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Change My Mind
SUMMARY: Josh and Alina are great friends most days. Other days, they want to tear each other apart. Some days, theyâre in love with each other, but neither of them will admit it.Â
*DISCLAIMER: This is a multi-part series. I do not own any of the characters in the writing except for the OC. The book uses actual names of wrestlers. Josh is Jey, Jon is Jimmy, Trinity is Naomi, and Alina is Alina. The book is not realistic and does not take place during real events, but some actual events (matches, storylines) could pop up in the story eventually. I DO NOT GIVE ANYONE PERMISSION TO TRANSLATE OR REPOST MY WRITINGS ANYWHERE. THAAAAAANKS. *
PAIRING: Jey Uso x Black OC
TROPE: Friends to Lovers
WARNINGS: Language
WORD COUNT:Â 10K
PART TEN
PART ELEVEN
Meeting parents was never fun. It was nerve-wracking, stressful, anxiety-inducingââany word you can think of that falls under that category, really. The time was winding down quickly for Alina to meet Josh's family, and she was frantically moving around the bathroom. Her hair decided not to cooperate with her, forcing her to put it up in a tight ponytail. It wasnât what she envisioned, but it will do.Â
Josh sat on the tub's edge, scrolling on his phone while he waited for his girlfriend to finish getting dressed. Just like Alina, he was full of anxiety about his family. Their reasons were different, though. While she was worried about his family's approval, he was concerned with how they would take the news of him relocating. It had been an active plan for several weeks, but he couldn't figure out how to bring it to their attentionââuntil now. They'll take it fine, he thinks. He hopes.Â
When Jon told them he and Trinity were moving to Orlando, they didn't put up much of a fuss. Then again, the twins spent plenty of time around that area during their FCW days. There were plenty of family and friends around there that could help them in their times of need. Atlanta, on the other hand, not so much. That didn't matter, though. Josh is a grown-ass man. He can handle himself.
Alina leans over the sink, her face near the mirror. She's lining her lips with her favorite brown lip liner, making sure her lips look full and even. There was a slight tremble in her hand as she traced along the natural lining of her lips. Nerves. "Lina," Josh says, looking up from his phone. "we gotta go." He informs her. They were supposed to have left about thirty minutes ago, but she kept backpedaling on what she should wear.
"I know." She says, finishing her makeup. She glances around the mess of makeup on the counter, looking for her gloss. "I just want to make sure..."Â
"Lina." He calls again.
"I look good." she finishes, snatching up the lipgloss tube from the pile of lipsticks. She unscrews the cap and quickly slathers the product across her lips. Josh stands to his feet, slowly approaching the stress-filled woman before him. She stared at herself in the mirror, smoothing out her shirt and allowing her hands to travel over the front of her pants. He wraps his hands around her forearms, giving them a gentle squeeze. Her eyes would flicker to his dark ones, and they'd watch each other in the mirror.Â
"You look good," He assures her. "Perfect, to be real." He corrects himself. Josh steps back, allowing his hands to skim her arms to her shoulders. He gives them three gentle squeezes before turning towards the bathroom door. "Let's go before you get me in trouble with my Mama." He informs her, making her turn around to look at him.
"Josh," She groans, nerves setting in for her again.
"Come on, honey." He says louder, ignoring her pleas. "We ain't got all night." She quickly follows after him, soft huffs of frustration leaving her lips.Â
Was she ever this nervous about meeting Theo's parents? She tried to recall if she ever felt this amount of anxiety when she met them. Meeting them went relatively well. Then again, she knew enough information on them beforehand to prepare herself. Unfortunately, this was not the case with Josh. He didn't speak enough about them for her to learn who she was meeting, and because of that, she was terrified. Even when she would ask multiple times throughout the morning, he would answer shortly with little information. They're great people, he says. You have nothing to worry about, he tells her.Â
Perhaps they were just like Jon and Josh: loud, goofy, and loving. Trinity never had any complaints, either. If she did, she never brought them to her attention. Then again, why would she? Alina and Josh were not in a relationshipââtheir family issues were none of her business until now.
The drive to his parents' home was roughly thirty minutes. They made it two minutes before six, cutting close to dinner time. Alina stares up at the large house from the passenger seat. Her legs now felt like jelly, and she knew they wouldn't hold her up if she got out of this car. Was she being dramatic? Possibly. Whatever happens, tonight would set the tone for her relationship with him and his family forever.Â
What if they don't like her? She's heard she can come off uppity at times, and she's been working on that. "Hey," Josh says, pulling her attention from the window. He searches her eyes for a moment before grabbing her hand. "They're going to love you; you know that, right?" He tells her. She watches him for a moment, a soft smile on her lips.
"Get out of my head." She whispers at him.
"You first." He replies. Josh presses a kiss to her hand before dropping it suddenly. "Now, come on, girl, I'm hungry. I ainât had my Mama's cooking in months." He says, slapping the top of her left thigh. Alina would whine at the playful strike. He climbs out of the car, lightly jogging around to her side to open the door for her. She steps out of the vehicle, taking another deep breath as the realization of her meeting his parents settles in once more. She was now a couple of feet away from them, seconds away from saying, 'Hello, nice to meet you.'. There were multiple cars in the driveway, four Alina counted.Â
They're going to love you, she tells herself. Just be yourself, and they'll love you. The passenger door closed behind her, and a warm hand slid into her own. Together, they approach the front door. Josh's left hand grabs the doorknob, twisting and pushing the door open. Warm white light and the aroma of food poured out of the opening. With one last glance at his girlfriend, Josh steps into the house. "Yo, yo, yo," Josh calls.
"Oh, I think that's Josh." A female voice says. "Joshua!" She calls, getting closer.Â
"It's me," he replies. A small woman runs around the corner, her arms wide open for her son. Josh drops Alina's hand to fully embrace his mother, giving her the tightest hug possible. "Hey, Mama." He says against her shoulder. Alina takes a step back, clasping her hands tight in front of her while she waits for her turn to introduce herself.Â
"My baby is home!" She exclaims, patting his back as she pulls back. Talisua instantly spots the eye injury, her hand going up to examine it. She knew not to question it. She would assume that her son was recovering from someone hitting him too hard in a match or segment Friday night.Â
"Damn, she ain't say that to me," Jon says, walking by the hall. "She ain't even hug me."Â
"That's because I'm her favorite." Josh jokes, earning a lip smack from his brother and a swat to the chest from his mother. Talisua turns her attention to Alina, glancing over the gorgeous woman standing behind her son. Alina gives a faint smile, unsure whether or not she should say hi or quietly wave.Â
Josh notices that his mother has taken sight of Alina and looks over his right shoulder at her, a crooked smile on his lips. He reaches over to grab her hand, pulling her to his side. "Mama, this is my girlfriend, Alina," Josh says.Â
Talisua's hands go to her hips as she takes in the woman standing behind her son. There was a hint of a smile on her lips as she peered down at her shoes and back up to her face. "So you're why I haven't seen my son in months?" She asks. The question was a playful opening, not to be mistaken as an attack. Alina glances over at Josh briefly before returning her gaze to Talisua.
"If I knew he hadn't been home, I would have sent him on his way," Alina replies, returning the smile she received. Both women turn their attention towards Josh, whose brows furrowed at the interaction. "He's been acting like he doesn't have his own house," Alina adds.
"He's always been clingy." His mother says, earning a laugh out of Alina. Josh would smack his lips at the two of them, watching as they talked about him. "He used to throw a fit when he couldn't be in my face." She tells her.
"Glad to know some things never change," Alina replies. Talisua links her arm with Alina's, pulling her away from Josh and down the hall to the dining room.
"Bruh, what?" Josh watches after the pair in confusion as they leave him in the foyer alone. He was happy his mother and girl clicked almost instantlyââbut like this? Oh, the deception.
"Go help the boys in the kitchen," Talisua calls out behind her. "You too, Jon!" She shouts towards the living room. Jon, whose feet were on the coffee table, a remote in hand, turns his attention towards his mom, catching a glimpse of her passing by the room. He'd suck his teeth at her command, shaking his head slightly as he stood to his feet.Â
Josh steps into the living room's archway, his eyes finding those of his twin's. Jon rolls his shoulders back, tilting his head up at him. "Your drunk ass..." He says, laughing at his brother as he recalls last night's events. "Have I told you I loved you...!" He sings as he passes Josh, his cackles filling the house. "Boy, your freaky ass better not ever look at another tequila sunrise. You were trying to tear Lina up in the Uber home." He says, causing Josh to shove him forward into the dining room.Â
Trinity, Talisua, and Alina peer over their shoulders at the commotion from the twins as they walk through the living room to the kitchen. "Y'all, don't start," Trinity exclaims.
"If you didn't know already, it takes a village to keep these Fatu men in check," Talisua says. Trinity sighs softly at the statement, shaking her head as she does so. "God thought I was well-equipped to handle all boys and make them like their daddy." Talisua looks over at Alina. "Do you have kids?" She asks.
Alina is quick to shake her head at the question. "Two younger brothers, though, so I do understand." She explains. She is the eldest of her siblings. Dealing with the antics of her brothers well-prepared her for this. "I don't pay them no mind anymore." She says, referring to Jon and Josh.Â
In the kitchen, the Fatu men prepped dinnerââer, somewhat. Sefa was seated at the kitchen island, quietly doom-scrolling on social media. Jeremiah was coming in from outside, a pan of meat in hand. Tonight's dinner was barbeque, something they tended to do often when their entire family was in the same house for once. It was a rare occurrence now that Sefa, Josh, and Jon were all on the road with the WWE.Â
At the stove stood their father, Rikishi. He was checking on the mac and cheese, stirring so it wouldn't burn to the bottom of the pot. "Hey, Pops," Josh says, moving past his dad. He pats his back in passing, prompting his dad to look over his shoulder only briefly.
"Hey, son." He replies. "How are you?"
"Never better," Josh replies, leaning up against the counter. "What do you want me to do?" He asks, waiting for orders.
"Get out nine plates, silverware, and cups. Go set the table." He answers. Josh walks around his dad to the cabinets near the sink. He opens them, grabbing out eight plates.Â
"Nine? Who else is coming?" Jon asks, prompting Josh to stop at the question. Who else was coming to dinner? Josh begins to count on his fingers everyone that is there right now. Yeah, he counted eight people. "Joe in town too and ain't tell no one?" Jon asks.
Rikishi is quiet for a little bit longer, turning off the stove. "I invited MĂĄlĂ." Josh slowly put his hands down, now watching the side of his father's head.Â
"MĂĄlĂ, who?" He asks.
"You know, MĂĄlĂ. Tagaloa, LĂlĂ?"Â
"LĂlĂ? She back in town?" Jon asks, glancing over at Josh.Â
MĂĄlĂ Tagaloa was a name Josh hadn't heard in years, seventeen years to be exact. MĂĄlĂ and the Tagaloas were old family friends of the Fatus, neighbors in the first neighborhood they grew up in when they first moved to Pensacola. MĂĄlĂ and Josh had instantly clicked when they met as kids, attached at the hip from first grade through high school. Wherever Josh was, MĂĄlĂ was not far behind, and vice versa. People around them were confident they would end up together after high school. They were tooââbut things happened. MĂĄlĂ received a full-ride scholarship to her dream college, and any chances of them exploring the what-ifs and maybes of their almost relationship went up in smoke.
They lost contact when she went to college. Everything after that was history. Hearing that name after so many years, knowing he would be seeing an old friend any minute now while his girlfriend was in the other room, had scared Josh silent.Â
"Yeah, she moved back home from Seattle last week. We ran into each other at the grocery store yesterday. I told her Josh was in town and asked if she wanted to come by for dinner tonight." Rikishi informs them. Josh turns to look at his twin brother. For once, Jon had nothing funny to say to his twin. They both had the same look of concern on their faces. "Perhaps the two of you can go out while you're here. You two always really liked each otherââ." Rikishi adds.
"That won't be happening," Josh says, shaking his head.Â
"Why not?" Rikishi asks, turning to his son. "Good Samoan woman like thatââ."Â
"My woman is in the other room," Josh explains. "You know that." Josh knew his mother updated his father about Alina yesterday. She was too excited about the potential of meeting someone Josh loved enough to bring home. Rikishi was doing what he knew best: how to insert himself in his sons' lives without their permission. Each time they caught on, he would pretend he had no clue what they were talking aboutââmuch like he is right now.Â
Rikishi furrows his brows at the assumption; the thick black frame of his glasses lifts on his nose with the scrunch of it. "When did you get a girlfriend?" He asks. A look of irritation would flash across Joshâs face as he glanced at Jon briefly.Â
"You soâ." Josh stops himself from saying anything more, shaking his head. "Man, I canât believe youâd try that with me." He lifts the plates he gathered from the counter. "You finna get me in trouble over some shit you said to this woman." He mutters angrily to himself as he exits the room. Rikishi turns to his other sons, his mouth agape in shock at Josh. Jon lifts his hands, shaking his head at the man.Â
"No comment, bruh." He says, turning to make his way out of the kitchen behind his twin. Jon knew how his father got about them dating women. He had done the same thing to him and Trinity when they first got together.Â
Josh's eyes focused on the dishware he held, not looking up once as he entered the dining room. "Josh, look who stopped by for dinner!" Oh, hell, he thought. He halts, his gaze lifting at the sight of the woman standing before him.Â
MĂĄlĂ turns at the sound of Joshâs name, her smile faltering slightly at the sight of her old friend. Time has done them both well, but for her, Josh aged handsomely. Though his face had changed, his eyes had not. They seemed to hold the same youthfulness and innocence they had when they were younger. The grey in his beard accented his appearance perfectly, much like a garnish on a dish. She wouldnât get into the rest of him, thoughââshe had focused on his face and that blank stare he was giving her. After all these years, was he not happy to see her?
MĂĄlĂ had not aged a bit to Josh. She was like a blast from the past, a ghost of his younger days. From what he could tell, all those years away from Pensacola did the woman well. She surprisingly looks the same as she did when she left this placeâânot a single gray or wrinkle in sight. On the other hand, Josh showed signs of aging well with gray hairs and soft wrinkles. She looked great. That was all he would say on the subject of her. He had to remind himself that she was not brought here as his friendââbut as a potential prospect for marriage by his father.
Jon stops behind him, his eyes wide at the sight of MĂĄlĂ. "Shit." He mutters to himself. Alina glances between the pair before her. Strange. "LĂlĂ, what's up, girl!" Jon exclaims, trying to break up the noticeable tension in the room now. He moves by Josh, wrapping the old friend in a tight embrace. Behind MĂĄlĂ, Jon looked at Trinity, who silently asked about the woman her husband was hugging. He widened his eyes at her in response, hoping she'd understand what that meant. Theyâll gossip about it like two old church ladies later.
"Long time no see, Jon! How have you been?" MĂĄlĂ asks, pulling back to look up at the tall man. He smiles down at her, his arms still loosely wrapped around her.
"I'm blessed, Uce. I can never complain." He turns the woman to face the two women seated at the dining table. Only one of them was paying attention to Jon and the woman. The other watched her boyfriend, who was paling by the second at the sight of the woman he had yet to take his eyes off. "LĂlĂ, this is my wife Trinity. Trin, this is LĂlĂ, an old family friend of ours." Trinity stands upââher hand extended to shake LĂlĂ's.Â
"Nice to meet you!" They exchange with each other with bright smiles.
Jon then turns to Alina, who is still watching Josh. "And this is Alina, Josh's girlfriend." Josh's gaze shifts from MĂĄlĂ's and to Alina at the introduction. They only watched each other briefly before Josh moved towards the table. He places the plates on the table, slowly putting them in their designated spotsâAlina peers up at the woman, a forced smile on her lips.Â
"Pleasure," Alina says with a nod. She doesn't offer her hand to the woman or stand to introduce herself. She turns her attention back to Josh, who now has his back to everyone.
"Joshua," Talisua calls out. Josh releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding, his eyes shut as he does so. Lord, give me the strength to get through this dinner. Forty minutes in, he was already ready to grab Alina and leave. He should do that anyway. He owed no one any explanation as to why he would head out, but if Josh had to, he would point fingers at the man who was in the room over. But for his mother, he will stayââno one else. Talisua hadn't seen him in a while, and Josh had yet to tell everyone his plans to move to Georgia.Â
"Yes, ma'am?" Josh answers lowly.
"Are you not going to say hey to MĂĄlĂ?" She asks. He didn't want to. He really didn't want to. He could feel Alina staring at the back of his head, waiting for him to make the wrong move. She is still trying to figure out who this woman is to him. Jon mentioned that she was an old family friend, but what was with the stares? Josh looked like he had seen a ghost, and Jon also was behaving strangely.Â
He wasn't trying to be rudeââhe didn't want to do this. His eyes pan to the wall as he slowly pivots to face MĂĄlĂ. He avoids Alina's intense gaze, his eyes locking with Jon's before the woman standing by him. A lump began to form in his throat, and no matter how hard he swallowed, it wouldn't go away. "What's up, MĂĄlĂ?" He croaks, tilting his head up slightly. Josh would sway from left to right, his hands slowly rubbing at his hips.Â
The two old friends stare at each other for several moments before LĂlĂ finally speaks up. "Hey, Josh." She says softly. "It's been a while." She adds with a slight smile.Â
âYeah,â He says, lowering his head slightly. âHow have you been?â He asks, clasping his hands together in front of him. MĂĄlĂ takes a breath, nodding her head at the question.
âIâve been better.â She chuckles. âWhat about you? You look goodââhealthy. You look healthy.â She corrects herself. Alina turns her attention to Jon, her brows gradually furrowing as she does so. Heâd catch her gaze before dropping his head in embarrassment. He lifts his right hand to rub at the back of his neck. This dinner was already gearing up to be a mess of a situation, and they had no one but Rikishi to blame.
"Food's ready!" Rikishi exclaims, walking in with a bowl of mac and cheese. Behind him are Sefa and Jeremiah, both carrying food. One by one, they line the center of the table with dishes.Â
Thank God, Josh thought, thankful for the interruption. Any much longer of that conversation, and he would have dug himself a hole with Alina.Â
Little does he know.Â
He looks off towards the table before grabbing his seat next to Alina. He pulls it out, dropping into the chair. Alina turns in her chair to face forward, her hands clasped tight in her lap. "LĂlĂ, I hope you brought your appetite." He says gleefully. "Take that seat next to Joshua."Â
Rikishi doesn't acknowledge the woman sitting to Josh's left as he takes his seat at the head of the table. "Trin," Jon says, still standing behind Josh. He points at the chair near his brother for his wife to sit in. Rikishi looks to Jon, catching a glare from the eldest twin. Jon doesn't say anything to cause a disturbance but shakes his head in disappointment. Whatever his father had going on was not about to disrupt this dinner. With no questions asked, Trinity stands to her feet, moving to sit in the empty chair next to Josh. Jon takes his seat by Alina, separating MĂĄlĂ, Josh, and her.
Josh turns to his girlfriend, who is intently staring at the table. Alina was never good at hiding her emotionsââgiving herself away with facial expressions or tones of voice. At that moment, Alina felt conflicted. Was she angry or sad? She wasnât sure, but she was holding in tears.Â
Alina wasn't trying to read into what was happening here, but with how everyone was acting suddenly and how Josh was staring at this MĂĄlĂ person, Alina could only assume this woman was an ex. The seating arrangement, her boyfriend avoiding eye contact with herââcontext clues. It is only a matter of time before she's searching for an exit from this dinner.Â
"Lina, can you pass me the salt?" Sefa asks, forcing Alina to look up from the table. She would give him a tight grin and nod, reaching in front of her for the salt. She lifts it into the air, allowing Sefa to take it from her. "Thanks."Â
"Welcome," She says quietly, her eyes scanning the table. She could feel Josh's large brown eyes on her, pleading with her to look at him, but she couldn't. The interaction between Sefa and Alina would prompt Rikishi to finally acknowledge someone other than their other guest for the evening. He looks at the woman seated near his sonââhis lips slightly parted as he thinks of something to say.Â
"So, you're Joshua's girlfriend," Rikishi says, earning the couple's attention. "What is your name, sweetheart?" He asks. Josh leans forward slightly, his head tilted down at his father. He has one time to disrespect her, he thought. One snide remark and this dinner was over.
"Alina." She answers with a grin. "It's nice to meet you, Rikishi." The slump of her shoulders would vanish as she sat up straight for the conversation.
A grin matching Alina's would curl onto his lips at her. "Likewise." He answers with a single nod. "Alright, everyone, dig in." He says, looking around the table. Alina would relax into her seat again, the light in her eyes dimming once more now that she was not being spoken to again. He had moved on from talking to her and was now conducting the food traffic. "Pass me the chicken, please." He says to Jeremiah.Â
"So, Alina, you work with the boys and Trin?" Talisua asks from the opposite end of the table than Rikishi. Alina looks at her with a smile, nodding her head.Â
"I do! Coming up on three years here soon." She informs her.
"We celebrating?" Jon asks, nudging Alina in her side. She looks back at Jon, shaking her head. He smacks his lips at her answer, muttering words of persuasion to her, hoping Alina would change her mind. She knew he didn't want to celebrate the milestoneââHe just wanted a reason to party.
"Do you wrestle?" Rikishi asks.
"No, sir, I'm on the broadcast team." She answers, getting only a singular hum from the man. He says nothing else, returning to the meal in front of him. Slowly, Alina's eyes began to shift back to her plate. Was she reading into this too much, or did it seem like Rikishi didn't like her? Perhaps she was reading into it too much and still reeling from the nerves of meeting Josh's family, but then again, she was always good at reading people. He was coming off cold and disinterested in her, the opposite of how you should be with your sonâs new girlfriend.
Alina wasnât the only one who noticed his behavior. Silence fell upon the dining roomââglances exchanged between siblings. "So, LĂlĂ, how's your parents?" He asks, seguing back into MĂĄlĂ. He seemed more interested in what MĂĄlĂ had going on rather than the fact his son finally brought home a womanââand Josh didnât like that.
"Yo, are you good?" Josh asks suddenly.
"Josh," Alina says, shaking her head.
"Nah." He dismisses her. "You've said no more than ten words to her all night. You've known she was coming since yesterday." He says. Rikishi looks up at his son, his brows furrowed in faux confusion.Â
"Josh," Jon says now.Â
"You know what you're doing, bruhââ." He says, ignoring his brother. He points his finger at his father.
"Joshua," Talisua calls out now. His mother's stern tone was enough to silence the angry twin. "It's enough." The room became silent again, but no one resumed eating. The tension in the room was enough to steal the appetites of everyone present. Alina clasps her hands in her lap, her eyes falling to her plate again.Â
What a weekend, she thought. Was there a full moon, mercury in retrograde, or something? Was she cursed? Is that what this was? A curse? She attempts to think of who she could have wronged in the past, but no one comes to mind. Well, unless karma works quickly in Tasha's favor for her,ââwait, that could be it. "I apologize, son," Rikishi says, throwing his hands up.
"You apologizing to the wrong person." He says. "We can try this,â He motions a circle with his index finger. âagain in a minute." He informs him, cueing his apology.
"That's not necessaryââ," Alina says, shaking her head.
"Like hell, it ain't," Josh almost shouts.
Alina twists her mouth to the side, becoming quiet again. For the second time in a span of three days, she was at the center of a fight. âI said itâs enough, Joshua.â His Mother says. She looks between her husband and son. âBoth of you.â She points her index finger between the two men. Josh turns his glare towards the table.Â
âSo whatâs new?â Jon says, trying to break up the tension in the room. âAnyone got anything they want to share with the class?â He asks, glancing around the table with a big smile. âSefa?â He asks. Sefa stifles a laugh at Jon, pushing his food around his plate. What was happening wasnât funny, but it was.
Trinity reaches around Alina and Josh and strikes Jonâs shoulder, startling the twin. He leans back, making eye contact with his wife. âNot the time.â She whispers at him.Â
Under these circumstances, in this mood that he was in, Josh did not want to announce his departure from the state of Florida, but because Rikishi was with the shit, right now was the perfect time to do so. Josh peers up from the table, taking in the faces surrounding him. Beneath the table, Joshâs hands rubbed against each other slowly, a self-soothing mechanism of his. âIâm selling my house.â He announces, gaining everyoneâs attention at the table.Â
âYouâre moving?â Talisua asks. Josh nods slightly, licking his lips. âWhere?â Alina gazed at the side of Joshâs head, waiting for his words. She wasnât aware that his family didnât know about the move. This conversation shouldâve been a private family matter that didnât involve her.
âAtlanta.â He answers.
âAtlanta? Whatâs in Atlanta?â Rikishi asks. Josh hangs his head at the question, pressing his lips together in a thin line. Here he goes, he thought. Rikishi points his hand at Alina. âHer?â He adds. A chill would rush Alinaâs body at his tone. Oh, she never stood a chance with this man.
âMe for the last year,â Josh answers, looking up at his father. Rikishi wanted to hear Josh say Alina was the reason for his relocation, which she was, but Josh was not going to give him that. âIâve been in Atlanta more than I have been here. Thatâs home now. All the back and forth adds upââ.âÂ
âLet me get this straight. The two of you have lived together for a year, but this is the first time weâve heard of this girl?â Rikishi questions. âDoes anyone not find that a bit strange?â He continued, lifting his hands as he spoke. Rikishi looked around the table at everyone, not receiving a response or reaction from a soul. Alina didnât expect Josh to talk about her to anyone while they were still friends.
