mingyu raises a brow at you as you chuckle awkwardly.

“I’m getting you food, I know you’re hungry” Mingyu laughs. You hit his shoulder but thanked him gratefully for even thinking of you, it was a small gesture but it still meant a lot.

“How about that time he got you flowers for no reason?” Bora says while laughing.

You roll your eyes, she was the first person you had freaked out to over the phone because Mingyu had gotten you a bouquet of roses on a random Thursday with Seungcheol.

“What’s this?” You ask as Mingyu sets down a bunch of fresh roses wrapped in brown paper on the counter in front of you. Cheol and Mingyu had just gotten back from grocery shopping for your mom and then Mingyu came back with flowers, of course, you would be confused.

“I got you flowers because we saw them on the way out, and I thought you'd like them” Mingyu started taking out the groceries from the bags as your brother walked in with the last batch from the car. You flick Cheol’s forehead, but the older male can only smirk and laugh at you.

“Why? There’s no occasion,” You try to excuse, but you couldn’t hide how flustered you were.

Mingyu had thought of you while they were out? He did mean it when he said he wanted to treat you better.

“Can I not get you flowers even if there’s no occasion? Y/n, you don’t need to ask or have a reason to receive flowers, I hope you know that. I’m surprised this hadn’t been done for you more often than not” Mingyu’s back was still turned toward you, which you were thankful for because you probably looked like a tomato at that moment.

That night poor Bora had to endure an earful from you, just because Mingyu was a great guy who treated you the way you deserved.

Thinking back at those moments, you could only see the good in Mingyu, so you wanted your friends’ approval. He was already brother and parent-approved so that only left your best friends.

“Well, do you guys think I should finally give him an answer? It’s been a few months, and even if I am scared, I can’t let this chance go.” Hyewon finishes up your hair and pats your head, signaling her answer. You look at the others, who only grin back at you and you laugh.

“Y/n, he’s been a green flag since the beginning. It’s a good opportunity knowing he’s the type that’s ready to settle down,” Bora also brings up.

Seungcheol had always emphasized that Mingyu was a date-to-marry and long-term relationship kind of guy, which makes sense as to why you were one of the first people he had ever been super serious with when it came to dating.

“You guys are always the best, I’m glad everyone around me approves. I mean, I won’t know until I try right?” Chaeyoung hugs you and you sigh in content.

You were finally moving on, you were finally healing. It felt fulfilling in a sense, and knowing you were finally starting a new chapter with a great person, you felt as though your life was finally turning out for the better.

After a chaotic girls’ night, you had called up Mingyu to meet you at your favorite cafe that the two of you frequented. You were quite nervous, to say the least, but you were ready to take this huge step of moving on with the person who treated you right.

You hear the bell of the cafe chime, and you finally see the person you were expecting. Mingyu walked in, his hair down in its usual state, and in a casual but comfortable outfit.

He looked like he had just come from the gym. Your heart raced at how good he looked, he always did look his best whenever he came to see you, and you always appreciated the effort.

Mingyu spots you and walks over with a wide smile. He was always so damn charming, you couldn’t believe he was all yours. He pulls out the seat in front of you and plops on it, his attention fully on you. ‘Attentive as always, I don’t deserve you,’ you thought.

“You wanted to talk?” Mingyu finally breathes out upon seeing you. You nod and take his hands in yours, you were going to tell him how you finally felt because he deserved an answer. He had already done so much for you, the least you could do was show him that all his efforts were finally paying off.

“I think I’m ready to give you my answer. The past few months you had decided to court me and I’m thankful you were patient enough to wait for my answer. You’ve proved to me that relationships aren’t limited to how I and my ex went about ours and that if a guy wanted to do something, he would. So my answer is already set, I’ll be your girlfriend, Gyu.” You look up at him, only to see Mingyu grinning like an idiot.

He was elated, he finally got the answer he was waiting for and you saying yes only made it a hundred times better. Mingyu fully understood how much your last relationship had affected you, so he only made it a point to court you, knowing you weren’t ready for a commitment just yet.

He wanted you to be ready for him to love you and treat you the way you deserved, so he didn’t push it and waited for you to come around on your own, which you did.

“You have no idea how happy and relieved I am to hear you say that. Y/n, I’m so glad you gave me the chance to love you and care for you. I’m glad you gave me the chance to prove myself to you. I promise I will not hurt you in any way at all, and I promise to be as communicative as possible with my feelings so that you don’t end up in the dark. I want you to know everything because you deserve it,” Mingyu admits, not breaking his gaze on you.

“Mingyu, you’re everything I could’ve ever asked for. I don’t know what else to say. The past few months I’d been so scared to love again, to give a relationship another chance, but you’ve proved me wrong and even waited for me to be ready. You don’t understand how much that means to me,” You continue to fidget with his hands, but then he suddenly takes yours and places a kiss on your knuckle.

You blush at the action, you weren’t used to feeling or receiving this kind of affection since it had been quite some time, but with Mingyu, you weren’t afraid of anything, because you trusted him as much as he trusted you.

Needless to say, even months after you had given Mingyu an answer, he remained the same and still acted like he was courting you.

The only difference? He was finally your boyfriend and you were finally his girlfriend. You felt how serious he was about you when he had even introduced you to his parents, and they were just as lovely as their son was.

“Mom wants to go shopping with us on her birthday this weekend, I told her I would take her on a birthday date but she insisted you come along. She loves you that much already,” Mingyu chuckles as he walks into your room, fresh out of the shower. You laugh, his mom was the sweetest person, and you finally understand where your boyfriend gets it from.

“I’m down if she’d like, but you’re not getting me anything ok? You already spoil me enough and I don’t want you to spend too much–” You squeal as you feel Mingyu’s arms around you, the two of you falling flat on the bed.

Before you two could move from your position, you heard a knock at your door. It was Seungcheol, and you immediately pulled away from Mingyu once you saw him, still flustered and embarrassed from the previous action.

“Hey, if you two are going to be in the house, at least have some decency while I’m here!” Your brother whines.

You laugh and see him let Kkuma in the room. She had been with Cheol the whole day, so you and your siblings usually took turns spending time with the dog. You were the sibling in Kkuma’s night shift, meaning you had to take the dog in for the night since she liked sleeping in your room.

You thank Cheol for letting Kkuma in and bid your brother goodnight. Once the door closed, you looked over to see your boyfriend on the floor with Kkuma laying on her back.

“Hey, that’s my dog! Kkuma, you can’t just steal my boyfriend like that, and Gyu you can’t just do that to my child!” You joke. They looked perfect, and suddenly you start to imagine what your little family with Mingyu would look like.

Mingyu was the perfect partner to settle with, after all, he was caring and dependable, but also super honest and was not afraid to show or express how he felt. He just knew whenever you weren’t up to do something, or if something was bothering you.

“Is something wrong?” Mingyu noticed that you were more quiet than usual today because you almost always told him about your day. He noticed how your smile hadn’t reached your eyes and how you were fidgeting with your fingers more.

“It’s nothing” You tried to brush it off, but truthfully, you weren’t doing well. You just didn’t have the strength to let him know or the strength to explain how you felt, all you wanted to do was rest and go to sleep.

“Y/n, you can tell me anything ok? Be as open as you want to be, I’m always here for you and will not judge you no matter what. If you don’t have the energy to tell me, it’s ok. Just rest here” You feel his arms being wrapped around you as he strokes your hair. The action was small but it helped you ease up a lot.

“It’s hard Gyu, I don’t know how to deal with everything. I don’t have the energy to stress over anything right now,” You whisper. Mingyu rocks you back and forth, still playing with your hair as he places kisses on your forehead.

“Whatever it is you’re going through, I hope you know that I’m proud enough that you decide to wake up every day and do everything with a smile, even if the world has wronged you. you’re so brave and amazing Y/n, please do not ever doubt yourself” Mingyu replies softly.

“Gyu, you don’t understand how much your words have helped me” You kiss him softly. You felt so lucky to have him, he was beyond the best partner you had ever been blessed with.

“Mingyu, could I ask you something?” You say suddenly. The two of you were at his parent’s place since Mingyu had decided to take you to his childhood home in Anyang as a gift for your four-month anniversary.

“Mhm?” He hummed, putting down a plate of food on the coffee table in the living room, and sitting next to you on the couch.

“Why haven’t we said I love you to each other at any point in our relationship just yet? The others have asked me about it, but I just can’t come up with an answer to get them to leave me alone,” you whine. Mingyu laughs and kisses your cheek gently.

“Tell them that saying I love you isn’t easy when it comes to us, you haven’t said it either so we’re simply making sure that I can say it when the time is right. It’s not that I don’t or anything, but those words aren’t exactly an easy thing to just pop out there. The time will come when we can both say it meaningfully. Right now, we are still early into our relationship and have a lot to learn. I hope you understand where I’m coming from” he tells you.

It wasn’t that hard to understand what he meant. Mingyu had always been more careful, even if he didn’t say I love you, he still affirmed you and expressed his love for you in his actions.

Loving someone still comes in many forms, so the words I love you could wait because they should come from a place where you both fully understand and can comprehend how meaningful the three words are.

“I honestly think the same way, in a sense, I’m glad you’re honest about how you feel because I’ve been in a place wherein I was pressured into doing the action just because it was normal for everyone else, but not all of us are the same. Thank you, Gyu, you’re always the best with words.” Mingyu holds you close and you both sigh in content.

He wanted to treat you better, and he did. He wanted to show you better, and he expressed it in the best way possible.

