#my teammates did nothing and i gave out most of the right answers

[desi-yearning]

SLAYED A COMPETITION TODAY OMG WHY IS LIFE BEING SO GOOD ALL OF A SUDDEN

[snoopyhughes]

gave you too much but it wasn't enough (qh43)

In which you wonder if your relationship with Quinn might end in death by a thousand cuts.

This is my submission for the eras tour fic challenge hosted by @wyattjohnston and @comphy-and-cozy! I am thrilled to be a part of this event. I received DBATC, and if you know me you know any kind of angst is not my wheelhouse, but I was thrilled to get this challenge and try to create something angsty. It will never be unresolved in my world but hopefully this does the trick :) 2.5k words, fem reader, no warnings that I know of, not proofread.

When Quinn was named the captain of the Vancouver Canucks, you had never felt so proud.

Being with Quinn for two plus years at the time, you were over the moon to see the love of your life, your favorite person in the world, being given such an honor, an honor he worked so hard for, an honor you know he deserved. Quinn was one of the most dedicated people you've ever met. With that dedication of course, comes time. Quinn dedicated countless hours to improving his game, practicing with his teammates, working out in the gym, going on runs, anything he could do to be the best he could be, he was doing it.

Under the moonlight, as you and Quinn celebrated his accomplishment, he promised you that he wouldn't stray away. That his commitment to the team wouldn't outweigh his commitment to you. To being a loving partner. A companion. However, when you woke up, stretching your arm out to feel an empty bed yet again, despite knowing that it couldn't have been much past 7 am, you wondered what went wrong. What happened to cause those promises to crumble. His words to be empty, lifeless. Void of meaning. When did you and Quinn become a couple that told each other lies? Told each other things just because the other person wanted to hear them, not because they genuinely intended to fulfill them.

It was the start of Quinn's second season as the Canucks captain. At first, you thought it was too good to be true. Quinn was thriving in his new role, yet still being the perfect partner. Attentive and on time, compassionate and loving. Now, that version of Quinn is a distant memory, mocking you as you think of him.

It started after the holidays in Quinn's first season of being captain. You chalked it up to post holiday stress and all star weekend buzz, maybe even trade deadline drama. Then the all star game passed, and even the trade deadline. Shortly after you started blaming it on the playoff push, then the playoff loss. And now here you were in November, searching for answers, trying to figure out what happened to the love of your life who turned into a stranger right in front of your own eyes, with nothing you could do about it but watch it happen.

You got yourself ready for work, looking around in the bathroom, on the bedside table, and eventually the kitchen to see if maybe Quinn left you a note, a cup of coffee in your favorite travel mug, a bagel from your favorite bakery around the corner, a sign of his love, signs that he used to never leave the house without showing. Just as you thought, there was nothing. You couldn't even remember the last time you felt Quinn kiss your forehead before he left for God knows what. Another workout, another two mile run after the three miles he did on the treadmill, or locking himself in his office watching film.

Work came and went that day, taking the long way home, dreading going home to an empty house. You thought it would be worse trying to interact with the stranger you lived with, but the silence, the emptiness, the sterile, unwelcoming cold was always worse. You stared up at the traffic lights, wondering if others saw just how foolish you felt. Writing lines to a story that was long over. Grasping on to the book, hoping for a surprise ending, one that would make everything worth it.

To say you were surprised to see Quinn's Porsche in the driveway was an understatement. Usually on practice days he didn't get home until well after 6 pm. You unlocked the front door, not expecting much. Just because he was home, doesn't mean he wasn't locked up in his office, taking notes from last night's game. A game that you never bothered to go to anymore. You knew the other WAGs missed you, people speculated about your absence on the internet, always cruel and judgmental. You couldn't bring yourself to go. You had learned to despise hockey for taking Quinn from you.

You opened the door and were surprised to see Quinn in the kitchen, grabbing a snack. Quinn looked as surprised to see you as you were, almost like he didn't know where you were, or if he even remembered that you lived there. Quiet "hi's" were exchanged, Quinn leaving a soft kiss on your cheek then awkwardly brushing past you to go towards the fridge.

"I thought we could have chicken and pasta for dinner tonight. It sounded good on my way home, I hope that's okay," Quinn muttered out, but already getting a pot of water for pasta ready, as though it didn't matter what you truly wanted. "That's okay," you offered back. "I'm gonna go sit down and read my book. If you need me, just holler." You offered and Quinn gave a nod in response. You wanted to grunt and groan under your breath. How could this be okay with him? It was as though you didn't know him, despite him knowing everything about you.

You tried to distract yourself with your book, but frustrated tears welled up in your eyes. You wiped them away aggressively, not wanting Quinn to see you cry. He couldn't muster up simple greetings, and an I love you would be almost toxic coming out of his mouth. He didn't care anymore, that much was obvious. So why should you?

You didn't know how long time passed, but it was enough time for Quinn to come over with a plate of dinner, unaware of your state. Your heart swelled. Most days, you had been eating dinner at the table, the memories of the two of you loved up on the couch, enjoying your meal and watching your latest binge watch were long gone. It seemed that Quinn was looking for one of those nights, until he saw your tears. His face dropped, setting your plate down and kneeling in front of you.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" He asked, trying to get you to meet his eyes. You shook your head. How could he be so oblivious? "Are you serious?" You ask and Quinn's expression changed, like you had hurt him. "What do you mean by that? Why would I not be serious?" he asked, causing you to shake your head. "Quinn, things haven't been right between us for months. You leave me everyday without saying goodbye or even kissing me goodbye, you act like spending time with me is the worst thing in the world. I never go to games anymore because I resent hockey for taking you from me. When you were named captain, I was so proud of you I could explode. Now I can't even bare to be in the hockey setting because it reminds me of everything you chose over me. Quinn, I don't even know if you love me anymore." You took a breath after getting it off your chest, but at the same time a wounded gasp came out of Quinn's mouth, like he was a wounded animal.

"You think I don't love you anymore? How could you think that?" he asked, clearly hurt by what you had said. "What else do you want me to believe, Quinn? I can't even remember the last time you told me you loved me. And beyond that, that you ever even showed that you might. I feel like I live with a stranger. You can't honestly tell me that you have felt satisfied in this relationship. That you feel that we love each other to the fullest, that we love spending time together. I haven't felt confident that you feel that way in a long time." At this point you both had tears in your eyes, Quinn feeling devastated by what he was hearing.

Of course Quinn wasn't 100% satisfied with your relationship. He wasn't delusional enough to believe that everything was perfect. He knew that hockey had been his number one priority lately, and he had been trying to make that not be the case.

"Baby, I know I haven't been putting you first lately, and I'm sorry for that. I truly am. But I feel like it's only been this way since the start of the regular season." This had you scoffing immediately. "You don't seriously believe that. Quinn, I could say I have felt this way on and off since January." This caused another hurt gasp to leave Quinn's lips. "Why didn't you say something..." he trailed off, hurt, but he knew the answer.

"I shouldn't have to beg you to love me, Quinn. I shouldn't have to tell you that you have been neglecting me, neglecting us. If you truly can't see what's been going on, I don't know how I can explain it to you. If you think that this relationship has been satisfactory for both parties, I can't change your mind of that. But I won't be treated like this any longer. I think we should spend some time apart." Quinn backed up as soon as the suggestion came out of your mouth, looking like he had been shot.

"You don't mean that, you can't" he gasped. "Quinn, I'm not saying I want to breakup. If I didn't believe this was salvageable, if I didn't believe you could fix this, I would just say I wanted to break up. I believe we can fix this, but I think some time apart would do us good. For us both to figure out what we're looking for and what we truly want. If we find that this is still what we want, that's great, I believe that we will make it work. But this, this... arrangement, this isn't working. I know you seem shocked and hurt, but I know you don't believe that this is working for both of us, or honestly either of us."

"I'll go stay with Petey, I don't want to be in your way," Quinn suggested and you shook your head. "It's okay, really. I can go stay with Brock's girlfriend. Since she lives by herself it won't be awkward for any of us. I do believe we can make this work Quinn, I just don't think we can do it in these conditions." You put your hand on his cheek and his face softened, leaning into your touch.

"Tell me how to fix it, please, I'll do anything," he begged, tears steadily streaming down his face. "I can't tell you that, Quinn. I want you to figure out. To understand where I'm coming from, and want to work to fix it. I haven't been perfect either Quinn, we can both work on this. I shouldn't have to tell you that spending time together once a month isn't enough. I don't know how it can be enough for you, either. If that's okay with you, then this just isn't going to work."

"I'll fix it baby, I promise, I'll do anything." he whispered, almost defeatedly but feeling much better. "I believe you, baby. I do."

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

The flowers started on Mondays. Each Monday, a different bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers arrived at your office. The message was also different each week but it always ended the same way: " I love you, I believe in us." You texted Quinn every week when the flowers came to let him know you got them and to send your thanks. After four weeks of flowers, you were sitting in the front room of Brock's girlfriend, Bella's, apartment, getting stuff done on your computer on a chilly Saturday afternoon. A knock on the door sounded, causing you to pause your work. You had been staying with Bella long enough that you felt comfortable getting the door. Not to mention Bella liked to sleep in super late on weekends, meaning you would be the only one to even be available to open the door.

Your heart sank to your toes as you looked through the peephole, seeing Quinn. He looked different. If your gut was right, he looked tired, a far away look in his eyes, almost as though he missed you as much as you missed him. You didn't want to believe it, wary of getting your heart broken. He was holding something in his hands, fidgeting with it as he waited for the door to open.

"Y/N, hi," Quinn whispered out, taking a step towards you. "Hi Quinn, it's great to see you. How have you been? Would you like to come inside?" You asked, causing him to shake his head. "I can't stay, but thank you for offering," he stopped himself, wanting to keep boundaries in between you two in order for you to be most comfortable.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other, and I wanted to come ask you something. I was hoping you'd like to come to the game tomorrow night? I was hoping this would be enough time, but if not it's okay." His voice was shaky, unsure, almost like he was scared of your response. "I'm not sure, Quinn. Won't it be weird that I'm there? I don't want to cause any drama." You said apprehensively. You were also nervous of what that step in your relationship would be.

"There would be no drama at all, babe. You could just sit with Bell in the stands if you would prefer that, but I know the WAGs have really been missing you. I heard Millsy's daughters have been waiting for you to paint their nails on intermission again," he joked, causing you to smile. His heart melted at the smile on your face, finally feeling fulfilled, that he made you happy.

"I'll be there, Quinn. You can put me in the box. Don't worry about parking, though. I'm sure I can catch a ride with Bella." You both smiled, joyful at the step in the right direction for the both of you. "I can't wait."

________________

For all the time you had spent at Canucks games, you never thought you would be so nervous about what to wear, but here you are. Finally, settling on a stylish Canucks long sleeve with no distinction of Quinn on the shirt, paired with dark jeans and sneakers.

Quinn played a great game, getting a goal and an assist, the Canucks winning 3-1. You were ecstatic. Being back at the games, with your friends, cheering on Quinn, just felt right. It felt like where you were supposed to be. When you met Quinn after the game, he couldn't help himself either, jogging up to you and wrapping his arms around you, lifting you up off the ground. "Quinn!" you exclaimed, laughing out loud. "You did so good!" You laughed as he set you back on the ground. "It's because you were here, my good luck charm." He mused, causing you to blush.

Before he could stop himself, Quinn asked: "come home with me?" Your breath shortened, definitely not expecting that to come out of his mouth. "Are you sure?" You asked him, heart racing at the idea of going home with Quinn, truly where you belonged. "I would want nothing more."

It felt at times that no matter how much you gave to Quinn, it would never be enough. But as you both grew and learned more about yourselves, you both knew that all you could give would always be enough for the both of you.

[rimunagenius]

Good Game

ʚ pairing: Kate Martin x Cheerleader!reader

ʚ word count: 1.3k words

ʚ warnings: RPF!! , otherwise none.

ʚ request: anon ask; “are you down to make a kate martin x cheerleader reader?”

ʚ rimunagenius speaks: here’s another request! i love that you guys are sending requests, and i’m glad that i’m the one you’re choosing to ask to write them! thank you so much for liking what i write, truly unbelievable. Also, I’m making my way through my inbox so from now on, my fics will most likely be request, so feel free to drop some more, but also, please be patient as i continue to do so! enjoy!

"Good job, Martin!" You yelled at you waved your pom poms infront of you, engaging in your cheer, but looking to the side as the Iowa women's basketball team ran down the tunnel for half time.

You gave her the biggest smile, getting one in return. "Thank you!" She grabbed a cup of water and ran down the tunnel following her teammates.

Usually that's how all of your interactions went. A 'good job' or 'you're doing great' here and there. Kate was your favorite on the team. She was tall, pretty, kind, and really damn good at playing ball. What's there not to like about her? You always mentioned her to your cheer friends; they evolved to trying to start up conversations with Kate and bring you into it.

It helped that one of your bestfriends was on the basketball team, too. You and Kylie met on your first day at Iowa University. You two have been inseparable since then.

So every game, you'd get to just a little bit early, hitching a ride with Kylie, and she knew full well why you did it. There was the off chance that you'd talk to Kate. They normally had shoot around, and the cheer team would get there just a half hour later to start warm ups and make sure the music was working.

You valued your time before every home game. That's why Kylie made sure to make you bump into Kate on your way into the big game tonight.

"Hey, Kate!" Kylie shouted to the blonde ahead. She turned around, her long blonde hair twisting as she turned to look at you and Kylie.

"Hey! Oh, Hi!" Kate greeted her teammate, and then greeting you, with a side hug. She was much taller this close than from the sideline to baseline view. Your knees were weak.

"Hey! You excited for tonight?" You beamed, you were also excited for tonight. The big Iowa vs. UConn game for the final four spot.

"Yeah, super. Your cheering tonight?" Kate knew the answer, she just didn't know what to say because you made her nervous. You could tell by the way her cheeks reddened immediately after asking.

"Yeah, I am. That's why I came with Kylie." You turned to point to your friend, only to find she left. You look up ahead and see her walking with Sydney down the hall towards the lockerroom. "Oh, nice." You whispered as you turned back to Kate.

Your cheeks turning pink just by the sheer height difference. "Nice, you're gonna cheer for me right? Your favorite on the team obviously." She bumped your shoulder, making you laugh.

"I will cheer for you, but only out of obligation. Y'know, I didn't get a full ride for nothing." Your sarcasm eliciting a small giggle from the tall blonde.

"Haha, very funny." Kate looked ahead, catching Kylie peak her head out of the lockerroom doorway, immediately blushing harder.

"Kylie's actually my favorite, but i'll make an acception for the cute golden retriever." You smiled up at Kate, tossing a small strand of hair up playfully, her smile widening some more.

"Yay, the cute cheerleader loves me." She bumped your shoulder again, both of you walking into the lockerroom like big grinning idiots. Kylie definitely texts you after you walk out with your headphones she had in her bag, asking how it went.

You walked onto the court, a couple of your teammates here already, smiling at your phone while you told Kylie what happened. You then didn't fail to talk about it all the way until the girls started warms ups. You didn't want to get caught talking about a minor interaction between your literal crush.

"Wait, stop. I think Kate likes you, babe." Your teammate literally stopped you dead in your tracks. You didn't know if you heard that correctly. You hoped you did.

"No, stop it. No she doesn't." You looked over, and sure enough Kate had been looking at you. You both gave eachother a small smile before resuming to your respective duties.

"Girl, she's been looking over here every thirty seconds. Of course she likes you." You smiled softly, thanking the cheer gods that your uniform looked so good on you. Seriously, you were glad you were confident enough to strike up a conversation. She was so pretty you didn't think you'd be able to do it.

"Okay, stop telling me that or that's all i'll think about all night, and I don't want to forget our cheers. Especially the half time performance." You sighed as you walked off the court, to do stationary stretches, while the girls used the full court to do warm up drills.

Now it was your turn to stare. You watched her as she moved in sync with her team. Fully enamored by the way she moved, communicated, and played with her team.

During the game, was no different. You’d watch her play, literally just watched her. Something about her was just so intriguing. You couldn’t look away.

She’d look to you, smile and continue to play her game. She would try and hide the smile when she heard you scream ‘let’s go 20’ and hasn’t stopped thinking about it. She thought about it all the way through the second half, and completely into half time.

She wished she could watch the halftime performance, wanting to watch you do your thing, in that pretty uniform, the skirt that fit you perfectly. You two had seemed to be totally enamored with eachother it was driving you both nuts.

After the game, the team went into the tunnel, for the normal post game talk. You were nervous to sit in, Coach Bluder allowing you to sit and listen since Kylie was your ride and you were just minding your own business. The lockerroom was fairly big, you finding a spot infront of a locker, scrolling through tiktok with your headphones on. You hadn’t known the huddle was over until someone was approaching you.

Looking up, you met the perfect blue eyes yet again. You looked up and saw you were sitting at her locker. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll just—“ You started talking and got up when she had already reached for her towel on the top shelf. Your bodies were pressed against eachother, eyes looking into the others, your breath mixing together.

“Oh..uh. Sorry!” Kate said, sidestepping to let you pass. Both your cheeks were red and demeanor suddenly timid and bashful. The things you two did to eachother.

You neeed her number.

She needed your number.

You then stood by Kylie’s locker, waiting for her to finish up, her opting to shower at her home, and then before walking out, you turned around and walked up to Kate. You didn’t know if it was the confidence of Iowa winning the game, the adrenaline running super high. But either way, you were doing it.

It was now or never. You liked her, and wanted to talk to her longer than short conversations before and after games. Getting closer, you tapped her on her shoulder. Her eyes wide, a soft puppy look on her face, god your knees were weak. “Hey!” She smiled as she put her basketball shoes in her bag, sliding her feet into her slides.

“Hey! So, you can totally say no, but I wanted to know if I could get your number?” You smiled nervously at the blonde, her smile growing wider.

