#need 2 scrub their pots...

[pancakeke]

I need to cut up my big mini monsteras again. I should take all the propagations I've been collecting from them and trellis them up this ledge to create a living screen. would that be cute

[wardenparker]

Bones Full of Words, ch 7

Javier Peña x plus size reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

“He pleaded so much that he lost his voice. His bones began to fill with words.” ― Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

Javier Peña had no way of knowing for certain the American journalist he sometimes sees sniffing around the embassy for her stories is also getting information about the narcos from the same girls that he is. After Helena is brutalized by sicarios, it is that same journalist who comes to take her away and look after her -- giving Javi reason to pause and reconsider his opinion of the woman he had previously not considered as anything more than eye candy.

He has no idea that once she has walked fully into his life, he will be battling with himself over whether or not he should stop her from walking out it of again.

Rating: M for Mature but this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 8.3k Warnings: *Blanket warnings for this series: sex work, time period appropriate sexism, cursing, alcohol, food/eating, talk of weight or size, fatphobia (sometimes internalized and sometimes not), canon typical violence* Fatphobia, internalized fatphobia, self-esteem issues. Flirting, objectification, girl talk. Jealousy. Summary: Elisa needs help from Connie, you have a heart-to-heart with Inez, and Chi-Chi is done with all the humans' bullshit. Notes: The tension rises! Apologies for any errors I might have missed. Ya girl had a hell of a week this week.

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6

It wouldn't be another day in Bogotá without something unusual dropping directly into the lives of the Murphys or Javier Peña, but this is out of the ordinary even for them. Connie hustles Elisa down the hallway toward Javi's apartment, explaining that while Steve is already at work, there is a chance Javi isn't yet.

"I just hope he's here," she tells Elisa as she knocks on the door of Javi's apartment.

It's a rare morning that he has the apartment to himself. You had decided to get up early and run some errands before you work on your story. Not even telling him what this next piece is about, you had played things close to the vest. There had been a truce of sorts between you and him, an air of anticipation, as if both of you are waiting for some kind of sign. When someone knocks at the door, he sighs and crushes out his cigarette before getting off the couch and opening the door.

"Well, what have we here?" Javi drawls, looking between the two women when he opens the door.

Connie is too keyed up on the information that Lelisa has just given her to roll her eyes about his greeting. "I'll explain later," she assures him, knowing that Javi will trust her like he would trust Steve. Instead, she looks to Elisa. "I'll be right back. Go." Ushering Elisa inside, she doesn't even wait for the door to close before she takes off to call Steve at the office.

Javi frowns and turns back towards Elisa, wanting someone to tell him something about what the hell is going on. “I take it this isn’t a social call.”

“Not exactly,” Elisa admits, hustling inside when Connie urges her forward and only breathing again when Javi reluctantly shuts the door behind them.

“Fuck.” Javi huffs slightly and motions her farther inside the apartment, happy that you are out for the morning. “Want a drink?”

"Coffee?" It's a little too early for liquor, even for her. "I am sorry to barge in like this."

“Yeah, uh,” he had made an entire pot out of habit, even though you were already gone, so there’s plenty left. “Let me get you a cup. You like creamer? Sugar?”

"Black is fine." Her hands are in the pockets of her scrubs as she looks around the apartment, only to be immediately greeted by the penetrative glare of an enormous dog. It doesn't look dangerous, necessarily, but it doesn't look too happy to see her either.

“Okay.” He pours the cup and turns to hand it to her, watching her warily eye the dog. “That’s Chi Chi.” He tells her. “My- uh, roommate’s dog.” He flusters slightly because he doesn’t know if he should tell this woman your connection to him.

"Oh." Pointing out that she didn't know that Javi had a roommate feels useless since they barely know each other, but Elisa eyes the large dog back before gratefully accepting the coffee cup from Javi's hand. "Um...hi Chi-Chi." It's an attempt, cooing at the dog awkwardly in that high pitched voice that she knows people use with dogs and sometimes cats. She's really not a pet person at all and it probably shows.

The dog watches her for another moment before she hefts herself up off the ground where she had been laying to jump up on the couch and flop back down as if to tell her that she can’t sit there.

"She didn't bark." Elisa sighs in relief. "I'm taking that as a good sign."

He chuckles and doesn’t mention that the dog is basically ignoring her. “Come sit at the table and tell me what is going on.”

"I'm not entirely sure." Elisa admits. She sits down at the table with Javi but her leg begins to bounce with nerves, too jittery to sit still. "I know that Pablo Escobar is planning something with the communist group M-19. I do not know what it is, but I know it will be bad. I told Connie to warn her husband, and asked her to hide me. That is why she brought me to you."

His eyes narrow and he leans forward. “And how do you know what he has planned with M-19?” He demands.

What is the newspapers always say? She purses her lips together and holds the coffee mug between both hands as if she's willing herself to calm down. "A reliable source," she tells him firmly.

“Who is your source?” Javi asks, pressing the point and reaching for his cigarettes. “We can’t help you if we don’t know the information is good.”

Elisa sighs, frowning a little more deeply, and sips the scalding hot coffee. "My ex." She had ended things the second she found out that idiot was making deals with Escobar, so at least it was accurate.

He hums, shaking out a cigarette and offering her one. “What’s his name?”

"Iván Torres." Assuming that a DEA agent involved in things here will know who the members of M-19 are, Elisa knows he will put the pieces together. Realize that she, too, is a member of the group. But the group has changed. Their goals and their loyalties are no longer what she herself was fighting for.

Javi rocks his jaw and stares at her for a moment. If her boyfriend is the leader of M-19. She is involved. “Hell of a joke.” He muses, smirking slightly as he remembers her saying she was a communist.

"I thought it matched a DEA agent joking about being CIA," she admits, though it seems far less amusing now.

“Fair enough.” He knows everyone has their secrets and he’s not as hard to get communists as the Marines stationed at the embassy are. It’s not his place to really care about it. He’s here for the drugs. “Start from the beginning.”

"Last night I went to see Iván after work," Elisa explains, her fingers nervously but soundlessly tapping on the sides of the mug in her hands. "When I went to his house, a man with a gun opened the door. Which is...not unusual, I admit. But I didn't not recognize this one. He demanded to know what I wanted, and I explained that I was Iván's girlfriend. He let me in, but when I walked into the living room, Ivan was sitting on the couch with Escobar."

Javi reaches for the notepad that seems to a constant on the table since you’ve moved in and the pencil beside it. He will need to take notes.

"They shook hands, and said they had a deal," she goes on. "And then Escobar left with his men."

“Anything else? How did he act when Escobar left? What did he say?” He fires off the questions quickly.

"He was not exactly happy." Sipping the coffee simply to have something else to do, Elisa breathes deeply again. "He said that he would not tell me what they were planning unless I agreed to be a part of it, but I cannot do that." Her eyes flick up, finding Javi watching her intently. "He made the deal for money. To fund the revolution the way he wants it. But I joined the fight for the people. Not a drug trafficker."

“Noble.” He snorts, aware that M-19’s kidnappings had resulted in deaths.

"I don't claim to be perfect." Elisa bristles, and rightfully so. "No one is. Nothing can be."

“You’re right, but if your cause needs you to kidnapped people, maybe it’s not the right one.” He points out before he offers her a cigarette. “I’m not judging. You did what you thought was right at the time.”

The slight pause before she accepts the cigarette is time to consider, but she is not here to debate with him. Just to report what happened last night to someone who may be able to help her. "I have heard of the interrogation methods your agents and your friends in Search-Bloc use to get information." She inhales smoke from the cigarette after lighting it and sighs inwardly at the rush of nicotine. At the moment, it is more soothing than anything else. "It is not worth fighting for moral superiority. We can at least agree that Escobar is worse."

He mulls over the comment and concedes. “Do you know when this plan is going down?” He asks.

"Ivan is impatient," she tells him, taking another drag from the cigarette. "It will be soon."

He snorts and wishes that Escobar would be impatient. Impatient men make mistakes. “So what do you want from us?” He asks, coming to the real reason why Elisa is at his door and not going to the Embassy.

It's an uncomfortable question, but she deserves it. Nothing in this world is free. There is a price for everything and hers is crystal clear at this point. "Information in exchange for protection. I have told you what I know, and I have a target on my back now that I witnessed Ivan and Escobar together but refused to cooperate. I need protection."

He knew that was the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it. To see the fear flash in her eyes and know that she understands the danger she has put herself in. “We’ll get you out.” He promises, reaching out and touching her hand.

"Thank you." There is more comfort in the warmth of his hand than she expected. Not just the placation of words, but actual assurance. She believes he will keep his promise. That the upper hand she has given him won't be abused. That she is safe.

“I’m going to need you to go over it again.” Javi tells her softly. “Everything, time of day - where exactly you were, right down to what Escobar was wearing and what the men he was with looked like.” It’s specifics, but that is what is needed.

"I understand." She is also hoping that her cooperation bodes well for what will happen to her afterward. She has willingly put herself in the hands of the American authorities and that will hopefully mean some kind of help for her to keep her out of the hands of Colombian authorities. Or worse, the sicarios.

So she goes through every detail. Working hard to recall every word that was said and everything about the other men who were in the room last night. She even goes so far as to draw a diagram of the room on Javi's notepad with figures marking each person and their name or description. Everything that she can possibly give, she does.

Javi takes notes, meticulously. Cigarette after cigarette is lit and smoked as he goes over the questions again and again, wanting to pull every piece of information out of her as he can. Until he feels like he's gotten everything. "Good." He nods as he looks up at her again. "This is good." Shooting her a smile, he tilts his head. "When you go to America - I wouldn't mention being a communist."

"You'll have to teach me how to talk like an American," she huffs, trying for a laugh but just feeling exhausted.

He knows she’s flirting and he would brush it off, but he’s a little raw from spending so much time with you. He had gone by the brothel the other day and seen you leaving, making him turn around. “Don’t worry.” He promises, shooting her a wink. “You’ll be ready by the time you leave.”

"You are very confident that the ambassador will reward you for my information." And, if she's honest? His confidence is extremely relieving. "I hope you're right."

“We have the upper hand.” Javi admits. “Escobar is escalating in violence and they want him gone.”

"Then I hope you're right even more." She murmurs, knowing that since Escobar has seen her face he surely has learned her name, and that staying here is now mortally dangerous.

“I am.” He’s more confident, but he crushes out his cigarette and stands. “I’ve got to make a call.”

"I'll just...sit tight." Elisa nods and sits back in her seat.

“There’s food in the kitchen.” Javi gestures towards the fridge, knowing that you have stocked it again. “Help yourself.”

She thanks him but doesn't move, watching Javi disappear into the next room while she crosses one leg over the other at the table. The dog has fully dismissed her now and she's sitting alone -- waiting to see what the next step of her future will be.

Javi calls the Embassy and asks to be put through to Steve’s desk. “Fuck, what the hell is your wife doing?” He demands when the phone is picks up and Murphy identifies himself.

"Taking care of a friend." Steve deadpans. He is too busy staring at the small, portable television they keep in the office to pay Javi too much heed at the moment. "Jav," he grunts, inhaling a lung full of nicotine as he watches the live feed on screen. "She called me to tell me about Elisa. I've already told the ambassador."

“And?” Javi asks, hating how he is having to drag information out of Steve right now. “What did she say?” It’s probably a good thing that Steve talked to the ambassador instead of him. She’s still pissed at him about Helena and she might hold that against Elisa.

“Don’t get pissy with me, Peña, I didn’t know any of them.” Steve huffs down the phone, before wiping one hand down the side of his face in aggravation. “Turn on the damn tv. M-19 has already attacked the Palace of Justice. But thanks to her we can link Escobar to it.”

“Goddamn.” Javi hisses and shakes his head, reaching for the remote to the tv in the bedroom. It might be a little excessive to have a tv in here, but he liked watching the news while he gets dressed.

“Keep her safe.” Steve advises, rustling through papers in his desk. He knows he doesn’t have to tell his partner that, but something in him knows that his wife’s friend truly does need the protection.

“She put Escobar in the room with the leader of M-19.” Javi huffs. “She’s going nowhere, but she’s going to cause problems because she’s a communist.”

“Of course she is.” The other man groans in irritated response. “Let’s just keep that part under our hats for now, okay?”

He snorts as he watches the screen. “As much as we can.” He agrees. “Who knows what will happen after this.”

“Don’t come in today.” As much as he hates having to deal with the official shit himself, the place Javi needs to be right now is in his apartment keeping Elisa safe. “Get everything you possibly can out of her. Get that reporter to help you if you have to, but we need everything.” The question of why or how Javier Peña has an American reporter living with him when they’re not fucking — and for all accounts barely like each other — will keep for another day. Today Steve Murphy is just willing to make the most of it.

Javi stiffens, realizing that you will ask questions about why Elisa is here. Now he has to figure out how he’s going to have you living here and the woman he is now tasked with keeping safe. “Yeah. Good idea.” He mutters.

“You okay?” Murphy asks, though the question is absent. He’s watching the small tv in the office again. “Don’t get weird on me now, man.”

Javi snorts and shakes his head. “I’m the weird one?” He demands. “You are living in Colombia and your Spanish is shit, you fucking hillbilly.” He knows the asshole isn’t even paying attention. “Let me know when you hear anything.” He demands and hangs the phone up on him before he can give a half assed answer.

Elisa is still sitting at the table when Javier comes back into the room, legs crossed and nervously picking at her nails.

He rubs his hands on his thighs and sighs. “So, uh, you’re gonna be here until we can get you to the US.” He tells her. “The plan is already rolling. And Escobar will be looking for you.”

A string of curses roll off her tongue but she nods, ultimately sighing in resignation. The hand she waves around his apartment is equally resigned. "Your girlfriend will not like it, I'm sure. But I will keep to myself."

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Javi frowns, the words feeling a little traitorous, but they are the truth. You aren’t his girlfriend. “She sleeps in the other bedroom.” He points out.

"Your...friend..." Instinct tells her the situation is more complicated than he is letting on, but Elisa waves that away for now. "If she is in the other room...where exactly will I be sleeping?"

“Uh—” He hesitates for a moment, knowing that there is another room, but he knows that you’ve started taking it over slowly as an office space when you aren’t working at the kitchen table. For some reason, he’s hesitant to offer it to her without talking to you.

"I don't suppose..." Elisa looks up at him, several weeks of having seen him fleetingly in a small handful of social situations with the Murphys having piqued her interest in him intensely. "You would mind sharing?"

His cock twitches immediately and he lifts a brow at her suggestion. “Moving on from your ex?” He asks with the ghost of a small smirk lifting the edge of his mustache.

"I have been thinking about it." She admits, standing from her chair when his eyebrow raises instead in invitation. "I have been thinking about it since we met at lunch."

“Yeah?” He hums, his eyes dragging up and down her body and he can’t deny that he wants to fuck her. “You don’t have to fuck me to stay here.” He wants to make that clear from the onset. He doesn’t play that kind of shit.

"Of course not." Elisa's head tilts slightly to one side, but she makes no question about returning his gaze. "If I thought you would demand it of me, I would have left already. But, why not find some enjoyment out of an otherwise stressful situation?"

“Cumming is a good way to relax.” He chuckles, smirking in a charming way that you’ve accused him of using to his advantage at times.

"To keep distracted." She agrees with a nod, stepping closer once more. "And pass the time."

“Pass the time, hm?” He reaches out and grabs her waist to drag her closer to him. “Want me to show you the bedroom where you’ll sleep?” He jokes.

"In a minute." Elisa insists, taking that moment and the opportunity it offers, and wraps her arms around Javi's neck to pull him into a kiss.

He doesn’t hesitate, although there’s a thought in the back of his mind as he leans into the movement and presses his lips to hers. He wonders what you are doing right this second.

******

Inez’s new apartment is a walk-up in a part of town that makes you think she might need Chi-Chi more than you do. If the sweet dog hadn’t warmed up to Javier so quickly and thoroughly, you might even be moved to suggest it, but knocking on your friend’s door brings only one thought to the forefront. You can’t wait to hug her and have a good gossip about something other than Javier.

Opening the door requires many locks to be unbolted, but when they are done, she throws the door open happily. “You’re here!” She scoops you up and wraps her arms around you. “I’ve missed seeing you!”

“Hey gorgeous!” You bury yourself in the hug, letting her drag you inside and bundle you up in it, returning the tight squeeze with enthusiasm. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

“You look great.” Inez declares. “How have you been? I heard the club will be opening again soon.”

“Yeah, I heard they found new owners and the remodel will be done soon.” Javier and his partner had been keep close tabs on the building, so you’re better than usually informed about the space. “Are you…going back to working there?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs slightly, trying not to think about the fact that she could have been killed if she was working that night. “The tips were good, but I don’t know if I want to risk it.” She tilts her head. “How’s Alex?”

“You deserve a better place to work than that.” Giving her one more squeeze, you follow her into the small space and plop down on the sofa in her living room with her. There is already a bottle of rum out and glasses, and you groan with delight when she starts to pour. “The other thing, though…I dumped him.”

“Good.” She hadn’t really liked the vibe she got from Alex, but she had never said anything. He had seemed to entertain you and make you happy, so that was all that mattered to her.

“You didn’t like him either, huh?” You huff at her and roll your eyes. “You guys need to say something. Señora Perrín positively danced when she found out.”

“You seemed like you needed the confidence boost.” Inez shrugs and isn’t going to apologize. “Besides if he was amazing, we would be wrong to have talked ill of him.”

“Well, it turns out he was a piece of shit, so he’s not worth wasting breath on anymore.” Raising the glass she hands you, you tap it against hers and savor the friendly sound of clinking glass. “Salud.”

“Damn.” She shakes her head. “I was hoping he was on of the good spooks.”

“I don’t think there’s any such thing.” At least not that you’ve met. And you’ve now met plenty of them. “Chi-Chi sends her love, by the way.”

“I miss that dog.” She laughs, shaking her head. “So where are you staying? Señora Perrín said you had a safe place but she didn’t explain.”

“Yeah, I…” There is no real use in sugar coating it, and your mind is a little fried from chasing down a lead in your next story all damn morning and afternoon. So you just end up shrugging. “Do you remember that guy I went to stay with while Helena was hurt?” You ask, unsure how Inez will react.

“The asshole you couldn’t stand?” She frowns and shakes her head. “What about him?”

“Yeah.” That is what you said, after all. Inez hasn’t been looped in about Javier being your roommate because it’s been so long since you saw her last. “He’s, uh…he’s sort of my roommate now. Or I’m his roommate, I guess you’d say.”

“And you haven’t killed him?” She snorts and looks impressed. “You were not captivated by that guy.” She reminds you. “Honestly? It seemed like you had been interested and he rejected you.”

"Oh we're getting into it early today, huh?" Inez is the friend you can be most honest with, and it's not necessarily surprising that she would be able to cracks these topics open with you. If you had been hoping to avoid the topic of Javier, you are sorely mistaken. "Alright, if we're going to get into this, then what are we having for dinner? Because I'm about to spill my guts to you so I need a full belly for it."

She snorts and grins at you. “I ordered in.” She tells you. “It’s in the kitchen, already. I got Indian.”

"Gorgeous," you groan happily. Samosas and butter chicken and pumpkin curry will make this conversation go much more easily. "I'm sorry it's been so long since we did this, but at least there's plenty to talk about."

“There has been a lot that has changed.” She shrugs slightly, although she has missed sharing some downtime meals with you. Her neighbors aren’t the best. “But now we can spend the evening talking.”

The two of you bustle around her tiny kitchen for a few minutes, bringing take out containers, plates, and forks out to the living room. Once you're sitting again, Inez looks at you expectantly and you blow out a breath. "Okay," you submit, dipping the corner of one samosa in the cilantro sauce that the restaurant sent. "First of all, he is really hot. I'm not going to deny that."

“I have to meet this guy.” She grunts, knowing that you have good taste in attractiveness - despite Alex.

“He’s…” The first bite of food relaxes you a bit, and you pour a little ginger beer into your rum glasses to make a most basic cocktail that will be absolutely delicious with your dinner. “Unfairly pretty. Like Burt Reynolds but sexier. Which I didn’t think was even possible.”

“Burt Reynolds?” She tilts her head and then grins. “Bandit?” She’s seen that movie with you, having found it here dubbed in Spanish and she had really liked it. He was sexy and if your Javier is as sexy as him, then this guy is extremely fuckable.

“Which doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just a fact.” Although you had caught a glimpse of him tugging his shirt over his head on the way out of his room the other day and had to pause to collect yourself.

“I take it you haven’t fucked him?” She asks, lifting a brow.

“No.” That makes you shake your head, willing away the daydreams — and regular dreams — you’ve been starting to have about him. “No. It’s not like that.”

“Wait a minute…” She frowns and stares at her food for a moment before her expression turns contemplative. “Isn’t this the guy you said was responsible for Helena?”

“Admittedly, I jumped to conclusions on that one.” While being protective of your friend is not something you believe at all you ought to apologize for, you most certainly have apologized for thinking that Javier forced her into that situation. You were entirely in the wrong. “I didn’t do my due diligence. It turns out Helena insisted on going into the situation, and Javi had given her advice and direction to navigate it safely. Then…when she got hurt anyway…he got her out as fast as he could and made sure she got to the hospital.”

“Okay, I don’t want to beat his face in now.” She had only heard snippets of the situation and had never really met Helena except in passing. “So he’s a good guy?”

"He's..." A mouthful of curry has you feeling another measure of relaxation, and you shrug one shoulder. "Grumpy. And cranky. And cocky." And despite every less than complimentary word coming out of your mouth, there is an upward curve to one corner of your lips and a barely perceptible softness in your voice. "Yeah. He's a good guy."