165 notes · View notes

fastandcarlos · 6 months ago

Text

Welcome To The World Of F1 : ̗̀➛ Ollie Bearman

summary: as a new contract waits for ollie, you’re right by his side to make sure that you can enjoy all of the celebrations by his side

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by olliebearman, ybffusername and 32,492 others

ynusername: up, up and away ✨

3,093 comments

username1: omg pls tell us you’re going to see ollie 🥺

username2: my dream is to be as aesthetic as yn!!

olliebearman: can you hurry up and come back to me now please 🫶🏻

ynusername: @/olliebearman I’m omw love 💕

username3: my two fave people about to be reunited

username4: I love how supportive yn is of ollie ☺️

oscarpiastri: cannot wait to see you this weekend!!

dinobeganovic_: secretly wish you were coming to see me

ynusername: @/dinobeganovic_ 🤫🤫🤫

username5: can’t wait for all the paddock updates this weekend 🙌🏻

username6: the cutest couple strikes again 😭

kimi.antonelli: come and see me instead, I’m way better 😂

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by liamlawson30, oscarpiastri and 42,605 others

ynusername: exploring with my best friend 💞

4,286 comments

username7: yn always comes through with the sweetest snaps

username8: can ollie come and be my tour guide too please 😭

liamlawson30: can’t believe you didn’t let me come and third wheel 😂

username9: I love how ollie still always makes time for yn during a race weekend!

olliebearman: thank you for coming to visit me, ily angel 🫶🏻

ynusername: @/olliebearman ily so much more 😘

arthur_leclerc: eurgh I hate how adorable you two can be sometimes ❤️

username10: glad to see you got some time together 🥺

jackdoohan: next time you can come and show me around oliver

username11: officially obsessed with the two of you!!

oscarpiastri: you forgot the bit where you bring yn to come and visit me 🙂‍↔️

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by lewishamilton, alex_albon and 293,402 others

olliebearman: officially an f1 man 💪🏻 I always knew that red and white was my colour 😂🏎️

59,492 comments

username12: there’s never been anyone more deserving than you ollie 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

username13: can’t wait to keep supporting you on this new adventure!!

lewishamilton: congrats brother and welcome to f1 🏎️

ynusername: you never fail to amaze me…I could not be happier for you 💞

olliebearman: @/ynusername I never could’ve gotten this far if it wasn’t for your support

username14: praying that haas know how lucky they are to have you 🙏🏻

oscarpiastri: about time, buzzing to line up on the grid with you next season bro

username15: I’ve never been prouder, we’ve got your back always 🏎️

landonorris: yet another brit bossing it on the track 💪🏻🇬🇧

logansargeant: told you it was just a matter of time!

charles_leclerc: so well deserved, we’ll miss you here at ferrari ❤️

username16: can’t wait to cheer you on every race weekend ☺️☺️

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by olliebearman, kimi.antonelli and 48,604 others

ynusername: a rare day off with the best looking driver on the grid 💕🥺

7,299 comments

username17: I couldn’t agree with you more yn 🥺

oscarpiastri: I didn’t realise that we spent the day together today?? 😂

landonorris: you just wait until you meet me next season…might just change your mind 😝

ynusername: @/landonorris 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

username18: look at his little smile omg

username19: if anyone ever questions how happy yn makes ollie just show them this photo

olliebearman: always the best time with you my love 💕💕

kimi.antonelli: can you stop making it so obvious how in love you both are please

username20: this is the sort of date I dream about enjoying one day 😭

username21: pls let me have a relationship like this one day

carlossainz55: looks like I trained you two well on social media 😂

username22: can’t deal with the cuteness anymore

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by logansargeant, arthur_leclerc and 69,482 others

ynusername: officially a haas girl now 🫡

10,382 comments

username23: you look so good in red and white omg

liamlawson30: don’t tell ollie but I couldn’t be happier for you guys 😂

username24: ollie’s so lucky having you in his corner 🫶🏻

olliebearman: I’m the luckiest man in the world having you by my side

ynusername: @/olliebearman you’re stuck with me forever 😘

username25: can’t wait to see you in the paddock next year yn

iamrebeccad: it was lovely to meet you today 💞

username26: the best looking haas girl that ever did exist

oscarpiastri: btw lily told me to tell you she’s very offended that you didn’t come and find her today

ynusername: @/oscarpiastri that’s because I knew if I found her I’d never let her go 😂

username27: I still can’t believe we actually get to see ollie in f1 next year omg

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by carlossainz55, landonorris and 382,605 others

olliebearman: thank you for everything ferrari, onwards to the next adventure 🤧🤩

67,418 comments

username28: bigger and better things coming your way ollie ❤️

scuderiaferrari: thanks for everything, see you across the grid next year!

username29: your time now ollie, show em what you got 💪🏻

carlossainz55: all the best for next season, drive like you did for me and you’ll smash it

username30: more of those podium celebrations next year please

jackdoohan: are you joining haas?? wow you never mentioned it 😂

olliebearman: @/jackdoohan why do you hate me 😂

username31: the best adventure ever awaits 🥺

ynusername: have I mentioned recently how handsome you are 🤔💞

username32: never been prouder to call myself a fan of you, can’t wait for what’s to come!

georgerussell63: looking forward to having you around the paddock

username33: I love how all the british drivers have just slowly adopted ollie over the past few weeks

username34: can the new season just hurry up now

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by oscarpiastri, olliebearman and 53,594 others

ynusername: get you a guy that can be incredibly handsome and a massive goofball at the same time 😂

13,504 comments

username35: idk bout you but he looks like the best guy ever

arthur_leclerc: I’m available if you want a better version of this 😝

ynusername: @/arthur_leclerc soz but no one compares to mine

username36: I want an ollie in my life too please

username37: wow he looks good in blue 🥺

logansargeant: stop making him look so irresistible

username38: why is my heart suddenly racing a thousand times faster 🤔

username39: do you rent him out to single fans by any chance?? 😂

olliebearman: thanks for always knowing my perfect angle 😂

ynusername: @/olliebearman every angle of yours is perfect 😘

username40: boyfriend ollie is the vibe I didn’t know I needed

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

liked by georgerussell63, pifitti and 59,503 others

ynusername: remember the days when we could go wherever and no one would no our names, now everyone knows yours…I’m so proud of you, day one as a formula one driver ✅❤️

14,693 comments

olliebearman: those days are my favourite…as are you 🫶🏻

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

1K notes · View notes

asdfghjklmals · 1 year ago

Text

MEET THE GOJOS✩༶‧˚

GENRE + T/W: sfw, fluff. mentions of injury and blood. WORD COUNT: 10.8k words. TAGS: satoru gojo x fem!oc. mutual pining. the babies are still not official yet.

SYNOPSIS: satoru asks oc gojo girlfriend to visit his clan with him during the semester break. how will meeting the gojo clan go? AUTHOR'S NOTE: made up my own gojo clan lore. fuck it, we ball lol. the hardest part is coming up with names for people. also, playful cloud belongs to the zen’nin clan, but in this au it belongs to the gojo clan because i swear i thought it did. i left a present in this fic for you guys and it starts with a 'first' and ends with 'kiss'. REMINDER: if you want to imagine yourself in oc gojo girlfriend's character descriptions instead, please do!

your first semester at tokyo jujutsu high had flown by. you've been sent on your very first mission with satoru (thanks to yaga-sensei), practiced your close combat with mei mei, sharpened up your cursed technique, refined your domain expansion, and of course, spent all of your free time with satoru gojo.

you and satoru were practically inseparable since your birthday. you don't know how it ended up this way, and everyone on campus knew that you both liked each other, but neither of you wanted to admit your feelings for each other. whenever anyone would bring it up, you'd both say that you were 'just friends'.

friends. friends that slept in each other's beds, friends that would buy each other souvenirs just because they reminded them of that person, friends that would link arms and hold hands while they walked together, friends that worried about each other when they went on missions, friends that called each other at random times of the day just to hear their voice. sure, you and satoru gojo were just 'friends'.

"(y/n), when are you and gojo just finally going to date each other?" shoko asked you out of the blue. she looked up from her medical textbook and stared at you, waiting for an answer.

you looked up from your pre-calculus notes, "i think dating satoru gojo is the least of my worries, shoko. i have a b+ in pre-calculus right now."

"being (y/n) (l/n) must be soooo hard." shoko mocked you playfully, "she's pretty, she's smart, and she has the one and only satoru gojo wrapped around her fingers."

a thought came to your head as you paused, putting down your pencil, "shoko, can i ask you something?"

"sure. go for it."

you asked that question you’ve always wondered, "have you ever liked satoru or suguru? as more than just friends?"

shoko started laughing hysterically, "never. both of them are definitely not my type. they are my best friends though, and i love them. that's why i keep pushing you to date gojo. i want to see you both end up together."

you rolled your eyes, "—and why would you want that for me? satoru's insufferable."

"i can't imagine gojo with anyone but you. you two are like yin and yang, fire and ice. you're basically geto but a girl version. you and geto are the moral compass to that guy. it's no wonder gojo likes you so much. i've never seen him act like this before. and to be honest, i never thought he'd ever be faithful to a girl."

"oh, so satoru's a flirt? i knew it." you giggled at the memory of satoru's bold faced lie. "he told me the other day he doesn't flirt with anyone."

"gojo will flirt with anything that breathes even though he doesn't mean to. he's just naturally a people person." shoko stated as-a-matter-of-factly, "but since you came to the school, i've never seen him so curious over a girl before. you should've saw the way he moped around campus when you went to visit your family for the weekend."

you pointed your pencil at shoko, "he came to see me at my clan's estate that weekend too. my brother was so suspicious of him."

shoko looked over at you again, "hey—i heard that gojo asked you to visit his clan with him for the upcoming break. the gojo clan seems to be interested in you. are you going to go?"

flashback: one week ago

the weather was starting to get colder as the climax of winter was arriving. ice clung around the cobblestone pathway, while a light layer of snow laced the school grounds. you and satoru were walking hand in hand outside sharing a small pocket hand warmer, giggling about sweet nothings and enjoying the day together.

satoru stopped in his tracks, grabbing your attention. "(y/n)."

you halted and looked back at satoru, "what? do i have something in my hair?"