“Yeah, of course. Here.” She handed you her phone, letting you type in your number, sending a quick text so you could save her number in your phone. Feeling your phone vibrate, you thank her and handed her her phone back.

Her now standing infront of you, you decided to kiss her cheek. Her face immediately turning a light shade of red. She rubbed the back of her neck softly, before looking down at her feet and then back up to you.

“Good game tonight, Martin.” You turned heel, and walked out the door leaving her absolutely stunned. She could not wait to text you tonight.

[wileys-russo]

kiss and make up II a.russo x unc!reader

gif credits to @russogifs & @ohgrays

request - unc era remains her most powerful & my all time fave. kiss and make up II a.russo

you glanced up from your book hearing a knock on your dorm room door, repeated by a few more impatient knocks when you didn't answer in five seconds, only confirming you knew who was there before you even opened it.

"go away!" you called out, not moving from your place on your bed with a roll of your eyes. "babe come on, open the door." a familiar english accent called out, the girl knocking again as you shook your head.

"i am not in the mood to argue again alessia, go away." you repeated firmly. "baby please! i didn't come here to argue, let me in." your girlfriend groaned, and a small thud lead you to believe her head had thumped dejectedly against the wood.

the two of you had been seeing one another for six or so months now and you were normally nothing but enamored with the superstar striker.

her energetic personality paired with her effortless charm and accent was a combination that had you swooning after just a couple of dates. so much so that when she'd asked you to be her girlfriend she hadn't even finished getting the question out before you'd said yes.

you rarely argued, normally too busy being disgustingly smitten with one another and teased relentlessly by your friends for it. though when you did argue neither of you ever backed down both incredibly stubborn and sure you were right while the other was wrong.

last night you'd both been dragged to a frat party with some of alessia's teammates, none of them drinking given the fact they had a game the next day but the fomo of not going was too strong to stay away from the event regardless.

not any sort of athlete yourself you'd had no reason not to drink, and though you'd only had a few it was enough that alessia had accused you got a little too handsy with another girl and disrespected her in front of her teammates and friends.

though your recollection of events was that all you did was dance with a girl from your ethics class you got to talking to, which you only did because your own girlfriend refused to get up and join you. too busied in the company of her teammates to pay you much more attention than wanting you sat on her lap all night while she chattered away to them.

"lessi are you sure this is the best idea? you've got a game tomorrow." you checked in with a slight frown of concern, finishing your makeup and turning toward where she sat on your bed.

"it'll be absolutely fine babe. none of the girls are drinking and i'll be keeping a sure eye on that as captain. i think most of them are just going for a hook up or because they're scared something cool will happen like the foam party last time and we'll all miss out." alessia laughed, making grabby hands at you soon as you were within reach.

"okay, so long as you're sure." you gave in, still not thinking it was a great idea but with no commitments of your own tomorrow you could still enjoy yourself, and parties were never as much fun without your girlfriend.

not that there was a chance in hell she'd ever let you go to one without her anyway.

"sit still please." you warned, settling yourself to straddle her lap as her hands fell to your hips, just slipping up the inside of your top .

"baby do you want this done or not? because i can't be expected to concentrate if you move your hands much higher." you warned with an amused smile as her large hands started to rub up and down your sides, causing you to flinch a little as her rings brushed your ribs.

"i thought women were supposed to be able to multi task?" the blonde teased with a grin, leaning in to press a few sweet kisses to your lips but you pushed at her shoulders before she could take them any further.

she seemed to settle after that, allowing you to finish her makeup as her hands now lay dormant on your thighs, her knee bouncing a little underneath you but you were more than used to that, the english girl hardly ever able to sit entirely still.

"done, you look perfect as always." you complimented, pecking her lips and trying to stand but her arms tightly encircled your waist preventing that. "where you goin?" the blonde rasped, your heart swooning at her thick accent, hand moving to the back of your neck and tugging you into a proper kiss.

"you look so beautiful, my lovely girl, my pretty girl." your girlfriend mumbled as she pulled away, lazily kissing your jaw a few times, focus shifting to your neck. within seconds she found your sweet spot, tongue gliding teasily over the taunt skin before her lips began to shower it with attention.

though before her teeth could join the party to mark you like she so loved to there was a sudden and endless amount of knocking on your door, a mixed chorus of voices yelling for the two of you to hurry up.

"that's our cue." you smiled, cupping her face and stealing one final kiss before you stood, hurrying over to open the door as a horde of girls all piled in, grabbing both you and alessia as you managed to snag your phone before you were dragged away and your door slammed closed behind you.

it was a couple of hours later and you were nursing your third drink of the night, pleasantly teetering on the edge of being tipsy as you sat on alessia's lap, her chin resting on your shoulder as she talked with her friends.

her large hands sat possessively on your hips, squeezing every now and then to gain your attention when someone asked you something and you didn't answer, lips occasionally pressing a tender kiss to the back of your bare shoulder blade or your cheek. but beyond that you were starved for any sort of real attention from the blonde and that was taking its own toll.

admittedly quite bored of the conversations between the group you were sat with, which all seemed to center around team couple drama or strategies for tomorrows game, you found yourself frequently zoning out and watching on as your peers danced and drank around you, seemingly having a much better time.

"wanna go dance?" you leaned back a little and murmured in your girlfriends ear with a hopeful smile. "later baby." she answered, returning your smile and pecking your lips before immediately tuning back into another conversation.

still watching as the party raged on you looked longingly to where you spotted see a group of your own friends playing beer pong.

your best friend alex caught your eye, frantically waving you over as you gestured to your girlfriends hands holding you firmly on her lap and within a second she was in front of you.

"can i steal your girl for a game of beer pong russo?" alex winked, hand finding yours and pulling you up to your feet. "you can but good luck winning with her as your partner." alessia smirked as you scoffed, playfully shoving her head to the side and bending down to kiss her goodbye, tugged away by your best friend.

you'd meet her eye every now and then, watching you protectively as her gaze flickered between you and her friends, making sure you were still within her sight at all times as you finally started to relax and let your hair down a little more.

unfortunately given alex was practically blind drunk and you had horrific aim you'd lost your game, kicked off the table and forced to down a 'punishment shot' of god knows what but it burned as you swallowed it with a grimace.

"the music is calling me babe lets go dance!" alex yelled in your ear as you nodded, telling her you'd go and meet her as you set off back toward alessia who perked up at the sight.

"hi gorgeous." the taller girl smiled happily, quick to tug you back down onto her lap. "alex wants to dance, come with me? please?" you pouted hopefully, cupping her face as you sweetly kissed her, thumb tracing tenderly over her bottom lip.

"mm but i missed you baby girl, just stay here with me." alessias hands gently squeezed your hips and she watched happily as you melted at the term of endearment, ready to give into whatever she wanted as she knew was normally the case if she pushed the right buttons.

but catching your best friend waiting patiently for you across the room, giving you hurry up eyes you snapped out of it.

"baby i'm tired of talking about soccer or whose sneaking around with who, just come dance with me pretty please." you whispered, kissing beneath her ear a few times as her grip tightened, you also knowing exactly how to push her buttons to get what you wanted.

"russo! you listening or what?" but she too was snapped out of it as one of the girls smacked her shoulder, jolting her attention back toward them as she nodded, ignoring your request as you rolled your eyes.

"where you off to?" she questioned as you stood, grabbing your wrist with a raised eyebrow. "you don't want to dance? fine. but i'm not sitting here on your lap all night like some sort of trophy." you tugged your hand away, walking off before she could say another word as a few of her teammates whistled and oohed teasingly.

"shut up!" alessia warned them sharply with a glare as she scowled after your retreating figure, ordering one of the girls to swap seats with her, still ensuring you were within her eyesight as you were twirled away by alex.

"this is mia!" you looked up from where you'd been dancing with alex and a few of your friends to the girl who'd joined you. "oh hey you're in my ethics tut?" you recognised, hugging her in hello as she nodded.

"you're russo's girl right? i've seen you at the games, i'm good friends with lois we have a few classes together." she smiled making you roll your eyes.

"i am. but i also go by y/n!" you replied making her laugh, alex squealing happily as one of her favourite songs came on and she pulled you both into a hug, drunkenly belting out the lyrics and swaying side to side making you grin.

alessia felt her jaw clench as she watched on as alex was swooped away by a boy leaving you to dance with a girl she didn't know, seeing the way her arms wrapped around you, pulling your body into hers and making you laugh.

the way alessia should have been holding you, and the way she normally would make you laugh.

"don't pay them enough attention and they'll find it somewhere else hey less!" one of her teammates teased with a wink, lotte shoving her harshly with a glare for the comment.

she turned to try and check in with alessia but she was already gone, marching her way over to you. "lessi baby! lets dance." you cheered happily as she appeared, face lighting up as mia stepped back and alessia fixed her with a hard glare.

a look which didn't go unnoticed by you as alessia took the half full drink out of your hand, placing it on a table and possessively wrapping an arm around your waist, tugging you away as you quickly sent mia an apologetic look.

"babe what are you-" "we're leaving."

unsure what had happened to cause the drop in her mood you allowed her to guide you outside, her hand falling to the small of your back as she pushed her way through the crowded frat house, the two of you finally inhaling fresh air as you made your way outside.

"less what's wrong? what happened?" you stopped to grab her face with a concerned frown, the taller girl only pulling off your hands and shaking her head, storming off as you hurried to keep up.

"hey baby, talk to me." you grabbed her hand stopping her in her tracks, the two of you alone and a fair way away from the party now. "are you trying to disrespect and embarrass me?" she scoffed suddenly causing your frown to deepen.

"what? of course not, why would you even think that?" you asked, hopelessly confused to where this was all coming from.

"first you yell at me in front of my friends and then you get all handsy with some other girl in view of the whole team when you think i'm not paying you enough attention? im the captain, do you know how bad that looks?" she continued, fixing you with an unimpressed glare as your face hardened.

"alessia please tell me you're joking." you laughed, though there wasn't a drop of humour behind your tone. "you're the only one laughing." she'd warned, and that was enough for you.

"for starters i didn't even want to go to that stupid party in the first place, i'd have much rather spent the night just with you like we normally do before your games." you started with a shake of your second.

"second of all once we got there you basically ignored me all night to talk shit with your teammates who you already spent the entire day with training. you barely made an effort to include me in any of the conversation bar wanting me sat on your lap to show off to everyone that mighty captain russo has a girlfriend." you snarled, pushing at her chest angrily as the taller girl barely moved despite the force you'd shoved her with.

"third of all i wanted you to come and dance with me but of course you were too busy being captain alessia russo tar heels superstar striker!" you mocked with a roll of your eyes, your girlfriend grabbing your hands tightly in hers as you tried to shove her again.

"so you don't get your own way and decide to go throw a tantrum and grind on some other girl to disrespect and humiliate me in front of the team and try to what? make me jealous?" alessia chuckled as you yanked your hands away.

"oh fuck you! of course you make yourself the victim." you shook your head in disbelief, hands flying to your neck as you undid the necklace she'd given you, the small silver A silently claiming you as hers.

'don't talk to me until you pull your head out of your ass." you warned tossing the necklace at her as she caught it, storming away and flipping her off as she called after you.

you made a beeline for your dorm building, alessia watching you go with a glare before she scoffed and headed off toward her own room, head swirling with a mess of different emotions.

and that brought you back to right now as your girlfriend knocked impatiently on your door and whined for you to let her in, neither one of you having spoken since your fight last night.

getting up with a huff you pulled the door open, the blonde perking up as you did so, already dressed and ready in her uniform for her game later.

"have you come to apologise then?" you asked sharply, crossing your arms and fixing her with a glare as you blocked her from entering your room with your body. though really you both knew if she wanted to move you it would be a more than easy task for the taller well built soccer star.

"can i come in so we can talk? please." alessia pleaded, eyes flickering around to the nosy gazes from some of your peers who lingered in their doorway watching the couple.

not particularly wanting an audience for if round two of your argument kicked off you rolled your eyes and stepped aside so she could come in, closing the door after her.

"don't sit. unless you're here to say you're sorry for being a self obsessed jealous asshole, you won't be here long." you snipped as she moved toward your bed, jaw clenching and posture stiffening slightly at your words but she stayed standing none the less.

"i hate fighting with you. can we please forget it happened and just move on?" the english girl asked hopefully, rocking back and forth on her heels as you laughed. "was that your idea of an apology then? get out." you pointed back to the door as alessia groaned, throwing her head back.

"i'm sorry! but we've not spoken all day and it's killing me. i miss you baby, miss my pretty girl." the taller girl pouted taking a step closer and playing with the bottom of your hoodie, looking down at you with her alluringly bright blue eyes and your stubborn resolve wavered for just a moment until you snapped out of it.

"don't you have warm ups to get to?" you pushed her hands away with a raised eyebrow, eyes running up and down her navy blue uniform, number 19 splashed proudly across the front of her chest and given it was coming into the cooler season she'd put a matching navy long sleeve on underneath.

"well yeah but..." she trailed off, pursing her lips and looking anywhere but you as you just raised an eyebrow at her behavior. "you know we always...before every game." alessia hinted still refusing to meet your eyes, as you finally caught on to what she wanted.

"alessia. please tell me you didn't only come here to say a half ass sorry because you want me to kiss you good luck?" you scoffed in disbelief, letting out a bark of sarcastic laughter.

"whats wrong with that? i wasn't lying i hate fighting with you babe and it's part of my pre game routine its our little ritual. i'll play terribly if we don't kiss!" alessia whined, the taller girl grabbing for your hands with another pout.

"you are unbelievable!" you pulled them away, turning around and opening the door, gesturing for her to leave. "just a small one? or on the cheek? a peck even? baby please!" alessia tried again with a whine and a pleading look, hovering by the door.

"fine, but just a peck." you agreed bluntly, her entire face lighting up as she pursed her lips, just moments before they tasted wood as you promptly slammed your door in her face.

"hey!" alessia scoffed with a scowl, only met with a firm request from you for her to fuck off as she huffed, kicking your door angrily and storming off.

~

you glanced down by your side as your phone vibrated over and over, but assuming it would just be your friends trying to convince you to come and watch the game you didn't bother to look.

but as the notifications continue to pour in your curiosity got the best of you and you grabbed the device, flipping it over and quickly realising it had been calls not texts that you'd been screening.

another one coming in you clicked accept, holding it up to your ear. "what al? i'm trying to study." you sighed. "you need to get here and fix this mess!" you frowned at her allusive words. "sorry?" you asked in confusion.

"alessia has missed five sitters, two of them the goalie wasn't even there and she still missed! i don't care what you're fighting about, she needs you." the girl remanded making you groan. "less is a big girl alex! so she has an off day, those happen." you rolled your eyes.

"um excuse me where is your school spirit? this is bigger than some stupid argument and i personally have money riding on this game. and they need these three points to be in a good place for if we want to make the championships!" the girl huffed as you again let out a groan, putting her on speaker and hurrying around to get ready.

"and that's my fault? how! she's the one who messed up and got all moody and jealous over nothing." you scoffed, shoving your feet into your shoes.

"i don't understand how her wanting you causes an issue? if anything babe jealousy is hot! honestly i'll never understand you silly little lesbians. just be happy and in love with each other keep it stupid simple. now get your ass here and save this game!" and with those wise words of wisdom imparted on you your best friend promptly ended the call as you stepped out of your room.

~

"finally! god it's almost half time dude." alex groaned, grabbing your hand and yanking you harshly down into the seat beside her, causing you to send an apologetic smile to the boy next to you who you'd almost sat on.

"what happened to her hand?" you questioned, eyebrows knitted together as you spotted your girlfriend with two fingers taped up together, her usual pink med tape headband making her easy to find on the field.

"got stomped on by that huge number four when she slid in for a tackle, also something that never happens to her!" alex shoved you, clearly insinuating it was somehow your fault.

"okay you clearly don't know her well enough off the pitch then because she is a walking hazard. she's like one of those puppies with massive paws who hasn't worked out how to walk!" you huffed as the whistle blew signalling the first half was over.

"go fix it! now." alex ordered as you were once again manhandled by the impatient brunette. "god you're so bossy. why do i keep hanging out with you?" you huffed quietly causing her to smack you with a playful glare.

hurrying down the stairs you waited by the sideline as the team had already entered the change rooms for their half time talk, well most of the team.

"you came! does less know you're here? she's been a mopey miserable mess man." you jumped as lotte appeared, not playing today due to a small strain in her calf.

"no we sort of had it out before when she came by for her good luck kiss and didn't come with an apology for last night." you rolled your eyes as lotte winced. "look mate we both know she's far from perfect but some of the girls took it too far with the teasing comments. i'm not saying whatever happened was justified but they did push her." lotte squeezed your shoulder with an empathetic smile.

"yeah well until she apologises and speaks to me herself about it i'm still pissed off with her. but i heard she's having a stinker and i think if i don't try to fix it i'm gonna be public enemy number one." you sighed, nodding to where alex was watching on with narrowed eyes.

though before lotte could say another word the team began to file out, lead out by their captain who spotted you almost right away, lotte excusing herself as your girlfriend replaced her.

before she could speak you grabbed her hand, pulling the two of you a little more out of sight in the tunnel. "i'm still angry with you but you have to get out of your own head less. you're better than this!" you reminded firmly but not unkindly as the blonde only nodded.

you cut off her attempt to speak as you balled her jersey in your fists and pulled her into a kiss, pushing her away as her eyes widened in shock. "now go score a goal, captain." you ordered, pointing back to the pitch as alessia could only nod again.

she turned to leave as you did too but before you could take a step your body was pressed against the wall of the tunnel, the english girl looming over you.