“So he’s the exact type of man that you said you despise.” She laughs and takes a bite of her food. “I bet you hate living with him.”

"We're barely ever home at the same time." At least that much is true, and you bury yourself into focusing on your food for a moment. You barely escaped her noticing that you do not, in fact, hate Javier at all. In fact...it's turning into the opposite. "When we are it's fine. But we both work weird hours."

“Well, maybe being roommates with someone who works off hours and keeps to himself is just what you need.” She hums. “Besides, if you trust him, it is a good thing. The neighborhood is far rougher than it used to be.”

"Javi lives near the American embassy," you reveal, knowing that it says a whole lot about his apartment just from the neighborhood that he is in. No part of the city is universally safe, but his spacious, beautiful apartment is definitely in a safer neighborhood.

“Oh God.” Her eyes widen in surprise and she nods, reaching for her drink. “No wonder you leapt at the chance to live there. I would too.”

"And, believe it or not?" This time you go past a small, secret smile and right up to laughing as you fork up another bite of food. "Chi-Chi likes him."

“No fucking way!” She hisses, howling with laughter when you nod. “That dog doesn’t like anyone who doesn’t have a pussy.”

"Just one." You chuckle right along with her. "Just Javier. That's it."

“Fuck.” She marvels at that and picks up her drink to take a sip. “So….” She prompts. “What made you stay with this man?”

"I'm not with him," you clarify, even though Inez already knows that. It just feels like you need to repeat it, although it might be more for yourself than for her. "There was nowhere else. I mean...I had been looking for almost two months. Ultimately the only place I could find that I could afford, was safe, and was okay with Chi-Chi...was the place I was already."

"Then is sounds like it's the perfect place for you." She says wisely. "You will be fine. It sounds like you don't spend much time with him."

“No. I guess not.” And for reasons you are absolutely not prepared to deal with, that deflates you. To the point where you’re now slouching over completely in your seat as you have your dinner. “How is it for you here?” You ask, deflecting the conversation so you don’t think too hard about how you’re starting to actually enjoy the time you spend with your roommate. Your soulmate.

She notices the way you seem to curl in on yourself, but she doesn't press. Instead, she shrugs. "It's alright." She wishes that the raid hadn't ruined the perfect work/life balance for her. "The little bar I'm working in doesn't pay nearly as well as the club, but I'm making it work."

“There’s a place up by me that is looking for more help.” It’s not a lot, but at least it’s something you can offer her. “It’s a more upscale restaurant. I’m not sure what the pay would be like but the tips would be good.”

That could possibly work. She nods. “Yeah, give me their information before you go home tonight.” She asks. “I would like to stop by there.”

“Of course.” It’s a fancy place two blocks down from Javier’s apartment where you’ve seen very well dressed couples go in and out on your walks, and heard it mentioned around the embassy as a place for meetings in the afternoons. It would be safer than any bar she’s working in, in this neighborhood, and definitely better money. “It’s been mentioned around the embassy a bit. So if you end up there make sure you spit in Alex’s drink for me if he ever turns up.”

“Did the bastard cheat?” She would spit in his drink just for shits and giggles but if he cheated on you, she would make him literally shit himself.

“Not that I know of.” Although now that she mentions it, you wouldn’t be surprised. “Turns out he was using me for my living room windows. Trying to stake out the building.”

“Shit.” She hisses. “That fucking bastard.”

"It's my own fault," you shrug. As suspected, the well-made and well-spiced dinner that your friend ordered is softening the harsh blow of the conversation. "I came on to him, remember? That's what I get, I guess. I was feeling good that night."

“Nope.” She shakes her head, frowning fiercely. “You aren’t going to do that. You don’t blame yourself for him being a scumbag.”

"It's done," you tell her, shaking your head again and letting the thought continue on without even pausing to consider what you're saying. "Javi kicked his ass anyway. It's over."

“Wait a minute—” she points her fork at you. “Your roommate kicked Alex’s ass?” She lifts her brows up into her hair they are so high. “Why?”

"Uhhh..." Shit. Shit. Shit. Well, there's no way out of this now. "Apparently Javier overheard Alex talking shit in the embassy men's room and took exception to him insulting me."

“Wow.” She looks suitably impressed. “He is a good guy.” She huffs. “Bring him around one night and I’ll buy him a round.”

"He is." That isn't something you're doing to deny. Especially not after everything he's done for you. "He's like a grumbly old neighborhood dog. The first impression might not always be perfect, but you warm up to him pretty quickly."

“And you would like to warm up to him in bed?” She’s grinning as she asks that question and watching you closely.

"Oh, shut up," you huff, groaning in response.

Cackling in delight when you duck your head in embarrassment, she knows she’s hit the nail on the head. “Ohhhh so you have a big crush.”

"God, it's so much more complicated than that." Another groan comes and you wipe one hand down your face. Rum. You definitely need more rum.

That she doesn’t understand, but she doesn’t push you. “It will work out.” She promises you softly, reaching over and touching your arm sympathetically.

"I honestly don't know." Setting down the rum bottle again, you look up at Inez and sigh. "If I tell you something, will you promise not to freak out?"

“Sure, you know you can tell me anything.” She promises, wondering if you’ve somehow done a background check on him or stalked his ex’s to find out his type.

"The thing is..." You have to give yourself a moment to breathe, and set down your plate on the coffee table to hold your drink in both hands like it's somehow centering you and not just an anchor for all the chaos you've been feeling lately. "We found out that..." Out with it. Just say it. Say it out loud, it's not that scary. It's just a fact and nothing more. "Javier and I are...we're soulmates..."

Inez freezes, shocked and her immediate instinct is to squeal in happiness for you, but she senses that’s not the right move. “And…how do you feel about that?” She breathes out softly.

"Real answer, or kneejerk answer?" You ask, even though you know immediately what she'll say.

“Of course I want to know how you really feel.” She rolls her eyes and smiles at you. “Whatever it is.”

"I feel really fucking confused." It's the truth that you can't even say out loud to the girls, knowing how Freckles and Helena and Vanessa absolutely adore Javier. You need that impartial third party. The person who only knows you and how you're reacting and how unusual this conflict is for you. Someone who doesn't know Javier from a hole in the wall and only cares about your side of the story.

"Because on paper he's...he's kind of perfect. Handsome, charming, smart, totally dry sense of humor. We even like most of the same movies and a lot of the same food. But in reality? Something just isn't clicking, and I don't know what or why."

“Too different?” Inez asks, certain that it has to be something small that you might feel is insurmountable. Like a mountain out of a mole hill situation.

"We're so similar." The opposite of that problem, in fact, which you had always heard tauted as one of the benefits of soulmate relationships. "We' both stubborn and headstrong and...if I'm being completely honest? The biggest difference is that he could have literally anyone he wanted. Despite what the girls say it seems like an insult from the universe that he got stuck with me."

“Does he think it’s an insult?” That title for good guy is hanging by a precarious thread if he feels slighted that his soulmate isn’t some rail thin model. You aren’t as fat as you think you are, or imagine how you look to others. Your self-image is negative and you will always see the worst in yourself even if you champion for others.

This is the sort of challenge from your most honest and most outspoken friend that you don't like very much, because it forces you to admit that your perspective of the situation is skewed. "He says, and the girls say...that he prefers...a fuller figure. But I've never seen him go near anyone my size before. I mean...we've slept with some of the same women. And I adore those girls but they are half my size."

“He pays them?” She asks. “Same as you do?” You nod and she tilts her head. “How many ‘fuller figured’ girls do the sicarios visit?” She even uses air quotes for the annoyed tone that is tacked onto your description of your body type.

"None that I know of," you reason without hesitation. "Because it's not the most common standard of beauty."

“So they would not have the information he was looking for.” She points out. “And it’s not like he can go around fucking everyone and letting his guard down around them.”

"I don't know that there's more than one person in Colombia he's ever let his guard down around." As far as you know, the answer is one single person. Only one. "Just Helena. And she's...as best as I can tell, she's completely in love with him."

“She has to know that you are soulmates.” Her eyes widen again, this time sympathetically for the other woman. “But what does he feel for her?”

"The girls are the ones who told me." The fact that they knew for so long and said nothing is still a sticking point for you, but you understand now why they kept it to themselves. If you're this conflicted now there's no way it would have been any better then. "And, I mean, they're...they're friends. It's unrequited, if that's what you're asking. And she knows that. Which sucks for her, honestly. It sucks to have feelings for someone who doesn't return them."

“So he doesn’t love her, he’s defended you against your asshole ex, he likes bigger girls, but you think it’s unfair that you are his soulmate?” She ticks off the list rationally.

"Oh come on, don't do that." Boiling it down to bullet point facts has you sinking down in your seat again and taking a long sip of your drink. "The number of times a day I think about that man has skyrocketed every single week. It's basically exponential at this point. And if I let myself think about him freely it's just..." You groan, knocking back the end of your second drink and digging the heels of your hands into your eyelids like you're trying to banish a mental image and can't quite get to your mind's eye. "I'm going to end up with feelings for him and that won't end well."

“And that scares you.” Inez had heard your stance on soulmates more than once and she understands why now what caused you to be so wary of the soulmate connection. It’s as if you were sabotaging yourself.

With another sigh, you swallow back the emotion threatening to cut through your voice. The truth of it. The honesty. "Absolutely fucking terrifies me to my core."

“You poor thing.” She sighs and shakes her head. “You just keep your head down and focus on your stories for now.” She advises. “Your moment of clarity will come.”

"You're lucky," you decide, letting out another shaky breath. "I'd give anything to go back to not having any clue who my soulmate was."

“No, you wouldn’t.” She promises, smiling sadly as she looks down at the small, crescent shaped scar on her forearm. “It’s just as terrifying to think that you might never meet them. Or that they could die before you do and then you will be left with the aching sense of loss for someone you’ve never even met. No where to go to mourn, you don’t even know their name.” She shakes her head. “I’m happy for you. Even if you are never more than roommates.”

"Fine." Annoyingly, she's right. Inez knows you better than you know yourself more often than not, and right now there is an eerie sense of how correct she really is that settles over you. Would you be happier never knowing the rancher's son from the borderlands of Texas? No. You wouldn't. You would still be secretly dreaming of whoever it was out there that shared your marks and half of your soul. But knowing and being too scared to reach for him is a different kind of torture. "Then I wish I wasn't so scarred by my past and my self-image and that I could actually have some kind of hope without it being weighed down by fear."

She sighs softly, aware that no amount of arguing or pep talks will convince you that you deserve this chance. “Maybe that will come in time.”

"Maybe." And then again? Maybe not. Right now you feel too far out in the ocean for even that anchor on your ankle to do any good.

Hope. An ironic motto from your home, when you feel like there is absolutely none at all.

******

Water. Elisa slips out of the bed and reaches for the shirt that is heaped on the floor. Slipping into it and only buttoning one of the buttons as she creeps out of the room. Javi is asleep, curled around a pillow after he had let go of her and she smirks slightly at the ache between her thighs. He’s obviously been pent up and it had been animalistic and needy. Just what she craved right now with her future so uncertain.

The front door of the apartment opens quietly. You had gotten a little too tipsy at Inez's place and stayed until you were sober enough to drive home safely. Now you creep in at the late hour just in case Javier has fallen asleep on the couch like he sometimes does. The man gets little enough sleep as it is, he doesn't need you waking him up.

It isn't the sleep form of your roommate guarded dutifully by an enormous but loving dog that greets you, though. It's a very surprised woman fully naked except for the shirt that is barely holding on to her trim frame.

Javier's shirt.

Chi-Chi's low growl pointed in her direction could not be a better echo for the breaking of your heart in this moment.

“Oh.” Elisa has assumed that Javi’s roommate had come home sometime during the hours that he had spent making her see stars. They hadn’t been exactly quietly and she had thought she just must not have heard the door. It was why she was trying to be so quiet when she came to get water. “I’m sorry, I thought—” she shakes her head, knowing that it doesn’t matter what she thinks. “Elisa.” She introduces herself and quickly sets down the glass to start buttoning up the shirt more. You have to be used to this if Javier is your roommate.

“I—” Panic rises in your throat, strangling whatever other words you were about to say. After spending the entire night pouring your heart out to Inez and coming around to the realization that you really are starting to feel things for Javier…you come home to this.

“Excuse me.” Fleeing past her to the room that you have shared with Chi-Chi every day since the raid, you pull the door shut behind you and turn the lock. Barely getting yourself inside before the tears start to fall.

Elisa stares after you for a moment, surprised by the unhappy heartbreak that she had seen on your face before you rushed off. It’s obvious that you have some sort of feelings for your roommate and she wonders if he knows that. She refills the glass, not wanting to run into you again, and makes her way back to the bedroom she is sharing with Javi.

******

When morning comes you stay glued to your bed. The melancholy and self-berating disappointment is still too strong to face the day, and you had planned to do some more recon tonight rather than this morning anyway. The smell of coffee is even more taunting, as you are more than certain that that woman is out there drinking it with him instead of you.

He doesn’t owe you anything. You’re not together and you never pretended to be. But still you’re so jealous that it’s nearly dissolving you into a depressive episode.

When Elisa has come back into the bedroom, Javi had woken up again. He had briefly woken up when she slipped out of the bed, but he had sat up when she had closed the door again. Only to not sleep the rest of the night when she had told him that he had met you.

Now waiting for you to come out into the kitchen so he can explain. His stomach clenching with guilt and annoyance at that guilt.

“Don’t look at me like that.” You mumble at Chi-Chi. The dog will need to be walked soon but you’re probably a bad person for wanting to put it off as long as possible. Just to prevent having to go out there and face the day.

Javi checks his watch as he blows out a sigh. Soon he’s going to have to leave and he really doesn’t want to leave Elisa here without talking to you. He twitches slightly and shakes out his arms as he walks down the hall to your door and taps on it gently.

The sound cuts through the thick silence of your room too sharply, making you frown but you ignore it. If it’s that woman you don’t want to face her, and if it’s him? Well…that might be worse.

He doesn’t hear you and he frowns as he taps on the door again, saying your name. He needs to talk to you.

“Fuuuuck…” The soft groan is more for yourself than anything else, and after about six seconds of debate you drag yourself out of bed and wrap an oversized sweater around yourself to cover up the thin tank top and shorts you usually sleep in. Six more seconds of steeling yourself are necessary before you pull open the door just enough to see him standing there looking carved from marble levels of gorgeous. “Morning,” you manage to mumble. It is certainly not a good one so you won’t claim it to be.

You must be hung over. The look on your face and the way you seem to wince when you see him. He should have brought you a cup of coffee. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“No.” But you still avoid the bright light from the living room behind him or having to look him in the face by casting your eyes down at the floor. “Going to work?” You guess.

“Yeah—” he pauses and feels awkward. “Look, there’s a witness in my room.” Javi blows out, keeping his voice low. “I know you might want to interview her, but I need you to hold any story, okay?” He asks, hoping you will do him this favor. “Can you keep an eye on her for me?”

“Babysit your new girlfriend.” It comes out of your mouth bitingly, much more harshly than you meant it to sound but honest nonetheless. The fact that he would even think to ask you to do that is as heartbreaking as it is cruel. “Sure. Fine. Got it. Although I can promise you I won’t be interviewing her. Anything else?”

His eyes widen and he chokes out your name, the guilt cascading over him again. “She can tie M-19 to Escobar.” He hisses quietly, shuffling closer to you. “They attacked the Palace of Justice yesterday.”

“I genuinely don’t care.” Your own guilt is what pushes that sentence out of your mouth, and you take a step back from him to avoid being too close — which Chi-Chi takes as an invitation as she slips off of your bed and out into the hall. Professional you cares very much that this woman has such important information. But professional you is not in charge right now. “If she needs to be guarded, then don’t work late tonight, okay? I have a lead I’m following after dark.”

“You don’t need to be out too late.” The caution comes out automatically and he frowns when you back up from him. You’re soft and smell like sleep and whatever perfume you had worn, making his cock twitch in his pants as he realizes you have little under that sweater.

“Just gives you more time to fuck your informant,” you snap back, irritated that he would feel so entitled as to tell you how to do your job. “Anything else?” Tacking sir onto the end of it is just on the tip of your tongue, but for all you know he likes that. So you don’t.

He swallows harshly at the venom in your voice. “No.” He steps back and feels the sharp sting of rejection that doesn’t sit well. “There’s coffee in the kitchen.” He offers before he turns around.

His only answer is the slam of your bedroom door. It won’t open again while he’s still home. Once he’s left you’ll take the dog for a walk and do your best to avoid the woman he’s left behind in your shared space while simultaneously not speaking to her at all if you can possibly help it.

Javi almost wakes Elisa up to tell her to just stay in his room, but he doesn’t. Pausing in the hallway for a second and wondering why the hell you are so angry. You had agreed that there wasn’t going to be anything happening between the two of you, why are you acting like he’s cheating on you?

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon   @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

BFoW: @haileymorelikestupid @theorganasolo @missladym1981 @alexiamargot06 @southernbe

[ultimate-chickennougat]

| Your Salaryman Husband | (Vol 5)

Vol 1 Vol 2 Vol 3 Vol 4 (Not Required) Vol 6 Vol 7 Vol 8 Vol 9

Salaryman!Kento x Housewife!Reader

Visiting Nanami at work...

Word Count: 1.5k

CW: SFW, domestic fluff, fem!Reader, slightly slightly suggestive, office things

A/n: The pacing is a bit off in this, I'll do Gojo in the next volume (which will hopefully be better).

Within your last three months of marriage, it had become even more clear to you just how organized your husband Nanami was. 

The talented Jujutsu Sorcerer, and current salaryman, was always on time to wake up, go to work, and come home, never varying more than a couple of minutes. It was easy to plan things that way, knowing exactly when to greet him and have dinner ready. 

He kept to the usual schedule, drinking his morning coffee on the living room table while looking over some documents on his computer. It was a simple part of his routine, and while rather mundane, it somehow produced some much needed peace before heading to work. 

He had gotten used to the banging of pots and pans, and the subtle hums that came out of your mouth as you cooked, having finished making breakfast and packing his lunch box for the day. You carefully balanced his plate and the basket of bread in your arms, safely setting them on the table next to his coffee cup, and made the second trip to grab your own, while he packed up his things. 

Sitting down, you couldn’t help but smile watching Nanami eat the food you made. He had a long day of work to go, various meetings to attend and many papers to read. To give him the gift of a good breakfast every morning was one of the greatest joys you had, knowing that he would need it in the hours to come, along with his lunch of course. 

There wasn’t much left for Nanami to do that morning. His clothes had been picked out by you and placed neatly in a pile, his breakfast was made, also by you, and his briefcase and shoes were set by the door for when he left. Despite your husband’s usual organized manner, he seemed to have forgotten one important thing as he stepped out the door, another boring work day ahead of him. 

You had already moved on to get the morning chores done, scrubbing down the bathroom tiles and sink, and throwing the dirty clothes into the laundry. You watched out the window while wiping the dishes with soapy water, taking a deep sigh of relief knowing you were almost done. The sky was blue and the sun was shining brightly throughout the house, and while the weather was lovely, rain hadn’t fallen on your plants in quite a while. So you took a watering can and went outside, tending to the fruits and vegetables and harvesting the ripe ones. 

Time really does fly when you’re having fun, which you were, seeing the variety of colors fill the basket, a testament of your hard work and care. When you got back into the house, fully prepared to relax on the couch and read, you noticed something peculiar on the kitchen counter.

A lunch box. It was none other than your husband, Kento Nanami’s, lunch box.

The clock read 11:12, meaning less than an hour until his lunch break. Of course this was not a regular occurrence, so the thoughts that went through your head were a bit past rational. “What if he doesn’t have money with him… or doesn’t have time to go to a store?” you mumbled to yourself, pacing around the kitchen. 

There was only one thing to do, in your mind. You could just bring the lunchbox to Nanami, right? So you quickly grabbed a bag and placed the box into it, as well as your wallet, and got out the door. It was about a 20 minute walk to the station at your speed, and a 15 minute ride to get to his building. 

Stepping out of the station, you gazed widely at the imposing building that Nanami worked in. Though you had seen it before, then it wasn’t surrounded by large crowds of people walking around the city.

You dashed inside the building, the lobby filled with salarymen grabbing coffee from the shop on the first floor. To that you had to facepalm, seeing the menu had sandwiches and other savory items. Of course he would have the opportunity to get lunch, all the other workers did it.

Turning back was an option, in your dress and flats you looked quite out of place, but it was 11:55, and Nanami would be on break in 5 minutes. It would be a waste of money to buy a sandwich, when you had an even better lunchbox waiting for him. 

When the clock struck 12:00, you started to find your way throughout the massive building, to the secretary’s desk. Nanami and the rest of his department would be on break, so you could visit him in his office. 

The secretary buzzed you up to his floor, and you wandered around past the mass of people heading to the elevator. Peaking around each doorway you looked for Nanami’s blonde hair and dark gray suit, having not seem him leave. The striking figure of your husband was hard to miss. 

Nanami sat hunched over in his chair, rummaging through his things in search of something. He was the only one who hadn’t left the room yet, letting out a grunt when his hands came up empty. You silently walked over to him, happy that you were able to find him so quickly. 

“Kento, darling,” you stated meekly, smiling to greet Nanami. He looked over his shoulder in surprise, you had never been to his office before. “Y/n, what are you doing here?”  He inquired, eyeing you. It couldn’t have been easy, figuring out where everything was and making the journey here. 