"nothing's in your pretty hair, princess." he chuckled at how cute you were, "what do you think about going back to visit my clan with me next week?" satoru shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. he avoided eye contact with you, afraid of possible rejection.

"me? go back with you? to meet your family?" your eyes widened in surprise. he really wanted you to meet his family?

"yeah, my grandparents want to meet you—and to see your cursed technique. plus, i hear that our clans are actually good friends or allies, whatever you want to call it."

you remembered touya telling you that the gojo clan are allies of your clan. that was another reason why your clan elders were okay with you attending tokyo jujutsu high instead of kyoto—because satoru gojo was here.

you bit your lip. would it really be okay to go back with satoru to meet his family if you weren't officially dating? would they scold him for bringing you back to the estate? the last thing you wanted was to make a bad impression.

"are you nervous or something?" satoru asked as he stepped closer to you, invading your personal space like he always did.

you looked up at him, his blue eyes softening in your gaze, "do you think it would be weird? me going to meet your family?"

"i don't see why not—" satoru shrugged, "i mean, we spend almost every day together. you're pretty much my gir—"

satoru stopped himself to correct his sentence, "we're pretty much always with each other." he cleared his throat, "plus, our grandparents supposedly know each other."

satoru started to feel hot like an iron was branding his cheeks, he wanted to change the subject quickly. he couldn't believe he almost called you his girlfriend. he was kicking himself for that one.

an evil chesire-grin spread across your face, "you were about to say girlfriend, weren't you?"

"no i wasn't!" satoru was mortified and caught red-handed. he looked away from you, but you ran in front of him and blocked his path.

you taunted him, "satoru, just say it!"

satoru sighed, knowing he would never win an argument against you, the queen of stubbornness. the 6'3" sorcerer leaned into your 5'3" frame, "do you wanna be my girlfriend, (y/n)?"

you gulped while meeting his gaze. you felt like he could see right through you. he always made you so nervous. your heart skipped a beat when you looked at his lips. that stupid satoru gojo and his pretty lips. with lips like that he hasn't even tried to kiss you yet? the closest thing to affection he ever showed you were half-assed hugs. you never took satoru for a 'where my hug at?' guy until now.

"no, i don't want to be your girlfriend, satoru." you looked away from him, lying through your teeth.

"aw, come on. don't be shy now, (y/n)." satoru teased you, waiting for an answer to his question.

you rolled your eyes and changed the subject, "i'll go back next week with you to meet your family."

satoru lifted his face out of your personal bubble and celebrated with a little victory dance, shimmy-ing around the courtyard as you shook your head in defeat. you smiled at the fact he wanted you to meet his family.

to you, it felt like you were being tested. to satoru, it felt like he had won the lottery.

end flashback

"we're leaving tomorrow actually. he said his clan elders have stuff they want to talk to him about before the new semester."

"—and they want to meet you." shoko added.

you brushed her off. "it's not even like that, shoko."

the library door slid open, "it's not like what?" suguru interrupted.

"oh my god, suguru, get this. (y/n) is going to meet the gojo clan tomorrow." shoko started to update him on the hot new gossip on campus.

suguru set down his books next to you and flipped open his notebook. he was trying not to laugh. "satoru's already got you meeting the family? and he hasn't even made it official with you yet?"

"right?" shoko asked her other bestie, instigating the situation.

"come on, make him work for it, (y/n)."

you rolled your eyes, "you two are ridiculous."

"again—you and satoru would be cute together." shoko sang.

satoru busted through the library door, he had his books tucked under his left arm, a can of coke in his left hand, and a box of kikufuku in his right. speak of the handsome devil. he gave shoko and suguru a head nod, and smiled when he made eye contact with you. he was late to the study party, as aways.

"are you ever going to be time?" you chastised satoru. he put his arm around you, hugging you with little effort as you leaned into his chest.

"god, you two should just get a room already." shoko incited, twirling her pencil between her fingers.

satoru winked at the amber-eyed sorcerer. you gave him a death stare, knowing that he was probably thinking about something childish or innapporiate.

"what's in the box, satoru?" suguru asked.

satoru's face lit up, excited about the sweet treats he brought, "i brought kikufuku!" he passed everyone a piece.

the next day

"god, i feel like i failed my exam." you complained to your classmates as you all walked out of the classroom.

satoru put his arm around your shoulder, nuzzling his face next to yours, "i'm sure you did fine, (y/n). even if you failed this test, you'd still pass the class."

"she's used to getting straight a's, satoru, not a barely passing grade like you." suguru expressed.

"i feel pretty good about my test," shoko admitted, "(y/n), don't worry. at least you're still pretty.

you all laughed and joked around together while walking back to the dorms. suguru and shoko would be staying behind during the semester break while you and satoru were going to be leaving campus.

"(y/n), are you ready to head out?" satoru asked, unable to hide his eagerness to leave.

you smiled at him, "yeah, let me grab my stuff."

you spent all of last night packing for your weekend trip to the gojo clan's estate. this morning before class, you and satoru went on a quick errand together to buy fruits and a small cake as a gift. you told satoru that it was a good gesture to present a small gift to his family if you were going to be meeting them for the first time. and just for that thought, he couldn't say no to you.

you rolled your suitcase outside of your dorm to meet satoru in the hallway. he looked over at you and gave you his million dollar smile that always made butterflies flutter in your stomach. he had a small backpack ready to go, throwing it over his shoulder, taking your suitcase from you.

"a whole suitcase for a two day weekend?" satoru poked fun at you. you were so high maintenance, it wasn't even funny.

"i had to make sure i have options."

"you already know you look beautiful in anything.” satoru mumbled quietly as you gave him a self-satisfied smirk.

you looped your arm over his as he clasped his palms together, teleporting you to a beautiful, large minka with a gorgeous stone walkway.

the gojo clan's estate

you and satoru jumped down from the air and started walking along the walkway to the entrance of the gojo clan's estate. satoru held your hand, guiding you through the gated area. there was a large koi pond to the left.

"that is a huge koi pond." you ran over to see the koi fish swimming around. there were lily pads and rocks all over the pond. different sizes and colors of koi fish started to swim towards you.

"want to feed them?" satoru asked.

you nodded your head in excitement as satoru walked to a wooden storage unit next to the pond to take out a bucket of fish feed.

"they'll eat out of your hand." he told you, scooping a large amount of fish feed into your hand. he watched you place your hand into the water as koi fish started to surround you.

"this pond has been here for almost 500 years. some of the fish in here are really old." satoru told you as he watched your bright green eyes admire the pond, he felt his heart melting at the sight. you were so beautiful and radiant in his six eyes. how was it that seeing you so happy and content with something so simple as feeding fish could set his heart on fire?

satoru ran the water hose for you so you could wash your hands. you looked up at him, "satoru, it's beautiful here."

"the clan tends to take pretty good care of the estate." satoru was pleased to hear that from you. you noticed that he was looking off in the distance behind you.

"oh—hey grams!" the white haired sorcerer waved to an older woman that was walking towards the both of you.

you immediately felt nervous, a pink flush filling your cheeks. you took a step behind satoru, feeling him squeeze your hand in reassurance. you had a feeling you were about to meet a member of the gojo clan.

"i felt your cursed energy as soon as you teleported here, boy." the older woman laughed and hugged satoru, "satoru, who is this?" the woman peered over at you.

"grams, this is (y/n) (l/n)." satoru stated proudly with a bright smile, "she's our guest this weekend."

"your grandfather didn't tell me that we were having any guests! my goodness, let's get you two settled in.” satoru's grandmother turned to you, "(y/n), it's a pleasure to meet you. i'm satoru's grandmother."

you admired the woman who just introduced herself to you. she had grey hair in a neat, low bun. she had beautiful purple eyes, just like an amethyst. you sensed her vast amount of cursed energy. you bowed your head and greeted her properly.

"hi, obaa-san. my name is (y/n) (l/n) of the (l/n) clan. satoru and i brought fruits and a cake for the family to enjoy."

satoru's grandmother laughed, "well, that's sweet of you. no need to bow to me, child. i know your grandparents very well, (y/n). and you can call me sobo or 'grams' like satoru does."

she lifted your chin to study your face, "you look just like your mother and your grandmother. kanae gave birth to very beautiful children, you and your brother, touya." (a/n: oc gojo girlfriend's grandma and mother's names are inspired by demon slayer characters)

you felt a warmth of familiarity and comfort wash over you. you blushed at her compliment. satoru smiled at the sight of you and his grandmother interacting, enjoying what he was hearing and seeing. during one of the many nights that you and satoru spent together, he told you that his grandmother raised him growing up. she was his favorite person in the world. and now you were meeting her.

"thank you so much, sobo." you decided to call her sobo instead of grams. maybe one day you'd end up calling her grams, but for now, sobo will do. (a/n: there are so many ways to address a grandmother in japanese, i just chose this one.)

"satoru, please bring (y/n)'s belongings to your room for now. i'll make sure to have the housekeepers prepare a room for her."

"she can just sleep in my room with me, grams." satoru said nonchalantly.

his grandmother smacked his arm, "over my dead body, boy!"

satoru ran off hysterically laughing, only for him to come back and hug her. he kissed her on the cheek and grabbed your suitcase to head the opposite way. you followed his grandmother.