"i'm really sorry for last night baby, you were right and i was out of line and i'm so sorry for making you feel ignored. i'm gonna say it all properly after the game but i want you to know that i love you, so much." and with that her hands flew to your cheeks and her lips were back on yours.

angry with her or not there was no denying the erruption of butterflies in your stomach as she kissed you, running her tongue along your bottom lip before it evaded your mouth, the blonde stealing the air from your lungs before the whistle blew and she pushed herself away.

"gonna go score for you now pretty girl." the striker smiled, pecking your lips a few more times with a soft smile before sprinting off as her coach screamed out her name, 19 on her back disappearing onto the pitch as you blinked a few times in shock.

pulling yourself together you hurried back to your seat beside alex who smirked seeing your flushed cheeks as you ignored her teasings, focusing on the game.

and score for you she did, with two cracking the back of the net within ten minutes as alex almost pulled you onto her shoulders with glee. the final score winding up 4-0 you joined in with the rest of the spectators and students, whistling and cheering loudly, not missing how alessia's eyes found yours with a big dopey grin.

leaving her to shower and change you hung back with alex who eagerly recounted with far too much detail how the rest of her night went, rolling your eyes at her midnight encounters with the same boy she'd been hung up on who never paid her any mind unless he was drunk.

a gentle hand on your waist pulled you back from her story telling, alex stopping mid sentence with a knowing smile. "and thats my cue, i'll call you later with the rest. you better look after her russo, i know where you live!" alex warned, jokingly though her words were somewhat serious as alessia nodded feverishly.

"hi." you turned to look at her, the taller girl now changed out of her uniform and into grey sweats and an oversized black and blue tar heels hoodie, one you frequently stole from her. "can i walk you back to your dorm?" alessia asked hopefully causing a small smile to curl onto your lips as you nodded.

"i'm so sorry for my behaviour last night. i shouldn't have let the girls wind me up or have taken it out on you, i know you'd never cheat or do anything like that. i just don't like seeing someone touch whats mine." the possessive words sent your stomach into a flip despite the soft and caring tone they were said with.

"i'm sorry if i embarassed you in front of the team i promise i didn't mean to. i just wanted to spend time with you, even at a stupid frat party. but i shouldn't have just snapped." you apologised, slipping your hand into hers causing a surprised smile to appear on her features as the two of you made your way across campus.

"no you were right babe i was being a dickhead, but i won't lie i do like showing you off." alessia smiled charmingly, bringing your intertwined hands to her mouth and placing a gentle kiss to your knuckles.

"why you laughing? that was a nice comment!" alessia frowned as you laughed. "it sounds funny when you say dickhead in your cute little accent." you grinned as the two of you reached your dorm, you letting the pair of you in.

"come here." you squealed as the blonde dropped her kit bag to the floor and wasted no time grabbing your thighs, hauling you up into her arms as your legs wrapped around her waist and she flopped down onto your bed.

"there's much more graceful ways to get me into bed russo." you teased, kissing her nose and beaming as she scrunched it up adorably. "thats baby to you thanks." the girl pouted as you wasted no time kissing it away, alessia flipping the two of you over so she was hovering over you.

"think you forgot something though." she sat up, hips hovering over yours as she reached into the pocket, pulling out the necklace you'd tossed at her last night and shuffling back so you could sit up.

you sat up and held your hair back as you felt her settle behind you, moving to clasp it back around your neck, her lips peppering gentle kisses across the skin before you turned to face her.

you let out a laugh as she playfully tackled you back down to the bed, holding herself up above you with one arm her thumb pawed at the silver A now hanging rightfully back around your neck before they moved to gently traced the curve of your jaw.

bright blue eyes staring adoringly down into yours as you reached up to pull her hair out as it fell around the two of you like a curtain and she leaned down closer, her lips ghosting yours.

"my girl."

[kykyonthemoon]

7 Days the mini-series

About this series: ✈️

Day 05: Sunshower

I was used to just him and me, always together. However, as we grew older, our own worlds expanded, and more people came.

I didn't think about it until one day.

That day, I headed to Caleb's school after class. We went to school and returned home together day by day. There was going to be a volleyball tournament between high schools in the district, so he often had to stay after class to practice. I chose a good spot in the grandstand, and finding him among the players on the field was not a problem to me at all.

Whether it was studying or playing sports, I loved seeing him putting all his mind into it. Occasionally, he would glance towards the stands, then smile when he saw me there. When he scored, I wouldn’t hesitate to stand up and scream: “YAYYY!!! CALEB YOU'RE SO COOL!!!” And every time, his teammates would constantly make fun of him till his ears turned crimson.  While in the stands, the girls in the upper grades would glance and me and whispered:

“Who is that girl?”

“I don’t know. She must be crazy about Caleb…”

“Who wouldn’t like him? Caleb is so handsome, and kind!”

“OMG!!! He’s staring at us!!!”

A few seats ahead of me, the females began to conceal their faces and laugh among themselves. I had no idea why my stomach felt uneasy. I sat down and remained silent throughout the practice that day.

Of course, Caleb didn't understand what upset me so much. Even I could not know what it was. I was too young to start dating, yet old enough to acknowledge the most beautiful emotions of my youth were blossoming. Every afternoon, I waited for Caleb at the sports court before we came home together. And every afternoon, I caught him surrounded by so many other girls.

There was no doubt how popular he was at school. I should be happy for him, since he was everyone's favorite. Yet why could I not get rid of this uncomfortable feeling in my heart? Was it because I was used to being the only one by his side? Was it because I disliked the idea of sharing him with anyone else?

That day, after his practice, I saw Caleb talking to a classmate. She was proposing that they take a stroll home together, it seemed. My fists clenched, head bowed, I walked away. There was a tint of soreness on my nose.

After a while, I heard Caleb calling my name. My feet didn't stop, they wanted to go even faster. He caught up with me and took hold of my wrist.

"Pip-squeak? You didn't wait for me today?"

His naïve expression infuriated me even more. I pulled my hand away from him and replied:

"Go home with her."

Every step I made now vented the path that had done nothing wrong. Caleb casually strolled beside me and said:

"Who? Is there anyone else other than the two of us?"

He took notice of my silence, then pulled my hand to stop me. “Come on. Tell me, what have I done wrong?”

The radiant smile on his lips forced me into the situation where I failed to keep my poker face. I pouted and gave him an unkind cheek squeeze, saying:

“Stop smiling.”

“On't ou ike it en I ile?" (Don't you like it when I smile?)

Caleb said as I rubbed his cheeks to let out my sulking though he did not do anything wrong. That very moment, it began to rain, even though the golden sun was still shining brightly.

“Oh, a sunshower?…”

“This is also known as fox rain. Legend has it that when it’s both sunny and raining, it’s the time for the fox to welcome his bride. But our Gran said that this type of weather indicates a quarrel between the Sun God and the Rain God.” Caleb explained and turned to face me. “It seems that you are mad at me too, pip-squeak. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but... could you kindly forgive me??”

I didn’t answer right away, yet the smile on my lips gave him the answer. I held his hand in mine and we continued walking on the long path.

“Caleb… Will you… date someone else in the future?”

“Huh? Dating? Why are you curious about it?”

“Well… I was just thinking… When I grow up a little more and you’re not with anyone, I… I will be your date... Is that alright?”

Our hand squeezed, he grinned, as bright as the sun and the rainbow in the rain in front of our path home.

[sainzzsturns]

Injured

j. bellingham x fem!volleyplayer!reader

warnings: injury

category: angst w comforting fluff

summary: reader gets hurt during one of her volley games

You played one of the most difficult positions ever, the libero.

That meant you had to give your absolute best 100% of the time, if you did anything wrong your team would immediately lose a possible point.

So obviously in game days you would be shaking with anxiety constantly, although your boyfriend, Jude, would be there to confort you.

“I get you completely, but don’t worry, you always do well, I’m sure this time won’t be any different.”

You walked in the stadium through the back to get in the locker room, you put on your uniform and knee pads and sleeves.

You hit the tip of your shoes getting comfortable in them as you stepped out onto the court starting to warm up with your teammates.

You locked eyes with Jude for a second, him giving you a reassuring smile with a thumbs up. Your two mutual friends, Vini Jr and Eduardo Camavinga there to support you as well.

The ref blew the whistle and your team started serving.

The game was going well till now, your team being ahead by 14x10 for the first set.

Suddenly a strong attack ball game from the opposite team, your teammate received it, but the impact made the ball go far from the court.

Instantly you ran after it tripping over some tables and chair which were laying in the corner of the court.

You managed to hit the ball sending it back to your team, although, when you got back up again, you closed your eyes and screamed in pain as you sat back down.

You looked at your ankle as it instantly started become red and eventually purple, it was also already a bit bigger than your other ankle.

Even though you had protection on, both your knees had also become colored and you noticed some scratches on your arm.

The referee blew her whistle when she noticed your position.

The medical team was called over and picked you up, setting you down on your team’s bench.

Three attentive boys came down from their seats to reach you.

Jude immediately grabbed your hand and rubbed your shoulders, watching closely as the medic examined your ankle.

“I’m so sorry baby, it’s going to be alright, I’m right here, just hold my hand.” He said, giving you support.

Vini combed some of your hair out of your face, wiping fallen tears every now and then.

Eventually the medic had concluded you had a dislocated ankle and a couple scratches, nothing serious, both injuries would heal soon with the correct care. He wrapped a boot around your foot as well.

Obviously you had to be benched, but even so your team managed to win.

Throughout the rest of the game you sat with your boyfriend, hugged on his side, sniffling from time to time from your past tears.

When it was time to leave your were still in a bad mood, of course you were happy with your team’s win but it still hurt not being able to play for a while, and need others’s support.

Jude handed you your crutches as you all made your way towards the exit.

Arriving home, Jude gave you a nice relaxing shower, after that, laying you down on your bed as he hugged you close, wanting to protect you from all harm.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart, if I could take all your pain away I would in a heartbeat. Well, actually, maybe not this weekend because I have a game!” He said, earning a couple giggles from you.

“That’s alright, thanks for taking care of me.” You answered.

“It’s my job! And I’ll be your care taker for a long while, so get used to it.” He added.

Tiredness took over your body as your eyelids grew heavier.

“Good night, Judey” You murmured.

“Good night, love” He answered.

[hufflepuffwritingstuff2]

Whumptober 2024 No. 6- Not Realizing They're Injured/ "It's Not My Blood"

This one is a bit long, so I've put it under the cut!

Whumpee stumbled back into the base. They intended to pass everyone by and go straight to their room; they felt tired after that scuffle with Whumper's team.

“Hey, you're finally home,” Teammate said, “you could've said something.”

“Sorry,” Whumpee said, “I'm just really really tired.”

Teammate gave them a strange look. Whumpee shrugged it off and meant to move past them, but Teammate stopped them.

“Hang on,” they said, “Medic, can you come here for a sec?”

Medic closed their book and approached the pair. They looked Whumpee up and down.

“What are you hiding?” Medic asked sternly.

“Hiding?” Whumpee asked, “I’m not hiding anything…”

Teammate went to argue, but then their eyes landed on Whumpee’s shirt.

“Oh my gosh,” they whispered, “is that blood?”

“Blood?” Whumpee said, suddenly having trouble getting their words out.

They followed Teammate’s gaze and went pale. A deep red stain bloomed on their shirt, getting larger and larger.

“Huh, well, it’s not my blood,” Whumpee slurred.

Without warning they lurched forward. Medic and Teammate barely caught them.

“Help me get them to the med bay, then call Caretaker and Leader,” Medic ordered.

“Wha’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Teammate lied.

Teammate and Medic helped Whumpee onto an operating table.

“On an unrelated note, where were you this evening?” Teammate asked.

Whumpee’s head lolled to the side, their breathing becoming labored.

“I… I was…”

Caretaker and Leader came bursting in.

“Whumpee what the heck!?” Caretaker exclaimed.

They rushed to Whumpee’s side, as did Leader. Whumpee winced as Medic peeled back their shirt. A collective gasp from everyone. A huge stab wound pulsating red. Whumpee looked down at their own body.

“Huh, tha’s not good…”

“Don’t you dare-” Leader warned.

“Sorry…”

Whumpee’s eyes fluttered shut, and any shouts from their team became muffled and distant as they fell into unconsciousness.

…

Whumpee stirred as the harsh fluorescent lights of the med bay beamed through their eyelids. They groaned, eyes fluttering open, and they tried to sit up.

“Hey, hey! Easy, easy…”

A gentle but firm force pushed them back down. Whumpee’s vision cleared and saw Caretaker sitting by their bedside.

“This isn’t my room,” Whumpee croaked.

“Yeah no kidding, Sherlock,” Caretaker huffed, “you’re still in the med bay. You’re hurt, you need to stay down.”

Leader knocked on the door frame.

“Good, they’re awake,” they said, entering the room.

They sat down on Whumpee’s other side.

“What happened, Whumpee?” Leader asked.

“I don’t know!” Whumpee answered, “I was out, and there was a scuffle with Whumper’s group. I thought I managed to get out of there without getting hurt, but…”

Whumpee looked down at their bandaged side.

“Yeah…” they said.

“Where were you when you ran into them?” Leader prodded gently.

“I…uh...” Whumpee looked away sheepishly, “their base?”

Whumpee braced for the scolding they knew would come. And it most certainly did.

“WHUMPEE!” Leader shouted, “are you insane? Are you actually insane? What in blazes were you doing there!? You know not to go to a dangerous place like that alone! That is basic, common knowledge!”

“I know I know I know I’m sorry,” Whumpee said quickly, “I didn’t mean to go there. I just kinda… wound up there? I was following one of them, doing some recon, and we just ended up there.”

Leader didn’t look convinced.

“I’m telling the truth!” Whumpee protested, “and hey, now I can tell you guys where the base is!”

“Oh yeah?” Leader folded their arms across their chest, “where is it?”

“It was…” Whumpee paused, their head starting to swim, “I think it was… hang on it’s kinda fuzzy right now-”

“Leader, can’t you grill them later?” Caretaker asked sharply, “I’m surprised they’ve held a conversation this long. Save the interrogation for someone else.”

Leader huffed, standing.

“Where are you going?” Whumpee asked, eyes drooping.

“For a walk,” Leader snapped, “with the one person I can trust not to be an idiot. Myself!”

Leader stormed out, and Whumpee could hear the front door slam from all the way in the med bay.

“They hate me,” Whumpee sighed.

“Oh yeah, that’s why they’re so mad that you got hurt,” Caretaker deadpanned.

“I didn’t mean to find the base!” Whumpee said, “I thought the goon was heading to commit a crime or something, not go home!”

“What’s all that racket!?”

Whumpee and Caretaker exchanged a frightened look. Medic. If they thought Leader’s anger was bad, it had nothing on Medic’s.

“Whumpee!” Medic glared, entering the med bay, “I leave for five minutes and you’re already exciting yourself, don’t you know what bedrest means!?”

“Sorry,” Whumpee yawned.

“Look at you, you’ve already gotten yourself exhausted! For the love of all things good, settle down and go back to sleep!”

“You don’t gotta tell me twi…”

Whumpee trailed off, falling asleep before they could finish their sentence. Medic rolled their eyes and looked to Caretaker.

“Leader yelled at them, didn’t they?” Medic demanded.

Caretaker nodded silently.

“They’re next.” Medic promised.

Medic turned on their heel, muttering something along the lines of, “how is anyone supposed to get better around here” before heading out of the room.

Caretaker winced as the front door slammed a second time. They turned and took Whumpee’s hand, rubbing circles into it with their thumb. They were safe, that was all that mattered. The others could do to notice that.

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Tags:

@mythixmagic @infinityshadows @fishtale88 @thelazywitchphotographer @the-beasts-have-arrived @princessofonwardsworld @surplus-of-sarcasm @memepsychowhowantsuperpower-blog

@electrons2006

[hearthotchner]

— gif credits to the owner

summary: in which aaron comforts the reader who’s mentally exhausted.

— for @my-mummy-dust (who also helped me write this 🫶)

there was no other way to describe it, other than you were off. over the course of the last few days, you began to feel empty on the inside — like you were the shell of the person you used to be.

there was no explanation for it, nor did you know when it started. although, you were sure if you asked spencer, he’d provide you with a lengthy answer, which on any other day, you’d laugh at his absurdity, but not even his ridiculous facts could fix you.

you knew that your team would catch on quicker than you’d want them to, seeing as they were profilers. you knew they would catch onto how distant you’d become, conversation or team meetings. how you weren’t as aware of your surroundings while on the field. but one of the things that all of them noticed the most was how your personality, so bubbly and cheerful it was contagious, was now gone. leaving nothing but a dull, disconnected person in its wake; who just so happened to be their teammate who they loved so deeply.

when you were alone, you’d think about how something like this would cost you your job — they’d see how you were unfit for the role, and take away the only thing that you could keep ahold of. you seemed to have lost interest in all your hobbies, them seeming more like a chore, rather than something you enjoyed.

you snapped out of your head when you heard your name being called for the third time,

“yeah? sorry derek.” you smiled apologetically.

“don’t worry about it, i was just asking if you got anything for the profile.”

you hummed, pulling a chair out for him to sit with you, as you shared your ideas.

just before he got up to leave he said, “hey, you know you can talk to us, right? if anything’s going on, we’re here for you. all of us.”

you felt so guilty. they probably thought they did something wrong, and you were pulling away from them because of it. you wished you could tell him why you were like this, how you weren’t doing it on purpose, it just happened.

“i know, thank you.”

he gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder, when he left.

hotch had instructed the team to take a break, and clear your heads for a bit, so you could see the case with a fresh set of eyes.

it was him who worried the most, but the worry was always from afar, too afraid to come close, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from pouring his heart out. he didn’t want to put you in a compromised position. what he felt for you, wasn’t right — a boss should never feel like that for his subordinate.

yet, that never stopped him from doing those little things for you: making sure your favourite snacks were stocked in the break room, he always bought the specific brand of pens that you liked, when he went out to buy his own. in the summer months, he’d leave a smoothie and a baked good on your desk, every monday, because he knew you found it hard to sleep with the heat, and were extra grouchy in the morning.

even if you didn’t know who it was, you still left thank you notes for them to find. they warmed aaron’s heart, and never failed to bring a smile to his lips — he kept all of them.