âLook at how youâre acting, bruh. Youâre doing my girl like you did Trin when she first came around. You did this up until they got married.â He points out. Trin and Jon would smack their lips simultaneously at being brought up in the argument. âYou ought to be lucky they even let bygones be bygones with yourââ.â
âEnough!â Talisua shouts the moment Josh starts to raise his voice again. âSolofa, I donât know what has gotten into you, but it stops now. Itâs the first time we see our son in months, and he is happy. Why are you trying to take that joy from him?â She asks. It was a question that Rikishi knew not to answer unless he wanted to sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight. âAnd Joshua,â She calls, requesting his attention. Slowly, he looks up at her. âIâm disappointed in you.â
Josh knew he shouldnât have said most of what he did or behaved how he did, but Rikishi crossed boundaries. The things he said were consequences of his fatherâs actions, and he could not bother to be sorry about itâat least to him, he couldnât be. Only for Talisua, Josh was apologetic. She did not deserve to see them act like this, and how he acted was not how she raised him. âSorry, mama.â He says quietly. She doesnât answer him, her glare shifting from her son to her food. Josh looks away from her, his eyes finding his plate as well.
The room was quiet for the third time tonight, thanks to Rikishi and Josh. This dinner wasnât supposed to go this way, but it did because Josh came strolling in with Alina. Rikishi would have been happy if Josh wouldnât have brought her home. His plans of having his sonâs long-lost best friend and almost lover come back into the fray instantly diminished because of this random girl his son brought home, whom he had no idea existed until yesterday. If Rikishi were happy, Josh would have been happy. If the two of them had been happy, Talisua would have been happy. All of this is because he brought Alina McLemore home.Â
It was all her fault.
Alina was at the root of each issue, from Tasha and the wedding to this dinner. She spent the last twenty-four hours panicking about her boyfriendâs familyâs approval and the prior twelve panicking about her appearance. All this meant so much to her, these last few days being the most important, only for her to be disliked and disregarded.Â
Slowly, Alina stands to her feet, drawing attention to herself. âIâm sorry, excuse me.â She apologizes, stepping away from the table.
âAlina,â Josh calls, turning in his seat as she moves towards the dining room entryway. He turns in his seat to watch her walk, his eyes full of silent pleas for her not to be upset. It was only a matter of time before she went running, and Josh knew it was coming. The last few days hadnât been kind to her, and just when she thought she was escaping it in Atlanta, issues seemed to have followed them here into his parentsâ home in Pensacola. His plan had failed to take her mind off what happened this past weekend.Â
âIâm just going to the bathroom. Itâs fine.â She promises, vanishing down the hall before he can say anything else. Josh stares after her for a moment longer before turning his attention towards Jon. Their eyes locked with each other before the eldest twin started shaking his head at him.
âJust give her some space, Uce.â He tells Josh. As much as he didnât want to, he knew Jon was right; Alina needed some space. He turns to face forward in his seat, a huff leaving his lips. This is some bullshit, he thought.
Alina enters the guest bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She moves over to the sink, placing her hands on the marble countertop. She leans her weight onto her arms, her eyes closing as she does so. âYouâre not going to cry. Youâre not going to cry.â She whispers, shaking her head at the sting that fills her eyes. âThink about your makeup.â She reminds herself, opening her eyes to look at herself in the mirror. âSee, you look so pretty. Youâre going to ruin that if you cry.â She says, encouraging herself with tears forming in her eyes. If only those words were helping.
A knock at the door disrupts her emotional mini-pep rally, causing her to go still at the sound. âLina, you good, girl?â Trin says from the other side. âJosh sent me to check on you.â
âIâm fine.â She croaks, fighting against the lump forming in her throat. On the other side of the door, Trinity furrows her brows at the sound of her voice. Was she crying? It sounded like it. Trinity grabs the doorknob, attempting to twist it.
âCan I come in?â She asks.
âNo,â She sniffs. âIâll be out in a minute, I promise.â She tells her. âYou can go back to dinner. Tell Josh Iâm fine.â No sound would come from the other side of the door, but Alina knew Trinity was still there. âPlease?â She pleads.Â
âOkay.â She replies after several moments of silence. âLove you, girl.â She adds.
 Alina smiles at her words, a few tears escaping her eyes. âLove you too.â She replies. Yeah, she wasnât going back out thereâânot like this.Â
Trinity stepped away from the bathroom door, a sigh coming from her lips as she did so. Sheâd shake her head, bringing her index finger to her left temple. âChildâŚâ She says to herself. Tonight was enough drama for the week for herââhell, maybe even for the month. Jon comes dashing around the corner, colliding with his wife. He was on his way to check on Alina because his brother was starting to get antsy. âHey,â she breathes.Â
Jon looks past her and down the hall towards the bathroom. âYâall good?â He asks with a lifted eyebrow. âWhereâs Lina?â He asks.
âSheâs finishing up in the bathroom. Sheâs fine.â She says loud enough for Josh to hear in the other room. âCome here, though,â Trinity says, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the living room. Once in the room, she releases his arm, looking back to ensure no one is coming. âWho the fuck is that lady, and donât lie to me.â
In all the years that she and Jon had been together, this MĂĄlĂ character has never been mentioned. âWe grew up together,â Jon explains. âWe lived next door to her family when we first moved here.âÂ
Jon planned to leave it at that, not wanting to explain the rest of the story. He pushes his hands into his pockets, looking beyond his short wife towards the hall. âAnd what else?â She asks, lowering her eyes at him. Her husband had a bad habit of avoiding eye contact when he was lying about something, a reason why he just chose not to lie, but this was his brother. Jon would remain silent for a few seconds longer, hoping she would just let it go. He knew she would not. âBabe.â She says sternly.
He would sigh softly, his shoulder slumping in defeat as he met his wifeâs demanding gaze. âHer and Josh liked each other back in the day.â He confesses. âIt didnât go anywhere because MĂĄlĂ moved off for college, but everyone knew.â He finishes. In the same fashion that Jonâs shoulders dropped, Trinityâs would too. She lifts her hand to her nose, pinching the bridge of it. MĂĄlĂ was the original Alina.Â
âAre you serious?â She asks, looking up at him. Jon confirms with a nod. âThis is a hot ass mess.â She says.
Jon scoffs at her words. âShit, you can say that again.â
In the dining room, Josh and MĂĄlĂ were alone. Jeremiah and Sefa clear the table of all the food while Talisua and Rikishi are outdoors, squabbling about what had transpired tonight. The family dinner was over now, thanks to their father and him. Joshâs leg bounced anxiously beneath the table as he impatiently waited for Alina to return. She had been gone for five minutes, and his brother and sister hadnât returned yet. âSheâs pretty,â MĂĄlĂ speaks, initiating the conversation between the two friends. Joshâs leg would stop bouncing at the sound of MĂ lĂâs voice. He briefly glances at her from the corner of his eyes before returning his focus to the wall.
âThank you.â He says.
âYouâre welcome.â She says, turning to look at him. LĂlĂâs tongue danced behind her lips as she contemplated her following words. âYou think sheâs the one?â She asks, prompting Josh to look at her now.Â
âI know it.â He replies.
âGood. A big-hearted man like you deserves only the best kind of love.â She says. Josh would scoff softly at her words, shaking his head. MĂĄlĂ smiles softly. âWhat?â She asks.
âYou know why you were brought here, right? Man, that man was trying to set you up with me.â He says, pointing to the outdoors with a grin. It was now MĂĄlĂâs turn to laugh, her eyes following his point out the window.Â
âI know.â She admits, wiping the little grin off his face. Josh would turn his attention to his old friend again, now watching her with the same blank face as earlier. She would watch him back, her smile shrinking in size. âHonestly, part of me really thought that when your dad said you were coming to town and that you werenât seeing someone, this was the Universe giving us a second chance.â She confesses. âBut now that Iâm here and see Joshua Fatu all grown-up and in love, I know that that is not true, and this was much-needed closure.â The more MĂĄlĂ spoke, the quieter Josh got. It wasnât that he had nothing to say to her, but because he didnât know what to say. Knowing her love for him never faltered despite spending several years apart with no contact racked his brain in a way Josh hadnât felt in years. Suddenly, he was an eighteen-year-old boy looking at an eighteen-year-old woman again. First loves, first everything. But none of that mattered. Who he was then is not who he is now.Â
âI probably couldâve reached out years ago.â She says.
âI couldâve too,â He says, not allowing her to take the blame for their time apart. âIâve been in Seattle plenty of times throughout the years, and not once did I think to look you up.â He confesses. âMy bad, Uce.â
MĂĄlĂ giggles at his apology. âItâs all good.â She assures him. âWe cool now, though, right?â She asks. With a grin, Josh leans across the chair between them, his hand extended for their old handshake. With a grin just as big as his, MĂĄlĂ would effortlessly perform the handshake. To know neither of them forgot the greeting made them laugh.Â
âYeah, weâre cool.âÂ
âDamn, Alina still ainât back?â Jon says, looking around the room. The pair, still united at the hand, would look up the couple that had entered the room. Trinityâs eyes would focus on joined hands before looking between the pair they belonged to. Joshâs smile would diminish at the mention of his girlfriend. For fifteen minutes, heâs forgotten all about her. Joshâs gaze shifted from his brother to his sister, who glared at him with crossed arms.Â
âI thought you said she was good.â He says, dropping MĂĄlĂâs hand finally.Â
âBoy, that didnât mean you can carry on!â Trinity shouts at him. Josh stands to his feet, moving past the couple. Trinity turns to her man, flexing her hands at him. âOoh, I want to ring his neck.â She says to Jon.Â
Josh makes his way down the hall towards the guest bathroom. âLina.â He calls out, hoping sheâll answer him before he gets to it. No response would come from the other side of the door, but he could tell the light was on beneath it. âBaby.â He knocks at the door, his ear now pressed to it. When he hears nothing on the other side, he moves his hand down to the doorknob. He twists the handle, cracking the door just a little. âAlina, you good?â He asks. No response prompts him to open the door further, revealing an empty bathroom. He steps in, looking around the bathroom for her. âThe fuckâŚâ He whispers to himself.Â
Josh comes out of the bathroom, looking up and down the hall. âAy!â He calls out to his brother and sister. He would see their shadows before they came around the corners. âI thought yâall said she was in the bathroom.â He says, pointing down the hall.
âShe was,â Trinity answers.
âShe ainât in there now,â Josh says, opening the door on the wall across from him. His hand skims the wall, hitting the light switch to see if she is inside. âHelp me find her.â He tells them, fishing his phone from his back pocket. In three swipes, his thumb unlocks the phone, opens his contacts, and calls Alinaâs phone. His phone would hover near his ear as he exited the room and marched down the hall to the next closed door. He was listening for the ring of her phone but heard nothing.
âIâm sorry, but the person you calledââ.â He ends the call and redials.Â
âLina.â He calls out once more. Still no answer.
âIâm sorry, but the person youââ.â Josh ends the call abruptly, slipping his phone back into his pants pocket. He swears under his breath, pivoting in the room he stood in.Â
âUce, sheâs not outside,â Jon says, stopping at the door. Josh furrows his brows, his face contorting in anger. Heâd suck his teeth in response to him.
âManââ.â Josh starts, charging forward out of the room. He was about to give his old man a piece of his mind. Jon had other plans, though. He pushes his hand into his twinâs chest, slightly shoving him back. âBruh, watch out.â He says, pushing his brotherâs hand away.
âHollering at that man ainât going to do shit but make Mama mad. Just go and find Lina. Iâll tell Mama you got an emergency.â He tells him. Josh stands there for a moment, grimace still prominent on his features. âGo!â He exclaims at him, stepping to the side to let him exit. Josh would squeeze past his brother in the door frame, marching angrily towards the front of the house.Â
                                          âââââââââââââ
Alina was curled into a ball on the couch, her arms wound tight around her frame. The light from the television bounced off the walls and danced along her face, her eyes catching the light stunningly. She returned to Joshâs house about fifteen minutes ago via an Uber she ordered and has since turned her phone off. It didnât take long for Josh to notice her absence, maybe about fifteen minutes down the road if she had to estimateââat least thatâs when his calls started coming in.Â
Between his father and this MĂĄlĂ woman, tonight was a lot. It was more than what she could handle at this time. She had spent the earlier hours of the day panicking about his familyâs approval, trying to make sure she looked presentable, only for his father not to give her the time of day. At least his mother liked her, or it seemed like she did. Talisua probably thinks the poor girl is a drama queen because of the way she left the dinner.Â
The front door opens and closes, followed by heavy footsteps, drawing Alinaâs eyes towards the living room entryway. Josh was home. He comes around the corner, stopping in the archway at the sight of her. Josh spent twenty minutes driving around his parentâs neighborhood looking for her before eventually checking her location. When he discovered she was home, he raced all the way here. The couple exchanged brief stares at each other before Alina looked away, turning her attention back to the TV. Josh walks into the room, approaching the couch she is lying on. He leans down, snatching the remote off the table and turning off the TV.Â
Silence replaces the ambient sounds of the television, prompting Alina to rise on the couch. Josh sits down next to her, laying his elbows against his knees. His head was low. His shoulders rise and fall with the heavy sigh he releases. âWhyâd you leave?â He asks, his voice husky.
Alina watches him for a moment, pondering over her response to him. âI wasnât wantedââ.â
âI wanted you there.â He cuts her off. âI wanted you there.â Alina becomes quiet again, her eyes unblinking as she watches Joshâs back. âYouâre always thinking about yourself, putting yourself first, and shit.â He says after several seconds of quietness. Alinaâs eyes would venture off to the left while her brows furrowed in confusion at his words. Was he calling her selfish?
âIs that not what Iâm supposed to do?â She asks, fixing her gaze on him again. He scoffs at her question, lifting his hands to push his fingers through dark coils upon his head.
âAre we not a team?â He asks, turning to look at her. âTeams communicate, right? So, if something is bothering you, we talk about it, right?â His leg angrily bounced while he watched her. âYou abandon the team, and the team falls apart, right?â He says, his tone gradually growing. He was angry with herâârightfully so. She knew he would be when he found her and mentally prepared herself for all the shouting heâd do.
âJosh, I wasnât going to stay where I wasnât wantedââ.â
âI did for you!â He exclaims, turning to look at her. âYou had me off in that damn room with an ex I knew nothing about. Heâs sitting here pressing me day into the night, and you couldnât sit through a family dinner? You had me out there fighting over you, but my pops being an asshole was the line?â
Slowly, Alina began to shake her head, lifting her left hand as she did so. âI didnât ask you to do that.â She says, earning a laugh out of him. âI told you to leave.â He shakes his head, shifting to turn his whole body towards her.
âMan, you donât get it, do you?â He asks her. âI stayed because I love you. Despite what you wanted, I stayed for you.â He points. âThat is what you do for those you love, right? That was a sacrifice I was willing to make for the sake of our relationship because I want this,â He motions between the two of them. âto work. Love requires sacrifice, Lina. It requires effort.â He explains.
âI understand thatââ.â She begins.
âShit, do you? Cause it doesnât feel like it.â He admits, cutting her off for the third time tonight. Alina would furrow her brows at his question, his doubt baffling her.Â
âAre you serious right now?â She asks. âYour father made it extremely clear where I stood with him!â
âDonât nobody give a damn what he is talking about!â He says, raising his voice. Rikishi is known to be a bit controversial in his interactions with people. Josh was foolish to think he wouldnât do that with him over Alina. He had hoped that his father would learn from his mistakes with Trinity and Jon, but that was not the case tonight. Same person, same old mistakes.Â
âI do!â She says back in the same loud tone. âI care about your familyâs approval! If they have to see me for holidays and birthdays, I donât want to feel like Iâm not supposed to be there!â Alina elaborates. It mightâve not meant anything to Josh, but it meant everything to her to have his familyâs approval. Josh had already met her family; there was no avoiding it with how often he lingered around her home. The McLemores welcomed him into their family without any issues, objections, or shade. She was not expecting what she got today.
âThen why did you leave? That only made things worse!â
âIâm not staying where Iâm not wanted!â She shouts back. âWhatâs not fucking clicking, Joshua?â Alina snaps her fingers in his face, making him lean back slightly. âYou wanted me to sit there and watch him brush me off all night? Make me feel insecure?â She asks. âYou wanted me to hear you shouting at him and upsetting your mother? Give them more reason to dislike me? They havenât seen their son in months because heâs playing house with someone he wasnât dating six months ago! â Josh becomes silent, turning away from the woman next to him. He lifts his left hand to the bridge of his nose, gently pinching it.Â
Alina would watch him for a moment longer, her eyes unblinking. âYou wanted me to watch you stare at your ex the entire night?â Joshâs head snaps at that question, his brows furrowed in confusion. He sucks his teeth at the woman.
âBruh, what?â
âThe girl at dinner. Sheâs your ex, right? Thatâs why Trin and Jon had to switch up their seating arrangement. No one would say what was going on, but I was able to catch on.â Between how Josh and Jon were acting and the speed round questions Rikishi was asking her, it only made sense to Alina to assume she was an ex. You donât move around people like that if they werenât their ex. Alina gave Theo not even a second at the wedding despite his multiple attempts to talk to her. For the majority of the day, they were apart. The exes were two ships passing at night until he started floating too close to her.Â
âShe ainât nothing to me.â He dismisses the assumption after several seconds of quiet.
âIâve heard that beforeââ,â Alina shrugs.
Oh, how the tables have turned in two days. What Josh was saying to her about Theo, she was now saying about him. Both accusations were untrue, but only one had a higher chance of being true. Where Alina had no contact with Theo, Josh did with LĂlĂââbut he knew who he wanted, and the fact that she said those words infuriated him. He was not him. âAy, ay, Lina? Donât fucking compare me to that man. I mean that shit.â He says. âI ainât nothing like him.â His name and Theoâs should never be in the same sentence, but it was thrown in there, all because of something out of his control. He wasnât about to plead his case with her over MĂĄlĂ either. He has never given Alina a reason not to trust himââwhy would he now?
âYou know what,â She breathes, âI donât want to argue anymore, Josh,â She states, standing to her feet. âIâm going to bed.â She wasnât about to listen to this.Â
And there she goes, running away from her issues instead of facing them head-on. It was one of her greatest flaws and the thing about Alina that pissed Josh off the most. âWho said weâre done talking?â Josh asks, standing up to block her path.
âYou donât have to be done with shit, Josh, but I am.â She says, moving to the side. He would take another step to block her. Her eyes would find his chestââher lips twisted as she bit back acidic words. âCan you move?â She requests.
âNope, weâre talking.â He says. No, youâre yelling, she thought. âIâve spent two years chasing your selfish assââ.â Now, it was her turn to cut him off. Her hands go up in disbelief. Â
âSelfish!? Really? Really?â She shouts.Â
âYeah, really!â He nods. âYou got me embarrassing myself for you, trying to prove to you that I am worthy of your timeââand youâre going to sit up here and compare me to a bitch that didnât have the balls to tell you he wasnât feeling you anymore? Huh?â She sidesteps him, only for him to block her way again. âAll because your stupid ass Ex fucked around on your ass donât mean I will.â
Alina takes a step back at his words, slightly tilting her head at him. âMm,â She hums, taking a few more steps back. His last words cut through her like a blade. She didnât like that. Well, damn. Tell me how you really feel, she thought. âMaybe we shouldnât be doing this.â She voices. She averts her eyes from the man, looking from left to right. âThings were a helluva lot peaceful when we were just friends.â She confesses.
Those words felt weird coming from her mouth, probably because she did not believe a single word she was saying. She loves this man who stands in front of her, loves him with every fiber of her being, but these last few days were too much for her to handle. Theyâd only had one day of peace in the three days theyâd been home together, and she was exhausted. She was tired of crying. She was tired of feeling like she did something to deserve any energy she got from people. Sheâs done nothing.Â
Joshâs shoulders would slump at her wordsââany anger that he had previously was now gone. He smacks his lips at her words, shaking his head. âLinaââ.â He says, reaching to grab her hand. Alina slips out of his grasp, pulling her hand from his. She didnât want him touching her.
âNo,â She says, shaking her head. âIâm cool. Weâre cool.â She assures him, stepping around him. He allowed her by this time. âIâm going to sleep in the guest room tonight, get my stuff from your room in the morning, and Iâm going to head out after. Save you from embarrassing yourself anymore.âÂ
Before Josh could say anything else, Alina had rushed from the living room, leaving the regret-filled man standing in the center of the room. Josh brings his hand to his mouth, clasping it tight over his mouth.
He needed to sit down.Â
âââââââââââââââââââ
A/N: Yay, new chapter! Who cheered! đ¤
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Love ladder spread - Your path to union
In this reading, we will look at your connection with the person on your mind and try to identify the energies you are in as well as the steps that could help you in manifesting union with this person. Keep in mind that, as this is a collective reading, not all messages may resonate with you. The theme for this reading is Disney's Sleeping Beauty characters.
Group 1 - Princess Aurora
Overall energy is the Tower. There may have been a major shift in the dynamic of this connection. Either you and this person suddenly stopped communicating because of a fall out or for some of you, you just recently met this person and this completely came out of the blue. Either way, both of you were deeply impacted by this event. A lot of things may also be happening around you at the same time in each of your respective lives. Sudden changes in all areas of your life may be happening. You both may be feeling a bit overwhelmed, like things are coming at you from all sides and you don't know which way to go first, what to deal with or how to deal with it. There may be a lot of confusion surrounding you because of those chaotic, all over the place energies. You don't really have the time to sit down and fully grasp what the heck is going on. You're caught up in the storm and it feels like there's nothing much you can do about it.
Your energy | White Numen
Despite the overall energy of your connection, you come off as quite confident and grounded. This may be because of your experience as a person and your maturity. It could be that this isn't the first time such a hectic phase is happening in your life. As you've gathered knowledge and tools, you are fully equiped to face the storm and survive it. Your energy towards this connection and this person feels pretty optimistic and proactive. You seem determined to make it work, no matter the obstacles set on your way. You have a lot of faith in yourself, in the Universe and in this person. You are looking at the future with hope and trust, choosing to keep moving on and go with the creative flow surrounding you. You understand that rather than fighting the storm, you should move along with it and see where it leads you. You may also be redirecting your energy towards previous goals you had left on pause, catching up with work and family. You don't seem as affected by the energies of the Tower as you could have been, or at least you do your best not to let that set you off.
Their energy | Ace of wands clarified by the 7 of cups
When it comes to your person, this Tower energy seems to have a rather positive effect on them. They feel quite agitated and impatient, not because they are frustrated or scared, but rather because their curiosity and new found knowledge is opening doors for them. It feels like what the Tower has brought in your person's life is a new perspective and a surge of creative energy. They feel inspired and new projects, new goals are emerging to the surface. When it comes to you and the connection, this person seems to be going through an awakening. They have a new found sense of interest for you. If they may have been resistant and hesitant in the past, their desire for you is being reinforced and their attraction is leading them to gain clarity on what they envision for the future. I get the feeling of someone starting to grasp the extent of their feelings and understanding the opportunities that could arise because of those. The possibility of it being reciprocated gives this person courage, determination and hope. This person is slowly but surely coming to terms with the fact that the possibilities when it comes to the both of you are endless and rather than being scared about it, this person is starting to understand that this is actually working in their favor. They have chosen to rejoice because their horizons are broadening. They are filled with ideas of what they want to do with you, what the future holds for you and they can't wait to find out.
The connecting energy of your union | The Star
This is a very beautiful energy as it shows that both your spirits are turned toward the other. You are intuitively very connected and both of you have this deeper inner knowing that this just doesn't stop here. That there is more in store for this connection. The Star being associated with Aquarius, I wouldn't be surprised if both of you were connected through dreams as well as the internet. Even though you are apart and not in direct contact, you are still being updated about this person's whereabouts and vice versa. You are united in the sense that you both dream of being reunited and wish for the connection to succeed. You are hoping for a better future and your thoughts are filled with love and acceptance for one another. I get an energy of unconditional love and support, which I think is absolutely amazing. Both of you are getting signs about the other. I'm specifically picking up on stargazing, seeing shapes in clouds or receiving messages through nature. Both of you could be fondly stalking each other a little. Though you deeply wish to be in contact with the other, I pick up on a mutual understanding that both should respect each other's private space and need for a break. It's like you have silently agreed on keeping your distances to focus on your own selves so that you could deal with whatever other priorities you had before coming back to where you left at. You and this person could get into contact again during Aquarius season (mid January to mid February). You could exchange through social media before being united in the 3D.
The steps you should take | Hermit
You are advised to keep your distances with this person for a period of time so that you can focus on your own self and reevaluate your life. Introspection is encouraged as this will help you figure out where you're at on your journey, what you hope for and want from this connection as well as what you are willing to do in order to manifest it, nurture it. If you still have some healing to do, this will be the perfect occasion to do so. But I feel like you already knew that and had already started to do such work. If that is your case, know that you are on the right track. Keep up with the good work.
The steps they should take | King of cups
Similarily to you, this person has to nurture themselves and focus their energy back on them. A lot of emotional healing needs to be dealt with. They have to find back a form of balance and security in their emotional sphere before they can let you in and share that love with you. This person could have neglected themselves over the years or their vision of love is outdated and in order to reach union with you, they have to go through a reset. To charge their batteries and be reminded of the fact that they matter too, that they deserve love and should be their first supporter. Once this person has found themselves again, they can be emotionally available for this connection to progress further.
Group 2 - Prince Philip
Overall energy is 7 of cups. It seems that both parties are busy with a lot of different projects and people. An energy of confusion may be surrounding the connection as you may not be sure of where you want things to go and what you want to do of this connection. The affection between the two cannot be denied. "But is that affection enough?" may be a question that goes through your mind a lot lately. You may feel overwhelmed by the countless possibilities and outcomes that this connection could have. Being confronted with so many choices may intimidate both of you. It feels like you are at a status quo. You may be in contact with them but the conversation isn't going anywhere is what I feel.