He smoothed his hand over his neck, leaning to the side. “I appear to have forgotten my lunch, could that be it?” he asked, not waiting for your response. You nodded, reaching into your bag to hand him the box. “Right on time, thank you, my love,” he reciprocated your smile, the shyness knocked off your face. “While you’re always welcome to come visit me, you really don’t have to come all this way for something like this…” he started clearing the papers off his desk. “I didn’t realize you had a cafe downstairs,” you laughed, “and that the streets here are so busy during the day.” 

“Their sandwiches are fine, but I’d still rather have this - it certainly has more nutritional value,” Nanami relaxed, setting his lunchbox on the desk. “I don’t know what slipped my mind, I’m sorry you had to come deliver this, Y/n,” he stood up, adjusting his tie with his hand. 

“I should probably be getting back now, Kento,” you frowned, not having much of any reason to stay. Your own lunch was at home, and the train would only get busier. Nanami gently gripped your shoulder, leading you to sit down in the chair in front of his desk.

“It tends to settle down a little while people are eating, why don’t you stay a bit longer? Only a few minutes - I enjoy your company, afterall,” he smirked as you took in the office around you. “The view is beautiful,” you looked out the window, your hand mindlessly fiddling with your other one as you avoided his gaze, towering over you until he sat down. It was the same sky and weather that was at home, but you were with him, and that made it so much better.  

“Though it makes getting around a bit longer, this office has the best view, and is quite secluded,” he picked up his fork and took a bite of food. “For the many meetings with clients I have, it works out well as a background, and for soundproofing,” you nodded, listening intently. “My other coworkers are on this floor, and the one below it,” he mentioned, eating more. You continued your conversation a short while longer. 

“It’s already 12:20, I’ll let you leave now,” he stared at his watch, slightly annoyed that the second hand kept ticking. You stood up, feeling the lack of weight on your shoulder as your bag was nearly empty. A reminder of your purpose for being in the office in the first place.

“Do other wives visit often?” you asked, curious, as Nanami joined you. “A few, but mostly at the end of the day,” he took your hand, as the two of you walked out into the rest of the floor. “Most of my coworkers are single,” he sighed, as you looked a bit surprised. 

“Maybe I should start forgetting my lunch more often,” Nanami met your flustered gaze, you didn’t want to say goodbye and wait for hours for him to come home. “You could see more of the work we do here,” he smiled, pulling you into a hug, “and all those dull trainees could see what a beautiful wife I have,” you blushed red. 

“Goodbye, Kento, I love you,” you started walking out the building, cheeks flushed and a smile not leaving your face. “Stay safe, Y/n, I love you too,” he replied, watching you leave. “Only a few more hours…” he mumbled in his head, “a few more hours…”

[sixlane]

Give it up

Jegulus microfic | 1.1k words | Mr & Mrs Smith au pt. 3 | pt. 1, pt. 2

“You fucked the whole thing up, James!” Regulus yells, angrily putting plates in the dishwasher.

“Love, they were five seconds from sticking that gun in your mouth and pulling the trigger. What would you have me do?”

These screaming matches aren’t out of the ordinary for them recently. They usually make a good team, but sometimes their methods of handling missions are a little too different. Regulus will say James doesn’t take enough risks, James will say Regulus is reckless with his life, they’ll fight but agree to leave it behind them by morning. James doesn’t want to leave it behind them anymore.

“Nothing! I had it under control!” Regulus is gesticulating dramatically, too lost in himself to bother controlling his arms. 

“That did not look like having it under control. You were blindfolded and bound to a fucking chair!” 

“I had them right where I wanted them. Stupid men will tell you all their secrets if they think you’re dead anyway.” Regulus turns the sink on its hottest level and begins furiously scrubbing at a pot from the stove.

“He wasn’t ever going to talk, Regulus, you have to realize that. He was just playing with his fucking food!” 

James doesn’t think he’s ever been more angry. The mission had been going well. They were playing off each other perfectly, so in sync it was exhilarating, until Regulus went and got himself kidnapped, telling James “trust me” and “I can get more out of this guy just give me an hour.” It had only taken James 15 minutes to find his location and kill everyone who had even looked at Regulus wrong.

“Don’t fucking condescend me like that. I knew what I was doing. Why can’t you ever do as you’re fucking told?” Regulus drops the pot into the sink and turns around, staring at James with a wild look. God he’s beautiful when he’s angry.

“Because you’re not in charge! We’re supposed to be a team, Regulus. The mission was over, we got we needed and you still wanted to risk your life for more. There was no point!”

“It’s called being good at your job, James. Maybe you should try it sometime.” 

James rolls his eyes. “Oh don’t give me that shit, you do remember I have more kills than you, right? Says it right there on the fridge.” James points to the alphabet magnets they stuck up there a few months ago. It’s a game they’ve been playing. Keeping track of who has more so at the end of each month the loser has to take the winner out on a date. Well, James has been calling them dates. Regulus prefers to call them “work dinners.” 

“How could I forget? You’ve been rubbing it in for the last three months in a row you arrogant fucking asshole!”

“Aw love don’t get jealous. I’ll let you win next month if you want. Take you someplace real nice.” The sarcasm is heavy in James’ voice as he leans on the island with both hands. Regulus’ eyes briefly focus on his forearms before he turns back to the sink, taking his anger out on the pot again.

“You’re fucking impossible,” he says. “I’m done with this conversation.”

“No you’re not.” James says, coming around the island to stand next to Regulus. “No more ignoring this, Regulus, we have a problem, let's fix it like adults.”

Regulus drops the pot again and turns off the water, taking a deep breath. “Fine.”

James takes that as his cue to speak. “You hate not having control. You hate to admit you’re wrong and you hate when I have to save you.” He can see Regulus’ face getting hotter with each word.

“Okay, we’re doing this. How about you?” Regulus shoves a finger into James’ chest. “You can’t stand it when I’m right. You hate when I take risks and they pan out and you hate that the agency values me more because of it.”

James swats his hand away, starts closing in. “Fuck the angency, they don’t matter.”

“They do matter, James. They’re everything!” Regulus is yelling again.

“Not to me!”

“Then why are you even here?”

“For you!” Regulus stops, mouth hanging open. “If it weren’t for you I would’ve packed it up a long time ago, but you matter to me, Regulus. You matter to me more than the missions or the money. I am here for you!”

“James—”

“No, don't tell me this is strictly professional or that we’re just partners because it’s been more than that for a long time and you know it.”

“I—” He’s staring at James with giant gray eyes, mouth opening and closing around words that won’t come.

“Just have me, Regulus. I’m already yours, anyway.”

 “You fucking asshole,” Regulus whispers around what could be a sob. James can’t tell because Regulus’ fingers are in his hair, pulling him down until their lips clash.

It’s chaste, but intense. Their mouths stay closed but they press into each other like there’s nowhere else they could possibly be.

After a minute, Regulus pulls back slightly, breathing in short bursts. He is crying, James realizes as he feels the wetness on his own face.

“Regulus,” James tries, bringing his hands to cradle the other man’s face.

“Shut up,” He returns, kissing James again, but with something new. Something hungry. He kisses James like a man starved and James doesn’t let a second of it go to waste.

He lifts Regulus off the ground and deposits him on the island, standing in between his legs and urging Regulus to wrap them around him. He slots his hands under Regulus’ shirt and traces his spine, like Regulus did to him all those months before.

Regulus gasps, needy as James moves down his neck, alternating between sharp teeth and soothing tongue. Savoring the places Regulus has kept hidden from him all this time. 

Regulus detaches James briefly to take off his shirt, dropping it to the floor, before moving James’ head down to his chest, where James realizes for the first time that he has a small tattoo of a star on his left pectoral. He kisses it gently, then runs his tongue around a peaked nipple, earning a whine from Regulus, who has his bottom lip between his teeth as he watches intently, like he’ll forget if he doesn’t record every second. 

James makes a mess of his chest, covering it in bruises and spit. When he’s happy with his work and Regulus is a wordless mess, he lifts him off the counter, opting to finish him off in the bedroom.

On soft sheets, Regulus lets James show him all the ways he matters. By the end of the night, James makes sure he believes in them.

[immajustvibehere]

Amidst a Crashing World (2/5)

Pairing: Arthur Morgan x fem!Reader

Summary: Arthur stops by at your cabin again and you serve him a home-cooked meal.

tags for this series: fluff, little bit of angst, no-tb-Arthur, literally your love redemption, maybe smut (but probably not), slow burn (but I mean how slow can a story really burn in five chapters?)

! d/n stands for dog's name. So go ahead and pick a female dog name of your choice!

This is still a little bit of exposition, but I promise...way more fluff in the chapter to come ;)

Link to my masterlist

previous chapter

4700 words

Two weeks after Arthur had initially stopped by at your cabin for the first time, he decided to go again. But when he arrived in the early afternoon, he found the cabin empty. It wasn’t abandoned, he assessed, as he peeked through the window. There was a dirty cup on the table and a big pot on the stove looked as if its contents were cooking, as the lid sometimes wobbled a little. Arthur noticed an addition to your wall. In between your drawings that you had nailed to the wooden wall, you had pinned your own bounty poster. It was the same that Arthur had shown you the last time, though he was sure he used his to light a fire later that week.

He wondered why you had put it up there, since you had complained about the sketch not doing you any favour. Arthur agreed by the way, not that the sketch made you look ugly, it simply didn't look like you.

The horse tracks in front of your house were fresh and Arthur figured you had left only a few hours prior, probably for a grocery run. So, he waited.

He leaned on your fence and sketched your cabin. Then he sketched the nature surrounding it. When that was done, he explored the forest behind the house, mentally mapping the berry bushes and animal tracks he found. When he came back to your cabin, you were still nowhere in sight, so he plucked another tomato from your plant and then decided he'd head to the pond that's only a five minutes’ walk away. Apparently, he’d have enough time for a wash, and it was right to say that he needed one anyways.

It was an unusual hot and humid day, especially for so far in the North and close to the mountains. Arthur suspected he had taken the sticky air from the swamps with him. The sky was clear, though it smelt like rain. Arthur went into the pond stark naked, the water didn't even reach his chest, but he still started to scrub away with a little piece of soap that he kept on his travels. The path that led to your house wasn’t frequently used, he could tell by how far the grass had overtaken the earth that was occasionally trampled by horses or people. He didn’t particularly worry that people would sneak up on him or that anyone would walk past for that matter.

Arthur was busy with washing his hair, scrubbing days' worth of sweat and dirt out of it, so he didn't hear your horse approach. You had been quick to recognize the man in the pond and your grin grew with the shrinking distance between you. Arthur's head plunged under water about every other second to get the soap out of his hair. He didn't hear your first "Hey!", but when you whistled, loud and shrill, the man looked up surprised.

At first, Arthur’s attention was drawn to a Labrador Retriever standing at the pond’s edge, its tail wagging as though it anticipated this strange man to toss him a stick. Slowly, Arthur’s eyes went up and so he found you, leaning forward in your saddle with a cheerful grin on your face. You looked...different to when he last saw you. Your clothes were well cared for, even your jeans were cleaner than any he had seen in a while. A revolver was casually tucked into the waistband of your jeans. Arthur had probably been right about the grocery run, because your horse bore the burden of loaded bags.

It took only moments before Arthur’s face turned red. The poor man found himself taken aback, and before he could do as much as utter a word, you yelled: "Don't go killin’ all of my fish with that stink you’re carrying!" And then you rode on, the dog faithfully trailing behind. Arthur remained still in the water, feeling a mix of embarrassment, confusion and a hint of amusement…if only it hadn’t come at his expense.

Fifteen minutes later, he was dry and dressed and walked back to your cabin. The door stood wide open, and he saw you stirring the big pot. It smelt deliciously like stew.

Though the door was open, Arthur knocked gently, so he wouldn't startle you by entering. You gave him a quick smile before you turned to the pot again.

"I, uh...I hadn't expected-...", Arthur had thought it a good idea to apologize, but he wasn't sure why, so he halted. Then he noticed that you had prepared the table for two.  

"Oh, I didn't know you were expecting someone", he commented, slightly surprised.

"Oh yeah", you turned around with a playful expression. "Don't know if ya've seen him. Naked fella in my pond. I thought he might stay for dinner", you said cheekily. You really hoped he would stay. It was a far reach, but you were curious as to why he had returned.

Arthur took a moment to process your words. He stood still until he had pieced a meaning them together. A smile appeared in the corner of his mouth, mixed with some confusion about your hospitality. Last time you held him at gun point to make him leave...but now, it was like you had hoped he'd be back.

"Just...you might want to take the saddle off your horse. Half an hour, and it will be raining", you said, taking the bowls and filling them with stew.

"Rain?", Arthur walked to the door and looked into the sky. It was as cloudless as he remembered it to be. Though the air held a sticky humidity, and a decent wind swept through the trees behind your house, there wasn’t a single cloud in sight.

"Trust me. I've lived here for a year. The clouds are still behind the mountains, it's deceptive", you grinned, placing the bowls on the table. Arthur's eyes fell on the stew, and he felt his mouth water. This smelled and looked better than anything he has had recently, and he’d prefer to dig in right away. Unsaddling his horse would take a while and...as if you could read his thoughts, you interrupted them: "Can't eat it yet anyway unless you fancy getting your tongue burned off."

"If it ain't raining in an hour, I might take ya in for that 15 dollar bounty", Arthur threatened playfully. You only crossed your arms and mumbled a "Try me."

Arthur had all his stuff in the house in record time and the stew was still steaming when he sat down opposite of you. You had added two slices of bread next to his bowl and a bottle of beer. It was the bread that he took first, and he looked at you surprised.

"'s still warm", he commented.

"Yeah", you smiled, "Client of mine baked it fresh today. It was the last job before I headed back, so it's still warm."

"Client?", Arthur asked, but his full attention was now directed towards the stew. He dipped the bread to soak up some of the savoury juices and had to suppress the urge to sigh contentedly as he took a bite. It was undeniebaly delicious. Indeed, better than anything he had tasted recently.

"You think I make my money robbing and stealing people?", you asked with raised eyebrow.

"Mhm", Arthur nodded, not bothering to offer a verbal response as he was occupied with the food before him.

"I'm...a barber of sorts", you said, "You remember, don't you?"

Yes. He did, now that you mentioned it. You were quite talented with scissor and razor and frequently did the girls’ hair. At one point, even Dutch had trusted his hair to you for some minor trims. It was also useful to pickpocket people, he recalled Miss Grimshaw justifying your worth for a mission once.

"Only I stopped robbing people while doing their hair. It's mostly elders or women from Annesburg. Their husbands work in the mine, and they are in a bad state as it is. I'm cheap, but I do my work well and I have plenty of clients."

"Turned yer life around, then", Arthur mumbled, genuinely feeling a sense of happiness for you.

"Yes. So I hope you don't mind me asking why you've decided to march back into it", though you spoke kindly, there was a sharp edge to your voice.

"Wanted to tell ya that Dutch...I told him yer trail was cold and I couldn't find ya", Arthur explained. A hint of embarrassment crossed his features, prompting him to sit up straight as he noticed he had been slouching over his plate. He cleared his throat, "I think he believed me."

"Thank you, truly", you answered. A huge weight lifting from your heart. So, he did protect you, you wondered.

Arthur asked for a second serving of food, when a thunder rumbled so loud, that the dog jumped up in protest. "Told ya", you mumbled. A few seconds later, the rain began to pour down.

Neither of you said anything until Arthur had nearly finished his second serving. A little small talk followed about the dog, which was calmly lying close to the stove. You had an agreement with the farmer nearby, that you switch taking the dog. Sometimes he needed him for protecting the herd, at other times, you borrowed him for hunting. For the next week or so, he’d live with you.

After this had been discussed, silence ensued again. Then, out of nowhere, Arthur said: "I'm sorry for back then. When ya came to me and told me about yer feelings and I- ehrm."

"You don't have to be sorry for not feeling the same way."

"That ain't it. I was…having a rough day and I…my answer wasn't what yer deserved", Arthur said gloomily, his spoon scratching over the plate to gather the rest of the stew.

Then, he continued: "I really try being an honest man but that night…hell…ya can't even call me half a man the way I let ya down." Arthur chuckled sadly, as if he was remembering the moment.

"What're you saying?", you sighed.

"I'm sorry. 's all. I know I hurt ya a great deal and this wasn't what I wanted."

You nodded in acknowledgement.

"That night, I sat with Hosea and Reverend and we was talking ‘bout Mary…that's why I was a bitter…stupid boy when you approached me."

"Oh. How is she?", you asked drily.

"Mary? I saw her in Valentine a while ago. Needed my help for her brother or something. Not sure how that turned out because I walked away. I was just an errand boy for her."

Arthur was more often the errand boy than he realised. For example, getting you back to join the gang was an errand and had Arthur spent even a minute thinking about it, he probably wouldn't have done it. You exhaled: "Why are you telling me this?"

"I think you deserve to know."

You wanted to let your head drop into the stew. How grateful you were for the little piece of bread dough that you had been rolling and kneading with your fingers for distracting purpose. Otherwise you might have peeled chunks out of your table, because of how tumultuous you felt. Suddenly, the silence was deafening. All you heard was the rain pouring down on your little shack. It violently dripped through the roof in one corner and into the bucket that you had provided there.

Both of you had finished your meals. With a swift motion, Arthur took out a pack of cigarettes.

"D'ya mind?", he asked, already placing a cigarette between his lips.

"Only if you don't share", you said softly. Arthur offered you the pack and you picked out a cigarette. The man struck a match and held it over the table, patiently waiting until your cigarette was lit, not bothering at all that he nearly burnt his finger when he got to lightening his own.

Arthur stood up and walked to the window, a waft of smoke trailing behind him.

"Jesus...", he mumbled as he looked observed the torrential rain. Darkness settled in and visibility worsened with the downpour.

"It won't let up until later tonight", you said, shaking your head knowingly. Observing Arthur lost in thought, he pondered for a while longer in front of the window. Eventually, his gaze shifted to the wall and your heart fluttered as he seemed to thoroughly analyse your sketches.

"You've taken up drawing?", he inquired.

"Days can be long and lonely", you replied.

"Not with her around, they ain't", he added. You were confused at first, but smiled when Arthur knelt down to pet d/n. She happily acknowledged him, her tail wagging energetically.

“What is it with the bounty poster?”, Arthur asked. His hands were busy with navigating through the dog’s fur. You saw how much d/n enjoyed it, as she leaned into the pets. You had collected on of your bounty posters shortly after Arthur had visited you. Why? It was just a terribly corny way of remembering Arthur. The moment he had walked up to your door, you knew that months of trying to forget or get over him had gone down the drain. You might as well acknowledge that you love and want to remember him. But you couldn’t admit that, of course.

“Just to remind me what I’m worth”, you smiled bitterly, “15 dollars.”

“I’m sure you’ve done stuff that deserves a higher bounty”, Arthur cheered.

“Oh yea. I just don’t bother leaving clues behind”, you answered. Arthur didn’t say anything, again. His thoughts seemed to wander, until he pushed himself up on his knees and stated:  "I suppose I should get going then..."

"What? You take baths twice a day now?", you teased. The idea that you would send anyone away in this weather was ridiculous. Arthur looked at you puzzled as if he hadn't understood that you were inviting him to stay.

"It's alright if you stay tonight. I won't have you ride to town in a storm", you explained. Sometimes, plain words are the way to go, you figured. Especially with Arthur. Even though the last time you spoke plainly, it hadn't worked out for you.

"And ya won't try'n kill me in my sleep?", Arthur chuckled and nervously scratched his neck. He was still unsure about staying, despite the premise of getting soaked to skin wasn't nearly as inviting as staying in your cabin, which was still filled with the smell of the stew. Arthur wouldn’t be able to take one more bite, but it smelled homely and comfortable, nevertheless.

Arthur continued: "Last time you threatened to shoot my kneecaps off so-"

"Well, last time, you were an intruder, not a guest. And the news you brought today pleased me way more than the one you gave me two weeks ago."

So, it was decided then. Both of you quickly assessed the sleeping situation. Arthur would spread his bedroll, which had stayed dry - thanks to your warning - at the opposite side of the room from your bed. It was a dry corner and close to the fireplace. You only had one extra blanket to offer, which Arthur accepted gratefully. As it grew darker outside as well as in the cabin, you lit a candle which remained on the table and two lanterns. One of them you put on your bedside table, the other one was taken by Arthur and he simply put in on the floor next to him.

It wasn't that late yet, but you had been on your feet all day. You were exhausted and the steady rhythm of the rain was lulling you right to sleep.

There was no "Good Night" or "Thank you for letting me stay". Neither of you said anything if it wasn't necessary to discuss for logistics reason.

"Want me to blow out the candle before I go to sleep?", Arthur had asked and you had said it would be fine, it was small anyways and would only last a few more hours. The table in the middle of the room pretty much hid the sight of one another, but you still saw that Arthur was scribbling away in his journal, before sleep took over.

You awoke at some point in the night. The rain was still as violent as before, but the candle on the table had gone out. Arthur was asleep, you figured, since he had turned off his lantern. Sometimes, you imagined you heard a snore, but it was really impossible to say with the noise of the weather.

For some reason, you were wide awake. You felt the desire to say something, you wanted to whisper Arthur's name and have him wake up to tell him something. What exactly, you weren't entirely sure. You wanted to thank him for the earlier apology. Strangely, you realised as you stared into the darkness, it had provided comfort you had desperately yearned for. But you knew it was ridiculous to wake him for such a thing, so you simply turned around, facing the wall rather than the direction in which Arthur was sleeping, and forced yourself back to sleep.

Arthur only stirred the next morning when a beam of sunlight pierced through the window. The lingering smell of coffee was something he noticed, even before he had decided it was time to open the eyes and face another day. Given his lifestyle of frequently changing his sleeping place, he sometimes woke up confused. Normally it'd take a few moments for him to remember where exactly it had been that he had fallen asleep. This time, however, his sight fell on your bounty poster on the wall, and he remembered where he was.