“hey, hotch, could you pass this to (y/n), please?”

he nodded as he took two cups from jj, and made his way over to you.

upon hearing a cup being placed on the table, you looked up at your boss, while muttering a small ‘thanks’ to him. he smiled in return, looking around for others, before taking the seat next to you. “i.. um.. i noticed you’ve been acting a little distant lately.” he started, voice hushed, as he stuttered to find the right words; before he could continue, he was interrupted by you apologising profusely, saying that you didn’t mean for it to affect your work. he quickly reassured you, “no. it’s not about work, your work is fine. i just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

“i’m fine, hotch.”

he raised his eyebrows a little, “okay, i just- if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, my door is always open.”

your touch burned a fire in him, that he had no desire of putting out. “thanks, but i’m fine.”

reluctantly, he moved his arm out of your hand and left the room.

—

later that night, you stared blankly up at the dark ceiling, trying to fall asleep for the past hour, but it was like your eyes were glued open — no sign of sleep present.

becoming frustrated with yourself, you sighed. why couldn’t you sleep? you didn’t understand what was wrong, why your body refused to listen.

sitting up, you began to feel the tears brimming in the corners of your eyes — you weren’t upset, so, why were you crying?

—

in his room, aaron was pacing, back and forth. his interaction with you was replaying in the back of his mind, and he cringed at his own words.

my door is always open? he was so out of it.

pinching the bridge of his nose, “what an idiot.” he murmured.

a quick knock on the door, pulled him from his thoughts,

“does the offer still stand?” you asked, the look on your face shifting from a frown to hopeful, when the door was opened.

“yeah, come in,” he moved, “do you need anything? a drink? something to eat? i can order something.”

you shook your head, whilst following him to the couch. “then talk to me,” he spoke, “(y/n). what’s wrong?” he longed to reach over and intertwine your fingers, thinking about how your hands would fit into each other perfectly.

“that’s the thing.. i don’t- i don’t know. i don’t know why i’m like this, aaron.” when your gaze met his, he saw the confusion and the anger that lingered in your eyes. “i’m pulling away, but i don’t mean to. i can’t focus, i can’t do anything, and i don’t know why.” you cried, “there’s something wrong with me.”

somehow, you wound up in his arms, head resting against his chest, as you broke down.

“sometimes, there’s no explanation for the stuff that goes on in your mind. we can’t make sense of why we’re acting the way that we are, and we don’t need to.” he began running his hand up and down your back, “what we need, is to fix it, in whatever way is best for us.”

for a while, you two stayed in the same position, not speaking a word, whilst you settled.

“hotch?” you whispered, eyelids getting heavy.

“hm?”

“where do you get those smoothies from?”

his breathing hitched, and his eyes widened slightly.

“i had a feeling it was you,” he didn’t have to look to know that you were smiling; that thought alone made his cheeks tint a soft pink. “i’m glad it was.” you added on, pulling him down to lay next to you on the couch, your breath tickling his neck.

his back would be killing him the next morning, but he didn’t have it in him to care.

aaron would endure all the pain in the world, if it meant that he had the chance to have you sleep next to him every night.

[yayeetsonny]

One can only take so much… before they break

(Alex Morgan X OC)

Hi, yes i know i’ve been away for a very long time, but I wanted to give this writing thing another shot to see if I still had anything left in the tank. Hopefully this isn’t the most dreadful thing you’ve ever read. So sorry if it is. Please be advised this one deals with some very strong emotions and topics. Implied mental abuse, Suicidal ideation and just overall sadness and anxiety. This will be a multi parter as my fingers got away from me lol.

This one is 99% Alex x OC, although the character’s name is never dropped as I wasn’t sure if I was going to make this an x reader fic or not. If anyone has any name suggestions at the end I’m all ears. And future parts will definitely be more USWNT x OC

3.4k Words

Everything is your fault. It always is. Why can’t you do anything right?! It all fell apart because of you! You know that, and so do they. They hate you for it. Your own mother won’t even talk to you.

“Hey, kid�� Kid?…Dude!” I was so lost in thought I didn’t even hear one of my teammates calling out to me.

“Huh? What?” I looked up to see Alex looking down at me worriedly.

“Are you okay little duck?” She said squatting down so she was eye level with me. She put her hand on my cheek rubbing it softly raising an eyebrow when i didn’t say anything immediately.

“Hmm? Oh yeah, I’m fine.” I said softly, making a poor attempt at a smile but I’m fairly certain it came across as a grimace instead. I looked down and refused to look back up even though I could feel Alex trying to get me to look at her.

“Hey… what is it?” She said moving her head so she could look into my eyes, which at this point were watering and I was doing my very best to force the tears away.

“I-It’s nothing… I-I’m fine.” I said, my voice breaking. I brought my hand up to rub my eyes and I stood up and tried to make a quick get away, but Alex wasn’t having it.

“Stop, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” She put her hands on my shoulders to try and stop me from leaving but I pushed her off and started to walk away.

“I said I’m fine, just drop it Alex. Please.” I gave up trying to stop the tears, they were freely flowing now and i let out a sob as I broke into a full sprint when I heard her starting to follow me, calling out to me. I ran passed several of our fellow national team, teammates who were watching everything unfold.

I beat her to the locker room, grabbed my stuff and made a mad dash to my car, getting in and attempting to regulate my breathing. The tears were still coming in full force, sobs racked my body as I tried and failed to calm myself down. How pathetic is this? Crying like a big baby, because your mommy made you sad? I really am weak aren’t I? No that’s not true. The girls always tell me I’m strong and that I’m their brave big girl. Yeah it’s a bit baby-ish but it gets the point across. I wrestled with my own thoughts and was so engrossed in arguing with myself that i didn’t even realize I made it back to my apartment already. I also didn’t hear my phone ringing incessantly while I drove. I hesitated a bit seeing as it was Alex, probably trying to figure out where i went. It almost went to voicemail before i decided to answer.

“Hello” my voice was raw from all the crying I did, but I sounded more tired than distraught now.

“Baby, where did you go? What happened back there? Why did you run away? Please talk to me. I’m worried about you.” She said all in one breath, I bit my lip contemplating my answer. Then i took a deep breath and decided to just bite the bullet and be at least partially truthful.

“I… um, I was going thru a-a lot during the break between camps, I mean I guess I still am going thru a lot right now, given my very apparent meltdown earlier. I-I’m sorry Alex, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I won’t do it again, I swear.” My damn voice started breaking again as the tears started back up.

“Hey, hey, hey… little one, please breathe, you’re okay. You have nothing to be sorry for. Take deep, slow breaths, in and out.” she said gently, guiding me thru some breathing exercises until my breathing was less erratic. “Can you tell me where you are please? I’m going to come get you and we’ll talk this through and maybe we can order a pizza and watch movies, what do you say?” She asked, I could tell she was trying to remain calm but I could hear her voice quiver just slightly. She was scared, and rightfully so, this isn’t the first time I’d run off and usually when i did, I became self destructive at worst and let myself rot in bed for a week at best.

“I’m at the apartment.” I said and she let out a sigh of relief on the other end of the line.

“Okay good. I’m on my way, be there in 10. Stay there, please.”

I took one last deep breath before I got out of the car and made my way inside. I intended to sit on the couch and wait for her to get home but then the more i thought about having to talk to Alex about what’s been going on the more anxious i became. I started pacing and started mumbling to myself about what i was going to say and how I was going to say it. I wanted to let Alex in but I knew if I wasn’t careful I would let her in too much and I wasn’t ready for that. Being 17 and all my ability to regulate my emotions and understand them wasn’t the best as I’m sure you’ve already figured out.

10 minutes went by quickly and Alex was there before i knew it. She quickly made her way inside and dropped her bag by the door, coming up to me and taking me by the shoulders again to get me to stop pacing.

“Stop, please. You’re spiraling, what’s going on?”

“I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Like what? Is it your family? Soccer?”

“Family.” I mumbled, attempting to yank myself out of her grasp but she just wrapped her arms around my torso tightly so i couldn’t run away. “Let go Alex I can’t do this. Please let go.” I kept fighting against her hold but she wasn’t relenting, and while i would’ve denied it in the moment, I needed that.

“Shh, shh bub, just relax. I’ve got you. I’m here now it’s all gonna be okay, okay? I promise. Please just let me help you.” She said softly and I finally just allowed her to fully pull me against her chest, she relaxed her grip just slightly moving one of her hands to the back of my head, stroking my hair softly, resting her chin on the top of my head. “You’re okay, you’re safe now.” She whispered, and she continued to mumble reassurances to me as she rocked me in her arms slightly.

“Do we have to talk about this?” I mumbled.

“Yeah kid unfortunately we do. You know the rules when you decide to run away like you did earlier.” She kissed my head before picking me up with ease and moving us to the couch. She kept her hold on me and let me curl up into her lap, I tucked my head in the crook of her neck.

“I don’t want to.” I attempted to say firmly but it came out as a whine.

“Remember what I said? It’ll all be okay. I know this is scary but I’m not going anywhere and anything you tell me isn’t going to scare me away. I promise you. You’re my brave big girl, hmm?”

“I’m 17, you know?” I said in an attempt to seem tough.

“And that’s why i said you’re a big girl. But you’re still the baby on the team and little one to me.” She said chuckling softly. “You can do this.” she said after a moment rubbing my arm gently.

“I can do this.” I repeated to myself. I moved myself out of the safety of Alex’s arms slightly, putting some distance between us and turning to fully face her, steeling myself for the tough conversation ahead. I’m a very sensitive and emotional person so these conversations always make me cry no matter how much I try to stop it.

Do you want me to call the rest of the girls? Is this something they should know about too?”

“Too many people. Not ready, I think it’s better if I tell you everything first and then maybe only tell them the gist of it after.”

“Okay, then that’s what we’ll do. Whenever you’re ready.”

“I guess I’ll start at the beginning. So you know how in between camps and during off season I go home to be with my family? Well I went and everything fell apart, and it’s all my fault. Just like everything always is.”

“Hey, no don’t say that.” She cut me off, she hates when i am self deprecating.

“Its true though. I fucked everything up. You know how my brother and I work at the same place right? Well and you know how my shift is closing? So I work 1-10pm? Which my mom hates.” She nodded her head as I was talking to let me know she was following along. “Well one night it was bad… The weather was horrendous because in my hometown we get a lot of snow. A-and so one of the days I worked I was one of the f-few people to show up and, when everything was all said and done there was a huge mess left behind from the disaster of a day we had….” I was beginning to become emotional just thinking about what had happened that night, and i hated that it still made me feel such strong emotions.

“It’s okay, do you want to keep going?” Alex asked me softly, stroking the back of my head softly. she knew sometimes that talking about things was hard for me and that i needed to take breaks in order to get the whole story out.

“Yes i need to. I can do it.” I said determinedly. Blinking away the tears.

“Anyways, it was a mess and being a “Back up Team lead” sometimes i made a decision to send everyone else home and clean up. And since my brother worked on overnights I called him and asked him to come help me clean up so that i could go home at a semi-reasonable time. He came over to help but when they wanted to send him back to his normal area he refused and he s-started arguing with his boss about how he was going to choose family over his job at the moment and they d-didn’t like that so they sent him home for the night, and he didn’t have a car so he called my mom to pick him up…” I stopped to catch my breath as i realize I hadn’t been breathing

“Shh, easy baby, nice, slow deep breaths, you’re doing so good.” She said. I hadn’t been looking at Alex very much this whole time but when I finally did I could see unshed tears in her eyes. I knew it was hard for her any time i was upset or emotional in a negative way. She gently wiped away the tears that made their way down my cheeks.

“My mom came to get him, and then she called me, and she was angry, she demanded I come home so I did and when I got there she told me she had a lot of opinions about what happened but she was just going to keep her mouth shut. She told me to get out of her sight so I did. She wouldn’t even look at me. Just like that I was transported back to when I was a little kid and she would get angry and she would just tell me she didn’t want to look at me. It felt like a knife to the chest. I didn’t understand what i did to upset her so much and I knew she wouldn’t tell me. All part of her “healing process.” I said bitterly.

“Fast forward to the next morning, I woke up to the news my brother had been fired. I called him to apologize and I asked him what our mom said to him and he said that she blames me for him getting fired. She said I should have known better. I knew how much he needed that job.” My hands were shaking and my breathing was ragged as I played with the strings of my hoodie.

“That wasn’t your fault, you have to know that.”

“Yes it was. It is. He hasn’t found a job since and he-he’s struggling again. You remember what happened last time he was struggling don’t you? I can’t do that again, I can’t! Everything he does, every decision he makes that’s not good is my fault. My mom wants me to be “an example” for him but he’s older! How fucking twisted is that?! Why are things never his fault?!” I yelled standing up suddenly startling Alex.

“Okay, okay let’s take a break hmm?” Alex stood up holding up her hands to show me she meant no harm.

“No! You don’t get it! Everything is my fault! My own mother thinks so! I know he’s struggling but can’t she see I’m struggling too?! ” I threw a plastic cup that was on the table across the room.

“Stop. Now. We don’t throw things when we’re upset, do you understand?” Alex said sternly.

My lip wobbled as I started crying again. “I’ve spent the last 4 years trying my very best to hold my family together through everything we’ve been thru. I got my brother the job working where i do and now I’m the reason he lost it. And now he and his girlfriend risk being homeless because she doesn’t have a job either. And if they lose their apartment they move back home with my mom, which means I’ll probably have to move back to be there with her because I can’t just leave her there by herself with them. It wouldn’t be fair. Which in turn means I’ll have to put my life on hold. The life I finally made for myself.”

I’m so tired of being emotional exhausted. I can’t keep doing this. I don’t even want to be alive anymore.”

“Woah, hold on… what do you mean by that?” Alex’s eyes widened as she processed what i said.

“I mean what I just said I don’t want to be alive anymore okay? I want the pain to stop. I need it to stop.”

The silence that followed was long and tense. I immediately regretted saying what i said. But realized i couldn’t walk it back. Alex finally took a deep breath and began speaking again.

“How long have you been feeling this way? Do you- Do you have a plan?” She asked quietly, her voice breaking as she did.

“No I don’t have a plan, I just sometimes think about how much easier it would be if I wasn’t here anymore. And sometimes I think about hurting myself but i haven’t acted on it. And i’ve been feeling this way since last year, when my mom and i got into that big blowout fight at Thanksgiving. You know she didn’t even want me moving out here? She’s never really let that fight go.” I laughed hollowly.

“Thank you for telling me, and being honest with me. I know that wasn’t easy. Why didn’t your mom want you to move out here?”

“She thinks you and the girls have too much of an influence over me. She thinks you guys are “changing” me. She threatened to force me to quit playing soccer all together.”

“What? Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this?”

“It didn’t seem relevant.”

“Didn’t seem relevant?! How’s that? If i had known that I would’ve just had you move out here permanently!”

“Alex…”

“No I’m serious! I understand you’re still 17 but you’re out of high school and you should be able to decide your own path.

“I’ve been trying, but the situation with my brother gives her more reason to say i should just quit playing.

Alex goes quietly again and I can tell she’s thinking. I can tell she’s angry. She has never really liked my mom and visa versa, their relationship is courteous at best.

“I think sometimes you forget that you’re still a kid. I know that you have had a lot put on your shoulders and that a lot is expected of you, but your brothers choices that night are not your fault and I’m sorry he’s having a hard time and he might have to move back home, which yes will be hard for your mom but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up your life for them. They will be okay. I promise you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes i do, you wanna know how I know?” She said and I nodded meekly.

“I know because your brother is strong, and so is your mom. And while i’ve never met her I’m sure his girlfriend is too. You don’t have to hold anyone else up but yourself. Not anymore. Their emotions and their… predicaments are not yours to try and fix. i don’t want you going home for a while okay? It’s clear that it’s taking a toll on you and to be frank, This is your home. Here with me, With the other girls. We have you okay? And we will never leave you. Ever.”

I turned away from her and tried to calm myself completely. I was so over all the crying and I bet you are too.

“You’re probably so sick of me crying.” I said chuckling quietly. Alex Vehemently shook her head and wrapped her arms around me, kissing my head.

“Not at all, you needed to get it out. it’s never good to hold it all in like you did, you know that.”

“I know, I just…”

“Have a hard time letting yourself be vulnerable. I know love. I know. So here’s what we’re going to do. I think writing your thoughts out might help what do you think?”

“Maybe…” i said hesitantly.

“Don’t worry no one else will read it but you. And the only way anyone will ever know anything you write down is if you tell them. And I know you going home for part of the year is to help you be able to pay your half of the rent but don’t worry about it okay? I will cover any excess we have from the missing income okay? I meant it when I said your home was here with me.”

“Alex you don’t have to-….”

“Yes i do. You’re very important to me, and I care about you and the things you need. And right now you need a bit of a break.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Anything for you kid. Now listen I also want you to really consider talking to a therapist or a mental health professional about how you’ve been feeling okay? I won’t force you but I think you might benefit from it. And please talk to me, or one of the other girls if you feel like hurting yourself. I don’t want you to think you have to go thru that alone okay?”

“Okay i will.” She’s right, it’s probably about time i go to therapy, I’m still hesitant as sharing my feelings and the things i keep inside has never been my strong suit.

“Now, how about you go take a warm shower to calm down a bit more, I’ll order some pizzas and get the girls over here?”

“I’d like that.” I smiled softly and headed upstairs to do as she suggested.