"we're going to get you a fresh clean komon kimono. these ones are specially made for the gojo clan." sobo smiled warmly at you. in that moment, she reminded you of your own grandmother. her welcoming aura put you at ease.

she led you into the gojo clan's beautiful minka. you were in awe. it was truly a work of art. the floors were heated and made of the finest bamboo. white and blue porcelain vases, jade statues, and expensive paintings decorated the long corridor that led to different rooms. it was a beautiful combination of modern and old-fashioned style. the lighting was brilliant and illuminated every detail in the estate. you expected no less from the number one family in jujutsu society.

you saw a couple of housekeepers getting dinner tables ready. as you and sobo walked by, they turned to bow their heads at her and quickly resumed back to what they were doing. you could tell that she was highly respected in the household by the way everyone bowed to her and catered to her every request with no hesitation or resistance.

you and sobo turned the corner, entering a small room where two girls were washing and drying kimonos and haoris by hand. they bowed when you both entered the room.

"good evening, madam gojo. is there something we can help you with today?" one of the girls asked.

"akemi, would you please prepare a kimono for our guest? this is (y/n) (l/n).

"it's a pleasure to meet you!" you greeted akemi, bowing.

"miss (l/n), what color kimono would you like to wear?" akemi asked you with a friendly smile. she started to show you all the fabrics hanging on the clothing racks. "—we have kimonos and haoris in all colors and fabrics."

"akemi, get her the jade green one. she looks best in that color." satoru chimed in from the entrance of the wash room.

satoru flashed a smile at you. he had changed into a white t-shirt and black pants, sporting a new pair of sunglasses. akemi and the second girl immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed towards him.

"good evening, master gojo. we'll prepare the green kimono for miss (l/n)." akemi turned to her partner, "hitomi, make sure you get master gojo's orange haori with the dragonflies ready as well."

"will do." hitomi turned to satoru, "sorry for the wait, master gojo."

"oh my god," satoru groaned, "what did i tell you two about calling me master gojo? just call me satoru. master sounds weird."

you and sobo laughed at satoru's interaction with the two girls. sobo left to supervise the kitchen as akemi and hitomi quickly prepared the kimono and haori for you and satoru. you changed behind the screen as they took your school uniform from you. they mentioned that they would have your uniform washed, pressed, and returned to your room by the end of the day.

akemi helped wrap your chest with a white cotton wrap as you draped the jade green kimono over your shoulders. with assistance from akemi, she tied a beautiful bow with a darker green ribbon behind your back.

"wow! miss (l/n), you look beautiful!" akemi beamed, "would you like green ribbons to replace the blue one in your hair?"

"that would be nice, but i'll keep the blue ribbon with me. satoru got this for me as a gift when he got back from a mission!" (read 'souvenirs' here)

surprised, akemi asked, "are you a jujutsu sorcerer like master gojo?"

you nodded, "i am."

"—and she's a pretty strong one too." satoru added, moving the screen. akemi's jaw dropped at the sudden intrusion. she was surprised that satoru came over and moved the screen as you were in the midst of changing your clothes.

"my apologies, master gojo. i should've told you if miss (l/n) was finished changing or not."

"no worries, akemi. it's nothing i haven't seen before." he winked at her.

you glared at satoru, "akemi, please ignore him. he has not seen me naked." you wished you could launch an ice shard at him for that.

akemi giggled and patted your back before she left you and satoru alone in the wash room. you turned back to him, piercing him with your emerald green eyes, "why would you joke around like that around your housekeepers?"

satoru ignored you, "trust me, the whole household is just over the moon that i brought a girl back with me this time. they're setting up a whole banquet today because gramps told them to."

"are you going to tell them i'm not your girlfriend though?" you confronted satoru. he rolled his beautiful blue eyes at you, grabbing your hand to lead you out of the wash room. he would actually like to introduce you as his girlfriend, but he wasn't sure how you'd react. he would have to find the right time to do so.

"come on, let me show you around—you look beautiful by the way." satoru complimented you as you blushed, forgetting that you were in the middle of scolding him. he sure was a sweet talker.

satoru led you back to the main hallway that you and sobo were walking through earlier. you admired his orange haori. the complimentary color made his eyes look bluer than usual. you passed by more housekeepers while you walked down the hallway, letting go of satoru's hand as you walked next to him.

satoru frowned at your sudden action, "what? don't wanna hold my hand now?"

"it's not that... it's just—we're at your clan's estate. be a little more modest with the pda." you quietly reminded him.

satoru respected your feelings whenever you were too shy to show pda in public. it was only just recently that you two started holding hands at the school and knowing satoru gojo, he would hold your hand whenever he got the chance. he was always the first one to initiate any pda. physical touch was his love language next to gift giving. satoru would probably die if he couldn't be within arms reach of you.

he put his arm around you in a half hug as if he was saying 'alright, fine then' before he walked in front of you to continue leading the way down the corridor. he showed you the family portraits on the wall of the gojo clan throughout the years. you recognized him in one of the portraits as a child. he was holding up a peace sign, ruining the picture. how very satoru gojo coded.

"you looked like such a trouble maker." you joked with him before asking, "—where are your parents?"

satoru pointed at a couple in a different picture. his father had white hair and his mother had light brown hair. "my mom married into the family. as you can see, my dad is the one with white hair and purple eyes."

you glanced at his parents. you guessed that the white hair ran in the gojo clan. his mother had beautiful golden eyes, reminding you of touya.

"wait. oh my god—am i meeting your parents tonight?!" you started to panic. you weren't ready to meet satoru's parents.

"nah, my parents are out on business. they're in africa studying a cursed tool that can apparently disrupt our clan's technique." (a/n: jjk0 miguel's rope anyone?!)

you sighed in relief. satoru turned to face you with a mischievous smile, "speaking of cursed tools, let me show you the gojo clan's collection."

the gojo clan's basement

satoru led the way further down the corridor. he opened a door that led to a stone chamber, unlocking the door using a two finger hand motion and some cursed energy. the lock unlocked and floated forward, dropping on to the ground.

"all that for a lock?" you laughed at all the effort that was needed.

satoru turned to you and grinned, "cursed tools are expensive on the black market."

he opened the door and flipped the light switch on. you gasped at the sight. the gojo clan's collection of cursed tools and objects was vast and extremely organized.

"all the cursed objects are sorted in order of power from grade 4-1." satoru explained. "and this one is my favorite."

satoru took a red, three piece nunchaku off the wall and threw it at you. "this one is called playful cloud. i grew up with it. and it's only as strong as the person who uses it."

you caught it and twirled playful cloud around. it was heavy. some cursed tools felt disgusting to hold, but playful cloud felt fine. you gave it back to satoru and walked down the room, admiring the wall of knives and blades. as you and satoru were talking about the cursed objects, you heard a stern voice call his name.

"satoru."

the both of you turned around. an older man with grey hair, a grey beard, and piercing dark blue eyes appeared.

"gramps." satoru bowed. you followed his lead and bowed as well. it was his grandfather. you could sense the immensely strong cursed energy from him as well.

satoru introduced you to his grandfather, "gramps, this is (y/n) (l/n)." he smiled proudly.

"ah, this is genkei's granddaughter? it's a pleasure to meet you, (y/n)."

genkei was your grandfather. you were surprised at how far back your clan and the gojo clan went. satoru’s grandparents and your grandparents were on a first name basis.

"it's a pleasure to meet you as well, ojiisan. you have a beautiful home and an impressive collection of cursed objects."

satoru's grandfather smiled at you. "no need for honorifics, call me ojii, (y/n). are you hungry? we're going to start dinner soon. your grandfather told me that you enjoy sushi."

"—and gramps requested omakase today." satoru added with a grin.

"only because you're home for the weekend, satoru." ojii smiled back at his grandson, "come, (y/n). let me show you to the banquet hall."

his grandfather reached his hand out to you and you held onto it.

"oh, so you'll hold my gramps' hand but not mine?" satoru asked, folding his arm like a child throwing a tantrum.

you turned back to shoot a glare at him, your blazing green eyes telling him to ‘shut up’. he held his chest in fake despair while following behind you and his grandfather. you could see ojii laughing to himself as he guided you to the banquet hall.

dinner with the gojo clan

ojii hit a traditional gong to gather everyone's attention. there were multiple tables set up and everyone in the gojo clan was attending this dinner, even the housekeepers and cooks. no one was ever left behind.

"i'd like to announce satoru’s return. he just finished the semester at tokyo jujutsu high." ojii started to say. you watched as family members clapped and cheered for satoru. satoru really was the pride and joy of the gojo clan. you wondered what his childhood was like growing up surrounded by so many people who admired him.

"also, i'd like to introduce our guest tonight, (y/n) (l/n) of the (l/n) clan."

everyone clapped and stared curiously at you. you smiled nervously and waved to everyone. satoru couldn't help but gaze at you in adoration. after the introductions, everyone started to eat. the banquet hall was filled with light conversation and laughter. drinks were being poured and there were different types of fresh sashimi, nigiri, and sushi rolls presented on the dinner table in front of you.

satoru turned to you, "you okay? you're quiet. if we were at splendid sushi right now, you wouldn't have waited for me to eat."

"just taking everything in," you said softly as you were overwhelmed, "this is pretty extravagant for your return home."

"i told you, gramps is being extra just because i brought a girl home." satoru scoffed, "here—take some wasabi." he placed a small dollop of the green paste on your plate.

as you and satoru were eating, his grandparents were watching the both of you. they were happy that satoru finally brought someone home to visit with him that wasn't shoko or suguru. someone that could be his life partner.

sobo and ojii thought back to how they got married. they had an arranged marriage within the jujutsu society and were married when they turned 18. satoru's grandmother was part of a small family of jujutsu sorcerers. her family wanted to form an alliance with the gojo clan and offered her to the gojo clan as a deal. and that's how she met ojii.