Standing up with a grunt, he noticed that you weren't in the house. He also noticed that the early morning had gone, and the sun was already on its way to its zenith. You had gone outside, leaving the door open. In contrast to yesterday, the air had cooled down significantly and Arthur even felt a slight chill as his body adjusted to waking up.

There was a can of coffee on the table and two mugs, one dirty and one clean. Arthur figured that you have had your share of the brown liquid and the rest was meant for him. He thought for a second but decided to put the coffee into the dirty cup, though you apparently had used it this morning, Arthur figured that it'd save time doing the dishes. There was also a pan of milk porridge on the stove and since it also looked like half was missing, he figured that the rest was for him. But he'd rather make sure.

Cup in hand, Arthur walked out of the door. The sun was blinding, the grass wet but green. He saw you immediately, as you were in front of the house, brushing the wetness out of his horse's coat. Your horse stood next to you, looking a offended that you chose to care for Arthur's first.

"G'd morning", Arthur said.

The raspy voice made you smile and look up. Good Lord, the man looked…heavenly. His hair tousled, his shirt all over the place and sleep still lingering in his expression. Yet, with every passing moment, the sun worked its magic, gradually rousing him from his slumber.  You hated how much loved his appearance. You even despised yourself for hoping this wouldn’t be the last time you saw him like this.

"Morning to you, too. Saw the porridge?", you asked, barely spending time on checking the man out but rather focusing on his horse.

"Wasn't sure if it's meant for me", Arthur admitted and lead the cup to his lips. The coffee wasn't boiling hot anymore, but it had a fine temperature to enjoy and still gain some warmth from.

"Oh, I wanted to finish all of it but got sick of it pretty quickly. That's why I collected some berries, uhm", you pointed towards something, and Arthur followed your finger, finding another mug that was filled with some berries, "You can have the rest. I already ate some."

"Thank you", Arthur said, picking up the small mug and shaking it to have a proper look at the blueberries. His thank you sounded generous and kind, you thought.

Arthur walked back inside. He didn't remember the last time he had eaten breakfast. Like, proper breakfast. Not only coffee or a dry piece of bread. He loved the porridge you had made and enjoyed it even more with the berries. It didn't matter how much stew he had eaten the day before, shortly, coffee, blueberries and porridge had been devoured.

"Y/n", Arthur walked out. His hair had flattened a little and he seemingly had found time to arrange his shirt, "I'd fix that roof of yers, if ya let me."

You looked up surprised from your horse, which now enjoyed the same treatment Arthur’s had.

"You don't have to...I don't want to keep you...", you said, almost mumbling the second part. It wasn't true, because you did want to keep him around. Hell, for the first time in a year, you hadn't felt lonely tonight. Making breakfast felt like it had a meaning, if there was someone around to share it with. The last couple of months, you had barely bothered for trivialities like that.

"I want to", Arthur affirmed.

"Then I won't stop you", you smiled. Arthur turned away to walk to the little shed next to your house, but you added a question before his attention was fully on your roof, "Do you mind if I braid your horse’s mane?"

Arthur saw your big grin, and hell he couldn't deny you anything. If you had asked to keep his horse for good, he might have said yes.

"Won't stop ya", he replied.

The day was filled with chores. After you had tended to both horses, Arthur's now adorned with braids in its mane, you got around to cleaning the aftermath Arthur's roof fixing had inside the cabin. Then you said you were off to fish, taking d/n with you. It took you almost an hour to catch two decently sized fish and when you returned, you found Arthur working on your bedframe. It had been askew as long as you remember and you had gotten used to it, but God, your stomach fluttered when you saw him, expertly working the little saw that had rusted away in your shed.

"Not content with my furniture, are you?", you snorted as you laid the fish on the table.

"Sorry, I jus' thought...", Arthur stuttered and looked up.

"It's fine", you laughed, "Thank you for attempting to fix it."

"I'm not good at those things...or a little out of practice at least", Arthur admitted, stood up to have a look at his handiwork. The bedframe looked even, at least.

"Looks better than before", you smiled kindly. And if the bedframe was to break in two when you first sit on it, it wouldn't matter much. Arthur had cared enough to try and fix it.

His eyes now fell on the two big fish. He looked outside, to find the sun has wandered further than he would have expected, suggesting it was early afternoon.

"I should get going...", Arthur mentioned, more to himself than to you.

"You are telling me this after I caught TWO fish?!", you turned around, arms crossed. It had caught you a little bit off guard. Fishing had allowed some time to daydream and in that hour you had already prepared all the questions you wanted to ask him when you served him lunch. So that came like a punch in the stomach.

"Not because I don't want to stay", Arthur uttered, and you found his expression rather gloomy, "I told everyone I''d be back today...we're gonna hit a big score in two days’ time and I expect they want to go over the plan with me..."

"Oh..."

For a moment you thought about telling him that you'd help with the score, no matter what it was. Honestly, any excuse to be with him, be with other people. But you knew it probably meant running right back into Dutch's trap.

You watched sadly how Arthur gathered his belongings. His hat had found a place on the wardrobe and his jacket was neatly sprawled across the chair. In the span of one single night, everything had found its place like he had meant to stay for longer. But you knew that this was merely wishful thinking. Besides, even though you found your feelings for the man come back, you had to remind yourself that he hadn't reciprocated those feelings before and probably never was going to. Yet, he was a friend and a companion, and that, you reasoned, was enough.

You helped to saddle his horse, Arthur inspected the little braids you had worked into his horse's mane.

"Looks real fine", he mumbled.

"Thank you", you grinned, "I'll do your hair next time if ya ask kindly."

"What? With braids?", Arthur responded, looking at you with a comical expression.

"Sure", you grinned, watching as Arthur completed the final adjustments to secure the saddle and his belongings on his horse. He chuckled warmly at the proposition, as if the idea seemed somewhat absurd, yet there was a chance to convince him otherwise.

"Over my dead body, darl-", Arthur swallowed the last word as if he remembered it wasn't a good idea, "I'll stop by again."

"If you do, send word to Annesburg first and I'll have a meal ready", you said with a smile.

"Sure”, Arthur’s eyes fell on d/n as she excitedly circled him. She wasn’t sure if she was meant to say good-bye or if the saddling of a horse meant that she was to go hunting, but she was happy when pet her again.

“Good girl”, he scratched the dog behind the ears, “Take care of her, will ya? I don’t trust her being able to defend herself when a boar comes to steal some tomatoes off her precious plant.”

Despite it being your dog that he addressed so affectionately, you couldn’t help but blush. However, as you glanced to your tomato plants, you noticed a significant number of fruits missing. Yet, you forced a smile on your face and whispered a “son of a bitch” under your breath.

Arthur sighed happily and mounted his horse.  

"Good luck...with the score", you said.

"Thank you. It's Hosea's plan so I don't think we'll need much luck. But I'll take it", Arthur tipped his head and steered his horse away from your little cabin, not without a feeling in his chest that he'd rather stay.

When he had left you far behind, he began to undo the little braids. It wasn't exactly his style, though he couldn’t deny that they were beautiful. Before unravelling each one, he'd take it between his fingers and let it run through them, as if this was an excuse or a way to satisfy the urge to do the same with the fingers that had woven them. When Arthur realised this, he felt like a fool.

"You’re a moron...", he mumbled under his breath. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay at your place because he envied the way you lived. That you had managed to escape from Dutch's crazy plans which became crazier every week. Or that your cabin was in a secluded and picturesque spot. He could see himself living there by himself. Or with you.

And yet, he had to open the braids because if anyone from the gang saw them, they might recognize your handiwork or realise that Arthur hadn't gone for stealing some pocket money out of idiots’ pocket. By lying to Dutch, he had prevented you to come back and take part in whatever insane score would be next. Arthur was proud of having you kept save, he knew it was the right thing to do. After robbing the bank in Saint Denis, the gang would have more than enough money to make an escape…maybe then he would be able to come back to you.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Next chapter: here

taglist: @photo1030

taglist for this series: @pinkiemme @loveheartarthur @twola @shiokitsune @missredemption @kakashiislut @thewalkingdead1463 @yyiikes @renwai @walk-in-sunshine @rdrlady @ivybeeloved @trinswhimsys @reddedmiller @chiefqueefsosa @sauvignon-velvet @mrsarthurmorgan7

Thanks and kisses to @little-honeypie because we've been cooking this shit up together <3

[blissfullyecho]

some spring deep cleaning ideas for your apartment 🤍

today i’m focusing on deep cleaning my apartment because i completely forgot spring started on monday lol. my advice: always give your space a good deep clean at least 2-4x a month (or more, who cares) and always deep clean every season.

clean blinds

clean windows

sweep balconies

clean mirrors

organize under the sink (kitchen + bathroom)

clean inside drawers

move furniture and sweep/vacuum/mop underneath

strip wash your pillows

repaint over scratched walls + patch up holes

organize closet

mop inside the closet

laundry + fold and put away

change ac filter

change water filter (refrigerator)

pest control (i have it included in my rent but because i live in a semi-tropical environment, i do have crawlies come in sometimes so i buy my own pest control and make sure i place it inside and outside)

deep clean litter box

disinfect doorknobs and handles

clean makeup brushes

clean garbage cans and trash cans

wash bedding

dust ceiling fans

clean base of plant pots

wash/clean your sneakers

put your backpack in the laundry

throw away expired food

organize important papers

get rid of wasp nests outside

dishes

oven cleaning

clean garbage disposal

new air fresheners

fresh air from keeping windows open (turn cleaning fans on so the air can circulate)

wipe off computer, phone, tablet, and tv screens

scrub toilets and bathtubs/showers

put things back where they belong

spray and wipe off washer and dryer

sweep floors, then vacuum (i have hardwood all over my apartment and i still vacuum because it’s easier), then i mop (pine sol is amazing— i love the scent).

put in maintenance requests if needed

clean dryer vents

wash sofa cushions and pillow cases (even on throw pillows)

wash mildew off shower liner

get hair unclogged from drain

clean out your car

refill anything like pens, water bottles, etc.

steam clean carpets

have a professional come and clean rugs

clean welcome mat

replace lightbulbs if needed

toss, donate, and keep clothes in your closet and dressers

happy spring

[hearts4golbach]

The Boy Next Door.

this fanfiction is co-written by @emo_central on AO3.

part 2.

pairing:

Jake Webber x Fem!Reader.

a/n:

proofread

warnings:

sexual mentions/innuendos.

word count:

2.6k

Jake's pov:

carrington and johnnie are out doing their own things today, i'm home alone, setting up the house by myself today.

i start in the kitchen taking out pots and pans and decorating. i look at my phone, i've been doing this for an hour already. i'm not going to get anywhere today if i don't have help.

y/n's right next door. she might be at work. but what if she's not? i want to see her again. i want to see if she's home and not wearing pants, in only a t-shirt with her nipples peeking through the fabric, or maybe she walks around in nothing when she's home alone.

i feel my pants grow tighter. alright i have to control myself, i still don't like her, i'm just attracted to her body, nothing else. i mean, she ruined my hook up last night and i haven't gotten laid in months.

but i need help, i'm not getting anything done alone. so before i know it i'm standing in front of y/n's door. i raise my hand to knock, but remember the spare key under the door mat. maybe i'll tease her a bit, sneak up on her. or maybe if she's not home, i'll explore a little. i'll be a perv and see what's in her drawers, see if i can find anything that indicates a kink so i can tease her, taunt her, and get her worked up.

the thought of her getting wet from thinking about me, makes me groan. "fuck, calm down Jake, she was still an absolute ass to you." but then again, that gives me even more motivation to tease her.

i lift up the rug to find the key is still there. after waiting a couple minutes for her to answer, i give in and take the key. i slowly open the door and sneak inside. obviously, this is a really bad idea. intrusive thoughts, you know?

i find y/n standing in the kitchen in a tanktop and a thong. i cover my mouth to prevent myself from groaning aloud, but in my mind all i can think about it bending her over the counter. she has her headphones on, shes singing quietly to a song i dont recognize as she scrubs the counter.

i tip toe up behind her and grip her waist, pulling her back roughly. she jumps and rips her headphones off. "what the fu-" she turns around and we're face to face. she was so close, i couldve leaned in and kissed her right then and there. "jake, what the hell are you doing?" she doesnt acknowledge the fact that shes just in panties and a revealing top.

"came to see if youd come over, doll face." i shoot her a cheeky grin. she rolls her eyes at the pet name. "seriously, i need help unpacking."

y/n sighs but doesnt protest. "let me get pants on."

i follow her up to her room, which she says nothing about. why is she so comfortable around me? does she just not give a fuck?

as she throws on a pair of sweats, i look around her room and fight the urge to look in the drawer beside her bed. her bed is covered with this black silk set with matching fluffy blankets. she has a small pile of laundry in front of the bed, containing the same slutty outfit I saw the other day. i adjust my jeans descreetly.

she looks back at me, "stop ogling me, i'll kick you out and i won't help you." i put my hands up protest, "sorry, hey, where's the bathroom? i gotta take a leak." i don't have to, i want to see what i can find. "just go through that door, it's the bathroom, the one that you also ogled me in."

"i didn't know you were in there!" i say as a walk to the bathroom. it's big, with marble walls, tile in the shower, and it's decorated with tan towels. i see a door on the other side. it must lead to the loft. i probably won't find anything in here, but just in case. i go over to the counter and start snooping in the cabinets. there's no luck...until i see something bright blue out of the corner of my eye, on the shelves. i walk over and lift up a towel to see bright blue vibrator. and behind it is a set of fluffy handcuffs. i don't know why she would have handcuffs in the bathroom, but at least now i know she's somewhat kinky.

BANG BANG BANG "you better not be looking through my stuff, dick!" y/n yells from the other side of the door.

i smirk and walk out of the bathroom. i debated on whether or not i should mention the handcuffs in that moment. i decided to save that fact for later.

she slipped on her shoes and we were out the door. i couldnt help but bite my lip as she walked a little ways in front of me. the sway of her hips and the curve of her waist was so enticing.

we get to my door, and i just look at her. our eyes lock, i feel like y/n's staring into my soul. her eyes are so deep and so full. if she wasn't such an asshole, i'd kiss her right now, for everyone to see. i'd make sure everyone saw me fuck her, i'd make her scream my name so loud that the whole neighborhood knows it.

Y/n's pov:

as i look into jakes eyes, i begin to feel nervous. he looks at me like hes going to devour me whole, and i love it (even though i shouldnt.) he opens the door and a cool breeze hits my face. he mustve had the AC on. i cover my arms over my chest, feeling my nipples harden. god, i hope he didnt notice.

he leads me to the big open living room. "alright, i need you to help me with the tv stand" he points to a box by the floor to ceiling windows. we walk over and start unpacking its contents. it's black glass with a dark green chrome shift. he's got some sort of taste.

"here are the instructions."

"nah, this is pretty self explanatory."

i roll my eyes and watch him struggle trying to screw the wrong pieces together. "well i didn't mean don't help me ass." he growls as he tries to undo his mistake, "you can go home if you're not going to help me."

"alright" i stand to leave.

 

"wait, i was - ah fuck!" he yells. "shitnocker taking a bitch out to lunch, fucking fuck!"

i turn around laughing, but as soon as i see what's happening, my smile drops. there's a cut from the palm of his hand to his wrist and it is bleeding heavily. i gasp, "oh shit" he looks at me with wild, panicky eyes. "help." he whines desperately.

"right, paper towels?" he shakes his head. "fuck, alright, i have a medical shit at my house, but you're bleeding too much for me to let you walk over there." he's already lost at least a half pint of blood. think y/n, think.

i pull my shirt over my head, "um" he says. without answering him, i wrap my tanktop around his hand and wrist, and tie it tight, making him whimper. i know it's in pain, but i feel heat pool between my legs.

"alright get to the couch, i'll be right back. i promise." i looked into his eyes, trying to prevent him and i from panicking.

i grabbed one of his sweatshirts off of the hanger next to the front door and sprinted next door to grab my first aid kit. everything happened so fast, and i was back within 3 minutes.

"fuck, okay." you muttered, kneeling down in front of him.

y/ns pov:

i throw my hair into an updo before getting to work. Jake smirks through the pain, "wow." 

i roll my eyes, pressing alcohol into his wound to steralize it. the pain fixes his act real quick. "how the hell did this even happen?" i questioned him, a scolding tone in my voice. 

"you're just too distracting," he laughs. i roll my eyes again, tighting the bandage around his wounded palm.

i sighed. "okay, all better." i look up at him and he meets my gaze. his eyes flicker down to your lips. 

"now, how did this happen?" i ask again, ignoring his eyes.

"i got frustrated because i couldn't figure it out, so I just started slicing stuff with the screwdriver, and my hand got in the way of my fit." he admits, looking away.

"that wasn't a fit then, that was a full on tantrum." i laugh as i fully take in what he just told me. "a tantrum.". i repeat laughing harder, so hard that i fall backwards. i don't know why it's so funny right now, it really isn't, i mean it really isn't, he could've died.

Jake started to laugh along with me, it seemed as if the pain had fully subsided by now. as my giggles became few and far apart, i finally made eye contact with Jake. q0 eyes were watering from how hard he was laughing, but they also held a hint of something i couldnt decipher. i gazed into his eyes for longer, trying to  decode whatever it was. 

i looked away as my face began to heat up. "uhm, okay. let's get back to work." i walked over to the shelf that he had taken his anger out on and carefully took it apart.

after we followed the instructions and finished the tv stand, we worked around the rest of the house; putting up art and setting up furniture. by the time we're done, we're both about to pass out on his couch. the only things we didn't get to were the bathrooms, but those are easy. 

i look at my phone and jump up. "fuck it's 10! shit i have to go to bed, i don't know how i was so careless. i have work at 12. there's no way i can work a 9 hour shift on less than 2 hours of sleep, because i still have to consider the time it takes for me to fall asleep.." i start to spiral and start to cry, when i feel strong arms wrap around me from behind. i know it's Jake. i want to push him away but instead i turn so my face is buried in his chest.

his warmth envelops me, as he rubs along my back with one of his big hands. "shh, it's okay, you're going to be okay." he whispers.

Jake's pov: as soon as i see y/n start to spiral, i get up and hug her. i've seen anxiety and panic attacks with Johnnie, hell i've had them. so when i see her breakdown, i don't care about anything that happened before, i only care about making her feel better and feel comfortable.

i expect her to push me away when i hug her-especially because i hugged her from behind- but she turns around and buries her face into my chest. i try to help her calm down a little before i pull away only enough so i can see her face.

"do you want to go to my room?"

i ask it, but it's not a question. i'm already guiding her upstairs with one of my hands gently on her back before she can protest.

when we get in my room, i finally take my hand away. i take off my shirt and walk across my room to my dresser. i take off my jeans and go to put on pj pants but when i glance back at y/n and see she's taken off her sweatpants and her bra is on the floor with them, but she still has my hoodie on. 

i was going to put on the pj pants out of courtesy, but seeing her dressed like that... i hold up the pj pants just in case, as a silent question. y/n shakes her head so i plop them down next to my bed. so i'm just in my boxers. i climb in and hold the covers open for her to climb in. she walks over and crawls underneath them. 

i expect her to stay as far away from me as possible- i mean we're far from friends- but she scoots over so her back is pressed against my chest. at first i stunned and don't know what to do, feeling like any movement might startle her away like a doe. then as I feel her take a deep breath and settle, i wrap my hand over her waist, pulling her close to me.

her muscles tense as i do so, but quickly relax. "thank you." she whispers. i cant help but raise my eyebrows. "they've just been giving me so many more hours recently and it's just so stressful. i haven't cried like that in a while." she sniffles. 

i hum in response. "don't thank me. get your rest, okay?" she simply nods before snuggling her head into my arm. 

i've never fallen asleep as comfortablely and as fast i did. i've never felt so safe and so content while sleeping, but last night, with y/n, that was the best sleep i've ever gotten.

i wake up first, it's 11:23 am and y/n is snuggled up to me with her face buries between my chin and my chest. i feel her warm slow breaths blow against my neck. i could stay like this forever. 

i savor each moment until i feel her stir at 11:56 am. 

"hello beautiful." i half joke.

"mmm, i could stay here forever." she mumbles sleepily into my chest.

i freeze. she's just tired, she doesn't really know what she's saying...right? she looks up at me with her big y/e/c eyes. i feel them piercing through my soul like a knife. i see her eyes slightly flicker from mine to my lips. 

"god i could kiss you right now."  i whisper.

her breath hitches and her eyes widen. so do mine when i realize i really just said that out loud.

"haha if you were my dog." i try to joke, even though it doesn't make any sense. she laughs too, and i really can't tell if it's genuine or not. 

she looks past me, then gasps. "shit, the sun's out! what time is it?" 

"it's noon, now."

"fuck, i'm going to get fired. fuck fuck fuck." y/n says popping up and trying to scramble out of my bed. 

without thinking, i grab her waist and pull her back to me. "call out sick." i say simply, as i feel her tense and then relax. she nods. "good." i say

"can i shower?" she asks

"yeah, i was just going to ask if you could, you kind of smell." i giggle, scrunching my nose to go along with my joke. "yes, just use my towel, i need to buy more, and you can wear my stuff." i point to the door leading to my bathroom at the other end of my room. 

my eyes go wide as i see her walk over without pants on. i forgot she took them off last night before getting into bed...

[apolloendymion]

ok! i think tumblr ate my fucking apple cider recipe post. still, my autumn equinox tradition must carry on!