About an hour later I was showered, comfy and sitting on the couch sandwiched between Alex and Christen. A “Chrislex” sandwich if you will. Tobin was on Christen’s left, Mal, Sam, Kristie, Rose and the rest of the team were laying as close to me as they could get and spread out through out the living room. Pizza was also spread out through the room as people shared with one another. We had Moana on as the girls said I could pick and that’s my go to movie. I was so focused on the movie i almost didn’t notice my phone buzzing at my side. I looked at the text that came thru and my heart dropped as I realized who it was from… My mom.

“You need to come home.”

Is all it said. My hands instantly started shaking and I had that panicking feeling rising in my chest again. Alex looked over at me curiously and I forced the fakest smile i could muster onto my face. I’m in deep shit now…

//

To Be Continued…

There will be a part 2 and the rest of the team will be in that one more, promise. Please let me know what you think!

[hockybish]

Hello, was wondering if you could do a story about arber xhekaj you can do whatever you want with it. Thank you

okay friend, this is just a little thing. I hope you're okay that I did an oc, I gave her a Norwegian name (for some reason I picture her as someone who was either born in Norway and then made their way to Canada as a kid so they grew up there or her parents immigrated there) (if not let me know I will fix it!) im sure this idea has been done before, but I hope you enjoy.

also slight warning I know nothing really of hospital policies regarding breaks and people bringing in food for love ones or really the Canadian hospital systems, so this is most likely wildly inaccurate. apologies.

The Fighter

l Arber Xhekaj l arber x nurse l masterlist l

Arber loved visiting his girlfriend at her job after a game. He didn't always do it. But if it seemed like it was a slower night he would go in and bring her food.

Like tonight the Habs won their game and he wanted to celebrate a little with his girl, so he stopped by her favorite place and grabbed them both some take out and snagged a couple of boxes for her co workers to enjoy.

When he got to the hospital, he was able to head on into their little break area and she was in shortly after.

"You've been fighting again, haven't you?" she pursed her lips, she didn't even have to look at him to know he had black and blue marks surrounding his eye.

She couldn't watch the game, but there was this pep in his step that he only got when he dropped the gloves in a game and she noticed it when he stopped by the hospital after the match up to join her on her break.

"Silly it was nothing. I was just doing my job." He pulled away after giving her a kiss on the cheek, tired of having this argument with his girlfriend.

He knew she didn't like all the hitting and fighting he did during games, but that was his thing. He was the sheriff, someone you didn't want to mess with, a force to be reckoned with. He defended and stood up for his teammates.

"I know but Arber, you don't always have to be the one to do it. There are others." She lectured the hard hitter, her voice grew softer with each passing word. "I just worry about you, okay? There's all this research with concussions and lasting effects and not to mention other the other-"

"Stop. I'm done having this conversation. Can we just enjoy the food I brought before you get called away again, please?" The hockey play pleaded.

"Did you guys win tonight?" Silje changed the tone of the conversation, he was right. It was useless trying to convince someone of something they were never going to change.

"Did you score?" She asked already knowing the answer was going to be no, but she was mildly surprised when he shook his head yes. He's a defenceman, scoring wasn't the biggest part of his job, but when he did it was nice touch.

Getting up she move to sit in his lap, she lifted his chin so she could give him a kiss. She was still so proud of him doing what he loved to and living out his dreams.

Silje immediately threw herself into bed when she got home. She was exhausted from running around all night. And to top it off after he had left there was a big accident in which one of her patients didn't make it.

She was ready for sleep, but Arber was still up and he had something he wanted to say. He had thought about what she said at the hospital.

"I'm sorry babe. I know you don't like the fighting, it's apart of my identity as a player. But I try and do better. I can't promise I'll stop but I'll do better." He made the broken promise.

"That's all I ask." Silly smiled her goofy smile.

Silje had a few minutes left on her break and she was watching what was left of the Habs home game against the Tampa Bay Lighting, Cole just accepted a big hit into side boards and second later she noticed Arber heading toward the offender. She sighed and turned off her phone not really wanting to watch any more. Plus she really needed to go back.

"Silly, it's your turn, there's an ambulance coming in hot with a live one." the desk informed her.

Silje groaned getting up from her spot, following the others out to the main ambulance entrance waiting for the arrival of their next patient.

"Any info?" She got goosebumps while waiting outside, she rubbed her hand over her arms in an attempt to keep warm.

"It's a hockey player coming from the bell centre." She nodded along paying more attention to getting stuff ready for the incoming patient than to what was being said, but she happened to catch the place they were coming from.

"What did you say?" She couldn't breathe. This wasn't happening. Her worst nightmare couldn't be coming true. He promised he would be careful. No.

Silje began to cry when the emergency vehicle arrive and they brought out the injured player. She screamed when she saw his face and dark hair.

Let me know what you think

[blowndrip]

À DEUX PAS

PART V : À UN PAS

part I , part II , part III , part IV

pairing: kylian mbappé x reader

A/N: sorry for the very long wait here is part 5

Y/N POV:

Bondy, Spring 2016

It had been a little over two months since he left. Two months of waking up every day with that hollow feeling in my chest. It was strange, almost absurd. Shouldn’t I be used to it by now? After all, I knew he would leave someday—that he’d leave Bondy to chase his dreams. But knowing something doesn’t make it easier to live with.

I’d stopped counting the days, but I couldn’t forget the absence.

That morning, soft summer light filtered through my curtains. I’d been awake for a while, lying still, staring at the ceiling. Each day felt the same as the last.

Finally, I sat up slowly, my feet touching the cold floor. I could feel the fatigue etched into my face, but I didn’t bother looking in the mirror as I passed the bathroom. What was the point?

Downstairs, the smell of coffee filled the air. My mom was already up, as usual, scrolling through her phone. She barely glanced up when I walked in.

“Sleep well?” she asked distractedly.

“Yeah,” I replied flatly, pouring myself a glass of water.

She didn’t press further. She’d grown used to my short answers lately. I think she could tell something was off, but she didn’t push.

I sat at the table, idly playing with my glass. The house was quiet, save for the sound of her flipping through a magazine.

My phone buzzed on the table. I glanced at it quickly—just an Instagram notification. I sighed. Since he’d left, every buzz made my heart skip, even though I knew better.

I headed upstairs, trying to focus on my homework. Math. Just looking at the equations gave me a headache, but I had to get through it. I picked up my pen, attempting the first problem.

Nothing. My mind wandered again.

I grabbed my phone, just for a break. No new messages, of course, but my fingers instinctively went to his name. I stared at the empty conversation. No new messages in weeks.

My chest tightened. I put the phone face down, determined not to touch it for the rest of the day.

\\

The afternoon came and went without me noticing. The house felt suffocating, so I threw on a light jacket and stepped outside.

The streets of Bondy were alive with their usual rhythm—kids playing, neighbors chatting, and the distant hum of traffic. I walked aimlessly, letting my feet guide me. The sun warmed my skin, and for a moment, I felt a little lighter.

Eventually, I found myself near a small park. I sat on a bench, watching people pass by. A couple walked hand in hand, a group of friends laughed loudly, and a dog chased after a ball. Life went on, as it always did.

\\

A little while later, I decided to grab something to drink. There was a small café just a few blocks from the park, and I figured it would be a good way to clear my head.

Inside, the familiar smell of freshly ground coffee greeted me. The clinking of cups, the hum of conversations, and the hiss of the espresso machine felt comforting. Here, at least, I could escape for a while.

I ordered an iced tea and sat by the window. The sunlight cast a warm glow over the tables, and I tried to focus on the present.

But even here, my mind wandered. I pulled out my phone, hesitating for a second before opening Instagram. As always, his profile was the first thing I searched for.

He’d posted something the day before—a photo of him on the pitch in Monaco, smiling, surrounded by his teammates. I scrolled through the comments, most from fans praising his talent and predicting a bright future.

I should be proud of him, right? After all, this was what he’d always wanted.

Before I could overthink it, my fingers typed out a message.

Me: Hey, congrats on the goal. It was impressive.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself, then immediately put my phone down, resting my head in my hands.

I’d barely finished my tea when my phone buzzed on the table. My heart leapt.

It was him.

Kylian: Thanks, Y/N. It means a lot that you watched.

I read and reread his message, searching for something between the lines. Was it just a polite thank-you, or did it mean more?

I took a deep breath before replying.

Me: I couldn’t not watch. It was… impressive.

Another message came almost immediately.

Kylian: I miss seeing you, talking to you. I hope you’re doing okay.

My chest tightened. His words were simple, but they carried so much weight. I didn’t know how to respond. Part of me wanted to tell him everything—how his absence had left a void in me. But another part was scared.

Finally, I typed:

Me: I miss you too, Kylian.

It was honest, maybe too direct. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The silence from my phone felt unbearable. Maybe I should’ve stayed quiet…

Then, it buzzed again. My heart raced.

Kylian: You have no idea how happy it makes me to read that.

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. A familiar warmth spread through me.

Me: Why did you wait so long to text me?

A few seconds passed, and I saw the “seen” notification appear. The typing bubbles popped up, then disappeared.

I frowned. He was typing… then nothing.

A minute passed, then two. Just as I started to think he wouldn’t reply, my phone buzzed again.

Kylian: I was scared you were still mad.

Me: And you thought silence would fix that?

Kylian: No. I messed up, I know. But I didn’t know how to come back to you after everything.

I looked down, the words sticking in my throat.

Me: You should’ve tried.

A moment of silence, then he replied:

Kylian: Yeah, but sometimes it’s hard. I have everything I’ve ever wanted, but I realize some things are really missing.

I furrowed my brow slightly as I read his message. My heart beat a little faster. But before I could reply, another message came through:

Kylian: You.

I froze, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. No matter how many times I reread those three words, I couldn’t quite believe them.

Me: Me?

Kylian: Yeah. Since I left, everything’s different. It’s like… sometimes, what really matters stayed in Bondy.

A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. His sincerity always disarmed me, even through a screen.

Me: Then why are you telling me this now?

Kylian: Because I want to see you again. I wanted to ask… your birthday’s coming up, right?

He caught me off guard again.

Me: And?

Kylian: I’d like to be there. To see you. To say everything I should’ve said before.

I pressed my hand to my cheek, trying to calm the warmth rising there.

Me: It depends. What are you planning if we see each other?

A moment of silence, then:

Kylian: Just to talk. And to see you smile. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that.

I held my breath.

Me: We’ll see. If you can make it, then… maybe.

His reply came instantly:

Kylian: I’ll do whatever it takes to be there. Promise.

I sighed softly, an invisible weight lifting from my chest. But before I put my phone away, another message appeared:

Kylian: By the way… I know Inès annoys you. But it’s nothing. I didn’t want you to think otherwise.

My fingers stilled. I thought for a moment before replying:

Me: Why are you telling me this?

A long moment passed, and finally, he wrote:

Kylian: Because it’s you. You’re the one who matters, not her.

I froze, my eyes glued to the screen. He didn’t add anything, and neither did I.

I simply liked his message before locking my phone and setting it on the table.

I finished my iced tea in one go, then stood up and left the café. The cool evening air felt refreshing after being inside for a while. I still had some time before heading home, so I decided to make the most of it.

Without thinking too much, I headed downtown.I needed a distraction, and a little shopping seemed like a good idea. Maybe I’d find something interesting, or at least something to take my mind off things.

The streets downtown were bustling, as usual at this time of day. People hurried past, some rushing, others lingering in front of store windows. The lively atmosphere lifted my spirits a little, pulling me out of the strange melancholy that had settled over me earlier.

I stopped in front of a clothing store. Through the window, a dress caught my eye. Simple but elegant, in a soft shade I liked. I hadn’t planned on buying anything, but… why not?

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately appreciating the cool air conditioning. The smell of new fabrics soothed me as I ran my fingers over a few items while browsing the racks.

Then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. My heart skipped a beat.

I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

Kylian: Do you already know what you want for your birthday?

I bit my lip, hesitating. He’d never forgotten my birthday, and knowing he still remembered made me feel something.

Me: Hm… Not really. Why?

I put my phone down and continued browsing, stopping again in front of the dress that had caught my eye earlier. I grabbed it and headed to the fitting room.

As I passed a mirror, my phone buzzed again.

Kylian: Because I want to make sure I get you something you’ll like.

I looked up at my reflection, unable to suppress a small smile. He’d always been like this—sincere, even in the simplest things.

Me: I’m sure whatever you choose, I’ll like it.

I set my phone aside and stepped into the fitting room, carefully unfolding the dress before slipping it on. It fit well—light, comfortable… Maybe I could wear it on my birthday.

My phone buzzed again, and this time, I took a moment to breathe before checking the screen.

Kylian: Then I really hope I’ll be there to see it.

My gaze lingered on the message for a few seconds.

Me: Yes 🙂

The message was sent before I could overthink it. Just one word, simple and unambiguous.

Maybe, deep down, I didn’t want to say more.

A few seconds later, I saw the notification under my message: *Kylian liked your message.*

I sighed, turned off my phone, and slipped it into my pocket.

I paid for the dress at the counter and left the store, the bag swinging lightly in my hand. The air outside was cooler now as the sun began to set.

I walked home slowly, the bag with my new dress brushing against my leg. The evening air was pleasant, a refreshing change after the strange day I’d had.

— Y/N?

I turned, slightly surprised to hear my name. Inès was walking toward me, a small smile on her lips.

— Oh, hi, I said, slowing down.

— How are you?

I nodded, unsure where she was going with this.

— Listen, I just wanted to say… I’m sorry, really. For before.

Her tone was simple, sincere. No awkwardness, no exaggeration. Just her, looking at me with a hint of regret.

I stayed silent for a moment, caught off guard by her sudden apology.

— It’s fine, I finally replied.

She smiled slightly, relieved.

— I got carried away sometimes… but, you know, we were kids. Well, we still are, but you know what I mean.

I couldn’t help but smile a little.

— Yeah, I get it.

A brief silence followed, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just… normal.

— Anyway, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I just wanted you to know, she added, shrugging slightly.

— Thanks, that’s nice of you, I replied simply.

She nodded, then her phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at it before looking back at me.

— Well, I’ll let you go. See you around,Y/N.

— See you, Inès.

She walked off, and I continued on my way.

It was strange… but not unpleasant. Like a page turning without drama, without shouting. Just an apology, and maybe a new dynamic between us.

At least, that’s what I thought.

///////////

The days passed, and the excitement around my birthday started to grow—at least for everyone else. Sarah and my friends were already talking about what they’d wear, the music we’d play, and even the photos we’d take. I, on the other hand, tried not to think about it too much.

Until today.

I was leaving school with Sarah when she asked:

— Did you book an appointment for your braids yet?

I raised my eyebrows, caught off guard.

— Uh… not yet.

— Y/N! Your birthday’s in two days, she scolded. What are you planning to do, wait until the last minute to find someone available?

I sighed, shaking my head.

— I thought about it, but I was too lazy.

— You’re impossible. Come on, let’s see if Malya has any openings.

Malya was *the* hairstylist in the neighborhood. Everyone went to her for braids, stylish updos, and even hair treatments. If she didn’t have any spots left, I’d be scrambling to find someone else at the last minute.

— Alright, let’s go, I finally said.

We took the bus to her salon, which was a few stops from the school. When we arrived, the place was as lively as ever. Three girls were already getting their hair done, while Malya moved between them, giving instructions to her assistant.

As soon as she saw us, she flashed a big smile.

— Y/N! Long time no see, girl. What are you here for?

— Braids for my birthday, I replied, sitting down on a chair to wait my turn.

— Oh, is it soon? she asked, still working on another client.

— In two days.

— And you waited until now to book an appointment? she said, rolling her eyes. You’re lucky—I have a spot tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise, you’d be out of luck.

I exhaled, relieved.

— I’ll take it.

— Any idea what style you want?

— Long, neat braids. Simple but clean.

She nodded.

— That’ll look great on you. Come by tomorrow at 2 PM, and we’ll get you sorted.

After chatting a bit with Sarah and Malya, we left the salon. I felt a little more excited now. My birthday was really coming up.

On my way home, I got a text from my mom asking me to pick up a few groceries. I stopped by a grocery shop, while browsing the aisles, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Kylian.

Kylian: How are you?

I blinked. It was the first time he’d messaged me since our last conversation.

Me: I’m good. You?

He didn’t reply right away, so I grabbed what I needed and headed to the checkout. Just before leaving the store, my phone buzzed again.

Kylian: Tired, but I’m okay. Can’t wait for Saturday.

I stared at the screen for a moment. He’d just confirmed he was coming.

Me: You’re really coming?

This time, he replied faster.

Kylian: You think I’d say that just to talk?

Me: I don’t know. It’s been months since we really talked, so…

He took a little longer to respond this time. I saw the typing bubbles appear, disappear, then reappear.

Kylian: I shouldn’t have let so much distance grow between us. But yeah, I’m coming. Promise.

I looked down at my screen, gripping my phone a little tighter.

Me: Alright. We’ll see then.

Kylian: Want me to bring something?

I rolled my eyes with a small smile.

Me: Like what?

Kylian: I don’t know, maybe a gift?

Me: Oh, so you were planning to come empty-handed?

Kylian: I’m just asking to make sure you’re expecting one.

Me: Do whatever you want.

He liked my message.

I sighed softly, slipped my phone into my pocket, and continued on my way home.

//

The days that followed passed without much happening. Between school and my responsibilities at home, I didn’t have much time to think about anything else. Still, every time my phone buzzed, a tiny part of me hoped it was him.

But Kylian didn’t send any more messages.

I didn’t know if it was because he was busy or if he felt everything had already been said, but I decided not to dwell on it. After all, I had other things to focus on… like preparing for my birthday.

Today, I had an appointment with my hairstylist to get my braids done. I loved the feeling of renewal after spending hours getting my hair styled, as if the braids marked the start of a new chapter.

I walked into the salon, greeting the few clients already there. The smell of hair products and the sound of lively chatter immediately put me at ease.

— Y/N! Come on, I’ll take you right away, called Cindy, my hairstylist.

I sat down in the chair as she prepared the braiding hair.