"dear, don't you think satoru and (y/n) make a fine couple? satoru seems to really like her." sobo whispered to ojii as he took a bite of his nigiri.

"don't you dare reach out to kanao to try to set them up." ojii laughed at his wife. after 40 years of marriage, ojii could read sobo like a book. he knew what she was thinking.

kanao was your grandmother. currently, your grandparents, genkei and kanao, were the main decision-making elders of your clan. they were also a part of the faction of elders in the jujutsu society.

satoru's grandmother started to imagine a future for you two. "can you imagine how grand a gojo and (l/n) wedding would be? and how powerful their child would be if they were born with a cursed technique?"

"i wonder what technique their child would inherit. do you think it'd be a mix of limitless and an element?" his grandfather wondered, "unfortunately, i don't believe their child would inherit the six eyes or the water element since only one person can inherit that in a lifetime."

"they are just like the legend of that couple." sobo said excitedly, "what if they're the reincarnation of those ancestors? oh dear, let's see if we can arrange a marriage for them." she begged her husband.

ojii brushed off his wife's request, "our son and his wife aren't even home to discuss this with. let's just let the children be children, my love. i don't believe they do arranged marriages in this day and age anymore."

the grey haired couple watched as satoru used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of his favorite sushi to place on your plate. you picked it up and ate it, chewing in approval. you gave satoru a soft smile, cheeks full of food as he laughed at you. he brushed your hair out of your face and behind your ear as you continued to chew your sushi with delight. his grandparents were in awe at his behavior towards you. they've never seen anything like it. they never thought they'd live long enough to see the day where their beloved grandson would show any acts of affection towards another person.

later that night

"(y/n). i had the housekeepers set up the empty bedroom next to satoru’s for you. i hope that's okay."

"yes, that's great. thank you, sobo." you bowed towards satoru's grandmother.

"hey grams, isn't (y/n) great?" satoru asked his grandmother, "don't you think having a (l/n) in the gojo clan would be a good idea?"

she teased him, knowing damn well satoru liked you and wanted to know what she thought of you. "she is quite a remarkable young lady. maybe we should set her up with one of your cousins so she can marry into the clan."

"no way, grams!" satoru got defensive, "(y/n) is my—no one in our family is her type!" he huffed, arms folded.

you laughed at the interaction between satoru and his grandmother. sobo grinned and winked at you. she was on your side, and rooting for you and satoru too.

"(y/n), sweetheart. the bathrooms are across the hall from your room. the shower springs should be nice and warm by now. towels, a robe, and slippers are in there for you as well. take your time."

"thank you, again!"

you turned to faced satoru, "i'm going to get settled down for the night, satoru. i'll see you in the morning." you gave satoru a warm smile and wave before turning to leave for the showers.

he looked at you from under his sunglasses. he waved while watching you walk away. he was unable to contain his happiness. you were really here with him in the very home he grew up in... and you got the stamp of approval from his grandmother.

*****************************

you stepped into the guest room and your jaw dropped at the sight. the room had a queen-sized futon made with a bamboo board. the room was spotless and smelled like jasmine. a large floor to ceiling window with sheer white curtains faced the massive koi pond from outside. you saw that your school uniform was folded neatly and placed on the corner of your bed along with your suitcase that satoru brought into his room earlier.

you grabbed your toiletries and headed to the bathroom. you took your time in the shower as the hot water soothed your muscles. you were quite nervous meeting satoru's grandparents today that you didn't realize how tense your body was. you hoped that you made a good first impression on them for satoru's sake. you would hate to make him look bad for bringing you here.

once you finished showering and drying your hair, you changed into a long sleeved sweater and cotton shorts. you made your way back to your room to find satoru sitting in your bed tapping away on his phone. you could tell by his damp hair that he was also freshly showered too. how could one person look so handsome after a shower? and why did that handsome person have to be in your room?

"satoru, what are you doing here?!" you hissed.

satoru looked at you in disbelief, raising his eyebrows at you, "you're telling me that just because my grams said you can't sleep in my room, i can't be in here with you?"

"absolutely not." you stated, "what if she thinks we're up to no good?"

satoru got up from your bed and started walking towards you, "and what if we are?"

you summoned a wall of water in front of you. nervous of him coming any closer to you.

"jeez, what was that for?" satoru asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion.

"i want to make a good impression for your grandparents, satoru. and sneaking around at night like we do at jujutsu high isn't a good look for me." you admitted.

his family's opinion of you meant a lot to you personally, especially because you liked satoru. the more time you spent with the special grade idiot, the more your feelings for him grew. and right now, you felt like your heart couldn't like him any more than you already did.

satoru reassured you, "trust me. they love you already. they wouldn't change their minds about you even if they caught me in here." he chuckled at the thought of his grams chasing him out of your room with a broomstick.

you released the wall of water that separated you from satoru. you walked over to him with a frown, reaching your arms out for a comforting embrace. he smiled at how adorable you looked with your puffed out cheeks, pouty lips, and emerald green eyes. he brought you in for a hug.

"does that mean we have to sleep in separate rooms tonight?" you laughed in his chest, "what am i going to do without my arm pillow?" (read 'sleeping with the enemy' here)

satoru groaned reluctantly, "if grams finds me in here, she might chop off a certain body part i need later in life for reproduction."

satoru looked down at you, grateful that you were in his arms. "gramps wants me to bring you back at the next semester break. what do you think about that?"

"i'll think about it," you taunted satoru, "depends on if we're still a thing by next year."

this dreaded situationship. this relationship between you and satoru that was lacking a clear definitive answer of commitment to each other. neither of you could start that conversation, neither of you had the guts. but maybe it was time to discuss it.

"don't think i'm letting you go that easily." satoru remarked. he kept his arms around your waist, squeezing you tighter as you giggled. god, he loved that laugh. it was music to his ears.

you placed your hands on his chest. his blue eyes sparkled like the tokyo bay whenever he looked at you, his perfect slender nose led your gaze to his soft pink lips.

he slowly leaned down towards you. you could feel his quiet breath against yours as you felt your heart race. you stood on the tip of your toes, moving your hands from his chest to lock your arms around his neck and shoulders instead.

you couldn't tell who kissed who first, but your lips and satoru's lips were made for each other. it was like the satisfying feeling of two puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together.

your tongues entangled, the two of you giving each other gentle kisses until you both felt like you couldn't breathe. you just couldn’t get enough of kissing satoru. you felt dizzy and out of breath, but you still wanted more.

and that was yours and satoru's first kiss.

as you pulled away from satoru to catch your breath, running your tongue across your bottom lip, still tasting his strawberry-flavored lip balm on you. you continued to hold him close. he studied your face before cracking a joke to break the awkwardness in the air.

"my virgin lips!" satoru gasped in fake shock as you laughed and kissed him again to steal his fake innocence. he couldn't believe that he finally got to kiss you. he was so infatuated with you in this very moment. if this was how it felt to kiss you, he hoped that he could do it every day for the rest of his life (along with hearing your laugh that he loved so much).

"that was really our first kiss? what took you so long?" you asked satoru in disbelief.

"it only took about 2 months." satoru dramatically sighed, "you're playing hard to get, princess. there was only so much hand holding and hugging i could take."

you scrutinized him, "it's only fair that a girl plays hard to get when it comes to satoru gojo."

"well, then. it's a good thing satoru gojo only wants one girl and her name is (y/n) (l/n)."

you continued to banter with him just how he liked, "wow, she sounds like a great girl for satoru gojo to only want her."

"she is." satoru beamed with pride, "she's the girl of my dreams." he said as he snuck another kiss.

you rolled your eyes and laughed, "you're so cheesy, babe."

satoru blinked twice, tilting his head to the right, "did you just call me babe?"

"no, sorry, i meant satoru." you quickly covered your mouth with your hands, a flush of red filling your cheeks.

satoru corrected you, "who’s satoru? i go by babe now."

"satoru."

"no! go back to calling me babe!" he whined, hoping you'd change your mind again.

you couldn't contain your laugh. you attempted to change the subject to distract him. you asked him sweetly so he couldn’t resist, "satoru, can you kiss me again?"

"don't gotta tell me twice, babe." satoru grinned, throwing back the petname towards you.

the white haired sorcerer bent down again to kiss you on your forehead, down your nose and on your lips again. you hit him on the chest.

"what was that for?!" satoru complained, "first we're kissing and then i get a smack to the chest?"

"this!" you motioned your arms around him and you, "—is why your grandmother didn't want us sleeping in the same room!"

satoru smirked at you, "i don't care. i'm staying here tonight."

you squealed as he swiftly picked you up bridal style and placed you on the bed, the both of you getting under the covers. he turned to face you as you watched him.

he kissed you on your forehead and left one last strawberry-flavored peck on your lips. he stroked your cheek with his hand and smiled at you. you turned your back to him so he could be the big spoon. he gave you an arm pillow as his free hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"goodnight, satoru." you said, closing your eyes.

he called out your name before you fell asleep. "(y/n)?"

"what, satoru?" you asked, furrowing your eyebrows. this man would never let you sleep in peace. maybe you should have never invited him into your room on that one fateful day. (read 'love at first fight' here)

"can you call me babe again?"

you could feel your eyes rolling to the back of your head, "oh my god, satoru. no. go to sleep or go back to your room."

"it was worth a try." satoru grinned as he snuck a kiss to your shoulder blade. he snuggled his face into the crevice of your neck and shoulder. you could feel his soft breath against the nape of your neck as you fell asleep to the scent of jasmine and the warmth of satoru's body.