Your energy | Page of cups rx
You definitely feel attracted to this person emotionally and wish for progress but you may be wary around them. Your fears and doubts concerning this person put you in a guarded state. Your heart isn't completely open to the idea of being united with this person. You may have lost hope overtime, seeing that your attempts of getting closer to this person were unsuccessful. The affection is still there, the desire to care for this person is still there but you are feeling stuck and like there's nothing you can do to make a change. You may be feeling discouraged and considering moving on from the connection alltogether.
Their energy | Magician clarified by the Chariot
You may not be aware of this, but your person's position regarding this connection is completely open. Your person is gathering strength and tools to be able to manifest this connection. This is something that is going on behind the scenes. They wish to be in contact with you and are determined to catch up with you. Your person only has one wish, one goal in mind : to come back to you. They are getting impatient and will do anything in there power to come closer. For some of you, I get the message that you may be in a long distance relationship. If your person is overseas, they are planning to travel at some point in time to see you. As Magician is associated with Gemini and Chariot with Cancer, this could represent a time frame from mid may to mid August. Your person wishes to convey to you their desire to make the connection progress and find a common ground with you.
The connecting energy of your union | King of wands
The energy surrounding your connection and your union is one of passion and determination. No matter the obstacles and issues you may be facing, you are both adamant on making it work one way or another. You may not be aware of each other's intentions and actions to reach such goal, as there may be communication issues, but both of you are really in a similar dynamic of trying to meet the other in the middle. Both of you are aware of the attraction going on. Both of you are fantasizing about one another and imagining a future together. Both of you wish to conquer the other and come out of this situation victorious. You may be united with this person through a common passion or project. Again, Summer seems to be significant here. You could be travelling when you meet each other again.
The steps you should take | King of pentacles
To increase your chances of manifesting union, you are advised to work on your stability and grounding. Focus on your career, your home, your personal goals. Become a version of yourself that you can be proud of. Increase your level of independance and work on your foundations so that this person's absence does not set you off balance. Cultivate your sense of self, your self confidence, your self love. If you were dealing with health issues, work on those as well. It is important that your energy is as stable as possible for you to lead a fruitful and abundant life in general, and for you to create a healthy dynamic with this person within the connection you share.
The steps they should take | High Priestess
This person has to work in the shadows and on their shadows. They are not meant to be in contact with you as they do so. They are pushed to meet the unknown, the parts of them that may scare them. They are encouraged by spirit to hone their intuition and actually listen to it instead of running away from it. Out of sight but never out of mind, for both of your highest good, this person is forced by spirit to remain undercover and in silence. Within the silence, great knowledge will come to them. This person needs to gain clarity on their own limits and desires to be able to come back to this connection as a more mature and enlightened being. They have to defeat the inner saboteur, the little voice that urges them to push people away or to control everything. Once they overcome their fears and become a better version of themselves, they can come back to where you left off as a renewed person and contribute to a healthier dynamic as well.
Group 3 - Maleficient
Overall energy is the High Priestess. Before I dive into the meaning of this card, I want to mention that I barely had to shuffle your cards in order to get the answers to your reading. Which means that the energy is very swift, potent between you and this person. That could also tell us that the manifestation of a union with them may be closer than you think. Now I also had to say that I ended up doing your reading first because of this swift energy going on. So that may be further confirmation that this is happening soon. The High Priestess is an energy of secrecy and introspection. This tells us that you may not be in contact with this person as of now, at least in the 3D. But on a spiritual level, in the 5D, you may be picking up on this person's energy and receiving a lot of signs from them. This may also be a sign that you and your person are very spiritual and connected. Both of you could have psychic abilities and use forms of divination as a mean to understand the dynamic of your connection. This could also be a sign that your connection with this person is something that both of you keep hidden. You and/or this person may have significant Scorpio placements in your chart as well as Taurus placements.
Your energy | 9 of cups
When it comes to this person and your connection with them, you are very dreamy and optimistic. You spend a lot of time daydreaming, wishfully thinking about this connection and doing your best to manifest it into your reality. You may be praying for this person to contact you again and be close to you. You may be practicing meditation, listening to subliminals, trying to contact them through their dreams. For some of you, maybe you subconsciously tug on this person's energy and vice versa. You could be lucid dreaming about this person. You are deeply emotionally invested and a lot of your energy is spent on nurturing this connection, thinking about this person and wishing for them. Your energy is rather passive and feminine. Though you long for this person, you may not be actively/directly trying to contact them as you may be afraid of rejection.
Their energy | 3 of cups
This person seems to be in some kind of an avoidant energy. Now, it is important to point out that they do not feel disinterested when it comes to you. They feel a certain amount of tenderness and affection for you, friendliness and joy. They could be feeling giddy and excited whenever your name is mentioned and thoughts of you ellicit a sense of peace and exhilaration, especially if you used to share a lot of time with them. They may be reminiscing on the times they spent with you and the memories you shared. If this person is interested, they approach this connection from a rather laid back angle. In other terms, they may be more casual and less emotionally invested as you are. They may not be expecting the same things as you when it comes to this connection, or at least not now. They may be partying a lot and interacting with many other people, whether platonically or romantically, in an attempt to distract themselves from the connection. This could be a person that was already involved in another connection prior to your meeting.
The connecting energy | 3 of wands clarified by the Star
If both of you have a very different approach in this situation and maybe hope for different outcomes, both of you unite in the feeling of being excited about one another and very attracted to each other. Both of you look at this connection with a positive mindset, one of wanting to explore the connection further and anticipate the future when it comes to it. Both of you could be wanting to reconnect and close the distance, maybe to travel together as a way of deepening your bond and getting to know each other. The connecting energy is one of pleasure, playfulness, chemistry, optimism, curiosity and expectancy. This energy of union could start online before it is taken on a physical level. You could thus be flirting with this person through social media for a while. You will know union is happening when you or this person decides to come towards you in the 3D. So after a period of exchange online, which may last for a short period of time, they could ask you out on a physical date. If we look for time frames, wands can symbolize weeks. So a time frame of 3 weeks could be significant. With the Star card, Aquarius season may also be relevant (mid December to mid January).
Steps you should take | knight of wands
To enhance your chances of manifesting union, you are encouraged to cultivate a light hearted atmosphere within the connection. Being optimistic is more than welcome but you are advised to keep some distance as to not become too dependant on the outcome. Spirit encourages you to be playful, sensual, communicative. Don't take this too seriously and let yourself be surprised. Approach this connection with spontaneity, curiosity, fun. Play with the dynamic, engage in banter, tease them, make fun of them. Use humor as a way to deepen the intimacy. Share with them things that you are passionate about. Bond over similar passions. Use games as a way to losen up tensions. You can offer to meet them in a familiar, playful, friendly environment. Show your sociability. Enhance your attraction by emphasizing your appearance or skills that you are confident about. You get it, your seduction tactics must be on point. They gotta see you shining and feeling yourself.
Steps they should take | Ace of swords clarified by the 9 of pentacles
This person has to be more direct and communicative. They have to make a clear statement about how they feel towards you, where they're at in their life and what they expect of this connection. Their intentions have to be clear. So they need to do introspective work and improve their communication skills. They should clearly tell you that they are single and available if and when that is their case. They should gather information about you and get to know you on a personal level in order to evaluate what you mean to them and where they want to take this connection. This person needs to be more proactive and also show their trustworthiness. They have to step up to the plate and also put forward their best qualities. Namely the fact that they are mature enough to invest in this connection and support it, that they are well off financially and independant, that they are very generous and caring, as well as their hardworking personality. Among other things. This person needs to be clear on what they are willing to bring to the table and provide in order for this connection to work out.
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Another addition to my Krew early childhood headcanons, featuring Gricko Grimgrin himself!! Ecstatic to introduce you all to Gertrude Grimgrin and, of course, the infamous Uncle Glorbo :)
As per my usual disclaimer, I'm still only half way through canon and I'm sure there's a lot of canon backstory stuff that I'm missing. Also, I don't know ANYTHING about goblins, in Avantris or in DND in general, so uh. Please keep that in mind <3
I envision that Gricko grew up in a pretty secluded goblin camp nestled deep in the swamp. I think that it was a pretty closed society, but the people definitely had a "it takes a village" mentality; goblins, especially in this particular village, are quite good and banding together and helping each other in times of need.
Gricko was raised almost exclusively by his mother for the beginning of his life after his father walked out on them when Gricko was still young. It really took a toll on his mother, and even though she loved him a lot, it took her some time to separate her son from his father. Changing their names back to her maiden name, Grimgrin, definitely helped.
Glorbo entered the picture when Gricko was around 5-6, deciding to come home from traveling abroad after catching wind of Gertrude's situation. He's actually Gricko Sr.'s older brother, rather than Gertrude's, but he felt compelled to step up to help his nephew and sister-in-law where his brother wouldn't.
Gertrude, personality-wise, was always a "tough love" kind of woman, partially due to her own upbringing and partially due to the heartbreak she'd suffered. She had pretty strong opinions about how she wanted to raise her son, hoping that she would be able to give him a great life regardless of their struggles. She's constantly stressed and worried, wondering how to provide for her family and how the future will shape out for them.
Glorbo, on the other hand, is a carefree spirit. He's a lot like the Gricko we know in canon, eccentric and excitable. He's a sort of foil to Gertrude, valuing freedom and self expression, not worrying about the future under the belief that the future would sort itself out. He focused on the present, making sure the people around him were happy in the 'now'. He encouraged Gricko (and Gertrude) to let loose and explore the world around them instead of worrying so much about what's to come.
Naturally, Gertrude and Glorbo butted heads frequently, especially as Gricko got older and took on more and more of Glorbo's traits; in fact, the only thing they could ever really agree on was wanting the best for Gricko, no matter what exactly that entailed.
#feel like this ended up being longer than id planned lol#long post#also sorry i am NOT immune to goblin tail propaganda </3#legends of avantris#once upon a witchlight#ouaw#ouaw fanart#gricko grimgrin#legends of avantris fanart#headcanon#headcanons#oc#ocs#original character#original characters#snek sketches#digital art#digital artist#small artist#artists on tumblr#dnd#dungeons and dragons#goblin#goblin oc
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a little scene prompt game to get me writing!
from @eddiesgaymustache : prompt 2 cheddy boogaloo: 10, đđđĽ
bonus visuals if you want to know how i picture them [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
â
[đđđĽ + cheddy + 10: spooning at night]
âWhat do you want to be when you grow up?â
Teddy looks up from the glass sheâs pouring, blinks at Chuck, blinks again, and says, âWhat,â
Chuck blinks back at her, stalling out like theyâre playing back what they said, before suddenly snorting into their drink and having to hold a hand under their chin to save their shirt from falling victim to rogue rosĂŠ.
Teddy watches them fondly, raising her brow and waiting for Chuck to try again.
âNo, wait, not likeâ,â Chuck laughs, waving their hand like theyâre clearing the question from the record, âI meant like⌠when you were little, who did you think you were going to be?â
Teddy shakes her head, endeared, and says faux-wistfully, âI dunno. I think as a kid I always envisioned myself getting to go by Teo when I left home,â
Teo, unfortunately, did not fly. Not only was it deemed too boyish by her mom, but it was also her Abueloâs nickname of choiceâwho she was named after, by the way. So it was either nothing or Doraâwhich, to this day, still makes her feel like sheâs breaking out in hives. Teddy came later though, when she ran track in high school. One of the girls she got close with that year called out to her with it during practice, and it just stuck. Itâs not Teo, but sheâs grown quite fond of it.
At the mention of the name, though, Chuck brightens, straightening up from where theyâd been trying to set the bottle and nearly empty glass safely on the floor from the bed, and says, so earnestly itâs almost comical, âI call you Teo!â
Teddy barks out a laugh. Okay. So Chuck is maybe a little deeper into the bottle of rosĂŠ than she is. She just nods, acquiescing, âYou sure do, rockstar,â
Chuck just tips their headâfollowed by their torsoâto the side like it weighs too much, grinning from ear to ear. They end up toppling down the rest of the way, the side of their face smushed into the pillow at Teddyâs hip.
They grin up at Teddy, body folded awkwardly but looking pleased as punch about it, before scrunching up their nose and saying, âOkay, for real this time. What did little Teodora VĂĄsquez want to be when she grew up?â
Teddy makes a face, and flicks Chuckâs forehead, âDonât government-name me, you ass,â
Laughter bubbles up from their chest, followed by a snort that should really be unflattering, but somehow never is.
âDunno,â Teddy eventually sighs, wine-heavy in her own way, absently curling her finger through an errant lock of Chuckâs hair, âI think I always thought Iâd be a doctor or something like that. Something helpful,â
Chuckâs eyes, glazed and unfocused with alcohol, go wide and adoring, âYou are. You are helpful,â
Teddy hums on a smile. Takes a prolonged sip from her glass.
âAnd! Youâll be even more helpful once you pass your paramedic cert next month,â they add, conspiratorially, nodding over at the textbooks that Teddy abandoned on the nightstand earlier in the evening, like itâs a sure thing. Their confidence always makes Teddyâs heart feel warm and full, âand thatâs like, basically a doctor, right? Look at you! Growing up to be the thing you wanted,â
âYeah, I guess so,â Teddy snorts, then sighs. It is a thought sheâs had in the past. That maybe all the time she spent in and out of hospitals growing up would actually land her somewhere good. Somewhere useful. Worthwhile.
âYouâre the coolest,â Chuck adds, one uncoordinated finger coming up to poke Teddy in the chin.
Or maybe it just landed her here, who-knows-how-many glasses of wine deep into Chuckâs mattress, during a 48-off. Heavy, slow. Happy.
Maybe, somehow, itâs the same thing.
âYeah yeah, says the Wunderkind,â Teddy laughs, swatting the hand out of her face before she finally wiggles her way to slide down further against the headboard, getting settled with her cheek in hand and elbow propped up on the pillow next to Chuck, looking down at them, âWhat about you, huh? What did the little cherub-faced Beverly Charlton want to be when they grew up?â
Between one breath and the next, Chuck gets a faraway look in their eyeâalmost like they werenât expecting to have their own question sent back around. Knowing them, they maybe werenât.
Teddy watches their lashes flutter, something somber pulling across their face like a wave. For a moment, sheâs worried she shouldnât have pulled the full name out, even in jestâbut then Chuck is swallowing harshly and taking a breath.
Their eyes stay trained on the ceiling past Teddyâs head when they say, âLoved, I think,â
Teddy feels her own expression collapse, a wounded sound in her throat.
Then, with a with a gasp of a breath through their nose, itâs like Chuck comes back to themself; sitting upright so suddenly they almost collide with Teddy.
Chuckling awkwardly, they clear their throat, âSorry, sorry, that wasnâtâI didnât mean⌠um. Didnât mean for that to sound so pathetic,â
Teddy doesnât like that Chuckâs back is to her.
âChuck,â she says.
Chuck hesitates for a moment before peering sheepishly back over their shoulder.
Teddy gives her best pleading eyes and pout, sets her glass on the nightstand with her coursework, and just reaches her newly freed hand out to Chuck, wiggling her fingers for good measure.
Chuck looks a little watery, but it seems like thatâs all the permission they need before theyâre collapsing back down at Teddyâs side, letting her arrange the two of them however she pleases.
Theyâve done this enough over the years for it to not be too odd, as long as she doesnât think about it too hard. How much she likes having Chuck close like this. How Chuck lets her, every time. So Teddy tucks them together, back to chest, arms wrapped around Chuckâs middle. Reaches over them to fumble with the lamp to turn out one of the two dim lights theyâd had on, and settles.
They lay quietly for a while, just breathing, before Teddy finds the courage to murmur, sleepy and slow to the back of Chuckâs neck, âYou did too,â
A beat of quiet. Then Chuck hums in question.
âYou said I grew up to be the thing I wanted to be as a kid,â Teddy mumbles, teetering on the edge of sleep, âYou did too,â
Chuck doesnât say anything else, but Teddy feels the sniffle in their chest, and she doesnât say anything either. Just squeezes a little tighter, and lets sleep come for them both.
#slaps the top of whatever this is. this bad boy can fit so much unexplained lore#âwhat loreâ well thatâs none of my business#anyways. gjgjfjdxh blowing a kiss at em and e this is for u both#mostly i just didnât want to think about discourse. so. bon apetit!#hotshots on xyz on 911 on abc#iinryer fic
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hello hello, congrats on 1k once again!! đ for my first request, iâd like it to be latte art, please! my house is ravenclaw and my favourite class is charms â¨
KIRAAA i love you, thank you for requesting bb!! đ i know you love theo so i chose to do him for this one specifically đ¤ hope you like it đ
1k celebration navigation latte art
ăâ
SHOW OFF... theodore nott
The day was supposed to be simple, really. Charms was your favorite, after all. Even when it came to complex spells, you always seemed to find your rhythm quickly, something your professors had taken to mentioning with a satisfied nod every now and then.
Today, though, your rhythm had apparently vanished without a trace.
You could feel it slipping the moment Professor Flitwick assigned the task: enchanting objects to float in controlled patterns, and then slowing it down as it was movingâpaired work optional but highly encouraged. Naturally, you chose to work alone, not out of stubbornness but simply because you were used to it. Besides, it was Charmsâif there was any class you could ace solo, it was this one.
But the quill in front of you had other ideas.
You held your wand steady, casting the spell with a confidence that came naturally to you. But just as you whispered Wingardium Leviosa, your quill seemed to have a mind of its own. Instead of drifting up in the delicate arc youâd pictured, it shot forward in a wild, unpredictable path, veering toward the back of the room. Horrified, you watched as it spiraled, narrowly missing one student, only to make a perfect landing⌠right in someoneâs lap.
And that someone happened to be Theodore Nott, the quiet Slytherin boy who sat near the back. His gaze flicked up to meet yours, one eyebrow arched in faint amusement, like he couldnât quite believe what just happened. A blush crept up your cheeks as you walked over, hoping no one else had noticed.
You hesitated, but before you could offer a stammered apology, he picked up the quill between his fingers, turning it over as though examining it for some hidden charm. "I didn't expect this from someone who's supposed to have perfect control in⌠everything," he said, his tone smooth and low, edged with the faintest hint of teasing.
"Iâit's usually fine," you replied, flustered. "I donât know why it did that. I always get the levitation spells right."
He extended the quill back to you, his eyes piqued with interest. "Do you? Perhaps I should watch your technique more closely."
You managed a laugh, though your heart hammered in your chest at the way he looked at youâuncharacteristically focused. As you reached to take back the quill, Theo didn't let go immediately, and the corners of his mouth tugged into a barely-there smirk. "Or maybe you just need a demonstration," he added lightly, as if making up for his earlier teasing.
"Iâm pretty sure I know how to levitate a quill," you countered, aiming to match his cool tone. But he was already flicking his wand, casting the spell with a practiced ease that made the quill hover smoothly between you.
The quill floated perfectly, following the path youâd envisioned for your own attempt. You tried to ignore the spark of admiration that bubbled up, focusing instead on the spell. âShow-off,â you muttered, a grin sneaking onto your face despite yourself.
âOnly when necessary,â he replied with a laugh that was more a soft exhale than anything else. Theo lowered his wand, letting the quill hover above his hand for just a second before it drifted toward you quickly. âArresto Momentum,â he murmured under his breath, the quill coming to a slow halt directly in front of your face.
You felt your smile grow. âAlright, alright. I get it, Mr. Perfect.â
He shrugged, feigning nonchalance, though you caught the way his gaze lingered. âItâs an easy mistake to make,â he said. âFor some people.â
âUh-huh. And Iâm guessing you never make mistakes in Charms?â
He gave you a wry smile. âNot when Iâve got an audience.â
It took you a second to realize he meant you, and when you did, your cheeks warmed again. Theo let the silence stretch out just a little longer before he added, âThough, Iâd expect someone like you to be better with this sort of thing.â
You tilted your head. âSomeone like me?â
He chuckled. âYou know, all that⌠bookish focus youâve got going on,â he said, looking away almost shyly as if he hadnât meant to say that part out loud. "You'd think it would translate."
âWell, thereâs a first time for everything,â you said, brushing off your slight embarrassment. âThough Iâm starting to think having a partner might have been a good idea after all.â
âIs that a request?â He raised a brow, his tone light but with just enough intrigue to keep you on edge.
You glanced at him, taken aback by the unexpected offer, but somehow not entirely opposed. âAre you volunteering?â
He gave a faint shrug. âWhy not? Better than sitting here waiting to be your next target.â
You rolled your eyes but couldnât suppress a laugh. âOkay, fine. Letâs see if I can redeem myself, then.â
The two of you stood there, caught in this back-and-forth, and you couldnât help but wonder why youâd never spoken before now. Theo, who everyone whispered about as aloof and impossible to read, had this unexpectedly easy charm. That lingering smile of his had a way of making you forget all the little mistakes you might have just made, as if you were the only person in the room worth paying attention to.
âIâll try not to disappoint next time,â you murmured, just as Professor Flitwick clapped his hands to call for the classâs attention again.
As you walked back to your desk, you glanced over your shoulder one last time, catching Theo watching you with an expression you couldnât quite decipher. He gave you a slight nod, and you found yourself smilingâthinking, maybe, that a little levitation mishap wasnât such a bad thing after all.
#theodore nott#theo nott#theodore nott x y/n#theodore nott x you#theodore nott x reader#theodore nott fluff#theo nott x y/n#theo nott x you#theo nott x reader#theo nott fluff#slytherin boys#harry potter#slytherin#lorenzo zurzolo#latte art#leona-hawthorneâs 1k celebration
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"This is the skin of a killer, Bella!"
For ⨠@helinyetille ⨠who wanted me to make a meme based on their post
#i wanted to use the pic in your post but his feet were cut off#not sure if this is what you were envisioning#i hope this is okay#not my best work but i tried bestie! đ#flake lorenz#rammstein#ramm memes#twilight#bella swan
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Cerb made entirely out of triangles please
day 54 - triangles
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sextus pompey-mark antony but not in a way that fixes anyone
#mmmm the delicious 'we are the last of our respective kind' of it all#also cleopatra too i guess#i have a hard time caring about dynasts. the only dynasts i care about are the sforzas and they didn't get far enough to actually#establish a dynasty of any kind#but sextus and antony.....there is an AU fic to be written. there WILL be bitemarks and also probably. suicide. i cannot#envision any kind of ending where antony does not attempt to fall on his own blade#like what. he's going to run off with sextus and take antyllus with him so he doesn't get skewered by octavian#i do not write fix it fics. i write 'man that sure seems like something to pry my fingers into' and wherever it goes. i follow#if i happen to force the narrative to let cassius live and the narrative then traps me in a setting of my own rules. so be it#if cassius must exist in a state of being alive-dead at the same time because brutus' sheer force of will is keeping him there#and it's breaking everything around them and cassius is begging him to just let go. WHO AM I. TO TRY AND FIX IT#(staring at an open doc) ....I can fix it#tfw you accidentally fall victim to the literal background plot of the thing you were basing your AU on
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Soulmate | Carlos Sainz Ver.
WC: 4.8K
Csrlos x Soulmate!reader
Summery: Everyone can feel their soulmate's injuries and pain since the age of 15
Warning: None??
AN: Thank you for all the ideas. I just changed jobs, and it's a full time office job, so it's very demanding đđ
Max Ver. , Oscar Ver. , Charles Ver., Lewis Ver.
Masterlist
Carlos Masterlist
The world is built on the idea that soulmates are connected through their physical pain. Everyone knows that if you're injured or in pain, your soulmates feel the exact same pain. This can be seen as a blessing or as a curse. In one way, you know when your other half is injured, but it also brings shared vulnerability. Some believed it was a form of protection, a way for soulmates to be in tune with one another, even if they'd never met.Â
Now, did you know about this from a young age? Yes, you did. Did that stop you from doing all those crazy things that caused you multiple injuries? No. You felt sorry every time, but you're just clumsy by nature. It was from the moment you could walk that you've been a klutz. Bumping into walls, tripping over your own feet, and misjudging the occasional stair, it was part of your life. Growing up, you've gotten used to the bumps and bruises that came with her natural clumsiness, but what took longer to adjust to was the knowledge that someone else felt them, too.
Your soulmate must be a saint because you've rarely felt any pain. Yes, through the years, there have been times when you felt real and strong pain, but it was few and far between.
In a world of soulmates that felt their soulmates through visceral pain, your soulmate did everything he could to never cause you pain.
And for as long as you could remember, youâd imagined what he might be like. Patient for sure, after all, he had to endure your countless scrapes and missteps. You wondered if he was the type to sigh and shake his head when he felt you stub your toe or if he was used to your clumsiness, so much so that it barely bothered him anymore. Whoever he was, you were grateful got him.
Your friends often teased you about it, especially when you had a particularly bad fall or ended up with an impressive bruise. âYou really owe your soulmate an apology.â They would always joke. âHe must be so fed up by now.â
Youâd always laugh it off, but late at night youâd overthink. Did he really mind? Or was he out there somewhere laughing about it, too? What was his life like? Was he clumsy, too? You doubt it. He must be the complete opposite, composed and careful, someone who rarely felt pain unless it was coming from you. Maybe he was a doctor or an athlete, someone who needed precision and strength in his day-to-day life. Your imagination would always run wild, paining pictures of him in your mind. But no matter how many times you tried to envision his face, it remained just out of reach, like the hazy details of a dream.
The older you got the more curious you got, and it started eating at you. Who was he? Where was he? Some people met their soulmate early on, like your childhood friend who had found hers at eighteen. Others never found theirs at all, even though they shared the pain for their entire lives. You tried not to let it bother you too much, after all what could you do? If youâre meant to meet itâll happen on itâs own time.
But still there was that nagging feeling every time you bumped your knee or accidently burned your hand cooking. You would wince and imagine him somewhere far away, gritting his teeth as he felt the same.
âAnother one for you soulmate.â You muttered as you stumbled over a crack in the pavement.
For as long as you lived with the bond youâve been the one giving the worst of pains, sending your soulmate injuries, most harmless, but youâve also broken enough bones over the years.