— So, what are we doing today? she asked, gently running her fingers through my hair to detangle it.

— Long, simple braids. My birthday’s coming up, so I want to look good.

— Oh, really? When is it?

— Saturday.

She smiled as she started sectioning my hair.

— That’s tomorrow. Got any plans?

— Just a small thing with friends and family.

— A “small thing”? You know birthdays always turn into big parties, even when you say they’ll be simple, she joked.

I laughed softly.

//

The hours passed, and the salon remained filled with chatter, laughter, and the sound of combs gliding through hair. I talked with Cindy about everything and nothing, and for a while, I completely forgot about my worries.

It wasn’t until my phone buzzed on my lap that I was brought back to reality.

A message from Kylian.

Kylian: Can’t wait to see you Saturday.

I smiled slightly but didn’t reply right away.

— Is that your boyfriend? Cindy asked, noticing me glance at my screen.

— What? No, no, just a friend.

— A friend who makes you smile like that?

I sighed, rolling my eyes.

— It’s not what you think.

She raised an eyebrow, amused, but didn’t say anything else.

I set my phone back on my lap and left it at that.

//////////////////

Saturday arrived faster than I’d expected.

I woke up that morning with a slight sense of excitement. It wasn’t a big party, just a small gathering with my closest people, but I wanted everything to be perfect. After breakfast, I helped my mom with the final preparations, adjusting decorations and making sure everything was in place.

In the early afternoon, I went upstairs to get ready. My new braids fell neatly over my shoulders as I looked at myself in the mirror. I’d chosen a simple but elegant outfit, something that made me feel confident without being over the top.

As I applied a touch of gloss to my lips, my phone buzzed on the dresser.

A message.

Kylian: On my way. Be there soon.

My heart skipped a beat.

He was really coming.

I stared at the screen for a moment, unsure how to respond. Finally, I typed:

Me: Ok, see you soon

I hesitated for a second before adding a smiley face. Nothing more.

Taking a deep breath, I set my phone down and gave myself one last look in the mirror.

Downstairs, a few guests had already arrived. My family, my closest friends—they were all laughing and chatting around the buffet my mom had prepared. The atmosphere was light and warm.

But my eyes kept drifting toward the front door.

I tried not to look too eager, but every sound of a car outside made me perk up.

Then, finally, the doorbell rang.

My heart raced as I walked to the door.

I opened it… and there he was.

Kylian stood on the doorstep, a small smile on his lips. He looked taller—not by much, but enough for me to notice. His expression was soft, almost hesitant, as if he were trying to gauge whether he was truly welcome.

He held a small gift bag in one hand.

— Happy birthday, Y/N.

I smiled.

— Thanks, Kylian. Come in.

Kylian stepped inside, glancing around the room at the familiar faces. My friends, my family, a few acquaintances—they were all there, chatting and laughing.

I closed the door behind him, and the sound of conversations filled the space again.

I took a deep breath before breaking the silence between us.

— You can hang your coat over there, I said, pointing to the coat rack near the entrance.

He nodded and did as I said before turning back to me, the gift still in his hand.

I shrugged with a small smile.

— Now’s fine.

He handed me the small bag, and I opened it with curiosity. Inside was a neatly wrapped box. I carefully tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a delicate silver bracelet.

I held it up to the light, noticing a small inscription engraved on the inside.

“Always with you.”

My chest tightened slightly. I looked up at him, searching for an explanation.

— Do you like it?

I swallowed before answering:

— Of course I do.

He smiled slightly, looking relieved.

— I wanted you to have it. Just… so you know I’m still here.

I looked down at the bracelet, running my fingers over the engraving. A warm feeling spread through me.

— Thank you, Kylian. It’s beautiful.

I didn’t know what else to say, so I did what felt most natural: I put it on right away.

— It looks good on you, he said.

I met his gaze, and there was something in his eyes—something soft, almost regretful.

Before either of us could say anything else, a voice interrupted us.

— Y/N, you there?

I turned to see Inès approaching, a smile on her lips.

My stomach tightened slightly.

She glanced at Kylian before focusing on me.

— Can I talk to you for a second?

I felt Kylian’s eyes on me, but I nodded.

— Sure.

I gave Kylian one last look before following Inès to a quieter corner of the room, away from the noise of the party.

Inès seemed a little nervous, fidgeting with the small gift bag she held in her hands.

— Here, this is for you, she said, handing me the bag with a timid smile.

I took the gift, hesitating for a moment before carefully unwrapping it. Inside was a pair of delicate star-shaped earrings. Simple but elegant, exactly my style.

— They’re beautiful, I said, genuinely touched.

— I saw them in a store and immediately thought of you, she replied, shrugging slightly. I thought they’d suit you.

A smile spread across my face as I closed the box gently.

— Thank you, Inès.

She hesitated for a moment before opening her arms.

— Happy birthday, Y/N.

Without overthinking it, I hugged her back. It felt strange after everything that had happened between us, but in that moment, it felt right.

When we pulled away, she seemed to search for the right words before adding:

— I hope you’re happy today.

I looked down for a moment before nodding.

— I am.

She smiled one last time before glancing behind me.

— Well, I’ll let you enjoy your party. We’ll catch up later, okay?

— Okay.

She walked away, and I watched her go, a strange feeling settling in my chest.

It was odd… but not unpleasant. Like a page turning without drama, without shouting. Just an apology, and maybe a new beginning.

At least, that’s what I thought.

The evening continued, the atmosphere light and cheerful. My friends and family laughed, danced, and enjoyed the food my mom had prepared. I tried to soak it all in, to be present in the moment, but my eyes kept drifting toward Kylian.

///

A little while later, I felt a light touch on my arm.

— Come with me, Kylian murmured.

Curious, I followed him to a quieter corner of the room, away from the noise.

— I just wanted to tell you something ,he continued.

His tone was more serious now. My heart started to beat a little faster.

— What? I asked softly.

He hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. Then, he looked at me.

— You’re important to me, Y/N. I don’t want you to ever doubt that.

I stayed silent, letting his words sink in.

— Even with the distance, even with everything that’s changed… you’ve always mattered.

A shiver ran through me.

Our eyes met one last time, and for a moment, the noise of the party faded into the background. It was just him and me, standing there, the air between us charged with something unspoken.

I stepped closer, my heart pounding in my chest. He didn’t pull away. Instead, his gaze softened, and I saw a flicker of something—nervousness, maybe, or hope.

Then, before I could overthink it, I closed the distance between us.

Our lips met in a kiss that was soft and tentative. It wasn’t rushed or dramatic, just a quiet moment that felt like it had been a long time coming. His hand brushed against mine, and I felt a warmth spread through me, steady and comforting.

When we pulled away, his cheeks were slightly flushed, and he gave me a small, shy smile.

— I’ve wanted to do that for a while, he admitted, his voice low.

I smiled back, my own cheeks heating up.

— Me too.

For a moment, we just stood there, the weight of everything we hadn’t said hanging between us. But before either of us could speak, a voice interrupted.

— Y/N! Time to cut the cake!

I turned to see Sarah waving at me from across the room. I glanced back at Kylian.

— Go ahead, he said.

I hesitated, not wanting the moment to end, but he gave me a reassuring smile.

— I’m not going anywhere yet.

I nodded, feeling a little lighter as I walked back to the party.

I turned to see her waving me over to the table where my birthday cake stood, decorated with candles. I walked over, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as everyone gathered around.

— Make a wish! someone called out.

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the moment sink in. When I opened them, Kylian was standing nearby, watching me with a small smile.

— Make it a good one, he said softly.

I smiled back, then leaned in and blew out the candles. The room erupted in cheers and applause, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

— Happy birthday! everyone shouted.

As the cake was cut and passed around, I felt a sense of contentment wash over me. This was exactly what I loved—a night surrounded by the people I cared about.

///

As the evening went on, I found myself stealing glances at Kylian. He was talking to my mom now, laughing at something she said. It was strange, seeing him here, in my world, after so much time apart. But it felt right, like a piece of the puzzle clicking into place.

Later, as the party started to wind down, he found me again.

— I should probably head out, he said, his tone apologetic. My dad’s here. He came to pick me up a few minutes ago.

I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment.

— Thanks for coming, I said softly.

— I wouldn’t have missed it, he replied.

He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and squeezed my hand.

— I’ll text you, okay?

— Okay.

One last smile, and then he was gone, disappearing into the night.

I stood there for a moment, the warmth of his hand still lingering in mine. The party continued around me, but my mind was elsewhere, replaying the moments we’d shared.

As I turned back to my friends, I couldn’t help but smile. The night hadn’t gone exactly as I’d expected, but it had been perfect in its own way.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was going to be okay.

/\/\/\/\/\

[n3xxs]

✿𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅✿

Alexis Ness x gender neutral! Reader. Fluff

So taking a small break from the whole Sae x reader (not really). I'm gonna write some Ness x reader cus why not? I feel so bad for him man. Poor baby 😭. He needs to be treated better tbh.

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𝑩𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒅. That's what Ness was towards Kaiser. He was blind and wasn't able to see just how badly he was treated by Kaiser. No one told him so how could he know? But that obsession over Kaiser wouldn't let him leave the soccer player even if he knew how badly he was treated. He just learned to ignore it.

That was until he met 𝒚𝒐𝒖. A person that genuinely tried to tell him how bad Kaiser was to him. A person that treated him right. He felt as if you were 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆. The only one who treated him right. You got him presents. Gave him kisses and reassured him that he didn't do something wrong. Something that Kaiser never did. Normally Kaiser would yell at him or hit him so normally when you were so nice to him he would tear up and sometimes cry and you had to stay by his side for at least an hour to make him feel better.

You were the light in his dark world. Th3 light he learned to ignore before and soon after it vanished but it lit up again and it was 𝒚𝒐𝒖. He was so happy around you. All smiley and cuddly and protective.

Every day after practice he would come to your shared apartment while you are watching something on the TV and slumped on the couch. That brought a smile on his face. You would think a normal person would grow bored of this continuous cycle but no Alexis. For him that was reassurance that you will stay by his side forever and ever. Even without a ring on your finger yet.

Right now you were at one of his games sitting in the front row and smiling widely at the brown haired male whole wearing his number. You were smiling so brightly when he was able to make a good pass and was able to help his teammates score a goal. You were filled with happiness.

One thing you didn't expect was to see one of Kaiser's tantrums towards Ness. When you saw how he held him firmly by the hair you stood there with wide eyes and then you felt something. You felt 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒚. Angry that you couldn't just go out there and slap the taller blonde male across the head and take Ness with you. Angry that you couldn't comfort him on the spot. Angry that you weren't there. When you were 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆.

When the match ended their team won and you quickly made your way to an anxious Ness who was searching for you in the crowd. When his eyes spotted you he smiled and went to hug you tightly. You smiled as well and gave him a quick peck on the lips to which he answered with another more passionate kiss. You loved it when he did that. Suddenly you remembered Kaiser's outburst and went to see if Alexis was ok. He only brushed it off as his mistake and you just glared at him annoyed which made him shut up on the spot. You wanted to hit him. How could he say that it was his fault!? When he didn't do anything wrong on top of that.

"Alexis my love you didn't do anything wrong. How could it have been your mistake?". You took his face in your hands completely forgetting that he was all sweaty and gross to some people. But to you he was the most beautiful thing in the world. As you were his light he was yours.

That's when you saw Michael Kaiser make his way to where you and Ness were being well a couple. He seemed annoyed and you don't really know why. "So not only were your performance trash but now you are lovey dovey with your lover than thinking what you did wrong?". The blind male sat out at him. You didn't know a lot about soccer. Only the basics but you were pretty sure he did nothing wrong. If you could say so yourself he was actually quite cool and handsome on the field but sadly now wasn't the time for that.

"And just because you are the best player on your team doesn't mean you could go around and yell at people" you said without realization. When you did you were met with two glaring blue eyes "Oh? And who may you be? His partner?". You gave him a small nod and he only chuckled " Honestly I can't believe Ness would find someone as good looking as you especially make you go into a relationship with him". You felt as if your blood was boiling. How could he say that to Ness? When you looked at the brown male he only had a sad expression and was looking down.

You signed and took his hand leading him to the exit of the stadium. When you arrived home and he took a quick shower you made his favourite food and sat him down on the couch. "You should stop letting him walk over you like that". You brushed his bangs away from his head and he just looked at you " But I have to be loyal to Kaiser. You know that" you let out another long sigh "But you still shouldn't let him say all these stuff to you". Alexis gave you a nod and you kissed him softly smiling "I love you my love" you said with a big smile and fed him some of his favorite which he took happily and looked at you. He kissed you softly and whispered against your lips "Me too 𝑴𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒆𝒃𝒆"

_________________________________________

A/N: Honestly I love Ness so much but not as much as Sae. Little obsessive baby needs a hug tbh. Write suggestions for future posts in the comments because rn I have both artblock and writing block. Is this how it's called? Idk. School starts soon and I wanna kms.

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[fallinallincurls]

OT Winners & Baby Kisses

a fic?? from me?? it’s been a little bit but this little blurb finally got finished and i couldn’t wait to share it! the whole idea was inspired by a gif set thanks to @tonyspep​ and it was the cutest thing to write! also yes, beau is an islander here so we’re ignoring the trade lol.

hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx

word count: 1.4k 

~~~~~

It might be the prettiest goal of his career. Not that Anthony cares. All that matters is the Isles won the game against Toronto in overtime thanks to his top shelf beauty that found the back of the net. His teammates surrounded him in one big hug almost instantly and he got endless helmet taps from everyone for what he did. 

But when the celebration is over on the ice and he’s heading back to the locker room for an interview with Shannon, his thoughts are focused on something not even closely related to hockey or the big win. 

The love of his life and his little boy.

“Beau! Thanks so much for taking a couple minutes to chat.” Shannon greets him with that same warm smile she always has whenever she catches the boys for interviews. Anthony says it’s no problem and that he’s happy to do it, especially because the fans love these little videos too. “I won’t keep you long. I know there’s a few others who want to congratulate you on the big win.” She continues and Beau nods in agreement. 

After going over the questions and trying to think of good responses, Anthony puts all his attention on Shannon and the short interview. The faster it gets done, the quicker he gets to see you and his son.

“I’m here with Anthony Beauvillier, who scored the gorgeous OT winner to give the Isles yet another victory. Beau, can you walk us through the play and how the goal came to be?” 

Anthony answers, words leaving his lips in a coherent way and he can’t help but smile thinking back on the goal that doesn’t seem like it just happened. He lucked out in terms of getting great teammates and he loves every second of playing with these guys. 

He’s so zeroed in on the camera and his statements about the game, that he almost completely misses the soft murmuring that distinguishingly belongs to a toddler. But he listens to Shannon and tries to tell himself it’s not who he thinks it is.

“We heard your family was here tonight, and if they were, how did that impact your game?” 

At that very moment, when Anthony’s breath is stolen away just at the mention of the two most important people in my life, he hears an unmistakable “dada!” followed by toddling footsteps that are heading in his direction. When his blue eyes shift, he spots his sweet little boy running towards him with his arms wide open.

“Frankie!” Anthony immediately mirrors the excited tone of his son as he kneels down to scoop him up in his arms. The happiest giggle escapes past Frankie’s lips and it’s a moment Beau wants to remember forever. He knows that you can’t be far behind and sure enough, he spots you in no time.

Just behind the crew and others passing through the hallway, Beau finds you with a look of adoration and panic on your face. When his gaze meets yours, you mouth a simple “sorry!” even if you both know nothing would’ve stopped Frankie from getting to his father the second he recognized him.

“Sorry, Shannon. Looks like we have a special guest joining us.” Anthony chuckles, adjusting Frankie against his hip. The little boy waved enthusiastically at the woman before settling against his dad’s shoulder.

“Dada win game!” Frankie exclaims, placing a hand against Beau’s cheek while flashing the biggest grin possible. “Win!”

“That’s right, we did win. Good job!” Anthony replies before kissing the top of Frankie’s head and turning back to Shannon. With one silent look, he gave her the okay to ask his son a question which is something he knows will be too cute to pass up. 

“Frankie, how cool was it to see your dad score tonight?” 

“This much!” Frankie says, holding his hands as far apart as he can. “I yell for Dada when he got goal.”

“I heard you on the ice, buddy. You and Mama.” 

The little boy giggles, the sound filling Anthony’s heart with so much love he swears it might burst, before he nuzzles his face into the crook of his dad’s neck. It’s the telltale sign that Frankie has gotten a little shy which only seems to make the moment even sweeter. 

“Thanks so much for your time, Beau. Enjoy the rest of the night with your family. Back to you guys!” Shannon finishes the interview, giving him and Frankie a quick goodbye before the broadcast crew leaves. 

Before he can even adjust Frankie’s little Islanders beanie so the one floppy piece of hair on his forehead gets tucked back underneath, you’re walking right up to them. The smile on your face can only be compared to the sun and Anthony swears he has never known a love like this. 

“Hey, bub.” You say softly, pressing a sweet kiss to his lips that immediately makes Frankie giggle. “You killed it out there tonight. We’re so proud of you.” Anthony can’t stop the swelling in his chest at the compliment. He usually hates any kind of attention surrounding his play, but from you and Frankie, he would take it anyday.

“Thank you, mon amor.” Anthony murmurs, the French rolling off his tongue so smoothly. “What a surprise this one was! Surprising me in an interview.” He continues, bouncing Frankie on his hip for a moment and the little boy laughs before burying his face against Beau’s. 

“I happy for goal!” Frankie exclaims with a laugh before squishing a big, dramatic kiss against his father’s cheek. A giggle slips past your lips at the sight. You’ve never known this kind of happiness before and you don’t ever want it to disappear. 

“Well, I’m just as happy to see you.” Anthony says, booping Frankie’s nose to get an adorable smile in response, “And you.” He finishes and pulls you in for a soft kiss that’s full of love.

When the two reluctantly pull away, everything in the world feels just right then. Frankie is fisting Anthony’s blue jersey in his tiny hand as he snuggles into his dad and the adrenaline of the game is still rushing through each one of you although your son seems to be getting sleepy. If this is what the rest of your life will be, will feel like, because of Anthony and your little boy, there’s nothing else in the world you want.

“C’mon bubs, Daddy needs to get changed so we can go home and you’re getting tired.” You prompt, reaching over to transfer the toddler to your arms. But before Frankie can respond or Anthony can hand him over, you hear someone yelling as they turn the corner towards where you’re standing.

“Beau! Dude, where have you been?” Barzy calls out before he takes in the scene. “Hey, Y/N! And Frankie! What’s up, little guy?” Mat says with excitement, holding out a fist for Frankie to fist bump.

“Unca Maty!” Your son almost squeals and Anthony has no choice but to put him down so he can toddle over to his best friend on the team.

“I didn’t know you two would be here.” Mat continues with a smile as kneels down to Frankie’s level before picking him up. “Dad scored a goal just for you, Frankie, huh?”

“Yeah! You score too!” Frankie replies, beaming while gently patting Mat’s cheeks. You can’t help but laugh at the scene and you lean into Anthony for a moment, just watching the little boy who you both love so much interact with one of your closest friends.

“Wanna go say hi to the boys? They would be thrilled to see you.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Frankie cheers in response to Mat’s question and you only shake your head before Mat promises he’ll be back with him soon.

“I should go supervise. Make sure nothing crazy happens.” Anthony says quietly, hands finding your hips and his gaze never breaks away from you. It’s almost as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

“That would be a good idea. Plus the faster we get home, the faster Frankie goes down for bed and the faster we celebrate, yeah?” Anthony’s eyes go wide as you keep talking and your voice begins getting softer and softer. OT winner or not, you still would’ve wanted to celebrate him but you already had the perfect thing in mind.

“I’ll make sure Mat doesn’t hog him for too long.” Beau smirks, kissing you deeply before heading towards the locker room. And as you’re standing there shaking your head as he runs away with a dopey smile on his face, you know you couldn’t be any happier.

[thatsdemko]

hate me - m.mount

masterlist

requested: n

pairings: mason mount x pulisic!fem!reader

warning: nsfw + not intended for minors + swear words + mentions of alcohol + me calling football soccer (see above pairings) + mason being a dick + me not knowing anything about video games

a/n: I kinda want to do a part two to this so please let me know if you’d be interested! feedback is always appreciated xx

《 the following content is not intended for minors. 》

you’ve never been close to your brothers teammates, sure they followed you on social media platforms and you kept up with their lives, but it wasn’t like you formed a bond with any of them because you weren’t across the world hanging out with them.

one of them had caught your eye, mason mount. the soccer player every girl on social media seemed to have a crush on during the World Cup, and you couldn’t blame them. he was by far your brothers most attractive teammate, but despite his good looks he was actually an asshole to you.

to put things into perspective, that evening you were far beyond wasted and you may have tumbled into him, but that didn’t give him a right to yell at you for your behavior. you vaguely could recall that night the next morning, but seeing he was in your brothers apartment you began to remember it all too well.

he’s not a dick to the media. in fact, he puts on the best show always being kind to fans, opposing team members, etc. but when it came to you? he just didn’t have it in him to play nice.

“my sister comes in today,” christian announced to the team when he entered the locker room, his eyes fall to the particular Brit, who you had ranted to your brother about, “don’t be an asshole.” he says it to the team, but again his eyes fall to Mason.

“why would we? y/n is so nice! how long is she here for?” Ben begins to ask questions while Mason scowls in his seat. to be fair, he didn’t hate you but you had no care in the world and always acted above everyone else. it bothered him how Christian was so grounded and kind, and you couldn’t have been more of the opposite.

“you hear what I said?” Christian comes over to Mason now, he’s got that worried overprotective brother look on his face that he’s seen before. it wasn’t a pleasant sight to be on the receiving end of, “yeah copy that, I’ll be nice.”

—

it’s not been a day since your arrival and Mason was already in your presence. it’s not his fault, he’s your brothers good friend and teammate, plus they play video games together with Ben so you expected to see him over. you just didn’t assume it would be so soon.

“y/n! oh it’s so nice to see you again.” Ben wraps you in a hug the minute you enter the living space your brother and his teammates are in. you’re happy at least one of them likes you, the other is sitting there phone in hand pretending you aren’t there.

“same to you, chilly.” you pull away taking a spot in one of the chairs deciding to watch the boys play their game. when Mason finally looks over you send him a wave in which he doesn’t return, but his eyebrows lift upward as a way of acknowledging your presence.

“did you want to play?” christian points to the fourth remote he pulled out just in case, he knew your answer but he couldn’t help but be nice and offer.

“no, I’ll just watch. I know how mason is about his games.” you pull your knees into your chest watching the Chelsea player roll his eyes at your comment.

“for the record, I don’t care if you play it’s just the objective wasn’t to kill your teammate.” he recalls the game you played the last time you were in London. it had randomly selected you and Mason to be teammates, your first time playing you accidentally shot Mason and that sent him over the edge. you tried to apologize, but he wanted to hear nothing of it and asked Christian to switch controllers with him.

“and for the record, I didn’t know it was you that I had shot.” you snap back. you could feel Christian’s eyes narrow at you, he gave you the same speech he gave his teammates. he wanted you all to get along, and even if that meant casual smiles and light conversations, he didn’t want this.

“hey, it was her first time relax, mate.” Ben stands up for you handing his controller into your lap, “you should play, I’ll coach you.” he moves to sit on the floor beside your chair and you take the controller in your hands.

Christian gives you one final look to confirm, you just nod, “okay so you’re going to kill the guys in grey, Christian and Mason are on your team and they will have a name above their head so you know it’s them. don’t shoot them.”

Mason scoffs beside Christian earning your brothers elbow to jab in the rib cage, “be nice, mase.” your brother hisses.

Mason glances over, he sees Ben is hovering over you now pointing to the keys you need to press. he doesn’t know why, but he feels some sort of rage—jealousy to be particular. he hates how happy he’s making you.

if things were different and Mason wasn’t already programmed to hate you, he would’ve loved to have been the one showing you how to play. maybe you bring in his lap and his arms around you, guiding your thumbs to press certain buttons. but ever since that night, he can’t shake his true feelings.

—

“thanks for letting me play, chilly. you’re a great teacher.” you give him one final hug at the door before he’s out. he promised his girlfriend he’d be home for dinner, so he couldn’t stay too long.

“please you’re my best student.” he winks just before you close the door and lock it behind him. when you turn around you can see masons body is in the kitchen. it’s just you two since Christian went to pick up food twenty minutes ago, and he promised he’d be back soon.

“looks like it’s just us.” you say quietly entering the kitchen to grab yourself a beer, you held one up for him which he declines. you notice he’s awfully quiet and you can’t help but wonder if it’s because you decided to join them.

“sorry about today, I didn’t mean to intrude.” you move around the kitchen island and take a seat, and he takes the one two seats away from yours.

“no need to apologize.” he responds, it’s short and there’s edge to it. you can feel that’s not true but you’re not going to test him, you drop it and begin to play with the cap of the beer bottle.

“you did play well today.” he finally says, eyes glancing over at you for a second before you look over. he’s not sure why but he feels if he looks at you it’ll change how he feels. he wants to keep it that way, he feels like hating you might be better than allowing himself to like you.

“and I didn’t kill you.” you crack a smile hoping he returns it, but it’s obvious he doesn’t care for it. you hate how little he pays attention or care, it makes him seem so arrogant.

“we’ve got two months left, let’s see how that goes.” he scoffs, and watches you get up from your seat and move around the island. he knows he did something wrong, because you always storm off when he makes you upset. lucky for him, Christian isn’t there to make amends or force him to apologize.

“why do you always have to be such a dick? I’m trying to be nice and then you always have to come back with a snarky comment.” you want to splash his face with the alcohol. it wouldn’t make you feel better, but it might make him act different.

“at least I can handle people hating me and don’t need to call on big brother to rescue me.” he snaps and that stung. you’ve never asked Christian to step in and “rescue” you from anything. you could handle your own.

“I don’t know what Christian has told you but I’m a big girl.” you cross your arms over your chest and see a smile spread into smirk as he moves across the island stopping in front of you.

“you are now? you don’t act like it.” he leans closer to you, his lips looking irresistible but god you hated everything that came from them.

you’re fidgeting unsure how to respond, his finger tips grab a hold of your chin, thumb swiping across your bottom lip, “you’re such a child, y/n.” he teases watching your eyes grow glossy and big, he can tell you’re scared as you swallow the lump in your throat.

“no I’m not.” you whisper feeling your body gravitate to closing the gap, “I told you I’m a big girl.”

he bends down lips pressing against yours. he’s firm as he begins to kiss you, tongue swiftly moving into your mouth you feel his hands grab your ass pulling you against him. you can feel how hard he is in his pants, it makes you feel dizzy.

his hands are picking you up by the waist and carrying you into the guest bedroom, his foot swiftly shuts the door behind him before he throws you onto the soft mattress, “then someone like you should be able take it, can she?”

you nod, his fingers are pulling at the material of your pants, you feel warmth spread between your legs watching his own pants fly off revealing just how big he is, you swallow hard at the sight.

“you can handle it.” he presses his body against yours, hand over your mouth to muffle your moan. christian could be back any minute and the last thing you want is to get caught.

he’s entering you, and you’re trying to gasp for air, but his hand blocks it. you feel dizzy but everything he’s giving you so far feels so good. his finger tips are dug into your skin while your nails rake his back as he’s pushing further into you. it feels good, but it’s a surprise how far he is.

his strokes aren’t sporadic, rather even and deep, you can tell his tip nudged your clit when a sensation of pleasure and a moan that not even his hand could cover escaped your mouth.

“quiet.” he hisses and you nod. you feel your body reaching climax, but you’re smart enough to know he’ll make you beg and wait until you can come. if he hates you as much as his words he will take every opportunity to make you wait.

“Mason, please.” you beg, your hand has a hold of his wrist trying to remind him to let go you need to breathe, and he knows that. his hand slips down to your throat gently, thumb pressed against your vocal cord.

“what do you want? ask for it.” he nudges your clit one more time hearing you moan his name. he loves hearing it from you, it turns him on even more than he could imagine.

“let me come?” you’re on the verge of letting your body just do it, but when your eyes meet his you swallow back the feeling trying to keep it in longer. he’s just too good for you, you want to show him.

“only because you asked.” your body relaxes feeling the warmth exit against your thighs and he’s there to clean you up.

“when we get back out there, you go back to being that bratty little girl. if you’re good, you’ll get more.” he presses a rewarding kiss against your temple before he puts his clothes back on.

you just lay there against your mattress, before he slips out, and reality settles back in, you make sure to remind him how you feel, “god, I hate you.”

[letsunity]

With Thunder Comes Lightning

Summery: Peter and MJ tried again, but the spark wasn't there; they stay as friends to raise their soon-to-be daughter. Everything was going great until evil goop and a spooky vampire guy fall out of an orange portal. Little does Peter know that the biggest pain in his ass and future mutant best friend has landed right at his feet.

art by @Aba_zakyX

Chapter 2 -  Never Left Behind

Peter crouched on the rooftop, scowling at the location where his friends and co-workers were killed.

The police were gone, finally.

He swung down, landing outside of the police tape barrier. Even in the dark, Peter could see the damage. The road, pavement, and even the walls of buildings were horrifically corroded.

Anybody that lived nearby was evacuated, and the smell alone was telling. Toxic fumes that would kill a regular person hung like menacing mistletoe.

Peter can see the outlines of what used to be his comrades.

"Was there anything I could've done for them?" Peter asked, knowing his new buddy was standing behind him.

"No. They died quicker than most, so that's a small mercy."

It didn't feel like it.

Miguel stalked past Peter, making no sound despite his size. He wandered around the crime scene, examining the spots where Peter's comrades used to be.

He saw the eye markings narrow intently, analysing everything. He watched Miguel pause at a single spot, prodding something.

Hopping over the tape, Peter joined his side, finding charred bone sticking from the concrete. It made him feel sick.

It was a femur, and the size betrayed that it was Luke Cage's bone.

Peter had to lift his mask, emptying his stomach. Seeing his friend reduced to that made him ill. Regret, grief and guilt swarmed Peter like locusts to an open field. Ten plagues danced throughout his soul, and come to the final wrath, was no lamb's blood on his door to save him from the inner pain.

Pain fused and interwoven with anger.

That fucking thing killed his friends, stripped them to the bone and ate them. It was Peter's fault, of course. If he just listened, he would've been irritating Murdock about something dumb and boring.

He won't get those fun team-ups anymore.

"You were close," Miguel stated, though no emotion was in his voice.

"Yeah, we were," Peter answered, feeling a hollowness start to claw in his chest. "He helped MJ and me move into our new place. Cage was a good man. All he did was help people; he didn't deserve to go like this."

"The greatest stars shine the brightest but are snuffed the fastest. It's a saying in Nueva York. The good fall and become the stairs for the wicked to climb higher."

"How can somebody be reduced to nothing but a step?"

"By something that never valued life in the first place. Life tends to be most valuable when it's already gone."

"What book did you get that from? Because damn."

"My mother."

"Must be a smart lady."

"She was. Better than I could ever be."

"I feel the same about Aunt May and Uncle Ben. It's hard comparing yourself to great people when you're a major fuckup."

He heard a gruff of agreement.

Aunt May was a pillar of Peter's life, his mother figure, a great woman he aspired to be like. While Uncle Ben gave him the "With great power, comes great responsibility", May was the one who taught him what that meant.

It would be helpful if she were here. She always knew what to do, but Peter was a bumbling mess.

How could he be a father when he causes the death of his friends?

"Parker!"

Peter swivelled to his teammate, watching as Miguel stalked towards an alleyway.

"You find something?"

"A trail. He might still be nearby."

Peter could avenge them. He could do something right.

That bastard was going to pay for what he did.

He stuck close to Miguel's side, trying to see what he did. The other Spider behaved like a hunter, tracking his prey, slowly reaching a warehouse.

It's surprising how many of those there are in New York.

"Do you smell that?" Miguel asked, lowering himself cautiously. "Unnatural decay is always a sign."

He nodded to rot in the concrete walls that shouldn't be there.

Klyntarus sucked life from everything, even if it were inanimate.

The duo snuck towards a window, peeking into the darkness within. It looked abandoned and derelict, but there was far too much inside for that to be. There are expensive crates of valuables.

Although the date stated it arrived only a few days ago, the wood of the crates looked like they were left to the elements for years.

Unnatural rot, a tell-tell trait of Klyntarus' presence.

Miguel held a finger to the window, a claw popping out of the finger pad. He jostled the lock and pushed the window up slowly.

"How do I get some of that in my suit?"

"They're not part of the suit."