Apollo's Foolproof From-Scratch Apple Cider That Was So Good It Allegedly Landed Me A Boyfriend

you will need:

12 apples (the variety is up to you, i usually do half granny smith and half whatever's on sale plus a red delicious for garnishing)

10oz raisins

cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom pods, any other warming spices u like (whole > ground) (follow ur heart on the amounts, it's like garlic just throw so much in there. just go wild)

1 orange

brown sugar (i don't have measurements but be prepared to use a LOT lmao, i always buy at least one 32oz bag. you'll be sweetening to taste.)

large pot with lid

potato masher (optional)

two large bowls/pots/receptacles to strain the cider into

fine mesh strainer

cheesecloth or coffee filters (optional)

apple corer or knife

citrus zester

slotted spoon or ladle

the steps:

1. scrub apples gently under hot water to remove grocery store wax coating. core apples making sure all seeds & stems are removed. add apples, raisins, and mulling spices to pot with enough water to fully cover ingredients, and bring to boil. reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

2. scrub orange to remove wax. zest and juice, avoiding the pith & seeds. use a potato masher or other utensil to lightly mash boiled apple mixture so every apple slice is at least partially broken up, then add the zest & juice to the pot. bring back to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for another hour. then turn off the heat and allow mixture to cool.

3. place two mesh strainers over two bowls or pots (and cover each with a cheesecloth or coffee filters, if you have them). with a slotted spoon or ladle, remove as much of the solids from the pot as you can and place them in one strainer (the larger one, if they are different sizes) to drain, then press out as much liquid into the cheesecloth as possible.

4. pour the cider from the simmer pot into the second cheesecloth and press. combine the liquid from both bowls.

5. add brown sugar to taste

cooking tips:

the times listed above are bare minimums. once all the ingredients are in the pot (minus sugar!) you can simmer as long as you want, so long as someone's nearby to supervise.

always add any sweeteners after the cooking process. otherwise, they'll burn and make the whole thing bitter.

if it's too acidic, add baking soda or more spices. if it's not acidic enough, add lemon juice, additional orange juice, or apple cider vinegar.

variations:

add 12oz fresh cranberries to the first step

sub oranges for lemons or apple cider vinegar

sub brown sugar for straight molasses, maple syrup, or alternative sweetener of your choice (I'd imagine fig or other fruit-based sweeteners would work best)

report back to me if you try something new!! i want to hear how it turned out!

serving suggestions:

add three or four cinnamon imperials (red hots) to your mug, along with a dash of fireball whiskey if you're so inclined. i cannot stress enough how fucking amazing this tastes.

garnish with apple slices, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and/or star anise

if you have dairy-free ice cream on hand, pour some cider over a scoop. you can use dairy ice cream, but it's more likely to curdle.

freeze some in an ice cube tray, then blend with some non-frozen cider for a slushie

ok I've never tried this, but i bet blending with pumpkin puree would slap. PLEASE tell me if you try it

this makes a metric fuckload of cider, which is very rich and can be watered down considerably (seriously). share with your friends and/or freeze some to last the season (or halve it, i guess, but that's no fun :P)

[therealvinelle]

I can't justify it, but I feel like you have at least one really good recipes for soup!

My recipe is: Sautee half an onion, diced, in a pot with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon or so of thinly sliced celery until it all starts to sweat. Add three large peeled and diced potatoes. Cover with water and boil until the potatoes are soft and then smash with a big spoon or a potato smasher. Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to a medium, chop in some kind of white fish (halibut is best but so pricey), and wait until fish is falling apart and fully cooked (about 20 minutes). Garnish with whatever you'd like, but heavy cream and little bits of bacon can both kick this up a notch. This is anon's fish chowder recipe!

Oh I have many, it depends on what you want.

How about, to celebrate Norway's Minister of Health and Care Services being found guilty of plaguarism a few minutes ago (I'm STOKED), we do a celebratory recipe.

Minor warnings for awkward language as I rarely read English cooking recipes and am not familiar with the linguistic conventions.

Mussels in saffron soup

You need:

2 kg mussels

2 dl dry white wine/apple juice

1 finely chopped clove of garlic

1 finely chopped shallot

Saffron

Parsley (optional)

Thyme

3 dl cream (the creamy kind! Not sure what product that would be in English. The kind you whip to get whipped cream.)

2 tbsp finely chopped chives (for decor)

All the quantities are optional, consider them guidelines.

Wash and scrub the shells. Steam them in white wine, remove from heat once they open. Keep the broth, and let simmer with the garlic, shallot, parsley, and thyme. Add cream, then saffron. Let thicken.

For the sake of not driving your guests to sticky fingered homicide: separate the mussels from their shells (if the shell is closed, very broken, or the flesh is so yielding it feels uncooked, discard the shell. White or pale color is completely fine, as are very small or very large mussels) and serve in a bowl with the soup, keeping a few empty shells for decoration and scatter the chives across the top for a finish. You then print a photo of Ingvild Kjerkol standing outside her house saying "It's not plaguarism, it's text similarities! That's what happens when you use similar methodology." to the entire country, and love life.

God appetitt!

[najia-cooks]

[ID: Two triangles of baklava garnished with ground pistachio and whole cloves, with a silver Moroccan tea set in the background. End ID]

μπακλαβάς / Baklava

Baklava is a layered pastry consisting of a filling of chopped nuts piled between thin sheets of dough and sweetened with syrup. It is of contested and potentially ancient origin, with similar pastries attested in modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Assyria. Today, many regional variations of the pastry exist throughout North Africa and West and Central Asia.

This Greek-style recipe layers a spiced walnut filling between sheets of homemade filo dough, then soaks them in a sugar-honey syrup flavored with cinnamon, clove, and lemon. The resulting pastry is flaky, flavorful, and über-sweet.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

For the dough:

4 2/3 cup (560g) bread flour

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp (133mL) olive oil

1 Tbsp + 2 tsp red wine vinegar

About 1 - 1 1/3 cup (240 - 320g) lukewarm water

3/4 cup (165g) butter or non-dairy margarine, melted, for brushing

For the filling:

400g walnuts (or hazelnuts, shelled pistachios, and/or blanched almonds)

1/4 cup (35g) breadcrumbs

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (1/2 cassia cinnamon stick)

1 1/2 tsp ground cloves (18 / 1.5g whole cloves)

Greek baklava most commonly uses walnuts, though pistachios are also used. You may experiment with nuts of your choice.

The breadcrumbs help to soak up the syrup evenly and prevent sogginess.

For the syrup:

2 1/2 cups (500g) vegetarian granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups (355mL) water

1/4 cup (80g) agave nectar or honey

1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Peel of one lemon

1 cassia cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

Instructions:

For the dough:

1. Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the vinegar and olive oil and mix to combine.

2. Gradually add a scant cup of water and continue to mix until the dough just comes together. Continue to knead, by hand or with a stand mixer and dough hook attachment, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about five minutes. If the dough does not come together, add additional water 1 tsp at a time. The dough should not be sticky.

3. Divide the dough into small balls of about 40g each (for a 13" x 9" pan). You may decide to make the dough balls slightly larger if you’re a beginner at working with thin dough.

4. Coat each dough ball with some olive oil and cover. Allow to rest for at least an hour, to allow gluten to form and facilitate rolling out later.

For the syrup:

1. Scrub a lemon thoroughly and remove the outer layer of peel with a knife or vegetable peeler. Heat sugar, water, lemon peel, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot over medium heat until simmering. Stir to dissolve sugar and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and stir in honey and orange blossom water. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

For the filling:

1. Blanch almonds by boiling them for about a minute, draining, and pinching gently to remove their skins. Shell pistachios. Chop nuts, or use a food processor, to achieve a coarse grind (you don't want a powder!).

2. Toast and grind whole spices, if using. Combine nuts with breadcrumbs and spices in a mixing bowl and set aside.

To assemble:

Baklava is made by interspersing thin sheets of dough with butter and nut filling to create flaky layers. Several sheets of dough will be needed at the top and bottom to prevent the weight of the nuts from causing the pastry to collapse. Some cooks add all of the nut filling between two groups of filo dough, while others intersperse the nuts throughout.

1. Melt margarine in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13" baking dish in margarine.

2. On a lightly oiled surface, roll out one ball of dough into a rectangle a little larger than the bottom of your baking dish (it will relax as it transferred). Place the sheet in the bottom of the dish, gently stretching it into the corners. Don't worry too much about small holes—there will be many layers!

3. Gently drizzle and brush melted margarine over the sheet of dough.

4. Repeat this process 4 more times, for a total of 5 sheets interspersed with margarine. I placed each sheet on top of the previous one on the counter and waited to transfer them to the pan until I had rolled out all four. You may need to re-oil your working surface as you go.

5. Add just enough nut filling mixture to form a thin layer.

6. Roll out another two sheets of dough and brush them with margarine as before. Add another layer of nuts. Repeat until the nut mixture is gone, making sure to reserve at least five balls of dough for the top.

7. Roll out and place the remaining balls of dough and brush them with margarine as before.

8. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to make the baklava easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds by cutting in lines diagonally in one direction, and then diagonally in another direction to form points at an acute angle; or, form triangles by cutting lengthwise and then widthwise to form squares, and then diagonally to cut those squares in half. Stick a whole clove in the center of each piece of baklava, if you like.

9. Bake at 300 °F (150 °C) for an hour to an hour and a half, until the top of the pastry is golden brown.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the surface of the baklava. Don't add the syrup warm, or it may make the baklava soggy!

11. Allow the syrup to absorb for several hours, or overnight.

[bananababblegigglemuffin]

Claw and Order: Romance Unit

CHAPTER 1: The Doctor Will See You Now

The small waiting room of Tranquil Health Clinic buzzed with the kind of energy only found in places where people were either nervously anticipating a doctor’s visit or just trying to distract themselves from the possibility of imminent doom. Magazines from two years ago littered the coffee table, a collection of diet tips and home remedies that hadn’t aged well. A tattered, dusty potted plant sat in the corner, as if it had been fighting a losing battle for attention.

In the midst of this chaotic calm sat Emma Turner, a thirty-something writer who had just realized she was dangerously low on inspiration. She tapped her foot nervously, glancing at her watch for the third time in five minutes. A doctor’s appointment wasn’t her idea of a creative breakthrough, but her headache had been persistent for days. At least, she mused, this might provide material for her next novel—a romantic comedy about the perils of modern life.

Her musings were interrupted by the arrival of Wade Wilson, known to some as the “Merc with a Mouth.” Clad in his signature red and black suit, Wade swaggered into the room, practically glowing with an obnoxious charisma that was equal parts charming and infuriating.

“Hey, look! It’s the waiting room for the world’s most boring reality show,” he quipped, plopping down beside her. “I give it a solid 2 out of 10. Needs more explosions.”

Emma shot him a bemused look. “You know this isn’t a movie set, right?”

“Not yet,” he replied, winking. “But I’m thinking of pitching it. How about Waiting Room Warriors? It’ll be a hit!”

Just then, Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch, burst in through the door with all the grace of a flaming comet. “Wade! Emma! Sorry I’m late! You wouldn’t believe the traffic. I had to stop and help a cat out of a tree. Seriously, it was like a scene from a cheesy rom-com.”

Wade scoffed. “You? Helping a cat? I’m pretty sure that’s a violation of your cool guy contract.”

“Hey, I can be heroic when I want to be,” Johnny retorted, crossing his arms. “You’ve seen me save the world, right?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “If by ‘save the world’ you mean setting fire to it half the time, then yes.”

“Touché,” Johnny grinned, taking a seat across from her. “But at least I do it in style. How about you, Emma? Still writing the next great American novel?”

“I’m trying, but inspiration’s a little hard to come by when you’re stuck in a waiting room with Deadpool and a human torch,” she said, motioning to both of them.

Wade’s eyes widened. “So, what you’re saying is you want me to explode something to get your creative juices flowing? I can do that!”

Before she could respond, the door to the examination room swung open, and Dr. Logan Howlett, the clinic’s rather disheveled but undeniably charming physician, stepped out. His hair was a chaotic tumble of dark strands, and his scrubs looked as if they’d seen a few too many late nights. But there was something captivating about him—perhaps it was the way his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

“Emma Turner?” he called, scanning the room until his gaze landed on her. “Come on in. Let’s see what’s going on with that headache of yours.”

Emma stood, her heart racing for reasons she couldn’t quite understand. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Howlett.”

“Please, call me Logan,” he said, offering a warm smile that could melt glaciers. “I promise I’m much more fun than this place suggests.”

As she followed him into the examination room, Wade leaned over to Johnny, whispering conspiratorially. “Think she’s going to fall for him? He’s got that brooding doctor thing down to a science.”

“Only if she’s into the whole ‘mysterious and slightly disheveled’ vibe,” Johnny replied, watching Emma disappear behind the door. “But hey, she could do worse. At least he’s not a total creep.”

Inside the examination room, Emma took a seat on the examination table, suddenly feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. Logan was now leaning against the counter, a casual ease to his posture that made her feel oddly comfortable.

“So, what seems to be the problem?” he asked, pulling out his stethoscope.

“My head has been pounding for a few days now,” she replied, trying to ignore how handsome he looked in his scrubs. “I thought it might be stress, but honestly, it could just be that I’m surrounded by too many people with questionable life choices.”

Logan chuckled, the sound warm and infectious. “Ah, the perils of modern society. A cure for that is hard to come by, but I can at least help with the headache.” He leaned closer, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Any other symptoms? Nausea? Sensitivity to light?”

“Nope, just a persistent headache and occasional existential dread,” she joked, surprised at her own boldness.

“Classic combo,” he replied with a smirk. “I recommend lots of water, maybe some rest, and if that doesn’t work, I could prescribe something stronger. Or… we could just blow up a waiting room together. Your choice.”

Emma laughed, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “Blowing up a waiting room sounds a little extreme, don’t you think?”

“Hey, you only live once, right?” Logan quipped, standing back to assess her. “But in all seriousness, I think you might be a little dehydrated. I’ll get you some water, and let’s see if that helps.”

As he turned to fetch a cup from the sink, Emma found herself captivated by the way he moved, an effortless grace that made her heart race. She’d never been one to crush easily, but something about him stirred something inside her that she hadn’t felt in years.

“Thanks for being so… well, easy to talk to,” she said, surprising herself with her own vulnerability.

Logan paused, looking back at her with a curious smile. “That’s my job. But it’s nice to hear I’m succeeding. Not everyone enjoys talking about their headaches.”

“I’m usually a lot more interesting than this,” she said, waving a hand as if to dismiss her own complaints. “I write romance novels, you know. It’s all about the tension and the build-up.”

“Tension and build-up? Sounds like you’ve got a plot twist waiting to happen,” Logan said, handing her the water. “I bet you could write a compelling story about a patient who falls for their doctor. Might make a nice change from the usual ‘meet-cute’ in a coffee shop.”

Emma raised her eyebrows, her heart skipping a beat. “Are you suggesting I base a character on you?”

“Only if you promise to make me more dashing than I really am,” he said with a playful grin.

“Deal,” she said, unable to suppress her laughter. “But only if you promise to read it when I’m done.”

“Now that’s a deal I can get behind,” he replied, looking into her eyes with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

Just then, the door burst open again, revealing Wade and Johnny, who had decided to perform an impromptu check-up of their own. “So, how’s it going in here?” Wade asked, peering over Emma’s shoulder. “Did you find a tumor or is she just being melodramatic?”

Logan rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched with amusement. “Just a headache, Wade. Nothing that requires your… unique expertise.”

“Pfft, just a headache? Come on! Where’s the fun in that?” Wade exclaimed. “We should stage an intervention! Emma, do you want me to whip up a batch of my special Deadpool elixir? It’s guaranteed to cure any ailment—or at least make you forget about it for a few hours.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Johnny chimed in. “Plus, it’ll definitely make for some great Instagram content. ‘Writer gets cured by Deadpool’s magic juice!’”

Emma shook her head, unable to contain her laughter. “As tempting as that sounds, I think I’ll stick to the water for now.”

“Boring!” Wade lamented dramatically, throwing his arms up in the air. “I’m starting to think you don’t appreciate my brilliance.”

“Or your questionable taste in ‘cures,’” Emma shot back, feeling more at ease with both Logan and her outrageous friends.

Logan leaned against the counter, crossing his arms with a knowing smile. “I think we all appreciate Wade’s unique charm, even if it’s just for entertainment value.”

As the banter continued, Emma couldn’t help but feel a spark of something special in the air. It was as if the universe had conspired to throw her into a chaotic whirlwind of humor, friendship, and maybe—just maybe—something more.

“So, what do you do for fun, Emma?” Logan asked, his voice drawing her attention back to him.

“I write, obviously. But I also like to explore new places, discover hidden gems in the city, and… well, occasionally save cats from trees,” she said with a smirk, recalling Johnny’s earlier story.

“Well, if you ever need a partner in crime for your next

adventure, count me in,” Logan said, his expression sincere.

Emma’s heart fluttered. “I might just take you up on that.”

“Great! We can be like Batman and Robin, only with fewer capes and more coffee,” he replied, chuckling.

“Speaking of coffee,” Wade interjected, leaning in with a conspiratorial glint in his eye. “How about we all grab some after this? I promise I won’t set anything on fire… unless Johnny does it first.”

“Hey!” Johnny protested, throwing his hands up. “I can be responsible! Sometimes.”

Logan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I think I’ll pass on the fire hazard. But coffee sounds good. You’re welcome to join us, Emma, if you’re up for it.”

“Sure! Why not?” she replied, her excitement bubbling. The thought of spending more time with Logan sent a thrill through her.

Wade grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Perfect! The gang’s back together. Now we just need a theme song. Something catchy. How about ‘Eye of the Tiger’? It’s motivational!”

“Or maybe ‘I Will Survive,’” Johnny suggested, a playful smirk on his face. “Because let’s be honest, we’re gonna need it after spending time with you.”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “You two are impossible.”

As the banter continued, the camaraderie between them made Emma feel at ease. It was refreshing, and for the first time in a while, she found herself forgetting about her headache and simply enjoying the moment.

“Well, Emma,” Logan said, turning his attention back to her. “I’ll just wrap up a quick examination, and then we can get out of here.”

“Sounds good,” she replied, a smile lingering on her lips.

Logan examined her briefly, checking her vitals and nodding in approval. “Everything looks normal. I’ll just jot down a prescription for some pain relief, and you’ll be on your way.”

“Pain relief? Or ‘pain relief’?” Wade asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Trust me, it’s the legal kind,” Logan deadpanned, shaking his head. “Though I can’t speak for Wade’s concoctions.”

“Touché!” Wade exclaimed. “But you’re missing out on the fun, Doc. Life’s too short to be serious all the time.”

As Logan handed Emma the prescription, their fingers brushed against each other, sending an unexpected jolt of electricity between them. Emma looked up, caught in his gaze, and for a moment, the world outside faded away.

“Thanks, Logan,” she said softly, her heart racing.

“Anytime, Emma,” he replied, his voice low and genuine.

With a wink, Wade broke the moment. “Well, now that the doctor has made his diagnosis, can we get to the fun part? Coffee and chaos, here we come!”

As they stepped out of the examination room, the energy shifted, the air crackling with possibilities. Emma felt buoyant, her headache momentarily forgotten. She had no idea where this day would lead her, but she was ready for the adventure.

Together, the four of them exited the clinic, the chaotic charm of their friendship promising a day filled with laughter and unexpected moments. Little did Emma know, this was only the beginning of something much bigger than she could have ever imagined.

As they made their way to the café down the street, the laughter and teasing continued, punctuated by Wade’s outrageous antics and Johnny’s flamboyant storytelling. Emma found herself falling into a comfortable rhythm with Logan, stealing glances at him as he interacted with her friends.

“Okay, but for real,” Wade said, stopping abruptly as they reached the café. “Do we order something weird? Like a ‘Wade Wilson Special’? I feel like it needs a special name.”

“Can we just order coffee?” Emma replied, stifling a laugh. “I’m not sure the world is ready for a ‘Wade Wilson Special.’”

“Too late! I already filed the paperwork!” Wade declared dramatically, striking a pose as if he were the star of a one-man show.

Logan chuckled, shaking his head. “Let’s just keep it simple. Coffee, pastries, and no superhero-inspired concoctions, okay?”

Johnny grinned. “What about a ‘Johnny Storm Delight’? That sounds much better!”

Emma rolled her eyes. “You two are impossible.”

As they settled at a table outside, the sun casting a warm glow around them, Emma felt a sense of belonging she hadn’t experienced in a long time. Between the chaos and camaraderie, her heart danced with the thrill of new connections—and the fluttering hope that perhaps there was something more with Logan.

As they waited for their orders, Emma leaned back in her chair, feeling the energy of the moment envelop her. “So, what’s the plan for today? Other than avoiding creating a public disturbance, of course.”

“Adventure!” Wade exclaimed, flinging his arms wide. “We could take over a local park, or maybe we could hunt for the best donut in the city. Or both!”

“I’m in for donuts,” Johnny said, his eyes sparkling. “Count me in!”

Logan chuckled, his gaze shifting to Emma. “What about you? Any preference for our impromptu adventure?”

Emma bit her lip, her mind racing with possibilities. “How about we find the weirdest little spot in the city? You know, the kind of place that feels like it belongs in a story?”

“I love it! A treasure hunt for hidden gems,” Johnny agreed, grinning.

“Then it’s settled,” Logan said, his eyes brightening. “Let’s make some memories.”

As their orders arrived—much to Wade’s delight, who insisted on commandeering the best pastry—Emma felt the warmth of friendship wash over her, mingled with the undeniable spark she felt whenever Logan was near. It was a dizzying mix of excitement and possibility, and for the first time in ages, she felt truly alive.