It started as a dull ache, just beneath your ribs on the right side. At first, you didnât think much of it, assuming itâs a muscle strain or maybe itâs something youâve eaten. You shifted in your seat, pressing your hand against the spot as if to massage the discomfort away, but the ache lingered, stubborn and unrelenting.
Throughout the day the pain grew worse. What started as mild throb quickly became sharp, stabbing sensation, taking your breath away every time you moved, and you started to feel a fever coming. This wasnât like the occasional bump or fall youâre used to, this is far worse than anything youâve felt before. This is different, deeper, persistent and alarming.
By late afternoon, you couldnât take it anymore, every breath felt like a knife twisting in your side, and no matter how you positioned yourself, it wouldnât go away. Sweat was forming on your forehead as you tried to power through the pain, but something wasnât right.
Could this be coming from him?
You never felt pain like this before, certainly not from your own body. Your chest tightened, if this pain wasnât yours, then something is very wrong. The idea that your soulmate could be hurt, really hirt, it made your stomach churn. You could handle minor injuries, but this? This was different.
You rushed to the hospital, the ride to the hospital felt like an eternity. By the time you arrived, you were sweating and clutching your side, each movement like a dagger. You explained your symptoms to the nurse at the reception, your voice wavering with pain and fear,
They rushed you into an examination room.
âWeâll run some tests.â The doctor said after you told him your symptoms, his brows furrowed with concern. âIt sounds like it could be appendicitis, but weâll know more once we do an ultrasound.â
As the minutes dragged on, the pain sharpened, radiating into your chest. You clutched the hospital bedâs metal rails, your knuckles turned white as you waited. Nurses and doctors came and went performing the tests as quickly as they could. After what felt like hours the doctor came back.
âThe tests came back normal.â He began, flipping through the papers in his hands. âThereâs no sign of appendicitis, in fact, you donât have an appendix.â That was news to you.
âWhat? I donât have it? Is that normal?â You asked confused.
âItâs rare but it happens some people are born without an appendix.â The doctor confirmed, he didnât seem too worried.
âBut the pain, itâs unbearable, whatâs causing it?â You asked and dreaded the answer you know the doctor is about to give you.
âThe only answer we have is, the pain isnât yours to begin with.â The doctor smiled sympathetically. His words hung in the air heavy. Your soulmate. Heâs the one in agony, and you were feeling every excruciating second of it.
Carlos hasnât been feeling the best the last couple of days, he thought he was tired from all the traveling and racing and training. It happens. But the moment he woke up he knew something was wrong, he had Free Practice today, so he just pushed through it. However throughout the day, heâs just been getting worse and worse. By the end of FP2 he knew he couldnât just push it off, it wasnât food poisoning, he was starting to burn up.
Carlos with his team went to the hospital so heâd get checked out. He sat hunched over in the waiting room, gripping his side as the pain flared up again, sharper this time. The medics had said it was appendicitis and a routine surgery, nothing major. But that didnât ease the fear eating at the back of his mind. Heâs used to pushing his body through physical discomfort, but never to the point of pain. But this wasnât the type of pain you ignore.
He could feel the ache spreading and tightening like a vice around his abdomen. His hands were clammy, sweat was gathered on his forehead, and his breath came in shallow, uneven bursts. Heâs been through a lot through his life, the crash here and there, the pain of his soulmate breaking a bone, and stubbing her toes and all the random bruises she seems to get randomly. This felt like his body was on fire from the inside out, and it wasnât just the physical pain that made his chest tighten.
It was her, his soulmate.
As long as he could remember, he had shared pain with you. The worst when you had broken your leg. And heâs grown accustomed to the random flicker of discomfort over the years, wondering what kind of person you are. He imagined you being clumsy, maybe even a bit absent-minded, but he never minded. In fact, it had always made him smile, knowing that somewhere out there, you were living your life and through those little jolts of pain you felt close to him.
But today, he was the one that was causing you pain, pain like you both have never experienced before. That realisation made him nauseous. How much of this were you feeling right now? Were you suffering as much as he was, lying somewhere clutching your side in agony?
Carlos wiped the sweat from his brow and closed his eyes, trying to focus on anything but the pain. He thought of you, his soulmate.
You walked out of the hospital room, walking slowly. Since the pain you were experiencing isnât yours, pain meds will do nothing unless your soulmate takes some. You were clutching your side as you walked, not really paying attention, that and being the clumsy person that you are you bumped into someone while you were passing one of the waiting rooms. You stumbled before your knees hit the floor, hard. You winced, the same time someone else did.
âIâm so sorry are you alright?â An accented voice asked, you looked up to see a man with a moustache, he was dressed in red.
âYeah, yeah, Iâm sorry, I wasnât paying attention.â You replied instantly and took the manâs hand to stand up. You were unaware of the other Spanish eyes on you.
Carlos shared a look with his dad beside him, Carlos Sr. saw everything happen. He saw you fall and he saw his son wince when you did.
âPinch yourself.â He muttered to his son, not taking his eyes off you.
âW-what?â Carlos frowned at his fatherâs words, but he didnât wait Carlos Sr. pinched his sonâs arm and you let out an âawâ and held your arm where he pinched his son.
You frowned, not understanding what was going on with your soulmate.
âAre you hurt?â The man in front of you asked seeing how you held your arm.
âYeah, soulmate.â He lets out an âahâ in understanding.
Carlosâs eyes went wide when he saw you feel his pain, your hand went back to your side, the same he was holding, and even though he was still in pain he felt relieved, his heart much lighter and he couldnât help but smile. His dad nudged him with a smile of his own. And Carlos stood up and went to his friendâs side. Gigi was confused why Carlos was coming his way, and why he was smiling when he had to go in for surgery in less than two hours. But he wasnât looking at him, he was looking at you.
You only noticed him when he came to stand beside the man you bumped into.
âHi.â Carlos said simply and you frowned confused.
âHi?â It came out as a question, you looked between the two men in confusion. âIâm sorry but i-â
You were cut off when you groaned as a wave of pain hit you, the same time as the stranger in front of you winced and held his side, the same side youâve felt the pain. Gigi then knew what happened, and he too couldnât help but smile, he looked at Carlos Sr. for confirmation and he just gave him a proud nod.
You looked at the new man who was holding his side, your heart skipped a beat. Is he? Could he? This is almost too good to be true. You bit your tongue slightly.
âWhy are you biting your tongue?â The smooth voice of your soulmate asked, your eyes went wide, Carlos chuckled at the expression on your face. âHi.â
âHi.â This time it was breathless; your eyes didnât move from his face as you took him in. He also was waring a red shirt, but he also had a hat on top of his head, covering parts of his face but your eyes met his, nonetheless.
âIâm Carlos.â Carlos said and put his hand out for you to shake.
âY/n.â You said taking his hand, the rush you both felt is unexplainable. You felt warm, your heart was beating faster and you were tingling all over. âItâs really you.â
âItâs me.â Carlos said and you both didnât let go of each otherâs hand.
âCarlos, itâs better you go to your room.â Gigi said, once the nurse told them his room was ready. Carlos nods, but it takes him a few moments to let go of your hand and look away.
âCome on.â Carlos said and he leads you to his room following the nurse. Once the door is closed leaving the both of you alone, you turned to face him once more.
âI never thought Iâd meet my soulmate in a hospital of all places.â You said and smiled.
âReally? With how much you like to hit the floor, it was more than likely.â Carlos teased, he took off his hat and ran a hand though his hair, it was so fluffy you wanted to run your hands through it.
âYeah, sorry about that.â You mutter suddenly not meeting his eyes, feeling guilty for all the pain you caused him.
âHey, I didnât say I minded.â He said but you still refused to meet his eyes, so he went on. âEvery time I felt your pain, I knew you were out there somewhere, living your life and that I wasnât alone, even if once or twice the timing wasnât the best, is till cherished it.â
âReally?â You asked meeting his hypnotizing brown eyes.
âReally.â Carlos confirms, his smile is sweet and kind and warm.
âWhatâs wrong with your appendix?â You ask your hand itching to touch where you know he feels the pain most.
âI have appendicitis, will go into surgery in an hour or so.â Carlos tells you and feels himself riddled with guilt, knowing you felt the pain of his illness. âWhy are you here?â
âCame to check if itâs my pain or yours I was feeling.â You could see the guilt eating at him. âI rarely felt pain coming from you, youâve always been so careful, and here I am falling every day.â
âGuess we balance each other out.â Carlos said and you smiled.
âGuess so⌠also I discovered Iâm born without an appendix.â You suddenly tell him and smile up at him.
âSo weâll match then.â Carlos laughed at the coincidence. You both stayed silent for a long moment, just basking in each otherâs presence. âThereâs so much I want to ask you.â
âMe too.â You tell him honestly. âLike why are you wearing red? It looks like a uniform, same with the guy I walked into.â
âIt kind of is a uniform, itâs team kit, weâre required to wear it.â Carlos says and runs a hand over the back of his neck, heâll have to explain what he does to you.
âLike a sports thing?â You asked raising an eyebrow.
âYeah, exactly that.â You mouth forms an âoâ shape, and you nod to yourself.
âWhat sport?â
âFormula 1.â You rack your brain over if youâve heard of it before, Carlos saw the confused look on your face, he was about to answer your un asked question when someone knocked on the door. He called out for them to enter and in walked his dad and Gigi.
âYou have to get ready.â Gigi said and Carlos sighed he was just starting to talk to you, you smiled at him.
âIâll be here.â You promised and he nods.
âIâll introduce you then. This is y/n, my soulmate.â He said is so proudly, smiling at you, a smile that you shared. âThatâs Poerluigi, known as Gigi and this is my dad Carlos Sr.â
âOh, I didnât know you dad was here as well, itâs nice to meet you sir.â You say and go to shake his hand, Sr. smiles and shakes your hand.
âNice to finally meet you.â Carlos Sr. said with a smile he gave you a quick one-armed hug while your hands were still clasped together. âCarlos has been anxious to meet you lately.â
âPapa.â Carlos Jr. warned his dad, he didnât want any embarrassing stories to reach you before he even gotten the chance to officially sit and talk to you. Sr. winked at you and you giggled, Carlos gives you both a warning look, before you leave the room so they can prep him for surgery. Meeting your soulmate right before he has to go into surgery isnât really ideal. The three of you were allowed to wait in his room once Carlos was wheeled out.
âSo what exactly does Carlos do?â You asked, and that opened the flood gates. They told you about how Carlos Sr. is a rally driver, all his achievements and how Carlos decided to get into Formula 1, that heâs a driver for Ferrari. They showed you some videos of him on track, deciding not to share anything personal and leave it to Carlos to share and say what he wants to.
You in turn were asked about what you do, your hobbies, why youâre always getting bruised and just random talk. When Carlos is brought back in the room, heâs still unconscious, the doctor informed you that it went well and that heâll recover in no time. Carlos Sr. went out the room to call his wife and inform her of Carlosâ well-being.
when Carlos wakes up, youâre all kicked out of the room for the doctor to check on him, before youâre allowed back inside. The doctor reconfirms that Carlos is okay and well and that heâll be able to recover fast. Something he was happy to hear about.
âHow are you feeling?â Carlos Sr. asked his son.
âGood.â
âI think the pain meds havenât worn off yet.â You say, feeling not an ounce of pain through your connection. Carlos smiles at you and you smile back.
âYou stayed.â
âOf course, I did.â You say with a pointed look, heâd be stupid if he thought youâre about to leave him when heâs going into surgery, no matter how easy it is.
Gigi takes a picture of both Carlosâs for Instagram, for the fans. He did manage to snap a few of you both, but those were private, for now at least.
âWhere are you staying?â Carlos asked and when you gave him your hotel room, he laughed.
âWhat?â
âYou were so close all along.â Carlos says and he smiles thinking about how even if he was okay, you properly wouldâve met. âIâm staying there too.â
âGuess fate intended for us to meet one way or the other.â You smile at the thought, youâre mean to be, and you were bound to meet.
Carlos is required to spend the night, and his dad decided to stay with him. Meaning you and Gigi went back to the hotel, and agreed to meet in the morning so you could head back to the hotel together. In all of the rush of things, you forgot to ask Carlos for his number, but Gigi gave you his number for the meet up in the morning.
can you send me Carlosâ number? đ
Gigi
Sure đ
You ignore the winky face and save Carlosâ number once you received it.
Stop moving around so much đ¤¨
Soulmate â¤ď¸
sorry, I canât find a comfortable spot to sleep
ask the nurses for painkillers if youâre in pain
Soulmate â¤ď¸
Iâm alright, itâs not too bad
Do you feel pain? If you want I can take pain killers for you.
no Iâm good, itâs alright
I can feel you
Soulmate â¤ď¸
I canât feel you
do you want me to pinch myself or something?
Soulmate â¤ď¸
No, now the tables are turned.
I guess so
Soulmate â¤ď¸
what?
im sad that youâre the one in pain
Thatâs my job in the relationship!
Soulmate â¤ď¸
Relationship? đ
You felt a blush cover your face; you want to cover your cheeks even though he canât even see you.
I think thatâs enough for today
you should go to sleep.
Soulmate â¤ď¸
fine, Iâll let it slide
this time
see you tomorrow, hermosaâ
see you tomorrow.
The next morning you meet up with Gigi, who had a bag of clothes for both Carlosâs. the drive to the hospital you spent talking about unimportant things. When you got to the hospital, Carlos Sr. took the bag and went to change, and Gigi excused himself to go get coffee.
âHow did you sleep?â Carlos asked you.
âI slept alright, how about you?â You asked glancing to where they did the surgery.
âI slept better than ever, dreaming about you.â You couldnât fight the blush and turned your head to the side, biting your bottom lip to stop yourself from smiling. âDonât hide your face from me.â
Carlos moved so his feet were dangling off the bed, he wanted to walk up to you and pull you in close. He hasnât been able to hug you yet, and he wants to desperately. Carlos puts his hand out and you walk closer to him, you put your hand in his and he pulls you closer. Youâre standing between his legs; Carlos doesnât wait and wraps his arms around you in a hug. You stand frozen for a moment before you lean into him, your arms much closer around him than his around you. But you lean your head onto on his shoulder.
âI wanted to do that since I saw you.â Carlos mumbles, his voice coming out right next to your ear, making you shiver.
âOnly this?â You ask, now that youâre face is hidden, you found the confidence to say that to him.
âIf we werenât here, Iâd show you all the things I want to do to you.â Carlos whispers and kisses right under your ear, you close your eyes basking in the feeling of him around you.
âCould have waited until I wasnât here.â Carlos Sr. says coming out of the attached bathroom. You pull away from Carlos and your blush is back. Carlos only chuckles and rolls his eyes at his father.
Carlos changes and comes out, him and his dad start talking in Spanish, you sip on the coffee Gigi has gotten you checking your notifications on your phone. You look up when you feel the conversation getting a tad bit heated, Carlos is standing in a pair of jeans and his team kit his hat is on the bed.
âWhy are you in your team kit?â You ask confused, Carlos Sr. moved his hand in your direction, indicating to his son to tell you whatâs going on.
âIâm going to the race today.â Carlos said and you frowned.
âWhy? Are they making you go?â You asked seeing no reason for him to be anywhere, but back in the hotel and resting until his flight.
âNo, but I want to be there.â Carlos said simply and his dad muttered something under his breath.
âYou just got a surgery not even 24 hours ago.â You say standing up.
âI know, but like I told papa, I want to go be there for the team, and I wonât be doing an media or anything, it wouldnât be different than me staying in the hotel.â
âDoubt it.â Sr. mutters. You think for a moment, not liking this at all.
âOkay, but remember I feel your pain, at the first sign of it weâll be out of there.â You tell him with a pointed look, daring him to disagree.
âOkay, fine.â Carlos says and Gigi smirks.
âI like this one.â
Both Carlos Sr. and Jr. walked to the motorhome first, and you and Gigi followed after, you had a Ferrari with 55 hat on, your head was done as instructed as you followed the man in front of you. There has been a dull pain in your side as the pain killers wore off, but it wasnât too bad so you said nothing. Getting to the garage, Gigi sticks to your side and shows you around, Carlos is busy, which isnât the resting he said heâd do.
Gigi soon introduces you to Alex, Charleâs soulmate, you both talk about your soulmates. Unlike you she knew about Formula 1 before she dated Charles, but her knowledge was limited before that. She was super nice to you, as she explained a few things about the race, she also pointed out where Carlos is in the garage. You may have known him for so little time, but seeing him work, showed you a different side to him. Heâs very dedicated and clearly loves what he does.
You find yourself in the back of the garage in a staff only area, itâs like a cafeteria. Carlos was standing to the side eating from a plat in his hand while you talked with Charles and Alex.
Carlos drops his fork on the floor and in a reflex move he bends to pick the fork up. Your side suddenly flares up and you gasp clutching your side. Both Charles and Alex look at you in concern.
âItâs Carlos.â You tell them and move to get to your soulmate, when your clumsy self decides to hit the side of a table with your hip making you stumble and now hold your hip. Carlos curses and he moves to get to you only ending up hunched over from the strain he puts to his side.
âYou both, need to stop moving!â Carlos Sr. says and goes to see Carlos and make sure he hasnât popped a stitch or something. Charles and Alex were at your side pulling you up.
âYou are clumsy.â Charles says with a teasing smile, and Alex hits his shoulder, giving herself the same pain, but it makes him stop.
âMade for each other you two.â Carlos Sr. says and you and Carlos meet eyes, you both smile and chuckle, this recovery is going to be harder than you both expected.
It took you two weeks to allow Carlos to do any kind of kissing, and still, you stayed away from his side when you did. Carlos had you in his home to get to know you while he was in between races. He just came back from a race that he won, first winner of the season, that isnât Max. it took more than usual out of him, which was understandable. But now that he was cleared to race, here you were on his bed, him leaning on the headboard and you in his lap, kissing. I never felt this good. Every bite ever suck was felt by the two of you. It left you gasping and moaning for more. Both your lips are puffy and bruised, Carlos moves his lips to your neck in wet kisses before he finds your sweet spot that had you moving over him. He groans and starts sucking, so lost in the moment.
The next day you wake up first and head to the bathroom for a quick shower, Carlos hears the water and wakes up. He walks in the bathroom and stops when he sees himself in the mirror, he lets out a curse. You poke your head out hearing him curse.
âWhatâs wrong?â You ask and he turns to show you his neck, you burst out laughing. â
âBut it looks good on you.â Carlos almost whined and you couldnât help but continue laughing.
âWell did you come into here to stare at yourself in the mirror, or?â You asked raising an eyebrow before turning and getting back under the shower head. Carlos forgets all about the hickeys covering his neck, collarbones and chest. He did a number on you last night.
Â
Letâs just say it was easier for you to cover them than Carlos. The next race, the fans spotted them fast.
âLooks like you had a fun night.â Jensen commented while interviewing Carlos with a knowing smirks on his face. âWild girl?â
âUh no, I wouldnât sag that. I did them myself.â Carlos admitted his face warming up a bit. You watched the interview from the sides, your neckline and hair covering up all the bruises he left on you.
âDid them yours- oh, oh, congratulations, mate.â Jensen bro hugged Carlos, realising what he meant. âWe all had to learn where to stop.â
You rolled your eyes bit still smiled, Carlos already knew where to stop, evident by the fact that more bruises ended right under his neckline.
Â
It was all just a time thing, with your clumsiness and Carlosâs love of kissing. But your identical bruises caught on cameras, as well as you hitting something and Carlos reacting was a sign enough for everyone that youâre his soulmate.
Main Taglist:
@gnatthefly . @mochimommy2002 . @llando4norris . @mrswolffs-blog . @barcelonaloverf1life . @c-losur3 . @xoscar03 . @schniti-is-in-the-house . @lottalove4evelyn . @eywas-heir . @glow-ish . @lilypat . @directioner5life .
#f1 imagine#f1 fanfic#f1 scenario#f1 x reader#formula 1#f1#carlos fic#carlos sainz x reader#carlos sainz one shot#carlos sainz gif#carlos imagine#carlos sainz#cs55 fluff#cs55 imagine#cs55 x reader#cs55 x you#cs55 x y/n#cs55#carlos sainz soulmates au#f1 soulmate au
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an old love
overview : father charlie mayhew reunites with an old lover he was head over heels for before he began his journey into priesthood.
pairing : father charlie mayhew x fem!reader
word count : 1152 (and itâs still ASS)
a/n : this is my first fic so please excuse.. everything⌠while i try to figure it all out! xx
it was an early sunday evening when father mayhew was interrupted while planning his next sermon. the doors to the church pushed open, the loud hinges and heaviness of the door stirring him from his concentration.
father mayhew looked up from his altar to the entrance of the church, not necessarily surprised to have someone else join him in the holy place, but startled nonetheless by the sudden intrusion.
a frazzled young woman stumbled in, her wide eyes looking around to the tall pristine ceilings and stained glass windows before settling on father mayhewâs tall figure on the stage.
though a sin, father charlie swore his heart stopped beating when his eyes finally settled on the woman in his church. could it really be? no⌠no, itâs not possible.
âcharlie?â
charlieâs eyes widened beyond belief, definitely sure this time that his heart stopped beating. âY/N..? is that.. you?â his voice was breathless, rough with disbelief.
âoh, charlie,â you beamed, quick steps scurrying over to the altar, stopping short before the steps. âiâm so glad to see you..â your eyes raked over his attire, âoh! iâm sorry, father charlie.â
frozen, charlie just stared at you before he somehow got the courage to say something. âY/N.. what are you doing here? itâs been..â he trailed off, not wanting to say how long it had been since heâd seen the woman he fell in love with.
âforever?â you finished for him,
âyea, forever,â he gulped, slowly moving from behind the altar to descend the steps. his eyes never left your frame.
your gaze followed him as he made his way toward you. the closer he got, the faster his heart beat. is it about to come up his throat?
âiâm sorry to barge in on you like this itâs just that i got word that you were here and had to see for myself,â you softly smiled. how are you smiling right now? how are you not in complete and utter pain like he is?
charlie just blinked, finally in front of you now.
âright, i have to explain myself, god, oh! GOSH,â you corrected yourself, hand over your mouth. âiâm so sorry, iâm an idiot.â
this finally made charlieâs face lighten up, you hadnât changed at all. âitâs okay, Y/N, really,â he felt his lips tug upward. you were still the cutest thing in the entire world.
you just blushed, embarrassed. âi.. i just finished my degree abroad, you know...? anyway, when i got back home my dad said that you were a priest now and i⌠well, i had to see you. couldnât believe it.â
charlie raised a brow, âhow come?â
you clasped your hands in front of you, ânothing, really, i just always envisioned you to be out of this old little town.. traveling.. doing whatever your heart desired. like you said you wouldâŚâ your gaze flicked to the floor, your shoes suddenly very interesting.
charlie hummed, âno, i couldnât leave this place.. trust me, i tried.â charlieâs gaze suddenly turned to a dim one. a dark, glum cloud seemed to hover over his head.
you raised your head at that, eyes locking with charlieâs once more. you opened your mouth for a moment before abruptly closing it. you contemplated for a moment before forcing a smile on your face.
âwell iâm just happy to see you, charlieâ your eyes flickered over his face, almost as if you were trying to imprint the image of him in your mind so you would always have it.
charlie didnât say anything at that. he opened his mouth just to close it, too. he shook his head slightly, hand coming to comb through his hair.
âare you sure?â he clenched his jaw.
your eyes widened at that, flinching at his brazenness. âof course i am, charlie..â your hand moved to his arm before hesitating, tucking your hands behind your back in tight fists.
charlie saw this, his jaw clenching even tighter, he was sure his teeth would fall out. âiâm sorry itâs just hard to believe when iâve been here the whole time.â
âcharlie..â
âno, Y/N, what are you doing here? really?â his tone became defensive, building a wall around his heart right in front of the woman who helped him tear it down all those years ago.
you didnât say anything, eyes wide looking up at him.
âi never left, Y/N.. i never leftâŚâ his voice was barely above a whisper, eyes hardened in faux credence.
your lower lip quivered, looking away.
âiâm sorry.â
âfor what? for abandoning us? or for never coming back?â charlie bit out. according to his beliefs, charlie should forgive, but something inside him still ached from when you left, it wasnât that easy.
âeverything, charlie.. everything.â your eyes were glistening with tears when you looked back into his. charlieâs heart sped up at the sight, hand itching to take your face in his palms.
as the first sob of yours was let out, charlie couldnât stop himself, pulling you into his arms and into his warm chest.
âshh, shh, baby.. donât cry.â his hand caressed the back of your head and neck, head coming to rest atop of yours.
your heart clenched in your chest. âiâm so sorry, charlie.â the words were slightly muffled against his chest, but he knew what you said.
palms coming to cup your cheeks, he wiped your tears with his thumbs, eyes locked on your red and watery ones. âshh, itâs okay..â
you shook your head, âno, itâs not.â
charlieâs eyes softened even more, if that was possible, âsweetheart⌠come here.â he brought you back into his arms for another embrace.
âmissed you so much, charlie, i just.. i couldnât face you after what happened. please. you knew i missed you, didnât you?â you raised your face from his chest, neck craning up to look into his eyes.
âwell, i do nowâŚâ his ring covered hand came to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. âjust wish you came back sooner.â
your eyebrows crinkled up again, âi know, iâm sorry i just thought you hated me and i couldnât bring myself to face you.â
charlie brought his forehead to yours, âoh, sweetheart, i could never hate you..â his palm caressed your cheek. you leaned into his touch, releasing a heavy breath.
the two of you stayed like that for a while, the silence of the church engulfing you, making it seem as though you were the only people in the world.
charlie broke the silence first, eyes soft looking down at you, âwhat do you say we get something to eat? that diner is still open, and you can tell me everything..â
you softly smiled, sniffling, âiâd like that a lot.â
with your arm locked in charlieâs as he led you out the church doors, he realized something:
a million years could go by without seeing or hearing from you, but his connection and devotion to you will never falter. ever.
so⌠thatâs it! im so sorry the ending is so rushed and just. bad? im sure grammar and the present and past tense verbiage was annoying asf pls forgive me :,,) im new to writing (writing my own stories i mean) and am open to criticism! constructive pls..