"So, you've got actual claws?"

"You stick to walls; I get claws."

"You can't stick to walls? Dude, seriously?"

"Not the time, Parker."

"What else have you got? Or don't have?"

"Silencio!" Miguel hissed, "We don't want him to know we're here."

That made sense.

Peter was still curious, though. He recalled how Noir had more endurance, that Penni was quick, and Porker had "Hammerspace". Then there was Gwen, who had far more agility than the others and Miles could go invisible.

Do all Spider-people have something unique to them?

It felt like Peter only had extra weight. That sucked.

The warehouse stank of decay. There's a scorched trail on the floor and suspicious mounds of former people. The gang must've been trying to protect them.

Out of curiosity, Peter looked in one of the crates, finding several packaged gadgets. There are all kinds of Apple devices, some Windows, Samsung, Sony and more. It must be a warehouse for a supermarket or a store, maybe even a shopping mall.

He came here to fix that sphere thing, didn't he? Eat the people inside and use the technology to repair himself.

Peter started to shake, his Spider senses going haywire. He webbed to the ceiling, attaching to it, unable to stop the shivering. He couldn't turn his head when Miguel joined him, his claws deep into the wall.

Fear sang throughout his bones, a NASCAR race of terror screeching in his very atoms.

The image of his friends melting into ash clouded his vision, a fog that was so thick it clung to the back of his throat. The weight of guilt caused his grip to loosen, but Miguel caught him.

Feeling someone touch him managed to snap Peter out of being frozen, Miguel's arm tight around his waist.

His fellow Spider released his grip, landing on a high support beam. He attached to it instantly, his fingers gripping the metal so tight that it dented.

A door opened, giving Peter something to distract himself with. He watched as Black Cat stumbled into the warehouse, but his senses warned that it wasn't her.

Miguel gripped Peter's shoulder, keeping him from going to her.

"Lo siento..."

He didn't understand what that meant. He would find out, though.

Black Cat shivered, gripping her arms as slime leaked from her face. He could smell the burning flesh already.

The skin went first, then the fat, the fascia and the muscle; it melted away until there was only blackened bone. That, too, was destroyed, reduced to mere ash.

Fuck, not Felicia. She was finally getting her life together with her new wife.

The offending sludge that took his friend twisted and coiled, creating a humanoid-like body. The "scars", as Miguel called them, pulsed akin to a heartbeat; those red eyes locked onto an office room.

"I'll distract him. Destroy the stabiliser."

"And leave you to fight him alone? Daredevil, Cage, Jones, She-Hulk and Iron Fist didn't do squat together."

"You burn, I don't. Simple as that. Move fast and get this over with, Parker."

Before Peter could argue, Miguel jumped to the ground, alerting Klyntarus.

"Ahh, 2099, you still live," Klyntarus chuckled almost gleefully. "I'll admit, you hurt me badly. I'm proud."

Safe to say that Klyntarus is distracted.

Peter crawled on the ceiling, making his way towards the office. It looked rotten, more than the rest of the building, so he must be hunkered in there. As soon as Peter destroys that damn thing, they can burn the bastard.

"Shove it. You know what I'm here for."

"You don't have a Venom Burst, so that'll be mighty tough. And your fancy trinket is broken, so negative on the backup, not even that sassy little assistant. You're all alone, 2099. Just the way I like you."

Even in his injured state, he was taunting and acting like he wasn't in danger. Hopefully, he was so up his ass - or the Symbiote equivalent - he won't realise that Miguel's distracting him.

Peter's senses were on the fritz, panicking like a bucking rodeo horse. He had to focus, though. The sooner they break this bastard, the fewer people will die.

Klyntarus wandered away from the office-like part, the tail-like appendage dragging on the floor. He was giggling, fixated on Miguel.

"Just like Alchemex Tower; cuando huiste como el maldito cobarde que eres."

Peter lowered himself to the floor as carefully as possible, using all two decades of experience. When his feet touched the ground, he crept towards the office, the pungent smell staining his suit.

Thankfully, Klyntarus was too focused on Miguel to notice him. Occasionally, narcissists were much easier to fight than competent people.

The door was melted like ice cream on a hot day, nothing more than squishy splinters.

On a desk that was soon to crumble was the damned sphere he should've stamped on before.

"Ahhhh, memories. That was a grand day. For me, of course. How is my old stomping ground? Been a while since I last visited."

That's right, big guy. Keep him distracted.

"Nueva was never yours. Nothing of my or any other dimension is."

Peter cracked his knuckles, uncertain how he was going to destroy it. It's already damaged; the parts strewn about were signs of an attempted repair.

All Peter had to do was undo the repairs. That should be simple enough. Right?

He picked up a crowbar lodged in the wall, potentially from a worker fighting for their life.

"It's cute that you believe that. It was always mine and always will be, just like you. You belong to me, 2099. You'll realise that soon enough."

What did Klyntarus mean by that? His damned curiosity was starting to interfere with the objective.

"I promised to kill you. I don't break promises."

"Aww, but you do, don't you? You broke the one to your whore mother and mistake of a daughter - I know you'll taste even sweeter than she did!"

Oh, fuck.

Miguel had a kid. He was a dad like Peter would be, and Klyntarus took that from him.

That's what he meant - isn't it? When he said that Klyntarus made him Spiderman. He took Miguel's family.

"Estás muerto!"

"Only on the inside, little Border Rat! And like little Gabrielle," he taunted, cackling like the lunatic he was.

So not only is he a genocidal dimension eater but racist, too. Great. A cherry on top of the corrupted cupcake.

Peter struck the sphere with the crowbar, hitting it as hard as possible.

He heard a demonic, distorted screech of surprise and rage. The ground under him started to rumble violently. He saw a black and red mass racing towards the office through the window, barrelling like a bat out of hell.

Glowing orange webs wrapped around the parasite, pulling him back.

With each strike, Peter could feel the integrity weaken, and sparks started to fly. His spidey senses were on fire, writhing with panic and terror.

His tingles screamed, forcing him to jump and stick to the ceiling. A spear-like tendril shot through the window, glass falling like spilt glitter. It reared back and went for Peter, trying to impale him.

He hadn't let go of the stupid sphere, digging his fingers so hard into it that they were beginning to bleed through his suit.

Peter pounced out of the doorway, swinging to the rafters. A thick tendril went after him but couldn't even graze his suit.

The spikes on Miguel's forearms had fused into blades, slicing through like a hot knife to butter.

"I will kill everything you hold dear!" Klyntarus vowed, chasing after Peter with astonishing speed.

Miguel leapt onto Klyntarus' "face", starting to sink instantly. He clawed at Klyntarus' eyes, following them whenever they moved to escape his onslaught.

"Go, now!" Miguel yelled, his mask disappearing. "¡Rápido, rápido!" his eyes were almost glowing as red as Klyntarus'.

Peter kicked a skylight open and started running.

Get somewhere high and far, beat this blasted thing and save the day. And don't you dare die, big guy.

As much as Peter wanted to go somewhere and focus only on destroying the sphere, he couldn't leave his comrade behind. It wasn't right.

It wasn't right when Peter left Miles behind. He should've treated the kid better. He can't change that, but he can do better now.

Klyntarus wanted Miguel alone. Unfortunately for him, Peter wasn't going to allow that.

Peter hopped to a rooftop, looking for somewhere to hide the sphere. He didn't know if it had an actual name; it didn't matter.

He found an old pigeon hutch-house thingy, and although it's about as flimsy as wet paper, it's still better than nothing. He carefully placed the ominous orb inside, hoping he wouldn't be the only Spiderman again.

It's nice to have someone like you around, even if they're a little prickly.

Great. It's somewhere safe.

Roughly.

Peter hurried back, worried at what that crazy thing could've done by now. He felt terrible leaving his houseguest alone, especially with how twisted Klyntarus was.

The skies began to open, rain falling with haste.

He was worried about MJ. He learned how vindictive Klyntarus was; it put her in grave danger. Their unborn child was at risk.

He didn't listen and was paying the price for it. He still wasn't.

Miguel told him to go, and here he was, running straight back to a fight he couldn't win. It would be wrong to leave someone behind to a monster like that. How could Peter ever live with himself knowing he let somebody die?

It's painful enough with his friends, his old captain, his uncle, his aunt - his entire family except for his best friend and soon-to-be child. Not even Felicia was around anymore.

He missed the other spiders - Noir, Peni, Porker, Gwen, Miles; they showed him he wasn't alone.

They taught him that he could be a better man.

That kid saved Peter's life in more ways than one. He gave Peter hope for the future again. He got Peter to face his fear of parenthood and wanted Miles to be the baby's middle name - that kid was an inspiration.

What would Miles think if Peter was told to run and didn't go back to help somebody? The hypothetical disappointment was terrifying.

He had somebody else to add to the list of fellow spiders.

In a way, spider people are a unique species, close but different to humanity. It's so weird - since he got bitten, he felt like he was the last of his kind, only to find others.

Peter crouched atop the warehouse roof, hearing the wrathful shrieking of Klyntarus inside. His spidey senses were terrified, demanding that he flee and never return as Miguel ordered.

Narrowing his eyes, Peter looked through the broken window, searching for any dark blue.

"Where is it, you revolting abomination?!" Klyntarus roared, smashing everything inside the warehouse. "Where!?"

Finally, Peter spotted his teammate.

Klyntarus had him pinned to the wall, writhing darkness constricting around him.

"Debajo del sofá!"

"Oh, you think you're being cute!?" Klyntarus seethed, tightening his hold.

"Soy tan mono!"

Peter needed to learn Spanish immediately.

In a rage, Klyntarus threw Miguel into the other wall, then slammed him into the floor with a tendril. With the velocity, Peter knew that it hurt, but even so, the other Spider was making fun of the parasite.

Yep, he's a spider.

He waited with his web-shooter at the ready. As expected, Klyntarus threw the other Spider again, and Peter fired.

The web attached to Miguel's back, and Peter pulled, his spider senses panicking as Klyntarus shrieked again.

"I told you to run," Miguel hissed as Peter aimed for the nearest building. "Why'd you come back?"

"Never leave a spider behind, twinkle toes!" Peter stated, feeling the roof under them start to shake. "That's not good."

A black tendril shot from behind Peter, wrapping around his arm and pulling him down. Although Miguel went to grab him, he only succeeded in scratching Peter's hand.

Those claws hurt!

"You!" Klyntarus roared, engulfing much of Peter's body with his mass. It burned, regardless of his superhuman endurance. "I will make you watch as I destroy everything you love, Parker!"

"I think you're mad at me," Peter snarked, despite the intense weight starting to crush his body.

"I h-AHH!" Klyntarus yelped, those horrid eyes twisting to... Why is Miguel biting his body!? "How dare-no, fuck, no!"

Light blue was growing through the red scars, burning the blackness around them. It quickly reached the part holding Peter, loosening the ironclad grip.

Klyntarus had no choice but to break away from the afflicted part, dropping Peter. The hot ash clung to Peter's suit, quickly hardening in the cold rain falling on them.

He felt hands pulling him as a distorted roar echoed in Peter's ears and the sound of crumbling.

Though his spidey senses were in a panic, Peter struggled to move.

Everything went dark for what felt like a few seconds.

When consciousness returned, he wasn't in a warehouse anymore - or he was, and lay in what remained. He tried to move, but having several tonnes of concrete on you sucks.

Peter's chest hurt, his hand burned like fire, and everything was too dark. His head was thundering.

Peter grumbled, feeling that his leg was stuck. He can move a little, meaning he isn't fully submerged; that's nice.

His eyes blinked, adapting to the lack of light. He saw red eyes, bright and vibrant, but his spidey sense wasn't reacting.

Even so, Peter hit the light.

"¡Ay, coño!"

Oh, shit!

"Miguel?" Peter panted, realising the spooky scars weren't around.

"Hijo de puta, who else?" Miguel hissed, "Try not hitting me while I keep us from being crushed. ¿Te parece bien?"

Everything hurts, but they're still alive.

"The hell happened, man?"

"Caused the building to collapse. You were stuck to the floor, so... I improvised."

When Peter's eyes were fully adapted, he saw what Miguel meant. The man was singlehandedly keeping the building from turning Peter into a paste.

He had it all pushing on his back, but he remained unwavering.

"You could've run," Peter said, unsure why he said it.

"Never leave a spider behind. That's what you said, araña testaruda."

He did. It felt good having that stupidity repaid.

By working together, they managed to push the concrete away, revealing the frigid rain.

Peter's entire body hurt, and he expected his comrade to feel the same.

He wanted a warm bath, hot cocoa, and to listen to MJ's dumb puns. Instead of dad jokes, they had mom jokes.

"Buddy, you allergic to hot cocoa?"

"¿Qué? What, is that a fruit?"

"We've got a lot of things to cross off a list, my guy."

A hot bath was more than warranted.

"My everything aches," Peter sighed, glancing at MJ as she brushed her teeth. "We made progress, at least."

"You two were pretty battered," MJ said, spitting minty spit foam into the sink. "Did you make progress against the evil goop or with Miguel?"

"Both."

"Hmm, there's a "but" in there."

"Miguel had a daughter. Klyntarus killed her. He taunted him about it." His best friend turned, sympathy and fear growing on her graceful features. "And he threatened us. I'm worried he'll come after you and our yet-to-be roommate."

It's an understandable fear, especially given what Klyntarus was.

He couldn't begin to know how Miguel felt. No wonder he was so furious with Peter.

Peter didn't even know the baby in MJ's organic oven, but he would die for them. He couldn't bare having that baby, and some sinister snot comes and takes them away forever.

"Do you think we should leave him alone for a bit?" she asked, wanting to be as accommodating as possible.

Her heart was even more gigantic than all forty-nine states combined.

On a side note, good for Hawaii for their independence.

"No," Peter answered, though he wasn't sure. "I think Klyntarus has kept him alone for long enough."

"I understand the holo-suit a lot more now. You don't need so much detergent to clean it. Also, I think he's allergic to that, too."

"We're gonna need a list."

"A lengthy one." Peter got up, cracking the aching bones in his back. With a sigh, MJ threw a towel into Peter's face. "I don't need to see your little Pete, and I doubt our guest does either."

"For the love of all that is holy, never call it that again."

"No promises."

Peter wrapped the towel around his waist, eager for some pop tarts.

MJ waved as Peter went to the kitchen, spotting their temporary housemate in the living room.

Although he'd like a nice snack, he wanted to see how his new buddy was doing.

He walked into the living room, amused that Miguel still had the sunglasses on.

"Concussion still there?"

"Photophobia," Miguel corrected, sounding tired. "Downside to perfect night vision."

"Do your eyes reflect?"

"Yeah. It's not great."

"And you've got fangs."

"I hate them."

"I think it's cool. You've got some venom that hurts him, too. Oh! Is that what a "Venom Burst" is? A bomb with your venom? That's cool."

Miguel grumbled, hiding his face in a pillow.

It's cool, though.

Where could Peter get fangs?

"Look, big guy, our door's open. We don't have a lock, but you get what I mean - I hope? If not, we're open to talk."

"About what?"

"How that motherfucker... I can only assume it's rough with MJ being pregnant."

"It was two years ago. That she..." he couldn't finish the sentence, but Peter knew what he meant.

Timewise, that would've made Miguel around twenty-five or twenty-four when she died.

"How old was she? If it's alright to ask."

"Eight."

"You were around seventeen or sixteen when you became a dad, huh?"

"How do you know that?"

"I have a thing with guessing people's ages. You look my age, but you're not."

"Well, fuck you too."

"I didn't mean it like that, big guy!" Peter said, quickly backtracking. "You've experienced a lot. That's what I meant."

"You could certainly say that. Is there a point to the inquiry? I'm tired. I don't want to talk about my dead family."

"Alright, let's have pop tarts and then sleep, possibly cry ourselves to sleep. Sound good?"

"Sure thing, little Pete."

That motherfucker has super hearing!?

While Peter should be mad, it's a little funny.

"Only if I get to call you little Miguel."

"Bite me."

"Is that an invitation or an insult?"

"Por el amor de Dios. I'll have something with cheese."

"Great, a toastie it is. I'll turn the lights down for you, big guy."

"Gracias."

He liked having Miguel here. The rapport was fun.

Special thanks to spider-the-bat for the borders!

[beardedmrbean]

[Huey Zoomer Anon]

WHY DID MY COMMUNITY HAVE TO BE DO FUCKING STUPID?!

I deadass seen people online goes “Let me act like the stereotypes that Boondocks was taking a piss on!”

And this fucking video

https://youtu.be/ZchP89w2pJo?si=4gWGCe0BALoGxoCl

Also yes let all of black culture be about our Urban gang subculture, shitty dances moves, the creepy sexualization we broadcast everywhere….and the huge CSA issues against our boys….

Aaaaaaah! So many stories make me goes “Did y’all just celebrate the fact this man was raped by his babysitter as a kid?”

And history slavery, segregation, and our contemporary issues

Also why do so many white peoples think we don’t know about our enslave ancestors until like 4th grade? Our elders told us in the womb!

Seriously…why like this shit https://youtu.be/uFGzptNTh4A?si=TbOcrOCpkS3yr2iL

I made a joke how in I wonder make a multinational kids team in like a cartoon but actually acknowledge the culture clashes ie the Palestine character would try to kill the Israeli one when he think no one is looking…

Actually feel like the Israeli character would get jump on by most kids from Arab nations in the show

But here one joke similar to the skit

The adult character that mentors the kids: Okay kids we are going to talk about slavery!

The African American boy character who was reading a book noticing the set of eyes on him: uuuh, that was about 200 years ago, also we got a former slave right here! Beside the Saudi teammate country’s had slaves until the 1960’s(publicly)

Those two: HEY!

AA boy: Beside the Chinese kid ancestors probably ate humans and in his homeland, a battle that lead to 2 million dead is called a skirmish! And I read about the Mongolians boys Khan ancestors…

Mongolian boy: We have several great statues to the Great Genghis Khan! Wanna see!

AA Boy: Also why my people enslavement? The Israeli boy got that Moses’s stuff!

Israeli: Hey I’m not related-wait my last name Cohen, damnit!

Adult character: Language young man! You there see to know about other people cultures and history.

AA boy: Got bored with my slavery ancestry, can we learn about the Mali Empire?

Probably needs to tighten some stuff…but I don’t understand this idea African Americans don’t know about it. In fact I’m more interested to learn about pre colonial cultures like Yoruba and what we did beyond being enslaves

Of course I have, but mainstream push please

“White people used to enslaved us!” and we gave them peanut allergies in return.

One of the saddest bits about all of this is you see people saying, ya that's right we are like this and point out shit like the whole Huey r kelly thing.

Boondocks held up a mirror and people said it's terrible how accurate this is, and then did nothing to change their own behaviour that was being lampooned.

Aaaaaaah! So many stories make me goes “Did y’all just celebrate the fact this man was raped by his babysitter as a kid?”

That was a rage inducing and incredibly confusing thing when I learned about it, celebrating these boys having their first sexual experience being raped by someone that's a 'family friend'

Everyone leaves that kind of thing out in their discussions of 'rape culture' too. Doesn't fit the narrative.

Also why do so many white peoples think we don’t know about our enslave ancestors until like 4th grade? Our elders told us in the womb!

I couldn't answer that one really, kinda dumb to think that imho.

These are both sad and funny at the same time.

The adult character that mentors the kids: Okay kids we are going to talk about slavery! The African American boy character who was reading a book noticing the set of eyes on him: uuuh, that was about 200 years ago, also we got a former slave right here! Beside the Saudi teammate country’s had slaves until the 1960’s(publicly) Those two: HEY!

To be fair Mauritania still has them, not officially but they only criminalized slavery in 2007, it was illegal already but not really.

Probably needs to tighten some stuff…but I don’t understand this idea African Americans don’t know about it. In fact I’m more interested to learn about pre colonial cultures like Yoruba and what we did beyond being enslaves

There's finally information being recorded and such about all of that on a actual level that people can absorb.

Still slow going, but that's going to be one of the issues we run into with lots of people and societies that didn't really write things down or interact much with other cultures that wrote things down.

The folks the Romans encountered because the Romans wrote all that stuff down, same with the Egyptians and Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Chinese, Aztecs, Maya, Toltec's, and so on.

Most of them did not venture too far south of the Sahara, that way lay disease and all kinds of wacky animals that up until the invention of Australia were the scariest things ever.

Of course I have, but mainstream push please “White people used to enslaved us!” and we gave them peanut allergies in return.

Other black people sold you and you got malaria eradicated where you live a few generations before them.

Still get a chuckle out of the African nations seeking reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Some of them at least.

They're either the ones that sold the slaves so they got their 30 pieces of silver already or if they're the ones that were taken to be sold then they need to take it out of the 30 pieces of silver the other guys got.