After a few rounds of banter and some delicious treats, they finished their coffee and set off on their adventure. Emma found herself walking beside Logan, their conversation flowing effortlessly as they exchanged stories of their lives.

“So, tell me about your writing,” Logan asked, genuinely interested. “What do you like to write about?”

Emma hesitated for a moment, then decided to share. “I focus on romance—mostly. I like to explore the messiness of relationships, the quirks that make us who we are. I guess I’m trying to find a bit of magic in the mundane.”

“That’s a beautiful way to look at it,” Logan replied, his tone sincere. “There’s magic in the everyday if you know where to look.”

As they continued to stroll, Emma felt a connection growing between them. The playful teasing from Wade and Johnny faded into the background, leaving her and Logan wrapped in their own little world.

“Okay, I think we need a challenge,” Wade declared, suddenly appearing beside them with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Let’s see who can find the weirdest spot in the next hour!”

Emma exchanged a glance with Logan, a silent agreement passing between them. “You’re on,” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

With that, the group split up, each taking a different route, all in the name of friendly competition. Emma and Logan wandered through the streets, playfully poking fun at random shops and quirky buildings, their laughter echoing off the brick walls.

“I think we just passed the ‘World’s Largest Ball of Twine,’” Logan joked, glancing back at the nondescript building they had just passed. “Definitely a contender.”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “We should’ve taken a picture. I bet it would’ve made a great addition to my next book!”

As they turned a corner, a charming little bookstore caught their attention. Its windows were filled with mismatched books and cozy displays. “What about here?” Emma suggested, her eyes lighting up.

“Perfect! Let’s see what treasures await inside,” Logan replied, holding the door open for her.

Inside, the scent of aged paper and the faint sound of a cat purring enveloped them. Emma wandered through the aisles, running her fingers along the spines of the books, her heart swelling with a sense of belonging.

“Do you have a favorite genre?” Logan asked, joining her in the fiction section.

“Romance, of course,” she said, glancing at him. “But I’m also a sucker for thrillers. It’s all about the balance, right?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, his gaze intense. “I think there’s something romantic about danger, don’t you? It adds that extra layer of tension.”

Emma felt her pulse quicken at his words. “Definitely. It’s all about the thrill of the chase.”

Just then, Wade and Johnny burst in, looking triumphant. “You’re not going to believe what we found!” Wade declared, holding up a bizarrely shaped ceramic cat statue. “This beauty is going to be the centerpiece of my collection!”

Johnny rolled his eyes. “That’s not weird; it’s just tacky.”

“Who are you to judge my taste?” Wade shot back. “You’re wearing flame-printed pants!”

Logan and Emma exchanged amused glances, their laughter blending with the playful banter of their friends. “We found a bookstore,” Logan said, motioning to the shelves around them. “What do you think?”

“Bookstores are great, but have you seen this?” Wade exclaimed, waving the cat statue in the air. “It’s a conversation starter!”

Emma couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity of it all. The chaos, the laughter, the camaraderie—it felt like a scene from one of her novels, and she was

living it.

“Okay, okay, let’s make a deal,” Johnny suggested, raising a finger. “We’ll vote on the weirdest item, and the winner gets to choose our next adventure.”

“Fine by me,” Emma replied, excitement bubbling within her.

After a brief deliberation, they all voted, laughter ringing out as they debated the merits of Wade’s cat versus the various oddities they found in the bookstore. In the end, it was Logan’s suggestion to combine their findings into a new, bizarre creation that sealed the deal—Wade’s cat would wear Johnny’s flame pants and Emma’s latest novel would serve as the backdrop.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the city, Emma felt a sense of joy that she hadn’t expected. This day had turned out to be an unexpected whirlwind of laughter, friendship, and a glimmer of something more with Logan.

As they left the bookstore, Wade announced, “Time for our next adventure! But first, we need to document this for Instagram!”

Logan chuckled. “What’s the plan? A group photo with the weird cat?”

“Absolutely!” Wade declared, his camera already at the ready.

As they all gathered for the photo, Emma found herself standing next to Logan, their shoulders brushing against each other. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, and her heart raced in anticipation.

“Say ‘cheese’!” Wade called out, and they all smiled, capturing the moment forever.

As the photo was taken, Emma couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something wonderful. Surrounded by friends, laughter, and the thrill of new possibilities, she felt alive in a way she hadn’t in years.

With her friends by her side and the charm of the day lingering in the air, Emma couldn’t help but believe that life had a way of leading you exactly where you needed to be. And perhaps, just perhaps, it was leading her to a budding romance with Dr. Logan Howlett.

As they made their way to their next destination, Emma felt a sense of hope blossoming in her heart. The adventure was only just beginning, and she was ready to embrace whatever came next.

end.

Author: Let me now any ideas y'all have comments are much much appreciated

[mysteriesmuse]

FIRE IN THE HOLE🔥💥☕️

Your lovely boyfriend turned current fiancé, Katsuki Bakugou knows that when he says not a word to anyone and you pretend to zip your lips that’s there’s a pretty substantial chance that a certain list of people are probably gonna hear about it . . . your siblings, your childhood best friend, your college best friend, sometimes your dentist if they can put together the mumbled response to their questions. Katsuki seriously wonders why they all do that. Especially yours because you are a chatter box. But, at the top of that list is your mom . . .

Katsuki is sitting inside peering over the pesky reading glasses he got a few weeks ago, he hates to admit he needs them, as you slip out the back door to take your weekly phone call from your mom. He brings chin to chest before puffing out a breath of laughter. Across from him is your new organic mug. A lopsided thing steaming with a new cup of peppermint tea . . .

Katsuki hums, he’ll heat it back up for you when you return. You absentmindedly stroll on the tattered lawn in your flip-flops. Phone pressed to your cheek as you grin and tease patches of dandelions with your toes . . .

Katsuki’s sure you’re on the wind-up with the causal “how are you” catch before regaling your mother with this most recent and embarrassing fiasco.

————

In the backyard you poke at a nearly blossoming yellow lion bud.

“Oh- yeah, yeah I’ll be sure to mention it to Katsuki. Have dad text him about the furniture thing. He’s inside looking at tiles for the bathroom”

you shake your head, slipping your toes back around the sandal strap and carrying on. Your mother clearly has you on speaker phone. You can hear the food sizzling in the pan and your father scrubbing at the kitchen sink. a coy smile lights itself on your face: the perfect segway.

“oh mom, speaking of the dishes that I can hear dad scrubbing in the back you’ll never believe what Katsuki and I did”

“Sweetie? You know I know you’re engaged to a pro-hero?” your mom chuckles, “that could be anything in my wildest imagination”

Humming you glance back over at you darling fiancé. Diligently scrolling through a catalog of kitchen and bath tiles, “actually this is pretty mundane compared to other things.” You can hear the hiss of air and the playful groan that follows. The sound of your mother rolling her eyes . . .

“well about 2-3 weeks ago I get Katsuki to join me at this pottery class that I’ve been looking into. We’re there and he’s, tsk, typical grumbling about it to me under his breath. The place is so homely and smells like the earth and a dash of paint chemicals but otherwise nice. A few soccer moms trying to be earthy and unwind, but nothing along the lines of crazed fans or anything like that.

once we’re told the rules and given the supplies we’re going. The both of us - right? Totally surprising. But Katsuki’s actually into it. They tell us we’re making mugs because that’s a good beginner pot, but his hands are so big so his is more like a soup bowl. I KNOW, that’s the kinda of coffee mug you’d need! Anyway, it’s still huge by the end, but it looks good. Not at all lopsided or anything.

. . . oh god no mine was a mess! The instructor lady said the walls were all uneven and whatnot, but it coulda’ been a lovely pencil holder. Yeah, right. So anyways, we leave feeling pretty good. Katsuki has begrudging enjoyed himself and they’re supposed to call the both of us when they finish up in the kiln.

a few days past and we’re out at home. yeah the apartment - sitting on the couch and trying some new recipe for guac our friend Sero recommended. And we get the call. Except it’s not a “hey your mugs are ready to pick up thanks for taking our class. We hope to see you again” it’s “oh hey our condolences here’s a free voucher to take another class if you so desire” and you know why? It’s because our group exploded in the kiln. Which - yeah - is natural if there’s a huge air bubble.

Right, so I’m sitting on the couch with the voicemail they left us on the answering machine. Katsuki’s throwing a bunch of stuff together in a bowl in the kitchen still.

but the place doesn’t say that the pots in the kiln exploded it says that the kiln exploded. Right away. Like boom! anyway that grabs Katsuki’s attention and he utters the loudest “shit.” I may have ever heard him say in his sacred space. And he rushes into the bedroom to grab his wallet and checkbook . . . and I don’t know that’s what he’s grabbing. Im just like babe where are you going?

and he comes back out panting and says “dial them back” and I’m like why?? And Katsuki’s just sweatdrops and deadpans like babygirl I just broke their kiln.

Then it hits me . . . the nitroglycerin from his quirk sweat is all over that clay and once that thing got fired up . . . Fire. In. The. Hole. And so Katsuki paid to replace the damage cause neither of us were actually thinking about that part when we were there. So he combusted everyone’s things, but on the bright side I went back using my voucher and made a cute mug.

Oh, and Katsuki is gonna let me use his too. Honestly, probably for the best”

———

and it’s later that evening when Katsuki’s massaging your knee that’s draped over his lap that he hears your impression of you mothers response to this story which was, understandably, “oh pumpkin, that’s hysterical! You’ve got to call your sister and tell her!”

[animatorweirdo]

Unexpected Reunion

You reunite with an old friend and hear about events that occurred during your time on ice. You decide to set your feelings to the side and start gathering ingredients for your medicine. Unfortunately, your trip to find Moonflowers takes a dark turn when you discover two possibly orphaned elven children and reunite with someone you hoped to avoid.

() = Elvish

Warnings: mentions of the second kin slaying, dead characters, angst, mentions of being frozen, troubled feelings, going through woods alone, smelling blood and smoke, nearly getting stabbed, fear, hiding, and getting a blade on your neck.

Chapter 2

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

The water nearly tickled your skin. You took in a deep breath before allowing yourself to be fully submerged in the warm water. A satisfied groan left you as your muscles relaxed from the warmth and the weightless sensation. Soap foam and bubbles floated above the water, and you finally scrubbed the dirt, sweat, and grease from your body. 

Taking a bath had never felt better after traveling in a sickened untamed land and walking around the city the whole day without a destination. You need to thank Melui for letting you take a bath and stay the night at his house. 

You leaned against the bathtub’s edge and stared at the ceiling, wondering about everything that had happened. It was no wonder so many things had happened. It's been over sixty years. 

How did you survive sixty years in ice? 

It was no mystery why Camilla would think you had died. You were certain you were dead too when those spirits caught you. You could still hear Camilla's scream at the entrance when the spirits froze your feet, making you unable to move. You could still remember reaching out to her hand before the ice froze your whole body and your mind got taken by the cold darkness. 

A tear fell from your eye when you thought about your friend. If it's been sixty years, then there was a high chance that Camilla had already passed away from old age. You doubt she could have survived as a ninety-year-old granny when Beleriand was in a state like this. She was smart and resourceful, but even she had limits. Not to mention, her family had some genetic illnesses that should act up during old age. 

You took a deep breath… trying to prevent yourself from breaking down in tears. 

You wonder how Maglor reacted to your supposed death. There was no doubt that he would have been devastated. After seven years of a happy relationship, you suddenly die of sudden circumstances. That would definitely have a negative effect on him. Could your death have taken a part in his spiraling to such a path? 

How would he think if he knew you were still alive? 

You shook your head and tried to stop thinking. You first need to ensure that the things you have heard about him are true. If anyone knew better what happened in Doriath– it would be Melui. In the meantime, you will also believe Camilla might still be alive, living in a lone cottage with a hundred cats, or something, until you learn more about her fate. 

After cleaning yourself, you arrive at the kitchen area, drying your hair with a towel and wearing borrowed clothes. Melui was preparing dinner and two vials of familiar-looking liquid sat on the table. 

Melui's home was big and rather nice. The kitchen area was attached to a large living room on the left while a set of stairs were on the right, leading to upstairs where bedrooms were located. The design of the walls and the colors were rather calm and different than what you were used to seeing in Himring. The house was empty since Melui’s family was away and Melui had stayed behind to watch over it. 

"Hey, (Name). How was the bath? Good I hope," Melui questioned after setting a pot on the table. You looked in and smelled something delicious, fish soup perhaps? 

"Yeah. It was good since it has been sixty years since the last time I took a bath," you said, making Melui release a chuckle. "You sure your sister doesn't mind me using her clothes?" you questioned as you adjusted the blouse and the dress. "It's fine. Those are pretty old so I doubt she even remembers having them," Melui said as you took the vials and drank the content. 

You grinched at the taste after drinking them both. "I never get used to this taste. Thank you for making them for me. The beast has been silent but I do not want to take any risks," you said and set the vials back down on the table.

"It's alright. I'm happy to help you with anything," Melui replied.

"Thanks... good to know you're still around at least. I don't know where I would be if you didn't find me," You smiled. Melui returned the smile. "Come on. I prepared some dinner and perhaps you can tell me in detail how you survived sixty years unchanged," he said and you both sat at the table to eat dinner. 

The dinner went smoothly even though you weren't a big fan of fish food. Melui had somehow made them taste delicious. You explained from the beginning how you and Camilla went to look for a rare herb in the cave and how you got attacked by the spirits, resulting in you freezing and somehow surviving until something broke you out. You even told him your theory of how you could have survived. 

"If my memory serves me correctly, I believe those spirits you described were Frost wraiths, spirits of the dead that had died under freezing conditions yet couldn't move on due to their hate," Melui explained. "They trap those who end up lost in their territory in ice and feed from the warmth of their souls until there's nothing left," he added.

"Sounds accurate, but I don't feel any different in my soul. How come they haven't eaten mine?" you asked while buttering your bread. "Your curse could be the reason. The beast is supposed to be affiliated with winter, right? So, perhaps it made your soul too cold for them to eat," Melui suggested.

"Maybe... but that doesn't explain the warm sensation I felt before I broke through the ice," you said. 

"Perhaps that necklace of yours could be the reason. Is that a dwarven rune you're wearing?" Melui pointed at the silver amulet resting against your chest.

"Oh, this?" you took hold of the amulet. "It... was a gift from an old dwarf who lived in Himring. It has some runes carved into it and is warm to the touch," you explained as the metal amulet warmed your fingers.

"Interesting-- I heard some dwarven runes may hold some hidden spells. Maybe that rune helped you break out from that ice," Melui stated.

"I doubt that. If it really worked like that then maybe it would have broken me out years ago," You chuckled and looked at him seriously, nearly worried to ask what you were going to ask of him. 

"Melui. I heard some things about Doriath and my lover, Maglor. I told you about him in my letters," you started and Melui nodded silently.

"I heard... he had committed terrible things and I want to know if they are true," you explained. "Were you still in Doriath when the kin slaying happened?" you asked carefully. 

Melui was quiet before looking at you. "Unfortunately yes," he answered. You stared at him before continuing. "So... all things of him and his brothers committing it are true?" you asked. "I'm afraid so..." Melui murmured quietly.

"I did not see your lover when it happened, but I did see how his brothers and their people came and started killing the people of Menegroth," Melui started. "They mostly kept their attention on those who willingly fought back, but then they started killing those who tried to run away," he explained. "I saw how the blonde one of the Feanorians fought the young king Dior in a deadly combat. They ended up killing each other. His wife perished in the attack and from what I have heard they left their twin sons to die alone in the forest. It was middle of winter as well," he explained and you nearly teared up at the thought of two young kids alone in the cold.  

"It was horrible," Melui nearly sniffed in tears. "And just when I and Nelle became engaged," he revealed and you felt light-hearted for a moment. 

"Oh, congrats. Is Nelle still around?" you asked. "No..." Melui shook his head and your smile dropped. 

"She was killed by one of the Noldor when she tried to defend one of the injured. It was not in her nature to harm anyone, so she didn't even try to fight them yet they still killed her. A sword through the abdomen," he explained. Your heart ached painfully when you saw his rather empty expression.

"I'm so sorry, Melui," you uttered.

He shook his head. "Don't be. It's been years now. I had family members to care for so I learned to heal from the sorrow," he explained. "And if Eru and the Valars are kind to us then perhaps I will see her again in the Blessed realm once my time to sail there has come," he said and took a drink from his glass. 

"I know it is not my right to tell you what to do next, but I advise you not to go to see your lover. He not the same elf you loved sixty years ago," Melui stated.

"Where is he and his brothers now?" you questioned.

"Last time I heard, they relocated to Amon Ereb," Melui answered. "It is not too far from here, perhaps a day's travel if you go on a horse," he continued. "I do not know what would happen if you go to him. I'm afraid you might receive an unpleasant reaction," he looked at you seriously.

"I get it... I think… I will concern myself with getting the necessary ingredients for my proper medicine. I don't think this would be the best time to show myself either," you said. Melui looked at you sympathetically. 

"I'm sorry things are like this," Melui said. "It's okay... I didn't expect much good when I first walked out of that cave and saw the world it is now," you reassured.

"If it's any comfort. I am willing to help you find the ingredients for the medicine," Melui said.

"Really? That would help a lot," you smiled.

"Of course, you're my friend. Just tell me what you need and I see what I can do," he said. 

"Well, the list is a bit long. I think we can find most of the ingredients in the city, but the Moonflowers are the most important," you said.

"Moonflowers? I do not think we can find any of them here, but I heard they are quite common at the Mouth of Sirion," Melui answered. "It will be a long travel thought," he added.

"That's fine by me. I can make the travel if I get a horse and some supplies to get there," you said.

"You can borrow one of my family horses, but are you certain you are willing to go back there?" Melui asked.

You smiled at him. "I will be fine. I did survive sixty years in ice and the trip here," you remarked, causing Melui to chuckle.

"I nearly envy your determination. Alright— Moonflowers grow in the nearby forest in Sirion, but there is also the Havens of Sirion. It is a city made up of refugees from Gondolin and Doriath. I have been there once. If you can't find any Moonflowers in the forest, you can go there and ask the people. They are helpful for those in need," Melui explained. "Nice," you nodded.

“Now let us eat. It will be a long day tomorrow,” Melui said and you two finished dining before retreating to the beds. 

The bed felt comfortable beneath you. However, you were not able to find sleep due to your mind being filled with thoughts on everything you had heard. Morgoth had taken over the world, you have survived living sixty years in ice, and now, Maglor and his brothers had gone down the path to commit horrid war crimes. It was a lot to handle, and you were not certain what to make of it. 

You nearly wanted to believe it was just a really bad dream. 

You brushed those thoughts away and closed your eyes. There was no use thinking and feeling sad about it. You needed strength for tomorrow to find the Moonflowers for your medicine. Maglor and everything can wait for later, even though your heart aches over everything that has happened. 

The morning graced the city. You were grateful to hear normal sounds such as birds singing in the nearby trees and the sounds of vendors as they opened their shops for the day. You would listen to them over the sounds you had heard lurking in the dark outside the city. 

You were patiently waiting at Melui's doorway, dressed in proper clothes for traveling and carrying bags for food and necessary items to collect herbs. You felt nervous to go alone but were confident you would be fine after memorizing the map and paths fully and prepared to deal with any situation possible. Technically, this was your first time traveling without Camilla. She never really trusted you to go alone without getting into some sort of trouble, especially since the incidents where you got accidentally separated. In your defense, you were in a difficult spot during those times and didn’t have the medicine to stop the beast from taking control of your body. 

However, this time you were not at the risk of losing control, so there was a high chance for you to avoid any trouble you might encounter on your way.

Melui approached you with a saddled white horse. You stood up, ready to leave for your trip. 

"This is Seastar. She has mostly been used for pulling wagons and carriages, but she's used to traveling alone with a rider. She will get you where you need to be," Melui handed the reins to you. You petted the horse, who seemed accepting of your attention. "Thank you. I'll make sure I bring her back safely," you said and climbed on the horse. You carefully handled the reins and then looked down at Melui. 

"Be careful... something unexpected might happen and I do not want to see you hurt," Melui uttered with worry in his eyes. 

"I know... but I am certain I can handle it. And to be fair a lot of unexpected things happen when I'm around, so it wouldn't be the first time" you said, making him shake his head with a smile. 

"Go now while you still have sunlight," he said. 

"Yeah, I might end up spending the night somewhere, so don't panic if I don't return," you stated.  "Okay, see you later. Take care,"

"Take care," Melui replied as you clicked your heels and rode away, eventually leaving the city. 

You rode through the safe path out of the city, into the wide lands that had not yet been infected with Morgoth's influence. It felt nice feeling the clean air brush against your face as you continued galloping. You made sure to take breaks and check on the map while letting Seastar drink before continuing your journey toward your destination, the Havens of Sirion. 

The sun had begun to settle when you finally arrived in the forest. You could hear the ocean in the distance and the air was chilly. It's been a long time since you've seen the sea or visited any beaches. Once you find the Moonflowers, maybe you could check the city after all.

You jumped down from Seastar. The forest looked too thick for her to get through. Uttering words in elvish, you told her to stay put and walked toward the forest, letting the white mare eat grass while waiting. 

The forest was thick, full of moss, and moist ground. Most likely due to being near the great river and the sea. Crows and Owls were hooting in the trees as it became rather dark for you to see. You checked the caverns and rocks, but no luck so far until you reached the last cave and noticed something glowing inside. 

You jumped over the fallen logs and saw white flowers growing on the cavern wall, glowing brightly as the moon in the sky. A victorious grin dressed your face as you took out a small sickle to cut them out. Your luck was finally looking up. 