#nicholas alexander chavez#nicholas chavez#nicholas chavez x reader#nicholas alexander chavez x reader#charlie mayhew#charlie mayhew x reader#father charlie x reader#first fic
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Out of Sunshine
Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader
Summary: Having forgotten your dinner date, Spencer comforts his usually sunshine girlfriend Trope:Fluff & Comfort w.c: 1.2k a/n: been very overwhelmed with responsibilities and wants lately that I just needed to write a self-indulgent fic. Comments and reblogs are highly appreciated! đ masterlist
Spencerâs knock on your apartment door was met with silence. It was a starry Friday night and he had arranged a dinner reservation with you, his girlfriend for a year and a half, to the newly opened French restaurant along the main street. With a certain spring in his step, he settled with Hotch, and by extension the team, that he couldnât be disturbed unless an emergency case comes inâsomething he silently wished not to happen. He had also picked up a bouquet of your favorites from the local florist. An array of whites that reminded him of the dress he first saw you wearing at the park.
He knocked again, ears straining to hear anything behind the dark wooden door. There was nothing. He balanced the bouquet on one hand and reached for the phone inside his satchel. It was quite unlike you to not answer the door.
The number you dialed is either unattendedâ
âStrange,â he muttered under his breath. During his morning phone call with you, a much needed routine to tide him through the macabre of his job, you sounded so excited about the dinner heâd planned and had even promised to wear the same white dress that had plagued his eidetic memory. He chuckled in reply before asking any plans for the day. There was a slight pause on your end, no doubt thinking of ways to pass time before night winds down, and you answerâ
The studio, he remembered. You mentioned passing by your art studio to occupy time. He sighed in relief as he enters his vintage blue car parked on the the sidewalk, bouquet placed securely on the passenger seat. The clock on the dashboard tells him thereâs still time to make it to the reservation, granted he wasnât sure if you were ready to go.
A non-descriptive tune played from the radio as he turned left to enter the designated parking space of your studio building. It was a mixture of soft piano keys that sounded like spring and sunshine, both adjectives he loved to use to describe you.
When he finally found the courage to fumble his way in asking for your number, the smile that flashed on your face was blinding. It was as if he stared directly into the sun with little to no protection for his vision.
Over the course of multiple dates, he found himself waxing prose about you in his head. The pinking of your cheeks reminded him of strawberries ripening, so tempting to touch with his own pair of lips. The twinkle in your eyes, full of adoration and trust, made him feel strong and protectiveâlike he was some kind of crow guarding his loot of sparkling treasure. And the bounce in your step wherever youâd go had him envisioning a sprig of wildflowers growing from each footprint, the nymph of his very own Spring.
He let himself in the studio, grateful youâve trusted him with a spare key. âSunshine,â he called out.
The light inside the four cornered room was on, windows all open for the paint fumes to escape, and there you were, hunched over an easel, furiously painting without any care of your surroundings.
He called your name, softer this time, as if to slowly ease you out of the artistic trance. The timber of his voice and his sudden presence led you to squeak in surprise, paintbrush dropping on the wooden streaked floor.
âItâs me, sunshine,â he raised his hands in front of him in surrender. âItâs me.â
Your nose scrunched up in question, a streak of blue dried paint on your cheek, adorable. How adorable you were in his eyes.
âWhat are you doing here?â you bent down to grab the brush before resuming your old position.
âItâs 7:50, love.â
You swiveled to face him, eyes wide in distress. Hands promptly reaching to turn over the faced down phone. âNo, noâoh my god, I am so sorry!â
âItâs alright,â he tries to placate you but his words of comfort seem to fall on deaf ears. âReally, itâs alright. It happens to everyone.â
Tears were starting to build up in your eyes. Your hands were wrangling with the apron tied around your waist as you mutter a series of apologies again and again. âIâm sorry. So sorryâwe canât make it to our reservation now, canât we? Spence, Iâm so so sorry. IâI forgot,â a sob escaped from your throat. âI donât know what to do.â
He puts down the flowers on the nearest available space, your stool, and steps into your space. Filling it with his perfume and warmth meant to comfort you. He could see how distressed you wereârocking on your heels, hands unable to stay put, and lower lip sandwiched in between your pearly teeth.
âBreathe. Itâs completely fine, love. No harm done. Really, itâs alright.â
The tears come rushing down, staining your flushed cheeks with its tracks. âItâs notâhow could I forget?â
âSunshine, itâs okay. It happens to all of us and I know youâre quite busy, itâs understandable.â
You burrow into his chest some more, afraid of separating from him and the haven he brings.
He continued on. âI also know youâre overwhelmed, the exhibit is just around the corner and I know how important it is to you, I understand.â
Laying your cheek near his beating heart, you mutter a reply. âItâs really notâI donât want you to think youâre not important to me too.â
His hands cupped your face to stare into your saddened eyes. Spencer couldnât see the warmth and brightness that was always present in his sunshine. There was a cloud of rain and doubt covering itsâ greatness. He understood no one could always be happy all the time but it bothered him to see you breaking down from stress.
âShouldnât I be the one worried about that?â he lightly joked. âIâve cancelled on dates so many times and did those ever make you feel less important to me?â
âNo. Never,â you sniffled.
âThen what makes you say Iâd think that, sunshine? I would never, I promise.â
The corners of your lips lifted up to a small smile. There it was, the rays of sun peeking behind the clouds, bringing warmth back to the dark crevices of his being.
âIâm sorry about your shirt,â your lower lip jutting out in a pout. The air of anxiety slowly dissipating around you.
Spencer laughed, noting the tear stained marks littered on his purple button down. âThatâs alright. Why donât we order from your favorite Indian place down the block? We can get your favorites and have our dinner date here instead?â
âYouâd be okay with that?â
He leaned in to kiss your temples, taking in the twinkle back in your eyes framed by your wet long lashes and the flush on your cheeks from emotionâgood and bad.
For Spencer, you had never looked more beautiful. The reason behind of your breakdown was raw, intimate, and it made him see you in a new light. Heat bloomed in his chest, like a series of red roses, filled with love for you.
âAnywhere with you is good for me, sunshine.â
Comments and reblogs are highly appreciated!
#spencer reid oneshot#spencer reid fanfiction#spencer reid fanfic#spencer reid#dr spencer reid#spencer reid imagine#criminal minds fanfiction#criminal minds fanfic#spencer reid fluff#spencer reid x fem!reader#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid x y/n#spencer reid x you#spencer reid comfort#criminal minds fic#spencer reid fic
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hi! i have an idea ive been thinking about for a while. spencer and the team (plus reader) are at a bar and reader goes off to get a drink/dance/talk to someone and either a girl or a group of girls come up to spencer and start flirting with him. the first thing she/they ask ofc is "do you have a girlfriend?" and spencer (not realizing they are flirting) is like yes!!! her name is _____ and she is amazing and i love her so much.... and he goes on like a 20 minute rant about reader. reader finally finds him talking to these girls/girl and has to recuse them/her from his ranting about herself and explain what they actually meant.
sorry that was a lot but i wanted to make sure understood what i was envisioning. thank you so much!!!
âSpence, please!â
Spencer kept pulling you closer as he tried to nuzzle his way into your neck and leave a few kisses behind your ear. He wasnât one for PDA, but after a few shots he was puddy in your hands and everyone had to witness what a mess you made of him in this state.
âI just wanna be close to you,â you could feel him pout as his lips were pressed against your neck, his thumbs rubbing over your waist.
âLooks like youâre not getting out of here anytime soon, huh pretty girl?â
Derek chuckled as he took pleasure seeing his younger brother of a coworker finally have a girlfriend, especially with how clingy he was being at the moment. It was as if Spencer would follow you if you were to leave for only a minute, which he had done approximately half an hour ago when you excused yourself to go to the bathroom and somehow he still had enough brainpower to talk about how hand-dryers could actually spread more germs and not remove them. Heâd even taken it upon himself to take some paper towels and dry your hands for you, making sure to even dry the spaces between your fingers.
You had had only one drink and you were not going home unless you had a second one. Spencer had already downed three in that time, and looking at the state that he was in, it was obvious that he wasnât going to get served any more tonight.
âSpence, I'm going to get a quick drink, okay? Stay here.â
Prying his hands off of you, you quickly slipped out of Spencerâs grasp before he managed to put his hands on your waist again.
A few minutes later, Penelope pulls Derek to the dance floor while Emily comes across an old friend and excuses herself to have a word with her, leaving Spencer all by himself at the booth, his tongue sticking out from the side of his mouth while fidgeting with his fingers. He was too deep in thought that he didnât notice a group of girls come over and sit next to him, their intentions clearly not innocent.
âHi! Youâre here all alone?â
âOh, Iâm not! Iâm here with my girlfriend and team mates!â
âI donât see any girlfriend around.â
âShe went to get a drink. Oh, she loves an aperol spritz, sheâs got great taste, in general not just in drinks.â
The girls watched in amazement as Spencer kept talking about every small thing he could come up with about you, from your favorite color and the psychological meaning behind it to your Myers Briggs personality type and how youâre both compatible.
As the endless line at the bar finally came to an end and you managed to get your drink, walking back to the teamâs spot you noticed the unfamiliar girls surrounding Spencer and your stomach churned in nerves. The closer you got however you noticed their bored and confused faces and thatâs all you needed to know that Spencer had most probably pulled his book smarts out on them and left them speechless.
âOh and this one time- Y/N, youâre back!â
Spencer pulled you in for a hug, nearly knocking the drink out of your hands. Managing to put it down on the table, you rested your hand on his back as you turned your attention to the strangers, them clearly on the edges of their seats and ready to bolt at any moment.
âWeâre gonna go, nice to meet you both.â
Your eyes followed them as they quickly got up and made their way to the other side of the bar, even from a distance you could see the red hue on their cheeks, embarrassment written all over their faces.
âSpence, what did they want?â
âThey came over and asked if I had a girlfriend.â
âThatâs it?â
Spencer nodded as he nuzzled into your stomach, âAnd I talked about how great you are and how Iâm going to marry you one day.â
Laughter erupted from your mouth as you heard the answer, also because of Spencerâs fingers practically digging into your sides that it was tickling you.
âSweetie, I donât think thatâs what they meant by that.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âUsually when someone asks âDo you have a girlfriend/boyfriend?â, itâs their way of asking âAre you single?â
Spencer blinked his eyes, your words not yet registering in his head.
âThey were flirting with you.â
âOh⌠really?â
Nodding along, the conversation was put on halt as everyone made their way back to the table.
âYou guys had to leave him alone, huh?â
âWhy? What happened?â
âSome girls came up to Spencer and tried to hit on him.â
âOh, pretty boyâs got game now, huh?â
The team chuckled, but Spencer kept burrowing his head more into your embrace. It was clear that no matter how many girls tried their luck with him it would inevitably fail, as you were his home that he would come back to every time.
You can find my masterlist here!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments and like & reblog to support <3
#spencer reid#spencer reid au#spencer reid fic#spencer reid imagine#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid fanfiction#spencer reid fanfic#spencer reid x self insert#spencer reid x you#spencer reid x y/n#spencer reid one shot#spencer reid oneshot#criminal minds fanfiction#criminal minds#criminal minds fandom#spencer reid blurb#spencer reid x fem!reader#spencer reid fluff
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Yoongi Fic Recommendations
a - angst f - fluff s - smut
part 2
Series
In the Margins (a s f) by @bonvoyagenoona âšââ You werenât sure what he would look like. His writing made you think of a cabin nestled among tall pines, a well-worn cardigan, a scotch neat, and a wistful wisp of smoke seeping into the air from the bowl of an unattended tobacco pipe. What stands before you now is a studio apartment in the city, cigarette butts, coffee stains, and a scowl. Thereâs definitely been a mistake.
Fix You (f a) by @casuallyimagining âšââ When you take in a stray cat, you have no idea heâs secretly a hybrid trying to escape his past. Can you help him heal?
desolate (a f s) by @angelicyoongie âšââ you just wanted a cute little normal cat to keep you company. so you're not really sure how you ended up with the grumpiest hybrid on earth that seems hellbent on making your life difficult.
One Shots
Set Me Free (a f) by @casuallyimagining âšââ Tired of being told how to live his life and unsure of where he stands in the world, Yoongi--your soulmate--yearns to be free. When you give him what he wants, it causes a rift in your relationship that seems irreparable. 12 years later, you find him back in your life. Can you mend your relationship? Do you even want to?
back-burner (a f s) by @yoonpobs âšââ sometimes you felt like you were the back-burner of a two-decade-long friendship. how could you ever compete?
Love Language (a s f) by @gukslut âšââ Your boyfriend obviously loves you, but his silence has you questioning if he *wants* you. If you could only get past your damn insecurities maybe you could appreciate what you have.
27 Phone Numbers (f) by @bxebxee âšââ Yoongi has gone through twenty-seven phone numbers over the last ten years, and you havenât changed yours since high school.Â
sweetner (f s) by @taegularities âšââ You used to know how he sounded when you were wrapped around him, but circumstances have pulled you apart and sent you scattering in opposite directions. Feelings shouldn't reappear so easily by simple words, but when you find yourselves in the same place once again, this is exactly what happens.
One Chance (f) by @out-of-jams âšââ A musical genius, a guy with a bad reputation, your assigned partner for your final project. And the last thing you ever would have expected.
Seasons Change (a s) by @taetaesbaebaepsae âšââ Min Yoongi and you, through the seasons, break up and come back together. Nobody said love was easy.
All That Holly, Jolly Sh*t (a f s) by @daechwitatamic âšââ You havenât seen or heard from Yoongi since he broke your heart five years ago, laying out a logical list of reasons why you were better off breaking up. When a Christmas Eve blizzard traps you together for the night, you have no choice but to examine how few of those reasons are still true. And if theyâre not⌠where does that leave you?
Now We Reign (a s f) by @oddinary4bts âšââ when working on a collab together makes you and Min Yoongi seek comfort with the other, you discover thereâs more to life than loneliness. Only, hurdles mark your path in Min Yoongiâs life, and itâs unclear what the outcome will be. Will you be destroyed by him and his world, or will you learn to reign over it, together with him?
take five (a f) by @jiminrings âšââ you're min yoongi's nurse and you have a crush on him, and he gives you five chances to ask him out - he never said anything about accepting though.
The Final - Day 02 (s) by @yoongiofmine âšââ You've been Yoongi's go-to companion for the past few years, well aware that's all you were going to be. Despite your very real, growing feelings for the rapper, you took what you could get every time. Now, you're backstage at day two of the final leg of his tour when another member takes an interest in you. Will it be enough to make Yoongi realize he's got competition?
hello soulmate (f) by @bluemari23 âšââ your first day on the job doesn't turn out the exact way you envisioned
Sugar Rush Ride (s) by @lo1k-diamonds âšââ You produced a song based on your hidden desires for your fellow producer and promised yourself that tonight, things would change. You were done pining after him, but then he arrived at the listening party.
fuck being friends (a f s) by @strawberrynamjoon âšââ as if watching the guy you were hopelessly in love with hook up with another girl each weekend wasnât enough, he also happened to be your best friend, making things extra complicated. and it only gets worse and worse once he finds you crying in the bathroom at a party one night.
Take One (s f) by @untaemedqueen âšââ There are three things which Yoongi was certain of. One, he was a big star in his field of work. Two, he had a huge cock, one to rival many of the largest names in his industry. Three, he can only find pleasure these days in written word.Â
Illicit Favors (f s) by @yoongiofmine âšââ When your editor tells you to re-write the chapters of your book because the sex scenes are weak, suggesting you write them from experience, what do you do when you lack any kind of sexual experiences in general? You go to your friend and ask him for help with it.
Bet On It (s) by @minisugakoobies âšââ What's a little wager between enemies? How about if it's your body on the line?
subscribed (s f) by @aquagustd âšââ you find out that youtube isnât the only site he uses to satisfy his subscribers. what do you do with that information?
#bts#bts x reader#bts fic recs#bts smut#bts angst#bts fluff#yoongi#min yoongi#yoongi x reader#yoongi fic recs#yoongi smut#yoongi angst#yoongi fluff#min yoongi x reader#min yoongi smut#min yoongi fic recs#min yoongi fluff#min yoongi angst#suga#suga x reader#suga smut#suga fic recs#suga fluff#suga angst
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the strongest (gojo x wife! reader)
gojo can't help but feel annoyed that he feels concern for the wife he swears he doesn't care for.
warnings: arranged marriage au, gojo refers to you as his wife, enemies to lovers (?), gojo tells you to lift up your top, slight angst, he's really bad at feelings okay, image from loving yamada-kun at lv999 (part of gojoâs wife series)
The lines of intrigue and fear are often blurred. It explains why we admire fire from afar, careful not to get too close in hopes of not getting burned. It explains why we find peace in parts of the ocean and tense up in deeper parts. It also explains why Gojo Satoru seeks your presence yet pushes you away the moment he finds himself feeling something other than indifference or vexationâitâs never hatred though. The strongest canât envision himself ever hating his wife and it scares him.Â
Heâs not sure that can be said about you. Gojo wouldnât be surprised if you grew to hate him after the treatment you put up with.Â
Your marriage is what you call a âmarriage of convenienceâ and Gojo made sure you remembered that. He wasnât always so distant with you. Back then, you mightâve considered him a friend but time did its bidding and you two drifted apart, your time together merely a memory. Now fast forward a few years and you were wedded to him, taking up his surname and sleeping in the same house as himâin separate rooms of course.Â
Your steps on the wooden floors were silent as you intended not to make a single noise at such a late hour. You sighed, feeling the weight of your heavy shoulders drag you down.Â
Gojo might be considered cruel to you but the elders were on a different level. They knew this mission would be too much for you yet they sent you on it as punishment for speaking your mind the last time everyone gathered.Â
At that time, your husband had an unfamiliar gleam in your eyes as you voiced your thoughts on the matter of Itadori. Heâs a nice kid, you thought when you first saw the pink-haired boy.Â
Taking away his youth wouldnât be fair. After all, he didnât choose to have the Ryomen Sukuna use him as a vessel. Yet, sentiment doesnât do well with the higher ups and they made sure you knew your place with the mission they sent you on.Â
You inhaled sharply, wincing as you felt the bruise on your rib with your palm. There was blood soaking your tights, little cuts littering your legs. Youâre so tired you canât find it in yourself to even eat. Then again, you needed to be in your best condition tomorrow since another mission was sent out of you and specifically you. Those in power always make sure itâs clear that they are in power. Your voice of opinion meant nothing to their beliefs in tradition or what you liked to call, âbackward thinking.â Thatâs one thing you and your husband could agree on.Â
âOw,â you wince for the nth time as you open the fridge, scanning the items. Mochi. Ice-cream. Leftover cake. Perhaps it wouldâve been wiser to go grocery shopping a day prior so you could have a proper meal. This was the kind of stuff Gojo could live on but you couldnât. Closing the fridge, you opt for instant ramen instead. Not the best choice in regards to healthiness but cracking an egg in there meant more protein and it also minimized the spice levels.Â
Youâre halfway in between preparing the noodles when you feel a presence right beside you and soft breathing besides your ears. âYouâre home,â your âhusbandâ mumbles, his eyes half-lidded from just having woken up.Â
âGod! Satoru!â You gasp, flinching away from and only realizing how close he was. For someone who claimed he wasnât interested in you, he didnât know what personal space was. âHow did you know I was home?â
âYour cursed energy leaked in,â he shrugs his shoulders, peering down at you without the constraints of his blindfold or shades. You gulp as his eyes flit up and down your appearance, causing your insides to tense up in a sudden wave of self-consciousness. Being scrutinized by the six-eyes himself wasnât much fun and youâre suddenly aware of the fact that your hair is disheveled and your face is sweaty from just having come home from a grueling mission.Â
You donât even notice the glint of rage that crosses his hues before he masks it. âWho did this to you?â
âHuh?â You blink, coming to your senses that your body was bloodied up and battered from having fought a curse. âOh it was just a mission. Itâs normal to be hurt on missions.âÂ
Gojoâs been living with you for nearly half a year now and he knows youâre more than competent when it comes to shaman duties (not that heâd ever tell you). He knows you return home by 7 p.m.., and never at hours well past midnight. He knows that you usually only get injuries on your back because you get careless at times. But now, he sees cuts everywhere and heâs not sure if youâre running on adrenaline or if youâre too tired to notice.Â
His eyes glance at the way you press a palm on your rib, subconsciously squeezing the area as if hiding it from him. âLet me see.â
Your surprise is immediate and he wouldâve felt a strange fluttering in his stomach if not for this concern he was experiencing for you. You smile. âSee what?â
âYour injury. Let me see it,â he says again, pressing on the hand you hold close to your ribs, narrowing his eyes as you hiss in pain. âDonât be stubborn (Name).âÂ
His voice is different from the cheery one he often uses and youâre left leaning further into the kitchen counter, acutely aware of the fact that his taller frame wasnât allowing you to escape. His eyes widen the slightest once he gets a glimpse of your flustered expression as you peer up at him and he only realizes what he was asking from you. Part of him tells him to ignore this and pretend his concern for you was brief. Yet, part of him screams at him that he was your husband, so he should feel the right to be worriedâeven if he was months late.Â
He sighs, tilting his head. âIâm just going to look. I promise I wonât do anything else,â his voice is oddly tender as he speaks to you, a contrast to the usual nonchalance youâre used to.Â
You gulp and let out a shaky sigh, giving in when your fingers reach to pull your top up for him to see the bare skin that you canât even say is spotless or void of marks. Multiple wounds litter your skinâsome faded, some new. Youâre scared his gaze would show some signs of judgment or disgust but youâre left bemused when you see how his eyebrows furrow and his lips purse. For a second, you allow yourself to be deluded by the fact that he might be worried but you quickly abandon that thought, averting your eyes from him.
You can see how he pieces everything together. From the way you rebelled against the elders and how they saw it as a means to punish you. He does it so quickly that you can only blink when his blank expression morphs into something different. You almost feel relieved from the fact that his expression of pure anger wasnât directed at you and rather those who sent you on the mission.
Itâs almost natural how he slides the top further up, mapping the extent of the bruise with his eyes. His hands are warm and calloused. Theyâre also gentle, tracing the bruise carefully to not hurt you. âIâll kill those old bastards,â he chuckles with a sneer. âThey have some nerve letting my wife take this mission without me.â
You frown as you see his anger first-hand. âSatoruââ
âWhy didnât you go to Shoko?â He interrupts, gently holding on your waist to prop you on the counter while he stands in between your legs. He watches you intently, in search of answers.
You feel somewhat embarrassed as his hand still lifts your top up to see the bare skin but donât comment on it. âI didnât want to bother her so late at nightâŚâ
For the first time since today, you see him flash a genuine smile, as if exasperated by your reasoning. âBut youâre fine with bothering me?âÂ
âThatâs different!â You say, a pout slowly forming on your lips and he canât help but feel drawn to you even if he doesnât want to.Â
He laughs as you pull your top down with a huff, finding it cute that you were so bashful. âBecause Iâm your husband?âÂ
You go silent and for a second, Gojo thinks heâs messed up for mentioning that. Despite being your husband, heâs not the greatest at doing his job. Heâs not callous or spiteful towards you, instead taking on more of a cold and aloof attitude towards you. Even so, he thinks that hurts just as much as a few insults.Â
Heâs about to pull back but your voice draws him back to you. âYeah. Itâs because youâre my husband.â
Gojo canât stop himself from glancing at your lips at that single statement. He was today years old when he realized he was a man of simple tastes. All you had to do was tell him that he was your husband and heâd want to kiss you until your lips turned red. He considers himself lucky that you didnât see that slip-up of hisâthough he wouldnât have minded if you did.
He breathes out a sigh, propping his chin atop your head while his fingers draw circles around your hips. âI wonât let them hurt you.â
Itâs a vow he swears to keep.Â
âI know,â you whisper quietly enough for him to hear. âYouâre the strongest after all.â
He thinks itâs funny that even as the strongest, he feels weak when he feels your fingers play with his sleeves. No words are said after that and a comfortable silence drifts between you two. Itâs like the barrier between the two of you is cracking once you feel his lips press gently against your forehead and you think it's his way of sealing the promise.Â
Gojo Satoru thinksâor rather he knows that he wouldnât mind living the rest of his life with you. And he knows that he should fix his behavior around you and stop running away. That way, instead of a kiss to the forehead, he can finally give you one on your lips.Â
#gojo satoru x reader#gojo satoru#gojo x reader#satoru gojo#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen#arranged marriage#i'm in my jjk phase bye
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đđđđđđđ! đđđđđ đđđđđ
PAIRING: đđđ§đđđŤđ! đđŽđ đđŤ đđđđđ˛ x reader (gender not mentioned/implied/specified); SYNOPSIS: Your first meeting with him was anthing but charming. Especially when he cornered you to the point, where you know you'll have no choice but to submit. TW. implied age gap, manipulation, threatening (?), red flag, power imbalance;
đŚđđŹđđđŤđĽđ˘đŹđ
"How can I help you, sir?"
"Be my sugar baby."
You blinked owlishly, trying to process what this customer said and if it was on the menu. When in fact it turned out that it isn't and you connected the words and their meaning, you were ready to burst out laughing.
He can't be serious.