*****************************

little did you know, while you were sleeping, sobo and ojii opened the bedroom door to check on you. and to their surprise, they saw satoru in your bed too. his frosty white head of hair was still snug between your neck and shoulders, his arm curved around your waist as you both cuddled for warmth under the cool linen duvet. they smiled at each other as they saw the two of you sleeping together peacefully.

"look at them, dear... aren’t they precious?" sobo whispered to ojii as he smiled back at her. his grandparents were happy that their grandson was happy. being the satoru gojo was lonely, anyone who was willing to love their grandson for him and not for the powers he possessed was enough for them.

and you were enough for the gojo clan.

the next morning

"gramps wants to see your cursed technique, so we're heading to the sparring dojo after breakfast." satoru explained, biting into a piece of toast. you used your thumb to wipe off the crumbs that stuck to his bottom lip. you planted a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth.

you were enjoying breakfast together in the banquet hall. in front of you were small plates of bacon, sausages, eggs cooked sunny side up for you and scrambled for satoru, toast with different flavored jams, and a small stack of pancakes with a little too much syrup thanks to satoru. the head cook of the gojo clan went all out for the occasion, happy to see you enjoying the food here.

"so what cursed technique does your ojii have?" you asked satoru as you poked at a piece of sausage with your fork.

"anything i can do, he can do and more. he just doesn't have the six eyes. and he's pretty damn good with close combat. almost everyone in my family is."

you leaned into him innocently and nudged his shoulder, "maybe you can teach me sometime."

satoru laughed at your sudden bold move on him, "what? training with mei isn't good enough?"

"she kicks my ass every time." you groaned. every spar with mei mei was grueling. no wonder her and touya got along.

"i'm not gonna go easy on you, babe." satoru sipped his orange juice, "just because you're cute, don't think i'll let you win. i never lose."

"babe, huh?" you laughed, thinking about last night and how you called him that first.

satoru smiled mischievously at you, "would you rather it be sweetie pie, sweetheart, babe, honey or sweet cheeks? all of them are good to me."

you crinkled your nose in embarrassment, hitting his arm playfully. he laughed and held your tiny fist against his chest. you tried to take your hand back, but he held onto it tightly.

"excuse me, master gojo, miss (l/n)." a boy around the same age as satoru came into the banquet hall.

you glared at satoru to let go of your hand. he just continued to laugh, knowing you were embarrassed about the pda.

satoru gave the boy a head nod, "hey kaito, what's up?"

"sorry to interrupt, but grand master gojo is ready to see you and miss (l/n) in the sparring dojo."

satoru gave kaito a thumbs up, "cool, we'll be there in a sec."

you got up and started to clear the utensils and plates from breakfast. the housekeepers insisted that you leave it to them, but you continued to help by stacking up plates on the cart before leaving the banquet hall. satoru admired how helpful and thoughtful you were in that moment. you were the same way even at jujutsu high. the girl he was falling head over heels for never ceased to amaze him.

satoru grabbed your hand to lead you to the dojo, you looked at him and asked the question you were wondering for the past couple of minutes. "who was that? the guy that came to find us."

"that's kaito. he's my grandpa's assistant. he’s a good guy."

satoru cracked his knuckles, preparing himself for whatever was going to happen in the dojo.

at the sparring dojo

as you entered the dojo, you saw ojii standing in the center of room with a couple of other boys around satoru's age.

"looks like my cousins decided to show up today." satoru announced. he felt irritated knowing this. he started to stretch his arms and legs.

"why are you stretching?" you asked him curiously.

"we're gonna be sparring. anything goes in the gojo sparring dojo."

your jaw dropped, "wait. what do you mean—"

"hey satoru!" a cousin approached satoru, waving. he had greyish white hair and dark blue eyes, he looked just like satoru's grandfather.

"what's up, minato?" satoru greeted while glaring at his cousin.

"this your little girlfriend that i've been hearing about? ojii said you brought a friend home this time around." minato glanced over at you.

"minato, this is (y/n). she's from the (l/n) clan." satoru cleared his throat. "—and yes, she's my girlfriend."

this definitely wasn't the way satoru imagined he would be introducing you as his girlfriend. but in a room full of his cousins around his age, he felt the need to stake his claim on what was his.

you quickly glanced at satoru, baffled to be exact. did he really just introduce you as his girlfriend? you turned to his cousin and greeted him, "—hi, i'm (y/n). it's nice to meet you!"

"nice, a (l/n). what element do you have?" minato asked you abruptly. he really didn't care for the introductions.

you pooled a large sphere of water in your hand to show him. his cousin grinned at you.

"water? wow. you and satoru must've been destined to be together." he scoffed, turning back to satoru, "come on six eyes, let's go say hi to ojii."

satoru continued to glare at his cousin in annoyance. you noticed that he was gritting his teeth, his jaw tense. you grabbed his hand, trying comfort him. you walked with satoru to greet his grandfather.

"(y/n), satoru." ojii nodded, "did you sleep well last night?"

"yes, thank you!" you bowed, "the bed in the guest room was very comfortable."

"i'm glad satoru could keep you warm last night." his grandfather teased.

your jaw dropped as satoru, minato, and his other cousins stared laughing. you felt your cheeks turn beet red. this is exactly why you didn't want satoru to sleep in your room. first it was yaga-sensei, and now it was satoru’s own grandfather.

"it was either that or she slept in my room, gramps. and you know grams would never allow that." satoru shrugged, attempting to save you from embarrassment.

satoru's grandfather turned to you, studying your cursed energy. "(y/n), genkei mentioned that you hold the element of water. i'd love to see the extent of your powers. how is your domain expansion coming along?"

“i’ve almost perfected it.” you smiled at him.

"gramps, she's really strong." satoru explained, "she's the second fastest at laying out her domain."

"who's the first?" a cousin named ren asked.

satoru gave ren a peace sign, "i am, of course."

"well then, i'd love to see your skills." ojii reached out for your hand to help you up onto the platform he was standing on. satoru watched as you stood with his grandfather.

"do you think you can target all five of these boys with your cursed technique?" ojii asked, wondering what the limits of your cursed energy was. was your power similar to limitless with the never ending negative emotions that came with water?

you scanned the room, satoru, minato, ren, and two more cousins stood in front of you. you nodded, knowing you could probably land a hit on one of the boys.

ojii laughed in amusement, "you have free reign to do whatever you want to these punks, don't hold back."

you drew 16 ice shards. satoru scoffed as his cousins' eyes widened. satoru was very familiar with these ice shards as he probably got one thrown at him on the daily. his cousins took a defensive stance as your ice shards circled around you.

you threw all of the shards in different directions. as the five gojo boys were jumping and dodging, you casted multiple jets of water in different pressures, speeds, and sizes. you managed to land a hit on one of the gojo boys. you waved away your shards and water jets, running to the injured cousin's side.

"mako is fine." ojii stated, "don't worry."

"i'm so sorry!" you gulped, "are you okay?"

"yeah, i'm fine." mako winced as he sat up, "damn, satoru. your girlfriend sure packs a punch."

"tell me about it." satoru grinned while walking towards the both you, "(y/n), it's okay. mako's fine." he patted your shoulder to let you know it was okay. you felt horrible that mako got hurt because of you even though his grandfather said you had free reign. you and satoru helped mako up so that he could sit on the sidelines where the gojo clan's family doctor started to heal him with reversed cursed energy.

"genkei said that you can also use reversed cursed energy. is that true?" ojii asked as he saw you watching the gojo clan's doctor heal mako. he was as good as new again in just a matter of moments.

you turned back to his grandfather, "yes, i can heal people."

"can you heal satoru?”

“i healed him once, but he hasn't gotten hurt since, so i haven't been able to try it again."

"well, let's put that to the test." ojii said as he quickly shot out a small red beam, barely slicing satoru's arm enough for him to bleed, but not enough to cause any true pain to his precious grandson.

satoru winced as he grabbed his arm. blood trickling down his bicep and forearm, "what the hell, gramps? what was that for?"

"ojii really hit you with red?" minato's eyes widened, "that was a fast cast."

"he wants to see if (y/n) can heal me." satoru grunted. he walked towards you as you looked at him in shock. you couldn't believe his own grandfather hit him with a cursed technique so fast that satoru didn't even get a chance to dodge it or turn on his infinity.

you placed your hand on his arm, worried, "are you okay?"

satoru scoffed, "yeah, don't you worry your pretty little head. can you fix me up?"

"of course."

minato, mako, ren, and kyo came over to watch you heal satoru. your right hand hovered over the small cut on his arm. you focused your cursed energy as water started to surround the cut and heal his wound. his cousins were amazed to see someone outside of the family doctor heal another person, and so was his grandfather.

"does it feel better?"

"like it never happened." satoru gave you a thumbs up and a cheeky smile to go along with it. "well, gramps? what do you think?"

ojii nodded his head in approval, "impressive. i'd like to see your domain expansion now."

"wait, you want me to use my domain expansion on you?" you asked in disbelief.

"would you mind?"

you shook with uneasiness. ojii really trusted you that much to show him your domain expansion? you only ever sparred with touya and satoru when it came to your domain expansion...

"um... if you can try to stay in one place instead of swimming to the top or bottom of my domain, i'll active it for 10 seconds so you can see what it feels like."