You cut down a few of the Moonflowers and even a few with a seedling so you can grow them yourself. There were quite a lot of them. The place must have been fertile with light and songs for them to grow so many. 

After picking enough, you strapped the sickle back on your bag and prepared to leave until a strong smell of smoke filled your nostrils. Confused, you sniffed the air and then looked up to the sky, finding rising smoke pillars coming from where the city of the refugees should be. A deep worry settled within you while you stared at the smoke in the sky. Was the city being attacked? 

The scent of blood suddenly invaded your nose. You shut your mouth as you nearly gagged from the intensity of the smell, which confirmed your suspicions. The city was being attacked and it was a total bloodbath. It explained why you didn't encounter any patrols on your way even though Melui said the people of the haven were very guarded. 

Your ears heard something and from the corner of your eye, you saw a small shadow coming at you with a knife. 

"Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!" You stopped the child just in time before they could stab you with the knife. The child backed away still holding the knife toward you with terror in his eyes. "Easy! easy—! I'm not here to hurt you!" You held your hands up while staring back at the little elven boy. Your eyes then noticed another child, hiding behind a rock in the cave, he looked exactly like the child in front of you, so they must be twins. 

Worry peaked within you as you stared at them. They had blood on their clothes and didn't look older than a 6-year-old. Your mind quickly pieced the pieces and you concluded the boys must have escaped from the city during the attack. 

"Hey, it's okay," you kneeled, trying to make yourself look less threatening to them. "(I am a friend. You're safe)" you spoke in elvish, hoping it would calm them down. The boy in front of you seemed to calm down, cautiously keeping his weapon close to him and staring at you wearily. 

"What are you two doing here? What has happened?" you softly asked as the other boy slowly emerged from his hiding place. 

"You... you are not one of the bad elves?" He asked. His voice nearly came out like a whisper. 

You looked at him confused. "No. I'm a human actually," you pulled back your hood, revealing your ears for them to see. They seemed to calm more. "My name is (Name). Who are these bad elves you are talking about?" you asked. 

The elf boy began to cry. "They came out of nowhere and began hurting people..." he sobbed. "We came here to hide to wait for Naneth, but..." he sniffed. "I think they have hurt Naneth too!" he said and his brother began to sob too. Your heart painfully ached for them and a sense of protectiveness overtook you. 

"Hey..." you caught the crying boy’s attention. 

"It's okay. What's your name?" you asked. "El...Elrond," he said and you then look at his brother. "And what's yours?" you asked. "Elros," he answered, rather angrily. 

"Okay, Elrond, Elros, do you possibly know why these bad elves decided to hurt your people and Naneth?" you asked, having a bad feeling over the situation. 

"Naneth… she said they came because they wanted the stone in her necklace," Elrond answered. "A stone? As in... a silmaril?" you questioned. Elrond nodded. "That's what Naneth and Ada called the stone," he answered. 

You felt frozen for a moment. So the bad elves were Maglor and his brothers? They had committed another kin slaying for the silmaril? 

"Fuck—" you silently uttered and then you all heard a loud snap in the forest. Elros and Elrond automatically panicked. "They're coming!" Elrond said fearfully. You carefully glanced over the rock and saw elves in familiar Noldor armor coming toward you. 

"Quickly! Come with me!" you looked toward the twins. 

The Noldor soldiers came to the gave and investigated it. You and the twins were hiding behind some bushes, you listened to them talk and felt sweat forming on your skin. They were looking for the twins. 

You glanced at the twins hiding by your side. Elros looked angry and ready to fight, while Elrond sobbed silently, terrified of the situation. You couldn't bring yourself to leave them at the mercy of the Noldor soldiers, not after hearing what they had done to the last pair of twins Melui mentioned.

Your eyes quickly scanned for a route back to your horse then you grabbed a small rock off the ground. The twins looked at you carefully as you quickly tossed the rock in the opposite direction. The sound of the rock hitting something caught the elves’ attention and they quickly left to investigate the sound, taking the bait. 

"Come on!" you whispered, leading the twins out while the elves were distracted. Elrond clung to your hand as the three of you finally reached the edge of the forest and your horse.

You quickly picked them up one by one upon Seastars. "Okay. We're gonna go see a friend of mine. You will be safe and we will see if we can help you get back to any relatives," you explained after picking Elros on the saddle. 

Elrond's eyes widened as he looked behind you. "(Name)! Look out!" he shrieked as you felt a blade suddenly rest beside your neck. "You will remain still if you want to live," a familiar voice said and you slowly raised your hand in surrender. You remained deadly still and cursed within your mind. Shit, you really have a talent for getting into trouble when you're on your own. 

And you could recognize that voice anywhere. It was none other than Maglor, except his voice sounded more tired and less gentle than before. You now feared his reaction more than anything. 

"Turn around," Maglor commanded. "Leave her alone!" Elros snapped at him. "Elros. It's okay," you softly said. You took a deep breath before slowly turning around, avoiding making any sudden movement that could make Maglor slice your thought. 

You locked your eyes with him. His eyes nearly looked lifeless, most likely from the fight in the city and years of bad things happening all over, but when he locked his eyes with you— they were filled with shock. His hold on the sword began to waver and he backed away from you. 

"(Name)...?" he uttered as he stared at you like you were a ghost. 

"Hello, Maglor," you started awkwardly. "Long time no see," you said, waiting for what would happen next. 

[drpeppertummy]

pair of little tiny snippets from activity with friend. barely anything to em theyre pretty much just dialogue

[bloaty tummyache for the first, tail end of stuffing for the second]

1. Giuliana & Angela

"I'm fine," Giuliana insisted, not looking up from the counter she was scrubbing. Her belly let out a strained gurgle of disagreement.

"Fine, huh? You look like you swallowed a goose," teased Angela. "Come on, why don't you take a break? Let your belly settle a little."

"I don't need a break. I need to get the kitchen cleaned up."

"Alright, alright," Angela relented. She knew it was no use; Giuliana was stubborn as a mule. If she didn't want to take a break, a break would not be taken.

-

"Come on, Giuli, you look miserable," said Angela, putting an arm around Giuliana's waist. Her belly felt uncomfortably snug under her hand.

"I am fine, Angela," she said, not looking up from the drawer she was organizing.

"You don't look fine. You look like your tummy hurts."

"I'm fine."

"Fine, fine, suit yourself," sighed Angela, leaving her be once more.

-

"Would you come take a break already? Come on, you look awful."

"I'm busy," said Giuliana, not looking up from the pot she was washing. Her belly pressed out against the counter as she scrubbed, peeking out ever so slightly between the bottom of her shirt and the waist of her too-tight jeans. It groaned uncomfortably, and Angela heard her stifle a soft burp.

"Your belly sounds upset," she said, gently wrapping her arms around her from behind. "Come on, I'll kiss it better. Come sit down, would you?"

"Angela, I'm--" A sudden burp cut her off, and her stomach gurgled as it re-settled itself. Angela chuckled and reached past her to turn off the sink.

"Yeah, yeah, you're fine, whatever. Come sit down and have a ginger ale, you goofball."

2. Rufus & Russell (first time writing them)

"Oh, come on, you're eating for two, aren't you?"

"Yeah, me and a fetus, not another grown man!"

"You are such a drama queen," laughed Russell, giving his husband a playful pat on the side. "What, you don't like my cookin' anymore?"

"Oh, and I'm the drama queen," grinned Rufus. "You made enough to feed the whole town! I'm full, Rusty!"

"Aw, come on. You can't finish this one little plate?"

"I think I can finish it, but I'm gonna look like I'm nine months pregnant when I'm done," said Rufus, resting a hand on his round belly.

"Well, hey, that's not so bad. You're already seven months along." Russell leaned down to kiss Rufus on the cheek, fondly rubbing his belly. Rufus rolled his eyes and picked his fork back up.

-

"Oof, I'm stuffed," Rufus sighed, flopping against Russell's side. "Eating for two, my ass. I feel like I'm having twins." Russell laughed and kissed his forehead.

"Well, twins look pretty cute on you," he teased, slipping a hand under his husband's shirt and gently massaging his belly.

"Mm, keep doin' that." Rufus laid his head against Russell's shoulder with a sleepy sigh, closing his eyes.

[eddiesguitarskills]

When We Were Young

part 2

Older Ex Eddie Munson x reader

Other parts 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Intro: 5 years have past since you packed up and left behind Hawkins. Well not all of it, as the people you met there are still a huge part of your life. But it's been 5 years since you had set a foot in the small town, 5 years since you left him. And now after all that time you were back.

Warning: angst, language, mentions of suicide, miscarriages, self harm, mental health Arguments. Mentions of break ups. Female identity reader. Panic attacks. Y/n used

Bold parts are flashbacks

Word count: 2.8k

A/n: please only read if you are in a good place, I wouldn't want this story to trigger or hurt anyone. I’m dyslexic so if some bits don’t make sense I’m sorry. Let me know if you wanna be tagged in the next part. Sorry it took me so long to write this

You were so anxious and aggregated you needed something to do with your hands. There were pots and pans ready to be loaded into the dishwasher. So instead you scrubbed them in the sink. You were rigorous with it making things shine that hadn’t in a while. You could hear mutters in the other room, but all you could hear was him. He had haunted your dreams for years and now he was here. You scrubbed and hummed hoping to block out any sounds. The noise felt worse than nails on a chalkboard.

He couldn’t believe were humming, as it all was merry. As if Eddie's world wasn’t crumbling right in front of him. He moved his eyes towards the kitchen glaring, starting to walk towards the room. Anger moved his body. Steve put a hand on his chest stopping him from “calm down”. Eddie shoves him off, getting closer to the man. “Calm down?!” There is a knock on the door, which is ignored by the men at the bottom of the stairs in a stare-down.

Eddie had barely managed to survive the upside down. Even with Hopper helping to legally clear his name. He was the same, life wasn't the same. He tried his best to appreciate everything that he had, new friends, his uncle, and you, but whenever he heard the mutter of the townsfolk, he sometimes wondered if it would have been better to be dead. He was struggling big time with PTSD but he didn't know that. And he definitely wasn't going to burden you with his problems. He felt so alone, that no one would understand what he was going through. Not that he gave anyone a chance to understand. You had noticed he was down so you suggested his favourite horror film. This made him snap, he shouted at you, “How dumb can you be! Why would I want to watch that!?”. Not bothering to explain why he didn't want to watch it. Not telling you he was scared that it would make the thoughts of Chrissy’s bones breaking worse.

There’s another knock. Nancy comes tumbling down the stairs “Steve aren’t you gonna get that?” Her eyes go wide upon seeing Eddie. Shit. No this could cause you to spiral, you were doing so good you didn’t need this setback. All three of them stood frozen, not sure what to do or say. The only sound now was the tapping of Munson’s foot, and your humming from the kitchen. Another knock.

The noise pulls you from your thoughts. After the fourth knock, you realise no one is getting it. You breathe in and straighten your back. Look forward don’t look at him. Keep a smile on your face. You walk over to the door ignoring the scene at the side of you. Everyone’s face turns to you. You open the door and try to ignore the burning stares in the back of your head. “Y/n!” Dustin runs into your arms pulling you into a tight embrace. “I’ve missed you”. He murmurs into your chest. You rub his head “you too kid”. Max pushes him out of the way, “give her some air dude”.

“Sup y/n” she tries to act cool, but you notice the tears in her eyes. You don’t mention it, but you understand how she feels. So you pull her into a hug. “I missed you too” you whisper in her ear. You then pulled away and Lucas awkwardly side-hugged you, the smile on his face showing how much he's missed you. Even if his cool persona wouldn’t tell you so. Robin in typical Robin fashion was running late, probably busy with her ‘not’ girlfriend. It was obvious to everyone they were dating but they were trying to keep it lowkey.

Unfortunately, El, Mike, Will and Jonathan couldn't make it, something about family commitments. You wish they were here not just because you missed them but because the more people here the least likely you would have to talk to him. That him that you were still trying to avoid looking at, which was hard with his eyes burning into you. Dustin was also avoiding the dungeon master's eyes. He felt like he was to blame for the frosty atmosphere, maybe having something to do, like eating, would help. “Nanc when’s food ready? I’m starving”. The sound of the younger boy broke her trance, food, she had completely forgotten. God, she hoped it wasn’t burning. She wanted this night to be perfect, it seemed like fate had another ideas. “You all go and sit down, me and y/n will dish up”. You nodded and left for the kitchen with Nancy.

Eddie didn’t know what to do with himself, no one ever spoke about you so he just assumed you left everyone behind turns out it was just him. He couldn’t pinpoint one feeling for the way he felt, betrayed, angry, heartbroken, curious. The worst part of it all is you were still just as beautiful maybe more so. He hated you for that. He hated you for a lot of things.

You put on the oven gloves taking the casserole out of the oven minutes before it started to go from brown to black. However, maybe burnt food would distract Nancy from the interview she was about to conduct. “I didn’t know he was coming,” she says in hushed tones, you hum agreeing not wanting to get into it. You place the food down, glancing away from Nancy. You weren’t sure what your face looked like, but it probably seemed worried. You were trying to remember all the techniques you had learned to stop you from having a panic attack, counting, listing, and breathing techniques. You were currently counting how many ducks were on the oven gloves you were wearing. 1,2,3,4 “are you okay?” You nod, going back to counting 5, 6, 7. “Should I get him to leave?”. You shake your head.

“No,” you say unconvincingly, you knew everyone else was still friends with him, why should you get in the way of that? It was so long ago, you should probably get over it. Does he even remember what happened? You wonder if he ever regretted it. Should you hate him? You got so caught up in your thoughts that you completely lost count. You were trying to stop your thoughts and you’ve done the complete opposite. It’s okay you could just start again 1,2,3.

“I understand it’s hard seeing him if you wanna talk -“ she hesitates she wants you to feel like you can go to her because you can. But she knows it’s always been you and Steve against the world. She never really fit in. She wasn’t jealous of you, like that anyways. She knew Steve loved her and any feelings you two held were platonic. But she couldn’t help but feel a little left out from the bond you two had. Everyone here had a shared trauma, from their experience of the upside down. Some are worse than others. She could handle that, she knew what to say. How to help. But only you and Steve had experienced that night. She never heard the full story only that it had happened.

She wasn’t there in the aftermath, she wasn’t even there when you left. She wanted to help, she needed to help. She didn’t want to see you in pain ever again, but she felt useless. Steve seemed to be the only person you found comfort in with anything bad. Nancy only got to know happy you, she never got to see the other side. She loved you so much, she wanted to be let completely in. She wanted you to feel like you could come to her with anything and she would help. But there she was in the kitchen trying to show you she was here, she was ready to listen to be a shoulder and you were shutting her out again. She was glad you also couldn’t see her face so you didn’t see the defeated look. “Shall we plate up?” You nod.

You could hear a beeping sound in your ear, which might be the most annoying sound you could ever hear. It felt like it was piercing through your ear drums. You had to open you eyes to get rid of that awful sound. You tried but they felt heavy, you could feel the light seeping through but you couldn’t open them. The last thing you remember is the water starting to turn red. Had you actually done it, was this the end? Was this was the afterlife was? The beeping got louder again, god I must be in hell. Another noise came through over the bleeping.

“Y/n!”. You weren’t dead yet, you had so much you regretted. God Steve you didn’t want to leave him, you didn’t want to put him through this. He was the only thing you had left now. You just couldn’t cope. It was all too much, and the love of your life didn’t want you. But what about if Steve blamed himself? You needed to tell him it wasn’t his fault. Wait what if you regret it? Is it too late? Can you change your mind? All of a sudden you feel a squeeze of your hand. It was so warm, it felt like it was breaking the ice on your body that made it frozen. It was home. You had to get your eyes open, you used all your force, it hurt your head, but you could do it. You saw a blurred silhouette, all you could make out was a blur of brown hair. Omg was it, Eddie, did he save you? Did he still love you? The figure reached forward running a hand through your hair. “You had me worried there”. It wasn’t Eddie but it was your best friend.

Dinner was edible, maybe Steve was right Nancy had got better at cooking. God, she was perfect. You wish you could be more normal like her instead of the mess you were. No, you were doing good, you graduated from university, you have a new job, a new house. You had all of these amazing people who cared about you. You looked around the table and smiled. Until you saw your ex-boyfriend, it’s like the sight of him made you forget how far you’ve come. You were suddenly thrown back to four years ago.

You wish you were just thinking about the bad times, but looking at his face, (god why was he still hot) you couldn’t help but remember the good too. “So why are you back in town?” Eddie didn’t even try to sound nice when asking this. Okay, scratch that now you definitely weren’t thinking of the good times. Be nice y/n, and show him how good you’re doing. “I got scouted for a job at the school” he smirks “I wouldn’t go back there even if they paid me a million dollars”. You plaster a smile on your face, despite the anger that you were starting to feel. “What do you do then?”.

You were both all smiles but anyone in this room knew this wasn’t a friendly chat this was more like a western shootout, of who would win the breakup. “I didn’t sellout, I followed my dream, I own a rock bar” one point to Eddie. “I don’t remember the word bar in your dream. But it was so long ago I can’t remember much from then” point to you. “Yeah it was long ago, it’s like we were different people. We’ve grown up so much. I’ve even got a girlfriend now” this is a complete lie but the smile on your face threatening to fade was enough to show he had won another point. “god I wish I had time for things like dating I’ve been far too busy, getting a degree, but good for you that you have the time for things like that”. Point to you. “ you know I heard people who go to school to study theatre are the only ones who aren’t talented enough to get hired, but I’m sure that’s not true for you. I’m sure you’re just becoming a teacher because you’re good with kids”. Point to him.

Steve had watched enough of this, he had let you both have your little spat but now it was enough, it was going too far. “Who wants dessert?” The seat dragged out behind Eddie, “I’m gonna go for a smoke”. Dustin wanted to say something, he knew his friend was trying to quit, but he was already in the dog house. So he thought it was better to sit there quietly, letting him leave. You slump into your chair, trying to keep the smile up but it becomes harder as the minute pass. You could feel a lump in your throat either tears would soon follow, or you would be sick. “Maybe later, I’m just gonna go to the toilet” you avoid Steve’s eyes peering towards you trying to gauge how you are feeling. You weren’t the only one feeling sick, Steve was starting to worry. Hopefully, this didn’t set you over the edge.

You sink onto the tiled cold floor, leaning against the door not bothering to lock it, your breathing is harsh it’s becoming harder and harder to be calm. Counting helped before maybe you could do that again, this time with tiles. 1, 2,3, 4, 5 the door to the bathroom was pushed open. Sending you flying forward. “sorry I d- oh” Jesus the two of you couldn’t be away from each other for more than a few minutes. You were a magnet to your biggest heartbreak. That was such a cruel fate. You don’t even bother looking at him, you already have given yourself enough material to fill your thoughts for the next couple of months. Torturing yourself with his good looks, signature smirk and the image of what his girlfriend might look like.

He had been trying to get hold of you for a month since originally trying to apologise. At first, he was worried, but now he was annoyed, you didn’t get to abandon him like everyone else. He was gonna fix this. He knew the one person who would know where you were - Steve, which is why he was now here banging on his door. Steve answered, his posture was off, he had lost weight, and bags under his eyes, his nightmares were the worse they had been and now they weren’t just about the monsters. “Where is she?”. His words came out harsher than he meant to. His anger wasn’t meant for Steve but for you, maybe even himself.

Steve used all his energy in his next exchange, he stood up straight to slightly hovering over Eddie to show dominance. “Leave her alone, I mean it”. There was no way Steve would betray you. No one knew what happened and he was going to keep it that way. He was especially going to keep it from Eddie, whom he wish he didn’t but he blamed it on. Even if it wasn’t completely his fault.

Eddie felt like he was back in high school being looked down on by a jock. Which is why he reacted how he did next. “She’s my girlfriend, not yours” he spat. Hoping to prove this meant he knew you better than your best friend. But these were just words. Unfortunately know Eddie wouldn’t recognise the person you had became. Steve wanted to laugh but he was too weak for that. “You lost that title a while ago asshole” he shamed the door. Tears filled Eddie’s eyes, his hands shook. He was maybe the angriest he had ever felt, you couldn’t even break up with him in person. Those 2 years meant nothing.

“I thought you were going for a smoke” he stepped over you and started rummaging through the cabinet under the sink, in search of Steve’s stash he hides from Nancy. The silence is deafening. “What are you looking for?” He huffs, you can’t believe him. “Childish much”. He spots the red label of Marlboro behind a conditioner and pulls it out. He turns around and stares at you, his gaze makes you uncomfortable so you wrap your arms around yourself hoping to disappear. “You know I always imagined what it would feel like the next time I saw you, what I’d say? Would I still think you’re pretty?”. He looks you up and down, “turns out I didn’t have to worry. Because I look at you and feel nothing.” The words leaving his mouth left a bitter taste, but that’s what was needed to officially win the breakup.

After that, he left the bathroom. Not hearing your breathing becoming intense and a panic attack starting to begin. All he could think about was how he needed to get home. He couldn’t keep up this façade for much longer. Pretending to hate you when he still loved you despite the hurt. He need to go out before he did something stupid and apologised for what he said. Even if he did, what would that help, you didn’t care about him. Overwise you wouldn’t have left all those years ago and come back acting as if nothing had happened. The only solace he could have is he won. He hurt you like he’s been hurting for years. He would spend tonight, drowning in whiskey, tears and thoughts of you. Knowing you had already won the break-up the moment you left.

Tag list

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[caxde]

roses and dandelions | steve harrington x reader -part 2-

summary you're Hopper's daughter as soon as you could you moved far from Hawkins, some years later you come back to teach at the High School, and you find Steve Harrington has become the new History teacher.