Just by looking at him, you can tell he occupies a high position in some fancy corporation. You were even ready to bet that he was a CEO! It was a mystery itself why he was here, in a food chain restaurant in the first place. An enigma why he even said something like that to you, a plain worker who is pretty much opposite in every aspect one could think of.
He is handsome, you give him that. Probably older than you, since his face was more defined and mature. His suit, which you imagned to be tailor-made, colonge that was so strong you could smell it from behind the counter and all the expensive accesories (I mean look at his watch! Worth univesity tuition installment or two!) he had on were probably worth more than what you owned now.
But no, you aren't stupid. Sleep deprived, yes. Hungry, yes. Broke, also unfortunately, yes. But not stupid.
This man must be high then. No other sane and sober and filthy rich man would propose something like that to the (broke) food chain worker during the first meeting.
You took a deep breath, reminding yourself to be calm. He is still your client and you are fighting to be this employee of the month. You can already envision your photo hanging by the cashier and feel the additional money in your bank account. You won't lose your cool now.
Instead, you plastered your best fake smile.
"I'm afraid that's not on our menu sir. Do you fancy something else?"
The man chuckled, as if you told the best and poshest joke known to mankind. Your eyebrow twitched, yet your smile didn't budget.
Calm down...he is high...let him laugh...employee of the month...additional money...!
"You're more amusing than I thought." đđđ§đđđŤđ! đđŽđ đđŤ đđđđđ˛ wiped a stray tear from his eye. "Trust me sweetie, I love how you call me 'sir' but that doesn't change the fact that my request still stays. I want you to be my sugar baby."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, sir."
"Ho ho, everything is possible." đđđ§đđđŤđ! đđŽđ đđŤ đđđđđ˛ hid his hands in the pocket of his pants. He was staring down at you, like you were the most interesting thing he saw in a long while. You began to feel uneasy and slightly curled into yourself. You didn't like how mischievous his smirk looked.
A beat of tense silence passed, before he spoke again.
"I won't back down, sweetie. You know, I've learned that when you really want something, you should fight for it till you'll achieve it. This situation is no different than a business. I provide you safety and money, while you agree to be mine and fulfill my (every) requests." He finished his speech with a smile worth a million dollars, showing off his pearly white and straight teeth.
"Sir -- "
"After all, you wouldn't want your current life to crumble, hm?" You froze when his expression became sinister and his voice lowered to the point of mocking. In your gut you began to feel dread. You knew this feeling bery well. It appears whenever you sense danger. Currently, this man in front of you was a person who you should be afraid of. One thing for sure, he wasn't lying when he said he can destroy you in a matter of one call.
Money rules the world.
"Your measly, little thing, who believes something will change. That it is just a stepping stone. But what if I make it your prison? Force you to be stuck here until you break under pressure? In the end, you'll still agree to be mine, sweetie. It depends on you if you want to suffer or not."
And destroy those who are too weak and gets crushed under its ruthless rule.
"This choice is yours." đđđ§đđđŤđ! đđŽđ đđŤ đđđđđ˛ straightened his back and only now you realized he was holding a sheet of paper. "All you have to do is to sign this..."
You knew you have no choice.
"So pick carefully, sweetie."
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Summary: In the volatile nature of tornado hunting, you crossed paths with Scott on more than one occasionâeach time resulting in a piece of yourself being left behind with the man larger than the storms you chased. [Scott x Fem!Reader; Twisters] [wc: 15.7k]
Warnings: 18+ MDNI, smut, pinv, oral (f receiving), angsty-romance, Scott is⌠a complicated asshole who reader can totally fix⌠right? Right!?
Quick Links: Masterlist
You werenât sure where it ended or began, but you could feel it coming in your bones. Not the whirring of a drone or the rumbles of thunderâthe fast, blistering speed of tires rolling toward the funnel that made your heart beat twice as fast as it did before.
It was tornado season after all⌠it never surprised you.
The skies of Oklahoma rose into a gloomy beige on a Friday afternoon. Heat lingered in the air, heavy and unyielding. It was dense outside of the small gas station that sat alongside the fork in the road.
Everyone could smell it: the anticipation of a storm. They broke earlier every year and this season appeared to be no different at first glance. The radios were filled with the familiar constant chatter, the computer screens you shared with Dexter in the lot were running the same radarâs the morning predicted.
Not everyday was as exciting as the next, however.
âShit,â Dexter mumbled, running a hand over his eyes in frustration as the storms werenât breaking that evening. His glasses perched on his fingers before he brought his hand back down to his computer.
It was just rain. In an era of record tornados, tonight would be quiet sans the few sparks of lightning and the thunder that followed.
âNothinââ he flicked the laptop screen closed before him, knocking you on the shoulder as your own screen took all your attention.
Your eyes were entranced by the Doppler's movements. The back and forth of the projections coming and going in shades of green and yellow but no red. No purples or the darkest blues to send the lot of you running toward danger.
Dexter bumped you again with a focused effort.
âWhat?â You mumbled, clicking the refresh button on the radarâs program. Nothing changed.
âI think weâre done for the day.â
âItâs like six-thirty, Dexâ you shrugged, turning to face him with a squint as the half-set sun was in your line of vision. âSomethinâ might pop up.â
âOmega says not,â he put a finger on his closed computer. âIt dissipates before it can get out of bed.â
âYeah,â you sighed as he did before. âShit.â
Breathing in deeply, you could still smell it. Those storms were on the horizon and just waiting for the perfect moment to grow but you all have waited around these parts of Oklahoma begging for something that was not going to appear a hundred times.
Today was just one of those days.
You shut your own computer with the thud. Rolling your shoulders, Dexter clapped a hand on your back and chuckled at the prospect of another day without a tornado.
âTomorrowâs chances are just as good,â he reassured.
âI know,â you nodded. The buzzing of Lilyâs drone overhead swished by slowly as it came to land.
âWhy donât you go tell âem and Iâll clean up before we move out, hm? Get dinner and relax.â
Dexter didnât allow the chance for you to argue back and made for the computers immediately. You groaned, standing up from the milk crate Boone scoured from the side of the road for âportable seating.â They were a bitch to your back and after sitting and watching the screen for what felt like hours, your body was screaming for help.
You stretched your arms high above your shoulders to rest them interlocked on your head and closed your eyes.
Maybe it was a sign. No storms, good sleep, and a hot meal from a wayside diner in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere. It was comfort, it was home and it was a relief for an instant that the skies were tame. No one would die from nature tonight in the vicinity of your chasingâan adjustment from the last month.
So you envisioned in your closed eyes the peace the evening would bring. How the sheets of the motelâs bed would feel against your legs; the sound of air conditioning fanning and sending you into a deep slumber.
The imagination of an evening molded into scenes under your eyelids.
Like the thunder everyone wished to hear, you could practically feel the rumblings of his fingertips as you imagined them on your skin. A lingering hope of days gone by without seeing him and his team of assholes started to stir in your mind every time it had a second to not think of the weather.
You hated the way it made you feel.
Like a goddamn school girl who couldnât control a crush but it was more than that. It wasnât a fatal fantasy youâd imagined every time your paths crossed but one cemented in your memory to hold you off until the next time he caught you in the same place.
And you saw him in your idea of a decent night.
In the distance, Dani and Lily called your name from outside of the RV. You cracked an eye open to see the two of them waving, pointing toward the diner attached to the station.
Your arms fell, turning to Dexter who passed it off.
âGo,â he shook his head, âIâll join you when Iâm done.â
Youâd be lying if the sound of food didnât sound wonderful that very second. The day had been nothing but driving and sitting. Every bit of food was junk besides the apple Boone threw your way at noon. He had been the first one to run into the diner an hour before with Tyler hot on his tail.
They were gluttons for greasy homemade meals.
âCome on!â Dani yelled as she held open the door and you broke off from Dexter to join the two for dinner.
The diner was like any other hole in the wall establishment in middle America. Sparse hangings on the wall, chairs and booths made from cheap leather that had burns and slashes through them, and menus that havenât been updated for twenty years.
They were the best places. They were what made the small towns in between the big ones staples. No one could pinpoint this town on a map but the second the tea is sipped and the spuds are downed, itâs something you couldnât forget.
âWeâre gonna shack up in Perry tonight,â Dani spoke with her mouth half full. ââBout a half hour from here.â
âTyler alright with that?â Lily asked, glancing out the diner window. âI thought he wanted to stay ahead of them?â
Them.
You sipped on your iced tea casually.
âWe will be heading in that direction anyway.â
âAinât there a lake down in Perry?â Lily inquired, racking her mind in hopes she could remember. Dani nodded and picked up her own glass.
âMhm,â she hummed. âAnd I do plan on jumpinâ in it before we leave tomorrow.â
Lily smiled as she turned her attention to you. She wasnât oblivious to your absence from the conversation. You were quiet and reserved. Maybe it was that time of the month or you had a bad dayâbut it was strange and she furrowed her brows, kicking at your foot with hers from under the table.
âDonât got anything to say?â She asked, causing Dani to look over the glass at you.
âNo,â you dismissed. âJust tired, thatâs all.â
âIâve got Advil if you need it,â Lily went to dig in her bag but you stopped her.
âNo, no,â you shook your head. âReally. Just feels like a long day is all. Finding nothin' is frustrating and this heat..."
âI get you,â Dani scoffed and put her cup down. âThis heat is awful. I think Booneâs music is starting to get to me.â
You laughed knowingly. âItâs better than listening to him scream into the camera for twenty minutes."
The two snickered at the thought. Anything was better than the sound of his screeching. You pushed around the remnants of your meal around your plate when the waitress came back to fill up the glasses, leaving the check. A chorus of 'thank you's' were followed by the bell ringing above the diner's rickety door.
"Oh Lord," Lily muttered and went back to looking out the window. She crossed her arms like a pouting child. Out the window, Boone was yelling inaudible jests at the white shirts making their way into the establishment.
"What?" You asked her, turning over in your seat to see the crew of Storm Par filing in one by one.
In their uniforms of slacks and white shirts, they gave their most polite smiles to the staff that ate out of the palms of their hands. Dani let out a groan of frustration. Rich men, educated men. Men.
"Just the fraternity, Doc," Dani replied as though your eyes couldn't see that. You shot her a judgmental scowl before glancing at the group again.
"I thought I told you not to call me that."
It was the PhD in physics that earned you the affectionate, but infuriating title.
"Eh," Dani popped a piece of ice between her teeth. "You ain't like them though. They're all assholes and you're only an asshole when we can't get the signal to work and you wanna watch Love Island."
You laughed, chucking your napkin across the table which she dodged gracefully.
"Don't act like you're not obsessed with it too," Dani narrowed her eyes in faux offense.
The check at the end of the table blew in the wind generated by a few of Storm Par's team walking past. None of them spared a glance in the direction of the three of you. Out of spite or hatred, you wouldn't know but it was always the same way with most of them. It wasn't unwarranted, however. Your squad from Arkansas were known to give them as much grief as they gave you all.
You reached out to slap the check back down on the table. A glance up toward the retreating Storm Par members told you that their leaders hadn't joined the bunch at the table. You hadn't seen him enter the diner when you looked before.
But you knew the second the bell rang above the door again that it was him and likely Javi beside him. You could feel it in the air just as you did the storms. Everything shifted. The pace of your heart, the rigidness of your back, and you had done all you could in your power to keep it as quiet as possible.
You painted yourself a fake in front of the friends you adored because of Scott. He didn't ask you to, yet there was nothing more solid than agreeing to never speak of what you'd do for a second alone with him.
And you weren't sure what they'd say if they knew you were sleeping with the enemy.
With the check in your hands, you grabbed your bag from the seat and dismissed Lily and Dani's movements to split the check.
"I've got this one," you assured them. "My treat."
Lily protested and continued to shuffle through her bag. "At least lemme get the tip. How much?" Her wallet was filled with receipts and loose change.
"No," you shook your head. "Go on to the truck and I'll pay and we can head out."
Dani crunched the ice loudly. "You sure?"
"Positive," you nodded, giving them both a smile that could have read tense. You didn't mean it to be but it did. "Go on," you tipped your head. âDex didnât eat so Iâll order and run out when itâs ready.â
Dani eyed you as Lily put away her wallet. "I don't want to leave you alone with them in here," she knocked her head in the direction of Scott and Javi who settled along the lunch counter beside the register.
Dani watched them carefully whenever it was only the three of you. She trusted the men on your team like brothers but the others, Storm Par or any of the other groups that followed in the same direction, she held at a distance. Not only had they been somewhat competitors in the field, they were jerks and Dani could not help but be repulsed by it.
Scott looked in the direction of the small booth you all sat in, making contact with Dani's harsh stare. His face was blankâas Dani had come to realize was its factory setting. He was stoic, a wooden board of a man who was a head taller than his companion even as they sat. Dani always thought he looked miserable.
In her eyes, he was generically handsome with dimples on the sides of his cheeks. She saw other storm chasers give him eyes but he never entertained it. He was boring, a dud.
Not one person could make that man crack a smile or have an ounce of joy weep from himâbut she supposed it was perfect for the work they conducted.
"I can handle myself, Daniâbesides, there are other people in here."
She shook her head, souring her face. "You know I don't like 'em."
"Neither do I," you laughed. Liar. "I got this. Itâs okay."
Dani trusted your word and exited the diner with Lily while you made your way to the register.
Scott had taken his baseball cap off his head, sliding it into the back pocket of his pants and pushing his sunglasses into his hair. Javi made niceties with the same waitress that had assisted you upon your approach. You saddled up to lean on the counter in the empty space between Scott and the register that broke apart the counter from the other patrons. It wasn't crowded as a restaurant in the middle of a city would be. It was filed with locals that made it feel welcoming.
"I'll be with you in one second, ma'am," the woman who served, in a name-tag labeled 'Kathy', called over to you as she jotted down Javi's order.
You took the bag from your shoulder to place it on the counter in front of you. The base of it brushed Scott's shoulder, nudging him purposefully.
"Sorry," you said quietly as Javi finished up beside him. Scott looked over at youâhis stormy blues baring into you and sending you into a spiral of blind faith.
âNot out wrangling tornados tonight?â He questioned in a condescending tone. His brow quirked in a challenge: play along. You could never be civil in public.
âMaybe if you were good at reading radar youâd know that already.â
He scoffed. âWhââ
âAnd for you sir?â Kathy, the waitress, cut him off with a tap of her pen. Javi stifled a laugh as Scott faced her with a half-baked expression of annoyance. You turned to thumbing through your bag for your wallet.
âAh,â Scott stuttered as he looked over the menu. âA coffeeââ
âCream or Sugar?â Kathy drawled. She must have been in her sixties but she was giving Scott the best impression of a flirt at the moment.
âBlack, please.â
âOf course, honey.â
Javi turned his head away from Scott to chuckle like a little boy. You smiled to yourself as the contents of your bag were suddenly so very interesting.
âAnd a⌠turkey sandwich with fries.â
Kathy gave Scott a cheeky, wide smile with painted red lips. The thinning drugstore paint was wearing thin beyond the lining and her hay bale, yellow as corn hair was doing nothing for her.
âThatâll be right up for you boys, okay?â She gave them a wink and tore the order from her pad. âDonât forget to order somethinâ sweet before you goâon the house.â
Kathy walked away with a sway of her hips which only worsened Javiâs laughter. The laughs spilled from his mouth without remorse as his friend tried to not turn an ugly shade of red.
âHoly,â Javi dragged out the syllables in exasperation. âYou got yourself a cougar, Scott!â
You slipped your wallet to the side of your bag and looked upright waiting for her return.
âI didnât know Mr. Storm Par had it in him,â you said, which drove Javi even deeper in laughter. Scott sighed heavily, shaking his head in disbelief. âSheâll give a napkin with a lipstick kiss⌠just watch.â
âOoh man,â Javi crooned. âI ainât missinâ that!â He got up from his stool.
âSee you out there,â Javi said your name kindlyâa rarity in these parts. He surely didnât know about you and Scott but he treated you decently all the same.
He rushed off to the small hallway labeled âbathroomâ. Small mercies for a second alone.
âDid you have to say that?â Scott commented the moment Javi was out of an earshot. He turned back to look at you so you turned to look at him with your hip digging into the counter. His legs spread wide as if to accommodate you.
âIt was too good not to,â you admitted with a grin. âThe old ladies love you.â
âYeah,â he mumbled, gazing at your face as his eyes darted to take you in. They trailed from your eyes to lips to chin to chest to⌠everywhere.
âItâs been a minute.â
âTwo weeks,â you agreed.
âYou been counting?â
âNo,â you said quickly. âI justââ
âI was joking,â he clarified with a sly, cunning smirk.
âHa,â you panned. âYou should think about going into another career after this. I hear theyâre looking for comedians.â
âMaybe I will,â he suggested. âI can mention the skeleton that tried to get with me in a diner. Though,â he thought on it, âher lipstick might find me in nightmares so probably not.â
You laughed and he smiledâalso a rarity in these parts.
âWhere are you off to?â He asked.
âPerry for the night. Headinâ in that direction afterwards.â
Scott hummed, tapping one of his hands on the counter as the other rested on his knee. Your eyes moved down his body in the same way he did yours.
âYou?â You asked him.
âI think weâll be makinâ our way there too.â
âHm,â you thrummed. Kathy caught your vision as she gathered Javiâs glass and Scottâs mug in her hands. âThen I should be expecting you?â
Scott nodded his head. âMotel?â
âRight off the highway. Easy on and off.â
Scott made a noise of agreement. Kathy placed their beverages in front of them with a sweet smile. Scott glanced at the mug but returned his attention to you which she frowned atâyou found it amusing. There couldnât have been many attractive men waltzing through the diner on a weekly basis. Scott was a treat.
âAnything I can get you, hun?â
Scott shook his head. Kathy held out her hand for you to hand over the check. She wasnât as wordy with you.
You glanced over his shoulder to the table of his crew in the back who were minding their own business. Javi had to return and put the window, your team of misfits were packing up the vehicles.
You took a chance and lifted a hand to his shirtâs collar. Taking the fabric between your fingertips, you putzed as he looked at you with a gleam in his eyes that made your stomach do summersaults.
Itâs the kind of look that made your heart sink when he was so rude on the road.
âText me when you get there, okay?â You asked him. You adjusted his collar before dropping your hand at the sight of Javi leaving the restroom.
Scott caught your eyes change and turned back around in his seat.
Kathy laid the receipt for you to sign on the counter with a bang.
âSign, please.â
You were quick to sign and exit the space before Javi could even sit down, forgetting Dexter's order. Kathy took the receipt and while stapling it to the order, she tipped her head in the direction of you.
âSheâs pretty,â was all Kathy said and left as Javi returned.
âDid she give you her number?â Javi prompted Scott who passed a confused face to his friend.
âWhat?â
âThe waitress,â Javi chuckled. âYou get âer number or what?â
Scott closed his eyes and swallowed the nerves that built rapidly. He thought Javi was talking about you. He may have been an ace at MIT and a dependable guy on the battlefield, but Scott nearly jumped out of the diner at the thought of Javi or anyone else finding out about his escapades with you.
It was a good secret. A great one, if he let himself think about it too long. But heâd be damned to throw everything away for the sake of a lay in the middle of Oklahoma.
And if he told himself that enough, heâd fathomed he would start believing it.
The motel was what you had dreamed about.
Soft sheets, working air conditioning, and a lovely continental breakfast in the mornings with boxes of cereal and packaged muffins. It wasnât a five-star resort but they did the job. It was perfectly imperfect for what you were used to on the daily.
It was so much better than the floor of the RV and so unusual for the types of places Dani and Lily often chose.
When you arrived at the motel, Scott was receiving a napkin with a kiss and a number on it that went straight in the trash. Javi kept rolling with laughter and for the time being, it was something he would not live down.
But both of your minds were preoccupied with what would hold true as the sun finally set on that day.
Just like the storms, you werenât sure where this ended or it began. You had established a routine without realizing it was happening and this game of chances was slowly evolving into a feeling difficult to hold on to.
Maybe it was everything in between the nights that made it more difficult than it needed to be.
You ached for them nonetheless.
The jolt of anticipation hit you about an hour after arriving. Showered and clean, you sat around while the news played lifelessly in the background waiting for your phone to ding but it never did. It sat there mocking you every minute that passed.
Seconds turned into minutes that turned into hours that turned into two.
You half thought about going to bed before a knock sounded at your door. Neglecting to view the visitor through the peephole, you were taken aback by the entrance.
Scott made quick work of pushing you backwards and shutting the door closed with a thud. A backpack landed in the space between the door and chair. His hands were on you immediately, immodestly cupping your face and the back of your head with a force as he kissed youâhard.
You wrapped your arms around his forearms in support of your uneasy feet. A thrill ran down your spine at the feel of his hands on you.
âIâm sorry,â he mumbled between frantic kisses that took your breath away. âThey,â kiss, âwouldnât,â kiss, âstop fucking talking.â
You ran your hands down his forearms gently. âItâs okay,â you reassured him. Ignoring your doubts would manifest itself another day.
Scott nodded, his nose knocking yours before leaning back in and kissing you slowly. His mouth captured your lips softly, gently as if there was no worry of time at all. His hands trailed themselves along the sides of your neck, to your shoulders, letting yours fall from his arms in the process.
You tilted your head upwards at an angle to open up to him. His mouth moved unhurried as the sound of your heart rushed to your ears.
He broke the kiss at the feel of your hands inching toward the buckle of his jeans.
âWoah,â he chuckled lowly but didnât pull away and didnât tell you no. âI donât think my old lady would appreciate you havinâ your hands all over me.â
He let you lift the tails of his dress shirt out of his pants. At a quick pace you undid the buttons.
âShe was tellinâ me all about this great peach pie,â Scott kept on and on as he peppered kisses on your face. âAnd then,â he whispered and shrugged off his shirt. âThen she left me this nice farewell note with a kiss on it.â
Your hands stilled on his abdomen. Head pulling away rapidly with glittering amusement in your eyes, you scoffed.
âNo shit⌠really?â
âOh yes, really,â Scott confirmed. He stepped away from you and stripped himself of the undershirt he had on. He moved over to the bed to work on his shoes.
âCanât go to that diner again I gather.â
Scott smiled which made his dimples stand out. He looked tired but present, and that was all you could ask for at that moment.
âNot unless I want to be scorned for never callinâ her back.â
âEh,â you picked up the remote on the bedside table and turned up the sound. âGive it ten years.â
Scott looked over his shoulder at you as a boot dropped on the floor.
âThatâs brutal.â
âWell,â you said, dropping onto the duvet. âWhat can I say?â
You crawled over to him and got on your knees behind him. Scott leaned his head backwards against your chest as you wrapped your arms around him. You could smell the earth in his hair. The darkness of it couldnât shield the way a day's work remained.
Underneath your fingertips his shoulders eased up. He relaxed in your touch.
âI was counting,â you admitted. The days between.
âYeah,â he breathed out. âMe too.â
You kept one hand wrapped around his shoulders but moved the other to turn his face to the side. You planted a light kiss on his cheek, resting your forehead on the spot after. You savored the small, delicate moments that were few and far on the road.
Scott patted your arm when the quiet became too much.
âLay down,â he instructed.
You untangled yourself from him and fell backwards on the bed. Splayed on the mattress with your knees bent, he slipped his socks off and turned around with one leg perched on the bed and the other on the floor. Scottâs hand traced the lines on your bent knees formed by the lighting of the room. He watched you adjust your body for comfort in his observance.
Heâd be a fool to say you werenât igniting a fire in him.
There were nights where heâd find you angry at him, the fuck that followed heated and heâd mark you with bruising kisses to remind you of it. There were some hurried and franticâusually following a close encounter by either of you but the ones where it was slow⌠they were rare.
And looked down at you with adoration he couldnât express. His eyes were telling yet he never said words that reaffirmed he cared for you more than he looked forward to your next meeting or that he thought about youâin the shower or in passing, Scott never clarified.
Scott pushed open your legs to accommodate him. He took in the oversized tourist tee that helped cover the pair of sleep shorts of his next conquest. Without hesitation, he grabbed at the waistband of the shorts and pulled them down your legs quickly.
He ticked at you at the sight of you bare before him.
âWere you expecting someone?â He chastised jokingly. âThatâs a little presumptuous.â
âMaybe,â you cooed. He grasped you by the back of your knees and pulled you down the bed before getting on his own.
âThereâs always a some guy followinâ us around in these parts. Sometimes Iâll let him in.â
âOh?â His breath was hot on your thigh. A kiss laid as he maneuvered himself to your center and you tossed your head back to stare at the ceiling.
âMhm,â you hummed. You bit your lip to fight a smile when his familiar lips kissed at the crux of your leg and groin.
âHandsome with this cute smile no one ever sees.â
You felt your breath stagger as he moved to the most wanton part of you and licked a line through you. His eyes watched you intently; the slow rise and fall of your chest, the way your hands begged for something to grasp on. His nose bumped your clit as he got comfortable with a rhythm. Scott savored the way his tongue gathered your wetness, pushing against your plush walls.
You were trying so hard to be quiet. The walls of hotels were thinâyou werenât an idiot. It was a miracle that the man you fucked wasnât a talker most of the time.
Scottâs tongue was warm against you. Lapping in a way that made you lose the breath inside. He was slow, soft in his movements that made you want to squirm.
You could feel your heart beating rapidly against your ribcage. Head pressing harshly against the comforter of the bed, your body hooked itself into an arch at his ministrations. A lewd, antagonizing sound of your pleasure being had by a man whose eyes bore deep into the way your body moved at his will sent you spinning.
Scott shifted himself on the bed. His feet propelled him upwards but he never let go, his hands nor mouth. He pushed you upwards on the bed and wrapped an arm around your leg to rest on your lower abdomen.
The change caught the words in your mouth.