"go ahead, (y/n). an old geezer like me can handle it." ojii laughed. satoru pushed you foward. he knew how powerful your domain was and he knew that his grandfather could handle it, he wasn't worried.

your hand signal for your domain was the buddhist hand gesture of the vitarka mudra. you connected the tip of your thumb and index fingers while keeping the other three fingers straight. you put your hand in front of you. "domain expansion: iridescent ocean." (a/n: sorry this detail wasn’t explained in love at first fight!)

a large sphere surrounded you and ojii as it started to fill with water. you could see ojii start to hold his breath as he was submerged underneath the water. he was using some type of reversed cursed technique to try to cancel out your sure hit from your domain. you saw the blinding lights at the top and felt the water pressure at the bottom, you wondered what it felt like to ojii. after ten seconds, you released your domain as water poured onto the floor of the dojo.

ojii was breathless as you, satoru, and his cousins ran towards him. "i'm fine," he waved you all off, "i wanted to see what (y/n) could do. i could barely move or breathe in that domain. i can see why water is quite dangerous and why there can only be one water user in a lifetime."

"hey! that's like satoru and his six eyes!" kyo said with a smile, putting his arm around satoru.

"your grandparents must be proud of you and the way you’ve honed in on your techniques, (y/n). i know i would be too if you were my granddaughter." ojii continued, "you must be tired using all of this cursed energy in one session. satoru, make sure she gets some rest before dinner."

satoru nodded, "understood, gramps."

"boys! clean up the dojo." his grandfather called out to the rest of his grandsons.

minato grumbled, "if bringing home a girlfriend means i don't have to clean the dojo, i'm doing that next time."

"i can hear you boy. i may be old, but i haven't lost my sense of hearing." ojii retorted.

everyone laughed as satoru and you waved and said your goodbyes until dinner. a wave of exhaustion hit you as you fell forward towards satoru.

"i got you," he caught your fall and swiped you off your feet, "you tired?"

"exhausted." you whispered. he held you in his arms, bringing you back to your room. you tried to stay awake, but fatigue overpowered you.

he placed you onto the bed as you were already fast asleep, draping a blanket over you. you must've been completely worn out just like the first day he met you. you used all your techniques, a reversed cursed technique, and a domain expansion that same day too. you were really something else…

he smiled at you before closing the door behind him. it was time for his meeting with the gojo clan elders.

in the conference room

"how are your studies going, child?" one of the elders asked.

"average." satoru bluntly admitted.

"and your jujutsu training?"

"fantastic." he said sarcastically, "i'm ranked first in close combat and cursed technique."

"although you are number one in cursed technique, you need to be able to harness the power of infinity. that must be activated at all times for your protection." another elder added.

"27/4 with infinity? that's crazy. i'll run out of cursed energy. and i get tired when i have it on for long periods of time!" satoru barked.

ojii interjected, "not necessarily, satoru. that's where limitless comes in. limitless and infinity work together, if you can make sure that you always use a reversed cursed technique in small amounts, you will not tire yourself out. that is why you got hit with red earlier. if you had infinity on at all times, that wouldn't have happened."

satoru folded his arms in frustration. his clan elders always asked so much of him. sometimes he wished he wasn't born with the six eyes. he was tired of being told what to do and how to do it.

a third clan elder joined in, "it will take time and practice to do so, make sure you work on that this semester."

"how is your training with activating red and hollow purple coming along?" the first clan elder from earlier asked.

satoru rolled his eyes and muttered, "i’m working on it."

"this is serious business, satoru." the elder lectured him, "there are only a few select members of the clan that even know of hollow purple. that is our secret weapon against the rival families and our enemies."

"i got it, i got it." satoru shrugged, "i'll work harder."

"the last thing we want to talk about it is the (l/n) girl." the last elder in the group went on to say.

satoru glared. what could they possibly want with you? "—and what about her?"

"keep her safe. the (l/n) clan and the gojo clan have a strong alliance. if anything happens to her, consider the allied ties severed."

"nothing is going to happen to her as long as i'm with her. i swear on my life." satoru said confidently, "is that all?"

the elders dismissed satoru as he stepped out of the room. he groaned, he hated having these meetings every semester. he felt like every aspect of his life was controlled. could he just chill and have fun while in high school? he walked back to your room as the elders continued their talk.

"satoru will protect her. i've seen the way he looks at her. he cares about her." ojii explained to the remaining elders.

"should we meet with the (l/n) elders and consider an arranged marriage for them then?"

ojii disagreed with anything that had to do with an arranged marriage. "no. we don't need to arrange a marriage for soulmates who were destined to find each other again in this lifetime." ojii laughed in hilarity, "another six eyes and a water cursed technique user from the (l/n) clan together after 400 years... what a sight to behold."

back to satoru's pov

as satoru walked back to your room, he dismissed what the elders had to say. they really wanted him to have infinity on 24/7? were they insane? he should be able to turn his infinity off around people he was comfortable with, right? should he really have it on at all times?

satoru knocked on your door before barging in. you opened your eyes groggily as he sat down at the foot of the bed.

"did i knock out?" you asked sheepishly.

"completely. you fell straight into my arms." satoru smiled softly at you. just the sight of you made all his problems fade away. "you feeling better?"

"yeah, just a little tired."

"ready to go back to jujutsu high tomorrow?"

"i like it here, satoru." you smiled back at him, "we should come back soon." according to satoru, he only came to see his family at the end of each semester. you hoped that you'd visit more often with him.

"didn't you want to visit your family soon?" satoru asked.

"yes, and you should officially come visit with me." you sat up in the bed. "your last visit didn't count."

satoru laughed boisterously at the memory. he missed you so much he teleported to your clan's estate without telling you. he lied to save face, "i had to make sure you were safe."

you laughed at his ridiculous statement, "safe in my own family's home?"

"it's probably time for me to formally introduce myself as your boyfriend to your brother, huh?"

"i guess you can call yourself my boyfriend... i'll allow it," you grinned at him, "—and you better hope that touya doesn't kick your ass."

satoru and you shared a laugh as he patted your head, brushing your messy bed hair down your neck and back. you grabbed his hand and placed it against your cheek as satoru leaned in for a kiss.

"ready for dinner?" he asked.

"god, yes. i'm starving."

the next morning: heading back to jujutsu high

"the both of you take care now." sobo said, "make sure to eat all your meals and train properly."

satoru hugged his grandmother and kissed her on the cheek, "thanks grams."

"(y/n), it was a pleasure having you as our guest. come back soon, we'd love to see you again." ojii said as he smiled at you.

"thank you so much for having me!" you bowed towards the both of them and gave them your million dollar smile that satoru loved so much.

"grams, gramps, (y/n) is my girlfriend.” satoru proudly stated, “so it only makes sense that she'll be coming back to visit.”

"girlfriend, huh?" you nudged satoru with your elbow as he put his arm around your shoulder.

ojii and sobo laughed. they already knew that you and satoru would love each other in this lifetime. they could sense it as soon as satoru walked through the door with you. everyone besides satoru and yourself could see that you two were meant for each other.

"i’m sure kanao and genkei would love to finally meet the gojo clan's child that stole their granddaughter's heart," sobo gushed, "(y/n), make sure satoru meets your grandparents soon. next time you're back, satoru's parents should be here for you to meet."

"i can't wait to meet them," you said excitedly, "satoru is coming home with me in a couple weeks to meet my brother and grandparents."

ojii turned to his grandson, "satoru, make sure you pay your respects when you meet genkei and kanao. and take care of (y/n)."

satoru put his arm around your shoulder, "of course, gramps! nothing's gonna happen to my girl!"

you rolled your eyes at your newly titled boyfriend as his grandparents laughed at the both of you. satoru and you said your farewells to the gojo clan. his grandparents, akemi, hitomi, and kaito saw you off before satoru teleported you both back to tokyo jujutsu high.

EXTRA:

"so what did you think?" satoru asked as you were applying moisturizer on your cheeks. you rubbed your face in circular motions, working the cream into your face.

"think of what?"

"—of my family."

you took a moment to think before answering, "everyone was so nice and welcoming. i was thinking it was going to be the exact opposite to be honest." you admitted.

you sat down on your bed, satoru sat up and scooted over to make room for you. he raised his eyebrow at you, "why would you think that?"

"hmmm, the gojo clan being the number one family in jujutsu society might be a reason."

satoru rolled his eyes, "god, my family isn't as horrible and stuck up as people make us out to be. we live a quiet life and mind our business."

satoru frowned as you tilted your head towards him. "what's on your mind?" you asked as you caressed his cheek with your hand.

"my cousins said some stuff that bugged me before we left." satoru mumbled and pouted his lips.

"oh no, satoru gojo bothered by his own family?" you sarcastically sang, "what could they have possibly said to upset you?"

"they kept talking about how hot you were." satoru complained, "as if my cousins are your type. they need to find their own girl and back off of mine."

satoru gojo was jealous. now that was something you didn't see every day.

you smirked, attempting to push satoru's buttons, "i don't know, satoru. minato was really nice to me before we left. should i ask for his number next time?"

satoru gasped, "you wouldn't."

your bright laugh filled your dorm room, satoru ears perked at the lovely sound, but still attempted to glare at you with his cerulean blue eyes.

you confessed, "you're right, babe. i wouldn't. you're the only one for me."

"oh really?" he countered, "give me a kiss to prove it then."

"fine," you muttered, "come here, you big baby."

DIVIDERS PROVIDED BY @/ANLIAN-AISHANG

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spidybaby · 1 year ago

Note

Omg can I please have some fluff like Kylian and reader visit his parents house for the weekend and it makes Ethan really happy to see reader because she’s his bestie, when they get there Ethan takes her away from Kylian and he gets jealous they spend over 3 hours together and then reader comes back to Kylian in his childhood bedroom where they watch movies and have cuddles💕

"Can you say it again?"

"Blueberry."

You laugh, making him repeat words in english. You love the way his accent sounds, loving the way he pronounces the words.

"I love it." You laugh, squishing his hand. "Don't forget to call your dad."

You were driving to his mother's house. He planned this weekend exclusively for his family and you two to be together.

Since the beginning of the season, he has had so much stress, making him crave some family time.