THIS IS PART TWO! you don't need to read part 1 but... just know, stablished realtionship on this one &lt;3

word count: 4.6k

warnings fem!reader, fluff (like a lot of it), comfort, mutual pining, yearning etc, slowburn bestfriends to lovers, idiots in love!!!. smut mdni (p in v, unprotected sex, oral fem receiving, general heavy petting and kissing, idk if im leaving anything out, please let me know!) teacher!steve AU!!!!, english is not my first language so I apologise if there’s some mistakes, not proof read!!

It was truly blissful.

Somehow, it felt like it was always supposed to happen, but then again, you were getting ahead of yourself. Sure, having your hopes up was unavoidable, but regardless, you didn’t care at all. Being tangled in between his sheets felt warmer somehow, feeling intoxicated by his cologne which was everywhere, on the pillow, on his clothes that he let you borrow, and in his hair. You smelled him every time you closed your eyes, and it made you smile, knowing that even if he wasn’t here, he was with you regardless. 

On days like this, when you only had one class late on the day, he left early, and let you sleep. And he did the same thing every time, even if you were unaware of it. He would wake up slowly, trying his hardest to not wake you up. Though you did hear his morning showers muted by the wall that separated his bedroom, you could still make out what song he decided to sing that morning, even when you were deep in your sleep, his voice always found a way to infiltrate your dreams somehow. When he came back to the room, hair still wet, he’d dress himself up, all the while looking down at your figure, soft skin peeking out of the blankets and sheets, he’d left a soft kiss on your shoulder, or cheek or whatever he could do so without interrupting you. He loved seeing you there, peaceful, asleep, untroubled. He’d  smile as he left the room, happily humming the tune he had sung before as he went to get his morning coffee before he finally left.

Lazily you left the bed, pulling the sheets up in an intention of making the bed look nicer somehow. Your hair still tangled from last night, you brushed it out in front of the bathroom mirror.  Flashbacks of last night's activities rushing through you as you looked at your body, your heart racing as you scrubbed it over with soap and hot water, as you hum a pretty melody in the shower. 

Your wet hair wrapped in a towel, you dress yourself up not really thinking about it, enjoy the slow start of the day, and smile to yourself as you see the coffee pot full with a little post-it note “I’ll see you in a couple hours, it should still be hot when you wake up. S”

-

“Miss H?” an unsure voice spoke up, interrupting the five minutes of quiet you managed to have. 

“Yes?”

“Can you come over? I fuc… I messed up.” The little boy corrects himself once he sees your brow furrowing for a second. You nod as you leave your table, standing beside him. 

“What’s up?” You say as you look down at his painting, splotches of colour on the table and his hands. 

“I uh… huh.” He chuckles as he points at the mudded area. “I don’t know how that happened.” A sense of calmness emanating from you, making his shoulder relax in an instant. 

“Ah” You let out. “That’s an easy fix.” You reassure him, hand leaving his shoulder as you reach for the end of your shirt, whipping some of the paint away, his lips opening in shock. “Trust me…” You remind him, as you smile. “I’m the teacher, remember?” He nods as he stays there, watching closely. “So, in the future, if you want a bright colour, respect the value of the canvas, and don’t abuse the white paint, okay? That’s what made it look all so… Um…” 

“Fucked up?” He mutters as his shoulders shrug, you eye him trying to hide a laugh. 

“Language.” 

“Sorry.” 

“But yeah, that.” You fix the area fast, happy to do so, and with an excited stare following your movements closely. “You know, if you don’t wanna go the realism route, you don’t have to.” You mutter, as you hand his brush back. He looks back at you, an excited grin on his face. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, I mean… I did tell all of you to recreate the vase with flowers, but, you know… Everyone sees things differently, and expresses themselves in a different way so… If just copying isn’t for you, by all means, please express yourself however you desire.” The kid looks back up at you, excited, bright eyes as he nods, you see him looking over at the new canvases, and you nod at him, letting him choose another one, and taking the old one away, you always reused discarded ones to repaint them, as you always hated to waste. 

That felt rewarding, you think to yourself. 

“Miss H?” Another higher pitch voice interrupts your moment of self reflection. 

“Yes?” 

“Mr.Harrington’s on the door.” You turn around as you hear the freshmans giggle and laugh. You smile softly as you roll your eyes. 

Steve’s body is resting against the threshold, falling to hide his smile as his eyes brighten up as he sees you acknowledging him, his heart still felt all warm at the image of you helping your student, sure it is your job, but it didn’t stop his brain from fantasising about a future where he sees you do that everyday, with him by his side, and a little you in between. 

“Hi.” You whispered as you stood in front of him. 

“Hi.” He repeated, his eyes beaming at you. 

“Anything I can help with, Mr.Harrington?” Trying not to say Steve’s name always made you smirk, and you tried to hid it, as you see his lips curling upwards as he hears you say that. 

“We’ve run out of papers, do you have any spare ones?” His finger push his glasses upwards, as his head tilts down to look at you. 

“Yeah, A4s?” He nods at the question as he sees you head back to a little cabinet, looking right to his classroom for a second, his hand brushes his hair in a nervous manner. “There you go.” You tell him as you hand them out. His fingers quickly grace yours. 

“I’ll come over later tonight, I’ve got teacher-parent conference.” He whispers, a bit closer to you now, making sure nobody notices the way his finger is caressing the top of your hand, or how his feet tap yours slowly. 

“Parent-teacher.” You correct him, teasing as he scoffs. 

“I’m the teacher, let me go first…” He mocks as he fails to hide a grin. 

“Yeah, guess you’re right.” You reason to him as you look up, your eyes locking with his, letting yourself get lost in them for a second too long before you ask. “Who?” 

“Jameison and uh… Trevor.” 

“Ugh, good luck.” 

He blinks as he leaves, slower than he needs to. 

“Thank you for the papers, Miss.H” He says as you close the previous open door, your heart begins to jump in anticipation. 

-

You didn’t mind that the floor felt cold to your skin. 

While soft music played in the background, you sat there, legs exposed, with your old paint stained shirt over you, brush on one hand and cigarette on the other. Consumed by the process of your latest project, you found yourself in what a lot of people seemed to call “the zone”. A sort of mental state where sounds were unrecognizable, and your attention was devoted to what you were creating. A cuddled body on an empty bed, sun rays hitting it from a big window that was not in frame, it began taking shape. To the naked eye, it was just a woman on a bed, to you however, it was your mornings in Steve's house. 

You rested the brush on top of your palette, taking your body back for a second, observing the whole painting, though you liked working on details, you had to remember to always look at the bigger picture, from afar so you could know where to tackle next. 

As you did, you heard a pair of knees hit the ground, right beside you, as two arms wrapped your figure from behind, a wet kiss left on your exposed shoulder. You smiled fondly as you grabbed his hands tightly, moving your head closer to his. 

“Didn’t hear you come in.” You tell him, softly, he kisses the same spot again before talking. 

“Missed you.” He says before letting his head rest on your shoulder, as he looked up at what you were working on. “Is that my bed?” He asks cheerfully. 

“Mmh.” 

“Cute.” He mutters, kissing your cheek slowly, you breath out soundly as you smile wide while your teeth show. 

“You’re kissy today…” You teased him softly, as your voice came out in a whisper. 

“I haven’t kissed you since yesterday.” He points out, as he nuzzles his head on your neck, leaving a tender kiss on it, you bite your lower lip as that little show of affection sends goosebumps down your spine, your skin feeling hot all of a sudden. “And I missed you.” He remains you as you turn your body around a bit, his arms still hugging you, only now you were face to face. 

“Missed you too.” You murmured as you left a small kiss on the tip of his nose. His cologne lingered on you once more. 

“Mmh.” He breathed out as one of his arms left your waist to caress the small of your back, his hands playing softly with your shirt. “I love it when it’s just us. ‘Specially when you’re like this.” 

“Like what?” You tease back, your body moving a bit away from him, he pulls you closer to him, tenderly, as soon as he feels you move away, before speaking again. 

“With this shirt…” He teased, as his hand left your back to place itself on your chin, his thumb moving your head up, closer to him. His eyes were lost on your lips, you could feel the way your heart beated faster than before, you were breathing faster in anticipation. “And nothing else.” He adds, as his lips pause before touching yours, letting you breathe each other's air for a bit, before he ceases, and finally kisses you. 

You began to feel light-headed, warm, as you felt the needines transform itself into lust, as the kiss began to grow deeper, your lips opening, so your tongues could finally touch. Your hands traveled upwards so they could reach the back of his neck, and bury themselves on his hair. His lips left yours, though they were slow kisses, and there was no real rush, you yearned for the next one, you needed the wetness of his lips to touch your skin, making it cool down where he touched you, as you felt how it was begging to warm up. He made his way to the crook of your neck, kissing and biting where he knew he would get a reaction, while you moaned softly, as you felt his hand on your back, having slided it under your shirt, you felt as his hands splayed across your lower back. 

“Maybe we should…” You cried out, as he left a bite on your neck that made your spine shiver.

“Yeah, come.” He stuttered as he stood up, his hand out to help you out. You couldn’t help but notice the large bump hidden behind his trousers. 

You intertwined your fingers as you rushed to the bedroom, needing him, and smiling when he blurted out a small “oh my god” when he realised you were only wearing a thong underneath it all. 

He couldn’t wait much, pressing your body against the bedroom wall as he began biting your collarbones, you couldn’t help yourself from moaning in a needy way. You could feel his smile against your skin as your eyes closed and you arch your back. You grab the back of his neck, moving it to meet your lips, though it started with softness, you could feel that the need you had now had transferred this into much faster moves, your lips interlocked, your tongue touching his, you bit his lower lip, pulling away slowly, hearing him moan as you did so, he was still smiling. 

He placed his arms around you, and hugged you tightly as he kissed you once again, fumbling as he reached the bed with you in his arms, letting you down slowly. Your legs hung out of the bed, as you were sitting up on it, feet still touching the ground. His hand travelled to your inner thigh, separating your legs so he could fit in between. You looked at him, his hair wild, he took his glasses off, leaving them on the top of the bed as he threw them, he took out his shirt, exposing his bare chest. He sank to his knees slowly, not losing eye contact with you. A trail of kisses began from your left knee, they were soft, wet and he had no rush to move. When he did, he moved his head upwards, kissing your thigh, biting it to hear you gasp, smiling against your skin as he looked back at you, he left a kiss on your cunt, a wet stain on your thong that drove him crazy, knowing that it was for him. He moved away, repeating the same trail on your other leg, finishing on your right knee. He looked up at you for permission, and he smiled when he saw you nod, your face flushed in pretty pink, your lips parted and your chest raising up and down rapidly. His hands grabbed your love handles roughly, pulling you closer to his mouth. Your body hitted the mattress now, in anticipation, your hand rested on your forehead, muttering a soft “oh my god” as you just wanted one thing. 

When you felt his lips through the small fabric, you couldn’t help but gasp. And you heard him laugh. 

“Relax, I’ll get there.” He teased you, as you couldn’t find the words you wanted or needed to say. 

Instead, one of your hands reached for his hair, and grabbed it tightly, trying to direct him to where you needed him most.  He shook his head as he looked up at you, a teasing smile as he left another kiss on the wet stain, eyes looking up at your reaction. When he heard your moan his hands caressed your legs as he moved them up, taking the underwear off of you. Slowly, lazily. One of his fingers traveled down your cunt, and you gasped at the touch. 

“You’re sensitive today, love.” He breathed. You could hear the wetness travelling across as he moved inside you. You couldn’t help your back from arching upwards. 

He played with you for a bit, his lips teasing you, as he left wet kisses on the fold between your inner thigh and your fold. You heard him breathe out, the cold air contrasting with your wetness made you shiver, as he began to slowly suck on your clit, kissing it, moving his tongue up and down, side to side, in circles. It didn’t matter, you had become lost in pleasure, your hands lost on his hair, pulling him closer to you. 

“S-Steve…” You cried out as he began to move his fingers inside you, your legs beginning to shake as you whimpered his name, he picked up the rhythm as he heard his names escaping your lips. 

“God, you're beautiful.” He said as he pulled away. 

Your hands trembling as you pulled him closer to your lips, you kissed him softly, as you tasted yourself, his knee in between your opened thighs, he began to undo your shirt, as you took off his belt, and unbuttoned his trousers. They slipped away, hitting the ground as your eyes were closed, and you were busy kissing him. Your hands began to play with the elastic of his boxers, pulling his body closer to yours, he wrapped an arm to your waist, pushing you to the middle of the bed. You could feel the weight of his body against yours. His hip punching against yours, grinding as you took your arms out of the sleeves. Your head tilted back as you heard his groan, feeling him in his fullness, your bodies only separated by the thin fabric of his black boxers, raking your nails across his back until you reached the elastic band of his underwear. 

“Take them off.” He whimpered, knowing that hearing him like that, needy and begging, would make you smile and giggle. 

Nonetheless, you did as he asked, sliding them down and letting your hand play with his cock, moving your hand up and down, he kissed you as he tried to hide a moan, and you smiled as you saw the effect you had on him. You loved being with him like this. Feeling as though you were the only ones that mattered. 

You felt him as he teased your entrance with his dick, and he kissed you senseless before entering. Your head tilting back, a gasp escaping your lips as you felt him inside you. His hips moving slowly at the beginning, his hands grabbing you hard, burning them onto your skin. 

“Fuck… Love” He whimpered as he thrusted you. 

“Mmh.” You were ridden with desire, and couldn’t say anything else, biting his shoulder as you felt him move even deeper inside you. 

You can feel your walls clinging to him as he starts to move slower, you’re wet after everything he has done in the past hour, and you can feel yourself stretch as he thrust into you, your skin tingling, filled with goosebumps as you let yourself sink into him, letting your thighs fall on either side of his, spread all over his cock, he grabs onto your leg as he looks at your eyes. “I missed you.” He repeats the phrase that started all of this, quietly. “Missed you.” He whimpers as he buries himself into you once more. 

“Miss you too.” You manage to say as you feel your breath shuddering out, getting used to him and his size. 

“I missed your lips, I missed your smell, I missed being with you.” He confesses in between movements, as you feel the beating of his cock inside you, your nails grabbing onto his back, as he leaves a wet kiss on your lips, biting your lower lip as he pulls away, his free hand pulling away a flock of hair away from your soft face. 

“Yeah?” You ask as you feel how you’re melting on his arms. 

“Yeah, I hate when I can’t just kiss you.” He recognises, as he pulls his hips harder onto you, making you squeal when you feel him fully in. A dazed smile on both of your faces. 

He leaves a small kiss on your cheek, as he starts to move again, it feels just as good as you remembered, that stretch, the prodding sensation that his tip left on your sweet spot, his free hand moves up to your chest, cupping your breast as he squeezes, he has good hands and knows how to use them, teasing your nipple until he can feel it peaking. 

“Fuck, I can..” He tries to say it all at once, but his words come out low and drawn out “just how wet you are, dripping all over…” You nod as you moan, loudly. 

Your head nods, opening your eyes, meeting his gaze, your thumb caressing his cheek. “I feel it” you whine out as you can see his head tilted back in pleasure, kissing his neck as he does so. 

He begins to move a bit faster, doing it with intention this time, hearing the sound that your juices make only proves what he had just told you. “Like that.” He mutters, as his hand that was on your breast travels upwards to your neck, pressuring a bit on it, enough to make you dizzy and moan in excitement, your hips moving upwards as you need more of him all of a sudden. “Making a mess on me, love.” He teases as he looks down for a second where you're connected, your legs tangled on his waist now, his hand on your butt, pushing in harder now. 

You shiver. 

His hand moves away from your neck, his lips kissing the zone he had just left, hot flesh under his lips, he can’t help himself from biting you softly. “Fuck love… You don’t know how much I’ve been thinking about your lips, about kissing you.” 

He buries himself into you, as you get lost on him, making you one. 

“Just wanting another.” He moans out as he feels your hips begin to move at the same speed, his nails scratching your butt. 

As you open your eyes, you're lost in his gaze, he is begging. You chuckle as you kiss him, slow, soft kisses that build, your hands getting lost on his hair, as you kiss him you were trying to pour every ounce of affection, and every Imissedyou on his lips. 

His hips moving in time with your kisses, the pressure that his tongue left on yours made you dizzy, his cock deep in your cunt feeling like a bliss. When Steve breaks your kisses, his head rests on your shoulder, breathing in your ear as you both moan and groan each other's names, pure adrenaline and desire in your voices. 

You can tell you are both about to finish as you lose your rhythm, not caring about anything else but pleasure, you feel him come as you feel the palpitations that leave your cunt. A doozy smile across your faces. 

“I’ll kiss you forever.” You whisper to him as he hugs you deeply, pulling you onto his chest as his back hits the mattress. 

“Someday, I’ll make you Miss.Harrington, and they will stop calling you Miss.H.” He teases, as he leaves a kiss on your forehead. His lips still wet as he does so. 

“I can’t wait.” You confess to him. 

You stayed there, laying on top of your sheets, now messy and tangled you enjoyed the feeling that his soft skin left on yours. Both of you were out of breath, and didn’t need to say anything. Your head laid on his chest, your leg on the top of his body, he caresses it softly, tracing intricate patterns on your naked skin, leaving goosebumps all over it. Your head tilted up to look at him, his eyes focused on the drawings he was leaving, you enjoyed the simplicity and intimacy of this time just as much as you did five minutes ago when he was inside you. You smiled to yourself, a soft giggle escaping your lips as you realized where your feelings for him truly were. He looks softly down at you, his eyes darting around your face, a smirk on his lips as he opens them so he could talk. 

“What?” 

“What?” You ask him, adoration evident on your bright eyes. 

“You were giggling, what were you giggling about?” You melt a little bit as his smile widens, before leaving a chaste kiss on your forehead. 

“I just… It’s stupid.” 

“Nothing you think is ever stupid, love.” 

lovelovelove.

“I just, I think I’m falling for you.” You confess. Your voice soft and warm as you look at him, your head falling on his chest, looking directly onto his eyes. 

He cups your cheeks in between his hands as he leaves a soft chaste kiss on your lips, as his thumbs softly caress the sides of them, you can feel his lips curving up on a smile before he pulls away. 

“Yeah?” He asks, his voice slightly higher as he melts. 

“Yeah.” 

“I am too.” He admits. You melt onto his arms, letting the warmth of his body keep you safe, intertwined with him. 

-

The sudden ringing of the phone wakes you up. 

“Hello, I’m Dee, I’m calling from the Angels Gallery in New York.” A soft spoken women’s voice comes from the speaker and your body immediately incorporates itself. shitshitshit. 

“Hi Dee, um…” Your voice is deep and croaks as you speak, having just woken up. You look to your left, a sleepy Steve looking at you, his eyes half opened as he looks at you. “What can I… um- do for you?” 

“We just need to check in with you, since you haven’t responded to our last email.” shitshitshit

“Um, I’m not established in Indiana, um… And the connection here is spotty, I’m sorry.” You apologise as your fingers play anxiously with the sheets that covered your body. 

“No need to apologise, that’s understandable.” She calms you down with a sweet voice that makes you relax your shoulders. “The email was regarding your upcoming exhibition.”

“Yeah, is there a problem, is everything okay?” Panic evident in your voice, Dee laughs in an attempt to calm you a bit, though it doesn’t work the way she intended to. Steve’s finger tap on your hand, making you look down at him, as he smiles up at you, meeting your gaze. 

He mouths you’re okay.

“Yeah, no, everything's fine.” She elongates the last word, her nosely voice over pronouncing the ‘n’ finnne. “Our coordinator saw your recent work that you forwarded to us, and he wanted to let you know, that he considered that your work would fit better on the April exposition, if it does well, you’d be in our walls for the next 6 months, with the implication or rather, expectation that if you do sell works, you’d replace them with new pieces.” Your mouths opens as you realize what she is telling you. 

“April?” you need the confirmation, making sure that everything you just heard was real. 

“Yes.” 

“As in two weeks from now, April?” 

“That’s right.” 

“Holy shit.” You giggle out as you cover your mouth. Steve scoots over you as he tries to hear anything from the other end. 

“Indeed.” She teases. “I’ll take that as a confirmation from your end.” 

“I..-” You look down at him, and he just nods at you, a big smile on his face. “Yes.” 

“Fantastic. We’ll see you on the 5th to ensemble the collection, and for the big opening on the 6th.” 

“Great, thank you so much Dee.” 

“My pleasure, have a good day. 

“You too.”

Once you hang up you let your body hit the bed, giggling as you kick the air, excited for it all and an aweing Steve laughing with you, even if he doesn’t know what he is celebrating. 

“Are we happy?” He asks, his face closer to yours. 

“Very.” You tell him as you leave a fast chaste kiss on his lips. “So, so, so happy Stevie.” 

You closed your eyes as you let him hug you closely, he always liked being the big spoon, feeling you closer to him, he liked feeling you this close, feeling like he was protecting you, like you were all his. And he’d promised himself to keep doing that for as long as you’d let him, or for as long as his heart kept beating. 

Needles to say, you’d felt the same, letting him hold you close until your last breath.

“Steve?” You felt your heart beating faster and faster, as you turned around to face him. 

“Yes?” 

“I… I um-” He blushed, his eyes opening as he realized what you were about to say. 

“I love you too.” He says, a soft grin on his face as his hand brushes your hair as his fond voice rings in your ears. 

“I knew you’d say it first.” You tease him as you laugh, your lips close to each other, as you breathe eachothers air, he tickles you before closing the distance. 

“Idiot.” 

“An Idiot you love.” You keep teasing him as your giggles and laughter fill the room. “And who loves you too.”

-

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ppl that asked to be taged &lt;3 @param8re @evansflowers