Scott, occupied, still watched you unravel like putty. His eyes watched you focus on anything but his face and in an attempt to get your attention, his hand on your stomach moved to fiddle with your shirt that had not made it to the floor.
Your hand was quick to fold over his, squeezing tightly. His fingers flexed back.
âOh,â you keened. In an effort to stay quiet, your other hands fingers pressed against your lips. The fire within you grew hotter.
Moving his hand from yours, he shifted to spread open your lips and gather the wetness on his tongue. Scott titled his head upwards and sucked on your clit that had you spinning. Your free hand went straight to his head and settled in his brown locks.
âF-fuck,â you stuttered as your toes curled and your hips rutted against his face unabashedly.
Scottâs other hand was long missing from your body as the one focused on you was hard at work with your satisfaction. He palmed at himself in his pants the best he could. The angle wasnât working and soon, heâd need a reprieve.
The muscles in your body tensed. They began to shake not from a release, but an anticipation of one growing. The more you moved, the more Scott wanted to let go and slip inside of you.
He slowed his tongue to small, sensual flicks reminiscent of him bringing you back from a high you hadnât yet reached. Pulling back on you, his lips caught with a trail of your slick and his spit. Scott ran his tongue over his lipsâtaking with him the taste of you.
âMove up,â he instructed, voice hoarse.
You sat up on your elbows and moved upwards on the bed as he stood up. He walked back to the chair beside the door where his belongings had ended up when he first burst through the door.
If you were attempting to be sly, your eyes navigated his body on display. Scott fully undid his belt and chucked his phone on the chair beside it. He shuffled out of his pants and briefsâpausing when the screen on his phone lit up with a text.
You couldnât read it from the distance between you but he left it unread, turning back to you as your focus narrowed to his dick freely standing.
âMy eyes are up here,â he rolled his eyes.
âIâm admiring,â you drawled. You ran a hand up your body and bent it behind your head on the pillows. âCanât a girl admire? I meanâŚâ
âShe can,â he nodded in implying you can.
Scott took himself in his hands, pumping as he approached the bed again. He didnât need to ask the ways in which to make both of you happy. He could read the room and the days and knew that what you both needed was something simple.
But sometimes, something simple was enough.
He joined you on the bed, tapping on your leg that blocked his goal.
âCome on,â his words were cut and dry and quiet.
You moved your leg back down as you sat up to meet him. Him, on his knees before you with his length in his hand and you, splayed before him wet and wanting. You reached to replace his hand with yours but he shook his head, knocking his chin at your shirt with a disapproving shake.
The worn Ole Miss letters standing stark amidst the nakedness of the room. Doc.
Huffing, you were quick to lose the shirt.
âBetter?â You asked him. Reaching back toward to replace his hand, he removed his and let you take him.
âPerfect,â he groaned at the feel of your hand.
He was heavy and warm in your palm; watching with an intensity that only beckoned you to go furtherâsliding your hand along him delicately and squeezing just enough at the base for him to emit a grunt of satisfaction. Scottâs hands caressed the sides of your thighs as his mind went blank.
âScott,â you purred. Sitting up on your knees and never letting him go. Your other hand wrapped around his shoulders as you pressed your chest against his. His hands were hot on your hips and ass.
You lazily drew your lips along his jaw to ear.
âI want you to fuck me,â you whispered. His heart was beating so fast. âI want you to fuck me into this mattress and make me think about it for days.â
Scottâs eyes were closed. His breathing unsteady and head pushing into yours. He gripped your body tightly.
âBabyââ the pet name slipped out before he had a chance to take it back. Too personal? He wasnât sure. But he couldnât think straight. With your hand on his dick, all he could think about was how fast he could get inside of you.
âI thought we saidââ
âWeâll be quiet,â you reassured him. âI didnât say hard.â
Oh. You wanted to be fucked softly.
The kind of sex that left a heavy haze in the air. The one that drew everything out of a person and left it there, lingering, as if the pieces of them were nothing more than particles in space.
It was the sex you couldnât turn back from.
You were too far gone.
You had been for quite some time yet never slipped up. You enjoyed what small, unreliable fling you had no matter how it grew inside of you. Scott wasnât a man youâd dream about as a teen thinking of your future. He was a certified asshole with an ego as big as the fucking ocean but it slithered past defenses and ended up knocking at your gate.
But you loved the sinful way it made you feel.
âDo you wanna fuck me?â You cooed. You careened in his touch, pitching upwards as he cupped your ass roughly and relished the feel of your breasts on his chest. Everything about you was so soft.
âYou know I do,â he panted. You stroked him still.
âThen what are you waiting for?â
You positioned your head in front of his, kissing him gently on the lips before lowering back down onto the bed with your knees parted. You let him go and his cock bobbed.
And he did as you asked.
When Scott fucked you, the heavens blushed from above. He took his dick in his hand again, positioning himself to be in front of your pussy that was still shining with the wetness he left. He rubbed his tip up and down, gathering the wetness he could. Each motion threatening to push him in faster than either of you wanted.
This could be hours or forever and youâd never want it to end.
He stopped at your entrance to look in your wanton eyes. They begged him, they wanted him without a word. He guided his cock into you slowly. Your cunt, warm and inviting, welcomed him smoothly. Pressing your head deep into the pillows, you let out weak gasps at his intrusion.
Your head was swirling. You were full of him.
Each touch and each thrust was sending you toward a tether that was breaking string by string.
Scott was calculated but not over aware. He listened to your callsâthe shallow, meek whimpers at the virility of his drives. He let you get lost; finding the stars in your eyes as he peered down at you until it became too much and Scott needed to feel you again.
Scott leaned down, taking your neck in both of your hands and kissing you deeply. Your hands glued themselves to the sides of his torso. His lips were a pillow in hot breaths; tongue sloppy when his hips ground into you faster than before.
His cock was splitting you. Thrust after thrust he gained the momentum of chasing a high. He never let you go; holding onto you whether delicate on your neck or grasping at your body, Scott palmed as you grew in want.
âCome on, come on,â he gritted through his teeth as you clenched around him. You werenât registering the sounds of the headboard hitting the wall behind you. It was only you, Scott, and the sounds of your pleasure.
He picked up the rapid movements as best he could. It was so easy to lose himself in you. He, the most rigid man in both word and action, came alive at the opportunity to simply let go. Those words were strangeâto let goâbut he had found it in your meetings.
Scott Miller was many things, yet fucking you unbeknownst to the world was his greatest secret in his cruelty.
He watched you wither or waver, hands shifting to hold his face close to yours. You kept muttering nonsensical deliverances at your hips jutting up to join his. It was growing fierceâyour end. The orgasm eating away at your resolve. Scottâs eyes were battering down on your own, nodding his head with eager anticipation of the rush of your finish.
He nodded, chin bumping yours as your mouths declined to collide in a spectacle. Your breaths beat at the rapid nature of your heart; panting for respite in the low light of the hotelâs table lamp and glow of the television.
âThatâs it,â Scott coaxed. His silence in the efforts of his body ceasing. âCome on.â His teeth bit at his words.
âF-fuck,â you stuttered out. The wave was approaching. It tingled in your toes and laid heavy in your core. âShit,â you gasped quietly. âOh!â
Your mouth fell open and he took the opportunity to kiss you, tugging on your bottom lip as he pulled away and the curl of your toes became too real. You kept squeezing him, emboldening him to come with you.
Scott felt your muscles contract before it was nothing but a shake of your legs. You arched your back into him, allowing him to draw you close as he pounded into your finish to race to his own.
There was nothing in your eyes except the stars you couldnât see. It was fuzzy, exhilarating as the pulses rushed through you in a couple, disjointed and erratic bursts. You couldnât help but shake; it was overstimulating as Scott continued to push against your walls.
You swallowed his grunts, clinging onto his shoulders and cupping his face as he drew his arms under your back and repositioned you. He was close, so close. The beads of sweat on his forehead called him to endâa sure sign of his stamina along the sheen that covered you.
His hips snapped in and out with a fury. The softness of his earlier actions were thrown out the window. He did as he believed, fucked you into a state where youâd remember it for days.
And then his tether broke too.
Scott held your hips against him tightly. He kissed your lips as he finished inside of you before deepening it.
Suddenly you werenât going to remember the sex.
You were going to recall the way he kissed you after he made sure you both came. How he wouldnât let you feel anything but his lips, his tongue, his teeth, until he was soft inside of you.
Scott left your lips with a faint, nearly absent smile.
âHowâs that for remembering?â
He wasnât one for validation. He didnât seek your approval but it slipped out of him with the words he shouldnât say.
You ran your tongue over your lips to wet them. âMm,â you thought. âI might forget what it feels like to be kissed?â
Scott scoffed as you ran your fingers through his hair. He dipped his head again to kiss your shoulder, peppering kisses to your lips as he made a trail. He nuzzled his nose into the side of your face and could tell when your face broke out into a smile. Taking the chance, he tucked his forehead into the crux of your neck and shoulder. You squirmed with laughter but his hands held you steady.
âIâll be heading to The City for a few days,â he grumbled into your neck. âWe got a new truck.â
âThe gang ainât enough anymore? Youâre gonna outnumber us.â
Scott shook his head and began to unravel. He lifted up from you, slipping out as the cold met wet in the air. You could not help but draw your brows together at the discomfortâScottâs thumb rubbed soothing circles on your thigh.
He started off the bed and into the bathroom attached to help clean you up. Tossing your worn shirt back on the bed before shuffling into his briefs and pants again. You sat up in confusion.
âArenât you stayinâ?â You asked. âI thought weâd have a few hours.â
Maybe it had been dangerous to voice hope.
To voice and acknowledge the misery of missing him when it hurt to do so.
He shook his head again and went to his phone. âI gotta get that truck before she flies in.â
She. âWho?â You questioned with concern. You werenât exclusive, you werenât supposed to be jealous.
âSome girl Javi invited out for a few days,â he dismissed. Scottâs eyes were glued to the phone in his hand. âShe works for NWS.â
âTo help you?â
âWhy else?â He sounded disgruntled at the fact. But he ignored your tone too. âSaid she was a friend from college.â
âWhatâs the NWS got to do with your work?â
âSheâs just helpinâ us find the tornados, not anything else. We donât need help in what we do.â
You werenât oblivious to Storm Parâyouâd be a fucking fool not to be. It was something you detested, despised, about him and if you thought about it too long, you felt even the slightest but guilty of letting your thoughts wander to him when you were set on doing good.
He took from people in pain for what? His own personal gain? The money he raked in on the side of allowing a maniac of a man to fund his projects?
You knew there was a piece of him that strung you along not for sex or the fondness of it, but out of necessity to follow.
His team of storm chasers wouldnât have the opportunities if they didnât follow Tyler and the crew.
You were just collateral for the course. A âget love quick schemeâ in the center of a raging cyclone of fucked up felonies and a YouTube channel of misfits.
Scott let his fingers move briskly over the keyboard of his phone.
âWhen is she coming?â You feigned to ponder instead.
âMonday.â
âSo that means you have to leave now?â
Oh Lord Almighty. You sounded pathetic. Knees pulled up to your chest, holding the pieces of you together as you became forgotten.
You may have done things that made your momma blush but you cowering under the idea that a man is gonna leave you cold after a good roll in the sheets would set her aflame.
âHave to,â he tossed his phone back on the chair and took a new shirt out from his backpack. âFor business on Sunday with Riggs before we head out. We agreed toâŚâ he went back to his phone to check the time. âA two oâclock departure time.â
It wasnât even fucking twelve thirty but hey, he couldnât be seen, right?
âBullshit,â you let fall out.
âWhat?â Scott picked it up. His head snapped to you.
âI said itâs bullshit,â you said a bit louder for him to hear. âI donât get it, I donât.â
âWhat donât you âgetâ?â He had a lacing of judgment in his voice. It could have been the MIT superiority in him that festered with the ever mounting praise of his colleagues.
âI just donât know when it will be enough for all of you,â you scoffed. âYou pour money down drains for machines and tech and then you stockpile tragedies we canât even keep up with. And now youâve got the NWS on your side? The ones who are supposed to care about keeping us safe?â
âItâs freelance,â he pointed out while tucking in his shirt. He did up the belt in a flash. âAnd these people donât need whatâs left for them after itâs all gone. You know how hard it is for them to rebuild.â
âBut those are their homes, Scott. What if it was your home or my home or your parents?â
âIâd figure weâd all end up in different places anyway,â he tucked his phone in his back pocket.
You shook your head at him, looking away to focus on the TV. Muttering an âunbelievableâ under your breath, you began to wonder the reasons why he even bothered to show up.
They drove an entire team to Perry to sleep in a run of the mill hotel or perhaps that was second to Scott getting his fill. He just needed one good fuck to send him off and running to his next paycheck.
âI donât know what you want me to say,â Scott concluded dispassionately. That stone cold, humorless man replaced whoever burst through the door.
âWe both have jobs to do. Just stay in your lane and Iâll be in mine.â
Oh Christ he made you fume.
âYou can be a real jackass, you know that?â You narrowed your eyes at him.
âYou arenât tellinâ me anything I ainât heard before, honey.â
âOh fuck off!â You shouted a bit too loudly. He slung his cap back on his head. âYouâre such a piece of shit.â
âThen why tell me you were gonna be here?â He hummed an ask, approaching the bed with intent. You looked up at him as he settled in the spot next to you with his feet on the floor and arm outstretched to hold onto the headboard.
âWhy ask me to sleep with you or stay or kiss you or whatever else just to hate me after itâs all done?â
âI didnât ask to hate you.â
âYou donât hate me,â he clarified. âYou just hate the way you feel about me.â
âYouâre selfish,â you settled on.
âYouâre entitled,â Scott countered. The Ole Miss on your shirt burned.
âYou donât care about anyone except yourself.â
And that pained you.
âYou care about everyone else far too much,â he pulled his head toward you. His eyes flicked between your lips and eyes and you wanted to punch him and kiss it away.
All you wanted was to have a good night. To be worshiped in a quiet space and he gave you that, even if brief.
âSometimes I donât know why we even try.â
He was taken aback by it. You both were two people on very different ends of a string that snapped you together. It wasnât perfect but it worked for the most part.
âThen why do we?â He shouldnât have said it yet he did.
âYou canât even bear to stay,â you whispered. For a second, you thought you saw clarity in those cloudy eyes. âYou canât even fucking hold me after what we did.â
âI have to leave. I canât stay.â
âYou donât get it do you?â
Scott breathed in deeply, declining the sentiment with a toss of his head.
âI gotta go,â he said quietly instead. He took your chin in his hand, knocking it gently to the side.
âI donât know how you do it,â was all you could muster.
And then he left without another word.
In Booneâs mind, it did not matter if the sky was at its darkest, a joint never waited to be smoked when necessary.
He had woken about an hour before as Storm Parâs slamming of car doors rustled him from slumber. The RV wasnât the most perfect place to reside while traversing wild weather but he loved it all the same. He rolled off the bunk without notice of Dexter who would have surely scolded him for partaking at such a late hour.
So, he snuck into the truck and lit up in the quiet solitude of night without interruption.
It wasnât until an hour later when the drowsy feel of his tingles began to wear into sleep that he began to see things heâd question.
Boone rubbed the tired from his eyes the same time a door opened up to his right. He ducked into the front seat as though what he was doing was far from normal and spied the invasion of the public space.
Down to the right, Scott exited the room with a scowl on his face Boone could see in the dark. A backpack slung over his shoulder, he looked frustrated compared to the blasĂŠ he was used to. Scott walked past Boone without noticing and hopped into one of Storm Parâs trucks.
Boone remained ducked as he thought back to the room. Scott settled in the passenger seat before reclining it back to sleep. He disappeared from Booneâs view and the latter looked to the motel rooms again.
Even in his foggy memory, he recalled Lily sticking a crumpled piece of paper in the cup holder for Tyler to use. It had the address of the motel and the room numbers reserved. He scouted the cup holders until his fingers grasped the paperâs corner.
â34221 Sli-â he rumbled off as he read the note. His eyes traveled down to the rooms.
Lily room nine.
Tyler room thirteen.
Dani room twenty-one.
And then his eyes widened in curiosity at your name finely written and a twenty-two carved next to it. Those same numbers were lightly illuminated by the light above the door.
âNo shit,â Boone chuckled in disbelief.
The next few days were nothing but a blur.
The sky was like that too. Cloudy and gray. It seemed to reflect whatever was left inside of you to stir and gather into something larger as your memories of Scott overplayed in your mind with poor restraint.
God, how you wished it would just rain and swallow you whole.
It was absurdâfeigning such disappointment over a man who was not your significant other but did everything in solitude to appear that way. He loved on you and left you cold with nothing to warm the thoughts of what it would be like when you saw him again.
And when you did, it was disappointing.
The woman they had brought on to help was far too good to be mixed in with a crowd of degenerate Ivy pricks but she stayed with them longer than she should have. In their paths, it felt like they crossed yours even more than before.
You were struck trying to avoid Scottâs entire being when his truck passed or when they stopped at the same station or motel or place as you and yours.
It started to eat at you, the avoidance.
On an early Tuesday morning, you felt the winds begin to change again. Tyler blew a tire the night before and broke his jack trying to fix it. The lot of you ended up in the parking lot of a rundown gas station as the sun began to rise when the white trucks came barreling down the road and straight into the parking lot.
Dani booed them from the stairs of the RV.
âCanât your just leave us the hell alone?â Lily complained. It had been four days straight of interactions with them and it had caused nothing but trouble. You tried your best to stay normal but Boone kept sitting by you as if he wanted to hold your hand.
It peeved you to think he knew something was wrong.
âThey just love us too much,â Dani joked as she waved at the group exiting their trucks. Kate, their newest addition, smiled in the distance.
âAinât that the truth,â Boone acknowledged from beside you.
âHey Storm Par!â Dani shouted. âGo find your own fucking tornados!â
Beside their trucks, Javi scoffed and shook his head.
âWhat?â Kate inquired, her eyes curious as they had been the last week. âTheyâre just jokinâ Iâm sure.â
âNah,â Javi replied. âThey donât like us the same as we donât like them. I thought youâd pick up on that now.â
âWell sure,â Kate laughed at the ridiculousness of it. âBut thereâs more to this than that.â
Thereâs more to chasing than a fight.
âYeah well, tell that to them.â
âTheyâre just shitheads,â Scott piped up on his approach. âThink theyâre better than the rest of us because theyâve got a camera in their face.â
âTheyâve been fine to me,â Kate defended. She watched as the so-called tornado wranglers bounced up from their seats and headed in her direction. The man with the bandana tried to coax you to join but you refused physically.
âItâs just all of you that rub them the wrong way.â
âWell itâs a two-way street.â
You go your way, and Iâll go mine.
Kate observed the carefree way in which everyone interacted with one another. The two other girls tugged on your arms to bring you to your feet against your will. She felt Scott shift on his feet beside her but didnât dwell on it.
âThey still got that reporter with âem,â she noted. âMust be an interesting bunch to write a story about.â
âWhen you put together people from seven different walks of life, youâre bound to get something good,â Javi agreed with her.
Scott shifted again and Kate looked up at him. He wore his sunglasses, therefore it was hard to see his eyes. But his face was set and jaw tight. His hands were dug into his pockets but the distaste rolled off of him in waves. She looked back into the direction of all of you.
Boone was running circles around the three girls as their arms were wrapped around each other. Friends. It reminded Kate too much of the ones she lost.
âAlright everyone,â Scott called out. âFive minutes and then weâre back on the road.â
The inside of the station was no different than any other. Five rows of food with a wall of freezers in the back, a broken counter with a tower of cigs and vapes waiting to be sold. Kate was reading the back of a SunChips bag when you all came in. The bell above the door sounding with a jingle, Dani and Lilyâs laughter filled the space compared to the nonexistent chatter of Storm Parâs presence.
You held the door open for Tyler who gave a wink and a thanks that didnât phase you as it would her. He was handsome, charming if a little obnoxious. He smiled at Kate and a part of her felt like running, the other falling.
You didnât have the same spunk the others did. After they left your vicinity the smile on your face dropped and the shoulders were heavy. You passed Kate, giving her a small hello, before walking down the aisle. She peaked her head to the side of the stand.
âFind anything good?â Kate called out kindly. Her light Oklahoma twang cut through.
You glanced at her. âIf you count fruit flavored Doritos good, then maybe we have different tastes.â
She chuckled and took it as a sign to approach.
You didnât know much about Kate other than what Boone had dug up and what Scott had mentioned before she arrived. She was smart as a whip, a talented chaser, and one who made mistakes too.
âI donât think those would be good in any situation.â
âWe can agree there,â you mumbled. You picked up a small bag of Veggie Straws.
âSo where are yâall chasing today?â Kate inquired.
âWhy?â You countered. âSo you can follow us around?â
âNo,â she shook her head, feeling as though she offended you. âNo⌠we can find our own. I was just wonderinâ if yâall wanted to go to this bar tonight.â
You furrowed your brows. Under the static lighting of the gas station mart, you were falling into confusion.
âYâall as in⌠us?â
âYeah,â she laughed. Kate was intrigued by what you did. The way you all risked so much for entertainment or maybe, for some of you, there was still an inch of science to be discovered.
The day after you all converged and she had a panic attack at the sight of the tornado, Kate spent the morning watching the videos posted from your channel. She was amazed by the thrill of what feelings Tyler and Boone could ooze out of the screen.
But she took a liking to the science you broke down for the average viewer. The way you taught amidst the chaos of wrangling tornadoes or shooting fireworks up the funnel.
âI thought we could all use a break,â she shrugged. âJavi and I have known each other for a long time and we used to stop there for line dancing on Thursdays.â
Well it just so happened to be a Thursday.
âAnd these fellas are more wound up than a goddamn toy,â she said under her breath. âI think a pitcher of beer and some good olâ fashion Oklahoma hospitality would do us well.â
âOh,â you replied softly. âUm, well⌠Ty makes a lot of those decisions so many you could ask him?â
Her eyes went bright. âSure! I mean, I just thought Iâd ask. They all talk about you so much⌠I think theyâre all a little jealous.â
The thought of what Scott or any of the other Storm Par guys said about you and your friends bristled you. Scottâs face met you in dreams to remind you that he was never too far away and whatever strife you had with him and his work was always going to get in the way.
âDo they?â You commented. You could hear Javi in the aisle over talking to Scott about equipment.
âMhm.â
âHow charming,â you moved down the aisle to the other products but Kate didnât follow. She looked in your direction but behind you.
Javi and Scott were at the end of the aisle beside you, the former shuffling behind you with a small âexcuse meâ while the other stood there for a brief moment. You looked over your shoulder at him and his glasses were now gone, meeting your gaze for seconds too long.
âI was just inviting them to come with us,â Kate informed Javi who turned, eyeing you as your attention was distracted.
âWell I hope they can dance,â Javi .
Kate said your name which brought your attention back. You could feel Scott lingering, his stance imposing on your small aisle of snacks. You could always feel him aroundâa curse from caring about everyone too much. He wasnât a small man or one who could hide in the shadows; he towered over the short shelves.
And that caught Tylerâs attention when the conversation became too loud to go unnoticed. He appeared out of thin air at the other end of the aisle by the door.
You wanted the bags of chips to swallow you whole. It was bad enough that you were stuck between the word you loved and the man who made it more complicated. It was bad enough that Tyler would certainly say yes to Kateâs proposal because he had been sneaking glances at her for a week.
He had shit-eating grin on his face as he walked closer to the group of you. His curious eyes monitoring the way Scottâs body was a little too close to yours.
A part of him believed they were cornering you for something. He wouldnât put it past them for their sordid work in the hellish treatment of victims but hey, who was he to assume? You clutched the bag in your hands hard enough it could pop.
âWe all good over here?â Tyler questioned Scott specifically. It was the only other guy he could size up to and play out a macho-man persona. âI donât think I need to tell yâall that my team is my team, off limits to your work.â
Scott laughed, truly laughed at Tyler. Javi and Kateâs heads whipped around to Scott who rested an arm bent on the shelves beside him. Tyler focused on Scott in a labored calculation. He might have been the one they all liked the least.
âDid I say somethinâ funny?â
âYeah,â Scott replied. His voice flat as always. âYou did.â
Tyler looked around at Kate, Javi, and yourself who frowned.
âCare to explain what?â
Scott held back an amused smile as his eyes creased at the edges. You looked up at him with a warning. To your surprise, Scott looked back.
âNo,â he responded curtly while looking at you. Off limits.
Kate sensed it. She did. There was something thereâthe air heavy like a storm.
âWeâre gonna go to a dance bar in Enid tonight. I was just askinâ if all yâall would like to join us,â Kate pitched in to Tyler who slowly removed his gaze from Scott to her. His eyes let up softly.
âDance bar? I donât take any of these fellas for the dancing kind.â
âDonât you know weâre all from here?â Javi asked him and he didnât. You did but Tyler didnât know much about any of them except their high degrees of achievement and late-stage superior fraternity behavior.
âSo youâre tellinâ me that Mr. Stick-up-his-ass here can two step like itâs his birthday?â
âOh you ainât never see Scott dance,â Javi laughed loudly and gathered the rest of the wranglers to the aisle. âWe can dance you into next week.â
âAlright,â Tyler nodded his head. One night wouldnât hurt. âIâm good with it as long as itâs fine with Doc.â
Shit. They all gazed at you with bated breath. You could feel their beady eyes piercing; Scott's blistering eyes on the side of your head prompting you to try.
The last time you attempted to have a good evening it left you reeling. That was six days ago and you still replayed Scottâs words through your mind. Over and over and over and over again.
Youâre entitled.
Stay in your lane.
You cared about everyone else too much.
Yet your lanes always converged. And you had the right to be entitled as the name suggested. Doc. You were overly qualified to be there and whatever flew your way, you deserved it.
And fuck, if you didnât care about everyone else, youâd be a shell of a human. So hollow that your world would collapse.