His mother and brother lived remotely close to his house. Sometimes, even spend nights with him.

But this season, everything changed, Ethan was practicing with the first team, but he was traveling with the second team a lot, and his mom was busy with his foundation. Making the time very much tighter for them.

Fayza went to Bondy. She wanted to get some paperwork and some things ready to sell the house. The thing that made Kylian sad.

His mother's house was the first thing he ever bought with his hard earned money. He wanted his parents to have their own home. So he gifted them the house.

His mom kept the house during the divorce, so it was hers now. Kylian didn't have a say because, as he says, it was theirs and not his.

Before the divorce of his parents, they all used to live there. Even their older brother and Melissa.

But when he moved from Monaco to Paris, Jires went to Turkey and Wilfried to another place closer to Paris. The house felt different.

Melissa and the kids stayed there with Ethan and Fayza. But to him, it was still weird not having his father with them.

"Oui, mon amour."

He was in charge of the music, being the passenger princess he was, refusing to only sit and relax. So he took the dj job.

The call was quick, Wilfried and him exchanged some words and then hang up.

"I want some waffles with whipped cream." He says, stomach roaring.

"Well, you could have had it, but you refused to eat."

"I wasn't hungry. You knew that."

"Maybe because you chose to wake up like ten minutes before leaving."

He pouts, not answering, but his facial expression was enough of an answer.

"We are almost there, bébé." You say pointing at the GPS. "And knowing your brother, he's probably waiting for us."

"Correction, he's waiting for you."

Ethan and you have an amazing relationship. He sees you as an older sister he can trust. Always stealing you and making you two do all sorts of things while visiting.

"He is." You sigh, turning your head to him quickly. "It's not my fault your family loves me more than you."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. He knows you're joking. He actually loves how close you're with his family.

He never met someone who was so perfect with his parents, brothers, and even extended family.

The drive continues for another twenty minutes. Thankfully, the roads were pretty empty, making the drive a fast one.

"Look, we're here." You smile, squishing his arm. "Ready to have an amazing weekend?"

He nods, smiling like a kid on Christmas day. "Oui, I'm so happy."

He helped you with the bags, asking you to go onside and announce yourself, but two little laughs beat you at that.

"Y/n" Lana yells, she throw herself at you.

"Bonjour, mon petit fille." You spin her around. Kissing her cheeks.

You look for her brother, noticing he is in Kylian arms. He's welcoming his uncle. "Bonjour, Isayah."

You got closer to them, kissing his cheek just like you did with Lana. Making him laugh.

Fayza was standing at the front door. The scene was adorable to her. She can easily picture you and kylian in a few years with your own children.

Living in a house with a big garden, she thought about it maybe a little too much. But she can't be blamed. After all, Kylian was the one who described how he pictures your life together.

"Bonjour, my babies." She says, catching your attention. "Come here, let me help you."

She hugs you tightly, repeating the actions with her son. She took Isayah from Kylian arms, following you to the living room of the house.

"Melissa, hello." You say happily, she has become a close friend for you. Always counting on her for everything.

"We literally saw each other like three days ago." She laughs, hugging you.

"She's obsessed with you, that's why."

"You're just jealous, kyky."

He rolled his eyes for the second time, going upstairs to leave the bags and to wake Ethan up.

"How was your exams?" Fayza asks, curious about your life.

"It was good, I think I did a good job."

"You did, don't doubt about yourself." She says, kissing your cheek.

She was like a mom to you, always caring and loving you since you met her. She was extra special to you, knowing you were there to stay since the beginning.

You can hear kylian laughing from the second floor, probably doing something to Ethan or laughing at some joke.

"Boys." Fayza shakes her head. "Come help me, sweet. I can guess Kylian didn't eat breakfast."

"You know your son." You laugh, walking with her to the kitchen where she was cutting some fruits and making waffles.

You chat with her and Melissa, who joined you. Kylian and Ethan were in the living room chatting with their dad.

Wilfried and Kylian were messing with Ethan. He recently changed his style, so he felt a little more confident than usual, which Ky loved.

"Let's eat everybody." You call.

Wilfried shared some stories about his most recent trip, Melissa worked with Kylian, so her stories weren't new for the family.

Ky told them about the next matches, feeling like his stories were kind of repetitive, but you enjoyed them.

The way he was very into creating new ways and opportunities for him and the team to score and win.

"But the news here is, this mademoisell right here." He pats your knee. "Is going to be a valedictorian again."

They all got so excited at the news, Fayza and Wilfried telling you how proud they're of their "daughter."

As the day continues, you spend the rest of the morning helping Ky and Wilfried to prepare the meat and veggies for the barbecue.

It was Ethan the one with the idea of making a big family barbecue and everybody agreed with him.

"After this, you and I are going to play some fifa. This time, you're not beating me." Ethan lightly pushed you, making you laugh.

"Yes, and I want to know about that girl you texted me about." You whisper in his ear, making him blush at the thought of his crush.

"Deal, but first a fifa game."

After lunch, Lana and Isayah wanted you to join them on the pool. Wanting to play with you and their uncle like always.

"Oh, mon bébés." You say sadly, you wanted to swim with them but also you promised Ethan days before to have a chat with him. "As soon as I finish with Uncle Ethan, I'll be here, okay?"

Kylian pouts more than they do. You send him a kiss while you walk inside the house.

Ethan and you have an amazing relationship. He trusted you with his life. Sometimes, when Kylian was away and couldn't get a hold of him, you were there for him. Ready to help.

When it comes to girls, you're his go-to person. Maybe because he knows how much Kylian is a master with the football but not that much in the dating area.

"Okay, pause pause pause." You laugh at him, pushing you in order to make you lose the goal. "You, young man, own me a story."

"I own you anything, woman." He laughs, imitating your tone.

"C'mon, tell me, did she like the roses?"

"She did." He smiles. "Thank you so much for helping me. I don't know what I would do without you here."

"Probably be the best at fifa." You say, making both laugh at that. "But don't worry, E. I'm here for anything you need."

The fifa game took hours, hours Kylian didn't got to spend with you. Hours he was pouting like a child.

He's sitting on the couch hearing the laughs and screams you and Ethan are making. Feeling left out.

He knows feeling like this is dumb, but he's been so busy lately that even spending time with you was a bit difficult.

He helped his parents with picking up the plates, washing them and even helped Melissa with the kids.

And still not you.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Mbappe." You say in this funny accent. He was in his old childhood bed, a single one. He looked so big for the bed.

He turns to the wall, feeling left out and being jealous. "Go play fifa."

"Yeah, it was fun, I had to pick your player." You tease. "But maybe I should have picked Olivier. He's faster."

He turns back to you, eyes narrowed and pout. "Did you just call me slow?"

"You're such a baby, come here, mon amour." You throw yourself on top of him. He hugged you like a koala bear. "God, you're crushing me."

"Good, so you don't go."

"What if we moved and watch something?"

He thinks about it for a few seconds, making you squeak. "Can we watch that scary movie I like?"

"If I say yes, would you let me breathe?"

He laughs, softening the hug, making you sigh and breathe deeply. "Can you get some popcorn?"

You nod, getting up from the bed. But first, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "Some soda too?"

"You're making me break my diet." He laughs. Kissing your lips.

"Good, once in a while." You return the kiss.

Going down to the kitchen, you notice that Fayza is there, sitting at the kitchen island with a book in her hands.

"Hi, I thought you were asleep by now."

"No, Ky wants to see a movie, and he's kinda grumpy from all the attention everyone is getting from me. Everyone but him."

"Well, he's a man. They always want more but never know how to ask." She laughs, winking at you.

You laugh with her, making a little chat while the popcorn is getting ready at the microwave.

"I'm gonna miss this house. I feel like it was yesterday when Kylian brought me here to meet you."

"Oui, so many memories. But I think it is time for us to move on."

You nod, thinking about the amazing memories you shared with Kylian and his family there.

You place the popcorn in a bowl, grabbing two sodas and leaving Fayza and her book alone.

The movie was good, it has a scary factor. But your mind was still roaming through the memories.

You scratch lightly Kylian arms, something you do when you're cuddling while watching a move or a show.

He's focused on the movie and the popcorn. Not noticing how you're so lost into nothing.

"I wish we could stay longer. I know this is not my family home, but this place has something that I love."

"I get it, I feel like a part of me hurts from thinking about letting this go."

You stayed quiet for a while, trying to focus on a little bit of what's left from the movie. Kylian, on the other hand, got lost into his thoughts, he loved this place.

He wanted to make this a vacation home, to bring his kids to the place where he grew up, where the people supported him.

He wanted to save his childhood house. He wanted his, well, your kids to be able to hear the stories you created there, to be able to feel the magic you two feel there.

He takes the remote, turning the TV off, making you protest. "I have an idea."

"We're not pranking anyone, Ky."

"No, that's not it." He gets up. "Well, that's a good idea, you can't deny."

"No." You laugh.

His hands found yours, intertwining them and looking at you in the eyes. "Let's buy the house."

"What?" You say, taken aback by the sudden proposition.

"Oui, we can use the house for weekend getaways, we can use it for vacations. For special occasions."

"But I thought."

"I know what I said." He interrupts you. "But I can't deny that there's a special something, and in the near future, I want to create more memories with you here. I can't wait for our kids to enjoy this place like we did."

"Oh, bébé." You let his hands go to press your palms to his cheeks, kissing him slowly. Feeling all the emotions. "We have to talk to your mom about it."

"Can you believe that? If she says yes, this will be our first house together."

"This will be your house, Kyky." You laugh, even tho he always told you that what was his was yours, this was different from a t-shirt, this is a whole house.

"No, bébé. This will be ours."

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