By the laws of physics, youâd stay in motion. Youâd keep going even if he pulled you backwards a million times.
You looked at Tyler, tossing your bag of chips in his direction.
âIâd love to go dancinâ.â
Boone screeched a happy whistle and yelled to save him a dance. Scott seethed at those words as if he had a claim otherwise. It was an agreement to keep it quiet for the sake of your jobs, your sanity. But he was a covetous in his belongings and for whatever belief he had, you were his in all but name.
His actions made it difficult to fully manifest into reality. When you keep a locked door locked, you donât deserve to enjoy it for free. It ate away at him differently than the anxiety of hurt ate at you.
He wanted to freely give himself to youâto be the man you'd see on dark nights in the solace of a bedroom or wherever you could find respite.
It was tough to be the person you thought you were.
It was much easier to be a coward.
The dance bar was packed full of locals and tourists alike. You couldnât place the pull Enid had on people who werenât from there but it was alive the moment you walked through the door.
Boone whistled at the sight of everything.
âI gotta hand it to âem. They sure can pick a place.â
âHave you never been dancinâ before?â You questioned, linking your arm in the space offered by him. He gave a cheeky smile and tipped his cowboy hat with a free finger.
âOh, donât underestimate me, Doc. Just cause you ainât seen these moves donât mean I ainât got them.â
âMaybe Iâve been blessed. If itâs the same way you hold a camera, I canât imagine your feet.â
âUh huh,â he egged you on. âKeep it cominâ. I have a whole night to prove you wrong.â
You scrunched your nose at him. At the moment, a series of rapid clicks sounded behind you. You and Boone peaked behind you at Ben, the reporter, snapping a photo.
âSorry,â he apologized bashfully. âI havenât been able to capture much of you.â He spoke to you, not Boone. âI want to feature more than just the storms.â
âWell youâre gonna get a whole lot more than storms tonight, Ben!â Boone cheered as Dani joined him on his other side.
You got the sudden sense of deja vu to your college days. Those undergraduate nights where your friends would drag you to the bar and everything was far too loud and over exciting. It was beer and booze and feet that fumbled. There was nothing over exhilarating about going out on a weekday but now, past those prime days, you felt a simmer of that feeling come alive inside of you.
Against your better judgment, the idea that Scott and you were crossing paths in a public setting beyond your professions was exciting. It sent thrills down you when it shouldnât.
He had done nothing to remedy what he saidânor you for that matter. You kept your distance by sitting in the truck while stopping or sleeping in the RV with Dexter and Boone instead of a motel. Every time in the last week that your lines had met, you kept them parallel.
Tonight would be the hardest to not intersect.
âCan I buy you all a round?â Ben offered kindly. His mannerisms were foreign in the West. âFor an exciting week, I suppose.â
âWho are we to say no, Ben?â Tyler slung an arm around his shoulder. Dexter and Lily flanked him at his sides.
Your group settled at a table in the back of the bar by the darts and pool table. Dexter challenged Dani to a rematch of a game they had settled a couple of weeks ago, and the rest of you nursed or chugged the beer that Ben had bought. You were the former. Sticking your attention on the foam at the top as it slowly made its way down the glass to become nonexistent.
âSo,â Boone cleared his throat beside you as Dani, Tyler, and Ben looked over the photos the journalist had taken thus far.
âIs there a reason your attitude has been shit lately?â
You peered into the glass. Fingers tapping the sides of it.
âI was editing the last video and if anyone wanted a tornado to actually kill them, viewers might be convinced itâd be you.â
âOh come on,â you scoffed. âI am sure my bad day didnât ruin the video.â
âI didnât say ruin, only tainted it. But whatâs goinâ on?â He pointed and probed at your temple invasively. âThe wheels are turning. I can hear them.â
âItâs nothinâ, Boone. Just⌠girl stuff.â
âMy favorite!â He bellowed like a King. Dani transitioned from her conversation to yours.
âWhatâs your favorite?â
âGirl stuff,â he mimicked. âJust askinâ about little miss sad is all.â
Dani nodded, taking a sip of her beer.
âIs it about your tinder date?â
âMy what?â You showed deep confusion. âWhat date?â
âLast week,â she said casually. âI could hear your headboard against my wall. Jesus,â Dani laughed. âI didnât know you had it in you Doc.â
Ben and Tylerâs conversation ended and they eavesdropped from the end of the table. At the other end of the bar, Storm Par, in casual clothing, entered.
You blanched at her words. You didnât even realize.
âOh-ho!â She pounded a fist on the table. âIt was a tinder guy! Ha!â
Boone went suspiciously quiet beside you as she kept on.
âI didnât want to say anything then but it makes sense. Youâve been on edge ever since. Maybe you should call himââ
âNo,â you shook your head at her. Your hands left the glass and settled in your lap.
âHe wasnât good? Ohââ
âNo!â You defended too fast and awkwardly. Boone glanced at Tyler who became far too interested in his co-pilotâs silence.
Dani lowered her voice with concern. âWas it too, you know, rough? Did he hurt you?â
âOh my God!â You exclaimed at the invasion of privacy. âCan you not?â
âSorry!â She held up her hands. âI didnât hear anything else if thatâs what youâre worried about. I donât want to know your kinks.â
âOh fuck me,â you wailed. âDani, can you please stop?â
âOk, ok!â She backed off and sat in her seat. âIâm just trying to help!â
âI know,â you breathed in. Tyler took a large sip of his beer before putting it back on down the table.
âWe know him?â He questioned, eying Boone move uncomfortably in his seat. You looked at him and gaped for a millisecond before shaking your head.
âNo. No, I donât think so.â
Boone glanced at Tyler again and he knew you lied. He didnât think it was Booneâthat would be a nonstarter because you werenât his type. It wasnât Dexter because he was married and Ben was not interested in women.
He knew you didnât swing for Dani or Lily so it was someone else. Dani already deduced it was a man so any other woman was out of the question.
âWell maybe you just need to find someone else to take your mind off of it?â Dani suggested.
âYeah. Maybe.â You bit at the inside of your cheek.
âA lot of fuss over a one night stand,â Tyler put an arm over the back on Benâs seat. âMustâve been somethinâ if youâre down and out about it.â
You downed the beer before you in a flash.
âMustâve,â Dani agreed with a hum.
âAnyone want another?â You asked, shifting out of your seat. The heels of your boots clacked onto the floor with a bounce.
Everyone shook their heads no and let you leave the table.
The music was pumping through the speakers loudly and the bar was full. You spotted Kate with a couple of the Storm Par guys doing a shotâall of them looking like regular Joeâs in their tees and flannels. Not far from the edge of the bar Scott and Javi waited for pitchers to be filled.
It was rare you saw him out of his âuniform.â Clad in a dark blue tee and his own flannel, the only thing that separated him from the rest was the way he looked. When he tried, Scott was movie-star handsome. The kind of person thatâd be having girls write their numbers on his hand at the end of the night.
His presence was unfair to the other men aroundâexcept for Tyler on the occasion. It was a shame he was an asshole.
Instead of going toward Scott and Javi as you might have a week ago, you took an empty spot beside Kate who cheerfully greeted you. She waved down the bartender, asking for another shot and to refill your glass.
Tyler watched you walk away. He couldnât see the decision making in your eyes or hear the thoughts in your mind, yet he had his own to make assumptions.
âBoone,â he called to his friend who sat quietly. Tyler watched you stand next to Kate and Benâs gaze followed.
âYeah?â
âWhy you beinâ so quiet?â
âIâm n-not,â he tripped over his words. âIâm not.â
âYou sure we donât know him?â
Tyler clocked each of the Storm Par men. None of them looked immediately taken by you standing there, itching to get their hands on you but then he let himself wander to the end of the bar.
And he locked in.
âI donât know him,â Boone choked a laugh. âHow would I know? Sheâd tell Dani before me.â
âI didnât say she told you.â
âWell Iâm just implying.â
Tyler turned to Ben who was trying to copy Tylerâs movements.
âBen,â Tyler tipped his head toward you. âTell me what you see.â
Ben cleared his throat like he was being interrogated. âWell they just got a second round of shots and the bartender said itâs on the house. She must recognize us.â
âOk,â Tyler pointed. âAnd down there? What can we conclude, Mr. London.â
âOh, well⌠it seems not everyone is out for a good time.â It was Scottâs frown that told him that.
âYou sure?â Tyler watched as Dani blanked. Her eyes suddenly went wide and worrisome at the thought.
âNo!â She objected. âNo fucking way. Not on my watch, Tyler. Nope!â
âWhat?â Ben asked frantically. âWhatâs wrong?â
âTyler thinks itâs one of them,â Dani pointed to Javi and Scott.
âIt is one of them,â as though there were options. âItâs the fucking stick in the mud.â
Dani scowled and physically rejected the idea. Ben watched what Tyler did as Scott, the taller of the two men and the one facing your direction at the bar, couldnât keep his eyes off you as you laughed at whatever Kate said.
You started to leave and he averted his gaze until your back was to him. You didnât even look at him when you passed him and Javi.
âShit,â Dani muttered as you got closer. Boone closed his eyes with a sigh before nodding at the rest of the table.
âIt is him,â he admitted and Dani slapped a hand on her face. âI saw him.â
âYou saw them?â
âNo, him. Leaving her motel room last week.â
âOh Lord,â Dani nearly wailed. âSheâs been sad over him?â
âHe is quite attractive,â Ben defended. Dani slapped his arm harshly.
âDammit donât say that!â
Tyler sat in contemplation. He had been your friend for years now and knew when things got rough, it could be difficult to overcome them. Everyone had gone through countless breakups and one night stands and situationships that didnât work out and after a bit, youâd be ok.
Yet he knew it was different somehow.
Even though he despised Storm Par and had nothing but horrible interactions with Scott, there must have been something there for you to cling on to.
And anger had a distant cousin: jealousy.
When you came back to the table, everyone was quiet and observing.
âWhat?â You questioned each of them.
âNothinââ Dani said quickly.
âOh really?â
âDo you wanna dance?â Tyler asked you abruptly. You could see on his face that there was another thought lingering below the surface but didnât prove.
âRight now?â
âYeah,â he hopped off his stool and motioned toward the group of people dancing to the rhythms of the music. Most were couples, a few spattering of friend groups around.
Tyler held out his hand to you.
âDonât tell me a PhD canât dance, Doc.â
You rolled your eyes, taking his hand in yours. It wasnât Scottâs, but it would do for now.
âOf course I can, hillbilly. I just do it a bit more sophisticated than you.â
Dani and Boone howled in laughter as you let Tyler take you to the dance floor, spinning you around twice before settling to the score. You danced sweetly with one another as the others looked on from their seats.
Tyler Owens always looked proud to be in the company of his friends. Each plucked from their own little obscure corner of the world: a YouTube daredevil, an amateur late-age scientist, an ex-pr firm reject, a tech fair winner, and youâthe science bros internet girlfriend who was a professor of physics.
He adored each of you in a special way that made everyday worth living.
It hurt him that you couldnât be honest about an action so natural. If Scott had been a one time thing or a many time thing, he would learn to accept it if it meant you would be happy.
Heâd want the same in return should a situation arise.
âYou know,â he cleared his throat as the song sped up in tempo but came back down. âWe donât really keep secrets from each other here.â
You sighed, looking away from Tyler. Everyone was at peace on the door before the real dancing began and you tried not to peak at the table as Storm Par settled at the table beside your friends.
âIâm not keeping secrets. Iâm not revealing information.â
âAh!â Tyler chuckled. âOk, fine⌠but if I said that even if you didnât tell us and kept whatever you have with whoever it is going, that we would all be ok with it, that wouldnât matter?â
âIt doesnât matter,â you said frankly. âI thinkââ
âThat heâs staring at us right now.â
Tyler met your eyes with purity. There was no cruelty or hatred in them for you to think he was being a jerk about it.
You opened your mouth to speak but he denied you the chance.
âThereâs a lot of things I could say about it, Doc. A lot. You couldâve picked a nicer dude, not a leech to our operations, someone who cares about peopleâŚâ he trailed off when he saw your demeanor fall far from his jokes.
âBoone saw him,â he clarified. âHe put the pieces together but didnât want to say anything. Not his place, I guess.â
âNo,â you said in soft resignation.
âDo you want to talk about it?â
âNot really.â
âHow long?â
âNot long after we met them,â you confessed. About a year ago. Tyler whistled, his hand inched a bit lower on your back but it was still respectful, you didnât mind.
âAnd something he did, said, isnât sitting right?â
âNo.â
âDo you want my advice?â
You stayed silent as he continued on. He let the music play out as you swayed. Javi and Kate joined on the floor and their giggles were noticeable from the short distance between you.
âGuys like him⌠theyâre complicated. And I get it if you donât want to hear it but Iâve been around guys like him my whole life. They can be selfish and unnerving and stupid. Itâs like theyâre trying to prove to the world that theyâre fit to be in it.â
You couldnât disagree.
âWhen they find a place that accepts them, theyâll rise to the top of it and not know what itâs like to be at the bottom anymore. They forget about people like us.â
âI think I changed my mindââ you started to pull away but he tugged you back.
âIâm not telling you to let him go. He just hasnât been put in a place of uncertainty in a long, long time.â
âHe said I was entitled.â
âHeâs a prick and I will beat his ass if you want me to.â
You smiled. âNo. Itâs ok.â
âI will do it, donât underestimate me,â he smirked. âAnd by the way he watches you, that uncertainty is you.â
âWhat do you mean by it?â
âI think you might scare him a little, Doc.â
You did.
Scottâs heart rate rose significantly from the time he entered the bar, saw you, and had to watch you dance with Tyler. Those same words that replayed in your mind the last week surfaced as soon as he sat in the truck and the door was shut.
He was an ass. It was a part of him that he couldnât escape from no matter how he tried. His memories delicately held onto the hours you shared where he felt he could be someone else.
Tyler kept glancing in the direction in which Scott sat as though to rub salt in the wound.
âCan we try not to frown today?â Kate saddled up in the seat beside him. âI donât think Iâve ever seen you smile.â
âNormal people donât walk around grinning.â
âNo,â she kicked her feet. âBut they do allow themselves to have fun.â
âI am.â
She blew raspberries as Javi poured the beer into their glasses. âYou are a tough nut.â
âNever not one,â Javi agreed. âJust loosen up, man. The world is bigger than what we do.â
Scott breathed in a frustrated sigh. âIâm fine,â he pressed.
âNot since Iâve met you,â Kate suggested. She looked out into the sea of people. âMaybe we can just all take it easy tonight. Drink some beer, dance, and then find you someone to take home.â
Scottâs voice was muffled by the beer he drank but he shook off her suggestion. He didnât even really know this girl who appeared to be a phenom of weather patterns. All she had done this week was disrupt their workings and fall on his irritation scale.
âI like the sound of that!â Javi encouraged. âWhenâs the last time you been laid, huh? 2015?â
Scott didnât entertain it. He looked out onto the dance floor and saw you swaying with Tylerâa mix of concern and thankfulness levied on your face.
âOk, ok⌠blink once if before or twice if after,â Javi continued at Kateâs amusement. âIâm serious, man. Weâre gonna hook you up, alright? Kateâs got a six sense for pickinâ the right ones.â
Javi took his turn but the song changed to a favorite of Kateâs and his eyes lit up at the same time hers did. Call it a sign from the heavens, but Scott had been saved from the humiliation of his friend.
Kate dragged Javi to the floor not far from you and Tyler and it gave him protection to keep looking.
Tyler spun you close to Javi and Kate.
âWe all have to face our fears,â Tyler told you. âIf we donât, theyâre gonna prevent us from what we need in our lives.â
âDid anyone ever tell you that a book deal might be in your future? Words of Wisdom by everyoneâs favorite tornado wrangler.â You emphasized with the sparkle of your fingers.
âThat ainât a half bad idea.â
âIâm full of great ideas.â
âThen start thinkinâ of one to remedy this. I love ya, I do. But if you let his shell break you, it will be a hell of a lot harder to handle the road.â
âThank you, Tyler,â you said earnestly. âI wasnât sure what any of you would say about it.â
âWell,â he racked his brain for the thought. âYou remember that girl Dani was seeinâ from Kansas? She might not have been the most perfect but she was perfect for Dani when she needed her. And maybe thatâs Scott for you.â
The sound ended abruptly and the speakers let out a deafening tone. A bartender came onto the surround sound to kick off the line dancing that only Tyler could hype up more. Kate and Javi found themselves beside you both and everyone that could fit on the wooden floor ascended.
Tyler clapped his hands together as he stationed himself near the first line. You werenât too confident in yourself even if you had been doing this since you could walk, so you settled in the spot behind him. Kate was jovial to stand next to Tyler. Her eyes twinkled and you thought back on his words.
Perfect for what was needed.
âOoO, my man!â Javi clapped Scottâs back in surprise as he joined on the floor.
Dani, Boone, and Lily ran to stand next to you, so Javi and Scott took the positions behind you. Dexter cheered everyone on from the table with Ben. The latter took his camera out with his finger on the shutter.
âDonât step on our shoes now, you hear me?â Lily screeched over her shoulder to Javi and Scott. Feeling emboldened by the two glasses of beer he downed in a record time, Scott ran a hand through his hair.
âDonât worry about it!â He shouted back.
âOk Mr. MIT, come to show us how itâs done!â Lily drawled. She tugged on your armâhaving missed the conversation prior. Daniâs smile dropped off her face fast.
âI say we place a bet!â She yelled over the music that was getting so loud. Your ears rung as the lights began to spin in different colors. Javi heard the bet and drew closer to Lily.
She pulled your arm with her, sticking you beside Scott. He put his hands on his hips and his elbow knocked your other arm.
âTwenty that heâll fall on his face,â she suggested.
Javi looked at Scott and contemplated the idea. Scott was distracted by you standing there. He just stared, like a fish out of water in a town not far from one he visited as a kid.
You made him feel like a fish out of water.
âDeal!â You heard Javi agree and before Lily could shake his hand in a deal, you piped up.
âI bet with Javi!â She peeped at you surprised. âForty says he can!â
Scott never had someone put trust in him like that. It was a damn good thing his mother taught him more than just math and science.
âOk!â She yelled back, shaking both Javi and your hand.
Before you turned to take your spot as the music started, you took Scott in.
âDonât disappoint me!â You shouted.
After the last few days, he couldnât will himself to.
He shook his head, letting a smile grow to his eyes. Dani had never seen it before.
âWouldnât dream of it, baby!â
And Scott danced his fucking ass off.
You werenât sure where it ended or began, but you could feel it coming in your bones.
Not the sounds of laughter in a confined space or the blaring of musicâthe rapid, unpredictable nature of dedication a person could not admit. It was a funnel cloud below the truck; a spiraling tire on the side of the road blasting its radius toward you.
The cool air at night hit your body like a bucket of water. The squealing of the door to the bar rattled at the force you used to push but it didnât slam closed as you expected.
Two minutes ago, you were breathing heavily on the dance floor. The stomping rhythm of boots on wood turning your mind blank with every kick and turn. You had found the peace within the steps and let it drive you to a foundation.
Scott had gladly proved them all wrongâenjoying the surprised excitement that emitted from both his and your own team at the way he was able to, standing above six feet, move the way he did. He caught your smile more than once, a resurgence of hope filled him.
At the break of the song, you hung onto Lilyâs arm, pointing to the door.
âI need some air,â you nearly heaved.
So you went for the door and he debated on whether to follow but in the business you took up, there was always the possibility of never having another moment.
And if he didnât strike his fear now, heâd never do it.
âHey,â he called out to you as the music started up again but you were too far gone. Already halfway to the door by the time he had made a decision. He tried calling out to you again, except his track was cut off by a sweaty Boone.
âEx-â
âDonât fucking hurt her,â Boone panted. His eyes pleaded for his friend, for you. âDonât do it. Please.â
âIâm notââ
âYou say youâre not but Iâm sure youâve said it before. But think about it, dudeâŚâ Boone got up in Scottâs personal space. âIf a tornado hit this building right now and you were the only one left, would you be ok with how this ends?â
Scott saw the earnest plea in Booneâs call. He placed a hard, firm hand on Booneâs shoulder.
âI appreciate it, man.â
It was the first time Scott was decent to him.
Scott left him standing there near the entrance as he caught the door before it slammed closed. Outside, you stood in a cool down position in the orange-yellow glow of the parking lot.
His heart was beating out of his chest. It hadnât felt that way in a week.
He wasnât sure if you knew he had followed you. You didnât turn around and didnât acknowledge him as the silence overtook. Crickets strung their chords and cars whirled by on the road.
Scott leaned against the brick building under the neon lights with a knee bent.
âDo I scare you?â
You broke the silence after minutes had passed. You kept your back to him but he looked up, folding his arms across his broad chest.
If you turned around, you feared you wouldnât be able to keep it together.
âDonât lie to me,â you tried not to sound like a beggar. âDo I scare you?â
âYeah,â he stated frankly. âYeah you do.â
âWhy?â
You could hear him breathe out. You imagined him looking around for an answer.
âThereâs a million reasons why.â
âYou canât name one?â You took the chance to glance at him. His face was half illuminated by a moody blue glow of the neon sign.
âI can name plenty,â he reassured. âI just donât know whatâs too personal to say.â
âThereâs no such thing.â
âFine,â his fingers tapped on his bicep. âYou scare me because this game we play doesnât always feel like a game to me.â
The sex. The getting together in the middle of the night to whisper sweet nothings and cherish a deep connection to feel like itâs nothing the next day.
âYou scare me because youâre smart and know what youâre doing when weâre just getting our heads straight.â
Your head tilted to the side at his honesty.
âYou scare me because I feel something that maybe I shouldnât. Because by some stupid chance I canât have you, someone else will and I canât imagine seeing them with you.â
Your chest tightened.
âIâm selfish to think that way,â he nodded. âYouâre right about that.â
âI was talking about your work,â you confessed. âI think what you do is selfish.â
He didnât say anything to that because he knew it was also true. Everything he sold to people was a fat lie to make money for a man who already had enough.
âYou care about people too much,â he repeated. âAnd I donât have enough people to put the care that I have into them.â
âYouâre an asshole,â you told him and he nodded again.
âIâd have to agree.â
âYou made me feel like shit.â
âI canât take it back.â
âI donât want you to.â
âIâm sorry,â he apologized. âFor what I said and didnât do. I was an asshole and you didnât deserve it.â
His moody blues were turning the sky sad. A raindrop hit the ground between you.
âI donât think I deserve your forgiveness,â he continued. âIâve never been nice to your friends, or you, when weâre on the road. I dislike the way Tyler danced with youâmade me want to knock his fucking teeth out but I figured youâd hate me more if I did.â
âHe did that on purpose, you know.â
He shook his head, looking off into the grassland beyond the bar. You felt like you were being laid onto an altar for a choice. One that seemed easy but was hard, and one that was hard but the devil claimed it was easy.
âFigures,â he mumbled. âBut I deserved it.â
âWeâd have to agree there too.â
He looked up at you again. Arms still crossed, he undid them and extended a hand to you as an offering. Scott was not shocked by the hesitation in your steps.
âI think you have a lot of work to do, Scott.���
âI do.â
âAnd I donât want to think this is all grandstanding to get into my bed.â
âItâs not.â
âIâm not one to give second chances,â you told him and he dropped his hand in his lap. âBut I donât think what we were doing constitutes as a first chance either.â
You walked toward him at your own volition. The gravel harsh under your heels, you settled with your toes at his. And you fiddled with the edges of the opening to his flannel no different than the collar in the diner.
âThis is the only chance Iâll give you.â
Another raindrop fell.
âI donât intend on wasting it.â Scottâs eyes flicked between your lips and eyes.
In the laws of physics, there is one to triumph above the rest.
The gravitational law states that if a particle exists, it will attract others to them unwillinglyâit is simply the natural state of existence.
The pull is magnetic; impossible to pass by the will of your mind, body, or soul. It tugged at the heartstrings roughly. A bridge that connected people from everywhere to be in one singular place at the right time.
Scottâs gravitational pull was too powerful to withstand. It pulled every bit of you into him without remorseâit was blue, red, and the colors of the world within to bloom into spectacles youâd only see when your eyes were closed.
Scottâs hands found purchase on your waist, drawing you into his pull. One of your hands remained on his chest. His erratic heart beat no differently than your own and the other hand grasped his forearm.
âIâm sorry,â he whispered in the night. âIâm sorry.â
You rested your forehead on his. âI know.â
The strength of his pull was strong. Yet it was not strong enough for you to pull your head back.
âDonât prove Iâm right,â you wanted him. He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.
âCan I be selfish one more time?â He inquired with a gleam in his eyes. Scott ran his tongue over his lips expectantly.
âOh,â you feigned innocence. âWell, I donât know if that wouldââ
He cut you off as he brought his lips to yours, kissing you sweetly. His lips were warm and smelt of a faint cheap beer. Another raindrop fell and this time it hit your face. You ignored it.
You gripped onto his shirt with a fist as he deepened the kiss. Taking one of his hands from you, he cupped the side of your neck to position you as he pleased.
It started to rain in Enid.
In the rain, the laws of physics didnât defy themselves. The rain soaked into your clothes and into his dark locks to drip onto his face more so than yours. The blue of the neon sign growing hot instead of cold.
You broke away from him, tracing the lines of his face.
âDonât prove Iâm right,â you repeated.
And he didnât.
A/N: thanks for reading! As always comments, reblog, and likes are always appreciated. I love hearing from all of you and your reactions motivate us greatly!
#Scott x reader#Scott miller x reader#Scott twisters#scott (twisters)#twisters#twisters 2024#x reader#fanfic#fanfiction#david corenswet#Scott x fem!reader#twisters has overtaken my life#also this is a honker of a fic and I do not apologize
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